Chapter Summaries

Shi Kai of the Ghost Axe Sect began acting like a dog after a strange chill came over him, horrifying his fellow disciples. Xuanzhi later claimed he had shown compassion by stopping Shi Kai from eating all of what he found in the woods.

• Shi Kai felt a sudden chill while boasting about his battle with the Tiger Demon on Qingyuan Mountain, then crawled on all fours and urinated against a tree.
• Shi Kai resumed his story, but when a disciple tossed a lamb bone, he barked, caught it in his mouth, and returned it expectantly for another throw.
• Shi Kai sniffed a returning disciple and rushed into the woods after learning the disciple had relieved himself there; the Ghost Axe Sect disciples feared he would eat what he found.
• After the camp descended into chaos and the disciples retched, Xu Taiping teased Xuanzhi for seeming pleased, and Xuanzhi said he had let Shi Kai eat only half.

Xu Taiping and Xuanzhi discussed their inherited Buddhist spells and prepared to face the shanxiao spirit appearing by the Blood Rain Forest. Xuanzhi successfully cast the Pig-Feeding Spell on her despite struggling to resist her alluring cries, then blamed his remaining lustful desire on his master's mistake.

• Xuanzhi explained the Ascetic Monks lineage's teachings and recognized that Xu Taiping's spell resembled a lost Buddhist spell from before the Great Calamity of Buddhism.
• A sinister wind blew from the Blood Rain Forest, and Xu Taiping saw blood seep from the cliff writing as the shanxiao spirit appeared.
• Xuanzhi proposed that he handle the spirit while Xu Taiping tested whether the Pig-Feeding Spell worked on her.
• The shanxiao spirit called for help in an alluring voice, but Xuanzhi overcame his temptation and cast the spell on her.
• Xuanzhi explained that his master had failed to remove his desire for lust, and Xu Taiping comforted him as the spirit's cries made his nose bleed again.

The Mountain Sprite bewitched the Ghost Axe Sect disciples, but the young monk's Six Livestock Prosperity Spell and Xu Taiping's food offerings made her compulsively gorge herself instead of attacking. Furious and humiliated, she lunged at them, only to find herself biting into Xu Taiping's goat again.

• Shi Kai and the Ghost Axe Sect disciples fell under the Mountain Sprite's spell and eagerly offered her food.
• The Mountain Sprite tried to bite Shi Kai, but she could not control her mouth and ate the disciples' food instead.
• After devouring the Ghost Axe Sect's food reserves, the Mountain Sprite realized she had been manipulated and accused Xu Taiping and the young monk.
• The Mountain Sprite attacked them, but the young monk recited the Six Livestock Prosperity Spell while Xu Taiping threw her a slaughtered goat.
• The Mountain Sprite bit the goat despite her fury and humiliation.

Xu Taiping and Monk Xuanzhi used the Six Livestock Prosperity Spell to distract the powerful Mountain Sprite with food, then prepared to cross Blood Rain Forest before Xuanzhi ran out of millet. They set off with Taiping and Bai Yu, while the Mountain Sprite remained fixated on devouring a Mountain Boar King.

• Monk Xuanzhi’s Six Livestock Prosperity Spell repeatedly diverted the Mountain Sprite from attacking Xu Taiping and Xuanzhi by inflaming her appetite.
• Xu Taiping realized the Mountain Sprite was too powerful to fight directly and decided they had to enter Blood Rain Forest before the spell wore off.
• Xu Taiping summoned Taiping and Bai Yu, assigned them to carry and guide the group toward Phoenix Cry Mountain, and armored Taiping with an Armor Pellet.
• The Mountain Sprite noticed their plan to leave but could only roar before resuming her attack on the Mountain Boar King.
• Xu Taiping recorded the Mountain Sprite eating the boar, and Xuanzhi said he would sell his own recording in the Western Liang Kingdom.

Xu Taiping learned that Demon Monk Zhenwu, whose eyes could turn people into blood puppets, might be lurking near the Blood Rain Forest and planning to ambush them. He warned his companions to keep their eyes closed and prepared to lead them through the blood mist, with only one chance to strike.

• The Mountain Sprite threatened Xu Taiping and Monk Xuanzhi, but Xuanzhi's spell subdued her appetite and Xu Taiping distracted her with wine.
• Xu Taiping received a message from Abbot Huiming saying Chongde, Lu Yun, and his sister were safe, but Demon Monk Zhenwu had escaped into the Blood Rain Forest.
• Xu Taiping realized Zhenwu had likely targeted him before because of his vigorous blood qi and might now be watching from the shadows.
• Xu Taiping told Ping'an, Bai Yu, and Monk Xuanzhi not to open their eyes when they charged through the blood mist, then readied his blade for a single strike.

Xu Taiping and his companions charged through the Blood Rain Forest while Demon Monk Zhenwu pursued them and prepared to attack with his Spider Demon Eyes. The Mountain Sprite resisted Zhenwu’s attempt to control her and set off after them, while Zhenwu began summoning his eyes as the group neared the forest’s edge.

• Xu Taiping signaled the others to move, and Ping'an charged into the Blood Rain Forest with the group following.
• Demon Monk Zhenwu swept through Mulberry Wood Valley with black fog, enthralling the Ghost Axe Sect disciples led by Shi Kai and drawing them toward the forest.
• The Mountain Sprite resisted Zhenwu’s attempt to control her, then decided to pursue the others through the Blood Rain Forest.
• Zhenwu followed Xu Taiping’s group through the blood mist, planning to turn Xu Taiping and Ping'an into blood puppets with his Spider Demon Art.
• As the group neared the forest’s edge, Zhenwu formed a Mudra and summoned hundreds of Spider Demon Eyes within the black fog.

Xu Taiping and his companions escaped Demon Monk Zhenwu’s Spider Demon Eyes by keeping their eyes closed, then Xu Taiping suppressed and struck down Zhenwu. Zhenwu marked them with the Corpse Fragrance Spell before they fled into the Blood Rain Forest, where Jade-Eyed Demon Wolves confronted them.

• Zhenwu sent his Spider Demon Eyes after Xu Taiping and the others, but they advanced with their eyes closed and escaped the demonic qi.
• Zhenwu blocked Ping'an, and Xu Taiping used All Beings Are Equal before striking him with his blade and the Ancient Buddha’s Demon-Subduing Seal.
• Xu Taiping told Ping'an to run, and Zhenwu cast the Corpse Fragrance Spell on their retreating group.
• Zhenwu drained a Ghost Axe Sect disciple to recover while Xu Taiping and his companions fled into the Blood Rain Forest.
• Monk Xuanzhi warned Xu Taiping about the spell, and Xu Taiping prepared to fight the Jade-Eyed Demon Wolves ahead.

After fighting a blue-eyed wolf pack for six days, Xu Taiping and his companions reached Westwind Valley and prepared to rest before continuing to Phoenix Cry Mountain. Xuanzhi revealed how his Six Livestock Prosperity Spell had turned the wolves against each other, then asked Xu Taiping about his Buddhist prayer beads.

• Xu Taiping killed the blue-eyed demon wolf king and, after taking medicine and Dragon Gall Wine, checked on Ping'an and Xuanzhi.
• Ping'an told Xu Taiping that Xuanzhi's Six Livestock Prosperity Spell had made the wolf pack leaders stop chasing them and fight among themselves.
• Xuanzhi explained that his spell had made the wolves seek mates, including other males, and said its Corpse Fragrance effect would wear off by dawn.
• Xu Taiping checked the map and agreed to camp in Westwind Valley before heading to Phoenix Cry Mountain, near the Western Liang Kingdom's border and Zhang Tianze's Sea-Calming Tower.
• Xuanzhi explained Zhang Tianze's reputation for slaying demonic beasts and asked Xu Taiping about the power of his Buddhist prayer beads.

Xu Taiping and Monk Xuanzhi discovered that Creation Power could activate the Buddhist Prayer Beads’ All Beings Are Equal ability, though it consumed alms money. After Xu Taiping rescued a Red Dragon Cavalry soldier from an Yingui Pavilion demon cultivator, the dying soldier urged them to save Wan Qianhu at Golden Toad Valley, warning that the Great General was in danger.

• Monk Xuanzhi used Creation Power and alms coins to activate the Buddhist Prayer Beads, suppressing Xu Taiping’s cultivation to his own level.
• Xu Taiping and Monk Xuanzhi heard an explosion and found a Red Dragon Cavalry soldier pinned by a spear as an Yingui Pavilion demon cultivator approached.
• Xu Taiping struck down the demon cultivator and sealed his escaping soul with the Ghost-Sealing Talisman.
• The wounded soldier told Xu Taiping to hurry to Golden Toad Valley and save Wan Qianhu, who carried a secret report about the Sea-Calming Tower’s survival, and warned that someone wanted to kill the Great General.

Xu Taiping asked Monk Xuanzhi about ruins he had seen in a vision, and learned they were Golden Toad Valley in its ancient form. The ruins’ vanished stele was the legendary Spirit Bone Stele, leaving Xu Taiping to face the dangers he expected at Golden Toad Valley.

• Xu Taiping asked Xuanzhi about palace-like ruins in the Blood Rain Forest, and Xuanzhi identified them as Golden Toad Valley.
• Xu Taiping considered the dangers awaiting him there, including Demon Monk Zhenwu, Yingui Pavilion, and the Golden Toad Poison Mother, but chose to confirm the location with Xuanzhi.
• Xu Taiping described the ruins and central stone stele he had seen in a vision, and Xuanzhi recognized them as Golden Toad Valley in ancient times.
• Xuanzhi explained that a great lake and a Demonic Flood Dragon now occupied the ruins’ center, where the stele had disappeared ten thousand years earlier.
• Xuanzhi revealed that the vanished stele was the legendary Spirit Bone Stele, one of only two in Youyun Heaven that retained divine power after the ancient war between gods and devils.

Xu Taiping learned that the Spirit Bone Stele could suppress the yaomo in Blood Rain Forest and teleport him close to Phoenix Cry Mountain, but it had vanished. Xuanzhi asked Xu Taiping to take him to Golden Toad Valley so he could rescue Wan Qianhu and pursue a lead that might threaten Great General Zhang Tianze.

• Xuanzhi explained that the Spirit Bone Stele had once anchored Blood Rain Forest’s barrier and could activate a teleportation platform to the forest’s outskirts.
• Xu Taiping realized the Lotus Eye had shown him Golden Toad Valley because the Spirit Bone Stele there could help him reach Phoenix Cry Mountain safely.
• Xuanzhi asked Xu Taiping to take him to Golden Toad Valley the next day so he could rescue Wan Qianhu.
• Xu Taiping questioned whether a lead about an assassination attempt on Zhang Tianze was worth the danger.
• Xuanzhi recounted how the Zhang Clan sacrificed generations defending Sea-Calming Tower and how Zhang Tianze helped make Western Liang safe from demons.
• Xuanzhi declared that he would risk his life to protect Zhang Tianze because the people of Western Liang owed the Zhang Clan their lives.

Xu Taiping agreed to help Monk Xuanzhi search for the Spirit Bone Stele, hoping to use his vision of Golden Toad Valley to discover how it had been hidden. Fairy Lingyue imprinted the vision onto a Moonshadow Stone, then warned Xu Taiping that she could suppress One-Leaf Book for only about seven more days and that the Spirit Bone Stele could bring his cultivation arts to the Ultimate Realm.

• Xu Taiping gave Monk Xuanzhi the Buddhist Prayer Beads and agreed to search for the Spirit Bone Stele, explaining that he believed it might have been resealed by a mechanism in Golden Toad Valley.
• Monk Xuanzhi recalled visiting Golden Toad Valley with his master and agreed that comparing its past appearance with Xu Taiping's vision might reveal how to activate the mechanism.
• Fairy Lingyue told Xu Taiping to use a Moonshadow Stone, then imprinted the scene from his left eye into it for Monk Xuanzhi to examine.
• Xu Taiping asked whether Fairy Lingyue was all right, and she revealed that the owner of One-Leaf Book had made another breakthrough and she could barely suppress its mark for seven more days.
• Fairy Lingyue urged Xu Taiping to risk searching for the Spirit Bone Stele, saying it could reveal the origins of his cultivation techniques and raise each one to the Ultimate Realm.

Xu Taiping and Monk Xuanzhi discovered that eight stone pillars formed a Mahavairocana Mudra that had sealed away the Spirit Bone Stele, and learned how it could be released. Their plans were interrupted when a Fire Cloud Temple monk, demon cultivators, and a princess of the Chu Kingdom arrived.

• Fairy Lingyue urged Xu Taiping to put his safety first and return to Phoenix Cry Mountain if he could not recover the Spirit Bone Stele.
• Xu Taiping showed Monk Xuanzhi a dream image of Golden Toad Valley preserved in his Moonshadow Stone.
• Monk Xuanzhi recognized that eight pillars from Demonic Flood Dragon Pool stood around the altar in the image, forming a Mahavairocana Seal.
• Monk Xuanzhi explained that they had to retrieve the pillars and place them in their original positions to break the temporal seal and reveal the Spirit Bone Stele.
• Ping'an and Bai Yu warned Xu Taiping that a Fire Cloud Temple monk, demon cultivators, and a princess of the Chu Kingdom had come after them.

Xu Taiping watched Princess Tiancheng battle three Yingui Pavilion demon cultivators while Demon Monk Zhenwu questioned her about her years in Blood Rain Forest. When Tiancheng’s sword revealed the Azure Profound Sect’s Fire Dragon Sword Art, Xu Taiping suspected his Martial Aunt had taught her, and the chapter ended with Tiancheng’s sword locked against Zhenwu’s palm strike.

• Xu Taiping and Bai Yu hid nearby as Demon Monk Zhenwu and three Yingui Pavilion demon cultivators confronted Princess Tiancheng.
• Zhenwu asked Tiancheng what had happened during her ten years in Blood Rain Forest and whether Lu Rushuang and her husband had been with her, but she refused to answer.
• Tiancheng used her bronze sphere and silver bracelet to repel the demon cultivators, then unleashed the Azure Profound Sect’s Fire Dragon Sword Art and tore apart their true demon bodies.
• Xu Taiping recognized the sword art and wondered whether his Martial Aunt had taught Tiancheng.
• Zhenwu interrupted Tiancheng’s attack with blood puppet Shi Kai and struck at her, but her flying sword transformed into a fire dragon to block his palm.

Xu Taiping rescued Princess Tiancheng from Demon Monk Zhenwu and freed her from his Golden Silk Rope. Princess Tiancheng recognized Xu Taiping as an Azure Profound Sect disciple and revealed that his Martial Aunt Lu Rushuang was her master, but Zhenwu was returning as Xu Taiping took her to hide.

• Xu Taiping shot Demon Monk Zhenwu with lightning and flame arrows, then sent a clone fleeing to lure him away from Princess Tiancheng.
• Zhenwu bound Princess Tiancheng with a Golden Silk Rope and pursued the fleeing figure.
• Xu Taiping appeared before Princess Tiancheng and cut through the Golden Silk Rope with the Water-Cutting Blade after seven strikes.
• Princess Tiancheng recognized the Water-Cutting Blade and Fire Dragon Sword Art, then asked whether Xu Taiping belonged to the Azure Profound Sect.
• Xu Taiping showed Princess Tiancheng his sect token, and she said that her master carried a matching one and that there was now hope for her master.
• After sensing that Zhenwu had destroyed his clone, Xu Taiping put on the Concealment Cloak and took Princess Tiancheng toward an underground karst cave to hide.

Princess Tiancheng told Xu Taiping how she escaped the No-Thought Realm and delivered her Master's urgent instructions. She asked him to take the Twin Carp Pearl to True Martial Heaven, find A Meng of the Pure Yang Sword Sect, and seek help in undoing the Mahavairocana Mudra.

• Xu Taiping noticed Princess Tiancheng's Primordial Spirit was fading, and she explained that her physical body remained imprisoned in Golden Toad Valley.
• Princess Tiancheng recounted how she and her Master had been trapped in the No-Thought Realm for ten years and how she trained to send her Primordial Spirit outside it.
• Monk Xuanzhi recognized the place as the No-Thought Realm of the Mahavairocana Mudra, confirming Xu Taiping and his earlier deductions.
• Princess Tiancheng revealed she had escaped successfully only twice in six attempts and thanked Xu Taiping and Xuanzhi for reassuring her.
• Princess Tiancheng delivered her Master's instructions for Xu Taiping to take the Twin Carp Pearl and an immortal sword to A Meng, seek a way to undo the mudra, and leave the Blood Rain Forest.

Princess Tiancheng delivered Martial Aunt’s warning and entrusted Xu Taiping with two treasures before her spirit dispersed. After burning a seed overnight, Xu Taiping prepared to enter Golden Toad Valley, while Demon Monk Zhenwu pursued the group through the forest.

• Princess Tiancheng explained how Martial Aunt learned Xu Taiping had come to Blood Rain Forest and gave him White Colt and the Twin Carp Pearl, along with messages and instructions.
• Xu Taiping told Princess Tiancheng that he and Monk Xuanzhi had found a way to undo the Mahavairocana Mudra and would enter Golden Toad Valley the next day, but her primordial spirit dispersed before she could reply.
• Xu Taiping completed the fourth Seed Burning and obtained a peach pit while Bai Yu reported that Demon Monk Zhenwu had found their cave and strengthened his blood puppets.
• Xu Taiping agreed to split the group, gave Bai Yu the Twin Carp Pearl, and planned to retrieve the stone pillars from the pool while drawing Zhenwu away.
• Zhenwu spotted a figure fleeing and pursued it, then noticed Bai Yu flying off with several people and chased after them with his blood puppets.

Xu Taiping and Monk Xuanzhi entered a hidden passage to reach Golden Toad Valley, hoping to rescue Wan Qianhu and retrieve the eight Stone Pillars from Demonic Flood Dragon Pool. When Xu Taiping learned that Bai Yu’s clone had been destroyed before it could reach the valley, their plan to draw out Golden Toad Poison Mother and Demon Monk Zhenwu was thrown into doubt.

• Xu Taiping confirmed that Demon Monk Zhenwu had been lured away by his clones and learned from Monk Xuanzhi that Wan Qianhu and Red Armor Cavalry soldiers were imprisoned in Demonic Flood Dragon Pool.
• Xu Taiping and Xuanzhi followed the Immortal Sword White Colt through an underwater secret passage, and Xu Taiping asked the sword to take them quickly to Golden Toad Valley.
• The Immortal Sword White Colt carried them to a cave behind a waterfall, where Xu Taiping released Rusty Lion and saw the two swords recognize each other.
• Xu Taiping felt the backlash from a clone’s destruction and realized Bai Yu’s remaining clone had been destroyed before it could reach Golden Toad Valley.
• Xuanzhi asked what they should do, as their plan to draw out Golden Toad Poison Mother and Demon Monk Zhenwu was now uncertain.

Xu Taiping used Immortal Sword Baiju to lure the Golden Toad Poison Mother and Yingui Pavilion Demon Cultivators out of Golden Toad Valley, then entered Demonic Flood Dragon Pool with Monk Xuanzhi to rescue the prisoners. He reached the water prison and heard Yingui Pavilion interrogating the Red Armor Cavalry.

• Xu Taiping created a clone, and Immortal Sword Baiju escorted it out of Golden Toad Valley to draw out the Golden Toad Poison Mother and several Yingui Pavilion Demon Cultivators.
• Monk Xuanzhi used the Bull Spell from Six Livestock Prosperity to enrage the Golden Toad Poison Mother, then used the spell to make the Demonic Flood Dragons bite one another.
• Xu Taiping and Monk Xuanzhi descended into Demonic Flood Dragon Pool, where Xu Taiping sent Monk Xuanzhi and Little Monkey Ping'an to collect the stone pillars and headed for the water prison.
• Monk Xuanzhi cast All Beings Are Equal, temporarily bringing the demonic creatures and beasts in the pool to Xu Taiping's level.
• Xu Taiping reached the water prison entrance and heard Yingui Pavilion Demon Cultivators whipping and interrogating the Red Armor Cavalry.

Xu Taiping infiltrated the water prison and found Wan Qianhu and the Red Armor Cavalry being tortured by Elder Luo for the location of Zhang Tianze’s Third Life-Bound Item. Elder Luo ordered the torture of a young soldier to intensify, and Wan Qianhu’s resolve began to waver.

• Xu Taiping killed the two demon cultivators guarding the water prison and sealed their divine souls in the Ghost-Sealing Talisman.
• Xu Taiping slipped past the guards and entered the prison, where he found the Red Armor Cavalry being brutally tortured.
• Xu Taiping recognized the blood-covered prisoner hanging upside down as Wan Qianhu.
• Elder Luo demanded that Wan Qianhu reveal where Zhang Tianze’s Third Life-Bound Item was sealed, but Wan Qianhu refused.
• Elder Luo ordered his subordinates to torture a young Red Armor Cavalry soldier, and Wan Qianhu showed the first sign of wavering.