Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Moli Reappears!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hong Chidao’s ability to search souls shocks the Great Emperors of Azure Spirit. Soul-searching normally damages the target’s divine soul, but his control is so profound that he can do it without causing harm. The Ye Family ancestor concludes that Hong Chidao’s cultivation is virtually incomprehensible.
• After Hong Chidao easily defeats and sends away a peerless Second-Realm War Emperor, the surrounding powers finally realize that Xiao Chen’s rumored “backers” are genuinely terrifying. Xiao Chen’s reputation as the “Backer King” is no longer dismissed as an exaggeration.
• The Ye Family ancestor discusses Ye Hongmei’s marriage with her father, Ye Qing. He orders the family not to act rashly and to wait for Xiao Chen to formally propose. Although Ye Qing is offended that Xiao Chen sent Hong Chidao to claim his daughter without consulting him, he recognizes that opposing Hong Chidao—and likely Xiao Chen’s backing—is too dangerous.
• Ye Hongmei watches events from her courtyard. She had been devastated when Xiao Chen was framed and later threatened by the Nether Realm’s Dynasty-Destruction Edict. Hong Chidao’s arrival and Xiao Chen’s public declaration that she “belonged to him” restore her hope and fill her with happiness. However, she also mourns the death of her friend Ke Hei.
• Xiao Chen and Lao Six hurry back toward Great Xia while searching for Void-Stealing Tai Sui, the key to Xiao Chen’s plan to ascend to the Nether Realm. Lao Six has mobilized the Insect Race and offered rich rewards, but the creature is so ancient and mysterious that its continued existence is uncertain.
• Xiao Chen remains confident because his Cosmos God Eyes showed him future scenes in which he successfully reaches the Nether Realm. He therefore believes he will eventually locate Void-Stealing Tai Sui.
• The chapter then shifts to the border of the Nether Realm, where an enormous Azure Dragon Golden Radiance Carriage arrives at Spirit-Guiding Mountain. The carriage belongs to the ancient and overwhelmingly powerful You Family.
• Moli reappears as a direct descendant of the You Clan. Traveling in the Netherworld Yellow Springs Skirt and wearing the Other Shore Divine Hairpin, she has advanced to the Half-Emperor Realm. She waits impatiently for the family members sent to receive a young master, suggesting that an important arrival or family matter is imminent.

Character Developments

• Hong Chidao is established as an almost unfathomably powerful figure. His effortless suppression of a Second-Realm War Emperor confirms that he is far beyond ordinary Great Emperors.
• Xiao Chen is portrayed as determined, foresighted, and increasingly influential. Despite the crisis surrounding him, he remains confident in his eventual ascent to the Nether Realm and actively pursues a solution.
• Ye Hongmei experiences a major emotional shift—from despair over Xiao Chen’s possible death to relief and happiness after learning that he protected and publicly claimed her. Her feelings for him are clearly deepening.
• Ye Qing remains protective and offended as a father, but his attitude is tempered by fear and respect for Xiao Chen’s backing.
• Lao Six proves loyal and resourceful, using his connections throughout the Insect Race to assist Xiao Chen’s search.
• Moli returns in a dramatically stronger state. Her rapid growth to Half-Emperor is attributed to the awakened Netherworld Yellow Springs Blood of the You Clan.

Significant Themes

• Power and hidden backing: Xiao Chen’s reputation rests not only on his own strength but also on the terrifying figures supporting him. The chapter reveals how quickly public disbelief turns into fear and respect once that power is demonstrated.
• Marriage, authority, and status: The dispute over Ye Hongmei’s marriage highlights traditional family authority and the arrogance of bypassing a father’s approval, while also showing how overwhelming strength can overturn normal social rules.
• Hope amid impending catastrophe: Ye Hongmei’s despair under the Dynasty-Destruction Edict contrasts with the hope created by Hong Chidao’s intervention and Xiao Chen’s promise of protection.
• Destiny and foresight: Xiao Chen’s confidence comes from glimpsing the future, reinforcing the idea that fate—or his ability to perceive it—will guide him through seemingly impossible obstacles.
• Bloodline inheritance: Moli’s rapid cultivation progress emphasizes the extraordinary potential of ancient bloodlines, particularly the You Family’s connection to Lord Yama and the Netherworld.

Important Character Interactions

• The Ye Family ancestor speaks with Ye Qing about allowing Ye Hongmei to marry Xiao Chen, warning him not to provoke Hong Chidao or reject the arrangement.
• Ye Hongmei reacts emotionally to Xiao Chen’s public declaration that she is his, while simultaneously grieving for Ke Hei.
• Xiao Chen relies on Lao Six to gather information about Void-Stealing Tai Sui; Lao Six responds with practical efforts and reassurances.
• Moli anxiously questions her maid, Shui’er, about the delayed arrival of the You Family’s representatives, introducing the powerful You Clan and setting up the next stage of the story.

Chapter Summary: “Did He Really Come?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Moli anxiously waits for Xiao Chen’s arrival in the Nether Realm. You Xiaoshui reassures her that the people sent to retrieve the Spirit Seedlings should soon return.
• The chapter explains Moli’s extraordinary status. Someone once paid an immense price to force her into the Mortal World, proving that she was no ordinary person.
• Moli’s devotion to Xiao Chen is revealed through their shared history: she once saved him when he was near death, and he later protected her when she faced danger. Despite their difference in status, Xiao Chen never looked down on her.
• A magnificent Azure Dragon Golden Radiance Carriage belonging to the direct lineage of the You Clan arrives, shocking the three great forces present.
• Zhan Qingge speculates that the carriage may contain You Moli, but dismisses the possibility that such a noble Heavenly Maiden would personally descend to welcome a Mortal World cultivator.
• Moli emerges joyfully, expecting to see Xiao Chen, but quickly realizes that he is absent. Her happiness turns into shock and grief when she learns that he has not entered the Spirit Realm.
• The surrounding forces recognize the truth behind rumors that a You Clan celestial maiden once fell in love with a lowborn youth from the Mortal World.
• Zhan Qingge becomes frightened because she had obeyed orders from a powerful figure and helped block Xiao Chen’s path to the heavens. She now fears Moli and the You Clan may retaliate.

Character Developments

• Moli: Her love and loyalty toward Xiao Chen are shown to be unwavering. Although she has become a noble figure in the Nether Realm, she remains emotionally unchanged and still sees herself as the humble girl Xiao Chen once treated kindly. Her excitement collapses into despair when he fails to appear.
• Xiao Chen: Though absent from the scene, his importance is emphasized through Moli’s memories and the stunned reactions of the three great forces. His reputation as talented, handsome, kind, and extraordinary is reinforced.
• You Xiaoshui: She is portrayed as a cautious and strictly disciplined servant who respects the rigid hierarchy of the You Clan. Although curious about Xiao Chen, she carefully conceals her personal reactions.
• Zhan Qingge: Her confidence gives way to alarm. She realizes that her actions against Xiao Chen may have provoked the powerful You Clan and placed her in danger.
• The Three Great Forces: Their initial awe at Moli’s beauty turns into shock and judgment when they discover the depth of her connection to Xiao Chen.

Significant Themes

• Love across social and cosmic boundaries: Moli’s relationship with Xiao Chen defies the enormous difference between their origins and statuses.
• Loyalty and unchanged devotion: Moli’s rise in status has not altered her feelings or her remembrance of Xiao Chen’s kindness.
• Hierarchy and social prejudice: The You Clan’s servants fear even accidental disrespect, while the powerful factions look down on Xiao Chen as a “wild brat” because he comes from the Mortal World.
• Fate and destiny: Moli views her meeting with Xiao Chen as fated, shaped by the moments when they saved and protected one another.
• Misjudgment and appearances: Others assume Moli could not truly care for a Mortal World youth, revealing their inability to understand the depth of their bond.
• Anticipation and disappointment: The chapter builds toward Xiao Chen’s expected arrival, only to replace Moli’s joy with painful uncertainty.

Character Interactions

• Moli and You Xiaoshui: Moli openly expresses her anxiety, while You Xiaoshui responds with formal, cautious reassurance.
• Moli and Xiao Chen: Although Xiao Chen never appears, Moli’s memories establish their mutual rescue, protection, and enduring emotional bond.
• Zhan Qingge and Chi Lei: Chi Lei assumes the You Clan may reward them for their actions, while Zhan Qingge remains skeptical and increasingly uneasy.
• Moli and the three great forces: Her radiant arrival awes everyone, but her desperate search for Xiao Chen exposes her feelings and overturns their assumptions about her.
• Zhan Qingge and the You Clan: Zhan Qingge realizes that by preventing Xiao Chen from ascending, she may have directly offended Moli and possibly the entire You Clan.

Chapter Summary: “Lost Moli!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• You Moli, the You Clan’s Heavenly Maiden, personally arrives in Primordial City after learning that Xiao Chen failed to gain entry into the Spirit Realm.
• Her maid, You Xiaoshui, demands an explanation from those responsible for the Spirit Entry selection.
• Chi Ningxue immediately shifts the blame onto the War Family, claiming that Zhan Qingge alone handled the selection and suppression of Xiao Chen.
• Zhan Qingge argues that Xiao Chen was rejected because his cultivation was supposedly too low and that she could not openly favor him.
• The truth is that Zhan Qingge deliberately obstructed Xiao Chen, but she disguises her actions with a false explanation.
• Moli reveals that Xiao Chen had been at the Grandmaster Realm only a few months earlier. The crowd realizes that he has since advanced astonishingly quickly to the Fifth Battle King Realm.
• You Xiaoshui advises Moli that forcing a Spirit Realm position for someone who had been a Grandmaster would damage the You Clan’s reputation.
• Heartbroken, Moli accepts that she and Xiao Chen may have no future together and leaves with tears in her eyes.
• The observers conclude that this is an internal conflict within the You Clan: the clan’s elders outwardly tolerate Moli’s relationship with Xiao Chen while secretly preventing him from joining her.
• Zhan Qingge warns everyone to keep the matter secret, fearing that revealing the truth could bring disaster upon Primordial City. Although she has earned rewards for blocking Xiao Chen, she knows she may eventually suffer the consequences.

Character Developments

• You Moli: Her deep love for Xiao Chen becomes undeniable. She is willing to challenge social expectations and the You Clan’s reputation for his sake, but ultimately leaves in despair when she believes she cannot help him.
• You Xiaoshui: Initially furious and protective of Moli, she becomes disillusioned upon learning that Xiao Chen had been only a Grandmaster. Her concern shifts from defending him to protecting Moli and the You Clan’s reputation.
• Zhan Qingge: Revealed as fearful and politically cautious. She lies to protect herself, distances herself from Chi Ningxue, and recognizes that opposing Moli could have devastating consequences.
• Chi Ningxue: Displays her pragmatic and self-serving nature by immediately abandoning Zhan Qingge and placing all responsibility on the War Family.
• Xiao Chen: Though absent, his rapid cultivation breakthrough becomes a major revelation. His rise from Grandmaster to Fifth Battle King in only a few months shocks everyone and suggests extraordinary hidden potential.
• The surrounding prodigies: Their jealousy and confusion intensify because Xiao Chen, whom they consider a “country bumpkin,” has won Moli’s affection despite their superior status and background.

Significant Themes

• Love versus clan reputation: Moli’s devotion to Xiao Chen conflicts with the You Clan’s concern for its ancient prestige and public image.
• Political power and inequality: Zhan Qingge understands that the War Family is insignificant compared with the You Clan, demonstrating how authority determines justice and accountability.
• Scapegoating and self-preservation: Chi Ningxue and Zhan Qingge both try to avoid responsibility, revealing the opportunistic behavior of those caught beneath powerful factions.
• Hidden talent and rapid transformation: Xiao Chen’s astonishing cultivation speed challenges everyone’s assumptions about his worth and hints at a larger mystery surrounding his potential.
• The cruelty of social hierarchy: Xiao Chen’s low origin makes him unacceptable to the You Clan despite Moli’s feelings, showing how status and reputation can overpower personal choice.
• Foreshadowed consequences: Zhan Qingge’s warning and unease suggest that the You Clan’s suppression of Xiao Chen may eventually provoke retaliation or a major conflict.

Character Interactions

• Moli and You Xiaoshui: Their exchange reflects Moli’s emotional vulnerability and Xiaoshui’s protective but increasingly skeptical attitude.
• You Xiaoshui and Zhan Qingge: Xiaoshui confronts Zhan Qingge directly, while Zhan Qingge responds with a carefully constructed lie to avoid punishment.
• Chi Ningxue and Zhan Qingge: Chi Ningxue betrays their apparent alliance by publicly assigning all blame to Zhan Qingge.
• Moli and Xiao Chen: Xiao Chen does not appear, but Moli’s grief makes clear that she considers him her beloved and has tried to bring him into the Spirit Realm.
• The observers and the You Clan: The crowd recognizes that Moli’s relationship with Xiao Chen is being obstructed by her own clan, turning the incident into a tragic example of family power overriding individual love.

Chapter Summary: “Liu Tainan Pays a Visit!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen returns triumphantly to Black Cloud City after the Immortal Abandonment War. The citizens welcome him as an almost godlike figure, celebrating his victories over powerful Bright Moon and Blazing Sun Rank experts.
• He returns to the Blade and Sword Brotherhood’s stronghold with Lao Six, where Xu Potian, Thunderstorm, Hei Meier, Qing Yumei, and others greet him enthusiastically.
• Xiao Chen learns that Ke Hei has been brutally tortured and crippled by the Ke Family under pressure from the Qiankun Lord. Ke Hei’s meridians and dantian have been destroyed, and his divine soul is gravely damaged.
• Hong Chidao explains that Ke Hei can only be truly healed with a Divine Medicine that does not exist in either the Mortal World or the Spirit Realm. Treatment beyond the Spirit Realm would be necessary, though Hong Chidao can preserve Ke Hei’s life for roughly ten years.
• Xiao Chen is devastated and blames himself for Ke Hei’s condition. He also regrets failing to secure healing treasures for Hong Ye and Qiongqi, losing his chance to enter the Spirit Realm, and suffering other setbacks during the war.
• Over the next three days, many prominent figures—including the Xia Emperor, Wu Qinglong, Fire Phoenix, Xiao Zhentian, and others—visit Xiao Chen to offer support and praise his achievements.
• Xiao Chen focuses on finding the Void-Stealing Tai Sui, but even Lao Six’s information network cannot locate it.
• On the fourth day, Liu Tainan, the mysterious and unscrupulous owner of the Wine Mansion, arrives in Black Cloud City. His appearance and ability to cross the sealed Azure Dragon Ancient Domain suggest that he possesses a far more extraordinary identity than previously believed.
• Xiao Chen receives Liu Tainan privately, where Liu praises his recent accomplishments and announces that he has an important matter to discuss.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Returns with immense prestige but is emotionally shaken by Ke Hei’s near-death state. His confidence is tempered by guilt, regret, and frustration over his inability to save those close to him. His determination to find the Void-Stealing Tai Sui highlights his desperation to help Ke Hei.
• Ke Hei: Once a brilliant and promising young cultivator, he is reduced to a nearly lifeless state after being tortured by his own family. His fate becomes one of the chapter’s central emotional conflicts.
• Hong Chidao: Demonstrates his medical and demonic abilities by preserving Ke Hei’s life, though he admits that his power is insufficient to restore him fully.
• Qiongqi and Hong Chidao: Their argument over Ke Hei’s treatment reveals their fierce tempers and mutual concern, while also adding humor to the otherwise grim situation.
• Hei Meier, Qing Yumei, Fen Rourou, and Hei Yuntao: Their joy at Xiao Chen’s return is complicated by jealousy and discomfort when he asks about another woman, revealing their emotional attachment to him.
• Liu Tainan: Reappears as an enigmatic figure whose ability to enter Black Cloud City and cross between sealed worlds hints at a hidden, powerful background.

Significant Themes

• Glory versus personal loss: Xiao Chen’s public triumph contrasts sharply with his private grief over Ke Hei and his other failures.
• The limits of power: Despite Xiao Chen’s extraordinary strength, he cannot easily undo the damage inflicted on Ke Hei, emphasizing that even supreme cultivators face helplessness.
• Loyalty and brotherhood: Ke Hei’s suffering deeply affects Xiao Chen, showing the importance of personal bonds amid large-scale conflicts.
• Regret and responsibility: Xiao Chen believes Ke Hei’s fate is partly his fault and reflects on the consequences of his decisions and missed opportunities.
• Hidden identities and greater powers: Liu Tainan’s mysterious arrival suggests that powerful forces and secrets exist beyond the realms and conflicts Xiao Chen currently understands.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen warmly reunites with his allies and is celebrated by the people of Black Cloud City.
• His female companions surround him affectionately, though they react with jealousy when he asks about Ke Hei and Ye Hongmei.
• Hong Ye explains Ke Hei’s condition to Xiao Chen, while Hong Chidao and Qiongqi quarrel over whether more could have been done to save him.
• Xiao Chen receives visits and encouragement from former acquaintances and influential figures, including people with whom he has had strained relationships.
• Xiao Chen and Liu Tainan meet privately, with Liu’s flattering but cryptic manner setting up an important future revelation.

Chapter Summary: “Settling Karma!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Liu Tainan visits Xiao Chen and reveals that he is originally from the Spirit Realm. He was once an elder of Dustmote Peak in the Demon Heaven Sect but was forced to flee after being betrayed and hunted.
• Liu Tainan explains the importance of a Spirit Registry, which functions like official household registration in the Spirit Realm. He offers Xiao Chen a token that could help him gain entry into Dustmote Peak if Xiao Chen eventually ascends.
• He reveals that the Void-Stealing Tai Sui still exists in Great Xia and promises to disclose its location if Xiao Chen agrees to help him.
• Liu Tainan recounts his tragic past: his sworn brother, Zhang Wuyong, poisoned and betrayed him, stole his Dao companion, and now mistreats both his wife and daughter. Zhang Wuyong is a sixth-realm Martial Emperor.
• Xiao Chen agrees to rescue Liu Tainan’s family if he becomes capable of doing so. In return, Liu Tainan gives him a blood-jade token bearing his true name, Liu Zhongyi, and directs him to Elder Ma Yi of Dustmote Peak in Primordial City.
• Liu Tainan identifies the Tai Sui’s hiding place through the clues “Yellow Ox Village” and “Li Sanniu,” though the Blade and Sword Brotherhood cannot immediately locate the village.
• Before leaving, Liu Tainan agrees to secretly bury the ashes of Gu Du in the Heavenly Punishment Hall of the Seven Demon Sect, honoring Xiao Chen’s promise to Gu Du.
• Xiao Chen realizes that his departure from the Mortal World is approaching and decides to settle unfinished matters. He announces the reopening of Sword Immortal Academy and the Heavenly Thunder Gang, appointing Lin Qingxian and Xu Congming as their leaders.
• Xiao Chen then travels to Sword Immortal Academy, where his arrival visibly unsettles the normally cold and composed Lin Qingxian.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen gains a major lead on the Void-Stealing Tai Sui and accepts a long-term obligation to rescue Liu Tainan’s family. His willingness to help reflects his sense of justice and commitment to promises.
• He also becomes increasingly aware that he must strengthen himself before confronting powerful Spirit Realm figures such as Zhang Wuyong.
• Liu Tainan, whose true name is Liu Zhongyi, is revealed to be a fallen Spirit Realm elder carrying deep grief and resentment. His confident, profit-minded exterior gives way to vulnerability when he recounts his family’s suffering.
• Zhang Wuyong is established as the central villain of Liu Tainan’s backstory: a treacherous brother who poisoned him, seized his wife, and abused his family.
• Lin Qingxian appears outwardly dignified and cold but becomes unusually nervous and flustered when Xiao Chen returns, hinting at complicated emotions between them.
• Xiao Chen’s subordinates, including Xu Potian and Xiao Qing, demonstrate their loyalty and organizational reach, though they struggle to identify Yellow Ox Village.

Significant Themes

• Karma and unfinished obligations: The chapter centers on Xiao Chen repaying promises, helping Liu Tainan, arranging Gu Du’s burial, and restoring old institutions before departing.
• Betrayal and justice: Liu Tainan’s suffering highlights the destructive consequences of treachery, while Xiao Chen’s agreement to seek justice establishes a future conflict with Zhang Wuyong.
• Identity and belonging: The Spirit Registry symbolizes legal identity and social legitimacy, emphasizing the difficulties of entering the Spirit Realm as an outsider.
• Ascension and preparation: Xiao Chen is nearing his departure from the Mortal World but recognizes that he must first resolve personal affairs and improve his cultivation.
• Loyalty and moral integrity: Xiao Chen’s commitment to honoring promises contrasts sharply with Zhang Wuyong’s betrayal.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen and Liu Tainan move from negotiation to mutual trust: Liu Tainan offers information and a future connection in the Spirit Realm, while Xiao Chen accepts responsibility for rescuing his family.
• Their conversation also reveals a contrast in personalities—Liu Tainan is calculating and commercially minded, whereas Xiao Chen is direct, principled, and motivated by justice.
• Xiao Chen’s request that Liu Tainan bury Gu Du’s ashes initially irritates Liu Tainan, but he ultimately agrees because of his superior spatial abilities and reluctant respect for Xiao Chen.
• Xiao Chen’s interactions with the Blade and Sword Brotherhood show his authority over the organization, while Xu Potian’s reprimand of Xiao Qing reflects the group’s urgency and internal hierarchy.
• His reunion with Lin Qingxian introduces a more emotionally charged relationship, as her normally controlled demeanor falters in his presence.

Chapter Summary: “Hunting the Golden Crow Ram!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen returns to the revived Sword Immortal Academy and reflects on how much has changed since he first entered as a disgraced and powerless youth.
• He reunites with his former senior sister, Lin Qingxian. Although the academy and its disciples remain familiar, Xiao Chen’s rise to the pinnacle of cultivation has created an invisible distance between them.
• Xiao Chen reassures Lin Qingxian that, regardless of his status, he will always regard himself as a disciple of Sword Immortal Academy and her junior brother.
• After leaving the academy, Xiao Chen meets Xu Congming, who lightly teases him about abandoning Lin Qingxian. Xiao Chen avoids discussing his feelings and instead entrusts the Heavenly Thunder Gang to Xu Congming.
• Xiao Chen travels with Old Master and Second Master to the Broken Dragon Demon Domain to recover the thirteen immortal swords once belonging to Sword Immortal Academy.
• The swords had been stolen 183 years earlier by the Golden Crow Ram, a powerful demon from the Broken Dragon Demon Domain. He had also killed a female sword immortal and her Dao companion during the raid.
• At the domain’s entrance, the Golden Crow Ram appears and openly boasts about possessing the swords and the destruction of Sword Immortal Academy.
• Enraged by the revelation and by the historical humiliation inflicted upon his sect, Xiao Chen orders Old Master and Second Master to capture and execute him.
• The Golden Crow Ram dismisses them despite their Quasi-Emperor and Half-Emperor cultivation, setting the stage for a confrontation.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: His strength and reputation have reached an extraordinary level, but he remains loyal to his origins and to the people who supported him during his weakest years. His determination to reclaim the immortal swords is driven by both personal gratitude and the honor of Sword Immortal Academy.
• Lin Qingxian: She is deeply affected by Xiao Chen’s transformation. Once confident and domineering, she now behaves with restraint because she feels their social and cultivation statuses have become impossibly distant. Her emotions suggest possible romantic feelings, though she cannot clearly distinguish them from sect-related affection.
• Xu Congming: He remains relaxed and familiar with Xiao Chen, showing none of the awe or hesitation that others display. His teasing highlights the emotional tension between Xiao Chen and Lin Qingxian. He also accepts responsibility for managing the Heavenly Thunder Gang.
• Old Master and Second Master: Under Hong Ye’s guidance, both have advanced significantly—Old Master to the Quasi-Emperor Realm and Second Master to the Half-Emperor Realm. They now serve as Xiao Chen’s formidable protectors and enforcers.
• Golden Crow Ram: He is revealed as arrogant, cruel, and openly contemptuous of Sword Immortal Academy. His confidence suggests that the Broken Dragon Demon Domain possesses hidden strength beyond the two demon titans accompanying Xiao Chen.

Significant Themes

• Change and emotional distance: Xiao Chen’s rise has transformed his relationships. Though he remains emotionally loyal to his past, others now struggle to approach him as they once did.
• Memory and gratitude: Xiao Chen remembers those who helped him when he was powerless and seeks to honor them by restoring the academy.
• Justice and vengeance: Recovering the immortal swords is not merely a mission; it is an attempt to avenge the academy’s dead and erase a long-standing humiliation.
• Strength and vulnerability: The chapter emphasizes that weak factions are easily oppressed, while power determines whether one can defend dignity and justice.
• The burden of greatness: Xiao Chen’s supreme status brings prestige but also isolates him from people such as Lin Qingxian.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen and Lin Qingxian: Their reunion is respectful but emotionally strained. Xiao Chen tries to preserve their old senior-junior bond, while Lin Qingxian struggles with admiration, affection, and the perceived gulf between them.
• Xiao Chen and Xu Congming: Their conversation retains the warmth and informality of their brotherly relationship. Xu’s teasing contrasts with the reverence others show Xiao Chen.
• Xiao Chen and the Golden Crow Ram: The Golden Crow Ram’s boastful recollection of his crimes provokes Xiao Chen’s fury. Their exchange turns the recovery mission into a personal confrontation.
• Xiao Chen and Old Master/Second Master: Xiao Chen commands them decisively, trusting their strength to confront the Golden Crow Ram and uphold the academy’s honor.

Chapter Summary: “Barbecuing the Golden Roc!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen and his companions confront the arrogant Golden Crow Ram in the Broken Dragon Demon Domain.
• Second Master, a powerful Redhorn Dragon Toad, attacks the Golden Crow Ram, but Ancient Golden-Winged Roc Peng Shilong appears and effortlessly blocks the strike.
• Peng Shilong recognizes the aura of the Gonggong Divine Armor on Xiao Chen. He reveals that Chi San—the brother Xiao Chen killed—was his younger brother and demands the divine armor and Xiao Chen’s surrender.
• Peng Shilong unleashes overwhelming Imperial power, forcing Old Master and Second Master to their knees.
• Hong Chidao intervenes, shattering Peng Shilong’s attack with Divine Fire. His arrival shocks Peng Shilong, who realizes that Hong Chidao is not only powerful but also possesses a bloodline advantage over him.
• Peng Shilong attempts to negotiate, asking Hong Chidao to leave the armor behind and take Xiao Chen away in exchange for the Golden-Winged Roc clan’s “respect.”
• Hong Chidao scorns the clan’s status and asks Xiao Chen whether they should capture or kill Peng Shilong. Second Master jokingly suggests roasting him.
• Shortly afterward, Peng Shilong is killed and cooked over Hong Chidao’s Heaven-Burning Demonfire. Xiao Chen, Hong Chidao, Old Master, and Second Master feast on the Great Emperor’s flesh.
• The meat’s immense demonic energy greatly benefits Xiao Chen, Old Master, and Second Master. Xiao Chen’s bodily damage and cultivation-related hidden injuries are fully healed, while the two elders gain another foundation for reaching Emperorhood.
• Hong Chidao cremates the remains, having gained little nourishment because his cultivation is far beyond Peng Shilong’s.
• The surviving demons are terrified by the defeat and consumption of their ancestor.
• Second Master captures several demons and interrogates them. Xiao Chen discovers that the immortal swords stolen from Sword Immortal Academy years earlier are hidden among the Golden Crow Ram’s treasures.
• The Golden Crow Ram has also been killed and turned into roast meat.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Demonstrates courage and composure by directly testing Peng Shilong’s identity. His past actions against Chi San catch up with him, but his powerful allies protect him. The roc feast repairs the damage caused by over-refining the True Demon and exhausting his body.
• Hong Chidao: Establishes himself as overwhelmingly powerful and fiercely protective of Xiao Chen. He dismisses the prestige of the Golden-Winged Roc clan and treats Peng Shilong as insignificant. His control of Divine Fire proves especially effective against the roc’s powerful body.
• Old Master and Second Master: Their loyalty to Xiao Chen remains unquestionable, even when Peng Shilong’s attack nearly crushes them. Second Master’s irreverent humor contrasts with the seriousness of the situation, while both elders benefit greatly from consuming the roc’s flesh.
• Peng Shilong: Initially arrogant and confident in his bloodline and status, he becomes wary after encountering Hong Chidao. His attempt at negotiation reveals that he recognizes the danger, but his pride and demands fail, leading to his death.
• Golden Crow Ram: Its arrogance and reliance on Peng Shilong prove futile. It is killed, its treasures are exposed, and its stolen goods are recovered.

Significant Themes

• The collapse of arrogance before overwhelming power: Both the Golden Crow Ram and Peng Shilong rely on bloodline, reputation, and status, but Hong Chidao shows that true strength matters more than ancient prestige.
• Reversal of predator and prey: The Golden-Winged Roc, traditionally depicted as a supreme predator capable of devouring dragons, becomes the one hunted, killed, and consumed.
• Powerful allies and loyalty: Xiao Chen survives because of the extraordinary figures supporting him. Their willingness to fight for him highlights the strength of their bonds.
• Humiliation of former oppressors: The Broken Dragon Demon Domain, once able to bully weaker forces, is overturned. Its ruler is slaughtered, its demons hide in fear, and its treasures are confiscated.
• Cultivation through opportunity: Even a terrifying enemy’s remains become a resource, healing Xiao Chen and strengthening the elders on their paths toward Emperorhood.

Character Interactions

• Second Master openly insults and attacks the Golden Crow Ram, setting the confrontation in motion.
• Xiao Chen and Peng Shilong exchange pointed questions about Chi San and the Gonggong Divine Armor, confirming their connection.
• Hong Chidao interrupts Peng Shilong’s attack and completely reverses the power balance.
• Peng Shilong attempts to negotiate with Hong Chidao, but Hong mocks the Golden-Winged Roc clan’s claim to respect.
• Hong Chidao defers the decision to Xiao Chen, while Second Master proposes turning Peng Shilong into food.
• The group later bonds over the roasted roc meat, combining humor, grotesque triumph, and tangible cultivation benefits.
• Through interrogation of the captured demons, Xiao Chen obtains the information needed to recover Sword Immortal Academy’s lost swords.

Chapter Summary: “Journey to Wonder Ox Village!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen discovers that only twelve of Sword Immortal Academy’s thirteen legendary immortal swords remain in the sword pool. The missing sword is Certain Return, a mysterious blade said to connect with the Netherworld and ensure that the slain soul returns there.
• An elder reveals that Certain Return was once given to a powerful sword immortal from beyond the Mortal World. The sword is now in the Nether Realm, held by a mysterious guardian elder of a great sect in Heaven-Crossing City.
• Although disappointed, Xiao Chen resolves to recover Certain Return in the future after reaching the Spirit Entry Realm.
• Xiao Chen, Old Master, Second Master, and Hong Ye leave the Broken Dragon Demon Domain with the twelve recovered swords. Before departing, Hong Ye burns away the sins of the young demons who were not guilty of the domain’s atrocities.
• News spreads that the Broken Dragon Demon Domain has been destroyed and that the Golden-Winged Great Emperor was killed and devoured. The outside world attributes the feat to the red-haired demon ancestor standing behind Xiao Chen, further increasing the legend surrounding him.
• Xiao Chen returns the twelve swords to Lin Qingxian, allowing Sword Immortal Academy to restore them to its sword pool. This fulfills much of the dying wish of Chou Wantian and Lin Jiansan, though Certain Return remains unrecovered.
• Three days later, Xu Potian reports that Yellow Ox Village has changed its name to Wonder Ox Village. A mysterious man named Li Sanniu appeared there thirteen years earlier, mastered formations, protected the village from bandits and beasts, and persuaded the villagers to rename it.
• Believing Li Sanniu may be connected to the person he is seeking, Xiao Chen immediately decides to travel to Wonder Ox Village with Old Master, Second Master, Hong Ye, and Qiongqi.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen demonstrates both determination and growing emotional restraint. He accepts that reclaiming Certain Return will be difficult but makes it a future objective.
• His destruction of the Broken Dragon Demon Domain shows the terrifying level of power and authority he now possesses.
• Despite his strength, Xiao Chen is troubled by the emotional cost of leaving the Mortal World. He recognizes that his cultivation path will separate him from friends and loved ones.
• He chooses to depart quietly rather than prolong painful farewells, believing that continued attachment would only deepen everyone’s sorrow.
• Lin Qingxian is deeply moved when the twelve swords are restored, regarding Xiao Chen’s achievement as the fulfillment of the academy’s long-standing wish.
• Hong Ye acts on Xiao Chen’s orders by cleansing the innocent young demons rather than indiscriminately destroying them.
• Old Master, Second Master, Hong Ye, and Qiongqi remain Xiao Chen’s trusted companions as he begins the next stage of his journey.
• Li Sanniu is established as a mysterious, powerful formation expert whose sudden arrival and influence over Wonder Ox Village suggest that he may possess an important connection to Xiao Chen’s investigation.

Significant Themes

• Duty and unfinished promises: Xiao Chen honors his promise to restore Sword Immortal Academy’s immortal swords, even though one remains beyond his reach.
• The cost of cultivation and immortality: As Xiao Chen grows stronger and lives longer, he becomes increasingly separated from ordinary friends, lovers, and the passage of mortal life.
• Parting and loneliness: The chapter emphasizes that advancement toward the highest realms requires leaving behind people and places one loves.
• Legacy and remembrance: The immortal swords, the wishes of deceased sword immortals, and the fate of the Broken Dragon Demon Domain all show how actions and vows persist across generations.
• Power and reputation: The destruction of the demon domain shakes Great Xia and transforms Xiao Chen’s reputation, even though the public misunderstands who truly carried out the deed.
• Mercy amid destruction: Xiao Chen distinguishes between the guilty demons and the approximately hundred young demons who had not committed crimes, revealing a measure of moral judgment rather than simple vengeance.

Character Interactions

• Second Master aggressively questions the Broken Dragon Demon Domain elder when the explanation about Certain Return is incomplete, forcing him to reveal the sword’s location.
• Xiao Chen and Lin Qingxian share a heartfelt exchange when he returns the twelve swords. She thanks him sincerely, while he modestly emphasizes that one sword is still missing.
• Qiongqi teases Xiao Chen about saying farewell to his many confidantes. Xiao Chen responds that quiet departure is less painful than prolonged parting.
• Xiao Chen entrusts Old Master, Second Master, Hong Ye, and Qiongqi with accompanying him to Wonder Ox Village, marking them as his closest remaining companions as he leaves the Mortal World behind.
• Xu Potian serves as the source of the crucial information about Wonder Ox Village and Li Sanniu, setting the next stage of Xiao Chen’s journey in motion.

Chapter Summary: “Void-Stealing, Spirit Entry”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Under the Old Master’s coercion, Second Master reveals his true form and travels with Xiao Chen’s group at extraordinary speed to Wonder Ox Village.
• At the village entrance, they discover a thirty-meter-tall black ox statue containing a powerful protective formation infused with the aura of an Emperor. Hong Chidao identifies its creator as a rare Formation Great Emperor.
• Two vigilant shepherd boys, Maodan and Goudan, confront the group and warn them to leave. They explain that Li Sanniu—whom they call “Uncle Niu”—protects the village from repeated disasters and beast attacks.
• Hong Chidao summons Li Sanniu through the formation. The seemingly ordinary middle-aged man appears and initially refuses to help, claiming he has withdrawn from worldly affairs.
• When Hong Chidao releases his pressure, Li Sanniu realizes that he is facing a terrifying Third Realm Great Emperor and immediately becomes respectful.
• Hong Chidao reveals that Xiao Chen wishes to enter the Spirit Realm and demands that Li Sanniu, known as the “Void-Stealing Tai Sui,” devise a way to send him there.
• Li Sanniu agrees in principle but explains that secretly crossing into the Spirit Realm is extremely dangerous and requires a large amount of formation materials.
• Xiao Chen offers three immortal herbs, but Li Sanniu explains that at least five are needed merely to cover the materials. Xiao Chen asks the others to contribute, and Old Master and Second Master provide four more, bringing the total to seven.
• After accepting the payment, Li Sanniu reveals a major limitation: the Void-Stealing Formation can be activated only once within ten years and can transport only one person.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen demonstrates fairness and maturity by offering valuable immortal herbs rather than expecting Li Sanniu to help for free. He also willingly asks his companions to contribute when the cost proves higher than expected.
• Hong Chidao displays overwhelming power and authority, but his behavior toward Li Sanniu is somewhat restrained because he is acting as Xiao Chen’s protector. His intimidating methods force Li Sanniu to cooperate.
• Li Sanniu is introduced as a cold, secluded Formation Great Emperor who has abandoned worldly affairs to pursue ancient formation scriptures. Despite his aloofness, he shows genuine warmth toward the village children and cares deeply about Wonder Ox Village’s safety.
• Old Master and Second Master continue to support Xiao Chen, contributing precious immortal herbs to fulfill the payment.
• The shepherd boys are cautious and brave, reflecting the dangers the village has endured, but they trust and admire Li Sanniu completely.

Significant Themes

• Power and hierarchy: Li Sanniu’s confidence disappears once he recognizes Hong Chidao as a Third Realm Great Emperor, emphasizing the enormous gap between cultivation realms.
• The cost of ambition: Entering the Spirit Realm is possible, but it requires rare resources, immense risk, and severe limitations.
• Protection and responsibility: Though Li Sanniu claims to be indifferent to worldly matters, his formation protects the villagers, and his affection for the children reveals that he has not truly abandoned human connections.
• Trust and fair exchange: Xiao Chen’s willingness to offer proper compensation contrasts with Hong Chidao’s forceful approach and establishes Xiao Chen as considerate and principled.
• Scarcity and sacrifice: The one-use, one-person restriction creates a difficult choice and raises the stakes of Xiao Chen’s journey.

Important Character Interactions

• The shepherd boys challenge Xiao Chen’s group, showing their vigilance and loyalty to the village.
• Li Sanniu treats the children affectionately, revealing a softer side beneath his cold exterior.
• Hong Chidao intimidates Li Sanniu into listening, then negotiates the Spirit Realm crossing on Xiao Chen’s behalf.
• Xiao Chen and Li Sanniu engage in a practical negotiation over the formation’s price, with Xiao Chen ultimately securing the agreement through seven immortal herbs.
• The chapter ends with Li Sanniu’s revelation that only one person can be sent across, leaving Xiao Chen’s group facing a major decision.

Chapter Summary: “Five Days Like Flowing Light!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Void-Shifting Formation can breach the barrier to the Spirit Realm only once every ten years and transport only one person. Even Li Sanniu’s powerful inherited technique cannot bring multiple people or spirit-bound beings through.
• Xiao Chen learns that Qiongqi, Hong Chidao, Lao Six, and Hong Ye cannot accompany him. Qiongqi’s body is sealed and badly injured, while Hong Chidao is weakened by Soul Poison and cannot yet guarantee a way into the Spirit Realm.
• Moli is also unlikely to help him, since her clan has ignored her wishes and obstructed her selection for the Nether Realm.
• Hong Chidao urges Xiao Chen to delay his departure until he can accompany him, prioritizing safety. Qiongqi argues that Xiao Chen must face danger alone if he hopes to grow into a powerful cultivator.
• Qiongqi reveals that Xiao Chen’s fate is dangerous but protected by Innate Divine Golden Radiance. Though he faces many calamities, Qiongqi believes he has roughly a sixty percent chance of surviving until their eventual reunion.
• Given the choice, Xiao Chen decides to enter the Spirit Realm alone and undergo the trials necessary to become stronger.
• He chooses Primordial City in the Nether Realm as his destination. Li Sanniu begins preparing the complicated Void-Shifting Formation, requiring five days and many rare spiritual materials.
• During the waiting period, Qiongqi jokingly suggests that Xiao Chen spend time with his many female admirers before leaving. Xiao Chen refuses, believing it would be cruel to create emotional bonds when he cannot promise them a future.
• Xiao Chen, Hong Chidao, and Qiongqi remain in Wonder Ox Village for the five days. They live simply among the villagers, who treat them warmly and generously.
• On the fifth day, Li Sanniu summons them to the rear mountain, signaling that the formation is ready and Xiao Chen’s departure is imminent.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen accepts that he must temporarily abandon the protection of his allies and confront the Nether Realm alone. His decision demonstrates courage, determination, and a willingness to endure hardship for the sake of greater strength.
• Qiongqi acts as both mentor and harsh advocate. Although he fears for Xiao Chen, he believes suffering and danger are essential to his transformation. His teasing about Xiao Chen’s romantic relationships also reveals the affection beneath his stern advice.
• Hong Chidao shows deep concern for Xiao Chen and takes a protective, cautious position. He would rather delay the journey than risk Xiao Chen’s death.
• Li Sanniu continues to serve as the key figure enabling Xiao Chen’s passage, carefully preparing the formation and required materials.
• Xiao Chen’s attitude toward romance becomes clearer: despite recognizing his feelings for several women, he suppresses them because he believes his dangerous path and uncertain future make emotional entanglement unfair.

Significant Themes

• Growth through adversity: True power requires enduring tribulations, danger, and hardship rather than remaining safely protected.
• Fate and fortune: Survival depends not only on strength but also on destiny, karma, and unseen protection. Xiao Chen’s divine radiance gives him hope amid overwhelming danger.
• Sacrifice and separation: Xiao Chen must leave behind his allies, possible romantic relationships, and perhaps the mortal world itself.
• Safety versus ambition: Hong Chidao and Qiongqi represent opposing approaches—caution and preservation versus risk and self-tempering.
• Simplicity and contentment: The peaceful villagers’ modest lives contrast sharply with Xiao Chen’s dangerous pursuit of power, making him briefly envy their freedom from ambition and worry.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen questions Qiongqi and Hong Chidao about accompanying him, exposing his anxiety over entering the Spirit Realm without protection.
• Hong Chidao and Qiongqi argue intensely over whether Xiao Chen should go alone, with the final decision left to Xiao Chen himself.
• Qiongqi uses humor to hide his sadness at parting from his disciple, while Xiao Chen responds with restrained seriousness.
• Xiao Chen and the villagers form a temporary connection during their five-day stay, as he experiences their hospitality and peaceful way of life.
• The chapter ends with Li Sanniu calling Xiao Chen and the others to the rear mountain, marking the beginning of Xiao Chen’s dangerous journey.

Chapter Summary

• Preparation for ascension: Xiao Chen and his companions travel west into a secluded mountain forest, where Li Sanniu lays out nearly a hundred rare spiritual materials to construct the Void-Stealing Crossing Formation. The formation’s immense power disturbs the surrounding space, frightens away beasts, and causes the mountains to tremble.
• The Void-Stealing lineage: Li Sanniu explains that crossing secretly between the Mortal and Spirit Realms requires mastery of the Void Dao, inherited secret arts, and techniques capable of concealing the formation and deceiving heavenly laws. Void-Stealing Tai Suis are heavily persecuted in the Spirit Realm because smuggling living beings across realms is considered one of the ten unforgivable crimes. Their lineage has therefore nearly vanished.
• Xiao Chen’s destination: The formation can connect to coordinates recorded in the Void-Stealing lineage’s handbook. Li Sanniu can send Xiao Chen within roughly a hundred miles of Primordial City, though he cannot guarantee that Xiao Chen will appear directly outside its gates. Xiao Chen accepts the uncertainty and begins questioning Li Sanniu about the Nether Realm so he can prepare for his first solitary ascent.
• The Nether Realm and Primordial City: Li Sanniu knows little about the Nether Realm but confirms that its spiritual energy, treasures, and opportunities far exceed those of the Mortal World. Primordial City is associated with three major powers—the War Family, Lan Family, and Demon Heaven Sect—while the Nether Realm’s foremost ancient clan is the You Family.
• Higher standards for talent: Xiao Chen asks how heavenly prodigies are judged in the Nether Realm. Li Sanniu reveals that anyone who reaches the Half-Emperor Rank before age twenty earns the title of Demonic Prodigy Rank. This standard shocks Xiao Chen internally: although he was considered extraordinary in the Mortal World, he is only at the King Realm Fifth Layer at age nineteen, leaving him little time to reach even the Nether Realm’s basic prodigy threshold.
• Xiao Chen’s changing self-image: Xiao Chen realizes that the Spirit Realm contains talents even stronger than Demonic Prodigies, including “True Dragons.” His former reputation as nearly invincible in the Mortal World may mean little in the Nether Realm. When he asks Li Sanniu how he compares, Li Sanniu bluntly says he is “not bad,” then clarifies that he is slightly below average among Primordial City’s younger prodigies. Xiao Chen is left speechless and humbled by the comparison.
• Scale of the Nether Realm: Li Sanniu explains that the Nether Realm contains 36,746 territories: 28,000 small territories, 8,646 middle territories, and a remaining group of vastly stronger super territories. Primordial City belongs to only one small territory, making it insignificant on the scale of the entire Nether Realm. Xiao Chen is confused about how an ancient city can also be classified as a small territory, setting up the next discussion.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Xiao Chen displays his usual caution and strategic thinking, seeking information before entering an unfamiliar realm. He remains outwardly calm but internally struggles with the realization that his strength is far less impressive by Spirit Realm standards.
• Li Sanniu acts as Xiao Chen’s guide and technical expert, explaining the formation, realm classifications, and talent standards while remaining visibly frightened of Hong Chidao.
• Hong Chidao is impatient and intimidating, interrupting Li Sanniu when he gives obvious information and pressuring him to provide more useful details. His violent reputation causes Li Sanniu considerable fear.
• The chapter’s main tension comes from the contrast between Xiao Chen’s former supremacy in the Mortal World and his suddenly ordinary status in the Nether Realm.

Significant Themes

• Perspective and humility: Greatness is relative; someone unrivaled in one world may be mediocre in another.
• The vastness of cultivation’s hierarchy: The Nether Realm reveals levels of power and talent far beyond Xiao Chen’s previous experience.
• Preparation before action: Xiao Chen’s questions emphasize the importance of gathering knowledge before entering a dangerous and unfamiliar environment.
• Crossing boundaries and risk: The dangerous Void-Stealing Formation symbolizes Xiao Chen’s transition from the Mortal World into a far more powerful and threatening realm.

Chapter Summary: “Nether Realm! At Last!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Sanniu explains the vast scale of the Nether Realm. What were once called “cities” were renamed “domains” 1,832 years ago because each contained billions of inhabitants. Small domains held roughly five billion beings, while large domains could contain more than ten billion.
• The Nether Realm had over 36,700 domains and a total population exceeding two hundred trillion—around ten times that of the Azure Spirit Ancient Realm. Xiao Chen realizes that the realm is unimaginably vast and fiercely competitive.
• Xiao Chen learns that the You Clan is ruled by You Xuelan, a powerful Sage. This revelation alarms him because he may eventually have to confront the entire clan due to Moli’s situation.
• Li Sanniu completes a dangerous inter-realm teleportation formation using numerous rare spiritual materials. The formation tears open a passage through the void.
• Before departing, Xiao Chen bids farewell to Great Xia. He enters the passage while Li Sanniu struggles to maintain the formation under immense pressure.
• Li Sanniu warns Xiao Chen that, as a stowaway from the Mortal World, he will be undocumented in the Spirit Realm. Without a Spirit Registry, his strength may be suppressed by seventy to eighty percent, and he risks being captured by forces that exploit illegal immigrants as slaves, soldiers, or servants.
• Xiao Chen travels through a chaotic void filled with distorted space, time, overlapping worlds, and strange visions.
• He eventually emerges in the Nether Realm near a towering Red Mountain. A terrifying Nether Azure bird nearly attacks him, but the remaining transfer energy carries him away safely.
• Xiao Chen lands on crimson soil saturated with heat and earth-element energy, finally opening his eyes upon the unfamiliar and immense Nether Realm.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen becomes increasingly aware of his own insignificance. The scale of the Nether Realm makes him feel like a tiny spark or even less than an ant, increasing his anxiety about entering it alone.
• His determination remains intact despite his fear. He recognizes that danger is unavoidable, particularly because of his possible future conflict with the You Clan.
• Xiao Chen’s concern for Moli deepens. He hopes her abandonment is unrelated to the You Clan’s internal power struggles and fears the clan may mistreat her.
• Li Sanniu demonstrates his knowledge of the Nether Realm and his willingness to risk himself for Xiao Chen. Maintaining the teleportation formation places tremendous physical strain on him, nearly causing him to collapse.

Significant Themes

• The immensity of the world: The chapter emphasizes the overwhelming scale, population, and geographic vastness of the Nether Realm.
• Smallness before greater powers: Xiao Chen is forced to recognize how insignificant one individual can be in a realm containing countless domains, ancient clans, sages, and unimaginable creatures.
• Dangerous opportunity: The Nether Realm offers extraordinary opportunities but is also brutally competitive, with the weak easily exploited.
• Outsider status and discrimination: Stowaways lack legal protection and are treated as commodities. The Spirit Realm’s bureaucracy and predatory forces create constant danger for undocumented newcomers.
• Farewell and new beginnings: Xiao Chen’s final glance at Great Xia marks the end of a familiar chapter of his life and the beginning of an uncertain journey in a far more dangerous realm.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen and Li Sanniu: Their conversation is primarily instructional, with Li Sanniu explaining the Nether Realm’s structure, population, dangers, and the You Clan’s strength. His urgent commands during the formation’s activation show his protective concern and the seriousness of the crossing.
• Xiao Chen and Moli: Although Moli does not appear directly, Xiao Chen’s thoughts about her reveal his emotional attachment and his growing resolve to protect or eventually fight for her.
• Xiao Chen and the You Clan: Their conflict has not yet begun, but the chapter establishes it as an approaching inevitability. The existence of a Sage ruling the clan makes Xiao Chen’s future confrontation far more dangerous.
• Xiao Chen and the Nether Azure bird: Their brief encounter immediately demonstrates the Nether Realm’s dangers. The creature’s killing intent terrifies Xiao Chen, though the teleportation force saves him from attack.
  The chapter ends with Xiao Chen arriving in the Nether Realm, overwhelmed by its strange landscape and uncertain future.

Chapter Summary: “An Uninvited Guest Arrived Suddenly!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen arrives in the Spirit Realm, landing in the wilderness of Red Mountain. He is astonished by the realm’s abundant spiritual energy, extraordinary plants, and powerful beasts.
• He observes that the Spirit Realm is vastly more prosperous and dangerous than the Mortal World. Even its wilderness contains creatures stronger than Demon Kings.
• Xiao Chen uses his King Source Energy to deter several enormous beasts that initially consider attacking him.
• Reflecting on the Spirit Realm’s cultivation hierarchy, he realizes that his Fifth King Realm cultivation places him only around the lower-middle level among his peers. Although powerful by Mortal World standards, he is far from exceptional here.
• Determined not to remain exposed, Xiao Chen plans to travel to the Demon Heaven Sect, where he hopes to find protection and resolve the threat of Spirit Registry suppression.
• He also intends to reunite with Qiongqi and Hong Chidao, though their ascension may take several years.
• Remembering Moli, the woman who once saved his life and summoned him to the Spirit Realm, Xiao Chen begins traveling west toward the Primordial Capital Commandery.
• On the official road, a mysterious old man suddenly appears and intercepts him. Xiao Chen cautiously claims that he has connections to the Demon Heaven Sect and asks for directions.
• The old man, identified as Gray Three, is surprised by Xiao Chen’s alleged connection to one of the Spirit Realm’s three supreme powers: the War Family, the Lan Family, and the Demon Heaven Sect.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: His arrival forces him to recognize the gap between his accomplishments in the Mortal World and the standards of the Spirit Realm. He becomes more cautious and self-aware, understanding that survival will require discretion rather than confidence alone. His longing for Moli also reveals his emotional attachment and gratitude toward her.
• Gray Three: Introduced as an enigmatic, possibly dangerous figure. His silent approach, sinister appearance, and powerful aura immediately make him suspicious. His reaction to Xiao Chen’s mention of the Demon Heaven Sect suggests that he understands the importance of major powers and may be probing Xiao Chen’s identity.

Significant Themes

• The vastness of the cultivation world: The Spirit Realm makes Xiao Chen’s previous achievements seem ordinary, emphasizing the endless hierarchy of power.
• Danger and survival: Even ordinary wilderness creatures are extraordinarily strong, forcing Xiao Chen to remain constantly vigilant.
• Adaptation and humility: Xiao Chen must adjust his expectations and behavior now that he is no longer among the strongest.
• Loneliness and reunion: Having ascended alone, Xiao Chen misses his companions and hopes to reunite with them, while his thoughts of Moli provide him with emotional motivation.
• Ancient power and decline: The discussion of the three hegemonic forces highlights how long-standing institutions can remain powerful even after entering periods of decline.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen intimidates several attacking beasts through the display of his King Source Energy, causing them to retreat rather than risk injury.
• He mentally recalls his companions Qiongqi and Hong Chidao, as well as Moli, whose past kindness motivates his journey.
• Xiao Chen and Gray Three engage in a cautious first exchange. Xiao Chen conceals his true circumstances by blending truth with deception, while Gray Three reacts with surprise and apparent interest to his claimed connection with the Demon Heaven Sect.

Chapter Summary: “This Ferry Boar Has Some Spirit!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen encounters Gray Three, a veteran Boar Hunter from the Hui Family, shortly after entering the Spirit Realm.
• Gray Three has secretly observed Xiao Chen and deduced that he is a “ferry boar”—someone who crossed into the Spirit Realm from the Mortal World without a Spirit Registry.
• Although Gray Three initially hesitates because Xiao Chen claims to have ties to the powerful Demon Heaven Sect, he remains determined to capture him.
• Xiao Chen falsely claims to belong to the prestigious Li Family, hoping the name will intimidate Gray Three.
• When Gray Three presses him for proof, Xiao Chen produces the Elder Token of Dustmote Peak given to him by Liu Tainan. The token initially convinces Gray Three that Xiao Chen has an extraordinary status.
• Gray Three then notices that the token lacks the golden demonic radiance supposedly belonging to a genuine active Elder Token. Realizing its owner may be dead or expelled, he launches a surprise attack.
• Xiao Chen narrowly avoids a fatal blow using Skywind Power and the Indestructible Golden Body, but Gray Three’s palm still sends him flying.
• Xiao Chen suffers only light injuries because his Golden Body absorbs much of the attack, astonishing Gray Three.
• Gray Three recognizes the Void-Locking Rune on Xiao Chen’s forehead, confirming that Xiao Chen is indeed a ferry boar. However, he is surprised that Xiao Chen possesses such formidable physical strength despite being restricted by the Heavenly Lock and lacking a Spirit Registry.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Demonstrates composure, deception, and quick thinking under extreme danger. He maintains an aloof persona to conceal his fear, invents a powerful family background, and uses Liu Tainan’s token to protect himself. After being attacked, he recognizes that Nether Realm cultivators are far stronger than Mortal World experts and becomes more cautious about his own abilities.
• Gray Three: Revealed as ruthless, calculating, and highly experienced in hunting ferry boars. He initially acts deferentially when confronted with the Demon Heaven token but quickly reassesses the situation and attacks once he detects a weakness. His expertise allows him to identify both the token’s flaw and Xiao Chen’s Void-Locking Rune.

Significant Themes

• Survival through deception: Xiao Chen relies on confidence, fabricated origins, and psychological pressure rather than direct strength.
• The dangers of the Spirit Realm: Entering the Nether Realm immediately exposes Mortal World cultivators to powerful enemies and cruel systems of exploitation.
• Appearances versus reality: Xiao Chen’s calm demeanor suggests confidence despite his vulnerability, while the seemingly authoritative Demon Heaven token may no longer carry real power.
• Strength and adaptation: Xiao Chen’s former dominance in the Mortal World is challenged by the superior foundations of Nether Realm cultivators, emphasizing the need for him to adapt.
• Predation and humanity: The Boar Hunters treat ferry boars as commodities, highlighting the brutality and dehumanization of the Spirit Realm’s social order.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen and Gray Three engage in a tense battle of words before fighting physically. Xiao Chen tries to intimidate Gray Three with the Demon Heaven Sect and the supposed Li Family connection, while Gray Three probes for inconsistencies.
• Gray Three briefly adopts a respectful attitude after seeing the token, but his suspicion overcomes his fear.
• Their confrontation shifts from psychological manipulation to sudden violence, with Xiao Chen surviving Gray Three’s attack and proving that, despite his restrictions, he is far stronger than an ordinary ferry boar.

Chapter Summary: “Sudden Change, Runes Dim!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hui San, a powerful Skywind Power and experienced pig hunter, captures Xiao Chen, whom he regards as an exceptionally valuable Crossing Pig.
• Hui San explains that undocumented Mortal World entrants are unprotected by Spirit Realm laws and can be sold, exploited, or killed without consequence.
• He plans to auction Xiao Chen to the highest bidder, considering selling him to Zhang Ruolan, an overweight and notorious Zhang Family woman who collects handsome men as playthings.
• Horrified at the prospect of being sold into slavery and sexual exploitation, Xiao Chen would rather die quickly.
• Hui San transports him west along the official road toward Changping Commandery. During the journey, Xiao Chen observes the Spirit Realm’s strange treasures, heavenly phenomena, and abundant opportunities.
• Although the Void-Locking Rune suppresses most of his strength and hides his King Source Energy, Xiao Chen regains his determination and refuses to accept death.
• At the end of the chapter, he notices that the Void-Locking Rune has unexpectedly dimmed slightly, suggesting that its suppression may be weakening.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Initially enraged and disgusted by Hui San’s morality, Xiao Chen becomes deeply alarmed when he realizes he may be sold as a personal plaything. Despite feeling isolated and nearly powerless, he recovers his fighting spirit, reminding himself that even desperate situations contain a chance of survival. His resilience and refusal to surrender remain central to his character.
• Hui San: Revealed as pragmatic, greedy, and morally corrupt. He justifies selling lives as necessary for survival in the fiercely competitive Nether Realm and views Xiao Chen solely as a profitable commodity. His long-standing Spirit debts have driven him further into ruthless behavior.
• Zhang Ruolan: Though she does not appear directly, she is characterized as wealthy, violent, unattractive, and obsessed with acquiring handsome men, making her a terrifying possible fate for Xiao Chen.

Significant Themes

• Moral compromise and survival: Hui San claims that harsh conditions justify human trafficking, while Xiao Chen rejects the idea that economic hardship can excuse selling lives.
• Powerlessness and oppression: As a Crossing Pig without legal protection, Xiao Chen is stripped of status, identity, and most of his strength, showing how vulnerable undocumented outsiders are.
• Beauty and exploitation: Xiao Chen’s appearance increases his monetary value but also places him in greater danger, turning beauty into a source of objectification rather than protection.
• Perseverance in desperate circumstances: Despite losing his allies and most of his combat power, Xiao Chen refuses to give up and searches mentally for a way to escape.
• The harsh reality of the Spirit Realm: The realm is not the paradise imagined by Mortal World beings; it is more competitive, dangerous, and exploitative.

Character Interactions

• Hui San repeatedly taunts Xiao Chen and boasts about the profit he can make from him, while Xiao Chen condemns pig hunters as criminals and rejects their excuses.
• Their exchange highlights the conflict between Hui San’s survival-based pragmatism and Xiao Chen’s belief in morality and human dignity.
• Hui San’s crude descriptions of potential buyers intensify Xiao Chen’s fear and desperation, but they also provoke him to regain his resolve.
• Xiao Chen is completely isolated from former allies such as Qiongqi and Hong Chidao, forcing him to depend solely on himself.
• The chapter closes with Xiao Chen noticing the Void-Locking Rune weakening, hinting that a reversal may be possible.

Chapter Summary: The Arrival at Changping Commandery

Key Plot Points and Events

• While being transported by the pig hunter Gray Three, Xiao Chen experiences a sudden breakthrough: the supposedly indestructible Void-Locking Runes begin dissolving into spiritual smoke.
• This briefly releases traces of his sealed King Source Energy and allows some of the power hidden in the Nether Realm to return to his King Sea.
• Xiao Chen realizes that the source of this change is likely his Martial God Physique, whose potential has been awakened by the Nether Realm’s vastly denser and purer spiritual energy.
• However, the Martial God’s Power quickly fades after exhausting the spiritual energy that stimulated it. Xiao Chen suffers intense despair when his only hope of resisting Gray Three disappears.
• He then analyzes the event and discovers the key: the Martial God Physique requires abundant spiritual energy, precious medicines, and cultivation resources to remain active. He resolves to obtain such resources and restore its power.
• Meanwhile, Gray Three continues dragging Xiao Chen toward Changping Commandery. He threatens him with sale not only to the Zhang Family’s young miss but also to vicious men who might purchase him, forcing Xiao Chen to cooperate.
• Gray Three claims that becoming the Zhang Family young miss’s human pet could at least provide Xiao Chen with spiritual resources and a comfortable life, revealing the brutal social realities of the Nether Realm.
• Along the journey, Xiao Chen observes that the Nether Realm is far more prosperous, spiritually rich, and densely populated than the Mortal World, but its people live under severe pressure and struggle constantly for survival.
• The chapter ends as Xiao Chen and Gray Three arrive before the magnificent Changping Commandery, guarded by armored soldiers and enormous Nether Azure tigers.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Moves from despair to renewed determination. He learns the conditions required to awaken and sustain the Martial God Physique and begins planning his escape and eventual revenge. Though outwardly compliant, he secretly places Gray Three on his kill list.
• Gray Three: Remains cautious, calculating, and cruel. He treats Xiao Chen as merchandise while disguising his contempt beneath false friendliness. His remarks reveal both his predatory nature and his awareness of the harsh hierarchy governing the Nether Realm.
• The Martial God Physique: Demonstrates its first meaningful resistance to the Nether Realm’s laws by weakening the Void-Locking Runes, but its power remains dormant until Xiao Chen acquires sufficient spiritual resources.

Significant Themes

• Hope amid oppression: Xiao Chen’s brief liberation and renewed confinement emphasize how fragile hope can be, yet his ability to reason transforms despair into a plan.
• Power and resources: Even extraordinary talent cannot function without the spiritual energy and materials needed to support it.
• Social hierarchy and prejudice: Crossing Pigs and Mortal World beings are viewed as inferior by Nether Realm inhabitants, reflecting a broader system of contempt and exploitation.
• Survival in a supposedly heavenly world: Although the Nether Realm appears vastly superior to the Mortal World, its inhabitants face intense competition, poverty, and pressure.
• Hidden potential: The Martial God Physique symbolizes Xiao Chen’s suppressed strength, which can emerge when placed in a more suitable environment.

Character Interactions

• Gray Three repeatedly taunts and pressures Xiao Chen, joking about selling him to the Zhang Family young miss or to predatory men. Xiao Chen outwardly submits to avoid a worse fate but inwardly grows increasingly hostile.
• Gray Three tries to rationalize Xiao Chen’s enslavement by presenting service to the Zhang Family as a fortunate opportunity to gain resources.
• Xiao Chen’s silent resistance contrasts with Gray Three’s arrogance: although physically powerless, Xiao Chen retains his dignity, intelligence, and determination to retaliate once the Void-Locking Runes disappear.

Chapter Summary: “The Buyer Arrives!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen arrives in the Nether Realm’s Changping Commandery with Gray Three and is overwhelmed by the realm’s vastness, prosperity, and intense competition compared with Xuanhuang.
• Near the city gates, Gray Three explains that Spirit-Seeking Demon Lions can detect the divine aura of the Spirit Registry and expose Mortal World stowaways.
• To conceal Xiao Chen’s identity, Gray Three gives him a fake spirit jade that imitates the aura of a Spirit Registry and instructs him to claim he is Gray Three’s distant nephew from Black Sea Commandery.
• Gray Three bribes an acquainted city guard, allowing Xiao Chen to pass despite the guards recognizing him as a stowaway from the Mortal World.
• Inside the city, Xiao Chen observes the crowded streets, numerous shops, food stalls, cultivators, ordinary spirits, and the rigid social hierarchy of the Nether Realm.
• Gray Three hurries Xiao Chen to his residence, eager to sell him and relieve his financial pressure from spirit loans and cultivation expenses.
• Gray Three sends his servant to summon Zhang Ruolan, a wealthy young woman from the Zhang Family who is known for buying attractive stowaway “pigs.”
• Gray Three cleans Xiao Chen, dresses him up, and applies a scented sachet to make him more appealing and increase his sale value.
• Zhang Ruolan soon arrives at Gray Three’s residence, complaining that she only wants high-quality merchandise after being disappointed by a previous purchase.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: His understanding of the Nether Realm expands as he witnesses its enormous scale, advanced society, and dangerous systems of surveillance. Though outwardly composed, he becomes increasingly anxious and helpless as Gray Three prepares to sell him. His handsome appearance becomes an unwanted source of danger.
• Gray Three: He is revealed to be a practical, opportunistic pig hunter who is deeply concerned with money and debts. He uses his connections, bribery, deception, and even Xiao Chen’s grooming to maximize the youth’s sale price.
• Zhang Ruolan: She is introduced as a wealthy but demanding buyer who places great importance on appearance and personal satisfaction. Her dissatisfaction with previous purchases suggests she may be difficult—and potentially dangerous—for Xiao Chen.
• The gray-clad servant: He eagerly assists Gray Three and immediately recognizes Xiao Chen’s value, reinforcing the commercial nature of the stowaway trade.

Significant Themes

• Vastness and hierarchy: The Nether Realm dwarfs Xuanhuang in scale and complexity, with status determined by cultivation, lineage, and possession of a Spirit Registry.
• Exploitation and commodification: Xiao Chen is treated as merchandise rather than a person, with his appearance, aura, and body prepared for sale.
• Survival through deception: Gray Three relies on forged credentials, magical concealment, bribery, and social connections to evade official detection.
• Social inequality and competition: The crowded city, expensive land, divided queues, and fierce rivalry among businesses reveal a society where survival depends heavily on power, wealth, talent, or ancestral protection.
• Appearance as value: Xiao Chen’s beauty directly increases his market worth, while Zhang Ruolan’s obsession with appearances drives the transaction.

Character Interactions

• Gray Three warns Xiao Chen about the Spirit-Seeking Demon Lions and coaches him through the false identity needed to enter the city.
• Xiao Chen follows Gray Three while internally fearing discovery and eventual sale.
• Gray Three uses his relationship with a city guard to secure Xiao Chen’s passage.
• Gray Three orders his servant to bring Zhang Ruolan and prepares Xiao Chen to make him more attractive.
• Zhang Ruolan arrives and challenges Gray Three to provide genuinely “top-grade” goods, setting up the impending sale and Xiao Chen’s uncertain fate.

Chapter Summary: “Heaven-Sent Savior!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhang Ruolan, dissatisfied with a previous Crossing Pig whose strength was insufficient, secretly visits Gray Three in search of a superior replacement.
• Gray Three presents Xiao Chen, a young man from the Mortal World who possesses extraordinary looks, King Realm cultivation, and the rare Golden Body Sacred Art.
• Zhang Ruolan initially doubts Gray Three’s claims, particularly whether Xiao Chen’s body can withstand her demands. Gray Three proves Xiao Chen’s Golden Body by striking his arm, which remains unharmed.
• Impressed, Zhang Ruolan offers 100,000 Nether Copper Coins, but Gray Three demands more. After heated bargaining, they settle on a price of 200,000.
• Xiao Chen is horrified and humiliated as he realizes he is being sold as an object and expects to be taken by Zhang Ruolan that night.
• At the last moment, a beautiful young woman named Zhou Lingxia arrives and bids 210,000 for Xiao Chen, interrupting the transaction.
• Zhang Ruolan recognizes Zhou Lingxia and reacts with intense anger and murderous hostility.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Becomes increasingly fearful, helpless, and humiliated as he is treated as merchandise. His rare Golden Body Sacred Art makes him highly valuable, but it also places him in greater danger. His despair shifts toward a possible chance of rescue when Zhou Lingxia intervenes.
• Zhang Ruolan: Revealed as physically imposing, wealthy enough to purchase Crossing Pigs, and driven by a voracious appetite. Though crude and predatory in her intentions, she is knowledgeable enough to recognize the value of the Golden Body Sacred Art and willing to spend heavily for Xiao Chen.
• Gray Three: Acts as a shrewd and exploitative broker. He confidently advertises Xiao Chen’s abilities, demonstrates his Golden Body, and raises the price substantially after recognizing Zhang Ruolan’s eagerness.
• Zhou Lingxia: Introduced as an extraordinarily beautiful and seemingly radiant young woman. Her sudden bid establishes her as Xiao Chen’s potential savior and as a direct rival or enemy of Zhang Ruolan.

Significant Themes

• Dehumanization and exploitation: Xiao Chen is reduced to the status of a commodity, with his appearance, cultivation, and abilities evaluated solely for their usefulness.
• Powerlessness versus wealth and influence: Xiao Chen’s strength cannot protect him while he is confined and controlled, whereas Zhang Ruolan and Gray Three use money and social power to dominate the situation.
• Greed and commodification: The bargaining over Xiao Chen emphasizes how people and rare abilities are assigned monetary value.
• Hope amid despair: Zhou Lingxia’s unexpected entrance creates a dramatic reversal, offering Xiao Chen a possible escape just as his situation appears hopeless.
• Appearance and hidden value: Xiao Chen’s beauty initially attracts attention, but his Golden Body Sacred Art is what makes him exceptionally rare and expensive.

Character Interactions

• Zhang Ruolan and Gray Three: They engage in aggressive bargaining, with Gray Three exploiting Zhang Ruolan’s desire and Zhang attempting to reduce the price.
• Gray Three and Xiao Chen: Gray Three handles Xiao Chen as a product, publicly displaying his Golden Body and using it to increase his selling price.
• Zhang Ruolan and Xiao Chen: Zhang views Xiao Chen possessively and speaks to him as though he already belongs to her, while Xiao Chen feels shame, fear, and resignation.
• Zhou Lingxia and Zhang Ruolan: Zhou’s higher bid immediately turns the transaction into a confrontation. Zhang’s rage and killing intent suggest a serious prior conflict or rivalry between the two women.
• Zhou Lingxia and Xiao Chen: Though they have not yet spoken directly, Zhou’s intervention places her in the role of a potential rescuer and fundamentally changes Xiao Chen’s fate.

Chapter Summary: “The Gate Guard’s Fury!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• In Changping Commandery, the Zhou, Zhang, and Wang Families are the three major first-rate powers.
• Zhou Lingxia, a neglected daughter from a collateral branch of the Zhou Family, is being forcibly married to Zhang Heilu, a cruel and unattractive member of the powerful Zhang Family who already has several wives and concubines.
• Resenting the arranged marriage, Zhou Lingxia follows Zhang Ruolan to Gray Three’s residence, where both women compete to purchase Xiao Chen, a handsome “ferry pig” slave.
• Zhou Lingxia outbids Zhang Ruolan with 240,000 Nether Copper Coins, defeating her rival and deliberately taking away the man Zhang Ruolan desired.
• Her actions serve two purposes: humiliating Zhang Ruolan and provoking Zhang Heilu into abandoning the marriage arrangement.
• After acquiring Xiao Chen, Zhou Lingxia reveals that she does not intend to keep him forcibly. She offers him the choice of becoming a servant in the Zhou Family or wandering alone in the wilderness.
• Xiao Chen chooses to accompany her, since lacking a Spirit Registry would make survival outside the city extremely dangerous.
• Zhou Lingxia brings him into the Zhou Estate through the side gate. The guards assume that she has secretly brought home a favored male slave, and one particularly devoted guard becomes enraged and jealous after she leaves.

Character Developments

• Zhou Lingxia: Her outward gentleness conceals deep resentment toward her parents, her forced marriage, and her lack of control over her own life. She takes a rebellious but calculated step to reclaim some freedom. Despite using Xiao Chen for revenge, she proves considerate by allowing him to leave and later offering him protection.
• Xiao Chen: He remains cautious and practical. After escaping Zhang Ruolan’s pursuit, he willingly follows Zhou Lingxia because her household offers safety and shelter. He also reveals his determination to seek greater cultivation despite the dangers of the Nether Realm.
• Zhang Ruolan: She shows strong possessiveness toward Xiao Chen and reacts bitterly when Zhou Lingxia outbids her. Her defeat creates a personal grudge against Zhou Lingxia.
• Zhang Heilu: Though absent, his cruelty and reputation motivate Zhou Lingxia’s actions. Her scheme aims to damage both his pride and his marriage arrangement.
• The Side-Gate Guard: His admiration for Zhou Lingxia turns into jealousy and anger when he sees Xiao Chen accompanying her. His reaction reflects the rigid class divisions and romantic fantasies within the Zhou Estate.

Significant Themes

• Forced marriage and female oppression: Zhou Lingxia’s parents treat her marriage as a tool for political and familial advancement, ignoring her wishes.
• Rebellion and personal agency: Her purchase of Xiao Chen becomes a small but meaningful act of defiance against her family and fiancé.
• Class hierarchy and ownership: Xiao Chen is treated as a purchasable servant, while Zhou Lingxia’s status as a collateral-branch daughter places her above servants but below the clan’s central members.
• Appearance and prejudice: Xiao Chen’s beauty makes others assume he is a favored companion, while his concealed cultivation causes them to underestimate him.
• Shared marginalization: Zhou Lingxia and Xiao Chen recognize that, despite their different backgrounds, both are isolated and lack dependable support.
• Jealousy and social hypocrisy: The guard condemns Zhou Lingxia’s supposed behavior while servants and powerful men are judged by different standards.

Character Interactions

• Zhou Lingxia and Zhang Ruolan: Their bidding contest transforms personal rivalry into open hostility. Zhou Lingxia intentionally takes Xiao Chen to hurt Zhang Ruolan, while Zhang Ruolan vows revenge.
• Zhou Lingxia and Xiao Chen: Their relationship begins as a transaction motivated by revenge but develops into mutual understanding. Zhou Lingxia treats him with unusual kindness, and Xiao Chen chooses to trust her protection.
• Zhou Lingxia and Gray Three: Gray Three prioritizes profit, allowing the highest bidder to claim Xiao Chen despite the tension between the two noblewomen.
• Zhou Lingxia and the guards: She receives formal respect at the side gate, but the guards privately gossip about her and resent Xiao Chen, exposing the difference between public obedience and private judgment.

Chapter Summary: “Both Sides Suffered Heavy Losses!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Lingxia brings Xiao Chen into the magnificent Zhou Estate after purchasing him from Gray Three and snatching him away from Zhang Ruolan.
• Xiao Chen is struck by the extreme wealth and grandeur of the Zhou Family, contrasting it with the poverty and struggles of ordinary beings and lower-status cultivators.
• At Lingxia’s residence, her maid A Ying is initially captivated by Xiao Chen’s appearance but becomes alarmed upon learning that he is a Mortal World smuggler bearing Spirit-Locking Runes.
• Lingxia reveals that she intentionally took Xiao Chen from Zhang Ruolan as part of a gamble to escape her upcoming arranged marriage to Zhang Heilu. She hopes Zhang Heilu will become furious and dissolve their marriage agreement.
• Lingxia orders A Ying to take Xiao Chen to the Guard Hall and use ten thousand Nether Copper Coins to help him obtain a Guard Insignia, which would grant him legal status and freedom of movement within Changping Commandery.
• A Ying objects, believing Xiao Chen’s identity and cursed status make him an unacceptable burden on Lingxia’s limited resources. She reluctantly escorts him away.
• Meanwhile, Zhang Ruolan spreads rumors that Lingxia brought home a male smuggler pig and stole him from the Zhang Family. Her aim is to damage Lingxia’s reputation and force the Zhou Family to intervene.
• Zhang Ruolan also hopes that, despite publicly humiliating Lingxia, Xiao Chen will remain available for her to claim later.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Remains calm and dignified despite being treated as a low-status smuggler. He is deeply moved by Lingxia’s willingness to spend her savings and risk her reputation for him, privately resolving to repay her kindness if he regains power.
• Zhou Lingxia: Shows growing determination to control her own fate. After years of obeying her family and lineage, she deliberately takes a dangerous step against her arranged marriage, accepting the possibility of future consequences.
• A Ying: Demonstrates fierce loyalty and concern for Lingxia. Her initial attraction to Xiao Chen disappears once she learns of his background, and she views him as a dangerous burden who may harm her mistress.
• Zhang Ruolan: Reveals herself to be vindictive and calculating. After losing Xiao Chen, she retaliates through rumor-spreading, attempting to destroy Lingxia’s reputation while preserving the possibility of obtaining Xiao Chen herself.
• Zhang Heilu: Does not appear directly, but his impending marriage to Lingxia and volatile reputation make him a major source of tension.

Significant Themes

• Class inequality: The splendor of the Zhou Estate highlights the vast gap between powerful Ancient Clans and ordinary cultivators struggling to survive.
• Status and identity: Xiao Chen’s strength and noble bearing mean little in the Nether Realm because his lack of legal registration makes him socially and politically vulnerable.
• Freedom versus social obligation: Lingxia risks family disgrace and political conflict to resist an arranged marriage and make her own choice.
• Kindness and loyalty: Lingxia’s sacrifice deeply affects Xiao Chen, establishing a bond based on gratitude rather than simple ownership.
• Reputation as a weapon: Zhang Ruolan uses scandal and public rumor to manipulate the Zhou Family and undermine Lingxia.
• Competing forms of exploitation: Xiao Chen is treated as property by multiple parties, while each woman attempts to control his fate for her own purposes.

Character Interactions

• Lingxia and A Ying: Their exchange shows A Ying’s protective concern and Lingxia’s resolve. Lingxia commands A Ying to assist Xiao Chen despite her objections.
• Lingxia and Xiao Chen: Lingxia treats him with unusual respect, calling him “Young Master,” while Xiao Chen responds with gratitude and silent loyalty.
• A Ying and Xiao Chen: A Ying moves from fascination to hostility after learning he is a smuggler, blaming him for draining Lingxia’s resources and endangering her future.
• Lingxia and Zhang Ruolan: Though they do not meet directly in the chapter, their conflict escalates when Lingxia takes Xiao Chen and Zhang Ruolan retaliates by spreading scandalous rumors.
• Zhang Ruolan and Xiao Chen: Zhang Ruolan views Xiao Chen as a desirable possession and is enraged that Lingxia has taken him, intending to reclaim him later.