Chapter Summary: “Spreading Dao throughout the World, Taking a Foolish Disciple”

Plot Points and Events

• Qin Yang reflects on the long-term consequences of the Three Heavenly Emperors’ restrictions. Most ancient scriptures and secret arts have been lost, while the surviving inheritances are difficult or impossible to cultivate.
• He realizes that humanity’s declining number of powerful cultivators is not accidental but the result of a highly effective long-term scheme. However, this weakness also presents him with an opportunity: rather than conquer the world through violence, he can spread Dao and cultivate allies among ordinary humans.
• Qin Yang and Zhang Zhengyi travel to a human settlement in the Silver Moon World, where survivors live underground near fire veins to avoid Yin Spirits and ghosts.
• They find a vicious ghost strangling a teenage boy. The boy is the ghost’s younger brother and refuses to use a talisman that could destroy him, believing his brother still recognizes him.
• Qin Yang strengthens the talisman and gives the boy the choice to kill the ghost or die. The boy refuses repeatedly and is eventually strangled to death.
• Qin Yang revives the boy using Cone Incense and True Essence. He explains that the ghost has lost all reason and cannot be restored through emotional attachment.
• The boy, Chu Ye, reveals that the ghost was his brother, who died thirteen days earlier and transformed into a mindless vicious ghost.
• Qin Yang performs a simple rite on the brother’s corpse using Spirit Incense. The corpse is purified, and the vicious ghost disappears, allowing the dead brother to proceed to the World of the Dead with his identity and memories intact.
• Impressed by Chu Ye’s sincerity and nature, Qin Yang accepts him as a disciple. Although offered the chance to learn almost anything, Chu Ye chooses to learn funeral rites and methods for guiding the dead.
• Zhang Zhengyi questions Qin Yang’s decision to accept such an ordinary and seemingly foolish disciple. Qin Yang explains that while talented and clever disciples would readily seek him out, Chu Ye’s sincerity and lack of scheming make him more appealing.

Character Development

• Qin Yang: Becomes increasingly focused on long-term plans and the restoration of humanity’s lost Dao inheritances. He rejects violent conquest, preferring to build genuine relationships and spread knowledge. His handling of Chu Ye shows both his compassion and his willingness to test people through difficult choices.
• Chu Ye: Demonstrates deep loyalty, compassion, and stubborn devotion to his deceased brother. He would rather die than personally destroy him, even after learning that the ghost is no longer mentally the same person. His sincerity earns Qin Yang’s approval and leads to his becoming Qin Yang’s first—or at least newest—disciple.
• Zhang Zhengyi: Remains flippant and detached toward life and death, initially treating the crisis as entertainment. However, Qin Yang’s question about whether he would kill Qin Yang if he became a mindless evil creature briefly silences him, revealing a deeper emotional bond between them.
• Chu Ye’s Brother: His transformation illustrates the tragic fate of humans who become vicious ghosts: death erases their reason, memories, and emotional connections, leaving only destructive instinct.

Significant Themes

• The loss and preservation of knowledge: The restrictions imposed by the Three Heavenly Emperors have caused ancient inheritances to disappear, threatening humanity’s future. Qin Yang sees restoring and spreading Dao as a way to reverse this decline.
• Compassion versus attachment: Chu Ye’s refusal to destroy his brother comes from love, but Qin Yang shows that blind attachment cannot restore someone who has become a mindless ghost.
• The proper path after death: Qin Yang emphasizes that the dead should enter the World of the Dead with their memories intact rather than remain as monstrous, corrupted spirits.
• Sincerity over talent: Qin Yang values Chu Ye’s honest and uncomplicated nature more than exceptional aptitude or intelligence. His “foolishness” is portrayed as freedom from ambition, manipulation, and calculation.
• Building rather than conquering: Qin Yang wants to spread Dao and create allies through teaching rather than ruling through fear and slaughter.

Character Interactions

• Qin Yang deliberately lets Chu Ye face the choice of killing his brother, forcing him to confront the difference between emotional love and objective reality.
• Zhang Zhengyi acts as a contrast to both Qin Yang’s compassion and Chu Ye’s devotion, joking about death while still revealing that Qin Yang’s question affects him.
• Qin Yang and Chu Ye’s relationship begins through an act of mercy: Qin Yang saves Chu Ye, preserves his brother’s dignity, and then accepts him as a disciple.
• Qin Yang’s decision to take Chu Ye as a student reflects his broader goal of spreading Dao throughout the world, beginning with someone whose sincerity and moral character matter more to him than natural talent.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Yang and Chu Ye begin their master-disciple relationship.
• Qin Yang teaches Chu Ye basic cultivation methods and other skills.
• Qin Yang leaves Chu Ye with a protective talisman and a Clone for further teaching.
• Qin Yang and Zhang Zhengyi continue exploring the Silver Moon World, discovering a nested tomb.

Character Developments

• Chu Ye: Grows from a naive, inexperienced youth to a more aware and cautious cultivator under Qin Yang's guidance.
• Qin Yang: Shows his nurturing side as a master, but also reveals his tough and perceptive nature through his Clone.
• Zhang Zhengyi: Demonstrates his professionalism and expertise in finding and exploring ancient tombs.

Significant Themes

• Fate and Opportunity: Qin Yang accepts Chu Ye as a disciple due to fate, and Chu Ye seizes the opportunity to learn from Qin Yang.
• Growth and Change: Chu Ye's growth is emphasized, showing his development from a naive youth to a more aware cultivator.
• Power and Perception: Qin Yang's Clone teaches Chu Ye about the true nature of power and perception, emphasizing the importance of understanding and respecting one's master.

Character Interactions

• Qin Yang and Chu Ye: Their master-disciple relationship is established, with Qin Yang teaching and guiding Chu Ye, and Chu Ye showing respect and dedication to his master.
• Qin Yang and Zhang Zhengyi: They continue their exploration of the Silver Moon World together, with Zhang Zhengyi leading Qin Yang to various ancient tombs.
• Qin Yang's Clone and Chu Ye: The Clone reveals Qin Yang's true intentions and expectations for Chu Ye, teaching him about the nature of power and perception.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Yang discovers that the talismans correspond to powerful individuals, including Big Mouth and You Wu, who were Dead Spirits in the World of the Dead.
• He concludes that the Nested Mausoleum under them is the most important in the Silver Moon World, likely containing the Fengdu Great Emperor's corpse.
• Qin Yang sends a Clone into the mausoleum, which encounters the Fengdu Great Emperor's Corpse. The Clone reports that the World of the Dead has appeared and that Tai Hao and Fu Jun are involved.

Character Developments

• Qin Yang shows his strategic thinking and caution, weighing the risks before sending a Clone.
• Zhang Zhengyi demonstrates his power and knowledge by adding various vicious methods to Qin Yang's Clone.
• The Fengdu Great Emperor's Corpse is revealed to be powerful and aware, reacting to the Clone's presence.

Significant Themes

• The power of the Fengdu Great Emperor and the significance of his corpse.
• The connection between the World of the Dead and the living world.
• The potential danger and rewards of exploring the mausoleum.

Character Interactions

• Qin Yang and Zhang Zhengyi work together, with Qin Yang making strategic decisions and Zhang Zhengyi providing support with his power.
• Qin Yang's Clone interacts with the Fengdu Great Emperor's Corpse, relaying information about the World of the Dead and Tai Hao's involvement.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Yang's Clone infiltrates Fengdu Great Emperor's tomb and discovers that the Corpse has consciousness, possibly not the real Fengdu Great Emperor.
• Qin Yang meets the Fengdu Great Emperor, who reveals he has a trick to avoid being delivered, called 'Eternal Vigil'.
• Qin Yang can't deliver or Rebirth the Fengdu Great Emperor due to the Eternal Vigil trick.
• Qin Yang loots and destroys the Land of Eternal Slumber and takes the coffin.

Character Developments

• Qin Yang: Maintains composure despite realizing he can't deliver or Rebirth Fengdu Great Emperor. Loots and destroys the Land of Eternal Slumber.
• Fengdu Great Emperor: Reveals his trick to avoid being delivered. Seems willing to Rebirth but can't due to his trick.

Significant Themes

• The power of Mystical Powers and their limitations.
• The consequences of one's actions and the unintended results they may have.
• The struggle between Qin Yang's goals and the obstacles he faces.

Character Interactions

• Qin Yang and Fengdu Great Emperor: Qin Yang tries to Rebirth Fengdu Great Emperor, but the Eternal Vigil trick prevents it. They leave the tomb together.
• Qin Yang and Zhang Zhengyi: Qin Yang throws Zhang Zhengyi out of the tomb to study it and then puts away the Mausoleum.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Yang realizes that the Fengdu Great Emperor had divided himself into ten parts, similar to the Heavenly Emperor's Ten High Priests, to circumvent World of the Dead rules.
• Fengdu Great Emperor tasks Qin Yang with helping the Human Race Divine Dynasty against the Ten Directions Realm, giving him a token for assistance.
• Fengdu Great Emperor, now awake and clear-minded, expresses his support for Fu Jun's plan and advises Qin Yang about cultivation not being about righteousness.
• Qin Yang retrieves a floor tile with ten Talismans and shares it with Zhang Zhengyi for research.
• Qin Yang allows the black Great Ghost carrying Fengdu Great Emperor's coffin to pass through the Hu Liang fragment.
• The black Great Ghost arrives at Tai Hao Hu Liang, where the Fengdu Great Emperor kills the female cultivator who had been possessing Tai Hao's body, sending her to the World of the Dead.

Character Developments

• Qin Yang: Realizes the truth about the Fengdu Great Emperor's division and his true intentions. He also understands the importance of cultivating one's character and not just power.
• Fengdu Great Emperor: Shows his true self, supporting Fu Jun's plan and advising Qin Yang. He displays his power by killing the female cultivator possessing Tai Hao's body.
• Female Cultivator (Tai Hao's possessor): Is killed by Fengdu Great Emperor and sent to the World of the Dead.

Significant Themes

• Power and its consequences: Both Qin Yang and Fengdu Great Emperor understand the implications of power and the shackles that come with it, especially the position of the Heavenly Emperor.
• Selfishness vs. Righteousness: Fengdu Great Emperor criticizes the female cultivator for being too selfish and forgetting the ultimate goal, emphasizing the importance of righteousness in cultivation.
• Division of power: The Heavenly Emperor and Fengdu Great Emperor both divide their power, creating ten High Priests and ten parts of themselves, respectively, to achieve their goals.

Character Interactions

• Qin Yang and Fengdu Great Emperor: Qin Yang interacts with the awake and clear-minded Fengdu Great Emperor, learning about his true intentions and receiving his advice.
• Fengdu Great Emperor and the Female Cultivator: Fengdu Great Emperor kills the female cultivator who had been possessing Tai Hao's body, sending her to the World of the Dead.
• Qin Yang and the Experts from the Great Wilderness: Qin Yang asks the experts to let the black Great Ghost carrying Fengdu Great Emperor's coffin pass through the Hu Liang fragment.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Fengdu Great Emperor divides himself into ten parts, emulating the Heavenly Emperor's division of authority, and enters the Land of Eternal Slumber, awaiting his parts' Awakening.
• One of the Awakened parts, a female cultivator, never opens the Land of Eternal Slumber, leading to the Fengdu Great Emperor's decision to erase her existence.
• The Fengdu Great Emperor leaves the Tai Hao World, instructing Black Face to follow Qin Yang, and sending his eyelids (used as material for Black Face's Ghost Banner) with him.

Character Developments

• The Fengdu Great Emperor reflects on his actions and realizes the futility of his division, acknowledging his own selfishness as the root cause.
• Black Face, the Black Face strongman, demonstrates his loyalty by following the Fengdu Great Emperor's last order to join Qin Yang.
• Qin Yang, after learning about the Fengdu Great Emperor's division and Black Face's Ghost Banner, realizes the true material of the banner and the second layer of the Fengdu Great Emperor's plan.

Significant Themes

• Selfishness and its consequences: The Fengdu Great Emperor's division and the female cultivator's actions are driven by selfishness, leading to tragic outcomes.
• The burden of power and the inability to let go: The stronger the cultivator, the heavier the shackles and constraints they face, as seen in the Fengdu Great Emperor's situation.
• The influence of the past on the present: The Fengdu Great Emperor's actions and their consequences continue to affect the present, shaping the decisions of Black Face and Qin Yang.

Character Interactions

• The Fengdu Great Emperor and the female cultivator: Their relationship is complex, with the Great Emperor ultimately deciding to erase her existence due to her selfishness.
• The Fengdu Great Emperor and Black Face: The Great Emperor shows gratitude for Black Face's loyalty, instructing him to follow Qin Yang and sending his eyelids with him.
• Qin Yang and Black Face: Qin Yang accepts Black Face into his fold, and upon examining Black Face's Ghost Banner, realizes the true material and the Fengdu Great Emperor's second layer plan.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Yang, now a ghost, reflects on the nature of ghosts and the World of the Dead.
• He observes his disciple, Chu Ye, Deliverancing ghosts in an unusual manner.
• Qin Yang experiments with Deliverancing a ghost himself and decides to try it on a Ghost King.
• He successfully Deliverances the cowardly Ghost King, sending him to the World of the Dead.

Character Developments

• Qin Yang: Realizes the unique nature of ghosts and their potential connection to the World of the Dead. He becomes more involved in helping ghosts and Deliverancing them.
• Chu Ye: Shows dedication and persistence in Deliverancing ghosts, even in dangerous situations.
• Cowardly Ghost King: Initially fearful and submissive, he cooperates with Qin Yang's Deliverance and is sent to the World of the Dead.

Significant Themes

• The nature of ghosts and their connection to the World of the Dead.
• The potential for ghosts to be Deliveranced and sent to the World of the Dead.
• Qin Yang's evolving role as a helper and guide to ghosts.

Character Interactions

• Qin Yang observes Chu Ye from a distance, admiring his dedication but worrying about his obsession.
• Qin Yang interacts with the cowardly Ghost King, convincing him to cooperate in the Deliverance experiment.
• Qin Yang communicates with the World of the Dead's Twelve Masters in his dream, seeking their assistance.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Yang attempts to contact the reclusive Dream Master to reach the Twelve Masters but fails.
• The Cowardly Ghost King delivers Qin Yang's letter to the Dao Sect Grandmaster, who replies with a restricted inheritance, the Purple Firmament Dao Scripture.
• Qin Yang sends a reply, requesting more restricted methods for mutual destruction.
• The Dao Sect Grandmaster and geniuses discuss the mysterious Drift Bottle that delivered Qin Yang's letters.
• Qin Yang returns to the Great Wilderness and discovers that the Sacred Tree is an Immortal Herb seeking Twelve's help. He agrees to assist it.

Character Developments

• Qin Yang remains determined to spread the Dao and seek powerful methods to counter the Heavenly Emperor.
• The Dao Sect Grandmaster is willing to provide an inheritance but is secretive about it.
• The Sacred Tree reveals self-awareness and seeks Twelve's help to regain its Immortal Herb form.

Significant Themes

• The struggle for power and influence between Qin Yang and the Heavenly Emperor.
• The importance of inheritances and restricted methods in the cultivation world.
• The relationship between Qin Yang and the Sacred Tree, with Qin Yang showing compassion towards it.

Character Interactions

• Qin Yang and the Dao Sect Grandmaster exchange letters through the Drift Bottle, showcasing their mutual respect and willingness to cooperate.
• Qin Yang interacts with the Sacred Tree, showing kindness and understanding towards it, while also gaining its loyalty.
• Twelve acts as a mediator between Qin Yang and the Sacred Tree, fostering their relationship.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Yang discovers the Sacred Tree's improved spirituality and considers it might develop self-awareness.
• He learns about the various worlds connected to Hu Liang fragments and their power levels.
• Qin Yang teaches the Sacred Tree to create a Spirit Gathering Array to draw power peacefully.
• He travels to different Hu Liang fragments, refining them and marking their power levels.
• Qin Yang encounters a Heavenly Tribulation in a new world and withstands eight tribulation lightnings, including a Yin-Yang Thunder Tribulation.

Character Developments

• Qin Yang shows his patience and tolerance in facing the Heavenly Tribulation, demonstrating his resolve to spread love and peace.
• The Sacred Tree shows increased intelligence and cooperation with Qin Yang's plans.

Significant Themes

• The importance of patience and perseverance in the face of adversity (Qin Yang withstanding the Heavenly Tribulation).
• The symbiotic relationship between cultivators and the world (the Sacred Tree learning to draw power peacefully).
• The interconnectedness of different worlds and their power levels (the various Hu Liang fragments and their corresponding worlds).

Character Interactions

• Qin Yang interacts with the Sacred Tree, teaching it and guiding its growth.
• He communicates with the Heavenly Tribulation, trying to reason with it, showing a unique form of interaction.
• Qin Yang encounters strongmen from a new world, who watch him from afar as he faces the Heavenly Tribulation.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Yang arrives in the Incense Realm, targeted by the realm and struck by lightning twice.
• He meets Mo Xiang, Sect Master of the Containing Incense Sect, who is frightened by Qin Yang's appearance.
• Qin Yang encounters Da Shen, Sect Master of the Han Shen Sect, who was previously chasing after Little Seventh.
• Qin Yang offers a large piece of Divine Wood as compensation for Little Seventh's actions, smoothing things over with Da Shen.

Character Developments

• Qin Yang: Shows politeness and sincerity in dealing with Da Shen, using gifts to smooth over conflicts.
• Little Seventh: Grows from a child to a young woman, maintains her mischievous nature.
• Da Shen: Initially arrogant and aggressive, becomes more accommodating after Qin Yang's sincere apology and generous gift.

Significant Themes

• The power dynamics and politics within the Incense Realm.
• The importance of sincerity and politeness in smoothing over conflicts.
• The value of gifts and compensation in maintaining relationships.

Character Interactions

• Qin Yang and Mo Xiang: Qin Yang politely asks Mo Xiang to lead the way, showing respect for his position.
• Qin Yang and Da Shen: Qin Yang uses politeness and a generous gift to smooth over the conflict between Little Seventh and Da Shen.
• Little Seventh and Da Shen: Their previous conflict is resolved through Qin Yang's intervention.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Yang visits the Han Shen Sect, seeking to establish friendly relations and share resources.
• He reveals that the Great Wilderness has unified and is expanding, led by the Great Ying Divine Dynasty, but they respect the autonomy of sects.
• Qin Yang expresses his intention to find suitable successors for the Dao Sect's predecessors in the Incense Realm.

Character Developments

• Qin Yang: Shows diplomatic skills, honesty, and a desire to help the Incense Realm cultivators improve their world.
• Mo Xiang and Da Shen: Initially wary of Qin Yang's intentions, they become more trusting after his explanations.
• Little Seventh: Stays close to Qin Yang, acting as his guide and assistant.

Significant Themes

• Friendship and Alliance: Qin Yang seeks to establish a friendly relationship with the Han Shen Sect and the Incense Realm cultivators.
• Resource Sharing: Qin Yang offers Divine Wood from the Sacred Tree to help the Han Shen Sect's cultivation.
• Inheritance and Succession: Qin Yang's search for suitable successors emphasizes the importance of passing on knowledge and power.

Character Interactions

• Qin Yang and Da Shen: They engage in polite and respectful conversation, with Da Shen expressing his admiration for Little Seventh's intelligence and cleverness.
• Qin Yang and Mo Xiang: Mo Xiang asks Qin Yang about the possibility of leaving the Incense Realm, and Qin Yang explains the situation in the Great Wilderness.
• Qin Yang and Little Seventh: They travel together, with Little Seventh acting as a guide and Qin Yang treating her kindly.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Yang, a cultivator nearing the end of his lifespan, meets Wen Xu, a fellow cultivator who has also given up on further advancement.
• Qin Yang settles near Wen Xu's residence, and they become neighbors.
• Qin Yang discovers the "Heartless Treasure Scripture," a cultivation method that emphasizes foundation building and has complete advancement methods before the Dao Lord stage.
• Qin Yang and Wen Xu discuss the scripture, with Qin Yang suggesting it could change their lives, while Wen Xu remains skeptical.
• Qin Yang and Wen Xu spend a year together, with Qin Yang cooking mortal food and Wen Xu cultivating diligently but without much progress.
• As winter approaches, both Qin Yang and Wen Xu know their end is near. Little Seventh finds the "Heartless Treasure Scripture," and they briefly examine it.
• On the eve of the first snowfall, Wen Xu expresses a desire to eat tofu brains with Youtiao, marking his acceptance of his impending death.

Character Developments

• Qin Yang: Qin Yang is an experienced cultivator nearing the end of his lifespan. He is open-minded, curious, and willing to consider new cultivation methods. He enjoys the simple pleasures of mortal life, such as cooking and eating good food. He is also willing to share his knowledge with others, as seen in his discussion of the Heartless Treasure Scripture with Wen Xu.
• Wen Xu: Wen Xu is a cultivator who has given up on further advancement due to his lack of talent. He is content with his life and accepts his fate, focusing on cultivating diligently but realistically. He is open and generous, inviting Qin Yang into his residence and becoming close friends with him. However, he remains skeptical of the Heartless Treasure Scripture and ultimately chooses to accept his death peacefully.

Significant Themes

• Acceptance of Fate: Both Qin Yang and Wen Xu have accepted that their cultivation journey has come to an end. They each deal with this acceptance in their own way, with Qin Yang exploring new cultivation methods and Wen Xu focusing on his daily cultivation and enjoying simple pleasures.
• The Mortal World vs. Cultivation: Qin Yang and Wen Xu represent different perspectives on the relationship between the mortal world and cultivation. Qin Yang enjoys the simple pleasures of the mortal world, while Wen Xu focuses on his cultivation, seeing the mortal world as a distraction. This theme is highlighted when Wen Xu expresses a desire to eat mortal food on the eve of his death.

Character Interactions

• Qin Yang and Wen Xu: Qin Yang and Wen Xu become close friends and neighbors, sharing their thoughts and experiences with each other. Their interactions highlight their different perspectives on cultivation and the mortal world, as well as their mutual respect and understanding.
• Qin Yang and Little Seventh: Little Seventh, Qin Yang's disciple, plays a minor role in this chapter. She finds the Heartless Treasure Scripture and brings it to Qin Yang and Wen Xu. Her actions set the stage for the final events of the chapter.

Plot Points and Events

• Qin Yang prepares breakfast for Wen Xu, who is on the brink of death.
• Wen Xu, after eating, dies peacefully, and Qin Yang resurrects him using the Life Stealing Incense and a Strange Fruit.
• Qin Yang communicates with the Great Fiend Star, learns about the Bitter Sea's situation, and retrieves Wen Xu.
• Qin Yang offers Wen Xu the Heartless Treasure Scripture and accepts him as a disciple.

Character Developments

• Wen Xu: Initially stoic and dedicated to cultivation, Wen Xu's final moments reveal his desire for normal human experiences. After resurrection, he accepts Qin Yang as his master and decides to live a full life.
• Qin Yang: Qin Yang shows his compassion and willingness to give second chances. He decides to guide Wen Xu personally, indicating a shift in his approach to discipleship.

Significant Themes

• Humanity vs. Emotionlessness/Heartlessness: Qin Yang seeks a successor who can maintain their humanity while cultivating the Heartless Treasure Scripture, avoiding the paths of Emotionlessness or Heartlessness.
• Second Chances: The theme of second chances is prominent, with Wen Xu's resurrection and Qin Yang's decision to guide him personally.

Character Interactions

• Qin Yang and Wen Xu: Their interaction evolves from Qin Yang's initial assessment of Wen Xu to accepting him as a disciple. Qin Yang's decision to guide Wen Xu personally shows his investment in Wen Xu's growth.
• Qin Yang and the Great Fiend Star: They communicate for the first time, allowing Qin Yang to learn about the Bitter Sea's situation and retrieve Wen Xu.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Yang visits the Dragon Descendants to pay respects and spread his dao.
• He apologizes for Little Seventh's past actions and kicks open the Giant Gate as a show of respect.
• Qin Yang offers True Dragon Blood as an apology and gift, smoothing over any grievances.
• He finds a Dragon Descendant with a weak bloodline and takes him as a disciple, teaching him through physical demonstrations.

Character Developments

• Qin Yang: Shows respect for the Dragon Descendants' rules, apologizes for past actions, and takes a disciple to spread his dao.
• Little Seventh: Shows improvement in her behavior and is accepted by the Dragon Descendants.
• The Dragon Descendants: Initially hostile, they become more accepting after Qin Yang's sincere apologies and gifts.

Significant Themes

• Respect for rules and traditions.
• The importance of innate talent and hard work in cultivation.
• The differences between the Human Race and the Demon Race in cultivation and potential.

Character Interactions

• Qin Yang interacts with the Dragon Descendants, showing respect and offering gifts to smooth over past grievances.
• Qin Yang takes a Dragon Descendant as a disciple, teaching him through physical demonstrations.
• Little Seventh interacts with the Dragon Descendants, showing improvement in her behavior and being accepted by them.

Plot Points and Events

• Qin Yang successfully negotiates with the Demon Race and Sea Race in the Incense Realm.
• He realizes the significance of the Hu Liang fragment and decides to strengthen it.
• Qin Yang decides to become the Hu Liang Island Lord to maintain balance and stability.
• Jia Yi (Wedding Dress) suggests incorporating the Incense Realm into Great Ying.

Character Developments

• Qin Yang demonstrates his diplomatic skills in negotiations.
• He shows foresight in strengthening the Hu Liang fragment and maintaining balance.
• Jia Yi (Wedding Dress) reveals her peak Dao Lord strength and suggests expanding Great Ying.

Significant Themes

• Balance of power and stability.
• The importance of maintaining order and rules.
• The consequences of unchecked power.

Character Interactions

• Qin Yang and the Demon Race/Sea Race representatives negotiate and make agreements.
• Qin Yang and Jia Yi (Wedding Dress) discuss the future of Great Ying and the Incense Realm.
• Qin Yang decides to become the Hu Liang Island Lord, which Jia Yi supports.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Yang shares with Wedding Dress the news of his successful expansion into the Tai Hao World, but she expresses concern about Great Ying's ability to control and manage such a vast territory.
• Qin Yang decides to establish Hu Liang Academy on Hu Liang Island, aiming to select talented individuals from the Great Wilderness to study and expand his influence.
• Qin Yang creates an Avatar to help him refine and warm the Hu Liang fragments, allowing him to focus on other tasks.
• Qin Yang begins preparations for the academy, deciding on a selection process that focuses on character and offers opportunities to those with unique talents or strengths.

Character Developments

• Qin Yang: He continues to expand his influence and power, demonstrating his strategic thinking and desire to help others. He creates an Avatar to assist him and begins preparations for Hu Liang Academy.
• Wedding Dress: She is impressed by Qin Yang's achievements and supports his decision to establish the academy. She is also concerned about the potential challenges of managing a vast territory.

Significant Themes

• Opportunity and chance: Qin Yang emphasizes the importance of giving everyone a chance, regardless of their background or initial abilities. The academy's selection process is designed to identify potential in individuals who might otherwise be overlooked.
• Influence and control: The expansion of Great Ying's territory raises questions about control and management. Qin Yang's academy is a means of expanding his influence and creating a network of loyal followers.
• Talent and character: Qin Yang values character above talent in his selection process, believing that dedication and sincerity are essential qualities for his followers.

Character Interactions

• Qin Yang and Wedding Dress: They discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by Great Ying's expanding territory. Wedding Dress supports Qin Yang's decision to establish Hu Liang Academy.
• Qin Yang and Meng Yi: Meng Yi arrives at the academy and offers to become an instructor. Qin Yang welcomes his assistance and briefly explains his plans for the academy.

A Million-Person Examination, No Dao Fruit Needed — Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Meng Yi recruited: Qin Yang persuades Uncle Meng (Meng Yi) to serve as a nominal academy head, leveraging the Dao Sect's context of "humble arrogance" — how phrases like "not skilled" or "knows a little" escalate in meaning, implying much higher actual skill.
• Meng Yi's reputation explained: He is compared to the ancient Qin Kun — perhaps not top-tier in rank, but one of the deadliest people in the world in a death match. Even Candle Dragon treats him with extreme respect; no one dares offend him to the point of irreconcilability because Meng Yi is universally courteous and never provokes others.
• Qin Yang's academy vision: He has founded Hu Liang Academy to teach without discrimination, placing classical texts in the academy for suitable inheritors — even knowing recipients may leave. Meng Yi is deeply impressed by this unprecedented openness.
• Candle Dragon's arrival: He enrolls, seeking safety. Qin Yang implies he has already interceded with the Bitter Sea Ferryman (the "great baleful star" who nearly killed Candle Dragon). The ferryman, having calmed over years of ferrying, agreed to let old grievances go. Qin Yang, however, hides this from Candle Dragon to avoid his suppressed fear and tension snapping suddenly.
• Old Ancestor Cui joins as a researcher.
• Three years pass: News spreads wildly; the sects of Hu Liang (facing pressure from Great Ying's arrival) send disciples under a "wide net" strategy. Ordinary people, monsters, ghosts, sea clans, and mermaids (sent strategically by the Jiao Emperor with differing aptitudes) all arrive.
• The examination: With over a million beings gathered, Qin Yang reveals a gate; he casts everyone into a colossal vortex, then sits in stillness.
• The real test revealed: The "ordinary" selection was a smokescreen. Qin Yang uses the Great Dream True Scripture to weave everyone's dreams into an almost-real constructed world. Time accelerates — one incense stick outside equals centuries within; he devotes 90% of his attention to observation.

2. Character Developments

• Qin Yang: Displays broadmindedness by openly sharing inherited texts. Through observing the dream world's participants over centuries, he undergoes self-examination — seeing warmth and coldness of human relations, good and evil interwoven. He resolves that he must never lose his ability to love ordinary human things (like a street-corner snack stall), and that his greatest fear is becoming a detached, emotionless god.
• Meng Yi: Begins with "scraping eyes to look at Qin Yang," moved to sigh at Qin Yang's selflessness. Decides that if he cannot be a pioneer, he can follow along; the Dao Sect's inheritance might truly never be extinguished through this path.
• Candle Dragon: Moves from constant terror to joy and a sense of security, fully settling into the academy and offering to work. His decision also stems from believing the academy is safer than joining the Dao Sect.
• The Bitter Sea Ferryman: Implied character growth — centuries of ferrying the Dead Sea have worn down his temper, killing intent, and hatred; though he still dislikes all dragon descendants, he gives Qin Yang face and lets the past go.

3. Significant Themes

• Open teaching vs. sectarian prejudice: Qin Yang's academy defies the era's deep-rooted factionalism that treats inheritances as a sect's foundation; he dares to place classics in the open, accepting anyone regardless of race or background.
• Appearance vs. reality / true testing: The visible examination is meaningless; the genuine evaluation takes place in a dream world where hundreds of years of life reveal character, resolution, and innermost nature.
• The complexity of human nature: Participants' long arcs reveal betrayal (the mermaid who buries her sister alive for power), devotion (the crow monster aspiring to become a Three-Legged Golden Crow), deception (the gentle instructor who slaughters those he loves to cultivate the One Word Art), and resentment (the failure who turns to the wicked path and dies).
• The danger of detachment: Qin Yang's meditation on watching the collapse of worlds and galaxies — fearing becoming someone who can no longer laugh or cry, who loses love for ordinary life.
• The Dao Fruit paradox: Qin Yang's Dao Fruit is that he needs no Dao Fruit — his philosophy centers on remaining grounded in humanity rather than ascension to cold transcendence.

4. Character Interactions

• Qin Yang and Meng Yi: A mutually respectful partnership. Qin Yang earnestly pitches the academy; Meng Yi's inner monologue shows admiration blooming into a commitment to follow Qin Yang's path.
• Qin Yang and Candle Dragon: Qin Yang acts (hidden) as Candle Dragon's intercessor, resolving the life-or-death grudge with the Ferryman; he deliberately withholds this to protect Candle Dragon's mental equilibrium, preferring to keep the dragon's productive behavior and sense of purpose intact.
• Meng Yi's reflection on Qin Yang: Functionally a narrative eulogy — comparing him to larger historical paradigms and noting that Qin Yang's courage to give freely outpaces everyone of his era.
• Qin Yang and the million examinees: An observational relationship — he looks down "as though overlooking time itself," watching their fates across centuries without fully intervening, learning from their aggregated experience.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The assessment lasts for three thousand years in the Dream realm, while only an hour passes outside.
• Qin Yang observes millions of participants, gaining insights into his own Dao and planting a new Mystical Power.
• He selects 1,024 students, including a few Foreign Races, based on their effort, talent, and potential.
• Qin Yang identifies a mortal with exceptional potential and a dark heart, planning to groom him for the Ten Directions Realm.

Character Developments

• Qin Yang gains deeper understanding of his Dao and plants a new Mystical Power.
• The selected students gain entry into Hu Liang Academy.
• A mortal with a dark heart is identified and targeted for grooming by Qin Yang.

Significant Themes

• The importance of effort and perseverance in cultivation and life.
• The concept of 'Foundation Establishment without Regret.'
• The idea that one's Dao is unique and personal, not necessarily following the path of predecessors.

Character Interactions

• Qin Yang interacts with the selected students, offering them entry into Hu Liang Academy.
• He observes and takes note of the mortal with a dark heart, planning to guide him towards the Ten Directions Realm.
• Experts from various sects and races enter the Dream realm to observe the assessment, with the Jiao Emperor being sent out by Qin Yang's attack.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mei Yan, a mortal with ancestors from Tongqu Prefecture, enrolls in Hu Liang Academy.
• A month into his studies, a Foundation Establishment cultivator named Zhou Heng abandons his Dao Foundation to start anew, impressing Mei Yan.
• Qin Yang, the academy's dean, distributes Essence Nurturing Pills to aid students' cultivation.
• Students choose their Foundation Establishment methods from a tower filled with countless methods.
• Mei Yan discovers records of the Great Demon Scripture and learns of a dangerous shortcut.
• Mei Yan sneaks into a team heading to the Silver Moon World, hoping to find opportunities in chaos.
• He is pursued and enters an underground root system, disappearing just as Qin Yang and Meng Yi arrive.

Character Developments

• Mei Yan: Ambitious and ruthless, he seeks to stand out and gain power quickly. He discovers the Great Demon Scripture's shortcut and attempts to escape to another world.
• Zhou Heng: After abandoning his Dao Foundation, he cultivates diligently and is one of the first to build his foundation again. He is given a challenging cultivation method by Qin Yang.
• Qin Yang: The academy's dean, he is aware of Mei Yan's actions and allows him to leave, seeing it as a future opportunity for the academy.

Significant Themes

• Ambition and its consequences (Mei Yan's desire for power and his willingness to take risks)
• The importance of perseverance and hard work (Zhou Heng's dedication to rebuilding his foundation)
• The academy's tolerance and open atmosphere (allowing students to explore different paths)

Character Interactions

• Mei Yan interacts with his classmates, trying to stand out and make an impression.
• Zhou Heng's decision to abandon his Dao Foundation impacts Mei Yan, inspiring him to strive harder.
• Qin Yang and Meng Yi discuss Mei Yan's actions, with Qin Yang deciding not to intervene.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Meng Yi recognizes that Mei Yan is likely to follow the shortcut-based cultivation path of the Great Demon Scripture. Though this path is dangerous, Meng Yi believes Mei Yan is unlikely to die from it; instead, he fears Mei Yan may eventually become a powerful calamity.
• Qin Yang reveals that the scripture given to Mei Yan was a “smuggled-extras” version, implying he has secretly altered or added something to it. He hopes Mei Yan might eventually infiltrate the Ten Directions Divine Dynasty and betray the Ten Directions Emperor, though Mei Yan’s main purpose is to serve as a test subject.
• Meng Yi suggests traveling to the Ten Directions Realm to support Hu Liang, but Qin Yang refuses, suspecting that Taiyi’s transformation into the Ten Directions Emperor is bait intended to lure him out. Qin Yang insists that Hu Liang Academy and Hu Liang Island must remain secure as his true base.
• Qin Yang begins developing a new divine ability through the Thinking Art. Rather than creating a direct mind-control technique, he forms a Thought Imprint based on the principle: “As humans, we must stand on humanity’s side without hesitation.”
• The Thought Imprint becomes a powerful mysterious-yellow seal fueled by the collective convictions of humanity. It does not affect ordinary humans, since the idea is already instinctively accepted by them, but it causes the consciousness of those fundamentally opposed to humanity to collapse.
• Qin Yang discovers that the first victim is secretly connected to Taiwei. By studying the deceased man’s Skill Book, he learns that Taiwei’s revival plans were ruined long ago when the Ying Emperor destroyed the Great Yin Divine Dynasty and accidentally wiped out most of Taiwei’s waiting descendants.
• Qin Yang spends more than ten years traveling throughout the Great Wilderness, using the Thought Imprint to identify and kill hundreds of hidden human traitors and three traitorous lineages.
• He then begins a second, larger strategy: purifying dead cultivators and ominous beings before sending them into reincarnation. He removes their memories, resentment, and killing intent, hoping that many will reincarnate as talented humans who may eventually enter the Ten Directions Divine Dynasty.
• Qin Yang envisions gradually replacing the dynasty’s population and cultivator base with reincarnated humans loyal to humanity, undermining Taiyi’s rule from within.
• Seeking a more efficient way to manage mass reincarnation, Qin Yang attempts to modify the World of the Dead through the storybook. His added settings are rejected, frustrating him and prompting the chapter’s closing reflection about the point of “supplementing” the world if he cannot smuggle in extra advantages.

Character Developments

• Qin Yang becomes increasingly strategic and willing to play a long game. Rather than confronting Taiyi directly, he prepares layered infiltrations, uses Mei Yan as a test subject, develops hidden weapons, and plans to reshape the Ten Directions Divine Dynasty over generations.
• His Thinking Art evolves into a political and metaphysical weapon. Qin Yang deliberately chooses a broad, seemingly harmless principle rather than a restrictive mind-control command, gaining a much more powerful and universal effect.
• Meng Yi demonstrates keen insight into Mei Yan’s character and the dangers of the demonic path. He also shows his loyalty to Qin Yang by offering to investigate the Ten Directions Realm, but accepts Qin Yang’s decision to keep him guarding Hu Liang Academy.
• Mei Yan is established as morally unreliable and ambitious. Although he is not shown acting further in the chapter, Qin Yang regards him as both a potential future traitor to Taiyi and a disposable experimental probe.
• Taiyi, now the Ten Directions Emperor, is presented as a cautious and manipulative opponent who may be deliberately waiting for Qin Yang to expose himself.
• Taiwei’s legacy is weakened by historical misfortune rather than direct opposition. His planned revival failed because the Ying Emperor unknowingly destroyed the lineage meant to receive him.

Significant Themes

• Moral relativism and perspective: Meng Yi argues that judgments of good and evil are often determined by social position and shared values rather than absolute laws. Even crooked cultivation paths may lead to greatness if the cultivator maintains control and a stable heart.
• Humanity as a collective force: Qin Yang’s Thought Imprint shows how common human instincts and convictions can become a literal metaphysical power.
• Strategy over direct confrontation: Qin Yang avoids reckless action and focuses on infiltration, population replacement, information gathering, and long-term preparation.
• The tension between control and freedom: Qin Yang initially considers a loyalty-imposing imprint but rejects it because such a technique would only work on people already devoted to him. He instead chooses a principle that leaves ordinary humans unchanged while exposing enemies.
• Reincarnation and inherited influence: Qin Yang attempts to shape the future by purifying and reincarnating cultivators, creating talented individuals who may influence the Ten Directions Realm from within.
• Unintended consequences and hidden history: The destruction of Taiwei’s revival lineage illustrates how major historical events can unknowingly undermine ancient schemes.
• Limits of divine authority: Qin Yang can manipulate people, reincarnation, and metaphysical laws, but even he cannot freely rewrite the World of the Dead when his “smuggled” additions are rejected.

Character Interactions

• Meng Yi warns Qin Yang about Mei Yan’s possible future danger, while Qin Yang reassures him that any resulting disaster would primarily harm the Ten Directions Divine Dynasty.
• Meng Yi offers to join Hu Liang in the Ten Directions Realm, but Qin Yang refuses because he believes Taiyi is setting a trap and values Meng Yi’s protection of Hu Liang Academy more highly.
• Their exchange emphasizes mutual trust: Meng Yi accepts Qin Yang’s judgment, while Qin Yang openly admits that he cannot entrust Hu Liang Academy to anyone else.
• Qin Yang’s interactions with Mei Yan are indirect and manipulative. He gives Mei Yan a modified scripture and sends him into enemy territory as both a possible infiltrator and a test subject.
• Qin Yang’s later interaction with the deceased Taiwei descendant is one-sided but significant: by absorbing the man’s Skill Book, Qin Yang uncovers information that would otherwise have remained buried.
• Qin Yang’s final attempt to alter the World of the Dead is an interaction with the storybook’s underlying rules. Its rejection establishes that even his elaborate plans are constrained by the world’s existing framework.