Chapter Summaries

After Lu Xuan knocked Yan unconscious with one punch, Hu Liena learned that he lived in the Worship Hall and took Yan there to apologize. They reached the hall, where Hu Liena told Yan its residents held status equal to or greater than Pope Bibi Dong.

• Lu Xuan told Hu Liena that Yan had attacked him without cause, revealed that he lived in the Worship Hall, and left.
• Hu Liena took Yan to the infirmary, where a healing Soul Master treated him until he woke.
• Yan remembered being knocked out, insisted on confronting Lu Xuan, and argued that he could still win using their Martial Souls and Soul Power.
• Hu Liena ordered Yan to apologize and led him through Spirit City toward the Worship Hall.
• Hu Liena and Yan arrived before the Worship Hall, and she explained that its residents held positions no lower than her teacher's.

Yan challenged Lu Xuan to a fight instead of apologizing, and Lu Xuan revealed overwhelming Soul King power before knocking him unconscious with a single kick. Hu Liena reported Lu Xuan’s strength to Bibi Dong, who was stunned and wondered how his rapid cultivation might affect her plans for Spirit Hall.

• Yan abandoned his intention to apologize and demanded that Lu Xuan defeat him in a fair fight.
• Lu Xuan released Soul King-level pressure, then struck Yan with a whip kick that sent him flying unconscious.
• Hu Liena dragged Yan to the Spirit Hall Academy infirmary and hurried to report what happened to Bibi Dong.
• Bibi Dong reacted with disbelief that Lu Xuan had become a Soul King within a year and questioned what this meant for her plans.

The Asura God and Goddess of Life agreed Lu Xuan was ready for divine trials, and the Goddess of Life summoned him to begin hers. The Asura God then imposed his own trial as well, leaving Lu Xuan with two first trials to complete.

• The Asura God observed Lu Xuan's rapid cultivation and, after consulting the Goddess of Life, agreed to grant him a divine trial alongside hers.
• The Goddess of Life summoned Lu Xuan to an emerald space and asked what he believed was the meaning of life's birth.
• Lu Xuan honestly admitted he did not know, and the Goddess of Life began the Life Nine Trials, setting the first task as climbing the life god tree within ten years.
• The Asura God broke into the emerald space and began the Asura Nine Trials, requiring Lu Xuan to cross Hell Road within five years.
• Lu Xuan realized the shorter deadline meant he should complete Hell Road first, then asked to leave and returned to the Worship Hall.

Lu Xuan learned that two deities had given him Divine Trials and traveled with Qian Daoliu to Slaughter City to begin the Hell Road trial. After entering the city through a hidden passage, Lu Xuan heard its warning that everything came at the price of his life.

• Lu Xuan discovered that his forehead mark changed between the Asura God Sword and the Life Scepter when he switched Martial Souls.
• Lu Xuan told Qian Daoliu that he had ten years to climb the Life God Tree and five years to traverse Hell Road, so Qian Daoliu took him toward Slaughter City.
• Qian Daoliu prepared Lu Xuan for the city's violence by leading him to wipe out bandit dens along the way.
• Lu Xuan drank a Bloody Mary at the tavern, then killed the server and destroyed the bar when the server refused to let him enter.
• Lu Xuan opened the passage beneath the tavern, told Qian Daoliu to wait, and descended into Slaughter City, where a voice welcomed him to the capital of hell.

Lu Xuan defeated the Terror Knight Scott and earned the token needed to enter Slaughter City. A black-veiled woman welcomed him inside and began explaining the city as its oppressive streets revealed the violence beneath their surface.

• Scott confronted Lu Xuan at Slaughter City's gate and challenged him to earn entry by defeating him.
• Lu Xuan used his Asura Domain and Fear Illusion Soul Bone Skill to overwhelm Scott, who eventually surrendered and gave him an identity token numbered 9148.
• Lu Xuan passed through the city gate after a black-veiled woman welcomed him.
• The woman led Lu Xuan into Slaughter City, where he sensed bloodshed and madness beneath the dimly lit streets.
• The black-veiled woman began introducing Lu Xuan to Slaughter City.

Lu Xuan entered Slaughter City and headed for the Hell Slaughter Arena, where he planned to use Soul Tools to compete. The real Asura God Sword escaped the King of Slaughter and began following Lu Xuan, leaving the King furious and the Black Veil Woman alarmed.

• Lu Xuan cut off the Black Veil Woman's introduction and told her to take him to the Hell Slaughter Arena.
• The Asura God Sword suddenly broke free from the King of Slaughter, severed his wrist, and flew out of the palace.
• The Asura God Sword found Lu Xuan and hovered above him, while the Black Veil Woman recognized it as the King of Slaughter's sword and hurried on.
• The Black Veil Woman explained that contestants had to kill all nine opponents to win a match and needed one hundred victories to challenge Hell Road.
• Lu Xuan planned to outfit himself with Level 6 Soul Tools and found lodging near the Hell Slaughter Arena, apparently after killing its previous resident.

Qian Renxue began the Angel Nine Trials after learning that Lu Xuan had started his own divine trials. In Slaughter City, Lu Xuan built a fearsome reputation as the Mechanical Pioneer and reached seventy victories in the Hell Slaughter Arena.

• Qian Renxue asked Qian Daoliu to let her begin divine trials so she would not fall behind Lu Xuan, and the Angel God Statue bestowed the Angel Nine Trials upon her.
• Lu Xuan won his twenty-seventh Hell Slaughter Arena match and earned the title Mechanical Pioneer for his Soul Tool combat style.
• Lu Xuan survived repeated ambushes by Slaughter City residents seeking his Soul Tools, while the Asura God Sword killed his attackers whenever they surrounded him outside the arena.
• A year passed, and Lu Xuan's arena victory count reached sixty-nine, where it stalled for two and a half months because few opponents dared to challenge him.
• Lu Xuan faced nine opponents in his seventieth match and destroyed them with a barrage of mechanical cannons, claiming his seventieth victory.

After Lu Xuan won his hundredth match in Slaughter City, the King of Slaughter opened Hell Road by sacrificing the arena’s spectators in a blood ritual. Lu Xuan was engulfed by the resulting light as his trial began.

• The King of Slaughter rejected the Beautiful Messenger’s suggestion to recruit Lu Xuan and ordered stronger opponents to hasten his departure.
• Over eleven months, Lu Xuan endured increasingly difficult matches and dwindling supplies while repairing his damaged Soul Tools.
• Lu Xuan won his hundredth match, surviving nine opponents and a poisoned attack thanks to his immunity to poison.
• The King of Slaughter appeared in the arena and announced that he would open Hell Road for Lu Xuan.
• The King of Slaughter’s red mist drove the spectators mad, and their blood flowed into a formation beneath Lu Xuan.
• The blood formation engulfed Lu Xuan in red light as the King of Slaughter wished him luck on Hell Road.

Lu Xuan traversed Hell Road, defeating its Blood Bats and bosses before escaping the rising lava. He perfectly cleared the first Asura trial and awakened the fused domain skill Asura Hell.

• Lu Xuan advanced along Hell Road as lava rose beneath the narrow path and used his Energy-Gathering Soul Cannon to destroy waves of Blood Bats.
• Lu Xuan fired three Soul Cannons simultaneously to destroy all three heads of the Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King.
• Lu Xuan used Asura Domain and Blazing Sun Heaven-Burning Break to kill the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent and collected its inner core.
• Lu Xuan raced through the rising lava and passed through the exit curtain just before Hell Road was overwhelmed.
• Lu Xuan received a ten percent increase in Asura God affinity, the fusion of Divine Slaughter's Domain and Asura Domain, and the awakened domain skill Asura Hell.

Lu Xuan obtained the pure slaughter aura needed to complete his Asura Domain and learned that Qian Renxue had begun the Angel Nine Trials. He entered the Life God Tree trial to cultivate under its pressure, hoping to recover the time he had lost in Slaughter City.

• Lu Xuan absorbed the pure slaughter aura and realized it was the missing element needed to transform his Asura Domain into a true Asura Domain.
• Qian Jun Douluo and Demon Subduing Douluo found Lu Xuan after he emerged from Slaughter City and told him Qian Renxue had begun the Angel Nine Trials.
• Lu Xuan returned to Spirit City and found that Qian Daoliu was occupied with Qian Renxue's divine trials, while Lu Xuan's second Asura trial had yet to arrive.
• Lu Xuan entered the life space and learned that climbing the Life God Tree was his first trial for the God of Life.
• Lu Xuan climbed the tree's steps, where the life-filled pressure accelerated his Soul Power, and resolved to use the trial to push his limits and regain lost cultivation time.

Lu Xuan reached level sixty after half a year of cultivation on the Life God Tree’s stairs and received a God-bestowed Soul Ring. He endured the trial until his Sixth Soul Ring became a hundred-thousand-year ring, then collapsed and was enclosed in a cocoon as his body began to regenerate.

• Lu Xuan used his Asura Domain and Life Domain to climb to the ninety-first step, then returned to the thirty-sixth step to cultivate.
• The green-dressed woman watched Lu Xuan cultivate beneath the Life God Tree for half a year.
• Lu Xuan broke through to level sixty, and the green-dressed woman explained the God-bestowed Soul Ring and gave him one.
• Lu Xuan activated both domains and endured the ring’s power until his Sixth Soul Ring turned completely red and reached a hundred-thousand-year age.
• Lu Xuan’s body collapsed after the ring formed, but emerald-gold light and his Life Domain wrapped him in a cocoon and began restoring him.

Lu Xuan completed the first Life Nine Trial by climbing the Life God Tree, raising his Soul Power to level 78. He received the next Life and Asura trials, returned to his room, and discovered the Asura God Sword had arrived to help him with Slaughter Body Tempering.

• Lu Xuan used his Asura Domain, Life Domain, and Water and Fire Dragon Kings Torso Soul Bone to reach the top of the Life God Tree and perfectly clear the first trial.
• The Goddess of Life and the Asura God issued Lu Xuan their second trials: crossing the Sea of Life within five years and undergoing Slaughter Body Tempering within three years.
• The Life trial reward raised Lu Xuan's Soul Power from level 73 to level 78.
• Lu Xuan spotted the Sea of Life in the distance, then left the life space and returned to his room.
• The Asura God Sword arrived at Lu Xuan's window and nodded when he asked if it would help him complete the second Asura trial.

Tang Hao confronted Lu Xuan and Leng Yaozhu in Holy Soul Village, but Leng Yaozhu overwhelmed him when he attacked. She left with Lu Xuan after safely bringing Old Jack to the village chief's house, while Tang Hao remained gravely injured.

• Tang Hao sensed that Leng Yaozhu was a deadly threat and considered whether to fight her or surrender.
• Lu Xuan privately resolved to kill Tang Hao once he knew the Asura God would not intervene, but Leng Yaozhu attacked before Tang Hao could decide.
• Tang Hao summoned the Clear Sky Hammer and used his Martial Soul Avatar, threatening to destroy Holy Soul Village.
• Leng Yaozhu revealed her Heavenly Phoenix and powerful Soul Ring configuration, then shattered Tang Hao's giant hammer with her fifth Soul Ring.
• Tang Hao spat blood and collapsed, unable to resist, while Leng Yaozhu remained unharmed.
• Leng Yaozhu carried Old Jack to the village chief's house, then flew away with Lu Xuan.

Lu Xuan taught Qian Renxue the basics of Soul Tool engraving, then invited her to walk around Spirit City before beginning his punishing Slaughter Body Tempering. When Qian Renxue wanted candied hawthorns, Lu Xuan discovered he had no money, so she bought the whole stall and handed him a pile of skewers.

• Lu Xuan demonstrated Soul Tool engraving and gave Qian Renxue his beginner’s book and Engraving Knife set to practice with.
• Qian Renxue decided she would bring Gengxin City under her control as a gift for Lu Xuan.
• Lu Xuan invited Qian Renxue to walk around Spirit City because he expected to have little free time once Slaughter Body Tempering began, and she agreed.
• Qian Renxue asked Lu Xuan for candied hawthorns, but he discovered he had spent his last Gold Soul Coins and had no money left.
• Qian Renxue bought every skewer from the vendor with a Gold Soul Coin and stuffed a handful into Lu Xuan’s arms.

Lu Xuan underwent the Asura God Sword’s second trial, trapped in endless lives of slaughter that stripped away his identity and nearly drove him insane. He returned to Spirit Hall and learned that his first attempt had failed.

• Lu Xuan began the trial, and the Asura God Sword dragged his consciousness into a battlefield where he fought as a level-38 Soul Elder with an iron sword.
• After killing his first opponent, Lu Xuan’s power surged as he slaughtered allies and enemies alike until the battlefield fell silent.
• Lu Xuan became a wolf Soul Beast and fought in a bloody territorial battle, then endured repeated lives of killing in different forms.
• As Lu Xuan’s memories and emotions faded, a blinding white light returned him to the secret chamber in Spirit Hall.
• The Asura God Sword indicated that Lu Xuan had failed his first attempt, and he feared that further trials would turn him into a monster.

Lu Xuan endured two years of repeated slaughter trials and completed the Asura God’s Second Trial, earning greater divine affinity and five Soul Power levels. The reward restored his shattered body and forced him to absorb a God-bestowed Soul Ring, leaving him at Soul Power Level 83 with a 200,000-year Ferocious Beast-level ring.

• Lu Xuan learned he had to endure the slaughter trial 99 times while remaining conscious and resumed the test despite his fear.
• After failing at the twenty-sixth repetition, Lu Xuan returned to the chamber with law-bound cracks spreading across his body, which his Life Energy could not heal.
• Lu Xuan spent two years repeating the trial until he completed the Asura Nine Trials’ Second Trial and received a 15% increase in Asura God affinity and five Soul Power levels.
• The reward healed Lu Xuan’s body and raised his Soul Power to Level 83, after which a God-bestowed Soul Ring appeared above him.
• The Asura God Sword shattered the Soul Ring orb, forcing Lu Xuan to absorb its energy, and he gained an orange ring over 200,000 years old.

After completing Asura’s Second Trial and reaching Soul Douluo, Lu Xuan entered the Life Space to face the Sea of Life. He experienced life as grass, ocean, and sky, gained insight into life and death, and emerged having completed Life’s Second Trial.

• Lu Xuan reflected on his completed Asura trial and entered the Life Space through his Life Mark.
• Lu Xuan stepped into the Sea of Life and lost consciousness as his soul was stripped away.
• Lu Xuan experienced existence as a blade of grass, enduring the quiet passage of its life.
• Lu Xuan became an ocean and witnessed its ecosystem’s cycles of birth, predation, and death.
• Lu Xuan became the sky and watched human empires and Soul Beast clans rise and fall as he pondered life’s meaning.
• Lu Xuan understood that destruction returned Life Energy and brought continuation and rebirth, then awoke on solid ground and realized he had completed Life’s Second Trial.

Lu Xuan completed the second Life Nine Trial, but his life domain unexpectedly drained vitality from its surroundings, making him question the path he was taking. He received two new trials focused on completing the Life Scepter’s soul rings and discovering the meaning of wielding a sword, while the gods debated his potential and the Asura God watched with high expectations.

• Lu Xuan’s life domain devoured the life energy of nearby grass and seawater, and he stopped it after seeing the devastation.
• Lu Xuan completed the second Life Nine Trial, earning 15% more affinity with the God of Life and increasing all his soul rings’ ages by 5,000 years.
• Lu Xuan received a three-year Asura Nine Trial to find the meaning of wielding a sword and a three-year Life Nine Trial to complete the Life Scepter’s eight soul rings.
• Lu Xuan questioned why he wielded a sword, then left the life space without finding a firm answer.
• The Goddess of Life observed that Lu Xuan’s life power resembled destruction, while the God of Destruction rejected the idea of giving him another divine seat.
• The Asura God said Lu Xuan needed more tempering and anticipated that mastering both God Kings’ powers could let him reach the heights of the Dragon God.

Lu Xuan asked Qian Daoliu what sustained his swordsmanship and learned that a swordsman’s convictions could change as he grew. He set out to visit sword cultivators across the continent, beginning with the Wind Sword Sect, while Qian Daoliu secretly dispatched Golden Crocodile Douluo to protect him.

• Lu Xuan decided that traveling to meet other sword cultivators would help him understand his sword heart, then found Qian Daoliu beneath the Angel God Statue.
• Qian Daoliu explained that he once wielded his sword to defeat all rivals but now wielded it to protect the Qian Family and Spirit Hall, and told Lu Xuan that convictions could change.
• Lu Xuan chose the Wind Sword Sect as his first destination and planned to visit Sword Dao Village and Sword Douluo afterward.
• After Lu Xuan left, Qian Daoliu asked Golden Crocodile Douluo to follow him in secret because his confusion could weaken him in a crisis.
• Lu Xuan studied his map, mounted the Asura God Sword, and flew toward the western Star Luo Empire.

Lu Xuan challenged Feng Bailong of the Wind Sword Sect to a duel over the conviction behind his sword, then continued to Sword Dao Village in the Heaven Dou Empire. He reunited with the elderly village chief, who was stunned by how much he had changed.

• Lu Xuan arrived at the Wind Sword Sect and asked sect master Feng Bailong what conviction sustained his sword.
• Feng Bailong declared that he fought to uphold his sect’s standing and legacy, and Lu Xuan challenged him to demonstrate the Wind Sword.
• Lu Xuan’s Life-Severing Slash overwhelmed Feng Bailong’s techniques and carved a vast chasm beside the sect’s mountain gate before Lu Xuan departed.
• Golden Crocodile Douluo watched Lu Xuan’s sword strike and followed him toward the Heaven Dou Empire.
• Lu Xuan reached his childhood courtyard in Sword Dao Village, where the village chief failed to recognize him until Lu Xuan revealed his identity as Xiao Xuan.