Recaps

Huang Xiao and the other candidates learned that the formidable Phantom Demon Ma Tie'an would conduct their trial, which required them to endure his illusion formation until sunset. As the ten thousand candidates entered the arena, Huang Xiao reassured Du Jiliang and Lu Qingzhong that he had some knowledge of formations.

• Du Jiliang explained that Ma Tie'an was a long-lived second-generation Demon General whose standing rivaled some first-generation Demon Generals.
• The crowd questioned why Ma Tie'an was conducting the test, and Wang Renyu said candidates who escaped the formation before sunset would advance.
• Ma Tie'an appeared in the arena without anyone seeing how he arrived, and Huo Lian suggested an illusion formation had concealed his movements.
• Wang Renyu called the ten thousand selected candidates into the arena, where they debated where to stand.
• Huang Xiao told Du Jiliang and Lu Qingzhong that he had studied formations a little, easing their worries.

Ma Tie'an sat silently while the contestants and spectators waited, unaware that his Illusion Formation had already begun. As the arena crowd dwindled through clashes and unexplained falls, Huang Xiao sensed that something was wrong but could not identify the cause.

• Wang Renyu told the high-platform spectators that Ma Tie'an's Illusion Formation had already begun, and Zhuang Chen explained that even he might not detect it in time.
• After more than an hour passed with Ma Tie'an sitting motionless, contestants hoped the delay would help them last until sunset.
• A contestant fell from the arena after a dispute, prompting others at the edges to push inward and sparking a chaotic struggle that knocked nearly a thousand people off.
• The arena settled down, and many contestants sat to wait while Huang Xiao remained troubled by an odd feeling.
• Another contestant fell from the arena, surprising the spectators below.

An Illusion Formation caused hundreds of contestants to leave the arena without realizing it, while the elders discussed Huang Xiao’s mysterious identity. Huang Xiao recognized that he had fallen into the formation and began searching for a way to break it.

• More than a thousand contestants unknowingly jumped from the arena after the Illusion Formation distorted their senses.
• Wang Renyu and Zhuang Chen discussed the formation and Huang Xiao, whose background the Demon God Sect was keeping secret.
• Zhuang Chen realized that the Demon God Sect had likely intercepted the people sent to investigate Huang Xiao.
• Huang Xiao noticed that his position had shifted and realized he had been trapped in the Illusion Formation.
• Huang Xiao calmed his mind and began looking for flaws in the formation so he could break it.

As the illusion formation eliminated martial artists from the arena, Huo Lian warned that Ma Tie'an’s formation might contain multiple illusion realms. Huang Xiao was drawn toward the edge, then believed he had escaped a second illusion realm before realizing he was still trapped.

• Du Jiliang and Lu Qingzhong joined Huo Lian below the arena and described how the illusion formation had made them believe they were standing still.
• Huo Lian predicted that Ma Tie'an’s illusion formation could contain a second or even multiple illusion realms.
• Du Jiliang spotted Huang Xiao moving toward the arena’s edge, and Huo Lian said Huang Xiao might still be able to resist the formation.
• Huang Xiao thought he had broken through a second illusion realm, then realized that the scene before him might still be an illusion.

Huang Xiao recognized the Supreme Demonic Qi hidden in Ma Tiezheng’s Illusion Formation and used the Supreme Demonic Art to resist its effects. As the illusion began to change around him, he realized Ma Tiezheng likely knew Kui Yong well.

• Huang Xiao calmed himself and stopped moving, avoiding the risk of falling off the arena while he searched for a way to break the formation.
• Huang Xiao sensed Supreme Demonic Qi in the Illusion Formation and recognized that it mimicked auras like the Ten Thousand Demons Skill.
• Huang Xiao concluded that Ma Tie'an and Kui Yong had likely known each other well, and that Ma Tie'an had appeared after learning Huang Xiao was Kui Yong’s successor.
• Huang Xiao released Supreme Demonic Qi through the Supreme Demonic Art, forming a connection with the Illusion Formation and preventing it from affecting him.
• The illusion’s figures and scenery distorted and faded as new ones appeared, while Ma Tiezheng opened his eyes and glanced at Huang Xiao.

Huang Xiao survived the formation trial by breaking through the Phantom Demon's illusion, while everyone else who remained passed by holding on or attempting to escape. Wang Renyu announced that the next round would be the contest's final round, and that strength alone would not determine the winner.

• Huang Xiao waited on the arena as the number of practitioners dwindled, and fewer than five hundred remained by sunset.
• Wang Renyu announced that everyone still on the arena had passed, and Ma Tie'an revealed that Huang Xiao had broken through the formation.
• Wang Renyu rebuked practitioners who accused him of misleading them, explaining that they had lacked the courage to attempt breaking through.
• Wang Renyu announced that the next round would be the final round and would not be an arena battle.
• Wang Renyu said that luck would matter in the final round and warned the practitioners not to underestimate weaker opponents.

Wang Renyu announced generous rewards for the eliminated competitors and the finalists, including cultivation manuals and rare treasures, and outlined the competitions scheduled in three days. After learning that Zhuo Mengshen’s Soul-Reaping Sect had jurisdiction over the Fierce Mountain Gang, Ma Tie’an disappeared from the platform.

• Wang Renyu announced that eliminated competitors could compete for ten cultivation manuals in a valley east of Demon God Peak.
• Wang Renyu revealed that the final competition west of Demon God Peak would offer thirty cultivation manuals and other treasures, alongside the Reserve Demon General spot.
• Du Jiliang, Lu Qingzhong, and Huo Lian discussed the Demon God Sect’s unusually generous rewards and Huo Lian suspected they reflected a dispute between the new and former Sect Masters.
• Wang Renyu said the Demon General selection would take place the day after the Reserve Demon General spot was decided.
• Ma Tie’an asked which sect had jurisdiction over the Fierce Mountain Gang, learned it was Zhuo Mengshen’s Soul-Reaping Sect, and disappeared from the platform.

After Huang Xiao broke through Ma Tie'an's Illusion Formation, he and Huo Lian considered whether Ma Tie'an's visit was connected to Kui Yong. They left uncertain whether Ma Tie'an was a friend or enemy, but planned to rely on Huang Xiao's chances in the upcoming contest for protection.

• Wang Renyu warned the assembled experts not to question Zhuo Mengshen about Huang Xiao and said he would share more after the contest.
• Du Jiliang and Lu Qingzhong congratulated Huang Xiao at the Fierce Mountain Gang's camp and discussed their hopes for the contest three days later.
• Huang Xiao told Huo Lian that he had sensed Supreme Demonic Qi in Ma Tie'an's Illusion Formation, which had resonated with his Supreme Demonic Art and helped him break through.
• Huo Lian agreed Ma Tie'an's visit was probably connected to Huang Xiao but cautioned that the Supreme Demonic Qi did not prove Ma Tie'an had ties to Kui Yong.
• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian acknowledged they could not tell whether Ma Tie'an was Kui Yong's friend or enemy, and Huo Lian said winning the Reserve Demon General position might help protect them.

Huang Xiao and Huo Lian weighed whether Ma Tie'an had exposed Huang Xiao as a threat or was testing him, and hoped the Reserve Demon General position would offer protection. Three days later, Huang Xiao entered the final contest, a deadly valley challenge that lasted until sunrise, where he was likely to be targeted because of his skill with formations.

• Huo Lian and Huang Xiao considered whether Ma Tie'an's remark had been meant to make Huang Xiao a target or test him, and agreed they needed to learn about his past relationship with Kui Yong.
• Huang Xiao said winning the Reserve Demon General position would protect them from Ma Tie'an's open attacks, and Huo Lian urged him to seek cultivation manuals.
• After three days of rumors, Huang Xiao learned that he was among the ten favorites to win the position, then joined more than five hundred contestants heading west.
• A Demon God Sect disciple warned the contestants that the valley was filled with deadly formations and traps, that killing was permitted, and that they could not withdraw once inside before sunrise.
• The weaker contestants faced grim odds, but none of the Upper Ancient Realm Middle Stage participants withdrew.

Huang Xiao entered the Demon God Sect’s sealed valley to search for the Reserve Demon General token, avoiding formations as he tried to find his way toward the center. He discovered a group fighting over a cultivation manual, and learned it was a movement technique called Demon Shadow.

• The Demon God Sect disciple explained that the valley would remain sealed until sunrise and that whoever held the token at the end would become the Reserve Demon General.
• Huang Xiao entered the valley, was transported to a different location, and began avoiding formations while trying to locate the valley’s center.
• After nearly an hour of searching without finding treasure or other people, Huang Xiao heard fighting and cautiously approached.
• Huang Xiao saw four upper ancient realm late-stage experts surrounding an upper ancient realm peak expert over a cultivation manual.
• The four revealed that the manual was a movement technique called Demon Shadow, causing the peak-stage expert’s pupils to contract.

Huang Xiao seized the Demon Shadow movement technique after several upper ancient realm experts fought over it. Three experts surrounded him and tried to claim a share, just as two more peak experts arrived.

• A peak expert attacked the three late stage experts holding Demon Shadow, then two other peak experts appeared and disrupted his attempt to claim it.
• The late stage experts revealed that Demon Shadow was an upper ancient realm late stage movement technique and threw it toward the two newcomers before fleeing.
• The three peak experts fought over Demon Shadow until Huang Xiao appeared and took it for himself.
• The first peak expert urged the other two to join forces against Huang Xiao, while they hesitated at his strength.
• Two more upper ancient realm peak experts arrived and asked what treasure the group was fighting over.

Huang Xiao fought off five men who tried to take the body movement technique, killing four as the last escaped. He then entered a formation filled with dangerous mechanisms and reached its core, where a familiar aura suggested the treasure he sought was nearby.

• Five Upper Ancient Realm Peak experts confronted Huang Xiao and demanded the body movement technique, but he attacked before they could coordinate.
• Huang Xiao struck the first man down, then chased the fleeing group and killed four of them while the fifth escaped.
• Huang Xiao noticed evidence that formations might conceal treasures and continued searching among the increasingly dense formations.
• Huang Xiao entered a formation, dodged hidden weapons and mechanisms, and carefully made his way toward its core.
• Huang Xiao reached the formation's core after nearly an hour and sensed a familiar aura.

Huang Xiao discovered the God-Slaying Flame and used it to awaken the Minghong Saber, but absorbing the flame would take far longer than the formation could hold. When the formation broke, people rushed in to seize the treasure and triggered deadly mechanisms.

• Huang Xiao found the God-Slaying Flame and realized the Immortal Spirit Domain might contain the other Different Flames used to forge supreme treasures.
• Huang Xiao placed the Minghong Saber over the flame, and the saber began slowly absorbing it, possibly bringing Demon Phoenix closer to recovering its consciousness.
• Huang Xiao realized the formation would break in about four hours, before the Minghong Saber could absorb the flame, and anticipated a confrontation with people outside.
• More than a dozen people of the Jianghu rushed into the broken formation, but mechanisms and concealed weapons killed many and forced the survivors to slow down or retreat.

Huang Xiao faced pressure from Chen Fa and the Jianghu practitioners to share the different flames surrounding his saber. He turned the crowd against Chen Fa by claiming Chen Fa had obtained a cultivation manual, and Chen Fa finally admitted it.

• The Jianghu practitioners coveted Huang Xiao's Minghong Saber and the different flames after Chen Fa urged them to demand a share.
• Chen Fa proposed that Huang Xiao keep a quarter of the flames and distribute the rest among the group.
• Huang Xiao claimed Chen Fa had obtained a primordial ancient realm early-stage cultivation manual, drawing the crowd's attention to Chen Fa.
• When Huang Xiao challenged Chen Fa to let someone search him, Chen Fa refused and the crowd demanded a share of the manual or other compensation.
• Chen Fa denied the claim, but eventually admitted that he had obtained a manual.

Chen Fa gave up his silver notes and pills to turn the gathered experts against Huang Xiao, who refused to surrender the God-Slaying Flame. Huang Xiao charged the group before they could approach carefully, and Chen Fa led the attack against him.

• Chen Fa revealed the Hundred Refinements Force manual, then offered his silver notes and pills to the crowd in exchange for a share of the benefits.
• The gathered experts divided Chen Fa’s valuables among themselves, and Chen Fa demanded that Huang Xiao share his cluster of different flames.
• Huang Xiao offered only a little over ten thousand taels and promised to make up the rest later, but Chen Fa and the others rejected his offer.
• Chen Fa urged everyone to attack Huang Xiao, pointing to the different flames and Huang Xiao’s saber as valuable prizes.
• Huang Xiao charged at the group, and Chen Fa shouted that he would show Huang Xiao what a true expert was.

Huang Xiao fought Chen Fa and the other experts while they competed for the Different Flames and precious saber. As one late-stage expert grabbed the saber, he suddenly burst into flames.

• Huang Xiao used his movement technique to evade Chen Fa and kill many upper ancient realm late stage experts, scattering the rest.
• Chen Fa and Huang Xiao exchanged blows, and Huang Xiao gained a slight advantage while the four other peak experts waited for them to weaken each other.
• The late-stage experts rushed toward the Different Flames, prompting the four peak experts to abandon the fight and join the scramble.
• Chen Fa took one of Huang Xiao's attacks on his back to break away and rush toward the treasure, while Huang Xiao pursued him.
• An upper ancient realm late stage expert seized the precious saber's hilt and immediately became a human torch.

Huang Xiao’s Different Flames killed several fighters who tried to seize the Minghong Saber, while Chen Fa sought allies to attack him. The surviving Upper Ancient Realm peak fighter demanded access to the Hundred Refinements Force before agreeing to help Chen Fa.

• A Jianghu man and then another reached for the Minghong Saber, but the Different Flames engulfed them, prompting the Upper Ancient Realm late-stage fighters to retreat.
• Two Upper Ancient Realm peak fighters left, while another used a gauntlet to grab the saber and died; the last fighter’s Sword Qi failed to move it.
• Chen Fa and Huang Xiao confronted the surviving peak fighter, and Huang Xiao explained that his Heart Fire protected him from the God-Slaying Flame.
• Chen Fa urged the late-stage fighters to help attack Huang Xiao, but they refused and began to disperse.
• The surviving peak fighter offered to help Chen Fa if he could inspect the Hundred Refinements Force, and Chen Fa rejected the demand.

Huang Xiao stayed beside the Minghong Saber while Chen Fa and the other experts rushed toward a newly uncovered treasure site. When a formation shattered and scattered treasures across the area, Huang Xiao grabbed several before returning to guard his saber.

• Chen Fa showed Hundred Refinements Force to the Upper Ancient Realm peak expert, who agreed to help him fight Huang Xiao.
• A crash revealed that another formation had been broken, and the Upper Ancient Realm peak expert abandoned Chen Fa to pursue a Reserve Demon General Token.
• Chen Fa also rushed toward the treasure site, while Huang Xiao remained beside the Minghong Saber because he feared someone might take it.
• The formation shattered and blasted treasures in every direction, injuring some people and sending many items flying toward Huang Xiao.
• Huang Xiao collected five manuals and a fine saber, then returned to the Minghong Saber as Jianghu practitioners approached.

After the formation broke, Huang Xiao collected several treasures while the Jianghu practitioners slaughtered one another over the spoils and the Reserve Demon General Token. Chen Fa persuaded the upper ancient realm peak experts to surround the token with formations and turn their attention toward Huang Xiao and the other late-stage experts, leaving Huang Xiao bracing for their attack.

• Huang Xiao examined a precious saber he had seized and judged it better than the Patriarch's Imitation Saber, while other practitioners fought over the scattered treasures.
• The practitioners who obtained treasures became targets, and the Reserve Demon General Token passed between upper ancient realm peak experts as its holders were killed or forced to throw it away.
• After more than twenty experts died, the remaining fighters stopped taking the token, and the Jianghu practitioners kicked it back to its original position.
• Chen Fa proposed that the upper ancient realm peak experts set up formations around the token before going after the other treasures, and they agreed.
• Huang Xiao realized Chen Fa was directing the peak experts toward him and worried that they would target his Minghong Saber, flames, and manuals.
• The upper ancient realm peak experts charged toward Huang Xiao and the late-stage experts still fighting over treasures.

Chen Fa persuaded the gathered experts to target Huang Xiao and seize his treasures, while Yao Fengrong offered him a chance to ally with her. The others surrounded Huang Xiao after he charged at Chen Fa, and Huang Xiao prepared to fight while watching Bei Chengkuo and the other strongest experts.

• Chen Fa told the upper ancient realm peak experts that Huang Xiao valued his saber and different flame as much as the Reserve Demon General Token, stirring their interest in his treasures.
• Bei Chengkuo and Ke Zhenyi demanded Huang Xiao hand over some of his treasures, while Yao Fengrong offered to side with him if he shared them with her.
• Huang Xiao rejected Yao Fengrong's offer and challenged the gathered experts, asking how many he could kill if they came for his life.
• Huang Xiao charged at Chen Fa, but the others surrounded him as Chen Fa stepped back.
• Huang Xiao watched Bei Chengkuo and the other strongest experts hold back, and resolved to fight the surrounding opponents first.

Huang Xiao fought off the experts surrounding him to draw attention while hoping to leave the Minghong Saber absorbing the God-Slaying Flame. After he severely wounded Chen Fa, Ke Zhenyi, Bei Chengkuo, and Yao Fengrong moved to claim the saber and demanded Huang Xiao’s treasures.

• Huang Xiao wielded a precious saber and used the Supreme Demon Saber Technique to fight the surrounding experts, wounding one opponent without killing him.
• Huang Xiao called out Chen Fa, who charged him and tried to counter his Saber Force with Palm Force.
• Huang Xiao secretly used the Imperishability Chapter to strengthen his Saber Force, cut through Chen Fa’s defenses, and sever his left arm.
• Chen Fa called on the other fighters for help after realizing he could not defeat Huang Xiao alone.
• Ke Zhenyi moved beside the Minghong Saber, and Bei Chengkuo and Yao Fengrong followed as Ke Zhenyi demanded Huang Xiao’s treasures.

Huang Xiao tried to protect the Minghong Saber while Ke Zhenyi accelerated the God-Slaying Flame’s burn with a formation. When Huang Xiao rushed toward the Reserve Demon General Token, he slipped through the layered formations, leaving his pursuers trapped outside.

• Ke Zhenyi refused to risk touching the Minghong Saber and proposed using a forging formation to make the God-Slaying Flame burn faster.
• Bei Chengkuo and Yao Fengrong agreed to let Ke Zhenyi claim the saber in exchange for giving up his chance to compete for Huang Xiao’s other treasures.
• Ke Zhenyi activated his formation, speeding up the flame’s burn, while Bei Chengkuo and Yao Fengrong waited for Huang Xiao’s opponents to act first.
• Huang Xiao slashed through the fighters blocking him and rushed toward the Reserve Demon General Token.
• Huang Xiao passed through the layered formations without breaking them, while Bei Chengkuo and Yao Fengrong were blocked and the fighters shouted for everyone to take down their formations.

Huang Xiao seized the Reserve Demon General Token and used the formations to keep the Jianghu fighters from stopping him. He offered to give up the token in exchange for the mass of different flames and agreed to compete for the token only during the final two two-hour periods.

• Huang Xiao took the Reserve Demon General Token and escaped into the outermost formation, killing the formation's owner as he went.
• Bei Chengkuo and the other Jianghu fighters struggled to surround Huang Xiao, who pointed out that he could hide in a formation until the contest ended.
• Yao Fengrong realized Huang Xiao had another purpose, and Huang Xiao offered to surrender the token in exchange for the mass of different flames.
• Bei Chengkuo proposed that Huang Xiao compete for the token only during the final two two-hour periods, and Huang Xiao accepted.

Huang Xiao secured the Minghong Saber while the others fought over the Reserve Demon General Token, but Ke Zhenyi’s tampering left him waiting far longer than planned. With an hour remaining, Huang Xiao set off toward the ongoing battle, hoping to seize another chance at the token.

• Huang Xiao made Ke Zhenyi approach before agreeing to leave the formation, then threw the Reserve Demon General Token away to draw the fighters off.
• Huang Xiao set up three formations around the Minghong Saber and studied Ke Zhenyi’s formation while the others fought over the token.
• Huang Xiao discovered Ke Zhenyi had sabotaged the formation, causing the God-Slaying Flame to be consumed more slowly.
• After waiting more than ten hours, Huang Xiao watched the Minghong Saber finish devouring the God-Slaying Flame, but sensed no awakening of its saber soul.
• Huang Xiao heard the battle over the token still raging and rushed toward it, hoping to find an opportunity to join the final struggle.

Huang Xiao watched the fight for the Reserve Demon General Token while Chen Fa preyed on wounded experts to steal their treasures. As the struggle neared its end, Bei Chengkuo, Ke Zhenyi, and Yao Fengrong finally charged into the fray.

• Huang Xiao hid on the outskirts and spotted Bei Chengkuo and the other two conserving their strength, as well as a concealed watcher in the bushes.
• The wounded token holder threw the Reserve Demon General Token, and another expert seized it as the fighters rushed after it.
• Chen Fa attacked the man who had thrown the token, killed him, and stole a secret manual from his robes.
• Chen Fa moved toward the new token holder, who fought to escape the encirclement rather than surrender the token.
• Bei Chengkuo charged in, and Ke Zhenyi and Yao Fengrong followed almost simultaneously, prompting Chen Fa to withdraw slightly and wait for another chance to take treasures.