Chapter Summaries

Summary of “Precognitive Sacrifice”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Barbarian King realizes that the returning Orc warriors intend to sacrifice themselves rather than flee with the tribe. Their deaths will buy time for the clansmen carrying the ritual vessels to escape southward, since the humans behind the Great Wall would not allow the powerful Orc forces to pass.
• The Barbarian King and the patriarchs of the royal clans activate the Gods-and-Devils Body, transforming into gigantic divine forms. They fight their way into the awakening Abyss, destroying its tentacles and drawing its power away from the fleeing tribe.
• Dozens of other clan patriarchs remain behind to fight the Black Demons emerging from the Abyss. All of these warriors knowingly accept that they will probably die, since no one who has entered the Abyss has ever returned.
• Meanwhile, the High Priest stays behind in his stone house and performs a desperate divination ritual. Using his blood and the Crystal Book left by the Ancient Civilization as a ritual vessel, he sacrifices his own Bai Ze blood to ask for a path to survival for the Orc people.
• The ritual drains the High Priest repeatedly until his body becomes skeletal. The Crystal Book eventually shatters, apparently signaling the completion of the sacrifice and prophecy.
• The newly appointed Barbarian King, Saji, enters the house and finds the High Priest dying. The High Priest tells him that there is still hope and urges him to accept his responsibility as Barbarian King, remain firm in his choices, and lead the Orcs to survival.
• The High Priest dies, leaving Saji devastated. Saji seals the stone house rather than removing the body and takes up the Bloodfury Battleaxe, symbol of the Barbarian King.
• Saji orders the Orc race to head south. Tens of millions of Orcs begin a mass migration from the Far North, abandoning the homeland they have guarded for more than a thousand years.
• Chen Cheng and his companions travel beyond the frontier and witness the end of the vast fields of corpses and bones left by the Orcs’ past suffering. A mysterious hum reaches them, triggering Kui Niu’s fear and reminding him of an earlier sacrifice in Orc history that involved summoning an evil god and nearly destroying the world.

Character Developments

• The Barbarian King accepts death as the price of protecting his people and personally leads the assault into the Abyss.
• The royal-clan patriarchs demonstrate collective self-sacrifice, choosing to fight rather than escape.
• The High Priest gives up his life through divination, placing the survival of the entire Orc race above his own existence. His final act is also a transfer of authority and hope to Saji.
• Saji changes from a grieving successor into the responsible leader of the Orcs. Despite his sorrow, he honors the High Priest, takes up the royal weapon, and makes the decisive order to migrate south.
• Kui Niu becomes increasingly fearful as he recognizes the similarity between the current crisis and a previous Orc catastrophe involving forbidden sacrifice and an evil god.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice for collective survival: The warriors and High Priest willingly surrender their lives so that the broader Orc population may have a chance to live.
• Leadership and inheritance: Saji inherits not only the title of Barbarian King but also the burden of making choices that determine his people’s fate.
• Historical repetition: The hum and sacrificial ritual echo a past disaster, suggesting that the Orcs may once again be approaching a catastrophic decision.
• Hope amid extinction: Although the Orcs face annihilation and the Abyss is breaking free, the High Priest’s divination offers a fragile possibility of survival.
• The cost of survival: The Orcs’ migration is made possible by the deaths of their strongest defenders, while the mountains of bones emphasize the enormous price already paid by their race.

Character Interactions

• The Barbarian King commands the other patriarchs to unleash their full strength, and they join him in the assault on the Abyss.
• The High Priest and Saji share an emotional final conversation in which the dying elder reminds Saji of his duty and entrusts the Orcs’ fate to him.
• Saji responds to the High Priest’s death by sealing his remains and carrying the Bloodfury Battleaxe, symbolically accepting his succession.
• Chen Cheng’s group observes the aftermath from afar, while Kui Niu connects the strange hum to the Orc race’s tragic historical records and fears that another world-threatening sacrifice may be underway.

Chapter Summary: “Observations on the Migration”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Kui Niu and Chen Cheng hurry toward the Far-Northern Abyss after realizing that something may be wrong in the region.
• Across the ice plains, they discover that the Orc race is not preparing an invasion but undertaking a massive southward migration. The migrating orcs carry families and household goods, suggesting an emergency evacuation.
• Kui Niu and the Great Wall Army captains recognize that many of these orcs are ordinary civilians and descendants of tribes previously exiled by the royal clans. Despite the historical hostility between humans and orcs, they sympathize with the refugees and understand that the true enemy is the Abyss Black Calamity.
• A Bear-Orc captain volunteers to remain behind and prevent the migrating orcs from gathering into mobs or attacking the Great Wall. Kui Niu accepts after consulting Chen Cheng.
• Kui Niu creates a huge palm print on the ice as a boundary and announces that the orcs must remain there and obey the Great Wall Army’s guidance. He promises that the Army will not abandon them and will seek out their chieftains.
• The Bear-Orc captain begins organizing the refugees, protected by the palm print, while Kui Niu, Chen Cheng, and the others continue north.
• During their journey, they witness intelligent magical beasts migrating peacefully with the orcs, while savage beasts attack both the caravans and other creatures. Kui Niu kills hostile beast emperors and orc bandits who threaten them.
• The farther north they travel, the larger the migrating groups become, eventually including tribes numbering hundreds of thousands or even millions. However, the orcs offer little information and merely point toward the Far-Northern Abyss.
• Kui Niu finds no other Demigod-level experts, leading Chen Cheng to suspect that the region’s leaders have gathered at the Abyss to suppress its revival.
• The group heads directly toward the Abyss, unknowingly missing Saji, the newly appointed Beastman King, who had come to thank them and discuss accepting the Orc race into Great Wall territory.
• Saji, occupied with protecting the rear of the migration, cannot search for them personally and sends subordinates to find them, leaving him feeling isolated and overwhelmed.

Character Developments

• Kui Niu demonstrates both urgency and compassion. Although he regards the orcs as potential enemies, he is moved by the suffering of ordinary refugees and takes practical steps to protect them. His authority over the Orc race is also emphasized through his royal-clan heritage and command over the Great Wall Army.
• Chen Cheng reveals his inclusive political vision. He believes intelligent races can be united regardless of species and sees the Orc race as a possible ally in restoring a nation. His strategic reasoning helps the group interpret the migration as evidence of an Abyss-related crisis.
• The Bear-Orc captain shows courage and loyalty by accepting the dangerous responsibility of managing the refugee population rather than continuing toward the Abyss.
• Saji is portrayed as a grateful but burdened leader. He welcomes the possibility of cooperation with the Great Wall Army but is frustrated and saddened when he fails to meet Kui Niu and Chen Cheng.

Significant Themes

• Unity across racial boundaries: The chapter challenges the traditional human-orc divide, suggesting that shared intelligence and a common enemy can create the foundation for cooperation.
• The devastation of catastrophe: The migration shows how the Abyss Black Calamity affects civilians, families, and entire societies, not merely armies.
• Leadership and responsibility: Characters must choose between pursuing the central crisis and protecting vulnerable populations. The chapter highlights both military command and humanitarian leadership.
• Distrust versus cooperation: The Great Wall Army wants to help the orcs, but past violence and the orcs’ instinctive hostility make cooperation dangerous and complicated.
• Foreshadowing of the Abyss’s revival: The orderly yet enormous migration, absence of powerful experts, and Chen Cheng’s growing unease all suggest that a major disaster is imminent.

Character Interactions

• Kui Niu and Chen Cheng cooperate closely, with Kui Niu relying on Chen Cheng’s judgment about how to handle the Orc refugees.
• Kui Niu grants the Bear-Orc captain authority to guide the migrants and provides him with a protective means of retreat.
• The Great Wall Army’s relationship with the ordinary orcs shifts temporarily from enemy opposition to guarded protection.
• Saji’s attempted contact with Kui Niu and Chen Cheng establishes the possibility of a future alliance between the Beastman leadership and the Great Wall Army, though their missed encounter delays that cooperation.

Chapter Summary: “The Abyss Falls Completely”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The Far-Northern Abyss continues expanding, swallowing the Orc race’s defensive arrangements and killing or corrupting the royal clan chiefs stationed around it.
• Fewer than twenty peak Epic Rank chiefs remain outside the Abyss; most have been wounded, demonized, and transformed into Black Demons.
• Severely corrupted Undying Corpses emerge from the Abyss and attack the surviving Orc leaders, absorbing their power to restore their own decaying bodies.
• The Orc chiefs fight desperately, exchanging bitter jokes, insults, jealousy, and final confessions as they recognize that they are facing certain death.
• The Barbarian King makes one last attack from within the Abyss, using a dragon claw to destroy thousands of Black Demons. However, his roar reveals that he can no longer hold back the catastrophe.
• The Crane Beastman is overwhelmed first. The Dog-Head Beastman attempts to avenge or rescue him but is also swallowed by the Black Demon Tide. The remaining Orc chiefs across multiple defensive positions suffer the same fate and are eventually demonized.
• With no Orc chiefs left to resist them, the Black Demons pour south from the Abyss, filling even the lava-filled regions and advancing like an unstoppable wave.
• Chen Cheng, Kui Niu, and their companions approach the Far North and witness the Abyss’s collapse. They realize the Black Calamity is spreading on an unprecedented scale.
• Chen Cheng proposes splitting up: five colonels will return to warn General Ye Rong and organize the defense, while Chen Cheng, Kui Niu, and She Li investigate the Abyss and seek the cause of its collapse.
• Kui Niu orders the evacuation and rescue of as many Beastmen as possible, emphasizing that every survivor saved both strengthens their side and denies the Black Demons another victim.
• Chen Cheng asks Kui Niu to kill several Primordial Black Demons so he can study their remains. Kui Niu does so, and the trio hides inside an active volcano while Chen Cheng begins dissecting the corpses.

2. Character Developments

• The Orc chiefs are shown at their final limits. Their former rivalries and resentments give way to grim camaraderie as they accept that they will die together.
• The Dog-Head Beastman displays loyalty beneath his crude humor, charging back into the Black Demon Tide after the Crane Beastman disappears.
• The Crane Beastman remains fierce and combative until he is overwhelmed, but his death becomes the emotional turning point for the Dog-Head Beastman.
• The Barbarian King is revealed to be losing his battle within the Abyss. His final strike demonstrates his power but also confirms that even he cannot hold back the spreading calamity.
• Kui Niu acts decisively as a military commander, ordering both an evacuation and the rapid transmission of information. He trusts Chen Cheng’s judgment and supports his investigation.
• Chen Cheng becomes more proactive and strategic. Rather than retreating immediately, he recognizes the need to understand the Abyss’s collapse and begins a scientific investigation into the Black Demons.
• The five colonels accept the dangerous task of returning through separate routes to warn the defenders and coordinate a broader response.

3. Significant Themes

• The inevitability and scale of catastrophe: The Abyss’s collapse transforms the Black Calamity from a localized threat into an overwhelming invasion.
• Sacrifice and final solidarity: The Orc chiefs die together despite their old grudges, showing how shared danger can unite former rivals.
• The cycle of death and corruption: Those killed by the Black Demons are transformed into new enemies, making every death strengthen the calamity.
• The value of survival: Saving even one Beastman is presented as both a moral victory and a strategic necessity.
• Knowledge versus overwhelming force: While Kui Niu confronts the Black Demons physically, Chen Cheng seeks to understand them through research, suggesting that survival may depend on discovering their nature rather than merely fighting them.
• The collapse of old defenses: The Orcs’ defeat and the spreading tide demonstrate that traditional barriers and established military arrangements may no longer be sufficient.

4. Character Interactions

• The Orc chiefs trade insults, jealousy, and dark humor while fighting, revealing long-standing personal tensions alongside deep familiarity and brotherhood.
• The Crane and Dog-Head Beastmen argue humorously, but their exchange becomes tragic when the Crane is consumed and the Dog-Head Beastman rushes after him.
• Kui Niu and Chen Cheng cooperate closely: Kui Niu provides combat support and leadership, while Chen Cheng directs the investigation.
• Chen Cheng persuades Kui Niu not to retreat immediately, and Kui Niu accepts his plan to divide the group and investigate the Abyss.
• Kui Niu gives the five colonels clear orders to warn the defenders, evacuate Beastmen, and prepare for the coming invasion.
• At the chapter’s end, Chen Cheng relies on Kui Niu to obtain intact Black Demon bodies, then begins examining them in secret while Kui Niu protects the group from the surrounding horde.

Chapter Summary: “The Power of Intent”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng dissects a slain Primordial Black Demon, discovering that beneath its decayed exterior is a complete human corpse. The body rapidly decomposes into corpse fluid, leaving only bones.
• His investigation reveals no residual magic energy or zombie virus, suggesting the Black Demon is neither a magic-powered puppet nor a contagious undead creature.
• Chen Cheng questions Kui Niu about the Abyss. Kui Niu explains that it lies at the “End of Heaven,” a world-ending fissure created when Jingjihua the First attempted to cast the destruction caused by an Orc-summoned evil god into the void.
• After failing to eliminate the damage, Jingjihua forced the Orc race to remain in the far north and suppress the Abyss with their lives. He also relocated the Great Wall Fortress there to prevent the Orcs from abandoning their duty.
• Suspecting that hidden events surround Jingjihua’s actions and the Abyss’s future eruptions, Chen Cheng decides to investigate the Abyss directly.
• Upon reaching the fissure, Chen Cheng is overwhelmed by inexplicable sorrow. His tears trigger a massive earthquake, causing hordes of Black Demons to fall into the Abyss.
• Chen Cheng enters meditation and realizes that malicious, transparent threads from the Abyss have wrapped around him like a cocoon. The Abyss is influencing his emotions and consciousness.
• She Li detects the threads and cuts them apart with his Saber Intent, freeing Chen Cheng.
• She Li offers to descend first and scout the Abyss, warning that the danger below is greater than the Black Demons themselves.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng demonstrates his scientific and investigative approach by dissecting the Black Demon rather than relying on conventional assumptions. His findings deepen the mystery surrounding the Abyss and Primordial Black Demons.
• He also recognizes his own weakness: although he has godlike potential and capacity, his incomplete power leaves him vulnerable to external divine influence.
• Chen Cheng’s emotional reaction to the Abyss suggests a deeper connection between him, the Abyss, and possibly Jingjihua’s legacy. His grief appears instinctive and powerful enough to physically affect the surrounding world.
• Kui Niu provides historical knowledge about the Abyss, Jingjihua the First, and the Orc race’s punishment, while also revealing the limits of existing Black Demon research.
• She Li proves his value as an Enlightened One. His Saber Intent protects Chen Cheng from spiritual corruption and demonstrates the defensive superiority of the Enlightened path against hostile intent.

Significant Themes

• The hidden nature of the Abyss: The chapter challenges accepted history and suggests that Jingjihua’s actions may conceal a larger truth.
• The limits of knowledge: Even centuries of Great Wall research failed to capture or fully understand a true Primordial Black Demon.
• Divine power and vulnerability: Chen Cheng possesses great potential but lacks the stability and self-contained authority of a true god, making him susceptible to outside influence.
• Intent as power: She Li’s Saber Intent is not merely an attack technique but a spiritual force capable of severing malicious influence. The chapter establishes intent as a major advantage of the Enlightened path.
• Burden and sacrifice: The Orc race’s forced role in suppressing the Abyss raises questions about justice, inherited guilt, and the morality of Jingjihua’s solution.
• Emotional connection to the world: Chen Cheng’s involuntary sorrow implies that the Abyss is not merely a physical threat but something personally or metaphysically connected to him.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Kui Niu discuss the nature and origins of the Abyss, with Chen Cheng’s skepticism exposing possible gaps in official history.
• Chen Cheng’s decision to investigate contrasts with Kui Niu’s caution and limited understanding.
• She Li acts protectively toward Chen Cheng, cutting away the Abyss’s influence and offering to scout ahead.
• Their interaction highlights the relationship between Chen Cheng’s broad potential and She Li’s disciplined, focused strength: Chen Cheng can perceive and investigate extraordinary phenomena, while She Li can directly resist and destroy their spiritual effects.

Chapter Summary: Absolute Trust

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng examines the Abyss and concludes that She Li’s Saber Intent, despite its sharpness, cannot see through the obscuring power below. Chen Cheng therefore decides that he must personally descend to scout it.
• He refuses to let Kui Niu go first because Kui Niu is their strongest combatant and must preserve his strength for the final confrontation.
• Chen Cheng proposes an extremely dangerous plan: he will completely open his mind and allow She Li’s Saber Intent to merge with his consciousness. This would protect Chen Cheng from the Abyss while allowing them to explore it together.
• Such a mental fusion could allow She Li to manipulate, destroy, or read Chen Cheng’s mind, memories, and secrets. Kui Niu immediately objects and threatens to stop the plan by force if necessary.
• Chen Cheng asserts his authority as Emperor, orders Kui Niu to remain silent, and repeatedly asks She Li whether he can be trusted. She Li accepts without hesitation, and Chen Cheng declares that he trusts him.
• Chen Cheng orders She Li and himself to scout the Abyss first, with Kui Niu following behind. Kui Niu’s role will be to suppress whatever lies at the bottom once they discover its limits.
• Chen Cheng reasons that the Abyss likely contains a complete Godly Thought, similar to one he encountered in the past. This entity has survived for a thousand years by controlling Black Demons and generating Black Calamities.
• He suspects that the Godly Thought is being sustained by a hidden source of intent or faith. Cutting off that power source may be necessary to defeat it, and Kui Niu’s Demigod Heaven-and-Earth may be the key.
• As Chen Cheng opens his consciousness, She Li enters his mental space and sees the Eyes-Closed Deity, the Proto Dao Fruit shaped like a butcher’s knife, and Chen Cheng’s Golden Elixir—revealing both his hidden strength and his major vulnerability.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng demonstrates courage, strategic judgment, and deep willingness to sacrifice himself. He understands the dangers of the Abyss but chooses the role best suited to the situation.
• He also shows absolute confidence in She Li, entrusting him with access to his mind despite the possibility of betrayal or death.
• She Li has advanced his Saber Intent to microscopic control, allowing him to fly and manipulate it with perfect precision. His immediate, unwavering acceptance of Chen Cheng’s trust reinforces his loyalty.
• Kui Niu acts as a protective and cautious guardian. Though he strongly opposes Chen Cheng’s plan, he ultimately obeys Chen Cheng’s orders and accepts his role as the group’s decisive combatant.
• She Li gains important insight into Chen Cheng’s inner cultivation and realizes that Chen Cheng’s Golden Elixir is a critical weakness.

Significant Themes

• Absolute trust: Chen Cheng’s willingness to expose his mind represents a level of trust rarely possible even among family or lovers.
• Duty versus personal safety: Chen Cheng risks himself because the Abyss threatens the Great Wall and cannot simply be ignored.
• Strategic cooperation: Each character has a distinct role—Chen Cheng as scout and strategist, She Li as protection and support, and Kui Niu as the final source of overwhelming force.
• Hidden power and vulnerability: Chen Cheng’s consciousness contains extraordinary strength, but the presence of his Golden Elixir reveals that even powerful figures possess exploitable weaknesses.
• The nature of divine power: The chapter explores how Godly Thoughts survive through intent or faith and suggests that defeating such an entity requires severing its source of nourishment.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Kui Niu clash over the danger of the plan, with Kui Niu prioritizing Chen Cheng’s safety while Chen Cheng prioritizes the mission.
• Chen Cheng and She Li share a profound moment of mutual trust when Chen Cheng asks if he can rely on him and She Li agrees without hesitation.
• Chen Cheng assigns Kui Niu the crucial responsibility of suppressing the Abyss’s contents, demonstrating his confidence in Kui Niu’s strength.
• The chapter ends with She Li entering Chen Cheng’s consciousness, where he obtains a first-hand view of Chen Cheng’s deepest secrets and vulnerabilities.

Summary: “Mind and Spirit as One”

Key Plot Points and Events

• She Li realizes the Godly Thought beneath the Abyss may try to control Chen Cheng through his will. He begins dispersing his Proto Dao Fruit around Chen Cheng’s consciousness, creating a protective barrier.
• The Eyes-Closed Deity unexpectedly seizes and regathers She Li’s Dao Fruit. Chen Cheng discovers this is not resistance but an instinctive reaction from the deity upon sensing the Proto Dao Fruit.
• The deity’s immense divine power flows into She Li’s Dao Fruit, rapidly ripening it. Images of She Li’s lifelong cultivation of the Way of the Blade solidify into a Law Tree shaped like a butcher knife.
• Chen Cheng recognizes that the Law Tree represents the growth of a Dao Fruit toward godhood, though this one is unstable and temporary because it was forcibly created through Chen Cheng’s incomplete divine power.
• Chen Cheng and She Li merge spiritually, becoming a single existence with two distinct but interconnected consciousnesses. They can share memories and thoughts, yet still perceive each other as separate spiritual selves.
• After Kui Niu urges Chen Cheng to act before the Abyss awakens, Chen Cheng and She Li inspect the increasingly powerful Black Demons. Chen Cheng destroys one with a saber strike and clears a path through the horde.
• Recognizing that he cannot sustain such attacks, Chen Cheng relies on Kui Niu, a genuine Demigod, to support the coming battle.
• The group descends into the Abyss. Chen Cheng discovers that it is not simply a bottomless chasm but a vast hyperspatial structure composed of tangled spatial rifts. Some upper-level cracks connect to the Far-North Icefield.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Gains a deeper understanding of his incomplete divine state and its limitations. By merging with She Li, he effectively becomes a False God, but his divine power remains insufficient for prolonged high-level combat. His perception of the Abyss also becomes more sophisticated, allowing him to sense its spatial structure rather than merely observe its physical darkness.
• She Li: His Proto Dao Fruit is temporarily advanced into a Law Tree through the Eyes-Closed Deity’s power. His Way of the Blade becomes visibly embodied, strengthening his connection with Chen Cheng while preserving his independent consciousness.
• Kui Niu: Acts as the practical guide and protector of the group. He warns Chen Cheng of the approaching danger and acknowledges that his own Demigod-level strength will be essential in surviving the Abyss.
• The Eyes-Closed Deity: Reveals an instinctive connection to Proto Dao Fruits. Though incomplete and counterfeit, it possesses enough divine power to accelerate She Li’s transformation.

Significant Themes

• Unity of mind and identity: The merging of Chen Cheng and She Li explores how two consciousnesses can coexist within one being without completely losing their individuality.
• The path toward godhood: The transformation of She Li’s Dao Fruit into a Law Tree suggests that divine ascension occurs when one’s cultivated principles become fully embodied and self-sustaining.
• Limits of incomplete power: Chen Cheng’s False God status grants extraordinary abilities but also imposes severe limits, emphasizing the difference between borrowed or incomplete divinity and true godhood.
• Death and the absence of life: The Abyss is portrayed as a place where even the world’s Life Laws have vanished. It is not merely dangerous but fundamentally incompatible with ordinary existence.
• The structure and boundaries of reality: The Abyss’s tangled spatial rifts suggest that it is connected to larger cosmic spaces and may represent a fractured region at the edge—or end—of the world.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and She Li first cooperate defensively, with She Li shielding Chen Cheng’s consciousness from the Godly Thought.
• Through the Eyes-Closed Deity, their powers and consciousnesses merge, allowing them to share memories and thoughts while retaining separate identities.
• Their simultaneous responses to Kui Niu highlight the strangeness of their new state. They later deliberately separate their mutual dependence to restore clearer individuality.
• Kui Niu cautiously checks Chen Cheng for Mental Contamination and urges him to act quickly, establishing both trust and concern.
• Chen Cheng and She Li descend together into the Abyss, coordinating their movements and combat, while Kui Niu follows as their stronger frontline support.

Chapter Summary: “New World”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng concludes that the remaining sealed spatial rifts may lead beyond the Northern Frontier into other regions—or even other worlds. The Great Wall’s unusual nature allows it to remain visible from any distance after passing beyond its gates.
• She Li’s incomplete Way of the Blade produces an intensely sharp Saber Intent. This provokes the Godly Thought beneath the Abyss, causing its suppressed tentacles and countless Black Demons to attack again.
• Chen Cheng and She Li combine their law-based abilities to cut through the tentacles and Black Demons with overwhelming ease. Chen Cheng explains to Kui Niu that these enemies possess high-quality divine power but little true substance.
• Chen Cheng and She Li intend to create an opening for Kui Niu, whose genuine Demigod strength is needed to deliver the decisive attack against the Godly Thought.
• As they descend deeper, the trio enters the Void Realm. Kui Niu quickly protects them with his Demigod Domain, warning that the void’s lack of rules will melt and crush their bodies.
• The experience highlights the difference between Chen Cheng and She Li’s artificially elevated False God states and Kui Niu’s true Demigod status. Their offensive power is comparable in the real world, but Kui Niu’s domain is far superior for surviving other dimensions.
• After crossing the Void Realm, they arrive in a strange, beautiful land with nine suns, blooming vegetation, and peaceful forests. The world appears entirely different from the corrupted Abyss.
• Kui Niu tests the environment and discovers that his power is being suppressed by an unfamiliar force. He suspects they have entered another world in which they are outsiders.
• Chen Cheng questions how two worlds could exist so close together without colliding. Kui Niu explains that the Void Realm has no fixed rules or reliable concept of distance; even a slight deviation could have left them lost forever.
• Before they can resolve the mystery, a stereotypical adventurer party emerges from the forest. Their mage-healer sees Kui Niu’s minotaur-like appearance and screams in alarm.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng becomes increasingly confident in his understanding of the spatial rifts and the Godly Thought. However, he remains cautious and refuses to accept uncertain theories without evidence, especially when their lives are at stake.
• She Li demonstrates the destructive power of his sharp but incomplete Saber Intent. His ability is extremely effective against the Abyss’s manifestations, though its obvious presence also provokes the Godly Thought.
• Kui Niu proves the importance of his genuine Demigod cultivation. He protects the others from the Void Realm and possesses a domain capable of functioning almost like a self-contained world.
• The chapter emphasizes that Chen Cheng’s “Divine Domain” is powerful within the real world but incomplete compared with Kui Niu’s true Demigod Domain.

Significant Themes

• The limits of artificial power: Chen Cheng and She Li can wield divine-level attacks as False Gods, but they lack the dimensional resilience and domain mastery of a true Demigod.
• The danger of the unknown: The Void Realm operates beyond ordinary laws, making even distance and direction unreliable.
• Worlds beyond the known realm: The characters may have crossed into an entirely separate world, expanding the story’s scope beyond the Northern Frontier and Abyss.
• Appearance versus reality: The Black Demons and tentacles look terrifying but are described as lacking true substance, while the peaceful new world conceals unfamiliar dangers and suppression.
• Cautious reasoning versus speculation: Kui Niu offers possible explanations, but Chen Cheng insists on distinguishing theory from certainty.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng directs Kui Niu’s role, asking him to remain focused and prepare to strike once Chen Cheng and She Li create an opening.
• Kui Niu warns Chen Cheng and She Li not to leave his domain in the Void Realm, acting as their protector and demonstrating his superior expertise.
• Chen Cheng questions Kui Niu about the nature of the new world, while Kui Niu explains the strange properties of the void and why their journey may have carried them elsewhere.
• The chapter ends with the trio encountering Noah’s adventurer group. Their healer’s frightened reaction to Kui Niu’s appearance establishes immediate tension and suggests a clash between the two groups may follow.

Chapter Summary: “Brave Party”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng, She Li, and Kui Niu encounter Noah’s group, a stereotypical Western-fantasy “brave party,” emerging from the forest.
• Liphia initially attempts to cast a spell at Kui Niu, but Chen Cheng’s overwhelming Pseudo-God-level gaze frightens her so badly that she drops her staff.
• Noah steps in to protect her and delivers dramatic speeches condemning Chen Cheng’s group for abandoning the “glory” and oath of the braves.
• Chen Cheng mocks the party’s flashy equipment and questions them about their origins, learning that they are the braves of the Goya Kingdom.
• Noah introduces the party:
  • Noah, Brave of the Sword
  • Liphia, Brave of Fire
  • A healer, Brave of Heal
  • Two other unnamed members
• Their mission is to enter the Magical Beast Forest and defeat the Phantom Beast Evil Dragon, which extorts villages and destroys their farmland when villagers cannot pay.
• Chen Cheng questions the party about previous braves. Noah reveals that all former braves disappeared after defeating the evil dragon, supposedly being welcomed into the Divine Kingdom by the gods.
• Chen Cheng becomes suspicious that the braves are actually being sacrificed by a god—possibly the mysterious mass of Godly Thought the group has encountered.
• Pretending to be a “guide for brave parties,” Chen Cheng persuades Noah’s group to fight Kui Niu as a test of their worthiness.
• Kui Niu accepts the role of examiner and prepares to assess their strength.
• The party’s power proves far beyond their young ages: Noah, apparently under eighteen, is at the Late Epic Rank, while the others—around sixteen—are similarly powerful. Liphia is the strongest, reaching the Peak Epic Rank.
• Noah and the others launch their coordinated attack. Noah uses his ultimate technique, Dragon-Subduing Heaven Slash, whose power exceeds the Epic Rank and tears through space itself.

Character Development

• Chen Cheng remains skeptical, sarcastic, and analytical. He sees through the party’s theatrical behavior and begins investigating the deeper truth behind the brave tradition and the Divine Kingdom.
• Noah is introduced as an earnest, dramatic, and somewhat naïve heroic leader. He genuinely believes in the brave’s oath and the gods’ promises, but his immense strength makes him a serious opponent.
• Liphia is timid and easily frightened, yet her magical ability is extraordinary. Despite her weakness in confidence, she is revealed to be the strongest member of the party.
• Kui Niu functions as both a powerful ally and a test subject for Chen Cheng’s investigation. He quickly understands Chen Cheng’s hidden purpose and agrees to test the braves.
• The brave party appears naïve and trope-like, readily believing Chen Cheng’s fabricated explanation, but their combat ability and teamwork are genuinely formidable.

Significant Themes

• Heroic ideals versus manipulation: The braves believe they are fulfilling a noble oath, while Chen Cheng suspects they are being used as sacrifices by a god.
• Reality beneath clichés: The world resembles a simplistic fairy tale, but the disappearance of former braves suggests a darker truth behind the familiar heroic narrative.
• Appearance versus substance: The party’s flashy, “costume-like” equipment and dramatic speeches seem ridiculous to Chen Cheng, yet their actual strength is terrifyingly real.
• Faith and blind obedience: Noah’s unquestioning belief in the gods and the Divine Kingdom highlights how tradition can conceal exploitation.
• Youth and power: Despite their young ages and naïve personalities, the braves possess extraordinary abilities, making them both impressive and potentially vulnerable to those controlling them.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng’s intimidating gaze disrupts Liphia’s attempted attack, prompting Noah to defend her.
• Noah and Chen Cheng clash ideologically: Noah accuses Chen Cheng’s group of betraying the brave’s oath, while Chen Cheng ridicules the party’s simplistic worldview.
• Chen Cheng interrogates Noah about the evil dragon, the royal kingdom, previous braves, and the Divine Kingdom.
• Chen Cheng secretly instructs Kui Niu to test the party, turning the encounter into an investigation.
• The chapter ends with Noah and his companions engaging Kui Niu, culminating in Noah’s space-splitting ultimate slash.

Chapter Summary: “The Power of Profound Meaning”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Kui Niu stops treating Noah’s group as inexperienced “playthings” after their attack demonstrates genuine strength. He accepts their challenge and fights them seriously with his massive hammer.
• Noah’s five-person hero party combines magic, swordsmanship, domains, and their individual “profound meanings” into a perfectly coordinated attack. Their power fuses rather than merely adds together, allowing five Epic Rank fighters to threaten a Demigod-level opponent.
• Kui Niu responds with his full physical strength, using both his hammer and fists. Their collision devastates the surrounding primeval forest and turns it into a massive battlefield.
• Although the heroes survive without visible injuries, the impact leaves them internally shaken. Noah absorbs and redirects the vibrations through his body into the ground.
• Kui Niu reveals that he had been forced to use genuine Demigod-level power, though he still did not employ his domain. He praises the heroes for forcing him to fight seriously.
• Noah, stunned by Kui Niu’s strength, asks whether he is a god. Chen Cheng interrupts and reveals that there is supposedly another realm between Epic Rank and godhood: Legendary Rank.
• Noah explains that the heroes know only of Epic Rank and Hero Rank. They believe Hero Rank is the stage at which they gain access to profound meanings after swearing an oath before divine statues.
• Chen Cheng confirms that their profound meanings are conditional abilities, activated only when their fighting spirit peaks, usually during desperate battles.
• Wanting to understand the source of this power and possibly help the heroes reach Legendary Rank, Chen Cheng asks Noah to use his profound meaning against him.
• Chen Cheng provokes Noah with a sudden saber strike, triggering Noah’s dragon-slaying profound meaning, Dragon-Subduing Heaven Slash.
• Upon directly experiencing the technique, Chen Cheng realizes something troubling about its origin and power. Before Noah can fully unleash it, She Li intervenes, while Chen Cheng uses Saber Intent to sever part of Noah’s fighting spirit.

Character Developments

• Noah and the heroes: Their combined strength is proven to be extraordinary, far beyond what their Epic Rank suggests. However, they also learn that even their strongest united attack cannot easily defeat a true Demigod-level opponent.
• Kui Niu: He shifts from amused detachment to genuine respect. His willingness to use real strength confirms that he recognizes the heroes as legitimate fighters rather than boastful adventurers.
• Chen Cheng: He becomes increasingly analytical and suspicious. Rather than being impressed by the heroes’ “chosen protagonists” behavior, he investigates the structure and limitations of their cultivation system. His reaction to Noah’s profound meaning suggests he has discovered a serious hidden danger.
• She Li: She demonstrates her close connection with Chen Cheng by immediately understanding his intent and assisting him in stopping Noah’s technique.

Significant Themes

• The gap between realms: The battle emphasizes the enormous difference between Epic Rank and Demigod-level existence, while also suggesting that the heroes’ world may use a different or incomplete power hierarchy.
• Unity and synergy: The heroes’ greatest strength comes from perfect cooperation. Their collective technique becomes something greater than the sum of its parts.
• Power earned through crisis: Profound meanings are tied to extreme fighting spirit and desperate circumstances, reflecting a heroic trope of gaining strength at the brink of defeat.
• Appearances versus reality: The heroes assume Kui Niu must be a god because they are unfamiliar with higher realms. Chen Cheng’s questioning exposes how limited their understanding is.
• Suspicion of predetermined heroism: Chen Cheng’s contempt for the heroes’ clichéd “chosen protagonist” behavior grows as he recognizes that their abilities and narrative-like power-ups may be connected to an artificial or dangerous source.

Character Interactions

• Noah and the other heroes fight Kui Niu as a unified force, earning his respect.
• Kui Niu praises their strength while revealing that he had to use Demigod-level power to withstand them.
• Noah respectfully questions Kui Niu about his rank, prompting Chen Cheng to investigate the heroes’ knowledge of cultivation levels.
• Chen Cheng questions Noah about Hero Rank and the conditions for activating profound meanings.
• Chen Cheng then deliberately provokes Noah into activating Dragon-Subduing Heaven Slash.
• When Chen Cheng detects the troubling nature of the technique, She Li helps interrupt Noah, and Chen Cheng cuts away part of Noah’s fighting spirit before the attack can be completed.

Chapter Summary: Hero Battles Evil Dragon

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng interrupts Noah’s Ultimate Art after realizing it is dangerously draining the heroes’ innate potential and life force rather than merely channeling a heroic battle spirit.
• He warns Noah and the other heroes to stop using Ultimate Arts, explaining that continued use will prevent them from ever reaching the Legendary Rank.
• Noah insists that their strength exists to protect their village and loved ones, even if using it costs them their future advancement. Chen Cheng is frustrated by Noah’s idealistic, stereotypical heroism but recognizes the sincerity behind it.
• Noah eventually compromises: he and his companions will handle the evil dragon’s minions, while Chen Cheng and the others assist when the final battle against the dragon begins.
• Chen Cheng agrees, both to protect the heroes and to use the opportunity to study their abilities and determine whether their inheritance is connected to the Karmak Continent. He also hopes to interrogate the evil dragon about the mysterious Godly Thought.
• Noah’s group travels deep into the Magical Beast Forest, defeating successive guardians in forests, ruins, and other dungeon-like areas.
• They finally reach the evil dragon’s territory and encounter a beautiful and intimidating Song Dragon, whose mental intimidation causes the heroes’ confidence to falter.
• The Healing Hero quickly dispels the dragon’s psychological pressure, allowing the confrontation to proceed.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng becomes increasingly protective of Noah and his companions. He sees them as rare human talents whose lives are being wasted by a flawed power system.
• Noah demonstrates unwavering dedication to protecting others, valuing responsibility over personal advancement. However, he also shows practical judgment by accepting outside help against the dragon.
• The five heroes remain united and committed to their mission, though their confidence is shaken when they confront the dragon’s overwhelming presence.
• The Healing Hero proves observant and dependable by immediately recognizing and countering the dragon’s mental attack.
• Kui Niu continues to mock Noah humorously but supports Chen Cheng’s plan.

Significant Themes

• The cost of power: Ultimate Arts are revealed to consume the heroes’ potential and life force, challenging their belief that their abilities are noble gifts.
• Protection versus personal advancement: Noah chooses the safety of others over reaching the Legendary Rank, emphasizing self-sacrifice and duty.
• Idealism tempered by pragmatism: Noah’s heroic convictions are genuine, but he learns that accepting assistance is necessary rather than shameful.
• Hidden origins and inheritance: Chen Cheng suspects the heroes’ powers may derive from the same source as the traditions of the Karmak Continent.
• Classic hero-versus-villain structure: The journey follows a familiar dungeon pattern, with the heroes defeating successive minions before confronting the final dragon boss.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng sternly confronts Noah about the true danger of Ultimate Arts, while Noah defends their use as necessary for protecting others.
• Chen Cheng tries to persuade Noah by promising to eliminate the evil dragon, but Noah resists relying completely on the older experts.
• Noah proposes a cooperative plan: the heroes fight the minions, while Chen Cheng’s group supports them during the final battle.
• Kui Niu teases Noah for trying to gain both responsibility and assistance, highlighting the tension between Noah’s pride and his practical nature.
• At the final confrontation, the Song Dragon’s mental pressure affects the entire party, but the Healing Hero intervenes and restores their composure.

Chapter Summary: “Song Dragon”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Noah and his companions confront Song Dragon, a terrifying Dragon God whose mental abilities overwhelm them. Liphia uses the high-order fire spell Absolute Destruction Blast, flattening the surrounding forest, but Song Dragon emerges unharmed and immediately responds with a devastating mental attack.
• Chen Cheng, Kui Niu, and She Li observe from hiding and recognize that Song Dragon is far stronger than the “evil dragon” described in the historical Dragon Quest stories. They realize humanity could never have defeated her through ordinary means, even with greatly enhanced heroic techniques.
• Song Dragon reveals that she has known about Chen Cheng’s group all along and challenges them to come out of hiding.
• Chen Cheng attacks with Saber Intent while Kui Niu joins him in a pincer assault. Their first attacks are blocked by Song Dragon’s mental defense, but they destroy her barrier with a second combined strike.
• The two overpower Song Dragon and pin her to the ground. She transforms from a gigantic dragon into a small, twin-tailed dragonkin girl with horns and a tail.
• Chen Cheng remains physically restraining her while threatening her with a mental Saber Intent. After Kui Niu explains that Dragon Gods are reborn and appear young according to dragon age conventions, Chen Cheng becomes embarrassed but refuses to move, claiming he needs to remain prepared for an attack.
• Chen Cheng demands to know where the mysterious Godly Thought connected to her is. Song Dragon calmly redirects the question, telling him to ask the humans he rescued instead.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Demonstrates his willingness to intervene when Noah’s group is in danger and reveals enough strength to suppress Song Dragon. Although he jokes and insults her to maintain confidence, he treats the Godly Thought as a serious threat and is prepared to kill Song Dragon if necessary. His embarrassment after learning her apparent age also exposes a more vulnerable, less composed side.
• Song Dragon: Is established as an immensely powerful Dragon God with overwhelming mental abilities and a mysterious relationship with humanity’s Dragon Quest history. Despite being physically subdued, she remains calm, confident, and psychologically dominant, using cutting remarks rather than anger or fear.
• Kui Niu: Provides crucial knowledge about Dragon God biology and age conversion. His blunt observations unintentionally embarrass Chen Cheng and add comic relief to the tense confrontation.
• She Li: Acts quickly and efficiently, rescuing Noah and the others from Song Dragon’s mental suppression before they can be killed.
• Noah and his companions: Their helplessness against Song Dragon marks the limits of their current power, especially without their ultimate techniques. They survive only because Chen Cheng’s group intervenes.

Significant Themes

• Power and hidden strength: Song Dragon’s true identity as a Dragon God contrasts sharply with the weaker “evil dragon” portrayed in historical stories, suggesting that the world’s official history may conceal important truths.
• Mental domination and resistance: Song Dragon’s mental attacks represent a threat that conventional strength cannot overcome. Chen Cheng’s divine Saber Intent is one of the few forces capable of directly challenging her.
• The danger of the Godly Thought: The connection between Song Dragon and the mysterious Godly Thought deepens the larger mystery. Her willingness to redirect Chen Cheng toward the rescued humans implies that the truth may involve manipulation or hidden motives.
• Confidence and psychological warfare: Chen Cheng uses mockery and bravado to maintain control, while Song Dragon remains composed and subtly humiliates him, showing that their confrontation is as psychological as it is physical.
• Appearance versus reality: Song Dragon’s childlike dragonkin form contrasts with her ancient, godlike status, emphasizing the unreliability of appearances and ordinary assumptions about age.

Important Character Interactions

• Liphia warns Noah about Song Dragon’s mental power, but their combined attack fails to injure her.
• Chen Cheng’s group rescues Noah and the others, cutting through Song Dragon’s suppression and removing them from danger.
• Chen Cheng and Kui Niu work together to break Song Dragon’s defensive barrier and overpower her.
• Chen Cheng verbally provokes Song Dragon by calling her an “old hag,” while she dismisses his insults as fragile attempts to bolster his confidence.
• Kui Niu’s explanation about Dragon God rebirth embarrasses Chen Cheng and changes the tone of the confrontation.
• Chen Cheng questions Song Dragon about the Godly Thought, but she refuses to answer directly and points him toward the humans he rescued instead.

Summary of “The False World”

Key plot points and events

• After Song Dragon is subdued, Noah and the other Heroes confront her. Noah demands to know why a self-proclaimed god would repeatedly invade their kingdom and villages.
• Song Dragon claims that the Heroes are doomed to die soon after gaining their powers, insulting the Hero God they worship. Noah angrily defends their faith and insists their powers exist to protect their people.
• Chen Cheng questions Song Dragon about why she has been acting as an evil dragon and participating in the repetitive “Heroes versus dragon” scenario. She explains that she only played along because refusing would have caused her to become a puppet like Noah and the others.
• This suggests that the Heroes’ powers do more than shorten their lives: they gradually transform the Heroes into controlled puppets.
• Kui Niu challenges Song Dragon’s explanation, arguing that even Legendary Rank beings cannot normally be mentally controlled by ordinary gods. He says only a Supreme God possessing the World Origin could do so.
• Kui Niu further argues that such a Supreme God cannot exist in their world, since the God of Light already occupies that position. Because the God of Light has not fallen, he concludes that Song Dragon must be lying.
• Chen Cheng threatens to destroy Song Dragon’s mind if she continues to deceive him, using Saber Intent to inflict severe pain. Under pressure, Song Dragon asks whether Chen Cheng is certain that the world they inhabit is truly the Karmak World.
• Her question causes Chen Cheng to investigate his surroundings. He realizes that the familiar prayers of Jamir and the others have vanished, despite previously being audible even across the Great Wall.
• Chen Cheng concludes that they are not on the Karmak Continent at all. He then notices the world’s most obvious abnormality: nine suns orbiting a single planet.
• Applying his knowledge of astrophysics and chaos theory, Chen Cheng recognizes that such a nine-body system could not naturally exist or support civilization. He realizes that the apparent world is an artificial or illusory creation—a “false world.”
• This revelation terrifies him, as he begins questioning what the surrounding people and objects truly are. Kui Niu, lacking Chen Cheng’s scientific perspective, remains unaware of the world’s artificial nature and assumes they have simply entered another realm.

Character developments

• Chen Cheng: His suspicion of Song Dragon shifts from believing she may be a divine subordinate or mastermind to recognizing that she may be revealing a deeper truth. He uses scientific reasoning to identify the world as false, marking a major expansion of his understanding beyond conventional magical explanations. His confidence gives way to fear and uncertainty once he realizes that almost everything around him may be fabricated.
• Song Dragon: She presents herself not simply as an enemy but as someone resisting a greater controlling power. Her claim that she played the dragon role to avoid becoming a puppet complicates her moral position and suggests she may be acting under coercion.
• Noah: His absolute faith in the Hero God remains intact. He reacts passionately when Song Dragon insults the gods and continues to view the Heroes’ powers as a means of protecting their people.
• Kui Niu: He acts as a skeptical authority on the limits of divine power and the structure of the world’s gods. Although his reasoning challenges Song Dragon, his lack of scientific knowledge prevents him from recognizing the false world.

Significant themes

• Reality versus illusion: The chapter’s central revelation is that the apparent world may be an artificial construct rather than the true Karmak World.
• Faith versus evidence: Noah trusts religious doctrine, while Chen Cheng tests claims through observation and deduction. The conflict shows how inherited beliefs can obscure obvious inconsistencies.
• Control and free will: Song Dragon suggests that the Heroes are being turned into puppets, raising questions about whether their powers and choices are truly their own.
• Limits of knowledge: Even powerful Legendary beings misunderstand the nature of their world. Magical and divine explanations prove insufficient when confronted with physical evidence.
• False appearances: The familiar Heroes-versus-dragon conflict may be a staged scenario designed to conceal a larger manipulation.

Character interactions

• Noah confronts Song Dragon over her invasions and defense of the Hero God, revealing the clash between religious loyalty and cynical accusation.
• Chen Cheng interrogates and physically restrains Song Dragon, treating her as a hostile source of information while gradually becoming more open to her claims.
• Kui Niu disputes Song Dragon’s explanation and supports Chen Cheng’s suspicion that she is lying, but his theological reasoning ultimately conflicts with Chen Cheng’s later scientific discovery.
• Song Dragon’s cryptic question forces Chen Cheng to examine the environment, leading him to uncover the world’s fundamental impossibility.

Chapter Summary: Dragon God’s Might

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng remains atop the Song Dragon after their earlier confrontation, deliberately teasing her to provoke a reaction from the normally emotionless Dragon God.
• The Song Dragon misinterprets his behavior as sexual, prompting awkward comments from Kui Niu and embarrassing Chen Cheng. Chen Cheng quickly dismounts and denies having improper intentions.
• The Song Dragon questions Chen Cheng, She Li, and Kui Niu, realizing they are outsiders who should not have been able to enter her domain. She asks about the outside world and mentions “Lyka,” later revealed to be the First Emperor, Chen Cheng’s ancestor.
• Kui Niu informs her that a thousand years have passed since the First Emperor’s era. Disbelieving him, the Song Dragon suddenly attacks Kui Niu, accusing him of lying.
• Her fury causes her to fight far more seriously than before. Chen Cheng and She Li join Kui Niu, leading to a devastating battle that expands across a hundred miles.
• Noah and his four companions retreat from the battlefield, realizing that the heroic legends they inherited were largely fabricated. They now understand that their supposed mission to defeat an evil dragon was based on falsehoods.
• Noah recovers his morale through an optimistic reinterpretation of events. He encourages his companions by arguing that the absence of an evil dragon means their descendants may finally live peacefully, and that they can now pursue greater strength without sacrificing their lives to a false legend.
• Meanwhile, the battle reaches its climax. The Song Dragon’s body is so powerful that Chen Cheng’s Dragon Horn Sword and Kui Niu’s Epic weapon cannot seriously injure her. Only She Li’s Demigod Artifact, the Butcher Knife, can leave minor marks.
• As Chen Cheng’s weapon begins to fail and his defenses weaken, he puts away the Dragon Horn Sword and draws the Sword of Kings, announcing that it is time for his ultimate weapon to prove itself.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Reveals a mischievous and provocative side by teasing the Song Dragon, but quickly becomes serious once the battle resumes. His reliance on the Sword of Kings indicates that he is escalating his power and preparing to challenge the Dragon God more directly.
• The Song Dragon: Her detached, godlike personality is shown to be the result of prolonged imprisonment and monotony rather than innate cruelty. However, her disbelief and anger over learning that a millennium has passed reveal buried emotional instability. Once enraged, she demonstrates overwhelming physical strength and combat ability.
• Kui Niu: Acts bluntly and innocently, unintentionally offending the Song Dragon by telling her the truth about the passage of time. His willingness to block her attacks and fight alongside Chen Cheng shows his courage and loyalty.
• She Li: Remains an important combatant and the only member of the group whose weapon can meaningfully damage the Song Dragon.
• Noah: Initially devastated by the revelation that his heroic mission was based on a lie, but quickly restores his confidence through persuasive self-motivation. He also takes responsibility for encouraging his companions.
• Noah’s Companions: Move from despair and disillusionment to renewed determination after Noah reframes their situation positively.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus legend: The chapter exposes the heroic traditions as a distortion or outright scam, challenging the reliability of inherited histories.
• The psychological cost of isolation: The Song Dragon’s emotional coldness stems from centuries of confinement and repetitive obedience, suggesting that immortality and imprisonment have eroded her humanity.
• Reframing failure: Noah demonstrates how changing one’s interpretation of events can restore hope, even when one’s original beliefs have collapsed.
• Power and divine superiority: The Song Dragon’s body functions almost like a divine artifact, emphasizing the enormous gap between ordinary heroes and true godlike beings.
• Generational burdens: The “heroes” were forced to sacrifice themselves because of a false tradition, while Noah’s generation may be the first able to break free from that inherited role.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and the Song Dragon engage in antagonistic teasing, with Chen Cheng trying to break through her aloofness and the Song Dragon responding with blunt, inappropriate assumptions.
• Kui Niu’s innocent remarks about Chen Cheng’s supposed desires create comic tension, while his later statement about the passage of a thousand years triggers the Song Dragon’s rage.
• Chen Cheng, She Li, and Kui Niu cooperate against the Song Dragon despite their earlier conflict, forming a temporary united front.
• Noah supports his companions emotionally, transforming their shared sense of betrayal into renewed purpose.
• The chapter ends with Chen Cheng shifting from banter and conventional weapons to the Sword of Kings, setting up a more decisive confrontation with the Song Dragon.

Chapter Summary: “Reconciliation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng fully accesses the Sword of Kings’ divine core while in his False God state, discovering that it contains the rules of ultimate sharpness and slaughter.
• Using the sword’s full power exposes him to its irreversible mental influence. Bloodlust begins consuming his reason, threatening to turn him into a mindless killing monster.
• Chen Cheng attacks Song Dragon, but she counters with a divine flute that affects the mind and weakens the sword’s influence, allowing her to evade the strike.
• Although the attack misses, Chen Cheng’s sword slash creates a ravine dozens of miles long, demonstrating the artifact’s overwhelming destructive power.
• Realizing the danger, Chen Cheng withdraws his power from the sword and decides to use it only for its sharpness rather than fully activating its slaughter rule.
• Song Dragon reveals that her flute is also a highly compatible mental-type divine artifact; using it is dangerous for anyone unable to withstand its effects.
• After tasting Chen Cheng’s blood, Song Dragon identifies him as a descendant of Lyka because of his exceptionally pure bloodline.
• A misunderstanding is cleared up: Song Dragon had believed little time had passed because she had not realized that a thousand years had gone by. She had also mistaken Chen Cheng and his companions for liars.
• Song Dragon asks about the current state of the Dragon race. Chen Cheng says it is doing better than his own side, prompting her to explain that Lyka had promised to help the Dragon race reproduce.
• Song Dragon warns Chen Cheng that the Abyssal entity is close to awakening and advises him to gather more Legendary Rank experts before confronting it.
• Chen Cheng remains unconvinced. He believes he understands god-level beings better than Song Dragon and questions whether the Godly Thought could truly have survived for a thousand years and generated the widespread living-dead disasters.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng gains a deeper understanding of the Sword of Kings and its costs. His confidence is tempered by the realization that recklessly using a divine artifact could destroy his mind.
• He demonstrates analytical thinking by reasoning about the limitations of Godly Thoughts, faith power, and the false world’s ability to sustain a god-level consciousness.
• Song Dragon is shown to possess both immense power and unusual misunderstandings. She is highly skilled with her mental divine artifact but has an inaccurate sense of time and limited understanding of modern human physiology.
• Her attitude softens after learning that a millennium has passed, and she begins treating Chen Cheng as Lyka’s descendant rather than simply as a liar or intruder.

Significant Themes

• Power and its price: Divine artifacts provide extraordinary strength but impose severe, often irreversible consequences on unsuitable users.
• Self-control versus destruction: Chen Cheng must restrain his desire to rely on the Sword of Kings’ full power before the slaughter rule overwhelms him.
• Misunderstanding across time: Song Dragon’s confusion illustrates how isolation, abnormal timekeeping, and long lifespans distort one’s understanding of history.
• Bloodline and inheritance: Chen Cheng’s ability to wield the Sword of Kings and his connection to Lyka are tied to his royal bloodline.
• Faith and divine existence: Chen Cheng questions how a Godly Thought could survive independently for centuries without sufficient mental faith, challenging assumptions about the Abyssal threat.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Song Dragon engage in a dangerous battle, with his slaughter-infused swordsmanship opposed by her mind-affecting flute.
• Their confrontation shifts into a sarcastic and argumentative conversation about bloodlines, age, physiology, and Song Dragon’s belief that Chen Cheng is Lyka’s son.
• Chen Cheng clarifies the passage of a thousand years, resolving Song Dragon’s suspicion that he and the others had deceived her.
• Song Dragon shares Lyka’s promise regarding the Dragon race and warns Chen Cheng against confronting the Abyss prematurely, while Chen Cheng internally challenges her assessment of both his strength and the Godly Thought’s survival.

Chapter Summary: “Ethical Drama”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng realizes that the mysterious enemy likely possesses another source of power besides faith. Cutting off his supply of believers should weaken him, while the living dead outside would eventually drain his remaining strength.
• Chen Cheng invites Song Dragon to join the group and help them escape the false world. She agrees, offering information in exchange for protection and cooperation.
• Song Dragon reveals that the Grand Sage—an apparently revered figure in the heroes’ kingdom—has been secretly collaborating with the mysterious entity. Before each “game,” the Grand Sage allegedly visited Song Dragon and delivered the entity’s instructions.
• The revelation shocks the group, especially Liphia, whose grandfather is the Grand Sage. She fiercely defends him and accuses Song Dragon of lying.
• Song Dragon argues that the successive Grand Sages’ identical knowledge and abilities suggest they may all be the same immortal being adopting new identities. This raises the horrifying possibility that Liphia’s family line has been manipulated through repeated incestuous relationships.
• Liphia breaks down emotionally but begins to suspect Song Dragon may be telling the truth. Song Dragon predicts that the Grand Sage will soon arrive to collect the corpses from the latest game, providing an opportunity to capture him and learn the entity’s hiding place.
• Liphia volunteers to disrupt her grandfather’s mind briefly so Chen Cheng and the others can restrain him. Noah asks Chen Cheng to trust her.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng becomes more strategic and cautious. He recruits Song Dragon as an ally but remains wary of her motives and considers how to capture the Grand Sage without alerting the hidden entity.
• Song Dragon demonstrates her knowledge of the false world and its rulers. Her blunt, manipulative nature is emphasized: she gives crucial information but deliberately exposes the horrifying implications of the Grand Sage’s identity.
• Liphia undergoes the chapter’s most dramatic change. Her faith in her grandfather collapses, replaced by grief, horror, and determination. Despite the emotional trauma, she resolves to help uncover the truth.
• Noah supports Liphia emotionally and later advocates trusting her judgment, showing his loyalty and compassion.
• The Hero of Strength reacts aggressively to Song Dragon’s accusation, defending Liphia and the Grand Sage before the evidence begins to undermine her certainty.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus comforting belief: The heroes must confront the possibility that their revered institutions and leaders are built on lies.
• Family, identity, and corruption: The Grand Sage’s alleged immortality turns the idea of lineage into something disturbing and morally grotesque.
• Betrayal and disillusionment: Liphia’s image of her beloved grandfather is threatened by evidence that he may be serving the enemy.
• Pragmatism versus emotional morality: Chen Cheng must decide whether to use Liphia’s personal pain as part of a plan, while Liphia chooses to act despite the emotional cost.
• Power and manipulation: The mysterious entity controls the “games,” the living dead, and possibly the Grand Sage, suggesting a broad system of deception and influence.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Song Dragon establish a wary alliance, with Chen Cheng demanding proof of her cooperation.
• Song Dragon’s accusation against the Grand Sage causes Liphia and the Hero of Strength to confront her angrily.
• Noah comforts the devastated Liphia and later asks Chen Cheng to trust her resolve.
• Liphia offers to use her personal connection to the Grand Sage to create an opening for the group to capture him.
• The group prepares for the Grand Sage’s expected arrival, hoping to extract information about the hidden entity without alerting it.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng prepares Liphia and Noah for the Great Sage’s arrival. He places a preserved strand of Saber Intent in Liphia’s forehead, which will automatically attack if the Great Sage tries to harm her, allowing her to retreat.
• To conceal themselves, Chen Cheng uses divine power through Variable Magic to split the earth and create an underground hiding place. Unlike ordinary magic, his spell produces no Magic Array, astonishing Noah and the others.
• Chen Cheng, Noah, and Kui Niu hide underground beneath the ruined battlefield. Song Dragon remains above ground in dragon form, while she incapacitates Noah’s companions with spiritual power and leaves Liphia standing alone, crying beside her body.
• The devastated ruins and Liphia’s appearance are deliberately arranged to make it seem as though Song Dragon has attacked and tormented the girl.
• As night approaches, the Great Sage arrives. He is initially furious at the destruction, partly because he expects to restore the ruins, but he becomes wary when he sees that Liphia is still alive.
• Song Dragon deceives him by claiming she spared Liphia to avoid being accused of deliberately extinguishing his family line. The explanation fits her arrogant personality, so the Great Sage partially lowers his guard.
• The Great Sage reveals his disturbing obsession with Liphia. He claims he fell in love with her because of her beauty, but says he cannot return her feelings because he belongs entirely to his master.
• Liphia, who had hoped her grandfather might have come to rescue her, is devastated when she learns the truth and feels overwhelming disgust toward him.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng demonstrates greater mastery of divine power, using it to cast earth magic without incantations or Magic Arrays. He also acts protectively toward Liphia by giving her a defensive weapon.
• Liphia moves from fearful hope to complete emotional revulsion. Seeing her grandfather confirms that he is not a protector but the source of her suffering.
• Song Dragon shows strategic intelligence and theatrical skill. She uses the destroyed surroundings and her own intimidating persona to construct a convincing deception, while remaining confident and contemptuous toward the Great Sage.
• The Great Sage is exposed as morally corrupt and hypocritical. He acts violently toward Song Dragon but speaks tenderly to Liphia, revealing an incestuous fixation while attempting to excuse it as helpless love.
• Noah and the others remain largely passive during the setup, hidden or incapacitated so the trap can proceed.

Significant Themes

• Deception and performance: Song Dragon manipulates appearances to control the Great Sage’s interpretation of events.
• Abuse of power: The Great Sage’s authority and relationship to his master enable his predatory behavior and moral self-justification.
• The destruction of familial trust: Liphia’s belief in her grandfather collapses completely when she discovers his true feelings.
• Protection and resistance: Chen Cheng’s Saber Intent gives Liphia a means of defending herself, symbolizing the support she lacks from her own family.
• Horror beneath tenderness: The Great Sage’s gentle tone contrasts sharply with his disgusting confession, emphasizing how affection can be used to disguise possession and abuse.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Liphia interact as allies, with Chen Cheng taking practical steps to protect her.
• Song Dragon and Chen Cheng cooperate in creating an ambush and hiding their presence.
• Song Dragon confronts the Great Sage verbally, provoking him while successfully manipulating his suspicions.
• The Great Sage addresses Liphia with false tenderness, while Liphia silently rejects him and experiences intense disgust.
• Chen Cheng and the hidden observers react with revulsion to the Great Sage’s confession, reinforcing the scene’s moral horror.

Chapter Summary: Legendary Rank Advancement

Key Plot Points and Events

• Liphia confronts the Great Sage, realizing that her grandfather has deceived her about her mother’s death and has been serving a vile dragon. She hides her true knowledge and pretends to believe that her companions have died.
• The Great Sage approaches her with disturbing affection, then suddenly grabs her by the throat and attempts to kill her.
• Liphia’s Saber Intent activates when her life is threatened, striking the Great Sage’s consciousness and briefly disrupting his control.
• Chen Cheng and his hidden allies seize the opportunity to attack, while Liphia tries to escape. The Great Sage, realizing he has been deceived, launches a deadly palm strike at her.
• Noah, who had been pretending to be dead, awakens and uses his Hero’s Ultimate Art to intercept the attack. When his defense is insufficient, he throws himself in front of Liphia and blocks the fatal blow with his saber.
• Seeing Noah risk his life for her causes Liphia’s emotions to collapse. Her despair summons a powerful Heart Demon, which begins consuming her consciousness.
• Remembering Noah’s vow to protect others and his belief that strength should serve protection rather than domination, Liphia rejects the Heart Demon. A flame representing her desire to protect burns away the demon and purifies her soul.
• This spiritual breakthrough triggers Liphia’s advancement to Legendary Rank. The surrounding magical energy transforms into fire-element energy and pours into her body, forming the foundation of a new domain.
• However, Liphia lacks a Dao-Bearing Treasure. Her body begins to crack under the strain, threatening to destroy both her body and soul.
• Kui Niu warns that she cannot complete the advancement without such a treasure. Chen Cheng recalls the Earth Brain, a powerful spiritual treasure born in Hui Dun City.
• The Song Dragon reveals that the Great Sage possesses a Dao-Bearing Supreme Treasure and claims it can be extracted from him if the group can restrain him, offering a possible way to save Liphia.

Character Developments

• Liphia: Moves from grief, betrayal, and helplessness to a decisive spiritual awakening. She recognizes that true strength exists to protect others, overcoming her Heart Demon and beginning her transformation into a Legendary Rank powerhouse.
• Noah: Demonstrates the sincerity of his heroic ideals by risking his life for Liphia rather than merely boasting about his strength. His sacrifice becomes the emotional catalyst for Liphia’s breakthrough.
• The Great Sage: Is revealed as a treacherous, morally corrupt figure whose apparent affection for Liphia is twisted and possessive. His emotional instability after being deceived creates an opening for the heroes.
• Chen Cheng and his allies: Continue their coordinated ambush against the Great Sage, but are forced to prioritize restraining him while Liphia undergoes her dangerous advancement.
• Song Dragon: Provides critical knowledge about Dao-Bearing Treasures and identifies a potential method of saving Liphia.

Significant Themes

• Strength as protection: The chapter contrasts the Great Sage’s abusive use of power with Noah and Liphia’s belief that strength should defend those one cares about.
• Sacrifice and heroism: Noah’s willingness to die for Liphia validates his heroic ideals and inspires her transformation.
• Overcoming inner darkness: Liphia defeats her Heart Demon by replacing despair with the conviction to protect others.
• Betrayal and corrupted love: The Great Sage’s twisted attachment highlights the difference between genuine affection and possessive obsession.
• The cost of advancement: Reaching Legendary Rank requires more than power; without the proper treasure, even a successful breakthrough can destroy the cultivator.

Important Character Interactions

• Liphia confronts the Great Sage about his betrayal, but he responds by attempting to strangle her.
• Noah protects Liphia from the Great Sage’s palm strike, reaffirming his vow to defend her.
• Noah’s remembered words guide Liphia through her mental crisis and help her destroy the Heart Demon.
• Kui Niu explains the danger of Liphia’s advancement to Chen Cheng and identifies her lack of a Dao-Bearing Treasure.
• The Song Dragon gives Chen Cheng and the others hope by revealing that the Great Sage carries the treasure necessary to stabilize Liphia.

Chapter Summary: Severance

Key plot points and events

• After learning that Liphia can still be saved, Noah immediately attacks the Great Sage, followed by Chen Cheng and the others.
• The Great Sage attempts to summon power from the Godly Thought controlling him, but Song Dragon seals his spiritual connection and prevents outside assistance.
• Noah wounds the Great Sage with a furious punch but is impaled by a flaming spear. Chen Cheng catches and protects him while continuing the assault.
• The Great Sage attacks Chen Cheng with powerful fire magic and attempts to escape, but She Li’s surprise blade strike forces him into a defensive maneuver.
• Chen Cheng, Kui Niu, and She Li surround the Great Sage, while Song Dragon seals the battlefield and prepares to remove his Dao-Bearing Supreme Treasure.
• Chen Cheng forms a Heavenly Blade using his Saber-Intent Dao Tree. The attack threatens to force the Great Sage’s incomplete Dao Fruit to manifest.
• The Great Sage’s history is revealed: he became a Legendary Rank puppet by selling himself to the Godly Thought, which forcibly elevated his power and used the Crimson Flame as a vessel for his Dao Laws.
• Kui Niu knocks the Great Sage down, allowing Chen Cheng’s Heavenly Blade and Song Dragon’s mental techniques to strip the Crimson Flame from him.
• Song Dragon transfers the Crimson Flame to Liphia. It merges with her, heals her shattered body, and restores her interrupted advancement.
• Liphia’s breakthrough succeeds, causing the surrounding land and wildlife to regenerate as heaven and earth appear to celebrate her transformation.

Character developments

• Noah displays fierce loyalty and desperation, charging the Great Sage the moment he learns Liphia may survive. Though badly injured, he remains part of the coordinated assault.
• Chen Cheng demonstrates greater power and composure, protecting Noah while unleashing a Dao-Law-based attack capable of threatening the Great Sage’s foundation. He also restrains his desire to claim the Crimson Flame for himself.
• Song Dragon proves essential through precision mental attacks: she blocks the Great Sage’s connection to the Godly Thought, seals the battlefield, and carefully extracts the Crimson Flame without destroying it.
• Kui Niu acts as the frontline combatant, absorbing the Great Sage’s attacks and creating the opening for the Heavenly Blade.
• She Li contributes through a near-fatal surprise attack that prevents the Great Sage from escaping.
• The Great Sage is exposed as a powerful but incomplete puppet whose strength depends on an externally imposed Dao-Bearing Supreme Treasure. Once isolated from the Godly Thought, his vulnerability becomes clear.
• Liphia is restored from the brink of collapse and successfully completes her advancement, emerging stronger and symbolically reborn through fire.

Significant themes

• Sacrifice and loyalty: Noah’s reckless attack reflects the group’s determination to save Liphia.
• Teamwork against overwhelming power: Each fighter fulfills a specific role—containment, offense, defense, or spiritual manipulation—to defeat the Great Sage.
• Freedom versus control: The Great Sage’s power comes from surrendering himself to the Godly Thought, leaving him powerful yet fundamentally incomplete and enslaved.
• Rebirth and restoration: Liphia’s healing and advancement transform the battlefield from devastation into renewed life.
• The nature of true power: The chapter distinguishes between genuine Dao-law mastery and power artificially granted through an external treasure or controlling entity.

Character interactions

• Noah directly confronts the Great Sage out of devotion to Liphia, while Chen Cheng intervenes to save Noah from being killed.
• The Great Sage attempts to manipulate the battle by throwing Noah at Chen Cheng and attacking Kui Niu, but the group remains coordinated.
• Chen Cheng, Kui Niu, and She Li work together to surround and suppress the Great Sage.
• Song Dragon supports the fighters from the rear, cutting off the Great Sage’s communication and removing his treasure with surgical precision.
• The Crimson Flame responds to Liphia’s own Flame Dao and willingly merges with her, completing her transformation.

Chapter Summary: The Desperate Great Sage

Key Plot Points and Events

• Liphia successfully breaks through to the Legendary Rank, celebrated by the entire world. Her breakthrough transforms her into the Fire Hero once again, and she reunites emotionally with Noah and the other heroines.
• The Great Sage loses his Dao-Bearing Supreme Treasure, causing his usable power and cultivation realm to collapse. His body rapidly ages and begins decaying, revealing that he is essentially similar to the Undying Corpse Black Demons.
• The Great Sage curses Chen Cheng and the others, claiming that his “master” will eventually awaken and avenge him. Chen Cheng realizes that the Great Sage is connected to the creation or control of the Black Demons and intends to interrogate him.
• Kui Niu prepares to torture the Great Sage, but Song Dragon explains that a curse or mental restriction prevents him from revealing sensitive information. Forcing him to speak would only alert his master and cause the enemy to hide.
• Song Dragon reveals that she can forcibly open the Great Sage’s consciousness, allowing the others to enter his mind and inspect his memories.
• Terrified of having his mind searched, the Great Sage attempts to self-destruct. Liphia stops him with her newly acquired dao laws, protecting his life and rendering his suicide attempt harmless.
• Liphia declares that by saving his life, she has repaid the life debt she once owed him. She no longer considers herself indebted to him.
• Song Dragon launches a psychic attack, trapping the Great Sage in an elaborate hallucination where he kills Liphia, regains the Dao-Bearing Supreme Treasure, becomes a Legendary Rank powerhouse, breaks free, receives power from the Godly Thought, and massacres Chen Cheng’s group.
• While the Great Sage loses himself in this fantasy, Song Dragon gradually dismantles his mental defenses, preparing to extract his memories.

Character Developments

• Liphia completes her transformation into a true Legendary Rank expert and fully embraces her identity as the Fire Hero. She also gains emotional closure regarding the Great Sage, rejecting the false affection and control he once used against her.
• Noah and Liphia reaffirm their bond through an emotional reunion, confirming that Liphia’s original personality and loyalty have returned.
• The Great Sage falls from a powerful, seemingly untouchable figure into a decaying and desperate prisoner. His arrogance and loyalty to his master remain, but fear and hatred increasingly dominate him.
• Song Dragon demonstrates that her psychic abilities are far more dangerous than conventional combat techniques. She proves capable of both suppressing enemies and manipulating their minds with precision.
• Chen Cheng recognizes the scale of Song Dragon’s abilities and becomes wary of her methods, while continuing to direct the group’s interrogation of the Great Sage.

Significant Themes

• Freedom from manipulation: Liphia’s breakthrough symbolizes her liberation from the Great Sage’s control and her recovery of her true self.
• Debt and repayment: Liphia’s decision to save the Great Sage before declaring their debt settled gives her moral and emotional closure.
• Power and vulnerability: The Great Sage’s collapse shows how dependent his strength was on external power, particularly the Dao-Bearing Supreme Treasure and his master.
• Psychological warfare: Song Dragon’s methods emphasize that mental manipulation can be more frightening and effective than physical attacks.
• False reality and desperation: The Great Sage’s hallucination reflects his deepest wishes—revenge, restored power, and domination—while also revealing how desperate he has become.

Character Interactions

• Noah and Liphia share a tearful reunion, with the other heroines joining them in celebration.
• Chen Cheng confronts the Great Sage and taunts him about visiting his mysterious master.
• Song Dragon undermines the group’s plan to torture the Great Sage by explaining the mental curse protecting his secrets.
• The Great Sage develops intense hatred toward Song Dragon for helping strip away his treasure and toward Liphia for preventing his suicide.
• Liphia directly confronts the Great Sage emotionally, telling him that she has repaid her life debt and owes him nothing.
• Song Dragon defeats the Great Sage psychologically rather than physically, using his own fantasies to weaken his defenses and expose his memories.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Dragon completes an illusion over the Great Sage, leaving him mentally vacant and allowing Chen Cheng to enter his memories.
• Chen Cheng connects his consciousness to the Great Sage’s through a mental thread, experiencing the memories like an immersive recording. After an initial distortion, Song Dragon adjusts the connection and the images become clear.
• The memories reveal the Battle of Dawn, the final and most devastating war between the Human and Orc races. More than three hundred million combatants and irregular forces participated, with over one hundred million deaths.
• After the Orcs’ defeat, their royal family used the battlefield’s blood and souls, Karmak Continent, and numerous divine artifacts in a ritual to summon an Outer God. Their goal was to destroy the world.
• The young Great Sage fought as an irregular volunteer because he lacked the qualifications to enlist. The brutality of the war shattered his youthful ideas of heroic warfare, and many of his clansmen died protecting him.
• Grieving over their corpses, he developed a desperate desire to become stronger. Chen Cheng recognizes this as a possible turning point, since the Great Sage eventually appears to have pledged himself to the Evil God responsible for the catastrophe.
• The Great Sage’s fallen clansmen are honored as heroes and buried in the Heroes’ Tomb.
• The summoned Evil God attacks Karmak Continent, tearing open the sky and attempting to destroy the world with a single strike.
• Just as humanity seems helpless, a tiny, indistinct figure rises from the horizon and halts or deflects the attack. The people recognize him as “Your Majesty,” whom Chen Cheng identifies as his ancestor, Jingjihua the First.
• The chapter ends with Lyka repeatedly striking at the Evil God in the heavens while humanity cheers below.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng acts as an observer and investigator, entering the Great Sage’s memories to uncover the truth behind his past and possible connection to the Evil God.
• Song Dragon demonstrates his skill in mental manipulation and memory access by controlling the Great Sage and stabilizing the memory connection.
• The Great Sage is shown in his youth as inexperienced, emotionally vulnerable, and deeply affected by the deaths of his clansmen. His grief inspires a desire for strength, foreshadowing his later moral compromise and allegiance to the Evil God.
• Kui Niu takes responsibility for protecting Chen Cheng’s physical body while Chen Cheng’s consciousness is absent.
• Jingjihua the First/Lyka is introduced as a powerful ancestral figure capable of confronting the Outer God’s world-destroying attack.

Significant Themes

• The horrors of war: The battlefield is portrayed as slaughter rather than glory, emphasizing the suffering of ordinary participants and families.
• Grief and the pursuit of power: The Great Sage’s trauma transforms his desire for strength, suggesting how loss and helplessness can drive someone toward catastrophic choices.
• History versus lived experience: Chen Cheng’s historical knowledge confirms the major events, but witnessing them through the Great Sage’s memories reveals the personal pain hidden behind official records.
• Sacrifice and catastrophe: The Orc royal family’s ritual weaponizes mass death and turns the consequences of war into a threat to the entire world.
• Hope in the face of destruction: Humanity’s despair is countered by the sudden appearance of a powerful protector, suggesting that salvation can emerge even when defeat seems inevitable.

Character Interactions

• Song Dragon instructs Chen Cheng to follow the memories without interfering and adjusts the mental connection so the visions become comprehensible.
• Chen Cheng entrusts Kui Niu with guarding his body before entering the Great Sage’s mind.
• Chen Cheng observes the Great Sage’s grief from within the memory but remains unable to alter events.
• The Great Sage’s memories connect the human victims, the Orc ritual, and the emergence of the Evil God into a single chain of cause and effect.
• Jingjihua the First/Lyka confronts the Evil God directly, becoming the central figure opposing the world-ending attack while humanity watches and celebrates.