Chapter Summaries

Summary: “Yang Shi’s Assessment”

Plot points and events

Yang Shi prepares for the Demon Exorcism Bureau’s unified assessment, which is only a month away. Because his father is imprisoned, he hopes to enter the Bureau quickly and atone for his family’s crimes through meritorious service. However, his weak talent and poor swordsmanship leave him unlikely to defeat even an ordinary Mortal demon. Lin Jun mocks Yang Shi’s awkward technique but then seriously agrees to train him. He teaches Yang Shi the improved Baleful Blood Demon-Subduing Blade Technique, believing it may allow him to kill a Mortal demon within a month. Yang Shi trains through the night despite his weak foundation and proves capable of enduring hardship.
Later, Yang Yan, Zhou Hui, and Qingyang arrive at the residence after being released from prison. Yang Yan and Zhou Hui have brought Qingyang to thank him for supposedly sacrificing credit for the stolen pills and a Boundary-Breach Great Demon in order to save them. Qingyang clarifies that Lin Jun actually recovered the pills, killed the great demon, and gave up the credit so that Yang Yan and Zhou Hui could be freed. The revelation shocks Zhou Hui and moves Yang Yan deeply. When Yang Yan proposes celebrating at the Heavenly Pavilion, Lin Jun refuses because he must continue training Yang Shi. Before Qingyang leaves, he senses that Lin Jun has broken through into the Boundary Breach realm, leaving him jealous and emotionally devastated.

Character developments

• Yang Shi shows humility, seriousness, and perseverance. Though naturally untalented, he accepts Lin Jun’s instruction and commits himself to improving before the assessment.
• Lin Jun reveals a more responsible and capable side. He not only trains Yang Shi but has secretly accomplished extraordinary feats: killing a Boundary-Breach Great Demon, protecting his relatives, surrendering the credit, and advancing into the Boundary Breach realm. His refusal of pleasure in favor of training also demonstrates growing discipline.
• Yang Yan becomes proud and emotional upon learning how much Lin Jun has achieved, recognizing that his nephew has matured.
• Zhou Hui is forced to reconsider her harsh judgment of Lin Jun. She is embarrassed and possibly regretful after realizing that the nephew she viewed as a useless troublemaker has saved them and attained remarkable strength.
• Qingyang begins grateful and self-assured but becomes deeply frustrated and envious when he learns that Lin Jun has surpassed him despite Qingyang’s years of cultivation and access to valuable resources.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes perseverance despite limited talent, as Yang Shi works to overcome his weak foundation. It also explores hidden ability and mistaken judgment, with Lin Jun’s seemingly frivolous reputation contrasting sharply with his real accomplishments. Family, sacrifice, and redemption are central as Lin Jun gives up recognition to save his relatives, while Yang Shi seeks to redeem his imprisoned father. The chapter also uses humor and dramatic irony, particularly through Qingyang’s envy and Zhou Hui’s stunned realization that her opinion of Lin Jun was wrong.

Character interactions

Lin Jun teases Yang Shi before becoming his mentor, creating a mixture of mockery and genuine guidance. Yang Yan’s warm embrace contrasts with Zhou Hui’s discomfort and shame after Lin Jun’s achievements are revealed. Qingyang’s attempt to thank Lin Jun is overturned when he discovers that Lin Jun—not Qingyang—was responsible for the crucial accomplishments. His final encounter with Lin Jun’s breakthrough turns his gratitude into bitter envy, reinforcing the enormous gap between them.

Chapter Summary: “The Shadow Division Arrives”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Over a month, Lin Jun subjects Yang Shi to intense training in the Baleful Blood Demon-Subduing Blade Technique. Yang Shi endures the regimen and develops Blood-Baleful Aura, proving he possesses considerable hidden talent.
• Yang Shi’s aura becomes strong enough to cling to his blade, potentially allowing him to kill Mortal-level demons with a full-powered strike. Lin Jun realizes Yang Shi’s abilities had been overlooked because he lived beneath the brilliance of his elder brother, Yang Wan.
• Yang Shi takes the Demon Exorcism Bureau’s entrance examination, which requires candidates to fight demons directly. Lin Jun does not attend, instead accompanying an Armaments Division official to meet Jiang Jue, the division’s Court Pillar.
• On the way, Lin Jun is intercepted by Zhao Wu, the elder brother of Zhao Si, whom Lin Jun previously killed or allowed to die during a demon-related incident.
• Zhao Wu orders Shadow Division agents to arrest Lin Jun, accusing him of disobeying orders and causing the deaths of Demon Exorcists.
• The Shadow Division explains that it is the Demon Exorcism Bureau’s internal judicial branch, responsible for investigating, imprisoning, and executing Demon Exorcists who violate the law. Lin Jun cooperates rather than resisting.
• While being escorted away, Lin Jun senses a concealed fox-demon aura on Zhao Wu and asks whether Zhao Wu has been raising foxes. Zhao Wu dismisses the question, but Lin Jun’s suspicion suggests a deeper connection between Zhao Wu and demons.
• The Armaments Division official panics and rushes back to report that Lin Jun was taken to the Shadow Division before reaching the Court Pillar.

Character Developments

• Yang Shi: Demonstrates unexpected endurance and talent. His progress under Lin Jun’s guidance gives him genuine combat potential and helps him begin stepping out from under Yang Wan’s shadow.
• Lin Jun: Shows confidence in Yang Shi’s abilities and remains calm when arrested. Rather than immediately fighting the Shadow Division, he chooses cooperation, indicating strategic restraint and awareness of bureaucratic authority.
• Zhao Wu: Appears motivated by resentment over Zhao Si’s death, though he attempts to justify the arrest through official charges. His association with a hidden fox aura raises suspicion that he may have ties to demons or demon-related schemes.
• Shadow Division agents: Initially act as Zhao Wu’s enforcers but emphasize that they are following proper procedure rather than helping settle a personal grudge. They are wary of Lin Jun’s unexpectedly powerful physique.
• Armaments Division official: Becomes increasingly nervous as the situation spirals beyond his control, fearing repercussions from the Court Pillar.

Significant Themes

• Hidden talent and neglected potential: Yang Shi’s rapid improvement shows that ability can remain concealed when someone lacks proper guidance or is overshadowed by a more celebrated sibling.
• Law versus personal vengeance: Zhao Wu uses official accusations to pursue what appears partly to be a private grudge, while the Shadow Division insists that justice must follow rules.
• Institutional power and bureaucracy: The chapter introduces the Demon Exorcism Bureau’s hierarchy and shows how its divisions possess distinct authority, with the Shadow Division functioning as a feared internal court.
• Suspicion and hidden identities: Lin Jun’s detection of fox-demon energy suggests that appearances may conceal dangerous alliances and foreshadows a broader conspiracy.
• Restraint versus strength: Although Lin Jun is capable of easily overpowering his captors, he chooses not to resist, demonstrating that political judgment can be as important as physical power.

Character Interactions

• Lin Jun and Yang Shi: Their mentor-student relationship deepens as Lin Jun recognizes and cultivates Yang Shi’s neglected potential.
• Lin Jun and the Armaments Division official: The official treats Lin Jun respectfully but remains anxious about the uncertain meeting with Jiang Jue and later worries about Lin Jun’s arrest.
• Lin Jun and Zhao Wu: Their confrontation is driven by Zhao Wu’s anger over Zhao Si’s death. Lin Jun remains puzzled rather than intimidated, while Zhao Wu attempts to use institutional authority against him.
• Lin Jun and the Shadow Division: Their interaction is tense but controlled. The agents restrain him cautiously, and Lin Jun cooperates while questioning the legitimacy of the accusations.
• Lin Jun and Zhao Wu’s hidden secret: Lin Jun’s heightened Sky Fox sensitivity allows him to detect a concealed fox aura around Zhao Wu, creating suspicion that their conflict may involve more than Zhao Si’s death.

Chapter Summary: “Court Pillar”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Demon Exorcism Bureau’s recruitment assessment has evolved from a dangerous mountain battle royale into a public, one-on-one arena competition. Candidates fight captured Mortal-level demons or monsters, allowing the Bureau to reduce fatalities, demonstrate its strength to civilians, and earn admission revenue.
• Jiyuan, the Vanguard Division’s Court Pillar, oversees the assessment from above.
• Yang Shi shocks the spectators by defeating his demon opponent in less than fifteen minutes. Using a blood-infused blade technique, he overwhelms the demon and kills it with a single slash, becoming the first candidate to pass.
• Yang Shi collapses from exhaustion afterward but proudly calls the finishing move a “one-hit kill.”
• Jiyuan approaches Yang Shi and recognizes that his blade technique resembles an advanced version of the Bureau’s Demon-Subduing Blade Technique. He realizes Yang Shi has either created or significantly improved a martial art, elevating it from the Mortal to the Transcendent Realm.
• Yang Shi denies creating the technique and insists that his younger brother, Lin Jun, taught it to him. Jiyuan initially doubts this because of Lin Jun’s former reputation as a notorious and undisciplined person.
• Wang Zhong arrives with urgent news: Lin Jun has been arrested by the Shadow Division. He confirms that Lin Jun was also responsible for defeating the Fox Demon and secretly killing the Tree Demon.
• Jiyuan realizes that Lin Jun is the same person connected to these extraordinary achievements and decides to personally confront the Shadow Division on his behalf.
• Separately, an officer informs Jiang Jue, the Armaments Division’s Court Pillar, that Lin Jun was taken by the Shadow Division while being transported. Jiang Jue also heads there, suggesting that Lin Jun’s arrest may create a confrontation among the Bureau’s major divisions.

Character Developments

• Yang Shi: Reveals unexpected martial talent. Though previously regarded as a failed scholar and an embarrassment within his family, he demonstrates remarkable combat ability and successfully applies a powerful blade technique despite lacking extensive training in it.
• Lin Jun: His reputation undergoes a major reversal. Once viewed as a vicious or useless troublemaker, he is now recognized as a highly capable martial innovator and demon slayer. His influence is shown through Yang Shi’s strength and his own hidden accomplishments.
• Jiyuan: Moves from detached overseer to active protector and investigator. Impressed by Yang Shi and increasingly intrigued by Lin Jun, he treats Lin Jun as a potential genius comparable to the famous Yang Wan.
• Yang Yan and Zhou Hui: Both react with surprise to Yang Shi’s success. Yang Yan attributes his son’s transformation to Lin Jun’s instruction, while Zhou Hui feels pride mixed with unease because of Lin Jun’s involvement.
• Jiang Jue: Demonstrates immediate interest in Lin Jun’s arrest and personally intervenes, indicating that Lin Jun’s abilities matter greatly to the Armaments Division.

Significant Themes

• Reputation versus reality: Yang Shi and Lin Jun are both underestimated because of their past reputations, yet their actual abilities sharply contradict public opinion.
• Hidden talent and transformation: The chapter emphasizes how dramatically a person can change or reveal previously unseen potential.
• Recognition of genius: Jiyuan’s discovery that Lin Jun may have reshaped a martial art elevates him from an obscure individual to someone important to the Bureau’s leadership.
• Institutional power and rivalry: The Shadow, Vanguard, and Armaments Divisions all become involved in Lin Jun’s fate, hinting at political or jurisdictional conflict within the Demon Exorcism Bureau.
• Public perception of demon exorcists: The arena serves both as a recruitment system and as propaganda, helping civilians see demon exorcists as powerful protectors rather than merely fearsome figures.

Important Character Interactions

• Yang Shi and his demon opponent: Yang Shi uses his blood-glowing blade technique to suppress and kill the demon in one decisive strike.
• Jiyuan and Yang Shi: Jiyuan praises Yang Shi’s martial insight and questions him about the technique’s origin. Yang Shi repeatedly credits Lin Jun.
• Jiyuan and Wang Zhong: Wang Zhong’s report connects Lin Jun to the Fox Demon and Tree Demon incidents, allowing Jiyuan to understand Lin Jun’s true identity and abilities.
• Jiyuan and the Shadow Division: Jiyuan decides to confront the division after learning that Lin Jun has been taken, implying he intends to protect or investigate him personally.
• Jiang Jue and his officer: Jiang Jue learns of Lin Jun’s arrest and immediately goes to the Shadow Division, setting up a likely clash between the Bureau’s powerful factions.

Chapter Summary: Fox Demon in the City

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Shadow Division, the Demon Exorcism Bureau’s secretive prison and court, becomes unusually crowded as Demon Exorcists, martial sect members, and powerful officials gather to demand information about Lin Jun.
• Qingyang arrives looking for Lin Jun, only to learn that the Shadow Division has no official record of arresting him.
• Major figures—including Vanguard Division members, martial sect disciples, Court Pillar Jiyuan, and the red-haired Jiang Jue—assemble outside the court, creating intense pressure on the chief judge.
• Three black-clad agents finally reveal that they arrested Lin Jun for allegedly disobeying orders and causing Zhao Si’s death. However, they admit they took him to the Zhao Family’s private dungeon rather than an official prison, exposing their abuse of authority.
• In the Zhao dungeon, Lin Jun is chained and confronted by Zhao Wu, who claims revenge for his brother Zhao Si’s death. Lin Jun recognizes that Zhao Wu’s anger is only a pretense and suspects a larger conspiracy.
• Zhao Wu reveals the true culprit behind Lin Jun’s imprisonment: Zhang Jie, a powerful Fox Demon and Zhang Ju’s older brother.
• Zhang Jie is attracted to the exceptionally pure and concentrated Sky Fox Bloodline within Lin Jun. He intends to consume Lin Jun’s flesh to increase his own power, possibly enough to challenge his father.
• The Zhao Family has secretly colluded with demons for over a decade, hoping Zhang Jie’s help will reverse their declining fortunes.
• Zhang Jie claims that Lin Jun will remain trapped for several days while the Shadow Division processes the matter, giving him time to devour him. Lin Jun remains strangely calm and begins probing whether other Fox Demons are involved.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun: Shows remarkable composure despite being chained and threatened with death. He quickly sees through Zhao Wu’s false justification and begins investigating Zhang Jie’s motives instead of pleading for his life. His Sky Fox Bloodline is revealed to be unusually powerful and valuable.
• Zhang Jie: Is introduced as a dangerous, greedy Fox Demon who views Lin Jun as a rare source of power. His ambition extends beyond revenge or survival; he hopes to consume enough of Lin Jun’s bloodline to challenge his father.
• Zhao Wu: Appears emotionally driven at first but is exposed as a willing participant in a calculated conspiracy. He prioritizes the Zhao Family’s survival over the consequences of aiding demons.
• The chief judge: Becomes increasingly frightened and pressured as he realizes that his subordinates illegally abducted Lin Jun and that powerful people have arrived to demand answers.
• Jiyuan and Jiang Jue: Their presence demonstrates Lin Jun’s importance and suggests that influential figures are prepared to intervene on his behalf.
• The Zhao Family: Is revealed to be in decline and desperate enough to risk annihilation by secretly cooperating with demons.

Significant Themes

• Corruption and abuse of authority: The Shadow Division’s agents use their power to imprison Lin Jun without a warrant and hide him in a private dungeon.
• Conspiracy beneath official institutions: The Zhao Family’s long-term demonic alliance has operated directly under the Demon Exorcism Bureau’s notice, emphasizing how easily corruption can hide behind bureaucratic systems.
• Power and exploitation: Zhang Jie sees Lin Jun not as a person but as a resource whose bloodline can be consumed for greater strength.
• Hidden identity and inheritance: Lin Jun’s Sky Fox Bloodline links him to the Fox Demons and makes him a target, while Zhang Jie’s connection to Zhang Ju expands the mystery surrounding Lin Jun’s origins and abilities.
• Pressure and impending justice: The gathering outside the Shadow Division suggests that the powerful figures seeking Lin Jun may soon expose the illegal arrest and confront the Zhao Family.

Character Interactions

• Qingyang questions the chief judge about Lin Jun, while the judge’s confusion reveals that the arrest was never officially authorized.
• Jiyuan and Jiang Jue silently intimidate the Shadow Division officials simply through their presence, making the court’s atmosphere oppressive.
• The chief judge confronts the three agents, who confess that Lin Jun is being held in the Zhao Family dungeon.
• Zhao Wu threatens Lin Jun and invokes Zhao Si’s death, but Lin Jun recognizes that the explanation is implausible.
• Zhang Jie examines Lin Jun and openly expresses his desire to consume him because of his concentrated Sky Fox Bloodline.
• Zhao Wu reminds Zhang Jie not to abandon the Zhao Family, confirming their alliance.
• Lin Jun questions Zhang Jie about other Fox Demons, ending the chapter on a tense cliffhanger as Zhang Jie becomes confused by Lin Jun’s calm reaction.

Chapter Summary: “Hunting Demons”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Jun emerges from the Zhao residence carrying a bloodied blade and a red-furred Fox Demon. Zhao Wu and many Zhao Family members lie unconscious behind him, while the household is filled with a terrible stench.
• The visiting Court Pillars, Jiyuan and Jiang Jue, realize that the fox is actually Zhang Zhen, a powerful Fox Demon who had disguised himself and infiltrated the Demon Exorcism Bureau, eventually becoming a Court Pillar.
• Zhang Zhen’s discovery suggests that his four sons may also still be hiding throughout Great Yin. The Fox Demons have a history of infiltrating human society and even impersonating high-ranking officials.
• Jiyuan formally thanks Lin Jun on behalf of the Demon Exorcism Bureau. Jiang Jue also praises him—an extraordinary event because Jiang Jue is famously reserved.
• Jiang Jue and Jiyuan compete over recruiting Lin Jun. Jiang Jue argues that the Vanguard Division is too dangerous and invites Lin Jun to join the Armaments Division, but Lin Jun declines because he wants to continue killing demons directly.
• Jiang Jue then invites Lin Jun to participate in a demon hunt targeting the Mountain God of Taiyan Mountain, revealed to be a Demon King. Jiyuan angrily objects, believing Lin Jun is not strong enough to survive such a battle.
• To justify Lin Jun’s participation, Jiang Jue grants him the rank of Lieutenant General with a jade badge.
• Jiyuan senses Lin Jun’s cultivation and discovers that he has advanced dramatically, apparently reaching Great Demon level after having been at Origin Transformation only a month earlier.
• Jiyuan warns Lin Jun not to die, and Lin Jun confidently promises that he will not. Jiang Jue says he will return the next day, while the Chief Judge and other exorcists take responsibility for handling the Zhao Family aftermath.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun: Demonstrates remarkable strength and rapid cultivation growth by capturing another hidden demon and defeating the Zhao Family’s resistance. He remains focused and fearless, refusing a safer position because he wants to continue hunting demons. His confidence and talent cause two Court Pillars to take personal interest in him.
• Jiyuan: Moves from concern over Lin Jun’s safety to admiration after confirming his extraordinary advancement. His unusual warning, “Don’t die,” reflects genuine concern and respect.
• Jiang Jue: Shows rare emotional engagement by praising Lin Jun, recruiting him, and personally promoting him. Although he claims to want Lin Jun’s safety, he also places him in extreme danger by inviting him to hunt a Demon King.
• Wang Zhong: Is visibly shaken by Lin Jun’s progress, admitting that Lin Jun had been at a much lower realm only a month earlier.
• Zhao Family and Zhang Zhen: Their apparent human standing is exposed as part of a long-term demonic infiltration. The Zhao Family is left defeated and under investigation.

Significant Themes

• Hidden demonic infiltration: Demons are capable of disguising themselves so effectively that they can infiltrate even the highest levels of human institutions.
• Rapid growth and exceptional talent: Lin Jun’s advancement challenges established expectations and prompts comparisons with legendary figures such as Yang Wan.
• Recognition and rivalry: Lin Jun’s abilities are so impressive that two powerful leaders compete to recruit him, turning his success into a public spectacle.
• Risk versus ambition: Lin Jun willingly chooses the dangerous path of demon hunting, while others worry that his courage may lead to his premature death.
• Institutional failure and vigilance: The Demon Exorcism Bureau failed to detect Zhang Zhen for twenty years, emphasizing the dangers of complacency and deception.

Character Interactions

• Lin Jun’s discovery shocks Qingyang, the Chief Judge, and the watching exorcists.
• Jiyuan thanks Lin Jun and Jiang Jue praises him, creating an unusually respectful exchange.
• Jiyuan and Jiang Jue argue over which division should claim Lin Jun, revealing both their competitive relationship and their differing views of his future.
• Lin Jun respectfully refuses Jiang Jue’s recruitment offer but accepts the opportunity to join the demon hunt.
• Jiyuan and Lin Jun share a brief but meaningful exchange in which Jiyuan warns him to survive, and Lin Jun responds with confidence.

Chapter Summary: “Storm Clouds Surge”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the Fox Demon’s death, Brocade City remains fearful, while Demon Exorcists, aristocrats, and martial-sect disciples gather in taverns to discuss Lin Jun’s sudden promotion.
• Many veteran Demon Exorcists resent that Lin Jun, who only recently returned to the city and was formerly considered a useless playboy, is being granted a seat immediately. They believe his advancement results from political influence, particularly through his connections with Yang Wan and the Court Pillars.
• Martial sects view the controversy as an opportunity to embarrass the Demon Exorcism Bureau, suspecting that the Fox Demon incident may have been staged to justify Lin Jun’s promotion.
• Aristocratic families and wealthy clans, however, welcome the precedent, hoping Lin Jun’s promotion will allow their own descendants to escape the powerless Imperial Court Inspection Division.
• Meanwhile, minor families visit the Yang Residence to apologize for mistreating Lin Jun’s former self. They bring large quantities of gifts and confess to past abuses, hoping to avoid revenge now that Lin Jun is protected by two Court Pillars.
• Lin Jun is disgusted by the apologies and the embarrassing stories about his predecessor. He orders the visitors to leave and asks Yang Yan to return their gifts.
• A man named Jiang Lin, the Second Seat of the Armaments Division, arrives on behalf of Court Pillar Jiang Jue. He offers Lin Jun alcohol and warns him that both the martial sects and Demon Exorcists are waiting for him to fail publicly.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun: His growing status has transformed how others treat him, but he remains uncomfortable with the influence and fear surrounding his name. He rejects the apology gifts and shows little interest in wealth, alcohol, or public recognition. His calm, restrained behavior contrasts sharply with the violent reputation of his predecessor.
• Yang Yan: He appears relieved that he supported Lin Jun in the past and is astonished by Lin Jun’s unexpected connections with two Court Pillars. His willingness to help return the gifts demonstrates continued loyalty.
• Jiang Lin: Introduced as the Second Seat of the Armaments Division, he is sardonic and informal. Though he initially mocks Lin Jun and offers him alcohol, he delivers an important warning about the hostility Lin Jun faces.
• The veteran Demon Exorcists: Their resentment reveals insecurity about the Bureau’s hierarchy and a belief that advancement should be earned through years of service.
• Minor families: Their fearful apologies show how quickly political power can alter social relationships. They once mistreated Lin Jun but now seek his mercy.

Significant Themes

• Resentment toward privilege and favoritism: Lin Jun’s instant promotion appears to undermine the Bureau’s traditional merit-based system, provoking anger among those who spent decades earning rank.
• Power and reputation: Lin Jun’s current influence is based partly on his associations with powerful figures, while his former reputation continues to shape how people perceive him.
• Political maneuvering: The reactions of the Demon Exorcists, aristocrats, and martial sects show how Lin Jun’s promotion affects multiple factions with competing interests.
• Fear and opportunism: The minor families’ sudden apologies illustrate how people alter their behavior when power shifts.
• Appearances versus reality: Outsiders assume Lin Jun’s promotion is corrupt or staged, while those judgments may fail to account for the true significance of the Fox Demon and Lin Jun’s hidden abilities.

Character Interactions

• Tavern discussions pit veteran Demon Exorcists’ anger against the martial sects’ amusement and the aristocratic clans’ optimism.
• Minor families grovel before Lin Jun, confessing past wrongdoing and offering gifts. Lin Jun rejects their behavior and orders them away.
• Yang Yan and Lin Jun discuss the pile of gifts, with Lin Jun asking his uncle to return them.
• Jiang Lin confronts Lin Jun at the Yang Residence, teasing him about his sudden prosperity before warning him that powerful enemies are waiting for him to make a mistake.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Lin explains that Lin Jun is being promoted to a Seat and included in the Demon King hunt mainly as part of a larger trap for the remaining Fox Demons.
• The two Court Pillars’ earlier public argument over Lin Jun was deliberately staged to attract attention. Because Lin Jun carries an aura that Fox Demons find irresistible, the authorities hope the rumors will lure the hidden foxes into revealing themselves.
• Lin Jun learns that his aura was likely acquired accidentally from Zhang Ju, causing Zhang Jie to expose his true form and allowing the Court Pillars to identify the connection.
• Jiang Lin instructs Lin Jun to stay close to him and avoid directly confronting the Demon King. Their actual objective is to hold Wind-Thunder Cliff and prevent the Demon King’s son from escaping.
• Jiang Lin promises to claim that Lin Jun participated in or helped achieve the victories, including the killing of the Demon King’s son, thereby giving Lin Jun the accomplishments needed to justify his rapid promotion.
• As additional compensation, Jiang Lin gives Lin Jun the dangerous Boundary Breach martial art manual, the Profound Demon Body-Tempering Canon, while warning him not to cultivate it recklessly because it can cause severe cultivation deviation.
• After Jiang Lin leaves, Lin Jun meets Qingyang, Li Gui, and the others. They report that the Zhao Family has been executed for colluding with demons, while the Shadow Division has been punished for abusing its authority and harming a colleague.
• Duan Yan and Qingyang urge Lin Jun to avoid the Demon King hunt, warning that it is extraordinarily dangerous. Lin Jun nevertheless decides to proceed, says farewell, and returns to Yang Residence.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun demonstrates calmness and decisiveness. Rather than withdrawing from the dangerous plan, he accepts the role because it may lure out the remaining Fox Demons and provide him with useful achievements.
• He also shows growing confidence by questioning Jiang Lin’s motives and teasing him about surrendering credit for killing the Demon King’s son.
• Jiang Lin is revealed to be protective of Lin Jun but also willing to manipulate events for the broader strategy. He intends to shield Lin Jun from the Demon King while sacrificing his own potential advancement by giving Lin Jun the credit.
• Jiang Lin’s reluctance to surrender such a major achievement reveals personal frustration beneath his loyalty to Jiang Jue’s plan.
• Duan Yan, Qingyang, and the others show genuine concern for Lin Jun’s survival, emphasizing how dangerous the upcoming hunt is and how strongly they value him.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and strategic deception: The Court Pillars manufacture Lin Jun’s reputation and use him as bait, while Jiang Lin plans to falsify or redistribute credit.
• Duty versus personal safety: Lin Jun must choose between protecting himself and participating in a dangerous operation that serves a larger cause.
• Reputation and legitimacy: His astonishing rise to a Seat requires visible achievements, showing how status within the Demon Exorcists depends not only on ability but also on publicly recognized merit.
• Sacrifice and compensation: Jiang Lin gives up credit and advancement to support the plan, while Lin Jun is offered rank and recognition as compensation for being placed in danger.
• The risks of power: The Profound Demon Body-Tempering Canon symbolizes the dangerous shortcuts and cultivation deviations that accompany the pursuit of greater strength.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Lin and Lin Jun: Their conversation mixes tactical planning, warnings, teasing, and reluctant trust. Jiang Lin tries to control Lin Jun’s movements, while Lin Jun probes the hidden motives behind the plan.
• Jiang Lin and Jiang Jue: Although Jiang Jue does not appear directly, his strategy drives the entire operation. Jiang Lin acts as both its messenger and protector.
• Lin Jun and Duan Yan/Qingyang: Their farewell highlights their concern for him and their inability to dissuade him from joining the hunt.
• Qingyang and the others: They update Lin Jun on the punishments imposed on the Zhao Family and Shadow Division, reinforcing that the authorities are actively dealing with corruption and demonic collaboration.
• Xiao Yun and Li Gui: Their quiet exchange about whether Lin Jun will return underscores the group’s fear that the hunt may be fatal.

Chapter Summary: “Fox Demon’s True Form”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After killing a Body-Breach Stage fox demon, Lin Jun gains 16,000 experience and discovers that his Sky Fox Bloodline has advanced.
• The fox demon’s corpse is completely absorbed by Lin Jun’s bloodline, including its flesh and Demon Core. His transformation produces a third fox tail, leaving him with two solid tails and one phantom tail.
• Lin Jun learns that he can materialize the phantom tail into a three-tailed Fox Demon clone. The clone possesses Body-Breach Stage strength, can fight independently, and will not disappear as long as Lin Jun remains alive.
• Lin Jun decides to keep the clone as a trump card, effectively giving him a second Body-Breach Stage combatant.
• He realizes that the Sky Fox Bloodline may eventually reach nine tails. This connects to Zhang Zhen’s group of nine fox demons, though several have already died.
• Lin Jun studies the Profound Demon Body-Tempering Canon, a cultivation method based on consuming demon-beast flesh, baleful aura, and demonic qi to strengthen the human body.
• Recognizing that the technique could cause practitioners to lose control—likely the reason Jiang Jue went astray—Lin Jun uses experience to modify and perfect it, removing its tendency to cause practitioners to go berserk.
• He then spends his remaining experience on the Human Core Art, pushing his cultivation to the edge of the Qi-Breach Stage and bringing the technique to perfection.
• Lin Jun falls asleep after consolidating his gains.
• Elsewhere, Jiang Lin reports to Jiang Jue that Lin Jun accepted the invitation to join the demon-beast hunt. Jiang Jue reveals that his apparent conflict with another Court Pillar over Lin Jun was partly genuine, indicating that Lin Jun is highly valued.
• Jiang Jue warns Jiang Lin that the Armaments Division joining the hunt means the Vanguard Division is under severe pressure.
• The next morning, Jiang Lin comes to escort Lin Jun. He senses that Lin Jun’s aura has changed and suspects he has broken through, though Lin Jun claims he is merely close to advancement.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun gains a major increase in power through the completion of his Sky Fox Bloodline. His new phantom Fox Demon gives him a powerful and seemingly undying combat partner.
• Lin Jun’s identity as a human becomes even more concealed, as his enhanced bloodline makes him nearly indistinguishable from a true demon-beast.
• He broadens his cultivation abilities by perfecting the Profound Demon Body-Tempering Canon, allowing him to safely consume demon-beast remains for future physical growth.
• His Human Core Art reaches perfection, bringing him close to the Qi-Breach Stage.
• Jiang Lin becomes more aware of Lin Jun’s extraordinary talent and importance. His inability to understand Lin Jun’s rapid progress leaves him increasingly shocked.
• Jiang Jue confirms that Lin Jun is important enough to provoke competition between powerful Court Pillars. He also demonstrates concern for the larger military situation by warning Jiang Lin about the worsening demon-beast threat.

Significant Themes

• Human and demon boundaries: Lin Jun increasingly gains demon-beast traits and abilities, blurring the distinction between human and demon.
• Power through adaptation: Rather than relying solely on conventional human cultivation, Lin Jun combines bloodline absorption, demon-beast abilities, and modified martial arts.
• Risk and control: The Profound Demon Body-Tempering Canon represents the danger of gaining strength through unstable demonic power. Lin Jun’s ability to perfect it reflects his exceptional control and strategic thinking.
• Hidden strength and deception: Lin Jun continues to conceal the true extent of his power, while others begin to suspect that his abilities are far beyond what he admits.
• Escalating conflict: The Armaments Division’s entry into the demon-beast hunt signals that the broader war is worsening and that the kingdom’s defenses are being stretched.

Character Interactions

• Lin Jun’s interaction with his own Fox Demon clone establishes a new tactical partnership: two Body-Breach Stage fighters operating with a shared will.
• Jiang Lin and Jiang Jue discuss Lin Jun’s recruitment, revealing that the apparent public dispute over him was partly real. Jiang Jue instructs Jiang Lin to build a closer relationship with Lin Jun.
• Jiang Jue warns Jiang Lin to train harder because the Armaments Division is being sent into the field, showing the seriousness of the military crisis.
• When Jiang Lin notices Lin Jun’s sudden change in aura, Lin Jun downplays his progress by claiming that his talent is poor and that he has not yet broken through. Jiang Lin’s disbelief reinforces how abnormal Lin Jun’s growth has become.

Chapter Summary: Black Wind True Lord

Key Plot Points and Events

• Dayan Mountain in Fufeng Commandery is completely sealed off by the Demon Exorcist Army after the Demon King Black Wind True Lord becomes quiet, suggesting he may be preparing a final counterattack.
• The army has suffered severe losses. Injured exorcists are evacuated, while the corpses of both demons and soldiers are found drained of blood through two wounds in the throat.
• Lin Jun and Jiang Lin arrive as reinforcements from Brocade City. Jiang Lin explains that Black Wind True Lord, a Late Core-Embracing/Heavenly Core Realm Demon King, has been recognized as Dayan Mountain’s Mountain God and protected the people of Taiyan County for fifty years.
• The situation is complicated by the deaths of all Demon Exorcists stationed at Wind-Thunder Cliff, reportedly killed by Black Wind True Lord’s son.
• They meet He Jiang, Great Elder of the Sword Transformation Pavilion, who has brought one hundred disciples under a Demon-Slaying Order. Jiang Lin takes charge of the defense, though he distrusts the sect’s willingness to fight when danger becomes serious.
• He Jiang attempts to curry favor with Lin Jun after assuming he has an influential background. He offers to carry Lin Jun using lightness techniques, but Lin Jun’s extraordinary physical weight and strength make this impossible.
• Lin Jun instead propels himself forward through raw physical power, creating a crater when he launches himself and leaving He Jiang stunned.
• At night, Jiang Jue confronts Black Wind True Lord on the mountaintop. The Demon King asks whether his fifty years of protecting Taiyan County made him a worthy Mountain God.
• Jiang Jue acknowledges that he protected the county’s 230,000 people, but immediately rejects the discussion as stalling and warns that Black Wind’s son will not escape either.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun: Demonstrates abnormal physical strength and explosive speed. His abilities surprise He Jiang and suggest that he is far more formidable than his ordinary appearance or brief introduction implies.
• Jiang Lin: Shows practical leadership and urgency, immediately assuming responsibility for the defensive situation. He is skeptical of sects and understands the political maneuvering surrounding the hunt.
• He Jiang: Initially presents himself as righteous and eager to help, but quickly reveals his desire to build connections with the Demon Exorcism Bureau. He becomes impressed—and confused—by Lin Jun’s physical capabilities.
• Black Wind True Lord: Is presented as a morally complex Demon King. Despite being targeted for suppression, he protected Taiyan County for decades and appears to believe his actions earned him recognition as a legitimate Mountain God.
• Jiang Jue: Remains cold and uncompromising, refusing to engage with the Demon King’s justification and focusing instead on completing the suppression.

Significant Themes

• Moral ambiguity: Black Wind True Lord is classified as a demon, yet his fifty years of protecting humans challenge the simple division between good and evil.
• The cost of protection: The chapter raises questions about what Black Wind’s “protection” truly involved, especially given Jiang Lin’s disgust and the large number of deaths surrounding the mountain.
• Institutional politics and merit-seeking: The arrival of the Sword Transformation Pavilion reveals how sects and officials may use dangerous missions to gain influence, prestige, or future cooperation.
• Hidden strength and appearances: Lin Jun’s seemingly simple identity contrasts sharply with his overwhelming physical power.
• Loyalty versus duty: Jiang Jue’s determination to suppress Black Wind shows the Demon Exorcism Bureau’s willingness to destroy even a being who once benefited humanity.

Important Character Interactions

• Jiang Lin and Lin Jun: Jiang Lin briefs Lin Jun on the crisis and treats him as a fellow operative, while Lin Jun’s unusual abilities repeatedly exceed expectations.
• Jiang Lin and He Jiang: Their exchange establishes cooperation between the Demon Exorcism Bureau and the Sword Transformation Pavilion, though Jiang Lin privately doubts He Jiang’s sincerity.
• He Jiang and Lin Jun: He Jiang tries to win Lin Jun’s favor and protect him, but Lin Jun’s physical strength humiliates and astonishes him.
• Jiang Jue and Black Wind True Lord: Their confrontation centers on Black Wind’s claim that his long protection of Taiyan County made him worthy of being a Mountain God. Jiang Jue refuses to consider this justification and prepares to continue the hunt.

Chapter Summary: Demon King’s Son

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Jue confronts Black Wind True Lord, accusing him of effectively ruling Taiyan County through religious worship. For fifty years, the county’s 230,000 residents have worshipped him constantly, offering Incense Power rather than living normal lives.
• Black Wind True Lord has forcibly prolonged the lives of worshippers, turning them into “living dead” who exist only to provide him with faith. This concentrated Incense Power allowed him to advance rapidly toward the Heavenly Core Realm.
• Jiang Jue realizes that ordinary persuasion will not work because the people’s faith is unnaturally absolute. The situation must therefore be resolved through force.
• While the main Demon Exorcist Army attacks Dayan Mountain, the demons launch repeated assaults intended to break through the defenses and send Black Wind True Lord’s son—the Demon King’s Son—away to preserve the possibility of revenge.
• At Wind-Thunder Cliff, one hundred Sword Transformation Pavilion disciples defend the encampment with the Seven-Star Heaven-Reliant Formation. Jiang Lin warns everyone that the Demon King’s Son is exceptionally dangerous after killing one hundred Armaments Division Demon Exorcists with a single strike, leaving only two holes in each victim’s neck.
• Jiang Lin admits he may not be able to defeat the Demon King’s Son and focuses instead on protecting Lin Jun and containing the demon. He Jiang eagerly promises to protect Lin Jun as well, hoping to gain his favor.
• Lin Jun remains calm and cooperative, allowing others to assume that he is merely benefiting from powerful connections.
• After a period of silence, the Demon King’s Son suddenly launches another assault. He kills a disciple instantly and nearly kills Jiang Lin before charging directly into the sword formation.
• The demon’s attack on Li Yan is unexpectedly stopped when one of his fangs breaks. His true form is revealed as a gigantic humanoid black bat.
• Lin Jun comforts the shaken Li Yan, who is stunned to discover that the seemingly insignificant and well-connected man is actually Lin Jun.

Character Development

• Jiang Jue is shown as perceptive and decisive. He understands both the political danger of Black Wind True Lord’s influence and the unusual nature of the Incense Power sustaining it.
• Black Wind True Lord appears desperate and resentful. He believes his fifty years of “protection” justify his control over Taiyan County, but his behavior reveals him as exploitative and ruthless.
• Jiang Lin becomes more cautious and realistic. After recognizing the Demon King’s Son’s lethal ability, he abandons his earlier plan of taking credit and prioritizes survival and containment.
• He Jiang openly sides with Lin Jun, revealing his opportunistic nature and desire to attach himself to someone with strong backing.
• Lin Jun remains composed and understated. Although others view him as a privileged figure relying on connections, his intervention at the climax hints that he possesses far greater strength or hidden abilities than they realize.
• Li Yan shifts from dismissing Lin Jun as an ordinary, well-connected outsider to viewing him with shock and respect after being saved by him.
• The Demon King’s Son is established as swift, savage, mocking, and highly dangerous, but the broken fang suggests that his attack can be countered.

Significant Themes

• Religious devotion as control: The people of Taiyan County have been reduced to instruments for generating Incense Power, showing how faith can be manipulated into oppression.
• Power and legitimacy: Black Wind True Lord argues that protection grants him the right to rule, while Jiang Jue represents the imperial authority challenging that claim.
• Social inequality and connections: The Sword Transformation Pavilion disciples resent Lin Jun because they believe advancement depends on backing and status rather than merit.
• Survival versus ambition: Jiang Lin abandons the pursuit of glory when faced with a genuinely deadly opponent, emphasizing the value of preserving one’s life.
• Hidden strength and mistaken judgments: Lin Jun is repeatedly underestimated, while his unexpected rescue of Li Yan suggests that appearances are misleading.

Important Character Interactions

• Jiang Jue and Black Wind True Lord: Their confrontation centers on whether Black Wind’s protection excuses his exploitation of the county.
• Jiang Lin and He Jiang: Jiang Lin seeks to protect Lin Jun; He Jiang immediately echoes this stance to curry favor.
• Lin Jun and the Sword Transformation Pavilion disciples: The disciples assume Lin Jun is an undeserving beneficiary of powerful connections, though his actions begin to challenge that judgment.
• Demon King’s Son and the defenders: The demon’s sudden assault exposes the limits of the defenders’ preparation and nearly kills both an ordinary disciple and Jiang Lin.
• Lin Jun and Li Yan: Lin Jun saves or assists Li Yan after the attack, leaving Li Yan shocked by Lin Jun’s true importance.

Chapter Summary: “A Little Cold”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Black Bat, the Demon King’s Son, escapes up Wind-Thunder Cliff after revealing that he intends to return and consume the humans. He has already surveyed the cliff’s defenses and plans to exploit them later.
• Jiang Lin attempts to pursue him but collapses after being poisoned by Black Bat’s venom. He takes medicine and begins purging the poison.
• Lin Jun volunteers to chase Black Bat alone. Jiang Lin agrees, trusting Lin Jun’s judgment, while planning to inform the Pillar of the Court and pursue him once recovered.
• Black Bat confronts Lin Jun and assumes Lin Jun’s previous success was merely a result of a sneak attack. He attacks with his black wind and attempts to bite Lin Jun’s neck.
• Lin Jun’s body proves extraordinarily durable: Black Bat’s fang breaks against his neck, while Lin Jun’s saber severs one of Black Bat’s wings and severely injures him.
• Black Bat panics and uses a powerful blood-transforming black wind, a life-saving technique capable of shredding even much stronger opponents. Lin Jun charges directly into it.
• The technique destroys Lin Jun’s clothes but cannot injure his body. Realizing that Lin Jun is far stronger and stranger than expected, Black Bat is defeated and killed.
• After recovering, Jiang Lin prepares to support Lin Jun. Li Yan insists on accompanying him because Lin Jun previously saved his life, despite He Jiang’s attempts to stop him.
• Lin Jun returns unexpectedly, naked because his clothes were destroyed, dragging Black Bat’s corpse. He casually asks whether anyone has spare clothes because he is cold, leaving everyone speechless.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun demonstrates overwhelming physical toughness, courage, and confidence. He does not recklessly boast; instead, he calmly pursues Black Bat and relies on his ability to survive attacks that would kill ordinary cultivators.
• Jiang Lin shows growing trust in Lin Jun. Although initially concerned, he allows Lin Jun to pursue Black Bat and recognizes that Lin Jun is not impulsive. His determination to recover and help also reflects a developing sense of responsibility toward his companion.
• Black Bat changes from arrogant predator to terrified prey. His confidence collapses after his fang breaks and his wing is severed, forcing him to use his strongest escape technique.
• Li Yan displays loyalty and a heroic sense of duty. Because Lin Jun saved him, he refuses to abandon Lin Jun even when facing a far stronger demon.
• He Jiang remains comically cautious and self-interested, but his concern for Li Yan reveals a protective side beneath his fear.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and underestimated ability: Black Bat mistakes Lin Jun’s apparent lack of technique for weakness, only to discover that Lin Jun’s body is nearly indestructible.
• Trust and loyalty: Jiang Lin trusts Lin Jun’s judgment, while Li Yan feels morally obligated to repay Lin Jun for saving his life.
• Courage versus self-preservation: Li Yan’s willingness to face danger contrasts with He Jiang’s insistence on retreating from an apparently hopeless battle.
• Humor amid danger: The deadly confrontation ends comically when Lin Jun returns victorious and naked, treating the aftermath as a minor inconvenience.
• The contrast between appearance and reality: Lin Jun seems like a newly advanced human cultivator, but his strength far exceeds what anyone expects; Black Bat’s terrifying techniques prove ineffective against him.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Lin and Lin Jun establish mutual trust when Jiang Lin permits Lin Jun to pursue Black Bat alone.
• Black Bat’s taunts and assumptions about Lin Jun’s weakness provoke the battle, but his arrogance is overturned by Lin Jun’s superior durability and saber technique.
• He Jiang and Li Yan clash over whether pursuing Lin Jun is heroic or foolish, highlighting their opposing attitudes toward danger.
• The group’s stunned reaction to Lin Jun’s return provides the chapter’s final comedic beat and emphasizes how extraordinary his victory is.

Chapter Summary: “Poaching Talent”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Jun kills the Black Bat and reveals that he—not Jiang Lin—was the true source of their success. He is far stronger than previously believed and has been deliberately keeping a low profile.
• Jiang Lin realizes why the Court Pillars valued Lin Jun and why Jiang Jue urged him to form a good relationship with him.
• The Sword Transformation Pavilion disciples are stunned that Lin Jun has killed the Demon King’s Son in such a short time. Li Yan, impressed by Lin Jun’s strength and ideals, asks Lin Jun to teach him the single-strike killing technique.
• Inspired by Lin Jun’s willingness to confront demons directly, Li Yan requests to leave the Sword Transformation Pavilion, criticizing its cowardice and reluctance to fight demons head-on. He Jiang is furious, feeling that Lin Jun has “poached” his chief disciple.
• Lin Jun asks Jiang Lin about the battle between Jiang Jue and Black Wind True Lord. The fight is still unresolved, though Black Wind is badly injured.
• Black Wind True Lord uses the prayers and sacrifices of 230,000 citizens in Taiyan County to strengthen himself through Incense Power. He also attempts to recover by devouring the blood essence of dead Demon Exorcists.
• Jiang Jue counters by devouring the essence of a Great Demon, though he risks madness because demonic blood essence is dangerous.
• Unable to defeat Jiang Jue directly, Black Wind leaps from Dayan Mountain and attacks the Demon Exorcists stationed below, intending to use them as blood food and destabilize Jiang Jue emotionally.
• The Demon Exorcists form a sealing formation, but Black Wind shatters it in one blow. Just as he is about to devour one of them, Lin Jun arrives and blasts Black Wind into the mountainside.
• Lin Jun helps the injured Demon Exorcists and advances toward the buried Demon King. The soldiers recognize him and immediately begin treating him with great respect, calling him “Lord.”

Character Developments

• Lin Jun: His overwhelming strength and combat ability are exposed. He demonstrates not only the power to kill major demons but also compassion and leadership by protecting injured Demon Exorcists. His influence begins attracting talented followers.
• Jiang Lin: He recognizes that he had seriously underestimated Lin Jun and now sees the importance of building a closer relationship with him.
• He Jiang: His confidence is shaken after realizing how badly he misjudged Lin Jun. He becomes enraged when Li Yan decides to leave the Sword Transformation Pavilion.
• Li Yan: His admiration for Lin Jun grows into a decisive change in loyalty and ambition. He chooses the path of actively slaying demons over remaining in a timid sect that avoids direct confrontation.
• Jiang Jue: Though badly strained, he continues fighting Black Wind and shows ruthlessness by consuming demonic blood essence to maintain the battle.
• Black Wind True Lord: Despite severe injuries, he remains cunning and manipulative. He uses Incense Power, corpses, and attacks on human soldiers to seek recovery and exploit Jiang Jue’s compassion.
• The Demon Exorcists: Their view of Lin Jun changes from uncertainty or disrespect to awe and reverence after witnessing him rescue them and confront Black Wind directly.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and mistaken judgment: Several characters underestimated Lin Jun because of his quiet behavior and low profile.
• Merit and reputation: The chapter contrasts genuine achievement with the desire to “gild one’s credentials.” Lin Jun’s actions prove that true merit comes from ability and courage.
• Courage versus institutional cowardice: Li Yan condemns the Sword Transformation Pavilion for avoiding dangerous demons, suggesting that an organization cannot achieve greatness without confronting threats directly.
• Influence and leadership: Lin Jun gains followers not by seeking authority but through his actions, competence, and willingness to protect others.
• Sacrifice and exploitation: Black Wind treats both his own demons and human enemies as expendable resources, while Jiang Jue and Lin Jun display very different attitudes toward protecting people.
• The dangers of borrowed power: Black Wind’s Incense Power gives him strength, but his dependence on worshippers exposes the instability and limitations of power gained through external devotion.

Important Character Interactions

• Lin Jun and Jiang Lin: Lin Jun asks Jiang Lin for updates, while Jiang Lin responds instinctively and realizes he now views Lin Jun with greater respect.
• Lin Jun and Li Yan: Lin Jun offers to teach Li Yan his killing technique, inspiring Li Yan to pursue a more direct demon-slaying path.
• Li Yan and He Jiang: Li Yan openly challenges the Sword Transformation Pavilion’s cautious doctrine and requests to leave, provoking He Jiang’s anger.
• Jiang Jue and Black Wind True Lord: Their battle becomes a contest of endurance, territory, Incense Power, and psychological manipulation.
• Lin Jun and the Demon Exorcist Army: Lin Jun saves the soldiers after Black Wind breaks their formation, immediately establishing himself as both a powerful warrior and a dependable protector.

Chapter Summary: “He’s Eating Me!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Black Wind True Lord emerges from the rubble, badly injured but still a powerful Late Core-Embracing Realm Demon King.
• He is shocked and enraged that Lin Jun, a much weaker Boundary Breach human, managed to injure him.
• Lin Jun avoids a direct confrontation, focusing instead on delaying Black Wind True Lord until Jiang Jue can escape his restraints and arrive.
• Black Wind True Lord recognizes the scent of his dead son on Lin Jun and realizes Lin Jun was responsible for killing him.
• He attacks with black tornadoes and transforms into a powerful gust of black wind, but his priority remains escaping before Jiang Jue arrives.
• Lin Jun repeatedly stops him by grabbing and slamming him to the ground, humiliating the Demon King despite the enormous difference in strength.
• Black Wind True Lord finally bites Lin Jun’s neck and drinks his blood. Lin Jun retaliates by biting into the Demon King’s neck and tearing off part of his flesh.
• Lin Jun absorbs the flesh and blood, causing his Profound Demon Body-Tempering Canon to advance directly to Mastery.
• Realizing that Lin Jun intends to consume him alive, Black Wind True Lord becomes genuinely terrified and struggles desperately to escape.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun: Demonstrates exceptional courage, tactical restraint, and stubbornness. Rather than trying to defeat Black Wind True Lord directly, he uses his body and strength to stall him. His ability to calmly consume demonic flesh reveals a frightening and increasingly monstrous side, as well as the power of Jiang Jue’s martial art.
• Black Wind True Lord: Initially arrogant and enraged by Lin Jun’s defiance, he gradually becomes cautious, frustrated, humiliated, and finally terrified. His survival instincts overpower his desire for revenge once he realizes Lin Jun may be capable of devouring him.
• Jiang Jue: Though not physically present for most of the chapter, his influence is central. Black Wind True Lord fears Jiang Jue’s imminent arrival, while Lin Jun’s devouring technique appears connected to Jiang Jue’s martial art.

Significant Themes

• The reversal of predator and prey: Black Wind True Lord begins as the hunter, but Lin Jun’s ability to eat demonic flesh reverses their roles.
• Courage versus overwhelming power: Lin Jun cannot match the Demon King’s realm, yet his strategy and determination allow him to hinder and humiliate a vastly stronger opponent.
• Transformation and monstrosity: Lin Jun’s calm consumption of demon flesh blurs the boundary between human and demon, causing Black Wind True Lord to perceive him as an Ancient Great Demon.
• Survival over vengeance: Black Wind True Lord abandons revenge for the moment because escaping Jiang Jue is more important than killing Lin Jun.

Character Interactions

• Lin Jun silently confronts Black Wind True Lord while repeatedly retreating and evading his attacks.
• Black Wind True Lord questions Lin Jun about his son’s death and becomes enraged when he realizes Lin Jun killed him.
• Lin Jun repeatedly prevents the Demon King from fleeing, physically grabbing and slamming him down.
• After Black Wind True Lord bites Lin Jun, Lin Jun bites back and tears away his flesh, turning the confrontation into a grotesque struggle for dominance.
• Black Wind True Lord’s fear peaks when he realizes Lin Jun is treating his body as food rather than reacting like an ordinary human.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Demon Exorcist Army arrives at Dayan Mountain but hesitates after seeing Lin Jun restrain Black Wind True Lord, a Demon King—an unbelievable feat for a Boundary Breach martial artist.
• Black Wind True Lord pleads for his release, offering three Demon Weapons and even promising to abandon the human world. Lin Jun refuses because he killed Black Wind’s son and knows the Demon King would eventually seek revenge.
• Lin Jun attempts to kill Black Wind directly, but discovers that although his unusual martial art can suppress and consume the Demon King’s flesh, his physical strength cannot pierce Black Wind’s defenses.
• Realizing he can only hold Black Wind in place, Lin Jun orders the Demon Exorcists to attack. He pins Black Wind to the ground and enables the thirteen hundred reinforcements to complete the Heavenly Dipper Demon-Slaying Formation.
• The formation’s concentrated attack devastates the battlefield, nearly destroying half of Dayan Mountain, and successfully kills Black Wind True Lord. Lin Jun is badly injured by the attack’s aftershock, while the Demon Exorcists collapse from exhaustion.
• Lin Jun consumes the body of Black Bat, restoring his strength and improving his physique. His cultivation system confirms that he has completed the Profound Demon Body-Tempering Canon.
• Jiang Jue arrives, recognizes Lin Jun as having the greatest merit, and awards him Black Wind True Lord’s Demon Core. He explains that Black Wind’s apparent Heavenly Elixir cultivation was hollow because it came through Incense Power, leaving his actual strength closer to the Mid Core-Embracing Earth Core Realm.
• The surviving Demon Exorcists return to Brocade City with their wounded and fallen comrades. Taiyan County is placed under imperial supervision, and teachers and scholars are sent to begin re-educating the population.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun demonstrates exceptional courage and tactical judgment. Rather than trying to defeat Black Wind through brute strength, he accepts that his role is to restrain the Demon King and create an opening for the army’s formation.
• His refusal to release Black Wind shows that he understands the consequences of leaving an enemy alive, particularly one whose son he has killed. His decision reflects both pragmatism and a willingness to risk his life for long-term security.
• Lin Jun’s ability to consume demonic flesh continues to strengthen him. Devouring Black Bat heals his injuries, restores his energy, and completes his body-tempering technique.
• Black Wind True Lord changes from pleading and bargaining to arrogant confidence when he realizes Lin Jun cannot penetrate his defenses. His confidence vanishes when Lin Jun coordinates the army’s attack, leading to his death.
• The Demon Exorcists gain enormous confidence and pride after accomplishing something they believed impossible: killing a Demon King without a Court Pillar. Their admiration for Lin Jun develops into near-worship.
• Jiang Jue acts as both evaluator and commander, fairly assigning merit to Lin Jun and the formation army while explaining the weaknesses of Incense Power cultivation.

Significant Themes

• Strength through cooperation: Lin Jun cannot kill Black Wind alone, and the Demon Exorcists cannot land their formation attack without someone restraining the Demon King. Their victory depends on combining individual abilities.
• The importance of sacrifice and risk: Lin Jun endures severe injuries and places himself in danger to hold Black Wind still, allowing the formation to succeed.
• Pragmatism over mercy: Lin Jun rejects Black Wind’s offers because he knows the Demon King’s future revenge would remain a threat.
• The difference between apparent and genuine power: Black Wind’s high realm is revealed to be hollow because it was obtained through Incense Power, emphasizing that true cultivation is more reliable than superficial advancement.
• Honor and historical recognition: The Demon Exorcists view the victory as more valuable than wealth or promotion. The achievement gives meaning to their lives and may become part of their families’ legacies.
• Rebuilding after conflict: The chapter shifts from battle to the longer process of restoring Taiyan County and re-educating its people, showing that victory requires social recovery as well as military success.

Character Interactions

• Lin Jun and Black Wind True Lord: Their confrontation centers on vengeance, survival, and competing understandings of power. Black Wind bargains for freedom, while Lin Jun remains determined to eliminate him.
• Lin Jun and the Demon Exorcist Army: Lin Jun commands them directly at the crucial moment, converting their hesitation into decisive action. Afterward, they treat him as the central hero of their achievement.
• Lin Jun and Jiang Jue: Jiang Jue validates Lin Jun’s contribution by awarding him first merit and Black Wind’s Demon Core. Their exchange also establishes Jiang Jue’s respect for Lin Jun’s role in the victory.
• The Demon Exorcists among themselves: Exhausted and grieving for their fallen comrades, they nevertheless celebrate their unprecedented success and feel profound gratitude toward Lin Jun.
• Jiang Jue and the army: Jiang Jue publicly acknowledges their second merit and promises to celebrate their accomplishments, reinforcing their morale and status.

Chapter Summary: “Blood-Transforming Astral Wind”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Jun returns to Brocade City in a carriage after the battle at Dayan Mountain. The Demon Exorcist Army built it for him because they believe he severely wounded himself restraining the Demon King and helping kill Black Wind True Lord.
• His reputation among the Demon Exorcists has risen dramatically. Aside from Jiang Jue, he is effectively regarded as the leader of the group.
• Lin Jun converts Black Bat’s Demon Core into essence blood, allowing his Sky Fox Bloodline to grow a fourth tail. This strengthens his physique and summoned Fox Demon but grants no new ability.
• He realizes that illusory tails gained from ordinary essence blood only enhance attributes, while the more solid tails connected to Zhang Zhen’s fox cubs provide new powers. To unlock additional abilities, he must eventually locate Zhang Zhen’s remaining two cubs.
• Lin Jun studies Black Wind True Lord’s Heavenly Elixir Realm Demon Core rather than absorbing or refining it. After spending significant experience, he derives a new Boundary Breach martial art: Blood-Transforming Astral Wind.
• The technique uses Astral Qi and a blade to create a devastating tornado of cutting force. It can shred ordinary demon-beasts and severely injure stronger ones, giving Lin Jun both stronger offensive power and a more reliable defensive option.
• Lin Jun spends his remaining experience on the Human Core Art and breaks through to the Qi-Breach Stage.
• Li Yan senses the breakthrough while traveling behind Lin Jun’s carriage. Jiang Lin treats it as ordinary, implying that Lin Jun’s rapid advances have become increasingly familiar to him.
• In Brocade City, Qingyang waits at Moonview Tower for Lin Jun’s return. Several former companions and wealthy young scions gather there, skeptical that Lin Jun truly accomplished anything and suspecting that he merely benefited from others’ efforts.
• Qingyang defends Lin Jun and intimidates one of the doubters, though privately he is anxious and mainly hopes Lin Jun returns alive. Other Demon Exorcists also watch the city gates, eager to learn what merit Lin Jun has supposedly earned.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun: Gains a fourth fox tail, develops the powerful Blood-Transforming Astral Wind technique, and advances into the Qi-Breach Stage. His growing mastery and rapid cultivation reinforce his transformation from an idle former scion into a formidable cultivator and respected military figure.
• Jiang Lin: Acts as a calm, experienced observer of Lin Jun’s progress. His remark that others will “get used to it” suggests he has become accustomed to Lin Jun’s astonishing breakthroughs.
• Qingyang: Publicly supports Lin Jun and stands up to those who belittle him. Beneath his confident exterior, he is deeply worried about Lin Jun’s survival and has been following news of the battle closely.
• Lin Jun’s former companions: Their envy and disbelief reveal that they cannot accept his dramatic change. They cling to the idea that he remains the same useless young man they once knew.

Significant Themes

• Transformation and reputation: Lin Jun’s return highlights the contrast between his former identity and his newfound status, while others struggle to accept his change.
• Strength gained through adaptation: Rather than merely absorbing the Demon Core, Lin Jun studies it and converts an enemy’s technique into a martial art of his own.
• Limits and sources of power: The distinction between illusory and solid fox tails establishes that some powers only improve strength, while others depend on specific inherited connections and rare discoveries.
• Recognition versus resentment: Lin Jun’s battlefield achievements earn the respect of soldiers but provoke suspicion and jealousy among former peers.
• Concern beneath appearances: Qingyang’s aggressive defense of Lin Jun masks genuine fear for his safety, showing that loyalty and anxiety can coexist with outward bravado.

Character Interactions

• The Demon Exorcists honor Lin Jun by building him a carriage and treating him as a leader.
• Lin Jun’s use of Black Bat’s essence blood demonstrates his continuing relationship with the Sky Fox Bloodline and its evolving powers.
• Jiang Lin dismisses Li Yan’s surprise at Lin Jun’s breakthrough, emphasizing how extraordinary cultivation has become normal around Lin Jun.
• Qingyang confronts an arrogant former companion who questions Lin Jun’s achievements, warning him that his attitude may change when the returning army arrives.
• The waiting Demon Exorcists and former companions create a tense atmosphere in Brocade City, anticipating both Lin Jun’s return and the revelation of his true accomplishments.

Chapter Summary: Imperial Sword

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Demon Exorcist Army fails to return to Brocade City as expected, causing suspicion among observers at Moonview Tower.
• Their delay is revealed to have been caused by Lin Jun’s orders: the army spends an entire day burning every cave on Dayan Mountain and ensuring no demons or monsters remain alive. Lin Jun also has the mountain thoroughly patrolled to prevent survivors from escaping.
• During the journey home, Jiang Jue visits Lin Jun and discusses the extremity of his actions. Lin Jun explains that eliminating every possible survivor will prevent future retaliation.
• Jiang Jue assigns Lin Jun to investigate the mysterious situation in Fufeng Commandery, where an entire county has apparently remained under demonic influence—or at least hidden from official notice—for fifty years.
• Jiang Jue gives Lin Jun an ink-black token, effectively granting him the authority of the “Imperial Sword”: if he encounters officials colluding with demons, he may execute them first and report afterward. Lin Jun is also told to flee if the enemy proves too powerful.
• The Demon Exorcist Army enters Brocade City at night through the freight passage. Observers interpret the secretive return as evidence of heavy casualties and mock the Demon Exorcism Bureau.
• The returning Demon Exorcists defend their organization against the martial sects’ slander, despite personally having mixed feelings about the Bureau’s favoritism toward Lin Jun.
• The next morning, injured but enthusiastic Demon Exorcists celebrate their victory. When others disrespectfully refer to Lin Jun by name, Chen Jun and his companions insist that he be called “Lord Lin.” Chen Jun openly condemns the idle, resentful spectators before leaving.
• The Bureau later publishes its official results: over 3,600 demons and monsters were killed, including more than 200 Origin Transformation demons, six Boundary Breach demons, and one Core-Embracing Realm Demon King.
• Lin Jun receives the foremost merit for killing the demon’s son independently and helping the army defeat the wounded Demon King. His achievement shocks Brocade City and humiliates those who had mocked him.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun: Demonstrates ruthless determination, strategic caution, and absolute focus on eliminating demonic threats. His willingness to accept the Fufeng assignment and his growing authority establish him as a serious future contender for the position of Court Pillar. His actions also earn the loyalty and admiration of the Demon Exorcist Army.
• Jiang Jue: Acts as Lin Jun’s superior and ally, recognizing both his purity of purpose and his exceptional strength. He trusts Lin Jun enough to give him broad investigative and judicial authority.
• Chen Jun and the returning Demon Exorcists: Their attitude shifts from possible skepticism or curiosity to genuine reverence. They fiercely defend Lin Jun’s reputation and regard his achievements as worthy of formal respect.
• Qingyang: Clearly supports Lin Jun and ridicules those who criticize him. His laughter and departure reinforce his contempt for the jealous martial heirs.
• The martial sects and aristocratic heirs: Their smug confidence turns into embarrassment and shame when Lin Jun’s accomplishments are revealed. They are portrayed as petty observers who criticize others instead of pursuing achievements themselves.

Significant Themes

• Merit versus empty reputation: The spectators assume the nighttime return signals failure, while the truth is an extraordinary victory. Genuine achievement ultimately outweighs rumors and public spectacle.
• The necessity and danger of extremism: Lin Jun’s destruction of every demon hiding place is severe, but the chapter presents his ruthlessness as understandable when confronting enemies capable of future retaliation.
• Loyalty and institutional pride: Although the Demon Exorcists may resent internal favoritism, they unite to defend their organization and fellow exorcists from outsiders.
• Respect earned through action: Lin Jun does not seek praise, yet his accomplishments naturally inspire obedience and admiration.
• Jealousy and cowardice: The martial sects’ mockery exposes their insecurity. Their failure to achieve comparable feats makes their criticism appear petty and cowardly.

Important Character Interactions

• Jiang Jue and Lin Jun: Their conversation establishes mutual trust. Jiang Jue appreciates Lin Jun’s straightforward nature, while Lin Jun accepts the mission without demanding unnecessary explanations.
• Lin Jun and the Demon Exorcist Army: His command to cleanse Dayan Mountain initially appears extreme, but the army obeys without protest and ultimately comes to respect him deeply.
• Chen Jun and the spectators: Chen Jun rebukes those who casually call Lin Jun by name, demanding that they show proper respect. He then denounces them for gossiping and accomplishing nothing.
• Qingyang and the martial heirs: Qingyang reinforces Chen Jun’s criticism, mocking the spectators as people who merely complain behind others’ backs.
• The Demon Exorcist Army and the martial sects: The army refuses to tolerate outsiders insulting the Bureau, demonstrating an internal solidarity that contrasts with the sects’ divisiveness.

Chapter Summary: “Third Seat”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Three days after the successful encirclement hunt, Jiang Jue holds a victory banquet for the Demon Exorcist Army.
• Lin Jun is formally inducted as the Third Seat, an unprecedented achievement for an Ancient accomplished in only one month.
• Although many expected him to receive the Second Seat, Lin Jun’s position is specially created and carries unusual authority:
  • It is not tied to a single division.
  • He may act as the Third Seat of any division.
  • He can mobilize five commandants, one hundred Demon Exorcists, and any number of unaffiliated Demon Exorcists.
• Jiang Jue explains that this arrangement was negotiated with the Army’s senior officials. He also warns Lin Jun that, as a seated Demon Exorcist, he will likely have to leave Brocade City and guard a dangerous region.
• Returning to the Yang Residence, Lin Jun encounters Zhou Hui, who awkwardly tries to restore their former relationship. Lin Jun tells her they can behave as they once did, but his actions and thoughts show that their relationship has been permanently damaged.
• Lin Jun resumes training in Yang Wan’s abandoned practice yard. He studies the massive Black Goldstone, which bears the marks of Yang Wan’s terrifying strength, and begins testing his own saber technique.
• His upward slash generates a powerful tornado that completely surrounds the stone.
• Meanwhile, Yang Yan receives two visitors from the Intelligence Division: siblings He Yan and He Yu. They have been ordered to find Lin Jun and accompany him on a mission.
• Though Intelligence Division agents are normally exceptional solo fighters, the siblings have been assigned a bodyguard. He Yan is suspicious of the arrangement and considers testing Lin Jun to see whether he can keep up.
• When He Yan opens the training-ground doors, he and He Yu are confronted by the blinding tornado produced by Lin Jun’s attack.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun: Gains an extraordinary new status and broad military authority. Despite his promotion, he remains uncertain about the position and the responsibilities it entails. His treatment of Zhou Hui reveals emotional distance and lingering hurt. His training demonstrates that he is continuing to refine his already formidable saber skills.
• Jiang Jue: Shows strong confidence in Lin Jun by arranging a unique, powerful position for him, while also reminding him of the burdens that accompany it.
• Zhou Hui: Continues attempting to repair her relationship with Lin Jun, but his guarded response suggests that reconciliation may be impossible.
• Yang Wan: Though absent, her overwhelming strength remains evident through the damaged training ground and the cut Black Goldstone.
• He Yan: Composed and experienced despite his youthful appearance. He is dutiful but privately dissatisfied with being assigned a bodyguard and is prepared to assess Lin Jun’s abilities.
• He Yu: Tired and flirtatious in manner, she lightens the conversation but is also perceptive enough to encourage her brother to test Lin Jun.

Significant Themes

• Achievement and authority: Lin Jun’s promotion reflects the unprecedented power he has earned through combat, while emphasizing that status brings responsibility rather than merely recognition.
• Isolation and emotional damage: Lin Jun’s strained exchange with Zhou Hui illustrates how betrayal or broken trust can permanently alter relationships.
• Legacy and comparison: Yang Wan’s past accomplishments set an intimidating standard for Lin Jun, whose training takes place amid physical reminders of her strength.
• Power and evaluation: The chapter contrasts Lin Jun’s newly granted authority with He Yan’s desire to judge his practical strength before accepting him as a mission partner.
• Duty versus personal freedom: Lin Jun may no longer be able to remain in Brocade City, showing how service to the Demon Exorcist Army demands personal sacrifice.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Jue and Lin Jun: Jiang Jue explains and justifies Lin Jun’s unusual promotion, while warning him about the obligations of becoming a seated Demon Exorcist.
• Lin Jun and Zhou Hui: Zhou Hui attempts a friendly interaction, but Lin Jun responds with emotional restraint, acknowledging that their relationship can never fully return to what it was.
• He Yan and He Yu: The siblings discuss their mission, the unexpected bodyguard assignment, and the possibility of testing Lin Jun.
• Yang Yan and the He siblings: Yang Yan courteously receives them and directs them to Lin Jun before leaving them alone.
• He Yan and Lin Jun: Their first real encounter is poised to begin with He Yan witnessing Lin Jun’s extraordinary saber technique.

Chapter Summary: “Evenly Matched”

Key Plot Points and Events

• He Yan and his younger sister, He Yu, arrive at the training ground to meet Lin Jun, whom they are expected to work with and protect.
• He Yan witnesses the aftermath of Lin Jun’s unusual sword technique: a whirlwind filled with razor-sharp force that appears to have been generated by a single slash.
• After introductions, He Yan explains the situation in Fufeng Commandery. The region is long and narrow, divided by the Pressing Dragon River, and is known for suspected Fox Demon activity.
• He reveals that the Intelligence Division recently discovered traces of a Fox Demon, possibly one of Zhang Zhen’s descendants. Because Fox Demons can disguise themselves as humans—even officials—they are extremely difficult to identify.
• Lin Jun realizes that Jiang Jue may have assigned him to accompany the siblings partly as bait. His aura could attract the Fox Demons they are investigating.
• He Yan decides to test Lin Jun’s combat ability through a private sparring match, carefully framing it as a way to become familiar before working together.
• Before the fight begins, He Yu discovers that the massive Black Goldstone is not intact: it has been sliced into countless perfectly even sections by Lin Jun’s earlier sword strikes.
• Realizing how powerful Lin Jun is, He Yu abruptly unleashes her full strength and slaps He Yan to the ground, apparently attempting to stop him from underestimating Lin Jun.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun: Demonstrates extraordinary swordsmanship and destructive power without explaining or emphasizing it. His calm attitude contrasts with the terrifying effect of his techniques. He also quickly understands the strategic reason behind his assignment.
• He Yan: Appears cautious, experienced, and somewhat formal. He habitually provides detailed intelligence, but he is also protective of his sister and determined to assess Lin Jun before cooperating with him. His attempt to test Lin Jun may stem from underestimating the extent of Lin Jun’s strength.
• He Yu: Initially appears sleepy and inattentive because of the nature of her martial art, which stores energy while she rests. Once she recognizes Lin Jun’s abilities, her instincts become extremely sharp, and she immediately releases her full power. Her sudden attack on He Yan suggests she is more perceptive—or more cautious—than she first appears.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and misjudgment: Lin Jun’s greatest ability is initially overlooked because he does not boast about it. He Yu’s discovery of the damaged Black Goldstone reveals that his earlier attack was far more powerful than it appeared.
• Appearance versus reality: He Yu seems lazy and half-asleep, while Lin Jun seems like an ordinary new colleague. Both impressions conceal formidable abilities.
• Trust and cooperation: Before undertaking a dangerous mission together, the characters must determine whether they can rely on one another. He Yan’s proposed spar is an attempt to establish trust through combat.
• The danger of disguised evil: The Fox Demons’ ability to assume human forms makes them a threat not only because of their power but also because they can infiltrate society undetected.
• Combat as communication: In this martial world, a fight is not merely violence; it is a way to measure character, strength, and reliability.

Character Interactions

• He Yan introduces himself and He Yu to Lin Jun, establishing their professional relationship.
• He Yan and Lin Jun discuss the Fox Demon investigation, with Lin Jun recognizing the hidden purpose of his assignment.
• He Yan politely challenges Lin Jun to a private spar, giving him an honorable opportunity to accept or withdraw.
• He Yu, initially disengaged, notices the Black Goldstone’s hidden damage and realizes Lin Jun’s true strength.
• She then intervenes dramatically by knocking He Yan down before his planned test can proceed, leaving Lin Jun visibly startled.

Chapter Summary: “Killing Intent”

Key Plot Points and Events

• He Yu demonstrates the terrifying power of her blade technique by shattering Black Goldstone with a single slash. The attack appears to be one strike, but its blade wind contains countless cuts, forming a tornado-like force.
• Realizing how dangerous the technique is, He Yu immediately knocks her brother He Yan into the ground and apologizes to Lin Jun for his reckless behavior.
• He Yan initially curses at He Yu, but after seeing the Black Goldstone fragments, he understands that he could not withstand her attack and grudgingly accepts the lesson.
• When Lin Jun asks whether He Yan still wants to spar, He Yan quickly refuses, joking that he would like to live a few more years. He begins to suspect that he—not Lin Jun—is the weak link in the upcoming mission.
• He Yan explains that the group will leave for Fufeng City the next day. They will travel by ship along the Pressing Dragon River and should arrive in approximately three days.
• After the siblings leave the Yang Residence, He Yan hides his injuries by claiming he “fell.” Qingyang notices his bruised face and struggles not to laugh, humiliating him further.
• At Jiang Jue’s residence, Jiang Jue and Jiyuan discuss the future of Jinzhou and the need to select a successor before Jiyuan dies.
• Jiyuan expresses concern that Jinzhou lacks a truly ruthless and decisive Demon Exorcist capable of becoming the next Vanguard Court Pillar. Although many talented martial artists exist, few possess the pure killing intent necessary to confront demons without hesitation.
• Jiyuan and Jiang Jue identify Lin Jun as an exceptional candidate. His killing intent is unusually pure, and unlike most Demon Exorcists, he appears unaffected by the cries of demon children and kills without visible emotional disturbance.
• They conclude that Lin Jun may have been “born to kill demons” and should eventually become a force capable of deterring both demons and unreliable human martial sects throughout Jinzhou.

Character Developments

• He Yu: Reveals overwhelming swordsmanship and a strict, practical attitude toward her brother. Her immediate apology shows discipline and awareness of Lin Jun’s status.
• He Yan: His confidence is badly shaken after witnessing He Yu’s technique. He becomes more cautious around Lin Jun and recognizes his own limitations, though he retains his comic, prideful personality.
• Lin Jun: Remains calm and controlled throughout the confrontation. His extraordinary killing intent becomes the central subject of discussion and marks him as a potentially crucial figure in Jinzhou’s future.
• Jiang Jue and Jiyuan: Their conversation reveals growing anxiety over Jinzhou’s political and military stability. They are searching for a successor strong enough to protect the region after Jiyuan’s death.

Significant Themes

• Killing intent and ruthlessness: The chapter distinguishes ordinary hatred from the cold, unwavering resolve required to kill demons effectively.
• The burden of leadership: Jinzhou’s stability depends on finding a successor capable of commanding both respect and fear.
• Human weakness and empathy: Even experienced Demon Exorcists hesitate when faced with the suffering of young demons, suggesting that compassion can become a liability in war.
• Hidden dangers beneath peace: Though Jinzhou appears stable, demons and independent martial sects are watching for weaknesses in the Demon Exorcism Bureau.
• Power and hierarchy: He Yu’s demonstration establishes the gap between true strength and ordinary confidence, while Lin Jun’s reputation continues to grow.

Important Character Interactions

• He Yu and He Yan: Their sibling exchange combines physical discipline with blunt concern. He Yu forces He Yan to recognize the gap between his ability and hers.
• He Yan and Lin Jun: Lin Jun’s casual offer to continue sparring intimidates He Yan, who abandons his earlier bravado.
• He Yan and Qingyang: Qingyang’s amusement at He Yan’s injuries adds comic relief and emphasizes He Yan’s embarrassment.
• Jiang Jue and Jiyuan: Their subdued discussion frames Lin Jun as a possible future pillar of the Demon Exorcism Bureau and highlights the serious political and military threats facing Jinzhou.

Chapter Summary: “When Things Had Come to This”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Jun, He Yan, and He Yu travel downstream along Pressing Dragon River toward Fufeng Commandery. To avoid drawing attention, they disguise themselves as examinees traveling to the imperial examinations.
• They board a wealthy merchant’s luxurious tower ship without paying, using He Yan’s acting and appearance to gain the merchant’s daughter’s favor.
• He Yan successfully gathers intelligence from the daughter, learning that Fufeng Commandery’s Demon Affairs Prefecture has been closed to outsiders for forty-five years.
• The reason appears to be the continued rule of Su Jiang, Fufeng’s Court Pillar. Although he should have died fifty years earlier, his lifespan was somehow extended, allowing him to remain in power.
• The commandery’s official reports have likely concealed the truth, suggesting that Su Jiang may be involved in corruption or collusion with demons.
• Lin Jun senses that they are being watched by both humans and demons. The unusually large number of supernatural beings near Fufeng City reminds him of Green Forest County, raising suspicions that the area is controlled by hidden demonic forces.
• He especially suspects that Su Jiang could be a disguised Fox Spirit, possibly connected to Zhang Zhen’s lineage, though this remains unconfirmed.
• Despite the danger and He Yan’s fear that the mission exceeds their level, Lin Jun calmly tells the others to sleep and wait.
• The next morning, the three enter Fufeng City openly. Local Demon Exorcists meet them at the gates and, after confirming their identity, escort them inside at Su Jiang’s invitation.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun remains composed and observant. His increased sensitivity from possessing four tails allows him to detect the surveillance around them. Rather than reacting impulsively, he waits for more information and approaches the city openly.
• He Yan demonstrates his Intelligence Division training by convincingly pretending to be a poor but principled scholar. However, his confidence collapses when he realizes the mission may involve a corrupt Court Pillar and powerful demons.
• He Yu continues to tease Lin Jun and displays her own acting abilities, but the seriousness of the situation finally overcomes her usual laziness. She begins to recognize Lin Jun as an exceptionally capable figure.
• The He siblings’ investigation into Lin Jun’s background increases their respect for him, particularly because he earned a Demon Exorcist’s seat unusually quickly and was personally trained by a Court Pillar.

Significant Themes

• Hidden corruption and institutional secrecy: Fufeng’s authorities have suppressed information for decades, suggesting that official organizations may be compromised from within.
• The danger of appearances: Su Jiang’s continued survival, the disguised travelers, and the possibility that the Court Pillar is actually a demon all emphasize that identities cannot be taken at face value.
• Human intrigue versus demonic simplicity: He Yan finds political and personal relationships among humans more complicated and threatening than dealings with monsters.
• Calmness under pressure: Lin Jun’s relaxed response contrasts with the siblings’ anxiety, highlighting his confidence and strategic patience.
• The consequences of unresolved history: The legacy of the previous dynasty, the suppressed Flood Dragon legend, and the decades-long concealment in Fufeng all suggest that buried events continue to shape the present.

Character Interactions

• He Yan rejects the merchant’s daughter’s advances while maintaining his scholarly disguise, impressing her with his supposed dignity and poverty-stricken integrity.
• Lin Jun teases He Yan about his performance, while He Yu playfully offers to act in various roles herself; Lin Jun ignores her flirtatious behavior.
• The siblings express concern about the mission and look to Lin Jun for a solution. His suggestion that they simply sleep frustrates and surprises them, but also reinforces his self-assurance.
• At Fufeng City’s gates, Lin Jun takes the lead in approaching the local Demon Exorcists. The officials initially appear uncertain, then confirm their arrival with Su Jiang and invite the three into the city.