Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Mu asks Yi Shu about preventing a living soul from being imprisoned by a shaman after death.
• Yi Shu mentions Ghost Soul Grass, a poisonous herb that can taint a living soul, making it unrefinable by other shamans.
• Shen Mu asks Yi Shu to investigate the Xiao Family's movements and find out if someone from the family betrayed Xiao Longteng.
• Three days later, Yi Shu discovers that someone from the Xiao Family was indeed involved in Xiao Longteng's ambush, but the truth is surprising.

Character Developments

• Shen Mu shows concern for his own safety and seeks ways to protect his living soul after death.
• Yi Shu reveals his desire for more living souls to recover his cultivation and agrees to help Shen Mu investigate the Xiao Family.

Significant Themes

• The power dynamics between shamans and martial artists, with shamans able to control living souls and martial artists only able to control divine souls at higher realms.
• The theme of betrayal and its consequences, as someone from the Xiao Family betrays Xiao Longteng.

Character Interactions

• Shen Mu and Yi Shu discuss methods to protect living souls and agree to investigate the Xiao Family together.
• Yi Shu shares the surprising truth about the Xiao Family's involvement in Xiao Longteng's ambush with Shen Mu.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Mu learns the truth behind Xiao Longteng's death from a conversation between Liu Mujin and Xiao Longyan.
• Xiao Longyan becomes the Xiao Family's young family head, but the family keeps the secret of awakening Blood Eyes from him.
• Xiao Hanlin secretly leaves for Xuanning Prefecture, hinting at a plan to have another child.
• Shen Mu abducts Xiao Longyan and Liu Mujin, who were secretly meeting, to force Xiao Longteng to reveal the Extreme Eye Scripture's proficiency volume.

Character Developments

• Xiao Longyan: Revealed as the mastermind behind Xiao Longteng's abduction and death. He becomes the young family head but is still manipulated by the Xiao Family.
• Liu Mujin: Betrays Xiao Longteng for a proper title and is now involved with Xiao Longyan. She is abducted by Shen Mu.
• Xiao Hanlin: Secretly leaves for Xuanning Prefecture, likely to have another child and secure the Xiao Family's future.
• Shen Mu: Uses his knowledge of the truth to manipulate events and abduct Xiao Longyan and Liu Mujin.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and Trust: Liu Mujin betrays Xiao Longteng, and Xiao Longyan betrays his brother. Shen Mu uses this to his advantage.
• Power and Manipulation: The Xiao Family manipulates Xiao Longyan, and Shen Mu manipulates the situation to abduct Xiao Longyan and Liu Mujin.
• Ambition: Xiao Longyan's ambition leads him to betray his brother, and Xiao Hanlin's ambition leads him to seek another child.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Longyan and Liu Mujin: Their affair is discovered by Shen Mu, leading to their abduction.
• Xiao Hanlin and the Xiao Family: Xiao Hanlin secretly leaves for Xuanning Prefecture, hinting at a plan to secure the Xiao Family's future without Xiao Longyan's knowledge.
• Shen Mu and Yi Shu: Shen Mu uses Yi Shu's help to keep track of Xiao Longyan and Liu Mujin, leading to their abduction.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Mu captures Xiao Longyan and Liu Mujin to find out who ambushed Xiao Longteng.
• Xiao Longyan reveals that Mud Palace, an underground organization, was behind the ambush and wanted the secret of the Xiao Family's Blood Eyes.
• Xiao Longteng's spirit is released, and he confronts Xiao Longyan and Liu Mujin, leading to their deaths.
• Xiao Longteng reveals that the Extreme Eye Scripture is divided into chapters, and he only knows the Beginner and Proficient chapters.
• Xiao Longteng decides to end his life, and Shen Mu respects his decision.

Character Developments

• Shen Mu: Shows determination to find the truth and protect the Xiao Family's secret. He also shows respect for Xiao Longteng's decision.
• Xiao Longteng: Realizes the truth about his wife and cousin's betrayal, leading to his decision to end his life. He shows understanding and acceptance of his fate.
• Xiao Longyan: Reveals his ambition and lack of loyalty to the Xiao Family, leading to his death.
• Liu Mujin: Shows her true colors as a traitorous and selfish woman, leading to her death.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and its consequences: Xiao Longteng's betrayal by his wife and cousin leads to his decision to end his life.
• Loyalty and family: Xiao Longteng's loyalty to the Xiao Family and his acceptance of his fate despite the betrayal.
• Ambition and its costs: Xiao Longyan's ambition leads to his downfall and the Xiao Family's near destruction.

Character Interactions

• Shen Mu and Xiao Longteng: Shen Mu respects Xiao Longteng's decision, and they share a moment of understanding and respect.
• Xiao Longteng and Xiao Longyan/Liu Mujin: Xiao Longteng confronts his cousin and wife, leading to their deaths.
• Xiao Longyan and Shen Mu: Xiao Longyan reveals the truth about the ambush and Mud Palace under Shen Mu's pressure.

Shen Mu visited Cloudsky City’s Black Market and bought a golden jade stem, then agreed to join a group heading into the Dragon Spring Beast Forest. After Yi Shu revealed the organizer was likely an iron bone martial artist setting a trap for copper skin fighters, Shen Mu planned to use the expedition as cover to reach the forest and slip away.

• Shen Mu decided to wait five more days for a hunting team before entering the Dragon Spring Beast Forest alone to seek golden jade stems.
• After hearing about the Black Market, Shen Mu went to Fifty-Nine Changxing Alley and searched its stalls for useful treasures.
• Shen Mu bought a ten-catty golden jade stem for one million taels from a stallholder who claimed to have found it in the Dragon Spring Beast Forest.
• The stallholder invited Shen Mu to join a group exploring an Elder Martial Artist’s tomb, and Shen Mu agreed to meet them at the Precious Herb Inn in three days.
• Yi Shu warned Shen Mu that an early-stage iron bone martial artist was following him and was likely using the tomb expedition to rob copper skin martial artists.
• Shen Mu evaded his pursuer and decided to use the expedition to enter the Dragon Spring Beast Forest before slipping away to pursue his own goal.