Chapter Summaries

Fu Qian returned to the abyss with Henry and confronted the Mask, who tried to force him to reveal what he had found. A vengeful death row inmate arrived and was killed by Fu Qian, leaving the Mask stunned by Fu Qian’s apparent supernatural power.

• The Mask reasoned that Fu Qian had returned for the source of color and threatened to throw him into the abyss at gunpoint.
• The Mask claimed his biological weapon could make Fu Qian reveal what he had found outside.
• A blood-soaked death row inmate appeared and accused the Mask of planning the murders.
• The death row inmate turned his gun toward Fu Qian, who blew apart his head and chest with a finger attack.
• The Mask dropped his gun in disbelief, and Fu Qian explained that he had suspected the inmate was acting to lure him into a trap.

Fu Qian exposed the Mask and the Convict’s secret partnership and guessed that the Mask had received a special mission identifying him as the story’s protagonist. After the red force surged into the Mask, he declared that he was still waiting for his reward, while Fu Qian revealed he was waiting for the same thing.

• Fu Qian explained how the Mask and the Convict had manipulated the team, and the Mask admitted they had cooperated from the start.
• Fu Qian deduced that the Mask had promised the Convict a drug that could preserve his clarity under severe contamination, and the Mask showed him a bottle of golden liquid.
• Fu Qian guessed that the Mask had gone berserk after receiving information that made him believe he was the story’s protagonist and the others were obstacles.
• Henry cried out and struggled as the red force surged toward him, but it passed over him and entered the Mask.
• The Mask said he still believed he was the protagonist and was waiting for his reward, and Fu Qian said he was waiting for it too.

Fu Qian fought Masked Brother while investigating why his supposed predecessors had appeared and what power was behind them. When the Well erupted, he realized the being empowering Masked Brother was trying to sneak its influence past the Abyss, and he began to see how its plan could threaten his nearly depleted Sanity Value.

• Masked Brother transformed into a demigod, and Fu Qian questioned him about the missions, learning that he did one every month.
• Masked Brother attacked Fu Qian with a barrage of light spears while taunting him about his restricted abilities.
• The Well churned violently, hurling the tree and severed limbs from within it.
• Fu Qian reasoned that the five teammates were traces of predecessors empowered by a hostile being, which was trying to drain his Sanity Value rather than simply kill him.
• Fu Qian suspected that Masked Brother had tried to placate the Abyss so the hostile being could seep some of its power into the area.

Fu Qian confronted the Mask, uncovered how a hidden power had manipulated former Warehouse administrators, and drew out the being controlling the Mask. He completed his mission by containing No. 1-105, but the Mask’s identity remained unknown.

• Fu Qian concluded that a higher being had used former administrators as puppets to mislead the Warehouse and exploit its staff.
• The Mask confirmed that his task was to gather flesh and blood to plug the well in exchange for partially lifting his power seal.
• The Mask revealed that his next task was to kill Fu Qian, and attacked while wrapped in radiant light.
• Fu Qian used Law Remnants and False God Incarnation to disrupt the Mask and asked him to name the last item he had contained.
• A voice silenced the Mask as the being possessing him appeared, causing the laboratory to collapse into chaos.
• Fu Qian summoned a frog-like creature from the red mist, fed it the cat, and completed the containment of No. 1-105.

Fu Qian learned that the Rainbow of Yao Bian had tried to impose an orderly world on the Abyss and was defeated when he killed Stella's Old Shadow. He examined the Color Wheel and received the Glorious Tyrant form, then wondered if it would make him grow like T-233.

• The Warehouse explained that the Rainbow of Yao Bian had created a color-shifting world to distort reality and take control of the Abyss, but Fu Qian's actions had ruined its plan.
• Fu Qian received Sanity Value, the Glorious Tyrant form, and the Miniature Universe Aberrant Colors as rewards for killing Stella's Old Shadow.
• Fu Qian concluded that the Rainbow of Yao Bian had deliberately misled him and connected it to the deaths of several Warehouse predecessors.
• Fu Qian found the Color Wheel in the Warehouse and saw that the shifting sphere began to jumble his understanding of color.
• Fu Qian inspected Glorious Tyrant and learned that it would enlarge his body and distort nearby forms of existence.

Fu Qian tested his new Glorious Tyrant skill in the Warehouse and received a lantern that could summon a random cosmic deity phantom. After leaving, he returned to Wen Li, who saw his shredded clothes and asked whether he wanted a mask.

• Fu Qian activated the Glorious Tyrant skill, grew larger, and tore his clothes, while the Warehouse showed no reaction.
• Fu Qian examined the Miniature Universe Aberrant Colors lantern and learned that striking it three times would project a random cosmic deity phantom.
• Fu Qian tried to strike the lantern but found an invisible restriction prevented him from using it in the Warehouse.
• Fu Qian decided to investigate the Rainbow of Yao Bian and received a notice that his Warehouse work was complete.
• Fu Qian put on the Emissary Mask and returned to Wen Li, who asked if he was heading out on another mission.
• Fu Qian declined Wen Li's offer to prepare a mask and showed her his torn trousers.

Fu Qian tested whether invoking the Rainbow of Yao Bian would draw a response, then went to the Night Watcher headquarters and caught Selena spying on Yuan Shan’s meeting with the Gulad clan. Yuan Shan let the incident go and praised Fu Qian for behaving himself.

• Fu Qian got new clothes and told Wen Li to make a name for herself in Shangjing, but offered to go out in her place when she hesitated.
• Fu Qian invoked the Rainbow of Yao Bian and, when nothing happened, concluded that it had gone into hiding after the long night.
• Xiao Mingyue told Fu Qian that Yuan Shan was busy and asked him to wait, but he sensed something outside the room and caught a gray supernatural construct spying through the wall.
• Yuan Shan arrived with Grantham, Selena, and Taylor, and identified Selena as the one who had used the construct to spy on her meeting with the Gulad clan.
• Selena apologized and explained that she had sensed an ancient presence and wondered whether it was connected to the progenitor, so Yuan Shan dismissed the incident and sent the group away.
• Yuan Shan relaxed after they left, sat down, and told Fu Qian that he had been very well-behaved lately.

Fu Qian asked Yuan Shan about the title Rainbow of Yao Bian, but her reaction revealed it was a closely guarded secret known to the Night Watchers. After Yuan Shan arranged to take him to the Northern Headquarters once things settled down, Fu Qian headed to his bookstore and found Taylor waiting outside.

• Yuan Shan explained that Selena had been curious about Blood Clan Progenitor Annalise's past, and Fu Qian refused to share the details he had shown her.
• Fu Qian asked Yuan Shan to explain the title Rainbow of Yao Bian, and she reacted with alarm when he revealed he knew its name.
• Yuan Shan questioned how Fu Qian knew the title and warned him to keep it secret, then told him to come with her to the Night Watchers' Northern Headquarters once things settled down.
• Fu Qian agreed to visit the headquarters but decided to move up his planned trip to the academy, and Yuan Shan personally escorted him out of the base.
• Fu Qian went to his bookstore and found Taylor waiting outside; Taylor rushed over to speak with him, so Fu Qian invited him inside.

Taylor visited Fu Qian to apologize, thank him, and convey Gulad’s decision to let him keep the Abyss Notebook in exchange for keeping the blood race’s secrets confidential. As Taylor left, a tearful woman mistook him for a victim of the corpse-picker, and Fu Qian watched the awkward encounter with amusement.

• Taylor apologized to Fu Qian and thanked him for helping his family during the events in Shangjing.
• Taylor admitted Grantham had sent him and told Fu Qian that Gulad gave him the Abyss Notebook, asking him to keep the blood race’s secrets confidential.
• Fu Qian accepted Gulad’s gesture and asked Taylor to give Grantham his regards.
• A tearful woman rushed up to Taylor outside the bookstore, but he insisted he did not know her and evaded her attempt to take his hand.
• Taylor explained that Darnetta had been responsible for the attacks and protested that he had never been intimate with a human woman.
• Fu Qian told Taylor that intimacy was fine as long as he remembered to use garlic.

Fu Qian returned to the Academy after traveling from his shop, meeting two Night Watchers along the way and arranging to face Lanaia in public. Lanaia confronted him over the trouble his supposed death had caused, but showed little hostility.

• Fu Qian closed his shop and set off for the Academy, traveling by aircraft toward Shangjing.
• Fu Qian reunited with Xiao Zhi and Uncle Mo, reassured them, and blamed Chief Yuan for the turbulence in Shangjing.
• Fu Qian reached the city at night, restored his real appearance, and headed toward the Academy after dinner.
• Professor Lanaia found Fu Qian in a crowded area and complained about the trouble he had caused.
• Fu Qian apologized to Lanaia, who offered to treat him another time.

Lanaia brought Fu Qian back to her place and explained the fallout from his killing Ian, as Spirit Ash pushed to prove Ian’s innocence and the academy prepared to judge Fu Qian. Before leaving him to wait, she told him Ji Liushuang had helped investigate the party but was away on Leaf Island because of trouble at home.

• Lanaia told Fu Qian that Ian’s death had caused conflict between Spirit Ash, Apocalypse, and the academy, and that Cas had fought someone.
• Lanaia explained that security footage could identify Fu Qian as Ian’s killer, while Spirit Ash insisted Ian was innocent and the Night Watchers had issued a warning.
• Lanaia brought Fu Qian to her residence and told him to stay put until the academy settled the matter.
• Lanaia explained that Apocalypse was celebrating Ian’s death and that Ji Liushuang had helped assess the partygoers’ mental states.
• Lanaia told Fu Qian that Ji Liushuang had gone to Leaf Island and had not returned because something had come up at home.

Fu Qian rested under Lanaia’s watch while awaiting questioning, then met a powerful visitor from the Spirit Ash Institute who recognized him as the Revelation Institute’s first new demigod. The visitor was surprised that Fu Qian did not know who they were.

• Lanaia told Fu Qian that Ji Liushuang had not returned from Leaf Island because of family matters, then welcomed him back.
• Lanaia stayed at her residence to keep Fu Qian under house arrest and said the academy would question him by nightfall.
• Fu Qian offered to buy Lanaia a drink afterward and joked that he would charge it to his research budget.
• Fu Qian spoke to an apparently empty space by the window, and a withered, masked being appeared and discussed the vacant building nearby.
• The being identified Fu Qian as the Revelation Institute’s first new demigod, and Fu Qian asked who they were.
• The visitor reacted with surprise when Fu Qian admitted he did not know their identity.

Weilong, a Spirit Ash demigod, confronted Fu Qian over Ian’s death and used his Void of Origin Source to isolate them and recreate Ian’s laboratory. He demanded Fu Qian confess to killing Ian and framing someone else, but Fu Qian denied it.

• Weilong introduced himself as a Spirit Ash demigod and explained that understanding the mind made Mythical Form easier to endure.
• Weilong revealed he had come because of Ian and said he wanted to uncover the truth rather than let Spirit Ash take the blame.
• Weilong used Void of Origin Source to cut Fu Qian off from the outside world, leaving Lanaia unable to notice their exchange.
• Weilong transformed their surroundings into a recreation of Ian’s laboratory and synchronized their wills to sharpen Fu Qian’s memories.
• Weilong accused Fu Qian of killing Ian and framing someone else, but Fu Qian denied the charge.

Fu Qian endured Weilong’s sorrow-inducing mental power and confronted Ian, whom Weilong summoned into the unstable mental space. He accused Ian of public indecency, leaving Weilong and Ian stunned by the direction of the confrontation.

• Fu Qian denied Weilong’s theories about his mental abilities, and the surroundings remained unchanged.
• Weilong’s crying mask cracked and warped, revealing his nonhuman face and filling Fu Qian with overwhelming sorrow.
• Weilong summoned Ian, a half-step demigod from the Spirit Ash Institute, into the room.
• Fu Qian resisted the sorrow and destructive images provoked by Ian’s gaze, then asked Ian if he knew his crime.
• Fu Qian accused Ian of public indecency and asked whether he had checked the laws before participating in the group event.

Fu Qian defeated Professor Ian and trapped Weilong in his Clear Dream, forcing him to reconsider who had framed Fu Qian and killed Ian. Weilong emerged convinced he had found the answer and left to verify it, while Fu Qian looked forward to learning who the real culprit was.

• Professor Ian crumbled into ash after Fu Qian killed him, and Fu Qian felt remorse without trying to justify his actions.
• Weilong accused Fu Qian of hiding his strength and killing Ian to conceal his secrets, then threatened to settle the matter.
• Fu Qian activated Clear Dream and trapped Weilong, setting the dream’s exit condition as identifying the real culprit behind Ian’s death and Fu Qian’s framing.
• After struggling against the dream, Weilong emerged and said he understood what had happened, then left to confirm a few things.
• Fu Qian returned to the window and wondered who Weilong would discover was the real culprit.

Professor Fu met with Lanaia after she questioned who he had spoken to, then attended a large public trial at the academy. The trial began with representatives of the Spirit Ash Institute, the Sword Participation Institute, the Institute of Curses, and others gathered to judge him.

• Lanaia challenged Professor Fu about hearing him say, “No need to see you out,” and he claimed he had been reflecting on his past sins.
• Lanaia warned Professor Fu to watch out for tricks from the Spirit Ash Institute and to avoid the people from the Apocalypse.
• Professor Fu wondered why the Apocalypse had remained quiet, then went with Lanaia to the public trial as evening fell.
• Professor Fu entered the hearing room and saw Weilong, Cas, several other demigods, and representatives of the academy’s institutes gathered.
• Li Weixuan welcomed Professor Fu and opened the trial.

Fu Qian admitted killing Professor Ian and presented himself as a Department of Punishment investigator who had acted to stop Ian’s abuses. Under Li Weixuan’s questioning, he explained that Ian was nearing ascension, leaving no time to report his findings to Lanaia first.

• Li Weixuan questioned Fu Qian about invading the Spirit Ash Institute, injuring staff, and killing Professor Ian, and Fu Qian admitted it.
• Fu Qian claimed he had acted as part of his duties in the Department of Punishment, surprising Lanaia and angering the Spirit Ash Institute’s representatives.
• At Li Weixuan’s prompting, Fu Qian described Ian’s exploitation of ordinary people and his lover, stirring outrage among the hearing’s attendees.
• Li Weixuan asked why Fu Qian had not reported his discovery to Lanaia before acting.
• Fu Qian replied that Ian was making his final push toward ascension, so there had been no time to report the danger.

Fu Qian explained that Ian’s research could doom the Spirit Ash Institute, and Li Weixuan imposed strict restrictions to protect the academy. Ni Huayuan accused Fu Qian of killing Ian, but Weilong revealed that Ni had exposed himself as the real culprit.

• Fu Qian warned that Ian’s method could create a demigod using ordinary people and would likely bring the Night Watchers down on the Spirit Ash Institute.
• Li Weixuan admitted he had anticipated the danger and ordered strict restrictions on everyone present.
• Ni Huayuan challenged Fu Qian to explain how he killed Ian, then accused him of murdering Ian and framing the Spirit Ash Institute.
• Weilong called Ni Huayuan greedy and stupid, then accused him of being the one who killed Ian.

Weilong accused Ni Huayuan of framing Ian to eliminate a rival and later steering Spirit Ash toward manipulating Professor Fu. He ended by explaining that Professor Fu’s swift defeat of Ian was possible because a demigod fighting seriously could kill him that quickly.

• Weilong accused Ni Huayuan of resenting Ian’s arrival and arranging the banquet scheme to frame Ian after the Department of Punishment began investigating.
• Weilong argued that Ni Huayuan had tampered with Ian and provoked him into admitting responsibility, while Ni denied the accusations.
• Weilong explained that Ni had spoken against the settled conclusion because he feared Spirit Ash would uncover the truth and had tried to use everyone to control Professor Fu.
• Weilong pointed out that Ni had urged Spirit Ash to imprint information into Professor Fu’s mind if he refused to admit what happened.
• Weilong identified Fu Qian as the person Ni should never have tried to use and said a demigod fighting seriously could have killed Ian that quickly.

Fu Qian’s hidden demigod status was revealed during Ni Huayuan’s trial, while Weilong’s erratic conduct raised suspicions that Fu Qian had influenced him. The hearing resumed under Li Weixuan’s control, and Fu Qian claimed he had advanced to demigod only recently.

• Weilong revealed that Fu Qian was a demigod, shocking the audience and prompting Ni Huayuan to deny the accusation against him.
• Weilong manifested his Mythical Form, causing chaos until the female demigod from the Sword Participation Institute suppressed it with an invisible strike.
• Lanaia suspected Fu Qian had set Weilong up, but Fu Qian denied it; Li Weixuan restored order and ordered the hearing to continue.
• Weilong confirmed that he had visited Fu Qian earlier that day, and Fu Qian joked that they had discussed the penalty for public indecency.
• Li Weixuan asked why Fu Qian had hidden his strength when he joined the academy, and Fu Qian said he had become a demigod only recently.