Chapter Summaries

Key events

• Liu Wangu confronts Chen Fei and Tong Linyun but withdraws after realizing the Yuan Chen Sword Sect may have a mid–Joint Aperture Realm cultivator backing it. Tong jokes that she feared Chen Fei might kill him with one strike.
• Chen buys cultivation supplies and spends the next months training. In two months, he advances further within the fourth-rotation Joint Aperture Realm and expects to reach the fifth rotation within three years, though he plans to attempt a forced breakthrough once his aperture scars heal.
• Chen perfects the Clone Shadow Escape Art. His sect-based clone reaches peak Aperture Refining strength, but it will become truly valuable only once the art reaches great perfection and the clone can attain early Joint Aperture combat strength.
• He then perfects the Blood Refining Origin Art. Using sea-monster blood essence, he tempers the back of his hand and gains the ability to project a savage, monstrous aura—useful for disguising his identity and concealing traces. The process risks mental corruption from the sea monsters’ lingering imprints, but Chen limits the danger by refining only a small amount.
• Meanwhile, Haiyu City’s defenses worsen as sea-monster numbers grow despite the Thousand Feathers Alliance’s forces and mountain-sea cultivator Min Yanlu. Joint Aperture Realm casualties increase, and the Yuan Chen Sword Sect repeatedly avoids disaster thanks to Chen’s clone detecting threats and guiding retreats.
• Another month passes. Just as Chen’s Profound Sky Sword is nearing perfection, someone arrives outside his cultivation chamber.

Character developments and interactions

• Tong Linyun increasingly admires Chen, viewing his future advancement—and perhaps even a future peak realm—as nearly assured. Her teasing after Liu Wangu leaves also reflects her confidence in Chen’s strength.
• Chen remains focused and methodical, using cultivation not only to grow stronger but to solve practical problems: the clone protects his sect, while his new aura makes it easier to obscure his identity.
• Liu Wangu shows caution rather than pride: unwilling to risk provoking a cultivator of his own realm without certainty, he ends the confrontation and withdraws.
• Chen’s clone is increasingly important to the Yuan Chen Sword Sect, though its current strength remains limited.

Significant themes

• Hidden strength and misjudgment: Liu Wangu underestimates Chen, as others previously did, because they cannot see his true cultivation and ability.
• Relentless cultivation and ingenuity: Chen turns discipline and experimentation into steady advancement and unexpected uses for his techniques.
• Power’s costs and risks: Sea-monster blood essence grants useful strength and disguise but carries the danger of cumulative mental corruption.
• Personal strength versus collective survival: Chen’s cultivation benefits not only himself but also helps shield his sect, even as the wider conflict grows more dangerous.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mission Hall personnel, Fang Sifu and Mo Xuyang, visit Chen Fei with a mission.
• Chen Fei refuses the mission, citing his exemption due to completing an urgent mission previously.
• Mission Hall personnel try to persuade Chen Fei, emphasizing the mission's importance and the dire situation.
• Chen Fei remains firm, stating he will follow the Mission Hall's rules.
• Mission Hall personnel leave, disappointed.

Character Developments

• Chen Fei demonstrates his resolve and independence, refusing to be pressured into accepting a mission.
• Mission Hall personnel, particularly Fang Sifu, show frustration and displeasure with Chen Fei's refusal.

Significant Themes

• The importance of following rules and principles, even in difficult situations.
• The pressure and expectations placed on cultivators during wartime.
• The potential bias and manipulation in task allocation by the Mission Hall.

Character Interactions

• Chen Fei stands his ground against Mission Hall personnel, refusing to be swayed by their arguments.
• Fang Sifu and Mo Xuyang try to persuade Chen Fei, using emotional appeals and hints of pressure.
• After Chen Fei's refusal, they leave, seemingly considering alternative methods to involve Chen Fei in the mission.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Fei perfects the Profound Sky Sword technique, enhancing his strength significantly.
• Chen Fei, under a new identity, sells mid-grade magic treasures in Haiyu City, attracting attention due to the high prices fetched.
• Chen Fei successfully sells five mid-grade magic treasures, earning over 13,000 mid-grade spirit stones.

Character Developments

• Chen Fei's cultivation and control over Origin Energy improve with the perfection of the Profound Sky Sword.
• Chen Fei adopts a new identity to sell the magic treasures, further obscuring his true self.

Significant Themes

• The value of cultivation techniques and magic treasures in the cultivation world.
• The importance of identity and secrecy in the cultivation world.
• The potential danger of attracting unwanted attention due to wealth and power.

Character Interactions

• Chen Fei interacts with shopkeepers and vendors in Haiyu City, selling his magic treasures at a premium.
• Chen Fei's actions attract the attention of unknown parties, hinting at potential future interactions or conflicts.

Plot points and events

• In Haiyu City, two hidden antagonists discuss the weapons of Ning Yanding and his four companions appearing for sale. They suspect the seller—or someone else—killed the five, but cannot identify him because he used an unfamiliar aura and disappeared.
• They consider Chen Fei and his companions, since they returned safely after the encounter and Chen later met the mysterious seller. However, their apparent cultivation levels seem too low to have defeated five Mid Joint Aperture Realm cultivators. Min Yanlu’s recent purge also makes the antagonists wary of investigating anyone too openly.
• The black-robed man remains intent on discovering who was responsible and may seek revenge for an associate caught in Min Yanlu’s purge. The blue-robed man advises patience, saying they can kill their enemies when the time is right.
• Meanwhile, Chen Fei cultivates in seclusion. The sale of the five magic treasures has given him more than ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones, allowing him to use a damaged spirit treasure extensively. He strengthens his concealment formations and studies the fragmented insights embedded in the treasure.

Character developments and interactions

• The black-robed man is shown to be vengeful and driven to uncover the truth; the blue-robed man is more cautious and strategic. Their exchange reveals both their suspicion of Chen Fei and the limits imposed by Min Yanlu’s authority.
• Chen Fei is resourceful and forward-looking. Rather than merely improving his existing sword technique, he now hopes the spirit treasure’s memories can reveal clues to the Dragon Subduing Elephant Spirit Suppression technique or other soul-related cultivation insights.
• Chen Fei’s companions—Qin Haisan and Tong Linyun—are discussed by the antagonists, who judge them incapable of defeating the five cultivators themselves.

Significant themes

• Secrecy and misdirection: Chen Fei’s unfamiliar aura and hidden cultivation allow him to evade scrutiny, while his enemies struggle to identify him.
• Power and political restraint: Even suspected traitors are difficult to pursue because Min Yanlu’s purge has made the cost of acting recklessly high.
• Patience and accumulation: Chen Fei trusts that continued study of the spirit treasure’s fragmented memories will eventually yield results, especially with the help of his panel.
• Knowledge as a strategic advantage: Soul-related techniques are inaccessible to ordinary cultivators, making even scattered insights from a Mountain Sea Realm expert potentially valuable.

Plot points and events

• Chen Fei continues using his spirit treasure to strengthen himself and heal the cracks in his joint aperture. Though it consumes nearly a hundred mid-grade spirit stones at a time, the treasure’s energy is also improving the aperture’s resilience and accumulating mysterious insights in his Sea of Consciousness.
• After ten days, his aperture is nearly healed. He chooses to wait a few more days before attempting the fifth rotation, prioritizing a safe breakthrough over speed. He expects the treasure’s restorative effects to make later breakthroughs less time-consuming, but will need more spirit stones.
• At Haiyu City’s defenses, Chen Fei’s clone notices something wrong: no joint-aperture cultivators are present to intercept the third-tier sea monsters approaching the battlefront. He warns Qu Qingsheng, and the Yuan Chen Sword Sect begins retreating toward the city.
• Chen Fei alerts Tong Linyun and heads toward Haiyu City. Using his Heavenly Eye, he detects that Min Yanlu is absent from the central district.
• An explosion shakes the city, and its defensive formation begins to waver. Chen Fei senses a familiar but unidentified aura. The city’s flight-restricting force then vanishes, and several figures rise into the clouds.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Fei remains pragmatic and ambitious: he willingly spends heavily to turn the spirit treasure’s energy into strength, but is cautious about risking a breakthrough before his aperture is fully restored. His vigilance also lets him recognize the danger at the front and take immediate action.
• Qu Qingsheng trusts Chen Fei’s warning and promptly organizes the sect’s retreat.
• Tong Linyun understands the seriousness of Chen Fei’s concern and prepares to check her own sect’s defensive sector.
• The joint-aperture defenders’ unexplained absence alarms Chen Fei, who suspects a deliberate plot rather than ordinary negligence.

Significant themes

• Power has a cost: Chen Fei’s rapid cultivation depends on enormous resource consumption, which he considers worthwhile if it produces lasting strength.
• Caution amid ambition: He seeks rapid progress but refuses to gamble with a damaged aperture.
• Institutional vulnerability and betrayal: The missing defenders leave weaker cultivators exposed, suggesting that danger may come from human schemes as well as sea monsters.
• Preparedness and responsibility: Chen Fei acts quickly to protect others when he detects that the battlefront has become unsafe.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Haiyu City is attacked both internally (by corrupted cultivators) and externally (by Sea Monsters) simultaneously.
• Gu Danyang, in charge of Haiyu City's defense, must first eliminate the internal threat to prepare for the external onslaught.
• Chen Fei, using his clone, defends the Yuan Chen Sword Sect's perimeter, showcasing exceptional combat prowess against Sea Monsters.
• The Thousand-Eyed Anomaly, orchestrating the chaos, has corrupted some cultivators' minds, causing them to act against Haiyu City.
• Chen Fei evades a corrupted cultivator and heads back to Yuan Chen Sword Sect's defense zone, only to feel the Haiyu City formation tremble violently.

Character Developments

• Gu Danyang demonstrates his leadership and strategic thinking, prioritizing the elimination of the internal threat.
• Chen Fei's clone exhibits remarkable combat skills, outclassing other Aperture Refining Realm cultivators, hinting at the main body's formidable strength.
• The Thousand-Eyed Anomaly shows cunning and patience, orchestrating the chaos from the shadows.

Significant Themes

• The theme of dual threats (internal and external) is prominent, reflecting the challenges faced by Haiyu City and the Thousand Feathers Alliance.
• The manipulation of cultivators' minds by the Thousand-Eyed Anomaly raises questions about free will and control.

Character Interactions

• Gu Danyang and Chen Fei's clone do not interact directly in this chapter, but their actions reflect their roles in defending Haiyu City.
• Chen Fei's clone interacts with the Sea Monsters, showcasing his combat prowess, and with the corrupted cultivator, demonstrating his evasive skills.
• The Thousand-Eyed Anomaly interacts indirectly with both Gu Danyang and Chen Fei through its corrupted pawns, driving the plot forward.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Haiyu City is under attack by numerous Sea Monsters, including powerful Third Order ones, due to a damaged formation array.
• Gu Danyang, the strongest expert in the city, engages the Peak Third Order Sea Monsters but struggles due to their regenerative abilities.
• A turtle-like Peak Third Order Sea Monster charges at Gu Danyang, threatening the city's defenses.
• Gu Danyang activates his blade's full power, instilling fear and death into the Sea Monsters, causing many to disintegrate or flee.

Character Developments

• Gu Danyang demonstrates his prowess as a Peak Joint Aperture Realm expert, using the Void Blade technique to injure Sea Monsters and instill fear.
• The Sea Monsters show their resilience and regenerative abilities, making them difficult to defeat.
• Chen Fei observes the battle from within the city and realizes the power Gu Danyang uses is reminiscent of Min Yanlu, the Mountain Sea Realm expert.

Significant Themes

• The power of the Mountain Sea Realm and its influence on lower realms.
• The resilience and regenerative abilities of Sea Monsters, making them formidable opponents.
• The desperation of the situation in Haiyu City, with the city's defenses weakened and experts preoccupied.

Character Interactions

• Gu Danyang and the other Peak Joint Aperture Realm experts work together to defend the city but are hindered by the Sea Monsters' regenerative abilities.
• Chen Fei and Liu Wangu encounter each other outside the city, with Liu Wangu corrupted by the Thousand-Eyed Anomaly and intent on killing Chen Fei.

Key plot points and events

• Inside a formation that prevents escape, Liu Wangu—corrupted and compelled by the Thousand-Eyed Anomaly—has already killed two early Joint Aperture Realm cultivators. He taunts Chen Fei, expecting an easy victory.
• Chen Fei calmly invites Liu to attack. Liu opens with One Thread Sky, a sword art designed to pierce defenses and disrupt an opponent through pain.
• Chen reveals that he has reached the fourth rotation of the mid Joint Aperture Realm, with swordsmanship far beyond Liu’s. Liu realizes he may be outmatched but refuses to abandon his assigned mission.
• Liu activates two forbidden arts, straining his body to increase his power. Chen responds by activating three without visible difficulty.
• Chen’s presence overwhelms Liu, and his sword thrust forces Liu to defend with Dragon Taming Grip. Chen breaks through the defense, wrecking Liu’s arms and throwing his power into disorder.
• Chen finishes Liu with a strike to the neck. Liu dies still unable to accept the gap between them.

Character developments

• Chen Fei is revealed as far stronger than Liu expected: he has advanced rapidly, mastered an exceptional sword method, and can use three forbidden arts while displaying formidable physical strength. His calm confidence proves justified.
• Liu Wangu shifts from cruel, arrogant tormentor to a desperate opponent confronting an impossible mismatch. Though the Anomaly’s corruption has narrowed his will to a single mission, he continues fighting even when defeat is clear.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus reality: Liu mistakes Chen for an easy target because of outdated information about his cultivation.
• Power and preparation: Chen’s advanced cultivation, superior technique, and physical strength combine to overwhelm Liu’s reliance on forbidden arts.
• Corruption and compulsion: The Anomaly’s influence strips away Liu’s broader sense of self, leaving him obedient and unwilling to retreat.
• Arrogance and misjudgment: Liu’s earlier confidence makes his eventual defeat—and his belated recognition of how outmatched he was—all the more bitter.

Character interactions

• Liu tries to intimidate and torture Chen; Chen answers with a casual challenge rather than fear.
• Their exchange exposes the gulf between them: Liu’s desperation and forced power escalation meet Chen’s controlled, overwhelming strength.
• Liu recalls Tong Linyun’s earlier look of pity in the marketplace and finally understands that she had recognized how foolish his confrontation with Chen was.

Plot Points and Events

• Chen Fei absorbs Spiritual Essence from Liu Wangu's defeat, bringing his Qian Yuan Sword closer to upgrading to a High-grade Magic Treasure.
• Chen Fei kills Liu Wangu and collects his belongings, worth over three thousand Mid-grade Spirit Stones.
• Chen Fei faces several Early Third Order Sea Monsters, killing them with ease.
• Gu Danyang, wielding a blade imbued with Mountain Sea Realm intent, kills a Peak Third Order Sea Monster, causing the others to retreat.
• Haiyu City's formation is severely weakened when another main formation eye is destroyed.
• Shi Yuanmin, a Late Joint Aperture Realm cultivator, attacks Chen Fei but is recalled by a jade stone, leaving Chen Fei injured in the sea.
• Min Yanlu appears above Haiyu City, surveying the entire city.

Character Developments

• Chen Fei's Qian Yuan Sword nears a breakthrough to High-grade, demonstrating his prowess in battle against Sea Monsters.
• Gu Danyang showcases the power of his blade, instilling fear in the Peak Third Order Sea Monsters.
• Shi Yuanmin reveals his Late Joint Aperture Realm cultivation and his connection to the jade stone.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and the fear it instills (seen in Gu Danyang's blade and Shi Yuanmin's attack).
• The importance of formations and their eyes in protecting cities (Haiyu City's formation being weakened).

Character Interactions

• Chen Fei's clone and Qu Qingsheng have a brief exchange, showing trust and understanding between them.
• Shi Yuanmin's jade stone and his unknown master or controller (implied through the jade stone's influence).
• Min Yanlu's appearance suggests potential interaction with the city's defenders or attackers, though this is not yet shown.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Fei faces Shi Yuanmin, a late Joint Aperture Realm cultivator, and realizes his current strength is insufficient.
• Min Yanlu returns to Haiyu City, revealing he never left, and eliminates those responsible for the city's destruction and the Sea Monster invasion.
• A Fourth Order Sea Monster appears and escapes after a brief confrontation with Min Yanlu.

Character Developments

• Chen Fei assesses his strengths and weaknesses against Shi Yuanmin, understanding the importance of cultivation base.
• Min Yanlu demonstrates his power and strategic planning, showing no mercy to those who threaten Haiyu City.

Significant Themes

• The importance of cultivation base and strength in the cultivation world.
• The consequences of actions and the power dynamics between cultivators and Sea Monsters.

Character Interactions

• Chen Fei and Shi Yuanmin: Chen Fei realizes his limitations against Shi Yuanmin, considering retreat or a desperate fight.
• Min Yanlu and the cultivators of Haiyu City: Min Yanlu eliminates those who caused destruction, showing no mercy.
• Min Yanlu and the Fourth Order Sea Monster: Min Yanlu allows the Sea Monster to escape, indicating his priorities and limits.

Plot points

• Following the sea-monster attack, the Yuan Chen Sword Sect returned to Haiyu City. Chen Fei and other Joint Aperture Realm cultivators received modest commendations. Most people credited Min Yanlu with turning the battle around, while keeping any doubts to themselves.
• Haiyu City was badly damaged, and many low-level martial artists had died. Chen Fei and Tong Linyun compared losses: Chen Fei’s sect survived largely thanks to his avatar’s warning, while Tong’s sect suffered a few casualties after she arrived in time.
• Recognizing that the crisis had exposed how vulnerable his sect remained, Chen Fei returned to cultivating. He decided to accelerate his planned breakthrough from the fourth to the fifth rotation of the Joint Aperture Realm.
• Chen Fei used the Broken Ruler spirit treasure at full power, rapidly spending mid-grade spirit stones to restore and strengthen his joint aperture. After a day and a night, it reached its limit and he was ready to advance.
• The breakthrough stalled early. Chen Fei used the Heavenly Eye and his perfected Profound Sky Sword to control the process, then deployed the Dragon Elephant Nexus to overcome the resistance. After several hours, he successfully reached the fifth rotation.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Fei responds to the threat to his sect by becoming less cautious and accepting heavy resource costs to grow stronger faster. His preparation and control help him manage the dangers of a forced breakthrough.
• Tong Linyun remains concerned for her sect and feels the pressure of the battle. She and Chen Fei exchange news of their people, then part so each can recover in solitude.
• Chen Fei’s avatar proves valuable as an early-warning and protective measure for the Yuan Chen Sword Sect. Despite his rapid progress, Chen Fei remains acutely aware that his sect needs time to become strong enough to survive future crises.

Significant themes

• Power and vulnerability: Even major cities and powerful cultivators are vulnerable when high-level battles erupt.
• Preparation and risk: Chen Fei’s breakthrough is dangerous, but careful planning and specialized abilities let him push through.
• The cost of ambition: Accelerating his growth consumes vast resources, yet Chen Fei considers the expense worthwhile.
• Time and growth: The Yuan Chen Sword Sect has advanced quickly, but lasting strength cannot be achieved overnight.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Fei is about to enter the Late Joint Aperture Realm, which is more challenging than previous stages.
• He reflects on the difficulties faced by many martial artists due to inferior cultivation techniques and lack of resources.
• Chen Fei's breakthrough to the Sixth Rotation is almost certain with the Profound Sky Sword, but it may result in ordinary apertures.
• He learns about the importance of aperture quality (Low, Mid, High, Top-grade) for future cultivation progress.
• Chen Fei decides to use a special spiritual pill, Condensing Aperture Pill, to achieve Top-grade apertures despite the risks.

Character Developments

• Chen Fei shows determination and ambition, willing to take risks to improve his cultivation.
• He demonstrates understanding of the challenges faced by less privileged martial artists.

Significant Themes

• The importance of high-quality cultivation techniques and resources for progression.
• The consequences of taking shortcuts in cultivation.
• The struggle between ambition and safety in cultivation.

Character Interactions

• Chen Fei's internal dialogue with himself, reflecting on his past experiences and future plans.
• Implied interactions with other martial artists through Chen Fei's observations of their struggles.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Yuanmin, a cultivator in the Late Joint Aperture Realm, sits in his study when Tan Mingxiang, a cultivator in the Mid Joint Aperture Realm, appears. They discuss their alliance with the Sea Monsters and the recent events in Haiyu City.
• Shi Yuanmin reveals that he tested Chen Fei's strength and found him to be abnormally powerful for his cultivation level, suspecting he has a secret.
• Chen Fei emerges from his cultivation room after a month and sells his Spiritual Treasures, earning four thousand Mid-grade Spirit Stones. He then accepts a mission from the Mission Hall that rewards a Condensing Aperture Pill.
• Chen Fei discovers that the mission's location overlaps with the area where he possesses Black God Beads, which he obtained in the Imperial City.

Character Developments

• Shi Yuanmin: He becomes more cautious after Min Yanlu's intervention and decides to observe the situation in Haiyu City. He keeps Chen Fei's secret to himself, planning to obtain it for himself later.
• Chen Fei: He improves his cultivation significantly in a month, with his injuries almost fully recovered and his Dragon Subduing Elephant close to the Grand Perfection state. He also increases the proficiency of his cultivation techniques due to the Spiritual Treasures.

Significant Themes

• Profit and alliance: Shi Yuanmin's allegiance to the Sea Monsters is driven by profit, and he is willing to betray the Thousand Feathers Alliance for it. He also sees Chen Fei's secret as a potential vast profit.
• Cultivation and improvement: Chen Fei's relentless cultivation and use of Spiritual Treasures lead to remarkable progress in his cultivation base and techniques.

Character Interactions

• Shi Yuanmin and Tan Mingxiang: They discuss their alliance with the Sea Monsters and the recent events in Haiyu City, with Shi Yuanmin keeping Chen Fei's secret to himself.
• Chen Fei and the Mission Hall attendant: Chen Fei accepts a special mission from the Mission Hall that rewards a Condensing Aperture Pill, which the attendant approves without question due to Chen Fei's previous record.

Key plot points

• Chen Fei spots Chen Daoheng’s Luotian Pavilion group, including Huang Yuheng, but his altered aura keeps him unrecognized. He lets them pass and continues toward his mission.
• His assignment is to hunt Azure Dragon Carp, elusive sea demons that conceal their auras. After searching for fifteen days, his Heavenly Eye detects a trail and leads him far beyond the mission area to a mid-third-tier carp.
• The carp attacks, but Chen Fei reveals his true strength and badly wounds it. It escapes by repeatedly shifting more than twenty li at a time. Chen Fei tracks it to a cave.
• The Black God Beads—previously obtained in Haiyu City—react strongly near the cave. Chen Fei suspects the cave may explain the carp’s unusual ability and growth, but hesitates to enter without more information.
• Before he can investigate, the beads suddenly pull him into a strange place. He finds himself beneath a towering mountain, where people and sea demons climb while carrying black stones. A voice declares, “Heaven and earth are unfair, all things unequal. I grant you a fair opportunity…”

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Fei remains patient and cautious: he spends weeks searching, conceals his strength from the carp, and weighs the risks of entering the cave.
• The Azure Dragon Carp shifts from confident predator to frightened fugitive once Chen Fei reveals his real power. Its escape ability makes it more than a simple mission target, and Chen Fei becomes interested in that ability as well as the mission reward.
• Chen Fei avoids contact with the passing pursuer and their apparent quarry, choosing to wait rather than become involved.

Significant themes

• Unequal power and fairness: The chapter’s title and the mysterious voice frame a coming challenge that may promise fairness in a world of unequal strength.
• Patience and perception: Chen Fei’s success comes from sustained searching and the Heavenly Eye’s ability to detect what others would miss.
• Caution versus opportunity: The cave may offer powerful gains, but its unknown dangers make Chen Fei hesitate.
• Hidden strength and deception: Chen Fei masks his cultivation, while the carp’s apparent limits conceal extraordinary abilities.

Chapter Summary: “Heart Anomaly”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Fei arrives in a mysterious mountainous region known as the Black God Domain, possibly connected to Black God Cave.
• Upon entering, all his powers are sealed: elemental force, Spiritual Power, physical strength, the Qian Yuan Sword’s magical properties, and the Universe Bag’s functions. He is reduced to the strength of an ordinary person.
• A seemingly friendly man named Ming Zhongjiang explains the rules of the domain:
  • The Black God seeks to erase inequalities in talent, bloodline, cultivation, and background.
  • Humans and demon beasts are placed on equal footing.
  • Entrants must mine and carry heavy black stones up the mountain.
  • The number of stones carried determines the rewards received, and successful participants may also earn the right to leave the domain.
• Chen Fei joins Ming Zhongjiang and three others—particularly the imposing Xue Dongchuan—to investigate the black stones.
• Suspecting that Ming Zhongjiang’s invitation conceals ulterior motives, Chen Fei refuses to mine a stone immediately and instead observes the group.
• Ming Zhongjiang’s friendly demeanor disappears, revealing that the group intended to force Chen Fei to mine a stone for them. The four men surround him and threaten to cripple or kill him.
• Chen Fei is attacked by all four, but despite having no cultivation or physical advantage, he uses his superior swordsmanship to redirect their weapons and nearly kills Xue Dongchuan.
• The chapter ends with Chen Fei effortlessly countering the others’ attacks, revealing that his mastery of foundational martial techniques far exceeds theirs.

Character Development

• Chen Fei remains cautious, analytical, and composed despite being stripped of all supernatural abilities. His distrust of Ming Zhongjiang proves justified.
• He demonstrates that true combat mastery does not depend entirely on cultivation. His extensive training and Great Perfection in numerous martial arts allow him to defeat stronger opponents even as an “ordinary” man.
• Ming Zhongjiang is introduced as honest and cooperative but is exposed as manipulative and opportunistic. His belief in the Black God’s “fairness” may be sincere, but he is willing to exploit newcomers.
• Xue Dongchuan shifts from a quiet, intimidating companion to the group’s main enforcer. His confidence collapses when Chen Fei nearly kills him with a single precise counter.
• The other two members remain largely undefined but are revealed to be accomplices in the ambush.

Significant Themes

• Equality versus fairness: The Black God Domain removes all differences in cultivation, bloodline, talent, and status, forcing everyone to compete under the same conditions. However, equal conditions do not eliminate greed or treachery.
• The danger of appearances: Ming Zhongjiang’s friendly exterior conceals hostile intentions, reinforcing Chen Fei’s belief that “the human heart is unfathomable.”
• True strength: The chapter contrasts supernatural power with skill and experience. Once cultivation is sealed, Chen Fei’s technical mastery becomes his greatest advantage.
• Exploitation under supposedly fair rules: Although the Black God Domain promises rewards based on effort, individuals still seek to manipulate the system by forcing others to bear the burden.
• Adaptation and self-reliance: Chen Fei must quickly understand unfamiliar rules and survive without access to his usual treasures or abilities.

Character Interactions

• Ming Zhongjiang approaches Chen Fei and attempts to recruit him through reassurance and an explanation of the Black God Domain.
• Chen Fei questions Ming Zhongjiang closely, subtly testing the sincerity of his claims.
• At the ravine, Ming Zhongjiang introduces Chen Fei to three companions, including Xue Dongchuan, and urges him to mine a black stone.
• Chen Fei’s hesitation causes the group’s concealed hostility to surface. Ming Zhongjiang and Xue Dongchuan threaten him, while the others help surround him.
• During the fight, Chen Fei uses his sword to redirect each opponent’s weapon. Xue Dongchuan narrowly avoids a fatal thrust, and the other attackers lose control of their weapons.
• The confrontation establishes Chen Fei’s dominance and suggests that his mastery of basic martial arts is vastly superior to that of the group.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Fei arrives in the Endless Sea, where cultivation is easier due to abundant Vital Energy and focus on Internal Energy channeling.
• He encounters Xue Dongchuan and others, who underestimate him due to his use of basic martial arts moves.
• Chen Fei effortlessly defeats them, revealing his mastery of basic moves and understanding of force deflection and borrowing.
• Ming Zhongjiang, the surviving opponent, reveals that Black Stones can be exchanged for a chance to leave the Black God Domain, with the first stone costing 50 years of lifespan.
• Chen Fei learns about the rules of carrying Black Stones up the mountain and fuses smaller stones to create a larger one.

Character Developments

• Chen Fei: Shows immense skill in basic martial arts, proving that mastery of fundamentals can lead to extraordinary abilities. He demonstrates strategic thinking by fusing Black Stones.
• Xue Dongchuan and others: Underestimate Chen Fei due to his use of basic moves and pay the price with their lives.
• Ming Zhongjiang: Initially arrogant and deceitful, he becomes cooperative after experiencing Chen Fei's unique punishment, revealing crucial information about the Black God Domain.

Significant Themes

• Mastery of fundamentals: Chen Fei's proficiency in basic moves highlights the importance of mastering the fundamentals, a theme that carries over to his strategic approach with the Black Stones.
• Fairness vs. Price: The Black God Domain demands a price for fairness, symbolized by the exchange of lifespan for a chance to leave, raising questions about the true nature of fairness.

Character Interactions

• Chen Fei vs. Xue Dongchuan and others: Chen Fei's mastery of basic moves allows him to easily defeat his opponents, revealing their overconfidence and underestimation of him.
• Chen Fei vs. Ming Zhongjiang: Chen Fei's unique punishment forces Ming Zhongjiang to reveal information about the Black God Domain, showcasing Chen Fei's strategic thinking and Ming Zhongjiang's eventual cooperation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Fei decides to leave the Sword Energy in the Space Grid as it's ineffective in the Black God Domain and takes out a Black Stone to carry.
• He observes the Black God Domain, noticing many unfamiliar faces and speculating about its recent appearance and multiple entrances.
• Chen Fei suspects the Black God Domain is a Formation and plans to reach the summit to understand its purpose.
• He encounters disciples from the Luotian Pavilion, who are also surprised to see him.

Character Developments

• Chen Fei demonstrates his physical prowess by carrying a heavy Black Stone with ease, showing his mastery of body refinement techniques.
• Huang Yuheng and Chen Daoheng, disciples of the Luotian Pavilion, admire Chen Fei's agility and solid foundation.

Significant Themes

• The Black God Domain's purpose and rules are central to this chapter, with Chen Fei questioning its intentions and observing its structure.
• The theme of physical prowess and body refinement is highlighted through Chen Fei's ability to carry the heavy Black Stone.

Character Interactions

• Chen Fei briefly interacts with the Luotian Pavilion disciples, Huang Yuheng, and Chen Daoheng, who recognize him from their previous encounter.
• Despite the interaction, there's no significant dialogue or conflict between them in this chapter.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Fei climbs Black God Peak, discovering it's a massive formation, and reaches the summit after eight hours.
• He encounters a city with overwhelming pressure, which targets the Black Stone on his back.
• Inside the city, he finds a temple with a statue and a well to throw Black Stones into for rewards.
• Chen Fei sees tempting rewards, including Spiritual Treasures, Magic Treasures, cultivation techniques, and even transplantable innate abilities.
• He leaves the temple to explore constraints for going back down the mountain.

Character Developments

• Chen Fei demonstrates resilience and determination in climbing the mountain.
• He shows caution and strategic thinking in dealing with the city's pressure and the temple's rewards.
• Chen Fei's calm and analytical mind is highlighted as he evaluates the disproportionate effort and reward.

Significant Themes

• The disproportionate effort and reward system, hinting at a greater purpose or test.
• The power of the Black God and the significance of the Black Stones.
• The potential for soul cultivation and innate ability transplantation, suggesting advancements in martial arts.

Character Interactions

• Chen Fei interacts with the kneeling crowd outside the temple, noting their forehead patterns and connection to the temple.
• He has a silent exchange with one person who opens their eyes, experiencing a mental pull and a brief tremor in his Sea of Consciousness.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Fei encounters Gong Shiyan, who invites him to join the Black God Cult.
• Chen Fei discovers he can't leave Black God City without losing ten years of lifespan.
• He finds a marketplace where people trade spiritual materials and pills using Contribution Points or Black Stones.
• Chen Fei buys an Azure Sky Flower from a stall owner, exchanging three Black Stones and asking questions in return.

Character Developments

• Chen Fei demonstrates resilience and caution in the face of Gong Shiyan's invitation.
• Chen Fei shows understanding of the Azure Sky Flower's properties and auxiliary materials, impressing the stall owner.

Significant Themes

• The temptation of power and treasures versus the cost of one's lifespan.
• The duality and contradiction of rules within the Black God Domain.

Character Interactions

• Chen Fei and Gong Shiyan: Chen Fei is wary of Gong Shiyan's invitation, while Gong Shiyan respects Chen Fei's firm mind.
• Chen Fei and the stall owner: They negotiate the price of the Azure Sky Flower, and Chen Fei gains information from the stall owner in exchange for Contribution Points.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Fei exchanges Black Stones for Contribution Value and purchases the Azure Sky Flower.
• He learns about the Black God Cult and the Black God Domain from the stall owner.
• Chen Fei exchanges Contribution Value for reduced penalties on descending the mountain and obtains a Purple Fire Exquisite Pill.
• His clone in the Yuan Chen Sword Sect suddenly dissipates.

Character Developments

• Chen Fei demonstrates strategic thinking by exchanging Contribution Value for benefits that suit his needs.
• The stall owner reveals information about the Black God Cult and the Black God Domain, showing his knowledge and willingness to share.
• Qu Qingsheng, Sect Master of the Yuan Chen Sword Sect, tries to reassure his sect members about Chen Fei's clone disappearing.

Significant Themes

• The value of Contribution Value and its exchange for various benefits.
• The allure of divine soul cultivation techniques and the Black God Cult.
• The uncertainty and potential dangers of the Black God Domain.

Character Interactions

• Chen Fei interacts with the stall owner, learning valuable information.
• Chen Fei's clone interacts with the Yuan Chen Sword Sect members, though the clone's sudden disappearance causes concern.
• Qu Qingsheng interacts with his sect members, trying to reassure them about Chen Fei's clone.