Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• The White Lotus Sect invades the South District of Cloud Sun City, targeting the Sky Roc Gang's territory.
• The Sky Roc Gang and Hao Hai Gang counterattack, but only manage to reclaim half of their territory.
• The City Lord seeks reinforcements from the Martial Prohibition Hall, which issues a notice for the White Lotus Sect to retreat. They comply.
• Jiang Liu investigates the White Lotus Sect, discovering that they have a branch altar outside the city and that many of their members are poor people forced to join due to harsh circumstances.

Character Developments

• Jiang Liu demonstrates his power and ruthlessness when dealing with the White Lotus Sect members, but also shows mercy and understanding towards the common people among their ranks.
• The White Lotus Sect members are portrayed as desperate and vulnerable, forced into their actions by poverty and hardship.

Significant Themes

• Poverty and Desperation: The White Lotus Sect members are driven by poverty and desperation, highlighting the harsh living conditions of the common people.
• Power Dynamics: The Martial Prohibition Hall's intervention demonstrates the power dynamics at play, with the imperial court's prestige and the hall's strength keeping other forces in check.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Liu interacts with the White Lotus Sect members, using his power to extract information but also showing mercy towards the common people among their ranks.
• The White Lotus Sect members interact with each other, showing fear, desperation, and a sense of community born out of shared hardship.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Liu infiltrates the White Lotus Sect's house to gather information about their recent activities.
• He follows a sect member to a hidden mud house with a secret passage leading to an underground meeting room.
• Jiang Liu overhears that the White Lotus Sect has been causing trouble in Cloud Sun City, and a Centurion of the Martial Prohibition Hall has been dismissed for colluding with them.
• Jiang Liu decides to leave Cloud Sun City and head to Prefecture City to improve his strength.

Character Developments

• Jiang Liu demonstrates his stealth and investigative skills but struggles to find secret passages easily.
• Mo Da, the leader of the White Lotus Sect in Cloud Sun City, is shown to be cautious and secretive about their activities.
• Yu Heming, the dismissed Centurion, is revealed to have colluded with the White Lotus Sect, indicating a shift in his character from a law enforcer to a corrupt official.

Significant Themes

• Secrecy and Deception: The White Lotus Sect's use of secret passages and hidden meetings highlights their deceptive nature.
• Power Struggles: The conflict between the White Lotus Sect and the Martial Prohibition Hall, as well as the internal power dynamics within the sect, emphasizes the theme of power struggles.
• Personal Growth: Jiang Liu's decision to leave Cloud Sun City to improve his strength underscores his desire for personal growth and self-improvement.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Liu interacts with the White Lotus Sect members, observing their behavior and gathering information.
• Mo Da interacts with his subordinates, displaying his authority and caution.
• Qian Luoying, the leader of the Fallen Blossom Gang, interacts with her spy, discussing the recent events and their implications.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qian Luoying, leader of the Fallen Blossom Gang, receives a challenge letter from Bai Xuan, a Sixth Rank expert from the White Lotus Sect.
• News of the challenge spreads rapidly, causing concern and unrest among the gang members.
• Qian Luoying and his inner circle discuss their options, with Qian Luoying deciding to abandon the city to avoid a direct confrontation with the White Lotus Sect.
• Bai Xuan, the challenger, reveals his plan to eliminate Qian Luoying and take control of Cloud Sun City's forces.
• Jiang Liu, anticipating trouble, withdraws his monthly salary from the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall and seeks Master Lin for advice.

Character Developments

• Qian Luoying: Struggles with the decision to abandon the city, feeling helpless and regretful about the situation.
• Bai Xuan: Confident in his abilities and plans to eliminate Qian Luoying to gain control over Cloud Sun City's forces.
• Jiang Liu: Demonstrates foresight by withdrawing his salary and seeking advice from Master Lin.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and the struggle for control between different factions.
• The consequences of inaction and the difficulty of facing overwhelming odds.
• Loyalty and responsibility towards one's organization and its members.

Character Interactions

• Qian Luoying interacts with his inner circle (Lin Hao, Zheng Lang, Qiu Yijie, and the Shadow Eagle) to discuss their options, revealing his helplessness and regret.
• Bai Xuan interacts with Hao Gu, the Cloud Sun City branch altar leader, to discuss their plans, demonstrating Bai Xuan's confidence and disregard for the Martial Prohibition Hall.
• Jiang Liu interacts with Lin Hai, who helps him withdraw his salary, and later with Master Lin, seeking advice on the situation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Liu visits Uncle Hai at the Medicine Hall, concerned about the impending White Lotus Sect attack.
• Uncle Hai suggests Jiang Liu join the Physician Pavilion for safety.
• Jiang Liu decides to join and goes with Uncle Hai to the Physician Pavilion's liaison office in Cloud Sun City.
• Jiang Liu passes a preliminary assessment conducted by a first-grade physician and receives an Identity Jade Token.

Character Developments

• Jiang Liu demonstrates his concern for Uncle Hai's safety, showing his pure heart.
• Jiang Liu decides to join the Physician Pavilion, indicating his desire for security and growth.
• Uncle Hai shows his care for Jiang Liu, guiding him to the Physician Pavilion for protection.
• Tang Gui, the Physician Pavilion representative in Cloud Sun City, is portrayed as laid-back and fair.

Significant Themes

• Safety and Security: Jiang Liu seeks safety in the Physician Pavilion amidst the impending conflict.
• Mentorship and Guidance: Uncle Hai guides Jiang Liu towards the Physician Pavilion, demonstrating his role as a mentor.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Liu and Uncle Hai: Jiang Liu expresses his concern for Uncle Hai, and Uncle Hai guides Jiang Liu towards the Physician Pavilion.
• Uncle Hai and Tang Gui: Uncle Hai and Tang Gui have a friendly, almost familial, banter, showing their long-standing relationship.
• Jiang Liu and the First-Grade Physician: The first-grade physician assesses Jiang Liu's knowledge and provides him with an Identity Jade Token, marking the beginning of Jiang Liu's journey in the Physician Pavilion.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Liu leaves Cloud Sun City after the assessment, heading to Prefecture City.
• He bids farewell to Uncle Hai at the Fallen Blossom Gang's Medicine Hall.
• He attempts to find Lin Hai and Master Lin at the Hunting Eagle Hall but finds it deserted, indicating the White Lotus Sect's impending invasion.
• Jiang Liu decides to leave Cloud Sun City immediately, traveling alone towards Prefecture City via the West Mountain Range.
• He encounters and defeats a pack of Gale Wolves, his first encounter with Exotic Beasts.
• A tiger's roar from the dense forest signals a potential encounter with a higher-ranked Exotic Beast.

Character Developments

• Jiang Liu demonstrates his growth and independence by deciding to leave Cloud Sun City and face the challenges of the wilderness alone.
• Uncle Hai reveals his reluctance to leave Cloud Sun City, hinting at an unknown reason preventing him from accompanying Jiang Liu.

Significant Themes

• Jiang Liu's journey of self-discovery and growth as he faces the dangers of the wilderness.
• The impending conflict between the White Lotus Sect and the forces in Cloud Sun City, highlighting the political instability and power struggles in the region.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Liu interacts with Uncle Hai, bidding him farewell and expressing his determination to leave Cloud Sun City.
• Jiang Liu's inability to find Lin Hai and Master Lin at the Hunting Eagle Hall reflects the chaos and uncertainty in Cloud Sun City due to the White Lotus Sect's threat.
• Jiang Liu's encounter with the Gale Wolves showcases his combat skills and confidence in facing wild beasts.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Liu encounters a powerful tiger-type beast, a Gold Devouring White Tiger, while hunting in the mountains.
• He quickly escapes using his Wind Walk technique, realizing he needs to prepare better for future encounters.
• Jiang Liu finds shelter in a cave and cultivates using beast cores, discovering that this method is much faster than absorbing spiritual energy from the air.
• He decides to stay in the mountains to hunt more beast cores to reach Grade Four quickly.

Character Developments

• Jiang Liu demonstrates his caution and quick thinking when encountering the Gold Devouring White Tiger.
• He shows ambition and determination when he decides to stay in the mountains to hunt beast cores, revealing his desire for power and growth.

Significant Themes

• The importance of preparation and planning in facing challenges.
• The allure of power and the desire for growth and improvement.
• The value of beast cores in cultivation and the potential dangers of hunting beasts.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Liu interacts with the Gold Devouring White Tiger, though it's a one-sided encounter as he avoids a confrontation.
• He doesn't interact with any other characters in this chapter, spending most of his time alone in the mountains.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Liu, now living in a dense forest, hunts and kills a Rank 3 Explosive Ape Exotic Beast.
• He finds the beast's Earth Attribute Beast Core, his tenth in ten days.
• Jiang Liu avoids human encounters, preferring to deal with Exotic Beasts.
• He plans to advance to Rank 4 after absorbing the cores.
• The next day, he fights and kills a Rank 3 Water Attribute Exotic Beast using his Ice Blade technique.

Character Developments

• Jiang Liu's strength and skills improve rapidly through daily combat with Exotic Beasts.
• He advances from Rank 3 to Rank 4 in his cultivation realm.
• Jiang Liu becomes more self-reliant and capable of survival in this dangerous world.

Significant Themes

• The importance of constant cultivation and improvement for survival and control over one's destiny.
• The dangers and challenges posed by both Exotic Beasts and other humans in this world.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Liu interacts minimally with other humans, avoiding hunting parties in the forest.
• He primarily interacts with Exotic Beasts, honing his skills through combat with them.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Liu kills a strange Exotic Beast and finds its Beast Core inside the skull.
• He returns to his temporary residence and cultivates, breaking through to the Fourth Rank of Martial Practitioner.
• Jiang Liu discovers changes in his senses and the speed of his Ice Blade condensing.
• He decides to bring a treasured blade into the mountains on his next trip.

Character Development

• Jiang Liu's strength increases, and he gains new insights into his abilities.
• He becomes more cautious and strategic, learning from his past experiences with Exotic Beasts.

Significant Themes

• The dangers and challenges of the wilderness and its Exotic Beasts.
• The importance of experience and adaptability in combat.
• The thrill and fun Jiang Liu finds in his cultivation journey.

Character Interactions

• No significant interactions with other characters in this chapter; Jiang Liu is alone throughout.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Liu continues his journey, encountering wild beasts but ignoring them as they lack Beast Cores.
• He discovers a Dwarf Wood with a Deep Pool, feeling a strong cold aura emanating from it.
• At the Deep Pool, he observes a Sixth Rank Ice Attribute Exotic Beast, a Deep Pool Giant Crocodile, hunting a herd of Third Rank Black Water Rhinoceros.
• Jiang Liu decides to leave the area to avoid the crocodile and continues hunting Exotic Beasts.
• He later detects a pleasant fragrance leading to a valley, where he witnesses a Seventh Rank or higher Martial Practitioner being attacked by four wolf-like Exotic Beasts.

Character Developments

• Jiang Liu demonstrates his caution and strategic thinking by observing the crocodile's hunting tactics before deciding to leave.
• The black-clothed figure reveals their high rank but also their nervousness, indicating they might be inexperienced or out of their depth.

Significant Themes

• The importance of observation and understanding one's surroundings to make informed decisions.
• The dangers and challenges faced by Martial Practitioners, even at high ranks.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Liu observes the black-clothed figure and the wolf-like Exotic Beasts from a distance, deciding not to intervene.
• The Deep Pool Giant Crocodile and the Black Water Rhinoceros interact as predator and prey.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Liu witnesses a battle between a Man in Black (Martial Practitioner, fire-attribute) and four wolf-shaped Exotic Beasts (Rank 7) over a Natural Treasure.
• Jiang Liu enters the valley while they're engaged, finds a Hao Yang Flower, and plucks it.
• The Man in Black and the Exotic Beasts stop fighting due to exhaustion, and the Alpha Wolf enters the valley but finds it empty.
• Jiang Liu processes and consumes the Hao Yang Flower, significantly increasing his Primal Qi.

Character Developments

• Jiang Liu demonstrates courage and opportunism by entering the valley during the battle and taking the Hao Yang Flower.
• The Man in Black shows prowess in combat but lacks the advantage against multiple opponents.
• The wolf-shaped Exotic Beasts display cunning and determination in their fight.

Significant Themes

• Fate and destiny: The Hao Yang Flower is destined for Jiang Liu, as seen in his willingness to take it despite the risks.
• Opportunity and risk: Jiang Liu seizes the opportunity to take the flower but also risks being caught.
• The value of Natural Treasures: The Hao Yang Flower's rarity and potency are emphasized, with its true potential wasted when consumed directly.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Liu observes the Man in Black and the Exotic Beasts fighting but doesn't intervene.
• The Man in Black and the Exotic Beasts engage in a fierce battle but ultimately fail to secure the Hao Yang Flower.
• Jiang Liu indirectly interacts with the Exotic Beasts by leaving the processed stem on a tree, causing them to pursue him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Liu continues towards a deep pool, hoping to find water and prey.
• He encounters and kills a First Rank Hundred Treasure Deer for food.
• He sets up an ambush and kills a Third Rank Raging Gorilla.
• More exotic beasts arrive, and Jiang Liu kills them all.
• A Fifth Rank Gold Devouring White Tiger appears, and Jiang Liu engages in a fierce battle, ultimately defeating it.
• Jiang Liu takes the Gold Devouring White Tiger's corpse to his cave, processes it, and consumes its meat.
• He begins cultivating using the Beast Cores from the killed exotic beasts.

Character Developments

• Jiang Liu demonstrates his hunting and combat skills, showing growth in his abilities.
• He displays strategic thinking by setting up an ambush and adapting his tactics against the Gold Devouring White Tiger.

Significant Themes

• Survival and adaptation in a harsh environment.
• The importance of strategic thinking and adaptability in combat.
• The value of perseverance and determination in the face of powerful enemies.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Liu interacts with various exotic beasts, showcasing his ability to assess and respond to different threats.
• There are no human interactions in this chapter.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Liu wakes up and checks his progress in the Auxiliary System. He finds that his realm has improved to Martial Artist (Fourth Rank 3464/4000), and his techniques and skills have also advanced.
• He decides to hunt Fifth Rank mutated beasts for their cores, which are more energy-rich.
• Jiang Liu sets up a trap using a Red-Eared Rabbit and waits for mutated beasts. He encounters and defeats a herd of Yellow Earth Sheep, harvesting many beast cores.
• He returns to his cave to cultivate and breaks through to the Fifth Rank of the Martial Artist realm.

Character Developments

• Jiang Liu's strength and skills have improved significantly since entering the West Mountain Range. He has gained more combat experience and confidence in his abilities.
• He has become more strategic in his hunting, targeting higher-ranked mutated beasts for their cores.

Significant Themes

• The theme of continuous improvement and growth is evident as Jiang Liu's realm and skills advance.
• The importance of strategy and planning is shown through Jiang Liu's trap-setting and targeting higher-ranked beasts.

Character Interactions

• There are no direct interactions with other characters in this chapter. However, Jiang Liu thinks about Lin Hao and Lin Hai, showing his concern for them.

Chapter Summary: “Encounter”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Liu ventures into the dense, sunless forest seeking mid-grade exotic beasts to test his growing strength. Confident in his abilities, he believes he can defeat any beast below the high grade.
• He discovers two exhausted sixth-grade beasts fighting: a Great Strength Ape and a Bloodthirsty Mad Lion.
• Waiting until both are weakened, Jiang Liu ambushes the Bloodthirsty Mad Lion with an Ice Blade. The Great Strength Ape immediately attacks him, but Jiang Liu evades its charge.
• The lion retaliates with Mad Lion’s Furious Roar, stunning Jiang Liu. The Great Strength Ape takes advantage of his paralysis and strikes him twice, seriously injuring him.
• Jiang Liu recovers through the pain and attacks the lion repeatedly with Ice Blades. His final strike, using Thousand-Year Kill, causes the chaotic elemental energy inside the lion to erupt, killing it.
• Terrified by Jiang Liu’s technique and the lion’s death, the Great Strength Ape flees. Jiang Liu prepares to take the lion’s corpse back but hears a disturbance nearby.
• He discovers the Great Strength Ape pursuing a group of people, including the familiar Master Lin, who is fleeing in a humiliating and desperate state.
• Jiang Liu decides to rescue Master Lin. He catches up with the ape, takes a large saber from one of the group members, and uses the Demon Suppression Blade Technique’s Suppressing Demons into Imprisonment.
• The chapter ends as the Great Strength Ape rises to resist the overwhelming saber attack.

Character Developments

• Jiang Liu demonstrates increasing confidence and combat ability, willingly challenging sixth-grade beasts rather than merely hunting weaker prey.
• His ambush succeeds because of patience and tactical awareness, but the fight also reveals his vulnerability: the lion’s roar and the ape’s attacks leave him badly wounded.
• Jiang Liu shows considerable resilience, immediately counterattacking despite severe pain. His successful use of Ice Blades and Thousand-Year Kill marks a significant improvement in his control of combat techniques.
• He also displays a growing sense of responsibility by choosing to save Master Lin instead of simply ignoring the situation or focusing only on retrieving his prey.
• Master Lin, formerly viewed as an authority figure, is shown in a helpless and embarrassed condition, being chased by the Great Strength Ape.
• The Great Strength Ape shifts from aggressive hunter to frightened target after witnessing Jiang Liu kill the Bloodthirsty Mad Lion.

Significant Themes

• Growth through danger: Jiang Liu’s confidence is tested by a battle in which he nearly dies, showing that strength must be accompanied by endurance and judgment.
• Strategy over brute force: He wins by observing the beasts, waiting until they are exhausted, targeting the more dangerous opponent first, and exploiting the effects of his Ice Blades.
• The importance of timing and surprise: The beasts’ confidence that no one would approach during their fight leaves them vulnerable to Jiang Liu’s ambush.
• Courage and compassion: Despite his desire for revenge against the ape, Jiang Liu ultimately acts to save Master Lin.
• Human ingenuity versus beastly instinct: The lion cannot understand that the Ice Blades are energy without physical form and futilely attempts to expel them, highlighting the advantage of human intelligence.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Liu initially interacts indirectly with the Great Strength Ape and Bloodthirsty Mad Lion by observing their battle, then turns their exhaustion against them.
• The ape attacks Jiang Liu in response to his ambush, while Jiang Liu counters by manipulating the lion’s weakened state and using both beasts’ reactions to his advantage.
• After fleeing, the Great Strength Ape encounters Master Lin and a group of people, whom it relentlessly pursues.
• Jiang Liu recognizes Master Lin, abandons his immediate plan to return with the lion’s corpse, and intervenes.
• The final confrontation places Jiang Liu and the Great Strength Ape in direct combat again, with Jiang Liu escalating from Ice Blades to a powerful saber technique.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Liu defeats the Great Strength Ape and the Bloodthirsty Mad Lion, using his Ice Blade technique to exploit their weaknesses.
• Lin Hao and Master Lin arrive, and Lin Hao is surprised by Jiang Liu's strength.
• Lin Hai is found injured, and Master Lin heals him. They decide to cremate their fallen comrade.
• Jiang Liu leads them to carry the corpses of the Exotic Beasts back to their previous cave.
• Master Lin, Lin Hai, and Jiang Liu discuss the Fallen Blossom Gang's situation after their separation.
• Jiang Liu decides to stay and cultivate in the West Mountain Range before going to the Prefecture City, while Master Lin and Lin Hai plan to leave Cloud Sun City.

Character Developments

• Jiang Liu demonstrates significant growth in strength, defeating two powerful Exotic Beasts.
• Master Lin shows his wisdom and leadership, helping Lin Hai and making plans for their future.
• Lin Hai reveals his loyalty and concern for Jiang Liu, wanting to leave with him.

Significant Themes

• Strength and Power: Jiang Liu's increased strength allows him to defeat formidable opponents, highlighting the importance of cultivation in this world.
• Loyalty and Brotherhood: Master Lin and Lin Hai's concern for Jiang Liu and their shared history as part of the Fallen Blossom Gang emphasize the theme of brotherhood.
• Adaptability and Foresight: Jiang Liu's decision to leave Cloud Sun City on his own and Master Lin's plan to return there after being chased show the importance of adaptability and foresight in their situation.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Liu and Lin Hao: Lin Hao is surprised by Jiang Liu's strength, showing respect and admiration for him.
• Master Lin, Lin Hai, and Jiang Liu: The three discuss their plans, showing camaraderie and shared history. Master Lin and Lin Hai express their desire to leave with Jiang Liu, but he decides to stay and cultivate alone.
• Master Lin and Lin Hai: Master Lin helps heal Lin Hai, showing his concern for his disciple and their bond as master and student.

Chapter Summary: “Sky-Piercing Bee”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Master Lin leaves with Lin Hai and seven others, taking the processed exotic beast hides and meat. Before departing, he gives Jiang Liu a spare Treasure Blade, medicine, and a token connected to his lineage in Cloud Peace County.
• Watching Master Lin leave, Jiang Liu realizes that entering the Jianghu means losing control over one’s fate. This inspires him to form his first true ambition: to become strong enough to shatter the forces controlling his destiny.
• After treating his injuries, Jiang Liu leaves the cave because it is no longer safe to remain there.
• Six days later, Jiang Liu continues hunting exotic beasts for their cores. He mostly finds low-grade beasts and narrowly escapes a terrifying Seventh Grade flying tiger.
• He discovers a pair of Sixth Grade Great Strength Apes fighting a swarm of Fifth Grade Sky-Piercing Bees over a mysterious treasure sapling.
• When the apes retreat and some bees pursue them, Jiang Liu seizes the opportunity to approach the tree. Its presence enhances his spiritual clarity, revealing that it is a rare treasure capable of increasing spiritual power.
• Jiang Liu attacks the remaining Sky-Piercing Bees with his Treasure Blade and Demon Suppression Blade Technique. His weapon and origin energy allow him to kill the ordinary bees efficiently.
• The Sky-Piercing Bee leader attacks him with poisonous stingers, but Jiang Liu protects himself with an origin energy barrier and eventually kills it by combining a close-range saber strike with an Ice Blade.
• The surviving bees flee, and Jiang Liu regrets losing the beast cores from those that escaped.

Character Development

• Jiang Liu: He shifts from passively drifting through life to developing a determined goal: taking control of his own fate through strength. His confidence and combat ability have grown significantly, allowing him to defeat numerous Fifth Grade beasts alone. However, he remains cautious and pragmatic, relying on ambushes and favorable circumstances rather than reckless confrontation.
• Master Lin: Though he maintains his usual bold demeanor, his departure reveals hidden reluctance and emotional attachment. His inability to return to his lineage emphasizes the dangers and irreversible consequences of life in the Jianghu.
• Jiang Liu’s combat growth: His injuries heal quickly due to his Ranked Martial Practitioner physique, and his command of Wind Walk, origin energy defenses, saber techniques, and Ice Blade improves. He also begins thinking strategically about using Sky-Piercing Bees to advance to Sixth Grade.

Significant Themes

• Control over destiny: Jiang Liu recognizes that the Jianghu can dictate a person’s fate, prompting his resolve to become powerful enough to resist outside control.
• Power and vulnerability: Despite Jiang Liu’s progress, the Seventh Grade tiger and the White Lotus Sect remind him that he remains insignificant before truly powerful beings and organizations.
• Opportunity and risk: Jiang Liu is willing to gamble against a dangerous swarm of beasts for the chance to acquire beast cores and a spiritual-power-enhancing treasure.
• The value of rare resources: The treasure sapling and Sky-Piercing Bee cores represent the intense competition and opportunities within the exotic-beast wilderness.
• Irreversible choices: Master Lin’s departure and inability to return to his former life reinforce the idea that entering the Jianghu permanently changes one’s path.

Character Interactions

• Master Lin and Jiang Liu part on respectful terms, with Master Lin providing supplies and a token before leaving.
• Jiang Liu observes the conflict between the Great Strength Apes and the Sky-Piercing Bees, then exploits their battle to intervene safely.
• His direct confrontation with the Sky-Piercing Bee leader demonstrates his increasing confidence and tactical skill, ending with the leader’s death and the swarm’s retreat.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Liu digs up a mysterious sapling that enhances mental power.
• He processes Sky-Piercing Bees and obtains 23 Fifth Rank Beast Cores and one peak Fifth Rank Core.
• Jiang Liu secludes himself to cultivate, breaking through to the Sixth Rank in three days.
• He plans to challenge the Deep Pool Giant Crocodile, suspecting a treasure inside it.

Character Developments

• Jiang Liu's cultivation level increases to the Sixth Rank, enhancing his speed and Primal Qi circulation.
• His mental strength improves due to the sapling, increasing his consciousness range and endurance.

Significant Themes

• The importance of treasures and resources for cultivation progression.
• Jiang Liu's opportunistic and strategic approach to challenges and opportunities.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Liu interacts with the Exotic Beasts in the forest, scaring them with his increased speed and presence.
• He doesn't encounter any other characters in this chapter.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Liu visits the Deep Pool, aiming to catch Fire-Breathing Monkeys.
• He encounters a group of Second Rank Fire-Breathing Monkeys and uses his Primal Qi pressure to subdue them.
• A Giant Crocodile, attracted by the commotion, emerges from the pool.
• Jiang Liu lures the crocodile onto the shore and attempts to kill it using various techniques, including the Demon Suppression Blade Technique and Ice Blades.
• The crocodile, being of the Ice Attribute, is resistant to Jiang Liu's attacks. It eventually retreats into the pool, forcing Jiang Liu to abandon the fight.
• Jiang Liu decides to search for other Sixth Rank Exotic Beasts and encounters one, which attacks him with a falling tree.

Character Developments

• Jiang Liu demonstrates his ability to control and manipulate Primal Qi, as well as his knowledge of attribute strengths and weaknesses.
• He shows determination and strategic thinking in his battle against the Giant Crocodile but also acknowledges his limitations.

Significant Themes

• The importance of understanding and utilizing attribute strengths and weaknesses in combat.
• The challenges and limitations faced by individuals when confronting powerful opponents.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Liu interacts with the Fire-Breathing Monkeys and the Giant Crocodile, showcasing his dominance over lower-ranked creatures and his struggle against a formidable opponent.
• There are no significant interactions with other human characters in this chapter.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Liu encounters a Giant Strength Demonic Ape, a Sixth Rank Exotic Beast.
• He fights and defeats the ape using his Tiger Subduing Fist, Frost Nether Palm, and Ice Blade techniques.
• Jiang Liu discovers two high-rank Exotic Beasts fighting and decides not to intervene due to their power level.
• He faces a dilemma: going deeper into the mountains means encountering stronger beasts, but there are fewer low-rank beasts to hunt.

Character Developments

• Jiang Liu demonstrates his combat skills and strategic thinking, showing growth and adaptability in handling stronger opponents.
• He shows respect for the Giant Strength Demonic Ape's strength, acknowledging it as a worthy opponent.
• Jiang Liu's determination to explore the Deep Pool for Ice Attribute treasures is reinforced.

Significant Themes

• Survival of the Fittest: The West Mountain Range is a harsh environment where only the strongest survive. Jiang Liu must continually improve his skills to face stronger opponents.
• Respect for Nature: Jiang Liu shows respect for the Giant Strength Demonic Ape, acknowledging its strength and leaving its corpse to nourish other Exotic Beasts.
• Ambition vs. Caution: Jiang Liu's ambition to find Ice Attribute treasures is balanced against the caution he must exercise when facing stronger opponents.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Liu interacts with the Giant Strength Demonic Ape, showing respect and skill in their combat.
• Jiang Liu observes two high-rank Exotic Beasts fighting from a distance, demonstrating his awareness of his own limitations and the need for caution.
• The chapter introduces Hao Rutian and Mu Qing, two Sixth Rank cultivators who are about to engage in a battle over a Natural Treasure, setting up potential future interactions with Jiang Liu.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mu Qing, a Sixth Rank cultivator, fights Hao Rutian and poisons him with her whip, forcing him to retreat.
• Jiang Liu, disguised as a savage, appears and demands Mu Qing hand over the Jade Fruit she obtained.
• Mu Qing refuses and attacks Jiang Liu, but he evades and counters, treating her as a sparring partner.
• After half an hour of fighting, Mu Qing becomes frustrated and provokes Jiang Liu to fight seriously.
• Jiang Liu dodges Mu Qing's poisoned needles and strikes her with an Ice Blade, killing her.
• He takes Mu Qing's belongings, including the Jade Fruit, and leaves her corpse unburied.

Character Developments

• Mu Qing: Shows determination and skill in combat but underestimates Jiang Liu's strength and ruthlessness.
• Jiang Liu: Demonstrates his superior combat skills, strategic thinking, and lack of mercy towards enemies. He also shows a detached view towards life and death, influenced by his experiences.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and survival in the pugilistic world.
• The consequences of underestimating one's opponent.
• The dehumanization of enemies and the acceptance of violence.

Character Interactions

• Mu Qing and Hao Rutian: Briefly fight, with Mu Qing gaining the upper hand and poisoning Hao Rutian.
• Mu Qing and Jiang Liu: Engage in a prolonged fight, with Jiang Liu treating Mu Qing as a sparring partner until she provokes him to fight seriously, leading to her death.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Liu exits the canyon and decides to rest, finding a tree hole he dug himself.
• He counts his Beast Cores, finding only one Sixth Rank and eight Fourth Rank.
• Jiang Liu opens Mu Qing's package, finding Elixirs, money, clothes, and three jade boxes containing a Jade Fruit, a Fourth Rank Gold Attribute Beast Core, and a Fifth Rank Earth Attribute Beast Core.
• The next day, Jiang Liu tests his poison needles on a large tree and decides to use them on the Deep Pool crocodile.
• He lures the crocodile with an Exotic Beast carcass and ambushes it, using poison needles and Ice Blades. The crocodile retaliates with ice pillars.

Character Developments

• Jiang Liu demonstrates his adaptability to living in the wilderness and his unique cultivation method using Beast Cores of any attribute.
• He shows his strategic thinking in luring and attacking the crocodile.

Significant Themes

• The rarity and value of Beast Cores with specific attributes for cultivation.
• Jiang Liu's unique cultivation method and its advantages.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Liu interacts with the Deep Pool crocodile, demonstrating his combat strategy and skills.
• The chapter provides insights into Jiang Liu's thoughts and actions, revealing his personality and capabilities.