Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• The Protector receives ten pills from Ye Qiu, who publicly acknowledges his efforts. The recognition effectively secures the Ji Family’s standing in the new order.
• Ye Qiu tells Ji Ke to stay with the Protector and “do his best.” Ji Ke assumes he deserves half the pills, but the Protector rejects the idea—and tells him Ye Qiu meant he was not good enough.
• Ye Qiu allows the Ye Family to leave, formally severing their ties with him. Ye Xinrou regrets that her family failed to recognize his potential, but accepts that this is the best outcome they could expect.
• Ye Qiu, Lu Li, and Nan Qingyue head toward Heaven’s Gate. The Sword Sect and several other major factions follow them to the Ascension Platform.
• The Great Dao Academy is dismantled and renamed Ye Huang Palace, with Ye Qiu as Ye Huang and Lu Li as Empress Li. Zheng Qiankun oversees the cleanup; the Ji Family joins the inner circle.
• The Protector’s boasts about his past help and investment in Ye Qiu make the Ji Family’s fortunes the talk of the crowd. Ji Ke claims credit too, but is mocked and then knocked unconscious by the Protector when he announces he plans to enter Heaven’s Chosen.
• The Protector advises caution, judging this year’s Heaven’s Chosen too dangerous for someone like Ji Ke. He then coordinates with Lei Gong to begin repairing Ye Huang Palace.

Character developments and interactions

• The Protector rises from an overlooked figure to a powerful voice in the Ji Family. His tact, foresight, and ability to manage relationships impress Lei Gong, who recognizes him as formidable.
• Ji Ke is eager for recognition and adventure but remains impulsive and overconfident. His wish to enter Heaven’s Chosen is stopped by the Protector, who treats him as a young master to be protected and disciplined.
• Ye Qiu acts decisively in reshaping the political order: he rewards the Protector, leaves the Ye Family to its own choice, and moves on without further entanglement.
• Ye Xinrou sees how far Ye Qiu has surpassed the person she once knew and feels deep regret over the Ye Family’s lost opportunity.
• Lei Gong recognizes that the Protector has quietly affirmed his new authority as Grand Arbiter while preserving his dignity.

Significant themes

• Recognition and political legitimacy: Ye Qiu’s public praise transforms the Ji Family’s status and helps establish the new order.
• Foresight and timing: The Protector’s success comes less from strength than from reading people, acting at the right moment, and knowing when to speak or stay silent.
• Regret and missed opportunity: The Ye Family’s cautious survival contrasts with the immense legacy they might have shared with Ye Qiu.
• Ambition versus prudence: Ji Ke’s desire to join Heaven’s Chosen clashes with the Protector’s belief that restraint is essential amid approaching chaos.

Plot and events

• After the fall of the Great Dao Academy and the rise of Ye Huang Palace, Canglan City seals its borders to prevent news of the upheaval from spreading before the final Heaven’s Chosen trial. The city goes on high alert to protect itself while its leading figures are away.
• The Protector’s careful contingency planning earns him the approval of Lei Gong and Zheng Qiankun. Though he lacks strength, his patience and strategic skill have secured him influence through Ye Qiu’s backing.
• A Flying Ship travels from Central Province to Divine Province, delayed because the Star Pavilion’s teleportation arrays have been shut down. Its passengers include Academy Dean Xiao Qingsong, Xiao Qingyu, Yun Lu, Qiu Yun, Wen Zheng, and others.
• Wen Zheng confronts Xiao Qingsong over the Academy’s treatment of Ye Qiu. Xiao admits he had limited choices and was concerned with the Academy’s broader interests, but acknowledges his guilt and offers to help Wen Zheng leave Divine Province safely.
• Wen Zheng rejects the offer: he has come to find Ye Qiu, whatever condition he is in, and refuses to abandon him.

Character developments and interactions

• The Protector is established as a patient, capable strategist whose influence is growing now that Ye Qiu supports him.
• Wen Zheng reveals his fierce devotion and moral resolve as Ye Qiu’s grandfather. Though he cannot match Xiao Qingsong in power, he refuses to accept that this makes him less entitled to stand by his family.
• Xiao Qingsong is forced to face his responsibility for Ye Qiu’s suffering. He remains defensive about the constraints he faced but admits regret.
• Xiao Qingyu quietly backs Wen Zheng, telling Xiao Qingsong that he deserves the rebuke.
• Wen Zheng and Xiao Qingsong’s exchange is tense and personal: Wen Zheng condemns the Academy’s choices, while Xiao’s offer of a safe exit only deepens Wen Zheng’s outrage because safety without Ye Qiu is meaningless to him.

Significant themes

• Family loyalty and courage: Wen Zheng is willing to risk his life rather than leave Ye Qiu behind.
• Responsibility versus institutional interest: Xiao Qingsong’s appeal to the Academy’s greater good cannot erase the harm caused to an individual.
• Strength beyond power: Wen Zheng insists that a person’s backbone and dignity do not depend on status or fighting ability.
• Planning and opportunity: The Protector’s foresight shows how intelligence and patience can create influence even in a world ruled by strength.

Key plot points and events

• Wen Zheng confronts Xiao Qingsong, dean of the Great Dao Academy, over his selfishness. Unable to defend himself, Xiao orders the group to head straight for the Ascension Platform, since the Star Pavilion’s Teleportation Array is closed to them and they have fallen behind.
• Meanwhile, Ye Qiu, Lu Li, and their companions travel through a Star Pavilion branch to Border City, then cross a vast forest to the Red Mulberry Tree. Passing through mist above its canopy brings them into Beneath Heaven, a separate realm that serves as the entrance to the Land of Heaven’s Chosen and lies closest to the Upper Realm.
• The group finds Beneath Heaven rich in pure Essence Qi, rare herbs, and divine materials. Ye Qiu consumes some, accelerating the ongoing evolution of his Divine Power and progress toward the second step of his Bloodline.
• Lu Li reveals privately to Nan Qingyue that she intends to give Ye Qiu more strength to carry into the Upper Realm, despite the dangerous backlash it may cause her. She asks her teacher to look after him if she cannot endure it.
• The chapter closes on Lu Li’s memory of her bond with Ye Qiu: a bite mark on her wrist recalls their first meeting in the Maple Forest outside Nanshan City, where she feels their connection bound her to him for life.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Qingsong is shaken by Wen Zheng’s public criticism. His conscience conflicts with his wounded pride, and he responds by pushing the journey forward.
• Ye Qiu remains focused on gathering useful resources, while the rare materials of Beneath Heaven help strengthen his cultivation.
• Lu Li is warm and affectionate toward Ye Qiu, but privately anxious about leaving him for the dangerous Upper Realm. She is willing to risk worsening her own condition to protect him.
• Nan Qingyue worries about the harm Lu Li’s plan may cause and is moved by her devotion. Her concern turns into jealousy as she watches Ye Qiu joke with Wen Xin and An Ling.
• Wen Zheng exposes Xiao’s selfishness, while Lu Li and Nan Qingyue share a serious, intimate conversation about Lu Li’s sacrifice and Ye Qiu’s future.

Significant themes

• Sacrifice and devotion: Lu Li is prepared to endanger herself to give Ye Qiu protection.
• Conscience and public shame: Xiao’s inability to answer Wen’s accusation reveals the tension between self-interest and moral limits.
• Fate and lasting bonds: Lu Li sees her first meeting with Ye Qiu as the beginning of an attachment that will endure, even if memory or life itself changes.
• Aspiration and the unknown: Beneath Heaven’s closeness to the Upper Realm stirs Ye Qiu’s longing to see what lies beyond.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qiu and his companions leave Beneath Heaven after gathering medicinal herbs, heading back toward the now-fully-open Heaven’s Gate. The group jokes over Ye Qiu’s stinginess when he shares herbs with Lu Li, Nan Qingyue, and Brother Snake.
• They encounter a battle at a mountain covered in Blood Vermilion Fruit trees. A force from the Purple River Realm is claiming the harvest and driving back the Canglan Realm’s disciples.
• A swaggering Purple River youth kills several Canglan disciples with his sword, provoking Nie Chong and the other Canglan leaders. Purple River ruler Ren Xing intervenes, shielding the youth with his formidable presence.
• Ren Xing and the youth openly mock Canglan, citing its fall from former greatness and claiming the Mortal World suppresses it because its people are narrow-minded. The Canglan side is left furious and humiliated.
• As the Purple River group laughs, an unidentified voice challenges their claim to “see the bigger picture.”

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qiu shows his usual thrift and vanity, reluctantly sharing herbs after Nan Qingyue calls him a miser. His private complaints to Brother Snake go nowhere, since Brother Snake feels shortchanged too.
• Nan Qingyue and Brother Snake both tease or criticize Ye Qiu over how little he gives them, keeping the opening’s comic tone.
• Nie Chong and the Canglan leaders struggle to contain their anger as the Purple River group kills and insults their disciples. Their restraint reflects the danger posed by Ren Xing and his elders.
• Ren Xing uses the clash to publicly demean Canglan, while his young disciple acts as his taunting instrument. Their exchange is calculated to provoke and humiliate their opponents.

Significant themes

• Decline and lost legacy: Canglan’s past status as the Mortal World’s foremost realm contrasts with its present weakness.
• Collective suppression and injustice: Other realms exploit Canglan’s decline, reinforcing its poor performance in each Heaven’s Chosen trial.
• Power and humiliation: Purple River’s strength lets it seize resources and kill with impunity, while its leaders disguise aggression as a lesson about Canglan’s supposed shortcomings.
• Comic frugality: Ye Qiu’s petty bargaining provides a light counterpoint to the escalating violence and political hostility.

Key plot points and events

• The Purple River Realm’s disciples arrive in Canglan and mock its people. Their leader, Xin Gu, leers at Lu Li, prompting Ye Qiu to step between them and demand his name.
• Xin Gu attacks, but Ye Qiu catches his punch and kills him with a single blow. When other Purple River disciples charge, Ye Qiu kills them just as effortlessly, mocking their earlier talk of “perspective.”
• Ye Qiu continues fighting through the group, killing eleven disciples in total. He then challenges the Purple River Master, Ren Xing, with the same taunt.
• Ye Qiu asks Yue Chong, the Purple River Realm’s exceptionally accomplished chief, his name, then kills him with a single slash from the Broken Saber.
• Ren Xing’s shock turns to rage and fear. He resolves to kill Ye Qiu before Canglan can rise again.
• As Ren Xing advances, Lu Li joins Ye Qiu and declares, “Slaughter a realm first.” With a finger used like a sword, she kills Ren Xing and destroys the mountain behind him.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qiu shifts from controlled defiance to overwhelming violence, proving the Purple River disciples’ contempt misplaced. He protects Lu Li, dispatches their strongest fighters, and uses their “perspective” taunt to humiliate Ren Xing.
• Lu Li is first targeted by Xin Gu’s lustful attention, which Ye Qiu blocks. She later takes decisive action herself, ending the confrontation with a single devastating strike.
• Ren Xing goes from smug superiority to disbelief, fear, and murderous determination as Ye Qiu dismantles his forces. Lu Li kills him before he can act.
• The Purple River disciples and elders lose their confidence as Ye Qiu’s attacks expose the gap between their arrogance and their actual strength.

Significant themes

• Arrogance overturned: The Purple River Realm’s mockery is answered by the destruction of its elite.
• Power and deterrence: Ye Qiu’s strength demonstrates that Canglan should not be underestimated; Ren Xing fears its possible resurgence.
• Protection and agency: Ye Qiu shields Lu Li from Xin Gu, but Lu Li ultimately proves herself a formidable force in her own right.
• Reversal of humiliation: The repeated “perspective?” taunt turns the Purple River Realm’s condescension back on its leaders.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Li kills the Purple River Master with a single finger-sword strike, destroying him and the mountain behind him. His death leaves the Purple River Realm’s forces stunned and without their strongest defender.
• At Lu Li’s prompting, Nie Chong, Lin Cang, and the others attack and wipe out the Purple River Realm. An elder’s appeal to the realm’s alliance with the Archaic Realm only makes the attackers more determined, since Lu Li has already slain a member of that realm’s ruling family.
• Lu Li, Nan Qingyue, and Ye Qiu leave the battle to the others. The victors claim the defeated realm’s treasures, but Lu Li takes nothing, considering them beneath her.
• Lu Li tells Ye Qiu she may give him the entire Mortal World, not just Canglan—making clear that destroying the Purple River Realm is only the first step.
• After a journey of three days and two nights, the group reaches the Ascension Platform beneath Heaven’s Gate, where the Mortal World has gathered for Heaven’s Chosen.

Character developments

• Lu Li displays overwhelming, seemingly effortless power. She remains calm after killing the Purple River Master and appears focused on Heaven’s Gate rather than the riches or opponents around her. Her remarks reveal ambitions far beyond Canglan.
• Ye Qiu is increasingly unsettled by the mysterious force within Lu Li. His divine sense cannot identify its source, and Lu Li offers only the assurance, “I can handle it.”
• Nie Chong and his allies move decisively once Lu Li removes the Purple River Master, turning their fear into an offensive that annihilates the realm’s remaining forces.

Character interactions

• Lu Li casually orders Nie Chong and the others to continue the attack, treating the destruction of a realm as a straightforward task.
• Ye Qiu questions Lu Li about her power, but she avoids explaining it and turns her attention toward Heaven’s Gate.
• At the Ascension Platform, Canglan’s enemies—including the Archaic Realm, hostile Mortal World powers, and the wounded Head Dean Mu and Lou Bandao—regard the newcomers with hostility. Powerful figures from the Upper Realm study Lu Li, but she ignores them.

Significant themes

• Escalating ambition: Lu Li frames the Purple River Realm’s destruction as only a beginning, suggesting a campaign to reshape or conquer the Mortal World.
• Power and helplessness: The Purple River Master’s instant death demonstrates how completely the balance of power has shifted.
• Mystery and restraint: Lu Li’s strength remains unexplained, while even powerful observers can only sense that she is extraordinary.
• Rivalry and revenge: Existing conflicts among Canglan, the Archaic Realm, and other powers are brought to the forefront as the gathering at Heaven’s Gate begins.

Key events

• Before Heaven’s Gate, Lu Li studies its ancient patterns until he seems to find something, then withdraws with Ye Qiu to sit quietly away from the crowd.
• Lu Li hints that he will have to leave for a while after they reach the Upper Realm. When Ye Qiu asks how he can help, Lu Li tells him simply to look after himself.
• The two share a tender conversation about their relationship and Lu Li’s fears while he is away. Their intimacy is soon undercut by playful arguments about Ye Qiu supposedly visiting brothels and flirting with other women.
• Lu Li sets increasingly permissive “rules” for Ye Qiu, insisting he find company while he is gone but remain restrained. When Ye Qiu promises only not to neglect himself, Lu Li declares that he has failed the test and walks off toward Nan Qingyue.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Li reveals a vulnerable side beneath his usual commanding manner. He is anxious about leaving, uncertain whether Ye Qiu will still want him, and afraid Ye Qiu will act recklessly in his absence. He seeks reassurance through teasing tests, while concealing his own sadness.
• Ye Qiu wants to support Lu Li but feels powerless because Lu Li will not explain what is troubling him. He reassures him that he no longer wants to leave, though his joking admission that he “wouldn’t dare” prompts Lu Li to recognize his commitment.
• Their exchanges show deep affection and familiarity, but also their contrasting ways of handling insecurity: Lu Li tests and jokes, while Ye Qiu responds earnestly and often misses the trap. Brother Snake’s bad advice about women makes the comic misunderstandings worse.

Significant themes

• Love and separation: Their quiet moment is shaped by Lu Li’s impending departure and their fear of being apart.
• Vulnerability beneath bravado: Lu Li’s usual confidence gives way to worry and nearly shed tears.
• Communication and trust: Ye Qiu wants to help, but Lu Li withholds the cause of his distress; their teasing becomes a way to seek reassurance.
• Humor and intimacy: Their mock arguments about other women balance the chapter’s melancholy and demonstrate how comfortable they are with one another.

Plot and events

• At dawn, Lu Li heads toward Nan Qingyue while Ye Qiu follows, still trying to learn what Lu Li intends to do. Brother Snake suggests she is planning something unprecedented, but refuses to explain further.
• Ye Qiu reunites with his old companions at the Grand Plaza: Wu Xiaokai, Yuan Gang, Luo Ling, Lin Xiaoyu, Chen Luolan, Li Zhenzhen, and members of Mount Mei. They exchange warm greetings and recall their shared history.
• Yuan Gang complains that Wu Xiaokai advances effortlessly despite doing little, while Yuan Gang’s own hard work and suffering have brought slower progress. Ye Qiu jokes that he will help settle the score later.
• The fatty tells Chen Luolan that Lin Sisi will be his future sister-in-law. Chen Luolan recognizes Lin Sisi as the Pill Tower’s highly prestigious princess and heir, and knocks the fatty aside for his presumptuousness.
• Ye Qiu asks Wu Xiaokai to cheer up Lu Li. Lu Li and Nan Qingyue promptly send him flying, though the incident seems to relieve Lu Li’s anger. Lu Li then takes Ye Qiu’s hand and asks him to avoid talking to Wu Xiaokai. Ye Qiu obeys—and later tells Wu Xiaokai, “My wife won’t let me talk to you.”
• As Lu Li examines Heaven’s Gate, it activates. A golden stairway descends from the gate to the plaza, joining heaven and earth. A figure begins to emerge, first revealing a snow-white boot.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qiu and Lu Li: Ye Qiu realizes Lu Li has deliberately kept her plans from him by steering their conversation elsewhere. Though he remains puzzled, he accepts her wishes; their playful reconciliation ends with her taking his hand.
• Lu Li and Nan Qingyue: Nan Qingyue is ready to fight, but both women welcome Wu Xiaokai before sending him away. Lu Li’s anger appears to ease afterward.
• Ye Qiu and his friends: The reunion highlights the group’s affection and familiarity. Yuan Gang’s jealousy of Wu Xiaokai is affectionate rather than hostile, and Ye Qiu responds with humor.
• Chen Luolan and the fatty: Their sibling bond is lively and teasing, but Chen Luolan forcefully corrects his wildly unrealistic hopes about Lin Sisi.
• Wu Xiaokai: His strength and cultivation have grown remarkably, consistent with his Barbarian Blood inheritance, but his exuberant, clingy behavior has not changed.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and gratitude: Ye Qiu warmly acknowledges the people who risked themselves for him, especially Mei Xianzhi and the Mount Mei disciples.
• Friendship and reunion: The companions’ easy banter and mutual concern restore the feeling of their former life in Central Province.
• Affection expressed through teasing and conflict: Jealous complaints, scolding, and comic roughhousing coexist with genuine care.
• A looming transformation: The Heaven-Ascending Ladder’s appearance signals a major supernatural event, ending the chapter on a cliffhanger.

Key plot points and events

• A group emerges from Heaven’s Gate, led by a strikingly beautiful, white-clad envoy whose boots never touch the ground. His appearance and contempt for the Mortal World make the gathering uneasy.
• Ye Qiu notices the envoy’s androgynous appearance and crudely remarks that he has no breasts. Lu Li and Nan Qingyue chide him.
• When the Archaic Realm’s Great Elder welcomes the envoy as a “young lady,” the envoy kills him with a single slap, then calmly wipes his hand. His rough, masculine voice reveals that he is a man: Zhao Junlin of the Martial Tower.
• The Archaic Realm’s Second Elder, hoping to replace the man who died, quickly takes over the welcoming duties. He carefully prepares a jade seat, but Zhao Junlin sits in a different one. Zhao’s followers also remain standing after he signals them to.
• Tuoba Shifang, the Ten Directions Divine King and lord of the Archaic Realm, arrives with his grandson, Tuoba Wudi. They address Zhao Junlin respectfully. Zhao dismisses Tuoba Wudi’s supposed genius with a contemptuous smile but permits him to stand nearby.
• Tuoba Shifang confirms that the Second Elder will become Great Elder. He and Tuoba Wudi then look toward the Canglan Realm with the apparent confidence of men expecting to see the dead.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhao Junlin is introduced as powerful, arrogant, fastidious, and quick to punish perceived disrespect. Even senior figures from the Archaic Realm defer to him.
• The Second Elder opportunistically benefits from the Great Elder’s death and conceals his satisfaction behind a show of humility.
• Tuoba Shifang remains composed and politically shrewd, while Tuoba Wudi stays expressionless despite Zhao’s dismissive judgment.
• Ye Qiu responds to the dramatic arrival with irreverent humor, prompting teasing looks from Lu Li and Nan Qingyue.

Significant themes

• The scene emphasizes the stark hierarchy between the Upper Realm and the Mortal World: Zhao Junlin’s followers and the Archaic Realm’s leaders all defer to him.
• Power enables arbitrary violence; a mistaken form of address costs the Great Elder his life.
• Ambition and self-interest surface beneath displays of loyalty, as the Second Elder immediately profits from his superior’s death.
• The chapter’s humor—especially the mistaken assumption about Zhao Junlin’s gender—contrasts with the menace surrounding the visitors and the apparent threat to the Canglan Realm.

Plot points and events

• The Archaic Realm and its allies look down on Canglan, expecting its remaining Fortune to disappear and the Archaic Realm to dominate the Mortal World. Lu Li and Ye Qiu’s recent defeat of Tuoba Yin—and Lu Li’s destruction of Tuoba Shifang’s Dharma Form—has deeply offended them.
• Canglan’s leaders remain untroubled, confident in Lu Li’s strength. Meanwhile, the Upper Realm’s envoys arrive, but several expected allies treat Canglan coldly: the Pill Tower’s representative rebuffs Lin Cang, the Sword Sect ignores Nie Chong, the Star Pavilion sends no one, and the Li Family is absent.
• Li Xingchen grows anxious because his family had promised to visit him but has not appeared in ten years. Ye Qiu also searches for Nalan Xiu, his connection at the Great Dao Academy, but she is not among the envoys.
• Ye Qiu suspects Lu Li has an ally in the Upper Realm. Lu Li confirms that someone has come, but keeps their identity secret. He tells Ye Qiu that the Upper Realm’s people are as easy to crush as ants and gives him full authority to act.
• Once the envoys have settled, Heaven’s Gate begins to shake violently. Thunder pours through it and shakes Beneath Heaven, while the gate’s light grows brighter. The Upper Realm envoys react with alarm and excitement, signaling that a major event is beginning.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Li remains calm and confident despite the hostile gathering. His assurance gives Ye Qiu permission to disregard the Upper Realm’s authority.
• Ye Qiu is wary of the unusual behavior of the envoys and worried by Nalan Xiu’s absence, but Lu Li’s confidence steadies him.
• Li Xingchen shifts from anticipation to distress over his family’s failure to appear; Nie Chong’s blunt suggestion that they may have abandoned him earns an eye-roll but intensifies his unease.
• Nie Chong and Lin Cang recognize that the Upper Realm’s representatives are acting unexpectedly and suspect something has changed.
• Canglan’s leaders contrast sharply with the surrounding realms: rather than courting the powerful envoys, they trust Lu Li and refuse to be intimidated.

Significant themes

• Power and shifting allegiance: Other realms court the Archaic Realm, while Canglan’s confidence rests on Lu Li rather than Upper Realm approval.
• Abandonment and uncertainty: Li Xingchen’s missing family and Ye Qiu’s absent contact reflect the personal anxieties beneath the political tensions.
• Hidden forces and foreshadowing: The envoys’ coldness and Heaven’s Gate’s extraordinary thunder suggest that a larger change in the Upper Realm’s power dynamics is underway.

Key plot points and events

• A tremendous thunderclap shakes Beneath Heaven, injuring many and suppressing even powerful bloodlines and defenses. Wu Xiaokai cannot summon his Barbarian Emperor bloodline phantom, Yuan Gang’s Great Peng hides, and other gifted cultivators are similarly overwhelmed.
• The spectacle also unsettles Upper Realm figures. Zhao Junlin rises with awe, while Ye Qiu is shaken by the brilliant Heaven’s Gate. Lu Li and Nan Qingyue remain composed.
• Lu Li tells Ye Qiu that the thunder is a profound soundwave technique and advises him to use it to deepen his own Sound Wave ability. Ye Qiu follows the thunder’s rhythm and perceives a towering, lightning-wreathed figure. He recognizes the inheritance as Thunder God’s Wrath, a Divine Emperor Dao rather than a Mortal World inheritance.
• Ye Qiu’s comprehension deepens rapidly: the thunder becomes a source of insight instead of pain, clarifying cultivation questions and accelerating his bloodline’s progress. Nan Qingyue privately resents how quickly he succeeds.
• After nearly a cup of tea, a gigantic figure emerges from Heaven’s Gate and descends directly onto the Ascension Platform. His arrival instantly silences the thunder and presses everyone beneath an overwhelming aura.
• The Martial Tower’s white-robed leader and his followers, along with representatives of other Upper Realm factions, bow in reverence. They identify the visitor as the Martial Ancestor, master of the Martial Tower.

Character developments

• Ye Qiu demonstrates exceptional perception, turning a terrifying phenomenon into an opportunity to comprehend a powerful Upper Realm inheritance.
• Lu Li acts as Ye Qiu’s guide and recognizes his extraordinary talent.
• Nan Qingyue remains poised but is frustrated that Ye Qiu succeeds where she could not.
• The Upper Realm figures, especially Zhao Junlin, reveal the depth of their reverence for the Martial Ancestor.

Significant themes

• Finding understanding amid chaos: Ye Qiu discovers a Dao by focusing beyond fear and interference.
• Mentorship and talent: Lu Li’s brief guidance helps unlock Ye Qiu’s potential.
• Hierarchy and awe: The Martial Ancestor’s arrival silences even the thunder and commands respect from the most powerful figures present.
• Power’s effect on others: The thunder suppresses bloodlines and defenses, while the Martial Ancestor’s presence overwhelms the entire gathering.

Character interactions

• Lu Li advises Ye Qiu and watches his insight develop with approval.
• Nan Qingyue compares her failed attempt with Ye Qiu’s success and silently calls him a “bastard.”
• Ye Qiu dismisses Nan Qingyue’s reaction and focuses on mastering the thunder.
• Zhao Junlin leads the Martial Tower’s people in welcoming the Martial Ancestor, while other Upper Realm factions show their respect by rising and waiting reverently.

Plot points

• The Martial Ancestor’s immense black statue descends onto the Ascension Platform, altering the Laws around it. The Upper Realm’s leaders bow to it, revealing that the Martial Tower’s founder has become the apparent winner in a larger struggle among the powers ruling the heavens.
• The Canglan Realm’s people fear this shift in power. Past descents of statues belonging to the Great Dao Master and Star Master had signaled major changes; now the Martial Ancestor’s arrival suggests the Martial Tower and Archaic Realm may dominate the Mortal and Upper Realms.
• Lu Li remains focused on Heaven’s Gate and shows no interest in the statue, reinforcing her contempt for the Martial Tower.
• When Lou Lin of the Great Dao Academy proposes beginning, Zhao Junlin refuses and declares that the Martial Tower controls the proceedings. He threatens to cancel Heaven’s Chosen or close Heaven’s Gate, potentially trapping everyone in the Mortal World.
• Lou Lin is furious but does not dare challenge Zhao. He eventually turns his anger toward Ye Qiu and Lu Li and advances on them.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Li stays composed amid the upheaval, demonstrating confidence and defiance through her indifference to the Martial Ancestor.
• Zhao Junlin becomes openly domineering, using the statue’s arrival and the Martial Tower’s control of Heaven’s Gate to humiliate Lou Lin and intimidate the other Upper Realm factions.
• Lou Lin shifts from formal authority to barely restrained anger. Despite his family’s elevated status, he submits to Zhao’s threats, then seeks another target for his frustration.
• The Upper Realm leaders and Canglan observers respond with fear and caution, recognizing how much the balance of power may have changed.

Significant themes

• Power and political subordination: The Martial Tower’s new advantage lets it dictate terms to rival factions.
• Changing fortunes: The descending statue signals a possible reversal in the long struggle among the great powers, threatening Canglan’s remaining hope.
• Defiance under pressure: Lu Li’s calm refusal to acknowledge the statue contrasts with the crowd’s fear and Zhao Junlin’s aggression.
• Pride and humiliation: Lou Lin’s status cannot protect him from public degradation when the Martial Tower holds decisive power.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Li studies Heaven’s Gate until she appears to confirm something she had been repeatedly checking. Satisfied, she takes Ye Qiu’s hand and leaves with him and Nan Qingyue.
• Lou Lin confronts Lu Li over Meng Chen’s death, but she ignores him. Nan Qingyue answers for her, then strikes Lou Bandao and forces the Lou Family Leader back when they threaten her.
• Ancestor Mu accuses Ye Qiu and his allies of causing chaos in Canglan and killing an Upper Realm God King. Ye Qiu counters that, at Heaven’s Chosen, they all represent Canglan: internal grudges should not undermine the realm while it faces outside threats.
• Nan Qingyue backs Ye Qiu’s argument, though she forgets what she meant to say and settles for declaring that he is right.
• Lou Lin and the Upper Realm delegation are left waiting while the dispute unfolds. As Lou Lin is about to retaliate, Zhao Junlin announces that the proceedings can begin.

Character developments

• Lu Li moves from uncertainty to conviction after examining Heaven’s Gate. Her decision to leave with Ye Qiu suggests she is ready to act without further hesitation.
• Ye Qiu argues that loyalty to Canglan must take precedence over settling internal scores, presenting himself as a defender of the realm’s shared interests.
• Nan Qingyue shows fearless loyalty to her companions, physically confronting their opponents and supporting Ye Qiu’s reasoning.
• Ancestor Mu is silenced by Ye Qiu’s appeal to their common responsibility to Canglan, despite his ambition to regain influence there.
• Lou Lin grows increasingly furious as the group ignores his authority and the Upper Realm delegation’s presence.

Significant themes

• Unity against external danger: The chapter argues that a realm’s survival requires its people to set aside internal rivalries.
• Responsibility and loyalty: Characters debate whether past wrongdoing matters more than their duty to represent Canglan.
• Power, pride, and humiliation: Lou Lin’s sense of authority is challenged, while Nan Qingyue and Ye Qiu refuse to be intimidated.
• Certainty after scrutiny: Lu Li’s repeated examination of Heaven’s Gate reflects the importance—and difficulty—of reaching a conclusion she can trust.

Character interactions

• Nan Qingyue acts as Lu Li’s shield, rebuffing Lou Lin and striking down Lou Bandao and the Lou Family Leader.
• Ye Qiu and Nan Qingyue trade turns confronting Ancestor Mu, with Nan Qingyue humorously admitting that Ye Qiu’s argument is right.
• Lu Li’s quiet decision to leave hand in hand with Ye Qiu contrasts with the heated argument behind them.
• The Upper Realm delegation is effectively snubbed until Zhao Junlin finally redirects attention to the event.

Key plot points and events

• Zhao Junlin takes control of the Heaven’s Chosen selection, declaring that only ten contestants will qualify. They must seize one of ten numbered golden banners, with higher-ranked banners carrying better rewards. Any method is allowed.
• The Martial Tower elder follows Zhao’s instructions, while other Mortal Worlds accept the contest as a formality. The Archaic Realm expects to dominate, and its rivals are ordered to avoid challenging for the top places.
• As the Archaic Realm’s disciples delay, Ye Qiu acts first. He speeds onto the stage, pulls up all ten banners, and returns to Canglan’s camp before anyone can respond.
• Ye Qiu insists that he has won under the announced rules, then declares, “Canglan takes first place!”

Character developments

• Zhao Junlin reinforces his authority and showmanship by imposing his own format on the selection.
• Ye Qiu proves quick-thinking and audacious, exploiting the rules rather than accepting the political expectations surrounding the contest.
• The Archaic Realm’s disciples, led by Tuoba Wudi, are shown as smug and complacent, confident that others will defer to them.

Significant themes

• Power and intimidation: Other realms comply with the Archaic Realm’s demands because they fear the consequences of resistance.
• Rules versus expectations: Ye Qiu follows the literal rules while overturning the outcome everyone assumed was predetermined.
• Courage and initiative: Canglan’s unexpected move challenges the larger powers’ control of the event.

Character interactions

• Zhao Junlin directs the selection, and the Martial Tower elder carefully accommodates him.
• The Archaic Realm’s confidence keeps other factions from acting—until Ye Qiu breaks the stalemate.
• Ye Qiu challenges the elder and Zhao Junlin to dispute his victory, then rallies his stunned Canglan companions with his declaration.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qiu reveals that he has taken all ten Great Banners and argues that he has won fairly because the contest imposed no restrictions on methods.
• Zhao Junlin accepts his claim but adds a one-hour time limit, making the banners fair game until then.
• When an Archaic Realm disciple mocks Ye Qiu, Ye Qiu kills him instantly. The rest of the Archaic Realm group charges in.
• Ye Qiu asks to settle the rules, but a Divine Spirit-level disciple attacks anyway. Ye Qiu overwhelms him with two punches, stunning the crowd.
• Ye Qiu realizes the fight is awakening a second stage of his Bloodline and that his strength exceeds his expectations.
• He then shatters another attacker’s sword with his fist, catches up to the man as he retreats, and kills him with a final punch.

Character developments

• Ye Qiu is shown as brazen, quick-witted, and ruthless. He uses the contest’s rules to secure the banners, then meets challenges with overwhelming force. His growing strength—and the Bloodline’s new advancement—surprises even him.
• Zhao Junlin remains amused and in control, changing the contest’s terms by imposing a time limit that invites the others to attack Ye Qiu.
• The Archaic Realm disciples display strong solidarity, rushing to avenge their fallen comrade, but their confidence gives way to caution once Ye Qiu demonstrates his power.

Significant themes

• Rules and loopholes: Ye Qiu exploits the contest’s lack of restrictions, while Zhao Junlin shows that those in power can alter the terms.
• Strength and intimidation: Ye Qiu’s brutal victories shift the crowd’s view of him from audacious schemer to formidable opponent.
• Unity and factional loyalty: The Archaic Realm’s immediate response to an attack highlights its cohesion, contrasted with the weaker collective reaction among Ye Qiu’s allies.
• Power awakening: The battle triggers a further Bloodline breakthrough, suggesting Ye Qiu’s abilities are still developing.

Character interactions

• Ye Qiu trades barbed arguments with an Archaic Realm disciple who accuses him of cheating; Ye Qiu counters that he followed the stated rules.
• He confirms his victory with Zhao Junlin, who accepts it but adds the one-hour condition.
• The Archaic Realm disciples attack in response to their comrades’ deaths, while Ye Qiu’s repeated, decisive blows silence both his opponents and the watching crowd.

Key plot points and events

• After killing three Archaic Realm disciples, Ye Qiu challenges the remaining fighters to face him one at a time, turning their desire to display the Archaic Realm’s dominance against them.
• A towering disciple accepts and lets Ye Qiu strike first. Ye Qiu’s punch breaks against the man’s aura, and the disciple remains almost unmoved, briefly making the crowd fear how powerful the Archaic Realm has become.
• Ye Qiu attacks again with the Broken Saber. Its blood-red slash cleaves the tall man in two.
• Another Archaic Realm disciple charges, but Ye Qiu kills him with a sudden blade strike before he can reach his target.
• Ye Qiu faces the remaining Archaic Realm fighters and asks, “Is that all?”

Character developments

• Ye Qiu moves from proving himself in combat to openly humiliating the Archaic Realm’s claim to supremacy. When his punch fails, he adapts by using the Broken Saber, revealing that his greatest threat is not just his physical strength but his lethal swordsmanship.
• The Archaic Realm disciples shift from fury and confidence to shock and frustration as their numbers—and their prestige—are cut down.
• Wu Xiaokai, Yuan Gang, and the allied sects watch with concern at first, then see Ye Qiu’s strength exceed even their growing expectations.

Significant themes

• Pride and its consequences: The tall disciple’s arrogance leaves him vulnerable, and Ye Qiu’s warning to stop showing off proves fatal.
• Strength and reputation: The Archaic Realm wants to establish rule through a public display of power, but Ye Qiu’s victories undermine that claim.
• Adaptability and hidden ability: Ye Qiu responds to a failed punch by changing tactics and unleashing the Broken Saber.
• Defiance of supremacy: His repeated question, “Is that all?”, challenges the Archaic Realm’s self-image as the Mortal World’s unrivaled power.

Character interactions

• Ye Qiu taunts the Archaic Realm into accepting one-on-one duels, appealing to its need for prestige.
• The tall disciple answers with condescending confidence, inviting Ye Qiu to attack; Ye Qiu warns him against showing off before killing him.
• The watching Canglan disciples and allied sects react with concern and astonishment, while the Archaic Realm fighters respond with anger, then disbelief.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qiu reveals the evolved form of his Void Rend, a self-forged blade technique with a lethal effective range of three zhang. He uses it to kill an Archaic Realm fighter in one strike, then challenges the realm’s remaining combatants.
• When they hesitate, Ye Qiu charges into their ranks with Dragon’s Passage, cutting down fighters as he presses forward. His power and momentum grow with each battle, driven by his surging Bloodline and Valor.
• An Archaic Realm woman with the Heaven Soul Body attacks his mind. Ye Qiu withstands the assault and answers with a single shouted word, “Scram!” His mental power overwhelms hers, destroys her Sea of Consciousness, and kills her.
• Canglan’s fighters and spectators repeatedly hail Ye Qiu as “Ye Huang,” while people from other mortal worlds watch in awe.

Character developments

• Ye Qiu demonstrates that he has gone beyond copying established techniques: he has developed Void Rend into a distinctive style of his own. His confidence, battle prowess, and authority grow as his blade and strength intensify through combat.
• Canglan’s disciples and allies shift from fearing the Archaic Realm to openly admiring and rallying behind Ye Qiu.
• Nan Qingyue recognizes that Ye Qiu has established an authority of his own, one she believes will endure even without her support.
• Li Xingchen is impressed and resolves that he must become Ye Qiu’s brother.

Significant themes

• Forging one’s own path: Ye Qiu builds on what he learned and creates a technique uniquely his own.
• Courage grows through action: The more Ye Qiu fights, the braver and stronger he becomes.
• Defiance against domination: The Archaic Realm’s attempt to impose its might is met with Ye Qiu’s refusal to yield.
• Reputation and collective hope: Ye Qiu’s victories transform fear into pride and give Canglan a figure around whom its people can unite.

Character interactions

• Ye Qiu’s repeated “Next” directly challenges the Archaic Realm and emboldens Canglan’s supporters.
• His battlefield victories inspire his companions, including Wu Xiaokai, Yuan Gang, Chen Luolan, and others, while even Li Xingchen watches with admiration.
• The Heaven Soul woman attempts to defeat Ye Qiu through a mental attack; he turns the confrontation around and kills her, prompting the crowd’s loudest celebration yet.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qiu kills an Archaic Realm woman with his powerful spiritual attacks and Thunder Dragon Fury. She was one of the realm’s three strongest young cultivators and had been selected by the Martial Tower.
• Furious, Archaic Realm Lord Tuoba Shifang orders Ye Qiu killed. Tuoba Wudi, his grandson and the realm’s strongest young fighter, reveals that he has reached the Divine Being realm—far beyond Ye Qiu’s ability to defeat.
• Lu Li takes Ye Qiu’s Broken Saber and steps forward to face Tuoba Wudi. Though the saber resists him, Lu Li forces his cultivation into it and delivers an apparently ordinary slash.
• Tuoba Wudi explodes before anyone can even see the saber’s light. The strike collapses the Void, creating a vortex that kills several nearby Archaic Realm disciples.
• When Tuoba Shifang protests, Lu Li calmly sweeps the saber again, killing every Archaic Realm disciple in sight, and openly dares the lord to challenge him.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qiu’s exceptional mastery of spiritual power and sound-based techniques is confirmed, but he recognizes that Tuoba Wudi’s Divine Being cultivation makes him unbeatable.
• Lu Li shifts from silent observer to decisive protector, taking Ye Qiu’s place and using the Broken Saber despite its resistance and the risk of backlash.
• Tuoba Wudi’s confidence and contempt for Ye Qiu and Lu Li end abruptly with his instant death. Tuoba Shifang’s grief and rage turn into shock as Lu Li demonstrates overwhelming power.
• The Canglan group’s fear causes them to retreat, while the Archaic Realm mistakes their caution for cowardice.

Significant themes

• Power beyond appearances: Lu Li’s unremarkable-looking slash proves far deadlier than Tuoba Wudi expects.
• Arrogance and reversal: The Archaic Realm’s confidence collapses when its strongest young fighter is killed without warning.
• Loyalty and protection: Lu Li steps in when Ye Qiu cannot win, taking on the danger himself.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Li devastates the Archaic Realm with two saber strikes: the first wipes out its gathered disciples, including those chosen to compete for the Battle Flag; the second kills several powerful elders. He challenges Tuoba Shifang to respond.
• Tuoba Shifang, the formidable Ten Directions Divine King, is consumed by grief and rage as he realizes the Archaic Realm’s future and its hopes of becoming the Mortal World’s overlord have been destroyed.
• Lu Li calls Tuoba Shifang an “old dog” and threatens to slaughter another realm. Li Xingchen seizes the moment, rallies Canglan’s forces, and charges the Archaic Realm.
• Nie Chong follows, then the Sword Sect, Pill Tower, Beast Valley, and Star Pavilion join the attack. Canglan begins pressing the Archaic Realm hard.
• Zhao Junlin and other Mortal World factions remain on the sidelines. They see an opportunity to profit if Canglan and the Archaic Realm exhaust or destroy one another.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Li displays overwhelming power and refuses to show deference to Tuoba Shifang or the Martial Tower. His blunt insults turn a demonstration of strength into an open declaration of hostility.
• Tuoba Shifang shifts from stunned disbelief to uncontrollable fury. Though he had previously subordinated himself to Upper Realm authority, the Archaic Realm’s near-destruction leaves him unable to yield.
• Li Xingchen proves bold and politically astute: he waits until Lu Li appears safe, then commits to the attack, recognizing that the risk is worth taking. Ye Qiu privately mocks his opportunism but acknowledges his courage.
• Nie Chong follows Li Xingchen out of both strategic judgment and personal attachment, having raised him for ten years. His move prompts the other major Canglan groups to act.
• Zhao Junlin watches with interest rather than helping Tuoba Shifang, underscoring the Archaic Realm’s isolation. Other factions likewise prioritize their own chances over its survival.

Significant themes

• Power and defiance: Lu Li’s strength lets him reject established hierarchies and openly challenge both Tuoba Shifang and the Upper Realm’s influence.
• Pragmatism versus loyalty: Li Xingchen acts on opportunity, while Nie Chong is also moved by a bond built over years; the Canglan groups’ choices mix calculation with allegiance.
• Political self-interest: The other factions withhold aid because the Archaic Realm’s decline could create room for them to rise.
• Fortune and downfall: The Archaic Realm’s lost disciples and elders represent the collapse of its accumulated power and prospects, leaving its bid for supremacy nearly impossible.

Key plot points and events

• The Canglan Realm takes control of the battle, while the Archaic Realm—having lost key disciples and Divine Beings—faces defeat.
• Desperate to preserve what remains of his realm, Tuoba Shifang confronts Lu Li. Zhao Junlin, watching from the sidelines, tells him to leave her alive because he wants to possess and control her.
• Lu Li overwhelms Tuoba despite his escalating efforts: he releases his full power, pushes beyond his limits, and burns his source, yet her successive saber strikes keep driving him back.
• Lu Li severs both of Tuoba’s arms, then ignores Zhao Junlin’s order to stop. Her ninth and tenth strikes merge into one blow that decapitates Tuoba; she then destroys his body completely.
• The battlefield falls silent. Lu Li turns to Zhao Junlin and deliberately challenges him: “You have a problem?”

Character developments

• Lu Li reveals overwhelming power and absolute resolve. She refuses to be restrained by Zhao Junlin’s command and openly provokes him afterward.
• Tuoba Shifang, once regarded as the Mortal World’s strongest man, shifts from confidence and desperation to disbelief and fear before being killed.
• Zhao Junlin moves from amused confidence to astonishment and fascination with Lu Li, then becomes irritated when she refuses to obey him.

Character interactions

• Zhao Junlin treats Lu Li as someone he intends to own and control, ordering Tuoba to spare her.
• Tuoba attacks Lu Li, but she steadily crushes his resistance and ultimately kills him.
• Zhao Junlin attempts to stop Lu Li’s final attack, but she disregards him entirely and challenges him directly.

Significant themes

• Power and reversal: The apparent victor’s advantage collapses as Lu Li changes the course of the battle.
• Defiance and autonomy: Lu Li rejects being treated as property or controlled by those claiming authority.
• The collapse of reputation: Tuoba’s title as the strongest man in the Mortal World proves meaningless against Lu Li’s strength.