Chapter Summaries

Chapter 3085 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xuanyuan Buqi and Qian Zhong are surprised when Feng Jun presents them with an actual mission. They had been waiting for him because his pills were effective and because they wanted to negotiate directly with the owner of the secret trove before others could establish the terms.
• Feng Jun explains that, while investigating the Insectoid World, he agreed to help create a new cultivation system. To do so, he needs extensive records about the cultivation methods of various alien races.
• The mission is partly motivated by Yi Jue’s breakthrough into the Soul Emergence Realm. Since Yi Jue is now vastly above Feng Jun’s level, he views the new system as a gift to her and as a way to improve his own ability to find a personal path.
• Qian Zhong and Xuanyuan Buqi doubt that designing a cultivation system will help Feng Jun advance to the Spirit Division Realm, pointing out that countless brilliant cultivators have failed to accomplish such a feat.
• Qian Zhong offers the Yao Family’s older records on alien-race cultivation, while Xuanyuan Buqi admits that the Xuanyuan Family has a weaker collection because it has traditionally focused on resources useful to cultivators.
• A mysterious figure from the Grand Void Sect suddenly appears and claims that his sect can complete the mission. The figure is True Lord Zi Xian, also called “Long Ears,” who appears as a child.
• Zi Xian reveals that his Integration attempt failed and that he instead cultivated the Profound Mysteries Record, using the Borrowed-Life Renewal technique. This gives him combat strength comparable to the Half-Step Integration Stage but cuts off his hope of reincarnation and leaves him facing the danger of nine Heavenly Tribulations.
• Zi Xian wants a Soul Emergence Pill. He claims he is pursuing the mission not to rob Feng Jun’s group, but to trade for a pill while preserving Feng Jun’s goodwill.
• Xuanyuan Buqi and Zi Xian immediately clash verbally over their old rivalry. They consider fighting, but hesitate because neither wants to risk important resources belonging to their families.
• Zi Xian explains that even if he loses and leaves, he could still harass the Yao or Xuanyuan Family, making a simple contest without meaningful stakes ineffective.
• Zi Xian ultimately argues that the Grand Void Sect possesses the best collection of alien-race records, especially through its Dao of Heavenly Deduction, and asks Feng Jun to confirm that Feng Jun deliberately released the mission after sensing his presence.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun is shown to be ambitious and unconventional. He is willing to undertake the nearly impossible task of creating a new cultivation system, both to help Yi Jue and to sharpen his own understanding of cultivation. He also recognizes and appreciates Zi Xian’s straightforward personality.
• Yi Jue has made a dramatic breakthrough into the Soul Emergence Realm before the age of six hundred, widening the gap between her and Feng Jun. Her advancement changes the nature of their relationship and motivates Feng Jun to find an appropriate gift for her.
• Xuanyuan Buqi remains outspoken, combative, and fiercely proud. Despite his apparent recklessness, he is politically cautious when family resources and consequences are involved.
• Qian Zhong is perceptive and restrained. She quickly identifies Zi Xian’s Borrowed-Life Renewal state and understands Feng Jun’s awkward position regarding Yi Jue. Unlike Xuanyuan Buqi, she prefers avoiding a pointless conflict.
• True Lord Zi Xian is introduced as arrogant, blunt, and highly confident. Though his Integration failed, he has gained formidable strength through the Profound Mysteries Record. He is hostile toward Xuanyuan Buqi because of their long-standing rivalry but is cautious around Feng Jun.

Significant Themes

• The vast gap between cultivation realms: Yi Jue’s rise to Soul Emergence makes Feng Jun’s current level seem insignificant by comparison, emphasizing how advancement changes personal relationships and social standing.
• Creating one’s own path: Feng Jun’s attempt to design a cultivation system reflects the theme of pursuing an individual path beyond established methods, even when success is unlikely.
• The price of power: Zi Xian’s cultivation method grants tremendous combat strength but sacrifices reincarnation and exposes him to immense tribulation risks.
• Competition and negotiation among powerful factions: The mission becomes a contest between the Yao Family, Xuanyuan Family, and Grand Void Sect, with knowledge, pills, reputation, and political consequences all serving as leverage.
• Pride versus pragmatism: Xuanyuan Buqi and Zi Xian’s insults reveal their pride and rivalry, while Qian Zhong and Feng Jun show greater awareness of the practical consequences of conflict.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun explains his mission and motives to Xuanyuan Buqi and Qian Zhong, who respond with skepticism but recognize its connection to Yi Jue.
• Qian Zhong and Xuanyuan Buqi compare the resources of their families, with Qian Zhong acknowledging the Yao Family’s older records and Xuanyuan Buqi admitting his family’s limitations.
• Zi Xian’s arrival immediately reignites his rivalry with Xuanyuan Buqi. They trade insults over Zi Xian’s failed Integration and unusual cultivation method.
• Qian Zhong acts as a mediator and observer, correctly identifying Zi Xian’s condition and challenging his assumption that she would be easy to intimidate.
• Zi Xian openly states that Feng Jun is the one person he does not wish to offend, revealing both his respect for Feng Jun and his strategic caution.
• The chapter ends with Zi Xian asking Feng Jun to validate his claim that the mission was made available specifically because Feng Jun detected his presence.

Chapter Summary: “Abrupt”

Key Plot Points and Events

• True Lord Zi Xian unexpectedly appears and attempts to claim Feng Jun’s task involving the Soul Emergence Pill and the study of another race’s cultivation system.
• Qian Zhong, despite desperately needing the pill for the Yao Family, reluctantly agrees to yield the task because Zi Xian’s presence made it possible in the first place.
• Feng Jun explains that the task was intended for his friends, particularly Ren Tu and Yi Jue, and that Zi Xian’s unfamiliarity—and especially his secretive ambush-like arrival—made Feng Jun distrust him.
• Zi Xian and Feng Jun openly confront the misunderstanding. Zi Xian explains that he hid himself to preserve his reputation after suffering an embarrassing setback, while Feng Jun apologizes for misjudging him.
• Their conflict temporarily eases, but Zi Xian continues pressing for the Soul Emergence Pill, claiming he wants to research it and possibly help a grand-disciple trapped at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage.
• Qian Zhong insists that her family has an equally valid claim, while Xuanyuan Buqi warns Zi Xian that the pill belongs to one of Feng Jun’s extremely powerful Tribulation Transcendence Stage elders.
• Realizing that force would be dangerous, Zi Xian asks whether Feng Jun has another pill. Feng Jun says he has no suitable task left to release, prompting Zi Xian to offer to help eliminate the troublesome Thief Lineage.
• Qian Zhong and Xuanyuan Buqi reject this offer, and the discussion nearly escalates into violence. Zi Xian finally abandons the idea of seizing the pill and asks to purchase one at a high price.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates fairness and firmness. He values personal trust over status and refuses to let Zi Xian bypass his friends merely because Zi Xian is a powerful senior. However, he is also willing to admit his mistake once Zi Xian explains his actions.
• True Lord Zi Xian is revealed as proud, irritable, and blunt, but also unusually direct and capable of acknowledging fault. His desire for the pill is partly scholarly and partly motivated by concern for his grand-disciple.
• Qian Zhong shows political judgment and loyalty. She initially yields the task for the Yao Family’s larger interests, but later stands firm when Zi Xian tries to pressure her, defending her family’s dignity and need.
• Xuanyuan Buqi acts as Qian Zhong’s ally and as a deterrent against Zi Xian. He uses teasing, half-truths, and reminders of Feng Jun’s powerful backing to prevent the situation from turning violent.
• Feng Jun’s relationship with Zi Xian improves after their candid exchange, though Zi Xian’s continued insistence over the pill creates renewed tension.

Significant Themes

• Trust must be earned: Power and sect affiliation do not automatically create familiarity or entitlement.
• Pride and reputation: Zi Xian’s secretive arrival stems from embarrassment and concern for his dignity, showing how status can influence behavior.
• Direct communication and reconciliation: Both Feng Jun and Zi Xian improve the situation by openly acknowledging their mistakes.
• Competing loyalties and fairness: Feng Jun must balance helping friends, respecting powerful seniors, and honoring the rightful interests of the Yao and Xuanyuan Families.
• Power restrained by consequences: Although Zi Xian could potentially threaten Qian Zhong, the presence of Feng Jun’s powerful backing and the political cost of acting recklessly prevents him from using force.
• Scarcity and desperation: The Soul Emergence Pill is valuable enough to provoke rivalry among major families and motivate Zi Xian to risk humiliation and conflict.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Zi Xian: Their initial distrust turns into mutual understanding after they discuss Zi Xian’s concealed arrival, though their disagreement over the pill remains.
• Feng Jun and Qian Zhong: Feng Jun’s decision to protect her interests strengthens her respect and loyalty toward him.
• Qian Zhong and Zi Xian: They clash over who deserves the pill, with Qian Zhong refusing to surrender her family’s claim.
• Xuanyuan Buqi and Zi Xian: Buqi mocks and warns Zi Xian, subtly reminding him that attacking Qian Zhong or taking the pill would provoke powerful retaliation.
• Qian Zhong and Xuanyuan Buqi: They cooperate in resisting Zi Xian, presenting a united front against his pressure.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zi Xian True Lord presses Feng Jun to sell him a Soul Emergence Pill, arguing that his willingness to pay a high price demonstrates sincerity. Feng Jun refuses to treat the pill as an ordinary commodity, pointing out that possessing something valuable does not obligate him to sell it.
• To avoid conflict—especially because Zi Xian could potentially target the Xuanyuan and Yao Families—Feng Jun agrees to sell one pill for ten Ultimate Spirit Stones, provided Zi Xian completes two tasks and grants one favor.
• The two tasks are:
  1. Help Qian Zhong improve cultivation materials related to other races.
  2. Eliminate the Thief Lineage’s remaining influence and hidden dangers within an unknown space in the Fallen Immortal Ancient Battlefield.
• The favor requires Zi Xian to protect Feng Jun once if another powerful cultivator attempts to forcibly obtain his pills.
• Zi Xian accepts the conditions and pays sixteen Ultimate Spirit Stones in advance, with six to be returned after the tasks are completed.
• Feng Jun also asks Zi Xian to escort Xuanyuan Buqi and Qian Zhong home. Though both True Lords object out of pride, Zi Xian agrees to fulfill the request.
• After the three depart, Libo Shoal temporarily becomes stable.
• Feng Jun later travels to the Insectoid World and retrieves an artificial consciousness prepared for Jiangzhu Grass. The consciousness resembles a small blade of grass rather than a miniature version of its creator. Jiangzhu Grass initially shows little interest, but accepts it after using Feng Jun’s contract technique to control it, naming it “Xianxian.”

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates increasing confidence and political awareness. He refuses to be bullied, sets a high price, and uses the transaction to secure both practical assistance and future protection. He also recognizes that Zi Xian’s unstable condition makes him dangerous if cornered.
• Zi Xian True Lord is shown to be powerful, proud, and highly concerned with dignity. Although he complains and tries to justify his earlier behavior, he ultimately accepts Feng Jun’s terms and pays honestly. His willingness to perform the tasks suggests that his pragmatism outweighs his resentment.
• Qian Zhong becomes more cooperative after realizing that Feng Jun is willing to sell another pill. She abandons her earlier hostility toward Zi Xian and focuses on securing his help with cultivation materials.
• Xuanyuan Buqi remains openly mocking and confrontational. He ridicules Zi Xian’s complaints and refuses to admit that he needs an escort, emphasizing the pride of the Xuanyuan Family.
• Jiangzhu Grass displays its independent and self-centered personality. It only accepts the artificial consciousness once it realizes it can control it directly, then gives it the personal name “Xianxian.”

Significant Themes

• Power and negotiation: The exchange shows that valuable resources are governed by status, scarcity, and leverage rather than simple market prices.
• Dignity and face: Zi Xian repeatedly complains about humiliation, while Feng Jun and Xuanyuan Buqi challenge his sense of superiority. Personal pride strongly shapes every interaction.
• Strength as authority: The discussion of ownership of the unknown space reinforces that political claims ultimately depend on whether a force has enough power to defend them.
• Pragmatism versus principle: Feng Jun balances his dislike of coercion with the need to protect allied families and preserve broader stability.
• Trust and obligation: The pill deal is transformed into a network of obligations—payment, tasks, protection, and escorting—showing how relationships among powerful cultivators are built through negotiated commitments.
• Consciousness and control: Jiangzhu Grass’s acceptance of Xianxian raises the idea that identity and companionship may be defined less by appearance than by the ability to control and integrate another consciousness.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Zi Xian engage in a tense but ultimately successful negotiation, with both accusing the other of unreasonable behavior.
• Qian Zhong supports Feng Jun’s valuation of the pill and agrees to cooperate with Zi Xian once the transaction benefits her research.
• Xuanyuan Buqi repeatedly taunts Zi Xian over the pill’s price and his earlier attempt to obtain it by force, creating an atmosphere of hostility beneath the agreement.
• Feng Jun uses subtle sarcasm when asking Zi Xian to escort the two True Lords, reminding him that he himself had been willing to threaten them.
• Xuanyuan Buqi rejects Zi Xian’s protection out of pride, while Zi Xian ignores the insult and fulfills his promise.
• Jiangzhu Grass’s relationship with the artificial consciousness shifts from indifference to acceptance once it gains control over the entity, which it names Xianxian.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun learns that Jiangzhu Grass named her attendant Xianxian and realizes she is far more lively and fashion-conscious than rumors suggested. She enthusiastically dresses Xianxian in elaborate outfits, including swimsuits.
• Qian Zhong delivers extensive materials on the cultivation systems of other races, gathered from the Yao Family, Grand Void Gate, and later the Xuanyuan Family. These resources become the foundation for Feng Jun’s attempt to deduce a new cultivation system.
• Feng Jun begins a lengthy research project intended not only to expand his own understanding but potentially to provide Blue Star humanity with an alternative cultivation path.
• Qian Zhong joins the deduction. Although cultivation-method analysis is not her strongest field, her immense experience and systematic knowledge allow her to exchange valuable insights with Feng Jun.
• Their discussions continue for more than ten days and gradually become a formal exchange of Dao knowledge, with each compensating for the other’s weaknesses.
• Xia Nichang hears about their discussions and asks to participate. Qian Zhong agrees, provided Xia brings relevant materials from the Golden Crow Sect rather than merely contributing Spirit Stones.
• Feng Jun transports Xia instantly to the Golden Crow Sect’s Blazing Flame Sector. She consults the sect and eventually returns with Venerable Luanxiong, who has helped secure additional materials.
• Luanxiong initially intends only to listen, but Qian Zhong insists that everyone contribute their own ideas. Feng Jun likewise emphasizes that the research is experimental and that no single participant needs to be completely correct.
• Luanxiong becomes deeply absorbed in the project. He discovers that even incomplete, fragmentary insights into unfamiliar cultivation systems are valuable, especially after reaching a high realm where one’s thinking can become rigid.
• The group’s discussions begin to resemble the brainstorming methods Feng Jun remembers from Blue Star.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun shows increasing maturity as a researcher. Although he claims limited interest in creating a new cultivation system, he recognizes its possible value to humanity and commits to the difficult work. He also acknowledges the limits of his own foundations compared with major powers.
• Qian Zhong demonstrates humility and scholarly openness. Despite being a True Lord, she willingly asks Feng Jun questions and learns from him. She also acts as an organizer, demanding that participants exchange ideas rather than passively benefit.
• Xia Nichang reveals a strong sense of urgency about improving herself. Once considered an exceptional talent in the Crimson Phoenix Sect, she feels ordinary within the stronger Golden Crow Sect and actively seeks every opportunity to advance.
• Venerable Luanxiong shifts from detached observer to active participant. His initial skepticism gives way to genuine intellectual interest, and he contributes his own theories once he realizes that passive listening is insufficient.
• Jiangzhu Grass is portrayed as unexpectedly playful and creative, contradicting her reputation as frail and aloof.
• Zi Xian remains absent because he is likely using the Soul Emergence Pill, but he has still provided reliable assistance by arranging access to Grand Void Gate materials.

Significant Themes

• Scholarly humility and collaboration: The chapter emphasizes that even powerful cultivators benefit from asking questions, admitting limitations, and combining different perspectives.
• The value of foundations and accumulated knowledge: Feng Jun recognizes that his original insights are strong but fragmented because Libo Shoal and Luohua lack the systematic inheritance of major powers.
• Innovation versus entrenched thinking: Existing cultivation systems provide useful reference points but also impose mental patterns that can restrict imagination.
• Different philosophies of cultivation: Clan systems prioritize bloodline compatibility, while sect systems emphasize physical constitution and broader accessibility. This contrast helps explain why sects eventually surpassed clans.
• Lifelong learning: Even True Lords and Venerables must continue studying. At high realms, rigid thinking can become an obstacle, while unfamiliar theories may provide new possibilities.
• Building a path for humanity: Feng Jun’s research carries broader significance because a new cultivation system could give Blue Star humans another route to power.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Qian Zhong engage in daily Dao discussions, exchanging deductions and challenging each other’s assumptions.
• Xia Nichang approaches them out of respect for the opportunity and negotiates her participation by seeking materials from the Golden Crow Sect.
• Xia interacts politely with the Golden Crow disciple, avoiding arrogance despite her Nascent Soul cultivation and acknowledging the sect’s internal hierarchy.
• Xia introduces Luanxiong to the group, while Qian Zhong pushes him to contribute rather than merely listen.
• Feng Jun encourages Luanxiong by stressing that the project is exploratory, not a contest over who is right.
• The three researchers—Feng Jun, Qian Zhong, and Luanxiong—combine imaginative speculation, clan-based knowledge, and sect-based experience, creating a collaborative “brainstorming” environment.

Chapter Summary: “Xuanyuan Refuses”

• Collaborative Dao deduction: Feng Jun, Qian Zhong, and Luanxiong Venerable continue discussing and developing a new cultivation system. Feng Jun raises hypotheses and performs rapid deductions, while the two senior cultivators verify his theories and provide solutions. Their roles gradually reverse conventional expectations, with the Gold Core cultivator leading the intellectual work while the True Lord and Venerable rigorously test his conclusions.
• Growing imbalance: Feng Jun’s deductions eventually outpace what Qian Zhong and Luanxiong can verify in a day, creating an awkward but productive situation. Despite the difference in status, all three become deeply absorbed in the excitement of brainstorming and Dao exploration.
• Xuanyuan Buqi returns: Xuanyuan Buqi comes back after delivering the Soul Emergence Pill to a carefully selected junior cultivator. He wants to handle family affairs fairly and avoid favoritism. Afterward, he prepares to join Zi Xian in dealing with the Thief Lineage, but Zi Xian tells him he can handle it alone.
• The significance of the exchange: At Libo Shoal, Xuanyuan sees Feng Jun’s group discussing the new system and recognizes the historical importance of the gathering. Deep cooperation between family and sect cultivators above the Nascent Soul level has been rare for tens of thousands of years. Their differing cultivation philosophies make the exchange especially valuable, regardless of whether the new system succeeds.
• Xuanyuan’s refusal: Qian Zhong invites Xuanyuan to participate, but he refuses. He believes that, as the foremost representative of the family camp, he cannot allow another True Lord from the family side to join a discussion where the sect cultivators would gain such an advantage. Although he admits the exchange is valuable, he insists that family and sect powers must protect their separate interests. He leaves, publicly claiming he is unsuited to deductions and announcing that he will hunt the Thief Lineage instead.

Character developments and interactions

• Feng Jun demonstrates exceptional creativity and deductive ability, becoming the driving force behind the project.
• Qian Zhong gains new insight from working with Luanxiong and realizes how rare cross-camp intellectual exchange truly is.
• Luanxiong Venerable is eager to contribute substantial knowledge, partly because he worries that Qian Zhong may undervalue him if his gains appear one-sided.
• Xuanyuan Buqi reveals strong political and ideological loyalty to the family camp. His refusal is reluctant—he personally finds the discussion worthwhile—but he prioritizes collective family interests over individual opportunity.
• Zi Xian remains curious about Feng Jun and secretly observes the gathering. The Soul Emergence Pill, whose quality is so high that he abandons any attempt to reproduce it, intensifies his suspicions about Feng Jun’s mysterious background.
• Zi Xian’s plans: Zi Xian has arranged for the Soul Emergence Pill to be given to someone of his choosing, reflecting the greater personal discretion of sect leaders compared with family powers. Fascinated by Feng Jun’s abilities and the rare cooperation taking place, he considers sending a powerful expert to Libo Shoal. Since no suitable openly active Venerable is available, he visits the mysterious Martial Ancestor Sheji to request a divided soul to travel to another world and protect Grand Void Gate personnel.
• Major themes: The chapter emphasizes the tension between shared pursuit of knowledge and factional loyalty. The Dao discussion shows how intellectual cooperation can overcome differences in rank and background, while Xuanyuan’s refusal demonstrates that political responsibility and camp identity can prevent even personally beneficial collaboration. It also highlights the rarity and transformative potential of genuine exchange between family and sect cultivation traditions.

Chapter Summary: “Arriving One After Another”

Key Plot Points and Events

• True Lord Zi Xian asks Patriarch Sheji for help sending a soul fragment to Libo Shoal. Because Zi Xian cultivates the Profound Mysteries Record, he is reluctant to interact with others directly and wants to summon a Grand Void Venerable back.
• Zi Xian explains that Feng Jun’s group is developing a new cultivation system and needs Ren Tu Venerable’s participation. Ren Tu has a better relationship with Feng Jun, while Feng Jun is wary of unfamiliar people.
• Sheji initially considers the matter trivial but agrees to go after learning that the opposing sect may possess an active Tribulation Transcendence expert, possibly a notorious vicious figure. He asks Ren Tu to record the discussions.
• Ren Tu arrives at Libo Shoal with the Grand Void Gate’s research on other races’ cultivation systems. Initially dismissive, he is quickly overwhelmed by the depth and speed of Feng Jun, Qian Zhong, and Luanxiong’s deductions.
• Ren Tu’s first suggestions are rejected because they had already been considered, but he refuses to be discouraged and gradually becomes an active, useful participant. His arrival helps reduce the burden on Qian Zhong and Luanxiong.
• The pace of Feng Jun’s deductions remains so intense that even three Venerables struggle to keep up. Wei Sancai Venerable then arrives with the Wei Family’s materials, followed two days later by Yuanhua Venerable of the Luo Family.
• Libo Shoal eventually contains one True Lord and four Venerables. Their combined presence and uncontrolled auras begin placing severe pressure on the Kunhao Realm’s Domain Consciousness.
• To protect the realm, Feng Jun proposes moving the discussion to the Icefield Sector. The group departs, also allowing Feng Jun to collect dividends from a Spirit Stone Mine.
• Shortly afterward, Vast Sea Venerable and Haoran Venerable arrive at the now-empty Libo Shoal. Vast Sea has returned from the Insectoid World through a Federation starship and teleportation array, while Haoran has abandoned an unsuccessful search for opportunities elsewhere after learning that his chance to reach the Spirit Division Realm lies in Heavenly Zither.
• Vast Sea learns that the group has moved to the Icefield Sector. Haoran is surprised that such a barren place was chosen, but Vast Sea explains that his Profound Water Sect has a branch there, prompting Haoran to remark on Feng Jun’s close relationship with the sect.

Character Developments

• True Lord Zi Xian: Reveals his discomfort with meeting people after cultivating the Profound Mysteries Record. He remains dutiful and honest, but depends on Sheji to handle the social and logistical aspects of the situation.
• Patriarch Sheji: Although aloof and reluctant to involve himself, he is persuaded by the possibility of encountering a powerful and dangerous expert. His interest in creating a new cultivation system also motivates him to participate.
• Ren Tu Venerable: Develops from a skeptical, somewhat detached observer into an energetic contributor. His pride is initially wounded when his ideas are rejected, but he recognizes that the problem is his late arrival rather than a lack of ability.
• Feng Jun: Continues to demonstrate extraordinary analytical speed and intellectual stamina, handling the deductions alone while coordinating the others’ contributions.
• Qian Zhong and Luanxiong: Their exhaustion highlights how demanding Feng Jun’s reasoning process is. They have become accustomed to the intense workload but still struggle to keep pace.
• Wei Sancai and Yuanhua Venerables: Their arrivals show the growing recognition of Libo Shoal’s discussion and the willingness of major factions to contribute knowledge.
• Vast Sea Venerable: Acts as a courteous intermediary, helping Haoran understand the situation and reinforcing his friendly relationship with Feng Jun.
• Haoran Venerable: Appears powerful but good-natured and somewhat unlucky. His failed exploration ultimately clarifies where his next breakthrough opportunity lies.

Significant Themes

• The overwhelming scale of cultivation knowledge: The discussion reveals that Feng Jun’s deductions are so advanced that even multiple Venerables struggle to follow them.
• Cooperation across factions: Major sects and families contribute materials, turning Libo Shoal into a rare meeting place for deep intellectual exchange between normally separate camps.
• Humility and adaptability: Ren Tu’s willingness to overcome embarrassment and keep contributing demonstrates the value of persistence over pride.
• The cost of power: The gathering of too many powerful cultivators threatens the stability of the Kunhao Realm, showing that great strength can unintentionally damage the world around it.
• Opportunity and fate: Haoran’s experience suggests that searching far away may be unnecessary when one’s true opportunity is close at hand.
• Trust and personal relationships: Feng Jun’s connections with Ren Tu, Vast Sea, and the Profound Water Sect influence who joins the discussion and where it continues.

Character Interactions

• Zi Xian respectfully negotiates with Sheji, balancing his request for help with warnings about the dangerous opposing expert.
• Sheji and Zi Xian discuss the practical difficulties of replacing or recalling a Venerable, revealing both Sheji’s reluctance and his curiosity.
• Ren Tu and Luanxiong privately compare their experiences with Feng Jun’s demanding deductions. Luanxiong’s resigned acceptance contrasts with Ren Tu’s disbelief.
• Ren Tu’s attempts to contribute are initially rejected by Feng Jun and the others, but he eventually earns a meaningful place in the collaboration.
• Qian Zhong welcomes Wei Sancai because of the Wei and Yao Families’ good relations, demonstrating that existing alliances help facilitate the exchange.
• Vast Sea and Haoran meet at Libo Shoal and discuss the missing group. Their conversation establishes Vast Sea’s familiarity with Feng Jun and Haoran’s friendly, respectful personality.

Summary

• Key events: The author begins the month focused on writing and notes that the “Heavenly Zither” side is easier to handle. The previous month’s discussion of the “Earth” side was blocked after publication, so the author plans to mention it less going forward. Despite that setback, the book received more than 11,000 monthly tickets.
• Character development: Feng Xiao is portrayed as sincerely grateful for readers’ support. The author remains attentive to readers’ reactions and adjusts future writing accordingly.
• Themes: The update emphasizes gratitude, reader support, the challenges of publication restrictions, and the importance of early-month rankings.
• Interactions: The author directly addresses readers, thanking them for their support and asking them to continue voting. The relationship is presented as collaborative, with readers’ monthly tickets significantly affecting the book’s ranking and success.

Summary: “Arriving in Droves”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun’s Dao-discussion gathering in the Icefield Sector continues to expand as more powerful cultivators arrive.
• The Ju Family, an ancient and influential Secret-Realm Family closely allied with the Yan Family, sends a Venerable to participate. The Yan Family itself is excluded because it lacks a Venerable, despite having several Nascent Soul cultivators.
• Qian Zhong approves the Ju Family’s participation, recognizing the rarity and importance of Feng Jun’s deduction opportunity.
• Vast Sea Venerable and Hao Ran Venerable arrive, bringing the total number of Venerables to seven. Their arrival overwhelms the local Profound Water Sect, but Vast Sea takes responsibility for organizing the gathering and assures the sect that it need not interfere.
• Ren Tu Venerable attempts to secure benefits for the Grand Void Gate by mentioning an unexplored Spirit Stone Mine, but Vast Sea sharply stops him, unwilling to let the sect and family factions openly undermine each other.
• A Venerable from the Chess Dao, Qiu Jie, arrives through True Person Bu Zheng, who has a favorable relationship with Feng Jun after fighting alongside him against the Merfolk.
• Feng Jun accepts Qiu Jie’s participation because the Chess Dao contributes a large amount of valuable information and possesses exceptional deduction abilities.
• Qiu Jie proves extremely talented, especially in deducing cultivation techniques, but also abrasive and domineering. He frequently insults others and attempts to control the discussion.
• Although Qiu Jie surpasses Feng Jun in many forms of deduction, Feng Jun remains superior in Time Reversal, future prediction, and precise short-range matching. Qiu Jie is particularly frustrated at losing to Feng Jun in an area he considers his own specialty.
• Qiu Jie cannot establish a separate cultivation-technique project because the others are already deeply invested in Feng Jun’s system. The family cultivators also implicitly resist allowing a sect cultivator to lead their collective effort.
• Over the following month, more than ten additional Venerables arrive, mostly from Secret-Realm Families. The Ji Family, ranked first among the families, eventually sends a Venerable.
• After Qiu Jie repeatedly berates the Ji Family’s Venerable, the latter loses his temper and challenges him to a match, setting up a likely confrontation.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Gains increasing recognition as the central figure behind the deduction project. Though Qiu Jie is stronger in many technical areas, Feng Jun’s unique mastery of temporal deduction and precise matching establishes that he cannot be easily replaced or overshadowed.
• Qian Zhong: Demonstrates authority and political judgment by approving the Ju Family’s participation. She also refuses to be intimidated by Qiu Jie, challenging his dominance in both discussion and deduction.
• Vast Sea Venerable: Takes control of the rapidly growing gathering and protects the Profound Water Sect’s interests. His willingness to confront Ren Tu shows his strong sense of factional responsibility.
• Ren Tu Venerable: Reveals his opportunistic side by trying to use the gathering to promote cooperation over the Grand Void Gate’s Spirit Stone Mine. He retreats once Vast Sea makes the danger of internal conflict clear.
• Qiu Jie Venerable: Emerges as a brilliant but insufferably arrogant deduction expert. His skill earns him respect, but his harsh temper and sect affiliation prevent him from dominating the family-led collaboration.
• True Person Bu Zheng: Acts as a diplomatic intermediary for the Chess Dao. His past cooperation with Feng Jun allows Qiu Jie to gain entry despite possible tensions.
• The Ji Family’s Venerable: Introduced as powerful and proud, he becomes the first major figure to openly resist Qiu Jie’s verbal attacks.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus influence: Qiu Jie’s superior technical ability does not automatically give him control, as Feng Jun’s established framework and the group’s trust matter just as much.
• Factional tension: The gathering is divided between family cultivators and sect cultivators. Their rivalry influences who may lead the deduction and whose ideas receive support.
• The value of rare opportunities: Powerful families and sects go to great lengths to participate because Feng Jun’s deduction may produce an extremely valuable cultivation system.
• Political cooperation and self-interest: Even while collaborating on a common goal, factions seek advantages, resources, and influence.
• Personality and professionalism: Qiu Jie’s genius is undeniable, but his lack of restraint creates conflicts that threaten to distract from the larger project.
• Collective knowledge: The deduction depends not only on Feng Jun but also on vast stores of information, specialized expertise, and the combined insight of many Venerables.

Character Interactions

• Yan Yuxi and Ren Tu: Yan Yuxi requests access for the Yan Family, but Ren Tu rejects the idea because they lack a Venerable. She later successfully advocates for the Ju Family.
• Qian Zhong and the Ju Family: Qian Zhong welcomes the Ju Family’s Venerable, recognizing both the family’s standing and the importance of broad participation.
• Vast Sea and Ren Tu: Their exchange exposes the rivalry between sect and family interests. Vast Sea prevents Ren Tu from exploiting the gathering for the Grand Void Gate.
• Feng Jun and Bu Zheng: Their shared combat history creates enough trust for Feng Jun to accept the Chess Dao’s request.
• Feng Jun and Qiu Jie: Their cooperation is productive but competitive. Qiu Jie dominates many deductions, while Feng Jun decisively outperforms him in specialized temporal and precision-based areas.
• Qiu Jie and Qian Zhong: Qian Zhong refuses to yield to Qiu Jie’s arrogance, making her one of the few people willing to challenge him intellectually.
• Qiu Jie and the Ji Family’s Venerable: Qiu Jie’s repeated insults provoke the Ji Family Venerable into an angry challenge, heightening the chapter’s tension.

Chapter Summary: “New Discovery”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Ji Family Venerable and Qiu Jie Venerable complete their long-anticipated spar in the distant void. The battle ends without a clear victor:
  • The Ji Family Venerable initially dominates through powerful direct combat.
  • Qiu Jie uses the Yi Art to impose spatial restraints and regain control.
  • Neither can decisively defeat the other, so the match ends according to their agreement.
• Afterward, the Ji Family Venerable boasts that he would have crippled Qiu Jie if he had been allowed to use all his hidden methods. Qiu Jie responds that he also possesses undisclosed techniques, provoking the Ji Family Venerable into demanding another fight.
• The other Venerables intervene to prevent the argument from becoming a real battle. Qiu Jie later becomes somewhat more polite, and the gathered experts grow more tolerant of one another’s sharp remarks.
• More than twenty Venerables eventually gather at the Ice Plains to continue deducing an alien cultivation system. Their work becomes increasingly sophisticated and begins branching into multiple cultivation paths.
• Ren Tu Venerable and the Ju Family Venerable discover that reverse-deducing parts of the system could create techniques capable of making Asuras explode rapidly, greatly reducing the cost of fighting them.
• Qian Zhong True Lord rejects this diversion, arguing that the group’s true purpose is to create and understand a broader cultivation system rather than develop a specialized method for dealing with Asuras.
• Qiu Jie supports Qian Zhong’s position, emphasizing that the deductions may produce insights useful against many alien races and potentially lead to entirely new techniques.
• Ren Tu leaves to consult elders from his sect, who can independently develop anti-Asura methods.
• Luo Yuanhua argues that practical methods for the upcoming Asura war are urgently needed, especially to reduce losses among Luo Family cultivators. This leads to a sharp dispute with Qian Zhong and Luanxiong Venerable.
• The disagreement escalates into another proposed duel between Luo Yuanhua and Luanxiong, but the confrontation is interrupted by news that the Asura Passage is about to open.

Character Developments

• Ji Family Venerable: Demonstrates exceptional combat ability and pride. His frustration at being unable to use his strongest methods reveals both his confidence and his volatile temper.
• Qiu Jie Venerable: Shows that his Chess Dao and Yi Art can counter overwhelming direct combat through battlefield control and spatial restraint. Although normally abrasive, he displays a broader vision than some others and later moderates his behavior.
• Qian Zhong True Lord: Acts as a strict guardian of the group’s original goal. She values long-term cultivation insight over short-term military applications and becomes openly angry when Luo Yuanhua questions the purpose of the project.
• Luo Yuanhua: Reveals a pragmatic and protective outlook. His priority is improving the Luo Family’s survival and efficiency before the Asura invasion, reflecting the concerns of a family seeking to rise to the top.
• Ren Tu Venerable: Is highly practical and decisive, leaving immediately once he realizes his sect can handle the anti-Asura deductions separately.
• Luanxiong Venerable: Displays a combative personality and quickly turns intellectual disagreement into a challenge.
• Feng Jun: Provides a balanced assessment, agreeing that anti-Asura techniques are not difficult to deduce but warning that pursuing them now could derail the larger project.

Significant Themes

• Long-term knowledge versus immediate practicality: The central debate concerns whether the gathered experts should pursue broad cultivation breakthroughs or focus on techniques useful in the imminent Asura war.
• The economic cost of warfare: Battles are judged not only by victory or defeat but also by the Spirit Stones consumed by powerful treasures, formations, pills, and divine abilities.
• Cooperation amid rivalry: More than twenty major experts work together, yet personal pride, factional interests, and differing priorities repeatedly threaten their collaboration.
• The value of deduction and innovation: The alien cultivation system may become more than a weapon against Asuras; it could inspire new cultivation methods and benefit the entire Heavenly Zither Plane.
• Family and sect interests: The Luo Family seeks to protect its descendants and strengthen its position, while sects and older families possess different resources and levels of expertise.
• Controlled conflict: Sparring and verbal disputes are common, but the characters understand that uncontrolled violence would cause unnecessary casualties and waste.

Character Interactions

• The Ji Family Venerable and Qiu Jie clash both physically and verbally, establishing a rivalry based on mutual respect and irritation.
• Qian Zhong and Qiu Jie form a temporary alliance in defending the broader purpose of the Dao discussion.
• Luo Yuanhua challenges Qian Zhong’s idealistic approach, insisting that the deductions should serve immediate battlefield needs.
• Qian Zhong rebukes Luo Yuanhua for lacking the necessary experts, while Luanxiong accuses him of expecting others to provide what his family cannot produce.
• Luo Yuanhua and Luanxiong nearly begin a duel before the announcement of the approaching Asura Passage changes the situation.
• The final revelation promises that the theoretical debate will soon be tested by actual conflict.

Chapter Summary: “Together Advancing”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Profound Water Sect reports that an abnormal fluctuation has appeared at the entrance to the Asura Passage, which is expected to open in two or three months.
• The news creates tension among the more than twenty Venerables gathered for Feng Jun’s Dao discussion. They had been focusing on designing a cultivation system for an alien race rather than addressing Heavenly Zither’s immediate crisis.
• Qiu Jie asks Feng Jun how they should respond. Feng Jun proposes continuing the Dao discussion while using their spare time to develop cultivation arts suitable for fighting the Asura.
• Qiu Jie, Haoran, and Qian Zhong support this compromise. The group agrees that the Dao discussion will remain their main activity, while practical Asura-related research will proceed gradually.
• The Venerables deliberately control the pace of their work. They recognize that solving the Asura problem too quickly could end the gathering and eliminate the opportunity for continued exchange and inspiration.
• Ren Tu temporarily leaves to consult his elders and returns three days later, already aware of the approaching Asura Passage.
• After another month, the group produces a rough but highly effective cultivation art for combating the Asura. It is significantly more developed than a mere prototype, though not yet perfected.
• The group acknowledges that full refinement must remain in the hands of individual factions because the details of cultivation arts contain each faction’s core secrets.
• Smaller groups continue private discussions, and Feng Jun is frequently consulted about spiritual-energy circulation, rule compatibility, and possible design choices.
• Fifteen days later, a Venerable from the Ju Family announces the completion of the Body Burst Art. He credits Feng Jun, Qian Zhong, and the other Venerables for their assistance but notes that practical testing against the Asura will be necessary before the art can be fully refined.
• His announcement implicitly encourages everyone to keep the Dao discussion going, since gathering so many powerful cultivators again would be extremely difficult.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates decisiveness and political awareness. He recognizes that the group cannot ignore the coming Asura crisis, but also understands the unique value of the Dao discussion and seeks a compromise.
• Qian Zhong emerges as a careful organizer and strategist. She supports practical research but intentionally controls its pace to preserve the larger gathering.
• Qiu Jie shows that beneath his aggressive temperament, he is reasonable and capable of seeing the broader picture. He quickly supports Feng Jun’s proposal.
• Haoran Venerable displays a strong sense of responsibility and long-term vision. His experience beyond Heavenly Zither gives him a broader perspective on the relative importance of the Asura crisis.
• Ren Tu acts cautiously and responsibly by consulting his senior allies before returning to the gathering.
• The Ju Family Venerable proves his considerable talent by being the first to complete a full cultivation art, while also acknowledging the need for battlefield testing and continued collaboration.

Significant Themes

• Balancing ideals with practical responsibility: The Venerables want to pursue abstract Dao principles, but the approaching Asura threat forces them to address immediate survival concerns.
• The value of intellectual exchange: The true purpose of the gathering is not merely to solve one problem, but to allow different cultivation philosophies to collide and inspire breakthroughs.
• Political and social constraints: Even powerful cultivators cannot act entirely according to personal preference. Practical obligations and public expectations influence their decisions.
• Cooperation despite factional secrecy: The factions share broad principles and help one another develop a common foundation, but they withhold the detailed methods that define their unique traditions.
• Progress through gradual development: The cultivation arts must be tested, adjusted, and refined through real combat rather than perfected entirely through theory.
• Preserving collective opportunities: The group intentionally avoids completing the practical project too quickly because the continued gathering itself is valuable and rare.

Character Interactions

• The Profound Water Sect disciple reports the Asura Passage news to Vast Sea Venerable and the gathered experts.
• Qiu Jie directly challenges Feng Jun to state his position, prompting Feng Jun’s compromise proposal.
• Qiu Jie, Haoran, and Qian Zhong publicly support Feng Jun, creating consensus among the Venerables.
• Qian Zhong guides the group’s pace, while other Venerables privately remind one another that a slow process benefits everyone.
• The Venerables exchange theories, argue over cultivation principles, and sometimes fight when defending their views.
• Feng Jun becomes a central consultant, answering questions from different factions and helping them choose among possible methods without directly revealing all the solutions.
• The Ju Family Venerable publicly thanks Feng Jun, Qian Zhong, and the others, reinforcing the chapter’s emphasis on mutual assistance and continued cooperation.

Summary: “Talisman Formations”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A Venerable proposes converting his technique for sealing attacks inside obsidian into talismans, allowing powerful attacks to be stored and later used by family members.
• Several Venerables argue that transforming a cultivation technique into a talisman is extremely difficult because the Talisman Dao and cultivation systems operate differently.
• Luo Yuanhua explains that complete study of the original cultivation technique would normally be required, a condition the proposer is unwilling to accept.
• Venerable Qiu Jie argues that specialized talismans are possible, though costly and difficult to develop. She clashes sharply with a Ji Family Venerable, who dismisses the idea as impossible in the short term.
• Qiu Jie turns to Feng Jun for his opinion. Although Feng initially tries to avoid involvement, his cautious response implies that he may know more about the subject than he admits.
• The Ji Family Venerable immediately changes his attitude after realizing Feng Jun may support Qiu Jie’s view. Despite the Ji Family’s recent rise in status, he has been warned never to offend Feng Jun.
• Just as Feng Jun is preparing to speak, True Lord Zi Xian appears through Divine Thought and announces that he has deduced the cultivation technique Venerable Ren Tu requested.
• The assembled Venerables respectfully greet Zi Xian, whose reputation as a powerful True Lord and accomplished alchemist carries great weight.
• Zi Xian disputes Qian Zhong’s objection to his sudden appearance, claiming the area originally belonged to the Grand Void Gate. The Ji Family attempts to challenge him but is ignored.
• Zi Xian asks Feng Jun to analyze his newly created cultivation technique. Feng Jun first refuses, but when Zi Xian tries to yield the floor, Feng Jun accepts the opportunity and asks him to present the technique.
• Sensing a trap or hidden motive, Zi Xian withdraws and allows Feng Jun to finish addressing the talisman issue.
• Feng Jun finally offers his recommendation: rather than fully converting a cultivation technique into a talisman, combine talismans with formations to replace part of the technique.
• Qiu Jie reacts with surprise, recognizing this as a long-lost method and questioning whether Feng Jun truly knows how to use it.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Continues trying to remain neutral and conceal the extent of his knowledge, but mounting pressure forces him to speak. His proposal reveals expertise in both talismans and formations, increasing the others’ respect and curiosity.
• Venerable Qiu Jie: Shows herself to be outspoken, perceptive, and willing to defend unconventional ideas. She recognizes Feng Jun’s abilities and deliberately draws him into the debate.
• Ji Family Venerable: Initially arrogant and dismissive, he quickly becomes cautious and conciliatory once he realizes Feng Jun may oppose him. His behavior reflects the Ji Family’s concern about preserving its new position.
• True Lord Zi Xian: Appears confident and authoritative, but also wary and experienced enough to detect Feng Jun’s sudden change in attitude. His reluctance to expose his technique suggests he suspects Feng Jun’s intentions.
• Qian Zhong: Quietly indicates Feng Jun’s expertise to Qiu Jie, helping redirect attention toward him.
• Luo Yuanhua: Provides a practical explanation of the difficulties involved in talismanizing a cultivation technique.

Significant Themes

• Knowledge versus authority: Technical expertise can challenge even powerful figures, while social rank determines how openly people may express disagreement.
• Political caution and alliances: The Ji Family’s sudden change in tone demonstrates how factions maneuver around influential figures such as Feng Jun and True Lord Zi Xian.
• Innovation and lost knowledge: Feng Jun’s proposal to combine talismans and formations introduces a forgotten method that may offer a more practical alternative to complete talismanization.
• Hidden abilities and strategic restraint: Feng Jun repeatedly conceals his capabilities, while Zi Xian carefully avoids revealing his own technique.
• Preparation for the Asura threat: The desire to preserve powerful attacks and distribute them to juniors reflects growing anxiety over the approaching Asura passage.

Character Interactions

• Qiu Jie and the Ji Family Venerable engage in a heated argument over whether specialized talismans can be developed.
• Qiu Jie pressures Feng Jun to state his position, while Feng tries to avoid becoming publicly involved.
• The Ji Family Venerable quickly softens his stance toward Feng Jun, showing his fear of provoking him.
• Qian Zhong’s glance toward Feng Jun signals his hidden expertise to Qiu Jie.
• Qian Zhong challenges Zi Xian’s sudden appearance, while Zi Xian dismisses her objection and asserts his authority.
• Zi Xian attempts to involve Feng Jun in analyzing his cultivation technique, but both men recognize the strategic danger in revealing too much.
• Feng Jun’s final suggestion surprises Qiu Jie and shifts the discussion toward the forgotten integration of talismans and formations.

Chapter Summary: “Inviting the Expert”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The cultivators discuss the decline of the traditional “hundred arts of cultivation,” especially Talisman Dao, Formation Dao, and Alchemy Dao. These disciplines remain useful in battle and daily life, but fewer cultivators study them because cultivation has become increasingly specialized.
• Feng Jun argues that cultivators should still become generalists by mastering several complementary arts rather than focusing exclusively on one field.
• The group debates the difficulty of mastering multiple disciplines, with Zi Xian True Lord emphasizing that comprehending the Great Dao consumes enormous amounts of time.
• Feng Jun is asked to use his knowledge of Deduction, Formations, and Talismans to devise a cultivation method capable of countering the Asura. He refuses payment, explaining that the Asura are a common enemy, but says he must first consult his sect.
• Feng Jun rapidly returns from the Lower Realm after inviting an expert from the Insectoid World. The expert had been guarding Evernight while entertaining itself with Human Federation technology, films, and television.
• The expert joins Feng Jun’s work and contributes knowledge of other races’ cultivation systems. Its assistance is crucial to completing the new cultivation method in an unusually short time.
• Through collaborative deductions, Feng Jun produces an improved Explosive Fire Talisman, a corresponding formation, and engraved hand seals. These components are designed to work together as a method for resisting the Asura.
• Zi Xian secretly communicates with Ren Tu through Divine Thought, prompting Ren Tu to ask whether the new formation and talisman can be used by everyone. The group is shocked by the possibility that Feng Jun’s improvement is universally applicable.
• Feng Jun recognizes Zi Xian’s insight, implicitly confirming that the method is not limited to a specific individual or lineage.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun is shown to be humble but exceptionally capable. He minimizes his mastery of Deduction, Formation Dao, and Talisman Dao, while demonstrating that he can integrate several disciplines into a powerful and practical system.
• Qiu Jie Venerable and the other cultivators gain a deeper appreciation for the importance of versatile cultivators and the lost or neglected inheritances of ancient cultivation.
• Zi Xian True Lord remains argumentative and sharp-eyed, but his comments reveal his serious concerns about the limited time available to cultivators pursuing advancement. He also demonstrates remarkable discernment by recognizing the universal applicability of Feng Jun’s creation.
• Qian Zhong shifts her priorities. Rather than following Feng Jun to investigate hidden treasures, she focuses on preserving her relationship with him and understanding how she can assist him, especially after Bamboo Gentleman’s appearance complicates matters.
• The expert from the Insectoid World is revealed as highly intelligent, curious, and capable of parallel thought. Its participation is the hidden reason Feng Jun completes the deduction so quickly.
• Luo Yuanhua repeatedly teases Feng Jun about his relationship with Yi Jue, though Feng Jun firmly denies any connection to the Spirit Plant Dao lineage.
• Ren Tu becomes an indirect channel for Zi Xian’s hidden communication and helps reveal the significance of the new technique.

Significant Themes

• The tension between specialization and versatility: Modern cultivators divide their roles more efficiently, but excessive specialization causes traditional knowledge to disappear. The chapter argues for the continued value of generalists.
• The scarcity of time in cultivation: Even long-lived cultivators cannot master every discipline or wait indefinitely for the perfect moment to advance. Zi Xian’s failed Integration attempt underscores the risks of hesitation and limited opportunity.
• Collaboration across fields and races: Feng Jun’s success comes from combining Formation Dao, Talisman Dao, Spell Formula Dao, Deduction, and the expert’s understanding of nonhuman cultivation systems.
• Innovation through synthesis: The new anti-Asura method is not based on one extraordinary technique but on coordinating several modest components into a more powerful whole.
• Knowledge, trust, and intellectual exchange: Feng Jun respects the expert’s contributions and even considers its intellectual property. Cooperation depends on acknowledging the expertise and interests of others.
• Humility versus recognition: Feng Jun repeatedly downplays his abilities, while the surrounding Venerables increasingly recognize that his ideas create an entirely new path.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun debates with Qiu Jie Venerable and Zi Xian about the practicality of mastering multiple cultivation arts.
• Ren Tu supports Zi Xian’s concerns while carefully avoiding offending Feng Jun, then later becomes the recipient of Zi Xian’s secret Divine Thought communication.
• Qian Zhong quietly acknowledges Bamboo Gentleman’s presence and chooses not to pursue Feng Jun, signaling a more strategic and cooperative attitude.
• The expert warns Feng Jun that someone is spying, identifying the hidden observer as a mysterious existence linked to the Profound Mysteries Record.
• The Venerables enthusiastically exchange ideas with Feng Jun as the new cultivation system takes shape.
• Luo Yuanhua jokes about Feng Jun’s relationship with Yi Jue, while Vast Sea Venerable defends Feng Jun by citing the trust of the Jiangzhu Grass he transplanted.
• At the end, Ren Tu’s question—prompted by Zi Xian—reveals the potentially universal nature of Feng Jun’s formation and talisman, leaving the assembled cultivators astonished.

Summary: “A Venerable Owes a Favor”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun reveals that the anti-Asura Talisman-formation technique can be widely adopted. It is based on principles derived from the Geng and Ren sections of the Body Tempering Technique and strengthens the method of reversing Asura-related modifications.
• The Venerables quickly understand the formation and Talisman principles. The Ju Family Venerable confirms through Deduction that his family’s cultivation method pairs perfectly with Feng Jun’s technique, though the Ji Family Venerable argues that refinement is still possible.
• The only major secret remaining is the hand-seal sequence. Feng Jun had engraved the seals onto obsidian and entrusted them to the unnamed Venerable who originally requested the Deduction.
• Several Venerables insist that Feng Jun’s two fragments of Deduction time make the resulting technique his intellectual property. However, Feng Jun declines to claim ownership or payment, explaining that he performed the Deduction at the senior Venerable’s request and had promised to do it for free.
• The unnamed Venerable therefore agrees to distribute the method freely, asking only that everyone protect members of his family and Libo Shoal when they encounter danger in the Asura World.
• The major factions agree. Vast Sea Venerable promises support on behalf of the Profound Water Sect, while Ren Tu Venerable personally acknowledges that he now owes both the unnamed Venerable and Feng Jun a favor.
• The unnamed Venerable shares the obsidian with those who participated in the Ice Plains Dao discussion, emphasizing that the method belongs collectively to the participants and cannot be freely used by factions that stayed away.
• The Venerables begin studying and deducing the technique. Feng Jun prepares to rest, but Zi Xian True Lord contacts him to ask whether the third hand seal can be omitted and what purpose it serves.
• Feng Jun responds sharply, reminding Zi Xian that directly asking about another person’s private secrets is discourteous. Zi Xian is forced to apologize and ask more respectfully.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates considerable Deduction ability and strategic restraint. Although he has created a technique valuable to everyone, he avoids claiming excessive credit or provoking further conflict by giving up control over its distribution.
• The unnamed Venerable proves generous and politically astute. Rather than exploit the technique for wealth, he trades access for a promise of mutual protection for his family and Libo Shoal.
• Ren Tu Venerable becomes indebted to Feng Jun and the unnamed Venerable, accepting the favor because the method is valuable enough to justify the karmic obligation.
• Zi Xian True Lord is revealed to be proud and overly concerned with seniority. His earlier hostility toward Feng Jun has damaged their relationship, and his attempt to obtain confidential information exposes his lack of tact. He nevertheless shows some adaptability by apologizing after Feng Jun rebukes him.
• The other Venerables shift from observing Feng Jun’s work to actively competing for access to it, recognizing its importance against the Asuras.

Significant Themes

• Knowledge and intellectual ownership: The group debates who deserves credit and control over the technique. Feng Jun’s decision to waive his rights contrasts with the others’ concern over intellectual property and authority.
• Reciprocity and favors: The unnamed Venerable exchanges free access for future protection, showing how alliances and karmic debts function within the cultivation world.
• Collective defense against a common enemy: The method is treated as a resource for the broader Heavenly Zither community, but access is limited to those who contributed to the Dao discussion.
• Respect, pride, and seniority: Feng Jun’s interactions with Zi Xian highlight the importance of mutual respect. Senior status does not excuse arrogance or entitlement.
• Cooperation alongside factionalism: Although the Venerables belong to rival families and sects, the Asura threat encourages them to share knowledge and promise mutual aid.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and the Venerables discuss the technical basis, cultivation method, and practical limits of the anti-Asura technique.
• The Ji Family and Luo Family Venerables initially attempt to negotiate access, but the unnamed Venerable’s decision to distribute the method freely renders payment unnecessary.
• Vast Sea Venerable and Ren Tu quickly pledge support, encouraging the other factions to do the same.
• Ren Tu privately consults Zi Xian True Lord about whether Feng Jun should review the patriarch’s cultivation method. Zi Xian angrily refuses, still resentful that Feng Jun’s success could have embarrassed the Grand Void Sect.
• Zi Xian later approaches Feng Jun directly for clarification about the third hand seal, but Feng Jun reprimands him for treating a private secret as something he is entitled to know.

Chapter Summary: Verifying in Battle

Key Plot Points and Events

• True Lord Zi Xian asks Feng Jun to explain an important matter, initially trying to compensate him with six Ultimate Spirit Stones.
• Feng Jun rejects the offer, emphasizing that valuable information cannot simply be bought and that Zi Xian must respect his willingness to trade. He also worries that accepting such a huge payment could bind him to dangerous follow-up obligations.
• Zi Xian realizes that his arrogant, direct manner has offended Feng Jun. He privately complains about Feng Jun to Ren Tu Venerable, who explains that Feng Jun’s exceptional talent and powerful backing naturally make him proud and difficult to approach.
• Zi Xian learns that Feng Jun became a High-Tier Gold Core cultivator at only sixty, leaving him impressed by Feng Jun’s extraordinary potential.
• Ren Tu suggests seeking Yi Jue’s assistance, since Feng Jun respects and listens to her. Zi Xian doubts this will be easy because he has no relationship with Yi Jue, who keeps a clear distance from the Grand Void Sect and avoids unnecessary social obligations.
• Meanwhile, the Venerables successfully verify the effects of the Talisman Formation Art designed to counter Asuras. Their combined expertise allows the method to be confirmed quickly and reliably.
• The Venerables send the counter-Asura techniques back to their sects. Soon afterward, all three Asura passageways are opened.
• Rather than waiting for an Asura invasion, Heavenly Zither cultivators immediately launch attacks into the Asura World. Powerful squads enter through the passageways while Venerables guard them and establish bridgeheads.
• The war becomes intense almost immediately, as the cultivators encounter enormous numbers of Asuras. Reinforcements are requested, and the guarding Venerables enter the battle.
• News of the Talisman Formation Art spreads widely because more than twenty Venerables and numerous factions obtained it. Some forces remain skeptical and choose to wait for proof of its effectiveness.
• The method’s value is demonstrated in battle. Cultivators using it achieve clear suppression of the Asuras, with the Ju Family’s relatively ordinary advance squad producing the most astonishing result: twenty Gold Core cultivators, supported by a few Nascent Soul and Dust-Free cultivators, kill over eight hundred Asuras while suffering only four minor injuries.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun becomes more assertive about his boundaries. He refuses to let Zi Xian’s status or wealth pressure him into revealing information and insists that his knowledge is his own to offer or withhold.
• True Lord Zi Xian shows unusual humility and patience after recognizing that his normal domineering approach is ineffective. He becomes genuinely curious about Feng Jun and increasingly acknowledges Feng Jun’s talent.
• Ren Tu Venerable acts as an intermediary and provides a more sympathetic interpretation of Feng Jun’s behavior, attributing it to his youth, immense talent, and strong support from his elders.
• Yi Jue is established as someone Feng Jun trusts and respects, though she is socially distant and not easily persuaded.
• Yuan Hao Venerable and other skeptical cultivators remain cautious about Feng Jun’s creation until its effectiveness is proven directly in combat.

Significant Themes

• Respect and personal boundaries: Status, wealth, and seniority do not entitle someone to another person’s knowledge.
• The value and danger of information: Feng Jun recognizes that the requested explanation may have consequences far beyond a simple transaction, making him wary of accepting an enormous payment.
• Talent and influence: Feng Jun’s rapid cultivation progress explains why powerful elders favor him and why even arrogant figures such as Zi Xian must take him seriously.
• Practical verification: Theories and deductions gain real authority only after being tested in battle.
• Collective intelligence: The cooperation of many Venerables allows the Talisman Formation Art to be verified quickly, demonstrating the strength of pooled expertise.
• Skepticism versus proof: Some factions distrust or question the method because of its unusual origins, but battlefield results rapidly establish its credibility.
• Humanity’s aggression and preparedness: Heavenly Zither’s cultivators attack the Asura World immediately and prove better prepared than expected, despite simultaneous conflict in the Insectoid World.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Zi Xian clash over etiquette, payment, and the right to refuse a transaction. Their exchange reveals Feng Jun’s refusal to submit to Zi Xian’s authority.
• Zi Xian and Ren Tu discuss Feng Jun privately. Ren Tu defends Feng Jun and suggests Yi Jue as the best possible mediator.
• Zi Xian’s lack of familiarity with Yi Jue highlights the distance between the older generation of powerful cultivators and the newer figures rising within Heavenly Zither.
• The Venerables cooperate in verifying the Talisman Formation Art, while the various sects and families decide how widely to deploy it.
• The Ju Family squad’s battlefield performance serves as the clearest demonstration of how effectively Feng Jun’s method allows weaker cultivators to defeat far stronger numbers of Asuras.

Chapter Summary: “Reputation Explodes”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Ju Family’s thirty-person team shocks the cultivation world by killing more than eight hundred Asuras, despite having only one High-Tier Nascent Soul cultivator. Their success is attributed to a Talisman Formation Art designed to counter Asuras and an energy-efficient cultivation technique deduced by their Venerable ancestor.
• The team reports that they still retained more than half their spiritual energy after the battle, proving the method’s extraordinary effectiveness in large-scale combat.
• Over twenty Venerables learn the Talisman Formation Art and pass it to their own disciples, but they forbid unauthorized distribution. This effectively prevents the technique from spreading widely before the current war ends.
• Cultivators conclude that the technique’s creator is willing to share it, since the Venerables learned it for free. However, they also recognize that permission must be obtained out of respect for the intellectual property holders.
• Numerous powers begin traveling to the Icefield Sector to request authorization. Venerable-level forces offer gifts worth several hundred High-Grade Spirit Stones, while Nascent Soul cultivators usually provide rarer but less expensive treasures.
• As more visitors arrive, a customary “gift standard” develops, helping smaller families avoid offering either too little or an embarrassingly extravagant amount.
• Feng Jun and the Ju Family’s Venerable become overwhelmed by the number of gifts and must bring Qu Jianlei from Libo Shoal to help receive them.
• The visiting Venerables are not satisfied merely with obtaining the anti-Asura methods. They also ask to join the Ice Plains Dao Discussion, having heard that it offers valuable opportunities for improving cultivation and studying alien techniques.
• Within ten-odd days, the number of Venerables at the Ice Plains rises from over twenty to more than fifty.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun and the Ju Family Venerable gain enormous prestige as the creators or principal distributors of a proven anti-Asura strategy. They realize that sharing powerful techniques can produce greater influence and benefits than keeping them exclusive.
• The Ju Family is transformed from a relatively ordinary upper-ranking family into a widely respected force because of its battlefield achievement.
• Qu Jianlei is brought in to help manage the unexpectedly large influx of visitors and gifts, showing the practical consequences of Feng Jun’s growing reputation.
• The small-family Nascent Soul cultivators display insecurity about their status and whether they are qualified to approach Venerables. Their more experienced High-Tier Nascent Soul ally teaches them to act with humility, sincerity, and restraint.
• The Venerables shift from cautious observers to eager participants once the technique’s effectiveness and the benefits of the Dao Discussion are confirmed.

Significant Themes

• Reputation through practical achievement: The Ju Family’s battlefield results create more influence than rank or pedigree alone could provide.
• Knowledge-sharing versus exclusivity: Powerful techniques can generate greater collective value when shared, especially during a war threatening all cultivators.
• Respect for authority and intellectual ownership: Cultivators are willing to learn the method, but they understand that permission and proper etiquette are necessary.
• Social hierarchy and cultivation status: Gifts must reflect both sincerity and the giver’s position; excessive generosity can be as improper as stinginess.
• Collective survival: The war against the Asuras encourages cooperation and the circulation of useful knowledge, even among otherwise separate factions.
• Opportunity for advancement: The Ice Plains Dao Discussion becomes valuable not only for its anti-Asura techniques but also as a rare gathering where powerful cultivators can exchange insights and improve their paths.

Character Interactions

• Small-family Nascent Soul cultivators debate whether they are worthy of visiting the Icefield Sector and what gifts would be appropriate. Their more worldly ally advises them to avoid presumption and simply follow established customs.
• Major factions such as the Seven Gates and Eighteen Daos quickly send Venerables after confirming the technique’s effectiveness.
• Feng Jun and the Ju Family Venerable tell visitors that merely coming to the Icefield Sector demonstrates sufficient respect; they may offer whatever gift they deem appropriate.
• Venerables who obtain the anti-Asura methods petition to join the Ice Plains Dao Discussion, seeking deeper exchanges with fellow experts rather than merely purchasing a technique.
• The growing number of cultivators and the spread of information create a self-reinforcing wave of arrivals, causing the Ice Plains gathering to expand rapidly.

Chapter Summary: “Listeners”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Icefield Sector’s gathering grows rapidly, with more than fifty Soul Emergence Venerables participating in discussions about combating the Asura. Several Nascent Soul True Immortals also request permission to attend.
• Feng Jun worries that admitting Nascent Soul cultivators will create an uncontrollable precedent. Nascent Soul cultivators vastly outnumber Venerables, and approving one could lead to countless demands.
• A talented, amiable Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivator from the Yan Family asks to listen in. He is a rising member of the family with realistic hopes of reaching Soul Emergence and has arrived with Yan Yuxi.
• Because of Feng Jun’s relationship with the Yan Family, he consults Qian Zhong. Although she recognizes the danger of setting a precedent, she agrees to guarantee this one exception, provided the Yan Family cultivator only listens and does not speak. The Yan Family also obtains the Ju Family’s support.
• Once the Yan Family cultivator is visibly admitted while other Nascent Soul cultivators remain outside, conflict arises. A Profound Water Sect disciple attempts to enforce the exclusion rule, while the Yan cultivator argues that Qian Zhong and Feng Jun personally authorized him.
• Some Venerables object that the gathering is meant only for Venerables and that listening to discussions far above one’s level may be harmful. Feng Jun openly supports the Yan Family cultivator, emphasizing his connection to Yan Yuxi and the Yan Family.
• As the debates continue, other Venerables realize that different participants gain different insights from the complex discussions. They begin demanding that their own juniors also be allowed to listen.
• Qian Zhong refuses to expand the exception, warning that allowing more listeners could cause disorder, accidents, and an impossible-to-control precedent.
• Zi Xian True Lord challenges Qian Zhong, causing the Venerables to split into opposing factional camps. Wei Sancai supports Qian Zhong while redirecting the dispute toward broader tensions between sect and family cultivators.
• Some family-aligned Venerables threaten to move the discussions elsewhere and exclude the Profound Water Sect’s assistance. Others urge restraint, warning that internal division will benefit the alien races currently attacking Heavenly Zither from two worlds.
• The chapter ends with general agreement that the gathering needs clearer rules and better organization.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun is shown as a mediator and organizer overwhelmed by the growing scale of the gathering. Though concerned about fairness and precedent, he is willing to make exceptions for people he trusts and personally supports the Yan Family cultivator.
• Qian Zhong demonstrates political judgment and a willingness to protect Feng Jun’s interests, but also insists on preserving order. Her refusal to permit further exceptions shows her practical understanding of long-term consequences.
• The Yan Family True Immortal is portrayed as talented, humble, and politically perceptive. He understands the risks of his request, accepts responsibility for listening, and seeks guarantees from both Qian Zhong and the Ju Family.
• Zi Xian True Lord becomes increasingly dissatisfied with Qian Zhong’s authority and eventually confronts her directly, exposing the underlying factional rivalry.
• Wei Sancai uses the controversy to criticize the influence of sect cultivators and defend the interests of family powers.
• Yan Yuxi’s past relationship with Feng Jun remains relevant indirectly: her friendship helps explain Feng Jun’s willingness to support her family.
• The Profound Water Sect disciples are depicted as strict but fair administrators, enforcing the rules even when pressured by powerful cultivators.

Significant Themes

• Authority versus fairness: The central dispute concerns whether a personal exception is justified when others have been denied the same privilege.
• Precedent and political consequences: Qian Zhong emphasizes that a single exception can quickly become an uncontrollable flood of demands.
• Factional tension: The incident exposes resentment between sect cultivators and family cultivators, despite their broader cooperation.
• The limits of hierarchy: Nascent Soul cultivators are technically below the Venerables, but some possess exceptional talent, influence, or insight and resist being dismissed automatically.
• Unity in the face of external threats: Several Venerables argue that internal disputes must not weaken Heavenly Zither while it is fighting alien races.
• Organization amid rapid growth: The gathering’s expansion has outpaced its rules, making formal procedures increasingly necessary.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun consults Qian Zhong about the Yan Family cultivator, and she reluctantly supports the exception while warning him of the consequences.
• The Yan Family True Immortal respectfully negotiates with Qian Zhong, Feng Jun, and the Ju Family to secure permission and protection.
• A Profound Water Sect disciple confronts the Yan cultivator over the rules, while a Ju Family Venerable attempts to defend him.
• Other Venerables intervene, arguing that Nascent Soul cultivators should withdraw. Feng Jun counters by personally affirming the visitor’s legitimacy.
• Qian Zhong and Zi Xian True Lord openly clash over whether further listeners should be allowed.
• Wei Sancai backs Qian Zhong but turns the dispute into a wider confrontation between sect and family interests.
• Moderate Venerables appeal for cooperation, stressing that division will help their alien enemies.

Chapter Summary: The Ancestor’s Astonishment

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Dao discussion among more than fifty Soul Emergence Venerables becomes chaotic, with speakers interrupting one another and arguments breaking out.
• Feng Jun agrees with the suggestion that the gathering should pause and establish formal rules for future discussions.
• Qian Zhong proposes that Feng Jun alone create the rules, deliberately excluding both himself and Zi Xian to prevent rivalry between the sect and family camps.
• Zi Xian tries to participate in drafting the rules, but Qian Zhong bluntly rejects him, embarrassing him before the assembled Venerables.
• Although Feng Jun is surprised and doubts his own administrative ability, he accepts the responsibility because he is viewed as relatively impartial.
• Feng Jun returns to Luohua, where his people help design a regulatory framework. Two days later, he brings the proposal back to the Icefield Sector.
• The sect and family factions debate the details, but they generally accept Feng Jun’s rulings because of his previously demonstrated fairness at Libo Shoal.
• A compromise is reached concerning Nascent Soul cultivators: only High-Tier Nascent Soul cultivators may listen, and they may speak only with permission. Their protecting Venerables can recommend them without restriction.
• During the discussion, Jiuling Ancestor quietly arrives with his grand-disciple, Guan Xingyu. He is astonished to see Feng Jun, still a Gold Core cultivator, establishing rules for dozens of Venerables and True Lords.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Demonstrates leadership, impartiality, and political judgment. Though he feels unqualified and recognizes that he is being pressured into the role, he accepts responsibility and successfully manages disputes between powerful factions.
• Qian Zhong: Shows decisiveness and strategic awareness by recusing himself and Feng Jun from the rule-making process’s factional conflict. His direct rejection of Zi Xian also reinforces his dominant, confrontational personality.
• Zi Xian: Suffers public embarrassment when Qian Zhong refuses to let him help formulate the rules. His cultivation of the Profound Mysteries Record is also hinted at, suggesting an important change in his condition.
• Jiuling Ancestor: Returns from a long recovery and is impressed by Feng Jun’s accomplishments, particularly the combination of Formation and Talisman Dao principles in Feng Jun’s earlier deductions. His astonishment reflects how extraordinary Feng Jun’s influence has become.
• Guan Xingyu: Arrives with Jiuling and is stunned by Feng Jun’s authority. He interprets Feng Jun’s position as almost overbearing, though not necessarily negatively.

Significant Themes

• Order versus chaos: The chapter emphasizes the need for clear procedures when powerful individuals gather. Even profound cultivators can become unproductive without rules.
• Impartial leadership: Feng Jun’s authority comes less from cultivation level than from his perceived fairness and independence from both major factions.
• Influence beyond cultivation: Feng Jun’s low realm contrasts sharply with his ability to command the respect and cooperation of Venerables.
• Pragmatism and compromise: The final rules are not perfectly accepted by everyone, but practical compromises allow the discussion to continue.
• Humility and hidden power: Feng Jun doubts his own abilities, while others increasingly view him as an unusually powerful and capable figure.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and the Venerables: The Venerables initially expect him to organize the discussion, then accept his rulings even when they disagree, largely because they do not want to appear unreasonable before him.
• Qian Zhong and Zi Xian: Their exchange reveals the rivalry between the two camps. Qian Zhong openly humiliates Zi Xian by denying his qualifications to make rules.
• Feng Jun and the two factions: Feng Jun mediates disputes between the sect and family camps, using explanations and compromises to prevent prolonged conflict.
• Jiuling and Feng Jun: Jiuling remains too embarrassed to meet Feng Jun directly because Feng Jun once saved him, but he secretly observes him and is deeply shocked by his authority.
• Jiuling and Guan Xingyu: Jiuling brings Guan Xingyu as an intermediary and possible listener, unaware that new restrictions on Nascent Soul observers have just been established.

Summary: “Ren Tu’s Decisiveness”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiuling Ancestor observes that Formation Dao’s representative, Guan Xingyu, has come to the Ice Plains because he hopes to mediate between two factions and attend Feng Jun’s Dao discussion.
• Jiuling secretly transports Guan Xingyu to the gathering and hides nearby, instructing him to restrain his aura and avoid causing trouble.
• Guan Xingyu is received by Qu Jianlei, a First-Layer Gold Core cultivator. He explains that Formation Dao’s Venerables could not attend, though the sect has still sent gifts worthy of Venerable status.
• Guan Xingyu repeatedly probes Qu Jianlei about joining the Dao discussion, but Qu refuses to provide information and tells him to ask Feng Jun directly.
• Once Feng Jun finishes arranging the discussion’s procedures, he meets Guan Xingyu, accepts Formation Dao’s gifts, and grants the sect authorization despite the absence of its Venerables.
• Feng Jun pointedly mentions Jiuling’s hidden presence, making it clear that he disapproves of Jiuling appearing nearby without meeting the person who likely saved his life.
• Guan Xingyu asks to represent Formation Dao in the Dao discussion. Feng Jun decisively rejects him because he is not a Venerable and because Formation Dao’s qualified representatives failed to attend.
• True Lord Zi Xian suggests that Guan Xingyu be allowed to listen in. Feng Jun rejects even that option because Guan Xingyu lacks a Venerable recommender, a requirement under the newly established rules.
• Qian Zhong sarcastically suggests that Ren Tu could act as Guan Xingyu’s recommender. Ren Tu immediately refuses, explaining that he already has candidates in mind and has no relationship with Guan Xingyu.
• Qian Zhong criticizes Ren Tu’s refusal and mocks Jiuling for wanting to interfere while remaining hidden.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates strictness, decisiveness, and commitment to rules. Although he respects Formation Dao and grants it authorization, he refuses to make exceptions for Guan Xingyu’s participation.
• Guan Xingyu shifts from confident probing to reluctant acceptance. He recognizes that Feng Jun’s authority cannot be challenged and settles for whatever access is available, though even listening in is denied.
• Qu Jianlei shows increased political caution. Having dealt with many powerful cultivators, he avoids answering questions that could create complications and refuses to be pressured despite Guan Xingyu’s superior cultivation.
• Jiuling Ancestor remains hidden, revealing both his pride and reluctance to confront Feng Jun directly. His earlier mistakes involving the loss of his formation diagrams are also exposed as a source of shame for Formation Dao.
• Ren Tu Venerable displays firm judgment and political awareness. He refuses to recommend Guan Xingyu, partly because he has already chosen his candidates and partly to avoid worsening the relationship between Feng Jun and his own troublesome Patriarch.
• Qian Zhong acts provocatively, using sarcasm to expose Jiuling’s meddling and pressure Ren Tu.
• True Lord Zi Xian attempts to help Guan Xingyu but is portrayed as somewhat unreliable and overly concerned with what seems reasonable rather than with Feng Jun’s established rules.

Significant Themes

• Rules versus personal influence: Feng Jun insists that formal rules, not custom or status, determine participation.
• Political etiquette and hierarchy: Gifts, representation, recommendations, and attendance by senior figures all carry symbolic importance among the sects.
• Restraint and strategic silence: Qu Jianlei and Ren Tu avoid actions that might create future trouble, showing the importance of knowing when not to speak or intervene.
• Pride and humiliation: Guan Xingyu must endure repeated rejection, while Formation Dao’s absent Venerables and Jiuling’s hidden presence create embarrassment for the sect.
• Loyalty and relationship management: Ren Tu refuses Qian Zhong’s request partly to protect his relationship with Feng Jun and prevent Jiuling’s behavior from damaging it further.
• Accountability for past mistakes: Formation Dao’s loss of Jiuling’s inherited formation diagrams continues to influence its current interactions and reputation.

Character Interactions

• Guan Xingyu and Qu Jianlei: Guan Xingyu politely but persistently seeks information, while Qu Jianlei remains guarded and refuses to authorize anything beyond his authority.
• Guan Xingyu and Feng Jun: Guan Xingyu appeals to Formation Dao’s status and its connection with Feng Jun, but Feng Jun firmly rejects his request and insists that prestige cannot replace the required qualifications.
• Feng Jun and Jiuling: Feng Jun indirectly rebukes Jiuling for hiding instead of meeting him openly, revealing unresolved tension beneath their connection.
• Zi Xian and Feng Jun: Zi Xian argues that Guan Xingyu should at least be allowed to listen, but Feng Jun counters that the rules are not based on what seems “normal.”
• Qian Zhong and Ren Tu: Qian Zhong deliberately provokes Ren Tu by suggesting he serve as Guan Xingyu’s recommender. Ren Tu refuses politely but firmly.
• Qian Zhong and Jiuling: Qian Zhong uses Ren Tu’s refusal to ridicule Jiuling’s interference and cowardice, intensifying the political tension surrounding the discussion.

Chapter Summary: “A Match”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zi Xian is challenged over his attempt to recommend another Nascent Soul cultivator. Qian Zhong points out that each faction may have only one Venerable participant and each Venerable may recommend only one candidate.
• Zi Xian argues that he should not count as a participant because he never formally appeared, while the Ji Family Venerable counters that the rules allow only one person per faction to join the discussion. Zi Xian had merely been tolerated because everyone feared his strength.
• When Zi Xian asks Feng Jun whether he may introduce an observer, Feng Jun bluntly refuses, saying Zi Xian is already too disruptive. The exchange escalates as Zi Xian demands that Feng Jun summon a senior elder from the Grand Void Sect to confront him.
• Rather than backing down, Feng Jun claims he can deal with Zi Xian himself. He then calls out Jiuling Ancestor, who has been secretly observing the gathering.
• Jiuling’s identity shocks the assembled Venerables. They realize that the renowned Formation Dao expert has advanced to the Ancestral Venerable realm.
• Feng Jun asks Jiuling to act as a witness while he accepts Zi Xian’s implied challenge. Zi Xian suspects that Feng Jun may possess powerful offensive trump cards capable of attacking both him and Jiuling simultaneously.
• Jiuling initially dismisses the suspicion as an attempt by Zi Xian to sow conflict, but then realizes that his own hidden presence and previous avoidance of Feng Jun may have appeared deeply discourteous.
• The chapter ends with Feng Jun declaring that his sect has left him powerful means and that, since Zi Xian questions them, he is willing to seek instruction through a direct contest. The Icefield Sector falls into tense silence.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun becomes increasingly assertive. He abandons his previous restraint and openly refuses to be intimidated by Zi Xian, demonstrating confidence in both his own abilities and the backing left by his sect.
• Zi Xian is shown to be proud, provocative, and stubborn, but also intelligent and unwilling to bully someone without considering the consequences. He recognizes Feng Jun’s potential danger and tries to preserve his dignity without directly attacking first.
• Jiuling Ancestor is revealed to have become an Ancestral Venerable. His avoidance of Feng Jun stems from embarrassment over their previous interaction, but he gradually realizes that his secrecy has worsened the situation.
• Qian Zhong continues to enforce the rules firmly and refuses to let Zi Xian exploit loopholes.
• The Ji Family Venerable acts as a practical mediator, explaining the rules and the reason Zi Xian had been tolerated despite technically violating them.
• Ren Tu remains passive during the confrontation, refusing to intervene on Zi Xian’s behalf.

Significant Themes

• Power and status: The gathering is governed not only by formal rules but also by fear of powerful figures. Zi Xian’s presence is tolerated because no one believes attacking him would accomplish anything.
• Pride and face: Both Zi Xian and Jiuling are concerned with dignity and reputation. Their reluctance to explain themselves creates misunderstandings and intensifies the conflict.
• Rules versus privilege: Zi Xian attempts to exploit technicalities, while the others insist that the spirit of the agreement matters more than loopholes.
• Hidden strength and deterrence: Feng Jun’s confidence rests on mysterious sect-provided methods and powerful backing. The uncertainty surrounding his trump cards is enough to make even ancient Venerables cautious.
• Changing perceptions: Jiuling realizes that Feng Jun cannot be treated as an insignificant junior simply because Feng Jun himself is young and relatively weak.

Character Interactions

• Zi Xian and Qian Zhong: Their dispute establishes the rules and shows Qian Zhong’s unwillingness to yield to Zi Xian’s status.
• Zi Xian and Feng Jun: Their verbal clash escalates from a procedural disagreement into an implied challenge. Feng Jun’s directness surprises Zi Xian, who had expected greater deference.
• Feng Jun and Jiuling: Feng Jun deliberately exposes Jiuling’s hidden presence, forcing him into the open and making him acknowledge their strained relationship.
• Zi Xian and Jiuling: Their rapid exchange reveals mutual suspicion. Zi Xian warns that Feng Jun may be dangerous, while Jiuling initially interprets the warning as manipulation before recognizing its validity.
• Feng Jun and the assembled Venerables: By openly calling for a match, Feng Jun shifts the atmosphere from a rules-based discussion to a potentially explosive confrontation watched by every major faction.

Chapter Summary: “More Than One Public Humiliation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun deliberately reveals that Jiuling Ancestor has been secretly observing the confrontation. His intention is to intimidate Jiuling by publicly exposing him and using the conflict with Zi Xian True Lord as a warning.
• Feng Jun challenges Zi Xian, making it clear that he is willing to fight two opponents at once if necessary. The gathered Venerables are shocked that a Gold Core cultivator would challenge such a famous True Lord.
• Bamboo Gentleman suddenly manifests through Feng Jun, appearing as a massive emerald bamboo projection. Zi Xian immediately recognizes him as an ancient and extremely dangerous Integration-level expert.
• Terrified, Zi Xian reveals himself and apologizes. Bamboo Gentleman mocks him for hiding behind the Profound Mysteries Record and caring too much about being ridiculed.
• Jiuling Ancestor also reveals himself as a divided soul. Bamboo Gentleman rebukes him for secretly watching Feng Jun despite Feng Jun having saved his life and helped him advance.
• Bamboo Gentleman reveals that Mirror Spirit is also protecting Feng Jun, shocking the assembled Venerables and suggesting that Libo Shoal possesses multiple terrifying experts.
• Jiuling, humiliated in front of everyone, asks whether Bamboo Gentleman successfully transcended his tribulation. Bamboo Gentleman interprets this as a challenge and offers to fight both Jiuling and Zi Xian at once.
• Feng Jun attempts to prevent Bamboo Gentleman from acting, offering to use his own attack talismans instead. Bamboo Gentleman privately admits that confronting the incomplete Ghost Immortal and divided soul is an ideal way to reestablish his prestige.
• Jiuling wisely refuses to fight, emphasizing that Feng Jun saved his life. Zi Xian also backs down, claiming that he had no intention of disrespecting Bamboo Gentleman and citing the fact that they were in Grand Void Sect territory.
• Qian Zhong warns Zi Xian that Bamboo Gentleman may cultivate karma, implying that provoking him could bring long-term consequences. This warning frightens both Zi Xian and Jiuling even further.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Becomes increasingly assertive and confident. He uses the confrontation to defend his dignity and demonstrate that he possesses powerful backing. Although prepared to fight, he also shows concern for Bamboo Gentleman’s incomplete condition and does not want him to take unnecessary risks.
• Bamboo Gentleman: Emerges as a domineering ancient expert with a fearsome reputation. He humiliates both Zi Xian and Jiuling, protects Feng Jun, and uses the situation to restore his own prestige after remaining hidden for a long time.
• Zi Xian True Lord: Shifts rapidly from arrogance to fear and submission after learning Bamboo Gentleman is involved. His attempt to manipulate the situation by mentioning Bamboo Gentleman’s connection to Feng Jun fails, and he is publicly forced to apologize and retreat.
• Jiuling Ancestor: Suffers the greatest loss of face because his secret observation is exposed. Though proud and highly concerned with appearances, he proves more cautious than Zi Xian by immediately refusing to fight his benefactor’s protector.
• Qian Zhong: Acts as a calm observer who delivers the final warning about Bamboo Gentleman’s ability to cultivate karma, reinforcing the danger of antagonizing him.
• The gathered Venerables: Become increasingly shocked as the power behind Feng Jun is revealed. Their view of Feng Jun changes from that of a mere Gold Core cultivator to someone protected by several extraordinary figures.

Significant Themes

• Power and hidden authority: Feng Jun’s apparent weakness is misleading; his connections to Bamboo Gentleman and Mirror Spirit give him immense protection.
• Public humiliation and reputation: The chapter repeatedly emphasizes how damaging it is for powerful cultivators to lose face publicly. Both Zi Xian and Jiuling are forced to endure the humiliation they once imposed on weaker cultivators.
• Respect for hierarchy: In Heavenly Zither, higher-ranked experts can expose or reprimand weaker ones with little consequence. Bamboo Gentleman uses this rule to dominate the confrontation.
• Consequences of arrogance: Zi Xian’s attempt to bully Feng Jun and Jiuling’s secretive behavior both rebound against them. Their superior cultivation does not protect them from the consequences of provoking someone even more powerful.
• Incomplete strength and strategic restraint: All three great powers—Bamboo Gentleman, Zi Xian, and Jiuling—are not in their complete states. Their incomplete conditions make the confrontation more uncertain, but reputation and judgment prevent an actual battle.
• Karma and long-term consequences: Qian Zhong’s warning suggests that Bamboo Gentleman’s retaliation may extend beyond immediate violence, making antagonizing him dangerous even after the confrontation ends.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Zi Xian: Feng Jun openly challenges Zi Xian for hiding and bullying him. Zi Xian initially attempts to justify himself but eventually submits.
• Feng Jun and Jiuling: Feng Jun exposes Jiuling’s surveillance to punish him for hiding after receiving Feng Jun’s help. Jiuling responds by acknowledging Feng Jun as his benefactor and refusing to attack.
• Bamboo Gentleman and Zi Xian: Bamboo Gentleman treats Zi Xian as an arrogant junior, mocks his excuses, and forces him to reveal himself and apologize.
• Bamboo Gentleman and Jiuling: Bamboo Gentleman publicly condemns Jiuling for concealing himself and questioning his status. Jiuling is too intimidated to resist.
• Feng Jun and Bamboo Gentleman: Feng Jun tries to protect Bamboo Gentleman from overexerting himself, while Bamboo Gentleman insists on using the opportunity to establish his authority.
• Qian Zhong and Zi Xian: Qian Zhong offers Zi Xian a seemingly friendly but ominous warning about Bamboo Gentleman’s karmic methods, helping convince him not to escalate the conflict.