Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Opening the Simulation”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ming, a transmigrator in the Canglan Realm, has spent five years in the Qingyun Sect after joining at age twelve.
• He is discovered to possess a Five-Element Mixed Spirit Root, leaving him with almost no cultivation potential and relegating him to the status of a Menial Disciple.
• After remaining stuck at the first level of Qi Refining for years, Su Ming angrily curses his bad luck and unexpectedly activates a Life Simulator.
• The simulator allows him to:
  • Experience possible future lives.
  • Randomly obtain talents of varying grades.
  • Bring selected rewards—such as cultivation, talents, or experiences—back into reality.
  • Complete system tasks to gain additional simulation attempts.

First simulation

• Su Ming receives the White Talent Big Eater, which converts food into a small amount of spiritual energy.
• He gradually reaches the third level of Qi Refining.
• Menial Disciple Wang Hao repeatedly extorts his monthly Spirit Stones.
• Su Ming eventually ambushes and kills Wang Hao, then buries the body.
• A mysterious person, apparently Wang Hao’s brother, later kills Su Ming in retaliation.
• Su Ming selects the simulated Qi Refining Third Layer as his reward, immediately advancing in reality.

Second simulation

• Su Ming obtains the Purple Talent Innate Spirit Body, greatly improving his cultivation speed and compensating for his poor Spirit Root.
• He cautiously avoids provoking Wang Hao and steadily advances through the Qi Refining stages.
• He becomes an Outer Disciple after attracting the attention of an Outer Deacon.
• By the fifteenth year, he reaches the tenth level of Qi Refining.
• He enters the Sect Grand Competition to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill, placing in the top ten.
• After consuming the pill under an Outer Elder’s supervision, he successfully breaks through to Foundation Establishment—but then loses consciousness and dies, leaving the cause unresolved.

2. Character Developments

• Su Ming: Initially frustrated, resentful, and convinced that the heavens have cheated him, he becomes more practical after gaining the simulator. His first simulation teaches him the dangers of acting without sufficient information or strength. In the second simulation, he develops patience, hides his abilities, avoids unnecessary conflict, and builds power methodically.
• Wang Hao: A stronger Menial Disciple who exploits weaker disciples by demanding their Spirit Stones. He serves as Su Ming’s first major obstacle and is killed in the first simulation.
• Wang Hao’s brother: Introduced as a dangerous and vengeful figure who possesses enough power to kill Su Ming effortlessly, establishing a threat beyond Wang Hao himself.
• The Qingyun Sect: Initially treats Su Ming as expendable labor, but later offers him opportunities and resources once his cultivation potential becomes apparent.

3. Significant Themes

• Fate versus opportunity: Su Ming’s poor Spirit Root appears to determine his future until the simulator creates new possibilities.
• The value of information: Simulation allows Su Ming to learn from future failures, particularly the consequences of killing Wang Hao without accounting for his family.
• Patience and concealment: The second simulation emphasizes lying low, hiding one’s true strength, and waiting until conditions are favorable.
• Unequal power structures: The sect’s hierarchy and Wang Hao’s extortion show how weaker cultivators are exploited.
• Growth through repeated failure: Death becomes a learning mechanism, allowing Su Ming to improve his choices and accumulate advantages.
• Uncertainty and danger: Even successful breakthroughs do not guarantee survival, as shown by Su Ming’s unexplained death immediately after Foundation Establishment.

4. Character Interactions

• Su Ming interacts with the silent simulator system, learning its rules and relying on it as his primary means of advancement.
• Wang Hao repeatedly pressures Su Ming for Spirit Stones, creating a conflict rooted in power imbalance.
• Su Ming attacks and kills Wang Hao in the first simulation, but this provokes retaliation from Wang Hao’s brother.
• In the second simulation, Su Ming deliberately avoids confronting Wang Hao, demonstrating a change from impulsive resistance to strategic restraint.
• An Outer Deacon recognizes Su Ming’s improved cultivation and recommends him for advancement, while an Outer Elder oversees the Foundation Establishment attempt—an interaction that ends in Su Ming’s mysterious death.

Chapter Summary: “Don’t Establish Foundation!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ming realizes that his sudden death in the previous simulation occurred immediately after he used a Foundation Establishment Pill and broke through, making the pill—or a trap prepared by the elder—the likely cause.
• He chooses the reward of Qi Refining Tenth Layer cultivation rather than the rare Innate Spirit Body, prioritizing immediate strength. His cultivation rises from the first to the tenth layer, making him exceptionally powerful for his age.
• Su Ming begins another simulation and receives the Innate Wisdom Root, greatly improving his comprehension.
• During the first year, he kills Wang Hao after Wang Hao attempts to extort spirit stones from him. He later kills Wang Hao’s supposed brother, who is only at the ninth Qi Refining layer.
• Over several years, Su Ming masters numerous techniques, including Fire Control, Water Control, and Sword Control.
• He avoids the Sect Grand Competition because winning would force him to consume a potentially dangerous Foundation Establishment Pill, while losing would provide no benefit.
• After five years, he exchanges his accumulated spirit stones for a Foundation Establishment Pill but wisely refuses to consume it immediately, recognizing that his unstable foundation would make the breakthrough fail.
• In the sixth year, he joins a mission to eliminate Demonic Cult disciples in the Qin Kingdom. Ten Outer Disciples accompany a powerful Foundation Establishment senior brother.
• The disciples are ordered to surround and attack an injured Foundation Establishment Demonic Cult cultivator. Five disciples die, but Su Ming kills the enemy with a precise Sword Control Technique strike.
• Before dying, the Demonic Cult cultivator warns them: “Before you awaken, never establish your foundation!”
• A veiled Demonic Cult woman then kills the supposedly superior Foundation Establishment Great Perfection senior brother with ease. Su Ming and the surviving disciples flee.
• The woman does not pursue them. Her pitying and regretful gaze, along with the dying cultivator’s warning, convinces Su Ming that the danger surrounding Foundation Establishment is far more complex than simple pill tampering.

Character Development

• Su Ming becomes more cautious, analytical, and decisive. He learns from his previous death and refuses to rush into Foundation Establishment.
• His new high cultivation and improved comprehension make him one of the strongest Outer Disciples.
• He grows more ruthless when necessary, killing threats such as Wang Hao and his brother before they can harm him.
• Despite his increased confidence, the Demonic Cult’s warning causes him to question what he knows about his own cultivation and possible hidden dangers.

Significant Themes

• The danger of blindly following authority: The elder’s instruction to consume the pill immediately appears suspicious, suggesting the sect may be concealing a deadly truth.
• Power versus understanding: Su Ming gains overwhelming strength but discovers that raw cultivation cannot explain the strange behavior of the Demonic Cult disciples.
• Hidden potential and awakening: The repeated phrase “before you awaken” hints that Su Ming, or cultivators like him, may possess a suppressed nature or power connected to Foundation Establishment.
• Caution and survival: Rather than pursuing rapid advancement, Su Ming prioritizes gathering information and avoiding a potentially fatal breakthrough.
• Moral ambiguity: The Demonic Cult disciples behave unexpectedly, showing pity toward Su Ming and sparing him, suggesting that the sect’s version of events may not be trustworthy.

Character Interactions

• Su Ming confronts and kills Wang Hao after Wang Hao demands spirit stones.
• He defeats Wang Hao’s brother, who comes seeking revenge but underestimates Su Ming.
• The Outer Disciples cooperate under the command of an Inner Sect senior brother during the Demonic Cult mission, though their attack results in heavy casualties.
• The dying Demonic Cult cultivator warns Su Ming and the others not to establish their foundations before awakening.
• The veiled Demonic Cult woman effortlessly kills the Inner Sect senior brother, then spares Su Ming and the surviving disciples while looking at them with pity and regret.
• These encounters deepen Su Ming’s suspicion that the sect, the Foundation Establishment Pills, and the Demonic Cult are connected by a hidden secret.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ming returns to the Azure Cloud Sect after a dangerous mission to suppress Foundation Establishment–level Demonic Cultivators. Although several disciples fled, he is the only one who comes back.
• The Third Elder questions him about the battle and asks whether the Demonic Dao woman said anything unusual. Su Ming conceals the warning he received from the other Demonic Cultivator: “Do not establish your foundation.”
• The elder warns him not to trust Demonic Cultivators but encourages him to break through to Foundation Establishment as soon as possible.
• Su Ming spends several years taking low-risk missions and saving spirit stones. He obtains a second Foundation Establishment Pill and eventually consumes both pills during his breakthrough attempt.
• He successfully reaches the Foundation Establishment Realm—but immediately loses consciousness and dies.
• After the simulation ends, Su Ming suspects that the sect’s Foundation Establishment Pills may be defective, especially because the Demonic Cultivators had warned him against breaking through.
• He considers purchasing pills elsewhere or refining them himself. Since he lacks alchemy skills, he selects the Orange Talent: Alchemy Prodigy in the next simulation.
• In the new simulation, Su Ming reveals his Great Perfection of Qi Refining cultivation to Wang Hao. Frightened, Wang Hao gives back the spirit stones he had extorted from Su Ming, and Su Ming spares him temporarily.
• Su Ming purchases a pill furnace, quietly gathers ingredients, and spends several years preparing to refine Foundation Establishment Pills himself.
• By the beginning of the fourth year, he successfully refines two batches and produces four Foundation Establishment Pills.

Character Development

• Su Ming becomes increasingly cautious and committed to the principle of keeping a low profile after witnessing the danger of confronting powerful Demonic Cultivators.
• Despite the ominous warning, he remains determined to pursue immortality and refuses to abandon Foundation Establishment.
• His unexplained death makes him more analytical and suspicious of the Azure Cloud Sect, particularly its pills and possibly its hidden motives.
• Su Ming also grows more calculating: rather than immediately killing Wang Hao, he exploits the man’s fear, takes his spirit stones, and postpones revenge until after reaching Foundation Establishment.
• His acquisition of the Alchemy Prodigy talent marks a shift from relying on sect resources to developing an independent path of cultivation.

Significant Themes

• Hidden danger beneath conventional cultivation: Foundation Establishment, presented as a normal and necessary milestone, may conceal a deadly secret.
• Suspicion and uncertainty: Su Ming must determine whether the danger comes from the breakthrough itself, the pills, or a larger conspiracy within the sect.
• Caution versus ambition: He wants to advance rapidly but recognizes that survival requires patience, secrecy, and preparation.
• Independence from institutions: Distrust of the sect’s pills pushes Su Ming toward self-sufficient alchemy.
• Revenge delayed for survival: Personal grudges, especially against Wang Hao and his brother, are subordinated to Su Ming’s long-term cultivation plans.

Character Interactions

• Su Ming and the Third Elder: The elder interrogates Su Ming about the failed mission, accepts his explanation, and advises him not to trust Demonic Cultivators while urging him to establish his foundation.
• Su Ming and the Demonic Cultivators: Their warning about Foundation Establishment becomes the central mystery after Su Ming dies immediately following his breakthrough.
• Su Ming and Wang Hao: Wang Hao initially pressures and extorts Su Ming, but panics after discovering Su Ming’s true cultivation level. Su Ming takes back the spirit stones and lets him live temporarily, intending to settle the score later.
• Su Ming and the Simulator: The Simulator provides the crucial Alchemy Prodigy talent, allowing him to pursue a possible solution to the Foundation Establishment Pill mystery.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ming attempts to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm using Foundation Establishment Pills. After three months of seclusion and consuming multiple pills, he begins to approach the breakthrough but is overwhelmed by an Inner Demon connected to visions from earlier simulations.
• While clearing his mind in the Azure Cloud Sect’s Back Mountain, Su Ming encounters a mysterious injured woman. He recognizes her as the Demonic Cultivator he met in a previous simulation, though she currently appears to be an Azure Cloud Sect disciple with only newly achieved Foundation Establishment cultivation.
• The woman’s presence raises several mysteries: why she is in the sect, how she will eventually become demonic, and why she is injured and secretly recovering in the Back Mountain.
• Su Ming resumes his breakthrough attempt and consumes the remaining Foundation Establishment Pills. He successfully reaches Foundation Establishment after two and a half months, but immediately senses danger, loses consciousness, and dies.
• From the available rewards, Su Ming chooses the orange talent Alchemy Prodigy, gaining exceptional aptitude in alchemy rather than selecting cultivation or pill-related rewards.
• Reflecting on his repeated deaths, Su Ming suspects that the problem lies not in his cultivation but in the Foundation Establishment Pills themselves. Since both sect-provided pills and pills he personally refined caused death, he theorizes that the source herbs may have been corrupted or fundamentally flawed.
• This creates a larger mystery: if Foundation Establishment Pills are defective and cause death, how have the sect’s Inner Sect Disciples successfully broken through?
• In the next simulation, Su Ming temporarily abandons Foundation Establishment and focuses entirely on alchemy. He kills Wang Hao when Wang Hao confronts him, taking his spirit stones.
• Over several years, Su Ming becomes a Pill Boy and secretly studies the Alchemy Hall’s pill recipes. When an elder discovers him, Su Ming proves his talent by refining two high-grade Foundation Establishment Pills.
• Impressed and threatened by the possibility of losing such an extraordinary talent, the elder takes Su Ming as a disciple and brings him into the Inner Sect ahead of schedule, despite Su Ming still being only at the Qi Refining Stage.
• Su Ming’s new master, Mo Chen, sends him to the Academy to deepen his alchemy knowledge. There, Su Ming notices someone familiar among the Inner Sect Disciples and reacts with surprise: “Why is it her?”

Character Developments

• Su Ming: Becomes increasingly analytical and suspicious after repeated deaths. Rather than blindly attempting another breakthrough, he begins investigating the hidden flaw behind Foundation Establishment Pills. His Alchemy Prodigy talent allows him to rise rapidly as an alchemist, eventually gaining entry to the Inner Sect despite his low cultivation.
• The mysterious woman: Her identity as a future Demonic Cultivator is confirmed, but her current connection to the Azure Cloud Sect remains unexplained. Her injuries, sudden appearance, and later recognition by Su Ming suggest she will become central to the unfolding mystery.
• Wang Hao: Continues to act antagonistically toward Su Ming, but is killed early in the new simulation when he attempts to confront him.
• Alchemy elder/Mo Chen: Initially distrustful of Su Ming and nearly kills him for secretly learning pill recipes, but quickly changes his attitude after witnessing Su Ming’s alchemical ability. He accepts Su Ming as a disciple and secures his advancement within the sect.

Significant Themes

• The hidden danger of conventional cultivation: Foundation Establishment, normally treated as a standard and essential milestone, may be built on a fatal flaw.
• Investigation versus brute-force progression: Su Ming shifts from repeatedly attempting the breakthrough to researching the underlying cause of his deaths.
• The consequences of changing fate: The mysterious woman appears earlier than expected and may be connected to Su Ming’s altered actions and growing influence.
• Talent overcoming cultivation level: Su Ming’s exceptional alchemy ability allows him to gain status and protection despite remaining in the Qi Refining Stage.
• Mystery and conspiracy: The flawed Foundation Establishment Pills, the success of other cultivators, and the woman’s hidden identity suggest a larger secret involving the sect or the entire cultivation world.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ming observes and briefly confronts the mysterious woman in the Back Mountain, but flees after recognizing her. She notices him but does not pursue him.
• Su Ming kills Wang Hao during the new simulation when Wang Hao enters his Cave Mansion to challenge him.
• The alchemy elder first threatens Su Ming, then becomes impressed after Su Ming proves he can refine high-grade Foundation Establishment Pills. The elder takes him as a disciple and brings him into the Inner Sect.
• At the Academy, Su Ming recognizes another familiar figure, setting up the next major revelation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ming recognizes Ye Chuxue at the Alchemy Hall as the same mysterious demonic woman he previously encountered in the Qin Kingdom and on the sect’s Back Mountain.
• He learns that she is called Ye Chuxue and suspects she is concealing serious injuries or a dangerous identity.
• Remembering that she visits the Back Mountain, Su Ming spends seven nights waiting for her, initially without success. He eventually realizes she only appears during the full moon, when she can use the moon’s Extreme Yin Power to heal herself.
• When Ye Chuxue finally appears, Su Ming secretly observes her cultivation. He accidentally makes a noise, revealing his presence.
• Ye Chuxue confronts him and, believing he has discovered her secret, attempts to kill him.
• Thinking quickly, Su Ming claims that he has “awakened” before Foundation Establishment and that advancing further will cause his death. He bases this explanation on information from a previous encounter with a demonic cultivator.
• Ye Chuxue initially doubts him, but ultimately believes his story. Su Ming agrees to join the demonic path in order to survive and begins questioning her about the danger of Foundation Establishment.
• Ye Chuxue reveals the horrifying truth: Foundation Establishment Pills contain insect eggs, and reaching Foundation Establishment causes the cultivator to die.

Character Developments

• Su Ming demonstrates patience, caution, and quick thinking. Rather than confronting Ye Chuxue directly, he observes her for days and invents a convincing explanation when his life is threatened.
• His understanding of previous warnings improves. He realizes the earlier demonic cultivator was not literally saying that awakening during Qi Refining was possible, but was warning him never to reach Foundation Establishment.
• Ye Chuxue is shown to be extremely powerful, suspicious, and ruthless, readily attempting to kill Su Ming to protect her secret. However, she becomes less hostile after learning—or believing—that Su Ming has awakened.
• Ye Chuxue also appears to possess knowledge about the hidden danger affecting Foundation Establishment and may be connected to a larger demonic conspiracy.

Significant Themes

• Survival through deception: Su Ming survives not through strength, but by exploiting limited information and adapting his story under pressure.
• Hidden corruption within cultivation: The apparently ordinary Foundation Establishment process is revealed to be deadly, suggesting that the sect’s cultivation system or pills conceal a sinister plot.
• Trust and suspicion: Ye Chuxue assumes Su Ming is a threat, while Su Ming must manipulate her into believing he is useful or similarly afflicted.
• Awakening and fate: The chapter raises questions about what “awakening” truly means and whether cultivators are unknowingly controlled or infected before reaching higher realms.

Character Interactions

• Su Ming and Ye Chuxue’s confrontation is the chapter’s central interaction. She interrogates and nearly kills him, while he desperately improvises an explanation involving awakening and the fatal consequences of Foundation Establishment.
• Their relationship shifts from potential enemies to uneasy allies—or at least temporary collaborators—when Ye Chuxue invites Su Ming to join the demonic path.
• Ye Chuxue becomes the source of crucial information, explaining that the Foundation Establishment Pill contains insect eggs and that breaking through without awakening results in death.

Chapter Summary: “The Despairing Truth!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Chuxue reveals that reaching Foundation Establishment without first awakening causes the cultivator to undergo Body Seizure: the soul is destroyed and an Alien Insect takes over the body.
• She brings the protagonist to her Cave Mansion, where she explains the hidden history of the Canglan Realm. The spiritual energy that cultivators normally rely on is actually harmful to Awakened Ones because it strengthens the Alien Insects inside them.
• In the ancient era, the Chaos Devil Heavenly Venerate discovered the truth and warned the world: “This world is false. Never reach Foundation Establishment.” He slaughtered cultivators above the Qi Refining Stage, believing they were already controlled by insects.
• The major forces of the Five Continents united against him. Although he killed many Supreme experts, he was eventually defeated at the cost of nearly ninety percent of the realm’s strongest cultivators.
• Afterward, people labeled those who discovered the truth as “Demonic Cultivators,” while the original demonic factions were gradually treated as righteous or normal cultivators.
• Ye Chuxue explains that Awakened Ones can use their willpower to suppress the insects during Foundation Establishment, but continued cultivation with ordinary spiritual energy causes the parasites to grow stronger.
• The protagonist realizes that his repeated deaths during Foundation Establishment were caused by Body Seizure and that the cultivation system itself may be a massive trap.
• Ye Chuxue clarifies that earlier Awakened Ones attacked and killed high-level cultivators to weaken the Alien Insects and create safer conditions for later generations. Their actions led to persecution, but also allowed Awakened Ones to survive longer.
• A possible solution has emerged: two thousand years earlier, an Awakened cultivator discovered sealed Ancient Ruins containing unusual spiritual energy. Unlike ordinary spiritual energy, it feels pleasant and can actually suppress the Sinister Worms inside cultivators.

Character Developments

• Su Ming/the protagonist moves from confusion and disbelief to a horrifying understanding of the world’s true nature. He connects the information to his previous failed breakthroughs and becomes determined to find a way to establish his foundation safely.
• Ye Chuxue is established as an informed and emotionally invested Awakened One. Her anger toward the world’s false history and its treatment of Demonic Cultivators reveals her deep resentment, but she also shows concern for the survival of future Awakened generations.
• The Chaos Devil Heavenly Venerate is recontextualized. Rather than being merely a mad slaughterer, he appears to have been one of the first people to discover the parasitic truth and acted desperately to preserve humanity’s sanity.

Significant Themes

• Reality as deception: The cultivation world is presented as fundamentally false, with the supposedly beneficial path of cultivation secretly enabling parasitic possession.
• Ignorance and hidden truth: Most cultivators unknowingly strengthen the insects within themselves, while those who awaken are branded as villains.
• Sacrifice for future generations: The attacks carried out by Awakened Ones are portrayed as grim defensive measures rather than simple evil.
• Despair versus hope: The revelation makes cultivation seem like a dead end, but the Ancient Ruins introduce the possibility of resisting or overcoming the Alien Insects.
• Reversal of morality: The traditional distinction between righteous and demonic cultivators is exposed as misleading; those called “Demonic Cultivators” may actually be the ones fighting to preserve human consciousness.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist repeatedly questions Ye Chuxue, seeking explanations for his failed breakthroughs, the nature of awakening, and the purpose of the Awakened Ones’ killings.
• Ye Chuxue initially speaks calmly but becomes fiercely emotional when defending Demonic Cultivators, insisting they are the first people to recognize the existence of the Insect Eggs.
• Their conversation gradually shifts from personal survival to the broader history of the Canglan Realm, ending with Ye Chuxue hinting that the Ancient Ruins may provide the key to breaking the cycle of parasitic cultivation.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Chuxue reveals that the Sinister Worms infesting cultivators can be suppressed by the uncontaminated spiritual energy found in ancient ruins.
• These ruins date back to the Ancient Era and contain the Canglan Realm’s original spiritual energy. The spiritual energy used by modern cultivators has apparently been corrupted by an unknown force.
• The ruins are located in Sky Abyss, the forbidden zone between Green Prefecture and You Prefecture. However, their spiritual energy is limited and reserved for powerful cultivators.
• Ye Chuxue warns Su Ming not to attempt Foundation Establishment because his poor talent prevents him from sensing the Sinister Worms during the breakthrough. She can detect them because of her Taiyin Body.
• Unable to accept abandoning cultivation, Su Ming decides to pursue alchemy and strengthen his soul power, hoping it will help him resist the Sinister Worms.
• At the academy, Ye Chuxue publicly ignores Su Ming, while Liu Hao again threatens him for associating with her on behalf of Young Master Bai.
• That night, Liu Hao and two others attack Su Ming. Su Ming pretends to be injured and lures them into the Back Mountain.
• The ambush is revealed when Liu Hao’s companions are killed. Ye Chuxue then appears and kills Liu Hao with a single sword strike.
• Ye Chuxue instructs Su Ming to avoid speaking with her during the day and to visit her cave mansion at night if necessary.
• Over the following year, Su Ming focuses intensely on alchemy and makes rapid progress. Elder Mo Chen, impressed by his improvement, provides him with precious spiritual herbs to help him become a Second-grade Alchemist.

2. Character Developments

• Su Ming: Learns the terrifying truth about the corrupted spiritual energy and Sinister Worms. His determination hardens: rather than abandon cultivation, he seeks another path through alchemy and soul enhancement. He also becomes more ruthless, viewing parasitized cultivators as monsters and showing no fear of opposing the Azure Cloud Sect.
• Ye Chuxue: Her knowledge of the Sinister Worms and the ruins establishes her as an important ally and guide. She remains emotionally distant in public but secretly protects Su Ming by helping him eliminate Liu Hao and his accomplices.
• Liu Hao: Continues acting as Young Master Bai’s enforcer, but his arrogance leads him into Su Ming’s trap. He is killed by Ye Chuxue before he can harm Su Ming.
• Elder Mo Chen: Develops greater respect for Su Ming’s alchemical talent and supports him generously with rare resources.

3. Significant Themes

• Corruption beneath civilization: The apparently normal cultivation world is revealed to be a nightmare in which spiritual energy itself has been contaminated.
• Survival against fate: Su Ming refuses to surrender despite being told that his talent makes Foundation Establishment nearly impossible.
• Knowledge as power: Understanding the origins of the ruins, the Sinister Worms, and corrupted spiritual energy gives Su Ming a possible path forward.
• Hidden alliances and public distance: Ye Chuxue’s cold behavior in public contrasts with her private cooperation and protection of Su Ming.
• Transformation and ruthlessness: Su Ming’s worldview darkens as he concludes that the people around him may no longer be truly human.

4. Character Interactions

• Ye Chuxue explains the origins of the corrupted spiritual energy and warns Su Ming about the dangers of Foundation Establishment.
• Liu Hao confronts Su Ming over Ye Chuxue, acting under Young Master Bai’s orders.
• Su Ming outmaneuvers Liu Hao by pretending to be injured and leading him into an ambush.
• Ye Chuxue kills Liu Hao and privately establishes rules for communicating with Su Ming.
• Elder Mo Chen rewards Su Ming’s dedication to alchemy, encouraging his advancement toward becoming a Second-grade Alchemist.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist continues cultivating Qi Refining while deliberately postponing Foundation Establishment. He fears that advancing will trigger the Sinister Worm’s body-seizure ability before he has enough Soul Power to suppress it.
• He accepts spiritual herbs and medicinal pills from the elders, especially those that strengthen Soul Power, while focusing heavily on alchemy.
• In the sixth year, he becomes a Second-grade Alchemist. His master, Mo Chen, repeatedly urges him to advance to Foundation Establishment, warning that his cultivation is falling behind.
• By the tenth year, the protagonist remains unable to become a Third-grade Alchemist. His insufficient spiritual power causes third-grade pill furnaces to explode, preventing further Soul Power growth.
• Desperate for answers, he travels to the Qin Kingdom to find Ye Chuxue, a former senior sister and Demonic Cultivator who defected from the Azure Cloud Sect.
• He discovers Ye Chuxue hiding in a secluded courtyard. She explains that becoming a Third-grade Alchemist during Qi Refining is nearly impossible for someone with his poor Spiritual Root and lack of a Special Physique.
• Ye Chuxue reveals an ancient possibility: modern cultivators regard the tenth Qi Refining layer as Great Perfection, but ancient cultivators supposedly reached a thirteenth layer known as the Extreme Realm of Qi Refining before establishing their Foundation.
• Although she does not know how to reach this realm and suspects it may be only a legend, the protagonist decides to pursue it.
• After returning to the sect, he deceives Mo Chen by claiming that his poor Spiritual Root makes Foundation Establishment difficult.
• Over the following years, he suppresses his spiritual energy and repeatedly strengthens his foundation with spiritual herbs. By the twentieth year, he senses that he may have touched the threshold of something new.

2. Character Developments

• The protagonist: Becomes increasingly determined and cautious. Rather than accepting the normal path of Foundation Establishment, he prioritizes surviving the Sinister Worm and finding a way to increase his Soul Power while remaining in Qi Refining. His persistence leads him toward the mysterious Extreme Realm.
• Mo Chen: Acts as a concerned and practical master. He recognizes that the protagonist’s cultivation is lagging because of his obsession with alchemy and repeatedly urges him to advance, unaware of the danger the protagonist is trying to avoid.
• Ye Chuxue: Shifts from a fugitive Demonic Cultivator into an important source of hidden knowledge. Though initially suspicious, she lowers her guard after the protagonist explains how he found her and eventually gives him crucial information about ancient Qi Refining.
• The Sinister Worm: Though unseen, it remains the central threat, shaping the protagonist’s choices and preventing him from advancing recklessly.

3. Significant Themes

• Survival versus conventional progress: The protagonist rejects the standard cultivation path because ordinary advancement may lead to destruction.
• The limits of talent: His poor Spiritual Root and lack of a Special Physique make advanced alchemy extremely difficult, forcing him to seek an unconventional solution.
• Ancient knowledge versus modern understanding: The possible thirteenth Qi Refining layer challenges the modern belief that the tenth layer is true perfection.
• Persistence and risk: The protagonist continues pursuing an almost impossible goal despite lacking proof that the Extreme Realm even exists.
• Freedom and ordinary life: His brief experience in the mortal marketplace makes him reflect on the appeal of a simple, trouble-free existence, contrasting it with the dangers of cultivation.

4. Character Interactions

• Mo Chen repeatedly confronts the protagonist about his delayed breakthrough, creating tension between a master’s concern and the disciple’s secret fears.
• The protagonist reunites with Ye Chuxue after tracking her to the Qin Kingdom. Their cautious conversation gradually becomes cooperative once she realizes he is seeking help rather than trying to expose her.
• Ye Chuxue identifies his true motive—using greater Soul Power to suppress the Sinister Worm—and offers both a realistic warning and a possible path forward.
• After returning to the sect, the protagonist conceals his intentions from Mo Chen, maintaining the appearance of a disciple merely struggling with a weak Spiritual Root.

Chapter Summary: “Mo Chen’s True Colors!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After years of failing to reach Foundation Establishment, Su Ming realizes his poor Spiritual Root is severely limiting his cultivation. Mo Chen gradually withdraws his support and stops providing Spiritual Herbs.
• In the twenty-third year, Su Ming uses a Foundation Establishment Pill and successfully breaks through after years of accumulation. However, a powerful Sinister Worm immediately attacks his soul.
• Despite using prepared Spiritual Herbs and Soul Power to resist, Su Ming is completely devoured and dies. Before losing consciousness, he hears Mo Chen reveal that the herbs he provided were intended to prevent Su Ming from awakening successfully.
• Through the Soul Return talent, Su Ming briefly returns to the Azure Cloud Sect after death. He sees his own body and discovers that Ye Chuxue has been crippled and captured. She confirms that his awakening was connected to secrets she had revealed to him.
• Su Ming concludes that Mo Chen was never acting out of kindness. The Sinister Worm likely belonged to Mo Chen, and it could read memories, which explains how Ye Chuxue was located and captured.
• He also determines that the true path to Foundation Establishment is reaching the Extreme Realm of Qi Refining, though his weak Spiritual Root and poor talents caused his previous failure.
• Su Ming selects the reward of becoming a second-grade alchemist at Great Perfection, then spends time stabilizing his cultivation and adapting to his enhanced Soul Power.
• After emerging from seclusion, Su Ming is confronted by Wang Hao, who attempts to attack him. Su Ming easily defeats him with his Qi Refining Tenth Layer cultivation and forces him to surrender all his spirit stones.
• Although Su Ming allows Wang Hao to leave, he kills him at the cave entrance, emphasizing that permitting someone to leave is not the same as promising to spare them.
• Su Ming begins another simulation and receives the powerful Red Talent Young Supreme Being, which marks him as a future peerless prodigy but warns that he will face many calamities upon reaching middle age.

Character Developments

• Su Ming: Becomes more cautious, ruthless, and decisive after uncovering Mo Chen’s betrayal. He gains Qi Refining Tenth Layer cultivation, advances to a perfected second-grade alchemist, and adopts a revenge-oriented approach toward threats.
• Mo Chen: Is exposed as manipulative and malicious. His previous assistance was likely designed to control Su Ming’s awakening rather than help him cultivate.
• Ye Chuxue: Is revealed to have been captured and crippled, apparently because the Sinister Worm learned her identity and information through Su Ming.
• Wang Hao: Changes from an arrogant bully into a cowardly, submissive figure when confronted by Su Ming’s overwhelming strength, though he continues secretly plotting revenge.
• Sinister Worm: Is established as an extremely dangerous entity capable of devouring souls and reading memories.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal beneath apparent kindness: Mo Chen’s long-term “guidance” is revealed to have been a calculated attempt to suppress Su Ming’s potential.
• Power and survival: Su Ming’s increased strength allows him to reverse his former helplessness and punish those who exploited him.
• Caution and hidden motives: The chapter stresses that gifts, assistance, and promises may conceal dangerous intentions.
• Fate versus preparation: Su Ming’s failure was caused not by the cultivation method itself, but by inadequate Spiritual Roots, weak talents, and insufficient preparation.
• Moral transformation: Having suffered betrayal and repeated oppression, Su Ming becomes willing to use intimidation and killing to eliminate future threats.

Character Interactions

• Mo Chen and Su Ming: Their mentor-like relationship is revealed as deceptive; Mo Chen pressured Su Ming to break through while secretly sabotaging him.
• Ye Chuxue and Su Ming: Ye Chuxue’s posthumous confrontation confirms the importance of the awakening secret and shows her regret at having involved Su Ming.
• Wang Hao and Su Ming: Wang Hao attempts to bully Su Ming, but Su Ming defeats, extorts, and ultimately kills him, demonstrating the complete reversal of their former power dynamic.

Chapter Summary: The Terror of a Red Talent: A Young Supreme Being!

Key Plot Points and Events

• After discovering Mo Chen’s true nature, Su Ming stops attending the Alchemy Hall and focuses entirely on cultivation using the Young Supreme Being talent.
• Over six years, he:
  • Kills an approaching subordinate of Wang Hao.
  • Deduces the Fortune Qi Refining Art from the Basic Qi Refining Art, increasing his cultivation speed tenfold.
  • Reaches the Twelfth Layer of Qi Refining Great Perfection, though he fails to enter the legendary Extreme Realm because his foundation is unstable.
• To strengthen his foundation, Su Ming accepts an Azure Cloud Sect mission to eliminate demonic cultivators in the Qin Kingdom.
• During the mission, the Azure Cloud disciples confront Ye Chuxue and Lin Qi, an awakened demonic cultivator. When Lin Qi refuses to kill the Qi Refining disciples, they attack him.
• Su Ming unexpectedly kills all ten of his fellow disciples, claiming that he has “awakened.” This shocks Lin Qi, who cannot believe someone at the Qi Refining Stage could possess awakening.
• Su Ming enters the residence and finds the Foundation Establishment senior brother dead. Ye Chuxue questions his identity, his knowledge of her, and his awakening.
• Su Ming repeats his explanation from a previous encounter—that he foresaw his own death after Foundation Establishment—and reveals his goal of reaching the Extreme Realm of Qi Refining and his identity as a Second-grade Alchemist.
• After witnessing his extraordinary aura, Ye Chuxue accepts that he is genuinely awakened and invites him to join the demonic path. Su Ming agrees.
• Su Ming learns that Lin Qi awakened while attempting Foundation Establishment, but suffered severe injuries because of the suppression associated with becoming an Awakened One.
• Rather than openly leaving with Ye Chuxue and Lin Qi, Su Ming devises a cover story. He returns to Azure Cloud Sect, injures himself deliberately, and reports that the demonic cultivators escaped.
• The Azure Cloud Sect believes his account and begins preparing a larger pursuit force.

Character Developments

• Su Ming: Becomes increasingly powerful, calculating, and confident. His rapid progress confirms the terrifying potential of the Young Supreme Being talent. He also demonstrates ruthlessness by killing his own fellow disciples and intelligence by maintaining a double identity.
• Ye Chuxue: Initially distrustful and shocked by Su Ming’s claims, but eventually recognizes him as a true Awakened One. She becomes willing to recruit him into the demonic path.
• Lin Qi: Revealed to be an awakened Foundation Establishment cultivator who does not wish to kill ordinary human cultivators. His weakness after awakening explains why the Azure Cloud disciples nearly defeated him.
• Azure Cloud disciples: Their aggression contrasts with Lin Qi’s restraint. Their deaths also highlight the moral divide between the sect and the demonic cultivators.

Significant Themes

• Extraordinary talent and cultivation: The Young Supreme Being talent allows Su Ming to create an ancient and powerful cultivation method, setting him apart from ordinary cultivators.
• The danger of rapid advancement: Su Ming’s swift breakthroughs weaken his foundation, showing that power gained too quickly carries consequences.
• Awakening and transcendence: Awakening is portrayed as a mysterious transformation that can occur even before Foundation Establishment and grants overwhelming potential.
• Deception and survival: Su Ming relies on disguises, false reports, and strategic alliances to survive between the Azure Cloud Sect and the demonic path.
• Moral ambiguity: The supposedly righteous disciples attack Lin Qi despite his attempt to spare them, while Su Ming—who kills his own allies—acts according to his own interests rather than conventional morality.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ming confronts and kills Wang Hao’s subordinate.
• Su Ming battles alongside the Azure Cloud disciples before turning against them and killing them.
• He exchanges tense questions and explanations with Ye Chuxue, gradually convincing her of his awakened status.
• Lin Qi reacts with disbelief to Su Ming’s claim of awakening and later explains his own circumstances.
• Su Ming and Ye Chuxue cooperate indirectly, arranging for him to remain within Azure Cloud Sect while secretly joining their side.

Chapter Summary: “Found You! Awakened One!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After years of cultivation, Su Ming reaches the threshold of the Extreme Realm of Qi Refining and advances to become a Third-grade Alchemist.
• He successfully breaks through to the Extreme Realm, but the breakthrough triggers a Heavenly Tribulation consisting of thirteen bolts of lightning.
• Although the tribulation severely injures him, Su Ming gains a trace of the True Meaning of Heavenly Thunder. However, the Sinister Worm within him is also strengthened by the tribulation.
• When Su Ming later breaks through to Foundation Establishment, the Sinister Worm becomes powerful enough to attack his Primordial Spirit. His Heavenly Thunder insight eventually weakens the worm, allowing him to suppress it, though he learns that it cannot truly be killed.
• The Azure Cloud Sect’s upper echelons notice the unusual Heavenly Tribulation but mistake it for an ordinary one, leaving Su Ming’s identity undiscovered for the time being.
• To avoid the Inner Sect, which he suspects is controlled by Sinister Worms, Su Ming remains in the Outer Sect. Since his Fortune Qi Refining Art cannot support further advancement, he finds an incomplete Longevity Art and uses his exceptional talent to deduce the Fragment of the Azure Emperor Longevity Art, enabling cultivation up to Nascent Soul Great Perfection.
• He reaches the late Foundation Establishment Stage and plans to find Ye Chuxue for advice about advancing toward Core Formation. However, the sect prohibits disciples from leaving the mountain.
• The sect master summons all Foundation Establishment disciples and above to an apparent Enlightenment Assembly. He presents the Sky-Piercing Spirit Treasure Pagoda, claiming it can aid cultivation and eliminate Inner Demons.
• During the ceremony, Su Ming cannot sense or benefit from the pagoda. He notices the sect master staring at him strangely before the man’s head splits open and a Sinister Worm emerges, declaring, “Found you! Awakened One!”
• The Inner Sect disciples undergo the same transformation, revealing that the assembly is actually a periodic screening designed to identify Awakened Ones—people who have suppressed the Sinister Worm within them.
• Su Ming attempts to escape but is surrounded and devoured by the sect’s Sinister Worms.

Character Developments

• Su Ming: Grows from an accomplished Qi Refiner into a powerful Foundation Establishment cultivator and Third-grade Alchemist. His extreme talent allows him to gain Heavenly Thunder insight and reconstruct a high-level cultivation technique. He also becomes increasingly suspicious of the Azure Cloud Sect and its hidden corruption, though he is ultimately caught by the organization’s surveillance system.
• The Sinister Worm: Proves far more dangerous than expected. It is strengthened by the Heavenly Tribulation, survives Su Ming’s suppression, and remains impossible to kill completely. Its presence becomes the key to identifying Su Ming as an Awakened One.
• Azure Cloud Sect’s sect master and disciples: Are revealed to be controlled or inhabited by Sinister Worms. Their apparent cultivation gathering masks a coordinated hunt for individuals like Su Ming.
• Ye Chuxue: Does not appear directly, but her earlier guidance about Sinister Worms remains important to Su Ming’s decisions and understanding of his condition.

Significant Themes

• Hidden corruption and false appearances: The sect’s respectable Enlightenment Assembly is revealed to be a trap, emphasizing that institutions that appear righteous may conceal monstrous truths.
• The struggle against fate and control: Su Ming’s ability to suppress the Sinister Worm makes him an Awakened One, separating him from ordinary cultivators and placing him in direct opposition to the forces controlling the sect.
• Power with unintended consequences: The Heavenly Tribulation strengthens both Su Ming and the parasite within him, showing that advancement can create new dangers rather than simply granting power.
• Knowledge and preparation versus overwhelming conspiracy: Su Ming carefully prepares for breakthroughs and gathers techniques, but his knowledge cannot protect him from the sect-wide network of Sinister Worms.
• Isolation and mistrust: Su Ming avoids the Inner Sect because he senses something wrong, but this caution also leaves him alone and without allies when the sect finally exposes itself.

Character Interactions

• Su Ming reflects on the mysterious relationship between the Heavenly Tribulation and the Sinister Worm, questioning whether the Heavenly Dao itself may be involved.
• He relies on Ye Chuxue’s previous explanations to understand that the Sinister Worm cannot truly be destroyed.
• He encounters the sect master during the forced assembly, initially believing the man is conducting a legitimate cultivation ritual.
• The sect master and the Inner Sect disciples collectively reveal their monstrous forms and identify Su Ming as an Awakened One before attacking him.
• The chapter ends with Su Ming’s death, while the simulation offers rewards including his cultivation, alchemical advancement, the Young Supreme Being talent, and the True Meaning of Lightning.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After repeated simulations, Su Ming realizes the Azure Cloud Sect’s Sky-Piercing Spirit Treasure Pagoda is designed to detect awakened humans every ten years. The sect’s Outer Disciples are effectively substitutes used to prevent a repeat of an ancient catastrophe.
• Concluding that he cannot remain in the sect permanently, Su Ming chooses the Young Supreme Being talent and begins another simulation.
• In the simulation, he gains the Purple Talent “I Want It All,” then focuses on cultivation and alchemy:
  • He reaches the Qi Refining Eleventh Layer in Year Two.
  • He reaches the Twelfth Layer in Year Three.
  • He reaches the extreme realm of Qi Refining in Year Four.
• Su Ming deliberately breaks through to Foundation Establishment on a full-moon night in the Back Mountain so that Ye Chuxue can witness his awakening.
• After undergoing a Heavenly Tribulation, his Sinister Worm begins devouring his Primordial Spirit. Instead of relying on his soul directly, Su Ming uses the True Meaning of Heavenly Thunder to suppress it, though he is seriously injured.
• Ye Chuxue arrives, gives him a healing pill, and brings him to her Cave Mansion. There, Su Ming confirms that he has awakened and explains that he used the Extreme Realm of Qi Refining, alchemy, and Soul Power to suppress the Sinister Worm.
• Su Ming reveals that he knows the Azure Cloud Sect’s Enlightenment Convention is actually a trap for awakened humans. Ye Chuxue confirms that she intends to flee in two years, and Su Ming agrees to escape with her.
• By Year Six, Su Ming reaches the Foundation Establishment Late Stage. Ye Chuxue then warns him that the convention will occur the following month and that they must flee immediately before the mountain is sealed.
• Before leaving, Su Ming proposes a “farewell ceremony”: secretly attacking the sect’s Foundation Establishment cultivators. Despite her concerns, Ye Chuxue agrees.
• The pair massacre roughly eighty percent of the Azure Cloud Sect’s Foundation Establishment disciples during the night. Su Ming initially feels disturbed by his own ruthlessness, but realizes that these “disciples” are actually Sinister Worms inhabiting human bodies.
• The next morning, the sect’s great bell rings, gathering the disciples, while the Azure Cloud Sect Master emerges from seclusion.

Character Developments

• Su Ming becomes increasingly strategic and decisive. He uses his knowledge from previous simulations to plan his breakthrough, expose the sect’s secrets, and prepare an escape.
• His mastery of cultivation deepens as he reaches the Extreme Realm of Qi Refining, becomes a powerful alchemist, and learns to use the True Meaning of Heavenly Thunder against the Sinister Worm.
• Su Ming also displays a darker, more ruthless side by organizing a preemptive massacre, though his conscience is eased when he recognizes that the victims are monsters rather than ordinary humans.
• Ye Chuxue shifts from cautious secrecy to active cooperation with Su Ming. Although initially horrified by his plan to attack the sect, she ultimately trusts him and joins the operation.
• Their relationship develops into one of mutual reliance, with both sharing the secret of the Enlightenment Convention and planning their escape together.

Significant Themes

• Survival through foresight: Su Ming’s knowledge of future events allows him to avoid death and prepare for the sect’s traps.
• Deception and hidden identities: The Azure Cloud Sect presents itself as a cultivation sect while secretly using disciples as vessels or substitutes connected to the Sinister Worms.
• Moral ambiguity: The massacre forces Su Ming to question whether he has become cruel, while the revelation that his targets are Sinister Worms complicates the boundary between murder and self-defense.
• Trust and alliance: Su Ming and Ye Chuxue must trust one another despite the dangers of revealing their awakenings and defying the sect.
• Power through unconventional methods: Su Ming succeeds not through an ideal Spiritual Root or Special Physique, but through extreme cultivation, alchemy, Soul Power, and the True Meaning of Heavenly Thunder.

Character Interactions

• Su Ming and Ye Chuxue meet after his tribulation, where she heals him and confronts him about his awakening.
• Su Ming explains his method of suppressing the Sinister Worm, astonishing Ye Chuxue because even her superior Spiritual Root would normally be insufficient.
• He reveals that he knows the truth about the Enlightenment Convention, prompting Ye Chuxue to disclose her escape plans.
• Later, Ye Chuxue warns him that they must flee immediately, but Su Ming persuades her to join his risky attack on the sect’s Foundation Establishment cultivators.
• The chapter ends with the Azure Cloud Sect alerted to the massacre and its Sect Master finally appearing, setting up the confrontation to come.

Chapter Summary: Escape Qin Kingdom!

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Azure Cloud Sect’s master uses a divine technique to review the scene of you and Ye Chuxue slaughtering Foundation Establishment disciples. Once your identities are discovered—Ye Chuxue as an Inner Sect disciple and you as an Outer Sect menial disciple—he brands you both as Demonic Cultivators.
• The Azure Cloud Sect issues arrest warrants throughout Green Prefecture and informs other sects, forcing you and Ye Chuxue to remain unaware fugitives.
• In the Qin Kingdom, Ye Chuxue leads you to Lin Qi, an Awakened One imprisoned for behaving abnormally. You rescue him, though he initially believes the world is false and views you both with suspicion.
• Ye Chuxue reveals the truth about the Canglan Realm, the Sinister Worms, the Chaos Devil Heavenly Venerate, and the existence of Awakened Ones. Lin Qi learns that many apparent humans may actually be puppets controlled by Sinister Worms.
• Lin Qi joins the demonic path and accepts the mission of overthrowing the corrupted Canglan Realm. He also reveals that he is the hidden heir of the Lin Clan, a royal lineage in the Qin Kingdom, and concealed his cultivation to protect his family.
• Lin Qi briefly panics over whether his father has become a Sinister Worm’s puppet. After being restrained and confronted by you and Ye Chuxue, he abandons his reckless plan to return home and chooses to face the truth.
• You and Ye Chuxue plan to leave the Qin Kingdom because it is too close to the Azure Cloud Sect. Before you can depart, ten Wind Thunder Sect disciples attack after learning of the warrants.
• Despite several Foundation Establishment Great Perfection opponents, you kill the attackers swiftly, demonstrating the overwhelming power gained from reaching the Extreme Realm of Qi Refining.
• Lin Qi joins you and Ye Chuxue as you flee the Qin Kingdom. At the border, another pursuing group appears, this time led by a Core Formation cultivator, setting up the next confrontation.

Character Developments

• You: Become increasingly decisive and protective, taking responsibility for Lin Qi’s survival while displaying exceptional combat ability. Your strength allows you to defeat cultivators above your realm with ease.
• Ye Chuxue: Acts as the group’s knowledgeable guide and ideological mentor. She explains the world’s hidden truth, recruits Lin Qi to the demonic path, and remains calm and practical during crises.
• Lin Qi: Transforms from a despairing, suspicious prisoner into an Awakened One committed to resisting the Sinister Worms. He struggles with fear concerning his father but ultimately accepts reality and chooses to travel with you and Ye Chuxue.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus illusion: Lin Qi’s belief that the world is fake reflects the chapter’s revelation that reality is manipulated and concealed by the Sinister Worms.
• Awakening and identity: Characters must determine who is genuinely human and who has become a puppet, while Lin Qi accepts his identity as an Awakened One.
• Rebellion against corruption: The demonic path is presented not simply as evil, but as a resistance movement seeking to overthrow the rotten Canglan Realm.
• Survival and trust: The protagonists are hunted by every major sect, forcing them to rely on one another and quickly decide whom they can trust.
• Power and persecution: The protagonists’ strength makes them targets, while the official labels of “Demonic Cultivators” show how established sects control public perception.

Important Character Interactions

• The Azure Cloud Sect master orders the investigation and mobilizes the sects against you and Ye Chuxue.
• Ye Chuxue confronts and physically shocks Lin Qi into listening, then patiently explains the truth of the world.
• You reassure Lin Qi after his revelation, but later restrain and slap him to prevent him from recklessly confronting his father.
• You and Ye Chuxue work together to destroy the Wind Thunder Sect attackers.
• Lin Qi accepts your leadership and follows you both out of the Qin Kingdom, just as a stronger pursuer blocks the border.

Chapter Summary: Immortal Falling Secret Realm!

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ming and his companions are hunted by five Azure Cloud Sect cultivators, including a Core Formation cultivator, a Foundation Establishment Great Perfection cultivator, and three late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.
• Su Ming fights the Core Formation cultivator alone. Using the Azure Emperor Longevity Art’s immense vitality and recovery, he adopts a life-for-life strategy and kills his stronger opponent after ten exchanges.
• Ye Chuxue handles the remaining enemies with Lin Qi’s assistance, after which the group flees toward the border of Green Prefecture.
• They settle in Desolate Village, where they spend several years recovering and preparing for future cultivation:
  • Lin Qi’s injuries gradually heal, revealing that he possesses a Top-grade Fire Spirit Root.
  • Ye Chuxue begins teaching Lin Qi alchemy.
  • Su Ming reaches Foundation Establishment Great Perfection in the tenth year.
• Because wanted posters of Su Ming and Ye Chuxue cover Wanbao Pavilion, they are forced to trade pills for spirit stones through the black market.
• Ye Chuxue prepares to enter the Sky Abyss, and Su Ming persuades her to take him. Lin Qi eventually joins them as well.
• The Sky Abyss is revealed to be falsely regarded as a deadly forbidden zone. Its hidden function is to kill Sinister Worms that have taken over human bodies; ordinary cultivators and Awakened Ones can safely enter.
• The group enters the abyss and arrives in the Immortal Falling Secret Realm, a spiritual-energy-rich ancient ruin where Core Formation is possible.
• Su Ming discovers a spiritual item and activates the talent I Want It All, unintentionally drawing in the secret realm’s spiritual energy on a massive scale.
• His actions awaken a terrifying entity within the realm. Despite Ye Chuxue’s warning, Su Ming is crushed by a giant spiritual-energy hand and dies.
• The simulation ends, offering rewards including the talent I Want It All, Su Ming’s Foundation Establishment Great Perfection cultivation, Third-grade Alchemist cultivation, spirit stones, true insights, or a mysterious spiritual item.

Character Developments

• Su Ming: Gains confidence and combat experience by killing a Core Formation cultivator despite being at Foundation Establishment. His rapid cultivation continues, allowing him to reach Foundation Establishment Great Perfection. However, his greed and impulsiveness remain dangerous, as activating I Want It All causes his death.
• Ye Chuxue: Becomes a mentor and protector to both Su Ming and Lin Qi. She demonstrates strong knowledge of the Cultivation World and the Sky Abyss, while cautiously delaying her own Core Formation breakthrough until she is fully prepared.
• Lin Qi: Recovers from his injuries and is revealed to possess a rare Top-grade Fire Spirit Root. Under Ye Chuxue’s guidance, he begins learning alchemy and becomes increasingly involved in the group’s future.
• Azure Cloud Sect: Treats Su Ming and his companions as major threats and escalates its pursuit by sending a Core Formation cultivator.

Significant Themes

• Strength gained through adversity: Su Ming defeats a much stronger opponent by relying on endurance, recovery, and willingness to risk his life.
• Hidden truth behind forbidden zones: The Sky Abyss demonstrates how places can become falsely feared when powerful factions conceal their true nature.
• Greed versus caution: Su Ming’s desire to seize every opportunity leads directly to his death in the secret realm.
• Mentorship and group survival: Ye Chuxue guides both Su Ming and Lin Qi, while the trio’s cooperation helps them escape persecution and develop their abilities.
• The limits of power: Even after defeating a Core Formation cultivator and reaching Great Perfection, Su Ming remains insignificant before the ancient power controlling the secret realm.

Character Interactions

• Su Ming mocks the Azure Cloud Sect’s pursuit, provoking their anger before challenging the Core Formation cultivator.
• He instructs Ye Chuxue to handle the Foundation Establishment enemies while he takes the strongest opponent.
• Ye Chuxue and Su Ming cooperate in caring for Lin Qi, refining pills, and surviving outside the Cultivation World.
• Ye Chuxue warns Su Ming not to cultivate inside the Sky Abyss, later agreeing to bring him and Lin Qi into the secret realm.
• When Su Ming activates I Want It All, Ye Chuxue immediately orders him to stop, but the disturbance has already attracted the realm’s terrifying guardian.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ming activates the 'I Want It All' talent, breaking through to Foundation Establishment Great Perfection and Third-grade Alchemist, and mastering the Azure Emperor Longevity Art and True Meaning of Lightning.
• Despite not consuming a Foundation Establishment Pill, the Sinister Worm appears, and Su Ming uses the True Meaning of Lightning to dispel it.
• Su Ming discovers that the Simulator's cooldown has increased to 24 hours.
• In a simulation, Su Ming confirms that Ye Chuxue did not awaken during the Qi Refining Stage, suggesting an unusual identity.
• Su Ming observes Ye Chuxue breaking through to Foundation Establishment, noticing three forces emerging from her body, including a Sinister Worm and an extremely cold aura.
• Ye Chuxue reveals that her Taiyin Body awakened, granting her memories about Sinister Worms from the previous owner.

Character Developments

• Su Ming: Advances in cultivation and alchemy realms, learns about Ye Chuxue's unusual identity and the Taiyin Body.
• Ye Chuxue: Breaks through to Foundation Establishment, awakens her Taiyin Body, and reveals knowledge about Sinister Worms.

Significant Themes

• Awakening and its mysteries.
• The role of Special Physiques in awakening.
• The presence of Sinister Worms and their connection to cultivation breakthroughs.

Character Interactions

• Su Ming and Ye Chuxue: Su Ming observes Ye Chuxue's breakthrough and they have a brief conversation, revealing new information about each other.

Chapter Summary: “Breakthrough to Core Formation!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist decides to abandon slow cultivation and actively acquire resources by hunting Foundation Establishment cultivators from other sects.
• Ye Chuxue initially considers the plan too dangerous but agrees after the protagonist explains that the Great Void Transformation Art can disguise them perfectly.
• The pair accept an external demon-elimination mission as cover and target the nearby Wind Thunder Sect. After killing departing disciples, they assume their identities and infiltrate the sect.
• The protagonist slaughters nearly all of the Wind Thunder Sect’s Foundation Establishment disciples while Ye Chuxue gathers their cultivation resources.
• They repeat the same strategy against the Myriad Devil Sect, killing two disciples and infiltrating the sect before escaping.
• News of the massacres spreads, alarming every sect in Green Prefecture. The Azure Cloud Sect’s master ends his seclusion four years early and announces an Enlightenment Convention to identify possible Awakened Ones.
• Before fleeing, the protagonist and Ye Chuxue launch one final attack on the Azure Cloud Sect. Despite increased security, the protagonist easily kills nearly all of its Foundation Establishment Sinister Worms.
• Their identities are exposed, and the three sects issue a massive bounty of ten million spirit stones. The pair flee to the Desolate Village, where they spend several years cultivating.
• By the fourth year, the protagonist reaches the limit of Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, while Ye Chuxue advances to the Late Foundation Establishment Stage and fully recovers from her injuries.
• The protagonist enters the Sky Abyss alone and reaches the Immortal Falling Secret Realm. After a year of secluded cultivation, he successfully breaks through to the Core Formation Stage.
• Immediately afterward, a powerful Sinister Worm attacks. It destroys his True Meaning of Lightning in one strike, forcing him to rely on the secret realm’s spiritual energy to endure the assault. After two days, the Worm’s aura begins to weaken, revealing why the secret realm can help Awakened Ones resist Sinister Worms.

Character Developments

• The protagonist becomes increasingly ruthless, strategic, and confident. He shifts from cautious cultivation to large-scale resource acquisition and demonstrates overwhelming strength against Foundation Establishment opponents.
• His status as a “Young Supreme Being” is emphasized: despite being only at Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, he believes he can defeat even Core Formation cultivators.
• Ye Chuxue grows more trusting and cooperative, accepting the protagonist’s dangerous plans. She contributes by gathering resources rather than fighting, since she is newly advanced to Foundation Establishment and still recovering from her injuries.
• Ye Chuxue’s Taiyin Body proves exceptionally powerful, allowing her to reach Foundation Establishment Late Stage and recover fully within a few years.
• The protagonist becomes more independent, ultimately entering the Sky Abyss and attempting Core Formation without Ye Chuxue accompanying him.

Significant Themes

• Risk versus opportunity: The protagonist willingly creates enormous danger in exchange for rapid cultivation progress, while Ye Chuxue initially represents a more cautious perspective.
• Deception and identity: The Great Void Transformation Art allows the pair to infiltrate sects and exploit the trust attached to stolen identities.
• Power and escalation: What begins as targeted hunting rapidly develops into massacres that destabilize all of Green Prefecture and force powerful sect leaders to act.
• Cause and consequence: The protagonist’s attacks accelerate the Enlightenment Convention, expose his identity, and provoke a massive bounty.
• Survival against higher powers: The Core Formation breakthrough does not end the danger; instead, it immediately brings a powerful Sinister Worm attack, underscoring the constant threat facing cultivators.
• The secret realm’s significance: The Immortal Falling Secret Realm is established as a vital refuge capable of helping Awakened Ones endure Sinister Worms.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist persuades Ye Chuxue to join his plan despite her concerns about the danger.
• He gives her the incomplete Great Void Transformation Art, enabling her to participate in the infiltrations.
• During the sect massacres, he protects her from direct combat and assigns her to collect resources while he handles the killing.
• The two coordinate closely during their disguises, infiltrations, escapes, and eventual retreat to the Desolate Village.
• Ye Chuxue supports the protagonist’s decision to flee the Azure Cloud Sect and later agrees to his plan to seek breakthrough opportunities in the Sky Abyss, though she chooses not to accompany him.
• The chapter ends with the protagonist enduring the Sinister Worm’s attack after Core Formation, beginning a new test of his strength and understanding of the secret realm.

Chapter Summary: “Myriad Devil Sect’s Mysterious Black-robed Man!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Seven days after entering the Immortal Falling Secret Realm, Su Ming fully suppresses the Sinister Worm inside him, though he suffers backlash. Thanks to the Azure Emperor Longevity Art, his body rapidly heals.
• Remembering that a powerful cultivator previously killed him in the secret realm, Su Ming vows revenge and decides to investigate the area more carefully.
• He returns to Desolate Village but discovers that Ye Chuxue has left for the Qin Kingdom after hearing reports of Awakened Ones similar to Lin Qi.
• Su Ming realizes that the major sects will likely respond more forcefully than in the previous simulation, possibly sending Core Formation cultivators. He rushes to the Qin Capital.
• Upon arrival, he finds Lin Qi gravely injured and Ye Chuxue surrounded by two Core Formation cultivators. Su Ming uses the Great Desolate Prison Heaven Finger to annihilate the two Core Formation enemies, then kills the ten Foundation Establishment cultivators attacking Lin Qi.
• While fleeing the Qin Kingdom with Ye Chuxue and Lin Qi, Su Ming encounters a mysterious black-robed man. The man claims to be an Awakened One from the Myriad Devil Sect and offers to delay the pursuing forces from the Myriad Devil, Wind Thunder, and Azure Cloud Sects.
• The black-robed man explains that he helped because he wanted to see the Awakened One who had caused turmoil in Green Prefecture. Su Ming remains suspicious but accepts his assistance.
• A month later, Su Ming, Ye Chuxue, and Lin Qi safely return to Desolate Village. Ye Chuxue warns Su Ming not to trust the black-robed man completely, explaining that the Awakened Ones are divided by conflicting beliefs despite their shared goal of overthrowing the Sinister Worm.
• By the seventh year, Su Ming reaches the Core Formation Middle Stage. Ye Chuxue prepares to travel to the Sky Abyss to attempt her own breakthrough.
• She reveals that a secret realm opening once every ten years will soon become accessible to cultivators below the Nascent Soul realm. Su Ming agrees to accompany her, hoping to explore the Immortal Falling Secret Realm more thoroughly.
• Su Ming, Ye Chuxue, and Lin Qi enter the Sky Abyss. Ye Chuxue begins her breakthrough, while Lin Qi leaves to explore independently. Su Ming starts moving toward the depths of the secret realm.

Character Developments

• Su Ming: Grows more powerful and decisive, successfully reaching Core Formation and effortlessly defeating multiple high-level enemies. His previous death in the secret realm fuels his caution and desire for revenge. He also becomes more aware of the political and ideological divisions among the Awakened Ones.
• Ye Chuxue: Remains committed to finding and protecting Awakened Ones such as Lin Qi. She becomes more cautious and politically aware, warning Su Ming that even supposed allies may have hidden agendas. Her cultivation reaches a bottleneck, leading her to seek a breakthrough in the Sky Abyss.
• Lin Qi: Demonstrates his vulnerability by being badly wounded during the Qin Kingdom battle, but gradually recovers. He begins acting more independently, leaving the others to explore the secret realm on his own.
• The Black-robed Man: Introduced as a powerful and enigmatic Awakened One from the Myriad Devil Sect. Although he assists Su Ming’s group, his motives and loyalties remain uncertain.

Significant Themes

• Uncertainty among allies: Shared opposition to the Sinister Worm does not guarantee trust or unity. The Awakened Ones themselves are divided by different beliefs and agendas.
• Power and survival: Su Ming’s rapid advancement allows him to reverse the battle in the Qin Kingdom, but his memories of past death keep him wary of stronger opponents.
• Revenge and justice: Su Ming regards the cultivator who previously killed him as an enemy, even though both ostensibly belonged to humanity’s side.
• Preparation and foresight: Knowledge from previous simulations allows Su Ming to anticipate the sects’ reactions and act before the danger escalates.
• Exploration of hidden truths: The Immortal Falling Secret Realm and the mysterious Awakened Ones suggest deeper secrets about the Canglan Realm, the Sinister Worm, and the divisions within human society.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ming and Ye Chuxue: Their alliance strengthens as they fight together and rescue Lin Qi. Ye Chuxue trusts Su Ming enough to invite him to the Sky Abyss but also cautions him against blindly trusting the black-robed man.
• Su Ming and Lin Qi: Su Ming rescues the gravely injured Lin Qi and carries him out of the Qin Kingdom. Their relationship remains cooperative, though Lin Qi begins to act more independently.
• Su Ming and the Black-robed Man: The man intervenes without hostility and claims to support the Awakened Ones, but Su Ming questions his motives and identity.
• Ye Chuxue and Lin Qi: Lin Qi asks to accompany Ye Chuxue to the Sky Abyss, and she agrees. Their relationship reflects mutual trust within the Awakened Ones’ cause, though the broader movement remains divided.

Chapter Summary: “Bronze Divine Hall!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ming discovers a mysterious Bronze Divine Hall in a valley within the Immortal Falling Secret Realm.
• Wan Yemo, the Second Elder of the Myriad Devil Sect—the same man who previously killed Su Ming in an earlier simulation—appears and warns him that no one has ever entered the hall.
• Wan Yemo explains that the hall cannot be opened by force and may require a special key. Legends claim its treasures are among the most valuable in the secret realm.
• When Su Ming touches the bronze doors, they unexpectedly open. Wan Yemo attempts to enter but is violently repelled.
• Realizing Su Ming possesses the secret that allowed entry, Wan Yemo tries to capture him. Su Ming escapes through the doorway just before the doors close.
• Trapped inside, Su Ming knows Wan Yemo will wait outside for him to emerge, but he also realizes that the encounter gives him valuable information for future simulations.
• Inside the enormous hall, Su Ming finds unfamiliar statues and murals depicting ancient events:
  • A gigantic insect, apparently a Sinister Worm, invades the Canglan Realm through a spatial rift.
  • The realm’s strongest cultivators unite and kill it.
  • Later, various sects and factions join forces to attack what appears to be “the sky,” which Su Ming suspects represents the Heavenly Dao.
• Before he can understand the ancient history, the statues activate and send beams of light into him.
• Su Ming discovers that the hall is an inheritance site, accessible only to those who have reached the Extreme Realm of Qi Refining.
• He receives six powerful, complete cultivation arts and begins studying them.

Character Developments

• Su Ming remains cautious and calculating. He pretends to seek Wan Yemo’s guidance while secretly memorizing his appearance and aura so he can eventually kill him.
• His distrust of Wan Yemo deepens after the elder immediately attempts to exploit and capture him.
• Su Ming becomes increasingly determined to improve his cultivation, recognizing that future breakthroughs may allow him to defeat Wan Yemo directly.
• His understanding of the Canglan Realm’s history expands, though the murals raise more questions than they answer.
• Wan Yemo is presented as opportunistic and ruthless. His initial warning appears helpful, but once Su Ming opens the hall, Wan Yemo reveals his true intentions and prioritizes obtaining its secret over any concern for Su Ming.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and distrust: Wan Yemo represents the danger posed by powerful individuals who exploit their fellow humans rather than oppose the true enemy.
• Power and opportunity: Su Ming’s rare qualification allows him to access an inheritance that countless stronger cultivators could not obtain.
• Hidden history: The murals suggest that the ancient era contained a major conflict involving the Heavenly Dao, challenging Su Ming’s assumptions about the world’s history.
• The nature of evil: The chapter questions why ancient cultivators attacked the Heavenly Dao instead of focusing on the Sinister Worms, hinting that the current understanding of the realm’s enemies may be incomplete.
• Growth through simulation: Su Ming treats the simulation as a way to gather intelligence, identify threats, and prepare for future confrontations.

Character Interactions

• Su Ming and Wan Yemo: Their encounter is outwardly respectful but internally hostile. Su Ming asks Wan Yemo for information while plotting against him, whereas Wan Yemo presents himself as knowledgeable before trying to seize Su Ming.
• Su Ming and the Bronze Divine Hall: The hall responds uniquely to Su Ming, opening at his touch and rejecting Wan Yemo. This establishes Su Ming as the chosen inheritor and highlights his extraordinary cultivation potential.
• Su Ming and the ancient inheritances: The statues act as silent teachers, transferring their divine abilities directly to him and granting him access to six supreme cultivation techniques.
  The chapter ends with Su Ming beginning to cultivate the inherited arts, including the Great Desolation Sky Prison Finger, Great Void Sword Art, Cycle of Rebirth Undying Scripture, Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art, Heavenly Evolution Art, and Great Void Technique.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After seven years trapped inside the Bronze Divine Hall, Su Ming completes his cultivation of the Great Void Technique, advancing it from beginner level to major mastery.
• During this time, his cultivation reaches Core Formation Great Perfection, but he exhausts all his spirit stones and realizes he must leave the hall to seek a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul realm.
• Although Wan Yemo is waiting outside and could capture him, Su Ming decides to risk escaping.
• When he opens the bronze gates, he discovers that the Immortal Falling Secret Realm has changed drastically. Large numbers of cultivators from Green Prefecture’s Azure Cloud Sect, Wind Thunder Sect, and Myriad Devil Sect are gathered outside.
• Su Ming learns that the secret realm has apparently “fallen.” Five years earlier, Wan Yemo publicly announced that the formations protecting Sky Abyss had vanished and that a secret realm had appeared there. The three great sects subsequently divided its treasures and began sending cultivators into it every five years.
• The ordinary disciples mistake Su Ming for a surviving demonic cultivator and attempt to capture him to uncover the secrets of the Bronze Divine Hall.
• Su Ming uses the Great Void Technique to move unpredictably through the battlefield and kills all the Core Formation disciples present. He then repeatedly cripples, soul-searches, and kills other cultivators he encounters to gather information.
• He discovers that the important sect leaders and core disciples are elsewhere, and identifies Jun Moxiao, the strongest Core Formation cultivator of the Myriad Devil Sect, as someone likely to know the truth.
• Su Ming travels to Sword Mountain, an ancient inheritance site connected to the long-dead Great Void Sword Sect, where Jun Moxiao is located.

Character Developments

• Su Ming becomes far more powerful and confident after mastering the Great Void Technique. He is no longer merely hiding from Wan Yemo; he is now capable of dominating entire groups of Core Formation cultivators.
• His survival instincts and distrust deepen. He chooses to remain hidden for seven years rather than risk soul-searching, then leaves only when his resources are exhausted.
• Su Ming’s morality becomes increasingly ruthless. He justifies killing the cultivators by viewing them as puppets controlled by Sinister Worms, believing their deaths will not create Inner Demons.
• Despite his hatred of Wan Yemo, Su Ming shows a degree of fairness and rationality: he questions the soul-searching evidence because he cannot understand why Wan Yemo would expose the secret realm and endanger humanity.
• Wan Yemo remains physically absent but becomes central to the mystery. His alleged actions conflict with his previous motivations, suggesting deception, possession, or a larger hidden scheme.
• Jun Moxiao is established as a major target and possible source of answers, though he has not yet directly interacted with Su Ming.

Significant Themes

• Power gained through isolation: Su Ming’s long seclusion transforms him into a formidable spatial cultivator.
• Survival versus morality: The chapter explores how extreme danger causes Su Ming to rationalize mass killing as necessary self-defense.
• Truth and unreliable information: The explanation obtained through soul-searching appears factual, yet it contradicts what Su Ming knows about Wan Yemo, creating a central mystery.
• Collapse of order: The secret realm’s protective formations have disappeared, allowing sects to invade and compete for treasures.
• Ancient inheritance and lost civilizations: Sword Mountain and the Great Void Sword Sect hint at the deeper history and powerful opportunities hidden within the secret realm.
• Humanity versus the Sinister Worms: The presence of worm-controlled cultivators blurs the boundary between enemies, victims, and monsters.

Character Interactions

• Su Ming has no direct conversation with Wan Yemo, but Wan Yemo’s pursuit and suspicious public announcement shape all of his decisions.
• The gathered sect disciples identify Su Ming as a wanted demonic cultivator and attack him out of greed for the Bronze Divine Hall’s secrets.
• Su Ming responds by slaughtering them and extracting information through soul-searching.
• His next intended interaction is with Jun Moxiao, whom he seeks out because of his connection to the Myriad Devil Sect and potential knowledge of Wan Yemo’s actions.

Chapter Summary: “Ye Chuxue’s Whereabouts!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After mastering the Great Void Sword Art, Su Ming arrives at Sword Mountain and triggers the resonance of every sword there, shocking all the cultivators present.
• The disciples assume that Xiao Lingtian, the Azure Cloud Sect’s greatest sword genius, has caused the phenomenon. Su Ming disguises himself and infiltrates the gathered disciples, intending to seize the treasures and eliminate them afterward.
• Sword Mountain contains nearly one hundred thousand levels. Reaching the summit allows a cultivator to obtain the immortal sword’s recognition, while those who climb partway can gain recognition from lesser swords.
• Su Ming climbs the mountain effortlessly, completely unaffected by the surrounding Sword Qi. His performance astonishes the other cultivators, who begin to regard him as even more formidable than Xiao Lingtian.
• At the summit, Su Ming encounters Xiao Lingtian, Jun Moxiao, and Luo Xiaoyu. In the summit formation, he uses the Great Void Sword Art to claim a broken weapon—the Great Void Sword, once an immortal sword wielded by the Great Void Ancestor.
• Su Ming reveals his true identity as the demonic-path cultivator responsible for the massacre at Azure Cloud Sect. Xiao Lingtian and Jun Moxiao attack him, but Su Ming effortlessly avoids their attacks.
• Su Ming kills Xiao Lingtian with a single strike, then cripples Jun Moxiao and searches his soul, though he finds no useful information.
• When Su Ming turns on Luo Xiaoyu, she claims to be an Awakened One, a true human rather than someone parasitized by Sinister Worms. She proves this by displaying her Primordial Spirit, which Sinister Worms are supposedly unable to manifest normally.
• Still suspicious, Su Ming nearly kills her until she reveals that she knows Ye Chuxue. Luo Xiaoyu explains that Ye Chuxue was badly injured after breaking through and being hunted. She later helped Ye Chuxue hide on a secluded island between Green Prefecture and Central Prefecture.

Character Developments

• Su Ming demonstrates overwhelming strength and confidence. His mastery of the Great Void Sword Art allows him to ignore Sword Mountain’s pressure, control the broken Great Void Sword, and defeat elite cultivators with ease.
• He becomes more cautious and ruthless regarding the Sinister Worms, preferring to kill suspected enemies rather than risk allowing one to escape.
• Su Ming also learns that he cannot easily distinguish true humans from Sinister Worms, forcing him to rely on clues such as the Primordial Spirit.
• Xiao Lingtian’s pride and confidence collapse when Su Ming claims the sword he believed belonged to him. His attempt to confront Su Ming ends in instant death.
• Jun Moxiao initially attacks alongside Xiao Lingtian but loses his courage after witnessing Xiao’s death. His cultivation is crippled, and his knowledge proves worthless to Su Ming.
• Luo Xiaoyu is revealed to be an Awakened human rather than a Sinister Worm. Her connection to Ye Chuxue saves her life and makes her an important source of information.

Significant Themes

• Power and superiority: Su Ming’s effortless ascent and destruction of the strongest competitors establish his dominance over the younger generation.
• Inheritance and decline: Sword Mountain represents the Great Void Sword Sect’s legacy, which has fallen into the hands of Sinister Worms, highlighting the tragic corruption of a once-great human heritage.
• Trust and suspicion: Su Ming’s encounter with Luo Xiaoyu emphasizes the difficulty of identifying allies in a world infiltrated by enemies.
• Identity and revelation: Su Ming abandons his disguise and openly declares himself, turning the chapter from covert infiltration into direct confrontation.
• Legacy and recognition: The Great Void Sword responds to Su Ming’s sword intent, suggesting that he has inherited or awakened a connection to the Great Void Ancestor’s power.

Important Character Interactions

• The gathered disciples speculate that Xiao Lingtian caused the sword resonance, unknowingly drawing attention away from Su Ming.
• Xiao Lingtian confronts Su Ming over the Great Void Sword and demands to know his identity, only to discover that Su Ming is the infamous Azure Cloud Sect murderer.
• Xiao Lingtian and Jun Moxiao cooperate briefly against Su Ming, but both are defeated almost immediately.
• Su Ming interrogates Jun Moxiao through soul searching but gains no valuable intelligence.
• Su Ming nearly kills Luo Xiaoyu, but she convinces him of her humanity and reveals Ye Chuxue’s location.
• The chapter ends with Su Ming learning that Ye Chuxue is severely injured but hiding on an island between Green Prefecture and Central Prefecture.