Chapter Summaries

Hu Qi took control of the Tattered Black Banner, escaped the destroyed Strange Painting, and turned his attention to his second avatar. The story then shifted to Li Feng, who believed his dead parents were alive until Zhang Lin told him they had been cremated two days earlier.

• Hu Qi learned Xin's memories and concluded that the World Will had used him to try to seize the Tattered Black Banner, which Hu Qi had now refined.
• Hu Qi used the banner to open a rift out of the collapsing Strange Painting and emerged in the real world after three days, planning to deal with his second avatar.
• Li Feng went to school and heard that a nightmare incident at Lefang Mall had left thirty-one people missing.
• Zhang Lin told Li Feng that his parents were dead, but Li Feng returned home and spoke with his mother as she prepared dinner.
• After Zhang Lin apologized for bringing up Li Feng's parents, Li Feng called him angrily, and Zhang Lin said they had been cremated two days earlier.

Li Feng remembered that his adoptive parents had died and survived a nightmare creature after gaining the Sun God's recognition. Meanwhile, Hu Qi prepared to leave the world and ordered Yuan An Ning and the Holy Radiance Bishops to ready the believers for a journey to the divine kingdom in half a month.

• Zhang Lin's words restored Li Feng's memories of his adoptive parents' deaths, and a creature impersonating his mother entered his room during a nightmare event.
• Li Feng prayed to the Sun God, gained divine recognition, and was saved by a Blazing Sun Priest who had come after Zhang Lin called for help.
• Hu Qi revealed that he had allowed a limited number of nightmare incidents to continue because resolving them strengthened believers' faith and repaired the Tattered Black Banner.
• Hu Qi decided to leave the world and sent a divine decree to Yuan An Ning and the Holy Radiance Bishops.
• Yuan An Ning told the bishops that the Sun God would guide them to the divine kingdom in half a month, and she ordered them to prepare.

Hu Qi absorbed the power and memories of his two avatars, subdued the weakened World Will, and manifested as the Sun God before swallowing the world into his pocket dimension. After discovering that the isolated world could no longer sustain its creatures through the Sea of Sumeru, he began refining the World Will into a possible replacement.

• Ouyang Shuokong remained devoted to Hu Qi and had developed the Holy Warrior path by combining Holy Power with secret martial arts.
• Hu Qi reunited with his two avatars, absorbed their spirit seeds and accumulated power, then overpowered and sealed the World Will.
• Hu Qi appeared as the Sun God, drew stronger faith from the people, and swallowed the world into his pocket dimension while believers' Divine Art stabilized it.
• Hu Qi discovered that creatures in the pocket dimension were declining because they could no longer access the Sea of Sumeru's Soul Light, and he chose to use the World Will to seek a solution.
• A blond young man sitting on a Purple Shell Spirit Realm Creature opened his eyes after sensing a disturbance near the boundary between the Shallow Wave Zone and the Deep Abyss Zone.

Hu Qi completed the Yin Yang Samsara Disk, a Dream Eye that recycled Soul Light through human and animal reincarnation, and installed it in his cave-heaven to sustain life in both worlds. After the disk completed its first cycle and new creatures began to be born, Hu Qi sensed that it had made the cave-heaven more complete and called out to Crimson.

• Xizhong Si sensed the Serpent of Destruction's remnants through a black snake scale and flew toward their location after waiting nearly a hundred years.
• Hu Qi finished forging the Yin Yang Samsara Disk with the Tattered Black Banner and a world's World Will, then replenished it with spiritual seawater from the Sea of Sumeru.
• Hu Qi placed the disk above Zero Island and Nightmare World One, where it began washing and reincarnating Soul Light through its Human Path and Animal Path.
• The disk's first cycle restored life in the worlds, and a green Soul Light entered a bird egg on Zero Island, allowing it to hatch.
• Hu Qi sensed that the completed cycle had strengthened the cave-heaven's connection to the disk, withdrew his will, and called out, "Crimson!"

Hu Qi raised the Three-Eyed Yuan Snake’s mutation to 100%, triggering an unexplained hatching, then searched the Shallow Wave Zone for a suitable world. His exploration ended when Xizhong Si ambushed him, revealing himself as a powerful Apostle-level foe.

• Hu Qi reviewed his changed status, recognized that the Cave Heaven World was evolving, and decided to save his Modification Points for later.
• Hu Qi spent over twenty thousand Modification Points to raise his Three-Eyed Yuan Snake mutation to 100%, triggering a slow transformation marked as Hatching.
• Hu Qi chose to keep exploring the Shallow Wave Zone for worlds with complete supernatural systems rather than enter the dangerous Deep Abyss Zone.
• Hu Qi examined a weak world of mech pilots and Demonic Beasts, then considered entering it to study its method of tempering the will.
• Xizhong Si killed Hu Qi’s giant tortoise mount with a white spear and attacked Hu Qi, who blocked his strike before demanding to know who he was.

Hu Qi fought Xizhong Si, an angel sent by the White King to kill the remnant of the Three-Eyed Yuan Snake, and unleashed the power of two burned Spirit Seeds to overcome him. Xizhong Si was destroyed, but a mote of light escaped, and Hu Qi pursued it to prevent it from reaching the true god behind him.

• Xizhong Si identified himself as one of the four great angels beneath the White Throne and attacked Hu Qi with the Spear of Judgment.
• Hu Qi and Xizhong Si clashed, and their battle’s shockwaves devastated a nearby Spiritual-grade world before Xizhong Si was driven back.
• Xizhong Si recovered and activated a true god’s power, restraining Hu Qi, while Hu Qi’s Red Mirror Saber shattered in their exchange.
• Hu Qi burned the Nightmare Demonic Elephant and Sun God Deity Spirit Seeds, broke free of the restraint, and struck Xizhong Si with his Yuan Eye.
• Hu Qi crushed Xizhong Si and burned his remains, but a glowing mote escaped, so Hu Qi pursued it across the Sea of Sumeru.

Hu Qi pursued Xizhong Si into a powerful new world, where a colossal face attacked the city that sheltered him. The world repelled the intruder, leaving Xizhong Si badly burned but alive beneath the ruins.

• Hu Qi killed a blood-colored lobster monster and a blue bird while pursuing the fleeing ball of light containing Xizhong Si.
• Hu Qi repaired his damaged Nightmare Demonic Elephant Spirit Seed and Deity Spirit Seed with Modification Points, then continued after Xizhong Si.
• Xizhong Si escaped into an ochre-yellow rift, and Hu Qi followed him into the world beyond.
• Xizhong Si's arrival in the black giant city drew a colossal face that tore through the sky and struck at the city.
• A rune-marked black arm opposed the giant palm, and a silver rune eventually sealed the world against the face.
• The ruined city lay beneath a massive charred palm print, while the badly burned Xizhong Si opened one bloodshot eye.

Hu Qi killed Xizhong Si and escaped after using the Tattered Black Banner, while Caius took command of Iron City’s response and vowed to find his brother’s killer. Hu Qi then emerged injured in a rainy mountain forest, killed a Long-eared Wolf, and called out to someone hiding nearby.

• A dark-skinned young man stabbed Xizhong Si, captured his escaping Soul Light in the Tattered Black Banner, and vanished through a rift after knocking out a woman who confronted him.
• Three combat-uniformed figures found Prince Gwell dead, and Caius arrived, identified the woman’s attacker as a powerful spiritual-type enemy, and vowed to avenge his brother.
• Caius presented Marshal Mukuo’s token, assumed authority over Iron City’s affairs, and ordered the Heavenly Kings recalled and the murderer found.
• In a rainy mountain forest, Lu Shan waited in a tree to ambush a Long-eared Wolf, but a bloodied Hu Qi fell into a muddy puddle and startled the beast away.
• The Long-eared Wolf attacked Hu Qi, who killed it with a flash of black light, recovered from his injuries, and demanded that someone hiding nearby come out.
• A slender figure jumped down from a tree and landed in front of Hu Qi.

Hu Qi traveled with Lu Shan toward Rotten Leaf Settlement, learning about Barren Star and her brother’s illness as a storm forced them to shelter from Blood Mosquitoes. He perfected the Spirit Ape Stance using Modification Points, then discovered that this world’s Essence, Vitality, and Spirit Treasury could not be opened.

• Hu Qi asked Lu Shan to guide him to Rotten Leaf Settlement in exchange for the Long-eared Wolf he had killed.
• A storm drove Hu Qi and Lu Shan into a cave, where they discussed Rotten Leaf Settlement, Barren Star, and the dangers of its wasteland beasts.
• Lu Shan begged Hu Qi to save her sick younger brother, and Hu Qi agreed to consider it after seeing him.
• Hu Qi examined his body and used Modification Points to raise the Spirit Ape Stance to perfection, then restored his drained condition.
• Hu Qi discovered that he could not open the Essence, Vitality, and Spirit Treasury in this world.

Hu Qi reached Rotten Leaf Settlement with Lu Shan after discovering that he could not sense the Essence, Vitality, and Spirit Treasury, and he planned to pursue the local Evolver path. Liu Guang seized most of their wolf bounty at the gate, and Hu Qi saw the settlement leader return from a hunt before Lu Shan brought him to her home.

• Hu Qi carried the Long-eared Wolf to Rotten Leaf Settlement while avoiding wasteland beasts with Lu Shan.
• Liu Guang demanded half the wolf as a joining fee, then gave Lu Shan only one hind leg after his guards stripped and divided the carcass.
• Liu Guang welcomed the leader’s returning convoy and hoped the leader would help him become an Evolver.
• Hu Qi and Lu Shan walked through the settlement, where survivors watched them and the leader’s armed hunting party roared past.
• Lu Shan brought Hu Qi to her container home, where her pale-faced younger brother came out to greet her and noticed Hu Qi.

Hu Qi treated Lu Hong’s illness in Rotten Leaf Settlement and forced Lu Shan and Lu Hong to become his subordinates. In the Sea of Sumeru, he interrogated Xizhong Si about the White King, then returned to Barren Star and headed toward the settlement’s guarded manor to investigate its supernatural paths.

• Hu Qi diagnosed Lu Hong with insufficient Blood Qi and pneumonia, then used Blood Qi to treat him at the cost of thirty years of his lifespan.
• Hu Qi placed a deadly monthly trigger in Lu Shan and demanded that she and Lu Hong obey him; Lu Hong awoke recovered, and the siblings accepted their new position.
• Hu Qi tortured Xizhong Si inside the black banner until he learned that a Three-Eyed Yuan Snake Reverse Scale had led the White King’s forces to him and that the White King was a powerful True God.
• Hu Qi learned that killing Xizhong Si might let the White King track him, so he kept Xizhong Si alive and resolved to grow strong enough to face the White King.
• Hu Qi failed to unseal his Essence, Vitality, and Spirit Treasury, concluded he needed to encounter Barren Star’s supernatural paths, and slipped out toward the illuminated manor.

Hu Qi infiltrated the Rotten Leaf Settlement manor, defeated its leader Iron Bear, and took control of the settlement. As the guards obeyed their new leader, three disheveled women were dragged out of the manor.

• Hu Qi killed the two guards at the gate and entered the manor.
• Hu Qi attacked Iron Bear, overwhelmed him with a barrage of strikes, and caused his body to collapse from internal damage.
• Liu Guang ordered the guards to shoot Hu Qi, but Hu Qi killed Liu Guang and the other attackers, then offered the survivors a choice between death and obedience.
• Hu Qi appointed Tong Chang to replace Liu Guang and declared himself the settlement's leader; the guards accepted and began cleaning up.
• The guards dragged three disheveled women out through the manor's main gate.

Hu Qi questioned Iron Bear about the Evolver awakening ritual and learned how acquired awakening worked before killing him. He dissected Iron Bear’s body overnight and discovered a strange rune on a bone fragment.

• Tong Chang asked Hu Qi what to do with Iron Bear’s three women, and Hu Qi ordered them taken away.
• The women insulted the wounded Iron Bear, who fainted after spitting blood.
• Hu Qi revived Iron Bear with cold water and tortured him until he explained the types and ranks of Evolvers.
• Iron Bear described the acquired-awakening ritual and asked Hu Qi for a quick death, which Hu Qi granted.
• Hu Qi dissected Iron Bear’s corpse to study Evolver biology and found a twisted rune on a bone fragment.

Hu Qi examined Iron Bear’s rune-bearing bone and decided to transplant it into Lu Hong to try to make him an Evolver. As Hu Qi began the operation, three mysterious riders arrived in the wilderness near Rotten Leaf Settlement.

• Hu Qi identified Iron Bear’s rune-bearing bone as the source of an Evolver’s power and considered whether it could be transplanted into another person.
• Lu Shan and Lu Hong learned that Iron Bear had been killed and that Hu Qi was the settlement’s new leader, then went to meet him at the manor.
• Hu Qi offered Lu Hong a dangerous chance to become an Evolver, and Lu Hong agreed to undergo the procedure.
• Hu Qi sterilized a blade, put Lu Hong to sleep, and began surgery to transplant Iron Bear’s rune-bearing bone into him.
• Three riders on spiked motorcycles raced across the wasteland and stopped about a hundred kilometers from Rotten Leaf Settlement.

Hu Qi confirmed that Lu Hong had likely become an evolver after receiving the bone-fragment transplant, then left to investigate a suspected Third-Order Wasteland Beast. While Hu Qi was away, Thorn Settlement arrived at Rotten Leaf Settlement with three outsiders and confronted Tong Chang.

• Miao Xu and Xu Qing argued during their journey toward Thorn Settlement, and their captain ordered them to continue toward the settlement.
• Lu Hong woke after his surgery, sensed Ether Particles and a rune in his body, and briefly hardened his skin after Hu Qi told him to mobilize his power.
• Hu Qi told Lu Hong the transplant had likely made him an evolver, then sent him away and learned of a suspected Third-Order Wasteland Beast near Rock Lake.
• Hu Qi took a convoy out of Rotten Leaf Settlement to investigate the beast, leaving Tong Chang in charge.
• Tong Chang raised the alarm when Thorn Settlement's convoy approached, then recognized its leader, the Bloodthorn Butcher, who presented Iron Bear to the three outsiders.

Hu Qi confronted and killed a powerful Two-Headed White Bear at Rock Lake, then used its blood to complete the Awakening Ritual and become an Evolver. He sensed his new strength exceeded the limits of a First-Order Evolver and summoned the Scarlet Panel.

• At Rotten Leaf Settlement, Miao Xu killed guards with his mental abilities, but a stern man stopped him from attacking ordinary people and had the gate opened so they could wait for Iron Bear.
• Hu Qi sent the hunting team to wait three kilometers away, provoked the Two-Headed White Bear out of Rock Lake, and killed it with the Tattered Black Banner.
• Hu Qi entered the bear's heart and began the Awakening Ritual, using his Spirit Devouring Talent to drain the beast's blood and life force.
• Hu Qi emerged from the bear's hide transformed, with a powerful body, white hair, dark blue eyes, and a silver light where his Essence, Vitality, and Spirit Treasury had been.
• Hu Qi examined the Ether Particles he could now perceive, concluded his strength surpassed a First-Order Evolver's limits, and summoned the Scarlet Panel.

Hu Qi raised his strength to the peak of the Fourth-Tier Heavenly King realm and learned that analyzing other Evolvers’ runes increased his Unknown Talisman’s completion. He returned to Rotten Leaf Settlement, where he subdued four Evolvers from Panshan Gathering Place and decided to keep them for his own purposes.

• Hu Qi used Modification Points to advance from Early Stage Core Forging to the peak of the Heavenly King realm, but found he could not advance further until his Unknown Talisman reached ten percent completion.
• Hu Qi analyzed the rune from Iron Bear and raised his Unknown Talisman’s completion from 0.09% to 0.12%.
• Hu Qi flew back to Rotten Leaf Settlement and sensed Evolvers waiting in the manor.
• The cold-faced man and his companions questioned Tong Chang about Hu Qi, then Hu Qi appeared and revealed that he was the settlement’s leader.
• Hu Qi overwhelmed the four visitors with his pressure, identified himself as the new leader, and froze them in place before dismissing Tong Chang.

Hu Qi strengthened Lu Shan, Lu Hong, and Tong Chang with transplanted runes, ordered them to spread the Sun God's faith, and flew toward Panshan Gathering Place to gather runes and seek knowledge of talismans. Meanwhile, Gerard tried to trace the destruction of Iron City and identified Lin Yi as the murderer, unaware that Hu Qi was using his body.

• Hu Qi raised his Unknown Talisman's completion to 0.29% by extracting and integrating runes from four people, then decided to accelerate his plans.
• Hu Qi appointed Lu Shan to manage Rotten Leaf Settlement and sent her, Lu Hong, and Tong Chang to spread the Sun God's faith.
• Hu Qi flew toward Panshan Gathering Place, passing over settlements and destroying a swarm of Six-winged Blood-striped Bees with a gesture.
• Caius asked Gerard to trace the destruction of Iron City, but Gerard suffered backlash when his vision encountered a giant face.
• Gerard recovered with Caius's aid, then used blood to reveal Lin Yi's face as the apparent murderer of the Second Prince.

Hu Qi infiltrated Panshan Gathering Place as Chen Yi and confronted its leaders, killing two Third-Order Evolvers before revealing his strength to Chief Yin Zuocang. After Hu Qi demanded that Yin Zuocang submit, Yin launched a spear attack, and the chapter ended before their clash was resolved.

• Caius gave Gerard a Hundred Faces Vermillion Fruit and a drop of his blood, allowing Gerard to create a tracker for their distant target.
• Caius ordered Gerard to gather the other Heavenly Kings so they could pursue the target together.
• Hu Qi disguised himself as Chen Yi, entered Panshan Gathering Place, and went to report to Chief Yin Zuocang.
• When two Evolvers challenged him over Xu Qing and Miao Xu's deaths, Hu Qi killed them with ice spikes.
• Yin Zuocang attacked Hu Qi, but their clash destroyed the meeting-room building and left Yin's arm numbed by frost.
• Hu Qi demanded that Yin submit or die, and Yin retaliated with his silver dragon-patterned spear and Annihilation Strike.

Hu Qi killed Yin Zuocang, took control of Panshan Gathering Place, and learned from his captive soul about Fifth-Tier Human War Gods and runes. After raising his Unknown Talisman completion to 9.11%, Hu Qi faced a new threat as the Desolate God Rudra approached the gathering place.

• Hu Qi froze Yin Zuocang and killed him with an ice blade, then forced the surviving Evolvers to obey him and assumed Yin Zuocang's appearance.
• Hu Qi captured Yin Zuocang's soul in the Tattered Black Banner, tortured him for information about Fifth-Tier Human War Gods, then extinguished his soul and examined his rune collection.
• Gerard and Caius lost track of their target near a restricted zone and concluded that he was somewhere in the eastern Southern War Zone.
• Hu Qi absorbed the runes collected by Yin Zuocang over two days, raising his Unknown Talisman completion to 9.11%.
• Zhang Ming warned Hu Qi that the Desolate God Rudra was heading toward Panshan Gathering Place, and Hu Qi went to the gates to meet it as a massive black tornado approached.