Chapter Summaries

Gao Wu explored the Corpse-Monster Ruins in Abyss mode, discovered that killing its monsters had earned him more than ten million Merit, and suspected the game connected players to a real Abyss. After leaving the game pod, he agreed to go with two men from Green Forest Security Company, who said their manager wanted to see him.

• Gao Wu piloted a basic Mountain-Breaking Star Armor through the ruins and killed a level-seven corpse monster, taking the energy crystal from its chest.
• Gao Wu refused invitations to join other players, killed three more ordinary corpse monsters, and logged out after nearly three hours.
• Gao Wu noticed his Merit had increased by more than ten million and concluded that Abyss mode might send players into a real Abyss.
• Gao Wu considered the Merit he could gain from stronger monsters and wondered whether the Demon God behind the civilization held the Qi he sought.
• Two men from Green Forest Security Company arrived with Han Bing and told Gao Wu their manager wanted to see him; Gao Wu agreed to go.

Gao Wu visited Green Forest Security Company, where Zhang Qinglin tried to trap him into a wager and seize his money. Gao Wu defeated Zhang Qinglin in the Battle Network and, when threatened at gunpoint, demanded the agreed payment and Zhang Qinglin’s Star Armor instead.

• Zhang Qinglin planned to make Gao Wu wager money on a Battle Network match, then take it from him by force if necessary.
• Gao Wu recognized that Zhang Qinglin had extensive mechanical body modifications and agreed to a match with something at stake.
• Zhang Qinglin piloted his Aquarius Star Armor against Gao Wu’s basic Mountain-Breaking Star Armor and lost when Gao Wu pierced Aquarius’s cockpit with his spear.
• Zhang Qinglin claimed the loser was owed one hundred million credit points, then had his security guards aim Sky Magnet Type-3 pistols at Gao Wu and demanded a transfer.
• Gao Wu told Zhang Qinglin to transfer one hundred million credit points and his Star Armor to him, and Zhang Qinglin threatened to kill him.

Gao Wu defeated Zhang Qinglin, took his money and Aquarius Star Armor, and secured an introduction to a company where he could qualify as a Star Master. After Gao Wu settled in, Zhang Qinglin hid his resentment and warned Yao Hui not to provoke him.

• Gao Wu used a mental technique to knock out Zhang Qinglin's armed men and Yao Hui, leaving Zhang Qinglin shocked by his power.
• Zhang Qinglin activated his Dragon Scale Armor and attacked, but Gao Wu overpowered him, tore out his energy block, and disabled the armor.
• Gao Wu demanded money and the Aquarius Star Armor, then asked Zhang Qinglin to recommend him to Pegasus Company so he could become a Star Master.
• Zhang Qinglin transferred the money and Star Armor to Gao Wu and arranged a room for him at the company.
• After Gao Wu settled in, Zhang Qinglin slapped Yao Hui for criticizing him and privately resolved to seek revenge without making threats.

Gao Wu defeated an advanced corpse monster and two players who tried to rob him, then followed Zhang Qinglin to Pegasus Security Company to pursue a Star Master license. After Zhang Qingyun arranged for Gao Wu to take the guild examination, he revealed that he planned to use the newcomer for a major undertaking.

• Gao Wu killed an advanced azure corpse monster with the Aquarius Star Armor, then defeated two players who attacked him and sold his loot for ten million credit points.
• Zhang Qinglin told Gao Wu that he had arranged a position for him at Pegasus Security Company, and the two traveled to Flying Star City.
• Gao Wu met Zhang Qingyun, who explained that Gao Wu first needed to pass the Star Master Guild examination by piloting a Mountain-Breaking Star Armor against a Flame Giant Serpent.
• Zhang Qingyun put Gao Wu in a company guest room and drove Zhang Qinglin to the aerial rail station.
• Zhang Qinglin asked Zhang Qingyun to help recover the BattleNet Star Armor and one hundred million credit points he said Gao Wu had stolen, and Zhang Qingyun hinted that Gao Wu had arrived in time for his major plan.

Gao Wu passed the Star Master examination with an astonishingly precise kill, then prepared to escort the Azure Whale while secretly discovering Zhang Qingyun’s plan to destroy the ship for its insurance. The chapter ended with Gao Wu realizing the scheme gave him an opportunity to act.

• Zhang Qingyun watched Gao Wu pilot an old Star Armor with exceptional skill and decided to put him on the Azure Whale’s voyage as part of an insurance scheme.
• Gao Wu passed the Star Master examination, displayed a mental power value of 180, and killed an attacking Flame Giant Snake with a precise spear thrust.
• Gao Wu received his Star Master license and safety certificate, then continued farming Merit in the Abyss.
• Gao Wu kept Zhang Qingyun under mental surveillance and heard him arrange to destroy the Azure Whale with help from Black Snake for a twenty-billion-credit insurance payout.
• Gao Wu recognized Zhang Qingyun’s plan as an opportunity for himself.

Gao Wu suspected Zhang Qingyun had arranged an insurance scheme to destroy the Azure Whale and warned the ship’s security chief and captain before departure. An inspection confirmed that the cargo did not match its manifest, leaving Li Jinmei and Mu Tielin convinced the ship and its crew had been in danger.

• Gao Wu weighed the risks of confronting the Black Serpent Pirates and decided he could not trust the people behind the suspected scheme.
• Zhang Qingyun saw Gao Wu off at the spaceport and introduced him to security chief Mu Tielin, who would accompany him aboard the Azure Whale.
• Mu Tielin showed Gao Wu their Star Armor and warned him to remain inside a sealed cabin when the ship entered subspace.
• Gao Wu sensed that Mu Tielin meant him no harm and told him Zhang Qingyun’s suspected plan to destroy the ship for insurance money.
• Mu Tielin called Captain Li Jinmei, and the three inspected the cargo hold.
• Li Jinmei and Mu Tielin confirmed that the cargo differed greatly from the manifest and realized that Gao Wu’s warning had likely saved them.

Gao Wu and Mu Tielin prepared for the Azure Whale to lure out the Black Snake Gang, and Gao Wu’s spiritual power grew stronger during the ship’s subspace passage. As nearly twenty enemy Star Armors rushed toward the Azure Whale, Gao Wu looked forward to testing his abilities.

• Li Jinmei and Mu Tielin reported Zhang Qingyun’s suspected plot through separate channels, then learned the defense force had ordered the Azure Whale to follow its route as bait for the Black Snake Gang.
• Mu Tielin told Gao Wu the defense force had promised an advanced Star Armor as a reward for destroying the pirates, and warned him about subspace travel and anti-subspace fields.
• Gao Wu entered a sealed cabin as the Azure Whale crossed subspace, suppressed his Yang Spirit’s urge to escape, and emerged with spiritual power at an advanced Star Master’s level.
• Mu Tielin urged Gao Wu to prepare his Star Armor for a possible attack and offered to recommend him to Qing City to study an advanced meditation technique.
• The Azure Whale’s radar detected three medium-sized spacecraft, and nearly twenty Star Armors launched from two of them toward the ship.
• Gao Wu saw the approaching enemy Star Armors and grew eager to show what he could do.

The Defense Forces rescued the Azure Whale by destroying the pirate fleet, and Gao Wu launched in a basic Mountain-Breaking Star Armor to confront the wounded Dragon Gallbladder. He killed its pilot with a single spear thrust, leaving Mu Tielin stunned and Yu Guanghai impressed.

• More than twenty pirate Star Armors surrounded the Azure Whale, and Mu Tielin prepared to retreat with Gao Wu as the Defense Forces remained absent.
• A Defense Forces flagship pierced the pirate warships with its main cannon, while Yu Guanghai used Zhanlu to redirect a plasma blast into the attacking Star Armors and destroy most of them.
• Gao Wu launched from the Azure Whale in Mountain-Breaking to pursue the damaged Dragon Gallbladder, despite Mu Tielin warning him about the high-grade opponent.
• Dragon Gallbladder charged Gao Wu, and Mu Tielin launched in Azure Edge to support him and call out a pincer tactic.
• Gao Wu's spear thrust punched through Dragon Gallbladder's head, and he asked Mu Tielin over communications whether the attack had looked handsome.
• Yu Guanghai watched Gao Wu's victory and approved of the spear thrust.

After Gao Wu killed the pilot of Dragon Gallbladder, Yu Guanghai invited him to meet at Defense Forces headquarters and recommended him for advanced study at Qingcheng Academy. Gao Wu then chose the Azure Nether Star Armor, whose spiritual network resonated with his own.

• Gao Wu explained to Mu Tielin how he killed Dragon Gallbladder's pilot after the Star Armor's damaged energy core left its defensive force field unable to activate.
• Yu Guanghai summoned Gao Wu and Mu Tielin to Defense Forces headquarters, where Mu Tielin brought the damaged Dragon Gallbladder Star Armor for salvage.
• Yu Guanghai offered Gao Wu a tuition-free place in Qingcheng Academy's advanced class instead of taking him as a disciple, and Gao Wu accepted the recommendation.
• A second lieutenant took Gao Wu and Mu Tielin to the Star Armor warehouse to choose their promised advanced Star Armors.
• Gao Wu selected the azure twin-sword Star Armor Azure Nether because its spiritual network resonated with his spiritual force field.

Gao Wu settled into Qing City and began training with his Azure Nether Star Armor, impressing both his counselor Ye Ning and trainee Li Guofeng with an elegant martial arts technique. Ye Ning contacted her cousin Liu Ye Qingqing to come see the “godlike man,” while Li Guofeng grew eager to challenge him.

• Gao Wu arrived at Qing City with Mu Tielin, received a scholarship and a private dormitory, and met his counselor Ye Ning.
• Mu Tielin urged Gao Wu to pursue Ye Ning, then Gao Wu treated him to a meal and saw him off on a bus.
• Gao Wu reserved time at the practical combat training ground and watched Li Guofeng finish a session piloting White Rainbow.
• Gao Wu summoned Azure Nether, completed its self-check, and practiced Dragon-Roaming Palm inside the training area.
• Ye Ning watched Gao Wu's performance and was captivated by his technique, while Li Guofeng returned and became eager to spar with him.
• Ye Ning contacted her cousin Liu Ye Qingqing and urged her to come see the godlike man.

Gao Wu demonstrated the Dragon-Roaming Secret Sword in Star Armor, impressing Li Guofeng and drawing Ye Ning and Liu Ye Qingqing’s attention. Ye Ning invited him to discuss the four Advanced Meditation Methods in person.

• Gao Wu reflected on Star Armor and humanity’s technological strength, then performed the Dragon-Roaming Secret Sword for the watchers.
• Li Guofeng watched Gao Wu’s swordsmanship and was stunned by its speed and precision.
• Ye Ning and Liu Ye Qingqing reviewed Gao Wu’s recordings and discussed his abilities and the upcoming Swordsmanship Tournament.
• Ye Ning invited Gao Wu to choose among four Advanced Meditation Methods and asked him to meet her in Room 9231 of the Teaching Department.
• Gao Wu accepted Ye Ning’s invitation.

Gao Wu chose the Heavenly Escape Visualization Method and adapted it to his Nine Dragons Boundless Dao, mastering it in one night and reaching the peak of level fifteen before an unseen barrier blocked his advance to Master level. At Qingcheng Academy, Li Guofeng challenged him to a Battle Network spar, drawing a large audience as Wang Si'an and Liu Guanying arrived to watch.

• Ye Ning explained Qingcheng Academy's four advanced meditation methods, and Gao Wu selected the Heavenly Escape Visualization Method after reviewing their opening passages.
• Gao Wu replaced the method's flying-sword visualization with a Divine Dragon, mastered the method through three meditation cycles, and reached the level-fifteen limit before encountering a barrier to Master level.
• Gao Wu attended a public lesson on advanced Star Armor, where Li Guofeng reacted sharply to him and Ye Ning noticed Gao Wu's apparent progress.
• After class, Li Guofeng asked Gao Wu to spar, and Ye Ning approved the match using the academy's simulated Star Armor cockpits.
• Wang Si'an and Liu Guanying joined the crowded Battle Network spectator area and discussed Gao Wu and Li Guofeng before the spar began.

Gao Wu defeated Li Guofeng in an internal network battle, using Azure Nether’s precise footwork and swordsmanship to overcome White Rainbow’s greater speed and strength. The spectators were left stunned, and Liu Guanying acknowledged Gao Wu as a true master.

• Li Guofeng entered the arena in his heavily upgraded White Rainbow, while Gao Wu prepared to fight in Azure Nether.
• Li Guofeng charged and swung his twin swords, but Gao Wu maneuvered around the attacks and struck White Rainbow’s blades at precise angles.
• Gao Wu disarmed Li Guofeng’s attack, flipped White Rainbow to the ground, and stomped its back.
• Gao Wu’s twin swords returned through magnetic attraction, and he pierced White Rainbow’s neck before severing its head.
• Wang Si'an praised Gao Wu, and Liu Guanying admitted that he was a true master.

Gao Wu defeated Li Guofeng and learned about the Star Sea Swordsmanship Tournament, the Source Sea, and the barriers to becoming a Master. With only three months before the tournament, Ye Ning suggested he enter the Abyss to earn contribution points and strengthen himself.

• Gao Wu crushed Li Guofeng in a brief Star Armor battle, and Li Guofeng accepted his defeat before leaving the inner network.
• Ye Ning praised Gao Wu's use of Heavenly Escape and told him about the upcoming Star Master Swordsmanship Tournament and the Star Sea Sword Order.
• Gao Wu asked about advancing to Master, and Ye Ning explained that Star Masters must imprint their spiritual consciousness on the Source Sea, which God Generals had sealed off on planets.
• Gao Wu worried that he lacked time to earn contribution points before the tournament, so Ye Ning suggested he enter the Abyss through Qingcheng's Profound Yin Cavern to kill monsters and train.

Gao Wu entered the Profound Yin Cavern to train and headed into the Abyss, while Ye Zhen later ventured inside herself to hunt alien lifeforms. When Ye Zhen found Gao Wu confronting a level-sixteen mechanical wolf and rushed to warn him, he emerged unharmed after killing it.

• Gao Wu received his entry authorization and personal identification plate, then entered the Abyss as Ye Zhen, Liu Qingzhi, and Xu Shiqiang discussed his prospects.
• Ye Zhen offered Liu Qingzhi a share of her contribution points to cover her shifts, then entered the Abyss in her Violet Lightning Star Armor to pursue a breakthrough.
• Ye Zhen hunted crimson tree spirits in the Blood Forest and saw Gao Wu’s marker enter the Rusted Mountains.
• Ye Zhen followed Gao Wu to the Silent Mountains and warned him that a level-sixteen mechanical wolf was too dangerous for him.
• The mechanical wolf swallowed Gao Wu’s Azure Nether, but Gao Wu destroyed its head and emerged unharmed, leaving Ye Zhen stunned.

Gao Wu fought through the Rusted Mountains, earning vast Merit and valuable materials while learning from the mechanical Demons, until Azure Nether needed repairs. As his success drew attention at the support base, Ye Ning told Ye Qianren about him, and Ye Qianren decided to meet Gao Wu and consider granting him access to the Source Sea.

• Ye Zhen watched Gao Wu destroy a mechanical giant wolf, then agreed to transport his spoils and supplies for a five percent cut.
• Gao Wu killed a mechanical giant snake and thousands of mechanical bats, gaining Merit and studying their spiritual techniques.
• After three days of fighting, Gao Wu returned with Ye Zhen to repair Azure Nether and exchanged his materials for contribution points and income.
• Ye Zhen arranged for Gao Wu to rent the Seven Stars Star Armor while Azure Nether was repaired, and he soon returned to the Abyss.
• Ye Ning learned from Ye Zhen that Gao Wu had earned two hundred thousand contribution points and accumulated materials worth ten billion in two months.
• Ye Ning told Ye Qianren about Gao Wu, and he asked her to bring Gao Wu to him and said he might grant him access to the Source Sea.

Ye Qianren granted Gao Wu the Heavenly Escape art, lifting the lock on his mental magnetic field and allowing him to break through into the Master realm. The chapter ended with Ye Qianren ordering Ye Ning to help Gao Wu choose the best Star Armor.

• Ye Ning brought Gao Wu to the Dragon Tiger Buildings and explained how her grandfather chose which tower to live in by season.
• Gao Wu met Ye Qianren, who praised his talent and his patience in fighting Demons in the Abyss.
• Ye Qianren gave Gao Wu the Heavenly Escape art, opening his access to the Source Sea and imprinting his mental magnetic field there.
• Gao Wu's mental magnetic field manifested in green spiritual light as he broke through into the Master realm, astonishing Ye Ning.
• Ye Qianren reassured Ye Ning about Gao Wu and told her to help him choose the best Star Armor, offering a low-interest loan if needed.

Gao Wu became a Master, bought and heavily modified Longyuan, then entered the Sword Trial Tournament and won his way into the knockout rounds. There, he was matched against Li Guofeng, who was stunned when he saw Gao Wu’s information.

• Gao Wu obtained Master-grade Star Armor and chose the Famous Sword series’ Longyuan, which he summoned through the Source Sea.
• Ye Zhen learned Gao Wu had become a Master, while Xu Shiqiang and Liu Qingzhi reacted with surprise and discussed his prospects in the Swordsmanship Tournament.
• Gao Wu tested Longyuan, then spent 23 billion credits on aggressive modifications and further trials before preparing for the tournament.
• Gao Wu won 128 preliminary matches over two days and advanced to the knockout rounds after seven days of victories.
• Gao Wu’s first knockout-round opponent was Li Guofeng, who was dumbfounded when he saw Gao Wu’s information; Qing City’s spectators were shocked to see him arrive in Longyuan.

Gao Wu revealed that he had advanced to Grandmaster and dominated the Clearview Star semifinal trials with Longyuan, beheading every opponent in a single move. His victories made him a star across Clearview Star and Skynet, where he became a popular contender in the Sword Debate Tournament.

• Gao Wu defeated Li Guofeng in one exchange, cutting off White Rainbow Star Armor’s head and confirming his Grandmaster strength to the spectators.
• Wang Si'an and Liu Guanying were shaken by the gap between Gao Wu and the Advanced Star Masters, while Yangliu Qingqing questioned how he had advanced so quickly.
• Media outlets publicized Gao Wu’s comeback from forced retirement to Grandmaster, drawing tens of millions of viewers to his next battle.
• Gao Wu defeated Liu Guanying and Dragon Gallbladder in less than a second, beheading the Star Armor with a single sword.
• Gao Wu won all twenty Clearview Star semifinal selection battles without letting any opponent take a move, earning the name Headless Sword and widespread support for the tournament.

Gao Wu entered the major-region qualifiers for the Sword Debate Tournament and quickly drew attention by defeating powerful opponents with Longyuan. After Li Xuanfang recognized his skill, Zhang Xuanxiang dismissed Gao Wu as an online specialist who would not threaten the Four Heavenly Kings in the live finals.

• Gao Wu reflected on his growing Merit, his pursuit of the Star Sea Sword Order, and the mysterious powers governing the Universe.
• Ye Ning wished Gao Wu luck as he entered the major-region qualifiers, while Liu Ye Qingqing avoided meeting him to stay focused on the tournament.
• Gao Wu faced Li Xuanming, a level-fifteen Star Master in Dalin Temple's Vajra Star Armor, and beheaded him after disrupting his defensive rhythm.
• Li Xuanfang watched Gao Wu win four more battles with swift twin-sword strikes and sent the footage to the other Three Heavenly Kings.
• Zhang Xuanxiang dismissed Gao Wu's victories as online skill and doubted he could compete with their secret spiritual techniques in the live finals.