Chapter Summaries

Lu Yi told Yang Sen that Huang Xiao had come to Monan City, prompting Yang Sen to pursue the Wild Ox Sect’s leader as a way to make amends for Xu Zhantong’s death and the missing funds. Yang Sen learned that Huang Xiao and Huo Lian had gone toward the Moshang Mountain Range, while many others were already interested in Huang Xiao’s cultivation methods.

• Lu Yi visited the Xu Residence to report that Huang Xiao and Huo Lian had left Monan City, but found Yang Sen in charge because Xu Zhantong had died.
• Yang Sen revealed that the 1.3 billion taels intended for the Spirit Crystals had disappeared and worried about answering to his Sect Leader.
• After Lu Yi left, Yang Sen ordered a disciple to find Huang Xiao and Huo Lian, using the Ling Tong Sect if necessary.
• Yang Sen decided to target Huang Xiao to seize the Soul-Reaping Sect’s territory and obtain Kui Yong’s cultivation methods.
• The disciple reported that Huang Xiao and Huo Lian had headed southwest of Moshang’s main peak, where many people were already seeking Huang Xiao’s methods.

Yang Sen learned that Huang Xiao and Huo Lian had entered the Moshang Mountain Range through the Ling Tong Sect and decided to summon stronger support rather than confront Huang Xiao himself. As Huang Xiao and Huo Lian searched a rugged valley for Hu Pursuing Wind and Yao Fengrong, a large group of Jianghu pursuers approached them.

• Yang Sen's disciple reported that people from the Jianghu had left the city to attack Huang Xiao, and Yang Sen said he would inform the Sect Leader and request the First Grand Elder's help.
• Yang Sen revealed that the First Grand Elder had secretly broken through, warning his disciple not to spread the news.
• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian traveled to a vast valley near Moshang Main Peak to search for Hu Pursuing Wind and Yao Fengrong, but their initial aerial survey uncovered no clues.
• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian spotted a large group of Jianghu pursuers heading toward the valley and realized they had come for them.

Huo Lian and Huang Xiao prepared to search for Hu Pursuing Wind while a crowd of Jianghu fighters gathered to target them. They mined inkstone and inkstone crystal to build a stronger formation blocking the valley entrance, then resumed their search.

• Huo Lian and Huang Xiao realized their whereabouts had been exposed and discussed the threat posed by the approaching Jianghu fighters.
• Huo Lian rejected retreat and decided to delay the crowd with a formation while they searched for Hu Pursuing Wind’s lodging.
• Huo Lian found inkstone crystal in a shattered boulder, and Huang Xiao gathered more inkstone from the valley rocks.
• Huo Lian and Huang Xiao built a stronger formation at the valley entrance using the inkstone and inkstone crystal.
• The two split up and carefully searched the valley for where Hu Pursuing Wind was staying.

Huang Xiao and Huo Lian discovered a vast deposit of inkstone crystal beneath Inkstone Mountain and worked their way through the formations guarding it. They decided the Wild Ox Sect could move into the mountain, while the Jianghu crowd remained trapped outside the valley entrance.

• Hundreds of Jianghu people gathered at the valley, where Huang Xiao and Huo Lian’s formation prevented them from entering.
• Huang Xiao found a hidden passage in the rock face, but he and Huo Lian struggled to unravel the layered formations inside.
• Huo Lian realized the formations drew their strength from the inkstone crystal surrounding the passage, revealing that the mountain held a valuable deposit.
• Huang Xiao worried that the crowd might discover the inkstone crystal if they broke the valley formation, but Huo Lian urged him to continue deeper into the mountain.
• After advancing halfway through the passage, Huo Lian proposed moving the Wild Ox Sect into the mountain, and Huang Xiao agreed that its inkstone crystal would strengthen their formations.

Huang Xiao and Huo Lian discovered Hu Pursuing Wind and Yao Fengrong’s chamber, along with a Spirit-Gathering Divine Formation and a stockpile of formation materials. After killing the Jianghu practitioners trapped at the valley entrance and strengthening its formation, they returned to study the divine formation, which seemed crudely set up despite apparently working.

• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian reached a large stone chamber and found a Spirit-Gathering Divine Formation at its center.
• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian collected usable formation materials from the chamber and returned to the valley entrance, where hundreds of practitioners were trying to break through the formation.
• Huo Lian activated the formation to hide what was happening inside, then he and Huang Xiao killed all the trapped practitioners.
• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian reinforced the valley entrance formation with materials from the chamber, making it capable of killing intruders.
• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian examined the Spirit-Gathering Divine Formation, and Huo Lian identified it as the first level while Huang Xiao judged its setup crude but seemingly functional.

Huo Lian and Huang Xiao activated the Spirit-Gathering Divine Formation and found it could greatly increase the spiritual energy in the stone chamber. When they entered to cultivate, the flawed formation trapped them, leaving them unable to reach the Consignment House's auction.

• Huo Lian and Huang Xiao examined the crude formation and found that its spirit crystals still held substantial spiritual energy.
• Huo Lian activated the Spirit-Gathering Divine Formation, which drew in spiritual energy and raised its concentration to more than three times that outside.
• Huo Lian and Huang Xiao decided to refine the existing formation rather than build another and entered it to cultivate before the auction.
• The formation bound Huo Lian and Huang Xiao, and their attempts to stop it failed.
• Huo Lian estimated they would remain trapped until the spirit crystals ran out, which would take at least ten days, and Huang Xiao realized they would miss the auction.

Huang Xiao abandoned hopes of finding a different flame at the current auction and decided to cultivate while he waited for another opportunity. Meanwhile, Mu Yan arrived to lead the Heart-Devouring Sect’s effort to gather spirit crystals and target Huang Xiao, but the large crowd at the valley had still failed to break his formation.

• Huo Lian told Huang Xiao they would have to wait for another auction, and Huang Xiao decided to cultivate in the meantime.
• Mu Yan told Yang Sen to set aside the investigation into Xu Zhantong’s death until after the auction and revealed that the sect leader had raised two billion taels by selling off the Heart-Devouring Sect’s possessions.
• Mu Yan learned Huang Xiao’s location and explained that the sect wanted his inherited territory, the Wild Ox Sect’s assets, and Kui Yong’s cultivation methods.
• Mu Yan and Yang Sen went to the valley and concealed their identities while waiting for the crowd to break Huang Xiao’s formation.
• A disciple reported that nearly a thousand people had entered the formation without causing any visible change, leaving Mu Yan and Yang Sen puzzled.

Mu Yan and the Heart-Devouring Sect elders waited for the formation around the valley to collapse while Huang Xiao and Huo Lian cultivated inside it. When the formation finally ran out of energy, the two emerged safely, but Huang Xiao realized they had missed the auction.

• Mu Yan and Yang Sen watched as more Jianghu fighters entered Huang Xiao's formation, and Mu Yan decided to wait for it to exhaust itself rather than try to break it.
• Mu Yan attended the auction, secured enough spirit crystals for the sect leader, and returned to the valley with Zhou Ce and Zheng Deming.
• Yang Sen reported that the formation was weakening, but Mu Yan chose to keep waiting and plan how to deal with Huang Xiao.
• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian cultivated inside the formation, and Huang Xiao rapidly replenished his vitality in its dense spiritual energy.
• The formation's spirit crystals cracked and its energy ran out, allowing Huang Xiao and Huo Lian to emerge safely.
• Huang Xiao realized they had missed the auction, and Huo Lian suggested they could try for spirit crystals at next month's smaller auction.

After escaping the valley’s formation, Huang Xiao and Huo Lian fought their way through the Jianghu crowd and fled, while Mu Yan’s group followed. Six primordial ancient realm early stage experts finally cornered Huang Xiao and demanded Kui Yong’s cultivation method.

• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian left the valley after discovering the formation had trapped and killed nearly a thousand people, and Huo Lian set another Illusion Formation to conceal the valley’s secret.
• When the Jianghu crowd charged at them, Huang Xiao and Huo Lian fought through the attackers and escaped, leaving several hundred more corpses behind.
• Mu Yan and three others pursued Huang Xiao and Huo Lian, waiting for the strongest Jianghu fighters to make their move.
• Some people turned back toward the valley but found Huo Lian’s new formation, while most of the others resumed chasing Huang Xiao and Huo Lian.
• Six primordial ancient realm early stage experts surrounded Huang Xiao and demanded Kui Yong’s cultivation method, and Huang Xiao asked which of them should receive it.

Huang Xiao and Huo Lian escaped after Mu Yan’s group and Chen Jiao’s six allies agreed to target them for Kui Yong’s cultivation methods. After more than two hours of pursuit, the two fugitives slowed down, apparently preparing to act.

• Mu Yan and three Heart-Devouring Sect Grand Elders appeared, and both groups argued over how to obtain and divide Kui Yong’s cultivation methods.
• Mu Yan rejected Chen Jiao’s proposal to share the methods, while Huang Xiao and Huo Lian objected to being treated as easy prey.
• Mu Yan and Chen Jiao agreed to wound Huang Xiao and prevent him from escaping, but Huang Xiao and Huo Lian broke through the encirclement and fled.
• Chen Jiao’s group and Mu Yan’s group pursued Huang Xiao and Huo Lian for more than two hours, each waiting for the other side to weaken.
• Huo Lian asked Huang Xiao if it was time to begin, and Huang Xiao agreed; the two slowed down as their pursuers thought they were exhausted.

Huang Xiao and Huo Lian killed Mu Yan and the other pursuers, then returned to Monan City and led the Wild Ox Sect’s people out toward home. On the way, they learned that the Heart-Devouring Sect had spent heavily on spirit crystals and that the Demon God Sect had opened the Demon General sects to challenges.

• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian ambushed and killed Mu Yan, Chen Jiao, and their men after luring them to a deserted place.
• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian returned to the inn, where Jiang Deng apologized for failing to come to their aid, and Huang Xiao told him he was not to blame.
• Huang Xiao led the Wild Ox Sect’s people out of Monan City, and he and Huo Lian killed several hundred followers who pursued them.
• Jiang Deng told Huang Xiao that Mu Yan had spent over 1.8 billion taels to buy the spirit crystals at the Guangjin Consignment House auction.
• Jiang Deng reported that the Demon God Sect had announced that strong individuals or sects could challenge Demon General sects and take their status by destroying them.

After confirming the Demon God Sect would allow challenges to Demon Generals, Huang Xiao and Huo Lian saw a chance to claim a Demon General position by attacking Qi Heng and the Heart-Devouring Sect. They set out for the sect and found many powerful Jianghu figures already gathered there.

• Huang Xiao ordered Jiang Deng to investigate the Demon God Sect's announcement while he and Huo Lian discussed confronting the Heart-Devouring Sect.
• Jiang Deng confirmed the details of the challenge announcement, and Huang Xiao and Huo Lian concluded that weaker Demon Generals such as Qi Heng would be targeted.
• Huo Lian and Huang Xiao decided to move quickly against the Heart-Devouring Sect, hoping to seize an actual Demon General position.
• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian left the Wild Ox Sect, swept away Jianghu pursuers along the way, and warned those near the sect that they were gone.
• After three days, Huang Xiao and Huo Lian reached the Heart-Devouring Sect and saw that many powerful Jianghu figures had gathered around it.

Qi Heng learned that the Heart-Devouring Sect was surrounded by experts seeking his Demon General position and tried to buy time for a breakthrough by strengthening the sect’s defenses. He left Lu Mu with three days to complete the Spirit-Gathering Divine Formation while the threat outside continued to grow.

• Qi Heng learned that Mu Yan and the other elders had died, and Geng Jue reported that Huang Xiao and Huo Lian had returned unharmed to the Wild Ox Sect.
• Geng Jue told Qi Heng that 'Blood Saber' Meng Hengjing and several other powerful experts had appeared near the Heart-Devouring Sect.
• Geng Jue urged Qi Heng to avoid the attackers, but Qi Heng chose to use the sect’s formation to stall them while he pursued a breakthrough.
• Qi Heng asked Lu Mu to speed up the Spirit-Gathering Divine Formation, but Lu Mu said completing it would take at least three days.

Qi Heng hired Lu Mu to strengthen the Heart-Devouring Sect’s defenses, but Lu demanded Qi Heng’s formation manual in exchange and admitted he could not yet set up the second level of the Spirit-Gathering Divine Formation. Qi Heng handed over the manual, and Lu revealed that Hu Pursuing Wind and Yao Fengrong had told him about it.

• Qi Heng asked Lu Mu to reinforce the Heart-Devouring Sect’s Grand Formation so it could hold off their enemies for three months, and Lu agreed to help for a higher price.
• Lu Mu said Qi Heng could pay with a formation manual and revealed he had agreed to the work because he knew Qi Heng possessed one.
• Lu Mu admitted he could not set up the second level of the Spirit-Gathering Divine Formation without studying the manual, and Qi Heng angrily agreed to give it to him because he needed Lu’s defenses.
• Lu Mu promised to set up the first level within three days, reinforce the Sect-Protecting Grand Formation, and work toward raising the Spirit-Gathering Divine Formation to the second level within a month.
• Lu Mu explained that Hu Pursuing Wind and Yao Fengrong had told him about the manual when they had sought his help with the formation.

Lu Mu discovered that Qi Heng had only the fourth and fifth layers of the Spirit-Gathering Divine Formation, while Hu Pursuing Wind and Yao Fengrong had kept the first three layers for themselves. Lu Mu pretended he could recreate the missing second layer, but planned to deceive Qi Heng, escape during an attack, and later seize the remaining formation methods.

• Lu Mu realized that Hu Pursuing Wind and Yao Fengrong had withheld the first three layers and only given him the first layer's setup method.
• Qi Heng threatened Lu Mu to produce results, and Lu Mu claimed he might derive the second layer from the fourth and fifth layers.
• Qi Heng left and resolved to seek Hu Pursuing Wind and Yao Fengrong once he had settled matters at the Heart-Devouring Sect.
• Lu Mu planned to weaken the first layer, later pass off an improved version as the second, and use an attack on the Heart-Devouring Sect to escape.

Huang Xiao and Huo Lian waited outside the Heart-Devouring Sect as Jianghu experts began attacking its strengthened grand formation, then quietly infiltrated it. They estimated the formation could delay the attackers for ten days to half a month, leaving the sect’s next steps dependent on how much longer its formation expert could reinforce it.

• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian decided to observe the experts gathered outside the Heart-Devouring Sect before acting.
• After five days, Huang Xiao sensed attackers forcing their way through the sect’s gate-protecting grand formation and noticed its strength had increased.
• Huo Lian concluded that Qi Heng had likely invited a formation expert to set up the Spirit-Gathering Divine Formation and reinforce the grand formation.
• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian entered the formation at a deserted spot, avoided or killed sect disciples, and took three shichen to slip through unnoticed.
• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian saw that the fighting had slowed and the formation was still growing stronger; Huo Lian estimated it could hold the attackers back for ten days to half a month.

Huang Xiao and Huo Lian found Qi Heng meditating inside the Heart-Devouring Sect’s Spirit-Gathering Divine Formation and prepared to ambush him, while discovering a large supply of formation materials nearby. Their attack was interrupted when Geng Jue arrived to report that Lu Mu needed those materials to reinforce the Protective Gate Grand Formation, leaving Qi Heng reluctantly authorizing their use while insisting enough remain for the formation’s second layer.

• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian decided to seek Qi Heng while the other experts remained trapped outside the formation.
• The two reached the Back Mountain, sensed Qi Heng inside the Spirit-Gathering Divine Formation, and spotted chests full of formation materials nearby.
• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian hid as Geng Jue approached Qi Heng to warn that the Protective Gate Grand Formation might not last three months.
• Qi Heng refused to let Lu Mu use the Spirit-Gathering Divine Formation materials, then relented and ordered Geng Jue to permit their use as long as enough remained to set up the second layer.
• After Geng Jue left, Qi Heng roared in anger and wondered whether the people outside were putting Lu Mu under severe pressure.

Huang Xiao and Huo Lian ambushed Qi Heng inside the Heart-Devouring Sect, trapping him in a Soundproof Formation and attacking while he was without his sword. Qi Heng was badly wounded and tried to provoke them into giving him a sword, but Huang Xiao saw through his plan.

• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian attacked Qi Heng as he cultivated, forcing him out of the Spirit-Gathering Divine Formation.
• Huang Xiao revealed that their Soundproof Formation prevented the guards outside from hearing the fight, and Qi Heng recognized them as members of the Wild Ox Sect.
• Qi Heng tried to break through Huo Lian's side and escape, but Huo Lian dodged his Palm Force and countered with his Imitation Saber.
• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian attacked Qi Heng from both sides, inflicting wounds and making his aura unsteady.
• Qi Heng asked whether they dared give him a sword, hoping for a chance to escape, but Huang Xiao recognized the ploy.

Huang Xiao and Huo Lian killed Qi Heng and concealed the formation materials before they could leave unnoticed. Lu Mu arrived, discovered the scene, and tried to convince them he was not their enemy.

• Huo Lian used an exploding blast of Saber Force to trap Qi Heng, and Huang Xiao cut off Qi Heng’s hand and beheaded him with the Minghong Saber.
• Huang Xiao took Qi Heng’s robe and wrapped his head in it as proof of the kill and a key to claiming the Demon General position.
• Huo Lian examined the Spirit-Gathering Divine Formation, which he and Huang Xiao then destroyed and studied before burying its materials and boxes several li away.
• Huang Xiao and Huo Lian prepared to leave with Qi Heng’s head, but Lu Mu arrived after sensing trouble with the formation.
• Lu Mu said he had only helped Qi Heng set up the formation and had no quarrel with them, while Huang Xiao questioned him about his formation skills.

Huang Xiao and Huo Lian cornered Lu Mu after he tried to escape, then searched him for the rewards he had received from Qi Heng. Huo Lian found a manual for the fourth and fifth layers of the Spirit-Gathering Divine Formation, which complemented the manual they had obtained earlier.

• Lu Mu used several formation treasures to flee, but Huang Xiao and Huo Lian caught up with him.
• Heart-Devouring Sect guards attacked Huang Xiao and Huo Lian, and Huang Xiao quickly defeated them.
• Huang Xiao demanded the benefits Lu Mu had received from Qi Heng, while Lu Mu offered to set up formations in exchange for his life.
• Lu Mu activated three formations, but Huang Xiao revealed that he and Huo Lian had avoided them by using an illusion formation.
• Huo Lian searched Lu Mu and found a manual detailing the fourth and fifth layers of the Spirit-Gathering Divine Formation.
• Huo Lian handed the manual to Huang Xiao, who recognized that it complemented the one they had obtained from Hu Pursuing Wind and the others.