Chapter Summaries

• Chen Cheng successfully condenses his Nine-Wick Blood Qi and defeats Dong Chuo, earning a significant amount of money and resources.
• He returns to the Shanhai Sect and meets with Zhou Wansen, who offers him a gesture of goodwill and friendship.
• Chen Cheng decides to sell his excess Treasure Fish and Medicine in the Wangyou Valley black market to avoid suspicion.
• He meets with Lv Qinyi, Chai Liang, and Li Li on Qingxi Island to test his underwater skills.
• Chen Cheng demonstrates exceptional speed and endurance underwater, surpassing both Chai Liang and Li Li.
• Li Li is impressed by Chen Cheng's unique posture and bone structure and offers to trade any condition for his method to achieve it.
• Chen Cheng declines, stating that he doesn't know how he achieved it himself.
• Li Li suggests a bet to see who can last longer underwater, but Lv Qinyi pulls her aside, warning her not to compete with Chen Cheng in endurance due to his Natural Iron Lung.

Key Plot Points and Events

1. Chen Cheng defeats Dong Chuo and gains significant resources and money.
2. He meets with Zhou Wansen and receives a gesture of goodwill.
3. Chen Cheng decides to sell excess Treasure Fish and Medicine in the Wangyou Valley black market.
4. He meets with Lv Qinyi, Chai Liang, and Li Li on Qingxi Island to test his underwater skills.
5. Chen Cheng demonstrates exceptional speed and endurance underwater, surpassing both Chai Liang and Li Li.
6. Li Li offers to trade any condition for Chen Cheng's method to achieve his unique underwater posture and bone structure.
7. Lv Qinyi pulls Li Li aside and warns her not to compete with Chen Cheng in underwater endurance due to his Natural Iron Lung.

Character Developments

1. Chen Cheng:
   • Successfully condenses his Nine-Wick Blood Qi and defeats Dong Chuo, demonstrating his growth and strength.
   • Shows exceptional underwater speed and endurance, surpassing both Chai Liang and Li Li.
   • Refuses to reveal his method for achieving his unique underwater posture and bone structure, stating he doesn't know how he achieved it himself.
2. Lv Qinyi:
   • Shows approval and support for Chen Cheng's progress and growth.
   • Warns Li Li not to compete with Chen Cheng in underwater endurance due to his Natural Iron Lung.
3. Li Li:
   • Impressed by Chen Cheng's unique underwater posture and bone structure, offers to trade any condition for his method to achieve it.
   • Challenges Chen Cheng to a bet to see who can last longer underwater.
4. Chai Liang:
   • Demonstrates his underwater speed but is surpassed by Chen Cheng.
   • Shows surprise and shock at Chen Cheng's underwater abilities.

Significant Themes

1. Growth and progress: Chen Cheng's successful condensation of his Nine-Wick Blood Qi and his exceptional underwater abilities demonstrate his growth and progress as a character.
2. Friendship and alliances: Zhou Wansen's gesture of goodwill and Lv Qinyi's support for Chen Cheng show the importance of building friendships and alliances within the sect.
3. Competition and rivalry: The underwater competition between Chen Cheng, Lv Qinyi, Chai Liang, and Li Li highlights the theme of competition and rivalry within the sect and among its disciples.

Character Interactions

1. Chen Cheng and Zhou Wansen:
   • Zhou Wansen offers Chen Cheng a gesture of goodwill and friendship.
   • Chen Cheng accepts it, showing appreciation for Zhou Wansen's support.
2. Chen Cheng and Lv Qinyi:
   • Lv Qinyi shows approval and support for Chen Cheng's progress and growth.
   • She warns Li Li not to compete with Chen Cheng in underwater endurance due to his Natural Iron Lung.
3. Chen Cheng and Li Li:
   • Li Li is impressed by Chen Cheng's unique underwater posture and bone structure and offers to trade any condition for his method to achieve it.
   • Chen Cheng declines, stating he doesn't know how he achieved it himself.
   • Li Li challenges Chen Cheng to a bet to see who can last longer underwater.
4. Chen Cheng and Chai Liang:
   • Chai Liang demonstrates his underwater speed but is surpassed by Chen Cheng.
   • He shows surprise and shock at Chen Cheng's underwater abilities.

Summary

• Chen Cheng discovers an ancient cave abode hidden beneath the Sea Marsh, which he uses to store his important supplies.
• He meets Qing Chan, who brings him three Yunlei Blood-Condensing Pills and offers to help him obtain more, but it's difficult due to their rarity.
• Chen Cheng decides to visit Wangyou Valley to sell some of his excess Treasure Fish and hopefully find more resources to aid his cultivation.
• At Wangyou Valley, he encounters a VIP who enters without paying the thousand-tael entrance fee, using a Wangyou Token.
• Chen Cheng uses Dong Chuo's Wangyou Token to enter the valley without paying the fee.
• He explores the market, seeing a variety of goods, including martial arts manuals, weapons, and even intelligence and secret formulas.
• He witnesses an auction of a powerful martial slave, with bids reaching hundreds of thousands of taels.
• Chen Cheng finds an empty stall and starts selling his Treasure Fish, attracting his first customer, the VIP he saw earlier.

Summary of Chapter

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng sells Treasure Fish and other resources at Wangyou Valley, attracting the attention of a woman in a silver mask who buys them at high prices without haggling.
• Chen Cheng encounters a blue-masked youth who tries to buy Yunlei Blood-Condensing Pills but is outbid by Chen Cheng, leading to tension between them.
• Li Wenrou returns injured from a mission, and Chen Cheng visits her, offering her a Treasure Fish to aid in her recovery.
• Chen Cheng returns to the Shanhai Sect and learns that Li Wenrou's injuries are severe, and she is being cared for by her mother.
• Chen Cheng receives a letter from his mother, informing him that she has returned to Zhao City and that everything is well. He plans to return in three years.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Chen Cheng continues to cultivate and sell resources at Wangyou Valley, demonstrating his adaptability and resourcefulness. He also shows concern for Li Wenrou's well-being and maintains his filial piety towards his mother.
• Li Wenrou: Li Wenrou's injuries are severe, affecting her appearance and causing her to retreat from the world. Her mother arrives to care for her, showing the depth of their bond.
• The Silver-Masked Woman: Although not much is revealed about her, she displays immense wealth and a straightforward demeanor, buying resources at high prices without haggling.

Significant Themes

• Filial Piety: Chen Cheng's love and concern for his mother remain a central theme, driving his actions and decisions.
• Adaptability: Chen Cheng continues to adapt to his new environment, demonstrating his ability to navigate different situations and make the most of his opportunities.
• Wealth and Power: The silver-masked woman's wealth and status are emphasized, contrasting with Chen Cheng's humble beginnings and highlighting the disparities within the sect.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and the Silver-Masked Woman: Their interaction is brief but significant, with the woman buying resources from Chen Cheng at high prices, showing her wealth and status.
• Chen Cheng and Li Wenrou: Chen Cheng visits Li Wenrou, showing concern for her well-being and offering her a Treasure Fish to aid in her recovery. Their interaction is brief but demonstrates their friendly relationship.
• Chen Cheng and the Blue-Masked Youth: Tension arises between them due to a bidding war for Yunlei Blood-Condensing Pills, highlighting the competitive nature of the sect and the value of resources.

Summary

Key Plot Points

+ Chen Cheng catches a second-tier Treasure Fish on a full moon night, leading him to explore the bottom of the abyss.
+ He encounters a terrifying mental pressure at the abyss's bottom, suggesting something powerful is sealed there.
+ Chen Cheng and Chai Liang team up to catch a second-tier Treasure Fish but are robbed by Zhao Tuo, an elite of the Python Pavilion.

Character Developments

+ Chen Cheng's tempering progress increases, unlocking the 'Stomach-Strengthening' and 'Lung Strengthening' traits in the Inner-Strengthening Taiji.
+ Chai Liang's fear of Zhao Tuo is reinforced after the incident, and he warns Chen Cheng to be careful.
+ Deacon Sun breaks through his cultivation bottleneck after eating a Three-Tailed Treasure Fish, further motivating him to support Chen Cheng.

Significant Themes

+ Chen Cheng's determination to improve his cultivation and unlock his potential.
+ The power dynamics and bullying within the sect, exemplified by Zhao Tuo's actions.
+ The importance of kindness and reciprocity, shown through Deacon Sun's support of Chen Cheng.

Character Interactions

+ Chen Cheng and Chai Liang form a temporary alliance for fishing but are thwarted by Zhao Tuo.
+ Chen Cheng delivers healing Treasure Fish to Li Wenrou, and her mother, Aunt Zhang, expresses her deep gratitude.
+ Deacon Sun gives Chen Cheng three Shanhai Blood-Condensing Pills to support his cultivation, solidifying their alliance.

Chen Cheng, having broken through to the Divine Treasury realm, participates in the Sea Academy Grand Competition. He defeats Lu Jian, an Ordinary disciple from the Python Pavilion, with a single strike, shocking the audience. Gu Qianqian and Li Li wager on Chen Cheng's victory, with Gu Qianqian losing and agreeing to pay Li Li ten strips of Third-Order Treasure Fish Jerky. Du Kuanglan, a formidable Ordinary disciple from the Python Pavilion, steps onto the arena, causing Chen Cheng's defeat to be considered an honorable one.

Key Plot Points and Events

1. Chen Cheng breaks through to the Divine Treasury realm and participates in the Sea Academy Grand Competition.
2. Chen Cheng defeats Lu Jian with a single strike, demonstrating his immense strength.
3. Gu Qianqian and Li Li wager on Chen Cheng's victory, with Gu Qianqian losing and agreeing to pay Li Li ten strips of Third-Order Treasure Fish Jerky.
4. Du Kuanglan, a powerful Ordinary disciple from the Python Pavilion, steps onto the arena, setting the stage for Chen Cheng's defeat.

Character Developments

Chen Cheng

* Breaks through to the Divine Treasury realm, demonstrating immense strength and skill.
* Shows confidence and composure in his actions, earning respect from his peers.

Gu Qianqian

* Bets on Chen Cheng's defeat and loses, showing her underestimation of Chen Cheng's abilities.
* Agrees to pay Li Li the wager, maintaining her integrity.

Li Li

* Bets on Chen Cheng's victory, showing her faith in his abilities.
* Wins the wager, earning ten strips of Third-Order Treasure Fish Jerky.

Du Kuanglan

* Steps onto the arena, causing fear and awe among the disciples.
* His presence sets the stage for Chen Cheng's defeat, highlighting the gap in their cultivation levels.

Significant Themes

1. Strength and Skill: Chen Cheng's victory over Lu Jian showcases his immense strength and skill, earning respect from his peers.
2. Underestimation: Gu Qianqian's bet on Chen Cheng's defeat highlights her underestimation of his abilities, leading to her loss.
3. Integrity: Gu Qianqian's agreement to pay Li Li the wager, despite losing, demonstrates her integrity and commitment to her word.
4. Cultivation Levels: Du Kuanglan's presence on the arena highlights the gap in cultivation levels between him and Chen Cheng, setting the stage for Chen Cheng's defeat.

Character Interactions

1. Chen Cheng and Lu Jian: Chen Cheng's single-strike defeat of Lu Jian showcases his immense strength and skill.
2. Gu Qianqian and Li Li: Gu Qianqian and Li Li's wager on Chen Cheng's victory highlights their differing opinions on his abilities, with Gu Qianqian underestimating him and Li Li having faith in him.
3. Chen Cheng and Du Kuanglan: Chen Cheng's impending defeat at the hands of Du Kuanglan highlights the gap in their cultivation levels and sets the stage for an honorable defeat.

Chapter Summary: “The Shortest (10k)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng faces Du Kuanglan in the ordinary disciples’ competition. Before Du can finish offering him three breaths to surrender, Chen attacks with overwhelming speed and stops his fist just short of Du’s face. The resulting compressed current blasts Du out of the arena and knocks him unconscious.
• Xu Tianpeng, chief senior disciple of the Python Pavilion, becomes enraged and attempts to intimidate Chen with his powerful aura pressure. Chen remains completely unaffected, but deliberately pretends to stagger and panic, preserving Xu’s dignity and preventing a larger conflict.
• Impressed by Chen’s strength, composure, and tact, Xu openly praises him and offers him elite-disciple status in the Python Pavilion.
• Gu Qianqian wagers her valuable Treasure Artifact sword against Li Li, then sends Gu Sheng to challenge Chen. Although Gu Sheng has elite-level strength, he has not formally become an elite and is therefore technically eligible to fight.
• Gu Sheng challenges Chen to a contest of inner breath, believing it to be his specialty. His attack disrupts Chen’s inner-breath circulation, but Chen remains unaffected and overwhelms Gu Sheng in return, sending him unconscious to the surface.
• After Chen’s third consecutive victory, no ordinary disciple dares challenge him. Xu Tianpeng officially declares Chen the champion among ordinary disciples, granting him elite-disciple status and again inviting him to join the Python Pavilion.
• Chen accepts the victory spoils from Li Li: Gu Qianqian’s high-grade Treasure Artifact sword, Third-Order Treasure Fish Jerky, and a Third-Order Shanhai Gathering Pill.
• Chen reveals to Li Li and Lv Qinyi that he has already broken through from the Nine Bloods stage to the Divine Treasury Realm after only two months of cultivation. Both women are stunned, though they eventually accept his explanation that the breakthrough came through legitimate cultivation.
• Chen agrees to travel with Li Li to Yunlei City, intending to learn more about her family before accepting their support.
• The chapter ends as Li Li prepares to fight in the Elite Group competition. Wang Qingfeng, who has apparently slept through the earlier events, finally asks what happened, while Gu Qianqian attempts to curry favor with him.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Demonstrates overwhelming combat ability, mastery of Water Control and inner breath, exceptional mental strength, and impressive social judgment. Rather than openly humiliating Xu Tianpeng, he pretends to be intimidated, showing that he understands diplomacy as well as combat. His Divine Treasury breakthrough reveals that his progress is far beyond everyone’s expectations.
• Xu Tianpeng: Shifts from anger and intimidation to admiration. He recognizes Chen as an extraordinary talent and becomes determined to recruit him into the Python Pavilion.
• Du Kuanglan: Suffers a crushing defeat before he can even complete his challenge, establishing the vast gap between himself and Chen.
• Gu Sheng: Initially confident in his inner-breath technique, he is shocked when Chen resists and overwhelms him. His defeat damages Gu Qianqian’s position and exposes the limits of his resource-supported cultivation.
• Gu Qianqian: Becomes increasingly humiliated and enraged after losing three wagers in succession. Her hostility toward Chen and Li Li intensifies, and she is forced to pay her debts despite wanting to avoid doing so.
• Li Li: Gains confidence and becomes more assertive. She defends Chen publicly, confronts Gu Qianqian, enforces the wager, and reveals stronger family backing than Gu Qianqian expected.
• Lv Qinyi: Recognizes Chen’s extraordinary potential and understands that the Fishery Pavilion may not be able to retain him after the Python Pavilion’s recruitment offer.
• Wang Qingfeng: Remains detached and silent throughout Chen’s victories, neither recruiting Chen nor intervening in Gu Qianqian’s dispute. His indifference contrasts with the excitement and concern of the others.

Significant Themes

• Strength combined with wisdom: Chen’s greatest advantage is not merely his overwhelming power, but his ability to control his image, avoid unnecessary hostility, and use flexibility in social situations.
• Reputation and factional interests: Chen’s victories affect the prestige of the Fishery, Python, and Dragon Pavilions. His recruitment becomes a matter of factional competition.
• The difference between true ability and external resources: Gu Qianqian dismisses Chen as someone artificially supported by resources, but Chen’s victories and rapid breakthrough suggest genuine talent and unusual foundations.
• Adaptation versus arrogance: Chen succeeds by adapting his behavior, while Gu Qianqian and Gu Sheng suffer because of overconfidence and underestimating him.
• Hidden dangers and the need for strength: Despite his victories, Chen remains wary of Gu Qianqian’s possible retaliation. He recognizes that only greater personal strength can eliminate future threats.
• The value of a short winning streak: Chen’s three victories are more intimidating than Wang Qingfeng’s twelve-match record because no one afterward believes they have any chance of defeating him.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen and Xu Tianpeng move from confrontation to mutual respect after Chen survives Xu’s aura pressure and tactfully pretends to be overwhelmed.
• Chen and Gu Sheng exchange verbal provocation before competing in inner breath; Chen’s calm confidence contrasts with Gu Sheng’s growing shock.
• Li Li openly challenges Gu Qianqian, refuses to let her evade the wager, and defends Chen against accusations that his strength is artificially obtained.
• Li Li and Lv Qinyi react with disbelief to Chen’s Divine Treasury breakthrough, then offer him support and congratulations.
• Chen’s fellow Fishery Pavilion disciples enthusiastically flatter and court him after his victory, signaling how dramatically his status has changed.
• Gu Qianqian seeks Wang Qingfeng’s support, but he remains emotionally distant and offers no assistance.
• The chapter closes with Li Li entering the Elite Group competition, setting up a new conflict while Chen’s future allegiance remains undecided.

Chapter Summary: “Leaping Across Levels”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gu Qianqian recounts Chen Cheng’s recent victories to Wang Qingfeng and accuses Chen Cheng of using sinister methods connected to the Immortal Bone Sect. Wang Qingfeng rejects her unsupported accusations and defends Chen Cheng’s reputation.
• Chen Cheng leaves the competition area and notices four Man Pavilion disciples—Zhao Liang and three followers—stalking him. Rather than evade them, he deliberately leads them into a remote area.
• Before Chen Cheng can ambush them, Hong Xuanyi, a powerful Second Divine Treasury expert of the Immortal Bone Sect, appears and effortlessly kills three of the pursuers. Zhao Liang, a First Divine Treasury cultivator, is defeated and forced to submit.
• Hong Xuanyi brings Zhao Liang to an Immortal Bone Sect hideout and gives him an Immortal Disk Pill. The pill causes extreme pain and implants a Heart-Devouring Gu, which Hong Xuanyi can later activate to kill Zhao Liang. Hong Xuanyi reveals that he learned Gu Control from his father, a high-ranking Immortal Bone Sect Venerable.
• Chen Cheng secretly follows them and launches a surprise attack on Hong Xuanyi. Although Hong Xuanyi initially blocks Chen Cheng’s sword and assumes he is only a First Divine Treasury cultivator, Chen Cheng’s sword cuts through Hong Xuanyi’s weapon and severs his arm.
• Hong Xuanyi counterattacks, but Chen Cheng uses sophisticated Taiji footwork and rotational force to evade him. Chen Cheng’s “Six-Harmony Return to Truth” and “Taiji Force Instant Burst” shatter Hong Xuanyi’s remaining arm and severely injure his head, decisively defeating the Second Divine Treasury expert.
• Chen Cheng forces Hong Xuanyi to activate the Heart-Devouring Gu and kill Zhao Liang. Afterward, Chen Cheng decapitates both men and extracts Zhao Liang’s heart to inspect the Gu. He destroys the Heart-Devouring Gu rather than risk raising an uncontrollable creature.
• Chen Cheng gains mastery of the new skill Disk Control · Heart-Devouring, learns how the Immortal Disk Pill and Gu function, and realizes he could potentially use the technique to control others’ lives.
• He returns to his grotto-heaven, sorts through the loot, and consumes Third-Order Treasure Fish Jerky and a Shanhai Gathering-Void Pill. The resources greatly accelerate his cultivation.
• For three days, Chen Cheng cultivates continuously in the abyss, benefiting from the pill’s medicinal power and the jerky’s nourishment.
• When he returns, Deacon Sun delivers his Sea Academy elite disciple uniform, training gear, armor, token, competition rewards, and monthly cultivation resources. He also gives Chen Cheng an additional Shanhai Gathering-Void Pill.
• Chen Cheng reciprocates by giving Deacon Sun a bucket of Treasure Fish. Their exchange highlights their growing friendship. Deacon Sun also warns Chen Cheng that several pavilion leaders and elite disciples have come looking for him.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Demonstrates exceptional stealth, tactical patience, combat awareness, and the ability to defeat a stronger opponent through technique and overwhelming force. He becomes more ruthless and pragmatic, eliminating future threats and destroying the dangerous Gu. His rapid cultivation and new Gu-control ability expand both his power and his strategic options.
• Hong Xuanyi: Initially appears overwhelmingly dominant, killing three disciples with ease and controlling Zhao Liang through fear and Gu techniques. His confidence collapses after Chen Cheng defeats him, revealing the limits of relying on superior cultivation and cruel methods.
• Zhao Liang: Shifts from arrogant pursuer to terrified survivor, then to a submissive pawn. His cowardice and willingness to betray others in order to live are emphasized.
• Deacon Sun: Shows sincere concern and support for Chen Cheng by giving him a precious pill. Their relationship develops into one of mutual trust and practical generosity.
• Wang Qingfeng: Establishes himself as fair-minded and unwilling to condemn Chen Cheng based on speculation, contrasting with Gu Qianqian’s jealousy and hostility.
• Gu Qianqian: Becomes increasingly resentful and determined to find evidence against Chen Cheng, motivated more by envy than justice.

Significant Themes

• Strength versus reputation: Chen Cheng’s accomplishments attract admiration, suspicion, envy, and recruitment attempts. The chapter contrasts evidence-based judgment with malicious speculation.
• Strategic intelligence and preparation: Chen Cheng wins not merely through cultivation, but through stealth, terrain use, feints, timing, and technical mastery.
• Power across levels: The chapter’s central achievement is Chen Cheng’s defeat of a Second Divine Treasury expert while still at the First Divine Treasury level, establishing his extraordinary combat potential.
• Control and coercion: Hong Xuanyi controls Zhao Liang through the Heart-Devouring Gu, while Chen Cheng turns that same method against Hong Xuanyi. Power is repeatedly expressed through the ability to determine whether others live or die.
• Pragmatism and danger: Chen Cheng refuses to leave hidden threats alive and destroys the Gu rather than risk future catastrophe. His choices emphasize survival over sentiment.
• Trust and reciprocity: Deacon Sun’s gift and Chen Cheng’s return gift strengthen their bond, providing a contrast to the betrayal and exploitation surrounding the Immortal Bone Sect.

Important Character Interactions

• Wang Qingfeng rebukes Gu Qianqian for accusing Chen Cheng without proof.
• Chen Cheng deliberately allows Zhao Liang’s group to follow him, intending to eliminate the threat.
• Hong Xuanyi dominates Zhao Liang, forcing him to swallow the Immortal Disk Pill and become a controlled “hidden stake.”
• Chen Cheng ambushes and defeats Hong Xuanyi, then compels him to activate the Gu inside Zhao Liang.
• Deacon Sun and Chen Cheng exchange cultivation resources and Treasure Fish, reinforcing their mentor-like friendship.
• The chapter ends with several powerful Sea Academy disciples seeking Chen Cheng, setting up further conflicts and recruitment attempts.

Chapter Summary: “Hidden Dragon”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Deacon Sun leaves Chen Cheng’s residence after delivering Treasure Fish, and Qing Chan arrives to give Chen Cheng five more fish and a congratulatory Third-Order Shanhai Gathering Void Pill from her master.
• Qing Chan asks about Chen Cheng’s progress with the exceptionally difficult Secret Six-Harmony Great Spear. Chen Cheng claims he is close to mastering it, impressing and surprising her.
• Chen Cheng continues tempering his Health-Preserving Taiji, strengthening his Innate Divine Spirit. Because of his unusual black-and-white dual Divine Spirits, his actual combat power lies between the One-Spirit and Two-Spirit Divine Treasury realms.
• At the Zhang Family Trading Firm, Chen Cheng’s belongings arrive safely. The Zhang family calculates a profit of thirty thousand taels and decides to give half to Chen Cheng while attempting to recruit him as a martial arts Attendant.
• In the Dong Family’s secret chamber, Dong Xing and Cui Zifeng torture Ning Chong for information. Suspicious of Chen Cheng’s survival at Feidang Mountain and his immunity to their poison, they decide to lure him out and kill him before he reaches the Divine Treasury Realm.
• Li Li gives Chen Cheng rewards from the Fishery Pavilion: Treasure Fish Jerky and Shanhai Gathering-Void Pills. She also informs him that the Immortal Bone Sect has launched attacks across Shanhai Sect territory, and that Senior Sister Lu has been poisoned.
• Chen Cheng and Li Li travel to Yunlei City. He prepares carefully, carrying concealed weapons, poison powder, and the Immortal Disk Pill.
• At Li Li’s mansion, Chen Cheng meets her mother, Li Jinge, a powerful former Divine Weapon Valley expert and chief of the Yunlei Chamber of Commerce’s Weapon Forging Hall. She tests Chen Cheng’s strength and recognizes his unusually dense Xi Force.
• Li Jinge gives Chen Cheng the high-grade treasured weapon Hidden Dragon, a belt that transforms into either a chain blade or a longsword. She senses that Chen Cheng is concealing significant strength and remarks that the weapon suits him.
• Chen Cheng pawns Gu Qianqian’s longsword for twenty thousand taels, avoiding selling it in a place where his identity might be exposed.
• At the Zhang residence, he discovers that Zhang Yu was brutally beaten during an apparent robbery in which twenty thousand taels were stolen. Zhang Yu suspects a larger conspiracy and refuses to summon Chen Cheng, fearing he will be endangered.
• Chen Cheng arrives anyway, learns that the attackers were connected to Flying Bear Stronghold, and immediately decides to investigate. Dong Xing’s spies report that Chen Cheng has taken the bait and is heading there.
• At Flying Bear Stronghold, the bandits celebrate their stolen money and their alliance with the Dong Family and Cui Zifeng. Chen Cheng attacks, killing the watchmen and numerous bandits with astonishingly precise archery. His arrows penetrate shields, walls, and wooden defenses.
• When Chen Cheng appears to run out of arrows, the Third Leader attacks him—but suddenly reacts with terror, ending the chapter on a cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng continues to grow in power and confidence. He carefully hides his true abilities while preparing for danger, showing strategic judgment and composure.
• His unusual dual Innate Divine Spirits and steady cultivation establish him as far stronger than ordinary martial artists at his level.
• Chen Cheng’s concern for Senior Sister Lu and the Zhang family demonstrates his loyalty and sense of responsibility, while his immediate decision to investigate Zhang Yu’s assault shows his willingness to confront threats personally.
• Qing Chan becomes increasingly supportive of Chen Cheng and hints that her master is closely observing his progress.
• Li Li openly praises Chen Cheng’s talent and character, revealing her admiration and affection. Her relationship with her mother also shows her warm, affectionate side.
• Li Jinge quickly recognizes Chen Cheng’s exceptional potential and hidden strength. Her decision to gift him Hidden Dragon indicates that she has accepted him as someone worthy of the Li family’s support.
• Zhang Yu, despite being severely injured, prioritizes Chen Cheng’s safety over revenge, emphasizing her gratitude and moral integrity.
• Dong Xing and Cui Zifeng become more determined to eliminate Chen Cheng before he can grow into a serious threat.

Significant Themes

• Hidden potential and restraint: Chen Cheng conceals his true strength, and the Hidden Dragon weapon symbolizes his dormant power and guarded identity.
• Loyalty and gratitude: The Zhang family, Qing Chan, Li Li, and Chen Cheng all demonstrate varying forms of loyalty and repayment.
• Political and martial alliances: The Dong Family, Cui Zifeng, the Immortal Bone Sect, the Zhang family, and the Li family reveal the dangerous network of factions influencing events.
• Power and vulnerability: Chen Cheng is powerful but still targeted because enemies fear his future growth. Senior Sister Lu’s poisoning and Zhang Yu’s injuries show that even respected figures remain vulnerable.
• Justice and retaliation: Chen Cheng’s response to Zhang Yu’s assault moves the conflict from suspicion into direct confrontation.
• Recognition of true talent: Several powerful figures begin to see Chen Cheng as more than an ordinary young disciple, marking his transition toward greater influence.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Qing Chan: She delivers rewards, questions his spear cultivation, and encourages him on behalf of her master.
• Chen Cheng and the Zhang family: The Zhangs acknowledge their debt to him, while Chen Cheng responds to Zhang Yu’s injuries by personally pursuing the attackers.
• Dong Xing and Cui Zifeng: They agree to use the Zhang family as bait to lure Chen Cheng out of the Shanhai Sect.
• Chen Cheng and Li Li: They travel together, discuss the crisis in the Sea Marsh, and develop a closer bond through mutual concern and cooperation.
• Chen Cheng and Li Jinge: She tests his strength, evaluates his character, notices his hidden power, and gifts him Hidden Dragon.
• Chen Cheng and the Flying Bear bandits: He launches a one-man assault on their stronghold, demonstrating overwhelming precision and combat ability before confronting the surviving leaders.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng annihilates the Flying Bear Stronghold, including Cui Zifeng, the Dong Family's representative.
• The Dong Family is raided by the White Dragon Army, and Dong Xing is killed. Their properties are seized.
• Chen Cheng returns the twenty thousand taels to the Zhang Family and receives a family letter from Madam Li, including a twenty thousand tael bill of exchange.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng breaks through to the Divine Treasury realm and becomes a formidable expert.
• Cui Zifeng is revealed to be an elite of the Immortal Bone Sect and is forced to submit to Chen Cheng.
• The Dong Family's downfall leaves their disciples, including Dong Feng and Dong Zhong, in a precarious position.

Significant Themes

• Karma and consequences of actions (Dong Family's downfall).
• The power dynamics and politics within the Shanhai Sect and the Yunlei Chamber of Commerce.
• The importance of family and loyalty (Chen Cheng's actions towards the Zhang Family and Li Li).

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Zhang Wenhui: Chen Cheng avenges the Zhang Family and returns their money, gaining their gratitude and respect.
• Chen Cheng and Li Li: Li Li gifts Chen Cheng a Divine Treasury-level chain-blade martial art and offers to introduce him to her mother for guidance. She also asks Chen Cheng to teach her the Dragon-Form Bone Appearance method.
• Chen Cheng and Cui Zifeng: Cui Zifeng is forced to submit to Chen Cheng after being captured and has his Immortal Gu controlled by Chen Cheng's Divine Treasury.

• Chen Cheng is summoned to the Mountain Academy by Elder Geng Yuliang, who informs him about the Seven Pavilions Grand Competition's format and the 'Seven Pavilions Walker' privilege.
• Chen Cheng is taken to the Fist Pavilion's Xiaosong Peak, where he spars with two disciples, Qian Hai and Zhou Cunfeng, and defeats both using his superior combat response, calculation, and control.
• Geng Yuliang is impressed by Chen Cheng's skills and decides to recruit him personally.
• The chapter ends with Zhou Cunfeng challenging Chen Cheng to a real spar, offering to use only sixty percent of his Xi Force and promising not to injure him.

Key Plot Points and Events

1. Chen Cheng is summoned to the Mountain Academy and learns about the Seven Pavilions Grand Competition's format and the 'Seven Pavilions Walker' privilege.
2. Chen Cheng is taken to the Fist Pavilion's Xiaosong Peak to spar with disciples and familiarize himself with their techniques.
3. Chen Cheng defeats Qian Hai and Zhou Cunfeng in sparring matches, demonstrating his exceptional combat skills and control.
4. Geng Yuliang decides to recruit Chen Cheng personally after witnessing his skills.
5. Zhou Cunfeng challenges Chen Cheng to a real spar, offering to use only sixty percent of his Xi Force and promising not to injure him.

Character Developments

Chen Cheng

* Demonstrates exceptional combat skills, calculation, and control in sparring matches.
* Impresses Geng Yuliang, who decides to recruit him.
* Accepts Zhou Cunfeng's challenge for a real spar.

Geng Yuliang

* Summons Chen Cheng to the Mountain Academy and explains the Grand Competition's format and the 'Seven Pavilions Walker' privilege.
* Takes Chen Cheng to Xiaosong Peak to spar with disciples and familiarize himself with their techniques.
* Impressed by Chen Cheng's skills, decides to recruit him personally.

Qian Hai

* Spars with Chen Cheng and is defeated, admiring Chen Cheng's skills and strength.

Zhou Cunfeng

* Spars with Chen Cheng and is defeated, challenges Chen Cheng to a real spar using sixty percent of his Xi Force and promising not to injure him.

Significant Themes

Genius and Talent

* Chen Cheng's exceptional combat skills, calculation, and control are highlighted, showcasing his genius and talent.
* Geng Yuliang's decision to recruit Chen Cheng personally further emphasizes his potential.

Recruitment and Mentorship

* Geng Yuliang's decision to recruit Chen Cheng personally highlights the importance of mentorship and guidance in cultivation.

Challenge and Growth

* Zhou Cunfeng's challenge to Chen Cheng emphasizes the theme of continuous challenge and growth in cultivation.

Character Interactions

Chen Cheng and Geng Yuliang

* Geng Yuliang summons Chen Cheng to the Mountain Academy and explains the Grand Competition's format and the 'Seven Pavilions Walker' privilege.
* Geng Yuliang takes Chen Cheng to Xiaosong Peak to spar with disciples and familiarize himself with their techniques.
* Geng Yuliang is impressed by Chen Cheng's skills and decides to recruit him personally.

Chen Cheng and Qian Hai

* Qian Hai spars with Chen Cheng and is defeated, admiring Chen Cheng's skills and strength.

Chen Cheng and Zhou Cunfeng

* Zhou Cunfeng spars with Chen Cheng and is defeated, challenges Chen Cheng to a real spar using sixty percent of his Xi Force and promising not to injure him.

Geng Yuliang and Zhou Cunfeng

* Geng Yuliang commands Zhou Cunfeng to spar with Chen Cheng.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Geng Yuliang stops the dangerous spar between Chen Cheng and Zhou Cunfeng, emphasizing that the purpose was training rather than victory. He personally tests Chen Cheng, demonstrating the defensive, close-range fighting style of the Fist Pavilion.
• Chen Cheng adapts by using movement and footwork instead of meeting force with force. Geng Yuliang then teaches him swordsmanship, overwhelming Chen Cheng with precise attacks aimed at vital points.
• Chen Cheng enters deep reflection, repeatedly analyzing the exchanges. Geng Yuliang is impressed by his endurance, concentration, and extraordinary comprehension, believing Chen Cheng could become a major figure within ten years if he joined the sect.
• Zhou Cunfeng announces that he will challenge Chen Cheng during the upcoming Seven Pavilions Grand Competition. Chen Cheng accepts the challenge.
• On a full-moon night, Chen Cheng’s Treasure Fish harvest is reduced because the Immortal Bone Sect’s invasion has made the northern waters dangerous. He later discovers that the terrifying pressure in the abyss has vanished.
• After cultivating, Chen Cheng gains the Dragon Scale trait from the Roaming Dragon Art, allowing him to withstand extreme pressure and cold. He descends to the abyssal floor, where he discovers a beautiful woman bound by nine rune-covered chains and sealed with a powerful talisman.
• Chen Cheng realizes that the woman is not dead. She is maintaining herself through a demonic technique called Breath Consumption, which absorbs primordial qi through mental power rather than breathing.
• In Wangyou Valley, Chen Cheng sells fifty-two Treasure Fish for over 75,000 taels, attracting considerable attention.
• He gives one fish to the gray-clothed pill seller in exchange for appraisals. The man identifies:
  • Immortal Bone Soul-Guarding Pills as Second-Order healing pills.
  • Immortal Bone Qi-Gathering Pills as scarce Third-Order cultivation aids.
  • Immortal Bone Great Medicines as physique-strengthening pills.
• Chen Cheng exchanges two bottles of pills for five Qi-Gathering Pills from other sources, giving him a substantial supply for future cultivation. The old man warns him about pill toxins, but Chen Cheng is unconcerned because his special traits can neutralize them.
• Chen Cheng asks about alchemy. The old man explains the types of pill furnaces, necessary materials, fire-control techniques, and the difficulty of obtaining high-grade furnaces.
• Chen Cheng investigates two powerful mental attractions. He rejects a Divine Treasury Realm woman being sold as “cauldron material,” refusing to participate in the cruel harvesting technique being used on her.
• At an antique stall, Chen Cheng identifies a battered furnace made of Lightning-Struck Heavenly Iron. Though the stall owner initially demands 1.5 million taels, Chen Cheng buys it for one million after confirming its value.
• The blue-masked young man who previously lost Yunlei Blood-Condensing Pills mocks Chen Cheng for buying what he considers scrap iron. Chen Cheng ignores him.
• Chen Cheng activates his Wu Force on the furnace, causing a black medicinal liquid to emerge from its lightning-marked cracks. The entire market is overwhelmed by its powerful fragrance, drawing nearly everyone’s attention.
• Wangyou Valley guards protect Chen Cheng while a subordinate rushes to inform the Valley Lord. The pill seller identifies the substance as Essence of Pill Vapor, a supreme treasure that can only be condensed by a thousand-year spirit furnace.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng demonstrates remarkable adaptability, patience, analytical ability, and mental strength. Rather than merely copying techniques, he extracts principles from Geng Yuliang’s combat methods and uses them to improve himself.
• His confidence and cultivation continue to grow. He reaches the Divine Treasury Realm, acquires the Dragon Scale trait, and becomes increasingly capable of surviving extreme environments.
• Chen Cheng’s caution and moral judgment are emphasized when he refuses to purchase the enslaved female martial artist being used as cauldron material.
• His treasure-sensing ability and knowledge of hidden value allow him to recognize the furnace’s importance despite its damaged appearance.
• Geng Yuliang develops strong admiration for Chen Cheng and offers to teach him further, treating him as a potential true disciple.
• Zhou Cunfeng shifts from combatant to determined rival, openly promising to challenge Chen Cheng at the Grand Competition.
• The gray-clothed pill seller becomes increasingly respectful after learning Chen Cheng has reached the Divine Treasury Realm. He serves as an important source of information about pills, alchemy, and rare materials.
• The blue-masked young man remains arrogant and vindictive, attempting to humiliate Chen Cheng but ultimately being overshadowed by the furnace’s revelation.
• The stall owner changes from confident and dismissive to deeply regretful after realizing he sold a priceless treasure.

Significant Themes

• Learning from true masters: A short exchange with an expert can provide more insight than countless ordinary battles.
• Comprehension and perseverance: Chen Cheng’s ability to remain focused for an entire day and reconstruct every combat detail highlights the importance of disciplined reflection.
• Hidden value beneath appearances: The ruined furnace appears worthless but contains an extraordinary treasure, reinforcing the danger of judging objects by outward condition.
• Power and restraint: Chen Cheng gains strength but does not exploit the enslaved woman, showing that morality remains important amid the ruthless cultivation world.
• Dangerous secrets: The sealed woman at the bottom of the abyss introduces a major mystery and suggests that Chen Cheng has encountered a powerful, possibly demonic entity.
• Accumulation versus risk: Chen Cheng seeks treasures, pills, and cultivation advantages while carefully managing danger from enemy sects, pill toxins, and exposure of his secrets.
• Social status and recognition: Chen Cheng’s growing wealth, cultivation, and Wangyou Token grant him increasing respect, but they also attract envy and unwanted attention.

Character Interactions

• Geng Yuliang reprimands Zhou Cunfeng, then personally trains Chen Cheng and praises his potential.
• Chen Cheng respectfully thanks Geng Yuliang, while Zhou Cunfeng formally declares their future rivalry.
• Chen Cheng and the gray-clothed pill seller develop a mutually beneficial relationship based on gifts, appraisals, and exchanges.
• The blue-masked young man provokes Chen Cheng over the furnace, but Chen Cheng refuses to engage in the confrontation.
• Wangyou Valley’s guards recognize Chen Cheng as a distinguished guest and protect him when the furnace’s treasure is revealed.
• The pill seller’s identification of the Essence of Pill Vapor transforms the atmosphere, turning Chen Cheng’s seemingly ordinary purchase into an event of immense importance.

Chen Cheng, after leaving Wangyou Valley, follows a ship belonging to the Immortal Bone Sect, intending to make a quick profit. He ambushes the ship, killing all the cultists and the sect deacon, Liu E, who was escorting supplies to a desolate island. Chen Cheng takes the supplies and Liu E's belongings, including an Immortal Disk Pill, which he keeps for later use.
Back at Abyss Grotto-Heaven, Chen Cheng sorts and stores the supplies and treasures he obtained. He practices the Nine Scale Transformations of the Firmament, Inner-Strengthening Taiji, and Immortal Bone Golden Body Art daily, with the Pill Vapor Strange Fragrance aiding his training. He also discovers that his cultivation has improved significantly due to the Essence of Pill Vapor he consumed in Wangyou Valley.
Meanwhile, in Yunlei City, Ji Liuchuan hosts a gathering at the Hundred Flavors Pavilion to introduce Chen Cheng to influential young geniuses and descendants of powerful clans. However, Chen Cheng does not attend, and his absence is noted and discussed among the attendees.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Seven Pavilions Grand Competition begins, with ordinary disciples competing first.
• Chen Cheng and Su Chang'an are the first to be called up as platform masters.
• Chen Cheng is challenged by multiple disciples, but he asks Pavilion Master Xue to break the rules and allow him to choose his own opponent.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng shows confidence and strategic thinking by asking for special treatment, indicating his seriousness about the competition.
• Su Chang'an demonstrates his strength and skill by using the Three-Fold Air Step, impressing the crowd.
• Gu Yi, Zhou Cunfeng, Fei Long, Qi Changkui, and others show eagerness to challenge Chen Cheng, highlighting their ambition and desire to prove themselves.

Significant Themes

• Competition and ambition: The Seven Pavilions Grand Competition serves as a platform for disciples to showcase their skills and advance their careers.
• Power dynamics: The competition also reflects the power dynamics within the Shanhai Sect, with some disciples being more favored than others.
• Strategic thinking: Chen Cheng's request to choose his own opponent shows his understanding of strategy and adaptability in competition.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng interacts with Xue Xun and Jiang Yujiao, showing respect and gratitude for their support.
• Gu Yi, Zhou Cunfeng, Fei Long, Qi Changkui, and others interact with Chen Cheng, displaying their eagerness to challenge him and prove their superiority.
• Qi Changwang and Ding Lu discuss Chen Cheng's prospects, revealing their disdain and underestimation of him.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng visits the Sword Pavilion and meets Feng Xiaofeng, who reveals he has mastered the Six-Harmony Return to Simplicity Art.
• Chen Cheng meets with Sword Pavilion Master Xue Xun, who asks about Yun Shuangling and reveals his intention to find her in the north after stepping down as Pavilion Master.
• Chen Cheng visits Fishery Pavilion Master Feng Baishi, who offers him a reward for winning the Seven Pavilions Grand Competition—a mysterious fishing rod with no hook.

Character Developments

• Feng Xiaofeng: Shows arrogance and pride in his martial arts achievements, hinting at a future rivalry with Chen Cheng.
• Xue Xun: Reveals his past connection with Yun Zhan and his intention to find Yun Shuangling, showing his caring side.
• Feng Baishi: Shows a playful and mysterious side, teasing Chen Cheng with the reward.

Significant Themes

• The struggle for status and recognition in the sect, as seen in Feng Xiaofeng's behavior and Xue Xun's guidance to Chen Cheng about Yuan Feiche.
• The importance of personal connections and favors, as seen in Xue Xun's offer to help Chen Cheng if he finds Yun Shuangling.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Feng Xiaofeng: Show tension and potential rivalry, with Feng Xiaofeng hinting at his superiority in martial arts.
• Chen Cheng and Xue Xun: Show respect and understanding, with Xue Xun revealing personal information and offering guidance to Chen Cheng.
• Chen Cheng and Feng Baishi: Show curiosity and respect, with Feng Baishi teasing Chen Cheng with a mysterious reward.

Chapter Summary: “Strange Fish”

Key Plot Points and Events

• At the Fishery Pavilion, Chen Cheng realizes that Elder Feng Baishi is not fishing for ordinary fish but for invisible strands of Primordial Qi. Feng confirms his insight and rewards him by releasing a “Three-Foot Brocade Carp,” actually three feet of Primordial Qi.
• When Chen Cheng encounters the Primordial Qi, he enters a mysterious state in which his consciousness merges with heaven, earth, and nature. His breathing and heartbeat synchronize with the natural rhythm, and he experiences the revelation: “I am heaven and earth.”
• In this trance, Chen Cheng’s Iron Lung and Lung Strengthening ability activate at full power. Instead of absorbing only the intended three feet of Primordial Qi, he forcibly draws in roughly thirty feet within a few breaths. Fearing that his body will burst, Feng Baishi knocks him unconscious.
• Feng summons Jiang Yujiao, who examines Chen Cheng and discovers that, despite the enormous influx of Primordial Qi, his body, meridians, bones, and organs have suffered no damage. She concludes that he only needs to discharge the excess energy and sleep.
• Chen Cheng wakes after sleeping for an entire day. He discovers that Taiji One, which normally absorbs energy, is now steadily releasing Primordial Qi. This greatly accelerates the formation of Yin-Yang Divine Qi and may allow him to reach the Three Divine Treasuries realm in roughly three months.
• Concerned about the danger of entering the “I am heaven and earth” state again, Chen Cheng returns to the waters near Giant Whale Stronghold to observe its preparations for capturing a Third-Order Treasure Fish.
• He witnesses a large expedition involving Giant Whale Stronghold elites, Immortal Bone Sect members, ships, weapons, nets, and cages filled with human corpses intended as bait. Chen Cheng realizes the stronghold has likely been absorbed by the Immortal Bone Sect and is cooperating in its brutal practices.
• The expedition reaches a Dark Reef Forest and lures out a gigantic, flat-bodied, dark-green fish resembling an Abyssal Devil Fish. The creature has pupil-less glowing eyes, a crooked mouth lined with hooked bony growths, and immense physical strength.
• The hunting party is annihilated almost immediately. The fish smashes through the underwater fighters, destroys their nets, kills Second Chief Li Xuesha, and effortlessly defeats three Three-Qi Divine Treasury experts using its roar and tail.
• Hong Xuanji panics and orders a retreat, but the fish attacks the fleeing ships as well, destroying them and continuing its slaughter.
• Chen Cheng notices something unusual in the depths and rushes toward it, ending the chapter on a cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Demonstrates extraordinary insight by identifying Feng Baishi’s method, then reveals an unprecedented ability to attract and absorb Primordial Qi. His body proves far stronger than expected, and Taiji One’s transformation gives him a major cultivation advantage. However, the dangerous loss of consciousness during his natural-merging state becomes a serious vulnerability.
• Feng Baishi: Shows appreciation for Chen Cheng’s intelligence and imagination, but becomes alarmed when Chen Cheng absorbs far more Primordial Qi than intended. His quick action prevents Chen Cheng from dying.
• Jiang Yujiao: Displays concern and urgency regarding Chen Cheng’s condition. Despite her own vulnerability to sunlight, she rushes to help him and provides the crucial medical assessment that confirms his survival.
• Li Xuesha: Appears confident in the strength of the hunting party but underestimates the treasure fish. His arrogance ends in a brutal death.
• Hong Xuanji: Reveals greed and dependence on the strength of others. Once the operation collapses, he abandons the fighters and desperately attempts to escape.
• The strange fish: Establishes itself as an exceptionally powerful and intelligent predator, far more dangerous than the hunters anticipated.

Significant Themes

• Unity with nature and transcendence: Chen Cheng’s consciousness merges with the rhythms of heaven, earth, and nature, suggesting a profound but dangerous advancement in his cultivation.
• Power and risk: Chen Cheng’s extraordinary abilities provide rapid growth but also create dangers he cannot yet control.
• Greed and overconfidence: The Immortal Bone Sect and Giant Whale Stronghold pursue the treasure fish for its nourishing value, but their confidence blinds them to the risks.
• Moral corruption: The use of mutilated human bodies as bait emphasizes the Immortal Bone Sect’s cruelty and justifies its reputation as a wicked cult.
• Predator versus prey: The hunters believe they are setting a trap, only to become helpless prey themselves.
• Hidden potential and mystery: The origin of Chen Cheng’s natural-merging state, Taiji One’s ability to release Primordial Qi, and the strange fish’s true nature remain unexplained.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Feng Baishi engage in a respectful exchange over the hidden purpose of fishing for Primordial Qi, establishing mutual appreciation.
• Feng Baishi and Jiang Yujiao cooperate to save Chen Cheng, though Jiang questions Feng’s accidental release of thirty feet of Primordial Qi.
• Jiang Yujiao’s concern for Chen Cheng contrasts with Feng Baishi’s confusion and professional humility.
• Chen Cheng briefly speaks with Li Wenrou, learning that Jiang Yujiao personally brought him back and watched over him through the night.
• Hong Xuanji relies on Li Xuesha and the three Three-Qi experts to capture the fish, but abandons them once the situation turns disastrous.
• The hunting party acts in coordinated formation against the fish, yet the creature’s overwhelming strength turns their organized assault into mass panic and slaughter.

Chapter Summary: “Ambush Killing”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During the battle at Sea Marsh, Chen Cheng dives into the Dark Reef Forest and discovers a third-order Nine-Sac Ghost Grass, a Treasure Medicine that strengthens Yin-aspected Divine Spirits. He uproots it and secretly stores it while the powerful strange fish that guarded it is distracted by the ongoing slaughter above.
• Chen Cheng plants the Ghost Grass in the Unfrozen Ice Spring within his Abyss Grotto-Heaven, recognizing that the spring could eventually become a medicinal garden. He decides not to consume it because his constitution is primarily Yang-oriented.
• He reflects on the strange fish’s strength and concludes that it likely possessed late- or peak-stage Three Divine Treasuries power—far beyond his current level.
• At the Li residence, Chen Cheng learns that Li Jinge is too busy producing weapons for the front lines to repair his Lightning-Struck Heavenly Iron Cauldron immediately, but she agrees to do so later after hearing of his performance in the Seven Pavilions Grand Competition.
• Chen Cheng spars with Li Li, defeating her instantly at low strength and then enduring an extended fight when she uses seventy percent of her power. The exchange reveals that Chen Cheng is near the level of an early Three Divine Treasuries fighter when using his trump cards, but remains outmatched by stronger opponents.
• At a dinner hosted by Xu Tianpeng, the group discusses worsening unrest in the Northern Border: stolen military supplies, possible activity by the Qingming Path and Red Moon Cult, fox demon colonies, Immortal Bone Sect infiltration, and the recent destruction of a joint Immortal Bone Sect–Giant Whale Stronghold fleet.
• Yan Yifeng interrupts the gathering to publicly challenge Xu Tianpeng over their postponed martial contests. Xu accepts a duel for the following day. Yan initially offers Chen Cheng a friendly connection, but Chen’s sharp response embarrasses him, causing Yan to leave with a veiled threat.
• Li Li reveals that her mother may be endangered because she is overseeing weapons production and has recently offended a vice president of the Yunlei Chamber of Commerce. She suspects internal sabotage may have contributed to the military equipment hijacking.
• Chen Cheng later spots Wang Qingfeng, the Dragon Pavilion’s chief senior disciple, entering Dream Relic Pavilion, though he chooses not to investigate.
• At the Qi Family Great Medicine Firm, Qi Changgeng offers Chen Cheng access to ordinary medicines and low-grade Treasure Medicines but cannot provide Yunlei Qi-Gathering Pills. He instead invites Chen Cheng to help hunt Dong Zhong, promising two Gathering Pills as rewards.
• Chen Cheng agrees but deliberately withdraws after reaching the road to Black Shark Bay, claiming he has an urgent matter with Li Li. This is a test of Qi Changgeng’s intentions.
• After Chen leaves, Qi Changgeng and Qi Changren admit they are attempting to lure him to Black Shark Bay on orders from Ink Venerable, an Immortal Bone Sect figure. Qi Changgeng reveals that both brothers are controlled through Immortal Gu Pills and fears death if he fails.
• Before the brothers can reach the bay, Chen Cheng ambushes them. Qi Changgeng suddenly dies through Ink Venerable’s remote method, likely due to a hidden restriction or lethal control mechanism. Chen then kills Qi Changren instantly by pulverizing his head with a single punch.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng becomes increasingly cautious and calculating. Rather than blindly trusting the Qi brothers, he tests them by abandoning the journey and observing their reaction. His actions confirm his suspicions and allow him to turn the trap into an ambush.
• Chen’s strength is shown to be far above ordinary Two-Qi Divine Treasury standards. His speed, enhanced by Thunder-Stepping Technique and Taiji Force, enables him to kill Qi Changren before the latter can respond.
• His fight with Li Li gives him a clearer understanding of his combat limits. He is confident against early Three Divine Treasuries opponents but recognizes that late- and peak-stage fighters remain overwhelmingly dangerous.
• Li Li is established as a powerful and skilled martial artist, capable of suppressing Chen Cheng through speed and relentless close combat when using seventy percent of her strength. Her concern for her mother reveals a more vulnerable and responsible side.
• Qi Changgeng is exposed as an unwilling collaborator with the Immortal Bone Sect. Although he once accepted an Immortal Gu Pill out of greed or desperation, he now functions as a controlled pawn and fears Ink Venerable more than death.
• Qi Changren appears more impulsive and ruthless than his brother, quickly suggesting that Chen Cheng should simply be killed. His loyalty to Qi Changgeng is genuine, but his fear and lack of discipline leave him vulnerable.
• Xu Tianpeng demonstrates loyalty toward Chen Cheng and the Shanhai Sect, openly promising retaliation if Yan Yifeng harms Chen.
• Yan Yifeng is shown to be proud, confrontational, and politically calculating. Though he recognizes Chen’s value and briefly offers friendship, Chen’s refusal to flatter him turns the interaction hostile.

Significant Themes

• Caution and counter-ambush: Chen Cheng survives because he refuses to accept Qi Changgeng’s offer at face value. The chapter emphasizes that apparent opportunities may conceal traps.
• The cost of power and greed: Qi Changgeng’s confession shows how the desire for sudden strength can lead to enslavement. The Immortal Gu Pill grants power but makes its users controllable and expendable.
• Strength versus established realms: Chen Cheng’s actual combat ability exceeds what his cultivation level suggests, yet he remains aware that realm differences still matter. His confidence is balanced by recognition of greater threats.
• Political and military instability: The Northern Border is increasingly threatened by cults, rebel forces, demons, internal spies, and disrupted supply lines. Martial conflict is intertwined with commercial and governmental intrigue.
• Yin and Yang as balance: Chen Cheng questions the simplistic association of Yin with evil and considers how Yin and Yang complement one another, reflecting his growing understanding of his own Divine Spirit.
• Loyalty and responsibility: Li Li worries about her mother’s safety, Xu Tianpeng defends Chen, and the Qi brothers’ tragic bond contrasts with their forced service to Ink Venerable.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Li Li: Their sparring session reveals the gap between them and strengthens their familiarity. Later, Chen notices her distress and offers reassurance regarding her mother.
• Chen Cheng and Xu Tianpeng: Xu treats Chen as a valued junior and publicly supports him after the confrontation with Yan Yifeng.
• Chen Cheng and Yan Yifeng: Their polite exchange quickly becomes a battle of words. Chen refuses to accept Yan’s offer of protection, prompting Yan to issue a subtle warning.
• Chen Cheng and the Qi brothers: Their seemingly cooperative hunt is actually a mutual test. Chen’s staged withdrawal exposes their connection to Ink Venerable, after which he decisively kills them.
• Qi Changgeng and Qi Changren: The brothers discuss their coercion, fear of Ink Venerable, and willingness to continue the ruse. Their loyalty cannot overcome the control imposed through the Immortal Gu Pills.
• Chen Cheng and the strange fish: Chen successfully steals the fish’s treasured medicinal plant while it is distracted, establishing both his opportunism and his willingness to exploit stronger enemies indirectly.

Chapter Summary — “Howling Heaven”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After killing the Qi brothers, Chen Cheng disposes of their bodies in Sea Marsh and returns to Yunlei City rather than investigating Black Shark Bay alone. He suspects the enemy may have prepared an ambush.
• At the Li Mansion, Wang Qingfeng proposes a mission to Black Shark Bay after receiving intelligence that Immortal Bone Sect members are active there. Li Li agrees, primarily because she hopes Wang Qingfeng may help with her concerns over Li Jinge. Chen Cheng joins after reasoning that Wang Qingfeng was probably uninvolved with the Qi brothers.
• Wang Qingfeng explains the terms of the mission: he will claim the Imperial Government’s martial merits, while resources above the third rank will be divided equally and lower-ranked resources will belong to Chen Cheng and Li Li.
• At Black Shark Bay, the group discovers a concealed Grotto-Heaven serving as an Immortal Bone Sect supply depot. It contains military weapons, armor, grain, medicine, gunpowder, and other materials, confirming the sect’s organized and potentially dangerous activities.
• Wang Qingfeng enters alone and rapidly massacres the cultists inside. Meanwhile, escaping Red-Robed Cultists emerge from the hidden passage and attack Chen Cheng and Li Li.
• Chen Cheng demonstrates that he has mastered the Scale Transformation Nine Heavens sword techniques. He effortlessly cuts down two powerful cultists with “Counter-Scale Piercing the Sun,” then kills three more using the chain-blade techniques “Hidden Scale Emerging from the Abyss” and “Roaming Scale Circling the Moon.”
• Wang Qingfeng emerges after killing the remaining enemies, including Branch Master Meng Jiaorui and Dong Zhong. He takes their heads and the military supplies to claim martial merit.
• While searching the stronghold, Chen Cheng discovers a Third-Order Howling Sky Eagle imprisoned by the cult. Using the Raptor Taming Chapter of the Five Workshops Essential Techniques and his exceptionally powerful mind, he successfully tames it.
• The eagle immediately recognizes Chen Cheng as its master. It then destroys the tools used to torture it before feeding on the corpses of its former handlers.
• The group finds no further clues linking the stronghold to a larger enemy operation. After returning to Yunlei City, Wang Qingfeng goes to exchange the evidence for martial merit, while Li Li returns home to stay with her mother.
• Chen Cheng purchases a black cloak and cloth, plans to exchange his loot for Third-Order dried meat, and sends the Howling Sky Eagle into the nearby mountains before entering Forget-Sorrow Pavilion.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng becomes increasingly confident and formidable. His decisive tactics, physical endurance, weapon mastery, and lethal combat ability reveal that he is far stronger than Li Li and the fleeing cultists expected.
• Chen Cheng’s successful use of the Scale Transformation Nine Heavens techniques proves that he has entered the art’s “gate” and grasped its deeper principles. Li Li is especially shocked because she once doubted whether he could master it.
• His mental resilience, forged through repeated trials beneath Sea Marsh, allows him to tame a Third-Order spirit raptor despite being at a lower cultivation level. This establishes him as talented in more than direct combat.
• Li Li increasingly recognizes Chen Cheng’s strength and begins relying on him in battle. She accepts that his combat experience and specialized techniques make him better suited to fighting on the narrow cliff path, and she protects his back rather than attempting to take the lead.
• Li Li’s primary motivation remains concern for Li Jinge, explaining why she joins the mission and why she returns to her mother instead of immediately going back to the sect.
• Wang Qingfeng is shown to be extraordinarily powerful, capable of annihilating the stronghold almost single-handedly. He is also lazy and pragmatic, arranging missions so others handle battlefield cleanup while still rewarding them generously.
• Wang Qingfeng develops a clear interest in Chen Cheng after witnessing his weapon skills and beast-taming ability. Although envious of the Howling Sky Eagle, he accepts Chen Cheng’s modest explanation that the eagle had already been partially tamed.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and underestimated talent: Chen Cheng appears young and inexperienced, but repeatedly reveals abilities far beyond what others expect.
• Cultivation and self-improvement: Witnessing Wang Qingfeng’s overwhelming power reinforces Chen Cheng’s determination to cultivate harder and close the gap between himself and the strongest martial artists.
• Pragmatism and mutual benefit: The mission is organized around practical rewards, with each participant pursuing different goals—martial merit for Wang Qingfeng, aid for Li Jinge for Li Li, and resources for Chen Cheng.
• The brutality of the jianghu: The massacre in the Grotto-Heaven emphasizes the violence of martial society, where both cultists and hunters kill decisively and corpses become sources of information, wealth, and merit.
• Freedom versus control: The Howling Sky Eagle’s imprisonment and subsequent destruction of its restraints contrast with its new loyalty to Chen Cheng. Its submission is not portrayed as weakness, but as the result of Chen Cheng overpowering its mind and earning its allegiance.
• Resource accumulation and advancement: Chen Cheng’s focus on looting, money, and Third-Order beast meat highlights his immediate goal of gathering enough resources to enter seclusion and advance toward the Three-Qi Divine Treasury realm.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Wang Qingfeng exchange polite praise before negotiating the mission’s terms, establishing mutual courtesy beneath an evaluation of each other’s abilities.
• Li Li reassures Chen Cheng that Wang Qingfeng’s arrangement is normal and explains his reputation for returning from missions with valuable spoils.
• Wang Qingfeng orders Chen Cheng and Li Li to remain outside while he investigates the stronghold alone, demonstrating both his superiority and his concern for their safety.
• Chen Cheng insists on confronting the escaping cultists himself, while Li Li supports him by guarding his rear. Her disbelief at his swordsmanship marks a major shift in how she views him.
• After the battle, Wang Qingfeng praises Chen Cheng’s ruthlessness and recognizes that he is not merely a novice.
• Chen Cheng and the Howling Sky Eagle form a mental bond through the taming technique. Their silent communication allows him to understand its hunger and permit it to take revenge on the cultists who abused it.
• Wang Qingfeng and Li Li are both astonished by the taming, though Chen Cheng conceals the true extent of his ability by attributing the success to luck.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng exchanges his loot for third-tier dried meat at Wangyou Valley, ensuring a month's supply.
• He scouts the valley using Moon Breath of Avici but finds no notable treasures.
• At the Hunting Pavilion, he learns about the Black Wind Insect Valley expedition and the possibility of becoming Pavilion Master Cheng's personal disciple.
• He meets Qiao Qiao at the Medicine Pavilion and learns about the death row inmates, Dong Zhou and Gu Qianqian.
• Chen Cheng decides to take down the strange fish in the Dark Reef Forest, successfully killing it after a fierce battle.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng's strength improves significantly, reaching the peak of the Two-Qi realm.
• Qiao Qiao chooses the Medicine Pavilion to learn from Chen Cheng and pursue freedom and stability.
• Chen Cheng learns about Zhu Mingyuan's changed mindset and Master Ye's secluded practice.

Significant Themes

• The importance of patience and timing in cultivation, as seen in Chen Cheng's decision to strike against the strange fish.
• The theme of growth and improvement, both in terms of strength and wisdom, as demonstrated by Qiao Qiao and Zhu Mingyuan.
• The theme of perseverance and resilience, shown by the strange fish's tenacity and Chen Cheng's determination to take it down.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng interacts with Tang Chuan and other Hunting Pavilion disciples, impressing them with his Tier 3 Howling Sky Eagle.
• He meets Qiao Qiao at the Medicine Pavilion and they catch up on each other's lives.
• Chen Cheng battles the strange fish, showcasing his strength and skill.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng detoxifies and tempers his liver, further enhancing his physical strength and innate power.
• He receives a letter from Cui Zifeng, containing valuable intelligence about the pugilistic world.
• Yuan Feiche selects twenty elite disciples, including Wang Qingfeng and Lv Qinyi, to reinforce Whale-Fishing Pass.
• Yuan Feiche gifts Chen Cheng the 'Ten Directions Thunder Movement' sword manual and offers to guide him through it.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng continues to strengthen his physique and cultivation, demonstrating his dedication to his path.
• Wang Qingfeng and Lv Qinyi show determination and resolve in their decision to head north, revealing their personal motivations.
• Wu Zhuoyi displays jealousy and hatred towards Chen Cheng upon seeing the 'Ten Directions Thunder Movement' manual, hinting at potential future conflicts.

Significant Themes

• Cultivation and Growth: Chen Cheng's continuous improvement in his physical strength and cultivation serves as a reminder of his dedication and progress on his path.
• Responsibility and Sacrifice: Wang Qingfeng and Lv Qinyi's decision to head north highlights the theme of personal sacrifice for a greater cause.
• Jealousy and Conflict: Wu Zhuoyi's reaction to Chen Cheng's receipt of the sword manual foreshadows potential future conflicts and the darker aspects of human nature.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Yuan Feiche: Their interaction demonstrates Yuan Feiche's genuine desire to help Chen Cheng grow, while Chen Cheng shows respect and humility towards his superior.
• Chen Cheng and Wu Zhuoyi: Their brief encounter hints at the potential for future conflict, as Wu Zhuoyi's jealousy and hatred towards Chen Cheng become apparent.
• Wang Qingfeng and Lv Qinyi: Their decision to head north together shows a shared determination and resolve, as well as a potential bond formed between them.

Chapter Summary: “Senior Brother”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng studies the Ten Directions Thunder Movement martial art and instantly reaches perfect beginner mastery through his Vertical Eye Mark. The technique includes:
  • A powerful ten-form thunder sword art.
  • The exceptionally fast Thunder Illusion Step, capable of creating ten indistinguishable afterimages.
  • A high-level cultivation method that rapidly generates Innate Divine Spirit Qi.
• After a month of intensive training, Chen Cheng uses the sword technique’s Heaven Opening form to trigger a breakthrough into the Three-Qi Divine Treasury realm. His third strand of Yin-Yang Divine Qi forms in the shape of a circulating “8” on his forehead.
• Chen Cheng’s perfected Inner-Strengthening Taiji also develops the Kidney-Strengthening trait, allowing him to generate Innate Essence, strengthening his body, recovery, vitality, and foundation. He considers obtaining a fourth-rank Treasure Medicine to eventually limit-break the technique.
• On returning to Python Pavilion, Chen Cheng meets Su Chang’an, who has also broken through to the Three-Qi Divine Treasury after surviving a dangerous opportunity in Black Wind Insect Valley.
• Xu Tianpeng explains that he has replaced Chen Cheng with Su Chang’an for an upcoming life-or-death match against Sky Eagle Fortress’s Yan Yifeng, who is expected to send a Three-Qi Divine Treasury disciple.
• Su Chang’an accepts the replacement and the promised reward of either a fourth-rank Treasure Medicine or fifty thousand taels of silver.
• Chen Cheng reveals that he, too, has broken through. Su Chang’an immediately challenges him, hoping to resolve his lingering humiliation from conceding to Chen Cheng during the Seven Pavilions Grand Competition.
• Chen Cheng refuses to spar, recognizing that Su Chang’an mainly wants to restore his reputation before the dangerous battle. When Su Chang’an attempts to provoke him, Chen Cheng effortlessly uses Thunder Illusion Step to appear before him, disarm both of his Black Iron Precious Sabers, and return to his seat without Su Chang’an reacting.
• The display proves Chen Cheng’s superiority. Xu Tianpeng explains that Chen Cheng refused to fight only to preserve Su Chang’an’s dignity. Su Chang’an finally accepts Chen Cheng as his true senior brother and bows to him.
• Chen Cheng agrees to assist Xu Tianpeng after all, despite the earlier replacement.
• Later, Chen Cheng visits the Sword Pavilion’s Ancient Stele Forest and is escorted by Wu Zhuoyi to meet Pavilion Master Yuan Feiche.
• Wu Zhuoyi condescendingly warns Chen Cheng not to pester Yuan Feiche for guidance, believing Chen Cheng cannot possibly comprehend the profound Ten Directions Thunder Movement.
• Chen Cheng tells Yuan Feiche that he memorized the technique long ago, independently gained insights into it, and has already entered its threshold. Wu Zhuoyi reacts with disbelief, insisting that this is impossible.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng advances dramatically, breaking through to the Three-Qi Divine Treasury realm and mastering the initial threshold of an elite martial art within a month. His confidence remains controlled and understated; he does not seek recognition or validation.
• His combat ability has grown so far that he can disarm Su Chang’an, another Three-Qi expert, before the latter can even react.
• Su Chang’an returns from a dangerous expedition stronger but remains troubled by his earlier defeat and public concession to Chen Cheng. His desire to challenge Chen Cheng reflects both pride and a need to regain inner clarity. After witnessing Chen Cheng’s overwhelming movement technique, he sincerely acknowledges him as senior brother.
• Xu Tianpeng demonstrates fairness and responsibility by offering Su Chang’an generous compensation and medical support. He also recognizes Chen Cheng’s restraint and loyalty.
• Wu Zhuoyi remains arrogant and dismissive, assuming Chen Cheng lacks the talent to comprehend Yuan Feiche’s martial art. His confidence is undermined by Chen Cheng’s claim of successful self-guided progress.
• Yuan Feiche is introduced as a deeply focused and highly accomplished master, currently preoccupied with the war at Whale-Fishing Pass, the Immortal Bone Sect, and the mysteries of the Ancient Stele Forest.

Significant Themes

• True strength versus reputation: Chen Cheng does not need to argue or boast; his effortless disarming of Su Chang’an proves his superiority more effectively than a formal duel.
• Humility and restraint: Chen Cheng repeatedly avoids unnecessary conflict and refuses to exploit others’ embarrassment, while still demonstrating that he should be respected.
• Pride and inner demons: Su Chang’an’s challenge is driven less by practical necessity than by his inability to accept his former defeat. His eventual bow represents emotional as well as social submission.
• Rapid growth and hidden talent: Chen Cheng’s progress defies the expectations of those around him, especially Wu Zhuoyi, emphasizing the gap between apparent talent and actual potential.
• Cause, effect, and avoiding entanglement: Chen Cheng is wary of becoming involved in unnecessary battles and obligations, though his loyalty to Xu Tianpeng ultimately leads him to assist.
• Foundations and bodily cultivation: The chapter highlights the importance of Innate Essence, stable foundations, recovery, longevity, and the dangers of burning one’s vitality for temporary strength.
• Transmission of martial arts: The Ancient Stele Forest and Ten Directions Thunder Movement suggest deeper mysteries surrounding martial insight, inheritance, and Chen Cheng’s unexplained familiarity with the stone steles.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Su Chang’an: Their tense reunion evolves into a decisive demonstration of Chen Cheng’s superiority and Su Chang’an’s acceptance of him as senior brother.
• Chen Cheng and Xu Tianpeng: Xu Tianpeng apologizes for replacing Chen Cheng, while Chen Cheng responds without resentment. Their relationship remains based on mutual respect and repayment of favors.
• Su Chang’an and Xu Tianpeng: Su Chang’an demands clear compensation before risking his life, and Xu Tianpeng promises substantial payment and full medical care.
• Chen Cheng and Wu Zhuoyi: Wu Zhuoyi treats Chen Cheng condescendingly, but Chen Cheng’s calm confidence and progress directly challenge his assumptions.
• Chen Cheng and Yuan Feiche: Their upcoming interaction is positioned as a major turning point, since Chen Cheng claims to have independently crossed the threshold of Yuan Feiche’s legendary martial art.