Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “A Forceful Display of Power”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The World Alliance is shocked to learn that Heavenreach Sacred Academy has destroyed twelve factions in a single year—seven aligned with the World Alliance and five with the Ironblood Sect.
• These factions were publicly stronger than Heavenreach, leading the World Alliance to suspect outside intervention, particularly from the Sacred Academy Alliance, or the presence of a hidden expert within the academy.
• The Ironblood Sect reacts angrily but unexpectedly becomes low-profile instead of retaliating. The World Alliance decides to investigate the sect and avoid acting rashly against Heavenreach.
• Chen Changan explains that he personally led Heavenreach’s elites in eliminating the twelve factions, taking their resources and territories. He arranged for the academy to occupy and manage the conquered lands immediately.
• His goal was not only to expand Heavenreach’s resources but also to demonstrate its strength, pressure its enemies, and test whether powerful forces were backing them.
• Chen urges the academy to use this temporary peace to cultivate and gather alchemy materials.
• He reveals that he can refine pills in Primordial Heaven and shows the Dean a superior-quality Primordial Golden Pill, which can grant an ordinary person roughly three hundred years of cultivation.
• Chen then introduces the even more powerful Hongmeng Limit Pill, which can improve a person’s potential and possibly raise their innate cultivation aptitude from an inferior level to an exceptional one.
• He also mentions pills that can increase combat strength and temporarily enhance comprehension.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan establishes himself as an overwhelming force and a highly strategic leader. His swift destruction of twelve factions proves that Heavenreach possesses power far beyond what outsiders assumed.
• He is shown to be both ruthless and pragmatic: he kills efficiently, seizes resources, consolidates territory, and uses military action as a calculated warning.
• Chen also reveals a previously unknown talent for alchemy, greatly increasing his value to Heavenreach. His pills could accelerate cultivation, improve potential, and transform the academy’s future.
• The World Alliance Leader becomes cautious and uncertain. Rather than immediately retaliating, he chooses investigation and observation, recognizing that Heavenreach’s rise may involve forces beyond his understanding.
• The Ironblood Sect Master appears unusually restrained, suggesting that the sect may know something alarming or possess information that has not yet been revealed.
• The Dean shifts from bewilderment to excitement. He is stunned by Chen’s military achievements and even more astonished by the possibility that Chen’s pills could rapidly strengthen Heavenreach’s members.

Significant Themes

• Power as authority: Chen’s campaign demonstrates that overwhelming strength can force rival factions to reassess their assumptions and hesitate before attacking.
• Strategic deterrence: The destruction of the twelve factions is not merely conquest; it is a deliberate display intended to intimidate enemies and expose hidden alliances.
• The value of resources: Territory, factional wealth, and alchemy materials are presented as essential foundations for Heavenreach’s long-term growth.
• Transformation through cultivation: The Hongmeng Limit Pill introduces the theme that innate limitations need not determine a person’s destiny.
• Uncertainty and hidden forces: The World Alliance cannot determine whether Heavenreach is acting alone, benefiting from the Sacred Academy Alliance, or concealing a powerful expert.
• Preparation amid temporary peace: Though enemies have fallen silent, Chen recognizes that the quiet is temporary and urges Heavenreach to strengthen itself before the next confrontation.

Character Interactions

• The World Alliance Leader questions his subordinates about Heavenreach’s astonishing victories and debates whether the Sacred Academy Alliance is secretly involved.
• His advisers agree that outside assistance seems likely but acknowledge that such intervention would be highly unusual.
• The World Alliance Leader orders an investigation into the Ironblood Sect while instructing his forces to monitor Heavenreach rather than provoke it.
• The Dean confronts Chen, demanding to know how he achieved such rapid success. Chen calmly attributes it to absolute strength and efficient execution.
• Chen then shocks the Dean by revealing his alchemical abilities. Their conversation evolves from military strategy to the potential of pills to revolutionize Heavenreach’s cultivation and combat strength.

Chapter Summary: “The Envoy”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Changan reveals to the Dean that he can refine pills capable of improving a person’s aptitude fivefold for one hundred years. The Dean is shocked by the pills’ enormous value and immediately orders a search for the required materials.
• The Dean emphasizes that Chen Changan’s ability must remain secret, warning that exposure could bring severe trouble. He promises not to reveal it, even if questioned by the Sacred Academy Alliance.
• Chen Changan asks whether the Sacred Academy Alliance has become corrupt. The Dean cautiously admits that he has heard rumors but insists that neither he nor Heavenreach Sacred Academy can afford to challenge such a powerful organization.
• The Dean explains that his goal is simply to develop Heavenreach Sacred Academy into a safe “paradise” of its own. Chen Changan acknowledges this as admirable, while suggesting that the Alliance’s long-standing dominance will eventually collapse.
• Chen Changan returns to seclusion with Mu Yunyao and Da Huang to continue cultivating. Meanwhile, the Dean secretly mobilizes trusted people to gather the pill materials, disguising their true purpose.
• Heavenreach Sacred Academy’s destruction of twelve factions causes Ghost Abyss to fall into uneasy silence. Many forces begin considering submission, especially because the World Alliance and Ironblood Sect failed to intervene.
• The Heavenly Dragon Pavilion recognizes that Heavenreach Sacred Academy has become an overwhelming force. Its Pavilion Master orders the organization to abandon its former claim as Ghost Abyss’s leading faction and to treat Heavenreach’s affairs as its own.
• The World Alliance’s leader meets a mysterious Envoy and fears punishment for the previous failure. The Envoy clarifies that Heavenreach acted independently and that the Sacred Academy Alliance was not involved.
• The Envoy orders the World Alliance to temporarily abandon its plan against Heavenreach Sacred Academy and simply hold its position until further instructions arrive.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan demonstrates increasing strategic importance through his secret pill-refining ability and his focus on long-term cultivation and strength.
• The Dean becomes deeply invested in protecting Chen Changan’s talent. He shows both loyalty and political caution, understanding that openly opposing the Sacred Academy Alliance would endanger everyone.
• The Heavenly Dragon Pavilion’s Pavilion Master reveals strong confidence in Chen Changan, valuing him more highly than his apparent status would suggest. His decision to align with Heavenreach marks a major political shift.
• The World Alliance’s Alliance Leader is shown to be fearful and subordinate to higher powers. His relief at not being blamed highlights the Alliance’s limited independence.
• The Envoy is introduced as a representative of a more powerful authority, capable of overriding the World Alliance’s plans with a direct order.

Significant Themes

• The value and danger of talent: Chen Changan’s aptitude-enhancing pills could transform the future of Heavenreach, but their power makes secrecy essential.
• Political survival versus resistance: The Dean dislikes the Sacred Academy Alliance but chooses to protect and strengthen his own institution rather than openly rebel.
• The rise of a new power: Heavenreach’s destruction of twelve factions overturns the balance of power in Ghost Abyss and causes former rivals to reconsider their loyalties.
• Hidden strength and misjudgment: Outside forces underestimated Heavenreach, while the Pavilion Master appears to understand that Chen Changan may be central to its future.
• Decay of established authority: The chapter suggests that the Sacred Academy Alliance’s long rule has led to corruption and that its dominance may eventually collapse.

Character Interactions

• Chen Changan and the Dean discuss the aptitude-enhancing pills, secrecy, and the Sacred Academy Alliance, revealing mutual trust and contrasting perspectives on political danger.
• The Dean privately instructs his confidants to gather the pill materials without revealing their true purpose.
• The Heavenly Dragon Pavilion’s leadership debates Heavenreach’s rise, with the Pavilion Master asserting that supporting it may determine their future advancement.
• The World Alliance leader nervously reports to the Envoy, who reassures him about the previous failure but commands the Alliance to suspend its campaign against Heavenreach.

Chapter Summary: “Severing Saint Abyss”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The branch president of the Sacred Academy Alliance unexpectedly visits Heavenreach Sacred Academy, alarming the Dean because the academy has already been regularly reporting its progress.
• He praises Heavenreach Sacred Academy for developing faster and more successfully than the other Intermediate Sacred Academies, then reveals the real purpose of his visit.
• The Alliance orders Heavenreach Sacred Academy to send three people to Severing Saint Abyss, an extremely dangerous region where even Primordial Saint Venerables have little chance of survival.
• The branch president claims the academy is only being invited to “broaden its horizons,” while the three Senior Sacred Academies will serve as the main force. However, the limited number of slots strongly suggests that the mission is specifically aimed at Chen Changan and his two exceptional companions.
• After the president leaves, the Dean realizes that the Sacred Academy Alliance has noticed Heavenreach Sacred Academy’s rapid growth and may already be investigating Chen Changan and the others.
• The Dean summons Chen Changan from seclusion and explains the situation.
• Chen Changan concludes that refusing the order is impossible because the Alliance controls the academy. He decides that the three of them should go to Severing Saint Abyss, using the mission to investigate the Alliance’s true intentions.
• Chen Changan instructs the Dean to guard Heavenreach Sacred Academy and remain alert for trouble while they are gone.
• The Dean urges Chen Changan to hide his abilities, avoid provoking the Senior Sacred Academies, and prioritize survival.
• Mu Yunyao interrupts and remarks that Chen Changan is unlikely to tolerate humiliation or deliberately suffer losses, even if doing so risks exposing his true strength.

Character Developments

• The Dean: Becomes increasingly anxious about the Sacred Academy Alliance’s interest in Heavenreach Sacred Academy. He recognizes that the invitation is likely a trap or test and shows deep concern for Chen Changan’s safety.
• Chen Changan: Demonstrates strategic calm and confidence. Rather than resisting the dangerous mission, he chooses to accept it so he can uncover the Alliance’s motives. He also takes responsibility for protecting the academy by preparing the Dean for possible trouble.
• Mu Yunyao: Shows her familiarity with Chen Changan’s personality. She understands that he is proud, unwilling to endure injustice, and unlikely to follow the Dean’s advice if it requires him to submit or accept a loss.
• The Branch President: Maintains a polite and reassuring façade, but his carefully chosen words and vague explanation imply that the Alliance has a hidden agenda.

Significant Themes

• Political manipulation and hidden motives: The Alliance disguises a potentially dangerous test or investigation as an opportunity for advancement.
• Power imbalance and institutional control: Heavenreach Sacred Academy cannot freely refuse the Alliance’s order because it remains subordinate to the larger organization.
• Danger as an opportunity: Chen Changan views the mission not only as a threat but also as a chance to learn what the Alliance is planning.
• Caution versus defiance: The Dean advocates concealment and restraint, while Chen Changan’s nature suggests he will not quietly endure oppression.
• Recognition and exposure: The academy’s success has finally attracted powerful observers, making Chen Changan and his allies targets of greater forces.

Character Interactions

• The branch president uses praise and courtesy to ease the Dean’s suspicion before revealing the order.
• The Dean responds diplomatically but questions the practicality and danger of the mission.
• The Dean warns Chen Changan to remain inconspicuous and avoid conflict with the Senior Sacred Academies.
• Chen Changan accepts the necessity of the mission while emphasizing the need to investigate the Alliance.
• Mu Yunyao undercuts the Dean’s cautious advice by bluntly pointing out that Chen Changan will not willingly tolerate being bullied or disadvantaged.

Chapter Summary: You Still Don’t Understand Him

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mu Yunyao rejects the Dean’s advice that Chen Changan should tolerate insults and avoid conflict. Da Huang agrees, explaining that Chen Changan never submits when others threaten him.
• Da Huang reveals that he, Chen Changan, and Mu Yunyao have all become Ninth-Rank Hongmeng Saints, astonishing the Dean. Their rapid progress is attributed to the abundant cultivation resources they obtained.
• Chen Changan gives the Dean ten Primordial Golden Pills, allowing him to strengthen himself or trusted subordinates and help them reach the Primordial Saint Venerable Realm.
• Chen Changan teases the Dean by claiming that the Dean interrupted their attempt to break through to the Primordial Saint Venerable Realm. Mu Yunyao clarifies that he was joking, though the incident reminds the Dean not to interrupt their cultivation casually.
• Since they have three months before needing to reach the Sacred Academy Alliance branch, Chen Changan orders Da Huang to continue cultivating rather than sightseeing.
• After three more months of cultivation, Chen Changan, Mu Yunyao, and Da Huang arrive at the branch. The three Senior Sacred Academies are absent; the branch intends to send them onward to the Severing Saint Abyss, where they will meet the academies.
• Chen Changan deduces that the branch deliberately summoned them to verify that the actual three-person group had arrived. If anyone else had come, the branch likely would have revoked Heavenreach Sacred Academy’s qualification.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan remains confident, decisive, and unwilling to tolerate threats or humiliation. His power and influence continue to grow, and he casually supplies rare pills to the Dean.
• Mu Yunyao demonstrates a clear understanding of Chen Changan’s personality and acts as a calm mediator, exposing his teasing and correcting the Dean’s misunderstandings.
• Da Huang insists that despite his usual cowardice and fear of death, he deeply understands Chen Changan and would fight beside him if necessary. He also complains humorously about being forced to cultivate.
• The Dean realizes that his advice about patience does not apply to Chen Changan. He is shocked by their cultivation speed and becomes more cautious about interrupting them.
• The branch president and alliance officials appear secretive and possibly suspicious, arranging events specifically to confirm Chen Changan’s group.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and mutual understanding: Da Huang and Mu Yunyao understand Chen Changan better than the Dean does and fully support his uncompromising nature.
• Power and rapid advancement: The group’s exceptional resources and breakthroughs emphasize their extraordinary potential.
• Strength over compromise: The chapter reinforces Chen Changan’s refusal to endure oppression or retreat when challenged.
• Humor within powerful relationships: Teasing, banter, and Da Huang’s complaints lighten the tension while revealing the group’s closeness.
• Suspicion and hidden motives: The branch’s unnecessary arrangements suggest that Chen Changan and his companions are being specifically tested or targeted.

Character Interactions

• The Dean attempts to persuade Chen Changan to remain patient, but Mu Yunyao and Da Huang explain why such advice is pointless.
• Da Huang and the Dean argue over whether Chen Changan should be restrained, with Da Huang confidently defending his “big brother.”
• Chen Changan teases the Dean about interrupting a breakthrough, while Mu Yunyao clarifies the joke.
• Chen Changan refuses Da Huang’s attempts to avoid cultivation, forcing him to train for another three months.
• Upon reaching the branch, Chen Changan questions the officials’ unusual procedure and correctly interprets their hidden intention.

Chapter Summary: “Do You Have Someone Above You?”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Changan suspects that the Sacred Academy Alliance’s real target may be Heavenreach Sacred Academy, which was established inside the Ghost Abyss as possible bait.
• After discovering Chen Changan’s existence, the Alliance appears to have developed additional motives and unexpectedly grants Heavenreach Sacred Academy three places in the expedition to the Severing Saint Abyss.
• Chen Changan and Da Huang speculate that the Sacred Academy Alliance may be acting with hostile intentions. Chen Changan hints that, if necessary, he could help reshape Azure Origin’s entire power structure before eventually leaving.
• The group is escorted by a silent representative from an Alliance branch to the Severing Saint Abyss, where three Senior Sacred Academies—Cloudridge, Soaring Cloud, and Phoenix—have already been waiting for three months.
• The Senior Sacred Academies resent being forced to wait for members of an Intermediate Sacred Academy and question why the Alliance values Heavenreach so highly.
• When Chen Changan, Da Huang, and the dog arrive, the Senior Academy members are unimpressed by their appearance and apparent cultivation, believing them to be weak Ninth-Rank Hongmeng Saints compared with their own Primordial Saint Venerable experts.
• The Alliance representative leaves after instructing the Senior Academies to cooperate with and protect the newcomers.
• The Senior Academy members mock Chen Changan, asking whether he has powerful connections or “someone above him,” and warn him not to become a burden inside the dangerous Severing Saint Abyss.
• Chen Changan calmly questions the Alliance’s true reasons for involving Heavenreach and suggests that the Senior Academies may misunderstand who is actually protecting whom.
• Da Huang openly mocks the Senior Academies, provoking them further. Chen Changan stops him from escalating the argument, preferring to let future events prove their strength.

2. Character Developments

• Chen Changan: Becomes increasingly suspicious of the Sacred Academy Alliance and recognizes that its authority is maintained through overwhelming force. He remains calm under provocation and begins considering whether the dissatisfied Senior Academies could become useful allies against the Alliance.
• Da Huang: Shows strong loyalty to Chen Changan and confidence in their strength. He aggressively defends Heavenreach Sacred Academy and ridicules the Senior Academies’ arrogance, though Chen Changan restrains him from taking the conflict too far.
• Senior Academy members: Are revealed to be proud, hierarchical, and resentful of the Alliance’s commands. Their confidence leads them to underestimate Chen Changan’s group.
• Sacred Academy Alliance representative: Acts with noticeable superiority, demonstrating how even a low-ranking Alliance member holds authority over the Senior Sacred Academies.

3. Significant Themes

• Power and control: The Alliance dominates Azure Origin through strength and unquestioned authority, creating widespread resentment beneath the surface.
• Underestimation and hidden strength: Chen Changan’s group appears weak, but their calm confidence suggests that appearances are misleading.
• Political manipulation: The expedition may be a trap or a calculated test aimed at Heavenreach Sacred Academy rather than a simple mission.
• Destruction and renewal: Chen Changan’s belief that “without destruction, there can be no establishment” foreshadows possible upheaval in Azure Origin’s existing order.
• Facts over words: Chen Changan chooses not to argue, believing that the group’s abilities will eventually speak for themselves.

4. Character Interactions

• Chen Changan and Da Huang discuss the Alliance’s possible hostility and share confidence that the Alliance’s decisions may determine its own downfall.
• The Alliance representative maintains a formal but condescending relationship with the Senior Academies, ordering them to accept Heavenreach’s members without explanation.
• The Senior Academy members confront Chen Changan, questioning his status, connections, and qualifications while warning him not to interfere with them.
• Chen Changan responds with controlled ambiguity, implying that the Senior Academies may be the ones who need protection.
• Da Huang escalates the exchange by insulting the Senior Academies’ limited understanding, leading them to threaten and ridicule Heavenreach in return.
• Chen Changan prevents Da Huang from continuing the verbal confrontation, preserving the possibility of cooperation with the Senior Academies against the Sacred Academy Alliance.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Changan asks the members of the Senior Sacred Academies to explain the Severing Saint Abyss before they enter.
• They warn that the Abyss is extraordinarily dangerous: threats can be hidden in ordinary surroundings, and nearly everything inside may be powerful and aggressive.
• Despite the danger, the Abyss contains enormous resources—enough that one successful expedition could exceed the academies’ accumulated wealth from centuries.
• The explorers reveal that half of everything they obtain must be surrendered to the Sacred Academy Alliance, while the other half is divided among the three Senior Sacred Academies.
• Chen Changan criticizes this arrangement and questions why they do not secretly conceal some of the resources.
• His suggestion exposes the explorers’ resentment and temptation, though they remain afraid of the consequences of defying the Sacred Academy Alliance.
• The group enters the Severing Saint Abyss, an independent Small World within Primordial Heaven.
• They arrive on the shore of a vast sea and cautiously inspect the barren beach, knowing danger may appear immediately.
• Chen Changan senses movement beneath the sand and warns everyone. The others initially doubt him, but the beach soon begins shaking violently, proving his warning correct.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan demonstrates his practical, self-interested nature. He openly rejects the idea of sacrificing resources for an organization that contributes little to the expedition’s risks.
• He also shows sharp perception and vigilance by detecting the hidden threat beneath the beach before the others do.
• The Senior Sacred Academy members are revealed to be cautious, obedient, and deeply constrained by the Sacred Academy Alliance. Chen’s questions force them to confront their long-suppressed dissatisfaction.
• Their attitude toward Chen remains guarded, as they suspect he may have hidden motives or even be testing them on behalf of the Alliance.

Significant Themes

• Power defines fairness: The chapter argues that “fairness” is determined by whoever possesses the strength to establish the rules.
• Oppression and obedience: The academies accept an exploitative system because the Sacred Academy Alliance is too powerful to oppose.
• Self-interest versus morality: Chen openly acknowledges his selfishness, contrasting honest personal ambition with the hypocrisy of pretending to be selfless.
• Danger and vigilance: The Abyss embodies the idea that threats may be concealed in the most ordinary places, requiring constant awareness.
• Temptation and rebellion: Chen’s suggestion of secretly keeping resources plants the possibility of resistance against the Alliance.

Character Interactions

• Chen repeatedly challenges the academy members with blunt questions about their motives, profits, and obedience to the Sacred Academy Alliance.
• His remarks provoke discomfort and silence, but also awaken their resentment over surrendering half of their hard-won gains.
• The group advises Chen and his companions to remain close for protection once inside the Abyss.
• When Chen warns of movement beneath the beach, the others mock or dismiss him, only to realize moments later that he was correct as the ground begins to tremble.

Chapter Summary: “A Sand Sculpture Dropped?”

Plot and events

At the entrance to the Severing Saint Abyss, the beach begins trembling as powerful creatures move beneath the sand. Chen Changan correctly realizes that danger is approaching, despite the Sacred Academy members dismissing his warning as a lucky guess. Da Huang boldly charges underground and kills five Sand Kui before they can retaliate. When he returns, he reveals that the creatures dropped five strange items called Sand Hearts, which contain the Sand Kui’s refined energy.

Character developments

• Chen Changan remains calm, confident, and openly defiant toward authority. He refuses to surrender the Sand Hearts to the Sacred Academy Alliance, arguing that he obtained them through his own group’s strength and owes the Alliance nothing.
• Da Huang demonstrates that his apparent Ninth-Rank Hongmeng Saint cultivation does not reflect his true combat ability. He effortlessly kills five Sand Kui and takes pride in shocking those who underestimate him because he is a dog.
• The Sacred Academy members shift from skepticism to surprise and unease. They initially believe Da Huang has thrown his life away, but become alarmed when the Sand Kui disappear instead. Their attempts to challenge Chen Changan’s behavior collapse under his fearless and irreverent logic.

Character interactions

Da Huang asks Chen Changan about the disturbance, and Chen Changan explains that the threat is powerful but not dangerous to them. Da Huang volunteers to handle it alone, eager to prove himself. Afterward, Chen Changan asks the Academy members to identify the Sand Hearts. They explain that the items are rare because Sand Kui normally detonate their stored energy when facing death, destroying both themselves and their attackers. When the group demands half of the resources for the Sacred Academy Alliance, Chen Changan rejects their claim, leading to a humorous exchange in which even his opponents admit that, compared with his willingness to insult the Alliance, he is being relatively “friendly.” The chapter ends with Da Huang mocking the others for suspecting that he has hidden his cultivation.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes underestimation and concealed strength, showing that both Chen Changan and Da Huang are far more capable than others assume. It also highlights individual freedom versus institutional authority, as Chen Changan refuses to obey the Alliance’s resource-sharing rules when he was not part of their mission. Humor comes from the contrast between the Academy members’ caution and Da Huang’s reckless confidence, as well as Chen Changan’s unapologetic arrogance.

Chapter Summary: Deep-Sea Overlord

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Changan and the others prepare to cross the dangerous sea of the Severing Saint Abyss.
• They learn that the sea forbids both flight and floating: neither people, boats, nor objects can remain on the surface. The only way across is to walk along the seabed while using barriers to keep the water away.
• The seabed contains powerful creatures whose bodies hold rare and valuable resources. Rather than fearing these dangers, Chen Changan is excited by the prospect of obtaining their “drops.”
• The group enters the sea and is immediately pulled toward the seabed. Although the pressure does not affect them, the darkness completely suppresses both their vision and perception.
• Da Huang creates a light, revealing a gigantic eye staring at them. The creature is identified as the legendary Deep-Sea Overlord.
• The companions panic, believing that encountering the Deep-Sea Overlord means certain death, since it is supposedly too powerful to escape or defeat.
• Chen Changan, Da Huang, and Mu Yunyao remain calm. They notice that the creature displays no killing intent and seems strangely passive, even foolish.
• The chapter ends with the possibility that the Deep-Sea Overlord may have been waiting specifically for Chen Changan.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan remains fearless and opportunistic. He treats the seabed’s monsters less as threats and more as sources of valuable resources, demonstrating his confidence and unusual mentality.
• Da Huang continues to support Chen Changan and shows both courage and impulsiveness. He creates light to counter the darkness, inadvertently exposing the group to the Deep-Sea Overlord.
• Mu Yunyao demonstrates keen intuition by recognizing that the creature’s gaze lacks hostility and may be focused on Chen Changan.
• The other companions reveal their deep fear of the Severing Saint Abyss. Their previous experiences, including losing companions in the abyss, have left them distrustful and pessimistic. Their attitude contrasts sharply with Chen Changan’s relaxed confidence.

Significant Themes

• Fear versus confidence: The group views the Severing Saint Abyss as nearly impossible to survive, while Chen Changan approaches it with excitement and composure.
• The gap between strength and perception: What ordinary cultivators regard as an overwhelming disaster may appear manageable—or even beneficial—to someone far stronger.
• The unknown and restricted power: The sea neutralizes familiar advantages such as flight, floating, vision, and perception, forcing the characters into a vulnerable environment.
• Unexpected alliances and misunderstandings: Although the Deep-Sea Overlord is assumed to be hostile, its lack of aggression suggests that appearances and reputation may be misleading.

Character Interactions

• The group warns Chen Changan about the sea’s restrictions and dangers, while he repeatedly responds with practical questions and enthusiasm about potential rewards.
• His dismissive attitude causes the others to compare themselves unfavorably with him, especially after his earlier displays of strength.
• Da Huang and Mu Yunyao privately assess the Deep-Sea Overlord’s behavior and agree that it does not appear hostile.
• Their observations lead to the chapter’s central mystery: whether the supposedly invincible creature has a connection to Chen Changan or deliberately came to await him.

Chapter Summary: “Another Young Master”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Changan suspects that his father has secretly influenced events in Primordial Heaven, despite previously claiming he could not interfere there.
• He approaches the terrifying Deep-Sea Overlord, shocking everyone present. Instead of attacking, the Overlord allows Chen Changan to stroke it and appears pleased.
• The Overlord addresses Chen Changan as “Young Master,” confirming that it serves Chen Changan’s father.
• It reveals that Chen Changan’s father arranged for it to remain there and wait for him. Its purpose is to:
  • Deliver a message,
  • Escort Chen Changan across the sea,
  • Provide him with resources prepared by his father.
• The message urges Chen Changan not to doubt his father or allow suspicion to hinder his progress. His father will meet him in Ultimate Heaven, answer all his questions, and would never intentionally harm him.
• The Overlord admits that Chen Changan’s father faces an incomprehensible predicament and that the conflict surrounding Primordial Heaven may involve victories and losses on both sides.
• It warns Chen Changan that Azure Origin is only a tiny part of Primordial Heaven and that the challenges ahead will be far greater.
• Chen Changan calls the others to him. The Deep-Sea Overlord swallows the entire group, causing widespread panic, but they discover they have been transported into a comfortable independent space within its body rather than killed.
• The Overlord manifests an adorable miniature incarnation and announces that it has prepared a gift for Chen Changan.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan: His suspicions about his father deepen, but he remains composed and directly seeks answers. His calm behavior demonstrates his confidence and unusual authority. He also becomes more focused on obtaining practical support for the journey ahead.
• Chen Changan’s father: His influence is revealed to extend much further than previously believed. He has arranged allies, protection, transportation, and resources for Chen Changan, while deliberately withholding the full truth until Chen Changan reaches Ultimate Heaven.
• Deep-Sea Overlord: Its relationship with Chen Changan is revealed to be one of loyalty and obedience rather than hostility. It views Chen Changan as its master’s son and treats him with great affection and respect.
• Mu Yunyao: She remains cautious and sensible, stopping Da Huang from provoking others during a dangerous situation.
• Da Huang: Provides comic relief by objecting to someone comparing the Overlord to a dog, then nearly starting an argument.
• The surrounding cultivators: Their fear and confusion turn into awe as they witness the Overlord’s extraordinary deference toward Chen Changan.

Significant Themes

• Hidden parental protection: Chen Changan’s father secretly guides and protects him, even while concealing the reasons behind his actions.
• Trust versus suspicion: Chen Changan struggles to reconcile his father’s apparent deceptions with the Overlord’s insistence that he is not being harmed.
• Unfathomable power and status: The Deep-Sea Overlord’s submission reveals that Chen Changan possesses a background far beyond what others understand.
• The greater world ahead: The chapter emphasizes that Azure Origin is only a small part of Primordial Heaven and that Chen Changan’s true trials are still to come.
• Fear and appearances: The group initially assumes that being swallowed means certain death, but the reality is entirely different, highlighting how little they understand the Overlord’s abilities.

Character Interactions

• Chen Changan calmly questions the Deep-Sea Overlord about his father and receives a message meant specifically for him.
• The Overlord shows affection toward Chen Changan, while the others react with disbelief and fear.
• Chen Changan reassures the group and instructs them to follow him across the sea.
• Da Huang clashes verbally with another cultivator, while Mu Yunyao restrains him to prevent unnecessary conflict.
• The group reluctantly enters the Overlord’s body and discovers that Chen Changan’s connection allows them safe passage and access to a gift prepared by his father.

Chapter Summary: “What Exactly Are You?”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The Deep-Sea Overlord presents Chen Changan with an enormous “gift” of cultivation resources, shocking everyone because of the Overlord’s unusually respectful attitude toward him.
• The resources are piled up like mountains and include a lake-like quantity of Primordial Dao Source, pill-making materials, artifact-forging materials, and many rare items.
• Chen Changan asks the Deep-Sea Overlord to identify the resources, then expresses satisfaction with the gift.
• The group reaches the opposite shore and enters a vast, desolate desert. Their destination is an oasis in the desert’s center, reputed to be overflowing with resources.
• The group learns that the desert contains two major threats:
  • Heaven-Swallowing Scorpions, individually powerful creatures ranging from the seventh to ninth level of the Primordial Saint Venerable Realm.
  • Sacred Army Ants, individually weaker but terrifying because they attack in groups of several hundred.
• Rather than avoiding danger, Chen Changan focuses on whether the creatures drop useful equipment and suggests seeking them out.
• The others protest, wanting to complete their mission safely. Chen Changan eventually agrees to leave the encounters to luck and proceeds into the desert.

2. Character Developments

• Chen Changan is shown to possess an even more mysterious and influential identity than the group suspected. His confidence and arrogance appear justified by the Deep-Sea Overlord’s reverence.
• He remains pragmatic and material-focused, immediately valuing the rare resources and monster drops more than the danger surrounding them.
• His unusual confidence in his own luck—and willingness to confront powerful creatures—continues to distinguish him from the cautious members of the group.
• The Deep-Sea Overlord behaves with extreme humility and obedience toward Chen Changan, even nervously asking whether the gift is satisfactory. This strongly suggests that Chen Changan occupies a vastly superior position in their relationship.
• The other cultivators become increasingly confused and intimidated by Chen Changan. Their fear of the desert’s dangers contrasts sharply with his casual attitude toward them.

3. Significant Themes

• Mystery of identity and hidden power: The chapter repeatedly questions who Chen Changan really is, as the Deep-Sea Overlord’s behavior implies that Chen may be an extraordinary or ancient figure.
• Power expressed through attitude: Chen Changan’s calmness, arrogance, and disregard for danger reveal his dominance more effectively than direct displays of strength.
• Wealth and opportunity: The huge gift represents a major advantage for Chen Changan and Heavenreach Sacred Academy, while the desert promises even greater resources.
• Risk versus survival: The group wants to avoid unnecessary danger, whereas Chen Changan treats dangerous creatures as opportunities for rewards.
• Comedic contrast: The cultivators react with fear and disbelief, while Chen Changan remains focused on practical benefits such as resources and equipment drops.

4. Character Interactions

• The Deep-Sea Overlord respectfully gives Chen Changan the resources and patiently explains each item, reinforcing the imbalance in their status.
• Chen Changan reassures the others that he has no hostility toward them, but bluntly warns that anyone who holds a grudge against him can “wait to die.”
• The group explains the dangers of the desert and pleads with Chen Changan not to deliberately seek out monsters.
• Chen Changan repeatedly ignores their concerns, asking only whether the creatures drop equipment.
• In the final exchange, one of Chen Changan’s allies explains that his luck is unusually reliable and that events tend to unfold according to his wishes, offering some justification for his reckless confidence.

Chapter Summary: “A Spirit’s Wish Fulfilled”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The cultivators realize that Chen Changan’s extraordinary luck may cause anything he wishes for to become reality. Although this luck usually brings fortune, in the forbidden desert it seems to attract dangerous creatures.
• Hoping to survive, the group decides to stay close to Chen Changan, Mu Yunyao, and Da Huang. Their behavior shifts from arrogance and self-reliance to dependence, as they now see Chen Changan’s group as their best chance of protection.
• Mu Yunyao explains that people become psychologically weaker once they have someone powerful to rely on. The cultivators recognize this truth but are embarrassed to admit it.
• Chen Changan stops after sensing something nearby. The desert begins to tremble, and huge sand vortices appear.
• Instead of the Heaven-Swallowing Scorpions the cultivators were hoping for, a massive army of Sacred Army Ants emerges—the very enemy they fear most.
• The group learns that Sacred Army Ants contain valuable Saint Essence, a mysterious energy resource previously confiscated by the Sacred Academy Alliance. Da Huang immediately recognizes its potential value.
• While the other cultivators urge Chen Changan to flee, he charges alone into the swarm, eager to harvest the resources.
• Chen Changan effortlessly cuts down the ants with his sword, killing them in single strikes without suffering injury. Da Huang follows behind to collect the Saint Essence.
• Their teamwork is highly efficient: Chen Changan focuses on slaughtering the ants while Da Huang gathers the spoils. The observing cultivators are stunned by Chen Changan’s overwhelming strength.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan: His excitement over the Sacred Army Ants reveals his confidence and greed for valuable resources. He shows that his strength far exceeds what others expect from a Ninth-Rank Hongmeng Saint, easily neutralizing the ants’ greatest advantages—numbers and coordinated attacks.
• Mu Yunyao: She demonstrates insight into human psychology by explaining why the cultivators have become cowardly and dependent. Her calm, perceptive nature reinforces her role as the group’s clear-headed observer.
• Da Huang: He moves from confusion about the cultivators’ behavior to understanding their dependence. He also becomes enthusiastic about the Saint Essence and works in perfect coordination with Chen Changan to collect the rewards.
• The surviving cultivators: They undergo a clear reversal in attitude. Initially proud and self-reliant, they become anxious, submissive, and eager to remain close to Chen Changan. Their fear intensifies when the Sacred Army Ants appear, but their awe grows as they witness Chen Changan’s power.

Significant Themes

• Dependence and human nature: People who once relied only on themselves become weaker and more fearful when a powerful protector appears. The cultivators’ changing behavior illustrates how security can undermine courage.
• The reversal of danger and fortune: Chen Changan’s luck brings him into dangerous situations, but those dangers also provide opportunities for wealth and advancement.
• Overwhelming power versus numerical advantage: The Sacred Army Ants are terrifying because of their strength and sheer numbers, yet Chen Changan’s speed, swordsmanship, and physical body make those advantages meaningless.
• Resource cultivation and opportunism: Even a deadly enemy becomes valuable when it contains rare Saint Essence. Chen Changan and Da Huang view the crisis as a profitable opportunity rather than merely a threat.
• Perception versus reality: The cultivators expect Chen Changan to be vulnerable as a Ninth-Rank Hongmeng Saint, but his actual abilities completely defy their assumptions.

Character Interactions

• The cultivators openly discuss whether Chen Changan’s luck might also influence powerful beasts, revealing both their desperation and growing reliance on him.
• Da Huang complains about the cultivators clinging too closely, while Mu Yunyao explains the psychological reason behind their behavior.
• The cultivators praise Mu Yunyao’s insight and admit that they understood their own weakness but refused to acknowledge it.
• Da Huang and Chen Changan cooperate seamlessly during the battle: Chen Changan kills the Sacred Army Ants, while Da Huang collects the valuable Saint Essence.
• The terrified cultivators initially attempt to persuade Chen Changan to escape, but their fear turns into astonishment when they see him destroy the ant army with ease.

Central Oasis — Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Chen Changan demonstrates overwhelming power in the Severing Saint Abyss. The Sacred Army Ants cannot injure him, and he slaughters their entire army with ease.
• The group realizes that, although Chen Changan’s cultivation may not be the highest in Azure Origin, his unmatched defense makes him effectively invincible to anyone unable to kill him instantly.
• Their fear of the journey disappears, and many begin hoping Chen Changan will eventually oppose the dominant Sacred Academy Alliance. They believe such a conflict could disrupt the Alliance’s control and create opportunities for the other Holy Academies.
• The group openly attempts to build a relationship with Heavenreach Sacred Academy. Mu Yunyao agrees to help them, provided they do not act foolishly or choose the wrong path.
• As the group continues through the abyss, Chen Changan effortlessly destroys every Sacred Army Ant and Heaven-Swallowing Scorpion they encounter. The dangerous region becomes almost effortless under his protection.
• The travelers finally reach the Central Oasis, a vast area filled with incredibly dense energy, abundant life force, and numerous valuable resources.
• Chen Changan permits the others to harvest whatever they can carry and tells them he will not take their resources. He also suggests that what they report or surrender to the Sacred Academy Alliance afterward is their own choice.
• The group enters the oasis and begins collecting treasures. Chen Changan assigns Mu Yunyao and Da Huang to help with harvesting while he remains alert for danger.
• Despite sensing many life forms before entering, Chen Changan detects no enemies or living creatures once they are inside. The unnatural silence causes everyone to stop harvesting and suspect that a greater crisis is approaching.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan: His reputation changes from powerful ally to seemingly invincible protector. He remains calm and detached despite the group’s excessive praise, and he continues prioritizing caution over personal gain.
• Mu Yunyao: Acts as Chen Changan’s representative, diplomatically reassuring the other Holy Academies while setting conditions for their support.
• Da Huang: Remains blunt and irreverent, dismissing the Central Oasis as unimpressive compared with the treasures Chen Changan has already received. He also assists with gathering resources.
• The Holy Academy representatives: Their initial fear turns into admiration, dependence, and near-fanatical loyalty. They begin treating Chen Changan and Heavenreach Sacred Academy as powerful allies capable of protecting them from the Sacred Academy Alliance.

Significant Themes

• Power and invulnerability: Chen Changan’s defense is so absolute that conventional measures cannot threaten him, making him a destabilizing force in Azure Origin.
• Political balance and rebellion: The group views Chen Changan as a possible counterweight to the Sacred Academy Alliance and hopes his presence may break its monopoly over power.
• Fear transformed into opportunism: Once protected by Chen Changan, the group shifts from anxiety to confidence, immediately seeking alliances and access to resources.
• False security and hidden danger: The group’s easy progress through the abyss and the oasis may be deceptive. The disappearance of all life forms suggests that the greatest threat has not yet revealed itself.
• Resource abundance: The Central Oasis represents both opportunity and danger, offering immense treasures while potentially concealing powerful guardians or enemies.

Character Interactions

• The other Holy Academy representatives flatter Chen Changan and ask to maintain close relations with Heavenreach Sacred Academy.
• Mu Yunyao accepts their goodwill on Chen Changan’s behalf but warns them not to betray their principles or make foolish choices.
• After learning Chen Changan’s name, the group enthusiastically praises him, prompting his irritation and a request that they return to their former, more straightforward behavior.
• Chen Changan allows the group to accompany him and harvest resources, strengthening their dependence on him.
• Da Huang jokingly criticizes the oasis, while the others defend its value, though they ultimately agree that its treasures are worth collecting.
• The chapter ends with Chen Changan and the group united in suspicion as they confront the oasis’s unnatural lack of life and danger.

Chapter Summary: “Each Had Their Own Arrangements”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group’s excitement over harvesting resources disappears when Chen Changan notices something unusual about the oasis: every living creature seemed to gather in one place and then vanish.
• Suspecting that a powerful hidden entity is present, Chen Changan orders Mu Yunyao and the others to remain where they are while he investigates alone.
• As he travels deeper into the enormous oasis, Chen wonders whether the hidden being was another arrangement made by his father, similar to the Deep-Sea Overlord.
• Chen senses that he is being watched by an entity whose strength is likely comparable to—or greater than—the Deep-Sea Overlord’s. Unable to locate it, he deliberately provokes it by accusing it of cowardice and suggesting it had been waiting specifically for him.
• A terrifying, hostile aura spreads throughout the oasis, alarming the others. They realize that another extremely powerful being has been concealed there all along.
• Chen eventually encounters an elderly man, though he recognizes that the man’s true form is not human.
• The old man confirms that he was arranged by Chen’s father’s opponents or rivals. He acknowledges Chen’s strength, especially his nearly indestructible physical body, and admits that Chen’s father has generally maintained the advantage.
• Chen concludes that the old man’s purpose is not necessarily to kill him outright, but to test the limits of his physical body and determine whether it has reached a level the hidden entity can overcome.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan: Displays heightened perception, caution, and confidence. Rather than recklessly attacking, he investigates the anomaly and correctly deduces the hidden being’s motives. He also shows growing awareness of the larger conflict involving his father and the various forces preparing for his arrival.
• Mu Yunyao: Remains composed and practical. She trusts Chen’s judgment and firmly tells the others to obey his order to wait rather than interfere.
• Da Huang: Provides his usual irritated humor but also supports Chen’s decision and understands that the group would only become a burden if they joined the confrontation.
• The elderly hidden entity: Revealed as a powerful, hostile figure who has been waiting in the oasis. Although confident enough to confront Chen, it appears wary of his physical strength and lacks certainty that it can defeat him.
• The group: Their attitude shifts from excitement over resources to fear and uncertainty when they realize the oasis contains a power comparable to the Deep-Sea Overlord.

Significant Themes

• Hidden preparations and inherited conflict: Chen’s journey is shaped by arrangements made by both his father and his father’s adversaries, suggesting a larger struggle unfolding around him.
• Testing versus confrontation: The chapter emphasizes that powerful enemies may not immediately seek battle; they may first observe and measure Chen’s capabilities.
• Confidence grounded in ability: Chen’s confidence is not empty arrogance. His extraordinary body gives him a genuine advantage, even against beings of comparable power.
• Trust and restraint: Mu Yunyao and the others demonstrate trust by following Chen’s instructions instead of rushing into danger.
• Mystery and concealed danger: The oasis, initially seen as a resource-rich sanctuary, is revealed to hide a terrifying presence, reinforcing the uncertainty surrounding the Severing Saint Abyss.

Character Interactions

• Mu Yunyao questions Chen about his suspicions, and he explains that the oasis contains a hidden danger.
• Chen orders the group not to leave while he investigates; their attempt to offer help is dismissed with humor when he asks whether they intend to “cheer him on” or merely watch.
• After the hostile aura appears, the group debates whether to assist Chen. Mu Yunyao and Da Huang insist that they should obey his command and wait.
• Chen and the elderly entity exchange cautious, confident dialogue. The old man praises Chen as worthy of his father’s son while acknowledging his exceptional physical body.
• Chen challenges the old man’s purpose and accurately identifies the encounter as a test designed to determine whether his body can be overcome.

Chapter Summary: “Ran Away?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• An old man prepares to attack Chen Changan, but the Deep-Sea Overlord suddenly appears to defend him.
• The Deep-Sea Overlord reveals that he has been waiting for both Chen Changan and the old man, who had hidden from him for years.
• He urges Chen Changan to leave while he handles the enemy, but Chen Changan refuses and insists on fighting alongside him.
• Chen Changan and the Deep-Sea Overlord work together with impressive coordination. Chen Changan’s aggressive sword attacks and Sword Qi create openings, allowing them to overwhelm the old man.
• Realizing he cannot win, the old man retreats using his exceptional concealment abilities. Chen Changan is frustrated that he escapes before they can stop him.
• The Deep-Sea Overlord explains that the old man has powerful backers, though even he does not know their identity. Chen Changan’s father apparently considers this hidden force extremely dangerous.
• After the battle, the Deep-Sea Overlord decides to leave his hiding place and accompany Chen Changan, hoping eventually to meet Chen’s father.
• He reveals that he is a Primordial Dao Venerable, the highest possible cultivation level in Azure Origin. He ranks among the top two or three experts in the region.
• The Deep-Sea Overlord warns that the escaped old man may target Chen Changan through the Sacred Academy Alliance. Chen Changan welcomes the potential challenge, seeing it as a source of motivation.
• The Deep-Sea Overlord formally pledges himself to Chen Changan. In a humorous twist, he reveals that his master named him “Wang Ba,” believing the name conveyed the meaning of a powerful king and tyrant.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan: Demonstrates fearlessness, confidence, and loyalty by refusing to abandon the Deep-Sea Overlord. He embraces stronger enemies rather than avoiding conflict and appears eager to challenge the Sacred Academy Alliance.
• Deep-Sea Overlord: Shifts from a solitary guardian waiting in hiding to Chen Changan’s committed companion and subordinate. His immense strength and devotion to Chen Changan become clear.
• The Old Man: Is established as a dangerous but cautious enemy with powerful concealment abilities and mysterious allies. Though defeated in the confrontation, he successfully escapes and remains a future threat.
• Chen Changan’s Father: His reputation grows through the discussion of his vigilance toward the mysterious force behind the old man.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and companionship: Chen Changan refuses to leave his ally behind, while the Deep-Sea Overlord dedicates himself to serving him.
• Confidence versus retreat: Chen Changan views retreat as contrary to his nature, while the old man survives by escaping when victory becomes impossible.
• Hidden powers and looming conflict: The identity of the old man’s backers remains unknown, suggesting a larger and more dangerous conspiracy.
• Strength and challenge: Chen Changan sees powerful enemies as opportunities to improve and maintain his fighting spirit.
• Humor amid danger: The serious battle and revelations about terrifying forces are undercut by the Deep-Sea Overlord’s comical name, “Wang Ba.”

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Changan and the Deep-Sea Overlord argue over whether Chen should flee, ultimately choosing to fight together.
• Their first joint battle shows strong mutual understanding despite having never fought side by side before.
• Chen questions the Deep-Sea Overlord about his cultivation, rank, and knowledge of the enemy’s backers.
• The Deep-Sea Overlord warns Chen about possible attacks from the Sacred Academy Alliance, but Chen responds with confident enthusiasm.
• Their relationship becomes more personal and cooperative when Chen accepts the Overlord as a permanent companion and asks for his real name.

Chapter Summary: “Leaving the Severing Saint Abyss”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After defeating and subduing the powerful being within the oasis, Chen Changan returns with Wang Ba, whose identity as the Deep-Sea Overlord remains unknown to the others.
• Chen Changan and the group completely harvest the oasis’s abundant resources before leaving. Everyone realizes this may be their final visit, since the Abyss’s environment has changed and future resources may be greatly diminished.
• On the way out, the group discusses the future of Heavenreach Sacred Academy. Chen Changan plans to focus on developing it after returning.
• The others explain that an Intermediate Sacred Academy can advance to Senior status either through the normal competition after five thousand years or through an exceptionally difficult alternative: challenging and defeating ten randomly selected Senior Sacred Academies under the Sacred Academy Alliance’s supervision.
• Chen Changan learns that the Alliance tightly controls the growth of Senior Sacred Academies, preventing them from developing too quickly while also leaving them vulnerable if they develop too slowly.
• Before reaching the coast, Chen Changan advises the group on how to report the expedition to the Sacred Academy Alliance. They should tell the truth but conceal information about him and his true achievements rather than directly lie.
• The group reaches the seashore safely, shocked that no danger appeared during the return journey. Chen Changan implies that Wang Ba’s presence intimidated every potential threat into staying away.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan continues to display confidence, strategic thinking, and control over the situation. He gathers every resource available while remaining wary of the political consequences for Heavenreach Sacred Academy.
• He also becomes more protective of his allies, helping them formulate a safe explanation for the Alliance and warning them not to expose his existence unnecessarily.
• Wang Ba remains quiet but serves as a powerful deterrent. His presence alone ensures the group’s safe passage through the Abyss.
• The other academy leaders grow more respectful and cautious around Chen Changan. Their enormous gains from following him reinforce their belief that he is someone they must both rely on and avoid offending.
• The leaders reveal their frustration and helplessness under the Sacred Academy Alliance, which treats powerful academies as controlled tools rather than independent institutions.

Significant Themes

• Power and concealment: Chen Changan’s strength is so overwhelming that even his allies cannot openly reveal the truth without attracting danger.
• Political control: The Sacred Academy Alliance maintains its supremacy by regulating how quickly other academies may grow.
• Truth versus deception: Chen Changan advises the group to report facts while withholding crucial details, showing that selective truth can be safer than outright lying.
• Opportunity and danger: The oasis offers extraordinary rewards, but possessing too much wealth and power also makes Heavenreach Sacred Academy a target.
• The end of an era: The altered Abyss and depleted oasis suggest that this expedition marks the close of a rare period of opportunity.

Character Interactions

• Wang Ba praises the name Chen Changan gives him, creating a lighthearted exchange despite the dangerous circumstances.
• The other leaders question Chen Changan about his plans and introduce him to the possibility of advancing Heavenreach Sacred Academy by challenging ten Senior Academies.
• Chen Changan questions them about their own future and listens to their complaints about the Alliance’s restrictions.
• He instructs them on how to handle the Alliance’s investigation, and they agree to protect his identity while avoiding suspicious lies.
• At the coast, Chen Changan shares a knowing smile with Wang Ba, revealing that Wang Ba was responsible for the group’s completely uneventful escape.

Chapter Summary: “Repay Kindness with Kindness, Repay Enmity with Enmity”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Changan and the others safely leave the Severing Saint Abyss and return to Heavenreach Sacred Academy.
• The Sacred Academy Alliance questions the survivors about their gains and, more importantly, about Chen Changan’s unusual strength. Following Chen Changan’s instructions, the group gives a carefully controlled account of his abilities.
• The Alliance becomes wary of Chen Changan and decides to report his rapid growth to higher authorities, suggesting that Heavenreach Sacred Academy may soon be targeted.
• Recognizing the danger, Chen Changan immediately begins refining pills to strengthen the entire academy rather than focusing only on his own cultivation.
• Mu Yunyao explains to the Dean that Chen Changan deeply values Heavenreach Sacred Academy and does not want its people to become a weakness or burden. Wang Ba is tasked with guarding the academy and monitoring Ghost Abyss.
• After three months, Chen Changan produces a large supply of powerful pills:
  • 500 Primordial Golden Pills
  • 300 Hongmeng Immortal-Breaking Pills
  • 300 Hongmeng Exquisite Pills
  • 200 Hongmeng Limit Pills
• The pills are distributed primarily to the academy’s elites, while Chen Changan prepares to enter seclusion and attempt a breakthrough into the Primordial Saint Venerable Realm.
• The chapter ends with Chen Changan declaring that when he emerges from seclusion, Ghost Abyss will be pacified.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan: Demonstrates foresight, responsibility, and loyalty. Rather than fleeing or relying on stronger allies, he prepares Heavenreach Sacred Academy for conflict and seeks to improve his own strength. He reveals his personal creed: kindness must be repaid, while those who scheme against him will face consequences.
• Mu Yunyao: Shows clear understanding of Chen Changan’s character and motivations. She reassures Wang Ba and the Dean while explaining that Chen Changan’s actions stem from concern for those close to him.
• The Dean: Moves from confusion and unease to determination. He accepts the pills and commits to leading the academy in cultivation and preparation.
• Wang Ba: Accepts the responsibility of protecting Heavenreach Sacred Academy and monitoring Ghost Abyss while the others cultivate.
• Sacred Academy Alliance: Becomes suspicious and alarmed by Chen Changan’s growth, recognizing him as a potential threat that requires higher-level attention.

Significant Themes

• Repaying loyalty and hostility: Chen Changan’s central principle is that sincere kindness deserves loyalty, while betrayal and manipulation warrant retaliation.
• Responsibility and mutual protection: Strengthening the academy reflects Chen Changan’s refusal to treat allies as disposable or leave them behind.
• Preparation before conflict: The chapter emphasizes anticipating danger and building strength before an enemy makes its move.
• Independence and self-reliance: Chen Changan does not want to depend entirely on Wang Ba or external powers; he believes true security comes from personal strength.
• Trust and gratitude: The Dean’s early trust in Chen Changan and his companions created a lasting bond that Chen Changan feels obligated to honor.

Important Character Interactions

• The Sacred Academy Alliance interrogates the returning groups about their resources and Chen Changan’s conduct, revealing its growing suspicion.
• Mu Yunyao warns the Dean that Heavenreach Sacred Academy may soon be targeted and urges him to strengthen its forces.
• Mu Yunyao explains to Wang Ba that Chen Changan is acting out of loyalty and concern, not merely ambition.
• Chen Changan gives the Dean the pills and entrusts him with distributing them strategically.
• When the Dean questions why Chen Changan continues supporting the academy despite having opportunities to leave, Chen Changan explains his philosophy of repaying kindness and punishing enmity.
• Chen Changan’s final declaration establishes the chapter’s forward momentum: his next breakthrough will lead to a decisive campaign against Ghost Abyss.

Chapter Summary: “Wang Ba’s Power”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The World Alliance discusses Heavenreach Sacred Academy’s mysterious inactivity after its brutal campaigns decades earlier. Although the academy has remained quiet, its rapid and unnatural development worries the surrounding factions.
• Ironblood Sect grows impatient and fears that Heavenreach Sacred Academy is gradually taking control of Ghost Abyss. Believing the envoy and other factions are too cautious, its Sect Master orders the sect and its allied factions to gather their elites and attack the academy.
• Several Ironblood Sect members warn that attacking Heavenreach could provoke retaliation from the Sacred Academy Alliance or anger the envoy. The Sect Master dismisses their concerns, arguing that the larger powers would be too occupied to punish Ironblood Sect if the academy were destroyed.
• Wang Ba detects Ironblood Sect’s movement almost immediately through his powerful perception. He informs Heavenreach’s Dean but refuses to involve Chen Changan and the others, who remain in seclusion.
• Wang Ba decides to deal with the invasion personally and instructs the Dean to prepare to seize Ironblood Sect’s territory afterward.
• Before Ironblood Sect’s forces can reach Heavenreach Sacred Academy, Wang Ba blocks their path. When he declares that he is “the one who will destroy” them, he attacks.
• His overwhelming strength leaves the invading elites terrified and completely unable to resist. Wang Ba announces that the elites are finished and leaves the remaining enemies for the others to handle.

Character Developments

• Ironblood Sect Master: Becomes increasingly reckless and overconfident. He believes Ironblood Sect alone can “restore Ghost Abyss to glory” and rationalizes disobeying the envoy’s instructions as a necessary strategic decision.
• Ironblood Sect members: Show some awareness of the danger and question the Sect Master’s plan, but ultimately submit to his orders.
• Wang Ba: Demonstrates extraordinary perception, confidence, and power. He is protective of Chen Changan’s seclusion, avoids revealing Changan’s identity, and treats the entire invasion as a trivial matter.
• Heavenreach’s Dean: Initially uncertain because of the threat, but quickly gains confidence in Wang Ba. He accepts Wang Ba’s decision and prepares to benefit from the conquest of Ironblood Sect’s territory.
• World Alliance: Remains cautious and chooses not to warn Ironblood Sect, hoping to observe Heavenreach’s true capabilities without exposing itself.

Significant Themes

• Overconfidence and strategic miscalculation: Ironblood Sect mistakes Heavenreach’s silence for weakness and underestimates Wang Ba’s power.
• Hidden strength: Heavenreach’s apparent inactivity conceals rapid development and powerful protectors.
• Political maneuvering: The World Alliance, Ironblood Sect, the envoy, and the Sacred Academy Alliance all weigh the consequences of acting openly.
• Absolute power versus massed forces: Despite bringing numerous allied elites, Ironblood Sect cannot resist Wang Ba, emphasizing that overwhelming individual strength can render numbers meaningless.
• Consequences of ambition: Ironblood Sect’s attempt to seize the initiative instead places its forces and territory directly at risk.

Character Interactions

• The World Alliance leadership debates whether to caution Ironblood Sect but ultimately allows it to act, hoping to use the confrontation to assess Heavenreach.
• The Ironblood Sect Master argues with his subordinates, dismissing their concerns about the envoy and the Sacred Academy Alliance.
• Wang Ba and the Dean discuss the approaching invasion. Wang Ba refuses to disturb Chen Changan and insists on handling the enemy himself.
• Wang Ba confronts Ironblood Sect’s army directly, declaring his intent to destroy them before effortlessly overpowering their elites.

Chapter Summary: “Breakthrough to the Primordial Saint Venerable”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Ba demonstrates overwhelming strength, effortlessly defeating powerful opponents and shocking everyone in Heavenreach Sacred Academy. His strength appears to surpass even Chen Changan’s.
• The Ironblood Sect launches a major battle against Heavenreach Sacred Academy but is completely annihilated. The academy then begins purging the remaining Ironblood forces.
• With the Ironblood Sect destroyed and other powers such as the Heavenly Dragon Pavilion submitting, more than half of Ghost Abyss falls under Heavenreach Sacred Academy’s control.
• The World Alliance becomes increasingly fearful. Its leaders realize they cannot resist the academy and hope that the mysterious “Lord Envoy” will appear to save them.
• After stabilizing the academy’s territory, Chen Changan, Wang Ba, and the Dean emerge from seclusion, having successfully completed their breakthroughs. The Dean is thrilled by their progress.
• Chen Changan questions why the hidden force supposedly backing the World Alliance and Ironblood Sect has not reacted to the dramatic changes in Ghost Abyss. He concludes that Ghost Abyss’s inclusion in their mission and the confidence of its major factions cannot be coincidences.
• Rather than continue waiting, Chen Changan orders immediate action against every remaining hostile force. Wang Ba leads the academy’s forces, while Chen Changan, Mu Yunyao, and Da Huang personally head toward the World Alliance.
• The World Alliance receives news of the academy’s advance and desperately waits for the Lord Envoy, though its members are beginning to doubt that help will come.
• Chen Changan and his companions arrive at the World Alliance headquarters and identify themselves. The chapter ends as an alliance member goes to report their arrival to the Alliance Leader.

Character Developments

• Wang Ba: Establishes himself as an exceptionally powerful expert, becoming a major source of confidence for Heavenreach Sacred Academy. He is entrusted with leading the academy’s forces into further battles.
• Chen Changan: Becomes more decisive and suspicious of the larger conspiracy surrounding Ghost Abyss. He abandons passive observation and personally takes the initiative against the World Alliance.
• The Dean: Displays strong excitement and pride over Chen Changan and the others’ breakthroughs, while also recognizing the danger posed by the hidden force behind Ghost Abyss.
• World Alliance Leader: Shifts from confidence in the Lord Envoy to growing anxiety. Although he continues reassuring his subordinates, he has no actual means of contacting or summoning help.
• Mu Yunyao and Da Huang: Accompany Chen Changan in confronting the World Alliance, reinforcing the seriousness of the coming confrontation.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power and momentum: Wang Ba’s strength and the academy’s rapid victories transform Heavenreach Sacred Academy from a developing faction into the dominant force in Ghost Abyss.
• Fear and political collapse: The destruction of the Ironblood Sect causes other factions to submit or panic, showing how quickly alliances disintegrate when faced with overwhelming power.
• Hidden conspiracies: Chen Changan suspects that Ghost Abyss has been deliberately arranged as part of a larger plan and that the World Alliance is supported by an unseen power.
• Action versus waiting: The chapter contrasts Chen Changan’s decision to act immediately with the World Alliance’s helpless dependence on the absent Lord Envoy.
• Uncertainty and foreshadowing: The Lord Envoy’s continued absence suggests that a more powerful force may soon intervene, setting up the next major conflict.

Character Interactions

• The academy members discuss Wang Ba’s astonishing victories and encourage one another to work harder rather than rely entirely on his strength.
• The World Alliance Leader’s subordinates pressure him to contact the Lord Envoy, while he repeatedly insists that help will eventually arrive.
• The Dean and Chen Changan debate whether Ghost Abyss’s circumstances are coincidental; Chen Changan convinces him that a hidden plan is clearly involved.
• Chen Changan assigns Wang Ba to lead the academy’s operations while personally confronting the World Alliance with Mu Yunyao and Da Huang.
• At the end, Chen Changan directly challenges the World Alliance by demanding to meet its Alliance Leader, creating an immediate confrontation and cliffhanger.

Chapter Summary: A Sapling Won’t Grow Straight Without Pruning

Key Plot Points and Events

• The World Alliance Leader learns that only Chen Changan, Da Huang, and a dog from Heavenreach Sacred Academy have arrived. Relieved that they are not an entire army, he assumes they may be seeking the World Alliance’s submission rather than its destruction.
• Chen Changan and Da Huang enter the World Alliance openly. When the Alliance Leader initially asks them to come to him instead of greeting them personally, Chen Changan takes offense and knocks away the messenger.
• The World Alliance Leader immediately lowers himself and apologizes, afraid of provoking Heavenreach Sacred Academy.
• Chen Changan questions him about the mysterious force supporting the World Alliance and the Ironblood Sect. He also asks why their supposed envoy has not intervened despite the conflict escalating.
• The Alliance Leader attempts to deny knowing about any backing force, but Chen Changan tricks him into admitting that an envoy exists.
• Under pressure, the Alliance Leader reveals that the envoy belongs to a powerful, hidden faction opposed to the Sacred Academy Alliance. This faction supported both the World Alliance and the Ironblood Sect because Heavenreach Sacred Academy had no foothold in Ghost Abyss.
• He admits that he knows little about the faction and is unsure whether the Heavenly Dragon Pavilion was also supported, refused assistance, or was eventually abandoned after submitting to Heavenreach Sacred Academy.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan demonstrates confidence, intimidation, and psychological skill. Rather than immediately attacking, he chooses interrogation and uses calculated provocation to force the Alliance Leader to reveal information.
• Da Huang provides comic relief but also shows unexpected insight, arguing that violence might make the Alliance Leader answer more honestly. His playful banter with Chen Changan reinforces their close, informal relationship.
• The World Alliance Leader shifts from confidence and hopeful calculation to fear and uncertainty. He realizes that submission may not protect him and begins questioning whether the mysterious envoy has abandoned the World Alliance.
• The World Alliance members are shown to be intimidated by Heavenreach Sacred Academy’s rise. Although angry at Chen Changan’s arrogance, they are unwilling to resist him.

Significant Themes

• Power and submission: The World Alliance’s former status no longer protects it; the rise of Heavenreach Sacred Academy has completely altered the balance of power.
• Fear as a tool of control: Chen Changan gains information not through battle but through authority, threats, and psychological pressure.
• Abandonment and unreliable alliances: The World Alliance’s dependence on a hidden patron leaves it vulnerable, especially as the envoy fails to appear.
• Truth forced through pressure: The chapter emphasizes that weakness and desperation make the Alliance Leader reveal information he intended to conceal.
• Humor amid intimidation: Da Huang’s jokes and his exchanges with Chen Changan lighten an otherwise tense confrontation.

Character Interactions

• Chen Changan and Da Huang exchange teasing remarks, particularly about Da Huang’s intelligence and the World Alliance Leader’s appearance.
• Chen Changan humiliates the World Alliance by demanding that its members come out to greet him and striking down the messenger who treats him too casually.
• The Alliance Leader behaves submissively toward Chen Changan, apologizing repeatedly while attempting to preserve the World Alliance.
• Chen Changan and the Alliance Leader engage in a tense interrogation, with Chen Changan exposing the Leader’s knowledge of the envoy and forcing him to discuss the hidden faction behind the World Alliance.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Changan questions whether the mysterious force supporting the Ironblood Sect and World Alliance may actually be backing the Heavenly Dragon Pavilion instead.
• The World Alliance leader explains that their envoy only gave them power and orders, refusing to reveal the larger plan. This raises the possibility that the World Alliance and Ironblood Sect were merely public pawns concealing the true target: the Heavenly Dragon Pavilion.
• Chen suggests that the Heavenly Dragon Pavilion’s submission to Heavenreach Sacred Academy may have been a façade, allowing it to remain hidden while gathering intelligence from beneath the Sacred Academy.
• Realizing that the World Alliance may have been abandoned by its backer, Chen offers them a choice: genuinely submit to Heavenreach Sacred Academy or be destroyed.
• The World Alliance leader immediately chooses sincere submission, acknowledging that survival now depends on Heavenreach Sacred Academy.
• Chen delays deciding whether the World Alliance will remain independent or formally join the Sacred Academy, intending to consult the Dean.
• After Chen leaves, the World Alliance members realize how frighteningly powerful he is despite appearing to be only a First-Rank Primordial Saint Venerable. This leads them to conclude that Heavenreach Sacred Academy is far more powerful and mysterious than they had believed.
• The Alliance Leader orders the World Alliance to disband and join Heavenreach Sacred Academy. He also claims that Heavenreach Sacred Academy likely dislikes—or even hates—the Sacred Academy Alliance.
• Chen, Mu Yunyao, and Da Huang travel toward the Heavenly Dragon Pavilion to investigate. Chen admits that he had not anticipated this development and may have seriously misjudged the Pavilion Master.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan shifts from planning to destroy the World Alliance to considering it a potentially useful surrendered force. He remains suspicious of the hidden enemy and refuses to trust them simply because they oppose the Sacred Academy Alliance.
• The World Alliance Leader abandons his former confidence after realizing that his mysterious patron treated the alliance as a disposable pawn. He becomes pragmatic, choosing submission to Heavenreach Sacred Academy to preserve his people.
• Da Huang grows confused by Chen’s decision not to attack the World Alliance and questions whether Chen had anticipated the hidden connection to the Heavenly Dragon Pavilion.
• Chen Changan’s view of the Pavilion Master changes significantly. Although he has met the man several times without detecting anything unusual, he now suspects that the Pavilion Master has concealed his true intentions.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and hidden alliances: Powerful organizations may be acting as pawns in a larger, concealed conflict.
• Betrayal and survival: Once the World Alliance realizes it has been abandoned, loyalty gives way to practical self-preservation.
• Appearances versus reality: The Heavenly Dragon Pavilion’s submission may have been false, while Heavenreach Sacred Academy’s apparent alignment with the Sacred Academy Alliance may also conceal hostility.
• Power and intimidation: Chen’s overwhelming presence causes the World Alliance to reassess Heavenreach Sacred Academy’s strength.
• Uncertainty and mistrust: Chen recognizes that the unknown force is too mysterious to be treated as an ally, even though it shares a common enemy.

Character Interactions

• Chen interrogates the World Alliance Leader about the envoy, the source of the alliance’s support, and the possibility that the Heavenly Dragon Pavilion is the true beneficiary.
• The Alliance Leader expresses frustration at having been used as a pawn, while Chen bluntly distinguishes between being “not yet qualified” and never having been qualified to learn the truth.
• Chen offers the World Alliance survival through submission, and the Alliance Leader anxiously asks whether they will simply become another set of chess pieces.
• After Chen departs, the Alliance Leader convinces his subordinates that joining Heavenreach Sacred Academy is their only viable future.
• During their journey, Da Huang questions Chen’s decision, prompting Chen to acknowledge that the unexpected connection to the Heavenly Dragon Pavilion was a fortunate discovery rather than part of a prior plan.