Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Quickly Ask Shuhang Who’s Chasing Us!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Joseph’s enthusiastic adoption of The Times Are Calling as a martial art, Ji Shuangxue repeatedly gives Song Shuhang resentful looks for teaching it to her father. Song feels increasingly uncomfortable and relieved when boarding the plane temporarily distracts her.
• Song contacts Venerable White before departure. White has located Doudou and the little monk and plans to retrieve them before sending them to the Eastern Sea Vacation Island by flying sword. Song also attempts to contact Soft Feather but receives no response.
• Joseph and his daughter unexpectedly turn out to be traveling to the same vacation island. Joseph swaps seats so he can sit beside Song and enthusiastically asks about cultivation realms and martial-arts instruction.
• Song avoids explaining cultivation levels, since Joseph has barely reached the beginning of his training. He also refuses to let Joseph perform The Times Are Calling in the airplane aisle, promising to advise him later.
• Joseph asks Song to reproduce the explosive sound he once made with a punch. Song casually flicks his hand and produces a sonic crack through his increased physical strength, impressing Joseph and confirming that Song has grown much stronger.
• Song reflects that Joseph may genuinely possess a master-disciple connection with him. If that bond proves real, Song may help Joseph enter the cultivation world in the future, though he currently lacks the ability to grant him any special benefits.
• Joseph imitates Song’s post-training meditation, although he has never been taught an actual meditation technique and is really just sitting quietly and spacing out.
• During the flight, Song worries about the Eastern Sea’s mysterious island, which he suspects might appear because of the destination. He hopes that staying near Venerable White would prevent him from encountering it, but White is currently away searching for Doudou and the little monk.
• Meanwhile, Doudou and the little monk suffer a series of bizarre attacks while flying toward Beijing: an anti-aircraft missile, lightning from a cloudless sky, and a head-on encounter with a supersonic aircraft. The little monk is badly charred, while Doudou suspects they may be cursed or deliberately pursued.
• Doudou orders the little monk to contact Song Shuhang and ask whether Song—or someone sent by him—is chasing them.

Character Developments

• Song Shuhang is becoming stronger and more cautious about his responsibilities as a potential master. He refuses to deceive Joseph with fabricated cultivation information and begins considering the long-term consequences of bringing ordinary people into the cultivation world.
• Joseph grows increasingly devoted and enthusiastic. His dedication to practicing the “martial art” makes him more confident that Song is a powerful master, though his understanding of cultivation remains comically mistaken.
• Ji Shuangxue remains silently resentful toward Song for teaching Joseph the eccentric exercise, creating ongoing comedic tension.
• Doudou displays vigilance and protective instincts toward the little monk. His suspicion that their misfortunes are connected to Song demonstrates both paranoia and awareness that their situation is far beyond normal coincidence.
• The little monk is exhausted and frightened by the repeated disasters, serving as the more openly emotional counterpart to Doudou’s cautious reasoning.
• Venerable White remains calm and highly capable, having already located the fugitives and moving toward them at his own pace.

Significant Themes

• Miscommunication and mistaken identity: Joseph sees ordinary broadcast gymnastics as a peerless martial art, while Song struggles to manage the consequences of that misunderstanding.
• Master-disciple responsibility: Song begins considering whether Joseph’s devotion represents a genuine karmic connection and what obligations that might create in the future.
• The gap between ordinary and supernatural worlds: The airplane journey appears mundane, yet Song’s cultivation, Venerable White’s flying sword, and Doudou’s bizarre encounters reveal the hidden supernatural reality surrounding him.
• Foreshadowing and danger: Song’s thoughts about the Mysterious Island contrast with Doudou and the little monk’s increasingly unnatural misfortunes, suggesting that the journey may not remain peaceful.
• Comedic contrast: Joseph’s solemn, ancient-style speech and misplaced confidence are juxtaposed with Song’s embarrassment and the absurdity of practicing “martial arts” on a commercial flight.

Character Interactions

• Ji Shuangxue’s resentful stares pressure Song into avoiding any dishonesty with Joseph.
• Joseph repeatedly flatters and consults Song as his master, while Song responds with evasive but well-intentioned guidance.
• Joseph’s insistence on sitting beside Song separates Song from Lu Fei and creates the main comedic exchange aboard the plane.
• Song and Venerable White coordinate the recovery of Doudou and the little monk.
• Doudou and the little monk endure the mysterious attacks together, with Doudou urging the frightened monk to contact Song for answers.

Chapter Summary: “The Mighty Cannot Bend!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Guoguo’s phone is destroyed by lightning, preventing him and Doudou from contacting Song Shuhang.
• Worried that Venerable White may be pursuing them, Doudou and Guoguo search for a public phone. Doudou jokes that, rather than surrendering to Venerable White, they should reserve hospital beds with Medicine Master.
• They find a convenience store and call Song Shuhang, but his phone is powered off. The shopkeeper is charmed by the adorable Little Monk.
• Doudou senses Zhou Li approaching and flees with Guoguo toward the capital.
• Zhou Li ambushes them using two Heaven-Hiding Hooks, one from above and one from below. A sudden blast of wind slows Doudou just enough for the hooks to form a net and capture both him and Guoguo.
• Zhou Li reveals that he has recently mastered the use of a second Heaven-Hiding Hook, explaining how he finally overcame Doudou’s evasive tactics.
• Rather than angrily punishing Doudou for the previous day’s prank, Zhou Li calmly proposes pretending the incident never happened. He says he will continue his online relationship with “Kissy” while Doudou keeps pretending to be her.
• Doudou realizes with horror that Zhou Li believes “Kissy” is a woman and is prepared to continue an online romance with what is actually a male dog.
• Feeling responsible for Zhou Li’s emotional collapse and fearing for his own “chastity,” Doudou insists that the real Kissy exists and that he merely borrowed her account as a joke.

Character Developments

• Doudou: Remains clever, evasive, and theatrically proud, claiming that no amount of force can make him surrender. However, his confidence collapses once Zhou Li captures him and he recognizes the disastrous consequences of his prank. He becomes determined to correct Zhou Li’s misunderstanding.
• Little Monk/Guoguo: Acts as the anxious and innocent companion. He worries about their pursuit, follows Doudou’s instructions, and provides humorous reactions to Doudou’s extreme plans.
• Zhou Li: Demonstrates significant growth in combat ability by using two Heaven-Hiding Hooks and successfully predicting Doudou’s movements. His strangely calm behavior reveals that he has been emotionally devastated by the previous day’s deception.
• Young Demon Catcher: Quietly supports Zhou Li and comforts him, though her sympathy unintentionally emphasizes how emotionally broken he has become.
• Song Shuhang: Does not appear directly, but his powered-off phone prevents Doudou and Guoguo from obtaining help.

Significant Themes

• Pride versus practical survival: Doudou boasts that a true man cannot be bent by force, yet his real plan is to hide in a hospital rather than confront danger directly.
• Consequences of deception: Doudou’s prank has created an absurd and potentially damaging misunderstanding, forcing him to repair Zhou Li’s shattered beliefs.
• Persistence and adaptation: Zhou Li succeeds because he improves his technique, uses a second hook, and exploits the smallest advantage.
• Absurdity and mistaken identity: The central comedy comes from Zhou Li’s belief that Doudou is a female online acquaintance, creating an accidental romance between a human and a male dog.
• Calm before disaster: Zhou Li’s unusual composure is more frightening than anger, suggesting emotional breakdown can be more dangerous than open rage.

Character Interactions

• Doudou reassures and instructs Guoguo throughout their escape, while Guoguo repeatedly questions his reckless decisions.
• The shopkeeper warmly interacts with Guoguo, delighted by his politeness and appearance.
• Zhou Li and Doudou engage in their long-running rivalry, with Zhou Li finally outmaneuvering Doudou.
• Zhou Li emotionally confesses his intention to continue talking to “Kissy,” while the young demon catcher comforts him.
• Doudou, horrified by the implications, urgently tries to convince Zhou Li that Kissy is real and that the deception was only a prank.

Key plot points and events

• Zhou Li suspects Doudou has been impersonating his online partner, Fairy Ouyang Yuan. Doudou insists that Ouyang was the one chatting with Zhou Li, but Zhou’s unanswered message and phone call deepen his doubts.
• Venerable White arrives and learns what happened from the young Demon Catcher. He orders Doudou to write Zhou Li a thousand-word apology, then checks Zhou’s phone and contacts a friend at White Cloud Academy.
• True Lord Eternal Fire confirms Ouyang Yuan is teaching a zither lesson and cannot take the call. Venerable White advises Zhou Li to try again later and promises to help reconcile the pair if necessary.
• Venerable White frees Doudou and the little monk Guoguo, then sends them home on Disposable Flying Swords at terrifying speed. Doudou fears he is being launched into space, while Guoguo’s delighted ride becomes a scream.
• Venerable White catches up with them on his Meteor Sword and leaves Zhou Li and the Demon Catcher behind. Meanwhile, Song Shuhang dreams again of a mysterious aerial island and city.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Li shifts from hopeful anticipation to despair when Ouyang does not respond, but Venerable White’s reassurance restores some of his confidence.
• Doudou tries to escape blame by revealing the supposed account theft, but his explanation only worsens Zhou Li’s suspicions. He ultimately accepts Venerable White’s authority, despite dreading the apology and the flight home.
• Venerable White acts as mediator and matchmaker, calmly investigating the misunderstanding and offering Zhou Li help. His gentle manner contrasts with his reckless, alarming use of flying swords.
• Guoguo remains cheerful and trusting, climbing onto a flying sword without knowing what awaits him.
• The young Demon Catcher supplies Venerable White with the story and admires him as he departs.

Significant themes

• Miscommunication and mistaken identity: Zhou Li’s relationship may have been built on a misunderstanding involving Doudou and Ouyang’s account.
• Trust and reassurance: Venerable White offers Zhou Li a reason not to assume the worst before he can speak with Ouyang directly.
• Comic authority and danger: Venerable White is both a considerate mediator and an unpredictable figure whose “help” can be terrifying.
• Unresolved mystery: Song Shuhang’s recurring dream of the sky city hints at a larger storyline beyond the chapter’s comic events.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Shuhang dreams again of the mysterious floating island, observing its mountains, jungles, ancient city, central tower, and beautiful Crescent Lake.
• A gigantic blue, snake-like fish suddenly erupts from the lake and menaces him, startling him awake.
• Song discovers that the airplane has plunged into complete darkness and that many passengers and crew members—including the captain and co-pilot—have mysteriously vanished.
• The plane is initially flying on autopilot, but the autopilot soon malfunctions. The frightened flight attendants ask whether any passenger knows how to fly.
• Panic spreads throughout the aircraft. Passengers blame the crew, consider writing wills, and prepare for the possibility of a crash.
• Zhuge Zhongyang apologizes for organizing the trip, believing his decision has endangered everyone. Gao Moumou, Mei Yi, Tubo, Joseph, and the other survivors react with fear and despair.
• Song Shuhang reveals that he possesses a private pilot’s license and some experience flying a private aircraft. Although he admits that piloting a commercial airliner is very different, he volunteers to try.
• The passengers treat Song as their only hope. The chapter ends with the flight attendant accepting his license and placing the plane’s survival in his hands.

Character Developments

• Song Shuhang remains calm and practical despite the crisis. Rather than surrendering to panic, he uses his limited aviation experience to take responsibility and attempt to save everyone.
• Joseph continues to regard Song Shuhang as his master, but his confidence gives way to despair as he prepares to write a will.
• Zhuge Zhongyang is consumed by guilt for bringing everyone on the trip and believes he is responsible for their predicament.
• Gao Moumou and Tubo are frightened and confused, especially when Song unexpectedly produces a pilot’s license they did not know he possessed.
• The flight attendants become overwhelmed, unable to control the panicking passengers or operate the aircraft.
• The passengers shift from anger and blame to desperate hope when Song offers to fly the plane.

Significant Themes

• Responsibility in a crisis: Song Shuhang steps forward even though he is not fully qualified, showing courage and willingness to act when others cannot.
• Fear versus composure: The passengers’ panic contrasts with Song’s relatively rational response.
• The limits of preparation: A private pilot’s license is inadequate for flying a commercial airliner, yet in an emergency even imperfect knowledge may be better than doing nothing.
• Mystery and supernatural danger: The floating island, vanished passengers, and monstrous lake creature suggest that the airplane incident may be connected to the mysterious island and otherworldly forces.
• False normality turning into catastrophe: An ordinary flight to a resort suddenly becomes a supernatural survival crisis.

Character Interactions

• Song Shuhang questions Joseph about the crisis, learning that the captain, co-pilot, and numerous passengers have disappeared.
• Joseph expresses concern for his missing daughter and asks whether Song wants to write a will.
• Zhuge Zhongyang apologizes to Gao Moumou, Mei Yi, and Tubo for bringing them into danger.
• Gao Moumou and Tubo speculate that Song’s pilot’s license might be fake because they never knew he had learned to fly.
• Song pushes through the crowd, addresses the flight attendant directly, presents his license, and becomes the passengers’ unexpected hope for survival.

Chapter Summary: Continue Disappearing Passengers and the Strange Little Points of Light

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Shuhang agrees to take control of the passenger plane after the captain and copilot mysteriously disappear.
• Although he has only flown a helicopter and a private plane before, his prior reading and training allow him to operate the aircraft competently.
• The plane’s autopilot fails because it cannot receive a signal, forcing Shuhang to fly manually through a completely dark and unknown environment.
• Shuhang realizes he does not know how to land a commercial airliner, making their survival uncertain even if they escape the darkness.
• A new wave of panic erupts when several passengers become surrounded by flame-like light and gradually dissolve into glowing particles.
• The affected passengers vanish completely, unable to interact physically with their friends or relatives. Gao Moumou suspects that the earlier missing passengers—including the flight crew—disappeared in the same way.
• Tubo and Gao Moumou notice a mysterious glowing object ahead of the plane, described as a small green point emitting golden light. Song Shuhang, despite possessing enhanced cultivator senses, cannot see it.
• The chapter ends with the group deciding they must approach the strange point of light to investigate.

Character Developments

• Song Shuhang remains calm and responsible during the crisis, accepting the dangerous task of piloting the plane despite his limited experience. His confidence is tempered by the realization that he cannot land the aircraft and that his cultivation does not make him invulnerable.
• Gao Moumou acts protectively toward Mei Yi and takes the disappearances seriously. He begins forming logical theories about what happened to the earlier victims and serves as an important observer.
• Tubo is visibly frightened but remains alert. His ability to spot the distant light makes him crucial to the group’s next decision.
• Mei Yi experiences the supernatural disappearances firsthand and becomes visibly terrified, emphasizing the emotional impact of the crisis.
• The passengers descend into panic as they realize they may suddenly vanish without warning, while the crew loses control of the situation.

Significant Themes

• Human vulnerability and uncertainty: Shuhang’s cultivation and knowledge cannot solve every problem, especially when faced with an unfamiliar supernatural environment.
• Responsibility under pressure: Shuhang willingly assumes control of the plane even though failure could kill everyone aboard.
• The limits of science and logic: The glowing passengers and unexplained disappearance defy ordinary explanations, leaving the characters helpless and frightened.
• Fear of the unknown: The darkness surrounding the plane, the lack of navigation signals, and the mysterious point of light create an atmosphere of isolation and dread.
• Ordinary people versus cultivators: The fact that normal passengers can see the light while Shuhang cannot suggests that the phenomenon may operate according to unusual rules connected to perception or cultivation.

Character Interactions

• Shuhang reassures Gao Moumou and Tubo before entering the cockpit, while they cautiously follow him to provide support.
• Tubo and Gao Moumou question Shuhang’s ability to fly, then become increasingly alarmed when he admits he cannot land the plane.
• Gao Moumou reunites with Mei Yi after the disappearances begin, and she explains what she witnessed.
• Gao Moumou reports the passenger vanishings to Shuhang, hoping he can interpret the phenomenon.
• Tubo, Gao Moumou, and Mei Yi all confirm that they can see the mysterious light, while Shuhang cannot, creating a new mystery and compelling them to move closer to it.

Chapter 286 Summary: “Cut, Cut, Cut the Plane!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Shuhang and his companions spot a glowing, floating island ahead. Gao Moumou, Tubo, and Mei Yi confirm that it is real, despite initially thinking it might be an illusion.
• Song realizes the island is likely the mysterious Sky City, which may also be the infamous Mysterious Island known to cause memory loss.
• Worried about entering, Song orders the plane to change course and avoid the island. Although they appear to fly around it, the plane eventually emerges from the darkness directly above the island, suggesting that the island may have manipulated their route or concealed its true position.
• The scenery confirms Song’s fears: the island contains an enormous ancient jungle, vast grasslands, and the distinctive crescent-shaped lake from his earlier dream. He suspects the giant creature he saw in the dream may still inhabit the lake.
• The passengers are amazed by the island’s beauty and celebrate, believing they have escaped the deadly dark region. They do not realize they have entered a dangerous supernatural domain.
• Song attempts to fly higher and escape, but the plane continually descends. He recalls that the Mysterious Island possesses a Flight-Banning Formation, which prevents even powerful cultivators from flying.
• He struggles to guide the powerless plane toward the grassland rather than the towering jungle.
• Two of Senior White’s Single-Use Flying Swords 004 Editions suddenly appear. Instead of carrying Doudou and Little Monk, the swords turn around and fly directly into the plane.
• The swords slice through the plane’s nose “like cutting tofu,” leaving Song horrified and ending the chapter on a comedic cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Song Shuhang becomes increasingly anxious and suspicious as he realizes he has been drawn into the Mysterious Island despite trying to avoid it. His knowledge of the island’s dangers makes him more cautious than the other passengers, but it also increases his panic.
• He shows responsibility by attempting to protect the plane’s passengers, first avoiding the island and later trying to land safely on the grassland.
• Gao Moumou and Mei Yi react with fear and amazement, while Tubo’s curiosity makes him more willing to investigate the mysterious island.
• Joseph, Song’s nominal disciple, remains fascinated by the scenery and views it as more beautiful than any place he has ever visited.
• Zhuge Zhongyang feels relieved that the people he invited remain safe, revealing his sense of responsibility and guilt over the earlier crisis.
• Senior White remains offscreen but contributes to the chaos through his poorly timed flying swords, reinforcing his unpredictable and destructive behavior.

Significant Themes

• Fate and inevitability: Song tries to avoid the Mysterious Island, yet ends up entering it anyway, suggesting that unseen forces—or the causal connection involving Onion Lady and Jiudeng—may be guiding him there.
• Beauty concealing danger: The island appears to be a breathtaking paradise, but it is actually a hazardous supernatural realm with memory loss, dangerous creatures, and restrictions on flight.
• Powerlessness versus responsibility: Despite his cultivation knowledge, Song cannot overcome the island’s Flight-Banning Formation and must rely on his piloting skills to protect everyone.
• Miscommunication and absurdity: The passengers believe they have been rescued, while Song understands that their apparent paradise may be a trap. Senior White’s flying swords add slapstick chaos to an already dangerous situation.

Character Interactions

• Song consults Gao Moumou to locate the island and directs him to help navigate around it, largely ignoring Tubo’s suggestion that they investigate.
• The passengers gather at the windows, sharing their amazement and relief at the beautiful landscape.
• Zhuge Yue records the scenery, while Lu Fei and others speculate about their location and the lack of phone signal.
• Song mentally considers how useful Doudou would be as a bodyguard and flying companion, then realizes that the Flight-Banning Formation would limit even Doudou.
• The chapter ends with Senior White’s flying swords violently entering the plane, turning Song’s attempted emergency landing into an even greater crisis.

Chapter Summary: “Scholar-Level Gorilla”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Venerable White follows Doudou and Little Monk after launching them toward Song Shuhang’s location. The flying swords carrying them collide with an invisible barrier over the Eastern Sea.
• The barrier hypnotizes Doudou and Little Monk, while the flying swords disappear into it as starlight. Venerable White catches the two before they fall into the sea.
• Suspecting that the barrier may be connected to the mysterious island that has affected the Nine Provinces Number One Group, Venerable White touches it. The barrier immediately shatters and vanishes, apparently because of his overwhelming strength.
• Meanwhile, Song Shuhang regains consciousness on Sky City after the plane incident. He discovers that he has been tied up and placed in a boiling pot, surrounded by more than twenty intelligent black gorillas.
• Tubo, Gao Moumou, and Mei Yi are also tied up nearby, while Song Shuhang’s backpack and treasured saber, Overlord Shatter, have been discarded.
• Song Shuhang breaks free and realizes the gorillas appear to be preparing to eat him. Their leader attacks after pounding its chest and throwing a huge rock.
• Song Shuhang deflects the rock and defeats the leader with Foundation Fist Fifth Form, discovering that the gorillas possess physical strength exceeding that of ordinary animals and comparable to early-stage cultivators.
• The leader quickly recovers and challenges Song Shuhang again. When Song Shuhang prepares to strike, the gorilla imitates the posture of Foundation Fist Fifth Form after seeing it only once, demonstrating remarkable learning ability.

Character Developments

• Venerable White: Remains curious and proactive, investigating the mysterious barrier despite the danger. His immense power is emphasized when merely touching the barrier causes it to collapse.
• Song Shuhang: Shows his usual resilience and humor in the face of absurd danger. He quickly frees himself, assesses the gorillas’ abilities, and prepares tactically rather than panicking. His cultivation and combat skills allow him to defeat the strongest gorilla temporarily.
• Doudou and Little Monk: Are rendered unconscious by the barrier and remain under Venerable White’s protection.
• The gorilla leader: Is established as unusually intelligent and durable. Beyond possessing great strength and recovery ability, it can imitate a martial-art posture after observing it once.

Significant Themes

• Absurdity and comedic danger: Song Shuhang repeatedly survives bizarre situations, from a plane being sliced apart to being prepared as food by gorillas.
• Overwhelming power: Venerable White’s casual destruction of the barrier highlights the vast gap between his abilities and ordinary supernatural phenomena.
• Adaptation and learning: The gorilla leader’s ability to copy Song Shuhang’s technique suggests that intelligence and martial potential can appear in unexpected forms.
• Survival through cultivation: Song Shuhang relies on physical conditioning, Blood Qi, and martial techniques to escape a seemingly impossible predicament.
• Mystery and supernatural transitions: The invisible barrier and disappearing flying swords hint at the mysterious island’s spatial or illusion-based powers.

Character Interactions

• Venerable White protects Doudou and Little Monk while investigating the barrier that swallowed the flying swords.
• Song Shuhang discovers his friends imprisoned alongside him and worries that they might have been boiled alive.
• Song Shuhang and the gorilla leader engage in a direct physical confrontation, with the gorilla first attacking instinctively and later attempting to imitate Song Shuhang’s martial technique.
• The surrounding gorillas behave like an organized tribe, cheering their leader on and giving it space for the duel.

Chapter Summary: “Gymnastics Gorilla!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Shuhang defeats the strongest gorilla by using Gentleman Travels Ten Thousand Miles to evade its attack and strike it from behind with a powerful palm. The blow sends the gorilla into a boiling pot and flames, though it quickly extinguishes itself by rolling on the ground.
• A second tall gorilla challenges Shuhang. It imitates Shuhang’s footwork and attack sequence almost perfectly, demonstrating the troop’s extraordinary ability to copy techniques. Shuhang counters with a powerful kick, knocking it unconscious.
• After their two strongest members are defeated, the remaining nineteen gorillas abandon the idea of individual challenges and attack together. They pick up and throw rocks in perfect unison, overwhelming Shuhang with sheer numbers.
• Elsewhere, the crashed airplane’s surviving passengers land safely on the grassland, though many are injured. More than fifty gorillas surround them, produce ropes, and begin tying them up.
• A loud Black passenger is mistaken for a provocateur, knocked unconscious by a sturdy gorilla, and tied up.
• The passengers are largely helpless: most are women, children, elderly people, or physically weak men. Joseph, Song Shuhang’s disciple, remains one of the few capable of resisting and feels responsible for protecting two young girls.
• Joseph decides to rely on the martial arts Song Shuhang taught him. He confronts the gorillas by performing the opening movement of The Times Are Calling.
• Rather than being intimidated, the sturdy gorilla carefully observes Joseph, then flawlessly imitates the entire gymnastics routine and mockingly challenges him.

Character Development

• Song Shuhang: Demonstrates confidence, adaptability, and combat skill. He recognizes the gorillas’ remarkable learning ability and even considers taking one to Senior White as a curiosity or “pet.” However, the coordinated attack by nineteen gorillas places him in genuine danger.
• The gorillas: Their intelligence and physical abilities are revealed to be far beyond those of ordinary animals. They can imitate martial techniques, cooperate tactically, use ropes, and organize large-scale attacks. Their expressions and behavior are almost human, creating both menace and comedy.
• Joseph: Shows loyalty, courage, and growing confidence in his training. Although he knows the passengers are badly outmatched, he refuses to stand by while others are harmed and chooses to confront the gorillas.
• The passengers: Their vulnerability becomes clear after the crash. Their fear and helplessness contrast sharply with Joseph’s willingness to resist.
• Sister Lu and Miss Lu Fei: Recognize the hopelessness of the passengers’ situation and quietly discuss their lack of escape options.

Significant Themes

• Adaptation and imitation: The gorillas rapidly copy Shuhang’s techniques, suggesting extraordinary instinctive learning and turning his own methods against him.
• Strength versus numbers: Shuhang can defeat individual gorillas, but coordinated group attacks and volleys of rocks create a much greater threat.
• Courage in desperate circumstances: Joseph acts despite knowing that the passengers have little chance of victory, motivated by responsibility and faith in his master.
• Comedy amid danger: The chapter repeatedly undercuts frightening situations with absurd details, such as gorillas expertly extinguishing themselves, throwing rocks as a racial talent, tying up passengers with ropes, and performing synchronized gymnastics.
• The boundary between animal and human intelligence: The gorillas display strategy, emotion, mockery, and technical imitation, making it increasingly unclear whether they are ordinary animals or supernatural beings.

Character Interactions

• Shuhang battles the powerful gorilla and then its taller companion, with the second gorilla copying his movements before being defeated.
• The remaining gorillas respond collectively rather than honorably, surrounding Shuhang with a synchronized rock attack.
• The sturdy gorilla intimidates the passengers, knocks out the loud Black man, and begins tying people up.
• Joseph places himself between the gorillas and the vulnerable passengers, challenging their leader through martial-arts gymnastics.
• The sturdy gorilla responds by perfectly copying Joseph’s routine and returning his provocative gesture, establishing a humorous but threatening contest of imitation.

Chapter Summary: “Only the More Miserable, Never the Most Miserable”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Joseph tests the gorillas’ ability to imitate human movements by performing the first two sections of The Times Are Calling, a broadcast-exercise routine he calls martial-arts techniques.
• The leading sturdy gorilla perfectly copies both routines after seeing them only once. It even performs the second routine at triple Joseph’s speed, while the surrounding gorillas beat the ground and cheer like an audience.
• The trapped survivors realize that the gorillas are fascinated by human movements and may be distracted by a performance. Since more than fifty gorillas surround them tightly, they desperately search for a way to delay an attack or create an escape opportunity.
• Lu Fei identifies the routine as The Times Are Calling and notes that it has ten sections. Sister Lu fears that once Joseph finishes all ten, the gorillas will stop imitating him and attack.
• The survivors decide to try break-dancing. A bound Black man claims to be an expert, but he cannot participate because he is tied up. Instead, a slightly overweight passenger volunteers, despite being out of practice.
• Joseph completes all ten sections at extreme speed, reaching nearly eight times the normal pace. The leading gorilla surpasses him by completing the final routine at ten times speed and accepts the troop’s cheers triumphantly.
• The overweight man then performs an energetic, emotionally charged break-dance, but the gorillas fail to understand or imitate it. A shorter, sturdy gorilla simply knocks him unconscious and ties him up, ending the survivors’ hopes.
• The leading gorilla challenges Joseph directly. Joseph, believing a life-or-death confrontation is unavoidable, charges at it.
• In a parallel storyline, Daoist Cloudmist—now posing as “Li Yun”—moves into the house next door to Song Shuhang’s family. He visits with gifts, intending to use Shuhang’s Enlightenment Stone to help him break through his cultivation bottleneck.
• Cloudmist learns that Shuhang has gone abroad on vacation and will be away for at least a week, possibly longer. After spending considerable effort and money to become Shuhang’s neighbor, Cloudmist is devastated that his plan has immediately failed.

Character Developments

• Joseph demonstrates determination, courage, and surprising physical stamina. His long-term practice allows him to perform the exercises at extraordinary speed, but he recognizes that he is still not a true martial artist and may be unable to defeat the gorilla.
• The leading gorilla is revealed to possess exceptional observational learning, physical ability, theatrical arrogance, and a strong competitive spirit. It not only copies human actions but also performs them faster and turns the imitation into a spectacle for its troop.
• Sister Lu acts as a practical leader, analyzing the danger and urgently searching for an escape strategy.
• Lu Fei contributes useful knowledge by identifying the exercise routine and proposing the break-dancing distraction.
• The overweight passenger overcomes fear and embarrassment to perform what may be his final dance. His performance becomes an act of courage and self-expression, though it fails tactically.
• Daoist Cloudmist appears resourceful and manipulative, disguising himself as a friendly neighbor and using gifts to gain access to Shuhang’s home. Despite centuries of experience, he is comically defeated by bad timing and circumstances beyond his control.

Significant Themes

• Imitation versus understanding: The gorillas can flawlessly reproduce physical movements, but their inability to comprehend break-dancing suggests that copying form does not necessarily mean understanding purpose or meaning.
• Desperation and survival: The survivors repeatedly improvise under overwhelming pressure, searching for any possible distraction despite having little chance of success.
• Pride and competition: Joseph and the leading gorilla engage in an escalating performance contest, with the gorilla treating the exercise routine like a public victory ceremony.
• Courage through final efforts: The overweight man dances with unusual confidence because he believes it may be his last performance, showing how desperation can temporarily restore forgotten passion and bravery.
• Comic misfortune: Both the gorilla confrontation and Cloudmist’s subplot combine serious danger or frustration with absurd humor. The chapter’s title is reflected in the characters’ repeated situations where one bad outcome is immediately replaced by an even worse one.

Character Interactions

• Joseph and the leading gorilla communicate through copied movements, gestures, and increasingly direct challenges rather than speech.
• The gorilla troop supports its leader with synchronized roars, rhythmic pounding, and cheers, creating a spectacle that intensifies the rivalry.
• Sister Lu and Lu Fei discuss the routine and coordinate with the passengers to devise an escape plan.
• The survivors encourage the overweight dancer, briefly uniting around his risky attempt to save them.
• The leading gorilla dismisses the dancer’s performance through its subordinate, who knocks him out instead of imitating him.
• Joseph then confronts the leading gorilla directly, while Daoist Cloudmist’s separate interaction with Mom Song shows him successfully gaining her trust—only to learn that Song Shuhang is absent.

Chapter 290 Summary: “True? Illusory?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Shuhang battles a group of armed gorillas while Gao Moumou, Tubo, and Mei Yi remain bound and unconscious.
• He kills one gorilla with Palm Thunder, then defeats nine more using the saber-enhancing Flame Blade technique.
• Intimidated by Song Shuhang’s strength and mental pressure, the remaining gorillas flee.
• After the battle, the saber and the dead gorillas ignite with a flame-like glow and disintegrate into particles of light.
• This strange disappearance reminds Song Shuhang of the passengers who vanished from the airplane. He wonders whether the Mysterious Island is connected to a True Illusion, though he concludes it must be more than a simple illusion because cultivators have previously brought real treasures out of it.
• Song Shuhang retrieves his backpack, cuts his friends free, and uses the healing ability of his Ancient Copper Ring to treat their injuries.
• Once Gao Moumou, Tubo, and Mei Yi awaken, Song Shuhang explains that they are on the floating island seen from the airplane.
• He decides that they must first locate the other passengers—particularly Lu Fei, her sister, Zhuge Yue, Zhuge Zhongyang, and Joseph—and then head toward the enormous Ancient City, which he believes may contain a way off the island.
• The surviving passengers elsewhere on the island are revealed to have united against the gorillas rather than turning against one another.
• In the Nine Provinces Number One Group, Venerable White learns that Song Shuhang has entered the Mysterious Island and asks True Lord Ancient Lake Abbey and Northern River’s Loose Cultivator to gather information about it so he can rescue him.

Character Developments

• Song Shuhang demonstrates improved combat ability, decisiveness, and concern for his companions. Although he kills the attacking gorillas, he feels relieved when some flee, showing that he still lacks a strong appetite for killing.
• He becomes increasingly cautious and analytical, recognizing that the island may combine illusion and reality and that death there could be genuine.
• Gao Moumou, Tubo, and Mei Yi recover from their injuries and begin relying on Song Shuhang for protection and leadership.
• Venerable White immediately takes responsibility for Song Shuhang’s safety, showing his continued concern despite his usually carefree attitude.
• True Lord Ancient Lake Abbey and Northern River’s Loose Cultivator cooperate to help Venerable White, while their humorous discussion about fitness equipment provides a lighter contrast to the danger on the island.

Significant Themes

• Reality versus illusion: The gorillas and weapons seem completely real, yet their bodies dissolve into light after death. This raises questions about the nature of the Mysterious Island.
• Danger and mortality: Even if the island is a True Illusion, Song Shuhang believes that dying there may still mean actual death.
• Responsibility and protection: Song Shuhang prioritizes rescuing his friends and locating the other passengers despite the island’s dangers.
• Uncertainty and hidden rules: The island’s effects on memory, death, and physical objects remain unexplained, emphasizing its mysterious nature.
• Cooperation: Both Song Shuhang’s group and the wider passenger group survive by working together, while the distant cultivators also begin organizing a rescue effort.

Character Interactions

• Song Shuhang fights alone to protect the bound Gao Moumou, Tubo, and Mei Yi, then heals and reassures them after the battle.
• Gao Moumou questions whether their situation is merely a dream, while Song Shuhang insists that the danger is real.
• The group agrees to search for the missing passengers and travel toward the Ancient City.
• In the group chat, Ancient Lake Abbey and Northern River discuss obtaining durable training equipment before Venerable White redirects the conversation toward gathering information about the Mysterious Island and rescuing Song Shuhang.

Chapter Summary: “Hello, the Stain on My Life!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Shuhang and his companions locate the crashed plane and its surviving passengers.
• They discover an absurd scene: more than fifty intelligent gorillas have forced the passengers into orderly rows and are making them perform the broadcast exercise The Times Are Calling.
• Passengers who fail to keep up—including a young boy—are tied up and thrown aside with several other captives, including Joseph, a professor, a flight attendant, and others.
• Song Shuhang approaches alone while Gao Moumou and Tubo remain hidden for safety.
• He strengthens his mental power with the True Self Meditation Scripture, activates Mental Pressure, and prepares to use his saber and the Azure Wind Acceleration talisman against the gorillas.
• Instead of attacking, the gorillas suddenly panic and flee as soon as his mental pressure descends upon them.
• Song Shuhang frees the bound captives, including his nominal disciple Joseph, and reassures the traumatized passengers.
• Lu Fei and her sister reveal that Zhuge Yue and Zhuge Zhongyang are missing, suggesting the survivors have been separated into multiple groups.
• Song Shuhang decides to lead the rescued passengers and his companions toward an ancient city he previously saw, believing it will provide greater safety.
• The chapter ends with an unseen observer evaluating Song Shuhang’s cultivation, personality, and willingness to help others before welcoming him to “Heavenly Island.”

Character Developments

• Song Shuhang acts decisively and courageously, risking himself to rescue the passengers despite being outnumbered.
• His concern for the captives shows his strong sense of responsibility and compassion, although he recognizes that he cannot save everyone or force people to follow him.
• His mental-pressure technique appears to have grown stronger, frightening the gorillas into retreating without a fight.
• Song Shuhang remains embarrassed and dissatisfied with the comical appearance of his “True Self,” whose scholar-like head contrasts sharply with a muscular body and oversized shorts.
• Joseph displays complete trust and dependence on Song Shuhang, calling for his master and reacting with joy when rescued.
• Gao Moumou and Tubo are willing to support Song Shuhang but sensibly accept his decision to approach alone.
• The passengers shift from fear and confusion to relief, gratitude, and uncertainty after their rescue.

Significant Themes

• Absurdity and comedy: The image of gorillas conducting human exercises and punishing failed participants creates a bizarre, surreal situation.
• Leadership and responsibility: Song Shuhang takes charge despite lacking wilderness-rescue experience and tries to guide the survivors toward safety.
• Courage versus recklessness: He faces the gorillas alone but carefully prepares and prioritizes preventing harm to the hostages.
• Human compassion: Song Shuhang helps those in danger even though they are strangers and some may distrust him.
• Transformation and identity: The distorted appearance of his True Self reflects his ongoing cultivation and the contrast between his scholarly ambitions and increasingly physical, martial abilities.
• Observation and judgment: The mysterious final observer assesses Song Shuhang’s character, implying that his actions are being tested or recorded by forces connected to Heavenly Island.

Character Interactions

• Song Shuhang, Gao Moumou, and Tubo discuss how to approach the gorillas, with the latter two agreeing to remain behind while he investigates.
• Song Shuhang confronts the gorilla troop using mental pressure and spiritual techniques, causing them to flee.
• He reunites with Joseph and frees the other captives.
• He questions Lu Fei about Zhuge Yue and Zhuge Zhongyang, learning that the plane’s survivors have become separated.
• Song Shuhang addresses the passengers as a group, offering to lead those willing to follow him to the ancient city while respecting their freedom to refuse.

Chapter Summary: The Shrinking Giant Lizard

Key Plot Points and Events

• The old professor, four women, and three slightly plump clerks decide to remain behind and form their own group. The professor wants to study the island’s extinct plants, while the others appear to have personal reasons for staying.
• Song Shuhang warns them that the island contains dangers beyond the gorillas and points them toward the ancient city before departing with the remaining survivors.
• Gao Moumou, Mei Yi, and Tubo emerge from hiding and reunite with Song Shuhang’s group. Gao Moumou is confused about why the gorillas fled, but Song Shuhang admits he only released mental pressure and did not expect such a strong reaction.
• Song Shuhang leads the group through the wilderness, using the Spirit Detective Method and his mental power to detect and avoid dangerous beasts.
• The group reaches the edge of the jungle and sees the ancient city, which resembles an ancient Chinese city. Their excitement nearly causes them to make too much noise, but Song Shuhang urges caution.
• A gigantic, fourteen-meter-tall green lizard suddenly appears in the jungle. The group is terrified, and Song Shuhang prepares to fight despite knowing he may be unable to defeat it.
• Before the battle begins, the lizard inexplicably shrinks until it disappears. The group cannot determine whether it was a real creature, a supernatural phenomenon, or a mirage.
• Frightened by the encounter, everyone becomes more determined to reach the ancient city quickly.
• The chapter ends with an unidentified conversation suggesting that someone is not “rigidly benevolent” and that the group should meet him in the ancient city.

Character Development

• Song Shuhang continues to act as the group’s cautious leader. Although frightened and aware of his weakness, he remains responsible for protecting and guiding the others.
• His mysterious mental pressure gains significance after it causes the gorillas to flee, though he himself does not understand its full effect.
• The old professor is portrayed as an obsessive but rational researcher whose curiosity over extinct plants overrides his fear of the island’s dangers.
• Gao Moumou, Mei Yi, and Tubo become fully integrated into Song Shuhang’s group. Gao Moumou remains bewildered by the supernatural events, while Tubo provides a practical observation about the creature’s identity.
• The passengers, initially exhausted and frightened, regain their energy when confronted with immediate danger, showing how fear can temporarily overcome fatigue.

Significant Themes

• Curiosity versus survival: The professor’s desire to study extinct plants contrasts with Song Shuhang’s insistence on escaping danger.
• The unknown and supernatural: The island continues to defy ordinary logic through extinct vegetation, unusually powerful beasts, mental pressure, and the vanishing lizard.
• Leadership and responsibility: Song Shuhang cannot force others to follow him, but he warns them and does his best to lead his own group safely.
• Luck and helplessness: Song Shuhang recognizes that his low cultivation makes him vulnerable and hopes Senior White’s luck will protect him.
• Fear as motivation: The appearance of the giant lizard transforms the group’s anxiety into urgency, pushing them toward the ancient city.

Important Character Interactions

• Song Shuhang respectfully warns the professor’s group but accepts their decision to separate.
• Gao Moumou questions Song Shuhang about the gorillas, prompting him to explain the unexpected effect of his mental pressure.
• Song Shuhang repeatedly instructs the group to remain quiet and cautious as they approach the city.
• Gao Moumou and Tubo debate whether the enormous creature is a dinosaur or an enlarged lizard, while Mei Yi suggests it may have been a mirage.
• The closing dialogue hints at a future encounter with an enigmatic person in the ancient city.

Chapter 293 Summary: “A Saber Beheading the Eagle”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Shuhang leads the exhausted survivors to the edge of a massive ancient city. The city has four terraced walls and an enormous metal gate covered in mysterious Daoist formation patterns, suggesting it was built by cultivators.
• Unable to find an obvious way inside, Song Shuhang tells the others to rest while he searches along the wall. Joseph volunteers to accompany him.
• While the survivors wait near the gate, three gigantic eagles—each with wingspans of roughly ten meters—approach the city. The group realizes the open plain offers no protection and squeezes into the narrow gap beneath the lowered gate.
• The survivors try to ease their fear by discussing The Times Are Calling, the exercise Song Shuhang taught Joseph. They acknowledge that the routine helped them survive the gorilla attack and resolve to continue practicing it after returning home.
• One eagle dives toward Song Shuhang and Joseph, while the other two head toward the city gate and the trapped survivors.
• Song Shuhang protects Joseph, using Vajra Foundation Fist to knock him safely away from the eagle’s talons. He then uses Gentleman Travels Ten Thousand Miles to evade the attack and leap onto the eagle.
• With the invisible Overlord Shatter Saber, Song Shuhang slices through the eagle’s beak. He follows with the Flame Blade technique, releasing a crescent-shaped blade of fire that beheads the eagle.
• After killing the first eagle, Song Shuhang races back toward the gate. He still has one use of Flame Blade and a final Sword Talisman, but the other two eagles are rapidly approaching the survivors.

Character Developments

• Song Shuhang demonstrates increasing confidence and combat ability. He remains calm under pressure, prioritizes Joseph’s safety, and acts quickly because he understands the danger facing the others.
• Joseph continues to regard Song Shuhang as a powerful martial-arts master. Witnessing Song Shuhang’s invisible saber and blade aura strengthens his admiration and inspires him to believe he may someday achieve similar abilities.
• Gao Moumou, Tubo, Lu Fei, and the other survivors become more cooperative and emotionally open as they recover from their fear. They begin introducing themselves and bonding as a group.
• The survivors develop a renewed appreciation for The Times Are Calling and other exercises, recognizing them both as practical survival skills and as a source of comfort.

Significant Themes

• Courage and responsibility: Song Shuhang risks himself to protect Joseph and the other survivors rather than fleeing alone.
• Hope amid danger: The ancient city may offer a way off Mysterious Island, giving the group a possible escape route despite its intimidating appearance.
• Human solidarity: Shared danger encourages strangers to cooperate, comfort one another, and form a temporary community.
• The contrast between appearances and reality: Joseph and the survivors mistake simple exercises for extraordinary martial arts, while Song Shuhang’s seemingly empty grip conceals a powerful saber.
• Growing power and confidence: Song Shuhang’s successful use of the Overlord Shatter Saber and Flame Blade shows his progression from merely surviving threats to decisively defeating them.

Character Interactions

• Song Shuhang refuses to let Gao Moumou and Tubo accompany him because he wants them to protect the exhausted women and passengers.
• Gao Moumou speculates—accurately in broad outline—how Joseph became Song Shuhang’s disciple after mistaking The Times Are Calling for Chinese martial arts.
• The survivors joke and reminisce about the exercises, easing the tension created by the previous attacks.
• Joseph follows Song Shuhang eagerly, depends on him for protection, and reacts with awe to his combat techniques.
• Song Shuhang orders Joseph to stay behind him during the attack, saves him from the eagle’s talons, and then rushes back to help the group as the remaining eagles close in.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Joseph watches his master, Song Shuhang, depart with astonishing speed and realizes that he may truly possess extraordinary martial-arts abilities.
• Near the city gate, two enormous eagles capture four passengers: Gao Moumou, the black uncle, the female office worker, and the stewardess.
• Gao Moumou believes he is about to die and dramatically entrusts his girlfriend Mei Yi to Song Shuhang, imagining that he will be eaten by the eagle and reduced to droppings.
• Song Shuhang arrives in time to pursue the eagles. He runs vertically up the forty-meter city wall using the Gentleman Travels Ten Thousand Miles movement technique, astonishing everyone watching.
• Reaching the eagles’ altitude, Song Shuhang kicks one eagle downward and attacks the eagle carrying Gao Moumou with his Overlord Shatter Saber and the Flame Blade technique.
• The Flame Blade severely wounds the eagle but fails to kill it, as the bird desperately dodges the attack.
• Song Shuhang attempts to use a Sword Talisman for a second strike, only to discover that he has mistakenly taken an Evil-Repelling Talisman instead. He begins falling while the eagle carrying Gao Moumou escapes.
• Furious at his carelessness and lack of strength, Song Shuhang recalls a vision of Daoist Scarlet Firmament using a simple branch to unleash world-shaking flames, hinting at a possible breakthrough or powerful inspiration.

2. Character Developments

• Song Shuhang demonstrates increasingly remarkable physical and combat abilities, proving that his cultivation techniques allow him to perform feats far beyond ordinary humans.
• His priorities become clear: although he wants to rescue all four victims, he gives special attention to Gao Moumou because of their friendship.
• Song Shuhang’s confidence is challenged by his failure to kill the eagle and his mistake with the talisman. His frustration reveals both his growing responsibility and awareness of his own limitations.
• Gao Moumou remains comically pessimistic, interpreting every disaster as part of an ongoing streak of terrible luck. Despite his fear, he tries to appear heroic for Mei Yi.
• Joseph becomes even more convinced that Song Shuhang is a genuine martial-arts master and considers following him to learn more.
• Mei Yi shows her deep concern for Gao Moumou by trying to chase after the eagle and breaking down in tears when he appears to be lost.

3. Significant Themes

• Heroism and responsibility: Song Shuhang risks himself to save his companions, especially Gao Moumou, despite the danger and uncertainty.
• The gap between ordinary people and cultivators: His wall-running, high-speed movement, and powerful attacks convince onlookers that martial arts experts may truly exist.
• Carelessness versus preparation: Song Shuhang’s mistaken talisman selection demonstrates how a small error can undermine immense strength and careful planning.
• Survival instinct: The eagle’s desperate evasive maneuver shows that even seemingly inferior creatures can unleash extraordinary potential when facing death.
• Growth through failure: Song Shuhang’s anger and helplessness may become the trigger for deeper insight, particularly through his memory of Daoist Scarlet Firmament’s flame technique.
• Comedy amid danger: Gao Moumou’s exaggerated thoughts about his tragic fate and terrible luck contrast with the serious rescue attempt.

4. Character Interactions

• Joseph admires Song Shuhang from afar and views him as a powerful master.
• Gao Moumou calls out to Song Shuhang and theatrically asks him to care for Mei Yi in their next life.
• Mei Yi reacts emotionally to Gao Moumou’s capture, while Lu Fei restrains her from recklessly pursuing the eagles.
• Song Shuhang prioritizes rescuing Gao Moumou and attacks the eagle carrying him, revealing the strength of their friendship.
• The surrounding passengers witness Song Shuhang’s impossible movements and begin reconsidering whether he is truly a martial-arts expert.

Chapter Summary

• Song Shuhang recreates Flame Blade: After recalling Daoist Scarlet Firmament’s overwhelming use of the technique, Song Shuhang focuses not on the formal movements but on the powerful Saber Intent behind the attack. By imitating that intent, he successfully produces a weakened, “Flame Blade Simplified Version” despite being only a First-Grade cultivator.
• Defeating the giant eagle: Song Shuhang’s initial flame appears ineffective when it strikes the eagle, but the attack has actually penetrated its body. The hidden flames spread internally, carrying Scarlet Firmament’s Saber Intent and destroying the eagle’s vitality from within. The eagle dies and releases Gao Moumou and the Black Uncle.
• Rescuing the falling passengers: Song Shuhang uses his Azure Wind Acceleration pendant to slow his descent, then throws a rope from his backpack around Gao Moumou and the Black Uncle. He replenishes his Blood Qi with a Blood Qi Pill and prepares to save them from a fatal fall.
• Using another eagle as a stepping stone: Song Shuhang lands on a second eagle carrying the flight attendant and an office worker. He stomps on it to slow its rise and continues holding the rope with the two falling men attached. When the eagle attacks him, he prepares to use the simplified Flame Blade again.
• Observers’ reactions: The passengers in the city tunnel are stunned by Song Shuhang’s superhuman abilities, now treating him as if he were a legendary martial-arts master. Gao Moumou is overwhelmed that his roommate saved him, while the Black Uncle is simply terrified and desperate to survive. An amused observer remarks that Song Shuhang is effectively “cheating” by using a Second-Grade technique in the First-Grade realm.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Song Shuhang demonstrates rapid combat growth, ingenuity, and courage. He transforms a remembered experience into a usable technique, cleverly exploits the Flame Blade’s internal damage, and prioritizes rescuing Gao Moumou and the Black Uncle.
• Gao Moumou shifts from believing he is certain to die to being astonished by Song Shuhang’s unexpected strength. His concern for Mei Yi highlights his emotional attachment to his girlfriend.
• The Black Uncle remains focused on survival, contrasting with Gao Moumou’s more reflective reaction.
• Song Shuhang and his friends interact through the rescue: Shuhang secures them with a rope and orders them to hold on, while they depend entirely on his judgment and abilities.

Significant Themes

• Will and intent over technique: The chapter emphasizes that true power comes not merely from memorizing movements but from understanding and embodying the intent behind them.
• Ingenuity overcoming limitations: Although Song Shuhang lacks the cultivation level required for Flame Blade, he adapts the technique through observation, determination, and the Spirit Ghost’s assistance.
• Protection and responsibility: His immediate concern is saving his friends and the other passengers, showing his growing willingness to risk himself for others.
• The gap between ordinary and extraordinary: The witnesses struggle to reconcile the familiar Song Shuhang with his astonishing supernatural abilities, reinforcing the contrast between everyday life and the cultivation world.
• Humor amid danger: The chapter balances deadly aerial combat with comedic reactions, especially the passengers’ disbelief and the observer’s accusation that Song Shuhang is “cheating.”

Chapter Summary: Gentleman, Get Lost!

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Shuhang uses the simplified Flamelet Blade, derived from the Flame Blade saber art, to kill a giant eagle attacking the city wall.
• The eagle’s death leaves the stewardess and a white-collar woman dangling twenty meters above the ground in its tightly clenched claws.
• Song rescues Gao Moumou and the black uncle first, dragging them safely onto the city wall.
• He then punches the falling eagle’s body with Foundation Fist Form One, enhanced by Azure Wind Acceleration, flipping the corpse so it cushions the women’s fall.
• Using the eagle’s body and the Gentleman Travels Ten Thousand Miles movement technique, Song Shuhang returns to the wall and brings Gao Moumou and the black uncle down to safety.
• More than a dozen additional giant eagles approach, forcing Song Shuhang to prepare for another battle while worrying about Zhuge Yue, Zhuge Zhongyang, and Joseph, who are still outside the tunnel.
• Song rescues the injured stewardess and white-collar woman and orders everyone to hide inside the city tunnel.
• The approaching eagles hesitate after seeing the corpses of their companions.
• The Ancient City’s defensive system activates. A massive voice booms from its speakers, shouting, “You vile beasts, get lost!” The eagles immediately flee.
• Song Shuhang thanks the city’s master, only to discover that the intimidating warning is merely a looping recording—and may actually be telling Song and the passengers to leave.

Character Developments

• Song Shuhang demonstrates improved mastery of the Flamelet Blade and greater confidence in combat. He acts quickly and creatively, using the eagle’s corpse as a cushion to save the women.
• His protective instincts become increasingly clear as he repeatedly risks himself for the passengers and companions.
• Despite his exhaustion and limited uses of Azure Wind Acceleration, he remains focused and continues fighting under extreme pressure.
• Gao Moumou remains frightened by Song’s reckless movement techniques but trusts him enough to be carried to safety. He is reunited with Mei Yi, who tearfully embraces him.
• The black uncle suffers repeated misfortune, being captured first by the black apes and then by the eagle, but survives through Song’s intervention.
• The passengers, initially terrified, begin viewing Song Shuhang as a heroic protector and a source of security.
• Lu Fei maintains her optimism and humor, comparing the situation to a mother hen protecting chicks, prompting Song to jokingly correct her that he is the “father rooster.”
• The unseen master of the Ancient City is portrayed as mysterious and somewhat comical, since the apparent warning is ultimately revealed to be an automated recording.

Significant Themes

• Heroism and responsibility: Song Shuhang repeatedly places himself in danger to protect strangers and friends.
• Improvisation under pressure: Rather than relying only on strength, Song uses timing, movement techniques, and the eagle’s body to solve an impossible rescue.
• The contrast between danger and comedy: Terrifying battles are undercut by Lu Fei’s jokes, Song’s “father rooster” comment, and the anticlimactic looping announcement.
• False appearances: The city’s booming voice initially seems like a powerful supernatural intervention, but it turns out to be nothing more than a recording.
• Growing trust: The passengers come to depend on Song, seeing him as a heroic guardian despite his ordinary appearance.

Character Interactions

• Song exchanges tactical conversation with the mysterious deep male voice, who explains that the eagles are valuable experimental subjects and should not all be killed.
• Song works with Gao Moumou and the black uncle during the rescue, physically guiding them to safety.
• Gao Moumou reunites emotionally with Mei Yi inside the tunnel.
• Song reassures the stewardess and white-collar woman after saving them.
• Lu Fei lightens the tension with her “eagle catches the chicks” joke.
• Song respectfully thanks the Ancient City’s master, but the repeated announcement leaves him embarrassed and confused when he realizes it may be directed at him and the passengers.

Key plot points

• A mysterious message appears on the Ancient City’s gate, asking the stranded passengers to choose “Yes” or “No.” Its wording suggests that “Yes” might send them home, but no one knows what either choice does.
• The black uncle presses “Yes.” He is engulfed in flame-like radiance and begins dissolving into particles of light. Before disappearing, he angrily insults the voice coming from the city wall, which calls him a beast.
• The little boy, whose parents vanished from the plane, also chooses “Yes,” hoping to find them. He disappears in the same way.
• With the danger still uncertain, the others hesitate. Song Shuhang suspects “No” may open the gate and prepares to test it, but Tubo urges him not to risk losing their best defender.
• Joseph arrives and volunteers. He presses “No,” partly hoping to reunite with his missing daughter if it sends him away, and partly wanting to stay close to Song Shuhang if it does not. He asks to move near his master, and Song Shuhang agrees.
• Repeatedly slapping “No” has no effect until a message explains that the gate is simply heavy and requires considerable strength to open. This suggests “No” is not a teleportation option.
• Gao Moumou wonders whether “Yes” really does send people home. The stewardess, encouraged by the possibility, immediately presses it.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Shuhang remains cautious and honest about not knowing what the choices mean. He tries to reassure the black uncle, protects the little boy emotionally, and is willing to take risks himself. He also shows affection for the boy and openness toward Joseph as a future neighbor.
• Tubo looks to Shuhang for guidance but tries to protect him from taking unnecessary risks.
• The black uncle makes a desperate choice in the hope of going home, then reacts with comic defiance as he disappears.
• The little boy displays quiet courage and a deep longing to reunite with his parents. Shuhang treats him tenderly.
• Joseph shows loyalty to Shuhang and determination to learn from him, while his missing daughter motivates his willingness to risk pressing “No.”
• The passengers’ reliance on Shuhang grows after witnessing his earlier fighting ability, while the stewardess acts quickly once “Yes” seems potentially promising.

Significant themes

• Hope versus uncertainty: The promise of “home” is powerful, but the apparent cost of choosing “Yes” is terrifying.
• The pull of family: The missing passengers’ loved ones drive both the little boy’s and Joseph’s decisions.
• Leadership and responsibility: Shuhang is treated as the group’s protector, yet he cannot guarantee their safety.
• A collapsing worldview: After extraordinary events, the passengers struggle to distinguish death from teleportation, showing how easily familiar assumptions can break.

Chapter 298 Summary: “So Simple, Yet Something Feels Wrong!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The passengers enter the ancient city after the enormous metal gate opens only partway. Though the passage is high enough, everyone nervously hurries beneath the suspended gate, fearing it may fall.
• Inside, they are greeted by an ancient-dressed old man and fifteen powerful men. The old man enthusiastically welcomes them and thanks them for defending the city against the giant eagles.
• The men retrieve the giant eagles killed during the earlier battle, intending to prepare them as food for the passengers.
• The old man leads the group through the city while giving an exhaustive tour of its architecture, trees, river, and historical landmarks.
• Song Shuhang notices that the old man and the fifteen men behave unnaturally. Their gestures, speech patterns, clapping, and expressions are perfectly repetitive and synchronized.
• Song Shuhang deliberately asks the old man unrelated and insulting questions to test whether he can genuinely converse. The old man ignores the questions and continues describing the city, confirming that his responses are constrained by a fixed “program.”
• Song Shuhang concludes that the old man may be a chatbot-like artificial intelligence or an intelligent puppet, possibly part of a True Illusion.
• When Song Shuhang asks about the passengers who chose “Yes” at the city gate, the old man cannot answer. However, he explains that the passengers can leave by completing any one transaction in the city’s huge trading venue.
• This easy solution confuses Song Shuhang, since the seniors from the Nine Provinces Number One Group reportedly endured great difficulties on Mysterious Island and eventually sealed their memories before leaving.
• The old man brings the passengers to a residential area and promises to prepare the eagle meat for them before leaving.
• After walking away, he suddenly returns, shakes Song Shuhang’s hand, and quietly addresses him by name—“Song, Shu, hang”—welcoming him to “Heavenly Island.” This reveals that the old man may be more aware and intelligent than Song Shuhang assumed.

Character Developments

• Song Shuhang: Becomes increasingly suspicious and analytical. He observes the old man’s repetitive behavior, tests his conversational abilities, and identifies the apparent “programmed” nature of the city’s inhabitants. He also begins questioning whether this location is truly the same Mysterious Island experienced by his seniors.
• The ancient-dressed old man: Initially appears to be a friendly but mechanical guide. His inability to respond naturally suggests that he is an AI or puppet, but his private farewell and correct use of Song Shuhang’s name imply hidden awareness and a deeper connection to the island.
• The passengers: Remain uneasy about the city gate and increasingly confused by the bizarre exchange between Song Shuhang and the old man. They rely on Song Shuhang to investigate the strange environment.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus reality: The city appears welcoming and peaceful, but its inhabitants’ unnatural behavior suggests that something is fundamentally wrong beneath the surface.
• Artificial intelligence and programmed behavior: The old man behaves like a scripted guide, responding only to specific conversational patterns and ignoring anything outside his designated “permissions.”
• Mystery and uncertainty: The apparent simplicity of the escape condition conflicts with the severe trials faced by the seniors, raising questions about whether the passengers have entered a different area or activated the island in a different way.
• Hidden intelligence and surveillance: The old man’s final private message suggests that the city may be observing the passengers and that its apparent “programming” may be a deliberate disguise.
• Trust and danger: Even helpful figures and seemingly simple solutions may conceal ulterior motives or unforeseen risks.

Character Interactions

• The old man warmly shakes hands with every passenger and repeatedly thanks them for saving the city.
• Song Shuhang engages him in increasingly absurd and insulting questions to expose whether he can think independently.
• The old man ignores Song Shuhang’s insults, continuing his scripted tour as though they were compliments.
• Song Shuhang asks directly about escape, and the old man explains the trading tower’s mysterious rule.
• Before leaving, the old man shares a private, unsettling message with Song Shuhang, transforming their interaction from a comical test of artificial behavior into a disturbing revelation.

Chapter Summary: “Three Hundred Years Ago”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the ancient-robed old man tells Song Shuhang that the passengers can leave Heavenly Island by trading at the tower in the Ancient City, the group decides to investigate.
• The passengers worry that they possess nothing valuable enough to trade, since most of their belongings were lost in the plane crash.
• The ancient-robed old man returns wearing a bloodstained chef’s apron and serves soup made from the giant eagles captured earlier. Though his appearance frightens the passengers, the soup restores their strength.
• He leads the passengers to the tower, which transports them to a luxurious gem hall called Starry Sky Home. A mysterious voice explains that the hall operates according to “equal exchange.”
• Each passenger receives a private trading interface displaying what they can exchange and what they can receive:
  • The flight attendant trades her inexpensive wooden pendant for a Youth Beauty Pill and a Calamity-Dispelling Talisman, choosing the beauty pill before immediately returning to Earth.
  • Other passengers trade unusual possessions, including clothing, an engagement ring, and even a birthmark.
  • Tubo trades a syringe of blood for another pot of the miraculous meat soup.
• Song Shuhang advises everyone to leave as soon as possible because Heavenly Island remains dangerous. Gao Moumou, Tubo, Mei Yi, the Lu Fei sisters, and Joseph all depart after completing their trades.
• Song Shuhang discovers that he has not been given a trading interface at all. He realizes Starry Sky Home—or the forces controlling it—never intended to let him leave.
• Returning outside the tower, Song Shuhang confronts the ancient-robed old man. The old man hints that Song Shuhang’s inability to trade may be connected to the meat soup.
• Song Shuhang finally drinks the soup in exchange for an explanation.
• The old man transforms, revealing himself as Jiudeng, a bald, beautiful woman. She identifies herself as the person who “bedded” Song Shuhang three hundred years earlier, shocking him so badly that he spits out the soup.

Character Developments

• Song Shuhang remains cautious and responsible, prioritizing the passengers’ safety and encouraging them to leave while he stays behind to search for Zhuge Zhongjie and Zhuge Yue. His refusal to blindly trust the meat soup shows his suspicion, but his desperation for answers eventually forces him to drink it.
• Tubo and Gao Moumou continue to rely on Song Shuhang while also showing concern for his safety. They hesitate before trading and repeatedly ask whether he will return.
• Joseph becomes even more devoted to Song Shuhang, wanting to remain by his master’s side, but ultimately leaves when Song Shuhang insists.
• The passengers shift from frightened survivors to willing participants in the trading system. Their relief at returning home is mixed with awe toward Song Shuhang, whom many hope to approach or learn from later.
• The ancient-robed old man/Jiudeng is revealed to be playful, manipulative, and far more connected to Song Shuhang’s past than expected. His disguise and deliberate teasing conceal a major identity reveal.

Significant Themes

• Equal exchange and hidden value: Ordinary objects—such as a wooden pendant, birthmark, or blood—may possess unexpected worth. The chapter suggests that value is determined by mysterious forces rather than ordinary wealth.
• Freedom controlled by unseen powers: Although the passengers appear to be offered a fair way home, Song Shuhang is secretly excluded, implying that Heavenly Island has a specific purpose for him.
• Trust and suspicion: Song Shuhang must decide how much to trust the ancient-robed old man, the soup, and Starry Sky Home. The supernatural setting makes even apparent kindness potentially dangerous.
• Separation and memory: The departing passengers may not remember Heavenly Island after returning, emphasizing the fragility of their connections with Song Shuhang.
• Humor amid danger: Frightening situations are repeatedly undercut by comic misunderstandings, exaggerated reactions, advertising slogans, and the absurd final revelation about Jiudeng.

Important Character Interactions

• Tubo jokes crudely about Song Shuhang’s reaction to the old man, prompting Song Shuhang to reprimand him.
• Song Shuhang reassures the frightened passengers and advises them to leave immediately once trading becomes possible.
• The flight attendant consults Song Shuhang before taking the Youth Beauty Pill and returning home.
• Gao Moumou and Tubo worry that Song Shuhang intends to stay behind, while he promises to return after finding the Zhuge siblings.
• Song Shuhang refuses the old man’s soup at first, but later drinks it in exchange for the truth.
• The chapter ends with Jiudeng’s shocking declaration that she slept with Song Shuhang three hundred years earlier, leaving him speechless and physically spitting out the soup.

Chapter Summary: “Could All Grudges Be Let Go?”

Plot Points and Events

• Song Shuhang encounters the bald, ancient-dressed woman known as Abbess Jiudeng, whom he recognizes from Onion Lady’s memories.
• Jiudeng initially seems to treat Song Shuhang as though he were Onion Lady, causing him to panic and desperately insist that they are different people.
• Song attempts to prove Onion Lady’s presence by taking the Enlightenment Stone from his pocket, but Onion Lady unexpectedly bites his finger.
• Jiudeng reveals that she knows perfectly well that Song Shuhang and Onion Lady are separate individuals. Her apparent accusation is connected to memories from three hundred years earlier.
• Jiudeng explains that, four days earlier, she suddenly recalled her encounter with Onion Lady from the past. During that recollection, Song Shuhang’s consciousness or presence inexplicably intruded into the memory—likely because he had absorbed Onion Lady’s memories after eating her and became connected to her karma.
• Song realizes that Jiudeng has seen the embarrassing scene in which Onion Lady was slapped around, even though he had experienced the memory involuntarily.
• When Song calls himself a “victim,” Jiudeng unexpectedly finds the wording amusing and declares that she forgives him.
• She announces that the matter is settled and says she prefers reconciliation and allowing old grudges to disappear rather than using memory-erasing techniques.
• Jiudeng tells Song to return to Starry Sky Home, complete one more trade, and then leave Heaven’s Island.
• Although Song is relieved and prepares to go, he ultimately admits that he cannot leave yet, implying that another obligation or complication remains.

Character Developments

• Song Shuhang is shown as anxious, defensive, and easily overwhelmed by Jiudeng’s unpredictable behavior. He worries about being blamed for events he did not intentionally cause and tries repeatedly to clarify his innocence.
• His connection with Onion Lady has become significant enough to affect memories and karmic links, creating consequences beyond their original relationship.
• Abbess Jiudeng is revealed to be eccentric and emotionally unpredictable. She can appear intimidating and cold one moment, then cheerful and forgiving the next.
• Jiudeng also demonstrates maturity and Buddhist ideals: despite seeing an embarrassing memory involving Song, she chooses not to punish him or erase his memories.
• Onion Lady becomes more active and mysterious, unexpectedly developing the ability to bite Song despite previously being only a tiny sprout.

Significant Themes

• Memory and karmic connection: Song’s consumption of Onion Lady has linked their experiences in unusual ways, allowing his consciousness to intrude into her past.
• Misunderstanding and clarification: Much of the chapter revolves around Song trying to explain that he is not Onion Lady and is not responsible for what happened in the memory.
• Forgiveness and releasing grudges: Jiudeng emphasizes reconciliation, allowing past offenses to disappear rather than prolonging resentment or forcibly erasing memories.
• The unpredictability of cultivation: Events such as memory intrusion, karmic influence, and Onion Lady’s sudden physical changes reinforce that ordinary logic does not apply in the cultivation world.
• Embarrassment and loss of control: Song is distressed because he was exposed to a private and humiliating memory without consent, highlighting his recurring lack of control over supernatural events.

Character Interactions

• Song repeatedly argues with Jiudeng about his identity, while Jiudeng deliberately plays with his confusion.
• Onion Lady silently interferes from Song’s pocket by biting him, adding to his discomfort and preventing him from straightforwardly proving her presence.
• Jiudeng shifts between intimidating authority and warm familiarity, teasing Song before abruptly forgiving him and sending him away.
• Their interaction ends on an apparently peaceful note, though Song’s inability to leave suggests that the situation is not yet truly resolved.