Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Yu Jiaojiao explains that the True Dragon Progenitor was a Golden Dragon, not the White Dragon. The Progenitor was a Longevity-level Dragon King who has been out of contact with her clan for a long time but is presumed alive.
• Song Shuhang and Jiaojiao investigate hidden messages in the Dragon King Hall. Jiaojiao checks the real objects while Song Shuhang reads their messages in a mosaic dream-world.
• The diary’s bottom cover reveals Song Blockhead’s irreverent reply to the Golden Dragon Progenitor: he says he would celebrate her death because she used to beat him. Song Shuhang realizes Blockhead may have deliberately returned to the Hall to answer her, suggesting their relationship was more complicated than the insults imply.
• At the Golden Dragon Progenitor’s jade bed, a message says, “I’m pregnant.” Blockhead’s response protests that future generations will misunderstand and insists the child is not his, though he appears to have erased the rest of the explanation.
• The final message, written on a headless drum, says the Progenitor waited thirteen years for Blockhead to visit, threatens to kill him, and plans to cover the drum with his hide. Blockhead replies, “Wishing you success with your plan.” Mention of the Northern Great Emperor gives Song Shuhang a sudden insight, though the chapter does not explain it.

Character developments

• Song Shuhang becomes increasingly convinced that Song Blockhead had a meaningful, long-running connection with the Golden Dragon Progenitor. He is also intrigued by the possibility that the messages may reveal a hidden opportunity or clarify Blockhead’s identity.
• Yu Jiaojiao shifts from hoping the diary contains a treasure to enjoying the investigation as a shared treasure hunt. She contributes by checking the original objects and coordinating the message updates.
• Song Blockhead and the Golden Dragon Progenitor emerge as a pair whose hostility may conceal familiarity, attachment, or a complicated history.

Significant themes

• Words versus true feelings: Their threats and insults suggest animosity, but Blockhead’s repeated visits and replies imply a closer bond.
• Mystery and historical identity: The messages raise questions about Song Blockhead’s past, his nature, and the child mentioned in the diary.
• Discovery through collaboration: Song Shuhang and Jiaojiao piece together clues by combining what each can observe.

Character interactions

• Song Shuhang and Jiaojiao exchange theories and joke about Blockhead’s reckless, “Three Waves Disorder” style.
• Their back-and-forth investigation builds companionship: Jiaojiao supplies the physical clues, while Song Shuhang interprets them.
• The messages portray the Golden Dragon Progenitor and Song Blockhead as bickering adversaries, with threats and teasing that hint at an unusually close relationship.

Key plot points

• Song Shuhang and Yu Jiaojiao investigate the Golden Dragon Progenitor’s remaining messages in the Dragon King Hall.
• A half-finished carving calls Song Blockhead a “blockhead,” but offers no further clue.
• A painting shows the Progenitor’s beloved divine beast, which has thirty-six forms—including a pig and a white crane. Song Shuhang suspects it is the Heavenly Thunder Pig that once took Copper Trigram away.
• The clues lead Song Shuhang to believe the Little White Dragon in the Mysterious Island’s Crystal Coffin may be the Golden Dragon Progenitor’s child, awaiting resurrection. His blood once stirred the coffin but did not complete the process, suggesting she may be waiting for Song Blockhead.
• In the painting, Song Blockhead’s hidden reply reveals that he found a secret technique the Progenitor had asked him to locate and left it somewhere they both knew. Yu Jiaojiao sees this as the long-awaited opportunity she has been seeking—but neither she nor Shuhang knows where it is.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Shuhang pieces together a possible link between the Golden Dragon Progenitor, the Little White Dragon, Song Blockhead, and the Heavenly Thunder Pig. He withholds some details because he believes a contract prevents him from discussing the Mysterious Island.
• Yu Jiaojiao grows excited when Song Blockhead’s reply appears, hoping the secret technique will bring her a major opportunity. Her excitement fades when Shuhang points out that the hiding place is unlikely to be in the Dragon King Hall.
• The messages show Song Blockhead and the Golden Dragon Progenitor trading affectionate insults: he defends his temporary baldness, explains his delayed visit, and tells her where he left the technique.

Significant themes

• Rebirth and unfinished plans: The Northern Great Emperor’s escape through apparent death parallels the suspected plan of the Golden Dragon Progenitor, whose resurrection may have stalled.
• Hidden histories and incomplete clues: Messages, memories, and the Crystal Coffin offer hints without resolving what happened to the Progenitor or Song Blockhead.
• Opportunity and uncertainty: Yu Jiaojiao may have found a life-changing lead, but discovering where the technique is hidden remains a daunting mystery.

Plot points and events

• Song Shuhang and Yu Jiaojiao inspect the Dragon King Hall plaque and uncover Song Blockhead’s reply to the Golden Dragon Progenitor. Alongside a string of insults, Song Blockhead explains that he spent ten years transferring the Beast God Division’s inheritance—both openly and secretly—then took seven years to escape a powerful opponent. By the time he reached the Dragon King Hall to ask the Golden Dragon Progenitor for help, she had already left.
• Shuhang recognizes the Thirty-Three Beast God Sect as the public branch of that inheritance and realizes the hidden branch might contain the complete method for refining the Beast God Division Composite Artifact. He sees it as a promising opportunity.
• Shuhang and Jiaojiao agree to keep searching for messages and clues. Jiaojiao asks him to contact Copper Trigram when he next appears in the Nine Provinces Number One Group, so Copper Trigram can ask a divine beast—possibly the Golden Dragon Progenitor’s former pet—about the Progenitor and the hidden treasure.
• After their dream communication ends, Shuhang wakes. Gao Moumou has again woken early from habit and is typing on his phone. Shuhang checks that he is healthy, then lets him continue.
• In the morning, Shuhang reads the group chat and speaks with True Lord Eternal Fire. The Confucian School plans to test whether small Heavenly Court fragments can be merged into the Golden Lotus World, though moving one will take time. Shuhang then asks whether the school found any fragments connected to the Beast God Division.

Character developments and interactions

• Shuhang shifts from helping Jiaojiao investigate to pursuing the hidden inheritance for his own cultivation needs. He encourages her, though she suspects the eventual benefits will mostly go to him.
• Jiaojiao remains determined to solve the mystery and proposes involving Copper Trigram and the divine beast.
• Song Blockhead’s message reveals a reckless, teasing personality, but also his close bond with the Golden Dragon Progenitor: he trusted her enough to seek her help when outmatched.
• Gao Moumou’s early-morning writing has become a habit; despite being awake, he is in good health and eventually returns to sleep.
• Eternal Fire credits Shuhang’s Core World and its Heavenly Court fragment with inspiring the Confucian School’s experiment.

Significant themes

• Hidden legacies and opportunity: The Beast God Division’s inheritance may have a concealed counterpart beyond the Thirty-Three Beast God Sect.
• Friendship expressed through banter and trust: Song Blockhead’s insults coexist with his reliance on the Golden Dragon Progenitor.
• Habit and discipline: Gao Moumou’s writing and Shuhang’s daily routine show how habits persist even as circumstances change.
• Cooperation and shared knowledge: Shuhang benefits from the cultivation discussions in the group and may help the Confucian School explore a new way to use Heavenly Court fragments.

Key events

• Song Shuhang asks True Lord Eternal Fire about relics connected to the Ancient Heavenly Court’s Beast God Division. The Confucian School has only one: a lavish palace that turned out to be a giant spirit-beast septic tank. Though it holds little research value, Shuhang still plans to inspect it.
• On the morning of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Onion Lady asks for a long leave so she can travel to the place where she was planted.
• She explains that a dream revived a memory of Daoist Scarlet Firmament planting her on a mountain and telling her to remember her birthplace. She feels something important awaits her there.
• Onion Lady has already prepared for the journey, even ordering travel and climbing supplies through Shuhang’s account. Shuhang refuses to let her go alone, but agrees to take her there himself that afternoon.

Character developments

• Song Shuhang remains wary of Onion Lady’s desire to escape with the Enlightenment Stone, but takes her revived memory seriously and agrees to help her investigate her origins.
• Onion Lady shows determination and unusual initiative: she has planned a long journey and insists that her birthplace holds something important. She is also perceptive enough to question how Shuhang knows Daoist Scarlet Firmament planted her.

Themes

• Freedom versus trust: Onion Lady wants independence, while Shuhang’s caution keeps him from granting it.
• Memory, identity, and roots: The dream suggests that Onion Lady’s birthplace is tied to her past and possibly her future.
• The absurd beside the profound: The chapter contrasts the Heavenly Court’s ridiculous septic-tank “palace” with the potentially meaningful mystery of Onion Lady’s origin.

Character interactions

• Shuhang and True Lord Eternal Fire discuss the Beast God Division’s relics with a mix of curiosity and humor.
• Shuhang and Onion Lady trade teasing, complaints, and arguments over freedom. Beneath their comic bickering, Shuhang ultimately agrees to accompany her, while she ends the exchange by demanding a Saber-Intent Penetrating Mystique Lotus Seed to cultivate saber intent.

Plot points and events

• Onion Lady debates Song Shuhang about whether she should learn swordsmanship. She argues that practical strength matters more than style and that, given Shuhang’s lack of sword talent and his saber-related resources, saber techniques make more sense.
• Onion Lady reveals she silenced Shuhang’s phone so she could watch a movie. He answers a call from Su Clan’s Sixteen, who has finished sorting a box of Immortal Garments and plans to bring it to him.
• Shuhang says goodbye to his roommates after breakfast. They tease him about visiting Sixteen for the Mid-Autumn Festival and imply they are romantically involved. A little turtle worries that the holiday may disrupt its assigned mission.
• Shuhang meets Sixteen outside the dormitory. Onion Lady coaches him through a romance-drama-style attempt to share her baguette, but Shuhang handles the moment plainly; Sixteen simply breaks off half and gives it to him.
• At the medicine master’s building, Shuhang puts the sleeping Little Shi to bed. He and Sixteen then overhear Fairy Fusheng discussing Doudou’s upcoming wedding with the Fox Demon, Dugu Bai.
• Fairy Fusheng intends to replace her Big Brother as Doudou’s groom, since Doudou is marrying Hound Lord. Dugu Bai objects and offers to take her place, but she refuses and threatens to cut ties if he substitutes for her. He instead considers finding a female dog or cat demon to stand in.
• Dugu Bai encounters Shuhang and Sixteen on his way out. Shuhang suggests Chu Chu as a possible substitute; Dugu Bai rejects his help. Sixteen says the wedding has caught her interest.
• Sixteen gives Shuhang the box of Immortal Garments. He considers asking Fairy Fusheng whether she knows anything about the Beast God Division’s hidden inheritance.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Shuhang remains practical and somewhat oblivious to romantic conventions, despite Onion Lady’s persistent coaching. He is considerate toward his friends and Little Shi, and offers a potential solution to the wedding dilemma.
• Onion Lady is confident in her views on cultivation and strength, but her ideas about romance come from watching love dramas. Her advice contrasts comically with Shuhang’s straightforward behavior.
• Su Clan’s Sixteen shares a warm, easy rapport with Shuhang, bringing him the Immortal Garments and sharing her bread. Their friends’ teasing and Onion Lady’s commentary frame their closeness as romantic, though neither makes a declaration.
• Fairy Fusheng is determined to protect her Big Brother and keep the wedding on course, even at the cost of marrying Doudou herself. She is also firm about Dugu Bai not taking her place.
• Dugu Bai is fiercely protective of his master and willing to sacrifice himself for her, but his attempts to solve the problem risk creating further complications. His possessiveness toward Fairy Fusheng is apparent when he warns Shuhang not to pursue her.

Significant themes

• Strength versus appearance: Onion Lady argues that effectiveness matters more than looking impressive, a recurring cultivation-world priority.
• Romance versus reality: Onion Lady’s melodramatic advice and the roommates’ teasing contrast with Shuhang and Sixteen’s ordinary, understated interaction.
• Loyalty and self-sacrifice: Fairy Fusheng and Dugu Bai are each willing to take the groom’s place to protect someone they care about.
• Comic absurdity and mistaken expectations: The prospect of Doudou marrying Hound Lord—and the succession of proposed substitute grooms—turns a serious act of devotion into farce.

Key plot points

• Song Shuhang asks Fairy Fusheng whether the Thirty-Three Beast God Sect had a second, hidden inheritance. She has never heard of it, but plans to investigate the sect’s ruins and her master Bamboo Pipe’s private location.
• Su Clan’s Sixteen gives Fairy Fusheng the box of immortal garments Bamboo Pipe left for her. Seeing that he had prepared clothes for her at different ages, Fairy Fusheng breaks down in tears and renews her hope of uncovering the past and avenging her sect.
• Shuhang and Sixteen realize it is Mid-Autumn Festival and wonder whether Winter Melon Sage Lord will return that night, as promised. Shuhang hopes the visit is still a year away, giving him time to prepare.
• Shuhang proposes taking Onion Lady to the place where Daoist Scarlet Firmament planted her, believing it may explain her unusual ability to take human form. Sixteen agrees to go.
• Dharma King Creation calls to announce that three Battle Buddha Sect disciples are arriving in Jiangnan and asks Shuhang to receive them and stamp them. Shuhang agrees, then abruptly ends the call when Creation offers to sing a new song.
• The three muscular monks arrive at the station without money and decide to run to Shuhang’s residence. A handsome blond Daoist approaches, recognizes their body-tempering practice, and says he also follows the path of defense, proposing they exchange insights.

Character developments and interactions

• Fairy Fusheng is deeply moved by her master’s keepsake. She now intends to investigate his secret place and entrusts her hopes of revenge partly to Shuhang and her disciple.
• Shuhang and Sixteen show mutual consideration: Sixteen offers to accompany him, while Shuhang reassures Onion Lady that he will not take what belongs to her.
• Onion Lady is protective of her belongings and tries to use her connection to Scarlet Firmament to bargain for her freedom; Shuhang answers with a teasing “Heh heh.”
• Shuhang and Dharma King Creation have a comic, one-sided relationship: Shuhang accepts the errand but avoids another unwanted musical performance.
• The three monks bicker over who should pay, revealing their familiar habit of relying on one another—and their shared lack of money. The blond Daoist’s approach hints at a possible connection or encounter centered on defensive cultivation.

Significant themes

• Inheritance and memory: Fairy Fusheng’s keepsake and Shuhang’s search for Onion Lady’s origin both connect the present to hidden histories.
• Hope and unresolved loss: Fusheng’s grief is paired with renewed determination to seek answers and pursue revenge.
• Preparation for danger: Shuhang remains wary of Winter Melon Sage Lord and hopes for more time to prepare.
• Humor amid cultivation life: The monks’ money troubles and Shuhang’s evasive response to Creation’s singing offset the chapter’s more emotional moments.

Key plot points and events

• Three Battle Buddha Sect disciples—Hongfa, Honghai, and Hongtong—arrive at Black Elephant Station without money and set off on foot toward Jiangnan University Town.
• They meet a handsome blond stranger whose unusual “affinity aura” makes them trust and follow him.
• Along the way, he gives them a remarkably clear lesson in the defensive Dao. The disciples are impressed, despite initially doubting his expertise.
• Trying to downplay his skill, the stranger claims to practice the Golden Bull Method at only minor accomplishment. Hongtong immediately boasts that his own Jade Statue Divine Body is tougher, then demonstrates by sawing his arm with a serrated knife. Honghai scolds him and apologizes for his rudeness.
• The stranger asks why the disciples mentioned Tyrant Song. They explain that they are seeking his stamp to protect themselves from Profound Sage Horizon, whose notorious remote power transmissions can kill recipients through heavenly tribulation.
• The stranger declines an introduction to Tyrant Song, saying he has other business. The chapter reveals that he is Winter Melon Sage Lord, the Fifth Millennium Sage, already in the region to challenge Tyrant Song that night.

Character developments

• Hongfa acts as the group’s courteous, responsible leader, smoothing over Hongtong’s blunt behavior.
• Honghai is knowledgeable about the dangers of Sage stamps and reinforces the group’s cautious plan.
• Hongtong remains impulsive and boastful, but his childlike sincerity makes him an amusing and revealing companion.
• Winter Melon Sage Lord hides his identity and strength while demonstrating deep defensive-Dao knowledge. His concealed challenge gives his friendly conversation an ironic edge.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus ability: The blond man’s delicate appearance conceals formidable expertise.
• Trust and hidden motives: The disciples trust a stranger because of his aura, unaware that he is a powerful Sage with his own agenda.
• Protection as both help and danger: Stamps can offer security, yet Profound Sage Horizon’s ability to transmit power makes them potentially lethal.
• Humor in cultivation culture: The disciples’ practical concerns and Hongtong’s knife demonstration contrast with the grand stakes of Sage-level rivalries.

Character interactions

The blond stranger earns the disciples’ respect through instruction, while Hongtong’s boast prompts Honghai to reprimand him and apologize. Their conversation about Tyrant Song and Profound Sage Horizon reveals the disciples’ fears and the stranger’s growing curiosity. Though invited to meet Tyrant Song, Winter Melon Sage Lord keeps his identity secret and leaves the invitation open, intent on facing his rival that evening.

Key events

• Winter Melon Sage Lord has prepared extensively for the evening’s “Battle of the Full Moon,” including a giant cloud-clearing talisman and an artificial full-moon backdrop.
• Song Shuhang and Su Clan’s Sixteen prepare to visit Onion Lady’s birthplace. Song senses danger and suspects Winter Melon Sage Lord may arrive that night.
• Song contacts Senior White for advice. White is still occupied with his tribulation, where hydrogen-bomb warheads are attacking in a sword formation. He is communicating through disposable clones, one of which explodes almost immediately.
• Senior White admits that nuclear deterrence may not stop an Eighth-Grade Profound Sage. He suggests Onion Lady’s “Tiger Pouncing Landing Apology Stance,” or having Song hide in the Core World until White can help.
• Song tries to summon Senior White Two but gets no response.
• The three disciples of Dharma King Creation arrive. Song stamps their backs with his Sage Seal, as instructed, so they can benefit from his reputation without openly flaunting it.
• The monks reveal they traveled penniless and reached Jiangnan University Town with help from a beautiful, golden-haired foreign cultivator. Song gives them money for their journey.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Shuhang is increasingly wary of the coming confrontation, but remains hospitable and helpful. He also recognizes his habit of jumping through windows and worries his parents might someday see him do it.
• Su Clan’s Sixteen takes Song’s intuition seriously, supports leaving quickly, and quietly enjoys the monks’ awkward explanation about their travel.
• Senior White remains reckless and fascinated by his tribulation, prioritizing studying the “Heavenly Tribulation Sword Formation” even as his clones repeatedly risk destruction. His advice to Song is practical but comic.
• The three Battle Buddha Sect disciples are respectful and cautious about using Song’s name, following Patriarch Yuantong’s instructions. Their poverty and naïveté amuse Song, who helps them out.
• The Fox Demon is seen trying to find a woman willing to marry Doudou.

Significant themes

• Danger and preparation: Song anticipates Winter Melon Sage Lord’s challenge, while White’s advice underscores how difficult an Eighth-Grade opponent will be to handle.
• Comedic cultivation-world absurdity: Nuclear weapons, disposable clones, window-leaping habits, and broke monks all coexist with serious supernatural stakes.
• Reputation and connections: The disciples’ stamps create a discreet bond with Song while reflecting their desire to gain experience without abusing his status.

Plot points and events

• Song Shuhang and Su Clan’s Sixteen decide to leave the Jiangnan Region quickly, suspecting the blond foreign cultivator seen by Honghai and the others is connected to Winter Melon Sage Lord, who may be searching for them.
• Shuhang moves sleeping Shi and Sparrow Demon Little Cai into the Desert Oasis in his Core World. While checking on its inhabitants and stores, he frightens his imprisoned Seventh-Grade Venerable by moving him between sealed rooms—including one containing ten Heavenly Tribulation atomic bombs.
• Fairy Fusheng departs with her Fox Demon disciple to return to her cave residence and prepare for a journey to the Thirty-Three Beast God Sect’s ruins.
• Shuhang encourages Chu Chuchu to spend the Mid-Autumn Festival with her parents. He gives her his phone number and suggests she visit during longer holidays; she is eager to remain in contact.
• After seeing Chu Chuchu onto a train, Shuhang and Sixteen fly away under an illusion. They stop in a forest to rest and eat. Feeling that someone is following them, Shuhang calls out an invitation to share tea. The blond man appears, introduces himself as Manstein, and greets Shuhang as “Saint Lord Tyrant Song.”

Character developments and interactions

• Shuhang is increasingly alert to the danger posed by Winter Melon Sage Lord, but keeps his composure and uses humor and hospitality to confront the expected pursuer. He also shows practical care for his companions by arranging safe places for the sleepers and encouraging Chu Chuchu’s education and family visit.
• Sixteen shares Shuhang’s suspicion and leaves with him. Their easy, trusting partnership is evident as they travel and share a meal.
• Chu Chuchu clearly wants to stay close to Shuhang, asking whether she can return after the holiday. His encouragement and contact information reassure her.
• The imprisoned Venerable remains defiant and curious about Shuhang’s Core World, but becomes terrified when Shuhang relocates him beside the dangerous weapons.
• Manstein enters as a composed, confident stranger whose arrival confirms Shuhang’s sense that they are being followed.

Significant themes

• Caution and looming danger: Shuhang and Sixteen leave before their suspicions are confirmed, while Shuhang’s unease grows during the journey.
• Care and companionship: Shuhang looks after friends and allies, and his bond with Sixteen is conveyed through their shared decisions and quiet conversation.
• Humor amid peril: Shuhang’s teasing treatment of the captive and his mock-formal tea invitation lighten an otherwise tense escape.
• Hospitality as a tactic: Shuhang’s invitation to tea turns a suspected pursuit into a face-to-face encounter on his chosen terms.

Plot points and events

• Song Shuhang and Su Clan’s Sixteen receive a blonde cultivator whose concealed identity strongly suggests he is Winter Melon Sage Lord. They exchange tea and an extravagant banquet, each trying to match the other’s generosity and composure.
• The blonde man notices Song Shuhang’s apparently missing left arm. Song explains that he has lent it to a friend for a heavenly tribulation, leaving the visitor baffled.
• The conversation turns into a debate about whether defense or offense matters more. The blonde man argues that specializing in defense is the best way to survive heavenly tribulations; Song says the two can be combined.
• To demonstrate, Song forms armor from his saber intent and saber qi. He lets Invisible Sword Gu attack the armor, then reveals that it can unleash a powerful counterattack. The scene ends with the armor’s saber intent cutting through the air for nearly two hundred meters.

Character developments

• Song Shuhang projects confidence despite being far from fully recovered and vastly outmatched in cultivation. He uses creativity and practical demonstrations rather than relying on raw strength.
• Winter Melon Sage Lord maintains a dignified, guarded manner, but Song’s unconventional technique repeatedly surprises him and challenges his assumptions about cultivation.
• Su Clan’s Sixteen quietly observes the exchange and becomes amused as the debate develops.

Significant themes

• Balance and integration: Offense and defense need not be opposites; Song argues they can be united.
• Courage to experiment: Song’s maxim that a wider heart opens a wider world reflects his willingness to test ideas others consider impossible.
• Appearances and hidden ability: Song looks weakened, yet reveals unusual skills and access to spatial power.
• Pride and mutual respect: The lavish tea and food, followed by the philosophical debate, show both men trying to preserve their standing while recognizing the other’s strengths.

Character interactions

• Song and Sixteen host the visitor with tea, while the blonde man reciprocates with immortal delicacies.
• The men trade pointed questions and arguments, turning courteous hospitality into a contest of ideas.
• Sixteen remains a quiet witness, while Song’s demonstration forces the blonde man to reconsider what saber intent and armor can accomplish.

Key plot points and events

• Song Shuhang demonstrates his combined offensive and defensive saber intent to Winter Melon Sage Lord, impressing him but not changing his conviction that defense is the true martial path.
• Winter Melon announces a full-moon duel that evening, with reporters from several major cultivator media outlets invited to broadcast it. He gives Shuhang a precious Saint-grade pill as an appearance fee, admitting the forced challenge needs compensation.
• Shuhang tries to avoid the fight by conceding and claiming he is only a weak, below-Fourth-Grade cultivator. Winter Melon sees through this as a joke, citing White Fellow Daoist’s praise of Shuhang and his extraordinary rise in cultivation.
• When Shuhang asks how much punishment Winter Melon’s Defensive Dao could withstand, Winter Melon estimates he could endure several dozen Heavenly Tribulation Atomic Bombs, or at most one Hydrogen Bomb.
• Shuhang reveals nearly two hundred Heavenly Tribulation Atomic Bombs emerging from his Core World, using the display to challenge Winter Melon’s confidence and question whether he still intends to fight.

Character developments

• Song Shuhang remains reluctant to fight and carefully weighs the risks of using his “Nuclear Deterrence” trump card during a live broadcast. He decides to reveal it beforehand rather than expose it publicly that night.
• Winter Melon Sage Lord is stubbornly committed to his defensive Dao and determined to prove it can withstand even a monstrous talent like Shuhang. His confidence is shaken when faced with Shuhang’s overwhelming arsenal.

Significant themes

• Following one’s own Dao: Shuhang believes each cultivator must pursue the path suited to them; Winter Melon adds that a Dao should also win others’ recognition.
• Defense versus offense: Their disagreement over the “true” martial path sets up the coming duel.
• Reputation and spectacle: Winter Melon’s planned broadcast turns a personal challenge into a public contest, while Shuhang worries about the consequences of revealing too much.

Character interactions

• Shuhang and Winter Melon debate whether a cultivator’s Dao must be acknowledged by others.
• Winter Melon presses Shuhang to fight at full strength; Shuhang repeatedly tries to evade the duel, then counters with a demonstration of his stored tribulation weapons.
• Su Clan’s Sixteen quietly serves tea during their conversation.

Key plot points and events

• Song Shuhang confronts Winter Melon Sage Lord by revealing roughly two hundred eighth-grade Heavenly Tribulation atomic bombs, then several even more powerful Heavenly Tribulation hydrogen bombs.
• Winter Melon realizes he cannot withstand the combined attack. Song Shuhang demonstrates that he can escape the blast through spatial power, leaving Winter Melon to take the damage.
• Winter Melon refuses to back down, arguing that the weapons are part of Song Shuhang’s strength. Song withdraws them, but Winter Melon vows to find a way to counter them and challenge him again on the next full moon.
• After Winter Melon leaves, Song Shuhang brings Su Clan’s Sixteen, Shi, and Little Cai back from the Core World. They resume their picnic and prepare to visit Onion Lady’s growing spot to investigate what Daoist Scarlet Firmament left there.

Character developments

• Song Shuhang uses overwhelming magical firepower to deter Winter Melon, but is dismayed when it fails to end their rivalry. He worries that the monthly challenges will continue indefinitely.
• Winter Melon Sage Lord is intimidated by the weapons but remains stubborn and committed to cultivating through persistence. He accepts that they count as Song’s strength and promises to return.
• Su Clan’s Sixteen stays calm and supportive, cooperating with Song’s precautions and the Core World escape plan.
• Shi innocently asks whether it is the Mid-Autumn Festival and describes a nightmare in which Song is badly beaten by Winter Melon—a comic echo of the chapter’s title.

Significant themes

• Strength and fair competition: Winter Melon insists that all of Song’s abilities, including his weapons, belong to his overall strength.
• Persistence in cultivation: Winter Melon’s refusal to give up turns a one-time confrontation into a likely recurring rivalry.
• Comic expectations versus reality: Song’s carefully imagined “nuclear deterrence” scenario does not produce surrender, leaving him anxious about future encounters.

Character interactions

• Song and Winter Melon exchange respectful but tense challenges: Song warns him of the weapons’ power, while Winter Melon demands a future fight without them.
• Song and Sixteen coordinate silently and discreetly, using the Core World to protect her and later discussing the encounter by Secret Voice Transmission.
• Song shares the remaining picnic food with Shi and Little Cai, then prepares to continue their outing.

Plot points and events

• Winter Melon Sage Lord has already visited Song Shuhang and admitted defeat, so their expected Mid-Autumn Festival duel was called off. Song says he used nuclear deterrence to make Winter Melon retreat.
• During a picnic, Song checks on Sparrow Demon Little Cai’s Steel Hand training. She demonstrates that her wings can now cut through a sapling, and Song praises her progress and promises to teach her the Reverse Scale Saber Technique.
• As Song, Su Clan’s Sixteen, Shi, and Little Cai travel toward Onion Lady’s birthplace, Shi mentions a dream in which Song was badly beaten. She denies having prophetic dreams, but the remark leaves him uneasy.
• Song tells the Nine Provinces Number One Group that he won. The seniors are incredulous: earlier, Copper Trigram had divined that Song would defeat Winter Melon in a sweeping victory and become famous.
• Since Copper Trigram’s predictions are famously accurate when interpreted backward, Song fears the divination means Winter Melon will return that night, beat him, and leave him disgraced. He worries Winter Melon may see through the nuclear threat or find a way around it.
• Song decides he needs someone—or something—to take the beating in his place. He considers using his Merit Snake Beauty, who can copy his appearance, but imagines her ruining the act. His other possible substitute is an injured puppet. He asks the group whether anyone knows a clone technique that can absorb damage for its master; several seniors want one too, while Yellow Mountain says he has some low-level clones.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Shuhang remains anxious despite having driven Winter Melon away. His confidence collapses once he connects Copper Trigram’s reversed divination with Shi’s nightmare, and he starts planning for the worst.
• Su Clan’s Sixteen supports Song and discusses the divination with him privately, treating the threat seriously.
• Little Cai shows real progress in her training and is eager to learn more from Song.
• Shi innocently raises the possibility of a prophetic dream, unintentionally intensifying Song’s fears.
• The group’s seniors tease and doubt Song’s victory at first, then explain the ominous divination. Their banter highlights their familiarity with Song’s recurring misfortunes.

Significant themes

• Fate and unreliable reassurance: A seemingly favorable prediction becomes frightening because Copper Trigram’s fortunes must be read backward.
• Comic anxiety and misfortune: Song’s victory brings little comfort; he immediately expects a worse outcome.
• Mentorship and cultivation: Song encourages Little Cai’s training and plans her next technique, balancing his own worries with responsibility for her growth.

Plot points and events

• Song Shuhang realizes he may need a clone technique to take hits for him and hopes to ask Venerable White about it, but White is too busy to respond beyond saying they can talk later.
• Shuhang discovers that Copper Trigram logged into the Nine Provinces Number One Group using his disciple Iron Trigram’s account, explaining why Shuhang missed the login notification. He follows Iron Trigram’s account as well.
• Shuhang and Su Clan’s Sixteen fly toward Onion Lady’s birthplace. He tells Sixteen that he wants to learn more about the Heavenly Thunder Pig and its possible connection to the Sea Clan’s Golden Dragon Progenitor.
• At the mountain, a barrier bearing Daoist Scarlet Firmament’s aura blocks the summit. Onion Lady cannot remember the entrance, but Shuhang’s strong, unexplained familiarity leads him to find a hidden door.
• Inside, they discover a stone path bordered by abundant medicinal plants. Sixteen warns the group not to touch or leave the path, since the plants are part of a protective formation. At the halfway point, they encounter another barrier—one Onion Lady does not remember.

Character developments and interactions

• Shuhang is curious and cautious: he seeks information about the Golden Dragon Progenitor but respects Yu Jiaojiao’s confidence and keeps the exact messages secret. He also avoids Dharma King Creation’s offer to play a new song, politely making an excuse and logging off.
• Sixteen recognizes the Golden Dragon Progenitor through her clan’s ties to the Sea Clan. Shuhang’s account of the provocative messages leaves her quiet and seemingly unsettled, though she brushes off his concern and suggests a race.
• Onion Lady is embarrassed that she has forgotten her birthplace after centuries away and jokes that Shuhang seems to know her home better than she does. The path revives a memory of Daoist Scarlet Firmament carrying her up the mountain.
• Little Cai nearly pecks at a fruit, but Sixteen stops her before she can disturb the formation.

Significant themes

• Memory and belonging: Onion Lady’s forgotten home contrasts with the memories that return as the group explores it.
• Trust and boundaries: Shuhang withholds the Dragon King Hall messages out of respect for Yu Jiaojiao’s confidence, and he chooses not to press Sixteen when she seems troubled.
• Caution around hidden dangers: The mountain’s plants and barriers are parts of a larger formation, making even seemingly harmless actions risky.
• Unexplained connections: Shuhang’s instinctive ability to find the entrance hints at a deeper link to Onion Lady’s past.

Key plot points and events

• Song Shuhang and his companions reach an invisible barrier around Onion Lady’s former home. Song explains that it blocks outsiders from entering but allows people to leave.
• Onion Lady assumes she can enter because the place once belonged to her, but she crashes into the barrier. Song points out that she had lived nearby for years without returning, suggesting she never had permission to enter. Their exchange turns into playful bickering, with Onion Lady accusing him of reading her memories.
• Sixteen finds Ancient Era writing on the barrier. With no phone signal and little knowledge of the script, the group is unsure how to decipher it.
• Song Shuhang’s embarrassing, light-up “Super Scholar System” activates. It translates the inscription: the barrier can be opened by participating in a word game. The group agrees to try.
• They are transported to a vast desert, apparently a spiritual world. The Merit Snake Beauty and the repaired evil-ghost-mask puppet appear alongside them.
• The game’s rules are announced: opposing generals must converse in standard Ancient Era language; wrong or inaccurate responses trigger turn-based attacks, and the game ends when a side’s health runs out. The opponent has not yet been revealed.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Shuhang acts as the group’s guide and translator, though the system exposes him to teasing about his hidden tattoo. He suspects the game may have a deeper purpose connected to Daoist Master Scarlet Firmament’s plans.
• Onion Lady is frustrated by her forgotten past and lack of access to her former home. Her slapstick collision with the barrier and kick against Song’s exceptionally tough leg reinforce their comic, antagonistic rapport.
• Sixteen is observant and practical: she discovers the inscription, tries to photograph it, and cautiously supports entering the game.
• Shi, Xiao Cai, and Onion Lady admit they know little or no Ancient Era script, leaving Song—despite his limited study—the group’s best-equipped participant.
• The Merit Snake Beauty proves useless as a translator, theatrically collapsing after echoing Song’s scream. The puppet remains a possible ally, but her abilities are not yet tested.

Significant themes

• Mystery and hidden design: The barrier and word game may be parts of a larger plan rather than arbitrary obstacles.
• Knowledge as a trial: The group’s limited command of Ancient Era language turns scholarship into a matter of survival.
• Humor amid danger: Onion Lady’s mishaps, Song’s embarrassing system, and the Merit Snake Beauty’s collapse balance the ominous game rules with comedy.

Chapter Summary: “Not Playing by the Rules”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Shuhang and his companions encounter a trial inside Daoist Scarlet Firmament’s Barrier Gate.
• An army of one thousand younger versions of Daoist Scarlet Firmament appears before them. In response, the gate creates a mismatched army made up of copies of Song Shuhang, Su Clan’s Sixteen, Shi, Xiao Cai, Onion Lady, puppets, and Merit Snake Beauties.
• The trial is revealed to be a turn-based battle conducted through Ancient Era Language. Each side must respond correctly to the other’s spoken phrases.
• Shi successfully answers the enemy’s greeting, allowing the first exchange to end in a draw.
• Sixteen then offers a polite response, but the opposing Daoist Scarlet Firmament launches an incomprehensible counterattack. The group cannot continue the conversation properly.
• Their army begins losing badly. The Premium Puppet contributes only by using her “Head-Hugging Crouch Defense,” while the Merit Snake Beauty mistakenly shrieks and is treated as having given an incorrect response.
• Song Shuhang attempts to use the opening lines of the Thousand Character Classic, hoping to force the enemy into a limited exchange. Instead, the opposing Daoist Scarlet Firmament recites the entire text flawlessly and without pause.
• The group’s entire army is slaughtered in less than ten breaths, ending the trial in total defeat.
• Back in their bodies, the group discovers that losing carries no punishment. Instead, surviving the game appears to strengthen their mental power.
• Song Shuhang devises a strategy for a rematch: use modern poems, internet expressions, mathematics, programming, and other knowledge unavailable during Daoist Scarlet Firmament’s era to confuse the trial’s opponent.
• Sixteen reveals that she possesses a secret treasure capable of temporarily allowing her to use the Ancient Era Language. However, when she attempts to reactivate the Barrier Gate, it suddenly disappears.

Character Developments

• Song Shuhang remains resourceful despite being overwhelmed. He recognizes the importance of the trial, analyzes its rules, and develops a practical strategy based on historical and technological knowledge.
• Su Clan’s Sixteen demonstrates greater linguistic ability than most of the group and successfully delivers a correct polite response. She also reveals her secret treasure and becomes central to the planned rematch.
• Shi is able to understand and respond to basic Ancient Era phrases, but her limited vocabulary prevents her from meaningfully challenging Daoist Scarlet Firmament.
• Onion Lady shows her usual opportunistic humor by considering defecting to the enemy. Her connection to Daoist Scarlet Firmament is also emphasized, since he was the one who planted her and is fondly remembered by her as kind and gentle.
• The Premium Puppet comically fails to help, relying on her instinctive defensive crouch rather than participating in the language battle.
• Merit Snake Beauty accidentally sabotages the team by screaming at the wrong moment, causing the game to interpret her noise as an incorrect response.
• Xiao Cai reacts emotionally to the brutal destruction of the army, highlighting the absurdity and cruelty of the trial from the participants’ perspective.

Significant Themes

• Knowledge versus overwhelming power: Song Shuhang’s side is badly outmatched in both language ability and military appearance, showing that preparation and intelligence are their only advantages.
• The difficulty of Ancient Era civilization: The Ancient Era Language is presented as more than a communication system; it is tied to cultivation and can significantly strengthen spells, making it exceptionally difficult to master.
• Rules and loopholes: The trial appears to be a language game, but Daoist Scarlet Firmament exploits the rules by reciting the entire Thousand Character Classic rather than engaging in a limited exchange. Song Shuhang responds by planning to use knowledge from the modern era.
• Comedy amid danger: The horrifying destruction of thousands of copies is treated with exaggerated humor, especially through the puppet’s useless defense, the Merit Snake Beauty’s sabotage, and Song Shuhang’s frustration.
• Growth through failure: Although the group loses completely, the trial improves their mental strength, turning defeat into a potentially valuable cultivation opportunity.

Character Interactions

• Song Shuhang coordinates the group and repeatedly consults Sixteen and Shi about how to respond.
• Shi and Sixteen help interpret the Ancient Era Language, though neither can understand Daoist Scarlet Firmament’s advanced counterattack.
• Song Shuhang relies on the Premium Puppet, only to be disappointed by her defensive crouch.
• Onion Lady jokes about defecting and later praises Daoist Scarlet Firmament, prompting Xiao Cai to criticize the “gentle” master for massacring their entire army.
• Sixteen and Song Shuhang agree to attempt a rematch using her secret treasure and modern knowledge.
• The chapter ends abruptly when Sixteen tries to reopen the Barrier Gate, suggesting that the trial may have vanished—or that an unexpected development is about to occur.

Key plot points and events

• Song Shuhang’s group finds that the barrier door has vanished, despite failing the word game. They speculate about its purpose, then continue up the now-clear path to the mountaintop.
• After they leave, a hazy projection of Daoist Scarlet Firmament appears. He reflects on how his casual connections to Song Shuhang, Li Tiansu, and Onion Lady have tangled into a growing “fate.”
• Scarlet Firmament reveals that he deliberately cultivated Onion Lady as a potential future Heavenly Dao: five centuries earlier, he transplanted a green onion onto a spiritual mountain and built a powerful transformation formation around it. He is puzzled that she remains only Second Grade, despite her exceptional foundation.
• A talking sword suggests that meeting Song Shuhang may have opened up Onion Lady’s many possible futures—and that Song himself might be one of her “nurturers.” The sword admits it ended the word game because someone interfered.
• Scarlet Firmament instructs the sword to keep watching the group and remind them to study Ancient Era Language, which is important for cultivating one’s own path.
• At the mountaintop, Onion Lady searches for where she was originally planted. Song Shuhang recognizes the spot from his centuries-long dream memories, prompting her to protest that he seems more familiar with her origin than she is.

Character developments

• Song Shuhang continues to be central to the group’s strange events and to Onion Lady’s fate. His dream memories make him unusually familiar with her past.
• Onion Lady is revealed to have been groomed for immense potential, possibly even the Heavenly Dao, though her actual cultivation has lagged far behind expectations. Her prospects may have changed through her connection with Song Shuhang.
• Daoist Scarlet Firmament is shown as a deliberate “cultivator of future Heavenly Daos,” who plants and nurtures candidates rather than seeking the position himself. He is both curious and doubtful about Onion Lady’s slow progress.
• The sword acts as Scarlet Firmament’s observer and bluntly explains its role in ending the game.

Significant themes

• Fate and coincidence: Small choices and chance encounters can grow into deep, interconnected bonds.
• Potential versus achievement: Onion Lady was given extraordinary advantages, yet her promise has not translated into expected strength.
• Nurturing and influence: A person’s future may depend not only on their own cultivation but also on those who guide or encounter them.
• Infinite possibility: Scarlet Firmament’s prediction for Onion Lady remains open, especially after meeting Song Shuhang.

Character interactions

• Sixteen and Onion Lady react with frustration and surprise when the barrier disappears; Song Shuhang leads the group onward.
• Scarlet Firmament and the sword discuss Onion Lady’s prospects, Song Shuhang’s possible role, and the end of the word game.
• At the mountaintop, Song Shuhang identifies Onion Lady’s original planting place. Onion Lady jokingly—but indignantly—challenges his familiarity with her own past.

Chapter Summary: “Capable of Killing Them, Never Waste Breath”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group investigates what Daoist Scarlet Firmament left buried for Onion Lady. They initially speculate that it might be remnants of her roots or a powerful pill.
• Onion Lady uncovers a scarlet-red piece of jade that emits terrifying heat. Even Shi and Su Clan’s Sixteen are forced to retreat, while Onion Lady remains unaffected.
• The “small” jade fragment proves to be only the tip of a massive, perfectly square, two-meter cube buried underground.
• Song Shuhang attempts to store it in his Prayer-Bead Space, but the jade cannot be placed inside ordinary spatial artifacts. He suspects it may need to be placed in his Core World.
• The jade’s presence greatly accelerates the Lotus Projection’s absorption of Nine Nether Evil Energy. The energy is fully absorbed, strengthening Song Shuhang, expanding his Core World, and bringing his Fat Whale Phantom Core close to maturity.
• Before Song Shuhang can deal with the jade, the Stone Giant escapes from the Nine Netherworld and descends beside him using Winter Hall’s coordinates.
• Recognizing Song Shuhang as an enemy, the Stone Giant immediately attacks. Song Shuhang sends Onion Lady, Su Clan’s Sixteen, Xiao Cai, and Shi into the Core World and tries to hide himself.
• The Stone Giant uses Spatial Interference to prevent Song Shuhang from escaping, then grabs him and attempts to make him explode.
• Just as Song Shuhang is in danger, a voice resembling Master Scarlet Firmament’s rings out. The Stone Giant turns in shock and sees the Heaven-Burning Flame Saber approaching.

Character Developments

• Onion Lady: Demonstrates increased strength and a mysterious connection to the scarlet jade. She is physically unaffected by its heat and feels unusually comfortable when touching it, suggesting that the treasure may be closely tied to her nature or Daoist Scarlet Firmament’s intentions.
• Song Shuhang: Continues acting cautiously and selflessly by refusing to claim Onion Lady’s inheritance for himself. His cultivation and physical constitution improve substantially after absorbing the Nine Nether Evil Energy, and his Fat Whale Phantom Core nears maturity. His quick reactions also allow him to protect his companions when the Stone Giant appears.
• Su Clan’s Sixteen, Shi, and Xiao Cai: Serve as observers and support, but are forced to retreat from the jade’s heat and are ultimately moved into the Core World for their safety.
• Stone Giant: Escapes the Nine Netherworld and becomes more careful after his previous failure to kill Song Shuhang. Aware of Song Shuhang’s extraordinary Fortune, it resolves to attack without wasting time talking.
• Master Scarlet Firmament: Though he does not visibly appear, his voice and signature weapon intervene at the critical moment, implying either his direct involvement or the activation of a powerful remnant technique.

Significant Themes

• Inheritance and destiny: The scarlet jade appears to be a deliberate legacy from Daoist Scarlet Firmament to Onion Lady, though its purpose remains unknown.
• Power and danger: Extraordinary treasures are not automatically beneficial; their overwhelming heat and unknown nature make the jade difficult even to handle or store.
• Fortune and survival: The Stone Giant recognizes Song Shuhang’s exceptional luck as a genuine combat advantage and tries to eliminate him before that Fortune can create another escape opportunity.
• Growth through adversity: Song Shuhang’s absorption of Nine Nether Evil Energy strengthens both his body and Core World, showing how dangerous encounters continue to accelerate his cultivation.
• Unresolved mysteries: The jade’s origins, its relationship to Onion Lady, and the identity or nature of the approaching Heaven-Burning Flame Saber remain unclear.

Character Interactions

• Song Shuhang and Onion Lady cooperate to uncover and retrieve the treasure, with Song Shuhang respecting her ownership of Daoist Scarlet Firmament’s inheritance.
• Onion Lady consults with Song Shuhang about how to store the enormous jade, while her instinctive bond with it becomes increasingly evident.
• The group collectively assesses the jade’s danger, with Su Clan’s Sixteen providing cautious judgment and the others reacting to its heat.
• The Stone Giant confronts Song Shuhang directly, motivated by their previous conflict and its hatred of him.
• The chapter ends with the Stone Giant recognizing Master Scarlet Firmament’s voice and facing the Heaven-Burning Flame Saber, setting up an imminent clash.

Key plot points and events

• The Stone Giant attacks Song Shuhang, but Song escapes into the Core World. Its recent upgrade lets it overcome the Giant’s spatial interference, though Song’s hair is left behind.
• A distant strike from the Scarlet Heaven Sword—using Master Scarlet Firmament’s Heaven-Burning Flame Saber technique—forces the Stone Giant to retreat. The Giant remains terrified of the heavenly fire still burning from their previous encounter.
• Song sends the Merit Snake Beauty out to scout in his likeness. She finds the Scarlet Heaven Sword facing the Stone Giant alone; Master Scarlet Firmament is absent.
• The Stone Giant attacks. The sword protects the disguised Snake Beauty, but a spear pierces her. Instead of simply collapsing, she stages a melodramatic death scene, complete with a sorrowful song and the exchange, “Peach Blossom, am I the one you love most?”
• Recognizing her as the indestructible being he encountered before, the Stone Giant decides to seal her and destroy the Scarlet Heaven Sword. As he charges, the Snake Beauty grabs the sword and prepares to imitate Song’s Heaven-Burning technique.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Shuhang survives through the Core World and regrows his hair. Though relieved, he remains cautious and sends the Snake Beauty to investigate. He knows her theatrical “death” routine well and finds it embarrassing.
• The Stone Giant is revealed as deeply afraid of Master Scarlet Firmament’s fire, despite boasting about revenge. He is also increasingly alarmed by the Snake Beauty’s apparent inability to die.
• The Scarlet Heaven Sword protects Song’s decoy while lamenting that it lacks a wielder and cannot easily withstand the Giant. It tries to flee once Song is safe, but the Snake Beauty takes hold of it.
• The Merit Snake Beauty shows her familiar playful, dramatic nature, then turns the tables by wielding the Scarlet Heaven Sword herself.

Significant themes

• Survival through ingenuity: Song’s upgraded Core World saves him, though imperfectly.
• The gap between bravado and fear: The Giant’s threats mask his dread of Master Scarlet Firmament’s technique.
• Comic performance amid danger: The Snake Beauty’s exaggerated death scene clashes with the deadly battle, frustrating Song and confusing the sword and Giant.
• Unexpected agency: The Snake Beauty moves from decoy to active combatant, setting up the chapter’s cliffhanger.

Plot points and events

• Merit Snake Beauty, disguised as Song Shuhang, tries to use the Heaven-Burning Flame Saber with the Scarlet Heaven Sword, but she knows only the stance. Her ordinary slashes barely affect the Stone Giant.
• When the Giant attacks, she swallows the sword to protect it. The Giant smashes her body into golden motes, then realizes she is made of Merit Power. She reconstitutes herself, though smaller, and retrieves the sword from her mouth.
• At the sword’s urging, Merit Snake Beauty transforms into her true form and unleashes a powerful-looking golden slash. Its aura rivals the Heaven-Burning Flame Saber, but her limited cultivation means it does little more than dazzle the Stone Giant.
• Song Shuhang orders her to retreat into the Core World. The Stone Giant tries to follow through the spatial passage, but cannot breach the Core World’s defenses.
• Senior Skylark appears, erases the Stone Giant’s escape gate, and incapacitates him with overwhelming Evil Energy.
• Skylark notices a remnant of Merit Snake Beauty watching as an eye and raises her hand to destroy it. Instead, she suddenly clutches her head and begins crying.

Character developments and interactions

• Merit Snake Beauty is resourceful and protective, repeatedly shielding the Scarlet Heaven Sword despite her lack of saber skill. She follows Song Shuhang’s command to retreat, even while dissatisfied.
• The Scarlet Heaven Sword alternates between scolding Merit Snake Beauty for using the wrong technique and warning her about the danger. Despite its complaints, it works with her and is alarmed by her unusual ability to hold it.
• The Stone Giant shifts from confident attacker to baffled captive. He recognizes Merit Power, attempts to trap the pair, and is surprised when neither his spatial control nor his strength can overcome their protections.
• Song Shuhang directs the retreat from within the Core World, whose connection to the outside world proves inaccessible to the Giant.
• Senior Skylark makes a spectacular entrance, displaying power far beyond what her apparent cultivation rank would suggest. Her sudden distress, however, abruptly undercuts her show of dominance.

Significant themes

• Power and limitations: Dramatic displays and powerful auras do not guarantee effectiveness; Merit Snake Beauty’s technique is impressive in form but constrained by her cultivation.
• Protection and cooperation: Merit Snake Beauty risks herself to save the sword, while Song Shuhang and the Core World provide a route to safety.
• Mystery and reversal: The Stone Giant’s assumptions about spatial travel fail, and Skylark’s sudden crying hints that her immense power comes with an unexplained vulnerability.