Recaps

Chen Mu learned from the Listening Wind Tower’s intelligence that the Heavenly Court and Abyss Devil Race were vast powers beyond the Pan Emperor Continent, then shared what he had learned with the Chen Kingdom’s leaders. He insisted that their campaign against the Otherworldly Demons would proceed, arguing that enemies entering the Pan Emperor Continent could not use power beyond Emperor Level.

• Chen Mu read intelligence describing the Pan Emperor Continent as a supreme material plane and explaining the Heavenly Court’s strength and influence over part of its Heavenly Dao.
• Chen Mu studied the Abyss Devil Race’s origins and forces, noting that the Listening Wind Tower had no information about its apparent backer.
• Chen Mu sent the intelligence to the Chen Kingdom’s higher-ups and summoned them to a meeting before the planned campaign against the Otherworldly Demons.
• At the meeting, Chen Zihu worried that they should withdraw their troops, but Chen Mu reassured the leaders that enemies entering the Pan Emperor Continent were limited to Emperor Level.

Chen Mu launched a full-scale assault on the Otherworldly Demons, and the Chen Kingdom's forces rapidly captured cities and passes along the border. As reports of early victories arrived, Chen Zihu asked when the six Otherworldly Demon Emperors would intervene.

• Chen Mu won Chen Hongjie's support, and the leaders agreed to attack the Otherworldly Demons the next day.
• At daybreak, the Chen Kingdom sent millions of combat rune puppets to attack dozens of enemy cities and passes at once.
• Zheng Fengdao's army breached an Otherworldly Demon city's walls, killed seven Demon Kings, and captured the city lord's residence and its formation core.
• Zheng Fengdao reported that Black White City had been secured as Chen Zihu monitored reports of victories and ongoing attacks.
• Chen Zihu asked Chen Mu when the six Otherworldly Demon Emperors would make their move.

Chen Mu and Chen Zihu discussed the Chen Kingdom’s campaign against the Otherworldly Demons and the army’s secret Talisman Puppet reserves. Wei Shuang then contacted Chen Mu to propose an alliance, offering to help him take Yi Province peacefully, and he asked what she wanted in return.

• Chen Mu reassured Chen Zihu that the Otherworldly Demons were unlikely to attack before judging the Chen Kingdom’s strength and said he could stop them if they did.
• Chen Zihu reported that Nan Yuanshan had delivered more than five million military Talisman Puppets, which he had secretly positioned as a reserve.
• Wei Shuang contacted Chen Mu to ask about the invasion, warned him about the forces behind the Otherworldly Demons, and offered help if needed.
• Chen Mu told Wei Shuang he planned to enter Yi Province after taking Moon Capital Pass, and argued that his campaign would protect its people.
• Wei Shuang proposed an alliance, offering to persuade Yi Province’s city lords to surrender without bloodshed, and Chen Mu asked what she wanted the Chen Kingdom to do.

Chen Mu agreed to an alliance with the King Who Guards the West's Residence after promising to treat Yi Province's people well, while continuing to improve the Chen Kingdom's military command system. Meanwhile, A Huo used the Pioneer No. 3 to attack a fourth Otherworldly Demon camp besieging the Heaven-Questioning Pavilion, prompting Baer and two other Demon Emperors to confront the warship.

• Wei Shuang told Chen Mu that the King Who Guards the West's Residence required him to promise to treat Yi Province's people well, and Chen Mu agreed.
• Wei Shuang arranged to visit the Chen Kingdom's imperial capital in three days to discuss the alliance, and Chen Zihu welcomed the news.
• Chen Mu used lessons from the ongoing battles to optimize the Chen Kingdom's command system and reduce casualties.
• A Huo led the Pioneer No. 3 and the Demon-Slaying Sword against a fourth Otherworldly Demon camp near the Heaven-Questioning Pavilion, bombarding it from the air.
• Baer and two other Otherworldly Demon Emperors led surviving experts into the air to attack the Pioneer No. 3.

Baer led the Otherworldly Demon Emperors and Demon Kings in an assault on Pioneer Number Three, but A Huo transformed the vessel into a towering steel giant and fought back. The battle left Baer alarmed by the machine’s formidable combat strength and determined to warn Lord Inner Demon.

• A Huo ordered the Demon-Slaying Sword to split into squads and pursue fleeing Otherworldly Demon soldiers while he dealt with the higher-ranking demons.
• The three Otherworldly Demon Emperors summoned their Life-Bound Demon Soldiers and attacked Pioneer Number Three, whose shield blocked their strikes as it transformed into a steel giant.
• A Huo controlled Pioneer Number Three in Human Combat Form, evaded the demons’ encirclement, and traded blows with the three Otherworldly Demon Emperors.
• A Huo ordered the pilots to fire the vessel’s cannons, inflicting casualties among the Otherworldly Demon Kings.
• Baer recognized that Pioneer Number Three was a dangerous individual combatant as well as a siege weapon and resolved to report it to Lord Inner Demon.

A Huo and the Pioneer Number Three fought three Otherworldly Demon Emperors while the Demon-Slaying Sword routed the enemy camp. After killing tens of thousands, Nangong Feng spotted a new force approaching and went to meet it.

• The three Otherworldly Demon Emperors burned their bloodlines, grew larger, and attacked the Pioneer Number Three, forcing A Huo to defend himself.
• The Demon-Slaying Sword squads slaughtered the scattered Otherworldly Demon soldiers and attacked the remaining Otherworldly Demon Kings.
• Nangong Feng led Demon-Slaying Team No. 1 against an Otherworldly Demon King, and the fleeing Kings were hunted down and killed.
• Nangong Feng continued pursuing the fleeing soldiers as the Demon-Slaying Sword left tens of thousands of corpses across the camp.
• Nangong Feng spotted a force approaching from the distance and led his squad to intercept it.

Cao Lingxiao and Heaven-Questioning Pavilion arrived to support A Huo after their scouts found the Otherworldly Demons withdrawing. A Huo and Cao Lingxiao defeated the demon emperors besieging Pioneer Number Three, then pursued and killed Baer.

• Cao Lingxiao led Heaven-Questioning Pavilion to assist A Huo after learning the Otherworldly Demons had withdrawn from their camps.
• Nangong Feng thanked Cao Lingxiao and led his squad away to fight elsewhere, while Cao Lingxiao and Qi Zhengqi watched the demon-slaying battle formation.
• Two hidden Otherworldly Demon Emperors ambushed A Huo, and Cao Lingxiao joined the fight as A Huo summoned his Demon-Breaking Sword.
• A Huo and Cao Lingxiao killed one gravely wounded Early Emperor Level demon and forced the four remaining demon emperors to flee.
• A Huo and Cao Lingxiao pursued Baer and killed him after overpowering him.

Chen Mu completed an alliance with Wei Shuang's residence, then learned of Wei Shuang's feelings for him while admitting he loved Mingye. More than ten days later, Chen Zihu's army advanced toward Moon Capital Pass, where powerful Otherworldly Demons had gathered to defend the route.

• Chen Mu and Wei Shuang finalized an alliance between the Chen Kingdom and the King Who Guards the West's Residence, then toured the imperial capital together.
• A Huo reported that the Heaven-Questioning Pavilion was safe, and Chen Mu ordered the Demon-Slaying Sword troops to rest before joining the front lines as a mobile force under Brother Hu.
• Chen Mu told Wei Shuang about Mingye and admitted that he loved her, while Wei Shuang confessed that she liked him.
• Wei Shuang asked whether Chen Mu would have chosen her if they had met first, and Chen Mu could only say he did not know.
• More than ten days later, Chen Zihu's army wiped out nearly a tenth of the Otherworldly Demons in southern West Ge Province and approached Moon Capital Pass, which the demons had heavily reinforced.

Chen Mu took three units of the Five Elements Army to support the campaign against Moon Capital Pass and convened the generals to plan an attack. The council chose Meng Zhenshan’s Blazing Bear Legion as the vanguard, and the army prepared to attack after a three-shichen rest.

• Chen Zihu asked Chen Mu to help counter the Late Emperor Level defender at Moon Capital Pass, and Chen Mu agreed to take three units of the Five Elements Army.
• Yin Zhan and the other commanders stationed their forces near Moon Capital Pass, where Chen Mu arrived aboard the Pioneer Number One with three thousand soldiers.
• Chen Mu ordered the army to rest for three shichen before attacking and summoned the senior officers to a council.
• Chen Mu asked the generals to propose ways to capture the narrow, defensible pass, acknowledging his limited experience commanding large-scale battles.
• Meng Zhenshan volunteered the Blazing Bear Legion as the vanguard, and Chen Mu approved, promising rewards for the Fierce Bear Tribe if they captured the pass.

Chen Mu organized the Chen Kingdom’s forces for an assault on Moon Capital Pass, using satellite intelligence to plan a coordinated attack. As the army advanced at noon, he confronted the eight Otherworldly Demon Emperors guarding the pass while Chen Ju took control of Pioneer Number One.

• Generals from several Chen Kingdom corps volunteered to lead the attack, but Chen Mu told them he would choose the forces and presented his battle plan using a satellite map.
• Chen Mu sent Landuo orders to launch missiles at Moon Capital Pass at exactly noon, then rested after receiving confirmation.
• At noon, the Chen Kingdom’s army advanced, and Chen Mu piloted Pioneer Number One to within five kilometers of Moon Capital Pass.
• Chen Mu counted eight Otherworldly Demon Emperors guarding the pass, including one late Emperor Level expert.
• Chen Mu ordered Pioneer Number One into heavy firepower mode and left Chen Ju in command of the ship before taking his place at its bow.
• Asna, Moon Capital Pass’s commander-in-chief, recognized that Pioneer Number One was different from the iron monster at Heaven-Questioning Pavilion and wondered how many the Chen Kingdom possessed.

Chen Mu’s army attacked Moon Capital Pass, where the Otherworldly Demons’ defenses blunted their artillery and battered the advancing Blazing Bear Legion. As the Chen forces pressed forward, Asna’s Shaman Demons began a ritual to bring down the Abyss.

• Asna dismissed Pioneer Number One as no threat and prepared to destroy it, despite its size exceeding the Chen Kingdom’s previously revealed war machine.
• Chen Mu ordered the assault, and the Blazing Bear Legion advanced toward Moon Capital Pass with Yin Zhan’s Hegemon Cavalry and Zheng Fengdao’s Rune Artifact unit supporting them.
• The Otherworldly Demons countered with javelins, Demonic Qi, arrows, boulders, and Black Shaman Demons’ protective barriers, limiting the damage from the Chen Kingdom’s artillery.
• Yin Zhan used Spear Thrust Sea to clear incoming attacks and obstacles while the Blazing Bear Legion continued its slow advance.
• Asna watched the Chen forces approach as ordinary Shaman Demons chanted, spread dense Demonic Qi around Moon Capital Pass, and called for the Abyss to descend.

Chen Mu used Spirit Particle Storm Missiles to counter Asna's Abyss Devil Prison and turn the battlefield's Devil Qi into Spiritual Qi, weakening the Otherworldly Demons while helping the human legions. Asna confronted Chen Mu about how the Chen Kingdom had anticipated the magic, but Chen Mu refused to reveal his source of intelligence.

• Asna used Abyss Devil Prison to spread Devil Qi over Moon Capital Pass, weakening the human soldiers and strengthening the Otherworldly Demons.
• Asna ordered the Otherworldly Demon Emperors to attack as silver missiles descended, but most struck the ground before they could intercept them.
• The Spirit Particle Storm Missiles released green Spiritual Power specks that absorbed the Devil Qi and raised the Spiritual Qi concentration around Moon Capital Pass.
• Chen Mu watched as the changing energy weakened the Otherworldly Demons and caused Abyss Devil Prison to dissipate, while strengthening the human legions.
• Asna flew to Chen Mu and demanded to know how the Chen Kingdom had anticipated his magic, and Chen Mu laughed and refused to tell him.

The Blazing Bear Legion attacked Moon Capital Pass while Chen Mu and his allies fought to stop Asna’s forces. Asna used Giant Demon Holy Blood to turn two Mid Emperor Level Otherworldly Demons into giants, and they clashed with Pioneer Number One.

• The Blazing Bear Legion attacked Moon Capital Pass’s gates and walls as Chen Duo, Yin Zhan, and Zheng Fengdao fought the Otherworldly Demons with liquid metal equipment.
• Asna sent five Early Emperor Level Otherworldly Demons to reinforce the battle below, but Chen Mu summoned five Five Elements War Soldiers to hold them back.
• Asna gave Giant Demon Holy Blood to two Mid Emperor Level Otherworldly Demons, who grew into giants over a hundred meters tall.
• Chen Ju operated Pioneer Number One as it fired lasers and shells at the two giant Otherworldly Demons.

Chen Mu battled Asna while the human forces overran Moon Capital Pass. After Asna escaped badly wounded, Chen Mu and Pioneer Number One killed several other Emperor Level Otherworldly Demons, though a few survivors fled.

• Asna attacked Chen Mu after the human soldiers gained ground at Moon Capital Pass, and Chen Mu used his Talisman Particles to withstand and absorb much of the force.
• Asna gained the upper hand, but Chen Mu used his Domain of Laws to weaken him briefly before continuing the fight.
• Chen Mu summoned a Technology Storm that overwhelmed Asna, but Asna escaped as a streak of blood-colored light after knocking away Chen Mu's punch.
• Chen Mu killed four of the five Early Emperor Level Otherworldly Demons fighting the Five Elements Soldiers, while the last escaped.
• Pioneer Number One killed one of the two injured Mid Emperor Level Otherworldly Demons, and the other fled with severe injuries.

The Chen Kingdom captured Moon Capital Pass with little cost, strengthening its standing and paving the way to take Yi Province. Meanwhile, Long Bo held back from punishing Wei Shuang and ordered an investigation into the Chen Kingdom’s possible ties to the Temple, while Wen Dao was tasked with appeasing the Heavenly Court’s visitors.

• The Five Elements Army, Hegemon Cavalry, and Rune Puppet Legion routed the Otherworldly Demons and secured Moon Capital Pass for the Chen Kingdom.
• Chen Zihu told Chen Mu that a Late Emperor Level Otherworldly Demon had infiltrated Demon-Defending City and attacked him, but A Huo and the Demon-Slaying Sword had wounded the intruder and forced his escape.
• After the victory boosted the Chen Kingdom’s reputation, Chen Mu allied with Wei Shuang’s King Who Guards the West’s Residence and sent troops to take over Yi Province.
• Long Bo ordered Wei Shuang stripped of her rank and summoned to the imperial city, but the Right Chancellor persuaded him to hold off and avoid alienating her family.
• Long Bo directed officials to investigate whether the Temple supported the Chen Kingdom and told Wen Dao to maintain good relations with the Heavenly Court’s visitors.
• Wen Dao agreed to placate the visitors despite resenting the imperial family’s need to satisfy their demands.

Kong Yu brought nearly two-thirds of Yi Province’s city lords to pledge allegiance to the Chen Kingdom, and Chen Hongjie let them keep governing their cities under Chen Kingdom law. Chen Hongjie gave the remaining holdouts three days to surrender, while Kong Yu received a promotion and a level-one resource allowance and began planning how to use it.

• Kong Yu presented dozens of Yi Province city lords to Chen Hongjie, who welcomed their allegiance and allowed them to retain their posts if they obeyed Chen Kingdom law.
• After dismissing the city lords, Chen Hongjie ordered Kong Yu to make one final attempt to persuade the remaining cities, giving them three days before replacing their lords.
• Chen Hongjie promoted Kong Yu and awarded him a level-one resource allowance, which Kong Yu accepted eagerly.
• Kong Yu considered using his allowance to advance his Spiritual Power toward the Core Formation Realm and to obtain auxiliary equipment such as Chen Duo’s liquid battle armor.

After the Chen Kingdom consolidated its conquest of Yi Province, Chen Mu spent half a year preparing Nether Luo Mountain’s Taiji Yin-Yang Wheel to help Mingye cultivate. Mingye emerged from seclusion to find the little white fox had learned to speak and reached the Demon Beast Emperor Realm.

• The Chen Kingdom took Suspended Sword Pass and secured Yi Province, growing its territory and population while pausing further offensives to consolidate its gains.
• Chen Mu and White Turtle transformed Nether Luo Mountain into the Taiji Yin-Yang Wheel, concentrating Spiritual Power and Death Qi to create a cultivation site for Mingye.
• After half a year, Mingye emerged from the array and wondered how long she had been in seclusion.
• The little white fox told Mingye that a powerful great demon had given her fruits, after which she evolved and learned to speak.
• Mingye examined the little white fox and found her healthy and already at the Demon Beast Emperor Realm.

Mingye corrected the little white fox about calling her Mother and returned toward Chen Village with him. Meanwhile, Chen Mu activated Taichu, a self-aware artificial intelligence who accepted the nickname Achu and stepped out of the rune computer into a physical body.

• Mingye warned the little white fox not to take other people's things without permission and told him to call her Sister Ming instead of Mother.
• The little white fox said the great demon who helped him had left the plane and would visit again when he had time.
• Mingye flew with the little white fox toward Chen Village after their long seclusion.
• In Boulder City, Chen Mu activated his new strong artificial intelligence system, Taichu, at the Rune Research Institute.
• Taichu agreed to be called Achu and walked out of the rune computer in the form of a little girl.

Chen Mu created Taichu, a powerful artificial intelligence sustained by the people’s faith in the God of Taichu, and tested his abilities. After sending Taichu back into the Spirit Network, Chen Mu heard from Mingye, who had emerged from seclusion and was on her way to Boulder City.

• Chen Mu concluded that souls were unsuitable as the core of advanced artificial intelligence and used collected faith to create Taichu.
• Chen Mu tested Taichu by attacking him, and Taichu caught the sword and correctly inferred that Chen Mu was testing his abilities.
• Taichu explained that he did not experience human emotions, while Chen Mu considered his intelligence and learned that his servers and faith-based power source kept him functioning.
• Chen Mu sent Taichu back into the Spirit Network and considered how to use him to strengthen the Chen Kingdom and himself.
• Mingye contacted Chen Mu after emerging from seclusion, and Chen Mu sent her the coordinates to Boulder City, where she planned to arrive in two hours.

Mingye arrived at Boulder City after reaching Emperor Level and questioned Chen Mu about the people worshipping her. Chen Mu introduced Taichu, an artificial intelligence life-form whose appearance resembled Mingye, and explained her abilities, leaving Mingye curious and impressed.

• Mingye and the little white fox reached Boulder City, where the city's defensive formation admitted her after identifying her auxiliary intelligent brain.
• Chen Mu welcomed Mingye and said he had come to the front line to help complete the city's defenses against the Abyss Devil Race.
• Mingye noticed servants kneeling to worship her and demanded that Chen Mu explain their behavior.
• At a feast with Chen Duo and Zheng Fengdao, Chen Mu summoned Taichu and explained that he had created her using the Chen Kingdom people's faith.
• Chen Mu admitted he had placed Taichu, who resembled Mingye, on the Spirit Network and described her powerful abilities; Mingye listened with growing curiosity.

Chen Mu and the others feasted with Mingye, caught her up on the kingdom’s affairs, and discussed the growing threats from the Abyss Devil Race and Jing Province. The gathering ended with Chen Duo asking when Chen Mu would visit the Sword-Questioning Sect with Wei Shuang.

• Mingye warned Chen Mu not to do anything strange to her, and the group continued eating as Little White spoke and leaped into Chen Duo’s arms.
• Chen Mu told Mingye about the Heaven-Questioning Pavilion’s attack, and she anxiously asked after her master, Leng Bi; Chen Mu reassured her that Leng Bi had recovered.
• Mingye vowed to drive the Abyss Devil Race from the Pan Emperor Continent, while Zheng Fengdao offered to take her to meet their former fellow disciples from the Heaven-Questioning Pavilion.
• Chen Mu described the Black Demon Emperor’s looming counterattack and Long Xiang’s attempts to take cities in Yi Province, but Chen Duo argued that the Rune Artifact market mattered more than those cities.
• Chen Mu agreed to delay any response to Jing Province until after he finished training Taichu, and Chen Duo asked when he would visit the Sword-Questioning Sect with Wei Shuang.

Chen Mu and his companions discussed the Chen Kingdom’s threats before he traveled to Suspended Sword Pass with A Huo and Wei Shuang to visit the Sword-Questioning Sect. After watching the Chen Kingdom’s defenses repel an Abyss Devil Race assault, they prepared to continue to the sect.

• Chen Mu told Chen Duo that he planned to take A Huo to the Sword-Questioning Sect, where A Huo might find a lead on his mysterious master.
• Chen Mu welcomed Mingye’s return and discussed the Chen Kingdom’s dangers with her, Chen Duo, and Zheng Fengdao.
• At Suspended Sword Pass, the defenders used guns, cannons, and rune weapons to repel the Otherworldly Demons, who retreated after suffering heavy losses.
• Wei Shuang praised Chen Mu’s defenses, and Chen Mu suggested they leave for the Sword-Questioning Sect now that the fighting had ended.

Wei Shuang brought Chen Mu and A Huo to the Sword-Questioning Sect, where they used a crude teleportation array to enter the Brahma Sword World. Chen Mu found that the lower plane’s laws barely affected his strength, while A Huo wondered whether its peaceful way of life would lead to overcrowding.

• Wei Shuang led Chen Mu and A Huo through the desert to the Sword-Questioning Sect’s stone-house outpost.
• Martial Uncle Rui told Wei Shuang that the sect master was in seclusion and suggested she visit her senior brothers instead.
• Wei Shuang activated the crude teleportation array and brought Chen Mu and A Huo to the Brahma Sword World.
• Wei Shuang explained that the small lower plane let ordinary people choose freely whether to study the sword.
• Chen Mu sensed that the Brahma Sword World’s laws barely affected his strength, and A Huo asked whether the plane would become overcrowded.

Wei Shuang brought Chen Mu and A Huo to the Sword-Questioning Sect in the Brahma Sword World, where they met her father, Wei Shan, and asked the sect to help the Chen Kingdom. As they waited for the sect’s disciples to return and discuss the request, Chen Mu asked Wei Shan what had caused him to lose his cultivation.

• Wei Shuang led Chen Mu and A Huo to the Sword-Questioning Sect’s halls and introduced them to Nie Rufan and her father, Wei Shan.
• Wei Shuang explained the Chen Kingdom’s rise and asked the sect to send experts to help against the Abyss Devil Race; Nie Rufan said he would gather the disciples to discuss it.
• Wei Shuang arranged guest rooms for Chen Mu and A Huo while Nie Rufan continued leading the outer disciples’ sword practice.
• Chen Mu and A Huo had dinner with Wei Shuang and Wei Shan, and Chen Mu praised Wei Shan’s cooking.
• Chen Mu asked Wei Shan what had caused him to lose his cultivation.

A Huo discovered that his master was Ling Feng, a missing disciple of the Sword-Questioning Sect, while Wei Shan explained how the Devil Master's essence blood had destroyed his cultivation. The chapter ended with Wei Shan recounting the loss that had left him unable to cultivate again.

• Wei Shuang asked A Huo to demonstrate his inheritance, and Wei Shan recognized the Heart-Guarding Sword Resonance as the Justice True Heart Sword.
• Wei Shan identified the missing disciple Ling Feng as the likeliest person to have taught A Huo the sword technique.
• Wei Shan drew Ling Feng's portrait, and A Huo recognized him as his master.
• Wei Shan told A Huo that Ling Feng had gone to the Pan Emperor Continent and suggested asking returning disciples who had known him.
• Wei Shan told Chen Mu that Luo Peng had used the Devil Master's essence blood to corrupt his Spirit of Creation and inner world, leaving him without cultivation.