Chapter Summaries

Luo Qianchou exposed eight Southwest cultivators who had been turned by the Demonic Path, as part of a larger plan to uproot the Demonic Path’s infiltration. The eight tried to rally the local cultivators against the demon-extermination commander-in-chief, but remained suspended over Bai Chuan’s blazing pool of fire.

• Luo Qianchou’s plan aimed to use the Demonic Path’s attempt to win over local cultivators to expose its hidden agents across the Southwest.
• Luo Qianchou’s arrival and his arrest of more than a dozen demonic cultivators at the general council made the hidden agents fear his methods.
• Bai Chuan suspended the eight singled-out young cultivators above a pool of fire, while they continued to plead for help.
• The eight accused Luo Qianchou of persecuting Southwest cultivators and urged those present to resist outsiders and anyone who ruled by force.

Luo Qianchou let eight suspected collaborators with the Demonic Dao make a public show of protesting while Lin Qiao, Yang Yuanxing, and Xue Qingluan prevented the crowd from being stirred up. After half an hour, he prepared to reveal evidence with a mirror artifact, leaving the eight facing an unknown display.

• The eight cultivators loudly protested their arrest, hoping to rally the Southwest cultivators against Luo Qianchou.
• Yang Yuanxing calmed one agitated Southwest cultivator, and Xue Qingluan used her moon technique to settle the crowd.
• The eight continued shouting for over fifteen minutes, but no one stepped forward to support them.
• Luo Qianchou taunted the eight, and three of them showed signs of guilt as the others noticed.
• After exactly half an hour, Luo Qianchou produced a square mirror artifact and began forming a screen of light opposite the eight.

Luo Qianchou exposed the young Prince of the Great Yong Dynasty and a Zichen Sect disciple as collaborators with the Demonic Dao, and both were executed after their crimes were confirmed. The remaining six confessed, and Ning Jiu was ordered to begin the next operation with Xuan Youli and Chu Jingxiao.

• Luo Qianchou showed the gathering a Heavenly Prison interrogation in which a demonic cultivator accused the young Prince of the Great Yong Dynasty of plotting to kill the eldest princess.
• The Great Yong Dynasty ancestor allowed Luo Qianchou to search the Prince's soul, revealing that he had betrayed the Southwest, arranged the princess's murder, and defiled her remains.
• Bai Chuan threw the Prince into the pool of fire, and Ning Jiu killed the demonic cultivator shown in the projection.
• A Zichen Sect disciple confessed to poisoning fellow disciples, murdering and robbing others, and sacrificing mortals, then entered the pool of fire and died.
• The remaining six cultivators confessed their crimes, and Luo Qianchou confirmed that Ning Jiu had recorded everything.
• Luo Qianchou told Ning Jiu to take Xuan Youli and Chu Jingxiao and begin.

Luo Qianchou exposed the collusion of seven Southwest cultivators and equipped allies to hunt demonic cultivators across the region. He opened a spatial formation gate on the Liaoyuan Dao Platform and sent the gathered cultivators to begin their demon-extermination mission.

• Luo Qianchou revealed that seven Southwest cultivators had confessed to colluding with the Demonic Dao, reassuring local cultivators that he would punish only the guilty.
• Ning Jiu led the Secret Demon Extermination Guards in a large-scale operation, using Luo Qianchou’s treasures to identify demonic cultivators and record their crimes.
• Luo Qianchou gave the cultivators gathered on the Liaoyuan Dao Platform command tokens containing intelligence on demonic cultivators.
• Luo Qianchou transformed the Liaoyuan Dao Platform into a spatial formation gate, and the True Intent Cultivators helped stabilize it.
• Xue Qingluan and the other Path Seeking Cultivators learned their targets, and Luo Qianchou urged them to surprise the demons of the Southwest.

Luo Qianchou sent the three factions’ younger cultivators through a network of array gates to strike the demonic forces across the Southwest, then gave Bai Chuan a secret mission. Elsewhere, a would-be Demon Child discovered his contact dead and was confronted by a yellow-robed female cultivator.

• Luo Qianchou activated the turtle shell secret treasure and sent the elite forces of the three factions through the spatial rift to the frontline.
• Luo Qianchou explained to Jia Huarai and the other True Intent figures that his surprise attack aimed to seize the initiative from the Demonic Path Young Master.
• After the other cultivators departed, Luo Qianchou gave Bai Chuan a turtle shell secret treasure containing a demon-slaying mission, and Bai Chuan set off to carry it out.
• A cultivator carrying a blood-red object reached a secluded immortal cave, hoping to join the Young Master as a Demon Child, but found his demonic contact dead.
• A female cultivator in yellow-earth dharma robes ordered the newcomer to cripple his cultivation within three breaths or lose his life.

Lin Qiao confronted the Southwest sword prodigy after killing the demonic cultivator in his cave. She revealed that his attacks had struck only an earth decoy, then declared that he was far beneath her.

• Chen Yang used spatial techniques to get Lin Qiao past the cave’s restrictions, and she killed the meditating demonic cultivator with one strike.
• The Southwest prodigy arrived, recognized that his collusion with the Demonic Dao had been exposed, and attacked Lin Qiao with three sword-shadows.
• Lin Qiao praised his ability to wield three distinct sword techniques, but the attacks pierced only an earth decoy that crumbled into sand.
• Lin Qiao’s voice echoed through the cave as faces formed from the earth and stone around the prodigy, and she told him that prodigies had ranks and he was far behind her.

Lin Qiao killed a Southwest prodigy, while Yang Yuanxing completed his mission by killing three demonic bandits and went looking for other cultivators who needed help. Elsewhere, Xuan Youli and Chu Jingxiao killed a powerful Southwest cultivator who had defected to the Demonic Dao, whose past struggles and exhausted potential were then revealed.

• Lin Qiao used quicksand and Dead Water to kill the Southwest prodigy, then secured his corpse and the demonic cultivator's corpse in the Turtle Shell Secret Treasure.
• Yang Yuanxing entered a bandit stronghold, killed its guards and leader, and collected the heads of three demonic bandits to complete his mission.
• Yang Yuanxing found six nearby demon-extermination sites and flew off to help fellow cultivators.
• Xuan Youli and Chu Jingxiao joined forces to kill a powerful Southwest Rogue Cultivator who had defected to the Demonic Dao.
• The Rogue Cultivator had once hoped to reach True Intent, but after sensing his talent had run out, he studied other Dao sects' arts in search of a breakthrough.

Xuan Youli and Chu Jingxiao reflected on how the Demonic Dao had drawn a Southwest Rogue Cultivator True Person into its service before going to investigate Yang Lingrui’s companion cultivator. They found Xue Qingluan standing above the ruins of the Nine Nether Sect, and wondered how the Yang Clan kept producing Golden Roll-level prodigies.

• A Southwest Rogue Cultivator True Person had joined the Demon Sect after repeated setbacks and killed righteous cultivators, but Xuan Youli and Chu Jingxiao found him dead and respectfully bowed before his corpse.
• Chu Jingxiao told Xuan Youli that Yang Lingrui’s companion cultivator, the Azure Wind Mandate Official, was stronger than him, and the two decided to seek out Yang Lingrui’s companion cultivator.
• Xuan Youli and Chu Jingxiao followed a pair of moons to a basin filled with condensed moonlight and learned that the Nine Nether Sect had been ordered exterminated.
• Xuan Youli and Chu Jingxiao discovered Xue Qingluan standing above the completely destroyed Nine Nether Sect, surrounded by the signs of her moon-art.
• Xuan Youli and Chu Jingxiao were astonished that the Northwest Yang Clan had produced another cultivator with Golden Roll potential in just ten years.

After destroying the Nine Nether Sect, Xue Qingluan, Chu Jingxiao, and Xuan Youli deduced that its sacrifice was part of a broader Demonic Path scheme in the Southwest. Their Turtle Shell Secret Treasures then sounded the highest-level distress signals, and the three split up to answer them as civilians fled a nearby city and villages.

• Xue Qingluan explained that she had crushed the Nine Nether Sect and burned away the demonic traces before its Blood Nightmare Evil Soul could form.
• Chu Jingxiao and Xuan Youli reasoned that the Nine Nether Sect’s leaders had long planned their sect’s sacrifice to conceal a greater Demonic Path scheme.
• Xue Qingluan, Chu Jingxiao, and Xuan Youli considered how similar sacrifices could target Demon Extermination Squad cultivators, devastate the Southwest, or serve another hidden purpose.
• The three received highest-level distress signals from three locations and split up to rush to the cultivators’ aid.
• Across the Southwest, Demon Extermination Squad cultivators faced grave crises as terrified civilians fled a city and nearby villages in the Eastern Region of Azure Waves Southwest.

Four Northeast Demon Extermination Squad cultivators struggled to contain the spreading evil mist and evacuate civilians after an evil soul escaped a hidden formation. As Blood Corpses overwhelmed them, one cultivator fled to carry news of the Demonic Dao's scheme back to the squad.

• A Demon Sect Protector activated a hidden formation beneath the cult's cave, creating an evil soul that escaped and spread evil mist across the plateau.
• The six Northeast cultivators split up, with two Core Formation Cultivators staying to suppress the evil soul while four evacuated civilians and fought off Blood Corpses.
• A Late Qi Gathering cultivator, exhausted from defending the evacuation route, wandered into the evil mist and was killed by Blood Corpses.
• Another cultivator charged into the mist to avenge his fallen fellow disciple and was soon overwhelmed by more Blood Corpses.
• One of the two remaining cultivators used a spirit detonation to draw the Blood Corpses away, allowing his Senior Brother to escape with news of the Demonic Dao's scheme.

A cultivator sacrificed his chance to escape to hold back the evil mist until the commoners fled, only to discover that Senior Brother Guo had been mutilated and controlled by the evil soul. Yang Yuanxing arrived, rescued the cultivator, and captured the evil soul to subject it to endless torture.

• The Twelfth Floor Qi Gathering cultivator recorded the danger, sent a message toward the heavens, and fought alone at the mountain pass while the commoners escaped.
• After two hours, the cultivator saw Senior Brother Guo appear, but realized the evil soul had severed his lower body and was controlling him.
• The evil soul attacked the cultivator, but living earth pulled him through a passage in the corpse wall and saved him.
• Yang Yuanxing arrived, cut the evil soul into pieces with a blood sword, and seized its life-soul.
• Yang Yuanxing swallowed the evil soul and told it that he would subject it to at least one hundred forms of torture.

Lin Qiao and Yang Yuanxing saved Qi Andao from despair after his squad was killed and set out to answer another call for aid. As they departed, Yang Yuanxing revealed that he came from a small Northwest clan and bore the surname Yang.

• Lin Qiao brought the rescued Qi Andao out of the earth, and he grieved over the deaths of his fellow sect members.
• Lin Qiao and Yang Yuanxing steadied Qi Andao with true essence and confronted him with the choice to live on and honor the dead.
• Qi Andao regained his resolve, thanked the two seniors, and vowed to keep fighting the Demonic Dao.
• Lin Qiao summoned a cloud vessel and urged everyone to hurry to another place that had called for aid.
• Yang Yuanxing gathered the plateau's evil mist, then told Qi Andao that he came from a small Northwest clan and his surname was Yang.

Lin Qiao and Yang Yuanxing rescued wounded cultivators while Qi Andao escorted them to safety, and the Demon Extermination operation crushed most of the Demonic Path’s forces in the Southwest. Ning Jiu emerged as the operation’s most formidable fighter, with her presence tied to an old grudge between Meishan and Bai Sanli.

• Qi Andao learned that Lin Qiao and Yang Yuanxing came from the Northwest Yang Clan and marveled at their strength.
• Lin Qiao and Yang Yuanxing healed three gravely wounded Central Region cultivators with jade spirit treasures.
• Lin Qiao sent Qi Andao to escort the three survivors to a Demon Extermination Squad camp, then she and Yang Yuanxing flew toward another distress signal.
• Luo Qianchou and other True Intent Cultivators joined the fight and helped eliminate more than seventy percent of the Demonic Path’s infiltrators and demonic cultivators in the Southwest.
• Ning Jiu killed two major sects, one royal family, three hidden cult strongholds, and numerous cultivators while rescuing others.
• The chapter connected Meishan’s aid to the old enmity that began when Bai Sanli killed a Meishan sword cultivator nine years earlier.

The commendation list revealed the Northwest’s rising cultivators, including several Yang Clan prodigies, and led to new assignments within the Demon Extermination Squad. After Bai Yuan was exposed and executed, the Southwest’s righteous forces launched an open campaign against the Demonic Dao, while tensions spread and a new Wind Chasing Ceremony began.

• Cultivators across the region noticed Xue Qingluan, He Shenglai, Luo Yuan, Lin Qiao, and Yang Yuanxing among the operation’s top performers, and discussed the Northwest’s growing strength.
• Xue Qingluan became a Southwest Demon Extermination Squad commander, He Shenglai and Luo Yuan joined the Secret Guard, and Lin Qiao and Yang Yuanxing joined Ning Jiu’s special operations team.
• The Demon Extermination Squad uncovered and executed Bai Yuan, the young sect master of the Zichen Sect and Bai Chuan’s grandson.
• The righteous forces built more than ten Demon Suppression Passes along the Southwest border and began openly sweeping beyond it.
• As clashes escalated over the next year and a half, Central Region cultivators were secretly sent to the Southwest, and the Fuyao Sect convened a new Wind Chasing Ceremony.

As the Wind Chasing Ceremony began, Fuyao Sect and Dongfang Clan leaders prepared to enter the Unreturning Wind Cave to retrieve Yun Xiwu and Yang Lingrui. Nie Wuchen cleared the cave’s spatial currents, but the Azure Flame Demon Venerable’s attack forced him to turn back to their battle in the Otherworldly Realm.

• The righteous forces gathered for the Wind Chasing Ceremony, equipped with tortoise-shell treasures that could identify demonic cultivators.
• Dongfang Yinghao asked Liu Yanqing how to address Yang Lingrui, and she advised him to follow their respective relationships.
• Nie Wuchen cleared the Unreturning Wind Cave’s spatial currents and gave Peng Tao a jade flute treasure to break spatial closures.
• The Azure Flame Demon Venerable projected his voice from the Otherworldly Realm and spread wicked fire through the gathered True Intent Cultivators.
• Nie Wuchen extinguished the wicked fire, mocked the Azure Flame Demon Venerable, and dispersed his avatar to resume their fight.

Peng Tao and Dongfang Zonggan reopened the hidden legacy in the Unreturning Wind Cave, but found Yun Xiwu and Yang Lingrui missing despite signs that they had awakened and advanced to Spiritual Connection Perfection. At Dao Seeking Peak, the Mystic Insight Venerable sensed two cultivators claiming titles and crossing tribulation together, and suspected one was Qingming and the other the Azure Wind Mandate Official.

• Peng Tao and Dongfang Zonggan used the jade flute to open a passage into the sealed hidden legacy and confirmed its spiritual essence remained stable.
• Peng Tao located Yun Xiwu’s aura, but the cave residence was empty, and a search found no trace of her or Yang Lingrui.
• Dongfang Yinghao and Liu Yanqing noticed the lingering auras showed both Yun Xiwu and Yang Lingrui had reached Spiritual Connection Perfection.
• Peng Tao and Dongfang Zonggan realized the pair had likely left to advance and decided to wait for them in the hidden legacy.
• The Mystic Insight Venerable sensed two cultivators claim titles and cross tribulation together, then identified them as likely Qingming and the Azure Wind Mandate Official.

The Mystic Insight Venerable witnessed Yun Xiwu, Yang Lingrui, and Yang Yuanhong claim the titles Clear Void, Sever Karma, and Dragon Martial as they succeeded in Tribulation Crossing. After celebrating the auspicious sign, he was summoned to a challenge and set out to confront the challenger.

• The Mystic Insight Venerable approved of Yun Xiwu's title, Clear Void, and wondered about the weight of Yang Lingrui's title, Sever Karma.
• The Mystic Insight Venerable sensed another cultivator with strength and martial arts cultivation, as well as True Dragon Breath, and recognized Yang Yuanhong's title as Dragon Martial.
• The Mystic Insight Venerable sent news of the three titles to the Central Region's top factions and celebrated their success ahead of the Great Competition of Two Daos.
• A force summoned the Mystic Insight Venerable to a challenge, and he took up a sword before cleaving open the heavens and striding into the sky.

Dongfang Yinghao and Liu Yanqing discovered Divine Wind Spirit Cores in the hidden treasure space and learned how they could rapidly strengthen Wind Dao techniques. As Dongfang Yinghao deployed his puppets to search for more, Dongfang Zonggan hinted that Yinghao was not the puppet Dao’s most gifted figure.

• Dongfang Yinghao found a Divine Wind Spirit Core, and Liu Yanqing confirmed it was the fifth they had found that day.
• Liu Yanqing explained the cores’ value and refined all five into her Netherparting Wind, greatly strengthening it and cutting its advancement time in half.
• Liu Yanqing told Dongfang Yinghao that the Fuyao Sect had once produced such cores but had exhausted them generations ago.
• Dongfang Yinghao released hundreds of puppets to search the hidden treasure region for more Divine Wind Spirit Cores.
• Peng Tao praised Dongfang Yinghao’s puppet talent, but Dongfang Zonggan said that calling him the puppet Dao’s most gifted person was still inappropriate.

Dongfang Zonggan revealed to Peng Tao that Dongfang Yingcai, long overlooked by the Central Region powers, had shown extraordinary talent in artifact crafting from childhood. He identified her innate special physique as Heavenly Craft, while Peng Tao promised to keep the secret.

• Peng Tao realized Dongfang Zonggan was referring to Dongfang Yingcai, Dongfang Yinghao's younger sister, who had studied in the Northwest and then cultivated in seclusion.
• Dongfang Zonggan explained that Yingcai's time in the Northwest was not merely a ploy to hide her, and Peng Tao reconsidered his assumptions about the region.
• Dongfang Zonggan connected Yingcai's talent to the Spirit Forging Dao lineage and showed Peng Tao puppet blueprints she had drawn at eight years old.
• Peng Tao inferred that Yingcai possessed an innate special physique and congratulated Dongfang Zonggan, promising to keep the matter secret.
• Dongfang Zonggan told Peng Tao that Yingcai's special physique was called Heavenly Craft.

Dongfang Zonggan revealed that Ying Cai and Yuanhong were destined to be together, then proposed that the Dongfang, Yang, and Peng families unite through three pairings. Peng Tao supported the possibility of Yang Lingrui and Yun Xiwu, but Fuyao Sect had not yet reached a decision.

• Peng Tao recognized that the Heavenly Craft special constitution matched that of the ancient Artifact Path Great Venerable, and Dongfang Zonggan confirmed it was linked to the Spiritforge lineage.
• Dongfang Zonggan asked Peng Tao what Fuyao Sect thought of Yang Lingrui and Yun Xiwu, and Peng Tao said the sect had not decided but personally supported the match.
• Dongfang Zonggan revealed that the Dongfang Clan had agreed Ying Cai and Yuanhong were bound by fate.
• Dongfang Zonggan proposed uniting Ying Hao with Yan Qing, Yun Xiwu with Yang Lingrui, and Yuanhong with Ying Cai, saying the three pairings could bring six Gold Ranking figures together under their families.