Chapter Summaries

Action One Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Snow Maiden notices a sudden emotional change in Chen Cheng. Though he had previously appeared confident after leaving the Twisted Realm, he now seems lonely and despondent.
• Chen Cheng asks whether she is willing to accompany him when he ascends to godhood. Understanding that he may need to absorb her to prevent her Dao Assimilation, the Snow Maiden agrees—but demands a guarantee that her younger siblings will be cared for and allowed to live freely.
• The two embrace and weep. Chen Cheng then opens his Divine Kingdom and absorbs the Snow Maiden into it. Melos witnesses this and initially believes he has “swallowed” her, but Chen Cheng explains that absorption is the best way to stop her irreversible Dao Assimilation.
• Chen Cheng visits the underwater temple ruins and obtains from Lokasky a map of the Guild’s ancient teleportation nodes. He advises Lokasky to remain in the ruins, which may be safer than the outside world even if Chen Cheng’s coming plan fails.
• Chen Cheng captures the tentacled, rule-based sea monster guarding the region, transferring it and the surrounding sea into his Divine Domain.
• Using the teleportation network, he seeks out Jamir and gives him magical supplies and an advanced magical text. He orders Jamir to spread it throughout society under the name The Doomsday Codex, especially its basic magic theories.
• Jamir tears the book apart and distributes its pages, ensuring that people learn its contents while believing the resulting surge of new mages comes from the legendary Doomsday Codex.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng becomes increasingly burdened and determined as his ascension approaches. His actions reveal both strategic ruthlessness and concern for the survival of others, particularly the Snow Maiden, her siblings, Lokasky, and ordinary people.
• The Snow Maiden demonstrates acceptance of her fate and practical courage. Rather than resisting absorption, she negotiates protection for her younger siblings and willingly becomes part of Chen Cheng’s Divine Kingdom.
• Melos is shown to be emotionally perceptive and deeply loyal. She worries about Chen Cheng and feels guilty for failing to prevent the Snow Maiden’s Dao Assimilation, though she eventually understands the necessity of his decision.
• Lokasky is placed in a position of reluctant cooperation, surrendering the Guild’s valuable teleportation map when Chen Cheng demands it.
• Jamir responds quickly and resourcefully to Chen Cheng’s instructions, transforming the magical text into a tool for mass education and preparation.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and preservation: The Snow Maiden sacrifices her independence to avoid Dao Assimilation and protect her siblings’ future.
• The cost of ascension: Chen Cheng’s path toward godhood requires emotional separation, difficult decisions, and the absorption of those close to him.
• Preparation for catastrophe: The teleportation map, captured sea monster, magical supplies, and widespread education all support Chen Cheng’s efforts to prepare the world for an impending disaster.
• Knowledge as empowerment: The Doomsday Codex makes advanced magic accessible to everyone, potentially allowing ordinary people—even illiterates and slaves—to become mages.
• Truth, legend, and propaganda: Chen Cheng deliberately uses the myth of the Doomsday Codex to encourage people to accept and spread practical magical knowledge.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and the Snow Maiden: Their private conversation combines emotional intimacy with a negotiated promise. Her embrace and absorption mark a tragic but mutually accepted parting.
• Chen Cheng and Melos: Melos confronts him after seeing the Snow Maiden absorbed. Chen Cheng withholds the full truth but explains his justification, emphasizing their differing understanding of the situation.
• Chen Cheng and Lokasky: Chen Cheng pressures Lokasky into surrendering the Guild’s teleportation-node map, then advises him to remain safely within the ruins.
• Chen Cheng and Jamir: Chen Cheng entrusts Jamir with the mass distribution of magical knowledge, turning him into a key agent in preparing society for the coming doomsday.

Action Two — Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Melos questions Chen Cheng about why he gave away his personal magical compendium under the name of the Codex. Chen Cheng cryptically explains that this is part of the Dao he intends to prove and that treasures need a credible origin to be valued.
• Chen Cheng uses his Divine Domain to speed their journey across the Karmak Continent, eventually returning to the Kingdom of Moss, where his life began.
• In the rebuilt Hui Dun City, Chen Cheng meets Wisdom Shield and learns that the first northern expedition has been delayed. Ye Rong concluded that one campaign would not be enough to force a decisive confrontation.
• Chen Cheng reveals that the coming battle will be the final decisive conflict. He secretly instructs Wisdom Shield to prepare a retreat to the ruins at Calamity Ridge and gives him a letter explaining how to enter and leave the ruins, along with other emergency contingencies.
• The letter includes plans to release demons and monsters to withstand the first wave of attacks, while relying on the God of Light to intervene once he is free to act.
• Chen Cheng then visits Fini, who has become a famous grand mage after the Grand Council incident. Several nobles are attempting to court her, so Chen Cheng physically drives away one particularly persistent suitor. Melos prevents the suitor’s guards from retaliating.
• At Fini’s residence, Chen Cheng encounters Sophia and Jenny. They mistake him for the man who abandoned Fini and angrily accuse him of using her to advance himself before cutting ties with the Yuan Family.
• Fini emerges and stops their tirade, though the two women continue to regard Chen Cheng with resentment because they remember caring for him when he was weak and believe he later betrayed Fini.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Demonstrates increasing secrecy, strategic foresight, and concern for the coming catastrophe. Although he remains cryptic about his plans, he actively prepares allies for survival. His return also reveals a more familiar, playful side, particularly in his interactions with Fini’s household.
• Melos: Continues to act as Chen Cheng’s vigilant companion and powerful protector. She restrains the guards effortlessly and understands that Chen Cheng is concealing a grave danger.
• Wisdom Shield: Initially confused by Chen Cheng’s recommendation to retreat, he recognizes the seriousness of the warning and accepts responsibility for keeping the contingency plans secret.
• Fini: Has risen from her earlier position to become a renowned grand mage. Despite her success, the chapter implies that Chen Cheng’s disappearance has continued to affect her emotionally.
• Sophia and Jenny: Have grown into young women and remain deeply loyal to Fini. Their anger toward Chen Cheng stems from their belief that he abandoned and exploited her after receiving her help.

Significant Themes

• Foreknowledge and hidden danger: Chen Cheng knows that the coming war involves forces and consequences too dangerous to discuss openly, suggesting that even speaking about them may provoke an unseen reaction.
• Preparation versus confrontation: Although Chen Cheng is not normally associated with retreat, he recognizes that survival may require withdrawing to the ruins rather than fighting directly.
• Reputation and legitimacy: His comments about the Codex emphasize how people judge value based on origin and credibility, not merely intrinsic worth.
• Misunderstanding and lost relationships: Chen Cheng’s secret identity and long absence have caused those close to Fini to misinterpret his motives as betrayal.
• Power and protection: Chen Cheng and Melos use overwhelming strength to defend Fini, while Chen Cheng also seeks to protect the wider community through contingency planning.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Melos discuss the Codex, with Melos pressing him for an explanation and Chen Cheng responding evasively.
• Chen Cheng and Wisdom Shield share a serious private exchange about the impending final battle and the need for a secret refuge.
• Chen Cheng confronts an unwanted suitor of Fini, while Melos prevents the suitor’s guards from intervening.
• Sophia and Jenny verbally attack Chen Cheng, believing him to be a faithless former lover. Fini interrupts and silences them, creating a tense reunion shaped by years of misunderstanding.

Operation Three — Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fini’s maids mock Chen Cheng when he arrives, knowing Fini still has feelings for him. Fini sends them away and privately discusses Chen Cheng’s return and his plans.
• Fini asks to accompany Chen Cheng, revealing that she is close to reaching Legendary rank through her complete inheritance. Although Chen Cheng initially worries, he gives her Windspirit Crystals and a Wind Marrow Crystal obtained from the Green Snake King. These treasures can greatly aid her cultivation.
• Fini becomes emotional upon realizing the danger Chen Cheng must have faced to acquire the treasures. Their exchange shows both her concern for him and the playful intimacy of their relationship.
• Chen Cheng tells Fini about his recent experiences, including the photographs he brought back from another spacetime. Seeing herself and her family in them moves Fini deeply.
• Before sending him away to cultivate, Fini reminds Chen Cheng not to forget her cousin Melinda. Chen Cheng struggles with complicated feelings because, in another world, he and Melinda had married.
• Chen Cheng visits Isabel, learns that Melinda has gone to Moonlight Forest, and leaves a letter and valuable cultivation notes for her. He also gives Isabel his Dragon Horn Sword, whose materials make it an exceptional divine weapon despite its lost law power.
• Chen Cheng meets Melos and apologizes for involving her in danger again. His formal apology effectively prevents her from refusing to accompany him.
• Chen Cheng and Melos travel south. At the city where he previously met Russo, Chen Cheng deliberately reveals his presence, repeating his earlier strategy.
• As war continues to devastate the continent, they move through affected regions rescuing civilians and treating the wounded. Their journey attracts widespread attention.

Character Developments

• Fini has matured considerably. She is no longer merely a temperamental young miss; she is emotionally perceptive, openly concerned for Chen Cheng, and determined to grow strong enough to stand beside him.
• Chen Cheng continues preparing for what may be his death while concealing the seriousness of the situation from those close to him. His gifts and farewells reveal deep loyalty and affection toward Fini, Isabel, Melinda, and Melos.
• Isabel remains confident and affectionate toward Chen Cheng, accepting his sword with pride while teasing him for finally showing consideration.
• Melos once again joins Chen Cheng despite the danger, reinforcing her loyalty and willingness to support him.
• Melinda, though absent, remains emotionally significant to Chen Cheng because of their marriage in another spacetime.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and farewell: Chen Cheng distributes treasured items and makes arrangements as though preparing for death.
• Love expressed through gifts and concern: His treasures, letter, cultivation notes, and sword serve as practical expressions of affection.
• Maturity and personal growth: Fini’s transformation from a spoiled young woman into a capable cultivator and devoted companion is emphasized.
• Duty amid catastrophe: Chen Cheng and Melos continue helping civilians despite the ongoing war and personal danger.
• Connections across worlds and timelines: The photographs and Chen Cheng’s marriage to Melinda in another world complicate his relationships and sense of responsibility.
• Public consequence: By revealing himself while traveling south, Chen Cheng turns his rescue efforts into an event watched by the entire continent.

Action Four — Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Smog is on the verge of becoming the Holy Son and sounding the horn, with only Chen Cheng remaining as a significant obstacle. He believes the Holy Spirit serving the Lord God will soon complete his transformation.
• Smog reflects on the world’s corruption and becomes increasingly fanatical. He believes humanity is beyond redemption and that the Lord’s “final cleansing” is necessary. He imagines himself becoming one of the founders of a purified New World.
• After learning Chen Cheng’s location, Smog dismisses him as arrogant and prepares to confront him. However, he also receives news about Jamir’s circulating “Doomsday Codex” and mistakenly decides it is not worth investigating.
• The Codex’s simplified magical teachings spread rapidly among commoners. People previously convinced that magic belonged only to nobles discover that they, too, can become magicians.
• Noble and powerful factions attempt to suppress the new magicians, causing deaths, resentment, and the formation of common resistance. Jamir and his allies exploit this anger, organizing what appears to be religious preaching but is actually a mass military rebellion.
• Because many nobles and local forces are occupied with the war against the Northern Frontier, rebellions spread quickly. Entire cities, provinces, and potentially countries begin producing novice magicians, threatening widespread social upheaval.
• This rebellion is revealed to be only one part of Chen Cheng’s larger, still-hidden strategy.
• Chen Cheng travels through the Southern Barbarians with Melos, assisting civilians harmed by the war. He deliberately reveals his location so enemies will pursue him rather than hurt innocent people elsewhere.
• At the familiar mountain, Chen Cheng repeats his earlier confrontation with the ape king and the pursuing forces. Remembering how Lyka once destroyed the enemy formation, he now moves to break the array being prepared behind the attackers.
• Melos holds off Simon, Clark, and the other enemies while Chen Cheng attacks the formation. She proves capable of fighting multiple powerful opponents despite specializing in healing.

Character Developments

• Smog: His religious fanaticism and hatred of humanity intensify. He views himself as a righteous servant of divine purification, but his arrogance causes him to underestimate the Codex’s revolutionary impact.
• Chen Cheng: Becomes more strategic and self-sacrificing. He deliberately acts as bait to protect civilians and intends to resolve the conflict directly rather than allow enemies to harm others while searching for him.
• Melos: Demonstrates that she is far more than a healer or spiritual elder. Her thousand years of experience and accumulated strength allow her to fight several elite opponents at once, reaffirming her status as one of the mortal world’s strongest figures.
• Jamir and his allies: Transform from propagators of magical knowledge into leaders of a widespread popular uprising, using education and shared resentment to unite the oppressed.
• Common people: Experience a major awakening as they discover that magical cultivation is not restricted to the aristocracy. Their newfound ability gives them confidence, solidarity, and the power to challenge the existing order.

Significant Themes

• Knowledge as liberation: The simplified magical teachings undermine the aristocracy’s monopoly on power and give ordinary people the means to change their social position.
• Oppression and rebellion: Attempts by nobles to suppress the new magicians only intensify resentment, turning private grievances into collective revolution.
• Arrogance and misjudgment: Smog’s belief in his own wisdom leads him to dismiss the Codex, while his condemnation of others reflects the very pride he claims to oppose.
• Fanaticism versus compassion: Smog seeks to cleanse the world through destruction, whereas Chen Cheng risks himself to save civilians and prevent further suffering.
• Strategic sacrifice: Chen Cheng willingly exposes himself as a target, showing that protecting others is central to his methods and values.
• Hidden purposes and layered plans: The rebellion is only one visible part of Chen Cheng’s broader scheme, suggesting that the conflict is operating on several strategic levels.

Character Interactions

• Smog’s subordinates report both Chen Cheng’s movements and the spread of the Codex, but Smog’s dismissive orders allow the revolutionary movement to grow unchecked.
• Jamir and his followers unite ordinary people against the nobles by presenting magical cultivation as the legendary Doomsday Codex.
• Chen Cheng and Melos travel together, with Melos questioning why Chen Cheng exposes himself. He explains that doing so prevents enemies from harming others while hunting him.
• During the confrontation, Chen Cheng asks Melos to delay the attackers while he destroys their rear formation.
• Melos battles Simon, Clark, and the others directly, matching their various weapons and magical techniques and revealing the formidable martial strength of the Elf race.

Summary of “Melos’s Battle Wisdom”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Simon threatens Elder Melos, implying that the declining Elf race depends on the charity of the human kingdoms and may be abandoned.
• His insult enrages Melos. She rejects his claim that the Elves survive through handouts and attacks with far greater ferocity than before.
• Melos quickly overwhelms the assembled Grand Mages, blasting one from the mountaintop and casually casting Forbidden Spells with one hand.
• Realizing their original plan is failing, Simon and the others unleash their Divine Demon True Forms and attempt to overwhelm Melos through numbers.
• Melos responds with her own Divine Demon True Form, which is unusually perfect and undistorted because she can draw genuine divine power from the Moon Goddess worshipped by the Elves.
• She casts “Moon Goddess’s Holy Radiance,” a Forbidden Spell that immobilizes the transformed Legendaries beneath falling moonlight.
• While Melos restrains the enemies, Chen Cheng enters the formation and dismantles it by identifying and removing its crucial structural magic pattern.
• The weaker Grand Mages surrender immediately. Those who continue resisting are defeated by Chen Cheng’s overwhelming physical strength.
• Chen Cheng uses his Divine Domain to seize and devour one opponent’s Dao Fruit, horrifying the remaining survivors and strengthening his own Divine Kingdom.
• He becomes especially interested in Simon, whose metal-aligned law can complete the Five Elements within Chen Cheng’s Divine Kingdom.
• After Melos withdraws to recover, Chen Cheng suppresses Simon and the remaining Legendaries with his vastly superior Divine Power.
• He brutally extracts Simon’s Yang Metal Essence, while killing the other opponents more mercifully.
• Once the metal essence is absorbed, the Five Elements Law becomes complete. Chen Cheng’s Divine Kingdom transforms into a genuine Small World, causing massive changes in the surrounding land.

Character Developments

• Melos: Reveals the depth of her thousand-year cultivation and her fierce pride in the Elf race. Her anger removes the restraint she had shown toward the Legendary opponents, allowing her to demonstrate overwhelming combat power. Her connection to the Moon Goddess gives her an advantage unavailable to ordinary cultivators.
• Chen Cheng: Displays growing ruthlessness, confidence, and mastery of magic, physical strength, and Divine Domains. He progresses from destroying formations to directly consuming Dao Fruits and law essences. His absorption of Simon’s metal essence marks a major advancement: his Divine Kingdom evolves into a Small World.
• Simon: His arrogance and threat toward the Elves provoke Melos’s full hostility. He is ultimately rendered helpless by Chen Cheng, who targets him specifically because his metal law is valuable.
• The Grand Mages and Legendaries: Their numerical advantage proves meaningless against Melos’s experience and Chen Cheng’s superior power. Their defeat exposes the gap between ordinary Legendary cultivators and those with authentic divine inheritance.

Significant Themes

• Pride and racial dignity: Melos refuses to let the Elves be treated as dependents or recipients of charity, emphasizing their ancient strength and independence.
• Accumulated wisdom versus numerical strength: Melos’s thousands of years of experience allow her to defeat many opponents despite being outnumbered.
• Authentic divine inheritance: The normal appearance of Melos’s Divine Demon True Form and her ability to invoke the Moon Goddess show the superiority of genuine divine power over imperfect imitations.
• Power through control rather than confrontation: Melos wins by immobilizing the enemy rather than trying to destroy their nearly invulnerable Divine Demon True Forms directly.
• Predation and advancement: Chen Cheng strengthens himself by forcibly taking Dao Fruits and elemental essences, treating defeated enemies as resources for his cultivation.
• Transformation and creation: The destruction of the formation and absorption of the Five Elements lead to the birth of a true Small World, symbolizing Chen Cheng’s progression toward a higher realm.

Character Interactions

• Simon verbally provokes Melos by threatening the Elf race, and she answers both with contempt and physical force.
• Melos restrains Simon and the others, creating the opening Chen Cheng needs to destroy the formation.
• Chen Cheng tells Melos to withdraw and rest once he takes over the battle, demonstrating their tactical cooperation.
• Chen Cheng reassures the surviving Grand Mages while simultaneously terrifying them through his brutal display of power.
• His fixation on Simon’s metal law turns their confrontation into a deliberate act of cultivation as well as revenge.
• Lyka assists from within Chen Cheng’s Divine Kingdom, guiding the completion and distribution of the Five Elements Law.

Chapter Summary: “Another Transformation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A massive void suddenly appears, threatening to cause heaven and earth to shatter and allow External Evils to invade.
• Melos and the other descended experts attempt to sacrifice themselves by entering the void and filling it with their power. Chen Cheng realizes the void is connected to his second transformation and stops them.
• Chen Cheng enters the void alone. The turbid earth-vein qi attacks him through earthfire, gale winds, and other calamities, bypassing his defenses and burning his body from within.
• Because of his completed Five-Element Return to Truth and unwavering faith, Chen Cheng endures the destruction and regenerates with a translucent, glazed-crystal body. He successfully completes his second transformation and begins developing a true Dao body.
• Rather than immediately leaving, Chen Cheng ventures deeper into the earth veins and discovers a region obstructed by magnetic storm thunderclouds. Using his Divine Eye, he identifies and repairs the blockage, preventing the region from remaining a weakness that Smog could exploit again.
• During the process, Chen Cheng extracts Primordial Magnetic Divine Light from the earth veins. Combined with his Five-Element Light Wheel and Origin Divine Earth, this power allows him to freeze spacetime over a large area and suppress law-based techniques.
• The World Tree arrives and repairs the damaged space and laws with its roots. It gives Chen Cheng another piece of its main branch and an Earth Brain, which he realizes are meant to help forge his emerging Dao body.
• Chen Cheng releases the surviving Legends rather than killing them, recognizing their deep connections to heaven and earth and their possible importance to Karmak World’s future. He keeps Clark behind to teach Wisdom Shield Chaos-element magic.
• Wisdom Shield has progressed but is reaching the limits of Chen Cheng’s current assistance, since foundational magic patterns and Variable Magic cannot replace genuine Chaos Magic cultivation.
• Chen Cheng and Melos resume their journey. Smog changes his strategy: rather than blocking Chen Cheng from entering the Dwarf Kingdom, he orders his forces to let him pass, intending to use the horn and eliminate Chen Cheng directly.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Completes another major transformation, gaining a crystal-like body and moving closer to becoming a Dao body. His endurance, spiritual conviction, and understanding of the earth veins greatly increase. He also acquires Primordial Magnetic Divine Light, significantly strengthening his ability to control spacetime and counter Smog’s summoned beings.
• Melos and the other Legends: Initially demonstrate genuine willingness to sacrifice themselves for heaven and earth, showing that their claimed concern for the common people is not entirely false. They are ultimately spared after Chen Cheng recognizes their value.
• Clark: Is assigned the important role of becoming Wisdom Shield’s magic teacher, particularly because he is the only known great Chaos-element mage who has attained the Dao.
• Wisdom Shield: Continues to advance but begins to stagnate due to lacking authentic Chaos Magic cultivation.
• Smog: Abandons his original plan to restrain Chen Cheng through the Codex and surrounding forces. He now identifies Chen Cheng as the critical vulnerability in the world’s larger system and focuses on eliminating him.

Significant Themes

• Transformation through suffering: Chen Cheng’s physical destruction and regeneration represent a deeper spiritual and Daoist transformation. His unwavering faith allows him to endure forces that defeat ordinary defenses.
• Responsibility and sacrifice: Melos and the others attempt to repair the void themselves, suggesting that power and authority carry obligations toward the world and its people.
• Repair versus destruction: Chen Cheng does not merely survive the catastrophe; he repairs the underlying earth-vein system so the same weakness cannot be exploited again.
• The interconnectedness of heaven and earth: The Legends are revealed to have deep ties to the world itself, making their deaths potentially harmful to Karmak World. This complicates Chen Cheng’s decision to spare them.
• Strategic warfare and vulnerability: Smog realizes that overwhelming force is less important than identifying a single decisive weakness. Chen Cheng has become the central target because he is the key vulnerability in the larger structure governing Karmak World.
• Mentorship and cultivation limits: Wisdom Shield’s progress shows that techniques and intellectual improvements cannot substitute for the fundamental cultivation path required to master a specific system of magic.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng physically prevents Melos and the other Legends from sacrificing themselves in the void, asserting control while protecting them.
• He later instructs the surviving Legends about the deeper workings of heaven, earth, and cultivation before allowing them to leave.
• Chen Cheng assigns Clark to Wisdom Shield, creating a teacher-student relationship intended to overcome Wisdom Shield’s lack of authentic Chaos Magic training.
• The World Tree communicates indirectly with Chen Cheng by giving him the branch and Earth Brain, prompting him to understand that it recognizes and supports his transformation.
• Chen Cheng continues traveling with Melos, while Smog’s forces deliberately avoid obstructing them in preparation for a more direct confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “Cruelty”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng enters the Dwarf Kingdom with Melos without resistance and heads directly toward the enormous central volcano.
• The Dwarf Kingdom is portrayed as a vast, aging city whose destruction seems inevitable, much like the Ruined Capital.
• In the Southern Barbarian Legion’s camp, Yan Hezi, Siam, Annam, Cang Xiao, and the fair-faced scholar discuss Chen Cheng’s arrival and the potential unsealing of the Codex.
• Annam worries that the Codex will make cooperation impossible, but Cang Xiao defends Smog’s power and mocks Annam’s fear.
• The fair-faced scholar suppresses their argument and orders the three generals to prepare their troops. Their real objective is not the Codex but Chen Cheng, whom they call the “false emperor.”
• After the generals leave, Cang Xiao suggests brutally killing and impersonating them, but the scholar dismisses the idea as impractical and reprimands him.
• The scholar then orders Cang Xiao to act as a supervisory unit rather than recklessly joining the battle.
• Chen Cheng arrives at the volcano, where Ye Rong and other commanders, along with the Dwarf King and elders, are waiting.
• He declares the volcano and Dwarf City the site of the final decisive battle against the various kingdoms.
• Chen Cheng apologizes for the destruction the battle will cause, promising to rebuild a greater city after victory.
• The Dwarf King accepts the loss, explaining that the city’s volcanic ley lines are nearly exhausted and that the dwarves were already considering relocation.
• The chapter reveals that Chen Cheng previously persuaded the dwarves to relocate by informing them about the Codex Lock. The lock had secretly disappeared when Chen Cheng was born, a fact known only to the Dwarf King of each generation.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng appears confident and strategically prepared. He already understands the Dwarf Kingdom’s situation and has coordinated the battlefield and the dwarves’ relocation in advance.
• Melos becomes increasingly suspicious and curious about Chen Cheng’s hidden arrangements, realizing that his relationship with the dwarves is deeper than she expected.
• The fair-faced scholar emerges as a calm, authoritative strategist who controls the volatile generals and emphasizes practical military planning over rash violence.
• Cang Xiao is shown as aggressive, cruel, and impulsive, though he is cautious around the scholar because of their previous power imbalance.
• Annam, Yan Hezi, and Siam display unease about the Codex and Smog’s plans. Despite being former enemies or “traitors,” they remain obedient because they fear Smog’s power.
• The Dwarf King demonstrates resignation and loyalty, accepting the destruction of his city for the sake of the broader conflict.

Significant Themes

• Strategic cruelty and pragmatism: Both sides treat cities, armies, and even allies as expendable resources in pursuit of victory.
• Fear and power: The generals’ obedience comes less from trust than from their fear of Smog and the mysterious Codex.
• Sacrifice and renewal: The destruction of Dwarf City is framed as both a tragedy and an unavoidable opportunity to rebuild something greater.
• Secrets and hidden history: The disappearance of the Codex Lock and Chen Cheng’s connection to it hint at a deeper mystery surrounding his birth and the Codex.
• Loyalty versus betrayal: The former generals’ defection is questioned, while Chen Cheng’s alliance with the dwarves is based on concealed information and mutual necessity.

Character Interactions

• Annam and Cang Xiao nearly come to blows over Chen Cheng and the Codex, but the fair-faced scholar immediately suppresses their conflict.
• The scholar treats Cang Xiao with open disdain, while Cang Xiao fears him despite his outward defiance.
• The scholar gives Yan Hezi, Siam, and Annam orders to prepare for an attack against Chen Cheng.
• Chen Cheng and Melos travel together, with Melos observing his secretive preparations.
• Chen Cheng speaks respectfully to the Dwarf King, apologizing for the coming battle and promising restoration.
• The Dwarf King responds with understanding, confirming that the city’s destruction is acceptable because the dwarves already needed to relocate.

Chapter Summary: Five-Element Treasure Body Finally Achieved

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng asks the Dwarf King to help forge the Five-Element Dao Body, using artifact-refinement techniques to integrate supreme treasures directly into his flesh.
• The Dwarf King agrees, despite the unprecedented danger of refining a living person in a furnace. He contributes:
  • Creation Essence Gold for the metal element
  • Searing Earth-Essence Fire for the fire element
• San Long presents Chen Cheng with Qianyuan Kan Water Essence, completing the set of five elemental treasures alongside Chen Cheng’s existing:
  • Divine Tree Branch for wood
  • Earth Brain for earth
• The surrounding allies form a defensive formation around the volcanic crater while the Dwarf King and the elders activate their artifact-refinement furnace.
• Chen Cheng enters the furnace and survives temperatures approaching ten thousand degrees, demonstrating his extraordinary resilience.
• The Creation Essence Gold is refined first, forcing the Law of Metal into Chen Cheng’s body and subjecting him to unimaginable internal pain.
• The Divine Tree Branch enters his body and restores his ruined flesh with immense vitality and the Law of Life.
• The Water Essence and Searing Earth-Essence Fire combine to temper his body, while the Earth Brain provides the final stabilizing and bearing force.
• Chen Cheng’s body transforms into a radiant five-colored form before settling into crystalline flesh filled with star-like meridians, acupoints, and divine abilities.
• He successfully achieves the complete Five-Element Treasure Body, fully shedding his mortal physique.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng reaches a major stage of physical and spiritual transformation. He is no longer merely a vessel or god-making shell for the God of Light; his body, spirit, and powers are now unified.
• His confidence rises dramatically. He believes he could defeat Simon through physical strength alone, even without relying on his Divine Kingdom domain.
• The Dwarf King shifts from a neutral helper to a discreet supporter of Chen Cheng’s cause, offering rare treasures as both assistance and political investment.
• San Long demonstrates his social intelligence and ambition by presenting the final elemental treasure and flattering Chen Cheng, revealing his talent for navigating political systems.
• Ye Rong and the others show their loyalty by organizing a disciplined guard around the forging site and protecting Chen Cheng during the dangerous process.

Significant Themes

• Transformation through suffering: Chen Cheng’s advancement requires him to endure excruciating torment, symbolizing that immense power is earned through sacrifice.
• Unity of the five elements: Metal, wood, water, fire, and earth combine to create a perfectly balanced and self-sustaining body.
• Rebirth and liberation: The destruction and restoration of Chen Cheng’s flesh represent his rebirth into a higher existence and freedom from his former limitations.
• Political allegiance and investment: The Dwarf King’s aid reflects how powerful figures choose sides in the coming conflict, while San Long’s gift highlights the importance of loyalty and self-presentation.
• Independence and identity: By becoming more than a vessel for the God of Light, Chen Cheng takes greater ownership of his body, destiny, and power.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng respectfully petitions the Dwarf King, who accepts the request and offers additional treasures.
• San Long eagerly approaches Chen Cheng and presents the Qianyuan Kan Water Essence, seeking recognition and future favor.
• Ye Rong pledges to prevent any outside interference and directs the others in guarding the forging process.
• The Dwarf King and the dwarf elders work together to refine the elemental treasures into Chen Cheng’s body, acting as both craftsmen and spiritual assistants.
• The chapter concludes with Chen Cheng emerging transformed, freed from his former restraints and filled with the desire to release his long-suppressed rage.

Chapter Summary: “Total Annihilation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• While Chen Cheng undergoes the forging of his treasure body inside the volcano, the Southern Barbarian Legion invades the Dwarf Kingdom’s city under Yan Hezi, Siam, and Annam.
• Discovering that the dwarves have disappeared, the pale-faced scholar deduces that Chen Cheng and his allies must be hiding in the active volcano and orders the army to attack.
• Ye Rong confronts the approaching legion and calls on Yan Hezi, Siam, and Annam to recognize Chen Cheng as the Emperor and surrender. When they remain silent, he declares them traitors.
• Ye Rong destroys all of the legion’s military banners with a single sword strike, symbolically stripping the army of its former identity and honor. He then orders them to leave.
• The pale-faced scholar forces the legion into battle. Yan Hezi activates the army’s Military Formation, summoning a Divine-Fire Vermilion Bird to attack Ye Rong.
• Ye Rong and six powerful allies—She Li, Liphia, Zhixin, Guste, San Long, and Melos—overwhelm the million-man army:
  • She Li’s blade intent and Destruction Thunder tear apart the formation.
  • Liphia and Zhixin unleash combined ice-and-fire Forbidden Magic.
  • Guste rampages through the soldiers with his axe.
  • San Long and Melos bombard the battlefield with Dragon and Nature Magic.
• The Military Formation collapses under the assault, and the legion suffers massive casualties. When soldiers attempt to flee, the pale-faced scholar and his companions kill them without mercy.
• Annam begs for mercy but is beheaded by Ye Rong before he can finish speaking. Realizing defeat is inevitable, Yan Hezi and Siam surrender, but Ye Rong executes them as well.
• The fleeing soldiers are deliberately ignored, since Ye Rong understands that the true enemies are the figures manipulating the invasion.
• The pale-faced scholar reveals that the massacre was intentional: the legion’s corpses will provide enough flesh and blood for the Guard Commander’s ritual.

Character Developments

• Ye Rong demonstrates unwavering loyalty to the Empire and deep contempt for treason. He values military honor so strongly that the Southern Barbarian Legion’s rebellion angers him more than its military threat.
• His initial attempts to reason with Yan Hezi, Siam, and Annam show that he still hopes they may have been deceived. Once they refuse to respond, he becomes completely merciless.
• Yan Hezi and Siam are portrayed as opportunists. They abandoned their former role as guardians of a fallen nation in pursuit of power and a better life, treating the Southern Barbarian Legion as political capital. Once the army is destroyed, they lose all hope and surrender.
• Annam, traditionally the least thoughtful of the three, is the first to plead for mercy, but his hesitation and lack of resolve lead directly to his death.
• She Li, Liphia, Zhixin, Guste, San Long, and Melos display overwhelming teamwork and combat power, reducing the million-strong army to an ineffective force.
• The pale-faced scholar and his allies reveal their ruthless willingness to sacrifice their own troops for a larger ritual, viewing the legion as expendable material rather than comrades.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and loyalty: Ye Rong regards rebellion as the ultimate disgrace, while Yan Hezi and the others justify betrayal as a path toward personal advancement.
• Military honor and identity: Destroying the banners symbolizes the destruction of the Southern Barbarian Legion’s legitimacy and honor before its physical annihilation.
• The futility of opportunism: Yan Hezi and Siam build their ambitions on the legion’s strength, but when that foundation collapses, they are left powerless.
• Expendability and manipulation: The pale-faced scholar treats an entire army as sacrificial fuel for a ritual, emphasizing the cruelty of the forces behind the invasion.
• Power and overwhelming force: Even a million-man Military Formation is helpless against a small group of vastly superior Legendary experts working together.

Character Interactions

• Ye Rong’s confrontation with Yan Hezi, Siam, and Annam moves from a final appeal for loyalty to open condemnation and execution.
• Yan Hezi’s activation of the Vermilion Bird formation marks the transition from political confrontation to full-scale battle.
• Ye Rong and his allies coordinate their abilities to dismantle the army from multiple directions.
• Annam’s attempted surrender is immediately rejected through execution, while Yan Hezi and Siam surrender only after recognizing that their cause is lost.
• The pale-faced scholar’s final comment exposes the true purpose of the battle: the Southern Barbarian Legion was never expected to survive and was used solely to supply the blood and corpses needed for the Guard Commander’s ritual.

Chapter Summary: “Toying with Him”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng emerges from the volcano after returning to his normal form. He equips himself with Lava Battle Armor and a Lava Spear, then joins Ye Rong and her allies against White-Faced Scholar and his forces.
• Although White-Faced Scholar’s side has more than ten Legendary Rank experts, Chen Cheng disrupts their numerical advantage with a fire-phoenix attack infused with martial will. The illusion causes a moment of hesitation, allowing Chen Cheng’s group to gain the upper hand.
• White-Faced Scholar attacks using human-skin puppets containing tortured resentful souls. Chen Cheng attempts to free the souls through his Reincarnation Principle, but White-Faced Scholar interferes with dark lightning and turns the attack against him.
• The human skins wrap around Chen Cheng and force the resentful souls into his body. However, his Five-Element Treasure Body neutralizes their spiritual essence, allowing him to destroy the puppets and release the souls.
• Chen Cheng then pierces White-Faced Scholar’s stronger defensive skin with his spear. A dharma avatar uses yellow earth to suppress White-Faced Scholar’s techniques, causing him to collapse.
• White-Faced Scholar attempts to escape by transforming himself into a human skin. Chen Cheng sees through the trick, captures him, and renders all his powers useless.
• Rather than kill him immediately, Chen Cheng deliberately toys with White-Faced Scholar, intending to make him experience hope, fear, and despair before his eventual death.

Character Development

• Chen Cheng: Demonstrates greatly improved mastery over his powers. He can now wield principles without relying on the Divine Domain, easily neutralize evil techniques, and combine his Lava Spear, Five-Element Treasure Body, Reincarnation Principle, and dharma avatar effectively. His attitude has also darkened: driven by the suffering inflicted on those he cares about, he abandons his former restraint and chooses psychological torture over a quick death.
• White-Faced Scholar: His confidence collapses as his supposedly powerful human-skin puppets are destroyed and his escape technique is exposed. He shifts from arrogance and contempt to helpless terror, realizing Chen Cheng has complete control over his fate.
• Ye Rong and her allies: Their presence helps challenge White-Faced Scholar’s numerical advantage, while Chen Cheng’s intervention becomes the decisive factor in the battle.

Significant Themes

• Justice versus cruelty: Chen Cheng seeks to punish White-Faced Scholar for the lives and suffering caused by his evil techniques, but his desire for revenge leads him to imitate the cruelty of his enemy.
• Reincarnation and liberation: Chen Cheng’s attempt to release the souls trapped in the human skins reflects his belief in freeing victims from unnatural suffering and allowing them to enter reincarnation.
• Power and control: The battle emphasizes Chen Cheng’s superior control over principles and the helplessness of those who rely on corrupted or “crooked” techniques.
• Psychological vengeance: Chen Cheng deliberately gives White-Faced Scholar hope before stripping it away, making emotional despair part of his punishment.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng mocks his enemies while leading Ye Rong’s group into battle, using humor to project confidence.
• White-Faced Scholar warns his allies to contain Chen Cheng, recognizing him as the greatest threat.
• Chen Cheng condemns White-Faced Scholar for his crimes and the resentful force surrounding him.
• The two engage in a battle of techniques, with White-Faced Scholar relying on demonic human-skin puppets and Chen Cheng countering through reincarnation, elemental power, and physical strength.
• In the final confrontation, Chen Cheng captures White-Faced Scholar despite his transformation and openly reveals that he intends to prolong his suffering rather than grant him a swift death.

Chapter Summary: “Severing the Last Resort”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Rong defeats the pale-faced scholar and secures his human-skin scroll. The scholar’s forces are either killed or flee, leaving only Cang Xiao alive.
• San Long overwhelms Cang Xiao, demonstrating the Dragon race’s superior physical strength. Cang Xiao’s secret-gold greatstaff is destroyed, and he is pinned beneath San Long’s claw.
• Chen Cheng takes responsibility for killing Cang Xiao, striking him once and annihilating both his body and soul. Cang Xiao’s corpse reverts from a humanoid form into an ape, revealing that he was a demonized ape created through Smog’s demonic inheritance.
• Smog appears atop the Dwarf Kingdom’s walls with one of the fleeing enemies’ corpses. Chen Cheng identifies him by his former name, Adolf Snovich, exposing knowledge that Smog believed had been erased.
• Smog admits that he serves a powerful master and thanks Chen Cheng for indirectly providing enough sacrificial flesh and blood to restore that master’s spirit servant.
• Recognizing the danger of Smog’s masks, Chen Cheng orders Samlet to attack. Samlet uses the Sword of Kings to destroy every mask on Smog’s face, eliminating their God-Calling power.
• This prevents Smog from summoning the giant eyeball, an entity powerful enough to destroy the “world’s table” and overturn the balance that protects Chen Cheng and the God of Light.
• Chen Cheng taunts Smog and challenges him to summon his master anyway. Smog, enraged and pressured, produces a horn-shaped object, apparently preparing to call forth the Apocalyptic Four Horsemen or another powerful entity.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng shows both personal resolve and strategic caution. He kills Cang Xiao as repayment for past torture but does so efficiently rather than cruelly. His greatest concern is preventing Smog from summoning the giant eyeball.
• San Long proves the overwhelming strength of the Dragon race when free from outside interference, effortlessly overpowering Cang Xiao and destroying his weapon.
• Cang Xiao is revealed to be a demonized ape rather than a true human or ordinary cultivator. His arrogance and brutality end in complete annihilation.
• Smog/Adolf Snovich is exposed as a former human traitor who now serves a mysterious master. His confident control collapses after his masks are destroyed, revealing his dependence on them.
• Samlet demonstrates the destructive power of the Sword of Kings, carefully targeting Smog’s masks instead of immediately killing him.
• Ye Rong remains perceptive and knowledgeable, immediately identifying Cang Xiao’s true demonic nature.

Significant Themes

• The danger of external transcendent powers: The chapter emphasizes that powerful beings may be manageable within the world’s existing structure, but entities capable of destroying that structure pose an existential threat.
• Power and restraint: San Long’s strength is devastating, yet Chen Cheng’s strategic judgment is equally important. Victory depends not only on overpowering enemies but on preventing the use of their ultimate abilities.
• Betrayal and identity: Smog’s former identity as Adolf Snovich highlights the theme of corrupted loyalty and the erasure or transformation of one’s past.
• Revenge versus efficiency: Chen Cheng chooses a single decisive blow against Cang Xiao, taking revenge without indulging in torture.
• The limits of confidence: Smog begins the scene believing he controls events, but Chen Cheng and Samlet quickly strip away the tools supporting his confidence.

Character Interactions

• San Long and Cang Xiao: San Long completely dominates Cang Xiao in physical combat, breaking his weapon and pinning him down.
• Chen Cheng and Cang Xiao: Chen Cheng personally delivers the final blow, motivated by Cang Xiao’s earlier cruelty toward him.
• Chen Cheng and Smog: Their exchange is openly hostile. Chen Cheng exposes Smog’s former name, mocks his villainous monologue, and challenges him to reveal his master.
• Chen Cheng and Samlet: Chen Cheng directs Samlet’s attack and relies on him to destroy Smog’s masks rather than kill Smog outright.
• Smog and his unseen master: Smog’s gratitude for the sacrificial blood reveals his devotion and dependence on a higher power, setting up the next confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “Advent”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng allows the ritual or attack to continue, just as Smog previously forced his way into the Dwarf Kingdom.
• A muffled horn sounds, causing catastrophic changes throughout the world: the heavens crack, the earth shakes, and volcanoes erupt.
• In response, a massive Great Wall rises around the Dwarf Kingdom. It absorbs the energy of the corpses within Dwarf City, strengthening its defenses and isolating the kingdom from the horn’s destructive effects.
• Chen Cheng reveals that he anticipated Smog’s schemes and declares the Dwarf Kingdom Smog’s burial ground.
• Samlet attacks Smog with his sword. Although Smog survives the first strike by revealing his true nature as a death-associated monster, Samlet transforms into his hundred-zhang Divine Demon True Form.
• Samlet’s second strike unleashes overwhelming destructive power and completely annihilates Smog, despite the support of the True God behind him.
• The hidden True God retaliates with a massive beam of deathly energy. Samlet blocks and neutralizes it, preventing the attack from devastating the land.
• Chen Cheng sends Melos and the others behind the Great Wall for protection, then uses the Five Elements Wheel and Primordial Magnetic Divine Light to attack the True God through the crack in the heavens.
• His attack injures the deity and forces a Death Knight-like incarnation into the world.
• The Death Knight uses the phrase “You are guilty” as a form of mental contamination, causing listeners to gradually believe they are sinful and deserving of punishment.
• Chen Cheng counters the effect with the Reincarnation Principle and turns the same accusation back on the Death Knight. However, it has no effect because the Death Knight’s indoctrination is too deeply rooted.
• Chen Cheng’s Divine Eye reveals that the Death Knight is not a complete living being, but rather a strange phenomenon given a temporary physical form.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng demonstrates careful preparation, strategic foresight, and increasing mastery of his powers. He has arranged the Great Wall as a defensive barrier and recognizes that the True God can only be killed inside Karmak World, where the world’s will suppresses divine beings.
• Samlet reveals extraordinary power by manifesting a hundred-zhang Divine Demon True Form—the apparent limit for humanoid forms in this world. His strength has advanced dramatically since his previous confrontation with Smog, allowing him to destroy Smog with one blow.
• Smog is exposed as far more than an ordinary figure, identifying himself as a “God of Death” and transforming into a monstrous entity. Despite his apparent resilience and divine backing, he is decisively killed by Samlet.
• The Death Knight appears as an agent of the hidden Divine Lord. His power is based less on physical destruction than psychological corruption and religiously framed brainwashing. His incomplete nature suggests he is an incarnation or phenomenon rather than a true, independent life-form.
• Melos and the other allies show practical judgment by retreating behind the Great Wall rather than becoming a burden during the battle.

Significant Themes

• Preparation versus manipulation: Chen Cheng counters Smog’s hidden schemes with his own long-planned defenses, demonstrating that strategic foresight can defeat shadowy manipulation.
• The limits of worldly power: Samlet’s hundred-zhang form establishes the physical ceiling of humanoid strength in the world, while his overwhelming sword demonstrates that true power depends on quality as much as size.
• Divinity and mortality: Even beings supported by True Gods can be killed under the right conditions, especially within a world that suppresses divine power.
• Ideological and psychological control: The Death Knight’s “you are guilty” technique represents corruption through fear, guilt, and unquestioned belief rather than direct violence.
• Identity and existence: The revelation that the Death Knight is a phenomenon rather than a complete life-form raises questions about what constitutes a living being and how divine agents manifest in the world.
• Protection and sacrifice: The Great Wall protects the surviving dwarves and Chen Cheng’s allies, while Samlet remains outside to contain the divine attack and prevent widespread destruction.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng taunts Smog, accusing him of hypocrisy for manipulating events while objecting to Chen Cheng’s own covert actions.
• Samlet and Smog clash directly, with Samlet’s sword overwhelming Smog’s monstrous transformation.
• The unseen True God attacks Samlet after Smog’s death, forcing Samlet to defend the surrounding world rather than simply evade.
• Chen Cheng intervenes against the True God, using the Five Elements Wheel to pull the deity’s presence into Karmak World.
• Chen Cheng and the Death Knight engage in a battle of psychological influence: the Death Knight declares others guilty, while Chen Cheng breaks the effect and repeats the accusation back at him.
• Chen Cheng’s allies withdraw behind the Great Wall, trusting him and Samlet to confront the divine enemy without interference.

Chapter Summary: The Essence of the Four Horsemen

Key Plot Points and Events

• Smog’s horn transforms the world’s widespread deaths and chaos into the four Apocalypse Horsemen: Death, Plague, War, and Famine. Empowered by a God Lord’s Law, they can purge the world’s Life Rules without destroying the world itself.
• The Death Knight and the other three Horsemen awaken. Chen Cheng and Samlet immediately divide the battle:
  • Samlet confronts Death, using his Destruction Law and the Sword of Kings to delay Death’s instant-kill abilities.
  • Chen Cheng takes on Plague, War, and Famine.
• Chen Cheng summons the Tentacle Monster against Plague. Because both are natural phenomena rather than ordinary physical beings, neither can truly harm the other. Plague is forced to focus all its power on containing the monster.
• Chen Cheng draws War and Famine into his Divine Domain. War attacks directly, but Chen Cheng summons Lyka and the other Dao Lords to fight alongside him. Scorpion Lady blocks War’s strike, and the group begins overwhelming him through coordinated attacks.
• Chen Cheng attacks Famine, initially believing him to be the easiest opponent. Famine uses his scales and the Law of “Trade” to reverse or exchange events:
  • The first exchange returns Chen Cheng and Famine to their previous positions.
  • The second exchange swaps Chen Cheng’s sense of fullness for his Black Armor Shield, taking the shield for himself.
• Chen Cheng realizes that Famine’s scales become increasingly tilted with each exchange. The greater the imbalance, the more Famine can take while paying a smaller price. Although Chen Cheng deduces the basic mechanism, he has not yet found a way to stop it.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng demonstrates increased combat mastery and preparation. He combines his Divine Avatar, Lava Battle Armor, Black Armor Shield, Five-Element Light Wheel, Origin Divine Earth, Divine Eye, and Divine Kingdom to fight multiple Horsemen simultaneously.
• He also proves willing to fight unconventionally, summoning allies rather than observing the traditional honor of one-on-one combat.
• Samlet takes on the most dangerous opponent, Death, buying Chen Cheng time to handle the remaining Horsemen. His incomplete ascension to godhood leaves him at a disadvantage.
• Famine is revealed to be far more dangerous than his quiet demeanor suggests. Rather than relying on brute force, he uses a precise and increasingly threatening exchange-based ability.
• War is characterized as aggressive and direct, while Plague is forced into a defensive struggle against the Tentacle Monster.
• The Tentacle Monster’s modified behavioral logic makes it a useful weapon: it automatically attacks violent Law fluctuations and refuses to retreat.

Significant Themes

• Death as a force created from collective catastrophe: Smog weaponizes the world’s mass casualties, turning abstract concepts into living entities.
• Natural laws made violent: Phenomena that normally operate silently and nurture the world become destructive when amplified by divine power.
• Law versus Law: The battles depend less on physical strength than on interactions between fundamental concepts—death, plague, destruction, trade, and natural phenomena.
• Strategy and adaptation: Chen Cheng survives not simply through strength but by identifying weaknesses, using allies, and analyzing unfamiliar abilities.
• The danger of unequal exchanges: Famine’s “Trade” represents exploitation disguised as fairness, gradually shifting the cost onto Chen Cheng.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Samlet coordinate their roles, with Samlet distracting Death while Chen Cheng prevents the other Horsemen from joining him.
• Chen Cheng and the Tentacle Monster: Chen Cheng manipulates the monster’s programmed instincts, directing its hostility toward Plague while staying out of its targeting logic.
• Tentacle Monster and Plague: Their confrontation becomes a stalemate between two nonphysical natural phenomena; Plague cannot destroy the monster, and the monster cannot overcome Plague.
• Chen Cheng and his Dao Lords: Within his Divine Domain and Kingdom, Lyka, Scorpion Lady, Snow Maiden, and the others gain enhanced status and fight as a coordinated unit against War.
• Chen Cheng and Famine: Their brief exchanges become an intellectual contest. Chen Cheng analyzes Famine’s scales and recognizes that continued “trades” could eventually cost him his life, leaving the conflict at a dangerous impasse.

Summary: “The Flaw in the Transaction”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Famine reveals that he recognizes Chen Cheng as more than an ordinary being, possibly identifying him as a divine remnant of the God of Light.
• Chen Cheng attacks Famine again, but Famine activates his Transaction Principle and returns him to his original position.
• Instead of panicking, Chen Cheng realizes that Famine’s power is governed by greed and an inherent demand for profitable transactions.
• Famine attempts further exchanges:
  • The Black Armor Shield is involved in one transaction.
  • Chen Cheng’s Lava Battle Armor is transferred to Famine.
  • Chen Cheng’s sense of fullness is exchanged for Famine’s black warhorse.
• Chen Cheng deduces that Famine cannot accept a truly fair transaction and will always seek an excessive profit.
• He deliberately offers increasingly valuable assets, exploiting Famine’s greed and forcing him into transactions that exceed the limits of his own principle.
• Finally, Chen Cheng offers everything he possesses. Famine refuses to pay an equivalent price, hoping to gain a huge reward for a small cost. This violates the Transaction Principle, causing Famine’s body to collapse and disappear.
• Because the warhorse, Black Armor Shield, and Lava Battle Armor were acquired through valid transactions, they remain after Famine’s destruction.
• Chen Cheng then turns his attention to the remaining War Horseman, who is battling Kui Niu and the others.
• Recognizing that War must be confronted with overwhelming violence, Chen Cheng attacks with a Lava Greatspear.
• Inside Chen Cheng’s Divine Kingdom, his power is greatly amplified. He activates the Five-Element Light Wheel and Absolute Domain, freezing time and space as the confrontation begins.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Demonstrates exceptional intelligence, composure, and strategic adaptability. Rather than overpowering Famine physically, he analyzes the logic of the Transaction Principle and turns Famine’s greed against him. He also discovers a broader method for defeating the Four Horsemen: exploiting contradictions within their governing principles.
• Famine: His confidence gives way to anger and desperation as Chen Cheng exposes the flaw in his power. His defining greed ultimately prevents him from accepting a fair exchange, leading directly to his destruction.
• War Horseman: Remains confident in his overwhelming combat ability and does not fear Chen Cheng’s direct challenge. He is still engaged with Kui Niu and the others when Chen Cheng intervenes.
• Kui Niu and allies: Continue resisting War under Lyka’s coordination. Their combined principles allow them to hold their ground within Chen Cheng’s Divine Kingdom.

Significant Themes

• Exploiting internal contradictions: Chen Cheng realizes that powerful beings governed by absolute principles can be defeated by forcing those principles into logical conflict.
• Greed and fairness: Famine’s Transaction Principle is not truly fair; it is based on extracting maximum profit. His inability to accept an equitable exchange becomes his fatal weakness.
• Intelligence over brute strength: Chen Cheng defeats a God Level opponent through deduction and manipulation rather than relying solely on force.
• The danger of absolute principles: Famine’s power is formidable, but its rigid nature makes it predictable and exploitable.
• Control of one’s domain: Chen Cheng’s Divine Kingdom gives him near-divine authority, allowing him to amplify his attacks and manipulate the surrounding laws.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Famine engage in a battle of wills and principles rather than a conventional physical fight.
• Chen Cheng verbally explains his deductions to Famine, effectively revealing that he has understood and dismantled the logic behind the Transaction Principle.
• Famine repeatedly attempts to manipulate Chen Cheng through forced exchanges, but Chen Cheng reverses the dynamic and makes Famine bear the consequences.
• After eliminating Famine, Chen Cheng joins the conflict against War Horseman alongside Kui Niu and the others, shifting the battle toward a new confrontation between violence and divine control.

Chapter Summary: “God Sovereign Appears Suddenly”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Within Chen Cheng’s Divine Kingdom, he uses the Five Elements Light Wheels and the kingdom’s natural advantages to freeze the War Horseman, despite the latter being a True God.
• Chen Cheng initially struggles to find a way to destroy the War Horseman’s Undefeated Body. Ordinary attacks are ineffective because the Four Horsemen are embodiments of laws and possess endless power within Karmak World.
• He realizes that the Primordial Magnetic Divine Light does not merely destroy physical materials; it corrupts the laws and divine essence within them. Since the Horsemen are fundamentally law-based entities, this power is especially effective against them.
• Chen Cheng repeatedly bombards the frozen War Horseman with the Primordial Magnetic Divine Light, causing his war-and-slaughter aura to wither until his form disperses.
• After rescuing Kui Niu and the others from the frozen battlefield, Chen Cheng joins Samlet against the Death Knight. Using the Sword of Kings’ Destruction Law, they destroy the Death Knight.
• The Plague Horseman is then eliminated with the help of the tentacled deep-sea monster, who restrains him while Chen Cheng and the others apply the same destructive method.
• With all four Horsemen defeated, the tentacled monster quietly returns to the sea. Chen Cheng jokingly calls after him, but receives no response.
• As Chen Cheng surveys the destruction of Dwarf City, the God Sovereign suddenly speaks to him telepathically. Chen Cheng realizes that he has already been contaminated or forcibly converted into the God Sovereign’s believer.
• The God Sovereign denies intending to harvest faith from Chen Cheng and his people. To demonstrate the vastness of his power, he creates an entire world inside a void simply by speaking commands such as “Let there be light” and “Let there be Life Rule.”

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng demonstrates the overwhelming authority of his Divine Kingdom and confirms that his confidence in facing the Four Horsemen is justified. He also proves capable of adapting when conventional attacks fail, identifying the Primordial Magnetic Divine Light as the key to destroying law-based entities.
• His victory is tempered by fear and uncertainty when the God Sovereign appears. Chen Cheng, who had seemed completely in control during the battle, becomes deeply unsettled after realizing he has been spiritually contaminated and possibly manipulated.
• Samlet remains a reliable combat ally, fighting alongside Chen Cheng to destroy the Death Knight and supporting him afterward when he appears shaken.
• The tentacled monster acts as an important but detached ally. He restrains the Plague Horseman, enabling the victory, then immediately withdraws without seeking recognition or thanks.
• The God Sovereign shifts from a distant threat into a direct, mysterious presence. He presents himself as affectionate and misunderstood rather than openly hostile, but his effortless world-creation reveals an immeasurable level of power.

Significant Themes

• Control versus destructive power: Chen Cheng’s strength comes not only from raw force but from controlling the environment of his Divine Kingdom.
• The nature of laws and divinity: The Four Horsemen are shown to be living manifestations or “artifacts” of laws rather than ordinary beings. This explains both their resilience and their vulnerability to law-corrupting power.
• The limits of conventional strength: Even imprisoning a True God is not enough; Chen Cheng must discover a specialized method capable of attacking the underlying laws that constitute the Horsemen.
• Power and perspective: The God Sovereign’s ability to create a world with a few words places Chen Cheng’s recent victory in perspective, emphasizing the enormous gap between them.
• Manipulation disguised as benevolence: The God Sovereign speaks gently and denies malicious intentions, but Chen Cheng’s forced conversion suggests that his “kindness” may conceal domination and control.
• Aftermath and responsibility: The ruined Dwarf City reminds Chen Cheng that battles between divine beings have devastating consequences for ordinary lands and civilizations.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and the War Horseman: Chen Cheng suppresses and destroys him through the combined use of his Divine Kingdom and Primordial Magnetic Divine Light.
• Chen Cheng and Samlet: They cooperate directly to defeat the Death Knight, combining Chen Cheng’s abilities with the Sword of Kings’ Destruction Law.
• Chen Cheng and the tentacled monster: The monster assists by restraining Plague, while Chen Cheng later jokingly calls out to him as he leaves.
• Chen Cheng and the God Sovereign: Their first direct mental exchange is unsettling rather than openly confrontational. The God Sovereign calls Chen Cheng “child,” denies his suspicions, and demonstrates his power by creating a living world from nothing.
• Chen Cheng and Samlet after the battle: Samlet notices Chen Cheng’s distress and tries to help, but Chen Cheng avoids him and withdraws to deal privately with the God Sovereign’s presence.

Chapter Summary: “The Unchanging Essence”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng challenges the God Lord’s claim that Faith is “salvation,” arguing that humanity should create a better future through its own efforts rather than depend on divine beings.
• To prove his point, the God Lord shows Chen Cheng an entire world’s evolution across thousands of years:
  • An intelligent species develops civilization, reaches extraordinary technological heights, and explores nearly all of its universe.
  • As the world evolves alongside its inhabitants, it eventually develops its own consciousness—a World Spirit or “Boltzmann Brain.”
  • The World Spirit’s instinct for survival causes it to view the intelligent race as parasites consuming its matter and energy, leading to the world’s destruction.
• Chen Cheng observes that the intelligent species was not morally wrong for using natural resources, noting that his own world had already developed methods to prevent nature from awakening into a hostile consciousness.
• Life eventually recovers, and the intelligent civilization succeeds in suppressing or dissolving the World Spirit. With Transcendent power emerging, the world reaches a new golden age and produces God-Level beings.
• A powerful extraterrestrial World Spirit then arrives and annihilates the world’s gods and civilizations. The God Lord explains that this is a Demon Spirit: a world-spirit-like entity driven purely by survival, which can destroy all life and become corrupted by the resentment left behind.
• Chen Cheng realizes that Faith is not truly about spiritual salvation. It represents allegiance: faithful worlds can receive protection from powerful gods against Demon Spirits, while uncooperative worlds may be threatened by divine or demonic invasions.
• The God Lord offers Chen Cheng a place in his Divine Kingdom after death, promising eternal bliss in exchange for devout Faith.
• Chen Cheng rejects the offer completely, condemning the God Lord and finally telling him to “Get lost.”

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng becomes increasingly defiant. Although he knows the God Lord could kill him, he openly voices his anger and refuses to submit.
• His understanding of the cosmic order deepens. He recognizes the genuine danger posed by Demon Spirits but refuses to accept Faith, obedience, or stagnation as the only solutions.
• Chen Cheng also develops a more nuanced view of civilization’s relationship with nature. He acknowledges the destructive consequences of unchecked resource exploitation while still defending the intelligent race’s right to survive.
• The God Lord is revealed as neither purely deceptive nor openly apologetic. He sincerely believes that divine control and postmortem bliss are acceptable solutions to mortal suffering.
• However, his silence when Chen Cheng describes Faith as coercive confirms that his “salvation” also functions as a system of control.

Significant Themes

• Faith versus self-determination: The chapter questions whether relying on gods for protection is salvation or submission.
• The cost of security: Divine protection may preserve worlds from destruction, but it risks eliminating independence, creativity, innovation, and vitality.
• Nature and civilization: The evolution of the World Spirit presents nature as a potential conscious force with interests opposed to civilization, complicating the idea of humanity’s moral responsibility toward the environment.
• Survival without morality: Demon Spirits are not evil in a conventional sense; they act according to instinct, illustrating how survival can produce catastrophic conflict without moral intention.
• Control through fear and reward: The God Lord’s system combines the threat of invasion and destruction with the promise of eternal bliss, functioning as both punishment and inducement.
• Resistance and dignity: Chen Cheng’s final outburst emphasizes his refusal to surrender his freedom, even when resistance may be dangerous or futile.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng directly confronts the God Lord, accusing him of interfering in mortal affairs while claiming indifference to the world.
• The God Lord responds by presenting the world’s history as evidence that mortals cannot safely manage cosmic dangers alone.
• Their discussion becomes an ideological conflict: the God Lord advocates protection through Faith, while Chen Cheng defends autonomy and human effort.
• Chen Cheng interprets the God Lord’s proposal as a bargain enforced through a “big stick and sweet date”—destruction for the disobedient and eternal bliss for believers.
• The God Lord offers Chen Cheng personal salvation, but Chen Cheng rejects both the offer and the worldview behind it with open contempt.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Chen Cheng finishes insulting the God Lord, he expects punishment or retaliation. Instead, the God Lord responds with pity and continued gentleness, warning that Chen Cheng’s world will eventually face a cruel end if its current path continues.
• Chen Cheng explains that the God Lord’s idea of preserving a world through a half-living, half-dead continuation feels like prolonging death rather than achieving salvation. Their disagreement stems from fundamentally different human and divine perspectives.
• The God Lord acknowledges that Chen Cheng cannot yet understand the world from a god’s point of view and hopes he will mature before the arrival of the Divine Court.
• Chen Cheng uses the opportunity to ask about the Divine Court, a powerful organization previously mentioned by Moon Celestial Venerable and another mysterious being.
• The God Lord explains that the Divine Court was the first civilization to solve the problem of its world’s true spirit. It then attempted to save other worlds, discovered that countless civilizations had already fallen to world-devouring Demon Spirits, and transformed the Grand Cosmos to prevent further disasters.
• Developed civilizations were expelled into the Outer Chaos, where they became independent Small Universes. This limited the growth of civilizations remaining in the Grand Cosmos and caused Demon Spirits to disappear from it.
• The Divine Court established authority over the resulting worlds and their True Gods. All True Gods were required to register with it and obey its laws, while the Divine Court helped suppress true-spirit disasters and preserve civilizations when necessary.
• Chen Cheng views the Divine Court favorably and mocks the God Lord’s comparatively crude system, even joking that he will report the God Lord to the Heavenly Emperor after joining the Celestial Register. The God Lord calmly welcomes the possibility.
• The God Lord abruptly leaves Chen Cheng and withdraws his forces from Karmak World. Michael and Gabriel stop restraining the God of Light and depart.
• The God of Light remains behind to repair the damage to Karmak World, whose cracks could allow chaotic Gods and Devils to invade.
• The God Lord later orders Michael and Gabriel to take his Faith to the front lines under a new Divine Court conscription order. The Heavenly Emperor’s Edict brands the order onto them, and they obey.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Demonstrates courage, defiance, and growing confidence in speaking to vastly more powerful beings. Although he remains committed to a human understanding of death and salvation, he begins learning about the larger cosmic structure and the Divine Court.
• The God Lord: Reveals himself as patient, compassionate, and emotionally restrained rather than vengeful. He sees Chen Cheng as immature but potentially capable of understanding divine perspectives in the future. His meaningful smile suggests that Chen Cheng’s favorable judgment of the Divine Court may later prove incomplete or misguided.
• The God of Light: Shows responsibility toward Karmak World by staying behind to repair its damaged foundations rather than pursuing the departing forces.
• Michael and Gabriel: Remain obedient servants of the God Lord and the Divine Court, accepting both his withdrawal order and the later conscription command.

Significant Themes

• Human versus divine perspectives: Chen Cheng and the God Lord interpret death, salvation, and the future of civilization in completely different ways.
• The meaning of salvation: Preservation or prolonged existence may seem like salvation to gods, but to humans it can resemble an extended form of death.
• Cosmic order versus individual worlds: The Divine Court represents a vast administrative system designed to control civilizations, True Gods, and existential threats across the cosmos.
• Limits of understanding: Chen Cheng’s confident judgments reflect his incomplete knowledge, while the God Lord’s smile hints that the truth behind the Divine Court is more complicated than its benevolent description.
• Duty and sacrifice: The God Lord’s forces withdraw from Karmak World to serve the wider cosmic conflict, while the God of Light remains to protect and repair his world.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and the God Lord: Their conversation is respectful despite Chen Cheng’s insults. Chen Cheng challenges the God Lord’s philosophy, while the God Lord responds with pity and patience rather than anger.
• Chen Cheng and the Divine Court: Chen Cheng becomes curious about the organization and quickly assumes it is more systematic and legitimate than the God Lord’s methods.
• The God Lord and Michael/Gabriel: He releases them from Karmak World and later commands them to serve on the front lines under the Divine Court’s authority.
• The God of Light and Karmak World: After the others leave, he takes responsibility for repairing the world’s lingering fractures and preventing further invasion.

Summary: “Dispatching Troops”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After recovering from the God Lord’s attempted influence, Chen Cheng confirms that no foreign power remains within his body or Divine Domain.
• Samlet and the others formally kneel and present him with the Sword of Kings, symbolizing Chen Cheng’s acceptance of the role of national leader and the beginning of the campaign to restore the old nation.
• Chen Cheng accepts the sword and its political consequences. The weapon’s Absolute Destruction Law resonates with his Five-Element Treasure Body, further increasing his strength.
• He organizes the coming military campaign:
  • Chen Cheng becomes Grand Marshal.
  • Ye Rong serves as field commandant and directs battlefield operations.
  • Zhixin oversees logistics and supply coordination while remaining Chen Cheng’s deputy.
  • She Li is sent back to Wisdom Shield with Liphia to coordinate the agreed-upon timing of the western and northern offensives.
• Chen Cheng plans a simultaneous attack from the west and north, intending to encircle the five kingdoms’ main army beyond the Northern Frontier and decide the fate of the world in one decisive battle.
• Using the power of the World Heart, Chen Cheng shifts the Great Wall millions of miles back to the Northern Frontier.
• The Northern Frontier is now capable of supporting a major war effort. Fertile land, improved agriculture, mage-assisted production, firearms, military formations, and Beastfolk troops have created a large and well-organized army.
• When the appointed time arrives, Chen Cheng leads roughly one million soldiers out of the Northern Frontier. Rather than delivering an inspirational speech, he simply orders, “The entire army, advance!”
• In the five kingdoms’ joint camp, news of Smog’s death throws the leadership into panic. Their elite forces had been largely sacrificed during Smog’s failed attempt to kill Chen Cheng, and many Legendary figures were consumed as materials for the God Lord’s summoning.
• The rulers realize that their military formation is severely weakened and that Chen Cheng’s cannon units pose a devastating threat. They debate surrender, resistance, and the use of hidden weapons and magical equipment.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Fully accepts the responsibility of restoring the nation and leading the world’s resistance against the God Lord. He moves from personal uncertainty toward decisive leadership, trusting the army and the cause rather than relying on rhetoric.
• Samlet: Becomes one of the first to formally acknowledge Chen Cheng as sovereign by presenting him with the Sword of Kings.
• Ye Rong and Zhixin: Receive clearly defined senior military roles, showing Chen Cheng’s confidence in their abilities and the campaign’s organized structure.
• She Li: Is entrusted with coordinating the northern and western troop movements, indicating his importance in the broader strategy.
• The five kingdoms’ rulers: Their confidence collapses after Smog’s defeat. Their earlier ambition gives way to fear, self-justification, and desperation as they confront the possibility of annihilation.

Significant Themes

• Acceptance of responsibility and destiny: By taking the Sword of Kings, Chen Cheng accepts the political and moral burden of restoring the nation.
• Leadership through conviction rather than rhetoric: Chen Cheng believes the soldiers already understand the importance of the campaign, so he leads through decisive action instead of empty speeches.
• Collective effort and modernization: The Northern Frontier’s strength comes from integrated agriculture, magic, firearms, military formations, and cooperation among different races and groups.
• The collapse of political ambition: The five kingdoms’ leaders recognize that their pursuit of power blinded them to the larger threat and left them vulnerable to Smog.
• Consequences of manipulation and betrayal: Smog’s scheme sacrifices nearly half the continent’s Legendary forces, revealing the catastrophic cost of allowing personal ambition and deception to guide political decisions.

Important Character Interactions

• Samlet and the assembled leaders kneel before Chen Cheng and offer him the Sword of Kings, formally transforming him from a powerful individual into the recognized leader of the restoration movement.
• Chen Cheng assigns Ye Rong, Zhixin, and She Li their respective duties, establishing a coordinated chain of command.
• Chen Cheng’s silent confidence contrasts with the anxiety and infighting among the rulers of the five kingdoms.
• The five kings and leaders criticize their own earlier decisions, but their apparent self-reflection is shown to be motivated less by genuine understanding than by fear of Chen Cheng’s coming attack.
• The rulers discuss using concealed magical equipment and other final defenses, particularly in response to the destructive cannon units that devastated them during the previous Northern Expedition.

Chapter Summary: “Waiting”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The rulers of the five nations reflect on the catastrophic failure of the First Northern Expedition. They realize that the decisive factor was not merely poor coordination or Chen Cheng’s alliance with the Orcs, but the Northern Frontier Army’s overwhelming artillery.
• Their traditional military formations, even those capable of resisting Legendary Forbidden Spells, proved helpless against sustained bombardment from modern howitzers using smokeless powder, TNT, and RDX.
• The rulers conclude that artillery’s main weakness is its vulnerability. Without a defensive formation, artillery crews are ordinary soldiers who can supposedly be overrun by a swift attack.
• Chen Cheng’s Northern Frontier Army begins marching south, while Jamir’s actions prevent the five nations from retreating. The rulers decide to mobilize their forces and appoint Hisslaj as commander-in-chief of the Five-Nation Allied Army.
• Hisslaj had previously been arrested as a suspected traitor because Samlet infiltrated the army through his recommendation. However, his military expertise leads to his release and promotion once the allied army needs a capable commander.
• Hisslaj learns that the previous army was completely annihilated and understands that he has been appointed to face Chen Cheng’s advancing forces during the allied nations’ final crisis.
• More than ten million allied troops begin moving across the battlefield. When the Orc vanguard appears, the Northern Frontier Army’s artillery opens fire from behind the allied forces.
• The bombardment lasts several minutes, overwhelming the allied army’s defensive formation. Once the barrier collapses, artillery shells tear through soldiers and their Magic Armor, killing them in huge numbers.
• The shelling abruptly stops, but the Orcs immediately charge. The already-shaken defensive line collapses under the Beastfolk assault.
• After suffering heavy casualties while trying to locate the artillery, the allied commanders follow Hisslaj’s strategy: retreat to draw the enemy forward, then use the army’s two wings to encircle the Orc vanguard and destroy it.

Character Developments

• Hisslaj emerges as the only remaining Legendary Attendant trusted to command a massive army. Despite being treated as a traitor, he accepts his new position without resentment and focuses on organizing the desperate allied forces.
• The rulers of the five nations shift from disbelief and panic toward coordinated action, recognizing that their old methods are inadequate against modern artillery.
• The King of Engla reacts angrily to the worsening situation, emphasizing that Chen Cheng’s offensive and Jamir’s pressure have left the allied nations with no avenue of retreat.
• The King of Como is emotionally devastated by Smog’s death and remains withdrawn, suggesting the collapse of his confidence and spirit.
• Chen Cheng is portrayed as relentless and determined to destroy his enemies without giving them time to recover.

Significant Themes

• Technological superiority and military transformation: Artillery overturns centuries of battlefield doctrine, demonstrating how a generational gap in weapons can make traditional magic and formations nearly useless.
• The helplessness of massed forces: Even an army of millions becomes vulnerable when its defenses are broken, reducing soldiers to targets awaiting destruction.
• Desperation and adaptation: The five nations must abandon old assumptions and rely on Hisslaj’s new tactics to survive.
• The cost of political failure: Betrayal, infighting, and earlier strategic mistakes leave the allied nations divided and unprepared for the Northern Frontier Army’s assault.
• Waiting and psychological terror: The soldiers’ experience under the bombardment is depicted as prolonged helplessness, with each moment feeling like a countdown to death.

Character Interactions

• The rulers debate how to counter artillery and agree that its unprotected crews could be attacked directly.
• The ruler of Chamo proposes giving command to Hisslaj, while the other rulers reluctantly accept that he is the only suitable commander remaining.
• Hisslaj’s previous arrest is reversed when the allied nations need his leadership, creating an ironic contrast between political suspicion and military dependence.
• The allied commanders follow Hisslaj’s instructions after the artillery attack, retreating and arranging a double-wing encirclement of the Orc vanguard.
• The Northern Frontier Army’s artillery and the Orc forces operate in coordination: artillery first destroys the defensive formation, then the Orcs exploit the resulting chaos with a direct charge.

Chapter Summary: “Dimensional Strike”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hisslaj correctly identifies the Northern Frontier Army’s weakness: it lacks enough top-tier combatants and is heavily outnumbered by the Five-Nation Allied Army. He plans to exploit the numerical advantage by concentrating forces and destroying the Northern Frontier Army’s units before its powerful experts can turn the battle.
• Ye Rong recognizes this strategy and counters by using elite Great Wall Army troops to protect the artillery, while deploying Legendary fighters such as San Long for rapid battlefield support.
• Chen Cheng orders an end to the attritional fighting. He instructs the Northern Frontier Army to use Legendary experts for decapitation strikes, aiming to destroy enemy command structures and end the war immediately.
• Ye Rong orders Sinister to prepare and launch ballistic missiles based on coordinates supplied by the Intelligence Office. He also tells the generals to prepare for the enemy’s surrender, declaring that the war is nearly over.
• Modong’s Intelligence Office activates hidden agents and transmits precise enemy coordinates through Conch Voice Transmission. Missile operators calibrate their weapons and launch more than one hundred magic-assisted ballistic missiles.
• The missiles travel thousands of li at supersonic speeds, combining advanced technology with magic-based guidance and trajectory correction. Hisslaj attempts to intercept them but cannot catch up.
• The first missile barrage strikes the allied main camp. The thermobaric warheads create enormous explosions, killing or incapacitating nearly everyone in the area through extreme heat, shockwaves, and oxygen deprivation. Even fortified positions offer little protection.
• Many high-ranking survivors, including the Kings of the five nations, endure because of secret treasures or guardian artifacts, but the allied army’s command structure is effectively destroyed.
• Wisdom Shield launches a second missile barrage using the same intelligence. Precision-guided attacks eliminate most of the remaining organized forces and command personnel.
• Hisslaj accepts that the war is lost. He evacuates the five kings and tells King Como that he can no longer remain at his side, offering to stay behind and buy time for the king’s retreat.

Character Developments

• Hisslaj is shown to be strategically capable, accurately diagnosing the numerical imbalance and designing a logical battlefield plan. However, his calculations fail against the Northern Frontier’s overwhelming technological advantage. His final decision to remain behind demonstrates loyalty and willingness to sacrifice himself.
• Ye Rong proves to be a highly responsive commander. He quickly detects Hisslaj’s strategy, organizes defensive countermeasures, and efficiently carries out Chen Cheng’s orders.
• Chen Cheng takes his first major command action in the war. Calm and decisive, he understands that ballistic missile technology has changed the conflict from a conventional battle into an overwhelming “dimensional strike.”
• Sinister functions as the operational commander for the missile deployment, supervising launch preparation and ordering the barrage without hesitation.
• Modong’s Intelligence Office demonstrates the effectiveness of its intelligence network by rapidly gathering and transmitting accurate enemy coordinates.
• Wisdom Shield emerges as a major military and technological force, independently using its newly developed missiles to complete the decapitation campaign.

Significant Themes

• Technological superiority overwhelming traditional power: The missiles render numerical advantage, powerful individuals, fortifications, and conventional assumptions about artillery range almost meaningless.
• The transformation of warfare: The chapter marks the first battlefield use of ballistic missile technology in the era, signaling a shift from combat dominated by individual experts to industrialized, long-range destruction.
• Intelligence and coordination: The success of the attack depends on the cooperation of spies, communication networks, engineers, missile operators, and commanders.
• The limits of strategy against revolutionary weapons: Hisslaj’s plan is sound within the framework of conventional warfare, but it becomes irrelevant once the Northern Frontier can destroy distant command centers instantly.
• Loyalty and sacrifice: Hisslaj’s farewell to King Como emphasizes personal devotion and the willingness to sacrifice even after military defeat.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Ye Rong: Chen Cheng issues the decisive order to abandon attrition and pursue decapitation strikes; Ye Rong immediately obeys and implements the plan.
• Ye Rong and Sinister: Ye Rong directly assigns Sinister responsibility for missile launches and target coordination.
• Modong’s Intelligence Office and the missile units: The Intelligence Office provides the coordinates that make the strikes precise and effective.
• Sinister and Wisdom Shield: Both launch separate missile waves using shared intelligence, with Wisdom Shield’s second strike finishing off surviving command forces.
• Hisslaj and the Five Kings: After witnessing the destruction of the allied army, Hisslaj personally leads the kings away and informs them that the war is lost.
• Hisslaj and King Como: Hisslaj bows to Como and announces that he will remain behind to delay the enemy, creating an emotional moment of loyalty amid the collapse of the alliance.