Ch. 1741Clear Dreams Fill the Boat, Pressing Down the River of Stars
Chapter Summary
Key Plot Points and Events
- The Black Mist Abyss suddenly erupts with black mist, terrifying the cultivators waiting outside. Once the disturbance subsides, the entrance reappears.
- Su Yi secretly emerges nearby in a disguised appearance. He leaves without being noticed, confident that what happened inside the Abyss will remain an unsolvable mystery.
- Immortal Dao experts enter the Abyss to investigate, but most find nothing and risk death. Shen Mu and the Immortal Kings from the nine great factions have vanished without a trace, leaving the world uncertain whether they are alive or dead.
- Two days later, Su Yi drifts down a river in a small boat, reflecting on the manhunt and his next goal: breaking through from the Void Realm into the Saint Realm.
- He encounters a lively multi-story ship carrying a group of young cultivators. Invited by a jade-robed youth, Su Yi joins their banquet and enjoys their youthful, carefree atmosphere.
- The celebration is interrupted when members of the Thousand Blood Demon Gate appear atop a massive beast, apparently intending to attack the young people.
- Before the attackers can finish threatening the group, Su Yi kills the enormous beast and the masked man and woman with a single stroke of Sword Qi. He then quietly departs.
- The youths discover that Su Yi left behind a poetic line: “Drunk, I know not that heaven lies in water; clear dreams fill the boat, pressing down the river of stars.” They realize they had unknowingly hosted a peerless hidden master.
Character Developments
- Su Yi: He remains calm, cautious, and confident after escaping the Black Mist Abyss. His cultivation has reached Great Perfection in the Void Realm, and he begins seriously considering his breakthrough into the Saint Realm. Although he recognizes the dangers of confronting the strongest late-stage Immortal Kings, he refuses to force a breakthrough recklessly. His interaction with the young cultivators also reveals a relaxed, nostalgic side beneath his usual detachment.
- The young cultivators: Initially carefree and uninhibited, they become terrified when confronted by the Thousand Blood Demon Gate. After witnessing Su Yi’s effortless intervention, they gain awe and admiration for him.
- The jade-robed youth: He displays openhearted hospitality by inviting a stranger to drink. His friendly interaction with Su Yi contrasts sharply with his later shock and realization that their guest was an extraordinary expert.
- The Thousand Blood Demon Gate attackers: They appear arrogant and threatening, but their confidence is instantly destroyed by Su Yi’s overwhelming sword strike.
Significant Themes
- Mystery and uncertainty: The disappearance of Shen Mu and the Immortal Kings turns the Black Mist Abyss into an enduring enigma, emphasizing how little even powerful figures understand about it.
- Power and restraint: Su Yi possesses enough strength to defeat formidable enemies, yet he remains cautious about the Saint Realm and does not force advancement before he is ready.
- Youth and nostalgia: The young people’s joyful gathering reminds Su Yi of his own younger days and briefly reconnects him with youthful vitality and carefree companionship.
- Hidden greatness: Su Yi appears as an ordinary traveler but reveals transcendent power only when necessary, reinforcing the theme that true masters may conceal themselves among common people.
- Dreamlike beauty: The river, starlight, wine, poetry, and sudden violence create an atmosphere in which reality feels like a fleeting dream.
Character Interactions
- Su Yi silently observes the anxious cultivators outside the Black Mist Abyss before departing unnoticed.
- He reflects on the Sword-Bearing Old Ape and Gong Yuqian, trusting that the former will prevent the latter from escaping.
- The jade-robed youth warmly invites Su Yi aboard the ship, pours him wine, and later invites him to participate in a poetry game.
- The young men and women engage Su Yi in drinking, poetry, and conversation, treating him as a casual guest rather than recognizing his identity.
- When the Thousand Blood Demon Gate attacks, Su Yi’s brief farewell is followed by decisive action: one sword strike eliminates the threat and saves everyone aboard.
- The survivors are left with only his poem and the memory of an encounter that feels like a beautiful, impossible dream.