Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Bullying a Child?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun reflects on how inheriting the Heaven-Flipping Seal and obtaining the Stone Ring transformed not only his life but also the lives of those around him. Although the Guardians and Lu Ya worry that he is being overburdened, Feng Jun accepts the responsibility because of the blessings he inherited.
• Lu Ya suggests taking the Chessboard back to its homeland, assuring Feng Jun that the Guardians will prevent it from causing serious trouble. The Guardians refuse to intervene, insisting that any consequences are Lu Ya’s karma.
• Lu Ya and the Guardians argue over whether Feng Jun is being exploited. The Guardians originally wanted Yun Zhongzi to handle the difficult task, but Yun Zhongzi’s status as a Blessed Immortal allows him to travel beyond the heavens. Lu Ya mocks the Guardians’ reluctance to take responsibility, even suggesting they destroy Yun Zhongzi’s physical body if they truly object.
• After returning to Luohua, Feng Jun supplies Xia Nation with Energy Stones and other requested technology. He also asks what additional resources they need, sensing that his future focus will move away from Blue Star.
• Xia Nation prioritizes short-term necessities—Energy Stones, warships, and advanced technology—over cultivation techniques, which produce results more slowly. Beauty Lin realizes that Feng Jun’s unusual generosity may signal that he is preparing to leave them behind.
• Gao Qiang tells Beauty Lin that Luohua may soon be able to acquire resources without Feng Jun personally obtaining them. This reveals that Feng Jun’s organization is rapidly developing, though it still struggles to keep pace with him.
• Feng Jun returns to Libo Shoal, where Jiangzhu Grass has entered a dormant phase before undergoing Soul Emergence. The process could take decades or centuries, so Feng Jun asks Bamboo Gentleman to protect it.
• Feng Jun tries to persuade the Mirror Spirit not to consume an Ultimate Spirit Stone to repair its origin. The Mirror Spirit refuses, insisting it will only listen after Feng Jun reaches the Nascent Soul Realm and obtains Yun Zhongzi’s method.
• Xiao Yao agrees to refine a small number of Magic Treasures, but refuses to perform repetitive work indefinitely. When more people arrive seeking refinements, Sky Witch volunteers to help.
• Sky Witch’s attempt to intervene is rebuked by the Mirror Spirit, which treats it as an insignificant Spirit Severing cultivator interfering in a matter involving a Tribulation Transcendence expert.
• Lu Ya suddenly appears, defending Sky Witch and accusing the Mirror Spirit of bullying a weaker being. The Chessboard is thrilled to see Lu Ya, whom it recognizes as its creator or enlightener.
• Lu Ya praises Sky Witch for its past actions involving Ghost Witch, viewing its evasiveness and survival instincts as proper obedience rather than cowardice.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Becomes increasingly willing to shoulder burdens and take responsibility for the people and forces connected to him. His decision to supply Xia Nation generously suggests emotional closure and preparation to shift his attention beyond Blue Star.
• Lu Ya: Demonstrates his protective attitude toward Feng Jun and Sky Witch, while also showing his characteristic indifference toward karma and past conflicts. He remains willing to challenge other great powers verbally.
• The Guardians: Continue treating Feng Jun as someone who should be protected because of his age, despite expecting him to bear major responsibilities. Their reluctance to accept karma exposes their stubbornness and insecurity.
• Beauty Lin: Realizes that Feng Jun may soon become impossible for Xia Nation to retain. Her attitude shifts from trying to manage or cooperate with him to urgently trying to preserve access to his resources.
• Gao Qiang: Shows growing independence and confidence in Luohua’s ability to progress without Feng Jun’s direct involvement, though he privately feels pressure from the gap between their abilities.
• Mirror Spirit: Remains proud, volatile, and unwilling to accept advice, even from the stronger Lu Ya. Its refusal to conserve the Ultimate Spirit Stone highlights its impulsive nature.
• Sky Witch: Attempts to build a relationship with Feng Jun by offering assistance, carefully avoiding overstepping because of the powerful figures surrounding him. Lu Ya’s approval validates its previous choices.
• Xiao Yao: Shows enthusiasm for creative work but rejects repetitive labor, emphasizing her desire for freedom and enjoyment after leaving seclusion.

Significant Themes

• Responsibility and inherited destiny: Feng Jun accepts burdens created by the Heaven-Flipping Seal and his predecessors, even when others believe he is being exploited.
• Power, status, and karma: The argument between Lu Ya and the Guardians highlights how powerful beings avoid responsibility while using karma as justification for their choices.
• Short-term survival versus long-term growth: Xia Nation values Energy Stones and technology because they offer immediate strength, while cultivation methods represent slower, foundational development.
• Independence and inevitable separation: Feng Jun’s growing distance from Blue Star forces Xia Nation and Luohua to prepare for a future in which they cannot depend on him directly.
• Pride and hierarchy: The Mirror Spirit’s contempt for Sky Witch reflects the rigid hierarchy among artifacts, spirits, and cultivators, while Lu Ya challenges that arrogance.
• Protection of the weak: Despite the chapter’s title, the confrontation reveals differing views of what constitutes bullying and who has the right to intervene.

Important Character Interactions

• Feng Jun, Lu Ya, and the Guardians debate who should bear responsibility for dangerous tasks.
• Beauty Lin questions Gao Qiang about Feng Jun’s unusual generosity and learns that Luohua may soon operate independently of him.
• Feng Jun clashes indirectly with the Mirror Spirit over its reckless use of an Ultimate Spirit Stone.
• Xiao Yao negotiates the conditions under which she will refine Magic Treasures.
• The Mirror Spirit humiliates Sky Witch, prompting Lu Ya to appear and defend it.
• Lu Ya and the Mirror Spirit revive an old rivalry, trading accusations about past battles while Lu Ya praises Sky Witch’s conduct.

Chapter Summary: “Responsibility—Third Update: Requesting Guaranteed Monthly Votes”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ya agrees to reward Sky Witch for helping resolve his karmic obligations. Sky Witch asks to return to Ancestral Star, but Mirror Spirit suggests he instead become Lu Ya’s disciple.
• Reluctantly, Lu Ya accepts Sky Witch as a registered disciple, though he insists on being called “Exalted One” rather than “Master” until Sky Witch reaches the Integration Stage.
• Because Lu Ya’s cultivation methods are unsuitable for Sky Witch, he asks Feng Jun to teach Sky Witch the Qi-Eating Method once Feng Jun reaches the Soul Emergence Realm. Feng Jun is surprised and uneasy about being expected to teach someone far stronger than himself, but Lu Ya confidently predicts Feng Jun will reach that level.
• Sky Witch requests permission to visit “the other side.” Lu Ya leaves the decision to Feng Jun but recommends that Sky Witch guard Libo Shoal for one hundred years first, implicitly recognizing unresolved tension between Sky Witch and Feng Jun.
• After Lu Ya departs, Feng Jun offers Sky Witch access to Libo Shoal’s cultivation manuals. Sky Witch dismisses them as useless for his cultivation path, though he apologizes for interrupting and explains that his time in Ghost Shaman World shaped his arrogant habits.
• Feng Jun and Sky Witch begin refining Magic Treasures. Feng Jun then spends several years traveling between worlds, collecting Energy Stones, clearing debts, stabilizing his cultivation, and exploring new worlds with Yi Jue, Hanhai, Boss, and Xiao Yao.
• After a decade, Feng Jun returns to find Libo Shoal in turmoil: Wang Haifeng has been abducted by an unknown assailant.
• Sky Witch explains that the attacker possessed at least Peak Spirit Severing Stage strength and did not appear to be a Humanity cultivator. He failed to pursue the attacker because he was guarding Jiangzhu Grass and feared the abduction might be a diversion targeting more important figures.
• Mirror Spirit has also left for Ancestral Star Space to enter seclusion after reaching a cultivation bottleneck.
• Sky Witch suspects that information about Ancestral Star Space has leaked, suggesting that Wang Haifeng’s kidnapping may be connected to outsiders seeking access to that opportunity.
• Liu Yuting arrives devastated by her husband’s disappearance. Feng Jun reassures her that Wang Haifeng is probably still alive and promises to handle the matter.

Character Developments

• Lu Ya reveals his reluctance to form karmic ties and accept disciples, but his sense of responsibility forces him to acknowledge Sky Witch as a registered disciple.
• Sky Witch gains a new identity and potential path forward through Lu Ya, while retaining his blunt, dominant personality from Ghost Shaman World. His behavior begins to soften slightly when Feng Jun reprimands him.
• Feng Jun becomes increasingly confident and influential. Lu Ya’s prediction strengthens Feng Jun’s belief that he can reach the Soul Emergence Realm, while the kidnapping forces him to take direct responsibility for the safety of those under his protection.
• Mirror Spirit remains mischievous, provoking Lu Ya and encouraging Feng Jun to accept the karmic arrangement, but later withdraws into seclusion.
• Liu Yuting is shown as deeply attached to Wang Haifeng and emotionally vulnerable despite her growing cultivation.

Significant Themes

• Karmic responsibility: Lu Ya, Feng Jun, and Sky Witch all become linked through obligations created by past actions. Accepting or settling these bonds drives the chapter’s major decisions.
• Mentorship and cultivation inheritance: Sky Witch requires a cultivation method, yet the normal hierarchy is reversed when Lu Ya asks the weaker Feng Jun to teach him in the future.
• Freedom versus obligation: Lu Ya dislikes being bound by disciples and karma, while Feng Jun increasingly accepts responsibility for those connected to him.
• The dangers of power and opportunity: News of Ancestral Star Space appears to have attracted ruthless outsiders willing to abduct even an obscure, low-level cultivator.
• Protection and accountability: Although Wang Haifeng was weak and not especially important by cultivation standards, Feng Jun views his kidnapping as an attack on Libo Shoal and an insult to the order he maintains there.

Character Interactions

• Mirror Spirit repeatedly teases Lu Ya, first by urging him to accept Sky Witch as a disciple and later by mocking his awkwardness.
• Lu Ya and Sky Witch establish a formal but unequal teacher-disciple relationship, with Sky Witch showing immediate obedience.
• Lu Ya places Sky Witch’s future cultivation partly in Feng Jun’s hands, creating an unusual connection and obligation between them.
• Feng Jun and Sky Witch clash over Sky Witch’s dismissive attitude and habit of interrupting, though Sky Witch apologizes and agrees to cooperate.
• Qu Jianlei informs Feng Jun about the kidnapping, while Sky Witch explains why he did not pursue the attacker.
• Feng Jun comforts Liu Yuting and assumes responsibility for investigating Wang Haifeng’s disappearance, treating it as a deliberate provocation rather than an ordinary crime.

Chapter Summary: “News”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun remains unable to deduce who abducted Wang Haifeng because the people most skilled in deduction are currently away comprehending the Dao.
• He announces a bounty:
  • One favor for identifying the culprit.
  • Two favors for capturing or killing the culprit.
  • Three favors if Wang Haifeng is rescued.
• The bounty shocks Libo Shoal because Feng Jun’s promises are extremely valuable, especially for a seemingly insignificant Qi Refining Intermediate Stage cultivator.
• Feng Jun suspends all of his services—including deductions, assistance with entering other worlds, alchemy, and formations—until Wang Haifeng’s abduction is resolved. This causes widespread anger toward the unknown culprit for provoking Libo Shoal.
• Rumors emerge that Feng Jun’s missing associates may be connected to the mysterious Ancestral Star Space and the increasingly important Ghost Shaman World.
• Fishing Elder Venerable visits on behalf of a Chess Dao expert, asking whether access to Ancestral Star Space can be offered as his reward. Feng Jun refuses because he does not personally control it; it belongs collectively to several great cultivators and is connected to major Blue Star interests.
• Feng Jun instead offers other possible rewards. Fishing Elder eventually proposes taking Feng Jun to meet the Chess Dao expert, who may know the culprit’s identity.
• Feng Jun agrees, promising not to attack the expert if useful information is provided, though he warns that future access to Venerable Dao Debates may be denied if Fishing Elder refuses to cooperate.
• Feng Jun prepares to leave with Yi Jue and Hanhai. The Sky Witch wants to accompany him to avenge her humiliation, but Bamboo Shadow insists that she remain behind to guard Libo Shoal.
• Boss further orders the Sky Witch to protect the Jiangzhu Grass, suspecting that Wang Haifeng’s abduction may have been a distraction from a plot against the precious plant.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates his uncompromising temperament and strong sense of authority. His anger is not merely personal concern for Wang Haifeng, but outrage that someone dared exploit Libo Shoal’s temporary weakness.
• He also shows political awareness by refusing to promise access to Ancestral Star Space, recognizing that it is beyond his individual authority.
• Fishing Elder Venerable is shown to be pragmatic but loyal. He comes to investigate the rumors because of a promised opportunity, yet his past friendship and favors toward Feng Jun make him a trusted intermediary.
• The Chess Dao expert appears cautious and calculating: he may know the culprit but avoids visiting Libo Shoal after divining that doing so would be dangerous.
• The Sky Witch feels personally disgraced by the kidnapping and wants revenge, revealing both pride and a growing willingness to take responsibility.
• Bamboo Shadow/Boss acts as the practical guardian of Libo Shoal, prioritizing defense and the protection of the Jiangzhu Grass over personal revenge.
• Xiao Yao has become restless and more worldly after years of training and experience, but she still behaves like a child eager to follow the excitement.

Significant Themes

• Honor and deterrence: Feng Jun’s response establishes that attacking a seemingly minor figure under Libo Shoal’s protection will still carry serious consequences.
• Authority and responsibility: Feng Jun refuses to promise something he does not control, emphasizing the limits of personal power even among major cultivators.
• Cultivator self-interest and favors: Relationships are built through exchanged assistance, promises, and debts rather than formal obligations.
• Hidden opportunities and secrecy: The disappearances of powerful cultivators and rumors about Ancestral Star Space and the Ghost Shaman World suggest a much larger conflict or opportunity behind Wang Haifeng’s kidnapping.
• Security versus revenge: The characters must balance pursuing the culprit with defending Libo Shoal and protecting the Jiangzhu Grass from a possible secondary attack.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Fishing Elder negotiate openly: Fishing Elder seeks Ancestral Star Space access, while Feng Jun refuses but offers alternatives and ultimately agrees to meet the Chess Dao expert.
• Feng Jun uses the possibility of excluding Fishing Elder from future Venerable Dao Debates as leverage, reminding him of the practical value of Feng Jun’s influence.
• The Sky Witch asks to join the investigation, but Feng Jun and Boss prioritize her remaining as a guard.
• Boss reprimands Xiao Yao for wanting to pursue excitement instead of watching the Jiangzhu Grass, suggesting that the kidnapping may conceal a larger scheme.

Chapter Summary: “The True Culprit and the Mastermind”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Yao is left behind at Libo Shoal with Jiangzhu Grass for protection, despite wanting to join Feng Jun’s investigation. Feng Jun promises she may attack any threats, which finally calms her.
• Feng Jun, Old Fisherman, Yi Jue, Vast Sea, the Boss, and others travel to meet Lotus-Watcher True Lord, a renowned diviner and former Yitian known as “Heaven’s Half-Move.”
• Lotus-Watcher reveals that the person who raided Libo Shoal and abducted Wang Haifeng was Silver Bat True Lord, a powerful expert specializing in concealment and speed.
• Rather than capture Silver Bat or guarantee Wang Haifeng’s rescue, Lotus-Watcher agrees to provide information in exchange for two Soul Emergence Pills, sold at eight Ultimate Spirit Stones each.
• Lotus-Watcher deduces that Silver Bat has gone to Ghost Shaman World, where Ancestral Star Space is located.
• The group realizes that the secret of Ancestral Star Space has spread beyond its original discoverers. The information appears to have leaked indirectly through the Guardian Hall, likely because Qingjia Venerable let details slip during moments of frustration.
• The chapter ends by showing that Mayfly True Lord and other cultivators are also searching for Ancestral Star Space, threatening Feng Jun and the Ancestral Star cultivators’ control over the opportunity.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates caution, diplomacy, and strategic judgment. He pays Lotus-Watcher respectfully but refuses to accept an inadequate interpretation of the bounty’s conditions. Once he learns Silver Bat is a True Lord, he decides that his group will handle the pursuit themselves.
• Xiao Yao remains impulsive and eager for action, but accepts responsibility for guarding Libo Shoal.
• Lotus-Watcher True Lord is shown to possess extraordinary divination abilities but suffer from severe cowardice and weak combat power. He is willing to trade information for Soul Emergence Pills but avoids personally confronting Silver Bat.
• Silver Bat True Lord emerges as the primary culprit behind the abduction. His concealment abilities, speed, and ability to divide his spirit make him extremely difficult and dangerous to pursue.
• Vast Sea Venerable displays experience and insight, immediately recognizing why Silver Bat escaped Sky Witch and correctly suspecting the Guardian Hall’s involvement in spreading the news.
• Qingjia Venerable is revealed as an indirect source of the information leak. His resentment over losing access to the opportunity caused him to reveal too much.
• Mayfly True Lord appears increasingly opportunistic, continuing to search for Ancestral Star Space despite the Ancestral Star cultivators’ claim over it.

Significant Themes

• Knowledge as power and danger: Information about Ancestral Star Space is treated as a strategic resource. Even an accidental leak can attract powerful enemies and destabilize existing alliances.
• The limits of specialization: Lotus-Watcher’s divination is nearly unrivaled, but his poor combat ability and fear of death prevent him from acting directly.
• Trust, reputation, and negotiation: Feng Jun and Lotus-Watcher carefully negotiate terms while maintaining the appearance of fairness and professionalism.
• Hidden threats and indirect responsibility: Silver Bat is the immediate culprit, but the wider crisis results from multiple layers of secrecy, resentment, and careless disclosure.
• Opportunity versus karma: Ancestral Star Space offers immense potential but carries grave dangers and karmic consequences, making even powerful cultivators hesitant to pursue it openly.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiao Yao clashes playfully with her elder sister and Feng Jun over being left behind, eventually agreeing after Feng Jun gives her permission to attack intruders.
• Feng Jun exchanges polite but pointed negotiations with Lotus-Watcher, particularly over the price of Soul Emergence Pills and whether information alone fulfills the bounty.
• Yi Jue and Vast Sea react with surprise upon learning Lotus-Watcher’s identity and question why his divination cannot help him defeat Silver Bat.
• Lotus-Watcher feels embarrassed by the group’s recognition of his cowardice and defensively insists that he could defeat Silver Bat with sufficient assistance.
• Vast Sea helps interpret the political implications of the information leak, while Lotus-Watcher confirms that the Guardian Hall was probably responsible.
• Feng Jun, Vast Sea, and Old Fisherman connect Silver Bat’s destination—Ghost Shaman World—with the hidden location of Ancestral Star Space, shifting the investigation toward a larger struggle over access to the opportunity.

Summary of “Old Acquaintance”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The truth about the opportunity in Ancestral Star Space has gradually spread because the Guardian Hall, Mayfly True Lord, and the Wizard system failed to keep it secret. Many Heavenly Zither cultivators are now heading toward the Ghost Shaman World in search of it.
• Lotus-Watcher True Lord criticizes Feng Jun and Yi Jue for being too lenient with those who learned the secret, arguing that they should have imposed restrictions or Heavenly Way Oaths. Feng Jun explains that coercion might have provoked the Guardian Hall cultivators into a fight to the death.
• Yi Jue declares that they have “no regrets,” and Feng Jun agrees that acting according to one’s conscience matters more than achieving a flawless plan.
• Lotus-Watcher offers information about a person in the Ghost Shaman World in exchange for a Soul Emergence Pill, allowing Feng Jun to verify the information first. Fishing Elder Venerable volunteers to accompany Feng Jun and help.
• Feng Jun brings Yi Jue, Fishing Elder, and Vast Sea Venerable to the Wasteland, where ten years of increased attention have led to the appearance of two market towns and improved spiritual energy.
• They discover Hao Ran Venerable hiding in a Traveling Residence. Hao Ran has come to investigate the opportunity himself rather than report it to the Profound Yellow Gate.
• Hao Ran explains that he is seeking a chance to break through to the Spirit Division Realm. His insights from the Dao Debate were insufficient, so he is unwilling to abandon another possible opportunity. He offers to pay an equivalent price rather than seize it by force.
• Feng Jun warns that the Ancestral Star opportunity belongs to the cultivators of that homeland and may contain catastrophic dangers. Hao Ran acknowledges the risk but maintains that advancement requires taking chances.
• Feng Jun asks Boss to locate Silver Bat True Lord. Boss cannot sense it without its aura, but then detects that a True Lord is approaching across the sea.
• Yi Jue and the others sense another powerful presence on Muer Continent and move to intercept it. Silver Bat True Lord appears amid countless silver phantoms.
• Silver Bat recognizes Fishing Elder, Yi Jue, and eventually Feng Jun. Feng Jun confronts it over its previous rampage at Libo Shoal, setting up a tense reunion and likely conflict.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Remains practical and morally grounded. Though frustrated by the spread of the secret and by outsiders seeking Ancestral Star’s opportunity, he refuses to regret his earlier decisions. He also shows caution by having Boss memorize Silver Bat’s aura before responding.
• Yi Jue: Demonstrates firm loyalty and emotional steadiness. Her declaration of “no regrets” reassures Feng Jun and confirms that she stands by their choices despite the consequences.
• Lotus-Watcher True Lord: Appears controlling and security-conscious, criticizing Feng Jun and Yi Jue’s handling of sensitive information. Nevertheless, he acts according to a principle of fair exchange by allowing Feng Jun to verify his intelligence before payment.
• Fishing Elder Venerable: Supports Feng Jun by volunteering to enter the Ghost Shaman World. His interaction with Hao Ran reveals his age, experience, and understanding of his fellow sect member’s ambitions.
• Hao Ran Venerable: Is portrayed as ambitious but not dishonorable. He privately pursues advancement rather than immediately sharing the opportunity with his sect, yet he is willing to negotiate and pay for access instead of forcing the issue.
• Silver Bat True Lord: Re-enters the story as a dangerous, elusive figure connected to past violence at Libo Shoal. Its ability to recognize powerful individuals and approach undetected emphasizes its threat.

Significant Themes

• Moral responsibility versus perfect planning: Feng Jun and Yi Jue accept that they cannot control every consequence and value having acted without betraying their consciences.
• The danger of opportunity: The Ancestral Star opportunity attracts powerful cultivators despite the possibility of death, showing how ambition and the hope of advancement can override caution.
• Ownership and entitlement: Feng Jun views the opportunity as belonging to the Ancestral Star cultivators, while outsiders believe any accessible opportunity is fair game if they are strong enough to seize it.
• Ambition and personal advancement: Hao Ran’s willingness to risk fortune or disaster for a chance to reach the Spirit Division Realm illustrates the sacrifices demanded by cultivation.
• Trust, secrecy, and information: The chapter emphasizes how poorly guarded secrets spread and how information becomes a commodity traded for powerful resources.
• Old rivalries and impending conflict: Silver Bat’s arrival revives past grievances and introduces a direct threat just as Feng Jun is preparing for the Ghost Shaman World.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Yi Jue: They share mutual understanding and reaffirm that they will not regret their previous choices.
• Feng Jun and Lotus-Watcher: Their exchange reflects contrasting attitudes: Lotus-Watcher favors control and precaution, while Feng Jun accepts uncertainty and prioritizes conscience.
• Feng Jun and Fishing Elder: Fishing Elder offers practical support, joining the expedition because a Soul Emergence Pill is involved.
• Fishing Elder and Hao Ran: Their meeting exposes tension between fellow sect members. Fishing Elder understands Hao Ran’s desire to break through but hints at disappointment that Hao Ran abandoned his expected responsibilities.
• Feng Jun and Hao Ran: Feng Jun reminds Hao Ran that the opportunity was created by Ancestral Star’s mighty figures and warns him against overreaching. Hao Ran responds respectfully, offering compensation and emphasizing that he seeks only a chance to try.
• Feng Jun and Silver Bat: Their first exchange is openly confrontational. Feng Jun invokes Silver Bat’s past crimes at Libo Shoal, while Silver Bat identifies him as “Mountain Master Feng,” signaling that their previous encounters remain significant.

Chapter Summary:

A Grudge That Would Not Settle

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun confronts Silver Bat True Lord over the abduction of Wang Haifeng, one of his subordinates.
• Although Feng Jun is only a Lesser Gold Core, his influence now exceeds that of many True Lords because of his reputation, connections, and ability to organize powerful figures.
• Silver Bat explains that it kidnapped Wang Haifeng to exploit his Ancestral Star aura and locate the mysterious Ancestral Star Space, which contains opportunities for True Lords to advance.
• After testing Wang Haifeng in the Ghost Shaman World, Silver Bat discovered that he was useless for this purpose. The Ancestral Star Space could only truly be guided by Feng Jun.
• Silver Bat claims it spared Wang Haifeng from a Soul Search out of goodwill, since such an act might have destroyed his mind or ruined his cultivation. Feng Jun angrily rejects this self-serving justification and demands Wang Haifeng’s location.
• The confrontation escalates when Feng Jun declares that abducting Wang Haifeng is not merely an insult to Libo Shoal but a provocation against all Ancestral Star cultivators.
• Silver Bat threatens Feng Jun, confident that its concealment and escape techniques will prevent anyone from killing or capturing it.
• Old Fisherman and Vast Sea Venerable reveal Silver Bat’s notorious history: it relentlessly pursues enemies, holds grudges for years, and retaliates indiscriminately through repeated ambushes.
• Silver Bat’s former partner, Golden Bat True Lord, was eventually killed after their actions provoked powerful figures, while Silver Bat escaped into hiding.
• Feng Jun secretly consults the Boss about killing Silver Bat. The Boss believes the odds are favorable but warns that Silver Bat may possess a secret escape technique; contacting the powerful figure within the Ancestral Star Space would be safer.
• Sky Witch volunteers to kill Silver Bat. Silver Bat mocks her, claiming that it spared her previously out of respect for the Ancestral Star cultivators and warning her not to overestimate herself.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Demonstrates growing authority and confidence. He remains outwardly calm and refuses to show concern that Wang Haifeng might be valuable leverage. However, his anger reveals how fiercely he protects his people and how seriously he treats any attack on Libo Shoal or Ancestral Star cultivators.
• Silver Bat True Lord: Is revealed to be ambitious, calculating, arrogant, and deeply paranoid about being denied advancement. Though it claims not to have intended Wang Haifeng harm, its attitude shows the condescension of a powerful figure toward weaker cultivators. Its notorious grudge-bearing nature makes it a dangerous long-term enemy.
• Wang Haifeng: Though absent from the confrontation, his kidnapping establishes his importance as one of Feng Jun’s trusted people. His low cultivation made him an easy target, but his connection to Feng Jun turned the abduction into a major political provocation.
• The Boss: Shows concern not only about winning the battle but also about preventing future retaliation against Feng Jun and Libo Shoal. This highlights his loyalty and strategic caution.
• Sky Witch: Displays confidence and willingness to act directly against Silver Bat, challenging its intimidation.
• Old Fisherman and Vast Sea Venerable: Serve as knowledgeable observers who clarify Silver Bat’s dangerous history and help Feng Jun understand the stakes.

Significant Themes

• Power beyond cultivation: Feng Jun’s influence and reputation allow him to confront a True Lord despite his lower realm.
• The protection of one’s people: Feng Jun considers Wang Haifeng’s mistreatment a personal and collective insult, reinforcing his loyalty to his followers.
• The arrogance of the powerful: Silver Bat views sparing a weak cultivator from a Soul Search as generosity, exposing its distorted moral standards.
• Endless grudges and retaliation: The chapter emphasizes how unresolved resentment can become a perpetual cycle of revenge, making Silver Bat especially dangerous.
• Ambition and the pursuit of the Dao: Silver Bat’s actions are driven by its desperate desire to access the Ancestral Star Space and advance to the level of an Ancestral Venerable.
• Caution versus confrontation: Feng Jun must balance the desire to punish Silver Bat with the danger of allowing such an elusive enemy to survive and retaliate later.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Silver Bat: Engage in a tense verbal confrontation. Feng Jun condemns the kidnapping, while Silver Bat insists its actions were justified and accuses Feng Jun of threatening it.
• Feng Jun and the Boss: Communicate secretly about whether Silver Bat can be safely killed, showing trust and strategic cooperation.
• Old Fisherman and Feng Jun: Old Fisherman warns Feng Jun about Silver Bat’s history, ensuring he understands the consequences of provoking it.
• Vast Sea Venerable and Silver Bat: Vast Sea exposes Silver Bat’s past as a relentless pursuer, but Silver Bat shows no shame and responds with a threat.
• Sky Witch and Silver Bat: Sky Witch offers to kill it, prompting Silver Bat to belittle her and issue a warning, sharply intensifying the confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “Please, Treasure, Turn Around”

• Silver Bat True Lord retreats: After realizing Feng Jun’s group includes several Venerables and a fragment of Bamboo Gentleman, Silver Bat abandons direct combat. Its concealment and escape abilities make it difficult to locate or spatially lock, so it uses its powerful Light Thunder Escape technique to flee.
• Sky Witch attacks: At Feng Jun’s approval, Sky Witch activates the Chessboard’s mysterious red gourd treasure. The gourd releases a white fog containing a strange creature-like form, which commands, “Please, Treasure, turn around.” A beam of white light then pursues Silver Bat through the void. Sky Witch confidently claims that Silver Bat has been struck and is likely “falling down,” though the exact result remains uncertain.
• Powerhouses arrive: Soul Emergence Venerable appears too late to join the attack but praises the Chessboard for daring to target Silver Bat, whose retaliation is notoriously dangerous despite its mediocre direct combat strength. Xiong True Lord of the Ancient Xiong Family also arrives after sensing the disturbance.
• Xiong True Lord’s failed advancement: Feng Jun deduces that Xiong True Lord once stood at the peak of the True Lord realm but suffered a severe, lasting injury that damaged his foundation. Although his lifespan technically allows him time to advance, his weakened cultivation and foundation make becoming an Ancestral Venerable nearly impossible. Feng Jun states that if he had been born two thousand years earlier, there might have been hope of repairing the damage.
• Wang Haifeng is rescued: Xiong True Lord reveals that he came partly for the younger members of his clan seeking advancement opportunities, but also produces Feng Jun’s abducted disciple, Wang Haifeng. He explains that he had spatially located and protected the disciple before the confrontation. Feng Jun confirms through deduction that Wang Haifeng is unharmed, relieving his concern about having to answer to Liu Yuting.
• Dispute over who saved Wang Haifeng: A Painting Dao Venerable claims to have reinforced Wang Haifeng with protective defenses and argues that his “World Within the Painting” is also a form of spatial protection. Xiong True Lord insists that his spatial defenses were superior. Yi Jue challenges both, suggesting they may have waited to see whether Feng Jun’s group would act before helping, using the incident to scout the situation. Her blunt accusation creates tension and embarrasses the Painting Dao Venerable.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Feng Jun remains cautious and diplomatic. He approves Sky Witch’s attack, evaluates Xiong True Lord’s condition honestly but tactfully, and avoids taking sides in the argument over Wang Haifeng’s rescue.
• Sky Witch displays confidence and a more aggressive willingness to confront powerful enemies, even when Silver Bat attempts to flee.
• Silver Bat True Lord is shown as calculating rather than cowardly: it recognizes the unfavorable odds and relies on its greatest strengths—concealment and escape.
• Xiong True Lord is revealed to be a wounded former peak True Lord who still hopes for advancement. His rescue of Wang Haifeng suggests concern for Feng Jun’s favor, though his explanation also appears to seek credit.
• Yi Jue acts bluntly and critically, exposing the likely self-interested motives of the other powerhouses rather than accepting their claims at face value.
• The various Venerables’ interactions reveal mutual wariness, competitive claims of merit, and the importance of unspoken rules among powerful cultivators.

Major Themes

• The danger of hidden power: Silver Bat’s escape and Sky Witch’s mysterious counterattack show that concealment, spatial techniques, and strange treasures can matter as much as direct strength.
• Political calculation and self-interest: The powerhouses’ delayed assistance reflects a willingness to let others take risks first, then intervene once the danger is reduced.
• The limits of advancement: Xiong True Lord’s damaged foundation emphasizes that longevity alone cannot guarantee progress; past injuries and insufficient cultivation may permanently restrict one’s future.
• Diplomacy versus blunt truth: Feng Jun carefully avoids offending others, while Yi Jue speaks openly, exposing tensions between maintaining social harmony and confronting hypocrisy.
• Protection and obligation: Wang Haifeng’s rescue demonstrates how even a weak disciple can become important because of the relationships and karma surrounding him.

Chapter Summary: “Grand Finale”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sky Witch uses the single strike stored in Lu Ya’s Immortal-Slaying Flying Dagger to pursue and kill Silver Bat True Lord. Although Silver Bat’s escape ability lets his body flee tens of millions of li, the attack ultimately kills him completely.
• Fishing Elder Venerable retrieves Silver Bat’s enormous corpse, and Bamboo Shadow confirms through deduction that the True Lord is genuinely dead.
• Silver Bat’s death shocks the assembled cultivators and establishes the terrifying power of Lu Ya’s treasure. Sky Witch proudly defends its master when Xiong True Lord questions the weapon.
• The death intensifies the conflict over Ancestral Star Space and the Ghost Shaman World’s opportunities. Xiong True Lord warns Feng Jun that more Heavenly Zither cultivators—especially Venerables and True Lords—will come seeking access.
• Several powerful figures, including Fishing Elder Venerable and Yi Jue, advise Feng Jun to hide for several centuries. Feng Jun hesitates because he must protect Libo Shoal, support Blue Star’s recovery, and oversee Jiangzhu Grass’s advancement.
• Feng Jun returns to Ancestral Star Space and consults Yun Zhongzi and Mountains and Rivers State Map. They warn him that restoring too much spiritual energy to Blue Star could cause uncontrolled growth and eventual destruction: “excess is as bad as deficiency.”
• Feng Jun devises a compromise: powerful cultivators may exchange information about unknown worlds and their world Anchor Points for opportunities to comprehend the Dao in Ancestral Star Space.
• Yun Zhongzi approves the plan. The Anchor Points can help him and the other great powers recover their strength, while the exchange limits the number of people seeking access and prevents Feng Jun from being overwhelmed.
• Feng Jun returns to the gathered cultivators and announces the new arrangement. The great powers accept it, spread the news, and begin searching their records for unknown worlds.
• Lotus-Watcher True Lord offers an Anchor Point in exchange for sharing an opportunity with Fishing Elder Venerable. However, Feng Jun explains that no one else will be allowed to enter for the time being because he must first form his Nascent Soul.
• Lotus-Watcher offers Feng Jun a Nascent Soul Pill, but Feng Jun declines because he already possesses one. Lotus-Watcher instead promises to help him advance quickly.
• Half a month later, Feng Jun enters a Nascent Soul Grotto at the Spirit Plant Dao’s secondary mountain gate. Yi Jue seals off the surrounding grottoes and agrees to guard him.
• The chapter—and the book—ends with Yi Jue urging Feng Jun to form his Nascent Soul so that she can soon hold her Soul Emergence celebration.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates increasing decisiveness and strategic maturity. Though initially defensive about protecting Ancestral Star Space, he finds a solution that balances Blue Star’s future, the interests of visiting cultivators, and the recovery needs of Yun Zhongzi’s faction.
• Sky Witch reinforces its fierce loyalty and pride in Lu Ya, treating Silver Bat’s death as proof of its master’s overwhelming power.
• Xiong True Lord shifts from challenging Feng Jun’s refusal to recognizing the need for negotiation. He ultimately supports the Anchor Point exchange and volunteers to search for information.
• Yun Zhongzi reveals a broader concern for maintaining balance rather than simply maximizing Blue Star’s spiritual energy. He also accepts Feng Jun’s proposal as a practical way to recover resources and control access.
• Yi Jue acts as both adviser and protector. She urges Feng Jun to retreat, helps manage the Nascent Soul Grotto, and ends the story with an affectionate, encouraging remark about her own impending celebration.
• Lotus-Watcher True Lord displays foresight and political awareness, anticipating Feng Jun’s access conditions and offering assistance with his Nascent Soul formation.

Significant Themes

• Power and deterrence: Silver Bat’s death demonstrates the importance of overwhelming force and makes others reconsider provoking Ancestral Star’s hidden powers.
• Negotiation over conflict: Feng Jun transforms a potentially disastrous struggle over Ancestral Star Space into a controlled exchange based on world Anchor Points.
• Balance and responsibility: The warning that “excess is as bad as deficiency” emphasizes that unchecked spiritual development can be as dangerous as decline.
• Burden of leadership: Feng Jun cannot simply retreat because Blue Star, Libo Shoal, and numerous cultivators depend on him.
• Opportunity and limitation: Access to enlightenment is no longer freely available; it requires resources and carries a threshold, reflecting the need to regulate scarce opportunities.
• Mentorship and legacy: Lu Ya’s dagger, Yun Zhongzi’s guidance, and Yi Jue’s support connect the ending to the wider chain of powerful figures who have shaped Feng Jun’s growth.

Character Interactions

• Sky Witch rebukes Xiong True Lord for questioning Lu Ya’s treasure, revealing its deep devotion to its master.
• Feng Jun and Xiong True Lord argue over who has the right to claim Ancestral Star Space, with Xiong emphasizing the political pressure that will follow.
• Fishing Elder Venerable and Yi Jue both advise Feng Jun to withdraw, showing concern for the consequences he is facing.
• Feng Jun consults Yun Zhongzi and Mountains and Rivers State Map, whose discussion redirects him from simply defending the opportunity to using it as part of a wider resource-exchange system.
• After Feng Jun reveals the new terms, the assembled Venerables and True Lords rapidly accept them and rush to seek Anchor Points.
• Feng Jun and Lotus-Watcher True Lord negotiate directly, eventually agreeing that Lotus-Watcher and Fishing Elder may share one opportunity, while Feng Jun temporarily postpones all other access until after his Nascent Soul formation.
• Yi Jue’s final exchange with Feng Jun closes the story on a supportive and optimistic note, marking the beginning of his next major advancement.

Chapter Summary: Crimson Pearl Grass Under Observation

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qingjia the Venerable is repeatedly questioned by Shuanluo Venerable about the disappearance of Xiong True Lord and other powerful cultivators, as well as the circumstances surrounding Silver Bat True Lord’s execution.
• Qingjia admits he knows little, though he believes Silver Bat was completely destroyed, allowing Feng Jun to rescue his people.
• Shuanluo’s investigation reveals that the terms for obtaining Ghost Shaman World’s opportunities are being kept highly secret. The opportunities require information about an “unknown world,” making secrecy and priority registration extremely important.
• Feng Jun’s seclusion to attempt Nascent Soul Formation complicates matters. Since he is staying at the Spirit Plant Dao’s Secondary Mountain Gate, outside factions cannot directly negotiate with him at Libo Shoal.
• Yi Jue refuses to receive visitors while protecting Feng Jun, while Yu Qingzhu and Zhang Caixin explain that only Feng Jun can handle claims involving unknown worlds.
• Unable to contact Feng Jun, various cultivators begin investigating Jiangzhu Grass, a spirit plant brought back by Feng Jun and rumored to have a special relationship with him. They suspect it may count as a half-Ancestral Star cultivator and might have authority at Libo Shoal.
• Jiangzhu Grass is in seclusion preparing to break through from the Nascent Soul Peak to the Soul Emergence Realm. Because spirit plants must absorb sunlight and moonlight during this process, it cannot hide in a cave abode.
• Cultivators begin secretly observing Jiangzhu Grass, initially claiming to be interested in witnessing its breakthrough. In reality, most are hoping to gain access to Libo Shoal and register unknown worlds for the associated opportunities.
• After one Nascent Soul Peak cultivator politely asks permission to observe and offers payment, Yu Qingzhu allows him to stay, provided he remains quiet and remembers the favor.
• Through accidental questioning and speculation, the observing cultivators’ real motives are exposed. Word spreads that Libo Shoal is accepting information about unknown worlds in exchange for rare opportunities.
• The number of observers rapidly grows, eventually exceeding twenty Nascent Soul cultivators.
• At the crucial moment, Jiangzhu Grass separates a strand of consciousness and realizes that a huge crowd is staring at it. The frightened spirit plant becomes confused and terrified.

Character Developments

• Qingjia the Venerable: Remains cautious and evasive under pressure, avoiding involvement in matters he does not understand.
• Shuanluo Venerable: Shows persistence and frustration in trying to uncover the truth behind the opportunity and the disappearance of major figures. His isolated Geomancy Dao background leaves him without the personal connections needed to obtain information.
• Feng Jun: Although absent and in seclusion, his influence dominates events. His control over Libo Shoal and connection to the Spirit Plant Dao make him the key figure everyone wants to approach.
• Yi Jue: Demonstrates loyalty and protectiveness toward Feng Jun, refusing to let outsiders disturb his seclusion.
• Yu Qingzhu and Zhang Caixin: Act as representatives of Libo Shoal but firmly maintain that only Feng Jun can approve claims involving unknown worlds.
• Jiangzhu Grass: Develops from an apparently passive spirit plant into the central focus of the chapter. Its impending breakthrough is serious and dangerous, but it is completely unaware of the outside schemes until the end.

Significant Themes

• Secrecy and information as power: Knowledge of unknown worlds and exchange conditions is treated as an extremely valuable resource, comparable to a major bargaining chip.
• Competition disguised as cooperation: Although cultivators appear to gather for mutual observation, most are secretly racing to register unknown worlds before others.
• Influence through absence: Feng Jun’s seclusion does not reduce his importance; instead, his absence makes others increasingly desperate and forces them to seek indirect routes through his allies and possessions.
• The dangers of rumor and speculation: A vague rumor about Feng Jun’s supposed feelings for Jiangzhu Grass causes powerful cultivators to focus on it, despite having no reliable confirmation.
• Cultivation and vulnerability: Jiangzhu Grass is on the verge of a major breakthrough, yet its lack of awareness and inability to defend against social pressure create a humorous contrast with the solemnity of Soul Emergence.
• Political and personal karma: Favors, gifts, observation rights, and past relationships all carry consequences in the cultivation world.

Character Interactions

• Qingjia and Shuanluo: Shuanluo presses Qingjia for information, while Qingjia repeatedly explains that he does not know enough to help.
• Shuanluo and the Azure Lotus Sect: Shuanluo seeks Mayfly True Lord but is denied access, emphasizing how difficult it is to rely on old alliances.
• Outsiders and Yi Jue: Visitors try to use Yi Jue as a substitute contact for Feng Jun, but she refuses to intervene in his affairs.
• Outsiders and Libo Shoal: Yu Qingzhu and Zhang Caixin reject attempts to negotiate unknown-world claims, redirecting all such matters to Feng Jun.
• Observers and Yu Qingzhu: One cultivator behaves respectfully, asks permission, and offers payment, earning approval to watch Jiangzhu Grass.
• The observing cultivators: Their accidental remarks reveal that they are not merely studying a breakthrough but are competing for access to Libo Shoal’s unknown-world opportunities.
• Jiangzhu Grass and the observers: The spirit plant is unaware of the crowd until the final moment, when it discovers more than twenty Nascent Soul cultivators watching it and reacts in panic.

Summary of “On the Road: Side Story Two”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun, now a stabilized Nascent Soul First Layer cultivator, travels through the dangerous and sluggish space beyond the heavens with Yi Jue, Vast Sea Venerable, and Guan He True Lord.
• Guan He is compelled to help Feng Jun locate and assess more than thirty unknown worlds. Feng Jun is dissatisfied with the first world Guan He provided, believing Guan He deliberately selected a lifeless world despite understanding that Feng Jun’s elders intended to refine it.
• To compensate, Guan He provides a more suitable world and helps deduce the locations and histories of additional worlds. The journey is expected to take centuries, but Feng Jun considers it an act of filial devotion: he wants to secure resources before reviving Yun Zhongzi so that his elder can recover quickly.
• The group eventually reaches a vast silver-lit world containing only primitive, violent proto-intelligent life. Feng Jun judges it suitable for refinement. Guan He discovers that it contains two Anchor Points and one Waymark, proving that other forces had previously found it.
• Feng Jun plans to record the locations while disregarding the claims of the original discoverers, especially since their markers may have been established or destroyed tens of thousands of years earlier.
• Meanwhile, news spreads throughout Heavenly Zither that Feng Jun has information about unknown worlds. Such worlds are believed to contain opportunities comparable to those of Ancestral Venerables, Spirit Division cultivators, or at least Soul Emergence cultivators.
• The revelation causes countless powerful cultivators to gather at Libo Shoal. The area is protected by Xiao Yao, Sky Witch, and two Ancestral Venerables of the Formation Dao.
• Wu Shang, an ancient Zither Dao cultivator who successfully reached Tribulation Transcendence but later suffered a serious injury and realm decline, returns to investigate the rumored opportunity. He projects himself into Libo Shoal, causing tension with Xiao Yao.
• Wu Shang learns that the opportunity in the Ghost Shaman World was created by multiple Mahayana cultivators from the Ancestral Land and is not intended for Heavenly Zither cultivators. He warns that other Tribulation Transcendence experts will return, implying that conflict may follow.
• Half a year later, an Integration Ancestor from the Golden Crow Sect returns to seek access. Through Xia Nichang, the sect attempts to negotiate with Yu Qingzhu, but she explains that only Feng Jun can change the established rules.
• Yu Qingzhu realizes that Feng Jun may not return for several hundred years, possibly only when the Jiangzhu Grass advances. She worries that Libo Shoal will be unable to withstand the pressure of increasingly powerful visitors.
• Her fears prove justified: over the next decade or more, more than ten great powers from the Seven Gates and Eighteen Daos return to Heavenly Zither seeking the opportunity.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Becomes increasingly assertive and pragmatic. He prioritizes preparing resources for his elders over immediately reviving Yun Zhongzi and treats the exploration of unknown worlds as a junior’s responsibility. He is also willing to ignore old territorial claims if their owners no longer show respect or cannot prove active ownership.
• Guan He True Lord: His confidence in his powerful deduction abilities is shaken after failing to understand Feng Jun’s elder’s true intentions. Though resentful and reluctant, he recognizes the danger of opposing Feng Jun and cooperates to preserve his life and secure future benefits.
• Yi Jue: Shows growing familiarity with Feng Jun’s methods and adopts his practical, morally flexible reasoning regarding abandoned Waymarks and Anchor Points.
• Vast Sea Venerable: Remains blunt and impatient, especially when Guan He repeatedly questions Feng Jun’s background and motives.
• Xiao Yao: Displays a fierce, direct personality. She is quick to confront Wu Shang and refuses to be intimidated by his higher status or reputation.
• Sky Witch: Acts proudly and protectively toward Feng Jun and Libo Shoal. Though it mocks outsiders and projects confidence, it understands the seriousness of the threat and feels responsible for fulfilling its promise to guard the area.
• Yu Qingzhu: Demonstrates intelligence, diplomacy, and political awareness. She understands that Libo Shoal’s strength may not be enough to resist the pressure of returning great powers and carefully seeks guidance without overstepping her authority.
• Wu Shang: Despite his injuries and weakened realm, he remains perceptive and politically experienced. He does not immediately seek battle, but his warning reveals that the conflict over the unknown-world opportunity is likely to escalate.

Significant Themes

• Filial duty and responsibility: Feng Jun’s long expedition is framed as service to his elders, emphasizing that juniors prepare the way for their seniors’ advancement.
• Power, secrecy, and hidden agendas: Guan He’s inability to deduce the true purpose behind the unknown world reflects the limits of even advanced divination when confronted with vastly superior powers.
• Ownership and territorial claims: The debate over Waymarks and Anchor Points raises questions about whether ancient discoveries retain validity after their creators disappear or fail to defend them.
• Political pressure created by opportunity: Information about unknown worlds destabilizes Heavenly Zither, attracting powerful cultivators and threatening to turn Libo Shoal into a center of conflict.
• Confidence versus actual strength: Xiao Yao and the Sky Witch speak fearlessly, but the arrival of injured yet formidable figures such as Wu Shang reveals the gap between bravado and the larger political reality.
• Long-term planning: Feng Jun’s decisions, including delaying Yun Zhongzi’s revival and investigating worlds in advance, show the importance of preparation over immediate gains.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Guan He argue repeatedly over the quality of the first world and the number of deductions still required. Feng Jun uses the promise of future enlightenment opportunities to force Guan He’s cooperation.
• Guan He probes Feng Jun about the identity and strength of his elders, but Feng Jun avoids answering directly. Yi Jue also refuses to speculate about which cultivator will advance fastest, sensing the danger of such a question.
• Feng Jun, Yi Jue, and Guan He debate whether ancient Waymarks and Anchor Points still confer ownership. Feng Jun favors practical control, while Guan He initially argues for respecting discovery rights.
• Wu Shang’s intrusion leads to a confrontation with Xiao Yao. She orders him to leave, while he calmly defends his actions and questions whether he could truly be defeated.
• The two Formation Dao Ancestral Venerables, Jiuling and He Wei, intervene to prevent the situation from escalating and make clear that they support Feng Jun and Libo Shoal.
• Wu Shang questions the Sky Witch about the opportunity and Silver Bat True Lord’s death. The Sky Witch proudly attributes its success to its master, Lu Ya, and insists that Heavenly Zither cultivators have no claim to the opportunity.
• Xia Nichang and Yu Qingzhu maintain a respectful relationship while discussing the Golden Crow Sect’s request. Yu Qingzhu refuses to alter Feng Jun’s rules but hints that the sect’s good relationship with Libo Shoal may earn consideration.
• Yu Qingzhu and the Sky Witch discuss Feng Jun’s possible return. The Sky Witch tries to reassure her, but its vague answer only highlights how long Libo Shoal may have to endure the coming pressure.

Chapter Summary: “I’m Back”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After traveling through seven worlds, Feng Jun, Yi Jue, Hanhai, and True Lord Guan He arrive in the eighth world. Because the journey to the next world will take several years, Feng Jun decides to return temporarily to the Heavenly Zither Plane and check on Heavenly Zither and Libo Shoal.
• Hanhai and True Lord Guan He argue over Guan He’s usefulness to the group. Guan He’s ability to deduce Waymarks and Anchor Points is valuable, but after exploring several unknown worlds, the group realizes he is not indispensable.
• Guan He warns that destroying or erasing spatial coordinates carelessly could strand travelers. He also reveals that Hanhai’s martial aunt, Qing Yao, may have suffered because of a similar incident, possibly after being deliberately targeted.
• Feng Jun leaves Guan He in the Icefield Sector and returns to the Kunhao Plane with Yi Jue and Hanhai after nearly thirty years away.
• He visits Blue Star, confirms that his parents are healthy and have reached the peak of Qi Refining, and arranges for Zhong Lijing and Feng Jing to protect them until they reach the Dust-Free Realm.
• Feng Jun returns to Luohua and observes the major changes of the past thirty years: the manor has grown, the surrounding Cultural Town has expanded dramatically, and Seeking Immortals Manor now contains a sophisticated medical center capable of treating both ordinary people and low-level cultivators.
• He learns that the fifty-year lease on Luohua’s land has expired, but no outside force has dared to demand renewal. Gu Jiahui has suggested that Luohua might relocate to Seeking Immortals Manor if the Cultural Town continues expanding.
• Zhang Caixin tells Feng Jun that she has been cultivating too aggressively in an effort to catch up with Yu Qingzhu. Feng Jun orders her to stop advancing for twenty years so she can stabilize her foundation.
• Their conversation turns humorous and awkward when Zhang Caixin reveals that Feng Jun’s parents are disappointed that he and the other women have not had children. Zhang Caixin suggests they should have a child, but Feng Jun tries to postpone the matter because of his other responsibilities.
• Feng Jun publicly announces Seeking Immortals Manor for the first time and offers three days of Dao lectures outside it. More than two hundred thousand people attend, causing Chaori County’s supplies and infrastructure to nearly collapse.
• After the lectures, Feng Jun leaves without answering questions. Despite some complaints from outsiders, his reputation is strong enough that no one openly challenges his behavior.
• Beauty Lin worries that Feng Jun’s announcement weakens Luohua’s influence, but Liu Yuting rebukes her, emphasizing that Feng Jun is now a Nascent Soul Patriarch and cannot be treated as an ordinary leader.
• A cultivator stationed in Alansm Town asks Zhang Caixin for access to Luohua’s other cultivation holy lands, but Zhang refuses because her cultivation method is incompatible with theirs.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Returns after decades away and begins reconnecting with his family and organization. Although increasingly powerful and detached from mundane affairs, he recognizes the need to retain human compassion and personal attachments. He also takes a more public leadership role by revealing Seeking Immortals Manor and lecturing the wider world.
• Yi Jue: Understands Feng Jun’s homesickness and gently encourages him to return. She also shares concern about the consequences of the recent Two-Dao Unification.
• True Lord Guan He: Remains confident in his deductive abilities but accepts that his role in exploring new worlds is less essential than originally believed. He nevertheless continues providing important warnings and information.
• Hanhai/Vast Sea Venerable: Displays his blunt, confrontational personality by criticizing Guan He. His confidence remains strong, though he is visibly shaken by the revelation about Qing Yao.
• Zhang Caixin: Has advanced rapidly but has become too competitive, especially in trying to keep pace with Yu Qingzhu. She also shows a more personal and assertive side by pressing Feng Jun about marriage, children, and spending more time at home.
• Gu Jiahui: Has progressed steadily but more slowly than Luohua’s strongest cultivators. She is now decisive enough to consider relocating Luohua if the Cultural Town becomes too intrusive.
• Feng Jun’s parents: Have reached Qi Refining Peak, taken in numerous younger disciples, and are increasingly concerned about their son’s lack of children.
• Liu Yuting and Beauty Lin: Their exchange reflects the changing hierarchy around Feng Jun. Beauty Lin remains loyal and anxious about Luohua’s future, while Liu Yuting firmly acknowledges Feng Jun’s elevated status.

Significant Themes

• Attachment versus transcendence: Feng Jun has reached a level where ordinary affairs seem insignificant, yet his return shows that family, home, and emotional bonds still matter.
• The passage of time: Thirty years mean little to high-level cultivators but transform the mortal world, relationships, organizations, and the lives of younger generations.
• Power and responsibility: Feng Jun’s rise to Nascent Soul status changes how others interact with him and increases his responsibility toward Luohua, Blue Star, and the wider cultivation world.
• The dangers of careless advancement: Zhang Caixin’s unstable foundation illustrates that rapid cultivation without proper consolidation can be harmful.
• Leadership and trust: Feng Jun relies on Luohua’s members to manage affairs in his absence, while the group’s confidence in him allows Luohua to remain stable and influential.
• The integration of cultivation and modern society: The medical center and the public Dao lectures show how spiritual cultivation is becoming intertwined with modern technology, public life, and mass society.

Important Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Yi Jue discuss returning home, with Yi Jue perceptively identifying his longing for Heavenly Zither.
• Guan He and Hanhai clash over Guan He’s importance and the proper handling of Waymarks and Anchor Points.
• Feng Jun mediates their disagreement and defends the competence of his sect elders.
• Feng Jun checks on his parents and quietly arranges protection for them.
• Feng Jun and Zhang Caixin discuss her cultivation problems, with Feng Jun ordering her to stop advancing and stabilize her foundation.
• Zhang Caixin pressures Feng Jun about having children, while Feng Jun struggles between family expectations and his responsibilities.
• Feng Jun and Ge Mingxia discuss the expired land lease and Gu Jiahui’s concerns about the expanding Cultural Town.
• Liu Yuting firmly prevents Beauty Lin from demanding an audience with Feng Jun, reflecting the enormous change in Feng Jun’s status.
• Zhang Caixin refuses another cultivator’s request to enter Luohua’s cultivation holy lands, emphasizing the limits of sharing resources and methods.

Summary: “Dreams Awaken in the Divine Land”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After preaching at Seeking Immortals Manor, Feng Jun travels to Libo Shoal and then brings Yi Jue and Vast Sea Venerable to the Ghost Shaman World.
• Their arrival attracts the attention of powerful cultivators, including several Tribulation Transcendence experts. Lu Ya appears to protect Feng Jun’s group, intimidating the hostile cultivators and severely punishing one who attempts to pursue them.
• The group reaches the entrance to the Ancestral Star Space, where they discover that Wei Sancai has unexpectedly advanced to the Spirit Division Realm. Qing Yao and Jing Nian remain close to enlightenment, while the elderly Da Chao Venerable is struggling with his breakthrough.
• Inside the Ancestral Star Space, Feng Jun introduces Vast Sea Venerable to Yun Zhongzi and the Mountains and Rivers State Map, vouching for his trustworthiness.
• Yun Zhongzi rewards Da Chao Venerable for his long service guarding the Ghost Shaman World. A powerful Divine Thought restores Da Chao’s damaged body and spirit, allowing him to successfully advance to Spirit Division.
• Yun Zhongzi explains that the Ancestral Star Space will eventually be removed, though the door may remain behind so cultivators can continue pursuing enlightenment. However, without the space’s abundant spiritual energy and guaranteed protection, future cultivators will have to provide their own resources and face the dangers of competition.
• Feng Jun worries about abandoning cultivators who rely on the opportunity. Yun Zhongzi tells him that he has already fulfilled his responsibilities and cannot bear everyone’s karma forever; future survival will depend on individual strength.
• Yun Zhongzi departs to return to the Heaven-Flipping Seal, while the Mountains and Rivers State Map agrees to temporarily maintain the Ancestral Star Space and protect those undergoing breakthroughs.
• Feng Jun returns to Muer Continent and avoids a powerful cultivator who wants to consult him, claiming he has urgent responsibilities.
• Ten years later, Da Chao, now True Lord Da Chao, stabilizes his new realm and expresses gratitude to the senior power behind the door. Wei Sancai follows his example and offers to stand guard for future cultivators.
• Another decade passes, and Da Chao prepares to take over guard duty from Wei Sancai. Meanwhile, on Blue Star, snow begins falling over Shan City as an indistinct presence awakens and declares that it has returned to its former home.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun continues to act as a mediator and protector between worlds. His kindness and sense of responsibility are praised by Yun Zhongzi but also identified as a potential burden, since Feng Jun feels obligated to protect everyone affected by his actions.
• Lu Ya demonstrates his overwhelming strength and fierce temper by protecting Feng Jun’s group and punishing a disrespectful Tribulation Transcendence cultivator.
• Vast Sea Venerable gains Feng Jun’s explicit endorsement as a trustworthy ally and is formally introduced to the Ancestral Star’s senior powers.
• Wei Sancai reveals that he has been far stronger and more capable than others assumed, becoming the first among the group to reach Spirit Division. He also grows in wisdom by recognizing the importance of gratitude and voluntarily taking responsibility for guarding others.
• Da Chao Venerable proves that his decades of service guarding the Ghost Shaman World have earned him great merit. Though initially close to failing because of his age, he is rescued and advances to Spirit Division, later becoming True Lord Da Chao.
• Yun Zhongzi shows both immense power and a sense of responsibility. He repays accumulated karma by aiding Da Chao but insists that Feng Jun cannot remain responsible for every future consequence.
• The Mountains and Rivers State Map accepts responsibility for temporarily protecting the cultivators, partly because of its own karmic connection to Heavenly Zither.
• A mysterious presence on Blue Star awakens at the end of the chapter, hinting at the return of an ancient or forgotten being.

Significant Themes

• Karma and repayment: Da Chao’s breakthrough is presented as compensation for his long service, while Yun Zhongzi and the Mountains and Rivers State Map acknowledge their own karmic obligations.
• Responsibility versus personal limits: Feng Jun wants to protect everyone, but Yun Zhongzi warns him that no individual can carry all the karma and responsibility of countless cultivators.
• Opportunity and competition: The Ancestral Star Space offers extraordinary chances for advancement, but once its protection and resources disappear, cultivators will have to compete, struggle, and possibly die for their opportunities.
• Hidden strength and unexpected breakthroughs: Wei Sancai’s advancement and Da Chao’s successful breakthrough demonstrate that appearances can be misleading and that cultivation progress is difficult to predict.
• Gratitude and reciprocity: Da Chao and Wei Sancai both recognize that receiving aid requires a respectful response, even when the senior power does not demand repayment.
• The return of the past: The final scene suggests that an old power or forgotten entity is awakening and reconnecting with its original homeland.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ya confronts the hostile Tribulation Transcendence cultivator, defending Feng Jun and warning others not to provoke him.
• Feng Jun confidently vouches for Vast Sea Venerable before Yun Zhongzi.
• Yun Zhongzi questions Feng Jun about Da Chao’s character and rewards Da Chao based on Feng Jun’s favorable assessment.
• Feng Jun and Yun Zhongzi debate how many unknown worlds should be connected, how long the Ancestral Star Space should remain, and whether Feng Jun should continue protecting future cultivators.
• Yun Zhongzi and the Mountains and Rivers State Map discuss their shared karmic obligations and arrange for the Map to guard the space temporarily.
• After their breakthroughs, Da Chao and Wei Sancai exchange views on gratitude and guard duty, establishing a cooperative succession to protect cultivators undergoing enlightenment.

The text is a brief announcement stating that a new book, Starting with a Hated Aura, Cultivating in the Wasteland, has been uploaded. It encourages readers to support the book but provides no plot events, character development, themes, or interactions to summarize.