Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• The Great Elder learns that the failed operation at the Flowing Feather Sect cost his faction more than a thousand fighters, including many of its strongest cultivators. Blaming Qin Buwen, he abandons hiding and orders his followers to prepare for a “feast of revelry,” signaling a shift toward open action.
• In Xingling City, Madam Song’s decision to expose her own family preserves—and even improves—the Song Household’s reputation. Song Yin’s father is punished for knowing about Liu Yin’s scheme and staying silent: his cultivation is stripped, and he is exiled permanently.
• Song Zhizhi stays with the Song Household briefly, then returns to the Sword Sect with Xie Xiuji. Three-month-old Jiujiu is expected to hatch in another three months.
• Xie Xiuji’s duties keep him away for days at a time. While he is gone, Song Miaomiao comes to Clear Snow Peak to help Song Zhizhi care for Jiujiu.
• When Xie returns, he finds Song Zhizhi and Miaomiao absorbed in baking while Jiujiu chirps along. Their inattention leaves him feeling overlooked. Song Zhizhi sends him off with Jiujiu, and he eventually bathes, changes, and checks his appearance in the mirror before trying to look his best again.

Character developments and interactions

• The Great Elder is furious over his losses but remains decisive, choosing escalation rather than continued concealment.
• Song Zhizhi and Song Miaomiao’s bond has grown closer; they comfortably share domestic tasks and childcare.
• Xie Xiuji is shown as affectionate and slightly insecure: after returning from a tiring assignment, he longs for Song Zhizhi’s attention and wonders whether he looks less handsome.
• Song Zhizhi is content and occupied with Miaomiao, the baby, and baking, while Xie’s dramatic bid for attention provides light comedy.
• Jiujiu remains unhatched but is lively, chirping as if joining the conversation.

Significant themes

• Consequences and accountability: The Song household’s status contrasts with the severe punishment of someone who knew of wrongdoing and failed to report it.
• Escalating conflict: The Great Elder’s depleted forces push him toward a more aggressive strategy.
• Family and everyday intimacy: Shared childcare and domestic routines strengthen the women’s relationship.
• Romantic comedy: Xie’s jealousy of a recipe and his concern over his appearance gently undercut his formidable status as Sword Venerable.

Chapter 162 Summary

• Key events: Song Zhizhi leaves Xie Xiuji a note inviting him to Scarlet Cloud Hall, where she has prepared a birthday surprise. He finds her waiting in a warmly lit kitchen. After teasing guesses—including that she is pregnant—she reveals a bowl of homemade noodles and wishes him a happy birthday.
• Character developments: Xie Xiuji is affectionate and eager to be close to Song Zhizhi, but he has forgotten his own birthday. Since his parents died, he has focused on cultivation and stopped celebrating it. Song Zhizhi’s thoughtful celebration brings this neglected part of his life back into focus.
• Character interactions: Xie Xiuji embraces and kisses Song Zhizhi, while she playfully keeps the surprise secret and redirects his attention. His guesses show both his desire for intimacy and his concern about the possibility of another child; her final reveal turns the moment into a tender gesture of care.
• Significant themes: The chapter contrasts long-lived cultivators’ pursuit of cultivation with the importance of ordinary human rituals and affection. It also emphasizes intimacy, remembrance, and how small acts of love can restore meaning to a forgotten personal milestone.

Plot points and events

• Song Zhizhi surprises Xie Xiuji on his birthday with a bowl of homemade longevity noodles. Though imperfect, the single long noodle and the care behind it move him deeply.
• The couple share an intimate evening. The next morning, Xie Xiuji tends to Song Zhizhi and makes the shrimp dumplings she asks for.
• Song Zhizhi remembers his whispered confession—“Meeting you is the greatest blessing of my life”—and tells him she feels the same.
• Three months later, Jiujiu is nearing the end of his time as an egg. Xie Xiuji has set aside other duties to wait with Song Zhizhi.
• On a stormy, overcast morning, Jiujiu falls unusually quiet, and Song Zhizhi senses that he will hatch that day. They take him to a prepared platform atop Red Cloud Peak, protected by formations and lightning-resistant artifacts.

Character development and interactions

• Song Zhizhi shows her affection through thoughtful effort, learning to make noodles for Xie Xiuji’s birthday. She responds to his confession with equal warmth and reassures Jiujiu that both parents will be close by.
• Xie Xiuji is deeply touched by Song Zhizhi’s gift and expresses his love more openly than usual. His tenderness continues the next morning as he cares for her and prepares her meal.
• Together, the couple share a trusting, affectionate relationship, and their devotion extends to the care they take preparing for Jiujiu’s hatching.

Significant themes

• Love expressed through small acts of care: The noodles and shrimp dumplings carry emotional weight because of the thought and effort behind them.
• Mutual devotion: Both spouses regard meeting one another as a great blessing.
• Family and anticipation: The parents’ careful preparations and promises to remain nearby emphasize their protectiveness and excitement as Jiujiu prepares to hatch.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xie Xiuji carries Song Zhizhi and their child away from the tribulation zone, knowing that outsiders—even parents—would strengthen the lightning and endanger Jiujiu.
• The Sword Sect witnesses tribulation clouds gathering over Red Cloud Peak. While many assume Xie Xiuji is advancing in the Mahayana Stage, others realize the localized clouds resemble a Nascent Soul tribulation.
• The truth becomes clear: Jiujiu, still inside his egg, is undergoing the dangerous process of being born as a phoenix.
• As the tribulation clouds intensify, Jiujiu spends more than three hours pecking through his unusually tough eggshell. Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji anxiously encourage him.
• Jiujiu finally creates an opening, pushes out his head and wing, and instinctively realizes he must consume the entire shell to survive the impending tribulation.
• After eating the last piece of shell, Jiujiu emerges and immediately grabs the nearby artifact containing Phoenix Essence Blood.
• At that moment, the tribulation lightning strikes with tremendous force, leaving Song Zhizhi unable to see what has happened and terrified for Jiujiu’s safety.

Character Developments

• Jiujiu: Demonstrates determination, intelligence, and the powerful survival instincts of a phoenix. Despite exhaustion and difficulty breaking the shell, he perseveres and completes his rebirth just before the lightning arrives.
• Song Zhizhi: Shows intense maternal anxiety and emotional attachment to Jiujiu. Her fear gradually turns to joy when he first breaks through, but she becomes overwhelmed again when the tribulation begins.
• Xie Xiuji: Acts as a calm, protective father and partner. He physically supports Song Zhizhi, reassures both her and Jiujiu, and hides his own concern to give them confidence.
• Qingyu: Uses her half bird-clan blood and sensitivity to fate to recognize that a phoenix is about to be born, emphasizing the event’s supernatural importance.
• Aunt Lan: Transforms into a bird and flies toward the Sword Sect, suggesting she intends to witness or assist with Jiujiu’s birth.

Significant Themes

• Parental love and protection: Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji can do little to help directly, but their presence and encouragement give Jiujiu emotional support.
• Birth, rebirth, and transformation: Jiujiu’s emergence from the egg represents the beginning of his true phoenix identity and a major stage in his growth.
• Perseverance and instinct: Jiujiu’s struggle to break and consume the shell reflects both personal determination and the innate survival instincts of his bloodline.
• Power and destiny: The enormous tribulation signals Jiujiu’s extraordinary nature and foreshadows his future strength and significance.
• Vulnerability amid overwhelming power: The loving family moment contrasts sharply with the destructive lightning, emphasizing the danger surrounding Jiujiu’s birth.

Character Interactions

• Xie Xiuji holds and comforts Song Zhizhi throughout the crisis, repeatedly assuring her that Jiujiu will survive.
• Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji verbally encourage Jiujiu as he struggles to hatch, celebrating when he finally breaks through.
• Song Zhizhi impulsively embraces and kisses Xie Xiuji when Jiujiu first opens the shell, sharing a moment of joy with him.
• Jiujiu responds to his parents’ voices with excited chirps and draws strength from their encouragement before facing the tribulation lightning alone.

Summary

Plot points and events

Jiujiu undergoes her Phoenix tribulation, facing nine bolts of Tribulation Lightning. The first eight destroy Xie Xiuji’s formations and protective artifacts, but an artifact held in Jiujiu’s beak shields her and helps her grow stronger. Her appearance changes from a fragile yellow chick into a small, fully formed golden Phoenix with magnificent wings and tail feathers. During the ninth strike, Golden Phoenix True Fire ignites across her wings, and she flies directly through the lightning. Birds throughout the region sense her birth and respond with a great chorus. After the tribulation, Heaven grants Jiujiu a five-colored blessing, which enters her body and may also benefit Song Zhizhi.

Character developments

Jiujiu matures rapidly, both physically and spiritually, after surviving the tribulation. She gains a clear, elegant Phoenix cry and can transform into human form, appearing as a tiny girl of about one year old. Her human appearance combines Xie Xiuji’s eyes and brows with Song Zhizhi’s facial features. She also begins speaking, immediately recognizing Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji as “Mother” and “Father.” Xie Xiuji, usually composed and dependable, becomes visibly nervous and awkward when holding his fragile daughter. Song Zhizhi’s fear during the tribulation gives way to overwhelming maternal affection.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes endurance, transformation, and the rewards that follow surviving hardship. Jiujiu’s tribulation symbolizes her passage from infancy into true Phoenixhood, while the Heavenly blessing suggests divine recognition of her achievement. Family love is central: the dangerous birth and cultivation breakthrough culminate not in power or glory, but in the intimate joy of Jiujiu embracing and naming her parents. The scene also balances epic supernatural imagery with warm domestic comedy.

Character interactions

Song Zhizhi anxiously watches over Jiujiu during the lightning strikes, relying on Xie Xiuji for support. Once Jiujiu becomes human, mother and daughter exchange kisses and affectionate praise, with Jiujiu gleefully imitating Song Zhizhi. Xie Xiuji initially watches them quietly before reminding them of his presence. Jiujiu then calls him “Father” and asks to be held, deeply moving him. Although he carefully takes her from Song Zhizhi, his unfamiliarity with handling such a small child leaves him stiff, nervous, and comically unsure.
The author’s note clarifies that Jiujiu’s gender was decided during the writing of the chapter and that she is now established as a daughter.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Xie Xiuji nervously holds his newborn daughter, Jiujiu, while Song Zhizhi teaches him the proper way to support her. Their teasing banter eases his anxiety.
• Song Zhizhi suddenly senses that she is about to advance in cultivation. Her strength rapidly rises from the Late Golden Core Stage to the Peak Golden Core Stage, then breaks through into the Early Nascent Soul Stage.
• Her advancement summons a massive Tribulation Lightning cloud over Red Cloud Peak, powerful enough to cover half the Sword Sect. Jiujiu innocently points out the “light” and “boom boom.”
• Xie Xiuji places Jiujiu safely in her nest behind a protective barrier and carries Song Zhizhi to the sect’s tribulation platform. Song Zhizhi repairs the platform’s damaged formation while Xie Xiuji prepares protective artifacts.
• Xie Xiuji wants to remain and shield Song Zhizhi from the lightning, but she refuses, explaining that his presence would double the tribulation’s power and endanger both of them. She reminds him that their survival is also necessary for Jiujiu.
• Reluctantly, Xie Xiuji agrees to wait outside with their daughter. The couple share a tender farewell before Song Zhizhi faces the nine bolts of Nascent Soul Tribulation Lightning alone.

Character developments

• Xie Xiuji: Despite being a powerful Sword Venerable, he is visibly nervous and inexperienced when caring for his newborn daughter. His extreme protectiveness toward Song Zhizhi reveals his deep attachment and willingness to sacrifice himself, though he ultimately respects her judgment.
• Song Zhizhi: She demonstrates rapid cultivation growth, emotional steadiness, and confidence under pressure. Even though her advancement is sudden and unprepared, she takes practical steps to repair the formation and insists on facing the tribulation independently.
• Jiujiu: The baby begins showing awareness and attempting to communicate, pointing out the lightning in childish speech. Her existence becomes a central reason for both parents to act cautiously and survive.

Significant themes

• Family and responsibility: Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji’s decisions are shaped by their duty to protect and raise Jiujiu.
• Love expressed through protection: Xie Xiuji’s instinct is to take the danger upon himself, while Song Zhizhi protects him by refusing to let him interfere.
• Trust and partnership: Their Dao Companion Pact and mutual understanding allow them to separate despite their fears.
• Growth and facing trials: Song Zhizhi’s sudden breakthrough mirrors the broader challenge of entering a new stage of life and cultivation without adequate preparation.

Important interactions

• Song Zhizhi playfully mocks Xie Xiuji’s awkwardness with Jiujiu, and he responds with flirtatious humor.
• When the tribulation begins, Xie Xiuji prioritizes Jiujiu’s safety before carrying Song Zhizhi to the platform.
• The couple argue tenderly over whether he should stay, with Song Zhizhi using both reason and the threat of making him sleep in the study to force him to leave.
• They exchange a kiss and reassurance before parting, with Xie Xiuji stopping Song Zhizhi from speaking ominously about death.

Chapter Summary: “The Beginning of Turmoil”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Zhizhi undergoes a dangerous Nascent Soul tribulation after receiving an infusion of spiritual energy connected to the excess Heavenly Dao blessing granted to Jiujiu.
• The first lightning strike destroys her protective formation and artifacts, while the second severely damages her spiritual barrier. Despite the danger, she survives all nine bolts of tribulation lightning.
• After successfully passing the tribulation, the blessing glow heals Song Zhizhi’s injuries, and her Golden Core transforms into a Nascent Soul.
• Her advancement is revealed to have been caused by the overflow of Jiujiu’s Heavenly Dao blessing. Because Song Zhizhi was forcibly elevated, her foundation is unstable, and she must consolidate her cultivation for at least three years before advancing again.
• Xie Xiuji publicly explains the two rounds of lightning as Song Zhizhi failing and then retrying her tribulation, concealing the truth about Jiujiu’s connection to the event.
• Song Zhizhi becomes the youngest Nascent Soul Cultivator in the current Cultivation World. However, the Sword Sect does not hold a ceremony for her because a major crisis erupts in the south.
• A powerful group of Demonic Cultivators, led by someone possibly at the Mahayana Stage, attacks numerous sects, destroys their defensive formations, and abducts hundreds of thousands of cultivators and mortals to Extreme Sea City.
• The city has been transformed into a Life-Refining Grand Formation, a forbidden and nearly lost formation that sacrifices a million lives to create an immensely powerful evil creature.
• Aunt Lan identifies Shen Zhi as a likely connection to the formation. His maternal clan, the Shen Family, once created the Life-Refining Grand Formation, and Shen Zhi may have seen its diagram before the family’s destruction.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi: Successfully reaches the Nascent Soul realm at only twenty years old, demonstrating exceptional talent and resilience. However, her rapid advancement leaves her foundation unstable, forcing her to prioritize consolidation over further cultivation.
• Xie Xiuji: Displays intense fear and concern during Song Zhizhi’s tribulation, silently injuring his hand from clenching his fist. After she survives, he openly comforts and embraces her, revealing the depth of his attachment.
• Jiujiu: Comforts Xie Xiuji during the tribulation by imitating his protective behavior and reassuring him. Her Heavenly Dao blessing indirectly enables Song Zhizhi’s breakthrough.
• Aunt Lan: Shows her hatred and detailed knowledge of Shen Zhi by immediately connecting his family history to the forbidden formation.

Significant Themes

• Love and emotional support: Xie Xiuji’s anxiety and Jiujiu’s innocent reassurance emphasize the family’s strong emotional bond.
• Hidden truths and deception: The true cause of Song Zhizhi’s breakthrough and Jiujiu’s special nature are concealed from the Sword Sect, while Xie Xiuji provides a carefully constructed public explanation.
• The cost of power: Song Zhizhi gains a higher realm but at the risk of an unstable foundation, showing that sudden strength carries consequences.
• Escalating danger: The chapter shifts from personal cultivation and family moments to a large-scale threat endangering the entire Cultivation World.
• Forbidden knowledge and recurring evil: The reappearance of the Life-Refining Grand Formation suggests that ancient destructive forces and lost techniques are returning.

Character Interactions

• Song Zhizhi reassures Xie Xiuji before the tribulation, promising that she will succeed.
• Xie Xiuji supports her emotionally, watches helplessly during the lightning, and embraces her afterward.
• Jiujiu comforts her father while he worries about Song Zhizhi, strengthening the sense of them as a family.
• After Song Zhizhi’s breakthrough, she and Xie Xiuji share a tender reunion and agree to return home together.
• Aunt Lan and the other Sword Sect members analyze the crisis and connect Shen Zhi’s family history to the enemy’s deadly formation.

Chapter Summary: “Return to the Demon Realm”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Zhi’s attempt to recreate the Life-Refining Grand Formation prompts the Cultivation World to act. Because the formation previously produced a devastating evil being capable of killing Mahayana cultivators, the Sword Sect sends Xie Xiuji to Extreme Sea City to stop him.
• Xie Xiuji leads the mission as the Sword Sect’s strongest available fighter, accompanied only by cultivators at or above the Spirit Transformation Stage. The sect’s other Mahayana elders remain in life-or-death seclusion.
• Song Zhizhi and their young daughter, Jiujiu, see Xie Xiuji off. Song gives him a protective jade pendant, while he reassures her that he will return safely.
• Shortly afterward, Aunt Lan arrives with urgent news: internal turmoil has erupted in the Demon Realm. A powerful faction has gathered demons and intends to break through the Barrier and attack the Human Race.
• Song Zhizhi realizes that the Demon Realm’s rebellion is likely connected to Shen Zhi and the Demonic Cultivators involved in the Life-Refining Grand Formation.
• Since most of the Sword Sect’s capable fighters have already gone to Extreme Sea City, the remaining sects are poorly suited to suppress the demons. Song therefore volunteers to return to the Demon Realm.
• Sect Master Mingxu initially objects because the mission is dangerous, Song is needed to care for Jiujiu, and Xie Xiuji may become distracted if he learns she is in danger.
• Song argues that she is the most suitable person: she is Feng Ling’s daughter, has a legitimate connection to the Demon Realm, and is a powerful Nascent Soul cultivator trained by Xie Xiuji and Qingyu.
• She entrusts Jiujiu to Sect Master Mingxu, promises her daughter candied hawthorn skewers, and leaves with Aunt Lan to stabilize the Demon Realm.
• The chapter closes with Song returning to the Demon Realm after several months. She has not concealed her plans from Xie Xiuji, trusting him to survive at Extreme Sea City just as he trusts her to protect the rear.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi: Demonstrates courage, responsibility, and political awareness. Although she is deeply concerned for Xie Xiuji, she refuses to remain passive and accepts the danger of defending the Demon Realm. Her decision reflects both her role as a mother and her identity as Feng Ling’s daughter and a potential future Demon King.
• Xie Xiuji: Shows devotion to both his family and his duty. He does not want to leave his wife and newborn daughter, but accepts the responsibility of confronting Shen Zhi. His family gives him emotional strength and motivation to survive.
• Sect Master Mingxu: Acts protectively toward Song Zhizhi and worries about the consequences if she is harmed. Despite his objections, he ultimately becomes responsible for caring for Jiujiu while Song is away.
• Jiujiu: Displays innocent affection toward her father and trust in her mother. Her cheerful response to the promise of candied hawthorn provides a tender contrast to the surrounding danger.
• Aunt Lan: Serves as the messenger bringing news of the Demon Realm’s crisis and accompanies Song Zhizhi back to help resolve it.

Significant Themes

• Duty versus family: Both Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji must leave their young daughter and risk their lives for the survival of the Human and Demon Realms.
• Mutual trust in marriage: Song and Xie trust each other to fulfill their responsibilities without being held back by fear or romantic attachment.
• Responsibility and leadership: Song accepts that her position and heritage require her to protect the Demon Realm rather than leave the burden to others.
• Connected threats: The simultaneous emergence of the Life-Refining crisis and the Demon Realm rebellion suggests a larger conspiracy involving Shen Zhi and Demonic Cultivators.
• Love as strength: Family does not weaken Xie Xiuji’s resolve; Song and Jiujiu become the emotional “ropes” that bind him to life and give him the will to fight.

Character Interactions

• Song and Xie share a tender farewell, including the protective jade pendant, a kiss, and mutual promises to return safely.
• Xie affectionately interacts with Jiujiu, who calls him “Daddy,” emphasizing their close family bond.
• Aunt Lan informs Song of the Demon Realm’s emergency and helps her prepare to leave.
• Song debates her suitability for the mission with Sect Master Mingxu, asserting her authority, abilities, and responsibility.
• Song entrusts Jiujiu to Mingxu, creating a temporary familial arrangement while both parents are away.
• Song and Xie’s decision to be honest about their plans highlights their deep mutual confidence and emotional trust.

Chapter 169 Summary

• Plot and events: Song Zhizhi leaves Jiujiu in the Sword Sect for protection and returns to the Demon Realm with Aunt Lan. After crossing the Death Desert and reaching Ten Thousand Demons City, she finds the city unusually quiet and heavily guarded. The demons attack her because she is dressed like a human and carries a sword, associating that appearance with recent demon massacres.
• Conflict at the city gates: The guards refuse to believe Song Zhizhi is a guest of the Venomtail Demon King. Before she can contact him, a bear demon identifies her scent as human, prompting the guards to surround and attack her. Song Zhizhi easily catches an arrow and withstands their coordinated assault.
• Song Zhizhi’s power: She releases the aura of her Phoenix True Fire, terrifying the surrounding demons. Weaker demons revert to their animal forms or collapse, while the Golden Core guards become immobilized. The captain immediately kneels and apologizes after realizing she possesses the aura of a powerful demon. Song Zhizhi’s newly advanced Nascent Soul cultivation, Phoenix True Fire, and Vermilion Bird Sword now give her the strength to contend with Spirit Transformation-level opponents.
• Revelation about the attackers: Song Zhizhi questions the guards about their hostility toward humans. The captain explains that, about a month earlier, a group of white-robed sword wielders appeared in the Demon Realm claiming to be Sword Sect Inner Sect Disciples. They have been killing demons indiscriminately in the name of “acting on Heaven’s behalf,” particularly targeting weaker demons. As a result, the Demon Realm now treats white-clothed sword users as enemies.
• Character development and interactions: Song Zhizhi remains composed despite being ambushed and chooses to suppress rather than kill the guards, seeking information instead. Her overwhelming power causes the demons to mistake her for a great demon, creating a humorous contrast with her small, human appearance. Aunt Lan witnesses how dramatically Song Zhizhi’s strength and Phoenix True Fire have grown.
• Themes: The chapter highlights the consequences of prejudice and collective fear, as the demons judge Song Zhizhi based on her appearance and confuse her with the killers. It also introduces deception and political manipulation: Song Zhizhi realizes the supposed Sword Sect disciples are impostors, since genuine Sword Sect cultivators would have no reason to undertake such a dangerous, thankless campaign. The chapter ends by establishing a mystery surrounding the false disciples and their motive for provoking hostility between humans and demons.

Chapter 92: “Fishing Expert” — Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Zhizhi learns that a group of people disguised as Sword Sect cultivators has been attacking and killing low-level demons throughout the Demon Realm.
• The attackers loudly proclaim the Sword Sect’s intention to exterminate demons and destroy the Demon Realm, then disappear using concealment artifacts or formations.
• They deliberately leave survivors behind to spread the story, causing widespread anger among the demons. More than half of the Demon Race now supports breaking the Barrier and attacking the human cultivators.
• The attacks occur every three to seven days and have gradually moved from the northern regions toward Ten Thousand Demons City. The latest attack occurred near the Forest of Ten Thousand Demons.
• Song Zhizhi deduces that another attack is likely soon. Rather than merely increasing patrols, she devises a trap based on the principle of fishing: use convincing bait to lure the attackers out.
• A convoy of gray-brown carts carrying ore leaves Ten Thousand Demons City. The convoy includes a male rabbit demon driver, who is mocked and humiliated by stronger demons but silently endures their abuse.
• At noon, the convoy stops in the Forest of Ten Thousand Demons. The travelers prepare an enticing meal, including high-grade spirit beast meat, apparently to make the convoy seem like an easy and valuable target.
• Hidden nearby, five Golden Core-stage attackers observe the convoy. Believing the guards to be weak and the group’s routine to be genuine, they prepare to ambush them. The chapter ends as they are about to take the bait.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi demonstrates her intelligence, patience, and strategic ability. She organizes the attack patterns on a map, identifies the enemy’s psychological tactics, predicts their next move, and designs a counter-trap.
• She also shows confidence in her own skills, humorously presenting herself as a more experienced “fishing expert” than the Demon Kings.
• The Venomtail Demon King and Demon King Lanti have attempted to stop the attackers through stronger patrols but have been unable to detect them. Their inability to solve the problem leads them to rely on Song Zhizhi.
• The rabbit demon is portrayed as physically weaker and socially marginalized. Despite being insulted by stronger demons, he restrains his anger instead of provoking a fight, suggesting either patience, discipline, or a role in Song Zhizhi’s plan.
• The disguised attackers are shown to be confident and careless. Their belief that the convoy is unguarded causes them to overlook the possibility of a trap.

Significant Themes

• Deception and counter-deception: The false Sword Cultivators manipulate public opinion through staged attacks, while Song Zhizhi counters them by creating a false opportunity.
• Patience and strategy: Song Zhizhi’s “fishing” metaphor emphasizes waiting for the right moment and using bait intelligently rather than relying on brute force.
• Propaganda and public fear: The attackers’ performances and surviving witnesses turn isolated murders into political outrage, bringing the Demon and Human Races closer to open war.
• Prejudice and social hierarchy: The rabbit demon’s humiliation reflects the Demon Realm’s contempt for those who appear weak or fail to meet its standards of strength and masculinity.
• Escalating conflict: The attacks threaten to repeat the catastrophic events of ten thousand years earlier by destroying the fragile peace between humans and demons.

Character Interactions

• The Venomtail Demon King asks Song Zhizhi to investigate the attacks and restore the truth, placing responsibility for the crisis in her hands.
• Song Zhizhi discusses the problem with the Demon King and develops a plan to lure out the attackers.
• The rabbit demon is harassed by bear, wolf, and tiger demons but refuses to respond openly, highlighting the social cruelty within the convoy.
• The hidden attackers discuss the convoy among themselves, confidently estimating the guards’ strength and concluding that no trap is present—an assumption Song Zhizhi intends to exploit.

Chapter Summary: “The Truth Behind the Turmoil”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A group of Snow Wolf demons disguises itself as Sword Sect disciples and plans to ambush a seemingly unprotected convoy. Their goal is to steal its supplies and kill the passengers while using a Teleportation Array to escape.
• The convoy is actually a trap. The “rabbit youth” is only a paper puppet, and the carts conceal numerous Ten Thousand Demons City guards, including six Golden Core cultivators and several Foundation Establishment cultivators.
• The disguised wolves attempt to flee through the forest toward their escape array. However, the person waiting there is Song Zhizhi, not their missing companion.
• Song Zhizhi immobilizes the attackers with the pressure of her Phoenix True Fire. Their disguises fail, revealing them as gray-and-white Snow Wolves.
• Under intimidation, the wolves confess that Elder Teng of the Snow Wolf Clan ordered them to take concealment pills, impersonate Sword Sect disciples, and provoke hostility between the Human Race and the Demon Realm.
• Song Zhizhi orders their cultivation destroyed and commands that they be hung from Ten Thousand Demons City’s walls for three months. A Recording Stone plays back their confession and crimes publicly.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi demonstrates her strength, authority, and ruthlessness. She quickly identifies the attackers, forces the truth from them without physical interrogation, and delivers a punishment designed both to fit Sword Sect law and to deter further crimes.
• The Snow Wolf attackers are revealed to be cowardly conspirators rather than genuine Sword Cultivators. Their fear under Song Zhizhi’s power leads them to betray Elder Teng and disclose the larger plot.
• The Ten Thousand Demons City guards act as Song Zhizhi’s hidden support and help execute the ambush and punishment.
• Elder Teng is established as a major unseen antagonist whose orders suggest that the Snow Wolf Clan is deliberately manufacturing conflict.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus deception: The wolves use disguises, concealment pills, and false identities to manipulate tensions between humans and demons, but their deception is exposed.
• Political intrigue and manufactured conflict: The attack is part of a broader scheme to damage the Sword Sect’s reputation and provoke racial hostility.
• Justice and public deterrence: Song Zhizhi’s punishment is not merely retribution; displaying the wolves and replaying their confession warns the entire Demon Realm against similar conspiracies.
• Hidden power and strategic preparation: The apparent vulnerability of the convoy masks a carefully planned counterattack, emphasizing that appearances can be deliberately misleading.
• The Snow Wolf Clan’s ambition: Background information reveals that the clan rose to power after Demon King White Snow’s death and may now seek influence beyond its northern snowfields.

Character Interactions

• The Snow Wolf leader commands his group to attack the convoy, but the ambush reverses the power dynamic when the concealed guards emerge.
• The wolves mistake Song Zhizhi for an ally sent by “Elder Teng,” only to realize that she is their enemy.
• Song Zhizhi confronts and interrogates them through overwhelming spiritual pressure, while they plead for mercy and blame their actions on Elder Teng.
• Song Zhizhi instructs the city guard captain to carry out the sentence, reinforcing her authority and linking the punishment to both Sword Sect law and public justice.

Chapter 172 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• A public denunciation is held beneath Ten Thousand Demons City’s walls. A silver-tongued parrot storyteller announces that members of the Snow Wolf Clan disguised themselves as humans and murdered 132 demons to frame human cultivators and provoke war between the human and demon races.
• The crowd is stirred into demanding the Snow Wolf Clan members’ deaths, reinforcing support for the laws and peace established by the late Feng Ling.
• Song Zhizhi learns from the Venomtail Demon King that Shen Zhi, once Feng Ling’s trusted subordinate, is the half-brother of the current Snow Wolf Clan chief. Because Shen Zhi is only half Snow Wolf, the clan never acknowledged him, and he reportedly has a poor relationship with his younger brother.
• Song Zhizhi reveals that the captured Snow Wolf demons used Concealment Gu hidden inside pills to suppress their demonic aura and impersonate humans. She concludes that Shen Zhi must have supplied them, as he is the only person known to possess these Gu insects.
• She burns the Concealment Gu with her Phoenix True Fire and decides to use the imprisoned Snow Wolf demons as bait. One captive is Elder Teng’s beloved grandson, whom Song Zhizhi expects Elder Teng will attempt to rescue.
• That evening, Elder Teng, a Nascent Soul Peak cultivator, attacks Ten Thousand Demons City after seeing his grandson weakened and hanging from the city wall. His attack is stopped effortlessly by the city’s protective barrier, a formation created by Feng Ling that can withstand a full-force Mahayana attack.
• The Venomtail Demon King confronts Elder Teng but admits he is not his equal. He then brings Song Zhizhi forward to fight in his place. Mistaking her for an ordinary Nascent Soul Early Stage cultivator, Elder Teng immediately attacks her with a deadly vine.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi demonstrates sharp political judgment and strategic cruelty, using the captured demons to expose the Snow Wolf Clan’s allies and force them into action.
• Her cultivation and combat strength have advanced dramatically. She has reached the Nascent Soul Realm, wields Phoenix True Fire and the Vermilion Bird Sword, and has inherited Xie Xiuji’s teachings.
• The Venomtail Demon King’s attitude toward Song Zhizhi changes from formal loyalty to genuine respect. He recognizes her personal strength, authority, and potential to lead the Demon Race’s future.
• Song Zhizhi’s demeanor has become more decisive and battle-hardened. The Venomtail Demon King compares her killing intent and presence to Feng Ling in his youth.
• Elder Teng is revealed to be fiercely protective of his grandson, allowing his emotions to draw him into a confrontation with Ten Thousand Demons City.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and public opinion: The parrot storyteller turns the crowd’s anger toward the Snow Wolf Clan, showing how rhetoric can shape political sentiment.
• Peace versus provocation: The Snow Wolf Clan’s murders are portrayed as a deliberate attempt to destroy Feng Ling’s rules and reignite conflict between humans and demons.
• Justice and vengeance: Song Zhizhi shows no pity for the captured Snow Wolf demons, believing their punishment is deserved for the innocents they killed.
• Hidden identities and deception: The Concealment Gu symbolize the Snow Wolf Clan’s broader strategy of disguise, framing, and covert manipulation.
• Emerging leadership: Song Zhizhi is increasingly stepping out of the shadow of Feng Ling and Xie Xiuji, earning respect through her own strength and decisions.

Character Interactions

• Song Zhizhi consults with the Venomtail Demon King about Shen Zhi, the Concealment Gu, and the Snow Wolf Clan’s plans.
• She instructs Venomtail to let her handle any rescue attempts, asserting control over the coming conflict.
• The Venomtail Demon King publicly taunts Elder Teng and then deliberately presents Song Zhizhi as his opponent.
• Elder Teng underestimates Song Zhizhi because of her apparent cultivation level and attacks her immediately, setting up the chapter’s impending confrontation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Elder Teng reveals his true form as a powerful grass-sinew vine demon, whose tough, paralyzing vines overwhelm the battlefield.
• He attacks Song Zhizhi in revenge for her harming his grandson, but she focuses on evasion while gradually maneuvering him between herself and the Venomtail Demon King.
• Song Zhizhi unleashes the Vermilion Bird Sword and its Phoenix True Fire, which completely counters Elder Teng’s wood-based nature. The flames destroy his vines and leave him unable to resist.
• Recognizing Song Zhizhi and realizing that Phoenix True Fire is his natural weakness, Elder Teng attempts to flee. Song Zhizhi easily intercepts him and challenges him, prompting him to surrender and confess.
• Elder Teng reveals that the Snow Wolf Clan’s leader is deliberately stirring hatred between demons and humans. The plan is to gather demon soldiers, supposedly break through the Demon Realm’s Barrier, and join Shen Zhi in Extreme Sea City to attack the Human Race.
• The demons cannot actually break the Barrier. Instead, the Snow Wolf Clan possesses a Teleportation Array connecting to Extreme Sea City, allowing them to secretly transport the gathered forces.
• Song Zhizhi discovers the intended demons are not merely soldiers but sacrifices for the Life-Refining Grand Formation in Extreme Sea City. Shen Zhi needs one million lives to complete the formation and is still short by one hundred thousand.
• Elder Teng had already helped gather thirty thousand of the planned one hundred thousand demon soldiers.
• Although Elder Teng theatrically expresses regret at being deceived, Song Zhizhi sees through his performance. She spares him from execution because of his cooperation but makes clear that he will still be punished.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi demonstrates tactical intelligence by using evasion to draw Elder Teng into a vulnerable position rather than confronting his massive vine attack directly.
• Her mastery of the Vermilion Bird Sword and Phoenix True Fire establishes her overwhelming advantage against wood-element demons, even those at a higher cultivation level.
• Song Zhizhi also proves her strength as an investigator and strategist, connecting the Teleportation Array, Extreme Sea City, and the Life-Refining Grand Formation.
• Elder Teng shifts rapidly from a furious attacker to a terrified captive once he realizes Song Zhizhi possesses Phoenix True Fire. His willingness to betray the Snow Wolf Clan shows his fear and lack of loyalty, while his exaggerated remorse suggests he is still trying to manipulate the situation.
• Shen Zhi becomes more clearly identified as the force behind a massive sacrificial scheme aimed at creating a powerful evil object.

Significant Themes

• Natural weaknesses and overwhelming power: Phoenix True Fire is portrayed as the absolute nemesis of plant demons, showing how specific abilities can nullify even a major cultivation advantage.
• Deception and manipulation: The Snow Wolf Clan disguises a sacrificial operation as a military campaign, exploiting demons’ desire for a better future.
• Political conflict between humans and demons: The unrest is deliberately manufactured to provoke war and weaken cooperation between the two races.
• Justice and calculated mercy: Song Zhizhi punishes enemies according to their actions but leaves room for leniency when they cooperate and provide useful information.
• Appearance versus reality: Elder Teng’s false remorse mirrors the larger deception surrounding the supposed attack on the Human Realm.

Character Interactions

• Elder Teng’s violent confrontation with Song Zhizhi ends with her psychologically and physically dominating him through the Phoenix True Fire.
• His recognition of Song Zhizhi reflects her growing reputation throughout the Demon Realm.
• Song Zhizhi interrogates Elder Teng about the Snow Wolf Clan’s plan and exposes the truth behind the Teleportation Array.
• Their final exchange highlights Song Zhizhi’s sharp judgment: she accepts his confession but openly rejects his insincere performance of repentance.

Key plot points and events

• Song Zhizhi gives Elder Teng a choice: die beside his captured grandson or destroy his cultivation. He chooses to live, shatters his Demon Core, and is left almost powerless and physically transformed. Song allows him to go free because he exposed the Snow Wolf Clan’s plans, but condemns the grandson and other demons responsible for killing members of the Demon Race.
• Song decides to wage war on the Snow Wolf Clan. Although its members may have been deceived by Shen Zhi, they were willing to use the Demon Realm’s people as cannon fodder. Song sees crushing the clan as a warning to others plotting against her people.
• The Venomtail Demon King and Demon King Lanti assemble an army and march north. Lanti explains the Snow Wolf Clan’s strength: its chief is at the Spirit Transformation Stage, supported by several powerful Nascent Soul cultivators and thousands of lesser cultivators.
• After two days, the army reaches the snowy territory. The Snow Wolf chief confronts Song’s delegation. Song presents a Recording Stone containing evidence, but he crushes it and asks whether that means negotiations are impossible. Song points out that she has kept copies.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Zhizhi shows firm, pragmatic leadership: she grants mercy only when it serves a purpose, accepts responsibility for protecting the Demon Realm, and is prepared to use force to deter future conspiracies.
• Elder Teng chooses self-preservation over his grandson, then loses his cultivation and former status. His submission contrasts with Song’s resolve.
• The Venomtail Demon King acknowledges Song’s authority and recognizes echoes of her father, Feng Ling, in her. He commits to carrying out her decision.
• Demon King Lanti supports the campaign and provides the intelligence needed to plan it.
• The Snow Wolf chief remains composed and defiant, destroying the evidence rather than responding to its contents. His exchange with Song establishes the conflict’s immediate tension.

Significant themes

• Justice versus mercy: Song distinguishes between Elder Teng, who provides useful information, and those directly responsible for slaughter.
• Leadership and responsibility: Song acts to protect the wider Demon Realm, not simply to punish one clan.
• Deterrence and power: The campaign is intended to stop hidden enemies from exploiting the Demon Realm.
• Self-preservation and loyalty: Elder Teng’s willingness to sacrifice his grandson reveals the limits of his familial attachment.

Chapter Summary: “Heading to Extreme Sea City”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Zhizhi reveals that the large group has come to confront the Snow Wolf Clan, not negotiate peacefully. A major battle immediately begins between Song Zhizhi’s forces and the Snow Wolf Clan.
• Song Zhizhi fights a water-element Nascent Soul Peak Realm demon cultivator who transforms into a powerful white bear. Although water should restrain fire, Song Zhizhi’s Phoenix True Fire and exceptional swordsmanship allow her to hold her ground.
• Aunt Lan battles the Snow Wolf Clan Chief, while Venomtail Demon King fights a metal-element cultivator and Demon King Lanti faces two ice-element cultivators.
• Demon King Lanti defeats his opponents first, killing two snow wolves and greatly boosting the morale of his troops. He then assists Venomtail Demon King.
• Aunt Lan kills the Snow Wolf Clan Chief by piercing his throat. With their leader dead, the Snow Wolf Clan’s forces collapse: some flee, while others surrender.
• Song Zhizhi remains in combat and ultimately kills the white-bear demon cultivator. She uses overwhelming Phoenix True Fire and trades injuries to overcome the opponent’s elemental advantage.
• Her victory establishes her reputation and authority throughout the Demon Realm. Those who witness the battle recognize both the terrifying power of her Phoenix True Fire and her strength as a sword cultivator.
• Despite being seriously bloodied, Song Zhizhi refuses to rest. She takes healing and Spirit-Recovery Pills and orders the group to locate the Snow Wolf Clan’s Teleportation Array.
• The group discovers a large, one-way array in the clan’s back mountain. Song Zhizhi, Aunt Lan, Venomtail Demon King, Demon King Lanti, and several demon soldiers prepare to teleport to Extreme Sea City.
• Their goal is to warn Xie Xiuji that more than thirty thousand demon cultivators may be heading toward Extreme Sea City and that the Life-Refining Grand Formation could be completed sooner than expected, potentially endangering everyone there.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi demonstrates exceptional combat ability, combining swordsmanship, formations, illusion arts, and Phoenix True Fire. Her victory over a higher-level opponent confirms her qualifications to become a Demon King and earns her widespread prestige.
• Her battle also awakens her deep instinct and passion as a sword cultivator. Rather than relying on others, she insists on finishing the fight herself.
• Aunt Lan continues to act as Song Zhizhi’s protector and trusted supporter. She defeats the Snow Wolf Clan Chief and encourages the others to let Song Zhizhi prove herself publicly.
• Demon King Lanti shows overwhelming strength by defeating two opponents despite sustaining injuries, then helping Venomtail Demon King finish his battle.
• Venomtail Demon King displays loyalty to Song Zhizhi and concern for the demons under his rule, especially those among the large force stationed in Extreme Sea City.
• The demon soldiers and allied leaders become more united, openly rejecting the idea that the Demon Race can be bullied or manipulated.

Significant Themes

• Establishing authority through strength: Song Zhizhi’s victory is not merely personal; it publicly establishes her legitimacy and influence in the Demon Realm.
• Loyalty and solidarity: Aunt Lan, Venomtail Demon King, Demon King Lanti, and their soldiers choose to accompany Song Zhizhi into an uncertain and dangerous situation.
• Urgency and sacrifice: Song Zhizhi pushes forward despite severe injuries because warning Extreme Sea City is more important than recovering fully.
• Resistance against oppression: The demon leaders reject passively “swallowing humiliation” and decide to retaliate against Shen Zhi’s plans.
• Cooperation between humans and demons: The chapter emphasizes the growing alliance between Song Zhizhi and the demon leaders in the face of a threat affecting both races.

Character Interactions

• Song Zhizhi’s declaration triggers the confrontation with the Snow Wolf Clan.
• Aunt Lan protects Song Zhizhi from an attempted ambush and later prevents Venomtail Demon King from interfering in Song Zhizhi’s duel, insisting that she be allowed to prove herself.
• Demon King Lanti supports his allies by defeating his own opponents and then helping Venomtail Demon King.
• After Song Zhizhi’s victory, Aunt Lan worries over her wounds, but Song Zhizhi insists that they must continue immediately.
• When Song Zhizhi hesitates before entering the Teleportation Array, Aunt Lan, Venomtail Demon King, Demon King Lanti, and the demon soldiers reassure her through their willingness to follow and fight beside her.
• Song Zhizhi responds emotionally but gratefully, activating the array while warning everyone to remain alert and prioritize their own safety.

Chapter Summary

• Song Zhizhi arrives in Extreme Sea City: After using the Teleportation Array, Song Zhizhi lands in the city’s crowded plaza and discovers that nearly ten thousand residents have become silent, vacant “walking corpses.” A crimson Barrier surrounds the city, the moon appears blood-red, and the formation is draining the inhabitants’ spiritual power, lifespans, and souls.
• The Life-Refining Grand Formation is revealed: Song Zhizhi realizes that the people of Extreme Sea City are being used as sacrifices. Once the formation is fully activated, a great fire will descend and burn the entire city and everyone in it. Because the Barrier has stripped the city of spiritual energy, even cultivators will eventually be unable to endure it.
• Song Zhizhi reunites with Xie Xiuji: She leads her companions into an empty house and conceals them with a protective Formation. Unable to use the Communication Stone, she contacts Xie Xiuji through their Dao Companion Contract Seal. Xie Xiuji immediately comes to find her, accompanied by Qingyu.
• The situation worsens: Song Zhizhi explains what happened in the Demon Realm and confirms that Aunt Lan and the others are safe at the Everlasting Prosperity Inn. Xie Xiuji reveals that nearly 950,000 people are already included as sacrifices, counting thirty thousand demons. Only another fifty thousand are needed to complete the formation. If the Snow Wolf Clan succeeds in transporting seventy thousand more demons to the city, the formation will activate prematurely.
• A desperate search begins: Although Song Zhizhi’s arrival has provided crucial information, they cannot relax because Shen Zhi, a Mahayana cultivator, could secretly gather the remaining sacrifices himself. Their only hope is to locate and destroy the evil object serving as the formation’s Formation Eye before activation.
• Character developments and interactions: Song Zhizhi demonstrates courage, foresight, and strategic judgment, protecting her group and immediately prioritizing the formation’s destruction despite a minor injury. Xie Xiuji’s concern for her is evident when he urgently examines her for wounds, while their contract allows them to communicate despite the Barrier. Their reunion strengthens their partnership and shared resolve. Qingyu supports Xie Xiuji by accompanying him to Song Zhizhi.
• Themes: The chapter emphasizes the horror of mass sacrifice, the urgency of preventing catastrophe, and the contrast between Shen Zhi’s ruthless manipulation of ordinary people and the protagonists’ protective cooperation. Love, trust, and teamwork become essential as Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji confront an enemy whose plan spans both the Human and Demon Races.

Chapter Summary: “Final Battle”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Zhizhi identifies the City Lord’s Residence as the most likely location of the Formation Eye for the Life-Refining Grand Formation.
• She recalls a hidden secret chamber beneath the rockery, protected by a Formation capable of concealing both aura and Divine Sense. Qingyu had missed it during her earlier search, while Xie Xiuji admits—somewhat embarrassingly—that he had forgotten about it.
• Because the City Lord’s Residence is abandoned after the previous City Lord’s death, the entrance to the chamber is overgrown and difficult to locate.
• Song Zhizhi discovers that the chamber’s entrance Formation has been replaced with a stronger, more concealed version. Qingyu successfully breaks through it.
• A sinister aura emerges from the chamber, confirming that the Formation Eye—and the evil entity powering the Life-Refining Grand Formation—is inside. The group realizes they have found it before it fully matures.
• Rather than entering the narrow passage and risking an ambush, Song Zhizhi proposes forcing the evil entity out like driving a rabbit from its burrow.
• Xie Xiuji cuts down nearby trees for firewood, while Qingyu and Song Zhizhi use Song’s Phoenix True Fire to set the chamber entrance ablaze. Xie Xiuji adds oil and other fuel to intensify the fire.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi demonstrates strategic thinking and caution. She recognizes the danger of entering an enclosed enemy stronghold blindly and devises the plan to smoke out the evil entity.
• Qingyu continues to display exceptional Formation expertise, breaking the advanced Formation protecting the chamber. She also immediately understands Song Zhizhi’s metaphor and supports her plan.
• Xie Xiuji remains the group’s strongest combatant but accepts Song Zhizhi’s judgment rather than rushing ahead. His forgotten knowledge of the secret chamber provides a humorous contrast to his normally composed, formidable image.
• The Venomtail Demon King, Demon King Lanti, and Aunt Lan are confused by Song Zhizhi’s “rabbit in a burrow” analogy, highlighting their unfamiliarity with mortal methods. They also keep their distance from the dangerous Phoenix True Fire.
• Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji’s close relationship is emphasized through his affectionate praise and gesture of stroking her head.

Significant Themes

• Cleverness over brute force: The group avoids a dangerous direct confrontation and uses an unconventional but effective tactic.
• Teamwork and trust: Song Zhizhi contributes strategy, Qingyu handles the Formation, and Xie Xiuji provides physical strength and support.
• Urgency and prevention: The group must destroy the evil Formation Eye before it absorbs the blood and resentment of a million people and becomes uncontrollable.
• Light and purification versus evil: Phoenix True Fire serves as a natural counter to the sinister entity and symbolizes the forces opposing the Life-Refining Grand Formation.
• Humor amid danger: Xie Xiuji’s absentmindedness and the demons’ confusion provide comic relief during an otherwise tense stage of the final confrontation.

Character Interactions

• Song Zhizhi questions Xie Xiuji’s memory after he forgets the secret chamber, teasing him despite his powerful status.
• Xie Xiuji responds affectionately rather than defensively, praising Song Zhizhi’s intelligence and supporting her judgment.
• Qingyu validates Song Zhizhi’s concerns about an ambush and cooperates with her plan.
• The group looks to Song Zhizhi for a solution, reinforcing her role as the strategist of the party.
• The chapter ends with the chamber engulfed in Phoenix True Fire, setting up the imminent confrontation with the evil Formation Eye.

Chapter Summary: “A Critical Moment”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji lure the evil creature hidden inside the artificial mountain by filling the chamber with flour, explosives, and Phoenix True Fire. The mountain’s protective formation contains the resulting explosion.
• The Phoenix True Fire melts the stone and forces the creature to emerge. Shen Zhi, the culprit behind the hidden scheme, breaks out of the chamber and attacks Song Zhizhi.
• Xie Xiuji blocks the attack, while Aunt Lan identifies the man as Shen Zhi. Qingyu explains that Shen Zhi has refined himself into the Formation Eye of the Life-Refining Grand Formation, granting him Mahayana Late Stage cultivation.
• Recognizing that Shen Zhi’s evil nature can be restrained by the Vermilion Bird Sword, Song Zhizhi gives the weapon to Xie Xiuji.
• Xie Xiuji immediately engages Shen Zhi in battle. Although Xie is famed for combat ability beyond his cultivation level, Shen Zhi’s superior cultivation gradually gives him the advantage.
• The battle devastates much of the City Lord’s Residence. Song Zhizhi and Qingyu establish a protective formation to shield the surrounding mortals.
• Aunt Lan, the Venomtail Demon King, and Demon King Lanti join Xie Xiuji. The Venomtail Demon King wounds Shen Zhi’s defenses but has his venomous tail stinger shattered and is forced out of the fight. Shen Zhi soon defeats or drives away Demon King Lanti as well.
• Aunt Lan remains in the fight through her agility, leaving only her and Xie Xiuji to face Shen Zhi.
• Feeling helpless because of her lower cultivation, Song Zhizhi wishes she were stronger. Qingyu reassures her that she has already contributed greatly and hints that she is about to reveal her true abilities.
• Qingyu draws her strange, unsharpened black jade sword and prepares to demonstrate the power of her formations.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi proves herself resourceful and strategically bold by using explosives and Phoenix True Fire to flush Shen Zhi out. She also shows concern for Xie Xiuji by giving him the weapon best suited to counter Shen Zhi.
• Xie Xiuji displays his characteristic decisiveness and combat skill, attacking Shen Zhi before the latter can finish taunting him. Despite being at a cultivation disadvantage, he continues fighting against a much stronger opponent.
• Shen Zhi is revealed as the evil mastermind hidden within the formation. He is arrogant, ruthless, and exceptionally powerful, treating the other fighters with contempt while using overwhelming force to eliminate them.
• Qingyu shifts from seeming unreliable and combat-inexperienced to confident and mysterious. She reveals that her true strength lies in formations and suggests that she has been holding back.
• Aunt Lan and the demon kings demonstrate their willingness to support Xie Xiuji, though the power gap between them and Shen Zhi quickly becomes apparent.
• The Venomtail Demon King shows impressive endurance, surviving a devastating Mahayana-level attack that would have killed an ordinary cultivator.

Significant Themes

• Resourcefulness over brute strength: Song Zhizhi uses planning, environmental advantages, explosives, and spiritual fire to compensate for her lower cultivation.
• The importance of specialized abilities: The Vermilion Bird Sword’s anti-evil properties give Xie Xiuji a better chance despite Shen Zhi’s higher cultivation.
• Courage in the face of overwhelming power: The heroes continue resisting Shen Zhi even when the battle is heavily unbalanced.
• Hidden strength and underestimated characters: Qingyu’s apparently unimpressive combat reputation conceals formidable mastery of formations.
• Teamwork and protection: The characters combine their abilities, while Song Zhizhi and Qingyu prioritize protecting innocent mortals from the battle’s destructive aftermath.
• Anxiety about power and usefulness: Song Zhizhi’s frustration at being unable to join the main battle reflects her desire to grow stronger and contribute more directly.

Important Character Interactions

• Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji cooperate closely in trapping Shen Zhi and preparing for the confrontation.
• Qingyu humorously criticizes Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji for their ruthless tactics, while Song Zhizhi teasingly points out Qingyu’s own use of firewood and destructive methods.
• Shen Zhi directly targets Song Zhizhi because her Phoenix True Fire has repeatedly interfered with his plans.
• Xie Xiuji protects Song Zhizhi and accepts the Vermilion Bird Sword from her, reinforcing their mutual trust.
• Qingyu comforts Song Zhizhi when she feels powerless and promises that she will not let her disciple suffer.
• The allied fighters coordinate against Shen Zhi, but his superior cultivation and ferocious fighting style gradually overwhelm them.

Chapter 179 Summary

Key plot points and events

Qingyu reveals her natal Superior Spirit Sword, Formation Transformation, and activates it with her blood. She uses Song Zhizhi’s partially purified Phoenix bloodline to transform the sword into a black-gold weapon. Qingyu then begins drawing a powerful formation of her own creation across the City Lord’s Residence, combining elements of concealment and spirit-binding. The formation is ultimately designed to bind Shen Zhi for three breaths once completed.
Meanwhile, Aunt Lan is defeated by Shen Zhi, leaving only Shen Zhi and Xie Xiuji battling in the sky. Shen Zhi recognizes the danger posed by Qingyu’s formation and attempts to attack Qingyu and Song Zhizhi, but Xie Xiuji intercepts him. Although Xie Xiuji successfully protects them, Shen Zhi’s halberd pierces his abdomen and tears a deep wound up to his chest. Despite massive blood loss and severe pain, Xie Xiuji refuses to retreat.
Qingyu struggles to complete the formation because the Life-Refining Grand Formation has drained Extreme Sea City of spiritual energy. Song Zhizhi supports her with Spirit-Recovery Pills and her own spiritual power. After seeing Xie Xiuji’s devastating injuries, Song Zhizhi suppresses her panic and pours even more power into the formation, determined to finish it before he can be defeated.

Character developments

• Song Zhizhi demonstrates both her exceptional potential in formations and her present limitations; Qingyu’s advanced technique is far beyond her current level, but even partial understanding greatly benefits her. She also shows emotional strength by remaining focused despite witnessing Xie Xiuji nearly suffer a fatal injury.
• Qingyu reveals her considerable mastery of formations and creates a highly complex binding formation intended to counter Shen Zhi. The effort severely taxes her spiritual power, but she persists with Song Zhizhi’s help.
• Xie Xiuji proves unwaveringly protective of Song Zhizhi. Even after sustaining a potentially fatal wound, he continues fighting and never allows Shen Zhi to reach her.
• Shen Zhi displays superior formation knowledge and combat ability, quickly identifying the formation’s purpose and recognizing that its completion could cost him the battle.

Significant themes

• Protection and sacrifice: Xie Xiuji endures catastrophic injuries to shield Song Zhizhi, while Song Zhizhi and Qingyu exhaust themselves to complete the formation and save him.
• Perseverance under pressure: All three allies continue despite depleted spiritual energy, severe injuries, and overwhelming danger.
• Growth through knowledge and cooperation: Song Zhizhi cannot yet comprehend Qingyu’s full technique, but learning even a portion of it advances her abilities. The battle also emphasizes the need to combine formation expertise, spiritual support, and martial strength.
• The decisive importance of time: Three breaths of restraint would be enough to determine the outcome of a battle between Mahayana cultivators, making the formation’s completion crucial.

Character interactions

Qingyu teaches Song Zhizhi by using her blood to activate Formation Transformation and instructing her to observe the new formation. Song Zhizhi reciprocates by supplying pills and spiritual energy when Qingyu begins to falter. In the sky, Shen Zhi tries to bypass Xie Xiuji and attack the women, but Xie Xiuji changes tactics to block him, prioritizing Song Zhizhi’s safety over his own defense. After seeing Xie Xiuji’s blood fall onto her, Song Zhizhi briefly falters emotionally but reassures Qingyu that they must continue, strengthening their shared resolve.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Zhi and Xie Xiuji are both gravely wounded after their battle. Shen Zhi has lost a hand and suffered numerous injuries, while the Vermilion Bird Sword’s fiery energy continues damaging his meridians.
• As Qingyu’s Formation nears completion, Shen Zhi realizes that it will suppress and kill him. In desperation, he begins activating the Life-Refining Grand Formation ahead of schedule.
• A vortex draws bloodlust, resentment, and spiritual energy from the red Barrier into Shen Zhi, rapidly healing his injuries and raising his cultivation from the late Mahayana stage to its peak. The Formation begins draining the lifespans of Extreme Sea City’s inhabitants, causing them to age visibly.
• Qingyu warns Xie Xiuji, who interrupts Shen Zhi’s energy absorption with a powerful sword strike. Xie destroys Shen Zhi’s halberd and severs his arm, but the attack exhausts the last of Xie’s strength.
• Shen Zhi abandons the attempt to kill Xie and attacks Qingyu and Song Zhizhi from behind, hoping to prevent the Formation’s final stroke. Song Zhizhi shields Qingyu with her body, sacrificing more than a dozen protective artifacts.
• Qingyu completes the Formation just as Shen Zhi destroys Song Zhizhi’s final defense. The Formation binds Shen Zhi, allowing Song Zhizhi to pierce his Dantian and Xie Xiuji to stab his heart. Together, they finish him decisively.
• Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji ensure Shen Zhi cannot revive by destroying his heart and Dantian and burning his corpse to ashes with Phoenix True Fire.
• With Shen Zhi, the Formation Eye, dead, the Life-Refining Grand Formation collapses, returning the stolen lifespans and souls to the city’s victims. However, the larger battle between righteous and demonic cultivators continues.

Character Developments

• Shen Zhi becomes increasingly desperate and ruthless. Rather than accept defeat, he sacrifices the people of Extreme Sea City to strengthen himself and attacks Qingyu and Song Zhizhi when the Formation is almost complete.
• Xie Xiuji demonstrates extraordinary determination, exhausting his remaining spiritual power to protect Song Zhizhi and disrupt Shen Zhi’s ritual. His injuries become life-threatening, leaving him unconscious with severely depleted and cracked meridians.
• Song Zhizhi shows courage and self-sacrifice by placing herself between Shen Zhi and Qingyu. She also acts decisively after the Formation is completed, helping kill Shen Zhi and preventing his resurrection.
• Qingyu remains focused under pressure and successfully completes the Formation despite Shen Zhi’s attack, making his defeat possible.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and loyalty: Song Zhizhi risks her life for Qingyu, while Xie Xiuji spends his final strength trying to save Song Zhizhi.
• Desperation versus justice: Shen Zhi’s refusal to die drives him to exploit innocent civilians, contrasting with the protagonists’ willingness to protect others even at great personal cost.
• Cooperation and trust: The coordinated actions of Qingyu, Song Zhizhi, and Xie Xiuji overcome Shen Zhi’s superior power.
• Consequences of power: Shen Zhi’s use of the Life-Refining Grand Formation harms both the city’s people and his own body, while Xie Xiuji’s overexertion nearly costs him his life.
• Finality and revenge prevention: Burning Shen Zhi’s remains emphasizes the need to eliminate every possibility of resurrection.

Character Interactions

• Qingyu warns Xie Xiuji about Shen Zhi’s ritual, prompting Xie’s decisive attack.
• Xie Xiuji repeatedly attempts to protect Song Zhizhi, even after exhausting his strength.
• Song Zhizhi protects Qingyu by taking Shen Zhi’s attack herself.
• Once Qingyu completes the Formation, Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji work in perfect coordination to kill Shen Zhi.
• Afterward, Song Zhizhi tends to Xie Xiuji’s wounds, entrusts him to Qingyu, and returns to the battlefield, demonstrating both personal concern and continued responsibility for the larger conflict.