Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: Secret Realm Polluted Again, Lin Zhantian’s Death!

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gu Xinyue agrees to help the protagonist but first wants to break through to the Void Refining Realm. She postpones this until after the Pill Sect matter is resolved, intending to acquire the sect’s resources.
• Over seven days, the protagonist and Gu Xinyue secretly steal as many pills as possible from the Pill Sect under Gu Xinyue’s protection.
• After returning to the Sword Pavilion, they find that Ye Chuxue has reached Foundation Establishment. Her former innocence and emptiness have faded, replaced by a more world-weary demeanor. The protagonist leaves her some of the stolen pills before departing.
• A month later, the protagonist and Gu Xinyue enter the Immortal Falling Secret Realm. They discover that its Spiritual Energy has been contaminated by the same strange aura affecting the outside world.
• The protagonist realizes that Lin Zhantian must have brought Lin Qi’s corpse into the secret realm in an attempt to save him, causing the pollution.
• They travel to the Lin family manor in the Qin Kingdom, where Lin Qi’s funeral is taking place. Lin Zhantian attacks the protagonist, but Gu Xinyue intervenes and effortlessly cripples him with Sword Qi.
• Under threat of having Lin Qi’s corpse refined into a puppet, Lin Zhantian admits that he transported his dying son to the secret realm after the protagonist killed him, hoping to preserve his life.
• The protagonist condemns Lin Zhantian for destroying the secret realm and endangering the future of humanity. Qin Wu, realizing that his own cultivation may now be permanently limited, becomes furious.
• Qin Wu tortures Lin Zhantian to death. The protagonist and Gu Xinyue leave the manor, where they encounter Fang Jingchun, who has been waiting outside.

Character Developments

• The protagonist demonstrates greater confidence, strategic thinking, and ruthlessness. He exploits the Pill Sect for resources, accurately identifies the source of the secret realm’s corruption, and manipulates Lin Zhantian into revealing the truth.
• Gu Xinyue becomes a powerful ally. She is practical and resource-conscious, helps the protagonist steal pills, and shows fierce hostility toward Lin Zhantian because his actions threaten cultivators across two prefectures.
• Ye Chuxue reaches Foundation Establishment but undergoes an emotional transformation, losing her previous innocence and becoming noticeably more hardened and disillusioned.
• Lin Zhantian is revealed as a grieving but reckless father whose attempt to save Lin Qi causes a catastrophe. His rage and refusal to accept responsibility ultimately lead to his death.
• Qin Wu benefits politically from Lin Zhantian’s death but is devastated by the revelation that the secret realm has been polluted, since it threatens his cultivation and future.
• Lin Qi, though already dead, remains central to the chapter because his corpse becomes the source of the secret realm’s contamination.

Significant Themes

• Unintended consequences: Lin Zhantian’s desperate attempt to save his son damages an important cultivation resource and harms humanity as a whole.
• Personal grief versus collective responsibility: His love for Lin Qi blinds him to the wider consequences of his actions.
• The fragility of cultivation and power: The pollution of the secret realm threatens the advancement of all human cultivators.
• Justice and retribution: Lin Zhantian is punished not only for attacking the protagonist but for endangering the future of the human race.
• Pragmatism and manipulation: The protagonist and Gu Xinyue consistently act strategically, prioritizing resources, survival, and long-term security.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist and Gu Xinyue establish a cooperative partnership based on mutual benefit and trust.
• The protagonist supports Ye Chuxue by giving her pills, showing concern for her development despite her changing personality.
• Gu Xinyue directly confronts Lin Zhantian and defeats him, protecting the protagonist while punishing the source of the contamination.
• The protagonist interrogates Lin Zhantian and uses the threat against Lin Qi’s corpse to force his confession.
• Qin Wu initially observes the confrontation but turns against Lin Zhantian once he learns the secret realm has been polluted, eventually killing him.
• After leaving the Lin residence, the protagonist and Gu Xinyue meet Fang Jingchun, setting up the next development.

Chapter Summary: “Breakthrough to Spirit Transmutation!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fang Jingchun arrives after sensing Gu Xinyue’s Sword Qi and learns that the Immortal Falling Secret Realm has been polluted—a phenomenon thought to be impossible.
• The group enters the secret realm and discovers that the pollution has worsened rapidly, threatening the future cultivation resources of Green Prefecture.
• The protagonist reveals the existence of the Bronze Divine Hall, which only he can enter. The three cultivate there, though Fang Jingchun is initially disappointed by its murals and statues.
• After a year of cultivation, Gu Xinyue breaks through to the Void Refining Realm, while the protagonist approaches Spirit Transmutation.
• The protagonist decides to remain in the Bronze Divine Hall and pursue his breakthrough. After four years of secluded cultivation, he successfully reaches the early Spirit Transmutation Realm.
• Upon emerging, he finds the secret realm filled with cultivators from Green Prefecture and You Prefecture. He immediately kills many of them with a single Great Void Sword Qi.
• Over the following two days, he massacres nearly every cultivator within the secret realm, sparing only a few who recognize the danger and retreat.
• After leaving the secret realm, he confronts the Myriad Devil Sect and recognizes Wan Yemo, an old enemy in the middle stage of Spirit Transmutation. Despite being at a lower minor realm, the protagonist is confident he can kill him.

Character Developments

• The protagonist advances from near Spirit Transmutation to the early Spirit Transmutation Realm after four years of focused cultivation. His strength increases dramatically, though his Sword Dao progression toward the “Man and Sword as One” realm falls behind.
• Gu Xinyue breaks through to the Void Refining Realm after one year in the Bronze Divine Hall, showing significant progress and continued trust in the protagonist.
• Fang Jingchun shifts from disbelief about the polluted secret realm to recognizing the importance of the Bronze Divine Hall and the protagonist’s unique ability to access it.
• Wan Yemo is reintroduced as a powerful enemy in the middle stage of Spirit Transmutation and becomes the protagonist’s next intended target.

Significant Themes

• Unprecedented disaster and survival: The pollution of the Immortal Falling Secret Realm threatens the cultivation future of an entire region.
• Unique inheritance and destiny: The Bronze Divine Hall’s opportunities are available only to the protagonist, emphasizing his exceptional status and hidden potential.
• Power through cultivation: Years of secluded cultivation produce a major breakthrough, reinforcing the importance of patience and concentrated effort.
• Strength and ruthlessness: The protagonist responds to threats by eliminating almost all opposing cultivators, demonstrating his increasingly merciless worldview.
• Confidence beyond realms: Although the protagonist has not yet mastered “Man and Sword as One,” his exceptional talents allow him to overcome opponents with higher cultivation.

Character Interactions

• Gu Xinyue welcomes Fang Jingchun but becomes concerned when he reacts strongly to news of the polluted secret realm.
• She encourages the protagonist after learning that he alone can enter the Bronze Divine Hall and later supports his decision to cultivate there.
• Fang Jingchun and Gu Xinyue cultivate alongside the protagonist for a year before departing, leaving him to pursue his breakthrough alone.
• After emerging from seclusion, the protagonist is surrounded by unfamiliar cultivators who fear his sudden appearance and overwhelming power.
• Outside the secret realm, he directly challenges Wan Yemo, transforming the former enemy’s disbelief into a confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “Completely Mad!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist, having reached the Spirit Transformation realm, attacks and kills Wan Yemo with the Great Void Sword. Wan Yemo’s death terrifies the elders from the surrounding sects, who immediately flee.
• Driven by long-suppressed anger and the pressure of surviving in the Canglan Realm, the protagonist pursues the escaping elders. He kills a Wind Thunder Sect elder despite pretending to accept his offer of compensation.
• He catches up with an Azure Cloud Sect elder, who recognizes him as the “devil” responsible for killing Azure Cloud Sect Foundation Establishment disciples five years earlier. The elder is shocked that the protagonist has advanced from Foundation Establishment to Spirit Transformation in such a short time and is subsequently killed.
• Using the Great Void Technique, the protagonist hunts down and kills the fleeing elders and disciples connected to the six major sects of Green Prefecture and You Prefecture.
• Returning to the Immortal Falling Secret Realm, he retrieves another Great Void Sword from the summit of Sword Mountain. The sword merges with his existing weapon, greatly strengthening its aura.
• After a month, the protagonist returns to the Sword Pavilion. News of his massacre has spread throughout both prefectures, causing him to be branded a demonic cultivator and making him the target of every major sect.
• Lin Tian warns him that his actions were reckless, but the protagonist announces that he must leave for Central Prefecture. Ye Chuxue asks to accompany him, and he agrees after learning that her cultivation has risen to the late Core Formation stage.
• The protagonist searches for Gu Xinyue, only to learn that she has gone to Tianqi Academy to consult Fang Jingchun. Because the Azure Cloud Sect has organized a conference to hunt him and sealed the route to Central Prefecture, he decides to find Gu Xinyue before attempting the journey.
• After traveling for a month, the protagonist and Ye Chuxue arrive at Tianqi Academy, which initially appears deserted. Fang Jingchun and Gu Xinyue soon return and express relief that he survived.

Character Developments

• The protagonist: Fully embraces his overwhelming strength and violent emotions. His transformation into a feared demonic figure becomes undeniable, though his decision to leave the region shows strategic awareness rather than simple recklessness. His rapid advancement from Foundation Establishment to Spirit Transformation remains a source of astonishment.
• Wan Yemo and the sect elders: Their confidence collapses once they realize they cannot match the protagonist. Their attempts to flee highlight the reversal of power between the protagonist and the major sects.
• Ye Chuxue: Her cultivation has advanced dramatically to late Core Formation because of her Taiyin Body and sword talent. She becomes the protagonist’s companion for the journey to Central Prefecture.
• Lin Tian: Acts as a cautious and concerned senior brother, warning the protagonist about the consequences of the massacre while still supporting him.
• Gu Xinyue and Fang Jingchun: Their efforts to search for the protagonist and develop countermeasures demonstrate their concern and willingness to help him survive the sects’ retaliation.

Significant Themes

• Revenge and emotional release: After years of suppressing his anger while fearing the Sinister Worms, the protagonist uses the massacre to release his pent-up resentment.
• Power and transformation: His astonishing cultivation progress has turned him from a hunted Foundation Establishment cultivator into one of the most powerful figures in Green Prefecture.
• Isolation and persecution: By openly massacring members of six major sects, he ensures that nearly every sect will regard him as an enemy, forcing him to abandon his current home.
• Loyalty and companionship: Despite becoming a feared demonic cultivator, the protagonist remains connected to his fellow disciples, and Ye Chuxue, Gu Xinyue, Lin Tian, and Fang Jingchun continue to support him.
• Escape and new beginnings: The planned journey to Central Prefecture marks a major transition, as the protagonist seeks both safety and a new path after becoming unable to remain in Green or You Prefecture.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist mocks and kills the Wind Thunder Sect elder after briefly giving him false hope of survival.
• The Azure Cloud Sect elder recognizes the protagonist’s identity and attempts to flee, but the protagonist calmly pursues and kills him.
• Lin Tian and Ye Chuxue confront the protagonist upon his return, criticizing the massacre and warning of the consequences.
• Ye Chuxue asks to accompany him to Central Prefecture, and the protagonist accepts.
• At Tianqi Academy, Fang Jingchun and Gu Xinyue greet the protagonist with relief, revealing that they had searched for him in the secret realm and feared he had been harmed.

Chapter Summary: The Elusive Truth

Key Plot Points and Events

• After discussing the danger surrounding Green and You Prefectures, the protagonist, Gu Xinyue, and Ye Chuxue decide to flee Green Prefecture for Central Prefecture.
• Fang Jingchun offers to escort them, but the protagonist refuses to protect him from being identified as a demonic-path accomplice.
• At the Green Prefecture–Central Prefecture city pass, the group discovers that the Azure Cloud, Wind Thunder, and Myriad Devil Sects are conducting inspections specifically to find the protagonist.
• The protagonist and Gu Xinyue launch a surprise attack, killing the inspecting elders, while Ye Chuxue finishes them off.
• The three sect masters then appear. The Azure Cloud Sect Master is revealed to be a Void Refining Realm cultivator, while the other two are also powerful Spirit Transmutation experts.
• The protagonist defeats the Myriad Devil Sect Master’s attack with the repaired Great Void Sword but suffers rapid spiritual-energy depletion.
• Gu Xinyue reveals her Void Refining Realm cultivation by killing the Wind Thunder Sect Master and then engaging the Azure Cloud Sect Master.
• The Azure Cloud Sect Master is shocked that a human cultivator above Foundation Establishment exists in Green Prefecture. After a seven-day battle, Gu Xinyue uses the Great Void Sword to destroy his Sky-Piercing Spirit Treasure Pagoda and kills him.
• The group escapes toward Central Prefecture using the Great Void Technique, avoiding pursuit for three months before reaching Qingshan City.
• In Qingshan City, the protagonist realizes that the Azure Cloud Sect Master’s comments imply a deeper conspiracy involving the suppression of powerful human cultivators.
• The group searches for Wei Qing, finding him just after he has killed the city lord’s son. With no time to ask questions, they immediately flee the city with him.

Character Developments

• The protagonist becomes more cautious and strategic, recognizing that the sects’ pursuit is part of a broader effort to prevent another powerful human—possibly another Chaos Devil Heavenly Venerate—from emerging. He also begins seriously questioning the hidden structure governing human cultivation.
• Gu Xinyue is revealed to possess Void Refining Realm cultivation, making her far stronger than previously expected. She becomes the group’s decisive combatant, defeating two sect masters and destroying the Azure Cloud Sect’s most important artifact, though she suffers injuries.
• Ye Chuxue continues to provide crucial support in battle, efficiently eliminating weakened enemies and helping the group escape.
• Fang Jingchun remains behind because his association with the demonic path would endanger the entire group.
• Wei Qing is shown to be in immediate trouble after killing the city lord’s son, forcing him to join the group’s flight without explanation.

Significant Themes

• Oppression and resistance: The Sinister Worms view humans as mere “nourishment” and suppress their cultivation to prevent them from challenging the existing order.
• Hidden historical truth: The restrictions on powerful human cultivators may not be caused solely by poor conditions in Green and You Prefectures; Central Prefecture appears connected to a larger secret.
• Survival and distrust: The protagonists must constantly avoid inspections, exposure, and pursuit, making secrecy and rapid decisions essential.
• Power and revelation: Gu Xinyue’s true cultivation dramatically shifts the balance of power and demonstrates that the established limits on human advancement may be artificial.
• The legacy of the Chaos Devil Heavenly Venerate: The sects fear the possibility of another human reaching that level, suggesting that the past rebellion continues to shape the present.

Important Character Interactions

• The protagonist and Gu Xinyue cooperate closely, coordinating their surprise attack at the inspection point and later fighting together against the sect masters.
• The protagonist lends Gu Xinyue the Great Void Sword, greatly increasing her strength and enabling her to destroy the Sky-Piercing Spirit Treasure Pagoda.
• The Azure Cloud Sect Master openly belittles humanity, but his confidence turns to shock when Gu Xinyue reveals her cultivation.
• The protagonist and Ye Chuxue rescue Wei Qing immediately after discovering him, prioritizing escape over explanations because of the danger surrounding his actions.

Chapter Summary

• In the seventh year, Su Ming, Gu Xinyue, Ye Chuxue, and Wei Qing reached the Great Zhou Dynasty’s capital. News of their involvement in the deaths of the three Green Prefecture Sect Masters had spread, branding them as dangerous Devilish Dao cultivators. However, the major powers did not take the threat seriously, and their altered appearances allowed them to settle safely under the guise of rogue-cultivator alchemists.
• Over the next several years, Su Ming and Gu Xinyue sold pills while secretly gathering information about Zhou Lingxi. Their goal was to find her and leave the Great Zhou Dynasty, which was too close to Green Prefecture and the coming dangers connected to the Blood Demon Secret Realm and a mysterious Mahayana cultivator.
• After two and a half years, they learned that the Great Zhou’s Ninth Princess had stolen spiritual medicine during the Emperor’s birthday banquet and been sentenced to three years of confinement. Su Ming realized that this disgraced princess was Zhou Lingxi. Unlike the Imperial Family’s public portrayal of her as useless, Zhou Lingxi actually possessed the rare Immortal Eye. Her theft was likely an attempt to escape the Imperial Family.
• Rather than wait for Zhou Lingxi to escape, Su Ming devised a risky plan to abduct her from the Imperial Palace. With a palace map purchased on the Black Market and the Great Void Technique, he bypassed the guards and entered her room. Zhou Lingxi immediately recognized him as a genuine human and trusted him, allowing him to take her away without resistance.
• Su Ming returned to the courtyard with Zhou Lingxi, where Gu Xinyue, Ye Chuxue, and Wei Qing were waiting anxiously. Zhou Lingxi was astonished to see four powerful cultivators who were still normal humans, having never encountered anyone above the Foundation Establishment realm who fit that description. Before dawn, the group fled the capital and traveled north toward the Great Gan Dynasty, an enemy of Great Zhou and therefore a safer refuge.
• After three months, they settled in Feilong City within Great Gan territory. Three years passed peacefully, during which Zhou Lingxi advanced to Foundation Establishment and Ye Chuxue reached Core Formation Great Perfection. Su Ming, Gu Xinyue, and Wei Qing did not break through but strengthened their existing cultivation. Su Ming remained dissatisfied with their slow progress, recognizing the limitations imposed by their Spiritual Roots despite the assistance of Talent.
• The chapter ends with Zhou Lingxi suddenly noticing a human figure in the sky. When Su Ming looks up and recognizes the person, he is horrified and left wondering, “How could it be him?”

Character Development and Interactions

• Su Ming becomes increasingly decisive and willing to take extreme risks to protect and retrieve Zhou Lingxi. His concern over future calamities drives him to personally infiltrate the Imperial Palace.
• Zhou Lingxi shifts from an imprisoned, isolated princess to a rescued companion. Her Immortal Eye enables her to identify Su Ming as trustworthy, and she begins addressing him affectionately as “Brother Su Ming.”
• Gu Xinyue, Ye Chuxue, and Wei Qing remain loyal but worry about Su Ming’s dangerous plan. Their anxious wait and immediate cooperation show the group’s close bond.
• Zhou Lingxi’s amazement at meeting several powerful human cultivators highlights how isolated and abnormal her life within the Imperial Family had been.

Significant Themes

• Disguise and persecution: The group survives by hiding their identities while being viewed as terrifying Devilish Dao figures.
• Freedom from oppressive power: Zhou Lingxi’s confinement and supposed “uselessness” conceal her true nature and desire to escape the Imperial Family.
• Loyalty and risk: Su Ming’s willingness to challenge the Imperial Palace demonstrates his commitment to Zhou Lingxi and his companions.
• Approaching danger: The Blood Demon Secret Realm, the unknown Mahayana cultivator, and the mysterious figure at the ending foreshadow escalating threats despite the group’s temporary safety.

Chapter Summary: “Entering the Barren Wasteland!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Wudi unexpectedly finds Su Ming five years earlier than in previous simulations, apparently tracking the aura of the Great Void Sword.
• Gu Xinyue senses Chu Wudi’s overwhelming presence, but Su Ming immediately flees rather than risk involving her or the others.
• Su Ming repeatedly uses the Great Void Technique to escape, but Chu Wudi easily pursues him despite the technique’s power.
• Chu Wudi reveals that he knows Su Ming possesses the Great Void Sword and threatens to search his soul for its secrets.
• Su Ming deduces that Chu Wudi’s ability to locate him is connected to the Great Void Sword Fragments he has collected. Each fragment strengthens the sword, making its aura easier for Chu Wudi to detect and causing their encounters to occur earlier.
• To escape, Su Ming reaches the capital of the Great Gan Dynasty and publicly accuses Chu Wudi of being a demonic cultivator. The Great Gan Emperor, an early-stage Mahayana cultivator, intervenes and fights Chu Wudi, allowing Su Ming to escape.
• Su Ming flees north to the Barren Wasteland, a true forbidden region of Central Prefecture. Exhausted after a month of using the Great Void Technique, he hides in the mortal Li Family Village.
• During four peaceful years among ordinary people, Su Ming recovers, advances to the middle stage of Spirit Transformation, and eventually comprehends the sword realm of Man and Sword as One, breaking through to the late stage of Spirit Transformation.
• In the twentieth year, Chu Wudi finds him again. Su Ming, now calmer and mentally stronger, flees directly toward the Barren Wasteland.
• Chu Wudi follows in anger but stops in shock when Su Ming enters the forbidden land, implying that even he fears its dangers.

Character Developments

• Su Ming: Becomes more cautious, resourceful, and mentally resilient. His time in the village gives him a stronger state of mind and unexpectedly helps him break through a long-standing sword bottleneck. Rather than panicking when Chu Wudi returns, he deliberately uses the Barren Wasteland as a possible refuge.
• Chu Wudi: Reveals himself as persistent, cruel, and extremely powerful. His gentle appearance conceals his hostility, and he is willing to torture Su Ming and search his soul. His pursuit is also driven by greed for the Great Void Sword.
• Gu Xinyue: Recognizes the danger posed by Chu Wudi but is left behind when Su Ming flees, showing the seriousness of the threat.
• Great Gan Emperor: Emerges as a previously unknown early-stage Mahayana cultivator and temporarily protects Su Ming by confronting Chu Wudi.

Significant Themes

• Cause and effect across simulations: Small changes—especially obtaining more Great Void Sword Fragments—alter the timing and consequences of future events.
• Power and vulnerability: Even Su Ming’s strongest escape technique cannot permanently evade an opponent three major realms above him.
• The cost of power: The Great Void Sword grants strength but also exposes Su Ming to detection and pursuit.
• Peace as a path to growth: Su Ming’s ordinary life among mortals, free from cultivation-world conflict, allows his state of mind and sword intent to mature.
• Survival through adaptability: Su Ming repeatedly changes tactics—using the Great Void Technique, manipulating the Great Gan capital, hiding among mortals, and finally entering a forbidden land.

Character Interactions

• Su Ming and Chu Wudi: Their relationship is defined by pursuit, suspicion, and hostility. Chu Wudi tries to deceive and intimidate Su Ming, while Su Ming refuses to answer him and relies on evasion.
• Su Ming and Gu Xinyue: Su Ming prioritizes Gu Xinyue’s safety by fleeing alone rather than allowing Chu Wudi to target her and the others.
• Chu Wudi and the Great Gan Emperor: The Emperor intervenes after Su Ming exposes Chu Wudi in the capital, leading to a battle between two Mahayana cultivators.
• Su Ming and Li Family Village: Though the villagers are unaware of his true identity, their peaceful mortal lifestyle profoundly influences Su Ming and contributes to his breakthrough.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist enters the Desolate Deathland, a place where no one has ever returned from alive.
• The protagonist's cultivation is suppressed to the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul Realm.
• Chu Wudi, the protagonist's pursuer, also enters the Desolate Deathland but quickly flees due to the rapid depletion of his lifespan.
• The protagonist decides to venture deeper into the Desolate Deathland, losing track of time and aging rapidly.
• After 100 years, the protagonist finds a massive Bronze Ancient Coffin and collapses upon seeing his reflection, indicating severe aging and loss of lifespan. He then dies.

Character Developments

• The protagonist shows determination and resilience by choosing to explore the Desolate Deathland despite the risks.
• Chu Wudi demonstrates fear and cowardice when faced with the harsh conditions of the Desolate Deathland, prioritizing his own survival over defeating the protagonist.

Significant Themes

• The theme of perseverance and determination in the face of insurmountable odds.
• The theme of the consequences of one's actions and the price of ambition (Chu Wudi's pursuit of the protagonist leads him to the Desolate Deathland).
• The theme of the passage of time and its effects on living beings (the protagonist's rapid aging in the Desolate Deathland).

Character Interactions

• The protagonist and Chu Wudi's interaction is minimal in this chapter, with Chu Wudi fleeing before the protagonist can react.
• The protagonist's interaction with the Desolate Deathland is the focus, as he navigates its harsh conditions and ages rapidly.

Chapter Summary: “An Unchangeable Fact!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ming activates “I Want It All!” and receives every reward from the simulation, advancing instantly from Nascent Soul Great Perfection to the late stage of Spirit Transmutation.
• Although the Cunning Insect attacks him again, Su Ming suppresses it. He remains focused on preventing Lin Zhantian from taking Lin Qi’s corpse to the Immortal Falling Secret Realm, where it could contaminate the realm’s Spiritual Energy.
• Su Ming orders Ye Chuxue to find Fang Jingchun in the Qin Kingdom and have him kill Lin Zhantian at the Lin family estate while destroying Lin Qi’s corpse. Su Ming then rushes to the secret realm himself.
• After setting up a sword formation around the Sky Abyss, Su Ming enters the secret realm and confirms that its Spiritual Energy has not yet visibly been contaminated.
• He eventually discovers Lin Zhantian beneath a waterfall, with Lin Qi’s corpse. Su Ming attacks and overwhelms him easily, shocking Lin Zhantian with his sudden cultivation breakthrough.
• Lin Zhantian insists that Lin Qi could have helped humanity fight the Cunning Insects because of his exceptional talent. Su Ming angrily reminds him that Lin Qi is actually a dangerous scourge.
• Su Ming cripples Lin Zhantian, takes Lin Qi’s corpse, and leaves the secret realm to destroy it in a deserted location rather than risk creating further danger within the realm.
• Ye Chuxue and Fang Jingchun arrive after failing to find Lin Zhantian at the Lin family mansion. Su Ming explains the threat, and Fang Jingchun realizes that contamination of the secret realm could doom Green Prefecture, You Prefecture, and humanity’s resistance against the Cunning Insects.
• Su Ming, Ye Chuxue, Fang Jingchun, and the imprisoned Lin Zhantian remain in the secret realm to witness the consequences.
• After seven days, Fang Jingchun detects the first signs of contamination. After another seven days, the contamination becomes severe enough for even Ye Chuxue and Lin Zhantian to sense it. Lin Zhantian is forced to confront the truth, though he still struggles to believe it.

Character Developments

• Su Ming becomes even more powerful but shows no pride in his breakthrough, emphasizing his determination and single-minded concern for humanity’s survival.
• His attitude toward Lin Zhantian hardens completely. Rather than killing him immediately, Su Ming keeps him alive so he can personally witness the disastrous consequences of defending Lin Qi.
• Lin Zhantian remains blinded by paternal loyalty and refuses to accept that Lin Qi is dangerous. His confidence in his son’s righteousness collapses gradually as the secret realm’s Spiritual Energy becomes contaminated.
• Fang Jingchun initially questions Su Ming’s warning because he cannot detect any contamination, but his careful nature leads him to accept the truth once the changes become perceptible.
• Ye Chuxue follows Su Ming’s orders without hesitation and later experiences the growing threat alongside the others.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus denial: Lin Zhantian’s refusal to accept Lin Qi’s nature contrasts with Su Ming’s willingness to act on an unpleasant but necessary truth.
• Parental attachment and misplaced loyalty: Lin Zhantian values his son’s talent so strongly that he ignores the danger Lin Qi poses to humanity.
• Responsibility and sacrifice: Su Ming is willing to make ruthless choices, including destroying Lin Qi’s corpse and punishing Lin Zhantian, to protect the larger human population.
• Irreversible consequences: The title reflects the chapter’s central idea: once Lin Qi’s corpse contaminates the secret realm, the damage cannot be undone.
• The threat of the Cunning Insects: The contamination reveals how closely Lin Qi’s existence is connected to the insects’ power and how vulnerable humanity’s future is.

Character Interactions

• Su Ming gives Ye Chuxue direct orders without allowing her time to question them, showing his urgency and authority.
• Su Ming confronts Lin Zhantian physically and verbally, rejecting his argument that Lin Qi is humanity’s hope.
• Fang Jingchun questions Su Ming’s conclusion but ultimately supports him after detecting the contamination.
• Su Ming deliberately forces Lin Zhantian and the others to remain present as witnesses to the secret realm’s gradual downfall, turning the contamination into undeniable proof of Lin Qi’s danger.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Zhantian realizes that his son, Lin Qi, has polluted the Spiritual Energy within the Immortal Falling Secret Realm—an unprecedented event that causes the secret realm to collapse.
• Overwhelmed by guilt, Lin Zhantian asks Su Ming to kill him. Instead, Su Ming imprisons his soul on Sword Mountain, forcing him to witness the consequences of his actions and the future of humanity.
• Su Ming, Ye Chuxue, and Fang Jingchun leave the ruined secret realm and travel by spirit boat toward You Prefecture. During the journey, Su Ming’s simulator completes its cooldown, and he receives the orange talent Devilish Dao Sacred Body, which greatly improves his Devilish Dao comprehension, cultivation speed, and spiritual power.
• Upon returning to the Sword Pavilion, Fang Jingchun reports the secret realm’s destruction to the Pavilion Master. Lin Tian reacts with shock because Spiritual Energy pollution has never occurred before.
• Su Ming asks whether You Prefecture contains another secret realm suitable for cultivation. The Pavilion Master reveals the existence of the Blood Demon Secret Realm, despite its dangerous and restricted nature.
• The Pavilion Master privately explains the Blood Demon Secret Realm to Su Ming and reveals that he has seen through Su Ming’s concealment technique, questioning whether Su Ming’s apparent Spirit Transmutation Late Stage cultivation is genuine.
• Su Ming changes the subject and asks about the Great Void Sword. The Pavilion Master explains that it is actually the Great Void Immortal Sword, once the most destructive immortal sword of ancient times.
• The sword was broken into nine fragments. Reuniting all nine could restore it, and legend says the completed sword contains an Immortal Fate—a chance to become immortal.
• Su Ming reveals that he possesses four fused fragments, including the sword recovered from the Immortal Falling Secret Realm. The Pavilion Master is astonished by the scale of Su Ming’s opportunity.

Character Development

• Lin Zhantian shifts from a determined protector of humanity to a broken and remorseful figure. His greatest fear is not death, but being forced to watch humanity suffer because of his mistake.
• Su Ming becomes more ruthless and strategically calculating. He punishes Lin Zhantian psychologically rather than granting him the death he requests, while also carefully testing the Pavilion Master’s knowledge and attitude.
• The Sword Pavilion Master demonstrates deep knowledge of ancient treasures and secret realms. He also becomes suspicious of Su Ming’s true cultivation and hidden abilities.
• Lin Tian shows strong emotional concern over the destruction of the Immortal Falling Secret Realm but ultimately defers to the Pavilion Master’s judgment.
• Fang Jingchun acts as a calm intermediary, restraining Lin Tian and emphasizing trust in the Pavilion Master’s decisions.

Significant Themes

• Guilt and responsibility: Lin Zhantian’s actions, intended to save his son and humanity, instead lead to catastrophe.
• Punishment versus redemption: Su Ming rejects death as sufficient atonement and chooses a punishment designed to make Lin Zhantian confront the results of his choices.
• Hidden power and deception: Su Ming’s concealed cultivation and growing collection of sword fragments make him increasingly difficult for even powerful figures to understand.
• Dangerous opportunities: The Blood Demon Secret Realm and the Great Void Immortal Sword offer enormous power, but both carry serious risks.
• Fate and immortality: The Great Void Immortal Sword introduces the possibility of becoming immortal and suggests that Su Ming’s future will draw the attention of powerful enemies.

Character Interactions

• Lin Zhantian begs Su Ming for death, but Su Ming condemns him to eternal spiritual imprisonment instead.
• Fang Jingchun and Su Ming cooperate after the secret realm’s fall, prioritizing a report to the Sword Pavilion.
• Lin Tian confronts Su Ming about the disaster, then follows him to the Pavilion Master after learning its severity.
• Fang Jingchun stops Lin Tian from challenging the Pavilion Master’s decision to permit access to the Blood Demon Secret Realm.
• The Pavilion Master questions Su Ming’s concealed cultivation, but Su Ming avoids answering and redirects the conversation to the Great Void Sword.
• After Su Ming reveals his four sword fragments, the Pavilion Master recognizes the extraordinary significance of his fortune and the potential danger surrounding it.

Chapter Summary: “Great Void Sword Anomaly!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Sword Pavilion Master praises Su Ming’s extraordinary fortune and suggests he may be the legendary Child of Destiny. He hints that Su Ming could eventually gather all the Great Void Swords, obtain the Immortal Sword, and achieve an immortal destiny.
• Despite this, Su Ming remains uninterested in immortality and focuses on finding a way to escape Chu Wudi.
• The Sword Pavilion Master instructs Su Ming to visit the Blood Demon Secret Realm and urges him not to let temporary concerns influence his ultimate decision.
• Su Ming asks Lin Tian to arrange matters for Ye Chuxue, believing her exceptional Sword Dao talent could help her advance now that the Immortal Falling Secret Realm has vanished.
• Su Ming experiments with the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art using his Devilish Dao Sacred Body. Although the technique seems perfectly suited to him, its Devilish Qi conflicts with his existing Spiritual Energy. He discovers that cultivating it would require abandoning his current cultivation, which he refuses to do.
• Fang Jingchun bids Su Ming farewell before returning to Tianqi Academy.
• Su Ming travels to the Blood Demon Secret Realm and encounters Xia Qiange, a senior disciple guarding the area. He explains the destruction of the Immortal Falling Secret Realm and the Sword Pavilion Master’s instructions.
• Xia Qiange leads him to the Blood Tablet, beneath which an ancient and extremely dangerous Cunning Insect is sealed.
• The Great Void Sword inside Su Ming suddenly reacts violently to the Blood Tablet. Fearing that releasing it might destroy the tablet and unleash the Cunning Insects, Su Ming struggles to suppress it.
• Xia Qiange rescues him by taking him away from the Blood Tablet and escorting him out of the secret realm.
• Once outside, Su Ming understands through the Great Void Sword’s sword cry that the Blood Tablet contains a fragment of another Great Void Sword.
• He realizes the Sword Pavilion Master’s “choice” is between taking the Blood Tablet’s fragment and obtaining the Immortal Fate, or leaving it untouched to preserve the seal on the Cunning Insects.
• Su Ming connects this revelation to a previous simulation in which a mysterious person destroyed the Blood Tablet twenty years later. He concludes that the mysterious person was likely Chu Wudi, who must also possess a Great Void Sword.
• Su Ming returns to the Sword Pavilion with the new understanding that Great Void Sword fragments can sense one another.

Character Developments

• Su Ming: Remains pragmatic and focused on survival rather than fame or immortality. He rejects the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art because it would require sacrificing his current cultivation. His understanding of the Great Void Swords deepens, and he becomes aware that obtaining the Immortal Fate may involve an enormous moral and existential risk.
• Sword Pavilion Master: Reveals that he knows far more about Su Ming’s destiny and the Great Void Sword fragments than he openly explains. His warning suggests he is testing Su Ming’s judgment.
• Xia Qiange: Initially suspicious of Su Ming’s unexpected arrival, she quickly becomes protective and acts decisively when the Great Void Sword threatens the Blood Tablet.
• Chu Wudi: Though absent, he becomes a greater threat. Su Ming infers that he possesses another Great Void Sword and may have destroyed the Blood Tablet in the future.
• Ye Chuxue and Fang Jingchun: Ye Chuxue is positioned for future growth in Sword Dao, while Fang Jingchun temporarily departs for Tianqi Academy.

Significant Themes

• Destiny versus personal choice: Su Ming is presented with a path toward immortal destiny, but the decision would carry devastating consequences.
• Power and sacrifice: The Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art and the Blood Tablet both represent immense power that demands a serious sacrifice.
• Moral responsibility: Obtaining the Great Void Sword fragment could release ancient Cunning Insects and endanger countless lives.
• Hidden knowledge and manipulation: The Sword Pavilion Master gives Su Ming incomplete information, forcing him to uncover the true nature of the choice himself.
• Rivalry and inevitability: The connection between the Great Void Swords suggests an escalating conflict between Su Ming and Chu Wudi.

Important Character Interactions

• The Sword Pavilion Master warns Su Ming about the Blood Demon Secret Realm and urges him to make the correct long-term choice.
• Su Ming arranges Ye Chuxue’s affairs through Lin Tian, supporting her future cultivation.
• Fang Jingchun bids farewell to Su Ming before returning to Tianqi Academy.
• Xia Qiange confronts Su Ming upon his arrival, then protects him when the Great Void Sword reacts to the Blood Tablet.
• Su Ming ultimately communicates with the Great Void Sword itself, learning the truth about the Blood Tablet and Chu Wudi’s possible possession of another sword.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist learns that Chu Wudi will likely come after him within fifteen years, leaving him little time to prepare for a battle with a Mahayana expert.
• He decides to abandon his current cultivation path and cultivate the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art, despite its notorious reputation and the risk of becoming a wanted demonic cultivator.
• His plan is to establish himself in Green Prefecture. To remove the region’s greatest threat—the Azure Cloud Sect’s Void Refining sect master—he gives Gu Xinyue a Void Breaking Pill and takes her to the supposedly contaminated Immortal Falling Secret Realm.
• The two enter the untouched Bronze Divine Hall, where Gu Xinyue begins her breakthrough. At the same time, the protagonist disperses his late Spirit Transformation cultivation, suffering a severe physical setback.
• He begins rebuilding his strength through the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art, rapidly advancing from Qi Refinement to Foundation Establishment Great Perfection by absorbing the hall’s pure spiritual energy.
• After three years, Gu Xinyue successfully reaches the initial Void Refining Realm. The protagonist explains that he has chosen the demonic path because conventional cultivation is too slow for the crisis facing him.
• Upon leaving the Bronze Divine Hall, they discover that disciples from Green Prefecture’s three major sects have entered the secret realm and been infected by Sinister Worms.
• Gu Xinyue leaves as instructed while the protagonist massacres the sect disciples for seven days, using their blood qi to restore his cultivation. He reaches the late Core Formation Realm.
• At the secret realm’s exit, Gu Xinyue kills the three Spirit Transformation elders leading the sect forces. The protagonist devours their flesh and blood, advancing immediately to Core Formation Great Perfection.
• Intoxicated by the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art’s astonishing speed, he sends Gu Xinyue to find Fang at the Weather Academy while he continues his own plans.

Character Development

• The protagonist becomes increasingly desperate and ruthless. Faced with the threat of Chu Wudi, he willingly sacrifices his previous cultivation and moral reservations, embracing a dangerous demonic technique. His rapid progress begins to tempt him, raising the possibility that he may lose himself to demonic nature.
• Gu Xinyue reaches the initial Void Refining Realm with the protagonist’s help. She remains loyal and willing to assist him, but becomes deeply concerned by his decision to disperse his cultivation and by his growing reliance on slaughter and blood consumption.
• Chu Wudi does not appear directly, but his impending pursuit drives the protagonist’s entire transformation and strategy.
• The Sinister Worms continue spreading through the Immortal Falling Secret Realm, possessing human cultivators and turning the region into a dangerous, contaminated battlefield.

Significant Themes

• Desperation and survival: The protagonist abandons safer principles because survival against a Mahayana enemy requires extraordinary speed.
• The cost of power: His demonic cultivation grants rapid advancement but threatens his body, morality, and sanity.
• Moral compromise: Although the victims are parasitized by Sinister Worms, the protagonist still deliberately kills and devours them, showing how far he is willing to go.
• Loyalty and concern: Gu Xinyue supports him despite not understanding his plan, yet her warnings reveal the emotional and moral cost of his choices.
• Power versus restraint: The protagonist’s new strength develops quickly, but his growing enjoyment of it suggests that control may become as important as cultivation.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist honestly explains his plan to Gu Xinyue, while she questions the danger of entering the contaminated secret realm.
• He helps her break through by giving her the Void Breaking Pill and providing a safe location in the Bronze Divine Hall.
• Gu Xinyue is shocked by his loss of cultivation and warns that demonic cultivation could cause qi deviation and lead him astray.
• After the protagonist orders her to leave, Gu Xinyue obeys and kills the three Spirit Transformation elders on his command.
• Before departing, she expresses her fear that he will “fall into demonhood,” while he remains focused on pursuing power quickly enough to survive Chu Wudi.

Chapter Summary: Two Void Refining Realm Experts, Driven into Peril!

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Gu Xinyue leaves, the protagonist targets the Myriad Devil Sect, secretly ambushing and killing its Foundation Establishment-level and stronger cultivators for an entire year.
• The Three Great Sects eventually realize that the mysterious deaths of their disciples and elders—especially those who entered the Immortal Falling Secret Realm—are connected to the protagonist.
• Over the next several years, the protagonist travels between Green Prefecture and You Prefecture, hunting and devouring Sinister Worms. He later returns to Green Prefecture to target the Wind Thunder Sect, causing widespread fear and rumors about a powerful Demonic Cultivator.
• The Azure Cloud Sect announces a trial in the Immortal Falling Secret Realm, clearly intending to lure the protagonist into a trap. Despite recognizing the danger, the protagonist willingly accepts the risk because devouring the Sinister Worms there could allow him to break through to Spirit Transformation.
• Having reached Nascent Soul Great Perfection, the protagonist seeks Gu Xinyue’s assistance at Tianqi Academy. Gu Xinyue regrets helping him cultivate the demonic path, while Fang Jingchun warns him to protect his Dao Heart and not let greed control him.
• The protagonist and Gu Xinyue enter the secret realm ahead of the other sects, only to be surrounded by a coalition of sect elders. The weakest attackers are at Nascent Soul Great Perfection, while several Spirit Transformation experts are present.
• The sects accuse the protagonist of slaughtering their disciples and invoke the historical threat of the Chaos Devil Heavenly Venerate as justification for eliminating him.
• Gu Xinyue reveals that she has concealed her true cultivation. Instead of being an Early Spirit Transformation cultivator, she is an Early Void Refining expert. She instantly kills the surrounding Spirit Transformation elders with her Startling Swan Sword Qi.
• The Azure Cloud Sect Master, another Void Refining expert, attacks. The protagonist uses the Great Void Technique to evade the attack and secretly absorbs the slain elders’ blood essence with the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art.
• Gu Xinyue battles the Azure Cloud Sect Master evenly. When the protagonist throws her the Great Void Sword, she gains the advantage and begins suppressing him.
• The Azure Cloud Sect Master summons the Yin Yang Sect Master, revealing that the trap contains a second Void Refining expert. With their retreat blocked, the protagonist orders Gu Xinyue to flee toward the Bronze Divine Hall.

Character Developments

• The Protagonist: Has become increasingly powerful and ruthless, reaching Nascent Soul Great Perfection through years of devouring Sinister Worms and cultivators. He remains calculating, recognizing the ambush but choosing to face it for the chance to break through.
• Gu Xinyue: Shows deep concern over the protagonist’s demonic transformation and regrets enabling his path. Nevertheless, she remains loyal and fights beside him. Her hidden Void Refining cultivation is revealed, establishing her as far stronger than the sects expected.
• Fang Jingchun: Acts as a moral guide, reminding the protagonist that both demonic and immortal cultivation can be legitimate paths, but that maintaining a stable Dao Heart is essential.
• Azure Cloud Sect Master: Initially confident that the coalition can easily kill the protagonist, but is quickly placed at a disadvantage by Gu Xinyue and forced to call for reinforcements.
• Yin Yang Sect Master: Appears as a surprise second Void Refining expert, dramatically worsening the protagonists’ predicament.

Significant Themes

• Power and Transformation: The protagonist’s rapid growth demonstrates the strength of demonic cultivation, but his increasingly brutal actions raise questions about how much of his former self remains.
• Greed Versus Dao Heart: Fang Jingchun’s warning highlights the danger that the protagonist’s hunger for power may overwhelm his principles.
• Trust and Loyalty: Although Gu Xinyue disapproves of the protagonist’s choices, she continues to protect and fight alongside him.
• Prejudice and Fear: The sects treat demonic cultivators as existential threats, using the legacy of the Chaos Devil Heavenly Venerate to justify collective violence.
• Hidden Strength and Deception: Both sides rely on concealed power and surprise tactics—Gu Xinyue hides her true realm, while the sects conceal the presence of multiple Void Refining experts.

Important Character Interactions

• Gu Xinyue confronts the protagonist indirectly through her regret and warnings about demonic cultivation.
• Fang Jingchun advises the protagonist to remain steadfast and avoid being consumed by greed.
• The sect elders taunt and condemn the protagonist before discovering that Gu Xinyue is far stronger than expected.
• The protagonist and Gu Xinyue coordinate effectively in battle, with him rescuing her from the Azure Cloud Sect Master’s attack and later giving her the Great Void Sword.
• The Azure Cloud Sect Master calls upon the Yin Yang Sect Master when Gu Xinyue begins to overpower him, forcing the protagonist and Gu Xinyue to retreat toward the Bronze Divine Hall.

Chapter Summary

• Escape into the Bronze Divine Hall: At the hall’s entrance, the Azure Cloud Sect Master blocks Su Ming and Gu Xinyue. Gu Xinyue orders Su Ming to charge while she confronts the enemy. She ignores the Yin Yang Sect Master’s attack, allowing Su Ming’s four-times-fused Great Void Sword to pierce the Azure Cloud Sect Master’s dantian. Gu Xinyue is badly injured but helps Su Ming enter the hall, after which he seals the bronze gates.
• The Yin Yang Sect Master retreats: Unable to damage the Bronze Divine Hall, even with his strongest divine hall technique, the Yin Yang Sect Master abandons the attack. He instead goes to guard the secret realm’s exit and informs the Azure Cloud Sect of the incident.
• Cultivation breakthrough: Inside the hall, Gu Xinyue treats her injuries and fights off the Sinister Worms consuming her body. Su Ming refines the blood energy he absorbed from dozens of Spirit Transformation cultivators. After two and a half years, he successfully breaks through to the Spirit Transmutation Early Stage. Gu Xinyue recovers during this period and studies the hall’s murals.
• Confrontation at the secret realm’s exit: Su Ming and Gu Xinyue leave the Bronze Divine Hall intending to settle their grudge with the Yin Yang Sect Master. They find him near the exit, but he flees rather than fight Gu Xinyue and her Great Void Sword. Above the Sky Abyss, however, he reveals that he has summoned a powerful ally, Jun Mo.
• Arrival of Jun Mo: Jun Mo appears and criticizes the Yin Yang Sect Master and the Hun Family for failing to defeat Su Ming and Gu Xinyue, even after working together. He reveals overwhelming strength: he is in the Body Integration Realm, while the Yin Yang Sect Master is only at the Void Refinement level. Jun Mo dismisses Su Ming as weak and Gu Xinyue as an ant.
• Separation and flight: Recognizing that they cannot win, Gu Xinyue tells Su Ming to flee separately. Su Ming uses the Great Void Technique to escape toward Central Prefecture, avoiding You Prefecture because Jun Mo’s appearance suggests that the Hun Family controls or guards the region.
• Death at the border: After fleeing for three days, Su Ming reaches the border between Green Prefecture and Central Prefecture, only to find the Yin Yang Sect Master blocking the route. When Su Ming tries to retreat, Jun Mo appears behind him and immobilizes him. Jun Mo transforms into a Sinister Worm, enters Su Ming’s body, and devours his soul. Su Ming dies.
• Simulation rewards: After the simulation ends, Su Ming refuses to activate “I Want It All,” since choosing the cultivation reward would actually lower his current late Spirit Transformation cultivation. He instead selects the talent Devilish Dao Sacred Body, which will greatly aid his cultivation of the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art.

Character Development and Interactions

• Su Ming: Breaks through to Spirit Transmutation Early Stage, demonstrates strategic judgment by fleeing instead of fighting Jun Mo, and gains a powerful demonic cultivation talent despite dying in the simulation. His memories of Jun Mo, the Hun Family, and their control over You Prefecture become important future intelligence.
• Gu Xinyue: Shows courage and self-sacrifice by risking severe injury to help Su Ming kill the Azure Cloud Sect Master. She remains determined to avenge the Yin Yang Sect Master’s attack and takes the lead in deciding that she and Su Ming must split up.
• Yin Yang Sect Master: Proves unable to defeat the protagonists directly and resorts to outside assistance. He flees from Gu Xinyue but successfully traps Su Ming through his alliance with Jun Mo.
• Jun Mo: Is introduced as an overwhelmingly powerful and arrogant figure from beyond the local region, likely connected to the Hun Family’s forces. He treats the local cultivators as expendable and views Su Ming’s soul as valuable prey.

Significant Themes

• Survival over pride: Faced with an unbeatable enemy, Su Ming and Gu Xinyue abandon the possibility of revenge and flee separately.
• The danger of hidden powers: The battle reveals that the local sects are backed by far stronger forces, particularly the Hun Family and experts stationed in different prefectures.
• Sacrifice and loyalty: Gu Xinyue risks her life to protect Su Ming and enable their escape, reinforcing their close partnership.
• Power and predation: Jun Mo’s contempt for weaker cultivators and his ability to devour souls emphasize the brutal hierarchy of the cultivation world.
• Learning through death: Although the simulation ends in failure, Su Ming gains cultivation progress, a valuable talent, and crucial information for future attempts.

Chapter Summary: “Destruction of the Feather Ascension Sect!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ming deduces that powerful Central Prefecture families are secretly supporting major factions across the four prefectures. The Azure Cloud Sect is backed by Jun Mo’s Jun Family, while the Yin Yang Sect is connected to the Hun Family.
• He realizes that time is running out before Chu Wudi locates him, especially as the Great Void Sword inside him continues to fuse with more fragments and intensifies his sense of danger.
• A random quest requires him to destroy one of You Prefecture’s major factions in exchange for three additional simulation attempts. He rules out the Yin Yang Sect because of its Void Refining master and considers the Pill Sect too powerful, choosing the Feather Ascension Sect instead.
• After returning to the Sword Pavilion, Su Ming delays his attack until the simulation cooldown ends, then begins a new simulation.
• He obtains the Purple Talent External Incarnation, allowing him to create a clone with the same abilities and control it through his Primordial Spirit. The clone is assigned to cultivate the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art while Su Ming personally attacks the Feather Ascension Sect.
• Su Ming infiltrates the Feather Ascension Sect by capturing and impersonating a Core Formation disciple. He spends a month studying the sect’s seven peaks, their Spirit Transmutation peak masters, and the monthly Feather Ascension Assembly.
• He secretly kills the Small Bamboo Peak peak master and later eliminates all the other peak masters except the sect master.
• Disguised as the Small Bamboo Peak peak master, Su Ming attends the next assembly. The Feather Ascension Sect master immediately sees through him and attacks.
• Su Ming reveals his true strength, using the Great Void Sword Intent and Great Desolation Sky Prison Finger to overwhelm the sect master, despite the latter’s Spirit Transmutation Great Perfection cultivation.
• After killing the sect master, Su Ming summons his External Incarnation. The clone arrives seven days later, and the two prepare to consume the sect’s remaining cultivators through the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art.

Character Developments

• Su Ming becomes increasingly decisive and ruthless. Under pressure from Chu Wudi and the quest’s reward, he shifts from cautious planning to a calculated extermination campaign.
• He demonstrates strong strategic ability by infiltrating the sect, gathering information, eliminating its leadership individually, and only revealing himself when the sect has already been crippled.
• The creation of the External Incarnation allows Su Ming to cultivate the dangerous Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art without exposing his main body to unnecessary risk.
• His confidence also grows: he believes the Feather Ascension Sect master, despite being at Spirit Transmutation Great Perfection, is no match for him.
• The Feather Ascension Sect master is portrayed as vigilant enough to detect Su Ming’s disguise, but ultimately unable to withstand his superior combat strength.

Significant Themes

• Time pressure and survival: Su Ming’s fear of Chu Wudi’s approaching pursuit drives his increasingly aggressive actions.
• Strategic deception: Infiltration, impersonation, intelligence gathering, and assassination are more important than direct confrontation.
• Power escalation: Su Ming’s late-stage Spirit Transmutation cultivation and mastery of powerful techniques allow him to defeat stronger-looking opponents with ease.
• Exploitation of enemies: The Feather Ascension Sect is not merely destroyed; its cultivators are treated as resources for the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art.
• Hidden political forces: Central Prefecture families continue to influence the major sects, suggesting that destroying one faction may have broader consequences.
• The value of simulation rewards: The quest and the External Incarnation talent provide Su Ming with the additional resources and flexibility needed to advance rapidly.

Character Interactions

• Su Ming considers the influence of Jun Mo’s Jun Family and the Hun Family over the Azure Cloud and Yin Yang Sects.
• He works with his External Incarnation through Primordial Spirit communication, directing it to cultivate independently before summoning it to the Feather Ascension Sect.
• Su Ming confronts and kills the Small Bamboo Peak peak master in a surprise attack.
• During the final assembly, the Feather Ascension Sect master exposes Su Ming’s disguise and challenges him. Their battle ends with Su Ming overpowering and killing the sect master.
• After reuniting with his incarnation, Su Ming declares that the “feast” is about to begin, signaling the consumption of the sect’s remaining members.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist’s External Incarnation finishes slaughtering all Sinister Worms at the Foundation Establishment level and above within the Feather Ascension Sect. Human cultivators who were still Awakened Ones are allowed to leave, while Qi Refining cultivators are warned to abandon sect cultivation and return to the Mortal World.
• The External Incarnation absorbs the worms’ blood qi and rapidly breaks through to the Foundation Establishment Realm. News of the Feather Ascension Sect’s destruction spreads across You Prefecture and into Green Prefecture, making it impossible for the protagonist to remain hidden.
• To divert the Yin Yang Sect’s investigation and buy time for the External Incarnation, the protagonist deliberately reveals himself at the Pill Sect’s recruitment trial, kills several examiners, and engages Gu Xinyue in combat. He secretly explains his plan while retreating, then escapes using the Great Void Technique.
• He relocates to Green Prefecture and destroys a third-rate faction, successfully drawing the attention of the Yin Yang Sect and placing Green Prefecture’s Three Great Sects on alert.
• After hiding in Desolate Village for two years, the External Incarnation completely refines the Sinister Worms from the Feather Ascension Sect and reaches Nascent Soul Great Perfection.
• Because of the frequent use of the Blood Demon Secret Realm, Xia Qiange becomes displeased. The protagonist therefore targets the Myriad Devil Sect, which is closer to the Immortal Falling Secret Realm and the Bronze Divine Hall.
• In the third year, he wipes out all Foundation Establishment-level and stronger Sinister Worms in the Myriad Devil Sect. He also captures and kills Wan Yemo, who attempts to flee despite being a fellow Human Race cultivator.
• Two powerful figures—the Azure Cloud Sect’s sect master and the Yin Yang Sect’s sect master—arrive. The protagonist leaves his External Incarnation behind to cultivate and lures the pursuers toward the Immortal Falling Secret Realm.
• He enters the Bronze Divine Hall, which withstands repeated attacks from both sect masters. Unable to enter, they decide to take turns guarding the secret realm’s entrance, each for a year, waiting for him to emerge.

Character Developments

• The protagonist becomes increasingly calculating and self-sacrificing. He willingly exposes himself, attacks major sects, and serves as bait so his External Incarnation can safely grow stronger.
• The External Incarnation advances dramatically, reaching Nascent Soul Great Perfection after absorbing the Sinister Worms from the Feather Ascension Sect.
• Gu Xinyue displays genuine concern for the protagonist, treating him like family despite their first direct meeting. Although she opposes the recklessness of his plan, she ultimately respects his resolve.
• Xia Qiange becomes dissatisfied with the protagonist’s repeated use of the Blood Demon Secret Realm, forcing him to seek another cultivation location.
• Wan Yemo is revealed as cowardly and self-serving. His attempt to rely on shared Human Race identity fails, and the protagonist executes him without mercy.
• The Azure Cloud and Yin Yang sect masters recognize the Bronze Divine Hall’s extraordinary nature and shift from immediate pursuit to a long-term siege.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and strategic deception: The protagonist repeatedly risks himself and exposes his whereabouts to protect his External Incarnation and ensure its growth.
• The conflict between humanity and corruption: Human cultivators are spared when possible, while Sinister Worms and collaborators such as Wan Yemo are destroyed.
• Power and survival: The protagonist’s escalating strength allows him to annihilate entire sects, but his actions also attract increasingly powerful enemies.
• Ancient mysteries: The indestructible Bronze Divine Hall is linked to an ancient inheritance, suggesting the Immortal Falling Secret Realm contains secrets beyond the understanding of modern sects.
• Isolation and pursuit: The protagonist is forced away from allies and familiar refuges, relying on speed, misdirection, and forbidden or unusual locations to survive.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist and Gu Xinyue clash physically while communicating emotionally; her concern contrasts with his determination to proceed alone.
• The protagonist confronts Wan Yemo directly, rejecting his plea for mercy based on their shared Human Race identity.
• The protagonist evades the Azure Cloud and Yin Yang sect masters by leading them to the Immortal Falling Secret Realm.
• The two sect masters cooperate uneasily, exchanging information about the Bronze Divine Hall before agreeing to guard its entrance in shifts.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After escaping into the Bronze Divine Hall, the protagonist secretly controls an External Incarnation left inside the ruined Myriad Devil Sect. Because the Azure Cloud and Yin Yang sect masters leave after dividing the sect’s resources, the incarnation is able to consume the remaining blood qi undisturbed.
• Five years later, the incarnation reaches Spirit Transmutation Early Stage, matching the protagonist’s true body in cultivation. However, its combat power remains lower because it does not possess the Great Void Sword.
• The protagonist infiltrates the Yin Yang Sect, which is left relatively weak while its sect master guards the Sky Abyss. Over six months, he eliminates the elders one by one and destroys the entire sect, taking revenge on the Yin Yang Sect Master for relentlessly hunting him.
• Returning to Desolate Village, the protagonist refines the accumulated blood qi and breaks through to Spirit Transmutation Middle Stage at the beginning of the sixth year.
• News of the Yin Yang Sect’s destruction spreads even to the mortal villagers, who fear the rise of another Devilish Dao monster.
• The protagonist then travels to the Azure Cloud Sect, intending to raid it while its sect master remains away. However, the sect has been sealed and prepared as a trap to lure him in.
• Ten powerful elders ambush him, including two at Spirit Transmutation Great Perfection. Confident in his new cultivation, the protagonist fights them alone through the night, killing them all and absorbing their blood qi.
• Just as he prepares to leave, the First Elder activates a hidden divine talisman, summoning additional help. A spatial crack opens, and the Void Refining expert Jun Mo emerges, shocking the protagonist.

Character Developments

• The protagonist grows substantially stronger, advancing to Spirit Transmutation Middle Stage after repeatedly absorbing blood qi through the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art.
• His confidence increases sharply; he now considers himself effectively invincible against any opponent below the Void Refining Realm.
• His repeated use of the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art begins changing his personality, making him colder, more detached, and increasingly ruthless.
• His desire for revenge intensifies, and destroying the Yin Yang Sect gives him immense satisfaction.
• The protagonist’s External Incarnation reaches Spirit Transmutation Early Stage, becoming a major asset, though it remains weaker without the Great Void Sword.
• The Azure Cloud Sect Master demonstrates strategic caution by anticipating another raid and arranging an ambush rather than personally guarding the sect.
• The First Elder becomes fanatical and desperate, relying on Jun Mo as a final trump card even after the other elders are defeated.
• Jun Mo is introduced as a powerful and unexpected enemy, likely posing a serious threat due to his Void Refining cultivation.

Significant Themes

• Revenge and retribution: The destruction of the Yin Yang Sect serves as the protagonist’s retaliation against its sect master.
• Power and transformation: Rapid cultivation gains bring not only strength but also moral and psychological changes.
• Predator and prey dynamics: The protagonist repeatedly turns the schemes of stronger sects against them, raiding their homes while their leaders are absent.
• Overconfidence versus preparation: Although the protagonist dominates the Azure Cloud elders, the sect’s hidden contingency reveals that his enemies are also adapting.
• The corruption of power: The Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art accelerates cultivation while gradually eroding the protagonist’s former personality.
• Fear and reputation: News of the protagonist’s actions spreads widely, causing ordinary people to fear him as a Devilish Dao monster.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist’s actions indirectly affect the Azure Cloud and Yin Yang sect masters, turning their pursuit of him into opportunities for revenge.
• He mocks and defeats the Azure Cloud elders, especially the First Elder, who accuses him of falling into the sect master’s trap.
• The protagonist’s confrontation with the First Elder ends with the elder’s death, but the elder’s final act summons Jun Mo.
• The chapter concludes with the protagonist face-to-face with Jun Mo, establishing a major confrontation between the protagonist and a newly arrived Void Refining powerhouse.

Chapter Summary: Breaking Through to the Void Refining Realm and Leaving the Secret Realm

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Azure Cloud Sect’s grand elder, Jun Mo, uses a teleportation talisman to arrive from Central Prefecture and pursue the protagonist.
• The protagonist’s External Incarnation attempts to escape through the void but is intercepted and immobilized by Jun Mo, who is revealed through True Sight to be a mid-stage Void Integration Realm cultivator and a member of the Jun family.
• Before the incarnation is destroyed, it transmits its findings back to the protagonist, who is cultivating inside the Bronze Divine Hall. Although the incarnation’s death causes mental pain, it does not seriously injure the protagonist.
• The protagonist decides to remain inside the hall, judging that Jun Mo cannot break through its bronze doors. He focuses on advancing his cultivation.
• In the seventh year, he reaches Spirit Transmutation Great Perfection and begins preparing to break through to the Void Refining Realm using a Void Breaking Pill originally intended for Gu Xinyue.
• Jun Mo attacks the Bronze Divine Hall for an entire month but fails to force the doors open. He eventually abandons the assault, leaving the Azure Cloud Sect master to guard the hall.
• Jun Mo rebuilds the Myriad Devil Sect through a Spirit Transmutation Great Perfection disciple and publicly announces that the former devilish threat has been eliminated. By offering Foundation Establishment Pills to new recruits, the sect rapidly attracts cultivators across Green Prefecture.
• In You Prefecture, the Hun family helps reconstruct the Yin Yang Sect, while other forces rebuild the Feather Ascension Sect.
• Within two years, Green Prefecture and You Prefecture return to their former order. Su Ming realizes that a massive Central Prefecture faction secretly controls both regions, permitting minor conflicts but eliminating anyone who threatens the established system and manipulating public opinion afterward.
• After fifteen years of cultivation, the protagonist reaches a bottleneck and consumes the Void Breaking Pill.
• In the seventeenth year, he successfully advances to the early Void Refining Realm and suppresses the Sinister Worm within his body.
• He exits the Bronze Divine Hall after more than ten years, leaving the Great Void Sword behind to prevent Chu Wudi from tracking him and to keep the weapon safe.
• At the Sky Abyss exit, he encounters the Azure Cloud Sect master, who has been waiting for him. The sect master threatens to torture and devour his Primordial Spirit.
• The protagonist responds immediately, using the Great Desolation Sky Prison Finger to pierce and pin the sect master’s limbs in the void. The sect master is horrified to discover that the protagonist has reached the Void Refining Realm.

Character Developments

• The protagonist becomes far more cautious and strategic after losing his External Incarnation. Rather than confront Jun Mo prematurely, he remains in the Bronze Divine Hall and prioritizes cultivation. His breakthrough to the early Void Refining Realm marks a major increase in strength and allows him to reverse the power dynamic against the Azure Cloud Sect master.
• Jun Mo is established as a powerful and arrogant mid-stage Void Integration Realm cultivator. Although he destroys the External Incarnation and attempts to break into the Bronze Divine Hall, he cannot overcome its defenses. He shifts from direct pursuit to reorganizing the political landscape through sect reconstruction.
• The Azure Cloud Sect master remains vengeful and overconfident, waiting outside the secret realm for more than ten years. His confidence collapses instantly when the protagonist defeats him with overwhelming ease.
• Su Ming gains a broader understanding of the world’s hidden political structure. He recognizes that the apparent independence of Green Prefecture and You Prefecture is carefully managed by Central Prefecture.
• The Jun family and Hun family demonstrate their influence by rebuilding major sects and restoring the previous regional order.

Significant Themes

• Strength through patience and cultivation: The protagonist survives by avoiding an unwinnable confrontation and using prolonged seclusion to achieve a decisive breakthrough.
• The hidden control of powerful factions: The apparent stability of the prefectures is revealed to be artificial, maintained by Central Prefecture’s intervention and suppression of disruptive figures.
• Political manipulation and brainwashing: Rebuilding the sects and offering recruitment rewards helps reshape public perception and erase the protagonist’s influence.
• Caution versus arrogance: Jun Mo and the Azure Cloud Sect master rely on overwhelming power and intimidation, while the protagonist uses planning, concealment, and timing.
• Freedom versus enforced stability: Regional peace is maintained not through genuine harmony but through strict control over which forces are allowed to rise.
• Transformation and reversal of power: The protagonist leaves the secret realm as a stronger cultivator, turning from hunted prey into the one capable of subduing his former pursuers.

Character Interactions

• Protagonist and Jun Mo: Their brief confrontation ends with Jun Mo destroying the External Incarnation, but the protagonist avoids a direct battle and later grows strong enough to threaten Jun Mo’s faction.
• Protagonist and the Azure Cloud Sect master: The sect master attempts to intimidate and psychologically torment him, but the protagonist immediately defeats him, demonstrating the impact of his breakthrough.
• Jun Mo and the regional sects: Jun Mo uses his influence to rebuild the Myriad Devil Sect and restore Central Prefecture’s preferred political order.
• Hun family and the Yin Yang Sect: The Hun family assists in reconstructing the Yin Yang Sect, showing cooperation among the major factions in restoring control.
• Protagonist and Chu Wudi: Though Chu Wudi does not appear directly, the protagonist deliberately leaves the Great Void Sword behind to prevent being located by him.

Chapter Summary: “A Chance Encounter with Senior Sister!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist defeats and kills the Azure Cloud Sect Master using the Great Desolation Sky Prison Finger and Great Void Sword Qi. He reveals that the “person” previously seen in Central Prefecture was actually his External Incarnation, shocking the sect master.
• He returns to Sword Pavilion after many years, only to find it destroyed. Although he is desperate to learn what happened, he realizes he has little time and cannot alter the situation.
• Driven by baleful fury—and seeking to prevent cultivation deviation—the protagonist travels to the Yin Yang Sect and kills its master, who had once hunted him.
• The deaths of the Azure Cloud Sect Master and Yin Yang Sect Master throw Green and You Prefectures into turmoil. Their allies contact the Hun and Jun Families, believing a mysterious powerhouse is responsible.
• The protagonist travels to Central Prefecture, entering its Eastern Region, where the Four Great Families—the Jun, Hun, Li, and Xiao Families—hold overwhelming influence.
• He investigates the Jun Family after noticing that its members below Foundation Establishment possess unusually dense Abnormal Aura. By capturing and soul-searching a core disciple named Jun Ziye, he learns that the family distributes “Spiritual Herbs” to disciples during Qi Refining.
• The protagonist realizes the herbs are actually connected to the Abnormal Aura and may be poisonous. He recalls receiving similar herbs at Azure Cloud Sect, after which the Sinister Worm grew strong enough to devour his Primordial Spirit.
• Abandoning plans to infiltrate or dismantle the Four Families, he travels to Central Prefecture’s Southern Region and passes through the ominous Barren Wasteland.
• He goes to the Great Zhou Dynasty, hoping to find Zhou Lingxi. Her former abandoned courtyard is now occupied and well maintained.
• Zhou Lingxi opens the door and recognizes him as Human Race. Inside, he sees a familiar woman and is stunned, addressing her as “Senior Sister.”

Character Developments

• The protagonist demonstrates dramatically increased power, successfully killing two peak regional figures and revealing the existence of his External Incarnation. However, his strength is accompanied by frustration and helplessness after finding Sword Pavilion destroyed.
• His intense anger nearly threatens his cultivation, forcing him to deliberately vent his baleful fury by killing the Yin Yang Sect Master.
• He becomes more cautious and investigative, using surveillance and soul-searching to uncover the Jun Family’s connection to the Abnormal Aura and possibly the Sinister Worm.
• Zhou Lingxi has undergone a major change. Unlike her previous state as a homeless exile, she now lives in a secure courtyard and appears knowledgeable about the protagonist’s identity and the nature of the world around them.
• The mysterious woman inside Zhou Lingxi’s home is revealed—or strongly implied—to be the protagonist’s long-lost or unexpected Senior Sister, creating a major cliffhanger.

Significant Themes

• Power and helplessness: Even after becoming powerful enough to kill Void Refinement cultivators, the protagonist cannot prevent Sword Pavilion’s destruction or fully control unfolding events.
• Hidden corruption: The “Spiritual Herbs” distributed by the Jun Family conceal a dangerous influence, suggesting that powerful clans may be spreading or exploiting the Abnormal Aura.
• Fate and inevitability: The protagonist’s efforts to change events often lead him back toward the same tragedies and enemies, reinforcing the difficulty of altering destiny.
• Revenge versus cultivation: His revenge against the Yin Yang Sect Master provides emotional release but also exposes the danger that hatred and baleful energy pose to his cultivation.
• Identity and recognition: The protagonist’s status as a Human Race member remains significant, while Zhou Lingxi’s recognition of him hints that she possesses deeper knowledge than before.

Important Character Interactions

• Protagonist and Azure Cloud Sect Master: The protagonist taunts him while explaining the power of his External Incarnation, then kills him without revealing further information.
• Protagonist and Jun Ziye: After capturing and soul-searching Jun Ziye, the protagonist learns how the Jun Family distributes suspicious herbs to its disciples.
• Protagonist and Zhou Lingxi: Zhou Lingxi recognizes him as Human Race and invites him inside, reversing their earlier relationship in which she had been vulnerable and homeless.
• Protagonist and the mysterious Senior Sister: Their reunion is the chapter’s final revelation. The protagonist is visibly stunned upon seeing her, setting up the next chapter’s central mystery.

Chapter Summary: Purple Heaven Banquet, Complete Great Void Technique!

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist finally reunites with Zi You, a senior sister from the Sword Pavilion, who has been living in the Great Zhou Dynasty.
• Zi You does not recognize him at first, so he explains that he joined the Sword Pavilion twenty years earlier. She confirms that she left the Sword Pavilion more than thirty years ago because it represented a human “pure land.”
• The protagonist informs her of the Sword Pavilion’s destruction. A Mahayana expert destroyed the Blood Tablet in the Blood Demon Secret Realm, releasing the sealed Cunning Insects. Meanwhile, the Immortal Falling Secret Realm in Green Prefecture has become contaminated and is no longer suitable for human cultivation.
• Zi You reveals that the Purple Firmament Holy Land has announced the return of the Blood Demon Heavenly Venerate, one of its ancient ancestors. The Holy Land is hosting a banquet for the major powers of Central Prefecture in half a year.
• Zi You decides that she and the protagonist should attend the banquet, viewing it as an opportunity to investigate the situation. Zhou Lingxi wants to come, but both Zi You and the protagonist refuse because her early Core Formation cultivation is too weak for such a dangerous gathering.
• The protagonist stays in Zi You’s courtyard and later asks about the Great Void Technique.
• Zi You explains that the technique is her family’s inherited cultivation art. The version taught in the Sword Pavilion was only an introductory chapter, while the protagonist’s version—obtained from the Bronze Divine Hall—is a more advanced first half.
• After examining his technique, Zi You reveals that he has not cultivated the complete Great Void Technique, but rather a partial “Void Technique.” The missing portion is necessary to fully conceal one’s aura while traversing the void.
• Zi You explains that the technique in the Bronze Divine Hall may have been left behind by ancient members of her family or their allies, who once hunted the Cunning Insects across the Canglan Realm.
• The protagonist expresses his determination to learn the complete Great Void Technique.

Character Developments

• The protagonist demonstrates his growing importance and experience by informing Zi You about the Sword Pavilion’s destruction, the Cunning Insects, and the contaminated secret realm. His cultivation and talent are further validated when Zi You learns he has mastered the first half of the Void Technique.
• Zi You shifts from a quiet, scholarly figure to someone bold and adventurous. Her concern for the Sword Pavilion reveals her loyalty and sense of responsibility, while her eagerness to attend the dangerous banquet suggests curiosity and a willingness to confront powerful enemies.
• Zhou Lingxi remains enthusiastic and eager to participate in major events, but her low cultivation level highlights the gap between her ambitions and her current strength.

Significant Themes

• The collapse of human defenses: The destruction of the Sword Pavilion, the release of the Cunning Insects, and the contamination of the Immortal Falling Secret Realm all show humanity’s worsening position.
• Hidden legacies and ancient history: The Great Void Technique connects the present crisis to the ancient struggle against the Cunning Insects and the long-lost forces of the Canglan Realm.
• Growth through inheritance: The protagonist’s discovery that his technique is incomplete sets up another stage of cultivation and development.
• Danger beneath apparent celebration: The Purple Heaven banquet is presented as a social event, but the return of the Blood Demon Heavenly Venerate makes it a potentially perilous confrontation.

Important Character Interactions

• The reunion between the protagonist and Zi You begins awkwardly because she does not recognize him, but quickly becomes a serious discussion about the Sword Pavilion and the fate of humanity.
• Zi You and the protagonist bond over their shared connection to the Sword Pavilion and agree to attend the Purple Firmament Holy Land’s banquet together.
• Zi You firmly rejects Zhou Lingxi’s request to join them, prioritizing safety over her enthusiasm.
• The protagonist’s discussion with Zi You about the Great Void Technique reveals the technique’s true nature and establishes Zi You as the person capable of completing his cultivation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zi You gives the protagonist the complete Great Void Technique, explaining that she previously taught only the first chapter to the Sword Pavilion because outsiders would struggle to cultivate it. The protagonist’s Young Supreme Being talent allows rapid progress.
• After six months of secluded cultivation, the protagonist reaches minor accomplishment in the technique, though he remains far behind Zi You in both cultivation and comprehension.
• Meanwhile, Green Prefecture and You Prefecture fall into chaos because of him. The Hun and Jun Families send powerful Integrated Body cultivators and Void Refining enforcers to hunt him down.
• With the Purple Heaven Sacred Land’s banquet approaching, Zi You devises a plan to infiltrate it by joining the Great Zhou Dynasty’s tribute delegation.
• The pair secretly follows the convoy, kills two members during a rest stop, disguises themselves, and infiltrates the delegation. They discover that the Great Zhou Crown Prince, who leads the mission, is only at Spirit Transmutation Great Perfection.
• On the journey, they enter the Sacred Domain, a hidden region that is the true center of Central Prefecture’s power. Zi You reveals that the commonly known Eastern, Western, Southern, and Northern Domains are merely the visible structure of Central Prefecture, while the Sacred Domain’s forces secretly control major powers and events.
• Zi You begins stealing valuable tribute offerings from the convoy. She gives the protagonist a box of Enlightenment Tea, taken from the Great Zhou Dynasty’s offerings.
• After arriving at the Purple Heaven Sacred Land, they infiltrate the tribute carriages of several factions, including the Great Gan Dynasty, taking only the most valuable treasures. The protagonist obtains a Yin Yang Holy Fruit.
• Before the banquet’s formal tribute ceremony begins, they return to the Great Zhou delegation and wait as the offerings are presented publicly.

Character Developments

• The Protagonist: His cultivation and mastery of the Great Void Technique improve dramatically, demonstrating his exceptional talent. He also gains a deeper understanding of the political structure of Central Prefecture and realizes that the world’s apparent powers are controlled by hidden Sacred Domain forces.
• Zi You: She acts as both mentor and mischievous accomplice. Her confidence, superior strength, and familiarity with the Sacred Domain are emphasized. She casually robs tribute offerings while treating the dangerous operation almost like a game, revealing her bold and opportunistic personality.
• Great Zhou Crown Prince: His low cultivation compared with the protagonist makes the protagonist question the dynasty’s future and suggests that the Great Zhou Dynasty may lack capable successors.

Significant Themes

• Hidden power structures: The chapter reveals that the visible political divisions and major families are only a facade, with the Sacred Domain secretly controlling Central Prefecture.
• Cultivation and talent: The protagonist’s rapid advancement highlights the importance of innate talent, while also showing that exceptional ability does not immediately erase the gap between him and a true expert like Zi You.
• Survival and pragmatism: The protagonist’s constant cultivation is driven by the need to survive in a dangerous world, especially against the threat of the Sinister Worms.
• Treasure and opportunism: Zi You’s interception of tribute reflects the characters’ willingness to exploit powerful factions for their own benefit.
• Mentorship and partnership: Zi You guides the protagonist while involving him in increasingly bold actions, strengthening their cooperation and mutual trust.

Character Interactions

• Zi You patiently explains the nature of the Sacred Domain after noticing the protagonist’s confusion, helping him understand the true hierarchy of Central Prefecture.
• She surprises him by presenting the stolen Enlightenment Tea, while he reacts with shock and amusement at her casual attitude toward theft.
• Together, they disguise themselves, infiltrate the Great Zhou convoy, and steal treasures from multiple factions.
• Their contrasting personalities—his cautious astonishment and her calm, audacious confidence—create much of the chapter’s humor and momentum.