Definition
One of the legendary Ten Famous Swords of ancient China. In this novel, it is a keepsake from the fallen kingdom of Four Qi, now held by Li Huowang.
Tai'a
One of the legendary Ten Famous Swords of ancient China. In this novel, it is a keepsake from the fallen kingdom of Four Qi, now held by Li Huowang.
Story context
Fellow Daoists, strap in. Chapter 638, "Void Nian," delivers exactly the kind of high-stakes, body-horror boss fight that makes *Dao Gui Yi Xian* so gloriously unhinged. Li Huowang, fresh out of Yang Life Pills and running on fumes—or rather, on sacrificed skin—is locked in a desperate duel with the Void Nian. This isn't just any beast; it's the same corrupted creature that helped him pin down the Grand Liang Dragon Vein. The stakes are brutally simple: one touch from those red afterimages, and Li Huowang either ages to dust or gets his personal timeline reversed into goo. But the chapter isn't just a punch-up. A mysterious soldier in black armor crashes the party, a familiar face from the past shows up wearing a woman's face like a lost book cover, and a sword dispute threatens to turn allies into enemies. It's a masterclass in pacing—claustrophobic cave brawls, tactical self-mutilation, and a gut-punch of melancholic recognition that leaves you aching for what was lost.
Why it matters
This chapter exemplifies what makes *Dao Gui Yi Xian* a hit for cultivators of the weird and grim. If you're here for smooth, clean power-ups, you're in the wrong cave. Li Huowang's victory is ugly, costly, and leaves him charred. The real punch comes from the emotional fallout: the Void Nian's desperate search for Zhuge Yuan, its utter disappointment at finding only a shadow, and the soldier's defeated confession that he has no home to return to. Pay attention to the small details—Li Sui's possessive tug-of-war over the sword, the way the black-armored soldier's aggression immediately deflates upon hearing the nunnery's name. These moments build a world where even fights are heavy with grief. Also, keep an eye on that half-broken face writing: the connection between the Void Nian, the fallen scholar Zhuge Yuan, and the ruins of the Four Qi kingdom is a lore thread that will likely unravel in later chapters. Get ready for more pain, fellow Daoists.
Quick facts
Source novel
Dao Gui Yi Xian
First appearance
Void Nian
Chapter references
1
Type hints
Dao Gui Yi Xian, Li Huowang, Void Nian
Guide tags
Action, Boss Fight, Body Horror
Appears in chapters
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