Chapter Summaries

Huang Xiao’s gamble to disrupt Jiang Hengdao’s breakthrough failed, and Jiang Hengdao began mastering the ruthlessness Dao. After Qingfeng urged him to keep going, Huang Xiao focused on the Treatise on Attaining the Dao, and an unusual aura appeared around him.

• Jiang Hengdao strengthened his resistance to Huang Xiao’s devouring and prepared to reclaim Huang Xiao’s true qi once Ji Xuanying’s aura faded.
• Huang Xiao dispersed his converted true qi, hoping Jiang Hengdao would be unable to restore its extreme aura quickly enough to prevent turmoil in his breakthrough.
• Jiang Hengdao restored the extreme aura with ease, devoured Huang Xiao’s true qi, and began his breakthrough into full mastery of the ruthlessness Dao.
• Xuan Yuanjun and the others were suppressed by Jiang Hengdao’s growing aura, while Huang Xiao lost hope as his true qi and divine sense failed him.
• Qingfeng reminded Huang Xiao that dispersing his true qi had once led to a breakthrough, and Huang Xiao resumed comprehending the Treatise on Attaining the Dao.
• An unusual aura began radiating from Huang Xiao as the others turned to look at him in surprise.

Huang Xiao sought a breakthrough while Jiang Hengdao pushed toward full mastery of the Ruthlessness Dao. The Confinement Formation collapsed, and Jiang Hengdao resisted Huang Xiao’s final attempt to devour his True Qi as his breakthrough neared completion.

• Huang Xiao gained new insights after dispersing his True Qi but remained unable to complete his breakthrough.
• Jiang Hengdao began his final push, and his rising aura strained the Confinement Formation.
• Zhao Yunhui and the others exhausted themselves trying to reinforce the formation, which eventually collapsed.
• Xuan Yuanjun said he would take his own life rather than fall into Jiang Hengdao’s hands once Jiang Hengdao broke through.
• Jiang Hengdao’s True Qi reached its limit in part, and he stopped Huang Xiao from devouring any of it.

Jiang Hengdao broke through to great perfection in the Ruthlessness Dao, leaving Xuan Yuanjun and the others ready to die. Huang Xiao seized the moment when Jiang Hengdao struggled to control his newly strengthened true qi and began devouring it, though he feared he could not convert the ultimate aura.

• Jiang Hengdao's breakthrough unleashed a blast that destroyed his formation and restored the surrounding spiritual energy, while Xuan Yuanjun and the others resigned themselves to death.
• Xuan Yuanjun prepared to take his own life, but Zuo Qiu Yi urged everyone to look at Jiang Hengdao's unusual aura.
• Huang Xiao realized Jiang Hengdao's true qi had become disordered during his breakthrough and began devouring it.
• Huang Xiao endured the pain as Jiang Hengdao's ruthless true qi battered his dantian and reflected on the ultimate of the Dao.
• Huang Xiao feared Jiang Hengdao would soon regain control and take back the true qi, but he still wondered whether he could convert it.

Huang Xiao comprehended the Treatise on Attaining the Dao and learned to weaken the Ultimate of the Dao aura in Jiang Hengdao’s true qi. When Jiang Hengdao devoured the true qi Huang Xiao dispersed, he realized Huang Xiao had altered it.

• Huang Xiao’s Divine Sense sublimated as he comprehended the Treatise on Attaining the Dao and felt he could look down on even Jiang Hengdao.
• Huang Xiao used his insights into the Remainder of the Dao to weaken the Ultimate of the Dao aura in the true qi inside his dantian.
• Jiang Hengdao adapted to the true qi he had absorbed and charged at Huang Xiao to reclaim the rest.
• Huang Xiao dispersed the true qi, hoping to improve his Dantian as the Sea and create another chance to absorb Jiang Hengdao’s power.
• Jiang Hengdao devoured the dispersed true qi, then roared at Huang Xiao after noticing its Ultimate of the Dao aura had been weakened.

Huang Xiao tried to use Jiang Hengdao’s unstable true qi as leverage, then suspected his new understanding of the Treatise on Attaining the Dao might let him control Jiang Hengdao’s Dantian. He ended the chapter planning to test that idea before Jiang Hengdao’s dispersed true qi vanished and Jiang Hengdao attacked.

• Huang Xiao caused Jiang Hengdao’s aura to destabilize when Jiang Hengdao devoured the weakened true qi, but Jiang Hengdao stopped and expelled it.
• Jiang Hengdao sensed an unusual pressure from Huang Xiao and suspected he had comprehended the Treatise on Attaining the Dao.
• Huang Xiao admitted he was unsure whether he had comprehended the treatise and tried to buy time while Jiang Hengdao hesitated to attack.
• Huang Xiao reasoned that Jiang Hengdao could not safely assimilate the dispersed true qi and began searching for a way to force him to devour it.
• Huang Xiao considered using the Treatise on Attaining the Dao to control Jiang Hengdao’s Dantian, drawing confidence from his earlier resonance with the Great Hole in the Sky.

Huang Xiao used Dantian as the Sea and the Treatise on Attaining the Dao to seize control of Jiang Hengdao’s Dantian, causing its true qi to run wild and absorb more true qi. Jiang Hengdao realized Huang Xiao was responsible and demanded to know what he had done as his life came under threat.

• Huang Xiao sensed Jiang Hengdao’s powerful Dantian and secretly made its true qi begin rotating.
• Jiang Hengdao tried to suppress the unusual movement, but the vortex in his Dantian spun faster and began pulling true qi from his meridians.
• The Demon God, Xuan Yuanjun, and the others noticed Jiang Hengdao’s aura turning chaotic as his Dantian began absorbing true qi from outside his body.
• The incoming true qi clashed with the true qi inside Jiang Hengdao, while Huang Xiao gained control of his Dantian through Dantian as the Sea and the Treatise on Attaining the Dao.
• Jiang Hengdao saw Huang Xiao’s strained expression and confronted him, demanding to know what he had done.

Huang Xiao struggled to maintain control over Jiang Hengdao’s Dantian as Jiang Hengdao attacked his Divine Sense. With Huang Xiao nearing collapse, Qingfeng joined him to combine their Divine Sense and resist Jiang Hengdao.

• Jiang Hengdao realized the Treatise on Attaining the Dao had let Huang Xiao interfere with his Dantian and launched a Divine Sense assault against him.
• Huang Xiao’s control over Jiang Hengdao’s Dantian weakened as the assault strained his Divine Sense.
• Xuan Yuanjun and the others wanted to rush to Huang Xiao’s aid, but Huang Xiao urged them to stay back and escape while they could.
• Xuan Yuanjun agreed not to attack, and Huang Xiao asked the group to let him try again.
• Qingfeng reached Huang Xiao and offered to combine their Divine Sense against Jiang Hengdao.

Huang Xiao and Qingfeng joined forces, with Qingfeng’s divine sense shielding Huang Xiao from Jiang Hengdao’s assault and letting Huang Xiao regain control over Jiang Hengdao’s dantian. Jiang Hengdao threatened to kill the others, but they refused to let Huang Xiao hold back, leaving him urging them to flee so he could fight freely.

• Qingfeng told Huang Xiao that he could lessen Jiang Hengdao’s influence on Huang Xiao’s divine sense, and Huang Xiao agreed to join forces with him.
• Qingfeng’s divine sense eased Huang Xiao’s pain and weakened Jiang Hengdao’s assault, allowing Huang Xiao to strengthen his control over Jiang Hengdao’s dantian.
• Huang Xiao recognized that Qingfeng’s method resembled Ji Xuanying’s Interweaving of Reality and Illusion, while Qingfeng explained that he had cultivated his own calm approach to the Dao.
• Jiang Hengdao realized Qingfeng’s divine sense was shielding Huang Xiao and panicked as his dantian and meridians came under increasing strain.
• Jiang Hengdao threatened to kill the others, but the Demon God and Xuan Yuanjun urged Huang Xiao to continue, and Huang Xiao told everyone to flee so he could fight without restraint.
• You Lian'er and the others refused to leave.

Huang Xiao forced Jiang Hengdao’s True Qi into conflict, but Jiang Hengdao destroyed his own meridians and Dantian to unleash Blood Explosion. As the deadly force spread toward everyone, Qingfeng urged the Heavenly Immortal Fruit to help Huang Xiao.

• Zuo Qiu Yi and Xuan Yuanjun urged everyone to leave, but Jiang Hengdao struck them with a Divine Sense attack and left most of them unconscious.
• Huang Xiao took control of Jiang Hengdao’s Dantian and drew in the surrounding True Qi, making it clash with Jiang Hengdao’s original True Qi.
• Jiang Hengdao destroyed his meridians and Dantian, releasing his True Qi and essence blood aura to begin Blood Explosion.
• Huang Xiao tried to devour the spreading aura and True Qi, but the explosions grew too powerful for him and the others to withstand.
• The Heavenly Immortal Fruit recovered and flew to Qingfeng, who asked it to help Huang Xiao so he might survive and defeat Jiang Hengdao.

Huang Xiao used the Treatise on Attaining the Dao to render Jiang Hengdao’s attacks and healing illusory, saving everyone and leaving Jiang Hengdao unable to survive his injuries. The chapter ended with Jiang Hengdao dead and the author announcing that the story’s final wrap-up would follow.

• Qingfeng persuaded the Heavenly Immortal Fruit to protect Huang Xiao instead of him.
• As Jiang Hengdao’s blood mist engulfed the group, Huang Xiao rendered its force illusory, and everyone survived.
• Huang Xiao stopped Jiang Hengdao’s Divine Sense from harming the group and prevented him from escaping.
• Huang Xiao rendered Jiang Hengdao’s longevity true qi useless, then devoured what remained.
• Jiang Hengdao died from his injuries, and the author posted a note about the upcoming conclusion and other works.

After Huang Xiao killed Jiang Hengdao, the survivors thanked him and prepared to return from the Ancient World. You Lian'er revealed that she was pregnant, and three months later Xuan Yuanjun completed the formation for their journey.

• Huang Xiao confirmed Jiang Hengdao was dead, and Demon Phoenix burned his body to ashes.
• Xuan Yuanjun, Ye Nishang, Demon God, and the other survivors bowed to Huang Xiao in gratitude.
• Huang Xiao said he wanted to return to the Martial World and the Central Plains, while Leng Guhan chose to stay in the Ancient World and asked them to look after the Sword Pavilion.
• Xuan Yuanjun agreed to teach Huang Xiao how to use and build the formations connecting the worlds.
• You Lian'er told Huang Xiao she was a little over a month pregnant.
• Three months later, Xuan Yuanjun completed the formation, and Demon God and the others arrived.

Huang Xiao and his companions returned from the Ancient World to the Martial World, reunited with Jiang Xie, and later traveled back to the Central Plains, where Huang Xiao reunited with his grandfather and Ling Xie acknowledged his ancestors. You Lian'er gave birth to Ling Dai'er, who later preferred the stronger Jianghu of the Martial World and longed to visit the Ancient World.

• Huang Xiao and his companions took supreme treasures and divine weapons through Xuan Yuanjun's formation, while Ji Shidao joined them to explore the Martial World.
• Huang Xiao's group arrived in the Martial World, split up to visit familiar places, and reunited with Jiang Xie, who had become sect master of the Heavenly Evil Sect.
• Huang Xiao reunited with old friends and family, and Jiang Xie's name was changed back to Ling Xie before the group returned to the Central Plains half a year later.
• Huang Xiao found his grandfather still alive, and Ling Xie returned to the Central Plains to acknowledge his ancestors and rejoin his ancestral clan.
• You Lian'er gave birth to Ling Dai'er, and Huang Xiao's family began traveling more often between the Central Plains and the Martial World as Dai'er grew fond of the latter.

Ling Dai’er stole the Heavenly Demon Soul-Severing Zither and used it at the Wulin Assembly, but its power spiraled out of control and injured the gathered Jianghu fighters. You Lian’er arrived in time to stop the music and took Ling Dai’er and Xiao You away.

• The Fenshui Sect Master opened the Wulin Assembly and urged Ling Dai’er to become the Wulin Alliance Leader, but she insisted her father was number one under heaven and demanded wine.
• Ling Dai’er announced she would play her zither to prove her strength, and the guests panicked as they remembered the damage from her previous performance.
• Ling Dai’er played the Heavenly Demon Soul-Severing Zither, making the guests collapse and leaving Xiao You struggling to reach it.
• Ling Dai’er lost control of her aura and could not stop playing as the guests weakened and Xiao You failed to push the zither away.
• You Lian’er arrived, stopped the zither music, scolded Ling Dai’er for stealing the instrument, and took her and Xiao You away.

Ling Dai'er received a protective mark from Demon Phoenix after being scolded for her reckless behavior, while Huang Xiao discussed Ling You’s upbringing and future cultivation. Dai'er then tried to activate a Cross-Realm Grand Formation with Ling You, and the two vanished when it collapsed.

• Huo Lian warned Ling Dai'er about the danger of using the Heavenly Demon Soul-Severing Zither, and Demon Phoenix gave Dai'er and Little You protective flame marks.
• Demon Phoenix noted Huang Xiao’s favoritism toward Ling You, and Huang Xiao explained that he wanted his young descendants to practice the Upper Clarity Heart Scripture first.
• Huang Xiao decided Ling You was ready to begin learning other cultivation methods after his progress with the scripture.
• Ling Dai'er led Ling You into a formation site and revealed that its grand formation led to the Ancient World.
• Ling Dai'er activated the Cross-Realm Grand Formation, which roared and collapsed, leaving her and Ling You missing.

The author reflected on finishing "Free and Easy Sect," thanked readers and editors for their support, and apologized for missed updates and plot shortcomings. The author introduced the premise and style of the new novel, "Demon Hall Master," and invited readers to follow it.

• The author said "Free and Easy Sect" had run from March 25, 2014, to May 6, 2020, and thanked the readers and editors who helped sustain the novel.
• The author apologized for disappointing readers with the plot and for increasingly frequent missed updates, especially during the Ancient World arc.
• The author explained that Ling You and Ling Dai'er traveled to a fictional realm similar to the Central Plains, where Ling You would grow stronger gradually and Ling Dai'er would have many divine skills and secret arts.
• The author described "Demon Hall Master" as a slow-burning, traditional wuxia story in which Ling You endured hardships rather than becoming invincible at once.
• The author said unresolved plot points from "Free and Easy Sect" might appear as side stories in the new book and asked readers to support or bookmark it.