Chapter Summaries

Song Yan helped eliminate the Devil Cultivators at Crane Rock Mountain, where Wu Shuangzhi avenged her brother and Sheng Nian retrieved the Blood Jade Skull. Song Yan returned to the Red Maple Plain alliance camp, where a message from Shao Sichao brought news about something he had asked him to watch for.

• Li Qingfeng used his black pot and kitchen knife to kill a Qi Refining Devil Cultivator, then blocked two wounded Foundation Establishment Devil Cultivators at the valley entrance.
• Wu Shuangzhi attacked the two Devil Cultivators with Song Yan's saber, killed them with her technique Ripples, and collapsed unconscious.
• After the righteous cultivators left, Sheng Nian confirmed that the Blood Jade Skull Song Yan found was the one he wanted and discussed the saber modeled after the ancient Law Treasure Water Dragon.
• Song Yan left Crane Rock Mountain and returned to his post at the Red Maple Plain alliance camp, where he reflected on the ongoing battles and the strength of Golden Core cultivators.
• Shao Sichao sent a Communication Talisman telling Song Yan there was news about the thing he had asked him to watch for.

Song Yan obtained Purple Spirit Miasma Stone and discovered that the Infinite Treasury could slowly heal his broken sword, Seeking Benevolence. He was then conscripted to lead a month-long reinforcement detachment to Tiansheng Pass, where he learned that a Dongyuan Sect junior named Zhou Mengdie was among the requisitioned cultivators.

• Song Yan met Shao Sichao at Falling Leaves Bank and collected Purple Spirit Miasma Stone, artifact materials, and a few scarce medicinal herbs exchanged with his battle merits.
• Song Yan fed the Purple Spirit Miasma Stone to the Infinite Treasury's fire pool and sensed it slowly flowing into Seeking Benevolence, suggesting the broken sword could be restored.
• A Xuanyuan Sect cultivator delivered the Elders' Court's order for Song Yan to lead a reinforcement detachment to Tiansheng Pass for one month, and he agreed to depart immediately.
• Song Yan led the cultivators from Maple Leaf Lake to Tiansheng Pass, where commander Shi Ping welcomed the reinforcements and left Song Yan to take charge.
• He Huan gave Song Yan a roster of requisitioned Qi Refining cultivators and pointed out that Zhou Mengdie, a junior sister from Dongyuan Sect, was among them.

Song Yan took Zhou Mengdie under his supervision while continuing to develop his sword techniques, and he learned of a major orthodox victory at Yinfeng Gorge. The chapter ended with Demon Ruins cultivators attacking Tiansheng Pass as He Huan assigned Song Yan to hold the pass.

• He Huan transferred the sleepy Zhou Mengdie to Song Yan’s group, and Song Yan told her to stand watch with him.
• Song Yan practiced the Star Shift Sword Formation, using seven Sword Shadows to make three Red-Mane Tusked Boars attack and kill one another.
• Devil Cultivators outside Tiansheng Pass discussed targeting the miners and debated whether six Foundation Establishment cultivators could defeat Song Yan.
• Song Yan read a report that Qin Ying and the Qin Lineage had helped secure an orthodox victory at Yinfeng Gorge, where the Demon Ruins lost three False Core Realm cultivators.
• Demon Ruins cultivators attacked Tiansheng Pass, and He Huan asked Song Yan to hold the pass while the others pursued four intruders.

Song Yan faced six Foundation Establishment Devil Cultivators after they used a Four Symbols Counter-Formation to destroy Tiansheng Pass’s defenses. He held them off with the Star-Shift Sword Formation until He Huan and the others returned, then a young voice challenged the Devil Cultivators as they tried to flee.

• He Huan pursued four false flight lights into the gorge and discovered they were wooden puppets as four pillars of light rose outside Tiansheng Pass and destroyed its defensive formation.
• Six Foundation Establishment Devil Cultivators attacked Song Yan while dozens of Late Qi Refining cultivators stormed the pass.
• Song Yan used the Star-Shift Sword Formation to redirect and disrupt the six attackers’ blows, choosing not to risk a decisive strike with his Sword Intent.
• Zhou Mengdie’s spirit-fish Jade Pendant collapsed under three Devil Cultivators’ attacks, but the three suddenly fell asleep before they could harm her.
• He Huan, Shi Ping, and two other Foundation Establishment cultivators returned and joined the fight, prompting the Devil Cultivators to retreat.
• A young voice challenged the six Devil Cultivators as they attempted to escape.

Song Yan killed two leading Devil Cultivators at Tiansheng Pass and helped drive off the remaining attackers. While investigating why Zhou Mengdie and others had fallen asleep, he entered her dream and met her ancestor, Zhou Zixiu.

• Song Yan used Wandering the Arrayed Stars to kill the yellow-robed elder and Senior Brother Chen, prompting the surviving Devil Cultivators to flee.
• Shi Ping pursued the retreating attackers and killed one, while He Huan organized the defenders and began restoring the pass.
• Song Yan found Zhou Mengdie, several Devil Cultivators, and defenders asleep; he resisted the strange sleep-inducing force and ordered everyone to keep their distance.
• Song Yan entered Zhou Mengdie's dream through his Flowers in the Mirror, Moon in the Water Sword Intent and found her speaking with a green-robed cultivator.
• The green-robed cultivator identified himself as Zhou Zixiu, Zhou Mengdie's ancestor, and explained that he had been lodging in her dream.

Song Yan discovered a second ancient talisman and learned that Yellow Springs Way cultivators may have been involved in the disappearance of sword cultivators. As the reinforcements’ service neared its end, Zhou Mengdie received Song Yan’s message to meet him.

• Song Yan withdrew from Zhou Mengdie’s dream, and Zhou Zixiu told her to pay attention to Song Yan and cultivate harder.
• Song Yan searched the Heaven and Earth Bags of two slain devil cultivators and found a second ancient talisman identical to the one Sheng Nian had given him.
• Song Yan read a jade slip describing an ancient Yellow Springs Way summons tied to sword cultivators and wondered whether Demon Ruins cultivators had helped drive sword cultivators from the mortal world.
• Song Yan returned to studying sword formations as the reinforcement cultivators’ service at Tiansheng Pass approached its end.
• Senior Sister Chen told Zhou Mengdie that Song Yan had asked her to visit his cave abode, and Zhou Mengdie hurried to go.

Song Yan recruited Zhou Mengdie to deliver an ancient Jade Talisman to Yang Wenxuan as part of an investigation into the elder’s suspected ties to Demon Ruins cultivators. At the Fangxiangshi meeting, Song Yan learned that Chengyi had been killed in the Eastern Wilderness Corridor, drawing the Central Region’s attention there.

• An old monk named Chengyi confronted Lao Yi in a deserted village along Yellow Springs Way.
• Song Yan learned that Zhou Mengdie wanted to return to Red Maple Plain and asked whether Yang Wenxuan had approached her.
• Song Yan told Zhou Mengdie that Yang Wenxuan might have ties to Demon Ruins cultivators and enlisted her to present him with an ancient Jade Talisman without mentioning Song Yan.
• Song Yan put on his Jiazuo Nuo Mask and joined the Fangxiangshi meeting, where Xiongbo and Shuwei discussed a page of scripture.
• Cuoduan told the gathering that Chengyi had been killed in the Eastern Wilderness Corridor, and Xiongbo confirmed the reports were true.

After leaving the battlefield at Red Maple Plain, Song Yan traveled to Yangling to enter the Immortal Dynasty Ancient Battlefield with Sheng Nian. They found the area drawing cultivators from multiple kingdoms, and Sheng Nian revealed that he had obtained another ancient talisman before a new group arrived at the pavilion.

• Song Yan reported his mission at Tiansheng Pass to the Nine Veins Joint Elders' Court, where the elders discussed his strength and Fu Xiao told him Qin Xijun had come to Red Maple Plain.
• Song Yan visited Qin Xijun, who advised him to return to the sect since he had earned enough battle merits, but he chose to stay a little longer to handle other matters.
• After receiving a red Sound Transmission Talisman, Song Yan applied to leave the main battlefield and prepared to travel to Yijiang without Xiao He, asking her to stay and seek help from Xiao Ju or Granny Qin if needed.
• Song Yan and Sheng Nian arrived at the Immortal-Drinking Waterside Pavilion in Yangling, where they saw many Foundation Establishment cultivators from different regions gathering amid reports of chaotic Spiritual Qi near the ancient battlefield.
• Sheng Nian told Song Yan he had acquired another ancient talisman, so each of them could enter the battlefield with one; then three more visitors entered the pavilion.

Song Yan and Sheng Nian entered the Immortal Dynasty Ancient Battlefield Ruins by a hidden river route, but Song Yan arrived alone in the midst of an ancient army. When several cultivators tried to leave the army, Deputy General Luo revealed his Golden Core strength and killed them, leaving Song Yan and the others under military discipline.

• Sheng Nian told Sheng Nian that Zhou Mengdie carried the presence of his old enemy Zhou Zixiu, and Sheng Nian agreed to kill her if he got the chance.
• Song Yan and Sheng Nian took A Yuan’s boat through a whirlpool and used their Ancient Talismans to enter the ruins by a hidden route.
• Song Yan appeared on a drill ground surrounded by thousands of soldiers, while Sheng Nian, A Yuan, Yang Wenxuan, and his companions were nowhere in sight.
• Song Yan followed the troops to the Martial Arts Platform, where Deputy General Luo mistook him and the other outside cultivators for court reinforcements.
• Deputy General Luo revealed his Golden Core power and killed three cultivators who tried to fly away, then warned the survivors against breaking military discipline.

Song Yan and the other outsiders were conscripted into the Immortal Qin Tiger-Wolf Army and sent to guard a gorge while Deputy General Luo pursued rebels. As a desperate band of rebels charged their weakly defended post, Song Yan and the recruits prepared to fight.

• Deputy General Luo killed three late Foundation Establishment cultivators, declared the outsiders conscripted soldiers, and assigned them ranks in the Tiger-Wolf Army.
• Song Yan received his military tag and supplies, then recognized the army as the Immortal Qin force from stories about the ancient battlefield.
• At a remote gorge encampment, Wang Shengguang explained that the rebels were led by a former Golden Core lieutenant whose strength had fallen to False Core Realm.
• Song Yan considered whether the Wu siblings and Wei Zhi knew how to escape the battlefield, while wondering what had happened to Dog Sheng.
• A remnant force of about a hundred rebels charged the recruits' position, and Wang Shengguang shouted that the enemy was attacking.

Song Yan defended the pass from a rebel breakout, killing two Foundation Establishment opponents with his sword formations and discovering that scarlet Spiritual Power flowed into his Ancient Talisman. After the battle, Wang Shengguang praised him and offered to seek military merit, but he could not see the talisman Song Yan showed him.

• The rebels overwhelmed the defenders, and their curly-bearded leader charged at Song Yan, whom he mistook for the weakest point in the line.
• Song Yan used the Star-Shifting Sword Formation and Moonfall to kill the curly-bearded leader, Old Xu, and nearby Qi Refining rebels.
• The dead rebels released scarlet Spiritual Power that gathered into Song Yan's Ancient Talisman, whose golden-red hue grew stronger.
• Tiger-Wolf Army reinforcements arrived, and Song Yan and other cultivators helped defeat the rebels; Song Yan killed two more Foundation Establishment cultivators and collected fifty-seven strands of Spiritual Qi.
• Wang Shengguang thanked Song Yan and offered to seek military merit for him, but when Song Yan showed him the Ancient Talisman, Wang Shengguang saw nothing in his hand.

Song Yan examined the changing Ancient Talisman while Chen Li secretly planned to steal one and tried to persuade the other cultivators to reveal what they knew. The discussion was interrupted when a powerful formation erupted in the gorge, leaving the group facing an unknown threat.

• Song Yan studied how his Ancient Talisman absorbed scarlet Spiritual Power and considered whether it recorded merits or could help him leave the ruins.
• Chen Li sent his Phantom Aspect Heavenly Demon to spy on Song Yan, learned it had nearly been detected, and decided Song Yan was the easiest cultivator to target for an Ancient Talisman.
• Wang Shengguang escorted the surrendered rebels into the gorge, leaving Chen Li and the other six Foundation Establishment cultivators to guard the pass.
• Chen Li questioned Wu Caidie about the Ancient Talismans and urged the group to work together to find a way out, but Wu Caidie said her family records offered no answers.
• A thunderous crash shook the gorge as shafts of spiritual light rose and formed a vast formation, then a violent pressure swept in from the distant sky.

Song Yan pursued the mortally wounded rebel leader Xu Duan, hoping to use the gold-and-red Ancient Talisman to seize his Spiritual Qi. After killing Xu Duan with a powerful sword strike and absorbing his Spiritual Qi, Song Yan was ambushed by a figure emerging from the woods.

• Song Yan left the camp to pursue the fleeing False Core Realm rebel leader, while Chen Li followed secretly to wait for an opportunity to attack.
• Xu Duan crashed into the forest after escaping Luo Zheng and brooded over his resentment toward Luo Zheng and the Yan Kingdom.
• Song Yan confronted Xu Duan and prepared his strongest sword strike as Xu Duan launched a desperate attack with his modao.
• Song Yan's sword strike pierced Xu Duan's skull and killed him, but Xu Duan's final Blade Qi badly wounded Song Yan.
• Song Yan used the Ancient Talisman to absorb the 128 strands of scarlet Spiritual Qi from Xu Duan's remains.
• A shadowy figure emerged from the woods and attacked Song Yan as the Ancient Talisman finished absorbing the Spiritual Qi.

Song Yan killed Chen Li with his asura Dharma Body after Chen Li ambushed him, then promised to pass along Wu Huaisheng’s final message to his family. After Wu Caidie and Li Yan left, Luo Zheng arrived, accepted Song Yan’s report that Xu Duan was dead, and led him back to the army.

• Chen Li ambushed the injured Song Yan, but Song Yan summoned his asura Dharma Body, which destroyed Chen Li’s attacks and killed him.
• Wu Huaisheng’s Phantom Aspect Heavenly Demon revealed that Chen Li had refined his soul and asked Song Yan to tell Xue Miaodan and Wu Yaosheng that he had died; Song Yan agreed and released him.
• Song Yan spotted Wu Caidie and Li Yan watching from the forest, and they promised to report truthfully that Chen Li had attacked him and been killed.
• After Wu Caidie and Li Yan departed, Song Yan dismissed his Dharma Body and, exhausted, took a medicinal pill to recover.
• Luo Zheng arrived with several cultivators, asked about Xu Duan, accepted Song Yan’s answer that he was dead, and led him back to the army to report to General Bai.

Song Yan examined Chen Li’s Heaven and Earth Bag and found the Illusory-Aspect Heavenly Devil Cultivation Method, which he considered adapting to ease the strain of controlling his Dharma Aspect. Summoned by Luo Zheng, he met General Bai, who recognized his Ancient Talisman and offered him a chance to earn an ancient sword after gaining a thousand battlefield merits.

• Song Yan found the Illusory-Aspect Heavenly Devil Cultivation Method and decided he might use it to reduce the Divine Sense strain of controlling his Great Radiance Dharma Aspect.
• Song Yan stored items that might have belonged to Wu Huaisheng for the chance to pass them on to his family, then learned that General Bai had summoned him.
• Luo Zheng led Song Yan to Duyou Pavilion, where Song Yan sensed a stirring from the Infinite Treasury upon entering the courtyard.
• General Bai praised Song Yan’s role in suppressing the rebellion and reflected on Xu Duan’s fall while discussing military deployments with Luo Zheng.
• General Bai offered Song Yan the ring-pommel sword after he earned a thousand battlefield merits and revealed that he could see Song Yan’s Ancient Talisman.
• When Song Yan asked why General Bai had summoned him, General Bai said he had no reason beyond being free to do so.

Song Yan received orders to lead the Qin army’s outer-camp elites in capturing Daming Pass, while Sheng Nian was pressured by Sui cultivators to spearhead their own assault. The chapter ended as Yang Wenxuan, Qin Zhan, and Zhou Mengdie entered the pass under orders to reinforce its Yan defenders.

• Wu Yun and Wei Zhi helped Wu Caidie kill an enemy general, whose scarlet Spiritual Qi flowed into her Ancient Talisman.
• Song Yan returned to camp and learned that the army planned to seize Daming Pass; Luo Zheng assigned him to lead the operation.
• Sui cultivators tried to manipulate Sheng Nian into leading an assault on Daming Pass, but he left with A Yuan and resolved to kill them first.
• Yang Wenxuan, Qin Zhan, and Zhou Mengdie entered Daming Pass after showing their credentials, and He Yiming welcomed them.

Song Yan and Sheng Nian reunited after staging a fight to escape the battle between their armies, then discussed why the ancient battlefield had been sealed. Sheng Nian suspected the seal was failing and the generals’ lingering souls had awakened the buried soldiers to settle their unfinished rivalry.

• Song Yan and five Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators assessed Daming Pass and its Wind-and-Thunder Grand Formation.
• Song Yan encountered Sheng Nian and five cultivators from the opposing Sui army, and Sheng Nian abruptly attacked him, triggering a chaotic battle.
• Song Yan and Sheng Nian pretended to fight in earnest and withdrew into the forest, where they reunited with A Yuan.
• Sheng Nian explained that the Qin, Yan, and Sui sovereigns had sealed away armies and generals after peace negotiations, likely to eliminate powerful commanders they feared.
• Sheng Nian described how Martial Immortals depended on an emperor’s Incense and Fire Prayer Power, which could be withdrawn to destroy them.
• Sheng Nian conjectured that the battlefield’s sealing formation was close to collapsing and that the generals’ lingering regrets had awakened the buried soldiers to settle who was superior.

Song Yan and Sheng Nian discussed attacking Daming Pass and discovered that killing cultivators with Ancient Talismans could transfer their merit. Song Yan and A Yuan killed four Sui cultivators, and Song Yan gained two Ancient Talismans as reinforcements arrived.

• Sheng Nian told Song Yan that Sui intelligence placed seven Foundation Establishment reinforcements at Daming Pass, and Song Yan suspected Yang Wenxuan was among them.
• A red-robed cultivator and three companions confronted Sheng Nian, accusing him of betraying them, and Song Yan agreed to fight them for their Ancient Talismans.
• A Yuan struck down the burly cultivator, while Song Yan used his sword formations to kill the red-robed cultivator and the female cultivator.
• A Yuan killed Wu Li, the Ghost Banner cultivator, and Song Yan collected two Ancient Talismans as their merit flowed into his own.
• A Yuan gathered the fallen cultivators’ Heaven and Earth Bags, and Wu Caidie and Li Yan arrived with Sui reinforcements to find the corpses and Song Yan holding the talismans.

Song Yan led Sheng Nian and A Yuan through Daming Pass’s Wind-and-Thunder Grand Formation and launched a swift assault on the defending camp. As Song Yan and Sheng Nian flew toward the commander, A Yuan stopped He Shan and He Ying, who challenged him to a fight.

• A Yuan burned the corpses of the Sui cultivators, and Song Yan told Wu Caidie and the others that he had killed them and that Sheng Nian had surrendered.
• When Wu Yun challenged Song Yan’s account, Song Yan intimidated the group and left for Daming Pass with Sheng Nian warning them not to provoke him.
• Song Yan used the Wind-Settling Pearl to lead the group through the grand formation, then ordered Wu Caidie and four others to engage the defenders who had come to investigate.
• As alarms sounded, Song Yan, Sheng Nian, and A Yuan flew toward the military camp to kill the defending commander.
• He Shan and He Ying intercepted the trio, but A Yuan caught their spear and halberd and held them back while Song Yan and Sheng Nian continued toward the camp.

Song Yan and Sheng Nian attacked Daming Pass to seize its military seal, confronting He Yiming and Yang Wenxuan. Song Yan’s fight with Yang Wenxuan remained unresolved as he summoned his Great Light Aspect, while Sheng Nian killed He Yiming with a mysterious saber technique.

• Song Yan and Sheng Nian reached the military camp and demanded that He Yiming hand over Daming Pass’s military seal.
• Song Yan revealed himself to Yang Wenxuan and attacked him with the Howling Sun Sword Formation, hoping to capture him alive and learn about his dealings with the Rogue Cultivator of Xin Mountain.
• Yang Wenxuan used a secret technique to raise his strength to the Late Foundation Establishment Stage, and his Talisman Treasure blunted Song Yan’s Sword Intent before breaking apart.
• Song Yan summoned his Great Light Aspect, which overturned Yang Wenxuan’s earth-spirit seal, and the two continued fighting as Song Yan recovered.
• Sheng Nian used his black phantoms and a concentrated saber strike to cut through He Yiming’s defense and kill him.
• Xie Yucheng told Sheng Nian that the saber technique came from a saber of unknown origin and offered to help him find it if he reached a certain level.