Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qiu claims he defeated the Gong and Nangong families’ Direct Descendants, including the renowned Nangong Ao. Thunder God (Lei Gong) is shocked: he can detect no cultivation or Qi Sea in Ye Qiu, despite Ye Qiu’s extraordinary performance on the Stairway.
• Ye Qiu says he also cut down Lou Tianqi, the Holy Master’s grandson. Lei Gong doubts this, but Lou Shengnan’s silence suggests Lou Tianqi’s death is connected to Ye Qiu.
• Ye Qiu lays out his account of the Lou Family’s persecution: they had him expelled from the Great Dao Academy, then allegedly tried to kill him and his loved ones, branded him a criminal through the Inspector Envoys, and arranged repeated attacks during his flight to Divine Province.
• Lei Gong asks whether the accusations are true. Ye Qiu admits he embellished some details, but says the account is broadly accurate.
• Angered, Lei Gong promises to investigate and offers Ye Qiu protection inside the Academy. Before Ye Qiu can answer, the two Vice Deans appear and signal their disapproval. Then Lou Bandao, a formidable white-haired elder with a youthful face, emerges.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qiu proves both formidable and rhetorically shrewd. He turns the confrontation into an indictment of the powerful, presenting his violence as a response to persecution while acknowledging he has exaggerated parts of his story.
• Lei Gong moves from curiosity to fascination, then to anger at the possibility that Academy officials abused their authority. His offer to protect Ye Qiu shows a willingness to act, though the Vice Deans’ arrival raises doubts about how much freedom he has.
• The Gong and Nangong families are furious and humiliated, but Lei Gong’s authority keeps them silent.
• Lou Shengnan does not defend the Lou Family’s position when asked about Lou Tianqi, deepening suspicion.
• The Inspector Envoys lower their heads in fear as Lei Gong turns his attention toward them, anticipating punishment.
• The Vice Deans’ silent opposition and Lou Bandao’s arrival signal that powerful forces may intervene against Lei Gong’s promise.

Significant themes

• Power versus justice: Ye Qiu accuses the ruling families of treating their status as a license to ignore rules and persecute the weak.
• Institutional corruption and responsibility: The Inspector Envoys’ alleged role challenges the Academy’s claim to represent fairness and law.
• Truth and persuasion: Ye Qiu’s admission that he embellished his story complicates his accusations, even as the chapter suggests they have a substantial basis.
• Trust and vulnerability: Ye Qiu is wary of accepting Lei Gong’s protection, knowing that good intentions may not be enough against powerful families and their connections.

Key plot points and events

• Lou Bandao, Holy Master of the Lou Family and an Academy Vice Dean, arrives and crushes Ye Qiu with his aura, knocking him from the Stairway to the Grand Plaza. Ye Qiu’s bloodline resists the pressure in a way that surprises Lou Bandao.
• Lei Gong intervenes, breaking Lou Bandao’s pressure and arguing that Ye Qiu acted in self-defense after Lou Bandao’s grandson bullied him. Lou Bandao insists Ye Qiu must die.
• Two other Vice Deans discourage Lei Gong from protecting Ye Qiu, citing the Academy’s reputation and the Lou Family’s influence. They reveal that the Head Dean has already decided the matter.
• Before Lei Gong can finish declaring his support, the Head Dean forcibly teleports him away.
• With the Academy leadership’s backing, Lou Bandao publicly condemns Ye Qiu and turns the crowd against him. Most onlookers stay silent or join the calls for Ye Qiu’s death, while one critic flees when Lou Bandao notices him.
• Lou Bandao and his allies descend to the plaza, confident that no one will challenge their authority.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qiu remains defiant under Lou Bandao’s overwhelming pressure; his unusual bloodline hints at hidden strength or significance.
• Lou Bandao uses both force and public accusations to control the situation, presenting his family’s loss as justification while asserting that power—not fairness—decides guilt.
• Lei Gong struggles between protecting Ye Qiu and preserving the Academy’s standing, but ultimately chooses principle—only to be removed before he can act.
• The other Vice Deans and Head Dean prioritize institutional reputation and powerful connections over impartial enforcement of the law.
• The crowd shifts from uneasy silence to public condemnation, showing how fear and self-interest shape its response.

Significant themes

• Power versus justice: Lou Bandao argues that the strong make the rules, while Lei Gong insists that law should determine right and wrong.
• Corruption and favoritism: The Academy’s leaders appear to protect a powerful clan rather than uphold their own laws.
• Public reputation versus moral principle: Officials use concern for the Academy’s image to justify avoiding justice.
• Fear and complicity: The crowd’s silence—and eventual support for Lou Bandao—shows how intimidation can suppress dissent.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qiu’s attempt to appeal to the Great Dao Academy’s authorities fails. Even the Head Dean’s involvement changes nothing, and Arbiter Lei Gong is removed from the scene. Ye Qiu realizes that a Holy Master’s status outweighs fairness and rules.
• Brother Snake tells Ye Qiu that challenging such overwhelming power was hopeless, though he admits the experience may teach Ye Qiu not to be naïve.
• Onlookers—including Li Qingfeng, members of the Jiang and Ji families, and Guide Fang Ling—recognize Ye Qiu’s peril but do not intervene. The Ji Family Protector and the injured Ji Ke silently blame one another for the failed choices that led to this outcome.
• Lou Bandao orders Ye Qiu’s execution. Three opponents step forward. When the Gong Family woman arrogantly offers to fight with one hand, Ye Qiu kills her with a single punch.
• A Nangong Family man attacks at the Sixth Layer of the Divine Gate. Ye Qiu, fighting at the Sixth Layer of the Creation Realm, combines the Great Heaven Creation Palm with the Upper Realm technique Nine Stars Descend. Their nine palm marks fuse into one, breaking the opponent’s attack.
• Ye Qiu then uses the Way of the Void to appear beside the man and kill him instantly. The crowd—and even Lou Bandao—are stunned by Ye Qiu’s ability to defeat a divine-level opponent while still in the Creation Realm.

Character developments

• Ye Qiu moves from hoping that institutions will protect him to accepting that he must face the danger himself. Rather than surrender, he resolves to die standing and reveals power far beyond what others expected.
• Brother Snake remains cynical and protective, framing Ye Qiu’s failed appeal as a harsh lesson.
• Lou Bandao shifts from confident authority to genuine shock as Ye Qiu demonstrates extraordinary strength and insight.
• The onlookers are largely shown as fearful or resigned; Fang Ling chooses not to risk himself, while Ji Ke’s bitterness deepens after losing a leg.

Significant themes

• Power over justice: The academy’s rules and public opinion cannot constrain a Holy Master’s influence.
• Powerlessness and complicity: Those who recognize injustice still remain silent when intervention seems dangerous or futile.
• Defiance in the face of death: Ye Qiu chooses to fight rather than accept humiliation or surrender.
• Transcending limits: Ye Qiu’s victory across the mortal-divine divide suggests that talent and mastery can break established boundaries.

Character interactions

• Ye Qiu challenges Brother Snake’s failure to stop him; Brother Snake answers with blunt, sardonic concern.
• Ji Ke’s silent resentment toward the Ji Family Protector reflects the cost of following bad advice.
• Ye Qiu’s calm challenge to his opponents contrasts with their initial mockery, which turns to disbelief after he kills two of them.
• Lou Bandao’s command sets the confrontation in motion, but Ye Qiu’s unexpected victories overturn the confidence of everyone watching.

Plot points and events

• Ye Qiu’s extraordinary achievement shocks observers: he has crossed a boundary thought impossible for a mortal, summoned five great phenomena, survived a Heavenly Tribulation, and gained powerful protectors. Even the Ji Family’s Great Elder now understands why he deserves protection, though he believes Ye Qiu has no chance against the forces arrayed against him.
• The Head Dean explains to Lei Gong why Great Dao Academy has turned against Ye Qiu: Ye Qiu never meant to join the Academy, and the Dean fears he would become an adversary—or bring trouble to the institution. The Dean also favors the Academy’s ties to the Lou Family, whose prodigy Lou Bandao is a leading Heaven’s Chosen contender.
• Lei Gong accuses the Dean of choosing to destroy Ye Qiu rather than risk letting another power benefit from him. The Dean admits the Academy has already lost control of the Lou Family, which has influence even in the Upper Realm.
• On the square, Ye Qiu’s talent changes many people’s view of him. Fang Ling briefly considers defending him but lacks the courage to oppose the Holy Master and the others.
• Lou Bandao orders Lou Shengnan to kill Ye Qiu. She attacks with a devastating sword strike, collapsing the surrounding space and overwhelming nearby disciples.
• Everyone expects Ye Qiu to die. Instead, when the dust settles, he remains standing, badly battered and bleeding, with the Broken Saber in hand.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qiu is revealed as an exceptional talent and a serious threat to powerful clans, yet he survives Lou Shengnan’s seemingly fatal attack.
• The Head Dean presents his decision as strategic, but Lei Gong challenges him for sacrificing fairness and Ye Qiu’s life to protect the Academy’s interests.
• Lei Gong recognizes Ye Qiu’s potential and openly condemns the Academy’s submission to powerful clans.
• Lou Shengnan realizes she has badly underestimated Ye Qiu, but obeys Lou Bandao’s order to eliminate him.
• Fang Ling admires Ye Qiu’s potential but cannot bring himself to intervene.
• Ji Ke boasts that he correctly identified Ye Qiu as the tomb robber; the Protector retorts that everyone else already knew.

Significant themes

• Power over justice: Rules and merit matter little when powerful institutions and clans decide who may succeed.
• Political self-interest: The Academy prioritizes its alliances and favored candidates over fairness and talent.
• Courage and helplessness: Several characters recognize Ye Qiu’s worth, but fear keeps them from acting.
• Defiance and survival: Ye Qiu’s continued survival challenges the certainty of his enemies and the expectations of the crowd.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qiu survives Lou Shengnan’s first full-force strike, astonishing the spectators: she is a Divine Fire Realm cultivator with a rare Hegemon Body, while he is badly injured and far weaker.
• His survival prompts Lei Gong to argue that Ye Qiu deserves the Academy’s support as a rare talent and a potential champion for the Canglan Realm. The Head Dean remains silent, and Lei Gong is left furious and disappointed.
• Lou Shengnan, bewildered that her first strike did not kill Ye Qiu, attacks again with overwhelming force. This time she invokes One Sword Suppresses the Azure Sky, a fragment of the Great Dao Master’s legacy.
• Already gravely wounded, Ye Qiu raises his saber and attempts Void Rend, one of the Star Master Three Forms. He cannot match the attack, and Lou Bandao assumes the outcome is settled as he turns toward the Stairway.
• Just before the Sword Light hits Ye Qiu, a young woman in white robes patterned with red plum blossoms appears and destroys the attack with a single punch.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qiu shows extraordinary endurance and resolve. Though he knows he cannot withstand Lou Shengnan’s second strike, he chooses to face it rather than retreat.
• Lou Shengnan shifts from disbelief at Ye Qiu’s survival to renewed fury. She escalates her attack with a powerful inherited technique.
• Lei Gong openly challenges the Head Dean’s refusal to help Ye Qiu, accusing him of favoring those with powerful backing over genuine talent.
• Lou Bandao assumes Ye Qiu has been defeated and leaves the fight behind, but the sudden intervention overturns that expectation.
• The unnamed young woman’s arrival abruptly changes the confrontation, saving Ye Qiu from the fatal blow.

Significant themes

• Talent versus privilege: Lei Gong argues that exceptional ability should earn Ye Qiu support regardless of his lack of family or powerful connections.
• Courage in the face of defeat: Ye Qiu’s decision to raise his saber despite near-certain failure emphasizes dignity and resolve.
• Power and inheritance: Lou Shengnan’s inherited Dao Master technique demonstrates how legacy can magnify an already formidable fighter.
• Unexpected intervention: The cliffhanger underscores how quickly apparent defeat can be reversed.

• Ye Qiu is rescued: Just as the Great Dao Academy’s Lou Shengnan unleashes a killing sword strike against Ye Qiu, Feng Xueyi of Mount Mei arrives and shatters it with her fist. Those watching are astonished: Ye Qiu’s cultivation has not only recovered from his catastrophic injuries but has grown stronger, though he had seemed unable to survive Lou Shengnan’s attack.
• Feng Xueyi confronts the Academy: Feng tells Ye Qiu to step back, then defeats Lou Shengnan in a clash, leaving her badly injured. She offers the Academy a choice: let her take Ye Qiu away, or fight her to the death. When Dao Academy prodigies gather to challenge her, Feng admits she cannot face them all alone—and Mount Mei’s other eleven Young Masters emerge to stand with her.
• The conflict escalates: From within the Academy, Head Dean orders ten powerful figures to kill Mount Mei’s delegation. He argues that Ye Qiu must die because his enemies—the Lou, Gong, and Nangong families, along with Lan Yi—are already locked in a feud with him, and sparing him could draw the Academy into a catastrophe. He invokes the Mysterious Gate Turmoil, when a former Academy disciple’s rebellion nearly destroyed the institution.
• A moral dispute divides the Academy’s leaders: Lei Gong argues that the earlier crisis arose from the Academy’s own injustice and warns that the present decision is equally wrong. The Head Dean refuses to reconsider, insisting they cannot allow another Qin Xuan to rise. Their argument ends with both looking toward the Mountain Gate as something there gives them further cause for alarm.
  Character developments and interactions: Feng Xueyi emerges as a confident, formidable protector, while Ye Qiu accepts her help despite not knowing her motives. Lou Shengnan’s aggression meets a decisive setback. Lei Gong acts as the Head Dean’s conscience, challenging his fear-driven judgment; the Head Dean, however, doubles down on eliminating Ye Qiu, turning a rescue into a potential confrontation between major powers.
  Significant themes: The chapter explores the cycle of past wrongs and present fear, the danger of using old disasters to justify new injustices, and the tension between institutional self-preservation and fairness. Mount Mei’s intervention also reveals that Ye Qiu’s importance—and the danger surrounding him—extends far beyond the immediate Academy conflict.

Key plot points and events

• The confrontation outside the Great Dao Academy escalates when its Ten Guardian Elders appear to face the Mei Mountain Seven Freaks. Their standoff signals a possible war between two major powers, with consequences that could extend across the Mortal World.
• Meanwhile, Ye Qiu is reunited with Wu Xiaokai, Yuan Gang, Lin Xiaoyu, Luo Ling, and Chen Luolan. They are relieved to find him alive and explain that they have joined Mount Mei.
• Li Zhenzhen reveals she arranged their involvement and appealed to her grandfather, Mount Mei’s Holy Master. When Ye Qiu asks why she went so far, she hints that she is pregnant and blames him, leaving him stunned.
• The Mei Mountain Twelve Young Masters and the Academy disciples clash briefly. Both sides are hurt, but neither fights to kill; the exchange makes clear that the conflict is real.
• Lou Bandao moves to intervene, but Mei Xianzhi—Li Zhenzhen’s grandfather—strikes him and forces him back toward the Mountain Gate. Mei Xianzhi then notices Ye Qiu.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qiu is deeply moved by his friends’ loyalty and feels their bond is lifelong. Li Zhenzhen’s revelation catches him completely off guard.
• Wu Xiaokai and the others show their affection through tears, an embrace, and a punch to Ye Qiu’s chest; they affirm that joining Mount Mei is worthwhile.
• Li Zhenzhen presents herself as the one who brought the group—and Mount Mei—into the dispute, while her blunt pregnancy remark shifts the reunion into an unexpected personal revelation.
• Mei Xianzhi demonstrates Mount Mei’s power by stopping Lou Bandao with a single punch. Lou is furious but does not dare challenge him.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and friendship: Ye Qiu’s friends risk much to stand by him.
• Escalating conflict and restraint: The major factions prepare for war, while the first clash is limited and nonlethal.
• Consequences and responsibility: Li Zhenzhen’s pregnancy revelation suggests Ye Qiu’s personal actions may be tied to the growing political crisis.

Key plot points and events

• Mei Xianzhi, one of the legendary Mei Mountain Three Heroes and a Holy Master, arrives at the Great Dao Academy and demands to take Ye Qiu away.
• The Academy’s Head Dean refuses, insisting Ye Qiu must stay. Both sides gather powerful forces, making a full-scale confrontation seem possible.
• Mei Xianzhi bows to the statue of the Great Dao Master, then proposes a duel with the Head Dean: if Mei loses, Ye Qiu stays; if they draw, Mei takes him.
• They fight in a separate battlefield to avoid damaging the Mortal World. Mei emerges wounded but declares that the Head Dean’s Fortune failed him. He then leaves without taking Ye Qiu.
• The Head Dean is also injured. Lei Gong realizes Mei had united the power of the Three Heroes.
• The Head Dean is troubled that the Great Dao Master’s statue did not respond or strengthen him as it should have. His attempt to contact the Great Dao Master had failed—not simply because there was no answer, but because contact was being prevented.

Character developments and interactions

• Mei Xianzhi shows both formidable authority and a personal interest in Ye Qiu. He confronts the Head Dean but chooses a duel over outright war, suggesting he wants to resolve the matter without triggering wider destruction.
• The Head Dean stands firm in protecting Ye Qiu, despite the danger of conflict. His injury and failure to draw strength from the Academy’s statue leave him shaken and suspicious.
• Ye Qiu is caught between powerful factions and offers no explanation before Li Zhenzhen intervenes.
• Li Zhenzhen openly protects Ye Qiu, telling Mei not to frighten him because she still needs him.
• Lou Bandao is intimidated by Mei Xianzhi, who dismisses him contemptuously. Mei’s reputation is reinforced by the crowd’s fear and Lou’s retreat.
• Lei Gong provides a sharp-eyed, occasionally comic perspective: he recognizes the significance of Mei’s united strength and notices the Head Dean’s defeat.

Significant themes

• Power and political restraint: Even the strongest factions hesitate to wage war because its consequences would be catastrophic.
• Loyalty and protection: The Head Dean insists Ye Qiu must remain, while Li Zhenzhen also makes clear that she needs him.
• Hidden danger and uncertainty: The Great Dao Master’s silence—and the possibility that someone is actively blocking contact—suggests a larger crisis beyond the immediate dispute.

Key plot points and events

• Tensions between the Great Dao Academy and Mei Mountain’s forces reach the brink of battle on the Grand Plaza. Jiang Tao, Lou Shengnan, and Lou Bandao openly harbor hostility toward Ye Qiu.
• Mei Xianzhi emerges from the Academy and orders everyone to stand down, preventing a fight. Ye Qiu’s group leaves Canglan City.
• Outside the city, Mei Xianzhi reveals that his confrontation with the Head Dean left him gravely wounded. Despite using powerful allies, a treasure, and an apparent opening, he could not overcome the Head Dean.
• Mei refuses to bring Ye Qiu to Mount Mei, explaining that he promised the Head Dean he would not accept him. He also recognizes that Ye Qiu is both extraordinary and dangerous, and that sheltering him would put Mount Mei in conflict with the Academy.
• Ye Qiu thanks Mei sincerely. He gives most of his Divine Crystals and pills to Li Qingfeng, asking him to find the Sword Sect people and help An Ling, who has little time left.
• Mei tells Ye Qiu about the mysterious Mysterious Gate and gives him a map. If its master agrees to accept Ye Qiu, it may offer him a way forward. Ye Qiu sets out alone.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qiu remains composed under threat, shows genuine gratitude to Mei, and accepts that he must leave his companions to protect them. He entrusts An Ling’s situation to Li Qingfeng.
• Mei Xianzhi demonstrates his loyalty by risking himself to negotiate for Ye Qiu, but his injuries and promise to the Head Dean prevent him from offering further help. His warning about the Mysterious Gate is a final act of assistance.
• Li Zhenzhen wants to take Ye Qiu to Mount Mei, but cannot persuade her grandfather to break his agreement.
• Wu Xiaokai and the others plead for Ye Qiu to be accepted, even attempting to kneel, showing their admiration and loyalty.
• Ye Qiu and his enemies remain on a collision course: Jiang Tao mocks him, while Ye Qiu silently signals that he intends to settle matters with Lou Shengnan and regards Lou Bandao as a looming threat.

Significant themes

• Protection versus responsibility: Ye Qiu leaves those he cares about so they will not suffer because of his enemies.
• Loyalty and gratitude: Mei risks serious injury for Ye Qiu, who responds with sincere thanks; Ye Qiu also entrusts his resources to help An Ling.
• The cost of power and political alignment: Mei’s defeat underscores the Head Dean’s strength, while accepting Ye Qiu would mean challenging the Academy’s authority.
• An uncertain path forward: Shut out by the Academy and unable to join Mount Mei, Ye Qiu must seek refuge at the mysterious gate, whose reception is far from guaranteed.

Key plot points and events

• After Ye Qiu leaves, Mei Xianzhi explains that he refused to take the young people with him because of Li Zhenzhen’s conflict with the Nangong Family, his agreement with the Great Dao Academy’s Head Dean, and his own unease about Ye Qiu’s immense fortune and heavy karma. He takes Li Zhenzhen, Wu Xiaokai, and the others away.
• Before departing, Mei gives Li Qingfeng a pill for the gravely ill An Ling, whose life force begins to recover. He also tells the group to leave Divine Province.
• Lu Li appears, her killing intent far stronger than before. Li Qingfeng tells her Ye Qiu has gone to the Mysterious Gate and gives her one of the two Heaven’s Chosen Tokens Ye Qiu left behind. Li Qingfeng keeps neither, believing the Tokens will help Ye Qiu more.
• Relieved that Ye Qiu is alive, Lu Li becomes furious when she learns he was bullied. She declares he will be safe now, then heads toward Canglan City and the Great Dao Academy.
• Lu Li rises above the city and announces her intention to attack the Academy, terrifying the people below.

Character developments and interactions

• Mei Xianzhi reveals his cautious, conflicted judgment: he helps An Ling, but refuses to involve himself further with Ye Qiu.
• Li Zhenzhen learns that her past refusal of the Nangong marriage arrangement has created consequences for the group.
• Li Qingfeng shows loyalty to Ye Qiu by giving up his Token for him, and acts as the messenger who directs Lu Li toward the Mysterious Gate.
• Lu Li shifts from relief at Ye Qiu’s survival to cold, overwhelming anger on his behalf. Her power manifests as blood-red ice crystals and a trembling void; she now openly confronts the Great Dao Academy.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and sacrifice: Li Qingfeng gives up a valuable Token because Ye Qiu needs it more.
• Consequences of the past: Li Zhenzhen’s broken marriage arrangement still affects others.
• Power and danger: Lu Li’s escalating killing intent signals that defending Ye Qiu may trigger a major conflict.
• Uncertainty and karma: Mei’s inability to understand Ye Qiu makes him wary of becoming entangled in his fate.

Plot points and events

• After Ye Qiu leaves the Great Dao Academy with Mount Mei’s help, the crowd realizes the confrontation will damage the Academy’s reputation across the Canglan Realm.
• The Protector tells Ji Ke that losing his leg may prove unexpectedly valuable, though he refuses to explain further.
• The Gong, Nangong, and Lou families are furious that their costly efforts failed to stop Ye Qiu. The Head Dean remains intent on killing him, despite Lei Gong urging him to let the matter end.
• A blood-haired Lu Li arrives at the Academy. She says she came only because Ye Qiu has already left, so she can preserve his dignity.
• After identifying the Lou family’s Holy Master, Lou Bandao, Lu Li tells him to call for help. When Lou Shengnan challenges her, Lu Li strikes her down with a single slap, then appears again and pierces her throat with a finger.

Character developments

• The Head Dean shows that pride and hostility outweigh the possibility of reconciliation; he still wants Ye Qiu eliminated.
• Lei Gong is disillusioned by the Academy’s transformation, but his attention sharpens when Lu Li appears.
• Lu Li is revealed as formidable, controlled, and fiercely protective of Ye Qiu. Her changed appearance accompanies an intimidating new presence.
• Ji Ke remains baffled by the Protector’s cryptic remark and is startled to see Lu Li again.
• Lou Shengnan responds to Lu Li with arrogance and aggression, only to be overwhelmed almost instantly.

Significant themes

• Power and reputation: The Academy’s treatment of Ye Qiu threatens to become public disgrace, though powerful institutions may control the story.
• Corruption of ideals: Lei Gong mourns how gratitude and passionate conviction can decay into ruthless self-interest, while those in power call injustice “right.”
• Escalating consequences: The Academy’s refusal to let Ye Qiu go peacefully draws new danger to its gates.
• Protection and dignity: Lu Li’s explanation suggests she respects Ye Qiu’s independence even as she comes to confront his enemies.

Character interactions

• The Protector teases Ji Ke about the future value of his lost leg.
• Lei Gong urges the Head Dean to stop pursuing Ye Qiu, but the Head Dean’s killing intent reveals he will not relent.
• Lu Li dismisses Ji Ke’s question, challenges the Lou family’s authority, and calmly warns Lou Bandao to summon help.
• Lou Shengnan attacks Lu Li verbally and prepares to fight; Lu Li silences her with a slap and then a lethal strike.

Great Snow Mountain — Chapter Summary

Plot points and events

• After Lou Shengnan insulted her, blood-haired Lu Li kills her instantly with a finger, piercing her defenses and destroying her heart.
• Lu Li then kills a Lou elder and a Nangong elder who move against her. When the Gong Family refuses her challenge, she attacks them as well, killing several members. The remaining families and observers are left too frightened to intervene.
• Lu Li challenges Lou Bandao and the others to summon reinforcements, insisting she is willing to face anyone who comes. Lou Bandao charges her, but a snow-robed elder stops his fist with one hand. Two more elders arrive and drive back Lou Bandao and the Great Dao Academy’s two Vice Deans, who escape using Death-Substitute Puppets.
• The Academy’s Head Dean appears and declares that the confrontation should end, noting that Ye Qiu has already left. Lu Li rejects this, accusing the Academy of bullying Ye Qiu and abusing its power when it believed he had no protection.
• Lu Li summons two groups of sword-bearing figures in snow-white cloaks. Further rifts open, bringing Nan Qingyue and ten other powerful elders amid howling wind and spreading frost. The crowd identifies the newcomers as people from the Great Snow Mountain.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Li is revealed as ruthlessly powerful and utterly composed. Rather than backing down after killing Lou Shengnan, she openly invites the powerful families and the Academy to retaliate. Her anger is rooted in how Ye Qiu was treated.
• Lou Bandao shifts from stunned disbelief over his granddaughter’s death to furious, uncontrolled aggression. His attack fails when the snow-robed elder blocks him.
• The Head Dean tries to end the violence, but Lu Li confronts him directly, challenging both his authority and the Academy’s conduct.
• The onlookers and rival families go from outrage to terror and silence, unwilling to risk opposing Lu Li.
• Nan Qingyue and the Great Snow Mountain elders arrive as Lu Li’s powerful reinforcements, transforming an already tense standoff into a much larger confrontation.

Significant themes

• Power and accountability: Lu Li condemns institutions and clans that use their strength to mistreat those they believe are powerless.
• Revenge and escalation: The deaths trigger threats and attempted retaliation, but each challenge brings even more formidable forces into the conflict.
• Loyalty and protection: Lu Li’s actions are presented as a defense of Ye Qiu and a refusal to let him be bullied without consequence.
• Intimidation and shifting authority: The Academy’s prestige and the families’ influence prove insufficient once Lu Li’s allies arrive.

Plot points and events

• The Great Snow Mountain arrives at the Great Dao Academy to back Lu Li and seek revenge over what happened to Ye Qiu.
• The Head Dean claims Ye Qiu has already left the Academy, but Lu Li refuses to negotiate. She kills an elder and orders her forces to attack.
• The White Robes clash with the Gong, Nangong, and Lou families, while the Ten Elders of Snow Mountain target Lou Bandao. The Academy and other major lineages mobilize in response.
• Lu Li calls in more reinforcements, including Nan Qingyue, and sends them against the Academy. The battle threatens to spill into the Academy itself.
• As the Head Dean unleashes his power, the Old Madman—the master of the Great Snow Mountain—intervenes. Their clash damages the plaza and leaves the Head Dean injured.
• The Old Madman challenges the Head Dean to a fight to the death. He admits he does not know who Ye Qiu is, but says Lu Li’s fury leaves no room for peace—and reveals, jokingly, that she is his “illegitimate daughter.”

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Li is shown as uncompromising and fiercely determined: she chooses violence over negotiation and keeps calling in troops despite the escalating danger.
• The Head Dean (Ancestor Mu) shifts from authority and threat to caution after the Old Madman defeats his attack. He wants to know who Ye Qiu is and why the Snow Mountain is willing to fight over him.
• The Old Madman proves both immensely powerful and protective of his side. He supports Lu Li despite knowing nothing about Ye Qiu, and makes clear his personal animosity toward the Head Dean.
• Nan Qingyue joins Lu Li with her Golden Sword, confirming that the White Robes have gathered everyone they can.
• Lou Bandao and the major families are caught in the expanding conflict, unable to control events once the Snow Mountain attacks.

Significant themes

• Strength and reputation: The Great Snow Mountain’s identity is built on combat prowess, and power determines who can command respect.
• Loyalty and protection: The Snow Mountain backs Lu Li even without knowing the full story, emphasizing fierce allegiance over calculation.
• Escalation and pride: Lu Li’s refusal to negotiate and the Head Dean’s attempt to assert authority turn a dispute into a major battle.
• Personal grudges: The Old Madman’s final admission suggests the conflict is fueled not only by Ye Qiu, but also by longstanding resentment.

Key plot points and events

• Outside the Great Dao Academy, the Great Snow Mountain launches a full-scale attack. The Old Madman clashes with Ancestor Mu, and their battle shakes the Academy and its surroundings.
• Lu Li and Nan Qingyue advance through the Divine Race forces. Lu Li’s Sword Domain and growing demonic aura make her exceptionally deadly; Nan Qingyue backs her up, while Great Snow Mountain experts shield them from stronger opponents. Lu Li focuses on reaching Lou Bandao.
• Ye Qiu travels by successive Teleportation Arrays toward the Mysterious Gate, following Mei Xianzhi’s map. Still badly injured from his recent clashes, he uses Divine Crystals to recover and strengthen himself.
• After arriving in Wind City, Ye Qiu follows the map into remote hills but finds no visible sect. He suspects the Mysterious Gate may be hidden in a Secret Realm.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Li has become vastly more powerful since gaining a Sword Domain, and her blood-red features and surging demonic energy suggest her inner terror is growing. Her concern is now focused on confronting Lou Bandao.
• Nan Qingyue has also grown much stronger and fights in close coordination with Lu Li.
• Ye Qiu remains physically vulnerable but is determined to rely on his own strength rather than wait for justice or rescue. He worries about Lu Li and plans to seek her out if he can establish himself at the Mysterious Gate.
• Brother Snake says he withheld help so Ye Qiu could grow through hardship, while assuring him that those who harmed him will eventually pay. Ye Qiu doubts that distant retribution offers practical comfort.

Significant themes

• Strength and power: The powerful can exploit the weak, while strength gives people the means to resist.
• Self-reliance versus faith in justice: Ye Qiu rejects relying on eventual retribution and resolves to take his fate into his own hands.
• Loyalty and protection: Great Snow Mountain’s fighters support Lu Li and Nan Qingyue, while Ye Qiu’s thoughts remain with Lu Li despite their separation.
• Hidden worlds and uncertainty: The Mysterious Gate’s location—and whether it exists behind a concealed realm—remains a mystery.

Plot points and events

• Ye Qiu reaches Mysterious Gate after being directed there and says he wants to join.
• Tian Xiaoyu enthusiastically leads him up a mountain, where he discovers the “sect” consists of two plain stone huts, a small farm, and only two disciples: Xiaoyu and Ye Qiu.
• Ye Qiu is dismayed by the sect’s poverty and apparent lack of influence. He meets its master, the Rough-Clothed Elder, along with the Star Pavilion’s formation guardian and Qin An, who are already at the huts.
• Ye Qiu tries to leave, wary of the elder and worried that staying will bring trouble.
• Three Divine Alliance cultivators arrive to kill Ye Qiu. The elder dismisses their threats and kills all three with a casual gesture, crushing them through a distortion of space.

Character developments

• Ye Qiu shifts from hopeful curiosity to disbelief and regret as he sees how small and poor Mysterious Gate is. His distrust of the formation guardian also deepens, and he attempts to leave.
• Tian Xiaoyu is cheerful, welcoming, and eager to recruit Ye Qiu. She jokes that she “tricked” him into joining, then insists Mysterious Gate is peaceful despite its tiny size.
• The Rough-Clothed Elder initially appears to be an ordinary, unassuming old farmer. His effortless destruction of three Divine Flame experts reveals immense power and a protective authority over the sect.
• Qin An and the formation guardian react with alarm at the elder’s display, underscoring how formidable it is.

Significant themes

• Appearances versus reality: Mysterious Gate looks like a shabby farmstead, while its master possesses overwhelming power.
• Peace through obscurity and simplicity: The sect’s tiny membership means little internal scheming, though its quiet existence does not prevent outside threats.
• Hidden strength and protection: The elder’s calm response suggests that Mysterious Gate may be far more formidable than Ye Qiu assumes.

Character interactions

• Xiaoyu warmly takes Ye Qiu by the hand and guides him to the sect, while Ye Qiu repeatedly questions its legitimacy and scale.
• The elder accepts Ye Qiu’s presence with an amused, cryptic “misunderstanding,” but Ye Qiu remains determined to leave.
• When the Divine Alliance threatens Ye Qiu, the elder answers their arrogance with a blunt command to leave, then kills them before they can attack.

Key plot points and events

• The Rough-Clothed Elder casually destroys three Divine Flame cultivators, revealing tremendous power despite showing no cultivation aura. He insists that Ye Qiu and Qin An join the Mysterious Gate; an intimidating warning leaves Ye Qiu little room to refuse.
• The Array-Guarding Elder, Liu Qing, warns that Ye Qiu carries heavy Karma and will bring trouble. The Rough-Clothed Elder accepts the risk, believing great Karma may also bring great fortune.
• Meanwhile, Great Snow Mountain’s assault on the Great Dao Academy continues, with heavy casualties. Lu Li and Nan Qingyue, aided by Snow Mountain’s Ten Elders, overwhelm Holy Master Lou Bandao.
• Old Madman and the Head Dean fight to a stalemate. The Head Dean urges an end to the battle, citing the approaching Heaven’s Chosen competition and the danger of destabilizing the realm.
• The Head Dean offers to apologize and compensate Lu Li, but she refuses. She recalls how the Academy rejected Ye Qiu’s pleas for justice and abused its authority.
• Lu Li strikes the Great Dao Academy’s Mountain Gate and destroys the statue of the Great Dao Master, shocking both sides and abruptly silencing the battlefield.

Character developments

• Ye Qiu remains wary of the Mysterious Gate’s elder, but the elder’s overwhelming power—and pressure—forces the question of whether he will join.
• The Rough-Clothed Elder proves both formidable and self-assured. He knowingly accepts the risks attached to Ye Qiu, viewing them as potentially linked to fortune.
• Liu Qing is revealed as a former disciple of the Mysterious Gate and remains concerned about the trouble Ye Qiu may bring.
• Lu Li shows herself to be relentless and uncompromising. She refuses even a face-saving settlement and makes a dramatic statement against the Academy’s authority.
• The Head Dean is forced to negotiate, but his pride and anger remain evident when Lu Li rejects his offer.

Significant themes

• Power and authority: The Academy’s status does not shield it from judgment, and the Rough-Clothed Elder’s casual display shows how deceptive appearances can be.
• Justice and accountability: Lu Li demands that the Academy face consequences for how it treated Ye Qiu, rather than settle matters with an apology or payment.
• Karma and fortune: Ye Qiu’s heavy Karma is presented as both a source of danger and a possible sign of great fortune.
• Respect versus fear: Lu Li’s final declaration rejects inherited reverence for the Great Dao Master and asserts that respect must be earned.

Character interactions

• The Rough-Clothed Elder pressures Ye Qiu to join the Mysterious Gate, while Tian Xiaoyu and Qin An usher him away; Qin An tries to keep Ye Qiu from provoking the elder.
• Liu Qing cautions the Rough-Clothed Elder about Ye Qiu, but the elder dismisses the warning.
• The Head Dean tries to halt Old Madman’s fight and negotiate with Lu Li, but Lu Li refuses both his proposed apology and compensation.
• Lu Li’s refusal culminates in the destruction of the Academy’s revered statue, turning a personal demand for justice into an open challenge to the institution.

Key events

• Lu Li’s strike splits the Great Dao Master’s statue, provoking the Great Dao Academy’s fury. He continues slaughtering members of the Gong, Nangong, and Lou families, with Nan Qingyue fighting beside him.
• The Academy activates its Dao Protecting Grand Formation and begins “Summoning Ancestors,” awakening powerful wills from tombs. Old Madman warns that the conflict could have consequences across the Upper Realm and Myriad Heavens.
• Lu Li refuses to retreat and demands reinforcements, even suggesting they break open Heaven’s Gate. Old Madman ultimately pulls him away as the Academy’s summoned figures emerge.
• Nan Qingyue persuades Lu Li to leave by reminding him that Ye Qiu may be worried about him. Before departing, Lu Li warns Lou Bandao that he will claim his life.
• The Academy holds its ground rather than pursuing, mindful of the enormous cost of its formation and summoning.
• Lan Yi arrives after the battle and calls for the Academy to destroy Great Snow Mountain and execute Lu Li. Lu Li suddenly reappears and kills her with a sword through the brow.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Li is consumed by rage and becomes increasingly demonic and powerful. Though he finally withdraws, it is Nan Qingyue—not Old Madman’s warnings—that reaches him. His return to kill Lan Yi shows that his retaliation is far from over.
• Nan Qingyue proves fiercely loyal, fighting at Lu Li’s side and then persuading him to retreat through her personal bond with him.
• Old Madman is alarmed by the scale of the consequences and prioritizes protecting Lu Li and Great Snow Mountain, but cannot persuade Lu Li to stop on his own.
• Lan Yi responds to the destruction by advocating all-out war, only to become Lu Li’s immediate victim.
• The Head Dean escalates the Academy’s response but recognizes the danger and cost of continuing the fight.

Significant themes

• Revenge and unchecked rage: Lu Li’s grief-driven fury overrides caution and drives the violence.
• Power and consequences: Attacking the statue and the Academy risks drawing in forces from beyond the Mortal World.
• Loyalty and emotional restraint: Nan Qingyue’s concern for Lu Li—and her mention of Ye Qiu—briefly tempers his fury.
• Escalation and retaliation: Both sides answer violence with greater force, leaving the conflict unresolved and poised to intensify.

Plot points and events

• Lu Li kills Lan Yi, declares that everyone who hunted Ye Qiu must die, and leads the Great Snow Mountain forces in wiping out the remaining Inspector Envoys. They disappear with her into the void.
• Before leaving, Lu Li tells the Head Dean that the Great Dao Academy will soon have a new name—a public threat to overthrow it.
• The incident leaves the Academy’s Headquarters in shock. News spreads, while Li Qingfeng and his companions flee. The Gong, Nangong, and Lou families are also reported to have been attacked.
• The Head Dean declares a fight to the death against the Great Snow Mountain, but the declaration draws little support. He privately concludes that the Academy’s best hope is the coming Heaven’s Chosen, backed by Upper Realm forces.
• Lou Bandao remains hostile, convinced that Upper Realm envoys—including someone from his family—will soon let the Academy crush Ye Qiu and Lu Li.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Li makes her devotion to Ye Qiu unmistakable, turning personal vengeance into an open challenge to the Great Dao Academy. Her boldness inspires awe and fear.
• The Head Dean shifts from shock and humiliation to resolve, but his belated call for war exposes his failure to act decisively earlier.
• Ji Ke is terrified by Lu Li’s power and relieved that his past attempts against Ye Qiu were stopped. The Protector rebukes him and privately condemns the Academy’s leadership for letting matters reach this point.
• Lei Gong leaves in disappointment, seeing the crisis as another humiliating repeat of the Academy’s past conflict with Qin Xuan.
• Lou Bandao remains venomous and seeks revenge, believing Upper Realm power will settle the conflict in his favor.

Significant themes

• The cost of underestimating others: The Head Dean’s dismissive treatment of Ye Qiu and Lu Li helps turn a manageable dispute into a major crisis.
• Power, loyalty, and vengeance: Lu Li’s loyalty to Ye Qiu drives her to confront an institution far greater than herself.
• Public reputation versus real resolve: The Head Dean’s forceful words seem aimed as much at saving face as preparing for war.
• Escalating conflict: With the Great Dao Academy and Great Snow Mountain now openly opposed—and Upper Realm forces looming—the struggle threatens to grow beyond the current generation.

Plot points and events

• Ye Qiu, Qin An, and Tian Xiaoyu visit the humble grave of Qin Xuan, founder of Mysterious Gate, and pay their respects. This formally makes Ye Qiu and Qin An disciples of the sect.
• Ma Liujia gives the newcomers Storage Rings containing only crude wooden identity tokens. He then demands that Qin An contribute 500,000 Law Crystals to the nearly bankrupt sect. Qin An protests, but Ma Liujia threatens anyone who leaves, and Liu Qing says he has already paid the same amount.
• Qin An reveals an astonishing collection of hidden savings—including money concealed on Liu Qing—and reluctantly hands over the full sum. Tian Xiaoyu is pleased: the sect can afford food for several days.
• Ma Liujia tells Ye Qiu that his enemies include three Divine Race clans, Lou Bandao, and the Great Dao Academy. Though Mysterious Gate cannot offer resources, Ma vows to protect him, even against the Academy. Ye Qiu accepts the pledge with a deep bow.
• Tian Xiaoyu takes Ye Qiu and Qin An to build a house. Inside, Liu Qing questions whether Ma should risk war with the Great Dao Academy. Their argument reveals Mysterious Gate’s history of defeat, its dead disciples’ bodies still displayed on the Academy’s Sin Mountain, and the sect’s determination to preserve the founder’s legacy. Ma claims Ye Qiu may become a second Mysterious Ancestor.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qiu accepts Mysterious Gate’s protection despite knowing the danger he brings. His respectful response suggests growing loyalty to the sect.
• Qin An is exposed as a shrewd, comically obsessive saver. His clash with Ma Liujia turns his initiation into an unexpected financial sacrifice.
• Ma Liujia demonstrates both ruthless practicality—forcing a contribution from Qin An—and fierce loyalty, promising to defend Ye Qiu despite the likely cost.
• Liu Qing is weary and doubts Mysterious Gate can defeat the Academy, but his grief and anger reveal that he still feels deeply connected to the sect’s cause.
• Tian Xiaoyu helps welcome the new disciples and eagerly collects Qin An’s contribution, reflecting the sect’s desperate poverty.

Significant themes

• Belonging and obligation: Joining Mysterious Gate means accepting both its rules and responsibility for its survival.
• Loyalty and sacrifice: Ma’s promise to protect Ye Qiu, and the old disciples’ willingness to fight despite certain defeat, embody the sect’s code.
• Memory and legacy: The dispute over Qin Xuan’s ideals and the dead disciples’ dishonored remains centers on whether Mysterious Gate’s spirit will endure.
• Defiance against overwhelming power: The Academy’s strength makes resistance seem futile, yet Ma insists that the struggle—and the founder’s legacy—must continue.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qiu, Tian Xiaoyu, and Qin An finish building three stone huts on the mountain and celebrate the Mysterious Gate’s two new disciples with a meal.
• The three discuss their orphaned backgrounds and why they stayed with their masters. Tian Xiaoyu names herself the eldest senior sister, Ye Qiu second senior brother, and teasingly dubs Qin An “Xiao Sanzi.”
• Qin An argues that seniority should be determined by strength. Tian Xiaoyu reveals her cultivation is at the Second Layer of the Divine Flame, easily suppressing him despite his Fifth Layer of the Divine Gate.
• Qin An then challenges Ye Qiu, who claims to be at the Sixth Layer of the Creation Realm. Ye Qiu knocks him flying twice, explaining that he is a Body Cultivator with exceptional physical strength. The defeat leaves Qin An hurt and grudgingly cautious.
• Ma Liujia and Liu Qing observe the fight. Liu Qing recognizes Ye Qiu’s unusual ability but doubts he could match the legendary Mysterious Ancestor, whose conflict with the Great Dao Academy ended in the Mysterious Gate’s decline.
• Ma Liujia senses a group of powerful visitors arriving through a vortex in the sky. He and Liu Qing fear the Great Dao Academy has come to confront them.

Character developments and interactions

• Tian Xiaoyu is warm and playful, but her Divine Flame-level power surprises both Qin An and Ye Qiu. She explains that the Gate’s poverty stems partly from the Great Dao Academy’s long-standing hostility.
• Qin An is proud, competitive, and persistent about his place in the sect, but his defeats force him to recognize that both Tian Xiaoyu and Ye Qiu outmatch him.
• Ye Qiu remains calm and understated, revealing formidable physical power beneath his modest cultivation. He also frames his punch as payback for Qin An and his master having deceived him.
• Ma Liujia and Liu Qing see Ye Qiu’s potential firsthand, though Liu Qing remains skeptical that he could become another Mysterious Ancestor.

Significant themes

• Found family and belonging: The young disciples share orphaned histories and find a home in the Mysterious Gate.
• Power versus appearances: Tian Xiaoyu’s unassuming look hides immense cultivation, while Ye Qiu’s low realm belies his extraordinary strength.
• Legacy and conflict: The Mysterious Gate’s fortunes are shaped by its founder’s failed struggle against the Great Dao Academy, a conflict that may be resurfacing.