Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Lie selects only two Martial Arts Crystal Stones from the repository, surprising Zhang Liwu.
• Chen Lie agrees to accompany Ruan Liusu to Sunan Province during the vacation.
• Chen Xingyao informs Chen Lie about President Jing Qingtian's invitation to study abroad and her progress in martial arts.
• Chen Lie and Ruan Liusu depart for Sunan Province on a High-Speed Airship.

Character Developments

• Chen Lie: Starts to share his advanced martial arts knowledge with Ruan Liusu, demonstrating his expertise and willingness to help. He also shows concern for his sister's well-being and safety.
• Ruan Liusu: Becomes more open and affectionate towards Chen Lie, inviting him to her home in Sunan Province. She also shares details about her family background.
• Chen Xingyao: Makes significant progress in her martial arts cultivation and seeks Chen Lie's guidance. She also shares news about President Jing Qingtian's invitation.

Significant Themes

• Mentorship and knowledge sharing: Chen Lie's willingness to teach Ruan Liusu and guide his sister highlights the importance of passing on knowledge and experience.
• Family and relationships: The focus on family backgrounds and dynamics, as well as the potential romantic relationship between Chen Lie and Ruan Liusu, emphasizes the significance of personal connections.

Character Interactions

• Chen Lie and Ruan Liusu: Their interaction grows more comfortable and affectionate, with Ruan Liusu inviting Chen Lie to her home and sharing personal details about her family.
• Chen Lie and Chen Xingyao: Chen Lie provides guidance and support to his sister, showing his protective and nurturing side.
• Chen Lie and Zhang Liwu: Their brief interaction highlights Chen Lie's unique perspective on martial arts cultivation and his disregard for conventional wisdom.

Plot points and events

• Chen Lie arrives with Ruan Liusu at her family home in Suyang. Her mother, Cheng Rujin, welcomes him and asks about his family and achievements.
• Ruan Liusu explains that Chen Lie has defeated leading students from several of Blue Star’s strongest provinces. Cheng is impressed and asks him to help guide her daughter’s martial training; Chen agrees.
• Ruan Liusu takes Chen to meet her father, Ruan Yingjie, who is practicing an Outer Star martial technique for an upcoming Permanent Councilor Star competition. Yingjie reveals his rare lightning-attribute True Qi.
• After learning the extent of Chen Lie’s accomplishments, Yingjie invites him to spar. Chen attacks with his full strength, but Yingjie easily deflects every blow without counterattacking, then praises Chen’s exceptional ability.
• Yingjie reminds Ruan Liusu that she once doubted an East River Province Martial Leader could rival her. Chen’s success, he argues, proves that talent can be held back by a lack of resources—and that she should not dismiss her elders’ judgment.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lie is modest and respectful, but the visit makes his extraordinary strength unmistakable. He accepts Cheng’s request to help Ruan Liusu and welcomes Yingjie’s sparring challenge.
• Ruan Liusu is proud of Chen and eagerly defends his achievements, while also teasing her mother’s lengthy questioning. Yingjie’s reminder exposes her former prejudice toward poorer provinces and prompts her to protest.
• Cheng Rujin moves from polite curiosity to admiration as she learns about Chen’s rise from an ordinary background.
• Ruan Yingjie initially underestimates how far Chen has advanced, then recognizes his talent after seeing his strength firsthand. He uses Chen’s example to challenge his daughter’s assumptions.

Significant themes

• Talent versus opportunity: Chen’s rise despite limited resources illustrates how circumstances can suppress ability.
• Humility and recognition: Chen’s modest manner contrasts with his remarkable accomplishments, while the Ruan parents learn more about him by listening and observing.
• Respect across generations: Yingjie urges Liusu not to dismiss elders’ judgments, even as the younger generation surpasses the older in martial progress.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lie visits Ruan Liusu’s family home. Her father, Ruan Yingjie, asks about Chen Lie’s golden blood qi; Ruan Liusu explains that it stems from his Extreme Yang Blood constitution.
• The family arranges a welcome banquet at Suyang Martial Arts Tower and invites Ruan Liusu’s uncle and grandfather, as well as Chen Lie’s grandfather. Ruan Liusu and Chen Lie travel there together.
• Ruan Liusu’s uncle, aunt, and teenage cousin Ruan Liudong arrive. Liudong excitedly shares his martial-arts progress, then calls Chen Lie his “future brother-in-law,” embarrassing Ruan Liusu and surprising Chen Lie.
• Ruan Liusu’s grandfather, Ruan Zhengzhi, arrives alone and angrily reveals his feud with Chen Lie’s grandfather, Chen Shijian, whom he accuses of deceiving him. Chen Lie understands that the dispute concerns Chen Shijian having let Chen Ye impersonate the East River Province Martial Leader.
• Ruan Zhengzhi extends his anger to Chen Lie, arguing that “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” and doubting whether Chen Lie is trustworthy. Ruan Liusu and her parents object; Chen Lie stays composed and says he does not take the insult personally.
• The group shares an elaborate martial-arts banquet. Ruan Yingjie advises Chen Lie to support Ruan Liusu when they attend Starry Sky University, warning that life in the Outer Stars will be harsher. Ruan Liusu objects to being portrayed as helpless.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lie remains polite and calm through the family gathering, even when Ruan Zhengzhi insults his family. His composure reinforces his maturity and confidence.
• Ruan Liusu is affectionate but embarrassed by her relatives’ assumptions about her and Chen Lie. She also stands up for Chen Lie when her grandfather judges him unfairly and resists her father’s description of her as sheltered.
• Ruan Yingjie and Cheng Rujin warmly welcome Chen Lie, arrange the banquet, and treat him as a promising match for their daughter. They try to defuse the conflict between the grandfathers.
• Ruan Zhengzhi shifts from proud family elder to openly resentful former friend, allowing his grievance against Chen Shijian to color his judgment of Chen Lie.
• Ruan Yinghao and Wang Yilan welcome Chen Lie and praise his talent, largely on the strength of their daughter Liu Yun’s reports. Liudong’s innocent “brother-in-law” remark makes the family’s approval explicit—if premature.

Significant themes

• Family reputation and inherited judgment: Ruan Zhengzhi assumes Chen Lie shares his grandfather’s flaws, while Chen Lie’s behavior challenges that prejudice.
• Romance versus martial ambition: The family’s gathering signals approval of the match, but the elders emphasize that martial training and survival at Starry Sky University must remain central.
• Talent and social background: Chen Lie’s rise from a less prominent martial province earns the family’s admiration and sets him apart as exceptionally driven.
• Shelter versus resilience: Ruan Yingjie sees Ruan Liusu as protected and Chen Lie as hardened by competition; her protest introduces tension over whether she can stand on her own.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lie joins a family meal with Ruan Liusu’s relatives. He discusses her father Ruan Yingjie’s martial-arts record and the possibility that Yingjie may compete in the Permanent Council Star Contest.
• Ruan Liusu’s mother, Cheng Rujin, warns the couple against marrying too young, explaining that her own early relationship and family life may have held back Yingjie’s cultivation.
• After Chen Lie and Liusu leave the table, the family reveals that the visit is being treated as a follow-up to a blind date arranged by Liusu’s grandfather. The original meeting went awry when Chen Lie’s cousin impersonated him, but Liusu and her parents have been told it went well. Her grandfather remains resentful toward Chen Lie’s grandfather and doubts Chen Lie’s merits, while the others praise his exceptional talent.
• In private, Liusu explains the misunderstanding and asks Chen Lie whether he has feelings for her. He admits that he does, though he is not entirely certain how to define his feelings.
• Liusu tells him directly that she likes him and declares them boyfriend and girlfriend. They agree to let the relationship develop naturally while putting martial-arts training first; she will soon leave for Starry Sky University.
• Liusu shows Chen Lie the martial-arts tower, including its virtual combat zone and sparring hall. Their tour is interrupted when a young man spots them holding hands and challenges their relationship. Liusu identifies Chen Lie as her boyfriend.

Character developments

• Chen Lie shows broad knowledge of advanced martial arts and responds respectfully to Yingjie’s advice to focus on the stage he is currently cultivating. He acknowledges his feelings for Liusu despite lingering uncertainty.
• Ruan Liusu is confident and forthright: she explains the family’s blind-date misunderstanding, asks Chen Lie about his feelings, and makes the relationship official. She is also committed to pursuing her martial-arts ambitions.
• Ruan Yingjie and Cheng Rujin support the couple but urge them not to let romance derail their cultivation, drawing on their own experience.
• Ruan Zhengzhi remains bitter about Chen Lie’s grandfather and initially dismisses Chen Lie, despite the rest of the family’s high opinion of him.

Significant themes

• Love and ambition: Chen Lie and Liusu choose to be together while agreeing that martial arts must remain their priority.
• Family influence and misunderstandings: A botched blind date and the grandparents’ conflict shape how the families view the relationship.
• Potential versus judgment: Chen Lie’s remarkable talent challenges Ruan Zhengzhi’s assumptions.
• Growth through discipline: Yingjie cautions Chen Lie not to be overwhelmed by distant goals and to progress one stage at a time.

Character interactions

• Chen Lie and Yingjie discuss the demands and power of grandmaster-level cultivation; Yingjie advises patience, and Chen Lie accepts the guidance.
• Cheng Rujin raises the risks of marrying young, prompting Liusu to whisk Chen Lie away before the conversation continues.
• Liusu and Chen Lie clarify their feelings, become a couple, and explore the tower hand in hand.
• At the chapter’s end, Liusu openly claims Chen Lie as her boyfriend in front of a jealous young man, setting up a likely confrontation.

Plot points and events

• Ruan Liusu introduces Chen Lie as her boyfriend to Xie Dongfeng, a martial artist who has long been interested in her. Xie objects, claims Chen is too young, and challenges him to a duel.
• Chen accepts on the condition that, if Xie loses, he must stop pursuing Liusu and avoid her and her family. Xie agrees, confident that his Second-Order Roaming Qi Realm rank will give him the advantage.
• On the Duel Platform, Chen’s golden blood-qi and overwhelming technique quickly defeat Xie, despite Chen being only in the Blood-Qi Stage. Xie is left stunned, while spectators speculate that Chen may be an alien because his blood-qi looks unusual.
• Liusu and Chen leave the martial arts tower. She gives Chen a valuable Blood Origin Crystal, which she received from a department director. Chen responds by secretly passing her advanced Central Galactic Empire knowledge that could make the crystal far more effective.
• At Liusu’s home, her parents learn she must leave in three days for early training at Starry Sky University. They suggest she travel with Chen to East River Province to meet his parents. She agrees, and the pair depart the next morning.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lie demonstrates that his strength greatly exceeds what his Blood-Qi Stage would suggest. He is calm and controlled during the confrontation, and he reciprocates Liusu’s generous gift by sharing valuable knowledge.
• Ruan Liusu firmly defends her relationship, rejects Xie’s interference, and shows affection by giving Chen a rare resource. Her willingness to travel with him and meet his parents signals growing commitment.
• Xie Dongfeng reveals his possessiveness and entitlement, challenging Chen over Liusu. His decisive defeat forces him to confront the gap between his rank and Chen’s actual ability.
• Liusu’s parents accept the relationship and allow the young couple time together. They believe a supportive martial partner may strengthen rather than distract her.

Significant themes

• Love and autonomy: Liusu rejects the idea that others can decide whom she dates.
• Strength beyond appearances: Chen’s lower realm conceals extraordinary power, while Xie’s higher rank does not guarantee superiority.
• Mutual support: The couple exchange valuable gifts and knowledge, suggesting their relationship can advance both of their martial development.
• Public judgment: Onlookers gossip about Liusu’s relationship and Chen’s origins, revealing how fame and unfamiliarity invite prejudice.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Lie and Ruan Liusu arrive at Chen Lie's home in East River Province.
• They encounter a neighbor, Liu Lianqing, who reveals Chen Lie's past struggles with Martial Dao.
• Chen Lie's parents welcome them, and Ruan Liusu shares her background.
• Chen Lie's parents decide to host a banquet at a hotel to entertain Ruan Liusu.
• At the hotel, they discover that Chen Lie's cousin, Chen Ye, is holding a banquet to celebrate his advancement to Martial Artist.

Character Developments

• Chen Lie: Shows maturity and confidence in his relationship with Ruan Liusu and his family.
• Ruan Liusu: Impressed by Chen Lie's resilience and determination despite his humble training environment.
• Chen Gequn and Feng Yuelan: Proud of Chen Lie's achievements and welcoming of Ruan Liusu.

Significant Themes

• The importance of family and relationships.
• The impact of one's environment on personal growth and achievement.
• The significance of perseverance and determination in Martial Dao cultivation.

Character Interactions

• Chen Lie and Ruan Liusu: Show affection and mutual respect, with Ruan Liusu admiring Chen Lie's resilience.
• Chen Lie and his parents: Display a warm and supportive family dynamic.
• Chen Lie and Liu Lianqing: Show a neighborly relationship, with Liu Lianqing teasing Chen Lie about his past struggles.
• Chen Lie's family and Chen Chaoqun: Reveal the tension between Chen Lie's family and Chen Ye's family due to Chen Ye's struggles compared to Chen Lie's achievements.

Summary: "A Farce" (Chapter)

Key Plot Points

1. Family Gathering: Chen Lie returns home from Blue Star University with his girlfriend Ruan Liusu. His parents (Chen Gequn and Feng Yuelan) coincidentally reserve a private room at the same hotel where Chen Lie's cousin Chen Ye is holding his Martial Artist banquet.
2. Escalating Conflict: Chen Lie's Second Aunt (Chang Guirong) accuses Chen Lie's family of deliberately coming to humiliate Chen Ye, claiming they knew about the banquet. A heated family argument erupts in front of guests.
3. Revelation of Past Deception: Chang Guirong publicly accuses Ruan Liusu of being a snob who abandoned Chen Ye for Chen Lie. Ruan Liusu reveals that Chen Ye had previously impersonated Chen Lie to deceive her, and she had chosen not to pursue the matter out of respect for Chen Lie's family.
4. Confrontation: Ruan Liusu demonstrates her power by releasing her Blood-Qi Extreme Realm pressure, causing Chen Ye (a weak Tier 1 Martial Artist) to collapse to the floor.
5. Resolution: Chen Shijian (grandfather) orders Chen Chaoqun to escort Chen Lie's family to a private room upstairs. Chen Ye is sent backstage. Chen Shijian then unsuccessfully attempts to call Ruan Liusu's grandfather, Ruan Zhengzhi.

Character Developments

• Chen Lie: Shows newfound assertiveness, standing up to his Second Aunt and protecting both his parents and girlfriend. He is no longer the weak relative to be pitied.
• Ruan Liusu: Demonstrates both restraint (not escalating despite provocation) and strength (using her pressure against Chen Ye). Her high status is revealed—Starry Sky University early admission, powerful family connections.
• Chen Gequn & Feng Yuelan: Display dignity and support for their son, refusing to be cowed by extended family bullying.
• Chen Ying: Initially prejudiced against Ruan Liusu, she apologizes after learning the truth and defends her third uncle's family.
• Chang Guirong: Shows herself as shrewish, hypocritical, and unable to accept her family's wrongdoing (the impersonation fraud).
• Chen Shijian: Biased patriarch who immediately sides with Chang Guirong before hearing the full story, showing favoritism toward Chen Ye.

Significant Themes

1. Family Hypocrisy and Favoritism: The extended family's anger stems from their own dishonesty (Chen Ye's impersonation), yet they blame Chen Lie for their shame.
2. "Snobbery" vs. Meritocracy: Chang Guirong accuses Ruan Liusu of being a social climber, but it was Chen Ye who fraudulently claimed Chen Lie's identity to win her.
3. Martial Arts as Social Currency: Family dynamics are determined by martial talent—Chen Ye's family craves recognition, while Ruan Liusu and Chen Lie's achievements speak for themselves.
4. The Weight of Truth: Ruan Liusu's restraint (choosing not to retaliate earlier) contrasts with Chang Guirong's lies and aggressiveness.

Character Interactions

• Chen Ying ↔ Ruan Liusu: From cold suspicion to grudging respect after learning of Ruan Liusu's Starry Sky University admission.
• Chen Lie ↔ Chang Guirong: Chen Lie issues a firm warning against continued slander, refusing to let his elders' status shield their bad behavior.
• Chen Guangqun ↔ Chang Guirong: Husband attempts to restrain his wife's outburst but fails; reveals his awareness of their family's wrongdoing.
• Ruan Liusu ↔ Chen Ye: Ruan Liusu's contemptuous gaze and pressure force Chen Ye to collapse—a symbolic showing of her absolute superiority and his fraudulence.
• Chen Shijian ↔ Family: The patriarch tries to manage appearances rather than resolve the underlying conflict, ultimately calling Ruan Liusu's grandfather to smooth things over.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Lie's grandfather, Chen Shijian, calls Ruan Zhengzhi to discuss their grandchildren's relationship, but Ruan Zhengzhi is displeased with Chen Shijian's favoritism towards Chen Ye.
• Ruan Liusu and Chen Lie have a meal with Chen Lie's family, where they discuss Chen Lie's past and his relationship with Lu Qingchan.
• Ruan Liusu decides to teach Chen Lie's Second Aunt a lesson and asks Ruan Liuyun to handle it.
• Chen Lie visits the East River Provincial Governor's Office to inform Luo Zhixun's family about her situation.

Character Developments

• Chen Lie: Shows maturity and understanding in handling his family's matters and his relationship with Ruan Liusu.
• Ruan Liusu: Demonstrates her protective nature towards Chen Lie and her willingness to stand up for him.
• Ruan Liuyun: Shows her efficiency and capability in handling matters for Ruan Liusu.
• Luo Zhixun's parents: Display their concern and pride in their daughter's achievements.

Significant Themes

• Family dynamics and relationships
• Martial arts talent and achievements
• Friendship and loyalty

Character Interactions

• Chen Lie and Ruan Liusu: Strengthen their relationship and understanding of each other.
• Chen Lie and his family: Discuss their future plans and Chen Lie's achievements.
• Ruan Liusu and Ruan Liuyun: Show their sisterly bond and Ruan Liuyun's willingness to help Ruan Liusu.
• Chen Lie and Luo Zhixun's parents: Discuss Luo Zhixun's situation and Chen Lie's achievements.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Lie visits Ji Lingxuan's home, revealing that her mother does not meet outsiders and lives in a peculiar, multi-dimensional space.
• Ji Lingxuan and Chen Lie have a martial arts duel, with Ji Lingxuan activating her Extraordinary Bloodline power mid-fight.
• Chen Lie restrains Ji Lingxuan using grappling arts, and she admits defeat.

Character Developments

• Ji Lingxuan's martial arts improve, and she activates her Extraordinary Bloodline power, showing potential for growth.
• Chen Lie demonstrates his ability to hold back and control his strength, showing maturity and consideration for Ji Lingxuan.

Significant Themes

• The power of Extraordinary Bloodlines and their potential for growth.
• The importance of keeping promises and apologizing when wrong.

Character Interactions

• Chen Lie and Ji Lingxuan's relationship deepens as they spar and Chen Lie visits her home, meeting her mother.
• Ji Lingxuan's mother remains mysterious and enigmatic, hinting at a powerful background.

Plot and key events

• Chen Lie visits Ji Lingxuan’s home and meets her mother, whose youthful appearance, knowledge of the Central Galactic Empire, and ability to recognize his exceptional martial foundation suggest she is far from ordinary.
• Ji Lingxuan’s mother gives Chen Lie red flower petals and clear water—items left by Ji’s missing father—saying they may strengthen his foundation. She insists she dislikes visitors and asks him not to return.
• The courtyard proves mysteriously inaccessible: after leaving, Chen Lie finds only a ruined communal yard beyond the alley door. Ji Lingxuan seems unaware of anything unusual about her home or family.
• Chen Lie’s memories of the visit rapidly fade once he boards an airship, leaving him convinced that Ji Lingxuan’s mother possesses extraordinary powers.
• He later receives a video showing Chen Ye badly beaten. The next morning, his mother explains that Chen Ye’s mother has been detained for misconduct in her official duties, while Chen Ye is hospitalized after a fight with an older student.
• Chen Lie declines his parents’ offer of money for a home near Blue Star University, then travels with Ji Lingxuan by Star Boat back to campus.
• At the university, he cultivates with a Blood Origin Crystal from Ruan Liusu. His strength rises dramatically to 48,546.76 jun, and his blood qi reaches 3,036.11 ka—a strength value of about 15.99 times.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lie becomes increasingly suspicious of Ji Lingxuan’s family, though the strange visit’s details slip from his memory. He also shows greater financial independence by refusing his parents’ money.
• Ji Lingxuan remains trusting and matter-of-fact about her home, her mother, and her difficult childhood. She reveals that after her father disappeared when she was ten, she often had to earn money for food. She invites Chen Lie to travel back with her.
• Ji Lingxuan’s mother is polite but guarded, making an unusual exception for Chen Lie because her daughter values him. Her gift and knowledge hint at deep expertise and hidden power.
• Chen Lie’s parents show concern for his uncle’s isolated situation and plan to visit him. His mother gives Chen Lie his endorsement earnings, which he refuses.
• Ruan Liusu communicates indirectly through Ruan Liuyun, sending Chen Lie evidence of Chen Ye’s injuries.

Significant themes

• Hidden worlds and concealed power: Ji Lingxuan’s home, her mother’s abilities, and Chen Lie’s fading memories suggest forces beyond ordinary life.
• Talent, cultivation, and costly progress: Chen Lie’s sudden improvement highlights both the importance of rare resources and how difficult it is to approach the limits of martial potential.
• Family hardship and responsibility: Ji Lingxuan’s childhood, her father’s disappearance, and Chen Lie’s parents’ concern for relatives contrast with the extraordinary secrets surrounding her family.
• Consequences of mistreatment: Chen Lie sees Chen Ye’s suffering as a consequence of the family’s actions against Ruan Liusu.

Chapter Summary: “Eleventh Blood Tempering”

Key plot points and events

• After leaving Ji Lingxuan’s home, Chen Lie realizes his Strength Value has unexpectedly risen from below 15.4 to 15.99 times, likely due to the red flower petals he ate there. He recognizes this as the limit for most Blood-Qi Stage geniuses; reaching 16 times usually requires an extraordinary bloodline.
• Chen Lie goes to buy a home in Lanjing. When he asks for a detached villa, he learns these are not normally available to ordinary buyers. However, he offers to pay in Galactic Coins, a rare currency valued far more highly than Star Dollars.
• With the help of Shenzhou Group manager Wang Junyi, Chen Lie buys a 750-square-meter villa at Heavenly Fortune True Martial for 3,500 Galactic Coins. Since he is not a registered Lanjing resident, he is warned to obtain residency within two weeks.
• Outside the sales office, Chen runs into classmate Xia Ziying and her aunt, Shenzhou Group president Xia. Xia Ziying explains Chen’s exceptional martial-arts ability and humble origins. Her aunt decides to help him resolve his residency issue and have the villa furnished, hoping the gesture will strengthen his connection with Ziying.
• Back at university, Chen collects three bottles of Blood-Tempering Spirit Liquid and completes his Eleventh Blood Tempering. His unusually strong body lets him complete three rounds in quick succession with little difficulty.
• Chen concludes that Blue Star cannot provide the Spirit Liquid needed for his Twelfth Blood Tempering. He decides he will have to seek it in the Sumeru Illusion Realm.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lie continues to grow stronger while remaining practical and self-reliant: he purchases his own villa, declines Xia Ziying’s offer of a free home, and presses ahead with his cultivation. His extraordinary physical strength allows him to withstand repeated Blood Tempering.
• Xia Ziying is surprised by Chen’s refusal of her offer and doubts that he needs her help. Her aunt sees Chen’s talent as an opportunity to build a valuable relationship and takes concrete steps to assist him.
• Xia, Ziying’s aunt, shifts from dismissing Chen because of his poor provincial background to recognizing his potential after hearing about his achievements. She directs Wang Junyi to address Chen’s residency and furnish his villa, with Ziying credited for the help.
• Wang Junyi accommodates Chen’s purchase and follows President Xia’s later instructions. Xiao Peipei, the consultant, earns a substantial commission from the sale.
• Chen also calls his parents to tell them he has bought a home and invites them to visit Lanjing.

Significant themes

• Talent versus background: Chen’s rise challenges assumptions about people from poorer provinces.
• Power and opportunity: Exceptional ability attracts attention and offers of patronage, even when Chen does not seek them.
• Independence and connection: Chen prefers to pay his own way, while Xia’s family views practical assistance as a way to build relationships.
• Relentless cultivation: Chen’s progress depends on both his unusual physical capacity and his willingness to seek resources beyond what Blue Star can provide.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lie enters the Sumeru Illusion Realm and asks Mu Yunyao to bring him into the Central Star Region, where a domain-wide Divine Sense Master Gathering is being held.
• He learns that advanced blood-tempering spirit liquids are scarce in the Canglan Star Domain. The gathering offers a possible route to obtaining resources: participants who complete at least one of eighteen incomplete mental-power methods can earn rewards and qualify for a more advanced gathering.
• Mu Yunyao explains that the event may be tied to the Star Seeker’s child, who reportedly has a cultivation problem. The gathering is supposedly intended to draw on the domain’s experts, though the reason local help is needed remains unclear.
• Chen Lie examines the eighteen fragments and realizes they collectively form part of a Consciousness Sea cultivation method nearly identical to the closely guarded Lingguang Divine Refining Chapter he practices.
• He agrees to complete the methods but conceals his identity and deliberately alters his solutions so they cannot expose the full technique. Mu Yunyao submits his work for him.
• At the gathering, they encounter Ning Fan, a talented student from Canglong Starry Sky University. He politely asks about Chen Lie’s blurred identity; Mu Yunyao rebukes him for prying, and Ning Fan apologizes. Chen Lie finishes his submission quickly, and they await the results.

Character developments

• Chen Lie shows confidence in his mental-power expertise, quickly reconstructing the fragments. He also demonstrates caution, hiding his identity and withholding details of the secret technique.
• Mu Yunyao acts as Chen Lie’s guide and intermediary. Though she is talented enough to understand the challenge, she acknowledges that her own completions would not meet the organizers’ standards.
• Ning Fan appears as a respected, capable figure among the university students. His initial curiosity about Chen Lie’s identity is checked by Mu Yunyao, and he responds with courtesy.

Significant themes

• Knowledge and secrecy: The fragments resemble a restricted imperial technique, raising questions about how it reached the gathering and why it was divided.
• Talent, opportunity, and scarce resources: Access to powerful cultivation supplies depends on exceptional ability and participation in elite events.
• Cooperation amid uncertainty: The gathering invites collective expertise, but its true purpose—and the Star Seeker’s motives—remain uncertain.

Character interactions

• Chen Lie and Mu Yunyao cooperate throughout: she provides access and explains the event, while he completes the work and asks her to submit it.
• Mu Yunyao protects Chen Lie’s privacy when Ning Fan presses about his origins.
• Chen Lie and Ning Fan exchange only brief, polite remarks; their encounter establishes Ning Fan’s reputation and place within the university group.

Chapter Summary:

Qin Yingyue

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Lie and Mu Yunyao wait at the White Jade Platform after submitting their completed cultivation-method fragment to the Saint Envoy Hall.
• They discuss martial potential, including elevenfold and twelvefold Strength Values, the Primordial Aperture, and the rarity of Martial Dao Saints on Haoran Star.
• Ning Fan and other Starry Sky University students also submit their fragments. Ning Fan reveals that he worked on the fifth fragment, while Mu Yunyao completed the first.
• After extensive review by numerous Divine Sense Masters, only twenty-seven submissions are judged acceptable.
• Mu Yunyao’s fragment ranks as the most complete. She and Chen Lie are summoned by the Saint Envoy Hall’s Golden-Armored Guards.
• Inside the central palace, they meet Qin Yingyue, the powerful and prestigious Sky Moon Princess of Beimang Star. She praises Mu Yunyao’s work and invites her to future Saint Envoy Hall gatherings.
• Mu Yunyao honestly reveals that Chen Lie guided her. Qin Yingyue questions Chen Lie but loses interest after discovering that he has not yet reached the True Qi Realm and refuses to disclose his origins.
• Mu Yunyao receives a reward: Blood-Tempering Spirit Liquid for the Twelfth Blood Tempering, supplemented by two hundred thousand Star-Origin Galactic Coins.
• Chen Lie declines the money, asking Mu Yunyao only to forward the spirit liquid to him. He then leaves the Sumeru Illusion Realm, maintaining his anonymity.

Character Developments

• Chen Lie: Continues to conceal his identity and origins, refusing to provide personal information or a Star Dollar account. Despite his apparent low cultivation realm, his exceptional Mental Power and thirteenfold Strength Value make him highly unusual. He demonstrates generosity by giving Mu Yunyao the monetary reward as compensation for helping him obtain the spirit liquid.
• Mu Yunyao: Gains recognition for her extraordinary Mental Power and ability to complete cultivation methods. She openly credits Chen Lie rather than claiming full responsibility, showing honesty and gratitude. She also chooses the specific reward Chen Lie needs and agrees to forward it to him.
• Ning Fan: His respect for Mu Yunyao grows as he acknowledges her superior Mental Power foundation. He also learns that he may face Meng Qingwan, a powerful Sword Dao student from Wood Source Planet, in the upcoming Blue Star–Wood Source Planet contest.
• Qin Yingyue: Is established as an influential, formidable figure with ties to the Beimang Star Sacred Martial Dynasty and possibly the Star Seeker. She takes special interest in Mu Yunyao’s talent but dismisses Chen Lie after judging him by his cultivation realm.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identity and underestimated ability: Chen Lie’s concealed background and low apparent cultivation contrast sharply with his extraordinary Mental Power and influence over Mu Yunyao’s achievement.
• Talent versus resources and background: The discussion contrasts Mu Yunyao’s privileged origins with Ning Fan’s poorer background, emphasizing how innate ability and opportunity shape advancement.
• Recognition of true talent: The Saint Envoy Hall values Mu Yunyao’s completed fragment, while Qin Yingyue identifies her as someone worth cultivating for future gatherings.
• Trust and gratitude: Mu Yunyao protects Chen Lie’s contribution and repays his assistance by securing and forwarding the Blood-Tempering Spirit Liquid.
• The limits of judging by appearances: Qin Yingyue quickly loses interest in Chen Lie because he has not reached the True Qi Realm, failing to recognize the full extent of his potential.

Character Interactions

• Chen Lie and Mu Yunyao: Their cooperative relationship deepens. Mu Yunyao relies on Chen Lie’s guidance, while Chen Lie trusts her to obtain and forward the spirit liquid. Their exchange also highlights mutual respect and gratitude.
• Ning Fan and Mu Yunyao: They briefly compare their completed fragments and Mental Power abilities. Ning Fan acknowledges that Mu Yunyao’s superior foundation gives her an advantage.
• Ning Fan and his fellow student: They discuss the upcoming interplanetary contest and identify Meng Qingwan as a major threat.
• Mu Yunyao and Qin Yingyue: Qin Yingyue praises Mu Yunyao’s work and offers her a future opportunity with the Saint Envoy Hall. Mu Yunyao responds candidly by naming Chen Lie as her guide.
• Qin Yingyue and Chen Lie: Qin Yingyue attempts to learn Chen Lie’s identity and origins, but he remains evasive. Her assessment of him is limited by his low visible cultivation, creating dramatic irony about his real abilities.

Key events

• In Canglan Saint Envoy Hall, Qin Yingyue shows the beautiful woman Yingluo the results of a Divine Sense Masters’ gathering. Yingluo initially dismisses the Canglan experts as unlikely to solve her mental-cultivation problem.
• A scanner cannot measure Yingluo’s immense Consciousness Sea and misidentifies the seven Star Gods she has cultivated through the Empire’s Mengzhang Divine Refining Chapter. In a brief contest, one Star God slightly edges Qin Yingyue’s eighth-ranked Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox. Yingluo explains that the Star Gods are components of a still more powerful united form, the Azure Dragon Divine Image.
• Reviewing the gathered jade slips, Yingluo discovers one fragment that reconstructs roughly 70% of the chapter’s Star Constellation Cultivation Method. Impressed, she changes her mind and asks Qin Yingyue to invite all the contributors—especially the slip’s author—to meet her.
• Chen Lie returns from the Sumeru Illusion Realm with resources secured for his twelfth blood tempering and enough for his thirteenth, but still needs rare higher-grade spirit liquid for later stages. He considers whether helping the Star Seeker’s child might earn him access to it, while doubting he can solve her advanced problem.
• Chen Lie learns that Xia Ziying has used her family’s Shenzhou Group to remove the local-registration obstacle to his Lanjing villa purchase and furnish the property.
• At the Super Genius Class training hall, Ruan Liuyun tells Chen Lie that the Blue Star Blood-Qi Ranking has been updated: he is now eighth, replacing Zuo Yuan’er and entering the Blue Star Ten Elites, while Hao Yulong falls out of the top ten.

Character developments and interactions

• Yingluo moves from skepticism to cautious hope after recognizing the exceptional insight in one Canglan expert’s work. Her conversation and sparring demonstration with Qin Yingyue reveal both the scale and structure of her cultivation.
• Qin Yingyue supports her friend’s search for a solution, tests Yingluo’s abilities, and agrees to arrange a new meeting with the Divine Sense Masters.
• Chen Lie remains ambitious but pragmatic: he weighs the chance of helping Yingluo against the difficulty of her problem and continues working to strengthen his mental power.
• Ruan Liuyun is annoyed that Chen Lie knew Liusu had been selected by Starry Sky University while she did not, but quickly shifts to sharing the news of his ranking rise.
• Xia Ziying’s support is conveyed through her practical intervention on Chen Lie’s behalf.

Significant themes

• Hidden talent and unexpected potential: Yingluo revises her low opinion of Canglan after encountering an unusually skilled contributor.
• Power, cultivation, and limits: Yingluo’s seemingly overwhelming abilities still represent only stages toward a greater form; Chen Lie likewise faces resource and cultivation hurdles.
• Opportunity and exchange: Chen Lie considers whether his expertise could help solve a powerful figure’s problem—and secure the scarce resources he needs.
• Personal ties amid ambition: Chen Lie values his family home more than luxury, while friendships and favors shape events alongside competition and advancement.

Chapter summary

• Ruan Liuyun tells Chen Lie that he has been ranked eighth on the Blood Qi Ranking, above Kang Quanlin, despite replacing the ninth-ranked Zuo Yuan’er. Kang, recently returned from training at Starry Sky University, approaches Chen Lie and acknowledges that defeating Zuo Yuan’er suggests Chen could beat him too.
• Ruan says Instructor Zheng Dongyang wants her to help Chen learn advanced martial arts for the coming permanent council star contest. Chen declines her help, though he claims he will train.
• Blue Star University gathers the top-ranked students and those returning from Starry Sky University to prepare for the contest against Wood Source Planet. Principal Lei Jinglong explains that the competition may include individual and team battles. If team battles happen, the ranked martial artists will follow Ning Fan, while blood-qi-stage students will follow Yang Jingnian, a highly accomplished fighter ranked third on both the Blood Qi and Divine Sense Master rankings.
• Students receive booklets on Wood Source Planet’s known blood-qi contenders. Lei separately brings Chen and Huo Jinghong to discuss their past dispute. Chen admits he arranged for Huo’s support funding to be withheld and a notice issued against him. He agrees to let the matter go if Huo apologizes, but Huo refuses, insisting martial artists should settle conflicts through combat.
• Lei advises Chen to show restraint toward Yan Zheng, another ranked student with whom Chen has a deeper grievance. Chen agrees outwardly, keeping his true hostility toward the Yan Family concealed until he has more power. He collects the opponent-information booklet and returns to the training hall, where Ji Lingxuan asks whether he bought a house in Lanjing.

Character developments and interactions

Chen is pragmatic: he accepts a ranking he considers secondary to strength, declines help with martial arts, and agrees to reconciliation when it costs him little. He also understands that the unusually fair treatment of ordinary talents is temporary, sustained by Blue Star’s rivalry with Wood Source Planet. Huo, by contrast, is proud and defiant, rejecting an apology despite the principal’s mediation. Lei tries to impose cooperation ahead of the contest, while Kang’s measured assessment hints at respect for Chen’s ability.

Significant themes

• Strength versus status: rankings matter less to Chen than demonstrated ability.
• Cooperation and rivalry: personal grudges may have to yield to the needs of team competition.
• Power and fairness: external pressure can protect talented people from privileged families, but Chen expects that fairness to disappear once the contest is settled.
• Restraint and concealed motives: Chen publicly accepts advice while withholding the deeper reasons behind his conflict with the Yan Family.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lie tells Ji Lingxuan that he bought a villa in Lanjing for his parents to use when they visit. They discuss the unusual flower petals Ji Lingxuan’s mother served him, though Ji Lingxuan has noticed no special effect from the blue or white varieties.
• Chen Lie encourages Ji Lingxuan to enter the Permanent Councilor Star Competition. Ji Lingxuan worries that his strength is inconsistent but agrees to discuss competing with his mother.
• Zheng Dongyang gathers Blue Star’s top Blood-Qi competitors and organizes daily team-combat training. Yang Jingnian is named captain, with Jiang Yuan as vice-captain. The team loses all four practice battles against twelve Second-Order Genius Class students, underscoring how much coordination they lack.
• Chen Lie holds back his full individual strength during team practice. His blood-qi secret art could overwhelm opponents, but using it would leave him depleted and stall his cultivation for months. He will consider the sacrifice only if it could make the difference in a close contest.
• Chen Lie’s parents arrive in Lanjing to see the villa. They are surprised by its size and luxury and meet their neighbors, Xu Yong and Jin Xiuying, who live in the attached Villa No. 10.
• Xu Yong learns that Chen Lie attends Blue Star University and suggests his daughter Cai Ying seek martial-arts advice from him. Cai Ying is reluctant to visit, but her mother insists.
• Chen Lie arrives, reunites with his parents, and shows them the fully furnished villa, telling them they can move in whenever they wish.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lie shows concern for his teammates and the team’s overall result, weighing his powerful but costly technique against the value of preserving his cultivation. He is also attentive to his parents’ comfort, having prepared the villa for them.
• Ji Lingxuan reveals uncertainty about his fluctuating strength but becomes open to competing after Chen Lie’s reassurance.
• Yang Jingnian and Jiang Yuan are assigned leadership roles, prompting skepticism from Xia Zhizhi, who believes Jiang Yuan is stronger. Zheng Shuwen explains that Yang Jingnian has more experience at Starry Sky University, though Jiang may still be his equal or better.
• Chen Lie’s parents are impressed by the villa and meet Xu Yong and Jin Xiuying. Xu Yong steers the conversation toward his daughter’s achievements and later sees Chen Lie as a useful potential mentor for Cai Ying.
• Cai Ying is introduced as a promising young martial artist facing a bottleneck. She is hesitant about meeting Chen Lie, setting up a likely future interaction.

Significant themes

• Individual power versus teamwork: Chen Lie’s strength cannot simply replace coordination; the team must learn to fight together.
• Sacrifice and strategy: Chen Lie’s strongest technique comes at a steep personal cost, so using it depends on whether it could genuinely change the outcome.
• Talent, opportunity, and mentorship: The competitors’ progress and Cai Ying’s prospects reflect the importance of training, guidance, and access to strong peers.
• Family and belonging: Chen Lie’s villa is not for his own use but a place for his family, and its arrival in Lanjing brings his parents into a new community.

Chapter Summary

• Chen Lie settles his parents into a new villa in Lanjing. He explains that he bought it using Outer Stars currency awarded by Blue Star University. When Shenzhou Group supervisor Wang Junyi outlines the residency arrangements, Chen Lie chooses a long-term lease with a route to Lanjing residency rather than immediately transferring his household registration. Wang also gives Chen and his parents access to the villa’s smart systems.
• Chen Lie reassures his parents about their family. He encourages them to visit Lanjing more often, then explains that his sister Yaoyao has gone to the Outer Stars and is expected to be safe. His parents are surprised, since most people on Blue Star have never travelled beyond it.
• The family meets their neighbors, Jin Xiuying and her daughter, Xu Caiying. Jin brings ingredients as a welcoming gift and invites the Chens to return the hospitality. Feng Yuelan warmly invites them to lunch. The ingredients turn out to be rare, valuable medicinal foods, prompting Chen Lie’s parents to resolve to repay Jin’s generosity.
• Xu Caiying initially underestimates Chen Lie. She assumes that, coming from a less prominent province, he cannot be especially accomplished. But she revises her view when she learns he entered Blue Star University’s Super Genius Class and arranged the villa purchase with help from a well-connected classmate. Chen Lie also accurately identifies Caiying’s recent martial-arts progress: she has reached the Blood-Qi Extreme Realm and begun approaching Muscle Refining.
• Caiying’s admiration for Jiang Yuan creates a tense moment. Jin explains that Caiying idolizes Lanjing’s Martial Leader and hopes to follow his path. When Chen Lie describes Jiang Yuan as “pretty good,” Caiying sharply criticizes his casual wording. Jin rebukes her, and Caiying regains her composure.
• A new plot thread begins. Chen Lie receives word that an urgent package from the Outer Stars has arrived with a request for him to enter the Sumeru Illusion Realm. He suspects it contains the Blood-Tempering Spirit Liquid, but decides to complete his thirteenth Blood Tempering before addressing the message.
• The chapter ends with a possible training request. Over lunch, Jin asks Chen Lie to advise Caiying, who has reached a training bottleneck. The excerpt ends before he responds.

Character Developments and Themes

Chen Lie remains calm and modest, though his exceptional status becomes increasingly apparent to the family’s new neighbors. Caiying shifts from dismissing him to recognizing his skill, but her pride and fierce loyalty to Jiang Yuan show how strongly she is shaped by Lanjing’s martial-arts culture. Jin acts as a bridge between the families, while the Chens’ hospitality and concern about returning the costly gift establish their sense of reciprocity.
Key themes include status and merit, the contrast between provincial and metropolitan life, family care, neighborly generosity, and the gap between reputation and firsthand judgment.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lie receives an urgent package from the Outer Stars: Extraordinary-Grade Blood-Tempering Spirit Liquid for his twelfth tempering. He sets aside Mu Yunyao’s request to meet in the Sumeru Illusion Realm and prioritizes cultivation.
• He completes his twelfth blood tempering, then uses another bottle for the thirteenth—his first extraordinary blood tempering. The process unleashes spectacular golden blood-qi, damages the cultivation room, and draws a crowd.
• University instructors assume Chen Lie has reached the great extreme of the blood-qi realm. He confirms he has entered blood-qi transforming into rainbow at the mortal aperture stage, having achieved the breakthrough on his own.
• After meditating overnight to stabilize his cultivation, Chen Lie enters the Sumeru Illusion Realm. Mu Yunyao is offline, so he waits and joins the Virtual Duel Arena to test his new strength.
• The arena cannot find a suitable opponent locally and matches him with Prince Moro of the Phantom Dust Star Domain. Moro’s bloodline power boosts him dramatically, but Chen Lie counters with the Flood Dragon Transformation and defeats him with one blow.
• Back in his own world, Moro is shaken by the loss. His mother insists the opponent must have been a hidden genius from a major star region, dismissing the possibility that someone from the Canglan Star Domain could be so powerful.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lie demonstrates growing strength, independent insight, and a disciplined focus on long-term goals. Though already assured of a strong future, he remains determined to reach the blood-qi realm’s third ultimate stage and secure advancement into the primordial essence domain.
• Zheng Dongyang and Lei Jinglong are astonished by Chen Lie’s self-achieved breakthrough and discuss the extraordinary combat potential his physique may give him. Lei cautions that even great strength may not overcome the fundamental gap to the heaven aperture stage.
• Zuo Yuan’er recognizes Chen Lie’s frightening combat growth and wonders how he compares with Jiang Yuan. Hao Yulong dismisses him as reliant on his special physique and predicts he will fall behind at the true-qi stage.
• Prince Moro goes from confident aggression to shock and doubt after Chen Lie overwhelms him, even after he activates his Dark Demon Power. His mother comforts him but also reinforces his prejudice toward humans and encourages him to see the opponent as an exceptional outsider.
• Xu Caiying declines the possibility of Chen Lie helping with her martial-arts bottleneck, preferring to meet classmates. Her mother, Jin Xiuying, lightly chides her for dismissing him before he can answer.

Significant themes

• Ambition and self-discipline: Chen Lie treats each breakthrough as a step toward much greater goals rather than a reason for complacency.
• Talent versus assumptions: Chen Lie’s success challenges expectations about the limits of his home star domain, while Moro’s mother clings to status-based explanations rather than accepting the evidence.
• Power and uncertainty: The chapter highlights how unusual physiques and bloodline abilities can reshape combat, while debate over the heaven aperture stage shows that some thresholds remain daunting.
• Prejudice and misinterpretation: Moro’s mother interprets Chen Lie’s identity and victory through racial and political assumptions, showing how bias can distort even a direct experience.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lie, unaware that his achievements could be mistaken for those of a prodigy from the Central Galactic Empire’s Ten Star Provinces, reconnects with Mu Yunyao in the Sumeru Illusion Realm.
• Mu explains that Saint Envoy Hall noticed a cultivation method Chen Lie had repaired and wants his help: Sheng Yingluo, daughter of the Canglan Star Domain’s Star Seeker, has hit a bottleneck in Mental Power cultivation.
• Chen refuses to travel to Saint Envoy Hall, preferring to speak in the virtual realm, where he can protect his identity and avoid the risks of visiting a powerful organization.
• Qin Yingyue doubts Chen’s ability because he is young, at the Blood-Qi Stage, and conceals his identity. Chen permits her to inspect his verified Sumeru records, revealing a Strength Value of 15.99 times and Second-Order Divine Sense Master status.
• Sheng Yingluo recognizes his “Seven Mansions of the Southern Sky” consciousness-sea world as evidence that he likely practices the “Lingguang Divine Refining Chapter,” a secret method associated with the Taia Star Province Martial Arts Academy. She apologizes for Qin’s disrespect and asks for his help.
• Chen agrees to advise Yingluo, but first requires two portions of Extraordinary-Grade Blood-Tempering Spirit Liquid, whether or not he succeeds.
• Yingluo begins explaining the source of her difficulty: when she was six, she was caught in the sonic attack of a Starry Sky Behemoth, the Starsea Longwhale. Its cry severely and permanently damaged her Mental Power, leaving her unconscious for nearly six months before an elder revived her.

Character developments

• Chen Lie remains cautious and guarded, but demonstrates confidence in his extraordinary abilities. He sets clear terms before offering help, motivated partly by his need for rare cultivation materials.
• Sheng Yingluo shifts from careful observation to respectful trust once she recognizes the significance of Chen’s records. She is courteous, direct, and protective of him when her cousin behaves rudely.
• Qin Yingyue begins skeptical and confrontational, then is reprimanded by Sheng Yingluo. She remains puzzled by the deference shown to Chen.

Significant themes

• Ability versus appearance: Chen’s low cultivation stage and concealed identity obscure accomplishments that far exceed expectations.
• Trust and self-protection: Chen declines an in-person meeting with a powerful institution, choosing a safer setting where he can control what he reveals.
• Hidden knowledge and status: A cultivation method and consciousness-sea configuration signal Chen’s possible connection to elite forces.
• Fair exchange: Chen insists on compensation before taking on an uncertain task.

Character interactions

• Mu Yunyao acts as intermediary, explaining Saint Envoy Hall’s request and arranging the meeting.
• Qin challenges Chen’s credibility; he answers by presenting authenticated records rather than revealing his identity.
• Sheng Yingluo both apologizes for Qin and establishes respectful terms with Chen, while Qin resents what she sees as his arrogance.
• The chapter ends with Sheng Yingluo confiding the childhood incident that caused her Mental Power injury, setting up Chen’s attempt to help.

Chapter Summary: “A Deal Struck”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sheng Yingluo reveals that her lingering mental injury was caused by a Starry Sky Behemoth. Although the Mengzhang Divine Refining Chapter greatly improved her condition, she only possesses its first two sections and has been unable to advance beyond the seventh-order Divine Sense Master realm.
• Her father, a former Order Army commander, obtained the incomplete cultivation method for her by spending military merit, despite regulations forbidding outsiders from learning it.
• Sheng explains that she arranged the Divine Sense Master gathering not to recreate the missing portion of the method, but to find someone capable of modifying the existing Star God Cultivation Method so she can reach the eighth order.
• Chen Lie recognizes the similarities between the Mengzhang and Lingguang Divine Refining Chapters and agrees that he can solve her problem.
• In exchange, Chen demands:
  • One intermediate-grade and one high-grade bottle of Extraordinary-Grade Blood-Tempering Spirit Liquid
  • A Starry Sky Behemoth bone
  • The finest Innate Spiritual Objects of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth
• Sheng accepts the terms and agrees to provide her cultivation method on a jade slip for Chen to study.
• After leaving the Sumeru Illusion Realm, Sheng asks Qin Yingyue to obtain the five-element spiritual objects from the Beimang Star Sacred Martial Court’s royal resources.
• Chen reflects on the benefits of the deal: the spiritual objects will help him cultivate Five Qi Converging at the Origin, while the Starry Sky Behemoth bone could aid his breakthrough into the supreme extreme realm of the blood-qi stage.
• The following day, Chen participates in team combat training at Blue Star University. His team has improved enough to fight second-year Genius Class students evenly.
• Ruan Liuyun congratulates Chen on reaching the great extreme realm of blood-qi, recognizing that he may now have surpassed her in strength.

Character Developments

• Chen Lie demonstrates greater confidence in his abilities. He correctly identifies a way to help Sheng advance and negotiates a highly valuable payment rather than offering assistance freely. His ambitions and resource requirements also become clearer: he is preparing for major breakthroughs in both blood-qi and true qi cultivation.
• Sheng Yingluo is shown to be intelligent, determined, and willing to take risks to overcome her cultivation bottleneck. She places strong trust in Chen, believing that if he cannot help her, no one in the Canglan Star Domain can.
• Qin Yingyue initially doubts Chen because of his apparent blood-qi-stage cultivation and his request for resources, but Sheng persuades her that Chen’s exceptional 15.99-fold strength value indicates extraordinary talent and likely powerful backing.
• Ruan Liuyun begins to view Chen as someone who may already exceed her own strength, marking his rapid rise in status within Blue Star University.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus cultivation level: Chen’s blood-qi-stage status conceals an extraordinarily high strength value, emphasizing that realm alone does not determine true power.
• The value of rare knowledge and resources: Chen’s understanding of the Lingguang Divine Refining Chapter makes him uniquely capable of helping Sheng, allowing him to obtain treasures otherwise nearly impossible to acquire.
• Trust and calculated cooperation: Sheng must trust an apparently young and low-level cultivator with her mental cultivation method, while Chen turns that trust into a mutually beneficial agreement.
• Ambition and preparation: Both characters seek resources for future breakthroughs rather than immediate gains. Sheng wants to overcome her seventh-order bottleneck, while Chen prepares for higher martial and true-qi realms.
• Hidden origins and factional power: The connection between the Mengzhang and Lingguang methods, the Martial Arts Academy, and the Order Army hints at deeper relationships among powerful organizations.

Character Interactions

• Sheng and Chen negotiate privately in the Sumeru Illusion Realm, with Sheng explaining her condition and Chen setting the terms for his assistance.
• Qin Yingyue questions the agreement and doubts Chen’s credibility, but Sheng defends him and explains the significance of his strength.
• Sheng instructs Mu Yunyao to receive the Blood-Tempering Spirit Liquid for Chen, establishing her role in managing the exchange.
• Chen later interacts with Ruan Liuyun at the Martial Arts Arena, where she praises his breakthrough and recognizes his growing strength.