Chapter Summaries

After taking command of Danyang Dao City, Zhang Yuan promised to raise the soldiers’ pay and learned that barbarian experts had been raiding the city’s watchtowers. He rushed out to confront them and slaughtered more than a dozen attackers, leaving the conflict underway.

• Li Shiwen praised Zhang Yuan’s leadership, and Zhang Yuan ordered next month’s pay to be doubled.
• A Dao Soldier reported another barbarian raid, and Lu Xiong explained that repeated attacks had devastated Danyang’s outlying sentries.
• Zhang Yuan told Li Shiwen and Lu Xiong to guard the command post, then hurried toward the outskirts with the Red-Eyed Crow scouting ahead.
• Zhang Yuan found a watchtower destroyed and its two sentries dead, then struck into the forest and killed a hidden barbarian.
• The ambushing barbarians fired poisoned crossbow bolts and charged Zhang Yuan, but he parried their bolts and killed more than a dozen with a single saber stroke.

Zhang Yuan killed the barbarian raiders who attacked the sentries and returned to Danyang City, where Li Shiwen explained that the Wu Tai Tribe had long threatened the mountain-pass fortress. The chapter left Zhang Yuan informed of the tribe’s size and hostility toward Danyang City.

• Zhang Yuan slaughtered nearly twenty Barbarian Warriors and pursued the survivors into the forest, killing them with his saber and Eagle Shooting Bow.
• Zhang Yuan returned to White Tiger Hall and told Li Shiwen and Lu Xiong that the barbarians were dead.
• Zhang Yuan ordered Lu Xiong to recover the fallen sentries’ bodies, arrange their cremation and burial, and send compensation to their families.
• Zhang Yuan asked Li Shiwen to describe the barbarian tribes beyond the mountains.
• Li Shiwen explained that the Wu Tai Tribe controlled a large southwestern territory, numbered several hundred thousand people, and resented Danyang City for controlling the only gorge passage through Tainan Mountain.

Zhang Yuan sent reinforcements to restore Danyang City, then set out alone to attack the Wu Tai Tribe. He crossed the gorge and reached the tribe’s vast plain and marshland territory.

• Li Shiwen told Zhang Yuan that Upper Scene Heaven would send two Dao Generals and five hundred Dao Soldiers, and Zhang Yuan announced he would visit the Wu Tai Tribe after stabilizing the city.
• Zhang Yuan ordered Li Shiwen to finish his assigned work within half a month and declared that he would strike the tribe to avenge the fallen soldiers.
• Seven days later, a convoy arrived with reinforcements, supplies, and silver, restoring Danyang City’s strength and calming its people.
• Zhang Yuan assigned the Dao Camp to the Deputy Generals and the Commander's Residence to Li Shiwen, then told Lu Xiong to guard the city while he was away.
• Zhang Yuan rode the Gray-Toothed Lynx out of Danyang City alone and followed the Red-Eyed Crow through a gorge toward Wu Tai Tribe territory.
• Zhang Yuan emerged onto a broad plain beside the Long River and saw the marshland stretching into the distance.

Zhang Yuan attacked a stockaded village in Wu Tai Tribe territory, intent on repaying the tribe for its raids on Danyang City. He cut through the village’s defenders and its shaman, while the Witch God Ring shielded him from the shaman’s sorcery.

• Zhang Yuan activated the Mighty Dragon Armor and rode the Gray-Toothed Lynx toward a Wu Tai Tribe stockaded village.
• Zhang Yuan smashed through the village wall and charged inside, killing barbarians and destroying houses with the Overlord Halberd.
• Barbarian warriors converged on Zhang Yuan, but he swept them aside and fought his way to the village’s central altar.
• A barbarian shaman unleashed venomous gu insects and sinister magic against Zhang Yuan.
• The Witch God Ring dispelled the shaman’s attack, and the shaman collapsed, bleeding from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.

Zhang Yuan destroyed a barbarian village after killing its shaman and slaughtering its inhabitants. He spent the night nearby, then set out at dawn to attack more villages before the Wu Tai Tribe could react.

• Zhang Yuan's curse backlash incapacitated the Barbarian Shaman, and Zhang Yuan destroyed the altar, killing him and shattering the Five Poisons Jar.
• Zhang Yuan charged through the village, killing its warriors and inhabitants and destroying its houses.
• Zhang Yuan killed barbarians fleeing toward the marsh and returned to demolish the village, leaving no movement behind.
• Zhang Yuan cleared the corpses to prevent the village from becoming a Spirit Domain and gained Source Essence.
• Zhang Yuan fed all the gained Source Essence to the Golden Grasshopper, camped overnight, and set out at dawn to search for another target.

Zhang Yuan spent the Source Essence from five massacred villages to strengthen his Divine Nest Possessions, then attacked a heavily guarded Wu Tai Tribe village after realizing the tribe was closing in. He left the village defenders pinned behind their walls by arrows that pierced both warriors and stone crenellations.

• Zhang Yuan invested nearly thirty thousand Source Essence in the Red-Eyed Crow, reflecting on the five villages he had destroyed and the danger of the growing Blood Fiend Qi and the Wu Tai Tribe's response.
• The Red-Eyed Crow tore a hawk apart, and Zhang Yuan suspected it had been raised by the Wu Tai Tribe before riding the Gray-Toothed Lynx toward another village.
• Zhang Yuan found the stone-walled village on high alert, with warriors on its walls and patrols outside, and stopped within bowshot.
• Zhang Yuan used his Eagle Shooting Bow to kill warriors on the watchtowers and walls with True Astral-powered arrows.
• The barbarians hid behind the crenellations, but Zhang Yuan's arrows smashed through the stone and struck those sheltering behind it as he advanced.

Zhang Yuan used his archery to kill the stockade’s defenders, forcing its barbarian powerhouses to attack him. After a Black-Robed Wizard strengthened the twelve warriors with sorcery, Zhang Yuan charged their concealed Sixth Order Expert, and their weapons collided with explosive force.

• Zhang Yuan shot a barbarian warrior through the stockade wall, and the terrified defenders leaped down to escape his arrows.
• A warrior tried to rally the barbarians by throwing a spear at Zhang Yuan, but Zhang Yuan killed him with an arrow.
• Twelve barbarian warriors charged from the stockade, and Zhang Yuan used the Red-Eyed Crow’s vision to identify their ranks, including a concealed Sixth Order Expert.
• Zhang Yuan put away his bow and charged with the Overlord Halberd as a Black-Robed Wizard used sorcery to strengthen the twelve warriors.
• Zhang Yuan activated Divine Nest Possession and attacked the Sixth Order Expert, who met his strike with a double-bladed Battle Axe.

Zhang Yuan slaughtered the Barbarian warriors besieging him and charged into their stockaded village to kill the Black-Robed Wizard. The wizard’s final witchcraft nearly drained Zhang Yuan’s vitality, but the wizard turned to ash and Zhang Yuan gained Luck +1.

• Zhang Yuan killed the Sixth Order Barbarian expert and cut down several elite Barbarian warriors with his Overlord Halberd.
• Zhang Yuan chased down fleeing Barbarian warriors, killing five more, while two escaped into the stockaded village.
• Zhang Yuan detected and killed a Fifth Order Barbarian Dwarf hiding underground with his Divine Sense.
• Zhang Yuan rode the Gray-Toothed Lynx over the stockade wall and pierced the Black-Robed Wizard with his halberd.
• The Black-Robed Wizard’s witchcraft drained 2,500 points of Zhang Yuan’s vitality before the wizard turned to ash, and Zhang Yuan received Luck +1.

Zhang Yuan annihilated the survivors of a barbarian village, then reached Wu Tai Barbarian City after slaughtering thousands and strengthening all his Divine Nest Possessions. With his Fortune at ten and a transformed Supreme Martial Golden Core, he prepared to test the Wu Tai Barbarian Tribe's Spirit Entry Venerable.

• Zhang Yuan killed the gathered elderly, women, and children at the village altar, then collected the battlefield's Source Essence.
• Three days later, Zhang Yuan reached Wu Tai Barbarian City after sweeping through nine villages and slaughtering tens of thousands of barbarians.
• Zhang Yuan used the Source Essence to raise all his Divine Nest Possessions to the Sixth Order, improving their abilities and increasing his Fortune to ten.
• Zhang Yuan recalled that a barbarian shaman's life-for-life technique had nearly killed him and resolved to guard against such arts.
• Zhang Yuan prepared to challenge the Wu Tai Barbarian Tribe's Spirit Entry Venerable, while his transformed Supreme Martial Golden Core revolved within his Qi Sea Dantian.

Zhang Yuan tested his newly expanded Divine Sense, then confronted the Wu Tai Tribe’s elite Barbarian Bull cavalry outside Wu Tai Barbarian City. He charged to meet them, aiming to cripple the city and secure more than a decade of peace for Danyang City.

• Zhang Yuan sensed the world around him with his strengthened Divine Sense and realized his path differed from that of other Divine Might warriors.
• The Red-Eyed Crow routed the eagle hawks sent from Wu Tai Barbarian City, evaded an archer’s arrow, and withdrew from the city’s airspace.
• Zhang Yuan watched several hundred armored Barbarian Bull riders charge out of the city and recognized the tribe’s elite battle formation.
• Zhang Yuan unleashed the Overlord Halberd’s power, and the Gray-Toothed Lynx charged with him toward the barbarian cavalry.

Zhang Yuan broke through the Barbarian Cavalry’s formation and routed the riders, but sensing a Venerable inside Wu Tai Barbarian City, he retreated before the powerful expert could reach him. A figure wreathed in Sha Qi appeared atop the city walls and watched him flee.

• Zhang Yuan endured the Barbarian Cavalry’s formation might and killed its leading expert with the Overlord Halberd.
• Zhang Yuan charged through the formation, killing dozens of Barbarian Riders and leaving the cavalry leaderless and in disarray.
• Zhang Yuan continued fighting off the Barbarian Cavalry until a horn sounded from the city and the survivors fled.
• Zhang Yuan swallowed two pills to treat his injuries and restore his blood and qi.
• Zhang Yuan sensed a fatal threat in Wu Tai Barbarian City and rode the Gray-Toothed Lynx away at full speed.
• A figure surrounded by Sha Qi appeared atop the city walls and watched Zhang Yuan disappear into the distance.

Zhang Yuan challenged the Wu Tai Venerable outside Wu Tai Barbarian City, but when the Venerable refused to appear, he raided villages until the Venerable came out to confront him. The chapter ended with Zhang Yuan and the Venerable facing each other, ready for battle.

• Zhang Yuan reached Wu Tai Barbarian City, struck his weapons together to challenge the Venerable, and received no response.
• Zhang Yuan rode southwest and destroyed five villages, killing their warriors and driving the survivors toward the city.
• Zhang Yuan prepared to raid another village when he sensed the Wu Tai Venerable approaching unseen by the Red-Eyed Crow.
• Zhang Yuan drew the Taotie Saber as the Gray-Toothed Lynx fled and the Red-Eyed Crow kept watch from a distance.
• Zhang Yuan and the Wu Tai Venerable stopped a little over two hundred paces apart and met each other's gaze.

Zhang Yuan confronted Wu Heng, the Divine realm venerable of the Wu Tai Tribe, and fought him with the full power of his possessions and saber. After Wu Heng trapped him inside a deadly storm, Zhang Yuan located his foe with Divine Sense, used a feint to escape, and fled toward a distant lake with Wu Heng in pursuit.

• Wu Heng confronted Zhang Yuan over his invasion of Wu Tai territory, and Zhang Yuan challenged him over the tribe's attacks on Danyang City.
• Wu Heng attacked as an azure dragon, and Zhang Yuan activated his three possessions and met him with a powerful Taotie Saber strike.
• Wu Heng concealed himself in a sandstorm and used its force to trap Zhang Yuan, whose body suffered under the assault.
• Zhang Yuan spread his Divine Sense through the storm, found Wu Heng, and struck at him with a blade radiance.
• Zhang Yuan used the attack as a feint to break free and flee toward a distant lake, and Wu Heng pursued him.

Zhang Yuan used his extraordinary speed and advanced water mastery to lure Wu Heng into the depths of a lake, where he attacked the seventh-rank venerable. Wu Heng recognized Zhang Yuan as a grave future threat, and their fight escalated into close-quarters combat underwater.

• Zhang Yuan outran Wu Heng and plunged into the lake, relying on his White Dragon Loach ability to move freely underwater.
• Zhang Yuan led Wu Heng deep into the lake and used water-element power to trap him with frozen currents and pressure.
• Wu Heng broke free of Zhang Yuan’s water attacks and counterattacked with palm strikes and hidden Dark Force.
• Zhang Yuan dodged Wu Heng’s assault and struck at him with the Taotie Saber, forcing Wu Heng to retreat rather than risk seizing the blade.
• Wu Heng resolved to kill Zhang Yuan, while Zhang Yuan increased his Divine Nest Possession power and attacked with a fierce tide of saber strikes.

Zhang Yuan killed Wu Heng, the seventh-rank leader of the Wu Tai Tribe, in an underwater battle but suffered severe injuries. After recovering, he used the Divine Nest’s requiem ability on Wu Heng and gained 100,000 Source Essence and 3 Luck.

• Zhang Yuan overwhelmed Wu Heng with water attacks, but Wu Heng tried to escape to the lake’s surface.
• Zhang Yuan intercepted Wu Heng, who shattered his blade light and injured his arms by clamping the Taotie Saber between his golden palms.
• Zhang Yuan used the God Slaying Flying Dagger to weaken Wu Heng, then split his head with the Taotie Saber and stored his corpse.
• Zhang Yuan reached a small island, healed his injuries over several days, and recovered his combat strength.
• Zhang Yuan used the Divine Nest’s requiem ability on Wu Heng and gained 100,000 Source Essence and 3 Luck.

After Wu Heng’s death, Zhang Yuan returned to Wu Tai Barbarian City and unleashed a massacre, growing stronger as he absorbed the Blood Fiend Qi. Amid the slaughter, he comprehended the ultimate truth of martial arts.

• Zhang Yuan’s Divine Sense broke through into the Entry Spirit realm, though his cultivation remained just short of a true seventh-rank breakthrough.
• Zhang Yuan flew to Wu Tai Barbarian City and found its defenses unprepared because the Wu Tai Tribe still believed Wu Heng was alive.
• Zhang Yuan charged through the city gate with the Taotie Saber and killed the barbarians in his path.
• Barbarian experts rushed to stop Zhang Yuan, but he cut them down and swept back and forth through the streets.
• As the slaughter filled the city with Blood Fiend Qi, Zhang Yuan absorbed it and comprehended the ultimate truth of martial arts.

Zhang Yuan absorbed the Blood Fiend Qi in Wu Tai Barbarian City, broke through to Tier 7 Innate and the Entry Spirit Realm, and refined the Mighty Dragon Armor. After sensing a compatible genetic entity in the shamanic hall, he seized the Nine-Winged Celestial Cicada and designated it as his successor body.

• Zhang Yuan absorbed the Blood Fiend Qi and used the Divine Nest to turn the corpses within a thousand paces to ash, gaining Source Essence.
• Zhang Yuan's Source Essence was consumed as he tempered the Mighty Dragon Armor, which reached the limit of a Profound Artifact and formed a soul connection with him.
• Zhang Yuan broke through to Tier 7 Innate and the Entry Spirit Realm, gaining Divine Sense that covered the entire barbarian city.
• Zhang Yuan sensed a compatible genetic entity inside the shamanic hall, broke through its doors, and cut down the Barbarian Shamans guarding the altar.
• Zhang Yuan took the amber containing a Gray Cicada; it emerged as the Nine-Winged Celestial Cicada, which he designated as his successor body.

After three months of slaughtering barbarians, Zhang Yuan returned to Danyang City and found that a new garrison commander had taken his place. When Ouyang Chengde demanded the Demon Slaying Golden Token and ordered Zhang Yuan to kneel, Zhang Yuan killed him with a single blade strike.

• Zhang Yuan returned to Danyang City after strengthening his Divine Nest and eight host bodies through battles against the barbarians.
• Zhang Yuan entered Danyang City on the Gray-Toothed Lynx and noticed that the guards and residents seemed uneasy.
• Zhang Yuan found Li Shiwen, Lu Xiong, and other officials gathered with Ouyang Chengde, who claimed to be the newly appointed Danyang Garrison Commander.
• Ouyang Chengde demanded Zhang Yuan surrender the Demon Slaying Golden Token and kneel.
• Zhang Yuan struck Ouyang Chengde with a flash of scarlet blade light, killing him.

Zhang Yuan killed Ouyang Chengde, a Celestial, and learned that Great Qian had fallen to the ten Celestial Being Families, who founded the Heavenly Kingdom Dynasty. He took control of Danyang City’s Demon Slaying Great Array and killed the Celestials and Imperial Relatives inside the city.

• Zhang Yuan seized Ouyang Chengde’s phantom and destroyed his body, preventing the Celestial from returning.
• Lu Xiong and the other officials knelt before Zhang Yuan, who asked what had happened while he was away.
• Li Shiwen told Zhang Yuan that Great Qian had fallen after the Qian Emperor died and the Celestial Being Families established the Heavenly Kingdom Dynasty.
• Lu Xiong reported that Ouyang Chengde’s Celestial allies and Imperial Relatives remained in the commander's manor and elsewhere in Danyang City.
• Zhang Yuan activated the Demon Slaying Great Array with the Golden Token and slaughtered the Celestials and Imperial Relatives he found.

Zhang Yuan entered secluded cultivation beneath Danyang City and successfully advanced to the Eighth Order, Profound Essence. After returning seventeen days later to find the city stable, he learned that unexpected visitors had come seeking him and ordered them brought in.

• Zhang Yuan entrusted Danyang City's affairs to Li Shiwen before entering secluded cultivation to pursue the Eighth Order.
• Zhang Yuan activated the Demon Slaying Great Array in the underground secret chamber and used its power to communicate with heaven and earth.
• Zhang Yuan advanced to the Eighth Order, transformed his true qi into Profound Essence, and absorbed the martial knowledge contained in his Supreme Martial Golden Core.
• Zhang Yuan emerged from cultivation after seventeen days, and Li Shiwen reported that Danyang City remained stable and the sect had sent no one.
• Li Shiwen told Zhang Yuan that visitors had been waiting at the posthouse for three days, and Zhang Yuan ordered them to come see him at once.