Recaps

Jiang Che returned to the night of Master Chunji’s final battle with the Demon Sword and told him what would happen, including the destruction of Ailin fourteen years later. He asked Chunji for help preventing the future calamity that would threaten the city and Jiang Che himself.

• Jiang Che considered whether the trap at Little Hidden Temple had been designed to bring the Demon Sword into Ailin, and decided to investigate Wang Baojun’s family and companions.
• Jiang Che wondered whether Puxin had survived and why Chunji had not sought help from Azure Mystic, then entered the consciousness space to meet Chunji again.
• Jiang Che told Chunji that he had come from fourteen years in the future and described the Demon Sword’s eruption, Chunji’s death, and the coming destruction of Ailin.
• Jiang Che demonstrated Candlelight Thousand-Jin Finger, and Chunji recognized that Jiang Che had lied about being taught the technique directly by him.
• Jiang Che explained that he had returned to save Ailin in the future and begged Chunji to show mercy and help him.

Jiang Che told Chunji about the coming Demon Calamity, and they discussed how to stop the demonic sword and find the person behind the scheme. Chunji offered to teach Jiang Che the Bodhi Heart Lamp, though it required a rare spirit essence that Jiang Che seemed to have a way to obtain.

• Jiang Che ate dinner with Chunji and Puxin, then told Chunji about his previous visit and events in reality.
• Chunji explained that his attempt to destroy the evil spirit in the sword had failed and warned that Steward Wei must be stopped from refining it.
• Chunji said he had avoided asking Azure Mystic cultivators for help because greed or impure intentions could let the sword corrupt them.
• Chunji proposed using the Bodhi Heart Lamp to detect demonic energy and locate the person behind the scheme.
• Chunji explained that practicing the technique required a wisp of rare sarira sandalwood chant essence, and Jiang Che realized he might be able to obtain it.

Jiang Che studied Buddhist teachings and prepared with Chunji for the night's attack, but he could not prevent Chunji's sacrifice or change the instance's ending. Before the instance ended, Chunji granted him a spark of Buddha nature and entrusted Ailin to him fourteen years in the future; Jiang Che received a C-grade reward of five wisps of primordial origin first spirit.

• Jiang Che believed his primordial origin first spirit might transform into sarira sandalwood chant essence, and Chunji taught him the scriptures and cultivation method for Bodhi Heart Lamp.
• Jiang Che studied through the night while Chunji restrained the demonic sword, then advised Chunji to conserve power by protecting only the main hall.
• Jiang Che and Chunji fought through the night, with Jiang Che destroying forty-six enemies and nine embryonic-breath demon monsters before exhaustion forced him to stop.
• The instance's ending repeated, and Chunji sacrificed himself to destroy the evil thing despite Jiang Che's efforts to conserve his strength.
• Chunji bestowed a spark of Buddha nature on Jiang Che and entrusted Ailin to him fourteen years later.
• Jiang Che received a C-grade reward of five wisps of primordial origin first spirit.

Jiang Che used [primordial origin first spirit] to form [sarira sandalwood chant essence] and began cultivating the Bodhi Heart Lamp, while Azure Mystic investigated Wang Baojun’s household. After a three-day patrol, Jiang Che had enough transmigration energy for one Little Hidden Temple attempt and planned to cultivate during his days off.

• Jiang Che compared the rewards and costs of Little Hidden Temple and Willow Source Old Dream, deciding to save his limited transmigration energy for a more informed attempt.
• Jiang Che cultivated the Bodhi Heart Lamp, using [primordial origin first spirit] to create [sarira sandalwood chant essence] and drawing on memories of Chunji’s instruction and Buddha nature.
• A hooded bald master ordered an accomplice to deal with the Azure Mystic investigators rather than Wang Baojun’s family.
• Jiang Che’s team ended its investigation and began routine patrols of the old city, where Jiang Che earned four points of transmigration energy from demon monsters.
• After two days of patrol, Jiang Che had forty-five points of transmigration energy and planned to use his two days off to continue cultivating the Bodhi Heart Lamp.

Jiang Che’s patrol crossed Ailin Old City as he grew increasingly uneasy, though he found no explanation for the Bodhi Heart Lamp’s warning or learned anything useful about Little Hidden Temple. Near the old city wall, his warning finally proved justified when a horde of Demon Monsters surrounded the patrol, including five at the Embryonic Breath level.

• Jiang Che befriended Liang Ci, who explained his difficult family background and hoped to earn a Main Gate place next year, while praising Jiang Che’s reputation.
• Jiang Che questioned local Company Commander Qian Ze about Ailin before the Demon Calamity and Little Hidden Temple, but Qian Ze recalled little about the temple.
• Jiang Che’s patrol reached a fortified outpost in Ailin Old City, where he met Hu Yan’s and Zhang Erguo’s patrols; the night passed without incident, though his sense of danger persisted.
• The next day, Jiang Che’s patrol stopped near the old city wall for lunch without having encountered any Demon Monsters.
• Jiang Che’s danger sense surged, so he ordered the patrol to arm itself and leave, and Liang Ci immediately backed him.
• Demon Monsters erupted from behind the surrounding walls and encircled the courtyard, including five with Embryonic Breath-level auras.

Jiang Che’s squad was trapped by a Demon Monster ambush, and he discovered that Qian Ze had betrayed them. After Liang Ci was killed and Jiang Che was surrounded, he ignited his Bodhi Heart Lamp and spent Primordial Origin First Spirit to unleash a devastating finger strike.

• Jiang Che fought through the horde, killing two Embryonic Breath Demon Monsters with his sword and Candlelight Thousand-Jin Finger.
• Jiang Che’s Bodhi Heart Lamp ignited, revealing Qian Ze’s malice as he moved to attack Liang Ci from behind.
• Qian Ze killed Liang Ci and joined three Demon Monsters in confronting Jiang Che.
• Jiang Che spent a strand of Primordial Origin First Spirit to strengthen himself and killed another Transforming Force Demon Monster with a finger strike.

Jiang Che defeated the Demon Monsters and Qian Ze, then used the Bodhi Heart Lamp to glimpse Qian Ze’s thoughts and uncover a plot involving Hundred-Man Commander Zhang and a mysterious Master. After Qian Ze caught him probing his mind, Jiang Che killed him without learning the Master’s identity.

• Jiang Che fought three enemies at once, killed the Transforming Force Demon Monsters, and crippled Qian Ze with his sword.
• Jiang Che joined the surviving soldiers and helped them defeat the remaining Demon Monsters, leaving only five of the twenty soldiers alive.
• Jiang Che questioned the wounded Qian Ze and used the Bodhi Heart Lamp to glimpse his thoughts about Hundred-Man Commander Zhang’s orders and a hooded Master.
• Qian Ze noticed Jiang Che inside his memory, breaking the vision before the Master’s face was revealed.
• Jiang Che explained the Bodhi Heart Lamp’s limited mind-reading ability, then killed Qian Ze.

Jiang Che learned that Qian Ze had colluded with Demon Monsters and rescued the wounded Zhang Erguo after both companies were ambushed. They found Hu Yan alone against a horde at the Old Drill Ground, where she faced a gang-force Demon Monster.

• Jiang Che saw unfamiliar black vapor leave Qian Ze's corpse and recognized Hundred-Man Commander Zhang as the officer who had given Qian Ze orders.
• Zhang Erguo escaped three pursuing Demon Monsters after killing his traitorous Company Commander with an Outer Disciple, then ran into Jiang Che, who treated his wounds.
• Jiang Che told Zhang Erguo that Qian Ze's company had been ambushed and that he had killed five Demon Monsters, including three with transforming force.
• Jiang Che and Zhang Erguo headed to find Hu Yan and discovered her company's dead soldiers and officers at the Old Drill Ground.
• Jiang Che and Zhang Erguo prepared to join Hu Yan, who was fighting dozens of Demon Monsters and a gang-force beast-bodied monster.

Jiang Che and Zhang Erguo joined Hu Yan’s battle, and Jiang Che exposed the Gang Force Demon Monster’s weakness so Hu Yan could kill it. After the remaining monsters were slain, Hu Yan thanked Jiang Che and resolved to treat him as a true friend.

• Jiang Che and Zhang Erguo helped Hu Yan by killing the smaller Demon Monsters around her.
• Jiang Che sensed the Gang Force Demon Monster’s weak point and maneuvered into position while Hu Yan drew its attack.
• Hu Yan knocked aside the monster’s forelimb as Jiang Che struck its weakness with Candlelight, grievously wounding it.
• Hu Yan followed up with three saber strikes and cut the Gang Force Demon Monster in half.
• Hu Yan and Jiang Che cleared the remaining monsters, and Jiang Che gained a large amount of transmigration energy.
• Hu Yan thanked Jiang Che for saving her and told him he could ask her for help in the future.

Jiang Che, Hu Yan, and Zhang Erguo returned to Ailin after surviving a coordinated ambush and identified Hundred-Man Commander Zhang Guilu as their next lead. Jiang Che told Du Yongchang that the ambush was tied to a mysterious Master and the Demon Sword, leaving Du Yongchang angered that Jiang Che was still pursuing the sword.

• Jiang Che told Hu Yan and Zhang Erguo that their company commanders had worked with Demon Monsters under orders linked to Zhang Guilu and a mysterious Master.
• The three planned to enter Ailin covertly and capture Zhang Guilu alive before he could flee.
• Liu Mo hid the survivors’ return by bringing his patrol team to eat and drink, while Hu Yan went to watch Zhang Guilu and Jiang Che escorted the wounded Zhang Erguo to the Hall Department.
• Jiang Che met Du Yongchang and reported the coordinated ambush, the suspected traitors, and the Master’s connection to the Demon Sword.
• Du Yongchang reacted with anger when Jiang Che said the plot was connected to the Demon Sword.

Jiang Che warned Du Yongchang that Steward Wei’s sword-forging could lead to a catastrophe, then led Azure Mystic disciples to arrest Zhang Guilu. After ordinary questioning failed, Jiang Che forced Zhang Guilu to take Heart-Questioning Powder and prepared to interrogate him.

• Du Yongchang told Jiang Che that Old Wei had started the furnace, and Jiang Che warned that the sword’s refinement could cause a catastrophe as severe as another Demon Calamity.
• Du Yongchang sent a flying message to County Commandant Lin, arranged protection for Steward Wei, and ordered Jiang Che to arrest Hundred-Man Commander Zhang with Heart-Questioning Powder.
• Jiang Che and more than twenty Azure Mystic disciples reached the army camp, where Hu Yan had captured Zhang Guilu and soldiers were blocking the entrance.
• Jiang Che and Hu Yan restrained Zhang Guilu when he tried to kill himself, then took him into a tent for questioning.
• After Zhang Guilu resisted ordinary interrogation, Hu Yan held him down while Jiang Che forced him to swallow Heart-Questioning Powder.

Jiang Che used Zhang Guilu’s drugged memories to discover that the Master was Puxin and was hiding beneath Ailin’s East City wall. As Jiang Che and Hu Yan hurried to confront him, a vast wave of demonic qi erupted near the Hall Department, revealing that the sword-refining furnace had gone wrong.

• Heart-Questioning Powder left Zhang Guilu unable to answer questions about the Master, so Jiang Che used the Bodhi Heart Lamp to search his memories.
• Jiang Che learned that the Master had exploited the military households’ suffering with promises of deliverance and planned to end their suffering that day.
• Jiang Che recognized the Master as Puxin and found his hideout in a poor residential quarter beneath the East City wall.
• Jiang Che and Hu Yan left five Azure Mystic disciples to escort Zhang Guilu and led fifteen others toward East City.
• Jiang Che spotted enormous black clouds of demonic qi rising near the Hall Department and realized the sword-refining furnace had caused trouble.

Demonic qi overwhelmed the Hall Department as a fiend took control of Steward Wei and wielded the Demon Sword against Du Yongchang, Steward Pang, and County Commandant Li. Meanwhile, Jiang Che’s group continued toward the Master in East City, where Jiang Che discovered that the gathering civilians regarded the Azure Mystic disciples as enemies.

• Du Yongchang, Steward Pang, and County Commandant Li failed to break through the sword formation surrounding Steward Wei’s artifact-forging room.
• Steward Wei opened his eyes, took up the Demon Sword, and revealed that a fiend had possessed him.
• The fiend unleashed the Demon Sword’s full power, forcing all three Qi Refining Cultivators to fight desperately.
• Du Yongchang thought of Jiang Che and resolved to keep fighting until he had to preserve his life and retreat.
• Jiang Che persuaded his group to continue their mission toward the Master instead of returning to the Hall Department.
• Jiang Che used the [Bodhi Heart Lamp] on the civilians blocking the streets and found that they harbored malice toward the Azure Mystic disciples.

Jiang Che and Hu Yan's Azure Mystic party fought through an ambush in East City and reached the courtyard where Puxin was conducting a demonic ritual. Hu Yan launched an attack on Puxin as the chapter ended.

• Jiang Che recognized that the East City crowd resented the Azure Mystic disciples because Ailin's people were trapped in hardship and viewed the party as enemies.
• Azure Mystic disciples shoved through the crowd until soldiers hidden among the people and on nearby walls ambushed them with arrows and blades.
• Jiang Che used the Bodhi Lamp to identify hidden attackers as the party fought back, killing dozens and losing two disciples before scattering the crowd.
• Jiang Che led the survivors to a courtyard where dozens of people chanted the Strange Scripture around a blood-painted formation, and he recognized the grown-up Puxin at its center.
• Hu Yan ordered the Azure Mystic disciples to attack and charged Puxin with her saber.

Jiang Che fought alongside the Azure Mystic disciples against Puxin and the Ailin Outer Gate followers, but Puxin revealed corrupted versions of White Dragon Temple techniques. After Puxin attacked Jiang Che, his Bodhi Evil Lamp trapped him in a mindscape of fabricated painful memories.

• Puxin held off Hu Yan and Zhao Bo while the outnumbered Azure Mystic disciples battled the Ailin Outer Gate followers, with Jiang Che helping keep their line standing.
• Jiang Che struck at Puxin with Candlelight Thousand-Jin Finger, but Puxin countered with a corrupted version and severely wounded him.
• Jiang Che asked Puxin about Master Chunji, provoking Puxin to break away from Hu Yan and Zhao Bo and attack him.
• Jiang Che used Cloud-Wrapped Empty Valley to block Puxin's Vajra strike, allowing Hu Yan and Zhao Bo to attack Puxin from both sides.
• Puxin fixed Jiang Che with his black-purple eyes and used Bodhi Evil Lamp to plunge him into a mindscape filled with fabricated memories meant to crush his will.

Jiang Che fought Puxin’s assault on his mind, glimpsed the memories behind Puxin’s fall and the Ailin Demon Calamity, then entered the Little Hidden Temple instance to seek answers from Master Chunji. The chapter ended with Jiang Che greeting Chunji while young Puxin wondered if he was a bad person.

• Puxin attacked Jiang Che’s mind with the evil version of the Bodhi Heart Lamp while Hu Yan and Zhao Bo fought him in the courtyard.
• Jiang Che unleashed sarira sandalwood chant essence, broke through Puxin’s defenses, and saw how the Wang Clan’s steward imprisoned and mistreated Puxin after Master Chunji’s sacrifice.
• Jiang Che saw Puxin call the Demon Sword “Master,” slaughter the Wang Clan, and summon the Demon Calamity in Ailin Old City.
• Puxin severed the connection between their heart lamps to stop Jiang Che from seeing more, leaving both men mentally damaged.
• Jiang Che entered the Little Hidden Temple instance from fourteen years earlier to seek answers from Master Chunji.
• Jiang Che greeted Master Chunji, while young Puxin became wary of his strange, compassionate gaze.

Jiang Che learned that Puxin’s devotion to the Demon Sword came from Chunji’s evil reincarnation, and Chunji taught him how to weaken it with the True Dharma scripture. After completing the instance, Jiang Che returned with a plan to break the deadlock.

• Chunji explained that the Evil Spirit might have influenced Puxin, then revealed that his reincarnations alternated between utmost good and utmost evil.
• Jiang Che realized Puxin had acknowledged his real master, Chunji, in an evil life of reincarnation.
• Chunji taught Jiang Che that the True Dharma scripture could weaken the Evil Spirit if chanted into its heart through the array and a magic artifact.
• Chunji agreed that severing his evil reincarnation was necessary to prevent calamity and save Ailin and Jiang Che.
• Jiang Che endured the night’s battle, received another portion of Buddha Nature from Chunji, and earned the Grade Seven Iron Body Without Leakage reward.
• Jiang Che left the instance with an idea for breaking the deadlock.

Jiang Che used the True Dharma scripture and the Tin Staff to weaken Puxin, allowing Hu Yan to kill him. After the remaining enemies were slain, Jiang Che stopped Zhao Bo from destroying the blood formation and claimed he could resolve the problem, but Zhao Bo doubted him.

• Jiang Che trusted Chunji's explanation of the calamity and used the Bodhi Lamp to locate the Tin Staff at the blood formation's core.
• Puxin tried to stop Jiang Che, but Hu Yan and Zhao Bo held him back.
• Jiang Che recited the True Dharma scripture of the Perfectly Adorned Sutra of Cyclic Transference and Prophecy, weakening Puxin's Reverse Dharma energy.
• Hu Yan killed Puxin, and Jiang Che briefly helped deliver his soul before joining the others in defeating the remaining enemies.
• Jiang Che stopped Zhao Bo from destroying the blood formation and said he had a method to resolve the problem, but Zhao Bo questioned whether he could be trusted.

Jiang Che carried the Tin Staff to the ruined Hall Department and used a smoke signal to coordinate with Hu Yan and the others as he recited scripture. The formation began to glow, and the Tin Staff connected to the battlefield just as Steward Wei’s aura shifted.

• Jiang Che convinced Zhao Bo to remain with Hu Yan and activate the blood formation after receiving his signal, then hurried to the Hall Department with the Tin Staff.
• Jiang Che found the Hall Department in ruins, sent up a scarlet smoke signal, and began reciting scripture with the Tin Staff across his knees.
• Hu Yan led the Azure Mystic disciples into the blood formation and activated it, with Zhao Bo and the others following her.
• Jiang Che sensed a faint connection from the Tin Staff to the battlefield and continued reciting the scripture with renewed vigor.
• Du Yongchang struggled against the demonic qi with the Wood-Pomegranate Azure Cauldron, then sensed a change in Steward Wei’s aura.

As Jiang Che chanted the True Dharma, Chunji's evil spirit weakened, turning the battle in favor of Du Yongchang, Pang, and Li. Chunji raised corpse-born Demon Monsters to attack Jiang Che, but Zhang Erguo arrived to protect him.

• Du Yongchang noticed Chunji's sudden weakness and urged Pang and Li to attack with all their strength.
• Chunji realized the True Dharma scripture was entering his consciousness through the formation and unleashed demonic qi into the battlefield's corpses.
• Jiang Che continued chanting as the corpses fused into Demon Monsters that closed in around him.
• Zhang Erguo smashed the nearest Demon Monster with his Gourd Hammer and vowed to hold his ground while Jiang Che chanted.

Zhang Erguo fought to protect Jiang Che while Jiang Che chanted the True Dharma to strike the Evil Spirit through the formation. Jiang Che's effort stopped the demon monsters from reviving, and he sensed that the Evil Spirit had been gravely wounded.

• Zhang Erguo stayed behind to recover after the demonic qi outbreak, then stepped in when he saw Jiang Che surrounded by danger.
• Zhang Erguo killed several embryonic breath demon monsters but was overwhelmed as transforming force monsters joined the fight.
• A sword-wielding rescuer killed the monster that knocked Zhang Erguo down, and Zhang Erguo thanked Senior Brother Guo'er before passing out.
• Jiang Che used the last of his [primordial origin first spirit] to strengthen his chanting and complete a powerful strike against the Evil Spirit.
• The demonic qi stopped spawning monsters, and Jiang Che sensed that Du, Pang, and Li had helped inflict enormous damage on the Evil Spirit.

After the evil spirit was defeated, Jiang Che risked approaching the Hall Department and absorbed a huge amount of transmigration energy from Steward Wei’s corpse. The Demon Sword was sealed, ending the immediate danger, and Jiang Che awaited the sect’s promised reward.

• Jiang Che checked Zhang Erguo’s injuries, moved him to a room, and then cautiously headed toward the Hall Department.
• The three Qi Refining masters defeated Steward Wei, but the Demon Sword escaped and attacked Jiang Che before Du Yongchang intercepted it.
• Du Yongchang praised Jiang Che’s service and pursued the fleeing Demon Sword with the other masters.
• Jiang Che approached Steward Wei’s corpse and absorbed 310 points of transmigration energy, bringing his total to 525.
• The three Qi Refining masters returned with the Demon Sword sealed, and the last lingering danger subsided.

Jiang Che prepared to explain his role in defeating the Demon Sword and faced questioning from three Qi Refining masters about his suspicious knowledge and methods. The chapter ended as he began to offer a carefully shaped account while concealing the truth about his abilities.

• Jiang Che recovered to about seventy percent after a night of rest and reflected on his depleted resources, transmigration energy, and contribution to the battle.
• Jiang Che recognized that Li and Pang had considered interrogating him as a suspect, but Du Yongchang's public praise had established him as a meritorious servant and protected him.
• Jiang Che went to the County Office, where Azure Mystic disciples gathered to answer questions about the previous day's events.
• After Hu Yan reassured him, Jiang Che entered the inner hall and faced questions from County Commandant Li and the other Qi Refining masters.
• Jiang Che decided not to lie or reveal his instance-related secrets, and began giving the masters a carefully constructed explanation.

Jiang Che explained his discoveries and rapid mastery of Bodhi Heart Lamp to the Azure Mystic officials, carefully letting them infer a misleading account while keeping his statements true. Du Yongchang defended Jiang Che’s talent and standing, but the chapter ended when a white-robed monk appeared in the room holding Jiang Che’s submitted copy.

• Jiang Che gave the officials his account of finding Bodhi Heart Lamp, learning it, and discovering how to restrain the evil spirit in the sword.
• Du Yongchang ended County Commandant Li’s questioning and told Jiang Che to rest while they awaited an elder from Azure Mystic.
• After Jiang Che left, County Commandant Li questioned his rapid progress, but Du Yongchang defended him by citing his talent and connection to Jingxiao Peak.
• County Commandant Li noticed that Jiang Che’s submitted copy had vanished, and the three officials saw a monk in white robes and a golden kasaya reading it.

Chunhui of the White Dragon Temple arrived in Ailin to find his reincarnated senior brother and reclaim the temple’s supreme art. After confronting Jiang Che, he demanded that Jiang Che become a monk or face death, leaving Jiang Che desperate for the Azure Mystic Sect elder to arrive.

• Chunhui revealed himself to County Commandant Li, Du Yongchang, and Steward Pang, and said he had come to retrieve Chunji’s reincarnation and reclaim the White Dragon Temple’s supreme art.
• County Commandant Li left, while Du Yongchang failed to persuade Chunhui to wait for the Azure Mystic Sect elder.
• Jiang Che returned to his room and found Chunhui waiting with the handwritten copy of [Bodhi Heart Lamp].
• Jiang Che explained that he had obtained the Buddhist formula and its essence from the Little Hidden Temple, and Chunhui demanded that he join the White Dragon Temple or be killed.
• Chunhui postponed Jiang Che’s answer until he found Chunji’s reincarnation and left, while Jiang Che resolved that he did not want to become a monk.