Chapter Summaries

After killing his pursuers, Qing Chen searched the Tide-Listening Stone Forest for Yue Ting and found a hidden message pointing him to Heavenly Skeleton City. The mention of the Nine Netherworlds Soul-Returning Marrow made Qing Chen realize Xie Yu’s remaining consciousness might be fading, leaving Yue Ting no time to wait for him.

• Qing Chen concealed the treasures from the Demon Formation, erased traces of the battle, and left the ruined Pill Chamber.
• Qing Chen reasoned that Yue Ting might have left a clue near the Tide-Listening Stone Forest’s exit and searched the surrounding rocks and reefs.
• Qing Chen found a damaged beast-hide talisman bearing traces of Yue Ting’s spiritual perception and the words “Heavenly Skeleton City” and “Nine Netherworlds Soul-Returning Marrow.”
• Qing Chen checked the Hunt Token’s sea chart and located Heavenly Skeleton City in the Rihai Sea Region.
• Qing Chen realized Yue Ting may have named the Nine Netherworlds Soul-Returning Marrow because Xie Yu’s remaining consciousness was close to disappearing.

Qing Chen headed toward Heavenly Skeleton City after deciding to create a commotion to meet Yue Ting. Hidden in Darkstone Mountain, Yue Ting used the Nine Netherworlds Soul-Returning Marrow to stabilize Xie Yu’s remnant soul and hoped Qing Chen would understand the clue he had left behind.

• Qing Chen destroyed the talisman fragment and set off across the black sea, frustrated that his plans to meet Yue Ting had gone awry.
• Yue Ting hid in a stone chamber deep within Darkstone Mountain after escaping repeated pursuit from True Lords.
• Yue Ting used the Nine Netherworlds Soul-Returning Marrow on Xie Yu, wasting much of it but restoring the connection between Xie Yu’s remnant soul and corpse enough to preserve him for some years.
• Yue Ting checked the Hunt Token and found no obvious sign of Qing Chen among the first thousand ranks, then guessed Qing Chen had hidden his title among the blank entries.
• Yue Ting recalled the talisman fragment he had left at Tide-Listening Stone Forest and trusted Qing Chen to understand that he wanted him to stir up a commotion.

Yue Ting chose to recover in Heavenly Skeleton City and wait for news of Qing Chen, while Qing Chen traveled onward and encountered three cultivators who mistook him for the feared Bully-the-Weak Devil Lord. After Qing Chen intercepted them, their leader begged him to spare their lives.

• Yue Ting planned to heal and stabilize his master, then search nearby trading places for rumors about Qing Chen, turning to the Moon-Worshipping Pill Hall only as a last resort.
• Qing Chen stopped at Returning Tide Reef to restore his magic power and nurture his Battle Halberd.
• Three cultivators approaching the reef recognized Qing Chen's Battle Halberd and fled after whispering about the Bully-the-Weak Devil Lord.
• Qing Chen pursued the three and appeared in their path beyond the reef, causing them to halt in fear.
• The azure-robed old man grabbed his companion's wrist, cupped his hands toward Qing Chen, and pleaded, "Devil Lord, please wait!"

Qing Chen questioned three cultivators about the Bully-the-Weak Devil Lord and the powers of the Reincarnation Dead Sea, while the Azure Robe Elder explained the leading factions and the advantages held by top Hunt Ranking cultivators. The elder ended by offering Qing Chen a piece of advice.

• Qing Chen asked the three cultivators about the Bully-the-Weak Devil Lord and the factions and dangers of the Sun Moon Star Three Sea Regions.
• The Azure Robe Elder identified the Bully-the-Weak Devil Lord as a rumored Demon Lotus Holy Son and offered to explain the region's powers.
• The Azure Robe Elder said Frost Moon Stars held six of the Hunt Ranking's top ten seats, including Yemo at first place and the Rosy Cloud Dao Son at fourth.
• The Azure Robe Elder explained that Yan Chi and Takeuchi Takashi of Xuanqi, along with cultivators from Taiheng and Cangwu, held the other four seats, and that their worlds were ruled by marquis-ranked Profound Venerables.
• The Azure Robe Elder described how Hunt Ranking rewards and coordinated factions helped top-ranked cultivators accumulate power, then began offering Qing Chen advice.

Qing Chen learned about the factions and powerful hunters of the Reincarnation Dead Sea, including the Withering-and-Prospering Guest, whose ties to the Moon-Worshipping Pill Hall might interfere with Qing Chen’s future plans. He also heard rumors that exceptional Demon Lotus Holy Sons could join the Immortal-Locking Cult, and suspected the promise was a lure for cultivators to risk their lives.

• The Azure Robe Elder described the Returning Tide Alliance, the United Hearts Society, and the Seven Worlds Alliance, which cooperated to secure territory and face dangerous guardians.
• The elder told Qing Chen about the Withering-and-Prospering Guest, an eleventh-ranked loner seeking medicines and Alchemists to heal his dao companion’s Dao Wound.
• Qing Chen connected the Withering-and-Prospering Guest to Yue Ting’s past and resolved to remember him as a possible rival near the Moon-Worshipping Pill Hall.
• The elder explained that top-ranked hunters possessed Half-Spirit Treasure or Spirit Treasure Demon Banners and could challenge Spirit Transformation Hunters and guardians.
• The elder shared rumors that outstanding Demon Lotus Holy Sons could become core disciples of the Immortal-Locking Cult and cultivate at its ancestral seat.
• Qing Chen suspected the promise of reaching the Heavenly Star was a scheme that encouraged cultivators to risk their lives in the Reincarnation Dead Sea.

Qing Chen pressed three cultivators to explain why they feared the title Bully-the-Weak Devil Lord. He learned that rumors about his exploits had earned him the title, then reassured the terrified cultivators that he had never intended to kill them.

• Qing Chen questioned the Azure Robe Elder about his nervousness when discussing the Bully-the-Weak Devil Lord and threatened to interrogate the three cultivators separately.
• The Azure Robe Elder explained that rumors described a black-robed cultivator with a dark-red Battle Halberd who killed weaker opponents and avoided stronger contests.
• Qing Chen realized the rumors referred to him and objected to being labeled someone who bullied the weak.
• The Azure Robe Elder and scarlet-robed cultivator knelt and begged Qing Chen for forgiveness, while the Round-Faced Cultivator stood in confusion.
• Qing Chen told the three to raise their heads and assured them he had never planned to kill them.

Qing Chen used Mysterious-Female Soul Suppression to stop three cultivators from escaping, then killed the Azure Robe Elder and the Red-Robed Cultivator with his halberd. He captured the Round-Faced Cultivator alive, leaving him to face an unknown fate.

• The three cultivators secretly prepared separate escape methods while Qing Chen joked that he was not a killer.
• Qing Chen unleashed Mysterious-Female Soul Suppression, exploiting the cultivators’ Demon Seed Power to immobilize them.
• Qing Chen used Timeless Scripture and his halberd to kill the Azure Robe Elder despite the elder’s defensive mirror.
• Qing Chen killed the Red-Robed Cultivator before he could use Blood Escape.
• Qing Chen subdued the Round-Faced Cultivator, took his escape talisman, and told him he was still alive.