Recaps

Xu Taiping faced Yuanlingzi’s blood rain ghost domain while spectators realized his strength rivaled a Demon Emperor’s in the Lower Realm. Master Xuanzhi raised his golden body Dharma Aspect and sealed the domain, but Yuanlingzi’s blood infants began draining the barrier as he prepared the trapped cultivators as sacrifices for the Blood Ancestor.

• Spectators at the Profound Elixir Palace discussed Xu Taiping’s strength after he drove back a Demon Emperor and made the Nine Abysses cultivators withdraw.
• A young clan scion begged to withdraw from the Dragon-Slaying Assembly, but Xu Taiping told the clan elder to ask him to endure because the ghost domain would soon be broken.
• Master Xuanzhi struck his wooden fish, summoned his golden body Dharma Aspect, and surrounded the blood rain ghost domain and village with his Vajra Demon-Subduing Circle.
• Yuanlingzi sent blood-mist ghosts against the circle, then created blood infants from his tears that began devouring its spiritual power.
• Yuanlingzi revealed that the trapped cultivators were sacrifices meant to restore the Blood Ancestor’s combat strength, and Chu Xiaoxiao warned that Xuanzhi’s barrier was being drained.

Master Xuanzhi used a powerful Buddhist Divine Ability to ease the suffering of the cultivators trapped in Yuanlingzi's Blood Rain Ghost Domain. As the Blood Ancestor urged Yuanlingzi to destroy Xuanzhi's Dharma Aspect, Xu Taiping attacked the domain, and Xuanzhi revealed the Six Paths of Reincarnation Spell.

• Master Xuanzhi sent Buddha Light into the Blood Rain Ghost Domain, easing the pain of the human candles and bathing the ghost creatures in its light.
• Xuanzhi's Golden Body Dharma Aspect grew stronger as bells and beams of Buddha Light descended from the heavens, prompting Yuanlingzi to land and suppress the ripples of light.
• Xuanzhi formed a lotus with his six arms, unsettling Yuanlingzi and drawing an urgent warning from the Blood Ancestor to destroy the Dharma Aspect.
• Xu Taiping slashed at the Blood Rain Ghost Domain, forcing Yuanlingzi to block his blade force.
• Xuanzhi invoked six golden vortexes, and the Xiahou siblings identified the spell as Buddhism's Origin Law, the Six Paths of Reincarnation Spell.

Master Xuanzhi used the Six Paths of Reincarnation Spell to destroy Yuanlingzi’s Blood Rain Ghost Domain and banish its vengeful ghosts. The Blood Ancestor then empowered Yuanlingzi as a Blood Duke and ordered him to seize the four, leaving Zhu Huai alarmed by the threat.

• Xiahou You identified Master Xuanzhi’s golden-light ability as the Six Paths of Reincarnation Spell, an inheritance from Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva that had formed Avici Hell.
• Yuanlingzi attacked Master Xuanzhi with his Blood Blade, but Xuanzhi used the Six Paths of Reincarnation Spell to destroy the Blood Rain Ghost Domain and draw its vengeful ghosts into the six gates.
• The cultivators watching the projection realized that Xuanzhi had dispelled the ghost power afflicting the villagers and defeated the Ghost Domain on his own.
• The Great Elm Tree awakened as the Blood Ancestor, who drove branches into Yuanlingzi and bestowed on him the power of a Blood Duke.
• Yuanlingzi erupted with power as the Blood Ancestor ordered him to seize the four, and Zhu Huai warned that they were in danger.

Zhu Huai and the others watched as Xu Taiping, Dongfang Yuejian, and Gu Yu confronted Yuanlingzi, whom the Blood Ancestor had raised to grand duke level. Yuanlingzi revealed that his blade force doubled whenever it was blocked or shattered, and dozens of renewed blade shadows descended on Xu Taiping and his companions.

• Zhu Huai explained that a blood demon grand duke could reach Heaven Shocking Realm strength and potentially approach Dao Integration Realm, while Xiahou Qingyuan estimated the Blood Ancestor had recovered at least sixty percent of its power.
• Xu Taiping, Dongfang Yuejian, and Gu Yu landed before Yuanlingzi, who immediately slashed at them with a blood-qi saber.
• Xu Taiping's eighteen layers of blade defense shattered, and Dongfang Yuejian used the Mountain-Suppressing Talisman to shield him, but Yuanlingzi's slash broke through and grew stronger.
• Xu Taiping drew his saber and countered with the power of five divine manifestations and a Baxia-enhanced punch, shattering Yuanlingzi's blade shadow.
• Yuanlingzi's blade shadow returned twice as strong, and he explained that the Blood Ancestor had bestowed undying and imperishable power on him before dozens of blade shadows descended on Xu Taiping and his companions.

Xu Taiping destroyed Yuanlingzi with his complete Ultimate Realm Burning Blade Style, then used its Dragon Roar to burn the great elm tree to ashes. The Blood Ancestor revealed that its true body had been hiding in the tree’s shadow and trapped Xu Taiping, who calmly showed it a talisman.

• Xu Taiping unleashed the Ultimate Realm Burning Blade Style and burned Yuanlingzi’s blade force and body to ashes.
• Xu Taiping rode a fire dragon toward the great elm tree and used Dragon Roar to destroy it.
• The watching cultivators marveled at Xu Taiping’s complete technique, but Zhu Huai realized the Blood Ancestor’s true body was the tree’s shadow.
• The Blood Ancestor’s shadow rose up, engulfed Xu Taiping, and declared him a delicious offering.
• Xu Taiping calmly unfolded a talisman and asked the Blood Ancestor if it recognized it.

Xu Taiping, Master Xuanzhi, Dongfang Yuejian, and Gu Yu used Demon-Dispelling Talismans and coordinated attacks to overwhelm the Blood Ancestor. As the spectators questioned whether the Blood Ancestor had truly been defeated, Xiahou You explained that the fighters had prepared carefully and found the talismans, prompting Zhu Huai to ask whether they were the legendary Demon-Dispelling Talismans.

• The Blood Ancestor tried to flee after spotting Xu Taiping's Demon-Dispelling Talisman, but Master Xuanzhi struck him with another one and damaged his true body.
• The Blood Ancestor ordered Yuanlingzi to stop the fighters, but Xu Taiping, Dongfang Yuejian, and Master Xuanzhi cut through Yuanlingzi's ghost shadows and pressed on.
• The Blood Ancestor attacked Gu Yu, who used his own Demon-Dispelling Talisman to hold the Blood Ancestor back long enough for the others to catch up.
• Xu Taiping shattered much of the Blood Ancestor's tree-shadow body, while Dongfang Yuejian trapped it in the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation and Master Xuanzhi struck it with his Vajra Pestle.
• Xiahou You explained that the fighters had prepared for the Blood Ancestor and found the Demon-Dispelling Talismans, and Zhu Huai asked whether the talismans they carried were the legendary ones.

As Xu Taiping prepared to finish off the Blood Demon Ancestor, a silver dragon phantom descended and shattered Master Xuanzhi’s Vajra Demon-Subduing Circle. The phantom merged with the Blood Ancestor’s remains and Yuanlingzi’s true body, producing a monster that demanded Xu Taiping’s Demon-Dispelling Talismans.

• Xiahou Qingyuan explained that the Demon-Dispelling Talismans suppressed the Blood Ancestor and made Xu Taiping and his companions’ power seem greater than expected.
• The Blood Ancestor called out to Ao Yan as Xu Taiping prepared to finish him, and a silver dragon phantom descended from the sky.
• Dongfang Yuejian summoned a divine being of the Houyi Clan and fired an arrow at the dragon phantom, but it shattered the arrow and broke through Master Xuanzhi’s Vajra Demon-Subduing Circle.
• Xiahou Qingyuan and Zhu Huai recognized the dragon as a clone of the demon dragon trapped in the Immortal Burial Ruins.
• The dragon phantom merged with the Blood Ancestor’s remains and Yuanlingzi’s true body, forming a monster that demanded Xu Taiping hand over his Demon-Dispelling Talismans.

Xu Taiping fought the monster formed from the dragon shadow, Yuanlingzi, and the Blood Ancestor, after it trapped the weakened cultivators in its Dragon Clan domain. As the monster’s strength overwhelmed his Ancestral Sage Fist, Xu Taiping began using a special qi and blood circulation method he had learned from the Primordial Antiquity Beasts.

• The monster crushed the cultivators with mountain spirit power, but Xu Taiping used his blade domain to let them breathe again.
• The monster shattered Xu Taiping’s domain and suspended the weakened cultivators from dragon pillars, declaring that they could only be saved by defeating it with martial dao techniques.
• Xu Taiping sent Dongfang Yuejian, Gu Yu, and Xuanzhi farther back, then raised his dragon whale physique to the Great Sage Realm and challenged the monster.
• Xu Taiping traded blows with the monster using the Ancestral Sage Fist, but the monster’s golden-haloed fist broke through his attack and struck his chest.
• As the monster’s next golden-haloed kick shattered his Heaven-Bearing Stance, Xu Taiping activated the special qi and blood circulation method he had learned from the Primordial Antiquity Beasts.

Xu Taiping overwhelmed the Demon Dragon's clone with qi-and-blood-powered Raging Thunder Form punches, but the monster transformed into a true dragon divine being and broke through his assault. The monster then launched Dragon Emperor Yinsui's Ancient Fist Opening Heaven at Xu Taiping.

• Xu Taiping used the Ancestral Sage Fist's Raging Thunder Form to batter the monster and force him backward.
• Zhu Huai and Xiahou Qingyuan recognized that Xu Taiping had mastered the Dragon Clan's method of circulating qi and blood, and Zhu Huai explained the golden halo and the rhythm of Xu Taiping's punches.
• The monster's aura surged, and he transformed into a true dragon divine being, pushing Xu Taiping's fist force away.
• The monster broke through Xu Taiping's attack and sent him stumbling backward before challenging him to a fist contest.
• The monster unleashed a black fist shadow, and Zhu Huai identified the technique as Dragon Emperor Yinsui's Ancient Fist Opening Heaven.

Xu Taiping was driven back by the monster’s Heaven-Opening Fist, which Zhu Huai explained could break even a Heavenly Dao Edict. After Xu Taiping activated his second-stage body tempering power and blocked the monster’s punch, the monster challenged him to reveal whether that was his ultimate limit.

• The monster overwhelmed Xu Taiping with its Heaven-Opening Fist, while Zhu Huai explained that the technique came from Beyond the Domain and could break nearly any art or power.
• Xu Taiping was driven into a crater, and thunder and the monster’s fist aura prevented Dongfang Yuejian, Master Xuanzhi, and Gu Yu from reaching him.
• Xu Taiping summoned six Bull Demon Phantoms with Overlord's Breath to shield himself, but the monster shattered five of them.
• Xu Taiping activated his second-stage body tempering power, creating a much larger scarlet-flamed Bull Demon Phantom that blocked the monster’s fist.
• The monster laughed and asked Xu Taiping whether his increased power was his ultimate limit.

Xu Taiping awakened the Great Sage Realm true dragon divine being body and matched the Demon Dragon's aura, but the Dragon Shadow clone then unleashed a frost-dragon assault. Xu Taiping prepared to answer with the first punch of the Demon Ancestor Heaven-Shaking Fist.

• The Dragon Shadow clone shattered the crimson-flamed Bull Demon Phantom with its second-stage Heaven-Opening Power and struck at Xu Taiping again.
• Xu Taiping erupted with crimson qi and blood, grew to the clone’s height, and revealed a half-human, half-dragon form.
• Xiahou Qingyuan identified Xu Taiping’s physique as the Great Sage Realm true dragon divine being body, and Zhu Huai and Jiang Cuicui explained that humans could cultivate it only with extreme difficulty and great fortune.
• The Dragon Shadow clone condemned Xu Taiping for taking the Dragon Clan’s physique and transformed its aura into a frost dragon that overwhelmed Xu Taiping’s aura.
• Xu Taiping resisted the pressure and prepared the first punch of the Demon Ancestor Heaven-Shaking Fist as a challenge to the True Dragon clone.

Xu Taiping faced the Demon Dragon's clone as its Heaven-Opening Ancient Fist grew from the second stage to the third, breaking through his Bull Demon Phantom and Demon Ancestor Phantom defenses. He finally completed a new stance, the Demon Race Heaven-Shaking Fist's Heaven-Touching Stance, which made the illusory world tremble and left Xiahou Qingyuan suspecting it was the Demon Ancestor's Martial Dao Origin Law.

• The Demon Dragon's clone shattered Xu Taiping's Bull Demon Phantom with successive second-stage Heaven-Opening Fist strikes, while the Demon Ancestor Phantom shielded him without moving.
• The monster raised its power to the third stage of the Heaven-Opening Fist and smashed the Demon Ancestor Phantom's arms away.
• Xu Taiping hesitated as he adjusted his fist stance, prompting Xiahou Qingyuan, Zhu Huai, and Jiang Cuicui to doubt whether he had mastered the new technique.
• The monster shattered the Demon Ancestor Phantom, and Xu Taiping stepped forward and shouted, "Demon Race Heaven-Shaking Fist, Heaven-Touching Stance!"
• The illusory world began to tremble, and Xiahou Qingyuan wondered whether Xu Taiping had invoked the Martial Dao Origin Law passed down by the Demon Ancestor.

Xu Taiping defeated the monster with the Demon Ancestor Heaven-Shaking Fist, which Zhu Huai and Jiang Cuicui recognized as a rare Martial Dao Origin Law. The Dragon-Suppressing Platform viewing ended before anyone learned what Ao Yan remembered or whether Xu Taiping claimed the bounty.

• Xu Taiping shattered the monster’s dragon-head phantom and dragon-headed asura physique with a single punch.
• Jiang Cuicui and Zhu Huai explained that Xu Taiping’s fist technique was the Demon Ancestor Heaven-Shaking Fist, a Martial Dao Origin Law that could help a martial artist break open the Heavenly Gate.
• The Dragon Clan’s Domain Power shattered, revealing Ao Yan’s dragon-shadow clone above a mass of writhing flesh and blood.
• As Xu Taiping approached, Ao Yan said that he finally remembered, but the Dragon-Suppressing Platform viewing abruptly ended.
• The spectators protested the cutoff, but Jiang Xuanfeng ordered them to leave, and Zhang Moyan predicted Xu Taiping would not accept more viewing requests after earning enough battle merit.

Xu Taiping confronted the Demon Dragon's clone, who challenged him to a future battle at Ten Thousand Islands Lake before escaping. As Xu Taiping approached the Blood Ancestor, it disguised itself as Teacher Red Carp to lure Gu Yu closer, but the real Teacher Red Carp and Gu Yang appeared and revealed themselves to Gu Yu.

• The Demon Dragon's clone recognized Xu Taiping from their battles in the River of Time and challenged him to fight at Ten Thousand Islands Lake.
• The Demon Dragon's clone fled, and the Dragon-Slaying Ranking told Xu Taiping and his companions to seal the Blood Ancestor to claim their reward.
• The Blood Ancestor took Teacher Red Carp's appearance and tried to persuade Gu Yu to remove the Demon-Dispelling Talisman from its back.
• Teacher Red Carp and Gu Yang's ghosts appeared before Gu Yu and stopped him from approaching the Blood Ancestor.
• Gu Yu recognized Teacher Red Carp and Gu Yang and called out to them through tears.

Gu Yu reunited with the ghosts of Teacher Red Carp and Gu Yang, then said farewell after resolving to protect others and stop blaming himself. He slew the Blood Ancestor’s remnant body, and the Dragon-Slaying Ranking awarded him, Xu Taiping, Dongfang Yuejian, and Xuanzhi an Immortal Burial Token to seek the Southern Heavenly Gate in the Immortal Burial Ruins.

• Gu Yu reunited with Teacher Red Carp and Gu Yang, who urged him to let go of his guilt and keep moving forward.
• Gu Yu promised to use his hands to save others and protect those dear to him, then bade farewell to the two ghosts as they vanished.
• Gu Yu turned to the Blood Ancestor’s remnant body and split it in two with a saber strike.
• The Dragon-Slaying Ranking Spirit announced that Xu Taiping, Dongfang Yuejian, Xuanzhi, and Gu Yu had earned an Immortal Burial Token for their joint victory.
• The Ranking Spirit granted the four permission to travel together to the Immortal Burial Ruins and seek the Southern Heavenly Gate of the Ancient Heavenly Court Ruins.

Xu Taiping's team learned that their reward included a clue to the dangerous Southern Heavenly Gate ruins and began planning a visit while preparing Gu Yu to survive it. Xu Taiping secretly resolved to investigate the ruins and sought a way to improve Gu Yu's combat strength.

• The Ranking Spirit awarded Xu Taiping's team nine thousand battle merits and a treasure map to the Southern Heavenly Gate, but warned that its ruins held dangers beyond the Dao Integration Realm.
• Dongfang Yuejian pleaded with Xu Taiping to take the team to the ruins, and Xu Taiping agreed to discuss the decision after returning while privately resolving to investigate.
• Xu Taiping saw that the map placed the Southern Heavenly Gate in the Land of Everlasting Night, and the team discussed the long journey there.
• Xuanzhi suggested using Xu Taiping's Dhyana Seal to speed Gu Yu's cultivation, while Dongfang Yuejian offered to set up a Spirit-Gathering Formation.
• Xu Taiping told Dongfang Yuejian he would find a way to prepare Gu Yu for the dangers and asked Blade Ghost whether he could spar with him.

Xu Taiping and his companions secured the Blood Ancestor’s seal and agreed to take Blood-Bone Cao Sixi back to Meiyuan Village. They found the village had been massacred decades earlier, but a mysterious courtyard appeared among the graves, and Cao Sixi rushed toward it, calling for his family.

• Gu Yu gave Xu Taiping the Demon-Dispelling Talisman containing the sealed Blood Ancestor, and Dongfang Yuejian explained that it needed monthly replacement and isolation from outside aura.
• Xu Taiping declined to form an alliance with the other Dragon-Slaying Persons, while Dongfang Yuejian went to speak with them.
• Gu Yu released Blood-Bone Cao Sixi from his Qiankun Bag, and Cao Sixi asked to visit his hometown before he died.
• Xu Taiping agreed to take Cao Sixi to Meiyuan Village, and Gu Yu, Dongfang Yuejian, and Master Xuanzhi accompanied them there that evening.
• Gu Yu revealed that bandits had massacred Meiyuan Village thirty or forty years earlier, but a lit courtyard appeared among the graves, and Cao Sixi ran toward it calling for Lady Yu and Afu.

Xu Taiping and his companions found Cao Sixi reunited with his wife and son, then Xuanzhi ferried the family onward. Afterward, Xu Taiping touched Cao Sixi’s crimson-glowing skull and saw Fairy Lingyue fleeing through ruins.

• Cao Sixi rushed into a lamplit courtyard, where Xu Taiping and the others found him sharing a meal with his wife, Lady Yu, and son, Afu.
• Cao Sixi begged the group to help his wife and son be reborn into a better life, and Xuanzhi offered to ferry all three souls.
• Xuanzhi delivered Cao Sixi, Lady Yu, and Afu into a golden vortex, causing the courtyard to vanish.
• Dongfang Yuejian picked up Cao Sixi’s crimson-glowing skull and handed it to Xu Taiping.
• Xu Taiping’s Lotus Eye showed him a bloodied woman fleeing through ruins, and he recognized her as Sister Lingyue.

After the Lesser Deductive Power linked the blood skull to Fairy Lingyue, Xu Taiping considered whether her search for the Ancient Heavenly Court ruins might connect to the ruins in the Immortal Burial Ruins. He realized the Soul-Merging Pill recipe box might offer another clue, but could not safely open it yet.

• Xu Taiping told Dongfang Yuejian that the blood skull was unusual and asked her to set up the Spirit-Gathering Formation while he investigated.
• Inside the Dragon-Trapping Tower, Xu Taiping and the Lotus Eye discussed whether the Ancient Heavenly Court ruins Fairy Lingyue searched for could be the same ruins found in the Immortal Burial Ruins.
• The Lotus Eye explained that secret realms could have entrances in both the Upper Realm and the Lower Realm, making the connection possible.
• Xu Taiping recalled the jade box Fairy Lingyue had given him and explained that opening it could alert powerful Upper Realm cultivators because it contained the Soul-Merging Pill recipe.
• Xu Taiping considered asking Old Daoist Huang to sever the box's karma but noted that he had not awakened, and that the Blade of Guicang likely could not sever it with his current Divine Soul Power.

Xu Taiping used the jade box and blood skull to deduce that Fairy Lingyue had sent Immortal Elder Wuji toward the Southern Heavenly Gate, and he suspected the skull came from its ruins. He decided to investigate the ruins and seek information from the Blood Ancestor, while Dongfang Yuejian found a possible way to interrogate him.

• Xu Taiping used his lesser deductive power on the jade box and blood skull, revealing a vision of Fairy Lingyue and Immortal Elder Wuji fleeing a divine general.
• Fairy Lingyue sent Immortal Elder Wuji to the Southern Heavenly Gate to find a key while she held off the divine general at the Western Heavenly Gate.
• The Lotus Eye told Xu Taiping the deduction's karma might still be unfolding, so Immortal Elder Wuji could be at the ruins now; Xu Taiping suspected the blood skull came from there.
• Xu Taiping decided to visit the Southern Heavenly Gate ruins and discuss how to question the Blood Ancestor with Dongfang Yuejian and Master Xuanzhi.
• The next day, Xu Taiping told Dongfang Yuejian about his suspicions, and she realized there might be a way to interrogate the Blood Ancestor.

Xu Taiping and his companions questioned the Blood Ancestor and Yuanlingzi about a blood skull, while Gu Yu continued cultivating toward the Heaven Gazing Realm. The captives demanded that they be released before revealing the skull’s origins, and Xu Taiping asked the Blood Ancestor to prove he had information worth trading for.

• Xu Taiping, Dongfang Yuejian, and Master Xuanzhi discussed Gu Yu’s rapid cultivation and decided to question the Blood Ancestor about the Southern Heavenly Gate ruins.
• Dongfang Yuejian used her Spring and Autumn Brush to cast a Spring Breeze Talisman in the Dragon-Trapping Tower, warming the room where Yuanlingzi and the Blood Ancestor were sealed.
• Xu Taiping showed the captives the blood skull, and Yuanlingzi and the Blood Ancestor reacted with surprise and recognized its importance.
• Yuanlingzi explained that he had sealed the skull inside a Blood Ghost with a self-destruct restriction, and Dongfang Yuejian and Xu Taiping recalled how helping Cao Sixi had allowed them to recover it intact.
• The Blood Ancestor and Yuanlingzi refused to reveal the skull’s origins unless they were released, so Xu Taiping demanded proof that the Blood Ancestor had information worth exchanging.

Xu Taiping and his companions questioned Yuanlingzi and the Blood Ancestor about the Southern Heavenly Gate Ruins, then used the Great Sun Golden Flame to pressure the Blood Ancestor into offering help. They left him trapped in the Dragon-Trapping Tower and decided they could explore the ruins without him if necessary.

• Yuanlingzi confirmed that the Blood Skeleton Head came from the Southern Heavenly Gate, a ruin of the Ancient Heavenly Court within the Immortal Burial Ruins.
• The Blood Ancestor said he had explored the entrance's outskirts through a wisp of Divine Intent and offered to guide them if they agreed to his terms.
• Dongfang Yuejian drew a talisman that exposed the Blood Ancestor to the Great Sun Golden Flame, and Xu Taiping and Xuanzhi joined her in pretending to leave for ten days or half a month.
• The Blood Ancestor panicked and said everything was negotiable, but Xu Taiping, Dongfang Yuejian, and Xuanzhi left the Dragon-Trapping Tower without answering.
• Xu Taiping said they could explore the Southern Heavenly Gate without the Blood Ancestor, and he, Xuanzhi, and Dongfang Yuejian judged that their powers would protect them there.

Xu Taiping and his companions helped Gu Yu improve his cultivation, then sent him into Blade Ghost’s Blade Domain for nine days of combat training. Gu Yu emerged feeling reborn, and Dongfang Yuejian stepped forward to test his blade.

• Xu Taiping said the group needed to strengthen Gu Yu within a month, and Master Xuanzhi used Buddhist chants to help him absorb spiritual power on the Jade Platform.
• Dongfang Yuejian explained that she wanted to travel through the Lower Realm’s Five Heavens before ascending, while Xu Taiping considered sending an Origin Beginning Clone with her.
• After twenty-seven days of cultivation, Gu Yu broke through to the Heaven Gazing Realm, but Xu Taiping took him into Blade Ghost’s Blade Domain to improve his combat strength.
• Nine days later, Gu Yu emerged from the Blade Domain with powerful Blade Intent and Blade Qi, and Xu Taiping asked who would test his blade.
• Dongfang Yuejian drew an Immortal Sword and volunteered to spar with Gu Yu.

Gu Yu asked Dongfang Yuejian to test his blade, and Xu Taiping insisted she use her full strength. After Dongfang overwhelmed Gu Yu’s attacks, he sacrificed his left eye to unleash a powerful counterstrike, which Dongfang met with a torrent of sword light.

• Gu Yu thanked Dongfang Yuejian for agreeing to test his blade, and Xu Taiping told her not to suppress her strength.
• Dongfang released her full sword cultivator aura and faced Gu Yu in the cave abode’s central clearing.
• Gu Yu attacked with his Thousand Kills Blade, but Dongfang’s sword techniques shattered his blade shadow and afterimages, leaving him injured.
• Xu Taiping explained that losing did not mean a blade cultivator was defeated, and Gu Yu used Shatter the Eye Aperture, sacrificing his left eye to strengthen his attack.
• Gu Yu’s blood-colored clones broke through Dongfang’s sword intent, but she unleashed a river of sword light and cried, “Roiling and swirling, pour forth a thousand li!”

Gu Yu shattered three apertures to unleash the Jade Shattering Art and the Thousand Kills Blade’s Earth-Killing Stance, forcing Xu Taiping to intervene and subdue his killing intent. After Gu Yu collapsed asleep, Xu Taiping and Dongfang Yuejian prepared to enter the Dragon-Trapping Tower and ask the Blood Ancestor to accompany them to the Southern Heavenly Gate secret realm.

• Gu Yu shattered his Eye, Ear, and Nose apertures, then split Dongfang Yuejian’s sword intent with a strengthened slash and unleashed the Earth-Killing Stance.
• Xu Taiping used the Form- and Shadow-Transposition Technique to exchange places with Dongfang Yuejian, then broke apart Gu Yu’s blade force with a flash of blade light.
• Gu Yu regained his senses, apologized to Xu Taiping, and recalled Senior Blade Ghost’s warning that the self controlling killing intent would be stronger than the self controlled by it.
• Gu Yu collapsed asleep, and Xu Taiping explained that his Divine-Human Variant Bone would heal most of his injuries after a night’s rest.
• Xu Taiping asked Master Xuanzhi to watch over Gu Yu, then set off with Dongfang Yuejian to enter the Dragon-Trapping Tower and seek the Blood Ancestor’s divine intent.