Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng meets the Moon God and Brother Octopus in the Moon God's Divine Kingdom.
• Chen Cheng seeks the Moon God's help to avoid being controlled by Brother Octopus.
• Chen Cheng asks the Moon God about his situation, but receives confusing answers.
• Fisili, the Elf Saintess, awakens and hugs Chen Cheng, causing him discomfort.
• Melos, an Elf Elder, asks Chen Cheng to help Fisili complete her coming-of-age ceremony.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Struggles with understanding his situation and seeks answers from the Moon God. Shows concern about being controlled by Brother Octopus.
• Fisili: Awakens and displays affection towards Chen Cheng, causing him discomfort. Agrees to let Chen Cheng help her with her coming-of-age ceremony.
• Brother Octopus: Teases Chen Cheng and implies he could control Chen Cheng's ascension to godhood. Becomes quiet after a warning from the Moon God.
• Moon God: Reveals she is the deity Chen Cheng is familiar with, but her divine title is all he knows. Provides vague answers about Chen Cheng's situation.

Significant Themes

• Identity and reality: Chen Cheng grapples with understanding his true situation and whether he has transmigrated or is in a dream.
• Power dynamics: Brother Octopus tries to assert control over Chen Cheng, while the Moon God warns him against doing so.
• Relationships: Fisili's affection towards Chen Cheng causes him discomfort, and Melos asks Chen Cheng to help Fisili, hinting at a deeper connection.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Brother Octopus: Chen Cheng is annoyed by Brother Octopus's smug demeanor and worries about being controlled by him.
• Chen Cheng and the Moon God: Chen Cheng seeks the Moon God's help and asks about his situation, but she provides vague answers.
• Fisili and Chen Cheng: Fisili hugs Chen Cheng affectionately, causing him discomfort. She later agrees to let him help her with her coming-of-age ceremony.
• Melos and Fisili: Melos asks Chen Cheng to help Fisili with her ceremony, implying a deeper connection between them.

Chapter Summary: “Fisili, Rich Beyond Measure”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fisili excitedly asks Chen Cheng to help her complete her long-delayed coming-of-age ceremony. He agrees after asking her to explain its requirements.
• On the way to her home, Fisili demonstrates a magical flying board. Chen Cheng recognizes its sophisticated design and realizes that Elven magic may have the potential to develop in a modernized direction.
• Chen Cheng becomes eager to study magic under Fisili’s guidance.
• At Fisili’s treehouse near the temple, she shows him her storage room, where she casually keeps extraordinarily valuable artifact-forging materials.
• Fisili produces five rare materials corresponding to the five elements—mutated Crimson Flame Secret Gold, Deep Blue Secret Gold, Fine Leather, Kui Mu, and earth loam—each valuable enough to rival or exceed the worth of powerful artifacts.
• Chen Cheng is stunned by her wealth and explains how precious the materials are, but Fisili views them simply as resources meant to be used rather than treasured.
• Chen Cheng suggests that they first create detailed design plans before forging anything and asks about the items she previously made for her ceremony.
• Fisili empties her treasure bag, revealing an enormous collection of weapons and magical devices. Nearly every item is Excellent-grade or higher, yet she has still repeatedly failed her coming-of-age ceremony.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng becomes increasingly impressed by Elven magical technology and more enthusiastic about learning from Fisili. His reaction to her materials also reveals both his knowledge of artifact forging and his tendency to measure value through practical or worldly standards.
• Fisili is portrayed as innocent, generous, extraordinarily wealthy, and highly talented. Despite possessing vast resources and creating powerful devices, she remains puzzled by her repeated failures and does not place much importance on material wealth.
• Chen Cheng’s attitude toward Fisili changes: he initially worries that her ceremony may be impossibly difficult, but he gradually recognizes her abilities and begins treating her as a valuable teacher and collaborator.

Significant Themes

• Wealth and value: Fisili’s casual treatment of priceless materials contrasts with Chen Cheng’s shock, emphasizing that value depends on perspective and purpose.
• Knowledge and innovation: The flying board demonstrates the Elves’ advanced magical engineering and inspires Chen Cheng to imagine combining magic with modern concepts.
• Practical use versus hoarding: Fisili argues that materials exist to be used, not worshiped, while Chen Cheng initially sees them primarily as treasures.
• Talent and failure: Although Fisili possesses remarkable skill and countless powerful creations, she continues to fail her coming-of-age ceremony, creating humorous suspense about the ceremony’s true requirements.

Character Interactions

• Fisili enthusiastically takes Chen Cheng by the hand and guides him home, while Chen Cheng responds with curiosity and growing excitement.
• She teaches him how to operate the flying board, and he analyzes its mechanisms and magical design.
• In the storage room, Fisili freely offers him priceless materials, while Chen Cheng protests that their value could secure the Dwarf race’s protection.
• Chen Cheng adopts a careful, methodical approach by proposing design plans before forging, whereas Fisili reveals an overwhelming collection of already completed magical weapons.
• The chapter ends with Chen Cheng bewildered by the apparent absurdity of Fisili’s repeated failures despite her extraordinary resources and accomplishments.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fisili shows Chen Cheng items for her coming-of-age ceremony, which he suspects are rigged.
• Fisili recounts her annual mishaps during her ceremony preparations.
• Chen Cheng agrees to help Fisili design her ceremony item.
• Chen Cheng designs a gun, and Fisili forges its parts.
• Chen Cheng assembles the gun and demonstrates it to Fisili.

Character Developments

• Fisili: Shows determination and skill in forging, but lacks understanding of the outside world's deceit.
• Chen Cheng: Demonstrates resourcefulness and confidence in designing the gun, showing his past life's knowledge.

Significant Themes

• Trust and Deception: Chen Cheng suspects foul play in Fisili's ceremony preparations, highlighting the theme of trust and potential deception.
• Persistence: Fisili's annual efforts to prepare for her ceremony despite failures showcase her persistence.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Fisili: They work together to create the gun, with Fisili showing trust in Chen Cheng's abilities, and Chen Cheng demonstrating his expertise in designing the weapon.

Chapter Summary: “Nature Magic”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng takes back the gun he designed for Fisili, explaining that it is not intended to be used like a conventional weapon and is still incomplete.
• He dismantles the firearm and asks Fisili to explain the elves’ Nature Magic, hoping to use it to improve his magical weapons and possibly develop firearms and artillery.
• Fisili explains that Nature Magic is instinctive for elves and can transform into every elemental attribute except light, though wood is its strongest form.
• While demonstrating the magic, Fisili reveals that elves’ power originates from the Tree God.
• Chen Cheng compares Nature Magic with Wisdom Shield’s Chaos Magic and realizes that both possess the potential to change between elements.
• He concludes that Wisdom Shield’s violent Chaos Magic may be better suited to Nature Magic than Variable Magic, since it would not need to pass through incompatible magical structures.
• Fisili recognizes the Chaos Magic diagram Chen Cheng draws and identifies it as exceptionally versatile, suggesting she understands that he wants a magical inheritance for Wisdom Shield.
• She agrees to provide a complete Nature Magic inheritance if Chen Cheng helps her complete her coming-of-age ceremony.
• Fisili also explains the historical relationship between elven and human magic, revealing that humans originally learned magic from elves before developing their own systems through the Sea of Magic.
• The chapter ends with Fisili teaching Chen Cheng the Nature Magic system from Bronze Tier onward, using valuable materials and Mithril plates to demonstrate the creation of Magic Runes.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng demonstrates increasing understanding of magic despite being unable to wield it himself. His technical and analytical mindset allows him to compare different magic systems and seek practical applications for them.
• He becomes more invested in finding a suitable magical path for Wisdom Shield, realizing that Nature Magic may better complement his friend’s unusual abilities.
• Fisili is shown to be intelligent, perceptive, and generous as a teacher. Although she appears young by elven standards, her over two hundred years of age and Platinum Rank strength give her considerable knowledge and authority.
• Fisili also reveals a sense of envy toward humanity because humans can access the Sea of Magic and progress far more rapidly than elves.

Significant Themes

• Technology and magic: Chen Cheng attempts to combine magical theory with weapon design, foreshadowing the creation of advanced magical firearms.
• Different paths of magical development: Nature Magic is instinctive and adaptable, while human magic depends on cultivation and structured systems.
• Human ambition versus elven limitations: Humans have shorter lifespans but can advance rapidly through the Sea of Magic, whereas elves live longer yet face a fixed upper limit and slower growth.
• Inheritance and cooperation: Magical knowledge is treated as something that can be passed down, but access to it depends on trust, relationships, and mutual assistance.
• The origins of human magic: The chapter expands the world’s history by revealing that human magic evolved from elven teachings.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Fisili collaborate closely over the unfinished gun, with Fisili agreeing to assist him rather than merely provide materials.
• Their discussion of Nature Magic leads to a deeper exchange about Chaos Magic and Wisdom Shield.
• Fisili quickly understands Chen Cheng’s hidden goal and offers a bargain: help with her coming-of-age ceremony in exchange for a Nature Magic inheritance for Wisdom Shield.
• Their relationship develops through mutual respect, with Chen Cheng providing insight into human and Chaos Magic while Fisili teaches him elven magical theory and rune construction.

Chapter Summary: “Taking Shape”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng learns from Fisili how the Elves’ Nature Magic compares with conventional human magic. Both use the same ten magical attributes, Magic Runes, circuit corridors, and activation incantations, but Nature Magic combines nearly all attributes into one integrated system rather than separating them by element.
• He realizes that human magic’s division into individual elements is not inferior, but a practical method for teaching magic to people who are not naturally attuned to it. Nature Magic is compared to advanced mathematics, while elemental magic represents basic arithmetic.
• Chen Cheng recognizes Nature Magic’s advantages: its balanced combination of attributes makes it gentler and more stable than single-element magic. It could have prevented the damage to his Consciousness Body caused by his previous Super-class spell.
• He also concludes that Nature Magic could reduce the material and power requirements of Magic Arrays, making magical technology more suitable for everyday use. Fisili’s flying board, for example, might become practical transportation if powered by Nature Magic rather than Wind Magic alone.
• Chen Cheng spends several days living and studying with Fisili, who teaches him everything she knows and consults Melos and others whenever she lacks an answer.
• Melos and Samlet discuss the political agreement that was supposed to be explained to Chen Cheng. Melos argues that the Elves have effectively been educating him and that Samlet, as Lord of the Hall, failed to inform him of the agreement.
• During Fisili’s coming-of-age ceremony preparations, Chen Cheng remains in the warehouse, intensely focused on completing a new invention. After many failed attempts, he successfully creates a Magic Rifle powered by a rare natural Magic Gemstone.
• The chapter ends as Samlet and Melos inspect the completed weapon. Impressed by its dangerous aura, Samlet asks for a demonstration. Chen Cheng warns that the test shot might damage the forest, but Melos gives him permission, trusting the Tree God to restore any destruction.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Deepens his understanding of Nature Magic and begins imagining broader applications for it. His enthusiasm and scholarly dedication are emphasized by his willingness to study intensely, neglecting his appearance and working through numerous failed prototypes. He successfully transforms his theoretical research into a functioning Magic Rifle.
• Fisili: Acts as Chen Cheng’s patient and generous teacher, sharing all her knowledge and seeking help from others when necessary. Her role expands from guide to active collaborator in Chen Cheng’s magical research.
• Melos: Reveals strategic awareness, recognizing that teaching Chen Cheng Nature Magic may influence him and benefit the Elves. She also shows confidence in his abilities and eagerly anticipates his inventions.
• Samlet: Becomes increasingly interested in Chen Cheng’s weapon as a warrior and Legendary Rank figure. His excitement demonstrates his appreciation for practical military power, while Melos’s criticism leaves him unable to defend his failure to explain the agreement.

Significant Themes

• Knowledge and adaptation: Different magical systems are presented as alternative methods of organizing the same underlying principles.
• Progress through simplification: Human elemental magic is not portrayed as primitive; dividing complex knowledge into manageable parts is shown as an important educational advancement.
• Magic and technology: The chapter explores the possibility of applying magic to ordinary life through stable, efficient systems and magical machinery.
• Cooperation across cultures: Chen Cheng’s research depends on knowledge shared by humans, Elves, and Dwarves, suggesting that technological progress comes from combining different traditions.
• Creation through failure: The many failed Magic Rifles emphasize experimentation, persistence, and the transformation of theory into practical invention.
• Political influence and obligation: The discussion between Melos and Samlet hints at an agreement between the Empire and the Elves, as well as the Elves’ deliberate use of education and hospitality to influence Chen Cheng.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Fisili: Their teacher-student relationship becomes closer as they live and work together. Fisili supports his research without reservation.
• Melos and Samlet: They argue over who was responsible for informing Chen Cheng about the Empire-Elf agreement. Their exchange is humorous but also reveals political tension.
• Melos and Chen Cheng: Melos views Chen Cheng’s scholarly nature favorably and expects his inventions to impress the Elves.
• Samlet and Chen Cheng: Samlet’s interest shifts toward admiration when he sees the completed Magic Rifle, leading him to request an immediate test.
• Chen Cheng and the Elves: His concern about damaging the forest shows growing respect for Elven customs and their sacred environment.

Chapter Summary: “Phoenix One”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng tests a newly completed magical rifle from the roof of Fisili’s treehouse.
• The rifle’s advanced scope automatically calculates wind, gravity, deflection, and other factors, displays a firing trajectory, and detects life-signatures through thermal imaging.
• His first shot, fired with the rifle’s ordinary setting, destroys a tree trunk and several trees a thousand meters away.
• After activating the weapon’s Magic Runes, Chen Cheng fires again. The rifle releases a Phoenix-like cry and creates a massive explosion, leaving a crater five meters wide.
• Melos stops further testing to prevent Chen Cheng from damaging the forest, though he remains dissatisfied because the rifle’s maximum range has not yet been determined.
• Fisili enthusiastically celebrates the weapon, believing it will guarantee her victory in the upcoming coming-of-age ceremony.
• She names the weapon “Phoenix” because its final shot sounded like a Phoenix’s cry. Chen Cheng officially names the weapon the Phoenix-Type Rifle, and Fisili’s rifle becomes Phoenix One.
• The chapter ends with Fisili and Chen Cheng preparing to wash and attend the ceremony, while Samlet briefly misunderstands Fisili’s invitation for Chen Cheng to enter her treehouse.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng demonstrates his growing mastery of magical engineering and weapon creation. Although pleased with Phoenix One’s performance, his perfectionism keeps him focused on completing further tests.
• He gains a deeper understanding of Magic Rune stacking and the Elves’ Nature Magic nesting technique, realizing that powerful spells and artifacts can contain densely layered runes rather than exposing them across enormous physical spaces.
• Fisili becomes more confident and excited about her coming-of-age trial. Her affectionate reaction to Chen Cheng and her pride in Phoenix One show their close bond.
• Melos shifts from underestimating the rifle as a normal Magic Artifact to recognizing it as a continuously reusable and overwhelmingly powerful weapon.
• Samlet acts protectively toward Chen Cheng after misinterpreting Fisili’s invitation, adding a brief humorous interaction.

Significant Themes

• Innovation and technological advancement: Phoenix One represents a major breakthrough by combining magical runes with sophisticated targeting and detection systems.
• Magic as a form of engineering: Chen Cheng’s discoveries show that magical power depends not only on energy but also on the arrangement, nesting, and density of Magic Runes.
• Growth through experience: Chen Cheng revises earlier assumptions about legendary magic after gaining a better understanding of rune nesting.
• Power and responsibility: The weapon’s destructive potential forces Melos to limit testing and highlights the danger of unchecked experimentation.
• Identity and transformation: Though Phoenix One resembles Chen Cheng’s earlier AK-47, its new capabilities and symbolic purpose mark it as something fundamentally different.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Melos interact as creator and overseer: she admires the weapon but restrains his reckless testing.
• Fisili openly praises Chen Cheng, kisses him, and names the weapon, reinforcing their affectionate and cooperative relationship.
• Chen Cheng gives Fisili ownership of the weapon’s identity by asking her to name it.
• Melos encourages both of them to prepare for the ceremony.
• Samlet’s protective misunderstanding over Fisili’s invitation provides comic relief, which Chen Cheng resolves by explaining that he has been staying in the treehouse’s guest room.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng and Fisili's conversation is misinterpreted by Samlet, leading to tension.
• Melos and Samlet have a tense exchange about the agreement between the Empire and the Elf race.
• Samlet punches through the spatial barrier of the Moonlight Forest, serving as a warning to the Elf race.

Character Developments

• Samlet: Realizes the futility of concealing the truth and decides to let Chen Cheng know about the agreement. His punch signifies a compromise and a warning to the Elf race.
• Melos: Stands her ground against Samlet, making it clear that the Elf race will not interfere with Chen Cheng's choice but will accept the consequences.

Significant Themes

• The power dynamics between the Empire and the Elf race, and the ancient agreement between them.
• The consequences of deception and the importance of truth and transparency.
• The tension between ambition and personal desires, as seen in Samlet's fear of Chen Cheng being corrupted by the elves.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Fisili: Their relationship is misinterpreted by Samlet, leading to misunderstandings.
• Samlet and Melos: Their interaction is tense, with each party making their positions clear. Melos's firm stance forces Samlet to compromise.
• The Elf Elders and Priests: They remain silent, understanding the implications of Samlet's punch and the need for restraint in their dealings with the Empire.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng arrives at the Moonlight Forest for the elf coming-of-age ceremony but finds only a few dozen participants, despite the elf race's large population and territory.
• Fisili, excited about her Phoenix One artifact designed by Chen Cheng, reveals that this year's ceremony focuses on weapons due to a past decline in elf birth rates and external threats.
• The coming-of-age ceremony begins, with participants tasked to annihilate magical beasts at the forest's outskirts using their self-created artifacts.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Realizes the elf race's decline and internal issues, understands the importance of Fisili's coming-of-age ceremony, and feels pressured by the responsibility of assisting Fisili's future cultivation if she succeeds with the Phoenix One.
• Fisili: Shows excitement and determination regarding her Phoenix One artifact but is also anxious about the ceremony's outcome and rules.
• Melos: Reveals the elf race's past struggles, including the decline in birth rates and the need to focus on weapons for the coming-of-age ceremony, hinting at the race's vulnerability and desperation for survival.

Significant Themes

• Decline and Survival: The elf race's past struggles and current vulnerability highlight the theme of decline and the desperate need for survival.
• Responsibility and Burden: Chen Cheng feels the weight of responsibility in assisting Fisili's future cultivation if she succeeds with his designed artifact.
• Tradition and Adaptation: The elf race's shift in the coming-of-age ceremony's focus from personal interests to weapons emphasizes the need to adapt traditions to ensure survival.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Fisili: Fisili shares her excitement about the Phoenix One with Chen Cheng, while he feels increasing responsibility towards her future cultivation.
• Chen Cheng and Melos: Melos reveals the elf race's secrets to Chen Cheng, making him feel as though he has fallen into a trap, and hints at the race's desperation for survival.
• Fisili and Melos: Melos tricks Fisili into returning to her team by mentioning Sifite's strictness, showing the elves' cunning despite their gentle demeanor.

Chapter Summary: The Might of Phoenix One

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Black Dragon King leads the Titan Giant Python, Eight-faced Demon Spider, the Moth Beast King, and other transformed Magic Beasts through Moonlight Forest.
• They detect a large group of Elves nearby. The Titan Giant Python suggests approaching them for help, but the Black Dragon King orders a detour.
• The Black Dragon King reveals internally that his claims about the Dragon and Elf races being allies are lies. He has brought his subordinates to the forest to steal Moon God Spring water and heal his serious injuries.
• The Dragon Blood he gave the other Magic Beasts was intended to help them transform, conceal their auras, and avoid detection by the World Tree—not to secure protection from the Elves.
• During the detour, Fisili, an Elf participating in a coming-of-age ceremony, ambushes the group with Phoenix One, a powerful long-range magical weapon.
• The Moth Beast King saves the Black Dragon King from the first shot, but two other Beast Kings are killed instantly.
• The Titan Giant Python uses the corpses as heat-shielding cover while Eight-faced Demon Spider searches for the attacker.
• Fisili realizes the intruders are far stronger than the ordinary Magic Beasts she expected and deliberately draws Eight-faced Demon Spider away from the other Elves.
• After several missed shots, she fires a more powerful attack accompanied by a phoenix-like cry. Eight-faced Demon Spider is struck and blasted into the air.

Character Developments

• Black Dragon King: Revealed as manipulative and self-serving. He deceives his followers about the Dragon-Elf relationship and uses them to help him reach the Moon God Spring.
• Titan Giant Python: Shows loyalty and courage by volunteering to confront the Elves, then reacts protectively during the ambush by shielding the group with the dead Beast Kings.
• Eight-faced Demon Spider: Attempts to curry favor with the Black Dragon King, but is also shown to be perceptive and combat-capable. He becomes the first major target of Fisili’s attack.
• Moth Beast King: Demonstrates quick reflexes and loyalty by tackling the Black Dragon King out of the path of the first magical shot.
• Fisili: Develops from an Elf expecting a routine hunt into a determined and tactically capable fighter. She recognizes the danger posed by the intruders and risks herself to keep them away from the other Elves.

Significant Themes

• Deception and selfishness: The Black Dragon King’s lies expose the Dragon race’s hypocrisy and reinforce the Elves’ negative view of dragons.
• Loyalty and manipulation: The Beast Kings trust their leader, while he exploits their loyalty for his own recovery.
• Technological and magical power: Phoenix One gives Fisili devastating long-range firepower, allowing her to threaten opponents who might otherwise overpower her.
• Coming of age through danger: Fisili’s encounter becomes a serious test of judgment, courage, and combat ability.
• Predator and prey reversal: The Magic Beasts enter the forest as infiltrators, but Fisili quickly turns the situation into a hunt against them.

Character Interactions

• The Titan Giant Python and Eight-faced Demon Spider compete for the Black Dragon King’s approval, though the Black Dragon King privately despises their assumptions about Dragon-Elf relations.
• The Black Dragon King manipulates his followers by presenting his retreat as diplomacy and consideration for the Elves, concealing his true objective.
• The Moth Beast King protects the Black Dragon King during the ambush, while the Titan Giant Python provides physical cover.
• Fisili indirectly confronts Eight-faced Demon Spider, using evasive movement, repositioning, and predictive targeting to isolate him.
• The chapter ends with Fisili’s strongest shot striking Eight-faced Demon Spider and launching him into the air.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fisili, an Elf, successfully attacks and defeats two Beast Kings using her advanced weapon, Phoenix One.
• The Eight-faced Demon Spider, another Beast King, realizes Fisili's weakness and uses its Domain to interfere with Phoenix One's detection.
• The Black Dragon King, the main antagonist, reveals his true form and confronts Fisili.

Character Developments

• Fisili demonstrates her combat prowess and adaptability, switching from gun to magic staff when faced with a threat beyond her weapon's capabilities.
• The Black Dragon King shows a hint of remorse and responsibility for his subordinates' deaths, offering them a chance to leave.

Significant Themes

• The fusion of magic and technology, represented by Phoenix One, is a key theme. It's powerful against lower-ranked foes but has limitations against higher-ranked enemies.
• The responsibility of leaders is explored through the Black Dragon King's actions towards his subordinates.

Character Interactions

• Fisili and the Black Dragon King: They engage in a tense standoff, with Fisili attempting to harm the Black Dragon King using Phoenix One, and the Black Dragon King trying to capture Fisili.
• The Black Dragon King and his subordinates: The Black Dragon King shows concern for his subordinates' safety, offering them a chance to leave before he confronts Fisili.

Chapter Summary: The Source of the Black Dragon King’s Misfortune

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fisili launches a powerful counterattack against the injured Black Dragon King. She first binds his claw with rapidly growing vines, then invokes “Wrath of the Moon God,” a High-Order spell enhanced by the phantom power of the Moon Goddess.
• The spell creates a massive magic array that bears down on the Black Dragon King with overwhelming force. Recognizing the danger, the Titan Giant Python and Moth Beast King transform and try to break the array to protect him.
• The Black Dragon King prevents them from sacrificing themselves and attacks the spell personally. He tears apart the array with his claws and body, but his recently healed wounds reopen, his scales fall away, and he suffers severe additional injuries.
• Fisili collapses from exhaustion after expending all her strength, but her attack buys enough time for reinforcements to arrive.
• Melos appears with a staff, preventing the Black Dragon King from escaping through Space Magic. The Black Dragon King also captures the hidden Eight-faced Demon Spider and gathers the two Beast Kings, intending to flee with them.
• Chen Cheng and Samlet arrive. Samlet orders Melos not to kill the Black Dragon King, while Melos recognizes his exceptionally pure direct Dragon bloodline and avoids provoking the powerful dragons of Dragon Island.
• The Black Dragon King realizes that Chen Cheng is the true reason behind his disastrous string of coincidences. His group had originally planned a nearly foolproof mission to steal Moon God Spring water, but Chen Cheng’s presence led them into the Elf coming-of-age ceremony, exposed their infiltration, and triggered the current battle.

Character Developments

• Fisili demonstrates tremendous magical ability and determination. Though physically exhausted and unable to continue fighting, her Moon God spell seriously damages the Black Dragon King and becomes crucial in delaying him.
• Black Dragon King shows both immense physical strength and loyalty. Despite his severe injuries, he protects the Titan Giant Python and Moth Beast King instead of allowing them to die attacking the spell. He also recognizes their courage and promises to consider them brothers if they survive.
• His condition deteriorates dramatically: he is already suffering from earlier wounds, and Fisili’s divine spell leaves his body badly damaged and unable to heal normally.
• Titan Giant Python and Moth Beast King prove their loyalty by risking themselves to save the Black Dragon King, despite not understanding the technical nature of the magic they are confronting.
• Melos is established as a powerful Demigod-level figure who can completely block the Black Dragon King’s attempt to escape. She also acts cautiously, understanding the political consequences of killing a direct descendant of the Dragon race.
• Chen Cheng is revealed as the accidental—or perceived—source of the Black Dragon King’s misfortune. His presence repeatedly disrupts the Black Dragon King’s otherwise carefully planned operation.
• Samlet retains enough authority and strength to stop Melos from killing the Black Dragon King. His reaction also suggests familiarity with and concern about the Black Dragon King’s condition.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and brotherhood: The Beast Kings risk their lives for the Black Dragon King, and he responds by acknowledging them as brothers.
• The power of sacrifice: Fisili exhausts herself completely to create an opening for the others, while the Beast Kings willingly endanger themselves to protect their leader.
• Fate and coincidence: The Black Dragon King’s carefully prepared plan fails because a series of unlikely coincidences repeatedly connects him to Chen Cheng.
• Power beyond rank: Fisili’s High-Order Magic, empowered by divine force, demonstrates that specialized magic can overcome an opponent of superior physical rank.
• Political restraint: Melos chooses not to kill the Black Dragon King because doing so could provoke the ancient dragons and create a larger conflict between races.
• The contrast between strength and vulnerability: Although the Black Dragon King can physically break a devastating divine spell, his accumulated injuries leave him unable to recover and ultimately vulnerable to capture.

Character Interactions

• Fisili attacks the Black Dragon King directly, forcing him into a desperate physical confrontation.
• The Titan Giant Python and Moth Beast King attempt to protect him, but he knocks them away to prevent them from being crushed by the spell.
• The Black Dragon King promises the two Beast Kings brotherhood if they escape alive, strengthening their bond.
• He attempts to flee with the Eight-faced Demon Spider and the two Beast Kings, but Melos blocks his escape.
• Samlet intervenes and commands Melos not to kill him.
• The Black Dragon King recognizes Chen Cheng and mentally blames him for the failed mission and the group’s terrible luck.
• After reverting to Dragonkin form, the Black Dragon King is left visibly broken and unable to heal, emphasizing how close he is to defeat.

Chapter Summary: Sifite, Master Artificer

Key Plot Points and Events

• Samlet discovers that the Black Dragon King has been gravely injured and assumes he suffered the wounds while protecting Chen Cheng, as required by their Dragon race contract.
• Samlet uses the essence blood remaining inside the Black Dragon King to restore his vitality. The treatment repairs much of the dragon’s shattered body and recalls the blood he had lost.
• Chen Cheng asks the Black Dragon King for some Dragon Blood to study. Although initially reluctant, the dragon gives him a small amount, recognizing Chen Cheng’s authority and the need to maintain a good relationship with him.
• The jade bottle holding the Dragon Blood begins to crack because the energy within the blood is too powerful. Sifite takes the bottle and transforms it into a high-grade storage artifact by carving Magic Runes onto it, without adding any new materials.
• Chen Cheng is deeply impressed by Sifite’s artifact-forging ability, realizing that she may rival the Dwarf race’s master artificers. Fisili also suggests that Sifite might be able to improve the Luan Bird’s predictive aiming system.
• Samlet asks the Black Dragon King what happened. The dragon explains that Coles survived and was rescued by a Lich. While pursuing the Lich, he was struck by a powerful trump card, nearly killed, and left with his beast forces scattered. Two surviving beasts were subsequently killed by Chen Cheng’s Magic Rifles.
• Chen Cheng realizes that the Black Dragon King’s pursuit of the Lich indirectly saved him and Hui Dun City from the Lich’s devastating attack.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng becomes more aware of the Black Dragon King’s sacrifice and feels genuine gratitude, recognizing that the dragon protected not only him but also Hui Dun City.
• The Black Dragon King is shown to be severely weakened but practical and politically aware. Though he values his Dragon Blood, he gives some to Chen Cheng because Chen Cheng is now effectively his ruler and may determine the future of him and the other powerful beasts.
• Samlet demonstrates both concern and responsibility toward the Black Dragon King, using his own residual essence blood to heal him. He also continues to regard Chen Cheng as an important imperial figure who must be protected.
• Sifite is revealed to be an exceptionally skilled artificer. Her ability to upgrade a simple jade bottle into a high-grade storage artifact establishes her as a master equal to or surpassing renowned Dwarf craftsmen.
• Fisili reinforces Sifite’s reputation and hints that the Luan Bird may be improved with her assistance.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and protection: The Black Dragon King’s injuries ultimately shield Chen Cheng and Hui Dun City from a potentially fatal attack.
• Loyalty and political obligation: The dragon’s contract with Chen Cheng, along with his decision to provide Dragon Blood, reflects the complicated bond between personal loyalty, power, and survival.
• Hidden strength and expertise: Sifite’s artifact-forging talent shows that major abilities may exist outside traditionally recognized groups such as the Dwarves.
• The value of rare resources: Dragon Blood is portrayed as extraordinarily powerful and valuable, both for research and as a source of immense vitality.
• Consequences of conflict: Coles’s survival and the Lich’s intervention show that earlier enemies remain active, while the Black Dragon King’s losses reveal the cost of pursuing them.

Character Interactions

• Samlet heals the Black Dragon King and questions him about the incident.
• Chen Cheng requests Dragon Blood, creating a moment of reluctant cooperation between him and the Black Dragon King.
• Sifite intervenes to stabilize and upgrade the Dragon Blood’s container, impressing Chen Cheng with her craftsmanship.
• Fisili praises Sifite and discusses the possibility of improving the Luan Bird.
• The Black Dragon King recounts his ordeal to Samlet and Chen Cheng, revealing that his misfortune ultimately prevented a greater disaster.

Chapter Summary: “A Small Speculation About Divine Power”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After hearing the Black Dragon King’s history, Chen Cheng expresses sympathy for him.
• The Black Dragon King begs Samlet to dissolve his contract with the emperor, claiming he is too weak to serve as a guardian divine beast.
• Samlet reminds him that becoming the emperor’s guardian was an opportunity granted by the Dragon God—one the Black Dragon King supposedly fought for.
• Desperate to escape the contract, the Black Dragon King confesses his past crimes, including being manipulated by villains and leading a beast tide that once threatened Hui Dun City.
• Chen Cheng acknowledges that the beast tide caused relatively few deaths, that the Black Dragon King acted under outside influence, and that he later helped divert an even greater threat. Chen Cheng therefore does not hold a deep grudge against him.
• Chen Cheng asks Samlet to discuss the more serious matters somewhere private, particularly the danger posed by the Demigod-level alchemist who infiltrated Hui Dun City and may know the identity of Chen Cheng’s sword—and possibly Chen Cheng himself.
• Melos joins the discussion, while Sifite takes the Black Dragon King’s three remaining subordinates into custody.
• The elves suspend Fisili’s coming-of-age assessment and the year’s ceremony because of the crisis.
• Chen Cheng encourages Fisili by praising her performance and suggesting that she work with Sifite to improve Phoenix One.
• Chen Cheng notices Emil among the departing elves and reassures her through a gesture that he knows Daha is safe.
• Fisili becomes discouraged after asking whether Chen Cheng likes Emil. Melos comforts her, implying that her relationship with Chen Cheng may eventually develop as she hopes.
• Melos heals the Black Dragon King enough for him to participate in the discussion, then transports Chen Cheng and the others to the temple using Divine Power.

Character Developments

• Black Dragon King: Reveals his fear and desperation. Though powerful, he feels fundamentally unqualified to serve as a divine guardian and is willing to humiliate himself and expose his past crimes to escape the contract.
• Chen Cheng: Demonstrates forgiveness and practical judgment. He distinguishes between actions committed willingly and those carried out under manipulation, and he recognizes the unintended positive consequences of the beast tide. He also becomes increasingly concerned about the alchemist’s knowledge of his identity and weapon.
• Samlet: Remains cautious and authoritative, challenging the Black Dragon King’s attempt to abandon his divine opportunity while recognizing that Chen Cheng has important information to share.
• Melos: Acts as a protective elder and mediator. She helps organize the group, heals the Black Dragon King, and gently reassures Fisili about her feelings.
• Fisili: Shifts from confidence and excitement during the assessment to insecurity and jealousy after seeing Chen Cheng’s affection for Emil.
• Sifite: Is entrusted with both security duties and the potential improvement of Phoenix One, emphasizing her expertise in magical artifact refinement.
• Emil: Appears briefly but remains emotionally significant to Chen Cheng and Fisili. Her silent reassurance confirms that Daha is safe.

Significant Themes

• Freedom versus duty: The Black Dragon King views the divine contract as a burden rather than an honor, questioning whether an imposed destiny is truly an opportunity.
• Responsibility and forgiveness: Chen Cheng weighs the Black Dragon King’s past crimes against the coercion behind them and the consequences that followed, showing a nuanced understanding of guilt.
• Unintended consequences: The beast tide caused destruction but also contributed indirectly to Hui Dun City’s industrial transformation, suggesting that events can produce outcomes beyond their original intentions.
• Jealousy and emotional uncertainty: Fisili’s reaction to Chen Cheng’s praise of Emil reveals her growing feelings and insecurity.
• Science and fantasy: Chen Cheng attempts to explain Divine Power through higher-dimensional physics, blending rational speculation with the possibility that divine forces simply transcend natural laws.
• Power and vulnerability: Despite divine contracts, demigod threats, and advanced weapons, the characters remain vulnerable to manipulation, political danger, and emotional confusion.

Important Character Interactions

• The Black Dragon King pleads with Samlet, while Samlet questions whether he is truly willing to abandon the Dragon God’s gift.
• Chen Cheng intervenes on the Black Dragon King’s behalf, easing the tension by explaining that the beast tide was not entirely his fault.
• Chen Cheng, Samlet, and Melos prepare to discuss the threat of the alchemist privately.
• Chen Cheng encourages Fisili after her assessment and directs her toward Sifite for technical guidance.
• Fisili indirectly reveals her jealousy by asking about Chen Cheng’s feelings for Emil.
• Melos notices Fisili’s distress and comforts her with a suggestive but affectionate remark.
• Melos uses Divine Power to transport the group, prompting Chen Cheng’s renewed speculation about its extraordinary physical properties.

Chapter Summary: “Tea”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Melos brings Chen Cheng, the Black Dragon King, and Samlet to her treehouse rather than the temple.
• The journey severely affects Chen Cheng and especially the Black Dragon King, who is reduced to the condition of an ordinary human and vomits upon arrival. Samlet struggles to restrain his anger.
• Melos serves them tea, prompting a discussion about trade between the Elves and human merchants. The Elves exchange Moonflower Fruits and Moon God Spring water for goods they cannot produce, including tea and silk.
• Chen Cheng recognizes the tea’s high quality. Melos explains that merchants once tried to pass off inferior tea as fine tea, but after facing severe consequences from the Elves, they stopped cheating them.
• Samlet grows impatient with the indirect conversation and demands that they address the Black Dragon King and the beast tide.
• Chen Cheng recounts his recent ordeal: being enslaved, abused and mocked by Coles and others, and discovering an alchemist’s plan to consume everyone in Hui Dun City and transform them into a skeleton army.
• He explains that he ultimately confronted the Black Dragon King alone and traded the Dragon King’s soul and Samlet’s blood essence to secure his survival.
• Samlet is deeply shaken and blames himself for Chen Cheng’s suffering, though he is relieved that Chen Cheng escaped the fate of the other slaves.
• Melos is particularly affected by Chen Cheng’s account of Melinda, realizing that Melinda possessed Elf blood and has likely died.

Character Development

• Chen Cheng demonstrates resilience, intelligence, and strategic courage. His account shows how he survived slavery and manipulated a dangerous situation to protect himself and others.
• The Black Dragon King is physically weakened and humiliated, yet remains calculating. He hopes the tension between the Elves and Chen Cheng’s group will benefit the Dragons and intends to use the situation to renegotiate his contract.
• Samlet reveals strong loyalty and protectiveness toward Chen Cheng. His anger at Chen Cheng’s suffering and subsequent self-blame show that he feels responsible for failing to protect him.
• Melos appears calm and diplomatic but is perceptive about the hidden meanings in conversations. She also reveals compassion and concern for Melinda and the fate of Elves who travel among humans.

Significant Themes

• Trust and betrayal: The merchants’ attempts to deceive the Elves and the political maneuvering surrounding the Black Dragon King illustrate the difficulty of trusting other races and factions.
• Survival through intelligence: Chen Cheng’s survival depends less on physical strength than on his ability to negotiate, plan, and exploit difficult circumstances.
• The burden of long life: Elves’ long lifespans shape their relationships, values, and view of death. Their “small love” is said to develop into a broader concern for the world.
• Sacrifice and tragic motherhood: The revelation about Elf childbirth emphasizes the extreme biological and emotional costs of preserving the Elf bloodline.
• Political tension between races: The strained relationship between Dragons, Elves, and humans underlies the conversation, even when the characters discuss something as ordinary as tea.

Character Interactions

• Melos and Chen Cheng engage in a polite but layered discussion about tea and merchants, with both understanding that the conversation carries political implications.
• Samlet interrupts their indirect exchange and forces the group to confront the central issues involving the Black Dragon King and the beast tide.
• Chen Cheng and Samlet share a moment of emotional honesty when Chen Cheng recounts his suffering and Samlet responds with anger and guilt.
• Chen Cheng and the Black Dragon King remain locked in a tense contractual and political relationship, with Chen Cheng controlling the narrative before the Dragon King can portray himself as the victim.
• Melos and Chen Cheng connect through their concern for Melinda, whose mixed heritage and presumed death reveal a painful link between their worlds.

Summary of “Samlet’s Admission”

Key plot points and events

• Samlet suggests consulting Grandmaster Zhulu, an ancient alchemist, about the current problem. Melos immediately contacts Sifite through an advanced image-communication spell and orders her to bring Zhulu from the prison.
• Chen Cheng is impressed by Moonlight Forest’s magical communications, comparing them to futuristic holographic technology. Samlet counters by boasting that the Empire’s former Royal Capital possessed an even more advanced magic network, which Moonlight Forest had modeled its own systems after.
• Zhulu arrives and is treated respectfully by Melos. His reputation comes from pioneering Limb Severing Alchemy and participating in the Empire’s plan to restore the Great Desert, making him valuable and not inherently hostile to the Elves.
• Zhulu greets Chen Cheng as his subordinate and calls himself a prospective member of the Demigod Temple. Samlet immediately rejects the title, insisting that the Temple has no “prospective members.”
• Zhulu reminds Samlet that Samlet once promised him membership if he completed the Empire’s restoration plan and reached Legendary Rank. Samlet admits he made the promise but argues that Zhulu has fulfilled neither condition yet.
• Samlet nevertheless confirms that his promise still stands: if Zhulu completes the requirements, he may join the Demigod Temple.

Character developments

• Chen Cheng remains humble and uncomfortable with excessive formality, helping Zhulu up after the alchemist bows to him. He also becomes increasingly aware of the Empire’s former greatness and of the relationship dynamics between Samlet and Melos.
• Samlet reveals pride in the Empire and defensiveness whenever Chen Cheng appears impressed by the Elves. His argument with Melos also exposes a softer, more emotionally reactive side, especially when she provokes him. He recognizes that she has begun influencing his emotions.
• Melos demonstrates calm authority, courtesy, and considerable magical skill. She respects Zhulu’s achievements and subtly needles Samlet by emphasizing that Moonlight Forest’s technology was based on the Empire’s achievements “back then.”
• Zhulu is portrayed as humble and somewhat awkward despite his immense experience and status. He remains respectful toward Samlet and Chen Cheng and hopes to earn admission to the Demigod Temple.
• Sifite efficiently carries out Melos’s command, emphasizing the Elves’ highly developed magical infrastructure.

Significant themes

• Technological and magical advancement: Moonlight Forest’s communication system demonstrates the sophistication of magical civilization, while Samlet’s comments establish that the ancient Empire was even more advanced.
• Legacy and decline: The repeated contrast between the Empire’s former greatness and the present reflects a civilization living in the shadow of its past.
• Recognition and merit: Zhulu’s potential admission depends not merely on reputation but on completing a historic mission and reaching Legendary Rank.
• Pride and rivalry: Samlet and Melos exchange restrained but pointed remarks over whose civilization is superior.
• Unexpected emotional change: Chen Cheng notices that Melos is beginning to affect Samlet, suggesting the stern Temple Master may be developing romantic feelings.

Important character interactions

• Melos commands Sifite to retrieve Zhulu and personally offers him a seat, showing her respect.
• Samlet and Melos trade verbal barbs over Imperial and Elven achievements.
• Zhulu formally pledges himself to Chen Cheng and invokes Samlet’s old promise of Temple membership.
• Samlet publicly challenges Zhulu’s claim but ultimately reaffirms the promise, preserving both his authority and his word.
• Chen Cheng observes the exchange with amusement, interpreting Samlet’s defensiveness toward Melos as evidence that the powerful Temple Master may finally be falling in love.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhulu, an alchemist, demonstrates his ability to transform a vine chair into a metal chair.
• Chen Cheng, the emperor, is astonished and tries to understand Zhulu's feat scientifically.
• Zhulu explains his alchemy, which manipulates five elements (metal, wood, water, fire, earth) to change matter's attributes.
• Samlet reveals that Zhulu's transformations are temporary illusions.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng shows curiosity and a desire to understand new phenomena scientifically.
• Zhulu reveals his alchemy skills and seeks recognition for his school of thought.
• Samlet remains skeptical and protective of Chen Cheng, revealing his loyalty and wisdom.

Significant Themes

• Science vs. Magic: Chen Cheng tries to understand Zhulu's alchemy through scientific reasoning, while Zhulu presents it as a form of magic.
• Deception and Truth: Zhulu's alchemy is revealed to be an illusion, raising questions about the nature of truth and deception.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Zhulu: Chen Cheng is fascinated by Zhulu's alchemy, while Zhulu seeks Chen Cheng's recognition and support for his school of thought.
• Chen Cheng and Samlet: Samlet is protective of Chen Cheng, warning him against being too easily swayed by Zhulu's demonstrations.

Chapter Summary: “Zhulu’s Memories”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Samlet asks Zhulu whether he has ever encountered an alchemist whose talent surpassed even his own. From the evidence provided by Chen Cheng, Samlet and Melos infer that the mysterious alchemist responsible for recent events has reached the Demigod level through alchemy.
• Zhulu recalls his former glory. After mastering Limb Severing Alchemy and achieving the legendary Stone-to-Gold Art, he became the greatest alchemist of his era. His method emphasized seeking power inwardly through the five elements within his own body rather than relying on external materials or forces.
• Many alchemists challenged or sought to study under Zhulu, but only his sole disciple truly accepted his philosophy.
• Zhulu remembers defeating a young, disguised alchemist named Mekas. Although he won, he immediately recognized that her instincts, reactions, and understanding of alchemy were extraordinary—possibly greater than his own.
• Zhulu teaches Mekas his inward-seeking philosophy and demonstrates the Stone-to-Gold Art. Mekas identifies a contradiction in his method: although he claims to reject external forces, he still draws on the Magic Energy of the world.
• Her observation profoundly affects Zhulu. At first he cannot answer her, but after the Empire collapses and his political plans fail, he dedicates himself to proving that alchemy can truly rely on nothing external.
• Zhulu eventually discovers that the Great Desert suppresses magic, but it also destroys life. He later realizes that the Holy City’s dungeon, where the Church of Light imprisons him for disrupting the gold market, provides the ideal environment for completing his research.
• Returning to the present, Zhulu confirms that the peerless alchemist Samlet asked about was the young woman he once met. Chen Cheng then reveals that a Demigod alchemist did indeed emerge during Zhulu’s imprisonment.
• Zhulu is devastated to learn that this alchemist appears to have followed the very “crooked path” he opposed, using external forces rather than perfecting inward-seeking alchemy.

Character Developments

• Zhulu: His memories reveal both immense pride in his achievements and genuine humility before Mekas’s insight. He evolves from a celebrated alchemist defending his established doctrine into someone driven to eliminate its remaining contradiction. His greatest emotional pain comes from believing that Mekas, whom he considered uniquely gifted, abandoned the proper path of alchemy.
• Mekas: Though introduced in disguise, she is shown to possess exceptional natural talent, sharp analytical ability, and intellectual independence. Rather than merely accepting Zhulu’s teachings, she immediately tests them and exposes their flaw. Her potential is portrayed as superior even to Zhulu’s.
• Samlet: He acts as an interpreter and evaluator, recognizing that Zhulu’s account identifies the mysterious Demigod alchemist.
• Chen Cheng: His information connects Zhulu’s ancient memories to the present-day threat and confirms that an alchemy-based Demigod has appeared.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus achievement: Zhulu has reached the pinnacle of alchemy through experience and discipline, yet Mekas’s innate insight surpasses his established understanding.
• The pursuit of perfection: Zhulu refuses to accept an incomplete philosophy and spends years attempting to make alchemy entirely self-sufficient.
• Internal power versus external dependence: The chapter centers on whether true alchemy should use only the practitioner’s own body and power or draw upon the world’s Magic Energy and materials.
• The cost of innovation: Zhulu’s revolutionary ideas lead to conflict with the Empire and the Church, imprisonment, and isolation, even as they advance alchemy.
• Tragedy of misunderstood legacy: Zhulu wants alchemy to become a legitimate path of cultivation, but the appearance of a Demigod alchemist who follows an opposing method suggests that his ideals may have been distorted or rejected.
• Regret and missed connections: Zhulu never learns Mekas’s identity and spends centuries wondering whether he will meet her again, unaware that her later actions may contradict everything he taught her.

Character Interactions

• Samlet and Zhulu: Samlet challenges Zhulu to identify a superior alchemist, prompting Zhulu’s extended recollection.
• Zhulu and Mekas: Their teacher-student interaction is the emotional core of the chapter. Zhulu admires her talent and willingly teaches her, while Mekas respects him but questions his doctrine rather than accepting it blindly.
• Chen Cheng, Samlet, and Zhulu: Their conversation reveals that Mekas’s extraordinary talent eventually produced a Demigod-level alchemist, transforming Zhulu’s proud memory into grief and concern.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng reflects on his goal of proving that alchemy can advance civilization without harming other lives. Like his former-life work in nuclear energy, he wants people to associate alchemy with constructive progress rather than destruction.
• Zhulu is devastated to learn that another alchemist may have reached the summit before him through immoral methods. Chen Cheng comforts him, arguing that people who choose evil paths would have done so regardless of Zhulu’s imprisonment or achievements.
• Zhulu warns that a Demigod-level alchemist could create a catastrophe affecting the entire continent. Samlet confirms that no disaster of such magnitude has occurred in the Present World.
• Zhulu concludes that the hidden alchemist probably did not reach the Demigod Level through ordinary cultivation. A legitimate breakthrough would require a world-scale alchemical achievement, such as Zhulu’s transformation of the Great Desert in cooperation with the Empire.
• Instead, the enemy likely borrowed the power of an Outer God—specifically an Extraterritorial Evil God—rather than using a divine artifact. Chen Cheng suspects this may connect to the incidents involving Jamir, the puppets, and the beast tide in Hui Dun City.
• Melos and Zhulu agree that every faction must be alerted. Zhulu asks for fragments of the enemy’s discarded puppets so he can study them and potentially determine the alchemist’s location.
• Chen Cheng explains that only fragments may still be available. Samlet impatiently pressures Zhulu to cooperate, reminding him that his own suspected connection to the beast has not yet been cleared up.
• Zhulu agrees to attempt the tracking, though its success will depend on how many puppet fragments can be recovered. Chen Cheng realizes that Zhulu could become the highly capable researcher his own magical studies need.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng demonstrates empathy and philosophical maturity by understanding Zhulu’s grief and encouraging him to focus on solving the crisis. His past as a nuclear researcher reinforces his belief in using dangerous knowledge for beneficial purposes.
• Zhulu moves from sorrow to determined investigation. His expertise reveals important information about the requirements for Demigod-level alchemy and the possible involvement of an Outer God.
• Samlet reveals a more forceful, blunt personality than Chen Cheng had previously recognized. His intimidation of Zhulu helps secure Zhulu’s cooperation.
• Melos takes the threat seriously and advocates informing all major powers.
• Chen Cheng begins viewing Zhulu not only as an ally but also as a potential “mad scientist” or research partner who can advance his magical investigations.

Significant Themes

• Ethics of knowledge: The chapter contrasts constructive alchemy with cultivation that exploits or sacrifices others.
• Science as a double-edged power: Chen Cheng’s nuclear-energy analogy emphasizes that powerful discoveries can either benefit society or cause immense destruction depending on their users.
• Moral choice and responsibility: Chen Cheng acknowledges that people choose their own paths, but the group still has a duty to prevent dangerous individuals from harming the world.
• Cooperation across factions: The Empire, Moonlight Forest, and other powers must work together against a hidden, continent-level threat.
• Research and pragmatism: The chapter presents alchemists as brilliant but potentially amoral researchers, while suggesting that their talents can be redirected toward defending the world.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng consoles Zhulu and shows that he understands the emotional cost of seeing immoral alchemy surpass ethical achievement.
• Zhulu explains the nature of Demigod-level alchemy to Chen Cheng, Samlet, and Melos, shifting the discussion from grief to investigation.
• Chen Cheng privately connects Zhulu’s theory about Outer Gods to the Sword of Kings, Brother Octopus, and the Hui Dun City incidents.
• Melos supports Zhulu’s call for a continent-wide warning.
• Samlet sharply confronts Zhulu, prompting him to agree to examine the puppet fragments.
• Chen Cheng ends by recognizing that Zhulu’s expertise may fill a major gap in his own magical research.

Summary of “Seeking Advantage”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• After previous misunderstandings are resolved, Chen Cheng questions Zhulu about the additional charge that led to his imprisonment and recent escape.
• Zhulu explains that Chaos Demon, Meris—a distant member of Chen Cheng’s royal family—helped cause the Empire’s collapse. However, he also reveals that Meris sacrificed greatly to help Zhulu escape the Church.
• Chen Cheng learns that the Empire may have fallen because his ancestor attempted to activate the Doomsday Codex. He questions whether Meris’s actions were truly treasonous or instead a form of loyalty to the royal family and Empire.
• Chen Cheng then prepares to leave, but the Black Dragon King reminds Samlet about his request to have his contract with Chen Cheng dissolved.
• Samlet explains that the contract is tied to a thousand-year agreement between the Empire and the Dragon race, as well as a similar pact with the Elves. The agreement has now passed to Chen Cheng as the Fifteenth Thorn Blossom.
• Chen Cheng realizes that the Elves’ enthusiastic reception of him was motivated by this ancient pact rather than personal affection or loyalty.
• The Black Dragon King is distressed to learn that breaking his contract may carry consequences because it is part of the larger imperial agreement.

2. Character Developments

• Chen Cheng demonstrates significant growth in political awareness, judgment, and authority. He refuses to blindly condemn Meris based on distant familial ties and recognizes that historical actions may have had complicated motives.
• He also shows that he understands when others are withholding information and makes it clear that he cannot be treated as an ignorant child.
• Zhulu fulfills Chaos Demon’s instructions by honestly revealing the history behind the Empire’s collapse and Meris’s actions.
• Samlet begins to recognize Chen Cheng as a true ruler rather than a mischievous child. He is impressed and reassured by Chen Cheng’s maturity.
• Melos remains outwardly composed but is anxious about Chen Cheng’s reaction to learning that the Elves’ loyalty is connected to their survival and ancient obligations.
• The Black Dragon King shifts from being a passive observer to actively seeking Chen Cheng’s decision about the contract. He becomes visibly alarmed when he learns how serious the agreement is.

3. Significant Themes

• Maturity and rulership: Chen Cheng proves that he is capable of strategic thought, independent judgment, and political reasoning.
• The complexity of loyalty: Meris’s actions challenge the simple distinction between betrayal and devotion. His apparent role in the Empire’s downfall may have been intended to protect it from an even greater disaster.
• Political obligation versus personal affection: Chen Cheng realizes that the Elves’ reverence is based largely on ancient agreements rather than genuine emotional attachment.
• The burden of inheritance: As the current Thorn Blossom, Chen Cheng inherits not only the Empire’s title but also its old alliances, contracts, and unresolved consequences.
• Truth beneath appearances: The chapter reveals that the Elves’ welcome and the Black Dragon King’s contract are connected to long-standing political arrangements hidden from Chen Cheng.

4. Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Zhulu: Chen Cheng questions Zhulu directly, and Zhulu responds with a full account of Chaos Demon’s role in the Empire’s history.
• Chen Cheng and Samlet: Chen Cheng indirectly challenges Samlet’s belief that he is still a child who must be protected from difficult truths. Samlet responds by revealing the ancient imperial agreements.
• Chen Cheng and Melos: Although they do not openly argue, Chen Cheng’s calm reaction relieves Melos, who had feared he would condemn the Elves for their calculated dependence on him.
• Chen Cheng and the Black Dragon King: The Dragon King asks Chen Cheng to consider releasing him from their contract, but the request becomes more complicated once its connection to the ancient Dragon–Empire pact is explained.
• Chen Cheng and the Elves: Chen Cheng’s understanding of their relationship changes. He no longer views their devotion as spontaneous loyalty, but he also recognizes that their dependence on the pact does not make them inhuman or insincere.

Chapter Summary: “Beginning with a Love Story”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng learns the truth behind the agreement between the Elf race and the Empire. Rather than becoming angry, he feels relieved that his uncertainties have finally been resolved.
• He asks Samlet not to conceal dangerous truths from him in the future, asserting his right to know everything concerning his position and obligations. Samlet agrees.
• The Black Dragon King repeatedly makes inappropriate remarks, questioning Chen Cheng’s calmness and joking that Chen Cheng is still a minor by human standards. Chen Cheng and the others rebuke him until Melos seals his senses to prevent further interruptions.
• Melos begins explaining the origins of the Elf–Empire agreement, revealing that it began with a tragic love story between an Elf woman and a human hero.
• The human rescued the Elf from Beastmen, and the two fled together while being pursued. During their journey, they protected one another, grew stronger, defeated powerful enemies, and fell in love.
• The human returned with the Elf to her homeland, intending to marry her and swear an oath before the World Tree.
• The Elf elders opposed the relationship. They first tried to bribe the human with resources and treasures, then threatened him, and finally warned him about the severe consequences of their different lifespans.
• Because Elves could live for millennia while even a Demigod human might live only about eight hundred years, the elders argued that the Elf would eventually suffer immensely after his death. They also suggested that, if the couple had children, the human might one day be forced to choose between his wife and child.
• Terrified of causing the Elf such future suffering, the human chose to leave her. He deliberately made himself appear cruel and faithless, hoping she would hate him and move on.
• However, the Elf never learned his true motive, leaving both of them devastated.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng demonstrates maturity, composure, and acceptance. He recognizes that the Elves’ actions were not necessarily driven by blind reverence and insists on being treated honestly rather than protected through secrecy.
• Samlet acknowledges Chen Cheng’s demand and agrees to be more transparent with him.
• Melos emerges as the person willing to reveal the painful history behind the political agreement. Her decision to silence the Black Dragon King emphasizes the seriousness of the disclosure.
• The Black Dragon King provides comic relief through his tactlessness and fascination with gold, but his interruptions also highlight the contrast between Chen Cheng’s seriousness and the dragon’s irreverence.
• The unnamed human hero is portrayed as deeply loving but self-sacrificing. His decision to abandon the Elf is motivated by fear of condemning her to centuries of grief, though it causes immediate and profound suffering.
• The Elf woman is shown as loyal and devoted, willing to marry the human despite opposition. Her lack of knowledge about his true reason for leaving makes his abandonment especially painful.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus protection: Chen Cheng argues that adults have the right to know dangerous truths, even when secrecy is intended to protect them.
• Self-sacrificial love: The human leaves the Elf not because his love has faded, but because he believes separation will spare her greater suffering in the future.
• The burden of unequal lifespans: The differing lifespans of humans and Elves create emotional and practical consequences that challenge their relationship.
• Miscommunication and unintended cruelty: The hero’s attempt to make the Elf hate him only deepens her pain because she never learns the real reason for his departure.
• Political agreements rooted in personal tragedy: The arrangement between the Empire and the Elves is revealed to have originated not merely from diplomacy, but from the consequences of an intimate, tragic romance.
• Cultural stereotypes: Chen Cheng challenges the idea that humans expect universal reverence, while the dragon’s comments satirize simplistic assumptions about different races.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Samlet establish a more direct and honest relationship, with Chen Cheng demanding openness and Samlet accepting his authority.
• Chen Cheng repeatedly clashes humorously with the Black Dragon King, whose questions and comments are deliberately provocative. The others side with Chen Cheng and force the dragon into silence.
• Chen Cheng addresses Melos as an equal adult and asks her to speak plainly about the agreement, prompting her explanation.
• In the story Melos recounts, the human and Elf develop their relationship through mutual rescue, shared danger, and growing affection. Their love is ultimately undermined by the Elf elders’ interference and the tragic consequences of their different lifespans.