Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Jiang Dao orders the execution of the captured Eastern Ridge royal descendants and members of Great Priest Wu Huo’s clan, collecting their heart’s blood for a ritual.
• The crippled Great Prince, Xiong Ju, is killed by Chi Lang Jin, a former Eastern Ridge ally who has defected to the Li Family and taken the surname Li. Li Jin delivers Xiong Ju’s blood to Jiang Dao.
• Jiang Dao directs Li Family Death Warriors to use the collected blood in a curse targeting five generations of the bloodline. The warriors sacrifice their lifespans to trace and kill the victims’ relatives.
• The curse begins killing descendants far away, including a hunter and his son. Meanwhile, a group of surviving Eastern Ridge royals and priests’ kin meet in hiding and plot revenge against the Li Family.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiong Ju has fallen from a powerful, confident prince to a helpless prisoner; he dies cursing Li Jin.
• Li Jin reveals the depth of his betrayal and ambition. He openly embraces being the Li Family’s “dog,” proving his loyalty by personally killing Xiong Ju.
• Jiang Dao acts as the Li Family’s calculating commander, ordering both the executions and the large-scale curse.
• The Death Warriors carry out the ritual at the cost of their own lifespans, some dying as they cast it.
• The surviving Eastern Ridge descendants turn their grief and humiliation into a plan for retaliation.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and opportunism: Li Jin trades his former loyalties for status and favor with the Li Family.
• Conquest and vengeance: The executions and the survivors’ revenge plans show violence perpetuating itself.
• Bloodline and collective punishment: The curse targets relatives across five generations, killing people far removed from the conflict.
• Sacrifice and cruelty: The Death Warriors surrender years of life to inflict the curse, while the Li Family treats the dead as resources—even feeding the bodies to its lord wolf.

Key plot points and events

• At the chapter’s opening, a crowd suddenly suffers agonizing heart pain and dies. An Innate Realm cultivator realizes they have been killed by a curse, though its source is not revealed.
• The story shifts to a secluded village in Xu Province: the concealed stronghold of the Xiong Clan’s royal lineage, whose members guard the Divine Soul True Fire of Xiong Li, the former Country Lord of Eastern Ridge.
• The clan elders decide to use their most gifted young descendant, Xiong Lie, as the vessel for Xiong Li’s resurrection. They reject the suggestion of choosing a less promising candidate, judging Lie’s bloodline and compatibility essential.
• Lie arrives unaware of his ancestry and praises Li Xinge for destroying the Eastern Ridge “barbarians.” The elders reveal that Lie and the villagers are themselves members of the Eastern Ridge royal clan.
• When Lie learns he is to be sacrificed as a vessel, he refuses. The chief elder and the others surround and pressure him, even threatening the safety of his parents and newborn child. Lie eventually gives in.
• An hour later, the resurrection succeeds. Xiong Li awakens in Lie’s body, learns that Li Xinge killed the Great Priest and destroyed Eastern Ridge, and vows revenge.

Character developments

• Xiong Lie shifts from a confident, talented young cultivator who admires Li Xinge to a devastated captive of his own lineage. His sense of duty is overridden by his recognition that the elders will use his loved ones to compel him.
• The chief clan elder reveals a ruthless side: despite his apparent affection for Lie, he prioritizes the clan’s resurrection plan over Lie’s life—even though Lie is his own descendant.
• Xiong Li returns with little understanding of events since his spirit was sealed, but quickly becomes consumed by rage and revenge.
• The other elders show reluctance to sacrifice Lie, but ultimately accept the chief elder’s decision and participate in the ritual.

Significant themes

• Duty versus personal freedom: The elders frame Lie’s death as an honor and obligation, while Lie insists his life is his own.
• Loyalty and sacrifice: The clan’s devotion to its ancestor turns into a willingness to sacrifice one of its most promising descendants.
• Betrayal and inherited identity: Lie’s discovery that the people he condemns as enemies are his own kin overturns his understanding of himself and his history.
• Revenge: Xiong Li’s awakening turns the clan’s tragedy into a new threat against Li Xinge.

Character interactions

• The elders debate who should serve as the vessel; their concern for Lie’s future clashes with the chief elder’s insistence on the safest candidate.
• Lie’s respectful relationship with the elders collapses as they reveal his ancestry and demand his sacrifice. The chief elder uses Lie’s family as leverage when he resists.
• After the ritual, the elders kneel before Xiong Li and explain the fall of Eastern Ridge, prompting his vow to avenge it.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Xiong clan's five clan elders suddenly experience intense heart pain, suspected to be an Incantation targeting their bloodline.
• They plead for help from Xiong Li, who was recently resurrected.
• Four of the five clan elders die due to the curse, leaving only the Great Elder.
• Xiong Li, revealed to be Xiong Lie, kills the Great Elder.
• Xiong Lie finds his family alive but learns of his father's death.

Character Developments

• Xiong Li is revealed to be Xiong Lie, who has usurped Xiong Li's body and taken control.
• Xiong Lie's true nature is shown as ruthless and cunning, killing his own clan members without remorse.
• Xiong Lie's family, especially his wife Qing Lian, are revealed to be alive but traumatized by the events.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and deception: Xiong Lie's usurpation of Xiong Li's body and his murder of the clan elders highlight the theme of betrayal and deception.
• Power and ambition: Xiong Lie's actions show his desire for power and his willingness to do whatever it takes to achieve it.
• Family and loyalty: Despite his ruthless actions, Xiong Lie still cares for his family, showing a complex blend of ambition and loyalty.

Character Interactions

• Xiong Lie interacts with the clan elders, initially pretending to be Xiong Li and offering help, then revealing his true nature and killing them.
• Xiong Lie interacts with his wife Qing Lian, showing concern and relief at finding her alive.
• Xiong Lie interacts with his mother, showing grief and sadness at his father's death.

Key Plot Points

• Xiong Lie returns to find his father dead and his mother dying.
• Xiong Lie's mother reveals that Xiong Lie is not his father's biological son.
• Xiong Lie's mother recounts meeting Xiong Lie's biological father, who was injured and later left to find his ancestral bloodline.
• Xiong Lie's mother reveals that his father, Xiong Lie's adoptive father, is a eunuch who used them to maintain his dignity and status.
• Xiong Lie's mother dies after revealing that Xiong Lie's biological father left him a Jade Pendant as a token of his origins.

Character Developments

• Xiong Lie: Struggles with the revelation of his parentage and his father's deception. He becomes determined to find out more about his biological father.
• Xiong Lie's Mother: Dying, she reveals the truth about Xiong Lie's parentage and her own past. She expresses regret for her actions and asks Xiong Lie not to blame his biological father.
• Xiong Lie's Father (adoptive): Revealed to be a eunuch who used Xiong Lie and his mother for his own purposes.

Significant Themes

• Truth and deception: The theme of truth being revealed is prominent, with Xiong Lie's mother revealing the truth about his parentage and her past.
• Family and identity: The chapter explores the complex dynamics of family relationships and the importance of knowing one's origins and identity.
• Regret and forgiveness: Xiong Lie's mother expresses regret for her actions and asks for forgiveness, highlighting the theme of redemption.

Character Interactions

• Xiong Lie and his mother: Their interaction is filled with emotion as Xiong Lie learns the truth and his mother dies in his arms.
• Xiong Lie and his wife, Qing Lian: Qing Lian is present but does not interact much, mainly reacting with fear and tears.
• Xiong Lie and his son, Song'er: Song'er is also present but is too young to understand the situation, mainly reacting with tears.

Key plot points and events

• Xiong Lie discovers that the mysterious man’s surname was Li. After the elders he once trusted are dead, his father dies under a curse, and his mother takes poison, he breaks down, wondering why his life has been ruined.
• The Heart Devouring Soul Grasping Curse wipes out Wu Huo’s bloodline. Of more than three hundred deathsworn, fewer than a hundred survive, all aged and near death. Jiang Dao promises that the Li Family will care for their families. The survivors swear loyalty, then end their own lives by destroying their heart meridians. Jiang Dao pays them a final, silent tribute, and the cave is collapsed to conceal what happened.
• Li Xuantong approves of Jiang Dao’s work and offers to recommend him for an Innate Spirit Pill, recognizing his years of service and recent breakthrough to qi-and-blood great perfection. Jiang Dao is overwhelmed with gratitude and pledges absolute loyalty to the Li Family.
• Three days later, Li Xinge presides over a formal gathering at the restored Eastern Ridge Royal Court. He announces plans to petition the Son of Heaven to rename the region Eastern Continent and establish a governor’s mansion, leaving the appointment of its governor to the court.
• Li Jin urgently urges Li Xinge to remain in charge, arguing that the newly subdued tribes respect strength above all and that the region will descend into disorder without him. The surrendered chieftains, including Wutu Jie and Shuize Tu, join the appeal, asking Li Xinge to govern Eastern Continent and oversee both its military and civil affairs.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiong Lie is left devastated and isolated by the deaths of his family and former masters; his discovery of the Li surname hints at a lingering connection to the wider conflict.
• Jiang Dao shows a brief trace of unease over the deathsworn’s sacrifice but remains committed to the Li Family. Li Xuantong’s promise of a pill gives him a path toward the Innate Realm and deepens his loyalty.
• Li Jin uses an impassioned public appeal to press Li Xinge to stay, presenting the request as necessary for stability rather than personal ambition.
• Li Xinge maintains authority and composure as the region’s new power, while the surrendered leaders demonstrate their submission by openly asking him to rule them.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and sacrifice: The deathsworn give their lives after securing a promise for their families, while Jiang Dao’s allegiance is reinforced through the Li Family’s recognition and support.
• Power as the basis of rule: The Eastern Ridge leaders argue that only a ruler who commands strength can hold the tribes together.
• Conquest and political legitimacy: The fallen kingdom is being reorganized under Great Zhou authority, but the new administration’s stability appears to depend on Li Xinge personally.
• The human cost of power: Xiong Lie’s grief and the deathsworn’s deaths contrast sharply with the ceremony and political calculations of the royal court.

Chapter 506: “Rewards According to Merit”

Key events

• Yang Province’s officials urge Li Xinge to accept the temporary governorship of Eastern Continent, arguing that the newly subdued region needs his authority to prevent renewed unrest. Li Xinge hesitates because one person has never governed two provinces, but yields after the officials and tribal leaders appeal to public welfare and the soldiers’ sacrifices.
• As Eastern Continent’s new governor, Li Xinge abolishes the tribal system and orders the region reorganized into nineteen commanderies under Great Zhou’s commandery-and-county administration. The surrendered chieftains voice no objections.
• He begins staffing the new administration: Zhao Wujiu becomes temporary Chief Clerk, and the surrendered chieftain Wutu Jie is appointed Sima, responsible for military affairs and helping pacify the tribes.
• Li Xinge also assigns Li Xingyue, Li Jin, Shuize Tu, and Dou Changgeng roles in suppressing the Eastern Ridge Kingdom’s remnants and overseeing the region.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Xinge moves from reluctant deliberation to decisive leadership, presenting his acceptance as a duty to stabilize the realm rather than a personal ambition. He immediately uses his new authority to reshape Eastern Continent’s government.
• Fu Yu, Wang Tianming, Li Jin, Wutu Jie, and other officials and chieftains unite in pressing Li Xinge to accept. Their appeals emphasize both his responsibility to the people and the danger of leaving the region unsettled.
• Zhao Wujiu accepts a trusted administrative role. Li Xinge regards him as loyal and powerful enough to command the new governor’s mansion, while relying on others for specialized governance.
• Wutu Jie is astonished by his appointment. Li Xinge rewards his surrender and influence with high office, and Wutu responds with a fervent pledge of loyalty. His appointment also reassures other surrendered tribal leaders.

Significant themes

• Merit and loyalty rewarded: Former enemies can gain authority through service and allegiance.
• Pragmatic governance: Li Xinge sets aside precedent to meet the exceptional needs of a newly conquered region.
• Centralization and control: Replacing tribal rule with commanderies and counties strengthens Great Zhou’s authority, while appointments balance oversight with local knowledge.
• Power and responsibility: Li Xinge’s expanded authority is framed as an obligation to restore peace and protect the population.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Xinge and Sage Xuanji stand atop a solitary peak in the Eastern Ridge, observing a massive array that gathers Killing Intent from the demise of billions of lives.
• Li Xinge reveals his true goal: harnessing the immense Killing Intent for his cultivation, not just expanding territory or avenging Wu Huo.
• Li Xinge summons the Three Sha Demon God, a powerful entity from the Demonic Path, to absorb the gathered Killing Intent.
• Li Xinge enters the core of the array to commence his cultivation, while Sage Xuanji sets up protective arrays and stands guard.

Character Developments

• Li Xinge: Reveals his ruthless ambition and willingness to sacrifice for his goals. He is impressed by Sage Xuanji's candor and shares his views on the competition for the Great Dao.
• Sage Xuanji: Reveals his past actions of sacrificing an entire world for his own cultivation, demonstrating his ruthlessness and pragmatism. He supports Li Xinge's actions and guards him during his cultivation.

Significant Themes

• Ruthlessness and pragmatism in pursuit of power and longevity.
• The competition for the Great Dao and the necessity to contend with heaven, earth, and man.
• The Demonic Path as a viable route to high realms, despite societal condemnation.

Character Interactions

• Li Xinge and Sage Xuanji discuss their views on the path to longevity and the Great Dao, finding common ground in their ruthlessness and pragmatism.
• Sage Xuanji guards Li Xinge during his cultivation, demonstrating their alliance and mutual respect.

Key plot points and events

• Li Xinge breaks through from early- to mid-stage Divine Mansion while cultivating inside the煞 Gathering Array. His divine mansion expands from 3,000 to 4,400 li, and his power grows dramatically.
• Sage Xuanji witnesses the breakthrough and congratulates him, judging that Li Xinge could now likely overpower Lü Fengxian without relying on his Saint Body’s divine ability.
• Lü Fengxian sends the Li Family two million mid-grade spirit stones. Li Xuanyong plans to reserve some for rewards and compensate the Wei Clan for its support, then asks Li Qinglin—his talented prospective successor in financial administration—to help manage the funds.
• In a memorial to the emperor, Li Xinge reports Eastern Ridge’s conquest and proposes renaming it Eastern Continent and establishing a governor’s mansion. He asks to hold the governorship temporarily alongside his authority in Yang Province, promising to relinquish it once the region is settled.
• Li Xinge also accuses Lü Fengxian of disregarding orders and endangering the campaign. The emperor, seeing the request as a bid to consolidate power, erupts in anger and fears the Li Family now effectively controls much of the southeast.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Xinge emerges from his breakthrough substantially stronger and presents his expansion of authority to the emperor as a temporary necessity for stabilizing the conquered territory.
• Sage Xuanji remains loyal and supportive, guarding Li Xinge during cultivation and praising his achievement.
• Li Xuanyong shows prudent leadership by balancing the family’s need to grow its resources with obligations to allies and followers.
• Li Qinglin is further established as a gifted administrator and Li Xuanyong’s intended successor.
• The emperor becomes increasingly suspicious and hostile toward Li Xinge, interpreting his deferential language as a cover for territorial ambition. He also blames Lü Fengxian for failing to contain the Li Family’s rise.

Significant themes

• Power and political ambition: Li Xinge’s cultivation advance coincides with a major increase in his political influence.
• Loyalty and reciprocity: The Li Family recognizes the service of its followers and the support of the Wei Clan.
• Official language versus political reality: Li Xinge frames his request as temporary and necessary, while the emperor sees it as a calculated attempt to secure lasting control.
• The danger of rapid ascent: The Li Family’s growth—from a local clan to a force dominating the southeast in just seventeen years—alarms the imperial court.

Key plot points and events

• Emperor Great Zhou worries about Li Xinge’s request to govern both Yang Province and Eastern Prefecture. In the past, aristocratic clans united against the emperor when he tried to block Li’s appointment, forcing him to back down.
• The old eunuch argues that the clans will not support Li this time: they may tolerate his rule in Yang Province, but would resist the Li family gaining control of two provinces and upsetting the realm’s balance.
• The emperor briefly considers claiming Eastern Prefecture for the imperial family, but the eunuch warns him against repeating his previous mistake. The emperor instead calls a grand court assembly to decide the governorship.
• At court, imperial loyalists oppose Li’s request, citing the lack of precedent and the danger of concentrating power. Other ministers defend Li as the best person to pacify the recently conquered Eastern Ridge.
• The debate turns into a personal quarrel, and two ministers unleash their auras before the old eunuch restores order.
• Prime Minister Wen Zhong recommends honoring Li generously for his military achievements but appointing someone else to govern Eastern Prefecture. The emperor is pleased by this position.

Character developments

• The emperor is resentful of the aristocratic clans’ influence and eager to exploit their likely opposition to Li, but remains cautious about provoking them directly. He welcomes a compromise that limits Li’s power.
• The old eunuch acts as a shrewd adviser, reading the clans’ political interests and steering the emperor away from a risky grab for Eastern Prefecture.
• Prime Minister Wen Zhong appears sleepy and evasive, but offers a politically balanced recommendation: reward Li without breaking the ancestral rule.
• The ministers reveal how divided the court is. Some defend imperial authority and precedent; others prioritize Li’s military reputation and the stability of Eastern Ridge.

Significant themes

• Tradition versus ambition: The rule against one person governing two provinces is treated as a foundation of the dynasty’s stability, but Li’s request challenges it.
• Power and political balance: The emperor, aristocratic clans, and powerful families all maneuver to prevent any one faction from becoming too dominant.
• Public duty and private motives: Ministers claim to act for the realm, while accusations of bribery and factional loyalty undermine their arguments.
• The weakness of imperial authority: The emperor resents that the clans can constrain him, reflecting how the dynasty’s founding bargain has limited the throne.

Character interactions

• The emperor consults the eunuch privately, relying on his political judgment.
• During court debate, imperial loyalists clash with ministers supporting Li; the disagreement escalates into threats and displays of power.
• The old eunuch rebukes the feuding ministers in the emperor’s name, and they promptly stand down.
• The emperor presses Wen Zhong for an opinion; Wen’s compromise gives the emperor a way to oppose Li’s dual governorship while still rewarding him.

Key plot points and events

• Prime Minister Wen Zhong proposes that Li Xinge serve as Governor of Eastern Continent, but Lord Gao argues that the recently conquered region will only obey the commander who defeated it. He warns that appointing someone else could trigger renewed unrest.
• Censor Wang and other officials oppose the idea, arguing that letting a successful general govern his conquest would weaken the court’s laws and authority.
• Several powerful provincial factions unexpectedly support Li Xinge: Wu Province, Yang Province, and even Xu Province, despite its recent conflict with him. Northern provinces then unite to oppose his appointment.
• The emperor pretends to accept the objections, though he is privately pleased that the aristocratic clans have failed to rally behind Li Xinge.
• When the emperor suggests appointing Prince Cheng instead, officials from both north and south object. The governorship is so dangerous—and Li Xinge so formidable—that no one wants the post.
• Wen Zhong nominates Li Xuanxian, son of the Duke of Zhenguo, citing his exceptional talent, Divine Mansion Realm cultivation, and lack of an official appointment. The chapter ends with Li Taiming reacting furiously to the nomination.

Character developments and interactions

• The emperor tries to steer the appointment to his advantage, but repeated opposition leaves him powerless and visibly enraged.
• Wen Zhong shifts from supporting Li Xinge’s appointment to proposing Li Xuanxian as a solution, placing the burden on the Duke of Zhenguo’s family.
• Lord Gao risks speaking against the prevailing view, arguing that Li Xinge’s reputation is essential to keeping Eastern Continent under control.
• Li Xinge never appears, but his military reputation dominates the debate: officials fear both unrest without him and retaliation if they cross him.
• Li Taiming is caught off guard and reacts with anger when Wen Zhong nominates his son.
• Provincial factions form uneasy, shifting alliances; even Xu Province supports Li Xinge, while northern provinces coordinate their opposition.

Significant themes

• Court authority versus military power: Officials debate whether rewarding Li Xinge with governorship would undermine imperial law.
• Factional politics and self-interest: Provincial support reflects clan rivalries and political calculation more than shared principle.
• Fear as a political force: Li Xinge’s strength makes the governorship undesirable and shapes the entire court’s decisions.
• The emperor’s constrained power: Though formally sovereign, he cannot impose his choice against the factions assembled at court.

Key plot points and events

• In court, Prime Minister Wen Zhong maneuvers to appoint Li Xuanxian as Governor of Eastern Continent, hoping to put him in charge of troubled Eastern Prefecture.
• Duke of Zhenguo Li Taiming initially resists, claiming his son is in secluded cultivation. He then turns Wen’s pressure back on him, proposing that Wen’s son, Zhong Yan, accompany Xuanxian and serve as chief administrator.
• Wen is forced to agree. The emperor approves the appointments: Xuanxian will command Eastern Prefecture’s military and civil affairs, while Zhong Yan assists and oversees administration.
• The court then considers how to reward Li Xinge for conquering the Eastern Ridge Kingdom. A southern-clan official proposes elevating him to One-Character Marquis, the highest marquis rank.
• Though Censor Wang objects that the honor is excessive, the southern clans support the proposal. They hope to placate Xinge after recently opposing him and to enlist his strength against the Princess Royal.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Taiming shifts from defensive refusal to a calculated counterattack, compelling Wen to commit his own son to the dangerous assignment.
• Wen Zhong tries to use the governorship to advance his position but is cornered by Li Taiming’s mirrored accusation and accepts the compromise.
• The emperor quietly enjoys the officials’ rivalry, then formally approves their deal and invites debate over Xinge’s reward.
• The southern aristocratic clans move from political opposition to attempted reconciliation with Xinge, treating him as a potential counterweight to the Princess Royal.
• Censor Wang openly challenges the proposed honor, but the clan representatives disregard his objection.

Significant themes

• Court politics and strategic bargaining: Appointments and honors are used to balance rival families and regional factions.
• Reciprocity and political pressure: Li Taiming defeats Wen’s maneuver by applying Wen’s own rhetoric against him.
• Power, loyalty, and recognition: Xinge’s military achievement becomes a question of how the court rewards service—and how factions can use that reward for their own ends.
• Fear of rising power: The clans’ support for Xinge reflects their concern about the Princess Royal’s exceptional talent and future influence.

Key plot points and events

• The court debates how to reward Li Xinge for conquering the Eastern Ridge. When one official proposes calling him the Marquis of Wu, the emperor kills him on the spot—a reminder of the court’s dangerous political sensitivities.
• Prime Minister Wen Zhong proposes Marquis of Chu. Chu Province’s Grand Censor Cui Zhaoming objects, arguing the title has no connection to Li’s achievement.
• Wen counters that the ancient kingdom of Chu encompassed much of the south and symbolizes bold expansion. Most officials support him, partly because they hope the title will provoke rivalry between Chu and Yang Provinces.
• The emperor issues a decree naming Li Great General of the South and Marquis of Chu, granting him Wu Commandery as his fief and authority over Yang Province’s military and civil affairs. He is praised for pacifying the Eastern Ridge and greatly expanding Great Zhou’s territory.
• After court, Wen and Duke of Zhenguo Li Taiming discuss the political maneuvering behind the decree. Li Taiming’s son and Wen’s nephew are being sent to the Eastern Prefecture as officials, despite the risks. Wen believes their appointments will let them observe the region, build alliances, and create opportunities for northern aristocratic influence.
• Li Taiming departs unconvinced. Wen’s smile fades as he watches him leave.

Character developments and interactions

• The emperor is ruthless and politically guarded, personally executing the official who suggests the taboo title “Marquis of Wu.” He later approves Wen’s proposal after it wins broad support.
• Wen Zhong proves adept at turning a symbolic honor into a political tool: he blocks Li Xinge from also governing the Eastern Prefecture, advances the interests of his faction, and stokes tension between Chu and Yang.
• Cui Zhaoming and Chu Province’s officials resist the title but are outmaneuvered and isolated when nearly every other faction backs Wen.
• Li Taiming recognizes the maneuver’s multiple purposes and worries that the young men sent east may be in danger. He challenges Wen, but leaves without expressing confidence in his assurances.

Significant themes

• Court politics and factional rivalry: Rewards and appointments serve as instruments of influence, not merely recognition.
• The danger of speaking unwisely: The official’s death shows how quickly a political misstep can become fatal.
• Symbolism as political strategy: The title “Marquis of Chu” invokes ancient history while deliberately provoking present-day resentment.
• Legitimacy versus real power: The new Eastern Prefecture officials may lack practical authority, but their imperial appointments could help them build connections and exploit divisions.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points

• After court appoints Li Xuanxian governor of Eastern Continent, Duke Li Taiming warns him that the region is dangerous because Li Xinge considers it his own and may retaliate against anyone who takes the post.
• Li Xuanxian admits he cannot contend with Li Xinge. He proposes using his supposed “seclusion” as an excuse to delay taking office, avoiding a direct confrontation during the current crisis. Li Taiming agrees.
• Li Xuanxian recites the generation names of the Yang Province Li Clan. Li Taiming recognizes them as the ancestral names of their own family and suspects the Yang Province branch possesses the long-lost Ancestor Sacred Artifact.
• They believe the artifact may already have awakened, explaining that branch’s rapid rise. Their family’s ancestral teaching says its appearance signals the Li clan’s chance to return to the Central Heaven Realm.
• Li Taiming refuses to seize the artifact, warning that it may recognize only its current custodians—and that the powerful Rootless People could not be opposed safely.
• The Rootless People last appeared thirty years ago and are expected to return in twenty. Li Taiming sees the artifact as a possible chance to escape the Lower Realm and break through to the Heavenly Human realm. Li Xuanxian agrees they must risk everything.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Taiming shifts from political caution to urgent ambition. He is protective of his son, wary of Li Xinge, and deeply resentful of the Rootless People, but becomes determined to pursue the family’s chance of returning to the Upper Realm.
• Li Xuanxian shows humility about Li Xinge’s strength and little interest in political office, preferring cultivation. Once the sacred artifact is discussed, however, he becomes more forceful and entertains taking it by force.
• Their father-son relationship is candid and trusting: Taiming asks for his son’s honest assessment, and they jointly settle on both a political delay and a possible high-stakes plan.

Significant themes

• Power and restraint: The family avoids challenging Li Xinge directly, recognizing that strength and timing matter.
• Inherited identity and destiny: The generation names connect distant Li branches and hint at a shared history.
• Ambition versus danger: The artifact offers a path to freedom and advancement, but pursuing it could provoke powerful enemies.
• Confinement and liberation: The Li family’s desire to escape the Lower Realm drives the chapter’s urgency.

Plot points

• Chancellor Wen Zhong tells his youngest son, Wen Zhongyan, that he has been appointed chief administrator of the newly established Eastern Prefecture, with Li Xuanxian as its governor.
• Wen Zhong warns that the post is dangerous: Li Xinge conquered the region, commands great local influence, and may leave the new officials powerless. His recent appointment as Great General of the South and Marquis of Chu makes him especially difficult to oppose.
• Wen Zhongyan is furious and jealous at Li Xinge’s elevation, but insists on taking the post. He argues that refusing would disgrace the Wen family and that the danger offers him a chance to prove himself.
• Seeing his son’s determination—and recognizing his own younger spirit in it—Wen Zhong relents. He agrees to send Wen Zhongyan with Elder Fan and three other powerful attendants, while insisting that he plan carefully before acting.
• Wen Zhongyan leaves eager to test himself against Li Xinge.

Character development and interactions

• Wen Zhong is cautious and politically perceptive, initially trying to protect his son from a likely power struggle. His disappointment in Wen Zhongyan’s eagerness gives way to pride and sympathy when he recognizes his own ambition in the young man.
• Wen Zhongyan is talented and ambitious, but also proud, impulsive, and envious of Li Xinge. He frames his risky choice as a test of courage and a chance to establish the Wen family’s standing.
• Their conversation shifts from fatherly warning and resistance to negotiation: Wen Zhongyan persuades his father to accept the appointment, and Wen Zhong responds by providing a protective entourage and practical advice.

Significant themes

• Ambition versus caution: Wen Zhongyan sees danger as an opportunity; Wen Zhong understands its political cost.
• Power and legitimacy: Court appointments may carry titles, but Li Xinge’s military victory and local influence may matter more on the ground.
• Family legacy and mentorship: Wen Zhong’s hopes for his exceptionally talented son shape both his warnings and his eventual decision to let him try.
• Jealousy and pride: Wen Zhongyan’s resentment of Li Xinge’s rise threatens to cloud his judgment, even as he presents his mission as a test of character.

Key plot points and events

• Li Xinge remains in the Eastern Prefecture Royal Court, consolidating his cultivation and waiting for Shenjing’s response to his growing control over the region.
• Senior officials and tribal leaders gather to receive an imperial envoy. They expect Li Xuanxian to be appointed Governor of Eastern Continent, while Li Xinge has received only the titles of Great General of the South and Marquis of Chu.
• Fu Yu urges the assembled leaders to support Li Xinge. Though they resent the court’s appointments, he argues they should accept the decree publicly while keeping Eastern Prefecture’s actual military and civil power in the hands of Li Xinge’s loyalists.
• Zhao Wujiu reinforces the loyalty pledge by releasing his half-step Divine Mansion aura and warning against anyone who betrays Li Xinge. Wutu Jie and the tribal leaders swear allegiance to the Marquis of Chu.
• The imperial procession arrives, escorted by roughly a thousand Dragon Tiger Imperial Guards. The envoy, Song Wuya—a powerful Divine Mansion Realm eunuch and chief director of the Imperial City Department—calls Li Xinge forward to receive the decree.
• Li Xinge does not appear, even after Song repeats the summons. Angered and humiliated, Song unleashes his mid-stage Divine Mansion pressure and demands to know whether Li Xinge intends to defy the imperial decree.

Character developments and interactions

• Fu Yu acts as a strategic political leader: he channels the group’s resentment into outward compliance while preserving Li Xinge’s control in practice.
• Zhao Wujiu makes loyalty unmistakably compulsory, intimidating potential dissenters with his aura.
• Wutu Jie and the tribal leaders openly reaffirm their allegiance to Li Xinge, viewing him as their protector and patron.
• Song Wuya arrives expecting the authority of the throne to command respect, but Li Xinge’s absence challenges both his status and the court’s power.
• Li Xinge, though not yet seen, asserts defiance through his refusal to answer the summons, strengthening his followers’ confidence.

Significant themes

• Legitimacy versus effective power: The court may appoint officials by decree, but local loyalty and control determine who truly governs.
• Loyalty and coercion: Li Xinge’s followers pledge devotion, while Zhao Wujiu’s threat shows that allegiance is also enforced.
• Political resistance and face: The officials plan to obey ceremonially while resisting in substance; Li Xinge’s absence turns protocol into a public confrontation.
• Imperial authority under strain: The envoy’s formidable escort and cultivation display the court’s power, yet his inability to summon Li Xinge reveals its limits.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Xinge, now a Divine Mansion realm cultivator, arrives at the Eastern Ridge Royal Court.
• He defies the imperial decree by not kneeling or bowing, causing shock and awe among the crowd.
• Li Xinge receives an imperial decree promoting him to Marquis of Chu and granting him Wu Commandery as his fief.
• A second imperial decree appoints Li Xuanxian as Governor of Eastern Continent and Wen Zhongyan as Chief Clerk of Eastern Continent, causing tension.

Character Developments

• Li Xinge demonstrates his incredible power and confidence, suppressing a Mid-stage Divine Mansion expert with ease.
• Song Wuya, the Grand Supervisor of the Imperial City Department, is shocked by Li Xinge's strength and acknowledges his power.
• Wen Zhongyan, son of the Great Zhou's Prime Minister, is appointed as the new Chief Clerk of Eastern Continent and shows arrogance towards Li Xinge.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and the struggle for influence between different factions.
• The tension between loyalty to the empire and personal ambition.
• The impact of imperial decrees and appointments on political landscapes.

Character Interactions

• Li Xinge and Song Wuya clash in a pressure confrontation, showcasing Li Xinge's overwhelming power.
• Li Xinge and Wen Zhongyan have a tense interaction, foreshadowing future conflicts.
• The crowd's reaction to Li Xinge's defiance and subsequent promotion highlights the public's perception of power and authority.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wen Zhongyan, the Prime Minister's son and Chief Clerk of East Province, provokes Li Xinge, the Marquis of Chu, by disrespecting him.
• Li Xinge, using his Divine Mansion pressure, forces Wen Zhongyan to kneel and humiliates him.
• Wen Zhongyan's personal Innately Great Perfection guardian, Elder Fan, intervenes but is swiftly killed by Li Xinge.
• Li Xinge teaches Wen Zhongyan the 'rules' of East Province, emphasizing that Wen Zhongyan must show him respect.

Character Developments

• Wen Zhongyan: Initially arrogant and disrespectful, he is humiliated and forced to kneel, demonstrating the power imbalance between him and Li Xinge.
• Li Xinge: Displaying his immense power and lack of fear towards the Prime Minister's influence, he asserts his dominance over East Province.
• Elder Fan: Briefly introduced as a loyal guardian, he is swiftly defeated and killed, highlighting Li Xinge's strength.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics: The chapter emphasizes the power struggle between Wen Zhongyan, representing the Prime Minister's influence, and Li Xinge, the local ruler of East Province.
• Humiliation and respect: Wen Zhongyan's humiliation serves as a lesson in respecting local authorities and understanding one's place in the hierarchy.

Character Interactions

• Wen Zhongyan vs. Li Xinge: Their interaction is tense and power-driven, with Li Xinge asserting his dominance and humiliating Wen Zhongyan.
• Li Xinge vs. Elder Fan: Their brief interaction ends with Elder Fan's swift defeat, demonstrating Li Xinge's overwhelming power.
• Wen Zhongyan and Song Wuya: Although not directly interacting, Song Wuya's thoughts reveal his disdain for Wen Zhongyan's actions and his satisfaction with the feud between Li Xinge and Wen Zhong.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Xinge publicly humiliated Wen Zhongyan, son of the current Prime Minister Wen Zhong, for attempting to snatch his prize.
• The Shenjing envoys arrived and left, with Li Xinge dismissing them without ceremony.
• Li Xinge discusses the situation with the Li Family's First Elder, Li Xuantong, and decides to stand firm against Wen Zhong's potential retaliation.
• Li Xinge entrusts Eastern Province to Zhao Wujiu and promises to help him break through to the Divine Mansion Realm.

Character Developments

• Li Xinge: Demonstrates his growing power and confidence, no longer hesitant to make enemies. He shows respect for his elders and loyalty to his subordinates, solidifying his position as a fair and just leader.
• Wen Zhongyan: Shows his cowardice and lack of substance, losing face in front of the crowd.
• Wen Zhong: Although not present, his actions through his son indicate his growing hostility towards Li Xinge.
• Zhao Wujiu: Proves his loyalty and capability, earning Li Xinge's trust and a promise of assistance to break through to the Divine Mansion Realm.

Significant Themes

• Power and Influence: Li Xinge's growing power and influence are evident in his interactions with the Shenjing envoys and Wen Zhongyan.
• Loyalty and Respect: Li Xinge values loyalty and respect, both given and received, as seen in his interactions with the First Elder and Zhao Wujiu.
• Enmity and Retaliation: The tension between Li Xinge and Wen Zhong highlights the theme of enmity and potential retaliation in the political arena.

Character Interactions

• Li Xinge and Wen Zhongyan: Li Xinge publicly humiliates Wen Zhongyan, showing his disdain for Wen Zhong's attempt to assert power.
• Li Xinge and the First Elder: They discuss the situation and Li Xinge reassures the First Elder of his respect and trust.
• Li Xinge and Zhao Wujiu: Li Xinge entrusts Eastern Province to Zhao Wujiu and promises to help him advance in cultivation, solidifying their bond.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Xinge discovers Elder Jiang's secret: he's a surviving son of the Depraved Crown Prince.
• Elder Jiang reveals the Great Zhou Imperial Family's secret Ancestral System, where tens of millions of royal descendants have been sent to guard a mysterious "Dragon Vein" over six thousand years, with none returning alive.
• The Depraved Crown Prince rebelled after discovering this truth and was killed; his lineage was targeted, but Elder Jiang survived.

Character Developments

• Li Xinge: Shows keen perception and curiosity about the Imperial Family's secrets.
• Elder Jiang: Reveals his true identity and the tragic history of his family, displaying bitterness, sorrow, and lingering hatred.

Significant Themes

• The burden of truth and ignorance.
• The consequences of power and ambition.
• The cyclical nature of fate and destiny.

Character Interactions

• Li Xinge and Elder Jiang: Their relationship deepens as Elder Jiang shares his dark past, and Li Xinge learns shocking secrets about the Imperial Family.
• Elder Jiang and the Depraved Crown Prince: Their relationship is hinted at, showing the Crown Prince's love for his son and his tragic fate.

Plot points

• After learning of the Royal House’s six-thousand-year scheme, Li Xinge worries that he lacks the strength to confront it. He asks his system to advance him directly to the Heavenly Human Realm, but it refuses.
• Li Xinge confronts Elder Jiang, who has been hiding his identity as a demonic cultivator and his connection to the Depraved Crown Prince. Fearing punishment, Jiang begs to remain Li Xinge’s slave.
• Remembering Jiang’s loyalty over more than a dozen years, Li Xinge forgives him with a warning not to repeat the offense. He then orders Night Owl Hall chief steward Li Yanjing to investigate Great Zhou’s Dragon Vein.
• Meanwhile, Wen Zhongyan recovers from the humiliation of being forced to kneel before Li Xinge. Though furious over Li Xinge killing Elder Fan and striking him, Wen heeds his attendants’ warning and begins plotting to undermine Li Xinge by secretly recruiting the newly surrendered tribal chiefs.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Xinge recognizes the limits of his current power but remains pragmatic, relying on gradual growth, his system, and intelligence-gathering. His decision to spare Elder Jiang shows that loyalty and long service matter to him, even when he has been deceived.
• Elder Jiang is terrified that his secret will cost him his life, but his emotional plea reveals that his years serving Li Xinge have become a source of safety and stability. Li Xinge’s forgiveness deepens their bond.
• Wen Zhongyan shifts from uncontrolled rage to calculated political scheming. His attendants try to restrain him, reminding him of his father’s orders and Li Xinge’s influence, but Wen remains determined to take revenge.

Significant themes

• Power and vulnerability: Li Xinge is formidable locally but feels underprepared against the Royal House’s vast conspiracy.
• Loyalty, deception, and forgiveness: Elder Jiang’s concealment could be treated as betrayal, yet Li Xinge weighs it against years of service.
• Humiliation and revenge: Wen’s public defeat becomes the motive for a quieter, more strategic attempt to weaken Li Xinge.
• Political control: The loyalty of recently surrendered tribal chiefs may be fragile, making alliances and intelligence as important as force.