Recaps

Zhang Sanlei, Wang Fulai, and Li Zongqing visited Ye Han to persuade him to help with a task and leave Seven Mysteries Peak. Ye Han kept them at a distance, and Zhang Sanlei ended by asking whether he was ready to set off.

• Zhang Sanlei, Wang Fulai, and Li Zongqing waited outside Ye Han's Cave Abode, worried he would refuse to come out.
• Ye Han emerged, apologized politely, and pretended he had been waiting for the three to take him demon-beast hunting.
• The three concealed their anger and said they wanted Ye Han's help, offering benefits and denying that they meant to seize his Cave Abode.
• Ye Han acted relieved but made clear he would not let the three enter his Cave Abode.
• Zhang Sanlei said they had prepared everything and asked Ye Han whether he was ready to leave with them.

Ye Han mastered the Vine Soul Technique and discovered that the Purple Cauldron could instantly replenish his spell power. He prepared to join Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai on a Demon Beast hunt the next day, confident the cauldron would help him deal with them.

• After following Zhang Qingshan's advice, Ye Han successfully cast the Vine Soul Technique but exhausted his spell power almost immediately.
• The Purple Cauldron restored Ye Han's spell power, allowing him to strengthen and control the vine long enough to hurl a stone stool into the Cave Abode's wall.
• Ye Han realized the Purple Cauldron could replenish spell power as well as convert pill energy into cultivation, and noticed its purple portion had grown.
• Zhang Qingshan concluded that Wang Fulai had revealed the three men's involvement in the ambush that cost him an arm, and he supported Ye Han's plan to deal with them.
• Ye Han resolved to use the Purple Cauldron's advantage when he hunted Demon Beasts with Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai the next day.

Ye Han joined Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai in Black Demon Forest while secretly carrying a Vajra Talisman from Zhang Qingshan and planning with him to deal with the three men. After Ye Han sensed the forest’s demonic energy, a monstrous hand burst from a tree and attacked them.

• Ye Han carried the Purple Cauldron, which could replenish his spell power, and a powerful Vajra Talisman Zhang Qingshan had bought for his protection.
• Ye Han traveled into Black Demon Forest with Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai, who kept him between them as they hurried through the trees.
• Ye Han sensed unfamiliar black energy in the forest, and Zhang Sanlei explained that it was demonic energy that benefited Demon Beasts and harmed cultivators.
• Li Zongqing and Wang Fulai praised Ye Han’s divine sense and invited him to hunt Demon Beasts with them, while the three privately regarded his talent as a threat.
• A monstrous hand erupted from a tree and reached for Ye Han and the others.

Ye Han watched Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai fight a Long-Armed Monkey Demon Beast and saw how dangerous their magic artifacts were. After they killed the beast with their combined technique, he worried that he and Zhang Qingshan might be unable to outmaneuver them.

• Ye Han hid behind Zhang Sanlei when the Long-Armed Monkey Demon Beast ambushed the group, and Zhang Sanlei used a dagger magic artifact to block its claw.
• Li Zongqing, Zhang Sanlei, and Wang Fulai attacked together with their dagger artifacts, wounding the beast as Ye Han observed their weapons and teamwork.
• The Long-Armed Monkey Demon Beast fled when the fight turned against it, but the three men joined their artifacts with the technique Three Swords as One.
• The combined daggers pierced the beast's back and throat, killing it, while Ye Han judged the trio's power a serious threat to his plans with Zhang Qingshan.

Ye Han traveled with Zhang Sanlei and his companions after they killed and harvested a long-armed monkey Demon Beast, while remaining wary of their intentions. A gray-clad follower and the Qin Mountain Twin Fiends then pursued the group, setting up a new danger.

• Zhang Sanlei and his companions killed a long-armed monkey Demon Beast, and Li Zongqing and Wang Fulai collected its valuable parts.
• Ye Han pretended to be frightened and tested whether the three men would use the beast to harm him; seeing them protect him, he concluded they intended to wait until later to make their move.
• Zhang Sanlei led Ye Han, Wang Fulai, and Li Zongqing onward through the forest while Ye Han stayed alert and kept his hand near the Vajra Talisman.
• A gray-clad figure secretly followed the group and wondered why a Demon Beast had appeared on the outskirts of the Black Demon Forest.
• The Qin Mountain Twin Fiends found the beast's remains, realized someone had taken their prey, and pursued Zhang Sanlei's group; the gray-clad figure recognized them and followed.

In the Black Demon Forest, Ye Han learned that Zhang Sanlei and the others planned to use him as bait to lure a cunning Claw Beast from its cave. He grew wary of their plan and regretted coming, but set out with them toward the beast’s lair.

• Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, Wang Fulai, and Ye Han ate and discussed their recent encounter with a Long-Armed Monkey.
• Zhang Sanlei promised to teach Ye Han the Object-Driving Art after they returned to the sect.
• Zhang Sanlei revealed that Ye Han was supposed to lure a Claw Beast from its cave while the others blocked its entrance.
• Ye Han suspected the Claw Beast was more dangerous than Zhang Sanlei claimed and worried that the three were targeting him at the Fifth Elder’s behest.
• Zhang Sanlei led the group away from the rocks toward the Claw Beast’s destination.

Ye Han entered a secluded valley in the Black Demon Forest as bait to lure out a Claw Beast, forced into the dangerous role by Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai. He found the beast’s cave and prepared his Vajra Talisman just as the Claw Beast charged out.

• Ye Han cautiously entered the valley where Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai had sent him to lure out the Claw Beast.
• Ye Han reflected on the harsh competition for cultivation resources and his reasons for agreeing with Zhang Qingshan to deal with Zhang Sanlei and the others.
• Ye Han followed the bloody stench deeper into the valley and found a cave after passing through a field of bones.
• Ye Han gripped his Vajra Talisman as a roar sounded from the cave and the Claw Beast charged out.

Ye Han fled from the Claw Beast, which proved far stronger and faster than the first-rank beast Zhang Sanlei had described. After its attacks destroyed his Vajra barrier and badly injured him, Ye Han used the Vine Soul Technique to trip it and continued running, hoping Zhang Sanlei and his companions would intervene.

• The Claw Beast spotted Ye Han and charged, tearing apart a boulder as he dodged.
• Ye Han activated the Vajra Talisman, but the Claw Beast's blows nearly broke the barrier and sent him crashing into a boulder.
• The Claw Beast fired gray claw-shaped energy that shattered Ye Han's barrier and wounded him, but he got up and kept fleeing.
• Ye Han stopped and cast the Vine Soul Technique, binding the Claw Beast's legs and making it crash to the ground.
• The Purple Cauldron replenished Ye Han's spell power as he ran on, still waiting for Zhang Sanlei and his companions to help.

Ye Han lured a Claw Beast to Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai, who trapped it with their coordinated formation. As they prepared to kill it, another Claw Beast charged out of a nearby cave.

• Ye Han fled toward Zhang Sanlei and his companions, who attacked the pursuing Claw Beast with their flying daggers.
• Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai formed the Three-Talent Formation and wounded the Claw Beast with nine blood-red streaks.
• The Claw Beast attacked Wang Fulai, but the three men coordinated their spells to sink and petrify it.
• Ye Han watched the three men trap the Claw Beast and noted he could not find Zhang Qingshan.
• As Zhang Sanlei called for them to kill the trapped beast, another Claw Beast charged out of a nearby cave.

Ye Han watched Zhang Sanlei and his companions battle two Claw Beasts while Zhang Qingshan warned him that hidden cultivators were watching. The men killed the smaller beast and badly wounded the larger one, but two newcomers emerged, claiming they had struck lucky.

• A second, smaller Claw Beast attacked Zhang Sanlei, and Wang Fulai blocked its strikes with the Cold Iron Shield while Li Zongqing and Zhang Sanlei counterattacked.
• Ye Han noticed the three men were tiring as the petrified Claw Beast began breaking free, but Zhang Qingshan warned him not to act because someone was watching.
• Zhang Sanlei and his companions sacrificed their blood essence and combined their daggers with Three Swords as One.
• The larger Claw Beast broke free and blocked the sword with its bones, but the attack snapped its arms and severely wounded it.
• The combined sword pierced the smaller Claw Beast, killing it, and a tall, burly man and a short fellow appeared, laughing that they had struck lucky.

The Two Fiends of Qin Mountain ambushed Zhang Sanlei, Wang Fulai, and Li Zongqing after they defeated one Claw Beast and weakened its mate. As the fiends’ evil artifacts threatened the Azure Profound Sect cultivators, Ye Han launched a sudden attack to protect them.

• The Two Fiends of Qin Mountain revealed their intent to kill Zhang Sanlei and his companions, take their blood essence and souls, and claim the Claw Beasts’ corpses.
• The surviving Claw Beast went berserk, and Wang Fulai blocked its claws with his Cold Iron Shield while Zhang Sanlei and Li Zongqing attacked with their daggers.
• The Two Fiends of Qin Mountain joined the fight and sent a chain and two blood-colored sabers toward the three Azure Profound Sect cultivators.
• Zhang Sanlei and Li Zongqing tried to ambush the fiends from behind with their daggers, but the fiends’ skull artifacts caught the weapons and began invading their control.
• As the chain and sabers swept toward the three cultivators, Ye Han shouted that no one would harm his Azure Profound Sect and descended with two punches aimed at the fiends.

Ye Han watched Zhang Qingshan intervene when the Two Fiends of Qin Mountain nearly killed Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai. As Zhang Qingshan fought the fiends, the three rescued cultivators attacked a nearby Claw Beast.

• Ye Han saw the Two Fiends of Qin Mountain overwhelm Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai, then watched Zhang Qingshan burst in and knock their weapons aside.
• Zhang Qingshan identified the fiends as enemies of the Azure Profound Sect and called on Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai to fight alongside him.
• Zhang Sanlei agreed to join the fight while suspecting Zhang Qingshan and Ye Han had followed their group to target them.
• Zhang Qingshan used his Blood Refining Art to enlarge his body and charge the Two Fiends of Qin Mountain.
• Zhang Qingshan blocked the fiends’ chains and Bloodlight Long Saber with his fists as Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai attacked a Claw Beast with their Dagger Magic Artifacts.

Zhang Qingshan defended himself against the Two Fiends of Qin Mountain while Zhang Sanlei and his companions abandoned him and fled with the Claw Beast’s corpse. The Two Fiends unleashed six Soul-Refining Corpses, but Zhang Qingshan turned the fight by revealing a powerful golden axe.

• Zhang Qingshan fought the Two Fiends of Qin Mountain alone while they mocked him for protecting Zhang Sanlei and his companions.
• The Claw Beast escaped into a cave, and Zhang Sanlei, Wang Fulai, and their companion fled with its corpse, leaving Zhang Qingshan behind.
• Ye Han watched from cover and grew angry at Zhang Qingshan for saving the ungrateful fellow disciples.
• The Two Fiends summoned six Soul-Refining Corpses, forcing Zhang Sanlei and his companions to fight them as they retreated.
• Zhang Qingshan summoned a golden axe and knocked back the Two Fiends' chain and Bloodlight Long Saber, wounding them and shocking them with the weapon's power.

Zhang Qingshan used his Axe Treasure and Ye Han’s Vine Entanglement to kill the Qin Mountain Great Fiend, while the Claw Beast killed the fleeing Lesser Fiend and Zhang Sanlei’s companions. The wounded Zhang Qingshan faced the newly enraged Claw Beast as Ye Han rushed to help him.

• Zhang Qingshan struck the Qin Mountain Great Fiend with his Axe Treasure, and Ye Han’s vine trapped the fiend’s feet so Zhang Qingshan could kill him.
• The Qin Mountain Lesser Fiend escaped with a Blood Escape Talisman, but the Claw Beast ambushed and killed him.
• The Soul-Refining Corpses stopped moving after the Two Fiends of Qin Mountain died, and Zhang Sanlei and his companions cut them down.
• The Claw Beast collapsed the ground beneath Zhang Sanlei and his companions, killing all three before Zhang Qingshan could save them.
• The Claw Beast emerged with a powerful demonic aura and lunged at Zhang Qingshan, and Ye Han shouted that he would help.

Ye Han and Zhang Qingshan killed the Claw Beast after Ye Han repeatedly bound it with the Vine Soul Technique. They gathered the spoils, but Zhang Qingshan insisted on investigating the Claw Beasts’ cave before returning.

• Ye Han used the Purple Cauldron’s replenished power to repeatedly cast the Vine Soul Technique and bind the Claw Beast, giving Zhang Qingshan a chance to kill it.
• Zhang Qingshan praised Ye Han’s timing and suspected that he had a secret, while Ye Han questioned why Zhang Qingshan had risked himself to save Zhang Sanlei and the others.
• Zhang Qingshan explained that he and the three dead cultivators came from the same hometown, then told Ye Han to quickly loot the battlefield.
• Ye Han and Zhang Qingshan collected the cultivators’ treasures and storage pouches along with both Claw Beast corpses.
• When Ye Han suggested they return, Zhang Qingshan refused and proposed searching the Claw Beasts’ cave for the secret behind their advancement to the second tier.

Ye Han followed Zhang Qingshan into the Claw Beasts’ lair, where Zhang Qingshan seemed to know which passages to take despite the maze of branching tunnels. The Purple Cauldron trembled as they neared a powerful surge of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy, leaving them on the verge of discovering the lair’s secret.

• Zhang Qingshan gave Ye Han the Cold Iron Shield and warned him not to reveal valuable treasures casually.
• Zhang Qingshan led Ye Han into the Claw Beasts’ lair, carrying a Spirit Stone lamp.
• Zhang Qingshan chose passages through the maze while Ye Han wondered whether his senior brother was concealing secrets or simply wandering.
• After they passed several more junctions, the Purple Cauldron trembled against Ye Han’s chest.
• Zhang Qingshan hurried forward as Ye Han sensed an abundant surge of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy ahead.

Ye Han and Zhang Qingshan found a spirit spring and a lotus in the Claw Beast lair, but the lotus was a Water Demon’s disguise. Zhang Qingshan was poisoned and injured in the attack, and he urged Ye Han to run.

• Ye Han and Zhang Qingshan followed the spiritual energy to a cavern containing a spirit spring and a glowing white lotus.
• Zhang Qingshan identified the spring and lotus as treasures and rushed over to collect the lotus.
• Ye Han warned Zhang Qingshan that the Claw Beasts should have taken the lotus if it were safe, but the lotus opened and sprayed pink mist at him.
• Zhang Qingshan struck the lotus, revealing a massive Water Demon that attacked and slammed him into the cave wall.
• Zhang Qingshan realized the mist was poisonous, found himself unable to circulate his spell power, and shouted for Ye Han to run.

The Water Demon dragged Ye Han and Zhang Qingshan into a deadly battle in the Waterfall Cave. Ye Han survived when the Purple Cauldron drained the Spirit Spring Water’s energy, while Zhang Qingshan killed the demon but collapsed, leaving Ye Han to find both the creature and his senior brother down.

• The Water Demon seized Ye Han with its tail and pulled him into the pool, while Zhang Qingshan attacked with his Battle Axe but was swallowed by the demon.
• The Water Demon’s pink mist weakened Zhang Qingshan, and the Purple Cauldron inside Ye Han absorbed the Spirit Spring Water’s energy, causing the pool to lose its power.
• The Water Demon flung Ye Han into the cave wall and charged at him, but Zhang Qingshan burst out of its abdomen and struck it repeatedly with his Battle Axe.
• The Water Demon died, and Zhang Qingshan collapsed after his body shrank and weakened.
• Ye Han recovered with no serious injuries and saw the dead Water Demon and Zhang Qingshan lying nearby.

Ye Han found Zhang Qingshan gravely wounded after the fight with the Water Demon and feared he would die. When the Purple Cauldron produced a Purple Pellet, Ye Han chose to give it to Zhang Qingshan rather than use it to advance his own cultivation, and waited to see what would happen.

• Ye Han examined the Water Demon's corpse and found Zhang Qingshan unconscious, shriveled, and near death.
• Ye Han tried to wake Zhang Qingshan but could not help him with his limited cultivation and lack of Healing Pills.
• Ye Han discovered that the Purple Cauldron had opened and contained a Purple Pellet formed from the spiritual energy it had absorbed.
• Ye Han struggled between using the Purple Pellet to become stronger and giving it to Zhang Qingshan, unsure whether it could save him or harm him.
• Ye Han placed the Purple Pellet in Zhang Qingshan's mouth and watched anxiously for a change.

Ye Han gave the purple pill to Zhang Qingshan, who remained alive but unresponsive, and found the Purple Cauldron had lost the spiritual energy it absorbed. With Zhang Qingshan still asleep, Ye Han prepared to salvage the enormous Water Demon's body but struggled to figure out how to cut it apart.

• Zhang Qingshan swallowed the purple pill, briefly glowed with purple runes, and then fell into a quiet, weakened sleep.
• Ye Han reflected on his choice to give Zhang Qingshan the pill and felt no regret because Zhang Qingshan was worth saving.
• Ye Han saw that the Purple Cauldron remained intact but had absorbed all the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy.
• Ye Han confirmed the Water Demon was dead and noticed its corpse bore wounds from Zhang Qingshan's escape through its belly.
• When Zhang Qingshan did not wake, Ye Han emptied three storage bags to carry the Water Demon's corpse, then realized he could not fit it whole or easily cut it apart.

Ye Han used Zhang Qingshan’s treasured axe to dismantle the Water Demon and packed away nearly all of its body. Still unable to leave the Black Demon Forest safely with Zhang Qingshan unconscious, he tested whether the Purple Cauldron would absorb the recovered loot, and it began to react.

• Ye Han used Zhang Qingshan’s treasured axe and the Blood Refining Art to cut through the Water Demon’s scales.
• Ye Han spent three or four days dismantling the Water Demon and stored its pieces and bones, leaving only its enormous skull behind.
• Ye Han watched over Zhang Qingshan, whose condition improved slightly, but could not wake him.
• Ye Han removed the spiritual sense marks from the dead cultivators’ storage bags and sorted their contents to test the Purple Cauldron.
• The Purple Cauldron trembled after Ye Han placed pills and Spirit Stones around it.

Ye Han watched the Purple Cauldron consume the spiritual energy in nearly a hundred Spirit Stones and several dozen bottles, leaving it half stone and half jade. He sheltered the unconscious Zhang Qingshan in a cave and began cultivating behind a sealed stone slab, drawing power from the cauldron as he entered deep meditation.

• Ye Han enhanced his sight and watched the Purple Cauldron draw spiritual energy from the Spirit Stones and bottles, turning the stones ordinary and leaving the cauldron half stone.
• Ye Han decided not to take the unknown pills or leave Zhang Qingshan behind, and resolved to improve his cultivation and learn more about cultivation after returning to the Azure Profound Sect.
• Ye Han used Zhang Qingshan's axe to carve separate hollows in the mountain wall and sealed both caves with stone slabs, leaving narrow openings for air.
• Ye Han placed the Purple Cauldron inside his robe, circulated the Azure Profound Art, and began absorbing spiritual energy and the potent aura released by the cauldron.
• Ye Han sank into deep meditation as his cultivation rose, unaware of how long the session would last.

Ye Han woke from cultivation having advanced to at least the seventh layer of the Qi Refining Realm and found that Zhang Qingshan had recovered and grown stronger. After Ye Han jabbed him with a battle axe to wake him, Zhang Qingshan opened his eyes but did not recognize Ye Han.

• Ye Han discovered that his cultivation had advanced beyond the fourth layer and that his Blood Refining Art had nearly reached its second layer.
• Ye Han saw that the Purple Cauldron still had a small petrified section, put it in his storage pouch, and left the cave.
• Ye Han checked on Zhang Qingshan and found him no longer shriveled, with an aura stronger than before.
• Ye Han tried to wake Zhang Qingshan by calling to him and shaking his foot, but he remained unconscious.
• Ye Han jabbed Zhang Qingshan's thigh with the golden battle axe, waking him, and Zhang Qingshan asked who Ye Han was.

Zhang Qingshan awoke after recovering from his fight with the Water Demon, while Ye Han concealed that the Purple Pellet had saved him. After Zhang Qingshan discovered Ye Han had reached the seventh-layer peak of the Qi Refining Realm, they prepared to return to the sect, but Ye Han stopped him with another request.

• Zhang Qingshan woke, recognized Ye Han, and took back his treasured axe.
• Zhang Qingshan realized his cultivation had advanced to great perfection in the Qi Refining Realm and asked what had happened while he was unconscious.
• Ye Han hid the Purple Cauldron’s role and claimed a purple light from the pool had entered Zhang Qingshan’s body.
• Zhang Qingshan mused that he might have gained another fortuitous opportunity, while Ye Han suspected he had secrets of his own.
• Zhang Qingshan learned Ye Han had reached the seventh-layer peak of the Qi Refining Realm and urged him to return to the sect for the Immortal Ascension Assembly.
• Ye Han stopped Zhang Qingshan and said he needed him to take care of something.

Ye Han and Zhang Qingshan returned to the cavern and found a Beast Crystal inside the Water Flood Dragon Beast's head, worth several thousand Spirit Stones. After Ye Han promised to keep Zhang Qingshan's treasured axe secret, Zhang Qingshan gave him a Dagger Magic Artifact to refine.

• Ye Han asked Zhang Qingshan about the Water Demon’s head, and they returned to the cavern to retrieve it.
• Zhang Qingshan explained that powerful Demon Beasts could remain unrotted and told Ye Han to study at the Scripture Pavilion after they returned to the sect.
• Zhang Qingshan struck the Water Flood Dragon Beast’s head with his treasured axe, revealing a Beast Crystal inside.
• Zhang Qingshan split open the head, recovered the fist-sized crystal, and told Ye Han it was worth several thousand Spirit Stones.
• Zhang Qingshan asked Ye Han to keep his treasured axe secret, and Ye Han promised he would.
• Zhang Qingshan gave Ye Han a Dagger Magic Artifact and told him to refine it for protection.