Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Famous Everywhere”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Ming discusses the value of learning martial skills with Old Man Liu, who agrees to ask declining local families about their secret manuals. Qin Ming hopes to find another inherited technique containing the crystallized blood of past experts.
• Old Man Liu reveals that injuries from the Golden Chicken Ridge attack have damaged his chances of reaching Second New Life, though he can recover physically.
• Qin Ming secretly feeds Old Man Liu meat from a Fire Snake, presenting it as a cold-natured spiritual creature capable of balancing the fiery medicinal grass that injured him. The meat greatly restores Old Man Liu’s health and vitality.
• News spreads that Black White Mountain has become famous after producing a shocking Ten-Colored Light Pillar fused with Five-Colored Haze. Powerful organizations, ancient sects, and even officials from Yu Country are now investigating its mysterious treasures.
• Rumors also circulate about surviving experts from two hundred years ago, the legendary Six-Tusked White Elephant, and other supernatural forces connected to the mountain.
• Xu Yueping organizes a raid on the nests of the destructive Flying Scythe Birds. Cao Long, Wei Zhirou, Mu Qing, Qin Ming, and others attack the nests with metal nets and armor, killing large numbers of the birds and collecting their corpses for food.
• Qin Ming continues searching for the mysterious people who once rescued him but finds no trace of them. He also keeps Old Noble Xie Jingrui’s faction informed about the mountain’s treasures.
• Xie Jingrui personally enters the mountain’s depths and discovers black and white roots left from the legendary Black White Tree. However, City Lord Ling Xu has already taken them. Xie Jingrui decides to return to Red Haze City to confront or investigate Ling Xu.
• Before leaving, Xie Jingrui encourages Qin Ming to grow stronger and escape the isolated region. He confirms that Miss Xie will leave with him.
• A conflict develops between the Cao, Wei, and Mu families and other nobles from Red Haze City. Feng Xing challenges Cao Long, but an influential young man, Nie Rui, intervenes and prevents the confrontation from escalating.
• Nie Rui reveals that he came specifically to meet Qin Ming after hearing Zhou Wubing claim that Qin Ming is stronger than Master Xu Kong’s own disciple. Qin Ming realizes Zhou Wubing has irresponsibly advertised his abilities.

Character Developments

• Qin Ming: Demonstrates growing intelligence, generosity, and resourcefulness by secretly helping Old Man Liu with Fire Snake meat. His curiosity about the wider world intensifies, and he becomes increasingly recognized by influential figures despite his remote origins.
• Old Man Liu: Recovers dramatically from his injuries and regains remarkable vitality, though he remains uncertain about achieving Second New Life.
• Cao Long, Wei Zhirou, and Mu Qing: Act as capable leaders during the Flying Scythe Bird raid and show practical concern for the village’s safety and food supply.
• Old Noble Xie Jingrui: Reveals that he is still injured and unable to compete openly for treasures, but he remains determined to obtain the Black White Tree roots. He grows more openly supportive of Qin Ming.
• Ling Xu: Is indirectly portrayed as secretive and opportunistic after apparently taking the Black White Tree roots and concealing his gain.
• Feng Xing and Cao Long: Their rivalry reflects the competitive relationships among Red Haze City’s young elites, though the dispute is temporarily restrained.
• Nie Rui: Emerges as one of the region’s most celebrated young talents and takes a direct interest in testing Qin Ming’s reputation.

Significant Themes

• Knowledge as strength: Qin Ming and Old Man Liu emphasize that learning more skills can determine survival and compensate for a lack of pedigree.
• Hidden power and opportunity: The remote Black White Mountain suddenly becomes the center of attention because its treasures may transform the balance of power.
• Generosity and mutual aid: Qin Ming’s treatment of Old Man Liu shows that personal kindness can have major consequences, strengthening bonds within the community.
• Competition among elites: Noble families and young experts compete for prestige, treasures, and recognition, often balancing rivalry against political relationships.
• Isolation versus the wider world: Qin Ming longs to leave the secluded region after hearing about distant cities, ancient sects, divine creatures, and powerful organizations.
• Reputation and fame: Qin Ming becomes known through others’ praise, especially Zhou Wubing’s claim that he surpasses Master Xu Kong’s disciple, setting up new challenges.

Character Interactions

• Qin Ming and Old Man Liu develop a warmer relationship through Qin Ming’s concern and secret medicinal assistance.
• Qin Ming listens closely to Cao Long, Mu Qing, and Wei Zhirou as they discuss the growing importance of Black White Mountain.
• Xu Yueping appeals to Cao Long, Wei Zhirou, and Mu Qing for help protecting the village from the Flying Scythe Birds, and they agree.
• Xie Jingrui speaks privately with Qin Ming, revealing the importance of the Black White Tree roots and advising him to leave the remote region.
• Cao Long confronts Feng Xing over the Wang Family’s attempt to seize the Longevity Tree, nearly leading to a duel.
• Nie Rui intervenes diplomatically between Cao Long and Feng Xing, then seeks out Qin Ming after hearing of his remarkable strength.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Nie Rui identifies Qin Ming as the youth he has been searching for, drawing the attention of Red Haze City’s noble families and young elites.
• Nie Rui challenges Qin Ming to a friendly sparring match. Most spectators expect Qin Ming, a hunter from a remote region, to lose quickly.
• Qin Ming surprises everyone by matching Nie Rui’s speed and technique. Using the Purple-Gold Spear, he improvises constantly and adapts saber techniques into unconventional spear attacks.
• Qin Ming gradually gains the upper hand. His mastery of the concealed “Gun Saber” technique culminates in a spectacular sequence involving spear flowers, the Sky-Sea Line, and the Saber-Kicking Form.
• He defeats Nie Rui, even damaging several plates of Nie Rui’s armor. The victory shocks the gathered nobles, who had regarded Nie Rui as one of Red Haze City’s greatest geniuses.
• Nie Rui accepts the loss without resentment. He reveals that an elder of the Esoteric Sect believes he possesses rare “Divine Wisdom” and has invited him to pursue the path of becoming a god—meaning to transform himself through a mysterious, higher cultivation path.
• Shen Jiayun then challenges Qin Ming. Despite her powerful swordsmanship, she is also defeated when Qin Ming disarms her and presses his spear against her shoulder.
• The chapter ends with Shen Jiayun confidently predicting that Qin Ming will eventually be unable to defeat her, while Qin Ming responds playfully and returns a fallen ornament to her hair with his spear.

Character Developments

• Qin Ming: Demonstrates extraordinary combat adaptability, revealing that his true strength lies not only in physical power but also in improvisation and his ability to merge different martial techniques. His victories establish him as a major rising talent rather than an obscure youth from the countryside.
• Nie Rui: Begins as a celebrated genius who confidently tests Qin Ming, but experiences defeat and reevaluates his chosen path. Rather than becoming bitter, he accepts Qin Ming’s superiority and decides to pursue the Esoteric Sect’s “god” path.
• Shen Jiayun: Displays confidence, skill, and a playful, fearless personality. Even after losing, she remains cheerful and self-assured, promising to surpass Qin Ming in the future.
• The Red Haze City nobles: Their dismissive attitude toward Qin Ming changes dramatically. They first expect an easy victory for Nie Rui, then recognize Qin Ming as an exceptional martial artist who may signal the revival of Black White Mountain’s power.

Significant Themes

• Talent emerging from obscurity: Qin Ming’s victory challenges the assumption that greatness can only come from prestigious cities and noble families.
• Adaptability versus rigid technique: Qin Ming’s improvised spearwork defeats more established forms, suggesting that creativity and responsiveness can surpass conventional mastery.
• Defeat as transformation: Nie Rui treats failure as an opportunity to reconsider his purpose rather than as humiliation.
• The unknown nature of “gods”: The chapter presents gods not as inherently divine beings, but perhaps as powerful lifeforms whose abilities are beyond current human understanding.
• Changing perceptions and hidden potential: Qin Ming’s performance forces everyone present to reconsider both him and the possibility that the remote Black White Mountain region is regaining its former vitality.

Character Interactions

• Nie Rui publicly introduces Qin Ming as someone worthy of attention, then engages him in a respectful but intense duel.
• Qin Ming’s allies, including Xu Yueping and Old Man Liu, express concern for him, while the nobles privately speculate and wager on how quickly he will lose.
• Mu Qing encourages Qin Ming to fight without restraint, and other observers gradually acknowledge the sophistication of his techniques.
• After losing, Nie Rui and Qin Ming exchange candid remarks about strength, destiny, and the path of cultivation.
• Shen Jiayun follows Nie Rui’s defeat by challenging Qin Ming herself, creating a second showcase of Qin Ming’s dominance.
• Their ending exchange is lighthearted and flirtatious, contrasting with the chapter’s earlier shock and tension.

Chapter Summary: “Clearing Doubts”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Ming’s victory over Red Haze City’s Twin Stars, Nie Rui and Shen Jiayun, becomes the talk of Black White Mountain. Observers praise his seemingly simple but exceptionally profound spear technique, which combines restraint, precision, and explosive power.
• Shen Jiayun removes the jeweled flower Qin Ming had helped place in her hair. She and Nie Rui exchange respectful words with Qin Ming before departing, promising to meet again after reaching greater heights.
• Several nobles approach Qin Ming afterward, offering connections in Red Haze City. His reputation begins spreading even before he officially enters the city.
• Cao Long, Mu Qing, and Wei Zhirou advise Qin Ming to register in Red Haze City after early spring. If he performs well, he may gain access to advanced cultivation knowledge, including portions of secret Advanced Willpower Skills, and possibly be selected by a Giant City.
• Qin Ming uses their conversations to learn about:
  • Mineral Essence, a rare substance that improves physical qualities and gives roughly a fifty-percent chance of enabling New Life during the first use.
  • Blood of the Earth, a much rarer, higher-grade form of Mineral Essence.
  • Mutton Fat Jade Iron, a mysterious material capable of damaging powerful creatures, regenerating when nourished by Heavenly Light, and harming invisible or supernatural entities that ordinary weapons cannot touch.
  • The immense danger and mystery of the black world, including unexplained beings, Esoteric Sects, and the powerful Beyond the Mundane People.
• Red Haze City’s giant beasts successfully deliver grain through the snow, easing the local food crisis and preventing panic over rising prices.
• Several special Nodes are discovered in the Great Rift Valley. Cao Long’s group prepares for one final expedition before returning to Red Haze City.
• Old Man Liu escorts them to the area but immediately retreats with Qin Ming, Xu Yueping, and Yang Yongqing, believing the coming conflict will be too dangerous.
• Golden Chicken Ridge and the Three-Eyed Sect threaten the villages, demanding that each send New Life Evolvers into the mountains to search the Nodes. Qin Ming realizes they are using villagers as expendable scouts.
• To protect his village, Qin Ming volunteers to go alone. He follows the messenger from Golden Chicken Ridge while suppressing a growing desire to kill.

Character Developments

• Qin Ming gains recognition as an extraordinarily talented combatant. Though his physical abilities are not the strongest, his battle instincts, improvisation, and mastery of spear techniques allow him to defeat superior opponents.
• His curiosity and strategic thinking are emphasized as he quietly gathers information about resources, cultivation paths, mysterious weapons, and higher-level powers.
• Qin Ming also becomes more protective of his village. Rather than allow others to be sacrificed, he accepts the dangerous mission himself, revealing both courage and a growing willingness to confront injustice.
• Nie Rui and Shen Jiayun respond to defeat with dignity. Nie Rui appears ready to abandon hesitation and pursue a different path of cultivation, while Shen Jiayun leaves with a more complicated impression of Qin Ming.
• Cao Long, Mu Qing, and Wei Zhirou increasingly treat Qin Ming as someone worthy of guidance and future investment, recognizing that he may have the potential to rise beyond their region.
• Old Man Liu remains cautious and survival-minded, urging everyone to avoid the dangerous Node conflict.
• Golden Chicken Ridge and the Three-Eyed Sect are portrayed as ruthless forces willing to exploit weaker villages for personal gain.

Significant Themes

• Talent beyond physical strength: Qin Ming’s victory demonstrates that combat mastery, insight, and adaptability can overcome superior bodily cultivation.
• The vastness and mystery of the world: Discussions of Mineral Essence, Mutton Fat Jade Iron, invisible beings, Giant Cities, and Beyond the Mundane People reveal how limited Qin Ming’s current understanding remains.
• The pursuit of higher realms: Red Haze City and the Giant Cities represent opportunities to change one’s fate, but access depends on talent, recognition, and survival.
• Exploitation and resistance: Powerful organizations treat ordinary villages and New Life Evolvers as disposable resources. Qin Ming’s decision to volunteer reflects resistance to this oppressive hierarchy.
• Caution versus ambition: Old Man Liu advocates survival and withdrawal, while Qin Ming is increasingly drawn toward danger, knowledge, and confrontation.
• The importance of rare resources: Spiritual substances and mysterious metals can alter cultivation, create legendary weapons, and determine the balance of power.

Character Interactions

• Qin Ming’s battle with Nie Rui and Shen Jiayun earns their respect, and they part on friendly, competitive terms.
• Mu Qing humorously embarrasses the owner of the Purple-Gold Spear by pointing out its “commemorative value” after Qin Ming defeats both Twin Stars with it.
• Cao Long, Mu Qing, and Wei Zhirou provide Qin Ming with valuable information and encourage him to seek opportunities in Red Haze City.
• Their discussions help Qin Ming understand the value of Mutton Fat Jade Iron and the danger posed by invisible or supernatural entities.
• Old Man Liu jokes and quarrels with Cao Laoqi, while the animals’ terrified reactions to Cao Laoqi provide comic relief.
• Golden Chicken Ridge’s messenger threatens Qin Ming’s village, prompting Qin Ming to step forward and accept the dangerous assignment himself.

Summary of “Mutual Prey”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Golden Chicken Ridge and the Three-Eyed Sect force villagers and New Life Evolvers into the Great Rift Valley to search for mysterious resources in dangerous Special Nodes. The Heavenly Light within these areas can severely damage or kill them.
• The villagers are treated like disposable laborers. Golden Chicken Knights threaten them, whip those who protest, and promise Day Gold as a reward for finding valuable resources.
• One Golden Chicken Knight recognizes Qin Ming as the young man who previously opposed his attempt to seize spiritual materials from Old Man Liu. He secretly orders that Qin Ming be sent into especially dangerous areas.
• Once underground, the villagers realize they cannot rely on their overseers. They divide their efforts between pretending to prospect and searching for safe passages or escape routes.
• A massive, coordinated attack by mutated beasts erupts on the surface. Giant bears, bulls, birds of prey, and other creatures target the humans rather than fighting among themselves.
• The human factions retreat underground, recognizing that the mutated creatures may be acting under the influence of powerful mountain Higher Lifeforms. The beasts view the humans as valuable “Spiritual Creatures,” just as humans hunt spiritually potent animals and plants.
• Chaos spreads through both the surface and underground passages as humans and mutated creatures search for routes into one another’s territory.
• Qin Ming encounters the hostile Golden Chicken Knight. When the knight attacks him, Qin Ming retaliates and kills him with his Long-handled Black Gold Hammer, revealing that Qin Ming has already reached the Second New Life realm.
• Qin Ming then encounters a mysterious elder from the Three-Eyed Sect, who has undergone the Third New Life. The elder sees through Qin Ming’s attempt to disguise the knight’s death and attacks him.
• The chapter ends with Qin Ming preparing to fight this much stronger opponent, hoping that killing him could cripple Golden Chicken Ridge’s forces.

Character Developments

• Qin Ming: Demonstrates growing confidence, decisiveness, and combat strength. He refuses to tolerate further abuse from the Golden Chicken Knight and kills him efficiently. His realization that he can potentially defeat a Third New Life Being marks a major escalation in his ambitions and courage.
• The villagers: Though oppressed and frightened, they display practical survival instincts. Rather than blindly obeying orders, they organize themselves, plan escape routes, and use the underground terrain defensively.
• The Golden Chicken Knight: His cruelty and personal vendetta against Qin Ming intensify. Believing Qin Ming to be weaker, he attacks recklessly and is killed before realizing that Qin Ming has surpassed him.
• The Three-Eyed Sect elder: Introduced as a perceptive and extremely powerful figure. Unlike the knight, he does not underestimate Qin Ming and immediately responds with lethal force.
• Golden Chicken Ridge and the Three-Eyed Sect: Their authority weakens as the crisis develops. They are forced to abandon their coercive control and retreat alongside the villagers when the beasts attack.

Significant Themes

• Oppression and exploitation: The villagers are forced into deadly labor for the benefit of powerful organizations, treated as expendable tools rather than people.
• Predator and prey: The title reflects the reversal of roles. Humans hunt mutated creatures and spiritual plants, while the beasts now hunt humans as sources of spiritual energy.
• Survival and cooperation: The villagers’ willingness to cooperate and plan independently contrasts with the selfishness and brutality of their overseers.
• Hidden power and underestimated strength: Qin Ming’s true cultivation is concealed, allowing him to surprise enemies who assume he is only a First New Life Evolver.
• Moral retaliation: Qin Ming’s violence is portrayed as a response to repeated cruelty, particularly the knight’s abuse of Old Man Liu and the villagers.

Character Interactions

• Golden Chicken Knights intimidate and physically abuse the villagers, especially an elderly New Life Evolver who questions the expedition.
• The villagers discuss strategies for surviving the Heavenly Light and escaping the valley, showing growing solidarity.
• Qin Ming and the hostile Golden Chicken Knight confront one another directly. The knight attempts to exploit the chaos to kill Qin Ming, but Qin Ming turns the attack against him and kills him.
• Qin Ming then deceives a Three-Eyed Sect elder by claiming the knight was killed by Heavenly Light. The elder recognizes the lie and attacks, setting up the chapter’s climactic battle.

Chapter Summary: “Heart Stirred”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Ming confronts an elderly Third New Life Being from Golden Chicken Ridge in an underground karst cavern. The old man initially attacks with overwhelming speed and Heavenly Light Force, but Qin Ming avoids a direct clash and uses the Long-handled Black Gold Hammer to test him.
• Qin Ming tricks the old man into hesitating by claiming to be from Red Haze City, then launches a surprise attack. He overwhelms the elder with a relentless combination of hammer and sword strikes.
• Although the old man’s Heavenly Light allows him to block repeated blows barehanded and survive tremendous impacts, Qin Ming’s superior physical strength and increasingly refined techniques gradually break through his defenses.
• Qin Ming’s hammer techniques evolve during the fight, incorporating saber-like vibrations, rapid afterimages, and powerful lightning-like strikes. He eventually shatters the old man’s protective Heavenly Light, crushes his hands and ribs, and kills him.
• Afterward, Qin Ming searches the cavern and discovers that several other Third New Life Beings are present. He also kills another Golden Chicken Knight who confronts him and hides the corpse.
• As strange beings rush through the cavern, Qin Ming withdraws into an area filled with Heavenly Light and searches for resources. He discovers a small piece of rare Blue Jade Iron, valuable enough to be fashioned into an arrowhead.
• Two nobles from Red Haze City appear and immediately show interest in the Jade Iron. Qin Ming recognizes their hidden hostility, especially after discovering that the middle-aged man accompanying the young noble is a Third New Life Being.
• The nobles lead Qin Ming to a region dense with Heavenly Light, where a nearly mature Three-Colored Flower grows. They ask him to retrieve it because his body appears able to withstand the Heavenly Light’s erosion.
• The middle-aged noble explains that the flower can help someone cultivate Heavenly Light Force, causing Qin Ming to become deeply interested and remark that the discovery is truly tempting.

Character Developments

• Qin Ming: Demonstrates that his physical strength, speed, and combat instincts are extraordinary even without having cultivated Heavenly Light. He becomes more confident and innovative, transforming his hammer techniques into complex, saber-like attacks. At the same time, the battle intensifies his desire to acquire Heavenly Light Force himself.
• The old man: Initially arrogant and confident in the defensive power of Heavenly Light, he is gradually shocked, injured, and humiliated by Qin Ming’s strength. His pride collapses as he is forced to fight desperately before being killed.
• The Red Haze City nobles: Their polished, friendly appearances are revealed to be superficial. Once isolated in the Underground World, they openly display their greed and seek to exploit Qin Ming’s abilities for the Three-Colored Flower.
• Qin Ming’s outlook: He becomes more cautious toward supposedly respectable factions, recognizing that danger and betrayal may exist beneath courteous behavior.

Significant Themes

• Physical strength versus cultivation: Qin Ming’s body is powerful enough to challenge a Third New Life Being despite lacking Heavenly Light, emphasizing the importance of innate physical power and combat talent.
• The desire for greater power: Witnessing the defensive and offensive advantages of Heavenly Light Force makes Qin Ming eager to cultivate it himself. The Three-Colored Flower represents a possible path toward that goal.
• Hidden danger beneath appearances: The chapter contrasts the old man’s overt brutality with the nobles’ concealed greed, showing that danger may come from both obvious enemies and seemingly respectable allies.
• Survival and opportunism: Qin Ming uses deception, surprise attacks, rapid adaptation, and resource gathering to survive in the chaotic Underground World.
• Humiliation and reversal: The supposedly superior Third New Life Being is reduced to helplessness by Qin Ming, reversing the expected power hierarchy.

Character Interactions

• Qin Ming and the old man engage in a fierce, escalating battle in which each evaluates the other’s strength. Their exchange includes mockery and resentment, ending with Qin Ming joking about flattening the old man’s face.
• Qin Ming kills and conceals the bodies of Golden Chicken Ridge members, treating them as potential evidence or obstacles.
• The two Red Haze City nobles approach Qin Ming with false friendliness, but their interest in his Blue Jade Iron reveals predatory intentions.
• The middle-aged noble asserts his superiority as a Third New Life Being and pressures Qin Ming into helping retrieve the Three-Colored Flower.
• Qin Ming remains wary and refuses to trust their apparent cooperation, though the flower’s ability to cultivate Heavenly Light Force strongly captures his attention.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Huang Jingde and his younger brother, Huang Jingjun, confront Qin Ming over the rare Three-Colored Flower, a spiritual plant capable of enhancing cultivation of Heavenly Light Force.
• Huang Jingde explains that cultivating Heavenly Light Force requires selecting and mastering complex force arts. Powerful forms are the result of generations of experimentation and fusion, while the essential principles—“True Teaching on a Sheet of Paper”—are closely guarded.
• Qin Ming learns that ordinary cultivators can either obtain established Heavenly Light Forces or attempt to fuse several common varieties themselves, though the process is extremely difficult.
• Huang Jingde reveals that Master Xu Kong and Zhou Wubing have already left the area, removing Qin Ming’s expected support. Qin Ming hides the jade box meant to preserve the flower, anticipating a battle.
• Huang Jingjun attacks first, confident that his Second New Life cultivation will overwhelm Qin Ming. Qin Ming defeats him in only two saber strikes, severely injuring him and nearly cutting him in half.
• Huang Jingde immediately intervenes. Although he is a Third New Life Being protected by Heavenly Light, Qin Ming matches him through overwhelming physical strength and refined saber techniques.
• Their prolonged battle takes place as the Three-Colored Flower nears maturity. Qin Ming gradually forces Huang Jingde to expend his Heavenly Light in defense.
• Qin Ming finally unleashes his strongest technique, a devastating slash imbued with imagery of lightning, rain, and thunder. He knocks away Huang Jingde’s spear and cripples his right arm, leaving him unable to continue fighting.
• The chapter ends with Huang Jingjun incredulously asking whether Qin Ming only knows spear techniques. Qin Ming calmly replies that he is also skilled with a saber.

Character Developments

• Qin Ming: Initially presents himself as an inexperienced, curious hunter, carefully questioning Huang Jingde to gather information. His apparent innocence masks confidence and tactical awareness. He demonstrates extraordinary strength despite lacking Heavenly Light Force, defeats a Second New Life opponent effortlessly, and ultimately overwhelms a Third New Life Being with superior power and saber mastery.
• Huang Jingde: Begins as calm, condescending, and confident in his superiority. He treats Qin Ming as harmless and toys with him while explaining Heavenly Light Force. After witnessing Qin Ming’s strength, he becomes serious and fights with his full ability, but is ultimately defeated and gravely wounded.
• Huang Jingjun: Starts arrogant and dismissive, believing Qin Ming’s First New Life cultivation makes him insignificant. His confidence collapses after Qin Ming defeats him instantly. He ends the chapter severely injured, terrified, and unable to understand Qin Ming’s strength.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength versus apparent status: Qin Ming’s lack of Heavenly Light Force and low cultivation realm conceal his exceptional physical power and combat ability.
• The value of true knowledge: The “True Teaching on a Sheet of Paper” symbolizes the concentrated wisdom behind advanced cultivation, contrasting genuine principles with vast but superficial volumes of instruction.
• Accumulated wisdom and innovation: Powerful Heavenly Light Forces arise from predecessors’ repeated experimentation, fusion, and refinement, suggesting that advancement depends on both inherited knowledge and personal discovery.
• Arrogance and misjudgment: The Huang brothers underestimate Qin Ming because of his background and realm, paying heavily for their assumptions.
• Preparation and adaptability: Qin Ming uses questioning, observes his opponents, prepares for combat, and adapts from spear-based expectations to devastating saber techniques.

Character Interactions

• Huang Jingde patiently answers Qin Ming’s questions while secretly regarding him as harmless.
• Qin Ming probes Huang Jingde for cultivation knowledge and subtly tests his confidence.
• Huang Jingjun interrupts with contempt, challenging Qin Ming and belittling his abilities.
• Qin Ming responds first with blunt honesty and then decisively proves his superiority in combat.
• Huang Jingde’s relationship with his younger brother becomes clear when he abandons his detached attitude and immediately risks himself to protect the badly wounded Huang Jingjun.
• The final exchange reverses the brothers’ assumptions: Qin Ming, whom they viewed as a simple hunter and spear user, reveals himself as a formidable saber fighter capable of defeating them both.

A Bountiful Harvest — Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Ming defeats Huang Jingde, a Third New Life expert, severing his arm and leaving him unable to fight. Huang Jingjun is overwhelmed by fear and realizes how badly he and his brother misjudged Qin Ming.
• As the Three-Colored Flower reaches full bloom, Qin Ming prevents Huang Jingde from escaping by throwing his heavy black-gold hammer and shattering his spine.
• Qin Ming enters the Heavenly Light and successfully harvests the entire Three-Colored Flower, sealing it in a jade box. The spiritual flower is extraordinarily valuable and is intended to help cultivate Heavenly Light Force.
• Qin Ming finishes off Huang Jingde and Huang Jingjun, then searches their bodies and discovers candles meant to seal the jade box and conceal the flower’s scent.
• He places the Huang brothers’ bodies with the corpses of the Golden Chicken Ridge group, allowing mutated creatures to consume them as “spiritual medicine.”
• The underground battlefield descends into chaos as powerful creatures, including Fourth- and Fifth-Mutation beasts, enter the Great Rift Valley. Humans from Golden Chicken Ridge, the Three-Eyed Sect, and Huang Jingde’s faction suffer severe losses.
• Qin Ming abandons attempts to exploit the chaos and focuses on survival. He narrowly escapes attacks from a monstrous white bear and a giant golden bull, both far stronger than him.
• Remembering the mountain folk’s route, Qin Ming follows their escape path through the underground passages and eventually emerges safely into the forest outside the Great Rift Valley.
• Realizing that the white bear and golden bull have left their nearby lairs, Qin Ming decides to raid them while they are away.

Character Developments

• Qin Ming demonstrates overwhelming combat ability, vigilance, and decisiveness. He defeats stronger opponents through strength and timing, but also recognizes when he cannot fight and wisely chooses to flee.
• His successful harvest of the Three-Colored Flower gives him a major spiritual and material gain, reinforcing his growing confidence and momentum.
• Qin Ming’s dangerous encounters with the mutated beasts remind him that he is still vulnerable. His desire to become stronger intensifies after being forced into repeated escapes.
• Huang Jingde and Huang Jingjun experience a complete reversal of status. Their earlier confidence and attempt to manipulate Qin Ming give way to terror, helplessness, and death.
• The mountain folk are shown to possess superior practical survival skills. Their early decision to search for an escape route ultimately allows them to survive while powerful factions are devastated.

Significant Themes

• Reversal of power and arrogance: The Huang brothers initially view Qin Ming as foolish and exploitable, but their misjudgment leads directly to their deaths.
• Survival over pride: Qin Ming repeatedly avoids battles he cannot win, showing that retreat and caution are essential in a world dominated by vastly stronger creatures.
• The value of preparation and experience: The mountain folk survive because they act early and rely on knowledge of the terrain, while organized factions become trapped in the chaos.
• Fortune amid danger: Qin Ming gains the precious Three-Colored Flower and other resources, but each reward is surrounded by lethal risks.
• The brutality of the natural and mutated world: Humans and beasts alike are reduced to prey, and strength determines survival.

Character Interactions

• Qin Ming and the Huang brothers’ final confrontation exposes the gap between their confidence and his actual power.
• Huang Jingde briefly considers fleeing rather than attacking Qin Ming, but Qin Ming anticipates him and strikes without looking back.
• Qin Ming shows no mercy afterward, killing both brothers and treating their remains as part of the battlefield’s cycle of predation.
• His encounters with the white bear and golden bull are not direct victories but desperate contests of survival, emphasizing his current limitations.
• Qin Ming’s eventual escape follows the path discovered by the mountain folk, linking his survival to their experience and judgment.

Chapter Summary: “When the Music Ended, the Crowd Dispersed”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Ming disguises himself as the dead Wang Nianzhu by wearing Wang’s Fine Gold Armor, carrying his sword, and covering his face. He does this to safely raid the territories of powerful mutated creatures while avoiding recognition.
• He first enters the white giant bear’s territory, discovering a filthy Tier-Two Fire Spring. Although the bear’s lair contains no valuable spiritual treasures, Qin Ming finds a group of young Spirit Fish and takes the largest ones as useful tonics.
• He then enters the golden giant bull’s territory, where a Tier-Two Fire Spring has been carefully diverted into flourishing Fire Fields. Qin Ming harvests Fire Pears, Purple Sun Fruits, melons, and other spiritually beneficial crops. However, he is disappointed that the bull’s large family has consumed anything valuable enough to grant New Life.
• Qin Ming encounters a donkey colt stealing fruit. Suspecting it is related to the powerful donkey associated with Old Weasel, he immediately flees rather than risk attracting dangerous creatures. A Third-Mutation white bull later reveals that the donkey colt’s background is important and deliberately avoids interfering with it.
• Qin Ming retrieves his own armor, hammer, and hidden Mutton Fat Jade Iron before returning safely to the village.
• He reassures Xu Yueping, Yang Yongqing, and the other villagers, explaining that the different species had launched an organized counter-hunt in the Great Rift Valley. The mountain folk had narrowly survived, while many elite groups suffered severe losses.
• Qin Ming’s return brings great relief to Wen Rui, Wen Hui, Lu Ze, Liang Wanqing, and the captive mutant squirrel. He shares the fruits he gathered, and the squirrel surprisingly bows in exchange for food, suggesting it may be developing unusual intelligence or spirituality.
• News of the crisis reaches Silver Vine Town and Red Haze City. Rescue forces are dispatched, but the different species withdraw before they arrive, preventing further bloodshed.
• The Mountain Sweeping Operation ends after the Special Node and its mysterious products are claimed. Cao Long, Mu Qing, Wei Zhirou, Nie Rui, Shen Jiayun, and the other visiting experts prepare to leave.
• Before departing, the outsiders urge Qin Ming to leave the remote Black White Mountain region and seek opportunities in Giant City, where resources, knowledge, and powerful beings are far more plentiful.
• Qin Ming visits Old Man Liu with the fruits he obtained. Liu correctly deduces that Qin Ming raided the golden giant bull’s territory and realizes that Qin Ming has likely completed his Second New Life.
• Qin Ming and Old Man Liu agree to keep their progress secret. Two days later, they begin preparing to enter the mountains together in search of spiritual matter that could help them reach their next New Life.

Character Developments

• Qin Ming becomes increasingly bold, resourceful, and opportunistic. Although he is not yet powerful enough to confront the mutated beasts directly, he uses disguises, timing, and caution to exploit their empty territories.
• His successful raids show that his strength has grown considerably. He is now confident enough to seek the spiritual resources needed for another transformation.
• Qin Ming also remains deeply attached to the village and its people. His first priority after returning is reassuring them, and he takes pleasure in bringing food home for the children.
• Old Man Liu is established as highly knowledgeable about the mountains and the habits of powerful mutated creatures. He recognizes Qin Ming’s cleverness immediately and becomes his partner in pursuing further evolution.
• Wen Rui and Wen Hui demonstrate their affection and dependence on Qin Ming, emphasizing his role as a protector and family figure.
• The mutant squirrel shows a possible breakthrough in intelligence or spirituality by copying a ritual bow in exchange for fruit.
• The golden giant bull’s herd is portrayed as socially aware and cautious. The Third-Mutation white bull understands the importance of the donkey colt’s powerful lineage and avoids offending it.
• The elite visitors, including Cao Long, Mu Qing, Wei Zhirou, Nie Rui, and Shen Jiayun, shift from temporary allies and visitors to departing guides who encourage Qin Ming to broaden his horizons.

Significant Themes

• Cunning versus raw power: Qin Ming survives and gains resources not by defeating stronger creatures, but by disguising himself, choosing the right moment, and exploiting opportunities.
• The unpredictability of survival: The people expected to suffer the most—the mountain folk—survive, while powerful lineages lose large portions of their members. The chapter emphasizes how quickly fortune can reverse.
• The end of an era or gathering: The title reflects the conclusion of the Mountain Sweeping Operation. Once the struggle for the Special Node ends, the visiting experts disperse and the temporary alliance breaks apart.
• Isolation versus the wider world: Qin Ming’s remote homeland is safe but limited. The departing experts encourage him to enter Giant City, symbolizing his coming transition from a local survivor to a participant in a much larger world.
• Hidden growth and secrecy: Qin Ming and Old Man Liu conceal their progress toward the Second New Life, suggesting that power must be protected until it is strong enough to be revealed.
• Family and community: Amid dangerous battles and supernatural evolution, the warmth of the village—especially the children’s excitement over Qin Ming’s return—grounds the chapter emotionally.
• Nature as both resource and danger: Fire Springs and Fire Fields sustain life in the frozen mountains, but the territories containing them belong to powerful beasts whose presence makes every harvest perilous.

Important Character Interactions

• Qin Ming disguises himself through Wang Nianzhu’s belongings, linking his survival to the aftermath of Wang’s violent reputation.
• His encounters with the white bear and golden bull are indirect: he avoids confrontation, judges their habits, and takes advantage of their resources.
• His encounter with the donkey colt is humorous but tense, as Qin Ming fears that its powerful connections could summon a much greater threat.
• Xu Yueping and Yang Yongqing react with shock and relief when Qin Ming reports the counter-hunt, while Wen Rui and Wen Hui openly celebrate his safe return.
• Qin Ming shares his harvested food with the children and attempts to bargain with the mutant squirrel, whose obedient bow surprises him.
• The departing experts advise Qin Ming to seek a larger world, encouraging his future development beyond Black White Mountain.
• Old Man Liu teases Qin Ming for pretending innocence after raiding powerful creatures’ territories, then privately confirms that both of them are approaching the Second New Life. Their shared secret strengthens their partnership and sets up their next expedition.

Chapter Summary: “Unconventional”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Ming and Old Man Liu discuss how to obtain rare Spiritual Matter in the mountains and help Qin Ming achieve a Third New Life, which could restore more of his lost memories.
• Old Man Liu proposes several risky, unconventional plans:
  • Bombing a sleeping Third Mutation spirit turtle.
  • Using explosives to drive away a troop of Long-Armed Apes and steal their Spiritual Matter.
  • Eventually targeting a nest of Silver-Headed Ants living around a Fire Spring.
• Qin Ming rejects the turtle and ape plans as too dangerous or impractical. The spirit turtle’s shell may withstand explosives, while the apes could become enraged and pursue them.
• People from Golden Chicken Ridge arrive in the village to register all New Life Evolvers. The villagers fear retaliation because Golden Chicken Ridge and the Three-Eyed Sect lost many people in the Great Rift Valley while the mountain villagers survived.
• Old Man Liu suspects Golden Chicken Ridge is rebuilding its forces and will soon demand wealth and supplies from the villages.
• As Qin Ming and Old Man Liu travel into the mountains, they discuss the possibility that the Great Rift Valley massacre was arranged through a tacit understanding between Red Haze City’s ruling powers and powerful aberrants. The massacre may have helped control the growing aberrant population and indirectly weakened rival human lineages.
• They reach a mountain containing a dim Fire Spring and a nest of Silver-Headed Ants. The ants are most vulnerable in winter, and only their Queen is permitted to undergo a Third Mutation.
• Silver-Headed Ants produce valuable honey wine and a highly refined golden Spiritual Matter. Qin Ming and Old Man Liu spend two days transporting supplies and studying the terrain before preparing to attack.

Character Developments

• Qin Ming becomes more cautious and practical. Although eager to gain strength and recover his memories, he repeatedly questions Old Man Liu’s dangerous schemes and insists on choosing the most reliable plan.
• His desire for a Third New Life grows stronger because he believes increased power would protect him from oppression and allow his lost memories to return.
• Old Man Liu demonstrates extensive knowledge of the mountains, their creatures, and the political forces surrounding them. He is inventive but also prone to impulsive, revenge-driven ideas, particularly regarding the Long-Armed Apes that have harmed travelers.
• Old Man Liu’s past is further revealed: he once traveled through Red Haze City and claims that a powerful beast destroyed his foundation, reducing him to his current weakened state.
• Both men become increasingly distrustful of Golden Chicken Ridge and the hidden relationship between human authorities and mountain aberrants.

Significant Themes

• Strength and vulnerability: The weak are exploited by humans and beasts alike, while the powerful receive respect and protection.
• Survival through caution and preparation: Qin Ming and Old Man Liu emphasize scouting, escape routes, armor, explosives, and choosing the right season before confronting a dangerous enemy.
• Political manipulation and hidden alliances: The Great Rift Valley massacre may have served the interests of Red Haze City’s ruling families and powerful aberrants.
• The cost of revenge: Old Man Liu’s hatred of the Long-Armed Apes illustrates how personal resentment can make dangerous plans seem attractive.
• Memory and identity: Qin Ming’s pursuit of the Third New Life is also a search for his forgotten past, making the coming battle emotionally significant as well as practical.
• Unconventional methods: The chapter repeatedly contrasts brute force with unusual strategies involving explosives, environmental conditions, animal behavior, and exploiting weaknesses within a creature’s society.

Character Interactions

• Qin Ming challenges Old Man Liu’s confidence and refuses to accept plans he considers reckless, creating a balance between Liu’s experience and Qin Ming’s caution.
• Old Man Liu teaches Qin Ming about the harsh social order of the world, arguing that power determines whether one is respected or preyed upon.
• Their conversation about Golden Chicken Ridge reinforces their shared resentment toward the bandits and strengthens their sense of solidarity.
• Qin Ming also questions Old Man Liu’s theories about Red Haze City and the Great Rift Valley, showing that he respects the old man’s experience but does not accept his claims unquestioningly.
• By the end, the two work as partners: they silently inspect the Silver-Headed Ant nest, plan their escape, gather equipment, and prepare to risk everything in a single attempt to obtain the Spiritual Matter.

Chapter Summary: “A Stirring Heart”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Ming and Old Man Liu prepare a plan to lure the Silver-Headed Ants out of their mountain nest using honey, beast blood, fire oil, firewood, and crude explosives.
• The bait awakens the ants, who swarm out in enormous numbers. Qin Ming and Old Man Liu retreat uphill while fighting off hundreds of unusually powerful flying ants.
• They discover that the ant colony has evolved since Old Man Liu last surveyed it. Besides ordinary ants, it now contains flying ants, First Mutation ants, and several formidable Second Mutation battle ants.
• The pair use fire to weaken the advancing army and eventually trigger an avalanche, burying and freezing most of the ants. Qin Ming destroys several Second Mutation flying ants, while Old Man Liu kills another himself out of pride.
• Despite the avalanche, more ants continue emerging for several days. Qin Ming and Old Man Liu spend three additional days exterminating the remaining swarms.
• On the fourth day, Qin Ming notices a strange strand of Black Mist moving through the Great Rift Valley. Old Man Liu cannot see it, suggesting Qin Ming gained a new perception after absorbing the mysterious liquid.
• The two encounter the chiefs of Golden Chicken Ridge, powerful Fourth New Life Being bandits. The chiefs intimidate them and order Qin Ming to join Golden Chicken Ridge’s upcoming recruitment. Old Man Liu urges Qin Ming to endure the insult and avoid provoking them.
• After returning to the ant nest, the pair discover that the ant army has been nearly wiped out. They confront the Third Mutation Ant Queen, whose corrosive, armor-piercing liquid is dangerous, but defeat her easily once her strongest guards are gone.
• Inside the nest, they find valuable honey wine and a large quantity of pale-golden Spiritual Matter—enough for both of them to advance. Qin Ming worries that revealing their strength or wealth will attract the bandits’ attention.
• Back home, Qin Ming gazes at the Spiritual Matter and reflects on recent events, realizing that greater strength may be the answer to all his current troubles.

Character Developments

• Qin Ming demonstrates growing combat power, endurance, tactical judgment, and composure. He destroys multiple Second Mutation flying ants and becomes increasingly aware of unusual phenomena, including the Black Mist.
• Old Man Liu remains experienced and resourceful but is shown to be somewhat outdated and physically declining. He is knocked down by a powerful ant, suffers embarrassment, yet retains his pride and courage by insisting on killing one of the strongest ants himself.
• Qin Ming becomes more ambitious and aggressive in thought. After being humiliated by the bandit chiefs, he briefly considers attacking Golden Chicken Ridge, revealing his rising confidence and anger.
• Old Man Liu acts as a cautious mentor, repeatedly restraining Qin Ming and warning him that he is not yet strong enough to challenge the bandits directly.
• The successful extermination of the ant colony gives both men access to Spiritual Matter that may enable further advancement.

Significant Themes

• Growth and adaptation: The evolved ant colony reflects how creatures—and societies—change in response to abundant Spiritual Matter. Old information quickly becomes unreliable.
• Strength versus vulnerability: Even powerful New Life Beings must rely on preparation, teamwork, fire, terrain, and strategy to overcome overwhelming numbers.
• Pride and aging: Old Man Liu’s embarrassment at being defeated by an ant highlights his declining abilities, but also his refusal to surrender his dignity or usefulness.
• Restraint and survival: Qin Ming’s anger toward Golden Chicken Ridge clashes with the need to remain patient. The chapter emphasizes that survival sometimes requires enduring humiliation until one is strong enough to retaliate.
• Hidden powers and mysteries: Qin Ming’s ability to see the Black Mist suggests that the mysterious liquid has altered him and foreshadows deeper secrets connected to the valley and powerful factions.
• The danger of unchecked growth: The Ant Queen’s potential Fourth Mutation could have caused a catastrophic population explosion, framing the extermination as both a personal gain and a service to surrounding communities.

Character Interactions

• Qin Ming and Old Man Liu work closely as partners, combining Liu’s experience and swordsmanship with Qin Ming’s strength and hammer techniques.
• Their banter often reveals contrasting personalities: Liu is boastful, cautious, and prideful, while Qin Ming is more direct, skeptical, and increasingly confident.
• During the battle, they protect and warn one another, especially when the Second Mutation ants appear.
• After the encounter with the bandit chiefs, Old Man Liu submissively manages the situation and prevents Qin Ming from reacting recklessly.
• The chapter ends with their shared discovery of Spiritual Matter, linking their cooperation to future advancement while also creating new concerns about secrecy and the threat posed by Golden Chicken Ridge.

Key plot points and events

• Qin Ming drinks rare Spiritual Matter extracted from an ant nest and begins his Third New Life. The substance floods him with vitality, and he practices the Silk Scripture’s New Life Method through the night.
• Heavenly Light emerges from deep within his body, illuminating his organs and strengthening his Essence, Qi, and Spirit. A Jade Suit Sewn with Gold Threads begins to form while he is awake.
• After experimenting with combat techniques, Qin Ming suspects he is close to developing Heavenly Light Force, but the Silk Scripture’s second page offers no explanation.
• Old Man Liu visits, worried that age and a lifetime of bad luck may prevent him from advancing. Qin Ming encourages him. Hoping to borrow Qin Ming’s “good fortune,” Liu drinks his Spiritual Matter on the spot and begins showing signs of New Life.
• Liu links his misfortunes to a Bloodstained Kite he saw as a child, reportedly over Double Tree Village. Qin Ming takes the detail seriously.
• In a half-dream, Qin Ming sees a relative—possibly his grandfather—reading the Silk Scripture to his childhood self. He learns the third page’s teachings, which seem to concern heightened perception, and finds a mocking annotation about cultivating Heavenly Light Force.
• The next morning, Qin Ming follows its instruction to “seek within oneself” and successfully draws out his own Heavenly Light Force. It grips his knife and damages the blade with little effort.
• With Golden Chicken Ridge recruiting New Life Evolvers, Qin Ming prepares to make a weapon by melting Mutton Fat Jade Iron.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin Ming completes the Third New Life and gains Heavenly Light and Heavenly Light Force. He becomes more confident in his understanding of the Silk Scripture, while remaining curious about how to develop multiple kinds of Heavenly Light Force.
• Old Man Liu reveals a history of setbacks that has undermined his confidence. Qin Ming reassures him, but Liu’s decision to drink his Spiritual Matter immediately reflects both his trust in Qin Ming and his belief in borrowed good fortune. His childhood sighting of the Bloodstained Kite adds a troubling mystery.
• Qin Ming and Liu share an unusually candid relationship: Qin Ming encourages and questions him, while Liu jokes about Qin Ming’s luck and seeks his company before taking a major risk.

Significant themes

• Transformation through discipline: Spiritual Matter begins Qin Ming’s breakthrough, but sustained practice and self-understanding bring it to fruition.
• Self-reliance and inner potential: Heavenly Light Force must be cultivated from within; Qin Ming succeeds by applying the Silk Scripture’s advice rather than waiting for a teacher.
• Confidence versus fear: Liu’s past failures have made him hesitant, while Qin Ming urges him to believe he can advance.
• Fate, superstition, and mystery: Liu attributes his misfortunes to the Bloodstained Kite, while Qin Ming remains skeptical but recognizes the possible significance of its appearance.

Summary of “The End of Joy”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Ming prepares for an upcoming confrontation that could alarm Red Haze City. He plans to obtain a weapon, learn additional Heavenly Light Force techniques, and use the Three-Colored Flower to strengthen himself.
• Golden Chicken Ridge officially recruits Qin Ming after its people arrive at the village and call for him by name. Fearing retaliation, Old Man Liu urges him to cooperate rather than provoke the bandits.
• The recruiters also forcibly enlist Yang Yongqing, using his powerful Black Mountain Goat as justification. They register him as a potential “Black Goat Knight” and order both men to report to Golden Chicken Ridge in five days.
• Old Man Liu, secretly undergoing his Third New Life, disguises his unusually healthy complexion so the experts of Golden Chicken Ridge will not notice his breakthrough.
• The secret manual Old Man Liu promised to obtain has been secured, though the price will be high. He and Qin Ming plan to visit the fallen household that possesses it.
• Old Man Liu gives Qin Ming the cultivation method for Entangling Silk Force, while Qin Ming keeps the more mysterious techniques from the Silk Scripture and Sword Manual secret.
• Qin Ming experiments with his own Heavenly Light Force, discovering its abilities of adhesion, tearing, and penetration. He can pull objects toward him, damage stone with his fingers, and potentially tear flesh through contact.
• After half a day of practice, Qin Ming learns Entangling Silk Force and successfully fuses it with his own Adhesion Force. The fusion greatly increases its power, though he realizes he must cultivate the technique further before permanently merging it.
• Just as Qin Ming is enjoying his progress and imagining the wider world, he notices a strange Black Mist descending over the village. No one else can perceive it, and he hides his alarm.
• To avoid revealing his awareness or vulnerability, Qin Ming returns indoors and studies the damaged Sword Manual. He senses powerful emotions embedded in the text, including one expressing regret at being unable to cultivate Tathagata Force, suggesting that someone connected to the manual may have encountered this exceptional technique.

Character Developments

• Qin Ming becomes more cautious and strategic. Although his strength and confidence have grown after reaching his Third New Life, he understands that he still lacks a suitable weapon and sufficient knowledge to face unknown threats.
• His mastery of Heavenly Light Force advances significantly. He gains a practical understanding of Adhesion Force and quickly learns Entangling Silk Force, revealing his strong talent and ability to fuse techniques.
• Old Man Liu continues his transformation through the Third New Life and becomes increasingly concerned with concealing his breakthrough. He also acts as Qin Ming’s protector and mentor, sharing Entangling Silk Force despite recognizing that Qin Ming’s true techniques are extraordinary.
• Yang Yongqing is unwillingly drawn into the conflict when Golden Chicken Ridge takes both him and his goat. His relationship with the Black Mountain Goat becomes a source of vulnerability as well as potential strength.
• The people of Golden Chicken Ridge are shown to be coercive and predatory, treating village residents and their animals as resources while presenting recruitment as protection.

Significant Themes

• Preparation before confrontation: Qin Ming understands that strength alone is insufficient and focuses on weapons, techniques, concealment, and strategic planning.
• Fusion and accumulation of power: The chapter emphasizes combining different Heavenly Light Force arts rather than relying on a single technique.
• Talent versus experience: Qin Ming rapidly grasps Entangling Silk Force, while its principles reflect generations of practical combat experience among Mountain Patrols.
• Hidden strength and secrecy: Old Man Liu must conceal his breakthrough, Qin Ming hides his unusual abilities, and the mysterious Black Mist remains invisible to everyone else.
• The cost of advancement: Greater power brings danger, attention, and entanglement with forces such as Golden Chicken Ridge and the unexplained Black Mist.
• Knowledge preserved through artifacts: The Sword Manual carries not only techniques but also the emotions and experiences of past cultivators, hinting that its secrets extend beyond its written pages.

Character Interactions

• Old Man Liu urges Qin Ming to accept recruitment, fearing that defiance would bring disaster to the village.
• Qin Ming attempts to prevent Yang Yongqing from being taken, but the recruiter ignores his objection and registers Yang anyway.
• Xu Yueping tries to comfort Yang Yongqing by suggesting that Golden Chicken Ridge may offer decent treatment despite its brutal reputation.
• Qin Ming and Old Man Liu exchange cultivation methods: Liu gives Qin Ming Entangling Silk Force, while Qin Ming offers to reciprocate, though Liu declines to avoid becoming involved in Qin Ming’s hidden background.
• Their relationship is built on mutual trust, caution, and practical cooperation, especially as both attempt to hide their growing power from Golden Chicken Ridge.
• The chapter ends with Qin Ming alone, confronting the ominous Black Mist and discovering a tantalizing reference to Tathagata Force in the Sword Manual.

Key plot points and events

• Qin Ming studies the Sword Manual through emotional resonance, learning Nail Force, a piercing force art. Though its original practitioner’s anger helps him grasp the technique quickly, Qin Ming gains the insight—not the man’s years of accumulated power. He tests it by piercing a stone millstone with one finger.
• News spreads that the elderly head of the Li Household has died. Qin Ming suspects the Black Mist he saw earlier is connected to a wave of deaths among elders and some injured young hunters. Its presence appears linked to dangerous places and scattered weapons, but its nature remains unknown.
• Worried about the threat, Qin Ming decides he needs a reliable weapon and plans to forge one himself. Meanwhile, further study of the Sword Manual gives him Intercepting Force, a complex Heavenly Light Force art derived from several simpler techniques. He recognizes that force arts can be fused into his own Heavenly Light Force, as the Silk Scripture’s annotation had advised.
• Qin Ming uses the last of his Spiritual Matter to complete his Third New Life, greatly improving his physical abilities. At midnight, he and Old Man Liu go to a smithy in Silver Vine Town. They cannot melt the rare Mutton Fat Jade Iron, but Qin Ming hammers it into a short, jade-white sword. The metal proves too hard to grind or sharpen, so he coats the blade to conceal its unusual appearance.
• While they are out before dawn, the Black Mist appears in town and follows them. Qin Ming leads Old Man Liu out toward an isolated road, where the mist finally attacks. Qin Ming turns and strikes at it with his new sword.

Character developments

• Qin Ming grows more confident in learning techniques through emotional resonance, while recognizing that insight cannot replace personal training or the resources needed to advance his life level. The deaths and recurring Black Mist make him increasingly urgent and cautious. His Third New Life strengthens him, and he takes practical steps to prepare for danger.
• Old Man Liu supports Qin Ming by helping him access the smithy and working the bellows. Though surprised by Qin Ming’s plan and the extraordinary metal, he remains calm and follows Qin Ming’s lead when the mist appears.
• The Sword Manual’s past practitioners are revealed through their experiences: one bitterly discovers that the promised Tathagata Force material describes only Nail Force, while another develops Intercepting Force in pursuit of a legendary technique.

Significant themes

• Learning through experience and emotion: Qin Ming can rapidly absorb the lessons behind another practitioner’s techniques, but not inherit their strength.
• Accumulation versus shortcuts: Spiritual Matter and borrowed force arts accelerate progress, yet physical advancement and power still require Qin Ming’s own effort.
• Preparation amid uncertainty: Faced with an unexplained, potentially deadly force, Qin Ming responds by strengthening himself and obtaining a weapon.
• The value of fusion: Qin Ming realizes that combining different force arts is essential to developing a more complete Heavenly Light Force.

Character interactions

• Qin Ming discusses the deaths and rumors with Xu Yueping, who reports that elders are dying across nearby villages and that some young hunters may have died after retrieving weapons.
• Old Man Liu advises Qin Ming to wait before approaching the busy smithies, then helps him forge the sword.
• When the Black Mist follows them, Qin Ming signals Old Man Liu to change course and guides him out of town. Their shared danger ends with Qin Ming facing the attacking mist.

Key plot points and events

• In the dark woods, Qin Ming spots a Black Mist creature attacking him and Old Man Liu. Liu’s greatsword passes through it, while Qin Ming’s mineral-coated saber can strike it.
• The creature takes the shape of a suffering young man and attacks with mist-made projectiles. Qin Ming shakes the coating off his Mutton Fat Jade Iron Saber, whose light proves devastating to the creature.
• Using the saber alongside his Heavenly Light Force and its binding techniques, Qin Ming traps and burns the attacker. The creature claims to be human and from “Beyond the Mundane,” but Qin Ming continues fighting.
• The attacker sacrifices his mist body and tries to escape as a small scrap of embroidered cloth. Qin Ming pulls it back and destroys the last of the creature’s essence. He keeps the unusual cloth, which does not respond to the saber’s light.
• Qin Ming concludes the attacker was likely one of the Beyond the Mundane People—humans with powers that ordinary people cannot perceive or fight. He fears that the Feather Robe Youth, one of his enemies, may possess even greater abilities.
• Rather than return to recover, Qin Ming decides to continue to Silver Vine Town, where he and Liu will have breakfast and visit a family they arranged to meet. He hopes to borrow secret texts and grow stronger.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin Ming discovers the Mutton Fat Jade Iron Saber’s extraordinary effectiveness against the mist being and uses his growing command of force techniques under extreme pressure. The encounter replaces his recent confidence with caution and resolve: he recognizes how far he still has to go.
• Old Man Liu cannot see or harm the attacker, but trusts Qin Ming’s warning and retreats. Afterward, he is alarmed by the revelation yet quickly regains his composure, impressed by Qin Ming’s weapon and ability.
• The attacker pleads for Qin Ming to stop and insists he is human. Qin Ming, unsure what the being is and unwilling to risk letting it escape, treats him as a deadly threat.

Significant themes

• Strength and preparedness: Qin Ming learns that his current abilities may be inadequate against the powerful, mysterious faction he will eventually face.
• The limits of ordinary perception: The creature is invisible and untouchable to Liu, highlighting how unusual powers can leave ordinary people helpless.
• Progress through knowledge: Qin Ming sees studying new methods—including the Silk Scripture and secret texts—as essential to advancing beyond his current limits.
• Uncertainty and mistrust: The attacker’s claim to be human complicates the distinction between people and monsters, but Qin Ming’s fear and caution prevail.

Chapter Summary: “Secrets and His True Name”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Ming and Old Man Liu visit the declining Wu Family in Silver Vine Town to borrow its ancestral secret manual. Qin first buries a scrap of cloth connected to the sinister black-mist youth, fearing it may bring trouble.
• Old Wu hesitates to lend the manual because of his family’s former glory, but Qin eventually pays fifteen Day Gold coins for temporary access.
• Qin studies the beast-hide manual and quickly grasps the recorded Heavenly Light technique, Mang Force. His immediate progress shocks Old Man Liu, who realizes Qin’s talent far exceeds his own.
• Qin pretends that the manual’s path does not suit him and leaves early, while Old Man Liu remains behind to study it. Old Wu is visibly relieved when Qin claims not to have gained much from the book.
• Qin begins practicing Mang Force at home. The technique emphasizes piercing power and complements his existing Nail Force, while the manual also expands his knowledge of the Three-Colored Flower and the dangers of merging multiple Heavenly Light Forces.
• Meanwhile, two bandit leaders at Golden Chicken Ridge wait for the black-mist youth, unaware that Qin has already killed him. They speculate about the youth’s motives, his connection to the Beyond the Mundane People, and the danger of his activities attracting attention from Red Haze City.
• Qin decides that his unusual body should be able to withstand a supreme-grade Three-Colored Flower. As he prepares to consume one, the flower triggers fragments of buried memories.
• He recalls the word “Abandon” and the name “Cui Chonghe,” wondering whether the latter may be his true original name. The possibility troubles him because he now deeply resents the Beyond the Mundane People.

Character Developments

• Qin Ming: Demonstrates extraordinary comprehension by mastering Mang Force almost immediately. His Heavenly Light appears unusually adaptable and capable of combining several different forces, although he remains cautious about possible internal backlash. His resurfacing memories suggest a hidden past and a possible former identity as Cui Chonghe.
• Old Man Liu: Is stunned and humbled by Qin’s rapid cultivation. His confidence in his own talent is shaken, though he remains eager to study and compare the Wu Family’s techniques with his existing knowledge.
• Old Wu: Appears as a fallen descendant of a once-powerful family. His past extravagance contributed to the family’s decline, and he feels guilty about selling access to his ancestors’ manual. He is visibly relieved when Qin claims the manual is too obscure to benefit him.
• The black-mist youth: Though already dead, his influence remains important. His mysterious identity and connection to the Beyond the Mundane People continue to worry the Golden Chicken Ridge bandits.
• Golden Chicken Ridge bandits: Reveal fear and uncertainty regarding the Beyond the Mundane People and the danger of becoming involved in their schemes.

Significant Themes

• Decline of former greatness: The Wu Family’s ruined residence and Old Wu’s regret reflect how past glory can fade through time, poor choices, and changing circumstances.
• Talent and inequality: Qin’s effortless mastery of Mang Force contrasts sharply with Old Man Liu’s hard-earned abilities, emphasizing the vast differences between innate gifts.
• Risk and experimentation: Combining Heavenly Light Forces can greatly increase power but may also cause lethal internal explosions. Qin’s unusual constitution allows him to consider risks others cannot.
• Hidden identities and buried memories: Qin’s fragmented recollections suggest that his current identity is incomplete. The name Cui Chonghe may connect him to the Beyond the Mundane People despite his hostility toward them.
• Secrets and incomplete knowledge: Important truths are repeatedly withheld—by Old Wu, Huang Jingde, and possibly Qin’s own buried memories—creating uncertainty about the past and the motives of powerful figures.
• The tension between orthodox and dangerous cultivation paths: The black-mist youth and the Beyond the Mundane People are associated with sinister, potentially unorthodox methods, while Qin struggles to understand his own relationship to them.

Important Character Interactions

• Qin and Old Man Liu negotiate with Old Wu over the secret manual, with Liu using familiarity and humor while Qin handles the payment directly.
• Old Wu’s pride and shame about his family’s past clash with the practical need to sell access to its inheritance.
• Old Man Liu witnesses Qin’s sudden manifestation of Heavenly Light and is left speechless by the difference in their abilities.
• Qin hides his true gains from Old Wu, showing his growing caution and unwillingness to reveal his potential.
• The Golden Chicken Ridge bandits discuss the absent black-mist youth and fear the consequences of aiding someone connected to the Beyond the Mundane People.
• Qin’s encounter with the Three-Colored Flower leads to an inward confrontation with his forgotten past, linking the words “Abandon” and “Cui Chonghe” to the mystery of his true identity.

Key plot points and events

• Qin Ming’s memories of another life grow stronger. He recalls scenes of a young boy, Cui Chongxuan, undergoing an early New Life among powerful, well-connected people, but remains unsure how that life relates to his own identity.
• Qin Ming eats an entire Three-Colored Flower rich in Heavenly Light Essence. Though the process causes intense burning pain, his resilient body withstands it. The plant’s inner Heavenly Light fuses with the Heavenly Light already in him, purifying and strengthening his body.
• He successfully combines his various kinds of Heavenly Light Force into one and demonstrates his increased strength by breaking a chunk from a stone mill with the back of his hand.
• Reflecting on his recent danger from Shallow Night—a Beyond the Mundane Person capable of flight, mist-like transformation, and invisibility—Qin Ming recognizes that strength alone may not be enough. He wonders whether the Silk Scripture can help him face such opponents.
• Qin Ming asks Old Man Liu about Spiritual Matter for a Fourth New Life. Liu warns him not to hunt creatures that have undergone a Fourth Mutation, since they are protected by the Higher Aberrants.
• Elsewhere, bandit chiefs await word about the missing young man involved in the grave-site incident. Their superior, Old Senior, advises them to wait, then leave if the man does not return. He believes the man may be a Beyond-the-Mundane Beast, and that his attempt to worship at the grave cannot succeed.
• Golden Chicken Ridge’s men announce a new levy: each nearby household must pay one Night Silver. The impoverished villagers are outraged, having expected the bandits to exploit them after recruiting New Life Evolvers.
• Hearing the villagers’ anger, Qin Ming decides to act. Unable to tolerate the bandits’ demands, he prepares to strike Golden Chicken Ridge.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin Ming grows stronger through the flower, increasing and unifying his Heavenly Light Force. At the same time, his resurfacing memories deepen his uncertainty over whether he is Qin Ming or Cui Chonghe; the remembered boy is named Cui Chongxuan, adding to the mystery.
• Qin Ming remains cautious despite his progress, recalling how close he came to danger and questioning whether his current techniques can counter the Beyond the Mundane People.
• Old Man Liu warns Qin Ming about the political consequences of killing powerful mutated creatures.
• The bandit chiefs consult Old Senior by message and follow his instruction not to pursue the missing man. They also impose a new tax on the surrounding villages.
• The villagers respond with anger and consider resisting the bandits; their plight prompts Qin Ming to take action.

Significant themes

• Identity and memory: Qin Ming’s increasingly vivid memories suggest another life, but he cannot yet determine which identity is true.
• Growth through pain: His transformation requires enduring physical suffering, while his strength and abilities expand.
• Power and vulnerability: Even substantial advancement does not guarantee safety against enemies with unusual abilities.
• Exploitation and resistance: The bandits’ levy threatens already struggling villagers, setting up Qin Ming’s decision to challenge their rule.

Chapter Summary: “Three Absolutes”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Golden Chicken Ridge demands one Night Silver from every household as a “protection tax.” The villagers are outraged because one Night Silver represents roughly a month of food and warmth for a family, and Golden Chicken Ridge is essentially a bandit organization.
• The villagers discuss appealing to the Mountain Patrol Group or Red Haze City, but Red Haze City is distracted by suspicions that its lord, Ling Xu, colluded with the Higher Aberrant of Black White Mountain.
• Qin Ming, affected by the villagers’ anger, prepares medicinal meat broth from two mutated Blood Snakes. He gives it to Lu Ze, hoping it will heal his injuries and help him achieve a bodily New Life. He also offers some to Liang Wanqing, while giving the children fruit instead because they are too young for the powerful meat.
• Qin Ming tests his martial abilities but discovers that ordinary weapons cannot withstand his strength. He enters the Great Rift Valley, destroys a sinister altar connected to the Golden Chicken Ridge bandits and a mist-form Beyond the Mundane Being, and retrieves high-quality weapons and armor.
• Equipped with a long saber, great spear, bow, arrows, and armor, Qin Ming jokingly names himself the “three absolutes” of saber, spear, and arrow.
• Old Man Liu intercepts him and correctly guesses that Qin Ming intends to attack Golden Chicken Ridge. He warns Qin Ming to wait briefly in case the legendary Golden Bandits return, explaining that the stronghold usually prepares rare food, wine, and entertainers before their arrival.
• Golden Chicken Ridge sends representatives to justify the tax, claiming their previous losses in the Great Rift Valley were incurred while protecting the villages. Their explanation only intensifies the villagers’ anger, especially since they still insist on collecting the payment the following month.
• Old Man Liu later reports that only the two local bandit leaders and their followers are currently at the stronghold. News also arrives that Ling Xu is being transferred from Red Haze City, creating a favorable political moment for Qin Ming to act.
• Qin Ming heads toward Golden Chicken Ridge at night. On the way, he encounters a dangerous Third Mutation Violet Lightning Beast. Using the adhesive property of his Heavenly Light Force, he mounts and subdues it with his saber, forcing it to carry him toward the stronghold.

Character Developments

• Qin Ming grows increasingly decisive and aggressive. The villagers’ suffering strengthens his resolve to confront Golden Chicken Ridge rather than remain a passive observer.
• His combat ability continues to advance dramatically. He is powerful enough to destroy weapons through sheer force, disperse sinister mist with Heavenly Light, and subdue a swift, highly dangerous aberrant.
• Qin Ming also shows generosity and responsibility by helping Lu Ze’s family, sharing valuable spiritual food, and protecting the children from consuming something too potent.
• Lu Ze and Liang Wanqing are given hope for a safer future through the possibility of Lu Ze achieving New Life.
• Old Man Liu is established as perceptive and strategically cautious. He understands Qin Ming’s strength but tries to prevent him from acting recklessly, using his knowledge of the Golden Bandits’ habits to gather intelligence.
• The villagers become more unified and openly resistant toward Golden Chicken Ridge, shifting from resentment to the possibility of organized opposition.

Significant Themes

• Exploitation versus protection: Golden Chicken Ridge disguises extortion as public protection, revealing how powerful groups manipulate vulnerable communities.
• Justice and resistance: The villagers’ anger and Qin Ming’s planned attack reflect growing resistance against oppression.
• Strength and responsibility: Qin Ming’s power is not presented merely as a personal advantage; he uses it to protect neighbors and challenge those exploiting them.
• Political opportunity and hidden alliances: The instability surrounding Red Haze City, the suspected conspiracy involving Ling Xu, and the bandits’ connection to aberrant forces create a broader network of distrust and intrigue.
• Preparation and strategy: Qin Ming does not simply rush into battle. He acquires suitable weapons, investigates the enemy’s position, listens to Old Man Liu, and waits for the right moment.
• Human emotion beneath cultivation: Qin Ming’s Heavenly Light reacts to his anger and agitation, emphasizing that even a powerful cultivator remains influenced by ordinary human emotions.

Character Interactions

• The villagers collectively condemn the Golden Chicken Knights and debate how to respond.
• Qin Ming comforts and assists Lu Ze’s family, while playfully refusing the children and the squirrel access to the powerful Blood Snake broth.
• Qin Ming and Old Man Liu have a tense but familiar exchange: Liu warns him against attacking immediately, while Qin Ming jokes about Liu’s ominous predictions but accepts his advice.
• Golden Chicken Ridge’s representatives attempt to explain their actions to the villagers, but the interaction fails and leaves the villagers even more hostile.
• Qin Ming’s final interaction is with the Violet Lightning Beast. He first subdues it through Heavenly Light Force, then threatens it with his saber and turns it into a mount, riding toward Golden Chicken Ridge.

Plot points

• Qin Ming continues toward Golden Chicken Ridge on the Violet Lightning Beast. When it repeatedly bucks and slows, he cuts its neck to force obedience; afterward, it carries him steadily.
• Reaching the ridge at night, Qin Ming kills its mutated-chicken lookout and smashes through the stronghold’s gate.
• He attacks the remaining bandits, using his bow to kill several before they can organize. The Violet Lightning Beast helps by crushing and tearing apart the attacking Golden Chickens.
• Qin Ming shifts from bow to spear and charges the buildings, killing bandits and destroying a wooden house.
• A veteran bandit riding a Third Mutation Golden Chicken ambushes him, but Qin Ming kills both the mount and rider with his spear.
• As Qin Ming confronts the two bandit chiefs, another veteran attacks from behind. Qin Ming deflects the attacker’s sword with his saber and kills him. The chiefs remain facing Qin Ming as the chapter ends.

Character developments

• Qin Ming displays increasing confidence and control in combat. His mounted archery, sharp perception, and skill with both spear and saber make him far more formidable than the bandits expect. He remains practical and unsentimental, compelling the Violet Lightning Beast to obey through force.
• The Violet Lightning Beast begins as a resentful, unruly mount but becomes a powerful weapon in the assault. Its rage turns against the Golden Chickens attacking it.
• The bandits are shown as vicious but unprepared: their depleted stronghold has grown lax, and even experienced fighters underestimate Qin Ming.

Themes

• Force and survival: Qin Ming relies on decisive violence, while the Beast’s submission is also secured through threat.
• Underestimation and hidden strength: The bandit chiefs misjudge Qin Ming by judging only his bow; his spear and saber reveal a much greater level of ability.
• Power and vulnerability: Golden Chicken Ridge’s valuable Fire Spring and mutated creatures cannot compensate for its depleted, careless defenses.
• Momentum and fear: Qin Ming’s sudden, relentless assault overwhelms the stronghold psychologically as well as physically.

Character interactions

• Qin Ming controls the Violet Lightning Beast through intimidation, then uses its speed and strength to break into the ridge.
• The bandits rally against Qin Ming, ordering archers and trained Golden Chickens to attack, but he and his mount quickly suppress them.
• The two bandit chiefs watch cautiously before engaging; veteran fighters attempt separate attacks, but Qin Ming kills them before they can turn the battle in their favor.

Plot points and events

• Qin Ming launches a nighttime assault on Golden Chicken Ridge, killing a veteran who has undergone Third New Life with one strike. The bandits are shaken, but their two chiefs rally them to fight.
• Riding the exceptionally fast Violet Lightning Beast and wielding a spear and saber at once, Qin Ming forces the chiefs back. He breaks through the stronghold’s defenses, including a Bed Crossbow attack, and kills two more Third New Life elders with overwhelming technique.
• The bandits begin to flee, but Qin Ming cuts off their escape and shoots down several. He declares that their continued crimes after receiving amnesty—and their offenses against the city lord and the Beyond the Mundane People—have made their destruction inevitable.
• Qin Ming turns his attention to the chiefs. One breaks his saber, but Qin Ming tests his own Heavenly Light Force barehanded and badly injures both men, revealing a power they mistake for the product of Fourth New Life and powerful backing.
• The chiefs retreat toward the back mountain. Qin Ming pursues and kills one of them, then sees something that explains the name Golden Chicken Ridge.
• Elsewhere, a woman waiting with her attendants recognizes the rider as possibly Cui Chonghe.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin Ming displays confidence, tactical awareness, and formidable mastery of both weapons and close combat. He deliberately targets the faster Third New Life elders first, both to eliminate threats and prevent escape. He also tests his strength against the chiefs and intimidates the Violet Lightning Beast into cooperating.
• The bandit chiefs remain defiant at first, but their confidence collapses as Qin Ming outmatches them. Their men likewise shift from obedience to panic and flight.
• The waiting woman’s recognition of the rider introduces uncertainty about Qin Ming’s identity and hints at a connection to Cui Chonghe.

Significant themes

• Justice and accountability: The attack is framed as a response to the bandits’ continuing crimes despite amnesty.
• Fear and coercion: The bandits are trapped between Qin Ming’s assault and their own leaders’ threats, until survival overcomes loyalty.
• Mastery and hidden strength: Qin Ming’s refined techniques and fused Heavenly Light Forces make him far more dangerous than his opponents expect.
• Identity and misdirection: The chiefs misjudge Qin Ming’s stage of advancement, while the woman’s recognition raises questions about who he is.

Plot points and events

• At night, a feather-clothed woman suspects that the rider passing Golden Chicken Ridge is Cui Chonghe, an old acquaintance she has not seen for over two years. She decides to wait nearby rather than approach him, while her companions warn that City Lord Meng’s negotiations could be affected.
• Qin Ming discovers that Golden Chicken Ridge’s power comes from an aged, Fifth Mutation Old Golden Chicken. The bandit chief begs it for help, but the bird, obsessed with attempting a Phoenix-like Nirvana, attacks the bandits as well as Qin Ming.
• Qin Ming battles the trained creature, using his Heavenly Light techniques to damage its wing, claw, and beak. Rather than face defeat, the Old Golden Chicken returns to its nest and attempts its final mutation; the attempt fails, and it dies.
• Qin Ming finds a human arm among the bird’s food, abandons his thought of eating the creature, and kills the surviving bandits. He searches the stronghold, collecting some precious metals and three books, including a valuable secret manual.
• Two returning bandits alert the Three-Eyed Sect. Its leaders prepare to respond, but instead withdraw their people. Qin Ming arrives in Green Pine Town intending to attack the sect, finds it deserted, and leaves. Near the town, he encounters the feather-clothed woman and her companions, who recognize him.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin Ming shows confidence and tactical judgment in fighting a Fifth Mutation creature, though he also threatens the Violet Lightning Beast after it tries to use him as a shield. He remains practical: he kills the bandits, searches for valuables, and plans to target the Three-Eyed Sect.
• The Violet Lightning Beast fears the Old Golden Chicken and tries to protect itself by putting Qin Ming in the way of an attack. It later refuses the offered meal, displaying pride or distaste.
• The Old Golden Chicken is revealed as both a dangerous fighter, trained by a Golden Bandit, and a desperate creature clinging to its last hope of advancing. Its resolve impresses Qin Ming, but its consumption of human flesh prevents him from showing it mercy.
• The feather-clothed woman recognizes Qin Ming as a possible old acquaintance but chooses not to meet him, believing circumstances have changed. Her maid’s curiosity contrasts with her restraint.
• The bandit chief’s appeal to the Old Golden Chicken fails; the bird turns on its own people, and Qin Ming ultimately kills the chief and the other survivors. The Three-Eyed Sect leaders, faced with the threat, choose retreat over reinforcement.

Significant themes

• Desperate ambition and mortality: The Old Golden Chicken’s failed attempt at transformation embodies the determination to resist decline, even when success is nearly impossible.
• Strength and survival: Qin Ming’s power determines the outcome, while the bandits and sect members respond to danger through pleading, fighting, or flight.
• Changed circumstances and missed reunion: The woman’s hesitation suggests that history and altered relationships can make reconnecting with an old acquaintance difficult.
• Pragmatism and moral limits: Qin Ming respects the bird’s resolve but does not excuse its brutality; survival, justice, and material gain remain central to his choices.