Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Chong and Wang Li meet with Zhou Hao, the enigmatic mayor of No. 97 Settlement.
• Zhou resolves the aftermath of Gu Jian’s death by assigning Wang Li control of the Blood Skull/Skull Gang, effectively making him leader of both that gang and Big Thunder Dragon.
• Zhou gives Chen Chong a mysterious black card marked with a gold “97,” telling him to return it when he comes back and promising to lead him into the “true Wasteland.”
• Chen asks about the stolen box. Zhou admits he knows what happened but refuses to reveal the thief, cryptically saying that what truly belongs to Chen will eventually return.
• Zhou also gives Chen a letter for Huang Pengcheng, the ruler of Stone Dragon Town, ensuring that Huang will not obstruct Chen’s business there.
• Chen’s Security Division helps Wang Li take control of the two gangs before Chen leaves for Stone Dragon with the rest of the convoy.
• In Stone Dragon, Chen presents Zhou’s letter to Huang Pengcheng and explains that Xingji stole goods belonging to the Green Shirt Society and killed people.
• Huang, concerned with maintaining Stone Dragon’s reputation for trustworthy trade, immediately orders the goods to be returned and promises punishment after an investigation.
• After Chen departs with the recovered cargo, Huang reveals that he had secretly approved cooperation with another faction. He orders his men to ambush Chen’s convoy outside town, destroy or seize the goods, and weaken the Green Shirt Society.

Character Developments

• Chen Chong becomes increasingly influential and capable. His connection to Zhou Hao allows him to solve major problems through a single letter, demonstrating that his status and network in the Wasteland are rapidly growing.
• Wang Li is unexpectedly promoted to leadership of both Big Thunder Dragon and the Skull Gang. Though overwhelmed and resentful of the workload, he accepts the responsibility.
• Zhou Hao remains mysterious and powerful. His influence extends across Settlements, and even strong figures such as Huang Pengcheng are forced to respect his requests. His cryptic comments suggest knowledge of Chen’s future and of the hidden forces surrounding him.
• Huang Pengcheng initially appears honorable, disciplined, and committed to justice and commercial trust. However, his later conversation reveals him to be pragmatic and duplicitous, willing to arrange an ambush when doing so benefits Stone Dragon.
• Li Yan becomes more impressed with Chen, realizing that joining Chen’s organization may offer him a much better future than he originally expected.

Significant Themes

• Power and influence: Formal authority is less important than personal connections. Zhou Hao’s letter carries more weight than ordinary rules or negotiations.
• Mystery and hidden agendas: Zhou’s knowledge of the stolen box, the black card, and the “true Wasteland” hints at deeper secrets. Huang also conceals his true intentions until Chen has left.
• Trust and betrayal: Stone Dragon publicly values honesty and business credibility, yet Huang privately plans to betray Chen. The chapter questions whether trust can survive in the Wasteland’s ruthless environment.
• Growth through responsibility: Wang Li is forced into a leadership role, while Chen continues expanding his influence and handling increasingly complex affairs.
• The Wasteland as a dangerous frontier: Even seemingly civilized settlements remain unstable. Agreements, laws, and reputations can collapse once people leave the protection of town walls.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Chong and Zhou Hao: Their conversation is respectful but filled with hidden meanings. Zhou encourages Chen to pursue greater opportunities while implying that Chen will eventually return to No. 97.
• Chen Chong and Wang Li: Their relationship remains informal and teasing. Chen assigns Wang leadership responsibilities while jokingly pretending Wang’s exhaustion is merely a failure of training.
• Chen Chong and Huang Pengcheng: Huang treats Chen seriously after seeing Zhou’s letter. They exchange polite remarks, but Chen senses that Huang is especially interested in his connection to Zhou Hao.
• Huang Pengcheng and his subordinate: Their final exchange exposes Huang’s duplicity. He justifies the public return of the goods while privately ordering an attack on Chen’s convoy and seeking greater payment from his allies.

Chapter Summary: “Happy New Year”

Key Events

• The author wishes readers a happy New Year and good fortune in the Year of the Horse.
• They announce that updates will likely be limited to one chapter per day for the time being.
• The author explains that an old health problem has returned and that they are undergoing medical treatment.
• Heavy work and personal responsibilities, combined with previously forcing themselves to write 10,000 words daily while on sick leave, have left them exhausted.
• They reveal that the chapter was written secretly while working at the company, since they received almost no Spring Festival vacation.
• The author apologizes for the reduced output and hopes to resume a more regular writing schedule after work and life settle down near the end of the month or the beginning of the next.
• They state that their writing pace will improve gradually if their health recovers.

Character Development

• The author presents themselves as hardworking and highly committed to readers, continuing to write despite illness and an extremely demanding job.
• At the same time, they acknowledge their physical limits and recognize the need to slow down and prioritize recovery.
• Their comments convey resignation toward difficult working conditions, balanced with humor and perseverance.

Significant Themes

• Health versus responsibility: The author’s illness and exhaustion conflict with their desire to maintain a demanding writing schedule.
• Workplace pressure: The lack of meaningful holidays and constant workload emphasize the author’s difficult employment situation.
• Dedication to readers: Even while sick and busy, the author continues producing chapters and apologizes for any shortfall.
• Realistic pacing and recovery: The chapter stresses that returning to normal productivity depends on both reduced workload and improved health.
• Humor amid hardship: Lighthearted remarks about the nonexistent holiday and wishing readers everything except illness help soften the serious circumstances.

Character Interactions

• The author directly addresses readers throughout, responding to requests for extra holiday updates and explaining why those requests cannot be fulfilled.
• They express gratitude and goodwill toward the audience while asking for understanding regarding the reduced update schedule.
• The chapter functions primarily as a personal announcement and candid exchange between the author and their readership rather than a narrative installment.

Chapter Summary: “Annihilation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qingshan Security’s Security Division successfully retrieves supplies from Stone Dragon Town with little resistance, causing many members to underestimate the dangers of fieldwork.
• Chen Chong warns the convoy to remain vigilant, recognizing that the return journey is the most likely time for an ambush.
• The convoy is attacked in a hilly area by a force with roughly twice as many vehicles, heavy firearms, and a rocket launcher.
• The lead vehicle is nearly destroyed by the rocket, but Chen Chong takes control of the steering and prevents a direct hit. The convoy forms a defensive wall and returns fire.
• Although Li Yan organizes the Security Division effectively, the enemy’s superior numbers, terrain, and firepower gradually place the convoy at a disadvantage.
• Chen Chong activates his Second Form and rapidly crosses the battlefield, breaking through the enemy’s gun line and scattering the ambushers.
• He overwhelms the fat leader, a Third Realm fighter, with powerful strikes. Before Chen Chong can finish him, a white-coated man with abnormal strength intervenes.
• Two suited men join the white-coated man and the fat leader, revealing that the ambush includes four powerful Third Realm combatants. Their corpse-like auras suggest a connection to a familiar or organized enemy force.
• Chen Chong increases his power dramatically, activating “Feast” and raising the Second Form to 200%, then 300%.
• He kills one suited man by crushing his arms and head, dismantles the white-coated man by tearing off his remaining limbs and breaking his knees, and kills the fat leader with a single devastating blow.
• The final suited man is also destroyed when Chen Chong’s punch overwhelms his defense.
• Despite his injuries, the white-coated man continues struggling, prompting Chen Chong to remark that he is unusually difficult to eliminate.

Character Developments

• Chen Chong: Demonstrates exceptional speed, tactical awareness, physical strength, and ruthlessness. He quickly shifts from protecting the convoy to personally dismantling the ambush force. His escalating transformations reveal that his power is far beyond what the enemies expected, though prolonged fighting begins to strain his stamina.
• Li Yan: Initially shares the convoy’s overconfidence but quickly proves himself a capable field commander. He restores discipline after the ambush begins, organizes the vehicles into defensive cover, and coordinates supporting fire while Chen Chong attacks.
• Security Division personnel: Begin the mission inexperienced and complacent, believing fieldwork is easy. The ambush forces them to confront the reality of wasteland combat, but their training allows them to recover from the initial panic and fight effectively.
• The fat leader: Initially confident because of his numbers, terrain, and Third Realm strength. Chen Chong’s speed and power shatter his confidence, leaving him desperate and ultimately helpless.
• The white-coated man and suited fighters: Revealed as extraordinarily durable and emotionally detached combatants. Their unnatural resilience and corpse-like presence make them more mysterious and threatening than ordinary fighters.

Significant Themes

• Overconfidence versus preparedness: The convoy’s early arrogance is exposed when a carefully planned ambush nearly destroys them.
• Experience and discipline: Li Yan’s ability to restore order demonstrates that training and command structure are essential under real battlefield pressure.
• Overwhelming individual power: Chen Chong’s abilities allow him to reverse an otherwise hopeless tactical situation almost single-handedly.
• The limits of numbers and firearms: Superior vehicles, terrain, ammunition, and manpower cannot stop a fighter whose speed and strength vastly exceed ordinary combatants.
• Dehumanization and unnatural enemies: The white-coated man and suited fighters behave more like engineered or corpse-like weapons than normal people, hinting at a larger threat.
• Escalation of power: Chen Chong progressively raises his power output—from the Second Form at 100% to 200% and 300%—showing both his adaptability and the increasingly dangerous level of opposition.

Character Interactions

• Chen Chong repeatedly advises and corrects Li Yan’s convoy, emphasizing vigilance and disciplined movement.
• Li Yan initially commands the convoy under fire, then supports Chen Chong by ordering concentrated return fire when Chen Chong attacks the hillside.
• Chen Chong clashes directly with the fat leader, overpowering him physically and psychologically.
• The white-coated man intervenes just before Chen Chong can kill the fat leader, creating the chapter’s main one-on-one confrontation.
• The two suited men and the fat leader surround Chen Chong, temporarily restricting his movement and forcing him to make a rapid tactical decision.
• Chen Chong then targets the enemies one by one, killing or incapacitating them before confronting the final surviving opponent.
• His final exchange with the mutilated white-coated man ends on a threatening note, suggesting that the confrontation may not yet be completely over.

Chapter Summary: “Undercurrents”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Chong defeats an ambush near Stone Dragon Town, killing three Third Realm opponents and capturing a severely injured man in a white coat. Despite being attacked by numerous gunmen, Chen Chong remains virtually unharmed, causing the surviving ambushers to lose all will to fight and flee.
• The Security Division captures or kills more than half of the fleeing attackers.
• Interrogation reveals that the ambush was organized by Zhang Xing, the owner of Xingji Herbal Shop. Zhang had agreed to provide medicinal materials to mysterious outsiders from Lichuan, who were likely connected to the attack.
• The white-coated captive appears to be a supervisor or leader among these outsiders. He refuses to answer questions, even while badly injured.
• Chen Chong recognizes the enemies’ strength, fighting style, and eerie behavior as resembling the followers of Joyful Buddha, an enemy believed to have been destroyed previously.
• The convoy returns safely to Lichuan, delivering the medicinal supplies and prisoners. Chen Chong brings the white-coated man and the bodies of two other powerful enemies to Qiao Qing.
• Qiao Qing confirms that the captive’s presence strongly resembles Joyful Buddha’s influence. She agrees to investigate the group’s lair and report the discovery to her father.
• After returning home, Chen Chong begins closed-door training. He injects himself with a B-1 body-tempering supplement and spends an entire day fully absorbing it through his advanced Breathing Method.
• The training tempers his stomach and related organs, increases his physical power, and raises his talent progress to 57%, bringing him closer to the Third Realm.
• Chen Chong begins studying a leg technique taken from Gu Jian, hoping to complement his footwork and Phoenix Speed, but Qiao Qing suddenly calls to say that her people have identified the captive.

Character Developments

• Chen Chong: Demonstrates overwhelming combat ability, easily defeating multiple opponents of the same realm and enduring concentrated gunfire without serious injury. His victory earns him the reverence of the Security Division and strengthens his authority. However, he becomes increasingly concerned about Joyful Buddha’s possible survival and the instability threatening Lichuan. Rather than dwelling on matters beyond his control, he recommits himself to rapid cultivation and self-improvement.
• Li Yan: His view of Chen Chong changes from respect to near-worship after witnessing the battle firsthand. He begins to see Chen Chong as a rare genius and believes serving him may be the opportunity of a lifetime.
• Qiao Qing: Treats Chen Chong as a trusted and capable ally. She recognizes the seriousness of the Joyful Buddha connection and immediately takes responsibility for investigating it, while also showing concern for Chen Chong’s exhaustion.
• The Security Division: Their morale and discipline improve dramatically after witnessing Chen Chong’s strength. His previously distant authority becomes tangible, inspiring them to perform with greater confidence and obedience.
• The Ambushers: Their confidence collapses when firearms prove useless against Chen Chong. Their fear and demoralization lead to a disorganized retreat.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming strength and leadership: Chen Chong’s power does more than win a battle; it reshapes how his subordinates view and follow him.
• Hidden threats beneath apparent peace: The chapter emphasizes that Lichuan’s calm is temporary, with hostile factions and dangerous forces operating secretly.
• The persistence of evil: Joyful Buddha’s apparent return suggests that powerful enemies may survive destruction and continue spreading their influence through followers.
• Self-reliance and preparation: Chen Chong accepts that he cannot control political developments or other factions. His response is to strengthen himself so he can face whatever turmoil comes.
• Fear versus confidence: The ambushers’ terror contrasts with the Security Division’s growing morale, showing how displays of power can either paralyze enemies or unite allies.
• Human connection amid danger: Chen Chong’s brief interactions with his family provide emotional grounding before he returns to intense training and dangerous affairs.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Chong and Li Yan: Li Yan reports the attackers’ connection to Xingji Herbal Shop and Lichuan. His awe toward Chen Chong becomes obvious after witnessing the battle.
• Chen Chong and the white-coated captive: Chen Chong interrogates him but receives no answers. The captive’s silence and unnatural endurance reinforce suspicions that he belongs to Joyful Buddha’s organization.
• Chen Chong and Qiao Qing: Chen Chong delivers the captive and bodies to Qiao Qing, who confirms the connection to Joyful Buddha and promises to investigate. Their discussion establishes a cooperative effort to uncover the enemy’s base.
• Chen Chong and his family: After returning home, he spends brief, affectionate moments with his siblings and parents before entering seclusion to train.
• Chen Chong and the Security Division: His battlefield performance transforms their relationship, turning uncertainty about his leadership into unquestioning respect.
• Chen Chong and Qiao Qing at the end: Qiao Qing interrupts his training with news that the captive’s identity has been discovered, setting up the next major revelation.

Chapter Summary: “South Peak”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Chong attends a Green Shirt Society leadership meeting at the Qiao Estate, where Qiao Qinglian reveals the results of Chen’s mission in Stone Dragon.
• Chen had gone to Stone Dragon with only two security squads yet dismantled Xingji, killed its leader Zhang Xing, defeated or captured several Third Realm opponents, and shut down the Xingji medicinal herb shop.
• His success shocks the Society’s senior leaders, who had previously regarded him as a promising junior but now recognize him as someone capable of fighting at their level.
• Chen has also captured a mysterious prisoner: Liu Ancheng, a researcher from South Peak Pharmaceuticals who has transformed into a being resembling the “Joyful Buddha” monks formerly associated with Nanshan Temple.
• The leaders realize that Liu’s existence may indicate that the influence of the Ruin Rift and Nanshan Temple was not fully eradicated.
• Qiao Qinglian reveals that one of his informants inside South Peak Pharmaceuticals has stopped responding, suggesting either betrayal or a deeper problem within the company.
• Because South Peak Pharmaceuticals’ predecessor was located near Nanshan Temple, the Society suspects that the company may have been secretly influenced by the same strange force for a long time.
• The leaders agree that South Peak Pharmaceuticals must be investigated. Qiao Qinglian appoints Wang Su, Lu Bochao, and others to a temporary committee that will examine the company through both covert and direct means.
• Chen is rewarded for completing the mission and exposing the South Peak problem. He receives priority access to an incoming batch of internal supplies.
• Rather than sending Chen on another dangerous mission, the Society allows him time to rest and train, recognizing his potential and wanting to protect his development.
• The next morning, Chen begins studying the Eighth-Stage Nine Harmonies Breathing Method from an old training videotape recorded by its founder, Pan Deng.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Chen Chong: His reputation rises dramatically. His ability to defeat or capture multiple Third Realm enemies with minimal support establishes him as a major force within the Green Shirt Society. He remains focused and disciplined, choosing to improve himself further through the Eighth-Stage Breathing Method.
• Qiao Qinglian: He shows admiration and cautious appreciation toward Chen, while also taking responsibility for managing the wider threat posed by South Peak Pharmaceuticals. His decision to let Chen rest demonstrates his recognition of Chen’s long-term value.
• Qiao Qing: He presents Chen’s achievements plainly and helps make clear that Chen acted largely on his own, indirectly emphasizing the gap between Chen and the other leaders.
• Xu Zhiqiang: He becomes increasingly uncomfortable and regretful. He had intended to restrict Chen through organizational rules, but Chen’s overwhelming performance proves that raw strength cannot easily be controlled. Xu’s status also declines as he is excluded from the new investigation and receives no special recognition.
• Lu Bochao and the other leaders: Their attitude toward Chen changes from approving a talented newcomer to treating him as an equal or near-equal. Lu in particular is impressed by Chen’s achievements.
• Liu Ancheng: Once an ordinary or obscure researcher, he now possesses significant strength and displays physical traits associated with the Joyful Buddha monks. His capture raises serious questions about South Peak Pharmaceuticals.
• Pan Deng: Through the videotape, Pan Deng becomes a mentor from the past. His explanation reinforces the importance and quality of the Nine Harmonies Breathing Method and encourages Chen’s continued advancement.

Significant Themes

• Recognition through achievement: Chen’s actions force the Green Shirt Society to acknowledge his strength and elevate his standing.
• The limits of organizational control: Xu Zhiqiang’s attempt to restrain Chen through authority and procedure fails because Chen’s personal power has become too great to dismiss.
• Hidden corruption and lingering supernatural influence: Liu Ancheng and South Peak Pharmaceuticals suggest that the threat from Nanshan Temple and the Ruin Rift may have survived underground rather than being destroyed.
• Generational succession: Chen’s rise contrasts with Xu Zhiqiang’s decline, suggesting that the older generation’s former leaders may be replaced by younger talents.
• Protection and cultivation of talent: The Green Shirt Society deliberately shields Chen from unnecessary burdens so he can focus on training and become stronger.
• Progress through disciplined training: Chen’s decision to study the Eighth-Stage Breathing Method shows his commitment to steady, structured advancement rather than relying only on recent victories.

Important Character Interactions

• Qiao Qinglian publicly praises Chen and uses his success to brief the Society on the emerging South Peak threat.
• The leaders compare Chen’s strength with Xu Zhiqiang’s, creating an unspoken shift in status between the two.
• Chen’s capture of Liu Ancheng connects his personal mission to a larger organizational crisis.
• The Society members debate whether South Peak Pharmaceuticals has been infiltrated, corrupted, or secretly transformed.
• Pan Deng’s recorded lesson serves as a direct instructional interaction with Chen, guiding him toward the Eighth-Stage Breathing Method and the next stage of his cultivation.

Chapter Summary: “Class Reunion”

Key events

• Chen Chong calls He Bufan to ask about a recent class reunion. He Bufan says the gathering exposed how quickly former classmates have grown apart through differences in education, jobs, and family circumstances.
• He Bufan first claims there is no special reason for Chen Chong to attend a second gathering, then calls back and admits he is uneasy about Lin Xiaoman. Unable to explain his concern, he asks Chen Chong to meet him at Golden Wharf Fish Hot Pot two evenings later.
• Chen Chong agrees to help. He reflects that the concern may involve martial arts or supernatural matters, then returns to his intense training, continuing to work on the difficult Eighth-Stage Breathing Method.
• At the reunion, Chen Chong’s dramatic physical transformation astonishes his classmates. Lu Ping, who organized the gathering, tries to establish his own status by emphasizing the attendees’ achievements and his supposed place at Qingshan Security headquarters.
• When Lu Ping asks about Chen Chong’s work, Chen Chong bluntly says he does odd jobs for a gang. The other classmates react with surprise and assume he has fallen behind.
• Lin Xiaoman is friendly toward Chen Chong and tells him not to take Lu Ping’s remarks to heart. Chen Chong watches her carefully but detects nothing unusual.
• Lu Ping receives a call and announces that Zhou Yang, a senior Qingshan Security employee and director’s assistant, has arrived to speak to the group. He introduces her with great enthusiasm.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Chong remains focused, disciplined, and loyal to He Bufan. Though unimpressed by the reunion’s status games, he agrees to investigate his friend’s concern. His transformed appearance makes him the center of attention, but he neither explains his circumstances nor reacts angrily to Lu Ping’s provocation.
• He Bufan is sociable but guarded. His concern for Lin Xiaoman overcomes his reluctance to ask for help, revealing his trust in Chen Chong and his feelings for her.
• Lu Ping is shown to be ambitious and status-conscious. He uses the reunion to display wealth, connections, and career prospects, and subtly belittles Chen Chong.
• Lin Xiaoman treats Chen Chong kindly and appears composed, but He Bufan’s unexplained suspicion leaves her behavior an open question.
• The classmates’ reactions contrast admiration for conventional markers of success with their shock at Chen Chong’s appearance and blunt account of his work.

Significant themes

• Social division after graduation: Former classmates quickly sort themselves by education, jobs, money, and family background.
• Status and appearances: Lu Ping’s showy credentials and the group’s admiration reveal how strongly social standing shapes the reunion.
• Friendship and loyalty: Chen Chong attends not for the reunion itself but because He Bufan may need help.
• Uncertainty beneath ordinary life: He Bufan’s concern about Lin Xiaoman hints that the gathering may conceal a more serious, possibly supernatural problem.

Chapter Summary: “What a Coincidence”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Yang arrives at her former classmates’ gathering and receives an enthusiastic welcome. Her coworkers’ recent changes in attitude have made her appreciate the classmates’ sincere admiration.
• She recognizes Chen Chong in the corner but initially panics and pretends not to see him. When Lu Ping insults Chen Chong for remaining seated, Zhou Yang becomes increasingly distressed.
• Lu Ping repeatedly demands that Chen Chong apologize to Zhou Yang, unaware that Chen Chong is actually Zhou Yang’s superior. Chen Chong subtly signals Zhou Yang not to reveal his identity.
• Thinking quickly, Zhou Yang pretends she does not know Chen Chong and claims she wants to get acquainted with him because he is handsome. Lu Ping, misunderstanding the situation, encourages Chen Chong to entertain her.
• Zhou Yang begins serving Chen Chong food and treating him with excessive attentiveness, while Chen Chong calmly accepts it. The classmates become confused, and Lu Ping grows jealous and resentful.
• Lu Ping quarrels with the boat manager after learning that the boat cannot initially leave the harbor. The owner, Yang Zhe, arrives to resolve the dispute.
• Yang Zhe recognizes Chen Chong as “President Chen” and immediately treats him with great respect. He arranges for the boat to depart after all, inadvertently exposing Chen Chong’s powerful status.
• The classmates realize that Chen Chong is the owner of Qingshan Security, leaving them shocked. Lu Ping, horrified to discover that he has mocked someone far above him, desperately apologizes and offers to punish himself by drinking.
• The atmosphere becomes awkward and distant. Chen Chong leaves for the restroom and discovers that He Bufan is missing.
• Lin Xiaoman suddenly appears behind Chen Chong and tells him that she knows he is looking for He Bufan.

Character Developments

• Zhou Yang: Initially enjoys being treated as an important figure but quickly becomes terrified when she recognizes Chen Chong. She shows loyalty and quick thinking by disguising their relationship, though her improvised acting is clumsy. Her exaggerated attentiveness toward Chen Chong reveals both her respect for him and her anxiety about exposing his identity.
• Chen Chong: Remains composed and observant throughout the gathering. He quietly controls the situation through subtle gestures, allowing his classmates to remain unaware of his identity until Yang Zhe reveals it accidentally. His calm acceptance of Zhou Yang’s service contrasts with the others’ panic and flattery.
• Lu Ping: Begins as a boastful host eager to impress Zhou Yang and assert authority over Chen Chong. His jealousy and frustration grow as Zhou Yang focuses on Chen Chong. Once Chen Chong’s identity is revealed, Lu Ping’s confidence collapses, and he immediately shifts to desperate submission.
• Yang Zhe: Appears confident and intimidating when handling Lu Ping’s complaint, but becomes deferential upon recognizing Chen Chong. His reaction confirms Chen Chong’s high status.
• Lin Xiaoman: Makes a mysterious entrance at the end of the chapter and appears to possess information about He Bufan’s whereabouts.

Significant Themes

• The instability of social status: Zhou Yang’s reflections show how quickly people’s attitudes change according to perceived power. The reunion reinforces this when the classmates shift from treating Chen Chong as an ordinary peer to fearing and admiring him as a powerful executive.
• Hidden identity and dramatic irony: The audience and Zhou Yang know more about Chen Chong than the classmates do, creating tension and humor as they insult or flatter him without understanding his position.
• Power and social hierarchy: Chen Chong’s identity creates an invisible divide between him and his former classmates. Once his status is revealed, genuine casual interaction becomes nearly impossible.
• Humiliation and reversal: Lu Ping begins the chapter as the dominant host but ends up apologizing to the person he had been insulting. His social authority collapses almost instantly.
• Adaptability and deception: Zhou Yang improvises a false explanation to protect Chen Chong’s secret, while Chen Chong allows the misunderstanding to continue for his own reasons.

Important Character Interactions

• Zhou Yang and Chen Chong communicate largely through glances and gestures, cooperating silently to conceal their relationship.
• Lu Ping repeatedly confronts Chen Chong, only to unknowingly defend Zhou Yang’s “honor” against the very superior she fears offending.
• Zhou Yang’s attentive treatment of Chen Chong frustrates Lu Ping and alters the mood of the gathering.
• Yang Zhe’s recognition of Chen Chong publicly exposes Chen Chong’s position and transforms everyone’s attitude toward him.
• The chapter ends with a suspenseful interaction between Chen Chong and Lin Xiaoman, who hints that He Bufan’s unexplained absence may be significant.

Chapter Summary: “Fratricidal Strife”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Chong confronts Lin Xiaoman on a ship, suspecting her because she approaches him without making a sound despite appearing to be an ordinary high school girl.
• Lin Xiaoman claims that He Bufan has been stalking and harassing her. She says he has tried to date her, followed her to work, and repeatedly preached the teachings of the supposedly evil Joyful Buddha Cult.
• She repeats the phrase, “The sea of suffering is all living beings… Cross the sea of suffering, and joyfully become a Buddha,” which immediately alarms Chen Chong because it is associated with He Bufan and the cult.
• He Bufan emerges from the restroom, though Chen Chong had searched it moments earlier and found no one there. This confirms that something supernatural or deeply abnormal is occurring.
• He Bufan initially accuses Chen Chong of trying to steal Lin Xiaoman, but his demeanor changes when the Joyful Buddha Cult is mentioned. Chen Chong realizes that He Bufan, rather than Lin Xiaoman, is definitely hiding something.
• Lin Xiaoman addresses He Bufan as “Envoy He” and announces that the sacrifice is ready. He Bufan accepts this and orders the Buddha Lord to be summoned.
• Lin Xiaoman attacks Chen Chong with speed and strength far beyond that of a normal girl. Chen Chong strikes her through the cabin wall, but she appears to survive the blow.
• The classmates and servers reveal themselves as similarly controlled or transformed beings. They surround Chen Chong and attempt to seize him as a sacrifice. Zhou Yang is the only person who appears genuinely terrified and uninvolved.
• Chen Chong defeats the classmates in the narrow corridor, using precise strikes and the footwork taught by Gu Jian.
• He then confronts He Bufan. He Bufan demonstrates overwhelming power, blasting Chen Chong through the cabin wall with a single palm strike.
• Chen Chong escapes onto the deck and battles He Bufan. Their fight becomes evenly matched after Chen Chong activates stronger forms, eventually using [Feast] and entering his Third Form.
• Chen Chong realizes that He Bufan’s strength comes from an improper and dangerous source, likely connected to the Joyful Buddha Cult, and believes his best friend has been corrupted or victimized by it.
• Before Chen Chong can finish the fight, the Joyful Buddha manifests in the river as a gigantic golden palm. It rises from the water and crushes the ship, leaving behind only a huge whirlpool. The fate of Chen Chong, He Bufan, and the others is left unresolved.

Character Developments

• Chen Chong: Becomes increasingly suspicious and decisive. Although he initially tries to determine which of the two is lying, he ultimately recognizes that He Bufan is abnormal and acts to protect himself and investigate the truth. His combat abilities escalate as he activates multiple forms, but even his Third Form is not enough to overcome the greater supernatural threat.
• He Bufan: Reveals a calm, cult-like persona beneath his usual emotional behavior. His immense strength, strange movements, and connection to the Joyful Buddha suggest that he has become an “envoy” or servant of the cult. His former friendship with Chen Chong becomes a source of emotional conflict.
• Lin Xiaoman: Is exposed as far more dangerous than she appears. Her apparent helplessness is a calculated deception, and she participates willingly in preparing Chen Chong as a sacrifice.
• Zhou Yang: Stands apart from the others, hiding in fear beneath a table. Her reaction suggests that she may be the only unaffected classmate and potentially an important witness.
• The classmates and servers: Lose their individuality and act with synchronized movements and expressions, indicating possession, indoctrination, or transformation by the Joyful Buddha’s power.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and corrupted friendship: The central conflict is between Chen Chong and He Bufan, once close friends. Their fight demonstrates how supernatural influence has turned personal trust into suspicion and violence.
• Deception and hidden identity: Lin Xiaoman’s innocent appearance masks her power and allegiance, while He Bufan’s initial outrage conceals his connection to the cult.
• Cult indoctrination and loss of individuality: The repeated Buddhist-sounding phrase, synchronized classmates, and ritual sacrifice suggest how the Joyful Buddha’s followers surrender independent thought.
• The danger of improper power: He Bufan’s sudden strength appears unnatural, showing that immense power gained through corrupt means can destroy both the user and those around him.
• Sacrifice and survival: Chen Chong is designated as an offering, forcing him to fight not merely to win but to avoid being consumed by a larger supernatural ritual.
• Uncertainty and mistrust: Chen Chong must determine which statements are true while confronting the possibility that people he knows have been replaced or controlled.

Character Interactions

• Chen Chong and Lin Xiaoman: Their conversation begins as a seemingly ordinary request for help but becomes a psychological confrontation. Chen Chong distrusts her while pretending to cooperate, and she tries to manipulate him through claims of victimization.
• Chen Chong and He Bufan: Their friendship turns into a battle. He Bufan accuses Chen Chong of betrayal over Lin Xiaoman, while Chen Chong challenges He Bufan’s connection to the Joyful Buddha Cult. Their exchange combines personal resentment with genuine concern over He Bufan’s corruption.
• Lin Xiaoman and He Bufan: Lin Xiaoman treats He Bufan as a superior figure, calling him “Envoy He” and reporting that the sacrifice is ready. This confirms their shared allegiance.
• Chen Chong and the classmates: Former schoolmates attack Chen Chong as a unified mob, forcing him to fight people he remembers as ordinary and familiar.
• Chen Chong and Zhou Yang: They do not directly interact, but Zhou Yang’s fear contrasts with the others’ devotion and marks her as a possible ally or survivor.
• Chen Chong and the Joyful Buddha: Their confrontation remains indirect. The Buddha Lord’s enormous manifestation ends the battle by destroying the ship, establishing it as a vastly greater threat than either Chen Chong or He Bufan.

Chapter Summary: “Shipwreck”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Chong awakens inside a sinking ship after being struck unconscious by an enormous golden hand. The cabin is flooding, powerless, and filled with overturned furniture.
• Lu Ping ambushes Chen Chong, revealing that he and several other classmates have been transformed or possessed by Joyful Buddha followers. Their strength, speed, and durability have risen to the Third Realm.
• Five possessed classmates—Lu Ping, Yu Hui, Luo Wenhui, Lin Xiaoman, and others—attack Chen Chong in coordinated formation. Their teamwork and the rising water make the battle increasingly dangerous.
• Chen Chong adapts his Wave-Subduing Saber Technique, using his hand as a blade. He exploits the enemies’ sluggishness in waist-deep water to kill several of them.
• More possessed classmates and restaurant staff flood into the cabin, surrounding him and dragging at his legs underwater. In response, Chen Chong activates the Second Form at full power and combines it with the Eighth-Stage Breathing Method, unleashing a devastating blood-red attack.
• He breaks free and uses the Flash-Stepping Body Technique with the Wave-Subduing Saber Technique to move rapidly through the water, killing nearly all of the attackers.
• Lin Xiaoman attempts to appeal to Chen Chong through fear and emotional manipulation, calling the attackers his classmates. Chen Chong rejects her plea, recognizing them as enemies possessed by evil demons, and kills her.
• As Chen Chong tries to escape, a massive wave forces him back into the flooded cabin. The blood, bodies, and destruction suddenly vanish, revealing that he has entered a Ruin Rift.
• The cabin is now completely submerged, with fish swimming inside and the exit sealed. Chen Chong cannot open the door, portholes, or other potential escape routes.
• His oxygen is running out, and an exhaustive search reveals no obvious key or mechanism. He eventually notices a weak silver fish repeatedly sinking behind the others. Catching it, he discovers a hard object inside its belly, suggesting that it may be the key to escaping.

Character Development

• Chen Chong: Demonstrates adaptability, tactical awareness, and ruthless decisiveness. He turns environmental disadvantages—especially the rising water—against his enemies and gains deeper understanding of the Wave-Subduing Saber Technique. His willingness to kill the possessed classmates shows that survival now outweighs emotional hesitation.
• Lu Ping and the other classmates: Their transformation reveals that the Joyful Buddha influence has drastically increased their physical abilities while stripping away individuality. They fight with coordinated, almost hive-like behavior.
• Lin Xiaoman: Uses her appearance and emotional appeal to exploit Chen Chong’s former connection to the group, but her attempt fails because Chen Chong no longer sees her as a genuine classmate.
• The silver fish: Though seemingly insignificant, its weakness and repeated struggle become the clue that may lead Chen Chong to escape the Ruin Rift.

Significant Themes

• Survival versus sentiment: Chen Chong refuses to let former relationships prevent him from eliminating supernatural enemies.
• Adaptation under pressure: He improvises by using his hand as a saber and combines multiple techniques to overcome overwhelming numbers.
• Deception and false appearances: The possessed classmates look familiar but are no longer truly themselves, emphasizing the danger of trusting appearances.
• Hidden hope in hostile environments: The Ruin Rift appears to be a dead end, yet its solution is concealed in an easily overlooked detail.
• Transformation and escalating danger: The shipwreck and supernatural battle evolve into a more mysterious trial, suggesting that Chen Chong’s ordeal is far from over.

Character Interactions

• Chen Chong battles Lu Ping directly after Lu Ping launches a surprise attack.
• He fights the possessed classmates as a coordinated group, countering their teamwork with technique and control of the flooded terrain.
• Lin Xiaoman confronts Chen Chong verbally, invoking their shared classmate status and begging for mercy. Chen Chong rejects her emotional manipulation and kills her.
• Chen Chong’s final interaction is with the silver fish, whose struggle leads him to discover a concealed object that may unlock the submerged cabin door.

Chapter Summary: “Not Alone”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Chong uses a key taken from the silver fish to unlock a hatch in the sunken ship. Opening it forces him back into the previous level of the Ruin Rift, where the cabin is filled with bloody water, debris, corpses, and severed limbs.
• He is attacked by numerous Water Ghosts resembling his drowned classmates. They immobilize him, chant for him to “come,” and attempt to drag him into a massive fissure in the riverbed that resembles a monstrous smile—the apparent manifestation of the Joyful Buddha.
• Chen Chong fights back with his Flame Fist, burning and dispersing several ghosts. However, the river suppresses his fire, and the Water Ghosts outmaneuver him by clinging to his ankles and dragging him downward.
• Near exhaustion and almost out of air, Chen Chong grabs an iron anchor hanging from the ship. The anchor unexpectedly pulls him upward, rescuing him from the ghosts and the fissure.
• On the ship’s deck, Chen Chong sees a mysterious figure—revealed by Chen as He Bufan—restraining the Joyful Buddha’s enormous golden palm. The figure appears to be battling against another consciousness within himself.
• Unable to stop his right hand from summoning or controlling the giant palm, He Bufan wraps the anchor chain around his wrist and severs his own right hand. The detached hand transforms into a golden object and lands beside Chen Chong.
• He Bufan then falls into the river, disappearing before Chen Chong can save him. The ship breaks apart and sinks, leaving Chen Chong stranded in the river.
• Chen Chong is rescued by the Green Shirt Society, led by Qiao Qing. He learns that the ship had actually sunk earlier that day during a class reunion, with Lu Ping, several former classmates, Zhou Yang, restaurant workers, and He Bufan aboard.
• Chen Chong reports that the incident was caused by the Ruin Rift and the Joyful Buddha. He refuses to rest and waits at the dock for news of the missing ship and survivors.
• Later that night, rescue workers discover a sunken ancient ship beneath the river, suggesting that the events within the Ruin Rift correspond to a real wreck.

Character Developments

• Chen Chong: Demonstrates courage, adaptability, and determination while fighting alone in an environment specifically designed to suppress his abilities. Though physically exhausted and nearly defeated, he refuses to surrender and continues searching for a way out. His concern for He Bufan and the other missing people reveals strong loyalty and compassion.
• He Bufan: Makes a dramatic sacrifice to save Chen Chong and prevent the Joyful Buddha’s power from attacking again. His struggle between his two hands suggests that he is divided between conflicting identities or consciousnesses. His self-amputation shows both immense resolve and the seriousness of his connection to the evil entity.
• Qiao Qing: Displays concern for Chen Chong and personally checks his condition after the rescue. She acts efficiently, organizes professional search efforts, and remains with Chen Chong while he waits for news.
• The Green Shirt Society: Their response shows growing awareness of supernatural dangers and increasing readiness to intervene in large-scale incidents.

Significant Themes

• Isolation and companionship: Chen Chong appears to enter the Ruin Rift alone, but He Bufan’s intervention proves that he was not truly without help. The chapter’s title emphasizes that survival and resistance often depend on unseen or unexpected allies.
• Sacrifice and loyalty: He Bufan gives up his hand—and possibly his life—to save Chen Chong. Chen Chong, in turn, refuses to abandon the possibility that He Bufan survived.
• Defiance against overwhelming evil: Even when exhausted and trapped in an environment hostile to his Flame Fist, Chen Chong rejects despair and insists that there must be a way out.
• Reality and supernatural overlap: The Ruin Rift is not merely an illusion. The actual discovery of the shipwreck confirms that its events are connected to the real world.
• Corruption and divided identity: He Bufan’s struggle between his hands suggests possession, internal conflict, or the coexistence of opposing wills within one person.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Chong battles the Water Ghosts, which appear in the forms of his drowned classmates and attempt to lure him into the riverbed fissure.
• He Bufan intervenes against the Joyful Buddha, physically restraining its golden palm and ultimately sacrificing his right hand to protect Chen Chong.
• Chen Chong calls out for He Bufan after he falls into the river, showing their bond and his refusal to accept his apparent death.
• Qiao Qing rescues Chen Chong, examines him, and coordinates the response to the disaster.
• Chen Chong informs the Green Shirt Society leaders about the Ruin Rift, prompting fear and recognition that the Joyful Buddha has returned.
• The chapter ends with rescue workers discovering the wreck, leaving open the fate of He Bufan and the other missing passengers.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• A salvage crew raises an ancient sailing ship from the Lishui River. Though it initially appears intact, it rapidly rots into wreckage once exposed to the air.
• Rescuers find 23 people inside: 22 dead, including several of Chen Chong’s classmates and restaurant staff, and He Bufan, who is alive but unconscious. The victims’ peaceful expressions and He Bufan’s mixed look of peace, anger, and shock make the scene unsettling.
• A stone statue of the Joyful Buddha, missing its right hand, is recovered from the ship. Qiao Qing suspects it caused the Ruin Rift. She destroys the statue, which cracks apart at the strike of her sword; the fragments are collected.
• Qiao Qing connects the ship to an old Lishui River ghost-ship legend: a monk supposedly gathered drowned souls aboard an ancient vessel, trapping them in an endless cycle. The investigation has found no sign of the restaurant ship on the riverbed.
• Qiao Qing warns that the Joyful Buddha may be targeting Lichuan. Its cult has made South Peak Pharmaceuticals a stronghold and gained several exceptionally powerful Fourth Realm fighters. The Green Shirt Society may need to ally with Xichuan Heavy Industries and the Pan Family to stop them.
• Back home, Chen Chong examines two items from the Ruin Rift: the golden Buddha Hand, which He Bufan gave him, and an ordinary-looking key that feels as if it may not fully belong to reality. He suspects the key may fit an ordinary door but could break after one use.
• He Bufan remains stable but unresponsive. Doctors believe he may have suffered a “soul injury” beyond conventional medicine’s ability to treat.
• Chen visits He Bufan’s mother, He Xiaoli, and tells her what has happened. She remains devoted to the Joyful Buddha, declaring that suffering is part of where her son belongs and repeating, “All beings suffer. Joy is Buddha.”

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Chong returns from the crisis exhausted but thoughtful. He recognizes that the Joyful Buddha can sense and covet the Phoenix Flame within him, while the cult’s ointment may strengthen that same power. Rather than only fearing the entity, he adopts a defiant, predatory attitude toward it.
• Qiao Qing takes charge of the salvage and destroys the Buddha statue, then shares the ghost-ship legend with Chen. Her concern grows from investigating a local incident to confronting a threat that could endanger the whole city.
• He Bufan survives, but his strange, suspended condition suggests a supernatural connection to the Joyful Buddha. His gift of the Buddha Hand to Chen may be significant.
• He Xiaoli’s calm, unwavering faith sharply contrasts with Chen’s anger and concern for He Bufan. Their conversation leaves Chen confronting the possibility that the cult’s beliefs have shaped her response to her son’s condition.

Significant themes

• Supernatural danger spreading into ordinary life: A ghost-ship legend and Ruin Rift appear within a city, raising the possibility that Lichuan itself may be turning into part of the Wasteland.
• Faith and complicity: He Xiaoli’s devotion persists despite the harm associated with the Joyful Buddha, while Chen questions whether her faith has blinded her to the danger.
• Power and predation: The Joyful Buddha targets Chen’s Phoenix Flame, but Chen begins to view the conflict as reciprocal.
• Uncertain rescue and loss: The dead are recovered, but He Bufan’s survival offers little comfort while his consciousness remains unreachable.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Chong returns to the Shen family villa troubled by He Bufan’s condition and especially He Xiaoli’s apparent inability to recover. The warmth and ordinary bustle of family life lift his mood.
• Remembering the fragility of that peaceful life, he resolves to become stronger so the coming unrest in Lichuan cannot threaten his family.
• He eats the golden Buddha Hand Fruit and uses the Breathing Method to absorb its energy. In less than a day, he fully refines his kidneys and more than half of his spleen, advancing dramatically through the Third Realm.
• The fruit also purifies and strengthens his body, improves his talent, and deepens his mastery of the Eighth-Stage Breathing Method. His talent progress rises to 76%, and his Phoenix trait to 61%. He believes no Third Realm fighter in Lichuan can match him.
• Four days after the shipwreck, Chen Chong returns to work at Qingshan Security. He approves Zhou Yang’s death benefit at the highest level, classifying her as personnel killed in action.
• He learns that a woman claiming to be Zhou Yang’s older sister is waiting to see him.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Chong shifts from grief and worry to renewed determination. Family life reminds him what he wants to protect, while the Buddha Fruit greatly increases his physical strength, skill, and confidence.
• The Shen family provide a lively, affectionate refuge: Chen Liping welcomes Chen Chong home and cooks for him; he jokes and spends time with Shen Ying and Shen Dong, then joins Shen Jianping by the lake.
• Chen Chong and Zhou Yang remain connected through her death: despite having a new assistant, he ensures Zhou Yang receives the highest possible benefit.
• The new assistant appears capable and attentive, while Zhou Yang’s sister’s arrival opens a new personal and workplace concern.

Significant themes

• Family as motivation: Ordinary shared meals and familiar teasing remind Chen Chong what he must protect.
• Fragility and responsibility: Peaceful life cannot be taken for granted amid the coming turmoil.
• Power through extraordinary resources and discipline: The Buddha Fruit’s effects are amplified by Chen Chong’s Breathing Method and careful training.
• Duty and remembrance: Chen Chong honors Zhou Yang’s service even after her death.

Key plot points and events

• Zhou Xi, Zhou Yang’s older sister, visits Chen Chong and applies to be his assistant or bodyguard. She says she does not blame the company for her sister’s death and explains that she and Zhou Yang were not close. Chen Chong hires her as an assistant, conditional on passing a background check; it comes back clean.
• Zhou Xi proves unusually capable at work, quickly taking charge of the office and delivering clear, comprehensive reports. Chen Chong also rebukes Li Yan for failing to report a clash with the Combat Department that sent ten people to the hospital.
• Chen Chong asks Qiao Qing about switching his medicinal supplies from water-aspected ingredients to earth-aspected ones. Qiao Qing recognizes that this may signal a change in his training progress and agrees to try to secure the scarce ingredients.
• Qiao Qing reports that South Peak Pharmaceuticals has grown more powerful, likely through a medicine-smuggling route. The Green Shirt Society is struggling to persuade Xichuan Heavy Industries and the Pan family to cooperate against it.
• Xu Zhiqiang arrives with an urgent warning: the Green Shirt Society’s chairman and Vice Chairman Pang were injured ambushing a South Peak Pharmaceuticals convoy. Now Xichuan Heavy Industries representatives are at Qiao Estate, accompanied by three Fourth Realm experts—including Jade Spring Gang fighter Xiang Zhigang—while Qiao Qing is left to face them.

Character developments

• Chen Chong remains focused on cultivation and the resources that support it, while recognizing that he must rely on his own strength rather than wait for other factions to help. He is discerning about Zhou Xi’s talent and competence, and asserts firm authority over Li Yan.
• Zhou Xi emerges as blunt, ambitious, observant, and professionally skilled. Though Chen Chong suspects her motives may be more complicated than better career prospects, she quickly earns his trust through her work.
• Qiao Qing shows concern about Chen Chong’s training and conveys how difficult the political situation has become.
• Xu Zhiqiang returns with a serious warning, underscoring the danger facing the Green Shirt Society.

Significant themes

• Self-reliance versus alliances: Other powers hesitate to join forces, leaving Chen Chong convinced that strength must ultimately come from within.
• Ambition and opportunity: Zhou Xi treats her application pragmatically, seeking a better prospect rather than presenting her grief as the reason for joining.
• Authority and accountability: Chen Chong reminds Li Yan that delegated power comes from him and must be exercised responsibly.
• Escalating conflict: Strategic medicines, growing factions, and shifting alliances turn the struggle against South Peak Pharmaceuticals into an increasingly dangerous contest.

Character interactions

• Chen Chong offers Zhou Xi sympathy, interviews her, and hires her; their exchange establishes her candor and his cautious, practical judgment.
• Chen Chong and Qiao Qing discuss his training needs and the threat posed by South Peak Pharmaceuticals, with Qiao Qing sharing the Green Shirt Society’s failed efforts to secure allies.
• Chen Chong reprimands Li Yan over the concealed fight, while Zhou Xi demonstrates her value through her reporting.
• Xu Zhiqiang alerts Chen Chong to the crisis at Qiao Estate, setting up an imminent confrontation between Qiao Qing and the visiting delegation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qingshan Security activates its highest-level emergency alarm after the Green Shirt Society comes under attack. Its entire combat force mobilizes and rushes to Qiao Estate.
• The crisis began when South Peak Pharmaceuticals ambushed Green Shirt Society fighters. Pang Yun was seriously wounded, while Qiao Qinglian was also injured. At the same time, Xichuan Heavy Industries exploited the Society’s weakened state and arrived at Qiao Estate under the pretense of negotiating cooperation.
• Chen Chong and Xu Zhiqiang arrive to find fewer than ten Xichuan vehicles surrounding the estate. Several Xichuan leaders—Qian Yu, Chen Yurou, and Qin Shaoze—are guarding the entrance, while Zhou Changquan and two powerful fighters have already entered the main house.
• Xichuan’s representatives taunt Xu Zhiqiang and insult Chen Chong, implying that he is merely relying on Qiao Qing’s favor. Chen Chong responds by attacking:
  • He defeats Qian Yu, a senior Third Realm fighter, with a single punch.
  • He grabs and slaps Chen Yurou, knocking out several of her teeth.
  • Qin Shaoze is so intimidated by Chen Chong’s overwhelming presence that he cannot bring himself to attack.
• Chen Chong enters the reception room, where Qiao Qing is confronting Zhou Changquan, the bald Fourth Realm fighter, and the buzz-cut young man. Qiao Qing refuses to sign Xichuan’s proposed cooperation agreement.
• Chen Chong proposes restoring the previous cooperation plan: Green Shirt Society and Xichuan Heavy Industries should jointly oppose South Peak Pharmaceuticals and divide the gains equally afterward. Zhou Changquan rejects the offer, believing he can seize everything by defeating them.
• After Qiao Qing confirms that Chen Chong has the authority to negotiate, Zhou Changquan appears to accept—but suddenly steps forward and attacks Chen Chong, ending the chapter on a cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Chen Chong: Demonstrates a dramatic increase in confidence and combat power. He overwhelms two Third Realm fighters effortlessly and intimidates a third without even engaging him. He also takes command of the negotiations, showing that his influence within the Green Shirt Society has grown substantially.
• Xu Zhiqiang: Temporarily sets aside his rivalry with Chen Chong because of the larger crisis. He is shocked by Chen Chong’s strength and begins to recognize that Chen Chong may be capable of confronting Fourth Realm opponents.
• Qiao Qing: Remains composed under pressure and refuses to surrender the Green Shirt Society or accept Xichuan’s coercive terms. Her immediate change in expression upon seeing Chen Chong reveals her relief and trust in him.
• Zhou Changquan: Becomes more cautious after seeing Chen Chong defeat his subordinates, but remains ambitious and overconfident. He wants to absorb the Green Shirt Society and obtain Qiao Zhensheng’s legacy.
• Qian Yu and Chen Yurou: Their defeats expose the vast gap between ordinary Third Realm fighters and Chen Chong.
• Qin Shaoze: His hesitation and inability to attack reveal how thoroughly Chen Chong’s presence has shaken the Xichuan group.

Significant Themes

• Power and intimidation: Chen Chong establishes dominance without prolonged combat; his reputation and physical ability alter the balance of power before the main confrontation even begins.
• Crisis and political opportunism: South Peak Pharmaceuticals’ attack weakens the Green Shirt Society, allowing Xichuan Heavy Industries to pressure it at its most vulnerable moment.
• Trust and authority: Qiao Qing’s willingness to accept Chen Chong’s decision shows her deep trust in him and signals his emergence as a true authority within the organization.
• Cooperation versus ambition: Chen Chong seeks an alliance against a larger threat, while Zhou Changquan prioritizes personal gain and the chance to seize the Society’s resources.
• Hidden strength and shifting power: The chapter emphasizes that established fighters and organizations may be unable to judge Chen Chong’s true level, suggesting a major change in Lichuan’s power structure.

Character Interactions

• Xu Zhiqiang and Chen Chong travel together despite their former rivalry, united by the threat facing Qiao Estate.
• Xichuan’s leaders verbally provoke Xu Zhiqiang and mock Chen Chong, prompting Chen Chong’s swift physical retaliation.
• Chen Chong’s silent advance past Qin Shaoze creates a psychological confrontation more powerful than an actual fight.
• Qiao Qing and Zhou Changquan argue over Xichuan’s coercive “cooperation” proposal, with Qiao Qing rejecting his attempt to dominate the Green Shirt Society.
• Chen Chong takes over the negotiation and invokes their previous agreement, but Zhou Changquan responds with a surprise attack, setting up the next confrontation.

Plot points and events

• Zhou Changquan ambushes Chen Chong with a surprise punch, but Chen catches it and remains standing. Impressed, Zhou accepts Chen’s challenge to a life-or-death duel.
• The fight moves to a training hall before the Green Shirt Society’s senior members. Zhou reveals he has long known about the Ruin Rift and its dangerous creatures, but argues that eliminating business rivals first is the best way to maximize Xichuan Heavy Industries’ profits.
• Chen condemns Zhou’s ruthless priorities. Zhou then attacks, and Chen uses his improved footwork and full-powered Heaven-Turning Seal to evade and strike him.
• Chen’s assault forces Zhou onto the defensive, astonishing the spectators. Zhou eventually breaks away, powers up, and launches a devastating attack designed to leave Chen no escape.
• Chen dodges again—this time by leaping over Zhou—and slams him face-first into the floor. He pins Zhou down and holds a phoenix-eye fist against the back of his head. The duel’s outcome appears decided, though the chapter ends before it is confirmed.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Chong demonstrates that his strength and technique have advanced dramatically. He is confident and controlled, taking the fight seriously while needling Zhou about his ethics and status.
• Zhou Changquan shifts from dismissive confidence to genuine caution, then to desperation as Chen repeatedly outmaneuvers him. His willingness to prioritize corporate expansion over a looming supernatural threat exposes his self-interest.
• Qiao Qing is surprised by the full extent of Chen’s ability. She trusts his judgment, but remains ready to intervene if he is in danger.
• The Green Shirt Society’s leaders move from doubt to excitement and then anxiety as Chen gains the upper hand and Zhou unleashes his full power.

Significant themes

• Merit versus status: Chen’s performance challenges the assumption that a fighter from a lower realm cannot defeat a more powerful, influential opponent.
• Responsibility versus profit: Zhou knowingly puts corporate gain ahead of a shared danger, while Chen criticizes the destructive logic of unchecked profit-seeking.
• Preparation and adaptability: Chen’s improved footwork, timing, and composure let him counter Zhou’s greater raw power.
• Unequal odds and concealed strength: The observers—and even Qiao—underestimate how far Chen has progressed until the fight makes his ability undeniable.

Key events

• Chen Chong defeats Zhou Changquan, a Fourth Realm expert, despite being in a lower realm, and pins him alive. The victory ends Xichuan Heavy Industries’ immediate threat to the Green Shirt Society.
• Chen Chong warns Wang Sheng and Xiang Zhigang not to act. Qiao Qing negotiates their withdrawal: Zhou Changquan is kept as a hostage, and Wang Sheng surrenders a gold watch that helps train toward the second domain limit.
• Qiao Qing chooses not to fight the two remaining Fourth Realm experts, judging that victory would come at too high a cost. Chen Chong agrees that his own depleted strength makes a wider fight risky.
• The Society celebrates Chen Chong’s achievement, but its leaders soon turn to the danger posed by South Peak Pharmaceuticals, whose former Joyful Buddha followers are exceptionally powerful.
• Qiao Qing explains the Fourth Realm and the next stage of training. The watch makes Chen Chong’s blood resonate, revealing physical weaknesses that can be refined after he breaks through.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Chong proves both his extraordinary strength and his ability to assess risk. He lets Qiao Qing make the final call, while she tells him she trusts his judgment enough to decide for himself in future crises.
• Qiao Qing balances restraint with resolve: she avoids needless casualties, secures leverage over Xichuan Heavy Industries, and encourages Chen Chong to focus on advancing. Her close, personal exchange with him hints at growing intimacy; she asks whether she is merely a goal for him to catch up to.
• Wang Sheng and Xiang Zhigang shift from arrogance to caution after witnessing Chen Chong’s victory. They leave under escort, while Zhou Changquan remains captive.
• Qiao Qinglian arrives after the fight, praises Chen Chong, and draws him away from his private conversation with Qiao Qing.
• Chen Chong’s victory gives the Society hope, but its leaders recognize that South Peak Pharmaceuticals remains a formidable threat. Qiao Qing promises to seek allies while Chen Chong pursues the Fourth Realm.

Significant themes

• Strength and restraint: Winning a fight does not mean pursuing every possible victory; Qiao Qing prioritizes the Society’s survival over revenge.
• Trust and partnership: Qiao Qing increasingly relies on Chen Chong’s strength and judgment, while offering to share resources and training insights.
• Progress beyond apparent limits: The Fourth Realm is not a final endpoint; rare tools and continued refinement may reveal flaws in even a “perfected” physique.
• Hope amid looming danger: Chen Chong’s achievement changes the Society’s prospects, but the coming conflict with South Peak Pharmaceuticals remains unresolved.

Key plot points and events

• Back home, Chen Chong reflects on Qiao Qing’s growing affection. He cares for her and is moved by her kindness, but believes romance should not distract him from training, so he resolves to let their relationship develop naturally.
• Chen Chong considers the enormous gap between fighters of the old and new eras. He suspects some major change—perhaps biotechnology or a transformation in the world—made modern fighters vastly stronger, but recognizes that he lacks the access and knowledge to investigate yet.
• Xichuan Heavy Industries’ directors argue over whether to ransom their captured executive, Zhou Changquan. Some want to preserve the company’s resources and prevent Chen Chong from growing stronger; others insist Zhou is too valuable to abandon. Security Director Wang ultimately supports negotiating, but aims to minimize the cost.
• Qiao Qing explains that the Green Shirt Society accepted Xichuan’s counteroffer immediately. Zhou will be returned in a weakened condition, creating internal trouble for the company without permanently harming him or provoking unnecessary conflict.
• The Society has assembled abundant training resources for Chen Chong, including organ-training medicines and injections to support a breakthrough. Qiao Qing says the Society is also preparing a joint attack on South Peak Pharmaceuticals.
• After receiving the supplies, Chen Chong begins his attempt to reach the Fourth Realm.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Chong remains focused on advancement, while recognizing that Qiao Qing’s generosity makes it difficult for him to keep emotional distance. His curiosity about the wider world also grows, though immediate dangers take priority.
• Qiao Qing demonstrates strategic judgment and personal devotion: she secures resources for Chen Chong, handles the prisoner exchange carefully, and reassures him that his main responsibility is to train.
• Xichuan’s board is divided by loyalty, self-interest, and fear of Chen Chong’s potential. Wang Sheng’s cautious compromise reveals that the company wants Zhou back but is wary of empowering its rivals.
• Chen Chong and Qiao Qing speak with mutual trust and understanding; he accepts her support without making their unspoken feelings explicit.

Significant themes

• Ambition versus romance: Both Chen Chong and Qiao Qing prioritize martial progress, even as their affection deepens.
• Loyalty and self-interest: Xichuan’s debate over Zhou exposes how quickly corporate loyalty can give way to competition for power and resources.
• The price of advancement: Chen Chong’s breakthrough depends not only on discipline but also on costly medicines, organizational backing, and political maneuvering.
• A changing world: The contrast between old- and new-era fighters raises questions about the forces that transformed human limits—and hints at mysteries beyond Chen Chong’s immediate conflict.

Plot points and events

• Chen Chong uses the Green Shirt Society’s plentiful medicines to complete spleen training and carefully harmonize his organs, blood, qi, tendons, and bones.
• He breaks through to the fourth realm, reaching the pinnacle of cultivation within the first domain limit. His strength and speed rise dramatically, and he becomes eager to pursue the Nine-Stage Breathing Method and the next domain limit.
• After five days in training, he emerges to find his aunt, Chen Liping, anxiously waiting. He reassures her and shares a family meal before being summoned to the Green Shirt Society Estate.
• Vice President Pang Yun explains that the Society and Lichuan’s factions have surrounded South Peak Pharmaceuticals. A sudden, dense fog—apparently a Ruin Rift—has trapped everyone inside the affected area, and no one has been able to report back.
• The fog then begins spreading rapidly through Lichuan. Successive calls report breached defenses before communications abruptly cease.
• Chen Chong maps the fog’s advancing edge, sees that it threatens much of the city—including his home area and the Qiao Estate—and rushes out. Its path is approaching Green Mountain No. 1.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Chong demonstrates exceptional discipline and an unusually powerful constitution, enduring an extreme regimen of medicines to reach the fourth realm. His excitement over self-improvement is balanced by concern for his family and responsibilities.
• Chen Liping is relieved and delighted when Chen Chong returns, especially when he wants her cooking. Shen Jianping urges him to respond to the urgent summons despite the interrupted meal.
• Pang Yun, normally composed, is visibly shaken by both the fog crisis and Chen Chong’s breakthrough. He marvels that Chen has surpassed Qiao Qing’s pace and hopes Chen’s new strength may help the Society.
• Chen Chong and Pang Yun discuss the missing expedition and the growing danger; when the reports become alarming, Chen Chong acts immediately rather than waiting for orders.

Significant themes

• Discipline and advancement: Chen Chong’s rapid breakthrough reflects relentless training and strategic use of resources.
• Power and responsibility: His cultivation brings personal joy, but the city’s emergency quickly demands that he put his abilities to use.
• Uncertainty and escalating danger: The fog’s expansion and the silence from those trapped within it turn a planned operation into an unknown citywide catastrophe.
• Family and belonging: Even amid extraordinary ambitions, Chen Chong values ordinary time and affection with his family.

Key plot points and events

• A dense, unnatural fog surges through Lichuan, swallowing people and buildings. A woman and her young son disappear from their balcony when it reaches them.
• Chen Chong returns home and finds his family preparing to evacuate. Zhou Xi has recognized the phenomenon as an expanding Ruin Rift and arranged for Li Yan to escort the family north.
• Zhou Xi explains that the rift is expanding in tidal waves and will soon engulf the city. Unable to escape in time, Chen Chong chooses to turn back with her and investigate the rift’s core, hoping to stop it.
• Inside the fog, sound disappears and visibility drops to almost nothing. The pair find motionless people lying by the road, then encounter vacant-eyed pedestrians wandering toward South Peak Pharmaceuticals.
• Chen Chong senses that being seen by the wanderers could trigger danger. To avoid their notice, he and Zhou Xi crawl through the thicker fog near the ground, following the crowd toward the pharmaceutical company.
• Near the building, Chen Chong briefly looks up and draws several unseen gazes. He and Zhou Xi take shelter beneath a truck, where they discover a frightened little girl. Her gasp makes every pedestrian stop, and the pair realize they have been noticed.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Chong acts decisively under pressure: he sends his family onward, then risks entering the rift rather than leave the city’s residents in danger. He remains alert and resourceful, adapting quickly by crawling to evade the strange pedestrians.
• Zhou Xi proves that her academic expertise is practical. She identifies the rift’s expansion pattern, proposes reaching its core, and confidently drives them back into the fog. Though uncomfortable with Chen Chong’s crawling tactic, she follows his lead.
• Li Yan helps organize the family’s evacuation and obeys Chen Chong’s order not to turn back.
• Chen Chong and Zhou Xi develop a cautious working partnership, relying on one another’s judgment as they navigate an unfamiliar threat.
• The little girl’s fear suggests she understands the danger—or has already experienced it—though the chapter ends before she can explain.

Significant themes

• Duty versus personal safety: Chen Chong risks himself to confront the rift while sending his family to safety.
• Trust under uncertainty: He must decide whether to rely on Zhou Xi’s knowledge despite the limited time and unclear threat.
• The uncanny and loss of normality: Ordinary fog and everyday city life give way to silence, vacant wanderers, and unseen forces.
• Adaptability and cooperation: Survival depends on quick improvisation and working together.

Plot points

• Chen Chong confronts a crowd of people altered by the Ruin Rift. Rather than kill them, he uses his scabbard to hold them back, then overturns a heavy truck and pushes it through the crowd as a shield.
• He gets Zhou Xi and a young girl safely past the crowd and into South Peak Pharmaceuticals. Two especially powerful attackers ambush him at the gates, but he draws his blade and kills them.
• Inside, Chen and Zhou suspect the Rift’s core is upstairs. They find shattered altars and statues of the Joyful Buddha, with signs that others have been fighting their way through the building.
• On the fourth floor, they discover the Lichuan alliance facing South Peak Pharmaceuticals. The employees appear unnaturally calm and powerful; the alliance is badly injured.
• At a South Peak representative’s signal, several alliance members turn on their own side. Pan Liguang reveals that the Pan Family has sided with the entity behind the Rift, hoping to gain control of Lichuan.
• Pan dismisses the deaths of the city’s residents as irrelevant. Chen challenges him over what the Pan Family would rule if the city were destroyed, then kills him with a sudden strike.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Chong shows restraint and tactical ingenuity, prioritizing protection of Zhou Xi and the girl while reserving lethal force for serious threats. He ultimately acts decisively against Pan Liguang after hearing his callous plan.
• Zhou Xi follows Chen’s lead, helps protect the girl, and keeps pace with him even during the leap into the compound.
• The girl remains composed despite her ordeal, showing unexpected resilience and trust in her rescuers.
• Pan Liguang is exposed as an opportunistic traitor, openly choosing power and profit over the people of Lichuan. His betrayal shocks Qiao Qinglian and the alliance.
• Qiao Qinglian and Qiao Qing try to hold the alliance together as it collapses. Qiao Qing urges Chen to join their side and later tries to restrain him.

Significant themes

• Humanity versus self-interest: Pan’s willingness to sacrifice hundreds of thousands for family power contrasts with Chen’s determination to protect individuals and prevent mass death.
• Corruption and manipulation: The Rift’s influence turns allies against one another, while the altered people suggest that its power can gradually transform its victims.
• Moral responsibility: Chen’s rescue of the girl and confrontation with Pan emphasize the value of human life even amid a crisis too large for him to solve alone.
• Power and restraint: Chen uses overwhelming strength strategically, avoiding lethal violence against the crowd until forced to face direct threats.