Arc 145The Half-Immortal Challenge
Xu Taiping defeated Dong Cangzi and received his half-immortal inheritance, but the victory revealed a brand tied to a hidden force and the vanished Heavenly Court. While Xu Taiping remained away to refine the inheritance, Blade Ghost kept the brand secret as the Azure Profound Sect prepared to act near Three Corpses Cave.
- Xu Taiping entered the Tomb Well, obtained the Divine Emperor Pearl, and defeated Liu Dong Cang and the Jade Appraisal Pavilion cultivators who confronted him.
- Xu Taiping announced that he would challenge Dong Cangzi, then used the Taixuan Demon-Suppressing Coffin to prepare for the Great Dao Strife and meet with his allies before leaving.
- Qi Haitang invited a boy from Taiping Village to watch Xu Taiping's challenge, and the boy recognized Xu Taiping from his grandfather's portrait.
- Xu Taiping broke through Dong Cangzi's defenses with his Ultimate Dao Martial Artist strength and defeated him after Crow Heavenly Venerable intervened to stop the killing.
- Xu Taiping saw a chained Heavenly Gate and received a burning half-immortal brand as Dong Cangzi's inheritance entered him.
- Heaven-Hunting Great Sage freed Xu Taiping from the brand's influence, restored his Heavenly Official seat, and clashed with Crow Heavenly Venerable before disappearing with him.
- Heavenly Lord Cangzhu explained that the brand was an inherited heart demon connected to the vanished Heavenly Court and said reclaiming the Heaven-Demon Battlefield could reveal its source.
- Blade Ghost secretly told Ping'an about Xu Taiping's brand, while the Azure Profound Sect prepared to act near Three Corpses Cave without informing Xu Taiping.