Chapter Summaries

Zhang Qingyuan sensed a powerful group preparing to ambush the Chang Family Escort Agency, but chose to wait rather than intervene immediately. The attackers struck at night and began clearing the escort’s outer defenses before a warning cry raised the alarm.

• Zhang Qingyuan assessed the attackers’ strength and recognized that they posed a grave threat to the Chang Family Escort Agency.
• Little Fire offered to eliminate the hidden attackers, but Zhang Qingyuan told the Crimson Flame Sky-Scale Serpent to wait.
• Zhang Qingyuan decided he would intervene only if necessary and wondered how Old Master Chang had sensed something unusual about him.
• As night deepened and the escort guards relaxed, an attacker killed two patrolling guards with True Essence Qi.
• Several black-clad attackers rushed the patrol teams and sentries, killing many before someone shouted that the enemy was attacking.

The Chang Family Escort Agency was ambushed over its valuable cargo, and Old Master Chang Shan fought Drilling Mountain Dragon while the escort guards were overwhelmed. When Chang Shan called for Daoist Zhang to help, an attacker struck the carriage, with the result leaving him terrified.

• Old Master Chang Shan blasted a masked attacker who had just killed ten people, but a powerful newcomer arrived and demanded the escort cargo.
• Chang Shan fought the newcomer, whom he recognized as Drilling Mountain Dragon, while the attackers slaughtered the escort guards below.
• Drilling Mountain Dragon's stronger attacks drove Chang Shan back, and a True Essence First Layer attacker shattered the escort guards' formation.
• Chang Shan called on Daoist Zhang inside the carriage for help, but Drilling Mountain Dragon dismissed the plea as a bluff.
• The True Essence First Layer attacker casually sent a streak of Sword Light at the carriage, then reacted with terror when it struck.

Chang Shan recalled how his Fortune and Disaster Evasion Technique had warned him that the escort shipment would bring certain death, until the frail young man in the carriage made the danger vanish. When an attacker’s blade light threatened the carriage, an unseen power stopped it and revealed a hand reaching out from within.

• Chang Shan remembered accepting the dangerous shipment despite his Secret Technique’s dire warning, and regretting it as every route seemed to lead to death.
• Chang Shan’s sense of danger vanished when the escort team encountered a coughing young man, so he invited him to travel in a carriage and cultivated his favor.
• Drilling Mountain Dragon clashed with Chang Shan while another attacker sent a blade light toward the carriage.
• A long sigh froze everyone in the camp and stopped the blade light before it could reach the carriage.
• A pale hand emerged from the carriage, caught the blade light between two fingers, and warned the attacker against seeking death.

Zhang Qingyuan effortlessly stopped a True Essence Realm cultivator’s attack, then used his spiritual power to kill the fleeing attacker and Drilling Mountain Dragon. He left the carriage to confront Chang Shan and the Chang Family Escort Agency about how Chang Shan had sensed his unusual nature.

• Zhang Qingyuan caught the True Essence Realm cultivator’s blade between two fingers and dispersed it, terrifying the battlefield.
• The True Essence Realm cultivator fled, and Drilling Mountain Dragon followed, blaming the Zhao Family for sending them to intercept the shipment.
• Zhang Qingyuan unleashed a vast will that robbed everyone of their senses and thoughts, then crushed the two fleeing men to death.
• Zhang Qingyuan reflected that the Essence, Qi, and Spirit Three Flowers gave him power on the level of the Cave True Realm, then rose to speak with Chang Shan and the escort agency.

After Zhang Qingyuan defeated the attackers, Chang Shan apologized for using him as protection and paid him with an incomplete Secret Technique. Zhang Qingyuan accepted the payment and agreed to keep escorting the caravan, while Chang Shan’s people tended to the camp and handed over the defeated cultivators’ Storage Bags.

• Chang Shan thanked Zhang Qingyuan for saving the camp, and Zhang Qingyuan pointed out that Chang Shan had invited him hoping to use his strength.
• Chang Shan feared Zhang Qingyuan’s displeasure and begged him to forgive the Chang Family for treating him like a hired thug.
• Zhang Qingyuan demanded fair compensation, so Chang Shan offered him a worn Jade Slip containing an incomplete Secret Technique.
• Zhang Qingyuan inspected the Jade Slip, accepted it, and agreed to escort the caravan farther and deliver its shipment safely.
• Chang Shan ordered his people to care for the wounded and later gave Zhang Qingyuan the Storage Bags of the two defeated True Essence Realm Cultivators.

Zhang Qingyuan discovered a chapter of the Taiyi Spirit Refining Technique in a Jade Slip and spent a month cultivating it as the escort party traveled to Wuyang County. After arriving, he departed alone, leaving Chang Shan to complete the escort mission.

• Zhang Qingyuan examined the Jade Slip and found it contained a chapter of the Taiyi Spirit Refining Technique that strengthened a cultivator’s sixth sense.
• Zhang Qingyuan began cultivating the technique while the Chang Family Escort Agency continued its journey.
• Zhang Qingyuan struggled with the chapter’s difficulty but managed to cultivate it after a month.
• Chang Shan invited Zhang Qingyuan to stay at his residence after the party reached Wuyang County.
• Zhang Qingyuan declined Chang Shan’s invitation and vanished, while Chang Shan returned to complete the delivery to the Zhao Family Merchant Guild.

Zhang Qingyuan traveled toward Yue Family Town to fulfill Daoist Ming Shui’s final wish and investigate a Secret Realm, while sensing an ominous premonition. He reached the outskirts and saw smoke and signs of battle near the town, where defenders were fighting Black Mountain Bandits as the protective formation faltered.

• Zhang Qingyuan crossed the countryside in concealment, reflecting on how he had risen beyond ordinary mortals.
• Zhang Qingyuan recalled that Yue Family Town was Daoist Ming Shui’s hometown and planned to return his master’s remains there before seeking the Secret Realm in Qingyang Monster Beast Mountain Range.
• Zhang Qingyuan sensed that his injuries still limited his power and that his journey might bring trouble.
• Zhang Qingyuan spotted smoke and heard fighting near Yue Family Town, then vanished toward the disturbance.
• A one-armed halberd wielder urged Yue Family Town’s cultivators to hold against the Black Mountain Bandits while the town’s defensive formation neared collapse.

The Black Mountain Bandits attacked Yue Family Town, destroyed its defensive formation, and overwhelmed the Yue Family. As the bandit leader seized Yue Lingyun, a mysterious speaker named Zhang intervened and asked both sides to stop.

• Amid growing unrest in Chuyun Kingdom, the Yue Family prepared for an attack by Drilling Mountain Dragon’s bandits but was surprised by the Black Mountain Bandits.
• Cao Zicheng destroyed Yue Family Town’s defensive formation with his Black Golden Bowl and struck down the one-armed clan leader with a Thunder Spear.
• The Black Mountain Bandits stormed the town and began slaughtering its defenders while Yue Family members lost hope or tried to flee.
• Cao Zicheng spotted Yue Lingyun, appeared before her, and claimed her as his own.
• A clear Dao Essence descended over the battlefield, and Zhang called on the combatants to stop.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist, an employee, decides to take a leave from work due to personal reasons.
• They write a formal request letter to their supervisor, stating their intention to take a break.

Character Development

• The protagonist shows signs of burnout or personal distress, indicating a need for self-care and mental health awareness.
• The supervisor, though not directly present, is portrayed as approachable and understanding, as they haven't denied the leave request.

Significant Themes

• Mental Health: The chapter highlights the importance of mental health and self-care in the workplace.
• Work-Life Balance: It emphasizes the need for a healthy work-life balance to prevent burnout.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist interacts with their supervisor through a formal letter, indicating a professional relationship.
• Though not explicitly stated, the supervisor's understanding and acceptance of the leave request suggest a supportive work environment.

Zhang Qingyuan arrived at Yue Family Town and effortlessly defeated the Black Mountain Bandit Leader, Cao Zicheng. With the survivors frozen by his presence, he asked whether the ruined settlement was Yue Family Town in Wuyang County.

• Cao Zicheng sensed someone behind him and unleashed a powerful black thunder attack at the newcomer.
• Zhang Qingyuan stopped the attack with a Five Elements Dao art and struck Cao Zicheng into a crater with one palm.
• Zhang Qingyuan cleared the smoke and dust as Cao Zicheng lay bloodied and his bandits and the Yue Family survivors stood frozen.
• Zhang Qingyuan asked whether the settlement was Yue Family Town in Wuyang County.

Zhang Qingyuan arrived in Yue Family Town and easily crushed Cao Zicheng, then revealed that he had come to the Yue Family on someone’s behalf. When Black Mountain Bandits tried to flee and attack him, he demonstrated his control over space and the laws of heaven and earth, leaving the bandits trapped beneath a terrifying darkness.

• Zhang Qingyuan asked where he was, and the Yue Family Great Elder identified the place as Yue Family Town and humbly thanked him for suppressing Cao Zicheng.
• Zhang Qingyuan confirmed that he had come to the Yue Family on someone’s behalf, but paused when the Black Mountain Bandits began fleeing.
• Two Black Mountain Bandits attacked Zhang Qingyuan from behind, but he trapped them in distorted space and crushed them without turning around.
• Zhang Qingyuan invoked the Way of Five Elements, Law Uses Heaven and Earth, and spread his Dao Essence across the surrounding area.
• The fleeing Black Mountain Bandits halted as darkness covered their Spiritual Sense and a vast pressure descended over the land.

Zhang Qingyuan used the Essence, Qi, and Spirit Three Flowers and Five Elements Dao Law to destroy the Black Mountain Bandits without worsening his Dao Injury. After years of fighting the Blood Demon Sect, he had learned to wield Heaven and Earth in battle, and he descended to meet the Yue Family while reassuring Little Fire that it remained his hidden trump card.

• Zhang Qingyuan unleashed Spiritual Sense and Dao Essence across ten miles, crippling or killing all the Black Mountain Bandits near Yueyang Town.
• Zhang Qingyuan reflected that the battles forced on him by the Blood Demon Sect had helped him master the Three Flowers and Five Elements Dao Law and wear away his Dao Injury.
• Zhang Qingyuan recognized that he had defeated the bandits without using True Essence and resolved to repay the Blood Demon Sect someday.
• Zhang Qingyuan descended toward the Yue Family Great Elder as Little Fire complained that it had not been allowed to fight.
• Zhang Qingyuan told Little Fire that he kept it hidden as a final means of self-preservation, while Little Fire doubted his righteous explanation.

Zhang Qingyuan told the Yue Family Great Elder that his deceased Master, Yue Qizong, had been a Yue Family ancestor and asked to be buried beneath the old scholar tree. After three days of searching, the family found records confirming Yue Qizong's existence and his connection to the tree.

• The Yue Family welcomed Zhang Qingyuan as a powerful guest and had Yue Lingyun serve him, but he sent her away and asked to speak with the person in charge.
• Zhang Qingyuan explained that his Master had asked him to bring his remains back to the Yue Family for burial beneath the great scholar tree.
• The Yue Family Great Elder doubted that their small family had produced an ancestor who reached the Cave True Immortal Realm and hurried to check the genealogy.
• After searching for three days and nights, the Yue Family's leaders found notes naming Yue Qizong and linking him to the old scholar tree.

Zhang Qingyuan buried his master, Daoist Ming Shui, beneath the Yue Family’s ancient scholar tree and reflected on the tragic story of his master’s lost love. As he stood by the grave, the tree finally blossomed for the first time in eight hundred years.

• The Yue Family found an ancient note revealing that Yue Qizong, later known as Daoist Ming Shui, had vanished while seeking a wedding gift for his childhood sweetheart, who waited for him until her death beneath their scholar tree.
• Zhang Qingyuan recognized the story as his master’s past and considered the Yue Family’s mixed feelings after learning their ancestor had become a Cave True Immortal.
• Zhang Qingyuan buried Daoist Ming Shui beneath the old scholar tree, following his master’s wish to return home and rest there.
• Zhang Qingyuan tended the grave and told his master he had brought him back to the Nine Continents Continent and laid him to rest beneath the tree.
• The ancient scholar tree unexpectedly bloomed with white flowers, which fell across Zhang Qingyuan and Daoist Ming Shui’s grave.

After burying Daoist Ming Shui, Zhang Qingyuan wondered about his master’s hidden past but chose to focus on recovering and advancing his cultivation. He stayed with the Yue Family to guide its cultivators, then sensed that someone had arrived and that the danger around Qingyang Monster Beast Mountain Range might be changing.

• Zhang Qingyuan questioned why Daoist Ming Shui had returned to his homeland and died after only about eight hundred years, then decided to set aside the mysteries and prioritize his recovery and cultivation.
• Zhang Qingyuan bowed three times at Daoist Ming Shui’s grave beneath the old locust tree and left.
• The Yue Family rebuilt with renewed pride after learning that Daoist Ming Shui had been a Cave True Immortal Realm figure.
• Zhang Qingyuan stayed with the Yue Family and gave its cultivators guidance, helping many of them gain insight and break through.
• Zhang Qingyuan sensed a warning about entering Qingyang Monster Beast Mountain Range and waited at the Yue Family; days later, he sensed someone had arrived.

Chang Shan visited the ruined Yue Family Town and told Zhang Qingyuan about signs that Chuyun Kingdom’s Cultivation World might be heading into chaos. Zhang Qingyuan recognized Chang Shan’s account as a possible clue to something he sought, leaving the two poised to discuss the upheaval further.

• Chang Shan arrived at Yue Family Town and learned from the Yue Family Great Elder that the Black Mountain Bandits had devastated it, but Zhang Qingyuan had defeated them and aided the family.
• Chang Shan explained that he had come to visit the Yue Family and settle a long-arranged marriage alliance, while seeking allies amid growing unrest.
• Zhang Qingyuan invited Chang Shan to the Yue Family back mountain, where the two recognized each other from their earlier travels.
• Chang Shan recounted rumors of a great battle in the Depths of Qingyang Monster Beast Mountain Range and a later clash between mysterious streaks of light and the Imperial Clan’s Old Ancestors.
• Chang Shan warned that Chuyun Kingdom might descend into chaos, and Zhang Qingyuan sensed that his account held a clue he wanted.

Chang Shan told the Yue Family Great Elder that Chuyun Kingdom was sliding into chaos and that the court had abandoned its duty to protect cultivation families. Zhang Qingyuan connected the unrest to events six years earlier in the Qingyang Monster Beast Mountain Range, while two officials approached Yue Family Town to kill them and cover up their actions.

• Chang Shan explained that powerful families had been wiped out, bandits were rampant, and he sought allies for the Chang Family Escort Agency.
• The Yue Family Great Elder said the Jing'an Division had ignored the Yue Family's pleas for help against the Black Mountain Bandits, who had been driven from their old den.
• Zhang Qingyuan asked when the unrest began, and Chang Shan said it followed a tremor in the Qingyang Monster Beast Mountain Range six years earlier and an incident in the Capital.
• Zhang Qingyuan decided to wait for someone to come to them rather than confront the Chuyun Kingdom Emperor.
• Two men flew toward Yue Family Town, planning to kill Chang Shan and the Yue Family and blame the Black Mountain Bandits.

Two imperial agents arrived above Yue Family Town and planned to destroy the Yue Family while concealing their role in the region’s unrest. After infiltrating the ancestral residence, one agent launched an attack on the two True Essence Realm cultivators inside.

• A gray-clad man and a hot-tempered youth observed the ruined town and discussed how the Yue Family had survived the Black Mountain Bandits.
• The gray-clad man warned that a direct assault could jeopardize their plan to blame the unrest on the bandits and proposed assassinating the Yue Family’s True Essence Realm cultivators.
• The two agents infiltrated the town unseen and headed to the Yue Family Ancestral Main Residence.
• The agents sensed two True Essence Realm Auras inside, and the gray-clad man confirmed that the youth could attack.
• The youth charged through the residence’s gate, demolished its entrance and walls, and unleashed a thunderous attack toward the two cultivators inside.

Xiahou Wenbin attacked the Yue Family residence, but Zhang Qingyuan effortlessly stopped his punch and sealed his power. As Xiahou Wenbin fell, the gray-robed man fled in terror after recognizing Zhang Qingyuan’s overwhelming cultivation.

• Xiahou Wenbin burst into the Yue Family residence and attacked Chang Shan and the Yue Family Great Elder, claiming the Black Mountain Bandits would be blamed for their deaths.
• Zhang Qingyuan blocked Xiahou Wenbin’s punch with a Taiji-like force and drew him into a vast, star-filled illusion.
• Zhang Qingyuan bound Xiahou Wenbin with a Five Skandha chain that sealed his True Essence, causing him to fall to the ground.
• The gray-robed man recognized Zhang Qingyuan’s Spirit Wandering Void, Daoist Magic Divine Mastery realm and fled beyond Yueyang Town.

Tang Huacheng recognized Zhang Qingyuan’s power as that of a Cave True Immortal and tried to flee, but Zhang Qingyuan subdued him and had him taken back to the Yue Family residence. After seven days of silence, Chang Shan and the Yue Family Great Elder used Tang Huacheng’s governor token to obtain a large haul of supplies, most of which went to Zhang Qingyuan.

• Tang Huacheng realized the power behind the strange presence matched that of a Cave True Immortal and feared he would be killed to keep the secret.
• Zhang Qingyuan imprisoned the space around Tang Huacheng and struck him down with a Wind-and-Cloud Hand, leaving him severely injured.
• Zhang Qingyuan ordered the Yue Family members to bring Tang Huacheng back to the lineage’s main residence.
• Tang Huacheng and Xiahou Wenbin remained locked in the lineage’s prison for seven days as the Yue Family members awaited the fallout.
• Chang Shan and the Yue Family Great Elder went out with Tang Huacheng’s governor token and returned three days later with a large quantity of supplies.
• Zhang Qingyuan kept the most valuable supplies, replenishing many of his resources on the Nine Continents Continent.