Chapter Summaries

After Xu Taiping and Lin Buyu defeated the Nine Abysses invaders, Li Yezhu warned that other Seal Lands held trapped cultivators and tried to bargain for the Demon Seeds. Xu Taiping revealed he had anticipated the threat, while Ninth Madam received desperate requests to save Jiang Shuoxue and contacted Xu Taiping with a major deal.

• Xiaohei swallowed the Heartless Demon Emperor and Li Yezhu, but both Demon Seeds remained able to speak to Xu Taiping.
• Li Yezhu warned that Nine Abysses had sealed at least ten other worlds and that their heavenly geniuses faced deadly attacks, then urged the watching sects to pressure Xu Taiping.
• The seal shattered, and the Cave Master and Ninth Madam asked Lin Buyu and Xu Taiping to spare the Demon Seeds because cultivators were trapped in other Seal Lands.
• Ninth Madam received requests from the Ziyang Sect Master to save Jiang Shuoxue and saw her badly injured while Yun Jiuyi faced two Demon Emperors and three hundred Heavenly King-level Demonic Generals.
• Ninth Madam messaged Xu Taiping, asking whether he was interested in a big deal.

Xu Taiping revealed that he had prepared a method to break the Nine Abysses' seals and asked the Upper Realm's cultivators to show kindness to those who ascended from the Lower Realm. As the method freed Jiang Shuoxue and Sword Venerable Yun Jiuyi, the Ziyang Sect's sect master promised protection and safe passage for ascenders under the sect's jurisdiction.

• Xu Taiping said he would help free the captives without asking for a reward, requesting only that Upper Realm cultivators treat ascenders kindly.
• Xu Taiping's Mysterious Origin Avatars activated the Seal-Breaking Method in several Seal Lands, piercing the barriers created by the Nine Abysses.
• Yun Jiuyi fought through the demons and carried Jiang Shuoxue toward the pillar of light, while a sword strike from beyond the seal wounded a pursuing Demon Emperor.
• Yun Jiuyi and Jiang Shuoxue escaped through the pillar of light with the Demon-Slaying Token.
• Jiang Fu, the Ziyang Sect's sect master, promised that ascenders could travel freely through the sect's star domains and that the sect would protect Azure Profound Sect disciples in need.

Xu Taiping and his companions fled a sudden, invisible gravity attack that annihilated everyone at the Seal Land, but the force caught them and began crushing them underground. As Lin Buyan prepared to take over Lin Buyu’s body to help, Kang Cangzi arrived and told them to hold on.

• Jiang Fu invited Xu Taiping to visit the Ziyang Sect and then warned him to leave the Seal Land as a hole opened in the sky.
• Xiaohei carried Xu Taiping, Lin Buyu, and Xu Mu Yao away, while invisible gravity crushed the Seal Land and killed Luo Hong, Liu Qingxiang, and the other members of the Three Corpses Cave.
• The gravity caught up with them and slammed them into the ground, but Xu Taiping used his divine weapons and Great Dao Edict to push it back temporarily.
• Liu Qingxiang’s demon seed became a Flame Giant, which Xu Taiping’s Origin Beginning Clone and Lin Buyu destroyed with their combined attacks.
• The invisible gravity intensified, breaking Xu Taiping’s defenses and injuring his arm, so Lin Buyan prepared to take over Lin Buyu’s body.
• Kang Cangzi called out from behind them and urged Xu Taiping and Lin Buyu to hold on while he came to help.

Xu Taiping and Lin Buyu survived the invisible gravity with Kang Cangzi’s intervention, and he invited them to the Bamboo Sea Grotto-Heaven. In the Black Prison, Heavenly Lord Xuanbei and the others speculated that Kang Cangzi might be preparing for a war against the Nine Abysses.

• Lin Buyu used her Thunder Technique to strengthen Xu Taiping, who forced the invisible gravity upward until the added power ran out.
• Kang Cangzi appeared, sealed the hole in the sky, and gave Xu Taiping a bamboo leaf that restored his magic power and healed his injuries.
• Kang Cangzi thanked Xu Taiping for saving the heavenly geniuses and countless common people, then invited him and Lin Buyu to the Bamboo Sea Grotto-Heaven to discuss matters over Hidden Immortal Wine.
• Lin Buyu asked to bring Xu Mu Yao along, and Kang Cangzi welcomed her.
• In the Black Prison, Heavenly Lord Xuanbei, Daoist Fengzhu, and Ninth Madam discussed Kang Cangzi’s reasons for inviting Xu Taiping and wondered if he planned to eradicate the Nine Abysses.

Xu Taiping learned that Kang Cangzi wanted him to take command of the five armies founded by the Five Emperors on the Heaven-Demon Battlefield. Kang Cangzi explained that the armies had dwindled to a handful of veteran fighters, and began showing Xu Taiping and Lin Buyu an illusory image.

• Xu Taiping asked Kang Cangzi to explain the condition of the five armies, and invited Lin Buyu to listen.
• Kang Cangzi said the armies had once defeated the Nine Abysses Demonic Army and helped destroy the Demon Mother's first two incarnations.
• Kang Cangzi explained that only the Youyun Heaven and Chenglong Heaven armies could still field around a hundred thousand soldiers, while the other three had nearly vanished.
• Kang Cangzi said most remaining soldiers were veterans who refused to join Upper Realm armies out of loyalty to their old banners.
• Kang Cangzi revealed that time did not pass on the Heaven-Demon Battlefield, allowing its fighters to live indefinitely unless killed, and said True Martial Heaven's army consisted of veterans led by Old General Xie Xuanqiong.
• Kang Cangzi swept his sleeve and conjured an illusory image above the sea of clouds.

Kang Cangzi showed Xu Taiping and Lin Buyu the sacrifice of the Zhenwu Demon-Slaying Army and explained why he wanted to rebuild the five armies. He gave Xu Taiping five precious Sky Demon Tokens for the Five Heavens of the Lower Realm, saying the Upper Realm owed them, and left Xu Taiping asking why.

• Kang Cangzi showed Xu Taiping the Zhenwu Demon-Slaying Army's desperate raid, in which ten veteran generals died and ninety-one remained.
• Kang Cangzi said learning about the veterans had inspired him to rebuild the five armies for the Heaven-Demon Battlefield.
• Xu Taiping and Lin Buyu doubted how the depleted armies could be raised again, and Kang Cangzi revealed he had five Sky Demon Tokens.
• Lin Buyu explained that each token opened a passage to the Heaven-Demon Battlefield and could bring tens of thousands of reinforcements.
• Kang Cangzi handed the five tokens to Xu Taiping for the Five Heavens of the Lower Realm and said the Upper Realm owed them, prompting Xu Taiping to ask why.

Kang Cangzi revealed why the Upper Realm withheld the Lower Realm’s Sky Demon Tokens and explained how witnessing the Five Heavens’ resistance changed his view of them. He named Xu Taiping as the Swordbearer chosen to face the Nine Abysses, and Xu Taiping accepted the trust placed in him.

• Kang Cangzi explained that the Upper Realm had taken the Lower Realm’s Sky Demon Tokens after the Five Heavens’ armies declined, widening the gap between the realms.
• Kang Cangzi admitted he had helped separate the Five Heavens from the Lower Realm, but said veterans and ordinary people resisting the Nine Abysses changed his opinion.
• Kang Cangzi recounted meeting Lü Daoxuan, who abandoned the role of Swordbearer to guard the First Demon Abyss and the Mortal Realm, then recommended Xu Taiping instead.
• Kang Cangzi described watching Xu Taiping’s battles and achievements, which convinced him that Xu Taiping was the right Swordbearer.
• Xu Taiping acknowledged his master’s and Kang Cangzi’s trust and vowed not to betray it.

Xu Taiping learned that the Sky Demon Tokens could take him between the Upper and Lower Realms, but Kang Cangzi warned him that rescuing his master and fellow Azure Profound Sect members from the Taixuan Ghost Domain would be perilous. Kang Cangzi revealed that Lü Daoxuan had led the sect into the Ghost Domain to seek its inheritance and fulfill an ancient oath.

• Kang Cangzi explained that the five Sky Demon Tokens could activate grand teleportation arrays, alter their destinations, and allow Xu Taiping to travel between the Upper and Lower Realms.
• Kang Cangzi gave Xu Taiping a jade slip detailing the tokens' uses and how to summon battle generals, while warning that a token could be used only once to teleport cultivators to the Heaven-Demon Battlefield.
• Xu Taiping said he would postpone summoning battle generals until he rescued Lü Daoxuan and the Azure Profound Sect members trapped in the Taixuan Ghost Domain.
• Kang Cangzi explained that the Azure Profound Sect's disciples had gained greater combat strength, protection from seven awakened spirit beasts, access to the Taixuan Sect Inheritance, and the ability to exchange ghost-slaying merit for treasures.
• Kang Cangzi revealed that Lü Daoxuan had led the sect into the Taixuan Ghost Domain to seek growth and fulfill an oath to guard the Demon Grotto for thirty thousand years, after which the sect could receive the Taixuan Sect's Complete Inheritance.

Kang Cangzi explained why Shangqing had sealed off the Lower Realm and warned Xu Taiping that the Taixuan Ghost Domain and the Demon Mother's clone made the coming calamity nearly hopeless. Xu Taiping insisted he had to face it, kept the five Sky Demon Tokens, and ended by asking whether Kang Cangzi had seen the old Daoist who gave his grandfather the Spirit Bone Pill.

• Kang Cangzi told Xu Taiping that the Upper Realm had isolated itself from the Lower Realm to buy time to resolve the Great Void Calamity.
• Kang Cangzi warned Lin Buyu and Xu Taiping that the Demon Mother's clone would awaken after a jiazi and make the Taixuan Ghost Domain a road to certain death.
• Xu Taiping told Kang Cangzi that fighting alongside the Azure Profound Sect was a cultivation and trial he could not evade.
• Kang Cangzi revealed that he had recently discovered Xu Taiping's master was the reincarnation of an old acquaintance and said Xu Taiping would learn more if he survived the calamity.
• Kang Cangzi told Xu Taiping to keep the five Sky Demon Tokens, joking that he would retrieve them when he came to collect Xu Taiping and his master's bodies.
• Xu Taiping asked Kang Cangzi whether the River of Time had shown him the old Daoist who gave Xu Taiping's grandfather the Spirit Bone Pill.

Kang Cangzi reassured Xu Taiping about his family’s past and warned that Lin Buyu’s other soul could bring disaster in the Taixuan Ghost Domain, but offered a way for her to accompany him. He gave Xu Taiping a moonlight stone to guide them there, and the chapter ended with the Flame Court Master summoning them to collect their rewards after the Chaotic Stars Assembly.

• Kang Cangzi told Xu Taiping that his grandfather was an ordinary man who had found the Spirit Bone Pill by chance, though Xu Taiping’s early years with his parents remained uncertain.
• Kang Cangzi warned Lin Buyu that Lin Buyan’s presence could bring a deadly tribulation in the Taixuan Ghost Domain, then offered to use talismans to separate their souls as long as Lin Buyan did not manifest there.
• Xu Taiping gave Kang Cangzi a flask of Hidden Immortal Wine, and Kang Cangzi gifted him a moonlight stone that could reveal sights within the Taixuan Ghost Domain.
• Kang Cangzi drew talismans for Xu Taiping and Lin Buyu and invited them to rest at his Dao Field before the domain opened.
• Xu Taiping planned to enter seclusion while Lin Buyu returned to the Three Corpses Cave, but the Flame Court Master summoned them to the Demon-Slaying Platform to collect their Chaotic Stars Assembly rewards.

Xu Taiping and Lin Buyu returned to the Demon-Slaying Platform, where they reunited with allies and learned why everyone had thought they were dead. Yun Jiuyi recovered his son Yun Wuyue through Redcloud, and Xu Taiping heard that the final ranking—and the Chaotic Stars Assembly’s leadership—remained undecided.

• Xu Taiping and Lin Buyu returned to the Demon-Slaying Platform, where Qu Ningshuang explained that the projected images had cut off during the attack in the Hemu Spirit Fields.
• Xiao Huang, Yun Jiuyi, and Jiang Shuoxue thanked Xu Taiping for helping them escape, and Redcloud emerged from Xu Taiping’s gourd and revealed the sleeping Yun Wuyue.
• Xiao Huang explained that Redcloud had attached itself to Xu Taiping to protect Yun Wuyue through his deadly tribulation, while Xu Taiping realized Yun Wuyue was the red-robed cultivator he had once met.
• Exalted Venerable Qiong Ying challenged Yun Jiuyi’s claim that Xu Taiping would lead the Chaotic Stars Assembly, and she led Xiao Moji and the Sky-Supporting Hall cultivators to the front of the platform.
• Yun Jiuyi warned Jiang Shuoxue not to provoke the Sky-Supporting Hall, and Lin Buyu explained to Xu Taiping that battlefield merit could influence a sect’s fortune.

Xu Taiping and Lin Buyu confronted Three Corpses Cave over her accusations, then watched the Demon-Slaying Ranking update and learned they had both secured top-ten places. As the final ranking announcement began, Lin Buyu warned Xu Taiping that Yan Xuanling was a powerful wildcard.

• Xiao Huang identified the invisible force Xu Taiping had faced as heavenly punishment from Ziyang Sect's ancient texts.
• Jiang Yu accused Lin Buyu of colluding with outsiders, but Lin Buyu challenged her to settle the matter with the Demon-Slaying Token and refused Fuyao Venerable's order to return.
• Lin Buyu told Xu Taiping she had to return to Three Corpses Cave to retrieve what belonged to her, and said Ancestor Peng Ju would protect her from its half-immortal backer.
• The Demon-Slaying Ranking updated, and Xu Taiping, Lin Buyu, Xiao Huang, Qu Ningshuang, Jiang Shuoxue, and Xiao Moji were revealed to be in the top ten.
• Heavenly Lord Hanjian reunited with Xu Taiping and reprimanded Yan Xuanling, whom Lin Buyu identified as one of the assembly's greatest wildcards because of her demon-slaying record.
• The Lord of the Beacon Emperor Court announced that the tokens of the top ten would now redeem their points.

The Demon-Slaying Ranking updated with the cultivators’ final points, pushing Xiao Huang, Qu Ningshuang, and Xiao Moji into the top ranks. Lin Buyu’s score began to update, leaving Xiao Huang’s standing and Xu Taiping’s ranking unsettled.

• Xiao Huang gained fifty thousand points, rose to first place, and said his risky final challenges had paid off.
• Jiang Shuoxue, Bai Chan, and Gu Changming received their final points, with Bai Chan and Gu Changming pushing Jiang Shuoxue down to seventh.
• Qu Ningshuang gained forty-seven thousand points, revealed she had reached the Dao-Integration Heavenly Communion Realm, and rose to fourth place.
• Xiao Moji gained eighty-five thousand points and overtook Xu Taiping and Xiao Huang to take second place.
• Lin Buyu’s name lit up as everyone waited anxiously for her score to determine the final rankings.

Xu Taiping and Lin Buyu watched their Demon-Slaying Ranking points continue to update, revealing that both had killed far more Evil Demon Incarnations than they first appeared to. Yan Xuanling surged into first place, then Xu Taiping’s points began rising sharply, leaving the final rankings unresolved.

• Xu Taiping and Lin Buyu discussed how many Evil Demon Incarnations they had killed in the Hemu Spirit Fields, unsure of their total.
• Lin Buyu’s points rose in several increments to 162,600, putting her temporarily in first place and pushing Xiao Huang to third.
• Yan Xuanling gained 118,000 points, reached a total of 189,000, and took first place, dropping Xiao Huang to fourth.
• Lin Buyu wondered why Xu Taiping’s rank had not changed, while Yan Xuanling teased him; Hanjian Tian told her the rankings were not finished.
• Xu Taiping’s points began rising, first by 40,000 and then by another 40,000, as the crowd watched in astonishment.

Xu Taiping’s Demon-Slaying score rose by 139,000 points, prompting cultivators to accuse him of cheating. He allowed the Flame Court to show his token’s recordings, which revealed powerful battles as the display continued.

• Xu Taiping’s score rose by 90,000 points, then 40,000 and 9,000 more, bringing his total to 279,000.
• Exalted Venerable Qiong Ying and other cultivators challenged Xu Taiping’s score, but Court Lord Fenghuang explained that the token’s records could be shown only with Xu Taiping’s permission.
• Xu Taiping agreed to show the recordings, saying the truth was better than a falsehood.
• The Demon-Slaying Token’s images showed Xu Taiping killing numerous low-stage demonic beasts and the fourth-stage upper-grade Blood Blade Bone Monk, silencing many doubters.
• The recordings showed Xu Taiping and his Origin Beginning Clone defeating six powerful demonic beasts, after which the next image began as Xu Taiping invoked Fivefold Blade Domain, Infernal Prison.

The Demon-Slaying Token revealed that Xu Taiping’s blade domain had slain vast numbers of evil demon incarnations, silencing doubts about his points and confirming the Chaotic Stars Assembly’s top three. After Xiao Huang and Yan Xuanling vowed to challenge him again, Heavenly Lord Hanjian summoned Xu Taiping for a private discussion concerning Ding Mou’s life and death.

• The Demon-Slaying Token showed Xu Taiping’s blade domain killing waves of evil demon incarnations, including with Deity Palm Blade and Heaven-Shaking Fist, and Exalted Venerable Qiong Ying’s doubts about his points faded.
• Xiao Huang declared Xu Taiping his greatest opponent, and Yan Xuanling promised he would not lose to him again.
• Court Lord Fenghuang announced Xu Taiping, Lin Buyu, and Yan Xuanling as the top three of the Chaotic Stars Assembly, then ordered everyone outside the top thirty to leave.
• Heavenly Lord Hanjian told Xu Taiping that he wanted to discuss something privately concerning Ding Mou’s life and death, and Xu Taiping followed him.

Heavenly Lord Hanjian told Xu Taiping that his fists might be the only way to awaken the slumbering Great Sage, and Xu Taiping vowed to challenge Dong Cangzi after settling matters in the Lower Realm. Xu Taiping then joined Lin Buyu and Yan Xuanling to enter the Flame Emperor Treasury and claim the top three's rewards.

• Heavenly Lord Hanjian explained that Ding Mou could not die and might be awakened if Xu Taiping surpassed the Mortal Realm's ultimate fist techniques.
• Xu Taiping promised to challenge Dong Cangzi in Yanggu Heaven if he returned alive from the Lower Realm.
• Commander Chi Fan summoned Xu Taiping to collect his reward as the Chaotic Stars Assembly's chief.
• Court Lord Fenghuang sent Xu Taiping, Lin Buyu, and Yan Xuanling to the Teleportation Array for the Flame Emperor Treasury.
• Yan Xuanling took the array's center position to provoke Xu Taiping and Lin Buyu, who calmly stood on either side of her.

Xu Taiping, Lin Buyu, and Yan Xuanling entered the Flame Emperor's treasury after Hall Master Fenghuang explained their rewards and warned them to obey the guard. Zhu Cheng assigned Yan Xuanling to choose a treasure on the first floor while Xu Taiping and Lin Buyu headed for the second floor, where Lin Buyu expected Xu Taiping to continue to the third.

• Hall Master Fenghuang explained the rewards for the First, Second, and Third Seats and ordered the teleportation array activated.
• Xu Taiping, Lin Buyu, and Yan Xuanling arrived in the treasury and met Zhu Cheng, its guard and former general under the Flame Emperor.
• Zhu Cheng told Xu Taiping and Lin Buyu to go upstairs, while he accompanied Yan Xuanling to choose a treasure on the first floor.
• Lin Buyu told Xu Taiping she expected to choose a treasure on the second floor and expected him to be taken to the third.

Xu Taiping reached the third floor of the Flame Emperor's Treasury and obtained a fragment of the White Jade Golden Bridge after guard Xiye warned him it lacked combat power. He called to the floor's treasures, promising to take them to battle on the Heaven-Demon Battlefield, and they awakened in response.

• Danshou escorted Lin Buyu to choose treasures on the second floor while Xiye led Xu Taiping to the third.
• Xiye told Xu Taiping that the True Martial Great Emperor had once visited the Treasury, taken the Thunder Sound Banners, and later helped slay the Demon Mother with three other great emperors.
• Xu Taiping asked Xiye for the fragment of the White Jade Golden Bridge, and Xiye retrieved it despite warning that it had no killing or defensive power.
• Xu Taiping declined to choose another treasure directly and instead raised his power to call out to the treasures on the third floor.
• The treasures flashed and roared in response, and Xiye exclaimed that Xu Taiping had awakened the old companions that had slumbered for years.

Xu Taiping called for treasures willing to join him, and the treasury answered with an overwhelming attack from a golden fist shadow. After defeating it and gaining new insights into his Heaven-Touching Stance, he discovered a gold pearl and a silver pearl and grasped both.

• Guard Xiye explained that the treasures each chose whom they wished to follow, and Xu Taiping called for those willing to join him.
• Treasures rushed toward Xu Taiping, but their lights scattered and revealed a huge golden fist shadow that attacked him.
• Xu Taiping countered with the Heaven-Shaking Fist Heaven-Touching Stance, endured the clash, and shattered the golden fist shadow with a nine-layer surge of fist force.
• Xu Taiping gained many insights into the Heaven-Touching Stance and then saw a gold pearl and a silver pearl.
• Guard Xiye urged Xu Taiping to grasp the pearls, and he took one in each hand as warm currents began to flow across his hands.