Chapter Summaries

Xu Taiping rejected Zhao Qian’s plan to sacrifice himself and called for the Ten Directions Thunder-Sound Earth-Splitting Formation to defeat the Ghost Creatures. As Beiming broke through the Flame Wall, Xu Taiping’s Battle Intent surged, and he ordered everyone to form the formation.

• Zhao Qian proposed sacrificing himself so the others could escape, but Xu Taiping refused and raised a Flame Wall against the Ghost Creatures.
• Xu Taiping distributed all sixteen Thunder Sound Banners among his party, Zhao Qian, Zhao Linglong, and the Seven Peak Lords.
• Zhao Qian recognized the banners and began activating the Ten Directions Thunder-Sound Earth-Splitting Formation with the others.
• Beiming, a powerful Evil Ghost from the Central Area of the Ghost Domain, smashed through the Flame Wall and revealed his stone stele’s Word-Follows-Law power.
• Xu Taiping poured his Ten Sovereign Dao Essence Power into his banner, unleashed overwhelming Battle Intent, and ordered everyone to form the formation.

Xu Taiping’s formation crushed waves of Ghost Creatures, but Beiming’s Word-Follows-Law power threatened to break it until Xu Taiping’s Human Sovereign Sword restored its strength. With Danyuan Palace’s aid, the group pushed forward, only to face thousands more Ghost Creatures led by three Red Robes.

• Xu Taiping trapped several hundred Ghost Creatures, including Beiming, in the Ten Directions Thunder-Sound Earth-Splitting Formation and ground most of them down.
• Beiming used his Word-Follows-Law power to weaken the formation, but Xu Taiping’s Human Sovereign Sword restored it and enabled the group to strike back.
• Xu Taiping’s companions overwhelmed Beiming and the surrounding Ghost Creatures with the restored formation.
• Hundreds of Danyuan Palace shadows joined Xu Taiping’s side and helped the formation advance through the horde.
• Three Red Robes arrived with several thousand Ghost Creatures, prompting Xiao Ye to ask what made them special.

Xu Taiping expanded the Ten Directions Thunder-Sound Earth-Splitting Formation with the Demon-Slaying Army’s battle intent and charged through the ghost horde toward Liang Zhu’s group. The war chariot reached the blood-colored doors raised by the three Blood-Robed Ghosts, but its charge failed to break them.

• Liang Zhu led Azure Profound Sect sword cultivators into the ghost horde, easing the pressure on Xu Taiping’s formation.
• Xu Taiping called on the Demon-Slaying Army, and Lian Xing’s phantom image joined the formation.
• Xu Taiping and the others channeled their battle intent through the Thunder Sound Banners, expanding the grinding disc and crushing a path through the ghosts.
• Xu Taiping led the Demon-Slaying Cavalry phantom war chariot toward Liang Zhu’s group and the three Blood-Robed Ghosts.
• The Blood-Robed Ghosts raised two blood-colored doors behind Liang Zhu’s group, and Xu Taiping’s war chariot struck them without damaging them.

Xu Taiping absorbed the power of six Plum Blood talismans without suffering a backlash and used it to shatter the blood gates. With Liang Zhu and the others under attack, Zhao Qian and Zhao Linglong helped clear the ghost horde as Xu Taiping led another charge.

• Zhao Qian gave Xu Taiping six Plum Blood talismans and warned him that absorbing too much could overwhelm his divine soul.
• Xu Taiping absorbed the power of all six talismans, which his Dao Body Furnace refined without harming him and which increased his combat strength.
• As Liang Zhu and the others’ sword formation neared collapse, Xu Taiping led the Demon-Slaying Cavalry in a charge and shattered the blood gates with his fist.
• The ghost horde breached Liang Zhu and the others’ formation, but Zhao Qian and Zhao Linglong intervened with Plum Blood-powered sword strikes.
• The Thunder Sound Grinding Disc destroyed the nearby ghost creatures, and Xu Taiping called the Demon-Slaying Cavalry to charge again.

Xu Taiping used the Great Deductive Power to discover that the three Blood Garments could mirror his entire military formation and create an equally strong duplicate. The vision then showed Lü Sword Nine fighting six Blood Garments in a Heavenly Palace before Zhao Xuantan mortally wounded him, leaving Xu Taiping with the revelation that Zhao Xuantan had betrayed Zhenwu and the Great Emperor.

• Daoist Fengzhu performed the Heavenly Sacrifice Technique, allowing Xu Taiping to use the Lotus Eye's Great Deductive Power on the three Blood Garments.
• Xu Taiping saw the rightmost Blood Garment summon a huge Blood Mirror that reflected the Demon-Slaying Army and produced an equal formation to fight them.
• Xu Taiping's vision shifted to a Heavenly Palace, where Lü Sword Nine fought six Blood Garments while a silver-haired man stood beside a giant female corpse.
• The silver-haired man, Zhao Xuantan, demanded that Lü Sword Nine hand over the Demon Mother Heart Aperture, but Lü Sword Nine continued fighting and cut a Blood Garment in two.
• Zhao Xuantan struck Lü Sword Nine through the chest despite his sword, and Lü Sword Nine accused him of betraying Zhenwu and the Great Emperor.

Xu Taiping realized the Lotus Eye might be compromised because its previous Dao Integration partner was Zhao Xuantan, and he abruptly ordered the army to turn before reaching the planned distance. The formation obeyed, leaving the reason for his sudden alarm unresolved.

• Xu Taiping warned that one of the three red-robed ghosts likely wielded a mirror that could counter their military formation, and Zhao Qian identified it as the mirror ghost.
• Xu Taiping planned to turn the formation after advancing three thousand zhang and send Zhao Qian and the Azure Profound Sect disciples to hide while the others dealt with the ghosts.
• Ping'an heard the three blood-robed ghosts discussing an attack once the army advanced another two thousand zhang, confirming Xu Taiping's suspicion.
• As the army fought deeper into the ghost horde, Xu Taiping felt uneasy and his Lotus Eye grew hot, though he saw no immediate danger.
• Xu Taiping remembered that Zhao Xuantan had been the Lotus Eye's previous Dao Integration partner and ordered everyone to turn immediately without asking questions.
• Blade Ghost, Xuanbei, Fengzhu, and the other banner bearers obeyed and turned the military formation.

Xu Taiping and his companions seized an opening to attack the three Blood Garments after avoiding their ambush, while Zhao Qian led the Azure Profound Sect toward the Ghost Domain. At the Ghost Domain entrance, they discovered Mirror Ghost's blood mirror absorbed spells and much of their attacks, and Blade Ghost prepared to demonstrate his Ultimate Realm Blade Strike.

• Xu Taiping redirected the Demon-Slaying Army after sensing danger, and the three Blood Garments' blood mirror struck the place where the army had been headed.
• Xu Taiping, Blade Ghost, Xuanbei, Fengzhu, Bai Yu, Ping'an, and Old Daoist Huang charged the three Blood Garments while Zhao Qian formed the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation and led the Azure Profound Sect onward.
• Blade Ghost unleashed a colossal blade strike, and Xu Taiping and his companions rode the black hound to attack the Blood Garments as the Azure Profound Sect watched them drive the foes back.
• At the Ghost Domain entrance, Xu Taiping and Blade Ghost attacked Mirror Ghost, but its blood mirror absorbed their strikes and swallowed Old Daoist Huang's fireball.
• Xu Taiping discovered that the mirror absorbed spells and divine abilities more completely than martial combat, and Blade Ghost offered to show him his Ultimate Realm Blade Strike.

Xu Taiping fought Mirror Ghost while Blade Ghost gathered the strength for an Ultimate Realm Blade Strike. After Mirror Ghost reflected Xu Taiping’s attacks through the Blood Mirror, Xu Taiping unleashed the Heaven-Shaking Fist’s fourth stage, astonishing Old Daoist Huang.

• Blade Ghost asked Xu Taiping and Old Daoist Huang to hold Mirror Ghost back while he gathered blade force.
• Xu Taiping and Old Daoist Huang attacked Mirror Ghost’s Blood Mirror, but it reflected Xu Taiping’s first-stage Heaven-Shaking Fist.
• Xu Taiping countered the reflected attack with the second stage and struck Mirror Ghost, who then reflected that stage as well.
• Xu Taiping advanced to the third stage and battered Mirror Ghost, but the Blood Mirror reflected the attack toward him.
• With his fist force exhausted, Xu Taiping called out the Heaven-Shaking Fist’s fourth stage, shocking Old Daoist Huang.

Xu Taiping’s Heaven-Shaking Fist failed to destroy Mirror Ghost, but Blade Ghost’s ultimate realm strike cut down Mirror Ghost and helped defeat the other two Blood Garments. Blade Ghost hinted that the physique he wanted to retrieve was in the Ghost Domain, and Xu Taiping realized it might be connected to where Blade Ghost’s remnant soul was born.

• Xu Taiping’s amplified punch shattered Mirror Ghost’s attack, but the blood mirror absorbed its force and sent it back at him.
• Old Daoist Huang and Xiaohei moved to protect Xu Taiping, but Xu Taiping told them to fall back as Blade Ghost emerged.
• Blade Ghost’s slash split the golden fist shadow, blood mirror, and Mirror Ghost into fragments, then wounded the other two Blood Garments so Xuanbei and the others could destroy them.
• Blade Ghost said the Thousand Faces Puppet’s body weakened his strike and that he needed to retrieve his own physique.
• Xu Taiping asked whether Blade Ghost’s physique was in the Ghost Domain, and Blade Ghost reminded him where his remnant soul had been born.

Xu Taiping learned that Blade Ghost was Heavenly Lord Neck Metal, Li Wenqiong, and that Zhao Xuantan had betrayed Zhenwu and once grievously injured him. Blade Ghost left with Xiaohei to retrieve his sealed physique, while Xu Taiping led the others toward Taixuan Hall to rescue Lü Daoxuan and face Zhao Xuantan.

• Blade Ghost said his sealed physique lay in the First Demon Grotto and that he needed to retrieve it because the Demon Mother's clone might have awakened.
• Blade Ghost told Xu Taiping to meet Lü Daoxuan at Taixuan Hall, then learned that Xu Taiping's Lotus Eye had revealed Zhao Xuantan's deadly trap.
• Blade Ghost revealed that Zhao Xuantan had betrayed Zhenwu and injured him, and identified himself as Heavenly Lord Neck Metal, Li Wenqiong.
• Blade Ghost left on Xiaohei to retrieve his physique and entrusted Xu Taiping with holding off Zhao Xuantan.
• Xu Taiping told Heavenly Lord Xuanbei, Daoist Fengzhu, and the others that Zhao Xuantan guarded the Demon Mother's clone with several Blood Garments.

Xu Taiping and the Azure Profound Sect’s sword cultivators joined forces with their allies to break through the ghost army and charge into the Ghost Domain toward Taixuan Hall. They set out to rescue Grand Martial Uncle and confront Zhao Xuantan.

• Heavenly Lord Xuanbei and Daoist Fengzhu identified Zhao Xuantan as the enemy in Taixuan Hall and said Xu Taiping, Ping'an, and Bai Yu would be needed to counter his physique.
• The eighty-three Azure Profound Sect sword cultivators arrived, and Xu Taiping explained that Blade Ghost’s body was sealed in the First Demon Grotto.
• Xu Taiping gave Blade Ghost’s Thunder Sound Banner to Liang Zhu and rallied the sect to bring back their Grand Martial Uncle and return home together.
• Xu Taiping led the group as their battle intent formed a great sword shadow and the Thunder Sound Banners formed the Ten Directions Thunder-Sound Earth-Splitting Formation.
• The battle formation crushed the ghost creatures and destroyed the Blood Garment before charging deep into the Ghost Domain.

Xu Taiping’s party lost the Demon-Slaying Cavalry’s support and faced the Stove Wraith, whose ghost powers threatened their souls. Daoist Fengzhu rescued the Azure Profound Sect disciples, while the onlookers discussed the unique powers of the blood-robed ghosts guarding the Demon Mother.

• The Demon-Slaying Cavalry’s battle intent and Old General Lian Xing’s phantom dispersed, leaving Xu Taiping’s party to rely on their own strength.
• Bai Yu and Ping'an attacked a blood-robed ghost resembling an ascetic monk and destroyed it.
• A Stove Wraith sucked in the Thunder Sound Grinding Disc, but Xu Taiping caught its lightning pearl attack with the Buddhism Sea-Swallowing Seal.
• The Stove Wraith used its Soul-Summoning Art on more than a dozen Azure Profound Sect disciples, and Daoist Fengzhu’s white sand river swept their souls to safety.
• The Stove Wraith fired ghostly stove flames, and Chen Hao explained that its fire could refine divine souls into Ghost Pellets while he and Sect Leader Xiao Ming described the blood-robed ghosts’ unique powers.

Daoist Fengzhu weakened the Blood Garment Stove Wraith with his Great Dao Edict and stayed behind to refine it while Xu Taiping and the Azure Profound Sect party flew toward Taixuan Hall. At the hall, Bu Xueting used Xiao Ming’s Spirit Mirror to send Xu Taiping a voice transmission and ask him a favor.

• Daoist Fengzhu turned into azure flame and pierced the Stove Wraith’s poisonous fire, weakening the ghost creature.
• Heavenly Lord Xuanbei explained that refining the Blood Garment could bring Daoist Fengzhu closer to a half-immortal seat, and Xu Taiping left him to continue alone.
• Bai Yu carried Xu Taiping, Zhao Qian, and the Azure Profound Sect party toward Taixuan Hall.
• Bu Xueting arrived at Taixuan Hall and praised Bai Yu and Ping'an for receiving Lady Undying Night Soul’s legacy.
• Bu Xueting borrowed Xiao Ming’s Spirit Mirror, restored it after it cracked, and sent Xu Taiping a voice transmission asking him for a favor.

Xu Taiping learned that Bu Xueting wanted him to kill the Blood Garment Coffin Fly so Bu Xueting could enter the Ghost Domain through the passage it opened. As Xu Taiping weighed the danger against the need for Bu Xueting’s strength, Bu Xueting revealed that Undying Night Soul had specifically sent him to the Lower Realm.

• Heavenly Lord Xuanbei told Xu Taiping that Bu Xueting was a powerful Half-Immortal who had once sought a breakthrough in True Martial Heaven.
• Bu Xueting asked Xu Taiping to find Coffin Fly near Taixuan Hall and kill it to open a passage out of the Ghost Domain.
• Heavenly Lord Xuanbei explained that Coffin Fly’s flies could keep multiplying unless they were all lured out and destroyed at once.
• Bai Yu offered to take Xu Taiping and Ping'an directly to Taixuan Hall, but Xu Taiping worried that he would need Bu Xueting’s help against Zhao Xuantan and the Demon Mother Clone.
• Bu Xueting told Xu Taiping that Undying Night Soul had specifically instructed him to come, urging Xu Taiping to trust her.

Xu Taiping and his companions headed for the ruins of Cloudsong Pavilion after learning how to weaken the blood-robed coffin fly with plum blood wax. Xu Taiping discovered that his Furnace Dao Body could refine the power of Plum Blood Talismans with little backlash, but found that their power stopped increasing beyond ninety-nine talismans.

• Bai Yu and Ping'an reported hearing commotion near the ruins of Cloudsong Pavilion, and Xu Taiping ordered Bai Yu to fly there.
• Heavenly Lord Xuanbei and Old Daoist Huang explained that ninety-nine Plum Blood Talismans could severely wound the blood-robed coffin fly, while Zhao Qian warned that using them would endanger Xu Taiping's mind.
• Xu Taiping revealed that his Furnace Dao Body could refine plum blood wax with little backlash, and Zhao Qian disclosed that he had stockpiled over ten thousand Plum Blood Talismans.
• Xu Taiping took one hundred talismans and refined their power into a crystal, with only negligible effects on his physique and divine soul.
• Xu Taiping noticed that the power of the fused Plum Blood Talismans stopped increasing once he combined ninety-nine of them.

Xu Taiping discovered that he could refine Plum Blood Wax's power into crystals that others could use, then gave a crystal to Heavenly Lord Xuanbei to attack the Coffin Fly Ghost Mother. As Blood Garment Coffin Fly Ghosts approached, Xu Taiping armed the Seven Peak Lords with crystals to strengthen their Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation.

• Xu Taiping confirmed that Plum Blood Wax's combat enhancement peaked at ninety-nine talismans, but found he could refine its power into crystals that Zhao Qian and Zhao Linglong could use without backlash.
• Zhao Qian entrusted Xu Taiping with thirteen thousand Plum Blood Talismans gathered by Qingxuan over sixty years.
• Old Daoist Huang explained that the cultivator who severely wounded the Coffin Fly Ghost Mother would be sealed inside her abdomen, and Heavenly Lord Xuanbei volunteered to make the attack.
• Xu Taiping gave Heavenly Lord Xuanbei a Plum Blood Crystal and promised to slay the Demon Mother Clone if Xuanbei could not return in time.
• Blood Garment Coffin Fly Ghosts arrived, and their swarms blocked the Azure Profound Sect's flying swords.
• Xu Taiping gave seven Plum Blood Crystals to Zhao Qian, who distributed them to the Seven Peak Lords to power the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation.

Inside Boundless Hall, Bu Xueting explained that the Blood Garment Coffin Fly Ghost Mother’s fate would determine when the Shangqing Edict’s seal loosened as the Azure Profound Sect and Xu Taiping’s group attacked her lair. Heavenly Lord Xuanbei cleared the Ghost Mother’s swarm and plunged into her split belly to open the way for Bu Xueting.

• Bu Xueting told Xiao Ming that the Ghost Mother’s life or death would mark the dividing line for the Shangqing Edict’s seal and their chance to enter the Taixuan Ghost Domain.
• The Azure Profound Sect’s sword formation broke through the coffin fly ghosts, and Bai Yu carried Xu Taiping and the others into the Ghost Mother’s lair.
• Xu Taiping cleaved apart the Ghost Mother’s giant claw while Ping'an smashed through her hurricane of coffin flies to clear a path for Bai Yu.
• Ping'an failed to stop the Ghost Mother’s blood-colored flying swords, but Xu Taiping knocked them away with the Heaven-Touching Stance, and Heavenly Lord Xuanbei scattered the swarm released from her belly.
• Heavenly Lord Xuanbei leaped toward the Ghost Mother’s split belly and called on Bu Xueting not to disappoint him.

Heavenly Lord Xuanbei struck the Coffin Fly Ghost Mother, whose black vortex pierced the Ghost Domain's firmament, while Bu Xueting urged the Pure Yang Sword Sect to rally the Five Heavens for a joint assault on the Taixuan Ghost Domain. The sects began answering the call, and Gongshu Nanxing chose to lead the four Song brothers from Mysterious Wasteland Heaven.

• Heavenly Lord Xuanbei tore apart the Coffin Fly Ghost Mother's bloody hands and struck her abdomen with a lightning handprint.
• The Coffin Fly Ghost Mother's abdomen became a vortex that devoured the coffin fly ghosts, then fired a black pillar through the Ghost Domain's firmament.
• Bu Xueting asked Xiao Ming to call on cultivators across the Five Heavens to gather at the Pure Yang Sword Sect and attack the Taixuan Ghost Domain.
• Chen Hao and other Pure Yang Sword Sect disciples volunteered, and Xiao Ming issued the call through his spirit mirror.
• After hearing Xiao Ming's call, Gongshu Nanxing agreed to send people from Mysterious Wasteland Heaven and selected Song Sheng, Song Xing, and their two brothers to join her.

As factions from the Five Heavens rallied to help Xu Taiping’s group reach Taixuan Hall, the Pure Yang Sword Sect prepared to unite True Martial Heaven’s forces. Xu Taiping’s party neared the hall but encountered a Great Luo-level Blood Garment Great Ghost controlling a dozen others.

• Heavenly Lord Shihu asked Xiahou You if she was prepared to risk her life in battle, and she vowed to repay Xu Taiping by joining the fight.
• Dongfang Yuejian learned Xu Taiping was in the Taixuan Ghost Domain and headed to the Pure Yang Sword Sect with Xu You’s belongings.
• Xiao Ming and Bu Xueting received offers of help from major factions across the Other Four Heavens, then True Martial Heaven’s sects also began sending forces to the Pure Yang Sword Sect.
• Bai Yu carried Xu Taiping’s group toward Taixuan Hall while Xu Taiping refined the last of their plum blood crystals.
• Zhao Qian recognized a Great Luo-level Blood Garment Great Ghost controlling a dozen Blood Garment Great Ghosts with red cords as the group faced a dangerous fight.

Xu Taiping and the Azure Profound Sect fought their way toward Taixuan Hall, relying on Heavenly Lord Gansui and the Danyuan Palace ghosts to clear the path. Elder Yun Ye appeared from the Ghost Horde with a message that Zhao Xuantan had gravely wounded Junior Martial Uncle and that they must return to the Medicine Garden.

• Xu Taiping gave Zhao Qian fifty Plum Blood Crystals and distributed more to Old Daoist Huang, Ping'an, and Bai Yu.
• Heavenly Lord Gansui and the Danyuan Palace Man-Faced Shadows fought the Blood Garment Great Ghosts, letting Bai Yu race beyond the shadow-paper territory.
• The group discovered at least five hundred Blood Garment Great Ghosts had awakened near Taixuan Hall and prepared to fight through them together.
• A burst of Sword Light emerged from Taixuan Hall, and Elder Yun Ye fought through the Ghost Horde toward the group.
• Elder Yun Ye told Zhao Qian that Zhao Xuantan had gravely wounded Junior Martial Uncle and ordered them to return to the Medicine Garden until the Sixty-Year Pact ended.