Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Two Straight Sweeps”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Heavenly Divination Palace’s four remaining disciples face five disciples from the Crimson Firmament Sect.
• Although outnumbered, the Heavenly Divination Palace gains the upper hand because Jiang Fan repeatedly disrupts the enemy’s attacks with precise timing, defensive techniques, and superior battle awareness.
• The Crimson Firmament Sect’s burly leader orders a coordinated assault on Jiang Fan. Three disciples attack simultaneously with:
  • A blazing charge,
  • A giant flaming axe,
  • A storm of fire needles.
• Jiang Fan effortlessly evades the charge, strikes the leader’s vital points, redirects the flaming axe, and neutralizes the fire needles.
• He then disables the burly leader with another precise strike, leaving him unable to fight.
• Jiang Fan immediately counterattacks the remaining two attackers. Lin Yuan, Wang Panshi, and Shen Qingyu coordinate with him:
  • Lin Yuan uses lightning to defeat the axe-wielding disciple.
  • Wang Panshi and Shen Qingyu trap and knock the fire-needle user out of the arena.
• The final two Crimson Firmament Sect disciples are quickly overwhelmed and defeated.
• The entire match ends in roughly ten breaths, with Heavenly Divination Palace winning despite being outnumbered four to five.
• Their victory gives the sect a crucial morale boost and improves its chances of avoiding relegation. They must now wait to see whether teams ranked twelfth through fifteenth lose their matches.

Character Developments

• Jiang Fan proves that his earlier reputation as an unimpressive or “trash” disciple is completely undeserved. His movement technique, timing, precision, and combat awareness allow him to control the battle without relying on flashy or ruthless attacks.
• Lin Yuan, Wang Panshi, and Shen Qingyu demonstrate strong teamwork by immediately capitalizing on Jiang Fan’s breakthrough and defeating the remaining opponents in coordinated attacks.
• Zhao Kun experiences humiliation and resentment. After previously ridiculing Jiang Fan, he watches the crowd celebrate Jiang Fan’s decisive contribution and bitterly believes that the honors should have belonged to him.
• Yunyan True Person and the elders recognize the strategic importance of the victory, especially its effect on the sect’s morale and survival prospects.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and reversal of expectations: Jiang Fan’s understated appearance conceals exceptional skill, allowing him to overturn what initially seems like a losing battle.
• Precision over brute force: Jiang Fan defeats powerful attacks through positioning, timing, redirection, and knowledge of vulnerable points rather than overwhelming strength.
• Teamwork and coordination: The victory depends on the group exploiting the opening Jiang Fan creates and working together effectively.
• Redemption and recognition: Jiang Fan earns the admiration of his fellow disciples after being underestimated, while Zhao Kun is forced to confront his own mistaken judgment.
• Collective morale and survival: The match is important not only as a victory but also because it may determine whether Heavenly Divination Palace avoids relegation.

Important Character Interactions

• The Crimson Firmament leader identifies Jiang Fan as the key threat and directs the group’s combined attack against him.
• Jiang Fan responds by dismantling the formation and directly incapacitating the leader.
• Lin Yuan recognizes Jiang Fan’s opening and launches a lightning counterattack at the axe-wielding disciple.
• Wang Panshi and Shen Qingyu work together to restrain and defeat the fire-needle user.
• The Heavenly Divination Palace disciples celebrate Jiang Fan enthusiastically, contrasting sharply with Zhao Kun’s isolated anger and jealousy.
• Yunyan True Person praises the team and explains that their fate now depends on the results of other ongoing matches.

Summary: “The Inescapable Fate of Relegation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Heavenly Divination Palace enters the final relegation battle in sixteenth place, only three points behind four rival sects. If they could win more matches than at least one rival, they might escape relegation.
• Their survival depends not only on their own victories but also on the results of the other four teams: Azure Mist Sect, Water Moon Helm, Cloud Firmament Cave, and Sacred Light Retreat.
• Although Heavenly Divination Palace wins two consecutive matches—including one in which they defeat more opponents despite having fewer fighters—their rivals all gain decisive advantages in their own arenas.
• Water Moon Helm and Azure Mist Sect win almost simultaneously, leaving Heavenly Divination Palace dependent on Cloud Firmament Cave and Sacred Light Retreat losing.
• Instead, Sacred Light Retreat breaks through its opponent’s defenses with a powerful sword technique, while Cloud Firmament Cave exploits an opening and knocks out its final opponent.
• With all four rival sects victorious, the rankings change and Heavenly Divination Palace is fixed in sixteenth place, officially placing it in the relegation zone.
• The disciples react with shock and indignation, suspecting that the other sects may have coordinated against them.
• Yunyan True Person recognizes that several unfavorable events contributed to the result: the transfer of the sect’s main force, an exhausting opening battle, unexpectedly powerful opponents, and the suspiciously synchronized victories of their rivals.
• From the viewing platform, Wei Lang of Grand Capital Prefecture concludes that Heavenly Divination Palace was targeted through tacit cooperation among the other sects. He also believes Yunyan bears responsibility for failing to prepare for such political maneuvering.
• Wei Lang is deeply impressed by Jiang Fan’s performance and begins considering recruiting him into Grand Capital Prefecture, especially now that relegation will weaken Heavenly Divination Palace and reduce its resources.
• Yunyan notices Wei Lang’s interest and, fearing what it may imply, rallies the demoralized disciples. He reminds them that relegation applies only to the regular season and that the second stage’s special format may still give them a chance to recover.

Character Developments

• Yunyan True Person: Moves from anxious hope to bitter resignation, then to self-reflection and renewed leadership. He admits that his overconfidence and failure to account for outside interference helped cause the crisis, but he refuses to let the sect collapse emotionally.
• Heavenly Divination Palace’s disciples: Their confidence after winning two matches turns into disbelief, resentment, and suspicion when they are still relegated. Yunyan’s speech attempts to restore their morale.
• Jiang Fan: Establishes himself as an exceptionally capable and composed fighter. His combat awareness, precise spiritual-power control, calmness under pressure, and stable temperament attract Wei Lang’s attention.
• Wei Lang: Shifts from merely observing the tournament to actively considering Jiang Fan as a recruitment target. He also forms a clear judgment that Yunyan’s leadership failures contributed to the sect’s downfall.
• Rival sects: Azure Mist Sect, Water Moon Helm, Cloud Firmament Cave, and Sacred Light Retreat demonstrate disciplined and effective fighting, while their collective success fuels suspicion that they cooperated to eliminate Heavenly Divination Palace.

Significant Themes

• Fate versus preparation: Heavenly Divination Palace’s relegation appears unavoidable, but it is also shown to result from poor preparation and political vulnerability rather than strength alone.
• Sect politics and collusion: The tournament is not governed purely by combat ability; alliances, tacit agreements, and coordinated outcomes can determine survival.
• Unfairness and helplessness: The Palace performs well in its own battles yet still loses because of external results, emphasizing how individual effort may be overwhelmed by larger forces.
• Leadership and responsibility: Yunyan must confront his own misjudgment while maintaining authority and hope among his followers.
• Talent attracting opportunity: Jiang Fan’s strong performance demonstrates how crisis can expose talent and create opportunities beyond one’s current faction.
• Hope after defeat: Despite relegation, the possibility of the second stage prevents the chapter from ending in total despair.

Important Character Interactions

• The Heavenly Divination Palace disciples collectively watch the four rival arenas, sharing anxious hope and growing despair as each rival wins.
• The disciples openly question whether they were deliberately set up, forcing Yunyan to address both their anger and their fear.
• Yunyan and the elders discuss the sequence of suspicious events and conclude that coordinated opposition may have played a role.
• Wei Lang observes Jiang Fan’s performance and silently evaluates him as a potential recruit, while also judging Yunyan’s mistakes.
• Yunyan notices Wei Lang’s meaningful gaze, suggesting a possible threat to Jiang Fan’s loyalty, but immediately turns his attention back to consoling and motivating the sect.
• The chapter closes with Yunyan urging everyone to remain composed, emphasizing that relegation is not yet the end of their chances.

Summary of “There’s Still a Chance”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the Heavenly Divination Palace suffers a devastating defeat in the regular stage of the Sect Promotion Grand Competition, the disciples fall into despair.
• Yunyan True Person reminds them that the second-stage competition still offers a chance to avoid demotion. His speech restores the disciples’ morale and motivates them to continue fighting.
• He orders the injured disciples to recover, the core participants to prepare, and the elders to study the rules and develop new strategies.
• Jiang Fan asks Lin Yang about the second-stage competition. She explains that all participating sects will enter a Simulation Secret Realm and compete to collect Qi Luck Orbs.
• The Qi Luck Orbs are condensed from the origin of a shattered minor world and are guarded by special buildings or powerful demonic beasts. Sect rankings will depend on the number of orbs collected.
• The top ten sects will receive valuable rewards, and any sect facing demotion can gain immunity by ranking among the top ten.
• Although this gives the Heavenly Divination Palace a theoretical chance to remain a level-four sect, Lin Yang admits that the odds are extremely low because they must compete against numerous powerful level-four and level-three sects.
• Jiang Fan encourages Lin Yang to retain hope and fight until the end.
• The level-three sect competition is held at the Myriad Manifestations Pavilion. Jiang Fan finds the matches slow and unimpressive compared with the battles he has witnessed before.
• At the end of the competition, Wei Lang announces that the Big Dipper Sect and the Divine Flame Sect will be demoted.
• The contestants are given three days to recover before the second-stage competition begins in the prefectural city of the Grand Capital Prefecture.

Character Developments

• Yunyan True Person demonstrates strong leadership by transforming widespread despair into renewed determination. He immediately organizes recovery efforts and strategic planning.
• The Heavenly Divination Palace disciples regain their confidence. Though still weakened, they accept that the competition is not over and resolve to fight without regrets.
• Jiang Fan shows curiosity about the second-stage rules and quickly understands the importance of the Qi Luck Orbs. His words reveal a resilient and encouraging attitude.
• Lin Yang provides crucial information about the Simulation Secret Realm but remains realistic about the Palace’s slim chances. Jiang Fan’s optimism helps strengthen her resolve.
• Jiang Fan’s judgment of the level-three sect contestants emphasizes his combat experience and high standards; he considers them sheltered and lacking true battle-hardened skill.

Significant Themes

• Hope after defeat: A major loss does not necessarily mean the end, and even a small opportunity can revive morale.
• Perseverance and fighting spirit: The characters choose to continue struggling despite overwhelming odds.
• Leadership in crisis: Yunyan True Person’s speech and immediate orders show how effective leadership can unite people after catastrophe.
• Realism versus optimism: Lin Yang recognizes the near-impossible difficulty of the second stage, while Jiang Fan insists that the possibility of success remains until the competition ends.
• Strength gained through hardship: Jiang Fan’s contempt for the sheltered level-three disciples highlights the difference between cultivation on paper and genuine combat experience.
• Honor and acceptance: Even if demotion becomes unavoidable, the disciples want to fight fully so they will have no regrets.

Character Interactions

• Yunyan True Person addresses the entire Heavenly Divination Palace, urging the disciples to lift their heads and reject despair.
• Jiang Fan consults Lin Yang about the second-stage rules, leading to an explanation of the Simulation Secret Realm and Qi Luck Orbs.
• Lin Yang expresses doubt about the Palace’s chances, while Jiang Fan encourages her to keep hope and fight until the final result.
• The elders respond to Yunyan True Person’s orders by organizing recovery and tactical preparations.
• Wei Lang formally announces the demotion of the Big Dipper Sect and Divine Flame Sect and sets the schedule for the upcoming second-stage competition.

Chapter Summary: “Old Friends”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Wei Lang’s speech, the sects disperse. Jiang Fan tells Lin Yang that he will not return with the Heavenly Divination Palace because traveling with Jiang Ming and Lin Yan would be inconvenient. They agree to meet again in three days for the second stage of the grand competition.
• Lin Yang reminds Jiang Fan that, after his victories in the first stage, the Palace Master and elders may select him to compete again.
• At the Myriad Manifestations Pavilion’s mountain gate, Jiang Fan reunites with Zhu Jiuyang and Ling Wuchen, old acquaintances from the Lower Realm and the Jietian Battlefield.
• Zhu Jiuyang and Ling Wuchen praise Jiang Fan’s recent arena performance, but Jiang Fan points out that the Heavenly Divination Palace will still be demoted. His blunt remark makes them uncomfortable, though he quickly clarifies that he understands their congratulations were sincere.
• Jiang Fan congratulates the two on their impressive improvement. Though both remain at the peak of the Void Realm, they have fought with strength comparable to True Realm cultivators during the third-grade competition.
• Zhu Jiuyang and Ling Wuchen express their hope of facing Jiang Fan in the second stage. Jiang Fan accepts, eager to see how much they have improved since their previous battles. They agree to meet in three days.
• Afterward, Jiang Fan encounters elders from the Black-and-White Academy and the Aurora Society. Cheng Miaoyi praises his combat ability and offers him a place in the Aurora Society, despite his sect’s imminent demotion and the previous collapse of his Great Dao Foundation.
• An elder from the Black-and-White Academy unexpectedly makes the same offer. Cheng Miaoyi is irritated that he interrupts, while both elders appear to suspect that Jiang Fan’s true condition may be better than it seems.

Character Developments

• Jiang Fan: Demonstrates composure, humility, and strong judgment. He can distinguish sincere praise from mockery and does not resent his old friends for mentioning his victories. His performance suggests that, despite his supposedly ruined Great Dao Foundation and only mid-Void Realm cultivation, he retains extraordinary combat ability and spiritual control.
• Zhu Jiuyang and Ling Wuchen: Have grown significantly stronger since their time in the Lower Realm and now possess confidence matching their improved abilities. Their desire to fight Jiang Fan again reflects both respect and a wish to test themselves against him.
• Lin Yang: Continues to act as a practical and supportive senior sister, reminding Jiang Fan of his responsibilities in the upcoming competition.
• Cheng Miaoyi: Reconsiders Jiang Fan after witnessing his performance and offers him a potential new affiliation, suggesting that she recognizes his unusual potential or resilience.
• Black-and-White Academy Elder: Also notices inconsistencies in Jiang Fan’s supposed decline, particularly his stable spiritual power and refined combat instincts, and begins to suspect that his foundation may not be completely ruined.

Significant Themes

• Old friendships and shared history: Jiang Fan’s reunions with former companions show how bonds formed in the Lower Realm and on the Jietian Battlefield continue to influence relationships in the Upper Realm.
• Respect amid competition: Zhu Jiuyang and Ling Wuchen sincerely admire Jiang Fan while also wanting to challenge him, presenting rivalry as a form of mutual respect.
• Appearance versus reality: Jiang Fan is publicly regarded as a weakened cultivator whose sect is being demoted, but his arena performance hints that his abilities and condition are far more complicated.
• Resilience and dignity: Jiang Fan remains calm despite his sect’s defeat and his personal setbacks, refusing either self-pity or bitterness.
• Changing loyalties: The Aurora Society and Black-and-White Academy, which previously abandoned Jiang Fan, now attempt to recruit him after seeing signs of his continuing strength.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Fan and Lin Yang: Make arrangements to meet in three days, with Lin Yang encouraging him to prepare for another appearance in the competition.
• Jiang Fan, Zhu Jiuyang, and Ling Wuchen: Exchange sincere greetings, discuss their growth, and agree to face each other in the second stage.
• Jiang Fan and Cheng Miaoyi: Cheng praises his battle experience and offers him admission to the Aurora Society.
• Cheng Miaoyi and the Black-and-White Academy elder: Their simultaneous recruitment offers create immediate tension, with Cheng angrily accusing the elder of interfering.
• Jiang Fan and his former allies: Their encounters emphasize that, although some organizations once rejected him, his recent performance has forced them to reassess his value.

Key plot points and events

• After Jiang Fan’s two victories in the tournament, Cheng Miaoyi of the Aurora Society and an elder from the Black-and-White Academy argue over recruiting him.
• Jiang Fan remembers that both had rejected him three years earlier, when his Great Dao Foundation was believed to be ruined. He resents their sudden interest and refuses to leave the Heavenly Divination Palace.
• After Jiang Fan departs, the elder disparages him, while Cheng Miaoyi blames the elder for driving him away. Their quarrel subsides when both admit they noticed something unusual about Jiang Fan and wonder whether his Dao Foundation has recovered.
• Cheng Miaoyi concludes that if Jiang Fan’s foundation is restored, his talent and character could soon make him impossible for any sect to recruit easily.
• On the mountain path, Jiang Fan’s sister Jiang Ming accidentally reveals to Lin Yan that his Dao Foundation truly has recovered. Lin Yan realizes the secret explains his strength and feels vindicated in believing he was exceptional.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Fan asserts his independence, refusing to be treated as a prize or to switch sects simply because powerful elders now want him.
• Cheng Miaoyi remains interested in Jiang Fan and recognizes his potential, though she clashes sharply with the Black-and-White Academy elder.
• The elder disguises self-interest as concern for Jiang Fan’s future, then reveals anxiety that Jiang Fan may have recovered and choose the Aurora Society.
• Jiang Ming innocently shares the truth about her brother’s recovery, unaware that Lin Yan overhears.
• Lin Yan gains a new understanding of Jiang Fan’s tournament performance and privately anticipates the sect’s reaction when his recovery becomes known.

Significant themes

• Hypocrisy and changing fortunes: Those who once rejected Jiang Fan now compete for him after seeing his success.
• Strength, worth, and recognition: The elders’ behavior reflects a world that values people according to perceived power, while Jiang Fan insists on making his own choices.
• Secrecy and foreshadowing: The elders suspect Jiang Fan’s recovery, but Lin Yan now knows the truth, setting up future consequences.

Plot points and events

• Three days after the previous stage, Jiang Fan arrives at Central Plaza for the second stage of the Sect Promotion Grand Competition. A massive, rune-covered Light Gate marks the entrance to the Simulation Secret Realm.
• Heavenly Divination Palace gathers at the plaza under Palace Master Yunyan True Person. Jiang Fan notices that the sect has brought many additional disciples, including several at the Void Realm Peak Stage, but recognizes that they remain weaker than the major third-tier sects.
• Wei Lang, a deacon of Grand Capital Prefecture, announces the rules:
  • There are no groups; each sect may send up to one hundred disciples, who will be scattered through the same Secret Realm.
  • The goal is to collect Qi Luck Orbs by destroying their carriers—buildings or demonic beasts—over seven days.
  • Sects will be ranked by the number of orbs collected. The top ten win valuable rewards, and struggling or demoted sects may earn an exemption from demotion.
  • Participants may attack anyone, even fellow sect members, and take all the Qi Luck Orbs they carry.
• Jiang Fan concludes that the stage will become a violent free-for-all: with so many competitors and limited orbs, fighting is inevitable. He also suspects the rule permitting attacks conceals a further trap.

Character developments

• Jiang Fan remains composed and observant. He quickly assesses Heavenly Divination Palace’s disadvantage and understands how the rules will encourage betrayal and theft.
• Yunyan True Person receives Jiang Fan and directs him to join the sect’s contingent.
• Wei Lang establishes himself as the stern, authoritative overseer of the event.

Character interactions

• Jiang Fan greets Yunyan True Person, then joins the Heavenly Divination Palace disciples alongside Jiang Ming and Lin Yan.
• Wei Lang addresses the assembled sects and explains rules that provoke anxious debate among competitors.
• Disciples react with excitement at the prospect of rewards and demotion protection, but grow alarmed when told they may attack even their own sectmates.

Significant themes

• Survival and competition: Random placement, scarce rewards, and permission to attack make the event dangerous and unpredictable.
• Ambition and temptation: The chance to steal another competitor’s orbs may prove easier than gathering them, encouraging greed and treachery.
• Unequal power: Heavenly Divination Palace has strengthened its roster, yet still faces a major disadvantage against stronger sects.
• Hidden danger: Jiang Fan’s suspicion that the rules contain an additional trap foreshadows greater risks ahead.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Fan analyzes the second stage’s rules: because disciples can steal Qi Luck Orbs by defeating others, hoarders may become targets. Weaker sects could use temporary alliances against isolated elites, potentially reshuffling the rankings.
• Wei Lang warns that the Simulation Secret Realm contains lethal traps and True Realm demonic beasts. The special-reward round begins, allowing each sect to send up to one hundred disciples.
• Heavenly Divination Palace leader Yunyan True Person rallies his selected team, stressing that the sect must reach the top ten to have a chance to recover. He instructs them to regroup in teams of at least five using a spiritual white-deer signal and to avoid unnecessary fights.
• Yunyan singles out Jiang Fan, cautioning him to prioritize survival in the large-scale melee. Jiang Fan thanks him.
• The competitors enter the Secret Realm and are scattered. Jiang Fan lands alone in a vast, spiritually rich mountain wilderness. A magical system message confirms the rules are active and reports that he holds zero Qi Luck Orbs.
• Though instructed to find teammates, Jiang Fan decides that traveling alone suits him better. He sets out to investigate the Qi Luck Orbs.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Fan shows strategic insight by recognizing how the Orb-stealing rules could both reward powerful sects and give smaller groups a way to challenge them. Once inside, he values independence and chooses to explore alone rather than immediately regroup.
• Yunyan True Person reveals the desperation of Heavenly Divination Palace’s position, but also his determination and concern for his disciples. He gives Jiang Fan personal advice about surviving the unfamiliar melee.
• The disciples respond to Yunyan’s appeal with strong resolve, despite their sect’s disadvantage.

Significant themes

• Power and its limits: Strength and accumulated rewards can attract challenges, while alliances may counterbalance superior individual fighters.
• Strategy and risk: Success requires weighing cooperation, opportunism, and survival amid opponents, traps, and dangerous beasts.
• Desperation and resolve: Heavenly Divination Palace treats the round as its last chance to avoid decline.
• Independence versus cooperation: Yunyan’s plan emphasizes regrouping, while Jiang Fan opts to test the realm on his own.

Plot points and events

• Lin Yang lands safely on a vast grassland. Following the team’s plan, she sends a spiritual-energy signal to locate her fellow Heavenly Divination Palace disciples. Nearby sect members notice it but keep their distance, since the competition has only just begun.
• Zhao Kun lands on a mountain and spots a Qi Luck Orb inside a ruined hall. Although he sees a teammate’s signal, he chooses to seize the orb first, convinced he can regroup afterward.
• The hall contains a poison trap. Zhao Kun narrowly avoids its mist, then retrieves the orb. An Azure Mist Sect disciple arrives and demands it, but Zhao Kun blocks his attack and escapes using a pebble that explodes into smoke.
• Across the Secret Realm, disciples begin finding Qi Luck Orbs, forming teams, or falling victim to monsters. As more orbs are collected, the realm rapidly grows more dangerous.
• Jiang Fan travels alone, ignoring signals from his sectmates while he surveys the area and looks for monsters to test himself against. He finds a golden fruit that resembles a Qi Luck Orb—despite its unusual location and form—and is about to take it when a dangerous presence approaches from behind.

Character developments

• Lin Yang is cautious and cooperative, prioritizing regrouping before the competition becomes violent.
• Zhao Kun puts ambition and personal gain ahead of the team plan. He is alert and resourceful in danger, but his decision to act alone risks isolating him.
• Jiang Fan is independent and deliberate, choosing to assess the realm and test his abilities before committing to a strategy. His discovery leaves him facing an immediate threat.

Themes

• Cooperation versus self-interest: Lin Yang follows the plan, while Zhao Kun prioritizes the orb and Jiang Fan pursues his own course.
• Escalating competition: Early caution gives way to conflict as disciples acquire valuable orbs.
• Risk and survival: Traps, monsters, and rival disciples make even a seemingly straightforward prize dangerous.
• Ambition and status: Zhao Kun’s desire to remain an indispensable top disciple drives his choices.

Character interactions

• Lin Yang’s signal attracts nearby disciples’ attention, but none engage her.
• Zhao Kun clashes with the Azure Mist Sect disciple, who tries to claim the orb; Zhao Kun refuses and escapes rather than prolonging the fight.
• The chapter contrasts the sect disciples’ potential teamwork with Zhao Kun’s disregard for regrouping and Jiang Fan’s decision to ignore their signals.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Fan narrowly dodges a burst of crimson fire from a giant, red-scaled demon beast guarding a golden Qi Luck Orb.
• The beast is at the True Realm, with strength comparable to a True Realm Middle Stage cultivator. Its attacks test Jiang Fan’s defenses, but he identifies a vulnerable point beneath its foreleg and kills it with a precise strike of Sword Qi.
• The beast yields two more Qi Luck Orbs, giving Jiang Fan three in total.
• The orbs react to the six Great Daos circulating within him. Jiang Fan realizes they contain concentrated Great Dao Fragments, which he can sense unusually clearly.
• He absorbs the fragments, refining all three orbs into ash and gaining new insights that slightly strengthen his Great Dao Foundation.

Character developments

• Jiang Fan demonstrates composure and tactical awareness under pressure, overcoming a physically superior opponent by targeting its weakness rather than matching its strength.
• His unusual affinity for the Great Dao—linked to his Primordial Meditation Technique and his experience rebuilding his Great Dao Foundation—gives him a major advantage in understanding the orbs.
• He becomes determined to gather more orbs, hoping their fragments will help him form a new Great Dao.

Character interactions

• Jiang Fan and the demon beast engage in a brief, lethal confrontation: the beast attacks fiercely, while Jiang Fan remains confident and exploits its weakness.
• Jiang Fan recalls Wei Lang’s explanation that sect rankings depend on the number of orbs collected. He reasons that consuming the orbs now will not affect the final rankings and plans to secure enough for his sect later.

Significant themes

• Insight and preparation over brute force: Jiang Fan defeats a stronger foe through observation and precision.
• Hidden value and unequal understanding: The orbs are not merely contest prizes; their deeper contents are accessible especially clearly to Jiang Fan.
• Ambition and opportunity: Jiang Fan sees the Secret Realm’s orbs as both a competitive resource and a path to personal cultivation breakthroughs.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Fan drives off three would-be attackers, only to discover they have no Qi Luck Orbs to surrender. He keeps the five orbs he already had and decides to gather more before refining them.
• Over the next few days, he collects 27 orbs: 12 from hidden locations, 10 from slain demonic beasts, and five from earlier. He also defeats every sect disciple who attacks him, taking any orbs they carry.
• Rumors spread through the secret realm about a blue-robed Heavenly Divination Palace disciple who can overcome groups of opponents alone. Major sects begin searching for him.
• Zhu Jiuyang hears the rumors and wonders if the fighter is Jiang Fan, though he doubts it because Jiang Fan’s Dao foundation was supposedly destroyed.
• Ling Wuchen learns the fighter is from Heavenly Divination Palace and suspects it is Jiang Fan. He hopes for a rematch, believing he may now be able to defeat Jiang Fan.
• Meanwhile, Lin Yang’s group has gathered 15 orbs. They divide them among members for safety, but Lin Yang fears they are falling behind stronger sects and increasingly being targeted.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Fan remains composed and overwhelmingly capable, but grows impatient with wasted effort. His victories make him a growing target across the secret realm.
• Zhu Jiuyang shows continued interest in Jiang Fan and uncertainty about how he could be strong again.
• Ling Wuchen reacts intensely to the news, revealing that his rivalry with Jiang Fan still matters to him and that he wants to test himself against Jiang Fan again.
• Lin Yang takes a cautious, practical approach to protecting her team’s orbs, while Zhao Kun accepts responsibility for safeguarding some of them. Their group recognizes that cooperation has not yet made them competitive with stronger sects.

Significant themes

• Reputation and rumor: Jiang Fan’s feats spread faster than his identity becomes known, drawing powerful rivals toward him.
• Competition and survival: Qi Luck Orbs are both a measure of progress and a reason for sects to attack one another.
• Rivalry and redemption: Zhu Jiuyang and Ling Wuchen both connect the mysterious fighter to Jiang Fan, whose apparent recovery challenges their expectations.
• Unequal power: Even teamwork leaves Lin Yang’s group struggling against stronger sects, while Jiang Fan succeeds largely through individual strength.

Key plot points and events

• Lin Yang and Zhao Kun realize successive groups have been tracking down Heavenly Divination Palace disciples, often calling them “fat sheep.” They suspect someone has deliberately marked the sect as an easy target.
• Lin Yang orders the group to remove their sect insignia, gather information, and uncover who is behind the attacks.
• Elsewhere, Jiang Fan discovers a magnificent white-jade hall hidden behind an illusion barrier. A powerful, three-eyed qilin-like beast emerges to guard it.
• The beast’s strength is at True-Realm Apex, and its ghostly green fire can incinerate stone. Jiang Fan evades its attacks rather than meeting them head-on.
• After the beast’s third eye fires a poisonous beam that wounds him, Jiang Fan identifies that eye as the creature’s likely weakness and resolves to destroy it.

Character developments

• Lin Yang shows practical leadership, quickly organizing a discreet investigation rather than letting the group remain exposed.
• Zhao Kun confirms her suspicions, reinforcing that the attacks are part of a broader pattern.
• Jiang Fan is eager to test the power he gained from condensing six Great Daos, but demonstrates caution and tactical observation when faced with a stronger opponent.

Significant themes

• Conspiracy and vulnerability: The repeated attacks suggest Heavenly Divination Palace has been intentionally targeted.
• Courage tempered by strategy: Jiang Fan accepts a dangerous challenge but relies on evasion and searching for a weakness rather than brute force.
• Uncertainty and hidden threats: The hall’s concealment, the beast’s unusual power, and the unknown scheme against the sect all point to dangers whose causes remain unclear.

Character interactions

• Lin Yang and Zhao Kun discuss the suspicious attacks with their fellow disciples, whose frustration helps prompt the decision to investigate.
• Jiang Fan faces the guardian beast alone, testing its attacks, avoiding its flames, and learning from the wound caused by its third eye.

Key plot points

• Jiang Fan defeats the true-realm-apex Three-Eyed Giant Beast by dodging its eye attack, piercing its forehead eye with sword qi, and finishing it with a second strike.
• The beast yields fifteen qi luck orbs and a huge surge of spiritual energy. Jiang Fan absorbs the energy, advancing from the true-realm middle-stage peak to the late stage.
• Inside the hall, he finds and collects another 122 qi luck orbs, bringing his total to 189.
• He uses the orbs to absorb Great Dao fragments. After a long, difficult refinement, he condenses a seventh Great Dao.
• The new Dao’s formation releases a powerful aura, shaking the hall and raising Jiang Fan’s cultivation to the true-realm apex.

Character development

• Jiang Fan demonstrates tactical patience and confidence, anticipating the beast’s defenses and striking at its vulnerable eye.
• His success strengthens his belief in the value of the hall and its treasures. He willingly undertakes the arduous refinement, focused on breaking through to greater power.

Significant themes

• Strategy and strength: Jiang Fan wins through preparation and precision, not brute force alone.
• Accumulation and transformation: The qi luck orbs’ fragments become the foundation for a new Great Dao and a major cultivation breakthrough.
• Risk and reward: A dangerous battle and difficult refinement bring exceptional gains, though Jiang Fan recognizes that the beast’s energy could have overwhelmed him under different conditions.

Character interactions

• Jiang Fan’s only direct interaction is with the Three-Eyed Giant Beast, a hostile opponent whose attacks he counters before killing it. The rest of the chapter focuses on his solo exploration and cultivation.

Plot points and events

• A disturbance across the secret realm signals that someone has condensed a Great Dao. The sect elders realize a contestant must have discovered the hidden use of Qi Luck Orbs without being told; they suspect Jiang Fan.
• Inside the palace, Jiang Fan finishes condensing his seventh Great Dao. With only one day left in the competition, he leaves to collect more Qi Luck Orbs and improve his sect’s ranking.
• On the final day, Jiang Fan crosses a realm turned into a battlefield. He defeats groups that try to rob him and takes their orbs, raising his total from 49 to 233.
• Hoping to make his ranking secure, he questions a young disciple about other contestants with large collections. The disciple names several elites, then mentions a wealthy Heavenly Divination Palace contestant—only to notice Jiang Fan’s sect insignia.

Character developments

• Jiang Fan grows stronger and more confident after reaching seven Great Daos, but remains focused on the contest and recognizes that his orb total may not guarantee a top-ten finish.
• The sect elders and Wei Lang are shocked by the feat and begin considering Jiang Fan as its likely source.
• The young disciple is frightened into surrendering his two orbs and inadvertently gives Jiang Fan useful intelligence.

Significant themes

• Exceptional talent and self-discovery: Jiang Fan uncovers and uses a secret that even powerful elders thought inaccessible.
• Competition and survival: The final day turns the realm into a violent scramble for resources.
• Power and pragmatism: Jiang Fan acts swiftly and decisively, prioritizing his goals over courtesy.
• Uncertainty: Despite his large haul, he cannot know whether it is enough until he learns how much the strongest contestants have gathered.

Character interactions

• The elders speculate among themselves about how the Great Dao was formed, while Wei Lang privately suspects Jiang Fan.
• Jiang Fan overwhelms the Lihuo Divine Sect group that tries to rob him, taking their orbs.
• He intimidates a weaker disciple into surrendering his orbs and sharing rumors about rival contestants. The disciple’s final remark becomes awkward when he realizes Jiang Fan belongs to the very sect he has just called a “fat sheep.”

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Fan learns that his victories and large haul of Qi Luck Orbs have earned him the nickname “Big Fat Sheep.” Sect disciples are hunting him to seize his orbs.
• He confirms his identity to a disciple he has already defeated, then orders him to spread the word that Jiang Fan is nearby—apparently inviting challengers to come.
• The disciple reveals that numerous sects are instead gathered at Phoenix Ridge, where they have surrounded Heavenly Divination Palace disciples. Hoping to find Jiang Fan and claim his orbs, they are pressuring his fellow disciples for his whereabouts.
• Realizing his success has put his sectmates in danger, Jiang Fan abandons his plan to draw enemies to himself and heads for Phoenix Ridge.
• At the ridge, more than a dozen Heavenly Divination Palace disciples—including Zhao Kun, Lin Yang, Zhou Yan, and Shen Qingyu—are trapped against a rock wall by dozens of attackers from several sects. The chapter ends as their peril is established.

Character developments

• Jiang Fan remains confident and intimidating, but the revelation that his actions have endangered his fellow disciples shifts his focus from attracting opponents to rescuing them.
• The unnamed disciple moves from panic to cautious relief after Jiang Fan promises not to harm him, then becomes an eager spectator once Jiang Fan departs.

Significant themes

• Reputation and unintended consequences: Jiang Fan’s growing fame makes him a target, but the hunt for him endangers his entire sect.
• Loyalty and responsibility: Jiang Fan responds to the threat against his fellow disciples by going to help them.
• Power and opportunism: Rival sects seek to exploit the Heavenly Divination Palace’s Qi Luck Orbs to climb the rankings.

Character interactions

• Jiang Fan intimidates the defeated disciple, assures him he is safe, and orders him to publicize Jiang Fan’s location.
• The disciple warns Jiang Fan about the gathering at Phoenix Ridge, prompting Jiang Fan to change course.
• At Phoenix Ridge, rival sect forces surround the Heavenly Divination Palace group, setting up an impending confrontation.

Plot points and events

• A coalition led by the Myriad Manifestations Pavilion confronts Heavenly Divination Palace and demands its Qi Luck Orbs. They blame the sect for the thefts committed by the mysterious “Big Fat Sheep,” claiming the thief wore its robes.
• Lin Yang rejects the accusation and suspects the story is a pretext for robbery. She insists the alleged thief is not one of their group and warns that taking their orbs will require a fight.
• As the coalition prepares to attack, Zhu Jiuyang of the Lihuo Divine Sect and Ling Wuchen of Heavenly Sword Valley object. Both argue that there is no proof the thief belongs to Heavenly Divination Palace, and that overwhelming the sect would be dishonorable.
• The Myriad Manifestations disciple dismisses their appeals and threatens their sects. Senior disciples order Zhu and Ling to stand down, forcing them to withdraw. Heavenly Divination Palace is left to face the crowd alone.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Yang is resolute and increasingly suspicious, recognizing that the accusation may be a scheme to make Heavenly Divination Palace a target.
• Zhu Jiuyang and Ling Wuchen show a sense of fairness and loyalty by defending the embattled sect despite knowing that the thief also robbed their own sects. Their intervention is limited by pressure from their seniors.
• Both believe the culprit is likely Jiang Fan, whom they know from the Jietian Battlefield. They regard him as a rival and friend, and hope Heavenly Divination Palace survives so they can compete with him again.
• The Myriad Manifestations disciple uses the rumors to justify collective coercion, while the senior disciples of Lihuo and Heavenly Sword Valley prioritize sect authority and reputation over intervening.

Significant themes

• Justice versus opportunism: The coalition’s demand appears less about establishing the truth than seizing treasure.
• Collective blame and rumor: Heavenly Divination Palace is targeted based on an unverified association with the thief.
• Honor under pressure: Zhu and Ling speak up for fairness but cannot overcome the demands of their own sects.
• Rivalry and friendship: The two disciples’ respect for Jiang Fan complicates their competition and motivates their brief defense.

Key events

• At Phoenix Ridge, Third-Tier Sect disciples launch a coordinated attack on the Heavenly Divination Palace group, hoping to seize their Qi Luck Orbs.
• Lin Yang is quickly outmatched by a sharp-faced Myriad Manifestations Pavilion disciple. Zhao Kun is wounded, Zhou Yan is struck down, and Shen Qingyu is prevented from helping him. Other Palace disciples also fall.
• Lin Yang is knocked down and has several vital acupoints sealed. The attackers have already taken most of the group’s Orbs; only those she carries remain.
• When Lin Yang refuses to surrender them, her opponent threatens to search her himself and reaches for her in a sexually humiliating manner. Zhu Jiuyang and Ling Wuchen protest, but cannot stop him.
• Just as the disciple is about to touch Lin Yang, an unidentified newcomer intervenes. He launches the attacker into the air, drives him into a crater, and strikes him with lightning, leaving him charred and barely alive.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Yang remains defiant despite her injuries and despair, refusing to hand over the Orbs even as her companions are defeated.
• Zhao Kun fights fiercely but is badly hurt by the attackers’ numbers. Zhou Yan, the group’s leader, is likewise overwhelmed and injured; Shen Qingyu tries to reach him but is blocked.
• Zhu Jiuyang and Ling Wuchen speak up to protect Lin Yang, though they cannot intervene in time.
• The sharp-faced disciple shifts from taunting and fighting Lin Yang to threatening her with a degrading assault, marking his cruelty and abuse of power.
• The newcomer appears suddenly and acts with overwhelming force, interrupting the assault and changing the balance of the confrontation.

Significant themes

• Collective strength versus individual courage: The Palace disciples’ resistance is overwhelmed by coordinated numbers, while Lin Yang’s resolve persists.
• Humiliation and institutional decline: Losing the remaining Orbs would deepen the Palace’s disgrace and threaten its demotion.
• Abuse of power and intervention: The attackers exploit their advantage to intimidate the defeated; the newcomer’s dramatic arrival halts the immediate threat.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Fan arrives just as Lin Yang is threatened by disciples from other sects and knocks her attacker aside, preventing her from being violated.
• Lin Yang breaks down in relief. The Heavenly Divination Palace disciples regain hope, while rival sects recognize Jiang Fan as the mysterious “Big Fat Sheep” they have been searching for.
• Jiang Fan reveals a pile of 235 Qi Luck Orbs, explaining that they came from several sects. The sight excites the assembled disciples, who want to reclaim them.
• Lin Yang and the injured Zhao Kun urge Jiang Fan to hide the orbs and escape. Zhao even tries to stand between Jiang Fan and the opposition.
• Unfazed, Jiang Fan tells Zhao to heal and challenges every rival sect: he will stay where he is for half a day, and anyone who wants the orbs can try to take them.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Fan shows concern for Lin Yang, calm confidence in the face of overwhelming numbers, and a bold willingness to confront the rival sects openly.
• Lin Yang moves from fear and despair to relief, then worries that Jiang Fan’s display will put him in danger.
• Zhao Kun sets aside his rivalry with Jiang Fan to defend him and protect the sect’s hope; Jiang Fan’s view of Zhao improves.
• The Heavenly Divination Palace disciples shift from helplessness to renewed confidence when Jiang Fan appears. Rival disciples, by contrast, become greedy and eager to challenge him.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and solidarity: Jiang Fan protects Lin Yang, while Zhao risks himself for Jiang Fan despite their strained relationship.
• Courage and confidence: Jiang Fan refuses to flee, turning a threatened ambush into an open challenge.
• Power and reputation: The reveal of the stolen orbs confirms the rumors about the mysterious “Big Fat Sheep” and draws the sects’ hostility.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Fan tells the assembled sect disciples that if they cannot take his Qi Luck Orbs, he will take theirs. His provocation enrages the crowd.
• Fang Yu, a top Black-and-White Academy disciple at the Void Realm Peak Stage, attacks him. Jiang Fan repels him with a casual wave, hurling him into a cliff and apparently leaving him gravely injured.
• The other disciples doubt Jiang Fan’s apparent mid-stage cultivation and decide to attack him together. More than a dozen elites from several sects rush him at once.
• Jiang Fan easily defeats them in a rapid sequence of blows, breaking weapons and leaving every attacker injured or unconscious. His clothes remain untouched.
• He collects their Qi Luck Orbs, bringing his growing pile to roughly three hundred, then taunts the remaining disciples and asks whether anyone else wants to challenge him.

Character developments

• Jiang Fan displays overwhelming strength, composure, and confidence. His effortless victories make clear that his apparent cultivation level does not explain his true power.
• The rival sect disciples shift from outrage and greed to fear and caution after seeing how easily Jiang Fan defeats their strongest fighters.
• The Heavenly Divination Palace disciples, including Lin Yang and Zhao Kun, worry that Jiang Fan may be outmatched at first, then witness the scale of his power.

Significant themes

• Power and perception: Jiang Fan’s apparent cultivation misleads others about his abilities.
• Greed and its consequences: The disciples’ desire for his orbs drives them to attack, only to lose their own.
• Arrogance and humiliation: Jiang Fan’s taunts provoke the crowd, but his opponents’ collective assault fails spectacularly.
• Strength as spectacle: The scene emphasizes Jiang Fan’s dominance through the contrast between his calm demeanor and the chaotic violence around him.

Character interactions

• Jiang Fan provokes the sect disciples by challenging them to take his orbs.
• Fang Yu confronts him directly, while Heavenly Divination Palace disciples warn Jiang Fan not to underestimate the stronger opponent.
• After Fang Yu falls, the rival sects coordinate a group attack; Jiang Fan defeats them all and takes their orbs.
• Jiang Fan ends by mocking the defeated disciples and inviting the remaining crowd to try their luck.

Key plot points and events

• More than a hundred sect disciples gather after Jiang Fan’s earlier display, furious and tempted by the Qi Luck Orb but afraid of his strength.
• Chu Han, a True Realm disciple of the Black-and-White Academy, steps forward and challenges Jiang Fan, claiming he wants to test their skills.
• Jiang Fan calls out Chu Han’s real motive: he wants the orb. Chu Han attacks with a powerful punch, but Jiang Fan blocks it effortlessly with a golden spiritual barrier.
• Jiang Fan counters with a single palm strike. He shatters Chu Han’s defensive shield and sends him flying, gravely wounded.
• The crowd falls silent. Jiang Fan challenges anyone else to come forward, and no one initially dares.
• A hostile disciple from Heavenly Sword Valley warns Jiang Fan that he has offended every sect. Seven or eight True Realm powerhouses then surround him, creating a new, more dangerous confrontation.

Character developments

• Jiang Fan remains confident and dismissive, revealing that his power far exceeds what the others expect. He refuses to indulge in false politeness or be intimidated by a crowd.
• Chu Han moves from controlled confidence to shock and defeat when his strongest attack fails and Jiang Fan overwhelms him in one strike.
• The gathered disciples shift from anger and greed to fear and awe, though some regroup around the prospect of overwhelming Jiang Fan with numbers.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus reality: Jiang Fan’s affiliation with a fourth-tier sect leads others to underestimate him, but his strength surpasses theirs.
• Power and intimidation: Jiang Fan’s effortless victory silences the crowd, while the assembled True Realm fighters attempt to use collective force against him.
• Greed and pretense: Chu Han presents his challenge as a friendly test, but Jiang Fan exposes the desire for the Qi Luck Orb behind it.
• Escalating conflict: Each show of strength raises the stakes rather than ending the dispute.

Character interactions

• Jiang Fan openly mocks Chu Han’s polite framing and insists he state his intentions plainly.
• Chu Han attacks; Jiang Fan blocks and immediately retaliates, making their exchange a decisive demonstration of the power gap.
• Black-and-White Academy disciples grieve and grow angry after Chu Han falls, but Jiang Fan’s glare prevents them from intervening.
• The Heavenly Sword Valley disciple and seven other True Realm fighters confront Jiang Fan together. Jiang Fan responds with laughter, showing no fear of their numbers.

Key events

• Jiang Fan challenges the eight True Realm sect disciples surrounding him to attack together. They launch coordinated attacks from every direction, confident that their combined strength can overwhelm him.
• Jiang Fan counters without apparent effort. A wave of Great Dao Force repels the first attacker; he then breaks a swordsman’s blade, crushes two opponents to their knees, destroys a spear, and knocks the remaining attackers aside.
• In less than a dozen breaths, all eight lie defeated while Jiang Fan remains untouched. He collects their Qi Luck Orbs and challenges the watching disciples, but none dares respond.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Fan demonstrates power vastly beyond what his apparent middle-stage Void Realm suggests. His calm, dismissive manner turns the fight into a public display of dominance.
• Lin Yang watches with tearful eyes and wonders whether Jiang Fan’s Dao Foundation has recovered, imagining what he could achieve if his talent were fully restored.
• Zhao Kun is overwhelmed by shame and fear, recalling that he once mocked Jiang Fan and realizing how fortunate he is not to have provoked him further.
• The defeated sect prodigies’ contempt gives way to helplessness; the surrounding disciples fall silent and then openly call Jiang Fan a monster.

Significant themes

• Hidden strength and mistaken judgment: Jiang Fan’s apparent cultivation level misleads others about his true ability.
• Humility overturned by arrogance: The elite attackers’ confidence and disdain for a fourth-tier sect disciple collapse in moments.
• Power and reputation: Jiang Fan’s effortless victory transforms how both his allies and rivals view him, establishing him as a commanding presence at Phoenix Ridge.