Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Brant and his father, Farrell, discuss reports that Chen Xia severed a Martial Saint’s arm. Brant sees Chen Xia as a growing threat and insists he must be stopped before becoming a Martial Saint.
• Morgan has stopped answering Brant’s messages. Brant suspects something is wrong and leaves to search for him, while Farrell returns to the Federation camp.
• Lei Qianren learns from Xiao Yuanzhou that the masked attacker was likely one of Brant’s men. Worried for Chen Xia, he follows Brant, hoping to protect him.
• Brant searches the area but finds no trace of Chen Xia or Morgan. After destroying part of a lake in frustration, he returns to camp.
• Chen Xia finally contacts Lei Qianren and reveals that the attacker was Morgan—and that he killed him. Lei Qianren is shocked, but sees Morgan’s death as justified because he had tried to kill Chen Xia.
• Chen Xia says he is hiding safely and expects to become a Martial Saint within a year. He asks about Soul Crystals and protective relics from the ancient immortal civilization, which might help him face the dangers beyond Martial Saint.
• Lei Qianren offers access to Xia Nation’s treasury and agrees to look for suitable treasures. He also suggests that Chen Xia and Xiao Yuanzhou remain together for protection, but Chen Xia argues that accusing Brant could provoke a wider conflict.

Character developments and interactions

• Brant becomes increasingly wary and hostile toward Chen Xia. His concern about Morgan’s silence is partly strategic: Morgan was an important Federation ally. He also wants to publicize the Federation’s victory to strengthen his own standing as Holy Lord.
• Lei Qianren shifts from anxiety over Chen Xia’s disappearance to astonishment at his strength and achievement. He treats Chen Xia as a near-equal, asking him to call him “Brother Lei” rather than “Holy Lord,” and recognizes that he may someday depend on him.
• Chen Xia remains calm and confident. He reveals his killing of Morgan only to Lei Qianren, avoids an accusation that could endanger Xia Nation, and focuses on his future advancement.
• Farrell recognizes Chen Xia’s danger but cautions that attacking Xia Nation could weaken the Federation against the alien races.
• Lei Qianren and Chen Xia build mutual trust through an honest exchange: Lei offers protection and resources; Chen appreciates Lei’s past gift of the Spirit Calling Technique.

Significant themes

• Power and political balance: Chen Xia’s rapid growth could alter the balance between Xia Nation and the Federation, while Brant seeks to consolidate his authority.
• Loyalty versus self-preservation: Morgan’s death is a loss to the Federation, but Lei feels little regret because Morgan targeted Chen Xia.
• Trust and discretion: Chen Xia confides the truth to Lei, who promises to keep it secret.
• The cost of advancement: Chen Xia’s path beyond Martial Saint involves dangerous Heavenly Tribulations, making protective treasures and preparation crucial.

Plot points and events

• Chen Xia agrees to Lei Qianren’s proposal but stays behind to cultivate. Before Lei leaves, Chen Xia gives him 30,000 reversed Soul Crystals to deliver to his master, Ouyang Shuo, hoping they will help him advance.
• Lei asks Chen Xia how to progress beyond Martial Saint. Chen explains that a Martial Saint must perfectly align the nine Spirit Flowers, then endure the Wind, Thunder, and Divine Tribulations to advance through the Three Calamities Realm. He also outlines the realms beyond it.
• Lei realizes his own nine flowers are 12% short of perfect alignment. Though the breakthrough still seems difficult, he finally understands what he must work toward.
• After Lei departs, Chen Xia returns to his cavern and resumes cultivating. He reverses Soul Crystals, absorbs their energy, and uses pills and Angel’s Blood to nourish his third Spirit Flower, which reaches about one-third of its full size.
• Chen Xia resolves to deal with Brant first once he reaches Martial Saint, convinced Brant wants him dead.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Xia shows trust and generosity toward Lei, while sharing knowledge that could transform Lei’s cultivation. He remains focused on strengthening himself and grows more determined to retaliate against Brant.
• Lei Qianren moves from uncertainty about the path beyond Martial Saint to having a concrete goal. Grateful for Chen Xia’s help, he promises to deliver the crystals to Ouyang Shuo. He privately wonders how Chen Xia knows so much but does not press him.
• Their exchange is respectful and supportive: Lei offers to guard Chen Xia and help him in the future, while Chen reassures him that his worth is not defined by his former position as Holy Lord.

Significant themes

• Knowledge as power: Chen Xia’s explanation gives Lei a path that years of searching had not revealed.
• Mentorship and trust: Chen helps both his master and Lei, sharing scarce resources and vital guidance.
• Persistence and ambition: Both men face difficult advancement—Lei must refine his flowers, while Chen steadily builds toward his own breakthrough.
• Revenge and resolve: Chen’s cultivation is tied to his intention to confront Brant.

Key plot points and events

• After extracting Morgan’s spirit, Chen Xia uses illusion and torture to learn that Brant arranged the attempt on his life. He chooses not to accuse Brant publicly: Morgan’s testimony is weak evidence, and Chen Xia would rather settle the matter himself once he is strong enough. With Angel’s Blood, he expects to reach Martial Saint within a year.
• In the Federation, Brant’s forces’ battle against the Winged Race is broadcast as a sweeping victory. Carefully staged coverage celebrates Brant and omits the battle’s later complications, including the Winged Race leaders’ retreat for reasons unrelated to being defeated.
• The broadcasts win Brant enormous public support. Citizens cheer the slaughter as protection, while the true strategic outcome is uncertain: the Winged Race’s strongest fighters survived, and the conflict may yet worsen.
• Chen Xia is absent from the coverage despite his major contribution. Lei Qianren recognizes that Brant’s camp is deliberately suppressing him.
• At the Xia Nation Ancient Tower, Lei and the other Martial Venerables decide to counter Brant’s narrative. Xiao Yuanzhou has recorded footage of Chen Xia severing a Martial Saint’s arm. They plan to release it widely and highlight Chen Xia’s achievements, while leaving the identity of the injured man unclear. Lei agrees not to reveal the assassination attempt, respecting Chen Xia’s wishes.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Xia remains patient and self-directed. He knows Brant is responsible but prioritizes becoming powerful enough to confront him over seeking public vindication.
• Brant emerges as both a celebrated wartime leader and a ruthless political rival: he claims the victory’s credit while concealing Chen Xia’s role and having previously tried to kill him.
• Lei Qianren is furious at Brant’s betrayal and worried about the real military consequences of the campaign. He shifts toward using public opinion to protect Chen Xia’s standing.
• Xiao Yuanzhou proposes a practical media strategy: publish the footage and let speculation work in Chen Xia’s favor. Lei, Wind Venerable, and the others support the plan.
• Jiang Changhai and Jiang Xinglan discuss Chen Xia’s omission from the news. Xinglan reports that Chen Xia is safe and unconcerned; Changhai distrusts the coverage and turns off the television.

Significant themes

• Propaganda and public opinion: Selective footage turns a complicated battle into Brant’s personal triumph.
• Power and justice: Chen Xia believes evidence matters less than strength in a world ruled by force.
• The cost of wartime narratives: The public celebrates mass killing as heroism, even as the Federation’s strategic position may not have improved.
• Recognition and political rivalry: Chen Xia’s achievements become a contest over who controls the story—and, ultimately, the Federation’s leadership.

Key plot points and events

• Xia Nation releases footage of Chen Xia’s battlefield exploits: leading troops against aliens, fighting a masked Martial Saint and severing his arm, and attacking alien territory with an army of undead. The clips go viral across the Federation.
• Public attention shifts toward Chen Xia. Many praise his strength and question why the Federation did not report his achievements earlier. The masked attacker is suspected to be a Federation citizen, and some accuse Brant of being behind the attempt.
• Under public pressure, Brant promises to investigate and protect Chen Xia, though he privately knows he sent the attacker and suspects the man is dead.
• Xia Nation’s leaders are pleased that Chen Xia’s rising reputation counterbalances Brant’s influence. They discuss the danger that Brant’s aggressive campaign has created: the infection caused by his poison is spreading among aliens and neighboring kingdoms, potentially driving them to unite against the Federation.
• The chapter then follows Chen Xia’s training over several months. Using Soul Crystals, Angel’s Blood, and other resources, he forms eight enormous Spirit Flowers, reaches the peak of Martial Venerable, and begins forming a ninth. He must pause to stabilize his foundation before attempting Martial Saint.
• Chen Xia also advances his techniques, reaching the eighth form of Son of Heaven’s Nine Slashes, mastering Earth Escape, and becoming proficient in three divine abilities. His water-aspected laws reach sixty-three strands.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Xia becomes a major public hero and an increasingly formidable fighter. He supports Xia Nation’s decision to publicize his battles and remains determined to reach Martial Saint.
• Brant is revealed as the likely architect of the assassination attempt. Although the failed attack damages his public standing, he tries to contain the fallout with a public promise.
• Lei Qianren and Xia Nation’s leaders use Chen Xia’s popularity to blunt Brant’s influence. They also worry that Brant’s campaign may provoke a broader enemy alliance and monitor the spreading infection.
• The leaders discuss Ouyang Shuo’s attempt to break through to Martial Saint, encouraged by resources Chen Xia provided. They see his potential success as an important boost for Xia Nation.

Significant themes

• Reputation as power: Public recognition can shape political influence and mobilize support, making Chen Xia’s rise strategically important.
• The cost of reckless ambition: Brant’s campaign produces gains but also risks uniting multiple enemies against the Federation.
• Power through preparation and resources: Chen Xia’s rapid growth comes from disciplined training, rare materials, and continual refinement of his abilities.
• Individual strength and national security: Chen Xia’s personal achievements improve Xia Nation’s standing, while his future may become vital to its defense.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

1. Chen Xia flies over Northern Mang Forest and finds that the biochemical toxin released by Brant has caused widespread mutation among the Different Race, leading to catastrophic consequences in Zhao Kingdom.
2. Chen Xia receives a message from Shadowless of Sky Net, informing him that the Dark Demon Lord has been spotted in Demon Abyss Valley.
3. Chen Xia travels to Zhao Kingdom and encounters numerous mutated members of the Different Race, using them to test and improve his techniques while harvesting negative energy.
4. The Emperor of Zhao Kingdom gathers his ministers to discuss the mutant crisis and decides to form an alliance with the surrounding nations to retaliate against the Federation.
5. The Emperor of Zhao Kingdom learns about Chen Xia's actions in Zhao Kingdom and decides to send State Preceptor Xiao to kill him, believing him to be Wang Mu.

Character Developments

1. Chen Xia: He continues to grow stronger, using the mutated members of the Different Race to test and improve his techniques. He also gains a significant amount of negative energy.
2. State Preceptor Xiao: He breaks through to the late Nascent Soul stage and agrees to kill Chen Xia (believed to be Wang Mu) on the Emperor of Zhao Kingdom's request.
3. The Emperor of Zhao Kingdom: He becomes increasingly concerned about the threat posed by Chen Xia (believed to be Wang Mu) and decides to dispatch State Preceptor Xiao to eliminate him.

Significant Themes

1. The consequences of the Federation's actions: The biochemical toxin released by Brant has caused widespread destruction and suffering in Zhao Kingdom, highlighting the Federation's disregard for human life and the potential consequences of their actions.
2. The power dynamics between the Different Race and the Human Race: The mutation of the Different Race members has shifted the balance of power, making them a greater threat to the Human Race. This theme is further explored as the Human Race nations form an alliance to retaliate against the Federation.
3. The pursuit of power and strength: Chen Xia continues to seek out powerful techniques and grow stronger, while State Preceptor Xiao has broken through to the late Nascent Soul stage, demonstrating the importance of power and strength in the cultivation world.

Character Interactions

1. Chen Xia and the mutated members of the Different Race: Chen Xia encounters numerous mutated members of the Different Race and uses them to test and improve his techniques, demonstrating his disregard for their lives and his focus on his own growth.
2. The Emperor of Zhao Kingdom and State Preceptor Xiao: The Emperor of Zhao Kingdom seeks State Preceptor Xiao's help in killing Chen Xia (believed to be Wang Mu), highlighting the power dynamic between them and the Emperor's reliance on State Preceptor Xiao's strength.
3. The Emperor of Zhao Kingdom and his ministers: The Emperor of Zhao Kingdom gathers his ministers to discuss the mutant crisis, demonstrating his role as a leader and decision-maker in Zhao Kingdom.

Key plot points and events

• Fengyang City is besieged by tens of thousands of mutants pouring in from Rock Race territory. Its defensive formation is close to failing, leaving the townspeople terrified and with nowhere safe to flee.
• Chen Xia arrives and kills more than fifty thousand mutants with a single display of overwhelming power, saving the city and collecting a huge amount of Negative Energy.
• The people initially mistake him for an immortal. Once he identifies himself as Wang Mu, Prefect Xiao opens the formation, and local officials and family leaders greet him with awe.
• Chen Xia reunites with Sky Net members Shadowless and Windless. He asks Shadowless to take him to the Dark Demon Lord’s location.
• Before Chen Xia can leave, the Zhao Kingdom’s emperor arrives with State Preceptor Xiao. The state preceptor smashes through the city’s defensive formation and fixes his attention on Chen Xia, revealing that he has come with hostile intent.

Character developments

• Chen Xia has grown dramatically stronger: he is at the peak of the Martial Venerable realm, has nearly a thousand years of lifespan, and wields three divine abilities. His accumulated power makes him comparable to a Nascent Soul expert, though some of his newer abilities remain too demanding to use fully.
• Shadowless and the other Sky Net members display deep loyalty and reverence toward Chen Xia, seeing him as a source of security.
• Fengyang’s leaders and residents, already frightened by the siege, are further humbled by Chen Xia’s power and regard him as a celestial being.
• Prefect Xiao acts cautiously and respectfully toward both Chen Xia and the emperor, reflecting the rigid hierarchy governing the kingdom.

Significant themes

• Power and protection: Chen Xia’s strength not only sets him apart but allows him to save ordinary people who could not defend themselves.
• The awe surrounding the supernatural: His magic and divine abilities blur the line between martial artist and immortal in the eyes of the city.
• Authority and hierarchy: The emperor’s arrival instantly compels submission, while the state preceptor’s force demonstrates the power behind imperial rule.
• Escalating conflict: Chen Xia’s rescue is followed by the arrival of a powerful, hostile figure, shifting the chapter from relief toward a new confrontation.

Character interactions

• Shadowless and Windless discuss the failing formation and the danger to the city, then kneel with the other Sky Net members when Chen Xia arrives.
• Prefect Xiao asks Chen Xia’s identity; recognition of the name “Wang Mu” prompts him to open the city and leads local leaders to pay their respects.
• Chen Xia gives Shadowless a direct order to guide him to the Dark Demon Lord.
• The emperor commands Prefect Xiao to lower the formation, but State Preceptor Xiao breaks it himself and confronts Chen Xia, setting the stage for a clash.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Emperor of the Zhao Kingdom arrives with State Preceptor Xiao to confront Chen Xia.
• State Preceptor Xiao, using lightning arts, demands Chen Xia's surrender within three breaths.
• Chen Xia and State Preceptor Xiao engage in a fierce battle in the sky.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia remains calm and composed, revealing his confidence in his strength.
• State Preceptor Xiao shows arrogance and underestimates Chen Xia's abilities.

Significant Themes

• The power dynamics between the Emperor, State Preceptor, and Chen Xia.
• The importance of realms and cultivation in determining strength.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia and State Preceptor Xiao face off, with State Preceptor Xiao attempting to provoke Chen Xia into a fight.
• Chen Xia orders Shadowless and the others to retreat before engaging in battle with State Preceptor Xiao.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia faces State Preceptor Xiao, a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, in a battle above Fengyang City.
• Chen Xia uses his Divine Abilities—Big Knife, White Dragon Divine Ability, and Nine Nether Cold Vortex—to counter Xiao's attacks.
• Xiao uses his Palm Thunder Technique, but Chen Xia's Nine Nether Cold Vortex disperses the lightning and traps Xiao.
• Chen Xia uses the Eye of the Evil God and his water-attributed fist to severely injure Xiao, who is then unable to move.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia demonstrates his powerful Divine Abilities and understanding of water laws, defeating Xiao despite the latter's higher realm.
• State Preceptor Xiao shows his prowess as a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator but is ultimately overwhelmed by Chen Xia's strength.

Significant Themes

• The power of Divine Abilities combined with laws.
• The disparity between realms in martial cultivation.
• The importance of recognition and respect in the cultivation world.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia and State Preceptor Xiao engage in a fierce battle, showcasing their respective strengths and techniques.
• Chen Xia's mastery of Divine Abilities and laws allows him to suppress Xiao, despite the latter's higher realm.
• Xiao's desperation and fear are evident as he begs for mercy after being severely injured by Chen Xia.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia defeats State Preceptor Xiao, who then begs for mercy and offers to serve as a slave.
• Chen Xia enslaves Xiao Hong using a Soul Slave Mark, gaining a powerful Nascent Soul cultivator as a servant.
• Chen Xia takes eighty percent of Xiao Hong's resources and learns about Xiao Hong's past and the Mysterious Heaven Sect.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia demonstrates his power and mercy, choosing to enslave Xiao Hong instead of killing him.
• Xiao Hong, humbled and desperate, offers to serve Chen Xia to preserve his life.
• Xiao Hong reveals his past as an inner disciple of the Blood Fiend Sect and provides information about the Mysterious Heaven Sect.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and the struggle for survival in the cultivation world.
• The consequences of past actions and the importance of adaptability.
• The value of information and knowledge in the cultivation world.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia and Xiao Hong: Chen Xia shows mercy and enslaves Xiao Hong, while Xiao Hong submits to Chen Xia's power and offers information about the Mysterious Heaven Sect.
• Chen Xia and the Emperor of Zhao Kingdom: The Emperor watches the scene in horror, understanding the extent of Chen Xia's power.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia uses the Soul Seal to enslave Xiao Hong, making him his subordinate.
• Xiao Hong chases down and captures the fleeing Zhao Kingdom Emperor.
• Chen Xia interrogates the Zhao Kingdom Emperor, who offers him Soul Crystals in exchange for his life.
• Chen Xia and the Zhao Kingdom Emperor travel to the imperial palace's national treasury.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia demonstrates his overwhelming power and dominance, striking fear into his enemies and awe into his allies.
• Xiao Hong submits to Chen Xia, accepting his role as a subordinate.
• The Zhao Kingdom Emperor's pride is shattered, and he becomes submissive, offering resources to save his life.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and the submission of the weak to the strong.
• The corruption and vulnerability of imperial authority in the face of absolute power.
• The value of resources and their role in maintaining one's status and life.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia and Xiao Hong: Master and subordinate, with Xiao Hong willingly submitting to Chen Xia's power.
• Chen Xia and the Zhao Kingdom Emperor: Enemies turned captor and captive, with the emperor offering resources to save his life.
• The Zhao Kingdom Emperor and Xiao Hong: Former allies turned enemies, with Xiao Hong now serving Chen Xia and pressuring the emperor.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Xia enters the Zhao Kingdom’s heavily guarded treasury with the emperor, who is too intimidated to resist.
• He takes the treasury’s most valuable resources, especially pills, weapons, herbs, and eighteen enormous Soul Crystals—leaving much of the ordinary wealth behind.
• Chen Xia tells the emperor he will remain in the palace for a day and orders him to have the crown prince attend the next morning’s court, where Chen Xia plans to make an announcement.
• The emperor gratefully agrees, privately hiding his hatred and assuming Chen Xia will eventually leave and spare him.
• Chen Xia spends the night absorbing the Soul Crystals’ dark energy and strengthening his ninth Spirit Flower. By morning, he is closer to the resources needed to break through to Martial Saint, though the process is unfinished.
• He sets out for morning court with State Preceptor Xiao following him.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Xia remains composed and pragmatic. He prioritizes cultivation resources over wealth and focuses on advancing his power before addressing Zhao’s affairs.
• The emperor outwardly behaves humbly and begs for his life, but inwardly remains murderous and hopes to outlast Chen Xia. His apparent relief rests on a mistaken belief that Chen Xia has no further plans for him.
• State Preceptor Xiao is increasingly awed by Chen Xia’s ability to consume Soul Crystal energy. Bound to him by a lethal mental mark, Xiao obeys and becomes a fiercely devoted guard, despite their bond being one-sided.
• Chen Xia’s interaction with the emperor is marked by coercion and concealed hostility; his interaction with Xiao is one of command and enforced loyalty.

Significant themes

• Power and submission: The emperor’s authority is meaningless beside Chen Xia’s strength, while Xiao’s obedience is enforced through supernatural control.
• Deception and hidden motives: The emperor’s respectful words conceal a desire for revenge, and he misreads Chen Xia’s intentions.
• Ambition and cultivation: Chen Xia willingly spends scarce energy to strengthen himself, viewing the Martial Saint breakthrough as his next crucial goal.

Key plot points

• At morning court, Emperor Zhao summons Crown Prince Wu Tong after Chen Xia says he has an announcement to make. Both the emperor and prince fear what Chen Xia intends, though the emperor is prepared to sacrifice his son if it helps him stay in power.
• Chen Xia enters with State Preceptor Xiao. The emperor greets him humbly, and Chen walks straight through the court without observing its usual formalities.
• Chen asks Wu Tong whether he would be willing to become emperor. Some ministers denounce the question as treason, but State Preceptor Xiao silences them by summoning a flaming pill furnace.
• When Wu Tong hesitates, Chen offers to kill the emperor and help him claim the throne.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Xia displays calm authority and uses his power to put the crown prince on the spot, forcing him to confront his ambition.
• Emperor Zhao masks his fear with deference, while privately regarding his son as expendable.
• Wu Tong wants the throne and has considered taking it by force, but he is too fearful to admit this openly.
• State Preceptor Xiao acts as Chen’s imposing protector, demonstrating his supernatural abilities and suppressing the ministers’ objections.
• The ministers divide between uninformed officials who protest Chen’s words and those who recognize the danger of challenging him.

Significant themes

• Power overturning custom: Chen’s presence renders the court’s hierarchy and rituals meaningless.
• Ambition versus fear: Wu Tong’s desire for the throne clashes with his reluctance to voice it.
• Political self-preservation: The emperor is willing to sacrifice his own son to protect his rule, while officials quickly reconsider their loyalties when confronted with force.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Xia captures the Zhao emperor and orders State Preceptor Xiao—also known as Xiao Hong—to sacrifice him using the Blood Sacrifice Grand Method. The emperor dies in the pill furnace.
• Chen Xia tells the court that the former emperor was executed for ruling without virtue and declares that he will take control of the Zhao Kingdom. Terrified officials and guards offer no resistance.
• Chen Xia installs Crown Prince Wu Tong as the new emperor and orders him to recall the Zhao agents sent to the Great Zhou Dynasty to provoke a crisis involving mutants.
• Before leaving with Xiao Hong, Chen Xia warns the officials that defying Wu Tong means defying him. The court kneels in submission.
• Once Chen Xia has departed, Wu Tong laughs and takes the dragon throne.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Xia acts with cold pragmatism: he kills the emperor, but lets Xiao Hong use the execution to strengthen himself. He is less interested in the Blood Sacrifice method than in the Palm Thunder Technique, which may help him investigate a lightning-related secret in the Federation’s North Sea. He chooses Wu Tong because the crown prince is obedient and unlikely to challenge his control.
• Xiao Hong gratefully accepts the emperor as a sacrifice, carrying out Chen Xia’s order and returning a ring recovered from the furnace.
• Wu Tong quickly suppresses his shock and accepts the throne on Chen Xia’s terms. Though he feels little loyalty to his father, he recognizes that his new power depends on obeying Chen Xia.
• The court officials and guards are overwhelmed by Chen Xia’s strength. Their panic gives way to submission, and they acknowledge Wu Tong as emperor under Chen Xia’s protection.

Significant themes

• Power and political legitimacy: The court’s loyalty shifts instantly from the murdered emperor to Chen Xia’s chosen successor, showing that authority rests on strength and fear.
• Pragmatic rule: Chen Xia prioritizes stability and control, halting a risky plan against the Great Zhou Dynasty and choosing a compliant ruler rather than directly governing.
• Ambition and loyalty: Wu Tong’s relief at his father’s death and eagerness to take the throne reveal that personal advancement outweighs family ties.

Plot points

• Wu Tong becomes emperor with Chen Xia’s backing. He announces an enthronement ceremony, appoints Chen Xia “Immortal of the Zhao Kingdom,” and begins consolidating power.
• The Changsha King refuses to kneel at first but submits when he recalls Chen Xia’s power. Wu Tong then has him seized for allegedly plotting against Chen Xia. Palace forces overpower him and destroy his cultivation.
• Princes and officials quickly support the new emperor, who accuses the Changsha King and his family of treason and other crimes. Wu Tong spares the other princes because they pose no threat.
• Chen Xia leaves the palace with State Preceptor Xiao, satisfied that he has stopped the Zhao emperor’s scheme against him and placed the kingdom under his influence. He then takes Shadowless and Xiao to search for the Dark Demon Lord and the Dark Sacred Codex, which may contain a two-way teleportation array.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Tong shifts from heir to ruler, confident that Chen Xia’s authority will secure his throne. He uses the succession to eliminate his main rival and expects the court to obey.
• The Changsha King recognizes that resistance is futile, but remains defiant and anguished after being captured and stripped of his cultivation.
• Chen Xia treats political power as a tool for protecting his interests and gathering resources, while remaining cautious about stronger threats beyond the kingdom.
• Wu Tong’s dependence on Chen Xia is central to their relationship: he sees deference to Chen Xia as the basis of his rule. Court officials and princes, in turn, align themselves with Wu Tong to avoid becoming targets.

Significant themes

• Power and legitimacy: Force, rather than custom or fairness, determines who rules.
• Political ruthlessness: A new ruler secures power by purging rivals and rewarding loyalty.
• Ambition and self-interest: Wu Tong accepts his father’s death and Chen Xia’s dominance in exchange for the throne.
• Security amid uncertainty: Despite his victory, Chen Xia knows he must prepare for greater dangers and seeks the codex as a possible escape route.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Two Nascent Soul stewards from the Mysterious Heaven Sect, Zhao and Sun, overhear discussions about Chen Xia's prowess and decide to pursue him, suspecting he has a valuable treasure.
• Chen Xia and his group receive a message that two powerful cultivators are following them.

Character Developments

• Stewards Zhao and Sun display ambition and greed, seeing Chen Xia as an opportunity for advancement.
• Chen Xia remains calm and collected upon learning of the pursuers, indicating his growing composure under pressure.

Significant Themes

• The allure of power and wealth, driving characters to take risks.
• The gap between the Federation's technology and the cultivation civilization of the north.

Character Interactions

• Stewards Zhao and Sun discuss their plans, revealing their intentions and fears.
• Chen Xia consults with Shadowless and Xiao Hong about the pursuers, showcasing his trust in their opinions.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia and his team, led by intelligence from Sky Net, search for the Dark Demon Lord in Demon Abyss Valley.
• They discover a cave leading underground, where they find the Dark Demon Lord in a hot spring, surrounded by bones and cultivating Evil Techniques.
• The Dark Demon Lord senses their presence but does not immediately attack, instead taunting them to reveal themselves.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia: He demonstrates his strategic thinking and caution, unlike his usual impulsive nature. He also shows concern for Xia Nation's safety and his desire to protect it.
• State Preceptor Xiao: He reveals his knowledge of ancient devils and their cultivation methods, displaying his wisdom and experience.
• Dark Demon Lord: He exhibits his confidence and cunning, using psychological warfare to try and gain the upper hand.

Significant Themes

• The power of ancient devils and their cultivation methods, contrasting with human cultivation.
• The importance of caution and strategy in combat, as shown by Chen Xia's approach.
• The psychological aspect of battle, demonstrated by the Dark Demon Lord's taunts.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia and State Preceptor Xiao: They work together, with Chen Xia leading the team and State Preceptor Xiao providing crucial information and advice.
• Chen Xia and the Dark Demon Lord: They engage in a psychological battle, with the Dark Demon Lord trying to provoke Chen Xia into making a rash move.

Chapter Summary: “Demon Infant”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Dark Demon Lord opens the battle with a powerful illusion technique. Chen Xia and State Preceptor Xiao resist it, but Shadowless is overwhelmed and must be moved to safety.
• The Demon Lord attacks with corrosive black water arrows and demonic qi. Chen Xia destroys the arrows with sword qi, while State Preceptor Xiao blocks the corrosive energy.
• Dark Demon Lord summons his Ten Thousand Souls Banner, releasing countless resentful souls and soul-seizing black arms. State Preceptor Xiao uses a Bagua mirror and purification techniques to weaken and destroy them.
• Chen Xia repeatedly attacks the Demon Lord, but discovers that the enemy uses shadow teleportation, illusions, and substitute bodies. The Demon Lord is also able to rapidly recover by drawing power from the demonic hot spring.
• Following State Preceptor Xiao’s advice, Chen Xia attacks the spring itself rather than the Demon Lord’s apparent body. Destroying the spring weakens the Demon Lord and forces his true body to emerge.
• The Demon Lord launches a full-power attack, but State Preceptor Xiao strikes him with thunder while Chen Xia traps him inside the divine ability Nine Springs Cold Vortex.
• Chen Xia’s superior water laws overpower the Demon Lord’s many dark laws. Chen Xia then pierces his true body with a sword, severely injuring him.
• Dark Demon Lord escapes through the earth using Earth Escape and creates four avatars to confuse his pursuers. Chen Xia follows the true body and uses the Spirit-Calling Bone Staff and Eye of the Evil God to momentarily immobilize him.
• Exploiting that opening, Chen Xia delivers a decisive sword strike through the Demon Lord’s chest. The Demon Lord attempts to form a teleportation array but is too badly injured to complete it.
• Just as Chen Xia is about to finish him, a fist-sized black infant emerges from the Demon Lord’s dantian. Identified as a Demonic Infant, it abandons the damaged body and escapes before Chen Xia can react.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia: Demonstrates extraordinary combat power despite appearing to be only in the Golden Core Realm. His mastery of sword techniques, laws, spiritual perception, body refinement, and divine abilities allows him to fight and nearly defeat a Nascent Soul expert. He grows more tactical during the battle, shifting from attacking illusions to targeting the spring, then accurately tracking the Demon Lord’s true body.
• State Preceptor Xiao: Establishes himself as a powerful and intelligent ally. He resists the illusion technique, protects against corrosive demonic qi, purifies the resentful souls, identifies the Demon Lord’s reliance on the spring, and creates the opening for Chen Xia’s decisive attack.
• Dark Demon Lord: Initially confident and arrogant, relying on his demonic domain, soul banner, shadow teleportation, avatars, and rapid recovery. His confidence turns to shock and desperation when Chen Xia destroys the spring, overcomes his laws, identifies his true body, and prevents his escape.
• Shadowless: Is incapacitated early by the illusion technique, showing the danger of the Demon Lord’s abilities and the vast difference between his strength and that of the main combatants.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus reality: The Demon Lord repeatedly uses illusions, avatars, shadow bodies, and false targets, making the battle a contest of perception as much as strength.
• Tactical intelligence over brute force: Chen Xia and State Preceptor Xiao win the upper hand by identifying and destroying the Demon Lord’s source of power rather than simply attacking his seemingly invulnerable body.
• Hidden depth and underestimated power: Chen Xia’s apparent Golden Core cultivation conceals combat ability and law mastery beyond the expectations of a Nascent Soul expert.
• Persistence and survival: Even after suffering devastating injuries, Dark Demon Lord continues using every method available to escape, ultimately preserving his life through the Demonic Infant.
• The danger of incomplete victory: Defeating the physical body does not guarantee the destruction of the enemy’s core essence; the escaping Demonic Infant leaves the conflict unresolved.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia protects Shadowless when he collapses and works closely with State Preceptor Xiao throughout the battle.
• State Preceptor Xiao supports Chen Xia by neutralizing the soul banner’s attacks and explaining the Demon Lord’s dependence on the demonic spring.
• Chen Xia follows Xiao’s strategic insight, destroys the spring, and combines his attacks with Xiao’s thunder strike.
• The Demon Lord taunts both opponents, believing their combined strength insufficient, but becomes increasingly alarmed as they expose his weaknesses.
• Chen Xia ultimately outmaneuvers the Demon Lord by combining spiritual perception, the Eye of the Evil God, and swordsmanship, though the Demon Lord’s Demonic Infant escapes at the last moment.

Summary of “Rare Talent”

Key plot points and events

• After defeating Dark Demon Lord’s physical body, Chen Xia tries to collect the opponent’s negative energy but discovers that none remains. He realizes that the Devil Lord’s Nascent Soul escaped, carrying both the negative energy and his storage items.
• Chen Xia pursues the fleeing Nascent Soul. Dark Demon Lord repeatedly travels through the ground and sky, using his exceptional speed and unpredictable movements to evade capture.
• Chen Xia activates the Dragon Tiger Exploding Star Art and the Blood Demon Illusion God, eventually catching up with and physically seizing the Devil Lord’s demonic infant.
• Dark Demon Lord attempts to confuse Chen Xia with six apparent Nascent Souls, but Chen Xia recognizes the technique as an illusion or clone method and refuses to release the real one.
• With his Nascent Soul restrained and about to be destroyed, Dark Demon Lord begs for mercy. He offers to surrender his possessions, including the Dark Sacred Codex.
• Chen Xia questions him about the techniques contained in the codex. Dark Demon Lord lists numerous shadow- and dark-based abilities, including Shadow Soul Seizing, Shadow Shift, Shadow Teleportation Array, Life Drain, Inner Demon Whisper, Corruption Domain, Shadow Clone, and Spirit Calling.
• Dark Demon Lord claims that he personally invented or researched all these techniques. Chen Xia becomes surprised and begins considering whether the Devil Lord is an exceptionally rare and valuable research talent.
• The chapter ends with Dark Demon Lord revealing that the Dark Sacred Codex is hidden inside a ring in his Nascent Soul’s mouth and promising to retrieve it if Chen Xia spares him.

Character developments

• Chen Xia demonstrates overwhelming combat ability, speed, perceptiveness, and restraint. Rather than simply killing Dark Demon Lord, he recognizes that keeping him alive could benefit the Federation and provide access to valuable techniques.
• Chen Xia also shows strategic judgment: he sees the Devil Lord not only as an enemy but as a potential puppet, researcher, and source of knowledge.
• Dark Demon Lord is revealed to be highly experienced and resourceful. He has survived for five hundred years, possesses numerous escape techniques, and understands how to preserve himself through his Nascent Soul.
• Despite his confidence and history of hunting others, Dark Demon Lord becomes frightened and submissive after encountering Chen Xia’s superior strength. His pride gives way to bargaining and pleading.
• Dark Demon Lord’s greatest importance is not merely his combat power but his apparent talent for independently creating advanced dark spell techniques.

Significant themes

• Talent and innovation: The chapter emphasizes the value of people capable of pioneering new techniques. Dark Demon Lord may be a rare genius whose inventions could significantly advance cultivation knowledge.
• Pragmatism over morality: Chen Xia does not care whether Dark Demon Lord is good or evil. He judges him according to usefulness, believing enslaving or preserving him is more advantageous than killing him.
• Survival and adaptability: Dark Demon Lord’s escape through his Nascent Soul reflects the importance of preparation, while Chen Xia’s ability to counter each method demonstrates superior adaptability.
• Knowledge as power: The Dark Sacred Codex and its techniques may be more valuable than the Devil Lord’s life or resources. Spell research and technological advancement are presented as forces capable of changing the balance of power.
• Strength and submission: The confrontation reinforces the gap between Chen Xia and Dark Demon Lord, with the once-confident hunter reduced to pleading for his life.

Character interactions

• Chen Xia relentlessly pursues and captures Dark Demon Lord despite the latter’s evasive techniques.
• Dark Demon Lord tries to deceive Chen Xia with clones, persuade him through negotiation, and threaten self-destruction if his Nascent Soul is taken.
• Chen Xia remains unmoved by the Devil Lord’s tricks and demands information about the Dark Sacred Codex.
• Their exchange shifts from combat to negotiation, with Chen Xia evaluating Dark Demon Lord as a potential asset and Dark Demon Lord attempting to prove his usefulness.

Chapter Summary: “Two-Way Teleportation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xia retrieves the ring from the Devil Infant and examines its contents, discovering the Dark Sacred Codex and the faded Ten Thousand Souls Banner.
• The codex contains numerous advanced dark techniques, including Shadow Clone, Shadow Shift, Life Drain, Spirit Calling Technique, and the Shadow Teleportation Array.
• Chen Xia studies the techniques and uses his Reversal Panel to modify the Shadow Teleportation Array. The original technique connects to the Dark Plane but causes dark corruption; Chen Xia’s reversed version expels the corrupting energy and removes the side effects.
• Using Spirit Calling Technique as its foundation, Chen Xia successfully opens a two-way portal to the Dark Plane. The passage allows both him and creatures from the other side to travel through it, making it useful for escape, transportation, and possibly sending enemies away.
• The Dark Demon Lord is shocked by Chen Xia’s effortless mastery of a technique that normally takes him considerable time to cast. He recognizes Chen Xia’s exceptional talent, unaware that the Reversal Panel greatly assisted him.
• To secure the Dark Demon Lord’s loyalty, Chen Xia places a Slave Seal in his head. He spares him because of his talent and orders him to serve.
• Chen Xia names the previously nameless Devil Infant “Xiao Hei,” much to the demon’s private outrage. The Dark Demon Lord is forced to abandon his preferred title and address Chen Xia as “Young Master.”
• Chen Xia returns to the underground passage, restores the Devil Infant to its Horned Devil body, gives it healing pills, and leads his group out of the canyon.
• He orders State Preceptor Xiao and Xiao Hei to continue south while he remains behind to handle another matter. They are instructed to reunite later and return to the Federation.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia demonstrates his growing mastery of techniques, especially his ability to adapt and improve powerful cultivation arts through the Reversal Panel. He gains a valuable teleportation method and another powerful subordinate.
• The Dark Demon Lord shifts from enemy to unwilling servant. Though he outwardly submits, he remains resentful and secretly plans to break the Slave Seal and escape if possible.
• The Devil Infant/Xiao Hei is revealed to be clever, cautious, and opportunistic. He understands that resistance is futile for now and pretends to submit while hoping to escape in the future.
• State Preceptor Xiao continues to obey Chen Xia without openly questioning his orders, even though he is confused about Chen Xia’s decision to remain behind.

Significant Themes

• Power and control: Chen Xia’s use of the Slave Seal emphasizes the unequal relationship between strength and freedom.
• Adaptation and innovation: Chen Xia improves an inherently dangerous dark technique rather than simply copying it, showing how intelligence and unique abilities can surpass traditional limitations.
• Forced loyalty versus true allegiance: Both Xiao Hei and the Dark Demon Lord obey Chen Xia out of fear, not genuine devotion, leaving their future loyalty uncertain.
• Escape and strategic mobility: The two-way teleportation array gives Chen Xia a powerful new means of retreat, travel, and potentially controlling the battlefield.
• Hidden advantages and genius: Chen Xia appears naturally gifted to the Dark Demon Lord, though his success also depends heavily on the secret Reversal Panel.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia calmly restrains and negotiates with the Devil Infant, then threatens it and the Dark Demon Lord with the consequences of disobedience.
• The Dark Demon Lord admires Chen Xia’s technical talent while privately resenting his enslavement and humiliating new name.
• Chen Xia dismisses the title “Dark Demon Lord,” assigning him the ordinary name “Xiao Hei” and forcing him to call Chen Xia “Young Master.”
• Chen Xia gives instructions to State Preceptor Xiao, Xiao Hei, and Shadowless, separating them temporarily while preparing to deal with an undisclosed matter alone.

Chapter Summary: “Battle”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After State Preceptor Xiao and the others depart, Chen Xia detects two approaching cultivators from the Mysterious Heaven Sect using bats he previously concealed.
• The visitors, Steward Zhao and Steward Sun, have come to investigate the disappearance of Lin Mo and another Mysterious Heaven Sect disciple, whom Chen Xia killed in the Heavenly Origin Secret Realm.
• Chen Xia worries that killing the stewards—especially if they die in Federation territory—could provoke the Mysterious Heaven Sect and endanger the Federation. He therefore decides to lure them away and avoid a direct confrontation at first.
• Steward Zhao tests Chen Xia with a powerful Nascent Soul aura and confirms that Chen Xia is far stronger than an ordinary Golden Core cultivator. Chen Xia withstands the pressure while pretending to be affected.
• Chen Xia denies responsibility for Lin Mo’s death, attributing their disappearance to the explosion of the secret realm. When he attempts to escape, Steward Zhao attacks him.
• Steward Zhao deploys a Lockdown Command Flag, creating a barrier spanning roughly one hundred kilometers and sealing even the underground earth-escape routes.
• Chen Xia deliberately pretends to be trapped and vulnerable, encouraging the two stewards to pursue him. Once they lower their guard, he ambushes them with his full strength.
• He combines the Dragon Tiger Exploding Star Art, the Son of Heaven’s Nine Slashes, the Blood Demon Illusion God, and the White Dragon Divine Ability into a devastating attack.
• Steward Zhao protects both men with a red bronze bell and blocks Chen Xia’s sword with a powerful rune-covered square seal, a mid-grade Spirit Treasure.
• The collision devastates the canyon. Chen Xia’s borrowed sword cracks, but his attack forces the square seal—and both stewards—backward, revealing that his true strength is far greater than they expected.
• The chapter ends with all three fighting fiercely amid the collapsing, repeatedly blasted canyon. Steward Sun uses a Void Mirror to teleport and evade attacks.

Character Developments

• Chen Xia: Demonstrates exceptional combat ability despite appearing to be at the Golden Core Realm. He is cautious, strategic, and politically aware, prioritizing the Federation’s safety over reckless revenge. Rather than fleeing blindly, he manipulates the stewards into exposing themselves before launching a surprise attack.
• Steward Zhao: Initially arrogant and confident in his superior cultivation, he quickly realizes that Chen Xia has concealed his strength. His confidence shifts to caution after Chen Xia nearly overwhelms him and damages his assumptions about the battle.
• Steward Sun: Acts as Zhao’s partner and supporter, but becomes visibly surprised by Chen Xia’s power. His role is primarily cooperative, helping Zhao resist Chen Xia’s attacks and employing the Void Mirror during the battle.
• The Mysterious Heaven Sect: Its greater cultivation heritage is shown to produce stronger Nascent Soul cultivators than ordinary or Federation experts, though Chen Xia’s hidden abilities allow him to challenge them.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and deception: Both sides conceal their true abilities, but Chen Xia’s feigned weakness allows him to gain the initiative.
• Strategic restraint: Chen Xia avoids fighting near the Federation because he understands the broader political consequences of attracting the Mysterious Heaven Sect’s attention.
• Sectarian power and inheritance: The stewards’ superior combat strength reflects the advantages of powerful sect techniques and resources.
• Greed and justification: Zhao and Sun intend to kill Chen Xia and divide his possessions, while planning to blame him for Lin Mo’s death regardless of the truth.
• Cunning versus brute force: The battle is shaped not only by cultivation power but also by traps, escape arts, barriers, illusions, and surprise attacks.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xia repeatedly provokes and verbally deflects Steward Zhao, refusing to confirm his identity or admit involvement in Lin Mo’s death.
• Zhao attempts to intimidate Chen Xia with threats and spiritual pressure, while Chen Xia masks his resistance.
• Zhao and Sun coordinate their pursuit, agreeing to kill Chen Xia and split his belongings.
• Chen Xia monitors the pair through his hidden bats, while they use the Lockdown Command Flag to prevent his escape.
• Once Chen Xia turns the ambush against them, Zhao and Sun cooperate defensively through the bronze bell, square seal, and Void Mirror, transforming the confrontation into a three-way battle.