Chapter Summaries

Shen Zhui accepted Xia Feng’s fifth-tier divine weapons, then learned that his completed Level Fifteen mission could be shared and gave Wang Jingwen a share. Lord Tian Yi arrived and took Shen Zhui, Wang Jingwen, and twenty-five Silver Armored Imperial Guards back to the palace, leaving Xia Feng and the others stranded.

• Shen Zhui accepted the Red Lotus Blade and Purple Moon Sword after Xia Feng and the others urged him to take them, and he gave the Purple Moon Sword to Wang Jingwen.
• Twenty-five Silver Armored Imperial Guards returned after surviving Yinglong’s explosion, and Shen Zhui learned that Wang Jingwen had completed his Flood Dragon Blood Grass mission.
• Shen Zhui received notice that the Yinglong mission was Level Fifteen and could be shared, so he shared it with Wang Jingwen rather than Xia Feng and his group.
• Xia Feng and the others wondered whether Shen Zhui and Wang Jingwen were adventurers as Lord Tian Yi arrived through a portal.
• Lord Tian Yi took Shen Zhui, Wang Jingwen, and the twenty-five Silver Armored Imperial Guards to the palace, leaving Xia Feng and the others behind in fury.

Xia Feng killed Zhang Meng, forced his companions into a Divine Contract, and began plotting to find Han Song. Meanwhile, Shen Zhui and Wang Jingwen received major promotions for defeating the water demons and Yinglong, leaving Shen Zhui to return and build on his growing advantage.

• Zhang Meng blamed Xia Feng for their losses, and Xia Feng killed him and destroyed his soul.
• Xia Feng claimed Han Song and Wang Jingwen had killed Zhang Meng, then pressured his companions to sign a harsh Divine Contract; Liu Ning refused and was killed while fleeing.
• Xia Feng ordered his followers to search the Four Great Royal Cities for Han Song by tracking newly promoted officials.
• Shen Zhui and Wang Jingwen received mission rewards, with Shen Zhui promoted four ranks to Level Thirteen Middle Geng Wudafu and Wang Jingwen promoted three ranks to Level Eleven Left General.
• Wang Jingwen marveled at his new authority, while Shen Zhui considered the soldiers and Royal City Imperial Guards he could command.
• Shen Zhui parted from Wang Jingwen and returned to consolidate his gains and expand his advantage in the second trial.

Shen Zhui pacified the Black Wind Demons and High Mountain Bandits around Pingyang Pass, then rebuilt the territory. Great Xia Academy debated whether to reward his success according to the rules, ultimately promoted him to Great Liang Zao with a warning, and left him puzzled by the realm-wide announcement.

• Shen Zhui organized his troops, overcame setbacks, and eliminated the High Mountain Bandits and Black Wind Demons around Pingyang Pass.
• Shen Zhui used his accumulated Silver Saber Coins to buy supplies and began rebuilding Pingyang Pass and its thousand-mile territory.
• Venerable Jialan presented Shen Zhui's mission record to Great Xia Academy leaders, who argued over whether his extraordinary success would unbalance the adventurers' competition.
• No-Brows Venerable defended rewarding Shen Zhui by the rules, while Leng Jue Venerable called for demoting him; the leaders voted to preserve his ratings and add a warning.
• The rules announced that Shen Zhui had completed the Pingyang Pass mission with outstanding merit and promoted him to Great Liang Zao, leaving him puzzled by the public announcement.

Shen Zhui’s promotion to Great Liang Zao was announced throughout the secret realm, drawing astonishment and attention from adventurers and rival factions. After Bi Ying advised him to use his new fame and rank to recruit adventurers, Shen Zhui sent him to Shangqiu City and went to receive an envoy bearing his long-awaited reward.

• The voice of the rules announced Shen Zhui’s promotion, prompting adventurers across the secret realm to scramble to learn how he had advanced.
• Xia Feng recognized Shen Zhui as the man who had tricked him at Ten Thousand Demon Marsh, while Lin Ze, Lan Chenguang, Wang Jingwen, and Liu Yiyi also reacted to the announcement.
• Bi Ying explained that the announcement had made Shen Zhui a target but also given him the fame and authority to recruit adventurers before rival factions gained strength.
• Shen Zhui promoted Bi Ying to tenth-level Right General and sent him to Shangqiu City to recruit troops and talented people with promises of higher-level missions and rewards.
• Zi Jin told Shen Zhui that an envoy from Great Shu Chang Qin Shan had arrived, and Shen Zhui hurried to receive him and claim his promotion reward.

Shen Zhui received a promotion to Great Liang Zao and absorbed a True Script Talisman, gaining the one-time resurrection ability Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell. He built up his forces at Pingyang Pass and Zhenbei Pass, where a major victory made his name known to every adventurer.

• Tian Yi delivered the decree promoting Shen Zhui to Great Liang Zao, granting him troops, authority over Pingyang Pass and Zhenbei Pass, and the title of Royal Palace Walker.
• Shen Zhui absorbed the True Script Talisman and gained Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell, a one-time ability that could revive its marked target from a sacred page after death.
• Shen Zhui publicly recruited adventurers, reorganized the passes, and offered contracts, intelligence, missions, and advancement opportunities to expand his forces.
• Shen Zhui's forces opened Zhenbei Pass, recruited many adventurers, collected taxes, and brought the pass under his command.
• On the 185th day of the secret realm, Shen Zhui's forces won a major battle at Zhenbei Pass, and the rules announced his name to every adventurer.

Shen Zhui consolidated his hold over Zhenbei Pass and planned to expand into the surrounding prefecture cities, while his rivals formed plans to stop him. As the secret realm’s looming war reshaped its missions, Shen Zhui began his campaign toward Nanshan Pass, and Long Que and Hai Qing rose to Great Liang Zao.

• In Yangdi City, Xia Feng ordered Meng Cheng to recruit the Academy Alliance against Shen Zhui and instructed Luo Shubei to lure Shen Zhui out and kill him with Xia Feng’s uncle.
• In Luncheng, Hai Qing urged Long Que to help him compete with Shen Zhui, and Long Que ordered him to move his imperial guards near eastern Zhenxun City.
• Bi Ying reported that 5,326 adventurers had taken part in Shen Zhui’s Zhenbei Pass mission, with 3,200 promoted and 57 killed; Shen Zhui planned to expand his control and raise recruitment requirements.
• Shen Zhui received the Nanshan Pass mission, while Xia Yang and Luo Shubei later tried and failed to lure him out of the city.
• Qin Shan announced that the barrier at Two Realms Mountain would shatter in two years, opening new missions and prompting adventurers to fight over territory and rewards.
• On day 221, Shen Zhui mobilized his army for the Nanshan Pass mission, while Long Que and Hai Qing were announced as having advanced to level-sixteen Great Liang Zao.

After more than a year of expansion, Shen Zhui became an Imperial Chariot Officer, gathered a vast faction, and brought three prefectures under his control while rival factions began annexing territory as well. Just as he prepared to expand toward a second royal city, the rules opened the Merit List, erased all Divine Contracts, and announced that the third-stage battle at Two Realms Mountain would begin in one year.

• Shen Zhui completed the Nanshan Pass mission, was promoted to Imperial Chariot Officer, and helped Lan Chenguang, Bi Ying, Jiang Tianming, and Yun Tian rise to Great Liang Zao.
• Shen Zhui sent his followers into Tongmu Prefecture, seized Leiyang and Wangshan Pass, and drove the Water Spirit Palace and Zhongshan Royal Family forces back.
• Shen Zhui expanded into Shengtian and Chaotian Prefectures through unequal cooperation contracts, building a force of more than eighteen thousand adventurers across three prefectures.
• Rival factions, including the Academy Alliance, the Liang Estate, Long Que, Wei Tianlong, and Ji Chang, began expanding into surrounding prefectures.
• Shen Zhui assembled a five-hundred-thousand-strong army in Chaotian Prefecture as he prepared to expand toward a second royal city.
• The rules opened the Merit List, erased Divine Contracts, and announced that the third-stage battle at Two Realms Mountain would begin in one year.

After the Divine Contracts became invalid, Shen Zhui struggled to keep control of his faction as high-ranking adventurers broke away and the rules forced him to halt his advance on Zhenxun City. He restored order in his territory, then resumed the campaign and ended the chapter sharing control of Zhenxun’s prefectures and passes with rival factions.

• Shen Zhui learned that several Great Liang Zao had refused to come to Chaotian Prefecture and that Situ Jing and Murong Zeng had tried to leave, so he sealed the city and summoned his allies to stabilize it.
• At a meeting in Chaotian Prefecture, Situ Jing and Murong Zeng announced that they were leaving, and Shen Zhui permitted Murong Zeng to depart while warning that they were now enemies.
• When the city seal was lifted, Lan Chenguang and Jiang Tianming ambushed Situ Jing’s group; Situ Jing’s body and four Young Shang Zao were killed, while Murong Zeng later left with a small force.
• Shen Zhui reorganized the adventurers under a fairer promotion system, gained support from Wang Jingwen and his sword cultivators, and drove the six defecting Great Liang Zao from their cities.
• Shen Zhui advanced on Zhenxun Royal City, but Long Que, Hai Qing, Ji Chang, and Wei Tianlong joined the struggle over the city’s missions, forcing the factions into shifting battles and temporary alliances.
• The conflict ended with Shen Zhui, Long Que, and Ji Chang each holding one Prefecture City and three passes after the Academy Alliance seized a city in Wei Tianlong’s rear.

After Shen Zhui’s forces dominated the Merit List by taking control of four prefectures, Hai Qing and Long Que concluded that they could not overturn his lead. Hai Qing met Shen Zhui in Shangqiu City and offered both his and Long Que’s support, along with secret intelligence about the realm.

• The Merit List placed Shen Zhui far ahead of the other adventurers, while Hai Qing and Long Que fell behind Ji Chang and Wei Tianlong.
• Hai Qing complained about his ranking, and Long Que told him to approach Shen Zhui with intelligence that could help sell Zhenxun City’s adventurers’ support.
• Shen Zhui met with Lan Chenguang, who explained that Hai Qing was the son of the Capital Transport Commissioner and wanted a private meeting.
• Hai Qing met Shen Zhui and offered his and Long Que’s help in securing Shen Zhui’s position at the top, as well as top-secret intelligence about the secret realm.

Shen Zhui learned from Hai Qing that Great Xia Cave Heaven might allow an adventurer with a prince or marquis title to claim ancient power, and that King Liang may have benefited from it. After probing Hai Qing and delaying the bargain, Shen Zhui left for the Royal City Inner Court to seek the hidden method.

• Hai Qing told Shen Zhui that Great Xia Cave Heaven could enfeoff princes and marquises and grant them access to the Xia Dynasty's surviving power.
• Hai Qing claimed that King Liang Xia Wudao had entered a Great Xia Academy secret realm before his rise and may have received help from it.
• Hai Qing offered the enfeoffment method if Shen Zhui guaranteed that he and Long Que entered the Merit List's top five, or gave them a tempting treasure.
• Shen Zhui used the Eye of Insight on Hai Qing, then postponed their negotiations and had Lan Chenguang escort him away.
• After Hai Qing warned that Wei Tianlong and Ji Chang were also seeking the method, Shen Zhui realized it was hidden in the Royal City Inner Court and vanished from the great hall.

Shen Zhui survived the collapse of the Great Xia secret realm, returned to a war-torn world, and eventually rose to power after avenging his family and defeating King Liang. After completing a trial in the hidden Jingyang Palace, he received a royal edict naming him King Pingyang and granting him power over the Great Xia Remnants.

• Shen Zhui became the level-eighteen Great Shu Chang, then explored the empty imperial palace while searching for its hidden opportunity.
• During the Sacred Word Mountain Secret Realm’s final battle, Shen Zhui’s forces were overwhelmed, but he earned the supreme divine abilities Time Reversal and Space Solidification.
• Shen Zhui killed Heavenly Absolute Venerable and Guiyuan Venerable, then executed Shen Xinlan after learning she had freely killed his soldiers.
• After the realm collapsed, Shen Zhui returned to the border war, lost his family and much of his power, and later rose to True God Realm before destroying King Liang’s line and taking control of Liang Kingdom.
• The White-clothed Youth questioned Shen Zhui about King Liang and Great Xia’s fall, then Shen Zhui awoke before Jingyang Palace and received an edict naming him King Pingyang, granting him eight sacred tripods’ incense offerings, Time Reversal, and command of the Great Xia Remnants.

Shen Zhui was invested as King Pingyang, learned about Xia Zhuan’s plans and the Great Xia Academy’s support, then returned to the Sacred Word Mountain Secret Realm’s final battle. The secret realm concluded with Shen Zhui still at the top of the Merit List, and he was sent back before inspecting his new Sacred Word Divine Ability.

• Shen Zhui received the Imperial Edict of Investiture, King Pingyang’s Token, and three divine weapons, then met the black- and white-clothed Xia Zhuan.
• White-clothed Xia Zhuan revealed that he was a Time True God who had foreseen Shen Zhui’s future, while Black-clothed Xia Zhuan explained the benefits and limits of Shen Zhui’s new title.
• Shen Zhui left the Imperial Court, suspecting that the Great Xia Academy expected something from him in return for its support.
• Three months later, adventurers fought the final battle at Two Realms Mountain as the demon races overwhelmed the cities, and Shen Zhui watched from Shangqiu City.
• A white light protected Shen Zhui from a fatal attack as the secret realm concluded; he saw that he remained first on the Merit List before being transported away without inspecting his new ability.

After leaving the secret realm, Shen Zhui broke through to the Seventh-tier Divine Ability Realm and drew attention from powerful families and officials seeking to recruit him. Bi Ying then revealed that about eight hundred former adventurers wanted to follow Shen Zhui, leaving him stunned.

• The adventurers returned to the Great Xia Academy square and broke through to higher Divine Ability tiers as their suppressed cultivation resumed.
• Shen Zhui formed a Lightning Origin Pearl, completed his Cave Heaven World, and broke through directly to the Seventh-tier Divine Ability Realm.
• Wang Jingwen introduced Shen Zhui to his master, Cang Yuzi, and gave Shen Zhui a spirit sword before departing for the eastern region.
• Adventurers gathered around Shen Zhui to invite him to visit their families and regions, but he explained that his Wu'an Army duties prevented him from leaving.
• Bi Ying told Shen Zhui that about eight hundred adventurers wanted to keep following him, and Shen Zhui was startled by their number.

Shen Zhui learned that around eight hundred Divine Ability experts from the secret realm wanted to join him, but he delayed promising them until he could consult Marquis Wu'an. The Great Xia Academy then revealed the protection and forces attached to his title of King Pingyang, and Shen Zhui returned with Tan Lang as his hidden guardian; when he told Cheng Jiao about the recruits, Cheng Jiao was stunned by their number.

• Bi Ying told Shen Zhui that around eight hundred secret-realm experts wanted to follow him, and Shen Zhui asked him to wait at the Yun Clan Inn while he sought approval from Marquis Wu'an.
• Venerable Jialan brought Shen Zhui into the Great Xia Academy's secret realm and explained the guard and assistance granted to him as King Pingyang.
• Shen Zhui saw the ten thousand soldiers at the Pingyang Prince's Estate and met Tan Lang, a Fourth-tier Venerable who would protect him.
• Shen Zhui left with Tan Lang and ten guards hidden in Tan Lang's Cave Heaven World, then went to meet Cheng Jiao at the Zhao Clan Restaurant.
• Shen Zhui told Cheng Jiao that about eight hundred people wanted to join the Wu'an Army, and Cheng Jiao spat out his tea in shock.

Shen Zhui arranged places in the Wu'an Army for hundreds of Divine Ability Realm adventurers, while keeping a hundred as his private retainers. After testing his strength against Tan Lang, Shen Zhui learned that the auction of his 178 treasures had finished and set out to collect the proceeds.

• Shen Zhui told Cheng Jiao that more than 800 Divine Ability Realm adventurers wanted to follow him, and Cheng Jiao agreed to report the matter to Marquis Wu'an.
• Shen Zhui met more than 930 adventurers at the Yun Clan Inn, selected a hundred to become his retainers, and sent the rest to meet Marquis Wu'an.
• Shen Zhui sent a clone and the hundred retainers to Ten Thousand Peaks City while his true body and other clones stayed in Dayuan Prefecture.
• Shen Zhui sparred with Tan Lang in Pingyang Prince's Estate, using his Sacred Word Divine Abilities and combat techniques before Tan Lang defeated him with a Spatial Mirror Image.
• Shen Zhui learned that the four great merchant associations had auctioned all 178 treasures he consigned, then left with Tan Lang to collect the money.

After selling most of his secret-realm spoils, Shen Zhui used his new fortune to strengthen his Cave Heaven World under Chan Xin’s guidance. He left Dayuan Prefecture to return home, but Tan Lang noticed someone following them.

• Chan Xin urged Shen Zhui to sell excess divine weapons and invest in strengthening his Cave Heaven World, so Shen Zhui sold most of his collection.
• The Four Great Merchant Guilds informed Shen Zhui that his consigned goods had earned him 347 Fortune Coins and raised him to Five-star VIP status.
• Shen Zhui learned about the guild’s trade in contracted servants and territories, and Chan Xin urged him to focus on growing stronger rather than dwell on the world’s cruelty.
• Shen Zhui spent most of his Fortune Coins on weapons and treasures, and Chan Xin transformed his Cave Heaven World, raising its power amplification from twenty times to fifty times.
• In early December, Shen Zhui left Dayuan Prefecture to return home, but Tan Lang noticed someone following them.

Shen Zhui received a mysterious warning and an ordinary-looking pouch from an illusionary visitor, then continued toward the Wu'an Army while worrying about the calamity he had glimpsed. Bette finally ambushed him by trapping his warship in a hidden space and launching an attack.

• Wei Tianlong met Shen Zhui aboard his warship, warned him of a coming calamity, and left him a pouch with cryptic instructions.
• Shen Zhui discovered that Tan Lang had not seen Wei Tianlong or the others, and realized a powerful illusionist had deceived him.
• Shen Zhui reflected on the mystic realm’s visions but steadied his mind with the Calm Heart Realm.
• Bette waited in a hidden space for Shen Zhui, while Liu Yiyi abandoned her pursuit after deciding she could not defeat him.
• Bette sealed the wilderness around Shen Zhui’s approaching warship, pulled it into his hidden space, and attacked.

Shen Zhui fought Bette, a peak Divine Ability expert who ambushed him with a World of Fire, and revealed that his strength and saber technique could overcome Bette’s rank advantage. The chapter ended with Shen Zhui tearing open Bette’s Cave Heaven World and pursuing him as Bette tried to retreat.

• Bette trapped the Ruyi Warship inside his World of Fire and repeatedly attacked it, but Shen Zhui remained unharmed and told Tan Lang to stay concealed.
• Shen Zhui left the warship to face Bette, who attacked him with countless sparks and then unleashed his Cave Heaven World and a forest of fire trees.
• Shen Zhui used the Wind Thunder Escape Technique and his Red Lotus Blade to break through Bette’s attacks, then struck Bette’s Cave Heaven World with the Severing the Void saber form.
• Bette’s strange white and green flames weakened Shen Zhui’s first saber strike, but Shen Zhui drove them off with lightning and damaged Bette’s Cave Heaven World with another blow.
• Shen Zhui taunted the retreating Bette and struck three more times, splitting open the World of Fire and exposing the wilderness beyond.

Shen Zhui overwhelmed Bette with his powerful Cave Heaven World, but Bette sacrificed his life to summon an Alien Venerable through a secret formation. The Venerable entered Shen Zhui’s world, leaving Shen Zhui facing a deadly attack from enemies who had targeted him for his growing fame.

• Shen Zhui used his amplified divine weapons to damage Bette’s Cave Heaven World until Bette withdrew it.
• Shen Zhui projected his own Cave Heaven World, suppressing Bette with its treasures and Weak Water.
• Bette burned his life force to unleash an exotic-fire technique, but Shen Zhui weakened it with Weak Water and prepared to kill him.
• Bette sacrificed himself to create the Fire Hell Sky-Piercing Formation, and an Alien Venerable crossed through its portal into Shen Zhui’s Cave Heaven World.
• The Alien Venerable’s Rule Power overcame Shen Zhui’s suppression, revealing that the Sect Realm had sent a hidden trump card after Shen Zhui became famous.

A Water Element Dao Alien Venerable invaded Shen Zhui’s Cave Heaven World and tried to capture him as a Soul Servant, then destroy his world when that failed. With Chanxin’s help and the power of his treasures and Yinglong blood, Shen Zhui survived the assault and killed the Venerable.

• A City God statue in Dayuan Prefecture City first glowed faintly, then erupted in a warning as officials realized a Venerable had entered the territory and started a battle.
• The Alien Venerable tried to turn Shen Zhui into a Soul Servant, but Chanxin used Vatican Sound Heart Calming to free Shen Zhui from the illusion.
• Shen Zhui withdrew his Cave Heaven World, but the Alien Venerable’s vines stopped him and began attacking the world; its four supreme treasures resisted the damage and its expansion overcame the enemy’s Cave Heaven suppression.
• Chanxin blocked the Alien Venerable while Shen Zhui’s Yinglong essence blood transformed him, prompting the enemy to attempt a self-detonation.
• Shen Zhui reversed time to undo the self-detonation, froze the Alien Venerable with Absolute Space, and killed him with Yinglong’s dragon claw and the Eighteen Sky-Collapsing Forms.