Chapter Summaries

Yang Guo reflected on Su Jiu’s inability to recognize romantic affection before Su Jiu changed her talisman technique to counter the blood demon dew. As the pink mist thinned, she discovered that a flock of mutated demon crows had been hiding within it.

• Yang Guo considered Mo Yan, Yi Feng Chen, and Yun Huanling’s feelings for Su Jiu, then wondered whether Su Jiu understood Chu Luohen’s affection.
• Su Jiu cut her palm with the Frostbound Purple Ultimate Sword and used her blood to draw a new set of void talismans.
• The blood-powered formation resisted the pink mist and began eroding it as the mist continued to press toward the group.
• Su Jiu used her otherworldly eyes to reveal large, black-feathered mutated demon crows with red eyes, sharp beaks, and fiery spiritual qi.
• Su Jiu remarked that the mutated demon crows were strange, and Little Green said there was nothing strange about them.

Su Jiu pressed Little Green to explain its secrets and learned that the Heavenly Dao had sacrificed the Vermilion Bird spirit vein to protect the Phoenix Egg. She suspected the Heavenly Dao’s role in these events and linked its division to anomalies such as the Heavenly Rift, while Little Green remained alarmed by her doubts.

• Little Green sensed a half-dead spirit vein in the Demon-Subduing Land and revealed it was the vein once guarded by the Sacred Vermilion Bird.
• Su Jiu confronted Little Green about withholding its motives and threatened to part ways unless it told her more.
• Little Green explained that the Heavenly Dao had likely brought the Phoenix Egg into the Azure Realm and poured the Vermilion Bird’s power into it, causing the spirit vein’s destruction and the Vermilion Bird tribe’s demise.
• Su Jiu said she had already suspected the Heavenly Dao, especially after learning that the Dustless Continent had split.
• Su Jiu connected the divided Heavenly Dao and differing world laws to anomalies including the Heavenly Rift, leaving her further suspicions unspoken.

Su Jiu learned that the Demon-Subduing Land’s barrier depended on the Vermilion Bird’s Spirit Vein, which Little Green planned to reclaim. As Little Green went ahead, Su Jiu and the others began fighting the Demon Crows, and she noticed an injured disciple showing signs of a strange poison.

• Su Jiu questioned Little Green about the divided Heavenly Dao, the Spirit Vein, and why the Demon-Subduing Land had been established.
• Little Green explained that the Phoenix’s hatching would kill the Spirit Vein and collapse the barrier, releasing the demonic beasts, and revealed that Su Jiu’s destruction of the Phoenix Egg had preserved the vein’s remaining life.
• Little Green said he would try to reclaim the weakened Spirit Vein and directed Su Jiu to find her Senior Brother while he worked.
• Chu Luohen charged into the Demon Crows as Su Jiu withdrew the Talisman Array and the group began fighting.
• Enforcement Hall disciples were injured by the powerful Demon Crows, and Su Jiu noticed one wounded disciple turning purple and suffering severe pain.

Su Jiu discovered that the injured disciples were suffering from unusual fire spiritual qi left behind after their demonic qi was purged. Little Green identified the energy as likely coming from the Vermilion Bird Sacred Flame and revealed that the Demon Crows carried the Vermilion Bird’s aura on their beaks and claws, suggesting the supposedly dead Sacred Beast might still be alive.

• Su Jiu rescued a disciple from a Demon Crow and gave him a Three Purities Pill to purge the demonic qi in his meridians.
• Yun Huanling and Su Jiu realized the disciple still suffered because fire spiritual qi remained in his body, threatening to damage his meridians and dantian.
• Su Jiu learned that the group’s only uninjured healing cultivator and its fire-affinity disciples could not draw out the unusual fire spiritual qi.
• Su Jiu asked Little Green whether the energy came from the Vermilion Bird Sacred Flame, and Little Green said that it likely did.
• Little Green explained that the Demon Crows bore the Vermilion Bird’s aura on their beaks and claws and had mutated because of it.

Su Jiu and Little Green saved the Enforcement Hall disciples from the Vermilion Bird sacred flame, and Su Jiu learned that Little Green could draw the fire spiritual qi from their bodies. The disciples prepared to continue deeper into danger, and Su Jiu resolved to do everything she could to protect them.

• The disciples developed red flame-shaped markings, and Little Green confirmed that they came from the Vermilion Bird sacred flame.
• Little Green scattered green motes that drew the fire spiritual qi from the disciples, fading their markings and healing their injuries.
• Yun Huanling noticed Little Green's bracelet had disappeared and returned, while Yang Guo suspected Su Jiu had caused the recovery and apologized for prying.
• Yang Guo examined the recovered disciples as Su Jiu wondered whether Dao Lord Qing Ci would have let them die without Little Green's help.
• The Enforcement Hall disciples formed ranks and prepared to press onward, and Su Jiu led them forward, determined to keep them safe.

Jiao Yue remained chained in a Palace where a black-cloaked visitor repeatedly drew her blood, while a gray-cloaked captor controlled her with a recording. The chapter left her facing his question about whether she would offer her blood, having agreed after seeing the recording’s threat.

• A black-cloaked man entered the Palace and drew blood from Jiao Yue without answering her questions.
• Jiao Yue recognized Gray-Clothed as the enemy who had destroyed Swallowing Heaven and killed her Tribespeople.
• Jiao Yue recalled waking chained to a Crucifix with her Arts and abilities sealed.
• Gray-Clothed showed Jiao Yue a recording on a black stone, which revealed something familiar and made her realize he was threatening her.
• Jiao Yue agreed to offer her blood, and Gray-Clothed asked again whether she was willing.

Jiao Yue endured repeated bloodletting while the gray-clothed man threatened her with Jiao Chen’s safety and asked her to accept a demon seed. She agreed after asking him to tell Jiao Chen she was dead and direct him to the Azure Tide Sect, then lost consciousness as the demon seed was planted.

• Jiao Yue agreed to the gray-clothed man’s demands after he showed her an image of Jiao Chen in danger.
• Jiao Yue endured more than a hundred bloodlettings by the silent men in black garments, with the gray-clothed man giving her pills to keep her alive.
• The gray-clothed man asked Jiao Yue to accept a fire-aligned demon seed and showed her Jiao Chen trapped in the Rugged Giant Rock Formation.
• Jiao Yue asked the gray-clothed man to tell Jiao Chen she was dead and send him to the Azure Tide Sect, and he agreed.
• The gray-clothed man planted the demon seed in Jiao Yue, who lost consciousness after hearing that she would not die.

As fire spiritual qi grew denser along the Abyssal Path, Su Jiu sent two exhausted Enforcement Hall disciples back through a formation despite one’s refusal to leave. The remaining group continued onward, while Yun Huanling declared that one day his strength would surpass Su Jiu’s.

• A metal-spirit-root Enforcement Hall disciple fainted as the fire spiritual qi overwhelmed his defenses, and Su Jiu protected him with her ice spiritual qi.
• Yang Guo ordered the two weakened disciples to leave, but the one still standing refused to abandon the group.
• Su Jiu warned that the unconscious disciple’s life was at risk, then threw him toward his companion and sent both of them into the formation.
• Su Jiu led the remaining disciples onward, and Yun Huanling asked her to keep talking because her voice eased his discomfort.
• Yang Guo teased Yun Huanling about someday surpassing Su Jiu, and he earnestly said that he would.

As the group moved through the Red Maple Forest, Yang Guo was burned after touching a tree, and Su Jiu questioned Little Green about the coexistence of spiritual and demonic qi. Little Green admitted he could not tell whether the Vermilion Bird had revived, so they continued onward to seek the truth.

• The group found that the Deadwood Forest had given way to a Red Maple Forest filled with plants containing both spiritual and demonic qi.
• Yang Guo touched a red maple and suffered a severe burn, which Little Green helped Su Jiu treat.
• The group discovered empty bird nests and wondered whether the demon crows that had attacked them came from the area.
• Su Jiu asked Little Green why spiritual and demonic qi coexisted despite the Vermilion Bird Sacred Flame's hostility toward demonic qi.
• Little Green admitted he could not determine whether the Vermilion Bird had awakened, and Su Jiu decided they had to keep going.

Su Jiu and the others fought their way through a hidden barrier in the Red Maple Forest and discovered a palace beyond it. Little Green revealed himself as a spirit vein spirit before the palace, leaving the Enforcement Hall disciples astonished.

• Su Jiu and Chu Luohen detected the barrier's boundary as demon crows attacked, and they protected the group while Chu Luohen broke through it.
• Su Jiu explained that repeated trees had revealed they were circling inside the barrier, and that its boundary points had to be severed to destroy it.
• The group defeated the demon crows and turned their attention to a grand, foreign-looking palace.
• Little Green detached from Su Jiu's wrist and appeared openly before the group, prompting Yang Guo and the other disciples to recognize him as a spirit vein spirit.

Su Jiu and the Enforcement Hall disciples learned from Little Green why the injured Vermilion Bird Spirit Vein was hidden beneath its palace and how spirit sources sustained spirit veins. Little Green told Su Jiu to leave, but Su Jiu spotted traces of someone entering the palace, which Little Green insisted was impossible.

• Su Jiu explained Little Green's origins, and Yang Guo and the Enforcement Hall disciples learned that the group had reached the Vermilion Bird Spirit Vein.
• Little Green revealed that the palace had surfaced to suppress and protect the grievously injured spirit vein, whose spirit source and recovering body were sealed inside.
• Little Green explained that spirit sources produced balanced spiritual qi and that destroying a spirit source would turn its vein into a dead vein.
• Little Green told Su Jiu that she must part ways with the group because ordinary people could not enter the palace.
• Su Jiu pointed out traces of another person's presence leading through the palace doors, and Little Green insisted that no human or demon could enter.

Yang Guo was injured when she tried to open the Palace doors, and Su Jiu learned the pink mist had amplified the group’s suppressed traits. The group remained outside the Palace as Yang Guo began recovering, while the mist’s effects were expected to fade soon.

• Yang Guo touched the Palace door despite Little Green’s warning, triggering a powerful gust that scattered the group and injured her.
• Su Jiu shielded two disciples from the red maple trees and learned that the door’s backlash had damaged Yang Guo’s Nascent Soul.
• Yang Guo refused to leave the group, and Su Jiu gave her rare Pills to help repair her Nascent Soul.
• Su Jiu asked Little Green about Yang Guo’s unusual recklessness and learned the pink mist had magnified suppressed aspects of people’s temperaments.
• Little Green said the pink mist’s effects should be nearly over.

Su Jiu and the others learned that the Palace’s protective laws had weakened, and Little Green invited them to enter. Chu Luohen urged Su Jiu to leave while Little Green approached the doors and began covering their red patterns with green mist.

• Little Green said the Palace’s laws had weakened to less than a tenth of their former strength, explaining why Yang Guo’s touch had not injured the group.
• Su Jiu considered whether the weakened protection came from the Heavenly Dao or an outside force, while Little Green could not contact the spirits at the other Palaces.
• Little Green invited Su Jiu to enter the Palace, and she arranged for two people to stay outside with Yang Guo.
• Chu Luohen stopped Su Jiu from entering, saying their group should leave to meet Hall Master Xia and avoid burdening Senior Azure Dragon.
• Little Green floated toward the doors and formed nine green ropes that covered and slowly replaced their red patterns.

The markings on the Palace turned black with demonic qi, and Yun Huanling deduced that the Spirit Source had gone wrong, though Su Jiu suspected he knew more than he admitted. As the demonic qi enveloped the Palace and its protective laws weakened, Su Jiu used her blood to confront the blood demon dew within it.

• Demonic qi appeared in the Palace’s markings, surprising Little Green and the others; Su Jiu and Yun Huanling agreed that something was wrong with the Palace.
• Chu Luohen urged Su Jiu to leave, but Yun Huanling argued that the Spirit Veins were at stake and accused Chu Luohen of using Xia Jue as an excuse to keep her out of it.
• Yun Huanling deduced that a problem with the Spirit Source had weakened the Palace’s protections, while Su Jiu realized his explanation was only speculation and suspected he had another way of knowing.
• Demonic qi containing blood demon dew spread around the Palace without escaping beyond it, and Little Green observed that the power of the laws had weakened again.
• Su Jiu cut her palm with the Frostbound Purple Ultimate Sword and sent her blood toward the demonic qi with Sword Qi.

Su Jiu used her blood to remove the blood demon dew coating the demonic qi around the palace, but the qi gathered into the Four-Aspect Demon. Su Jiu and Chu Luohen cut it apart, while Yun Huanling explained how to prevent its scattered body parts from reviving.

• Su Jiu poured her blood through the Frostbound Purple Ultimate Sword's sword qi to dispel the blood demon dew surrounding the palace.
• Su Jiu sensed danger and warned everyone to leave as the demonic qi began to stir; Dao Lord Qing Ci urged the Enforcement Hall disciples to form an array.
• The demonic qi gathered into the Four-Aspect Demon, which Su Jiu recognized as the vanished demon from the Windforest Star River.
• Su Jiu and Chu Luohen attacked the newly formed demon and sliced it into fragments, but the pieces did not dissipate.
• Yun Huanling collected the fragments in separate Storage Bags and explained that separating the demon's body parts could stop it from reviving.

After the Four-Aspect Demon was defeated, Su Jiu pressed Yun Huanling about how he knew its secrets, but he refused to answer and hinted that she had already noticed something. The group prepared to separate and contain the demon’s pieces, while Su Jiu sensed that Yun Huanling and Chu Luohen were hiding something from her.

• Yun Huanling explained that the Four-Aspect Demon’s pieces could regenerate in demonic qi and that separating them in Storage Bags would prevent it.
• Dao Lord Qing Ci suggested that Su Jiu had weakened the demon by removing the blood demon dew, and Yun Huanling agreed that transferring its power could explain its lack of strength.
• Su Jiu challenged Yun Huanling’s claim that ancient texts had taught him about the demon, asking how he had deciphered Merfolk Tribe writing, but he would not reveal his source.
• Yun Huanling implied that Su Jiu had already noticed the truth and asked why she questioned him instead of Chu Luohen, leaving Su Jiu to suspect they were keeping secrets.
• Yun Huanling gathered the Storage Bags and said he would send the demon’s pieces separately to Purification Grounds across the Azure Realm, where the lack of demonic qi would slow their growth.

Su Jiu and Yun Huanling discussed using innate origin qi to destroy the Four-Aspect Demon, but Chu Luohen stopped Su Jiu from attempting it. Little Green opened a path through the laws to the Sacred Spirit Palace doors, while Su Jiu learned that the spirits had been growing unusually drowsy and wondered whether the Wind Spirit was inside the Palace.

• Yun Huanling proposed filling Storage Bags with Su Jiu's innate origin qi to dissolve the Four-Aspect Demon, but Chu Luohen warned that her cultivation and reserves were insufficient.
• Little Green used its life force and power of the laws to clear the restrictions and lead the group to the Sacred Spirit Palace doors.
• Su Jiu's divine sense vanished when she tried to probe beyond the doors, and the Snow Sprite told her that cultivators could not see inside that way.
• Little Green began slowly pushing the heavy doors open and warned the group not to help.
• Su Jiu learned from Little Pearl that the spirits' drowsiness had begun after the first fight with the Demon Crows, and she wondered whether the Wind Spirit might be inside the Palace.

Su Jiu tried to persuade Purple Ultimate to rest despite the danger of the Demon-Subduing Land, while Yun Huanling and Chu Luohen started a quarrel that nearly became a duel. The dispute ended when Little Green opened the great door before them.

• Su Jiu urged Purple Ultimate to rest, but Purple Ultimate stayed awake because they feared they might not wake when summoned.
• Little Pearl warned Su Jiu that the laws of the Demon-Subduing Land were suppressing spirits and then withdrew to rest.
• Su Jiu questioned Yun Huanling about the spirits falling asleep, and he explained that the laws were suppressing them.
• Yun Huanling and Chu Luohen traded insults until Yun Huanling challenged Chu Luohen to a duel.
• Su Jiu reminded them of their purpose, and Chu Luohen put away his sword as Little Green opened the great door.

Su Jiu entered the mutated Sacred Spirit Palace and found herself alone in a magma-filled realm, where demonic qi spawned relentless beasts. After purifying the Demon Crows, she faced four much larger Cloudborn Beasts and fought them on equal footing.

• Little Green explained that the Sacred Spirit Palace had mutated into a dark abyss, then led Su Jiu inside.
• Su Jiu emerged in a sea of magma, separated from Little Green, her Martial Uncle, and the others, while the Palace's pressure put all her spirits to sleep.
• Su Jiu flew toward a nearby cave and fought Demon Crows formed from demonic qi rising from the magma.
• Su Jiu coated her sword with her blood and Spirit-Cleansing Pool Water, preventing the Demon Crows she killed from returning to the magma.
• The magma churned violently and spawned winged Cloudborn Beasts that attacked Su Jiu.
• Su Jiu faced four Cloudborn Beasts and held her ground using her perception and attack speed.

Su Jiu fought four cloudborn beasts, using her magic treasures and ice arts to injure one and hold back the others’ Vermilion Bird sacred flame. She realized an unseen force was controlling the flame, and the chapter ended as she connected the clues and reached a revelation.

• Su Jiu adapted to the cloudborn beasts’ feather attacks and struck one with poisoned Ice Cloud Hairpins, while the Ice Silkworm Thread tripped it.
• The other three cloudborn beasts stirred the magma’s heat into rings of Vermilion Bird sacred flame and sent them at Su Jiu.
• Su Jiu withdrew the Ice Silkworm Thread and repeatedly reinforced an ice wall to withstand the sacred flame.
• Su Jiu realized the cloudborn beasts could not control Vermilion Bird sacred flame on their own, so an unseen force must be directing it.
• Su Jiu linked the clues of the magma, sacred flame, demon crows, and mutated cloudborn beasts, then reached a sudden realization.