Recaps

Li Chen earned recognition as a Puppet Master, chose the Shape-Stealing Skin-Painting secret art, and began hunting to fund his cultivation. After joining Huang Yuan'an’s party to avenge fallen hunters, he helped bring down the Tiger Demon Chief, though the fight cost one hunter his life.

• Li Chen demonstrated his Flying Disc to Zhao Bin, traveled with the academy apprentices to Yong City, and impressed Artisan Lei with the device’s simple, practical design.
• Li Chen received Puppet Master status from the Creation Sect and chose the Shape-Stealing Skin-Painting secret art as his legacy.
• Li Chen practiced the art on wooden figures and puppets, then began hunting near the city to cover his expenses and build his resources.
• After Huang Yuan'an returned from a disastrous hunt, Li Chen joined his plan to avenge their fallen companion and kill the Hanging-Eyed White-Forehead Tiger.
• Huang Yuan'an led thirteen hunters into the mountains, where Li Chen scouted with Flying Discs and the group prepared a decoy camp to lure the tiger spirits.
• The hunters ambushed and killed eight tiger spirits, then waited for their leader while Huang Yuan'an kept the party concealed for more than two days.
• When the Tiger Demon Chief approached, the hunters’ arrows and puppets failed to stop it, and Huang Yuan'an used a Thunderclap Bomb to daze the beast.
• Old Hou fired an explosive blast from his mechanical arm into the Tiger Demon Chief’s mouth, bringing it down, while the beast killed one of the Rogue Cultivators.

Li Chen and his companions formed a demon-hunting team, and Li Chen's talents brought him into conflict with Zuo Hao after Zuo Hao killed Xiao Die and Xiao Ying. Li Chen and You An killed Zuo Hao and his Sword Slave, but Old Hou died, leaving them to face possible retribution as they examined their spoils.

• Li Chen joined Old Hou and You An as they hunted demons, and his Fang Tiger's stealth and You An's War Armor impressed their new companion.
• Li Chen and his companions traveled east, earned a share from their hunts, and learned about You An's family history and lost status.
• Li Chen made Puppet Dolls modeled on Xiao Die and Xiao Ying, then refused Zuo Hao's challenge after Zuo Shan killed the sisters.
• Li Chen, Old Hou, and You An left Maple Grove Market, but Zuo Hao pursued them and forced Li Chen into a contest with Old Hou's life at stake.
• Li Chen used disguised figures to trick Zuo Hao into killing Zuo Shan, then fought with You An and killed Zuo Hao and his Sword Slave.
• Li Chen freed Old Hou but discovered that Zuo Hao had already turned him into a human puppet, and he and You An mourned their companion.
• You An warned that Zuo Hao's powerful family and allies might seek revenge, and he and Li Chen prepared to inspect the six Storage Rings they had recovered.

Li Chen and You An fled the Zuo Household’s pursuit, reached the Coldwind Valley Battlefield, and began preparing to hunt demons. After attending Master Artisan Bu’s lecture, they underwent the Blood-Exchange Art, which improved their abilities but left them nearly out of money.

• Li Chen and You An discovered the seven corpse concubines hidden in Zuo Hao’s Flying Chair, buried Old Hou, and settled in a secluded valley where Li Chen built and tested Combat Puppets.
• Li Chen and You An fought Mountain Ogres, rescued Ma Heng’s Ruins Seekers, and traveled with them to Mistywood Town under disguised appearances.
• Jin Hongbo and Long Xi tracked Li Chen and You An using Zuo Hao’s belongings, but Li Chen and You An killed them and their followers before continuing east.
• Zuo Shitang ordered Luo Jing to find a crucial object and offered a million-coin bounty for Thousand Faces, while Luo Jing recovered Old Hou’s body and turned it into a living corpse.
• Li Chen and You An reached Octagonal Fort, learned about demon hunting, and saw the Black List identify Thousand Faces as a disguised cultivator wanted for a million Talisman Coins.
• Li Chen studied his corpse concubines and repaired his puppets while he and You An decided to attend Master Artisan Bu’s public lecture on the Blood-Exchange Art.
• After Master Artisan Bu explained the Blood-Exchange Art, Li Chen and You An bought spirit blood and had Craftsman Lin perform the procedure on them.
• Li Chen gained smoother magic-power circulation and a faint Gang Essence Shield, while he and You An agreed to hunt demons after spending nearly all their money.

After Earthly Sha Sect lackeys trapped Li Chen and You An in the Bleakwind Wasteland, You An sacrificed himself to save Li Chen. Li Chen spent over a year studying Demons, building the Mingling Legion, and escaping the wasteland, then returned to Octagonal Fort intent on finding those responsible and strengthening himself.

• Li Chen developed Flying Disc scouts and hunted Demons with You An, but Earthly Sha Sect lackeys lured them into a rift that dropped them in the Bleakwind Wasteland.
• Surrounded by Demons, Li Chen and You An disguised themselves with Demon skins and fought their way through the horde, but a powerful Servant Demon leader wounded them and pursued them.
• You An immobilized Li Chen, gave him his belongings, and detonated his War Armor to kill himself and the Demon leader, leaving Li Chen to escape alone.
• Li Chen repaired his Puppets, found a hidden cave containing a dead Puppet Master's belongings and research, and discovered a Boundary Gate that he chose not to use.
• Li Chen spent over a year dissecting Demons and developed Potter Wasp Cores that let him control them, then built the Mingling Legion into a force of nearly a hundred Host Insects.
• Li Chen expanded his legion, manipulated rival Demons into fighting, and killed a powerful Horned Demon Chief before using its Inner Core as bait to devastate the Demon population across the region.
• Li Chen crossed the Boundary Gate back to Coldwind Valley, helped Creation Sect disciples near Octagonal Fort, and returned to the city determined to find who had endangered him and You An.
• Li Chen sold Demon materials for more than four hundred thousand talisman coins, then bought spirit blood from Master Artisan Bu so he could replace his own blood himself.