Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Huan and Qiu Tongdan see the newly arrived leader of the Harmony and Prosperity Union but dismiss the possibility that he is Shi Wen because of his transformed appearance, imposing presence, and powerful entourage.
• Han Xiaoyue and Xiao Qingqing also suspect that the young leader resembles people they previously encountered, including Shi Wen and the mysterious man who rescued Han Xiaoyue, but they conclude that such identities are unlikely.
• Shi Wen enters Jiangcheng Tower with members of the Harmony and Prosperity Union and immediately demands to know where the Red Lantern Gang is.
• He confronts Zhou Shuisan, the gang’s leader, and brutally interrogates him about whether he knows Shi Wen. Zhou Shuisan is unable to resist and is repeatedly smashed into the floor.
• When Zhou Shuisan reveals that the Red Lantern Gang seized Shi Wen for the Dragon King Festival on someone else’s orders, Shi Wen kills him before he can identify the mastermind.
• Shi Wen declares that anyone who refuses to submit to the Harmony and Prosperity Union will die. His statement provokes powerful figures from major gangs, prominent families, martial sects, and the county office.
• More than a dozen Force Refining experts attack Shi Wen simultaneously. Their combined assault destroys the surrounding furnishings and floor, but Shi Wen remains completely unharmed.
• The chapter ends as Shi Wen prepares to retaliate, his body visibly beginning to swell with power.

Character Developments

• Shi Wen: Revealed to be the seemingly ordinary junior disciple who has undergone a dramatic transformation in status, appearance, and strength. He is now the Dragon Head of the Harmony and Prosperity Union, acts with absolute confidence, and pursues revenge against those involved in his abduction. His brutality and resilience establish him as a terrifying martial powerhouse.
• Zhou Shuisan: Initially defiant, he becomes terrified when he realizes Shi Wen vastly surpasses him. His death confirms that the Dragon King Festival abduction was connected to a deeper conspiracy.
• Qin Huan and Qiu Tongdan: Their disbelief and relief show how dramatically Shi Wen’s identity and power have changed; they cannot reconcile the powerful leader with the poor, quiet student they knew.
• Han Xiaoyue and Xiao Qingqing: Both recognize similarities between Shi Wen and figures from their past, hinting that Shi Wen’s hidden identity may soon be uncovered.
• The local power brokers: The Black Whale Gang, Inner City families, Flying Cloud Pavilion, and County Office shift from mockery to direct confrontation, underestimating Shi Wen’s capabilities.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identity and transformation: Shi Wen’s former humble identity contrasts sharply with his current position as an overwhelmingly powerful leader.
• Revenge and unanswered conspiracies: The Dragon King Festival abduction was not a simple ritual or random attack; someone specifically ordered it, creating a larger mystery.
• Power and submission: Shi Wen seeks to unite Black Cloud County under his authority, presenting submission as the only alternative to death.
• Underestimation and shock: Nearly everyone misjudges Shi Wen because of his age and former status, only to be confronted with his overwhelming strength.
• Violence as authority: Shi Wen uses extreme brutality to establish dominance, intimidate rivals, and force the region’s powers to recognize him.

Character Interactions

• Qin Huan and Qiu Tongdan debate whether Shi Wen could truly be the Harmony and Prosperity Union’s Dragon Head.
• Han Xiaoyue and Xiao Qingqing separately notice Shi Wen’s resemblance to men connected to their past experiences.
• Shi Wen interrogates and attacks Zhou Shuisan, while Zhou Biao supports him and executes or suppresses resisting Red Lantern Gang members.
• Shi Wen challenges all the major factions in Jiangcheng Tower, arguing that they cannot defend Black Cloud County from the Gray Mist and should instead place their resources under his protection.
• The local martial elites collectively attack Shi Wen, but their combined strength fails to injure him, setting up his imminent counterattack.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Wen, now four meters tall and incredibly powerful, appears at Jiangcheng Tower, radiating intense heat and causing destruction.
• He easily defeats and kills numerous Blood Refining Force martial artists, including those from the Harmony and Prosperity Union and the County Office.
• After the massacre, Shi Wen demands the submission of the remaining martial artists and the Zhou and Zhao families of the Inner City.
• He returns fifty strings of cash to Han Xiaoyue and throws her into the Dragon King River.
• Shi Wen tasks Zhou Biao with cleaning up the Han family and following up on Han Xiaoyue.

Character Developments

• Shi Wen: He has become significantly stronger, with a body like molten steel and increased killing intent. He struggles to control his urge to kill and suppress the influence of the Life-Death Withered Dragon Flame Blood.
• Zhou Biao: He becomes the second Head of Operations of the Harmony and Prosperity Union and takes charge of cleaning up the Han family.
• Han Xiaoyue: She is thrown into the Dragon King River by Shi Wen.

Significant Themes

• Power and its consequences: Shi Wen's increased power brings destruction and fear, but also submission from others.
• Control and influence: Shi Wen struggles to control his killing intent and the influence of the Life-Death Withered Dragon Flame Blood on his heart.
• Loyalty and betrayal: Characters like Zhou Biao and Xiao Duanjiang switch allegiances based on power dynamics.

Character Interactions

• Shi Wen intimidates and defeats the other martial artists, demanding their submission.
• He interacts briefly with Han Xiaoyue before throwing her into the river.
• Zhou Biao follows Shi Wen's orders to clean up the Han family and take charge of the Harmony and Prosperity Union's operations.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiang Ju, a Quanzhen Sect elder, confronts Shi Wen, accusing him of killing True Immortal Temple disciples.
• Shi Wen reveals he killed the disciples and taunts Xiang Ju, provoking him to fight.
• Xiang Ju attacks Shi Wen, who transforms into a giant, demonstrating immense physical power.
• Xiang Ju and Shi Wen engage in a fierce battle, with Xiang Ju using his Quanzhen Sect techniques and Shi Wen relying on his powerful body and brute force.

Character Developments

• Shi Wen: Shows arrogance, impatience, and a tendency towards violence. His body becomes increasingly powerful, but he also experiences negative side effects.
• Xiang Ju: Initially enraged and murderous, he becomes more cautious and analytical as he realizes Shi Wen's power. He shows concern for the safety of his sect and the True Immortal Temple's rituals.

Significant Themes

• Power vs. Technique: Shi Wen's raw physical power versus Xiang Ju's refined martial arts techniques.
• Arrogance and Provocation: Shi Wen's taunts and provocations, which drive Xiang Ju to fight him.
• The Unknown: Xiang Ju's curiosity and uncertainty about Shi Wen's origins and powers.

Character Interactions

• Shi Wen and Xiang Ju: They engage in a hostile exchange, with Shi Wen provoking Xiang Ju and Xiang Ju trying to uncover Shi Wen's secrets.
• Shi Wen and the Deceased Disciples: Shi Wen expresses no remorse for killing the disciples, even mocking them in front of Xiang Ju.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiang Ju, a second-step Quanzhen martial expert, attacks Shi Wen, who is protecting Black Cloud County.
• Shi Wen, despite his lower martial realm, manages to kill Xiang Ju using his 100x Scorching True Intent.
• After Xiang Ju's death, a mysterious, ghostly figure merges into Shi Wen's body, unnoticed by him.
• A twin-tailed girl in red appears, revealing that Shi Wen has been afflicted by Human Birch.

Character Developments

• Shi Wen demonstrates immense strength and resilience, capable of killing a much stronger opponent.
• Xiang Ju showcases his undying body and powerful martial arts, but underestimates Shi Wen's capabilities.
• The twin-tailed girl in red is introduced, displaying knowledge of the Human Birch affliction.

Significant Themes

• The struggle between powerful forces and the resilience of the individual.
• The consequences of underestimating one's opponent.
• The introduction of a mysterious curse or affliction (Human Birch).

Character Interactions

• Shi Wen vs. Xiang Ju: A battle of strength, strategy, and endurance.
• Shi Wen vs. Twin-tailed girl in red: A brief encounter with a mysterious figure who reveals a hidden threat.
• No significant interactions between other characters in this chapter.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After defeating Xiang Ju, Shi Wen encounters a mysterious young woman named Bai Yingying, who is sitting casually in a willow tree by the river. Her sudden appearance is unsettling because neither Shi Wen nor the powerful Xiang Ju had detected her presence.
• Bai Yingying reveals that Shi Wen’s victory over Xiang Ju—a Second Step Quanzhen True Person who had fused with truth seven times—is highly unusual for someone still condensing Blood-Strength.
• She explains that Shi Wen has been infected by Human Birch, a horrifying technique from the True Immortal Temple. The technique transforms its victims into trees and ultimately causes them to become part of Lin Weidao’s True Source.
• Bai Yingying describes the infection’s progression: fever and nightmares, black marks on the skin, moss and wood-like flesh, increasing sluggishness and thirst, the growth of branches and white flowers from the body, and finally death.
• Shi Wen discovers black spots on his chest that cannot be removed, confirming that Bai Yingying is telling the truth.
• Bai Yingying also explains that the True Immortal Temple has conducted murderous rituals for centuries, sacrificing enormous numbers of people to strengthen its True Source. Shi Wen’s destruction of their ritual has therefore dealt a humiliating blow to the organization.
• She offers Shi Wen a deal: complete a mission for her and the organization known as Black Shadow, and she will remove the Human Birch infection and give him an opportunity to transcend.
• Shi Wen distrusts her and attacks. However, Bai Yingying effortlessly avoids every strike, repeatedly appearing in different willow trees without seeming to move.
• She claims that her perception is vastly beyond Shi Wen’s and that even Quanzhen martial artists would struggle to perceive or harm her. She dismisses conventional martial arts as insignificant compared with the true dangers of the supernatural world.

Character Developments

• Shi Wen is shown to be physically formidable, resilient, and highly cautious. Despite his exhaustion and the revelation that he may die within ten days, he remains composed, restores his strength, and immediately tests Bai Yingying rather than accepting her claims.
• His inability to detect Bai Yingying or touch her exposes a major limitation in his current abilities and establishes that he is still far below the highest supernatural powers.
• Bai Yingying is introduced as mysterious, overwhelmingly powerful, and difficult to classify. She appears innocent and playful, but her knowledge of powerful organizations, supernatural corruption, and death reveals her immense experience and dangerous nature.
• Bai Yingying also displays an interest in recruiting or using Shi Wen, suggesting that she sees potential value in him despite considering his current strength unimpressive.

Significant Themes

• The limits of martial arts: Shi Wen’s physical power is extraordinary within his realm, but Bai Yingying’s abilities operate on a level beyond ordinary perception and combat.
• Transformation and loss of humanity: Human Birch represents a terrifying corruption in which a person gradually becomes an object or resource within another being’s power.
• Power and hidden hierarchies: The True Immortal Temple and Black Shadow reveal a much larger world of organizations and entities far beyond the conflicts Shi Wen has previously faced.
• Manipulation through desperation: Bai Yingying uses Shi Wen’s impending death to offer a tempting bargain, raising questions about whether salvation from one threat may lead to enslavement by another.
• Cosmic change and instability: References to upheavals in Tiannan Prefecture, contaminated Immortal Yin, Gray Mist, and changes in heaven and earth suggest that the world is undergoing major supernatural transformations.

Character Interactions

• Bai Yingying speaks to Shi Wen with teasing familiarity, alternating between childish amusement and disturbing descriptions of his impending death.
• Shi Wen remains guarded and largely silent, refusing to be intimidated or persuaded by her words.
• Their interaction becomes a demonstration of power: Shi Wen repeatedly attacks, while Bai Yingying predicts and evades him effortlessly.
• Bai Yingying positions herself as both a potential savior and a possible threat, offering to cure him while proposing that he work for Black Shadow. The chapter ends with Shi Wen unable to challenge her physically and still uncertain whether to trust her.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Wen, a time-traveler, encounters a mysterious girl, Bai Yingying, who reveals that martial arts are mere jokes and that powerful martial artists are food for mysterious beings.
• Bai Yingying demonstrates her superior power by appearing and disappearing at will, even standing face-to-face with Shi Wen despite his considerable height.
• Bai Yingying reveals that the Red Lantern Gang, which Shi Wen had left untouched, has a mysterious background, and he was unknowingly influenced by them.
• She warns Shi Wen that he will be taken to Dragon Sorrow Ravine to feed True Beasts on the third day of the fifth month, and that offspring of a vassal king from Zhang'an Prefecture will arrive to eat him due to his powerful physique.

Character Developments

• Shi Wen: Realizes the true nature of martial arts and the existence of more powerful beings. He becomes determined to uncover more secrets and reach the peak of his age.
• Bai Yingying: Reveals her immense power and knowledge, showing disdain for martial artists. She seems to have a playful and manipulative nature.

Significant Themes

• The true nature of power and the existence of beings beyond human comprehension.
• The manipulation and influence of powerful forces on the lives of mortals.
• The theme of the unknown and the mysterious, with Bai Yingying's revelations about the Red Lantern Gang and the True Beasts.

Character Interactions

• Shi Wen and Bai Yingying: Their interaction is marked by Shi Wen's growing realization of Bai Yingying's power and the revelations she makes about the true nature of the world. Bai Yingying, in turn, seems amused by Shi Wen's reactions and plays with him, revealing information in a playful and taunting manner.
• The Red Lantern Gang and the Esoteric Sect: Although not directly present, their influence is felt through their control over Shi Wen and their role in his impending fate.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Yingying reveals that martial artists are insignificant compared with mysterious beings called “Celestial Dragons,” who possess supernatural powers and secretly manipulate events in Black Cloud County.
• Shi Wen learns that ordinary people without Spiritual Perception cannot cultivate the same system as Bai Yingying and her kind.
• Bai Yingying offers to make Shi Wen her vassal, granting him enhanced strength, vitality, longevity, heightened senses, partial immortality, and a small portion of her power through a “fetal seed.”
• To demonstrate her abilities, she creates an illusion of an extravagant palace filled with beauty, wine, and pleasure, then transforms it into a horrifying scene of corpses, rot, maggots, and decay. She explains that she can control what people perceive.
• Shi Wen refuses to become her vassal, fearing the loss of control over his body and life.
• He instead asks to join Black Shadow as a peripheral member. Though Bai Yingying initially considers him too weak, she agrees to sponsor and protect him.
• Bai Yingying gives Shi Wen a Calming Heart Pill and a black Black Shadow token. The pill is meant to help him survive three flare-ups of the Human Birch, a dangerous condition or entity inside his body.
• Shi Wen secretly notices that the Extreme Seal reacts to the token, but conceals this discovery.
• Bai Yingying declares Shi Wen “one of hers” and leads him through Black Cloud County to meet Ye Li, another mysterious figure with whom she has a hostile or complicated history.
• On the way, Bai Yingying deliberately attracts trouble by pretending to be frightened and hiding behind Shi Wen. Several local bullies and wealthy young men provoke them, and Shi Wen kills them, believing they would otherwise suffer an even worse fate.
• The chapter ends as Shi Wen and Bai Yingying arrive at a large, silent estate with red lanterns hanging at the gate.

Character Developments

• Shi Wen: His worldview is shaken by the revelation that martial artists are weak compared with supernatural beings. He remains cautious and skeptical, rejecting Bai Yingying’s offer of direct empowerment while pragmatically accepting membership in Black Shadow. He also demonstrates lethal decisiveness when dealing with local troublemakers and secretly investigates the connection between the Black Shadow token and his Extreme Seal.
• Bai Yingying: She displays immense power, including sensory manipulation, illusion creation, bodily transformation, and the ability to grant supernatural strength. Her playful, provocative behavior contrasts with her dangerous nature. Although she treats Shi Wen teasingly and possessively, she also shows concern about protecting him from stronger enemies.
• Ye Li: She does not appear directly, but Bai Yingying’s comments establish her as an important figure and someone with whom Bai Yingying has a tense, antagonistic relationship.

Significant Themes

• The insignificance of human power: Ordinary martial arts are portrayed as trivial in comparison with the abilities of supernatural beings.
• Perception versus reality: Bai Yingying’s illusion demonstrates that people may be unable to trust their senses or distinguish reality from manipulation.
• Power and autonomy: Shi Wen refuses supernatural empowerment because it would place his body and life under Bai Yingying’s control, emphasizing his desire to retain independence.
• Hidden supernatural societies: Black Shadow, the True Immortal Temple, the Human Birch, and Spiritual Perception hint at a much larger secret world operating within ordinary human society.
• Protection and danger: Joining Black Shadow offers Shi Wen status and protection but also exposes him to powerful enemies and unfamiliar rules.

Character Interactions

• Bai Yingying repeatedly tries to persuade Shi Wen to become her vassal, while Shi Wen maintains his distrust and refuses.
• Their relationship is marked by a mixture of manipulation, teasing, possessiveness, and reluctant cooperation.
• Bai Yingying tests Shi Wen by showing him her terrifying abilities and giving him the Calming Heart Pill.
• She publicly treats Shi Wen as someone under her protection, while he follows her cautiously and handles the physical threats she provokes.
• Their journey to meet Ye Li sets up a likely confrontation or politically significant encounter with another powerful supernatural figure.

Key Plot Points & Events

• Shi Wen and Bai Yingying enter Ye Li's estate, finding it filled with corpses.
• A voice belonging to Ye Li taunts Shi Wen and reveals his past actions.
• Three ordinary-looking people, later revealed to be 'divine envoys', attack Shi Wen.
• Shi Wen tests various methods to kill them, ultimately using Scorching True Intent to destroy one of the envoys.

Character Developments

• Shi Wen demonstrates his strength and resilience against the envoys, showcasing his ability to withstand and adapt to new threats.
• Bai Yingying's true nature is hinted at, as she seems to enjoy watching Shi Wen fight and offers rewards for victory.
• Ye Li's character is further revealed as cruel and power-hungry, with a history of mass slaughter.

Significant Themes

• The theme of power and its corrupting influence is emphasized through Ye Li's actions and the envoys' immortality.
• The struggle between ordinary people and extraordinary beings is highlighted, with the envoys' immortality contrasting with their lack of martial cultivation.

Character Interactions

• Shi Wen and Bai Yingying's dynamic is established, with her showing affection towards him while also pushing him to fight.
• The envoys display a sense of camaraderie, watching Shi Wen's fight with amusement and supporting each other.
• Ye Li's voice interacts with Shi Wen, taunting him and revealing past events.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Wen, now over four meters tall and grotesque, kills a woman and absorbs her energy using the Extreme Seal.
• He realizes he can also use humans as energy sources and plans to find more powerful ones.
• He encounters an invisible attack method in a courtyard, which he can't counter, and flees.
• Bai Yingying appears, gives Shi Wen a token, and hints at his connection to the Heart Studio.

Character Developments

• Shi Wen: Becomes more savage and desperate for power, willing to absorb human energy and face unknown karma. He also starts training various martial arts to improve his strength.
• Bai Yingying: Reveals she knows about Shi Wen's connection to the Heart Studio and leaves him a token for protection.

Significant Themes

• Power and its corrupting influence: Shi Wen's desperation for power leads him to consider absorbing human energy and facing unknown consequences.
• Deception and truth: The mention of the Heart Studio and its deceptive practices raises questions about what Shi Wen has forgotten and who has been deceiving him.

Character Interactions

• Shi Wen and Bai Yingying: They meet again, and she gives him a token for protection, hinting at his connection to the Heart Studio. She also mentions she has subordinates who will arrive later.
• Shi Wen and the two men: Shi Wen kills them easily, demonstrating his increased strength.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Wen evolves the branch given by Bai Yingying into a 'Fantasy Limb' that grants an extra arm, visible only to the user.
• Ji Ming, the prince's son, travels to True Immortal Temple with his subordinates, having just relocated and killed over a million people from White Mountain City.
• True Immortal Temple, a desolate and eerie place, is where Ji Ming is headed to visit his mother.

Character Developments

• Shi Wen becomes more determined to increase his strength after his experiences.
• Ji Ming displays his ruthlessness and disregard for life, relocating and killing a million people without remorse.
• Lin Weidao, a Daoist at True Immortal Temple, is revealed to have climbed the ranks through manipulation and deceit.

Significant Themes

• Power and Strength: Shi Wen and Ji Ming both prioritize strength and power to achieve their goals.
• Ruthlessness and Disregard for Life: Ji Ming's actions towards the people of White Mountain City highlight his lack of empathy.
• Manipulation and Deceit: Lin Weidao's rise to power through manipulation and pleasing others is a stark contrast to Shi Wen's straightforward approach.

Character Interactions

• Shi Wen interacts with Zhou Biao (off-screen), planning to get more pills to increase his martial cultivation.
• Ji Ming interacts with his subordinates, Situ Ming and Xing Tao, ordering them around and discussing plans for Black Cloud County.
• Ji Ming meets Lin Weidao at True Immortal Temple, displaying disdain towards him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Weidao sends Taoists to Black Cloud County to investigate and oversee a ritual to lure out the True Beast.
• Xing Tao, a groom, discovers Lin Weidao's connection to the Prairie Fire Society and confronts him.
• A group of travelers, later revealed to be members of the Hall of Bitter Resentment, arrive at an inn in Black Cloud County. They discuss their relocation and mention a local martial artist, Shi Wen, who is to be promoted.

Character Developments

• Lin Weidao is revealed to be colluding with the Prairie Fire Society, a rebel faction.
• Xing Tao shows his true form, indicating he possesses immense strength and is not just a groom.
• The travelers from the Hall of Bitter Resentment display their arrogance and disdain for locals, hinting at potential conflicts.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and corruption within the Taoist hierarchy.
• The tension between local martial artists and outsiders with political influence.
• The potential for conflict and betrayal among allies.

Character Interactions

• Lin Weidao and Xing Tao: Lin Weidao's calm demeanor contrasts with Xing Tao's aggressive nature, revealing a power imbalance.
• The travelers from the Hall of Bitter Resentment: They display camaraderie but also show disrespect for locals, foreshadowing potential conflicts with the locals, including Shi Wen.

Summary of the Chapter

1. Key Plot Points / Events

• A group of elite martial artists is eating at an inn on the way to Black Cloud County.
• They learn that a fifteen-year-old boy is set to become a deacon of the Hall of Bitter Resentment—a position they consider undeserved.
• Linghua plans to confront and humiliate the boy, while others hesitate out of fear of the lord.
• They discuss the possibility that the boy may be the lord’s vassal or has passed the “Divine Selection of Zhaogan,” which would make him untouchable.
• After the conversation, Zheng Tong casually smashes Xingyuehong’s head; she regenerates.
• A waiter witnesses this and screams “Ghosts!” He and the innkeeper are then killed by a black-clothed man.
• On Zheng Tong’s order, Xingyuehong kills all remaining innocent people in the inn, leaving it bathed in blood.

2. Character Developments

• Linghua: Arrogant, resentful, and impulsive; obsessed with “fairness” and proving his own worth.
• Xingyuehong: Soft-spoken and seemingly timid, but possesses terrifying regenerative powers; reluctant to kill innocents yet obediently does so under orders.
• Zheng Tong: Appears to be the group’s leader—ruthless, decisive, and casually violent toward both his own companions and innocent people.
• Black-clothed man: Silent, obedient, and deadly; uses a extending metal rod to kill without hesitation.

3. Significant Themes

• Power hierarchy and inequality: Martial artists are powerful among ordinary people, but nothing compared to the “lords” who grant them power through Rongzhen.
• The futility of martial arts: All martial arts ultimately serve the great figures; even peak martial artists are treated as “ants.”
• Arbitrary violence and human life: Innkeepers and bystanders are slaughtered without a second thought, showing the devaluation of ordinary life in this world.
• Body horror and grotesque power: Xingyuehong’s regeneration and the casual mutilation highlight the inhuman, monstrous nature of these warriors.

4. Character Interactions

• Linghua openly complains about the fifteen-year-old and seeks support; Xingyuehong cautions him and raises the possibility of the boy being the lord’s vassal, which silences the group.
• Zheng Tong ends the argument by violently slapping Xingyuehong’s head off, displaying both dominance and the casual cruelty within the group.
• Xingyuehong protests killing innocent people, but Zheng Tong insists, and she complies—showing the group’s blind obedience to authority.
• The black-clothed man communicates through action, executing the witnesses without a word.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ji Ming, a Mortal Descendant, visits his mother, Moon-Eroding Divine Crone, at the True Immortal Temple on Unfixed Peak.
• He witnesses his mother devouring fragments of an Outer God, indicating her significant growth in power.
• Ji Ming inquires about a servant, Shang E, who has been visiting his mother, causing him jealousy and anger.

Character Developments

• Ji Ming: He is proud of his mother's accomplishments but feels inferior due to his low bloodline and life rank. He is jealous of Shang E's closeness to his mother and feels wronged by her rejection.
• Moon-Eroding Divine Crone: She is powerful, proud, and demanding. She values strength and bloodline, showing disdain for Ji Ming's lack of progress. She is focused on her cultivation and has little patience for Ji Ming's personal issues.

Significant Themes

• Power and Bloodline: Moon-Eroding values strength and pure bloodline, looking down on Ji Ming for his low life rank and bloodline.
• Jealousy and Frustration: Ji Ming feels jealous of Shang E's closeness to his mother and frustrated by her rejection, leading to his outburst.

Character Interactions

• Ji Ming and Moon-Eroding: Their interaction is tense and filled with conflict. Moon-Eroding is dismissive of Ji Ming, while he feels wronged and angry.
• Ji Ming and the Stone Lions: They exchange information, with Ji Ming bribing them to learn about Shang E's visits to his mother.
• Ji Ming and Lin Weidao: Ji Ming slaps Lin Weidao across the face in a fit of anger after seeing his Flood Dragon Horses eating Xing Tao's corpse.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Weidao is slapped and beaten by Ji Ming after revealing that the Flood Dragon Horse was Ji Ming's groom.
• Lin Weidao offers Ji Ming ways to please Teacher and have intimate contact with Shang E, using Heavenly Fragrance Powder.
• Ji Ming agrees to go with Lin Weidao to meet his circle of women.
• Shi Wen collects the best pills, exotic beast meat, and other valuable resources from Black Cloud County, consolidating power and purging those who refuse to submit.

Character Developments

• Ji Ming: Shows his violent and lustful nature, easily manipulated by Lin Weidao.
• Shi Wen: Becomes more ruthless and decisive, purging Black Cloud County of resistance and consolidating power.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and power dynamics (Lin Weidao manipulating Ji Ming, Shi Wen consolidating power).
• The corrupting influence of power (Ji Ming's violent behavior, Shi Wen's ruthless purging).

Character Interactions

• Lin Weidao and Ji Ming: Lin Weidao manipulates Ji Ming for his own gain, while Ji Ming is easily swayed by Lin Weidao's promises of pleasure and power.
• Shi Wen and Black Cloud County residents: Shi Wen ruthlessly purges those who refuse to submit, consolidating power and improving public order.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Wen acquires and consumes rare special minerals, including Mystic Iron. His breathing technique transforms them into a powerful “Frost Flow” that strengthens his entire body.
• His blood becomes denser, his muscles and tendons tougher, his organs more resilient, and his bones develop the hardness of Mystic Iron. His immense appetite forces him to consume vast quantities of pills and exotic beast meat.
• He trains while holding a blazing furnace, cultivating both the Fire-Force Chapter and True Strength Chapter of the Black Crow Fire-Qi Demon-Subduing True Power Technique simultaneously.
• Over one week, Shi Wen perfects the Six Harmonies Eight Desolations Baji Fist and nearly every other physical-strengthening martial art available in Black Cloud County.
• Dissatisfied with the slow pace of normal cultivation, he attempts to develop Blood-Strength, Organ-Strength, and Bone-Strength at the same time. He succeeds, causing explosive growth and effectively completing the Strength-Refining Realm in an unprecedented manner.
• His weight surpasses five thousand jin, his height exceeds two meters, and his physical durability and regenerative ability become extraordinarily powerful. Even while suppressing his strength, he can severely injure Blood Refining Force martial artists with one hand.
• Despite his tremendous progress, Shi Wen remains troubled by the mysterious invisible force that once cut everything apart, believing his martial arts may never reach that level.
• Li Huoxing reports that a strange young woman from Tiannan Prefecture wishes to see Shi Wen. Her Republican-era clothing confuses him because he has no apparent connection to her.
• The visitor, Juan’er, initially appears frail and composed, but suddenly transforms into a grotesque entity. Her mouth tears open, she hysterically claims to have found Shi Wen, and her body explodes before gray-black flesh and tentacles attack him.

Character Developments

• Shi Wen: Experiences a dramatic leap in physical power, completing multiple forms of body refinement simultaneously. His body becomes nearly indestructible, but his confidence is tempered by frustration over the vastly superior mysterious power he previously witnessed.
• Li Huoxing: Remains loyal and respectful as Shi Wen’s attendant. His past defeat by Dragon Head has humbled him and destroyed his former ambition to dominate the region.
• Juan’er: Is revealed to be something far more dangerous and unnatural than an ordinary visitor, apparently driven by obsession, resentment, or a curse connected to Shi Wen.

Significant Themes

• Extreme cultivation and bodily transformation: Shi Wen pushes martial training beyond conventional limits, turning his body into a weapon through minerals, food, and relentless practice.
• The limits of strength: Even extraordinary martial power feels inadequate when compared with the incomprehensible force Shi Wen once encountered.
• Human versus monstrous: Juan’er’s horrific transformation abruptly shifts the chapter from disciplined cultivation to supernatural terror.
• Mystery and entanglement: The appearance of someone dressed in modern-era clothing suggests hidden links between Shi Wen’s world, the Republican government, and strange forces beyond ordinary martial arts.

Character Interactions

• Shi Wen and Li Huoxing interact in a master-and-attendant relationship, with Li Huoxing reporting the visitor respectfully while privately marveling at Shi Wen’s strength.
• Shi Wen questions Juan’er about their connection, but instead of answering, she reveals her monstrous nature and attacks him.
• The chapter ends on a cliffhanger as Juan’er’s exploded body releases tentacles that attempt to enter Shi Wen’s body through his ears, nose, and mouth.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Wen encounters a mysterious, tentacled entity while practicing.
• He evolves a new ability, "Negative Retina," which allows him to see things invisible to the naked eye, but has mental contamination side effects.
• Shi Wen learns about a Gray Mist sighting in the city and decides to investigate.

Character Developments

• Shi Wen demonstrates increased calmness and strategic thinking, choosing to evolve "Negative Retina" despite its risks.
• He shows determination and diligence in his training, even during travel.

Significant Themes

• The struggle to see and understand the mysterious entities and their powers.
• The consequences and risks of gaining new abilities.
• The importance of diligence and dedication in personal growth.

Character Interactions

• Shi Wen interacts with his subordinates, Li Huoxing and others, who show reverence for his dedication.
• A brief interaction occurs between Shi Wen and an interviewer, Director Wen, who discusses the standards for university candidates, reflecting the competitive academic environment.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wen Shuheng, the young and influential director of admissions at National Qinshou University, is interviewing potential students.
• He learns about innovative methods used by other universities to enhance students' focus and academic performance.
• Wen Shuheng discovers Shi Wen, a member of the Black Crow Army, through a vision and decides to have him killed.
• He tasks a group of students with eliminating Shi Wen and replacing the Rongzhen object in Black Cloud County.
• Wen Shuheng communicates with Lin Weidao, a powerful figure in the Rot-Borer, using a clever method.

Character Developments

• Wen Shuheng: Demonstrates his strong principles and dedication to the university's standards. He also shows his ruthless side, ordering a hit on Shi Wen.
• Shi Wen: Although not physically present, his importance is highlighted as Wen Shuheng seeks his elimination.

Significant Themes

• Education and its role in societal change: Wen Shuheng's focus on diligence and painstaking research reflects the university's commitment to shaping students' minds and values.
• Power and corruption: Wen Shuheng's use of his influence to order a hit on Shi Wen raises questions about the abuse of power.
• The struggle between old and new: The conflict between the Black Crow Army and the Republic New Policy represents the tension between traditional values and modern ideals.

Character Interactions

• Wen Shuheng interacts with the admissions officers, demonstrating his authority and determination to maintain high recruitment standards.
• He meets with a group of students, entrusting them with the task of eliminating Shi Wen and infiltrating Black Cloud County.
• Wen Shuheng communicates with Lin Weidao, suggesting a connection or alliance between them.

Chapter Summary: “Dark Threads—Have You Forgotten Our Heavenly Venerable's Name?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• In the Calamity Sea, Lin Weidao meets Wen Shuheng inside a fragile space formed by countless intersecting dark threads.
• Lin reveals his plan to manipulate Ji Ming, the useless heir of the Prince of Zhang’an Prefecture. Because Ji Ming is a Mortal Yin with many weaknesses, Lin hopes to gradually corrupt and control him, eventually taking over Zhang’an Prefecture.
• Lin asks Wen to arrange people who resemble Moon-Eroding Divine Crone and Shang E, intending to exploit Ji Ming’s preferences and vulnerability. Wen agrees to provide them through his organization’s plastic-surgery resources.
• Lin also needs the True Beast in Black Cloud County to complete a ritual or method that will allow him to condense a body of Spiritual Perception. Wen assures him that the plan will succeed and promises help with the Divine Selection of Zhaogan ritual.
• Lin asks Wen to investigate the Black Crow Army, but learns that they have joined the Extreme Yang Society. Wen instead asks Lin to kill Shi Wen, who is currently in Black Cloud County. Lin readily agrees.
• Shi Wen examines case files concerning bizarre incidents connected to the Gray Mist. The mist can alter people’s minds and perceptions, producing realistic illusions that even Shi Wen struggles to distinguish from reality.
• He enters a silent, corpse-filled alley to investigate. Inside, the environment becomes older, more decayed, and more distorted, while the people outside appear blurred, impoverished, and sickly.
• With Bai Yingying still missing, Shi Wen decides to investigate strange incidents on his own in order to gather energy and accelerate his evolution.

Character Developments

• Lin Weidao is shown as manipulative, ambitious, and morally compromised. He intends to exploit Ji Ming and is willing to use disguises, deception, and murder to advance his position. Despite his confidence, he remains deeply concerned about obtaining Spiritual Perception and escaping his dependent status.
• Wen Shuheng acts as Lin’s conspiratorial partner and appears connected to the Republic New Policy and its resources. He is mocking and pragmatic, but also reveres the mysterious Heavenly Venerable of Inverted Void and Law-Reversal.
• Ji Ming is characterized as a foolish, weak-willed heir whose status and Mortal Yin constitution make him valuable despite his incompetence.
• Shi Wen continues developing into a more capable investigator. Although he recognizes that the Gray Mist can deceive even him, he proceeds into danger rather than relying on others, driven by the need to evolve.
• Bai Yingying’s disappearance increases Shi Wen’s isolation and forces him to handle investigations independently.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and exploitation: Lin and Wen treat people as tools, using Ji Ming’s weaknesses and physical imitation to advance political and occult schemes.
• Identity and illusion: The Gray Mist distorts appearances, memories, and perceptions, raising questions about what is real and whether anyone can trust their senses.
• Power and social hierarchy: Lin’s desire for Spiritual Perception reflects his resentment of being dependent on others and his determination to rise despite his low origins.
• Corruption and danger: The Calamity Sea, Gray Mist, and Heavenly Venerable all represent forces that twist reality and contaminate those who seek power from them.
• Survival in a chaotic world: Both conspirators and investigators pursue power or evolution simply to endure increasingly unstable conditions.

Character Interactions

• Lin Weidao and Wen Shuheng: Their conversation establishes a cooperative but threatening alliance. They exchange resources, intelligence, and assassination plans while using humor and mockery to mask mutual distrust.
• Lin Weidao and Ji Ming: Though Ji Ming does not appear directly, Lin views him as an easily controlled target whose position can be exploited.
• Shi Wen and Li Huoxing: Li provides the case files and waits outside while Shi Wen investigates, highlighting Shi Wen’s leadership and willingness to enter danger alone.
• Shi Wen and the Gray Mist: The mist functions almost like an active opponent, warping the alley and the perceptions of those within it.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Wen enters an alley filled with starving people, affected by the Gray Mist.
• He encounters a woman cooking a human child (Gou Dan) instead of a piglet, driven mad by hunger.
• Shi Wen destroys the alley, killing the woman and freeing Gou Dan.
• He returns home, reflecting on the harsh reality and his newfound powers.

Character Developments

• Shi Wen: Becomes more empathetic towards the suffering of others, struggles with the reality of his powers and the world's cruelty.
• The Woman: Driven to madness and cannibalism by extreme hunger and desperation.

Significant Themes

• Cruelty and desperation caused by hunger and poverty.
• The blurring line between reality and illusion, reflected in Shi Wen's powers and the Gray Mist's effects.
• The consequences of extreme circumstances on human behavior.

Character Interactions

• Shi Wen interacts with the desperate woman, witnessing her madness and ultimate fate.
• He reflects on his experiences with Li Huoxing and the gang members, feeling a growing distance due to his new powers.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The True Immortal Temple investigates Shi Wen after Elder Xiang Ju and other disciples disappear. Their findings show that Shi Wen, despite having cultivated for less than a month, possesses extraordinary strength and is connected to the incident.
• Elder Xiang Ji dismisses Shi Wen as too weak to have killed a Quanzhen Second-Step expert. He orders the True Human Realm brothers Yang An and Yang Chen to capture and interrogate Shi Wen, then kill him once they discover who is supporting him.
• While the temple Daoists search Black Cloud County for traces of True Beasts, Yin people, or individuals with Spiritual Perception, Xiang Ji remains cautious. The spreading Gray Mist has made the region increasingly dangerous, and the presence of the Sinking Bell Society prevents the temple from indiscriminately slaughtering civilians to lure out a True Beast.
• Xiang Ji learns that Zheng Tong and members of the Hall of Bitter Resentment have arrived in the city. Their purpose is connected to preparing Black Cloud County as an important border city after Tiannan Prefecture’s destruction and the Gray Mist’s expansion.
• Zheng Tong reveals that Shi Wen is under the protection of Bai Yingying, a powerful and unpredictable figure associated with Black Shadow’s Yin faction. Xiang Ji immediately realizes that killing Shi Wen could provoke disastrous consequences.
• Before Xiang Ji can stop the assassination order, Xingyuehong and Ji Hua force him back into his seat. They reveal that they and Zheng Tong greatly outnumber and overpower him, making it clear that he cannot interfere.

Character Developments

• Xiang Ji: Initially arrogant and dismissive of Shi Wen, he assumes the young man is incapable of threatening the True Immortal Temple. His confidence collapses when he learns Shi Wen is protected by Bai Yingying. His priorities shift from eliminating Shi Wen to preventing his own subordinates from provoking a stronger faction.
• Shi Wen: Though absent from the chapter, his reputation continues to grow. His mysterious strength and connection to powerful figures make him a dangerous and politically protected target.
• Zheng Tong: Appeates confident and mocking toward Xiang Ji. As a Quanzhen Ninth-Step expert and representative of the Hall of Bitter Resentment, he openly challenges the True Immortal Temple’s authority.
• Bai Yingying: Her reputation as powerful, volatile, and capable of mass slaughter is emphasized. Even the True Immortal Temple fears provoking her, showing her high status among the Yin factions.
• Xingyuehong, Ji Hua, and Linghua: They treat Xiang Ji with open contempt, physically restraining and humiliating him. Their behavior demonstrates both their superior strength and their willingness to manipulate the situation for their own amusement.
• Yang An and Yang Chen: They are introduced as formidable martial artists whose coordinated abilities make them suitable assassins, though their mission becomes dangerously complicated by Shi Wen’s protection.

Significant Themes

• Power and hidden authority: Apparent strength and official status mean little when a target is backed by an even more powerful faction.
• Political restraint: The True Immortal Temple cannot act freely because of rival organizations such as the Sinking Bell Society, the Hall of Bitter Resentment, and Bai Yingying’s faction.
• Arrogance and miscalculation: Xiang Ji underestimates Shi Wen and assumes the situation is simple, only to discover that unseen forces make the assassination extremely risky.
• Moral hypocrisy and extremism: The Sinking Bell Society claims to fight for ordinary people’s freedom and equality but is associated with ruthless violence, while Bai Yingying’s past shows how easily concern for civilians can turn into mass slaughter.
• The expanding threat of the Gray Mist: The Gray Mist is transforming the region politically and geographically, forcing factions to compete over strategic cities such as Black Cloud County.

Character Interactions

• The young Daoist reports Shi Wen’s movements and abilities to Xiang Ji, who responds with disbelief and orders his execution.
• Xiang Ji and the True Immortal Temple Daoists discuss how to investigate the Gray Mist and locate a possible True Beast without alerting the Sinking Bell Society.
• Zheng Tong openly insults Xiang Ji and identifies the True Immortal Temple as followers of Holy Son Lin, establishing immediate hostility.
• Zheng Tong’s revelation that Shi Wen is Bai Yingying’s protected person shocks Xiang Ji.
• When Xiang Ji tries to intervene, Xingyuehong and Ji Hua physically restrain him, while Linghua slaps and threatens him. The power dynamic abruptly reverses: the True Immortal Temple’s elder becomes helpless in the presence of the Hall of Bitter Resentment.