Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia decides to take over Sky Net to gain intelligence and investigate Liu Qingyu's background.
• He visits Sky Net's headquarters in Fengyang City, where he encounters Shadowless, the leader, and his trusted subordinate.
• Chen Xia challenges Shadowless, offering him three moves. Despite Shadowless's best efforts, he cannot land a hit on Chen Xia, who subjugates him with ease.
• Chen Xia implants soul slave seals on Shadowless and his subordinate, ensuring their loyalty and obedience.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia demonstrates his power and confidence as a Grandmaster, easily defeating Shadowless and asserting his dominance.
• Shadowless, initially defiant, submits to Chen Xia after realizing the vast gap in power between them.
• The trusted subordinate accepts Chen Xia's rule without resistance, showing a lack of initiative or backbone.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics: Chen Xia's strength and status as a Grandmaster allow him to control and subjugate others.
• Intelligence gathering: Chen Xia seeks to gain information and influence through taking over Sky Net.
• Loyalty and obedience: Chen Xia's use of soul slave seals ensures the loyalty of his new subordinates.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia and Shadowless: Their interaction showcases the power imbalance between a Grandmaster and a Golden Body cultivator, with Shadowless ultimately submitting to Chen Xia.
• Chen Xia and the trusted subordinate: The subordinate's quick acceptance of Chen Xia's rule highlights the lack of resistance or defiance among those who recognize Chen Xia's power.
• Chen Xia and Sky Net: By taking over Sky Net, Chen Xia gains an intelligence network and a means to investigate Liu Qingyu's background, furthering his goals.

Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia takes over Sky Net, its resources, and learns about its distribution and strongholds in other nations.
• He tasks Shadowless with investigating several matters, including the Changsha King's interest in him, Bai Heng's past, and Black Mist Mountain.
• Chen Xia cultivates in seclusion, consuming Blood Demon Fruits and practicing his Spirit Calling Technique.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia: Shows strategic thinking in taking over Sky Net and its resources. He plans to use the Federation's nuclear weapons against the Different Race once he reaches Martial God.
• Shadowless: Accepts Chen Xia's authority and completes the tasks given to him. He shows respect and reverence towards Chen Xia.

Significant Themes

• Power and Control: Chen Xia's takeover of Sky Net demonstrates his growing influence and control over resources and intelligence networks.
• Cultivation and Ambition: Chen Xia's cultivation progress and plans for the future highlight his ambition and determination to strengthen the Federation.
• Investigation and Information: The tasks Chen Xia gives to Shadowless emphasize the importance of gathering information and understanding one's enemies.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia and Shadowless: Their interaction shows Chen Xia's authority and Shadowless's acceptance of his new role, as well as Chen Xia's trust in Shadowless's investigative abilities.
• Chen Xia and Bai Heng: Although not directly interacting, Chen Xia's thoughts about Bai Heng's past and his role in Sky Net's storehouse show Chen Xia's continued interest in understanding his enemy.

Chapter Summary: “Don’t Kill My Daughter”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shadowless reports on Liu Qingyu’s background. She is from Qichuan County, where her mother recently died of illness. After selling the family property, Liu Qingyu traveled to Fengyang City and then continued north, apparently intending to leave the Zhao Kingdom.
• Chen Xia learns that the rumor claiming the Changsha King wanted him dead was likely fabricated by the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince may be attempting to turn Chen Xia and the Changsha King against each other for political advantage.
• The Crown Prince is currently in the imperial palace but is expected to leave next month to suppress bandits near Mian Prefecture, potentially creating an opportunity for Chen Xia to confront or investigate him.
• Shadowless reveals that Bai Heng’s real name is Liu Heng. Letters Bai Heng sent through an assassin were all delivered to Liu Qingyu’s family home, proving that Liu Qingyu is his daughter.
• Liu Qingyu may also have obtained an ancient inheritance, though the exact details remain unknown.
• Chen Xia orders Sky Net to continue tracking Liu Qingyu but specifically forbids them from acting against her.
• Chen Xia gives Shadowless a fragment of a Soul Crystal and orders him to investigate whether such crystals are traded through Fengyang City’s auctions or merchant associations.
• After Shadowless leaves, Chen Xia releases Bai Heng’s soul from the Spirit-Calling Bone Staff and confronts him about Liu Qingyu.
• Bai Heng initially denies having a daughter, but Chen Xia threatens to have Sky Net kill Liu Qingyu. Bai Heng immediately breaks down and admits that she is his only daughter.
• Chen Xia informs Bai Heng that his wife has already died. The revelation leaves Bai Heng devastated and regretful over the years he spent pursuing power instead of caring for his family.
• Chen Xia then uses Bai Heng’s desperation to question him about the inheritance he obtained from the Hanging Coffin Ancient Path. The chapter ends as this interrogation begins.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia becomes more calculating and politically aware. He recognizes the Crown Prince’s scheme and carefully chooses not to harm Liu Qingyu, while using the threat against her to force Bai Heng to reveal the truth.
• Shadowless continues to prove his value as an intelligence operative. Although he feels guilty about betraying Bai Heng’s identity, he prioritizes protecting himself and serving Chen Xia.
• Bai Heng is exposed as Liu Qingyu’s father. His formerly controlled and submissive attitude collapses when her life is threatened, revealing deep love and guilt. He regrets sacrificing his family life for martial ambition.
• Liu Qingyu remains absent, but her importance increases: she is Bai Heng’s daughter, may possess an ancient inheritance, and is being pursued while attempting to flee the Zhao Kingdom.
• The Crown Prince is characterized as manipulative and politically dangerous, using false rumors to engineer conflict between Chen Xia and the Changsha King.

Significant Themes

• Family versus ambition: Bai Heng’s regret shows the emotional cost of pursuing power while neglecting loved ones.
• Manipulation and political intrigue: The Crown Prince’s false rumors demonstrate how rivals can weaponize misunderstandings to control powerful figures.
• Power and vulnerability: Though Bai Heng was once a formidable martial figure, he is helpless as a soul and can only beg Chen Xia to spare his daughter.
• Truth revealed under pressure: Chen Xia’s threat exposes Bai Heng’s hidden identity and emotional weakness.
• Mercy and control: Chen Xia does not simply punish his enemies; he uses information, restraint, and psychological pressure to control the situation.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Xia and Shadowless: Chen Xia receives intelligence about Liu Qingyu, the Crown Prince, Bai Heng, and Soul Crystals, assigning Shadowless further investigative tasks.
• Chen Xia and Bai Heng: Their confrontation centers on Liu Qingyu’s identity. Chen Xia tests Bai Heng’s loyalty and emotional attachment by threatening her, forcing him to confess.
• Bai Heng and his deceased family: Through Bai Heng’s grief, the chapter reveals his remorse for abandoning his wife and daughter while seeking higher martial cultivation.
• Chen Xia and the Crown Prince: They do not interact directly, but Chen Xia begins recognizing the Crown Prince as a political enemy whose schemes may require future action.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Heng reveals he found an ancient qi-refining art, Qi Control Art, in the Hanging Coffin Ancient Path.
• He couldn't cultivate it due to lack of talent and believes Chen Xia won't be able to either.
• Bai Heng shares that Northern Mang's forbidden zones are remnants of ancient battlefields.
• He mentions Heavenly Origin Mountain, a more mysterious forbidden zone that might open soon.

Character Developments

• Bai Heng, initially defiant, becomes cooperative and submissive, hoping to spare his daughter and reveal a secret to Chen Xia.
• Chen Xia remains unmoved by Bai Heng's pleas and reveals he has no ill intent towards his daughter.

Significant Themes

• The existence of multiple cultivation paths: martial arts and ancient qi-refinement.
• The power of laws and the ultimate goal of cultivation.
• The potential danger and opportunity of Heavenly Origin Mountain.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia and Bai Heng: Bai Heng reveals secrets to Chen Xia, hoping to spare his daughter, while Chen Xia remains indifferent.
• Chen Xia and Liu Qingyu (Bai Heng's daughter): Chen Xia reveals he sees Liu Qingyu as a benefactor, surprising Bai Heng.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia learns that Fengyang City's Treasure Pavilion has Soul Crystals, which he needs for breaking through to Martial Venerable.
• Shadowless purchases one thousand Soul Crystals from Treasure Pavilion on Chen Xia's behalf.
• Chen Xia decides to break through to the peak of Grandmaster in Fengyang City before advancing to Martial Venerable.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia demonstrates his wealth and influence by giving Shadowless ten million taels to buy Soul Crystals.
• Chen Xia shows determination in breaking through to Martial Venerable, planning to absorb all his remaining resources to reach the peak of Grandmaster.

Significant Themes

• The importance of resources (Soul Crystals, Star Essence Stones, medicinal herbs) for cultivation advancement.
• Chen Xia's ambition to become stronger and break through to Martial Venerable.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia and Shadowless work together to gather Soul Crystals, highlighting their partnership and Chen Xia's trust in Shadowless.
• Chen Xia's interaction with the Treasure Pavilion merchant guild, showing his influence and wealth.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia breaks through to the peak of Grandmaster in just two years, a feat nearly impossible even for geniuses.
• His physical prowess increases significantly; he can shatter mountains and sever rivers with a single punch.
• Chen Xia's skin becomes tough yet supple like jade, and his internal force forms a protective membrane within his body.
• Chen Xia's breakthrough to the peak of Grandmaster causes a strange resonance between heaven and earth, stirring vital energy fluctuations over a vast area in Fengyang City.
• The Tan Family, one of the Four Great Families, holds a meeting to discuss the implications of Chen Xia's breakthrough and decides to show him respect and offer gifts.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia's power and physique improve significantly, making him even more formidable.
• Tan Shang, the head of the Tan Family, realizes the gravity of Chen Xia's breakthrough and decides to avoid offending him.

Significant Themes

• The power of cultivation and its impact on society.
• The respect and fear that Grandmasters command.
• The importance of discipline and humility in cultivation, as demonstrated by Tan Yuanlang's fate.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia interacts with the waiter, who is awestruck by the amount of crystals and medicinal dregs Chen Xia has consumed.
• The Tan Family members discuss Chen Xia's breakthrough and decide to show him respect.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia breaks through to the perfected Grandmaster realm, causing a commotion in Fengyang City.
• Various families and powers send congratulatory gifts and try to curry favor with Chen Xia, fearing his displeasure.
• Chen Xia accepts the gifts without hesitation, as he needs resources to purchase Soul Crystals.
• Wang Sheng, the manager of the Treasure Pavilion, personally delivers gifts to Chen Xia, hoping to befriend him.
• Chen Xia spends the afternoon testing his new strength in the forest outside Fengyang City.
• Shadowless returns with a substantial number of Soul Crystals gathered for Chen Xia.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia reaches the perfected Grandmaster realm, elevating his status and causing others to treat him with greater respect and fear.
• Shadowless, now Chen Xia's slave, accepts his new role and works diligently to serve Chen Xia, hoping to gain his favor.

Significant Themes

• The power and influence of a Grandmaster, and the fear and respect it commands.
• The importance of resources and cultivation materials for advancing one's cultivation.
• The dynamics of power and status in the cultivation world.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia interacts with various families and powers in Fengyang City, who try to ingratiate themselves with him.
• Chen Xia and Wang Sheng establish a friendly relationship, with Wang Sheng hoping to gain Chen Xia's favor.
• Chen Xia and Shadowless begin to build a master-servant relationship, with Shadowless working diligently to serve Chen Xia.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia receives a report from Shadowless about the successful acquisition of Soul Crystals.
• Shadowless bought 13,000 Soul Crystals, exceeding Chen Xia's initial request due to discounts and additional finds.
• Chen Xia rewards Shadowless with a lower earth-grade treasured sword, the Seven Stars Companion Moon Sword.
• Chen Xia decides to sell his excess high-grade weapons to purchase more Soul Crystals.
• Chen Xia begins the process of condensing Spirit Flowers using the Soul Crystals.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia demonstrates his satisfaction with Shadowless's efficiency and rewards him accordingly.
• Chen Xia shows his strategic thinking in using his resources to acquire more Soul Crystals for his advancement.

Significant Themes

• The value of competent subordinates and the benefits of delegation.
• The importance of resources and strategic planning in achieving goals.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia and Shadowless interact as leader and subordinate, with Chen Xia expressing satisfaction with Shadowless's work and rewarding him.
• Chen Xia's generosity with his resources, both in rewarding Shadowless and in selling high-grade weapons, highlights his confidence and strategic thinking.

Chapter Summary: Spirit Seed

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia begins condensing his first Spirit Flower, a crucial step toward advancing from grandmaster perfection to the Martial Venerable Realm.
• He explains that Spirit Flowers are formed from the cultivator’s essence, energy, spirit, qi, blood, and the qi of the Five Viscera. They act as a medium for communicating with the natural world and later comprehending the laws of heaven and earth.
• Using Soul Crystals to replenish his Spiritual Power, Chen Xia enters inner vision and carefully gathers the Five Elements qi from his liver, heart, spleen, lungs, and kidneys.
• The energies initially repel one another, causing intense pain, trembling, and mental strain. After three days of effort, he successfully forms and stabilizes a faint spiritual light—the root and seed of the Spirit Flower.
• Over the next five days, the seed grows to roughly three times its original brightness, resembling candlelight. Chen Xia continues cultivating, intending to make his Spirit Flower as large as possible, since a larger flower can communicate more strongly with heaven and earth and accumulate greater power of law.
• His cultivation is extraordinarily efficient: he progresses far faster than ordinary grandmasters and has a higher chance of success because Soul Crystals allow him to maintain the seed’s stability.
• However, the process consumes enormous resources. He has already used around a thousand Soul Crystals and 100,000 points of Negative Energy, though he still possesses over 330,000 points.
• Chen Xia decides he will need to gather more resources once his supply runs low.
• His cultivation is interrupted by a video call from his master, Ouyang Shuo, who asks about his recent progress.

Character Development

• Chen Xia demonstrates exceptional control, patience, and spiritual power. His grasp of the laws of the void gives him confidence that condensing the Spirit Flower will not be beyond his abilities.
• He becomes more aware of the danger and complexity of the process, recognizing that even a moment of imbalance could destroy the Spirit Flower seed and undo months or years of effort.
• Chen Xia’s ambition grows as he chooses not merely to form a Spirit Flower, but to test how large and powerful he can make it.
• He also shows strategic awareness by monitoring his Negative Energy reserves and planning to obtain more resources before his cultivation is hindered.
• Ouyang Shuo reenters the narrative as Chen Xia’s mentor and source of guidance, though their conversation has only just begun.

Significant Themes

• Cultivation through balance and precision: Success depends on harmonizing the Five Elements, essence, energy, spirit, and bodily qi without allowing any force to overwhelm the others.
• The foundation of future power: The Spirit Flower is not only a breakthrough method but also the basis for later comprehension of heavenly laws.
• Talent versus resources: Chen Xia’s exceptional ability allows him to advance rapidly, but even he requires vast quantities of Soul Crystals and Negative Energy.
• Risk and perseverance: The process is fragile and failure can destroy both physical strength and confidence, emphasizing the need for patience and sustained effort.
• Ambition and potential: Chen Xia refuses to settle for merely achieving the minimum breakthrough and seeks to create a Spirit Flower stronger than the standard Martial Venerable level.
• Humanity’s future: His thoughts about the Federation’s expanding network reveal his hope that humanity will continue developing and eventually resist or challenge foreign races.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia has no direct interaction with others during most of the chapter; the focus is on his internal cultivation and his relationship with his master’s teachings.
• He relies on Ouyang Shuo’s earlier explanations and written guidance to understand the Spirit Flower-condensation process.
• At the end, Ouyang Shuo contacts him by video call, creating a transition from solitary cultivation to a likely mentor-disciple discussion about Chen Xia’s progress.

Chapter Summary: “Federation News, Third Watch”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia contacts his master, Ouyang Shuo, from the Outer Domain and reports that he has reached the Grandmaster Perfection realm.
• Ouyang Shuo congratulates him and gives detailed guidance on the next stage of cultivation: condensing the first Spirit Flower.
• Ouyang demonstrates his own Spirit Flowers through a one-to-one holographic projection. He possesses eight complete flowers and half of a ninth, placing him close to the Martial Saint realm.
• Ouyang explains that Spirit Flowers can vary in size, but all nine must ultimately be exactly equal in size to form a stable balance and allow advancement to Martial Saint.
• He warns Chen Xia not to be overly ambitious. Larger flowers provide greater potential but consume more energy and carry a serious risk of failure later in the Nine Flower Realm.
• Ouyang reveals that his own cultivation was damaged by injuries sustained during an early battle against alien Grandmasters. These injuries weakened his soul and prevented him from completing his ninth flower.
• The conversation then shifts to Federation politics. Ouyang informs Chen Xia that the Federation Holy Lord election will take place in two months.
• Brant, America’s Dragon Lord, is challenging the long-serving Thunder Holy Lord, Lei Qianren. Brant publicly claims he can eliminate the alien-race threat within five years.
• Brant narrowly lost the previous election by only three votes, and his growing popularity makes the outcome uncertain.
• Chen Xia worries that Brant’s rise could destabilize the Federation and create personal difficulties for him, since Brant already appears hostile toward him.
• Chen Xia ultimately decides to focus on his own cultivation and Outer Domain responsibilities. He believes that once he reaches the Martial Venerable realm, he will be strong enough to protect himself regardless of who becomes Holy Lord.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia demonstrates rapid advancement, reaching Grandmaster Perfection in a short time. He remains cautious, asking practical questions before attempting to condense his first Spirit Flower.
• He also shows increasing political awareness, recognizing the danger of Brant’s promises and the possibility that poor leadership could worsen the Federation’s crisis.
• Ouyang Shuo acts as a careful mentor, emphasizing patience, balance, and the long-term consequences of cultivation choices.
• Ouyang’s past injuries add depth to his character, revealing that his incomplete cultivation is the result of sacrifice and battle rather than lack of talent.
• Ouyang also remains politically informed and concerned about both Chen Xia’s future and the Federation’s stability.
• Brant is established as an ambitious and potentially dangerous political rival. His bold public promise attracts widespread support but raises doubts about his motives and competence.
• Lei Qianren is portrayed as a long-serving leader whose extended rule is increasingly being challenged, despite his continued position as Holy Lord.

Significant Themes

• Caution versus ambition: Chen Xia must decide how large to make his first Spirit Flower, balancing greater strength against the risk of crippling failure.
• The importance of balance: The equal size and quality required of the nine Spirit Flowers reflects the broader need for harmony and equilibrium in cultivation.
• The cost of past battles: Ouyang’s injuries show how even victory can leave lasting physical and spiritual consequences.
• Political uncertainty and public opinion: Brant’s campaign demonstrates how slogans and promises can influence both ordinary citizens and political elites.
• Power and responsibility: The Federation’s leadership directly affects its survival, especially under the threat of alien races.
• Growth and future potential: Chen Xia recognizes that he is not yet powerful enough to influence major Federation affairs, but believes his rapid progress will soon change that.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia and Ouyang Shuo share a respectful master-disciple conversation centered first on cultivation and later on politics.
• Ouyang gives Chen Xia a visual example of his own Spirit Flowers so that Chen Xia can make an informed decision about his cultivation path.
• Chen Xia asks direct questions and challenges the political claims surrounding Brant, showing both trust in his master and independent judgment.
• Ouyang warns Chen Xia to report any cultivation problems immediately, reinforcing their close relationship and Ouyang’s protective role.
• The discussion of Brant also highlights a potential future conflict between Chen Xia and the American Dragon Lord, especially if Brant becomes Holy Lord.

Chapter Summary: The Crown Prince Leaves the City

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ouyang Shuo warns Chen Xia that the Federation may fall under the influence of Brant of America, an aggressive leader hostile to Xia Nation. Brant could pursue militaristic policies and send more troops into the Outer Domain, destabilizing the Federation.
• Ouyang Shuo advises Chen Xia to focus on peacefully breaking through to the Martial Venerable realm rather than becoming anxious about political turmoil. Xia Nation remains protected by a Martial Saint, so the Federation cannot easily interfere with its internal affairs.
• Chen Xia continues cultivating and strengthening his Spirit Flower. After fifteen days and the conversion of thousands of Soul Crystals, his Spirit Flower seed grows steadily and reaches approximately two centimeters wide.
• Chen Xia aims to form an exceptionally large Spirit Flower, believing that its size will determine his strength and potential after entering the Martial Venerable realm. However, he recognizes that he must balance size with the need to successfully form all nine flowers.
• After exhausting his Negative Energy while refining more Soul Crystals, Chen Xia decides to obtain additional resources from the Winged Race’s camp.
• Windless arrives with intelligence: the Crown Prince has left the Capital for Mian Prefecture, where he intends to command the military and suppress local bandits.
• The Crown Prince is accompanied by Zhang Heng, a peak Grandmaster and eunuch commander who has mastered the Vajra Indestructible Art. Zhang Heng is renowned for killing four Grandmasters bare-handed and is considered nearly invincible among fighters of his level.
• Chen Xia learns that no Martial Venerable is escorting the Crown Prince. Realizing the Crown Prince is vulnerable, he decides to kill him during the journey.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia grows increasingly determined to reach the Martial Venerable realm. He believes his unusually powerful body, qi, blood, Spiritual Power, and explosive techniques already allow him to contend with Martial Venerables despite remaining a Grandmaster.
• His ambition increases as he imagines how overwhelming his strength will become after breaking through. He hopes to develop a Spirit Flower at least the size of an adult’s fist, far larger than that of an ordinary Martial Venerable.
• Chen Xia also becomes more decisive and ruthless. He identifies the Crown Prince as the person who spread rumors that the Changsha King wanted him dead and resolves to eliminate him now that the prince has exposed himself.
• Ouyang Shuo acts as a cautious mentor, providing political analysis and urging Chen Xia to cultivate patiently rather than be distracted by external instability.
• Windless demonstrates his loyalty to Chen Xia and Sky Net by promptly delivering intelligence about the Crown Prince.
• The Crown Prince is revealed as calculating and manipulative. He attempted to use Chen Xia and the Changsha King against each other so that he could benefit from their conflict.
• Zhang Heng is established as the Crown Prince’s primary protector and a formidable peak-Grandmaster opponent.

Significant Themes

• Strength as security: Chen Xia believes only personal power can protect him amid political chaos and the dangerous conditions of the Federation and Outer Domain.
• Ambition versus restraint: He wants to maximize the size of his Spirit Flowers, but understands that excessive ambition could cause failure and ruin his advancement.
• Political instability and military aggression: Ouyang Shuo’s warning about Brant highlights how changes in leadership can trigger wider conflict.
• Manipulation and retribution: The Crown Prince’s schemes eventually place him within Chen Xia’s reach, turning his political plotting into the cause of his own downfall.
• Preparation before action: The chapter contrasts long-term cultivation and careful intelligence gathering with Chen Xia’s sudden decision to strike once the right opportunity appears.

Character Interactions

• Ouyang Shuo and Chen Xia discuss the Federation’s political future, Brant’s hostility, and the importance of Chen Xia’s breakthrough.
• Windless reports the Crown Prince’s movements and Zhang Heng’s abilities to Chen Xia.
• Chen Xia questions Windless about the presence of Martial Venerables and concludes that the Crown Prince’s escort is insufficient to stop him.
• The chapter ends with Chen Xia privately deciding to intercept and kill the Crown Prince, viewing the prince’s departure from the Capital as an opportunity to settle their feud.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Crown Prince Wu Tong of Zhao Kingdom leaves the capital to suppress bandits, accompanied by an elite cavalry squad.
• The Crown Prince is gifted a powerful treasured saber by his chief steward, Zhang Heng, before their journey.
• Three days later, as they approach Yue City, an unknown hooded figure blocks their procession.

Character Developments

• Crown Prince Wu Tong: Confident, ambitious, and determined to secure his position as the future ruler of Zhao Kingdom.
• Zhang Heng: The chief steward and a peak Grandmaster expert, loyal to the Crown Prince and seeking a peaceful old age by supporting him.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and political intrigue within the royal court.
• The disparity between the nobility and commoners, with commoners showing deference to royalty.
• Ambition and determination in pursuing one's goals.

Character Interactions

• Crown Prince Wu Tong and Zhang Heng: They share a cordial relationship, with the Crown Prince valuing Zhang Heng's support and Zhang Heng hoping for a peaceful old age by backing the Crown Prince.
• Crown Prince Wu Tong and the hooded figure: Their encounter is brief, but it hints at potential danger or conflict.

Chapter Summary: Dares to Provoke This Crown Prince?! Third Watch

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia openly blocks the Crown Prince Wu Tong’s procession on the official road, demanding that everyone else move aside.
• He intends to punish or kill the Crown Prince for spreading rumors and manipulating the matter of the Changsha King’s assassination attempt against him.
• Windless secretly observes from a nearby forest. From Chen Xia’s behavior, he realizes that his mysterious leader is very likely Chen Xia himself.
• Windless is shocked by Chen Xia’s recklessness, since attacking the Crown Prince means provoking the entire Zhao Kingdom. However, as Chen Xia’s slave and only a Golden Body martial artist, he can do nothing but watch.
• The Crown Prince questions Chen Xia’s identity, but Chen Xia only reminds him of his past actions.
• Wu Tong arrogantly decides to kill Chen Xia himself. He uses the imperial Nine Dragons Heaven-Commanding Art, the Son of Heaven’s Nine Slashes, and the power of the dynasty’s fortune to deliver a devastating saber strike.
• Chen Xia remains calm and counters with a single sword stroke. His attack completely breaks through the Crown Prince’s Blade Force, imperial techniques, and dragon-shaped true qi.
• Chen Xia severs Wu Tong’s right hand at the wrist, causing the Crown Prince’s saber and hand to fly away.
• Wu Tong is overwhelmed by pain, humiliation, rage, and fear. His injury threatens both his political ambitions and future martial cultivation.
• As Wu Tong tries to retreat, Chen Xia pursues him, clearly intending to finish the Crown Prince rather than allow him to escape.

Character Development

• Chen Xia demonstrates decisive resolve and a willingness to confront imperial power directly. He refuses to tolerate being manipulated and shows overwhelming confidence in his own strength.
• Windless becomes increasingly convinced that Chen Xia is his mysterious leader. His perception of Chen Xia shifts from uncertainty to wary admiration, though he also considers Chen Xia dangerously reckless.
• Crown Prince Wu Tong is revealed as arrogant, ruthless, and accustomed to eliminating anyone who opposes him. His confidence in imperial martial arts leads him to underestimate Chen Xia, and his defeat exposes his vulnerability.
• Zhang Heng continues to act as the Crown Prince’s powerful attendant and supporter. He recognizes Wu Tong’s extraordinary talent but does not intervene before Chen Xia’s counterattack.

Significant Themes

• Defiance against political power: Chen Xia openly challenges the Crown Prince, showing that personal strength and resolve can confront even imperial authority.
• Arrogance and underestimation: Wu Tong assumes that no ordinary martial artist can threaten him, and this misjudgment results in the loss of his hand.
• Consequences of manipulation: The Crown Prince’s schemes against Chen Xia return to him when Chen Xia confronts him directly.
• Identity and hidden loyalties: Windless’s realization that Chen Xia may be his leader adds tension and connects the assassination attempt to the wider mystery surrounding the Sky Net.
• Power beyond status: Despite Wu Tong’s imperial inheritance and access to dynastic fortune, Chen Xia’s swordsmanship proves decisively superior.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia and the guards: Chen Xia ignores the guards’ warnings and makes clear that he has come specifically for the Crown Prince.
• Chen Xia and Wu Tong: Their exchange quickly escalates from questioning to open combat. Chen Xia accuses Wu Tong indirectly, while Wu Tong responds with contempt and a threat to kill him.
• Wu Tong and Zhang Heng: Zhang Heng offers to deal with Chen Xia, but Wu Tong chooses to attack personally, reflecting his pride and confidence.
• Windless and Chen Xia: Although they do not speak, Windless watches from hiding and begins to identify Chen Xia as his leader, deepening his loyalty and concern.
• Chen Xia and the procession: Chen Xia’s public challenge shocks both the commoners and the Crown Prince’s followers, transforming the official road into the scene of a direct imperial confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “Huge Compensation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia overwhelms the Crown Prince, Wu Tong, in a confrontation. Wu Tong’s imperial fortune technique, the Nine Dragons, and his saber attack are effortlessly broken, and Chen Xia severs one of his hands.
• Wu Tong realizes that Chen Xia’s speed, strength, and sword intent are far beyond his own. Chen Xia’s attack displays the power of at least six levels of fire force, while Wu Tong has mastered only four.
• At the brink of death, Wu Tong activates a life-saving talisman left by a Martial Venerable. Chen Xia nevertheless destroys the protective shield with his Explosive Qi Art, sending Wu Tong flying and seriously injuring him.
• Wu Tong begs for mercy and offers compensation: five hundred thousand Star Essence Stones, three sacred arts, a high-grade Earth-ranked saber, and an oath never to trouble Chen Xia again.
• Chen Xia accepts the compensation after determining that they have no truly irreconcilable enmity. He warns Wu Tong not to provoke him again.
• Zhang Heng, who had initially been called to help the Crown Prince, is too intimidated to intervene after witnessing Chen Xia break the Martial Venerable’s talisman. He realizes that Chen Xia is far beyond his own level.
• After Chen Xia leaves, Wu Tong orders Zhang Heng to suppress the incident and hide it from the Emperor until his severed hand can be restored with an Ancient Sinew-Regrowth Pill. He fears that revealing an apparent conflict with someone comparable to a Martial Venerable would damage his position as Crown Prince.
• Windless, a subordinate of Chen Xia, secretly witnesses the entire battle and is deeply shocked by Chen Xia’s overwhelming strength. Chen Xia later appears before him, tells him not to spread what he has seen, and sends him back.
• Chen Xia reflects on the battle and concludes that he had underestimated his own power. He realizes that grandmasters like Wu Tong are no longer capable of threatening him.
• The chapter ends with Chen Xia examining the three newly acquired sacred arts: Nine Dragons Heaven-Commanding Art, Son of Heaven’s Nine Slashes, and Vajra Indestructible Art.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia: Demonstrates overwhelming combat power, enough to destroy a Martial Venerable’s defensive talisman and frighten a peak-completion grandmaster. He remains calm and practical, choosing compensation over unnecessary killing. The battle serves as a test of his strength and confirms that he has reached an extremely powerful level.
• Crown Prince Wu Tong: His arrogance and authority collapse once he faces Chen Xia. He becomes frightened, pragmatic, and humble, abandoning his pride to preserve his life. His willingness to surrender nearly all his valuable resources shows his intelligence and ability to assess danger.
• Zhang Heng: Initially believes Chen Xia is merely an ordinary grandmaster he could easily defeat. After witnessing the shattered talisman, he recognizes Chen Xia as an existence comparable to or stronger than a Martial Venerable and becomes too frightened to act.
• Windless: His loyalty and fear of Chen Xia intensify. Seeing the Crown Prince defeated transforms Chen Xia in his eyes from a powerful leader into an almost divine figure.

Significant Themes

• Power and hierarchy: Political authority is meaningless before absolute martial strength. Despite being the future emperor, Wu Tong can only beg when confronted by someone stronger.
• Pragmatism and survival: Wu Tong immediately abandons pride and offers enormous compensation when he realizes he cannot win. Chen Xia likewise chooses the most practical resolution rather than killing him without cause.
• The danger of reputation and secrecy: Wu Tong fears that news of the encounter could damage his standing and expose his vulnerability, so he orders the witnesses silenced and conceals the event from the Emperor.
• Growth and self-assessment: Chen Xia uses the conflict to measure his strength and discovers that he has advanced far beyond what he previously believed.
• Loyalty through awe and fear: Windless’s reaction shows how overwhelming strength can inspire both devotion and worship in subordinates.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Xia and Wu Tong: Their confrontation shifts from violence to negotiation. Wu Tong begs for his life, offers treasures and sacred arts, and swears an oath of non-retaliation. Chen Xia accepts after confirming that no deep grudge exists.
• Chen Xia and Zhang Heng: Chen Xia’s brief glance is enough to paralyze Zhang Heng with fear. Zhang Heng recognizes that he cannot protect the Crown Prince or challenge Chen Xia.
• Wu Tong and Zhang Heng: After the battle, Wu Tong orders Zhang Heng to conceal the incident, arrange medical treatment, and prevent the Emperor from learning the truth.
• Chen Xia and Windless: Chen Xia acknowledges that Windless witnessed the battle but only warns him to keep silent. Windless responds with extreme fear, respect, and admiration.

Chapter Summary: “Slaying His Way into Tai Lake”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia reviews three techniques: Nine Dragons Heaven-Commanding Art, Vajra Indestructible Art, and Son of Heaven’s Nine Slashes.
• He chooses the Vajra Indestructible Art, a mid-grade Saint Art formerly guarded by the Great Chan Temple, because it complements his already powerful physique and can strengthen his defense by forging a vajra body and protective qi.
• He begins cultivating the art and successfully forms a faint golden sheen over his body, indicating the early development of vajra protection.
• Chen Xia studies the Son of Heaven’s Nine Slashes, a nine-form saber technique capable of multiplying his combat power. The ninth slash can theoretically produce a sixfold increase, though it places tremendous strain on the body.
• After obtaining a powerful treasured saber, Chen Xia tests it and effortlessly cleaves a massive boulder. He then practices the first several forms of the saber art, including Dragon Raises Its Head, which carves a deep ravine into the ground.
• Chen Xia realizes that his old Explosive Qi Art is becoming insufficient for his growing strength, making the new Saint Art especially valuable.
• Looking for Negative Energy to advance toward the Martial Venerable realm, Chen Xia decides to target the notorious bandits around Yue City and Tai Lake, believing their cruelty will provide a rich supply.
• At a mountain stronghold, the bandit king Jia Bao, also known as the Tai Lake Blood Dragon King, tortures a merchant and threatens the merchant’s daughter in an attempt to discover the location of the family’s hidden wealth.
• Jia Bao learns that the Crown Prince’s army has arrived near Yue City, but dismisses the threat after hearing that the Crown Prince himself was forced to withdraw by another martial expert.
• Chen Xia locates the stronghold by releasing bats to scout the mountains. He kills his way through the guards and enters the cave while Jia Bao is abusing the merchant’s daughter.
• Jia Bao orders more than twenty bandits to attack Chen Xia. The chapter ends as Chen Xia faces the surrounding bandits with clear anticipation of the Negative Energy they will provide.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia grows increasingly confident in his overwhelming strength. He can quickly comprehend advanced martial arts and skip much of the laborious training required by ordinary cultivators.
• He begins transitioning from relying on lower-grade explosive techniques to combining powerful Saint Arts with his superior physical foundation.
• His choice of the Vajra Indestructible Art reflects his emphasis on strengthening his body and creating an almost unbreakable defensive base.
• His mastery of the saber gives him a new identity and presence, making him appear more like a formidable saber expert.
• Jia Bao is portrayed as a ruthless, arrogant, and depraved bandit king. His confidence comes from his mastery of water-based escape, his command of hundreds of men, and the protection offered by Tai Lake’s terrain.

Significant Themes

• Strength built on foundation: Chen Xia values physical cultivation because a stronger body allows him to use more powerful techniques without suffering injury.
• The limits of old methods: His Explosive Qi Art can no longer fully match his advancing cultivation, emphasizing the need to constantly acquire stronger techniques.
• Power and impunity: Jia Bao represents the corruption that arises when someone believes geography, strength, and followers make him untouchable.
• Justice versus personal gain: Chen Xia targets the bandits primarily to harvest Negative Energy rather than out of altruism, though his actions incidentally aid their victims.
• Weapon and identity: The treasured saber not only increases Chen Xia’s destructive power but also changes his outward aura and confidence.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia has no direct interaction with the Crown Prince in this chapter, but he reflects on their earlier encounter and believes the Crown Prince will hesitate to confront him.
• Jia Bao psychologically torments the merchant by threatening his daughter, while the second chief encourages increasingly cruel methods of coercion.
• The merchant is trapped between revealing his hidden wealth and preserving his family’s remaining resources, knowing the bandits may kill them regardless.
• Jia Bao’s subordinates reinforce his arrogance through flattery and enthusiasm for violence.
• Chen Xia’s arrival abruptly interrupts the bandits’ abuse, turning the stronghold’s attention from the helpless merchant’s family toward a new and far more dangerous opponent.

Chapter Summary: Tai Lake Blood Dragon King Dies

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia attacks a mountain stronghold filled with bandits, viewing them as sources of “Negative Energy.” Most are criminals and repeat offenders, making their deaths both profitable and, in his view, morally justified.
• He tests the defensive power of the Indestructible Golden Body Art, forming a golden protective barrier that blocks the bandits’ weapons without difficulty.
• Chen Xia uses the first move of Son of Heaven’s Nine Slashes, Dragon Raises Its Head, to kill numerous bandits in a single attack. Their leader, Jia Bao, barely survives after his broadsword is split apart.
• The surviving bandits and Jia Bao attempt to flee. Jia Bao provokes Chen Xia by claiming that he is unbeatable in water and challenges him to pursue him into Tai Lake. Chen Xia deliberately gives him ten breaths to escape.
• While Jia Bao flees, Chen Xia uses blood mist and bats to monitor the surrounding area. He hunts down the remaining bandits throughout the mountain, collecting a large amount of Negative Energy and confiscating their wealth.
• Jia Bao hides over two hundred meters beneath Tai Lake, relying on his Turtle Breath Breathing Technique and superior underwater movement. He believes Chen Xia cannot find or defeat him underwater.
• Chen Xia tracks Jia Bao directly to his hidden cavern. Jia Bao’s underwater advantages prove useless: Chen Xia moves faster, remains unaffected by the water, wounds him, captures him, and kills him with a punch that destroys his head.
• After searching Jia Bao’s body, Chen Xia obtains silver, Star Essence Stones, pills, martial arts manuals, and especially the Turtle Breath Breathing Art. He recognizes the technique’s value because, at its highest level, it allows breathing through the pores.
• Chen Xia leaves Tai Lake after wiping out the stronghold. His Negative Energy rises by 56,000 points.
• Over the following month, he continues destroying bandit groups, Evil Cult organizations, sects, and criminal gangs throughout the Zhao Kingdom. Rumors spread about the mysterious figure responsible, who becomes known among the people as the “hero of the Zhao Kingdom.”

2. Character Developments

• Chen Xia grows increasingly confident in his abilities. He uses the bandit attack to test both his defensive Golden Body technique and his saber art, confirming that he can dominate large groups with little effort.
• His strength is shown to extend beyond ordinary environmental limitations. Even underwater, he can move and fight with overwhelming speed and power.
• Chen Xia’s pragmatic morality becomes clearer: he kills criminals without guilt because they provide Negative Energy, wealth, and protection for innocent people.
• He gains a new specialized technique, the Turtle Breath Breathing Art, broadening his capabilities and preparing him for future underwater battles.
• Jia Bao, initially arrogant and confident in his reputation as the Tai Lake Blood Dragon King, becomes increasingly desperate. His belief that the water guarantees his survival collapses when Chen Xia effortlessly tracks and defeats him.

3. Significant Themes

• Justice and pragmatism: Chen Xia’s actions are simultaneously heroic and self-serving. He eliminates evil, but he is also motivated by the Negative Energy and resources he gains.
• Overconfidence and misjudgment: Jia Bao assumes that his home terrain will neutralize Chen Xia’s advantages, but he badly underestimates his opponent.
• Power transcending limitations: Chen Xia’s strength is so great that conventional disadvantages—numbers, weapons, terrain, and underwater combat—barely affect him.
• Reputation and legend: As Chen Xia destroys criminal forces across the kingdom, the truth becomes obscured by rumors. He transforms from an unknown martial artist into a folk hero and mysterious legend.
• Growth through acquisition: Chen Xia continually improves by testing techniques, collecting martial arts manuals, and incorporating useful abilities into his own arsenal.

4. Character Interactions

• Chen Xia confronts the bandits directly, allowing their attacks to test his newly forming Golden Body defense.
• Jia Bao orders his men to hold Chen Xia back while secretly fleeing, revealing his lack of loyalty and the bandits’ instinct for self-preservation.
• Jia Bao attempts to manipulate Chen Xia by challenging him to fight underwater. Chen Xia accepts, but only because he is confident the challenge poses no real danger.
• Beneath Tai Lake, Jia Bao tries to evade and exhaust Chen Xia, but Chen Xia immediately finds him and overwhelms him. Their final encounter reverses Jia Bao’s expectations: the supposedly superior underwater fighter becomes helpless.
• Chen Xia’s later actions affect the wider Zhao Kingdom, even though its people never learn his identity.

Chapter Summary: Black Mist Mountain

Key Plot Points and Events

• After emerging from a forest with smoke and fire behind him, Chen Xia stops at the foot of a mountain to eat. He summons his aircraft, prepares frozen dumplings, drinks milk, and rests.
• He reviews his recent achievements:
  • He has spent the past month eliminating Zhao Kingdom bandits, evil sects, Evil Cults, and members of the Winged Race.
  • These actions earned him over 2.2 million Negative Energy points, his largest gain so far.
  • He still possesses roughly 904,000 Negative Energy after converting and using much of it to obtain Soul Crystals.
• Chen Xia has absorbed more than 20,000 Soul Crystals, causing the Spirit Flower in his mind to grow rapidly. He estimates that another 15,000 Soul Crystals will allow his first Spirit Flower to fully form.
• His goal is not merely to condense ordinary Spirit Flowers. He intends to create nine enormous, pineapple-sized Spirit Flowers, believing their size will give him an overwhelming foundation and allow him to challenge Martial Saints after reaching the Martial Venerable realm.
• Since Shadowless can no longer find enough Soul Crystals nearby, Chen Xia decides to travel to Black Mist Mountain, where Sky Net has discovered an underground deposit of Soul Crystals but lacks the strength to excavate it safely.
• Chen Xia also reflects on his growing abilities:
  • His Vajra Indestructible Art has reached the level where it forms a golden defensive barrier, greatly strengthening his protection.
  • He has cultivated the sixth form of Son of Heaven’s Nine Slashes, Sacrifice the Common Folk, giving him nearly three times his normal combat power in a single eruption.
  • Combined with his other techniques, physical foundation, and future Martial Venerable spiritual power, he believes he may eventually unleash dozens of times his ordinary combat strength and fight a Martial Saint directly.
• With the Federation undergoing political upheaval and preparing to elect a new Holy Lord, Chen Xia considers his impending breakthrough particularly important. He activates stealth mode and flies toward Black Mist Mountain.
• The chapter then shifts to the mountain range, where Sky Net’s people are already excavating an underground cave. The area is covered in pits, ravines, skeletal remains, white miasma, and extensive black fog produced by pollen from black iron trees. The workers pause to roast wild chickens while continuing their operation.

Character Development

• Chen Xia becomes increasingly ambitious and strategic. Rather than settling for a normal breakthrough, he seeks to maximize his future potential by condensing unusually large Spirit Flowers.
• His confidence continues to grow. He now believes that, even before reaching Martial Venerable, his accumulated techniques and physical strength may allow him to confront Martial Saints.
• He remains practical and self-sufficient, using his aircraft, stored supplies, and panel-related abilities to support his cultivation and travels.
• His reliance on hunting evildoers for Negative Energy shows how he combines moral judgment, cultivation, and personal advancement into one path.

Significant Themes

• Accumulation and preparation: Chen Xia’s power comes from steadily gathering Negative Energy, Soul Crystals, techniques, and physical strength.
• Maximizing potential: The size of the Spirit Flowers represents long-term foundation and future access to laws and the power of heaven and earth.
• Advantage through unique resources: Chen Xia’s ability to reverse Soul Crystals through the panel gives him a cultivation opportunity unavailable to others.
• Ambition versus uncertainty: He recognizes the danger that pursuing oversized Spirit Flowers may create future bottlenecks, but chooses greater potential over safer advancement.
• Power amid political change: His planned breakthrough takes place while the Federation faces upheaval, suggesting that his rising strength may soon affect larger political and martial conflicts.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia has no direct interaction with other characters in the opening portion, but his relationship with Shadowless remains important. Shadowless supplies Soul Crystals and provides intelligence about the deposit at Black Mist Mountain.
• Chen Xia has instructed Shadowless and the Sky Net personnel to remain near the mountain and monitor the site until he arrives.
• The workers at Black Mist Mountain operate cooperatively, excavating the deposit and sharing food during a brief break, setting the stage for Chen Xia’s arrival and the likely conflict surrounding the Soul Crystals.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia, the leader, is rumored to have chopped off the Crown Prince's wrist.
• Shadowless and Windless discuss Chen Xia's actions and the potential consequences.
• Chen Xia arrives at the underground cavern where a Soul Crystal mine is located.
• Chen Xia decides not to mine the Soul Crystal mine but keeps his own method secret.

Character Developments

• Shadowless and Windless grow more respectful of Chen Xia due to his actions and potential power.
• Chen Xia is revealed to be from the Federation and capable of piloting advanced aircraft.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and the consequences of defying authority (Chen Xia vs. the Crown Prince).
• The value of loyalty and the benefits of serving a powerful leader (Shadowless and Windless).
• The importance of resources and materials for advancement (Soul Crystals for Chen Xia's breakthrough).

Character Interactions

• Shadowless and Windless discuss Chen Xia's actions and their potential implications, leading to a deeper respect for him.
• Chen Xia arrives and surveys the cavern, deciding not to mine the Soul Crystal mine but keeping his intentions secret.

Chapter Summary: “Spirit Flower Takes Shape”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia discovers a large, untouched deposit of Soul Crystals beneath Black Mist Mountain.
• Rather than mining the crystals manually, he decides to absorb their spiritual energy directly.
• He estimates the deposit contains the equivalent of roughly six thousand Soul Crystals, though the panel later reveals that the total energy is closer to fifteen thousand crystals.
• Chen Xia orders Shadowless and Windless to guard the cavern entrance while he experiments with reversing the entire mining area at once.
• The system reveals that reversing the deposit costs 300,000 Negative Energy—far less than reversing the crystals individually because the connected ore can be processed collectively.
• After reversal, the crystals release their frigid, harmful properties and become pure spiritual energy. Chen Xia absorbs the energy through his palm using the Eternal Night Blood Scripture.
• He spends two hours absorbing the deposit, while black mist fills the cavern and his body becomes distorted by the overwhelming energy.
• The immense spiritual energy causes the Spirit Flower within his mind to fully take shape and begin blooming.
• Chen Xia gathers the energy of his blood, organs, vital essence, and spiritual perception into the Spirit Flower, causing its petals to open completely.
• With the Spirit Flower now formed and communicating with heaven and earth, Chen Xia prepares to break through into the Martial Venerable realm.
• Shadowless and Windless are shocked to see the enormous, radiant Spirit Flower above Chen Xia’s head. He orders them to accompany him and guard his breakthrough outside the mine.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia: Demonstrates increasing confidence, resourcefulness, and control over his unique reversal ability. He discovers that large-scale reversal is more efficient than processing individual Soul Crystals. His spiritual power grows enormously, and his Spirit Flower reaches the blooming stage, bringing him to the threshold of becoming a Martial Venerable.
• Shadowless and Windless: Their respect and awe toward Chen Xia deepen. Though confused and alarmed by his dangerous absorption method, they obey his orders without question. They realize that his cultivation speed and abilities are far beyond ordinary Grandmasters.

Significant Themes

• Efficiency through unconventional methods: Chen Xia avoids traditional mining and cultivation practices by using his panel to reverse and absorb the entire deposit at once.
• Power and risk: Absorbing such a massive amount of Soul Crystal energy would normally be extremely dangerous, but Chen Xia’s unusual abilities allow him to endure it.
• Rapid transcendence: The chapter emphasizes how extraordinary Chen Xia’s cultivation progress is, as he advances toward the Martial Venerable realm shortly after reaching the peak of the Grandmaster realm.
• Transformation and spiritual rebirth: The blooming Spirit Flower represents the formation and refinement of Chen Xia’s essence, marking a major stage in his evolution.
• Loyalty and hierarchy: Shadowless and Windless do not understand Chen Xia’s actions, but they trust his authority and faithfully protect him.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia gives Shadowless and Windless strict instructions to guard the cavern and prevent anyone from disturbing him.
• The two guards privately speculate about his actions, exchanging astonished glances as they witness the black mist and realize he is absorbing the mine directly.
• After completing his absorption, Chen Xia summons them to protect his breakthrough. Their shock at seeing his massive Spirit Flower reinforces the gap between his abilities and their expectations.

Chapter Summary: Breakthrough to Martial Venerable, Third Update

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia chooses to complete his breakthrough on the surface of Black Mist Mountain rather than underground, fearing that the surge of Primal Qi might collapse the caverns.
• His Spirit Flower releases immense light, illuminating the area as he begins absorbing the surrounding Fire Star Essence.
• By spinning the nine-petaled Spirit Flower, Chen Xia creates a powerful vortex that gathers heaven-and-earth energy from across the region and channels it into his body.
• Over roughly two hours, his inner force becomes increasingly abundant. He compresses and liquefies it to prevent his body from expanding dangerously or exploding.
• During the refinement process, Chen Xia enters a mysterious state and senses a cluster of red strands—the power of laws. Although he cannot yet control it, he realizes that his Spirit Flower will allow him to continue studying it in the future.
• After successfully stabilizing his Spirit Flower and body, Chen Xia officially becomes a Martial Venerable. His physical strength, meridians, and reserves of inner force improve dramatically.
• He discovers an additional ability: spiritual sense. By extending his Spiritual Power, he can perceive his surroundings in all directions, even through darkness and underground obstacles.
• Shadowless and Windless witness the breakthrough and recognize that their former Grandmaster leader is now a true Martial Venerable. They are especially shocked by the unusually large size of his Spirit Flower, which suggests combat power far beyond that of an ordinary early-stage Martial Venerable.
• Chen Xia rewards them with pills, Star Essence Stones, and cultivation methods. He orders them to investigate the Dark Demon Lord, develop the Soul Crystal mine, distribute rewards to Sky Net members, and reorganize Sky Net under new rules.
• Sky Net is to remain a profitable intelligence organization but is no longer allowed to kill without limits. Chen Xia also promises Shadowless and Windless saint techniques if they eventually become Grandmasters.
• After they leave, Chen Xia uses his new spiritual sense to detect a hidden, furtive person in the nearby forest, setting up the next conflict.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia: Completes his transformation from Grandmaster to Martial Venerable, gaining vastly greater strength, a stabilized Spirit Flower, liquefied inner force, awareness of laws, and spiritual sense. He also becomes more confident and authoritative as the independent master of Sky Net.
• Shadowless and Windless: Their awe and loyalty toward Chen Xia deepen. They view his rewards and promises as major opportunities for advancement and become even more devoted to serving him.
• Chen Xia’s master, Ouyang Shuo: Although absent, his earlier teachings prove crucial. Chen Xia relies on his warnings about the dangers of excessive inner-force expansion and his explanation of Spirit Flowers and law comprehension.

Significant Themes

• Transformation through cultivation: The breakthrough represents a qualitative leap rather than a simple increase in strength, affecting Chen Xia’s body, energy, perception, and future potential.
• Knowledge and preparation: Chen Xia survives the dangerous breakthrough because his master prepared him for its risks.
• Power and authority: Chen Xia’s new strength elevates him to a position comparable to the most powerful figures in the Zhao Kingdom.
• Loyalty through reward and opportunity: His treatment of Shadowless and Windless shows how loyalty can be reinforced through generosity, trust, and promises of advancement.
• Moral limits on power: Chen Xia intends to reform Sky Net so that it remains effective but does not operate through indiscriminate slaughter.
• The larger path of cultivation: Sensing the power of laws and entering the Nine Flower Realm establishes a long-term direction for Chen Xia’s future growth.

Character Interactions

• Shadowless and Windless guard Chen Xia during his breakthrough and approach him with formal congratulations afterward.
• They jokingly—but seriously—proclaim that Chen Xia should rule the martial world, prompting him to deny that he has such ambitions.
• Chen Xia rewards them for their service and gives them specific missions concerning Sky Net, the Dark Demon Lord, and the Soul Crystal mine.
• His promise of saint techniques creates strong motivation and admiration in both subordinates.
• The chapter ends with Chen Xia turning his attention toward an unknown person hiding in the forest, indicating an imminent confrontation.