Chapter Summaries

Xu Taiping smashed Zhou Tong’s Life-Bound Flying Sword with his fist and Lotus Eye, killing Ye Xuan beneath it. After realizing that greater peaks still lay beyond his achievement, Xu Taiping resolved to continue cultivating, while Zhou Tong suffered injuries from the sword’s destruction.

• Xu Taiping struck Zhou Tong’s flying sword with his fist, breaking through its Sword Qi and shattering Ye Xuan’s Boundless Sword Body.
• Xu Taiping struck again, severely injuring Ye Xuan and cracking Zhou Tong’s Life-Bound Flying Sword.
• Xu Taiping opened his Lotus Eye and smashed the flying sword in two, killing Ye Xuan beneath it.
• Xu Taiping reflected on his grandfather’s words and resolved to keep advancing along the road of cultivation.
• Zhou Tong spat blood as the destruction of his Life-Bound Flying Sword wounded his Divine Essence and cinnabar heart.

Xu Taiping shattered Zhou Tong’s flying sword, but Zhou Tong invoked Qingxuan’s rule about demonic corruption to threaten him and draw out the Seven Peaks’ hidden supporters. With his strength nearly spent, Xu Taiping considered borrowing Sister Lingyue’s power to kill Zhou Tong and flee to Youyun Heaven.

• Xu Taiping’s punch shattered Zhou Tong’s flying sword, and Liu Chuxuan recognized that he had planned the attack to wound the Sect Master.
• Zhou Tong accused Xu Taiping of killing a fellow disciple and threatened to intervene, but Xu Taiping challenged him to act under Qingxuan’s rules.
• Zhou Tong cited the rule allowing the Sect Master to kill disciples suspected of demonic corruption, while Liu Chuxuan realized his true aim was to force the Seven Peaks’ supporters to reveal themselves.
• Zhou Tong’s Heavenly Thunder Sword Art filled the sky with black clouds and thunder, and its killing intent made Xu Taiping spit blood.
• With his true essence and divine essence depleted, Xu Taiping considered using Sister Lingyue’s power to kill Zhou Tong and escape to Youyun Heaven.

Dugu Qingxiao returned to the Stored Swords Grounds just as Sect Master Zhou Tong was about to attack Xu Taiping, sweeping away Zhou Tong’s sword pressure and revealing that he had survived Fallen Longyuan. He took up his ancient bone sword and confronted Zhou Tong for bullying his junior brother.

• Sect Master Zhou Tong used accusations of colluding with demon cultivators as an excuse to send his flying sword at Xu Taiping.
• A flying jiangshi crashed onto the Stored Swords Grounds, and an ancient bone sword pinned it to the ground, dispersing Zhou Tong’s sword intent.
• Dugu Qingxiao descended onto the grounds, and the Seventh Peak disciples celebrated his return while Xu Ziyan trembled with relief.
• Dugu Qingxiao thanked Xu Taiping for his hard work and promised to handle what came next.
• Dugu Qingxiao took up the bone sword and roared at Zhou Tong for bullying their junior brother as though the Seventh Peak were dead.

After the competition results were announced, Dugu Qingxiao challenged Sect Master Zhou Tong on behalf of the Seventh Peak, despite Zhou Tong’s display of overwhelming strength. As the challenge awaited its start, Jin Yue discovered something ominous about Ye Xuan’s corpse and hurried to Jin Hezhi’s cultivation grounds.

• Zhou Tong reclaimed Dugu Qingxiao’s sword, revealed his thunderous sword intent, and warned Dugu Qingxiao against challenging him.
• Elder Black Dragon announced Xu Taiping as Qingxuan Sword Champion and the Seventh Peak as the competition’s Chief.
• Dugu Qingxiao formally issued a sword challenge to Sect Master Zhou Tong on behalf of the Seventh Peak.
• Jin Yue noticed that part of Ye Xuan’s spine had turned black, ordered the coffin guarded, and flew to Jin Hezhi’s cultivation grounds.

Jin Hezhi revealed that he had fallen into demonhood and was conspiring with Nine Nether, while Jin Yue survived his attack and suspected Sect Master Zhou Tong had allowed his son to fall. At Five Elders Pool, Dugu Qingxiao prepared to enter the Sword Inquiry contest, but Zhou Tong took the stage and challenged him to face death.

• Jin Yue found Jin Hezhi using demonic cultivation to drain the essence qi of Qingxuan disciples, and Jin Hezhi admitted he had fallen into demonhood.
• A woman called Yinyin struck Jin Yue with demonic qi, and Jin Hezhi left with her to meet the Demon Venerable.
• Jin Yue survived by taking pills and concluded that Jin Hezhi was colluding with Nine Nether and that Zhou Tong had knowingly let him fall into demonhood.
• Jin Yue decided that Junior Martial Uncle or the good-for-nothing who could wield his sword again might save Qingxuan, then flew toward the Seven Discipline Hall.
• At Five Elders Pool, Elder Black Dragon called for the Seventh Peak's Sword Inquiry disciple to take the stage, and Dugu Qingxiao prepared to go up.
• Zhou Tong flew onto the stage before Dugu Qingxiao and ordered him to hurry up and meet his death as a powerful wave of sword intent swept across Five Elders Pool.

Dugu Qingxiao began his sword duel with Sect Master Zhou Tong, revealing the strength and techniques he had forged in Fallen Longyuan. After their opening exchanges ended in a draw, Sword Saint Amon recalled that his Junior Martial Uncle had once held Qingxiao in high regard.

• Dugu Qingxiao swept onto the platform, and his sword intent washed away Zhou Tong's sword intent around the Five Elders Pool.
• Xu Ziyan gave Xu Taiping the jade bone containing Qingxiao's memories of Fallen Longyuan, and Xu Taiping resolved to help Qingxiao escape if the duel went badly.
• Xu Taiping saw Qingxiao's memory of surviving a mountain of corpses, where he had been nailed to a post and struggled to escape.
• After Elder Black Dragon announced the duel, Qingxiao struck Zhou Tong with the Burning Body Sword and sent him flying backward.
• Zhou Tong surrounded Qingxiao with six thunder sword shadows, but Qingxiao's flame lotus blocked the attack, leaving four weakened shadows and both fighters standing.
• Sword Saint Amon recognized Qingxiao's skill and remembered that his Junior Martial Uncle had once thought highly of him.

Dugu Qingxiao overwhelmed Sect Master Zhou Tong with his Fury Lotus sword technique, but Zhou Tong countered with the ancient Immortal Weapon Jueque. As Dugu Qingxiao prepared a killing move Xu Taiping recognized from his memories, the duel remained unresolved.

• Dugu Qingxiao unleashed Fury Lotus, breaking Zhou Tong’s remaining lightning Sword Shadows and engulfing him in a storm of flaming sword Qi.
• Zhou Tong released Jueque, an ancient Immortal Weapon he had reforged through Qingxuan’s Sword Nurturing technique, and its gravitational force sent Dugu Qingxiao hurtling backward.
• Dugu Qingxiao stopped himself from flying off the Stored Swords Grounds by driving his sword into the ground.
• Dugu Qingxiao assumed an unusual striking stance as Xu Taiping recognized it as the killing move his Second Senior Brother had used to slay a powerful Flying Jiangshi.

Zhou Tong trapped Dugu Qingxiao in the Heavenly Thunder Sword Formation and prepared to kill him with a Heavenly Thunder Sword. Xu Taiping realized Dugu Qingxiao had sought a bone dragon in Fallen Longyuan to borrow its power, and a dragon’s roar announced that he was about to use it.

• Dugu Qingxiao broke through Zhou Tong’s first sword strike, but Zhou Tong lured him into the Heavenly Thunder Sword Formation.
• A Meng explained that the formation trapped Dugu Qingxiao and could become a deadly sword once Zhou Tong completed it.
• Zhou Tong formed a giant Heavenly Thunder Sword above the formation, intending to kill Dugu Qingxiao.
• Xu Taiping saw through Dugu Qingxiao’s memories that he had bargained with a bone dragon in Fallen Longyuan for power in exchange for returning to the valley.
• A dragon’s roar and a powerful aura rose from Dugu Qingxiao as he prepared to wield the bone dragon’s power.

Qingxiao invoked the Dragon Clan's Deity-Descending Spell to prepare to destroy Zhou Tong's Heavenly Thunder Sword Formation, while Xu Taiping tried to intervene. Zhao Qian arrived, broke the formation, and challenged Zhou Tong to a Sword Inquiry.

• Qingxiao regrew a crimson-scaled arm, drew the Bone Sword, and invoked the Dragon Clan's Deity-Descending Spell as his aura rose inside the Heavenly Thunder Sword Formation.
• Xu Ziyan bound Xu Taiping on Qingxiao's orders while Zhou Tong sent his enormous Heavenly Thunder Sword plunging toward the formation.
• Xu Taiping broke free and called on Fairy Lingyue for help, but a golden figure struck Zhou Tong's sword aside and shattered the formation with one punch.
• The golden figure's Dharma Aspect broke under the Thunder Sword Gang, revealing Zhao Qian, who apologized to Xu Taiping and Qingxiao before challenging Zhou Tong to a Sword Inquiry.

At Repentance Cliff, Jin Yue confronted Zhao Qian over their shared past and revealed why Qing'er had asked Zhao Qian to end her life. He urged Zhao Qian to stop hiding from his guilt, retrieve his sword, and kill Zhou Tong, leaving Zhao Qian with the disciples’ sacrifice before him.

• Jin Yue entered Zhao Qian’s prison cell with a Pardon Order and blamed Zhao Qian for Qing'er’s death and Zhi'er’s demonic corruption.
• Zhao Qian admitted he had rejected Qing'er because he believed he was unworthy, then left for the Mortal World and married another woman.
• Jin Yue explained that Qing'er had asked Zhao Qian to kill her because she could not bear to become a Devil Master and could not trust herself to resist the Demon Lotus’s power at death.
• Jin Yue revealed that Qing'er chose Zhao Qian because he was the person she would never forget, and Zhao Qian struck his head against the floor and begged for death.
• Jin Yue gave Zhao Qian a Pardon Order and Moonshadow Stone, urging him to honor the disciples who risked their lives to save the Seven Peaks.
• Zhao Qian watched the disciples’ deeds through the Moonshadow Stone as Jin Yue urged him to retrieve his sword beneath the Stored Swords Grounds and kill Zhou Tong.

Zhao Qian presented proof that Jin Yue had confessed to conspiring against him, then challenged Sect Master Zhou Tong to a sword inquiry. As Zhao Qian recalled their early years as fellow disciples, his sealed sword intent began to awaken.

• Zhao Qian showed the Pardon Order and said Jin Yue had confessed that he and his son framed him.
• Zhou Tong accused Zhao Qian of disrupting the competition and questioned whether he was worthy of a sword inquiry.
• Zhao Qian thanked Xu Taiping and Dugu Qingxiao, then revealed that he had once possessed a heavenly Geng Metal spirit bone, confirmed by Elder Black Dragon.
• Patriarch Wuya suggested that Zhao Qian had come to terms with his past, while Dugu Qingxiao told Xu Taiping that their master had finally let go.
• Zhao Qian called Zhou Tong senior brother once more and recalled their early days together as his sword intent began to thaw.

Zhao Qian revealed the Geng Metal Sword Bone he had hidden behind years of failed cultivation and overwhelming sword intent. After summoning his old sword from Five Elders Pool, he asked Zhou Tong whether he was worthy of a sword inquiry.

• Zhao Qian explained that he had stopped cultivating as a child to fit in, then lost the ability to recover his former progress and came to see himself as a good-for-nothing.
• Zhao Qian unleashed the power of his Geng Metal Sword Bone, sending sword intent across Five Elders Pool and shocking the disciples, Zhou Tong, and Elder Black Dragon.
• Sword Saint A Meng told Chen Hao that the ancestors had isolated Zhao Qian to protect the other disciples from having their Dao hearts crushed by his talent.
• Zhao Qian swept his sword finger through the air and declared that Zhou Tong's swords were too slow, dull, and stupid.
• Zhao Qian called to his old sword beneath Five Elders Pool, caught it as it burst from the water, and asked Zhou Tong if he was worthy of a sword inquiry.

Zhao Qian faced Sect Master Zhou Tong in a sword inquiry, and the onlookers discussed Zhao Qian’s mysterious cultivation and Zhou Tong’s formidable swordsmanship. Zhao Qian revealed that he had long since reached the Spirit Refining Realm as the match began.

• Xu Ziyan admired Zhao Qian’s Immortal Carp sword, and Dugu Qingxiao and Jiang Zhi took its appearance as a sign that Zhao Qian had released his grief.
• A Meng and Liu Chuxuan recounted Zhao Qian’s swordsmanship, rapid breakthroughs after years in the mortal world, and the loss of his junior sister and mortal wife.
• Liu Chuxuan confirmed that Zhao Linglong was the daughter Zhao Qian had left behind in the Dongji Kingdom.
• Zhou Tong summoned three flying swords and prepared to fight, while A Meng explained that he had nurtured them within his qi mansion and mastered the Heavenly Thunder Sword Art.
• Zhao Qian’s aura surged to reveal his Spirit Refining Realm cultivation, surprising Xu Taiping.

Zhou Tong challenged Zhao Qian to a sword inquiry and unleashed the Heavenly Thunder Sword to overwhelm him and force Qingxuan’s disciples to submit. Zhao Qian countered by merging his three swords into a Second-Transformation Heavenly Thunder Sword, shocking Sword Saint Amon.

• Dugu Qingxiao explained that Zhao Qian could break through to spirit refining because of his Geng Metal Sword Bone and sword heart.
• Elder Black Dragon announced Zhao Qian’s challenge to Sect Master Zhou Tong on the Stored Swords Grounds.
• Zhou Tong summoned the Heavenly Thunder Sword and used its power to pressure Zhao Qian and make Qingxuan’s disciples submit.
• Zhao Qian formed three Heavenly Thunder Swords from the Immortal Carp Swords.
• Zhou Tong drew his sword and slashed at Zhao Qian, who merged his three swords into one Second-Transformation Heavenly Thunder Sword.
• Sword Saint Amon cried out in astonishment at Zhao Qian’s Second-Transformation Heavenly Thunder Sword.

Zhao Qian defeated Zhou Tong in their exchanges of Heavenly Thunder Sword techniques, while Chen Hao and A Meng recognized Zhao Qian as a possible heir to a legendary sword master. Zhou Tong then revealed the Demonic Sword Tiangou, whose appearance threatened to bring disaster to the Stored Swords Grounds.

• Zhao Qian's Second-Transformation Heavenly Thunder Sword broke part of Zhou Tong's sword, astonishing the disciples watching at Five Elders Pool.
• A Meng explained the sword's transformations, and he and Chen Hao concluded Zhao Qian might inherit Junior Martial Uncle's mantle.
• Zhou Tong silenced the crowd and shouted that his resolve and cultivation could match Su Chan and Zhao Qian, revealing he was Sword Buddha Zhou Ang's son.
• Zhao Qian shattered Zhou Tong's renewed Heavenly Thunder Sword, but Zhou Tong attacked with an ink-black sword that broke Zhao Qian's sword and nearly pierced him.
• Liu Chuxuan identified Zhou Tong's weapon as the Demonic Sword Tiangou and warned that its Sun-Devouring Sword Qi devoured spiritual energy and brought calamity.
• Zhou Tong summoned Tiangou, and wolf-like and dog-like sword cries rang above the Stored Swords Grounds.

Zhao Qian defeated Zhou Tong in the Sword Inquiry by completing the eighth turn of his Heavenly Thunder Sword, destroying the Heavenly Hound Sword and fatally wounding Zhou Tong. As the Seven Peaks disciples celebrated, a black opening appeared above Five Elders Pool and a spear-bearing hand hurled a demonic spear toward Xu Taiping.

• Zhou Tong revealed that his Demonic Sword Tiangou could devour memories and planned to make everyone forget he had used it.
• Zhao Qian resisted Zhou Tong's Heavenly Hound Sword with Immortal Carp and transformed its nine swords into Heavenly Thunder Swords.
• Zhou Tong sent the black hound to swallow Zhao Qian, while A Meng, Liu Chuxuan, and the others prepared to intervene.
• Zhao Qian completed the Heavenly Thunder Sword's eighth turn from inside the black hound, tearing apart its sword qi and shattering the Heavenly Hound Sword.
• Zhou Tong fell with a hole in his chest, and Zhao Qian won the Sword Inquiry as the Seven Peaks disciples rushed to celebrate.
• Huang Que spotted a black opening overhead and shouted a warning to Xu Taiping as a giant hand hurled a black spear down.

Xu Taiping and the Azure Profound Sect faced a Nine Nether assault after the sect’s defenses were breached and demon cultivators began entering through black clouds. The chapter revealed that Su Chan and Nine Nether’s six other strongest Demon Venerables had gathered above Qingxuan, with the traitor Jin Hezhi and Yinyin kneeling before them.

• Xu Taiping’s lightning arrow destroyed a demonic spear and an azure palm, then a river of sword qi shattered an Azure Demon and sealed the breach above Five Elders Pool.
• Zhao Qian warned Dugu Qingxiao that Jin Hezhi had colluded with Nine Nether and sent Xu Taiping to find his Grand Martial Uncle.
• The Mountain-Guarding Grand Array appeared under attack, while black clouds spread over Qingxuan and demon cultivators began forcing their way through.
• Fairy Lingyue explained that Nine Nether’s Black Cloud City-Crushing treasure could bypass formations and let demon cultivators enter the sect.
• Huang Que and Liu Chuxuan arrived as a vast black cloud plunged Qingxuan into darkness.
• Su Chan and Nine Nether’s six strongest Demon Venerables watched the assault from above Cloud Cottage Mountain while Jin Hezhi and Yinyin knelt before them.

Su Chan opposed the Seven Demon Venerables’ attack on Qingxuan until Lü Daoxuan died, warning them that a new sword made him difficult to force into action. As the others prepared to attack, Su Xue withdrew with Su Chan, who revealed his fear of Lü Daoxuan’s chosen sword.

• Jin Hezhi urged the Seven Demon Venerables to attack Qingxuan while its Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation was unusable.
• Su Chan refused to join an assault, saying Nine Nether had to wait for his venerable master to die.
• Thunder Lion challenged Su Chan, who crushed him with an invisible force and revealed that someone other than Lü Daoxuan had once frightened him.
• Nine Infants and the other Demon Venerables accepted that Su Chan would not obstruct their attack, and black clouds gathered over Qingxuan as they departed.
• Su Xue withdrew with Su Chan, who explained that Lü Daoxuan’s new sword had to be broken before they could force him to fight at full strength.

As demonic beasts poured into the Azure Profound Sect, Xu Taiping followed Recluse Sansan to the summit of Five Elders Peak. Recluse Sansan revealed that his primordial spirit was outside his body and asked to borrow Xu Taiping’s seven-year-nurtured sword, promising one strike could turn the battle.

• Xu Taiping learned that Jin Hezhi’s collusion had helped the demon cultivators breach Qingxuan’s Mountain-Guarding Grand Array.
• Xu Taiping saw Recluse Sansan, whom others could not perceive, and followed him to the summit of Five Elders Peak.
• Recluse Sansan explained that his primordial spirit was outside his body and asked Xu Taiping to lend him the sword he had nurtured for seven years.
• Demonic beasts overwhelmed the defenders at Five Elders Pool, forcing disciples to retreat toward the Stored Swords Grounds.
• Recluse Sansan declared that one strike would be enough to defeat the beasts, and Xu Taiping summoned Rusty Lion from the Iron Gourd.

Xu Taiping gathered seven years of stored sword qi as Recluse Sansan prepared to teach him a devastating strike against the descending Demon Venerables. The chapter ended with Recluse Sansan joining Xu Taiping at the Rusty Lion Sword and promising to demonstrate the strike once.

• Recluse Sansan told Xu Taiping to build his momentum, mark the Demonic Beasts with his divine sense, and draw the Rusty Lion Sword.
• Xu Taiping released his sword intent, and his sky-blue sword qi incinerated a Demonic Beast, revealing that his sword could counter them.
• Demon Venerable Thunder Lion attacked Xu Taiping, but A Meng struck him away while Patriarch Wuya transformed and battled Demon Venerable Nine Infants.
• Recluse Sansan refocused Xu Taiping, who gathered the sword qi he had stored for seven years as the Demon Venerables descended.
• Recluse Sansan placed his hand over Xu Taiping's on the sword hilt and said he would demonstrate his ultimate sword strike once.