Recaps

Blood Shadow bandits attacked Yu Zhaolong’s Star Boat carrying young martial artists bound for Starry Sky University, and the escort envoy led four grandmasters outside to hold them off until reinforcements arrived. The battle left Yu Zhaolong fighting both bandit leaders while other bandits renewed their assault on the ship.

• Chen Lie told Han Keke and Ji Lingxuan that the passengers faced danger after Blood Shadow demanded the Star Boat lower its defenses.
• Yu Zhaolong learned that two ninth-order bandit leaders and their forces could breach the Star Boat’s defenses before the Interstellar Allied Forces arrived.
• Yu Zhaolong gathered Huang Shun, Li Zongming, Nie Yunpeng, and Qiao Zhenliang, then led them outside to intercept the bandits.
• A Blood Shadow leader revealed that the bandits had learned the Star Boat’s route from an informant and ordered an attack when Yu Zhaolong refused to surrender.
• Yu Zhaolong fought both ninth-order bandit leaders while the four escort grandmasters battled the bandits’ other grandmasters.
• The bandit leader sent two grandmasters and the gang qi realm fighters back to attack the Star Boat, while Yu Zhaolong prevented one leader from leaving their duel.

Chen Lie detected that the Star Bandits had hidden attackers and warned the Blue Star group to reach the Star Boat’s safe cabins before the raiders broke in. The Blood Shadow bandits seized the Star Boat and captured thousands for ransom, while Chen Lie and several Eastern Star Region groups remained sealed inside the undamaged safe cabins.

• Chen Lie realized the Star Bandits’ forces and tactics did not match a normal raid, while students argued over who deserved access to the safe cabins.
• A Mental Power Grandmaster and her brother ambushed the rescue effort, killed Canglong Star reception Grandmasters, and helped the Star Bandits break into the Star Boat.
• Chen Lie warned the Blue Star group that the Star Bandits had entered, prompting them and several Eastern Star Region groups to hurry into the safe cabins.
• The flamboyantly dressed Star Bandit leader ordered her men to stop killing students and explained that Blood Shadow intended to demand ransom instead.
• The safe cabins closed with Chen Lie and others inside, and the young Star Bandit leader struck them but failed to damage them.

Chen Lie helped the trapped freshmen send a distress signal to Heavy Rain Star’s military, while the Star Bandits’ Mental Power invasion neared control of the Star Boat. With the safe cabin expected to be breached in two minutes, Chen Lie gathered the Blue Star students to guard him as he prepared to act.

• The Star Bandits captured Wan Feng, but he refused to join them, and their leader began invading the Star Boat’s Optical Computer after failing to trick it.
• Hou Yutan revealed that his military Black Obsidian could summon Heavy Rain Star’s Star-War Army, but other Divine Sense Masters could not transmit its signal through the Star Boat’s hull.
• Chen Lie used his Heaven-Grade Consciousness Spirit’s ability to penetrate Mental Power-blocking substances and sent the distress message, including the names of prominent Heavy Rain Star freshmen.
• The Star Boat warned that the Star Bandit leader would breach its firewalls within two minutes, leaving the freshmen fearing rescue would come too late.
• Chen Lie returned to the Blue Star group and told Jiang Yuan, Zuo Yuan'er, Hao Yulong, and the others to guard him while he did something important.

Chen Lie secretly beat a Star Bandit Mental Power Grandmaster to seize control of the Star Boat and strengthen its defenses, but the Blood Shadow bandits began battering their way into the protection cabin. He warned them that help was near, yet the cabin door was close to failing.

• Chen Lie reinforced the Star Boat’s firewalls while Zi Yuan tried to break through them, then secretly invaded the Optical Computer and seized control.
• Chen Lie ordered the Star Boat to strengthen the protection cabin and seal the damaged third cabin door, while the Star Bandits began attacking both barriers.
• Chen Lie learned the Interstellar Allied Forces would arrive in thirty-two minutes at the earliest and broadcast a distress signal, then recovered from the mental strain.
• Chen Lie concealed his role from Han Keke and the other freshmen, but used the Star Boat speakers to claim he was an eighth-order Divine Sense Master and warn the Star Bandits that help was coming.
• Zi Yuan and the other Star Bandits kept attacking; the protection cabin’s energy barrier collapsed, and the Optical Computer estimated the door would fail in six minutes.

Chen Lie used the Star Boat’s systems and a magnetic field disruptor to delay the Blood Shadow Star Bandits, who had abducted more than five thousand freshmen. Heavy Rain Star’s Star Wars Army arrived as the Star Bandits tried to escape, and both sides began fighting.

• Blood Shadow transferred captured freshmen onto its Star Boat while Chen Lie reinforced the protective pod and warned the bandits that Heavy Rain Star’s army was approaching.
• The Star Bandits retreated from the transport Star Boat, but Chen Lie reopened its hatch and activated a magnetic field disruptor to keep their Star Boat from escaping.
• Yu Zhaolong tried to stop the departing bandits, and Chen Lie sent him the disruptor’s location and urged him to prevent them from destroying it.
• Yu Zhaolong fought the young Star Bandit sent to destroy the disruptor, while the two Star Bandit leaders joined the fight against him.
• Wang Zheng arrived with Heavy Rain Star Wars Army troops, sent soldiers to support Yu Zhaolong, and led others against the Star Bandit leaders.
• The female Star Bandit left her Star Boat to assist as fighting broke out and Heavy Rain Star’s freshmen cheered the army’s arrival.

Chen Lie secretly took control of Canglong Star’s Star Boat and helped stop the Star Bandits, but the mysterious Mental Power Grandmaster remained unidentified. After Chu Tiannan negotiated the release of the hostages, Yu Zhaolong and Wang Zheng realized someone aboard the Star Boat had secretly summoned help.

• Chen Lie warned Wang Zheng to throw the jammer aboard Canglong Star’s Star Boat, then activated its defenses to prevent the bandits from escaping.
• Chu Tiannan arrived with the Sixth Interstellar Allied Forces and swiftly wounded the two bandit leaders, but Elder Tu intervened and negotiated the release of Zi Yuan and Zi Shi.
• Zi Yuan asked Yu Zhaolong to reveal the hidden Divine Sense Grandmaster who had seized control of the Star Boat, but Yu Zhaolong denied that anyone had accompanied them.
• Chu Tiannan kept the two bandit leaders and the seventh-stage bandits in custody while Elder Tu and the siblings departed.
• Yu Zhaolong and Wang Zheng discovered that neither had contacted the Heavy Rain Star forces, leaving them to wonder who aboard the Star Boat had summoned help.

After the Star Bandit ambush, Chen Lie and the other new students continued their journey to Starry Sky University on Canglong Star. They arrived safely and began disembarking for identity verification.

• Yu Zhaolong learned that twenty-three students and three accompanying Martial Arts Grandmasters had been killed, while a hidden Mental Power Grandmaster had helped protect the Star Boat and delay the Star Bandits.
• Chu Tiannan searched the Star Boat but could not detect the mysterious helper, and Wang Zheng confirmed that Heavy Rain Star’s troops would escort the students onward.
• Hou Yutan revealed that Chen Lie had used his Consciousness Spirit ability to send a distress message, and Yu Zhaolong promised to report both their contributions for a possible Void Heaven Pagoda reward.
• Hou Yutan explained that the Void Heaven Pagoda could help cultivators open their Primordial Aperture, while the Star Boat resumed its journey with Chen Lie and the others aboard.
• The Star Boat landed at Starry Sky University’s Earth First Campus, and Chen Lie disembarked with the Blue Star students for identity verification.

Chen Lie and the other Blue Star freshmen arrived at Starry Sky University, where Zhang Wenwu verified their identities and guided them through registration. Chen Lie passed the identity scan despite scoring only seventy-seven on a personal questionnaire, and the chapter ended as the freshmen reached their assembly area with Star Cards and spending money.

• Chen Lie found the Blue Star On-Campus Work Group led by Zhang Wenwu, who explained that planet-based groups received freshmen and checked for impostors.
• Zhang Wenwu gave the Blue Star freshmen personal questionnaires, but Chen Lie scored only seventy-seven; Han Keke and the others vouched that he had not been replaced during the journey.
• Zhang Wenwu led the 180 Blue Star freshmen to the registration office, where Chen Lie's scans confirmed his identity and registered him as a student of Starry Sky University.
• After all 180 freshmen registered, Zhang Wenwu distributed Star Cards and explained how they could use them for money and university purchases.
• Zhang Wenwu gave each freshman 500 Star-Origin Galactic Coins and led them to the Earth First Campus assembly area to meet their instructors.

Chen Lie, Han Keke, and Ji Lingxuan ate high-grade Martial Dao meals before Hou Yutan told Chen Lie that the rescue operation had earned him a Void Heaven Pagoda quota. After Chen Lie’s accomplishments impressed the Heavy Rain Star students, Qiao Xuanxi questioned whether he could defeat a Heaven Aperture Stage opponent head-on, leaving their dispute unresolved.

• Chen Lie, Han Keke, and Ji Lingxuan spent two hundred Star-Origin Galactic Coins each on high-grade Martial Dao meals and felt their Blood-Qi improve.
• Hou Yutan told Chen Lie that Heavy Rain Star’s rescue-operation merit had secured a Void Heaven Pagoda quota for him, and Chen Lie said he was already at the Heaven Aperture Stage.
• Hou Yutan introduced Chen Lie to Wang Zhaolin, Nie Cheng, Dong Lin, and Qiao Xuanxi, and Chen Lie introduced Ji Lingxuan and Han Keke as talents not beneath his own.
• Hou Yutan explained that Chen Lie could use the Void Heaven Pagoda to try to advance to the Origin Aperture Stage, while Han Keke confirmed that Chen Lie had defeated a Heaven Aperture Stage Ranked Martial Artist.
• Qiao Xuanxi argued that Chen Lie’s victory had depended on circumstances and asked whether he could defeat a peak-condition opponent head-on, prompting Hou Yutan to defend him.

Chen Lie joined the freshmen at Starry Sky University and learned that admission depended on surviving a three-month elimination test. His group prepared to visit the Wasteland, where they would hunt Wild Beasts for credits to pay their tuition.

• Chen Lie accepted a spare Communication Bracelet from Hou Yutan, and Hou gave bracelets to Ji Lingxuan and Han Keke as well.
• The freshmen gathered at the assembly grounds, where Head Instructor Mo Bingfei announced that their first lesson was elimination and assigned instructors to twelve groups.
• Instructor Zhou Yixi explained that freshmen had to earn twelve thousand credits within three months by hunting Wild Beasts in the Wasteland or be expelled.
• Zhou Yixi described the beasts’ strength and the rules that adjusted Beast Core rewards according to a student’s cultivation level, leaving the freshmen concerned about the danger.
• Zhou Yixi had her students register and said she would take them to see the Wasteland that day, with the credit-earning task beginning the next day.

Chen Lie’s squad visited the Wasteland, where Zhou Yixi explained the hunting-credit system and Starry Sky University’s facilities. Chen Lie broke through to the Earth Aperture Stage, then returned to the Space Jump Station the next morning, where he met Han Keke and Ji Lingxuan as the freshmen prepared to head out.

• Zhou Yixi led the 136th Squad through a space wormhole to the Wasteland and explained its terrain, wild beasts, and hunting-credit rewards.
• Zhou Yixi described the credit limits and how students could exchange credits for goods or trade them with other students.
• Chen Lie selected a dorm room, went to a Cultivation Room, and opened his earth aperture, reaching the Earth Aperture Stage.
• Chen Lie considered how difficult it would be to obtain Divine Source and resolved to continue advancing without divine aperture cultivation for now.
• Chen Lie returned to the Space Jump Station the next morning, where Ji Lingxuan greeted him and Han Keke noted that only seventeen Blue Star students were in their squad.

Chen Lie, Ji Lingxuan, and Han Keke began the 136th Squad’s ninety-day Wild Beast hunt in the Wasteland, where Chen Lie and Ji Lingxuan demonstrated their overwhelming strength. After Chen Lie killed an injured Tier 3 Lightning Boar Beast, another hunting party arrived, apparently pursuing the same beast.

• Chen Lie declined Hou Yutan’s offer to join forces, and he, Ji Lingxuan, and Han Keke set out to hunt together.
• Chen Lie killed a giant eagle Wild Beast with one punch, and Han Keke discovered it was an A-rank Tier 2 beast.
• Ji Lingxuan defeated a berserk B-rank Tier 2 giant wolf after a sapphire-blue six-pointed star appeared on her forehead.
• The trio hunted deeper into the Wasteland, with Chen Lie killing ten Tier 2 beasts and Ji Lingxuan killing four while Han Keke collected their Beast Cores.
• Chen Lie killed an injured Tier 3 Lightning Boar Beast with one punch, and Han Keke found its yellow Beast Core.
• A group of three men and two women arrived, calling out that they were chasing the injured Tier 3 Lightning Boar Beast.

Chen Lie, Ji Lingxuan, and Han Keke hunted deep in the Wasteland, where Chen Lie used mental power attacks to kill scores of tier 2 and tier 3 beasts. After collecting and splitting more than three hundred beast cores, they returned to the Wormhole Fortress to submit them.

• Chen Lie traded a tier 3 lightning boar beast core to Yuan Ji's group from Glimmer Star for six tier 2 beast cores, and Yuan Ji warned his companions that Chen Lie's group was too dangerous to challenge.
• Chen Lie led Ji Lingxuan and Han Keke deeper into the Wasteland and used mental power attacks to kill a giant bird, a giant snake, and a group of eight lionlike beasts.
• Chen Lie's hunting grew faster, and he killed nearly two hundred beasts in just over two hours while Ji Lingxuan and Han Keke collected their cores.
• Han Keke counted 297 tier 3 and 75 tier 2 beast cores, so Chen Lie divided the haul among the three and ended the hunt for the day.
• Other freshmen found the many fresh beast corpses and fled when they realized the blood could attract more beasts.
• Chen Lie, Ji Lingxuan, and Han Keke returned to the Wormhole Fortress and went to submit their beast cores.

Chen Lie, Han Keke, and Ji Lingxuan turned in their beast cores for a huge haul of credits, then hunted thousands more beasts together in the Wasteland. After Chen Lie’s group returned with hundreds of cores from a single day, they encountered students struggling against a Tier 2 Desolate Beast, which Chen Lie killed with one punch.

• Chen Lie tested at the Earth Aperture Stage and received 150,000 credits for 125 Tier 3 Desolate Beast cores; Han Keke and Ji Lingxuan also turned in cores and received 82,550 and 100,000 credits.
• Chen Lie accompanied Han Keke and Ji Lingxuan to the Transmission Pavilion, where they bought blood-qi cultivation methods, and then began hunting together over the following days.
• Chen Lie’s mental attacks killed large groups of beasts, raising his credits above 800,000 while Han Keke and Ji Lingxuan each surpassed 700,000.
• After the group collected more than five hundred cores in one day, Ji Lingxuan and Han Keke worried their haul would draw attention, but Chen Lie said they could not conceal the cores because taking them from the Wasteland was illegal.
• On the way back to the fortress, Chen Lie encountered Zuo Yuan'er, Hao Yulong, Zhu Jingfei, Yang Jiannan, and Zhu Jingshu fighting a Tier 2 Desolate Beast, and he killed it with a single punch.

Chen Lie entered the top hundred in the credit rankings and earned a two-day permit to cultivate in the Void Heaven Pagoda. After a day of hunting, he helped Ji Lingxuan and Han Keke pass a million credits and join the rankings as well.

• Chen Lie gave Zhu Jingshu, Zuo Yuan'er, Hao Yulong, and two other students 150 beast cores, mostly from Tier 3 beasts, completing their elimination assignment.
• Chen Lie turned in his remaining cores, pushing his recorded credits past 900,000 and into the top hundred, while Ji Lingxuan and Han Keke neared the same ranking.
• Zhou Yixi summoned Chen Lie and Heavy Rain Star students to the head instructor’s office, where Mo Bingfei issued their Void Heaven Pagoda permits and granted Chen Lie two days there.
• Chen Lie declined Qiao Xuanxi’s request to spar and later traveled to the wasteland with Ji Lingxuan and Han Keke.
• Chen Lie killed over 300 wild beasts and gave their cores to Ji Lingxuan and Han Keke, whose credits then passed a million and placed them in the top hundred.

Chen Lie collected Blue Star’s generous subsidy and joined the Heavy Rain Star group at the Void Heaven Pagoda, where they waited for the Beimang Star Delegation. While waiting, he heard that the Blood God Sect’s holy maiden had reached a thirteenfold Strength Value, contradicting the Sumeru Illusion Realm’s earlier ranking of his own twelve-point-fivefold value as the highest in the Canglan Star Domain.

• Chen Lie learned that he and Ji Lingxuan qualified for Void Heaven Pagoda slots and advised them to cultivate before attempting breakthroughs.
• Hou Yutan invited Chen Lie to collect their subsidies, and Chen Lie received three hundred thousand Star-Origin Galactic Coins from the Blue Star On-Campus Work Group.
• Chen Lie and the Heavy Rain Star group went to the Void Heaven Pagoda, where Deacon Wang delayed entry until the Beimang Star Delegation arrived and issued Chen Lie two keys for his two slots.
• The waiting crowd discussed the delegation led by Shaokang Commandery Princess Qin Zhenling and its members’ plans to use the pagoda for breakthroughs.
• Nie Cheng told Chen Lie that the Blood God Sect’s holy maiden had reached a thirteenfold Strength Value, and Chen Lie questioned how that could be true given his earlier Sumeru Illusion Realm ranking.

Chen Lie discovered that the Void Heaven Pagoda contained void heaven demon force and used its densest levels to smelt his apertures. He finished smelting his mortal, spirit, and earth apertures on the ninth floor, while Qin Bailing noticed the force weakening and considered moving up.

• The imperial guards escorted Qin Zhenling, whom Chen Lie recognized as Qin Bailing, into the Void Heaven Pagoda, and the tower opened to visitors.
• Hou Yutan explained the pagoda’s floors and breakthrough rules as Chen Lie entered and realized its power was void heaven demon force.
• Chen Lie climbed to the ninth floor, planning to smelt his apertures before opening his heaven aperture and later forming a primordial spirit aperture.
• Chen Lie absorbed the ninth floor’s force to smelt his mortal, spirit, and earth apertures, drawing power away from the seventh and eighth floors.
• Qin Bailing sensed the force draining on the eighth floor but resumed her breakthrough attempt, saying she would go to the ninth floor if it continued the next day.

Chen Lie left the Void Heaven Pagoda to buy resources and rapidly advance from the Earth Aperture Stage to the Heaven Aperture Stage. The next morning, he used his second Pagoda entry to fuse his four apertures and begin forming the Primordial Spirit Aperture, drawing in the void heaven demon force across all nine floors.

• Chen Lie ignored Qiao Xuanxi's advice to remain in the Void Heaven Pagoda and left to pursue his breakthrough elsewhere.
• At the Central Campus sales hall, Tang Yan'er showed Chen Lie the Aperture-Nourishing Blood Crow and tried to dissuade him from buying the expensive Spirit-Charging Cloud Bamboo.
• Chen Lie bought both resources, nourished his Earth Aperture, and opened his Heaven Aperture in one attempt before cultivating through the night.
• The next morning, Chen Lie entered the Void Heaven Pagoda with his second key and went straight to the ninth floor.
• Chen Lie fused his Mortal, Spirit, Earth, and Heaven Apertures and began forming the Primordial Spirit Aperture as void heaven demon force from every floor converged on him.

Chen Lie formed his fifth divine aperture and agreed to escort the Void Heaven Demon Emperor’s heir, a purple-gold egg, to the Void Heaven Demon Race’s ancestral homeland. After Chi Feng strengthened his foundation and completed his sixteenth blood tempering, Chen Lie left the pagoda without revealing the heir’s origins.

• Chen Lie absorbed much of the Void Heaven Demon Force and formed his primordial spirit aperture on the ninth floor.
• Chi Feng, a weakened deputy commander of the Void Heaven Demon Race, asked Chen Lie to escort the Demon Emperor’s only blood descendant to the Void Heaven Star Abyss.
• Chen Lie agreed, and Chi Feng transferred her remaining source power and true blood to help him complete his sixteenth blood tempering.
• Chi Feng gave Chen Lie the purple-gold egg and told him to deliver it to either Demon Emperor Fuyan’s tribe or the Crimson Moon Demon Emperor’s tribe once he reached the true essence realm.
• Qin Zhenling arrived on the ninth floor, and Chen Lie struck her with a punch before leaving; she suspected he had reached the upper divine aperture.

After reaching sixteenfold Strength Value and completing his sixteenth Blood Tempering, Chen Lie went to the Martial Arts Market District to buy a Storage Pouch for his belongings. He purchased a second-grade pouch with help from Ning Fan, then encountered Chu Ling'er, who turned to Sheng Ya after learning he had already paid.

• Qin Zhenling found the ninth floor of the Void Heaven Pagoda no denser than the eighth, while its steward noted that the pagoda's Void Heaven Force had been heavily depleted.
• Chen Lie tested his cultivation and confirmed he had surpassed sixteenfold Strength Value and completed his sixteenth Blood Tempering.
• Chen Lie left his enormous egg in his Dormitory and went to the Martial Arts Market District to find a Storage Pouch.
• Ning Fan introduced Chen Lie to Zhuo Danqiong and led him to the True Martial Shop, where Chen Lie chose a second-grade pouch and borrowed the last ten thousand Star-Origin Galactic Coins from Ning Fan.
• Chu Ling'er offered to ask her aunt for an unused Storage Pouch, but Chen Lie said he had already bought one, prompting Chu Ling'er to ask Sheng Ya for a favor.

Chen Lie received a two-thousand-cubic-meter Storage Pouch through Chu Ling'er and raised his strength above two hundred thousand jun. Seeking Divine Source to cultivate his four unopened divine apertures, he learned that he could obtain it on the dangerous Divine Source Ancient Star No. 7.

• Chu Ling'er persuaded Lu Shengya to give Chen Lie a two-thousand-cubic-meter Storage Pouch, and Chen Lie accepted it and added Chu Ling'er to his contacts.
• Chen Lie returned to campus, stored the purple-gold giant egg in the pouch, and raised his Blood Qi Value to 11,867 ka through several days of cultivation meals.
• Chen Lie realized he needed a large quantity of Divine Source to cultivate his four divine apertures and called Chu Ling'er to ask where he could find it.
• Chu Ling'er explained that Divine Source Ancient Star No. 7 was rich in Divine Source but that more than half of the blood-qi martial artists sent there had died fighting forces from other star domains.
• Chen Lie decided the danger was manageable and learned that an Ancient Star Exploration Voucher could take him to Divine Source Ancient Star No. 7.

Chen Lie learned how dangerous Divine Source Ancient Star No. 7 was, but he needed Divine Source and claimed an exploration voucher anyway. Hou Yutan, Qiao Xuanxi, and Nie Cheng joined him, and the four prepared to depart with team leaders Huangfu Lingge or Qin Zhenling.

• Chu Ling'er warned Chen Lie that Divine Source Ancient Star was dangerous, and Chen Lie decided he needed to reach the Life Divine Aperture to move freely there.
• Chen Lie asked Hou Yutan and the others where to claim his Ancient Star Ruins Exploration Voucher, and they took him to the Central Campus Academic Affairs Office.
• A staff member recommended Divine Source Ancient Star No. 7, explaining that it was dangerous but that Starry Sky University teams and leaders would protect the students.
• Chen Lie accepted a voucher because he urgently needed Divine Source, and Hou Yutan, Qiao Xuanxi, and Nie Cheng decided to join him.
• The staff member issued all four vouchers and told them to gather at Tianyi Campus the next morning to choose between team leaders Huangfu Lingge and Qin Zhenling.

Chen Lie and his three companions joined Huangfu Lingge’s team and entered Divine Source Ancient Star No. 7, where Starry Sky University students mined ore while defending their territory from rival star domains. After learning the danger and keeping his identity concealed, Chen Lie chose to mine rather than fight as Huangfu Lingge called for volunteers.

• Chen Lie, Hou Yutan, Qiao Xuanxi, and Nie Cheng chose Huangfu Lingge’s team and learned the rules, mining quotas, and rewards for entering the ruins.
• The group traveled through a space wormhole to Divine Source Ancient Star No. 7 and followed Huangfu Lingge to No. 13 Divine Source Mining Zone.
• Chen Lie recognized Wenren Qingyue, hid at the back of the crowd, and resolved to keep his identity secret while collecting Divine Source.
• Huangfu Lingge explained that Starry Sky University’s mining zone faced attacks from other star domains and that its Heaven Aperture Stage students should mine while Origin Aperture Stage students could volunteer to fight.
• Chen Lie and his companions stayed back, while more than thirty Origin Aperture Stage martial artists stepped forward to join the fighting.

Chen Lie and three companions from Heavy Rain Star chose to mine at the remote No. 17 Divine Source Mine, where he taught them an efficient extraction technique. After a day of mining, Chen Lie realized he needed far more Divine Source than mining could provide and decided he would have to seize it, then volunteered to keep watch while his companions rested.

• Huangfu Lingge explained the mining quotas, payout rules, and danger of raids, and assigned newcomers to mines.
• Chen Lie chose the difficult-looking No. 17 mine for himself, Hou Yutan, Nie Cheng, and Qiao Xuanxi, claiming its concentrated ore would be easier to extract.
• After the group struggled with mining, Chen Lie demonstrated how to chip around the ore before striking it, greatly improving their efficiency.
• Chen Lie mined about a thousand jin in half a day, but decided mining alone could not supply the hundred thousand jin he needed for each of his five major divine apertures, so he planned to go seize more Divine Source.
• The four shared a meal and discussed keeping watch, and Chen Lie volunteered for the first watch while the others rested.

Chen Lie left the mine to seek life-and-death combat and discovered that outsiders were invading Divine Source Ore Vein Zone 13. As he watched a large battle unfold, Mo Yun of the Chongxing Extreme Intent Sect challenged Starry Sky University’s claim to the zone, and his fight with Qin Zhenling ended in a tense pause after thousands of exchanges.

• Chen Lie killed two outsider Origin Aperture Stage martial artists who had defeated three Starry Sky University students, while Qiao Xuanxi asked to accompany him and he refused.
• A dying Starry Sky University student warned that another star domain’s Divine Aperture Stage fighters were invading, so Chen Lie headed toward the center of the ore zone.
• Chen Lie surveyed a battle between about a hundred fighters and decided to wait for a victor so he could seize their Divine Source or follow the outsiders to their base.
• Mo Yun arrived, declared the ore zone the property of the Ultimate Intent Sect, and gravely wounded Gu Changge with bloodline power.
• Qin Zhenling confronted Mo Yun, and the two fought evenly until they stopped after thousands of moves and exchanged their names.