Chapter Summaries

Shi Chun discovered that Black Tiger and Wu Shanshan had tracked his group to the wind-filled refuge despite his precautions, and suspected they had a special tracking method. He decided to strike before their main force arrived, targeting the two pursuers who seemed central to the threat.

• Black Tiger smelled an unabsorbed divine fire in the wind-filled area but could not pinpoint its location, while Wu Shanshan urged the group to wait for Yin Tianlu's reinforcements.
• Black Tiger sent Junior Brother Huang back to check on Yin Tianlu's group, and the rest concealed themselves.
• Shi Chun watched Black Tiger's group from a hollow after Zhen'er led his people to the windy refuge to screen for a traitor and scatter any scent trail.
• Wu Jinliang reported that nobody in Shi Chun's group had acted suspiciously, and Shi Chun concluded their pursuers must have another way to track them.
• Shi Chun inferred that Yin Tianlu and the main force were still dealing with Summer Path Mountain and decided Black Tiger and Wu Shanshan had to be eliminated before reinforcements arrived.

Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang planned how to survive the pursuit, while Li Hongjiu pressured the Heavenforging Sect into agreeing to give the Treasure-Evolving Sect disciples divine fire. Gu Liani then revealed that Shi Chun was alive and had the secret art for finding divine fire.

• Shi Chun told Wu Jinliang that he had found someone who could help them escape after the assembly, and the two discussed fighting their pursuers.
• Li Hongjiu threatened the Heavenforging Sect with a choice between fighting and yielding one divine fire for each Treasure-Evolving Sect disciple.
• Zuo Zisheng consulted his fellow disciples, then agreed to Li Hongjiu's terms while planning to test him later.
• Li Hongjiu asked Gu Liani to use her secret art to lead them to divine fire, but she revealed that Shi Chun was alive and possessed the art.
• Gu Liani explained how Shi Chun and Summer Path Mountain had worked together, and Yuan Yao produced the complete Origin-Locking Formation.

Shi Chun abandoned his plan to rely on Zhen'er in battle and decided to confront Wu Shanshan and Black Tiger with Wu Jinliang, using their Immobilization Technique gourds while the Bright Mountain Sect prepared to support them. The two groups discovered each other and emerged to face off, leaving the confrontation about to begin.

• Shi Chun learned that Zhen'er had never fought anyone and decided he could not count on her combat experience against their pursuers.
• Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang agreed to confront Wu Shanshan and Black Tiger, while the rest of the Bright Mountain Sect prepared to assist or retreat if the fight went badly.
• Chu Jingtang questioned their chances, but Shi Chun insisted he had reason to take the risk and led the group out toward the pursuers.
• Wu Shanshan spotted Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang approaching, and both sides moved into position.
• Shi Chun realized the enemy had detected his hidden supporters and called for everyone to come out.
• Wu Shanshan and Black Tiger's group emerged and watched the Bright Mountain Sect approach head-on.

Shi Chun approached Wu Shanshan and Black Tiger with Wu Jinliang, while the Bright Mountain Sect group stayed back. He tried to mislead them by claiming the divine-fire-finding secret was a magical artifact called the Divine Fire Mirror, leaving Wu Shanshan and Black Tiger to reconsider what Summer Path Mountain had told them.

• Black Tiger and Wu Shanshan prepared their treasures as Shi Chun's group approached, and Black Tiger repeatedly checked whether Wu Shanshan could handle the enemy's fifth-grade spirit-venerable treasure.
• Shi Chun stopped his companions and advanced with Wu Jinliang, who switched gourds after Shi Chun secretly emptied one of its immobilizing substances toward the enemy.
• Shi Chun identified Black Tiger as the likely source of the enemy's special tracking ability and silently signaled Wu Jinliang to target him first.
• Shi Chun placed the immobilizing substance ahead of them and tried to provoke the enemy into charging while claiming they had come with only two people in good faith.
• Shi Chun said they had given Gu Liani the Divine Fire Mirror and no longer possessed the secret art for finding divine fire.
• Wu Shanshan and Black Tiger exchanged stunned looks as Shi Chun's explanation made them question whether Summer Path Mountain could have let the secret art go so easily.

Wu Shanshan and Black Tiger attacked Shi Chun’s group after Wu Shanshan used the Green Jade Flute to interfere with Shi Chun’s black lotus treasure. As Black Tiger and his artifact spirits charged, Wu Jinliang rushed to confront them, leaving the battle’s outcome uncertain.

• Black Tiger pressed Wu Shanshan to help attack Shi Chun’s group, and she decided that taking back her treasures was worth the risk.
• Wu Shanshan showed Black Tiger their contract, then claimed she had found a divine fire to exchange for her treasures.
• Shi Chun displayed the black lotus pedestal and the Immortal-Strangling Sash, and Wu Shanshan warned Black Tiger about their powers.
• Wu Shanshan played the Green Jade Flute, causing the black lotus to move uncontrollably and distracting Shi Chun.
• Black Tiger unleashed Heaven, Earth, and Man and charged Shi Chun, who threw the black lotus aside to maintain his invisible wall.
• Wu Jinliang shouted “All in!” and charged Black Tiger and the three artifact spirits with his Broadsword.

Shi Chun used the Immobilization Technique to restrain Black Tiger and his three fifth-grade magical treasures, taking a severe backlash as Wu Jinliang charged in. Wu Jinliang killed Black Tiger with one saber strike, while the flute melody stopped abruptly.

• Shi Chun stretched his invisible wall to cover Black Tiger and his three attacking treasures, then suffered a bloody backlash when they broke through.
• The Immobilization Technique’s pale-blue tendrils ensnared Black Tiger and his treasures, leaving them unable to move.
• Black Tiger struggled free of the Immobilization Technique as Wu Jinliang charged toward him, determined to land a killing blow.
• Wu Jinliang remembered Duan Xiangmei’s genuine admiration for him as he closed in on Black Tiger.
• Wu Jinliang split Black Tiger from head to lower back with one saber strike, extinguishing the flame aura and silencing the flute melody.

Wu Jinliang killed Black Tiger and used a bluff to drive the opposing groups away, then turned to collect the abandoned Magical Treasures and escape with Shi Chun. The Bright Mountain Sect group was left wondering why he had not pursued the fleeing enemies.

• Wu Jinliang struck Black Tiger down and split his body apart, while Shi Chun staggered from the strain of helping him.
• Wu Jinliang intimidated Wu Shanshan's group and the Extreme Fire Sect by boasting of his strength and threatening to eat them.
• The Bright Mountain Sect group charged at the enemy, while Zhen'er went to support the injured Shi Chun.
• Wu Shanshan and the Extreme Fire Sect group fled after seeing Black Tiger killed and the three Magical Treasures left suspended in the air.
• Wu Jinliang stopped the Bright Mountain Sect group from pursuing and moved to collect the Magical Treasures.

After Shi Chun recovered from a near-fatal injury, he tested his Black Lotus Treasure and let Wu Jinliang keep three magical treasures. The groups pursuing them regrouped and learned that Black Tiger had died and the Summer Path Mountain people had escaped, while Shi Chun wondered whether their enemies could still track them.

• Wu Jinliang returned the recovered fifth-grade treasure to Shi Chun, who vomited poisoned blood but rapidly healed with his stored vitality.
• Shi Chun confirmed that Wu Shanshan's flute music had disrupted the Black Lotus Treasure, then gave Wu Jinliang the three treasures he had seized.
• Shi Chun questioned whether Wu Shanshan's group could still track them, and Chu Jingtang urged the group to leave before their enemies returned.
• Su Qiao received Black Tiger's fallen Life Lotus Lamp and realized that the Extreme Fire Sect's long-planned trump card had been destroyed.
• Wu Shanshan's group reunited with Yin Tianlu's disciples, learned that Black Tiger had been killed, and heard that the Summer Path Mountain people had escaped.

After Black Tiger’s death, Yin Tianlu decided to pursue Shi Chun’s group again and use the other sects to test Wu Jinliang’s strength. Meanwhile, Gong Shixi’s scouts were discovered by Gu Liani’s allied forces, leaving the Thousand Rocks Sect exposed and under Zuo Zisheng’s suspicion.

• Wu Shanshan and Yin Tianlu discussed Wu Jinliang’s overwhelming strength, and Yin Tianlu rejected revenge in favor of following Shi Chun’s group and letting other sects test him.
• Wu Shanshan agreed to help track Shi Chun, and Yin Tianlu led the Extreme Fire Sect party after her as the other sects followed.
• Gong Shixi sent scouts ahead while keeping the Thousand Rocks Sect hidden, but Gu Liani’s group, the Heavenforging Sect, and the Treasure-Evolving Sect discovered them.
• Zuo Zisheng questioned Gong Shixi, who claimed his group was resting and planned to turn back.
• Zuo Zisheng pointed out that Gong Shixi’s scouts had continued farther along the route, challenging his explanation.

Shi Chun discovered that Wu Shanshan was tracking his group and sent Wu Jinliang and the others fleeing while he infiltrated the gathered sect forces to attempt to assassinate her. Meanwhile, Zuo Zisheng arrived with Li Hongjiu and their companions, leaving Yin Tianlu uncertain about who held the tracking secret art.

• Wu Jinliang practiced controlling the Three-in-One and taught Zhen'er ruthless fighting techniques while Shi Chun watched for pursuers with Chu Jingtang.
• Shi Chun spotted Wu Shanshan approaching and realized Black Tiger had not been the enemy tracker; Wu Shanshan also noticed Shi Chun but withdrew cautiously.
• Shi Chun told Chu Jingtang to warn Wu Jinliang's group to flee, then changed his appearance and headed toward the assembled sect forces to assassinate Wu Shanshan.
• Wu Jinliang led Zhen'er and the Bright Mountain Sect group away with her help navigating a detour through unfamiliar territory.
• Wu Shanshan reported her discovery to Yin Tianlu, who gathered nearby sect disciples while planning to use them to test the danger.
• Zuo Zisheng and Li Hongjiu arrived with their companions, and Yin Tianlu wondered whether Summer Path Mountain really held the tracking secret art.

Shi Chun infiltrated the gathering of sects while trying to approach Wu Shanshan without drawing attention. He ended near the leaders as the Three Great Sects confronted Yin Tianlu, while Li Hongjiu remained a potential threat.

• Shi Chun landed behind the Three Great Sects and disguised his presence by acting as if he knew people from a neighboring sect.
• Li Hongjiu noticed Shi Chun’s unusual landing and masked face, but dismissed him after seeing him greet another sect.
• Shi Chun recognized Gu Liani, Gong Shixi, Xu Anchang, You Mu, and Wu Shanshan among the gathered sects, and focused on getting close to Wu Shanshan while planning an escape.
• Shi Chun used the disorder caused by the Three Great Sects’ arrival to move closer to Wu Shanshan and listen to the leaders’ discussion.
• The Three Great Sects reached the Extreme Fire Sect, and Zuo Zisheng teased Yin Tianlu about luring them away with a staged withdrawal.

Yin Tianlu negotiated with Zuo Zisheng and the others over working together to find Shi Chun, while Gu Liani claimed Shi Chun possessed the secret art for finding divine fire. Shi Chun stayed hidden among the crowd and caused a commotion to get Yuan Yao’s attention, leaving Yuan Yao astonished to see him there.

• Zuo Zisheng questioned Yin Tianlu about Shi Chun’s whereabouts and had Gu Liani identify Wu Shanshan as one of the pursuers.
• Yin Tianlu shielded Wu Shanshan and challenged Gu Liani’s claim that she held the secret art for finding divine fire.
• Gu Liani blamed Shi Chun for possessing the secret art, while Shi Chun listened from hiding and considered asking her to help kill Wu Shanshan.
• Yin Tianlu offered to cooperate with Zuo Zisheng’s group if they shared the benefits, keeping his own encounter with Shi Chun secret.
• Shi Chun used the fierce wind to send blue lights flying through the crowd, creating a disturbance that let him signal Yuan Yao.

Yuan Yao and Gu Liani arranged a secret meeting with Shi Chun amid negotiations over the Divine Fire Secret Art. Shi Chun warned them that Wu Shanshan could track them with her spells and had to be killed for them to escape.

• Shi Chun released insect core crystals that streaked into the sky, distracting the gathered sect leaders as they tried to identify them.
• Yuan Yao recognized the masked Shi Chun and quietly told Gu Liani he was nearby and wanted to meet.
• Gu Liani complained that Summer Path Mountain was being surrounded, then led her disciples through the loosened encirclement toward Shi Chun.
• Amid the commotion, Shi Chun crouched beside Gu Liani and was concealed among her disciples.
• Shi Chun told Gu Liani that they had killed Black Tiger, but Wu Shanshan's tracking spells let the Extreme Fire Sect find them, so they needed to kill her quickly.

Shi Chun persuaded Gu Liani’s group to create an opening while he attacked Wu Shanshan, then slipped into the contingent assigned to accompany her. The four major sects secretly agreed to divide the divine fire and its locating Secret Art, while Shi Chun’s sudden move left Summer Path Mountain’s disciples stunned.

• Shi Chun rejected Gu Liani’s caution and decided to attack Wu Shanshan himself, asking her group to disrupt the other sects so he could escape.
• Gu Liani, Yuan Yao, and Pang Hou agreed to help Shi Chun by creating an opening without openly siding with him.
• Shi Chun used a manufactured clash between Summer Path Mountain and the Heavenforging Sect to move within about thirty feet of Wu Shanshan.
• The Heavenforging Sect, Summer Path Mountain, the Treasure-Evolving Sect, and the Extreme Fire Sect secretly agreed to share the Secret Art for finding divine fire and any divine fire they found.
• Wu Shanshan set out with a small contingent from the four sects, and Shi Chun darted out to join them, startling the Summer Path Mountain disciples.

Shi Chun tried to get close to Wu Shanshan by openly joining the Four Sects’ representatives, but Li Hongjiu and Zuo Zisheng grew suspicious and called him out. As Wu Shanshan prepared to lead the group onward, Shi Chun launched the Immortal-Strangling Sash at her, exposing his identity.

• Shi Chun stepped out of the crowd and joined the representatives near Wu Shanshan, who did not recognize him and explained the rules for following her.
• Shi Chun watched Wu Shanshan and her guards, then concluded that two Forgetting Passion Valley women were protecting a woman who had absorbed Divine Fire.
• Li Hongjiu questioned whose masked man Shi Chun was, and Zuo Zisheng denied that he belonged to the Heavenforging Sect.
• Zuo Zisheng shouted for Shi Chun to come over, but Shi Chun readied the Immortal-Strangling Sash and attacked Wu Shanshan instead.
• Yan Ketao recognized the sash and cried out Shi Chun’s name, startling Xu Anchang and You Mu.

Shi Chun launched a surprise attack on Wu Shanshan with the Immortal-Strangling Sash, but her prepared iron frame resisted the binding while Jin Hao moved to kill him. Shi Chun revealed the Demonic Art’s defensive power and met Jin Hao’s attack head-on, leaving their palms about to collide.

• Shi Chun unleashed the Immortal-Strangling Sash at Wu Shanshan, and Jin Hao attacked him while Gu Liani chose not to help.
• Wu Shanshan trapped herself inside a prepared metal frame, which the sash wrapped around without securing her.
• Shi Chun charged Jin Hao with his saber and threw the Black Lotus Magical Treasure, while Jin Hao struck him with a palm attack.
• Shi Chun endured Jin Hao’s palm strike without being moved, and their weapons clashed as Jin Hao realized he was not an ordinary opponent.
• Shi Chun and Jin Hao closed in and struck at each other with their palms, Shi Chun using the Demon-Undoing Hand.

Shi Chun, disguised as the Masked Man, used the Demon-Undoing Hand and a relentless assault to cripple Jin Hao while fighting toward Wu Shanshan. As others realized the Masked Man was not Shi Chun and Forgetting Passion Valley's disciples joined the battle, Wu Shanshan remained trapped in the tightening Immortal-Strangling Sash.

• Shi Chun clashed palms with Jin Hao, secretly struck her with the Demon-Undoing Hand, and left her unable to fight back.
• Shi Chun kicked Jin Hao repeatedly in midair, then tried to finish her with a sword slash as he pressed on toward Wu Shanshan.
• Li Hongjiu watched Shi Chun's unusual midair attack and quietly made a motion toward the magical treasure Black Lotus.
• Lin Yuefang, Wu Shanshan, and Yan Ketao each suspected that the Masked Man was not Shi Chun, while Wu Shanshan's metal framework began to buckle inside the Immortal-Strangling Sash.
• The Forgetting Passion Valley disciples rushed in; one woman hid herself with a silver blanket, another fired a beam from a bronze mirror, and Lin Yuefang attacked with her sword and a disorienting bell.

Shi Chun fought Jin Hao, Lin Yuefang, and the other Forgetting Passion Valley disciples while the surrounding sects hesitated to intervene. After killing Lin Yuefang and driving off another attack, he reached Wu Shanshan and immobilized her, choosing to make her reveal her demonic identity rather than kill her outright.

• Shi Chun attacked Jin Hao while blocking Lin Yuefang’s sword, but the Three Corpses Mirror darkened his ordinary senses and the Soul-Severing Bell rang nearby.
• Shi Chun used his unaffected right-eye vision to overcome the attack, slashed Lin Yuefang, and seized her bell as the surrounding fighters recovered.
• An invisible Forgetting Passion Valley disciple pulled the dying Jin Hao away, while Shi Chun rushed toward Wu Shanshan, trapped in the Immortal-Strangling Sash.
• A Forgetting Passion Valley disciple attacked Shi Chun, but he reached Wu Shanshan, thrust through the sash, and fought her palm strike and grip on his saber.
• Shi Chun immobilized Wu Shanshan but pretended to struggle, hoping she would reveal her demonic identity by using demonic qi to break free.

Shi Chun killed several Forgetting Passion Valley disciples while using his Right-Eye Ability and magical treasures to expose their hidden attackers. As the Black Lotus Avatar prepared to strike Wu Shanshan, a surviving disciple publicly accused Yin Tianlu and the Extreme Fire Sect of betraying Forgetting Passion Valley.

• Shi Chun killed the junior sister who charged to rescue Wu Shanshan, then used the Black Lotus Avatar to strike the invisible disciple controlling the blanket and reveal the hidden bodies.
• Shi Chun collected the dead woman's Three Corpses Mirror, while Li Hongjiu suspected the Masked Man possessed a rare spatial treasure and might be an elder from one of the Ten Great Sects.
• Shi Chun ordered the Black Lotus Avatar to attack Wu Shanshan again, forcing her to choose between dying and exposing her Demonic Art.
• A surviving Forgetting Passion Valley disciple shouted that Yin Tianlu and the Extreme Fire Sect had broken their word and betrayed them, while another cried out for Wu Shanshan.

Yin Tianlu attacked Shi Chun with the Extreme Fire Sect’s Heavenly Net Sword-Bone Umbrella while Wu Shanshan escaped and counterattacked. As Shi Chun faced a rain of flying swords and his allies held back, he summoned a gourd and prepared to unleash its power.

• Yin Tianlu launched the Heavenly Net Sword-Bone Umbrella at the Black Lotus Avatar, and the clash between their treasures tore open the ground.
• Wu Shanshan escaped the Immortal-Strangling Sash in demonic mist and stabbed at Shi Chun from behind, but his protection stopped her knife and he severed her arm before she fled.
• Shi Chun recovered the invisibility blanket and pursued Wu Shanshan, but her flute melody disabled the Black Lotus Avatar and sent him off its lotus pedestal.
• The umbrella opened above Shi Chun and unleashed countless flying swords as Yuan Yao, Pang Hou, and Gu Liani did not come to his aid.
• Shi Chun recalled the disabled Black Lotus Avatar, smashed a large gourd against the ground, and shouted for it to open.