Chapter Summaries

Yang Xiao investigated the nighttime deaths in Pinewind Town and discovered the Red Lizard Demon King draining a woman’s life with fire. He pursued the demon out of town, where the Red Lizard Demon King headed for a mass graveyard, unaware that Yang Xiao was leading him away from the townspeople.

• Yang Xiao used the Canglan Water Pattern to detect concealed heat inside a house in Pinewind Town.
• Yang Xiao found the Red Lizard Demon King attacking a middle-aged woman and blocked his flame with a water curtain.
• The Red Lizard Demon King fled through a window, and Yang Xiao checked that the woman was alive before following him.
• Yang Xiao maintained his distance so the Red Lizard Demon King would leave town before they fought.
• The Red Lizard Demon King mistook Yang Xiao’s restrained pursuit for weakness and turned toward a mass graveyard, which Yang Xiao called his burial ground.

Yang Xiao confronted the Red Lizard Demon King in the Mass Burial Ground and endured the demon’s mastered fire pattern without showing fear. The Red Lizard Demon King escalated the fight with a wave of fiery pythons as Yang Xiao prepared to counter.

• The Red Lizard Demon King explained that he had hidden near town for years to avoid the Demon Suppression Division and taunted Yang Xiao for following him alone.
• Yang Xiao called the Red Lizard Demon King afraid, prompting him to reveal his powerful fire pattern and scorch the surrounding weeds.
• Yang Xiao wondered aloud how his pill pattern had ended up on the Red Lizard Demon King, provoking the demon into attacking.
• The Red Lizard Demon King sent crimson fire threads across the ground, and Yang Xiao used water curtains to keep them from reaching him.
• The Red Lizard Demon King intensified his assault by turning the fire threads into flaming pythons as Yang Xiao gripped the Army-Breaking Spear and lit all three patterns on his mystic core.

Yang Xiao defeated and killed the Red Lizard Demon King in the Mass Burial Ground, then discovered that the demon’s core resonated with a crimson aura linked to the Core Illumination Realm demon king Chu Qingtian was hunting.

• Yang Xiao used the Canglan Water Pattern to intercept the Red Lizard Demon King’s fire pythons, then endured his flaming palm strike without injury.
• Yang Xiao wounded the Red Lizard Demon King with the Army-Breaking Spear, and a strange aura prevented the demon king from healing.
• When the Red Lizard Demon King tried to flee, Yang Xiao trapped him with water, knocked him down, and killed him with Demon-Slaying Soul-Extinction.
• Yang Xiao took the demon core and received notice that he could permanently fix the equipment Qi-Reading Art.
• The Qi-Gathering Bottle’s crimson aura resonated with the fire pattern on the demon core, leading Yang Xiao to suspect a connection to the demon king Chu Qingtian was hunting.

Yang Xiao absorbed the Red Lizard Demon King's core and gained the Heaven-Burning Fire Pattern, balancing it against his Canglan Water Pattern as he planned to reach the Core Illumination Realm. In Longwind City, Lu Changgeng sensed Yan Tieyi's successful core condensation and kept news of Yang Xiao's feats from him.

• Yang Xiao equipped the Red Lizard Demon King's crimson Demon Core and refined it in his furnace into the Heaven-Burning Fire Pattern.
• Yang Xiao placed the fire pattern opposite the Canglan Water Pattern, while the Sky-Rending Wind Pattern and Mountain Suppression Earth Pattern settled into their own positions on his Mystic Core.
• Yang Xiao tested his new fire essence, then decided to seek one more pill pattern before nurturing all four and pursuing the Core Illumination Realm.
• Lu Changgeng sensed Spiritual Power gathering over the City Lord's Residence and realized Yan Tieyi had succeeded in core condensation.
• Lu Changgeng recalled reports of Yang Xiao's extraordinary victories and chose not to tell Yan Tieyi about them when he emerged from seclusion.

Yan Tieyi condensed his core and was ordered to guard Longwind Commandery while Lu Changgeng pursued a Core Illumination Realm Demon King. Meanwhile, Yang Xiao encountered a Core Illumination Realm Giant Centipede in an abandoned mining valley after rescuing an old man from its attack.

• Yan Tieyi successfully condensed his core, and Lu Changgeng praised his stable cultivation.
• Lu Changgeng told Yan Tieyi to guard Longwind Commandery while he pursued a Core Illumination Realm Demon King, since General Pei was occupied at the Canglan River.
• Lu Changgeng tracked the demon into a remote valley, where he heard the sounds of metal clashing and found its demonic qi surging nearby.
• Yang Xiao tested his new heaven-burning fire pattern while traveling through deserted mountains toward an old mining district.
• Yang Xiao rescued an old man from a golden blade, then saw a dark-gold Giant Centipede emerge from the abandoned valley.
• Yang Xiao sensed that the Giant Centipede was in the Core Illumination Realm.

Yang Xiao encountered the Core Illumination Realm Hundred-Footed Golden Centipede King in Weapon-Forging Valley, where Lu Changgeng arrived and enlisted him to help fight it. The battle began with Lu Changgeng overpowering the demon, which then demanded to know why he had pursued it.

• Yang Xiao ordered the old man and the others to flee while he faced the Hundred-Footed Golden Centipede King.
• Lu Changgeng emerged from the valley and struck the demon's back armor with his golden sword.
• Lu Changgeng recognized Yang Xiao, noted his rapid breakthrough to the Pill-Pattern Realm, and asked him to help defeat the demon.
• The Hundred-Footed Golden Centipede King attacked Yang Xiao with a detached leg, but Yang Xiao dodged its lance-like strike.
• The demon launched armor blades at Lu Changgeng, who shattered them with a concentrated golden sword strike.
• The Hundred-Footed Golden Centipede King demanded to know why Lu Changgeng had pursued it relentlessly.

Lu Changgeng and Yang Xiao wounded the Hundred-Footed Golden Centipede King, who tore the weapon-capable parts from his body and unleashed them in a storm of blades. Separated from Lu Changgeng by a wall of weapons, Yang Xiao held his ground and began extending the Canglan Water Pattern underground toward the Demon King.

• Lu Changgeng sliced open the Hundred-Footed Golden Centipede King's tail, while the Demon King tried to capture Yang Xiao with a golden blade.
• Yang Xiao bound the Demon King's legs with water ropes, allowing Lu Changgeng to land another devastating sword strike.
• The Hundred-Footed Golden Centipede King ripped off his armor and leg segments, transformed them into weapons, and sent a torrent of blades raining down.
• The Demon King formed a wall of blades between Yang Xiao and Lu Changgeng, forcing Lu Changgeng to fend off the attack instead of reaching him.
• Yang Xiao used water curtains and the Army-Breaking Spear to withstand the blade storm, then extended the Canglan Water Pattern underground toward the exposed Demon King.

Yang Xiao and Lu Changgeng badly wounded the Hundred-Footed Golden Centipede King, but it escaped underground. Yang Xiao tracked it through underground moisture and pinned it with the Army-Breaking Spear, whose scorching heat began burning its flesh.

• Yang Xiao restrained the Hundred-Footed Golden Centipede King with water ropes, giving Lu Changgeng an opening to cut the Demon King in half with his enormous golden sword.
• The wounded Demon King turned its Golden Blades on Yang Xiao, who dodged and fought back despite suffering cuts.
• Lu Changgeng struck again and severed more of the Demon King's body, but it burrowed into the collapsing mine tunnels to escape.
• Lu Changgeng could not locate the Demon King beneath the rubble, but Yang Xiao used the Canglan Water Pattern to track its movement through underground moisture.
• Yang Xiao hurled the Army-Breaking Spear through the collapsed rock, pinning the Demon King underground as heat traveled along the shaft and burned its flesh.

Yang Xiao helped Lu Changgeng kill the Hundred-Footed Golden Centipede King and claimed its Demon Core. He absorbed it to gain the Slaying-Edge Gold Pattern, then combined it with the Heaven-Burning Fire Pattern on the Army-Breaking Spear.

• Yang Xiao used water ropes to drag the trapped Hundred-Footed Golden Centipede King out of the earth while Lu Changgeng deflected its attacks.
• Lu Changgeng killed the exhausted Demon King with a gold-patterned sword strike and gave its Demon Core to Yang Xiao.
• Lu Changgeng warned Yang Xiao that the Demon Race was probing along the Canglan River, where Pei Xuance was occupied.
• Yang Xiao entered an abandoned stone house and equipped the Demon Core, gaining the Slaying-Edge Gold Pattern.
• Yang Xiao activated the Slaying-Edge Gold Pattern and the Heaven-Burning Fire Pattern on the Army-Breaking Spear.

Yang Xiao fused the Slaying-Edge Gold Pattern into his Mystic Core, gaining the power of five pill patterns, and returned to Xunjiang Commandery. After learning that a Flood Dragon Lord had been destroying towns, he set out to kill him before meeting General Pei, while the Lord arrived at Tangkou Township’s River God Temple seeking answers about his dead third brother.

• Yang Xiao arranged the five pill patterns into a stable formation, fused them into his Mystic Core, and tested their combined power by splitting a boulder with the Army-Breaking Spear.
• Yang Xiao rode south to Xunjiang Commandery and met Han Chuan, who explained that General Pei was watching the Canglan River and that a Flood Dragon Lord had destroyed several towns.
• Yang Xiao took a trace of the Flood Dragon Lord’s demonic aura from Han Chuan and flew off to hunt him before visiting General Pei.
• The Flood Dragon Lord entered Tangkou Township’s River God Temple, mocked the River God statue, and asked the villagers what they knew about his third brother’s death.

Yang Xiao confronted the Flood Dragon Lord at the River God Temple in Tangkou Township and killed him after the demon threatened the villagers. The villagers took Yang Xiao’s victory as the River God’s manifestation, while Yang Xiao left carrying the Flood Dragon Lord’s corpse.

• The Flood Dragon Lord accused the villagers of honoring the killer of his third brother and threatened to devour them before their River God statue.
• The Flood Dragon Lord lifted a young woman, but Yang Xiao appeared and severed his arm with a swift slash.
• The Flood Dragon Lord summoned an azure flood dragon phantom and attacked Yang Xiao, who endured its water blast and broke the demon’s wrist in close combat.
• Yang Xiao shattered the flood dragon phantom with the Army-Breaking Spear, pinned the Flood Dragon Lord, and killed him by piercing his heart and taking his Flood Dragon Core.
• Yang Xiao carried the Flood Dragon Lord’s corpse away as the villagers knelt before his statue, believing the River God had manifested.

Yang Xiao returned to the Canglan River with the corpse of Second Lord Jiao, drawing out the Old Flood Dragon, who demanded Yang Xiao in exchange for peace in Qingzhou. Pei Xuance refused and stepped forward to shield his soldiers as the Old Flood Dragon attacked.

• Yang Xiao arrived at the riverbank carrying Second Lord Jiao's fresh corpse while Pei Xuance attempted to break through to the Dao-Infant Realm.
• The Old Flood Dragon emerged from the Canglan River, recognized its son and grandson's scents on Yang Xiao, and heard him admit that he had killed them.
• The Old Flood Dragon offered Pei Xuance ten years of peace in Qingzhou if he surrendered Yang Xiao, but Pei Xuance refused.
• The Old Flood Dragon attacked the Demon-Suppressing Captains with a massive wave filled with Water Blades, forcing Lü Heng to lead them back.
• Pei Xuance stepped forward and unleashed his peak Core Illumination aura, making the riverbank and the sand beneath the soldiers grow firm and heavy.

Pei Xuance fought the Old Flood Dragon on the banks of the Canglan River, using his core illumination power to suppress the dragon and protect Yang Xiao. The battle continued as Pei Xuance pierced the dragon’s head with his spear.

• Pei Xuance suppressed the Old Flood Dragon’s wave and wounded its forefoot in their opening clash.
• Yang Xiao observed how Pei Xuance’s core illumination altered the surrounding terrain and made it his home ground.
• The Old Flood Dragon charged at Yang Xiao, but Pei Xuance slowed it with his earth-yellow core illumination and crushed its water attacks.
• The Old Flood Dragon unleashed a water thunder orb that turned the river into a barrage of sharp water blades, which Pei Xuance shattered with his spear.
• The Old Flood Dragon lunged at Pei Xuance, who forced its head down and stabbed through the side of it with his spear.

Pei Xuance killed the Old Flood Dragon and gave its Core Illumination Realm demon core to Yang Xiao as a promotion gift. After thanking the general, Yang Xiao descended into the Canglan River to retrieve the dragon’s submerged corpse.

• The Old Flood Dragon tried to escape into the Canglan River, but Pei Xuance restrained him and fought through his defenses.
• Pei Xuance killed the Old Flood Dragon with a spear strike to the neck, then extracted his demon core and gave it to Yang Xiao.
• Yang Xiao accepted the core, whose powerful water essence stirred the five pill patterns in his mystic core, and Pei Xuance advised him to refine it somewhere quiet.
• Yang Xiao entered the river and used the Canglan Water Pattern to reach the Old Flood Dragon’s submerged body.
• Yang Xiao freed the corpse from the riverbed silt and carried it toward the surface through the murky water.

Yang Xiao helped recover and divide the Old Flood Dragon’s body, then asked Pei Xuance how to break through to the Core Illumination Realm with multiple pill patterns. After learning the steps, he secluded himself by the river and began nourishing his Canglan Water Pattern with the Flood Dragon Lord’s demon core.

• Yang Xiao dragged the Old Flood Dragon’s corpse from the Canglan River and controlled the waves before they could overwhelm the riverbank.
• Yang Xiao agreed to arrange more workers, and the Demon Suppression Guards spent the day cutting the corpse into sections and escorting its valuable parts to Commandery City.
• Pei Xuance ordered the guards to watch lingering traces of demonic qi rather than pursue them, while Yang Xiao asked him about breaking through with multiple pill patterns.
• Pei Xuance explained that Yang Xiao needed to perfect his pill patterns, ignite a primary pattern with mystic light, kindle the auxiliary patterns, and gradually illuminate his body.
• Yang Xiao moved away from the encampment, compared the Flood Dragon Lord’s demon core with the Old Flood Dragon’s, and equipped the weaker core to nourish his Canglan Water Pattern first.

Yang Xiao refined the Demon Cores of the Flood Dragon Lord Prince and Old Flood Dragon, using their power to complete and strengthen his five Pill Patterns. He reached perfection in the Pill-Pattern Realm and prepared to draw Mystic Light to begin the Core Illumination Realm.

• Yang Xiao equipped the Flood Dragon Lord Prince's Demon Core and refined its Water Pattern power, completing the Canglan Water Pattern.
• Yang Xiao equipped Old Flood Dragon's Demon Core and used the Black-Gold Furnace to refine its lingering power, which nourished all five Pill Patterns.
• The five Pill Patterns connected into a complete cycle, and Yang Xiao's Mystic Core reached Pill-Pattern Realm perfection.
• Yang Xiao tested the five coordinated Pattern powers through his Army-Breaking Spear, then closed his eyes to draw Mystic Light and ignite the Fire Pattern.

Yang Xiao broke through to the Core Illumination Realm, where his five pill patterns coordinated to illuminate his body and the surrounding world. He stabilized his core illumination at a hundred zhang and prepared to continue cultivating in the new realm.

• Yang Xiao ignited the Heaven-Burning Fire Pattern, then guided the Canglan Water Pattern, Sky-Rending Wind Pattern, earth pill pattern, and gold pattern into a complete cycle.
• Yang Xiao’s five-colored core illumination light tempered his body and spread outward, letting him perceive and affect the surrounding world.
• Yang Xiao expanded his core illumination to a hundred zhang before halting as his mystic core began to strain.
• Pei Xuance sensed Yang Xiao’s breakthrough from the riverside encampment and was astonished by the hundred-zhang range and five-colored light.
• Yang Xiao checked that his mystic core was stable, confirmed his entry into the Core Illumination Realm, and rose with core illumination light enveloping him.

After reaching the Core Illumination Realm, Yang Xiao returned to the Qingzhou Demon Suppression Division and was summoned to await orders. At a gathering of Qingzhou’s Demon Suppression Generals, Pei Xuance proposed appointing one more general, and Lu Changgeng and Chu Qingtian suspected Yang Xiao was the candidate.

• Yang Xiao returned to the riverbank, where Pei Xuance told him to remain in the Division until a meeting with the regional generals.
• Five days later, Yang Xiao’s convoy brought the old flood dragon’s corpse and its parts back to the Qingzhou Demon Suppression Division.
• Yang Xiao practiced controlling his core illumination light while Demon Suppression Generals from across Qingzhou arrived for the meeting.
• Lu Changgeng recognized that Yang Xiao had reached the Core Illumination Realm and learned that Pei Xuance had told him to stay in the Division.
• Thirteen Demon Suppression Generals gathered and reported on local demon plagues, troop shortages, and personnel matters.
• Pei Xuance proposed adding another Demon Suppression General for Qingzhou, and Lu Changgeng and Chu Qingtian suspected Yang Xiao was the candidate.

Pei Xuance appointed Yang Xiao as Qingzhou's fourteenth Demon Suppression General despite Lu Zhengyi's suspicions about his rapid cultivation, accepting personal responsibility for the decision. Yang Xiao learned nothing of the debate and was summoned to the Internal Affairs Office to receive his new uniform and armor.

• Pei Xuance named Yang Xiao for the vacant general's seat, and Li Hanguang circulated Yang Xiao's Merit records among the generals.
• Lu Zhengyi questioned Yang Xiao's rapid advancement and warned that he might be a Demon spy, while Chu Qingtian and Lu Changgeng defended him from their own experience.
• Pei Xuance said he would bear responsibility if Yang Xiao proved problematic and confirmed his appointment as Qingzhou's fourteenth Demon Suppression General.
• Pei Xuance ordered Li Hanguang to handle the appointment and prepare Cold Iron Mystic Armor and a Blood Baleful Intent Cloak for Yang Xiao.
• Yang Xiao followed a messenger to the Internal Affairs Office, where Li Hanguang greeted him as General Yang.

Yang Xiao tried on the Cold Iron Mystic Armor and Blood Baleful Intent Cloak before Li Hanguang announced his promotion. The Demon Suppression Division recognized Yang Xiao as Qingzhou’s fourteenth Demon Suppression General.

• Yang Xiao tried on the Cold Iron Mystic Armor and Blood Baleful Intent Cloak, confirming that the armor did not hinder his movements.
• Li Hanguang led Yang Xiao to the Demon Suppression Division’s main courtyard, where the gathered guards awaited an announcement.
• Li Hanguang announced that the Council Hall had appointed Yang Xiao Qingzhou’s fourteenth Demon Suppression General.
• The guards bowed to Yang Xiao and congratulated him, while Zhou Zheng recalled Yang Xiao’s rapid rise and felt proud that the division had gained another dependable general.