Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Xuan and Zhao Qinghan tacitly agree not to mention exploration again.
• They discuss Pre-Qin Daoist practitioners and their rare artifacts.
• Zhao Qinghan reveals that a Grandmaster died practicing a secret scripture, highlighting the path's dangers.
• Qin Cheng suggests Zhao Qinghan help Wang Xuan access New Arts or go to New Star, but Wang Xuan declines.
• Wang Xuan studies the bamboo slips and the Golden Book, then examines a Body Arts manual given by Zhou Mingxuan, finding it unreliable.

Character Developments

• Wang Xuan becomes more cautious and serious about practicing the Old Arts, realizing their dangers and the challenges of the path.
• Zhao Qinghan shows concern for Wang Xuan's future in the Old Arts and offers help, but he declines.
• Qin Cheng expresses excitement about the developments in the starry sky and regrets Wang Xuan's situation.
• Wang Xuan feels tricked by Zhou Mingxuan after discovering the impracticality of the Body Arts manual he received.

Significant Themes

• The decline and challenges of the Old Arts in the face of technological civilization.
• The temptation and risks of pursuing power and longevity, as seen in the Grandmaster's death.
• The potential for new discoveries and developments in the depths of the starry sky.

Character Interactions

• Wang Xuan and Zhao Qinghan discuss the Old Arts and their future, with Zhao Qinghan offering help and Wang Xuan declining.
• Wang Xuan and Qin Cheng discuss the situation in the starry sky and Wang Xuan's path in the Old Arts, with Qin Cheng expressing regret and Wang Xuan maintaining his resolve.
• Wang Xuan feels tricked by Zhou Mingxuan after examining the Body Arts manual he received.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Xuan discovers a golden bamboo slip from Qing Mu, depicting a creature with a human head and a snake's body.
• He seeks advice from Qing Mu and Professor Lin about the Golden Body Art Secret Manual, learning about its origins and the life of its creator, Zhou Yun Kong.
• Wang Xuan practices the Daoist practitioner's Root Method and experiences a life-threatening shooting incident in his residential complex.
• He realizes there are multiple skilled gunmen outside the complex, aiming to kill him.

Character Developments

• Wang Xuan: He becomes more serious about practicing Old Arts, realizing the importance of understanding the historical context of scriptures. He also demonstrates quick thinking and calmness under pressure during the shooting incident.
• Qing Mu: He shows concern for Wang Xuan's safety and promises to send professionals to handle the situation.
• Professor Lin: He provides valuable insights about the Golden Body Art and its creator, Zhou Yun Kong.

Significant Themes

• The exaggeration and unreliability of ancient scriptures.
• The pressure felt by Old Arts practitioners in a modern, technologically advanced society.
• The importance of historical context in understanding ancient texts and practices.

Character Interactions

• Wang Xuan interacts with Qing Mu and Professor Lin, seeking their advice on the Golden Body Art Secret Manual.
• Wang Xuan's calm communication with Qing Mu during the shooting incident highlights their professional relationship and mutual trust.
• Wang Xuan's thoughts about the people and factions connected to him, who might want him dead, showcase his analytical skills and determination to uncover the truth behind the assassination attempt.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Xuan is attacked by gunmen in the city, triggering his "Super-Sense," a heightened state of perception and reflexes.
• He uses his enhanced senses to evade and counterattack, killing two gunmen with a stone and a steel bar.
• Qing Mu's team arrives, and they pursue the remaining gunmen, but the chase is unsuccessful due to the area's chaos and lack of surveillance.
• Wang Xuan encounters Zhou Yun and his group at a bar street, provoking Zhou Yun to gauge his reactions.

Character Developments

• Wang Xuan: Demonstrates his calm and strategic thinking under pressure, using his enhanced senses to outmaneuver his enemies. He also shows a growing desire for revenge against those who attacked him.
• Zhou Yun: Reveals his impulsive nature and short temper, reacting strongly to Wang Xuan's provocation. His injuries suggest he's been involved in several fights recently.

Significant Themes

• The power of the "Super-Sense" state, allowing Wang Xuan to overcome modern firearms with ancient martial arts techniques.
• The contrast between Wang Xuan's calm and strategic approach and Zhou Yun's impulsive nature.
• The theme of revenge, with Wang Xuan vowing to settle the score with those who attacked him.

Character Interactions

• Wang Xuan and Zhou Yun: Their interaction is tense and provocative, with Wang Xuan deliberately pushing Zhou Yun's buttons to gauge his reactions and learn more about his recent activities.
• Wang Xuan and Qing Mu: They work together to pursue the gunmen, demonstrating trust and cooperation. Qing Mu is impressed by Wang Xuan's skills and experience.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Xuan encounters Zhou Yun and his group at a bar street. Zhou Yun provokes him, but Wang Xuan leaves after a brief exchange.
• Wang Xuan and Qing Mu search for the shooters from the night before but can't find them.
• Wang Xuan practices the Golden Body Art and enters a Super-God State, allowing him to grasp the Pre-Qin Bamboo Slips' contents deeply.
• Wang Xuan realizes he's in a state of Ultimate Meditation or the Inner Scenery of Yellow Court, which could allow him to stay in this state for years.

Character Developments

• Wang Xuan: Becomes more determined to strengthen himself after the shooting incident. He enters a Super-God State and gains a deep understanding of the Pre-Qin Bamboo Slips.
• Zhou Yun: Despite his arrogance and penchant for trouble, he shows a desire to learn and grow, asking Wang Xuan about his experiences.
• Wu Yin: She warns Zhou Yun about Li Qingxuan's intentions but decides not to get involved further.

Significant Themes

• The pursuit of strength and self-improvement, as seen in Wang Xuan's dedication to his cultivation.
• The contrast between arrogance and humility, exemplified by Zhou Yun's behavior and Wang Xuan's restraint.
• The power of intuition and understanding, demonstrated by Wang Xuan's Super-God State and his grasp of the Pre-Qin Bamboo Slips.

Character Interactions

• Wang Xuan and Zhou Yun: Their interaction is tense, with Zhou Yun provoking Wang Xuan, who remains calm and leaves after a brief exchange.
• Wu Yin and Zhou Yun: Wu Yin warns Zhou Yun about Li Qingxuan but decides not to get involved further, showing a degree of detachment.
• Wang Xuan and Qing Mu: They work together to find the shooters from the previous night, showing a partnership built on trust and shared goals.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Xuan immerses himself in practicing the Golden Body Art, entering a state of meditation.
• He discovers he can practice the art flawlessly in this void state, with his physical body mirroring his spiritual movements.
• He realizes that time in the void is different from real-world time, and he ponders how to bring his insights back.
• Wang Xuan notices unusual changes in his physical body and realizes he's overlooked something crucial.
• He activates the Root Method from the Pre-Qin Bamboo Slips, drawing in mysterious substances from the void that nourish his spirit and body.
• He identifies this place as the Daoist Inner Scenery and understands the true origin of the Old Arts.
• Wang Xuan practices the Golden Body Art and the Body Arts from the Golden Book within the Inner Scenery, discovering the latter's harmful effects.
• He decides to focus on improving the Golden Body Art and plans to revisit the Body Arts later.
• After five years in the Inner Scenery (a few minutes in reality), Wang Xuan's Golden Body Art reaches the third layer.

Character Developments

• Wang Xuan becomes more introspective and analytical, understanding the true nature of his cultivation and the Old Arts.
• He gains a deeper understanding of the Pre-Qin Bamboo Slips and the Inner Scenery.
• Wang Xuan's cultivation improves significantly, with his Golden Body Art reaching the third layer.

Significant Themes

• The relationship between spiritual cultivation and physical body.
• The concept of time in cultivation and its difference from real-world time.
• The origin and true nature of the Old Arts and the Pre-Qin Bamboo Slips.
• The dangers and benefits of pushing one's cultivation too far, too fast.

Character Interactions

• Wang Xuan interacts with his physical body, observing its movements and changes while in the void.
• He also interacts with the mysterious substances in the void, drawing them in to nourish himself.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Xuan discovers improved physical abilities and senses after mastering the third layer of the Golden Body Art.
• He realizes the defensive potential of his new abilities against firearms.
• Wang Xuan attempts to re-enter the Inner Scenery Realm but fails.
• He receives invitations from Li Qingxuan and Professor Lin to join their respective teams on the New Star.
• Qing Mu informs Wang Xuan that the gunmen who targeted him are heading towards the Tomb of the Immortal Lords.

Character Developments

• Wang Xuan: He gains confidence in his abilities and decides to investigate the gunmen further. He also becomes more determined to find a way to the New Star to learn more about the Old Arts.
• Li Qingxuan: She shows interest in Wang Xuan's abilities and invites him to join her family's exploration team.
• Qing Mu: He becomes agitated upon learning about the gunmen's target, indicating his respect for the Immortal Lords and the significance of their tomb.

Significant Themes

• The power of the Old Arts and the potential of the Golden Body Art.
• The decline of the Old Arts and the difficulty in entering the Inner Scenery Realm.
• The allure of the New Star and the potential opportunities it offers.
• The significance and mystery surrounding the Immortal Lords and their tomb.

Character Interactions

• Wang Xuan and Li Qingxuan: They have a brief interaction through a letter, with Li Qingxuan inviting Wang Xuan to join her family's exploration team.
• Wang Xuan and Qing Mu: They discuss the gunmen's whereabouts and the shocking revelation about the Tomb of the Immortal Lords.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Xuan discovers he's being targeted by an organization called "Gray Blood" and decides to investigate.
• He starts a new job at a design institute, finding it extremely laid-back and unchallenging.
• Wang Xuan joins Qing Mu's team for an operation in the Greater Khingan Range, where the Tomb of the Immortal Lords has been discovered.

Character Developments

• Wang Xuan: He remains calm and composed despite being targeted, showing determination to uncover the truth. He also expresses interest in helping Qing Mu experience the Super-Sense state.
• Qing Mu: He demonstrates sharp perception, noticing Wang Xuan's increased strength. He shares valuable information about the Super-Sense state and its rarity in modern times.

Significant Themes

• The decline of the Old Arts and the search for Immortal Lords' tombs to reverse this trend.
• The contrast between Wang Xuan's relaxed, unchallenging job and the dangerous operation he's about to undertake.
• The rarity and significance of the Super-Sense state in ancient and modern times.

Character Interactions

• Wang Xuan and Qing Mu: They engage in a conversation about the Super-Sense state, with Qing Mu sharing insights and Wang Xuan hinting at his own experiences.
• Wang Xuan and his colleagues at the design institute: They welcome him warmly, showing no signs of exclusion despite his youth.
• Wang Xuan and Black Tiger: Black Tiger shares his past experience with the Super-Sense state, though it's tinged with humor and personal anecdotes.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The exploration team encounters a supernatural phenomenon in the Greater Khingan Range, involving a massive black tiger and an immortal's tomb.
• The Gray Blood organization, already present, sends mechs to investigate but suffers losses due to supernatural interference.
• A pack of ferocious, supernatural-powered apes attacks the Gray Blood organization, which retaliates with heavy firepower.
• The exploration team learns that the Gray Blood organization plans to ambush and eliminate them, with a medium-sized warship en route.
• A powerful research institute from New Star is revealed to have been secretly conducting experiments on immortals in the Greater Khingan Range.
• The relevant departments on Old Earth launch a surprise attack, destroying the Gray Blood organization's forces and their spaceships.

Character Developments

• Qing Mu, the team leader, demonstrates caution and strategic thinking, activating the spaceship's highest level of stealth and protection upon learning of the ambush.
• Wang Xuan, now with enhanced hearing, overhears Qing Mu's conversation and learns about the counter-hunt and the secret experiments.
• The Black Tiger, a member of the exploration team, expresses frustration at the situation.

Significant Themes

• The power of ancient immortals and their influence on the present.
• The struggle for control and resources between factions.
• The consequences of secrecy and deception in high-stakes situations.

Character Interactions

• Qing Mu and the old man (likely his superior) communicate securely, revealing the true purpose behind the exploration team's involvement.
• Wang Xuan overhears Qing Mu's conversation, learning about the impending danger and the secret experiments.
• The Black Tiger expresses his frustration to the team, highlighting the tension and unease among the members.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Gray Blood organization's warships are destroyed, ending the immediate danger.
• The exploration organization and relevant departments engage in a fierce battle with the Gray Blood forces in the grand canyon.
• The underground research facility from New Star showcases a living section of golden bamboo, interfering with nearby spacecraft.
• Negotiations begin between the underground research facility and the exploration organization/relevant departments.
• Qing Mu, Wang Xuan, and others are sent to the canyon to investigate the underground research facility.
• They discover a female Daoist practitioner in a state of suspended animation within a golden bamboo boat.

Character Developments

• Wang Xuan becomes disillusioned with being a pawn in the exploration organizations and considers leaving.
• Qing Mu demonstrates his sharp senses and intuition as a master of the Old Arts.
• The middle-aged man with black-rimmed glasses from the relevant departments is revealed to not be Wang Xuan's old colleague.
• The female researcher from New Star displays knowledge of the Pre-Qin era and the female Daoist practitioner.

Significant Themes

• The pursuit of power and immortality, as exemplified by the female Daoist practitioner and the organizations seeking her relics.
• The tension between cooperation and competition among different organizations and Zaibatsu.
• The contrast between modern technology and ancient arts, with the underground facility blending both.

Character Interactions

• Wang Xuan and Qing Mu work together as part of the exploration organization.
• Wang Xuan interacts with the middle-aged man with black-rimmed glasses, suspecting but ultimately dismissing him as his old colleague.
• The female researcher from New Star guides the group and provides information about the female Daoist practitioner.
• The group from Old Earth and New Star cooperate to explore the underground facility, sharing information and negotiating.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Discovery of a golden bamboo slip, unprecedented in size and containing supernatural power.
• The bamboo slip is part of a small boat with vibrant life force, and it showers golden light onto a female Daoist practitioner in a deep slumber.
• Researchers confirm the practitioner died thousands of years ago but her physical vitality remains, possibly due to the bamboo boat and her own supernatural power.
• The practitioner's age at death was around 230 years, with the potential to live up to 950 years, indicating she could have achieved longevity through the Inner Scenery Realm.
• Researchers have extracted an active substance from her blood that can extend the lifespan of ordinary people by up to 15 years.
• Plans to upload thoughts and memories into the practitioner's brain to revive another person, or fully dissect her for genetic analysis, are discussed.

Character Developments

• Zhou Yu, a project leader, reveals details about the practitioner's age, cause of death, and the extraction of longevity-enhancing substances from her blood.
• Qian Lei, a representative from Old Earth, expresses concern about the risky experiments and emphasizes the need for a win-win cooperation.
• Wang Xuan, a researcher, mourns the practitioner's fate and inquires about other discoveries in the underground cave.

Significant Themes

• Longevity and the pursuit of immortality, a recurring theme in Pre-Qin times and the present.
• The failure of Ascension to immortality, as evidenced by the practitioner's death despite her youthful physical vitality.
• The tension between scientific and Old Arts perspectives on the practitioner's death and potential revival.

Character Interactions

• Zhou Yu and Qian Lei discuss the risks and benefits of the planned experiments, with Qian Lei emphasizing the need for caution.
• Wang Xuan interacts with a nearby researcher, inquiring about other discoveries in the underground cave related to the practitioner.
• Qing Mu and the Old Earth military experts discuss the similarities between the practitioner's death and failed Ascensions recorded in Pre-Qin bamboo slips.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter focuses on the discovery of a female Daoist practitioner's body from the Old Arts era, who is believed to have attempted Ascension.
• The research institute plans to extract her genetic material for experiments, including a controversial "Longevity Seed" plan.
• Wang Xuan, a practitioner of Old Arts, visits the site and takes some stones from the cave as mementos.

Character Developments

• Wang Xuan becomes more determined to succeed in the Old Arts path after seeing the female Daoist practitioner's remains.
• Zhou Yu, a researcher, shows fanaticism in her pursuit of scientific breakthroughs.
• Qian Lei, a representative of New Star, demonstrates strategic thinking in his interactions with other parties.

Significant Themes

• The tension between Old Arts and New Arts, and the struggle for resources and knowledge between different factions.
• The pursuit of longevity and immortality, and the ethical implications of scientific research on ancient remains.
• The value of relics and artifacts from the past, and the desire to preserve or exploit them.

Character Interactions

• Wang Xuan interacts with researchers from New Star, military representatives, and other Old Arts practitioners.
• Qian Lei and Zhou Yu discuss the "Longevity Seed" plan and the potential use of the Ascension Divine Bamboo.
• Wang Xuan, Qing Mu, Jin Chuan, and the middle-aged military man take stones from the cave, each with their own motivations.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Xuan witnesses unusual spaceships in the night sky.
• He receives a call from Qing Mu, informing him about the Gray Blood organization's strongholds being cleared out.
• Wang Xuan examines two mysterious stones he retrieved from the cave, dubbing them "Ascension Stones."
• He senses someone climbing onto his balcony and two people approaching his door, realizing he's under attack.
• Three assassins attempt to kill Wang Xuan, but he overpowers them easily.

Character Developments

• Wang Xuan's strength and senses have improved significantly after his visit to the Inner Scenery Realm, allowing him to detect the assassins' approach and effortlessly defeat them.
• The assassins are skilled professionals, representing a significant threat, but Wang Xuan's newfound abilities enable him to handle them with ease.

Significant Themes

• The power of the mysterious factors from the Inner Scenery Realm, which enhances Wang Xuan's abilities.
• The theme of perseverance and growth, as Wang Xuan's strength and skills have improved since the last assassination attempt.

Character Interactions

• Wang Xuan interacts with Qing Mu over the phone, receiving updates about the Gray Blood organization.
• Wang Xuan faces off against three assassins, demonstrating his improved combat abilities and defeating them without taking significant damage.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Xuan encounters three assassins from the Gray Blood organization who attempt to kill him.
• He defeats them and interrogates them, learning about the organization's structure and their mission to kill him.
• Wang Xuan decides not to kill them but hands them over to Qing Mu for interrogation and disposal.
• He uses two Ascension Stones to enter the Inner Scenery Realm again, finding it slightly different from his previous experience.

Character Developments

• Wang Xuan demonstrates his strength and calm demeanor in handling the assassins, showing growth in his abilities and confidence.
• The assassins, despite their ruthless nature, show fear and desperation when faced with Wang Xuan's actions, revealing their vulnerability.
• Qing Mu, Wang Xuan's superior, shows concern for Wang Xuan's well-being and offers assistance.

Significant Themes

• The theme of strength and its consequences is explored through Wang Xuan's ability to protect himself and his decision not to kill the assassins.
• The theme of power dynamics is evident in the relationship between Wang Xuan and the assassins, as well as between Wang Xuan and the Gray Blood organization.
• The theme of the Inner Scenery Realm and its mysteries continues to be a driving force for Wang Xuan's actions.

Character Interactions

• Wang Xuan and the assassins: Wang Xuan shows no mercy in defeating them but hesitates to kill them, while the assassins fear Wang Xuan and reveal information under duress.
• Wang Xuan and Qing Mu: Qing Mu shows concern for Wang Xuan's safety and offers assistance, while Wang Xuan maintains his integrity and refuses to accept dirty money.
• Wang Xuan and the Inner Scenery Realm: Wang Xuan's interaction with the realm is more successful this time, showing his growing ability to control his spiritual powers.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Xuan enters the Inner Scenery Realm, a desolate and silent place where time flows differently.
• He discovers signs of a past lightning strike and witnesses a vision of a powerful immortal being destroyed by it.
• As he moves, the scenes of destruction vanish, revealing they were remnants of a female Daoist practitioner's mental power.
• Wang Xuan understands that the Ascension Stone led him here due to its residual mental power and Mysterious Factor.
• He practices the Golden Body Art and the Root Method, advancing to the fourth level of the Golden Body Art.
• He sees a cluster of decaying buildings with Pre-Qin bamboo slips, including a golden one, but cannot approach them.
• The scene changes, and he sees a pair of blood-red shoes, followed by a woman's figure appearing. He exclaims, "You're exposed!"

Character Developments

• Wang Xuan's understanding of the Inner Scenery Realm deepens as he learns about its connection to the past female Daoist practitioner and the Ascension Stone.
• He advances in his martial practice, reaching the fourth level of the Golden Body Art.
• He remains calm and collected despite encountering strange and potentially frightening phenomena.

Significant Themes

• The power of the past influencing the present.
• The allure and danger of hidden knowledge and power.
• The importance of maintaining calm and composure in the face of uncertainty.

Character Interactions

• Wang Xuan interacts with the residual mental power of the female Daoist practitioner, learning from and being influenced by her past.
• He does not directly interact with any other characters in this chapter, but his actions and thoughts are driven by his understanding of the female Daoist practitioner's history.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Xuan enters the Inner Scenery Realm and encounters a residual spiritual energy manifestation of a Female Daoist practitioner from the Pre-Qin period.
• The woman follows Wang Xuan, silent and unresponsive, causing him discomfort.
• Wang Xuan practices his Golden Body Art, and the woman dissipates when he touches her, but reappears later.
• Wang Xuan realizes the woman might be interfering with the Inner Scenery Realm and speculates she was brought in by him.
• The woman reveals her face under a blood moon, appearing immortal yet unsettling.
• Wang Xuan leaves the Inner Scenery Realm, finding his Golden Body Art has advanced to the late stage of the fourth layer.

Character Developments

• Wang Xuan becomes more determined to protect the Female Daoist practitioner's physical body and succeeds in advancing his Golden Body Art.
• The Female Daoist practitioner's residual spiritual energy is revealed to be sentient and capable of influencing the Inner Scenery Realm.

Significant Themes

• The power of residual spiritual energy and its potential to interfere with the living world.
• The allure and danger of the unknown, represented by the Female Daoist practitioner's immortal yet unsettling appearance.
• The potential of the Old Arts and the possibility of Ascension.

Character Interactions

• Wang Xuan interacts with the Female Daoist practitioner's residual spiritual energy, trying to communicate and understand her intentions.
• The woman follows Wang Xuan, causing him discomfort but ultimately revealing her face before he leaves the Inner Scenery Realm.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Xuan starts a new day at work, noticing strange coded conversations among his colleagues.
• He suspects they're discussing a secret operation, possibly involving an organization called Gray Blood.
• His old colleague, Chen Yongjie, invites him fishing, revealing he's from an exploration organization and works as a cover.
• Wang Xuan receives a book detailing rare plants, minerals, and creatures that could aid his Golden Body Art practice.
• That night, Wang Xuan has recurring nightmares of a woman in white with bloody tears, preventing him from sleeping peacefully.
• He seeks help from Chen Yongjie, who sends a Daoist talisman, but it catches fire. The phenomenon worsens at night.

Character Developments

• Wang Xuan: Becomes increasingly suspicious of his colleagues and their secretive behavior. Struggles with sleep due to nightmares.
• Chen Yongjie: Reveals his true identity as an exploration organization member. Aids Wang Xuan with information and a Daoist talisman.

Significant Themes

• Suspicion and secrecy: Wang Xuan's colleagues' coded conversations create an atmosphere of mystery and intrigue.
• The unknown: Wang Xuan's nightmares and the strange phenomenon hint at unexplained, supernatural forces at play.
• Assistance and guidance: Chen Yongjie offers help to Wang Xuan, showing his willingness to support him.

Character Interactions

• Wang Xuan and Chen Yongjie: Their fishing trip allows them to discuss their true identities and the exploration organization. Chen Yongjie provides Wang Xuan with valuable information and assistance.
• Wang Xuan and his colleagues: Wang Xuan's suspicions create a tense dynamic between him and his coworkers, with him trying to decipher their coded conversations.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Xuan is startled awake by a large black cat in his room.
• He realizes the cat is related to the female Daoist practitioner who has been disturbing his sleep.
• The female Daoist practitioner appears in his dreams again, this time with lightning, but Wang Xuan remains calm.
• Old Chen, Wang Xuan's colleague, tries to help by inviting monks to perform rituals, but the female Daoist practitioner continues to appear.
• Old Chen decides to go to New Star to escape the disturbance.

Character Developments

• Wang Xuan becomes more confident and calm in dealing with the female Daoist practitioner's appearances in his dreams.
• Old Chen shows concern for Wang Xuan's well-being and tries to help, ultimately deciding to leave for New Star.

Significant Themes

• The power of belief and visualization in affecting one's consciousness and reality.
• The consequences of meddling with the supernatural and the unknown.
• The theme of running away from problems rather than facing them, as seen in Old Chen's decision to leave for New Star.

Character Interactions

• Wang Xuan and the female Daoist practitioner continue to interact in his dreams, with Wang Xuan trying to reason with her.
• Wang Xuan and Old Chen discuss the situation, with Old Chen trying to find solutions and eventually deciding to leave.
• Wang Xuan and Qing Mu discuss Old Chen's disappearance, with Wang Xuan feigning ignorance.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qing Mu, Wang Xuan's senior, is worried about their master, Old Chen, who fled to New Star after encountering a Female Daoist practitioner.
• Wang Xuan and Qing Mu have dinner together. Qing Mu learns that Old Chen took a hit for Wang Xuan and warns him to be careful.
• Wang Xuan receives his compensation money from Qing Mu and decides to visit his parents, planning to explore the Great Black Mountain where he found the Ascension Stone.
• Wang Xuan goes to the Great Black Mountain despite the heavy rain and discovers a Hou carrying a person down the mountain, heading towards him.

Character Developments

• Qing Mu: Shows concern for his master, Old Chen, and warns Wang Xuan to be careful. He becomes worried about his own safety after considering that he might be the next target.
• Wang Xuan: Remains calm and collected, even after learning about Old Chen's predicament. He decides to visit his parents and explore the Great Black Mountain, showing courage and determination.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and Concern: Qing Mu's worry for his master, Old Chen, and Wang Xuan's decision to visit his parents and explore the mountain to find more about the Ascension Stone.
• Courage and Determination: Wang Xuan's willingness to go to the Great Black Mountain despite the heavy rain and the potential danger.

Character Interactions

• Qing Mu and Wang Xuan: Qing Mu warns Wang Xuan about the potential danger and advises him to prepare protective talismans. Wang Xuan, in turn, tries to reassure Qing Mu about Old Chen's safety.
• Wang Xuan and his parents: Wang Xuan visits his parents, shares his recent success, and asks them about the Great Black Mountain's legends. They remain calm and practical about his sudden wealth.
• Wang Xuan and the Hou: Wang Xuan encounters a Hou carrying a person down the mountain, heading towards him, which could potentially lead to a confrontation or interaction.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Xuan is ambushed on Great Black Mountain by a middle-aged man riding a Black Hou (artificially cultivated ferocious beast) and hidden snipers.
• Wang Xuan engages in a fierce battle with the man, who is skilled in Old Arts and has mastered the Great Vajra Fist.
• Wang Xuan discovers the man's ribs are broken, and he kills the Black Hou with a series of powerful punches.

Character Developments

• Wang Xuan demonstrates exceptional agility, strength, and resilience, having mastered the fourth layer of the Golden Body Art.
• The middle-aged man reveals he has been targeting Wang Xuan and is disappointed in the Gray Blood organization's inaction.

Significant Themes

• The power of Old Arts and the danger they pose when misused.
• The determination and resilience of Wang Xuan in the face of repeated attacks.

Character Interactions

• Wang Xuan and the middle-aged man engage in a brutal fight, testing each other's skills and endurance.
• Wang Xuan shows no mercy, breaking the man's ribs and killing the Black Hou, revealing his growing ruthlessness.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Xuan faces the Black Howl, which is severely injured but still dangerous.
• A man in black, a scholar and professor of Old Arts, confronts Wang Xuan, revealing he hired the Gray Blood organization to kill him and admitting to being the mastermind behind the assassination attempts.
• The man in black is obsessed with a legendary scripture of the Old Arts and wants to learn its secrets to revive the Old Arts' path.
• Wang Xuan and the man in black engage in a fierce battle, with the man in black using a powerful technique from the scripture's first page.
• Wang Xuan activates a similar technique from the Golden Book, resonating his internal organs and matching the man in black's power, ultimately defeating him.
• Snipers target Wang Xuan, and he barely evades their shots, entering a state of Super-Sense.

Character Developments

• Wang Xuan: Demonstrates his mastery of the Golden Body Art, facing a powerful opponent, and enters a Super-Sense state.
• Man in Black: Reveals his obsession with the Old Arts, his complex identity, and his desperation to revive the Old Arts' path.

Significant Themes

• The decline of the Old Arts and the rise of the New Arts.
• Obsession and desperation in pursuing one's path.
• The power and allure of ancient scriptures and techniques.

Character Interactions

• Wang Xuan and the Man in Black: They engage in a battle of wits and strength, with the man in black trying to learn Wang Xuan's secrets and Wang Xuan trying to uncover the truth behind the assassination attempts.
• Wang Xuan and the Snipers: Wang Xuan faces a life-threatening situation as snipers target him, testing his survival instincts and leading him to enter a Super-Sense state.