Recaps

Su Xiaobai explored the 999th layer of the Great Void Dungeon, killing karmically burdened villains, monsters, and factions that attacked him first. After selling his loot, he had earned ten million Cultivation Points and planned to exchange them for an Emperor Grade Cultivation Technique.

• Su Xiaobai traded his Cultivation Points with Tongtian Pavilion for Low-grade Origin Stones, then entered the 999th layer of the dungeon.
• He killed approaching villains marked by karmic burden and swept through the layer, defeating monsters and collecting their drops.
• Su Xiaobai let territorial factions attack him first, then killed their members in self-defense; once they learned he was Carved Moon Azure Dragon, they stopped provoking him.
• After finding no World BOSS available, Su Xiaobai set up a stall and sold his loot to the Five Great Alliances.
• He totaled ten million Cultivation Points, including the amount brought by Shadow, and recognized he could exchange them for an Emperor Grade Cultivation Technique.

Su Xiaobai synthesized the Saint Grade Gold Attribute Technique Profound Gold Ten Thousand Feet Diagram and placed it in the training slot, learning it would take three days to reach Beginner Grade. He decided to earn money through alchemy and forging while preparing for the King Grade Secret Realm in the Vast Land, aiming to increase his strength before it opened in nine days.

• Su Xiaobai advanced Blood Flame Compassion Voyage Spirit Scroll to Highest Grade and judged that its blood-energy boost let him kill a First Precept Minor Saint Grade opponent and challenge a Second Precept opponent with support from his other techniques.
• Su Xiaobai used the One-Click Synthesis Space to combine four unsynthesized Emperor Grade Cultivation Techniques and obtained the Saint Grade Attribute Technique Profound Gold Ten Thousand Feet Diagram.
• Su Xiaobai confirmed that Profound Gold Ten Thousand Feet Diagram was a Gold Attribute Technique and placed it in the training slot, where it would take three days to reach Beginner Grade.
• Su Xiaobai decided not to trade Low-grade Origin Stones for Cultivation Points because it would antagonize the Five Great Alliances and risk his access to the King Grade Secret Realm of Tongtian Pavilion.
• Su Xiaobai planned to make money through alchemy and forging by sweeping through every Saint City before the King Grade Secret Realm in the Vast Land opened, and to raise his strength over the next nine days.

Su Xiaobai amassed vast wealth by refining pills and used it to upgrade his training and monster-hunting spaces. The training space’s variant unlocked a function that let his techniques reach Founder level, and he immediately elevated every technique he had learned.

• Su Xiaobai traveled between Holy Cities, bought alchemy materials, and sold pills until he had accumulated trillions of Low-grade Origin Stones.
• Su Xiaobai upgraded One-Click Auto Monster Hunting, unlocking a function that doubled his Shadow Quantity.
• Su Xiaobai spent his remaining funds upgrading One-Click Training Space, increasing its time flow and unlocking Infinite Life.
• One-Click Training Space underwent a golden variant, then unlocked Founder, allowing techniques to surpass the Highest Grade.
• Su Xiaobai placed his techniques into the training space, and they reached Founder level as their Founders’ insights flooded his mind and his aura surged.

Su Xiaobai raised his cultivation techniques to Founder Grade, then used nine days of Virtual Net rewards to obtain more techniques and reach the Third Precept Minor Saint Grade in estimated strength. He arrived at Vast Holy City for the King Grade Secret Realm and sensed numerous Great Saints approaching as the tenth day began.

• Su Xiaobai realized his Founder Grade techniques let him contend with Third Precept Minor Saints and planned to raise his cultivation and Soul Power further.
• Su Xiaobai returned to the Virtual Net and spent his 55.79 million Cultivation Points on four Emperor Grade Attribute Techniques.
• The system synthesized the four techniques into the Saint Grade Body Tempering Technique Pill Heart Marrow Cleansing Sacred Scroll, which quickly reached Advanced Grade.
• Su Xiaobai checked his status, found his estimated strength and endurance at Third Precept Minor Saint Grade, and judged that he could kill Third Precept Minor Saints.
• Su Xiaobai arrived at Vast Holy City ahead of the King Grade Secret Realm, then sensed many Great Saints tearing through the void as the tenth day arrived.

Su Xiaobai surveyed the powerful geniuses gathering for the King Grade Secret Realm and received a token from Chong Qiqing, who assigned him to partner with Feng Ming. As the secret realm opened, Feng Ming warned Su Xiaobai not to hold her back.

• Su Xiaobai used his system to assess the arriving King Grade geniuses, including Feng Ming, whose strength reached the Fifth Precept Minor Saint Grade.
• Chong Qiqing arrived from Tongtian Pavilion, gave Su Xiaobai the secret-realm token, and warned him about dangers and rival geniuses inside.
• Chong Qiqing introduced Feng Ming as Su Xiaobai's temporary partner, asking him to help her find an Immortal Fated Treasure.
• Feng Ming coldly told Su Xiaobai to behave himself and leave immediately if she ordered him to flee a powerful enemy.
• The world shook as the King Grade Secret Realm opened in a distant spatial fissure.

Su Xiaobai entered the King Grade Secret Realm with Feng Ming and examined the abilities and laws of the other Heavenly Pride Saint Children. After learning that his own Power Law and Life Law would take eight days to reach perfection, he spotted a Saint Grade treasure tree guarded by an Emperor Grade Fierce Beast, setting off a rush for the treasure.

• Su Xiaobai and Feng Ming entered the secret realm, and Su Xiaobai left a Shadow at the rift so he could leave at any time.
• Feng Ming led Su Xiaobai through the secret realm as other Heavenly Pride Saint Children traveled in temporary groups.
• Su Xiaobai observed that the other Heavenly Pride Saint Children had mastered many Saint Grade Cultivation Techniques and Heaven and Earth Laws.
• Su Xiaobai learned that his Power Law and Life Law were still being comprehended and would take eight days to reach perfection.
• Feng Ming spotted a Saint Grade treasure tree behind a sleeping Emperor Grade Fierce Beast, and the Heavenly Pride Saint Children rushed toward it.

The Heavenly Pride Saint Children fought over a treasure tree bearing Chaotic Heaven Gui Water Fruits, but Su Xiaobai seized the fruits and dismantled the tree while they were distracted. When they turned on him, he unleashed his full strength and charged into battle against them.

• The Heavenly Pride Saint Children attacked one another over the treasure tree, and Feng Ming broke through their formations to reach it.
• Su Xiaobai moved toward the treasure and killed a Saint Son who tried to stop him, then took the Saint Son's Space Ring.
• Su Xiaobai cut down five Chaotic Heaven Gui Water Fruits and divided the treasure tree into pieces, storing everything in his space.
• The Heavenly Pride Saint Children and Feng Ming realized Su Xiaobai had taken the spoils, and the crowd turned against him.
• Su Xiaobai released his blood qi and unleashed a barrage of techniques as he charged at and slaughtered dozens of opponents.

Su Xiaobai annihilated the Heavenly Pride Saint Children, looted their Summoning Rings, and synthesized an Immortal Grade Time Attribute Technique. He discovered the Nine Palaces Time Canon and celebrated its arrival.

• Su Xiaobai unleashed his techniques and killed all the Heavenly Pride Saint Children, leaving only himself and Feng Ming alive.
• Su Xiaobai collected the dead Saint Children’s Summoning Rings, while Feng Ming was astonished by his mastery of techniques and decided to claim future treasures before he could take them.
• Su Xiaobai examined the rings and found vast wealth, along with Emperor Grade and Saint Grade technique manuals.
• Su Xiaobai synthesized Emperor Grade Cultivation Techniques into three Saint Grade techniques, then combined four Saint Grade techniques into an Immortal Grade technique.
• Su Xiaobai obtained the Nine Palaces Time Canon, realized it was an Immortal Grade Time Attribute Technique, and laughed with delight.

Su Xiaobai synthesized the Immortal Grade Nine Palaces Time Canon and rapidly mastered four Saint Grade Cultivation Techniques, raising his strength to the Fourth Precept Minor Saint Grade. He then upgraded One-Click Cultivation, unlocking new law-comprehension and cultivation-forging functions.

• Su Xiaobai discovered that his first synthesis had produced the Immortal Grade Time Attribute Technique, the Nine Palaces Time Canon, and placed it in the One-Click Skill Practice Space.
• Su Xiaobai practiced four Saint Grade Cultivation Techniques until they reached the advanced level, and his strength rose to the Fourth Precept Minor Saint Grade.
• Feng Ming was astonished by Su Xiaobai's rapid comprehension and judged that his potential might rival Soul Reaper Emperor or Emperor Liang Shan.
• Su Xiaobai tried to upgrade the One-Click Skill Practice Space but stopped when the system revealed its steep cost after the variant transformation.
• Su Xiaobai upgraded One-Click Cultivation, unlocking the ability to comprehend three and then four Heaven and Earth Laws simultaneously before its variant transformation succeeded.
• Su Xiaobai continued upgrading One-Click Cultivation and unlocked Compressed Forging, which automatically compressed and forged cultivation, soul power, and Heaven and Earth Laws.

Su Xiaobai discovered that Compressed Forging could amplify his cultivation, Soul Power, and Heaven and Earth Laws, then perfected the Power Law and Life Law and began tempering them. He chose the Speed Law and Blood Qi Law for his remaining slots before racing toward a distant battle, leaving Feng Ming far behind.

• Su Xiaobai learned that Compressed Forging could compress and temper Soul Power and Heaven and Earth Laws for a tenfold amplification.
• The Power Law and Life Law reached perfection, and their power raised Su Xiaobai’s Strength Level, Stamina Level, and Agility Level to the Fifth Precept Minor Saint Grade.
• Su Xiaobai set Compressed Forging as the default for comprehending Heaven and Earth Laws and began tempering the Power Law and Life Law for ten days.
• Su Xiaobai assigned the Speed Law and Blood Qi Law to his two remaining Law slots.
• Feng Ming rushed toward the sound of a fierce battle, but Su Xiaobai sped past her and reached it first.

Su Xiaobai swept through treasure disputes, killed Heavenly Pride Saint Children, and grew vastly stronger while traveling with Feng Ming. On the eleventh day, they reached the ruined sky palace that held the treasure Feng Ming sought.

• Su Xiaobai killed the surviving Fifth Precept Minor Saint Grade cultivator, took the Soaring Crystal, and collected the fallen Heavenly Pride Saint Children’s Summoning Rings.
• Feng Ming warned Su Xiaobai to honor their contract, and he assured her their goals differed: she sought a treasure, while he wanted the Heavenly Pride Saint Children’s spoils.
• Over the next ten days, Su Xiaobai seized treasures and Summoning Rings in several disputes, while Feng Ming gathered a few treasures and Su Xiaobai obtained three stalks of Crimson Thunder Dawn-Glow Grass.
• Su Xiaobai synthesized cultivation techniques, acquired new laws, and advanced to Comprehensive Sub-Saint Grade, with strength nearing the First Precept Great Saint Grade.
• On the eleventh day, Su Xiaobai and Feng Ming arrived at the dilapidated palace suspended in the sky, where Feng Ming’s target treasure lay.

Su Xiaobai and Feng Ming reached the ruined palace, where they sought the Five Aggregates Sky-Shaking Jade, but a Four-Armed Great Saint Grade being emerged and attacked the Heavenly Pride Saint Children. Feng Ming fled while Su Xiaobai stayed behind, eager to test himself against the One-Ring Great Saint.

• Su Xiaobai and Feng Ming entered the palace, and Feng Ming revealed that the Five Aggregates Sky-Shaking Jade could boost soul cultivation and comprehension.
• They crossed the palace’s deadly formations, collected treasures, and reached the main hall, where the Jade could not be found.
• The palace collapsed as a Four-Armed Great Saint Grade being appeared wearing the Five Aggregates Sky-Shaking Jade.
• The Great Saint attacked the fleeing Heavenly Pride Saint Children, killing those caught in its strikes.
• Feng Ming fled, but Su Xiaobai remained and challenged the One-Ring Great Saint, which swung its sword at him.

Su Xiaobai confronted the Four-Armed Great Saint, surviving two increasingly powerful attacks and revealing enough strength to contend with a First Precept Great Saint. He urged Feng Ming to escape without holding him back as he launched another assault.

• The Four-Armed Great Saint unleashed a sword-ray, but Su Xiaobai countered it with Origin Yang—World Annihilation, while the shockwave injured Feng Ming and the fleeing Heavenly Pride Saint Children.
• Su Xiaobai revealed his full power and charged the Four-Armed Great Saint, who answered with Mountain Shatter—Heaven-Splitting and shattered Su Xiaobai’s arms.
• Su Xiaobai’s Life Attribute techniques and Life Law rapidly restored his injuries, leaving the Four-Armed Great Saint and the fleeing Heavenly Pride Saint Children astonished.
• Feng Ming asked whether Su Xiaobai was all right, and he told her to leave and not hold him back before attacking the Four-Armed Great Saint again.

Su Xiaobai used a Time Attribute Technique to immobilize the Four-Armed Great Saint and relentlessly attacked him, but the enemy activated a Blood Burning Cultivation Technique and fought back. Su Xiaobai summoned one hundred Shadows, amplified his power a hundredfold, and killed the Four-Armed Great Saint with a gentle pinch.

• The Four-Armed Great Saint unleashed a barrage of attacks, but Su Xiaobai froze time across a vast area and slowed the Great Saint’s movements.
• Su Xiaobai battered the Four-Armed Great Saint with a relentless torrent of techniques while the Heavenly Pride Saint Children and Feng Ming watched in horror.
• After nearly a minute of attacks, the Four-Armed Great Saint activated a Blood Burning Cultivation Technique, weakening the time effect and striking at Su Xiaobai.
• Su Xiaobai ordered the System to send out one hundred Shadows, which merged into him and amplified his aura a hundredfold.
• Su Xiaobai froze the Four-Armed Great Saint and shattered his body with a gentle pinch.

Su Xiaobai killed the Four-Armed Great Saint and the other Heavenly Pride Saint Children, then gave Feng Ming the Five Aggregates Sky-Shaking Jade and stayed behind to search the King Grade Secret Realm. While counting his vast haul, he activated a mysterious jade token that announced he had obtained the legacy of Cliff, the Quasi-Immortal.

• Su Xiaobai froze and killed the Four-Armed Great Saint, then destroyed the other Heavenly Pride Saint Children and collected their Summoning Rings.
• Su Xiaobai released Feng Ming, gave her the Five Aggregates Sky-Shaking Jade, and told her he would keep searching the secret realm.
• Feng Ming warned Su Xiaobai to leave before the secret realm's entrance closed, then departed alone.
• Su Xiaobai examined the Summoning Rings and discovered they contained more than a billion High-grade Origin Stones in total.
• Su Xiaobai activated a jade-white token with his blood, and Cliff, the Quasi-Immortal, announced that Su Xiaobai had obtained his legacy.

Su Xiaobai entered the Jade White Immortal Palace and received the inheritance of Nether Cliff Quasi-Immortal after easily passing its four trials. He claimed three Summoning Rings containing techniques, treasures, and an Outer Domain fragment, and discovered they held one billion High-grade Origin Stones.

• A Jade White Immortal Palace appeared, and Nether Cliff Quasi-Immortal invited Su Xiaobai inside to inherit his legacy.
• Nether Cliff Quasi-Immortal explained that he had left his treasures and knowledge behind after being trapped and killed in the Border War Zone.
• Su Xiaobai blasted open the White Jade Gate and effortlessly passed trials of strength, endurance, agility, and soul power.
• Nether Cliff Quasi-Immortal gave Su Xiaobai three Summoning Rings holding treasures, cultivation techniques, insights, and a fragment bearing an Immortal Grade attack trace.
• Su Xiaobai inspected the rings and found they contained one billion High-grade Origin Stones.

After receiving Nether Cliff Quasi-Immortal’s inheritance, Su Xiaobai combined his cultivation techniques and trained until his life level began converting toward energy. He reached First Precept Great Saint Grade strength and prepared to upgrade his One-Click Training Space with his accumulated Origin Stones.

• Nether Cliff Quasi-Immortal gave Su Xiaobai his inheritance and urged him to kill a Quasi-Immortal Grade enemy in the Border War Zone before his soul clone vanished and the Jade White Immortal Palace disappeared.
• Su Xiaobai combined cultivation techniques to obtain two Saint Grade techniques and the Immortal Grade saber technique God Extinguishing Infinite Illustrated Record.
• Su Xiaobai used the One-Click Training Space to advance his techniques, and the power of five Saint Grade techniques pushed his strength to First Precept Great Saint Grade.
• Su Xiaobai sensed that part of his body was converting from flesh and blood to energy, then concluded that his life level had begun to leap.
• Su Xiaobai gathered 108.8 hundred million High-grade Origin Stones and ordered the system to upgrade the One-Click Training Space.

Su Xiaobai upgraded several system functions, gaining powerful amplification abilities and rising to Third Precept Great Saint Grade while collecting treasures in the King Grade Secret Realm. Outside the realm, Feng Ming returned with the Five Aggregates Sky-Shaking Jade and revealed that Carved Moon Azure Dragon had killed a First Precept Great Saint Grade cultivator.

• Su Xiaobai upgraded One-Click Skill Practice and unlocked Variant Multiplication, which amplified newly comprehended or advanced cultivation techniques tenfold.
• Su Xiaobai upgraded One-Click Cultivation and unlocked Compressed Forging, which amplified cultivation, soul power, and Heaven and Earth Laws by up to fifty times.
• Su Xiaobai upgraded One-Click Auto Monster Hunting and One-Click Alchemy, unlocking Shadow self-detonation and pills one grade higher than their set grade.
• Su Xiaobai comprehended several Immortal Grade Cultivation Techniques and gained tenfold amplification, advancing from First Precept to Second Precept Great Saint Grade.
• After ten days of forging four Heaven and Earth Laws, Su Xiaobai reached Third Precept Great Saint Grade, while Feng Ming returned safely with the Five Aggregates Sky-Shaking Jade.
• Feng Ming told the Golden Spirit Immortal Clan Great Saint that Carved Moon Azure Dragon had given her the jade and had killed a First Precept Great Saint Grade cultivator, stunning the clan members.

Feng Ming asked Senior Brother to protect Su Xiaobai from furious Great Saints, while Su Xiaobai grew to Fourth Precept Great Saint Grade and prepared to leave the King Grade Secret Realm. When his Shadow was killed outside the rift, Su Xiaobai realized the forces waiting there intended to kill him and summoned ten Shadows to retaliate.

• Feng Ming told Senior Brother that Su Xiaobai had killed many Heavenly Pride Saint Children and asked him to help preserve Su Xiaobai’s life after he left the secret realm.
• Senior Brother agreed to help Feng Ming, though he warned that stronger experts might prevent him from protecting Su Xiaobai.
• Two days later, Su Xiaobai killed two more Heavenly Pride Saint Children and noted that his Immortal Grade techniques had raised his strength to Fourth Precept Great Saint Grade.
• Su Xiaobai chose to leave the King Grade Secret Realm but sent Shadow Number 108 through the rift to test whether the Great Saints outside would attack him.
• After the system announced that Shadow Number 108 had been killed, Su Xiaobai summoned ten Shadows and prepared to retaliate.

Su Xiaobai destroyed the Great Saint Grades who attacked him by sending ten identical shadows to self-destruct, then emerged from the rift and collected their immense wealth. He approached Chong Qiqing and the others and gave Tongtian Pavilion the promised Crimson Thunder Dawn-Glow Grass.

• Ten shadows with Carved Moon Azure Dragon's aura appeared at the secret realm rift and self-destructed, killing the gathered Great Saint Grades and destroying the rift.
• The Golden Spirit Immortal Clan Great Saint, Chong Qiqing, Feng Ming, and the Vast Quasi-Immortal survived by fleeing or activating Vast Holy City's defensive formations.
• A remaining black-cloaked clone waited near the rift before transforming into Su Xiaobai.
• Su Xiaobai collected 35 trillion High-grade Origin Stones from the Great Saint Grades killed by Shadow and realized that several major immortal clans would seek revenge.
• Su Xiaobai approached Chong Qiqing, Feng Ming, her senior brother, and the Vast Quasi-Immortal, then gave Tongtian Pavilion three stalks of Crimson Thunder Dawn-Glow Grass as payment.

After leaving the King Grade Secret Realm, Su Xiaobai learned that the surviving factions had turned the deaths of their Great Saint Grades into a Vast Domain-wide hunt for him. He returned to Ze Feng Giant City in disguise and raised his cultivation to Martial Emperor Grade, which pushed his true strength to Quasi-Immortal Grade.

• Su Xiaobai gave the three Crimson Thunder Dawn-Glow Grass stalks to Chong Qiqing, then dismissed Feng Ming’s warning and left the secret realm.
• Feng Ming, Chong Qiqing, and the others departed to report the deaths and warn their clans not to provoke Carved Moon Azure Dragon.
• The clans and factions learned that Carved Moon Azure Dragon had killed the Great Saint Grades, and nearly ninety percent issued kill orders and bounties against him.
• Some clans, including the Golden Spirit Immortal Clan and Tongtian Pavilion, refused to pursue Su Xiaobai and instead planned to avoid confronting him.
• Su Xiaobai returned to Ze Feng Giant City through Replacement, concealed his identity with a Mask, and raised his cultivation from King Grade to Martial Emperor Grade, reaching Quasi-Immortal strength.

After returning to the City Lord's residence, Su Xiaobai raised Su Ling'er to Five Precepts Great Saint Grade and Little White Dragon to Four Precepts Great Saint Grade, giving both strength comparable to Quasi-Immortal Grade experts. He then ordered Dongfang Rou to find loyal orphans for an intelligence organization, leaving her to carry out his plan.

• Su Xiaobai returned home and reunited with Su Ling'er and Little White Dragon.
• Su Xiaobai infused cultivation and copied techniques into Su Ling'er, raising her to Five Precepts Great Saint Grade.
• Su Xiaobai gave all his remaining stored cultivation to Little White Dragon, raising it to Four Precepts Great Saint Grade and Quasi-Immortal Grade strength.
• Su Xiaobai found Dongfang Rou training in a martial arena and told her to establish an intelligence organization by finding orphans loyal to him.

Su Xiaobai ordered Dongfang Rou to establish the Eagle intelligence agency and used his system to upgrade his monster-hunting and training spaces. He began preparing to cultivate Divine Blazing Extreme Blood Eyes, an Emperor Grade pupil-art technique, as the chapter ended with his One-Click Training Space unlocking another variant.

• Su Xiaobai ordered Dongfang Rou to establish Eagle, made her swear a Soul Oath, and raised her cultivation to First Yuan Martial King Grade while giving her a Saint Grade Body Tempering Technique.
• Su Xiaobai used Replacement to travel to the dangerous sea road to Nine Tripod Immortal City, where he planned to upgrade his system and spend his High-grade Origin Stones safely.
• Su Xiaobai upgraded Automated Monster Hunting, increasing his Shadow Quantity and unlocking a function that doubled it.
• Su Xiaobai considered the power of his boosted techniques and his desire to test himself against a True Immortal Grade opponent.
• Su Xiaobai began upgrading One-Click Skill Practice so he could cultivate Divine Blazing Extreme Blood Eyes, and his One-Click Training Space unlocked Variant Doubling 2.

Su Xiaobai upgraded his cultivation, alchemy, gathering, and mining systems to boost his power and profits while preparing for Shadow to reach Nine Tripod Immortal City in about a month. The upgrades unlocked new functions for cultivating laws, reducing alchemy materials, and expanding treasure and mineral searches.

• Su Xiaobai noted that his improved strength had reduced the journey to Nine Tripod Immortal City to about a month, and he sent Shadows to other cities to earn Essence Stones.
• Su Xiaobai upgraded One-Click Cultivation, unlocking the ability to cultivate eight laws of heaven and earth simultaneously.
• Su Xiaobai upgraded One-Click Alchemy until it could refine Fifth-Order Immortal Grade pills and unlocked a function that reduced required materials.
• Su Xiaobai upgraded One-Click Gathering, giving Treasure Hunting Goblins clones to search for more treasures.
• Su Xiaobai upgraded One-Click Mining, improving the Mining Goblins and unlocking mineral-vein seeking and a group that could generate up to ten new goblins.

Su Xiaobai upgraded One-Click Forging, One-Click Enhancement, One-Click Synthesis, and One-Click Array Creation, unlocking new functions for each. He then activated the newly available One-Click Recycling Space, which appeared as a space containing a gold coin bearing his portrait.

• Su Xiaobai spent High-grade Origin Stones to raise the levels of four system spaces and unlocked additional forging, enhancement, synthesis, and array functions.
• The system announced that all of Su Xiaobai’s current functions had reached the required level and offered him One-Click Recycling Space.
• Su Xiaobai learned that One-Click Recycling Space could appraise and recycle treasures, materials, and corpses for wealth.
• Su Xiaobai activated One-Click Recycling Space, which appeared beside One-Click Array Creation Space with a gold coin engraved with his portrait.