Chapter Summaries

Huang Xiao used the Demon-Attracting Formula to break through to the Second Layer of the Heavenly Demon Skill and began consolidating his cultivation before attempting the Third Layer. You Lian'er realized he had found the Heavenly Demon Canon, then received a warning that the Fang Family might cause trouble at the Martial Arts Tournament, where the original Netherworld Demon Zither remained beyond the You Family’s reach.

• Huang Xiao found that the Demon-Attracting Formula greatly strengthened his Heavenly Demon True Qi, helped him break through to the Second Layer, and began attempting the Third Layer.
• You Lian'er learned that Huang Xiao had chosen the Demon-Attracting Formula and concluded that he had discovered the Heavenly Demon Canon; she considered ways to obtain it from him.
• Auntie Liu warned You Lian'er that the Martial Arts Tournament had attracted many outsiders and that the Fang Family had made a move, possibly targeting her.
• Auntie Liu told You Lian'er that the Netherworld Demon Zither could not be retrieved from the Fang Family and brought a family replica to strengthen her Netherworld Demon Eight Tones.

Huang Xiao broke through to the third level of the Heavenly Demon Skill, then traveled to the Martial Arts Tournament at the foot of Helan Mountain. He surveyed the enormous gathering and heard that Miss Zhang would attend, while reflecting that You Lian'er’s status meant her future partner would be no ordinary person.

• Huang Xiao reached the third level of the Heavenly Demon Skill and found that its true qi made his Heavenly Demon Subduing Tiger Fist his strongest technique.
• Huang Xiao concealed the demonic aura by drawing the Heavenly Demon True Qi back into his dantian, where it transformed into northern darkness true qi.
• Huang Xiao rode to the Martial Arts Tournament and arrived to find a vast arena surrounded by thousands of tents and many Jianghu experts.
• Huang Xiao heard attendees discuss the Prince's Mansion's first-class techniques and the tournament's unusually generous rewards.
• Huang Xiao overheard people speculate that the winner might attract Miss Zhang's attention, then thought about You Lian'er and her future partner.

Huang Xiao met Duan Ying at the Martial Arts Tournament, where they discussed the Five-Elements Divine Finger and Miss Zhang. They watched You Lian'er arrive as the tournament’s opening contests began, and Duan Ying started explaining how the Li Family had amassed its martial arts manuals.

• Huang Xiao reflected on You Lian'er’s limited freedom to choose her own marriage before greeting Duan Ying, the second prince of Dali.
• Duan Ying said he had come to enjoy the tournament and admitted he was only an admirer of Miss Zhang; Huang Xiao revealed that he already knew her.
• Huang Xiao and Duan Ying found a raised viewing spot beneath a tree and watched You Lian'er arrive carrying a zither.
• Three Peak Realm experts landed on the platform as judges, while Huang Xiao and Duan Ying discussed the tournament’s large free-for-all contests and the King of Xia’s Armory.
• Duan Ying said the Li Family had gathered its many secret manuals from two major sources, prompting Huang Xiao to ask what they were.

Duan Ying explained to Huang Xiao why the Fang Family coveted the Li Family's Armory and how its deep reserves made it a threat to the King of Xia and the other Heavenly Demon Sect branches. Huang Xiao suspected the Fang Family was behind Li Jiqian's poisoning and wondered how You Lian'er planned to respond, before she noticed him watching her.

• Duan Ying told Huang Xiao that the Li Family's cultivation manuals came from Tang imperial collections and possibly the Heavenly Demon Sect, drawing the former sect's factions toward the Armory.
• Duan Ying explained that the Fang Family's thousand-year legacy and hidden experts made it powerful enough to threaten the King of Xia, including through assassination.
• Duan Ying said the Fang Family wanted the Heavenly Demon Sect manuals to learn how to counter the You Family and its allies.
• Huang Xiao suspected the Fang Family had poisoned Li Jiqian and realized the Martial Arts Tournament might be recruiting experts against its growing threat.
• Huang Xiao looked toward You Lian'er on the dais, and she noticed his gaze and smiled.

Huang Xiao and Duan Ying witnessed renowned Great Song sects arrive at the Martial Arts Tournament, prompting the arena matches to be suspended. As the visitors waited for the King of Xia, You Lian'er stayed to manage the situation and noticed Huang Xiao in the crowd.

• Huang Xiao spotted members of the Beggar Gang, while Duan Ying pointed out Shaolin monks led by Master Kongming, whom Huang Xiao had once helped save.
• Huang Xiao and Duan Ying saw Shaolin, Dragon Tiger Mountain, the Beggar Gang, and other famous Great Song sects gathering, and they moved closer to learn what was happening.
• A peerless expert suspended the arena matches, and guards from the King of Xia’s residence cleared the contestants from the platforms.
• Lu Yuan introduced himself and his companions from First Rank Hall, and You Lian'er greeted Master Kongming and the leaders of the Great Song sects.
• You Lian'er invited the visitors to wait for the King of Xia while she and the First Rank Hall experts calmed the crowd; she declined Lu Yuan’s suggestion to leave and then noticed Huang Xiao.

Huang Xiao and Duan Ying waited at the arena while You Lian'er wondered why Huang Xiao showed no signs of practicing the Heavenly Demon Skill. Zhang Pu arrived to meet Great Song’s sect leaders, who admitted they had come seeking the secret of the Armory.

• Huang Xiao avoided You Lian'er and chose to stay with Duan Ying near the arena while they waited for the King of Xia’s response.
• You Lian'er sensed no trace of the Heavenly Demon Skill in Huang Xiao and wondered whether he had found the Heavenly Demon Canon or begun practicing it.
• A carriage escorted by nearly a hundred guards arrived, and Zhang Pu came out to meet the people from Great Song.
• Zhang Pu asked why the Great Song sects had come to Xiazhou, and Kongming replied that Zhang Pu already knew their purpose.
• Zhang Pu stated that they had traveled to obtain the secret of the Armory.

Zhang Pu told the Great Song martial artists that clues to the Daoist Canon’s secret lay in the Seven Spirit Blades and promised the King of Xia would share what he knew the next day. He suggested the rest of the Seven Spirit Atlas might belong to the You or Fang families, while You Lian’er stayed behind and the sect leaders debated his claims.

• Zhang Pu explained that the Li Family’s ancestor had received an incomplete Seven Spirit Atlas, and that the Heavenly Demon Sect had once possessed the complete atlas and the Seven Spirit Blades without discovering the Daoist Canon’s secret.
• Zhang Pu said the King of Xia would reveal his known clues the next day, and advised the Great Song contingent to seek the remaining atlas among former Heavenly Demon Sect factions, especially the You or Fang families.
• Zhang Pu urged You Lian’er to return to the city, but she insisted on staying until the King of Xia spoke and he left four First Rank Hall guards to protect her.
• After Zhang Pu departed, You Lian’er resolved to investigate Huang Xiao’s background.
• The Great Song sect leaders questioned Zhang Pu’s reliability and debated whether the missing Seven Spirit Atlas was more likely held by the You Family or the Fang Family.

Reverend Demu and the gathered martial artists changed their plan to pursue the Fang Family before the You Family for the Seven Spirit Atlas. That night, Huang Xiao and Duan Ying talked by a campfire until You Lian'er approached.

• Master Kongming and Reverend Demu argued that the Fang Family might obtain the You Family's clues if the group pursued the You Family first.
• Reverend Demu persuaded the gathering to target the Fang Family before the You Family, after obtaining the King of Xia's portion of the Seven Spirit Atlas.
• The Martial Arts Tournament arena matches were postponed, and the King of Xia provided wine and meat to the gathered martial artists as an apology.
• Huang Xiao and Duan Ying roasted lamb by a campfire, and Duan Ying grew alarmed when Huang Xiao joked about poisoning the food.
• Huang Xiao recalled the deaths he had witnessed at the hands of Medicine King Hall, then noticed You Lian'er approaching.

You Lian'er took Huang Xiao aside and tested him while discussing the Heavenly Demon Canon and the origins of Fierce Tiger Fist. As she played an imitation Netherworld Demon Zither, Huang Xiao sensed his Northern Darkness True Qi beginning to circulate according to the Heavenly Demon Skill, risking exposure.

• You Lian'er asked Huang Xiao to speak with her alone after arranging to exchange for his Fierce Tiger Fist manual the next day.
• You Lian'er told Huang Xiao that her zither was an imitation and asked whether the Heavenly Demon Canon had truly vanished with Zhang Hu; Huang Xiao concealed that he had obtained it.
• You Lian'er explained that Fierce Tiger Fist evolved from Heavenly Demon Subduing Tiger Fist and said her family hoped it might reveal clues to the Heavenly Demon Canon.
• You Lian'er played the imitation zither, and Huang Xiao relaxed to the music before noticing his Northern Darkness True Qi was about to circulate according to the Heavenly Demon Skill.

You Lian'er used her qin music to drive Huang Xiao's Heavenly Demon Skill into a dangerous, uncontrolled circulation as she tried to confirm his demonic cultivation. Meanwhile, Ghost Gu Miasma swept through the gathering, killing people within breaths, but You Lian'er refused to stop playing as it approached.

• You Lian'er intensified her qin music, and Huang Xiao struggled to suppress the Heavenly Demon True Qi surging in his dantian.
• Huang Xiao realized the music was forcing his Heavenly Demon Skill to circulate like the Demon-Attracting Formula and feared You Lian'er knew about his cultivation.
• Duan Ying waited by the campfire, heard the distant qin, and mistakenly thought Huang Xiao and You Lian'er had grown close.
• A strong wind carried Ghost Gu Miasma into the gathering, and many Jianghu people died after being exposed to it.
• You Lian'er's four guards urged her to flee, but she continued playing because she was close to exposing Huang Xiao's demonic cultivation.

You Lian'er stopped Huang Xiao’s demonic arts from being exposed and led him away from the spreading Ghost Gu Miasma, which had killed most of the Martial Arts Tournament participants. As they prepared to return to the city, a six-person group led by a black-robed old man arrived and demanded that You Lian'er accompany them.

• One of You Lian'er's experts took the Imitation Zither from her, stopping its music and calming the True Qi raging inside Huang Xiao.
• You Lian'er ordered her experts to protect Huang Xiao and take him away from the advancing Ghost Gu Miasma, and Huang Xiao agreed to go with her.
• After they escaped the miasma, You Lian'er learned that the attack had killed at least sixty or seventy percent of the Jianghu participants and blamed the Fang Family.
• You Lian'er decided to return to the city with Huang Xiao, while he resolved to look for a chance to escape or contact Poison God Valley.
• Six newcomers arrived, including Consort Ying, and their black-robed leader told You Lian'er to come with them as he noticed her Imitation Zither.

Consort Ying and the Fang Family’s black-robed envoy confronted You Lian'er and Huang Xiao, intending to capture You Lian'er and kill Huang Xiao. As the two sides prepared to fight, Huang Xiao assessed their opponents and looked for a chance to escape.

• The black-robed envoy recognized You Lian'er's Netherworld Demon Zither as a replica and inferred that Zhang Pu had ties to the You Family.
• Consort Ying demanded Huang Xiao's death because he had helped cure Li Jiqian's poison, and Fang Hu agreed that Huang Xiao had ruined their plans.
• The black-robed envoy revealed that his group planned to seize You Lian'er and that others would deal with the Jianghu experts, including those from Great Song.
• You Lian'er challenged the Fang Family's men and told Huang Xiao they would have to fight together, while her four guards prepared to protect them.
• Fang Hu assigned Consort Ying to deal with Huang Xiao and ordered her not to harm You Lian'er; Huang Xiao judged that he might escape if she came after him alone.

Huang Xiao fought Consort Ying while You Lian'er offered to help with her imitation zither. You Lian'er began playing, but the Black-Robed Envoy judged the tune to be too weak to hinder the fighters.

• Consort Ying attacked Huang Xiao, who evaded her sword and accidentally punched her in the chest.
• You Lian'er told Huang Xiao not to hold back against an enemy who intended to kill him.
• You Lian'er challenged Consort Ying and sat down with the Imitation Zither to play a tune.
• The Black-Robed Envoy heard You Lian'er's music and decided it was an ordinary Sound Art that would barely affect the fighters.

You Lian'er used her zither music to disrupt Consort Ying and Fang Yi, giving Huang Xiao openings to strike and withstand Fang Yi's attack. Fang Yi ordered Consort Ying to subdue You Lian'er so her music could no longer interfere.

• You Lian'er's urgent zither note disrupted Consort Ying's attack, allowing Huang Xiao to injure her while she struggled to recover.
• Fang Yi charged Huang Xiao, but You Lian'er's music scattered his gathered power, and Huang Xiao's fist drove him back several steps.
• Fang Yi called You Lian'er a wretched girl, while Huang Xiao taunted him and claimed he might defeat a Peerless Expert with her help.
• Fang Yi ordered Consort Ying to subdue You Lian'er, and Consort Ying agreed after stabilizing her injuries.

You Lian'er revealed her overwhelming strength by killing Consort Ying, changing the battle against Fang Yi and the other Fang Family fighters. With her zither music supporting him, Huang Xiao prepared to use the second layer of the Heavenly Demon Subduing Tiger Fist against Fang Yi.

• Fang Yi attacked Huang Xiao, but Huang Xiao evaded him with Snake-Traveling Tiny Steps while counting on You Lian'er to handle Consort Ying.
• You Lian'er sprang up, knocked away Consort Ying's hands, struck her, and killed her with her own sword.
• Huang Xiao praised You Lian'er, and she hinted that she wanted to see him use his full strength.
• The Black-Robed Envoy realized You Lian'er and Huang Xiao had put the five remaining fighters in a dire position.
• You Lian'er resumed her zither music, and Huang Xiao decided to use Second Layer Force against Fang Yi.

Huang Xiao and You Lian'er turned the fight against the Fang Family’s men, but Fang Hu sent up a signal for reinforcements. You Lian'er chose to finish off the five enemies before help arrived and used the threat of her Netherworld Demon Eight Tones to keep Huang Xiao from fleeing.

• Huang Xiao’s hidden second blast of fist force injured Fang Yi’s hands and drove him to retreat to the Black-Robed Envoy.
• The Black-Robed Elder defended Fang Yi and warned that more Fang Family men would arrive, while You Lian'er said their calculations had failed.
• Fang Hu fired a rocket signal to summon reinforcements, prompting First Rank Hall’s guards to urge You Lian'er to leave.
• You Lian'er proposed killing the five Fang Family men before a small reinforcement squad arrived, while Huang Xiao considered escaping alone.
• You Lian'er hinted that her Netherworld Demon Eight Tones could stop him, so Huang Xiao claimed they would advance and retreat together.

You Lian'er and Huang Xiao prepared to fight the Fang Family pursuers, but five reinforcements arrived and turned the numbers against them. The First Rank Hall guards held off the Fang Family while You Lian'er fled with Huang Xiao, and three Peak experts pursued them.

• You Lian'er said she would use the Netherworld Demon Eight Tones to finish the fight quickly, despite the risk of revealing her identity.
• The Black-Robed Envoy’s signal brought five Fang Family reinforcements led by Third Brother, who recognized the Imitation Zither and discussed taking You Lian'er for their young master.
• When the Fang Family outnumbered them, a First Rank Hall guard urged You Lian'er to escape, and Huang Xiao chose to protect her as she fled.
• The four First Rank Hall experts blocked the Fang Family while three Peak experts pursued You Lian'er and Huang Xiao.
• You Lian'er asked why Huang Xiao had not escaped alone, and he admitted he thought he might be able to help her.

Huang Xiao and You Lian'er fled the Fang Family's Three Great Experts, then stopped to fight when the pursuers caught up. You Lian'er revealed her mastery of the Netherworld Demon Eight Tones, leaving the three experts stunned as Huang Xiao engaged their leader.

• Huang Xiao kept pace with You Lian'er as they fled, surprising her with his unusual lightness skill.
• After half a quarter of an hour, You Lian'er and Huang Xiao slowed down, and the Fang Family's Three Great Experts caught them and blocked their path.
• You Lian'er asked Huang Xiao to handle the direct confrontation while she prepared to use her zither.
• The three experts split up to attack them, but Huang Xiao charged to stop the two men heading for You Lian'er while their leader attacked him.
• You Lian'er played a note that disrupted all three men, and the leader recognized it as the Netherworld Demon Eight Tones.

You Lian'er used the Netherworld Demon Eight Tones to weaken three Fang Family experts while Huang Xiao held them back. After Huang Xiao drained one expert’s internal power and the Fang Family men decided to retreat, an unseen voice stopped them.

• You Lian'er revealed that she knew the Netherworld Demon Eight Tones, but the Fang Family leader assumed she had learned only its surface.
• Huang Xiao fought the three Fang Family experts while You Lian'er played the First Tone, weakening their strength and disrupting their attacks.
• You Lian'er began playing the Second Tone, further impairing the experts and making them consider retreating.
• One Fang Family expert used a secret method to increase his cultivation and attacked Huang Xiao, who countered with the Northern Darkness Absorption Method and drained his internal power.
• Huang Xiao blocked the other two experts from reaching You Lian'er, and the Fang Family men decided to retreat until the lord envoys arrived.
• An unseen speaker called the Fang Family men useless trash and challenged them to retreat, filling them with terror and then surprise.

Huang Xiao and You Lian'er faced the Black-Robed Envoy and three Fang Family men, who planned to capture You Lian'er and kill Huang Xiao. As Huang Xiao charged into the envoy's deadly palm strike, You Lian'er realized she might have been wrong about his ability to use the Heavenly Demon Canon.

• The Black-Robed Envoy arrived and explained that the four First Rank Hall experts were still alive but nearing defeat.
• The Black-Robed Envoy identified You Lian'er's Netherworld Demon Eight Tones and said her second tone could not affect his Mid Peerless cultivation.
• You Lian'er assessed their chances and asked Huang Xiao whether he had been holding back, while the envoy ordered his men to capture her and took Huang Xiao for himself.
• You Lian'er played the second tone at the Black-Robed Envoy as he charged, but it barely affected him, while the three Fang Family men attacked her.
• Huang Xiao rushed straight at the envoy's condensed Palm Force, and You Lian'er realized he might lack the cultivation to use the Heavenly Demon Canon effectively.