Chapter Summaries

Huang Xiao and Huo Lian continued through the dangerous buffer zone between the Alliance Domain and the Demon Domain, where they rescued a man claiming to belong to the Golden Demon Sect from bandits. Afterward, Huang Xiao searched the bandits’ bodies and found a thousand taels and a valuable Night Pearl.

• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian decided to keep moving forward despite repeated attacks from people trying to rob them.
• Huang Xiao heard trouble ahead, and the pair found bandits surrounding a middle-aged man whose three companions were dead.
• The middle-aged man claimed he was from the Golden Demon Sect, but the bandit leader refused to believe him and ordered his men to kill him.
• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian killed the bandits and saved the middle-aged man.
• Huang Xiao searched the bandit leader’s body and found about a thousand taels and a large, high-quality Night Pearl.

Huang Xiao and Huo Lian rescued Gao Tianhe, a disciple of the Wild Ox Sect, and discovered that his sect descended from Kui Yong, whose cultivation methods they had learned. Gao Tianhe began explaining the sect’s financial troubles, then asked whether they had obtained Kui Yong’s Wild Ox Strength.

• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian learned that Gao Tianhe was from the Wild Ox Sect in the Demon Domain and that the sect had declined since its founder, Kui Yong, died in the great war.
• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian realized their familiarity with Gao Tianhe’s cultivation method came from learning techniques left behind by Kui Yong.
• Huo Lian told Gao Tianhe that he and Huang Xiao had obtained Kui Yong’s methods and considered him their master, surprising Gao Tianhe.
• Gao Tianhe explained that he had risked his life to protect a few hundred taels of silver because the sect needed the money for its annual tribute.
• Gao Tianhe asked whether Huang Xiao and Huo Lian had obtained Kui Yong’s exceptional technique, Wild Ox Strength, and they reacted with surprise.

Huang Xiao and Huo Lian learned that Kui Yong’s famed Wild Ox Strength had been lost, and they explained that their Supreme Demonic Art might be the same technique under another name. They agreed to join the Wild Ox Sect, and Gao Tianhe led them toward the Demon Domain while describing its major sects.

• Gao Tianhe told Huang Xiao and Huo Lian that Kui Yong’s Wild Ox Strength had been lost after the Ancestor’s death.
• Huo Lian revealed that they had obtained the Supreme Demonic Art, and Gao Tianhe questioned whether it had truly come from Kui Yong.
• Huo Lian suggested Kui Yong had called the technique Wild Ox Strength publicly, and Huang Xiao agreed that the names could refer to the same method.
• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian agreed to join the Wild Ox Sect, delighting Gao Tianhe.
• Huo Lian asked Gao Tianhe to lead them out of the chaotic region, and he explained the Demon Domain’s five major subordinate sects and the Wild Ox Sect’s former standing.

Huang Xiao and Huo Lian traveled with Gao Tianhe through the Demon Domain toward the Wild Ox Sect, where they discussed the possible origins of their Supreme Demonic Art. Huo Lian decided the sect’s connection to Kui Yong gave them a safer chance to build influence than joining a powerful sect.

• Gao Tianhe led Huang Xiao and Huo Lian safely through the buffer zone and into the Demon Domain, where they encountered far less violence.
• The three stopped at an inn, and Huang Xiao paid for upper-grade rooms despite Gao Tianhe’s attempt to economize.
• Huang Xiao asked Huo Lian whether their Supreme Demonic Art had been derived from Wild Ox Strength, and Huo Lian said Kui Yong might have combined it with other methods, possibly including teachings from the Demon God.
• Huo Lian proposed that they pose as Kui Yong’s successors and explained that the Wild Ox Sect’s history could make its resurgence less likely to provoke envy than a sudden rise by an obscure sect.
• Huang Xiao recognized that a small sect’s unexpected rise could invite neighboring sects to attack and seize its treasures.

Huang Xiao and Huo Lian decided to take control of the Wild Ox Sect and traveled there with Gao Tianhe. They arrived amid a power struggle between the Sect Master and the First Grand Elder, whose recent breakthrough had made them nearly equal in strength.

• Huo Lian and Huang Xiao agreed to seize power in the Wild Ox Sect, believing their strength and Kui Yong's old connections could help the sect rise again.
• After traveling for five days, Gao Tianhe brought Huang Xiao and Huo Lian to Mangniu Valley, the Wild Ox Sect's home.
• A guard warned Gao Tianhe that the First Grand Elder had emerged from seclusion after reaching the peak of the Shattering-Void Realm and had been meeting with the Sect Master for three days.
• Gao Tianhe explained that the First Grand Elder's breakthrough had erased the Sect Master's advantage, leaving the two leaders locked in a struggle over the sect's leadership.

Gao Tianhe brought Huang Xiao and Huo Lian to the Wild Ox Sect’s assembly, where they learned that the First Grand Elder had recently broken through and might challenge the Sect Master. As the elders voiced their grievances over the Sect Master’s failures, Huang Xiao and Huo Lian waited outside and watched for an opportunity to seize control of the sect.

• Gao Tianhe brought Huang Xiao and Huo Lian to the Main Hall after the Sect Master summoned the Wild Ox Sect’s disciples.
• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian waited outside while Gao Tianhe entered to report to the Sect Master.
• An elder told Gao Tianhe that the First Grand Elder had broken through and might now challenge the Sect Master.
• The elders discussed their grievances over the Sect Master’s neglect of sect affairs and waste of the sect’s resources.
• Gao Tianhe recognized that the First Grand Elder’s breakthrough had given the elders confidence to oppose the Sect Master.

The First Grand Elder confronted the Sect Master over squandering the Wild Ox Sect’s wealth and the deaths of elders, then challenged the disciples to decide whether they still recognized him as Sect Master. The Sect Master objected that this went beyond their agreement to let him explain himself.

• The Sect Master and First Grand Elder entered the Main Hall together, and the Sect Master reprimanded his senior brother for standing beside him.
• The First Grand Elder argued that the Sect Master had wasted the late master's savings for more than a decade without breaking through, while the Sect Master claimed the spending would raise the sect's standing.
• The First Grand Elder accused the Sect Master of driving elders to risk their lives earning silver and challenged his claim that he could make up for their sacrifices.
• The Sect Master said sacrifices were necessary for the sect and asked everyone to avoid division, but the First Grand Elder called for them to decide whether they still recognized him as Sect Master.
• The Sect Master protested that the First Grand Elder had agreed only to let him explain his actions, not to challenge his position.

The Wild Ox Sect’s Elders and disciples turned against the Sect Master as the First Grand Elder sought to take his position. Gao Tianhe revealed that two people had received Ancestor Kui Yong’s legacy, and Huo Lian entered the Main Hall announcing he would take the seat of Sect Master.

• The First Grand Elder promised to cover the Wild Ox Sect’s annual tribute, winning support from most disciples and Elders.
• The Sect Master accused the First Grand Elder of previously betraying the sect, but nearly eighty percent of the Elders still supported the First Grand Elder.
• The First Grand Elder asked Gao Tianhe to declare his choice, and Gao Tianhe said he would abstain and report an important matter instead.
• Gao Tianhe revealed that he had met two seniors who received Ancestor Kui Yong’s legacy, and the Sect Master invited them into the Main Hall.
• Huo Lian entered with Huang Xiao and announced that he would take the seat of Sect Master.

Huo Lian and Huang Xiao challenged the Wild Ox Sect's leaders, claiming authority as disciples of Ancestor Kui Yong. After Huo Lian overwhelmed the hall with a single snort, Huang Xiao displayed Supreme Demonic Qi as proof of their status.

• Huo Lian said strength should decide the Sect Master's position, and Gao Tianhe struggled to respond when asked whether the newcomers counted as members of the Wild Ox Sect.
• The First Grand Elder ordered the newcomers seized, while the Sect Master expelled Gao Tianhe and joined forces with the First Grand Elder against them.
• Huo Lian's cold snort sent many people in the hall spitting blood or collapsing, and he told the two leaders that the Wild Ox Sect would be under his leadership.
• Huo Lian said Gao Tianhe had invited them and warned the leaders not to blame or harm him.
• Huang Xiao claimed that he and Huo Lian were disciples of Ancestor Kui Yong, and he revealed Supreme Demonic Qi when the Sect Master demanded proof.

Gao Tianhe revealed that Huang Xiao and Huo Lian possessed a perfected version of the Wild Ox Strength, while Huo Lian demonstrated his overwhelming power by taking the Sect Master's throne. The elders accepted the pair as the Ancestor's successors and supported Huo Lian taking over the Wild Ox Sect.

• Gao Tianhe declared that Huang Xiao and Huo Lian had obtained the Ancestor's Wild Ox Strength, but the First Grand Elder dismissed his claim.
• Huang Xiao explained that their technique was the version of Wild Ox Strength perfected by the Ancestor.
• Huo Lian ignored the Sect Master's objections, forced the Sect Master and First Grand Elder aside, and sat on the Sect Master's throne.
• Huo Lian used heaven and earth momentum to stop the Sect Master from attacking, revealing that he was at least in the Void Realm.
• Gao Tianhe urged the elders to support the two seniors, and the elders declared them the Ancestor's successors and backed Huo Lian as Sect Master.
• The Sect Master accepted his loss of authority and privately decided that Huo Lian taking the position was better than the First Grand Elder taking it.

Huo Lian took control of the Wild Ox Sect, with Huang Xiao appointed Deputy Sect Master, and reorganized the sect’s leadership. The Elders accepted the new arrangement, while the former First Grand Elder left the Main Hall and Gu Haiying considered the benefits the two newcomers could bring.

• The Sect Master agreed to step down, and the First Grand Elder also declared his support for Huo Lian after sensing the danger of resisting him.
• Huo Lian became Sect Master and appointed Huang Xiao as Deputy Sect Master, prompting the Elders to salute them.
• Huo Lian named Gu Haiying the new First Grand Elder and promoted Gao Tianhe to Fifth Grand Elder, assigning him to help manage the sect.
• Huang Xiao reassured the Elders that the sect would protect its disciples, and Huo Lian ordered them to disperse the disciples and explain the changes.
• The former First Grand Elder, now the Second Grand Elder, asked to leave and departed after Huo Lian gave permission.
• Gu Haiying accepted his new position and hoped that Huo Lian and Huang Xiao’s inheritance would help him and the Wild Ox Sect grow stronger.

Huo Lian and Huang Xiao learned that the Wild Ox Sect faced a sharply increased tribute to the Fierce Mountain Gang, while its treasury held little silver. The Gang’s Envoy demanded one hundred thousand taels, and the chapter ended with news that the Grand Elders’ residences and the sect treasury had been robbed.

• Gu Haiying explained that the Fierce Mountain Gang was raising the Wild Ox Sect’s annual payment and using compounding debts to control sects.
• Huo Lian asked about the sect’s finances and learned that the treasury held less than ten thousand taels, while Huang Xiao suspected the Grand Elders had kept much of the sect’s wealth for themselves.
• Huo Lian and Huang Xiao disclosed that they had only a little over three thousand taels available, leaving the Grand Elders stunned.
• The Fierce Mountain Gang’s Envoy barged into the hall and demanded one hundred thousand taels from the Wild Ox Sect.
• An Elder reported that the Grand Elders’ residences and the sect treasury had been plundered.

Huo Lian agreed that the Wild Ox Sect would pay two hundred thousand taels in tribute and birthday contributions to the Fierce Mountain Gang by next month. After the envoy left, the Grand Elders reported that Jin Hu had robbed their residences and the sect treasury before fleeing.

• The envoy demanded the Wild Ox Sect pay another hundred thousand taels toward congratulatory gifts for the Demon God Sect's Sect Master, and Huo Lian agreed to the total payment of two hundred thousand taels by next month.
• The envoy praised Huo Lian, then left after Huo Lian sent Gao Tianhe to see him out.
• Gu Haiying and the other Grand Elders returned and accused Jin Hu of robbing their possessions and the treasury.
• Gu Haiying said Jin Hu had fled and urged Huang Xiao to pursue him, while Huang Xiao remarked that the Grand Elders had suffered heavy losses.
• The Third Grand Elder nearly disclosed the value of his stolen possessions, but the Fourth Grand Elder discreetly stopped him.

After Jin Hu plundered the Wild Ox Sect’s leaders and fled, Huang Xiao used the money they admitted to losing to fund the pursuit. Jin Hu sought refuge with the Fierce Mountain Gang’s envoy and offered his wealth, then promised a secret about his ancestor’s cultivation method when money failed to persuade him.

• Huang Xiao pressured Gu Haiying and the two Grand Elders into reporting only a few thousand taels each, then left to pursue Jin Hu and recover the stolen money.
• Gao Tianhe returned and doubted that Jin Hu had taken only ten thousand taels from the three leaders.
• Jin Hu fled with a large bundle, resenting the leaders’ greater hidden wealth and deciding to seek refuge with the Fierce Mountain Gang.
• Jin Hu intercepted the Fierce Mountain Gang’s envoy and asked to join, offering the bundle containing his and the leaders’ wealth.
• When the envoy remained unmoved by the money, Jin Hu offered a secret concerning his ancestor’s cultivation method.

Jin Hu offered the Fierce Mountain Gang the secret of Ancestor Kui Yong’s cultivation methods in exchange for joining the gang, and the envoy agreed to bring him to the chief. As Jin Hu handed over his bundle of savings, an unknown voice suddenly revealed that the secret could simply be asked about directly.

• Jin Hu claimed that the Wild Ox Sect’s lost cultivation methods had not been lost, shocking the envoy and his subordinates.
• The envoy considered keeping the methods for himself, but Jin Hu insisted on being taken to the Fierce Mountain Gang’s chief.
• The envoy agreed to introduce Jin Hu to the chief after deciding he could not safely obtain the secret alone.
• Jin Hu handed over his bundle of savings to secure the envoy’s help.
• A laughing voice addressed the envoy and the others, saying they could ask directly about the cultivation methods.

Huang Xiao confronted Jin Hu and a Fierce Mountain Gang envoy over the valuables Jin Hu had stolen, then killed them both after the envoy refused to surrender Jin Hu and the money. He recognized that killing the envoy would force the Wild Ox Sect's plans to move faster.

• Huang Xiao confronted Jin Hu and revealed that the cultivation methods of Ancestor Kui Yong were no secret, exposing Jin Hu's attempt to use them as leverage with the envoy.
• The envoy refused to hand over Jin Hu or the valuables, so Huang Xiao attacked and killed the envoy's subordinates.
• The envoy charged Huang Xiao, but Huang Xiao killed him with one strike of the Minghong Saber.
• Jin Hu begged for mercy and tried to flee, but Huang Xiao cut him down.
• Huang Xiao remarked that killing the Fierce Mountain Gang's envoy meant the next steps of the plan had to move faster.

Huang Xiao killed Jin Hu and the Fierce Mountain Gang’s envoy, then returned to the Wild Ox Sect with the valuables he had seized. The sect’s leaders realized the envoy’s death could bring the Fierce Mountain Gang down on them, and Huang Xiao turned to discussing how they would respond.

• Huang Xiao disposed of the bodies and found roughly two million taels’ worth of valuables in Jin Hu’s bundle.
• Huang Xiao told the elders that Jin Hu was dead, and Gao Tian'e learned that Jin Hu and the other Grand Elders had concealed vast personal fortunes.
• Gao Tian'e cursed Jin Hu, while Huang Xiao said he had left no bones to bury.
• Huang Xiao revealed that he had also killed the Fierce Mountain Gang’s envoy, shocking Gu Haiying and the others.
• Huang Xiao proposed discussing how to handle the consequences of killing the envoy.

After Huang Xiao killed the Fierce Mountain Gang’s envoy, Huo Lian rejected relocation and decided the Wild Ox Sect had to strike first. He and Huang Xiao prepared to gamble on confronting Wang Xiongshan, while Gao Tianhe and the elders drew confidence from the Ancestor’s inheritance.

• Huo Lian decided the Wild Ox Sect’s elders had to remain because the Fierce Mountain Gang would target the sect regardless of whether it left evidence.
• Gu Haiying and the other elders debated fleeing, but Huo Lian and Huang Xiao argued that the sect had to take the initiative against the Fierce Mountain Gang.
• Gu Haiying warned that Wang Xiongshan was believed to be an Upper Ancient Realm expert, while Huo Lian questioned whether he had advanced beyond the late stage of the Void Realm.
• Gao Tianhe revealed rumors that Wang Xiongshan had obtained an extraordinary cultivation method, but Huo Lian insisted they had no other path and would have to take a gamble.
• Gao Tianhe reminded Gu Haiying and the other elders that Huo Lian and Huang Xiao had obtained the Ancestor’s inheritance, restoring their confidence in the Sect Masters.

Huo Lian and Huang Xiao planned to strike at the Fierce Mountain Gang in a month and assigned the Wild Ox Sect’s elders to prepare. Huo Lian ordered Gao Tianhe to spend the sect’s two million taels on pills while keeping their plan secret, leaving the sect to face the Gang’s inquiries about its missing envoy.

• Huo Lian said they would attack the Fierce Mountain Gang when the sect’s payment came due in a month, and Huang Xiao dismissed the Gang’s other leaders as a threat once Wang Xiongshan fell.
• Gu Haiying warned that the Gang would investigate its missing envoy, and Huo Lian ordered him to stall them for a month.
• Huo Lian entrusted Gao Tianhe with the money and told him to buy high-grade pills for the elders and ordinary pills for the other disciples.
• Huo Lian rejected buying cultivation methods because he would provide them himself, and said the sect should buy only a limited number of weapons and armor.
• Huo Lian said he had deliberately let news of his inheritance spread, then ordered the elders to keep the attack plan secret and report on the Gang’s response and that of nearby sects.

Huo Lian and Huang Xiao decided to build momentum for the Wild Ox Sect by targeting the Fierce Mountain Gang and its leader, Wang Xiongshan. After receiving fresh intelligence, they infiltrated the gang’s stronghold at midnight, hoping Wang Xiongshan’s strength did not exceed the peak of the Upper Ancient Realm.

• Huo Lian told Huang Xiao they would strengthen the Wild Ox Sect to make others believe they had received Kui Yong’s inheritance.
• Huo Lian gave Gu Haiying and the others powerful cultivation methods, and three days later they brought him and Huang Xiao new information about Wang Xiongshan.
• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian judged that Wang Xiongshan might be in the late stage or peak of the Upper Ancient Realm, and planned to rely on Huang Xiao if he proved stronger.
• Huo Lian and Huang Xiao set out for the Fierce Mountain Gang and arrived at Bear Mountain around midnight.
• Huo Lian unraveled the gang’s formations, and he and Huang Xiao slipped inside while hoping Wang Xiongshan’s strength matched their estimates.