Chapter Summaries

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Zhou, Fang Xiaoxia, and Miss Ya reach Soaring Egret Mountain.
• Bai Zhou reveals his plan to expose Major Luo's secrets.
• Bai Zhou drinks a "Burst Potion" and prepares to use the Thunder Sky Bow.

Character Developments

• Bai Zhou: Shows determination and strategic thinking, planning to expose Major Luo's secrets.
• Fang Xiaoxia: Becomes more aware of the harsh realities of the world, questioning her understanding of justice.
• Miss Ya: Remains silent and mysterious, her past and motivations still unclear.

Significant Themes

• The struggle between order and chaos, and the lack of clear-cut justice in the world.
• The power dynamics between individuals and large organizations, and the difficulty of challenging the status quo.
• The importance of keeping promises and following through on one's words.

Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia: Their bond deepens as they share their thoughts and plans. Bai Zhou reassures Fang Xiaoxia that he will keep his promise to her.
• Bai Zhou and Miss Ya: Miss Ya listens to Bai Zhou's plans but does not interfere or offer advice. Their relationship remains ambiguous.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

+ Bai Zhou draws the Thunder Sky Bow, firing a lightning arrow that destroys Longze Private Middle School, revealing Major Luo's grand plan to the world.
+ Fang Xiaoxia's memories are altered, and she realizes that she had once redeemed a classmate who later became the vessel for a Demon.
+ Bai Zhou discovers that Fang Xiaoxia's soul was split in half, and the Demon took her soul's half that symbolized her spirit, talent, and perception.

Character Developments

+ Fang Xiaoxia: Realizes her memories were altered, discovers her past self redeemed a classmate, and learns about her split soul. She experiences a rebirth and begins a new life.
+ Bai Zhou: Draws the Thunder Sky Bow, revealing Major Luo's plan, and helps Fang Xiaoxia understand her past. He exhausts himself but remains determined.

Significant Themes

+ Redemption and salvation: Fang Xiaoxia's past self redeemed her classmate, and Bai Zhou helps Fang Xiaoxia find her true self.
+ Identity and self-discovery: Fang Xiaoxia learns about her past and begins to understand her true identity.
+ Power and sacrifice: Bai Zhou uses the Thunder Sky Bow, exhausting himself to reveal the truth and help Fang Xiaoxia.

Character Interactions

+ Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia: Bai Zhou helps Fang Xiaoxia understand her past and experiences a rebirth. They stand together, their shadows stretching long in the rain.
+ Bai Zhou and Ya: Ya accompanies them and supports Bai Zhou's decision to reveal Major Luo's plan.

Key Plot Points and Events

• An explosion occurs at Longluo Private Middle School, exposing an underground base.
• The FZDC headquarters is attacked, and a precious Secret Treasure is stolen.
• The Bureau of Anomalous Investigation and other authorities are alerted and begin investigating.
• Major Luo and Liu Jia (Chi) are at the underground base, preparing for a ritual at midnight.

Character Developments

• Major Luo: Becomes more determined and ruthless in his pursuit of the Saint Ascension Plan.
• Liu Jia/Chi: Shows signs of his true identity and seems to be expecting something or someone.
• The Director of the Bureau of Anomalous Investigation: Becomes more involved in the investigation and shows determination to capture Liu Jia.

Significant Themes

• Power and corruption: Major Luo's actions and the authorities' responses highlight the abuse of power and corruption within the system.
• The pursuit of knowledge and ambition: Major Luo's obsession with the Saint Ascension Plan and the authorities' desire to control and understand extraordinary phenomena.
• The consequences of secrecy: The underground base's exposure and the subsequent chaos emphasize the dangers of keeping secrets and the importance of transparency.

Character Interactions

• Major Luo and Liu Jia: Their interaction is tense, with Major Luo eager to proceed with the ritual and Liu Jia seemingly distracted by something else.
• The Director and his team: They communicate efficiently, with the Director issuing orders and his team responding promptly.
• The authorities: They coordinate their efforts to investigate the explosions and secure the underground base, showing a united front against the unknown threat.

Key Plot Points and Events

+ Fang Xiaoxia's birthday arrives, and she expects nothing, having hidden it from others.
+ Bai Zhou remembers and celebrates her birthday with a grand display of fireworks, surprising and touching Fang Xiaoxia.
+ Bai Zhou decides to temporarily leave Fang Xiaoxia to recover his strength in the Jurassic Realm, planning to return soon.

Character Developments

+ Fang Xiaoxia: Realizes the importance of her birthday and the impact of Bai Zhou's gesture, leading to emotional growth.
+ Bai Zhou: Shows his caring side by remembering and celebrating Fang Xiaoxia's birthday, demonstrating his growing affection for her.

Significant Themes

+ The importance of remembrance and celebration of personal milestones, such as birthdays.
+ The power of gestures and actions to touch and connect people.

Character Interactions

+ Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia: Their bond deepens as Bai Zhou shows he cares for Fang Xiaoxia by celebrating her birthday, while she becomes more determined to stay by his side.
+ Bai Zhou and the Divine Hall: Bai Zhou completes his trial objective and is invited to inherit the Sun, showing the Divine Hall's recognition of his achievements.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Zhou inherits the Troy Civilization and becomes its Successor.
• He gains the Altar Mark, which allows him to sacrifice Romans for knowledge and power from the Troy Civilization.
• The Wolf Knight Statue reveals that Bai Zhou can use the Altar Mark to strike a distant blow with the Great Sacrifice's power.

Character Developments

• Bai Zhou accepts the weight of the Troy Civilization and its history, becoming its sole living representative.
• He is determined to grow stronger and become Rome's enemy.

Significant Themes

• The weight of history and civilization.
• The consequences of inheritance and power.
• The struggle against oppression and the desire for revenge.

Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou interacts with the Wolf Knight Statue, which provides him with information and guidance.
• The Great Sacrifice monster and the Last Will of the Scarlet Queen are mentioned, furthering Bai Zhou's understanding of his role and destiny.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Zhou inherits everything from Troy, including the [Sacrifice] mark for vengeance.
• He gains a new ability before his next adventure.
• The Wolf Knight Statue explains that the God-Chosen Mark on Bai Zhou is a projection from the Scarlet Queen, which should be reclaimed after the mission.
• Bai Zhou compares the mark to a treasure box and expresses reluctance to give it back without studying it first.
• The Wolf Knight Statue reveals that the mark has other abilities and that Bai Zhou is a "King Chosen," but he needs to meet certain thresholds to fully wield its power.
• Two pages of parchment containing Ritualist advancements appear: "Bestowing the Mark" and two first-rank rituals—Hundred-Paper Corridor Ritual and Little Amber Sealing Domain Ritual.

Character Developments

• Bai Zhou shows greed but also caution regarding the God-Chosen Mark, comparing it to a treasure box.
• He expresses curiosity about the name "Pandora" and its connection to the taboo Ill Omen.
• Bai Zhou learns about his status as a "King Chosen" and the requirements to fully wield the King-Chosen Mark's power.
• He gains access to two advanced Ritualist techniques.

Significant Themes

• Greed and caution in adventuring.
• The power and responsibility of being chosen (God-Chosen or King-Chosen).
• The importance of studying and understanding new abilities before giving them up.
• The taboo nature of certain names and stories, and their connection to Ill Omen.

Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou interacts with the Wolf Knight Statue, discussing the God-Chosen Mark, its origins, and its potential powers.
• Bai Zhou shares a story about Pandora and a treasure box with the Wolf Knight Statue, which seems to trigger an Ill Omen.
• The Wolf Knight Statue reveals information about the God-Chosen Mark, the King-Chosen Mark, and the requirements for Bai Zhou to fully wield its power.
• Bai Zhou gains access to two advanced Ritualist techniques, furthering his development as a Ritualist.

Plot Points and Events

• Bai Zhou learns about two first-rank rituals, Hundred-Paper Corridor Ritual and Little Amber Sealing Domain Ritual, from the Wolf Knight Statue.
• He understands that [Spirit Pivot] is a foundational ritual within one's body, used for analyzing, breaking, or seizing rituals.
• The Wolf Knight reveals that the Sun Temple's inheritance is the strongest in ritualist training, with the [Celestial Pivot] being the highest-specification ritual seed.
• Bai Zhou decides to attempt the Imprint Bestowal of the [Celestial Pivot].

Character Developments

• Bai Zhou demonstrates courage and resolve, accepting the challenge of the [Celestial Pivot] Imprint Bestowal.
• The Wolf Knight Statue shows sincerity and respect towards Bai Zhou, acknowledging his potential.

Significant Themes

• The power and complexity of ranked rituals.
• The importance of [Spirit Pivot] in ritual studies.
• The significance of the [Celestial Pivot] and its rarity.

Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou interacts with the Wolf Knight Statue, learning about rituals and expressing his determination to attempt the [Celestial Pivot] Imprint Bestowal.
• The Wolf Knight Statue acknowledges Bai Zhou's potential and performs a knight's salute, showing respect and sincerity.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Zhou successfully receives the [Celestial Pivot] seal bestowal in a single attempt, an exceptional feat.
• He experiences the power of [Celestial Pivot], which enhances his Spirituality and allows him to instantly cast simple rituals.
• Bai Zhou becomes a ranked ritualist, capable of rivaling a Level 5 Destined One.

Character Developments

• Bai Zhou demonstrates exceptional aptitude in ritual studies, comparable to the Troy Civilization's King in his youth.
• He gains confidence and a sense of accomplishment after successfully receiving the [Celestial Pivot] seal.
• The Wolf Knight Statue, an artificial intelligence, expresses surprise and admiration for Bai Zhou's achievement.

Significant Themes

• The difficulty and rarity of successfully receiving the [Celestial Pivot] seal bestowal.
• The power and potential of [Celestial Pivot] in enhancing Spirituality and enabling instant ritual casting.
• Bai Zhou's growth and transformation into a ranked ritualist.

Character Interactions

• The Wolf Knight Statue serves as a guide and observer, expressing surprise and admiration for Bai Zhou's accomplishment.
• Bai Zhou interacts with the statue mentally, receiving guidance and information about the seal bestowal process.

Chapter Summary: “The Arena, The Last Will of Our Seniors”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The Wolf Knight explains that powerful ritualists can rival Destined Ones, and that Bai Zhou may gain stronger rituals by sacrificing valuable Roman enemies to Troy’s altar.
• He reveals the harsh truth that reviving Troy is likely impossible unless Bai Zhou eventually surpasses the Scarlet Queen by a great margin. Despite this, he tells Bai Zhou not to bear the burden too heavily.
• Bai Zhou accepts the responsibility, promising to try to rebuild Troy someday and jokingly offers to appoint the Wolf Knight as his Grand Chancellor.
• The Wolf Knight outlines the power structure of the Roman Empire:
  • A level 5 [Professionist] is needed for basic survival.
  • Level 6 allows someone to establish themselves in remote imperial regions.
  • Only a [Lifeforger] is regarded as a true powerhouse.
• He emphasizes that even the mighty Roman Empire rose from the ruins of earlier civilizations and that no civilization or transcendent being can endure forever.
• The Wolf Knight explains that Bai Zhou’s future growth must follow the [Adventurer] path, which originated from the older [Ranger] and [Gladiator] paths. Troy and Rome were major developers of this tradition rather than its original creators.
• Using the spirituality contained in the Roman sergeant’s skull, the Wolf Knight temporarily activates the ancient Colosseum in the ruins of the Sky City.
• Bai Zhou enters the ruined arena, where old combat marks allow him to witness fragments of countless brutal battles.
• He discovers the scattered “last wills” of former level 6 [Gladiator]s—battle-crazed remnants filled with killing intent, pain, and devotion to combat.
• The accumulated combat memories resonate with Bai Zhou’s battle-intent seeds. His bottleneck begins to loosen, and the seeds finally ignite, signaling an imminent breakthrough.

2. Character Developments

• Bai Zhou matures emotionally by accepting the possibility that Troy’s revival may be nearly impossible while still choosing to shoulder the responsibility. His promise to “try” reflects growing determination rather than blind confidence.
• He begins to understand the immense scale of history, recognizing that thousands or even tens of thousands of years may pass before Troy can be restored.
• His initial pride at advancing quickly in the mystic world is diminished by the Wolf Knight’s explanation of Rome’s strength, giving him a deeper sense of humility and caution.
• Bai Zhou’s battle intent develops rapidly in the Colosseum. Exposure to the warriors’ combat traces and final wills pushes him toward mastering battle intent, the Basic Fifth Slash, and eventually advancing to level 5.
• The Wolf Knight is revealed to be more compassionate and realistic than Bai Zhou expected. Although bound to Troy’s revival, it acknowledges the slim chances of success and tries to reduce Bai Zhou’s psychological burden.
• The Wolf Knight also becomes an active mentor, providing historical knowledge, evaluating Bai Zhou’s prospects, and opening the Colosseum to help him overcome his bottleneck.

3. Significant Themes

• Hope despite improbability: Troy’s revival is portrayed as almost impossible, but Bai Zhou chooses to pursue it regardless. The chapter suggests that meaning comes from striving even when success cannot be guaranteed.
• The burden of inheritance: Bai Zhou inherits not only Troy’s knowledge and hopes but also the expectations of generations of kings, saintesses, and warriors.
• The vastness and impermanence of civilization: Even the Roman Empire may eventually vanish, just as older civilizations disappeared before it. Power and glory are temporary within the scale of history.
• Growth through combat and suffering: The Colosseum presents battle as a way of understanding life, pain, and existence. Combat is not merely physical violence but a path toward transcendence and self-realization.
• Knowledge preserved through ruins: The destroyed arena and lingering combat marks show how fragments of dead civilizations can continue guiding future generations.
• Humility before the wider world: Bai Zhou learns that his rapid progress is insignificant compared with the ancient civilizations and powerful beings that preceded him.

4. Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou and the Wolf Knight: Their conversation combines mentorship, philosophical reflection, and mutual uncertainty. The Wolf Knight warns Bai Zhou not to underestimate Rome while Bai Zhou reassures it that he will still attempt to revive Troy.
• Bai Zhou’s lighthearted promise to make the Wolf Knight Grand Chancellor briefly softens the discussion of impossible goals and allows their relationship to become more personal.
• The Wolf Knight indirectly connects Bai Zhou to the ancient Wolf Knight who once entrusted Troy’s future to him, reinforcing Bai Zhou’s role as the civilization’s heir.
• Bai Zhou and the ancient Gladiators: Though the Gladiators are long dead, their battle scars and fragmented final wills interact with Bai Zhou spiritually. Their obsession with combat awakens and strengthens his own battle intent.
• The chapter ends as Bai Zhou’s battle-intent seeds erupt, suggesting that the arena and the wills of its former champions have initiated his next major breakthrough.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Zhou's Battle Intent seed matures into a sapling, signifying his advancement to Level 5 [Adventurer].
• He gains insights into the Fifth and Sixth Basic Slashes by observing the battles of past [Gladiators].
• Bai Zhou successfully performs the Fifth Basic Slash, branding a Secret Technique Imprint upon his Destiny and officially becoming a Level 5 Destined One.
• The Last Wills of the past [Gladiators] dissipate, leaving behind a trace of fortune for Bai Zhou's Battle Intent tree.
• Bai Zhou discovers an ancient stone platform in the arena's center, with two powerful Spirit Name Secret Treasures—Bones and Stardust—embedded atop it.

Character Developments

• Bai Zhou advances to Level 5 [Adventurer] and becomes a Destined One, significantly enhancing his strength and instincts.
• The Wolf Knight Statue acknowledges Bai Zhou's progress and advises him to return.

Significant Themes

• The power of Battle Intent and its connection to the Basic Nine Slashes.
• The importance of life-and-death battles in comprehending Intent.
• The legacy of the Sun Temple and the Troy Civilization.

Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou interacts with the Last Wills of the past [Gladiators], learning from their battles and comprehending Intent.
• The Wolf Knight Statue guides and assesses Bai Zhou, acknowledging his growth and advising him.

Chapter Summary — Destiny Contract, Xiluo Prison

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Zhou asks the Wolf Knight Statue about participating in the arena’s Trial of Contest, which could grant him the title King of Battle, access to powerful swords, and a matching Destiny Contract.
• The Trial normally requires defeating other Battle Intent users, but Troy’s civilization has been destroyed, leaving Bai Zhou as the only eligible competitor. He therefore automatically passes the first stage.
• The second stage requires him to reach Level 6 and battle the spirits of former Kings of Battle. The trial also demands significant sacrifices, which can only be obtained in the Roman Empire.
• With only five hours left before he must return to Tinghai, Bai Zhou decides not to rest and instead immediately travel to Rome.
• The Wolf Knight gives him a mysterious black token engraved with a Bloody Mouth. By using it on someone recently deceased, Bai Zhou can mystically replace that person’s identity and gain a starting position in the Roman Empire.
• The Wolf Knight explains Rome’s rigid social hierarchy. Bai Zhou must first become a ninth-class citizen, which would allow him to access basic professions and join the Mercenary or Adventurer Guild.
• The Wolf Knight recommends the guild because it offers freedom, income, and opportunities to encounter treasures and secrets, despite the low reputation and dangers of the profession.
• The Wolf Knight activates a long-prepared Ritual to select a suitable identity for Bai Zhou. After more than ten minutes of searching, the Ritual transports him to Rome.
• Bai Zhou awakens not in a place of privilege but inside a filthy prison cell. He discovers the corpse of a young man wearing an expensive purple-and-gold robe, surrounded by blasphemous carvings and traces of an ominous Ritual.
• As the identity-replacing token begins reacting to the corpse, Bai Zhou notices that the corpse is clutching a blood-shaped blasphemous emblem. His own Crown of Thorns ring suddenly burns with heat upon seeing it, suggesting an important connection.

Character Developments

• Bai Zhou becomes increasingly determined and proactive. Rather than waste his remaining time resting, he chooses to begin his Roman adventure immediately.
• He recognizes the immense potential of becoming King of Battle and obtaining two Spirit-Name Secret Treasures, but remains cautious about the dangers and requirements involved.
• Bai Zhou gains a stronger understanding of his role as Troy’s Successor. He realizes that he is not merely pursuing personal power but carrying the hopes of an entire extinct civilization.
• The Wolf Knight Statue is revealed to have spent countless years preparing for the possibility that Troy would gain a Successor. Its detailed plans show deep loyalty, loneliness, and anticipation beneath its cold, emotionless manner.
• Bai Zhou’s practical and humorous side appears when he worries about inheriting an identity involving family troubles, revenge, or debt.

Significant Themes

• Burden of succession: Bai Zhou’s power and status come with the responsibility of being Troy’s sole hope.
• Civilization after ruin: Troy’s destruction shapes every decision, turning survival, restoration, and sacrifice into central concerns.
• Preparation versus uncertainty: The Wolf Knight has planned everything carefully, yet Bai Zhou’s actual beginning in Rome is unpredictable and humiliating.
• Identity and social hierarchy: Bai Zhou must literally consume another person’s identity and climb Rome’s oppressive citizen system from its lowest level.
• Power and recognition: True strength depends not only on possessing Secret Treasures but also on earning their acknowledgment.
• Hidden connections: The corpse’s blasphemous emblem and Bai Zhou’s Crown of Thorns hint at a deeper relationship between the Roman Empire, the Senate, and Bai Zhou’s mysterious ring.

Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou and the Wolf Knight discuss the Trial of Contest, the requirements for becoming King of Battle, and the sacrifices needed to activate it.
• The Wolf Knight instructs Bai Zhou on how to establish himself in Rome, recommending ninth-class citizenship and membership in the Adventurer or Mercenary Guild.
• Their conversation reveals a bond built on responsibility: Bai Zhou accepts Troy’s hopes, while the Wolf Knight expresses the culmination of its centuries-long preparations.
• Before teleporting Bai Zhou, the Wolf Knight encourages him to use Roman treasures—even dead Roman beings—as sacrifices for Troy and urges him to “run rampant above Rome.”
• The chapter ends with Bai Zhou alone in a prison cell, facing an unknown corpse and a mysterious emblem that provokes a reaction from his Crown of Thorns ring.

Chapter Summary: History Will Lower Its Gaze Upon You

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Zhou examines a blood crest found in a corpse’s hand. Deciphering it reveals a dangerous message: everyone secretly anticipates the apocalypse.
• The crest releases corrupting knowledge and whispers that nearly overwhelm Bai Zhou’s sanity. His Crown Ring reacts instinctively, emitting golden light that destroys the crest and dispels its influence.
• Bai Zhou realizes that the Roman Empire/Xiluo Empire contains hidden horrors beneath its grand exterior, including forbidden knowledge, evil deities, and sanity-threatening supernatural forces.
• The Crown’s hostility toward the crest confirms Bai Zhou’s belief that the Roman Empire may contain clues about the Crown’s origins and a way to gain its recognition.
• The ritual token consumes the corpse, allowing Bai Zhou to inherit the dead man’s identity, memories, and social existence. He dons the man’s purple robe, completing the identity-transformation ritual and becoming a recognized native of the empire rather than a “Black Household.”
• Bai Zhou assumes the identity of Lucius Nies Nolanus, a former noble and Ritualist Apprentice from Blackstone City.
• Lucius’s memories reveal that his family was ruined after the collapse of a related noble branch. His father died, his mother disappeared, his siblings were enslaved or exiled, and Lucius was imprisoned for ten months after losing his citizen status.
• Lucius eventually succumbed to starvation, despair, madness, and a forbidden ritual in which he begged a deity to avenge him. Bai Zhou arrived in his body soon afterward.
• Bai Zhou accepts Lucius’s name and implicitly agrees to fulfill his desire for revenge, while also viewing Romans as potential sacrifices for his own objectives.
• Bai Zhou discovers the dead body of a strange, blood-like creature: a living Curse that had been parasitizing Lucius.
• The Curse’s death suggests that someone deliberately attached it to Lucius, raising questions about who targeted him and why.
• Bai Zhou’s Altar absorbs the Curse as a sacrifice. Troy rewards him by granting the new instinct “Scarlet Senses” and announcing that history has begun paying attention to him.

Character Developments

• Bai Zhou becomes more cautious and recognizes that the mysterious world of the Roman Empire is far more dangerous than he had assumed.
• He gains confidence that the Crown is connected to this world and that his journey may eventually unlock its greater power.
• By accepting Lucius’s identity and revenge, Bai Zhou begins forming a personal connection to the life he has inherited, despite initially treating the body as merely a convenient vessel.
• Bai Zhou’s practical and morally flexible nature remains evident: he sees revenge and sacrifice as compatible goals and considers nearly anyone in the empire a possible source of gain.
• Lucius Nies Nolanus is revealed as a tragic, isolated figure whose noble status, family, education, and future were destroyed by political and aristocratic persecution.
• The mysterious creator or owner of the Curse remains unknown, introducing a potential hidden enemy or conspiracy.

Significant Themes

• The hidden darkness beneath civilization: The empire’s grandeur conceals prisons, corruption, forbidden rituals, evil gods, and threats to sanity.
• Identity and inheritance: By consuming Lucius, Bai Zhou gains not only his name and appearance but also his memories, social position, and unresolved grievances.
• Revenge and sacrifice: Bai Zhou accepts Lucius’s desire for vengeance while continuing his own sacrificial pursuit, merging the dead man’s purpose with his own.
• Forbidden knowledge and madness: The blood crest and Lucius’s ritual demonstrate that supernatural knowledge can corrupt or destroy those who encounter it.
• Recognition and destiny: The Crown’s reaction and Troy’s acknowledgment suggest that Bai Zhou is gradually becoming entangled in larger historical and supernatural forces.
• Transformation through ritual: Bai Zhou’s clothing, identity, and status change through ritual, marking his formal entry into the Roman world.

Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou and the Crown Ring: The Crown reacts violently to the blood crest with disgust, contempt, and hostility, protecting Bai Zhou and strengthening his belief that it has an unknown connection to the empire.
• Bai Zhou and Lucius: Though Lucius is dead, Bai Zhou inherits his memories and accepts responsibility for carrying his name and pursuing his wish for revenge.
• Lucius and his family: His memories show deep bonds with his siblings and family, whose destruction becomes the emotional source of his hatred.
• Lucius and his mentor/classmates: Flashbacks portray Lucius as an isolated but serious Ritualist Apprentice whose former academic life contrasts sharply with his later imprisonment and madness.
• Bai Zhou and the Curse: Bai Zhou cautiously investigates and then sacrifices the Curse, converting a hidden threat into a source of power.
• Bai Zhou and Troy: Through the Altar, Troy recognizes and rewards him, granting him the instinct Scarlet Senses and signaling that history has begun to notice his actions.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Zhou discovers his fourth instinct, Scarlet Senses, apparently derived from the sacrificed Scarlet Curse through Troy’s power. When activated, it transforms his perception into a gray-white world filled with scarlet traces, allowing him to see past bloodstains, footprints, deaths, and other historical disturbances.
• He realizes Scarlet Senses could be valuable for tracking enemies, investigating crimes, and uncovering hidden events. He also suspects the ability may grow beyond its current applications.
• Bai Zhou examines the location where Lucius’s corpse disappeared and finds no remaining trace, likely because he has replaced Lucius’s existence. Nevertheless, he remembers Lucius’s final wish: for a deity to avenge him. Bai Zhou resolves to investigate whoever placed the curse on Lucius.
• In the black prison, Bai Zhou witnesses an old prisoner dragged away for execution by the Tribunal. The incident confirms the Empire’s harsh justice and reinforces Bai Zhou’s sense that the setting is strangely familiar.
• Bai Zhou begins speaking with a neighboring prisoner, a bearded young man who claims he was falsely accused of belonging to an evil society. His bizarre story reveals that he was imprisoned after growing a mushroom on the village chief’s head. Bai Zhou learns that the prison contains Transcendents, with more dangerous prisoners held on lower levels.
• When jailers demand prisoners to help repair damage to Blackstone City’s walls, Bai Zhou volunteers. He recognizes that repairing the wall’s rituals may give him an opportunity to study or master rituals himself, potentially strengthening him against the Major.
• Bai Zhou and other prisoners are taken outside the black prison under guard. He experiences the bustling, sunlit city of Blackstone, whose ancient blackstone architecture, markets, tradespeople, and public buildings contrast sharply with the prison.
• At the city wall, Bai Zhou sees a gigantic corpse nailed to the battlements by a sacred spear. The corpse radiates both demonic blasphemy and an eerie sacredness, while the spear completely suppresses its power.
• A guard explains that the corpse belonged to a Demon who attempted Sainthood Ascension two thousand years earlier. Saint Sister Amala defeated it, nailed it to the wall, and left the sacred spear to seal it permanently.
• Bai Zhou is shocked by this revelation. The Demon’s failed Sainthood Ascension appears connected to the Major’s current pursuit of the same goal, and Bai Zhou’s attention immediately fixes on the holy spear.

Character Developments

• Bai Zhou gains a powerful new investigative instinct and becomes increasingly aware of how his unusual abilities compensate for the Adventurer path’s relative lack of defensive and utility techniques.
• His attitude toward fulfilling final wishes is clarified: he helps others not merely for rewards, but because he genuinely values bringing closure and satisfying his own sense of peace.
• Bai Zhou grows more suspicious of Lucius’s past and the hidden purpose behind his curse. He now intends to uncover the curse’s origin and the identity of the person responsible.
• Rather than passively waiting in prison, Bai Zhou actively seeks opportunities to improve himself. Volunteering for wall repairs demonstrates his caution, resourcefulness, and willingness to exploit dangerous situations for advancement.
• The neighboring mushroom Youth is established as eccentric, socially ostracized, and possibly dangerous despite his comic behavior. His attempted volunteerism also creates a small bond of recognition with Bai Zhou.
• The prison guards and the Empire are portrayed as authoritarian and ruthless, while the Tribunal’s treatment of prisoners reveals that “justice” is closely tied to obedience and imperial control.

Significant Themes

• Power gained through sacrifice and transformation: The Scarlet Curse becomes Scarlet Senses, suggesting that curses, sacrifices, and divine or cosmic forces can be converted into new forms of power.
• Memory, identity, and replacement: Bai Zhou has effectively replaced Lucius, raising questions about whether Lucius still exists and what responsibilities Bai Zhou inherits from him.
• Justice versus oppression: The Tribunal’s arbitrary and brutal punishments contrast with its rhetoric of loyalty to the Empire, suggesting that imperial justice is primarily a tool of control.
• Order suppressing chaos: The sacred spear and the nailed Demon symbolize the Empire’s claim to have conquered evil and preserved order, even though the imprisoned Demon remains “alive.”
• The persistence of war beneath apparent peace: Although Blackstone City appears prosperous and peaceful, the guard explains that the Empire is constantly fighting unseen threats from Demons, Evil Gods, and remnants of older civilizations.
• Sainthood Ascension and its dangers: The failed Demon’s fate foreshadows the Major’s possible future and gives Bai Zhou a potentially crucial source of information or weaponry.

Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou briefly interrogates the meaning of Lucius’s last will internally, deciding to honor it despite receiving no supernatural reward.
• He cautiously converses with the bearded neighboring prisoner, drawing out information about the black prison while hiding his own plans and assessing the man’s trustworthiness.
• The mushroom Youth eagerly identifies with Bai Zhou as another supposedly wronged prisoner and attempts to join the repair crew, but the jailer refuses because his mushroom-growing ability would endanger the wall and the guard.
• Bai Zhou interacts with the jailers primarily through strategic submission, appearing weak and cooperative while secretly viewing the labor assignment as an opportunity.
• The prison guard’s explanation of the Demon, Sister Amala, and the Empire’s history fundamentally changes Bai Zhou’s understanding of the situation and directs his attention toward the holy spear.

Plot Points and Events

• Bai Zhou arrives at Blackstone City and witnesses the city wall's repair using laborers' blood and beast corpses.
• He learns about the bounty for repairing the city wall's Ritual before nightfall.
• Bai Zhou diagnoses the Ritual's issue using [Celestial Pivot] and successfully repairs it, gaining the city wall's gratitude.
• The city wall's spirit gives Bai Zhou the sharp aura of the spear that pierced the Demon, which he accepts into his Fate Space.

Character Developments

• Bai Zhou demonstrates his Ritualist prowess by diagnosing and repairing the city wall's Ritual.
• He gains the favor of the city wall's spirit and obtains the sharp aura of the Demon-piercing spear.
• Bai Zhou's confidence in dealing with Major grows as he secures the final piece of his plan.

Significant Themes

• The power of Rituals and their connection to life and the city's defense.
• The stark contrast between the laborers' suffering and the city's grandeur.
• The theme of reward and recognition for one's skills and efforts.

Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou interacts with the city wall's spirit, gaining its favor and obtaining the spear's sharp aura.
• He observes the harsh treatment of laborers by the guards, highlighting the disparity between the ruling class and the oppressed.
• Bai Zhou's actions go unnoticed by the other laborers and guards, allowing him to maintain his disguise as Lucius.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• As night approaches, Blackstone City’s damaged wall remains only half repaired, leaving the city vulnerable to an impending tide of abominations.
• Bai Zhou secretly enters the city wall’s Ritual and clears its blockages. His actions awaken Lord Blackstone, the living spirit within the wall.
• The Governor and his adjutant identify Bai Zhou as a young Ritualist—apparently Lucius Nies Nolanus, a prisoner from the ruined Nies Family.
• Although the Governor initially doubts that a First-Order Ritualist can repair such a massive Ritual, the wall suddenly rebuilds itself: a twenty-meter-long, thirty-meter-high section is restored.
• The Governor descends from the wall, releases Bai Zhou’s shackles, and publicly questions him. Bai Zhou conceals the existence of [Celestial Pivot], claiming he merely sensed and corrected structural flaws in the Ritual.
• Accepting Bai Zhou’s explanation, the Governor records his achievement as meritorious service. He invokes municipal and imperial authority to pardon Bai Zhou’s penal status and officially transform him from a criminal prisoner into a ninth-class citizen of the Xiluo Empire.
• A supernatural imperial certification process registers Bai Zhou’s identity in the Empire’s Spirit Web, grants him basic citizen rights, and places him at the end of the Empire’s enormous succession order.
• The Governor gives Bai Zhou several spiritual coins and confirms that the original bounty remains available: Bai Zhou may select a treasure from the Nies Family treasury and claim one promise from the Governor.
• Bai Zhou leaves the prison population and hides in a filthy alley to prepare for the end of the twelve-hour period.
• At exactly 36:00, the bell tower rings. Bai Zhou activates the Jurassic Golden Pass, creating a golden road through time and space.
• He successfully returns to the Present World, where he finds the worried, hiccupping Little Fire Dragon waiting for him.

2. Character Developments

• Bai Zhou/Lucius: Demonstrates extraordinary Ritual talent by repairing the city wall despite being publicly regarded as only a First-Order Ritualist. He successfully maintains his disguise, hides [Celestial Pivot], and uses his knowledge of Lucius’s background to provide a believable explanation for his advancement.
• Bai Zhou’s social status changes dramatically: he goes from shackled criminal prisoner to legal ninth-class citizen, gaining basic rights, inheritance status, and potential protection from the Governor.
• His confidence grows as he realizes that his new identity gives him access to the Nies Family’s treasury and the Governor’s promised assistance. However, he also recognizes that Lucius’s past—particularly the Nies Family’s bankruptcy and the Scarlet Curse—may bring serious trouble.
• The Governor: Initially worried about the city’s defenses, he quickly recognizes Bai Zhou’s value. Rather than treating him merely as a prisoner, he acts pragmatically, rewarding talent that can serve the Empire. His attitude toward Bai Zhou becomes unexpectedly generous and protective.
• The Adjutant: Begins skeptical of Bai Zhou’s ability but becomes astonished when the wall is repaired. He helps formalize the Governor’s decree and records Bai Zhou’s achievement.
• The Prisoners and Laborers: Their view of Bai Zhou shifts from seeing him as one of their fellow shackled workers to regarding him as someone socially and legally elevated above them.

3. Significant Themes

• Talent and social mobility: Extraordinary ability can allow someone to cross rigid class boundaries. Bai Zhou’s Ritual skill lifts him from criminal laborer to citizen in a society where such reversals are extremely rare.
• The power of bureaucracy and state authority: The Governor’s spoken decree does more than change Bai Zhou’s legal status; it triggers an immense supernatural registration system that inscribes citizenship into his soul.
• Identity and disguise: Bai Zhou must live as Lucius while concealing his true powers and the source of his abilities. His success depends on manipulating how others interpret his actions.
• Merit versus injustice: The Empire’s system is harsh, with citizens frequently falling into slavery or criminal status, but the Governor uses Bai Zhou’s contribution to justify restoring his rights.
• Power and hierarchy: The contrast between prisoners, officials, Ritualists, and high-level extraordinary beings is emphasized. Even as a ninth-class citizen, Bai Zhou remains at the lowest legal rank, though he is now separated from the prison population.
• Time, death, and return: After an exhausting day involving advancement, sacrifice, survival, and identity transformation, Bai Zhou completes his larger objective by returning to the Present World.

4. Character Interactions

• The Governor and adjutant discuss Bai Zhou’s identity and abilities, debating whether his success reflects reckless ignorance or exceptional talent.
• The Governor recognizes Bai Zhou as a possible member of the disgraced Nies Family and interprets his shackles as evidence of family-related misfortune.
• Bai Zhou carefully answers the Governor’s questions, presenting himself as a naturally gifted but humble Ritualist while avoiding any mention of [Celestial Pivot].
• The Governor validates Bai Zhou’s explanation by examining the wall’s Ritual flaws, then publicly rewards him before the prisoners and guards.
• The Governor offers Bai Zhou future protection and access to his promised reward, subtly acknowledging that the young man may face enemies connected to the Nies Family’s collapse.
• Bai Zhou’s final interaction is with the Little Fire Dragon, whose worried presence confirms that his return to the Present World has succeeded.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Zhou returns from the Reflection Ruins Realm, displaying enhanced Battle Intent, suggesting he has advanced to Level 5.
• The Roman Spirit Network activates, recognizing Bai Zhou as the Roman Empire's first heir.
• The Crown of Thorns ring activates, subjecting Bai Zhou to the "Twelve Judgments." After the eleventh judgment, one Golden Giant acknowledges Bai Zhou, granting him recognition.
• Bai Zhou receives a Magic Potion formula for advancing to "Trialist" from the Crown of Thorns, revealing it to be the strongest formula on the [Adventurer] Path, exclusive to Roman emperors and their heirs.

Character Developments

• Bai Zhou advances to Level 5, demonstrating increased strength and Battle Intent.
• Bai Zhou learns about his status as the Roman Empire's first heir, though it doesn't grant him practical benefits in this world.
• Bai Zhou receives the Roman Empire's perfect Magic Potion formula for the [Adventurer] Path, indicating his potential for growth.

Significant Themes

• Legacy and inheritance: Bai Zhou's new status as the Roman Empire's first heir highlights the theme of legacy and what it means to inherit a once-great civilization.
• Strength and advancement: Bai Zhou's growth in strength and the revelation of the Magic Potion formula emphasize the theme of personal growth and advancement on the Extraordinary Path.

Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou interacts with Miss Ya, who helps him understand his new status and growth.
• The interaction between Bai Zhou and the Golden Giants, along with the knowledge imparted by the Crown of Thorns, reveals the ancient civilization's recognition and support of Bai Zhou.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Zhou gains the recognition of the first giant and obtains the Crown of Thorns, a symbol of his status as Rome's last king.
• He also gains a spearhead from the Xiluo Empire, which reacts to the presence of demons.
• Major Luo, desperate and cornered, sends giant pythons to find and confront Bai Zhou.

Character Developments

• Bai Zhou advances to Level 5 Fate and becomes a ritualist, gaining a Spiritual Nexus through an Imprint.
• Ya, Bai Zhou's teacher, realizes that he has grown stronger and more independent.
• Fang Xiaoxia, though scared, shows resilience and determination.

Significant Themes

• Fate and destiny: Bai Zhou's fate is intertwined with the Crown and the spearhead, leading him towards a confrontation with Major Luo.
• Growth and change: Bai Zhou's growth as a character is reflected in his newfound strength and confidence.
• Confrontation and conflict: The impending clash between Bai Zhou and Major Luo symbolizes the inevitable confrontation between good and evil.

Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou and Ya: Their interactions reveal Ya's concern for Bai Zhou's well-being and growth, as well as Bai Zhou's newfound independence and strength.
• Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia: Their bond deepens as they face danger together, with Bai Zhou protecting Fang Xiaoxia and showing determination to keep her safe.
• Bai Zhou and Major Luo: Their distant clash symbolizes the inevitable confrontation between them, with Major Luo desperate to find and eliminate Bai Zhou.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Several enormous scarlet giant pythons, each powerful enough to approach the threshold of the Sealed Extraordinary level, cross more than a hundred kilometers toward White Egret Mountain. They appear to be targeting Bai Zhou, possibly as retaliation for his earlier thunder arrow.
• The first python attacks Bai Zhou with a devastating breath, but he narrowly dodges on Fang Xiaoxia’s tricycle and leaps into the air.
• Bai Zhou drinks his second Burst Potion, causing his blood, qi, spirituality, physical abilities, and mental processing speed to surge. His [Celestial Pivot] also activates multiple enhancement rituals, including Strength Enhancement, physical reinforcement, Super Agility, and an adrenaline burst.
• Using Basic Nine Slashes—especially its fifth slash—Bai Zhou gathers immense Battle Intent and Saber Qi. The technique undergoes hundreds of spiritual reconstructions, allowing him to wield power far beyond what a normal Level 5 Extraordinary should control.
• Bai Zhou meets the first giant python head-on and kills it with a single Violet Gold saber slash, cutting its entire ten-meter body in half. Its remains disintegrate into a terrifying black-red Blood Rain.
• He continues fighting the remaining pythons, repeatedly smashing or severely wounding them despite the enormous strain placed on his spirituality.
• At the foot of the mountain, the Gem Witch discovers the corpse of “Picasso,” whose body was covered in countless cuts inflicted by nothing more than a shard of glass. She then witnesses Bai Zhou’s saber light and begins to suspect that the thunder arrow and the giant python attack are all connected to him.
• On the mountaintop, the green-lit existence Above Level 6 and two Sealed Extraordinary combatants remain locked in battle with the silver-haired Old Man in the white suit. The Old Man uses a colorful domain to prevent the green-lit figure from leaving.
• The Old Man reveals a far more dangerous side: his silver hair turns black, his body becomes younger, and filthy Lustful Evil emerges from him. He declares that he will teach the green-lit enemy “etiquette.”
• Across Tinghai, the Authorities struggle to conceal the supernatural battle. Their equipment and rituals begin failing because the pythons’ presence is too powerful and appears connected to a Demon.
• Elder Song and Director Qi arrive at the Disaster Prevention Response Investigation Agency. Elder Song activates the Black Box [D-1237, Yellow Millet Dream] through the city’s influence amplifier, causing ordinary citizens to fall asleep and preventing them from perceiving the supernatural disaster.
• The Authorities conclude that the theft of the FZDC’s Demon Corpses, Major Luo’s actions, the giant pythons, and the “Senior Student Zhou” thunder arrow may all be connected. Elder Song believes multiple factions are using Tinghai as a battlefield and orders the major leaders to act together.
• The chapter ends at Longluo Private Middle School, where Major Luo faces the masked inspector White Horse Star. White Horse Star accuses him of colluding with Demons, manipulating lives, betraying the Authorities, and creating a hidden faction, then threatens to subdue him.

2. Character Developments

• Bai Zhou demonstrates a dramatic increase in combat ability. Although only recently advanced to Level 5, his Burst Potion, Adventurer secret technique, Battle Intent, and [Celestial Pivot] allow him to kill an enemy approaching Sealed Extraordinary strength with one slash.
• Bai Zhou’s growth is shown to be the result of accumulated training and experience. His technique combines the Adventurer Path’s overwhelming physical and spiritual power with the Ritualist Path’s precise control.
• Fang Xiaoxia remains frightened but witnesses Bai Zhou’s transformation with amazement. Her joking comparison of him to “Superman” emphasizes how extraordinary his display appears even to an observer familiar with supernatural events.
• Teacher Ya is deeply shaken by Bai Zhou’s strength. She recognizes the terrifying quality of his technique and begins to view him as someone destined to “spread his wings” alongside Fang Xiaoxia.
• The Gem Witch discovers evidence linking Bai Zhou to the night’s major events. Her recognition of his familiar Violet Gold saber light makes her increasingly certain that her ally is involved in the citywide crisis.
• The silver-haired Old Man reveals that his refined, elderly appearance conceals a chaotic and sinister power. His transformation suggests that he may be connected to, or capable of channeling, Lustful Evil.
• Elder Song shifts the Authorities from emergency containment to active retaliation. He takes control of the crisis, protects civilians through Yellow Millet Dream, and decides that Tinghai’s major forces must confront the hidden conspirators directly.
• Major Luo is positioned as a central antagonist or conspirator. His alleged cooperation with Demons and secret faction-building are formally exposed by White Horse Star.
• White Horse Star is characterized as cold, powerful, and methodical. Unlike the more chaotic figures elsewhere, he directly confronts Major Luo with the Authority’s accusations.

3. Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power versus established levels: Bai Zhou’s victory challenges conventional assumptions about the gap between Level 5 and Sealed Extraordinary beings. His strength comes from combining multiple systems rather than relying on rank alone.
• Growth and destiny: Bai Zhou’s breakthrough parallels Fang Xiaoxia’s developing destiny. The repeated imagery of White Egret Mountain spreading its wings suggests that both characters are approaching a major turning point.
• Control amid chaos: Bai Zhou’s raw power would normally be uncontrollable, but [Celestial Pivot] allows him to organize and direct it perfectly. The chapter emphasizes that true strength requires not only power but also precision.
• Secrecy and public protection: The Authorities’ desperate efforts to conceal the supernatural battle demonstrate the fragile boundary between the Mystic World and ordinary society.
• Political and institutional conflict: Multiple factions—Major Luo, the Demon-related conspirators, the Authorities, and the mysterious combatants—are using Tinghai as a battlefield while ordinary people remain unaware.
• Humiliation and retaliation: The Authorities are enraged that enemies are fighting openly across the city as though the city’s leaders do not exist. Elder Song’s decision to mobilize everyone marks a shift from containment to confrontation.
• Hidden identities and appearances: The refined Old Man’s monstrous transformation and the masked White Horse Star both reinforce the theme that appearances conceal dangerous realities.

4. Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia: Bai Zhou protects Fang Xiaoxia while fighting from a position with no room to retreat. Her fear and astonishment contrast with his determined willingness to confront the pythons directly.
• Bai Zhou and Teacher Ya: Ya observes and analyzes his technique, recognizing that his secret art is unprecedented. Their brief exchange also establishes her awareness that the Authorities are overwhelmed by the larger crisis.
• The Gem Witch and Bai Zhou: Although they do not meet directly, the Gem Witch connects the evidence at Picasso’s corpse with Bai Zhou’s saber light and begins investigating his possible involvement.
• The silver-haired Old Man and the green-lit existence: Their battle is a contest of speed, evasiveness, and control. The Old Man prevents the Above Level 6 figure from pursuing Bai Zhou’s location, then reveals a more sinister form to intensify the confrontation.
• Elder Song, Director Qi, and the White Robe man: Their meeting unites the major Authority factions. They cooperate to suppress public awareness, analyze the crisis, and plan a collective assault.
• The Authorities and the supernatural factions: The Authorities feel openly mocked by the battle occurring across Tinghai. The pythons’ attack and Bai Zhou’s response convince them that the conflict is part of a larger, deliberate scheme.
• Major Luo and White Horse Star: White Horse Star confronts Major Luo directly, listing his alleged crimes and preparing to bring him under control. Their standoff establishes the next major confrontation.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Major Luo and [White Horse Star] (Major Luo's brother) meet; [White Horse Star] wants to kill Major Luo to cover up his sins and protect the Purple Thorn Group.
• Bai Zhou defeats the Giant Pythons on White Egret Mountain.
• The Gem Witch arrives, followed by a powerful figure from the Special Management Department (Director Song) who scares off the Master Painters.
• Major Luo and [White Horse Star] meet in the underground base; [White Horse Star] tries to kill Major Luo, but Elder Wu intervenes and reveals a Gu Worm, intending to control [White Horse Star].

Character Developments

• Major Luo remains calm and confident, revealing that he has an ally in Elder Wu.
• [White Horse Star] is shocked and horrified by Elder Wu's Gu Worm.
• Bai Zhou shows concern for the Gem Witch's safety and is relieved when she arrives unharmed.
• The Gem Witch proves resourceful, calling upon Director Song to help.

Significant Themes

• Family dynamics and betrayal (Major Luo and [White Horse Star])
• Power and corruption (Major Luo's ambition, [White Horse Star]'s role as an Inspector)
• Alliances and betrayals (Major Luo and Elder Wu, [White Horse Star]'s attempt to kill Major Luo)

Character Interactions

• Major Luo and [White Horse Star] have a tense confrontation, revealing their differing views and goals.
• Bai Zhou and the Gem Witch reunite, with Bai Zhou expressing relief and the Gem Witch showing off her resourcefulness.
• Elder Wu's arrival changes the dynamics between Major Luo and [White Horse Star], revealing a hidden alliance.

Chapter Summary: “We Flourish in Splendor!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• White Horse Star is nearly killed when Elder Wu’s Red Spider parasite attacks his mind and drains his life. His Emerald Green Jade Pendant activates, shielding him from Elder Wu’s Rituals and allowing him to fade into a semi-transparent state.
• Major Luo reveals that more powerful figures are arriving. Instructor Shi attacks Elder Wu with volleys of black flying knives, forcing him into a desperate aerial retreat.
• The leaders of Tinghai’s three major institutions arrive with elite forces. White Horse Star is rescued and taken away, though the Jade Pendant is left cracked and weakened.
• Major Luo is identified as the mastermind behind the underground base, biological experiments, Demon Summoning, Black Warriors, and the Human Material Industry Chain. Authorities accuse him of cloning, forbidden experimentation, and treason.
• The Nine Dragons of the Luo Family appear to protect Major Luo. He deliberately provokes hidden collaborators within the authorities by threatening to expose their crimes, causing numerous officials to betray and attack their own comrades.
• Major Luo explains that his network was built by exploiting people’s greed, ambition, pain, corruption, and desire for immortality. He calls himself the “Ghost King” who awakens the demons within others.
• In a horrifying ritual, Major Luo sacrifices the Nine Dragons—his supposed adopted sons. Red Spiders emerge from their bodies carrying their organs, which are inserted into the black alloy skeleton Liu Zhen.
• The organs form a towering, flawless replica of Major Luo. Major Luo’s original body decays and his consciousness transfers into the new body, creating a powerful “Sacred Body” or “half-Saint.”
• The transformation is incomplete. An inverted Demon true name on his forehead appears to guide him, and Major Luo realizes that two final living sacrifices are still required for his planned Sainthood Ascension.
• The chapter ends with Major Luo noticing a speeding pedal-powered tricycle near White Egret Mountain, apparently connected to the remaining sacrifices.

Character Developments

• White Horse Star: Survives a near-fatal parasitic attack because of the Jade Pendant, though he is left critically wounded and the pendant is damaged.
• Major Luo: Fully emerges as the mastermind behind Tinghai’s hidden conspiracy. His calmness, manipulation, and willingness to sacrifice even his “children” reveal his extreme ruthlessness and obsession with creating a perfect being.
• Elder Wu: Shows both formidable defensive skill and physical resilience, but is overwhelmed by Instructor Shi. His personal motivation is revealed: he turned to parasites because battlefield injuries caused constant deterioration and fear of aging and death.
• Instructor Shi: Is portrayed as an uncompromising enforcer of justice. Furious over White Horse Star’s attempted murder and Elder Wu’s betrayal, she relentlessly hunts him.
• The Nine Dragons: Their apparent filial devotion is exposed as part of Major Luo’s long-term experiment. Their bodies were cultivated to produce the organs needed for his perfect replica.
• Deputy Director Liu: Remains loyal to Major Luo and assists in the creation and activation of the Sacred Body.
• The institutional leaders: Elder Song, Director Qi, Commander Qin, and Instructor Shi demonstrate overwhelming combat superiority and begin crushing Major Luo’s alliance.

Significant Themes

• Corruption through desire: Major Luo argues that everyone possesses inner weaknesses—greed, ambition, pain, contamination, or instability—that can be awakened and exploited.
• Manipulation and mutual blackmail: His organization survives not through genuine loyalty but through shared secrets, profits, and mutual dependence.
• The illusion of family and devotion: The Nine Dragons call Major Luo “Father,” but their relationship is ultimately instrumental; their love and loyalty are used to complete his experiment.
• Perfection versus humanity: Major Luo seeks a flawless, sacred body, but achieving it requires grotesque experimentation, mass sacrifice, and the destruction of human individuality.
• Self-preservation and betrayal: When danger arrives, allies turn on one another. The chapter emphasizes that people who cooperate for profit rarely remain loyal when their lives are threatened.
• False sainthood: Major Luo presents himself as a compassionate Saint seeking an ideal paradise, yet his “salvation” is built on murder, exploitation, and dehumanization.

Character Interactions

• Elder Wu attempts to sever White Horse Star’s connection to the Jade Pendant, but Major Luo recognizes that the pendant cannot be affected by ordinary Rituals.
• Instructor Shi openly condemns Elder Wu for attempting to murder a colleague and collaborating with evil forces, then attacks him without allowing an explanation.
• Major Luo refuses Elder Wu’s demand for assistance, choosing instead to wait for the authorities and focus on White Horse Star’s survival.
• The arriving leaders confront Major Luo and his allies, while Major Luo calmly declares that no one will save him and that he must save himself.
• Major Luo manipulates the gathered officials into suspecting one another, triggering a chaotic battle between former comrades.
• Elder Wu explains his betrayal as a consequence of unbearable injuries and fear of death, while Elder Song responds with force rather than sympathy.
• Major Luo addresses the Nine Dragons tenderly before sacrificing them, presenting their deaths as a form of repayment and devotion.
• Deputy Director Liu confirms that the time is right for Major Luo’s body transfer, enabling the birth of the Sacred Body.