Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “The End of Deterrence”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng secretly infiltrates a military logistics convoy by hiding inside a pile of Magic Beast meat. He avoids detection when the camp’s Magic Array scans the convoy by using his Divine Domain to conceal his aura.
• The convoy is revealed to be a cover for a major military operation. It is escorted by elite troops rather than ordinary logistics personnel, including Blood Fiend and more than twenty thousand Snow Wolf Cavalry soldiers.
• The five great kingdoms jointly mobilize:
  • Five peak Epic Rank commanders
  • One hundred thousand elite soldiers in total
  • Forces capable of temporarily unleashing Demigod-level combat power
• Their objective is to crush the Great Wall Army and eliminate the deterrence created by Ye Rong’s sword strike. They intend to attack from the front while using the Great Wall’s rear as a vulnerable point.
• The Marquis of Northern Suppression believes Ye Rong’s sword was like a superweapon: terrifying before its capabilities were known, but less effective as a deterrent once its strength had been revealed and countermeasures could be developed.
• The Marquis openly breaks with Governor Ailafu. With Ye Rong’s deterrence weakened, Ailafu’s political protection collapses, and the Marquis no longer needs to tolerate his interference.
• Military officials execute Ailafu’s subordinate, the fat logistics officer, for illegally selling low-rank Magic Beast meat and replacing it with higher-grade supplies. Several other officers allied with Ailafu are killed as well.
• During the journey, Chen Cheng becomes exhausted from maintaining his Divine Domain and eventually loses consciousness.
• The narrative then shifts to Lyka’s homeland. Lyka has grown into a powerful young warrior and has helped his tribe progress from a primitive hunting society into one based on farming, animal husbandry, improved construction, textile production, metalworking, and magic cultivation.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Demonstrates caution and resourcefulness by maintaining his Divine Domain and successfully infiltrating the convoy. His prolonged concealment, however, severely drains his spiritual power, showing the physical cost of his mission.
• Marquis of Northern Suppression: Becomes more assertive and politically powerful. He recognizes that Ye Rong’s deterrence has weakened and moves decisively to eliminate Governor Ailafu’s influence.
• Blood Fiend: Acts as the commander of the military expedition and pledges to accomplish the Marquis’s mission. His leadership and the army’s killing intent emphasize the seriousness of the operation.
• Governor Ailafu and his faction: Their influence rapidly collapses once the Great Wall Army appears vulnerable. Their corruption and political maneuvering leave them exposed to military punishment.
• Lyka: Has matured physically, militarily, and intellectually. As the tribe’s strongest warrior and “Divine Child,” he has used his knowledge to guide his people toward technological, economic, and magical advancement.

Significant Themes

• The limits of deterrence: A weapon’s power is greatest when it remains unknown. Once Ye Rong’s sword strike has been used and analyzed, enemies can assess its limits and develop strategies to overcome it.
• Military strategy and political power: The weakening of the Great Wall Army’s deterrence immediately changes the balance of power, allowing military leaders to eliminate political rivals and pursue open aggression.
• Corruption during crisis: Ailafu’s faction benefits from corruption while the Great Wall remains protected, but their misconduct becomes intolerable once war and military survival take priority.
• Progress through knowledge: Lyka’s tribe’s transformation illustrates how education, technology, agriculture, and magic can rapidly reshape a formerly primitive society.
• Hidden strength and vulnerability: Chen Cheng’s infiltration succeeds through concealment, but the effort exhausts him; similarly, the Great Wall Army’s apparent strength is undermined once its greatest weapon is exposed.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng overhears the Marquis instructing Blood Fiend to prevent the Great Wall Army from making further moves.
• The Marquis warns that the five kingdoms must cooperate fully to destroy the Great Wall Army’s remaining strategic space.
• The Marquis publicly reprimands the logistics officials, signaling his break with Ailafu and asserting military authority.
• Military law officers confront and execute Ailafu’s subordinate despite his protests and threats.
• Lyka interacts warmly with the village women, joking that the Magic Beast he hunted merely “wanted to settle down” in their homeland. The villagers admire and praise him as their exceptional protector.

Chapter Summary:

Baku Clan

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lyka butchers the Platinum Rank beast king he recently obtained, intending to distribute its meat throughout the clan.
• Huzi summons him to the clan chief’s courtyard, where several of the clan’s strongest warriors are gathered.
• The clan reveals that the Baku Clan, an Orc royal clan, migrated to a location roughly three thousand miles away half a month earlier.
• Investigation shows that the Baku Clan may have come specifically to hunt the Baku Clan’s people. Their dangerous ability allows them to enter dreams and forcibly drag others into dreamscapes.
• The Baku Clan releases a dense, magical fog while using this power. The fog can spread across hundreds or even thousands of miles, making a surprise attack nearly impossible.
• Victims trapped in dreams may survive mentally, but their physical bodies would eventually die from hunger and thirst.
• Lyka consults the mysterious voice in his mind for a solution. Its initial advice—“don’t sleep”—is impractical, and the voice repeatedly falls asleep during its own explanations.
• By rephrasing his thoughts, Lyka eventually triggers a useful revelation: a formula and brewing method for a Revitalizing Potion, designed to resist the Baku Clan’s dream magic.
• Lyka explains that the clan can drink the potion, remain awake while the Baku Clan enters dreams at night, and then launch an attack against them.
• The chapter ends with Lyka ordering the clan chief to gather the necessary ingredients, confidently proposing that the Baku Clan be wiped out.

Character Developments

• Lyka: Initially playful and mischievous, Lyka becomes serious when he learns of the threat. His knowledge of Orc clans and magic allows him to understand the danger quickly. He also demonstrates ingenuity by learning how to manipulate the mysterious voice in his mind into providing useful information.
• Clan Chief: Though elderly and physically frail, he remains a respected leader who gathers the clan’s strongest warriors and seeks Lyka’s guidance.
• William: Acts as the principal informant, explaining the Baku Clan’s origins, abilities, and threat to Lyka and the others.
• The mysterious voice: Continues to function as an unreliable but powerful source of knowledge. Its initial response is incomplete and distracted, but Lyka discovers how to guide it toward a practical answer.

Significant Themes

• Ingenuity against overwhelming power: The Baku Clan’s ability appears nearly impossible to counter, but careful reasoning and specialized knowledge provide a solution.
• Knowledge from the future: The Revitalizing Potion originates from later generations, highlighting how information and technology can transform the balance of power.
• The danger of powerful abilities: Although the Baku Clan is not physically strong, its dream magic makes it a major threat, showing that unconventional powers can be more dangerous than brute strength.
• Leadership and responsibility: Lyka moves from carefree adventurer to a decisive protector of his clan, taking responsibility for organizing its defense.
• The cost of power: The potion can cause dependence if overused, foreshadowing the risks involved in relying on it.

Character Interactions

• Huzi respectfully summons Lyka and relays the clan chief’s request.
• Lyka assists the elderly clan chief before questioning him about the crisis.
• William explains the Baku Clan’s movements and abilities, while Lyka analyzes their weaknesses.
• The clan chief and warriors initially interpret Lyka’s changing expressions as signs of divine revelation.
• Lyka ultimately reassures the clan leaders that he can create a potion to neutralize the enemy’s greatest advantage, transforming the gathering from a fearful council into a plan for counterattack.

Chapter Summary: “Revitalizing Potion”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lyka reveals that the Revitalizing Potion can protect users from the Baku Clan’s dream-inducing magic, giving the human clan a chance to challenge the supposedly invincible Tapir Orc royal clan.
• The clan begins planning a large-scale assault. William and the others devise a strategy to surround and destroy the Baku Clan, while healers and Lyka work to produce the necessary potions.
• Lyka warns the chieftain that the potion’s powerful effect comes with a dangerous side effect: addiction. Despite this, the chieftain decides the risk is necessary to survive the Baku Clan’s pursuit and strengthen the tribe.
• Over the course of a week, the clan produces more than ten thousand potions. Meanwhile, the Baku Clan spreads its Dreamsleep Mist nearly five hundred li toward the human settlement, confirming that an attack is imminent.
• Five thousand of the clan’s strongest warriors are chosen to serve as the armored vanguard. Each receives two potions, enough to remain mentally alert within the mist for two days.
• More than one hundred thousand warriors form a wider encirclement around the Baku Clan’s territory. The plan is for the vanguard to break through the enemy while the surrounding forces destroy any Tapir Orcs attempting to escape.
• Lyka secretly joins the assault despite the chieftain’s wishes. Wearing powerful rune-inscribed armor and possessing late-stage Epic Rank mage abilities, he follows the five thousand warriors into the Baku Clan’s lair.
• Before entering the mist, Lyka drinks a Revitalizing Potion. Its effect dramatically increases his spiritual power, sharpens his senses, clarifies the magical runes within his body, and allows him to cast spells instantly without incantations.

Character Developments

• Lyka demonstrates both strategic maturity and personal courage. Although he understands the potion’s dangers, he contributes his medical and magical knowledge to the clan’s war effort.
• Lyka’s strength has advanced significantly; he is now the clan’s most powerful mage. However, this is his first real battle, and he feels genuine nervousness as the attack begins.
• Despite being treated as a figure of authority and importance, Lyka refuses to remain safely behind the lines and secretly joins the frontline assault.
• The chieftain shows political and military skill by motivating the warriors and accepting the risks associated with the potion. He prioritizes the clan’s survival over individual safety.
• William and the other leaders display effective organizational ability, coordinating a massive encirclement and planning to exploit the Baku Clan’s dependence on maintaining its dream magic.
• The five thousand selected warriors are revealed to be elite fighters rather than ordinary lottery winners, emphasizing their importance to the upcoming battle.

Significant Themes

• Resistance against oppression: The humans, long treated as inferior by the Orcs, now have an opportunity to strike a decisive blow against one of the Orc race’s royal clans.
• The cost of power: The potion grants extraordinary clarity and strength but risks addiction, showing that victory may require dangerous sacrifices.
• Breaking myths and hierarchies: Defeating the Baku Clan could destroy the Orcs’ belief in their own invincibility and inspire other oppressed human tribes to rebel.
• Courage and leadership: The clan’s willingness to confront a stronger enemy reflects both collective determination and the importance of leaders who can inspire their people.
• The allure of extraordinary ability: Lyka’s reaction to the potion reveals how intoxicating absolute control, heightened intelligence, and magical power can be.

Character Interactions

• Lyka privately warns the chieftain about the potion’s addictive nature, showing mutual trust but also a difference in perspective: Lyka focuses on long-term danger, while the chieftain focuses on immediate survival.
• The chieftain publicly inspires the chosen warriors by presenting them as historic heroes destined to shatter the Baku Clan’s legend.
• Lyka works indirectly with William and the other commanders by supporting their battle plans, then independently follows the frontline force.
• The mysterious voice in Lyka’s mind explains the potion’s effects and warns him not to consume too much, but Lyka ignores the warning and drinks an entire bottle, highlighting his confidence and willingness to take risks.

Chapter Summary: “Magic’s First Real Battle”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lyka awakens from the potion-induced bliss when the strange voice in his mind reminds him that there is still work to do.
• The five thousand warriors enter the Baku Clan’s dense dream-fog. The potion protects them from falling asleep, neutralizing the Baku Clan’s famed dream-entering technique.
• Divided into temporary groups, the warriors advance toward the Tapir Orcs, relying on individual strength rather than coordinated Battle Arrays.
• After marching nearly five hundred li, they reach the sleeping Tapir Orc army. The warriors activate their shamanic totems, which greatly enhance their combat abilities, and begin slaughtering the defenseless orcs.
• Lyka’s internal voice identifies the glowing tattoos as the Inscription Body Forging Method, causing him to receive knowledge of that Warrior’s Path technique.
• Dissatisfied with the warriors’ slow sword attacks, Lyka instinctively begins using magic. He casts a massive High-Order Fire Magic spell, annihilating every Tapir Orc within its range.
• Lyka follows with a High-Order Lightning Magic spell several li away, killing over ten thousand more Tapir Orcs.
• His attacks awaken the Tapir Orc King through the race’s shared dream network. The king discovers that Lyka can resist their innate sleep-inducing divine ability.
• Lyka enters the central royal region and casts a third High-Order spell, “Heaven and Earth Reversal.” The spell overturns the earth and buries the Tapir Orcs beneath the ground.
• The enraged Tapir Orc King attacks Lyka, but Lyka dodges and escapes through space magic before the king can strike him.
• The Baku Clan realizes that Lyka’s power is not shamanism but a similar form of supernatural ability. The chapter closes by explaining the origins of magic: unlike unique racial divine abilities, human magic can be studied, analyzed, inherited, and adapted from other races.

Character Developments

• Lyka: Experiences his first major battlefield use of magic. He demonstrates that he can resist the Tapir Orcs’ dream ability, cast multiple High-Order spells in succession, and fight independently of the human army. His confidence grows after witnessing the destructive power of his magic.
• The five thousand warriors: Gain confidence after surviving the Baku Clan’s dream technique. They display powerful physical combat abilities enhanced by shamanic totems, though they lack the coordinated Battle Arrays of later eras.
• Tapir Orc King: Awakens to the threat posed by Lyka and shifts from confidence to shock and fury after realizing that a human has resisted his race’s innate ability.
• Lyka’s inner voice: Continues prompting Lyka and supplying him with unexplained knowledge, including the Inscription Body Forging Method and the concept of magic.

Significant Themes

• The emergence and superiority of magic: Lyka’s magic proves dramatically more efficient and destructive than conventional weapons or shamanic combat.
• Innovation versus tradition: The warriors depend on inherited shamanic methods, while Lyka introduces a new, more flexible system that can be studied and reproduced.
• Human adaptability: Humans are distinguished by their ability to enter the Sea of Magic and learn abilities originally belonging to other races.
• Breaking myths and limitations: The human army breaks the Baku Clan’s reputation for invincibility, while Lyka challenges the Tapir Orcs’ belief that their divine ability cannot be resisted.
• The cost and danger of power: Although Lyka can use several High-Order spells, repeated casting pushes the limits of his strength and attracts the attention of powerful enemies.

Character Interactions

• The warriors recognize Lyka as the Divine Child when his enormous Magic Arrays appear above the battlefield and gather around him.
• Lyka refuses to remain with them, ordering them to continue killing before the Tapir Orcs awaken, emphasizing his independence and battlefield efficiency.
• The Tapir Orc King confronts Lyka directly, attacking him after confirming that he is a genuine threat.
• A Tapir Orc expert informs the king that Lyka’s power resembles their own innate divine abilities, prompting the chapter’s broader explanation of how divine abilities evolved into the more universal concept of magic.

Chapter Summary: Crushing Supremacy Brought by a Generational Knowledge Gap

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Tapir Orc King realizes that the human army is far more dangerous than expected. The soldiers are immune to the Baku Clan’s Dream-Entering Mist and possess superior steel armor and weapons.
• Recognizing that the humans have prepared specifically to counter the tapir orcs, the king orders his clan to retreat. He personally pursues Lyka, whom he considers a major future threat because of his ability to use multiple types of divine magic.
• Lyka teleports away but materializes in the middle of another group of tapir orcs. He initially fights them with his armor and Demonic Sword, cutting through their weapons, armor, and bodies with ease.
• As more enemies surround him, Lyka receives mysterious mental guidance explaining that his true strength lies in his domain. He gains new knowledge about developing and using domains.
• Lyka activates a massive domain covering dozens of miles and learns to draw magical energy from the surrounding environment. He unleashes Elemental Storm, a huge area attack that kills hundreds of thousands of low-level tapir orcs.
• The Tapir Orc King and dozens of elite warriors rush toward Lyka, enraged by the massacre. However, Lyka’s domain completely overwhelms theirs, destroying their awareness of their surroundings and causing many of them to fall from the sky and die.
• The chapter ends with the Tapir Orc King recognizing the same terrifying loss of environmental connection he experienced when the Lion Orc King previously defeated him.

Character Developments

• Lyka evolves from a powerful but largely self-taught mage into someone who begins to understand the true function of domains. His previous strength came from talent and inherited knowledge, but he lacked practical understanding of advanced magical principles.
• His mastery of domains dramatically increases his combat ability. He can now replenish his magical expenditure from ambient elements and control a massive battlefield.
• The Tapir Orc King demonstrates strategic awareness by ordering a retreat instead of blindly continuing the battle. However, his confidence collapses once Lyka suppresses his domain and neutralizes his clan’s abilities.
• The king’s fear is intensified by the realization that Lyka may become an even greater threat than the Lion Orc King.

Significant Themes

• Generational knowledge gaps: Lyka possesses techniques that later generations consider basic knowledge, while the orcs of this era treat domains as mysterious, secret arts. This difference gives Lyka an overwhelming advantage.
• The importance of proper knowledge: Raw talent and power are not enough; understanding how to apply a domain transforms Lyka’s abilities from impressive to devastating.
• Adaptation and preparation: The human army’s immunity to Dream-Entering Mist and advanced equipment show that they deliberately prepared to defeat the tapir orcs.
• Suppression through superior systems: The Tapir orcs’ mixed Ancient Witch System lacks the focused strengths of either true martial cultivation or refined magecraft, making them especially vulnerable to Lyka’s specialized domain.
• The consequences of technological and magical advancement: Superior weapons, organized warfare, and advanced magical theory allow the humans and Lyka to annihilate enemies who would otherwise possess formidable innate abilities.

Character Interactions

• The Tapir Orc King and his subordinate initially discuss the unexpected strength of the human army, prompting the retreat order.
• Lyka clashes directly with the tapir orcs after teleporting into their midst, first relying on swordsmanship before turning to his domain.
• The mysterious guiding voice teaches Lyka how to access his “true strength,” fundamentally changing the battle.
• Lyka’s domain directly clashes with the Tapir Orc King’s and his experts’ domains. By disrupting the magical elements within their territories, Lyka causes them to lose control and fall helplessly from the sky.
• The king’s reaction connects the present battle to his earlier humiliation by the Lion Orc King, emphasizing that Lyka has reached a similarly overwhelming level of superiority.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lyka defeats the Tapir orc forces by exploiting their misunderstanding of his power. The Tapir orc king assumes Lyka has reached the Legendary Realm like the Lion orc king, though Lyka’s immunity to the orcs’ innate divine abilities actually comes from a potion.
• Terrified, the Tapir orc king orders his forces to flee. Lyka allows the king to escape but targets the other Tapir experts, recognizing that they could rally the remaining army and disrupt the encirclement.
• Lyka unleashes his full power as a Grand Mage, combining multiple elemental magics and continuously bombarding the battlefield. He eventually kills more than a million Tapir orcs before exhausting his spiritual power.
• The surviving warriors of Lyka’s people celebrate him as a “Divine Child,” believing his battlefield destruction proves he is godlike.
• Lyka is exhilarated by his first real combat experience with magic and begins to wonder whether he truly has been chosen by a god. However, seeing the scale of the destruction also frightens him. He realizes that even more powerful Orc beings could potentially annihilate his people in the same way.
• In response to Lyka’s fear, the mysterious voice in his mind provides knowledge about Military Formations. It explains that coordinated armies can use Battle Intent, developed through discipline, cooperation, training, and formation diagrams, to counter powerful individuals such as Grand Mages.
• The massive influx of military-formation knowledge overwhelms Lyka. When his people catch him, he is unconscious and bleeding from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
• The narrative shifts to Chen Cheng, who awakens when a cart carrying military supplies arrives at a camp beneath the Great Wall.
• Blood Fiend provokes a young Great Wall military officer by mocking his appearance and ability to fight. The officer responds with equal hostility and orders Blood Fiend to leave.
• Blood Fiend attacks with a giant axe and killing intent, but the officer calmly counters with a precise sword thrust. He neutralizes the attack without using his domain, and Blood Fiend’s intimidating aura has no effect on him.

Character Developments

• Lyka: Demonstrates the devastating potential of a Grand Mage but also begins to understand the vulnerability created by such overwhelming power. His pride and excitement develop into fear and strategic awareness. The Military Formation inheritance marks a transition from relying solely on individual strength toward understanding organized warfare.
• Tapir Orc King: His courage collapses once he believes Lyka is a Legendary Realm expert. His retreat reveals that his authority and threat largely depend on the support of his race.
• Tapir Orc Experts: Their attempt to flee makes them key targets because their survival could allow the Tapir orcs to reorganize and resist.
• Lyka’s People: Their perception of Lyka changes dramatically; they now worship him as a divine figure after witnessing his magic.
• Blood Fiend: Acts as an arrogant provocateur and deliberately tests the younger generation of the Great Wall Army. His attack suggests confidence in his own strength.
• Young Military Officer: Displays discipline, courage, technical precision, and strong resistance to mental intimidation. His refusal to be affected by Blood Fiend’s killing intent establishes him as a formidable and principled warrior.
• Chen Cheng: Briefly re-enters the narrative as an observer at the military camp, awakening just as the confrontation begins.

Significant Themes

• The destructive power of individual strength: Lyka’s magic allows one person to destroy an army, emphasizing the enormous gap between ordinary soldiers and legendary-level combatants.
• Fear and perception: The Tapir king flees because he misjudges Lyka’s true power, showing how reputation and misunderstanding can be as influential as actual strength.
• The danger of unchecked power: Lyka’s triumph is immediately tempered by the realization that stronger beings could inflict the same devastation on his own people.
• Individual power versus collective organization: The Military Formation inheritance introduces the idea that disciplined cooperation and Battle Intent may provide a counterbalance to overwhelming individual experts.
• Worship and superstition: Lyka and his people interpret his magical abilities through the religious worldview of the Witch-God Era, blurring the line between divine intervention and inherited knowledge.
• Honor and martial discipline: The young officer’s conduct contrasts with Blood Fiend’s taunting aggression, highlighting the Great Wall Army’s culture of merit, courage, and controlled skill.

Character Interactions

• Lyka’s presence alone terrifies the Tapir orc king, whose mistaken belief in Lyka’s strength causes the enemy leadership to collapse.
• Lyka’s spectacular victory causes his people to surround and celebrate him as a divine child, though his own reaction is more complicated because triumph gives way to fear.
• The mysterious voice in Lyka’s mind responds to his fear by teaching him how armies can oppose Grand Mages through Military Formations.
• Blood Fiend and the young military officer engage in a deliberate test of strength. Blood Fiend relies on provocation, brute force, and killing intent, while the officer answers with calm precision and mental composure.

Chapter Summary: “Insufficient Foundations”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Blood Fiend and a Great Wall Army officer engage in a fierce duel, beginning with physical combat skills:
  • Blood Fiend uses Axe of Phantom Shadows, creating multiple crimson axe shadows.
  • The officer counters with Phantom Sword, producing countless sword-wielding afterimages.
• Blood Fiend escalates by unleashing his domain, Shadow of the Blood Sea, transforming the snowy battlefield into a terrifying crimson sea filled with the ghosts of those he has killed.
• The officer responds with Sword Transformation, creating a Sword Domain built from the countless sword strikes he has used while defending the Great Wall.
• Their domains collide, summoning tens of thousands of ghostly and sword phantoms across the surrounding area. The clash demonstrates the enormous power of two Epic Rank warriors fighting with their accumulated battle experience.
• The domains ultimately cancel each other out, but the officer is forced to step back. His defeat is not due to inferior strength, but to the weaker foundation and lower quality of his weapon. Blood Fiend’s superior axe delivers the decisive advantage.
• Blood Fiend spares the officer because they are in Great Wall Army territory. Instead, he invites him to join the Engela Kingdom, promising better treatment and a possible path to Legendary Rank.
• Blood Fiend’s claim that the Great Wall Army has “insufficient foundations” deeply wounds the officer and the surrounding soldiers, highlighting the army’s decline since the empire’s collapse.
• Just as Blood Fiend believes his words may persuade or demoralize the soldiers, Chen Cheng suddenly explodes from one of the convoy’s flatbed carts and attacks him, accusing him of spreading lies. Blood Fiend is enraged by the interruption.

Character Developments

• Blood Fiend is shown to be a highly skilled and confident Epic Rank warrior. He combines overwhelming combat ability with psychological manipulation, deliberately targeting the Great Wall Army’s insecurity about its declining strength.
• The Great Wall Army officer proves himself to be Blood Fiend’s equal in raw strength and domain power. However, his inferior weapon and weaker overall foundation reveal the institutional decline of the Great Wall Army.
• Chen Cheng shifts from passive observer to active participant. After witnessing the duel and hearing Blood Fiend insult the army, he acts impulsively and courageously, launching a direct attack despite the enormous difference in power.
• Great Wall Army soldiers are emotionally affected by Blood Fiend’s criticism, forced to confront the possibility that their once-glorious organization is weakening.

Significant Themes

• Strength versus foundations: The duel establishes that equal combat power can still produce different results when one fighter has superior equipment, training, resources, or institutional support.
• Decline of an old power: The Great Wall Army’s lack of new Legendary experts and loss of veteran commanders suggest that it is gradually fading from its former greatness.
• Psychological warfare: Blood Fiend’s invitation is not merely generous; it is designed to exploit the army’s doubts and persuade its members that their organization has no future.
• Accumulated experience as power: Both domains embody the fighters’ entire histories—the enemies Blood Fiend killed and the swords the officer wielded in defense of the Great Wall.
• Courage and defiance: Chen Cheng’s sudden attack represents resistance against surrender and demoralization, even though it places him in extreme danger.

Character Interactions

• Blood Fiend and the officer communicate primarily through combat, each respecting the other’s ability while testing the limits of their domains.
• After winning, Blood Fiend shifts from opponent to tempter, praising the officer’s strength while insulting the Great Wall Army’s foundations and offering him a place in Engela Kingdom.
• His words affect not only the defeated officer but also the surrounding soldiers, making the confrontation a battle for morale as much as a physical duel.
• Chen Cheng directly challenges Blood Fiend’s manipulation, interrupting the recruitment attempt with a furious attack. The chapter ends with Blood Fiend turning his anger toward Chen Cheng, setting up their imminent confrontation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Blood Fiend attacks Chen Cheng with his powerful Blood Sea Domain, expecting to overwhelm him.
• Chen Cheng counters with a single punch empowered by his Nascent Divine Domain, which completely suppresses and shatters Blood Fiend’s domain. The impact blasts Blood Fiend into a crater and severely injures him.
• Although Chen Cheng’s fist is badly damaged by the clash, his divine regeneration—enhanced by the Life Equation—rapidly heals it.
• Chen Cheng mocks Blood Fiend by repeating his earlier insult about the Great Wall Army’s weakness.
• The twenty-thousand-strong Snow Wolf Cavalry forms a Battle Array and advances, while the Great Wall Army prepares to defend itself.
• Chen Cheng takes Blood Fiend hostage and threatens to kill him if the cavalry continues forward.
• When Blood Fiend resists, Chen Cheng orders his hand to be severed. She Li, now equipped with powerful demigod armor and a butcher knife, instantly cuts it off.
• Blood Fiend attempts to manipulate the Great Wall Army officer by accusing Chen Cheng of betraying the alliance, but Chen Cheng reveals the Sword of Kings.
• The divine sword proves Chen Cheng’s imperial identity and authority. Blood Fiend realizes that threats and political arguments can no longer save him.
• Despite their commander’s capture and Chen Cheng’s revealed identity, the Snow Wolf Cavalry continues advancing, apparently determined to kill Chen Cheng even at the cost of their own lives.
• Chen Cheng executes Blood Fiend with a single stroke of the Sword of Kings, severing all vitality and killing him permanently.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng demonstrates overwhelming combat superiority through his Divine Domain, physical strength, rapid regeneration, and mastery of divine artifacts. His confidence grows as he embraces the power of being “One-Punch Man.”
• He also reveals his imperial identity more openly, shifting from concealment and indirect action to direct authority and intimidation.
• Blood Fiend experiences shock and fear after discovering that his strongest attack is useless against Chen Cheng. Once arrogant and aggressive, he becomes desperate, tries political manipulation, and ultimately begs for survival.
• She Li displays significant growth. His mastery of Saber Intent, improved equipment, and understanding of how Enlightened Ones counter Battle Arrays make him a serious threat to the Snow Wolf Cavalry.
• The Great Wall Army officer is placed in a difficult position, caught between obeying the alliance and recognizing the danger posed by Blood Fiend’s faction.

Significant Themes

• Absolute power and hierarchy: The Divine Domain completely suppresses ordinary domains, emphasizing the vast difference between levels of power.
• Hidden identity and legitimacy: The Sword of Kings transforms Chen Cheng’s claim from a personal assertion into undeniable imperial authority.
• Loyalty versus political betrayal: Blood Fiend invokes alliance and righteousness, but his earlier conspiracy against the Great Wall Army exposes the hypocrisy behind his appeal.
• Military force versus individual transcendence: The Snow Wolf Cavalry’s Battle Array is formidable against conventional enemies, but Enlightened Ones like She Li can undermine its structure.
• Justice and retribution: Blood Fiend, a brutal commander responsible for extensive slaughter, dies without remorse or redemption after his own forces continue the conflict.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Blood Fiend move from direct combat to a struggle over control and authority, with Chen Cheng humiliating and executing him.
• Chen Cheng commands She Li to punish Blood Fiend, demonstrating their trust and coordinated battlefield roles.
• Blood Fiend attempts to turn the Great Wall Army officer against Chen Cheng, but Chen Cheng counters by revealing the Sword of Kings.
• The Snow Wolf Cavalry’s refusal to stop forces Chen Cheng to kill Blood Fiend, showing that their loyalty is ultimately to the Engela Kingdom rather than to their commander.

Summary: “Domain Deity”

Key plot points and events

Chen Cheng kills the Snow Wolf Cavalry’s commanding general and orders the remaining enemy troops to attack. The twenty thousand Snow Wolf Cavalry summon a massive, blood-red Military Formation Demon God in the shape of a wolf, while the battle intent of the Great Wall Army merges with Chen Cheng’s Nascent Divine Domain. This creates a powerful, closed-eyed deity phantom that Chen Cheng can control.
Despite Brother Octopus warning him never to open the phantom’s eyes, Chen Cheng uses it to strike the Snow Wolf Demon God. A single palm blow completely disperses the enemy’s formation, tears through its center, and kills over ten thousand Snow Wolf Cavalry. The survivors suffer severe spiritual backlash, with several commanders dying instantly.
This victory shocks both armies because military-formation manifestations are generally believed to affect only the spirit, not directly destroy bodies or physically devastate formations. Chen Cheng concludes that his Divine Domain has transformed the Great Wall Army’s battle intent into genuine divine power.
After the battle, the surviving Great Wall soldiers’ commander, Ailixun, identifies himself and his troops as the Swift Cavalry Guard of the Northern Great Wall Army. He and the soldiers kneel before Chen Cheng and recognize him as their emperor. As some Snow Wolf survivors attempt to flee and report the defeat to the Marquis of Northern Defense, a powerful figure suddenly descends from the sky.

Character developments

• Chen Cheng discovers that his Divine Domain can combine with military battle intent to manifest extraordinary physical power. He realizes why military formations are so formidable and gains greater awareness of his own divine status.
• His victory also deepens his connection to the Great Wall Army. Hearing of their two centuries of suffering, he sincerely tells them, “You’ve suffered greatly,” revealing his compassion and sense of responsibility as their sovereign.
• Brother Octopus remains cautious and knowledgeable, warning Chen Cheng that opening the deity’s eyes could bring disaster.
• Ailixun and the Great Wall Army move from desperate resistance to renewed loyalty and emotional relief after finally finding the emperor they have awaited for nearly two hundred years.
• The Snow Wolf Cavalry, previously confident enough to challenge Demigod-level opponents, are reduced to panic and disarray after their formation is annihilated.

Significant themes

• The power of unity and loyalty: The Great Wall Army’s collective battle intent becomes vastly stronger when combined with Chen Cheng’s Divine Domain.
• Sovereignty and recognition: The soldiers’ formal pledge to Chen Cheng confirms his legitimacy and reunites a forgotten army with its rightful ruler.
• Endurance and sacrifice: The Great Wall Army has guarded humanity for two hundred years despite isolation, political oppression, and the fear of the people they protected.
• Emotional redemption: Chen Cheng’s acknowledgment of their suffering validates the soldiers’ sacrifices and releases long-suppressed grief.
• The nature of divine power: The chapter suggests that Chen Cheng’s power is fundamentally different from ordinary spiritual or military-formation abilities, allowing battle intent to affect the physical world directly.

Character interactions

Chen Cheng commands the Snow Wolf Cavalry and later confronts their formation through the deity phantom. Brother Octopus warns him about the danger of opening its eyes. After the victory, Ailixun kneels and salutes Chen Cheng, followed by the remaining Great Wall soldiers. Chen Cheng lifts Ailixun, praises the army’s endurance, and moves both the soldiers and himself to tears. The chapter ends with fleeing Snow Wolf troops attempting to escape, only for an unidentified fierce figure to descend and intercept them.

Chapter Summary: “A Numerical Report”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Kui Niu prevents the Snow Wolf Cavalry from fleeing by declaring that surrendering soldiers will be spared. His roar weakens their already-broken morale, allowing the Elite Cavalry Guards to disarm and capture them.
• Chen Cheng meets Ye Rong, the legendary commander of the Northern Great Wall Army. Ye Rong’s power is concealed like a sheathed sword, but its overwhelming sharpness nearly injures Chen Cheng’s eyes.
• Ye Rong uses a tear as a sword to transmit a report—and his consciousness—across a great distance to the Western Camp. His Heart Sword destroys the battle formation of twenty thousand Como elites, but deliberately spares their lives, leaving them only disarmed.
• Through this act, Ye Rong demonstrates that he remains faithful to the emperor’s old decree: he is a guardian and defender, not a slaughterer.
• Ye Rong formally reports his 192-year military record to Chen Cheng, listing the Great Wall’s undefeated defense, enemy attacks repelled, and the enormous number of soldiers and commanders lost.
• Chen Cheng listens without interrupting and recites a poem honoring fallen soldiers. Both men are moved to tears.
• Chen Cheng warns Ye Rong that the five kingdoms are preparing to abandon diplomacy and attack the Great Wall Army.
• Kui Niu introduces himself as the acting commander of the South Camp, while Ye Rong explains that he is likewise acting commander of the Eastern Camp because their predecessors died in battle.
• Chen Cheng formally appoints both men as commanders using the Sword of Kings. The investiture stabilizes the Battle Array’s power for Kui Niu and grants both commanders an unseen strengthening force.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng shows compassion, humility, and respect for the Great Wall soldiers. Rather than treating Ye Rong merely as a powerful general, he recognizes the emotional burden behind his service and honors the dead.
• Ye Rong is revealed to be deeply emotional beneath his disciplined exterior. He has personally remembered the names, losses, and sacrifices of nearly two centuries of warfare, despite appearing cold and unshakable.
• Kui Niu proves both militarily effective and loyal. His ability to break the Snow Wolf Cavalry’s morale and his delight at receiving a legitimate appointment show his straightforward nature and dedication to duty.
• She Li remains vigilant, prepared to protect Chen Cheng if Ye Rong loses control, demonstrating his loyalty and caution.

Significant Themes

• Duty and sacrifice: Ye Rong’s report transforms statistics into a memorial for generations of soldiers who died defending the empire.
• The emotional cost of leadership: The chapter reveals that apparent hardness may be a way of carrying unbearable grief in silence.
• Protection versus destruction: Ye Rong’s Heart Sword could have annihilated the enemy, but he chooses restraint, reaffirming the Great Wall Army’s defensive mission.
• Recognition and legitimacy: Chen Cheng’s appointments formally acknowledge commanders who have already earned their authority through service and sacrifice.
• Memory and honoring the dead: The numerical report preserves the lives and contributions hidden within military records and casualty figures.
• The coming crisis: The warning about the five kingdoms signals that the Great Wall Army’s long defensive struggle may soon escalate into a larger war.

Character Interactions

• Kui Niu subdues the Snow Wolf Cavalry through command and intimidation, then helps secure the battlefield.
• Chen Cheng and Ye Rong communicate first through Ye Rong’s sword strike, which conveys both his military power and his unchanged loyalty.
• Ye Rong salutes and reports directly to Chen Cheng as emperor, symbolically ending his long period of isolated service.
• Chen Cheng listens to Ye Rong’s grief and responds with poetry and reassurance, creating a deeply emotional bond between ruler and general.
• Chen Cheng receives Kui Niu and Ye Rong as subordinate commanders and formally confirms their positions, strengthening their connection to the imperial cause.

Chapter Summary: “The Guileless Kui Niu”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Kui Niu earnestly performs a grand salute to Chen Cheng, despite such formalities being forbidden in the army. Chen Cheng stops him, but Kui Niu insists that showing proper respect is important.
• Kui Niu explains that Bu Jiu and Sinister have repeatedly teased him for not understanding human etiquette. He has even changed the way he refers to himself to appear more educated in front of Ye Rong.
• Ye Rong assigns Kui Niu to escort Chen Cheng to the West and North Camps, where their fellow commanders are battling forces from the five great kingdoms.
• Ye Rong remains behind to handle tens of thousands of enemy prisoners from Engla’s Snow Wolf Cavalry and the Kingdom of Como. Chen Cheng believes the prisoners will be more valuable alive than dead and has already begun forming a plan involving them.
• Kui Niu offers to carry Chen Cheng through the air, but Chen Cheng declines and demonstrates that he can fly using a specialized application of his Divine Domain.
• During the flight, Chen Cheng examines Kui Niu’s power and discovers that Kui Niu possesses a compact, earth-aligned domain resembling Divine Power. Chen Cheng realizes that Kui Niu is vastly stronger than the Epic-level Blood Fiend he recently defeated.
• Kui Niu senses that Chen Cheng may be seeing through his abilities, but dismisses the feeling as imagination. The group then flies toward Bu Jiu’s West Camp, with She Li concealed within Chen Cheng’s shadow.

Character Developments

• Kui Niu: Revealed as innocent, literal-minded, and socially awkward, but deeply loyal and sincere toward Chen Cheng. Despite his lack of understanding of human customs, he tries earnestly to behave appropriately as a commander. His embarrassment and brief anger toward Bu Jiu and Sinister highlight his childish, comical personality, while his powerful domain shows that his apparent foolishness hides extraordinary strength.
• Chen Cheng: Acts as a considerate leader by easing Kui Niu’s discomfort and treating him informally. He also demonstrates increasing confidence in his own abilities, especially his self-developed flying technique. However, examining Kui Niu reminds him not to become overconfident after defeating the Blood Fiend.
• Ye Rong: Displays practical military judgment by assigning Chen Cheng to assist the other camps while personally managing the prisoners. His laughter at Kui Niu’s awkwardness suggests familiarity and affection, despite his teasing tone.
• She Li: Remains quietly supportive, accompanying Chen Cheng by merging with his shadow through the Shadow Demon in his saber.

Significant Themes

• Sincerity versus formal etiquette: Kui Niu’s awkward attempts at proper behavior contrast with Chen Cheng’s preference for genuine, relaxed interaction. The chapter suggests that sincerity and loyalty matter more than rigid social customs.
• Hidden strength beneath appearances: Kui Niu appears thickheaded and comical, yet possesses terrifying power comparable to Divine-level forces. His character reinforces the idea that outward appearance can conceal great ability.
• Leadership and trust: Chen Cheng treats his subordinates with respect and adapts to their personalities, while the commanders readily accept his authority. Their cooperation reflects growing unity within the army.
• Humility and power awareness: Chen Cheng’s discovery of Kui Niu’s strength prevents him from becoming too confident after his recent victory, emphasizing the vast hierarchy between Epic, Demigod, and Divine-level beings.
• Pragmatism in warfare: Ye Rong’s decision to preserve the enemy prisoners highlights the strategic value of mercy and resourcefulness over needless slaughter.

Character Interactions

• Kui Niu’s exaggerated reverence clashes humorously with Chen Cheng’s attempts to make him relax.
• Ye Rong teases Kui Niu about his speech and etiquette while also trusting him with the important task of protecting Chen Cheng.
• Kui Niu briefly prepares to confront Bu Jiu and Sinister for mocking him, but remembers his responsibilities as a commander and restrains himself.
• Chen Cheng and Kui Niu travel together toward the battlefield, establishing a relationship built on mutual trust, humor, and growing awareness of one another’s abilities.

Chapter Summary: “One Against Two”

Key Plot Points and Events

• West Camp, commanded by Bu Jiu, guards the most strategically important and expansive section of the Great Wall.
• Forty thousand rebel troops from the Chamo and Sfield Kingdoms attack West Camp, each army led by a general controlling a powerful Military Formation Demon God.
• The enemy generals attempt to persuade Bu Jiu to surrender, claiming the soldiers should return to their homelands. Bu Jiu recognizes this as manipulation and refuses.
• Bu Jiu battles both Military Formation Demon Gods alone. Though each possesses Legendary Rank strength, his Demigod-level power gives him a decisive advantage.
• He first cripples Sfield’s formation with a saber strike, killing or injuring thousands through formation backlash, then severely damages Chamo’s formation with a palm and claw attack.
• Bu Jiu prepares to destroy both armies with one overwhelming slash, but the Chamo and Sfield commanders arrive personally and intervene.
• The commanders combine their own Demigod strength with the surviving soldiers’ Military Formations, restoring and empowering their damaged Demon Gods.
• Bu Jiu nevertheless attacks both commanders simultaneously, demonstrating his willingness to fight two Demigod opponents alone.
• Just as the commanders prepare a coordinated assault, Kui Niu arrives and attacks Sfield’s commander with his massive hammer, joining the battle.

Character Developments

• Bu Jiu: Revealed as a powerful, disciplined, and uncompromising commander. Though normally quiet and approachable, he is ruthless toward traitors and fiercely loyal to the Empire and the Great Wall Army. His mastery of a Demigod-level domain allows him to suppress Military Formations and dominate the battlefield.
• Chamo and Sfield Commanders: Initially confident and manipulative, they underestimate Bu Jiu. After seeing their formations nearly destroyed, they personally enter the fight and use their troops’ power to recover and strengthen their Demon Gods.
• Kui Niu: Makes a dramatic entrance at the chapter’s climax, displaying his bold, aggressive personality and readiness to support Bu Jiu against the two commanders.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty versus betrayal: Bu Jiu’s fury reflects the chapter’s central conflict between those defending the fallen Empire and the kingdoms that have turned against it.
• Individual strength against overwhelming numbers: Bu Jiu faces forty thousand rebels and two powerful formations almost single-handedly, emphasizing exceptional martial ability and courage.
• Military formations and leadership: The strength of a formation depends heavily on its commander. The arrival of the two enemy generals greatly enhances their armies, while Bu Jiu’s personal power allows him to dismantle formations despite being outnumbered.
• Ruthlessness in war: Bu Jiu rejects mercy for traitors and intends to eliminate the rebel armies entirely, showing that the conflict has moved beyond negotiation.

Character Interactions

• The enemy generals attempt to manipulate Bu Jiu into surrendering, but he responds with immediate violence rather than words.
• Bu Jiu overwhelms both Military Formation Demon Gods, forcing their commanders to intervene personally.
• The commanders coordinate with their surviving soldiers to restore their damaged formations and challenge Bu Jiu together.
• Bu Jiu answers their combined assault by attacking both commanders at once.
• Kui Niu interrupts the pincer attack, taking Sfield’s commander as his opponent and shifting the battle from one-against-two toward a more balanced confrontation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Laodelun’s Military Formation Demon God clashes violently with Kui Niu. Kui Niu blocks Laodelun’s spear with his horns, but Laodelun’s hammer repeatedly damages the Demon God and kills or incapacitates many of the soldiers supporting the formation.
• Laodelun abandons his weapon and merges with the formation, transforming into a massive, tangible Demon God. His physical attacks become enormously destructive, repeatedly sending Kui Niu flying and threatening to devastate the surrounding region.
• Chen Cheng observes that Laodelun’s transformation resembles the manifestation of a true god controlling a realm, although Laodelun’s domain itself has not fundamentally changed. His mastery over it, however, has become nearly absolute.
• Frustrated by being overpowered and embarrassed in front of Chen Cheng, Kui Niu also transforms into a bull-headed, human-bodied Demon God.
• The chapter reveals that Laodelun’s clothing is formed from Military Formation Battle Intent. It provides defense and shares damage with the soldiers supporting him; when Kui Niu strikes Laodelun, the garment weakens and many soldiers below suffer backlash.
• Bu Jiu is simultaneously fighting Marshal Feynman of the Chamo Kingdom, with both sides using similar Military Formation garments and Demon God transformations.
• The western camp of the Great Wall Army gathers several thousand soldiers to reinforce Bu Jiu. Instead of sending them to Bu Jiu, Chen Cheng orders them to channel their Military Formation power into him.
• A Black Tortoise formation merges with Chen Cheng, but rather than turning him into a conventional Military Formation Demon God, it manifests a mysterious closed-eyed deity beside or through him.
• The four battling Demon Gods immediately recognize that this entity is something far more genuine and dangerous than an ordinary formation construct. Laodelun and Feynman feel threatened by its presence, while Brother Octopus panics that Chen Cheng has made the situation even more dangerous.

Character Developments

• Laodelun reveals the full extent of his power by merging with his Military Formation Demon God and taking on a true physical form. His control over his domain is shown to be extremely advanced, though his strength depends partly on the soldiers supporting him.
• Kui Niu shifts from relying on his original beast form to adopting a Demon God transformation of his own. His decision is motivated partly by survival and partly by pride after being repeatedly beaten in front of Chen Cheng.
• Chen Cheng demonstrates increasing authority and strategic importance. He recognizes the nature of Laodelun’s transformation, commands Great Wall soldiers through the Sword of Kings, and uses their formation power in an unprecedented way.
• Bu Jiu remains engaged in a parallel battle against Feynman, highlighting that the conflict involves multiple high-level Demon God clashes.
• Brother Octopus provides comic relief while also sensing the serious danger posed by Chen Cheng’s mysterious deity.

Significant Themes

• Power and transformation: The chapter explores how Demigod-level beings can manifest increasingly complete and tangible divine forms.
• The relationship between individuals and armies: Military Formations allow ordinary soldiers to empower a single champion, but the damage they suffer is shared across the formation.
• The nature of godhood: Chen Cheng distinguishes between a powerful formation construct and a true deity, suggesting that his manifested entity may represent a higher or fundamentally different level of existence.
• Pride and escalation: Kui Niu transforms not only because he is being overwhelmed, but because he refuses to continue losing face. Each escalation raises the scale and danger of the battle.
• Authority and command: The Sword of Kings gives Chen Cheng the legitimacy to command the Great Wall Army, reinforcing the importance of imperial symbols and military hierarchy.

Character Interactions

• Laodelun vs. Kui Niu: Their battle escalates from weapon combat to direct clashes between enormous Demon God forms. Kui Niu eventually answers Laodelun’s transformation with one of his own.
• Chen Cheng and Kui Niu: Chen Cheng witnesses Kui Niu’s humiliation and transformation, while Kui Niu is particularly concerned with proving himself before Chen Cheng.
• Chen Cheng and the Great Wall soldiers: Chen Cheng uses the Sword of Kings to command the soldiers, and the colonel immediately recognizes the sword’s authority and obeys.
• Chen Cheng vs. Laodelun and Feynman: The mysterious deity manifested through Chen Cheng turns its attention toward the two enemy commanders, creating a new threat that both can instinctively feel.
• Brother Octopus and Chen Cheng: Brother Octopus reacts with alarm to Chen Cheng’s decision, fearing that manifesting the deity will provoke a disastrous confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “The Terrifying Power of a Deity”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng controls the Eyes-Closed Deity but waits for Laodelun and his companion to attack, uncertain what powers they possess after becoming demon gods.
• The two enemies vanish and trap Chen Cheng inside their Demigod Heaven-and-Earth, transforming the surrounding space into a hostile force that restricts his control over arcane energy.
• Outside the domain, Kui Niu and Bu Jiu attack the Great Wall Army’s Military Formations. Since the formations are supporting Chen Cheng, the enemies intend to destroy them and force the hidden attackers to reveal themselves.
• Their strikes shatter both formations and kill several thousand soldiers. With the formations broken, Chen Cheng can finally see Laodelun and the other man as they attack.
• The two demon gods bite into the Eyes-Closed Deity, absorbing its special qi and rapidly advancing in rank. They treat the deity as a source of power, like a medicinal treasure.
• Chen Cheng activates the deity’s Golden Elixir. Golden radiance throws the enemies away, while supernatural phenomena—purple qi, lightning, and rosy clouds—emerge around the deity.
• He seizes the lightning and forms it into a whip. Each strike summons additional heavenly lightning, damaging the two demon gods and destabilizing their Demigod Heaven-and-Earth.
• After more than a dozen blows, their domain collapses. Their mysterious Dao Fruits are destroyed, causing both enemies to fall from Demigod Level back to peak Epic Rank.
• Chen Cheng studies rather than immediately kills them, though he cripples both their physical bodies and consciousness forms with a single gesture.
• After dismissing the deity, Chen Cheng senses that the Eyes-Closed Deity is beginning to awaken, alarming him. The Great Wall Army soldiers collapse from exhaustion, while Kui Niu and Bu Jiu return to normal and approach him respectfully.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng becomes increasingly confident in the Eyes-Closed Deity’s overwhelming strength. He shifts from cautious observation to decisive domination once the enemies threaten the deity and the soldiers.
• His control over the deity expands: he can manifest its inner phenomena and wield them as weapons, particularly the terrifying heavenly lightning.
• Chen Cheng also reveals a scientific and strategic side by preserving the defeated enemies for investigation instead of killing them outright.
• Laodelun and his companion initially appear confident and calculating, using their Demigod Heaven-and-Earth and coordinated attack to gain an advantage. Their greed leads them to underestimate the deity, and they are ultimately reduced to helpless Epic-level beings.
• Kui Niu and Bu Jiu serve as the enemies’ means of destroying the Military Formations, but later show deep respect and concern toward Chen Cheng after witnessing his victory.
• The Eyes-Closed Deity appears increasingly active and dangerous. Its possible awakening becomes a new source of tension for Chen Cheng.

Significant Themes

• The danger of underestimating true power: The enemies believe their Demigod abilities are invincible, but the seemingly sleeping deity effortlessly destroys their greatest defense.
• Greed and predation: Laodelun and his companion attempt to devour the deity for advancement, but their attempt provokes a devastating counterattack.
• Power beyond conventional cultivation: The deity’s strength transcends normal Demigod limits, even destroying Demigod Dao Fruits—something considered impossible.
• Control versus awakening: Chen Cheng can command the Eyes-Closed Deity, but its growing signs of consciousness suggest that his control may not last forever.
• The cost of power: The Great Wall Army’s support is crucial, yet the soldiers suffer extreme mental exhaustion after sustaining the deity’s manifestation.
• Reversal of dominance: The attackers begin as superior Demigods but end crippled and terrified, while Chen Cheng becomes the overwhelming force on the battlefield.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng ignores Brother Octopus’s muttering, treating it as another episode of madness.
• Laodelun and his companion coordinate their hidden attack through their Demigod Heaven-and-Earth and rely on Kui Niu and Bu Jiu to destroy the Military Formations.
• The two enemies attempt to consume the Eyes-Closed Deity, directly provoking Chen Cheng’s rage.
• Chen Cheng retaliates by striking them with divine lightning, then cripples them after their defeat.
• Once the battle ends, Kui Niu and Bu Jiu bow respectfully and express concern for Chen Cheng. Their intense, almost worshipful gazes make him uncomfortable, prompting him to tell them to stop looking at him strangely.

Chapter Summary: “Plans for the Future”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Chen Cheng explains the situation, Kui Niu and Sinister recover from their stunned reactions to the mysterious closed-eyed deity Chen Cheng summoned.
• They secure the two defeated Laodeluns, intending to imprison them, and prepare to inspect the northern camp.
• Sinister arrives after sensing the massive battle. The surrounding snowy mountains and plains have been devastated, confirming the scale of the conflict.
• Bu Jiu reports that the remaining 20,000 Jirujiva troops attacked during the unloading of supplies, apparently following a sudden order. Half were killed, while the rest were captured and restrained.
• Chen Cheng concludes that the five great kingdoms have begun openly acting against the Great Wall Army. He abandons the idea of a future ambush and decides they must confront the enemy directly.
• He proposes that the Great Wall Army eliminate the five kingdoms’ garrisons and reclaim the entire Northern Frontier.
• Chen Cheng identifies enemy reinforcements as the greatest threat. To stop the kingdoms from sending powerful experts into the region, the Great Wall Army must control the Northern Frontier.
• Although the army lacks the manpower and political legitimacy to govern the territory independently, Chen Cheng’s position as Emperor provides legal justification for the conquest.
• He suggests using Kui Niu and the Orc race as the foundation of a new local administration. By raising Kui Niu’s banner, they could attract millions of orcs from the Northern Frontier’s tribes and recruit them as soldiers and local guards.
• Chen Cheng believes the region’s residents may accept Imperial rule if the Empire cooperates with the Orcs and uses the Great Wall as a defensive border.

Character Development

• Chen Cheng demonstrates growing political and military ruthlessness. He recognizes that survival requires more than defeating enemy troops; it requires controlling territory and establishing legitimate authority.
• He also shows awareness of his uncertain connection to the closed-eyed deity and remains curious about Brother Octopus’s silence and possible relationship to the Sequence Apotheosis mission.
• Bu Jiu displays strong loyalty and respect toward Chen Cheng, likely because he sensed the extraordinary power behind the summoned deity.
• Sinister greets Chen Cheng with emotion suggestive of a long-awaited reunion, though Chen Cheng understands that much of the respect surrounding him is directed toward his bloodline and imperial status rather than his personal identity.
• Kui Niu becomes unexpectedly central to Chen Cheng’s political strategy. Though embarrassed and doubtful, his Orc heritage makes him a potential leader capable of uniting the Northern Frontier’s Orc tribes.
• The Great Wall commanders, particularly Bu Jiu and Sinister, are forced to reconsider their previous defensive role and prepare for territorial conquest.

Significant Themes

• Legitimacy and political authority: Military victory alone is insufficient; Chen Cheng emphasizes that the Great Wall Army needs lawful justification to rule and gain the people’s acceptance.
• War versus governance: The chapter shifts from battlefield survival to the practical problems of ruling conquered territory, recruiting soldiers, and managing local populations.
• Identity and loyalty: Chen Cheng distinguishes genuine personal loyalty from reverence for imperial blood and status.
• Pragmatism over idealism: Chen Cheng openly accepts that bloodshed and coercive methods may be necessary. He refuses to sacrifice his loyal soldiers for unfamiliar civilians.
• Marginalized peoples and power: The Orcs, discriminated against by humans, may become the political and military force that enables the Empire to control the Northern Frontier.
• Expansion as defense: The planned conquest is framed not primarily as imperial ambition, but as a necessary strategy to prevent enemy reinforcements and protect the Great Wall Army.

Character Interactions

• Kui Niu and Sinister initially react awkwardly to Chen Cheng’s summoned deity, revealing their shock at its overwhelming presence.
• Sinister questions Kui Niu and then respectfully salutes Chen Cheng, while Chen Cheng reflects on the emotional complexity behind that respect.
• Bu Jiu reports the Jirujiva attack directly to Chen Cheng, reinforcing his role as a trusted commander.
• Chen Cheng addresses the commanders’ concerns about manpower and legitimacy, persuading them that Imperial authority makes the reclamation of the Northern Frontier possible.
• He singles out Kui Niu and explains that his Orc identity could attract tribal support, transforming him from a battlefield commander into a potential political leader.
• The commanders’ unease reflects the moral and practical consequences of Chen Cheng’s plan, especially the prospect of using the Orcs to govern human inhabitants.

Chapter Summary: “The Perplexing Reason”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng proposes using the Great Wall to seal the Northern Frontier and prevent renewed conflict between humans and orcs. Kui Niu jokingly embraces the idea of becoming a peace envoy, while Bu Jiu points out that they do not know how to control the Wall.
• Chen Cheng argues that the Great Wall was likely not built by ordinary laborers but was an ancient structure discovered and moved by Jingjihua the First. Because it can apparently expand, shrink, and relocate, Chen believes he may be able to control it as well.
• He suspects the Wall is connected to the Thornflower Royal House’s past efforts to green the Great Desert. Comparing maps of the Wall and the desert’s oases may confirm this theory.
• Ye Rong arrives and reports that war is now unavoidable. Interrogated prisoners revealed that five factions changed their plans because the Grand Council was summoned earlier than expected. Their commanders believe they can soon end the nearly two-hundred-year siege.
• Chen Cheng initially believes the five kingdoms intend to destroy the Kingdom of Moss, both to eliminate his allies and intimidate other kingdoms. The prisoners’ statements, however, suggest the Great Wall Army itself may be their true target.
• The commanders-in-chief Laodelun and another officer appear to have known about the planned betrayal, angering Ye Rong and Kui Niu. Chen Cheng decides not to focus on punishing them immediately and instead proceeds with his own strategy.
• Chen Cheng proposes reclaiming the Northern Frontier. Ye Rong supports the plan but warns that the Great Wall is about to face a massive Black Calamity preceded by a huge Beastman army.
• Because of this threat, the Great Wall Army can spare only one camp for Chen Cheng, while Bu Jiu and the other commanders cannot leave with it.
• One camp contains roughly 120,000–130,000 elite soldiers. Even ordinary troops are at least Gold Rank, while commanders and military formations possess enough power to challenge late Legendary Rank opponents.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Chen Cheng demonstrates strategic confidence and growing understanding of ancient technology. He combines historical clues, military intelligence, and geographical evidence to form plans involving both the Great Wall and the Northern Frontier.
• Bu Jiu remains practical and cautious, immediately identifying the central problem: even if Chen’s theory is correct, they lack control over the Wall.
• Kui Niu reacts with straightforward enthusiasm, imagining himself as a mediator between humans and orcs. His optimism contrasts with Sinister’s skepticism.
• Sinister continues to serve as the more cynical and sharp-tongued member of the group, dismissing Kui Niu’s simplistic excitement.
• Ye Rong proves loyal and decisive. His interrogation of prisoners provides crucial intelligence, and he is willing to commit an entire military camp to Chen Cheng despite the looming Black Calamity.
• Laodelun and his fellow commander are exposed as potential traitors or conspirators. Their apparent knowledge of the planned attack causes the Great Wall Army leaders to feel betrayed.
• Chen Cheng and Ye Rong interact as ruler and military professional: Chen sets the strategic objective, while Ye Rong provides battlefield realities and limits.

Significant Themes

• Trust and betrayal: The Great Wall Army has defended the frontier for centuries, yet its supposed allies may be planning to sacrifice it. The revelation that senior commanders knew of the scheme deepens the sense of betrayal.
• Ancient inheritance and forgotten technology: The Great Wall is portrayed as a mysterious relic whose true origins differ from official history. Understanding the past may provide the key to solving present dangers.
• War and diplomacy: Kui Niu’s joke about becoming an envoy reflects the possibility of peace between humans and orcs, but the approaching war shows how fragile that possibility is.
• Strategic leadership: Chen Cheng must balance ambitious plans against limited manpower and multiple threats. The chapter emphasizes that victory depends not only on individual strength but also on intelligence, logistics, and military formations.
• Unity under crisis: The reunion between Chen Cheng and the Great Wall Army gives its commanders renewed confidence. Their willingness to act aggressively increases now that they have their emperor to support and guide them.

Overall Significance

The chapter shifts the story from political suspicion to imminent large-scale conflict. Chen Cheng prepares to reclaim the Northern Frontier while investigating the Great Wall’s hidden nature, but the approaching Black Calamity and Beastman invasion force him to divide already-limited military resources. At the same time, betrayal within the human alliance threatens to turn the Great Wall Army’s long defense into a catastrophic trap.

Chapter Summary: “A Chilling Guess”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng questions Ye Rong about how the Great Wall Army handles Beastmen and the Black Calamity. He learns that Beastmen are generally manageable, but the Black Calamity forces the army to commit all its strength to defending the Great Wall.
• Ye Rong explains that the Black Calamity consists of terrifying creatures called Black Demons, which emerge from the Abyss in the far north. They use spatial passages to reach the Far-North Icefield, where they hide, raid Orc tribes, grow stronger, and move south each winter.
• The Black Demons are humanoid, extremely difficult to kill, and resistant to ordinary lethal weaknesses. Anyone wounded by them soon undergoes demonic transformation and becomes another Black Demon.
• Sinister reveals that Wei Bing and other comrades died after being infected while saving him. His guilt helps explain his hostility toward Kui Niu, Wei Bing’s successor.
• The Black Demons’ description reminds Chen Cheng of zombies from his former world, triggering anxiety that this magical world may be facing a zombie-like apocalypse. He struggles to reconcile that possibility with the Orcs’ thousand-year history and intelligence.
• Driven by fear and an inexplicable sense of impending disaster, Chen Cheng decides to go beyond the Great Wall to meet the Orcs and investigate the Black Demons himself.
• Before he can leave, Ye Rong detects a strange emotional force entering Chen Cheng’s mind. The force causes an intense, abnormal emotional surge, which Ye Rong cuts away with his Intent Sword.
• Chen Cheng recovers, but the group becomes alarmed and wonders whether someone—or something—is attempting to manipulate or harm him.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng becomes increasingly suspicious and proactive. Rather than remaining behind the Great Wall, he feels compelled to investigate the threat personally, revealing both his courage and his fear of a catastrophe resembling a zombie apocalypse.
• Ye Rong demonstrates his protective role and advanced mental abilities by recognizing the abnormal influence on Chen Cheng and severing it. His calm intervention prevents Chen Cheng’s emotional state from escalating.
• Sinister exposes deep remorse over the deaths of Wei Bing and the others, adding emotional weight to his otherwise grim and aggressive character. His resentment toward Kui Niu is linked to this unresolved guilt.
• Kui Niu shows loyalty and protectiveness toward Chen Cheng, immediately offering to destroy whoever may have attacked him.
• She Li proves that she can sense the strange force despite having weaker Intent, confirming that the phenomenon was real rather than imagined.

Significant Themes

• The fear of contagion and transformation: The Black Demons’ ability to convert wounded victims into monsters creates a threat that spreads through contact and undermines conventional defenses.
• Science versus magic: Chen Cheng tries to interpret the Black Demons through the lens of his previous world’s zombie fiction, questioning whether magical explanations can account for their seemingly unnatural properties.
• Trauma and survivor’s guilt: Sinister’s grief over Wei Bing’s death continues to shape his behavior and relationships.
• The limits of knowledge: Neither the Great Wall Army nor the Orcs understand the true nature of the Black Calamity, leaving Chen Cheng to investigate an ancient and poorly understood danger.
• Hidden mental manipulation: The mysterious emotional force suggests that the threat may not be purely physical; unseen entities or powers may be capable of influencing Chen Cheng directly.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng presses Ye Rong for information, forcing the group to discuss the nature of the Black Calamity and Black Demons.
• Sinister adds the crucial detail about infection and transformation while recounting the deaths of Wei Bing and his comrades.
• Chen Cheng’s desire to cross the Great Wall conflicts with Ye Rong’s protective caution, though Chen Cheng ultimately clarifies that he intends to meet the Orcs.
• Ye Rong intervenes when Chen Cheng’s emotions become dangerously unstable, using Intent Sword to remove the invading influence.
• Bu Jiu and the others question Ye Rong’s actions, while Kui Niu angrily volunteers to confront the suspected attacker.

Chapter Summary: “Believe”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Strange disturbances and an exceptionally large Black Calamity threaten the Great Wall. Ye Rong believes the Beastmen Royal House may have failed in its duty to suppress the danger in the Far-Northern Abyss.
• Chen Cheng decides to investigate personally. Ye Rong agrees, allowing him to disguise himself as an ordinary Great Wall soldier and travel with Kui Niu to the Beastmen territories.
• Ye Rong gives Chen Cheng a wooden sword containing the intent of a full-power strike. The sword can automatically protect Chen Cheng when it senses danger and alert Ye Rong to his location.
• Chen Cheng, She Li, and Kui Niu prepare to leave. Chen Cheng deliberately wears ordinary, unprotected armor to avoid suspicion and adopts the behavior of a regular soldier.
• Before departing, the group discusses the prophecy that may identify Chen Cheng as a great ruler. Kui Niu argues that they should follow and believe in Chen Cheng regardless of whether the prophecy is true.
• Kui Niu transports Chen Cheng and She Li to the South Camp using his domain rather than physically carrying them.
• Upon arrival, Kui Niu formally announces that he has received the Emperor’s appointment and is now the true commander of the South Camp. He reinforces his policy of equal treatment by appointing three human and three orc captains.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng shows initiative and courage by choosing to investigate the danger himself despite the risks. He also demonstrates adaptability by embracing the disguise and military role.
• Ye Rong acts as a protective and perceptive mentor. He senses that Chen Cheng’s arrival may be significant and entrusts him with a powerful defensive weapon.
• Kui Niu reveals strong loyalty and a serious sense of responsibility beneath his normally foolish, cheerful personality. He promises to protect Chen Cheng at all costs and displays capable leadership at the South Camp.
• Sinister moves from teasing Kui Niu to openly admiring his convictions. His protective concern for Chen Cheng also becomes clear.
• Bu Jiu supports the idea that the group should follow Chen Cheng even if he is not the figure foretold by prophecy.

Significant Themes

• Faith and loyalty: The characters choose to support Chen Cheng based on trust rather than relying solely on prophecy or certainty.
• Prophecy versus personal choice: Kui Niu argues that even if Chen Cheng is not the prophesied ruler, they can still help him shape or overturn destiny.
• Unity between humans and orcs: Kui Niu’s equal appointment of human and orc captains emphasizes cooperation and challenges racial divisions.
• Leadership beneath appearances: Kui Niu’s foolish exterior contrasts with his loyalty, discipline, and authority as a commander.
• Protection and responsibility: Ye Rong’s sword and Kui Niu’s vow symbolize the group’s commitment to safeguard Chen Cheng while he faces danger.

Character Interactions

• Ye Rong, Sinister, Bu Jiu, and Kui Niu debate Chen Cheng’s importance and the relevance of prophecy, ultimately affirming their belief in him.
• Sinister repeatedly warns Kui Niu to protect Chen Cheng, while Kui Niu confidently promises to do so.
• Chen Cheng and She Li cooperate in maintaining their soldier disguises, saluting their commanders and following military protocol.
• At the South Camp, Kui Niu interacts with his soldiers in a formal, authoritative manner, revealing a sharp contrast with his relaxed behavior around his companions.

Chapter Summary: “Beyond the Pass”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Commander Kui Niu selects six elite soldiers, along with Chen Cheng and two others, for a dangerous patrol to the Far-Northern Abyss.
• Their mission is to contact the Beastmen and determine whether they have already lost control of the Abyss.
• Kui Niu gives the soldiers an opportunity to return home and leave final words for their families, since entering Beastmen territory may mean certain death. All six refuse, demonstrating their discipline and courage.
• The group travels to the Great Wall’s teleportation platform, where Chen Cheng notices an inscription identifying the site as part of the Great Wall’s 568th Company.
• Kui Niu explains that the structure likely originated from the Ancient Civilization and was relocated from the Great Desert. Most of its internal resources have been destroyed or exhausted, which is why the Great Wall Army has guarded it for a thousand years.
• Chen Cheng reflects on the mysteries of the Ancient Civilization, the dangers surrounding ascension, and his uneasy status as the first recorded true ascended god.
• The teleportation formation is activated despite Kui Niu’s warning not to send them into enemy forces. The group of nine appears on a snow-covered mountain five hundred li beyond the Great Wall.
• The immense strain of transporting Chen Cheng and Kui Niu damages or overloads the teleportation platform, forcing the Array Master to temporarily shut it down.

Character Developments

• Kui Niu is shown as a stern but considerate commander. Though he pressures the soldiers to proceed, he repeatedly offers them a final chance to turn back, revealing concern beneath his harsh exterior.
• The six soldiers are characterized as exceptionally loyal and fearless. Their refusal to make preparations or bid farewell suggests complete devotion to duty and acceptance of the mission’s risks.
• Chen Cheng continues to demonstrate knowledge beyond his apparent rank, particularly regarding the Great Wall and Ancient Civilization. His reflections reveal growing anxiety about his unexplained ascension and the potentially dangerous consequences of being the first to achieve it.
• The Array Master provides a brief lighter moment through his exaggerated distress over the damage to the teleportation platform, emphasizing how unusual and demanding the group’s transfer was.

Significant Themes

• Duty versus personal attachment: The soldiers prioritize their orders over family farewells and personal safety.
• Courage and fatalism: Their calm acceptance of a potentially suicidal mission highlights the extreme mentality required of Great Wall Army elites.
• Ancient mysteries and hidden dangers: The ruined Great Wall, the inaccessible relics of the Ancient Civilization, and the unknown guardians beneath the ruins all suggest a dangerous history that remains poorly understood.
• The risks of being a pioneer: Chen Cheng compares his ascension to being the first person to eat a crab, suggesting that apparent breakthroughs may conceal deadly consequences.
• Trust and command: Kui Niu’s willingness to offer the soldiers a choice strengthens the sense that their obedience is voluntary, while their response confirms mutual trust between commander and troops.

Character Interactions

• Kui Niu questions the six soldiers about their preparations, indirectly encouraging them to say goodbye to their families.
• The soldiers respond formally and unanimously, refusing to retreat or show hesitation.
• Kui Niu shares information about the Great Wall’s origins and condition with Chen Cheng, implicitly acknowledging that Chen Cheng possesses unusual knowledge and importance.
• Before teleportation, Kui Niu again offers everyone a chance to withdraw, but their silence confirms their resolve.
• The Array Master obeys Kui Niu’s orders but reacts angrily and humorously after the formation suffers from the strain of transporting the group.

Abyss Crisis — Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Kui Niu, Chen Cheng, and their companions travel near the Great Wall through the snow-covered Northern Frontier, where they discover enormous mountains made from the bones of countless former Beastmen.
• Kui Niu explains that these corpses were demonized into Black Demons, and that the surrounding snow mountains conceal even greater quantities of their remains.
• Chen Cheng examines one particularly powerful thigh bone and discovers that its still-fresh silver marrow contains a mysterious substance likely responsible for the Black Demon infection. He collects the marrow for further study.
• Kui Niu orders the group to force-march toward the Far-Northern Abyss.
• Meanwhile, the Abyss has become uncontrollable, erupting continuously and releasing vast numbers of Black Demons. Its influence is spreading, forcing the Beastmen to begin a mass migration south.
• The Barbarian King and the leaders of the Orc royal clans attempt to hold back the Black Demons and buy time for their people. Although the Barbarian King initially orders the clan leaders to leave and preserve the Orc race, they return to fight beside him.
• The Abyss suddenly produces enormous tentacles, apparently formed from its leaking divine power. The Orc leaders attack them but discover that ordinary strength cannot damage them.
• The Barbarian King realizes that only power of the same divine essence—or the lost ritual artifacts once used to suppress the Abyss—can destroy the tentacles. However, the surviving leaders no longer possess those artifacts, having given them to their descendants before returning to die.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng demonstrates his scientific and investigative abilities by analyzing the remains rather than treating the bones merely as evidence of past battles. His discovery of the abnormal substance in the marrow gives him a possible lead toward understanding or countering the Black Demon infection.
• Kui Niu remains calm and authoritative, trusting Chen Cheng’s investigation while directing the group toward the Abyss with urgency.
• The Barbarian King is shown as a self-sacrificing ruler. He is not afraid of death, but fears failing to protect his people. His initial attempt to send the other clan leaders away reflects his willingness to sacrifice himself for the Orc race.
• The royal clan leaders, especially the Lion King, reject the Barbarian King’s attempt to command them away. Despite their harsh words and former political tensions, they choose solidarity and return to fight alongside him.
• The Barbarian King’s tactical authority remains intact: when the tentacles appear, the other leaders instinctively follow his commands, revealing their continued trust in his battlefield judgment.

Significant Themes

• The cost of past conflict: The mountains of bones show the immense scale of the Beastmen’s historical suffering and the destructive consequences of demonization.
• Sacrifice and collective responsibility: The Barbarian King and the clan leaders are willing to die to delay the Abyss and give their people time to escape.
• Unity in crisis: Political distinctions become unimportant when the Orc race faces extinction; former rivals return to stand together.
• The limits of brute strength: Even the most powerful Legendary warriors are helpless against forces of a higher essence. The chapter emphasizes the importance of understanding the nature of power, not merely possessing more of it.
• The Abyss as an overwhelming, almost divine threat: Its eruption is portrayed as a world-threatening disaster, potentially capable of producing another being as catastrophic as Jingjihua the First.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng quietly investigates the bones while the others wait, showing the group’s trust in both Kui Niu’s judgment and Chen Cheng’s expertise.
• Kui Niu gives Chen Cheng room to work but then immediately resumes command, ordering the group toward the Abyss.
• The Barbarian King angrily orders the royal clan leaders to retreat, prioritizing their survival and the future of their clans.
• The Lion King openly challenges him, insisting that the Barbarian King no longer has the authority to dictate their actions, yet simultaneously fights at his side.
• When the tentacles emerge, the clan leaders once again accept the Barbarian King’s leadership, forming a united defense despite their earlier verbal hostility.