Recaps

Xu Taiping placed the Jade Disc on the sacrificial platform, then endured Zhou Kui’s attacks while the teleportation array began to activate. He raised his physique to the raging lion realm and prepared to oppose Zhou Kui’s fist force and fist intent.

• Xu Taiping used his clone as bait and placed the Jade Disc on the sacrificial platform.
• Zhou Kui threatened Xu Taiping and struck through the barrier, injuring him with hidden force carried by his fist intent.
• Xu Taiping realized he could reduce the damage by using his own fist force and fist intent, then assumed the Heaven-Rending Stance.
• Xu Taiping raised his Wilderness Lion Body to the raging lion realm despite the strain on his blood qi.
• Zhou Kui revealed his killing-intent-infused fist intent and gathered the surrounding forces of heaven and earth behind him.

Xu Taiping used the Heaven-Rending Stance to shatter Zhou Kui’s fist force, while A Meng intervened to create an opening. He rushed out of the sacrificial platform and launched a fully combined Heaven-Rending Stance at Zhou Kui.

• Xu Taiping gathered his fist intent and used the Azure Ox Great Sage Fist’s Heaven-Rending Force to break Zhou Kui’s first attack and force him back.
• Zhou Kui poured more demonic qi into a second punch, but Xu Taiping’s Heaven-Rending Stance resisted its hidden force, leaving Xu Taiping injured but standing.
• Xu Taiping taunted Zhou Kui, who revealed his purple-gold scales and flood dragon claws before preparing a stronger attack.
• A Meng’s sword qi scattered Zhou Kui’s fist force and struck him, sending him falling toward the Stone Bridge.
• Xu Taiping left the sacrificial platform and struck Zhou Kui with the Heaven-Rending Stance, fusing fist intent, fist force, and punching power.

Xu Taiping activated the teleportation array and distracted Zhou Kui while A Meng fought the demons at the Blood Pool. Three powerful figures from the Nine Prefectures arrived through the Jade Disc as the battle reached a critical point.

• Xu Taiping wounded Zhou Kui with Sea-Splitting, then used Endless Horizon to escape after the teleportation array activated.
• Xu Taiping lured Zhou Kui through the Jade Bone Grass, but Zhou Kui abandoned the chase when another Demon Venerable warned that the Blood Jade was about to emerge.
• Xu Taiping returned to watch as Zhou Kui joined the demons battling A Meng, whose Sword Qi continued to force the Demon Venerables back.
• Three powerful figures from the Nine Prefectures emerged from the Jade Disc, and a Nine Nether Demon Venerable urged the demons to stop holding back.

Xu Taiping collected Blood Jade fragments and robbed Demon Cultivators while A Meng fought the Demon Venerables and a mysterious Sword Intent. The Blood Pool’s sealed demonic presence began to awaken, and the chapter ended as A Meng struck toward the pool.

• A Meng broke the Flying Sword, prompting phantom arms to unleash a vast Sword Intent that clashed with his own and shattered the Blood Jade.
• Xu Taiping gathered scattered Blood Jade fragments and robbed Demon Cultivators in the Jade Bone Grass.
• The realm shook as Demonic Qi rose from the Blood Pool, and the Jade Bone Grass shielded Xu Taiping from the painful sounds below.
• Nine Prefectures cultivators warned that a powerful demonic beast beneath the pool was awakening, but one newly arrived cultivator’s head exploded after hearing its sounds.
• A Meng slashed his sword down at the Blood Pool.

A Meng tried to hold back the demonic beast beneath the Blood Pool while the Nine Prefectures cultivators evacuated. Xu Taiping was trapped by the Jade Bone Grass, which revealed that it wanted him to help slay the demon once more.

• A Meng warned the Nine Prefectures cultivators that the Blood Jade was a diversion and urged them to flee while he guarded the Blood Pool.
• Zhou Kui consumed a Blood Jade fragment, attacked the cultivators, and was rescued by the other Demon Venerables, who summoned the Thousand-Hand Asura.
• As the Blood Pool churned and the demon's roars grew louder, A Meng sent the cultivators toward the teleportation Jade Disc and remained behind with his Life-Bound Flying Sword, Withered Wood.
• A Meng called for Xu Taiping to leave, not knowing the Jade Bone Grass had trapped him and covered his mouth.
• The Jade Bone Grass knelt before Xu Taiping and sent him the plea, 'Please help us slay this demon once more.'

Xu Taiping learned that the Jade Bone Grass contained the remnant souls of cultivators who had died fighting the Demon God and that they wanted his help against the beast beneath the Blood Pool. Fairy Lingyue explained that his intact divine soul could restore what the souls lacked, enabling them to fight the beast.

• A Meng sent his Life-Bound Flying Sword, Withered Wood, against the Thousand-Armed Asura, steadily building sword intent as the Asura's arms burst apart.
• Xu Taiping sensed the Jade Bone Grass's unease and realized it believed A Meng could not defeat the beast beneath the Blood Pool.
• Xu Taiping used the bamboo-leaf knot to summon Fairy Lingyue, who assessed A Meng's chances and heard Xu Taiping's account.
• Fairy Lingyue revealed that the Jade Bone Grass held the remnant souls of cultivators settled by the Flame Emperor to seal fragments of the Demon God's body.
• Fairy Lingyue explained that the Jade Bone Grass needed Xu Taiping's intact divine soul to fill in the remnants' missing parts so they could fight the beast.

Xu Taiping learned that the Jade Bone Grass held the remnants of ancient cultivators and began fulfilling their wishes to restore their souls. As he helped them, A Meng fought the demons at the Blood Pool, where a gigantic three-fingered arm emerged.

• Fairy Lingyue told Xu Taiping that he needed to accept the Jade Bone Grass without reservation and fulfill the wishes of the souls within them.
• Xu Taiping answered one remnant's question about the taste of Rubus parvifolius, and the grateful soul manifested as a young cultivator before turning toward the Blood Pool.
• Xu Taiping promised to serve as the Jade Bone Grass's eyes, ears, hands, and feet, causing countless human figures to appear before him.
• A Meng destroyed the Thousand-Armed Asura with Withered Wood, and several demon cultivators perished under his sword pressure.
• A Demon Venerable urged the demons to hold on until My Lord emerged, and a gigantic, rune-covered arm with only three fingers reached out of the Blood Pool.

A Meng fought the enormous demonic hand emerging from the Blood Pool, but its willow-leaf Sword Qi overwhelmed him. Jade Bone Grass came alive, shattered the attack, and charged the Demon God, confirming the legend of cultivators who had died there to seal it.

• A Meng pushed the enormous blue-gray hand back into the Blood Pool with his sword intent.
• Demon Cultivators offered their flesh and blood to their Lord, strengthening the hand until it struck A Meng with emerald willow-leaf Sword Qi.
• A Meng cleaved the first willow leaf, but the hand's next Sword Qi broke his sword intent and hurled him into the Jade Bone Grass.
• The Jade Bone Grass drew swords and unleashed thousands of strands of Sword Qi, shattering the attack aimed at A Meng.
• Led by a young man, the grass charged into the Blood Pool and fought the demonic beast, convincing A Meng that the legend of cultivators sacrificing themselves to seal the Demon God was true.

Xu Taiping faced the Demon God's broken body as the Jade Bone Grass Remnant Souls urged him to issue the Self-Sacrifice Order. He gave the command and, clad in silver armor and empowered by the soldiers, prepared to fight under Fairy Lingyue's control.

• A Meng rose despite his injuries and advanced toward the Blood Pool, determined to fight alongside the senior Human Race cultivators.
• The Demon God's incomplete body emerged from the Blood Pool and swept away a great swath of Jade Bone Grass, while the remaining stalks continued attacking it.
• The Remnant Souls in the Jade Bone Grass called on Xu Taiping to give the Self-Sacrifice Order, and Fairy Lingyue explained how the command released their power to strengthen their general.
• Xu Taiping ordered the Remnant Souls to follow him to the Yellow Springs, and their silver threads formed armor around him as his power surged.
• Fairy Lingyue took control of Xu Taiping's body, and Jade Bone Grass intercepted the Demon God's Sword Qi before the silver-armored Xu Taiping's aura rose to match its strength.

A Meng fought the Demon God's remnant body despite his grievous wounds, and Fairy Lingyue used Xu Taiping's Jade Bone Armor to save him and unleash her power. The Demon God's remnant body fell into the Blood Pool, and Fairy Lingyue killed the three Demon Venerables who tried to stop her.

• A Meng attacked the Demon God's remnant body, broke its sword qi, and was struck down and pierced by demonic willow branches.
• Jade bone grass cut A Meng free, and Xu Taiping, controlled by Fairy Lingyue and clad in Jade Bone Armor, blocked the ancient demon's Bone Blade and pierced its body with the Heavenly Principle Finger.
• Fairy Lingyue sent the gravely wounded A Meng to rest among the jade bone grass before flying Xu Taiping toward the Blood Pool.
• The three Demon Venerables attacked Xu Taiping, but Fairy Lingyue shattered their defenses and weapons with the Azure Luan Ring, then cut them in half and split the Blood Pool.
• Fairy Lingyue summoned three golden-flamed Red Crows that burned the fleeing Demon Venerables to ashes.

Fairy Lingyue used the Jade Bone Armor to fight the Demon God's weakened remnant body, then let Xu Taiping test the armor's power and the ancient blade insights it imparted. She took control again and unleashed a devastating strike that split the Blood Pool as the remnant body tried to flee.

• Fairy Lingyue explained that the Jade Bone Armor could rival a Devil Master and punched the Demon God's remnant body after it transformed into a Demon Crocodile.
• Fairy Lingyue crushed the Demon Crocodile, then gave Xu Taiping control so he could test his blade against the remnant body's Python Flood Dragon form.
• Xu Taiping used Cicada Cry with the armor's power, controlling hundreds of blade shadows and blade force to wound the Python Flood Dragon.
• Fairy Lingyue took control again and told Xu Taiping that he would be able to fight the remnant body after reaching the Mystic Understanding Realm and no longer fear it at the Spirit Refining Realm.
• Fairy Lingyue slashed with Spring Tiger, sending a Five-Colored Radiance blade shadow through the Blood Pool toward the fleeing remnant body.

Fairy Lingyue destroyed the Demon God's remains and explained how the cavern's formation would seal them again, freeing the souls bound within over repeated cycles. She warned Xu Taiping that the Shangqing Realm's divine protection would end within centuries and urged him to reach the Transformation Realm before it did; the cavern then began to collapse.

• Fairy Lingyue cleaved the Demon God's spear and remains apart, leaving behind a vermilion tooth that Xu Taiping learned was part of its true body.
• Golden threads bound the Demon God's true form while the cavern's remaining Jade Bone Grass began sealing it, beginning another cycle of destruction and renewal.
• Fairy Lingyue told Xu Taiping that the Jade Bone Grass souls had been stolen by the Demon God and could be freed to reincarnate once its body was destroyed.
• Fairy Lingyue explained that deities sheltered the Shangqing Realm from the Nine Abysses but warned their protection would end within decades or centuries, urging Xu Taiping to reach the Transformation Realm.
• The cavern began cracking and collapsing, and Fairy Lingyue warned Xu Taiping to escape.

Xu Taiping escaped the cavern with A Meng after the Jade Bone Grass souls aided him and Lay Buddhist Yuqing announced that the grotto-heaven was under his control again. A young man in white shattered the Abyss-Facing Sword and departed, while Xu Taiping’s companions recognized A Meng when they saw them arrive through the Spirit Mirror.

• The Jade Bone Grass souls thanked Xu Taiping, formed a silver bracelet around his wrist, and flew toward the blood sphere.
• Lay Buddhist Yuqing announced that he had regained control of the Immortal Gourd Grotto-Heaven and told the disciples to teleport to Jade Gourd Peak.
• Xu Taiping used a Teleportation Scroll to leave the cavern with A Meng as Fairy Lingyue’s divine sense faded.
• A young man in white retrieved the Abyss-Facing Sword from the Blood Pool, shattered it, and said he no longer owed his master or Qingxuan anything.
• Zhao Linglong and the others saw Xu Taiping arrive through the Spirit Mirror carrying A Meng, whom Dugu Qingxiao recognized with astonishment.

Xu Taiping emerged from the Immortal Gourd Grotto-Heaven carrying the badly injured Sword Saint A Meng, while observers recognized A Meng and worried about both his and Xu Taiping’s injuries. At the teleportation platform, a young woman accused Xu Taiping of harming her Senior Brother Chen Sheng after he returned Chen Sheng’s half of a golden lock.

• Dugu Qingxiao recognized A Meng as the Sword Saint he had met over thirty years earlier, and Xu Ziyan and Zhao Linglong noticed that A Meng and Xu Taiping were injured.
• Xu Taiping reached the only open teleportation point at the foot of Jade Gourd Mountain with A Meng on his back and sent Huang Que a message asking for help.
• Xu Taiping hid A Meng under a cloak and put the looted items from the crypt into his gourd while preparing an explanation for what had happened there.
• A young woman in yellow recognized the half golden lock Xu Taiping had picked up as Chen Sheng’s treasure and demanded it from him.
• Xu Taiping returned the lock, but the young woman accused him of harming Chen Sheng and called him a thief.

Xu Taiping was accused by Pure Yang Sword Sect disciples of killing Chen Sheng and being a demon cultivator, so he fought back when they surrounded him. Just as he subdued their attacks, a young Daoist boy intervened and faced him.

• The girl in yellow used a Soul Pursuit Lock to track Xu Taiping and accused him of killing Chen Sheng.
• Senior Brother Sun and Senior Brother Zhao joined the girl in yellow, and she rallied nearby cultivators to surround Xu Taiping as a supposed spy for the Nine Nether Demon Cultivators.
• Xu Taiping tried to defend himself, but the girl in yellow attacked, and he knocked her back with Spring Tiger.
• Senior Brother Sun and Senior Brother Zhao attacked together, but Xu Taiping used the Cicada Cry Form to break through their sword net and protective sword gang.
• A young Daoist boy in blue stopped Xu Taiping's strike and stood between him and the two disciples; Xu Taiping suspected he was Sword-Bone Xiao Ye.

Xu Taiping confronted Xiao Ye, who accused him of killing Chen Sheng and demanded he surrender or die. When Xiao Ye attacked, Xu Taiping used the Cicada Wing slash to break apart his sword strike and send his flying sword back.

• The girl in yellow identified Xu Taiping as Chen Sheng's killer, and Xiao Ye said he would kill him unless he surrendered.
• Xu Taiping contacted Huang Que for help, but Huang Que told him to stall while he dealt with a demon cultivator.
• Xiao Ye counted to five and demanded Xu Taiping bind himself, while Xu Taiping chose to face him with his saber.
• Xiao Ye unleashed a flying sword wrapped in powerful sword qi, and Xu Taiping answered with a slash that shattered the sword qi dragon and knocked the weapon backward.

Xu Taiping used the Demon-Slaying Blade’s Dragon-Slaying Form to destroy Xiao Ye’s Sword Qi dragon, then prepared to risk everything with Crane Cry as Xiao Ye summoned hundreds of Spirit Weapons. A Meng intervened before they could clash, knocked Xiao Ye down, and thanked Xu Taiping for coming to his aid.

• Xiao Ye’s Sword Qi dragon swept Xu Taiping back, but Xu Taiping summoned a towering blade and cut off the dragon’s head with the Dragon-Slaying Form.
• Xiao Ye called forth hundreds of Spirit Weapon Flying Swords and aimed them at Xu Taiping.
• Xu Taiping took the Crane Cry stance and charged Xiao Ye, prepared to stake his life on a single strike.
• A Meng descended from the sky and smashed Xiao Ye’s Flying Swords to the ground, interrupting the attack.
• A Meng kicked Xiao Ye down and asked if that was how he used a sword, then thanked Xu Taiping for coming to his aid.

Xu Taiping’s clash with Xiao Ye was stopped by A Meng, while Huang Que and Prefect Liu defended Taiping against accusations that he was a demon cultivator. The evidence revealed Taiping’s role in ending the Blood Moon Tide, but Taiping was left focused on whether the Nine Prefectures would pay him.

• Qingxiao explained that Xu Taiping’s blade-focused state could have killed Xiao Ye, and that A Meng had protected Xiao Ye by intervening.
• The girl in yellow accused Xu Taiping of killing Chen Sheng and being a demon cultivator, but Huang Que arrived and vouched for him.
• Prefect Liu showed records of Xu Taiping opening three hidden teleportation nodes during the Blood Moon Tide and defeating Qingyu.
• The cultivators realized they had wrongly accused Xu Taiping, and several apologized to him.
• Xu Taiping quietly asked Huang Que whether the Nine Prefectures planned to withhold the Jade Disc payment, making Huang Que and Prefect Liu react awkwardly.

Xu Taiping witnessed A Meng reveal that Chen Sheng had been a Nine Nether demon cultivator, then heard Lay Buddhist Yuqing announce compensation for the survivors and invite them to continue the Jade Gourd contest. A Meng summoned Xu Taiping to meet him at the White Steed Inn after leaving the grotto-heaven, while the Teleportation Array prepared to reopen.

• Qian Xiaofu challenged A Meng over Chen Sheng's death, and A Meng revealed that Chen Sheng had joined Nine Nether before entering the Pure Yang Sword Sect.
• Liu Chuxuan explained that A Meng had cleansed the sect of a demon cultivator, and A Meng rebuked the Pure Yang Sword Sect disciples for letting the revelation shake their Dao hearts.
• A Meng left the Teleportation Platform, and he privately told Xu Taiping to meet him at the White Steed Inn after leaving the Immortal Gourd Grotto-Heaven.
• Lay Buddhist Yuqing accepted responsibility for the Nine Nether infiltration and promised each surviving disciple spirit spring water and a Windwalking Pill.
• Lay Buddhist Yuqing announced that disciples could leave when the Teleportation Array activated in one incense stick, while those who continued the Jade Gourd contest could earn an extra flask of spirit spring water by reaching the summit.

Lay Buddhist Yuqing announced valuable rewards for the Jade Gourd Cauldron Contest, including a Wilderness Flood Dragon Token, and Huang Que explained its use and the dangers of the Wilderness Ancient Ruins. Though Huang Que doubted Xu Taiping’s sword skills were sufficient, Xu Taiping revealed he had practiced swordsmanship for three years, then surprised his seniors by stepping forward to compete.

• Lay Buddhist Yuqing offered Jade Gourd Spirit Marrow Liquid to the first three contestants, a Spirit Weapon to second place, and a Wilderness Flood Dragon Token to the chief.
• Huang Que explained that Flood Dragon Tokens allowed cultivators to navigate trial areas in the dangerous Wilderness Ancient Ruins and could only be used once every hundred years.
• Huang Que warned Xu Taiping that the contest’s sword paths were perilous, but Xu Taiping revealed he had practiced swordsmanship for three years.
• At the Azure Profound Sect, Xu Ziyan and Dugu Qingxiao discussed the rewards and doubted Xu Taiping would enter the contest.
• When Lay Buddhist Yuqing asked the disciples to decide, Xu Taiping stepped forward first, astonishing his seniors.

Xu Taiping entered Jade Gourd Peak’s Cauldron Seizing Contest carrying the largest stone cauldron, intending to fulfill Recluse Sansan’s request to cut down plum trees. As he climbed through the Sword Qi and Gang Wind, he began felling a plum tree, shocking Zhao Linglong and the others watching through the Spirit Mirror.

• Qingxiao and Xu Ziyan suspected Xu Taiping might be pursuing the Flood Dragon Token, and Zhao Linglong warned him not to act rashly.
• Duan Xiaoyu thanked Xu Taiping before leaving, wished him success at the summit, and accidentally broke a tree when she ran into it.
• Xu Taiping reached Plum Valley Path and decided to cut down its plum trees to fulfill Recluse Sansan’s request.
• Xu Taiping chose the largest stone cauldron and carried it toward the mountain path with one hand.
• Xu Taiping withstood the Gang Wind near the seventh step, drew Spring Tiger, and struck the plum tree beside the path.

Xu Taiping tried to fell plum trees along the path through the Immortal Gourd Grotto-Heaven, drawing alarmed attention from Liu Chuxuan, Huang Que, and the Azure Profound Sect disciples watching him. As stronger sword-qi gusts battered him on the eleventh step, the Rusty Lion Sword suddenly flew from its sheath to defend him.

• Liu Chuxuan and Huang Que watched Xu Taiping fell and store a plum tree, then worried when he went after another.
• Zhao Linglong, Qingxiao, and Xu Ziyan discussed whether Xu Taiping could keep chopping trees, while Lin Buyu watched in silence.
• A blast of sword gang knocked Xu Taiping's saber aside as he swung at a third plum tree.
• On the eleventh step, Xu Taiping cleaved through sword-qi gusts, but the backlash shattered his Profound Ice Armor and forced him backward.
• As more sword-qi gusts bore down on Xu Taiping, the Rusty Lion Sword flew from its sheath and positioned itself in front of him.

Xu Taiping used Rusty Lion Sword to turn the descending sword qi into written characters, then used the method to withstand the sword qi waterfall on the ninety-ninth step. When he realized the mountain’s sword intent would attack him if he broke its flow, Huang Que recognized that Xu Taiping’s characters might be copying the sword intent itself.

• Xu Taiping guided Rusty Lion Sword to write characters with the descending sword qi, trapping the attacks as the characters “left” and “right.”
• Liu Chuxuan explained that Xu Taiping’s swordsmanship used the strokes of characters to contain sword qi, and he concluded that both Xu Taiping and his teacher were formidable.
• Xu Taiping reached the ninety-ninth step, where a waterfall of sword qi overwhelmed a sword cultivator ahead of him.
• Xu Taiping formed walls of characters that followed the mountain’s sword intent, calming the sword qi until he tried to leave the path, when it attacked him again.
• Xu Taiping realized he had to follow the mountain’s sword intent to advance, but doing so would prevent him from cutting down the roadside plum tree.
• Huang Que suggested that Xu Taiping’s characters copied the sword intent of the Plum Garden Path, prompting Liu Chuxuan to sit upright in surprise.

Xu Taiping used the character-based sword techniques taught by Recluse Sansan to withstand the mountain’s Sword Intent and gradually understand how the method could counter and deliver sword attacks. After cutting down every plum tree on the path, he reached the landing before the summit’s final steps, bloodied but determined to continue.

• Liu Chuxuan told Huang Que to investigate who had taught Xu Taiping his swordsmanship.
• Xu Taiping resisted the Sword Intent by writing characters with Rusty Lion, then used brief openings to cut down plum trees and store them in his Gourd.
• After breaking apart successive Sword Qi attacks, Xu Taiping realized he could treat sword moves as written characters, dismantle their strokes, and shape his own attacks through writing.
• Xu Taiping continued uphill while cutting down the plum trees, determined to gather enough for Recluse Sansan.
• Two hours later, Xu Taiping stood bloodied before the final flight of steps, carrying the Stone Cauldron and saber with a Flying Sword hovering nearby; the path behind him was bare.
• Huang Que asked Liu Chuxuan whether Xu Taiping or his sword techniques were more formidable.

Xu Taiping reached Jade Gourd Peak’s final sword trial and used Rusty Lion to break the Great Sword Immortal’s strike, leaving a scar on the Jade Gourd Grotto-Heaven’s barrier. At the foot of the peak, Ye Xuan agreed to become the white-clad young man’s disciple and was ordered to defeat Xu Taiping, as a powerful voice called for Su Chan.

• Liu Chuxuan warned Huang Que that the final path’s Sword Intent combined the mountain’s force into a strike equivalent to one from the Great Sword Immortal, but they could not interfere.
• Xu Taiping climbed the final steps, endured the Sword Intent, and saw a sword formed from daylight and clouds descend toward him.
• Xu Taiping resonated with Rusty Lion and recited Recluse Sansan’s poem, which became a sword strike that split the descending sword.
• Rusty Lion pierced the clouds and struck the Jade Gourd Grotto-Heaven’s barrier, leaving a sword scar and shaking the grotto-heaven.
• The white-clad young man accepted Ye Xuan as his disciple on the condition that he defeat Xu Taiping at the next Sword Inquiry Qingxuan Grand Competition, threatening to send him to the Nine Abysses if he lost.
• An aged voice swept across the Immortal Gourd Grotto-Heaven and called for Su Chan to come out.