Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: A Bright Pearl Cast into Darkness

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qing Jia the Venerable clashes verbally with the Sky Witch, who dismisses him as unworthy of speaking arrogantly to her without Heavenly Zither’s presence.
• Xuanyuan Buqi and the others relocate to a protected Traveling Residence to avoid possible surveillance by local or visiting True Lords.
• The Guardian Hall’s Venerables discuss the situation outside. Qing Jia admits he had tried to recruit the Heavenly Zither group to take charge of the Guardian Hall, but they refused.
• Inside the residence, Feng Jun interrogates the captured Sky Witch about the Unfixed Vortex and its connection to cultivators from the Ancestral Star. The Sky Witch refuses to answer unless Feng Jun first explains his own relationship with them.
• Feng Jun reveals that he knows Lu Ya, the Daoist associated with the red gourd and the Immortal-Slaying Flying Dagger. The Sky Witch confirms that Lu Ya was the “fourth cultivator from the Ancestral Star” and that he personally enlightened her.
• Feng Jun cautiously admits that he comes from the same place as Lu Ya. He produces the Wenchang Brush as proof of his identity.
• The Sky Witch is overjoyed, declaring that it has finally found an Ancestral Star cultivator and can now leave its long confinement to travel beyond the heavens.
• It then reveals that an opportunity connected to the karma of at least four figures from the Ancestral Star—beings above the Ancestral Venerable level—is hidden within the situation.
• The Heavenly Zither cultivators are intrigued, but the enormous implications of such karma make even Feng Jun hesitant to act without consulting the older powers behind him.
• Feng Jun explains that he came to Muer Continent under the instruction of an elder from his sect, effectively placing responsibility for the mission on the Guardians.
• The chapter ends with the Sky Witch preparing to question Feng Jun further about his origins, Lu Ya, and the purpose of his arrival.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun becomes more willing to reveal his connection to the Ancestral Star, deciding that the protection offered by the Guardians and their powerful artifacts outweighs the risk of exposing Blue Star’s origins.
• The Sky Witch shifts from defiance and guarded suspicion to excitement and cooperation after confirming Feng Jun’s identity. Its long-standing hope of escaping its current situation is finally revived.
• Qing Jia realizes that the Heavenly Zither group is far more powerful and important than he initially assumed, prompting regret over his earlier lack of respect.
• Xuanyuan Buqi and the other Heavenly Zither cultivators remain cautious but are visibly tempted by the opportunity associated with the Ancestral Star.
• The Boss/Bamboo Shadow demonstrates a close and unusual relationship with Feng Jun by openly protecting and supporting him.
• Da Chao recognizes Qing Jia’s frustration and the irony that Qing Jia’s desire to leave the Guardian Hall may now be complicated by the arrival of even more powerful outsiders.

Significant Themes

• Identity and concealed origins: Feng Jun must decide how much of his Ancestral Star background to reveal while protecting Blue Star and its secrets.
• Power and respect: Qing Jia’s attitude changes once he recognizes the overwhelming strength and hidden significance of the Heavenly Zither visitors.
• Karma and inherited connections: The Sky Witch’s revelation suggests that the current events are tied to the legacies and karmic relationships of several ancient, exceptionally powerful beings.
• Freedom after long confinement: The Sky Witch’s excitement reflects its hope of finally escaping its isolated existence and gaining access to the wider cosmos.
• Trust and proof: Both sides demand evidence before revealing crucial information. Feng Jun uses the Wenchang Brush to prove his identity, while the Sky Witch relies on its knowledge of Lu Ya and the Waymark.

Character Interactions

• Qing Jia and the Sky Witch exchange hostile remarks, establishing their differing status and personalities.
• Xuanyuan Buqi and Wei Sancai deliberately refuse Qing Jia’s request to claim the Sky Witch after the Soul Search, reinforcing the imbalance of power and Qing Jia’s earlier discourtesy.
• Feng Jun and the Sky Witch engage in a tense question-and-answer exchange, gradually moving from mutual suspicion to cooperation.
• Feng Jun’s mention of Lu Ya creates an immediate emotional reaction in the Sky Witch and establishes their shared connection to the Ancestral Star.
• Wei Sancai challenges the Sky Witch’s assumption that everyone present is from the Ancestral Star, while Qing Yao and Jing Nian show interest in the opportunity it reveals.
• Feng Jun consults the group indirectly by offering to ask the older powers for permission, while the Boss provides him with private protection and support.

Chapter Summary: “A Secret”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun learns that the Sky Witch is a Guardian assigned by Lu Ya to oversee a mysterious space connected to the Ancestral Star cultivators.
• Lu Ya instructed the Sky Witch to wait for qualified Ancestral Star cultivators to receive the opportunity hidden within the space. The Sky Witch does not know the space’s exact location, contents, or method of entry, only that it exists and can move.
• The Sky Witch reveals that the space must be searched for through the Muer Continent, explaining why it has remained within the Wizard faction rather than leaving the Ghost Shaman World.
• Lu Ya previously stopped the Sky Witch from attacking or exterminating the Wizards, warning that the Ancient Pact should be respected and that removing the Wizards might allow another faction to discover the secret.
• The Sky Witch has gained a reputation for acting independently: it claims cultivator inheritances, suppresses foreign cultivators, and sometimes conducts Soul Searches. Despite criticism, the Wizards tolerate it because it considers itself part of their faction and because cultivator techniques are widely respected.
• The Sky Witch explains its hostility toward cultivators entering Wizard-controlled territories. It had intended to help kill Feng Jun and Yi Jue earlier because it believed they were violating the Ancient Pact, but surrendered after encountering the Bamboo Gentleman, whose connection to a Tribulation Transcendence great power made resistance impossible.
• Feng Jun questions the Sky Witch about the Immortal Martial Continent and the “Unfixed Vortex.” The Sky Witch admits that the Immortal Martial cultivators were pursuing the wrong lead and that the New Heavenly Continent’s cultivators likely cannot reach the vortex from their current region.
• Feng Jun remains suspicious that the Ancestral Star opportunity may be a trap and refuses to immediately investigate how to enter the space.
• He orders the Sky Witch to wait while he completes his affairs. The group ultimately decides to return to the New Heavenly Continent before dealing with the mysterious opportunity.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun becomes increasingly cautious and assertive. Rather than blindly accepting the supposed opportunity, he probes the Sky Witch for information and delays entering the Ancestral Star space until he understands more.
• The Sky Witch is revealed to be less malicious than eccentric and constrained. Its apparent disobedience and harshness stem from a desire to leave the Ghost Shaman World, its duty to Lu Ya, and its determination to protect the secret space. It also deeply trusts Lu Ya and follows his instructions even without understanding the full plan.
• Lu Ya is portrayed as an immensely powerful and strategic figure. He has arranged the Ancestral Star opportunity, restrained the Sky Witch from destabilizing the Wizard system, and apparently trusts it to carry out a task without explaining every detail.
• The Boss continues to criticize the Sky Witch’s irresponsible and playful behavior, providing a skeptical counterpoint to its explanations.
• Xuanyuan Buqi and the other great powers remain focused on learning what the opportunity is, emphasizing the group’s urgency and the value of their time.

Significant Themes

• Secrets and incomplete knowledge: Almost every major figure knows only part of the truth. The Sky Witch guards a space it cannot locate, while Feng Jun must decide whether to trust an opportunity whose nature remains hidden.
• Duty versus freedom: The Sky Witch longs to leave the Ghost Shaman World but remains bound by its responsibility to Lu Ya and the Ancestral Star cultivators.
• Power and restraint: Even extremely powerful beings must respect larger forces, ancient agreements, and the consequences of creating a political vacuum.
• Factional identity and prejudice: The Sky Witch claims membership in the Wizard faction while openly using cultivator inheritances and persecuting cultivators, showing the tension between loyalty, cultural rivalry, and practical cooperation.
• Caution before action: Feng Jun’s reluctance to enter the mysterious space reflects the danger of accepting an unexplained opportunity, especially when powerful beings may be manipulating events.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun interrogates the Sky Witch about Lu Ya’s authority, the Ancestral Star space, the Unfixed Vortex, and the purpose of its actions.
• The Sky Witch repeatedly defends its loyalty and methods, while the Boss mocks its tendency to evade responsibility and seek opportunities for escape.
• Feng Jun and the Sky Witch clash over tone and trust: Feng Jun is irritated by the long detour and the Sky Witch’s lack of useful information, while the Sky Witch asks him to speak more respectfully and offers to help with his remaining business.
• Feng Jun’s companions, particularly Xuanyuan Buqi, press him for clarification about the opportunity, but Feng Jun insists that they must return to the New Heavenly Continent first.

Summary of “The Final Encounter”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the Heavenly Zither cultivators depart without properly acknowledging the Guardian Hall, Qing Jia and Da Chao discuss the slight. Da Chao dismisses the possibility of reaching the Spirit Division Realm, believing it is too late in his life for such ambitions.
• Feng Jun and the others finish explaining formations in Tianxin. Yi Jue ends the lessons once they have exceeded their original promise.
• The Huang Family uncovers a fragmentary account suggesting that Ancestral Star cultivators once attempted—but failed—to create a passage between their world and the Heavenly Zither Main Plane. The information is based on oral family history and an old journal, so its reliability is uncertain.
• Feng Jun compensates the Huang Family with Nascent Soul-level Talismans, earning their promise to protect the Yang Family.
• The Heavenly Zither group travels to Muer Continent and confronts the Wizard forces. Xuanyuan Buqi suggests attacking now that they possess overwhelming strength, but Feng Jun refuses until he understands the Ancestral Star Space and the situation surrounding it.
• At the Waymark, the Sky Witch cannot detect the Lord’s aura. Feng Jun initially fails to locate the Ancestral Star Space through deduction, but the Wenchang Brush gives a faint response.
• Yi Jue and Qian Zhong attempt to identify the signal. Qian Zhong realizes the problem is not their cultivation but the weakness of Feng Jun’s token. When Feng Jun produces the Mountains and Rivers State Map, the connection becomes clear, and he identifies the direction of the Ancestral Star Space.
• Feng Jun, the Sky Witch, and Yi Jue pursue the signal through the astral winds. The others remain behind because the site represents an opportunity belonging to the Ancestral Star lineage and may be extremely dangerous.
• They enter the Sea of Raging Waves and then the Interlayer Space, where energy, direction, and even time become distorted. Eventually, they reach a silent, dim region containing an ancient door and an illusory Azure Dragon.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun shows restraint and strategic judgment. Despite having enough power to intimidate or attack the Wizards, he prioritizes understanding the Ancestral Star Space before taking action.
• Yi Jue demonstrates loyalty by following Feng Jun into a potentially lethal opportunity, even when others question whether she can survive. She also assists him directly, using her horsetail whisk to keep pace through the astral winds.
• Qian Zhong proves perceptive and technically capable by identifying that the weakness lies in Feng Jun’s token rather than in their cultivation. Her actions are supportive rather than competitive.
• The Sky Witch reveals a profound emotional and existential connection to the Ancestral Star Space, explaining that it was responsible for his birth and enlightenment. He is willing to die simply to witness it.
• Xuanyuan Buqi remains aggressive and eager to exploit the group’s superior strength, but ultimately respects Feng Jun’s decision to proceed cautiously.
• Da Chao displays resignation toward his limited lifespan and avoids allowing an unlikely opportunity to disturb his Dao heart.
• The Wizard forces are shown to be intimidated by the Heavenly Zither cultivators. Their previous defiance gives way to concealment and submission once the difference in power becomes clear.

Significant Themes

• Power determines diplomacy: Agreements and ancient rules matter only when opposing forces are reasonably matched. Once the Heavenly Zither group gains overwhelming superiority, the Wizards are forced to abandon their former hostility.
• Caution versus aggression: Xuanyuan Buqi favors immediate action, while Feng Jun insists on understanding the situation first. The chapter presents restraint as a form of strength.
• Inheritance and lost civilizations: The failed passage between worlds, fragmented family records, and the mysterious Ancestral Star Space all emphasize the incomplete survival of ancient knowledge.
• Origins and destiny: The Sky Witch’s existence is tied directly to the Ancestral Star Space, making the coming encounter personally meaningful rather than merely an opportunity for power.
• The limits of cultivation: Feng Jun’s and Yi Jue’s inability to sense the space at first shows that higher cultivation alone does not solve every problem; the correct artifact or lineage connection is equally important.
• Dangerous exploration: The Interlayer Space is portrayed as both a source of opportunity and a realm where normal concepts—direction, time, and stability—break down.

Character Interactions

• Qing Jia and Da Chao discuss the Heavenly Zither powers’ disrespect, revealing the Guardian Hall’s limited authority before stronger cultivators.
• The Huang Family expresses gratitude after receiving Talismans and promises to protect the Yang Family, showing how cooperation is secured by matching gifts to another faction’s strengths.
• Feng Jun confronts the Wizard representative and demands information about the hidden Wizard leaders, while the representative apologetically tries to preserve the ancient agreement.
• Xuanyuan Buqi urges Feng Jun to attack the Wizards, but Feng Jun’s caution prevails.
• Yi Jue, Qian Zhong, and Qingyao all attempt to help Feng Jun locate the Ancestral Star Space. Qian Zhong’s successful deduction enables Feng Jun to use the Mountains and Rivers State Map as the decisive locating tool.
• Yi Jue stays beside Feng Jun during the dangerous journey, while the others accept that following could only endanger them unnecessarily.
• The Sky Witch openly shares his connection to the Ancestral Star Space, adding personal stakes to the group’s approach toward the ancient door and Azure Dragon.

Chapter Summary: “Guardian?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun, Yi Jue, the Boss, and Sky Witch arrive before a mysterious door bearing the image of an Azure Dragon. They speculate that it may lead to Ancestral Star Space, a place containing rare and profound opportunities.
• Sky Witch is excited, considering the space part of its ancestral homeland despite publicly being a Witch Ancestor of the Wizard Faction. It urges the group to enter before sharing the opportunity with others.
• Feng Jun suspects that the Azure Dragon is another Guardian, similar to the guardians and protective forces associated with Blue Star, the Asura World, and other sacred spaces.
• Attempts to communicate with the Azure Dragon fail. It behaves like an illusion or projection and ignores Feng Jun’s respectful greetings.
• The Boss senses that the Azure Dragon’s Ancestral Star aura is unnatural and likely skillfully forged. Feng Jun and Yi Jue decide to test it.
• Yi Jue first uses Entanglement, but the vines pass through the Azure Dragon. At the Boss’s suggestion, she then uses Withering and Flourishing, causing the phantom to react and reveal a trace of its immense power.
• The Boss identifies a hidden Wizard aura within the Azure Dragon. Feng Jun prepares an attack talisman, while Yi Jue attempts to trap the entity with a divination formation.
• The Azure Dragon reveals that it is actually an incarnation of Azure Centipede, a Grand Witch Ancestor—a Spirit Division Stage Wizard who had intended to sneak into Ancestral Star Space.
• Before Feng Jun and Yi Jue can decisively attack, the Boss manifests a Bamboo Shadow and exposes its higher cultivation. Terrified of confronting a Tribulation Transcendence expert, Azure Centipede abandons the incarnation and escapes as starlight.
• The Boss pursues or interferes with its escape, causing the entire space to tremble.
• Afterward, the environment undergoes a dramatic change: fierce winds, dark clouds, lightning, and thunder appear. Powerful cultivators outside notice that the laws of heaven and earth—and especially spatial laws—are activating, possibly signaling that Ancestral Star Space has opened.
• Qing Yao and others observe that these laws do not resemble the laws of Heavenly Zither. Qing Yao suspects they instead resemble the Wizard laws of Ghost Shaman World, raising doubts about the true nature and origin of Ancestral Star Space.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates caution and reverence toward Ancestral Star, while also showing growing confidence and decisiveness when he suspects deception. He is willing to confront a supposed Guardian despite the danger.
• Yi Jue displays strong trust in Feng Jun. Although attacking the Azure Dragon could trigger a deadly counterattack, she acts immediately once she recognizes his battle signal. Her concern over conserving her essence blood and choosing the safest technique also highlights her tactical judgment.
• The Boss proves highly perceptive, detecting the forged Ancestral Star aura and identifying the hidden Wizard nature of the enemy. It initially refuses to directly advise Feng Jun, reflecting its fear of provoking Ancestral Star, but ultimately intervenes decisively when the danger escalates.
• Sky Witch reveals its unusual emotional attachment to Ancestral Star. Despite its Wizard Faction identity and ruthlessness toward Heavenly Zither cultivators, it considers itself a native defender of Ancestral Star.
• Azure Centipede is established as a cunning infiltrator rather than a genuine Guardian. It is arrogant when it believes the group is weaker, but immediately retreats once confronted by the Boss’s superior cultivation.
• Qing Yao and the other observers become increasingly suspicious that the apparent Ancestral Star phenomenon may be connected to, or influenced by, the Wizard world.

Significant Themes

• 真假与伪装 / Authenticity and deception: The Azure Dragon’s convincing Ancestral Star aura is revealed to be a disguise, suggesting that appearances and sacred identities cannot be trusted.
• Guardianship and ownership: The chapter explores who has the right to protect or access Ancestral Star Space. Sky Witch’s personal identification with the space contrasts with the infiltrator’s attempt to exploit it.
• Trust forged through danger: Feng Jun and Yi Jue’s cooperation shows how shared battles create a tacit understanding stronger than ordinary social boundaries.
• Power and intimidation: The confrontation emphasizes the vast gap between cultivation realms. Azure Centipede intimidates Feng Jun and Yi Jue until the Boss reveals an even higher level of strength.
• Uncertain origins: The apparent overlap between Ancestral Star laws and Wizard laws suggests that the space may not be what the characters assume. The chapter ends by deepening the mystery surrounding its true nature.

Important Character Interactions

• Feng Jun respectfully addresses the Azure Dragon as a divine Guardian, but receives no response.
• Feng Jun silently consults the Boss, who warns him that the creature’s aura is unnatural.
• Feng Jun signals Yi Jue by gripping her shoulder; she understands the unspoken warning and attacks without hesitation.
• Yi Jue questions the Boss’s recommended technique, showing that she respects but does not blindly trust its judgment.
• Azure Centipede taunts Feng Jun and Yi Jue after recognizing their attempt to trap it, but its confidence collapses when the Boss appears.
• Sky Witch identifies the fleeing entity as Azure Centipede and reacts with unusual fear.
• Qing Yao, Wei Sancai, Xuanyuan Buqi, Qian Zhong, and Jing Nian observe the changes in the surrounding laws, ending the chapter with uncertainty over whether Ancestral Star Space is opening—or whether something connected to the Wizard world is taking control.

Chapter Summary: The Lone Grand Witch Ancestor

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Boss finally drags the true body of the Azure Centipede Grand Witch Ancestor before Feng Jun and Yi Jue. The centipede is over thirty feet long, human-faced, and still struggling despite being restrained.
• After the Boss withdraws to recover, Feng Jun confronts the centipede for targeting Ancestral Star Space.
• The Azure Centipede invokes the Ancient Pact, arguing that it has not technically violated any rule forbidding it from approaching the space. Feng Jun and Yi Jue reject this justification, emphasizing that the centipede intended to attack and kill them.
• The Sky Witch reveals the centipede’s identity and history: it is the only surviving Grand Witch Ancestor in the Ghost Shaman World.
• The chapter explains that seven Grand Witch Ancestors once ruled the world, one for each continent. Ancestral Star cultivators later destroyed six of them and carved away three continents, leaving the Azure Centipede severely wounded and in hiding.
• Because the World Will’s fortune had been divided among the remaining regions and the wizard system had declined, no new Grand Witch Ancestor could emerge unless cultivators were expelled and the lost continent reclaimed.
• The centipede’s supposed pattern of awakening once every thousand years was partly a cover. It was genuinely recovering from its injuries, but it also needed to avoid attention from Ancestral Star cultivators and the more numerous Heavenly Zither cultivators.
• The centipede eventually approached Ancestral Star Space after believing the Ancestral Star cultivators had disappeared. It intended to seize the space’s treasures, use its spiritual energy to heal, and possibly escape the limitations of the Ghost Shaman World.
• It underestimated Feng Jun because it sensed only his Soul Emergence cultivation and believed it could survive Feng Jun’s Talisman Treasure. It never realized that a Soul Fragment belonging to a Tribulation Transcendence expert was involved.
• Feng Jun decides that the Azure Centipede must be killed and suggests bringing in two True Lords to help, since the Boss is weakened and Feng Jun does not want to use the Guardians’ Talisman Treasure.
• When the centipede continues insisting that it upheld the Ancient Pact, Yi Jue proposes having an Ancestral Venerable conduct a Soul Search to verify its claims.
• A little girl suddenly emerges from the space and volunteers to perform the Soul Search herself.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun becomes more confident now that the enemy’s true body is restrained. He openly challenges the Azure Centipede’s legalistic defense of its actions and shows increasing willingness to eliminate it.
• Yi Jue remains direct and uncompromising. She dismisses the centipede’s excuses and focuses on extracting information about the Shaman System, particularly because Feng Jun wants to deduce the Primordial Chaos Heaven-Swallowing Art.
• The Boss/Sky Witch demonstrates overwhelming power by dragging out the hidden Grand Witch Ancestor, but the effort leaves her temporarily weakened. She also provides crucial historical information about the Ghost Shaman World.
• The Azure Centipede Grand Witch Ancestor shifts from arrogance to desperation. It initially believed Feng Jun and Yi Jue were easy prey, but after discovering the Boss’s involvement and the hidden Tribulation Transcendence Soul Fragment, it realizes that its survival is in serious danger. It tries to defend itself through the Ancient Pact rather than force.
• The unnamed little girl is introduced as an unexpectedly powerful figure, confident enough to volunteer for a Soul Search that would normally require an Ancestral Venerable.

Significant Themes

• Decline and isolation: The Azure Centipede is the last remnant of a once-dominant wizard civilization, symbolizing the collapse of the Shaman System.
• Power and survival: The centipede’s long concealment reflects the harsh balance of power between wizards, Ancestral Star cultivators, and Heavenly Zither cultivators.
• Rules versus intention: The Ancient Pact becomes a tool for argument and evasion. The centipede claims technical compliance, while Feng Jun and Yi Jue judge its clear hostile intentions.
• Hidden strength and miscalculation: The centipede’s defeat results from underestimating Feng Jun and failing to detect the deeper powers supporting him.
• World Will and destiny: The world’s rules favor the Shaman System but limit its further development, showing how cosmic laws can both empower and imprison a civilization.
• Knowledge as a motive: Beyond killing the centipede, Feng Jun and Yi Jue want to learn more about the Shaman System and use that knowledge to advance their own cultivation techniques.

Important Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and the Azure Centipede: Feng Jun accuses it of targeting Ancestral Star Space, while the centipede repeatedly invokes the Ancient Pact to avoid punishment.
• Yi Jue and the Azure Centipede: Yi Jue rejects its excuses outright and threatens a Soul Search to uncover the truth.
• Sky Witch and the Azure Centipede: The Sky Witch refuses to defend the centipede and instead identifies it as the last Grand Witch Ancestor, exposing its vulnerable history.
• Feng Jun and Yi Jue: They coordinate on how to eliminate the centipede and recognize that questioning it could provide valuable information about the Shaman System.
• The little girl and the group: Her sudden appearance interrupts the debate and dramatically changes the situation by offering to perform the Soul Search herself.

Chapter Summary: “Disdain”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Yao, who has quietly lived in the Ghost Shaman World, unexpectedly reveals herself to assist Yi Jue and Feng Jun.
• The Azure Centipede Grand Witch Ancestor is terrified upon discovering that Xiao Yao is another Tribulation Transcendence expert. Xiao Yao prepares to perform a Soul Search on it, while the centipede desperately begs for its life.
• Xiao Yao conducts the Soul Search for two days and nights, uncovering extensive information about the wizard system, the Ghost Shaman World, the Ancestral Star, and the centipede’s past actions.
• At the same time, Feng Jun deduces how to open the mysterious space. He discovers that the process is related to the Asura space and requires the Wenchang Brush as a catalyst unless one possesses both Ancestral Star bloodline and Nascent Soul cultivation.
• The Soul Search reveals that the Mountains and Rivers State Map was one of the Ancestral Star’s three great powers. It had fought the wizards, been injured, and helped create the Ancestral Star Space.
• A powerful high-crowned Daoist later forced the wizards into a truce, leaving them four continents because the region was considered poorly suited to cultivator inheritance. He also spread the inheritance of a Heavenly Zither Venerable after killing a Grand Witch Ancestor.
• The Azure Centipede had survived repeated conflicts, including a search by the Blood-Drinking Ancestral Venerable, and later ambushed or killed several groups of wandering cultivators. It had also attacked the Soul Emergence Venerable and genuinely intended to kill Yi Jue and Feng Jun to seize the treasures within the Ancestral Star Space.
• After learning the truth, Feng Jun decides the Azure Centipede deserves death and offers to bear the karmic consequences.
• When the Boss warns him that the matter may have broader implications, Feng Jun hesitates. Xiao Yao then proposes turning the centipede into an Artifact Spirit. She ultimately suggests refining its soul so thoroughly that it loses its wizard inheritance.

Character Developments

• Xiao Yao demonstrates both overwhelming power and childish disdain. She looks down on wizards as inferior beings, yet is eager and confident when performing the Soul Search. Her curiosity also emerges as she takes interest in examining the centipede’s long life and memories.
• Azure Centipede Grand Witch Ancestor shifts from arrogant survivor to desperate captive. It tries to bargain by offering service, but its history of attacking cultivators exposes its hypocrisy and confirms Feng Jun’s suspicion that it is dangerous.
• Feng Jun shows increasing independence and decisiveness. He refuses to rely immediately on the Guardians or senior figures, resenting the possibility of being manipulated as a chess piece. His willingness to accept karmic consequences reflects his determination to make his own judgment.
• Yi Jue remains cautious and protective of Feng Jun. She insists on a thorough Soul Search before he enters the mysterious space and reacts coldly upon learning of the centipede’s crimes.
• The Boss acts as a voice of caution, reminding the others that killing the Azure Centipede could have serious consequences and that Feng Jun should consult his sect elders.

Significant Themes

• Disdain and prejudice: Xiao Yao’s contempt for wizard civilization is a recurring source of humor and reflects the deep divide between cultivation systems.
• Moral responsibility and revenge: Feng Jun must decide whether to kill the centipede despite possible karmic and political consequences. The centipede’s past attacks make the decision morally defensible but not necessarily simple.
• Independence versus obedience: Feng Jun struggles between following the guidance of powerful elders and making his own choices without becoming someone else’s pawn.
• Power and survival: The centipede’s history illustrates how weaker factions survive through concealment, compromise, ambushes, and opportunism.
• The danger of incomplete knowledge: The ancient conflicts, agreements, and motives of the Ancestral Star powers remain only partially understood, making every action potentially risky.
• Transformation and loss of identity: The idea of refining the centipede into an Artifact Spirit raises the prospect of survival at the cost of memory, identity, and its wizard heritage.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Yao mocks the centipede’s claim that it is a “person,” insisting that wizards are neither human nor ghost.
• The centipede repeatedly begs Xiao Yao and Feng Jun for mercy, offering to serve them in exchange for survival.
• Xiao Yao and Yi Jue cooperate in extracting information, with Yi Jue directing the investigation and Xiao Yao carrying it out.
• Yi Jue confronts the centipede about its claim that it had never killed anyone, exposing the contradiction between its words and its violent history.
• Feng Jun asks Xiao Yao to kill the centipede and promises to accept the karmic consequences, but the Boss’s warning causes him to reconsider.
• Xiao Yao proposes using the centipede as an Artifact Spirit, though her final suggestion—to erase its wizard inheritance—reveals her continued contempt for it.

Chapter Summary: “Soul Extraction”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun condemns Azure Centipede for relying on ancient agreements only after becoming disadvantaged. Xiao Yao begins extracting its soul, despite Azure Centipede’s protests that its mutated soul might resist.
• Xiao Yao explains that plant-based souls possess stronger resistance to contamination because of their cell walls, though this advantage weakens after taking human form. She methodically extracts Azure Centipede’s Soul Thought, removing seventy percent within ten minutes and spending nearly another hour extracting the remaining thirty percent.
• The group takes extra precautions because even a tiny remnant of a powerful being’s soul could eventually regenerate. Boss performs additional calculations to confirm that no trace of Azure Centipede remains.
• Attention turns to the mysterious doorway leading to the Ancestral Star Space. Boss and Yi Jue recognize that its Dao resonance is extraordinarily profound—stronger than the comparable door in the Asura World—and possibly created by multiple Ancestral Venerables.
• Yi Jue believes the door could improve her chances of reaching the Spirit Division Realm. She insists that the space’s opportunities should primarily belong to Feng Jun because a great power, likely Lu Ya, perished there.
• Xiao Yao stores Azure Centipede’s corpse and argues that she should also receive benefits from the space, promising to pay if necessary. Yi Jue reluctantly maintains that this opportunity is too important to distribute casually.
• Feng Jun asks Sky Witch to guard them while he opens the space. Sky Witch, terrified after witnessing Azure Centipede’s defeat and soul extraction, still requests permission to enter. Feng Jun allows it, but only with the next group.
• The chessboard protests that it and Sky Witch share the Ancestral Star inheritance and should receive priority. Feng Jun questions whether the chessboard is even a pure descendant, silencing it and revealing his distrust.
• Feng Jun begins opening the doorway, but the process is unusually slow and exhausting. Yi Jue detects that his spiritual energy has fallen below sixty percent and reinforces him by placing a hand on his back.
• Feng Jun warns her to transfer energy slowly because the doorway may be sensitive to auras. Yi Jue assists anyway, then remarks that his current body remains too weak for the task.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun displays ruthless pragmatism, refusing to honor Azure Centipede’s agreements after its previous scheming. He also asserts control over access to the Ancestral Star Space and openly challenges the chessboard’s claim of legitimacy.
• Xiao Yao demonstrates careful, technically precise soul-extraction abilities. Her attitude remains playful and dismissive, but she is also becoming more self-sufficient, even thinking about preserving Azure Centipede’s corpse for future use.
• Azure Centipede is reduced from a powerful Grand Witch Ancestor to a helpless victim. Its fear emphasizes the brutal power gap between it and Feng Jun’s group.
• Boss shows confidence in her own deductions and little concern for the Heavenly Zither Cultivators’ safety. Her past experience with remnants of souls makes her especially cautious about completely eliminating Azure Centipede.
• Yi Jue reveals interest in the doorway as a major cultivation opportunity, potentially assisting her advancement to the Spirit Division Realm. She also acts protectively toward Feng Jun by monitoring and replenishing his spiritual energy.
• Sky Witch becomes deeply intimidated by Feng Jun but remains eager to enter the Ancestral Star Space because of its connection to the Ancestral Star.
• The chessboard reveals pride in its inheritance and a sense of superiority, but Feng Jun’s rejection exposes its uncertain lineage and weakens its position.

Significant Themes

• Power determines justice and negotiation: Ancient agreements matter little when one party has overwhelming strength; Feng Jun mocks Azure Centipede’s attempt to use tradition as protection.
• The danger of remnants and incomplete destruction: The group’s insistence on removing every trace of Azure Centipede’s soul reflects the theme that even the smallest surviving fragment can grow into a future threat.
• Inheritance and legitimacy: The dispute over who is a true descendant of the Ancestral Star raises questions about bloodline, possession of inheritance, and who has the right to claim ancient opportunities.
• Cultivation versus physical limitations: The doorway’s demands reveal the weakness of Feng Jun’s current body despite his unusual abilities and influence.
• Control over rare opportunities: The Ancestral Star Space is treated not as an ordinary treasure site but as the remains of a great power’s legacy, making access a matter of authority, trust, and obligation.
• Fear beneath outward strength: Even high-level figures such as Sky Witch are terrified after witnessing what Feng Jun’s group can do, reinforcing the group’s increasingly intimidating reputation.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun verbally humiliates Azure Centipede before Xiao Yao extracts its soul.
• Xiao Yao and Boss cooperate to ensure Azure Centipede leaves no hidden remnant.
• Yi Jue challenges Xiao Yao’s attempt to claim the space’s rewards, while Xiao Yao insists she deserves compensation for her contribution.
• Feng Jun mediates the dispute by prioritizing the space’s opportunities for himself and the principal group.
• Sky Witch cautiously negotiates entry and accepts Feng Jun’s imposed delay.
• Feng Jun dismisses the chessboard’s claim of shared origin with Sky Witch, creating further tension between them.
• Yi Jue supports Feng Jun physically as he struggles to open the doorway, highlighting their established mutual understanding and cooperation.

The Sixth Ring — Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yi Jue attempts to infuse Feng Jun with spiritual energy but stops before reaching the dangerous critical point, unwilling to risk either of their lives.
• Xiao Yao and the Chessboard consider experimenting further, but Yi Jue protects Feng Jun with a powerful spiritual-energy shield and prevents them from acting recklessly. The Sky Witch also withdraws, recognizing the danger.
• Feng Jun consumes three Gold Core–level Qi-Recovery Pills provided by Yi Jue and completes the transformation of the dimensional gate into a moon gate containing a faint Tai Chi Diagram.
• Feng Jun and Yi Jue enter the gate and arrive in a dense, mist-filled space. Their Divine Sense is heavily restricted, and attempts to probe the area reveal dangerous resistance and backlash.
• They follow a narrow Void pathway for nearly ten thousand li, eventually reaching a small, deserted courtyard containing two wooden cottages and a pavilion.
• Feng Jun respectfully asks permission to enter. A chilling aura examines him before warming and allowing the courtyard gate to open.
• Inside one cottage, Feng Jun discovers a dull gray Stone Ring. The ring’s presence causes a burning sensation in his left wrist, confirming it as the sixth Stone Ring.
• Feng Jun becomes deeply unsettled, questioning the origin and purpose of the Stone Rings. He suspects six may be the complete set and fears that absorbing the sixth could cause an unpredictable transformation.
• He considers returning to Blue Star to consult the Guardians but doubts whether they would—or could—provide answers. The chapter ends with him unable to decide what to do.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates increasing caution and maturity. Although excited by the discovery, he recognizes the danger of acting impulsively in a place created by ancient powers.
• His respect for powerful predecessors is emphasized through his restrained use of Divine Sense and formal entrance ritual.
• The discovery of the sixth ring exposes Feng Jun’s vulnerability: despite his growing power, he remains ignorant of the artifact’s true nature and fears losing his ability to travel between worlds.
• Yi Jue acts protectively and responsibly, stopping dangerous experimentation and shielding Feng Jun. Her growing familiarity with him is shown when she tolerates him holding her shoulder while they enter the gate.
• The Sky Witch appears outwardly detached but privately feels helpless and conflicted, especially because Feng Jun and the others are connected to the same Ancestral Star lineage.
• The Boss remains cautious, refusing to enter the courtyard, while Xiao Yao and the Chessboard reflect the group’s curiosity and willingness to test limits.

Significant Themes

• Respect for the unknown: Feng Jun deliberately limits his Divine Sense and follows proper etiquette before entering the ancient courtyard.
• The danger of curiosity and experimentation: The characters repeatedly confront the temptation to test their limits, but reckless action could result in death or catastrophic consequences.
• Inheritance and forgotten history: The courtyard and sixth Stone Ring suggest a connection to ancient Ancestral Star powers and a larger history that Feng Jun does not yet understand.
• Trust versus secrecy: Feng Jun’s uncertainty about the Guardians reflects the tension between relying on powerful allies and accepting that they may conceal important truths.
• Power and vulnerability: Even powerful cultivators are limited by unfamiliar environments and ancient protections. Feng Jun’s discovery offers immense potential but also threatens his most important ability—cross-world travel.

Character Interactions

• Yi Jue repeatedly restrains the others from endangering Feng Jun, establishing her as his protector and a voice of caution.
• Feng Jun and Yi Jue cooperate closely while navigating the misty space, sharing Divine Sense and adjusting their exploration strategy.
• Their physical closeness and Yi Jue’s decision to stop resisting his grip suggest increasing trust, though her teasing remarks preserve their familiar tension.
• The Sky Witch’s withdrawal contrasts with Yi Jue’s intervention, highlighting the complicated emotional distance among the Ancestral Star cultivators.
• Feng Jun’s respectful behavior toward the ancient courtyard reflects his recognition that unseen seniors still possess overwhelming authority over him.

Chapter Summary: “Illusory Realm”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun leaves the mysterious wooden house after struggling internally for over ten minutes. He admits that he deliberately remained silent because he feared making noise might prevent him from escaping.
• Outside, he asks the Boss and Yi Jue about composite Magic Treasures. He is concerned that, when the Stone Ring’s various functions are integrated into a complete treasure, some abilities—especially his ability to travel between worlds—may become hidden or restricted by “permissions.”
• Feng Jun explains that the Virtual Combat System already demonstrates this problem: its underlying functions remain, but certain operations, such as entering or modifying data, are obscured once the system is fully formed.
• The Boss advises him to deduce the Magic Treasure’s structure, but Feng Jun refuses to attempt self-deduction because the Stone Ring is the source of his Deduction ability. Trying to deduce it would create an endless, self-referential loop.
• Yi Jue offers to help deduce the treasure, but Feng Jun declines because the karmic consequences and possible backlash are too dangerous.
• Feng Jun investigates the courtyard’s pavilion, suspecting it has a purpose beyond decoration. He places the Mountains and Rivers State Map on the pavilion’s stone table and begins addressing the senior presence within the courtyard.
• Before he can finish, the courtyard transforms into an enormous illusory realm. Yi Jue and the Boss are briefly separated from him, but Feng Jun quickly finds them and brings them safely back to the pavilion.
• The illusion displays continents, oceans, a towering Sky-Supporting Tower, and numerous floating pavilions and towers. The scene then descends into a catastrophic spatial disaster involving torn space, whirlpools, violent winds, heavenly fire, freezing energy, spatial blades, and collapsing structures.
• The Boss identifies the vision as an illusion of “Heaven’s collapse,” possibly depicting the destruction of a Sky-Supporting Tower. Yi Jue is intrigued because witnessing such a disaster could aid her Deduction abilities, though Feng Jun is uneasy about the destruction of the seemingly inhabited world shown within it.
• Feng Jun realizes that the illusion is heavily accelerated: within roughly ten minutes, the entire displayed world collapses, while the ground and Sky-Supporting Tower remain intact.
• After the disaster ends, the group recognizes the landscape as a highly accurate model of the Ghost Shaman World, including its current geography and recently built locations such as Black Well City.
• The Boss speculates that the sandbox can project present reality and may function like the Heaven-Peering Mirror, a powerful treasure capable of observing distant places.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Becomes increasingly cautious about the Stone Ring’s completed form and the possibility that its abilities could be integrated, concealed, or restricted. He demonstrates practical judgment by refusing risky self-deduction and quickly rescuing Yi Jue and the Boss when the illusion begins.
• Yi Jue: Shows strong confidence in her specialized Deduction abilities and willingness to help Feng Jun, despite the danger of karmic backlash. Her curiosity about Heaven’s collapse reveals her scholarly and analytical nature.
• The Boss: Continues serving as the group’s knowledgeable interpreter. It identifies the disaster as Heaven’s collapse and recognizes the illusion as a model of the Ghost Shaman World.
• The Bamboo Gentleman: Although not directly active in the events, his refusal to enter the courtyard emphasizes the immense danger and mysterious power surrounding it.

Significant Themes

• Limits and hidden costs of power: The chapter explores how powerful abilities may become restricted or transformed when combined into a greater system.
• Self-knowledge and paradox: Feng Jun cannot directly deduce the Stone Ring because his Deduction ability originates from the very object he is trying to analyze.
• Dangerous knowledge: Yi Jue’s desire to study Heaven’s collapse contrasts with Feng Jun’s concern about the possible suffering of real inhabitants represented by the illusion.
• Reality versus illusion: The displayed disaster is unreal, yet the sandbox accurately reflects the current Ghost Shaman World, suggesting that an illusion can still contain genuine information.
• Observation and control: The possible connection to the Heaven-Peering Mirror raises questions about whether the courtyard’s Magic Treasure merely observes reality or possesses deeper powers over it.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun consults the Boss about composite Magic Treasures, while Yi Jue contributes comparisons to divine abilities and the Virtual Combat System.
• Yi Jue offers to perform a Deduction for Feng Jun, but he refuses out of concern for karma and backlash; she accepts his decision without offense.
• During the realm’s transformation, Feng Jun actively protects both companions: the Boss retreats into the Spirit-Beast Bag, while Yi Jue uses her whisk to secure herself to him.
• The trio jointly analyzes the illusory catastrophe, with Yi Jue recognizing its unreal nature, the Boss identifying its significance, and Feng Jun noticing the accelerated passage of time.
• Their combined observations ultimately reveal that the illusion is not merely a fantasy but a current, detailed projection of the Ghost Shaman World.

Chapter Summary: Divine Powerhouses of Divine Province

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun, Yi Jue, and the Boss investigate a strange sand-table-like world connected to the Heaven-Peering Mirror. They discover that it contains no living creatures and may still be incomplete.
• The surrounding illusion fades, revealing Yun Zhongzi, an ancient powerhouse whose remaining presence is only a fragment of residual consciousness.
• Yun Zhongzi recognizes the Mountains and Rivers State Map and confirms that Feng Jun also possesses the Wenchang Brush. He questions why Feng Jun returned to the ruined world and suggests that Feng Jun should eventually take the map away.
• Yun Zhongzi identifies the Boss’s true nature as an ancient immortal plant, a Mimosa, shocking both the Boss and Yi Jue, who had believed it was bamboo.
• After determining that Feng Jun truly originated from Blue Star and that time flows differently there, Yun Zhongzi temporarily removes the Boss and Yi Jue so he can privately discuss sensitive matters with Feng Jun.
• Feng Jun explains Blue Star’s spiritual-energy revival efforts, including transporting Spirit Stones, using the corpse of a Star-Devouring Demon, employing Energy Stone conversion arrays, and utilizing technology from the Human Federation and the Asura World.
• Yun Zhongzi confirms that Blue Star suffered a Heaven’s Way Collapse, a calamity far more serious than an ordinary Heavenfall Calamity. This information is considered dangerous because other cultivation worlds might exploit Blue Star’s weakness.
• Yun Zhongzi explains that Blue Star’s ancient powerhouses searched for a refuge after realizing their world’s Heaven’s Way could not be saved. They eventually selected the Ghost Shaman World because its environment, climate, and human population were compatible with Blue Star cultivators.
• The Blue Star cultivators initially ignored the local Wizard civilization, considering its system inferior. However, after some Wizards attempted to rob them and were killed, hostility escalated into open war.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates increasing maturity and loyalty. He protects the identities of the Boss and Yi Jue, insisting that they are trusted companions who have shared life-and-death experiences with him.
• He also shows humility and respect toward Yun Zhongzi while cautiously revealing information about Blue Star, its Guardian, and its revival plans.
• Feng Jun’s understanding of Blue Star’s historical crisis deepens. He realizes that its ancient cultivators were not merely seeking personal survival but were trying to preserve an entire civilization.
• Yun Zhongzi is revealed as a remnant of a fallen ancient immortal. Though calm and detached, he remains concerned about Blue Star’s fate and knowledgeable about its history.
• Yun Zhongzi displays distrust and dislike toward Lu Ya, refusing to associate him with the efforts to save Blue Star. He also doubts whether Feng Jun’s Guardian is truly reliable.
• The Boss has its hidden identity exposed as a Mimosa. Despite its embarrassment and fear, it responds humorously and maintains its usual easygoing attitude.
• Yi Jue learns that the Boss is not what it appeared to be, adding a new layer of surprise to their relationship.

Significant Themes

• Civilizational survival: The chapter emphasizes the enormous danger of Heaven’s Way Collapse and the desperate measures taken to preserve Blue Star’s people.
• Secrecy and vulnerability: Feng Jun hides Blue Star’s origin because revealing that its world is dying could invite exploitation from other cultivators.
• Sacrifice and responsibility: The ancient powerhouses are portrayed as noble figures who searched beyond the heavens for a future for their civilization rather than simply waiting for destruction.
• The limits of power: Even ancient immortals could not repair Blue Star’s collapsing Heaven’s Way, forcing them to seek another world.
• Misunderstanding across time and worlds: Differences in time flow, distorted legends, and incomplete knowledge cause characters to misunderstand one another and their shared history.
• Conflict born from indifference: The Blue Star cultivators did not initially seek conquest, but their contempt for the Wizards and the Wizards’ attempts to exploit them eventually led to war.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun respectfully introduces the Boss and Yi Jue to Yun Zhongzi and vouches for their loyalty.
• Yun Zhongzi evaluates both companions, recognizing their unusual origins and judging them worthy of cultivating in the ancestral land.
• Feng Jun and Yun Zhongzi discuss the Mountains and Rivers State Map, the Wenchang Brush, the Guardian, Lu Ya, and Blue Star’s condition.
• Yun Zhongzi’s dismissal of Lu Ya aligns with Feng Jun’s own doubts about Lu Ya’s unpredictable behavior.
• Feng Jun explains the technological and cultivation-based methods used to restore Blue Star’s spiritual energy, while Yun Zhongzi listens with interest and acknowledges the difficulty of his efforts.
• The chapter ends by establishing the historical cause of the conflict between Blue Star cultivators and the Ghost Shaman World’s Wizards.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yun Zhongzi recounts the ancient conflict between Blue Star’s cultivators and the Ghost Shaman World’s wizards. Although the cultivators recognized the wizard system’s military potential—particularly its ability to produce multiple True Lord-level combatants—they believed it posed a future threat to Blue Star’s weaker descendants.
• Blue Star’s great powers therefore invaded and occupied three continents, destroying wizard forces through both direct attacks and karmic methods that followed bloodlines and master-disciple inheritances. Wizards on the remaining continents were also severely weakened.
• The cultivators began preparing a stable, long-term passage between the Ghost Shaman World and Blue Star. Because a forced opening would create future problems, they proceeded cautiously and attempted to use Heavenly Zither as an alternate route.
• When Blue Star sent word that it could no longer endure, three great powers tried to force open the passage but failed at the final stage. Yun Zhongzi eventually negotiated an agreement with the wizard system to halt further conflict.
• The agreement was partly motivated by Yun Zhongzi’s declining condition and his reluctance to continue needless bloodshed. He also intended the agreement to leave clues that future Blue Star descendants might discover and use to continue the unfinished plan.
• Feng Jun is revealed to be the descendant who eventually found this hidden space, though Yun Zhongzi considers his cultivation disappointingly weak. Feng Jun brings encouraging news that Blue Star’s spiritual energy is slowly recovering.
• Yun Zhongzi explains that the other two major figures connected to the plan are the Mountains and Rivers State Map and the owner of the Stone Ring. Feng Jun then realizes that Yun Zhongzi’s physical body may still exist on Blue Star, sealed beneath Shan City.
• Yun Zhongzi confirms that his body was preserved rather than destroyed. He is interested in awakening but does not want to be revived outside Blue Star, since doing so would strip him of his world’s pure aura.
• He reveals that only three or four Ultimate Spirit Stones may be needed to awaken him. He also identifies the Yin-Yang Mirror’s surviving Mirror Spirit as an old acquaintance and criticizes the Guardians for using excessive numbers of Ultimate Spirit Stones to restore themselves.
• Yun Zhongzi finally explains that the cultivators have already drawn most of the Ghost Shaman World’s spiritual energy and Spirit Veins into the hidden space. This was not simply exploitation, but a contingency intended to preserve resources and support their larger plans.

Character Developments

• Yun Zhongzi is shown to be pragmatic, powerful, and deeply attached to Blue Star. Despite participating in the destruction of wizard civilization, he is not needlessly cruel and values the survival of mortals and the preservation of Blue Star’s lineage. His impending decline explains why he accepted a compromise with the wizards.
• He also displays humor and irritation when Feng Jun misunderstands his cultivation and motives. His revelation that he is a Mahayana cultivator, rather than merely a Tribulation Transcendence cultivator, emphasizes the vast gap between them.
• Feng Jun remains humble but persistent. Although aware of his weakness, he continues asking questions and proposes practical solutions, including bringing Yun Zhongzi’s body to the Ghost Shaman World. His ability to uncover Yun Zhongzi’s preserved body and maintain relationships with powerful beings demonstrates unusual insight and capability.
• Feng Jun’s news about Blue Star’s recovery gives Yun Zhongzi hope that the ancestral homeland is not completely doomed.
• The Heavenly Zither cultivators are portrayed as cooperative allies rather than rivals. Their shared cultivation system allows them to spread inheritances and assist Blue Star’s great powers.
• The wizards are weakened from a dominant civilization into a system constrained by an agreement and deprived of much of their world’s spiritual resources.

Significant Themes

• Legacy and responsibility: Blue Star’s great powers act to protect future generations, even through morally severe measures.
• The cost of survival: The cultivators abandon or exploit another world because they believe preserving Blue Star requires it.
• Lineage and belonging: Yun Zhongzi’s refusal to be revived away from Blue Star highlights the importance of spiritual heritage and connection to one’s homeland.
• Hope amid decline: Despite the collapse of Heaven’s Way and the Dharma-Ending Era, Blue Star may recover, and Yun Zhongzi remains hopeful that future descendants can complete the unfinished undertaking.
• Power and perspective: Feng Jun’s low cultivation makes him appear insignificant to Yun Zhongzi, yet his knowledge, connections, and discoveries give him importance beyond his current strength.
• Contingency and long-term planning: The hidden space, gathered spiritual energy, ancient agreement, and preserved body all represent preparations for a possible future rather than immediate victory.

Character Interactions

• Yun Zhongzi and Feng Jun have a respectful but unequal conversation. Yun Zhongzi frankly dismisses Feng Jun’s ability to intervene, while Feng Jun accepts the judgment without resentment and continues seeking information.
• Their discussion becomes more personal when Feng Jun reveals the possible survival of Yun Zhongzi’s body. This shifts Yun Zhongzi from detached storytelling to genuine interest and emotional reaction.
• Feng Jun’s mention of the Yin-Yang Mirror’s Mirror Spirit creates a connection to Yun Zhongzi’s past and expands the network of surviving ancient figures.
• Yun Zhongzi’s teasing and exasperation toward Feng Jun contrast with his otherwise solemn recollections, showing growing familiarity between them.
• The chapter ends with Yun Zhongzi correcting Feng Jun’s suspicion that the cultivators simply drained the world’s resources, insisting that their actions were intended as a backup plan rather than mere greed.

Chapter Summary: “Seeking Someone”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yun Zhongzi explains that opening a passage between the Ghost Shaman World and Blue Star is extremely difficult. If it cannot be done, the remaining spiritual energy of the current space will instead be taken back to Blue Star.
• After suffering devastating losses in the past battle, Yun Zhongzi has discovered a method to resurrect himself. He intends to use the spiritual energy within the space to conserve Ultimate Spirit Stones, though he plans to restore his damaged origin independently later.
• Yun Zhongzi reveals that Feng Jun’s cultivation method, the Primordial Chaos Heaven-Devouring Art, is not an inferior or wasteful technique as Feng Jun believed. It is a rare, high-level qi-gathering art connected directly to the Great Dao of origin.
• The technique has no fixed path beyond the Gold Core Stage. Feng Jun will have to deduce his own future cultivation methods, ultimately creating a path uniquely suited to him.
• Feng Jun asks about the Stone Ring. Yun Zhongzi reveals that it is actually one of the “three great powers” Feng Jun has been seeking. The Stone Ring’s original owner was split into six pieces and is almost certainly dead.
• The fate of the Mountains and Rivers State Map remains unknown. Its owner was last associated with Heavenly Zither’s space, and Yun Zhongzi lacks enough power to determine whether he survived.
• Because Feng Jun wishes to search for Mountains and Rivers out of respect for the fallen ancient powerhouses, Yun Zhongzi gives him a Qi-Guiding Pearl. Feng Jun is instructed to crush it in Heavenly Zither’s space and place it on the fragmentary map. A reaction would indicate that Mountains and Rivers may still be alive.
• Yun Zhongzi confirms that once Feng Jun merges the six Stone Ring fragments, his ability to travel between planes will remain—and become more convenient.
• Before sending Feng Jun away, Yun Zhongzi instructs him to return after forming his Nascent Soul and to find more spiritual energy for Blue Star.
• Feng Jun returns to the courtyard, where Boss and Yi Jue were waiting. The encounter was real, as demonstrated by the blue Qi-Seeking Pearl he brought back.
• Feng Jun privately enters the wooden house, apparently to refine or deal with the Stone Ring without exposing Boss and Yi Jue to Yun Zhongzi’s secrets.
• Boss and Yi Jue infer that Feng Jun is deliberately keeping his distance to protect them. Their conversation then shifts to whether the cultivators of the Ancestral Star might try to transfer the Heavenfall Calamity to the Ghost Shaman World.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun gains a major change in perspective about his cultivation. He learns that what he considered an awkward, resource-intensive technique is actually an exceptionally fortunate inheritance with enormous potential.
• He also accepts that his future cultivation path will be difficult and unprecedented, requiring him to derive techniques for himself after the Gold Core Stage.
• Feng Jun demonstrates increasing loyalty and responsibility toward the ancient powerhouses. Despite his limited cultivation, he sincerely wishes to find Mountains and Rivers and continue the seniors’ work.
• His cautious behavior after returning shows that he is becoming more politically and strategically aware. He hides the details of his meeting with Yun Zhongzi to prevent Boss and Yi Jue from becoming targets.
• Yun Zhongzi is shown as both knowledgeable and magnanimous. He corrects Feng Jun’s misunderstandings, offers guidance without coveting the Stone Ring, and entrusts Feng Jun with the search for a possible surviving ancient powerhouse.
• Boss and Yi Jue demonstrate their understanding of Feng Jun’s motives. Rather than taking offense at his secrecy, they recognize that he is trying to shield them from danger.

Significant Themes

• Inheritance and responsibility: Feng Jun inherits not only powerful treasures and techniques but also the unfinished duties of ancient cultivators.
• The uncertainty of knowledge: Even Yun Zhongzi cannot answer every question, especially concerning ancient cultivation realms and Mountains and Rivers’ fate. The chapter emphasizes that much of the ancient past has been lost.
• Individual cultivation paths: Feng Jun’s technique represents a path without a predetermined manual. His future depends on personal deduction, adaptation, and understanding.
• Sacrifice and preservation: Yun Zhongzi’s desire to save spiritual energy for Blue Star’s younger cultivators reflects the older generation’s willingness to sacrifice for future generations.
• Trust and protection: Feng Jun’s interactions with Yun Zhongzi, Boss, and Yi Jue show that trust often requires secrecy, particularly when powerful beings and dangerous legacies are involved.
• Hope amid loss: Although several ancient powers have fallen, the possibility that Mountains and Rivers survived gives Feng Jun a new mission and preserves hope that the old alliance is not entirely gone.

Character Interactions

• Yun Zhongzi and Feng Jun share a respectful mentor-and-junior relationship. Yun Zhongzi teases Feng Jun for his misconceptions and apparent “showing off,” while Feng Jun openly admires Yun Zhongzi’s character.
• Their conversation evolves from Yun Zhongzi’s resurrection and Blue Star’s future to Feng Jun’s cultivation, the Stone Ring, and the fate of the ancient powerhouses.
• Feng Jun’s decision to seek Mountains and Rivers earns Yun Zhongzi’s approval, leading him to provide the Qi-Guiding Pearl.
• After Feng Jun returns, Boss jokingly complains about his secrecy, while Yi Jue correctly explains that he is protecting them from Yun Zhongzi’s scrutiny.
• Boss and Yi Jue’s brief exchange reinforces their close relationship with Feng Jun and foreshadows concern over the Ancestral Star’s possible plans for the Heavenfall Calamity.

Chapter Summary: “Opportunity”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun emerges from the wooden cabin after five days, having successfully fused with the opportunity inside and replenished his Energy Points with Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.
• He reveals that the opportunity is guarded by a Mahayana Stage senior’s remnant will. Because the senior sacrificed himself for the cultivators of Ancestral Star, Feng Jun decides not to claim the space personally.
• Feng Jun, Yi Jue, and the Boss bow toward the cabin and leave. A mysterious chuckle from inside suggests that the senior—or another presence—continues to observe them.
• After returning to the waiting group, Feng Jun explains that the space is an opportunity open to all Ancestral Star cultivators, but no one can enter freely because of the Mahayana guardian.
• Xuanyuan Buqi wishes to meet the legendary Mahayana cultivator out of admiration, but the Boss warns him that he is far too weak to approach such an existence.
• The Sky Witch learns that the gate contains Dao resonance connected to Azure Centipede Great Witch Ancestor, which may help Spirit Severing cultivators comprehend the Dao.
• Xiao Yao reveals that she extracted the soul and obtained the corpse of the Azure Centipede Great Witch Ancestor. She refuses to sell it except for Ultimate Spirit Stones.
• Jing Nian, whose lifespan is nearing its end, offers three Ultimate Spirit Stones—not to obtain the corpse, but merely to experience the aura and Dao resonance of a True Lord-level Wizard. Xiao Yao rejects the low offer and instead directs him to the gate.
• Qing Yao immediately recognizes the gate’s resonance as an opportunity to break through to the Spirit Division Realm. She asks Hanhai to guard her and insists that seeking protection is wise when attempting a dangerous advancement.
• Jing Nian initially criticizes her caution but accepts her correction and asks Feng Jun to contact the Azure Lotus Sect for a guardian. Bamboo Shadow instead volunteers to guard him, while Xiao Yao argues that no one should distrust fellow Ancestral Star cultivators in their own territory.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun becomes more selfless and respectful of his predecessors. Although he could have tried to monopolize the mysterious space, Yun Zhongzi’s sacrifice convinces him that the opportunity belongs to all Ancestral Star cultivators.
• Yi Jue demonstrates keen emotional perception by noticing Feng Jun’s hidden sorrow after the fusion.
• The Boss acts as the group’s practical voice, warning others against overestimating themselves and exposing Xiao Yao’s poor bargaining strategy.
• Xuanyuan Buqi reveals his admiration for legendary experts and his bold, somewhat cheeky personality, though he is reminded of the vast gap between himself and a Mahayana cultivator.
• Xiao Yao displays both childish impulsiveness and firm principles. She bargains badly, demands Ultimate Spirit Stones, and refuses to sell the centipede corpse cheaply.
• Jing Nian is motivated by his limited remaining lifespan and prioritizes comprehension and advancement over wealth. He also shows humility by admitting when Qing Yao proves him wrong.
• Qing Yao emerges as an ambitious but careful cultivator. She recognizes the value of the opportunity immediately and understands the importance of having a guardian during a breakthrough.
• Bamboo Shadow shows loyalty and confidence in the Ancestral Star group by volunteering to protect Jing Nian.

Significant Themes

• Selflessness and shared opportunities: Feng Jun’s decision not to monopolize the space reflects respect for the collective interests of Ancestral Star cultivators.
• Reverence for power and sacrifice: The Mahayana senior’s remnant will inspires awe, while his apparent sacrifice gives the opportunity moral significance.
• Humility and self-awareness: The Boss repeatedly warns that lower-level cultivators should not mistake a powerful being’s kindness for equality.
• The urgency of advancement: Qing Yao and especially Jing Nian demonstrate that rare opportunities must be seized quickly, particularly when lifespan or future cultivation is at stake.
• Trust among allies: The group’s debate over guardians emphasizes both the dangers of cultivation and the importance of mutual trust within the Ancestral Star community.
• Practical caution versus reckless ambition: Xuanyuan Buqi’s desire to meet the Mahayana senior and Jing Nian’s initial dismissal of guardians contrast with Qing Yao’s careful preparation.

Character Interactions

• Yi Jue notices Feng Jun’s sadness, prompting him to acknowledge the death of the respected senior.
• Feng Jun and the Boss discuss the nature of the Mahayana remnant and the limits of their own strength.
• The Sky Witch repeatedly seeks information about the hidden space, while Feng Jun remains guarded and avoids giving it unrestricted access.
• Xuanyuan Buqi wants to meet the Mahayana expert, but the Boss bluntly discourages him.
• Wei Sancai humorously attempts to negotiate with Xiao Yao, who threatens to beat him when he cannot provide Ultimate Spirit Stones.
• Jing Nian’s sincere offer exposes his desperation to advance before his lifespan runs out.
• Qing Yao reprimands Jing Nian for underestimating the need for protection; he responds maturely by admitting his narrow-mindedness.
• Bamboo Shadow and Xiao Yao defend the reliability of their fellow Ancestral Star cultivators, reinforcing the chapter’s emphasis on communal trust.

Chapter Summary: In Debt (Second Update)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yun Zhongzi agrees to protect everyone currently gathered at the gate while they seek enlightenment, though newcomers will not receive the same protection.
• Feng Jun announces this opportunity to the assembled cultivators, prompting several powerful figures to consider advancing.
• Wei Sancai raises the issue of spiritual energy. Feng Jun consults Yun Zhongzi, who confirms that the cultivators may borrow the energy needed for advancement, provided they acknowledge and repay the debt.
• Feng Jun also asks whether he will still be able to enter Ancestral Star Space while others are comprehending the gate’s Dao rhymes. Yun Zhongzi assures him that he may return whenever necessary.
• The cultivators worry about the consequences if someone borrows spiritual energy but fails to advance. Jing Nian and Qing Yao offer Spirit Stones as emergency loans, while Xuanyuan Buqi agrees to obtain more from his family.
• Qian Zhong decides to attempt advancement and accepts financial help from Xuanyuan Buqi. Qing Yao, Wei Sancai, Jing Nian, and Qian Zhong remain behind to seek breakthroughs, while Feng Jun, Hanhai, Yi Jue, Xuanyuan Buqi, and Sky Witch Youyou return to the Immortal Martial Continent.
• At the Guardian Hall, Qing Jia and Great Tide Venerable eagerly await news about the Unfixed Vortex. The returning group clarifies that the location is actually Ancestral Star Space, guarded by a Mahayana Stage cultivator from the Ancestral Star.
• Yi Jue reveals that the Azure Centipede Great Witch Ancestor was responsible for ambushing a Soul Emergence Venerable from the Guardian Hall. Azure Centipede has been hiding near Ancestral Star Space because it too seeks the opportunity within it.
• Great Tide Venerable immediately wants to know where Azure Centipede is now.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun becomes more assertive in defending the interests of Blue Star cultivators and the sanctity of their treasured opportunity. He also grows comfortable negotiating with Yun Zhongzi and arranging spiritual-energy “loans.”
• Yun Zhongzi demonstrates both authority and generosity, allowing the gathered cultivators to borrow energy and assuring Feng Jun that he can enter the space again later.
• Xuanyuan Buqi continues presenting himself as a self-sacrificing ancestor focused on his family, though Qian Zhong privately recognizes his performance as calculated acting. His confidence and financial generosity also reflect the Xuanyuan Family’s former dominance.
• Wei Sancai, despite his advanced age and limited remaining time, seizes the chance to pursue another breakthrough and openly accepts the risk of borrowing resources.
• Qian Zhong chooses to attempt advancement, showing renewed personal ambition rather than devoting herself solely to younger family members.
• Jing Nian and Qing Yao display generosity and preparedness by offering Spirit Stones to help others advance.
• Yi Jue acts as a composed mediator, providing important information while preventing the local Venerables from becoming overwhelmed by the revelation about the Mahayana senior.

Significant Themes

• Opportunities come with obligations: Advancement is possible, but cultivators must accept debt and repay the spiritual energy or resources they use.
• The burdens of leadership and ancestry: Xuanyuan Buqi’s behavior highlights how difficult it is to be responsible for an entire family rather than pursuing one’s own cultivation.
• Cultivators are not above worldly concerns: Even powerful Venerables must worry about resources, loans, risk, and whether an advancement attempt will succeed.
• Power and identity: The revelation that Ancestral Star Space is protected by a Mahayana cultivator immediately changes the attitude of the local Venerables, emphasizing the vast hierarchy between cultivation realms.
• Opportunities are universal: Azure Centipede’s presence shows that both cultivators and Wizards seek the same paths to greater power.
• Trust and cooperation: The group relies on Yun Zhongzi’s protection, Xuanyuan Buqi’s family resources, and the willingness of fellow cultivators to lend Spirit Stones.

Important Character Interactions

• Feng Jun respectfully communicates with Yun Zhongzi, effectively acting as the intermediary between the ancient senior and the other cultivators.
• Xuanyuan Buqi and Qian Zhong exchange playful but pointed remarks, with Qian Zhong seeing through his exaggerated humility.
• Wei Sancai presses Feng Jun about spiritual energy, forcing the question of whether the opportunity includes the resources required to exploit it.
• Jing Nian, Qing Yao, and Xuanyuan Buqi offer practical financial support, while Qian Zhong formally agrees to repay her debt.
• Xuanyuan Buqi corrects Great Tide Venerable’s description of the location, provoking an awkward realization that a Mahayana senior is involved.
• Yi Jue explains Azure Centipede’s motives and the attack on the Guardian Hall, shifting the group’s attention from the opportunity itself to the whereabouts of their enemy.

Chapter Summary: “The Debt Must Be Repaid”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Vast Sea Venerable confirms that Azure Centipede Great Witch Ancestor has been killed, and that the cultivators possess his corpse. This greatly relieves Great Tide Venerable and the other cultivators, who had long feared Azure Centipede’s power.
• Yi Jue asks Great Tide Venerable to help fulfill Feng Jun’s promise to the Martial Cultivators of Muer Continent: they must be rewarded for killing Wizards.
• Because Feng Jun and the others are preparing to leave, Great Tide agrees to oversee the process. A teleportation formation will allow the outsiders to travel between regions, while local cultivators verify the Martial Cultivators’ claims.
• Great Tide worries that the Wizards may object because of the Ancient Pact. Yi Jue counters that the Wizards have little choice, since the entrance to Ancestral Star Space lies on Muer Continent and Feng Jun, an Ancestral Star cultivator, has authority to determine whether the pact still applies.
• Great Tide is invited to enter Ancestral Star Space and attempt a breakthrough to the Spirit Division Realm. Since his lifespan is nearly exhausted, he eagerly accepts despite having little preparation left to make.
• The Sky Witch explains that only Ancestral Star cultivators can bring others into the space, preventing Qing Jia and other cultivators from entering freely.
• Great Tide admits he lacks sufficient Spirit Stones and asks to borrow them. The Sky Witch bluntly questions whether he could repay the debt if his breakthrough failed.
• Feng Jun unexpectedly agrees to let Great Tide borrow the resources, clarifying that this special allowance applies only to him. He believes that Blue Star’s ancient cultivators have already taken too much spiritual energy and fortune from the Ghost Shaman World, so allowing a native cultivator to use Ancestral Star Space is a form of repayment.
• Great Tide and Qing Jia travel with Feng Jun’s group to Muer Continent. Qing Jia first returns to arrange matters before joining him.
• Feng Jun prepares to return to Heavenly Zither. The Sky Witch asks to accompany him, claiming it wants to broaden its horizons and visit the Ancestral Star before traveling beyond the heavens.

Character Developments

• Great Tide Venerable: His fear of Azure Centipede’s death gives way to renewed hope. Though near the end of his life and short on resources, he boldly chooses to attempt the Spirit Division Realm. He also accepts responsibility for fulfilling Feng Jun’s promise.
• Feng Jun: Demonstrates increasing moral awareness and independence. Rather than treating Ancestral Star Space purely as a private resource, he recognizes that the Blue Star cultivators owe a debt to the Ghost Shaman World. His decision to help Great Tide reflects both compassion and a developing sense of responsibility.
• Yi Jue: Acts as Feng Jun’s spokesperson and negotiator, presenting the arrangement clearly and forcefully. She shows confidence in Feng Jun’s authority and in the practical leverage provided by Ancestral Star Space.
• Qing Jia Venerable: Remains cautious and skeptical about Azure Centipede’s death, wondering whether his Soul Thought might have survived. Despite his doubts, he agrees to assist Great Tide and takes responsibility for arranging local affairs.
• The Sky Witch: Continues to be blunt and sarcastic, especially about Great Tide’s inability to repay borrowed Spirit Stones. However, it also reveals curiosity and ambition by insisting on visiting the Ancestral Star.
• Vast Sea Venerable: Provides the decisive news about Azure Centipede and displays his displeasure toward Qing Jia’s questioning.

Significant Themes

• Debt and repayment: The title reflects both the immediate debt of borrowed Spirit Stones and the larger moral debt owed by Blue Star’s cultivators to the Ghost Shaman World after stripping away its spiritual energy and fortune.
• Moral responsibility beyond karma: Although Feng Jun could technically abandon the promises made to the Martial Cultivators without suffering karmic consequences, he believes that principles still matter.
• Hope in the face of mortality: Great Tide’s impending death makes the chance to reach the Spirit Division Realm especially meaningful. His decision shows that even an old cultivator has reason to pursue one final opportunity.
• Power and authority: Feng Jun’s status as an Ancestral Star cultivator gives him influence over access to Ancestral Star Space and over the relevance of the Ancient Pact.
• Balance and conservation: Feng Jun speculates that spiritual energy taken from the Ghost Shaman World may ultimately be restored if failed breakthroughs release that energy back into circulation.

Character Interactions

• Great Tide and Vast Sea discuss Azure Centipede’s death, while Qing Jia voices restrained skepticism.
• Yi Jue negotiates with Great Tide on Feng Jun’s behalf, explaining the task on Muer Continent and defending Feng Jun’s authority.
• Great Tide challenges the practicality of the arrangement, especially regarding the Ancient Pact and his inability to personally handle all responsibilities during his breakthrough.
• The Sky Witch repeatedly mocks Great Tide’s financial situation and insists that access to Ancestral Star Space is restricted to Ancestral Star cultivators and their chosen companions.
• Feng Jun initially distances himself from Great Tide’s debt, then reverses course after reflecting on the historical exploitation of the Ghost Shaman World.
• Qing Jia ultimately supports Great Tide by helping prepare the journey, while the Sky Witch chooses to accompany Feng Jun to Heavenly Zither out of curiosity about the Ancestral Star.

Chapter Summary: “True Lord’s Intentions”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun agrees to help the Sky Witch bring Blue Star to Heavenly Zither, though he feels Blue Star is not yet ready to be introduced to more important places.
• After returning, Feng Jun accompanies Yi Jue and Hanhai to the Azure Lotus Sect to report Jing Nian Venerable’s departure and cultivation breakthrough in the Ghost Shaman World.
• Mayfly True Lord, deeply concerned about Jing Nian, asks to accompany him and personally guard his breakthrough. He is suspicious of the Ancestral Land cultivators protecting Jing Nian and wants to meet the Mahayana expert there.
• Feng Jun refuses to take Mayfly True Lord to Ancestral Star Space, explaining that the opportunity belongs to the Ancestral Land and is not open to outsiders. Mayfly then changes his justification, offering to help the oppressed cultivators in the Ghost Shaman World.
• Feng Jun agrees to transport him to the Ghost Shaman World but insists that Mayfly keep the location and opportunity secret.
• Xuanyuan Buqi arrives with a Nascent Soul Peak cultivator from the Xuanyuan Family, hoping the cultivator can break through to the Soul Emergence Realm in Ancestral Star Space. He argues that the family’s past assistance to Feng Jun and its future promise to protect the Ghost Shaman World and Yang Family justify the request.
• Upon reaching the Ghost Shaman World, the group finds Great Tide Venerable and Qing Jia Venerable confronting several Witch Ancestors over control of Muer Continent.
• The wizards accuse the cultivators of violating the Ancient Pact by seizing territory and supporting Martial Cultivation practitioners who hunt wizards.
• Feng Jun invokes his identity as a cultivator of the Ancestral Land and declares that Muer Continent contains an Ancestral Land Waymark. Xuanyuan Buqi openly threatens the wizards, making it clear that resistance could lead to their destruction.
• Centaur Witch Ancestor pragmatically suggests surrendering Muer Continent rather than fighting a hopeless battle. Feng Jun states that he does not currently intend to exterminate the wizards, but their treatment of cultivators will determine whether the remaining three continents are spared.
• Feng Jun indicates that the Ancient Pact should generally remain in effect and that the world should retain some of its original balance, while demanding that cultivators not be persecuted on the remaining wizard-controlled continents.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun becomes increasingly cautious and politically astute. He protects the Ancestral Land’s interests, refuses to let outsiders exploit its opportunities, and balances intimidation with restraint to avoid unnecessary destruction.
• Mayfly True Lord is shown to be genuinely concerned about Jing Nian but also motivated by curiosity and the possibility of gaining access to a major cultivation opportunity. When refused, he quickly finds a more acceptable reason to travel to the Ghost Shaman World.
• Xuanyuan Buqi displays his shameless but effective negotiating style. He exploits Feng Jun’s concern for karmic relationships and the Yang Family to secure benefits for the Xuanyuan Family.
• Jing Nian Venerable does not appear directly, but his breakthrough and Mayfly’s concern for him drive much of the chapter’s action.
• Centaur Witch Ancestor proves practical and clear-headed, recognizing that fighting the cultivators would be futile and advocating survival over meaningless sacrifice.
• The wizard leaders are intimidated by the growing number of powerful cultivators and become divided between resistance and pragmatic retreat.

Significant Themes

• True intentions versus stated motives: Mayfly claims to want to protect Jing Nian, but his interest in Ancestral Star Space reveals additional ambitions.
• Power and diplomacy: The cultivators use overwhelming strength to force concessions while still preserving the appearance of restraint and order.
• Karma and reciprocal relationships: Xuanyuan Buqi successfully invokes past favors and future obligations to persuade Feng Jun.
• Ownership and boundaries: Feng Jun emphasizes that Ancestral Land opportunities belong to their creators and cannot be freely claimed by outsiders.
• Balance versus conquest: Feng Jun does not seek to destroy the wizard system outright. Instead, he aims to preserve part of the world’s original structure while securing fair treatment for cultivators.
• Pragmatism in conflict: Both sides recognize that an unwinnable war would be pointless, leading the wizards to consider surrender rather than fight to the death.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Mayfly True Lord engage in a subtle negotiation, with Feng Jun exposing Mayfly’s hidden motives without directly accusing him.
• Xuanyuan Buqi uses humor, shamelessness, and appeals to karma to pressure Feng Jun into accepting a Xuanyuan cultivator into Ancestral Star Space.
• Mayfly and Xuanyuan Buqi recognize each other as fellow True Lords, but their relationship is distant rather than warm.
• Feng Jun, Xuanyuan Buqi, and Mayfly jointly confront the Witch Ancestors, creating a powerful imbalance that discourages the wizards from attacking.
• Centaur challenges the wizard leadership’s desire to defend Muer Continent, arguing that survival matters more than pride.
• Feng Jun establishes the final terms: the cultivators will occupy Muer Continent, but the Ancient Pact and the remaining wizard territories may be preserved if the wizards stop persecuting cultivators.

Chapter Summary: “Too Much Rigidity Breaks Easily”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun’s demand for a peaceful arrangement between Wizards and cultivators initially meets resistance, but his proposal to divide territories and trade fairly causes the Wizard faction to argue among itself.
• Thanks to Heavenly Zither’s reinforcements, an all-out war is avoided. The Wizards agree to withdraw from the Muer Continent.
• Feng Jun asks Mayfly True Lord for ten years to evacuate the Wizards, even hoping to relocate their Wizard Towers, but Mayfly grants only one year and threatens to kill any Wizards remaining afterward.
• Feng Jun leads another group into the interstitial space, following his connection to the destination rather than using “Footprints.” He respectfully requests permission from Yun Zhongzi to bring two additional people: Venerable Da Chao and a Nascent Soul Peak cultivator from the Xuanyuan Family.
• Yun Zhongzi accepts them and allows the newcomers to seek insight from the mysterious door. Qian Zhong complains that Xuanyuan Buqi brought a family member but failed to notify the Yao Family.
• Hanhai chooses to leave with Feng Jun rather than remain behind to study the door, recognizing that Feng Jun himself may be the greatest opportunity.
• Feng Jun travels to a remote mountain forest in the Icefield Sector and uses the Qi-Guiding Pearl with the Mountains and Rivers State Map to locate its true body. He discovers that it is connected to the Fallen Immortal Ancient Battlefield and possibly the mysterious space associated with the Thief Lineage.
• Before Feng Jun can investigate, an imposing figure appears and confronts him. The figure is the consciousness of the Mountains and Rivers State Map.
• Feng Jun explains his origins, his connection to Yun Zhongzi, and his plan to help Yun Zhongzi be reborn. The senior then asks about the Heaven-Flipping Seal.
• Feng Jun reveals that the six Stone Rings were fragments of the Heaven-Flipping Seal. The Seal had once been a powerful artifact specializing in overwhelming physical force, but it shattered while opening the passage between worlds. Its Artifact Spirit disappeared completely, leaving only a trace of residual spirituality.
• The chapter concludes with Feng Jun reflecting that the Heaven-Flipping Seal’s fate proves the principle that excessive rigidity ultimately leads to destruction.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates diplomacy, resourcefulness, and growing responsibility. He avoids war through negotiation, treats Yun Zhongzi with great respect, and carefully manages relationships with powerful allies.
• Mayfly True Lord shows himself to be practical and uncompromising. Although he prevents war, he prioritizes cultivator safety and imposes a strict deadline on the Wizards.
• Hanhai Great Venerable becomes more open-minded and cooperative. He recognizes Feng Jun’s unusual importance and decides to remain close to him for future opportunities, even abandoning an immediately useful chance for insight.
• Xuanyuan Buqi continues to use his influence and “thick skin” to secure opportunities for his family, while remaining relaxed in the face of Qian Zhong’s complaints.
• Qian Zhong reveals her frustration at being excluded from an opportunity, though she understands why Xuanyuan Buqi did not fully trust the Yao Family with the information.
• Yun Zhongzi appears generous and magnanimous, forgiving Feng Jun’s presumption and allowing more people to enter the interstitial space.
• The Mountains and Rivers State Map is revealed as proud, formal, and naturally imposing, but also deeply concerned about Yun Zhongzi and the fate of the Heaven-Flipping Seal.

Significant Themes

• Rigidity versus adaptability: The failed fate of the Heaven-Flipping Seal illustrates that overwhelming strength and inflexibility can lead to ruin.
• Diplomacy over destruction: Feng Jun prevents a major war by exploiting internal disagreement and proposing practical coexistence.
• Trust and loyalty: Hanhai’s decision to follow Feng Jun reflects the value of dependable alliances over short-term gains.
• Respect for powerful predecessors: Feng Jun’s careful conduct toward Yun Zhongzi and the Mountains and Rivers State Map shows the importance of humility and proper etiquette.
• Opportunities and karmic connections: Advancement depends not only on individual strength but also on relationships, timing, and access to ancient inheritances.
• Sacrifice and decline: The Heaven-Flipping Seal’s destruction emphasizes the cost of opening the passage between worlds and the fading remnants of ancient powers.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun’s proposal provokes conflict among the Wizards, indirectly preventing them from uniting against the cultivators.
• Mayfly and Feng Jun’s interests differ over how quickly the Wizards should withdraw, creating a tense but practical political arrangement.
• Qian Zhong and Xuanyuan Buqi exchange pointed remarks over his failure to secure a similar opportunity for the Yao Family.
• Feng Jun respectfully communicates with Yun Zhongzi, whose approval allows the additional cultivators to enter the interstitial space.
• Feng Jun and Hanhai develop stronger mutual trust, with Hanhai openly promising to keep Feng Jun’s affairs confidential.
• Feng Jun explains the situation to Hanhai before entering the mysterious space, demonstrating consideration for Hanhai’s prior contribution.
• Feng Jun’s first meeting with the Mountains and Rivers State Map is formal and respectful. The senior’s questions about Yun Zhongzi and the Heaven-Flipping Seal connect the present events to the ancient history of Blue Star and the interworld passage.

Chapter Summary: “Things Had Changed”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun confirms that the Heaven-Flipping Seal has truly fallen, though its mark and power now remain with him.
• The mysterious figure is revealed as Ancestor Sheji, the ancestor of the Grand Void Gate and the incarnation of the Mountains and Rivers State Map. Vast Sea Venerable immediately recognizes his immense power and becomes respectful.
• Ancestor Sheji orders Vast Sea Venerable to keep his survival secret. Vast Sea agrees, especially after learning that the mysterious space being contested by the Profound Water Sect belongs to Sheji.
• The group discusses the abandoned plan to reopen the passage to the Ghost Shaman World. Sheji learns that Lu Ya had appeared there but had not opened the passage.
• Sheji recognizes that Feng Jun has ties to Ran Deng, one of the Guardians. Feng Jun confirms that Ran Deng has accepted a guardianship role, indirectly revealing that the Guardians’ mysterious actions are connected to ancient figures and hidden plans.
• Sheji explains that the mysterious space was a supplementary map he created as a contingency. The Thief Lineage’s occupation of it is therefore not a true threat; he considers the space his and intends to reclaim it eventually.
• Vast Sea Venerable withdraws the Profound Water Sect’s claim to the space after realizing its true owner is an overwhelmingly powerful ancestor.
• Sheji discovers that Feng Jun altered the space under Ran Deng’s instructions. Rather than becoming angry, he recognizes that the alterations were likely intended to protect or benefit him, suggesting Ran Deng suspected Sheji might still be alive.
• Feng Jun asks Sheji to meet Yun Zhongzi, who had believed Sheji dead. Sheji admits he is little different from someone who has fallen, having survived only through preparations and contingencies.
• Sheji questions how Feng Jun reached Heavenly Zither. Feng Jun reveals the Heaven-Flipping Seal mark, explaining that Sheji’s protection enabled his arrival.
• Sheji shields Yi Jue and Vast Sea Venerable so he can privately ask about Blue Star. Feng Jun recounts Blue Star’s condition and his own efforts there.
• Sheji is relieved to learn that Blue Star avoided a world-ending catastrophe and suffered only a decline in spiritual energy. He explains that his main body was damaged, preventing him from safely retrieving it without knowing Blue Star’s condition.
• The chapter ends with Feng Jun wondering whether Sheji had been conserving his strength while waiting for someone from Blue Star to reopen the passage, and asking what Sheji thinks of Lu Ya’s actions.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun has grown powerful and confident enough to speak openly about his origins and connections. He is no longer driven by the fear that revealing his arrival from Blue Star will lead to his death. He also shows increasing awareness of the complex relationships among ancient powers.
• Ancestor Sheji / Mountains and Rivers State Map is revealed to be a surviving Blue Star cultivator of extraordinary status. Despite his imposing power, he is unusually direct, tolerant, and emotionally attached to his homeland. His survival depended on contingencies after his main body was damaged.
• Vast Sea Venerable shifts from arrogance to complete caution and respect after recognizing Sheji’s identity and strength. He relinquishes his sect’s claim to the mysterious space and accepts the need for secrecy.
• Yi Jue remains bold and proud. She openly admits that Yun Zhongzi has protected her and even jokes that she may one day protect Sheji, demonstrating her fearless personality and unusual confidence.
• Ran Deng and the Guardians become more mysterious. Their past connections with Sheji and their knowledge of his supplementary map imply that they have been acting with long-term foresight.

Significant Themes

• The changing balance of power: Feng Jun is no longer a helpless outsider. His growing strength and connections allow him to engage directly with figures who once seemed untouchable.
• Hidden alliances and ancient relationships: The chapter reveals that the Guardians, Ran Deng, Sheji, Yun Zhongzi, and Lu Ya share long-standing connections and unresolved histories.
• Survival through preparation: Sheji’s supplementary map and other contingencies allowed him to survive despite damage to his main body, emphasizing the importance of foresight among ancient cultivators.
• Loyalty to one’s homeland: Though Sheji has established himself in Heavenly Zither, his immediate concern is Blue Star. His relief at learning that it survived shows that his attachment to his original world remains strong.
• Trust and secrecy: Feng Jun repeatedly navigates information that cannot be openly stated. The characters accept partial explanations because they understand the need to protect deeper secrets.
• Misunderstood intentions: Ran Deng’s seemingly deceptive actions were ultimately meant to safeguard Sheji, showing that secrecy does not necessarily indicate hostility.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Ancestor Sheji: Their conversation moves from the Heaven-Flipping Seal’s death to Sheji’s survival, the supplementary map, Blue Star, and the hidden actions of Ran Deng and Lu Ya. Sheji treats Feng Jun as a trusted intermediary.
• Sheji and Vast Sea Venerable: Sheji’s authority completely suppresses Vast Sea’s arrogance. Vast Sea responds with respect, promises secrecy, and withdraws his sect’s claim.
• Sheji and Yi Jue: Yi Jue boldly challenges Sheji despite his overwhelming power. Sheji responds with amused tolerance, suggesting he appreciates her character.
• Feng Jun and Vast Sea: Feng Jun’s concealment of his modifications to the mysterious space makes Vast Sea feel betrayed, but Sheji’s explanation reassures him that the actions were ultimately beneficial.
• Sheji and the absent ancient cultivators: Sheji’s comments reveal complicated ties with Yun Zhongzi, Ran Deng, Lu Ya, and the Heaven-Flipping Seal, while his concern for their survival suggests enduring bonds despite distance and uncertainty.

Summary of “Taking the Long View”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun questions Mountains and Rivers State Map about Lu Ya and whether the passage between worlds should still be opened. The artifact explains that Lu Ya is an independent, willful lone cultivator who generally leaves others alone unless provoked.
• Mountains and Rivers State Map concludes that opening the passage is unnecessary for now because Blue Star still exists. With the Heaven-Flipping Seal, Heavenly Zither and Blue Star can communicate and draw nourishment from beyond the heavens, allowing Blue Star to recover.
• Mountains and Rivers State Map pulls Boss, Xiao Yao, and the Kongmeng Domain Consciousness from Feng Jun’s possessions. Boss identifies itself as having met both Yun Zhongzi and Ran Deng. Because of these connections, the artifact allows Boss to remain unharmed.
• Feng Jun deliberately permits Boss to learn more about Blue Star’s hidden history. He trusts Boss deeply due to their shared past and uses the authority of Mountains and Rivers State Map to reinforce the seriousness of the information.
• After Feng Jun returns the map fragment, Mountains and Rivers State Map prepares to refine it and seek out Yun Zhongzi. Feng Jun, Yi Jue, and Hanhai then leave.
• Yi Jue worries that without the fragment Feng Jun may no longer be able to enter Ancestral Star space. Feng Jun responds that another method will eventually be found and admits he is relieved to avoid the karmic burden and constant requests associated with granting others opportunities.
• Feng Jun resumes work at Libo Shoal, retrieving Energy Stones from the Insectoid World and refining Virtual Combat Systems. Imitation systems made by other Grandmaster artifact refiners have appeared, but Feng Jun refuses to lower his prices because the imitations are vastly inferior and serve a different market.
• Mirror Spirit urges Feng Jun to sell more systems because Ultimate Spirit Stones are becoming scarce. It wants to continue using them to restore its origin, while Feng Jun insists that they must be conserved for Blue Star’s recovery.
• Feng Jun argues that Yun Zhongzi may know a better restoration method. Mirror Spirit agrees to stop consuming Ultimate Spirit Stones only if Feng Jun asks Yun Zhongzi for help on its behalf.
• Frustrated by Mirror Spirit’s selfishness, Feng Jun threatens to have Bamboo Gentleman handle future artifact refinement instead. Mirror Spirit, unwilling to lose its role or offend Feng Jun, reluctantly backs down and suggests that Feng Jun also approach the Guardians’ protected figure, who consumes large numbers of Ultimate Spirit Stones.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Becomes increasingly strategic and farsighted. He recognizes that his involvement with Blue Star’s restoration is unavoidable and begins prioritizing long-term resources over immediate convenience. He also shows growing confidence in managing powerful ancient beings and protecting trusted friends.
• Mountains and Rivers State Map: Reveals confidence in Blue Star’s eventual revival and displays a broad, detached attitude toward powerful figures and sensitive secrets. It respects Feng Jun’s return of the map fragment and treats Boss leniently because of Boss’s connections to Yun Zhongzi and Ran Deng.
• Boss: Learns that Blue Star is the ancestral homeland of cultivators and gains a deeper understanding of the powerful figures connected to it. Although initially nervous about knowing too much, Boss realizes that Feng Jun trusts it and that Mountains and Rivers State Map does not regard it as a threat.
• Yi Jue: Shows practical concern for Feng Jun’s future access to Ancestral Star space rather than resentment over the returned map fragment.
• Mirror Spirit: Remains self-centered and focused on its own recovery, believing Ultimate Spirit Stones should be used rather than saved. However, it is capable of compromise when Feng Jun threatens to replace it with Bamboo Gentleman.
• Feng Jun and Boss: Their relationship develops through increased honesty. Feng Jun decides that genuine friendship requires eventually sharing important truths instead of concealing everything.

Significant Themes

• Long-term responsibility versus immediate gain: Feng Jun and Mirror Spirit disagree over whether scarce Ultimate Spirit Stones should be spent on personal recovery or reserved for Blue Star’s larger restoration.
• Trust and the sharing of secrets: Feng Jun’s decision to reveal more to Boss reflects the idea that friendship requires mutual confidence and honesty.
• Power, humility, and self-awareness: Feng Jun acknowledges that his strength is insufficient for the conflicts surrounding him, while still accepting that his earlier choices have made withdrawal impossible.
• Monopoly and progress: The appearance of inferior imitations does not threaten Feng Jun’s business. Instead, different levels of quality allow the technology to spread without forcing him to abandon his premium position.
• The consequences of past actions: Returning the map fragment ends one obligation but also removes Feng Jun’s easiest access to Ancestral Star space, emphasizing that every opportunity carries costs and karmic burdens.
• Conflicting personalities among ancient powers: The chapter contrasts Mountains and Rivers State Map’s confidence, Yun Zhongzi’s ideals, and Mirror Spirit’s selfish pragmatism, suggesting that great power does not necessarily produce wisdom or selflessness.

Important Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Mountains and Rivers State Map: They discuss Lu Ya, the passage, Blue Star’s recovery, and the map fragment. The artifact gives Feng Jun reassurance while also bluntly noting that his cultivation remains inadequate.
• Mountains and Rivers State Map and Boss: The artifact recognizes Boss’s encounters with Yun Zhongzi and Ran Deng and decides not to harm it. Boss is surprised by this leniency and gains confirmation of Blue Star’s importance.
• Feng Jun and Yi Jue: Yi Jue asks how Feng Jun will enter Ancestral Star space without the map fragment. Feng Jun accepts the inconvenience as preferable to carrying the associated karmic burden.
• Feng Jun and Mirror Spirit: Their argument centers on Ultimate Spirit Stones. Feng Jun insists on conservation for Blue Star, while Mirror Spirit defends using them for its own restoration. Feng Jun finally pressures it by threatening to replace it with Bamboo Gentleman.
• Mirror Spirit and Yun Zhongzi, indirectly: Mirror Spirit admits it wants Yun Zhongzi’s restoration method but is too proud to ask directly, forcing Feng Jun to mediate.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun returns alone to Luohua on Blue Star to meet the Guardians, having long delayed the visit because he felt distant from them after learning their true identity.
• He reports his experiences in the Ghost Shaman World:
  • He discovered Yun Zhongzi’s physical body buried underground.
  • He obtained the Mountains and Rivers State Map and learned that the mysterious space was a secondary map.
  • The passage between worlds likely cannot be reopened because there is insufficient power.
• The Guardians lament that Lu Ya refused to help open the passage earlier. Lu Ya then appears and defends himself, explaining that he learned of the situation too late and feared the karmic consequences.
• Lu Ya reveals that:
  • The Chessboard at Libo Shoal originally came from Blue Star and was enlightened by him.
  • The Waymark in the Ghost Shaman World was deliberately left by him.
  • The Waymarks he gave Feng Jun are intended to help him find resources and techniques to perfect the Primordial Chaos Heaven-Devouring Technique.
• Feng Jun asks about forming a Nascent Soul. Lu Ya tells him to seek out the ancient Qi-Refinement inheritance scattered across various worlds.
• Feng Jun worries that, because of his cultivation method, he will be responsible for gathering the spiritual energy needed to revive Blue Star. Lu Ya confirms that this will likely be his burden, though he claims the technique’s enormous capacity is an advantage.
• The Guardians suggest that Feng Jun help revive Yun Zhongzi and demand repayment of the resulting karmic debt. Lu Ya dismisses this as insufficient, arguing that Feng Jun’s fortune is already overwhelming because he obtained the Heaven-Flipping Seal’s true body and is destined to travel through many worlds.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun overcomes his hesitation toward the Guardians and approaches them openly. He demonstrates gratitude for their past assistance while also expressing frustration that the responsibility for Blue Star’s revival may fall primarily on him. He becomes more optimistic about Lu Ya after learning that the Waymarks were provided to help his cultivation.
• The Guardians/Ran Deng remain protective of Blue Star and concerned about its future. They show emotional attachment to the failed attempt to reopen the passage and propose using Yun Zhongzi’s karmic debt to compensate Feng Jun.
• Lu Ya is portrayed as highly self-interested but not entirely uncaring. He refuses to accept responsibility for saving all living beings, yet is willing to aid Blue Star when convenient and has quietly helped Feng Jun through the Waymarks. His bluntness and refusal to fear death—or recklessly seek it—contrast with the Guardians’ more dutiful attitude.
• Yun Zhongzi remains absent but becomes more important through discussion of his body, his ideals, and the possibility of reviving him.
• Feng Jun gains a clearer understanding that the ancient mighty beings are not unified: they possess conflicting personalities, priorities, and relationships.

Significant Themes

• Gratitude and obligation: Feng Jun struggles with how to relate to the Guardians after benefiting greatly from their protection while feeling emotionally distant from them.
• Responsibility versus self-preservation: Yun Zhongzi represents universal responsibility, while Lu Ya openly embraces self-interest and rejects unnecessary sacrifice.
• Karmic debt and exchange: The possibility of being repaid for helping Yun Zhongzi reflects the chapter’s recurring idea that great acts and fortunes create corresponding obligations.
• Burden of destiny: Feng Jun’s powerful cultivation technique and acquisition of the Heaven-Flipping Seal grant him extraordinary potential but also force him to bear immense responsibilities.
• The ambiguity of powerful beings: The ancient experts are mysterious and contradictory; their actions cannot be judged through simple moral categories.
• Revival and persistence: Although the passage cannot currently be reopened, Blue Star’s revival remains possible through gradual accumulation of spiritual energy and the efforts of future cultivators.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun respectfully reports to the Guardians, while they listen silently and question him about the fate of the passage.
• The Guardians criticize Lu Ya for refusing to act, prompting him to defend his choices and explain the karmic risks involved.
• Lu Ya teases and challenges Feng Jun, especially regarding the burden imposed by the Primordial Chaos Heaven-Devouring Technique, while simultaneously offering him valuable cultivation guidance.
• The Guardians and Lu Ya argue over who is more selfish and who has contributed more to Blue Star. Their quarrel reveals their long-standing personal friction and sharply different philosophies.
• Feng Jun repeatedly acts as a mediator, attempting to interrupt their argument and redirect the discussion toward practical concerns.
• The chapter ends with the two seniors offering conflicting perspectives: the Guardians encourage Feng Jun to seek repayment from Yun Zhongzi, while Lu Ya emphasizes that Feng Jun’s extraordinary fortune has already set him on a path across countless worlds.