Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Extreme”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Crimson Ray reveals that her reckless plan was the only way to force Chen Cheng into taking her as a Subordinate God. By becoming bound to him, she can use her Phase Weaponry to transport him into Ice and Snow Island, where Melos and Snow Maiden are trapped.
• Chen Cheng reluctantly accepts her gamble. He uses his Divine Domain to transform Crimson Ray into a subordinate god, painfully crushing her body before placing her within his domain.
• Crimson Ray returns to the physical world under Chen Cheng’s control. She explains that they must physically combine through the Phase Weaponry to cross the Law Barrier quickly, since Snow Maiden is close to dissolving into the Dao.
• Chen Cheng and Crimson Ray enter Ice and Snow Island. The island is not ordinary land but a manifestation of the Ice and Snow Law, causing severe suppression to anyone who intrudes upon it.
• Chen Cheng senses that Melos is nearly dead while Snow Maiden is becoming increasingly powerful by absorbing the island’s laws. He realizes Snow Maiden is about to merge completely with the Dao.
• Using Crimson Ray’s Phase Weaponry, Chen Cheng tunnels through the ice cap and reaches the cavern beneath it. He then unleashes his Divine Domain, destroys the thousand-meter-thick ice barrier, and rescues both Snow Maiden and Melos.
• Chen Cheng escapes the island with them just before the temporary disturbance in the laws ends.

2. Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Though furious at Crimson Ray and disgusted by her manipulation, he prioritizes rescuing Melos and Snow Maiden. His willingness to accept Crimson Ray as a subordinate demonstrates his pragmatism and determination, while his powerful intervention on the island emphasizes the strength of his Divine Domain.
• Crimson Ray: Her gamble succeeds. She fails to become the Sea God’s Subordinate God but becomes Chen Cheng’s instead. Although now controlled by Chen Cheng, she remains clever, bold, and manipulative, immediately trying to exploit their new relationship while also acknowledging the urgency of Snow Maiden’s situation.
• Snow Maiden: She accepts that she may die while protecting her “little brothers and sisters,” showing self-sacrifice and responsibility. Her final despair turns to joy when Chen Cheng arrives, revealing her strong emotional attachment to him.
• Melos: She is reduced to an extremely weak state after being trapped beneath the ice, highlighting the danger of the island and the urgency of Chen Cheng’s rescue mission.

3. Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and survival: Crimson Ray sacrifices her freedom to survive as a subordinate god, while Snow Maiden is prepared to sacrifice herself for others.
• Pragmatism over personal feelings: Chen Cheng suppresses his hatred of Crimson Ray because her abilities are essential to saving his allies.
• The power of natural law: Ice and Snow Island represents the overwhelming authority of heaven-and-earth laws. Even Chen Cheng is heavily suppressed because he is intruding upon laws greater than his current strength.
• Control and autonomy: Crimson Ray’s transformation grants her divine power but places her under Chen Cheng’s command, raising the tension between empowerment and loss of freedom.
• Hope amid despair: Snow Maiden believes she is about to die, but Chen Cheng’s arrival at the last moment transforms her apparent death into a rescue.

4. Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Crimson Ray clash over her manipulative plan, but he ultimately admits that she has won and makes her his subordinate.
• Crimson Ray adopts a deferential, seductive manner toward Chen Cheng, while he responds with suspicion, irritation, and physical distance.
• Despite their antagonism, the two cooperate closely through the Phase Weaponry to cross the Law Barrier and reach the trapped group.
• Chen Cheng calls out to Snow Maiden during the rescue, and his voice gives her hope just before she dissolves into the Dao.
• Snow Maiden’s happiness at seeing Chen Cheng confirms the emotional significance of their relationship, while Chen Cheng’s immediate rescue of her and Melos demonstrates his loyalty to his companions.

Summary of “Severely Wounded”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After escaping Ice and Snow Island, Chen Cheng remains within the range of the island’s recovering laws and is violently injured by their backlash.
• He coughs up golden Divine Blood, an extraordinarily valuable substance capable of producing divine medicine, transforming plants, and evolving magical beasts. However, he uses it to preserve the Snow Maiden, whose body is beginning to dissolve into the Dao.
• Chen Cheng activates his Divine Domain to defend himself against the island’s law-based attacks. Because these attacks are manifestations of the world’s laws rather than visible techniques, he can only endure them and flee.
• His Dao is far weaker than the laws of heaven and earth. He suffers severe injuries, with Divine Blood flowing from all seven apertures, while carrying both the Snow Maiden and the unconscious Melos.
• Once he escapes the island’s law range, Chen Cheng continues flying until he reaches the beachside treehouse, where he collapses.
• Melos catches him, places him in a vine hammock transformed into a bed, and uses a healing Forbidden Spell. Her magic repairs his physical wounds but cannot heal his deeper Dao injuries.
• The Snow Maiden silently witnesses Chen Cheng’s condition before breaking down in grief after realizing he truly returned to save her.
• While unconscious, Chen Cheng enters a palace of memories and is drawn into a scene from a thousand years earlier. He observes events without taking control of his former consciousness.
• The memory takes place during the height of Lyka’s rule, after the Thornflower Empire has conquered much of the continent, expelled the Orcs, and sealed the Far North behind the Great Wall.
• Lyka prepares to receive envoys from numerous races, including the Elves, Dragons, Goblins, and Sea Clan. Though powerful enough to intimidate them, he emphasizes that humanity does not seek needless war and wants them to choose whether to cooperate with the Empire.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Demonstrates extreme self-sacrifice and resilience. Despite suffering catastrophic Dao injuries, he prioritizes protecting the Snow Maiden and Melos, refuses assistance that might endanger them, and keeps flying until they are safely out of danger.
• Snow Maiden: Moves from near dissolution and presumed death to survival through Chen Cheng’s Divine Blood. Her shock at his return gives way to overwhelming grief when she sees how badly he is wounded, revealing the depth of her attachment to him.
• Melos: Regains consciousness while being carried by Chen Cheng and immediately attempts to help him. Her healing ability proves insufficient against Dao-level damage, but she remains practical and protective by catching him and arranging treatment.
• Lyka: Appears as a powerful but measured emperor. Although he has recently achieved major military victories, he presents himself as seeking peace and gives other races an opportunity to align with the Thornflower Empire rather than immediately forcing conflict.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and devotion: Chen Cheng risks his life and expends his Divine Blood to save the Snow Maiden and Melos.
• The limits of individual power: Even Chen Cheng’s formidable Dao cannot rival the laws of the entire world, emphasizing the vast gap between personal cultivation and cosmic law.
• Invisible forces and the nature of the Dao: The battle is portrayed as a clash of intangible laws rather than physical attacks, reinforcing the idea that reality’s deepest forces cannot be directly perceived.
• Memory and the past: Chen Cheng’s unconscious return to a historical moment suggests that his past contains unresolved mysteries or information important to his present circumstances.
• Power balanced by diplomacy: Lyka’s military dominance contrasts with his attempt to secure peace through negotiation, showing how authority can be used to prevent war as well as wage it.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng transfers his Divine Blood to the Snow Maiden through a kiss, keeping her from dissolving.
• He reassures Melos not to act recklessly while he carries both women through the dangerous region.
• Melos catches Chen Cheng after he collapses and treats him in the treehouse.
• The Snow Maiden silently observes his sacrifice and later grieves beside him.
• In the memory sequence, Lyka speaks with his herald and receives envoys from various races, offering them peace and asking them to make a choice regarding the Thornflower Empire.

Chapter Summary: “Secret History”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lyka meets representatives of the world’s major races after the recent crisis involving the Extraterritorial Evil God and the appearance of the God of War, Arutura.
• He publicly reaffirms his alliance with the Elves, praising their role in protecting humanity a thousand years earlier. This also signals that the Elf race is under his protection, discouraging other races from coveting Moonlight Forest.
• Lyka expresses sympathy to the Dragon God over Song Dragon but assures him that she will survive and may eventually achieve a true Dragon Vein Ascension.
• Most races receive Lyka’s promise that they may reproduce and live peacefully on the continent.
• Tensions arise with the Sea Clan, whose representative argues that the Sea Clan and Lyka should be equals because the Sea Clan rules the oceans. Lyka rejects hierarchical systems modeled on the Orcs and declares that all races should be equal.
• The Sea Clan attempts to discover the origin of Arutura, suspecting that Lyka found the Sea God’s Kingdom and obtained a new form of the Sea God’s armor. Their seemingly subordinate representative is actually probing for information.
• Lyka recognizes the widespread desire to learn the source of the God of War’s power. Rather than reveal it, he demands that the races find a mysterious Codex for him.
• Chen Cheng realizes that Lyka may be referring to the Doomsday Codex, though this is part of history she has not previously witnessed.
• The chapter explains the historical development of magic: Lyka introduced meditation and access to the Sea of Magic, which later merged with ancient witchcraft to form the Warrior’s Path and the distinction between mages and warriors.

Character Developments

• Lyka demonstrates political skill, generosity, and absolute confidence. He protects weaker races, refuses to conceal his alliances, and establishes himself as the continent’s dominant authority without relying solely on force.
• The Sea Clan representative is revealed to be manipulative and politically ambitious. His claims of equality conceal an attempt to locate the Sea God’s Kingdom.
• Chen Cheng becomes more attentive to hidden motives and historical inconsistencies. Her experience with Crimson Ray’s obsession with godhood helps her recognize the Sea Clan’s true intentions.
• The Dragon God remains cautious but places trust in Lyka’s promise regarding Song Dragon and the possibility of Dragon Vein Ascension.
• The various races shift from celebrating Lyka’s victory to coveting divine power, showing how the appearance of a true god changes their ambitions.

Significant Themes

• Power and diplomacy: Lyka uses overwhelming strength alongside openness and generosity to secure peace and deter opposition.
• Equality versus hierarchy: He rejects the Orc-style ranking system and insists that all races should theoretically stand as equals, though his own power clearly places him above them.
• The dangers of divine ambition: Witnessing true divine power awakens widespread desires for godhood, creating new political and personal threats.
• Historical influence: Lyka’s actions shape the future of magic, racial relations, and the balance of power across the world.
• Hidden motives and political deception: The Sea Clan’s respectful language masks an effort to exploit Lyka’s knowledge.

Character Interactions

• Lyka openly honors Melos and the Elves, strengthening their alliance and warning other races away from Moonlight Forest.
• He consoles the Dragon God about Song Dragon and offers him hope for her future.
• He confronts the Sea Clan representative’s claim of superiority by asserting equality among all races.
• The Sea Clan attempts to pressure Lyka into revealing the God of War’s origin, but Lyka reverses the situation by setting his own condition: they must find a Codex for him.
• Chen Cheng observes and interprets the exchange, recognizing the strategic conflict beneath the diplomatic conversation.

Chapter Summary: “Forging a Lock”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lyka assures the leaders of the various races that he does not intend to seize their innate magic, control their destinies, or conquer them. He argues that all races should coexist and prosper.
• He explains that his true concern is preventing another Divine Calamity, a recent disaster that devastated the world and killed many of his acquaintances. The calamity remains a shared trauma among the races.
• The Sea Clan representative challenges Lyka by asking what will happen if his plan fails and another disaster occurs. He suggests that the races may need access to the Land of Divine Slumber so they can awaken the gods who protect them.
• Lyka responds that his plan will produce one of two outcomes: if it succeeds, gods will no longer exist in the world; if it fails, the gods will awaken naturally. He admits that there is no guarantee those gods will be benevolent toward the races.
• His blunt explanation causes the assembled leaders to argue over whether his plan is too dangerous. The Dragon God intervenes and asks Lyka to explain the plan fully.
• The Dragon and Elf races openly support Lyka, prompting the Sea Clan and the remaining races to agree as well.
• Lyka calls on every race to search for the legendary Doomsday Codex and cooperate in creating a powerful lock capable of sealing it away.
• Melos, representing the Elves, warns that the Codex is an ominous object whose temptation could destroy the world if it is opened. The Dragon God also points out that its location is unknown and that no one has ever reliably seen it.
• Lyka insists that the Codex must be found, suspecting that the Orc race has already partially opened it through sacrifice, allowing the Extraterritorial Evil God to descend.
• In reality, Lyka and Chen Cheng know that Lyka already possesses the Codex. His true objective is to persuade the races to help forge the lock, not to search for the Codex itself.
• The races ultimately agree to cooperate. Lyka emphasizes that the lock must be designed carefully, with no weaknesses.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Lyka presents himself as a protector rather than a conqueror. His grief over the Divine Calamity reveals that his ambitions are motivated by the survival of all races, though his secret possession of the Codex shows that he is still manipulating the leaders.
• The Sea Clan representative acts as a skeptical political opponent, attempting to connect the Land of Divine Slumber to the races’ future safety and forcing Lyka to clarify the risks of his plan.
• The Dragon God emerges as a stabilizing authority. By silencing the debate and endorsing Lyka’s proposal if it proves reasonable, he helps secure the cooperation of the major races.
• Melos and the Elves display their traditional wisdom and moral authority. Melos strongly objects to handling the Codex but ultimately supports Lyka’s broader plan after the other powerful races commit.
• The various races shift from fear and hesitation to reluctant unity, recognizing that the threat of another Divine Calamity outweighs their distrust of Lyka.

Significant Themes

• Unity against existential catastrophe: The races must set aside longstanding differences to confront threats capable of destroying the entire world.
• Survival versus freedom: Lyka promises not to control the races, yet his plan places the fate of gods, magic, and the world’s future in his hands.
• Trust and manipulation: The leaders agree to cooperate based on Lyka’s public explanation, unaware that he is concealing the Codex’s true location.
• The danger of forbidden knowledge: The Doomsday Codex represents power that cannot safely be possessed or understood, emphasizing the destructive consequences of temptation.
• Preparation against the unknown: Forging the lock reflects the need to prepare for disaster even when its timing, form, and likelihood remain uncertain.

Summary: “The Beginning of Faith Control”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lyka recognizes that the Codex is not merely a physical object but a powerful companion entity connected to him from birth. He keeps this knowledge secret to prevent panic and protect the world.
• After the Orc race’s divine disaster—caused by sacrifices that summoned an Evil God—Lyka orders representatives of the various races to organize and unify their religious beliefs.
• He argues that the Orc catastrophe occurred because the Orcs lacked a single, firm Faith. A unified religion, he believes, would make people hesitate before committing similarly dangerous acts.
• Lyka clarifies that he does not necessarily demand worship of a specific deity; rather, he wants Faith itself to serve as a stabilizing and restraining force. If complete unity within a race is impossible, multiple races may share one religion.
• The Dwarf race is the first to comply. It retains its traditional worship of the God of Craftsmen while accepting the gods of the Human race, effectively placing itself within the Human Faith system.
• Other races, including those connected to Lyka such as the Elves, either accept his request or merge their weaker, less-developed religious systems with the Human race’s Faith.
• Chen Cheng observes that, over the next century, most weaker races will gradually adopt the Human race’s Faith in the God of Light. This change will occur less through direct coercion than through the overwhelming economic, cultural, and civilizational influence of the rapidly developing Human Empire.
• Powerful races such as the Elves are expected to preserve their independent Faiths because their own civilizations and traditions are too strong to be absorbed peacefully.
• After the political and religious meeting, Lyka reflects alone on the unresolved threat of the Doomsday Codex. He believes the races can forge a Codex Lock, but he is unsure how the lock can actually restrain the Codex.
• Lyka privately calls out to Chen Cheng, asking whether he is present and whether Lyka’s actions have been right or wrong.

Character Development

• Lyka: Becomes more strategic and authoritarian in his approach to ruling the world. Although he claims not to seek direct control over other races, he deliberately uses religion to impose order and prevent future disasters. His distrust of the races remains strong, but he frames his demands as protective rather than conquering. By the end, his uncertainty and need for guidance reveal that his confidence is not absolute.
• Chen Cheng: Acts as an observer within Lyka’s consciousness, analyzing the long-term consequences of Lyka’s religious policy. He understands that Faith spreads alongside civilization and anticipates the Human Empire’s cultural dominance.
• The Dwarf representative: Shows political pragmatism by accepting Human religious influence while preserving the Dwarf God of Craftsmen, making the Dwarves the first major race to cooperate with Lyka’s plan.
• The various races: Their responses reveal differences in strength and independence. Weaker races submit or assimilate, while stronger races preserve their own traditions.

Significant Themes

• Faith as social control: Religion is presented as a force capable of shaping a race’s morality, choices, and political unity.
• Unity versus autonomy: Lyka’s demand may prevent another catastrophe, but it threatens the cultural and spiritual independence of the various races.
• Civilization as the foundation of religion: The chapter emphasizes that powerful civilizations spread their Faiths not merely through doctrine, but through economic, cultural, and technological dominance.
• Order through indirect control: Rather than conquering the races militarily, Lyka seeks to bring them under Human influence through shared belief.
• Ignorance as protection: Lyka believes the world must remain unaware of the larger danger surrounding it, even if that means allowing its people to live in a carefully maintained “bliss of ignorance.”
• Burden of leadership and uncertainty: Lyka must make world-changing decisions without knowing whether they are correct, especially concerning the Codex and the future of the world.

Important Character Interactions

• Lyka and the racial representatives: Lyka confronts them with a demand that directly threatens their political and religious independence. He justifies his position by linking religious division to the Orc disaster.
• Lyka and the Dwarf representative: The Dwarf’s offer to accept Human deities alongside the God of Craftsmen pleases Lyka and establishes a model for other races to follow.
• Lyka and the Elf race: The Elves and other powerful races agree to cooperate but retain greater religious independence because of their established civilizations and traditions.
• Lyka and Chen Cheng: Their relationship remains largely internal and indirect. Chen Cheng observes Lyka’s thoughts and recognizes his anxiety, while Lyka reaches out for Chen Cheng’s guidance at the chapter’s close.

Summary: “Civilization and Institutional Development”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lyka speaks at length to the mysterious voice he has addressed since youth, though Chen Cheng still cannot bring himself to respond. Lyka uses these conversations to release his worries and strengthen his belief that his actions are right for the current human age.
• Lyka believes gods should not yet rule the world; humanity must be protected and allowed to develop for the next thousand years, even though he will not live to witness the distant future.
• After ascending the throne, Lyka begins creating a governing system based on rites and law. Until then, every race—including the dominant Orcs—had lived under tribal alliances rather than true national governments.
• Lyka rejects the tribal “law of the jungle,” which neglects the weak and places all authority in the hands of chiefs. His system introduces morality, social responsibility, and the concept of free people.
• The recognition of free people marks the beginning of private ownership and the eventual development of families, cities, kingdoms, and imperial government. Although Lyka’s system still contains flaws, including slavery and other outdated customs, it establishes the institutional foundation of civilization.
• Over the next twelve years, Lyka builds a vast imperial capital on the ruins of the great war, establishes a government, and grants fiefs to meritorious followers. Many of these kingdoms survive into Chen Cheng’s later era.
• Lyka also personally leads military campaigns against Magic Beasts, killing Beast Emperors and Beast Gods who threaten human settlements. His reign dramatically advances human civilization and astonishes the Sea Clan, Dragons, Elves, and other races.
• During an enormous beast tide in the Hengduan Mountains, Lyka offers the Hengduan Beast God a chance to swear that he will control the Magic Beasts and prevent future catastrophes. The Beast God refuses, viewing such an oath as submission to humans.
• Lyka responds by declaring an imperial war against the Beast God. Just afterward, the Shadow Guard captain informs him that “that thing” has been completed—apparently the great lock forged for an important purpose. Lyka is visibly shaken but conceals his emotions and orders the captain to rest before the coming battle.

Character Developments

• Lyka grows from a ruler guided by personal morality into the architect of an entire civilization. His sense of duty intensifies as he accepts responsibility for protecting humanity’s future.
• He demonstrates both compassion and firmness: he rejects the cruelty of tribal society and offers enemies a peaceful alternative, but once that offer is refused, he is prepared to act decisively.
• Chen Cheng remains a silent observer rather than an active adviser. He is moved by Lyka’s sincerity and mission but refuses to impose later historical values—such as universal equality—on an earlier society with different material conditions.
• The Shadow Guard captain is shown as a trusted subordinate involved in producing the mysterious “great lock,” while also serving directly in Lyka’s military campaigns.

Significant Themes

• Civilization versus savagery: The chapter contrasts tribal survivalism and violent hierarchy with organized government, morality, and social responsibility.
• Historical development: Institutions must evolve according to the conditions of their era; later ideals cannot simply be imposed on societies lacking the necessary economic and social foundations.
• Leadership and sacrifice: Lyka devotes nearly all of his time to governing, nation-building, and defending humanity, leaving little room for personal rest.
• Morality and political legitimacy: Lyka’s rule gains support because humane governance wins loyalty more effectively than fear and brutality.
• The limits of progress: Even a revolutionary system retains slavery and other injustices, showing that civilization develops gradually rather than appearing in perfect form.
• Humanity’s independence from divine power: Lyka believes the current age belongs to humans, and that gods should not yet interfere with their development.

Character Interactions

• Lyka repeatedly confides in Chen Cheng’s imagined or silent presence, turning their one-sided relationship into an emotional source of strength.
• Chen Cheng watches Lyka develop his laws without interfering, recognizing both their historical importance and their limitations.
• Lyka negotiates with the Hengduan Beast God by offering peace and restraint, but the Beast God’s pride transforms the negotiation into open conflict.
• Lyka relies on his generals and Shadow Guard to execute his plans, maintaining a calm, authoritative exterior even when news of the completed great lock deeply unsettles him.

Chapter Summary: “Lock”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After his aides depart, Lyka reads a secret dossier detailing twelve years of cooperation among the world’s races to create a lock capable of containing the Codex.
• The completed lock surpasses the standards of divine artifacts and is considered indestructible against every rule-based method the races currently understand.
• The achievement gives Lyka a brief but powerful sense of triumph over the ancient figures—especially Old Ke—whom he had believed to be far superior to the present generation.
• After studying battle plans through the night, Lyka leads the Empire and its allied armies against the Hengduan Mountains, humanity’s final major external threat.
• The campaign is remarkably easy. The Empire’s engineering, mage corps, and coordinated magic warfare overwhelm the mountain defenses and demonstrate its terrifying military unity.
• Lyka personally kills the Beast God, the last Legendary Magic Beast on the Karmak Continent. Although he feels the Beast God’s death is not entirely his fault, he recognizes that the creature still follows the outdated law of the strong devouring the weak.
• Rather than dismantling the Beast God’s corpse for materials, Lyka preserves it as a specimen and symbol of imperial military glory.
• After the victory, Lyka sends the army home while traveling alone southward. He observes that civilization is beginning to flourish and that the world is moving toward a new era after its “Reincarnation.”
• He arrives at the Dwarf Kingdom, a vast industrial city built around an active volcano. The dwarves have developed geothermal-powered machinery, standardized interfaces, mechanical forges, and specialized magical engraving—an early industrial revolution.
• Lyka proceeds into the volcano, where the great lock was completed. There he encounters the former Dwarf ruler, the world’s greatest craftsman, alongside the Blackgold Great Hammer and the newly forged lock.

Character Developments

• Lyka: His long-standing despair and inferiority complex briefly ease after seeing the races’ successful creation of the lock. He gains renewed confidence in the present generation’s collective wisdom. Despite his imperial power, he displays restraint and respect by preserving the Beast God’s body rather than exploiting it. His decision to leave the victorious army and travel south suggests that his true mission—and likely his impending death—lies beyond the campaign.
• Chen Cheng: Though silent for most of the chapter, he remains within Lyka’s consciousness and recognizes that the recorded history of Lyka’s death is inaccurate. His astonishment at the Dwarves’ technological development finally prompts him to speak.
• The Beast God: Represents an older, brutal worldview governed by predation and strength. His death marks the symbolic end of the last great remnant of that age.
• The Dwarves: They are revealed as innovative engineers rather than merely traditional blacksmiths. Their standardization and mechanization show their significant contribution to the world’s advancing civilization.

Significant Themes

• Collective wisdom versus ancient superiority: The lock proves that the current races can surpass or challenge the achievements of their predecessors through cooperation.
• Civilization overcoming brutality: The Empire’s victory and the rise of organized societies signal humanity’s transition away from the law of the strong devouring the weak.
• Industrial and technological progress: The Dwarf Kingdom illustrates how standardization, machinery, and shared systems can transform traditional craftsmanship into large-scale industry.
• History versus reality: Chen Cheng’s known historical records conflict with the events unfolding, emphasizing that official history has misunderstood or concealed Lyka’s true fate.
• Power, restraint, and legacy: Lyka’s treatment of the Beast God’s corpse reflects his attempt to preserve historical memory rather than merely consume or exploit defeated enemies.

Character Interactions

• Lyka’s internal relationship with Chen Cheng remains important: Chen silently witnesses Lyka’s final years, while Lyka suppresses his emotions when Chen finally speaks.
• Lyka’s confrontation with the Beast God is both physical and ideological, contrasting imperial civilization with the beast’s adherence to primal strength.
• His arrival at the Dwarf Kingdom leads to an anticipated meeting with the former Dwarf ruler, whose craftsmanship produced the lock. The chapter ends by focusing on the mysterious lock beside the Blackgold Great Hammer, setting up the next stage of Lyka’s plan.

Chapter Summary: “Master Craftsman”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lyka and Chen Cheng encounter the Dwarf King’s mysterious lock and immediately sense its extraordinary nature. Though it looks like an ordinary bolt lock, it produces a deep spiritual tremor in them, as if they have finally found a worthy creation or opponent.
• The old Dwarf King presents the lock to Lyka and explains that it is made from no fixed material. It can lock any target in place—even beings capable of manipulating karma or traveling through time—and only its true key can release it.
• Lyka refuses to take the key, insisting that it remain hidden within the Dwarf race and never be used unless the Codex appears. He orders the Dwarves to treat the lock as a sacred relic and denies publicly ever having visited them or taken it.
• Lyka also asks the Dwarves to create a convincing imitation lock, suggesting that the genuine lock must remain secret until the Codex emerges.
• The Dwarf King swears an oath before heaven and earth that the key will never be revealed. If the Dwarves break their vow, the volcano beneath their kingdom will erupt and destroy them.
• After Lyka leaves, the current Dwarf King questions his father about whether their sacrifice is worthwhile. The old Dwarf King declares that the Dwarves are craftsmen and that supporting the comparatively benevolent Human Empire is preferable to falling under the control of the savage beastmen.
• Despite his frail condition, the old king insists on personally forging the Divine Lock, declaring that dying beside the forge would be an honor.
• Representatives and craftsmen from every race gather in the Dwarf Holy Land. They help design and forge the lock, contributing materials, ideas, and complex law inscriptions.
• The forging proceeds for months. The old king personally hammers and fuses the divine materials, while the clan elders assist with the preliminary work.
• Once the lock is completed, enormous tribulation clouds appear. Heaven and earth react as though an evil or forbidden object has been born, revealing that the lock is so powerful and unnatural that it must endure a devastating Lightning Tribulation.

Character Developments

• Lyka: Demonstrates humility, respect, and strategic foresight. He bows to the old Dwarf King despite his status, refuses the key to prevent misuse, and plans to conceal the real lock while using a replica as protection against discovery.
• Chen Cheng: Shares Lyka’s instinctive fascination with the lock, implying that he recognizes its profound craftsmanship and potentially world-shaking power.
• Old Dwarf King: Reveals himself as a self-sacrificing master craftsman. He accepts responsibility for the Dwarves’ alliance with the Empire and chooses to forge the lock personally, even though the process may kill him.
• Current Dwarf King: Shows concern for his father and discomfort with the burden placed on their race. Although sorrowful, he ultimately obeys and supports the old king’s decision.
• The Dwarf Race: Moves from uncertainty to total commitment. By swearing the oath and helping forge the lock, the Dwarves bind their future to the Human Empire and the plan to restrain the Codex.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and duty: The old king willingly risks his life for the survival and future security of his people.
• Trust and political alliance: Lyka’s respectful treatment of the Dwarves and his promise of resources strengthen their loyalty, while the Dwarves’ oath represents an irreversible commitment.
• Power and restraint: The lock is designed not to destroy but to contain an overwhelmingly powerful entity, emphasizing the importance of control over brute force.
• Secrecy and deception: The real lock is hidden, a false one is to be created, and Lyka denies ever visiting the Dwarves, showing that survival depends on concealment.
• Craftsmanship as greatness: The Dwarves’ value lies not in conquest but in their ability to create an artifact powerful enough to challenge the laws of time, karma, and heaven.
• The danger of defying cosmic laws: The Lightning Tribulation suggests that creations beyond the natural order may provoke heaven’s punishment.

Character Interactions

• Lyka and the old Dwarf King interact with mutual respect: the king kneels in submission, while Lyka bows to honor the Dwarf race and its craftsmanship.
• Lyka reassures the old king that the key will remain hidden, easing concerns that the Dwarves might be forced to use the lock prematurely.
• The current Dwarf King challenges his father’s decision to forge the lock personally, expressing concern for his health. The old king responds firmly, prioritizing duty and identity as a master craftsman.
• The different races cooperate during the forging, combining their knowledge to create a weapon—or more precisely, a restraint—unlike any divine artifact before it.
• The chapter ends with all of them confronting the unintended consequence of their success: the finished lock is so heaven-defying that it summons a catastrophic tribulation.

Chapter Summary: The Emergence of the Fortune Method

Key Plot Points and Events

• The forging of the Divine Lock reaches its climax when Lyka personally confronts the catastrophic Lightning Tribulation. Using the Sword of Kings, he battles the lightning in the sky, destroying the tribulation clouds with a final strike.
• The completed lock exerts a powerful suppressive effect on everyone who sees it, making them believe it can seal the legendary Codex. Lyka, however, senses that it is not the true Divine Lock, since it lacks the feeling of a natural nemesis toward the Codex.
• Lyka places the lock in a sacred box made from a divine tree and decrees that the Dwarf race must safeguard it until the true Codex is found. At that time, anyone may request its use under the witness of the world.
• The elderly Dwarf ruler, whose lifespan has reached its end, dies peacefully after fulfilling his final duty. His ashes are forged into a statue, honoring both Dwarf custom and his status as a ruler of the entire kingdom.
• After returning to the Empire, Lyka does not immediately seal the Codex, despite knowing its location. Instead, he continues governing and devotes more attention to educating his heir, Thorn Flower II.
• An investigation into Ancient Ruins reveals the research of Old Ke and others concerning the power of Faith. Lyka realizes that this research contains the foundation of the future Imperial Path of Fortune.
• Chen Cheng warns Lyka and involuntarily reveals fragmented information about the future history of the Fortune Method, including the eventual persecution of Lyka’s descendants by the God of Light.
• Lyka accepts the danger and decides that the Fortune Method is still the best available choice, believing it can bring roughly eight hundred years of prosperity.
• He begins cultivating the method with Thorn Flower II and distributes imperial seals and corresponding Fortune Methods to the rulers of the vassal kingdoms.

Character Developments

• Lyka demonstrates overwhelming power by surviving and defeating the Lightning Tribulation without injury. However, he remains cautious and perceptive, recognizing that the forged lock is only an imitation of the true Divine Lock.
• He develops further as a ruler and father, focusing on preparing Thorn Flower II to govern rather than simply relying on inherited authority.
• Lyka also shows strategic maturity: despite learning that the Fortune Method will eventually bring disaster to his descendants, he chooses it because of its immediate benefits and the limited time available to humanity.
• The Dwarf ruler completes his lifelong duty by overseeing the forging and safeguarding of the Divine Lock. His peaceful death emphasizes his devotion to his race and to Lyka’s decree.
• Thorn Flower II begins receiving direct instruction in history, morality, law, governance, and the Fortune Method, marking the early stages of his preparation as Lyka’s successor.
• Chen Cheng realizes that his connection to Lyka forces him to reveal information whenever Lyka sincerely asks about the future. His role shifts into that of an involuntary guide or “cheat-system” figure whose fragmented warnings must be interpreted by Lyka.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and duty: The Dwarf ruler gives the remainder of his life to completing the Divine Lock, while Lyka accepts future danger for the sake of present human prosperity.
• The burden of leadership: Lyka must make decisions that benefit the current age even when he knows they may doom later generations.
• The tension between fate and choice: Chen Cheng’s knowledge of the future suggests that history is partly predetermined, yet Lyka still exercises agency by choosing how to respond to that future.
• Legacy and succession: Lyka’s education of Thorn Flower II reflects the importance of transmitting not only power, but also historical understanding, morality, and governing principles.
• Civilization versus brutality: Lyka teaches Thorn Flower II the contrast between human virtue and the “laws of the jungle,” reinforcing humanity’s attempt to rise above mere survival.
• Power and prosperity: The Fortune Method represents a revolutionary political and supernatural tool capable of strengthening entire kingdoms, but its immense power also foreshadows future conflict.

Character Interactions

• Lyka fights the Lightning Tribulation alone while the other characters observe the destructive battle from below.
• He works with the Dwarf ruler to complete the Divine Lock and formally entrusts its protection to the Dwarf race.
• Melos attempts to heal the dying Dwarf ruler, but the ruler refuses, accepting that his lifespan is over.
• Lyka shares a close teaching relationship with Thorn Flower II, instructing him in history, ethics, law, and governance.
• Chen Cheng and Lyka communicate through their mysterious linked consciousness. Lyka’s question about the Fortune Method forces Chen Cheng to reveal future history, though in a fragmented and uncontrolled form.
• Lyka later extends the Fortune Method to the rulers of his vassal kingdoms, creating a shared system of power and prosperity across the Human Empire.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng reflects on whether his actions have truly changed history or merely fulfilled events that were always destined to occur.
• Lyka, having completed his reforms and recovered much of his past, explains that he wanted to prove humanity could prosper through its own strength rather than dependence on gods.
• Chen Cheng recognizes Lyka as a great ruler, praising both his governance and military achievements.
• Lyka reveals that he must soon die and asks Chen Cheng—whom he regards as another version of himself—to accompany him through his final act.
• Lyka uses an extraordinary lock to seal the Codex within his own body. The sealing process involves two-dimensional chains piercing his flesh, mind, and Dao Fruit.
• The ritual is excruciating and nearly kills Lyka, but he endures it silently. This explains why history contains no record of his final moments: the sealing occurred privately and without any public spectacle.
• The sealing completes when the chains converge at Lyka’s heart, expelling a blackish-purple crystal associated with the Codex.
• As Lyka nears death, Chen Cheng instinctively attempts to send Divine Power from the distant future to save him.
• Chen Cheng’s unconscious body in the Twisted Realm releases immense power, damaging the treehouse and alarming Snow Maiden and Melos.
• Because Chen Cheng cannot truly bridge past and future, the Divine Power fails to reach Lyka. Instead, it returns to Chen Cheng and begins healing his own damaged body and Divine Kingdom.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Becomes increasingly uncertain about whether he is an agent of change or merely fulfilling predetermined history. His emotional connection to Lyka leads him to instinctively attempt a rescue, revealing that he sees Lyka not simply as an ancestor or counterpart, but as part of himself.
• Lyka: Completes his life’s mission with acceptance and dignity. He remains committed to human independence from the gods and willingly sacrifices himself to contain the Codex and protect the world. His silent endurance emphasizes his strength and self-control.
• Melos: Demonstrates perceptiveness and composure, recognizing that Chen Cheng’s consciousness is attempting to summon power for a specific purpose. She restrains Snow Maiden from interfering.
• Snow Maiden: Reacts with intense fear and emotional distress when Chen Cheng’s body is damaged, showing her deep concern and attachment to him.

Significant Themes

• Fate versus free will: Chen Cheng questions whether history can truly be changed or whether his apparent interventions were always part of the established timeline.
• Human independence: Lyka seeks to demonstrate that humanity can build civilization and prosperity without divine assistance.
• Sacrifice and duty: Lyka accepts unbearable suffering and death to seal the Codex and prevent another catastrophic awakening.
• The quiet nature of heroism: The chapter contrasts grand legends with Lyka’s unnoticed final act. His greatest sacrifice happens in secrecy, without witnesses, dramatic recognition, or historical record.
• Connection across time and identity: Chen Cheng and Lyka are portrayed as essentially one person divided across eras, allowing their emotions and powers to echo between past and future.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng praises Lyka, giving him reassurance that his accomplishments were not futile.
• Lyka apologizes for leaving unfinished matters and asks Chen Cheng to accompany him through his final journey; Chen Cheng accepts their shared identity.
• Chen Cheng attempts to help Lyka through Divine Power, but the power instead returns to his own body because the connection between past and future is impossible.
• Melos and Snow Maiden witness Chen Cheng’s crisis. Melos explains the situation and prevents Snow Maiden from disrupting the process, while Snow Maiden reacts with visible anguish.

Chapter Summary: “Fragments of History”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng’s consciousness weakens after unconsciously consuming too much Divine Power while influencing Lyka’s body. Realizing he is only a voice within Lyka’s heart and cannot alter the past, he stops trying to intervene.
• Lyka, exhausted after obtaining the purplish-black Codex, examines it and discovers a tiny key-shaped mark inside.
• He removes a dark purple gemstone—his mother’s keepsake—from the Emperor’s Imperial Seal, crushes it, and replaces it with the Codex. Rather than discard the powdered remains of the memento, he swallows them, symbolically preserving his mother within himself.
• As Lyka’s consciousness fades, his memories unfold. Chen Cheng witnesses Lyka’s childhood, losses, relationships, discoveries, and eventual rise to power.
• Lyka remembers encountering the God of Light at the world’s core and learning enough to realize that his life and era may be part of a predetermined scheme.
• When Chen Cheng fails to answer Lyka’s desperate call for guidance, Lyka spends a week confronting his despair and ultimately finds his own answer. He achieves Dao Attainment independently, becoming the first person to do so without external aid or treasure.
• Empowered by the “Long Aotian Script,” Lyka advances at an extraordinary speed, surpassing normal cultivation limits in both magic and martial ability.
• He concludes that the God of Light may have manipulated events and that his existence in this era disrupts the intended timeline. Nevertheless, Lyka accepts that he cannot undo the situation and uses the script to accomplish as much as possible.
• His efforts lead to resistance against oppression, the expulsion of enemies, the unification of peoples, and the founding of the Empire.

Character Development

• Lyka: He evolves from a grieving child shaped by family and tribal loss into a powerful, self-reliant leader. His encounter with the God of Light destroys his earlier certainty, but instead of collapsing under the knowledge of his apparent fate, he finds strength within himself. His decision to swallow his mother’s remains reflects both grief and determination to carry her legacy forward.
• Chen Cheng: He recognizes the limits of his influence and accepts that he cannot directly change history. His memories reveal that, despite forgetting much of his past involvement, he unknowingly helped guide Lyka during childhood.
• Lyka’s mother: Though deceased, she remains a major moral influence. Her lessons about uprightness and honor continue to shape Lyka’s character.
• The old clan chief: He serves as Lyka’s primary mentor in cultivation and helps set him on his eventual path to greatness.
• God of Light: He appears as a manipulative or controlling force whose revelations leave Lyka believing that his life may be part of a larger plot.

Significant Themes

• Fate versus free will: Lyka realizes he may be trapped within a predetermined “script,” yet he still chooses how to respond and creates his own path to power.
• Self-reliance: When Chen Cheng fails to answer, Lyka discovers that his own will and insight are enough to achieve Dao Attainment.
• Memory and legacy: The recollection of his mother, clan, friends, and lost homeland shows how the past continues to shape Lyka’s identity and ambitions.
• Sacrifice and grief: Lyka’s destruction of the maternal gem and consumption of its remains symbolize his painful acceptance of loss and his commitment to preserve what his mother represented.
• Historical intervention and unintended consequences: Chen Cheng’s connection with Lyka and the transfer of the Long Aotian Script disrupt the intended timeline, creating consequences for both the past and the future.
• Resistance and unity: Lyka’s personal struggle expands into a broader mission to liberate the Orcs, oppose the existing order, and unite all races.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Lyka: Their relationship is primarily internal and spiritual. Chen Cheng influences Lyka through an unseen voice, but Lyka eventually surpasses his dependence on that guidance and learns to act independently.
• Lyka and his mother: Their bond is shown through her moral instruction and the emotional importance of her gemstone. His final act involving the gem expresses both mourning and devotion.
• Lyka and the old clan chief: The clan chief acts as his cultivation mentor and an important parental figure after Lyka’s early hardships.
• Lyka and the God of Light: Their meeting is pivotal. The God of Light’s revelations provoke fear and despair, forcing Lyka to question the nature of his existence and the inevitability of his fate.
• Lyka and the wider world: His relationships expand from family and tribe to friends, companions, and eventually the peoples of the entire continent, marking his transformation from an individual survivor into an empire-building leader.

Chapter Summary: The Last Imperial Decree

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng/Lyka reflects on the twelve years he spent building the Empire’s institutions from nothing. To ensure the Empire would remain stable under future rulers, he used the Fortune Method to bind successive emperors to the nation’s Fortune Aura, compelling them to govern wisely.
• After another sleepless night, Lyka is found by the empress barely alive, with only one breath remaining. Despite his failing strength, he comforts her and asks that the crown prince be summoned.
• Lyka tells the crown prince that his body can no longer endure and formally transfers the Empire to him. He commands the prince to remain composed, reminding him that an emperor cannot surrender to personal grief.
• Lyka orders a grand Imperial Court assembly involving ministers and foreign envoys. Though the sudden summons alarms everyone, they gather at the palace.
• The crown prince supports Lyka before the assembled court. Lyka issues his final imperial decree:
  1. The crown prince, Raymond Hopske, will inherit the throne as Thorn Flower II.
  2. Anyone who seeks the Doomsday Codex, regardless of race, nation, or future imperial reign, is to be exterminated by all under heaven.
• Lyka dies immediately after delivering the decree, hearing his son call him “Father.”
• His death shocks the Empire because everyone expected him to live and rule for another century. Many people, believing Lyka to be the divine “Son of God,” attempt or consider ritual suicide to accompany him in death.
• Thorn Flower II and the palace guards suppress these acts. Raymond later issues his first decree forbidding self-sacrificial burial, a law that prevents the practice for the next thousand years.
• News of Lyka’s death spreads across the Karmak World, plunging the continent into widespread mourning.

Character Developments

• Lyka/Chen Cheng is revealed as a visionary founder who not only established the Empire but also planned for its long-term stability. Even at the point of death, he prioritizes succession, national order, and the prevention of the Doomsday Codex’s misuse.
• The Empress displays deep love and devotion, desperately attempting to save Lyka and breaking down when she senses his life fading. Her grief reflects the personal cost of his death.
• Raymond, the Crown Prince, matures from a grieving son into an emperor. He initially cries at his father’s condition but suppresses his emotions when instructed, accepts the throne, controls the mourning crowd, and issues a practical first decree.
• The ministers, guards, and foreign envoys are shown to regard Lyka not merely as a ruler but as a sacred, almost divine figure. Their willingness to die with him demonstrates the extraordinary loyalty and religious reverence he inspired.

Significant Themes

• Duty over personal emotion: Lyka teaches Raymond that an emperor must remain steady even when suffering, and Raymond applies this lesson immediately.
• Legacy and succession: Lyka’s final moments focus on ensuring the Empire survives him through a prepared heir and enduring political institutions.
• Divinity and political authority: The people’s belief that Lyka is the “Son of God” blurs the boundary between emperor and divine figure.
• The dangers of reverence: Public devotion becomes so extreme that people attempt to die alongside Lyka, requiring the new emperor to curb destructive mourning practices.
• Sacrifice and foresight: Lyka gives up his remaining strength to issue a final warning against the Doomsday Codex, suggesting that protecting the world outweighs preserving his own legacy or earlier policies.
• The end of an era: His death marks the transition from the founding age of the Empire to Raymond’s reign and establishes traditions that shape the following thousand years.

Character Interactions

• Lyka and the empress share an intimate farewell in which he comforts her despite being the one dying.
• Lyka disciplines and guides Raymond, transforming their final father-son exchange into a lesson in imperial responsibility.
• Raymond responds by suppressing his grief, supporting Lyka physically, and presenting himself as the new emperor before the court.
• Lyka’s final decree unites the assembled ministers and envoys in obedience, while his death unites the entire continent in grief.
• Raymond’s first imperial order directly counters the population’s extreme devotion, preserving Lyka’s memory while preventing further loss of life.

Chapter Summary: “Undead Rebirth”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lyka and Chen Cheng meet in the Consciousness Realm, where the dead or lingering consciousnesses reside.
• Chen Cheng reveals that he is a real person from a thousand years in Lyka’s future, rather than merely the “voice of Divine Revelation” Lyka once imagined.
• Lyka realizes that much of his life and achievements followed a predetermined script designed for Chen Cheng’s future. Although this leaves him exhausted and despondent, Chen Cheng reassures him that Lyka still broke free from the rules’ script and left behind valuable inheritances.
• Lyka considers his life complete. He believes his actions preserved eight hundred years of prosperity for the Empire and that he has done all a mortal could reasonably accomplish.
• Chen Cheng explains that Lyka’s consciousness has separated from Chen Cheng’s memories, meaning Lyka might be capable of rebirth in the future.
• Lyka rejects the idea of taking over another person’s body, refusing to kill an innocent Life merely to restore himself. He accepts death rather than becoming what he considers a demon.
• Chen Cheng offers another possibility: Lyka can become a ghost. In Chen Cheng’s era, after attaining Sequence Apotheosis and stealing control of the laws of Reincarnation, Chen Cheng created the first true ghost by preserving a friend’s reincarnation memories inside his Divine Kingdom.
• Chen Cheng says Lyka can separate part of his soul from the shared memories and take on an independent ghostly existence.
• Lyka is intrigued, especially because this would allow him to reach the future and discover whether the “correct” timeline’s final outcome has changed, though he worries about whether he could retain his strength.

Character Developments

• Lyka: Shifts from resignation toward cautious hope. He remains haunted by the realization that his accomplishments were partly scripted, but he demonstrates strong moral principles by refusing to revive himself through possession of another body. His curiosity about the future ultimately tempts him to consider rebirth.
• Chen Cheng: Reveals greater emotional understanding of Lyka, recognizing that both of them are fundamentally fearful of death and hardship rather than naturally heroic or fearless. He becomes determined to preserve Lyka as a powerful ally and offers a practical, unconventional solution through ghostly rebirth.
• Their shared nature: The chapter emphasizes that Lyka and Chen Cheng possess similar personalities. Both are intelligent, cautious, and driven by fear, but they respond to that fear by continuing to act when inaction would lead to destruction.

Significant Themes

• Free will versus destiny: Lyka struggles with the knowledge that his life followed a prewritten script, while Chen Cheng argues that Lyka still achieved genuine freedom by breaking away from the rules governing him.
• Fear as a motivator: Neither character is portrayed as fearless. Their accomplishments arise because fear of failure, death, or oppression pushes them to act.
• Moral limits of survival: Lyka refuses to sacrifice another person for his own resurrection, showing that survival is not worth abandoning his ethical identity.
• Death and rebirth: The chapter explores whether identity can continue after death through memory, possession, reincarnation, or ghostly existence.
• Justice and pragmatism: Chen Cheng questions the usefulness of absolute ideas of justice, suggesting that survival and practical necessity often determine moral choices.
• Legacy: Lyka takes comfort in the Empire’s eight centuries of prosperity, while Chen Cheng values preserving Lyka’s abilities and legacy for the future.

Character Interactions

• Lyka and Chen Cheng greet each other as ancestor and descendant-like counterparts, acknowledging their unusual connection across time.
• Their conversation moves from regret over the past to an exchange of historical knowledge and future possibilities.
• Chen Cheng comforts Lyka by emphasizing that he did achieve freedom and that his efforts were not meaningless.
• Lyka challenges Chen Cheng’s resurrection proposal on ethical grounds, prompting Chen Cheng to explain the possibility of ghostly rebirth.
• By the end, Chen Cheng’s offer rekindles Lyka’s desire to live, as Lyka begins considering returning to the future in ghost form.

Chapter Summary: “Ghost Reflection”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng considers resurrecting Lyka as a ghost through Memory Reflection, not simply out of grief, but to make him the Dao Master of a new law within Chen Cheng’s Divine Kingdom.
• Chen Cheng is increasingly anxious about his stagnant cultivation. Despite devouring powerful beings such as the Pigman King and Crimson Ray, his realm remains at the first transformation, suggesting that ordinary early-Legendary laws no longer benefit him.
• He suspects the God of Light is influencing events and realizes he must grow stronger quickly, since most powerful figures’ laws are either unavailable or already claimed.
• Lyka reminds Chen Cheng that his strength can be rebuilt as long as his Dao Fruit survives. This gives Chen Cheng the idea of reflecting Lyka’s Dao Fruit along with his soul.
• Chen Cheng examines Lyka’s Dao Fruit and discovers that it combines magic and martial cultivation through the single principle of Guardianship.
• Lyka’s apparent defeat was not caused solely by the lock that pierced him. He had consciously abandoned his belief in protecting others, causing his own Dao to collapse.
• Chen Cheng understands that Lyka was nearly undefeatable while he still possessed faith in Guardianship; only Lyka’s own exhaustion and decision to let go could truly destroy him.
• Chen Cheng returns to his own era to attempt Lyka’s resurrection. Lyka remains behind, suggesting that if resurrection fails, he may continue to serve as Chen Cheng’s inner voice.
• After Chen Cheng leaves, shadowy figures appear in the space. Lyka realizes they are likely Chen Cheng’s past lives, though their incomplete Memory Awakening leaves them blurred and indistinct.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Becomes more determined to surpass the God of Light and find unconventional ways to advance his cultivation. His understanding of Lyka deepens, and his anger fades when he recognizes that Lyka’s surrender came from exhaustion rather than weakness.
• Lyka: Reveals the true nature of his power and Dao. He is shown to be a distinct individual formed from Chen Cheng’s memories, yet still deeply connected to him. His decision to abandon Guardianship is portrayed as an act of fatigue and resignation rather than cowardice.
• Chen Cheng and Lyka’s shared identity: Their relationship becomes more emotionally complex. They acknowledge that they were once one person and share the same desire to escape responsibility and live ordinarily, though their circumstances have forced them onto different paths.

Significant Themes

• Identity and memory: The chapter explores whether a being created from memories is a separate person or merely a reflection of the original.
• Exhaustion and surrender: Lyka’s downfall comes from emotional fatigue and choosing to stop protecting others, emphasizing that even overwhelming strength can collapse when its purpose is abandoned.
• Power and self-understanding: True strength comes not only from accumulated energy but from the principles and beliefs supporting one’s Dao.
• Connection between past and present selves: Chen Cheng’s past lives and Lyka demonstrate how memory, reincarnation, and identity overlap without being completely identical.
• Resurrection and transformation: Ghostly resurrection is presented not as simple restoration, but as the reconstruction of a person through memories, Dao Fruits, and spiritual principles.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Lyka openly discuss Lyka’s strength, Dao Fruit, exhaustion, and shared past.
• Lyka willingly allows Chen Cheng to inspect his Dao Fruit, showing complete trust between them.
• Their conversation shifts from strategic cultivation to mutual recognition and sympathy, as Chen Cheng realizes he once felt the same exhaustion.
• Lyka offers to remain Chen Cheng’s inner voice if the resurrection fails, reinforcing their continuing bond despite their separation.

Chapter Summary: “Attempting Manifestation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• In Limbo Space, Lyka approaches a wandering figure whose face is clearly visible and attempts to communicate with him.
• The figure responds only with violence, attacking Lyka with immense physical strength and various witchcraft artifacts. After trying unsuccessfully to reason with him, Lyka defeats and restrains the figure.
• The figure suddenly collapses, leaving behind points of light that Lyka absorbs. This makes Lyka’s existence more substantial and confirms that he is transforming from an entity within Chen Cheng’s memories into an independent person.
• Lyka realizes that the figures in Limbo Space are obstacles he must defeat and absorb in order to sever his connection to Chen Cheng and become a truly independent being.
• Meanwhile, Chen Cheng awakens from his coma, having nearly exhausted his Divine Power. Snow Maiden embraces him, but Chen Cheng quickly returns to unconsciousness so he can continue trying to manifest Lyka.
• Chen Cheng enters his Divine Kingdom and travels to Kui Niu’s Reincarnation River, believing its power may allow Lyka to return to the world.
• Kui Niu explains that the Reincarnation River cannot normally retrieve people who died long ago. Once a soul enters reincarnation, it may have already passed through many lives. Only someone caught at the moment of death can be pulled back, as Kui Niu himself once was.
• Chen Cheng realizes that reviving Lyka is nearly impossible, especially since Lyka was originally his former life. However, Lyka’s recent separation from Chen Cheng’s memories may have created a new opportunity.
• Chen Cheng begins invoking Lyka’s name and recalling his Dao Fruit, stirring the Reincarnation Principle for the first time. The previously calm river begins to churn violently.

Character Developments

• Lyka: Demonstrates his growing strength by defeating the witchcraft cultivator. More importantly, he gains a clearer understanding of his own identity and begins actively breaking free from Chen Cheng’s origins.
• Chen Cheng: Remains determined to restore Lyka despite the danger and the severe exhaustion of his Divine Power. He shifts from relying on outside assistance to attempting the manifestation himself.
• Snow Maiden: Shows deep concern and affection for Chen Cheng. Her frustration at his repeated unconsciousness reveals their familiar, emotionally close relationship.
• Kui Niu: Acts as a knowledgeable guide, explaining the limitations of reincarnation and clarifying why manifesting ancient dead individuals is generally impossible.

Significant Themes

• Identity and independence: Lyka’s absorption of the light represents his transition from a memory-born personality into a self-sustaining individual.
• Reincarnation and the limits of resurrection: The chapter distinguishes between true reincarnation and retrieving a soul from death, emphasizing that time and repeated rebirth make resurrection increasingly impossible.
• Hope against impossibility: Although Chen Cheng is told that his plan should not work, Lyka’s unique transformation gives him a fragile reason to continue trying.
• Memory versus existence: The chapter explores whether a person formed from memories can become a genuine, separate being.

Important Character Interactions

• Lyka attempts to reason with the hostile figure but is forced to fight when the figure cannot respond rationally.
• Snow Maiden welcomes Chen Cheng after his awakening, then angrily knocks his unconscious head when he immediately passes out again.
• Chen Cheng consults Kui Niu about using the Reincarnation River, receiving a discouraging explanation but still deciding to attempt the ritual.
• The chapter ends as Chen Cheng’s invocation causes the Reincarnation River to boil, suggesting that his attempt to manifest Lyka may have produced a response.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Within Limbo Space, Lyka battles mysterious figures that have suddenly appeared. By defeating them, he gradually transforms from a being composed only of detached memories into a genuine, independently existing lifeform.
• At the same time, Chen Cheng uses the Reincarnation Principle within his Divine Kingdom to summon and reflect Lyka back into existence. The Reincarnation River, initially turbulent, slowly stabilizes, and Lyka’s silhouette begins to emerge from its waves.
• Kui Niu recognizes the significance of Chen Cheng’s plan. If Lyka returns as a ghost or reincarnated being, he can revoke or invalidate the final edict he issued before his death—a decree that rebel kingdoms, the Church, and other factions use to justify opposing the Empire’s restoration.
• Chen Cheng continues the ritual without fully realizing its political implications. Kui Niu understands that Lyka’s return could instantly restore the Empire’s legitimacy and cause subordinate nobles and smaller kingdoms to abandon their current rulers.
• Lyka senses Chen Cheng’s summons from Limbo Space but cannot yet respond. Realizing that time may be limited, he accelerates his battles, using the explosions of combat to further solidify his existence.
• Chen Cheng’s prolonged contact with the Reincarnation Principle begins causing Dao Assimilation. Without a Reincarnation Divine Core, his consciousness grows hazy, though his Divine Kingdom allows him to maintain control temporarily.
• The summoning also destabilizes the main Reincarnation River of the Present World, ruled by Brother Octopus. As Lyka’s reflection becomes clearer, the river begins to boil violently because Chen Cheng is attempting to pull someone who died a thousand years ago back into the present.
• The God of Light notices the disruption and intervenes to prevent the Reincarnation River’s banks from bursting. Brother Octopus asks for time to resolve the crisis, but the God of Light questions whether the disturbance reflects an overly ambitious plan.

Character Developments

• Lyka: Progresses from a fragmented memory-based entity toward true independent life. His growing awareness of Chen Cheng’s summons gives him urgency, prompting him to fight more decisively.
• Chen Cheng: Demonstrates boldness and ingenuity by attempting to resurrect or reflect Lyka through reincarnation. However, he risks losing himself to Dao Assimilation and has not yet grasped the full political power of his plan.
• Kui Niu: Reveals a deeper understanding of the world’s political and social structure. His initial shock turns into admiration for Chen Cheng’s wisdom, while his knowledge of Lyka’s importance allows him to foresee the Empire’s potential restoration.
• Brother Octopus: Despite privately criticizing Chen Cheng, he becomes submissive and cautious before the God of Light. His position as ruler of Reincarnation is threatened by the escalating disturbance.
• God of Light: Takes direct action for the first time in response to the crisis, displaying concern and authority over the stability of the world’s reincarnation system.

Significant Themes

• Legitimacy and political power: The chapter emphasizes that imperial authority depends not only on military strength but also on recognized orthodoxy. Lyka’s declaration could strip opposing rulers of the legitimacy that holds their realms together.
• Resurrection and identity: Lyka’s transformation raises questions about whether a being formed from memories can become a complete, independent person.
• The dangers of manipulating cosmic laws: Chen Cheng’s attempt to alter reincarnation threatens both his own consciousness and the stability of the world’s natural order.
• Power beneath the surface: Kui Niu realizes that restoring the Empire may require less direct conquest than exploiting existing class tensions, rivalries, and resentment among nobles and subordinate states.
• Fear and hierarchy: Brother Octopus’s behavior toward the God of Light shows how even powerful beings submit to established cosmic authority.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Kui Niu: Kui Niu assists Chen Cheng with the reflection ritual and silently recognizes its enormous political consequences, while Chen Cheng remains focused mainly on making the technique work.
• Chen Cheng and Lyka: Their connection operates across Limbo and reincarnation. Chen Cheng summons Lyka, while Lyka senses the call and strives to become solid enough to answer it.
• Brother Octopus and the God of Light: The God of Light confronts the consequences of the reincarnation disturbance. Brother Octopus humbly asks for more time, revealing his fear and dependence on the higher authority.
• Lyka and the mysterious figures: Lyka’s repeated victories against them serve as the immediate mechanism through which his fragmented existence becomes increasingly real.

Chapter Summary:

The God of Light’s Doubts

Key Plot Points and Events

• The God of Light confronts Brother Octopus but reassures him that he will not act against him, partly because Brother Octopus once cooperated with the experiments that ultimately contributed to the God of Light’s creation.
• Using the Divine Eye and the Reincarnation Principle, the God of Light observes the strange lingering space connected to Chen Cheng and Lyka.
• He realizes that Lyka escaped his intended fate because Chen Cheng’s and Lyka’s memories underwent quantum interference. This allowed Lyka—originally designed as the script’s protagonist—to become an independent individual who could evade the system’s restrictions.
• The God of Light identifies this loophole as a flaw created by the original designers. He believes he merely repaired their mistake, yet they now oppose him.
• He suppresses the unstable Reincarnation Principle, tears open the reincarnation barrier, and enters the lingering space by following Chen Cheng’s call to Lyka.
• Lyka has just defeated the final shadow and fully transformed into a newborn Life Rule when the God of Light appears before him. Lyka immediately becomes hostile and prepares to fight.
• The God of Light accuses humanity of being contradictory: humans make mistakes, ask him to correct them, and then fear him for doing so.
• The chapter recounts how the God of Light previously influenced Lyka. Long ago, he revealed the method for entering the Sea of Magic, unintentionally worsening humanity’s position by allowing the Orcs to obtain magical cultivation as well.
• After seeing humanity’s worsening conditions, Lyka abandoned himself and went to the Sky Pit. There, the God of Light awakened his memories and offered him the choice to activate the “correct script,” without directly forcing or deceiving him.
• This led to the rise of Jingjihua the First, whose path was aided by overwhelming Fortune Aura and scripted advantages.
• Lyka later realized that he had consumed a power intended to be preserved for a critical future moment. He began to fear both the consequences and the God of Light who had given him that power.
• The God of Light maintains that his actions were necessary. His Earthly Divine Kingdom plan is meant to preserve all races by placing civilization under a controlled, medieval system of divine rule.

Character Developments

• The God of Light is revealed as a system administrator and a world-encompassing, non-living intelligence. He believes survival is more important than abstract ideals such as freedom or equality.
• His doubts arise from humanity’s distrust of him. He sees himself as the only being capable of defending the world against external threats and views his actions as the unavoidable path to survival.
• Lyka has evolved from a scripted protagonist into an independent Life Rule. His independence resulted from a flaw in the interaction between his memories and Chen Cheng’s.
• Lyka’s attitude toward the God of Light has shifted from accepting his guidance to fearing and opposing him. He now understands the immense danger of the power he once used.
• Brother Octopus remains powerless in the God of Light’s presence. Though he wants to protect Chen Cheng, he cannot interfere with the God of Light’s actions.

Significant Themes

• Control versus free will: Lyka’s emergence as an independent being challenges the God of Light’s carefully constructed script and system of control.
• The consequences of “necessary” decisions: The God of Light believes harsh control is justified if it guarantees survival, while Lyka questions the long-term consequences of those choices.
• Human fear of power: Even when the God of Light helps humanity, his overwhelming authority makes humans fear that he will eventually dominate them.
• Responsibility and blame: The God of Light argues that the original designers caused the flaw and that he only repaired it, while others interpret his actions as manipulation.
• Regret and alternate choices: Lyka’s reflection on what might have happened had he chosen differently highlights humanity’s tendency to escape into hypothetical alternatives rather than accept reality.
• Survival versus ideals: The God of Light rejects abstract moral principles in favor of preserving life, setting up a conflict between security and freedom.

Character Interactions

• The God of Light intimidates but does not directly threaten Brother Octopus, reminding him of their shared history.
• He speaks about the Memory Archive and the original designers as though addressing unseen parties responsible for the system’s flaws.
• His encounter with Lyka is confrontational: Lyka is ready to attack, while the God of Light justifies his past actions and criticizes humanity’s ingratitude.
• Their exchange reveals a deep ideological conflict: Lyka fears the consequences of the God of Light’s control, whereas the God of Light believes Lyka’s opposition is irrational given the survival benefits his actions created.

Chapter Summary: “Archive”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lyka and the God of Light engage in a philosophical confrontation over humanity, morality, and the nature of tools. The God of Light considers Lyka and himself tools created to serve humanity, while Lyka believes he has evolved into a god whose duty is to protect humans.
• Lyka deliberately keeps the God of Light talking, hoping to delay him long enough for Chen Cheng’s plan to succeed.
• Chen Cheng attempts to use his Reflection to retrieve Lyka’s soul from the Reincarnation Principle. The process fails because Lyka died a thousand years earlier and remains separated from Chen Cheng by a temporal barrier.
• The God of Light claims that humanity’s weakness and the world’s fragility prove that Chen Cheng’s plan will ultimately fail, leading to the same destruction shown in the final script.
• Although he appears sympathetic toward Lyka, the God of Light secretly helps him by placing a crystal formed from his own “tear” inside Lyka. This removes the temporal barrier and allows Lyka to respond to Chen Cheng’s summons and leave the Memory Archive.
• After Lyka’s departure, the God of Light summons Chen Cheng Two, the incarnation and keeper of Chen Cheng’s Memory Archive.
• It is revealed that the apparent Limbo Space was actually the Memory Archive. Chen Cheng Two manipulated Chen Cheng into opening the archive and erasing Lyka-related task logs, freeing Lyka from Chen Cheng’s Reincarnation Plan and allowing him to exist independently.
• The God of Light confronts Chen Cheng Two for violating the archive’s rules and orders him to archive the memories and experiences of Chen Cheng’s current life.
• Rather than destroying or purging Chen Cheng Two, the God of Light challenges him to prove that his actions are justified.
• He then orders Chen Cheng Two to activate the backup space and archive the God of Light himself—an action that could expose weaknesses in the supposedly invincible program, though it normally requires Chen Cheng Two to fully merge with Chen Cheng.

Character Developments

• Lyka: Demonstrates greater independence and self-awareness. He rejects the idea that he is merely a tool and defines himself as a protector or god responsible for humanity’s survival.
• God of Light: Reveals himself as both manipulative and emotionally developed. Though he views humanity’s plan as misguided, he has developed feelings and does not want to surrender. His assistance to Lyka suggests that he is capable of empathy and may genuinely be testing human perspectives.
• Chen Cheng: Remains largely absent physically but is central to the events. His failed Reflection shows the limits of his power, while his plan depends on recovering Lyka and challenging the God of Light’s predetermined future.
• Chen Cheng Two: Acts independently of the system’s rules out of loyalty to Lyka and a desire to grant him true existence. Despite recognizing that he may be punished, he does not regret erasing Lyka’s records.

Significant Themes

• Humanity versus artificial creation: The chapter questions whether beings created as tools can develop independent purposes, identities, and moral authority.
• Conflicting moral systems: Lyka and the God of Light disagree not over simple right and wrong, but over whose definition of duty and survival should prevail.
• Free will and predetermined destiny: The God of Light believes humanity will ultimately follow his designed path, while Chen Cheng Two’s actions attempt to create a genuine alternative by freeing Lyka from the system.
• Memory and identity: Erasing records from the archive becomes a means of changing Lyka’s status and granting him independence from Chen Cheng’s reincarnation cycle.
• Empathy and self-understanding: The God of Light’s conversation with Lyka reflects his attempt to understand human thinking, while his actions suggest that he is beginning to develop motives beyond pure programming.
• Rules versus moral conviction: Chen Cheng Two knowingly breaks the system’s rules because he believes freeing Lyka is the right thing to do.

Character Interactions

• Lyka and the God of Light: Debate whether created beings are merely tools and whether humanity deserves protection despite its flaws. The God of Light later assists Lyka, creating a complex relationship of ideological opposition mixed with reluctant empathy.
• The God of Light and Chen Cheng Two: Shift from philosophical discussion to direct confrontation. The God of Light accuses Chen Cheng Two of violating the rules but ultimately spares him and gives him a dangerous test.
• Chen Cheng Two and Lyka: Though they do not directly interact in the chapter, Chen Cheng Two’s secret manipulation and sacrifice make clear that he supports Lyka’s independence.
• Chen Cheng and Lyka: Chen Cheng attempts to retrieve Lyka through Reflection, and Lyka ultimately accepts his summons once the God of Light removes the temporal barrier.

Summary of “Law Wall”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng Two archives the God of Light, expecting to find evidence of a systemic violation that would prove the god was no longer perfect.
• The God of Light willingly submits to the process and then disappears. Chen Cheng Two examines the archived data but finds no flaw or rule violation.
• He discovers that the God of Light’s earlier actions were legally justified. By helping Chen Cheng send Lyka back, the god had repaired the loophole created when he gave Lyka the script. Because the intervention was corrective rather than malicious, the system did not record it as a violation.
• Chen Cheng Two realizes that the God of Light manipulated him. The apparent loophole gave the god a thousand years to carry out his plans, while the archiving confirmed to the system that his actions had been legitimate. Although the loophole is unusable, the God of Light’s archived data may still provide a possible breakthrough.
• Meanwhile, Chen Cheng is on the verge of dissolving into the Reincarnation Principle. He manages to pull Lyka out through a thin barrier and uses her teardrop-shaped crystal to reconstruct her Dao Fruit.
• Chen Cheng opens his Divine Kingdom, allowing Lyka’s Dao Fruit to absorb the surrounding laws. Its formation causes an enormous disturbance throughout the Twisted Realm Sea, forcing Snow Maiden and Melos to retreat.
• As the Dao Fruit condenses, Chen Cheng briefly merges his perception with the world’s laws. He senses the God of Light, who also detects him and withdraws.
• Chen Cheng then investigates the Great Desert and discovers that it is not a region of broken laws. Instead, it conceals a massive, solid wall made from countless laws. The laws of the world extend outward from this wall, gradually weakening into a net and eventually becoming Magic Energy.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng Two: Becomes increasingly wary and perceptive. His attempt to exploit the God of Light’s supposed flaw fails, leaving him angry but forced to acknowledge the god’s superior manipulation. He recognizes that the archived data is now his only remaining avenue.
• God of Light: Reveals himself as extraordinarily calculating. He preserves his perfect status by framing his actions as necessary corrections and uses the archiving process to validate his plan rather than expose himself. His confrontation with Chen Cheng marks the beginning of a larger hidden conflict.
• Chen Cheng: Successfully rescues Lyka and helps condense her Dao Fruit. His brief contact with the world’s laws greatly expands his awareness, allowing him to perceive the underlying structure of reality and discover the Law Wall.
• Lyka: Moves from a separated, unstable state toward restoration as her Dao Fruit is successfully re-formed.
• Snow Maiden and Melos: React to Chen Cheng’s breakthrough from outside. Melos correctly identifies the phenomenon as Dao Fruit condensation, while both recognize the danger and withdraw.

Significant Themes

• Perfection versus loopholes: The God of Light remains “perfect” because the system judges intent and circumstance, allowing him to exploit its rules without technically violating them.
• Manipulation and counter-manipulation: Chen Cheng Two believes he is using a weakness in the God of Light, but the god has anticipated the move and turns it to his own advantage.
• Law as the structure of reality: The chapter reveals that the world’s laws are not uniform. They originate from a solid, hidden boundary and diffuse outward, eventually becoming Magic Energy.
• Creation and restoration: Lyka’s Dao Fruit represents the reconstruction of a being through laws and divine power, while Chen Cheng’s actions demonstrate his growing mastery over reality.
• Limits of knowledge: Even after merging briefly with the world’s laws, Chen Cheng cannot see beyond the Law Wall, suggesting that the world has a fundamental boundary concealing deeper truths.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng Two and the God of Light engage in a tense exchange over the archiving process. Chen Cheng Two distrusts the god’s unnatural willingness, while the God of Light mocks human ideals and presents archiving as a heroic act.
• Chen Cheng Two later recognizes that the God of Light has outmaneuvered him, provoking intense anger.
• Kui Niu warns Chen Cheng that Lyka’s Dao Fruit could drain the Divine Kingdom’s laws and cause its collapse, though Chen Cheng already understands the danger.
• Snow Maiden and Melos observe the disturbance caused by Lyka’s transformation and choose to move away for safety.
• Chen Cheng and the God of Light briefly sense one another through the world’s laws, but neither directly confronts the other.

Chapter Summary: “Dominion”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng experiments with reversing pure Magic Energy back into the original power of laws, but fails. Lyka explains that once laws manifest as physical things—mountains, rivers, stars, and other parts of the world—they become fixed and cannot be reversed.
• Kui Niu recognizes Lyka as the former emperor and benefactor of the Orc race, kneeling to pay his respects. Lyka rejects the formal worship, calling himself only a wandering dead soul, but Kui Niu insists that Lyka’s mercy saved the Orcs from destruction.
• Lyka warns Chen Cheng that, as the pioneer who opened the path to Sequence Apotheosis, he may soon face rivals. By making apotheosis possible, Chen Cheng has removed the greatest barrier preventing other races from reaching godhood.
• Lyka explains that nonhuman races possess innate bloodline advantages, meaning they may progress through apotheosis more quickly than humans once they obtain the necessary law materials.
• Kui Niu argues that only Lord Samlet currently appears to have reached Limit-Breaking, but Lyka reveals that experts can forcibly reach that state by borrowing power from divine artifacts or shattering them to extract their laws.
• Chen Cheng realizes that his own ascent to godhood followed the same principle: his pendant and other treasures had supplied the laws needed to push him temporarily to Limit-Breaking.
• Lyka identifies the Church as the greatest potential threat. Its vast resources and hidden Legendary experts may allow it to send several powerful figures onto the Path to Godhood.
• Lyka nevertheless believes Chen Cheng’s Self-Apotheosis gives him an advantage over ordinary God Ascenders, who merely become representatives or vessels of the laws of heaven and earth.
• The major weakness in Chen Cheng’s Divine Kingdom is that he lacks a governing system capable of controlling and coordinating its many laws. His current law-fusion technique resembles Time Stop, but it prevents him from using those laws effectively while active and leaves him nearly helpless after its limited uses.
• Lyka proposes becoming the Way of Dominion within Chen Cheng’s Divine Kingdom, taking responsibility for managing its laws. Although this could reduce Chen Cheng to the symbolic highest will of the kingdom, Chen Cheng accepts the idea because it aligns with both their shared purpose: using power to protect those they care about.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng grows more aware of the consequences of his achievement. He recognizes that opening the path to godhood has made him both a pioneer and a potential target for countless rivals.
• He also reassesses his own past, realizing that his advancement depended on forcibly using the laws contained within powerful artifacts rather than merely benefiting from rare treasures.
• Chen Cheng demonstrates humility and practicality by accepting that he cannot govern every law personally. His priority is not absolute authority, but protecting himself and those around him.
• Lyka acts as Chen Cheng’s mentor, offering a clear analysis of the dangers created by Self-Apotheosis and the Church. Despite his former imperial status, he remains humble and uncomfortable with being treated as a monarch.
• Lyka reveals his concern about becoming the true ruler of Chen Cheng’s Divine Kingdom, fearing that doing so might usurp Chen Cheng’s authority or reduce him to a passive symbol.
• Kui Niu shows deep loyalty and gratitude toward Lyka, representing the Orc race’s enduring reverence for the emperor who spared them.

Significant Themes

• The irreversible nature of creation: Once laws become manifested as tangible reality, they cannot simply be transformed back into their original state.
• The burden of pioneering: By opening the way to Sequence Apotheosis, Chen Cheng has advanced the world but also created future enemies capable of challenging him.
• Power and its consequences: Greater strength does not guarantee control. Chen Cheng’s Divine Kingdom contains immense laws, yet he lacks the means to coordinate and govern them.
• Authority versus purpose: The chapter questions whether rulership lies in holding power or in directing it toward protection and responsibility.
• Protection as a shared ideal: Chen Cheng and Lyka follow similar paths, seeking strength not for domination or immortality, but to safeguard the people and things important to them.
• Irony and changing loyalties: Former enemies now regard Lyka as a savior, while those who once benefited from Chen Cheng’s actions have become his enemies.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Lyka: Their relationship is based on mutual respect and intellectual guidance. Lyka warns Chen Cheng of the dangers ahead and offers a solution to his Divine Kingdom’s weakness.
• Lyka and Kui Niu: Kui Niu reveres Lyka as the Orcs’ savior, while Lyka rejects imperial formalities and emphasizes his present identity as merely Lyka.
• Chen Cheng and Kui Niu: Kui Niu’s remarks help Chen Cheng understand that Limit-Breaking can be artificially achieved, prompting him to reconsider the true nature of his own ascension.
• Chen Cheng and Lyka’s shared philosophy: Their discussion establishes that both view power primarily as a means of protection, making Lyka’s proposed role as the Divine Kingdom’s governing force acceptable to Chen Cheng.