Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Whose Heart Demon?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A violent explosion shakes the Zhao Family’s ancestral residence in the Imperial Capital, activating its powerful amber defensive barrier.
• The family initially assumes the attacker is an Abyss invader, evil-cult Quasi-King, or some other powerful enemy. However, an elder realizes the disturbance is being caused by a single person.
• Several Ninth-Tier Grandmasters and more than a dozen Eighth-Tier Martial Masters gather to confront the intruder, demonstrating the Zhao Family’s immense strength and influence.
• Zhao Qianqi mockingly bets with Zhao Xinran on how long the attacker will survive, while Zhao Meilan notices that the intruder’s aura seems to belong to only a Tier-Seven martial artist—despite his ability to shake the family barrier.
• A walrus-mustached Ninth-Tier Grandmaster attacks with the perfected martial skill Mystic Heaven Heavy Hammer, creating a mountain-sized ochre giant and an unavoidable crushing strike.
• The attacker survives the blow unharmed by using the Three-Light Barrier, a familiar defensive technique.
• Zhao Meilan and Zhao Xu recognize the intruder. The attacker is the young man from Nanjiang City who previously defeated and humiliated Zhao Xu, taking several of his supreme treasures, including the Spatial Rubik’s Cube.
• Zhao Xu reacts with fear and shock, revealing that the young man has become his psychological “heart demon.”
• The chapter ends with the young man calmly looking down at Zhao Xu and taunting him: “Trash, you’re still alive?”

Character Developments

• Zhao Xu: His once-proud demeanor has collapsed after his defeat in Nanjiang City. He is now disheveled, humiliated, and visibly terrified by the protagonist’s appearance. His reaction confirms that the defeat left him with deep psychological trauma.
• The unnamed young protagonist: He demonstrates extraordinary defensive strength, surviving a Ninth-Tier Grandmaster’s strongest attack without injury. His calm entrance and contemptuous taunt show that he is confident and intends to confront the entire Zhao Family directly.
• Zhao Qianqi: Introduced as the family’s most talented prodigy, surpassing even Zhao Xinran. His sinister, amused personality suggests that he views the attack as entertainment rather than a genuine threat.
• Zhao Xinran: Though she dislikes Zhao Qianqi, she remains polite because of his status and talent. Her thinner, more haggard appearance suggests that the earlier incident involving the Zhao Family has affected her deeply.
• Zhao Meilan: Shows strong perceptiveness by identifying the protagonist’s Three-Light Barrier and questioning how someone with a Tier-Seven aura could threaten the family’s defenses.
• Zhao Tiansong: The family head uses Zhao Xu’s defeat to criticize his reliance on unorthodox methods and lack of self-cultivation. His remarks reveal tension and contempt between the half-brothers.
• The Ninth-Tier attacker: Represents the Zhao Family’s confidence and overwhelming martial power, but his first strike fails completely, undermining the family’s assumption that the intruder can be easily defeated.

Significant Themes

• Reputation and humiliation: Zhao Xu’s defeat has damaged both his personal pride and the Zhao Family’s reputation. His fear shows that humiliation can have lasting psychological consequences.
• The true meaning of strength: Zhao Tiansong argues that personal combat ability matters more than talent or background, while the protagonist’s arrival demonstrates that conventional estimates of rank and power can be misleading.
• Hidden power and underestimated enemies: Although the protagonist appears to possess only a Tier-Seven aura, he can withstand an attack from a Ninth-Tier Grandmaster and breach the Zhao Family’s defenses.
• Heart demons and psychological dominance: The chapter’s title is reflected in Zhao Xu’s terror. The person who once caused the trauma now returns, reversing the power dynamic and forcing Zhao Xu to confront his deepest fear.
• Family hierarchy and internal conflict: The Zhao Family is powerful but divided by rivalry, pride, and resentment. Zhao Tiansong openly belittles Zhao Xu, while Zhao Qianqi and the other family members observe the confrontation with varying degrees of amusement and concern.

Important Character Interactions

• Zhao Xinran and Zhao Qianqi: Their conversation establishes their distant relationship and Zhao Qianqi’s provocative personality. He treats the attack as a wager, while Xinran remains cautious.
• Zhao Tiansong and Zhao Xu: Tiansong humiliates Zhao Xu by bringing up his defeat in Nanjiang City and accusing him of disgracing the family. Zhao Xu responds with suppressed anger and resentment.
• Zhao Meilan and Zhao Xu: Meilan recognizes the protagonist’s defensive technique, prompting Zhao Xu to identify him. Zhao Xu’s panicked reaction exposes the seriousness of their past conflict.
• The protagonist and Zhao Xu: Their final exchange is brief but decisive. The protagonist’s mocking question immediately reasserts his dominance and shows that he has returned specifically to confront the Zhao Family and the man he previously defeated.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuan arrives at the Zhao Family, challenging their authority and demanding compensation for Zhao Xinran's actions against him.
• Zhao Xu, Zhao Xinran's uncle, is humiliated and unable to retaliate due to his fear of Jiang Yuan.
• Zhao Family members are bewildered and wary of Jiang Yuan's presence.
• Zhao Xinran is terrified and hopes that her ancestor will intervene and defeat Jiang Yuan.
• Zhao Meilan, a dangerous and ruthless woman, threatens Jiang Yuan.
• Second Master Zhao, a powerful Zhao Family member, defies Jiang Yuan and challenges him to a fight.

Character Developments

• Zhao Xu: Humiliated and fearful, his mental state is fragile, and his will is weak.
• Zhao Xinran: Terrified and anxious, she fears the consequences of her actions and hopes for her ancestor's intervention.
• Jiang Yuan: Calm and confident, he stands up to the Zhao Family's threats and demands.
• Zhao Meilan: Ruthless and seductive, she threatens Jiang Yuan and is feared by other Zhao Family members.
• Second Master Zhao: Arrogant and aggressive, he challenges Jiang Yuan and represents the Zhao Family's defiance.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and family politics within the Zhao Family.
• The consequences of reckless actions and their impact on others.
• Fear and anxiety caused by the presence of a powerful outsider.

Character Interactions

• Zhao Xu and Jiang Yuan: Zhao Xu is humiliated and fearful of Jiang Yuan, while Jiang Yuan remains calm and confident.
• Zhao Xinran and the green-clad youth: Zhao Xinran is terrified and tries to explain the severity of the situation to the youth.
• Jiang Yuan and the Zhao Family: The Zhao Family members are wary, defiant, or fearful of Jiang Yuan, while he remains calm and demands compensation.
• Zhao Meilan and Jiang Yuan: Zhao Meilan threatens Jiang Yuan, but he remains unfazed.
• Second Master Zhao and Jiang Yuan: Second Master Zhao challenges Jiang Yuan, and he accepts the challenge calmly.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Zhao Family gathers, including the Second Master, Zhao Lingcheng.
• Jiang Yuan arrives and clashes with the Second Master, demonstrating his strength and sending the Second Master flying.
• Jiang Yuan provokes the Zhao Family, leading the Second Master to use a powerful martial technique, which Jiang Yuan easily counters.
• Jiang Yuan captures the Second Master and speaks down to the Zhao Family, causing fear and shock.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuan: Shows immense strength and growth, proving himself to be a formidable opponent against even powerful Grandmasters.
• Zhao Family members: Experience fear and shock at Jiang Yuan's power, realizing their own limitations and the true extent of the threat they face.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and the fear of the strong.
• The consequences of underestimating one's opponent.
• The impact of status and talent in the face of overwhelming power.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yuan vs. Zhao Family: Jiang Yuan demonstrates his dominance and provokes the Zhao Family, causing fear and submission.
• Zhao Family members: React with shock and fear at Jiang Yuan's power, with Zhao Xinran and Zhao Qianqi being particularly affected.

Chapter Summary: “Deceiver”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuan completely overwhelms the Zhao Family’s forces, defeating and suppressing multiple Martial Masters and Quasi-Kings with his powerful aura.
• Using Eye of Fear, he mentally breaks Zhao Er’ye, reducing the enraged fighter to a terrified and helpless state.
• Jiang Yuan exposes twelve hidden observers and secret-realm entrances within the Zhao Family estate, deliberately demonstrating his strength to the Imperial Capital’s powerful factions.
• He declares that the Zhao Family is not particularly impressive and challenges two hidden Quasi-King-level elders.
• The clash between Jiang Yuan’s pressure and the elders’ combined power devastates the surroundings, forcing nearly everyone present to the ground. Zhao Qianqi is badly injured, while Zhao Xinran is protected by a defensive artifact.
• Zhao Meilan and the Zhao Family elders attempt to kill Jiang Yuan using Paralysis Pollen and the relic Soul-Devouring Flower, which can lock onto and devour its target.
• Jiang Yuan appears to be swallowed by the relic, causing Zhao Meilan to believe victory is certain. However, he reveals that the target caught by the relic was merely an illusion or deception.
• Jiang Yuan suddenly appears beside Zhao Meilan, severs her arm, and psychologically destabilizes her by convincing her that even her apparent regeneration was false.
• He reveals that, besides being a powerful martial artist, he is also a Deceiver, capable of manipulating what his enemies perceive and believe.
• Jiang Yuan captures the Soul-Devouring Flower and suppresses it within his Darkness Domain.
• Zhao Tiansong finally intervenes personally, attacking Jiang Yuan with Ode to Iron Strike. A black fighter jet arrives and blocks the attack, leaving Jiang Yuan and his allies facing Zhao Tiansong and the Zhao Family’s two Quasi-Kings.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuan openly abandons the need to conceal his strength. He now considers himself powerful enough to dominate an entire region and intentionally uses the Zhao Family as an example to intimidate potential enemies.
• His identity expands beyond that of a martial artist: he reveals his mastery of deception, illusions, psychological manipulation, and misdirection.
• Zhao Er’ye is mentally crushed by Jiang Yuan’s Eye of Fear, his previous rage replaced by terror.
• Zhao Meilan, initially confident in her trap, suffers severe psychological damage when Jiang Yuan exposes how completely he manipulated her perceptions.
• Zhao Qianqi’s arrogance and confidence collapse as he is overwhelmed by Jiang Yuan’s pressure and left injured and humiliated.
• Zhao Tiansong shifts from observing and protecting his family to direct confrontation after Jiang Yuan takes the family’s powerful relic.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming strength and deterrence: Jiang Yuan deliberately displays his power not only to defeat the Zhao Family but also to warn every major faction in the Imperial Capital.
• Perception versus reality: The battle emphasizes that appearances cannot be trusted when Jiang Yuan is involved. Even sensory evidence and anti-illusion precautions may be part of his deception.
• Psychological warfare: Jiang Yuan defeats Zhao Meilan mentally before fully defeating her physically, exploiting her confidence and turning her own assumptions against her.
• Humiliation and reversal: The Zhao Family’s pride, artifacts, and elite fighters are rendered ineffective, reversing the family’s earlier superiority over weaker opponents.
• Reputation and power: Jiang Yuan seeks to establish a public reputation as someone who cannot be schemed against without catastrophic consequences.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yuan intimidates Zhao Er’ye with Eye of Fear, then tosses him back to Zhao Lingcheng.
• He taunts the Zhao Family by questioning its reputation and directly provokes its hidden elders.
• Zhao Meilan attempts to boast about her Paralysis Pollen and the Soul-Devouring Flower, but Jiang Yuan turns her confidence into panic by revealing that she was deceived.
• Zhao Tiansong warns Zhao Meilan not to listen to Jiang Yuan, but his intervention comes too late, and her mental state begins to fracture.
• After Jiang Yuan seizes the Soul-Devouring Flower, Zhao Tiansong attacks him directly, escalating the confrontation into a battle between Jiang Yuan’s group and the Zhao Family’s highest-level fighters.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuan confronts the Zhao Family, demanding compensation and an apology for their actions.
• The Zhao Family offers a legendary-grade piece of equipment and a Relic as compensation.
• The Zhao Family's Third Ancestor challenges Jiang Yuan to a duel.
• Jiang Yuan effortlessly defeats the Third Ancestor using his fire-element talent.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuan demonstrates his immense power and confidence, earning respect from the Zhao Family's elders.
• The Zhao Family's Third Ancestor underestimates Jiang Yuan and suffers a humiliating defeat, showing his arrogance and lack of wisdom.
• The Zhao Family's First Ancestor shows wisdom and understanding, willing to compensate and apologize to avoid further conflict.

Significant Themes

• Strength and power dynamics: Jiang Yuan's strength commands respect and forces the Zhao Family to back down.
• Apology and compensation: The Zhao Family learns the importance of acknowledging their mistakes and making amends.
• Pride and humility: The Zhao Family's Third Ancestor's pride leads to his downfall, while Jiang Yuan's humility allows him to accept the apology and compensation.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yuan and the Zhao Family's First Ancestor: They show mutual respect and understanding, leading to a peaceful resolution.
• Jiang Yuan and the Zhao Family's Third Ancestor: Their duel highlights the power gap between them and the consequences of underestimating one's opponent.
• The Zhao Family members: They show varying reactions to the events, from shock and fear to acceptance and understanding.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuan, using his Absolute Hit Domain, pursues the Zhao Family's Third Patriarch, who uses various movement skills to evade but fails.
• The Third Patriarch, desperate, attacks Jiang Yuan with a life-force-burning skill, but Jiang Yuan counters with a charged punch, destroying half of the Zhao Family estate.
• Jiang Yuan uses a Life-Substitution Item to survive the attack, but is ultimately defeated and killed by Jiang Yuan's flame arrow.
• Jiang Yuan leaves, and the Zhao Family decides not to provoke him again.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuan demonstrates his overwhelming strength, easily suppressing a Quasi-King and destroying a significant portion of the Zhao Family estate.
• The Zhao Family, particularly Zhao Tiansong and Zhao Lingcheng, realize the severity of their mistake in provoking Jiang Yuan and decide to avoid him in the future.

Significant Themes

• Strength and power dynamics: Jiang Yuan's strength instills fear and respect, changing the Zhao Family's attitude toward him.
• Humiliation and consequences: The Zhao Family suffers humiliation and damage due to their actions, leading to a change in their stance.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yuan vs. Zhao Family's Third Patriarch: Jiang Yuan's overwhelming power and skill lead to the Third Patriarch's defeat and death.
• Zhao Tiansong and Zhao Lingcheng: They discuss the seriousness of the situation and decide to avoid Jiang Yuan in the future.
• Zhao Qian: She sees potential in Jiang Yuan and considers investing in him, unlike her family members who fear him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuan obtains a Legendary-grade equipment, the Heaven-Curse Blood Banner, and a Relic, the Soul-Devouring Flower.
• He deals with the Zhao Family, compensating them with the Legendary equipment and a Relic, and leaves them to cultivate in Yuan Ling's basement.
• Jiang Yuan decides to visit the library to ask about upgrading Zeno's Ring.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuan demonstrates his formidable power, even to his own team members, who now view him with awe and respect.
• Mad Pheasant shows his loyalty and enthusiasm, but also his tendency to talk too much.
• Yuan Ling reveals her detachment and serenity, indicating her unique position among the Ten Ministers.

Significant Themes

• Power and its consequences: Jiang Yuan's power attracts both loyalty and fear, and he must now navigate the expectations and reactions of those around him.
• The cost of power: The Relics Jiang Yuan possesses all have significant costs or risks associated with their use, reflecting the theme of power requiring sacrifice.
• Isolation: Both Jiang Yuan and Yuan Ling exhibit a degree of isolation, with Jiang Yuan's busy schedule and Yuan Ling's detached demeanor setting them apart from others.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yuan interacts with Mad Pheasant and Cold Crow, demonstrating his authority and control over his team.
• Jiang Yuan and Yuan Ling have a brief, casual conversation, revealing their differing perspectives on their roles and responsibilities.
• Jiang Yuan and Lanlan's interaction is brief but affectionate, showing their bond despite Lanlan's fish form.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yuan Ling informs Jiang Yuan that his recent actions have caused a major stir and asks whether Great Xia should conceal some of the information surrounding him. Jiang Yuan refuses with a brief, confident “No need,” displaying his newfound confidence as a top-level expert.
• Within the Ten Ministers Society, Great Xia’s leaders debate whether revealing Jiang Yuan’s existence is too dangerous. The shadowy Patrol Bureau master worries that losing Jiang Yuan would be disastrous, but the old man argues that Jiang Yuan’s strength is already known to the Abyss and that hiding him is pointless.
• The old man declares that, after Bei Zhenyuan, Great Xia needs another powerful figure to rise. He also reveals that lifting the restrictions on Jiang Yuan’s identity is the Royal Clan’s decision.
• Footage of Jiang Yuan’s confrontation with the Zhao Family spreads throughout the Imperial Capital’s martial circles. Sensationalized videos show him defeating numerous Zhao Family Martial Masters, suppressing the Second Master, overpowering the Third Ancestor, and forcing the family to offer a legendary weapon and a Relic as compensation.
• The martial world is shocked and begins speculating about Jiang Yuan’s identity. Some believe he is an ancient expert, a hidden prodigy, or a lost genius who has recently returned.
• Zheng Huangtong learns that the mysterious expert is Jiang Yuan—the former hero of Nanjiang City, Martial Exam champion, Purple Dragon Medal recipient, and newly appointed Divine Martial Academy professor who will lead the national war team.
• Zheng Huangtong’s niece, Zheng Xiaoyu, returns home excitedly after seeing Jiang Yuan in person. A photograph confirms that the terrifying expert who subdued the Zhao Family is the same young man she encountered.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuan demonstrates immense confidence and refuses to hide behind Great Xia’s protection. His attitude reflects his transformation from a weak student into a world-class expert.
• Yuan Ling is impressed and astonished by Jiang Yuan’s rapid growth, recalling that he had already shown extraordinary courage when he killed the Abyss Monarch’s clone while still weak.
• The Ten Ministers Society’s old man supports Jiang Yuan’s public emergence and views him as the next great pillar of Great Xia after Bei Zhenyuan.
• The shadowy Patrol Bureau master remains cautious, recognizing Jiang Yuan’s exceptional strength but fearing the consequences if he is lost.
• Zheng Huangtong experiences deep shock upon realizing that the mysterious expert is the young Martial Exam champion she already knew of indirectly. Her perception of Jiang Yuan changes dramatically after learning he is also a Divine Martial Academy professor.
• Zheng Xiaoyu is energetic and admiring, initially describing Jiang Yuan as an impressive Battle General before recognizing him as the same “big brother” she personally saw.

Significant Themes

• Power and self-confidence: Jiang Yuan’s refusal to hide reflects his belief that overwhelming strength makes concealment unnecessary.
• Rapid transformation: His growth from an ordinary high school student to a top expert in less than half a year astonishes everyone around him.
• Reputation and public image: Leaked footage and exaggerated titles turn Jiang Yuan into a legendary and mysterious figure before most people even know his name.
• The cost of emergence: Great Xia must balance protecting Jiang Yuan with acknowledging that powerful enemies already know about him.
• Generational hope: Jiang Yuan is presented as a new “blazing sun” capable of carrying Great Xia’s future.

Character Interactions

• Yuan Ling and Jiang Yuan exchange a brief message that highlights his confidence and her amazement.
• The old man and the shadowy Patrol Bureau master debate whether Jiang Yuan should be exposed, with the Royal Clan’s decision ultimately ending the discussion.
• Martial factions across the Imperial Capital react to the Zhao Family footage, speculating about Jiang Yuan’s origins.
• Yuan Shihou identifies Jiang Yuan for Zheng Huangtong, connecting his present identity as a supreme expert with his earlier achievements.
• Zheng Huangtong interacts warmly with Zheng Xiaoyu, but both are left stunned when Xiaoyu realizes the photographed expert is the same person she encountered.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zheng Xiaoyu reveals she saw 'that big brother' (Jiang Yuan) on the street.
• Zheng Huangtong leaves for an appointment, leaving Zheng Xiaoyu worried about her potential romantic interest in Jiang Yuan.
• Jiang Yuan enters the Hunter Ghost Market, a place for private sales and trades by high-level martial artists.

Character Developments

• Zheng Xiaoyu: Becomes concerned about Zheng Huangtong's potential romantic interest in Jiang Yuan.
• Zheng Huangtong: Shows curiosity and interest in Jiang Yuan, though it's not explicitly stated if it's romantic.
• Jiang Yuan: Shows interest in browsing the Hunter Ghost Market, seeking bargains.

Significant Themes

• Romantic interest and relationships (Zheng Huangtong's potential feelings for Jiang Yuan).
• The allure of rare and valuable items (Hunter Ghost Market's wares).
• The danger of underestimating others (Jiang Yuan's calm demeanor despite the potential threats in the market).

Character Interactions

• Zheng Xiaoyu and Zheng Huangtong: Zheng Xiaoyu shares her encounter with Jiang Yuan, leading to Zheng Huangtong's departure for an appointment.
• Jiang Yuan and the Hunter Ghost Market sellers: Jiang Yuan interacts with various sellers, showing interest in their wares.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qian Tingquan, a fifth-rank martial artist and thief, arrives at the Imperial Capital's Hunter Ghost Market after fleeing from his past deeds.
• He runs a stall selling treasures, but his luck changes when a wealthy, arrogant young master, Jiang Yuan, visits his stall.
• Jiang Yuan buys three seemingly worthless items for 1,100 contribution points, while Qian Tingquan is unaware of their true value.
• Qian Tingquan is later caught by Han Longzhu, a young master from Cold Years City, who is searching for a family treasure Qian Tingquan had stolen and sold.

Character Developments

• Qian Tingquan: Initially confident and lucky, he becomes desperate and fearful when caught by Han Longzhu. He is unaware of the true value of the items he sold to Jiang Yuan.
• Jiang Yuan: Calm and collected, he shows no interest in the common items but is drawn to the three seemingly worthless ones. He possesses the [Seven-Colored Treasure Fate] blessing and the [Hand of Miracles] skill, hinting at his extraordinary abilities.

Significant Themes

• Luck and fortune: Qian Tingquan's luck seems to have run out, while Jiang Yuan's luck in finding valuable items is extraordinary.
• Appearances can be deceiving: The three items Jiang Yuan bought are initially dismissed as worthless but are later revealed to be precious treasures.
• Karma and consequences: Qian Tingquan's past deeds catch up with him, leading to his capture and the loss of his livelihood.

Character Interactions

• Qian Tingquan and Jiang Yuan: Qian Tingquan initially despises Jiang Yuan for his arrogance but is unaware that Jiang Yuan is the one who buys the valuable items from him.
• Qian Tingquan and Han Longzhu: Qian Tingquan's past actions lead to his capture and interrogation by Han Longzhu, who is searching for a stolen family treasure.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Han Longzhu returns to Hunter Ghost Market but finds Jiang Yuan gone.
• Han Longzhu uses tracking items and eventually finds Jiang Yuan's route.
• He hires two eighth-rank grandmasters to find Jiang Yuan.
• Jiang Yuan uses Blind Idiot's aura and Deception Authority to unseal the jade slip, obtaining the incomplete divine ability 'With a Thought, Flowers Bloom, When Flowers Bloom, Life Falls'.
• Zheng Huangtong waits for Jiang Yuan (Source God) at Era Square, growing increasingly angry at his tardiness.

Character Developments

• Han Longzhu's determination to find Jiang Yuan grows, affecting his mental state.
• Jiang Yuan successfully unseals the jade slip, gaining a new divine ability.
• Zheng Huangtong's patience wears thin, her anger towards Jiang Yuan increasing.

Significant Themes

• Pursuit of power and treasure (Han Longzhu, Jiang Yuan).
• Patience and anger (Zheng Huangtong).
• Deception and trickery (Jiang Yuan's use of Blind Idiot and Deception Authority).

Character Interactions

• Han Longzhu interacts with the two eighth-rank grandmasters, hiring them to find Jiang Yuan.
• Jiang Yuan interacts with Lanlan, using her to enter her World Within the Belly to unseal the jade slip.
• Zheng Huangtong awaits Jiang Yuan (Source God) at Era Square, growing increasingly irritated at his tardiness.

Chapter Summary

Plot and Events

• Zheng Huangtong is shocked to discover that her online friend, Jiang Yuan, is the same young man who recently defeated or intimidated the Zhao Family and became famous throughout Great Xia.
• They formally introduce themselves, revealing that Zheng is a Ninth-Tier Martial Master, while Jiang claims to be only Seventh Tier—a revelation that astonishes her given his ability to confront powerful enemies.
• Zheng asks whether Jiang can remove a powerful curse afflicting her companion, Xiaoqing. Jiang assures her that curses below the King level should not be difficult for him to handle.
• Zheng gives him a Polluted Ancient Mechanical Energy Core, an object contaminated by the same mysterious curse infecting her companion and ancient machines.
• Jiang uses a sacred golden flame, likely connected to his kindling and Eternal Emperor Flame, to purify the core. The curse manifests as shrieking, twisted energy but is completely destroyed.
• The purification releases a wave of mental contamination that makes people in the plaza dizzy, nauseated, or unconscious, though no one is seriously injured.
• Zheng is overjoyed, realizing that her companion Xiaoqing can potentially be saved.
• The chapter ends when Kui Xin and Fu Shenxing arrive after sensing the disturbance. Kui immediately recognizes Jiang and Zheng, exclaiming that they have found them.

Character Development

• Jiang Yuan remains calm, confident, and understated. He is unfazed by Zheng’s identity or admiration and treats his extraordinary power as ordinary.
• Zheng Huangtong, usually composed and aloof, becomes visibly flustered upon recognizing Jiang. Her curiosity and admiration deepen as she witnesses his strength, while her concern for Xiaoqing reveals her loyalty and compassion.
• Zheng’s impression of Jiang shifts from online acquaintance to fascination. She is struck by his beauty, mysterious aura, hidden power, and contrast between his gentle appearance and fearsome reputation.
• Jiang develops a favorable first impression of Zheng, seeing her as forthright and approachable despite her prestigious family background.
• Zheng’s confidence in Jiang grows immediately after he effortlessly purifies the contaminated core.

Themes

• Hidden identity and contrast: Jiang’s mild, youthful appearance conceals his overwhelming strength and fearsome reputation.
• Power beyond conventional ranks: His supposed Seventh-Tier level contrasts sharply with his ability to challenge much stronger figures.
• Trust and recognition: Zheng must reconcile her online friend with the legendary figure known throughout the capital.
• Purification and corruption: The golden flame represents cleansing and order overcoming the grotesque curse and mental contamination.
• Loyalty and hope: Zheng’s joy comes not from personal gain but from the possibility of saving Xiaoqing.

Character Interactions

• Jiang and Zheng formally reunite, exchange identities, and lightly tease one another about their online names and past transactions.
• Zheng recalls selling Jiang the cursed True Sight Eye skill book, creating a moment of awkwardness because she profited from the sale.
• Jiang examines and purifies the energy core while Zheng watches closely, first worrying about the contamination and then celebrating the successful result.
• Kui Xin and Fu Shenxing arrive at the end, setting up a likely confrontation or important exchange with Jiang and Zheng.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuan purifies the contaminated mechanical energy core, turning it into a golden core.
• Zheng Huangtong offers to lead Jiang Yuan to an ancient ruin in a Level 9 Abyss for more cores.
• Jiang Yuan agrees to join the raid and invites Night and Jingu Yu.
• Fu Shenxing and Kui Xin, two eighth-rank Grandmasters, are revealed to be spying on Jiang Yuan and Zheng Huangtong.
• Han Longzhu, a fourth-rank martial artist, confronts Jiang Yuan, demanding the item he bought from the Hunter Ghost Market and threatening violence.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuan shows interest in exploring the ancient ruin for personal growth and to help others.
• Zheng Huangtong demonstrates her power and influence as the president of Bow Phoenix Guild and a ninth-rank Grandmaster.
• Han Longzhu reveals his aggressive and arrogant nature, willing to confront Jiang Yuan despite the power imbalance.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and the consequences of underestimating opponents.
• The allure of ancient ruins and the dangers they pose.
• The importance of alliances and teamwork in facing challenges.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yuan and Zheng Huangtong form a potential alliance for the ruin raid, with Zheng Huangtong showing interest in Jiang Yuan.
• Jiang Yuan and Han Longzhu have a tense confrontation, with Han Longzhu underestimating Jiang Yuan's abilities.
• Fu Shenxing and Kui Xin reveal their true intentions and are intimidated by Zheng Huangtong's power.

Chapter Summary: “Seeking Death, Buying Life, Clashing”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Han Longzhu attempts to rob Jiang Yuan, arrogantly demanding that he hand over his possessions. He is accompanied by several subordinates, including a powerful Tier-Seven Martial Artist named Kui Xin and two Tier-Eight Martial Masters, Kui Xin and Fu Shenxing.
• Jiang Yuan mocks Han’s lack of reputation and refuses to submit. When Kui threatens him, Jiang orders his ferocious pet, Blue Little Fish, to act.
• Blue Little Fish kills Kui instantly with a single strike, shattering his armor and weapon and crushing his head. The display shocks everyone and reveals that Jiang’s seemingly weak Tier-Five pet possesses extraordinary power.
• Kui Xin and Fu Shenxing immediately distance themselves from Han and return the Primordial Thunder Copper he had paid them with. Their fear makes it clear that Jiang is far more powerful—and dangerous—than they expected.
• Jiang identifies Han’s plan to apologize, use a High-Tier Teleportation Scroll, and escape. He demands one billion as “the price of Han’s life,” giving Han the choice between paying or calling for reinforcements.
• The Patrol Bureau arrives after detecting the violence. Han accuses Jiang of murder, intimidation, and extortion, hoping the authorities will arrest him.
• Luo Yan, the strict and famously impartial Ninth-Tier Grandmaster and deputy director of the Patrol Bureau, confirms that Jiang killed Kui and caused the surrounding destruction. He orders Jiang’s arrest without regard for Zheng Huangtong’s intervention.
• When Jiang resists, Luo Yan attacks him directly. Jiang responds by releasing his own overwhelming Martial Dao Pressure.
• Their clash causes massive destruction: the ground cracks, buildings shake, civilians across a wide area are injured or knocked unconscious, and a gigantic rift tears open in the sky.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuan: Displays extreme confidence, sharp perception, and overwhelming strength. He remains calm while being threatened and treats his opponents as insignificant. His ability to read Han’s intentions suggests powerful psychic or mental abilities, while his pressure clash with Luo Yan reveals that his true cultivation is far beyond appearances.
• Han Longzhu: Changes rapidly from arrogant aggressor to terrified hostage. Once Jiang exposes his escape plan, Han realizes he has no control over the situation and desperately seeks a way to survive.
• Zheng Huangtong: Becomes increasingly shocked by Jiang’s strength and audacity. She recognizes that he is capable of saying and doing things even major Imperial Capital families would avoid. Her instinct is to intervene when the Patrol Bureau moves against him.
• Kui Xin and Fu Shenxing: Their confidence collapses after witnessing Kui’s death. Despite having accepted Han’s payment, they immediately abandon him to avoid provoking Jiang.
• Luo Yan: Reinforces his reputation as a rigid enforcer of the law. He refuses to be influenced by Han’s status or Zheng’s background and acts decisively, though his attack against Jiang escalates the confrontation dramatically.
• Blue Little Fish: Proves capable of instantly defeating a much stronger opponent, suggesting it has extraordinary potential far beyond its apparent Tier-Five classification.

Significant Themes

• Arrogance versus true power: Han and Kui rely on intimidation and family reputation, but Jiang’s quiet confidence is supported by overwhelming ability.
• The price of life and survival: Jiang turns Han’s fear into a literal negotiation, demanding one billion for the chance to live.
• Appearance versus reality: Jiang appears young and lightly protected, while Blue Little Fish appears small and harmless, yet both conceal terrifying strength.
• Law versus power: The Patrol Bureau represents institutional authority, but Jiang’s confrontation with Luo Yan shows that even official law enforcement can become entangled with superior individual strength.
• Consequences of provocation: Han’s attempt to rob Jiang leads to death, betrayal, and a confrontation powerful enough to damage the Imperial Capital.

Character Interactions

• Jiang and Han engage in a battle of intimidation, with Jiang repeatedly undermining Han’s status and exposing his hidden plans.
• Jiang uses Blue Little Fish to punish Kui, causing Kui Xin and Fu Shenxing to abandon Han.
• Han attempts to manipulate Luo Yan by portraying Jiang as the aggressor.
• Zheng tries to protect or intervene on Jiang’s behalf, but Luo Yan warns her not to obstruct the law.
• Jiang and Luo Yan ultimately clash directly, their Martial Dao Pressure causing catastrophic destruction across the surrounding area.

Chapter Summary: “The Tip of the Iceberg of His Strength”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuan overwhelms the Patrol Bureau’s Chief Deputy Director, Luo Yan, sending the Ninth-Tier Grandmaster crashing through multiple concrete pillars.
• Shocked Patrol Bureau members immediately classify Jiang Yuan as an S-level threat and launch a coordinated attack with thirteen elite fighters.
• The team attempts to restrain him using forbidden spells, sealing chains, assassins, mages, and a summoned Thunder God.
• Jiang Yuan effortlessly counters every attack:
  • He cuts apart a massive Thunder God projection with a single, nearly invisible blade strike.
  • He destroys the stern warrior’s S-rank Heaven-Locking Chains with his bare hands and a casual punch.
  • He defeats Luo Yan again by kicking him away at even greater speed.
  • He activates his Elemental Domain, draining all elemental power from the area and disrupting the two mages’ forbidden spell.
• In less than thirty seconds, the entire Patrol Bureau squad is reduced to helplessness and despair.
• Jiang Yuan then turns his attention to Han Longzhu, the person who had previously tried to block him and seize his possessions.
• Terrified by Jiang Yuan’s overwhelming power, Han Longzhu apologizes and promises never to interfere again.
• Jiang Yuan reminds him that he still owes compensation and demands that he “pay up.”

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuan demonstrates that his strength is far beyond what even the Patrol Bureau expected. He defeats elite fighters and a Ninth-Tier Grandmaster without serious effort, revealing that his earlier displays were only a fraction of his true power.
• He remains calm, controlled, and even playful throughout the battle. Although he considers killing or plundering the Heaven-Locking Chains user, he restrains himself because the man belongs to the Patrol Bureau.
• Jiang Yuan also shows strategic awareness, instantly identifying the abilities and professions of his opponents and recognizing the value of their talents.
• Luo Yan suffers a severe blow to his authority and confidence after being knocked away twice by Jiang Yuan.
• The Patrol Bureau squad shifts from confidence and coordinated aggression to fear and helplessness once they realize Jiang Yuan cannot be restrained or challenged.
• Han Longzhu undergoes a dramatic reversal, changing from an arrogant aggressor into a terrified, submissive figure desperate to avoid punishment.
• Zheng Huangtong acts as a moderating influence, warning Jiang Yuan not to kill the Patrol Bureau members and risk creating a permanent conflict.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power and hidden strength: Jiang Yuan’s performance reveals that his visible strength is merely “the tip of the iceberg.” Even elite government forces are powerless against him.
• Fear replacing arrogance: Characters who initially rely on status, numbers, and authority quickly lose their confidence when confronted with genuine superiority.
• Restraint and moral control: Jiang Yuan has the ability to kill or steal valuable talents, but chooses restraint because of the political consequences and his distinction between enemies and official personnel.
• Authority versus true power: The Patrol Bureau’s institutional authority and elite reputation mean little against Jiang Yuan’s individual strength.
• Consequences and repayment: The chapter reinforces that Han Longzhu’s earlier actions have consequences; fear alone is not enough to escape responsibility.

Character Interactions

• The Patrol Bureau members coordinate professionally, attempting to protect one another while combining martial, magical, and sealing abilities against Jiang Yuan.
• Jiang Yuan acknowledges their teamwork and strength but treats their attacks as a minor amusement.
• Zheng Huangtong directly appeals to Jiang Yuan’s judgment, asking him not to kill the Patrol Bureau members; he accepts her advice.
• Jiang Yuan and Han Longzhu have a threatening but almost mocking exchange. Jiang Yuan forces Han Longzhu to admit fear and regret before reminding him that he still must compensate Jiang Yuan for what he took or attempted to take.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Han Longzhu pays Jiang Yuan one billion Federation Credits to settle the score, with additional help from Kui Xin and Fu Shenxing.
• Jiang Yuan accepts the money and warns Han Longzhu's family not to provoke him further.
• Patrol Bureau Captain Leng Cuifeng records Jiang Yuan's name, leading to a tense standoff.
• Jiang Yuan intimidates a female Patrol Bureau member, Fang Yun, before leaving.
• Luo Yan arrives, and Zheng Huangtong reveals that Jiang Yuan is a battle general and holder of the Purple Dragon Medal.
• Han Longzhu confesses to his crimes, and Luo Yan sentences him to one year in solitary confinement.

Character Developments

• Han Longzhu demonstrates cowardice and desperation, ultimately suffering the consequences of his actions.
• Fang Yun shows bravery but is easily intimidated by Jiang Yuan's spiritual power.
• Luo Yan displays his authority and power as a battle general, protecting Jiang Yuan's interests.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and the consequences of provoking powerful individuals.
• The importance of one's reputation and standing in society.
• The law's limitations when dealing with powerful figures.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yuan and Han Longzhu: Jiang Yuan asserts his dominance, while Han Longzhu submits out of fear.
• Jiang Yuan and the Patrol Bureau: Tension and intimidation, with Jiang Yuan demonstrating his superiority.
• Luo Yan and Zheng Huangtong: They work together to protect Jiang Yuan's interests and maintain his reputation.
• Luo Yan and Han Longzhu: Luo Yan imposes justice, sentencing Han Longzhu for his crimes.

Chapter Summary: “Forbidden Artifact Fragment, An Encounter”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuan enjoys a private hot-pot meal cooked with a Fire Crystal, gaining dense life energy from the meat. His pet, Lanlan, avoids the spicy broth and instead eats a high-level spiritual material.
• While eating, Jiang Yuan replies to messages from family, friends, and associates:
  • His parents worry about his safety and ask when he will return.
  • Mo Xixi proudly shows that she has begun cultivating the Moon Over the Sea Visualization Method and asks for praise and a reward.
  • Luo Xi sends flirtatious photos and asks which outfit suits her best.
  • Yan Runan asks whether she should give Sikong and Ye Jiuling his contact information.
  • Lin Qingyan asks when they will depart for the National War.
  • Principal Nan Yue complains that Jiang Yuan keeps skipping his classes despite being a newly appointed Sword Skills professor.
• On the martial artist forum, Jiang Yuan spends part of the one billion credits he received from Han Longzhu. He purchases skill books for Night and Jingu Yu, several high-level spiritual materials, and a Death-Swap Insect Egg capable of substituting for a fatal injury.
• He notices a mysterious, unappraised statue fragment being sold by Valion, a powerful King from Bear Country. The fragment contains a King-level aura, but even a Level Nine Appraiser cannot identify it.
• Several powerful figures debate the item’s value and danger. Kim Seong-jae, the Sun King of Kimchi Country, ultimately purchases it for 1.5 billion credits, leading to an online dispute between Kimchi Country and Great Xia.
• Kimchi Country’s martial artists boast that their genius Park Jong-guk, already a Little Grandmaster, will crush Great Xia’s representatives during the National War. Great Xia’s martial artists become anxious because their own candidates have not yet been announced.
• Jiang Yuan compares the mysterious statue fragment with the black Forbidden Fragment dropped by Yin Lord’s avatar. He realizes the fragment may have broken off from the statue and may be part of a shattered Divine Forbidden Artifact. Its aura seems purer and closer to an original source than Yin Lord’s power.
• The chapter ends as Luo Ningyan enters the hot-pot restaurant with three companions. She greets Master Liu, who warmly welcomes her and notes that she has not visited in several weeks.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuan remains powerful and composed, balancing ordinary pleasures with major supernatural discoveries. He is attentive to his relationships, financially generous toward his allies, and increasingly suspicious of the true origin of the Forbidden Fragment.
• Lanlan displays its strong appetite and childlike personality, eagerly consuming spiritual materials while avoiding the spicy hot pot.
• Mo Xixi shows progress in cultivation by beginning the Moon Over the Sea Visualization Method and seeks Jiang Yuan’s approval.
• Luo Xi continues to act flirtatiously and confidently toward Jiang Yuan.
• Lin Qingyan remains distant and concise but clearly expects to accompany Jiang Yuan in the National War.
• Principal Nan Yue reveals the pressure Jiang Yuan’s absence is creating at the academy and emphasizes his growing public importance.
• Park Jong-guk is established as a major rival whose strength and national backing make him a serious threat in the upcoming National War.
• Luo Ningyan is reintroduced as a well-known, warmly received customer at the restaurant.

Significant Themes

• Hidden power and forbidden knowledge: The statue fragment and Jiang Yuan’s Forbidden Fragment suggest the existence of artifacts beyond ordinary human understanding, possibly connected to divine or Abyss-level powers.
• National rivalry: The argument between Great Xia and Kimchi Country reflects escalating political and martial competition ahead of the National War.
• Public uncertainty versus concealed strength: While Great Xia’s citizens worry about Park Jong-guk, Jiang Yuan’s survival and return remain partially hidden, creating suspense about Great Xia’s true capabilities.
• Responsibility versus personal freedom: Jiang Yuan is expected to teach, participate in national affairs, and support others, yet he continues to act independently and avoid institutional obligations.
• Relationships and everyday life: Messages from friends and family, along with Jiang Yuan’s meal and interactions with Lanlan, provide a contrast to the dangerous revelations surrounding forbidden artifacts.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yuan jokes with Lanlan and provides it with a safer, non-spicy spiritual material.
• He responds individually to his family, friends, and colleagues, showing that despite his power and busy life, he maintains close connections.
• Online, Kings and Quasi-Kings argue over the statue fragment, while Great Xia and Kimchi Country’s martial artists trade insults over the National War.
• Jiang Yuan internally connects Yin Lord’s obsession with the unknown statue fragment to the Forbidden Fragment he possesses.
• Luo Ningyan exchanges friendly compliments with Master Liu, who remembers her preferred private room and welcomes her warmly.

Key events

• Vice President Luo Ningyan arrives at the restaurant with Medicine King Sun Huaijin, Feng Qidong of the Divine Wind Guild, and Xiao Ce of the Xiao Family. The men treat her with condescending disrespect, revealing the pressure she faces from powerful, entrenched Imperial Capital interests.
• Master Liu identifies the visitors and explains that Luo’s high rank alone may not protect her without influential backing. He nevertheless prioritizes serving the lone guest in Room 101—Jiang Yuan—hinting that Jiang has an even more formidable status or background.
• In a private room, Jiang Yuan consumes a huge quantity of wine and ferocious-beast meat, but remains only partly full. He senses that his cultivation is progressing more slowly than hoped and wants to reach Tier Eight before entering the Abyss.
• Jiang activates his Eternal Night’s Dark Divine Kingdom, isolating the room from the outside, then uses his god-tier talent, Hand of Miracles, on two seemingly worthless relics.
• The sealed black iron becomes Crimson Dao-Slaying Iron, while a dead stump revives as a seedling of the god-tier treasure medicine Ghostface Burial Immortal Flower.

Character developments and interactions

• Luo Ningyan maintains a polite façade despite the men’s insulting scrutiny, showing restraint in a hostile power dynamic.
• Master Liu warns his waitress not to interfere in conflicts beyond her power, but his decision to serve Jiang first suggests he understands Jiang’s importance.
• Jiang Yuan remains focused on strengthening himself, while his control of the Dark Divine Kingdom and extraordinary miracle demonstrate the scale of his abilities.
• Lanlan, apparently satisfied after absorbing a Tier-Eight spiritual material, curls into Jiang’s hair and falls asleep.

Significant themes

• Power and political influence: Even a Ninth-Tier Grandmaster may be vulnerable without the backing to challenge established local forces.
• Hidden status and deference: The restaurant’s service order hints that Jiang’s standing exceeds what others can see.
• Transformation and possibility: Jiang’s Hand of Miracles turns objects dismissed as worthless into rare, powerful treasures.
• Ambition and limits: Despite his immense strength and appetite, Jiang is impatient with his slow cultivation and sets his sights on reaching Tier Eight.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuan obtains two divine items: the Blood-Red Dao-Slaying Stone and the Ghostface Burial Immortal Flower (seedling).
• He enhances his Heavenly Chain Blood Moon blade using the Blood-Red Dao-Slaying Stone, upgrading it to legendary grade.
• Jiang Yuan plants a spiritual brand in the Ghostface Burial Immortal Flower to control it and decides to raise it instead of using it as a treasure herb.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuan shows no fear of the Ghostface Burial Immortal Flower's potential backlash, indicating his growing confidence and power.
• He demonstrates his willingness to use his vast lifespan to enhance his power, as seen in his decision to use the Heavenly Chain Blood Moon more freely.

Significant Themes

• Power and growth: Jiang Yuan continues to seek and utilize powerful tools and methods to increase his strength.
• Control and possession: Jiang Yuan exercises control over the Ghostface Burial Immortal Flower, adding another powerful entity to his collection.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yuan interacts with the Ghostface Burial Immortal Flower, planting a spiritual brand to control it.
• He also interacts with his weapons, enhancing the Heavenly Chain Blood Moon and considering the use of other powerful weapons like the Spear of Sighs.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Darkness Domain dissipates, and Jiang Yuan returns to the private room.
• Qi Huan delivers more food to Jiang Yuan's room and is struck by his appearance.
• Jiang Yuan overhears the conversation in the neighboring private room, where Luo Ningyan is negotiating with Sun Huaijin and Feng Qidong.
• Sun Huaijin demands a higher price and makes inappropriate advances toward Luo Ningyan.
• Luo Ningyan is enraged but helpless, as she cannot act against them.
• Jiang Yuan breaks through the wall, revealing himself to Luo Ningyan and the others, and uses his spiritual power to subdue Sun Huaijin, Feng Qidong, and Xiao Ce.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuan: Shows his calm and composed demeanor, as well as his immense spiritual power.
• Luo Ningyan: Struggles with the shameless demands of Sun Huaijin and Feng Qidong, revealing her helplessness despite being a ninth-rank spiritual martial artist.
• Qi Huan: Is captivated by Jiang Yuan's appearance and seems to be drawn to him.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and corruption in the Imperial Capital.
• The struggle of the weak against the strong and the shameless.
• The consequences of being unable to act against one's oppressors.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yuan and Luo Ningyan: Jiang Yuan's appearance and intervention seem to have a significant impact on Luo Ningyan, who appears moved and astonished.
• Jiang Yuan and Sun Huaijin/Feng Qidong/Xiao Ce: Jiang Yuan effortlessly subdues the three men using his spiritual power, showing his superiority and dominance.