Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: The Treasure-Guarding Ferocious Beast Appears!

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen and Lao Six arrive before the Gloom Mountain King’s Tomb, a colossal crimson mountain covered in blue-black phantoms of countless beasts. The mountain has been refined into a massive tomb and bears an inscription identifying it as the resting place of the Gloom Mountain King, possibly a descendant of the Mountain God.
• Using the Hidden Lantern, Xiao Chen understands the inscription and learns that the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman is hidden within a Dao Treasury inside the tomb.
• The talisman has begun choosing its destined master. Its selection is based not simply on cultivation or combat strength, but also on fate and opportunity.
• Around thirty or forty young human and demon prodigies have gathered before the tomb. All have passed the talisman’s preliminary selection and possess at least Sixth Realm cultivation.
• Xiao Chen and Lao Six stand out as unusually weak by comparison, being only in the Fifth and Third Realms. Several True Dragons mock them as unqualified intruders.
• Xiao Chen notices that Zhao Qingyun, his former opponent, is absent, suggesting that Zhao failed the talisman’s selection. Xiao Chen realizes that fate, rather than strength alone, has determined who may compete.
• The assembled candidates include the most powerful Divine Seeds and Heavenly Prodigies from the region surrounding Thousand Earth City. Among them, the most prominent is the crimson-haired demon prodigy Zi Xiangnan, bearer of Chiyou Demon Blood.
• The tomb suddenly opens, and an apparently frail, ordinary old man emerges. His eyes contain mountain-like shadows and hidden ferocity.
• The gathered cultivators identify him as the legendary Tiger Talisman Mountain King, the guardian spirit and treasure-protecting beast of the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman.
• The old man introduces himself as Hu Heifeng and announces that he will preside over the artifact-recognition ceremony.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen demonstrates the Hidden Lantern’s ability to uncover concealed heavenly secrets, allowing him to understand the tomb’s inscription and confirm the talisman’s location. Despite being far weaker than the other candidates, he remains observant and composed, recognizing that destiny and compatibility may matter more than cultivation.
• Lao Six accompanies Xiao Chen into a gathering of overwhelming prodigies, emphasizing the enormous disparity between their strength and that of the other contenders.
• Zhao Qingyun is revealed indirectly to have failed the talisman’s preliminary selection, removing him from the upcoming competition and showing that previous combat ability does not guarantee qualification.
• Zi Xiangnan is established as the most admired and feared figure among the gathered youths. His Chiyou Demon Blood grants him both demonic and devilish power, making him a dominant candidate.
• Hu Heifeng, despite his feeble and rustic appearance, is revealed to be an ancient and terrifying existence. Once a Heavenstriding Demon Tiger and a soul general of the talisman, he eventually formed a physical body and became its guardian beast.

Significant Themes

• Fate versus strength: The Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman chooses candidates according to destiny, regional fortune, and mysterious compatibility rather than cultivation level alone.
• Hidden power beneath ordinary appearances: Hu Heifeng looks like a withered old villager, yet he is actually a legendary treasure-guarding ferocious beast. The chapter warns against judging power by outward appearance.
• The insignificance of individual cultivators before ancient forces: The enormous tomb and the elite gathering make Xiao Chen and Lao Six appear as insignificant as dust, emphasizing the vast scale of the ancient inheritance they seek.
• Ancient legacies and bloodlines: The tomb, Mountain God lineage, Gloom Mountain King, Chiyou Demon Blood, and Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman all connect the present conflict to powerful ancient beings and inherited destinies.
• Competition among chosen prodigies: The gathering creates an atmosphere of rivalry, contempt, admiration, and anticipation as the candidates await the talisman’s final master-recognition ceremony.

Character Interactions

• Several powerful True Dragons openly ridicule Xiao Chen and Lao Six for entering despite their low realms, revealing the arrogance and elitism of the gathered prodigies.
• Xiao Chen silently evaluates the candidates and the situation rather than responding directly to the insults.
• Two True Dragons discuss Zi Xiangnan, with one expressing curiosity about his prominence and the other reacting with disbelief that anyone could fail to recognize such a famous figure.
• The gathered youths respond with shock and reverence when Hu Heifeng appears, recognizing his identity and recalling the legends surrounding the Tiger Talisman Mountain King.
• Hu Heifeng addresses all candidates collectively and takes control of the upcoming artifact-recognition ceremony, marking the transition from gathering and speculation to the actual contest for the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman.

Chapter Summary

Hu Heifeng, the ancient ferocious beast guarding the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman, arrives before the gathered Divine Seeds and True Dragons. His seemingly frail, aging appearance conceals overwhelming demonic power, intimidating nearly everyone present, including Xiao Chen. His descent darkens the heavens with black light, reinforcing his reputation as the Tiger Talisman Mountain King.
Hu Heifeng examines the candidates for the Talisman’s successor. He is pleased by their powerful bloodlines, physiques, and strong earth-element affinities, since the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman primarily seeks a master with earth-related Heavenly Destiny. Most candidates possess sacred earth bloodlines or Earth Saint Physiques, while exceptionally powerful individuals—such as those with the Chiyou Demon Physique—may qualify despite lacking earth affinity because overwhelming strength can overcome the Talisman’s usual requirements.
When Hu Heifeng notices Xiao Chen, however, his attitude changes sharply. Xiao Chen is only at the fifth layer of the King Realm and possesses neither an Earth Saint Physique nor an obviously suitable cultivation level. Hu Heifeng realizes that Xiao Chen has entered the selection through a flaw in the Talisman’s recognition process. Although Xiao Chen is protected by starlight and karma, concealing his true origins even from Hu Heifeng’s Divine Ability, the guardian still senses that he does not belong and openly looks down on him. Xiao Chen acknowledges Hu Heifeng’s hostility, while Lao Six humorously complains about being slighted.
Hu Heifeng then forms the true body of the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman: a small, dusky-yellow ancient seal covered in earth-like patterns, Mountain God carvings, and ancient edicts. Despite its size, the artifact radiates terrifying power. Mountain Ghosts rage through the surrounding black clouds, monstrous beastly shadows fill the sky, bloody light churns through the air, and the surrounding mountains tremble. The assembled candidates are overcome with awe and desire, knowing that the Talisman can command Mountain Ghosts and potentially reveal the path to becoming a Mountain God.
A powerful Divine Seed asks how the Talisman’s master will be chosen. Hu Heifeng explains that each candidate will stand before the artifact and “sketch the outline of the Mountain God.” The person who produces the most complete and impressive outline will gain the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman’s recognition. This test measures more than talent: it evaluates Heavenly Destiny, compatibility, and the candidate’s ability to resonate with and reconstruct the divine power within the Talisman. Even Lao Six and the other prodigies have never heard of such an unusual technique. The chapter ends with another Divine Seed asking Hu Heifeng to explain how the imprinting process works and how the results will be judged.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Hu Heifeng: Reveals himself as an ancient, immensely powerful guardian who has waited for the proper Heavenly Destiny to appear. He is pleased by most candidates but becomes cold and dismissive toward Xiao Chen after detecting his abnormal entry.
• Xiao Chen: Remains calm despite Hu Heifeng’s hostility. His concealed origins and mysterious karmic protection prevent even Hu Heifeng from seeing his true foundation, suggesting that Xiao Chen may possess hidden qualifications.
• Lao Six: Acts as Xiao Chen’s subordinate and provides comic relief by complaining that Hu Heifeng looks down on them. He admits that he knows nothing about the Mountain God outline technique.
• The Divine Seeds and True Dragons: Initially confident because of their extraordinary bloodlines and physiques, they become intensely eager and anxious when confronted with the Talisman’s real power and unusual selection method.

Significant Themes

• Power overriding established rules: Exceptional strength, such as that of the Chiyou Demon Physique, can allow a candidate to bypass normal requirements.
• Heavenly Destiny and compatibility: True succession depends not simply on cultivation or bloodline, but on whether a person resonates with the artifact’s divine nature.
• Hidden identities and overlooked potential: Xiao Chen’s apparent weakness contrasts with the mystery surrounding his concealed foundation.
• Sacred treasure and competition: The candidates’ awe and agitation emphasize the immense value of the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman and the fierce contest for its inheritance.
• Ancient power and divine succession: Hu Heifeng’s long wait and the Talisman’s connection to Mountain Ghosts and the Mountain God establish the selection as a rare, almost mythic inheritance ritual.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman’s master-selection assessment is revealed to involve two rounds:
  1. Drawing divine radiance by resonating with the talisman.
  2. Imprinting the Mountain God’s dharma image in the final round.
• Hu Heifeng explains that completely imprinting the dharma image is considered nearly impossible; even imprinting half would be an extraordinary achievement.
• The talisman traditionally favors young True Dragons with an Earth-Element Saint Physique or earth-aligned Strange Meridians, placing Xiao Chen at an inherent disadvantage.
• The first round begins with each candidate given only ten breaths to awaken the talisman and produce divine radiance.
• Chi You Ran, the powerful Mystic Fire Divine Seed and leading prodigy of the Skyfire Ancient Domain, is called first. Despite his immense reputation and earth-and-fire cultivation, he fails to awaken the talisman within ten breaths and is eliminated.
• Chi You Ran’s defeat shocks the assembled Divine Seeds and True Dragons, demonstrating the extreme difficulty of the trial.
• Thirty-four candidates test before Xiao Chen. Only eight successfully produce divine radiance, and most of them pass only at the last moment.
• Zi Xiangnan, the Chiyou Demon Seed, stands out by successfully igniting the radiance in only three breaths.
• Xiao Chen is largely ignored by the others, who view him as a weak Fifth-Realm cultivator who merely happened to be selected by the talisman.
• He is deliberately called last, leaving the chapter poised for his assessment.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen remains calm but recognizes the pressure of the trial and his disadvantage due to his non-earth-aligned physique. His uncertain but determined attitude shows that he is prepared to proceed despite the odds.
• Lao Six becomes concerned for Xiao Chen after witnessing the brutal eliminations, but Xiao Chen reassures him that a solution will appear when the moment comes.
• Chi You Ran suffers a major blow to his pride and confidence. Previously regarded as an invincible Divine Seed, he becomes nervous and helpless before the talisman, then leaves in humiliation after being eliminated.
• Hu Heifeng is established as stern, impartial, and completely unwilling to provide assistance. He follows the talisman’s rules without making exceptions, even for an elite Divine Seed.
• Zi Xiangnan distinguishes himself as the strongest early performer, effortlessly passing a trial that defeats or nearly defeats nearly every other candidate.

Significant Themes

• Heaven beyond heaven: The chapter challenges the arrogance of prodigies who assume their talent guarantees success. Chi You Ran’s defeat proves that worldly strength and reputation do not necessarily matter before an ancient divine artifact.
• Destiny versus ability: The first round appears to judge Heavenly Destiny rather than cultivation strength. Powerful candidates fail, while success depends on possessing the correct affinity or fate.
• Humility and shattered pride: Chi You Ran’s elimination illustrates how quickly confidence can collapse when a supposedly invincible genius encounters something beyond his understanding.
• Hidden potential and underestimation: Xiao Chen is dismissed as weak because of his lower realm, setting up the possibility that those who overlook him may be mistaken.
• The cruelty of opportunity: The talisman’s inheritance is portrayed as extraordinarily rare and selective, explaining why it has searched for a suitable master for countless ages without success.

Character Interactions

• Hu Heifeng explains the rules to the gathered candidates but refuses to answer individual questions or guide them during the trial.
• Chi You Ran repeatedly looks toward Hu Heifeng for assistance when he cannot activate the talisman, but Hu Heifeng coldly announces his elimination instead.
• Lao Six expresses concern to Xiao Chen, warning that the assessment is exceptionally difficult. Xiao Chen responds with restrained optimism, insisting that a path will appear when necessary.
• The candidates discuss the results after the first round, praising Zi Xiangnan’s effortless success and lamenting the nearly impossible difficulty of the trial.
• The crowd’s dismissive attitude toward Xiao Chen emphasizes his isolation and foreshadows the significance of his upcoming attempt.

Chapter Summary: “By Heavenly Destiny Alone?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen, viewed by nearly everyone as an insignificant Fifth Realm cultivator, is the last candidate to undergo the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman test.
• Hu Heifeng, the savage beast guarding the treasure, expects Xiao Chen to fail and treats him with impatience and disdain.
• The assembled Divine Seeds, True Dragons, and Heavenly Prodigies also mock Xiao Chen because of his low cultivation, lack of reputation, and absence of an earth-aligned physique.
• Xiao Chen resonates with the tiger talisman. To everyone’s shock, it begins shining after only three breaths, matching the result of the famed Seventh King Realm cultivator Zi Xiangnan.
• The talisman releases magnificent earth-colored radiance, proving that Xiao Chen has passed the first round.
• Several participants challenge the result, insisting that a weak, ordinary-looking youth could not possibly possess such ability.
• Hu Heifeng confirms that the result is genuine after communicating with the spirit of the tiger talisman.
• He explains that the first round tests only Heavenly Destiny, not cultivation, talent, physique, or foundation.
• The explanation temporarily eases the crowd’s anger, though many dismiss Xiao Chen’s success as extraordinary luck or inherited fortune.
• Zi Xiangnan remains unconvinced. His observations suggest that Heavenly Destiny is connected to talent and potential, making Xiao Chen’s selection deeply suspicious.
• The second round begins: candidates must imprint the outline of the Mountain God, a test that will evaluate aptitude, foundation, and potential in addition to Heavenly Destiny.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Initially nervous and uncertain, Xiao Chen successfully activates the tiger talisman almost instantly. His achievement overturns the crowd’s assumptions and reveals that his apparent weakness may conceal extraordinary potential or destiny.
• Hu Heifeng: Begins as a dismissive examiner who assumes the talisman made a mistake in choosing Xiao Chen. After confirming the result, he recognizes that his judgment—not the talisman—was flawed.
• Zi Xiangnan: His confidence is shaken by Xiao Chen’s equal performance. Rather than openly dismissing him, Zi Xiangnan begins analyzing the deeper meaning of Xiao Chen’s selection and suspects that more than luck is involved.
• The True Dragons and Divine Seeds: Their arrogance and resentment become clear as they struggle to accept that an unknown Fifth Realm youth can match a legendary prodigy.
• The Heavenly Demon challenger: Represents the crowd’s skepticism by openly questioning the tiger talisman’s standards.

Significant Themes

• Heavenly Destiny versus conventional talent: The chapter contrasts measurable qualities—cultivation, physique, reputation, and foundation—with the mysterious and unpredictable power of destiny.
• Hidden potential and mistaken judgment: Xiao Chen is underestimated because of his appearance and realm, but his success suggests that outward weakness does not determine inner ability.
• Arrogance and status: The elite cultivators judge Xiao Chen based on their own superiority, revealing how pride and reputation shape their understanding of worth.
• The limits of human perception: Even Hu Heifeng, an experienced guardian, cannot initially understand why the tiger talisman chose Xiao Chen.
• Recognition by a divine artifact: The tiger talisman acts as an independent spiritual authority, validating Xiao Chen despite the disbelief of the gathered experts.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen and Hu Heifeng: Hu Heifeng orders Xiao Chen to begin impatiently, but Xiao Chen’s success forces him to revise his opinion and acknowledge the talisman’s judgment.
• Xiao Chen and Zi Xiangnan: Though they do not directly confront each other, Xiao Chen’s three-breath resonance matches Zi Xiangnan’s performance, creating an unspoken rivalry and making Zi Xiangnan wary of him.
• Hu Heifeng and the gathered cultivators: Hu Heifeng settles their objections by confirming the test’s validity and explaining the role of Heavenly Destiny.
• The gathered elites and Xiao Chen: Their initial indifference turns into shock, envy, suspicion, and resentment after Xiao Chen passes the test.
• Zi Xiangnan and Hu Heifeng: Zi Xiangnan’s doubts about the explanation remain unspoken but show that he is not fully satisfied with the claim that Xiao Chen’s success is based solely on destiny.

Chapter Summary: “Abnormally Difficult!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Contestants eliminated in the first round remain hidden around the mountain tomb, unwilling to leave because the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman offers an immense opportunity. Many resent Xiao Chen, who unexpectedly passed the first round despite his humble origins and comparatively low reputation.
• Several observers identify Xiao Chen and discuss his history, particularly his connection to Luo Jiuxiao and his pursuit by Zhao Qingyun. Rumors portray him as someone who survives by relying on powerful allies.
• The second round begins under Hu Heifeng’s supervision. Contestants must resonate with the Mountain God’s outline within ten breaths, testing their foundations, potential, and bloodlines.
• Three Peerless Divine Seeds who had easily passed the first round fail completely in the second. They cannot produce even a trace of the Mountain God’s image, shocking everyone and revealing that the second round is vastly more difficult.
• As more than half of the contestants are eliminated, the remaining participants begin to fear that no one will succeed.
• The Li Tu Divine Seed becomes the first contestant to achieve resonance. At the final moment, he manifests one foot of the Mountain God, complete with a scarlet divine boot and overwhelming ancient power.
• Despite this impressive result, Hu Heifeng rates the performance only “inferior.” His indifferent reaction and harsh judgment leave the crowd stunned and make the trial appear nearly impossible.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: His successful first-round performance fuels widespread jealousy and hostility. Though others dismiss his achievement as luck, he recognizes the extraordinary difficulty of the second round and begins to understand the severity of the challenge.
• Hu Heifeng: He remains calm and unreadable throughout the failures and Li Tu’s success. His strict evaluation demonstrates that he possesses extremely high standards and that merely achieving resonance is far from enough.
• Li Tu Divine Seed: Initially discouraged by the repeated failures, he pushes through the pressure and succeeds at the last moment. His accomplishment establishes him as exceptionally talented, even though the official evaluation diminishes its apparent significance.
• The eliminated contestants and observing prodigies: Their admiration for the Tiger Talisman turns into resentment toward Xiao Chen. Their reactions reveal how competitive and status-conscious the participants are.
• Lao Six: He openly revises his earlier assessment, admitting that the trial is not merely difficult but practically insane.

Significant Themes

• Jealousy and prejudice: Xiao Chen’s low status makes others unwilling to credit his success, leading them to attribute it to luck and wish for his immediate failure.
• Reputation versus reality: Rumors about Xiao Chen’s past have distorted how others perceive him, while his actual survival and achievements contradict the image of a weak opportunist.
• Extreme standards of excellence: Li Tu’s successful manifestation of the Mountain God’s foot is celebrated by the crowd but judged as only “inferior,” emphasizing the immense gap between basic success and true greatness.
• The cruelty of destiny and opportunity: The Tiger Talisman offers a chance to transform one’s fate, but the selection process is designed to eliminate nearly everyone who seeks it.
• Power, bloodline, and foundation: The second round emphasizes innate potential and deep cultivation rather than luck or momentary performance.
• Hope amid despair: Li Tu’s success after three consecutive failures proves that breakthroughs remain possible even when the trial appears hopeless.

Character Interactions

• The eliminated contestants discuss Xiao Chen with hostility, comparing his success to “dog luck” and hoping to see him fail.
• Two informed prodigies exchange information about Xiao Chen, Zhao Qingyun, Luo Jiuxiao, and the rumors surrounding Xiao Chen’s past.
• The contestants respond collectively to each failure, their confidence eroding as the difficulty becomes clear.
• The crowd celebrates Li Tu’s achievement and speculates about its significance, but Hu Heifeng’s cold evaluation sharply contrasts with their excitement.
• Lao Six and his “master” comment on the trial’s abnormal difficulty, reflecting the growing disbelief and fear among the remaining participants.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lao Six realizes why the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman has remained masterless: gaining its recognition is extraordinarily difficult.
• The Li Tu Divine Seed successfully resonates with the Mountain God enough to produce the outline of a giant foot, but Hu Heifeng dismisses the result as only “low-grade.”
• The fourth, fifth, and sixth candidates fail completely, producing not even a phantom or line.
• Zi Xiangnan, the powerful Chiyou Demon Seed who had excelled in the previous round, also fails to form any outline. His defeat shocks the observers and destroys most of Hu Heifeng’s remaining hope.
• With every other candidate eliminated, Xiao Chen is the only person left to attempt the second test. Most people assume he has no chance, since he is inferior to Zi Xiangnan in cultivation, talent, reputation, constitution, and fortune.
• Several Divine Seeds openly mock Xiao Chen when Lao Six protests that everyone is dismissing him. Hu Heifeng interrupts the argument and calls Xiao Chen forward.
• Xiao Chen approaches the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman, clears his mind, enters meditation almost immediately, and appears to enter the Mountain God’s Domain.
• Unlike the other candidates, Xiao Chen’s meditation triggers a powerful reaction from Hu Heifeng. The talisman begins emitting intense radiance and ancient aura, suggesting that a dormant power within it has suddenly awakened.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Initially treated as an insignificant dark horse, Xiao Chen demonstrates remarkable spiritual comprehension by entering meditation in a single breath. His true ability begins to emerge, challenging everyone’s assumptions.
• Lao Six: Becomes fiercely protective of Xiao Chen and angrily objects to the others’ contempt. His loyalty and emotional investment in his master are emphasized.
• Hu Heifeng: Starts the chapter despondent after witnessing repeated failures, believing the talisman will remain masterless. Xiao Chen’s sudden entry into the Mountain God’s Domain revives his hope and causes the first visible change in his otherwise numb expression.
• Zi Xiangnan: Suffers a humiliating reversal. After being considered the strongest candidate and the best hope for claiming the talisman, he fails even more completely than the Li Tu Divine Seed.
• The other Divine Seeds: Their confidence and arrogance are exposed. They assume Xiao Chen will fail based on comparisons of status and ability, but their certainty begins to collapse once Hu Heifeng reacts to him.

Significant Themes

• Unpredictability and reversal: Success can turn to failure instantly, while the overlooked candidate may become the source of hope.
• Prejudice based on status and talent: The candidates judge Xiao Chen by his lower cultivation, reputation, and background rather than his actual potential.
• Hidden ability awakening: Xiao Chen’s performance suggests that true talent may remain concealed until the right trial or opportunity reveals it.
• Hope amid despair: After every prominent candidate fails, Xiao Chen’s arrival unexpectedly restores the possibility that the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman may finally find a master.
• Recognition and destiny: The talisman’s response implies that becoming its master depends on a deeper compatibility or destiny than conventional strength alone.

Character Interactions

• Lao Six and Xiao Chen share a protective master-servant relationship, with Lao Six defending Xiao Chen’s honor and Xiao Chen calming him before the confrontation escalates.
• The Divine Seeds insult Xiao Chen and insist that their superior cultivation and fortune make his success impossible.
• Hu Heifeng ends the dispute by summoning Xiao Chen to the test, though he initially expects the examination to be a formality.
• Xiao Chen’s meditation changes the atmosphere among all observers: Hu Heifeng becomes hopeful, while the previously confident candidates grow doubtful and unsettled.
• The chapter ends on a cliffhanger as the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman reacts like a dormant dragon suddenly awakened, implying that Xiao Chen may have achieved what none of the stronger candidates could.

Chapter Summary: “Radiance Shone in All Directions?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen enters a mysterious inheritance space and encounters an enormous ancient painting depicting the Mountain God. The image shows a towering figure holding a black-jade Mountain God spirit staff and a fierce beast, standing amid endless mountains and ravines.
• Xiao Chen recognizes the painting as the complete form of the Mountain God Manifestation, which the Li Tu Divine Seed had previously only partially outlined.
• He mistakenly assumes that seeing a painting rather than the Mountain God’s true body means the Mountain God does not value him. In reality, the Mountain God disappeared countless ages ago, and resonating with the ancient painting is the highest level of the trial.
• Hu Heifeng senses Xiao Chen’s achievement and realizes that Xiao Chen has resonated with the complete painting. This shocks him because previous Divine Seeds and True Dragons had only managed to perceive a single foot of the manifestation.
• The other competitors cannot directly sense the relic, so they study Hu Heifeng’s increasingly astonished expressions. His reactions convince them that Xiao Chen is achieving extraordinary breakthroughs.
• The Li Tu Divine Seed becomes furious and distraught. He had believed himself to be the only successful participant after outlining the Mountain God’s foot, but Xiao Chen’s progress threatens to strip him of his chance at victory and reward.
• A complete, flawless Mountain God Manifestation begins forming in front of Xiao Chen. Everyone present sees it, confirming that the event is real rather than an illusion.
• The competitors are overwhelmed by the reversal. Xiao Chen, previously dismissed as a weak Fifth Realm cultivator from a small domain, has surpassed the gathered True Dragons and peerless Demon Seeds.
• Lao Six celebrates, recognizing that his master has achieved an unprecedented feat.
• The Li Tu Divine Seed cannot accept the result. He insists that what he sees must be an illusion, then spits blood and collapses under the shock and frustration.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Demonstrates extraordinary comprehension and hidden potential by directly resonating with the complete Mountain God painting and condensing a flawless manifestation. His achievement transforms him from an underestimated outsider into the strongest participant in the trial.
• Hu Heifeng: Moves from confident observer to deeply shocked witness. His reaction confirms the exceptional nature of Xiao Chen’s accomplishment.
• Li Tu Divine Seed: Suffers a dramatic emotional collapse. His initial pride at being the only successful participant turns into jealousy, disbelief, rage, and despair when Xiao Chen surpasses him completely.
• Lao Six: Becomes even more awed and delighted by Xiao Chen, taking pride in having such an extraordinary master.
• The gathered Divine Seeds and True Dragons: Their arrogance and certainty are shaken. They are forced to reconsider Xiao Chen, whom they had regarded as an insignificant weakling.

Significant Themes

• Hidden talent and underestimated outsiders: Xiao Chen’s background, cultivation level, and reputation lead others to dismiss him, but his true comprehension surpasses that of elite heirs and powerful True Dragons.
• The unpredictability of destiny: The competitors expected the established geniuses to dominate, yet Xiao Chen reverses all expectations and claims the greatest achievement.
• Comprehension over cultivation: Despite being only in the Fifth Realm and lacking an ideal Saint Physique, Xiao Chen’s insight allows him to surpass those with superior bloodlines, resources, and cultivation.
• Pride and humiliation: Li Tu’s collapse illustrates how fragile arrogance becomes when someone considered inferior suddenly eclipses the proud and powerful.
• The scale of divine inheritance: Even a painting left behind by the long-vanished Mountain God contains enough power to shake heaven and earth, emphasizing the immense stature of the inheritance.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen and the Mountain God’s inheritance: Xiao Chen resonates with the ancient painting at a level no previous participant has achieved, effectively gaining recognition from the inheritance without meeting the Mountain God directly.
• Xiao Chen and Hu Heifeng: Although they do not directly converse, Hu Heifeng serves as the knowledgeable observer who recognizes and validates Xiao Chen’s unprecedented success.
• Xiao Chen and Li Tu Divine Seed: Their achievements are placed in direct contrast. Li Tu had briefly believed himself victorious, but Xiao Chen’s perfect manifestation completely overturns his position.
• Xiao Chen and Lao Six: Lao Six reacts with ecstatic admiration, viewing the manifestation as proof that Xiao Chen is an extraordinary master.
• The competitors and Xiao Chen: The group’s attitude shifts from dismissal and superiority to shock and disbelief as Xiao Chen surpasses every recognized genius in the arena.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen appears at the final moment of the trial and unexpectedly seizes the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman, overturning the Li Tu Divine Seed’s near-certain victory.
• The Li Tu Divine Seed is devastated by the loss. He vomits blood, falls from the sky, and crashes into the ground, though his innate earth affinity protects him from serious injuries.
• The other Divine Seeds reflect on how insignificant even the strongest Mortal World geniuses are before the distant and powerful Spirit Realm. The Li Tu Divine Seed may have lost not only the treasure but also the favor of Spirit Realm powers and his chance at Heavenly Destiny.
• The Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman manifests the phantom of its former master, the God of the Thousand Mountains. His divine pressure overwhelms nearly everyone present.
• The Mountain God recognizes Xiao Chen, sending divine radiance into his Sea of Consciousness and forming a spiritual connection with him.
• Hu Heifeng, guardian of the talisman, acknowledges Xiao Chen as its long-awaited master and gives him the Nether-Yellow Imperial Seal.
• Xiao Chen, still shocked by his sudden success, accepts the supreme treasure. Several Xuanhuang Divine Seeds immediately develop resentment and murderous intent, believing such a powerful artifact should not belong to a weak Fifth Realm cultivator.

2. Character Developments

• Xiao Chen rises from an overlooked participant to the decisive victor of the trial. His divine body, unusual background, and compatibility with the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman distinguish him from the other contestants.
• The Li Tu Divine Seed suffers a humiliating and emotionally devastating defeat. His collapse reveals how deeply his ambition and desire for recognition are tied to securing a path toward the Spirit Realm and Heavenly Destiny.
• Hu Heifeng shifts from a powerful observer to a respectful supporter of Xiao Chen. He believes Xiao Chen has extraordinary potential and may eventually dominate the world.
• The God of the Thousand Mountains is portrayed as an ancient, terrifying, and majestic entity whose recognition confirms Xiao Chen’s legitimacy.
• The other Divine Seeds become envious and hostile, especially because Xiao Chen is viewed as an inferior “commoner” unworthy of the relic.

3. Significant Themes

• The cruelty of strength-based hierarchy: Even supreme Mortal World talents are insignificant before the powers of the Spirit Realm.
• Ambition and obsession: The desire for power and recognition can drive individuals to greatness but also to despair and loss of control.
• Recognition versus status: Xiao Chen’s low cultivation and humble reputation are contrasted with his genuine compatibility with the divine relic.
• Fortune and danger: Obtaining a supreme treasure brings immense opportunity, but it also makes Xiao Chen a target for those who covet it.
• Destiny and legitimacy: The Mountain God’s manifestation and spiritual connection establish that Xiao Chen’s victory is not mere luck; he has been accepted by the relic’s true legacy.

4. Character Interactions

• The assembled Divine Seeds mock or pity the fallen Li Tu Divine Seed, though many privately understand the magnitude of his loss.
• The God of the Thousand Mountains communicates with Xiao Chen through divine radiance rather than words, granting him recognition and linking their fortunes.
• Hu Heifeng worships the Mountain God, then respectfully bows to Xiao Chen and presents him with the Nether-Yellow Imperial Seal.
• Xiao Chen responds humbly to Hu Heifeng, suppressing his excitement while accepting the relic.
• The hostile Xuanhuang Divine Seeds silently judge Xiao Chen and begin considering whether to attack him after the trial ends.

Chapter Summary: “Black Tiger Steals the Chicken!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Xiao Chen wins the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman, several Divine Seed Heavenly Prodigies secretly plan to ambush and kill him, hoping to seize the divine treasure.
• Hu Heifeng notices their murderous intentions and intimidates them with a terrifying glare. Believing he might kill them despite the rules forbidding older-generation interference, the Divine Seeds abandon their plans and leave.
• Though they retreat personally, the jealous Divine Seeds decide to inform Zhao Qingyun—who has a long-standing grudge against Xiao Chen and possesses powerful status and hidden abilities—hoping he will intercept Xiao Chen instead.
• Xiao Chen, Lao Six, and Hu Heifeng remain at the tomb after the others depart. Lao Six enthusiastically congratulates Xiao Chen, celebrating his master’s unexpected victory over more famous competitors.
• Hu Heifeng warns Xiao Chen that possessing such a rare treasure will attract danger. However, he then reveals that his apparent overwhelming power was largely a bluff.
• Because Hu Heifeng is extremely ancient, has lost the Tiger Talisman’s fortune, and has exhausted his soul power, he must enter a three-year sleep. He admits that even at his peak, the Domain Spirit’s laws would prevent him from directly interfering in the contest.
• Before disappearing, Hu Heifeng tells Xiao Chen to investigate the Tiger Talisman’s power and suggests that it may eventually lead him toward the legendary path of the Mountain God.
• Once Hu Heifeng vanishes, terrifying creatures lurking in the surrounding darkness begin to stir, attracted by Xiao Chen’s treasure. Xiao Chen and Lao Six quickly flee to find a safer place to test the talisman.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Establishes himself as the unlikely winner of the contest despite being viewed as an ordinary youth from a minor domain. He gains the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman but remains ignorant of how to use it, while becoming an immediate target for powerful enemies.
• Hu Heifeng: Demonstrates cunning rather than actual ability by using his intimidating reputation and a threatening stare to protect Xiao Chen. His ancient age and depleted strength are revealed, making his sacrifice in transferring the talisman’s fortune more significant.
• Lao Six: Shows fierce loyalty and pride in Xiao Chen, sharing in his master’s glory. His talent for provocative trash talk remains his main strength for now, and he eagerly adopts the title “Mountain Lord” for Xiao Chen.
• The Divine Seed Prodigies: Their arrogance is tempered by fear of Hu Heifeng. Although they retreat openly, their jealousy drives them to scheme indirectly through Zhao Qingyun.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus reality: Hu Heifeng appears capable of annihilating everyone present, but his threat is ultimately a calculated bluff.
• The danger of possessing power: Winning the Tiger Talisman brings not only authority but also immediate envy, pursuit, and mortal danger.
• Fate and unexpected ascent: Xiao Chen, an apparently unremarkable outsider, surpasses renowned figures and is chosen by a mysterious treasure.
• Aging and sacrifice: Hu Heifeng’s decline emphasizes the cost of long life and the sacrifices involved in surrendering the talisman’s fortune.
• Indirect conflict and manipulation: Even when unable or unwilling to attack Xiao Chen directly, his enemies attempt to use Zhao Qingyun as a weapon against him.

Character Interactions

• Hu Heifeng and the Divine Seeds: Hu Heifeng silently threatens them, forcing them to suppress their killing intent and withdraw.
• Xiao Chen and Lao Six: Lao Six praises Xiao Chen’s victory, while Xiao Chen humorously acknowledges Lao Six’s skill at trash talk. Their master-servant relationship is affectionate and mutually reinforcing.
• Hu Heifeng and Xiao Chen: Hu Heifeng warns Xiao Chen about future dangers, then reveals the limits of his protection and leaves him with the responsibility of mastering the Tiger Talisman.
• Lao Six and Hu Heifeng: Lao Six assumes Hu Heifeng can protect them indefinitely, but Hu Heifeng’s confession that he was bluffing abruptly destroys that confidence.
• The Divine Seeds and Zhao Qingyun: The defeated schemers plan to direct Zhao Qingyun’s existing hatred toward Xiao Chen, hoping to provoke a confrontation without exposing themselves.

Chapter Summary: “The Tiger Talisman’s Divine Might!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Xiao Chen and Lao Six leave the ancient mountain tomb, several powerful Mountain Lord-level demons appear, hoping to seize the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman and capture Xiao Chen.
• Although the demons are strong enough to threaten even a Xuanhuang True Dragon, they hesitate because Hu Heifeng’s influence and Xiao Chen’s new authority as Lord of Thousand Mountains make attacking too dangerous.
• The demons regret losing their chance. They had waited for a new lord for a thousand years, hoping to ambush and kill him, but age and caution have eroded the courage they possessed in their youth.
• The ancient tomb collapses and disappears after fulfilling its purpose of passing on the inheritance and establishing a new Lord of Thousand Mountains.
• While traveling through the Thousand Earth Mountain Domain, Xiao Chen discovers that the Tiger Talisman grants him powerful passive benefits. The mountains protect and empower him, increasing his speed, perception, and Origin Power.
• Xiao Chen learns that the talisman creates the Thousand Mountains Earth Domain, which strengthens its lord whenever he enters a region where mountains gather. Unlike abilities that require active activation and consume energy, this domain continuously provides blessings without exhausting him.
• A golden map forms within Xiao Chen’s consciousness, revealing safe and dangerous areas throughout the mountain domain. Using it, he leads Lao Six to an apparently auspicious crimson marsh filled with spiritual herbs and strange fruits.
• They are attacked by a swarm of enormous Blood-Winged Dragonfly Demons guarding the marsh. Xiao Chen and Lao Six quickly kill most of them.
• Xiao Chen then uses a Tiger Talisman secret art called “Demon General,” summoning a vast army of powerful Mountain Ghosts. The ghostly forces bow to him and acknowledge him as the Mountain Lord.
• Terrified by the appearance of the Thousand Mountains Ghostly Army, the surviving Dragonfly Demons abandon their post and flee.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen fully begins to grow into his new position as Lord of Thousand Mountains. He moves from merely possessing the Tiger Talisman to understanding and using its deeper powers.
• His authority is shown to be more than symbolic: the mountain domain actively protects him, provides guidance, enhances his strength, and grants him command over an army of Mountain Ghosts.
• Lao Six becomes even more closely linked to Xiao Chen’s fortunes as a demon servant. He benefits directly from Xiao Chen’s increased power, gaining improved speed, vision, and Origin Power flow.
• The older demons are portrayed as powerful but weakened by hesitation and the passage of time. Their failure reflects how years of waiting have diminished their ambition and courage.

Significant Themes

• Authority and inheritance: Xiao Chen’s acceptance as the new lord transforms the ancient tomb’s long-guarded inheritance into a living power.
• Courage versus caution: The demons’ inability to act, despite having waited centuries, contrasts with the boldness of their younger selves.
• The relationship between power and legitimacy: Xiao Chen’s authority over the mountain domain is recognized not only by the talisman but also by the Mountain Ghost army and the surrounding mountains.
• Passive versus active power: The chapter emphasizes the superiority of the Tiger Talisman’s enduring domain blessings over abilities that require constant energy and deliberate activation.
• The end of an era: The tomb’s destruction symbolizes the completion of its mission and the disappearance of an ancient guardian in favor of a new ruler.

Character Interactions

• The gathered demons argue among themselves, mocking Wu Wolf Ancestor for failing to attack and revealing their shared fear of Hu Heifeng and Xiao Chen’s newly acquired authority.
• Xiao Chen explains the nature of the Thousand Mountains Domain to Lao Six, while Lao Six repeatedly expresses surprise at the talisman’s abilities.
• Xiao Chen guides Lao Six through the dangerous mountain domain using the talisman’s newly formed map.
• During the battle in the marsh, Xiao Chen and Lao Six fight together, after which Xiao Chen personally summons the Mountain Ghost army.
• The summoned ghosts formally salute Xiao Chen as their Mountain Lord, while the surviving Dragonfly Demons recognize his overwhelming authority and flee in terror.

Chapter Summary: “Zhao Qingyun Appears! Leave None Alive!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Thousand Mountains Spectral Army arrives under Xiao Chen’s command, terrifying the Blood-Winged Dragonfly Demons and causing many of them to retreat or flee.
• The spectral army’s reputation and Xiao Chen’s brutal fighting have already weakened the demons’ will to resist. Their arrival completely breaks the enemy’s morale.
• Lao Six is awestruck by the enormous Mountain Ghosts but accidentally attracts their hostility by staring at them. He quickly apologizes, fearing they may mistake him for an enemy.
• Xiao Chen dismisses the Thousand Mountains Spectral Army after testing the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman. He realizes that the army possesses power comparable to a peak Half-Emperor, can be revived after returning to the talisman, and is limited mainly by Origin Power consumption and cooldowns.
• News spreads throughout the Immortal-Abandoned Land that Xiao Chen has passed the master-selection trial and become the Lord of Thousand Mountains. His reputation rises dramatically after he previously obtained the Demon Heart.
• Many cultivators reconsider the rumors that Xiao Chen was merely Luo Jiuxiao’s subordinate or strategist. However, jealous Divine Seeds and Heavenly Prodigies dismiss his success as mere luck and predict that Zhao Qingyun will kill him.
• Xiao Chen explores the Tiger Talisman’s abilities and discovers that it contains a powerful earth-element Dao rhyme, which will aid his comprehension of the Great Dao of earth.
• Planning to search for another rare treasure, Xiao Chen decides to return to Thousand Earth City to gather information, since the Immortal-Abandoned Battle is progressing rapidly and the remaining treasures may soon be claimed.
• At the mountain region’s exit, Zhao Qingyun appears once again, blocking Xiao Chen’s path with overwhelming sword light. Xiao Chen realizes that Zhao intends to pursue him relentlessly despite their having no true grudge.
• The chapter ends with Xiao Chen angrily confronting Zhao Qingyun, demanding to know whether he truly intends to hunt him until they can no longer coexist.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Demonstrates growing mastery over the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman and gains confidence in commanding the Spectral Army. His reputation changes from that of a suspected lackey to that of a powerful and independent contender. His patience with Zhao Qingyun is nearly exhausted, and his anger becomes explicit.
• Lao Six: Remains comic and cautious, but his admiration for Xiao Chen and the Spectral Army deepens. He also shows strong loyalty by condemning Zhao Qingyun’s repeated attempts to kill Xiao Chen.
• Zhao Qingyun: Continues to act as a relentless pursuer. His refusal to distinguish Xiao Chen’s innocence from Luo Jiuxiao’s actions makes him appear arrogant, extreme, and dismissive of ordinary human life.
• Blood-Winged Dragonfly Demons: Their fear of Xiao Chen and the Spectral Army overwhelms their loyalty, causing them to retreat rather than fight to the death.
• The Thousand Mountains Spectral Army: Revealed as immensely powerful, savage, and difficult to approach, even for allies. Their obedience to Xiao Chen confirms his authority as the Lord of Thousand Mountains.

Significant Themes

• Power and reputation: The Spectral Army’s arrival and Xiao Chen’s acquisition of the Tiger Talisman rapidly transform how the world views him.
• Jealousy and prejudice: Many powerful cultivators refuse to acknowledge Xiao Chen’s ability, attributing his success to luck simply because he comes from a lesser-known background.
• Justice versus ruthless conviction: Zhao Qingyun’s pursuit raises the question of whether maintaining a “pure” Dao heart can justify killing someone who is innocent.
• Loyalty and fear: The demons’ retreat shows that allegiance has limits when confronted with overwhelming terror and certain death.
• Mastery and limitation: Although the Tiger Talisman grants Xiao Chen extraordinary power, its abilities still depend on Origin Power, recovery time, and strategic use.

Character Interactions

• Lao Six’s fearful encounter with the Mountain Ghosts provides comic relief while emphasizing how dangerous and alien the Spectral Army is.
• Xiao Chen reassures Lao Six and explains that the army’s hostility stems from unfamiliarity rather than deliberate malice.
• Xiao Chen and Lao Six cooperate in exploring the Tiger Talisman and planning their next move.
• At the chapter’s conclusion, Lao Six openly condemns Zhao Qingyun’s repeated attacks, while Xiao Chen directly challenges Zhao and demands an explanation for his persecution.

Chapter Summary: Fight If You Refuse to Submit!

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen and Lao Six are confronted at the entrance to the Nether Forest by Zhao Qingyun, a legendary Bright Moon Rank cultivator.
• Zhao Qingyun accuses Xiao Chen of being connected to Luo Jiuxiao and claims that Xiao Chen has slandered him and stolen his rare treasures. Although he suspects Xiao Chen may be innocent, Zhao Qingyun insists that Xiao Chen must die because he has become entangled in the resulting karma.
• The surrounding Divine Seeds, True Dragons, demons, and cultivators gather to watch, many of them hoping to see Xiao Chen crushed. Several hostile True Dragons secretly helped Zhao Qingyun intercept Xiao Chen and Lao Six.
• Lao Six angrily defends Xiao Chen and insults Zhao Qingyun’s arrogance, provoking Zhao Qingyun into attacking him with a devastating sword strike shaped like a blood-red skull.
• Xiao Chen intervenes. Using the Thousand Mountains Domain and the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman, he draws power from the surrounding mountains and destroys Zhao Qingyun’s attack with a single punch.
• The spectators are stunned by Xiao Chen’s sudden increase in strength. Zhao Qingyun is particularly surprised because Xiao Chen appears vastly stronger than he was only an hour earlier.
• Xiao Chen and Zhao Qingyun then engage in a spectacular battle above the Nether Forest. Xiao Chen summons stars in broad daylight through the power of the Star God, while Zhao Qingyun unleashes overwhelming sword techniques and divine beasts formed from crimson sword-runes.
• Their clash tears apart the clouds, cracks the heavens, shakes the mountains, and destroys parts of the Nether Forest. By the chapter’s end, neither fighter has gained a decisive advantage.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Reveals that his previous battle with Zhao Qingyun did not display his full strength. With the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman and the surrounding mountain domain supporting him, his physical power, speed, energy, and Dao resonance increase dramatically. He demonstrates growing confidence and the ability to stand against a Bright Moon Rank opponent.
• Zhao Qingyun: Maintains his extreme arrogance and ruthless worldview. He acknowledges that Xiao Chen may not be responsible for Luo Jiuxiao’s matter but still intends to kill him simply because he has been implicated. His confidence is shaken when Xiao Chen withstands and breaks his opening attack.
• Lao Six: Shows fierce loyalty toward Xiao Chen. Though unable to fight Zhao Qingyun directly, he boldly insults and challenges him verbally, refusing to tolerate Xiao Chen’s humiliation.
• The Observers: Their attitude shifts from mocking Xiao Chen to shock and uncertainty after witnessing him break Zhao Qingyun’s sword attack. They begin to recognize that his power is far beyond what a Fifth Realm cultivator should possess.

Significant Themes

• Arrogance versus defiance: Zhao Qingyun believes his superior cultivation gives him the right to judge and destroy others, while Xiao Chen refuses to submit to intimidation or unjust accusations.
• Power beyond cultivation level: Xiao Chen’s strength demonstrates that realm alone does not determine combat ability. Treasures, domains, physical refinement, Dao comprehension, and environmental power can allow a lower-realm fighter to challenge a superior opponent.
• Loyalty and protection: Lao Six’s furious defense of Xiao Chen highlights the strength of their master-disciple bond, even when Lao Six lacks the power to fight on Xiao Chen’s behalf.
• Reputation and imposed guilt: Zhao Qingyun treats Xiao Chen’s association with Luo Jiuxiao as sufficient proof of guilt, showing how easily reputation and karma can be weaponized against someone.
• The emergence of a prodigy: Xiao Chen’s battle against Zhao Qingyun suggests that he is no ordinary youth from a minor domain. His ability to summon the Star God’s power marks him as an extraordinary and potentially world-shaking figure.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen and Zhao Qingyun: Their exchange is openly hostile. Zhao Qingyun offers no respect and threatens to take Xiao Chen’s life and possessions, while Xiao Chen responds with anger and challenges Zhao Qingyun’s self-importance. Their verbal conflict quickly becomes a life-or-death battle.
• Lao Six and Zhao Qingyun: Lao Six curses Zhao Qingyun and praises Xiao Chen as “hard as refined iron,” provoking Zhao Qingyun’s immediate attack. His words provide comic relief but also emphasize his unwavering loyalty.
• Xiao Chen and Lao Six: Lao Six’s defense of Xiao Chen strengthens their bond, while Xiao Chen protects him from Zhao Qingyun’s killing blow.
• The fighters and the spectators: The gathered cultivators initially expect Zhao Qingyun to dominate, but Xiao Chen’s explosive counterattack forces them to reconsider his abilities. Their amazement underscores the extraordinary scale of the duel.

Chapter Summary:

Zhao Qingyun’s Fury!

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen and Zhao Qingyun continue their devastating aerial battle, their King Source Energy illuminating the sky while cracks spread across the heavens from the force of their attacks.
• Zhao Qingyun unleashes a powerful sword technique that manifests a White Tiger-like divine phenomenon and a massive silver rune.
• Xiao Chen counters by using the Heavenly Thunder Mountain-Splitting Bow, firing an arrow formed from the Supreme Thunder Art. The clash of thunder and Geng Metal energy creates enormous shockwaves that devastate the surrounding mountains and rivers.
• The spectators are stunned that Xiao Chen, only at the Fifth Realm, can fight evenly against Zhao Qingyun, a Seventh Realm Bright Moon Rank expert. They identify him as an unprecedented “super realm-leaper.”
• Wu Chongtong, watching from Red Mountain, is deeply shaken. He had previously dismissed Xiao Chen as an insignificant figure connected to an old prophecy, but now realizes that Xiao Chen may threaten his own pursuit of the Spirit Realm slots.
• The battle continues as both fighters exchange numerous secret arts. Zhao Qingyun demonstrates the overwhelming power and depth expected of a Bright Moon Rank expert, but Xiao Chen remains undefeated and grows increasingly dominant.
• Xiao Chen admits that Zhao Qingyun’s foundation and secret arts are extraordinarily powerful. Zhao Qingyun interprets this praise as humiliation, believing Xiao Chen is speaking to him like a superior judging an inferior.
• Enraged, Zhao Qingyun unleashes his supreme technique, Heaven-Reflecting Earth-Cleaving Slash, a sword art that combines the power of heaven, earth, and the laws of the universe. Its force appears capable of destroying the entire battlefield.
• Xiao Chen recognizes the technique’s terrifying strength and acknowledges that Zhao Qingyun is even more formidable than Luo Jiuxiao.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Reveals that he possesses the terrifying Supreme Thunder Art, further proving that his abilities and origins are far deeper than others assumed. He remains calm throughout the battle and appears to be using Zhao Qingyun to test and refine his own strength. Despite fighting at the Fifth Realm, he can contend with and potentially surpass a Bright Moon Rank expert.
• Zhao Qingyun: Initially fights with calm confidence, relying on his Seventh Realm cultivation, the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman, and numerous ancient secret arts. Xiao Chen’s resistance damages his pride, and his composure gives way to intense fury when Xiao Chen praises him in a way he perceives as condescending. His anger drives him to reveal his supreme sword technique.
• Wu Chongtong: Experiences a major shift in attitude toward Xiao Chen. He once considered him a worthless “mud dog” and an error in prophecy, but now recognizes him as a rapidly rising threat who may obstruct his ambitions.
• The spectators: Move from awe at Zhao Qingyun’s Bright Moon Rank power to astonishment at Xiao Chen’s unprecedented ability to challenge someone far above his realm.

Significant Themes

• Defying cultivation boundaries: Xiao Chen’s battle demonstrates the extraordinary possibility of defeating or matching opponents far above one’s realm, presenting him as a once-in-history realm-leaper.
• Hidden potential and underestimated figures: Xiao Chen’s rapid rise shows that seemingly insignificant individuals may conceal immense power and destiny.
• Pride and humiliation: Zhao Qingyun’s fury comes less from physical injury than from Xiao Chen’s calm, almost judgmental acknowledgment of his strength, which Zhao experiences as an insult to his status.
• The terror of supreme techniques: Both fighters wield powers capable of destroying heaven and earth, emphasizing the vast destructive potential of high-level cultivation.
• Prophecy and destiny: Wu Chongtong’s reconsideration of the old Double-Pupil prophecy suggests that Xiao Chen may be a major force in the coming struggle for Spirit Realm opportunities.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen and Zhao Qingyun: Their confrontation evolves from a contest of power into a clash of pride. Xiao Chen remains composed and analytical, while Zhao Qingyun becomes increasingly frustrated that his superior realm cannot crush his opponent.
• Xiao Chen and the spectators: Xiao Chen’s performance forces everyone present to revise their understanding of him, transforming him from a rising grassroots cultivator into a potential legend.
• Wu Chongtong and Xiao Chen: Though they do not directly interact, Wu Chongtong watches Xiao Chen’s battle and recognizes him as a genuine rival and possible threat to his future.
• Xiao Chen and Zhao Qingyun’s reputations: Xiao Chen openly acknowledges Zhao’s excellence, but this seemingly respectful comment deepens Zhao’s humiliation because it implies that Xiao Chen views him as someone to evaluate rather than fear.

Summary

Key plot points and events

• Zhao Qingyun unleashes his ultimate technique, the Reflect-Heaven Illuminate-Earth Sword, combining the Reflection Divine Dao with the Swallowing-Heaven Sword Seed. The attack is powerful enough to threaten not only Xiao Chen but heaven and earth itself.
• Observers across the battlefield assume Xiao Chen is doomed. Lao Six panics, while Wu Chongtong watches with detached indifference, believing Xiao Chen’s defeat inevitable.
• At the decisive moment, Xiao Chen reveals his true strength. Using the Six Paths of the Netherworld, Void Illusion Technique, and more than twenty fused supreme secret arts, he launches a devastating ten-colored fist.
• Xiao Chen’s attack shatters Zhao Qingyun’s sword, destroys the surrounding Chaos Light, and overwhelms Zhao himself. Zhao’s body is burned away, leaving only a fading wisp of consciousness before he completely dies.
• The spectators are stunned that a Fifth Realm cultivator has killed a Seventh Realm Bright Moon Rank legend with one punch. Xiao Chen is recognized as a rare Aberrant Moon Rank figure, whose strength surpasses the normal limits of his cultivation realm.

Character developments

• Xiao Chen abandons restraint and demonstrates the terrifying depth of his abilities. He deliberately disguises his many supreme Great Daos through the Void Illusion Technique, fearing that revealing his foundations would attract dangerous attention.
• Zhao Qingyun, initially confident in his overwhelming Bright Moon Rank power, becomes horrified when his strongest attack is destroyed. His dying words reveal his disbelief that he could lose to someone of a lower realm.
• Lao Six shows deep loyalty and emotional attachment to Xiao Chen, openly fearing his master’s death and cursing Zhao Qingyun.
• Wu Chongtong remains cold and unconcerned, viewing even the battle’s strongest participants as insignificant compared with himself. His interest in Xiao Chen stems mainly from prophecy and the War Family’s involvement.

Significant themes

• Strength transcending realms: Xiao Chen proves that cultivation rank does not determine absolute power. Exceptional talent, mastery, and combined techniques can allow a Fifth Realm cultivator to kill a Bright Moon Rank opponent.
• Concealed power and strategic restraint: Xiao Chen hides the true number and nature of his Great Daos to avoid becoming a target, emphasizing the dangers faced by extraordinary prodigies.
• The gap between ordinary and peerless cultivators: Zhao Qingyun’s Bright Moon Rank status is revealed to have limits, while Xiao Chen’s combination of abilities places him beyond conventional categories.
• The birth of legend: The battle transforms Xiao Chen from an exceptional young cultivator into a figure whose name will resound across the Xuanhuang Continent.

Character interactions

• Xiao Chen and Zhao Qingyun engage in a climactic battle between sword and fist, with Zhao’s ultimate sword technique ultimately crushed by Xiao Chen’s combined divine arts.
• Lao Six reacts emotionally from below, expressing fear and outrage on Xiao Chen’s behalf.
• The gathered humans and demons shift from confidence in Xiao Chen’s defeat to stunned admiration after witnessing his victory.
• Wu Chongtong observes the conflict from a distance, contrasting his detached superiority with the emotional investment of the other spectators.

Chapter Summary: “Wu Chongtong Appears!”

• Xiao Chen’s future prospects are explained. The chapter reflects on how a former Aberrant Moon Rank expert defied the limits of the Mortal World, ascended to the Spirit Realm, and became an emperor. Although Aberrant Moon Rank cultivators possess extraordinary foundations and the ability to fight above their realm, their progress is often slowed by overly complex cultivation paths, terrifying physiques, or late breakthroughs. Xiao Chen’s relatively low cultivation is instead attributed to his shattered dantian in the past and the recent awakening of his Martial God Physique. With the nourishment of the Spirit Realm and the support of powerful treasures, his advancement is expected to accelerate dramatically.
• Xiao Chen’s path ahead will be dangerous. Once he enters the Spirit Realm, the forces of the Martial God Hall and Star God Hall are likely to target him and deliberately obstruct his rise. Despite his exceptional talent, techniques, and opportunities, he will still face the Star God Tribulation, severe trials, and potentially devastating enemies.
• Lao Six’s concern for Xiao Chen is revealed. After Xiao Chen emerges from the Nether Forest and the crimson mist disperses, he notices that Lao Six is crying. Lao Six awkwardly claims that sand blew into his eyes, but Xiao Chen immediately understands that the tears came from fear and grief over his safety. Their relationship is shown to have changed profoundly: they began as enemies in the Azure Dragon Belly Earth, became master and servant through the Heaven-Prison of Ten Thousand Demons, and gradually developed genuine loyalty, affection, and mutual trust.
• Zhao Qingyun’s death brings Xiao Chen a major reward. The last remnant of Zhao Qingyun’s chaotic soul consciousness dissolves, triggering Dragon-Slaying Fortune-Seizing. The fortune and spiritual essence of the exceptionally gifted Bright Moon Rank cultivator condense into a powerful golden-silver Devouring Heaven Spirit Soul, which enters Xiao Chen’s Sea of Consciousness. Xiao Chen realizes that the battle was an enormous gain rather than a costly victory, since Zhao Qingyun’s immense fortune replenishes what his cultivation technique normally struggles to provide.
• The surrounding cultivators hesitate to attack Xiao Chen. Numerous demons, Young Kings, Heavenly Demons, and Divine Seeds surround him, knowing that he possesses both the Dark Demon Heart and the Thousand Mountains Tiger Talisman. These treasures make him an extremely tempting target, but no one dares move. Xiao Chen recently killed Zhao Qingyun, a peerless Bright Moon Rank expert, and may still possess enough strength to massacre attackers. Some Divine Seeds also fear retaliation from Hu Heifeng, while the large number of potential claimants makes any alliance unstable because the treasures cannot be fairly divided.
• The chapter ends with a threat. Although everyone covets Xiao Chen’s treasures, the crowd remains frozen by fear and suspicion. A voice then declares regret at not having killed Xiao Chen earlier, suggesting that a powerful enemy—likely connected to the title character, Wu Chongtong—is about to emerge.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Xiao Chen gains immense fortune from Zhao Qingyun’s death and becomes an even more dangerous figure, while also recognizing the depth of Lao Six’s loyalty.
• Lao Six demonstrates sincere emotional attachment and concern, showing that his bond with Xiao Chen has surpassed the original master-servant spell.
• Zhao Qingyun continues to influence events even after death through the enormous fortune contained in his remaining essence.
• The surrounding forces reveal their fear, greed, rivalry, and lack of unity as they weigh the advantages of attacking Xiao Chen against the danger of doing so.

Major Themes

• Transformation of former enemies into companions: Xiao Chen and Lao Six’s relationship illustrates how shared experiences can overcome hostility and coercion.
• Power, fortune, and destiny: Xiao Chen’s growth is fueled not only by cultivation but also by opportunities, inherited advantages, and the fortune extracted from powerful enemies.
• The danger of extraordinary talent: Xiao Chen’s rise attracts increasingly dangerous opposition from established factions.
• Greed versus fear: The treasures in Xiao Chen’s possession tempt everyone, but his overwhelming strength and the competing interests of his enemies prevent immediate action.
• Defying worldly limits: The discussion of ascension and Aberrant Moon Rank cultivators emphasizes the struggle to break through mortal boundaries and reach a higher realm.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Xiao Chen’s battle ends with Zhao Qingyun’s defeat, an overwhelming phenomenon appears: enormous golden-purple pupils manifest in the sky, accompanied by thunderclouds and divine radiance.
• Wu Chongtong, bearer of the legendary Heaven-Opening Double-Pupils and Xuanhuang’s foremost youthful Heavenly Seed, descends from the crimson mountain and appears directly before Xiao Chen and Lao Six.
• He reveals his full sacred presence, surrounded by ten divine halos, immense Dao energy, and a terrifying Dharma Form. His arrival shocks the gathered cultivators, who had not sensed him approaching.
• The crowd recognizes Wu Chongtong as a peerless Blazing Sun Rank figure—far above ordinary prodigies and even most Divine Seeds.
• It is revealed that Wu Chongtong came specifically because of Xiao Chen, making his appearance especially significant. His intimidating aura and apparent hostility suggest that Xiao Chen may now face a far greater threat than Zhao Qingyun.
• The chapter also provides extensive background on the Spirit Realm:
  • Spirit Realm factions descend periodically to recruit a limited number of Mortal World cultivators.
  • Mortal World Heavenly Seedlings are rare and generally looked down upon by Spirit Realm natives as inferior “mortal rats.”
  • The Spirit Realm was once open to migration from the Mortal World, but the gates were sealed after repeated waves of migration caused severe population growth.
  • Competition in the Spirit Realm is far harsher than Mortal World cultivators expect, and native powers often discriminate against those who ascend from below.
• Unlike ordinary Mortal World cultivators, Wu Chongtong’s extraordinary Double-Pupils guarantee that the Spirit Realm would eagerly nurture him, making him an exceptional existence even among Heavenly Prodigies.

Character Developments

• Wu Chongtong: Makes his long-awaited appearance and confirms the terrifying reputation surrounding the Twin-Pupil Bearer. He is portrayed as almost godlike, possessing overwhelming cultivation, profound Dao charm, and immense status. His decision to personally seek out Xiao Chen hints at a major connection or conflict.
• Xiao Chen: Having just defeated Zhao Qingyun and established himself as an exceptional Aberrant Moon Rank cultivator, Xiao Chen is immediately confronted by an opponent on an entirely higher level. His rising reputation has evidently attracted the attention of even Xuanhuang’s supreme figures.
• Lao Six: His confidence and excitement over Xiao Chen’s victory vanish when Wu Chongtong appears. He becomes frightened, recognizing the enormous disparity between Xiao Chen and the legendary Double-Pupil Bearer.
• The gathered spirits: Their attitude shifts from awe over Xiao Chen’s battle to overwhelming reverence and fear toward Wu Chongtong. They see his appearance as comparable to a sovereign descending into the mortal world.

Significant Themes

• The gulf between extraordinary ranks: Xiao Chen’s strength is acknowledged, but Wu Chongtong’s arrival emphasizes that even a powerful Aberrant Moon cultivator remains far below a peerless Blazing Sun.
• Reputation versus reality: The legends surrounding the Double-Pupil Bearer prove accurate; Wu Chongtong’s mere presence exerts mountain-like pressure over everyone present.
• Social hierarchy and prejudice: The chapter highlights the Spirit Realm’s disdain for Mortal World cultivators, who are treated as low-status outsiders despite the fact that many Spirit Realm ancestors originated from the Mortal World.
• Scarcity and competition: Access to the Spirit Realm is extremely limited, and both Mortal World and Spirit Realm cultivators compete fiercely for resources, opportunities, and recognition.
• Fate and exceptional talent: Wu Chongtong represents an almost predetermined path to greatness, while Xiao Chen is portrayed as a rare overlooked talent whose achievements challenge established expectations.
• Foreshadowing and impending conflict: Wu Chongtong’s personal arrival and apparent murderous intent suggest that Xiao Chen’s victory has triggered a much more dangerous confrontation.

Character Interactions

• Wu Chongtong and Xiao Chen: Wu Chongtong approaches and stands only three zhang away from Xiao Chen, declaring through his presence that Xiao Chen is the reason for his arrival. Their interaction is brief but loaded with tension, as Wu Chongtong appears hostile.
• Wu Chongtong and Lao Six: Although they do not directly converse, Wu Chongtong’s presence terrifies Lao Six, who realizes that the situation may have become lethal.
• Xiao Chen and Lao Six: Their earlier triumph over Zhao Qingyun is abruptly overshadowed. Lao Six’s fear contrasts with Xiao Chen’s position at the center of the new confrontation.
• Wu Chongtong and the gathered cultivators: His appearance silences and overwhelms the crowd, transforming their emotions from shock and disbelief into reverence and fear.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Lao Six and the surrounding cultivators are terrified when Wu Chongtong appears. Wu is a Ninth-Realm True God with the supreme Blazing Sun Rank and the powerful Ancient Double-Pupil Sacred Physique.
• Xiao Chen, despite recently reaching the Aberrant Moon Rank and defeating Zhao Qingyun, is vastly weaker than Wu Chongtong. The spectators believe Xiao Chen has no chance of winning.
• Xiao Chen reveals that he and Wu Chongtong have a grudge. He had secretly monitored Wu’s movements but did not realize Wu had followed him and was hiding atop Red Mountain.
• Wu explains that his Double-Pupil once activated on its own and produced a prophecy declaring Xiao Chen to be his “unparalleled great enemy.”
• Intrigued, Wu immediately sought Xiao Chen out. However, when he first encountered him, Xiao Chen’s cultivation seemed ordinary, so Wu assumed the prophecy was mistaken and only launched a casual attack.
• Xiao Chen survived that attack by using a Divine Ability, after which Wu lost interest and allowed him to escape.
• In only a few days, Xiao Chen broke through four realms, defeated the Swallowing-Heaven Sword Seed Zhao Qingyun, and reached the Aberrant Moon Rank. Wu is astonished by his rapid advancement and now takes the prophecy seriously.
• The revelation shocks the watching cultivators, who cannot understand how someone currently far weaker than Wu could eventually become his greatest rival.
• Xiao Chen reacts angrily because Wu’s prophecy reminds him of Huang Wuming’s earlier prediction that Xiao Chen would lose his cultivation and die young. Huang’s prophecy had also led to years of persecution and ultimately to Huang’s death.
• Wu ends by declaring that his pursuit of Xiao Chen was motivated by more than the prophecy, setting up a further revelation.

2. Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Demonstrates calmness and courage despite facing an overwhelmingly stronger opponent. His recent breakthrough and victory over Zhao Qingyun establish him as an extraordinary cultivator whose growth defies ordinary expectations. His anger also reveals lingering resentment toward people who use prophecies to control or persecute him.
• Wu Chongtong: Initially regards Xiao Chen as an insignificant ant, but his arrogance is shaken by Xiao Chen’s survival and rapid progress. Though still overwhelmingly powerful, Wu becomes genuinely intrigued and recognizes the possibility that Xiao Chen may one day threaten him.
• Lao Six: Serves as a fearful observer, emphasizing the immense gap between Xiao Chen and Wu Chongtong and reacting with disbelief that Xiao Chen would dare provoke such a being.
• The spectators: Their arguments reveal differing views of Xiao Chen: some dismiss him as insignificant compared with Wu, while others defend his status as an unparalleled Aberrant Moon cultivator.

3. Significant Themes

• Fate versus personal will: The Double-Pupil prophecy suggests that Xiao Chen and Wu are bound by destiny, but Xiao Chen’s unusual fate may resist conventional predictions.
• The unreliability of prophecy: The chapter recalls Huang Wuming’s failed prediction, questioning whether heavenly visions truly determine the future.
• Rapid growth and defiance of limits: Xiao Chen’s four-realm breakthrough in a few days suggests that extraordinary individuals can overturn established judgments and expectations.
• Arrogance and changing perceptions: Wu initially underestimates Xiao Chen, but Xiao Chen’s survival and advancement force him to reconsider.
• The scale of power: The reactions of the spectators emphasize the enormous difference between the Aberrant Moon and Blazing Sun ranks while also presenting Xiao Chen as someone capable of eventually transcending that gap.

4. Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen and Wu Chongtong: Their encounter is tense and prophetic. Wu views Xiao Chen as a future nemesis, while Xiao Chen resents being targeted because of a prediction and refuses to be intimidated.
• Lao Six and the spectators: Lao Six panics openly, while the surrounding cultivators debate whether Xiao Chen is merely an ant before Wu or an exceptional figure worthy of respect.
• Xiao Chen and Huang Wuming’s memory: Although Huang does not appear directly, his past persecution shapes Xiao Chen’s hostility toward Wu’s prophecy and reinforces the chapter’s connection between past and present conflicts.
• Wu Chongtong and his own prophecy: Wu’s Double-Pupil acts as both a source of confidence and a challenge to his assumptions, compelling him to seek out the one person it identifies as his destined enemy.

Chapter Summary: “You Yong’s Helplessness!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• You Yong arrives intending to kill Xiao Chen and erase the title of the “King of Misfortune” from the world. Believing Xiao Chen deserves to know why he is being targeted, he reveals the You Clan’s involvement.
• The You Clan has repeatedly arranged assassinations against Xiao Chen, including the attacks by Qing Jiuwu, Luo Jiuxiao, and Wu Chongtong. Their hostility stems from the clan’s direct-line daughter, who lived with Xiao Chen in the Mortal World and insisted that he be brought into the Spirit Realm.
• The noble daughter praised Xiao Chen to the You Clan, claiming he was an unparalleled talent who could eventually benefit the clan. The clan initially rejected the request, viewing Xiao Chen as an insignificant Mortal World cultivator and considering her behavior embarrassing and willful.
• Because of her persistence, threats to abandon cultivation, and her parents’ support, the clan reluctantly agreed to include Xiao Chen. However, the clan’s upper ranks remained resentful and sought to punish him discreetly.
• You Yong first tried to subdue Xiao Chen through intimidation, gifts, and threats. Instead, Xiao Chen remained proud and unyielding, shocking You Yong with his courage and composure.
• You Yong’s humiliation deepened when a peerless Demon Emperor appeared behind Xiao Chen and struck him away with one palm. You Yong concealed this defeat from the You Clan, claiming only that Xiao Chen had stubbornly refused to cooperate.
• During the Myriad Dynasty War, restrictions prevented the Demon Emperor from openly accompanying Xiao Chen. You Yong therefore arranged a second assassination, sending Luo Jiuxiao, a powerful Bright Moon Rank cultivator.
• Xiao Chen severely wounded Luo Jiuxiao with a single attack. His later clash with Zhao Qingyun further demonstrated that his victory was not a fluke but the result of extraordinary foundations and killing power.
• Unable to deal with Xiao Chen himself, You Yong sought help from the War Family and brought in Wu Chongtong, who possessed the Double-Pupil Sacred Physique. Despite this escalation, You Yong has repeatedly found himself outmatched and increasingly helpless.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Revealed as proud, fearless, and exceptionally powerful. Though targeted by a supreme clan, he refuses to submit and proves capable of challenging opponents far above his apparent realm.
• You Yong: Begins as arrogant and confident in the You Clan’s overwhelming authority, but repeated defeats shatter his pride. His desperation leads him to conceal the truth from his superiors and recruit increasingly powerful assassins.
• The You Clan’s noble daughter: Her loyalty and gratitude toward Xiao Chen drive the central conflict. She risks her cultivation and reputation to secure his place in the Spirit Realm, though the narration questions whether her feelings are truly only friendship.
• The You Clan: Presented as ancient, immense, and terrifying, but also deeply concerned with prestige and clan dignity. Its decision to punish Xiao Chen is motivated as much by wounded pride as by practical necessity.
• Luo Jiuxiao and Wu Chongtong: They represent the escalating force deployed against Xiao Chen. Luo is defeated despite his Bright Moon Rank, while Wu Chongtong is introduced as the next and even more formidable threat.

Significant Themes

• Pride versus resilience: The You Clan expects absolute submission, but Xiao Chen’s refusal to bow exposes the limits of status and authority.
• Humiliation and face: The clan’s vengeance is fueled by the disgrace of You Yong’s defeat and the perceived insult of accepting an ordinary Mortal World cultivator.
• Hidden strength and mistaken judgment: The You Clan repeatedly underestimates Xiao Chen, failing to recognize both his personal power and the formidable beings supporting him.
• Powerful institutions versus an individual: Xiao Chen stands against an ancient clan capable of shaking the heavens, creating a conflict between overwhelming collective power and individual defiance.
• Love, loyalty, and sacrifice: The noble daughter’s determination to protect Xiao Chen challenges clan rules and social expectations, while her parents’ support shows the emotional cost of her past suffering.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen and You Yong: Their exchange is confrontational. Xiao Chen directly questions whether the You Clan sent You Yong, while You Yong explains the clan’s motives and attempts to justify the pursuit.
• Xiao Chen and the You Clan’s noble daughter: Though she is absent from the immediate confrontation, her past bond with Xiao Chen motivates the entire conflict. She views him as someone who protected her during hardship and insists that he be given a future.
• You Yong and the You Clan: You Yong acts as the clan’s executor but also hides his defeat from its upper ranks, revealing his shame and fear of further damaging the clan’s reputation.
• You Yong and the assassins: He successively relies on Luo Jiuxiao and Wu Chongtong after realizing he cannot defeat Xiao Chen directly, showing his growing dependence on stronger allies.
• Xiao Chen and the Demon Emperor: The Demon Emperor’s sudden intervention protects Xiao Chen and humiliates You Yong, establishing that Xiao Chen possesses powerful unseen backing.
• Xiao Chen and Luo Jiuxiao: Their brief confrontation decisively favors Xiao Chen, proving that his strength can cross major cultivation boundaries.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter opens by contrasting Xiao Chen’s achievements in the Mortal World with the overwhelming superiority of the Nether Realm. Even Mortal World prodigies ranked Star, Bright Moon, or Blazing Sun are considered insignificant by Nether Realm standards.
• Xiao Chen’s connection to the You Clan shocks everyone present. The You Clan is revealed as one of the Nether Realm’s most powerful Ancient Clans, capable of shaking the entire Xuanhuang with a single command.
• Wu Chongtong clarifies that he was sent by the War Family, not the You Clan, implying that Xiao Chen’s current enemy is connected to another major power and that Wu Chongtong may only be acting as an intermediary.
• Xiao Chen deliberately provokes Wu Chongtong, calling him an uninformed errand runner while secretly using Zhao Qingyun’s Devouring Heaven Essence Soul to replenish his depleted King Source Energy.
• Wu Chongtong’s Double-Pupils see through Xiao Chen’s recovery technique. He recognizes that Xiao Chen is absorbing and refining an enormous amount of karmic fortune.
• The surrounding demons, Divine Seeds, and Heavenly Seedlings are horrified by the revelation that Xiao Chen can devour and claim external fortune—an ability previously considered almost mythical.
• Acknowledging Xiao Chen’s weakened state after his previous battle, Wu Chongtong offers him a chance to retreat, promising to spare his life. However, he simultaneously releases the terrifying power of his Double-Pupils.
• Wu Chongtong’s purple mist begins freezing the surrounding world and severing its connection to the Dao, signaling the beginning of an extremely dangerous confrontation.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Demonstrates exceptional resilience, resourcefulness, and psychological composure. Despite being severely weakened, he uses fortune stolen from Zhao Qingyun to restore his strength and attempts to stall Wu Chongtong through verbal provocation. His ability to devour fortune is revealed as one of his most extraordinary hidden abilities.
• Wu Chongtong: Is established as calm, perceptive, and immensely powerful. He cannot be provoked by Xiao Chen’s taunts and immediately sees through both Xiao Chen’s recovery and his attempts at deception. His status as a ninth-realm Blazing Sun Rank prodigy with Heaven-Opening Double-Pupils is emphasized.
• The surrounding spectators: Their view of Xiao Chen changes dramatically. They initially regard him as a youth from a backward Mortal World wasteland, but become fearful and astonished after learning of his ties to the You Clan and his ability to absorb fortune.

Significant Themes

• The disparity between worlds: The chapter stresses that talent and rankings are relative. Mortal World prodigies who appear invincible there may be ordinary or insignificant in the Spirit and Nether Realms.
• Fate, fortune, and karma: Fortune is presented as a real but mysterious force that only exceptional cultivators can perceive or manipulate. Xiao Chen’s ability to devour it challenges established assumptions about cultivation.
• Hidden strength and underestimated individuals: Xiao Chen appears disadvantaged and ordinary by Nether Realm standards, yet conceals abilities powerful enough to alarm even a peerless prodigy like Wu Chongtong.
• Power and hierarchy: The You Clan, War Family, Mortal World, Spirit Realm, and Nether Realm are arranged in a vast hierarchy, showing how authority and strength determine one’s position.
• Honor versus opportunism: Wu Chongtong admits that attacking Xiao Chen after his exhausting battle is not his preference, but he follows the War Family’s command, raising questions about duty, fairness, and political allegiance.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen and Wu Chongtong: Their exchange is a contest of deception and perception. Xiao Chen tries to provoke and distract Wu Chongtong while recovering, but Wu Chongtong remains composed and detects the truth through his Double-Pupils.
• Xiao Chen and the You Clan: Although the exact nature of their relationship remains unclear, Xiao Chen’s connection to the clan is serious enough to shock everyone and appears to involve hostility or conflict.
• Wu Chongtong and the War Family: Wu Chongtong acts under the War Family’s orders to eliminate or drive away Xiao Chen, suggesting a political conflict behind the confrontation.
• The spectators and Xiao Chen: The gathered beings move from dismissing Xiao Chen as a Mortal World outsider to treating him as a terrifying, unpredictable figure whose abilities may rival legendary divine arts.

Chapter Summary: “Shameless, Fierce Battle!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wu Chongtong publicly claims he will spare Xiao Chen if Xiao Chen retreats, but secretly seals the surrounding space with his Double-Pupil, preventing Xiao Chen from escaping the Immortal-Abandoned Ancient Domain or even sending a mental message.
• Wu Chongtong’s true intention is to kill Xiao Chen while he is weakened from his previous battle and prevent him from growing into a future threat.
• The chapter explains Wu Chongtong’s harsh childhood and the origins of his ruthless philosophy. Born into a declining, impoverished family, he witnessed human cruelty and worldly indifference from a very young age.
• The Wu Family’s ancestral history further shaped him. An ancestor once allowed a powerful enemy’s descendant to escape, only for that descendant to return a century later and nearly destroy the family. Since then, the family has followed the principle: “When cutting grass, uproot it.”
• Wu Chongtong once dismissed Xiao Chen as insignificant, ignoring warnings from his Double-Pupil. Xiao Chen’s rapid rise—breaking through several realms, killing a Bright Moon Rank expert, and ascending the Othermoon Throne—proved that judgment wrong.
• Although the War Family suggested Xiao Chen might live if he voluntarily retreated, Wu Chongtong only pretended to offer him this chance. He now intends to eliminate Xiao Chen completely.
• Xiao Chen exposes Wu Chongtong’s hypocrisy, pointing out that the surrounding space has already been sealed. He refuses to retreat, especially because he remains determined to reach the Nether Realm.
• Wu Chongtong notices that Xiao Chen is absorbing Chaos Spirit Light and rapidly restoring his depleted King Source Energy. Fearing that Xiao Chen will soon regain most of his strength, Wu Chongtong attacks immediately.
• Wu Chongtong unleashes the ancient Divine Ability Double-Pupil World-Destroying Palm, creating a massive golden palm embedded with a purple Double-Pupil. Its force generates violent winds, lightning, and destruction across the battlefield.
• The attack is so powerful that weaker observers are swept into the sky, while only regional overlords and exceptionally powerful cultivators can remain nearby.
• Xiao Chen stops using Fortune-Slaying and prepares to fight with everything he has, responding with One Sword Cleaves Heaven and the Supreme Thunder Art.

Character Developments

• Wu Chongtong: His arrogance is tempered by past trauma and ancestral lessons. He is revealed as calculating, paranoid, and ruthlessly pragmatic rather than merely conceited. His earlier failure to take Xiao Chen seriously has made him determined never to repeat the Wu Family’s mistake.
• Xiao Chen: He remains defiant despite being trapped, injured, and low on energy. He recognizes Wu Chongtong’s deception and refuses to submit. His ability to rapidly absorb fortune and restore his power demonstrates his extraordinary potential.
• The watching cultivators: Their reactions establish the overwhelming gap between Wu Chongtong and ordinary experts. Even powerful regional figures struggle to endure the energy released by his attack.

Significant Themes

• Eliminating future threats: The Wu Family’s belief in uprooting enemies completely drives Wu Chongtong’s actions and reflects the brutal logic of cultivation-world power struggles.
• Arrogance versus vigilance: Wu Chongtong’s earlier mistake came from underestimating Xiao Chen, while his current ruthlessness comes from correcting that error.
• Hypocrisy and false benevolence: Wu Chongtong disguises an assassination attempt as mercy, revealing how power can manipulate appearances and moral language.
• Growth under pressure: Xiao Chen’s rapid recovery and refusal to retreat emphasize his resilience and his transformation from an underestimated figure into a genuine threat.
• The cruelty of the world: Wu Chongtong’s childhood reinforces the chapter’s view that hardship exposes the true nature of people and that survival often demands suspicion and ruthless action.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen and Wu Chongtong: Their exchange is openly hostile. Xiao Chen condemns Wu Chongtong’s false offer of retreat, while Wu Chongtong dismisses his accusation and declares that Xiao Chen will remain trapped forever.
• Wu Chongtong and the War Family: Wu Chongtong’s supposed offer to spare Xiao Chen is largely a performance intended to satisfy the War Family while concealing his real plan.
• Wu Chongtong and Xiao Chen’s past selves: Wu Chongtong’s internal reflection contrasts his former contempt for Xiao Chen with his current fear of allowing an emerging powerhouse to survive.
• The observers and Wu Chongtong: The spectators’ alarm at the Double-Pupil World-Destroying Palm highlights Wu Chongtong’s overwhelming strength, which is described as approaching the Martial Emperor Realm.