Chapter Summaries

Summary

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin warns Jin Xingyun that the danger tied to his bloodline may be difficult to resolve; Luo Qinglan’s attempt to address the same drawback during ascension ended badly. He suggests Jin look for a relevant inheritance in Central City.
• The group discusses the coming fusion of the Tianxuan Day Plane. With the decision already made, Chen Lin urges them to gather treasures in preparation for possible danger.
• When Jin Xingyun admits that scarce resources and dangerous demons make it difficult to prepare for Spirit Transformation, Chen Lin offers to refine Ending Hostility Pills for Jin, Shang Xuelian, and Dantai Yunjin. They need only cover the ingredients, and may pay later.
• After the others leave, Chen Lin shows Hundred Flowers Fairy a portrait associated with the Good Fortune Sect’s formidable ascended figures. She recognizes it and admits she suspects she is the reincarnation of a mighty figure.
• Hundred Flowers Fairy explains that she has received mysterious inheritances and fragmented memories since childhood. As her cultivation rises, those memories grow stronger; she fears that ascending to Void Refinement will erase her present self. Even avoiding cultivation may not stop her, since her power continues increasing on its own.
• Chen Lin gives her the portrait and tells her where he found the Good Fortune Ruins, offering a possible lead in her search for a way to preserve her identity.
• In return, Hundred Flowers Fairy gives Chen Lin a high-level spirit-wine brewing inheritance, including her personal insights. Chen Lin hopes to use it to make Drunken God Brew, which can improve the chance of ascending to Void Refinement by ten percent. They exchange Transmission Talismans and part on friendly terms.

Character developments

• Chen Lin acts as a practical ally, helping his friends prepare for ascension while carefully managing what he reveals. He also pursues his own goal of learning to brew spirit wine.
• Jin Xingyun is shaken by the reminder of his bloodline danger, but becomes hopeful when Chen Lin offers access to a rare ascension aid.
• Hundred Flowers Fairy reveals her fear that her former life’s memories will eventually overwhelm her current identity. Removing her veil briefly, she tries to leave behind a personal trace before that change occurs.

Significant themes

• Identity and reincarnation: Hundred Flowers Fairy faces the possibility of becoming someone else while retaining only a small part of her present life.
• Powerlessness before fate: Her cultivation progresses beyond her control, making avoidance of ascension seem futile.
• Friendship and mutual aid: Chen Lin supports his companions with resources and information, while Hundred Flowers Fairy reciprocates with valuable knowledge.
• Preparation amid uncertainty: The impending plane fusion and the dangers of the Otherworld make gathering resources essential.

Character interactions

• Chen Lin reassures Jin Xingyun and offers pills to him and the others on flexible payment terms.
• He approaches Hundred Flowers Fairy with the portrait, listens to her confession, and shares the location of the ruins in hopes of helping her.
• Hundred Flowers Fairy responds with trust and gratitude, giving Chen Lin her brewing inheritance and arranging to stay in contact.

Key events

• True Lord Wanmeng meets Chen Lin to discuss exploring the Nightmare Realm. He fears the approaching plane fusion may be dangerous—and suspects the plane may be imprisoned, as their former lower realm was.
• Wanmeng has found two possible Nightmare Realm scenarios, including one with several nodes beyond the reach of his Level One Road Guide. Chen Lin realizes Wanmeng may want access to Chen’s Level Two guide, but keeps its restrictions secret and postpones the expedition.
• Chen Lin settles in Central City’s safer Inner City, sends White Dove his location, and studies the wine-brewing inheritance from Hundred Flowers Fairy. He hopes—unrealistically—to reach Void Refinement before plane fusion, and begins preparing Drunken God Brew.
• A month later, White Dove announces she is leaving with the Holy Monarch and others to inspect formations across the continents before returning to the Rainbow Continent. She agrees to look for Silver Fairy and Chen Lin’s other missing acquaintances, and gives him a powerful sword talisman for protection.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin remains cautious: he prioritizes preparation for plane fusion, distrusts Wanmeng’s motives, and avoids asking White Dove to involve the Holy Monarch in his affairs. He values White Dove as a friend and is reluctant to see her go.
• True Lord Wanmeng reveals deep anxiety rooted in having survived a plane’s collapse. He seeks a safe Nightmare Realm refuge but accepts Chen Lin’s refusal to explore for now. Though he briefly considers taking Chen’s treasures, he recognizes that Chen is now the stronger of the two.
• White Dove shares Chen Lin’s affection and trust. Her parting gift reflects gratitude for his having saved her life, while Chen entrusts her with information about people he hopes to find.
• Chen also learns that Hundred Flowers Fairy has become renowned for extraordinary strength, reinforcing the group’s awareness that powerful, unpredictable figures may shape events.

Significant themes

• Uncertainty and survival: Plane fusion may bring dangers no one can confidently predict, prompting characters to seek ways to endure.
• Trust and self-protection: Chen Lin weighs cooperation against the risk of revealing valuable information or relying too heavily on others.
• Friendship and gratitude: White Dove’s farewell and gift show lasting loyalty, while Chen’s concern for her and request for help emphasize their bond.
• Preparation versus ambition: Chen’s hope of advancing to Void Refinement is acknowledged as nearly impossible, but he still takes practical steps to prepare.

Key plot points and events

• After White Dove leaves, Chen Lin settles into Central City, hires others to gather intelligence on Silver Island, and keeps his considerable wealth discreet. He postpones bringing Mu Xingchen to Luo Qinglan, judging that the move could endanger her and delay her recovery.
• He gives Ending Hostility Pills to Jin Xingyun and his companions, then enters secluded cultivation. Three years later, he opens his primordial spirit domain, a major breakthrough that lets even an early-stage Spirit Transformation cultivator contend with far stronger opponents.
• His domain combines his innate divine ability’s mysterious destiny force with the powerful thunder of Five Thunders Smite the Crown. The Thunder God Sword can strike from within the domain, and Chen Lin continues discovering its unusual versatility, including its ability to manifest in the Nightmare Realm and repel nightmare qi.
• He uses the sword’s power to weaken the mark on the Celestial Ring, hoping eventually to uncover the treasure’s true function.
• Chen Lin studies the Hundred Flowers Fairy’s wine-brewing inheritance and begins making Drunken God Brew, setting the mixture to ferment in a specially prepared vessel and formation.
• In the Nightmare Realm, Grass and Fat Tiger report that they have found nothing. Chen Lin considers another fishing attempt in Wanhuagu Valley: with more Nightmare Coins, stronger luck-enhancing resources, and the threat of plane fusion approaching, he hopes to obtain another useful servant. He calls Grass over before proceeding.

Character development and interactions

• Chen Lin becomes significantly stronger and more resourceful. His cultivation breakthrough, growing command of the Thunder God Sword, and expanding knowledge of alchemy, brewing, and the Nightmare Realm show his steady preparation for future dangers.
• He is cautious about Luo Qinglan’s recovery, choosing not to rush a potentially disruptive move.
• His exchanges with Jin Xingyun and his companions are practical and conciliatory: he gives them pills to end hostilities.
• He maintains a cooperative relationship with the Hundred Flowers Fairy, seeking her guidance as he learns her brewing art.
• Grass and Fat Tiger remain his helpers in the Nightmare Realm, though their search has yielded no results.

Significant themes

• Preparation against looming danger: Chen Lin builds strength, gathers resources, and seeks allies ahead of plane fusion.
• Power through mastery and combination: His new domain is formidable because it fuses distinct abilities rather than relying on cultivation rank alone.
• Caution and calculated risk: He protects Luo Qinglan’s recovery and weighs the potential rewards of fishing against the limited cost of failure.
• Resourcefulness and expanding knowledge: Chen Lin applies his talent and accumulated expertise across cultivation, treasure-seeking, brewing, and Nightmare Realm survival.

Plot points and events

• Chen Lin considers fishing again in the flower valley and asks Grass for advice. She suggests seeking a powerful Tri-Color Flower, who longs to leave the valley and may cooperate.
• Chen Lin uses his destiny-line ability to assess the plan. Fishing blindly looks dangerously uncertain, but taking Grass along improves the odds; he uses a fate tentacle to close the gap in the line.
• At the valley entrance, the jewel-bedecked woman warns that the rules have changed: each visit doubles the fishing fee and failure penalty. Chen Lin’s second visit costs 20 Nightmare Coins to fish, with a 200-coin penalty if he fails.
• Chen Lin pays and returns to the fishing platform with Grass. She locates the Tri-Color Flower by its distinctive three-part fragrance. Chen Lin casts toward it and successfully reels up an exquisite flower.

Character developments

• Chen Lin remains cautious, relying on prediction rather than taking Grass’s suggestion on faith. He recognizes the Nightmare Realm’s hidden dangers and resolves to stockpile Nightmare Coins.
• Grass shows her knowledge of the valley and takes an active role, locating the flower she hopes to help escape.
• The jewel-bedecked woman appears powerful and enigmatic. She detects Chen Lin’s innate lightning power, yet claims innate abilities cannot break the Nightmare Realm’s rules.

Significant themes

• Risk and preparation: Success depends on understanding changing rules, preparing resources, and improving the odds before acting.
• Limits of power: Even Chen Lin’s innate ability cannot override the Nightmare Realm’s rules.
• Trust and cooperation: Chen Lin’s chances improve when he brings Grass and relies on her local knowledge.

Character interactions

• Chen Lin seeks advice from Grass, then asks whether she can sense and contact the Tri-Color Flower.
• Grass guides him to the flower’s location through its fragrance.
• Chen Lin and the jewel-bedecked woman exchange a tense discussion about changed rules and the limits of innate power before he pays to fish.

Plot points and events

• Chen Lin fishes up a three-petaled flower from Wanhuagu Valley. It transforms into a winged, horned woman, who says she has no name. He names her Hua Ruyu and brings her along.
• Grass recognizes Hua Ruyu from the flower’s aura and welcomes her. Hua Ruyu offers to give Grass wings, but Grass refuses, prioritizing her swordsmanship and her ability to protect Chen Lin.
• Back in the woods, Fat Tiger openly admires Hua Ruyu. She knocks him down with a flash from the petal between her brows. Chen Lin rebukes them both, then notices Fat Tiger’s intelligence seems to have diminished.
• The long-awaited Cat-headed Monster arrives and recognizes Hua Ruyu as Lady Monalisa. She treats her with great caution, prompting Chen Lin to suspect Hua Ruyu is exceptionally powerful.
• The Cat-headed Monster confirms Hua Ruyu was a being from her plane equivalent to the late Dao Integration Realm. However, because Wanhuagu Valley’s rules have transformed her into a flower, she cannot fully regain her former state.
• Chen Lin asks for help reaching the Pool Scenario to search for his missing wife, daughter, and companions. The Cat-headed Monster agrees, provided he gives Hua Ruyu a red gemstone if she recovers memories of her former life.
• She gives Chen Lin a whisker to summon her later, when he finds a scenario he can enter physically. Chen Lin decides to wait for information from Silver Island before beginning the search.
• The Cat-headed Monster then asks Chen Lin to help her fish up another treasure chest.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin is both pleased and uneasy about Hua Ruyu’s immense power: she could protect him, but he fears she might escape the contract and become a threat. His reunion hopes gain a concrete path forward, though he remains cautious.
• Hua Ruyu appears poised, capable, and shrewd rather than naïve. She submits to Chen Lin, but acts independently when she knocks down Fat Tiger. Her past identity remains a mystery, and she denies being Monalisa.
• Grass shows warmth toward Hua Ruyu and continues to put Chen Lin’s protection above personal advantages.
• Fat Tiger is intimidated by Hua Ruyu, and Chen Lin notices a troubling decline in its intelligence.
• The Cat-headed Monster reveals a personal connection to Hua Ruyu and a strong desire to recover her memories. She also offers Chen Lin a practical route toward finding his family.

Significant themes

• Power and control: Chen Lin’s benefit from acquiring a powerful servant is balanced by the danger that such power may exceed his control.
• Identity and memory: Hua Ruyu’s former identity as Monalisa is disputed, while the Cat-headed Monster hopes some memories can survive the Nightmare Realm’s rules.
• Hope tempered by caution: Chen Lin gains a possible way to reunite with his family but delays acting until he has better information.
• Loyalty and protection: Grass’s devotion to Chen Lin contrasts with Hua Ruyu’s more composed, unreadable obedience.

Chapter summary

• Chen Lin’s return and Hua Ruyu’s condition: The Cat-headed Monster asks Chen Lin to help her fish at Gambling Fortune Lake, but he refuses because the Golden Toad makes the lake too dangerous. She accepts his explanation and tells him to summon her again if he finds a suitable scenario. Chen Lin returns to reality with Grass and Hua Ruyu. He confirms his connection to Hua Ruyu remains intact and gives her clothes, then commissions a concealment robe and cloak so she can move about without drawing attention.
• Hua Ruyu’s abilities: Chen Lin tests Hua Ruyu and finds that, like Grass, she can function under the same rules. She says her former powers are gone, but the tri-color flower mark between her brows lets her use abilities tied to spiritual sense, soul power, and physical strength. Her strength has slowly returned through contemplation in Wanhuagu Valley; she is already at the peak of Spirit Transformation and can use her abilities in the Nightmare Realm. Chen Lin considers her an unusual, possibly nonhuman being, and sees her abilities as potentially valuable.
• Investigation of Silver Island: Chen Lin hires adventurers to investigate Silver Island. Their findings indicate that the Island Master is an Early Spirit Transformation cultivator, protected by a rooster-like spirit beast named Lord Bao with a powerful spatial ability. Chen Lin suspects it may be Chen Bao, but cannot confirm this. He chooses not to investigate personally or bring the Silver Fairy and her companions to the Upper Realm, judging that plane fusion could endanger them. He plans instead to reconsider their situation after Tianxuan Day.
• Luo Qinglan and cultivation: Chen Lin decides to bring Luo Qinglan to Central City, which he considers safer than Liangyi City, and sends a message through the Listen-Wind Post asking Mu Xingchen to come. While waiting, he accelerates his cultivation with several pills, making rapid progress but accepting the risks of forcing growth. Two years later, Mu Xingchen still cannot leave, possibly because Luo Qinglan’s recovery makes moving her dangerous.
• Setbacks and new concerns: Further attempts to investigate Silver Island fail because the sea routes have become too dangerous and unstable for short-range teleportation; the journey is beyond Spirit Transformation cultivators. Chen Lin concludes the Silver Fairy and others are probably still in the Lower Realm and trusts Chen Bao’s spatial abilities may help it survive.
• Search for soul knowledge: After reaching a cultivation bottleneck and needing to recover from the pills, Chen Lin visits All Things Pavilion to look for texts on souls. The shopkeeper suggests waiting until plane fusion connects the realms and the Soulless Sect becomes accessible. Chen Lin privately avoids that option because of Qiu Musheng. His real goal is to learn how to use the Black Staff, which he has identified as true soul wood, and the white flower on it, an even rarer true soul flower.

Character developments and relationships

Chen Lin remains cautious and pragmatic: he declines dangerous fishing, delays rescuing distant allies, and prioritizes safety amid the coming plane fusion. He also continues to care for those dependent on him, arranging suitable clothing for Hua Ruyu and seeking a safer place for Luo Qinglan. Hua Ruyu is calm and obedient around him, while her recovered powers establish her as a potential asset. The Cat-headed Monster accepts Chen Lin’s refusal without conflict, and Chen Lin’s concern for Chen Bao persists despite being unable to verify its whereabouts.

Significant themes

• Risk versus responsibility: Chen Lin must balance protecting others with the dangers of acting before plane fusion.
• Uncertainty and isolation: Travel and information-gathering become increasingly difficult as the realms approach fusion.
• Power and its costs: Chen Lin’s rapid cultivation brings drawbacks, while Hua Ruyu’s strength has slowly returned through limited means.
• Hidden knowledge: Chen Lin’s search for texts reflects the difficulty—and danger—of understanding rare soul-related treasures.

Plot points

• Chen Lin finds no new soul-related items, pill formulas, or cultivation books at the All Things Pavilion, but accepts an invitation to a trading convention at the City Lord Manor’s No. 6 Trading Hall.
• Hua Ruyu reports that she is cultivating slowly because this world lacks the mysterious energy she needs. Chen Lin has also found no new plane nodes to explore.
• The Hundred Flowers Fairy abruptly summons Chen Lin: she plans to undergo her Void Refinement tribulation the next day.
• On the way, Chen Lin learns from Jin Xingyun that the Fairy had only just ended a long period of secluded cultivation. Jin Xingyun himself advanced to Spirit Transformation two years earlier; Dantai Yunjin has not attempted her breakthrough, while Shang Xuelian survived a failed attempt and is still recovering.
• Chen Lin meets True Lord Wanmeng, who has recently advanced to mid Spirit Transformation. Wanmeng again asks when Chen Lin will explore a node with him, but Chen Lin postpones, hoping first to strengthen his soul.
• At the Fairy’s residence, Chen Lin notices her unstable, unusually imposing aura. She explains that energy from a portrait gave her a sudden chance to advance, though it may affect her in an unknown way.
• She entrusts Chen Lin with a Jade Box, instructing him to open it only if she fails. She then asks Chen Lin and the others to guard her and leads them to the tribulation platform.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin remains cautious and strategic, delaying the dangerous node expedition until he can improve his soul. He offers Shang Xuelian encouragement from his own experience of losing and regaining his cultivation, and promises help with pills.
• The Hundred Flowers Fairy moves from secluded cultivation to an urgent breakthrough, but recognizes that the portrait’s influence could carry a risk. Her decision to entrust Chen Lin with the box shows trust in him.
• Shang Xuelian is dispirited after failing to advance, but Chen Lin’s reassurance lifts her spirits somewhat.
• True Lord Wanmeng celebrates his progress to mid Spirit Transformation and continues pressing Chen Lin about their planned exploration.
• Jin Xingyun has successfully advanced to Spirit Transformation, while Dantai Yunjin remains unready and Hua Ruyu is limited by the scarcity of her required energy.

Significant themes

• Uncertainty and risk in cultivation: breakthroughs can arrive unexpectedly, fail despite preparation, or carry hidden consequences.
• Preparation and restraint: Chen Lin prioritizes strengthening himself before undertaking a dangerous expedition.
• Trust and mutual aid: the Fairy relies on Chen Lin to safeguard the box, and Chen Lin offers practical and emotional support to fellow cultivators.
• Uneven fortune: the varied outcomes of Jin Xingyun, Dantai Yunjin, and Shang Xuelian highlight how unpredictable advancement can be.

Key plot points and events

• The Hundred Flowers Fairy prepares to undergo the Void Refinement tribulation at Central City’s No. 15 platform. She gives Chen Lin the inheritance for her Ten Directions Tribulation-Wipe Formation and asks him to look after her disciple, Shang Xuelian, should anything happen to her.
• A powerful cultivator arrives under contract to protect her, while Chen Lin and the other spectators watch from a safe distance.
• The Fairy withstands the first five of the seven lightning bolts with ease. She uses techniques, a talisman, and her formation to survive the more dangerous three-color and five-color bolts.
• Though the physical tribulation ends successfully, the Fairy remains trapped in her inner demon trial far longer than expected. Chen Lin suspects the danger is connected to her being the reincarnation of a powerful figure.
• When Chen Lin moves closer, the Fairy suddenly awakens and declares that she and the other presence are one. She appears to have lost control of her will, then notices Chen and remarks that he is a “talent holder without a mark.”

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin is impressed by the Fairy’s strength but remains wary of how smoothly she passes the lightning trial. He recognizes that the real danger may be the inner demon, and despite telling Shang Xuelian he cannot help, he considers using his Thunder God Sword against it.
• The Hundred Flowers Fairy shows careful planning and extraordinary power, but her preparations suggest she fears a hidden threat. Her eventual words imply that her identity or will has been overtaken by the mighty being tied to her reincarnation.
• Shang Xuelian is deeply worried about her master and asks Chen for help when the inner demon trial runs long. The Fairy’s request that Chen watch over her reveals their close bond.
• Chen and the spectators initially celebrate the Fairy’s successful lightning trial, but their confidence gives way to unease as her inner demon struggle continues. A hired protector and representatives of major factions also witness the event, anticipating her advancement.

Significant themes

• Preparation versus uncertainty: Even meticulous planning and powerful defenses cannot eliminate every danger.
• The limits of outside help: Tribulations—especially inner demon trials—are portrayed as deeply personal, though Chen believes supernatural forces may still be countered.
• Identity and reincarnation: The Fairy’s apparent struggle with a former or greater self raises questions about where one person ends and another begins.
• Power and ambition: The Fairy’s prospective advancement draws the attention of factions eager to recruit a new Void Refinement expert.

Key plot points and events

• During Chen Lin’s tribulation, the Hundred Flowers Fairy’s connection to an Immortal-level power triggers a second, far stronger gathering of tribulation clouds. The Fairy calms them by placing a white flower in her hair, while the onlookers flee.
• Chen Lin escapes far beyond the city using the Lightning Escape Technique and a Myriad-Mile Instantaneous Talisman. He heads toward a nearby Nightmare Realm node as a possible refuge.
• The Fairy catches up and questions how he escaped her mark. Chen Lin stalls, hoping city authorities will arrive, and claims he does not know how he avoided being marked.
• The Fairy detects innate power and asks to inspect his Thunder God Sword. Chen Lin presents its thunder-pattern form, then uses its lightning to break through the flower’s protection and escape toward the node.
• The Fairy nearly reaches him, but Chen Lin slips into the Nightmare Realm. Her attempt to pull him back with the flower fails when its central petal splits and the vortex collapses.
• Further tribulation clouds begin forming around the Fairy. To suppress them, she removes the flower’s petals and merges them into herself, weakening her aura to that of an ordinary Void Refinement cultivator. As approaching figures near, she flees.

Character developments

• Chen Lin remains cautious under pressure, choosing deception and timing over a direct fight. He uses the Thunder God Sword as a distraction and escape tool, while keeping a hidden safeguard against the Fairy’s pursuit.
• The Hundred Flowers Fairy shifts from curious and teasing to furious when Chen Lin escapes. Her effort to recapture him reveals that the flower—and its petals—are central to both her power and the suppression of her aura.

Significant themes

• Survival through strategy: Chen Lin survives a vastly stronger opponent by stalling, exploiting an opening, and using the Nightmare Realm.
• Power and its costs: The Fairy’s immense power draws dangerous tribulation clouds, forcing her to weaken herself by sacrificing the flower’s petals.
• Secrecy and hidden abilities: Chen Lin’s escape from the mark and his concealed means of frustrating the Fairy’s pursuit remain unexplained.

Character interactions

• The Fairy probes Chen Lin’s abilities and flirts or teases him, while he responds respectfully and evasively.
• Their exchange over the Thunder God Sword becomes a contest of trust and deception: she accepts it for inspection, and he uses its lightning to break free.
• Once Chen Lin reaches the Nightmare Realm, the Fairy refuses to follow, but vows to pursue him later.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin enters an unknown Nightmare Realm scenario, but an immense force nearly pulls him back through the node. Once he releases Grass, the pull and the node’s ripples vanish. He moves away cautiously.
• The scenario’s nightmare qi is exceptionally dense and pure, rapidly threatening to transform even Chen Lin. The Thunder God Sword’s innate power protects him, while Grass appears unaffected.
• Chen Lin finds a seemingly ordinary bluestone street lined with trees and ranks of strange statues. Unfamiliar with the scenario, he avoids approaching anything and has Grass keep watch.
• He opens the Jade Box left by the Hundred Flowers Fairy. Inside is a petal that manifests her split-soul phantom. She reveals that it came from her damaged true spirit-tier treasure, the Faceless Flower, and asks Chen Lin to take it to another plane to evade the reincarnated mighty figure pursuing her.
• Chen Lin explains how he ended up in the Nightmare Realm. The Fairy says the loss of her intent will weaken the Faceless Flower, forcing her pursuer to suppress her cultivation—possibly to Void Refinement, though Chen Lin still considers her an overwhelming threat.
• To protect himself and his family, Chen Lin decides to find a node leading to another plane and send the Fairy away before seeking his wife and daughter. He and Grass spot conspicuous spatial ripples atop a tree; Chen Lin realizes someone has opened the node from outside. A shadow then slips through.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin remains cautious and pragmatic, weighing escape routes and the danger to his family. He is irritated that the Fairy’s situation has already endangered him, but agrees to help while planning to separate from her quickly.
• Grass continues to support and protect Chen Lin, tolerating the nightmare qi and alerting him to the apparent node.
• The Hundred Flowers Fairy reveals the origin of her phantom and her fear of the powerful being pursuing her. She acknowledges that she unintentionally brought Chen Lin into danger and prefers to leave for another plane.
• Chen Lin and the Fairy exchange information and assess the threat together, though Chen Lin remains wary rather than trusting her assurances.

Significant themes

• Survival through caution: The unfamiliar scenario’s appearance gives little indication of its danger, so Chen Lin prioritizes distance, observation, and backup plans.
• Power and vulnerability: Even a powerful figure can be weakened by a damaged treasure and constrained by cosmic forces; nevertheless, strength far beyond Chen Lin’s remains threatening.
• Responsibility and risk: Chen Lin helps the Fairy but must balance that choice against the safety of his wife and daughter.
• Uncertainty and intrusion: The chapter ends with an unknown figure entering through a node, turning Chen Lin’s search for an escape route into a new potential threat.

Plot points and events

• Chen Lin, Grass, and the Hundred Flowers Fairy encounter Gou Yushan, a short, spear-wielding humanoid who has entered their Nightmare Realm scenario while fleeing an enemy.
• Chen Lin questions Gou Yushan while pretending to be a Nightmare Realm creature. Gou begins undergoing nightmare transformation, but a glowing bone shard slows the corruption.
• Grass reinforces the deception by threatening Gou, and the Hundred Flowers Fairy tests him by asking him to cast a spell. His black-bird spell is immediately destroyed by the nightmare qi, but Chen Lin detects spiritual power in it.
• Gou reveals that he comes from the Spirit Demon Realm, where spirits and demons form separate camps and the strongest beings are Rank Seven. He offers a seventh-grade Spirit Treasure for the location of Chen Lin’s node; Chen Lin declines the weapon and bargains instead for information about Gou’s world and pursuer.
• Chen Lin warns Gou that their own powerful enemy may still be outside. When Gou tries to leave through the node, it rejects him. Chen Lin tests it with a puppet and his own hand, confirming that nobody can pass through.
• Chen Lin suspects the node may be one-way, damaged, or governed by scenario rules that require them to complete some task before leaving.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin stays cautious and opportunistic. He uses intimidation to gather intelligence, recognizes the value of Gou’s spiritual power and plane, and refuses an unimpressive treasure in favor of useful information. He also warns Gou rather than letting him blunder into danger.
• Gou Yushan is frightened and inexperienced in the Nightmare Realm, but cooperative under pressure. Once he realizes Chen Lin may also be an outsider, he becomes more willing to negotiate and share information.
• Grass supports Chen Lin’s disguise, using her genuine Nightmare Realm aura to keep Gou in line.
• The Hundred Flowers Fairy checks Gou’s honesty through his spell and is visibly excited by what his world might offer.
• The group’s initial mutual suspicion gives way to a brief exchange of information, but the blocked node leaves them all trapped together.

Significant themes

• Deception and trust: Chen Lin’s act of being a Nightmare Realm creature helps him control the encounter, while Gou gradually reassesses him.
• Cross-world opportunity: The Spirit Demon Realm may offer new resources and prospects for trade.
• The Nightmare Realm’s danger and rules: Its qi corrupts outsiders and destroys magic, while its scenario mechanics may prevent escape.
• Practical caution: Chen Lin prioritizes information and verification over a seemingly valuable but useless treasure.

Plot and events

• Chen Lin’s group discovers that they can open the node they entered through but cannot pass back through it, suggesting a rule prevents their escape.
• Gou Yushan is close to nightmare transformation and begs Chen Lin for help. Chen Lin binds him with a Soul Contract, then uses innate power and the Bone Shard’s protection to stabilize him temporarily.
• The group proceeds along the cyan-stone street, where Chen Lin notices opposing rows of armed statues marked with black and white bands.
• They encounter invisible barriers in both directions. Testing shows that the barriers extend through the wooded area and overhead, and that none of their Road Guides can get them past. Chen Lin concludes that the guides have stopped working and that they are confined to a Road-Guide-free area.
• After inspecting the street and nearby trees without finding clues, the group cautiously investigates the statues using Crow Puppets. The statues remain still; the puppets reveal only the area’s boundaries, not how to escape or what rule governs it.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin takes charge, balancing caution with the need to investigate. He accepts Gou Yushan’s offer of service, but treats the Soul Contract as practical insurance rather than an act of trust. He also avoids summoning the Cat-headed Monster because it might be trapped too.
• Gou Yushan abandons his pride to survive, pledging himself to Chen Lin. Though grateful after being stabilized, he remains only partly sincere and understands that his survival now depends on Chen.
• The Hundred Flowers Fairy relies on Chen Lin’s innate power to slow the nightmare qi’s effects and repeatedly seeks his judgment. Her initial optimism gives way to serious concern.
• The group cooperates closely, staying together and following Chen Lin’s instructions not to wander, touch things, or speak loudly.

Significant themes

• Survival and compromised freedom: Gou Yushan accepts binding servitude rather than face death.
• Uncertainty and caution: The Nightmare Realm’s rules are opaque, making even apparently sensible escape methods unreliable.
• Leadership under pressure: Chen Lin must protect the group while managing limited resources and choosing how much risk to take.
• Limits of knowledge and power: Their tools and experience offer little help against the scenario’s restrictions, leaving them with few clues and no clear route out.

Plot and events

• Chen Lin’s group confirms that the statues appear ordinary and show no signs of energy or life. With no way to escape or identify the Nightmare Realm’s rules, they return to Bluestone Street.
• Chen Lin tries to summon Hua Ruyu before using the Cat Whisker, hoping her connection to the Cat-headed Monster might keep it from reacting violently. Hua Ruyu arrives safely and reports that the nightmare qi does not affect her.
• The Cat-headed Monster fails to respond despite Chen Lin activating the whisker repeatedly for nearly three days. With their supplies and strength dwindling, Chen Lin gives up waiting.
• Following Hundred Flowers Fairy’s suggestion, the group tests whether damaging something will trigger a change. Chen Lin orders Grass to strike one statue.
• The statue rises, its white arm-ring glowing, and alerts the others. Thousands of statues activate, form ranks, and march toward the group. Chen Lin then orders Grass to attack the statues on the opposite side.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin remains cautious and strategic, weighing risks before acting. He worries about protecting the others and finally chooses a dangerous experiment when waiting is no longer viable.
• Gou Yushan becomes increasingly frightened and turns to Chen Lin for direction, reinforcing the contrast between his Spirit Transformation-level power and his poor composure.
• Hundred Flowers Fairy admits she has no way to unravel the realm’s rules and defers to Chen Lin, though she offers the idea of provoking a reaction by destroying something.
• Hua Ruyu arrives as Chen Lin’s servant and potential safeguard if the Cat-headed Monster appears. Her presence also strengthens the group.
• Grass follows Chen Lin’s orders precisely, first awakening the statue army and then preparing to strike the opposite side.

Significant themes

• Exploration over force: The Nightmare Realm’s rules cannot simply be overcome by strength; they must be discovered through dangerous experimentation.
• The cost of uncertainty: The group must choose between passive, potentially endless waiting and actions that may provoke lethal consequences.
• Composure and leadership: Chen Lin’s measured decision-making contrasts with Gou Yushan’s panic, showing how mental resilience matters in a crisis.
• Risk and unintended consequences: The group’s attempt to create a manageable change instead awakens an overwhelming enemy force.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin’s sword strike awakens a second army of statues. The two forces march toward each other, but instead of fighting, they form opposing ranks and wait, leaving Chen Lin and his companions unsure whether they are in danger or facing a hidden test.
• A heavily armored rider on a dark-red horse passes through the Formless Barrier and challenges them to fight. The statue soldiers echo his call, revealing that a rules-based task has begun.
• Hua Ruyu accepts the challenge. She defeats the Black Pagoda Bruiser with two attacks, and he leaves behind a Black Token before his horse retreats.
• The token cannot get the group through the Formless Barrier, but Chen Lin discovers it can bypass the Mysterious Energy sealing the realm’s exit nodes. The group decides to leave for the Spirit Demon Realm, and Hundred Flowers Fairy goes through first.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin stays cautious and observant, weighing possible rules and dangers before acting. He restrains himself from forcing Gou Yushan to help, despite having the power to compel him through their Soul Pact.
• Hua Ruyu reveals her exceptional combat strength and composure, volunteering to face the challenger and defeating him effortlessly.
• Hundred Flowers Fairy remains close to Chen Lin, helps inspect the token, and chooses the Spirit Demon Realm because she is uncertain how much power her reincarnated body can use.
• Gou Yushan is overwhelmed by fear and hides in a tree, only regaining enough nerve to rejoin the group after the challenger is defeated.
• Chen Lin relies on Hua Ruyu in combat and consults Hundred Flowers Fairy about the token, while the group cooperates to find a safe way out.

Significant themes

• Survival through understanding rules: The group’s best hope is to interpret the Nightmare Realm’s task rather than confront its enormous forces directly.
• Power and uncertainty: Even an apparently formidable opponent may prove easy for a stronger character to defeat, but Chen Lin remains wary of what the token and the statues might mean.
• Trust tempered by caution: Chen Lin values his companions’ abilities and usefulness, yet takes precautions—especially with Gou Yushan—when entering unfamiliar territory.

Plot points

• Chen Lin discovers that the exit node rejects anyone who did not personally earn an exit token. Gou Yushan and the Hundred Flowers Fairy are bounced back, while Grass and Hua Ruyu can enter because they are Chen Lin’s contract servants and are treated as part of him.
• Chen Lin concludes that everyone else must survive the scenario and defeat a war general alone to obtain their own token. He gives Gou Yushan two high-grade talismans and lends the Hundred Flowers Fairy a nearly depleted Soul Sword Talisman.
• Having already completed the scenario task and lacking the resources to keep helping, Chen Lin leaves with Grass and Hua Ruyu.
• The node takes them to the Spirit Demon Realm, a vast, misty sea-world where spiritual power is mixed with primordial demon qi. Chen Lin recognizes that cultivating there will be difficult and potentially dangerous, but regards it as safer than remaining in the Nightmare Realm.
• He considers how to protect his other companions, especially Luo Qinglan and Yang Zishi, and settles on a contingency plan involving the Cat Whisker and a secure node. He then conceals his spirit boat and waits for the Hundred Flowers Fairy and Gou Yushan to emerge.
• Nearly two hours later, neither has appeared, leaving Chen Lin concerned that their battles—or the scenario itself—have taken an unexpected turn.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin acts pragmatically: he refuses to risk staying in the scenario, but still gives his companions what aid he can. He also remains focused on the safety of the people dependent on him.
• Gou Yushan recognizes his weakness and wants Chen Lin to stay, since Chen Lin has been helping him resist nightmare transformation. He accepts the talismans without protest, knowing he cannot fairly demand more.
• The Hundred Flowers Fairy accepts the danger and asks Chen Lin for a soul-based weapon, apparently after noticing Hua Ruyu’s soul attack. She receives the Soul Sword Talisman and must rely on it sparingly.
• Grass and Hua Ruyu demonstrate that their special bond with Chen Lin lets them pass through the node when others cannot.

Significant themes

• Self-reliance and survival: The scenario requires each person to face their own trial; no one can simply carry others to safety.
• Limits of responsibility: Chen Lin offers practical help but recognizes that staying would endanger him without guaranteeing anyone else’s survival.
• The danger of the Nightmare Realm: Even escape leads to a hostile environment, where cultivation itself carries risks.
• Loyalty and obligation: Chen Lin’s plans for Luo Qinglan and Yang Zishi show that he feels responsible for those he has invested in, even while prioritizing immediate survival.

Plot points and events

• Chen Lin and Grass search the waters around the mysterious node. They find several reefs and small islands, mark them with positioning tools, and install a one-use teleportation array so the location will be easier to find again.
• A petal emerges from the node. Chen Lin discovers that it belongs to the severely weakened Hundred Flowers Fairy and uses a Nine-Turn Soul-Condensing Pill to stabilize her soul. She later explains that a black-armored war general killed Gou Yushan with one spear thrust; Gou’s body then became part of the Statue Army. The Fairy survived thanks to Chen Lin’s Soul Sword Jade Talisman.
• Chen Lin gives the Fairy more pills and spends three months exploring nearby waters while she recovers. He finds little, but confirms that the realm has familiar features and shares some fundamental rules with cultivator planes. The Fairy wants to find a settlement and obtain more pill ingredients; Chen Lin prefers to avoid local cultivators and wait until Tianxuan Day passes.
• Chen Lin sends Hua Ruyu through the node to check the route back to the Southern Star Realm. He gives her a token and supplies, warns her to prioritize her safety, and waits near the node. Ten days later, Hua Ruyu returns—but someone else leaps out behind her, leaving Chen Lin startled.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin remains cautious and pragmatic. He prepares escape markers, refuses to investigate the dangerous node himself, and weighs the risks of returning against his concern for Mu Xingchen and Luo Qinglan. His help to the Fairy reflects gratitude for her past care of Luo Qinglan.
• The Hundred Flowers Fairy survives but is left with a fragile soul body and limited prospects without more pills. Her gratitude toward Chen Lin grows, though she remains eager to seek a cultivator settlement for ingredients.
• Hua Ruyu proves unusually capable and independent: she possesses powerful spatial abilities, checks the node’s safety without being asked, and seems more perceptive than expected. Chen Lin suspects she may eventually escape the Nightmare Realm’s rules—and his control.
• Gou Yushan’s death underscores the danger of the Nightmare Realm and the overwhelming power of its war general.

Significant themes

• Caution and survival: Chen Lin avoids rash action and prepares contingencies in an unfamiliar, hazardous realm.
• Gratitude and obligation: His rescue of the Fairy is motivated partly by a debt to her for helping Luo Qinglan.
• Uncertainty and control: The node, the coming Tianxuan Day, and the unclear future all limit Chen Lin’s ability to plan.
• Freedom and loyalty: Hua Ruyu’s growing abilities and initiative raise questions about whether a servant can remain under her master’s control.

Key plot points

• Lan Ruxue unexpectedly finds Chen Lin and accompanies him to his island. On the way, she effortlessly crushes a rank-six Dark Giant Flood Dragon; Chen Lin collects its remains but cannot capture its soul.
• Lan Ruxue senses a ruin beneath the sea, though they decide not to investigate it yet.
• She gives Chen Lin Niuniu’s straw talisman, delivered to her by Crystal Clan elder Yu Gongyuan. A mysterious, extremely powerful figure had ordered its return—likely the skeletal old man Chen Lin fears.
• Lan Ruxue suspects the old man returned it because he recognized its connection to a Nightmare Realm Guardian and feared the Guardian’s response.
• She asks Chen Lin to obtain the Ascension Pill formula if he encounters the skeletal old man again. Chen Lin reluctantly agrees, but will not seek him out.
• Chen Lin explains that Hundred Flowers Fairy is the remnant soul of a woman whose reincarnated body attacked him, apparently seeking his talent origin. He believes a mark in his talent origin may have been removed, but Lan Ruxue warns him not to assume it is safe.
• Lan Ruxue urges Chen Lin to leave the island with her and stay aboard the Immortal Palace, where the reincarnated expert would be unlikely to attack.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin remains cautious and pragmatic: he questions why Lan Ruxue sought him, keeps the Thunder God Sword secret, and weighs the danger of the skeletal old man and the reincarnated expert.
• Lan Ruxue shows her overwhelming power by instantly killing the flood dragon. She also takes a protective interest in Chen Lin, advising him about his talent origin and offering him sanctuary.
• Their relationship is respectful but increasingly trusting: Chen Lin answers her questions honestly, while Lan Ruxue shares her reasoning and offers practical help.
• Hundred Flowers Fairy and Grass welcome Chen Lin and Hua Ruyu back. Hundred Flowers Fairy’s survival is explained as the result of splitting off a remnant soul before her reincarnated body’s attack.

Significant themes

• Power and vulnerability: Even Chen Lin’s formidable abilities offer little protection against Dao Integration experts, Guardians, or celestial-deity-level beings.
• Uncertainty and hidden motives: The talisman’s return may signal fear, recognition, or a warning, while the mark in Chen Lin’s talent origin may not truly be gone.
• Trust, caution, and protection: Chen Lin selectively shares what he knows, and Lan Ruxue urges prudence rather than confidence in uncertain safeguards.
• Danger alongside opportunity: The approaching plane fusion promises both threats and potential gains.

Chapter summary

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin returns to Central City with an Immortal Palace identity token, though his access is limited to the palace’s outskirts and a small residence.
• He reunites with Mu Xingchen and Yang Zishi and learns that Luo Qinglan is recovering well inside the Vermilion Bird Feather. Her soul is regaining vitality, and Yang Zishi’s ability should be able to remove any lingering mark after her rebirth.
• Chen Lin tests whether the Thunder God Sword’s remaining origin power can reverse Mu Xingchen’s assimilation by heterogeneous energy. He concludes it would destroy Mu Xingchen along with the altered energy, so the method is unusable.
• Mu Xingchen reports that cultivators are searching for escape routes as plane fusion approaches. Chen Lin records the Nightmare Realm node locations he knows and distributes them through Mu Xingchen, while keeping the Jingguang Realm node’s location restricted under his agreement with the Crystal Race.
• Chen Lin and his companions settle into the Immortal Palace. Its exceptionally rich spiritual energy lets him cultivate for a year with the Four Symbols Spirit-Swallowing Pill, making strong progress toward the peak of mid Spirit Transformation.
• After emerging from seclusion, Chen Lin learns that Central City is increasingly crowded and tense, with factions becoming more active as Tianxuan Day draws nearer.

Character development and interactions

• Chen Lin shows continued concern for Qinglan and Mu Xingchen, while acting cautiously to protect those close to him. He warns Yang Zishi not to reveal her rare purification ability.
• Yang Zishi has reached late Golden Core and remains committed to helping Qinglan and Mu Xingchen, though she is still inexperienced with the outside world.
• Mu Xingchen accepts that his condition cannot yet be cured and remains good-humored and realistic about his prospects.
• Lan Ruxue parts from Chen Lin after asking him to keep watch for a pill formula; he agrees, though he has no intention of seeking out the dangerous figure associated with it.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and protection: Chen Lin prioritizes his companions’ safety, recovery, and access to possible refuges.
• The limits of power: A technique that cured lesser corruption would be fatal to Mu Xingchen because his transformation has become part of his very being.
• Uncertainty and survival: As plane fusion approaches, cultivators compete for information and escape routes.
• Unequal power: Ordinary cultivators have little say in the looming upheaval; the strong determine events, while the weak must endure them.

Plot points and events

• Chen Lin asks Mu Xingchen for news about his contacts. True Lord Wanmeng is exploring a Nightmare Realm Node and wants to meet; Jin Xingyun and others are cultivating in seclusion. Shang Xuelian has entered the dangerous Spirit Demon Realm Node to search for the Hundred Flowers Fairy, despite Chen Lin’s warning.
• The Listen-Wind Post has unexpectedly closed. Concerned about the instability surrounding Plane Fusion, Chen Lin instructs Mu Xingchen to seek information on alternative routes between planes, regardless of cost.
• Mu Xingchen identifies a dark object Chen Lin recovered from a Rank Six Black Flood Dragon as an Ancient Yaoguai’s internal storage pouch, which opens with pure monster power. Chen Lin uses a monster core to open it and finds gemstones, several Common Grade Spirit Treasures, and valuable demon crystals.
• Hua Ruyu discovers she can absorb Demonic Qi. She consumes the demon crystals, but the energy is too weak to restore or awaken any abilities. Chen Lin resolves to find her stronger crystals.
• Chen Lin examines two bone shards from the pouch. They resemble shards used by Gou Yushan and appear connected to the Ocean Floor Ruins. Because they manifest in the Nightmare Realm’s Projection State and resist Nightmare Qi, Chen Lin suspects they contain Immortal Power—and that the ruins may be an Immortal Abode.
• Using the Thunder God Sword’s Innate Power on each shard reveals a different, unfamiliar character. The markings vanish when the energy is withdrawn, leaving Chen Lin unsure of their meaning.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin remains cautious and pragmatic: he warns Mu Xingchen to prioritize escape routes and stays inside the protected Immortal Palace rather than risk traveling while the Hundred Flowers Fairy’s Reincarnated Body may be pursuing him.
• Mu Xingchen serves as Chen Lin’s informant and aide, reporting on their allies and investigating the pouch.
• Shang Xuelian’s decision to enter the dangerous node shows her willingness to take risks, though Chen Lin cannot stop her.
• Hua Ruyu reveals another unusual capability, deepening the mystery of her nature. Chen Lin prioritizes her growth and willingly gives her most of the valuable demon crystals.

Significant themes

• Survival amid uncertainty: Chen Lin seeks alternate routes and favors the Immortal Palace’s protection as threats and plane instability grow.
• The unknown and hidden potential: The pouch, Hua Ruyu’s abilities, and the bone shards all reveal mysteries that may have major implications.
• Risk and personal choice: Shang Xuelian chooses to pursue the Hundred Flowers Fairy despite the danger, while Chen Lin accepts that he cannot control her decision.
• Power as protection: Chen Lin treats Hua Ruyu’s growing strength as an important safeguard for them both.

Plot points and events

• Chen Lin examines two bone shards bearing strange writing and asks Mu Xingchen to identify it. Mu recognizes the characters as Taixu Script, a language used by immortals, strengthening the suspicion that the Ocean Floor Ruins were an immortal’s abode.
• Chen Lin considers the promise of an immortal inheritance but decides not to pursue it yet: the coming plane fusion is the immediate danger, and he may not be strong enough to explore the ruins.
• A month later, Luo Qinglan awakens from the Vermilion Bird Feather after a long, precarious revival. Chen Lin is overjoyed and gives her a Nine-Turn Soul-Condensing Pill to aid her recovery.
• Luo explains that Nirvana has effectively given her a new body and tempered soul, resolving the danger in her bloodline. She can still use spatial abilities because she fully refined the feather during the process.
• Chen Lin tells her about the intervening years, his search for their missing family and companions, and the impending plane fusion. Luo resolves to recover quickly so she can use her spatial powers to protect everyone.
• Luo recognizes the Taixu Script on the bone shards and agrees the ruins may be immortal in origin. The couple briefly wonders why so many powerful beings seem to have survived through reincarnation, but admits the mystery is beyond them for now.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin offers Yang Zishi formal discipleship, hoping to replace their increasingly awkward master-servant relationship. Her distressed silence makes clear she wants a closer bond instead; unwilling to take another partner while his wife and daughter are missing, Chen Lin drops the proposal.
• Luo encourages Chen Lin to take Yang as a concubine, believing this would ease her mind while she cannot share dual cultivation with him. Chen refuses to discuss it during the crisis and insists they focus on surviving the plane fusion.
• Chen Lin and Luo’s reunion reveals their enduring affection and mutual resolve. Luo remains composed after awakening, while Chen supports her through moments of worry and sentimentality. She ends by studying the script as he watches, comforted by their closeness.

Significant themes

• Love and loyalty: Chen Lin’s fidelity and the couple’s deep bond shape their choices, even amid separation and uncertainty.
• Duty amid temptation: The prospect of immortal inheritance is exciting, but immediate responsibility and survival take precedence.
• Rebirth and fate: Luo’s Nirvana renews her body and removes a hidden danger, while the characters reflect on reincarnation and the apparent burdens of destiny.
• Unanswered mysteries: The origins of the many reincarnated beings—and the wider structure of the realms—remain beyond the characters’ understanding.