Chapter Summaries

Summary of “Provoking Enmity”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xuanyuan Buqi and Yi Jue approach the closing Sky Curtain with Feng Jun. A Nascent Soul cultivator from the Tongda Trade Alliance recognizes Yi Jue from her earlier visit but chooses not to interfere, judging that she is powerful, well-connected, and uninterested in the Sky Curtain’s treasures.
• After the Tongda cultivator and the Lianshan Society leave, Xuanyuan praises Yi Jue’s previous conduct. The trio moves to within roughly a hundred li of the Sky Curtain, where other cultivators give them space because of Yi Jue’s intimidating High-Tier Nascent Soul cultivation.
• As the Sky Curtain finishes closing, a badly wounded masked Nascent Soul cultivator escapes. Several pursuers accuse him of stealing pills and injuring Fairy Yu Rou, a renowned Yuan Family descendant and Gold Core cultivator.
• To escape, the masked cultivator throws a medicine bottle to Yi Jue and falsely calls her “Martial Aunt,” attempting to make the pursuers attack her. Yi Jue sees through the scheme, restrains him, and publicly rejects any connection to him.
• Yi Jue reveals her true identity and cultivation: Elder Yi Jue of the Spirit Plant Dao. Disciples from the Spirit Plant Dao’s Lower Sects immediately acknowledge her, while the Tongda Trade Alliance cultivator apologizes for previously treating her too cautiously.
• A High-Tier Nascent Soul cultivator from the Yuan Family demands that Yi Jue surrender the masked man because he injured a member of the Yuan Family. Yi Jue refuses, asserting that the Spirit Plant Dao will handle the matter.
• When another Yuan Family cultivator attempts to kill the captive, a Spirit Plant Dao disciple blocks the attack. Yi Jue declares that Amber’s disorderly hierarchy must be corrected and warns that she could punish the Yuan Family severely.
• The Yuan Family backs down and offers compensation. A True Immortal from the Lower Sects also asks Yi Jue to show mercy because the Yuan Family has supported them.
• Yi Jue decides to interrogate the masked cultivator herself. She orders him to speak only when questioned and asks what truly happened concerning the pills.

Character Developments

• Yi Jue: Moves from detached observer to active authority figure. Influenced by Feng Jun’s belief that cultivators should not remain indifferent to injustice, she chooses to intervene rather than simply avoid conflict. She asserts the prestige of the Spirit Plant Dao, disciplines the Yuan Family, and adopts a more justice-oriented role.
• Feng Jun: Though he does not act directly, his earlier views influence Yi Jue’s decision to “meddle” in the dispute and establish rules rather than remain aloof.
• Xuanyuan Buqi: Continues to support and observe Yi Jue, recognizing that her conduct and reputation are sufficient to deter powerful organizations.
• The masked cultivator: Demonstrates quick thinking and composure under pressure, but relies on deception by attempting to use Yi Jue as a shield. Once captured, he becomes submissive and fearful of her authority.
• The Yuan Family cultivators: Initially act arrogantly, assuming their status entitles them to reclaim or kill the captive. Yi Jue’s identity and power force them to recognize the limits of their authority and apologize.
• Lower Sects representatives: Show respect toward Yi Jue while also trying to protect the Yuan Family, revealing their dependence on local powers despite acknowledging the authority of the Upper Sects.

Significant Themes

• Authority versus local power: The Yuan Family dominates Amber, but Yi Jue’s Upper Realm identity and sect status outrank ordinary local influence.
• Justice and responsibility: Yi Jue begins questioning the cultivation world’s habit of ignoring wrongdoing and chooses to intervene when injustice occurs.
• Reputation and deterrence: Yi Jue’s mysterious presence, cultivation, and connection to the Spirit Plant Dao allow her to command respect without immediately using force.
• Manipulation and blame-shifting: The masked cultivator’s attempt to frame Yi Jue illustrates the treacherous tactics common among cultivators.
• Rules and social order: Yi Jue’s statement that Amber’s “order should be rectified” reflects a broader concern with establishing fairer, more accountable conduct.
• Status beyond cultivation level: The chapter emphasizes that sect rank, Upper Realm origin, and institutional authority can matter as much as—or more than—raw cultivation.

Character Interactions

• Yi Jue and the Tongda cultivator: Their exchange shifts from cautious recognition to formal respect after Yi Jue reveals her identity.
• Yi Jue and Xuanyuan: Xuanyuan’s praise reinforces her confidence, while his silence allows her to decide how to handle the confrontation.
• Yi Jue and the masked cultivator: She rejects his false kinship, captures him, threatens him into obedience, and assumes responsibility for judging his account.
• Yi Jue and the Yuan Family: The Yuan Family tries to command her, but she reverses the power dynamic, forcing them to apologize and offer compensation.
• Yi Jue and the Lower Sects: Their representatives acknowledge her authority but ask her to spare the Yuan Family, creating tension between Upper Sect discipline and local political practicality.

Chapter Summary: “Successive Disrespect Toward Superiors”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A masked Nascent Soul cultivator from the Zhao Family recounts how he found a hidden cave in the Sky Curtain containing a bottle of pills.
• Yuan Yurou and four companions confronted him and demanded a share, invoking the rule that everyone who witnessed a treasure deserved part of it.
• The masked cultivator refused, and a battle followed. One of Yuan Yurou’s companions, seemingly a Gold Core cultivator, was actually a disguised Nascent Soul cultivator, catching him off guard.
• The masked man seriously injured Yuan Yurou and fled, but the group pursued him until they all exited the Sky Curtain.
• Afterward, the pursuers attempted to frame the masked man by claiming he had attacked Elder Yi Jue. They brought Yuan Yurou, who was unconscious, poisoned, and badly wounded, as evidence.
• Yi Jue interrogated the group and determined that the masked man had not been guilty during the expedition. She publicly declared him innocent, and none of the nearly hundred Nascent Soul cultivators present dared object.
• Feng Jun confirmed through Divine Thought that the pill had not been exchanged. He identified it to Yi Jue as a Nascent Soul Pill.
• Yi Jue considered the pill insignificant compared with the treasures already available to her, but Xuanyuan Buqi immediately demanded it for himself.
• Xuanyuan Buqi justified taking the pill by claiming that the masked man had attempted to frame Yi Jue and that sparing his life was already sufficient compensation.
• Huo Xingyu, a Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul Sword Cultivator, stepped forward and asked Xuanyuan Buqi to yield the pill. Xuanyuan mocked him and pressed him to reveal what kind of pill it was.
• Huo Xingyu refused to name it, apparently fearing that revealing it was a Nascent Soul Pill would provoke a chaotic struggle among the assembled cultivators.
• Xuanyuan then criticized Feng Jun’s Divine Thought technique, implying that he had overheard the conversation between Feng Jun and Yi Jue.
• Feng Jun openly retorted that Xuanyuan should not have followed them if he did not want to miss the discussion, shocking the surrounding cultivators.

Character Developments

• The masked Zhao Family cultivator is shown to be proud, independent, and unwilling to submit to coercion. Although he acted aggressively in the Sky Curtain, he was also clever enough to recognize that he had been outmatched politically and accepted Xuanyuan’s justification to survive.
• Yuan Yurou is revealed as the leader and representative of her group, but her demand for a share carried an element of bullying. Her injury and poisoning undermine her authority and make her appear vulnerable.
• Yi Jue demonstrates the overwhelming authority of an Upper Realm cultivator. She investigates the incident rather than blindly accepting the pursuers’ account and uses the situation to uphold the Spirit Plant Dao’s reputation for justice.
• Xuanyuan Buqi emerges as shamelessly domineering and opportunistic. He openly treats the Nascent Soul Pill as his prize and uses the threat of killing the masked man to rationalize taking it.
• Huo Xingyu is established as a powerful and dignified Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul Sword Cultivator. Despite his strength, he remains cautious when dealing with Xuanyuan and Yi Jue.
• Feng Jun displays unexpected boldness. Though only an Intermediate Gold Core cultivator, he directly rebukes Xuanyuan Buqi, revealing his growing confidence and willingness to stand among powerful figures. At the same time, he feels insecure about whether his Divine Thought abilities are truly adequate.
• The surrounding cultivators become increasingly astonished by the hierarchy-defying exchanges, especially Feng Jun’s willingness to criticize a Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivator and Xuanyuan’s audacity toward Yi Jue.

Significant Themes

• Power overrides conventional morality: The chapter questions the fairness of “everyone who saw it deserves a share,” showing that such rules often disguise coercion and strength-based bullying.
• Upper Realm authority: Yi Jue’s verdict is accepted without protest, illustrating the enormous social and political gap between Upper Realm figures and local cultivators.
• Entitlement and opportunism: Xuanyuan Buqi’s conduct exemplifies how powerful cultivators rationalize taking what they want, even while claiming to uphold justice.
• Appearance versus reality: The disguised Nascent Soul cultivator, the supposedly innocent pursuers, and the seemingly weak Feng Jun all demonstrate that cultivation strength and social position cannot always be judged superficially.
• Confidence amid overwhelming power: Feng Jun’s uncertainty reflects his transition from fighting stronger opponents with special advantages to navigating a circle where nearly everyone possesses terrifying strength and influence.
• Justice versus personal gain: Yi Jue prioritizes a fair verdict, while Xuanyuan immediately seeks to profit from the situation, exposing the tension between institutional authority and individual greed.

Important Character Interactions

• Masked cultivator and Yuan Yurou’s group: Their confrontation establishes the conflict over the pill and highlights the coercive nature of Yuan Yurou’s demand.
• Yi Jue and the pursuers: Yi Jue intimidates them into giving a more honest account and exposes that their version of events omitted important details.
• Yi Jue and Feng Jun: Their private Divine Thought exchange shows mutual trust; Yi Jue accepts Feng Jun’s verification of the pill and relies on his judgment.
• Yi Jue and Xuanyuan Buqi: Xuanyuan challenges her decision indirectly by claiming the pill for himself, revealing his disregard for normal deference even toward an Upper Realm elder.
• Xuanyuan Buqi and the masked cultivator: Xuanyuan uses the man’s alleged attempt to frame Yi Jue as justification for taking the pill and sparing his life.
• Xuanyuan Buqi and Huo Xingyu: Their exchange becomes a contest of status and nerve, with Xuanyuan mocking Huo despite Huo’s superior cultivation.
• Xuanyuan Buqi and Feng Jun: Feng Jun’s direct retort represents the chapter’s final and most dramatic breach of hierarchy: a Gold Core cultivator openly talks back to a powerful Nascent Soul expert.

Chapter Summary: “Coveting”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun’s willingness to confront Xuanyuan Buqi despite their enormous cultivation gap is discussed, highlighting how unusual and fearless his behavior is. His earlier challenge to Huo Xingyu also suggests he may not defer even to Yi Jue’s authority.
• Huo Xingyu identifies Xuanyuan Buqi’s pill as a Nascent Soul Pill, explaining that his family once possessed a similar one. When Xuanyuan asks whether the Huo Family still has theirs, Huo carefully says it has already been used.
• Xuanyuan Buqi casually stores the pill and refuses to sell it. Huo Xingyu, though desperate to obtain it, withdraws rather than risk provoking a powerful Upper Realm cultivator.
• The Yuan Family and Tongda Trade Alliance attempt to find out the pill’s identity and value without directly offending Xuanyuan.
• Yi Jue is pressured to clarify the situation. She coldly reveals that the pill is a Nascent Soul Pill and states that it belongs to Xuanyuan’s group, not to her personally.
• The revelation shocks the assembled cultivators because Nascent Soul Pills are extraordinarily rare and could determine whether a cultivator successfully advances to the Nascent Soul Realm.
• The Yuan Family, already resentful over Yuan Yurou’s injuries and Yi Jue’s previous judgment against them, tries to challenge Xuanyuan’s right to take the pill. Their representative argues that it originated in the Amber Realm and demands that Xuanyuan explain himself.
• Xuanyuan mocks the Yuan Family, implying that their descendants’ tendency toward killing and plundering reflects corrupt family principles.
• The Yuan representative denies that Yuan Yurou intended to rob anyone, admits that she was injured, and then reframes the dispute as a matter of protecting the Amber Realm’s interests.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun is portrayed as unusually bold and unwilling to submit automatically to stronger cultivators. His attitude implies confidence in his backing or abilities.
• Xuanyuan Buqi displays overwhelming confidence and Upper Realm arrogance. He is dismissive of Huo Xingyu’s attempt to purchase the pill and openly ridicules the Yuan Family.
• Huo Xingyu proves cautious and politically astute. Although he covets the pill, he recognizes the danger of provoking Xuanyuan and avoids revealing too much about his family’s own Nascent Soul Pill.
• Yi Jue remains stern and detached. She refuses to take responsibility for Xuanyuan’s actions but nevertheless exposes the pill’s identity, making clear that she will not allow the Yuan Family to manipulate her authority.
• The Yuan Family representative becomes increasingly desperate to preserve the family’s reputation and status. He shifts from trying to assess the pill’s value to making a public moral and territorial claim over it.

Significant Themes

• Power and hierarchy: The chapter emphasizes the difference between cultivation strength and social authority, especially the tension between Upper Realm figures and Amber Realm cultivators.
• Covetousness and scarcity: The Nascent Soul Pill’s rarity causes nearly every faction to calculate how it might be acquired, showing how precious resources generate suspicion and schemes.
• Political restraint: Several characters want the pill but must weigh their desires against the danger of provoking stronger opponents.
• Justice versus self-interest: The Yuan Family presents its challenge as defense of the Amber Realm, but its motives are clearly entangled with wounded pride, family reputation, and the need for another Nascent Soul cultivator.
• Upper Realm arrogance: Yi Jue’s casual use of “merely” regarding the Nascent Soul Pill and Xuanyuan’s dismissive behavior reveal how Upper Realm cultivators view treasures that are priceless in the lower realm.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun’s defiance leaves Xuanyuan Buqi speechless and amuses Huo Xingyu.
• Huo and Xuanyuan engage in a tense exchange over the pill, with Huo using respectful caution while Xuanyuan responds arrogantly.
• Huo silently withdraws from the dispute, leaving the Yuan Family to decide whether to challenge Xuanyuan.
• The Tongda representative appeals to Yi Jue’s status and sense of propriety, but she rebuffs him and questions his right to speak for the Amber Realm.
• Yi Jue’s disclosure of the pill’s identity dramatically changes the atmosphere, causing all factions to begin scheming.
• The Yuan Family representative first seeks Yi Jue’s clarification, then confronts Xuanyuan directly, turning the pill into a public dispute over ownership and the Amber Realm’s dignity.

Chapter Summary: “Turning the Tables”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xuanyuan Buqi prepares to leave with Yi Jue and Feng Jun after obtaining the Nascent Soul Pill, but the Yuan Family True Immortal attempts to stop him and demands an explanation.
• The Yuan Family invokes Yi Jue’s reputation, implying that Xuanyuan Buqi should not damage the standing of the fair-minded Elder Yi Jue. Xuanyuan recognizes this as a pressure tactic but remains calm.
• When asked to reveal his background, Xuanyuan identifies himself as a member of the Xuanyuan Family. The revelation shocks everyone, since the Xuanyuan Family is regarded as the foremost of the Three Hundred Secret-Realm Families.
• The Yuan Family True Immortal initially assumes Xuanyuan is a Soul Emergence Venerable, only to learn that he is actually Xuanyuan Buqi, a Spirit Division Great Lord—an existence far beyond what most Nascent Soul cultivators could ever encounter.
• Yi Jue confirms Xuanyuan’s respectable status with an ambiguous description, saying he “travels the mortal world and has a warm heart for the ancient way.” Her statement causes widespread discussion because it hardly explains why he took the Nascent Soul Pill.
• A Trade Alliance cultivator recognizes Feng Jun as the famous Mountain Lord Feng of the Kunhao Realm. After some resistance, Feng Jun openly confirms his identity.
• The Yuan Family realizes that it has offended both the Guo Family and potentially the Xuanyuan Family, but decides that suppressing the Guo Family remains worth the risk.
• The Sky Curtain closes. Xuanyuan, Yi Jue, and Feng Jun remain to observe the lingering celestial phenomenon rather than immediately depart.
• Guo Xiangding, the Guo Family’s strongest cultivator, arrives and respectfully greets Xuanyuan. He emphasizes their marriage alliance and offers the Guo Family’s assistance.
• Guo Xiangding eventually asks Xuanyuan to sell the Nascent Soul Pill to the Guo Family, citing the lower realm’s shortage of Nascent Soul cultivators.
• Xuanyuan refuses indirectly, claiming that even the prosperous Xuanyuan Family suffers from a serious shortage of Nascent Soul cultivators and must keep the pill for itself.

Character Developments

• Xuanyuan Buqi: Displays confidence, restraint, and political skill. He is not genuinely angered by the Yuan Family’s challenge and uses his powerful identity to reverse the situation, turning their pressure into fear and submission. Despite being related to the Guo Family, he remains unwilling to give them the Nascent Soul Pill easily.
• Yi Jue: Maintains her aloof, impartial personality but cooperates with Xuanyuan when necessary to protect her reputation and clarify their association. Her brief statement about his “warm heart for the ancient way” subtly supports him without fully defending his actions.
• Feng Jun: Initially tries to conceal his identity, joking that the famous Mountain Lord Feng should be more handsome. Eventually, he admits who he is, accepting that everyone’s backgrounds have now been exposed.
• The Yuan Family True Immortal: Begins assertively, attempting to force Xuanyuan to justify taking the pill, but becomes humbled and alarmed after learning Xuanyuan’s true identity. He nevertheless remains calculating, viewing the conflict with the Guo Family as part of the Yuan Family’s broader political strategy.
• Guo Xiangding: Appears highly deferential and opportunistic. He eagerly invokes the Xuanyuan–Guo marriage alliance and tries to exploit the relationship to obtain the Nascent Soul Pill, though Xuanyuan recognizes his shameless tactics.
• The Guo Family: Gains prestige from its connection to Xuanyuan but also reveals its weakness: it desperately needs more Nascent Soul cultivators and hopes to benefit from Xuanyuan’s resources.

Significant Themes

• Power and reputation: A person’s background can completely transform how others interpret the same action. What seemed like an arrogant seizure of the Nascent Soul Pill becomes nearly unquestionable once Xuanyuan’s identity is revealed.
• Political maneuvering: The chapter emphasizes indirect threats, social pressure, alliances, and strategic ambiguity rather than direct combat.
• Family interests versus personal relationships: Although the Xuanyuan and Guo Families are in-laws, Xuanyuan prioritizes the interests of the Xuanyuan Family and refuses to automatically aid the Guo Family.
• Information inequality: Lower-realm cultivators possess incomplete knowledge about Upper Realm powers, allowing Xuanyuan to conceal his identity and demonstrating how delayed information shapes political calculations.
• The burden of family advancement: Both Xuanyuan and the Yuan Family understand that rising family powers must make difficult choices, offend rivals, and protect scarce resources.
• Humor amid intimidation: Xuanyuan’s teasing attitude, Feng Jun’s self-deprecating joke, and the awkward reactions of the Yuan and Guo Families soften the otherwise tense confrontation.

Important Character Interactions

• Xuanyuan Buqi and the Yuan Family True Immortal: Their confrontation shifts from attempted interrogation to the Yuan Family’s embarrassed submission after Xuanyuan reveals that he is a Spirit Division Great Lord.
• Xuanyuan Buqi and Yi Jue: Xuanyuan relies on Yi Jue to validate his presence and reputation, while Yi Jue reluctantly plays along despite disliking such social performances.
• Yi Jue and Feng Jun: Yi Jue bluntly exposes Feng Jun’s identity when he tries to hide it, showing their familiar but sharp-edged relationship.
• Xuanyuan Buqi and Guo Xiangding: Guo Xiangding behaves as an obsequious in-law seeking favor, while Xuanyuan remains polite but guarded and ultimately refuses his request.
• The Yuan and Guo Families: Their longstanding rivalry deepens when the Yuan Family challenges Xuanyuan and thereby damages its relationship with the Guo Family.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xuanyuan Buqi explains the Xuanyuan Family’s situation: although it has rapidly produced Nascent Soul cultivators over the past century, it lacks powerful mid- and high-tier Nascent Souls and has little hope of producing Soul Emergence cultivators. Because of this, the family cannot afford to give away a Nascent Soul Pill.
• Guo Xiangding tries to persuade Xuanyuan Buqi by offering access to the Amber Realm’s resources and inviting Xuanyuan disciples to train there. Xuanyuan rejects the offer, making it clear that his family neither lacks resources nor intends to compete with lower-realm families.
• Representatives of the Tongda Trade Alliance surround Feng Jun and attempt to arrange broad commercial cooperation with Libo Shoal. They want to expand beyond the Huangfu Family’s influence in the Kunhao Plane and distribute Libo Shoal’s products throughout the Heavenly Zither Upper Realm.
• Feng Jun refuses to negotiate in person, repeatedly directing Tongda to Libo Shoal. The merchants claim Heavenlink has threatened to attack or assassinate anyone who visits Libo Shoal, but Feng Jun remains unimpressed and dismisses their fear of risk.
• Xuanyuan Buqi eventually silences the persistent Tongda representatives. Three days later, the Sky Curtain disappears, allowing Yi Jue and Feng Jun to prepare to return.
• Xuanyuan reveals that he obtained another Nascent Soul Pill while accompanying Feng Jun. Their discussion highlights how valuable and scarce such pills are to the Xuanyuan Family. Yi Jue states that the Spirit Plant Dao likely has none remaining, though she remains confident that the sect can grow without them.
• After returning to Libo Shoal, Feng Jun learns from Xiong Youshan—who has brought fifteen Ultimate Spirit Stones—that the Myriad Illusions Sect is actively obstructing efforts by the Grand Void Gate and Golden Crow Sect to hunt the bandits.
• Qian Zhong’s deductions suggest that someone is concealing the bandits’ movements and interfering with divination. The Myriad Illusions Sect openly resents outsiders conducting bounty hunting within its territory.
• Grand Void Gate disciples face constant obstacles, while Golden Crow Sect disciples are treated even more harshly. Myriad Illusions Sect members blame them for Ouyang Beishan’s death and portray their own injured member, Wanqing the True Immortal, as the victim.

Character Developments

• Xuanyuan Buqi is shown as both politically cautious and deeply burdened by responsibility. His boasting about the Xuanyuan Family’s growth masks concern over its dwindling high-level strength and limited Nascent Soul Pill reserves. He also demonstrates firm boundaries when refusing Guo Xiangding’s overtures.
• Guo Xiangding is ambitious and persistent, trying to use marriage ties, resources, and the Amber Realm to obtain a Nascent Soul Pill. However, he recognizes when further pressure could damage relations and ultimately backs down.
• Feng Jun remains wary of commercial organizations and refuses to be manipulated by Tongda’s claims of public benefit. He maintains control over negotiations and shows little sympathy for merchants who want profit without accepting danger.
• Yi Jue displays confidence in the Spirit Plant Dao’s strength and independence, showing no fear even when admitting that her sect may have exhausted its Nascent Soul Pills.
• The Myriad Illusions Sect shifts from passive resentment to active obstruction, revealing strong sectarian loyalty and a willingness to defy even major Upper Sects.

Significant Themes

• Resource scarcity and family responsibility: Nascent Soul Pills symbolize the pressure of sustaining a powerful cultivation family and the difference between having many low-level cultivators and possessing elite combat strength.
• Political boundaries and negotiation: Xuanyuan Buqi’s refusal to provide resources, and Feng Jun’s insistence that Tongda negotiate at Libo Shoal, emphasize the importance of controlling access and avoiding exploitative arrangements.
• Profit versus danger: Tongda wants access to lucrative markets but is unwilling to accept the risks created by Heavenlink, prompting Feng Jun to mock its opportunism.
• Sectarian loyalty and bias: The Myriad Illusions Sect, Grand Void Gate, and Golden Crow Sect interpret the conflict according to their own loyalties. Even when individuals recognize that their side is biased, they continue to defend their fellow disciples.
• Power imbalance and strategic deterrence: Heavenlink’s threats and the Myriad Illusions Sect’s resistance show how powerful organizations use territory, intimidation, and covert interference to control events.

Character Interactions

• Xuanyuan Buqi and Guo Xiangding engage in a polite but tense negotiation over the Nascent Soul Pill, with Guo repeatedly testing the limits of their relationship.
• Xuanyuan Buqi and Yi Jue discuss their sects’ reserves of Nascent Soul Pills, revealing contrasting attitudes toward resources and long-term cultivation.
• Tongda representatives pressure Feng Jun for cooperation, but he repeatedly rejects their lobbying and refuses to let them exploit his relationships with the Huangfu Family.
• Xuanyuan intervenes when Tongda’s representatives become too persistent, ending their harassment.
• Xiong Youshan returns with the promised Ultimate Spirit Stones and warns Feng Jun about the Myriad Illusions Sect’s hostility.
• The Grand Void Gate and Golden Crow Sect disciples encounter different forms of resistance within the Myriad Illusions Sect, with the Golden Crow Sect receiving the harsher treatment because of Ouyang Beishan’s death and the sect’s loyalty to Wanqing.

Chapter Summary: “Magnanimity Wasn’t an Option”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Golden Crow Sect’s disciples suffer openly hostile treatment from the Myriad Illusions Sect while investigating the bandits who stole the Ultimate Spirit Stone.
• Frustrated and hot-tempered, some Golden Crow disciples repeatedly fight on Myriad Illusions territory. The Myriad Illusions Sect responds with deliberately weak, symbolic punishments, presenting itself as a victim while allowing resentment against the Golden Crow Sect to grow.
• Several Golden Crow disciples fall into illusion traps and are recorded attacking innocent Myriad Illusions residences. Fearing that these incidents will make their sect a public laughingstock, the Golden Crow disciples join forces with the Grand Void Sect.
• The two sects trace the bandits’ possible location to the Myriad Illusions Sect’s Secondary Mountain Gate, but patrol disciples prevent them from entering one of its major cities.
• The Myriad Illusions Sect uses political correctness and claims about protecting family cultivators to justify blocking the investigation. Its disciples also provoke the outsiders with references to avenging Senior Brother Bei Shan, clearly hoping they will attack first.
• The Grand Void and Golden Crow disciples recognize the trap: any violence inside the Secondary Mountain Gate would be recorded and used to make them appear guilty. They restrain themselves and remain stationed outside instead.
• The Myriad Illusions Sect’s intention to shelter the bandits becomes unmistakable. Xiong Youshan abandons immediate hopes of revenge and returns toward Libo Shoal with Ji Wuqing.
• Xiong Youshan apologizes to Feng Jun, admitting that his insistence on obtaining more than the returned Ultimate Spirit Stone caused unnecessary humiliation and dragged Feng Jun into the conflict.
• Feng Jun rejects the idea that stopping earlier would have established Libo Shoal’s authority. He explains that when creating new rules, decisive and intimidating action is necessary before magnanimity can be shown.
• With the Ultimate Spirit Stone finally obtained, Feng Jun begins refining for the Xiong Family and informs Xiong Youshan that the next family should prepare its own stone within a day and a half. This also gives the Xiong Family a chance to reduce resentment from those waiting behind them.

Character Developments

• Golden Crow disciples: Their initial anger and impulsiveness gradually give way to caution and cooperation. They learn to recognize the Myriad Illusions Sect’s victim-playing strategy and avoid being manipulated into a politically disastrous confrontation.
• Grand Void disciples: They act as a stabilizing force, helping the Golden Crow Sect investigate rationally and questioning the Myriad Illusions Sect’s excuses. Their warning about Yi Jue the True Immortal reveals the seriousness of the dispute.
• Xiong Youshan: He shows unexpected self-awareness, acknowledging that his obsession with victory and family dignity worsened the situation. He comes to understand Feng Jun’s reasoning about establishing authority through force before demonstrating generosity.
• Feng Jun: He remains pragmatic and politically calculating. He defends his harsh approach as necessary for establishing Libo Shoal’s rules, while also showing strategic goodwill by helping the Xiong Family repair its reputation.
• Myriad Illusions Sect disciples: They are portrayed as skilled manipulators who exploit public opinion, political correctness, recordings, and controlled provocation to make their opponents appear unreasonable while shielding the suspected bandits.

Significant Themes

• Political manipulation and control of public opinion: The Myriad Illusions Sect weaponizes recordings, victimhood, and socially acceptable rhetoric to control the narrative.
• Rules require authority: Feng Jun argues that new rules must initially be enforced with overwhelming decisiveness; excessive mercy too early would make the rules ineffective.
• Magnanimity versus weakness: Generosity has value only after power and authority have been established. Showing mercy before that point risks being interpreted as weakness.
• Restraint as strength: The Golden Crow and Grand Void disciples demonstrate that refusing to fall into a trap can be more effective than winning a direct fight.
• Reputation and collective responsibility: Xiong Youshan recognizes that personal stubbornness can damage an entire family or sect, while Feng Jun offers the Xiong Family a way to rebuild trust.
• Human flaws among cultivators: Even cultivators pursuing enlightenment remain vulnerable to pride, resentment, obsession, and concern for social standing.

Character Interactions

• Golden Crow and Grand Void disciples: Their rivalry gives way to practical cooperation when both recognize the Myriad Illusions Sect as the greater threat.
• The two sects and the Myriad Illusions Sect: Their confrontation is largely psychological and political rather than physical. The Myriad Illusions Sect repeatedly provokes them while hiding behind rules and public scrutiny.
• Grand Void leader and Myriad Illusions disciples: The leader warns them that Yi Jue’s Grand Void origins may bring consequences, but the Myriad Illusions Sect counters by accusing the opposing side of excessive demands.
• Xiong Youshan and Feng Jun: Their conversation shifts from apology and self-blame to mutual understanding. Feng Jun reassures him that the conflict was part of a deliberate strategy, while Xiong Youshan accepts the need for decisive action.
• Feng Jun and the Xiong Family: Feng Jun’s promise to begin refining for them—and his indirect notice to the following families—acts both as practical assistance and as an opportunity for the Xiong Family to recover its standing.

Summary

Key events

• Qidian is holding a “515 Challenge.”
• Feng Xiao initially did not plan to participate because he writes too slowly.
• After reviewing the rules, he learned that obtaining 10,000 monthly votes before the 15th would earn recommendation rewards.
• Participation requires seven consecutive days of mass updates; he has already completed three days.
• If the book reaches 8,000 monthly votes before the 7th, he will officially sign up.
• Regardless of whether League Master supporters receive extra chapters, he promises to complete the full seven days of mass updates.
• He asks readers to use their double monthly votes to help improve the book’s early-month ranking.

Character development

• Feng Xiao is presented as hardworking but limited by his slow writing speed.
• Despite his hesitation, reader support motivates him to consider taking on the challenge and commit to the required update schedule.

Themes

• Author–reader cooperation: The challenge depends heavily on readers’ votes and support.
• Perseverance and commitment: Feng Xiao is willing to undertake demanding mass updates despite his concerns.
• Importance of rankings and timing: Early-month votes are emphasized as crucial to the book’s visibility and success.

Character interactions

• The chapter is primarily a direct appeal from Feng Xiao to his readers.
• He explains the challenge’s conditions, makes promises about updates, and asks readers to support him with double monthly votes.

Chapter Summary: “An Alchemist Comes Calling”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiong Youshan announces that Libo Shoal has resumed forging Magic Treasures, relieving many factions that had been waiting to purchase them.
• Most factions had avoided the bounty hunt for the culprit behind the Ultimate Spirit Stone robbery, preferring to preserve their business relationship with Libo Shoal and avoid provoking the Myriad Illusions Sect.
• When questioned about the investigation, Xiong Youshan angrily refuses to discuss it, insisting that only those who already know the truth should speak.
• Libo Shoal’s reputation and influence continue to rise. Although the faction itself is structurally weak and depends heavily on Feng Jun, many cultivators believe Feng Jun, supported by Yi Jue and Xuanyuan Buqi, gives Libo Shoal more prestige than the entire Xiong Family.
• The Mirror Spirit completes the Xiong Family’s Magic Treasure after a day and a half of work. Yi Jue soon begins forging another treasure.
• Feng Jun deduces a fourth set of Magic Treasure components, this time for the Seven Emotions Dao. Their materials have been delayed because of the recent robbery, but they promise to arrive within three days.
• Feng Jun reflects bitterly on the Myriad Illusions Sect’s interference in the bounty hunt. He considers the incident a humiliation and regrets that Libo Shoal had not established stricter rules earlier.
• Elder Bian Ji of the Alchemy Dao arrives and requests a meeting with Feng Jun.
• Bian Ji asks Feng Jun to use Deduction to help develop his “Fake-Death Pill,” a pill intended to preserve a dying cultivator’s life force and aura for thousands of years until a cure can be found.
• Feng Jun is skeptical because he has little knowledge of alchemy, but Bian Ji argues that Feng Jun previously helped complete the Energy Conversion Formation despite lacking deep expertise in Formation Dao.
• Bian Ji appeals to Feng Jun’s sense of responsibility, suggesting that a technique capable of saving countless lives should not be rejected simply because Feng Jun is reluctant.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Becomes increasingly conscious of Libo Shoal’s political standing and vulnerability. He feels insulted by the Myriad Illusions Sect’s actions and recognizes the need for stronger authority and clearer rules. Though reluctant to involve himself in alchemy, he is confronted with a potentially world-changing project.
• Xiong Youshan: Shows his paranoid, defensive nature by refusing to answer questions about the investigation. His stubbornness has earned some respect but has also made the Xiong Family appear weaker than Libo Shoal.
• Yi Jue: Continues to support Feng Jun and actively participates in the forging work. Her past assistance from Bian Ji establishes a personal connection between them. Her reaction to Bian Ji’s medicinal smell also adds a touch of humor.
• Elder Bian Ji: Is introduced as an eccentric but compassionate Eighth-Layer Nascent Soul alchemist. Having suffered foundation damage himself, he focuses on healing, extending life, and helping the injured rather than pursuing cultivation breakthroughs.
• The Seven Emotions Dao: Demonstrates a responsible attitude by explaining the delay in delivering their materials and promising to send them soon.

Significant Themes

• Power versus formal strength: Libo Shoal lacks numbers and successors, yet Feng Jun’s abilities and connections make it more influential than much larger factions.
• Reputation and humiliation: Feng Jun views the Myriad Illusions Sect’s interference as a direct affront, showing how political dignity and perceived prestige matter among cultivators.
• Pragmatism and self-preservation: Many factions avoid the bounty hunt not from indifference, but because they lack the strength or willingness to endure the danger.
• Different values regarding cultivation: Bian Ji values preserving life and helping others, while mainstream cultivators see his research as a distraction from pursuing higher realms.
• Deduction as a universal tool: Feng Jun’s ability to solve problems outside his expertise makes him valuable to multiple disciplines, including formations and alchemy.
• Dependence on exceptional individuals: Libo Shoal’s success rests overwhelmingly on Feng Jun, highlighting both his extraordinary influence and the faction’s long-term fragility.

Character Interactions

• Xiong Youshan and the factions: He shuts down probing questions about the investigation, reinforcing his secretive and combative personality.
• Feng Jun and Yi Jue: Their silent exchange over Bian Ji’s strong medicinal smell shows their familiarity and shared humor.
• Feng Jun and Bian Ji: Bian Ji approaches Feng Jun directly and respectfully but persistently. Feng Jun questions why an alchemy expert needs his help, while Bian Ji praises his Deduction abilities and urges him to assist with a life-saving invention.
• Bian Ji and Yi Jue: Yi Jue’s willingness to convey Bian Ji’s request reflects their prior relationship and her respect for his past assistance.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Elder Bian Ji explains that he created the Fake-Death Pill partly to address his own damaged foundation, but primarily because he believes it can “benefit the world.”
• The pill would allow dying Advanced Stage cultivators to enter a temporary state of fake death, preserving their final combat strength until they could be awakened during a crisis.
• Feng Jun points out that powerful factions might stockpile such cultivators as hidden reserves, but Bian Ji argues that the pill could deter both foreign invasions and major conflicts between factions. Its existence would make factions wary of attacking one another.
• Bian Ji asks Feng Jun to assist with deducing and refining the pill formula. Feng Jun warns that Deduction is not omnipotent and that he cannot guarantee success.
• Feng Jun sets a condition: the Alchemy Dao must stop selling all pills to the Myriad Illusions Sect.
• Bian Ji rejects the demand as unrealistic, explaining that trade between the Alchemy Dao and the Myriad Illusions Sect is governed by longstanding rules and cannot be halted by a single elder.
• Feng Jun refuses to help under those circumstances, making clear that understanding Bian Ji’s limitations does not mean accepting them.
• Yi Jue confirms that Feng Jun’s condition and hostility toward the Myriad Illusions Sect are firm. Bian Ji learns that Feng Jun’s conflict with the sect stems from the sect’s repeated wrongdoing and attempts to suppress him.
• After investigating the dispute, Bian Ji concludes that the Myriad Illusions Sect was clearly in the wrong, though he also recognizes the sectarian mindset that treats rogue cultivators as people who must submit and show weakness.
• Bian Ji sympathizes with Feng Jun’s resistance but realizes he cannot fulfill Feng Jun’s original condition. He returns to Feng Jun’s estate with an alternative proposal.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun remains skeptical of moral rhetoric and refuses to be pressured by appeals to the greater good. However, he recognizes that Bian Ji’s motives are genuinely compassionate and is willing to listen to him.
• Feng Jun also demonstrates unwavering opposition to the Myriad Illusions Sect. He refuses to compromise or assist anyone unless they acknowledge the sect’s actions and accept consequences.
• Elder Bian Ji is revealed to be unconventional but sincerely benevolent. His seemingly strange Fake-Death Pill project is based on a broad strategic vision: preserving powerful cultivators and deterring war.
• Bian Ji also shows practical wisdom. Though he understands the sect’s unjust treatment of Feng Jun, he knows that the established powers will not easily abandon their commercial interests.
• Yi Jue acts as a calm, direct intermediary. She clearly explains Feng Jun’s position and does not attempt to soften or reinterpret it.
• Feng Jun’s mention of Fellow Daoist Dian Jing suggests that Dian Jing may have deliberately directed Bian Ji to him, possibly knowing that Feng Jun could help with the pill’s development.

Significant Themes

• Idealism versus coercive morality: Feng Jun distrusts vague claims about “benefiting the world,” fearing they can be used to pressure others. Bian Ji’s actions complicate this view because his idealism, though unusual, is sincere.
• Power as deterrence: The Fake-Death Pill resembles a strategic weapon. By allowing factions to preserve powerful fighters, it could prevent wars through mutual fear of retaliation.
• Justice versus institutional power: The Myriad Illusions Sect is portrayed as wrong, yet its position as a major sect grants it protection and influence. The chapter emphasizes how powerful institutions often expect weaker individuals to submit regardless of justice.
• The right of the weak to resist: Bian Ji sympathizes with Feng Jun’s refusal to surrender. His belief that even rogue cultivators deserve the chance to survive contrasts with the sects’ view that weakness itself is a punishable flaw.
• Principle and compromise: Feng Jun understands that Bian Ji cannot control the Alchemy Dao, but he still refuses to compromise his own condition. The chapter explores the difference between understanding an obstacle and accepting it.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Bian Ji debate the true purpose and social value of the Fake-Death Pill. Their exchange reveals Feng Jun’s skepticism and Bian Ji’s unconventional compassion.
• Bian Ji appeals to Feng Jun’s reputation for Deduction, while Feng Jun reminds him that previous breakthroughs were collaborative and not solely his achievement.
• Feng Jun’s demand regarding the Myriad Illusions Sect abruptly changes the negotiation. Bian Ji is shocked because the request exceeds his authority.
• Yi Jue supports Feng Jun’s position and explains that the conflict with the Myriad Illusions Sect is irreconcilable for now.
• After investigating the dispute, Bian Ji develops greater sympathy for Feng Jun but also recognizes the political impossibility of his demand. He returns to negotiate again, leaving the chapter poised for a new proposal.

Chapter Summary: “Extending (First Update, Asking for Double Monthly Votes)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Elder Bian Ji admits that he could not persuade the Alchemy Dao to accept Feng Jun’s original demand: that the entire Alchemy Dao stop supplying pills to the Myriad Illusions Sect.
• He offers a personal compromise:
  • He will refuse to accept pill-refining orders from the Myriad Illusions Sect.
  • He will not sell or provide pills he personally refines to them.
  • He will refuse to treat injured members of the sect.
• Feng Jun points out that these promises have limited practical value because most established pills can be refined by multiple people, and other factions can also supply the Myriad Illusions Sect.
• The discussion establishes that the symbolic importance of a major Dao faction refusing service is greater than the actual loss of pills. Such a public refusal would be almost equivalent to a declaration of hostility.
• Feng Jun presses Elder Bian Ji on whether professional ethics should compel him to treat Myriad Illusions Sect members. Elder Bian Ji prioritizes saving lives, but Feng Jun argues that refusing treatment is necessary to demonstrate genuine opposition.
• Feng Jun adds another condition concerning the Fake-Death Pill: anyone who learns its formula must explicitly promise not to supply the Myriad Illusions Sect.
• Elder Bian Ji initially objects, claiming Feng Jun would be interfering in the Alchemy Dao’s internal affairs. Feng Jun counters that because he contributes to the formula, he has the right to impose conditions on its distribution.
• After a heated exchange, Elder Bian Ji reluctantly agrees that only pill refiners who refuse to supply the Myriad Illusions Sect may obtain the formula.
• They postpone discussion of profit-sharing, with Elder Bian Ji promising not to offer Feng Jun a worse arrangement than the one given to Fellow Daoist Dian Jing. Yi Jue is named as a witness.
• Mei Yeyu announces the arrival of True Immortal Wu Xi of the Seven Emotions Dao, who brings eighteen Ultimate Spirit Stones and greetings from Procrastinating Venerable.
• The Seven Emotions Dao urges Feng Jun to hurry to the Insectoid World after completing the current batch of Magic Treasures.
• Wu Xi notices Elder Bian Ji’s powerful medicinal scent and reacts with surprise and apparent disgust. Embarrassed and irritated, Elder Bian Ji asks Feng Jun whether they should conceal their dispute with the Myriad Illusions Sect from the Seven Emotions Dao.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates strong negotiating ability, persistence, and strategic thinking. He repeatedly exposes weaknesses in Elder Bian Ji’s compromises and expands the conditions attached to the Fake-Death Pill formula.
• Elder Bian Ji is shown to be sincere, professionally principled, and concerned with saving lives, but he is less skilled than Feng Jun at social maneuvering. Although angered by Feng Jun’s demands, he ultimately recognizes the logic behind them and agrees.
• Yi Jue remains a trusted observer and potential witness to the agreement.
• True Immortal Wu Xi is introduced as a powerful and energetic Nascent Soul cultivator of the Seven Emotions Dao. His arrival shifts the scene from private negotiation to broader factional interaction.
• Procrastinating Venerable is characterized as politically calculating, using the delivery of Ultimate Spirit Stones to remind Feng Jun of the Seven Emotions Dao’s needs.

Significant Themes

• Symbolic power versus practical impact: A faction’s public refusal to provide resources can carry political meaning far beyond the actual material damage.
• Professional ethics versus personal loyalty: Elder Bian Ji believes a healer should save lives, while Feng Jun argues that treating enemies may undermine one’s moral and political stance.
• Control over knowledge and intellectual property: Feng Jun insists that access to the Fake-Death Pill formula can be restricted according to conditions set by its contributors.
• Negotiation and leverage: Feng Jun uses the possibility that the formula may fail as a bargaining tactic, while still claiming authority over its use if successful.
• Factional rivalry and political pressure: The conflict with the Myriad Illusions Sect affects not only individual actions but also relationships among the Alchemy Dao, Seven Emotions Dao, and other major forces.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Elder Bian Ji engage in a prolonged, increasingly tense negotiation over the Alchemy Dao’s stance toward the Myriad Illusions Sect.
• Feng Jun challenges Elder Bian Ji’s conscience, professional obligations, and authority within the Alchemy Dao.
• Elder Bian Ji appeals to Yi Jue as a witness regarding future profit-sharing.
• True Immortal Wu Xi’s arrival interrupts the negotiations and creates an awkward moment when he comments on Elder Bian Ji’s medicinal odor.
• The chapter ends with Elder Bian Ji wondering whether the dispute with the Myriad Illusions Sect should be disclosed to Wu Xi and the Seven Emotions Dao.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• True Immortal Wu Xi questions why Seven Emotions Dao must respond to the conflict between Feng Jun and Myriad Illusions Sect, since joining the bounty hunt against Feng Jun had been voluntary.
• Feng Jun explains that he will refine a Magic Treasure for Seven Emotions Dao only if the Dao agrees not to allow anyone from Myriad Illusions Sect to use or test it. Visiting cultivators may test it, but Myriad Illusions Sect members are forbidden.
• Wu Xi cautiously accepts the condition, noting that Seven Emotions Dao’s internal factions may still debate or reverse the decision. Feng Jun adds that he will refuse future maintenance if the agreement is violated.
• Elder Bian Ji strengthens the retaliation by declaring that he will stop selling his personally refined pills to Myriad Illusions Sect. Although the sect’s official purchases from Alchemy Dao are small, private access to high-end pills is much more significant, making the declaration symbolically and strategically serious.
• The Mirror Spirit completes Seven Emotions Dao’s Magic Treasure after a day and a half. Feng Jun then postpones further Magic Treasure refinement so he and Yi Jue can work together on deducing the Fake-Death Pill.
• Myriad Illusions Sect initially dismisses Elder Bian Ji’s threat as insignificant, unaware that cutting off private access to his pills could become a broader crisis if other alchemists follow his example.
• The sect becomes alarmed when it learns that Seven Emotions Dao has barred anyone connected to Myriad Illusions Sect from testing its Magic Treasure. The ban applies even after the treasure is taken away, because Feng Jun can monitor its use through future maintenance and repairs.
• A female Earth Cultivation cultivator with ties to Myriad Illusions Sect attempts to secure access through a friend in Seven Emotions Dao. She learns that violating the restriction could result in severe punishment for an entire chain of associated people.
• Realizing the seriousness of the situation, she reports everything to Myriad Illusions Sect.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun becomes more assertive and strategic. He uses Magic Treasure maintenance as leverage to ensure Seven Emotions Dao honors its promise and demonstrates that his conflict with Myriad Illusions Sect is not merely personal but part of a calculated pressure campaign.
• True Immortal Wu Xi acts as a mediator. He remains careful because of Seven Emotions Dao’s habitual internal disagreements, but he recognizes the importance of preserving the Dao’s credibility and agrees to present Feng Jun’s condition.
• Elder Bian Ji openly aligns himself with Feng Jun despite the limited practical impact of his declaration. His decision reveals his willingness to turn personal influence and alchemical prestige into political pressure.
• Yi Jue continues to serve as Feng Jun’s intellectual partner, assisting him in Alchemy Dao and helping with the Fake-Death Pill deduction.
• Myriad Illusions Sect shifts from dismissive confidence to genuine concern once it understands the breadth of the restrictions and Feng Jun’s ability to detect unauthorized use.
• The female Earth Cultivation cultivator is shown to be strongly biased toward Myriad Illusions Sect, already treating herself as a future disciple before formally joining. Her report makes her an important source of information for the sect.

Significant Themes

• Credibility and trust: Feng Jun’s condition is based on the idea that promises must be honored. Seven Emotions Dao treats credibility as more important than convenience.
• Factional conflict and internal disagreement: Seven Emotions Dao’s seven emotional paths naturally produce constant debate, though major matters can still unify the Dao.
• Power through dependence: Feng Jun and Elder Bian Ji exert influence not only through direct combat but by controlling valuable services—Magic Treasure maintenance and high-end pills.
• Consequences of political alignment: Even indirect connections to Myriad Illusions Sect can lead to punishment, showing how factional disputes affect ordinary cultivators and personal relationships.
• Surveillance and strategic foresight: Feng Jun’s Deduction ability makes deception difficult. Attempts to bypass his restrictions are anticipated through his control over repairs and upkeep.
• Symbolic retaliation: Elder Bian Ji’s ban affects only a small portion of Myriad Illusions Sect’s official purchases, but its symbolic meaning could trigger a much wider breakdown in access to elite alchemists.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Wu Xi negotiate the conditions for Seven Emotions Dao’s Magic Treasure, balancing business interests with political loyalty.
• Wu Xi and Elder Bian Ji reveal differing forms of retaliation: Wu Xi represents institutional action, while Bian Ji applies personal influence through alchemy.
• Feng Jun and Yi Jue collaborate on the Fake-Death Pill, temporarily delaying further Magic Treasure production.
• The Earth Cultivation cultivator appeals to her Seven Emotions Dao friend for access, but the friend refuses because of the Dao’s strict agreement with Feng Jun.
• Their conversation exposes the enforcement mechanism behind the ban: Feng Jun can detect unauthorized use and withhold maintenance, making “secret” violations impractical.
• Myriad Illusions Sect’s internal reaction shows its growing realization that Feng Jun’s alliances are becoming a coordinated threat rather than isolated acts of revenge.

Chapter Summary: “Talking About Fortune”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After learning of Feng Jun’s proposal, the Myriad Illusions Sect contacts the Seven Emotions Dao. The Seven Emotions Dao confirms that Feng Jun refuses to refine their Magic Treasures unless they accept his terms. Though resentful, the Myriad Illusions Sect has no choice but to comply, while warning that the matter is not over.
• True Lord Qian Zhong travels to Libo Shoal in the Mortal World. She tries to investigate Feng Jun’s estate but is blocked by the terrifying aura surrounding it.
• Xuanyuan Buqi communicates with Qian Zhong through Divine Thought and teases her for receiving credit for half an opportunity despite not personally fighting. Their conversation quickly turns into a contest of probing, teasing, and concealed bargaining.
• Qian Zhong suspects Xuanyuan Buqi has obtained valuable treasures and is deliberately showing off. Xuanyuan hints that Feng Jun may possess more than two Soul Emergence Pills, prompting Qian Zhong to speculate about obtaining a third.
• Xuanyuan eventually reveals that he acquired several Nascent Soul Pills in the Amber Realm. He argues that these pills are connected to Feng Jun because Feng Jun’s immense fortune enabled the opportunity.
• Qian Zhong questions whether Xuanyuan’s claim is legitimate, suggesting that the pills may simply have been treasures Xuanyuan happened to find. Xuanyuan insists she is failing to understand the principle of fortune and Feng Jun’s extraordinary destiny.
• The chapter ends with Qian Zhong avoiding Xuanyuan’s argument and asking what Feng Jun is currently doing inside the estate.

Character Developments

• Qian Zhong: Displays her usual calm, detached demeanor but is clearly envious and intensely curious about the opportunities she missed. She remains cautious, refusing to accept Xuanyuan’s offers without understanding his hidden motives. Her competitive side emerges as she claims she will secure both the second and any possible third Soul Emergence Pill herself.
• Xuanyuan Buqi: Reveals himself as boastful, manipulative, and highly skilled at baiting others into revealing their desires. He deliberately withholds information about his gains until Qian Zhong is sufficiently curious. He also shows his strategic concern for the Xuanyuan Family’s need for Soul Emergence Venerables and its interest in Nascent Soul Pills.
• Feng Jun: Does not appear directly, but his influence dominates the chapter. His fortune, treasures, pills, and refusal to refine artifacts shape the negotiations among multiple major factions.
• Myriad Illusions Sect and Seven Emotions Dao: Their relationship is shown to be unusually close yet volatile, with friendships and rivalries existing side by side.

Significant Themes

• Fortune and destiny: The central theme is whether great opportunities arise from individual ability, luck, or association with someone possessing extraordinary fortune. Xuanyuan believes Feng Jun’s destiny influences everyone around him.
• Envy and missed opportunities: Qian Zhong’s restrained but growing jealousy reflects the anxiety of powerful cultivators who fear being left behind while others profit.
• Power, negotiation, and leverage: Rare pills and refining services become tools for bargaining between powerful factions. Even friendly conversations conceal strategic calculations.
• Factional politics: The Seven Gates and Eighteen Daos cannot form formal alliances, so personal relationships and indirect cooperation become especially important.
• Pride and competition: Qian Zhong and Xuanyuan maintain a playful but genuine rivalry, each refusing to appear eager or disadvantaged.

Character Interactions

• The Myriad Illusions Sect and Seven Emotions Dao interact through a mix of familiarity and resentment, ultimately accepting Feng Jun’s demands.
• Qian Zhong and Xuanyuan Buqi engage in a prolonged verbal duel. Xuanyuan provokes her with hints about his gains, while Qian Zhong attempts to expose his motives and negotiate for access to future pills.
• Their exchange highlights mutual respect beneath the mockery: both are powerful True Lords, and their teasing is possible because they occupy comparable positions.
• Xuanyuan frames Feng Jun’s fortune as the source of his own gains, while Qian Zhong remains skeptical and tries to redirect the conversation toward Feng Jun’s current activities.

Summary

• Key events: The author announces that this is the fourth update of the month, consisting of three substantial chapters. They emphasize that each chapter was approximately 3,000 characters long and that three of the updates exceeded the length of four updates by other authors.
• Author’s request: With only three hours remaining before the double-vote period ended, readers who still had monthly votes were urged to use them.
• Additional information: The author states that there would likely be no triple-vote period during the month.
• Character development/interactions: None; the passage is an author’s note rather than narrative fiction.
• Themes: Reader engagement, appreciation for the author’s update frequency and workload, and urgency surrounding the voting campaign.

Chapter Summary: “Who Is the Nightmare”

Key plot points and events

Feng Jun and Yi Jue spend four days arguing over how to develop the Fake-Death Pill. Feng Jun believes the refining method and long-term energy requirements are most important, while Yi Jue argues that selecting materials suited to the relevant world’s laws could eliminate or minimize the need for energy. Their debate reflects the difficulty of creating a pill capable of sustaining fake death for thousands of years, especially for the Blue Star Realm’s cryonics plan.
Unable to resolve the issue, they ask Qian Zhong and Xuanyuan Buqi for input. Qian Zhong performs an overnight Deduction but concludes that both approaches have potential and neither is clearly superior. She recommends giving both equal weight, which Feng Jun and Yi Jue reject as impractical. Xuanyuan Buqi suggests seeking another Deduction expert.

Character developments

Feng Jun and Yi Jue’s intense disagreement reveals that both are highly committed researchers, but it ultimately helps clarify the strengths and weaknesses of each possible route. Despite their argument, they continue to respect one another and jointly seek outside advice. Feng Jun also demonstrates his willingness to consider help from sect cultivators and former rivals if doing so improves the chances of successfully developing the pill.
Yi Jue reveals that she knows Miaomiao True Immortal, a Nascent Soul cultivator skilled in Deduction involving time, space, and karma. Her decision to recommend him also reflects her growing frustration with the influence of family cultivators around Feng Jun. Qian Zhong, meanwhile, becomes visibly protective of the group’s interests and resists bringing in additional powers who might benefit from Feng Jun’s opportunities.

Character interactions

Qian Zhong refuses to choose between Feng Jun’s and Yi Jue’s theories, fearing that whichever side she selects may later resent her. She also rejects Xuanyuan Buqi’s suggestion of involving a True Lord from the Ancient Xiong Family, citing their unresolved investigation and the political implications of owing them a favor. Feng Jun nevertheless considers that expert potentially useful.
When Yi Jue mentions a difficult but talented sect cultivator, Qian Zhong and Xuanyuan Buqi become wary, concerned that another faction might gain access to Feng Jun. Feng Jun dismisses such concerns, stating that he treats sects and family powers equally. This reassures Yi Jue and encourages her to identify Miaomiao True Immortal openly.

Significant themes

The chapter explores the tension between technical theory and practical materials, showing how different interpretations of world laws can lead to radically different approaches to cultivation research. It also highlights the value of debate: although Feng Jun and Yi Jue fail to settle their disagreement, their arguments clarify the development paths.
Political maneuvering and factional loyalty are another major theme, as the characters weigh the risks of involving family or sect experts. Finally, the chapter ends on a humorous note involving Elder Bian Ji’s history with Miaomiao True Immortal: an eighty-Spirit-Stone debt took more than a century to recover, leading Bian Ji to jokingly—or bitterly—declare that Miaomiao, not himself, was the real “nightmare.”

Chapter Summary: “Bounty for a Man”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun, Elder Bianji, and Yi Jue discuss how to invite Miaomiao True Immortal to perform a Deduction. Their conflicting impressions reveal that Miaomiao behaves very differently toward different people.
• Miaomiao refuses Yi Jue’s request, claiming he is too busy enjoying life and has little time left. Yi Jue becomes furious at his fickleness.
• Feng Jun asks Xuanyuan Buqi to investigate Miaomiao. The resulting files reveal that Miaomiao is an eccentric Sixth-Layer Nascent Soul cultivator known for mastering the Tea and Wine Dao, as well as music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and Deduction.
• Miaomiao lives freely and spends money recklessly, often relying on admirers to fund his advancement. He is talented but unreliable, impoverished, and especially fond of tea and women.
• Feng Jun proposes using Elder Bianji’s old debt as an excuse to place a bounty on Miaomiao. Although the original eighty Spirit Stones were repaid, Feng Jun suggests demanding accumulated interest.
• Elder Bianji posts a bounty of one hundred High-Grade Spirit Stones. Two groups accept it: cultivators from the Seven Emotions Dao and Elder Cang Jing of the Profound Water Sect. Cang Jing wants to defend Yi Jue’s honor, but Feng Jun persuades her not to damage her reputation over Miaomiao.
• Five days later, two Seven Emotions Dao True Immortals bring Miaomiao to Libo Shoal. Miaomiao cooperates because he is afraid of being forcibly punished and plans to split the bounty with his escorts.
• Miaomiao and Elder Bianji argue over the debt and interest. When Bianji threatens to have him beaten, Miaomiao immediately agrees to negotiate and asks how much work he must perform.
• Miaomiao correctly realizes that Bianji wants a Deduction concerning the Fake-Death Pill. Yi Jue then appears and confirms that she also wants Miaomiao’s help, criticizing him for refusing her earlier invitation while willingly coming for money.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates his strategic and manipulative thinking. Rather than repeatedly pleading with Miaomiao, he uses the man’s debt, vanity, and fear of physical humiliation to force him into cooperation.
• Elder Bianji shifts from frustration to calculated intimidation. Although he dislikes demanding interest, he accepts Feng Jun’s plan and uses Miaomiao’s concern for his dignity against him.
• Yi Jue reveals her pride and bluntness. She is angered by Miaomiao’s inconsistency and refuses to indulge him, despite having previously enjoyed discussing the Dao with him.
• Miaomiao True Immortal is shown as highly talented but irresponsible and self-indulgent. He values freedom and pleasure above stability, yet he is not fearless: he quickly compromises when his reputation or physical safety is threatened.
• Xuanyuan Buqi is established as a dependable source of intelligence, providing a detailed record of Miaomiao’s history and reputation.
• Elder Cang Jing shows loyalty toward Yi Jue, but Feng Jun’s warning demonstrates that she is also conscious of sectarian reputation and social consequences.

Significant Themes

• Freedom versus responsibility: Miaomiao embodies radical personal freedom, wandering wherever he wishes and refusing conventional obligations, but this lifestyle leaves him poor, unreliable, and vulnerable.
• Reputation and dignity: Miaomiao’s fear of being publicly beaten is stronger than his desire to avoid the bounty’s demands. Among cultivators, status and appearances can be powerful tools of control.
• Talent without discipline: Miaomiao has mastered numerous arts and possesses exceptional ability, yet his lack of planning makes him dependent on others and difficult to trust.
• Power and leverage: Feng Jun shows that influence does not always come from direct strength. Information, debt, money, and psychological pressure can compel even a powerful cultivator.
• Love turning into resentment: Miaomiao’s facial scar represents the destructive consequences of his refusal to commit. A former lover’s anger nearly ruined his appearance, though he chose separation rather than revenge.
• Different perspectives on character: Yi Jue sees Miaomiao as generous and cultured, while Bianji sees him as evasive and shameless. The truth is a combination of both: he is genuinely gifted and charming, but also selfish and unpredictable.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun acts as the planner between Yi Jue and Elder Bianji, turning their shared frustration into a practical scheme.
• Yi Jue and Bianji offer sharply contrasting assessments of Miaomiao, highlighting his ability to behave differently depending on the situation.
• Feng Jun relies on Xuanyuan Buqi’s assistance and repays the implied favor of receiving intelligence after previously benefiting from the Xuanyuan Family.
• Elder Bianji confronts Miaomiao over his old debt, using mock threats and the bounty to make him agree to cooperate.
• Miaomiao attempts to defuse the situation with humor and familiarity, calling Bianji “Brother Bianji,” but Bianji refuses to be placated.
• Yi Jue’s arrival intensifies Miaomiao’s embarrassment. She reminds him that he rejected her personal invitation yet accepted a paid summons, forcing him to confront his own hypocrisy.
• The chapter ends with Miaomiao asking whether Yi Jue also seeks a Deduction for the Fake-Death Pill, suggesting that the two parties may ultimately need his services for the same objective.

Chapter Summary: “An Oddball”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Miaomiao True Immortal is brought to Libo Shoal by Seven Emotions Dao to help develop the Fake-Death Pill. Despite being a highly knowledgeable cultivator, he is cowardly, unreliable, and unwilling to take responsibility, though he becomes cooperative after learning that Xuanyuan Buqi has ties to Feng Jun.
• The group—Feng Jun, Yi Jue, Elder Bianji, and Miaomiao—spends ten days debating the pill’s development method. They ultimately choose Yi Jue’s materials-based approach rather than the energy-maintenance route.
• Feng Jun realizes that Miaomiao’s knowledge is exceptionally broad and profound, despite his careless lifestyle. He suggests that Miaomiao could have reached the Soul Emergence Realm if he had not wasted his talent.
• For the next six months, Feng Jun remains at Libo Shoal, balancing Fake-Death Pill research with artifact refinement, breakthrough deductions, and healing assistance.
• The Formation Dao brings Feng Jun dividend payments from the Energy Conversion Formation and asks him to improve two additional formations. Dissatisfied with the small payment and overwhelmed by work, Feng Jun refuses. The Formation Dao representative stays at Libo Shoal to wait for another opportunity.
• Other groups also gather around Feng Jun: the Artifact Refining Dao seeks his guidance, Grand Void Gate wants to sell him a Spirit Stone Mine, and Golden Crow and the Lower Sects want collective deductions similar to those he performed for the Crimson Phoenix Sect.
• The “big shot” grows impatient because Feng Jun has not yet accompanied it to Yi Jue’s lower realms to recover its secret resources and pursue the Soul Emergence Pill. It warns Feng Jun that it will rely on its own resources rather than place all its hopes—and too much karma—on him.
• Elder Bianji then reports that a large-scale casualty incident has occurred in the Insectoid World. The passageway wants Feng Jun to investigate because his deduction abilities are better suited to unknown damage than Bianji’s healing skills.
• Although Feng Jun is reluctant to abandon the Fake-Death Pill project and leave Libo Shoal unattended, Yi Jue advises him to go, since the pill will take a long time to develop. Qian Zhong suggests that Xuanyuan Buqi guard the area, revealing that an Integration Stage expert may also be present nearby.

Character Developments

• Miaomiao True Immortal: Initially evasive and uncooperative, he becomes more obedient under the pressure of stronger cultivators. His expertise proves far greater than his irresponsible personality suggests, establishing him as a talented but self-wasting oddball.
• Feng Jun: Continues to gain influence and responsibility. His abilities are now in such demand that different Dao factions, sects, and powerful individuals compete for his time. He remains practical but begins to recognize that he may be becoming overly important and entangled in others’ affairs.
• Elder Bianji: Accepts that Feng Jun’s deduction abilities surpass his own, despite being a highly accomplished healer and alchemist. He is frustrated that the Insectoid World values Feng Jun’s involvement more than his own.
• Yi Jue: Takes a pragmatic approach, encouraging Feng Jun to leave for the Insectoid World because the Fake-Death Pill research can continue without him.
• The big shot: Becomes increasingly anxious about its threatened secret caches and the loss of potential Soul Emergence Pill resources. It also grows wary of accumulating karma through dependence on Feng Jun.
• Xuanyuan Buqi and Qian Zhong: Their lighthearted exchange emphasizes the vast difference between their cultivation levels and shows their familiarity with teasing one another.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus discipline: Miaomiao represents someone with extraordinary ability who has failed to develop it because of a careless attitude.
• Growing fame and obligation: Feng Jun’s reputation brings opportunities and rewards, but also causes constant demands that make it difficult for him to pursue his own goals.
• Power and social pressure: Even supposedly powerful cultivators can be controlled through fear of stronger figures or influential connections.
• Karma and indebtedness: The big shot’s concern about accepting help reflects the danger of becoming tied to another powerful cultivator through obligation.
• Cooperation across specialties: The Fake-Death Pill project relies on the combined knowledge of deduction, alchemy, materials, and cross-world data, but its complexity makes progress slow and uncertain.
• Humor amid high stakes: Miaomiao’s cowardice, the arguments over the pill, and the banter between Qian Zhong and Xuanyuan Buqi provide comic relief within broader conflicts involving major realms and mass casualties.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Miaomiao clash over Miaomiao’s wasted talent, with Miaomiao responding defensively and competitively.
• Feng Jun, Yi Jue, and Elder Bianji engage in intense technical debates over the Fake-Death Pill, eventually drawing Miaomiao into the discussion.
• The Formation Dao attempts to enlist Feng Jun’s assistance, but Feng Jun rejects them because he considers their compensation inadequate.
• Feng Jun and the big shot argue over delayed plans to visit the lower realms, with the big shot expressing both impatience and distrust of excessive dependence.
• Elder Bianji reluctantly asks Feng Jun to respond to the Insectoid World crisis, while Feng Jun resists leaving the ongoing project.
• Yi Jue settles the dispute by supporting the journey, and Qian Zhong and Xuanyuan Buqi discuss who should guard Libo Shoal, leaving Elder Bianji surprised by the strength gathered there.

Chapter Summary: “Encounter”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xuanyuan Buqi clarifies that his earlier claim about someone being at the Integration Stage was only a joke. The group’s real concern becomes deciding who will accompany Feng Jun to the Insectoid World passage.
• Feng Jun is reluctant to go, preferring a quiet, predictable life, but the summons from the Two Sects and the Alchemy Dao convince him that the situation is serious.
• He decides to bring Yi Jue, Xuanyuan Buqi, and Qian Zhong. Elder Cang Jing remains behind to recover and to watch Miao Miao True Immortal, who has repeatedly tried to escape Libo Shoal and cause trouble.
• Feng Jun leaves the Yin-Yang Mirror at Libo Shoal to protect the area. Since the Mirror Spirit now depends on him for Ultimate Spirit Stones, it is unlikely to flee.
• The group shifts to a location near a war fortress, deliberately avoiding the crowded Insectoid passage entrance. However, a Myriad Illusions Sect patrol detects them almost immediately and surrounds them.
• The patrol’s leader recognizes Feng Jun and Yi Jue but pretends to act under official orders, demanding that the group cooperate. Yi Jue responds by attacking with her “Sweet Rain of Thought” divine ability.
• The patrol forms a powerful Three-Talent battle formation and attempts to disrupt the surrounding space, preventing Feng Jun from using spatial shifting. Their leader orders the group to capture Feng Jun and kill the others if necessary.
• Yi Jue protects herself and Feng Jun with defensive talismans and prepares to fight. Xuanyuan Buqi then attacks with a gigantic thumb-shaped force, carefully targeting one of the three battle squads rather than unleashing his full power.
• A Myriad Illusions Sect Venerable, Wen Kui, intervenes with a pale green spear. Although the spear is destroyed, it delays Xuanyuan Buqi’s attack long enough for the patrol to attempt a defensive response and partial retreat.
• Xuanyuan Buqi’s attack still annihilates the targeted Nascent Soul squad, including its leader, while the other two squads suffer heavy losses but manage to escape with some survivors.
• Wen Kui appears injured and condemns Xuanyuan Buqi’s “ruthless methods.” Xuanyuan dismisses the criticism, claiming he merely disciplined rude juniors and had already shown restraint.
• Wen Kui argues that the patrol had been sent by the Profound Yellow and Primal Steel Two Sects to guard the area. He threatens that Xuanyuan Buqi must explain his actions to those sects, implying that the Xuanyuan Family may now have offended three of the Seven Upper Sects.
• Rather than responding himself, Xuanyuan Buqi turns to Feng Jun and asks him to explain the situation.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Reveals his dislike of being drawn into unpredictable conflicts and his desire to cultivate and develop steadily. Nevertheless, he accepts his responsibility and proceeds toward the dangerous Insectoid World front.
• Yi Jue: Demonstrates her decisive and aggressive nature. She attacks immediately when the patrol behaves arrogantly and independently prepares for battle rather than waiting passively for protection.
• Xuanyuan Buqi: Shows both overwhelming strength and battlefield discipline. He deliberately limits his attack to one squad to avoid appearing to massacre the patrol indiscriminately, while still decisively protecting Feng Jun’s group.
• Qian Zhong: Remains composed and does not attack immediately, reflecting awareness of the political consequences of fighting sect forces near their base.
• Elder Cang Jing: Though absent from the journey, she is entrusted with protecting Libo Shoal and restraining Miao Miao True Immortal, showing her reliability and importance to the group’s internal security.
• Miao Miao True Immortal: Is characterized as troublesome and opportunistic, repeatedly attempting to leave Libo Shoal under increasingly implausible excuses.
• Wen Kui Venerable: Appears as a defensive representative of the Myriad Illusions Sect. He is angered by the destruction of his disciples but chooses political pressure and threats rather than immediately escalating the confrontation.

Significant Themes

• Reluctance versus responsibility: Feng Jun wants freedom and stability but is forced to respond to a wider crisis threatening the cultivation world.
• Power and restraint: Xuanyuan Buqi’s attack demonstrates immense strength, but his careful calculation shows that power must be controlled to avoid political and moral consequences.
• Political tension among sects: The encounter is not merely a battle; it risks worsening Libo Shoal’s already poor relationship with the Myriad Illusions Sect and provoking the Profound Yellow and Primal Steel Sects.
• Military organization and cooperation: The patrol’s battle formations show how coordinated lower-level cultivators can challenge stronger opponents, although the gap between them and a True Lord remains overwhelming.
• Trust and supervision: Feng Jun relies on Yi Jue and the two True Lords in combat, while Elder Cang Jing is tasked with preventing Miao Miao from creating further problems.
• The danger of authority and appearances: The Myriad Illusions patrol uses its official mission as justification for confronting Feng Jun, while Xuanyuan Buqi must ensure his response does not look like wanton slaughter.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun consults with Yi Jue and the others about who will accompany him and asks Elder Cang Jing to monitor Miao Miao.
• Yi Jue recognizes the Myriad Illusions Sect patrol and challenges its intentions, quickly escalating the encounter by attacking.
• The patrol leader attempts to use his sect’s authority to control Feng Jun’s group, but his threat provokes Yi Jue and leads to open combat.
• Xuanyuan Buqi coordinates indirectly with Yi Jue, trusting her to handle one enemy squad while he destroys another and evaluates the possibility of further attacks.
• Wen Kui confronts Xuanyuan Buqi after the battle, accusing him of excessive violence and invoking the authority of the Two Sects.
• Xuanyuan Buqi refuses to argue with Wen Kui directly and places the responsibility for explaining the incident on Feng Jun, setting up the next stage of the conflict.

Chapter Summary: “Asking for It”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun arrives in the Insectoid World under the agreement between the Two Sects and immediately clashes with Wen Kui Venerable of the Myriad Illusions Sect.
• Wen Kui recognizes Feng Jun as the cultivator who previously refused to transport Myriad Illusions Sect members, contributing to the sect’s difficulties on the battlefield. He also learns that Feng Jun killed members of a Myriad Illusions patrol after they confronted him.
• Fishing Elder Venerable and Ren Tu Venerable arrive and investigate the incident. After using Deduction, Fishing Elder confirms that Xuanyuan Buqi, the Xuanyuan Family’s True Lord, acted correctly and that the Myriad Illusions cultivators were at fault.
• Feng Jun indirectly exposes the Myriad Illusions Sect’s past wrongdoing, including its sheltering of bandits. Wen Kui is unable to argue and leaves with the surviving sect disciples.
• Feng Jun makes clear that he will not treat injured members of the Myriad Illusions Sect, though he agrees to help other wounded cultivators at the main camp.
• At the camp, Feng Jun learns that hundreds of cultivators have been poisoned by venom from a massive spider swarm encountered deep in the Insectoid World. The poison resembles Bone-Eroding Poison, spreads into the marrow and blood essence, and consumes spiritual qi, making conventional treatment ineffective.
• The Two Sects explain that the spiders come from a world without spiritual qi, which may account for the toxin’s unusual properties. Feng Jun was summoned because of both his medical deduction abilities and his expertise with Energy-Conversion Arrays.
• Yi Jue performs a Deduction and notices that the toxin resembles microorganisms Feng Jun previously obtained from Mars. She concludes that ordinary fire may destroy it.
• Fishing Elder Venerable orders a test using ordinary flames. Yi Jue also reveals that she controlled the microorganisms by cutting off spiritual qi and restraining them with Wood-Qi Restraint, prompting Feng Jun to question how wood qi can restrain organisms if it is itself derived from spiritual qi.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Remains openly hostile toward the Myriad Illusions Sect because of its connection to bandits and past attempts to ambush or exploit him. Nevertheless, he continues to fulfill his broader obligations by helping unrelated injured cultivators.
• Wen Kui Venerable: His arrogance and resentment toward Feng Jun are undermined when Deduction proves that his disciples provoked the conflict. He is forced to retreat without defending the sect’s reputation.
• Xuanyuan Buqi: Demonstrates his confidence and authority by refusing to justify himself to Fishing Elder Venerable. His actions are confirmed to have been justified.
• Fishing Elder Venerable: Acts as a mediator and investigator. Though he wishes to defend the Myriad Illusions Sect, he accepts the evidence and shifts his attention toward treating the poisoned cultivators.
• Ren Tu Venerable: Shows awareness of the Myriad Illusions Sect’s misconduct but remains restrained by his responsibilities as a sect leader.
• Yi Jue: Becomes actively involved in solving the poisoning crisis. Her expertise in Deduction and the Spirit Plant Dao produces the key insight that ordinary fire may counter the toxin.

Significant Themes

• Consequences of arrogance and misconduct: The Myriad Illusions Sect suffers humiliation because its members provoke someone acting within his rights.
• Justice versus sectarian loyalty: The Venerables must acknowledge the truth even when it implicates their own sect or allies.
• Cooperation amid conflict: Despite personal and political tensions, Feng Jun, Yi Jue, and the Two Sects collaborate to address the larger threat.
• The limits of conventional knowledge: Spiritual-qi-based methods fail against a toxin from a world without spiritual qi, forcing the cultivators to consider ordinary fire and unfamiliar biological principles.
• Integration of different forms of knowledge: Feng Jun’s experience with alien microorganisms, Yi Jue’s Deduction and Wood-Qi techniques, and the sects’ medical resources combine to produce a possible treatment.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Wen Kui exchange curt, hostile remarks, reflecting their long-standing conflict.
• Xuanyuan Buqi sharply rebukes Fishing Elder Venerable when questioned, while Fishing Elder is forced to accept the truth after performing Deduction.
• Fishing Elder subtly criticizes Wen Kui for allowing the patrol to provoke Feng Jun.
• Feng Jun deliberately reminds Wen Kui of Ouyang Beishan’s earlier ambush, causing Wen Kui to lose face and withdraw.
• Ren Tu and Fishing Elder acknowledge Feng Jun’s refusal to treat Myriad Illusions Sect members but still escort him to the healing camp.
• Yi Jue and Feng Jun work closely on the poison problem, comparing the toxin to previously discovered microorganisms and opening a new line of investigation.

Chapter Summary: “Stance”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun and Yi Jue develop a treatment method for cultivators poisoned by microorganisms. Yi Jue suggests using Wood Aura both to counteract the toxins and lure the microorganisms into changing direction.
• Feng Jun uses Deduction with Yi Jue’s guidance, producing a workable treatment plan in one day. Although some ingredients come from the Insectoid World, no spider materials are needed, confirming that opposing forces tend to exist near one another.
• The treatment is tested on twenty cultivators. The toxins visibly weaken, and two lightly injured cultivators recover completely. Feng Jun and Yi Jue then leave the remaining treatments to others.
• The Two Sects reward them with two hundred High-Grade Spirit Stones. Feng Jun is dissatisfied that the treatment method will inevitably spread to the Myriad Illusions Sect, but chooses not to complain.
• Feng Jun travels to Xingzheng Star with Yi Jue, Old Fisherman, and Ren Tu. He checks on He Runxian, who is recovering but remains bedridden and is frustrated that headquarters will not transfer him elsewhere for treatment.
• Feng Jun then searches for Chen Jiu, only to learn that Chen is under heavy surveillance. Xuan Gao, however, is comparatively accessible, though he must report to the police station daily.
• Feng Jun meets Xuan Gao at the docks to request medicine and pharmaceutical production lines. Xuan Gao avoids the request and instead offers to sell him standard fleet equipment.
• Their conversation turns into a discussion of civilization, strength, resources, and possible invasion. Xuan Gao confirms that the two populations are genetically compatible, despite the Human Federation’s habit of calling Feng Jun’s people a separate “humanoid civilization.”
• Feng Jun openly declares that his civilization is vastly stronger than the Human Federation and that its intervention against the Insectoids cost it little. He argues that Federation technology and resources are useful, but the Federation itself is not a serious threat.
• The chapter ends with a debate over resource ownership. Xuan Gao suspects Feng Jun is plundering Federation resources, while Feng Jun counters that the Federation has no inherent right to claim all resources as its own.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Becomes more effective when given a concrete direction for Deduction. He remains pragmatic and unconcerned with whether others find his words insulting. His confidence in his civilization’s superiority is unmistakable, but he also reveals that he seeks technology and medicine mainly to conserve resources and help ordinary people.
• Yi Jue: Demonstrates strong analytical ability and becomes essential to solving the poisoning crisis. Her presence proves valuable enough that the others reconsider their earlier failure to invite her.
• Xuan Gao: Is shown to be brave, perceptive, and politically cautious. Though offended by Feng Jun’s dismissive assessment of the Federation, he recognizes the logic behind it and continues probing for information.
• He Runxian: Remains physically weak and bitter toward headquarters, believing his sacrifices during the war have earned him better treatment.
• Chen Jiu: Has recovered well and appears prosperous, but is heavily monitored, making direct contact impossible.
• Qian Zhong and Xuanyuan Buqi: Act as vigilant protectors, identifying surveillance and hidden threats around Feng Jun’s potential contacts.

Significant Themes

• Cooperation and complementary strengths: Feng Jun’s Deduction works far better when combined with Yi Jue’s insight, showing that knowledge and ability are more effective when shared.
• Opposing forces and balance: The poison treatment reinforces the idea that forces capable of countering one another are often closely related or found in neighboring realms.
• Civilizational superiority and arrogance: The chapter contrasts technological power with individual cultivation strength and questions which form of advancement truly makes a civilization powerful.
• Resource ownership and imperialism: Feng Jun challenges the Federation’s assumption that its resources belong exclusively to it, framing both sides as potential resource exploiters.
• Pragmatism over pride: Feng Jun ignores the inevitable spread of his treatment method and pursues medicines and equipment for practical benefits rather than prestige.
• Fear of invasion and cultural distrust: Xuan Gao’s caution reflects the Federation’s fear that Feng Jun’s civilization may eventually invade, while Feng Jun views that fear as exaggerated and rooted in insecurity.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Yi Jue: Collaborate closely on the treatment plan, with Yi Jue supplying the crucial conceptual breakthrough and Feng Jun converting it into a concrete solution.
• Feng Jun and his protectors: Old Fisherman and Ren Tu accompany him out of duty, while Qian Zhong and Xuanyuan Buqi repeatedly monitor threats and surveillance.
• Feng Jun and He Runxian: Their interaction is indirect; Feng Jun checks He Runxian’s condition but avoids approaching him during his argument with headquarters.
• Feng Jun and Chen Jiu: Feng Jun considers contacting Chen, but the latter’s extensive surveillance makes a meeting impossible.
• Feng Jun and Xuan Gao: Their negotiation becomes an ideological confrontation. Xuan Gao seeks information about Feng Jun’s civilization, while Feng Jun gives guarded answers and bluntly asserts his people’s superiority.
• Xuan Gao and the Human Federation: Though he is connected to Federation authorities, Xuan Gao is not blindly loyal. He understands their fears but is willing to question their assumptions about racial difference, power, and ownership.

Chapter Summary: A Clear Conscience

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun reveals that his civilization recognizes the Human Federation as an entirely separate-world civilization. Xuan Gao realizes this statement carries both a warning and a degree of hostility.
• The two discuss whether either side is exploiting the other’s resources. Feng Jun argues that such disputes are premature while the Insectoids remain a common enemy and emphasizes that his civilization saved the Human Federation from likely destruction.
• Xuan Gao proposes forming a united front against the Insectoids and establishing formal contact, but Feng Jun bluntly explains that neither he nor the Federation is important enough to attract attention from his civilization’s higher authorities.
• Feng Jun further states that his civilization considers the Federation too weak to be worth troubling. Xuan Gao is deeply insulted but ultimately accepts that the disparity in strength is real.
• Xuan Gao attempts to secure advanced resources or cultivation-related benefits in exchange for assisting Feng Jun. Feng Jun refuses to promise technological or cultivation knowledge, invoking the principle that “the law is not lightly passed on”—that valuable knowledge should remain monopolized.
• Xuan Gao cleverly suggests using his infant child as a possible candidate for improvement, while also asking for help for himself. Feng Jun compromises by offering potential assistance only if Xuan Gao pays double in Energy Stones.
• They finalize a trade: Xuan Gao will acquire Nanorobots and investigate production lines for limb regeneration and Life Potions, while Feng Jun will obtain warships. The warships are to be delivered secretly at a remote location in space.
• After leaving, Feng Jun deposits the Energy Stones and discusses with Yi Jue, Xuanyuan Buqi, and Qian Zhong whether he truly intends to teach Xuan Gao cultivation techniques. Feng Jun clarifies that he has made no promise and that Xuan Gao must earn any future consideration himself.

Character Developments

• Xuan Gao moves from indignation to pragmatic acceptance. Although offended by Feng Jun’s condescension, he recognizes the vast power gap and skillfully adapts by exploiting available loopholes and negotiating practical benefits.
• Feng Jun remains firm about maintaining an information monopoly. He is willing to help the Federation and trade for needed supplies, but he refuses to give away cultivation knowledge without sufficient justification or compensation.
• Yi Jue becomes increasingly concerned that Xuan Gao’s flattery and ambition could influence Feng Jun, warning him to preserve the stability of his Dao heart.
• Xuanyuan Buqi recalls past examples of outsiders receiving cultivation knowledge and eventually attempting to plunder the Cultivation Realm. His warning reflects deep suspicion of technological civilizations gaining access to cultivation.
• Qian Zhong supports the concern that combining advanced technology with cultivation could produce unpredictable and dangerous consequences.

Significant Themes

• Power determines diplomacy: The chapter presents inter-civilizational relations as fundamentally unequal. Feng Jun’s civilization does not need to threaten the Federation because the power difference alone places it beneath serious consideration.
• Pragmatism over pride: Xuan Gao’s success comes from abandoning wounded pride and focusing on survival, trade, and long-term advantage.
• Information as power: Cultivation techniques and advanced knowledge are treated as strategic assets that should not be casually shared.
• Ambition and unintended consequences: The characters fear that granting powerful abilities to a technologically advanced but ambitious civilization could create a future threat.
• Conscience and fair dealing: Feng Jun justifies his actions by noting that he is paying double the value in Energy Stones. Despite manipulating the terms, he believes the transaction is fair and therefore morally defensible.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Xuan Gao engage in tense but productive negotiations, with Feng Jun repeatedly asserting superiority and Xuan Gao responding through diplomacy, persistence, and calculated compromise.
• Xuan Gao challenges Feng Jun’s claim of indifference by pointing out that Feng Jun still needs warships, medicine, and other resources, but Feng Jun distinguishes his personal dealings from his civilization’s broader attitude.
• Yi Jue, Xuanyuan Buqi, and Qian Zhong collectively question whether Feng Jun should provide cultivation assistance, emphasizing the risks of empowering ambitious outsiders.
• Feng Jun dismisses their concerns, insisting that he has promised nothing and that his transactions are ethically sound because he pays generously for what he receives.