Chapter Summaries

Old White Ape analyzed Ji Hong’s actions and concluded that the Mirage Dragon Demon Core was part of a layered trap, then decided to investigate those around him. Ji Hong remained concealed by Skyvault Ravine’s city wall, unnoticed by the guards.

• Old White Ape considered whether the Mirage Dragon Demon Core was hidden near him or in Deep Mountain and suspected Ji Hong had misled him.
• Old White Ape reasoned that Ji Hong’s plan might include another trap unrelated to the Demon Core, designed to catch him if he evaded the first one.
• Old White Ape welcomed the confrontation and decided to screen those around him because he could not reach Deep Mountain.
• Ji Hong watched the city wall from the shadows as Demon Kings and a bird-race guard passed without noticing him.
• A rodent Demon Beast searched nearby but found nothing and burrowed back underground.

Ji Hong remembered how his peers chose him to lead a mission against the Demon Domain, trusting his calm judgment despite his doubts. He also recalled killing his teacher and taking the teacher’s awakening object, a pen.

• Ji Hong searched Skyvault Ravine's East City District through the night, then returned to the summit to watch the sunrise.
• Ji Hong remembered his peers urging him to lead a plan to destroy the Demon Domain and end the threat to the Human Race.
• Ji Hong objected that the mission would sacrifice the fourth generation and argued that stronger peers like Feng Wanqiu, Zhang Cheng, and Lin Hai should go instead.
• Ji Hong's peers insisted his composure and judgment made him the right choice, and they settled the matter without giving him another chance to argue.
• Ji Hong recalled his dying teacher telling him he would always be his proudest student.
• Ji Hong approached his teacher's corpse, pierced the teacher's eyes with his sword, and used a secret technique to remove the teacher's awakening object, a pen.

Ji Hong recalled how he became the Human Race’s most hated traitor after the Fourth Generation heavenly prides helped him escape to the Demon Domain. As he sat with Old White Ape, the ape asked where he had hidden the human who absorbed the Mirage Dragon’s Demon Core.

• After his teacher died, Ji Hong became the Human Race’s greatest heavenly pride, but the Guard Bureau and Dark Pavilion hunted him, and he killed more than a hundred of their members while declaring that the Human Race had failed him.
• Fourth Generation heavenly prides confronted Ji Hong, and many died while urging him to carry on their convictions; Demon Clan forces then rescued him, leaving him branded a traitor and placed at the top of the Human Race’s Must-Kill List.
• An unknown youth vowed to protect the Human Race and bear the blame until Ji Hong returned, promising that Ji Hong could kill him to clear his own name.
• After reliving the memories, Ji Hong let Old White Ape through the mist, and the ape asked where he had stashed the human who absorbed the Mirage Dragon’s Demon Core.

Old White Ape tried to make Ji Hong reveal where someone was hidden, but Ji Hong stayed silent and drove him down the mountain. After Old White Ape left, Ji Hong told Elder Xin that a Demon God had been spying on them and that Old White Ape had likely known, hinting at their past plot at Peach Blossom Pool.

• Old White Ape pressed Ji Hong to reveal where the hidden person was, while Ji Hong refused to answer and tossed him away with demon aura.
• Old White Ape searched the mountaintop and complained that Ji Hong had changed since Peach Blossom Pool, but Ji Hong remained silent.
• Old White Ape repeatedly tried to leave the mountain, only to find it surrounded by fog, and accused Ji Hong of trapping him.
• Ji Hong struck Old White Ape with a fist of demon aura, sending him to the foot of the mountain, where Old White Ape cursed him and left.
• Ji Hong spoke to Elder Xin, explaining that a Demon God had been spying on them and Old White Ape had likely known because they had plotted against the Demon God at Peach Blossom Pool.

Ji Hong explained how Old White Ape used the Demon God's surveillance to confirm Green Snake was nearby, exposing his identity. Green Snake offered to be more careful and even risk his life for Ji Hong, who said he could not afford to gamble with even a small chance of disaster.

• Green Snake asked how Ji Hong understood Old White Ape's warning, and Ji Hong explained that a Demon God had been watching him.
• Ji Hong considered whether the Demon God had noticed him by chance, had been alerted by Old White Ape, or could be controlled by him.
• Ji Hong told Green Snake that Old White Ape had exposed his identity by forcing Ji Hong to cooperate while the Demon God watched.
• Green Snake asked whether refusing to cooperate could have fooled Old White Ape, and Ji Hong explained that it might have left Green Snake vulnerable to the Demon God.
• Green Snake promised to stay still and avoid causing trouble in the future, and said he was willing to give his life if Ji Hong needed it.

Old White Ape grew suspicious of Ji Hong’s plans and returned to Deep Mountain to confront him. Ji Hong invited him up, planning to exploit his suspicions until he lost his composure.

• Old White Ape wondered whether Ji Hong had set another layer of the trap in motion or was misleading him about the Mirage Dragon's Demon Core.
• Frustrated by his inability to read Ji Hong, Old White Ape trampled the flower bed and decided to return to Deep Mountain.
• Old White Ape shouted that he was lonely and would stay at the mountain until Ji Hong let him in or killed him.
• Ji Hong told Green Snake that Old White Ape had overthought the situation and had come to trade himself for Ji Hong.
• Ji Hong decided to invite Old White Ape up and act inscrutable for the next few days, while asking Elder Xin to remain hidden.

Old White Ape insisted on staying with Ji Hong and tried to learn what Ji Hong knew, while Ji Hong suggested that Old White Ape might have arranged matters in Skyvault Ravine before coming to the mountain. The chapter left Old White Ape distressed by Ji Hong’s deductions, with his covert preparations exposed.

• Old White Ape said he would keep visiting Ji Hong and searched the mountain for the clothes Ji Hong claimed to have thrown away.
• Old White Ape proposed exchanging secrets, but Ji Hong refused to share anything without sincerity.
• Old White Ape threatened to send five Demon Lords to seal the mountain, and Ji Hong calmly pointed out that they would need eight capable Demon Lords to stop him.
• Old White Ape grabbed Ji Hong’s clothes and vowed to stay and watch him.
• Ji Hong suggested Old White Ape might be keeping him on the mountain to make other arrangements easier, then deduced that Old White Ape had already set up a covert network in Skyvault Ravine.

Old White Ape tried to uncover the identity and purpose of the person who absorbed the Mirage Dragon's Demon Core, while Ji Hong suggested the truth might be much simpler than his theories. Old White Ape rejected that possibility even after Ji Hong confirmed his guess, leaving him still searching for a hidden explanation.

• Old White Ape admitted he could not locate the person with the Mirage Dragon's Demon Core and asked Ji Hong to explain his plan.
• Old White Ape reasoned that the person was from the Reserve Corps, had sought Yu Sheng's advice after Barbarian City fell, and was likely using Ji Hong to distract attention from a task in Skyvault Ravine.
• Ji Hong suggested the person might simply have spent nearly a year trying to enter Skyvault Ravine and only recently succeeded.
• Old White Ape dismissed Ji Hong's explanation as impossible, insisting a Mirage Dragon could easily enter Skyvault Ravine through the Lending Service.
• Ji Hong told Old White Ape that his guess was right, but Old White Ape became suspicious and continued searching for a deeper explanation.

Old White Ape learned that Yu Mo had challenged the Demon Domain and left Deep Mountain, warning Ji Hong that Yu Mo’s boldness could bring disaster. Ji Hong then asked Elder Xin to help before heading out himself, while Yu Mo told Yu Sheng about the declaration of war and was disappointed when Yu Sheng said he already understood.

• Old White Ape spent the week guessing Ji Hong’s plan, then heard that Yu Mo had challenged the Demon Domain to fight again.
• Old White Ape left Deep Mountain after warning Ji Hong that Yu Mo’s daring tactics could end in ruin.
• After Old White Ape departed, Green Snake complained about being insulted, and Ji Hong praised his ability to surprise opponents before asking for his help.
• Ji Hong left Deep Mountain less than ten minutes later, leaving Elder Xin on the mountain summit.
• Yu Mo told Yu Sheng he had declared war on the Demon Domain, but Yu Sheng said he understood without asking why.
• Yu Mo complained that Yu Sheng should ask anyway, since they might be thinking of different things.

Yu Mo explained why the Human Race should attack the Demon Domain before Old White Ape could consolidate his power and turn its indebted elites against them. He left the secretary tasked with staying beside Yu Sheng as he made his case for war.

• Yu Mo lamented that Yu Sheng did not react to his explanations as the three old men had, and the secretary asked why they should attack the Demon Domain now.
• Yu Mo praised the secretary’s question and ordered him to remain by Yu Sheng’s side, especially when Yu Mo was present.
• Yu Mo described how Old White Ape used loans, debt, and purges to strengthen the Demon Domain and secure support from its leaders.
• Yu Mo argued that Old White Ape needed time to unite the Eleven God Race and would eventually direct the Demon Domain’s internal tensions toward the Human Race.
• Yu Mo asked whether the Human Race could develop faster than the Demon Domain in the next few years, and the secretary answered no.

Yu Mo explained why the suspicious Old White Ape would likely sacrifice part of the Demon Clan rather than risk a decisive fight if the Human Race declared war. Yu Sheng ignored Yu Mo’s bids for attention, but Yu Mo discovered a Demon Domain Declaration of War Plan among Yu Sheng’s papers.

• Yu Mo argued that the Human Race could gain an advantage by declaring war before the Demon Domain finished consolidating its power.
• Yu Mo explained that Old White Ape would likely choose a cautious strategy because he distrusted Yu Mo’s possible trump cards.
• Yu Mo begged Yu Sheng to ask him a question, and Yu Sheng asked whether he had eaten dinner.
• Yu Sheng asked whether Yu Mo had a trump card, then left to get food without waiting for an answer.
• Yu Mo noticed a handwritten Demon Domain Declaration of War Plan beneath Yu Sheng’s neatly arranged documents.

Yu Mo read Yu Sheng’s intelligence and plan, then resolved to draw Old White Ape’s attention away from Skyvault Ravine so the Human Race’s Fourth Generation could complete its secret goal. He accepted that history would portray him as a villain and vowed to kill anyone he judged worse than himself.

• Yu Mo read the vague reports about the Demon Domain and Yu Sheng’s analysis, which ended with the words “I do!”
• Yu Mo realized Yu Sheng did not know the full situation at Skyvault Ravine or the Fourth Generation’s secret purpose.
• Yu Mo decided to make the Human Race more tempting to Old White Ape and draw his attention away from Skyvault Ravine, even if it meant sacrificing something.
• Yu Mo imagined history recording Ji Hong as a framed and drugged victim who destroyed the Demon Domain before killing Yu Mo, the Human Race’s greatest villain.
• As darkness fell, Yu Mo accepted that people could debate his merits and faults, and declared he would kill anyone worse than himself.

Yu Mo left Yu Sheng in charge of the coming declaration of war, hoping he could become a hero who surpassed Zhong Yushu. After the Ink Pavilion announced the war against the demons, the Reserve Corps mobilized across Human Race territory while the Light Group warned people not to criticize the campaign.

• Yu Mo left the Ink Pavilion, deciding to hand the lead in the coming declaration of war to Yu Sheng.
• Yu Sheng received Yu Mo’s message, then returned to his office and absorbed High-Rank Demon Beast Crystal Stones while training with his treasures.
• The Ink Pavilion’s official media announced, “Wind rises! Battle the demons!”
• Reserve Corps units across Human Race territory assembled, recalled soldiers home on leave, and posted their traditional battlefield image.
• The Guard Bureau and Dark Pavilion appeared around the streets as the Light Group threatened severe punishments for people who criticized the war.

Yu Sheng delivered a flatly recited speech announcing the Human Race’s intention to carry the war beyond Demon-Suppressing Pass, while public discussion focused on his expressionless manner and the risks of war. Three days later, Zhao Zicheng told the group chat that his wife was pregnant and insisted he would still fight, believing the battle could help him reach the Seventh Awakening.

• Yu Sheng read a prepared speech at the Ink Pavilion’s press conference and announced that he would lead from the front at Demon-Suppressing Pass.
• People online called Yu Sheng the Stone-Faced Pavilion Master, then shared his smiling Ink Academy graduation photo and debated whether the Human Race should start a war.
• Yu Sheng returned to his routine at the Ink Pavilion and showed little tension about the coming war.
• Zhao Zicheng announced in the group chat that his wife was pregnant and worried that fighting might make him a tragic casualty.
• Sun Wen and Lin Xiaoxiao urged Zhao Zicheng to sit out the battle, but he said he could not make an exception for himself and expected the fighting to help him reach the Seventh Awakening.

Yu Sheng considered pushing the coming battle toward Hundred Desolate Mountain after learning Shi Guang had been missing there for a month. In the Demon Domain, Old White Ape rejected Young White Ape’s plan to sabotage Army-Breaker and reflected on Yu Mo’s careful calculations.

• Sun Wen mocked Zhao Zicheng in the group chat, and Zhao Zicheng bragged about his pregnant wife and the gifts he expected for his child.
• Yu Sheng warned the group to pursue easy kills and avoid recklessness before they agreed to meet at Demon-Suppressing Pass.
• Yu Sheng learned that Shi Guang had been missing for a month after going to Hundred Desolate Mountain, then considered advancing the battle there.
• Young White Ape proposed using secret pawns to disrupt Army-Breaker, but Old White Ape rebuked him and explained the plan’s risks.
• Old White Ape praised Young White Ape’s eagerness but said he lacked Yu Mo’s foresight and admitted he still could not grasp all of Yu Mo’s intentions.

Old White Ape considered Yu Mo’s motives for starting a war, concluding it could help the Human Race prepare Yu Sheng as a leader while covering for Ji Hong’s plans. He dismissed his nephew’s ambitions, then withdrew alone to the King’s Hall and vowed to destroy his enemies himself.

• Old White Ape told Young White Ape that Yu Mo’s war declaration might be a calculated gamble that distracted him from Ji Hong and helped prepare Yu Sheng to lead the Human Race in wartime.
• Young White Ape resolved to work hard and one day live up to his uncle’s example, while Old White Ape privately judged him a diligent but foolish intelligence gatherer.
• Old White Ape considered whether the person who obtained the Mirage Dragon’s Demon Core had replaced Young White Ape, then decided Young White Ape’s identity seemed genuine.
• Old White Ape lamented that he had no one to rely on, returned to the dark King’s Hall, and declared that he alone would annihilate Ji Hong, Yu Mo, Yu Sheng, and the wielder of the Mirage Dragon’s Demon Core.

Old White Ape resolved to face the coming war and used his power to bring the White Ape Clan into Skyvault Ravine’s God Race roster. When Ji Hong insisted that the Yellow Monkey Clan join as well, Old White Ape accepted him, then declared their karmic ties severed.

• Old White Ape donned a black robe, questioned whether the demons were truly guilty, and vowed to meet the coming war head-on.
• Old White Ape summoned the clan chiefs and announced that the White Ape Clan would join the Skyvault Ravine God Race roster.
• Black Flood Dragon and the other clan chiefs agreed after sensing that Old White Ape had reached the pinnacle of demon lord strength.
• Ji Hong arrived from Deep Mountain and declared that the Yellow Monkey Clan should also join, tearing through the domain formed by the twelve Great Demons.
• Old White Ape accepted Ji Hong into the roster as the thirteenth God Race, and Ji Hong withdrew behind the fog as Old White Ape declared their karmic ties severed.

Old White Ape rallied the Demon Domain’s leaders and tribes to fight the Human Race, ordering an army to march on Demon-Suppressing Pass in three days. Yu Mo, Yu Sheng, and Ji Hong concluded that the conflict would likely be a limited war and considered using Azure Birds to spread information in the Demon Domain.

• Old White Ape declared that the Demon Domain would fight the Human Race and persuaded the eleven God Race Clan Leaders to support the war by promising lending priority based on military merit.
• Old White Ape offered other Demon Beasts lending quotas for battlefield merit, and they roared in support of the coming battle.
• Old White Ape ordered the army to assemble and march on Demon-Suppressing Pass in three days, then destroyed the flowers and rocking chair outside his King's Hall.
• Yu Mo and Yu Sheng agreed that Old White Ape could not halt the war but was unlikely to make it decisive, and that the Demon Domain would suffer greater losses.
• Yu Sheng suggested using the Azure Birds to spread information, and Ji Hong agreed that they should try despite Old White Ape’s likely countermeasures.

Yu Sheng proposed taking the initiative against the Demon Clan before its army reached the gates, while Yu Mo assessed the risks and the plan’s value to Army-Breaker. Yu Mo ended by asking whether Yu Sheng would still choose Hundred Desolate Mountain if Shi Guang had disappeared somewhere else.

• Yu Mo and Yu Sheng discussed using Azure Birds to carry messages and the danger of Old White Ape targeting Army-Breaker.
• Yu Mo explained that Army-Breaker’s mission would test the force and could either make it rise or leave it absorbed into the Reserve Corps.
• Yu Mo said the Eleven God Race had come under Old White Ape’s influence and asked Yu Sheng what to do.
• Yu Sheng proposed sending elites through the passes to seize the Thousand-Li Demon Plain and Ten Thousand Demon Forest, then hiding in Hundred Desolate Mountain.
• Yu Sheng said Hundred Desolate Mountain suited the plan because it was vast, divided among many factions, and could keep the Thousand-Li Demon Plain in check.
• Yu Mo asked whether Yu Sheng would still choose Hundred Desolate Mountain if Shi Guang had disappeared in the Swamp Pool or Yellow Springs Graveyard instead.

Yu Mo questioned Yu Sheng about his loyalties, hidden abilities, and motives, while Yu Sheng explained that he mainly wanted to survive and live comfortably. Yu Mo remained unconvinced and reflected that he had long ago lost the ability to be himself.

• Yu Sheng said he would deploy troops and hide in Hundred Desolate Mountain, while resigning as Ink Pavilion Head and going to Swamp Pool and Yellow Springs Graveyard.
• Yu Mo accepted Yu Sheng's honest answer and asked whether Yu Sheng resented him for forcing him into the position.
• Yu Sheng said he did not hate Yu Mo because their arrangement had been a deal, and explained that Sin City's rules had shaped his view of their unequal bargain.
• Yu Mo accused Yu Sheng of hiding his intelligence and asked whether he had another purpose; Yu Sheng said he only wanted to stay alive and live more easily.
• Yu Mo said he did not believe Yu Sheng, and Yu Sheng replied calmly that Yu Mo's answer had already been decided.
• Yu Mo admitted he had lost the ability to be himself long ago.