Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Encirclement”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Inside the True Dragon Secret Realm, the weakened True Dragon begins transferring his lifelong Dao insights and power to Li Longzi.
• Because the True Dragon is not a pure Innate True Spirit, he cannot use the effortless soul-based inheritance method. Instead, he uses a far more dangerous bloodline-based technique, using the True Dragon bloodline to carry his Dao accumulations into Li Longzi.
• The inheritance severely damages Li Longzi’s flesh, soul, and origin power. His body cracks and bleeds, his soul is nearly exhausted, and his origin is violently torn apart.
• Despite the unimaginable pain, Li Longzi maintains his composure and refuses to let the ordeal shake his Dao heart.
• Li Longzi asks whether the True Dragon is his mother, having sensed the strong familiarity of the True Dragon bloodline. The True Dragon humorously corrects him, revealing that he is Li Longzi’s father.
• The True Dragon observes that several powerful figures have brought their descendants to visit him, but Jiang Yan is currently keeping them outside the secret realm.
• He tells Li Longzi that Jiang Yan has incurred a great karmic favor by protecting him during the inheritance. Li Longzi vows to repay Jiang Yan once he becomes a Supreme.
• The True Dragon rejects this idea, warning that Jiang Yan’s talent is so extraordinary that he may far surpass Li Longzi before Li Longzi reaches the Supreme Realm, making repayment impossible.
• The True Dragon orders Li Longzi to stop thinking about outside matters and focus on receiving the complete Frost Dao.
• Outside the secret realm, Jiang Yan confronts five powerful cultivators, including Stone Dragon. Rather than merely defend the entrance, Jiang Yan releases an overwhelming supreme Dao aura and challenges all five at once.
• Stone Dragon is impressed by Jiang Yan’s boldness. He claims that under different circumstances they might have become friends, but declares that he will personally duel Jiang Yan and threatens the other three with death if they interfere.

Character Developments

• Li Longzi: Demonstrates extraordinary endurance and an unshakable Dao heart. He suffers devastating physical and spiritual damage but remains calm and focused. He also learns the True Dragon’s true relationship to him and develops a stronger sense of responsibility toward Jiang Yan.
• The True Dragon: Reveals himself as Li Longzi’s father and shows both humor and stern guidance. Though weakened, he remains perceptive and powerful, recognizing Jiang Yan’s exceptional potential and directing Li Longzi to concentrate fully on the inheritance.
• Jiang Yan: Displays immense confidence and rapidly advancing power by confronting five high-level opponents alone. His actions show courage, decisiveness, and a willingness to risk himself to protect Li Longzi.
• Stone Dragon: Emerges as a proud and formidable warrior. He respects Jiang Yan’s ability and courage, but insists on fighting him personally and refuses to allow the others to interfere.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and inheritance: The True Dragon’s transmission of his Dao requires immense suffering, emphasizing that great power and legacy often demand extraordinary sacrifice.
• Bloodline and identity: Li Longzi’s transformation and discovery that the True Dragon is his father deepen the chapter’s focus on lineage, belonging, and the relationship between inherited blood and personal cultivation.
• Unshakable will: Li Longzi’s ability to endure the inheritance reflects the importance of maintaining one’s Dao heart amid overwhelming pain.
• Karma and repayment: Li Longzi believes he can repay Jiang Yan’s aid, but the True Dragon suggests that Jiang Yan’s future achievements may make such repayment impossible.
• Rising talent and destiny: Jiang Yan’s rapid advancement marks him as an exceptional figure whose potential may exceed that of even those receiving ancient inheritances.
• Honor and personal combat: Stone Dragon’s refusal to let others interfere reflects a warrior’s code and sets up a direct, honorable confrontation.

Important Character Interactions

• The True Dragon explains the inheritance method and warns Li Longzi of its dangers.
• Li Longzi mistakes the True Dragon for his mother, leading to a humorous revelation that the True Dragon is actually his father.
• The True Dragon and Li Longzi discuss Jiang Yan’s protection and the karmic debt created by it.
• The True Dragon compares Li Longzi’s future prospects with Jiang Yan’s, emphasizing Jiang Yan’s overwhelming talent.
• Jiang Yan confronts the encircling cultivators, while Stone Dragon claims the right to fight him alone and threatens anyone who interferes.

Chapter Summary: “A New Proposal”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Daoist Lord Qing Shui, Stone Dragon, and two other Human Race prodigies arrive with the shared mission of quickly investigating the True Dragon’s condition within the Yu Long Sect.
• Stone Dragon refuses to cooperate with the group’s larger objective, insisting on fighting Jiang Yan alone. Qing Shui warns that his actions violate their master’s command and may endanger everyone’s mission.
• Stone Dragon openly challenges the three, declaring that he will pursue and kill anyone who interferes. Despite being outnumbered, he remains confident because he is a Half-Step Supreme and one of the Human Race’s strongest younger-generation cultivators.
• Qing Shui summons the projection of a Human Supreme to pressure Stone Dragon. Stone Dragon responds by borrowing the power of his father, the master of the Radiant Firmament Sect.
• A battle between the two Supreme-level projections briefly erupts. Stone Dragon’s stone palm, infused with the Time Dao, attacks Qing Shui’s projection, while her projection counters with golden light. The two forces ultimately disappear together, neutralizing each other.
• Stone Dragon uses a powerful sound attack to force Qing Shui and the other two cultivators to retreat. They withdraw not because they fear him, but because a life-or-death battle would be strategically pointless.
• Having removed the immediate interference, Stone Dragon tells Jiang Yan that Jiang owes him a favor. He proposes fighting Jiang so that he can test a divine ability he developed after reaching the Half-Step Supreme Realm.
• Jiang Yan accepts the duel in principle but offers a different plan: he suggests that they first join forces to suppress Qing Shui and the other two cultivators, preventing them from taking advantage of the outcome while Jiang and Stone Dragon fight.

Character Developments

• Stone Dragon is portrayed as arrogant, fiercely independent, and almost obsessively devoted to his own cultivation. He places his personal pursuit of the Dao above his assigned mission and the interests of his companions. His confidence is justified by his exceptional status, lineage, and Half-Step Supreme cultivation.
• Daoist Lord Qing Shui demonstrates authority, resolve, and considerable power. She is willing to invoke the strength of her elder to enforce the group’s mission, but she also shows strategic restraint by avoiding an unnecessary battle with Stone Dragon.
• Jiang Yan remains calm and perceptive. Rather than reacting emotionally to Stone Dragon’s challenge, he recognizes the danger posed by the other three cultivators waiting nearby and proposes a more advantageous arrangement.
• The three opposing cultivators function as disciplined but wary allies. They pressure Stone Dragon together, then retreat when the confrontation threatens to escalate, preserving their strength for the larger objective.

Significant Themes

• Individual ambition versus collective duty: Stone Dragon rejects the group’s mission in favor of testing himself and advancing toward the Human Supreme Realm.
• The pursuit of the Dao: Stone Dragon views combat with Jiang Yan as an opportunity to break through his cultivation bottleneck, emphasizing the extreme importance cultivators place on personal advancement.
• Strategic alliances and betrayal: Jiang Yan’s proposal reflects the unstable nature of cooperation among powerful cultivators. Even temporary allies must guard against others waiting to exploit their weakness.
• Power, lineage, and borrowed authority: Both Qing Shui and Stone Dragon rely on the projections or strength of Human Supreme elders, showing how influence and inherited power shape conflicts among the younger generation.
• Restraint and pragmatism: Although the characters possess enough power to fight fiercely, they avoid a full conflict when it would not serve their interests.

Character Interactions

• Qing Shui and Stone Dragon clash verbally over his refusal to follow orders, with Stone Dragon mocking her reliance on elder power.
• Their borrowed Supreme-level forces briefly confront one another, establishing that neither can easily overpower the other through external support.
• Stone Dragon forcibly drives Qing Shui and the other two away, reinforcing his dominance in the immediate confrontation.
• Stone Dragon then treats his interference on Jiang Yan’s behalf as a favor and demands repayment through a duel.
• Jiang Yan accepts Stone Dragon’s challenge but reverses the expected dynamic by proposing that they cooperate first against the three observers, creating a new and potentially dangerous alliance.

Chapter Summary: “Abrupt”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Stone Dragon rejects Jiang Yan’s proposal to temporarily ally against the other three prodigies. He explains that he helped drive them away because he was confident in his own strength and wanted to test the True Dragon Secret Realm—not because he wished to cooperate with Jiang Yan.
• Jiang Yan acknowledges Stone Dragon’s honorable conduct and promises that, if he defeats him, he will preserve Stone Dragon’s true spirit and allow him to reincarnate. Stone Dragon makes the same promise to Jiang Yan if he wins.
• The two opponents establish a mutual respect before beginning their duel.
• Stone Dragon launches the first attack using the Stone Dao. He petrifies Jiang Yan completely, transforming his body, soul, power source, and even divine origin into stone.
• He then shatters the stone statue with a devastating palm strike. However, Jiang Yan survives by resurrecting through a crimson stone containing his Innate Flame.
• Jiang Yan praises Stone Dragon’s technique and unveils his own supreme ability: the Five-Colored Divine Light, a technique inspired by Buddhist Five-Colored Divine Light but fundamentally rooted in the Innate Fire Dao.
• The divine light destroys the space between them and forces Stone Dragon to defend himself with a massive stone wall. Stone Dragon attempts to escape and prepare a counterattack, but Jiang Yan’s technique has already sealed the surrounding space.
• The Five-Colored Divine Light strikes Stone Dragon, piercing his body and sealing his meridians, Dao foundation, spells, and divine arts. His body then fractures and explodes into countless pieces.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yan: Demonstrates confidence, magnanimity, and respect for honorable opponents. His ability to resurrect through Innate Flame reveals that ordinary attacks cannot kill him unless his origin is destroyed. He also displays the overwhelming power and sophistication of his Five-Colored Divine Light.
• Stone Dragon: Shows himself to be proud, direct, and honorable. He refuses to cooperate against Jiang Yan but is willing to acknowledge Jiang Yan’s strength and grant him a chance at reincarnation if victorious. His mastery of the Stone Dao is formidable, though ultimately insufficient against Jiang Yan’s technique.
• Their relationship: The two begin as enemies but develop mutual admiration and a warrior’s understanding. Their promises regarding reincarnation emphasize that their conflict is a contest of abilities rather than a personal grudge.

Significant Themes

• Honor among opponents: Both characters respect each other’s principles and agree to preserve the other’s spirit rather than destroy it utterly.
• Confidence versus arrogance: Their bold promises reflect immense self-assurance, but each is also willing to recognize the other’s skill.
• The limits of physical destruction: Jiang Yan’s resurrection shows that destroying the body is meaningless if the fundamental origin remains intact.
• The supremacy of divine arts: The battle centers on the interaction between Stone Dragon’s petrification and Jiang Yan’s Five-Colored Divine Light, emphasizing the importance of specialized Dao techniques over brute force.
• Sudden reversals: Stone Dragon appears to win with his petrification and shattering attack, but Jiang Yan immediately returns. The battle then abruptly reverses when Jiang Yan’s divine light overwhelms Stone Dragon.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yan attempts to interpret Stone Dragon’s earlier actions as an opportunity for cooperation, but Stone Dragon firmly rejects the idea.
• Jiang Yan expresses gratitude for Stone Dragon’s intervention and offers him a future chance at reincarnation.
• Stone Dragon responds with laughter and promises Jiang Yan the same mercy if he proves superior.
• Their respectful exchange transitions directly into combat, with both characters testing their strongest methods against one another.

Chapter Summary: “Cycle”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Stone Dragon’s body is repeatedly destroyed by Jiang Yan’s Five-Colored Divine Light. Although Stone Dragon can reconstruct himself through powerful secret arts, each revival consumes part of his origin and damages his Innate Dao Foundation.
• This destruction-and-rebirth cycle occurs roughly a hundred times. Stone Dragon’s strength is gradually exhausted until he can barely maintain a physical form.
• Accepting that he cannot escape, Stone Dragon acknowledges Jiang Yan’s strength and asks to be allowed to enter reincarnation. He promises to return in ten thousand years for another contest.
• Jiang Yan strikes Stone Dragon’s brow, dispersing his body into dust. True to his promise, Jiang Yan sends much of the dust into the Fate River, allowing Stone Dragon a chance at rebirth rather than completely destroying him.
• Before Stone Dragon can properly enter reincarnation, an emerald-green rain falls over the Yu Long Sect. The rain contains immense vitality, causing plants and spiritual medicines to grow rapidly.
• When the rain combines with Stone Dragon’s remains in the Fate River, it triggers a powerful reaction involving Fate Power, Stone Dragon’s origin, and life force. Stone Dragon is reconstructed and revived beside Qingshui Dao Lord.
• Qingshui Dao Lord mocks Stone Dragon for his earlier confidence and defeat. Stone Dragon humbly admits that he underestimated Jiang Yan and thanks Qingshui Dao Lord for saving him.
• Qingshui Dao Lord then proposes that she and the other powerful figures join forces to suppress Jiang Yan before investigating the True Dragon Secret Realm. She begins preparing an attack.

Character Developments

• Stone Dragon: His arrogance is replaced by humility and respect. After suffering repeated destruction, he recognizes Jiang Yan as a truly formidable opponent and admits that his own overconfidence caused him to lose the initiative. Despite his defeat, he retains the dignity and composure of a powerful prodigy.
• Jiang Yan: He demonstrates overwhelming strength and control, repeatedly defeating Stone Dragon. He also proves himself honorable by keeping his promise to preserve Stone Dragon’s chance at reincarnation, though he privately believes Stone Dragon would eventually become inferior to him.
• Qingshui Dao Lord: She acts as Stone Dragon’s rescuer but remains openly disdainful of him. She also recognizes Jiang Yan’s extraordinary talent and quickly shifts from observation to organized opposition.
• Stone Dragon and Qingshui Dao Lord: Their interaction reveals both rivalry and dependence. Qingshui mocks Stone Dragon, while Stone Dragon responds with humility and gratitude, acknowledging that he survived only because of her intervention.

Significant Themes

• Persistence versus exhaustion: Stone Dragon’s repeated resurrection initially displays his resilience, but the cycle shows that even seemingly indestructible beings have finite origins and foundations.
• Honor and promises: Jiang Yan’s decision to fulfill his word highlights the importance of keeping promises even after defeating an enemy.
• Arrogance and recognition: Stone Dragon’s defeat forces him to abandon his earlier bravado and accurately assess Jiang Yan’s abilities.
• Death, reincarnation, and transformation: Stone Dragon’s destruction does not represent a final end. Fate, vitality, and his remaining origin combine to restore him, emphasizing the cyclical nature of life and power.
• Emerging conflict: Jiang Yan’s victory over Stone Dragon changes the balance among the major figures, prompting Qingshui Dao Lord to unite them against him.

Summary of “The Outcome”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Because the True Dragon Secret Realm’s condition is still unknown, the prodigies decide they cannot afford to let Jiang Yan delay them. Qingshui Dao Lord proposes that the four prodigies—herself, Stone Dragon, and the others—join forces against him.
• The four unleash their Great Dao divine abilities simultaneously:
  • Jiang Yan is trapped by invisible Dao patterns.
  • Stone Dragon petrifies his body.
  • A razor-sharp cutting technique tears him apart.
  • A dark, poisonous power invades his soul and erodes his Origin Force.
• Although Jiang Yan is a Half-step Supreme with powerful divine abilities, he cannot withstand their combined assault. His body repeatedly explodes.
• Jiang Yan uses the Origin Innate Flame and a fire-based Great Divine Art to regenerate and escape their control. However, the four opponents immediately repeat their attack, creating an ongoing cycle in which Jiang Yan recovers only to be destroyed again.
• Jiang Yan deliberately focuses on defending the True Dragon rather than defeating his opponents. His deep foundation allows him to endure repeated deaths without immediately collapsing.
• The battle changes when the seemingly inactive woman behind Qingshui Dao Lord awakens. She is revealed to be Qingyao Empress, a true Human Supreme.
• Qingyao Empress uses a Supreme-level Great Divine Art to freeze the surrounding void and crush Jiang Yan’s body, soul, foundation, and Origin Force simultaneously.
• Jiang Yan resurrects through a hidden avatar formed from a droplet of blood, but his strength falls drastically from Half-step Supreme to merely Great Dao Lord level.
• Realizing that he cannot oppose a true Supreme, Jiang Yan bids farewell to the True Dragon and withdraws, warning it to take care of itself.
• Qingshui Dao Lord respectfully addresses the woman as her master. Qingyao Empress ignores her and focuses on the True Dragon, concluding that it is undergoing an inheritance and is likely nearing death. She praises Qingshui Dao Lord for her actions.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yan: Demonstrates extraordinary endurance, regeneration, and commitment to protecting the True Dragon. Despite repeatedly being destroyed, he continues resisting until Qingyao Empress’s intervention makes further defense impossible. His use of an avatar shows careful preparation, but his weakened state emphasizes the overwhelming gap between him and a true Supreme.
• Qingshui Dao Lord: Sets aside individual pride and persuades the others to cooperate. Her actions reveal a pragmatic willingness to use coordinated attacks when circumstances demand it. Her relationship with Qingyao Empress is also revealed: she is Qingyao’s disciple or subordinate.
• Stone Dragon and the other prodigies: Put aside their competitive pride to combine their abilities against Jiang Yan. Their cooperation is highly effective, repeatedly suppressing him.
• Qingyao Empress: Reveals herself as the true power behind the group. Her effortless destruction of Jiang Yan establishes her overwhelming Supreme-level strength and her apparent interest in the True Dragon’s condition and inheritance.

Significant Themes

• Pragmatism versus pride: The prodigies normally value individual combat, but the uncertain situation forces them to cooperate.
• The overwhelming hierarchy of power: Jiang Yan can contend with several prodigies, yet a single attack from Qingyao Empress completely destroys him, emphasizing the gulf between Half-step Supreme and true Supreme realms.
• Sacrifice and duty: Jiang Yan continues fighting because he believes his duty is to guard the True Dragon, even at the cost of crippling his True Body.
• Hidden strength and revelation: The awakening of Qingyao Empress transforms the battle and exposes that the apparent conflict among the prodigies was backed by an even greater force.
• Uncertain fate of the True Dragon: Qingyao’s conclusion that the True Dragon is undergoing an inheritance and may be close to death raises the stakes surrounding the secret realm.

Character Interactions

• Qingshui Dao Lord proposes the alliance, and Stone Dragon accepts after briefly considering it.
• The four prodigies coordinate silently, combining their abilities to overwhelm Jiang Yan.
• Jiang Yan’s struggle with the group becomes a repeated cycle of destruction and regeneration rather than a decisive victory for either side.
• Qingyao Empress intervenes directly, crushing Jiang Yan and forcing him to retreat.
• Qingshui Dao Lord bows and addresses Qingyao as “Master,” confirming their close hierarchical relationship.
• Before leaving, Jiang Yan respectfully addresses the True Dragon, explaining that he has fulfilled his duty.
• Qingyao Empress praises Qingshui Dao Lord while turning her attention toward the True Dragon’s apparent inheritance and impending death.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Empress Qingyao reaches into the True Dragon Secret Realm to seize the True Dragon, while Jiang Yan attempts to escape unnoticed.
• Her attempt is repelled by a terrifying black mist that contaminates her hand. She recognizes it as Evil Wraith power and realizes the True Dragon has destroyed—or is sacrificing—his Supreme Dao Foundation to merge with it.
• The True Dragon emerges from the secret realm. Although much of his body remains covered in blue scales, a massive black scale on his chest spreads evil energy across him, gradually transforming him into an Evil Dragon.
• He explains that he had originally intended to suppress the Evil Wraith power, pass on his inheritance, and die alongside it so that no disaster would befall the world. However, Qingyao and the other old powers repeatedly pressured him, leaving him no choice but to fully merge with the evil force.
• The True Dragon openly challenges Qingyao to kill him, warning that if she fails, several Human Race holy lands may be destroyed.
• Instead of fighting her directly, the newly transformed Evil Dragon breaks through space and flees toward Azure Sky Grotto-Heaven, Qingyao’s own lineage. She immediately realizes his plan and pursues him.
• At Azure Sky Grotto-Heaven, ominous dark clouds spread across the entire holy land. Their presence contaminates the environment: spirit water becomes foul, plants and herbs decay into pus, and even mountains and rivers seem to turn demonic.
• A white-haired elder activates the Azure Light Divine Mirror, drawing power from the entire grotto-heaven and firing a concentrated beam of Azure Radiance into the clouds.
• Although the beam pierces a small portion of the darkness, it barely damages the immense mass of evil energy. The elder realizes the attacker is far beyond his ability to resist.
• A gigantic black dragon claw emerges from the clouds, covered in grotesque, writhing runes. The chapter ends as the elder is overwhelmed by the claw’s terrifying presence.

Character Developments

• Empress Qingyao: Initially confident and dismissive of Jiang Yan, she becomes wary upon discovering the True Dragon’s Evil Wraith transformation. She recognizes the threat immediately and shifts from offense to defense before pursuing him to protect her holy land.
• The True Dragon: Revealed to be suffering under immense internal torment while suppressing Evil Wraith power. His transformation is portrayed as both a desperate act of survival and retaliation against those who repeatedly cornered him. Though he claims to be accepting his fate, his decision to attack Azure Sky Grotto-Heaven shows that he is willing to endanger others.
• White-haired elder: Demonstrates the power of Azure Sky Grotto-Heaven’s defensive treasure and initially believes he can repel the intruder. His confidence collapses when he realizes his strongest attack has almost no effect.

Significant Themes

• Desperation and forced corruption: The True Dragon’s fall into evil is framed as the result of prolonged pressure and humiliation, raising the question of whether he chose evil freely or was driven into it.
• The cost of prolonging life: The True Dragon’s attempt to survive by merging with Evil Wraith power reflects the danger of clinging to existence after one’s natural path has ended.
• Power beyond control: Even a Human Supreme and a holy land’s strongest defensive artifact struggle against the Evil Dragon, emphasizing the overwhelming scale of the threat.
• Betrayal and old grievances: The True Dragon’s resentment toward his former “old friends” suggests a history of conflict in which their repeated probing helped trigger the catastrophe.
• Contamination and destruction: The spreading blackness physically corrupts the environment, symbolizing the Evil Wraith’s ability to infect both living beings and the world itself.

Character Interactions

• Qingyao dismisses Jiang Yan as insignificant while attempting to capture the True Dragon.
• Qingyao confronts the True Dragon and learns that his transformation was partly caused by the pressure exerted by her and other powerful figures.
• The True Dragon challenges Qingyao to kill him, turning their former relationship into a direct life-or-death conflict.
• Qingyao realizes he is targeting her lineage and pursues him, while the white-haired elder attempts to defend Azure Sky Grotto-Heaven.
• The elder’s Azure Light Divine Mirror briefly wounds the invading darkness, but the Evil Dragon’s overwhelming power leaves him helpless as the chapter closes.

Chapter Summary: “Dharma Body”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The corrupted True Dragon manifests its enormous Dharma Body above the Azure Sky Grotto-Heaven. Its dragon claw alone is large enough to overshadow the entire Human Race holy land and potentially crush it.
• The mere pressure of the True Dragon’s Supreme Realm presence causes widespread destruction and panic. Mountains collapse, spirit springs boil, and powerful beasts either hide, go berserk, or attack nearby cultivators.
• The True Dragon gathers blue, purple, and black lightning into a massive formation anchored to its claw. Because its consciousness has merged with the Evil Wraith, the normally righteous and yang-aligned lightning is infused with sinister corruption.
• The formation mutates countless inhabitants of the Azure Sky Grotto-Heaven. Human cultivators and beasts transform into grotesque creatures, while the lightning destroys mountains, palaces, defensive formations, and powerful divine ability wielders. The holy land’s accumulated foundations are nearly annihilated.
• Empress Qingyao emerges from the ruins and curses the Yu Long Sect in retaliation for the True Dragon’s attack. Using her bloodline as an offering, she vows that the sect’s talents will decline, its inheritance will be severed within ten thousand years, and its members will lose access to cultivation.
• Qingyao then removes the corruption from the affected beings, drawing the black power out of them and destroying it within her palm. The victims gradually return to their original forms.
• She unleashes her own Supreme True Body and confronts the True Dragon, challenging it to fight despite the damage and corruption affecting its power.
• Qingyao reveals that three additional Human Supremes have been hiding nearby, waiting to profit from the conflict. She forces them to reveal themselves by threatening to redirect the True Dragon toward their territories.
• The chapter ends with Qingyao proposing that the four Supremes join forces and divide the spoils equally.

Character Developments

• True Dragon: Its transformation into a corrupted, nearly mindless being is made clear. Its Supreme power is immense, but its will has fused with the Evil Wraith, turning its divine lightning into a force of mutation and destruction. It appears less rational and more like a calamity than a deliberate warrior.
• Empress Qingyao: She is established as a powerful, calculating Supreme rather than merely a defender. She rescues the corrupted inhabitants, retaliates against the Yu Long Sect with a severe bloodline curse, and confidently confronts the True Dragon.
• The Three Hidden Human Supremes: They are revealed as opportunistic observers who intended to wait until the main battle weakened the combatants before acting. Qingyao exposes and pressures them into cooperation.

Significant Themes

• Corruption of the righteous: The True Dragon’s lightning, traditionally representing firmness, purity, and yang power, becomes eerie and evil after its fusion with the Evil Wraith.
• Catastrophic power of the Supreme Realm: The presence of a Supreme alone can destroy an entire holy land, emphasizing the enormous gap between Supreme beings and ordinary cultivators.
• Retaliation and karmic punishment: Qingyao’s curse demonstrates that attacks against one’s inheritance can provoke consequences extending across generations.
• Survival through strategy: Rather than relying only on brute force, Qingyao manipulates the hidden Supremes into joining the battle by threatening their own territories.
• Destruction and preservation: Although Qingyao cannot prevent the devastation, she preserves the lives and original forms of many victims by extracting the corruption from them.

Character Interactions

• The True Dragon attacks the Azure Sky Grotto-Heaven, devastating Qingyao’s territory and provoking her direct response.
• Qingyao addresses the True Dragon with calm defiance, challenging the extent of its remaining Supreme power.
• She publicly threatens the hidden Supremes, warning that the True Dragon could destroy their inheritances as easily as it destroyed the Azure Sky Grotto-Heaven.
• The three concealed Supremes reveal themselves, and Qingyao invites them to cooperate in defeating the True Dragon and share the resulting gains.

Chapter Summary: “Portal”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Empress Qingyao announces that everything obtained after the battle will be divided equally, but the atmosphere immediately becomes tense as several Human Supremes prepare to fight over the True Dragon, its remains, and the Yu Long Sect’s accumulated treasures.
• To protect the Azure Sky Grotto-Heaven from the destructive power of a Supreme-level battle, Qingyao activates a divine lotus barrier that envelops the entire region.
• The hidden Human Supremes launch a coordinated attack on the True Dragon:
  • A blazing Golden Sun strikes toward the dark clouds and the evil-entity power above the grotto-heaven.
  • Strange seeds grow into yellow flowers across the True Dragon’s body, draining its bloodline power.
  • A mysterious fishing hook appears and lures the True Dragon into opening its mouth.
• Qingyao mounts the True Dragon, grips its horns, and forces it toward the hook. Despite having fused with evil-entity power, the True Dragon is overwhelmed by the combined attacks of four Human Supremes.
• Before the True Dragon can be captured or killed, a young woman’s voice interrupts the battle and condemns the Supremes for fighting among themselves instead of addressing the Human Race’s greater crisis.
• Her power disrupts the attacks: the Golden Sun loses its target, the flowers wither and return the energy they stole, and Qingyao briefly becomes mentally confused.
• The master of the Vermilion Bird Holy Land appears, followed by a heroic woman in an azure dress carrying a sword marked “Heavenly Heart.” Her arrival suppresses the surrounding energy and forces the three hidden Supremes to reveal themselves.
• Qingyao dismounts, and the True Dragon regains much of its sanity. It disperses the black clouds and transforms into a dark-faced, horned young man.
• The chapter ends with the newcomer challenging the Supremes’ motives, asking why they are scheming and slaughtering one another over a portal instead of helping bear the Emperor’s burdens.

Character Developments

• Empress Qingyao: Demonstrates both strategic preparation and ruthless determination. She protects the Azure Sky Grotto-Heaven while personally subduing the True Dragon, showing that she is willing to exploit even a corrupted ancient being for valuable treasures and Origin Dao-related gains.
• The True Dragon: Initially appears nearly consumed by madness and evil-entity power. After the interruption, it recovers enough clarity to dispel the clouds and transform into a humanoid form, suggesting that its corruption is not absolute.
• The Vermilion Bird Holy Land’s Master: Makes a brief but significant appearance, establishing that powerful external forces have arrived to intervene in the conflict.
• The Woman with the Heavenly Heart Sword: Emerges as the central challenger to the Supremes. Though young-looking, her presence overwhelms the surrounding Yuanji and disrupts multiple Supreme-level techniques, revealing extraordinary authority and strength. Her connection to the Heavenly Emperor is also emphasized.
• The Hidden Human Supremes: Initially cooperate in attacking the True Dragon, but their concealment and coordinated ambush reveal their willingness to compete ruthlessly for the portal and the treasures connected to it.

Significant Themes

• Greed versus responsibility: The Human Supremes prioritize the portal, the True Dragon’s remains, and the Yu Long Sect’s foundation over the survival and unity of the Human Race.
• Power and exploitation: The True Dragon is treated as an object to be captured and harvested, even after being corrupted and driven mad.
• The burden of leadership: The interruption emphasizes that powerful figures should protect humanity and “share the Emperor’s burdens” rather than weaken one another through internal conflict.
• Order confronting chaos: The arrival of the Heavenly Heart swordswoman restores balance to a battlefield dominated by darkness, evil power, and uncontrolled killing intent.
• The dangerous value of the Origin Dao: The Supremes’ actions show that access to the Origin Dao—and possibly the portal leading toward it—is valuable enough to provoke betrayal and violence among the strongest beings.

Character Interactions

• Qingyao cooperates with three hidden Supremes to trap and overpower the True Dragon.
• She physically rides and controls the True Dragon, forcing it toward the infamous fishing hook.
• The newly arrived woman directly rebukes Qingyao and the other Supremes for fighting over the portal.
• Her presence weakens or reverses the other Supremes’ techniques, indirectly freeing the True Dragon from their control.
• The Vermilion Bird Holy Land’s master acts as an escort or subordinate presence to the Heavenly Heart swordswoman, allowing the latter to take the lead in confronting the gathered Supremes.

Chapter Summary: “Injuries”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Qingyao Empress leaves in pursuit of the True Dragon, the remaining Human Race prodigies realize that their investigation at Yu Long Sect is effectively over.
• Stone Dragon bids farewell to Qingshui Dao Lord and acknowledges that he owes him a favor. He also openly praises Jiang Yan, admitting that his defeat revealed his own limitations and that he had previously been arrogant toward others of his generation.
• Stone Dragon gives Jiang Yan a dark-gold healing pill capable of treating all kinds of injuries. He explains that he wants Jiang Yan to recover so they can fight again in the future, while also using the gift to repay an old karmic debt.
• Jiang Yan accepts the pill but does not immediately consume it, remaining cautious about possible hidden dangers.
• Stone Dragon departs by transforming into a statue that crumbles into sand. The other Human Race prodigies then leave as well.
• Once everyone has gone, Jiang Yan can no longer maintain his composure. His severe injuries overwhelm him, causing him to cough up large amounts of blood, which falls onto the land below.
• Li Longzi emerges from the True Dragon Secret Realm to help Jiang Yan. Having accepted the True Dragon inheritance, Li Longzi has temporarily transformed into a blue dragon because he cannot yet control his altered bloodline.
• Li Longzi offers to remove the abnormal forces within Jiang Yan’s body, acknowledging that Jiang Yan was badly injured while protecting him during the inheritance.
• Using beams of Frost Dao power from his eyes, Li Longzi examines Jiang Yan’s body. The technique reveals that Jiang Yan’s physical form is severely damaged, with only a gray sea of turbulent soul power and vitality remaining in his head, along with a multicolored flame at his heart that has turned chaotic.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yan: His true condition is revealed to be far worse than he allowed the others to see. His main body has been destroyed, leaving only an avatar that can barely maintain the Great Dao Lord realm. His calm and controlled behavior masks immense physical pain and extreme vulnerability. He remains cautious even when accepting Stone Dragon’s aid.
• Stone Dragon: He becomes more humble after losing to Jiang Yan, recognizing that his previous confidence came from limited experience. Despite their rivalry, he shows respect, gratitude, and concern for Jiang Yan’s survival. His desire to fight Jiang Yan again reflects both competitive pride and genuine investment in their shared Dao paths.
• Li Longzi: He has successfully inherited and begun assimilating the True Dragon’s power, transforming into a dragon and gaining Frost Dao abilities. Though embarrassed by his temporary appearance, he demonstrates gratitude and loyalty toward Jiang Yan by offering immediate assistance.
• Qingyao Empress and the True Dragon: Their departure drives the chapter’s transition, leaving the consequences of their confrontation behind for the others to deal with.

Significant Themes

• Respect born from conflict: Stone Dragon’s defeat leads him to reassess his arrogance and recognize Jiang Yan as a worthy equal or superior.
• Karmic debt and reciprocity: Stone Dragon’s healing pill repays Jiang Yan for sparing his soul in the past, while Li Longzi feels indebted because Jiang Yan protected him during the inheritance.
• Hidden weakness beneath outward strength: Jiang Yan appears composed before the other prodigies but collapses once they are gone, emphasizing the danger of concealing severe injuries.
• Transformation and identity: Li Longzi’s dragon form illustrates that physical appearance is secondary to the soul and will. His transformation does not make him less human in the eyes of powerful cultivators.
• Rivalry and mutual advancement: Stone Dragon views Jiang Yan as an essential opponent whose survival is necessary for both of them to improve their divine abilities.
• Trust and caution: Jiang Yan accepts Stone Dragon’s gift without fully trusting it, reflecting the dangers of alliances and exchanges among powerful cultivators.

Character Interactions

• Stone Dragon and Qingshui Dao Lord: Stone Dragon acknowledges a favor owed to Qingshui and promises repayment.
• Stone Dragon and Jiang Yan: Their interaction shifts from antagonism to respectful rivalry. Stone Dragon praises Jiang Yan, offers him medicine, and requests a future rematch.
• Jiang Yan and the departing prodigies: Jiang Yan maintains his composure until they leave, concealing how seriously injured he is.
• Li Longzi and Jiang Yan: Li Longzi expresses gratitude for Jiang Yan’s protection and attempts to heal him. His examination reveals the extraordinary damage to Jiang Yan’s soul, vitality, and heart-bound power, setting up the next stage of the story.

Chapter Summary: “Crown Prince”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Dragon Son uses a powerful divine ability against the Human Supreme’s remaining power inside Jiang Yan. Frigid energy freezes Jiang Yan’s divine soul, source power, and the mysterious space fragments connected to him through karma.
• The space fragments, which contain the Human Supreme’s destructive power, are shattered into black-gray smoke. However, the fragments begin reforming, forcing Li Dragon Son to unleash an even stronger suction force and swallow the smoke.
• Li Dragon Son succeeds in removing most of the Supreme Power, but the effort severely strains him. His True Dragon body swells, and he experiences visible pain while attempting to digest the power.
• Li Dragon Son admits that he has not yet fully inherited or absorbed the True Dragon’s legacy and therefore cannot currently reach the Supreme Realm or completely cure Jiang Yan. His intervention does, however, stabilize Jiang Yan at the Great Dao Lord level and prevent his condition from worsening quickly.
• A remnant of the Human Supreme’s power remains inside Jiang Yan and begins using him as nourishment, meaning the danger has only been temporarily suppressed.
• Jiang Yan plans to visit the Vermilion Bird Holy Land and seek help from the Vermilion Bird Holy Master, relying on their past relationship and the Holy Master’s expertise.
• Looking over the devastated Yu Long Sect, Jiang Yan reflects that even beings at the level of Great Dao Lords and Human Supremes still compete, fight, and kill for valuable resources—only the stakes are far greater than those of mortals.
• The scene shifts to the Azure Sky Grotto-Heaven, where a young woman raises a pure white sword. The sword’s presence replaces the golden sun in the sky and radiates overwhelming authority.
• The woman approaches a gathering of Human Supremes. A powerful figure appears behind her and declares that, because Tianxin Crown Prince’s sword is present, the Human Supremes should kneel as though the sovereign himself had arrived.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yan: Demonstrates resilience and calm despite the continued threat within his body. He accepts Li Dragon Son’s aid without resentment and intends to resolve the remaining problem through his own efforts and outside alliances. His reflections show growing insight into the nature of conflict among powerful cultivators.
• Li Dragon Son: Reveals that he has gained the True Dragon’s inheritance but has not yet completely mastered it. His willingness to consume the Human Supreme’s power for Jiang Yan exposes both his loyalty and his current limitations. He is now under pressure to advance into the Supreme Realm.
• The white-clad young woman: Is introduced as a figure of extraordinary authority. Through the pure white sword and the aura of the Tianxin Crown Prince, she commands the attention—and apparently the submission—of the Human Supremes.
• Tianxin Crown Prince: Though not directly present, his status is shown to be so exalted that even his sword carries sovereign-level authority.

Significant Themes

• Power and limitation: Even near-Supreme beings have boundaries. Li Dragon Son can suppress the enemy’s power but cannot yet fully eliminate it.
• Mutual obligation and loyalty: Jiang Yan protected Li Dragon Son while he received the True Dragon’s inheritance, and Li Dragon Son repays that favor at great personal cost.
• The persistence of danger: Temporary victory does not equal resolution; the remnant of Supreme Power continues to threaten Jiang Yan.
• The sameness of gods and humans: Jiang Yan recognizes that higher cultivation does not eliminate greed, rivalry, or violence—it merely magnifies the value of what is being contested.
• Authority and hierarchy: The final scene emphasizes the overwhelming status of the Tianxin Crown Prince, whose sword alone demands reverence from Human Supremes.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yan and Li Dragon Son: Their exchange is respectful and amicable. Li Dragon Son apologizes for being unable to save Jiang Yan completely, while Jiang Yan reassures him that he has already done enough and humorously urges him to reach the Supreme Realm so he can help again.
• Jiang Yan and the Vermilion Bird Holy Master: Although they do not appear together in the chapter, Jiang Yan’s plan reveals an established friendship or alliance and his confidence that the Holy Master may aid him.
• The white-clad woman and the Human Supremes: Her arrival creates an immediate power imbalance. Through the sword’s connection to Tianxin Crown Prince, the gathering is challenged to acknowledge a higher authority and kneel.

Chapter Summary: “Maidservant”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter opens by recounting the greatness of the Human Race’s first Emperor of Origin. Despite humanity’s innate disadvantages compared with powerful Innate races, he reached the Human Supreme realm within five hundred years and attained the Origin Dao after three million years of cultivation and exploration.
• The Emperor established the Human Race as one of the Hundred Races of the Mother River, then largely vanished from public view. He later appointed his eldest son, Tianxin, as Crown Prince and regent of the Human Race.
• At the Azure Sky Grotto-Heaven, Xiao Qing, one of Tianxin’s maidservants, arrives carrying the Crown Prince’s sword, the Tianxin Wisdom Sword. The sword is accompanied by the Human Race’s immense fortune, giving Xiao Qing an authority that surpasses even her own cultivation.
• Qingyao Empress respectfully asks why the Crown Prince’s envoy has come. Xiao Qing initially ignores her and instead challenges the True Dragon and three other Human Supremes, who had doubted her identity.
• The sword divides into four beams and suppresses the four experts, melting both their bodies and origins while assaulting their minds with the Crown Prince’s will. Recognizing the power of the Tianxin Wisdom Method, they submit and pay respects to Tianxin.
• Xiao Qing rebukes the five experts for fighting among themselves, reminding them that conflicts between Human Supremes must be reported to the Imperial Court.
• She then reveals that the True Dragon has been infected by sinister energy and may become an evil, corrupted dragon. She offers to take him to the Imperial Court, where Tianxin may be able to save him.
• Xiao Qing also declares that Qingyao Empress and the other three Supremes had coveted the True Dragon’s inherited treasure and the Jade Dragon Sect’s foundation. As punishment, she orders them to serve the Imperial Court for one thousand years. They accept.

Character Developments

• Xiao Qing: Although merely a maidservant and not the strongest person present, she demonstrates tremendous authority as Tianxin’s representative. She becomes firm, commanding, and politically decisive, using the Crown Prince’s sword to force powerful Human Supremes into submission.
• Tianxin, the Crown Prince: He does not appear directly, but his influence is overwhelming. His sword, cultivation method, resources, and position allow him to dominate the situation from afar, establishing him as the legitimate ruler of the Human Race during the Emperor’s absence.
• The True Dragon: His corruption by sinister energy has progressed to the point that his body is turning black and his identity is at risk of being destroyed. He accepts Xiao Qing’s aid, showing both the seriousness of his condition and his willingness to submit to the Imperial Court.
• Qingyao Empress and the other Human Supremes: Initially independent and willing to fight over treasure and territory, they are forced to acknowledge the authority of the Crown Prince. Their acceptance of a thousand-year service punishment marks a loss of autonomy and a return to Imperial Court control.
• The Human Race’s Emperor: Though absent, he is portrayed as the foundational figure responsible for humanity’s rise and imperial status. His legacy strengthens Tianxin’s legitimacy.

Significant Themes

• Authority versus personal power: Xiao Qing’s cultivation is inferior to the Supremes’, yet she commands them because she represents the Crown Prince and the Human Imperial Court.
• Legitimacy and orthodoxy: The Human Supremes may rule their own domains like feudal lords, but they must still submit to the recognized imperial lineage.
• Unity and law within the Human Race: The Imperial Court seeks to prevent internal conflict among humanity’s strongest figures and insists that disputes be regulated rather than settled through uncontrolled violence.
• Corruption and redemption: The True Dragon’s sinister-energy infection reflects the danger of losing one’s identity and reputation, while the Imperial Court offers a possible path to recovery.
• The rise of humanity: The Emperor’s history emphasizes how the Human Race overcame innate weakness through perseverance, talent, and unity.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Qing and the Human Supremes: She confronts them directly, suppresses them with the Tianxin Wisdom Sword, and compels them to acknowledge Tianxin.
• Xiao Qing and Qingyao Empress: Qingyao attempts to greet her diplomatically, but Xiao Qing’s initial disregard highlights the difference between Qingyao’s local authority and the Crown Prince’s imperial authority.
• Xiao Qing and the True Dragon: She shifts from threatening enforcer to compassionate emissary, warning him of his corruption and offering Imperial Court assistance.
• Xiao Qing and the remaining Supremes: She accuses them of coveting the True Dragon’s treasure and the Jade Dragon Sect’s foundation, then negotiates their punishment and secures their agreement to serve the Imperial Court.

Chapter Summary: Vermilion Bird

Key Plot Points and Events

• The True Dragon asks Xiao Qing for permission to return temporarily to the Yu Long Sect to arrange matters before reporting to the Human Imperial Court. Without him, the sect would lack Supreme-level protection.
• Xiao Qing agrees and uses the Crown Prince’s sword to purify and suppress the baleful force contaminating the True Dragon. The purification destroys his blackened flesh, but his powerful bloodline allows him to regenerate.
• The True Dragon’s corruption is sealed deep within his consciousness for roughly a year, preventing him from transforming into an evil dragon. Grateful, he departs immediately for the Yu Long Sect.
• Xiao Qing gives the other four Human Supremes the same leniency, allowing them to settle urgent affairs before going to the Imperial Court. They promise to arrive within half a year and return to their respective lineages.
• After everyone leaves, Xiao Qing admits that she was nervous about representing the Crown Prince but is relieved when Zhu Huangxi praises her performance.
• Xiao Qing explains that she originally came to the Vermilion Bird Holy Land to obtain the Southern Bright Li Flame’s origin power and Phoenix essence blood for the Crown Prince. By subduing five Human Supremes, she has also gained him several powerful potential allies.
• Zhu Huangxi agrees to provide the requested flame origin, though the Phoenix essence blood will require preparation. Xiao Qing chooses to remain in the Human Race’s territory for a while to experience its food and entertainment.
• Zhu Huangxi brings Xiao Qing back toward the Vermilion Bird Holy Land through a great path.
• After they leave, Qingyao Empress appears and questions the Vermilion Bird’s motives, wondering whether Zhu Huangxi deliberately brought the Crown Prince’s envoy to involve the other Supremes in his faction.

Character Developments

• True Dragon: Accepts his submission to the Human Imperial Court as an opportunity to continue living rather than as punishment. His gratitude toward Xiao Qing deepens after she stabilizes his corruption, and he takes responsibility for protecting and arranging affairs in the Yu Long Sect.
• Xiao Qing: Demonstrates authority while acting as the Crown Prince’s representative, successfully controlling the Human Supremes despite her private insecurity. She becomes more confident after Zhu Huangxi’s approval and is pleased that her mission has strengthened the Crown Prince’s position.
• Zhu Huangxi: Shows political awareness and loyalty to the Crown Prince while carefully cooperating with Xiao Qing. Her willingness to provide the Vermilion Bird Holy Land’s treasures suggests support for the Crown Prince, though her precise motives remain uncertain to Qingyao Empress.
• Qingyao Empress: Becomes suspicious of the political implications of the encounter and begins questioning whether the Vermilion Bird intentionally orchestrated events.

Significant Themes

• Authority and representation: Xiao Qing’s possession of the Crown Prince’s sword allows her to act with his authority, demonstrating how symbols of power can compel even the strongest figures to submit.
• Submission as survival: The True Dragon views serving the Imperial Court not as humiliation but as a chance to preserve his existence.
• Political consolidation: The Crown Prince gains influence by bringing five Human Supremes closer to his cause, strengthening his position amid competition from the Emperor’s other heirs.
• Trust and hidden motives: Zhu Huangxi’s cooperation appears helpful, but Qingyao’s suspicions emphasize that alliances may conceal larger political strategies.
• Public composure versus private emotion: Xiao Qing projects confidence before the Supremes but reveals anxiety once alone, highlighting the contrast between official duty and personal insecurity.

Character Interactions

• True Dragon and Xiao Qing: He respectfully requests leave, and she both grants it and purifies his corruption, creating a bond of gratitude.
• Xiao Qing and the four Human Supremes: She treats them fairly, offering the same delay and securing their promises to report to the Imperial Court.
• Xiao Qing and Zhu Huangxi: Their relationship is warm and supportive; Zhu reassures Xiao Qing while agreeing to help fulfill the Crown Prince’s requests.
• Qingyao Empress and the absent Zhu Huangxi: Qingyao indirectly confronts Zhu’s possible political maneuvering, questioning whether she intentionally drew the Vermilion Bird Holy Land and the Human Supremes into the Crown Prince’s camp.

Chapter Summary: “Hidden Danger”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The aftermath of the Supreme-level battle leaves the Yu Long Sect outwardly restored, but its surrounding land and spiritual energy have suffered permanent damage. The sect’s vital energy may require at least one hundred thousand years to recover.
• The True Dragon returns to the sect in his colossal dragon form. His arrival reassures the disciples, who mistakenly assume he has won the battle. His presence revives the sect’s morale and makes it appear that the Yu Long Sect once again has a Supreme guardian.
• In the sect’s secret realm, the True Dragon gathers the elders, Dao Lords, Core Disciples, and stewards to explain what truly happened: the battle was neither won nor lost because an envoy from the Human Imperial Court forcibly suppressed it.
• The True Dragon reveals that he has agreed to serve the Human Imperial Court and carry out tasks for the Heavenly Heart Crown Prince. He expects to be away for roughly a thousand years and admits that this journey may determine whether he survives or ultimately returns to dust.
• He then announces that he has transferred his inheritance and True Dragon bloodline to his son, Li Longzi. As a result, Li Longzi has overcome the bottleneck to the Supreme Realm and is destined to become the Yu Long Sect’s next Supreme guardian.
• Li Longzi is formally appointed the new Sect Leader Supreme. The sect’s senior members accept the decree and publicly salute him, establishing his authority.
• The True Dragon instructs the sect to continue the Spark Plan in the absence of the Great Elder and Second Elder.
• After dismissing everyone else, the True Dragon speaks privately with Jiang Yan. He thanks Jiang Yan for protecting him but warns that Jiang Yan contains a dangerous hidden force or condition that even a Supreme may be unable to remove safely.

Character Developments

• The True Dragon: Shifts from the Yu Long Sect’s current protector to a departing figure who must serve the Imperial Court. His announcement suggests sacrifice, uncertainty, and the possibility that he may not return alive. He also demonstrates foresight by arranging Li Longzi’s succession.
• Li Longzi: Experiences a major elevation in status. Empowered by the True Dragon’s inheritance and bloodline, he becomes the sect’s officially recognized future Supreme and new leader, despite not yet having fully reached the Supreme Realm.
• Jiang Yan: Is revealed to possess a serious internal danger. His condition is so closely connected to his survival that forcibly removing it could destroy him, creating a major unresolved threat.
• Yu Long Sect elders and disciples: Initially believe the True Dragon has won, but they accept the truth and submit to Li Longzi’s succession, showing loyalty to the sect’s authority and continuity.

Significant Themes

• Succession and continuity: The True Dragon ensures that the Yu Long Sect will retain a powerful guardian after his departure.
• Sacrifice and duty: His agreement to serve the Heavenly Heart Crown Prince demonstrates the costs powerful figures must bear for larger political or cosmic obligations.
• Appearances versus reality: The sect appears restored, and the disciples assume victory, but the land remains spiritually damaged and the battle was actually interrupted rather than won.
• Hidden danger: Jiang Yan’s condition introduces the chapter’s central mystery and foreshadows a future crisis.
• Institutional legitimacy: Li Longzi’s formal appointment and the elders’ public salute emphasize that authority must be recognized collectively, not merely declared.

Character Interactions

• The True Dragon’s return inspires awe and excitement among the Yu Long Sect disciples, who interpret his presence as proof of victory.
• He addresses the sect’s leadership directly, correcting their misunderstanding and explaining the Imperial Court’s intervention.
• He physically lifts Li Longzi onto his claw while announcing him as his successor, symbolically presenting him as the new protector of the sect.
• The sect elders and disciples formally accept Li Longzi, completing the transfer of leadership.
• In the closing private exchange, the True Dragon expresses gratitude and guilt toward Jiang Yan, then warns him that the hidden danger inside him may be impossible to remove without also destroying him.

Chapter Summary: “A Way”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The True Dragon explains that Jiang Yan’s Dao injury cannot be easily cured, but miracles and opportunities exist throughout the Mother River world and the myriad great worlds.
• He identifies the Human Race’s sole Origin Realm expert—the Human Emperor—as someone capable of effortlessly resolving Jiang Yan’s injury. However, finding him and gaining his assistance would depend entirely on luck.
• Jiang Yan doubts that he possesses enough status or significance to attract the Human Emperor’s attention and asks for a more practical solution.
• The True Dragon reveals the best direct method: Jiang Yan must advance to the Supreme Realm within one hundred years. His own Supreme power could then expel the foreign Supreme power damaging his body.
• Because breakthroughs depend on uncertain opportunities and enlightenment, the True Dragon gives Jiang Yan a precious drop of his essence blood. The blood could help Jiang Yan break through at a critical moment, but it also contains enough Evil Corruption Power to contaminate a Supreme-level being.
• Jiang Yan accepts the blood despite the danger, suppressing his instinct to absorb its power immediately and convert it into Anomaly Points.
• The True Dragon promises to seek help from the Qingyao Empress after reaching the Human Imperial Court and potentially find a way to suppress or remove the power afflicting Jiang Yan.
• Jiang Yan decides to travel abroad in search of opportunities rather than rely solely on others. The True Dragon agrees that, as someone favored by the Sky-Splitting True Spirit, Jiang Yan may possess great fortune.
• Before leaving, the True Dragon advises Jiang Yan to visit Li Longzi and obtain a blessing from him, since Li Longzi cultivates the Destiny Dao.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yan remains calm and pragmatic despite the severity of his condition. He rejects reliance on an uncertain encounter with the Human Emperor and seeks a method he can pursue through his own efforts.
• He demonstrates restraint by refusing to consume the True Dragon’s blood immediately, even though his body instinctively craves its powerful energy.
• Jiang Yan also shows gratitude and respect toward the True Dragon while maintaining his independence and willingness to seek opportunities on his own.
• The True Dragon reveals deep concern and responsibility toward Jiang Yan. Despite his own corrupted and weakened state, he sacrifices a precious drop of essence blood to help him.
• The True Dragon acts as both mentor and benefactor, offering multiple possible paths while honestly warning Jiang Yan about their risks and uncertainties.
• The True Dragon’s condition is emphasized: his power is now mixed with Evil Corruption, making even his blood both immensely valuable and dangerously contaminating.

Significant Themes

• Miracles and fortune: Advancement and survival depend not only on strength but also on opportunities, luck, destiny, and unexpected miracles.
• Self-reliance versus external aid: Jiang Yan may receive help from beings far more powerful than himself, but the most dependable path is to grow strong enough to solve his own problem.
• Opportunity and calamity: The True Dragon’s blood represents both salvation and danger, illustrating how powerful opportunities often carry equally severe risks.
• Uncertainty of cultivation: Even with extraordinary talent, breakthroughs cannot be forced; they require timing, enlightenment, or a fortuitous encounter.
• Sacrifice and obligation: The True Dragon’s gift reflects the debt he feels toward Jiang Yan and his willingness to suffer personally to repay it.
• Destiny and fate: Jiang Yan’s connection to the Sky-Splitting True Spirit and the recommendation to seek Li Longzi’s Destiny Dao blessing suggest that his future may be shaped by forces beyond his current understanding.

Character Interactions

• The True Dragon counsels Jiang Yan about his possible cures and encourages him not to lose hope.
• Jiang Yan questions the practicality of relying on the Human Emperor, prompting the True Dragon to reveal the Supreme Realm breakthrough strategy.
• The True Dragon gives Jiang Yan his corrupted essence blood, creating a bond of trust and obligation between them.
• Jiang Yan accepts the dangerous gift and promises to use it wisely.
• The True Dragon offers to coordinate with the Qingyao Empress on Jiang Yan’s behalf.
• Before Jiang Yan begins his journey, the True Dragon directs him to Li Longzi for a Destiny Dao blessing, linking Jiang Yan’s future travels to questions of fate and fortune.

Chapter Summary: “No Feast Lasts Forever”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yan announces that he will leave the sect for an extended period to seek a way to overcome the severe injuries he sustained in the previous battle. He explains that remaining in the sect would only allow him to survive temporarily; to save himself, he must find an opportunity to “shatter and rise anew.”
• He summons Bing Han’er and Yu Qingjue to explain his departure and reassure them that Blazing Sun Peak will remain protected.
• Bing Han’er uses her divine soul to examine Jiang Yan and realizes that, beneath his overwhelming presence, his strength has greatly declined. She understands that his injuries are far more serious than they appear and may be beyond even the True Dragon’s current ability to heal.
• Jiang Yan reveals that Li Longzi has accepted the True Dragon’s Imperial Edict and become the Yu Long Sect’s new Sect Leader Supreme. Because Li Longzi owes Jiang Yan a great debt, Jiang Yan believes Blazing Sun Peak will remain secure.
• He asks Bing Han’er and Yu Qingjue to care for the lower-level townspeople who followed him back from the Upper Reaches of the Mother River.
• As a parting gift, Jiang Yan gives each woman a bracelet containing a manifestation of his Five-Colored Divine Light. If activated, each can unleash a strike at the Dao Summit level, allowing them to resolve most future crises.
• Li Longzi arrives with valuable wine to bid Jiang Yan farewell. The two share a final drink and discuss Li Longzi’s inheritance, his future cultivation, and the danger of leaving the sect before fully mastering the True Dragon’s power.
• Jiang Yan warns that Li Longzi is currently like a priceless medicinal treasure: powerful beings might try to capture and consume him to obtain a portion of the True Dragon’s inheritance.
• Li Longzi promises that once he reaches the Supreme Realm, he will help Jiang Yan deal with his troubles. Jiang Yan then departs, gradually becoming transparent and vanishing.
• After Jiang Yan’s disappearance, Li Longzi secretly offers his own fate as a catalyst and blesses Jiang Yan’s journey, demonstrating the depth of his gratitude and support.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yan: Reveals the true extent of his post-battle injuries and accepts that he must leave the sect to seek a chance at survival and transformation. Though weakened, he remains farsighted and responsible, making arrangements to protect his lineage and followers before departing.
• Bing Han’er: Moves from confusion about Jiang Yan’s decision to understanding his hidden condition. Her willingness to inspect him despite the danger reflects both her closeness to him and her growing strength.
• Yu Qingjue: Shows increased respect and loyalty toward Jiang Yan, formally accepting his instructions and promising to protect the people under his care.
• Li Longzi: Has inherited the True Dragon’s power and become the sect’s leader, but he remains inexperienced and has not fully assimilated the inheritance. His gratitude toward Jiang Yan deepens into a vow to repay him and secretly assist his journey.

Significant Themes

• Departure and impermanence: The title reflects the temporary nature of gatherings, power, and security. Jiang Yan’s farewell emphasizes that even prosperous periods and close relationships eventually change.
• Sacrifice and responsibility: Despite his critical condition, Jiang Yan prioritizes the safety of Blazing Sun Peak, his followers, and the people who came with him.
• Gratitude and repayment: Li Longzi’s new position and inheritance are connected to Jiang Yan’s past protection, creating a powerful bond of obligation and loyalty.
• Hidden weakness beneath strength: Jiang Yan still appears as an immense blazing sun, but his core is badly damaged. The chapter contrasts outward majesty with inward decline.
• Opportunity and danger: Jiang Yan must leave to seek a chance at renewal, while Li Longzi must remain in the sect until his inherited power is stable enough to survive the wider world.

Important Character Interactions

• Jiang Yan and Bing Han’er: He reassures her that Blazing Sun Peak will be safe, while she recognizes the severity of his injuries through her divine perception.
• Jiang Yan and Yu Qingjue: He entrusts her with protecting his townspeople, and she formally accepts the responsibility.
• Jiang Yan and both women: He rewards their long-term service with protective bracelets capable of Dao Summit-level attacks.
• Jiang Yan and Li Longzi: Their farewell drinking session combines humor, warning, mutual respect, and emotional restraint. Jiang Yan advises Li Longzi to remain cautious, while Li Longzi vows to help him in the future.
• Li Longzi and Jiang Yan after the farewell: Once Jiang Yan has vanished, Li Longzi reveals the depth of his gratitude by using his own fate to bless Jiang Yan’s journey.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yan arrives in the Southern Region of the Human Race and heads toward the Vermilion Bird Holy Land.
• He seeks the Vermilion Bird Holy Master for two reasons:
  1. To find a solution to the injuries or affliction troubling him.
  2. If the Holy Master cannot help, to obtain information about powerful Weird entities.
• Jiang Yan reflects on the difficulty of gaining enough Anomaly Points. Although increasing his cultivation is theoretically easy with sufficient points, suitable powerful Weird entities have become increasingly scarce at his level.
• The True Dragon previously warned Jiang Yan of a dangerous place where powerful Weird entities certainly exist, but Jiang Yan is currently too weak to approach it without risking contamination.
• While traveling, Jiang Yan notices an unusual life-bearing planet near the Vermilion Bird Holy Land. Intrigued by what is happening there, he abandons his immediate journey to observe.
• At the Luo Water Sect, an attractive female disciple tells her former childhood companion, Xiao Ning, that she is becoming a Core Disciple and wishes to sever their relationship. She believes their differing talents will create an ever-widening gap.
• Xiao Ning calmly accepts the breakup but jokingly suggests that he may one day gain extraordinary opportunities, rise dramatically, and become powerful enough for her to regret abandoning him.
• The woman remains skeptical but offers to wait six months or a year before he gives up on his unrealistic ambitions. Before leaving, she gives him a pouch containing more than ten black-red pills as a token of their past affection.
• After she departs, Xiao Ning wonders how he can follow the dramatic “rise from obscurity” storyline he had imagined when she has still shown concern for him.
• Sensing Jiang Yan watching, Xiao Ning confronts him cheerfully and accuses him of deliberately observing the embarrassing scene. Jiang Yan reveals himself and introduces himself as a member of the Yu Long Sect.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yan: Demonstrates his high cultivation, spatial abilities, and calm confidence. Despite his power, he remains troubled by his injuries and the difficulty of progressing further. His curiosity leads him to investigate Xiao Ning rather than immediately continue to the Vermilion Bird Holy Land.
• Xiao Ning: Appears outwardly relaxed and humorous after being abandoned, but his remarks reveal pride, ambition, and a strong belief—or performance—of being destined for greatness. He maintains composure rather than reacting with anger or despair.
• The female disciple: Becomes more distant and pragmatic, prioritizing her newly elevated status as a Core Disciple over her childhood relationship. However, her gift of pills suggests that she still retains some affection or concern for Xiao Ning despite her cold words.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus opportunity: The scene contrasts Xiao Ning’s lack of recognized talent with his confidence that future adventures and fortuitous encounters may transform him.
• Changing relationships through status: Advancement within the sect causes the woman to view Xiao Ning as someone from whom she must separate, emphasizing how cultivation hierarchies affect personal bonds.
• Destiny and self-belief: Xiao Ning embraces the familiar narrative of the overlooked figure eventually becoming powerful, while the woman dismisses it as fantasy.
• Hidden affection beneath apparent ruthlessness: Though the woman declares their relationship over, her gift indicates that emotional ties have not been completely severed.
• Power and danger: Jiang Yan’s search for a cure and for stronger Weird entities highlights the risks and limitations confronting even powerful cultivators.

Character Interactions

• The woman formally ends her relationship with Xiao Ning, citing their unequal talents and future prospects.
• Xiao Ning accepts her decision but teases her with the possibility that he will eventually surpass her, turning the breakup into a playful challenge.
• She offers him one final chance to face reality and gives him medicinal pills before leaving.
• Jiang Yan observes the exchange, then is discovered by Xiao Ning. Their first interaction is marked by Xiao Ning’s humor and boldness and Jiang Yan’s polite, cautious introduction.

Chapter Summary: “Three Methods”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yan meets a mysterious young man who appears to be only at the Innate Realm, yet behaves with the confidence and composure of an ancient powerhouse.
• The young man asks about the current condition of the Yu Long Sect and its leaders, revealing that he knows Jiang Yan’s sect and may have been acquainted with its former supreme figures.
• Jiang Yan explains that the previous Sect Leader Supreme has truly died and merged into fate, leaving behind few means of resurrection. He also reports that True Dragon recently succumbed to the Decline of the Five Heavens, became a Demon Dragon, and nearly fought several Human Supremes before an envoy of the Tianxin Crown Prince intervened and preserved his life.
• The young man mourns the apparent death of “Little Liu” and the impending decline of “Little Long,” confirming that he is connected to these ancient figures.
• Curious about how Jiang Yan detected his hidden identity across a vast distance, the young man asks about Jiang Yan’s cultivation method and offers to exchange benefits for the answer.
• Jiang Yan admits that he did not actually see through the man’s disguise. He only approached because the man’s situation resembled a familiar story: a supposedly weak protagonist abandoned by his fiancée who might later rise dramatically. Jiang Yan had intended to use Fate Power to give him an opportunity if he were truly ordinary.
• The revelation amuses the young man, who realizes that Jiang Yan’s curiosity—not supernatural insight—led him there. He warns Jiang Yan not to interfere with his “game” in the mortal world.
• In return for Jiang Yan’s information and goodwill, the young man offers to answer a question or provide assistance. Jiang Yan asks about his own deteriorating condition.
• The young man confirms that Jiang Yan has been contaminated by Supreme Power and will likely die unless he finds a solution.
• He presents three possible methods of survival:
  1. Break through to the Supreme Realm, making him immune to other Supreme Power.
  2. Seek help from the Human Imperial Court and obtain the Human Emperor’s protection.
  3. Abandon humanity altogether—the chapter ends before this cryptic option is explained.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yan: Demonstrates honesty, caution, and curiosity. Rather than pretending to understand the young man’s identity, he openly admits his mistake. His contaminated condition is confirmed to be life-threatening, forcing him to confront the possibility of death and consider drastic solutions.
• The Mysterious Young Man: Reveals himself to be an extremely powerful ancient existence capable of completely concealing his cultivation. He is intelligent, playful, and somewhat manipulative, but not immediately hostile. His knowledge of Jiang Yan’s condition and access to possible cures suggest immense experience and influence.
• True Dragon and the Former Sect Leader: Their reported circumstances emphasize the decline or death of powerful older-generation figures and establish the dangerous state of the wider world.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and deceptive appearances: The young man looks like an ordinary Innate Realm cultivator but is actually an ancient powerhouse. The chapter repeatedly contrasts external appearance with true power.
• Fate, stories, and coincidence: Jiang Yan’s actions are influenced by narrative patterns and his ability to manipulate Fate Power, yet even he cannot fully understand the fate of the young man.
• The cost of power: Jiang Yan’s strength has brought contamination by Supreme Power, making his talent and achievements a potential source of death.
• Life, death, and transformation: The three proposed solutions frame survival as requiring either supreme advancement, submission to a greater authority, or abandoning one’s human nature.
• Curiosity and interference: Jiang Yan’s curiosity draws him into an ancient being’s hidden affairs, while the young man warns that observing or disrupting such schemes carries risks.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yan respectfully reports the Yu Long Sect’s condition while carefully avoiding claims about knowledge he does not possess.
• The young man questions Jiang Yan about his perception abilities, initially assuming he has mastered an advanced form of Fate cultivation.
• Jiang Yan’s candid explanation changes the tone of the exchange, amusing the young man and earning his approval.
• The young man then turns the conversation into a favor exchange, acknowledging Jiang Yan’s goodwill while warning him against further interference.
• Their interaction remains polite but tense: Jiang Yan is cautious because of the man’s overwhelming hidden power, while the young man treats Jiang Yan as an interesting but potentially troublesome junior.

Chapter Summary: “Speaking Deeply Despite a Shallow Acquaintance”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yan and the mysterious young man continue their conversation beneath the mountain forest.
• Rather than immediately asking for useful information, Jiang Yan cautiously asks the man’s name and identity.
• The young man praises Jiang Yan’s vigilance, acknowledging that names and identities in the Mother River World can easily be false or changeable.
• He claims that both he and Jiang Yan are “favored by fate” and suggests that they will eventually meet again at the summit of cultivation.
• Jiang Yan rejects the idea that he has been favored by fate, attributing his achievements to effort and contrasting himself with naturally gifted figures such as Li Longzi.
• The young man reveals that his understanding of “Fate’s Favor” differs from Jiang Yan’s. He hints that Jiang Yan possesses a rare quality shared by very few beings.
• He explains that countless geniuses across the Human Race and other powerful races have attempted to reach the Origin Realm, yet almost all have failed despite possessing talent, resources, opportunities, and long periods of cultivation.
• The decisive requirement, he reveals, is not ordinary Fate Dao cultivation but the “favor of the Mother River.”
• The Mother River is described as neither conventionally alive nor completely lifeless. It possesses a form of life and must recognize and nourish a cultivator before that person can enter the Origin Realm.
• Jiang Yan, shocked but mentally resilient, immediately asks what price must be paid for attaining the Origin Realm.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yan: Demonstrates exceptional caution, intelligence, and emotional stability. He does not blindly trust the young man and understands that any identity or history offered may be fabricated. His ability to accept the revelation about the Mother River without his Dao Heart collapsing confirms his extraordinary potential.
• The mysterious young man: Reveals himself to be extraordinarily powerful and knowledgeable, likely far beyond Jiang Yan’s current level. He admires Jiang Yan’s prudence and appears to view him as a fellow individual marked by the Mother River’s favor. He also hints that he intends to ask Jiang Yan for a favor later.
• Li Longzi: Mentioned as an example of someone who appears naturally favored by fate because of his innate connection to the Fate Dao, though the young man implies this is not the highest or most meaningful form of fate.

Significant Themes

• Caution and discernment: Jiang Yan’s refusal to trust appearances emphasizes the dangers of the Mother River World and the importance of verifying information.
• Fate versus personal effort: Jiang Yan believes his achievements come from hard work, while the young man introduces a deeper form of fate connected to the Mother River itself.
• Limits of cultivation: The chapter expands the difficulty of reaching the Origin Realm, showing that talent and effort alone are insufficient.
• The mysterious nature of existence: The Mother River is presented as a vast, quasi-living entity, challenging Jiang Yan’s understanding of reality and the place of individual beings within it.
• Recognition and sacrifice: The young man’s final revelation about the “price” of reaching the Origin Realm foreshadows that supreme power may require a significant cost.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yan carefully questions the young man while attempting to draw out meaningful information without revealing too much himself.
• The young man responds with teasing approval, recognizing Jiang Yan’s intelligence and caution.
• Their exchange develops from guarded conversation into a discussion of profound secrets concerning fate, the Mother River, and the Origin Realm.
• Although the young man speaks as a superior, he treats Jiang Yan as a potential equal or future rival, suggesting that both may eventually stand at the summit of cultivation.
• The chapter ends with Jiang Yan taking control of the conversation by directly asking about the cost of obtaining the Mother River’s recognition and entering the Origin Realm.

Chapter Summary: Carrying a Heavy Burden Forward

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yan learns that entering the Origin Realm ultimately requires receiving the Mother River’s favor. This blessing grants extraordinary power, longevity, an indestructible body, and influence over entire races, but it also binds the recipient to a dangerous future obligation that eventually leads to death.
• Jiang Yan expresses a desire to reach the summit through his own strength rather than rely on the Mother River. The young senior explains that he once held the same belief, but accepted the Mother River’s gift after discovering that all other methods failed at the final stage of advancement.
• The senior offers Jiang Yan several ways to resolve the troubles surrounding his identity:
  1. Enter the Human Imperial Court and seek the Human Emperor’s protection.
  2. Abandon his human identity through an experimental transformation.
  3. Advance rapidly into the Human Supreme Realm.
• Jiang Yan chooses to pursue the third option and rejects the other two.
• He asks where he can find powerful aberrant entities, implying that defeating or studying them is connected to his path toward the Supreme Realm.
• The senior directs him to the Demon Lands, explaining that demons depend heavily on bloodline power and possess weak wills, making them particularly vulnerable to corruption by Evil Wraiths and transformation into aberrant entities.
• In return for the senior’s guidance, Jiang Yan agrees to help him create an opportunity to change his current situation. The senior is disguising himself as an ordinary young disciple abandoned by his childhood sweetheart and wants Jiang Yan to arrange a stroke of fortune.
• Before departing, the senior hints that even more powerful aberrant entities exist, but Jiang Yan is not yet ready to encounter them. He suggests that Jiang Yan will eventually reach a mysterious place where “people are carrying heavy burdens forward.”
• Jiang Yan is transported beyond the starry sky. He creates a land of fortune beneath a nearby planet, apparently fulfilling part of his agreement with the senior.
• In a wooden house, the young senior senses what has happened and reflects that Jiang Yan is the sixth person he has met who resembles him, wondering whether they will meet again.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yan gains a radically expanded understanding of the world’s highest realms, the Mother River, and the hidden cost of supreme power. Although tempted by the benefits of the Mother River’s favor, he remains determined to rely on his own ability.
• His confidence and ambition become clearer: rather than seek political protection or abandon humanity, he chooses the most difficult path—rapidly reaching the Human Supreme Realm.
• Jiang Yan also reveals a secret plan involving powerful aberrant entities, suggesting that he possesses a unique method or opportunity for advancement.
• The young senior is revealed to have once shared Jiang Yan’s ideals. His acceptance of the Mother River’s favor shows a more pragmatic and fatalistic side: he values freedom but ultimately chose power when every independent path failed.
• The senior’s playful request for Jiang Yan to manufacture a fortunate opportunity contrasts with his immense power and mysterious status, emphasizing his eccentricity and his ability to treat major events casually.

Significant Themes

• Fate versus self-determination: Both characters wish to advance through their own efforts, yet the senior argues that fate becomes unavoidable when one reaches the final barrier.
• The price of power: The Mother River grants near-limitless strength and longevity but demands a future sacrifice, suggesting that ultimate power is never truly free.
• Hidden cosmic balance: The existence of powerful Origin Realm beings implies that equally powerful aberrant entities must exist somewhere, even if ordinary beings have never heard of them.
• Burden and sacrifice: The mysterious reference to those “carrying heavy burdens forward” hints at a hidden group or realm responsible for containing, resisting, or perpetuating the world’s darker forces.
• Transformation and identity: The possibility of ceasing to be human, the corruption of demons into aberrant entities, and Jiang Yan’s own unusual situation all reinforce questions about what defines a person or race.
• Mentorship and mutual benefit: The relationship between Jiang Yan and the senior is based on exchange rather than simple guidance. Each recognizes something of himself in the other and helps create a future connection.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yan and the senior engage in a philosophical discussion about the Mother River’s favor, with Jiang Yan challenging the idea of accepting predetermined fate.
• The senior responds from personal experience, explaining that ambition and independence may eventually yield to necessity.
• Jiang Yan protects their conversation with a mist barrier, showing caution and respect for the importance of the information being shared.
• The senior recognizes Jiang Yan’s hidden intentions regarding aberrant entities but deliberately does not press him, acknowledging that powerful cultivators all possess secrets.
• Their exchange ends with an informal agreement: the senior provides strategic guidance, while Jiang Yan promises to create the “opportunity” the senior needs.
• The final reflection from the senior suggests that he sees Jiang Yan as a kindred spirit and possibly as part of a recurring pattern of individuals who resemble him.

Chapter Summary: “Xiao Qing’s First Meeting”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yan arrives at the Vermilion Bird Holy Land seeking an audience with the Vermilion Bird Sect Leader Supreme.
• The gate disciple politely explains that the Holy Master is in seclusion and has ordered that she receive no visitors. She is expected to emerge within ten days, possibly sooner.
• Jiang Yan decides not to wait inside the sect. Because the power granted to him by the True Dragon and Li Longzi is temporary, he cannot afford to waste time if the seclusion lasts too long. He plans to travel nearby and return in ten days.
• In an ordinary city, Jiang Yan visits a restaurant and observes mortal life while drinking and eating. He deliberately immerses himself in mundane surroundings to preserve his humanity.
• A striking young woman in a green dress, later implied to be Xiao Qing, enters the restaurant. Although her cultivation is only near the Great Dao Realm, Jiang Yan perceives an extraordinarily powerful pure white sword behind her—an existence seemingly surpassing the Supreme and even the Great Dao levels.
• When Jiang Yan examines the sword with his spiritual senses, it detects his scrutiny and damages several strands of his soul power. The woman senses the intrusion, looks toward him, and reacts angrily.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yan: Demonstrates patience, restraint, and awareness of his limited time. His habit of visiting mortal places reveals his concern that prolonged existence as a Great Dao Lord is eroding his empathy and humanity. He also shows caution when confronted by the mysterious sword’s overwhelming power.
• Vermilion Bird Holy Master: Though absent, she is portrayed as powerful and occupied with a difficult task: using her Great Dao to persuade the Southern Bright Li Flame to separate a fragment of its flame origin.
• Xiao Qing: Introduced as confident, spirited, and exceptionally mysterious. Her visible cultivation does not match the terrifying power associated with the white sword linked to her.
• The gate disciple: Treats Jiang Yan with great respect because of his close relationship with the Vermilion Bird Holy Master and gives him accurate information rather than dismissing him.

Significant Themes

• Preserving humanity: Jiang Yan recognizes that powerful cultivators gradually become detached from ordinary life and mortal suffering. His visits to mortal cities are a deliberate effort to retain empathy.
• The limits of power and perception: Jiang Yan is a Great Dao Lord, yet merely observing Xiao Qing’s sword causes him harm, emphasizing the existence of realms and forces far beyond his understanding.
• Patience versus urgency: Jiang Yan is willing to wait for the Holy Master, but his temporary condition forces him to balance patience with practical concerns.
• Hidden potential: Xiao Qing’s apparently modest cultivation conceals an entity of immense power, suggesting that appearances and surface-level cultivation are unreliable.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yan and the gate disciple interact respectfully and cordially. The disciple reassures him that the Holy Master will emerge within ten days, leading Jiang Yan to postpone his visit rather than remain at the sect.
• Jiang Yan’s first encounter with Xiao Qing is indirect but tense. He studies the sword associated with her, the sword reacts defensively, and Xiao Qing responds with displeasure after sensing his intrusion.