Chapter Summaries

Huang Xiao crossed a vast, perilous mountain range in the Martial World, avoiding poisonous mists, strange beasts, and illusions as he searched for a way out. After five days, he finally encountered people, but their deacon ordered them to kill him.

• Huang Xiao resolved to find a way to break the Demon-Ghost Blood Curse and descended from the summit to seek information.
• Huang Xiao spent three days crossing mountains filled with strange beasts, rare plants, poisonous mists, and illusions.
• Huang Xiao used his perception and knowledge of formations to avoid the dangers and keep traveling in one direction.
• After five days, Huang Xiao saw three men emerge from the bushes and felt relieved that he could understand their speech.
• The deacon told his two companions to kill Huang Xiao before he could ask them for directions.

Huang Xiao encountered three God-Burying Hall members, who mistook him for a Heavenly Demon Hall disciple while trying to silence him. After he easily defeated their deacon and left, the men discussed the approaching thousand-year mark and the hidden prodigies of the three great halls.

• The deacon ordered two middle-aged men to attack Huang Xiao, but Huang Xiao evaded their strikes.
• The deacon confronted Huang Xiao, who tried to leave rather than risk an unnecessary fight.
• When the deacon blocked his way, Huang Xiao struck him with a palm and sent him flying.
• The deacon recognized Huang Xiao's Heavenly Demon True Qi and accused him of being from the Heavenly Demon Hall.
• Huang Xiao left, and the God-Burying Hall members speculated that he was a hidden prodigy and discussed the three halls' secret talents.

Huang Xiao fled deeper through the Misty Mountain Range after encountering members of the Demonic Path, then followed the Minghong Saber when it flew from its scabbard toward something ahead. The saber avoided a settlement and continued into an uninhabited area, leaving Huang Xiao in pursuit.

• A deacon of the God-Burying Hall discussed Huang Xiao's strength and the search for an old blacksmith before leaving with his two companions.
• Huang Xiao sensed that the three men practiced Demonic Path arts and avoided following them because his Demon-Ghost Blood Curse limited his strength.
• After five days in the Misty Mountain Range, Huang Xiao found fewer dangers but still had not found a way out.
• Minghong trembled with excitement, flew from its scabbard, and raced forward, forcing Huang Xiao to chase it using Heaven and Earth Momentum.
• Huang Xiao spotted a settlement ahead and feared people would see Minghong, but the saber veered away and continued through an uninhabited area.

Huang Xiao passed through a guarded black iron mine unnoticed while pursuing the Minghong Saber. The overseer learned that the storehouse holding three pieces of thousand-year black iron had been robbed, just as an elder arrived, while Huang Xiao discovered the mine’s enormous ore piles.

• Huang Xiao overheard the mine overseer boast that the gang had found three pieces of thousand-year black iron and that an elder was coming to collect them.
• He Laoliu reported that the storehouse had been robbed and the thousand-year black iron was gone.
• The overseer ordered his men to search the mine and count the prisoners before the elder arrived.
• An elder appeared behind the overseer, who recognized him and collapsed in alarm.
• Huang Xiao continued following the Minghong Saber, noticed the mine workers and huge heaps of black iron ore, and wondered how much iron they contained.

Huang Xiao followed the Minghong Saber into the Lone Mountain Gang’s mine, where the saber returned to him as the tunnels collapsed. Leng Feng accused him of stealing the thousand-year black iron, but Huang Xiao overwhelmed him and departed, leaving the gang to face three newly arrived strangers interested in the ore.

• Huang Xiao followed the Minghong Saber through the mine, knocked the miners and guards unconscious, and watched the saber vanish into a rock wall.
• The mine shook and collapsed; the Minghong Saber shot back to Huang Xiao, who woke the unconscious miners as he escaped.
• Leng Feng and the overseer accused Huang Xiao of stealing the three pieces of thousand-year black iron and demanded that he hand them over.
• Huang Xiao revealed overwhelming strength, injured Leng Feng with a snort, and left after noticing something behind the gang.
• Leng Feng decided the theft had to be reported and the black iron recovered, while three strangers arrived, drawn by news of the ore.

Leng Feng faced three powerful newcomers who demanded the Thousand-Year Black Iron stolen by Huang Xiao, then ordered the Lone Mountain Gang to provide two pieces from its remaining stores. The Lord Steward recognized Huang Xiao as the thief they were searching for, while Leng Feng was left with three days to meet the demand.

• Leng Feng cautiously introduced himself to the Lord Steward and his two companions, who dismissed the Lone Mountain Gang as insignificant.
• The Lord Steward demanded the Thousand-Year Black Iron, and Leng Feng explained that three pieces had already been stolen by a young man.
• After hearing Leng Feng describe the thief, the Lord Steward realized he was the man they had encountered earlier and acknowledged that taking the iron would have been easy for him.
• When the Lord Steward's companion suggested killing the gang members, Leng Feng invoked the Swift Sword Sect, but the newcomers dismissed the threat.
• The Lord Steward demanded three pieces of Thousand-Year Black Iron, then reduced his order to two and gave Leng Feng three days to deliver them.

Leng Feng learned that the men demanding two pieces of thousand-year black iron belonged to the God-Burying Hall and realized the Lone Mountain Gang could not oppose them. He ordered the gang to stop searching for the thief and hurried to report the demand to his elder brother.

• Leng Feng asked for three days to report the demand to his Chief, and the deacon warned him of the consequences if he failed to comply.
• A middle-aged man showed Leng Feng a token bearing the God-Burying Hall’s name, and Leng Feng recognized the power behind it.
• Leng Feng abandoned the idea of seeking help from the Swift Sword Sect and concluded that the gang had to surrender the black iron.
• Leng Feng ordered his men to stop searching for the thief, then left to return to the gang.
• The overseer ordered the disciples to sort the ore and clear the mine tunnel to lessen his punishment.

Huang Xiao met the fugitive miner who had stolen three pieces of thousand-year black iron and persuaded him to guide him out of Mist Mountain. When the Minghong Saber reacted to the iron, Old Man Ou mistook Huang Xiao for a member of the Demon Hall seeking his family’s heirloom saber.

• Huang Xiao discovered the ragged old miner hiding in the bushes and learned he had stolen three pieces of thousand-year black iron.
• Huang Xiao told the old man he was not connected to the Lone Mountain Gang and asked him to guide him out of Mist Mountain instead of taking the iron.
• The old man revealed the black iron, and the Minghong Saber flew from its sheath, pierced one piece, and absorbed its aura before Huang Xiao subdued it with Heaven and Earth Momentum.
• Old Man Ou recognized the Minghong Saber as a replica of the Supreme Demon Saber and accused Huang Xiao of belonging to the Demon Hall and coveting his family’s heirloom.

Huang Xiao learned from Old Man Ou that his Minghong Saber was likely one of the Demon Hall’s rare spiritually aware replicas of the Supreme Demon Saber, putting him in danger if its origin became known. As they walked out of Mist Mountain, Old Man Ou explained the Fifteen Provinces and the power of the Supreme Ruler of Wulin, whose position included custody of Seven-Star Dragon Abyss.

• Huang Xiao let Old Man Ou examine Minghong, and Old Man Ou identified it as a spiritually aware replica of the Demon Hall’s Supreme Demon Saber.
• Old Man Ou warned Huang Xiao that the Demon Hall might kill him and endanger his elders if it learned he possessed the saber.
• Huang Xiao admitted he knew little about the Jianghu, so Old Man Ou began explaining the Fifteen Provinces as they walked out of Mist Mountain.
• Old Man Ou explained that the Heavenly Sword Sect had held the Supreme Ruler of Wulin position for over a century and that the ruler kept Seven-Star Dragon Abyss.
• Huang Xiao learned that the true Seven-Star Dragon Abyss was said to be ten thousand years old and that rulers could study cultivation methods from it.

After leaving Mist Mountain, Huang Xiao learned more about the Martial World's rankings and met Ou Jin, who invited him to eat at a nearby inn. They reached the Swift Sword Inn and noticed an escort agency guarding three wagons.

• Old Man Ou explained the Seven-Star Dragon Abyss, Mist Mountain, and the Jianghu rankings while he and Huang Xiao traveled toward the mountains' exit.
• Huang Xiao and Old Man Ou emerged from Mist Mountain after three days, and Old Man Ou asked whether Huang Xiao planned to make a name for himself in the Jianghu.
• Old Man Ou explained the Dragon and Tiger Rankings, but Huang Xiao said he had no interest in fame and wanted to keep a low profile.
• Old Man Ou revealed his name as Ou Jin, and Huang Xiao introduced himself as Huang Xiao before agreeing to join him for a meal.
• Huang Xiao and Ou Jin reached the Swift Sword Inn, then stopped when Huang Xiao spotted an escort agency guarding three wagons.

Huang Xiao and Ou Jin ate at the Swift Sword Inn, but Huang Xiao discovered he had no money and pledged his treasured jade pendant as collateral. As they left, Escort Chief Liu offered ten taels of silver to redeem the pendant for him.

• Huang Xiao and Ou Jin entered the Swift Sword Inn and ordered a lavish meal after seeing the Transcendent Immortal Escort Agency's people settle in.
• Ou Jin ate heartily and told Huang Xiao he had stolen three pieces of Thousand-Year Black Iron after working at a mine for three months.
• Huang Xiao realized he had brought no silver, so the shopkeeper demanded collateral for their ten-tael bill.
• Huang Xiao pledged the jade pendant given to him by the Four Women and warned the shopkeeper to keep it safe for three days.
• Escort Chief Liu offered Shopkeeper Chen ten taels of silver and asked him to return Huang Xiao's pendant.

Huang Xiao reclaimed his jade pendant with Liu Yu’s help, while Swift Sword Sect’s Elder Yang plotted to capture Liu Yu and obtain the Transcendent Immortal Swordsmanship. After parting from Ou Jin, Huang Xiao encountered the God-Burying Hall men pursuing him, and their confrontation began.

• Liu Yu lent Huang Xiao ten taels of silver, allowing him to reclaim his jade pendant from Shopkeeper Chen.
• Shopkeeper Chen reported to Elder Yang, who revealed that the Swift Sword Sect planned to seize Liu Yu and force Liu Jinyi to surrender the Transcendent Immortal Sword Manual.
• Elder Yang ordered preparations to capture the Transcendent Immortal Escort Agency discreetly and left for Lone Mountain Town.
• Huang Xiao and Ou Jin parted ways, but three God-Burying Hall men soon caught up with them and identified Ou Jin as their target.
• The deacon summoned reinforcements and threatened Huang Xiao, who denied belonging to the Heavenly Demon Hall and challenged the men’s assumption.

Huang Xiao helped Ou Jin escape the God-Burying Hall, then killed the pursuers and took their money and thousand-year black iron. When the Branch Altar Master arrived with four subordinates, Huang Xiao attacked them, and the four subordinates died before they could fight back.

• The God-Burying Hall deacon revealed that Huang Xiao possessed the Heavenly Demon Skill and urged Ou Jin to leave with him, but Huang Xiao denied belonging to the Heavenly Demon Hall and chose to protect Ou Jin.
• Ou Jin fled while Huang Xiao killed the deacon's two subordinates and then the deacon, taking their notes, silver, and two pieces of thousand-year black iron.
• Ou Jin returned after finding his escape blocked, bringing the God-Burying Hall's Branch Altar Master and four other men back to Huang Xiao.
• Huang Xiao declared that he would kill the five men and rushed at them; the Altar Master ordered them to scatter, but Huang Xiao passed among the four subordinates and killed them.

Huang Xiao killed the God-Burying Hall’s Qinyang City Branch Altar Master and gave Ou Jin two pieces of Thousand-Year Black Iron. Ou Jin explained that the Minghong Saber could grow stronger by absorbing rare ores, and Huang Xiao resolved to trust the saber rather than fear its power.

• Huang Xiao killed the Altar Master’s four subordinates and then defeated and killed the Altar Master in battle.
• Ou Jin watched in shock as Huang Xiao revealed his strength and defeated the God-Burying Hall expert.
• Huang Xiao gave Ou Jin two pieces of Thousand-Year Black Iron as compensation for the piece used by the Minghong Saber.
• Ou Jin urged Huang Xiao to let the Minghong Saber absorb rare ores so its power and spirituality could improve.
• Huang Xiao accepted Ou Jin’s advice, kept one piece of Thousand-Year Black Iron, and said he would not fear losing the saber if they were not destined for each other.
• Ou Jin promised to examine the Minghong Saber carefully the next time they met.

After Huang Xiao and Ou Jin destroyed the God-Burying Hall’s forces in Qinyang City, Ou Jin explained the Demon Hall’s cultivation arts and its approaching thousand-year succession. He then pointed Huang Xiao toward the Rare Treasures Pavilion as a source of materials for the Minghong Saber, though Huang Xiao questioned why Ou Jin had resorted to infiltrating a mine.

• Huang Xiao gave Ou Jin money from the dead, and Ou Jin accepted it before preparing to leave.
• Huang Xiao asked Ou Jin about the Demon Hall’s three great halls and learned their arts came from the Heavenly Demon Canon, Ten Thousand Demons Canon, and God-Burying Demon Canon.
• Ou Jin explained that the three scriptures came from the Supreme Demon Scripture and that the Demon Hall Master’s Supreme Demonic Art was tied to the Demon Hall’s immense power.
• Ou Jin told Huang Xiao that the Demon Hall Master’s position had been vacant for centuries and that a new master’s arrival could plunge the world into turmoil.
• Ou Jin recommended the Rare Treasures Pavilion for buying treasures needed by the Minghong Saber, and Huang Xiao challenged him over why he had sneaked into the mine for Thousand-Year Black Iron.

Huang Xiao gathered money from the men he had defeated and set off to find the Rare Treasures Pavilion, hoping to learn how to remove the Demon-Ghost Blood Curse. Forced to spend the night in the wilderness, he overheard Liu Yu and his escorts being cornered by Yang Kui of the Swift Sword Sect.

• Huang Xiao asked Ou Jin about buying poison cures and injury treatments at the Rare Treasures Pavilion, then Ou Jin left.
• Huang Xiao searched the five defeated men and took their money before heading away from Mist Mountain.
• Huang Xiao failed to find a town before nightfall, climbed a tree, and thought about his family and friends in Great Song.
• Huang Xiao woke to the sound of a chase and recognized Liu Yu among five people fleeing from pursuers.
• Liu Yu's four escorts stopped to hold off Yang Kui and the Swift Sword Sect, urging Liu Yu to warn the Chief Escort Master about the sect's plans.
• Yang Kui promised not to harm Liu Yu, but Liu Yu accused the Swift Sword Sect of targeting the Transcendent Immortal Escort Agency, and Yang Kui dismissed the threat.

Yang Kui tried to force Liu Yu to surrender the Transcendent Immortal Escort Agency by threatening to capture him, but Huang Xiao interrupted the confrontation. After recognizing Huang Xiao’s valuable jade pendant, Yang Kui grew more confident that he could keep him from interfering.

• Yang Kui explained that the Swift Sword Sect wanted the Transcendent Immortal Escort Agency and threatened to use Liu Yu as leverage against Liu Jinyi.
• Yang Kui gave Liu Yu three breaths to surrender, while Liu Yu’s four escorts urged him to escape.
• Huang Xiao spoke from a nearby tree, surprising Yang Kui, then leaped down and approached the group.
• Huang Xiao returned the ten taels Liu Yu had paid for their meal and ignored Liu Yu’s warning to leave.
• Yang Kui learned Huang Xiao carried the jade pendant Shopkeeper Chen had mentioned and, believing Huang Xiao and Liu Yu barely knew each other, offered him a reward to stay out of the matter.

Huang Xiao drove Yang Kui and the Swift Sword Sect disciples away to repay Liu Yu for lending him ten taels of silver. After Liu Yu prepared to return to Qinyang City, Huang Xiao asked whether the city had a Rare Treasures Pavilion.

• Huang Xiao refused Yang Kui's offer of ten thousand taels and warned him to leave rather than interfere with Liu Yu.
• Yang Kui sensed Huang Xiao's overwhelming strength, struck a disciple who challenged him, and withdrew with the Swift Sword Sect group.
• Huang Xiao explained that helping Liu Yu repaid the small favor of the ten taels and warned that the Swift Sword Sect might still cause trouble.
• Liu Yu thanked Huang Xiao, gave his surname as Huang, and prepared to return to Qinyang City after the Swift Sword Sect seized the escort wagons.
• Huang Xiao called Liu Yu back and asked whether Qinyang City had a Rare Treasures Pavilion.

Huang Xiao traveled with Liu Yu’s party toward Qinyang City, where the Liu Family faced threats from the Swift Sword Sect. After arriving, Huang Xiao became interested in Liu Yu’s Transcendent Immortal Swordsmanship and sought information about the escort agency instead of going straight to the Rare Treasures Pavilion.

• Huang Xiao asked to accompany Liu Yu’s party to Qinyang City, and Liu Yu agreed despite Escort Lin’s suspicions.
• Huang Xiao and Liu Yu’s four companions traveled through the night, then fought off bandits who blocked their road the next day.
• Huang Xiao noticed Liu Yu’s Transcendent Immortal Swordsmanship as Liu Yu and his companions defeated the bandits.
• Liu Yu’s party reached Qinyang City, where Swift Sword Sect scouts watched the gates, and Liu Yu hurried back to the escort agency.
• Huang Xiao changed course to investigate the Transcendent Immortal Escort Agency and asked an elderly passerby about its recent troubles.

Huang Xiao investigated the declining Transcendent Immortal Escort Agency and learned that the Swift Sword Sect threatened it. After reaching the agency, he used the Embroidered Spring House and Miss Jiao Jiao’s first guest occasion as an excuse to enter the brothel.

• Huang Xiao asked people in Qinyang City about the Transcendent Immortal Escort Agency and learned that Liu Douqi’s death had left it weakened and vulnerable to the Swift Sword Sect.
• Huang Xiao approached the agency at dusk, observed its guarded entrance, and considered how to make contact.
• A madam invited Huang Xiao into the Embroidered Spring House, where Miss Jiao Jiao was receiving her first guest.
• Master Chen, who called himself the Flower Queen Killer, entered and told Huang Xiao to find another girl.
• Huang Xiao dismissed Master Chen’s claim and went into the Embroidered Spring House to see Miss Jiao Jiao.