Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Federation faces a threat from the Different Races, with the Sirius Star Realm under repeated attacks.
• Prisoners in Dragon Mountain Zone, including Fang Zhuo and his group, are ordered to be sent to the Sirius Star Realm to fight as part of the war effort.
• A massive aircraft arrives to transport the prisoners to the Outer Domain.

Character Developments

• Fang Zhuo, initially suicidal, finds hope in the opportunity to escape to the Outer Domain.
• Chen Xia learns about the intense battles in the Outer Domain and decides to focus on cultivating to become a flying powerhouse.

Significant Themes

• Hope and opportunity amidst despair.
• The harsh reality of war and its impact on both soldiers and civilians.
• The importance of strength and cultivation in facing external threats.

Character Interactions

• Fang Zhuo, Fang Tang, Deputy Director Qian, and others form a group to increase their chances of escaping together.
• Chen Xia and Chu Xingchen discuss the situation in the Outer Domain, with Chu Xingchen preparing to leave for the battlefield.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Federation sends prisoners to the Sirius Star Realm to fight against the Different Races, using them as cannon fodder to reduce enemy and friendly casualties.
• Xia Nation enters Level Three combat readiness, mobilizing all Flying Martial Warriors, including those from Chujiang Province, to defend the Sirius Star Realm.
• Other nations also dispatch experts to reinforce the defense line.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia, now the Chief Director, is shown to be strategic and ambitious, transferring and promoting his own people within the Chief Office to solidify his power base.
• Sun Jia, Chen Xia's secretary, initially underestimates Chen Xia but later realizes his strategic prowess and decides to support him more wholeheartedly.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and Expendability: Prisoners are sent to their deaths, highlighting the expendable nature of certain lives in war and society.
• Power Consolidation: Chen Xia's actions demonstrate his desire to consolidate power and establish his influence within the Chujiang Province Chief Office.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia interacts with Sun Jia, delegating tasks and making decisions that reveal his strategic thinking.
• Sun Jia's internal monologues reveal his initial underestimation of Chen Xia and his later realization of Chen Xia's capabilities, leading to a shift in his attitude towards his superior.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia transfers Sun Jia to the west side of the city, replacing him with Luo Quan as his secretary.
• Chen Xia promotes Zhou Qing to be his driver, Zhou Tong to Deputy Headquarters, and Liu Jun to Deputy Director at the Chief Office.
• Chen Xia warns members of the Jiang Family faction not to overstep, maintaining a balance of power.

Character Developments

• Sun Jia realizes his mistake in trying to leave Chen Xia's side.
• Luo Quan gains confidence and ambition after being promoted.
• Zhou Tong, Zhou Qing, and Liu Jun express gratitude and loyalty to Chen Xia for his promotions.

Significant Themes

• Ambition and its consequences (Sun Jia, Luo Quan).
• Loyalty and gratitude (Zhou Tong, Zhou Qing, Liu Jun).
• Balancing power dynamics (Chen Xia's handling of the Jiang Family faction).

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia shows favoritism to those who have supported him (Zhou Tong, Zhou Qing, Liu Jun).
• Chen Xia warns the Jiang Family faction to maintain a balance of power.
• Sun Jia and Luo Quan's interaction highlights the consequences of ambition and the importance of loyalty.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia returns home to find deliveries of nutritional supplements and pills from the Martial Hall.
• He begins tendon-transformation cultivation, consuming potions and pills to strengthen his meridians.
• Over a month, Chen Xia intensifies his training, improving his physical strength and martial skills.
• He masters flight using his Blood Wings and practices sneak attacks.
• Chen Xia decides to learn a fire-element Martial Skill to enhance his Star Essence's destructive power.
• An emergency military report announces a large-scale assault by the Outer Domain Winged Race, requiring all Rank Five and above martial artists to report for combat readiness within 48 hours.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia continues to grow stronger, mastering new skills and improving his existing ones.
• He demonstrates discipline and perseverance in his training, pushing through pain to complete his cultivation routines.
• Chen Wu, Chen Xia's brother, is shown to be shocked by the emergency news report, looking to Chen Xia for reaction.

Significant Themes

• Cultivation and Growth: Chen Xia's dedication to improving his martial abilities and skills.
• Responsibility: The expectation placed on high-ranking martial artists to defend the Federation during times of crisis.
• Adaptability: Chen Xia's ability to quickly adapt to new circumstances, such as learning to fly and mastering new skills.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia's family is present during the emergency news report, with Chen Wu looking to Chen Xia for reaction.
• No other significant interactions are mentioned in this chapter.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia receives a summons to join the Federation's military buildup against the Outer Domain Different Races.
• He meets Jiang Yuan, who is in a different team (109) than him (112).
• Chen Xia witnesses a team returning from the Outer Domain, some injured and others grieving.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia remains calm and determined about his mission, reassuring his family despite their worries.
• Jiang Yuan is shown to be part of the military effort, indicating her commitment and capability.

Significant Themes

• Duty and Sacrifice: Chen Xia and other martial artists are called upon to defend the Federation, highlighting their duty and the potential sacrifices they might make.
• War and its Impact: The scene of injured and grieving martial artists returning from the Outer Domain underscores the harsh reality and emotional toll of war.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia interacts with his family, reassuring them before his departure.
• He meets Jiang Yuan, who is also part of the military effort, but they are not in the same team.

Chapter Summary: “That’s Just How He Is”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Changhai is exempt from conscription because he is still recovering from his injuries, while Jiang Xinglan is assigned to a relatively safe battlefield lineup.
• Jiang Xinglan warns Chen Xia that they have been assigned to different teams and tells him to remain cautious, stay with his unit, and follow orders.
• She offers Chen Xia a Giant Ape Raptor Serum, which can temporarily increase Star Essence, combat strength, and speed. Chen Xia refuses, believing she may need it more.
• Jiang Xinglan leaves to rejoin her team after advising Chen Xia to remain with the powerful martial artists from the South Yu Province Vermilion Bird Branch Hall.
• Chen Xia meets Zhao Ling, a martial artist from the South Yu Branch Hall. She recognizes that they belong to the same broader Martial Hall network and invites him to join her group.
• Zhao Ling introduces Chen Xia to his temporary teammates in

Team 112

• Liu Qingyu, talkative and teasing
• Shi Tieshan, powerfully built and practical
• Lin Mo, sharp and observant
• Miao Han, quiet and skilled with a dagger
• Zhao Ling herself, who has been appointed captain
• The team learns that Chen Xia is an S4-level genius, a Deputy Futai, and the person connected to the downfall of the Fang Family. His reputation earns him greater respect.
• Although Chen Xia has only recently broken through to Rank Five, Liu Qingyu emphasizes that the upcoming battle against the Winged Race will be extremely dangerous, especially because the enemy can fly.
• Zhao Ling later announces their orders: Team 112 will join the eighth echelon of the Thirteenth Legion, covering the flank of the main army. They will depart for the battlefield in one hour.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia remains calm, modest, and self-reliant. He refuses Jiang Xinglan’s medicine and does not boast about his reputation or strength. He quietly prepares his equipment despite the team’s doubts about his experience.
• Jiang Xinglan demonstrates concern for Chen Xia and takes on a protective, responsible role by warning him about battlefield discipline and offering him emergency medicine.
• Zhao Ling is established as a serious and capable leader. She takes responsibility for introducing Chen Xia to the group and gathering information about their orders.
• Liu Qingyu appears overconfident and overly talkative, but his warnings come from genuine battlefield experience and concern for team survival.
• Miao Han is sharp-tongued and willing to restrain Liu Qingyu. Her defense of Chen Xia hints at a friendly or familiar relationship with Liu Qingyu.
• Shi Tieshan acts as a moderating presence, criticizing Liu Qingyu’s constant talk of death and misfortune.
• Chen Xia’s past achievements—killing three same-rank Gillmen and contributing to the Fang Family’s collapse—raise the team’s expectations of him.

Significant Themes

• Comradeship and survival: The chapter emphasizes that battlefield survival depends on teamwork, discipline, and avoiding separation.
• Reputation versus present ability: Chen Xia is respected because of his past accomplishments and official status, but Liu Qingyu reminds everyone that reputation will not protect him on the battlefield.
• Responsibility and leadership: Jiang Xinglan and Zhao Ling both show concern for others and stress preparation, obedience, and mutual protection.
• Humility and restraint: Despite his achievements, Chen Xia remains quiet and avoids relying on status or external help.
• The danger of unequal combat: The Winged Race’s ability to fly gives them a major advantage over human martial artists, making even small mistakes potentially fatal.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Xinglan and Chen Xia share a brief but caring farewell. She offers practical assistance and urges him to protect himself.
• Zhao Ling welcomes Chen Xia into the group and acts as the bridge between him and his new teammates.
• Liu Qingyu jokes about Chen Xia’s appearance and reputation, then adopts a lecturing tone when warning him about the battlefield.
• Miao Han lightly rebukes Liu Qingyu and tells Chen Xia to ignore his personality, reinforcing the chapter’s title: his blunt, irritating behavior is simply “how he is.”
• Shi Tieshan interrupts Liu Qingyu’s grim warnings, keeping the group from becoming overly tense.
• The team’s mixed reactions—curiosity, teasing, skepticism, and respect—establish the group dynamic before they enter combat.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia and his team pass through the spatial gate at the Sirius Star Realm's entrance, entering the fortress within.
• They emerge from the fortress and are greeted by the vast, chaotic landscape of the Sirius Star Realm, with no visible sky and countless troops and warships.
• Chen Xia experiences a sense of awe and expansion at the sight.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia demonstrates his resilience and adaptability by quickly recovering from the disorientation of passing through the spatial gate.
• Liu Qingyu shares his knowledge about the Sirius Star Realm and the ongoing conflict with the Winged Race, showing his eagerness to share information.

Significant Themes

• The vastness and chaos of the Outer Domain, contrasting with the familiarity of Earth.
• The importance of adaptability and resilience in the face of new and challenging environments.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia and Liu Qingyu engage in conversation, with Liu Qingyu acting as a guide and mentor figure.
• Chen Xia and his team follow Commander Xu and Captain Zhao Ling, who lead them through the fortress and into the Sirius Star Realm.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia arrives at the Sirius Star Realm, where the gravity is 30% weaker than on Blue Star.
• He spars with Liu Qingyu to adapt to the new gravity.
• The group is briefed by Xu Pang on their Technology Watches' functions and the merit system.
• Chen Xia is promoted to Deputy Captain of the Eighth Squad.
• The group joins the Thirteenth Regiment and meets Commander Gong.
• The Different Races launch a massive attack, and the regiment heads to the battlefield.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia demonstrates adaptability and quick learning, sparring with Liu Qingyu to adjust to the new gravity.
• Chen Xia is promoted to Deputy Captain, showing the Federation's recognition of his leadership potential.
• Commander Gong is introduced as a seasoned werewolf officer with a rugged appearance.

Significant Themes

• Adaptation: Chen Xia must adapt to the new environment and gravity, foreshadowing the challenges he'll face on the battlefield.
• Leadership: Chen Xia's promotion to Deputy Captain highlights the importance of leadership in the face of adversity.
• Teamwork: The regiment's swift and organized response to the Different Races' attack emphasizes the importance of teamwork and coordination.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia spars with Liu Qingyu, showing a friendly rivalry and mutual respect.
• Xu Pang briefs the group, displaying professionalism and concern for their well-being.
• Commander Gong introduces himself and gives instructions, demonstrating his authority and experience.
• The squad members interact with each other, showing unity and camaraderie as they prepare for battle.

Chapter Summary: “Fire-Breathing Exotic Beasts”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia observes Flying Martial Warriors using astral energy to protect their bodies and fly, strengthening his desire to reach that level.
• The convoy is suddenly attacked by hundreds of Fire Griffins—lion-bodied, eagle-headed creatures with feathered wings, powerful defenses, and the ability to breathe fire.
• A pale, blue-eyed Winged Race man commands the griffin squad from the back of a larger beast.
• The griffins attack intelligently from the flanks, launching fireballs at the military convoy. Human Flying Martial Warriors, electromagnetic cannons, and gunfire work together to intercept them.
• Because the griffins’ bodies are extremely tough, ordinary bullets are mostly ineffective. Many are brought down by artillery or attacks to their eyes, after which ground troops finish them off.
• Chen Xia begins killing wounded griffins, earning merit points and secretly collecting Negative Energy from their corpses. Each griffin provides roughly twelve points of Negative Energy, while merit rewards vary depending on how much of the kill he contributes.
• The battle becomes increasingly chaotic and brutal. Several martial warriors are injured, including one severely burned by multiple griffins and likely unable to continue pursuing the martial path.
• Chen Xia kills a particularly powerful griffin by cleaving through its head, proving the quality of his expensive Thousand-Pattern Blade.
• He continues slaughtering griffins through precise strikes to their eyes, necks, chests, and heads, rapidly accumulating merit and Negative Energy.
• By the end of the battle, Chen Xia has created a large pile of griffin corpses and demonstrates that he can keep pace with the elite martial warriors around him.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia: Becomes increasingly motivated to master astral energy and reach the Flying Martial Warrior realm. He shows quick reactions, battlefield awareness, and growing confidence in his combat ability. Rather than fighting recklessly, he efficiently targets fallen or vulnerable griffins to maximize merit and Negative Energy. His skill with the Thousand-Pattern Blade also becomes more evident.
• Liu Qingyu: Displays impressive strength by splitting a low-flying griffin in half with one slash.
• Shi Tieshan: Fights aggressively with a heavy saber, emphasizing his powerful and direct combat style.
• Miao Han: Demonstrates precision and agility, killing griffins by targeting their eyes and necks despite using only a dagger.
• The human martial warriors: Their initial defensive response develops into a fierce collective counterattack driven by patriotism and the desire to protect Blue Star and their families.
• The Winged Race commander: Is introduced as the intelligent leader directing the griffin assault, marking him as a potential future enemy.

Significant Themes

• Growth and aspiration: Chen Xia’s envy of Flying Martial Warriors highlights his desire to advance beyond his current level.
• War as training and proof: The battlefield serves not only as a defense against aliens but also as a test of the young martial warriors’ abilities.
• Human unity against external threats: Martial warriors, military vehicles, artillery, and Flying Martial Warriors cooperate against the alien attack.
• Brutality and survival: The chapter emphasizes the merciless nature of war, where hesitation can mean death and wounded enemies must be finished quickly.
• Patriotism and moral justification: The warriors’ violence is framed as necessary defense, motivated by the fear that alien creatures could eventually attack their homeland and families.
• Practical exploitation of battle: Chen Xia views the conflict partly through the rewards it offers—merit points, supplies, and Negative Energy—showing his pragmatic and opportunistic side.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia fights alongside elite figures such as Liu Qingyu, Shi Tieshan, and Miao Han, observing and comparing their combat abilities.
• Human martial warriors protect one another, with nearby fighters rescuing comrades from diving griffins and carrying seriously wounded soldiers away.
• The Flying Martial Warriors support the ground troops by intercepting fireballs and attacking airborne enemies.
• Chen Xia’s actions complement the broader army effort: while others engage active griffins, he specializes in quickly finishing wounded ones and harvesting the resulting rewards.
• The Winged Race commander exercises tactical control over the griffins, contrasting with the coordinated human defense and setting up the larger conflict between the two races.

Chapter Summary: Alien Youth

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia proves himself in battle by killing griffins quickly and efficiently, earning additional merit for kills completed alone. His performance reassures Zhao Ling’s team that he can keep pace with experienced fighters.
• Liu Qingyu reflects on Chen Xia’s daring combat style. Having previously ventured into the Outer Domain and witnessed many teammates die, Liu values survival above all else and worries about reckless newcomers.
• During a lull, Liu approaches Chen Xia and praises him. Chen Xia remains cautious, nearly mistaking Liu’s approach for an attack, but his network of bats allows him to detect threats in advance.
• Before Chen Xia can explain that he is studying the griffins, a powerful Winged Race youth mounted on a larger griffin launches a surprise attack. The alien uses genuine Blade Force, suppressing both Chen Xia and Liu Qingyu and attempting to kill them with one slash.
• Chen Xia breaks free through his strong Spiritual Power, but Liu Qingyu is still immobilized. Commander Gong intervenes by throwing a spear, forcing the alien youth to retreat.
• Liu identifies the attacker as a Skyflight Realm expert. Chen Xia realizes the youth deliberately targeted their group, suggesting that the alien recognizes the danger posed by talented human warriors.
• Commander Gong warns Chen Xia’s group to stay alert and then returns to the wider battle.
• The Winged Race soon launches a far larger assault. More than sixty thousand winged warriors arrive, overwhelming the sky and forcing Blue Star’s forces to request reinforcements.
• Blue Star’s army and the Winged Race engage in a prolonged battle lasting many hours. The Winged Race’s speed, aerial mobility, and numerous Flying Martial Warriors make artillery difficult to use and lead to intense close combat.
• After thirteen hours of fighting, even strong Bone-Tempering warriors are exhausted. The alien youth remains behind the lines and orders another Flying Martial Warrior to target Chen Xia and the other talented humans.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia: Demonstrates strong combat ability, confidence, and independence by killing griffins alone. His heightened Spiritual Power allows him to resist the alien youth’s Blade Force. However, he also recognizes that his boldness has made him a target and begins taking the Winged Race’s attention more seriously.
• Liu Qingyu: Reveals a compassionate and experienced perspective shaped by past battlefield losses. He prioritizes keeping newcomers alive and develops greater respect for Chen Xia after witnessing his skill. The alien ambush also exposes the danger of Liu’s relative vulnerability against high-level opponents.
• Commander Gong Wei: Establishes himself as a capable and vigilant protector. His timely intervention saves Chen Xia and Liu Qingyu, confirming that human forces have elite warriors monitoring the battlefield.
• Alien youth: Is introduced as a dangerous Skyflight Realm Winged Race expert who has mastered true Blade Force. He is calculating and specifically hunts promising human fighters rather than engaging randomly.

Significant Themes

• Survival amid war: Battlefield experience teaches that staying alive is more important than seeking glory or excitement.
• The danger of talent: Exceptional young warriors attract the attention of powerful enemies and may become priority targets.
• Escalation of conflict: The initial griffin attack develops into a full-scale invasion involving tens of thousands of combatants.
• Individual skill versus overwhelming forces: Chen Xia’s ability is impressive, but even talented fighters must rely on teamwork, commanders, and battlefield support.
• Experience and youthful boldness: Chen Xia’s courage contrasts with Liu Qingyu’s caution, showing two different ways of confronting war.

Character Interactions

• Zhao Ling and Liu Qingyu discuss Chen Xia’s capabilities and agree that his strength is reassuring.
• Liu Qingyu praises Chen Xia and questions his interest in the griffins, creating a brief moment of camaraderie before the attack.
• The alien youth targets Chen Xia and Liu Qingyu together, demonstrating that they are viewed as significant threats.
• Commander Gong’s intervention protects them and reinforces the importance of cooperation between frontline fighters and elite commanders.
• The alien youth later singles out Chen Xia’s group again, ordering an attack that sets up the next confrontation.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The Winged Race commander, Long, attempts to send a Skyflight Realm warrior toward the Federation’s central army to assassinate human geniuses, but Federation forces detect and intercept him.
• Long instead assigns Long Li, a half-step Skyflight Realm warrior, to approach the battlefield from the ground and kill at least three human geniuses. Long Li accepts eagerly, motivated by the promised reward of jade marrow wine.
• On the Federation flank, Zhao Ling’s squad, including Chen Xia and Liu Qingyu, is ordered to maintain formation and protect the main force’s side rather than recklessly attack.
• After thirteen hours of intense combat, both sides suffer heavy casualties. Chen Xia continues fighting efficiently, killing Winged Race warriors with precise saber strikes.
• The Winged Race’s elite Red Feather Guard suddenly attacks the flank, breaking the Federation’s defensive formation. Zhao Ling becomes surrounded and nearly killed, but Chen Xia intervenes and kills one of her attackers.
• Chen Xia realizes that the Red Feather Guard’s assault is only a distraction. A stronger Winged Race warrior—Long Li—has been sent specifically to hunt the human geniuses.
• Long Li attacks from a distance, narrowly missing Zhao Ling with a spear and severely injuring Liu Qingyu with a palm strike.
• Recognizing Long Li’s half-step Skyflight Realm strength, Chen Xia orders Zhao Ling to withdraw with the rest of the squad while he remains behind to face the enemy alone.

2. Character Developments

• Chen Xia demonstrates exceptional awareness, composure, and combat ability. He notices the Winged Race’s assassination plan through his bat scouts and immediately prioritizes protecting his teammates.
• Zhao Ling acts as a responsible leader, repeatedly reminding the squad to preserve formation and later ordering everyone to retreat once Long Li appears. Though reluctant to abandon Chen Xia, she ultimately follows her duty and reports the threat.
• Liu Qingyu is shown to be vulnerable against a half-step Skyflight Realm opponent, suffering a shattered shoulder from Long Li’s attack.
• Long Li is introduced as an arrogant and ruthless hunter who takes pleasure in killing promising human warriors before they can mature. He greatly underestimates the danger posed by Chen Xia’s group.
• Commander Long reveals the Winged Race’s military strategy: use lower-level experts and elite troops to assassinate human talents while avoiding direct interception by Federation Skyflight Realm warriors.

3. Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and leadership: Chen Xia chooses to stay behind so his injured and less powerful companions can escape.
• The brutality of war: The prolonged battle exhausts both sides, with survival depending not only on strength but also stamina, discipline, and willpower.
• Protecting future potential: Long Li targets young human geniuses because the Winged Race fears what they may become.
• Technology versus martial power: Federation technology tracks Skyflight Realm fighters, limiting the Winged Race’s ability to deploy its strongest warriors freely.
• Courage versus arrogance: Long Li believes the human fighters are easy prey, while Chen Xia remains calm and accurately judges the danger.

4. Character Interactions

• Commander Long rewards Long Li with the prestigious jade marrow wine for killing three human geniuses, encouraging competition among the Winged Race warriors.
• Zhao Ling repeatedly instructs her squad to protect one another and maintain formation.
• Chen Xia rescues Zhao Ling from a Red Feather Guard’s ambush and warns her that a stronger enemy has arrived.
• Long Li taunts the group after injuring Liu Qingyu, treating their struggle as entertainment.
• Chen Xia orders Zhao Ling to withdraw with Liu Qingyu and the squad, but she initially resists because she does not want to leave him alone.
• The chapter ends with Chen Xia facing Long Li by himself while Zhao Ling and the others call out warnings for him to flee.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Liu Qingyu and Zhao Ling return to help Chen Xia against the Winged Race man, Long Li.
• Chen Xia uses his Explosive Qi Art and Seven Injuries Fist, while Long Li uses his bone spear and wing-enhanced agility.
• Chen Xia employs his Blood Soul Bewitching Heart Spirit Technique, followed by the Chasing Moon Knife Technique, killing Long Li.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia demonstrates his courage, resilience, and strategic thinking, choosing to fight Long Li rather than flee.
• Chen Xia's martial prowess improves; he gains insight into a new state of mind for his Martial Force.
• Long Li underestimates Chen Xia, leading to his demise.

Significant Themes

• Courage and Resilience: Chen Xia's decision to face Long Li showcases his bravery and determination.
• Adaptability: Chen Xia's use of his Spirit Technique against Long Li highlights his ability to adapt to different situations.
• Pride and Ambition: Chen Xia's pride in his martial prowess and his ambition to catch the moon (achieve his goals) are emphasized.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia and Long Li's intense battle showcases their skills and determination.
• Liu Qingyu, Zhao Ling, Lin Mo, Miao Han, and others decide to stand with Chen Xia against Long Li, demonstrating unity and camaraderie.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia kills a half-step Flying Martial Warrior from the Winged Race, earning 43 merit points.
• He finds a stack of papers, two glowing stones (potentially Star Essence Stones), and other items on the body.
• A group of Different Race warriors attacks Chen Xia, but he defeats them single-handedly.
• Chen Xia severs the arm of a minor Winged Race leader, who then flees and is killed by Chen Xia.
• The Winged Race begins to retreat, ending the fierce battle.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia demonstrates his strength and prowess, earning respect from his teammates.
• Chen Xia's teammates, Zhao Ling, Liu Qingyu, and Miao Han, show concern for his safety and admiration for his abilities.

Significant Themes

• The power dynamics between different races and the Federation.
• The importance of strength and skill in the Outer Domain.
• The value of merit points and the need to earn them.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia's teammates worry about him when he's in danger and express their admiration for his strength after he defeats the Different Race warriors.
• Chen Xia saves his teammates multiple times, solidifying his position as the strongest member of their group.
• Chen Xia and the Different Race warriors engage in combat, showcasing his formidable skills against superior opponents.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The team survives an initial attack by the Winged Race army.
• Chen Xia learns about the wartime merit ranking and his fourth-place position.
• He Chenglin, an S4 genius from Azure Dragon Martial Hall, is revealed to be in first place with a significant lead.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia shows no signs of fatigue or injury after intense battles, demonstrating his exceptional physical prowess and endurance.
• Zhao Ling and Liu Qingyu express their admiration for Chen Xia's strength and gratitude for his protection on the battlefield.
• He Chenglin is introduced as a formidable rival, with impressive wartime merits.

Significant Themes

• Competition and rivalry among Martial Hall disciples for resources and recognition.
• The importance of individual contributions to a Martial Hall's overall score and resource allocation.
• The influence of family background and wealth on cultivator development, as seen through the He Family's resources.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia, Zhao Ling, and Liu Qingyu discuss the wartime merit ranking and the significance of their contributions to the Vermilion Bird Martial Hall.
• Zhao Ling shares her knowledge about He Chenglin and the He Family, revealing their influence and wealth.
• Chen Xia decides to strive for first place in the wartime merit ranking to bring honor to his Martial Hall and branch hall.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia returns to the Star Realm Battlefield and joins the Federation army’s renewed battle against the foreign races.
• Because foreign-race experts have targeted him before, his squad is stationed toward the rear flank. Despite this, Chen Xia repeatedly charges into dangerous areas and kills large numbers of enemies.
• He relies heavily on the spiritual technique Blood Soul Bewitching Heart, which bypasses physical defenses and slows or incapacitates opponents long enough for him to kill them instantly.
• Chen Xia specifically hunts Rock Race warriors, whose bodies are extremely durable but whose necks are comparatively vulnerable. Using his Blood Shadow Bat to scout isolated targets, he systematically ambushes and slaughters them.
• His sustained fighting improves his stamina, spiritual power, combat instincts, awareness, and ability to predict enemy movements.
• Chen Xia’s wartime merit rises rapidly—from thousands to over 11,000—allowing him to surpass Jiang Xinglan and eventually overtake He Chenglin for first place in the Martial Hall rankings.
• Commander Gong orders Chen Xia to return because the foreign army is withdrawing. Chen Xia obeys rather than greedily pursuing more merit.
• While returning, Chen Xia notices Fang Lie, Fang Zhuo, Fang Tang, Deputy Director Qian, and other Fang Family members secretly moving across the battlefield toward the outskirts.
• The Fang Family had intended to escape through another world, but both possible escape routes are inaccessible: one lies inside the foreign headquarters, while the other is within the Federation base. Their escape plan has failed, and they have already suffered casualties, including Fang Lie’s younger brother, Fang Tai.
• The chapter ends with Fang Lie stating that they have only one path left, creating a cliffhanger about whether they will surrender, betray the Federation, or attempt another desperate plan.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia becomes increasingly formidable through prolonged battlefield experience. His stamina and spiritual power improve, while repeated combat sharpens his reflexes, instincts, and tactical judgment.
• He demonstrates greater confidence and efficiency, often killing enemies with a single use of Blood Soul Bewitching Heart rather than engaging in prolonged exchanges.
• Chen Xia also shows strategic awareness by tracking the Winged Race genius pursuing him and repeatedly avoiding him, seemingly predicting where the enemy will search.
• Commander Gong appears attentive to Chen Xia’s movements and begins suspecting that Chen Xia possesses an extraordinary ability to sense or anticipate the enemy genius.
• Fang Lie and his family become increasingly desperate. Their original escape plan has collapsed, their forces have been reduced, and they are forced to consider a final, uncertain course of action.
• Fang Zhuo displays fear and desperation, turning to Fang Lie for guidance as the family’s situation deteriorates.

Significant Themes

• Battlefield growth and tempering: The battlefield serves not only as a place of slaughter but also as a training ground where Chen Xia develops physically, spiritually, and tactically.
• Efficiency versus brute force: Chen Xia’s mastery of illusion and soul attacks allows him to defeat physically stronger enemies by exploiting their weaknesses rather than confronting their defenses directly.
• Merit and competition: His steadily rising merit reflects both his combat achievements and his ambition to surpass the Martial Hall’s leading figures.
• Survival and desperation: The Fang Family’s failed escape highlights how war removes safe choices and forces characters toward increasingly dangerous decisions.
• Pursuit and evasion: Chen Xia’s repeated avoidance of the hostile Winged Race genius creates an ongoing tension between hunter and hunted.
• Moral and political uncertainty: The Fang Family’s attempt to flee suggests divided loyalties and raises the possibility of betrayal amid the Federation–foreign-race conflict.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia cooperates with Commander Gong, responding promptly when ordered to retreat.
• Commander Gong monitors Chen Xia’s battlefield behavior and privately analyzes his apparent ability to evade the Winged Race genius.
• Chen Xia’s conflict with the unnamed Winged Race genius remains indirect: the genius repeatedly searches for him, while Chen Xia consistently moves away before being found.
• Fang Zhuo appeals emotionally to Fang Lie, asking what they should do now that escape seems impossible.
• Fang Lie assumes a leadership role over Fang Zhuo, Fang Tang, Deputy Director Qian, and the remaining Fang Family members, but his final statement suggests he is preparing to make a dangerous choice.

Chapter Summary: “The System Had a Problem”

Key Plot Points and Events

• With the Human forces defeated and retreating, Fang Lie proposes their only possible escape: surrendering to the Winged Race and entering the Outer Domain through its spatial gate.
• Fang Zhuo and the remaining members of the Fang Family reluctantly follow him, believing they have no other chance of survival.
• The Winged Race refuses their surrender. A Winged Race warrior kills Fang Lie with a spear, prompting Fang Zhuo and the others to flee.
• Realizing escape is impossible, Fang Zhuo spitefully leads his group toward Chen Xia, intending to make him a target and drag him down with them.
• Before reaching Chen Xia, the group is killed by pursuing aliens. Fang Zhuo witnesses Chen Xia effortlessly slaughtering the Winged Race attackers, including beheading the warrior who had killed him.
• Fang Zhuo dies shocked by Chen Xia’s overwhelming growth and power. The remaining members of the Fang Family perish on the battlefield, ending the family’s line.
• Chen Xia feels no satisfaction or hatred over their deaths and returns to the central army, concluding that fleeing into another world is merely foolishness.
• Back at the military camp, Qin Feng discovers that Chen Xia has earned over 11,500 merits in half a month, placing first in the S4 Sinew Transformation genius rankings.
• The result astonishes the observers, since even stronger cultivators such as He Chenglin have earned fewer merits. Qin Feng proudly defends Chen Xia, while the Azure Dragon Martial Hall’s Hall Master Zhao suspects cheating or a malfunction in the merit system and demands to meet Chen Xia.

Character Developments

• Fang Lie: Desperate and exhausted, he gambles everything on surrendering to the Winged Race. His plan fails immediately, and his death demonstrates the hopelessness of the defeated Human army.
• Fang Zhuo: Reveals his vindictive and cowardly nature by trying to use Chen Xia as a sacrificial target rather than seeking help. Before dying, he is forced to recognize how far Chen Xia has surpassed him.
• Chen Xia: Displays immense combat strength, killing several powerful aliens with ease. He remains emotionally detached from the destruction of the Fang Family, showing that he has moved beyond personal revenge.
• Qin Feng: Shifts from worrying only about Chen Xia’s survival to openly celebrating his achievement. Chen Xia’s ranking restores Qin Feng’s confidence and pride in the Chu River Branch Hall.
• Hall Master Zhao: Becomes suspicious and envious of Chen Xia’s extraordinary merit total, interpreting it as evidence that either Chen Xia cheated or the ranking system malfunctioned.

Significant Themes

• Desperation and betrayal: The Fang Family’s attempt to surrender illustrates how war strips people of dignity and forces impossible choices. Their willingness to sacrifice Chen Xia highlights their enduring hatred and selfishness.
• The consequences of defeat: The Winged Race shows no mercy to the defeated Humans, emphasizing the brutality of the interworld battlefield.
• Power and transformation: Fang Zhuo’s shock at Chen Xia’s strength underscores Chen Xia’s rapid rise from a newly entered Sinew Transformation cultivator to an overwhelmingly capable warrior.
• The end of revenge: Chen Xia’s indifference toward the Fang Family’s deaths suggests that he has emotionally surpassed them and no longer allows old enmity to affect him.
• Recognition and institutional rivalry: Chen Xia’s astonishing ranking brings honor to Qin Feng’s branch hall but also provokes suspicion from competing Martial Halls, setting up potential conflict over whether his achievements are legitimate.

Character Interactions

• Fang Lie and Fang Zhuo: Fang Zhuo initially agrees to follow Fang Lie but privately doubts his plan, revealing tension between desperation and distrust.
• Fang Family and the Winged Race: Their attempted surrender is rejected with violence, showing the complete lack of mercy between the opposing forces.
• Fang Zhuo and Chen Xia: Fang Zhuo tries to turn Chen Xia into a final victim, but instead witnesses Chen Xia’s superiority before dying.
• Qin Feng and Hall Master Zhao: Qin Feng proudly defends Chen Xia, while Zhao challenges the legitimacy of his achievement.
• Qin Feng and Hall Master Wang: Qin Feng uses Chen Xia’s success to boast about the Chu River Branch Hall, reversing the usual power dynamic between the two Vermilion Bird branches.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia's rapid rise to the top of the merit rankings sparks controversy and suspicion among Martial Hall members.
• The Federation successfully repels the Different Race's attack and begins clearing the battlefield, with soldiers preparing to return home.
• Chen Xia is summoned for an audit and cleared of any wrongdoing regarding his merits.
• The Federation announces a period of peace and thanks the soldiers for their contributions.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia improves his cultivation and gains recognition for his merits, but remains humble and focused.
• He Chenglin, a rival of Chen Xia, is frustrated and disbelieving of Chen Xia's accomplishments, seeking to expose him as a cheater.

Significant Themes

• Recognition and validation of one's abilities and hard work.
• Competition and rivalry, both healthy and unhealthy.
• The consequences of war and the importance of rest and recuperation.

Character Interactions

• Liu Qingyu informs Chen Xia about the commotion regarding his merits and expresses surprise at his success.
• He Chenglin confronts Chen Xia, challenging his accomplishments and implying cheating.
• Zhao Ling and others from Chen Xia's squad invite him for a victory banquet, showing camaraderie and gratitude.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia, the top-ranked Tendon Transformation expert in the Martial Hall competition, encounters He Chenglin, a Half-Step Flight expert and descendant of the prestigious He Family.
• He Chenglin challenges Chen Xia, questioning his ranking and demanding a duel, with the stakes being a valuable saber and a spatial ring if Chen Xia wins, and public admission of cheating and kowtowing if he loses.
• Chen Xia accepts the challenge, and they begin their duel in the middle of a crowd.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia remains calm and composed, showing no fear or hesitation in accepting He Chenglin's challenge, indicating his confidence in his abilities.
• He Chenglin displays arrogance and contempt, looking down on Chen Xia due to his family background and Chen Xia's father's crippled state.

Significant Themes

• The importance of family background and reputation in society.
• The consequences of underestimating one's opponent.
• The theme of facing challenges head-on and maintaining composure under pressure.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia and He Chenglin's interaction is filled with tension and animosity, with He Chenglin attempting to provoke Chen Xia and Chen Xia remaining calm and collected.
• He Chenglin's attendants try to dissuade him from fighting Chen Xia, but he dismisses their concerns.
• The crowd gathered around them reacts with alarm and surprise as the duel begins.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia easily defeats He Chenglin, a prominent member of the He Family and an S4-level genius of the Azure Dragon Martial Hall, in a sparring match.
• He Chenglin is first disarmed and then knocked out with a single punch, despite wearing armor.
• Chen Xia displays his strength to draw attention and protect himself from the He Family's influence.
• He Chenglin loses a blade and a ring as a wager, which Chen Xia's friend Liu Qingyu picks up.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia demonstrates his formidable strength and confidence, showing no fear of the He Family's power.
• He Chenglin shows arrogance and a lack of sportsmanship, trying to humiliate Chen Xia even after losing.
• Liu Qingyu displays loyalty and respect for Chen Xia, picking up the wager items to maintain Chen Xia's dignity.

Significant Themes

• The importance of keeping one's word and honoring a wager in martial culture.
• The power dynamics and influence of major families and martial halls.
• The significance of strength and reputation in the martial world.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia and He Chenglin's intense rivalry and conflict, with Chen Xia emerging victorious.
• Chen Xia and Liu Qingyu's friendship and mutual respect, with Liu Qingyu supporting Chen Xia.
• Jiang Xinglan's surprise and admiration for Chen Xia's growth, watching the fight from the crowd.

Chen Xia defeats He Chenglin in a duel, winning a three-thousand-pattern blade and a storage ring worth over a hundred million. He Chenglin vows revenge but knows he must wait for the right opportunity. Meanwhile, Chen Xia's family watches news footage of him fighting bravely on the battlefield, boosting the Federation's morale against the alien races. Chen Xia, an S4-level genius of the Vermilion Bird Martial Hall, has accumulated 11,500 merit points and is praised for his bravery and perseverance.