Chapter Summary: Qi Family Grandfather and Granddaughter

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xian remains unconscious and critically injured after surviving an unknown battle in the Myriad Beast Abyss.
• Little White protects him for three days and nights, killing countless Abyss Beasts that approach. Although increasingly wounded and exhausted, it continues guarding Chen Xian until the beasts mysteriously disappear on the fourth morning.
• At the edge of the Abyss, veteran hunter Qi Heng enters the forest with his granddaughter, Qi Shengsheng, during Abyss Sacrifice Day to collect useful materials.
• They discover more than fifty dead Abyss Beasts, including a powerful Abyss Bear. The untouched corpses suggest that an even stronger creature had dominated the area.
• Qi Heng and Qi Shengsheng then find Chen Xian lying unconscious and covered in blood, with Little White asleep on his chest.
• Initially wary, Qi Heng recognizes Little White as a Dao Beast and suspects that both it and Chen Xian came from outside the Abyss.
• After Little White accepts water and signals that Chen Xian needs help, Qi Heng and Qi Shengsheng decide to rescue him despite the danger and the possibility of attracting trouble.
• Qi Shengsheng prepares a stretcher, while Qi Heng applies valuable medicinal herbs to Chen Xian’s collapsed chest. They carry him back toward Lone Cliff Town, with Little White continuing to guard him.
• Meanwhile, within Chen Xian’s consciousness, his Dao Self attempts to forcibly merge a law of space into the Myriad Dao Pact, shouting for the Space Great Dao to fuse.

Character Developments

• Little White: Demonstrates remarkable strength, loyalty, and intelligence. It transforms into a much larger combat form, defeats stronger Abyss Beasts, and remains beside Chen Xian despite severe fatigue and injuries. Its willingness to trust Qi Heng and Qi Shengsheng shows its ability to judge their intentions.
• Chen Xian: Remains physically unconscious and near death, but his inner consciousness is still active. His attempt to fuse the Space Great Dao suggests that his cultivation is progressing even while his body is incapacitated.
• Qi Heng: Shown as cautious, experienced, and protective. Though he recognizes the danger of helping an unknown cultivator, his compassion ultimately overcomes his fear, and he spends precious medicinal supplies to save Chen Xian.
• Qi Shengsheng: Displays courage, alertness, and kindness. She notices Chen Xian, encourages her grandfather to help him, and actively prepares the stretcher and rescue equipment rather than remaining passive.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and protection: Little White’s relentless defense of Chen Xian emphasizes devotion beyond ordinary human bonds.
• Compassion in a dangerous world: Qi Heng and Qi Shengsheng risk their lives to save a stranger despite the potential consequences.
• Survival and endurance: Chen Xian and Little White endure overwhelming conditions, while the Qi family cautiously navigates the lethal Abyss.
• Hidden strength: The harmless-looking rabbit is revealed to be a powerful Dao Beast, and Chen Xian’s unconscious body conceals an active and formidable cultivation process.
• Fate and uncertainty: Qi Heng wonders whether rescuing Chen Xian will bring fortune or disaster, while Chen Xian’s survival depends on both physical aid and the success of his Dao fusion.

Character Interactions

• Little White first treats Qi Heng and Qi Shengsheng as threats, but Qi Heng’s careful, nonaggressive approach and offering of water gradually earns its trust.
• Qi Shengsheng urges her grandfather to help Chen Xian, overcoming his hesitation.
• Qi Heng and Qi Shengsheng cooperate closely, with him treating Chen Xian and her constructing the stretcher.
• Little White communicates nonverbally with Qi Heng by tugging at Chen Xian’s clothes, effectively asking them to save him, before resuming its role as Chen Xian’s guard.

Chapter Summary: “Rescued”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qi Heng and his granddaughter, Qi Shengsheng, return from the Myriad Beast Abyss carrying an unconscious man in torn white robes, later identified as Chen Xian. Little White, a protective rabbit-like creature, guards him closely.
• They report to the gatekeeper, Old Li, that they found no living Abyss Beasts because all of them—including a familiar black bear—had been killed. This raises concern that a beast tide may be coming.
• At Old Zhao’s medicine shop, the physician examines Chen Xian and discovers that nearly every bone in his body is shattered, his qi and blood are stagnant, and his heart is barely functioning.
• Despite these fatal injuries, Chen Xian remains alive because a mysterious force is protecting his heart. A strand of destructive black qi is also ravaging his meridians and destroys Old Zhao’s probing Dao Power.
• Old Zhao attempts to preserve Chen Xian’s life with three Soul-Sealing Needles. Chen Xian’s body initially rejects them, releasing a powerful shockwave that overturns furniture and throws Little White into a wall.
• Using his Dao Power, Old Zhao successfully inserts the needles and stabilizes Chen Xian temporarily. He warns that Chen Xian may die unless he awakens within three days and urges Qi Heng to watch him carefully.

Character Developments

• Qi Heng demonstrates loyalty, courage, and responsibility by carrying the severely injured stranger back to town and seeking medical help despite the danger and uncertainty surrounding him.
• Qi Shengsheng shows compassion and trust, helping transport Chen Xian and reassuring Little White that Old Zhao can save him.
• Old Li is cautious and experienced, immediately recognizing the possible danger posed by the dead Abyss Beasts and reacting defensively to Chen Xian and Little White.
• Old Zhao is revealed to be a highly skilled Dao Sect expert specializing in medicine. Though initially confident, he becomes deeply shocked by the extent of Chen Xian’s injuries and the strange power within him.
• Chen Xian remains unconscious, but his body’s resistance to treatment and ability to survive impossible injuries establish him as an extraordinarily powerful and mysterious figure.
• Little White acts as Chen Xian’s vigilant protector, threatening anyone who approaches him and reacting anxiously whenever Chen Xian is endangered.

Significant Themes

• Mysterious power and hidden identity: Chen Xian’s inexplicable survival, black qi, and self-defending body suggest a formidable and unknown background.
• Life, death, and fate: Although Chen Xian should be dead, an inner force preserves his life, leaving his survival dependent on both his own strength and fate.
• Compassion toward strangers: Qi Heng and Qi Shengsheng risk trouble to rescue someone they do not know, while Old Zhao treats him despite the danger.
• Caution versus trust: The townspeople are wary of Chen Xian, recognizing that his power could make him either a valuable ally or a serious threat.
• The dangers of the Abyss: The dead Abyss Beasts, the scarred town walls, and the possibility of a beast tide emphasize the hostile and unstable world surrounding Lone Cliff Town.

Character Interactions

• Qi Heng and Old Li: Their old friendship allows Qi Heng to pass through the gate quickly, while Old Li questions him about the unusual absence of Abyss Beasts.
• Old Li and Little White: Little White attacks when Old Li tries to examine Chen Xian, making him wary of the seemingly harmless creature.
• Qi Shengsheng and Little White: She calms Little White and persuades it to allow Old Zhao to examine Chen Xian.
• Old Zhao and Chen Xian: Their examination becomes a struggle between Old Zhao’s medical Dao Power and Chen Xian’s mysterious internal defenses.
• Old Zhao and Qi Heng: Old Zhao explains the seriousness of Chen Xian’s condition and entrusts Qi Heng with monitoring him after the emergency treatment.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xian, severely injured, is nursed by Qi Shengsheng for three days.
• Inside his sea of consciousness, he battles to fuse the Void Fiend's spatial Dao laws into his Myriad Dao Pact.
• He successfully refines the spatial Great Dao, healing his injuries.
• The Martial Gang, led by Zhao San, arrives, demanding three days' tax payment or else they'll take Qi Shengsheng to settle the debt.

Character Developments

• Chen Xian demonstrates resilience and determination in his internal battle, showing his ability to adapt and fight back.
• Qi Heng, though desperate, stands up to Zhao San to protect his granddaughter, showing his love and protectiveness.

Significant Themes

• Resilience and Perseverance: Chen Xian's struggle to survive and heal despite severe injuries.
• Protection of Family: Qi Heng's determination to shield Qi Shengsheng from harm, even in the face of insurmountable odds.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xian and Qi Shengsheng: Though Chen Xian is unconscious, Qi Shengsheng's care and concern for him are evident.
• Qi Heng and Zhao San: The tense standoff between Qi Heng and Zhao San highlights the power dynamics and corruption in Lone Cliff Town.
• Qi Heng and Qi Shengsheng: Their interaction shows Qi Heng's love and concern for his granddaughter, and Qi Shengsheng's fear and vulnerability.

Chapter Summary: “Paying Taxes”

Key Plot Points and Events

• In freezing Lone Cliff Town, Qi Heng struggles to pay an overdue tax debt. He has spent three days gathering three taels of Dao Silver by selling two Abyss Wolf hides and pawning his late wife’s silver earrings—the entire remaining wealth of his household.
• Qi Heng and his granddaughter, Qi Shengsheng, are also sheltering an injured young man who is recovering in their side room.
• The Martial Gang, led by Zhao San, arrives to collect the debt. Although Qi Heng pays the demanded three taels, Zhao San invents additional charges, claiming that the injured man also owes the Great Abyss Tax and that the total debt is four taels and six mace.
• When Qi Heng refuses and protests the extortion, Zhao San orders his men to expel the injured man and seize Qi Shengsheng as payment for the debt.
• Qi Heng attacks Zhao San with a woodcutter’s knife but is easily defeated by Zhao San’s superior martial ability. Zhao San’s whip severely injures him, breaking bones and causing him to cough blood.
• As Zhao San’s men move to take Qi Shengsheng, Little White—the seemingly harmless rabbit kept by the family—suddenly grows to more than half a man’s height and tears off one gang member’s arm.
• Zhao San recognizes Little White as a powerful Abyss Beast and blows the Emergency Martial Whistle, hoping to have the authorities punish the Qi family for secretly keeping it inside town.
• Qi Heng urges Shengsheng to flee, fearing that the rabbit cannot withstand the town’s martial authorities. Shengsheng refuses to abandon him and asks Little White to protect them.
• Deputy Commander Hu Zheng arrives in response to the whistle. Zhao San accuses Qi Heng of tax evasion and illegally harboring an Abyss Beast.
• However, Little White has shrunk back to its normal rabbit size, making Hu Zheng doubt Zhao San’s story. Despite the confusion, Hu Zheng reaches out to seize the rabbit, ending the chapter on a cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Qi Heng is shown as impoverished but fiercely protective. He sacrifices his final resources and risks his life to protect Qi Shengsheng and the injured stranger. Though physically weakened by age, he remains courageous and defiant toward Zhao San’s abuse of power.
• Qi Shengsheng begins frightened and vulnerable but demonstrates loyalty and emotional strength by refusing to flee without her grandfather. Her bond with Little White becomes a source of protection.
• Little White is revealed to be far more than a pet rabbit. It possesses considerable strength, intelligence, and the unusual ability to change size. Its protective instincts toward the Qi family are strengthened by the care they have given it.
• Zhao San is established as a cruel, corrupt enforcer who manipulates taxes and uses official authority to exploit the poor. His confidence falters when he discovers Little White’s true nature, prompting him to weaponize the law against the family.
• Hu Zheng appears more reasonable than Zhao San and recognizes the Martial Gang’s corruption, but he is still bound to investigate the alleged Abyss Beast threat.

Significant Themes

• Corruption and exploitation: The Martial Gang uses taxes and fabricated charges to extort vulnerable residents, demonstrating how power replaces law in Lone Cliff Town.
• Family loyalty and sacrifice: Qi Heng risks everything for Shengsheng, while she refuses to abandon him despite the danger.
• Kindness rewarded: The care given to Little White results in its loyalty and protection when the family is threatened.
• Appearance versus reality: Little White looks like an ordinary rabbit but is actually a powerful and intelligent Abyss Beast. Zhao San’s apparent authority also masks his corruption and cowardice.
• Law as a tool of oppression: Zhao San invokes official regulations not to uphold justice but to justify violence and seize what the Qi family possesses.

Character Interactions

• Qi Heng and Shengsheng share a loving but desperate relationship, with Qi Heng attempting to sacrifice himself so she can escape.
• Zhao San intimidates and extorts Qi Heng while threatening to take Shengsheng, prompting Qi Heng’s violent resistance.
• Shengsheng’s trust in Little White contrasts with the gang’s fear of it; her plea causes the rabbit to stand protectively between the family and the attackers.
• Zhao San attempts to manipulate Hu Zheng by presenting the injured subordinate and accusing the Qi household, but Hu Zheng’s familiarity with the gang’s misconduct makes him skeptical.
• The chapter closes with Hu Zheng moving to capture Little White, placing the family and the mysterious rabbit in immediate danger.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xian, the protagonist, awakens after a long period of unconsciousness.
• He intervenes when the Iron Banner Gang is harassing the Qi family, displaying extraordinary strength and skill.
• He sends the gang members packing, including their leader Zhao San, and warns them not to return.
• Chen Xian asks Qi Heng about Blood Essence Grass, a key ingredient for his recovery.

Character Developments

• Chen Xian: Shows immense physical strength and combat prowess, indicating he was likely a powerful cultivator before his injuries. He demonstrates a calm and authoritative demeanor, as well as a willingness to protect the Qi family.
• Qi Shengsheng: Initially afraid of Chen Xian's sudden display of power, she later shows fear for him when he confronts the gang members.
• Qi Heng: Grateful for Chen Xian's help, he shows respect and eagerness to assist him.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and the protection of the weak.
• The consequences of bullying and harassment.
• The importance of cultivation and skill in a dangerous world.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xian and the Iron Banner Gang: Chen Xian demonstrates his power and authority, instilling fear in the gang members and their leader, Zhao San.
• Chen Xian and the Qi family: Chen Xian shows concern and willingness to protect the Qi family, while Qi Heng and Qi Shengsheng show gratitude and respect towards him.
• Chen Xian and Hu Zheng: Hu Zheng, the deputy commander, shows deference to Chen Xian's power but leaves without fully understanding his identity.

Chapter Summary: “Repaying Kindness”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xian explains the medicinal herb he needs by projecting a three-dimensional image of it through precise blood-qi manipulation.
• Qi Heng recognizes the herb as Red Dragon Ginseng, the local name for the Blood Essence Grass Chen Xian seeks. It is an extremely potent Martial Dao treasure found only in the dangerous middle or deepest regions of the Myriad Beast Abyss.
• Chen Xian realizes that obtaining Red Dragon Ginseng could allow him to refine the Five Qi Returning Pill, repair his damaged dantian, and restore his Dao Power.
• He questions Qi Heng about the surrounding world, the Great Abyss Dynasty, Central Province, and the cultivation systems practiced there. Qi Heng knows only the limited region around Lone Cliff Town and has never heard of the larger lands Chen Xian mentions.
• Chen Xian learns that most people in the Yuan Pass Wasteland practice the Martial Dao because other cultivation methods are largely unavailable.
• After recalling that Qi Heng and Qi Shengsheng saved his life, Chen Xian gives them one thousand taels of Dao Silver and two thousand taels in silver notes as repayment.
• Qi Heng initially refuses, fearing the money will attract danger, but Chen Xian firmly insists. He advises them to move to Upper Harmony Prefectural City, where their wealth will be safer and life more comfortable.
• The chapter ends with Chen Xian asking Qi Shengsheng what she wishes for, promising to fulfill any reasonable desire she can name.

Character Developments

• Chen Xian: Demonstrates extraordinary control over blood qi and reveals his growing understanding of the local world. Though powerful and accustomed to authority, he shows gratitude, practicality, and concern for the vulnerable Qi family. His primary goal is now clear: secure Red Dragon Ginseng and restore his cultivation.
• Qi Heng: Reveals himself as a knowledgeable but limited hunter whose understanding extends only a few hundred li from home. He is honest, cautious, humble, and deeply concerned about protecting his granddaughter. His attitude toward Chen Xian shifts from gratitude and awe to respectful obedience.
• Qi Shengsheng: Displays curiosity about the vast outside world and affection toward Little White. Her innocent question highlights how isolated her life has been. Chen Xian’s offer to fulfill her wish suggests a developing bond between them.
• Little White: Has returned to his juvenile form and becomes attached to Qi Shengsheng, emphasizing her kindness and the trust forming between the characters.

Significant Themes

• Repaying kindness: Chen Xian believes debts of life and favor must be answered directly and generously.
• The vastness of the world: The contrast between Chen Xian’s knowledge of enormous regions and the Qi family’s tiny, local worldview emphasizes the scale of the setting and their isolation.
• Power and responsibility: Chen Xian understands that wealth and strength can bring danger, so he carefully limits his gift and advises the family to relocate.
• Cultivation and adaptation: The same herb has different names in different regions, showing how local cultures interpret and adapt broader cultivation knowledge.
• Innocence amid danger: Qi Shengsheng’s curiosity and Little White’s comfort with her contrast with the deadly Abyss, martial power struggles, and Chen Xian’s damaged cultivation.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xian and Qi Heng share an informative exchange about Red Dragon Ginseng, local martial arts, and the geography of the world.
• Qi Heng reacts with awe and fear to Chen Xian’s blood-qi manifestation, recognizing it as an ability far beyond ordinary martial experts.
• Qi Shengsheng listens to Chen Xian describe the immense outside world and asks whether it is larger than Glory City, revealing her admiration and curiosity.
• Chen Xian and Qi Heng clash briefly over the monetary reward: Qi Heng fears accepting it, while Chen Xian uses his authority to make him take it.
• Chen Xian’s final question to Qi Shengsheng shifts the chapter from repayment of a material debt to a more personal gesture of care.

Summary: “Passing Down the New Martial Dao”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qi Shengsheng declares that she wants to learn Martial Dao so she can protect her grandfather from threats like Zhao San.
• Qi Heng plans to send her to an expensive martial arts school, but Chen Xian rejects this idea, dismissing traditional training as the declining Old Martial Dao.
• Chen Xian explains the distinction between:
  • Old Martial Dao, which tempers the body through stances, physical hardship, and medicinal treatments and peaks at the Grandmaster realm.
  • New Martial Dao, the path of the Saints, which begins by cultivating inner qi and using it to strengthen the body.
• Chen Xian teaches Qi Shengsheng the Heavenly Square Breathing Technique, instructing her to cultivate through controlled breathing and awareness of the energy within her body.
• Within half an hour, Qi Shengsheng undergoes a dramatic transformation: impurities leave her body, her vitality increases, and she gains enough strength to lift a water vat weighing roughly one hundred jin.
• Qi Heng realizes that she has entered the Skin Refining Realm far faster than ordinary martial artists, whose progress normally requires months of grueling training.
• Grateful for Chen Xian’s help, Qi Heng attempts to bow to him, but Chen Xian stops him, saying the instruction is insignificant compared with the life-saving help they previously gave him.
• Chen Xian asks Qi Heng to guide him into the Abyss Valley to find Red Dragon Ginseng. Qi Heng agrees to accompany him on Abyss Sacrifice Day, when the Abyss Mist and many dangerous beasts temporarily disappear.
• After hearing that the strongest known beast, an Abyss Tiger, required three Grandmasters to defeat, Chen Xian decides they should leave immediately rather than wait three days. His confidence leaves Qi Heng stunned.

Character Developments

• Qi Shengsheng becomes determined to gain strength and protect her grandfather. Her exceptional comprehension and talent are revealed when she masters the breathing technique much faster than experienced disciples.
• Qi Heng shifts from trusting conventional martial arts to being completely awed by New Martial Dao. His worldview is shattered by Qi Shengsheng’s rapid advancement, and his respect for Chen Xian deepens.
• Chen Xian takes on the role of teacher and benefactor. He remains humble about his instruction but recognizes Qi Shengsheng’s remarkable potential. His confidence in his own strength is also emphasized when he dismisses the Abyss Tiger as no serious threat.

Significant Themes

• Old traditions versus emerging systems: New Martial Dao represents a revolutionary method that may eventually replace traditional martial arts.
• The transformative power of knowledge: A single breathing technique accomplishes what years of conventional training and expensive resources cannot.
• Mentorship and gratitude: Chen Xian repays Qi Heng and Qi Shengsheng’s kindness by giving them access to a powerful new path.
• Talent and opportunity: Qi Shengsheng’s natural aptitude allows her to benefit immediately from instruction, suggesting that innate potential is as important as discipline.
• Changing worldviews: Qi Heng’s assumptions about Martial Dao are overturned as he witnesses the superiority of New Martial Dao firsthand.

Character Interactions

• Qi Shengsheng appeals directly to Chen Xian for training, framing Martial Dao as a means of protecting her grandfather.
• Qi Heng initially proposes traditional schooling, but Chen Xian challenges his understanding of Martial Dao and introduces the concept of New Martial Dao.
• Chen Xian personally guides Qi Shengsheng through her first cultivation session, while Qi Heng watches in disbelief.
• After witnessing her success, Qi Heng tries to thank Chen Xian formally, but Chen Xian emphasizes that their previous kindness outweighs his instruction.
• Chen Xian and Qi Heng then form a practical partnership: Qi Heng will guide him through the Abyss Valley, while Chen Xian’s confidence suggests he may protect them from its dangers.

Summary of Chapter: Obtaining the Medicine

1. Key Plot Points & Events

• Chen Xian and Qi Heng enter the Myriad Beast Abyss on a non-Sacrifice Day, despite the poisonous abyss mist that drives people mad (Chen Xian is unaffected).
• They navigate through deadly spatial rifts called "abyss caves" that dissolve living beings; Chen Xian senses and avoids them all.
• A mutant Shadow Armor King (Grandmaster-level, golden pupils) ambushes them; Chen Xian kills it instantly with a single, raw punch.
• Behind the beast’s corpse, they find a 300-year-old Red Dragon Ginseng, the key ingredient for the Five Qi Returning Pill; Chen Xian harvests it with space-based precision.
• A deep, threatening roar from the abyss’s depths makes Chen Xian wary, but he decides to return to town first.

Reactions in Lone Cliff Town

• Tie Zhenshan (Iron Banner Gang) cripples Zhao San for provoking Chen Xian, bans gang members from approaching the Qi residence, and sends appeasement gifts.
• Commander Qin Zhan (City Guard) orders a patrol to protect the Qi residence, explicitly choosing non-interference with Chen Xian.
• Town chief Feng Qing arrives with gifts to meet Chen, but finds only Qi Shengsheng, who has already stepped onto the Martial Dao path.

2. Character Developments

• Chen Xian: Shows mastery over the Great Dao of Space (navigating rifts, cutting stone), immunity to abyss mist, and overwhelming combat strength (one-punch kill of a Grandmaster-tier beast). Cautious and pragmatic—senses a real threat from the abyss but prioritizes recovery.
• Qi Heng: Moves from nervous fear to profound awe; follows Chen’s guidance exactly, acting as a guide but recognizing Chen’s superiority.
• Qi Shengsheng: Has already begun martial training, with a healthy complexion and visible blood-qi force—evidence of Chen Xian’s influence (implied).
• Tie Zhenshan: Demonstrates ruthless pragmatism—punishes his own man and isolates the gang to avoid annihilation.
• Qin Zhan: Shows disciplined caution—chooses protection and observation over aggressive investigation, respecting the unknown powerful figure.

3. Significant Themes

• Power and Intimidation: Chen Xian’s strength causes all local factions (gang, military, government) to tread carefully, shifting from aggression to appeasement and protection.
• The Unknown and Dangerous World: The abyss is filled with space-warping caves and abyss mist; even a Grandmaster-level mutant is trivial to Chen, yet deeper horrors remain hinted.
• Political Calculation: Each leader reacts based on self-preservation and advantage—Tie Zhenshan cuts losses, Qin Zhan avoids risk, Feng Qing seeks ties.

4. Character Interactions

• Chen Xian & Qi Heng: Mutual survival dynamic—Chen leads and protects, Qi follows precisely and gathers information; Qi’s awe deepens.
• Chen Xian & Shadow Armor King: Pure combat—demonstrates Chen’s gap over local martial artists.
• Tie Zhenshan & Zhao San: Discipline and sacrifice—Zhao’s failure is punished to appease a greater power.
• Qin Zhan & Hu Zheng: Command chain—orders given to guard, not surveil; respect for unknown strength.
• Feng Qing & Wang Fu & Qi Shengsheng: Official flattery meets guarded courtesy; Shengsheng’s sudden martial progress sparks intrigue.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qi Shengsheng informs Qi Heng and Chen Xian that officials from the town yamen delivered a chest filled with Dao Silver and treasures.
• Chen Xian and Qi Heng go to town to find medicinal herbs for the Five Qi Returning Pill.
• Tie Zhenshan, leader of the Iron Banner Gang, approaches Chen Xian, offering to help find the herbs and apologizing for Zhao San's previous offense.
• Chen Xian purchases the required herbs (Spirit Liquid Fruits and Azure Profound Branch) from Tie Zhenshan for 5,000 taels of Dao Silver.
• Qi Heng suggests they visit Old Zhao, the only person in town who might have the remaining required herbs (Cold Crystal Flower and Nine-Leaf Ganoderma).

Character Developments

• Chen Xian: Shows no interest in the town's power dynamics (Martial Gang and town yamen), only concerned with finding the required herbs. He values honesty and fairness, purchasing the herbs despite Tie Zhenshan's offer to give them as an apology.
• Tie Zhenshan: Acknowledges Chen Xian's power and apologizes for Zhao San's actions, showing flexibility and a desire to maintain peace. He accepts Chen Xian's payment for the herbs, understanding their true value.
• Qi Heng: Recognizes Chen Xian's strength and importance, addressing him as "Mister." He provides useful information about Old Zhao.

Significant Themes

• Power Dynamics: The Martial Gang and town yamen are the dominant forces in Lone Cliff Town, but Chen Xian's presence disrupts their usual dynamics.
• Honesty and Fairness: Chen Xian values honesty in transactions, purchasing the herbs despite Tie Zhenshan's offer to give them as an apology.
• Respect for Expertise: Both Tie Zhenshan and Qi Heng show respect for Chen Xian's expertise and power, acknowledging his importance.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xian and Tie Zhenshan: Chen Xian remains calm and collected, while Tie Zhenshan shows deference and respect, attempting to make amends for Zhao San's actions.
• Chen Xian and Qi Heng: Qi Heng provides useful information to Chen Xian and addresses him with respect as "Mister."

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xian visits Old Zhao's medical hall to gather Cold Crystal Flower and Nine-Leaf Ganoderma for pill refining.
• Old Zhao, revealed to be a Dao Sect Realm expert, agrees to help Chen Xian in exchange for Chen Xian's assistance in killing someone in Glory City.
• Chen Xian begins refining pills in the medical hall, causing a phenomenon that attracts the attention of the Great Abyss Eaglehound Guard.
• The Eaglehound Guard arrives in Lone Cliff Town, searching for the source of the phenomenon.

Character Developments

• Chen Xian: Shows his expertise in pill refining, creating a fifth-grade pill, the Five Qi Returning Pill, and consuming it to aid his recovery.
• Old Zhao: Reveals his true strength as a Dao Sect Realm expert and seeks Chen Xian's help for a personal vendetta.

Significant Themes

• The power of cultivation and its influence on daily life and interactions.
• The value of medicinal herbs and pills in cultivation and their scarcity.
• The potential danger and consequences of attracting unwanted attention in the cultivation world.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xian and Old Zhao: They form an alliance based on mutual benefit, with Old Zhao providing herbs and protection, and Chen Xian agreeing to help him with a personal matter.
• Chen Xian and the Great Abyss Eaglehound Guard: Their encounter sets the stage for potential conflict, as the guard is searching for the source of the phenomenon caused by Chen Xian's pill refining.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xian, a Dao Venerable, recovers his cultivation using the Five Qi Returning Pill.
• The Eagle Hound Guard, a military unit of the Great Abyss Royal Court, arrives searching for an object that fell in golden light, which they believe is in Zhao Ke's clinic.
• Chen Xian reveals himself as the object they seek, and the leader of the Eagle Hound Guard reveals that a silver Flying Shuttle, possibly connected to Chen Xian, fell in Abyss Valley near Glory City.
• Chen Xian decides to go to Glory City with Zhao Ke to find the Flying Shuttle and search for his friend, Zhang Huai.

Character Developments

• Chen Xian: Recovers his cultivation to the Dao Venerable Realm, revealing his true strength to Zhao Ke and the Eagle Hound Guard.
• Zhao Ke: Realizes Chen Xian's true power and becomes more determined to seek revenge with Chen Xian's help.
• Eagle Hound Guard Leader: Initially arrogant, becomes respectful and cooperative upon realizing Chen Xian's power.

Significant Themes

• The power of cultivation and its impact on society (Chen Xian's reveal as a Dao Venerable changes the dynamics of the situation).
• Revenge and its pursuit (Zhao Ke's motive for helping Chen Xian).

Character Interactions

• Chen Xian and Zhao Ke: Chen Xian decides to help Zhao Ke, leading to a partnership in seeking revenge and finding the Flying Shuttle.
• Chen Xian and Eagle Hound Guard Leader: The leader initially tries to intimidate Zhao Ke but becomes submissive after learning Chen Xian's true power.
• Zhao Ke and Chen Xian: Zhao Ke is overjoyed to have Chen Xian's help in his quest for revenge.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xian dismisses the Eagle Hound Guards and decides to help Zhao Ke take revenge in Glory City.
• Qi Heng decides to leave Lone Cliff Town with Qi Shengsheng to follow Chen Xian.
• Chen Xian carves the Heavenly Square Breathing Technique onto the monument in Lone Cliff Town, allowing everyone to cultivate the new Martial Dao.
• Chen Xian, Qi Heng, and Qi Shengsheng leave Lone Cliff Town, with Chen Xian flying them away.
• Powerful martial artists in Lone Cliff Town, including Grandmasters, gather before the monument and express their gratitude to Chen Xian for passing down the technique.

Character Developments

• Chen Xian demonstrates his power and benevolence by helping Zhao Ke, taking Qi Heng and Qi Shengsheng under his wing, and passing down the Heavenly Square Breathing Technique to Lone Cliff Town.
• Qi Heng shows resolve in leaving his old life behind and following Chen Xian.
• Qi Shengsheng expresses her determination to practice Martial Dao and avenge her parents.
• Feng Qing, the town chief, shows respect and awe towards Chen Xian.
• Martial artists in Lone Cliff Town, especially Grandmasters, express their gratitude and reverence towards Chen Xian for passing down the technique.

Significant Themes

• The power dynamics between the strong and the weak in society.
• The importance of benevolence and kindness.
• The value of passing down knowledge and skills.
• The struggle and determination of ordinary people to improve their lives.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xian interacts with Zhao Ke, Qi Heng, and Qi Shengsheng, showing kindness and support.
• Qi Heng and Qi Shengsheng interact with Chen Xian, showing respect and determination.
• Feng Qing interacts with Chen Xian, showing respect and awe.
• Martial artists in Lone Cliff Town interact with each other, expressing gratitude and reverence towards Chen Xian.

Summary: Glory City, Beast Tide Relieved!

Key Plot Points

• Chen Xian transports Zhao Ke, Qi Heng, and Qi Shengsheng to Glory City at Dao Venerable speed, covering 240+ li in under a quarter-hour, demonstrating the vast gap between Dao Sect and Dao Venerable realms
• They find Glory City under siege by a massive Abyss Beast tide from the Myriad Beast Abyss
• City Lord Chu Linyuan (5th level Dao Sect Realm) fights desperately but is swiftly defeated by the Six-Eyed Abyss Tiger (7th level Dao Sect Realm beast king), leaving the city on the verge of collapse
• Chen Xian descends, steps onto the tiger's head, and suppresses it with a single step—instantly subduing a beast king that had been overwhelming the entire city
• He gives the tiger two choices: die or serve him; the tiger submits
• Chen Xian orders the beast tide to retreat, and it obeys instantly
• The city is saved; Chu Linyuan and thousands kneel in gratitude
• Chen Xian has Zhao Ke scan Chu Linyuan and the other city leaders for his enemy—but the target is not present
• They enter Glory City for the night to continue the search tomorrow

Character Developments

• Chen Xian: Demonstrates overwhelming power (one step suppresses a beast king) and pragmatic leadership. Shows strategic thinking by sparing the tiger to use as a guide through the Myriad Beast Abyss, revealing a preference for practical utility over wasteful killing
• Chu Linyuan: Introduced as a capable but outmatched defender. Humbled by defeat, reduced from proud general to desperate supplicant, then to grateful subordinate
• Zhao Ke: Reinforced as a complex figure—justice-bound yet personally wounded, grimly focused on finding his enemy amidst the chaos
• Six-Eyed Abyss Tiger: Transformed from terrifying predator to cowed servant, revealing its intelligence and survival instinct

Significant Themes

• The gap between cultivation realms: The chapter emphasizes that the Dao Sect Realm and Dao Venerable Realm are separated by an "insurmountable chasm"—what is a crisis for an entire city is a trivial matter for one Venerable
• Power and mercy: Chen Xian's spare-the-tiger decision shows power exercised with calculation rather than cruelty
• The insignificance of mortal-scale crises before higher cultivation: An entire city's near-destruction becomes a minor detour on Chen Xian's larger quest
• The Central Province's higher standard: A brief reminder that even Venerables are only "beginners" in the broader world (referencing Zhang Huai's earlier warning)

Character Interactions

• Chen Xian & Chu Linyuan: Chu begs for help, expecting only minimal aid; Chen Xian ignores the flattery entirely, treats the city lord with indifference, and focuses on his own mission
• Chen Xian & the Six-Eyed Abyss Tiger: Dominance and coercion—Chen Xian offers no negotiation, only submission or death; the tiger's immediate surrender highlights the terror his presence inspires
• Zhao Ke & the Glory City officials: Zhao Ke's sharp, sweeping gaze intimidates everyone it passes, underscoring his deep personal stake in finding his enemy
• Chen Xian & Zhao Ke: A practical working relationship; Chen Xian gives orders, Zhao Ke executes his part (identifying enemies) with cold precision

Chapter Summary: “Myriad Treasures Pavilion”

Key Plot Points and Events

• City Lord Chu Linyuan hosts Chen Xian and his companions in Glory City’s lavish inner residence to thank Chen Xian for helping repel the beast tide.
• During the banquet, Chen Xian ignores the formal praise and immediately asks about a silver Flying Shuttle that recently fell into the Myriad Beast Abyss.
• Chu explains that the shuttle emitted an extremely powerful Dao resonance, suggesting it was at least a Dao Venerable-level artifact, and possibly a Truth-Breaking Dao Artifact.
• The crash site is now surrounded by violent spatial turbulence, making it nearly impossible to approach. Chu’s attempt to send ten Dao Master-level dead warriors ended in their deaths before they reached the valley.
• Although the Great Abyss Royal Court ordered Chu to retrieve the artifact, he admits that he merely made a token effort because the task was beyond his strength.
• The Myriad Treasures Pavilion later offered to provide the personnel and resources needed to search for the shuttle. In exchange, the Great Abyss would receive the shuttle itself, while the Pavilion would keep all treasures, pills, and inheritances stored inside it.
• Chu reveals that the Myriad Treasures Pavilion is a massive force spanning several dynasties, with numerous Dao Venerables and a Pavilion Master who reached the Truth-Breaking Realm long ago. It has also brought a spatial treasure capable of temporarily stabilizing the abyss’s spatial rifts.
• Chen Xian remains determined to find the shuttle but does not reveal why. His certainty convinces Chu that the artifact contains a secret of extraordinary importance.

Character Developments

• Chen Xian is portrayed as calm, detached, and supremely confident. He remains relaxed during the formal banquet and shows no intimidation upon hearing about the Myriad Treasures Pavilion’s immense power.
• His insistence that he “must find” the shuttle hints at a personal connection or knowledge of its contents. He is likely concerned about Zhang Huai, whose shuttle it was, and believes Zhang Huai may not have died easily.
• Chu Linyuan appears pragmatic and politically cautious. Though officially ordered to recover the artifact, he avoids wasting lives on an impossible mission and accepts the Myriad Treasures Pavilion’s assistance to protect himself from blame.
• Chu increasingly reveres and fears Chen Xian, interpreting his composure and determination as evidence of overwhelming strength and hidden knowledge.
• Qi Heng and Qi Shengsheng remain overwhelmed and uncomfortable in the luxurious city lord’s residence, emphasizing their humble backgrounds.
• Zhao Ke remains silent and composed, sitting like a statue and providing a contrast to Qi Heng and Qi Shengsheng’s nervousness.
• Little White is relaxed and content, eating spirit fruits from Chen Xian’s hand.

Significant Themes

• Power and hierarchy: The chapter contrasts local powers, such as Chu Linyuan and the City Guards, with immense organizations like the Myriad Treasures Pavilion and the Saint Hall.
• Hidden strength and mistaken assumptions: Chu repeatedly interprets Chen Xian’s calmness as proof of extraordinary power, while Chen Xian privately recognizes that the supposedly supreme Truth-Breaking Realm is not especially exalted by his own standards.
• Political pragmatism: Chu’s decision to let the Myriad Treasures Pavilion take responsibility reflects how weaker authorities survive by yielding dangerous opportunities to stronger factions.
• Mystery and concealed motives: The Flying Shuttle’s contents are left unexplained, creating suspense around why Chen Xian wants it and what may have happened to Zhang Huai.
• Class and social contrast: Qi Heng and Qi Shengsheng’s unease in the luxurious residence highlights the vast divide between ordinary hunters and powerful cultivators or city rulers.

Character Interactions

• Chu formally praises Chen Xian and offers a toast on behalf of Glory City, while Chen Xian responds with restrained indifference.
• Chen Xian cuts through Chu’s ceremonial speech and directly interrogates him about the Flying Shuttle.
• Chu honestly describes the failed recovery attempt and his agreement with the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, presenting himself as a reluctant but practical official.
• Chen Xian questions whether a merchant organization can truly retrieve the artifact, prompting Chu to explain the Pavilion’s formidable strength.
• Chu cautiously asks whether the shuttle contains an unusual treasure. Chen Xian refuses to explain, simply stating that he must find it, which intensifies Chu’s belief that the artifact conceals something world-shaking.

Chapter Summary: “Zhao Ke’s Inner Thoughts”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Linyuan warns Chen Xian that the Myriad Treasures Pavilion is also pursuing the Flying Shuttle. Its headquarters has sent two Dao Venerable Realm Attendants to Glory City, who are expected to arrive the following day.
• To prevent a destructive confrontation between powerful cultivators, Chu proposes hosting a meeting between Chen Xian and Xie Xuan, the Glory City branch master of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion. Chen agrees to attend.
• Chen informs Chu that he will eventually leave Glory City and asks him to protect and settle Qi Heng and Qi Shengsheng, a grandfather and granddaughter who are his friends and relatives.
• Realizing their connection to Chen, Chu treats the two mortals as extraordinarily important, promising that they will be Glory City’s most honored guests.
• Pleased with Chu’s response, Chen promises to give him a gift after returning from the Myriad Beast Abyss—one that will help him break through his current Dao Sect Realm Fifth Layer bottleneck and approach the Dao Venerable Realm.
• Chu is overwhelmed with gratitude and pledges his loyalty. Chen explains that Chu deserves assistance because he risked his life to protect Glory City during the beast tide.
• Later that night, Zhao Ke privately confesses that Xie Xuan, the Myriad Treasures Pavilion’s branch master, is the enemy responsible for his past suffering.
• Fearing that his revenge will draw Chen into conflict with the immensely powerful Myriad Treasures Pavilion, Zhao offers to cancel their agreement and confront Xie Xuan alone.
• Chen rejects this proposal, reaffirming that he will help Zhao obtain justice regardless of the Pavilion’s influence. He also points out that the Pavilion’s pursuit of the Flying Shuttle makes conflict with them unavoidable anyway.

Character Developments

• Chen Xian demonstrates loyalty, decisiveness, and a strong sense of gratitude and justice. He protects Qi Heng and Qi Shengsheng by arranging their future security and remains committed to helping Zhao despite the danger.
• Chu Linyuan reveals himself to be politically perceptive and cautious. He wants to avoid a clash between Dao Venerables in Glory City, but he is also quick to recognize the importance of Chen’s associates and eagerly accepts Chen’s promise of advancement.
• Zhao Ke shows humility and self-sacrifice. Although he desperately wants revenge against Xie Xuan, he is willing to abandon it rather than endanger Chen, who saved his life. His emotional confession reveals the depth of his gratitude and inner conflict.
• Qi Heng and Qi Shengsheng gain significant protection and status through their relationship with Chen, despite remaining ordinary mortals.
• Xie Xuan is established as Zhao Ke’s major personal enemy and as a powerful figure backed by the Myriad Treasures Pavilion.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and repayment of kindness: Chen believes favors and debts should be repaid fully, motivating both his protection of the Qi family and his determination to aid Zhao.
• Justice and personal principles: Chen follows a clear code of “gratitude and enmity,” refusing to abandon Zhao simply because revenge is dangerous.
• Power and status: Qi Heng and Qi Shengsheng’s social importance changes instantly once their connection to Chen is revealed, showing how power influences relationships in Glory City.
• Political restraint and diplomacy: Chu attempts to resolve the conflict peacefully, recognizing that a battle between Dao Venerables could devastate the city.
• Self-sacrifice: Zhao’s willingness to face Xie Xuan alone reflects both his courage and his desire not to burden the person who saved him.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xian and Chu Linyuan: They negotiate the Myriad Treasures Pavilion situation, then establish a relationship based on mutual trust and obligation.
• Chen Xian and Qi Heng/Qi Shengsheng: Chen treats them as family and entrusts their future to Chu, while Qi Heng is embarrassed and overwhelmed by the city lord’s sudden respect.
• Chu Linyuan and the Qi family: Chu immediately elevates them to honored-guest status, hoping to maintain Chen’s goodwill.
• Chen Xian and Zhao Ke: In a private nighttime conversation, Zhao reveals his hidden concerns. Chen reassures him, refuses to dissolve their agreement, and confirms that he will stand beside him against Xie Xuan and the Myriad Treasures Pavilion.

Chapter Summary: Betraying His Master and Destroying His Ancestors

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xian arrives at Bright Moon Tower with City Lord Chu Linyuan, accompanied by Zhao Ke, who disguises himself as an elderly attendant.
• Chen has brought Zhao Ke to identify whether the Myriad Treasures Pavilion’s branch master, Xie Xuan, is the same man Zhao Ke has been seeking revenge against. They agree not to fight inside Glory City.
• Xie Xuan confirms that he and the Myriad Treasures Pavilion want the treasure hidden within the Flying Shuttle Dao Artifact. He offers Chen Xian a compromise: Chen may explore the Myriad Beast Abyss, but any treasure discovered must be divided equally with the Pavilion.
• Chen Xian accepts, privately mocking the Pavilion’s attempt to make him work alongside them. Since he knows the Flying Shuttle is merely Zhang Huai’s Dao Artifact and likely contains no great inheritance, he sees no disadvantage in allowing the Pavilion to lead the dangerous exploration.
• Chu Linyuan is relieved that the two powerful parties reach an agreement, allowing him to avoid offending either side.
• Zhao Ke recognizes Xie Xuan as his former junior brother and the man responsible for destroying the Medical Saint Hall decades earlier. He silently suppresses his rage, intending to kill Xie Xuan after they enter the abyss.

Character Developments

• Chen Xian demonstrates composure, strategic thinking, and manipulation. He pretends to seriously consider Xie Xuan’s proposal while planning to use the Pavilion’s resources and manpower for his own purposes.
• Zhao Ke struggles with overwhelming hatred and grief upon seeing Xie Xuan, but follows Chen Xian’s instructions and maintains his disguise. His desire for revenge becomes the chapter’s central emotional force.
• Xie Xuan appears courteous and confident, but his arrogance shows when he demands an equal share of the treasure. He remains unaware that Zhao Ke, his supposedly dead senior brother, is standing nearby.
• Chu Linyuan acts as a cautious mediator. His main concern is preserving peace between the powerful outsiders and protecting Glory City.

Significant Themes

• Revenge and delayed justice: Zhao Ke has waited decades to confront the man who betrayed him and slaughtered his sect.
• Betrayal and corruption: Xie Xuan’s transformation from a healer within a benevolent medical sect into a murderous poison master highlights the destructive power of ambition.
• Deception and concealed identities: Zhao Ke’s disguise and Chen Xian’s false acceptance of the agreement allow them to hide their true intentions.
• Power and manipulation: The Myriad Treasures Pavilion attempts to control access to the Flying Shuttle’s treasure, while Chen Xian turns its confidence to his advantage.
• Restraint versus vengeance: Zhao Ke must suppress his immediate desire to kill Xie Xuan and wait for a safer opportunity.

Character Interactions

• Chu Linyuan respectfully escorts Chen Xian and Zhao Ke into Bright Moon Tower and mediates the meeting.
• Xie Xuan courteously welcomes Chen Xian, while briefly sensing an unexplained familiarity with Zhao Ke.
• Chen Xian silently encourages Zhao Ke to remain calm after their eye contact with Xie Xuan.
• Xie Xuan negotiates with Chen Xian through Chu Linyuan, offering cooperation and an equal division of the treasure.
• Zhao Ke privately recalls how he once treated Xie Xuan as a cherished junior brother, only to be betrayed. Though he outwardly remains composed, he secretly vows to make Xie Xuan die horribly in the abyss.

Chapter Summary: “Into the Abyss”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Two powerful Dao Venerables from Myriad Treasures Pavilion’s headquarters, Golden Sun Venerable and Withered Wood Venerable, arrive in Glory City after hearing of Chen Xian’s involvement in the treasure hunt.
• They dismiss Chen Xian as an unstable, self-taught early-stage Dao Venerable and decide that he can be killed if he interferes with Myriad Treasures Pavilion’s plans.
• Chen Xian leaves Little White behind to protect Qi Heng and Qi Shengsheng, then follows the Pavilion’s expedition into the Myriad Beast Abyss with Zhao Ke.
• The abyss proves far more dangerous than the entrance at Lone Cliff Town. Dense, poisonous Abyss Mist, hallucinations, corrosive energy, and rapidly shifting Abyssal Rifts make passage nearly impossible for ordinary cultivators.
• Withered Wood Venerable uses the Void-Fixing Orb, a spatial Truth-Breaking Dao Artifact, to immobilize the rifts and guide the group forward.
• Numerous Abyss Beasts attack the expedition. As the group advances, powerful Mutated Abyss Beasts cause heavy casualties among Myriad Treasures Pavilion’s Dao Master deathsworn.
• Chen Xian remains completely at ease because he rides the subdued Six-Eyed Abyss Tiger, whose presence frightens away weaker beasts and shields him from much of the danger.
• Chen Xian studies the Abyssal Rifts and senses an aura similar to the Blood Moon Rift connected to the Blood Demon Ancestral Land. He suspects the abyss may connect to another plane and begins doubting that Zhang Huai is still alive.
• After two hours, the expedition reaches a boundary separating the mist-filled outer region from an impenetrable realm of darkness. The darkness exerts overwhelming pressure, and even the Six-Eyed Abyss Tiger becomes terrified and refuses to proceed.
• Golden Sun Venerable mocks Chen Xian, warning that the core region contains far denser spatial rifts, Destructive Turbulence, and true Dao Venerable-level Abyss Beasts.
• Rather than respond to the provocation, Chen Xian orders Zhao Ke to follow and crosses into the darkness without using any protective treasure.
• Fearing that Chen Xian will reach the treasure first, Golden Sun Venerable immediately leads the Pavilion’s party after him.

Character Developments

• Chen Xian: Demonstrates extraordinary confidence and hidden strength. He remains calm despite the abyss’s dangers, successfully travels through the outer region with minimal effort, and enters the terrifying core region without hesitation or protection. His investigation of the rifts also reveals his growing suspicion that the abyss is connected to another world.
• Zhao Ke: Shows loyalty to Chen Xian and becomes angered by Golden Sun Venerable’s insults, though he obeys Chen Xian’s command to remain calm and follow him into the abyss.
• Golden Sun Venerable: Displays arrogance and contempt toward Chen Xian, initially considering him insignificant. His attitude shifts toward urgency and concern once Chen Xian enters the core region ahead of him.
• Withered Wood Venerable: Remains reserved and difficult to read, but his use of the Void-Fixing Orb shows his importance in navigating the abyss. The effort required to maintain the artifact also reveals the core region’s extreme danger.
• Six-Eyed Abyss Tiger: Initially acts as a powerful beast king that makes Chen Xian’s journey easy, but its fear at the core-region boundary establishes that something within the darkness is vastly more terrifying.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength versus outward judgment: Myriad Treasures Pavilion underestimates Chen Xian because of his apparent cultivation level and lack of established lineage.
• The unknown and otherworldly danger: The Abyssal Rifts suggest that the Myriad Beast Abyss may be linked to other planes, expanding the threat beyond a simple treasure hunt.
• Confidence and composure under pressure: Chen Xian’s calm behavior contrasts sharply with the fear, exhaustion, and casualties experienced by the Pavilion’s expedition.
• Rivalry and competition: The expedition is not a cooperative search alone; both sides suspect the other of trying to seize the treasure first.
• The limits of power: Even powerful Dao Venerables and a beast king are cautious before the core darkness, emphasizing that the true danger has yet to be revealed.

Character Interactions

• Xie Xuan reports Chen Xian’s actions to the two headquarters Attendants and flatters them while concealing his own intentions.
• Golden Sun Venerable openly belittles Chen Xian and later provokes him at the boundary.
• Zhao Ke reacts angrily to the insult, but Chen Xian restrains him and avoids direct confrontation.
• Chen Xian treats the Six-Eyed Abyss Tiger as a trusted mount and reassures it when it refuses to enter the core region.
• Golden Sun Venerable’s mockery backfires: Chen Xian ignores him, enters the darkness first, and forces the Pavilion to follow in haste.

Chapter Summary: “Ambush”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xian and Zhao Ke enter the core region of the Myriad Beast Abyss, where the Abyss Mist severely suppresses Dao Consciousness, Dao Power, and Dao Rule Domains.
• Chen Xian realizes that while his Dao-based abilities are weakened, his Martial Aspect Realm physical strength and vitality remain unaffected. He concludes that the two mid-stage Dao Venerables pursuing them are at a major disadvantage.
• Chen Xian and Zhao Ke travel deeper into the Abyss and hide near the edge of a forest, planning to ambush the Myriad Treasures Pavilion group.
• Zhao Ke reveals the Healer’s Discipline Ruler, a Truth-Breaking-grade Dao Artifact once belonging to the Medical Saint Hall. He also carries a memorial tablet for his deceased master, Jichuan, whose death was connected to Xie Xuan’s betrayal.
• Withered Wood Venerable, Golden Sun Venerable, and Xie Xuan catch up. Their strength is severely reduced by the Abyss Mist, especially Xie Xuan, whose Poison Sect techniques are almost completely sealed.
• The pursuing group openly reveals that the Myriad Treasures Pavilion never intended to honor its agreement with Chen Xian. Golden Sun Venerable plans to kill Chen Xian, seize the Shadowlike Flying Shuttle and its treasures, and conceal the crime from the Great Abyss Royal Court.
• After overhearing this conversation, Chen Xian decides that neither of the two Dao Venerables can be allowed to survive.
• Chen Xian launches a sudden physical attack against the two Venerables while Zhao Ke attacks Xie Xuan from behind with the Healer’s Discipline Ruler.
• Zhao Ke’s first strike destroys Xie Xuan’s left arm and shoulder. Xie Xuan recognizes the ruler and realizes that his attacker is Zhao Ke, whom he believed dead.
• The chapter ends as Zhao Ke prepares to continue his assault while Chen Xian begins fighting Withered Wood Venerable and Golden Sun Venerable.

Character Developments

• Chen Xian: Demonstrates strategic thinking and confidence under pressure. He quickly adapts to the Abyss Mist’s restrictions and recognizes that his Martial Dao gives him a decisive advantage. His attitude toward the Myriad Treasures Pavilion hardens from limited retaliation against Xie Xuan to eliminating all three enemies.
• Zhao Ke: His long-suppressed hatred and grief over the destruction of the Medical Saint Hall become central to his actions. The ambush gives him the chance to personally confront Xie Xuan and avenge his master. His reveal as a survivor marks a major emotional turning point.
• Xie Xuan: Becomes increasingly fearful and dependent on the two Venerables for protection. The Abyss Mist leaves him nearly powerless, and Zhao Ke’s surprise attack exposes his guilt and terror regarding the past.
• Withered Wood Venerable: Remains cautious and practical, tracking Chen Xian while recognizing the dangers of the Abyss. However, he is part of the conspiracy to seize the Flying Shuttle and kill Chen Xian.
• Golden Sun Venerable: Reveals his greed and arrogance by openly rejecting the agreement with Chen Xian and the authority of the Great Abyss Royal Court.

Significant Themes

• Revenge and justice: Zhao Ke’s attack represents his long-awaited reckoning with Xie Xuan and the betrayal that destroyed the Medical Saint Hall.
• Betrayal and hypocrisy: The Myriad Treasures Pavilion pretends to cooperate with Chen Xian while secretly planning to murder him and keep the treasures.
• Adaptation and hidden strength: The Abyss Mist neutralizes conventional Dao techniques, but Chen Xian’s Martial Dao allows him to retain his full physical power.
• Legacy and remembrance: The Healer’s Discipline Ruler and Jichuan’s memorial tablet preserve the ideals and memory of the Medical Saint Hall.
• Ambush and information: Chen Xian gains the upper hand because he remains hidden and listens carefully, while his enemies carelessly reveal their intentions.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xian and Zhao Ke form a coordinated alliance, with Chen Xian targeting the two Venerables and Zhao Ke pursuing Xie Xuan.
• Zhao Ke’s relationship with Xie Xuan is revealed as one of betrayed senior and junior disciples. Zhao Ke condemns Xie Xuan as a traitor and vows to destroy him.
• Golden Sun Venerable and Xie Xuan openly discuss their plan to betray Chen Xian, while Withered Wood Venerable urges caution and presses forward toward the Flying Shuttle.
• The chapter concludes with the alliance’s ambush successfully separating the battlefield: Zhao Ke and Xie Xuan confront their shared past, while Chen Xian engages the two powerful Myriad Treasures Pavilion elders.

Chapter Summary: “Revenge (I)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xie Xuan and Zhao Ke engage in a brutal life-or-death battle within the Abyss Mist. Xie Xuan, having lost an arm, uses Corpse-Rot Powder and a poisoned blade, while Zhao Ke counters with medicinal powders from the Medical Saint Hall and his Healer’s Discipline Ruler.
• Zhao Ke’s antidote overcomes Xie Xuan’s poison, allowing him to gain the upper hand. However, Xie Xuan continues fighting desperately, and the two exchange devastating injuries in a savage close-quarters struggle.
• Elsewhere, Chen Xian launches a surprise attack on Golden Sun Venerable. Despite Golden Sun’s powerful body and Dao Venerable cultivation, Chen Xian shatters his right arm with a single punch.
• Withered Wood Venerable realizes that Chen Xian’s strength comes from martial blood and qi rather than ordinary Dao Power. He suspects Chen Xian may have been sent by the Central Province Saint Hall to spread the newly developed Martial Dao.
• Golden Sun and Withered Wood become terrified, recognizing that killing a possible Saint Hall agent could bring destruction upon themselves and the entire Myriad Treasures Pavilion.
• Despite their fear, they conclude that reconciliation is impossible and decide that Chen Xian must die. Withered Wood activates the Void-Fixing Orb, using spatial chains to immobilize Chen Xian.
• Golden Sun, believing Chen Xian helpless, gathers his remaining fiery Dao Power into a devastating punch aimed at Chen Xian’s head. The chapter ends just before the attack lands.

Character Developments

• Xie Xuan: His desperation and murderous instincts fully emerge. Cornered and injured, he abandons restraint and fights like a poisoned beast, determined to kill Zhao Ke because he sees no possibility of escape.
• Zhao Ke: Demonstrates extensive preparation, medical expertise, and unwavering resolve after waiting twenty-six years for revenge. He fights mercilessly and uses the Medical Saint Hall’s orthodox techniques to suppress Xie Xuan’s poison.
• Chen Xian: Reveals overwhelming physical power rooted in the New Martial Dao. His silence and relentless attacks portray him as decisive, controlled, and utterly committed to eliminating his enemies.
• Golden Sun Venerable: His arrogance collapses after Chen Xian destroys his arm and repeatedly injures him. He becomes dominated by fear, especially over the possible consequences of offending the Saint Hall.
• Withered Wood Venerable: Quickly identifies the implications of Chen Xian’s martial power and suspects his connection to the Central Province Saint Hall. Although frightened, he chooses a desperate final counterattack rather than surrender.

Significant Themes

• Revenge and unresolved hatred: Both battles are driven by long-standing grudges, particularly Zhao Ke’s twenty-six-year wait and Xie Xuan’s determination to settle old enmity.
• Desperation versus dignity: The Dao Sect fighters abandon the composure expected of powerful cultivators and reduce the conflict to a bloody struggle for survival.
• The rise of the New Martial Dao: Chen Xian’s strength challenges the established belief that martial arts cannot reach the Honored Realm, signaling a major shift in the world’s power structure.
• Fear of authority and consequences: The Myriad Treasures Pavilion’s strength becomes meaningless in the face of the Central Province Saint Hall’s influence, showing the hierarchy governing the cultivation world.
• No path to reconciliation: Once the combatants realize their conflict has become irreparable, they choose mutual destruction rather than retreat or compromise.

Character Interactions

• Xie Xuan and Zhao Ke: Their exchange is a direct confrontation between poison-based cultivation and medical countertechniques, fueled by decades of hatred and revenge.
• Chen Xian and Golden Sun Venerable: Chen Xian completely overwhelms Golden Sun in physical combat, transforming Golden Sun’s contempt into terror.
• Chen Xian and Withered Wood Venerable: Withered Wood attempts to understand Chen Xian’s power and later uses the Void-Fixing Orb to restrain him, while Chen Xian responds only through relentless attacks.
• Golden Sun and Withered Wood: The two cooperate out of necessity, recognizing that Chen Xian threatens both their lives and the survival of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion. Their final plan is to immobilize Chen Xian and kill him before he can expose them to the Saint Hall.

Chapter Summary: “Revenge (2)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Golden Sun Venerable attempts to trap Chen Xian with the Void-Fixing Orb and spatial laws, but Chen Xian easily escapes because he has fused with the Space Great Dao.
• Chen Xian ambushes Golden Sun, tears off his head, and destroys his physical body. However, Golden Sun’s Dao Self escapes into the Abyss Mist, preserving the possibility of resurrection.
• Withered Wood Venerable panics and abandons the Void-Fixing Orb, attempting to flee. Chen Xian uses the spatial technique “Freeze” to immobilize him for three seconds, then destroys his body with a single punch. Withered Wood’s Dao Self also escapes.
• Chen Xian claims the Void-Fixing Orb, a Truth-Breaking-grade spatial Dao Artifact, as spoils.
• Meanwhile, Zhao Ke is losing his battle against Xie Xuan. Poisoned and badly injured, Zhao is nearly killed after admitting that he failed to avenge his master.
• Chen Xian intervenes, restraining Xie Xuan and forcing him to his knees. He reminds Xie Xuan that he promised Old Zhao to avenge him.
• Zhao Ke delivers the final blow with the Healer’s Discipline Ruler, killing Xie Xuan and personally avenging the destruction of the Medical Saint Hall.
• Zhao publicly honors his deceased master and the 142 fallen members of the Hall. His inner demon finally dissolves, restoring his vitality and turning his graying hair black.
• Chen Xian secretly helps suppress the poison in Zhao Ke’s body.
• The chapter ends when an unknown creature roars from within the Abyss Mist. Golden Sun and Withered Wood scream for help before their Dao Selves are apparently destroyed. Heavy footsteps approach, suggesting the arrival of a terrifying entity—possibly one capable of killing Dao Venerables permanently.

Character Developments

• Chen Xian: Demonstrates overwhelming mastery of spatial laws and easily defeats two Dao Venerables. He remains calm and controlled, choosing not to pursue their fleeing Dao Selves. His intervention for Zhao Ke shows loyalty and respect for promises, while his quiet healing assistance reveals compassion beneath his ruthless strength.
• Golden Sun Venerable: His confidence turns to terror when Chen Xian breaks free of the spatial trap. Though his physical body is destroyed, his Dao Self initially survives—until an unknown force later eliminates it.
• Withered Wood Venerable: His Dao heart collapses completely after witnessing Chen Xian’s power. He abandons his artifact and flees in desperation, only to have his body destroyed. His final fate appears worse than mere physical death.
• Zhao Ke: Moves from despair and near defeat to completing his long-awaited revenge. Killing Xie Xuan allows him to release decades of grief and hatred, dissolve his inner demon, and regain youthful vitality.
• Xie Xuan: His arrogance and triumph collapse when Chen Xian intervenes. He dies kneeling before Zhao Ke, overwhelmed by fear and regret.

Significant Themes

• Revenge and justice: Zhao Ke’s killing of Xie Xuan fulfills the blood vengeance of the Medical Saint Hall and honors its dead.
• Release from hatred: Revenge allows Zhao Ke to sever his karmic burden and inner demon, symbolizing emotional liberation rather than simple physical victory.
• Power and helplessness: Chen Xian’s effortless defeat of the Dao Venerables emphasizes the vast gap between him and ordinary cultivators.
• Mortality and incomplete death: The Dao Selves allow Dao Venerables to escape physical destruction, but the unknown entity introduces a force capable of erasing even that final refuge.
• Loyalty and compassion: Chen Xian keeps his promise to Old Zhao, assists Zhao Ke without seeking recognition, and respects his mourning.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Xian humiliates and defeats Golden Sun and Withered Wood, taking the Void-Fixing Orb from them.
• Chen Xian intervenes in Zhao Ke and Xie Xuan’s fight, restraining Xie Xuan so Zhao can deliver the final execution.
• Zhao Ke kills Xie Xuan with the same ruler associated with the Medical Saint Hall, publicly reclaiming his master’s honor.
• Chen Xian silently supports Zhao Ke’s mourning and healing before the emergence of the unknown entity interrupts the scene.