Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Lin Jun stays to watch Yan Hua and Yu Hong’s Venerable Rank battle, while Kong Cao retreats to safety but keeps watch nearby.
• The two experts clash through their Dao Domains: Yan Hua’s spreading ink shadow initially pushes back Yu Hong’s rainbow light, but Yu Hong’s strange hand-runes reverse the advantage and trap Yan Hua inside a rainbow sphere.
• Kong Cao realizes Yan Hua is losing and urges Lin Jun to flee. Yu Hong instead releases a demon puppet made from a Demon Venerable’s corpse, which takes the form of a three-headed black wolf.
• The wolf charges Lin Jun, but Lin Jun knocks it into a deep pit. He then reveals a new technique: using one of the six Dao Realms in his outer ring as a weapon, he hurls it at the recovering puppet.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Jun remains curious and composed despite the danger, choosing observation over retreat. He demonstrates a striking advance in his power by weaponizing his Dao Realm, surprising Kong Cao.
• Kong Cao is cautious and protective. He respects Lin Jun’s choice to stay, then returns when Yan Hua appears to be in trouble and warns him about the puppet.
• Yan Hua faces Yu Hong directly and initially holds his ground, but is eventually overcome by Yu Hong’s stronger Dao Domain.
• Yu Hong fights aggressively and ruthlessly, escalating the battle by deploying the powerful puppet—apparently motivated by the murder of his younger brother.
• The Demon-Exalting Elder coaches Lin Jun, explaining that the experts are contesting their Dao Domains and encouraging him to learn from the fight.

Significant themes

• Danger and spectacle: The chapter presents the awe-inspiring scale of Venerable Rank combat while stressing that even its aftermath can kill ordinary fighters.
• Learning through observation: Lin Jun treats the battle as a rare opportunity to study techniques, and his elder reinforces the value of watching stronger opponents.
• Innovation and growth: Lin Jun’s unconventional use of a Dao Realm as a weapon shows how personal experimentation can create power beyond established methods.
• Escalation and revenge: Yu Hong’s deployment of the demon puppet turns an already dangerous duel into a direct threat to Lin Jun and Kong Cao.

Plot points and events

• Lin Jun’s black-hole-like technique tears apart the three-headed wolf puppet, but its Demon Venerable body begins to recover.
• Lin Jun uses a second Dao Realm to destroy the puppet completely. Kong Cao realizes Lin Jun has many more Dao Realms and is stunned by the strength of his techniques.
• Lin Jun enters the rainbow-lit Dao Domain to confront Yu Hong, leaving Kong Cao outside to wait.
• Inside the Domain, Yu Hong has gained the advantage over Yan Hua, whose cultivation has stagnated while Yu Hong grew stronger using stored treasures. Yu Hong decides to kill Yan Hua as well as capture Lin Jun.
• As Yu Hong’s Domain begins to tear Yan Hua apart, Lin Jun bursts in and sends a black attack at Yu Hong. Yu Hong dismisses it as a minor Saint-level technique and catches it—triggering a destructive black sphere that engulfs him.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Jun is confident and resourceful, willing to expend costly Dao Realms and enter a Demon Venerable’s Domain himself. His casual intention to kill Yu Hong contrasts with the danger others perceive.
• Kong Cao is repeatedly astonished by Lin Jun’s power. He shifts from urging caution to trusting Lin Jun enough to wait outside, though he remains doubtful that Lin Jun can defeat Yu Hong.
• Yu Hong becomes more confident after realizing he has surpassed Yan Hua, but his contempt for Lin Jun’s attack leads him to underestimate it.
• Yan Hua remains composed despite losing ground to Yu Hong and facing the threat of his Dao Domain.

Significant themes

• Underestimation and overconfidence: Yu Hong assumes Lin Jun’s attack is harmless because Lin Jun is a Saint, setting up a potentially fatal mistake.
• Power and stagnation: Yu Hong’s resources have enabled him to advance, while Yan Hua’s growth has been limited by the Lower Realm’s lack of energy.
• The cost of strength: Lin Jun’s powerful Dao Realms are expensive to forge, making their use effective but costly.

Chapter summary

Key plot points

• Lin Jun rescues the badly injured Yan Hua from Yu Hong and offers him large quantities of precious medicine. Yan Hua accepts and quickly recovers, revealing that he can fight again.
• Yu Hong breaks free of Lin Jun’s black Dao Realm energy, though it leaves his body horribly mangled. Lin Jun recognizes that the attack damaged Yu Hong’s flesh but did not reach his core.
• Yu Hong tries to avoid Lin Jun’s attacks and ambush him with rainbow-light arms. Lin Jun appears to be caught, but this is a trap: a Nine-Tail Fox carrying another Dao Mirror appears beside Yu Hong and unleashes the destructive energy at close range.
• Yu Hong survives by spending a talisman to create a barrier and sacrificing another puppet—this time a small dragon—to absorb the attack.
• With Yan Hua restored by Lin Jun’s medicines, he confronts Yu Hong. Yan Hua reveals he can use his power again, and Yu Hong suddenly becomes terrified. Yu Hong is then crushed and compressed into a small black pellet by Yan Hua’s mysterious technique.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Jun shows resourcefulness and generosity: he supplies Yan Hua with medicine, uses a decoy to outmaneuver Yu Hong, and stays cautious about spending his Dao Mirrors because their use has a personal cost.
• Yan Hua moves from near defeat to renewed strength, aided by Lin Jun’s medicines. His calm confidence—and the fear he inspires in Yu Hong—suggests a formidable, previously unseen ability.
• Yu Hong remains dangerous and heavily equipped, relying on evasive attacks, a protective talisman, and expendable puppets. However, he underestimates Lin Jun’s cleverness and ultimately cannot escape Yan Hua.
• Lin Jun and Yan Hua work together effectively: Lin Jun provides resources and tactical support, while Yan Hua supplies the decisive force.

Significant themes

• Preparation and ingenuity: Lin Jun’s supplies and decoy strategy help counter an enemy stronger than himself.
• Resourcefulness versus brute strength: Yu Hong has powerful defenses and many trump cards, but teamwork and timing turn the fight against him.
• The cost and value of resources: Lin Jun carefully limits his use of the Dao Mirrors, while his medicines restore Yan Hua enough to change the battle’s outcome.
• Hidden power and shifting advantage: Yu Hong appears dominant until Yan Hua’s recovery reveals that the balance of power has changed.

Chapter Summary: “Just Wait and See”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yan Hua defeats Yu Hong using his Martial Venerable ability, “compression,” within his Dao Domain. He explains that Martial Venerables can seize and manipulate a portion of Heaven and Earth’s rules inside their domains.
• Yan Hua suffers severe backlash from using this power because his breakthrough was interrupted. His eyes are destroyed or damaged, and he will need several months to recover despite having valuable medicines.
• Yu Hong escapes after leaving behind a black bead containing compressed flesh and blood. Yan Hua notes that Yu Hong possesses numerous life-saving treasures, making his survival unsurprising.
• Lin Jun realizes that Yu Hong’s survival creates a major future threat, since Yu Hong is the grandson of the Dragonrider Island Lord and may pursue Lin Jun in Heaven Beyond Heaven.
• Yan Hua asks Lin Jun to help resist future demon attacks. In exchange, he examines Lin Jun’s battered Demon-Exalting Sword.
• Yan Hua uses Yu Hong’s flesh and blood to restore the sword. The sword absorbs the Demon Venerable’s remains, sheds its rust, and reveals its true form.
• Yan Hua theorizes that the Demon-Exalting Sword is connected to the legendary Demon-Slaying Sword, a weapon within the Inner Abode designed to devour and suppress demons.
• He concludes that the Demon-Exalting Elder is likely the Demon-Slaying Sword’s sword spirit, while Lin Jun’s sword is the key or outer form needed to activate the true weapon.
• Yan Hua further explains that the Demon-Slaying Sword may merge with its wielder, strengthening the wielder’s body and granting traits similar to the sword itself.
• Although the Demon-Slaying Sword is currently missing, Yan Hua expects the demons to bring it to them soon, prompting his confident instruction to “just wait and see.”
• The chapter ends with Yan Hua inviting Lin Jun to inspect Great Yan, emphasizing Lin Jun’s status as one of its Weapon Officers.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun becomes more aware of the gap between his current power and the realm of Martial Venerables. He also recognizes the political and personal danger posed by Yu Hong’s survival.
• He grows increasingly tied to Great Yan’s defense and accepts Yan Hua’s request for assistance, partly because he needs combat experience.
• Yan Hua is revealed to be extraordinarily powerful but physically damaged by his flawed breakthrough. Despite his injuries, he remains knowledgeable, calm, and confident.
• Yan Hua takes on an instructive, elder-like role toward Lin Jun, explaining Dao Domains, demon weapons, and the possible nature of Lin Jun’s sword.
• The Demon-Exalting Elder learns that he may actually be the sword spirit of the legendary Demon-Slaying Sword. He reacts with confusion and indignation, especially when Yan Hua dismisses the sword as merely a shell.
• Yu Hong is established as a dangerous surviving enemy with powerful treasures, influential lineage, and likely future ambitions against Lin Jun.

Significant Themes

• The power of rules and higher realms: Martial Venerables do not merely use techniques; they control aspects of Heaven and Earth within their Dao Domains.
• Power at a cost: Yan Hua’s victory demonstrates that immense strength comes with serious physical consequences.
• Hidden identities and lost potential: The Demon-Exalting Sword and its spirit may be components of a much greater weapon whose true power has yet to be awakened.
• Weapons and their wielders: The chapter suggests that a powerful weapon can transform its wielder, creating a form of reverse unity between person and weapon.
• Future threats and preparation: Yu Hong’s escape and the anticipated arrival of the Demon-Slaying Sword both establish conflicts that will require planning rather than immediate resolution.
• The depth of the wider world: The destruction of the Inner Abode’s Demon Kingdom and the existence of treasures connected to Heaven Beyond Heaven reveal that Great Yan’s struggles are part of a much larger conflict.

Character Interactions

• Yan Hua teaches Lin Jun about Martial Venerable Dao Domains and explains the cost of his own power.
• Lin Jun thanks Yan Hua for saving him, and Yan Hua asks for his help against future demon attacks.
• Yan Hua examines and restores Lin Jun’s sword, leading to the discovery of its connection to the Demon-Slaying Sword.
• The Demon-Exalting Elder protests Yan Hua’s description of him and the sword, creating a brief humorous exchange.
• Lin Jun questions Yan Hua’s theory, particularly why the sword only reacted to a Demon Venerable’s flesh and blood, prompting further explanation.
• Yan Hua ends by treating Lin Jun as a fellow Great Yan Weapon Officer and inviting him to see the state of Great Yan firsthand.

Key events

• After leaving Yan Hua’s Dao Domain, Kong Cao finds Yan Hua badly bloodied. Yan Hua says Yu Hong will be unable to emerge for decades and orders Kong Cao to reinforce their defenses.
• Yan Hua flies east toward Flame Kingdom, with Lin Jun keeping pace so easily that Kong Cao suspects Lin Jun could surpass him. Kong Cao has to be carried along.
• Lin Jun asks how Martial Venerables acquire Authority. Kong Cao explains that breaking through grants one brief chance to perceive and choose an Authority, but reaching beyond one’s capacity can be fatal.
• Kong Cao says Yan Hua once reached for an Authority too powerful for him. The attempt nearly killed him, and although he survived and grew more cautious, using that Authority now requires lengthy preparation.
• Lin Jun considers the danger posed by the failing formation in the Inner Abode. It has held back powerful Demons from Heaven Beyond Heaven, who may soon escape; if they reach the Lower Realm, the consequences could be disastrous.
• Lin Jun asks why the Demon Kingdom and the upper Demons fought so bitterly. Kong Cao offers a speculative explanation: the Demon Kingdom may actually have been a nation of Half-Demons, not true Demons, and Dragonrider Island may have destroyed it because of them. He admits the real cause is unknown.
• Before dawn, the group reaches Flame Kingdom. From above, Lin Jun sees that it resembles Capital City and contains only martial artists, with no ordinary people.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Jun shows exceptional speed and strength, remains focused on the broader threat, and probes Kong Cao for both practical knowledge and historical explanations. He also finds the Half-Demon theory unsettling and hopes it is wrong.
• Kong Cao acts as an informed companion, sharing what he knows about Authority and the Inner Abode. His long stay there has made him accustomed to following Yan Hua, and he has barely considered what he might do if he were free.
• Yan Hua remains intent on protecting Great Yan, even while injured. His past failure to control an overly powerful Authority reveals both his ambition and the lasting cost of that mistake.
• The easy rapport between Lin Jun and Kong Cao contrasts with Yan Hua’s urgency: Kong Cao answers Lin Jun’s questions while struggling to keep up with the two stronger men.

Significant themes

• Power and restraint: Authority offers great potential, but greed and overreach can be deadly.
• Uncertain history: The origins of the Demon Kingdom’s conflict remain unresolved, with Kong Cao’s explanation clearly presented as conjecture.
• Containment and impending danger: The weakening formation threatens to unleash forces that could endanger the Lower Realm.
• Freedom and habit: Kong Cao’s casual assumption that he would simply return to serving Yan Hua suggests how deeply life in the Inner Abode has shaped him.

Key events

• Lin Jun and his companions arrive above Great Yan. Kong Cao praises its fighters, whose years of combat have made them exceptionally skilled.
• Lin Jun notices a large force of Demons approaching from the north, crossing the Spiritless Land to attack the Flame Kingdom and avoid Great Yan’s western defenses.
• He asks Yan Hua for permission to scout the Demons’ camp alone. After demonstrating an aura convincing enough to resemble a Demon Venerable, Lin Jun sets off, confident he can pass as one of them and ask about the Demon-Slaying Sword.
• Kong Cao worries about the danger. Yan Hua explains that Lin Jun’s aura may be tied to a deeper mystery: Lin Jun carries faint Celestial Fox blood and the trace of a Demon Kingdom Secret Treasure.
• Yan Hua recounts the Demon Kingdom’s origins: it was founded by Ling Zhi, daughter of the human Ling Yao and a Demon Dragon. Ling Zhi later had a child with the son of the Celestial Fox Clan’s leader, and that child was sent to the Lower Realm for protection.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Jun shows confidence and initiative, using his convincing demonic disguise to infiltrate enemy territory. His speed also surprises Kong Cao, who realizes Lin Jun had been holding back.
• Kong Cao shifts from admiration to alarm about Lin Jun’s solo mission. Yan Hua’s story also makes him confront how casually powerful forces can endanger entire peoples.
• Yan Hua reveals his heightened senses and his suspicions about Lin Jun’s heritage. He trusts Lin Jun enough to let him go, giving him a jade token for emergencies.
• Lin Jun and Yan Hua share a brief exchange of trust; Kong Cao and Yan Hua discuss the risks before Yan Hua provides the historical context.

Significant themes

• Power and vulnerability: Kong Cao reflects that ordinary lives can be crushed by the whims of stronger beings.
• Identity and inheritance: Lin Jun’s hidden ancestry and unusual aura may connect him to the Demon Kingdom’s history.
• Love across divisions: The Demon Kingdom’s origins—and the conflict surrounding it—stem from relationships that cross human and Demon boundaries.
• Courage and calculated risk: Lin Jun ventures into enemy territory alone, relying on disguise, speed, and a safeguard from Yan Hua.

Chapter Summary: “Everything Fell into Place”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Kong Cao and Yan Hua deduce that Lin Jun is actually Ling Jun, the grandson of Ling Yao and the second ruler of the Demon Kingdom.
• Their conclusion is based on Lin Jun’s Celestial Fox traits and the aura of the Demon Kingdom’s secret treasure, the Jade Dragon Treasure Heart, which likely came from the lord of Dragonrider Island.
• They infer that Lin Jun’s hatred toward Dragonrider Island stems from his mother’s death there and Ling Yao’s imprisonment. This explains why Lin Jun recklessly attacked Yu Hong despite the difference in strength.
• Kong Cao worries that sending Lin Jun among the demons will expose him to overwhelming danger, especially because many demons are connected to Dragonrider Island.
• Yan Hua reveals that he gave Lin Jun a powerful jade token. Crushing it will allow Yan Hua to rescue him instantly. Yan Hua also hopes the token will help Lin Jun learn restraint and recognize his own weaknesses.
• Yan Hua has chosen to support Lin Jun as a long-term gamble against Dragonrider Island, believing Lin Jun’s extraordinary cultivation talent may eventually allow him to reclaim the Demon Kingdom and defeat their common enemy.
• Meanwhile, Lin Jun reaches the northern edge of the Inner Abode and approaches the Land of Absolute Spirit, intending to search for the Demon-Slaying Sword.
• He encounters a group of demons, including a golden-furred tiger and a vulture. When the tiger provokes him, Lin Jun effortlessly smashes the vulture and defeats the tiger.
• The powerful Yuan Family Three Brothers, three Demon Sages, intervene. However, instead of fighting Lin Jun, they immediately prostrate themselves and beg him for protection, leaving him speechless.

2. Character Developments

• Kong Cao shifts from disbelief to shock as he realizes Lin Jun’s true identity and the enormous political implications of his heritage.
• Yan Hua is established as a strategic protector and gambler. He recognizes that Lin Jun’s greatest asset is not his current strength but his exceptional talent and potential.
• Lin Jun continues to display overwhelming combat ability and confidence. He remains focused on his own objective, but his mysterious identity and powerful bloodline increasingly attract attention.
• The Yuan Family Three Brothers, initially presented as formidable rogue demons, reveal a much more submissive and pragmatic side when faced with Lin Jun’s strength.

3. Significant Themes

• Hidden identity and revelation: Lin Jun’s true lineage explains many previously mysterious aspects of his behavior and abilities.
• Revenge and inherited hatred: His hostility toward Dragonrider Island is rooted in family tragedy and political oppression.
• Betting on potential: Yan Hua chooses to invest in Lin Jun’s future rather than judge him solely by his present cultivation level.
• Power and submission: Those who appear dominant quickly bow before someone stronger, emphasizing the brutal hierarchy of the demon world.
• Destiny and interconnected events: Past relationships, secret treasures, family history, and current political conflicts unexpectedly align.

4. Character Interactions

• Kong Cao questions Yan Hua about Lin Jun’s identity and expresses concern for Lin Jun’s safety.
• Yan Hua explains his reasons for protecting and supporting Lin Jun, revealing the jade token and his broader strategy against Dragonrider Island.
• Lin Jun encounters the tiger and vulture, defeating them after the tiger attempts to intimidate him.
• The Yuan Family Three Brothers confront Lin Jun but unexpectedly beg him to save them rather than challenge him, creating a humorous reversal and ending the chapter on Lin Jun’s stunned reaction.

Chapter Summary: “Everyone Had Been Played”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yan Hua grows increasingly uneasy after three days of silence from the northern demons. He realizes that the demons’ apparent preparations to attack the Flame Kingdom may be a deception.
• Looking toward the Spiritless Land, Yan Hua discovers that the long-dormant spatial formation surrounding the area has activated. He recognizes the aura of the Demon-Slaying Sword and deduces that the formation is an ancient trial left behind by the Demon Kingdom.
• The formation was awakened by Lin Jun’s Demon-Exalting Sword. The two swords did not need to meet; merely existing in the same world was enough to trigger the Demon-Slaying Sword’s trial.
• Yan Hua concludes that Lin Jun is in danger. The northern demons, including hidden Demon Venerables, have entered the formation to compete for the sword. The formation’s rules state that whoever obtains the Demon-Slaying Sword will own it, but the demons have arranged their forces so that any winner will be compelled to surrender it.
• Yan Hua realizes that the demons deceived the human forces by pretending to prepare an attack on the Flame Kingdom, thereby forcing the humans into a defensive posture while the demons secretly pursued the Demon-Slaying Sword.
• Kong Cao urges Yan Hua to use Lin Jun’s jade token to retrieve him, but Yan Hua explains that the token cannot function inside the Demon Kingdom’s formation. He orders the others to remain prepared in case the northern threat is another diversion, then flies north to help Lin Jun.
• Meanwhile, three Ape Demons beg Lin Jun for protection. They explain that the Slaying Demon Sword Formation requires vast quantities of demon blood to sharpen and activate the sword. Most of the demons present are not genuine competitors but intended sacrifices.
• The Ape Demons offer their essence blood and loyalty in exchange for survival. They also promise to use their abilities to track Yu Hong, whom Lin Jun holds a grudge against.
• Lin Jun accepts their essence blood and agrees to protect them. The chapter ends humorously when he asks about their abilities: the White Ape proudly claims that his greatest ability is being the eldest brother.

Character Developments

• Yan Hua becomes more suspicious and perceptive, correctly uncovering the demons’ real strategy and the connection between the two swords. His concern for Lin Jun leads him to risk confronting the powerful demons in person.
• Lin Jun demonstrates authority and restraint. Rather than killing or dismissing the Ape Demons, he listens to their explanation and recognizes their usefulness, especially their ability to help him pursue Yu Hong.
• The three Ape Demons are revealed to be cowardly but intelligent survivors. Their powers allow them to gather information, and their willingness to submit to Lin Jun shows how desperately they want to avoid being sacrificed.
• The northern demons are portrayed as cunning and pragmatic. They exploit both the ancient formation and the human forces, prioritizing the Demon-Slaying Sword over their supposed revenge against the Flame Kingdom.

Significant Themes

• Deception and manipulation: Nearly every faction has been misled. The demons fake an attack, while the humans misinterpret their movements; even the weaker demons are deceived about their role in the sword contest.
• Power and survival: The formation reduces most demons to expendable resources, emphasizing the ruthless hierarchy of the demonic world.
• Ancient legacies and hidden trials: The Demon Kingdom’s forgotten trials continue to shape present events, showing how old forces and secrets can suddenly become decisive.
• Pragmatism over loyalty: The Ape Demons immediately abandon their former allegiance and offer service to Lin Jun when survival is at stake.
• Knowledge as both advantage and burden: The Ape Demons’ information gives them a chance to survive, but knowing that they are intended sacrifices also causes greater fear and despair.

Character Interactions

• Yan Hua, Kong Cao, and He Lü discuss the abnormal formation and the danger to Lin Jun. Yan Hua takes command and chooses to intervene personally.
• Yan Hua and Lin Jun remain connected indirectly through the Demon-Exalting Sword, with Yan Hua attempting to protect him despite being unable to use the jade token.
• Lin Jun and the three Ape Demons form a temporary alliance. The Ape Demons plead for protection, reveal the demons’ plan, and offer their loyalty and abilities.
• Lin Jun and the White Ape have a comic exchange about innate divine abilities, ending with the White Ape’s absurdly literal claim that he is talented because he is the eldest brother.

Summary of “Old Ox’s Brothers”

• Information about the Inner Abode: While traveling, the three Yuan brothers warn Lin Jun that many demons from Dragonrider Island will compete for the Demon-Slaying Sword. Because Lin Jun is thought to be a newly descended demon from the Upper Realm, they advise him to disguise himself. Lin Jun dismisses the warning and asks instead about the Inner Abode. The brothers explain that most demons living there were born locally after the original inhabitants of Heaven Beyond Heaven descended long ago. As a result, these demons feel little loyalty to either Heaven Beyond Heaven or Dragonrider Island.
• Discovery of the Demon-Slaying Sword: The group reaches a vast desert covered by a transparent dome-like formation. Inside is an artificial, living world of mountains, rivers, land, and sea—an entire Small World created within the Inner Abode’s existing Small World. The Demon-Slaying Sword flies through this realm, attracting numerous demons who intend to fight for it. Demon-Exalting Elder confirms that he can sense the sword and realizes he is likely its spirit, surprising even himself.
• Threat of Dragonrider Island: Demon-Exalting Elder reflects that Dragonrider Island was powerful enough to destroy a Demon Kingdom capable of creating such a miraculous formation. He warns Lin Jun that Dragonrider Island must contain extraordinary beings. Lin Jun responds that he never sought conflict with them; he only resisted because they intended to destroy his world.
• Arrival of Old Ox: A horned, heavily built bull demon named Gan Ze appears and warmly welcomes the gathered demons, declaring them all his brothers. He is a hidden Demon Venerable who has cultivated in secrecy and has never revealed his true form, making even humans unaware of his existence. White Ape warns Lin Jun not to offend him.
• Hidden Demon Venerables: Lin Jun learns that several powerful Demon Venerables have concealed themselves within the Inner Abode, waiting for the formation to break apart while remaining divided by rivalries. Gan Ze has likely emerged because of the Demon-Slaying Sword, though other Demon Venerables may still be watching from hiding. Through his brother’s innate ability, White Ape estimates that roughly five Demon Venerables are present, possibly more. Lin Jun is troubled by this number, realizing the competition for the sword will be even more dangerous than expected.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Lin Jun remains calm and assertive, refusing to be intimidated by Dragonrider Island or persuaded to disguise himself. His concern grows when he learns how many Demon Venerables are nearby.
• The Yuan brothers act as guides and informants, though their earlier observations may be unreliable because of their limited hearing and vision at a distance.
• Demon-Exalting Elder discovers a deeper connection to the Demon-Slaying Sword and emphasizes the immense power behind the formation and Dragonrider Island.
• White Ape protects Lin Jun by explaining the identities and dangers of the Inner Abode’s hidden powers.
• Gan Ze/Old Ox immediately attempts to unite the demons through camaraderie, calling them his brothers, though his friendly manner conceals his status as a formidable Demon Venerable.

Significant Themes

• Power hidden beneath appearances: The seemingly welcoming Old Ox is secretly one of the Inner Abode’s most powerful figures, while many other Demon Venerables remain concealed.
• Competing loyalties and identity: The Inner Abode’s native-born demons do not identify with Heaven Beyond Heaven or Dragonrider Island, complicating the political struggle over the sword.
• Creation versus destruction: The magnificent artificial world demonstrates the difficulty of creation, contrasting with Dragonrider Island’s destructive power.
• Dangerous alliances: The Demon-Slaying Sword, despite being designed to kill demons, unites them through greed, rivalry, and shared opportunity.

Chapter Summary: “The Way of Survival”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Jun questions whether the Venerable-level forces outside the Inner Abode can resist the demons of Heaven Beyond Heaven, especially since the outside factions are divided and unaware of the true danger.
• Gan Ze, a Demon Venerable, promises to become sworn brothers with anyone who retrieves the incomplete Demon-Slaying Sword for him. Though the promise is unreliable, the demons are encouraged by the prestige of his word.
• Gan Ze sends other demons into the Slaying Demon Sword Formation instead of entering himself, using them to test whether the formation is dangerous or a hidden trap created by the Demon Kingdom.
• Lin Jun realizes that Gan Ze is exploiting the demons while avoiding personal risk. However, Gan Ze does not know that Lin Jun carries the sword spirit of the Demon-Slaying Sword.
• Before Lin Jun enters, Gan Ze publicly identifies him as the “Celestial Fox” who has conflicts with Dragonrider Island and asks whether Lin Jun will surrender the sword if he obtains it. Lin Jun defiantly replies that Gan Ze can take it himself.
• Gan Ze treats this answer as a sign of friendship, but Lin Jun distrustfully distances himself and enters the formation.
• After all the demons have entered, Gan Ze reveals a hidden short man. The man explains that his master rescued Yu Hong, whose body was destroyed by Yan Hua, in order to gain favor with Dragonrider Island’s Grand Elder.
• The short man reveals that his master wants Lin Jun dead but cannot kill him personally. Lin Jun must die at someone else’s hands so that Dragonrider Island can avoid responsibility and retaliation from the Celestial Fox Clan.
• Gan Ze admits that exposing Lin Jun among the demons was intended to ensure Dragonrider Island’s forces would attack him inside the formation.
• The short man and Gan Ze flatter and manipulate one another by promising future benefits, eventually declaring themselves “brothers.”
• The formation is said to be capable of lasting ten days. If the Demon-Slaying Sword is not retrieved by then, it will collapse.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun: Becomes more alert to Gan Ze’s schemes and recognizes that apparent goodwill may conceal exploitation. He openly refuses to submit to Gan Ze, demonstrating confidence despite being surrounded by hostile demons.
• Gan Ze: Is revealed as opportunistic and calculating beneath his friendly, boisterous exterior. He uses promises of brotherhood to motivate others, exposes Lin Jun to Dragonrider Island, and avoids risking himself in the formation.
• The short man’s master: Emerges as highly cautious and politically ambitious. Although powerful enough to threaten Lin Jun, he fears acting directly and prioritizes survival, reputation, and future advancement.
• The short man: Displays strong admiration for his master and justifies his master’s cautious conduct as the “law of survival,” while also resenting the burden created by Yu Hong.
• Yu Hong: Is characterized as an arrogant, protected heir whose recklessness has forced others to spend valuable resources rescuing him.
• Lin Jun’s enemies: Dragonrider Island’s forces are prepared to use the formation and other demons to eliminate Lin Jun without directly provoking the Celestial Fox Clan.

Significant Themes

• Survival through caution and manipulation: Powerful figures avoid direct confrontation, instead arranging for others to take risks or commit violence on their behalf.
• Political calculation: Personal grudges are secondary to clan interests, reputation, and the consequences of leaving evidence behind.
• False alliances: Promises of brotherhood and mutual benefit are largely tools for influence, with neither Gan Ze nor the short man offering genuine loyalty.
• Hidden power and underestimation: Lin Jun is regarded as merely a Demon Sage, yet the short man’s master instinctively fears him, suggesting that Lin Jun possesses unknown or concealed strength.
• Factional conflict: The rivalry between the Celestial Fox Clan and Dragonrider Island turns Lin Jun’s search for the sword into a larger political struggle.
• The danger of inherited protection: Yu Hong’s status allows him to survive mistakes and forces others to protect him, illustrating how powerful family connections distort justice and responsibility.

Character Interactions

• Lin Jun and Gan Ze: Gan Ze pressures Lin Jun to surrender the sword and publicly exposes his identity. Lin Jun responds with defiance, while Gan Ze masks his hostile intentions behind exaggerated friendliness.
• Gan Ze and the short man: They exchange information about their masters’ plans and flatter each other with promises of future rewards. Their sudden “brotherhood” is based on mutual advantage rather than trust.
• The short man and his master: The short man reveres his master’s ambition and caution, while explaining that the master’s desire to kill Lin Jun must remain indirect.
• Gan Ze and the demons: Gan Ze wins their cooperation by invoking his status as a Demon Venerable and promising rewards, while deliberately using them as expendable probes.

Plot points

• The grand array scatters Lin Jun, White Ape, and the other Demons across a vast inner world. White Ape is relieved: separation may delay the Demons pursuing Lin Jun.
• While White Ape urges him to conserve his strength for the coming Blood-Sacrifice Blade Opening, Lin Jun senses something searching for him and waits in silence.
• The Demon-Slaying Sword flies through the sky and lands in Lin Jun’s hand. The Demon-Exalting Elder explains that he called to it, then has Lin Jun bring out the Demon-Exalting Sword.
• The two swords resonate and fuse. The resulting Demon-Slaying Sword looks unremarkable and has no active sword spirit; the Elder says he needs time to become accustomed to it.
• White Ape says the array will last ten days, after which the sword will disintegrate if it remains unclaimed. Lin Jun, having obtained it already, considers piercing the array’s dome to leave early.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Jun remains composed and observant, trusting his instincts rather than White Ape’s advice. He treats the sword as useful but not essential, since he usually fights with his body.
• White Ape is cautious and focused on survival. Lin Jun’s effortless acquisition of the legendary sword leaves him stunned.
• The Demon-Exalting Elder uses his connection to the swords to summon the Demon-Slaying Sword, but admits he is unfamiliar with serving as its spirit and needs time to adjust.
• White Ape tries to advise Lin Jun, but Lin Jun silences him while concentrating; afterward, White Ape asks about the array’s duration.

Themes

• Destiny and worthiness: The sword chooses Lin Jun instead of being won through a trial.
• Hidden power and appearances: The fused legendary weapon looks ordinary, suggesting that great treasures may conceal their true nature.
• Pragmatism versus ambition: White Ape prioritizes survival and the coming threat, while Lin Jun acquires the sword without letting it distract him from leaving.

Chapter Summary: “It Actually Had No Physical Form”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Three days after arriving at the lake, Lin Jun and Demon-Exalting Elder continue trying to restore the Demon-Slaying Sword’s full power.
• Demon-Exalting Elder repeatedly attempts to merge with the sword as its supposed sword spirit, but fails each time. He senses that something inside the sword is occupying the place meant for him.
• Lin Jun realizes the obstruction may be a Divine Soul and summons Nine-Tail, whose abilities naturally counter and consume Divine Souls.
• Nine-Tail enters the Demon-Slaying Sword and discovers two weak Divine Souls hidden inside: one demonic and one human.
• The demonic soul reveals itself to be an exceptionally powerful Demon Venerable. It attempts to possess Lin Jun through his connection with the sword.
• The Demon Venerable is shocked to discover that Lin Jun has no separate Divine Soul. Lin Jun’s body and soul are fused together, leaving no soul for the intruder to destroy or replace.
• Lin Jun traps the Demon Venerable inside his body with chains and has Nine-Tail devour pieces of its soul. Nine-Tail’s strength rises dramatically as a result.
• Although severely damaged, the Demon Venerable eventually escapes because Lin Jun is not yet strong enough to restrain him completely.
• Lin Jun reveals that another Divine Soul remains inside the sword—this one human—and prepares to investigate it with Nine-Tail, while White Ape is ordered to guard the surroundings.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun: Demonstrates unusual confidence and resilience. He remains calm during the attempted possession and turns the situation against the attacker. His fused body and Divine Soul make him immune to conventional possession, revealing another extraordinary aspect of his existence.
• Demon-Exalting Elder: Becomes frustrated and insecure over his inability to merge with the sword. He fears becoming useless to Lin Jun and being separated from him, while still hoping Lin Jun will help uncover his origins.
• Nine-Tail: Proves highly effective against Divine Souls. After consuming parts of the Demon Venerable’s soul, his power increases until it reaches a level comparable to Lin Jun’s.
• White Ape: Is frightened by the Demon Venerable’s aura and avoids the confrontation, but ultimately obeys Lin Jun’s command to stand guard.
• The Demon Venerable: Awakens arrogant and confident, believing he can easily seize Lin Jun’s body. His certainty collapses when he encounters Lin Jun’s soul-less physical structure, magical restraints, and Nine-Tail’s ability to consume him.

Significant Themes

• The mystery of identity and existence: Demon-Exalting Elder questions whether he truly is the sword’s spirit, while Lin Jun’s lack of a separate Divine Soul challenges ordinary ideas about what makes someone alive.
• Power concealed within objects and bodies: The Demon-Slaying Sword contains not one but two hidden Divine Souls, suggesting a deeper history and purpose.
• Predator becoming prey: The powerful Demon Venerable enters intending to possess Lin Jun but is instead trapped and partially consumed.
• Dependence and loyalty: Demon-Exalting Elder worries that his inability to help Lin Jun will make him dispensable, emphasizing his emotional investment in their partnership.
• The limits of strength: Lin Jun can repel and injure an immensely powerful opponent but cannot yet prevent his escape, showing both his growing power and remaining limitations.

Character Interactions

• Lin Jun comforts Demon-Exalting Elder after repeated failures and encourages him to explain the obstruction more carefully.
• Lin Jun and Nine-Tail cooperate to investigate the sword and fight the invading Demon Venerable.
• The Demon Venerable mocks and threatens Nine-Tail before realizing that both Nine-Tail and Lin Jun are far stranger than expected.
• Lin Jun controls Nine-Tail’s attack against the Demon Venerable, using chains and repeated bites to weaken him.
• Afterward, Demon-Exalting Elder anxiously questions Lin Jun about the possession attempt. Lin Jun casually explains what happened, leaving Elder stunned.
• Lin Jun then informs Elder of the second Divine Soul and recruits White Ape to guard the area while the investigation continues.

Plot points and events

• Lin Jun encounters a second Divine Soul inside the Demon-Slaying Sword. The soul wakes, identifies himself as Yuan Yu, and urgently asks about the Demon Feng Jue.
• Yuan Yu explains that Feng Jue is an exceptionally dangerous Demon who became a Demon Venerable by consuming millions of people. Though Yuan Yu once managed to seal him in the sword, Feng Jue recently awoke and may now be seeking a body.
• Lin Jun tells Yuan Yu that they are trapped inside a grand formation for seven days, leaving no time to seek help from Yan Hua. Yuan Yu urges Lin Jun to search for Feng Jue.

Character developments and interactions

• Yuan Yu is revealed as the former sect master of the Yin Ruins Sect and Feng Jue’s longtime jailer. He is curious about the world outside, but his concern for his descendants and humanity outweighs his earlier hesitation.
• Lin Jun listens and shares what he knows, while recognizing that Yuan Yu’s soul is weakened. Yuan Yu initially considers asking Lin Jun to fight, then decides not to burden him because Lin Jun is only a Martial Saint.
• Yuan Yu and Lin Jun establish a cooperative plan: Lin Jun will look for Feng Jue, and Yuan Yu will take over if they find him. Yuan Yu also acknowledges that Yan Hua is still alive, which comforts him.

Significant themes

• Duty and sacrifice: Yuan Yu accepted a dangerous role to prevent Feng Jue from escaping, despite the cost to his own life and family.
• Responsibility across generations: He fears the danger Feng Jue poses to his descendants as well as to humanity.
• Power and vulnerability: Feng Jue remains a grave threat, but his need for a body creates a brief opportunity to stop him before he regains strength.

Key plot points and events

• Lin Jun asks Yuan Yu whether he can sense the escaped demon Feng Jue. Yuan Yu admits he has no way to track him and doubts he could defeat Feng Jue if the demon finds a body.
• Lin Jun proposes waiting rather than searching: he believes Feng Jue will come after them because Lin Jun recently tore away three pieces of his Divine Soul.
• Yuan Yu initially doubts that a young Martial Saint could help against a demon potentially as strong as a Martial Venerable. Lin Jun reveals dozens of destructive Dao Mirrors, convincing Yuan Yu that his abilities far exceed his apparent level.
• The Demon-Exalting Elder reinforces this impression by describing Lin Jun’s formidable reputation and past achievements. Yuan Yu shifts from speaking to him with authority to treating him as an equal.
• White Ape raises the possibility of hidden dangers and asks what they can do if Feng Jue grows stronger or another Demon Venerable appears.
• Yuan Yu explains that he once used a martial art to draw on the Inner Abode Formation and suppress Feng Jue. But the group is trapped inside the Demon-Slaying Sword Formation, which blocks his connection to the larger formation for the seven days it remains active.
• Lin Jun looks toward the barrier and clenches his fists, ending the chapter as he considers their predicament.

Character development and interactions

• Lin Jun is calm and confident, revealing both his unusual power and his strategic reasoning. He takes the lead in proposing a plan and seems prepared to face Feng Jue.
• Yuan Yu moves from skepticism to respect after witnessing Lin Jun’s Dao Mirrors and learning that he injured Feng Jue’s Divine Soul. He acknowledges the limits of his own strength and the formation’s constraints.
• The Demon-Exalting Elder acts as Lin Jun’s advocate, urging Yuan Yu to recognize Lin Jun’s capabilities.
• White Ape cautiously contributes a practical concern about contingencies, showing that he is wary despite trusting the group’s strength.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus true strength: Lin Jun’s cultivation rank understates his power, prompting Yuan Yu to reconsider his assumptions.
• Trust and collaboration: The group shares information and begins to plan together, with Yuan Yu increasingly treating Lin Jun as a partner.
• Risk and uncertainty: Their plan depends on Feng Jue’s vindictive nature, while the possibility of stronger enemies remains unresolved.
• Confinement and limited options: The formation protects the group from immediate escape but also cuts Yuan Yu off from a power source that might help them.

Chapter Summary: “I’ll Go With You”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jue continues searching the demons trapped inside the Slaying Demon Sword Formation for a suitable body. Having previously possessed Lin Jun’s exceptional body, he rejects every candidate until he finds Yu Hong.
• Yu Hong reveals himself before Feng Jue can possess him. He identifies himself as the grandson of Dragonrider Island’s Grand Elder, causing Feng Jue to hesitate because he does not want to create trouble with Dragonrider Island.
• Yu Hong explains that he entered the formation specifically to find Feng Jue and proposes an alliance: he will provide Feng Jue with a body, while Feng Jue helps him open the ascension passage.
• Yu Hong gives Feng Jue a powerful puppet refined from the body of a Perfected Demon Sage. Feng Jue possesses it successfully and agrees to cooperate.
• Feng Jue insists on handling a personal grudge first. A fox—specifically the Celestial Fox who tore away part of his Divine Soul—must be punished before he helps Yu Hong.
• Yu Hong immediately volunteers to accompany Feng Jue, since Dragonrider Island and the Celestial Fox Clan are hereditary enemies.
• Feng Jue also reflects on the strange human aura he sensed within Lin Jun’s body, suspecting that Lin Jun’s identity or nature is unusual.
• Outside the formation, Long Song tells Gan Ze that Yu Hong has entered the Slaying Demon Sword Formation. Gan Ze refuses to let Long Song enter, explaining that the formation has already been sealed and will only break apart after six more days. Long Song is forced to wait.

Character Developments

• Feng Jue: Regains a physical body through Yu Hong’s puppet and becomes more confident and capable. His obsession with revenge against the Celestial Fox remains strong, even taking priority over his agreement with Yu Hong. He also grows suspicious of Lin Jun’s mysterious human aura.
• Yu Hong: Reveals himself to be calculating and desperate. After escaping Long Song’s attempt to control his Divine Soul, he seeks Feng Jue as a powerful ally. Though weakened and newly remolded, he uses his Dragonrider Island status and resources to negotiate successfully.
• Long Song: His manipulative intentions toward Yu Hong are exposed. He appears to have rescued Yu Hong mainly to control him and gain influence through Yu Hong’s grandfather, but Yu Hong escaped using a hidden trump card.
• Gan Ze: Remains cautious and practical, refusing Long Song’s request to enter the formation and reminding him that the formation cannot be opened prematurely.

Significant Themes

• Power and bodily possession: Feng Jue’s search for a body emphasizes the importance of physical form and the advantages granted by a powerful vessel.
• Mutual exploitation and uneasy alliances: Feng Jue and Yu Hong cooperate not out of trust but because each needs something from the other.
• Revenge versus obligation: Feng Jue prioritizes settling his personal grudge before fulfilling his promise, creating tension within the alliance.
• Deception and control: Yu Hong’s experience with Long Song highlights the dangers of manipulation, especially through soul-control techniques.
• Hidden identities: Feng Jue’s observation of the human aura in Lin Jun suggests that Lin Jun’s true origins or nature remain significant mysteries.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jue and Yu Hong: Their first encounter nearly becomes a possession attempt, but Yu Hong stops Feng Jue by invoking Dragonrider Island. They negotiate a partnership, with Yu Hong supplying a powerful puppet and Feng Jue promising future assistance.
• Feng Jue and the Celestial Fox: Although the fox does not appear directly, Feng Jue’s desire for revenge drives the next stage of the plot. Yu Hong joins him because of the longstanding feud between Dragonrider Island and the Celestial Fox Clan.
• Yu Hong and Long Song: Their relationship is revealed to be hostile and manipulative. Long Song saved Yu Hong but intended to control his Divine Soul, prompting Yu Hong’s escape.
• Long Song and Gan Ze: Long Song asks to enter the formation to find Yu Hong, but Gan Ze denies him access and forces him to wait until the formation naturally collapses.

Chapter Summary: “Let Fate Decide”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yuan Yu observes an uneasy but temporarily peaceful situation. Lin Jun has spent two days resting while the Demon-Exalting Elder handles attacks from minor demons. Meanwhile, White Ape reunites with his brother, and the sword spirit works on merging with the Demon-Slaying Sword.
• Feng Jue arrives much sooner than expected after apparently seizing a new body. He is accompanied by another Demon Venerable, Yu Hong.
• The Demon-Exalting Elder gives Lin Jun the partially merged Demon-Slaying Sword. He explains that the sword stores and refines the essence blood of slain demons into powerful blood qi, strengthening both itself and its wielder. Continued use may eventually allow Lin Jun to achieve “Man and Sword as One.”
• Feng Jue and Yu Hong identify Lin Jun as a possible “Demonkin” because human and demonic qi coexist within him. White Ape is surprised, while Yuan Yu remains unconcerned, trusting Yan Hua’s recognition of Lin Jun as the Military Commissioner of Great Yan.
• Yu Hong wants to attack Lin Jun because Lin Jun is connected to the deaths of his brothers and the loss of his physical body. Feng Jue stops him, claiming that part of his Divine Soul remains inside Lin Jun and that he should handle the fight himself.
• Lin Jun abruptly attacks Feng Jue before either demon can act, striking him into the lake. He then follows him underwater, leaving Yuan Yu to fight Yu Hong.
• Yu Hong uses rainbow-colored power to create a domain-like battlefield around himself and Yuan Yu. Because he has not fully adapted to his new body, the technique is incomplete, but it is still sufficient to trap and lift them into the air.
• White Ape and his brothers are left helplessly watching the battle, unable to flee or intervene. White Ape can only hope Lin Jun wins.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun: Displays remarkable confidence and decisiveness. Rather than waiting for Feng Jue to attack, he takes the initiative and launches a sudden, powerful strike. His body is also strengthened by the Demon-Slaying Sword’s refined blood qi.
• Yuan Yu: Continues to question whether Lin Jun is overly confident, but his trust in him deepens after witnessing Lin Jun boldly attack a Demon Venerable. Despite possessing only a Divine Soul, Yuan Yu accepts that he must fight Yu Hong.
• Demon-Exalting Elder: Reveals more about the Demon-Slaying Sword’s abilities and acts as an important support for Lin Jun. His partial merger with the sword has made it a significant weapon against high-level demons.
• Feng Jue: Remains driven by hatred toward Lin Jun but is also intrigued by Lin Jun’s unusual nature. He appears confident because part of his Divine Soul remains within Lin Jun.
• Yu Hong: Shows intense hatred toward Lin Jun, whom he blames for his brothers’ deaths and his loss of body. His unfamiliarity with his new body limits his power.
• White Ape and his brothers: Shift from excitement over their reunion to fear and helplessness as they witness the arrival of two Demon Venerables.

Significant Themes

• Confidence versus recklessness: Lin Jun’s calmness appears almost arrogant, but his immediate attack demonstrates courage and tactical decisiveness.
• Fate and uncertainty: The chapter ends with the weaker characters unable to influence events, leaving the outcome to chance—reflected in the title, “Let Fate Decide.”
• Power gained through sacrifice and refinement: The Demon-Slaying Sword grows stronger by absorbing the essence blood of demons, suggesting that strength is built through battle and transformation.
• Identity and prejudice: Lin Jun’s mixed human and demonic aura leads the demons to label him a Demonkin, highlighting the tension between appearance, nature, and allegiance.
• Trust under pressure: Yuan Yu chooses to trust Lin Jun despite doubts about his ability, while Lin Jun’s actions force others to reassess him.

Character Interactions

• The Demon-Exalting Elder advises Lin Jun and entrusts him with the Demon-Slaying Sword.
• Feng Jue and Yu Hong form a temporary alliance, though both harbor their own hatred and goals regarding Lin Jun.
• Feng Jue recognizes Yu Hong’s hatred for Lin Jun and deliberately takes the first confrontation for himself.
• Yuan Yu supports Lin Jun but is forced into combat with Yu Hong after Lin Jun engages Feng Jue.
• White Ape and his brothers remain observers, unable to assist as the high-level battle begins.

Plot and events

• At the bottom of the drained lake, Feng Jue offers to spare Lin Jun if Lin Jun gives up his body. Feng Jue admits he wants the body for himself and has no intention of damaging what he already considers his property.
• Lin Jun rejects the offer and attacks with the Demon-Slaying Sword. Feng Jue counters with mantis-like blades and black Qi, but the sword’s newly awakened spirit manifests blood-red thorns that strip away Feng Jue’s flesh.
• The Demon-Exalting Elder explains that he has not fully merged with the sword, but the weapon is already strong enough to trouble Feng Jue. Lin Jun presses his advantage.
• Feng Jue unleashes repeated blade winds. Lin Jun deflects them, though the strain leaves his arms aching; the redirected attacks devastate the ground, damage the formation, and kill many demons.
• The battlefield then transforms into a graveyard. Lin Jun finds an open grave containing his own body and recognizes the scene as Feng Jue’s Dao Domain, not an illusion. He recalls that Feng Jue seized the Authority of Reincarnation, though he doubts Feng Jue could truly wield such a vast power.
• The chapter ends as a skeletal arm reaches from a nearby grave.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Jun remains defiant and composed, refusing Feng Jue’s bargain and using both his sword and his ability to redirect attacks. He assesses the graveyard calmly but agrees with the Elder that caution is warranted.
• Feng Jue shifts from seeking revenge to coveting Lin Jun’s body. His desire to preserve it initially makes him hold back, but Lin Jun’s sword forces him to fight more aggressively.
• The Demon-Exalting Elder supports Lin Jun by revealing the sword spirit’s limits and warning him about the danger of Feng Jue’s domain.

Significant themes

• Bodily autonomy and possession: Feng Jue treats Lin Jun’s body as an object to claim, while Lin Jun’s refusal asserts control over his own fate.
• Power and restraint: Feng Jue’s reluctance to damage the body he covets becomes a tactical weakness; Lin Jun’s new sword gives him a way to exploit it.
• Death, rebirth, and uncertainty: The graveyard and Feng Jue’s supposed Reincarnation Authority raise the stakes, while Lin Jun questions whether Feng Jue can truly command such power.
• Prudence in the face of danger: Despite his confidence, Lin Jun accepts the need to “play it safe” as the domain reveals its threat.

Chapter Summary: “Should I Praise You?”

Key plot points and events

• Millions of mortal souls rise from graves and gather into a sphere within the Slaying Demon Sword Formation. Feng Jue uses the souls’ pull to tear the Divine Souls from nearby demons, incapacitating many; only the three united White Ape brothers resist.
• The technique has little effect on Lin Jun because he has no Divine Soul. Lin Jun identifies Feng Jue’s Authority as Soul Return, not Reincarnation—the ability Yuan Yu had mistakenly believed Feng Jue possessed.
• Feng Jue draws on the gathered souls to restore his former strength temporarily, sacrificing his carefully collected high-quality souls and losing his Dao Domain in the process.
• Empowered, Feng Jue attacks Lin Jun with overwhelming force and drives him into a vast pit. Lin Jun withstands the assault, then stops both of Feng Jue’s sickles with one hand.
• Lin Jun reveals that his strength and durability exceed Feng Jue’s expectations. When Feng Jue lands a powerful palm strike, Lin Jun remains unharmed and wounds him in return.
• Lin Jun begins embedding Dao Mirrors into Feng Jue’s body, using each one’s disruptive aura to slow his reactions. He plants twelve before the devices detonate, releasing a massive surge of black energy.

Character development

• Lin Jun remains calm and practical despite the danger. He is disturbed by the use of millions of mortal souls and refuses to have Nine-Tail consume them. He also demonstrates extraordinary physical strength, toughness, and tactical resourcefulness, using the Dao Mirrors to overcome an opponent temporarily restored to full power.
• Feng Jue shifts from furious frustration to renewed confidence when the souls restore his strength. His confidence falters as Lin Jun survives his attacks and turns the fight against him. His long-term preparation has given him power, but he has underestimated Lin Jun’s body and abilities.
• Yuan Yu recognizes Feng Jue’s restored aura and tries to warn Lin Jun, but Yu Hong keeps him occupied. Yuan Yu is still struggling to resist the pull on his own Divine Soul while fighting.
• Yu Hong maintains the upper hand over Yuan Yu and prevents him from intervening.

Significant themes

• The cost of power: Feng Jue’s temporary return to strength consumes countless mortal souls and the rare souls he spent years collecting.
• Humanity and exploitation: Lin Jun’s revulsion at the use of the dead contrasts with Feng Jue’s willingness to treat their souls as resources.
• Misjudgment and hidden strength: Feng Jue’s powers fail against Lin Jun’s lack of a Divine Soul, and his assumptions about Lin Jun’s physical limits prove disastrously wrong.
• Tactical ingenuity over brute force: Lin Jun survives Feng Jue’s raw power by exploiting the Dao Mirrors’ disruptive effects rather than relying only on strength.

Character interactions

• Feng Jue’s Soul Return ability targets the demons and Yuan Yu, while Lin Jun’s immunity leaves Feng Jue baffled and enraged.
• Yuan Yu tries to warn Lin Jun about Feng Jue’s restored power, but Yu Hong forces him to focus on their own fight.
• Feng Jue and Lin Jun trade increasingly direct physical attacks: Feng Jue relies on overwhelming force, while Lin Jun endures, counters, and methodically plants Dao Mirrors in his body.
• The chapter ends with Lin Jun keeping his distance as the twelve Dao Mirrors explode inside Feng Jue.

Key plot points and events

• Yu Hong dominates Yuan Yu inside his Dao Domain, believing the weakened Divine Soul poses no threat.
• Yuan Yu recalls Lin Jun’s instruction to “look at the sky” and notices cracks in the Slaying Demon Sword Formation’s dome. Black energy tears through the dome and then begins destroying Yu Hong’s incomplete Dao Domain.
• Lin Jun’s attack leaves Feng Jue barely alive. The Slaying Demon Sword Formation has also been broken.
• Feng Jue acknowledges Lin Jun’s victory but predicts that Lin Jun will not survive the effort it took. He questions how Lin Jun can face Yu Hong.
• Yuan Yu escapes through the breach and draws power from the Inner Abode Formation, aiming it at Yu Hong. Feng Jue dies watching this unfold.

Character developments and interactions

• Yuan Yu shifts from helplessness to action: remembering Lin Jun’s warning helps him recognize the formation’s weakness, and he seizes the opening to strike at Yu Hong.
• Lin Jun has defeated Feng Jue with a devastating technique, though the effort appears to have left him dangerously depleted.
• Feng Jue accepts his death with grim composure. He recognizes Lin Jun’s achievement but remains convinced that Yu Hong will outlast him.
• Yu Hong, previously in control, is shocked as his Dao Domain collapses and Yuan Yu turns the Inner Abode’s power against him.
• The old man of the Slaying Demon Sword Formation observes Feng Jue’s ruined state and confirms that he is effectively beyond saving.

Significant themes

• Reversal of power: Former hunter Yuan Yu becomes the one with a chance to threaten Yu Hong.
• Victory at a cost: Lin Jun wins, but may have exhausted himself completely.
• Perseverance and timing: Yuan Yu’s survival and attentiveness to Lin Jun’s final instruction give him an opening at the decisive moment.

Chapter Summary: “Let Bygones Be Bygones”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yuan Yu converts the sealing power of the Inner Abode Formation into a deadly spear aimed at the weakened Yu Hong. Yu Hong is immobilized and calls for help.
• Long Song intervenes, using hundreds of water dragons from the damaged Slaying Demon Sword Formation to slow the spear. Gan Ze then strikes it with his axe, and together they destroy the attack.
• Yuan Yu is left nearly powerless and realizes that the arrival of Long Song and Gan Ze has eliminated his chance of victory.
• Long Song prepares to take Yu Hong back for abandoning him, but Lin Jun suddenly appears behind them and kills Yu Hong by piercing him with the awakened Demon-Slaying Sword.
• Long Song and Gan Ze are shocked by Lin Jun’s speed and audacity. Yuan Yu also approaches Lin Jun, impressed that he dared to kill Yu Hong in front of two Demon Venerables.
• Rather than avenge Yu Hong, Long Song chooses to avoid unnecessary conflict. He asks Lin Jun to surrender the Demon-Slaying Sword in exchange for being allowed to leave.
• Gan Ze reminds Lin Jun that Lin Jun had previously promised him the sword. Lin Jun refuses to hand it over, telling Gan Ze to take it himself.
• Yan Hua arrives and joins Lin Jun, revealing that he had followed them and waited outside the formation. The chapter ends with Lin Jun and Yan Hua facing Long Song, Gan Ze, and Yuan Yu.

Character Developments

• Yu Hong: Reduced from a powerful figure to a desperate and humiliated survivor. Although Long Song saves him, Lin Jun kills him immediately afterward, ending his escape and highlighting his vulnerability.
• Yuan Yu: Exhausts his final strength attempting to kill Yu Hong. After his attack fails, he becomes powerless and dependent on the situation unfolding around him.
• Long Song: Demonstrates strong control over the formation and a protective or supervisory relationship toward Yu Hong. However, after Yu Hong’s death, he suppresses his anger and prioritizes obtaining the Demon-Slaying Sword over revenge.
• Gan Ze: Helps destroy Yuan Yu’s spear and uses the opportunity to build favor with Long Song. He is friendly and outwardly loyal, but becomes threatening when Lin Jun refuses to give him the sword.
• Lin Jun: Reveals astonishing speed and confidence by infiltrating the group and killing Yu Hong despite the presence of two Demon Venerables. His arrogance and refusal to surrender the sword establish him as a serious threat.
• Yan Hua: Arrives as Lin Jun’s ally, confirming that he has been observing and supporting him from outside the formation.

Significant Themes

• Power and survival: Yu Hong’s death shows how quickly fortune can change, even after narrowly escaping a lethal attack.
• Pragmatism over vengeance: Long Song accepts Yu Hong’s death because revenge would offer no benefit, choosing instead to pursue the more valuable Demon-Slaying Sword.
• Possession and opportunism: The awakened sword becomes the central prize, with Long Song, Gan Ze, and Lin Jun all asserting claims over it.
• Arrogance and hidden strength: Lin Jun’s confidence appears reckless, but his speed and power suggest that he possesses abilities far beyond what his Saint Realm cultivation should allow.
• Alliances and betrayal: Temporary cooperation between the demons breaks down once the sword becomes contested, while Lin Jun and Yan Hua form a united front.

Character Interactions

• Long Song scolds Yu Hong for leaving without permission and threatens to take him back for questioning.
• Gan Ze assists Long Song in saving Yu Hong, calls Long Song his “brother,” and seeks future protection or advancement through their relationship.
• Lin Jun kills Yu Hong despite Long Song’s command to stop, provoking a tense confrontation.
• Long Song negotiates with Lin Jun, offering to overlook Yu Hong’s death if Lin Jun hands over the Demon-Slaying Sword.
• Gan Ze invokes his prior agreement with Lin Jun and then threatens him when Lin Jun refuses to surrender the weapon.
• Yan Hua arrives beside Lin Jun, shifting the confrontation into a direct standoff between the two sides.