Chapter Summaries

Qi Ling trapped Qian Jiyin inside a Blood Sea, but his lightning defenses prevented Qi Ling from breaking through. As the match continued, Bai Qian clashed verbally with You Xian and learned the Devil Venerable’s faction would not move against Qi Ling, while the outcome of the tournament remained uncertain.

• Qi Ling recognized that Qian Jiyin’s lightning-powered divine artifact countered his attacks, so he engulfed Qian Jiyin in a Blood Sea to pressure him without exhausting himself.
• The spectators noted Qi Ling’s resemblance to the Blood Devil, prompting the fat man and You Xian to argue that Qi Ling should be eliminated before he grew stronger.
• Bai Qian mocked the Devil Kings for fearing the Blood Devil and traded insults with You Xian over their factions’ weakness and reliance on divine treasures.
• A subordinate of the Devil Venerable said his faction would not interfere with Qi Ling, believing he would pose no threat to their future Devil Emperor.
• Bai Qian considered how Qi Ling might gain protection if he obtained the Demon God’s Godhood, then refocused on whether he could win the match.

Qi Ling defeated Qian Jiyin by trapping him in the Blood Sea and breaking his will with fear, avoiding the Heavenly Dipper Five Thunder Shield’s hidden counterattack. You Xian’s plan to kill both contestants failed, leaving Qian Jiyin trembling and defenseless.

• You Xian waited for the Heavenly Dipper Five Thunder Shield to unleash its concealed attack, which he expected to kill Qi Ling and possibly Qian Jiyin as well.
• The Blood Sea receded, revealing Qi Ling and Qian Jiyin alive, while the shield had vanished without triggering its attack.
• Qi Ling told You Xian that he had not broken through the shield but had made Qian Jiyin lose the will to fight.
• Qi Ling used the Blood Sea and the Devil-Trapping Stone to stretch Qian Jiyin’s perception of time, then used his fear ability to shatter his resolve.

Qi Ling defeated Qian Jiyin by trapping him in a terrifying perception of time, and Qian Jiyin conceded. Chu Ling and Cang Yue began their match, where Chu Ling used a golden barrier to prevent her from escaping and force a direct confrontation.

• Qi Ling asked referee Shi Meng to declare his victory, and Qian Jiyin conceded the match.
• Qian Jiyin left the venue after the fight, leaving the final match of the day to Chu Ling and Cang Yue.
• Chu Ling and Cang Yue began fighting, with Chu Ling attacking while Cang Yue used ice and snow to defend and strengthen her attacks over time.
• Chu Ling stopped his assault and created a golden barrier that trapped Cang Yue within a fixed area.
• Chu Ling told Cang Yue he would end the battle quickly, while she challenged how long he could endure her ice and snow.

Chu Ling defeated Cang Yue, and the tournament finalists were announced as Zhen Hong, Kurumi, Qi Ling, and Chu Ling. That night, Cang Yue visited Qi Ling and asked him to defeat Chu Ling as a test before an important favor, while Qi Ling asked what he would receive in return.

• Cang Yue unleashed a series of ice attacks against Chu Ling, but Chu Ling broke through her Ice Seal for Ten Thousand Miles and defeated her.
• Shi Meng sent everyone back to rest, and the group discussed Luna's loss to Zhen Hong and Qi Ling's upcoming match against Chu Ling.
• Qi Ling returned to his room and considered opening the brocade pouch Blood Devil had given him for a moment of desperation.
• Cang Yue entered Qi Ling's room and told him to defeat Chu Ling in the next day's match as her final test for him.
• Cang Yue said she needed Qi Ling's help with an important matter and called him the only person she trusted to meet her standards.
• Qi Ling asked what he would gain for taking on the dangerous favor, and Cang Yue agreed that he deserved something in return.

Cang Yue offered Qi Ling a partnership to pursue an absolute-zero power that could strengthen his time-stretching ability, and Qi Ling agreed to help after defeating Chu Ling. After Cang Yue left, Kurumi visited and asked whether Qi Ling wanted to defeat Zhen Hong.

• Cang Yue recognized that Qi Ling had used the Devil-Trapping Stone to stretch his perception of time against Qian Jiyin, a risky ability that could leave him helpless if he broke down first.
• Cang Yue explained that she was pursuing an absolute zero capable of freezing time and space, and said the power could benefit both her and Qi Ling.
• Qi Ling agreed to help Cang Yue obtain the power, and she told him she would return when the time was right, after he defeated Chu Ling.
• Kurumi arrived after seeing Cang Yue leave and asked Qi Ling if he wanted to defeat Zhen Hong.

Kurumi conceded her semifinal against Zhen Hong, explaining that she had no chance of winning and did not want to waste her strength. Qi Ling and Chu Ling then prepared to fight, while the spectators debated who would ultimately win the competition and Bai Qian confidently predicted Qi Ling would obtain the Demon God's Godhood.

• Kurumi conceded her match to Zhen Hong before Shi Meng had even announced its start, making Zhen Hong the winner of the first semifinal.
• Kurumi told Qi Ling she had forfeited because Zhen Hong was far stronger, and teased that she would reveal her proposed strategy only if he made a deal with her in the future.
• Qi Ling and Chu Ling prepared to enter the arena, each declaring that he would defeat the other and go on to win the competition.
• The spectators mostly favored Zhen Hong to win, but Bai Qian insisted that Qi Ling would ultimately obtain the Demon God's Godhood.

Qi Ling and Chu Ling fought an even, ferocious duel, trading minor injuries as their combat skills impressed the spectators. As the match reached a tense stalemate, Chu Ling broke away and launched a swift golden spear thrust at Qi Ling’s chest.

• Qi Ling and Chu Ling exchanged head-on attacks, and Chu Ling struck first by marking Qi Ling’s chest armor.
• Qi Ling used feints to wound Chu Ling’s left arm, and the two continued trading blows without gaining a decisive advantage.
• Xiluo, Xiao Ye, and Luna discussed Qi Ling’s rapid growth while Qian Jiyin inwardly urged Chu Ling to kill him.
• Chu Ling grew impatient with the stalemate, broke away from Qi Ling, and thrust his golden-lit Everlasting Regret Spear toward Qi Ling’s chest.

Qi Ling changed his strategy against Chu Ling by taking his Divine Dragon form, allowing Chu Ling to wound him repeatedly. As Qi Ling's imposing presence grew stronger with each injury, Chu Ling and the spectators wondered what he was planning, and the chapter revealed that Qi Ling was using another innate trait of the Divine Dragon Emperor.

• Qi Ling's phantom attacks forced Chu Ling to defend against five apparent strikes, but Chu Ling identified the real one and countered with his spear.
• Chu Ling pressed his advantage and wounded Qi Ling's shoulder with the Everlasting Regret Spear.
• Qi Ling decided he could not win with his current approach and transformed into his Divine Dragon form.
• Chu Ling wounded Qi Ling several times, while Xiao Ye, Luna, and Xiluo questioned Qi Ling's tactics.
• Chu Ling realized that Qi Ling's imposing presence grew with each wound, as Qi Ling used another innate trait of the Divine Dragon Emperor.

Qi Ling endured Chu Ling’s relentless attacks to suppress his opponent’s presence, then gambled his life on a final strike. He left Chu Ling alive but proved that, had both attacks landed fully, Chu Ling would have died while Qi Ling survived.

• Qi Ling let Chu Ling keep attacking so his Divine Dragon Emperor presence could grow strong enough to break Chu Ling’s spear momentum.
• Chu Ling’s focus faltered under Qi Ling’s pressure, giving Qi Ling control of the battle despite his many wounds.
• Qi Ling gathered his remaining strength and presence into a strike meant to annihilate Chu Ling, while Chu Ling raised his presence and prepared to withstand it.
• Qi Ling redirected his attack so the Everlasting Regret Spear pierced his chest while the Demon God Halberd stopped before Chu Ling.
• Chu Ling realized Qi Ling had deliberately avoided a vital wound and that their attacks, if completed, would have killed Chu Ling while leaving Qi Ling gravely wounded.

Qi Ling defeated Chu Ling with a risky attack, then prepared to face Zhen Hong in the afternoon final despite severe injuries. He entered the next match confident in a plan he kept secret, while spectators doubted he could survive it.

• Qi Ling admitted he had gambled on an attack with less than a fifty percent chance of success, and Chu Ling accepted defeat.
• Shi Meng praised Qi Ling, and Luna helped him back to the lounge, where Xiluo and Xiao Ye praised him and worried over his injuries.
• Xiluo explained that Qi Ling could not use the restorative medicine again so soon because it could act like poison, and other medicine would worsen his condition.
• Qi Ling assured his companions that he had a plan for the afternoon match against Zhen Hong, though his injuries had barely improved.
• Qi Ling entered the match despite his condition, while You Xian and the fat man mocked his decision and predicted he would be defeated.

Qi Ling followed Blood Devil’s instructions by showing Zhen Hong a mysterious magic array before conceding their match, and Zhen Hong later transferred her prize key to him. Qi Ling and his companions left the award ceremony with the key that could open the Blood Devil Emperor’s secret chamber and grant access to the Demon God’s Godhood.

• Shi Meng tried to dissuade the injured Qi Ling from competing, but he entered the arena to face Zhen Hong.
• Qi Ling showed Zhen Hong a faintly glowing magic array, which made her react with shock and disbelief.
• Qi Ling conceded the match, and Bai Qian told You Xian that losing did not prevent him from obtaining the Demon God’s Godhood.
• At the public award ceremony three days later, Zhen Hong received the key to the Blood Devil Emperor’s secret chamber and gave it to Qi Ling.
• Bai Qian held back the others as Qi Ling and his companions left the ceremony with the key.

Qi Ling sought Zhen Hong to learn why she had given him the Demon God's Godhood, and she explained that her decision came from her former self and a destiny she did not understand. After Qi Ling encouraged her to define herself through her own bonds, Zhen Hong accepted her identity and planned to travel between worlds to find her true self.

• Qi Ling left his lodgings to find Zhen Hong and ask why she had given him the Demon God's Godhood.
• Bai Qian told Qi Ling that Zhen Hong was waiting for him outside the gate.
• Zhen Hong said she had given Qi Ling the Godhood because her former self had compelled her to do so, and asked whether she was truly herself.
• Qi Ling explained that he considered himself Qi Ling, separate from his past lives, and said his connections with others proved his existence.
• Qi Ling offered to become Zhen Hong's first bond, and she accepted that she was Zhen Hong.
• Zhen Hong thanked Qi Ling and said she would travel through various worlds to search for her true self.

Qi Ling learned more about Zhen Hong’s past life and prepared to claim the Demon God’s inheritance. Alice led him toward the storm-wracked island where the inheritance lay, leaving him to face the Devil Lightning with Blood Devil’s token as protection.

• Qi Ling returned to his lodgings and asked Bai Qian about Zhen Hong’s past life.
• Bai Qian told Qi Ling that Zhen Hong had once been the strongest person after Blood Devil and had likely chosen to die because of her connection to him.
• Bai Qian warned Qi Ling to recover and prepare to receive the Demon God’s inheritance.
• After Qi Ling healed, Alice offered to take him to the inheritance site and told Luna that only the heir could approach it.
• Alice explained that Blood Devil’s token would shield Qi Ling from the Devil Lightning, then led him across the sea toward the island.

Qi Ling and Alice reached the isolated island, where Lei Zhen guarded Blood Devil's Demon God's Godhood against demonic lightning. Lei Zhen mistook Qi Ling for his returning boss and led him to the cave, whose gate opened with Qi Ling's key, leaving Qi Ling about to enter alone.

• Qi Ling and Alice crossed the demonic lightning and found Lei Zhen enduring it without protection.
• Alice explained that Lei Zhen was Blood Devil's powerful, loyal underling and that Qi Ling needed his acknowledgment to inherit the Demon God's Godhood.
• Lei Zhen recognized Qi Ling as his boss, despite Alice pointing out that Qi Ling was only Blood Devil's successor.
• Lei Zhen led Qi Ling and Alice to a cave, and Qi Ling opened its stone gate with his key.
• Qi Ling prepared to enter the cave and asked Lei Zhen and Alice to rescue him if anything happened.

Qi Ling reunited with the Blood Devil inside the cave, learned more about his connection to Zhen Hong, and saw a mysterious statue made with the Dragon God’s help. The Blood Devil explained that inheriting the Demon God's Godhood would cause him to disappear, and Qi Ling prepared to begin the inheritance.

• The Blood Devil appeared in the cave and told Qi Ling he had succeeded in obtaining the Demon God's Godhood.
• The Blood Devil said his past-life relationship with Zhen Hong had been like Qi Ling’s relationship with Luna, while Zhen Hong’s choices belonged to her.
• The Blood Devil showed Qi Ling a life-sized statue of a woman that he had crafted with the Dragon God’s technical help.
• The Blood Devil revealed that he would disappear after Qi Ling inherited the Demon God's Godhood and absorbed some of his memories.
• The Blood Devil urged Qi Ling to stop delaying and begin the inheritance.

Blood Devil explained that inheriting his Demon God's Godhood would give Qi Ling insight into laws and power, raising him to a one-ring true god rather than instantly matching the Devil Kings. He then prepared to give Qi Ling his true Devil Blood so the inheritance could begin.

• Blood Devil said the Demon God Tournament had helped Qi Ling grow stronger and become known throughout the Devil Realm.
• Blood Devil explained that the Godhood would teach Qi Ling to apply power but would not immediately make him as strong as the Devil Kings.
• Blood Devil estimated that Qi Ling would become a peak one-ring true god after inheriting the Godhood and could soon reach the two-ring level.
• Blood Devil warned that Zhen Hong's reincarnated Devil King insights made her far more formidable than Qi Ling could handle.
• Blood Devil guided Qi Ling onto the meditation cushion and said he would give him true Devil Blood to begin the inheritance.

Blood Devil prepared a bath infused with a drop of blood from his former self so Qi Ling could absorb its power. Qi Ling entered the blood-red seawater, where the transformation began, leaving him unsure whether his body still existed.

• Blood Devil revealed that he had preserved a drop of his former self’s blood for Qi Ling to absorb.
• Blood Devil summoned a pool of seawater in the cave and spread the Devil Blood through it, warning Qi Ling that the process could turn him into a mindless monster if he gave up.
• Qi Ling trusted Blood Devil and leaped into the sea of blood.
• Qi Ling felt the power in his body drained before the Devil Blood began transforming every cell, until he could no longer tell whether his body existed.

Blood Devil said goodbye to Dragon God and disappeared after Qi Ling completed the blood-pool ordeal. Dragon God reunited with Qi Ling and explained that the final step of inheriting the Demon God Godhood was to carve its totem onto his body.

• Blood Devil and Dragon God discussed their fate to meet again through reincarnation, and Blood Devil resolved to surpass him in their next life.
• As the blood pool faded, Blood Devil said goodbye to Dragon God and vanished into smoke.
• Qi Ling woke and learned from Dragon God that Blood Devil had disappeared, then mourned their parting.
• Dragon God told Qi Ling that the Demon God Contention Battle had fulfilled the inheritance trial and that he had earned the Demon God's legacy.
• Dragon God revealed that Qi Ling's final step was to have the Demon God's totem carved onto his body in 108,000 cuts.

Qi Ling completed the Demon God inheritance ceremony and received the Demon God's Godhood, along with fragments of Blood Devil's memories. After the Dragon God departed, Qi Ling left the cave to inspect the puppet Blood Devil had gifted him.

• Devil Realm powerhouses sensed a profound change and turned their attention toward the isolated island.
• Lei Zhen wept outside the cave while the Dragon God carved the Demon God Totem into Qi Ling's back over the course of a day.
• The Dragon God revealed that the carving completed Qi Ling's inheritance and that Blood Devil's power and memories had become part of him.
• Qi Ling learned the totem would usually remain invisible and that the Dragon God would stay with him for a while longer.
• The Dragon God reminded Qi Ling to treasure Blood Devil's puppet, then disappeared; Qi Ling left the cave and approached it.

Qi Ling activated the living creation Ikaros with his Devil Blood, bringing her to life and learning her name. Because she consumed too much power and Qi Ling did not know how to care for her, he turned her into a chess piece and put her away.

• Qi Ling learned how the Blood Devil had created Ikaros and how the Dragon God had helped complete her.
• Qi Ling pricked his finger and touched Ikaros's forehead with his Devil Blood, activating her and restoring color to her body.
• Ikaros awakened, gave Qi Ling her name, and could not answer most of his questions.
• Qi Ling transformed Ikaros into a chess piece so she would stop consuming power and could absorb it more efficiently.