Chapter Summaries

Chapter 101 Summary

• The Vermilion Bird Sword’s identity and condition: Qingyu questions whether Song Zhizhi’s sword is truly the legendary Vermilion Bird Sword because it lacks the expected divine aura. The sword protests from within Song Zhizhi’s mind, insisting that it is genuine, though its damaged condition has weakened it considerably.
• The possibility of breaking the contract: Song Zhizhi asks Xie Xiuji whether she can dissolve her lifebound contract with the Vermilion Bird Sword, as he once did with the Azure Dragon Sword. Xie explains that his sword had already lost its spirituality, making the process relatively harmless. Since the Vermilion Bird Sword still possesses a living Sword Spirit, dissolving the contract would cause serious backlash to both of them.
• The sword’s potential destruction: Xie Xiuji reveals that the only safe alternative would be to destroy the Vermilion Bird Sword’s Sword Spirit first. Though he is willing to do this for Song Zhizhi, his killing intent frightens the sword. Song Zhizhi ultimately refuses to destroy it, sympathizing with its childish personality despite its mistake in forcing the contract upon her.
• Repairing the Vermilion Bird Sword: The sword explains that its damaged tip can be repaired with Extraterrestrial Meteoric Iron. The material would cost at least three hundred thousand Spirit Stones, an enormous sum. Song Zhizhi does not want to exhaust Xie Xiuji’s wealth—especially since they must raise their child—so she decides to accept the sword’s imperfection instead. She places it in her Dantian to nurture it.
• Cultivation of the Second Layer of Spiritual Heart Art: Later that night, Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji prepare to cultivate the second layer of their paired cultivation technique. Although the instructions appear ordinary, Song Zhizhi remembers that the first layer had intimate and suggestive effects, making her embarrassed. The second layer requires their spiritual powers and Divine Senses to merge.
• Character development and interaction: Song Zhizhi demonstrates compassion and moral restraint by sparing the Sword Spirit despite her resentment over the forced contract. The Vermilion Bird Sword shifts from anxious defensiveness to grateful dependence on her. Xie Xiuji remains protective and practical, offering to destroy the sword for her while carefully guiding her cultivation. During the Divine Sense exercise, his vast, cool Ice-element Divine Sense gently envelops Song Zhizhi’s tiny, warm, fire-like Divine Sense, emphasizing their contrasting but compatible natures and deepening intimacy.
• Themes: The chapter explores compassion toward flawed beings, the value of accepting imperfection, the burden of financial and familial responsibility, and the growing spiritual and emotional bond between Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji.

Chapter Summary: Entering the Demon Realm

Key events

Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji complete another stage of the Spiritual Heart Art, linking their Divine Senses and allowing them to share each other’s physical and emotional sensations. The heightened perception makes their mutual attraction nearly impossible to control. After withdrawing their Divine Senses, Xie Xiuji finally loses his restraint and teleports Song Zhizhi from Clear Snow Peak to Scarlet Cloud Hall. In his distraction, he mistakenly brings her to the bathing room rather than the bridal chamber.

Character developments

Song Zhizhi becomes increasingly aware of how deeply Xie Xiuji desires and cares for her. Although she is initially overwhelmed by their shared sensations, she also playfully teases him and responds to his affection. Xie Xiuji struggles intensely with self-control, especially because Song Zhizhi is pregnant and he fears harming her. His restraint demonstrates both his strong feelings and his concern for her safety.

Character interactions

Their Divine Sense connection creates an unusually intimate bond, causing each to experience the other’s pleasure and emotions. Xie Xiuji takes the initiative physically, while Song Zhizhi reacts with a mixture of embarrassment, affection, and growing boldness. He kisses and embraces her in the bathing room, leaving affectionate marks, but stops short of going further because of the pregnancy. Song Zhizhi recognizes his sacrifice and attempts to comfort and tempt him with whispered encouragement.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes emotional and physical intimacy, especially the way spiritual cultivation deepens the couple’s connection. It also highlights self-restraint, devotion, and protective love: Xie Xiuji’s desire is strong, but his concern for Song Zhizhi and their unborn child ultimately governs his actions. Their playful interaction further develops the theme of growing marital closeness and mutual trust.

Chapter Summary

Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji consummate their relationship in the bathing pool, though both are initially embarrassed. Their intimacy strengthens their bond, but it also interferes with their cultivation of the second layer of the Spiritual Heart Art, as they repeatedly lose focus and become distracted by each other.
After Song Zhizhi adapts to her lifebound Vermilion Bird Sword, she and Xie Xiuji leave their master and travel west toward the Demon Realm. Their goal is to find ten-thousand-year-old Chinese Parasol Wood, believed to grow near the Forest of Ten Thousand Demons. As they approach the Far Western Lands, spiritual energy becomes increasingly scarce, causing Song Zhizhi severe discomfort. Xie Xiuji supports her by holding her hand and continuously transferring spiritual energy to her.
They reach the enormous Barrier separating the Human Realm from the Demon Realm. The Barrier allows entry but normally prevents anyone from leaving without a special token. Because Xie Xiuji helps maintain it, he can pass through safely. On the other side, the spiritual energy is dramatically denser, allowing Song Zhizhi to recover. Xie Xiuji conceals both of their auras and leads her into what appears to be the Death Desert, territory belonging to the dangerous Giant Scorpion Demons.
Before they can leave, a massive scorpion tail bursts from the sand and attacks them. They evade the poisoned stinger, after which the Giant Scorpion Demon transforms into a towering armored man. He is revealed to be a late-Nascent Soul cultivator whose physical strength rivals that of a human Spirit Transformation cultivator. He declares that all trespassers into the Demon Realm must die.
Song Zhizhi recognizes that she cannot handle such an opponent and instinctively takes shelter behind Xie Xiuji. Xie Xiuji draws Blood Drinker and evaluates the danger. He knows the demon’s armor will make it difficult to defeat him quickly, and that prolonged combat could awaken the many other Giant Scorpion Demons hidden nearby. The chapter ends as Xie Xiuji prepares to eliminate the demon before the entire group is alerted.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi becomes more comfortable and emotionally intimate with Xie Xiuji, though she remains bashful about their physical relationship.
• She continues developing as a cultivator by adapting to the Vermilion Bird Sword, but her dependence on spiritual energy makes the journey through the depleted region especially difficult.
• Xie Xiuji displays tenderness by caring for Song Zhizhi and supplying her with spiritual energy. At the same time, he shows his usual composure and strategic judgment when confronting the demon threat.
• His protective instincts are evident in both his private interactions with Song Zhizhi and his immediate readiness to place himself between her and danger.

Significant Themes

• Romance and intimacy: Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji’s relationship progresses from emotional closeness to physical intimacy.
• Cultivation and distraction: Their romantic attachment both deepens their bond and complicates their disciplined cultivation.
• Protection and partnership: Their journey emphasizes mutual dependence, especially as Xie Xiuji supports Song Zhizhi through the spiritually barren region.
• Danger and unfamiliar territory: Entering the Demon Realm marks a major escalation, introducing hostile geography, restrictive laws, and powerful nonhuman enemies.
• Strategy over brute force: Xie Xiuji must defeat the Giant Scorpion Demon quickly and quietly to avoid attracting an entire colony.

Key Character Interactions

• Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji share a shy but affectionate intimate encounter, followed by teasing and mutual embarrassment.
• Xie Xiuji massages Song Zhizhi’s sore wrist and comforts her during their journey.
• Song Zhizhi relies on Xie Xiuji’s spiritual energy when the Human Realm’s depleted western region becomes difficult for her to endure.
• After entering the Demon Realm, Xie Xiuji shields both of their auras and attempts to keep Song Zhizhi safe.
• When the Giant Scorpion Demon attacks, Song Zhizhi retreats behind Xie Xiuji while he prepares for a high-stakes battle.

Chapter 104 Summary

Key plot points and events

Xie Xiuji battles a powerful Nascent Soul-stage Giant Scorpion Demon, whose strength and defenses make him a formidable opponent. Xie suppresses his own power to avoid harming Song Zhizhi, but still gradually gains the advantage. Meanwhile, more than a hundred Golden Core-stage scorpions awaken and surround Song Zhizhi. She prepares to fight using the Vermilion Bird Sword, while its Sword Spirit eagerly urges her to charge into the swarm.
When the scorpion horde threatens Song Zhizhi, Xie abandons his duel, exposes his back to the enemy, and rushes to protect her. The clan chief attempts to strike him from behind, but Xie reaches Song Zhizhi first and pulls her safely into his arms. The attack misses, and the two sides enter a tense standoff.
The scorpion clan chief then notices the Vermilion Bird Sword and demands to know why Song possesses it. He claims it is the Phoenix King’s lifebound spirit sword and says that even “His Highness Feng Ling” could not form a contract with it. Song reveals that she obtained the sword from the Sword Tomb and that it has accepted her as its master. The chapter ends when she asks whether the clan chief knows Feng Ling.

Character developments

• Xie Xiuji demonstrates overwhelming combat ability and deep concern for Song Zhizhi. Although he initially restrains himself, he immediately prioritizes her safety over his own when she is surrounded, showing his protectiveness and willingness to risk a surprise attack.
• Song Zhizhi remains alert and composed despite being outnumbered. She prepares to defend herself and begins to realize that the Vermilion Bird Sword may have a significant history connected to the Demon Realm and Feng Ling.
• The Giant Scorpion Clan Chief is revealed to be a proud, battle-hardened warrior who respects strength but is deeply shocked and suspicious about Song’s possession of the Vermilion Bird Sword.
• The Vermilion Bird Sword’s Sword Spirit displays an enthusiastic, combative personality, eagerly encouraging Song to fight despite the danger.

Significant themes

• Protection and sacrifice: Xie’s decision to turn his back on a dangerous enemy in order to save Song highlights his devotion and the risks he is willing to take for her.
• Hidden identity and destiny: The Vermilion Bird Sword’s connection to the Phoenix King and Feng Ling suggests that Song’s bond with it may be tied to a larger mystery or destiny.
• Power and legitimacy: The scorpion chief doubts that a human could be accepted by the sword, raising questions about Song’s unusual abilities and the true nature of her relationship with the weapon.
• Comedic contrast: The Sword Spirit’s eagerness for reckless violence contrasts with the seriousness of the standoff, adding humor to the tense situation.

Character interactions

Xie and the clan chief engage in a fierce duel before their priorities shift toward protecting their respective sides. Xie rescues Song just as the chief attacks, creating a charged physical and emotional moment. Song directly confronts the chief about the sword’s history, while the Sword Spirit provides comic commentary from within her mind. The chapter concludes with Song connecting the name Feng Ling—already familiar to her—to the Giant Scorpion Clan’s knowledge of the Demon Realm.

Chapter Summary: Feng Ling’s Final Wish

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group reaches the entrance to the Demon Realm, guarded by the Giant Scorpion Demon clan chief, the Venomtail Demon King, a former general under Feng Ling.
• The Venomtail Demon King questions Song Zhizhi’s connection to the Phoenix Clan because she can wield the Vermilion Bird Sword, which supposedly requires Phoenix blood.
• Song Zhizhi reveals that Feng Ling is her biological father. To prove it, she briefly summons her Phoenix True Fire, exposing both her Phoenix bloodline and mixed human-Phoenix aura.
• The demonstration severely drains her, and Xie Xiuji supports her by transferring spiritual power.
• Recognizing Feng Ling’s bloodline in her, the Venomtail Demon King accepts Song Zhizhi as Feng Ling’s daughter and allows her to pass.
• He initially refuses to let Xie Xiuji enter because outsiders are forbidden from the Demon Realm. Song Zhizhi jokingly claims that Xie Xiuji is her husband and a live-in son-in-law of the Feng Household.
• Xie Xiuji plays along, and the Venomtail Demon King accepts him as “half” a member of the Demon Realm, allowing both of them through.
• Song Zhizhi gives the injured Venomtail Demon King healing pills, further winning his goodwill.
• The demon warns them not to enter the Forest of Ten Thousand Demons because the Demon Realm has become unstable since Feng Ling’s disappearance.
• Song Zhizhi admits that they specifically need to visit the forest to find something important. The Venomtail Demon King agrees to explain the situation and begins recounting events from twenty years earlier, leaving the chapter on a cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi: Demonstrates her Phoenix heritage and gains confidence in openly identifying herself as Feng Ling’s daughter. She also shows quick wit, using humor and social manipulation to get Xie Xiuji safely into the Demon Realm. Her compassion is shown when she gives the injured guard healing pills.
• Xie Xiuji: Supports Song Zhizhi when summoning the Phoenix True Fire and calmly accepts her improvised claim that he is a live-in son-in-law. His amused cooperation highlights his trust and growing intimacy with her.
• Venomtail Demon King: Shifts from suspicion and hostility to respect and affection after confirming Song Zhizhi’s lineage. His loyalty to Feng Ling remains strong, and he acts as both a gatekeeper and an informative elder.
• Vermilion Bird Sword: Reveals a humorous past encounter with a flamboyant Phoenix cultivator—presumably Feng Ling—who once tried and failed to force a contract with it.

Significant Themes

• Bloodline and identity: Song Zhizhi’s Phoenix heritage determines how others perceive and accept her, despite her outwardly human appearance.
• Loyalty and legacy: The Venomtail Demon King’s allegiance to Feng Ling continues even after Feng Ling’s disappearance, influencing his treatment of Song Zhizhi.
• Romance and partnership: Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji function as a united team, communicating through teasing, physical gestures, and mutual cooperation.
• Humor amid danger: The “live-in son-in-law” exchange turns a potentially violent confrontation into a comedic misunderstanding.
• Political unrest: Feng Ling’s absence has weakened order in the Demon Realm, especially in the Forest of Ten Thousand Demons, foreshadowing future conflict.

Important Character Interactions

• Song Zhizhi proves her identity to the Venomtail Demon King through Phoenix True Fire.
• Xie Xiuji protects and supports Song Zhizhi after the exertion.
• Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji coordinate silently and humorously to bypass the Demon Realm’s entry restrictions.
• The Venomtail Demon King’s attitude toward them softens as he recognizes Song Zhizhi’s resemblance to Feng Ling and accepts Xie Xiuji as her husband.
• The chapter ends with the Venomtail Demon King preparing to reveal the connection between Feng Ling and the unrest in the Forest of Ten Thousand Demons.

Chapter 106 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Venomtail Demon King recounts the Demon Realm’s upheaval over the past twenty years. After the previous Demon King died and Feng Ling’s suppression disappeared, the four Demon Kings began fighting for supremacy.
• Roaring Forest Demon King, originally the strongest at the Late Spirit Transformation Stage, suddenly increased his cultivation ten years earlier. He defeated Demon King Lanti, forced Demon King White Snow into marriage, and caused widespread chaos.
• During his Mahayana Tribulation a year ago, Roaring Forest Demon King was badly injured by heavenly lightning. Venomtail, White Snow, and Lanti attempted to kill him, but mysterious, blood-smelling humans covered in evil energy rescued him.
• Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji identify these rescuers as likely Demonic Cultivators, raising the possibility that they were responsible for Roaring Forest’s sudden rise in power.
• Roaring Forest later traveled to the Human Realm and was killed by a powerful Sword Cultivator. His body was cut into eighteen pieces. Xie Xiuji realizes this was the tiger demon he killed seven months earlier while it was attacking a mortal village and likely consuming human blood and flesh to recover.
• With Roaring Forest dead, the Forest of Ten Thousand Demons has become disputed territory. Demon Kings White Snow and Lanti are fighting over its resources, making the area extremely dangerous.
• Venomtail warns Song Zhizhi not to go there because she is only at the Golden Core Stage. She explains that Xie Xiuji can protect her.
• When Venomtail doubts Xie Xiuji’s strength, Xie reveals his concealed Mahayana aura and identifies himself as Sword Venerable Mingxiao of the Sword Sect—the very cultivator who killed Roaring Forest.
• Shocked and impressed, Venomtail quickly changes his attitude, recognizing Xie as an honored guest connected to the Phoenix Clan through Song Zhizhi.
• Venomtail offers to guide Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji to the Forest of Ten Thousand Demons. They accept, valuing his knowledge of the Demon Realm.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Venomtail Demon King is revealed to be cautious, politically shrewd, and capable of adapting quickly. Although he presents himself as straightforward, he recognizes Xie’s strength and deliberately seeks Song Zhizhi’s favor because she is more approachable.
• Song Zhizhi demonstrates maturity and concern for the wider situation, immediately recognizing the significance of the Demonic Cultivators. She also trusts Xie Xiuji’s ability to protect her.
• Xie Xiuji remains reserved but proves his extraordinary power by revealing his true cultivation. His past actions are connected to the mysterious events involving Roaring Forest and the Demonic Cultivators.
• Venomtail’s opinion of Xie changes from skepticism to respect and fear. He also admires Xie’s willingness to expose himself to danger to save Song Zhizhi.
• Song Zhizhi and Xie cooperate closely, with Song often speaking on Xie’s behalf during social interactions.

Significant Themes

• Political instability and power struggles: The Demon Realm’s balance collapses when a dominant ruler dies or gains unexpected power.
• Hidden conspiracies: The Demonic Cultivators’ involvement suggests that Roaring Forest’s cultivation surge and violent behavior may have been part of a larger scheme.
• Strength and reputation: Xie’s identity as the Sword Cultivator who killed Roaring Forest immediately changes how others treat him.
• Trust and protection: Song Zhizhi relies on Xie’s protection, while Xie’s past actions demonstrate his devotion to her.
• Diplomacy and self-interest: Venomtail’s offer to guide them is both helpful and politically motivated, allowing him to cultivate a relationship with powerful allies.

Chapter Summary: “Refusing Would Be Impolite”

Key plot points and events

• The Venomtail Demon King reveals that the bronze-skinned girl accompanying him is his daughter and the young chieftain of the Giant Scorpion Clan. At one hundred years old, she has reached the Late Golden Core Stage and is expected to enter the Nascent Soul Stage within twenty years.
• He learns that Song Zhizhi reached the Golden Core Stage only half a month earlier. After Xie Xiuji removes his concealment barrier and confirms her bone age, the Demon King is shocked to discover that she is only nineteen.
• Impressed by her talent and her ability to wield Phoenix True Fire, the Venomtail Demon King asks whether Song Zhizhi intends to lead the Demon Realm and inherit Feng Ling’s unfinished ambitions.
• Song Zhizhi declines to commit to such a role. She points out that she is only at the Golden Core Stage, while the rival Demon Kings White Snow and Lanti are at the Spirit Transformation Stage. She also refuses to rely on Xie Xiuji’s superior cultivation, believing it would be inappropriate for him to interfere in Demon Realm affairs.
• The Demon King respects her independence and maturity, praising her future potential.
• Under his guidance, Song Zhizhi, Xie Xiuji, and the Demon King leave the Death Desert and arrive at Desert City.
• Their completely human appearances attract attention because most lower-level demons still retain animal features. At the city gate, two lizard demons are terrified by Song Zhizhi’s lingering Phoenix True Fire aura and flee in their true forms, leaving their tails behind.
• The Demon King explains that Phoenix True Fire naturally suppresses most demons. Xie Xiuji places another barrier around Song Zhizhi to conceal the aura, and the group prepares to rest in Desert City overnight because Song Zhizhi cannot travel continuously.

Character development

• Song Zhizhi demonstrates extraordinary cultivation talent, reaching the Golden Core Stage at nineteen. Despite her strength and possible political importance, she remains humble and realistic about her limitations.
• She also shows strong principles and independence by refusing to let Xie Xiuji fight on her behalf or create a conflict between humans and demons for her benefit.
• The Venomtail Demon King becomes increasingly impressed by Song Zhizhi. His initial courtesy develops into genuine respect after seeing her talent, judgment, and refusal to exploit Xie Xiuji’s power.
• Xie Xiuji continues to protect Song Zhizhi discreetly, first concealing her cultivation and later masking the Phoenix aura that frightens the demons.
• The Venomtail Demon King’s pride and affection for his daughter are established through his discussion of her achievements.

Significant themes

• Leadership and responsibility: Song Zhizhi is confronted with the possibility of ruling the Demon Realm but recognizes that leadership must be earned rather than accepted through another person’s power.
• Independence and self-reliance: She refuses to depend on Xie Xiuji, even though he would willingly help her.
• Power and social hierarchy: Cultivation level determines status, while Phoenix True Fire gives Song Zhizhi an additional, instinctive authority over demons.
• Cross-racial tensions: Xie Xiuji’s involvement in Demon Realm politics could provoke conflict between humans and demons, emphasizing the political consequences of their relationship.
• Appearance versus identity: The group’s human appearances distinguish them from most demons, while their concealed identities and auras create misunderstandings at the city gate.

Character interactions

• The Venomtail Demon King openly admires his daughter and later tests Song Zhizhi’s ambitions by asking whether she will pursue the Demon King’s throne.
• Song Zhizhi and the Demon King discuss her qualifications and political prospects, leading him to respect her more deeply.
• Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji communicate subtly: she rejects using his strength politically, while he quietly continues protecting and assisting her.
• The city guards treat the group with exaggerated respect, while the lizard demons’ panic demonstrates the intimidating effect of Song Zhizhi’s Phoenix True Fire.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Song Zhizhi enters Desert City with Xie Xiuji and the Venomtail Demon King. The city is vast and bustling, filled with demon merchants selling rare medicinal ingredients, monster materials, food, clothing, and other Demon Realm goods.
• Song Zhizhi explores the market with curiosity. Whenever she shows interest in an item, Xie Xiuji quietly buys it for her. He also finishes the snacks she dislikes and shares the foods she enjoys.
• After finding an inn, Song Zhizhi discovers that hot water is unavailable because Desert City lies near the water-scarce Death Desert. She and Xie Xiuji use spiritual energy to create and heat bathwater.
• Song Zhizhi jokingly invites Xie Xiuji to bathe with her, expecting him to be too shy to accept during the day. Instead, he takes her invitation seriously and turns the situation into a flirtatious, intimate encounter.
• Xie Xiuji helps wash Song Zhizhi, but his attention gradually becomes more sensual than practical. Song Zhizhi realizes that her teasing has backfired and becomes embarrassed by his confidence and initiative.

Character Development

• Song Zhizhi: She remains curious and lively while exploring the unfamiliar Demon Realm. Her playful teasing toward Xie Xiuji reveals her growing comfort and affection, but she is caught off guard when he responds boldly. Her pregnancy has progressed to seven months, though her egg-shaped pregnancy is not yet very visibly pronounced.
• Xie Xiuji: He demonstrates quiet attentiveness by purchasing things Song Zhizhi likes and accepting her rejected food without complaint. In private, he shows a newly confident and mischievous side, contrasting with his former shyness about intimacy.
• Venomtail Demon King: He observes the couple’s affectionate behavior and feels overwhelmed by their displays of closeness, serving as a humorous outsider to their relationship.

Significant Themes

• Affection expressed through actions: Xie Xiuji’s silent purchases, willingness to share food, and care during the bath show his devotion more clearly than words.
• Playfulness and romantic intimacy: The scene emphasizes the couple’s increasing ease with teasing, flirtation, and physical affection.
• Cultural contrast: Desert City’s demon-centered marketplace highlights the distinct customs, products, and scarcity of resources in the Demon Realm.
• Pregnancy and domestic closeness: Song Zhizhi’s advancing pregnancy is woven into the couple’s everyday relationship and private interactions.

Character Interactions

• Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji share a gentle, increasingly flirtatious relationship. He indulges her shopping and eating habits, while she tests his shyness by teasing him.
• Their bathing scene reverses their expected dynamic: Song Zhizhi intends only to joke, but Xie Xiuji confidently takes control, leaving her flustered.
• The Venomtail Demon King silently witnesses their affectionate behavior and humorously feels like an unwilling third party.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After an intensely intimate cultivation session in Desert City, Song Zhizhi is exhausted and Xie Xiuji cares for her by drying her, changing her clothes, and bathing himself.
• Song Zhizhi notices Xie Xiuji’s physical attraction and restraint, while also realizing that he has somehow learned how to tease and seduce her despite lacking access to modern romantic materials.
• Because Song Zhizhi is overheated and pregnant, she seeks comfort in Xie Xiuji’s cool body, benefiting from his Ice Spirit Root. He struggles to remain composed but continues to restrain himself.
• The next day, the group leaves Desert City. Song Zhizhi wears a fitted dress that reveals her seven-month pregnancy, prompting Venomtail Demon King to notice and worry about her health.
• Venomtail recalls how his own wife’s cultivation suffered after childbirth and fears Song Zhizhi may experience an even greater decline because she is only at the Golden Core Stage and carrying Xie Xiuji’s child.
• Song Zhizhi reassures him that Xie Xiuji has ensured she will be safe. Venomtail reflects emotionally on how close the birth of Feng Ling’s grandchild is and how happy Feng Ling would have been to see it.
• Since demon cultivators cannot use sword flight, the group hires a demon-beast carriage and travels for three days toward the Forest of Ten Thousand Demons.
• They stop in Ten Thousand Demons City, the Demon Realm’s largest and most prosperous city, rather than entering the forest immediately because Demon King White Snow and Demon King Lanti are currently fighting over its territory.
• Song Zhizhi’s Phoenix True Fire aura remains concealed, allowing the group to enter the city without attracting attention.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi: Becomes more emotionally and physically intimate with Xie Xiuji, though she remains embarrassed by his boldness. Her pregnancy is now openly acknowledged, and she displays confidence in the protection and arrangements Xie Xiuji has provided.
• Xie Xiuji: Shows strong desire but remarkable self-control, especially after taking a cold bath to suppress his reactions. He remains attentive to Song Zhizhi’s comfort and health.
• Venomtail Demon King: Reveals a caring, paternal concern for Song Zhizhi. His personal experience with his wife’s difficult childbirth makes him especially worried about the potential consequences of Song Zhizhi’s pregnancy.
• The unborn child: The pregnancy becomes a more significant practical and emotional concern as the group moves deeper into the Demon Realm.

Significant Themes

• Intimacy and restraint: The chapter emphasizes the contrast between physical desire and self-control in Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji’s relationship.
• Pregnancy and cultivation: Childbirth carries serious risks in the cultivation world, including possible loss of cultivation, making Song Zhizhi’s pregnancy both a personal and magical challenge.
• Trust and protection: Song Zhizhi’s confidence in Xie Xiuji reflects her deep trust in his ability to protect both her and their child.
• Family and memory: Venomtail’s thoughts about Feng Ling highlight the emotional importance of the coming birth and the absence of those who would have celebrated it.
• Political instability: The conflict between the two Demon Kings establishes the Forest of Ten Thousand Demons as a dangerous and unsettled destination.

Character Interactions

• Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji share a highly intimate encounter that strengthens their romantic bond while revealing Xie Xiuji’s possessive yet careful nature.
• Song Zhizhi relies on Xie Xiuji’s cool body for relief from the heat, while he silently endures his own discomfort to avoid exhausting or harming her.
• Venomtail directly questions Xie Xiuji’s decision to let Song Zhizhi carry the child, but Song Zhizhi defends their choices and reassures him.
• Venomtail’s concern shifts into nostalgia when he reflects on Feng Ling and the approaching birth of Feng Ling’s grandchild.
• The trio maintains a discreet, cooperative relationship as they travel together through demon territory and prepare to enter the politically turbulent region surrounding the Forest of Ten Thousand Demons.

Chapter Summary — Target: Demon King (Proofread)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Zhizhi, Xie Xiuji, and Venomtail Demon King arrive in Ten Thousand Demons City within the Forest of Ten Thousand Demons.
• Song discovers that rare spirit plants are being sold extremely cheaply. She buys a large supply, intending to give some to Liu Changfei and resell the rest in the Cultivation World for profit.
• To learn about the forest’s current situation, the group eats at the city’s largest restaurant. They overhear that Demon Kings White Snow and Lanti are fighting in the western forest:
  • White Snow has suffered heavy losses.
  • Lanti currently has a slight advantage.
  • Both Demon Kings have been injured and weakened, leaving them evenly matched.
• Because the forest is now divided between the two Demon Kings and their forces, it has become much more dangerous for ordinary cultivators.
• Three black-robed Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivators enter the restaurant. Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji recognize them as Demonic Cultivators, despite their lack of an obvious blood scent.
• Suspecting that the current conflict between the Demon Kings may be connected to the Demonic Cultivators, the group remains in the restaurant to investigate.
• Xie Xiuji secretly attaches a strand of Divine Sense to one of the Demonic Cultivators. After the group leaves for an inn, he uses the Divine Sense to eavesdrop on their conversation.
• The Demonic Cultivators reveal that they are carrying out a plan connected to someone called Alluring Madam. They expect to bring the Forest of Ten Thousand Demons under their control within three days.
• They are deliberately exploiting the war between White Snow and Lanti to collect blood qi. They consider high-level demon cultivators especially valuable for their cultivation and compare their methods favorably to those of Yu Shuihu.
• The eldest Demonic Cultivator claims that, once their “great undertaking” succeeds, they will control mortals and cultivators from both the human and demon realms.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi displays her practical and opportunistic side by recognizing the commercial value of the cheap spirit plants and immediately planning a resale scheme.
• Xie Xiuji demonstrates his calm, refined appearance and formidable abilities. His discreet use of Divine Sense shows his caution, intelligence, and mastery of surveillance techniques.
• Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji continue to act with strong mutual understanding. Their cultivation of the Spiritual Heart Art allows them to link their Divine Senses and share everything Xie Xiuji hears and sees.
• Venomtail Demon King remains useful as an observer and source of commentary, but he increasingly feels like an outsider around the deeply synchronized married couple. His humorous jealousy highlights his longing to show affection toward his wife, who is currently in seclusion.
• The three Demonic Cultivators are established as ruthless and ambitious villains. They view both humans and demons as sources of power and intend to dominate both realms.

Significant Themes

• Chaos as a weapon: The war between the two Demon Kings is not merely a political struggle; it is being manipulated by hidden forces for personal gain.
• Exploitation of life and conflict: The Demonic Cultivators harvest blood qi from battles and treat living beings as resources.
• Hidden conspiracies: The apparent power struggle in the Forest of Ten Thousand Demons conceals a larger plot involving Alluring Madam and the Demonic Cultivators.
• Trust and silent cooperation: Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji’s shared Divine Sense emphasizes their marital intimacy, teamwork, and near-wordless understanding.
• Greed and ambition: Song Zhizhi’s humorous pursuit of profit contrasts with the Demonic Cultivators’ far more dangerous desire for control over both realms.
• Appearances versus reality: Xie Xiuji looks harmless but is secretly the powerful Sword Venerable Mingxiao, while the black-robed cultivators conceal their identities and intentions behind respectable appearances.

Important Character Interactions

• Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji quietly exchange grave looks after identifying the three Demonic Cultivators, immediately recognizing the potential danger.
• Venomtail Demon King observes Xie Xiuji’s gentle behavior toward Song Zhizhi and reflects humorously on their affectionate relationship.
• Xie Xiuji secretly marks Third Brother with Divine Sense; Song Zhizhi understands his plan without needing an explanation.
• Through the Spiritual Heart Art, Xie Xiuji shares the Demonic Cultivators’ conversation with Song Zhizhi.
• The three Demonic Cultivators discuss their progress with one another, revealing their plan to manipulate the Demon Kings’ war and seize control of the Forest of Ten Thousand Demons.

Key plot points and events

• Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji learn that three Demonic Cultivators are conspiring, though their secretive discussion reveals no details. Song worries their plan could ignite a conflict affecting both the Demon Realm and the Cultivation World.
• Remembering the original novel’s war and Xie Xiuji’s eventual transformation into a feared Demon King, Song resolves that this fate can be changed. She asks him to stay with her always; he promises they will never abandon each other.
• After sending Xie away, Song tells the Venomtail Demon King she intends to become a Demon King herself, so she can protect those she loves. Venomtail pledges his loyalty and tells her about her father, Feng Ling.
• Feng Ling was a powerful ruler who united the Demon Realm and curbed exploitation by the strong, giving lower-ranked demons opportunities to advance. Venomtail, once among the oppressed, remains devoted to him and has guarded the Death Desert in accordance with his wishes.
• Feng Ling’s dream was for demons to return openly to the wider world, free from discrimination. Since his death, disorder has begun to return under the other Demon Kings.

Character developments

• Song shifts from worrying about the future to taking responsibility for it: she decides to pursue power and leadership rather than leave the Demon Realm’s fate to others.
• Her faith in Xie remains strong despite knowing his possible future as a villain. She is determined to keep him from following the original novel’s path.
• Venomtail’s grief and gratitude reveal the depth of his devotion to Feng Ling, and he now places that loyalty behind Song as Feng Ling’s daughter.

Significant themes

• Changing fate: Song believes the original story’s tragic outcome can be prevented through her choices.
• Trust and commitment: Song and Xie reaffirm their bond and promise to remain together.
• Power used for justice: Feng Ling’s reforms challenged the Demon Realm’s entrenched rule of the strong exploiting the weak.
• Belonging and prejudice: Feng Ling’s dream of demons living openly beyond their realm foreshadows a wider struggle for acceptance.

Character interactions

• Xie senses Song’s sadness, comforts her, and respects her choice not to explain its cause.
• Song and Xie share an affectionate exchange and reaffirm their commitment to one another.
• Song directly asks Venomtail for support; moved by her presence and resemblance to Feng Ling, he pledges himself to her.
• Venomtail recounts Feng Ling’s achievements, helping Song understand both her father’s legacy and the responsibility now before her.

Chapter Summary: “Song Chao’s Old Acquaintance”

• Song Zhizhi’s resolve: Song Zhizhi acknowledges the Demon Race’s declining reputation in the Human Realm and worries that her identity as a Half-Demon—and her unborn child’s pure-blooded demon heritage—could damage Xie Xiuji’s standing. She promises the Venomtail Demon King that if she becomes Demon King, she will work to improve relations between demons and humans, partly so her child can live openly.
• Romantic interaction with Xie Xiuji: Outside the Venomtail Demon King’s room, Song Zhizhi finds Xie Xiuji waiting for her. She playfully declares that she will become Demon King, marry him, and make him her royal consort. Xie Xiuji accepts while teasing her flirtatiously. He feeds her a warm flatbread and jokes about serving her in bed, leaving her embarrassed but affectionate.
• Their unborn child: Xie Xiuji greets their unborn daughter by placing spiritual power against Song Zhizhi’s abdomen. The baby responds with a gentle movement, and Xie Xiuji’s normally reserved expression softens into open tenderness. Their interaction emphasizes the couple’s loving relationship and his anticipation of fatherhood.
• Journey begins: Song Zhizhi decides that she and Xie Xiuji should leave the next day to search for the Ten-Thousand-Year Parasol Tree Heart, which they need before dealing with other matters. She instructs the Venomtail Demon King to track the three suspicious Nascent Soul Late Stage Demonic Cultivators while she and Xie Xiuji travel east.
• The two investigations: The Venomtail Demon King secretly follows the three cultivators as they leave Ten Thousand Demons City through the southern gate. They avoid populated routes and head toward the southern interior of the Forest of Ten Thousand Demons, suggesting they have a specific and possibly secret objective. Meanwhile, Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji avoid other demons and reach the Parasol Grove in the forest’s east.
• The Parasol Grove: The grove is said to have once been home to Phoenixes. It is now filled with colorful birds, including both ordinary birds and intelligent demon beasts. As Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji travel deeper, the trees become enormous and the forest grows unnaturally quiet.
• New powerful obstacle: A blue-haired woman in feathered robes, armed with a spear, appears and orders them to leave. Xie Xiuji identifies her as a Late Spirit Transformation Stage cultivator—an unexpectedly powerful bird-clan demon whom the Venomtail Demon King never mentioned. She claims that the grove contains no Ten-Thousand-Year Parasol Tree Wood.
• Conflict established: Song Zhizhi suspects the woman is lying, since the Parasol Grove is the most likely place to find the rare material. Rather than immediately fight, she politely explains their purpose, aware that Xie Xiuji’s Mahayana-level pressure has also made the woman cautious. When the demoness refuses to cooperate, Song Zhizhi firmly announces that they will continue searching despite the warning, setting up a confrontation.

Key Character Developments and Themes

• Song Zhizhi: Becomes more ambitious and politically determined, accepting the possibility of becoming Demon King to protect her family and improve the Demon Race’s position.
• Xie Xiuji: Continues to support Song Zhizhi while teasing her affectionately; his tenderness toward their unborn child reveals a softer, domestic side.
• Venomtail Demon King: Demonstrates his value as a covert tracker and loyal ally by following the suspicious cultivators.
• Themes: Family protection, reconciliation between humans and demons, political responsibility, trust within romance, and the contrast between domestic tenderness and looming danger.
• Character interactions: Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji share playful romantic banter and parental affection, while Song Zhizhi’s polite but determined exchange with the blue-haired demoness establishes the chapter’s main external tension.

Chapter Summary

• Confrontation at the Parasol Grove: Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji attempt to enter the Parasol Grove, but a blue-haired woman blocks their way. Xie establishes a defensive barrier around Song Zhizhi and fights the woman. Although she possesses a higher cultivation realm, Xie’s superior swordsmanship, experience, and ability to exploit weaknesses allow him to defeat her and disarm her.
• The Woman’s Capture and Recognition: Song Zhizhi binds the woman with a spirit-binding rope and conceals her with a formation to keep her safe. When the formation’s light briefly illuminates Song Zhizhi’s face, the woman recognizes a resemblance and asks whether she knows Song Chao. Song Zhizhi reveals that Song Chao was her mother.
• Aunt Lan’s Connection to Song Chao: The woman, who introduces herself as Aunt Lan, explains that she was once the personal guard and protector of Song Chao’s companion, referred to as “His Highness.” Twenty years earlier, he was betrayed and fatally injured. He entrusted Aunt Lan with escorting Song Chao into the Parasol Grove, but they were attacked and separated. Finding only bloodstained clothing, Aunt Lan believed Song Chao had died. She buried the clothing with His Highness’s belongings and remained in the grove to protect their resting place.
• Revelation of Song Chao’s Fate: Aunt Lan is overwhelmed with relief upon learning that Song Chao survived the separation, but her joy turns to grief when Song Zhizhi tells her that her mother has since died. Song Zhizhi explains that Song Chao’s health was ruined by childbirth and that she later died after longing for and following her deceased husband.
• Confirmation of Song Zhizhi’s Heritage: Aunt Lan realizes Song Zhizhi is not merely Song Chao’s child from a later relationship. Song Zhizhi releases phoenix true fire, confirming her connection to the Phoenix bloodline and revealing that she is the child of Song Chao and His Highness. Aunt Lan finally breaks down, releasing years of guilt, grief, and suppressed emotion.
• Question About the Parasol Tree: After recovering, Aunt Lan asks why Song Zhizhi needs a ten-thousand-year parasol tree. Such wood, combined with Phoenix Essence Blood, is useful for creating an artifact that protects a hatching Phoenix from tribulation lightning, but it is essentially useless to ordinary cultivators. Since the last Phoenix supposedly died twenty years earlier, Aunt Lan cannot understand why Song Zhizhi would need it, hinting that Song Zhizhi may possess a Phoenix egg or another secret connected to the Phoenix’s possible survival.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Xie Xiuji demonstrates his reputation as the greatest Sword Cultivator, defeating a stronger opponent through experience and precision. His concern for Song Zhizhi initially limits his strength but also highlights his protectiveness.
• Song Zhizhi balances firmness with compassion: she defeats and restrains Aunt Lan but ensures her safety, then sympathizes with her grief and releases her once the truth emerges.
• Aunt Lan changes from a hostile guardian into an emotional ally after discovering Song Zhizhi’s identity. Her guilt over failing to protect Song Chao is eased, though her grief over Song Chao’s death remains intense.
• The meeting establishes a meaningful connection between Song Zhizhi and her mother’s past, while Aunt Lan’s testimony provides new information about Song Chao, His Highness, and the events twenty years earlier.

Significant Themes

• Long-buried truth and mistaken grief: Aunt Lan has spent decades mourning Song Chao based on incomplete evidence, while Song Zhizhi has grown up unaware of her mother’s history.
• Loyalty and responsibility: Aunt Lan’s devotion to her former master and promise to protect Song Chao shaped her entire life.
• Family and inherited identity: Song Zhizhi’s phoenix fire links her to her parents and reveals that her origins are more significant than she understood.
• Grief, guilt, and release: The reunion allows Aunt Lan to confront years of sorrow and finally believe she did not betray her promise.
• Foreshadowing and mystery: Aunt Lan’s disbelief about the parasol tree suggests that Song Zhizhi is concealing, or has not yet revealed, the existence of a Phoenix egg or another extraordinary secret.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Song Zhizhi reveals that the child in her womb has reverted to its ancestral bloodline and will require a Ten-Thousand-Year Parasol Tree Heart to survive the Tribulation Lightning when it hatches.
• Aunt Lan, formerly devoted to the deceased Phoenix Feng Ling, initially doubts Song Zhizhi’s claim that the Phoenix bloodline survives. After sensing the pure-blooded Phoenix aura within Song Zhizhi, she becomes overwhelmed with emotion and recognizes Song Zhizhi as the Phoenix’s descendant.
• Aunt Lan kneels and pledges to remain by Song Zhizhi’s side as her attendant. Song Zhizhi helps her up and asks her to stop kneeling, emphasizing that she dislikes such formal submission.
• Aunt Lan explains that no Ten-Thousand-Year Parasol Tree Hearts remain in the Parasol Grove. A mysterious black-robed Spirit Transformation cultivator stole the hearts from the last five ancient trees a century earlier; new ones will take two hundred years to grow.
• The cultivator’s heavy baleful aura and bloodstained scent identify him as a Demonic Cultivator. Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji speculate that he may have used the hearts to conceal heavenly secrets or alter fate, meaning he may still possess them.
• Aunt Lan describes the cultivator’s appearance. Xie Xiuji draws a nearly exact portrait and adds a red mole near the man’s eye. He then reveals that the Demonic Cultivator is his junior martial brother.

Character developments

• Song Zhizhi demonstrates both maternal urgency and practical authority. She is deeply concerned about ensuring her unborn child’s survival, but remains uncomfortable with excessive reverence and tries to treat Aunt Lan as an elder and equal rather than a servant.
• Aunt Lan regains her sense of purpose after learning that the Phoenix bloodline continues. Her old loyalty and devotion are revived, and she willingly commits herself to protecting Song Zhizhi and the unborn Phoenix child.
• Xie Xiuji displays strong knowledge of mystical techniques and an excellent memory or familiarity with the Demonic Cultivator. His ability to identify the man from Aunt Lan’s description exposes a personal connection and creates a major mystery.
• Feng Ling, though deceased, becomes more significant through Aunt Lan’s memories. Song Zhizhi’s resemblance to him reinforces her status as his descendant.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and inherited purpose: Aunt Lan’s devotion to the Phoenix Clan returns once she discovers that its bloodline survives.
• Lineage and destiny: The unborn child’s ancestral Phoenix bloodline links the present characters to an older supernatural legacy.
• Maternal protection and sacrifice: Song Zhizhi’s search for the Parasol Tree Heart shows her determination to protect her child despite scarce resources and dangerous enemies.
• The consequences of the past: An event from a century earlier directly threatens Song Zhizhi’s child, showing how old conflicts continue to shape the present.
• Moral ambiguity and hidden motives: The Demonic Cultivator’s theft may relate to manipulating fate or heavenly laws, suggesting a larger conspiracy.

Character interactions

• Song Zhizhi and Aunt Lan move from skepticism and formal submission to mutual recognition and cooperation.
• Aunt Lan’s emotional response to the Phoenix aura contrasts with Song Zhizhi’s practical, slightly exasperated manner.
• Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji investigate the Demonic Cultivator together, comparing clues and questioning his motives.
• Xie Xiuji’s final revelation—that the mysterious thief is his junior martial brother—dramatically personalizes the investigation and sets up future conflict.

Chapter Summary: “A Showdown Between Two Sides”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xie Xiuji identifies the person in a portrait as Qin Buwen, a former junior disciple of the Heavenly Feather Sect. Qin was originally taken in as a beggar by True Person Liuyi but was later expelled for an unspecified serious offense.
• Song Zhizhi realizes Qin Buwen’s identity from the original story: he later became the Sect Master of the Flowing Feather Sect and accused Xie Xiuji of destroying the sect after becoming a Demon King. Song suspects Qin and the Flowing Feather Sect were actually connected to demonic practices and that Qin falsely portrayed himself as a victim.
• Song becomes distressed remembering Xie Xiuji’s tragic future reputation as the “Xie Half-Demon.” She comforts him by embracing him, strengthening their affectionate bond.
• Song and Aunt Lan decide that they must first deal with the unrest in the Demon Realm before searching for Qin Buwen and reclaiming the Chinese Parasol Wood Heart. Song believes Qin can be found through the Flowing Feather Sect, since “a monk may run away, but his temple won’t.”
• Meanwhile, the Venomtail Demon King secretly follows three Demonic Cultivators. He discovers that they are approaching Demon King Lanti’s territory, likely intending to ambush or restrain him while he is weakened.
• Venomtail reports this to Song Zhizhi. Song deduces that the cultivators’ real goal is not necessarily to kill Lanti, but to prevent him from defending the Demon King’s Forest while Bai Xue’s forces launch a counterattack.
• Song uncovers a larger conspiracy: outsiders are supporting Demon King Bai Xue in her conflict with Lanti and Roaring Forest Demon King, intending to make Bai Xue the ruler of the Demon Realm.
• The Demonic Cultivators likely want control of the Demon Realm so they can provoke war and harvest the resulting bloodshed and resentment for their unusual cultivation method.
• Venomtail is horrified that Bai Xue has betrayed her own people and allowed outsiders to slaughter demons. He resolves to abandon their former friendship and oppose her.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi demonstrates sharp strategic reasoning by connecting the current political conflict to events from the original story and recognizing the Demonic Cultivators’ hidden objective.
• Her feelings for Xie Xiuji deepen and become more openly protective. She is emotionally affected by the suffering and unjust reputation he is destined to endure.
• Xie Xiuji remains calm and supportive, immediately noticing Song’s emotional distress and comforting her.
• Venomtail Demon King shifts from observing the situation cautiously to taking a moral stance against Bai Xue. His loyalty to the Demon Realm and its people outweighs his personal history with her.
• Bai Xue is revealed to be politically ambitious and willing to betray her own kin for power, making her a central antagonist in the emerging conflict.
• Qin Buwen is established as a potentially deceptive and morally compromised figure whose past actions may have shaped Xie Xiuji’s future downfall.

Significant Themes

• Political conspiracy and manipulation: The conflict between the Demon Kings is being engineered by outside Demonic Cultivators rather than arising solely from internal rivalry.
• Betrayal and loyalty: Bai Xue sacrifices her people for power, while Venomtail chooses to oppose a former ally in defense of the Demon Realm.
• The danger of distorted history: Qin Buwen’s accusation against Xie Xiuji may have created a false public narrative, illustrating how victims and villains can be misrepresented.
• Changing fate: Song’s knowledge of the original story allows her to identify threats and potentially prevent Xie Xiuji’s tragic downfall.
• War as a source of power: The Demonic Cultivators deliberately seek conflict because bloodshed and resentment fuel their cultivation.
• Affection amid danger: Song and Xie Xiuji’s intimate relationship provides emotional support as they face increasingly dangerous conspiracies.

Character Interactions

• Xie Xiuji explains Qin Buwen’s history to Song, while Song privately connects Qin to his future role in the original story.
• Song comforts Xie by hugging him, and he responds tenderly by stroking her head and asking what is wrong.
• Song consults Aunt Lan about locating Qin Buwen and managing the unrest in the Demon Realm.
• Song and Venomtail communicate through a Communication Stone, with Song interpreting the Demonic Cultivators’ movements and revealing the larger conspiracy.
• Venomtail’s discovery and Song’s analysis lead him to reject Bai Xue and prepare to confront her side.

Chapter 116 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Venomtail Demon King secretly follows three Demonic Cultivators as they approach Demon King Lanti’s stronghold.
• The three remove their black robes and disguise themselves as Lanti’s personal guards. Their masks and techniques conceal both their identities and the ominous aura of death surrounding them.
• Venomtail shrinks into a tiny scorpion, hides in one cultivator’s clothing, and enters Lanti’s bedchamber.
• Lanti appears gravely injured and weak, coughing blood after being wounded by Bai Xue and infected with demonic qi.
• The disguised cultivators report that they have found the treasure vault of the late Roaring Forest Demon King. They use the supposed information to approach Lanti and launch a surprise assassination.
• Their attack fails: the figure in Lanti’s bed is merely a pile of stones. Lanti has anticipated the betrayal and traps them inside the chamber.
• Stone spikes erupt from the walls, injuring the third cultivator. He uses an ability that burns essence blood and lifespan to heal himself and increase his cultivation.
• All three cultivators sacrifice forty years of lifespan, temporarily raising their strength to the Spirit Transformation Early Stage.
• Despite Lanti’s preparations, his previous injuries leave him at a disadvantage against the three temporarily empowered enemies.

Character Developments

• Venomtail Demon King: Demonstrates caution and sharp judgment by recognizing the disguises and hiding rather than exposing himself. He understands Lanti’s personality well enough to realize that Lanti has likely anticipated the attack. His sarcastic thoughts also reveal his amusement at the situation and his reluctance to admit that he is interested in watching events unfold.
• Demon King Lanti: Though initially appearing helpless and unguarded, Lanti proves to be highly strategic. He uses a stone decoy and prepares a deadly ambush, showing that his apparent weakness is partly a deception. However, his serious injuries still prevent him from easily defeating the attackers.
• The three Demonic Cultivators: Their confidence turns into panic when their assassination attempt fails. Driven by greed and the hope of reaching the Spirit Transformation Realm, they willingly sacrifice much of their remaining lifespan to gain temporary power.

Significant Themes

• Deception and disguise: The cultivators successfully conceal their identities, while Lanti counters their deception with a decoy and hidden trap.
• Cunning versus overconfidence: The attackers believe Lanti is too weak to resist, but their incomplete understanding of him leads them into danger.
• The price of power: By burning essence blood and lifespan, the cultivators gain temporary strength at the cost of their futures and lives.
• Hidden strength and vulnerability: Lanti appears close to death but remains capable of careful planning, while his injuries nevertheless make him vulnerable to overwhelming force.

Character Interactions

• Venomtail observes the three cultivators without revealing himself and mentally evaluates both their plan and Lanti’s character.
• The cultivators respectfully approach Lanti while secretly planning to kill him, creating a sharp contrast between their outward obedience and inner intentions.
• Lanti draws them into close range before revealing the trap, turning their attempted assassination into a counterattack.
• After seeing the third cultivator’s blood-burning technique, Lanti taunts him by questioning how many times he can afford to use it.
• The chapter ends with Lanti gradually losing ground against the three cultivators after they forcibly elevate their cultivation.

Chapter Summary: “Knock Your Head Crooked”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Demon King Lanti, realizing he is outmatched, calls on Venomtail Demon King for assistance.
• In the north, Demon King White Snow meets Alluring Madam on a frozen mountain. The two discuss Lanti’s apparent defeat and Alluring Madam’s desire to taste him if he survives.
• White Snow and Alluring Madam travel south after receiving news that Lanti has been severely injured by three of their subordinates.
• Instead, they discover that the supposed attack was a trap. Their three subordinates are badly beaten, while Lanti, Venomtail, a blue-haired female demon, and two mysterious cultivators surround them.
• Alluring Madam remains confident because of her Late Spirit Transformation Stage cultivation. She summons more than a dozen Nascent Soul Realm puppets—men she previously drained dry—and orders them to kill Song Zhizhi and capture Xie Xiuji.
• Alluring Madam becomes fascinated by Song Zhizhi’s beauty and changes her plan, deciding to preserve Song’s life so she can personally skin her face and add it to her collection.
• Using her powerful illusion and charm techniques, Alluring Madam mesmerizes Song Zhizhi. Song appears helpless and begins walking toward her, leaving the scene poised for a confrontation.

Character Developments

• Demon King White Snow is shown as cold, restrained, and disdainful of Alluring Madam’s vulgarity and human desires. Despite her calm demeanor, she reacts seriously when she realizes they have walked into a trap.
• Alluring Madam is revealed to be extremely confident, cruel, and openly predatory. Her Late Spirit Transformation cultivation and perfected charm techniques make her a dangerous opponent. She treats both demons and humans as objects for pleasure, consumption, or collection.
• Demon King Lanti proves more capable and cunning than expected by surviving the attack and arranging an ambush.
• Xie Xiuji reacts with intense disgust and murderous intent when Alluring Madam targets him and Song Zhizhi.
• Song Zhizhi demonstrates strong protectiveness toward Xie Xiuji, immediately placing herself between him and Alluring Madam and boldly threatening to “knock [her] face crooked.” However, she is subsequently overcome by Alluring Madam’s illusion technique.

Significant Themes

• Deception and reversal: The supposed victory over Lanti is revealed to be a carefully prepared trap, reversing the expected power dynamic.
• Beauty as power and exploitation: Alluring Madam views beauty as something to possess, consume, and preserve, especially through her collection of skinned faces.
• Desire versus restraint: The contrast between Alluring Madam’s uninhibited sensuality and White Snow’s cold indifference creates tension between uncontrolled desire and emotional detachment.
• Protection and loyalty: Song Zhizhi’s immediate defense of Xie Xiuji highlights her loyalty and romantic attachment, even in the face of a powerful enemy.
• Illusion and control: Alluring Madam’s charm techniques demonstrate how easily perception and free will can be manipulated by a sufficiently skilled cultivator.

Character Interactions

• White Snow and Alluring Madam trade insults, with White Snow criticizing Alluring Madam’s sexual appetite and Alluring Madam teasing her for being envious.
• White Snow informs Alluring Madam that their attack must begin after the signal from their subordinates.
• After discovering the ambush, Alluring Madam takes command by summoning her puppets and ordering them to target Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji.
• Xie Xiuji responds angrily to Alluring Madam’s predatory interest, while Song Zhizhi protects him and openly challenges her.
• Alluring Madam admires Song Zhizhi’s appearance, threatens to skin her face, and then ensnares her with a seductive illusion, leaving Song apparently under her control.

Chapter Summary

Plot and key events

Alluring Madam orders ten puppets to attack Xie Xiuji, Song Zhizhi, and their allies, specifically instructing them to preserve Xie Xiuji’s face. She confronts Song Zhizhi directly, attempting to use her beauty and bewitching arts, but Song is immune to illusions because of her Phoenix Bloodline. Song ambushes and severely wounds Alluring Madam with the Vermilion Bird Sword. Although Alluring Madam attempts a counterattack, Song’s two powerful protective artifacts shield her, though both are destroyed.
Before Alluring Madam can strike again, Xie Xiuji intervenes. He pierces and destroys her Dantian and Nascent Soul, then decapitates her and splits her head apart, killing her completely. After her death, her stolen youthful appearance disappears, revealing the wrinkled face of an elderly woman. Xie explains that her true appearance was concealed through a secret art involving the theft of another person’s face; her aged form is also a punishment from Heaven for harvesting yang, replenishing yin, and murdering innocents.
Meanwhile, Aunt Lan single-handedly cripples eight of the ten puppets, while the Venomtail Demon King and Demon King Lanti defeat the remaining two. With Alluring Madam dead, Demon King White Snow and her troops lose their advantage. Venomtail Demon King and Demon King Lanti join forces and defeat White Snow, with Lanti declaring that she has lost.

Character developments

• Song Zhizhi demonstrates confidence, decisiveness, and considerable combat ability. Her Phoenix Bloodline makes her naturally resistant to illusions, allowing her to overcome Alluring Madam’s greatest advantage. She also openly and possessively defends Xie Xiuji.
• Xie Xiuji displays overwhelming power and precise judgment by finishing Alluring Madam instantly. Despite his ruthless efficiency, he remains considerate toward Song Zhizhi, covering her eyes so she will not witness the bloody killing.
• Alluring Madam is exposed as an aging cultivator who maintained a youthful appearance through forbidden, exploitative techniques. Her arrogance and confidence collapse when her bewitching arts fail.
• Aunt Lan is revealed to be an exceptionally powerful fighter. Her irritation at being called “old” humorously contrasts with her terrifying combat strength.
• Venomtail Demon King and Demon King Lanti gain renewed respect for Aunt Lan and successfully turn the battle against White Snow.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus reality: Alluring Madam’s youthful beauty is revealed to be stolen and artificial, while her true age reflects the corruption behind her methods.
• Justice and consequences: Her death and the revelation of her aged face represent Heaven’s punishment for abusing others and murdering innocents.
• Power and immunity: Song Zhizhi’s bloodline gives her a natural advantage over a seemingly superior opponent, showing that specialized abilities can overcome raw cultivation level.
• Affection amid violence: Xie Xiuji’s gentle concern for Song Zhizhi contrasts with the brutality of the battle and reinforces their romantic bond.
• Female strength and underestimated power: Song Zhizhi and Aunt Lan both defy assumptions about their appearance and demonstrate formidable abilities.

Character interactions

Song Zhizhi directly taunts Alluring Madam for coveting Xie Xiuji and attacks her before she can exploit Song’s vulnerability. Xie Xiuji protects Song from the aftermath of the killing while coldly eliminating Alluring Madam. Aunt Lan reacts indignantly to Alluring Madam’s insult, then proves her strength by crippling most of the puppets. The demon kings are astonished by Aunt Lan’s abilities before joining forces to defeat Demon King White Snow.

Chapter Summary: “Lanti Submits”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Alluring Madam’s defeat, Demon King White Snow calmly accepts that she has lost and asks to be killed.
• Before her execution, White Snow attempts to create conflict between Demon King Lanti and Venomtail Demon King by reminding them that only one throne remains.
• Venomtail reveals that he has no interest in the throne and publicly declares that it belongs to Song Zhizhi, whom he introduces as a descendant of Feng Ling and the Dao companion of Sword Venerable Mingxiao.
• Lanti immediately treats Song Zhizhi as a rival and challenges her for the Demon King’s throne.
• Although Song Zhizhi is only at the Golden Core Stage, Lanti agrees to suppress his cultivation to her level so they can fight fairly.
• Song Zhizhi accepts the challenge. Xie Xiuji encourages her before stepping aside.
• Lanti uses an Immortal Tier Voidlight Staff, while Song Zhizhi fights with the damaged Vermilion Bird Sword. Neither weapon gives its wielder a decisive advantage.
• The battle begins with Song Zhizhi attacking first. Lanti’s Spirit Transformation-level reflexes and physical abilities remain even after suppressing his cultivation, allowing him to evade her attacks.
• Song Zhizhi tries to lure Lanti into a deliberately created opening, but he recognizes the danger and counters. Their weapons clash with tremendous force, impressing Lanti.
• Song Zhizhi realizes that Lanti is her most dangerous opponent yet and prepares to fight with complete concentration.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi demonstrates maturity and resolve by accepting a battle she knows she may not be able to win. Her gentle appearance gives way to the sharp, determined presence of a true Sword Cultivator.
• Her strength is shown to come not only from Xie Xiuji’s support but also from years of disciplined training under Sword Venerable Mingxiao.
• Demon King Lanti is established as proud, honorable, and intensely battle-oriented. Rather than defeat Song Zhizhi through an overwhelming cultivation advantage, he suppresses his power to fight her fairly.
• Venomtail Demon King openly supports Song Zhizhi because of his debt to Feng Ling, but his declaration unexpectedly places her in direct conflict with Lanti.
• Xie Xiuji acts as a quiet source of encouragement, trusting Song Zhizhi enough to let her face the battle herself.
• White Snow, though defeated, remains perceptive and manipulative, attempting to exploit the political rivalry between the remaining Demon Kings.

Significant Themes

• Strength versus status: Song Zhizhi’s claim to the throne is based on both ancestry and personal ability, forcing her to prove that she deserves it.
• Respect earned through combat: Lanti’s willingness to fight her on equal terms reflects the importance of martial honor among powerful cultivators.
• Hidden potential and appearances: Song Zhizhi’s harmless exterior contrasts sharply with her fierce identity as a Sword Cultivator.
• Political maneuvering: With two Demon Kings dead and one throne remaining, alliances and rivalries become as important as physical strength.
• Discipline and effort: Song Zhizhi’s rapid advancement is emphasized as the result of persistent training rather than dependence on powerful companions alone.

Character Interactions

• White Snow tries to provoke Lanti and Venomtail into fighting over the throne.
• Venomtail counters by naming Song Zhizhi as the rightful successor and warning that anyone opposing her will become his enemy.
• Lanti responds by challenging Song Zhizhi directly, treating her as a legitimate rival rather than dismissing her due to her age or cultivation.
• Xie Xiuji supports Song Zhizhi through a brief gesture of encouragement before allowing her to fight independently.
• During the opening exchange, Song Zhizhi and Lanti test each other’s skill, with Lanti becoming impressed by her strength and tactical ability.

Chapter Summary: Sword Venerable Applies Medicine 2.0

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Zhizhi spars with Demon King Lanti, fighting with the Vermilion Bird Sword against his Voidlight Staff.
• Her combat ability steadily intensifies, revealing the terrifying potential of her bloodline and swordsmanship.
• Although Lanti is a Mid Spirit Transformation cultivator, he is still weakened from previous injuries. Song Zhizhi uses her experience sparring with Xie Xiuji to keep up with his speed and strength.
• Song Zhizhi deliberately endures Lanti’s attack to create an opening. His staff shatters her final Protective Artifact and breaks her shoulder, but she successfully strikes his heart with her sword.
• Lanti admits defeat and acknowledges that Song Zhizhi has surpassed her former teacher, Feng Ling, in potential.
• Lanti warns that Song Zhizhi’s relatively low cultivation may prevent many demons from accepting her as Demon King. She replies that she will return after resolving matters in the Cultivation World and claim the throne through overwhelming strength.
• Song Zhizhi orders the execution of Demon King White Snow, who collaborated with Demonic Cultivators, and announces plans to raid White Snow’s lair and purge the remaining Demonic Cultivators.
• After returning to Lanti’s base, Xie Xiuji examines Song Zhizhi’s injured shoulder and prepares to treat it.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi demonstrates tactical maturity, exceptional perception, and the willingness to risk injury for victory. Her training with Xie Xiuji has dramatically improved her reaction speed and ability to identify weaknesses.
• She also shows growing confidence and authority, calmly planning her eventual ascension as Demon King rather than rushing to claim the title.
• Demon King Lanti recognizes Song Zhizhi’s strength and future potential despite initially possessing the advantage in cultivation. His defeat reinforces her legitimacy among the Demon Kings.
• Xie Xiuji remains outwardly composed but is deeply worried by Song Zhizhi’s injury. His reaction reveals how strongly he cares for her, even though he understands and respects her decision to exchange injury for victory.
• Demon King White Snow is executed for her alliance with Demonic Cultivators.

Significant Themes

• Strength and legitimacy: In the Demon Realm, authority depends on power. Song Zhizhi understands that recognition must ultimately be secured by strength.
• Strategy over brute force: Song Zhizhi wins by patiently conserving energy and exploiting Lanti’s moment of weakness.
• Sacrifice for victory: She knowingly abandons defense and accepts a broken shoulder to land the decisive strike.
• Growth through mentorship: Her daily sparring with Xie Xiuji has refined her combat instincts enough to challenge a far stronger opponent.
• Love expressed through concern: Xie Xiuji’s restrained but intense reaction to Song Zhizhi’s wound highlights his protective feelings.

Character Interactions

• Song Zhizhi and Lanti engage in a respectful but intense duel, ending with his acknowledgment of her superiority in skill.
• Song Zhizhi gives Aunt Lan the Vermilion Bird Sword and orders White Snow’s swift execution.
• She asks Lanti’s allies to manage the Demon Realm while she handles affairs in the Cultivation World.
• Xie Xiuji and Song Zhizhi share a playful, intimate exchange after the battle. Despite her embarrassment, he insists on examining her shoulder, and his hidden heartache becomes clear when he sees the severity of the injury.