Chapter Summaries

Yang Xiao reported Lady Musk’s connection to the Yellow Wind Demon King and the Longevity-Extending Treasure Lotus to Li Hanguang, who sent him to warn Pei Xuance. At Yellow Wind Mountain, the Yellow Wind Demon King learned that Yang Xiao had killed several Demon Kings and ordered his forces to withdraw from Qingzhou.

• Yang Xiao returned to the Demon-Slaying Battalion and showed Li Hanguang the Yao Qi of the Mystic Turtle Demon King, the Golden-Mane Boar, and Lady Musk.
• Yang Xiao explained Lady Musk’s origins and her trade of the Longevity-Extending Treasure Lotus to the Yellow Wind Demon King, prompting Li Hanguang to send Pei Xuance an urgent secret report.
• Li Hanguang sent Yang Xiao to the northwestern border to deliver the report to Pei Xuance.
• A demon soldier told the Yellow Wind Demon King that several Demon Kings, including the Mystic Turtle Demon King, had died or gone missing.
• The Yellow Wind Demon King learned that the young Yang Xiao was responsible for the attacks and ordered all Demon Kings to withdraw from Qingzhou and report their status.

The Yellow Wind Demon King learned that Lady Musk had been killed by a young Demon Suppression General and feared the consequences from the Crimson Serpent Demon Emperor. With Yellow Wind Mountain under pressure, he traveled to the Lotus Flower Temple and asked Master Xuanzhen for help, leaving the monk to ask what had happened.

• The Yellow Wind Demon King learned Lady Musk had died and decided to blame the Qingzhou Demon Suppression Division for her death.
• He ordered the remaining Demon Kings to withdraw from Qingzhou and traveled with Black Rock to the Lotus Flower Temple.
• The Yellow Wind Demon King disguised himself as a small marten and slipped through the temple to the Pure Mind Chan Monastery.
• He returned to his human form, paid respects to Master Xuanzhen, and asked him to travel to Qingzhou.
• Master Xuanzhen asked the Yellow Wind Demon King what had happened.

The Yellow Wind Demon King sought Xuanzhen’s help against the threats facing Yellow Wind Mountain, warning him that Qingzhou’s new Demon Suppression General was killing his Demon Kings and could grow into a major danger. Xuanzhen agreed to accompany him to Qingzhou to meet Pei Xuance, while Head Seat Jueshan watched them leave and lamented that Xuanzhen remained blinded by hatred.

• The Yellow Wind Demon King recounted Lady Musk’s death, the losses on Yellow Wind Mountain, and the threat posed by Qingzhou’s new Demon Suppression General to Xuanzhen.
• Xuanzhen learned that the new general was killing the Demon Kings under the Yellow Wind Demon King and judged his potential dangerous to Qingzhou’s enemies.
• Xuanzhen decided to accompany the Yellow Wind Demon King to Qingzhou to see Pei Xuance, but said he would not act on the demon king’s behalf.
• Head Seat Jueshan met Xuanzhen and asked whether he had let go of his blood feud, but Xuanzhen said it could not be easily dissolved.
• After Xuanzhen and the Yellow Wind Demon King left, Head Seat Jueshan sighed that delusion had blinded Xuanzhen for many years.

Yang Xiao reached Wuquan Post Town and rescued its trapped residents from a supernatural fire that water could not extinguish. After the Qi-Gathering Bottle detected a great demon in the nearby mountains, he contained the flames and set out to confront it.

• Yang Xiao spotted an unnatural column of smoke above Wuquan Post Town and rode in to investigate.
• Yang Xiao used his Core Illumination Domain to stabilize a burning house and rescued two people trapped inside.
• Yang Xiao's Qi-Gathering Bottle reacted to the fire and pointed toward the mountain ridges, signaling a demon's presence.
• Yang Xiao warned the townspeople that a great demon was responsible and contained the fires while they evacuated everyone from town.
• Yang Xiao told the attendant to keep the people safe and avoid the charred marks, then headed alone into the mountains.

Yang Xiao tracked the Yao Qi to a ruined temple and confronted the Flame-Tailed Lion King, who admitted setting fires in Black Spring Post and demanded revenge for Red Lizard. The Lion King trapped Yang Xiao in his fire domain and attacked, but Yang Xiao countered with his own domain, suppressing the flames as the battle continued.

• Yang Xiao followed the Qi-Gathering Bottle’s vibrations to a ruined temple and found a fresh threat written beside a claw mark.
• The Flame-Tailed Lion King emerged and asked whether Yang Xiao had killed Red Lizard; Yang Xiao asked whether he had set the fire at Black Spring Post.
• The Flame-Tailed Lion King admitted setting fires and declared that the townspeople’s innocence did not matter to him.
• The Flame-Tailed Lion King enclosed Yang Xiao in a fire domain and struck with scorching flames and a barrage of punches.
• Yang Xiao evaded the attacks, expanded his Core Illumination Domain, and used Azure Water Light, Sky-Splitting Wind Light, and Slaughter-Edge Gold Light to suppress the Lion King’s domain.

Yang Xiao evaded the Flame-Tailed Lion King's fire ropes and severed both of his arms with the Shadowless Blade. As the wounded king fought on with arms formed from flame, Yang Xiao waited for an opening and thrust his Army-Breaking Spear toward his chest.

• The Flame-Tailed Lion King focused his Core Illumination Light on himself and sent fire ropes after Yang Xiao, but Yang Xiao dodged them and escaped a closing net.
• Yang Xiao used the Shadowless Blade to cut off the Flame-Tailed Lion King's newly regrown left arm, then severed his remaining forearm after dodging a fiery punch.
• The Flame-Tailed Lion King recalled his fire ropes to guard himself and considered fleeing, but Yang Xiao approached with the Army-Breaking Spear and threatened him with Solar Flame.
• The Flame-Tailed Lion King formed replacement hands from flame and charged Yang Xiao, who evaded his repeated punches until the king's strength began to fade.
• Yang Xiao seized the opening as the Flame-Tailed Lion King's chest was exposed and thrust the Army-Breaking Spear toward it with condensed Solar Flame.

Yang Xiao killed the Flame-Tailed Lion King and reported to Pei Xuance that the Yellow Wind Demon King might have regained its vitality through the Longevity-Extending Treasure Lotus. Pei Xuance went to Yellow Wind Mountain to assess the Demon King’s recovery, while Yang Xiao set out to reinforce the other generals.

• Yang Xiao killed the Flame-Tailed Lion King, extracted its Fire Pattern Demon Core, and extinguished the flames on the mountain path.
• Yang Xiao returned to Wuquan Post Station, told the attendants that the great demon was dead, and rode northwest to the Demon Suppression Division’s camp.
• Yang Xiao gave Pei Xuance his confidential report about Lady Musk, the Longevity-Extending Treasure Lotus, and the Crimson Refinement Demon Emperor; Pei Xuance concluded that the Yellow Wind Demon King might have recovered and could no longer be left waiting.
• Pei Xuance assigned Yang Xiao to reinforce Lu Changgeng and pursue the remaining Demon Kings, then set out alone for Yellow Wind Mountain.
• Pei Xuance entered Yellow Wind Mountain, killed the guards and a Black-Faced Demon General, and pressed onward as horns sounded within the mountain.

Pei Xuance stormed Yellow Wind Mountain, discovered Yellow Wind had left to seek help from Xuan Zhen at Lotus Flower Temple, and hurried back to Qingzhou. Meanwhile, Yang Xiao used the Demon Cores he had collected, gaining demon essence and the Golden Thorn trait before realizing the cores could no longer strengthen his perfected Core Illumination physique.

• Pei Xuance forced his way up Yellow Wind Mountain, killing the Demon Kings who tried to stop him and demanding to know where Yellow Wind was.
• The surviving Demon Kings told Pei Xuance that Yellow Wind had left that day and planned to return in a few days.
• Pei Xuance realized Yellow Wind had likely gone to Lotus Flower Temple to seek help from Xuan Zhen, then rushed back to Qingzhou to prepare for a possible threat.
• Yang Xiao stopped in a secluded mountain hollow and placed the Demon Cores of the Golden-Mane Boar, Lady Musk, and the Flame-Tailed Lion King into his Equipment Slots.
• Yang Xiao absorbed the Golden-Mane Boar Demon Core, gaining demon essence and the Golden Thorn trait, but his Ten-Thousand-Forged Demon Body did not react because it had reached perfected Core Illumination.

Yang Xiao equipped three Core Illumination Demon Cores, gaining Golden Thorn, Musk, and the purple Flame-Burning trait while refining their demonic essence. His physique remained at the Core Illumination Perfected Stage, while his cultivation reached the verge of a breakthrough to the late stage.

• Yang Xiao tested Golden Thorn by forming and throwing a golden spear that pierced a rock, then retrieved it and dispersed it into Golden Qi.
• Yang Xiao equipped the Musk Deer Demon Core, gaining Musk, which masked his scent and could briefly entrance enemies whose cultivation was lower than his.
• Yang Xiao equipped the Flame-Tailed Lion King Demon Core and gained the purple Flame-Burning trait, then tested scarlet flames that burned a rock and depleted enemies’ blood Qi.
• Yang Xiao refined the essence of all three Demon Cores, bringing his Core Illumination Mid-Stage cultivation to perfection and leaving him one Demon Core away from advancing to the late stage.

Lu Changgeng and his Deputy Generals struggled to reach the Ice Toad King, who used Cold Frost Pool as a shield and taunted them from beneath the water. As the exhausted troops withdrew, Yang Xiao arrived and approached Lu Changgeng with his Army-Breaking Spear.

• Lu Changgeng struck Cold Frost Pool with sword light, but the freezing water blunted his attack before it could reach the Ice Toad King.
• The Ice Toad King surfaced to mock Lu Changgeng and challenge him to come beneath the pool after forming a Dao Infant, then evaded another sword strike with a watery illusion.
• Lu Changgeng ordered his Deputy Generals to retreat after the cold injured them and damaged their Demon-Subduing Chains.
• Yang Xiao arrived at Cold Frost Pool, surveyed the Ice Toad King beneath the water, and walked toward Lu Changgeng carrying his Army-Breaking Spear.

Yang Xiao joined Lu Changgeng at Cold Frost Pool to hunt the Ice Toad King, and tested how the water slowed Spiritual Power before they attacked together. Yang Xiao wounded the demon, but its counterattack left Lu Changgeng poisoned as its tongue burst from the pool.

• Lu Changgeng told Yang Xiao that the Ice Toad King avoided his attacks by hiding beneath the pool, where the cold water weakened Spiritual Power.
• Yang Xiao tested the icy water and agreed to attack when the demon surfaced, while Lu Changgeng rested after keeping watch for three days.
• Yang Xiao cautiously entered the pool and discovered that the Canglan Water Pattern let him move through its water, though it still impeded his Spiritual Power.
• When the Ice Toad King surfaced, Lu Changgeng struck with his sword while Yang Xiao sensed the demon’s movement and pierced it with a golden spear.
• The wounded Ice Toad King fired venom-coated ice spikes at the bank, and Lu Changgeng’s hand stiffened after venom grazed it as the demon’s tongue burst from the water.

Yang Xiao entered the Cold Frost Pool to confront the Ice Toad King directly, relying on his poison resistance and Core Illumination Light to withstand the water. The Ice Toad King spotted him descending and prepared to attack.

• Yang Xiao knocked the Ice Toad King’s tongue away from Lu Changgeng, who retreated to shore with cold poison on his hand.
• Yang Xiao told Lu Changgeng he had a countermeasure, then used Five-Colored Core Illumination Light to melt the ice and entered the pool.
• Lu Changgeng agreed to guard the shore while Yang Xiao used the Canglan Water Pattern to create a dry space around himself and descended into the dark water.
• At the bottom of the pool, the Ice Toad King discovered that Yang Xiao’s spear wound was burning with lingering heat.
• The Ice Toad King saw Yang Xiao approaching and, after expressing surprise, decided to attack him.

Yang Xiao overcame the Ice Toad King's control of the cold pool and drove it onto the shore. He killed the fleeing Toad King with the Army-Breaking Spear, leaving the pool and its territory under his control.

• The Ice Toad King used freezing water and venomous saliva to suppress Yang Xiao, but Yang Xiao protected himself and wounded it with the Army-Breaking Spear and solar flame.
• The Toad King hid in the sludge, but Yang Xiao expanded his Core Illumination Domain and eroded the Toad King's control of the pool, exposing its movements.
• Unable to control the water, the Toad King fled toward the surface as Yang Xiao's attacks forced it upward.
• The Toad King burst from the pool and tried to escape past Lu Changgeng and the Deputy Generals, who watched in surprise.
• Yang Xiao pinned the Toad King to the ground with the Army-Breaking Spear, and solar flame and crimson lion flame burned it to death.

Yang Xiao killed the Ice Toad King and claimed its Demon Core, then used it to break through to Core Illumination Late-Stage. His Core Illumination Light expanded to a thousand zhang across the mountain ridges.

• Yang Xiao pulled the Army-Breaking Spear from the Ice Toad King's corpse and confirmed the Demon King was dead.
• Lu Changgeng thanked Yang Xiao, claimed the Demon Core belonged to him, and arranged for the pool and its surroundings to be investigated.
• Yang Xiao went to a secluded stone slope and equipped the Ice Toad King's Demon Core, gaining the Freezing Frost affix and a surge of demonic essence.
• Yang Xiao broke through to Core Illumination Late-Stage as the five Pill Patterns brightened and his Spiritual Power surged.
• Yang Xiao's Core Illumination Light expanded across the mountain ridges, reaching a thousand zhang.

Yang Xiao reached core illumination late-stage and discovered a fragile Dao Embryo forming inside his mystic core. He chose to remain in the mountains to hunt demons and strengthen it, while Lu Changgeng read a secret order from Pei Xuance that made him think Yang Xiao should return only after matters were settled.

• Yang Xiao examined the embryo forming within his mystic core and concluded that it needed continued nourishment from demon cores before it could become a Dao Infant.
• Yang Xiao emerged from meditation at core illumination late-stage and learned from Lu Changgeng that Pei Xuance had urgently ordered the generals back to Qingzhou because the Yellow Wind Demon King had left its mountain.
• Yang Xiao asked whether a special cultivation method was needed to reach the Dao-Infant Realm, and Lu Changgeng told him that a sufficiently developed Dao Infant could break free on its own.
• Yang Xiao decided to stay and hunt the demons threatening Qingzhou before returning, and Lu Changgeng agreed to explain his choice to General Pei.
• After Yang Xiao left, Lu Changgeng opened a separate, personally sealed letter from Pei Xuance and concluded that it was better for Yang Xiao to return after matters had been settled.

Yang Xiao intercepted three Core Illumination Demon Kings fleeing Qingzhou and killed them swiftly at the border. After following the Qi-Gathering Bottle’s remaining traces, he continued his hunt, determined to reach the Dao Infant realm before Qingzhou’s great calamity.

• The blue-backed Wolf King led the black-scaled Snake Demon and the mandrill Demon King toward Qingzhou’s border, wary of the Demon Suppression Division’s recent killings.
• Yang Xiao trapped the three demons in his thousand-zhang Core Illumination Domain and told them to attack him together.
• Yang Xiao killed the mandrill Demon King with the Gold-Splitting Jade-Breaking Saber and took its Demon Core.
• Yang Xiao blocked the Snake Demon’s venom, burned it with Solar Flame and Evil-Splitting, Defilement-Burning, then took its Demon Core.
• The blue-backed Wolf King attacked Yang Xiao, but he pinned it down, wounded it with his blade, and killed it by severing its neck.
• Yang Xiao checked the three Demon Cores, followed the traces in the Qi-Gathering Bottle, and continued onward, aiming to break through to the Dao Infant realm before Qingzhou’s calamity.

Yang Xiao hunted water demons along the riverbanks of Guanlan Commandery and consumed their demon cores to nourish his Dao embryo, reaching the core illumination perfected stage as the embryo grew into an infant-shaped form. In Qingzhou City, Pei Xuance swallowed a demon core to stimulate his Dao infant while Li Hanguang guarded him.

• Yang Xiao used his core illumination to find and spear water demons in Guanlan Commandery’s river, collecting more than twenty Mysterious Core Realm demon cores.
• Han Chuan told Yang Xiao that Guanlan Commandery had no more demons to hunt and that he would need to search Xunjiang Commandery.
• Yang Xiao equipped the demon cores, refined them into demon essence, and fed the resulting spirit liquid to his Dao embryo until his cultivation reached the core illumination perfected stage and the embryo took an infant’s shape.
• Li Hanguang brought demon cores from the Demon Suppression Division’s storehouse, and Qin Lie warned that swallowing them could taint the mystic core and cause cultivation to stagnate or worse.
• As Buddhist chanting sounded and Qin Lie left, Pei Xuance swallowed a demon core and asked Li Hanguang to guard him while demonic baleful power surged around him.

Master Xuanzhen arrived in Qingzhou and fought Qin Lie while Pei Xuance continued consuming demon cores. After learning that Pei Xuance had destroyed Yellow Wind Mountain, the Yellow Wind Demon King set out to attack Guanlan Commandery.

• Xuanzhen confronted Qin Lie outside the Demon Suppression Division, saying he had come to settle an old debt, and Qin Lie attacked him.
• Xuanzhen eroded Qin Lie's power with Buddhist light and struck him through the Demon Suppression Division's outer wall.
• Li Hanguang watched in alarm while Pei Xuance swallowed another demon core, his eyes filling with Sha.
• The Yellow Wind Demon King returned to Yellow Wind Mountain and learned from a surviving gray-robed Demon King that Pei Xuance had killed the mountain's demons.
• The Yellow Wind Demon King vowed to wipe out Guanlan Commandery, and he and Black Rock flew toward it on the Golden Kite.

Yang Xiao broke through his Mystic Core and attained the Dao-Infant Realm, gaining a five-colored glazed Dao Infant and a new closeness to the world around him. At the edge of Guanlan Commandery, the Yellow Wind Demon King and Black Rock entered a county town to offer its people as sacrifices, prompting a yamen runner to call for the Demon Suppression Division.

• Yang Xiao merged his spiritual sense with his newly formed Dao Infant and discovered he could only attack his Mystic Core wall with his body.
• Yang Xiao used the Heaven-Melting Treasure Furnace to ram his Mystic Core while his Dao Infant struck from within, cracking the wall.
• Yang Xiao broke through and devoured the shattered core shell, transforming his Dao Infant into a five-colored glazed form and attaining the Dao-Infant Realm.
• The Yellow Wind Demon King and Black Rock arrived at the edge of Guanlan Commandery on a golden paper kite.
• The Yellow Wind Demon King strode into a county town, intending to sacrifice its people to the demons of Yellow Wind Mountain.
• A patrolling yamen runner spotted the demons and shouted for the Demon Suppression Division to be notified.

The Yellow Wind Demon King and Black Rock attacked Guanlan Commandery, slaughtering Demon Suppression soldiers while demanding Pei Xuance. Yang Xiao sensed the demons and raced to the city, where he arrived just in time to pierce Black Rock with his spear.

• The Yellow Wind Demon King entered Guanlan Commandery with Black Rock and invited the city to summon its defenders.
• Black Rock killed a deputy general and shattered the crossbowmen's attack, while the Yellow Wind Demon King's wind reduced soldiers to skeletons.
• A surviving deputy general held the street so other soldiers could evacuate civilians as Black Rock advanced on him.
• Yang Xiao sensed the two demons' Yao Qi and rushed toward Guanlan Commandery with the Army-Breaking Spear.
• Yang Xiao struck Black Rock through the chest with his spear, and the demon collapsed onto the street.