Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin earns 100,000 Nightmare Coins on the opening day of his Gourmet House, largely because other Gourmet House owners visit to show support. But his popular dishes—five pots of Drunken God Brew and twenty servings of Mortal Dust Spirit Dew—sell out.
• Gourmet Island’s rules require every listed dish to remain available while a shop is open. Chen realizes that reopening without restocking would violate the rules.
• Before he can resolve the shortage, a Management Office official arrives with a complaint: Chen is allegedly selling top-grade Three-Star Cuisine too cheaply and disrupting the market. The rules confirm the charge, and he is fined 10,000 Nightmare Coins and ordered to close for a year. He accepts the ruling.
• To avoid further complaints, Chen raises the price of his Soul Steamed Buns to the maximum for Three-Star Cuisine. He concludes that he must learn the island’s rules more thoroughly before making further business decisions.
• Chen postpones secluded cultivation and plans to visit the Tianxuan Realm to gather ingredients, check on his disciples and old acquaintances, and look for news of Luo Qinglan.
• He visits Xue Wa’s Gourmet House, asks her to find two trustworthy attendants and a manager, and requests that she ask the Explorer Association about Advanced Nightmare Treasures—especially ones that can help him break realm boundaries or survive danger.
• Chen tries to exchange a two-star treasure permission slip for a Boundary-Breaking treasure, but learns that such items are at least four-star and beyond his means. Since points cannot be bought with Nightmare Coins, he instead uses Gourmet Vouchers to sample the island’s food.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin shifts from excitement over his earnings to frustration at the punishment, then adapts cautiously. He accepts the rules, raises his prices, and begins planning for staffing, supplies, and future survival needs. Despite his disappointment, he remains generous toward Xue Wa, giving her two baskets of buns.
• Xue Wa is warm and eager to help. She is astonished that Chen’s stock sold out and readily agrees to find staff and inquire about treasures. Chen trusts her practical abilities despite her youthful appearance and limited cultivation.
• The Management Office official acts as an impersonal enforcer of the island’s rules, delivering the verified complaint and penalty without entertaining Chen’s defense.
• Chen reflects on his relationship with Lord Yin, noting that the hundred-year free-meal promise remains in place even though Lord Yin has not visited.

Significant themes

• Rules and consequences: Success in Gourmet Island is limited by strict regulations; even profitable business choices can bring severe penalties.
• Adaptation and caution: Chen responds to setbacks by changing prices, reconsidering his plans, and seeking a better understanding of the system.
• Wealth versus power: Nightmare Coins bring prosperity but cannot replace the points or permissions needed to obtain rare treasures.
• Friendship and reciprocity: Chen values his relationship with Xue Wa, exchanging invitations, offering food, and seeking her help without treating the connection as purely transactional.

Key plot points and events

• While waiting on Gourmet Island for Xue Wa to gather information, Chen Lin regularly drinks Zhao Lingyi’s Fearless Tea. To his surprise, he begins to glimpse the principles of intent. This early progress also strengthens his Soul-Destroying Finger.
• Chen Lin suspects the ability he may eventually develop is “finger intent.” He reasons that the Soul-Destroying Finger became a source of confidence and reliance when he was weak. Understanding intent matters because it is a necessary step toward true intent—and ultimately becoming a True Immortal.
• The Explorers are occupied with a major Nightmare Realm Scenario, delaying the information Chen Lin wants. Xue Wa instead introduces Zhenzhu as a possible shopkeeper. Chen Lin finds her capable, signs her to a Rule Contract, and hires her at half pay to watch the shop until it reopens.
• Zhenzhu is stranded on Gourmet Island after her offered delicacy was beaten by someone else’s. She cannot afford the 100,000 Nightmare Coins required to leave, and the ingredients for her former one-star dish are no longer available.
• Chen Lin makes one last attempt to obtain more Fearless Tea, but Zhao Lingyi’s harvest is poor. With no needed treasures forthcoming, Chen Lin leaves the island, taking precautions before using a Location Bead to return to the Southern Star Realm.
• After confirming he has arrived safely, Chen Lin travels to Myriad Spirit City, gathering information along the way. He verifies that the city is ruled by three ninth-layer Dao Rhyme cultivators and has no Dao Integration expert.
• Chen Lin explores the city’s markets, buying useful materials while searching for star-quality food that could help him use Gourmet Island’s permissions. He finds none, though he acquires ingredients for Drunken God Brew and Mortal Dust Spirit Dew.
• He tries to contact Nan Mochu with a communication treasure but gets no response. He concludes she may not be in the realm—or may have died—and has no way to investigate.
• After a month of searching, Chen Lin reaches Wanling Market, formerly the Myriad Spirit Sect’s center. The sect now holds only a small share of the market, protected largely by the lingering fear that its founder, the Myriad Spirit Patriarch, might return. Chen Lin decides to visit the market’s largest Spirit Food Pavilion before approaching its leader, Ximen Wuxue.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin makes an unexpected first step toward comprehending intent and gains confidence in the potential of his Soul-Destroying Finger. He remains cautious, methodical, and focused on gathering resources rather than seeking power or conflict.
• Xue Wa shows growing initiative by finding Zhenzhu for Chen Lin’s shop. Her sympathy appears connected to her own past vulnerability, and she is frustrated by how her limited strength restricts her ability to help.
• Zhenzhu is introduced as a capable prospective shopkeeper whose failed offering has left her trapped on Gourmet Island. Chen Lin gives her work and a measure of security.
• Zhao Lingyi provides Chen Lin with tea that helps him approach intent, but a poor harvest limits how much more he can supply.
• Nan Mochu remains absent and unreachable, leaving Chen Lin uncertain about her fate and unable to act on his possible connection to Qiu Mufan.
• Ximen Wuxue is discussed but not yet met. Once powerful, he suffered a severe cultivation decline during the Great Recovery and now struggles to preserve the weakened Myriad Spirit Sect.

Significant themes

• Preparation and long-term cultivation: Chen Lin recognizes that advancement to True Immortal requires laying groundwork well before the goal is near.
• Conviction and self-understanding: Intent grows from a person’s deepest belief; Chen Lin’s unexpected progress suggests that reliance on a trusted ability can become a form of self-affirmation.
• Risk management and patience: Chen Lin carefully conserves permissions, protects himself during travel, and accepts delays rather than forcing uncertain outcomes.
• Fortune and instability: Zhenzhu’s predicament and the Myriad Spirit Sect’s decline show how quickly circumstances can overturn plans, status, and power.
• Changing worlds and lingering legacies: The weakened sect still benefits from its founder’s reputation, demonstrating how past strength can continue shaping present power.

Plot and events

• Chen Lin visits Tianyi Pavilion, a once-renowned spirit-food establishment in Wanling Market. There he unexpectedly meets Ximen Wuxue, the former Myriad Spirit Sect Saintess, now at early Void Refinement.
• Ximen recognizes Chen from the Immortal Stele Space and from Lan Ruxue’s Dao Integration ceremony. He invites Chen to dine in a private room, where they discuss conditions in the Tianxuan Realm after the plane fusion: spiritual energy and natural laws have improved, but unstable space has crippled teleportation and long-distance travel.
• Ximen serves Chen his own spirit wine, Immortal Mortal Path, which uses time energy to evoke the contrasting passage of time in mortal and immortal lives. Chen praises it and asks for some. Ximen offers him ten jars, plus ten more if his damaged innate talent recovers.
• Ximen then asks Chen to help kill someone. Chen refuses, saying he will not kill a stranger for payment or without cause. When Ximen offers a defensive treasure and claims the target is an evil early Void Refinement cultivator, Chen remains unmoved and prepares to leave.
• Ximen stops him and proposes a different arrangement: he asks whether Chen has any single-use treasures powerful enough to harm a Void Refinement cultivator. Chen hesitates, and the chapter ends before he answers.

Character development and interactions

• Chen Lin remains cautious and principled. He suspects Ximen’s hospitality has an ulterior motive, checks his fate screen before drinking, and refuses to be drawn into a dangerous killing. Still, his interest in obtaining the wine leads him to hear Ximen’s revised proposal.
• Ximen Wuxue is melancholy despite recovering much of his cultivation. He is resourceful and persistent, first offering hospitality and gifts, then seeking Chen’s help with a killing, and finally negotiating for powerful consumable treasures.
• Their interaction shifts from polite reunion and casual conversation to a tense negotiation. Chen maintains control of his boundaries, while Ximen gradually reveals that he urgently needs help.

Significant themes

• Principle versus self-interest: Chen rejects a lucrative offer because killing without a personal or moral reason conflicts with his path.
• Hospitality as negotiation: Ximen’s lavish meal and generous gifts serve as an opening to make a request.
• A fractured world: Spatial instability isolates regions and makes travel and communication difficult.
• Time and cultivation: The wine embodies the differing experience of time in mortal and immortal life, linking artistic creation with dao comprehension.

Plot

• Chen Lin tries to trade with Ximen Wuxue, who needs a powerful way to stop an exceptionally fast opponent. His Spirit Transformation-level Immobilization Talismans are too weak, and he keeps his more valuable Sword Talisman rather than trade it.
• He offers to craft a Void Refinement-level Immobilization Talisman if Ximen can provide rare materials. He warns that the difficult process may fail, concealing that his talent ability guarantees success.
• Ximen tests one of his existing talismans, then agrees to provide three sets of materials. In return, Chen asks for the recipe and source of a delicious steamed fish he tasted during their meeting.
• Chen prepares the Rank Seven materials and successfully crafts a Rank Six talisman, strong enough to immobilize an Early Void Refinement cultivator. Ximen is delighted and offers him a place in the Myriad Spirit Sect. She then gives him ten jars of spirit wine and a Jade Slip.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin is resourceful and cautious: he protects his rare Sword Talisman, negotiates for what he wants, and hides the full extent of his crafting ability. His interest in the fish also reflects his continuing pursuit of valuable gourmet recipes.
• Ximen Wuxue is urgent but pragmatic. She initially doubts Chen’s claims, tests his talisman, then trusts his work once she sees its result. She also shows resolve and flexibility in preserving her sect’s inheritance.

Themes

• Pragmatic exchange and negotiation: Both characters weigh risks, value, and what they can gain.
• Concealed ability and strategic caution: Chen deliberately understates his certainty and safeguards his strongest asset.
• Craftsmanship and resourcefulness: Rare materials and specialized skill turn an inadequate tool into a potent weapon.
• Pleasure alongside ambition: Chen’s enjoyment of the meal—and his effort to secure the fish recipe—adds a personal, culinary goal to the tense negotiation.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin trades his talismancrafting expertise at Tianyi Pavilion for two rare spirit foods and enough materials to make two rank-six Immobilization Talismans. Ximen Wuxue warns him not to sell or share the recipe for Qingquan Fish.
• Chen asks Ximen for time-type materials. Ximen says he cannot spare any: he needs such treasures to recover from injuries and damage to his time talent, suffered while resisting a reincarnated mighty figure.
• After leaving the pavilion, Chen searches Myriad Spirit City for more distinctive delicacies. He hears of Qiaoniang Porridge Shop in Fengyuan Town, whose unusual porridge supposedly affects every customer differently, and sets off to try it for the Gourmet Island Scenario.
• En route, Chen finds a strange golden flower with two contrasting rule auras. A white-robed cultivator arrives, accuses Chen of helping Ximen, and reveals that the flower is tied to a confrontation with Ximen’s enemy.
• Chen realizes Ximen likely used his time talent to anticipate Chen’s route and conceal the danger from Chen’s fate-reading ability. The encounter shows that Ximen’s power can veil heaven’s secrets, weakening Chen’s reliance on his own predictions.
• The white-robed man summons two attackers, while a fourth enemy hides nearby. Chen detects the concealed cultivator, uses his Dao art, Blade of Destiny, to disrupt the group’s luck, and kills the white-robed man with the Thunder God Sword. The other two die in the vines around Chen, and Chen finishes the wounded hidden attacker, who identifies his faction as the Shadow-Transforming Sect.
• Chen clears the battlefield and departs, now aware that he has been drawn into Ximen’s conflict.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin remains resourceful and pragmatic, but his confidence in his fate-screen is shaken when he discovers it can be bypassed. In combat, he quickly identifies that the initial attackers are not the true threat, uses his abilities strategically, and demonstrates greatly increased Soul-Destroying Finger power.
• Ximen Wuxue appears courteous and commercially shrewd, but privately faces a desperate struggle against Mo Ziyuan and the Shadow-Transforming Sect. He plans to use the Immobilization Talisman in an ambush, yet his time talent seems to have steered Chen into the confrontation without Chen’s knowledge.
• Chen and Ximen maintain a polite, transactional relationship in person, but Ximen’s secret maneuvering turns Chen into an unwitting part of his plan.
• Chen and the attackers have little meaningful dialogue: the white-robed man misjudges Chen as Ximen’s ally, while Chen’s calm answers conceal his growing suspicion and preparation.

Significant themes

• Limits of foresight: Ximen’s time talent can obscure the future from Chen’s destiny-based perception, exposing the danger of relying too heavily on a single ability.
• Trust, manipulation, and unintended involvement: Chen’s ordinary journey becomes part of a hidden conflict, illustrating how powerful figures can use others without their consent.
• Survival through adaptability: Chen’s awareness, restraint, and varied abilities let him overcome enemies whose speed and deception would defeat a straightforward attack.
• Resourcefulness and opportunity: Chen continues pursuing rare spirit foods and valuable materials, treating both cultivation resources and practical skills as assets.

Plot points and events

• Chen Lin returns to Tianyi Pavilion to confront Ximen Wuxue for using him against the Shadow-Transforming Sect. The shopkeeper says Ximen has entered seclusion with the Myriad Spirit Sect’s key members and left instructions for Chen Lin.
• Chen Lin soul-searches the shopkeeper, confirming the account. Ximen has left him an Origin Orb, but Chen Lin considers it inadequate compensation and remains angry. He finds the sect headquarters emptied of valuables, destroys its sign, and leaves the city to avoid repercussions after killing four Shadow-Transforming Sect cultivators, including Mo Ziyuan.
• In Fengyuan Town, Chen Lin abducts Qiaoniang, the porridge-shop owner, hoping to learn how to make Myriad Phenomena Porridge. She explains that its effects come from a strange power she gained after entering a mysterious place as a child—not from a recipe.
• Under Chen Lin’s questioning illusion, Qiaoniang recounts finding a beautiful, unfamiliar settlement and receiving porridge from the proprietress of a shop with the same name. The proprietress told her to return home. Qiaoniang’s experience granted her the ability to infuse porridge with the mysterious power, though it does not directly improve cultivation.
• Qiaoniang draws the proprietress’s portrait, but her memories of the place are otherwise vague. Chen Lin compensates her with cultivation and soul-healing pills, then takes her along toward the Myriad Stele Forest after she asks to travel with him.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin is furious at being manipulated by Ximen and responds aggressively, but he verifies the shopkeeper’s story before acting further. He also shows a sense of fairness: he promises not to harm Qiaoniang and compensates her for the abduction.
• Ximen Wuxue proves calculating and prepared, disappearing with her sect’s core members and valuables while leaving Chen Lin an Origin Orb and a message of gratitude.
• Qiaoniang is cautious, perceptive, and resilient. Years of exploitation have taught her how to assess powerful cultivators and survive; despite her modest status, she negotiates calmly and chooses to leave her old situation behind.
• Their interaction shifts from coercive interrogation to a negotiated arrangement: Chen Lin seeks her secret, while Qiaoniang explains what she knows and ultimately elects to travel with him.

Significant themes

• Power and exploitation: Qiaoniang has repeatedly suffered soul searches because of her unusual ability, while Chen Lin’s own anger stems from being used by others.
• Trust, suspicion, and fairness: Chen Lin relies on force and magical interrogation but also verifies claims and honors his stated promise to compensate Qiaoniang.
• Mystery and the supernatural: Qiaoniang’s childhood encounter hints at an unexplained realm and a powerful being whose influence persists through her porridge.
• Survival and agency: Both Qiaoniang’s persistence and Ximen’s escape show how characters adapt to danger, though through very different means.

Plot points

• Chen Lin returns to the Myriad Stele Forest and finds the Immortal Stele depleted of its former power. The surrounding sects have disappeared, and the node to the Jingguang Realm is gone, cutting off his lead on the Ascension Pill.
• The landscape has changed dramatically since the plane’s collapse and fusion. Tongtian City’s former site is now occupied by a vast lake.
• Two cultivators mistake Chen Lin for someone trying to steal fish. He learns the lake is Many-Fish Lake, now the Zhaosan Fishery, relocated from the Hongshan Continent during the fusion.
• The fishery produces Qingquan Fish, an ingredient Chen Lin wants for his Gourmet House, though most are reserved by the Myriad Spirit Sect.
• Chen Lin is reunited with Bao Tianci, whom he once saved. Bao has reached mid-stage Void Refinement and introduces Chen Lin to Third Master Zhao, the fishery’s late-stage Void Refinement owner. They welcome Chen Lin and invite him to their lakeside buildings.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin is frustrated by the vanished Jingguang Realm route and the loss of Tongtian City, but adapts quickly when Many-Fish Lake presents a new opportunity.
• He remains practical and inquisitive, asking directly about the fishery, its owner, and its Qingquan Fish supply.
• Gu Ziqiang, Third Master Zhao’s Spirit Transformation disciple, initially approaches Chen Lin cautiously, then becomes deferential after sensing his strength.
• Bao Tianci and Chen Lin greet each other as old friends. Their teasing exchange reflects their familiarity, while Bao’s rapid advancement surprises Chen Lin.
• Third Master Zhao warmly receives Chen Lin after learning he saved Bao’s life.

Significant themes

• A transformed world: The plane’s collapse and fusion have rearranged landscapes, people, and routes, making old knowledge unreliable.
• Loss and adaptation: Chen Lin’s plans are disrupted, but he turns an unexpected discovery into a practical opportunity.
• Friendship and reciprocity: Bao’s gratitude connects Chen Lin to Zhao, opening a friendly path to both business and information.

Plot points and events

• Chen Lin reunites with Bao Tianci and Third Master Zhao at Many-Fish Lake. He explains that after leaving White Jade City, he was caught in the destruction of the Three-Jade Immortal Kingdom, stranded in other worlds, and only recently returned.
• Bao Tianci reports that the Hongshan Continent was shattered when the planes broke apart. Fewer than one in ten survived, and he has been unable to learn whether his family in White Jade City is safe.
• The reunited seas are now extremely dangerous: spatial rifts and void turbulence make deep-water travel perilous, even for powerful cultivators. Third Master Zhao says crossing is still possible without Void Traversal, but it requires strong protection and carries the risk of attacks by void beasts.
• Chen Lin learns useful routes toward the Northern Star Realm and buys a large supply of Qingquan Fish from Zhao.
• Zhao asks for Chen’s seven Divine Beads, explaining that their divine power may help hatch God-Corroding Fish. These rare fish can greatly improve divine sense. Chen agrees to provide the beads in exchange for one fish once Zhao succeeds.
• On the way out, Chen asks about the Immortal Spirit Tavern and Nan Mochu. Bao says the tavern never reopened after its boss disappeared and was rented to another merchant.
• Bao asks Chen to take him to another plane. Chen says he is trying to evacuate his family and disciples, but his route is unusual and he cannot promise to help Bao. He warns that every plane in the Primal Domain is damaged and dangerous.
• Chen then asks Bao whether he knows of Luo.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin is cautious but determined: he is planning to rescue Yun Xiumian and travel to other continents despite the hazardous seas. He also shows generosity toward Zhao, partly to honor Bao’s friendship and maintain their business ties.
• Bao Tianci is anxious about his missing family and deeply distrustful of the unstable plane. He openly asks Chen for help escaping it.
• Third Master Zhao proves friendly and direct, offering fish and sharing travel knowledge. His interest in the Divine Beads reveals his ambition to raise God-Corroding Fish.
• Chen and Bao’s friendship is reaffirmed through candid conversation, while Chen’s ties with Zhao begin through Bao’s introduction and a mutually useful bargain.

Significant themes

• A fractured world and uncertain survival: the catastrophe has devastated continents and made even familiar routes dangerous.
• Loyalty and responsibility: Chen remains committed to finding and helping people from his past, including Yun Xiumian and his family.
• Risk versus hope: travel between planes may offer escape, but no realm is truly safe.
• Practical cooperation: friendship, trade, and shared knowledge help characters navigate a perilous world.

Plot points and events

• Chen Lin asks Bao Tianci about records linking Luo to the Primal Domain, the Southern Star Realm’s collapse, and several suspicious locations on the Hongshan Continent. He also asks about a mysterious gigantic sword, but Bao has found no record of it.
• Chen Lin asks Bao to watch the Myriad Stele Forest and a hidden node leading to the Jingguang Realm. He stresses that the node’s location must remain secret, as he promised the Crystal Clan. Bao is interested in the realm, but learns it has too little spiritual energy for ordinary cultivation.
• After Bao leaves, Chen Lin offers Qiaoniang the option of settling near Many-Fish Lake. She declines because the remote area offers too few customers and resources. He instead brings her to Liangyi City, suggesting she open a shop and possibly join him in a future Nightmare Realm Scenario.
• A year later, Chen Lin and Qiaoniang reach Liangyi City. The journey reveals that the continent has been radically reshaped by the merging of lands and fragments from multiple realms.
• Chen Lin returns to the Qingyang Sect and reunites with his disciple Zhou Shiwu, now a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator and the sect master. Zhou explains that nearly all Chen Lin’s former acquaintances in the sect have died or disappeared.
• Chen Lin learns that several old acquaintances remain in Liangyi City or nearby: Alan and Huang Liu have advanced in cultivation, while Ling Qianshan has founded a sect outside the city. The city itself has remained relatively stable, protected by the Liangyi Sect’s powerful Liangyi Disk.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin remains focused on investigating Luo, the mysterious sword, and the realm-spanning upheaval. He is also anxious about finding Luo Qinglan, whose fate is unknown. He treats Qiaoniang generously but plans to require a contract before taking her to the costly Gourmet Island.
• Bao Tianci proves helpful and discreet, agreeing to investigate both the Myriad Stele Forest and the Jingguang Realm node. He hopes Chen Lin may eventually help him leave the realm.
• Qiaoniang weighs safety against livelihood and chooses the greater opportunities of Liangyi City. She becomes increasingly eager to remain in Chen Lin’s favor, while Chen Lin recognizes both her resourcefulness and the need for safeguards.
• Zhou Shiwu welcomes Chen Lin with deep respect and excitement. His cultivation has advanced, and he has become Qingyang Sect’s leader and strongest remaining cultivator.

Significant themes

• Displacement and loss: The world’s merging has transformed familiar landscapes, while time and disaster have scattered or killed many of Chen Lin’s old companions.
• Loyalty and trust: Chen Lin keeps his promise to the Crystal Clan, values Bao’s discretion, and remembers Luo Qinglan’s sincere affection.
• Pragmatism and opportunity: Qiaoniang seeks a place where she can earn resources, while Chen Lin balances generosity with caution.
• Power and survival: Liangyi City’s safety depends on an exceptional treasure, underscoring how survival in the changed world rests on powerful cultivators and artifacts.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin envies the Liangyi Disk’s power but hopes only to obtain an offshoot, not the treasure itself.
• Concerned that Zhou Shiwu might be the reincarnation or vessel of a powerful expert, Chen examines him and finds no sign of possession. He warns that the danger may still be dormant.
• Chen promises to help purify Zhou’s talent origin, preferably with Yang Zishi’s help; doing it himself could be painful and weaken Zhou’s talent. Zhou is willing to accept the cost, but Chen cautions that removing the talent entirely could kill him.
• Zhou reports that awakeners once appeared widely. One fought the Liangyi Sect, was badly wounded by the Liangyi Disk, and escaped. Reports of awakeners have ceased for roughly a century. Zhou also says Ling Qianshan had dealings with them and left Liangyi City; his sister Ling Qianxue has remained unconscious since an accident before the plane collapsed.
• Chen gives Zhou pills, tells him to prepare to hand over Qingyang Sect’s affairs, and says he may take him to the Floating Realm.
• Chen visits Huang Liu, an old acquaintance. He reveals that he has reached Void Refinement and gives her a spirit-transforming treasure as a belated wedding gift.
• Huang invites Chen to dinner. Her husband is away on business at the Liangyi Sect, and her awkwardness suggests her marriage or circumstances may be troubled. At the meal, Chen tells her about his wife’s condition and the dangers facing the plane.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin acts protectively toward Zhou, balancing his disciple’s safety against the risks of treating his talent. He also considers recruiting Zhou for the Floating Realm, which needs capable people. With Huang, he is warm and teasing but careful not to overstep since she is married.
• Zhou Shiwu shows trust in Chen and readiness to sacrifice his weak-seeming talent to remove a possible threat. He is delighted by the prospect of leaving Liangyi City with his master.
• Huang Liu is genuinely pleased to reunite with Chen, but her embarrassment when asked about her husband hints at difficulties. She expresses sympathy for Chen’s wife and welcomes the chance to hear about his travels.

Significant themes

• Hidden threats and uncertainty: A lack of visible signs does not rule out possession or dormant danger.
• The cost and value of innate talent: Even a seemingly useless ability may be essential to its bearer’s life.
• Displacement and a dangerous world: Leaving one plane for another may offer safety, while the old plane grows increasingly perilous.
• Loyalty and connection: Chen’s care for his disciple and his reunion with Huang show how enduring relationships shape his choices.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin samples the signature dishes at Liangyi City’s famous Spirit Food Pavilion, but none qualify as Star-Tier Gourmet Food, underscoring how rare such food is.
• Huang Liu explains why she left the Myriad Pill Pavilion: after its master died, Jiao Yuanlu harassed her. She entered a relationship with a powerful Liangyi Sect elder to gain protection.
• Jiao Yuanlu has since advanced to Void Refinement and joined the sect. Huang Liu’s partner remains at late Spirit Transformation, has lost his elder position, and is being pressured by his lineage to end their relationship.
• Huang Liu asks Chen Lin to seek mediation from Nie Cangqiong. Chen Lin agrees to try, while making clear he cannot guarantee success.
• At the Liangyi Sect gate, Chen Lin meets Li Chenshui, who is astonished to learn Chen has also advanced to Void Refinement. Li introduces Jiao Yuanlu as the sect’s new elder and current master of the Myriad Pill Pavilion.
• The chapter ends as a burly man arrives, before Chen Lin can respond to Jiao Yuanlu.

Character developments

• Chen Lin shows concern for Huang Liu but remains cautious about what he can promise. His Void Refinement breakthrough surprises Li Chenshui and changes the balance between them.
• Huang Liu reveals the difficult compromises she made to survive and protect herself, and now seeks help for her partner rather than asking to leave the city.
• Huang Liu’s partner is portrayed as devoted to her, despite opposing pressure from his lineage and declining status.
• Jiao Yuanlu has grown more powerful through his breakthrough, giving him leverage over Huang Liu’s partner and his faction.
• Li Chenshui shifts from surprise to a more respectful, peer-like manner after learning of Chen Lin’s cultivation.

Significant themes

• Scarcity and disappointment: Star-Tier Gourmet Food proves exceptionally hard to find.
• Power and vulnerability: A major breakthrough can swiftly reverse relationships and suppress former rivals.
• Compromise and survival: Huang Liu’s choices reflect the harsh constraints of a dangerous, unstable world.
• Loyalty and obligation: Chen Lin agrees to help an old acquaintance, though doing so may carry risks and he cannot control the outcome.

Character interactions

• Huang Liu confides in Chen Lin and asks him to approach Nie Cangqiong; Chen Lin listens, weighs the risks, and agrees to try.
• Chen Lin and Li Chenshui reconnect, with Li reacting to Chen’s rapid advancement and adjusting his attitude.
• Li introduces Chen Lin to Jiao Yuanlu, creating an unexpected encounter between Chen and the man at the center of Huang Liu’s troubles.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin reunites with Nie Cangqiong at the Liangyi Sect. Li Chenshui and Jiao Yuanlu treat Nie with marked respect, confirming that his status has risen.
• At Nie’s residence, Chen offers him Fearless Tea, a rare tea from a nightmare-realm scenario that helps deepen comprehension of intent. Nie is impressed and accepts the gift.
• Chen asks Nie to take Huang Liu, a former Myriad Pill Pavilion elder in trouble, as a disciple. Nie agrees, though he asks Chen to provide more tea in return.
• Their cultivation discussion reveals that Chen has reached the Dao Rhyme stage. Nie is astonished and offers him a seat as a deliberating elder in the Liangyi Sect, but Chen politely declines.
• Chen then shares Soul Steamed Buns, whose artistic conception soothes the soul. Nie loves them and readily accepts three baskets.
• Chen finally reveals his main request: a Spirit-Condensing Branch of the Liangyi Disk. Nie explains that the Disk was damaged in the last battle against the Awakeners and cannot condense another branch for a hundred years.
• Alarmed, Chen asks whether the Disk’s teleportation function still works, particularly for travel between continents.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin demonstrates how much he has advanced in cultivation and in acquiring unusual treasures. He uses gifts thoughtfully to build goodwill and secure help for Huang Liu and, he hopes, obtain the branch he needs.
• Nie Cangqiong is impressed by Chen’s cultivation, knowledge, and remarkable food and tea. He is generous and receptive, but his offer of high rank cannot persuade Chen to join the sect.
• Their reunion is warm and candid: they exchange cultivation insights, negotiate over gifts, and speak with mutual respect. Chen’s request for the Liangyi Disk branch shifts the conversation from friendly exchange to a pressing practical concern.

Significant themes

• Cultivation and personal will: Chen’s Dao Rhyme achievement astonishes Nie, while Chen’s refusal to join the sect underscores his independence.
• Exchange and reciprocity: Gifts create goodwill and help Chen make requests, but their value depends on rarity and usefulness.
• Unexpected obstacles: Chen’s plans are complicated by damage to the Liangyi Disk, leaving its teleportation capabilities uncertain.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin learns that the damaged Liangyi Disk can still transport people to Central City and the Northern Star Realm, though travel between realms is costly and restricted. Since it has no passage to the Northern Wilderness Continent, he plans to reach Central City first and seek another route to the people he cares about.
• Nie Cangqiong agrees to take Huang Liu as his disciple without a formal ceremony. Chen Lin tells Huang Liu to visit the Liangyi Sect the next day and explains that the position should protect her from ongoing social and family troubles.
• Before leaving, Chen Lin leaves Qiaoniang in Zhou Shiwu’s care at the Qingyang Sect, judging it safer than taking her along.
• Three days later, Chen Lin pays the Liangyi Disk’s substantial activation fee and arrives in Central City. He meets Hong Yuan, the local official in charge, and learns that the city was devastated when the realm collapsed: much of it remains missing, its Immortal Palace has vanished, and its former lord, Wei Duxing, is gone. Wei’s disciple, Zhou Guanghan, now rules, but Central City has lost its former standing.
• Chen Lin gives Hong Yuan a command token, transmission talismans, and pills, asking to be notified when the return passage opens. He then leaves to investigate the city and search for news.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin remains practical and focused on urgent goals: reaching Central City, eventually checking on Princess Qinghua and Yang Zishi, and avoiding wasted time. He also uses his influence to help Huang Liu and protect Qiaoniang.
• Huang Liu is startled by the unexpected offer but accepts gratefully, recognizing the opportunity’s rarity and its likely effect on her troubles. She pledges that she and her husband will repay Chen Lin’s kindness.
• Nie Cangqiong is accommodating, waiving the apprenticeship ceremony while making clear that Chen Lin must cover the teleportation cost.
• Hong Yuan treats Chen Lin with deference because of his Void Refinement cultivation and connection to the Liangyi Sect’s leadership; Chen Lin, in turn, secures his cooperation with gifts and clear instructions.
• Qiaoniang accepts Chen Lin’s decision to leave her behind, trusting that Zhou Shiwu’s presence makes her safer.

Significant themes

• Responsibility and loyalty: Chen Lin’s concern for loved ones drives his travel plans, while he also looks after allies who depend on him.
• Patronage and protection: Huang Liu’s new status may shield her from mistreatment, showing how influence can change a person’s standing.
• The cost of survival and connection: Travel across damaged realms is possible, but it demands great resources and careful planning.
• Loss and uncertainty: Central City’s ruin and the disappearance of its former lord mirror the wider upheaval of the collapsed realm, leaving Chen Lin unsure whether those he seeks are safe.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin returns to Central City after the realm’s collapse. The city has survived, but its population and prosperity have been badly diminished.
• His former immortal cave disappeared with a portion of space that never returned. He searches for information and learns that the powerful figure who seized the Hundred Flowers Fairy’s body is apparently no longer in the area. The awakeners have also largely vanished, likely having returned to the Immortal Realm after the tribulation.
• Chen Lin visits the Little Xuanshan Range, hoping to find the Hundred Flowers Fairy’s former circle. Two Golden Core cultivators confront him, but the arrival of Bai Xuanying reveals that they are connected to the old group.
• Bai Xuanying recognizes Chen Lin and tells him that she and Jin Xingyun have been in the realm for fifty years. She reunites him with Yang Zishi and the injured Jin Xingyun.
• Yang Zishi explains that Luo Qinglan, Mu, Dantai Yunjin, and Grass were swept into a space rift during the collapse. Jin and Yang were left behind; Jin was badly hurt protecting her. Chen Lin takes some comfort in believing the others reached another realm rather than being lost in spatial turbulence.
• The friends invite Chen Lin inside to share what has happened during their long separation.

Character developments

• Chen Lin is cautious and guarded after returning, especially because he fears the powerful figure connected to the Hundred Flowers Fairy may still be nearby. Reuniting with old friends brings relief, but news of Luo Qinglan’s disappearance leaves him worried.
• Bai Xuanying is confident and warm toward Chen Lin, quickly setting aside her initial caution. She has reunited with Jin Xingyun and become part of the community around the old courtyard.
• Yang Zishi is overjoyed to see Chen Lin, though her first question reflects how long they have been apart. She has endured the collapse alongside Jin.
• Jin Xingyun remains devoted to protecting Yang Zishi, but his grave injuries have stalled his cultivation. He tries to reassure Chen Lin about Luo Qinglan.
• Luo Qinglan’s fate remains uncertain, but her deliberate choice of the rift and her phoenix abilities offer hope.

Significant themes

• Survival and recovery: The realm and its people are rebuilding after catastrophic loss.
• Separation and reunion: The chapter centers on old companions finding one another after years of uncertainty.
• Hope amid uncertainty: Chen Lin cannot know what happened to Luo Qinglan and the others, but evidence suggests they may have survived.
• Loyalty and sacrifice: Jin’s injuries came from protecting Yang, while Grass’s actions helped the others enter the rift.

Character interactions

• Chen Lin questions the two young cultivators at the courtyard, creating tension until Bai Xuanying recognizes him.
• Bai greets Chen warmly and brings him inside, treating him as family and encouraging the others to welcome him.
• Chen’s reunion with Yang is affectionate but tempered by his immediate concern for the missing companions.
• Bai and Jin comfort Chen about Luo Qinglan, after which Jin invites everyone inside to catch up.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin learns what happened after the Crimson Giant Eye destroyed Central City’s defenses. The city’s space collapsed, scattering the survivors through unstable rifts.
• Hua Ruyu ended up in the Tianluo plane. Luo Qinglan, Dantai Yunjin, and Mu Xingchen escaped through another rift; Jin Xingyun and Yang Zishi were displaced elsewhere. Jin was badly injured protecting Yang, while Yang later purified a dangerous bloodline mark in him—and also purified Bai Xuanying.
• The group has no news of the Hundred Flowers Fairy, Shang Xuelian, or True Lord Wanmeng. The route to the Spirit Demon Realm has collapsed, leaving Chen Lin unable to return there without a Level 4 Road Guide.
• Chen reveals that he has reached the Void Refinement Realm and plans to leave this realm. He explains that he travels between planes through the Nightmare Realm, but taking others along is difficult and costly.
• He asks his friends to gather exceptional gourmet food to help secure access to Gourmet Island, then shares Mortal Dust Spirit Dew and one-star pastries as examples.
• Chen discovers that Bai Xuanying’s worsening bloodline reversion causes her to transform uncontrollably into a white tiger. She and Jin stay out of the Inner City to avoid attracting dangerous attention.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen’s concern for his friends is clear: he asks after the missing, explains the limits of his travel method so no one feels excluded, and offers to help with their difficulties.
• Jin remains frank and familiar with Chen despite Chen’s extraordinary advancement, reflecting their enduring friendship. He is eager to learn how Chen might leave the realm.
• Yang is devoted to Chen and delighted by his promise to take her somewhere new. Her purification ability has transformed her spiritual aptitude, giving her the potential to develop exceptional talent.
• Jin and Yang’s survival depended on their mutual protection: Jin saved Yang from the spatial disaster, and Yang repaid him by removing the threat to his bloodline.
• Bai and Jin reveal why they have avoided the Inner City, trusting Chen with a problem they cannot solve themselves.

Significant themes

• Disaster and survival: The spatial collapse scatters the survivors, but sacrifice and mutual aid allow some to endure.
• Loss and uncertainty: The vanished passage leaves loved ones stranded, while the fate of several characters remains unknown.
• Friendship and loyalty: Chen’s old bonds persist despite his rise in power, and the group continues to rely on one another.
• Power comes with limits: Chen’s Void Refinement strength cannot restore a collapsed route or cure Bai’s condition, while access to new realms demands scarce resources and strict requirements.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin intends to take Yang Zishi and others to Gourmet Island once he can obtain enough Invitation Letters. Before leaving, he checks on the Myriad Star Archipelago, hoping to find Chen Bao and Silver Fairy, but learns it has become abandoned and forbidden territory.
• Over the next three years, he travels across Zhongzhou, gathering resources and discovering new dishes. He submits some to Gourmet Island but saves three promising dishes to help the people he brings obtain Identity Tokens.
• At Qingyang Sect, Chen Lin formally accepts Zhou Shiwu and Qiaoniang as disciples. Qiaoniang’s exceptional Three-Star Myriad Phenomena Porridge is an important reason he values her. Yang Zishi still refuses discipleship, apparently because she is waiting for him; Chen Lin feels uneasy about further romantic entanglements and leaves the issue unresolved.
• Chen Lin prepares to take the three with him, choosing not to travel to the Northern Star Realm because the Soulless Sect’s power there makes it too dangerous.
• Alan asks to accompany him, but Chen Lin cannot offer her a place: his invitation and Identity Token resources are limited, and the Floating Realm is dangerous. He explains that the Primal Domain’s planes are collapsing, while outsiders face hostile rules.
• Alan gives Chen Lin a golden, lightning-infused fruit pit in exchange for his promise to help rescue Yun Xiumian when possible. Chen Lin accepts the treasure, gives Alan Drunken God Brew to aid her cultivation, and leaves.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin continues to act cautiously, balancing loyalty to those close to him against scarce resources and serious dangers. He accepts Zhou Shiwu and Qiaoniang as disciples but avoids pressing Yang Zishi, whose feelings he recognizes.
• Zhou Shiwu and Qiaoniang are delighted to become Chen Lin’s true disciples; Qiaoniang’s culinary talent gives her particular value in his plans.
• Yang Zishi remains emotionally attached to Chen Lin but keeps her distance when he asks about discipleship.
• Alan is disappointed she cannot leave with Chen Lin, yet accepts his explanation. She trusts him with the fruit pit and with her hope of rescuing Yun Xiumian.
• Chen Lin and Alan part on warm, trusting terms: he reassures her that he will help if circumstances allow, while refusing to take the treasure as payment for that duty.

Significant themes

• Scarcity and difficult choices: Limited invitations, points, and safe destinations force Chen Lin to prioritize whom he can help.
• A collapsing world and uncertainty: The danger extends across planes, leaving no easy refuge.
• Loyalty and responsibility: Chen Lin keeps searching for missing companions and agrees to help Alan with Yun Xiumian.
• Affection and restraint: Yang Zishi’s unspoken attachment and Chen Lin’s reluctance to take on further romantic ties remain unresolved.

Chapter summary: “On the Island”

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin arrives at Gourmet Island with his disciples Zhou Shiwu and Qiaoniang, and Yang Zishi. He warns them that the island is a dangerous Nightmare Realm scenario governed by a powerful Guardian and explains its strict rules.
• At the Management Office, all three successfully offer their prepared foods, though each receives only a one-star rating. They obtain Identity Tokens that let them leave if they pay a penalty, but the group plans to stay.
• Chen Lin brings them to the Soul Steamed Bun Shop, now managed by Zhenzhu. He assigns Yang Zishi and Qiaoniang to help run it, while taking Zhou Shiwu back to the Floating Realm. Qiaoniang is expected to work on the island for a hundred years; she can use the time to make Soul Refining Pills and recover from damage caused by a Soul Search.
• Chen Lin warns the women not to leave the island unnecessarily or reveal its existence to powerful cultivators. He spends several days helping the newcomers adjust.
• At the Explorer Association, Xue Wa reports that an experienced Explorer has agreed to search the Xuanyin Great King Scenario for Yun Xiumian. The cost is 1,000 Nightmare Coins upfront and 10,000 if the rescue succeeds. Because the Explorer reportedly has a Level 4 Road Guide, Chen Lin accepts the terms and entrusts the mission to Xue Wa before beginning secluded cultivation.
• Chen Lin learns that Xue Wa’s One-Star Food House has earned fewer than 100 Nightmare Coins over several years, leaving her only about 50 after costs and the investor’s share. He promises to look for a one-star food that could free her from running the shop.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin acts as a cautious but demanding leader: he tests Qiaoniang’s loyalty, assigns everyone duties, and prioritizes safety. He is willing to pay heavily for a credible chance to rescue Yun Xiumian, though he privately intends to make her repay him.
• Qiaoniang responds to the use of her three-star porridge without resentment, emphasizing that she owes Chen Lin the opportunity itself. Her sincerity reassures him that she is loyal.
• Yang Zishi remains devoted to Chen Lin and will serve as the link between Xue Wa and him while he is in seclusion. Chen Lin also chooses to leave her on the island partly because her purification talent protects her from nightmare-qi erosion.
• Zhou Shiwu follows his master’s instructions without complaint and is taken back to the Floating Realm, avoiding the need to supply him with Starlight Grass on the island.
• Xue Wa reveals the poor returns and personal sacrifice involved in running her shop. Though discouraged, she refuses immediate financial help and asks instead for a one-star food so she can resume cultivation.

Significant themes

• Trust and obligation: Chen Lin tests whether Qiaoniang’s loyalty is genuine, while the group’s relationships are shaped by discipleship, Soul Pacts, and personal devotion.
• The cost of opportunity: Qiaoniang accepts a century of work in exchange for support, and Xue Wa sacrifices cultivation time to keep her business running.
• The Nightmare Realm’s incentives: Gourmet Island offers benefits but makes continued access dependent on finding new foods, drawing people in through rewards while steadily raising the cost of staying.
• Pragmatism and risk: Chen Lin balances caution—warning the others to protect the island’s secrets—with calculated spending when the Explorer’s expertise offers a strong chance of success.

Key plot points

• Chen Lin returns to the Management Office with Zhou Shiwu. He spends points to add Ruyi Island’s location to Zhou’s Identity Token and puts Myriad Phenomena Porridge on the Gourmet House menu.
• Before traveling back to Ruyi Island, Chen summons Grass to check on the island. She reports that Void Beasts have attacked several times but that she destroyed them, confirming the island has remained safe thanks to her and the Divine Snail Shell.
• Chen gives Grass a bracelet with a storage space activated by Sword Qi. He then prepares to return to the island and enter prolonged secluded cultivation, intending to improve his strength before attempting his peerage mission.
• A Guardian’s staff member arrives and summons Chen to the Gourmet Guardian. Chen sends Grass and Zhou back to the shop, then follows the messenger.
• In a grand hall, the Guardian recognizes Chen as the maker of buns. The Guardian performs conspicuous backflips and asks whether the motion looks familiar. Chen connects them to the backflipping monk and entry ritual of the Nightmare Realm’s Demon-Suppressing Temple.
• Suspicious and alarmed, Chen grips his Shepherd Token and prepares to defend himself.

Character developments and interactions

• Grass has grown stronger, likely from the Fearless Tea Chen left her. Though usually reserved, she is openly delighted by Chen’s bracelet—especially because it is his first personal gift to her. She also reacts protectively when Chen is summoned.
• Chen Lin shows concern for Grass’s safety and recognizes that he has neglected thoughtful gifts for his wife and daughter. He remains outwardly respectful toward the Guardian but inwardly distrustful.
• Zhou Shiwu treats Grass with great respect and is thrilled when she acknowledges him.
• The Gourmet Guardian behaves erratically, yet appears to know Chen and deliberately tests his reaction with the backflips.

Significant themes

• Duty and protection: Grass has defended Ruyi Island in Chen’s absence, while Chen remains responsible for ensuring her and the islanders’ safety.
• Affection expressed through gifts: The bracelet’s emotional meaning matters more to Grass than its practical use.
• Power, obligation, and risk: Chen must comply with the Guardian’s summons, despite his uncertainty about its purpose.
• Suspicion and looming connections: The Guardian’s movements suggest a possible link between Gourmet Island and the Nightmare Realm’s Demon-Suppressing Temple.

Key plot points

• The Guardian summons Chen Lin after recognizing the Little Princess’s talisman. He makes clear that the token does not guarantee Chen Lin special treatment, then asks about the Myriad Phenomena Porridge.
• Chen Lin admits he did not make it and explains that Qiaoniang learned the technique in a mysterious place. The Guardian examines her memories and becomes troubled by how she reached and survived that place.
• The Guardian warns Chen Lin that he must leave the Void Realm within a thousand years to become a true living being. Since reaching True Immortalhood in that time seems unlikely, Chen should complete his peerage mission and leave through the Nightmare Realm. He also cautions Qiaoniang not to waste the rare energy within her.
• Concerned for Qiaoniang’s safety, Chen tries to add the Floating Realm as a destination on her Teleportation Token. The Management Office refuses to pool points without the Guardian’s authorization.
• Lord Zhu, the Guardian’s attendant, arrives with verbal approval. Qiaoniang’s token is updated as a one-time favor, and the group is warned not to treat it as precedent.

Character developments

• Chen Lin remains cautious and candid with the Guardian, then takes practical steps to protect Qiaoniang. He recognizes that the special treatment likely stems from his connection to Niuniu or his standing as a Four-Star Gourmet, and does not assume it will continue.
• Qiaoniang learns that her past contains something significant enough to alarm the Guardian. She remains trusting of Chen, following his lead during the meeting and the token arrangement.
• The Guardian shows a softer, nostalgic side when recalling the Little Princess, but is stern and inquisitive about the porridge. His grave reaction to Qiaoniang’s memories suggests her experience has far-reaching implications.
• Zhao Lingyi and He Xiuqin gain a higher opinion of Chen after seeing that his influence can secure an unusual favor.

Significant themes

• Power and limited protection: Chen’s connection to the Little Princess earns him an audience, but the Guardian insists it does not make him untouchable.
• Secrecy and uncertainty: Chen and Qiaoniang withhold details of their meeting because they do not know the Guardian’s intentions.
• Rules versus personal favor: The Management Office follows strict procedures, but the Guardian can authorize a rare exception.
• Time and survival: Chen faces a thousand-year deadline, while Qiaoniang’s mysterious past and hidden energy hint at dangers beyond their understanding.

Character interactions

• The Guardian tests Chen’s honesty about the porridge, then uses Qiaoniang’s memories to investigate its connection to the mysterious place.
• Chen advises Qiaoniang to answer truthfully and later coordinates her relocation, showing his concern for her safety.
• Lord Zhu serves as the link between the Guardian’s decision and the Management Office, enabling the token update.
• Chen keeps the encounter private from Yang Zishi, Zhou Shiwu, Zhao Lingyi, and He Xiuqin until the practical arrangements are complete; afterward, the others interpret the favor as evidence of his rising status.

Plot and key events

• Chen Lin returns to Ruyi Island with Zhou Shiwu and Qiaoniang. He checks his existing disciples’ progress and formally introduces the newcomers, reaffirming that seniority depends on when they joined, not on cultivation level.
• He appoints Zhou Shiwu to help manage the island and questions Qiaoniang again about the mysterious place she visited and the strange bird that led her there. He records her drawing but can find no new clues.
• Chen Lin explains that the unusual energy within Qiaoniang may come from a “Real World,” and that the Guardian’s warning suggests a major upheaval could strike the Void Realm within a thousand years. He encourages her not to become consumed by the mystery and instead to focus on cultivation.
• He gives Qiaoniang pills to support her recovery and urges her to pursue Nascent Soul.
• Chen Lin begins organizing the island’s residents into a more useful force: Zheng Xuanqing is given a Three-Stripe Seven-Star Pill and the chance to become an accepted disciple if he succeeds in Core Formation; Wang Tianlin is assigned to build a medicinal herb garden; Zhang Xuanwang is put in charge of the White Jade Spirit Centipede and a future spirit-beast garden. The two are also told to improve the island’s lake and surroundings.
• Zheng Xuanqing is placed in charge of continuing Nightmare Realm exploration and, after reaching Golden Core, investigating the Black Finger Scenario while prioritizing safety. Chen Lin then takes his disciples back into the Divine Snail Shell.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin acts as both mentor and administrator: he reinforces disciple hierarchy, rewards ability and service, and starts building a support network because he recognizes how limited he is working alone.
• Qiaoniang is worried that her mysterious energy may bring trouble, but accepts Chen Lin’s counsel and resolves to improve her cultivation.
• Zhou Shiwu and Qiaoniang respectfully acknowledge their junior status despite having greater cultivation than Chen Lin’s older disciples. The younger disciples are initially intimidated but follow the established rules.
• Zheng Xuanqing is rewarded for his competence and reliability, while Wang Tianlin and Zhang Xuanwang gain valued responsibilities that ease their insecurity about their standing.
• Grass prefers solitude and returns to her dwelling rather than joining the group.

Significant themes

• Duty and hierarchy: The disciples’ rank follows seniority, while island responsibilities are assigned according to trust and ability.
• Preparing against uncertainty: The possible coming upheaval motivates Chen Lin to investigate Qiaoniang’s mystery and strengthen Ruyi Island.
• Reality and perspective: Chen Lin considers whether their world may be “false” relative to a Real World, while noting that lived experience still feels real from within.
• The value of the journey: He advises Qiaoniang to pursue truth without letting the search consume her, emphasizing effort and meaningful living over certainty.