Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Imperial Sovereigns decide to separate the mortals from the Mythical Realm and leave them under Li Su's management.
• Li Su agrees to oversee the mortals and activate the great sect foundations with the Sovereigns.
• The Sovereigns plan to test and destroy the Evil Nature Pillars using the foundations, and then demolish the remaining pillars with the supreme treasures.
• Li Su will hide the Seat of Saints in deep space to conceal himself and provide a connection for the Sovereigns to return through.

Character Developments

• Li Su shows understanding and acceptance of the Sovereigns' plan, demonstrating his maturity and responsibility.
• The Imperial Sovereigns display their strategic thinking and experience, acknowledging their limitations and the need for Li Su's help.

Significant Themes

• Responsibility and sacrifice: Li Su takes on the burden of managing the mortals, while the Sovereigns put themselves at risk to activate the foundations and test the Evil Nature Pillars.
• Strategic planning: The Sovereigns' decision to separate, activate the foundations, and use themselves as bait shows their strategic thinking and adaptability.
• Power dynamics: The Sovereigns' realization of their limitations and Li Su's growing importance highlight the shifting power dynamics within the group.

Character Interactions

• Li Su and the Imperial Sovereigns discuss and agree on their respective roles in the plan, demonstrating mutual respect and understanding.
• The Sovereigns express their confidence in Li Su's abilities and acknowledge his importance in their plans, fostering a sense of trust and camaraderie.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter begins with a recap of the previous day's events, where the protagonist, Alex, had a busy and stressful day.
• Alex decides to take a day off from work and personal responsibilities to relax and recharge.
• Alex spends the day engaging in self-care activities, such as sleeping in, reading, and going for a walk in the park.
• Alex also reflects on the importance of taking breaks and the need for self-compassion.

Character Developments

• Alex realizes the importance of setting boundaries and prioritizing self-care to maintain mental and emotional well-being.
• Alex learns to appreciate the value of taking a break and the positive impact it has on their overall productivity and happiness.

Significant Themes

• Self-care and the importance of taking breaks.
• The need for setting boundaries and prioritizing personal well-being.
• The balance between work and personal life.

Character Interactions

• Alex interacts with their pet, who serves as a source of comfort and companionship throughout the day.
• Alex also has a brief interaction with a stranger in the park, which serves as a reminder that everyone needs a break sometimes.

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Li Su's disappearance with the Seat of Saints, the Sovereigns and others leave the Heavenly Court with the great sects' sacred grounds.
• An enormous spiritual energy tide erupts from the alien races' territory, indicating a massive battle.
• Li Su decides to leave the Heavenly Court but senses the alien races' abandoned Heavenly Palaces, tempting him to investigate.

Character Developments

• Li Su shows concern for the well-being of his trillion-scale population, highlighting his responsibility and care for his people.
• The alien races demonstrate decisive action and strength in their migration, impressing Li Su.

Significant Themes

• The temptation of power and resources, as seen in Li Su's desire for the Heavenly Palaces.
• The responsibility of leaders towards their people, shown in Li Su's consideration for his population's needs.

Character Interactions

• Li Su interacts with the Seat of Saints, using it to sense the Heavenly Palaces and plan his next move.
• Li Su's thoughts reveal his admiration for the alien races' decisiveness and strength.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Su races toward the territory of the foreign races to reclaim the thirty-six Heavenly Palaces.
• He discovers that the Evil Spirits have left someone behind to take the Heavenly Palaces.
• Li Su decides to confront the Near-Saint level Evil Spirit to prevent them from taking the Heavenly Palaces.

Character Developments

• Li Su's determination and resolve strengthen as he faces the danger of confronting a Near-Saint.
• He understands the importance of the Heavenly Palaces for the Mythical Realm and the Desolate Heaven Boundless Formation.

Significant Themes

• The importance of resources and cultivation for the Mythical Realm's survival and growth.
• The power dynamics between realms and the challenges of facing higher-level cultivators.
• Li Su's resolve to protect what is rightfully his and his determination to face danger.

Character Interactions

• Li Su's internal struggle and resolve are highlighted as he decides to confront the Near-Saint.
• The Evil Spirits' actions and plans are revealed, showing their confidence in their strength and plans to corrupt the Heavenly Palaces.

Key Plot Points and Events

• A Near-Saint Evil Spirit senses an inexplicable unease while approaching the thirty-six Heavenly Palaces.
• Li Su, a Billion Dao Realm cultivator, ambushes the Near-Saint, using the Map of Mountains and Rivers to injure its source Great Dao.
• Li Su deploys the Pangu Banner and Taiji Diagram, suppressing the realm of everyone within a 10,000-mile radius, including the Near-Saint.
• The Near-Saint's realm is reduced to Six-World Daluo, and other Evil Spirits' realms are significantly lowered.

Character Developments

• Li Su demonstrates his strength and cunning, using a supreme treasure to injure a Near-Saint and suppressing its realm.
• The Near-Saint Evil Spirit shows its power and resilience, surviving the initial attack and preparing to face Li Su head-on.

Significant Themes

• The power of supreme treasures and their ability to suppress realms.
• The danger of underestimating one's enemies and the importance of vigilance.
• The resilience and adaptability of powerful beings.

Character Interactions

• Li Su and the Near-Saint Evil Spirit face off, each assessing the other's strength and preparing for battle.
• The Near-Saint Evil Spirit initially underestimates Li Su but becomes increasingly wary as the battle progresses.
• Li Su's actions and decisions drive the plot forward, leading to a tense standoff with the Near-Saint.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Su and the Near-Saint Evil Spirit engage in a fierce battle.
• Li Su activates more of his Supreme Sages, increasing his power.
• The Near-Saint Evil Spirit struggles to keep up with Li Su's increasing strength.
• The battle takes place in a small space, making it difficult for the Near-Saint to maneuver.
• The Near-Saint Evil Spirit decides to stake his life, igniting his Great Dao.

Character Developments

• Li Su demonstrates his immense power and resourcefulness, pushing the Near-Saint Evil Spirit to his limits.
• The Near-Saint Evil Spirit shows his desperation and willingness to stake his life.

Significant Themes

• The power of life and destruction clash, with Li Su's life force proving to be overwhelming.
• The importance of space and maneuverability in battle is highlighted.
• The willingness to stake one's life is shown as a last resort in desperate situations.

Character Interactions

• Li Su and the Near-Saint Evil Spirit clash directly, each trying to gain the upper hand.
• The Near-Saint Evil Spirit's subordinate, an Extreme Daluo, dies early in the battle.
• Li Su's power increases dramatically, catching the Near-Saint Evil Spirit off guard.

Summary of Chapter "Battle to the Death 3"

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Su and the Near-Saint Evil Spirit engage in a brutal, close-quarters battle, using their physical forms and supreme scriptures.
• Both combatants burn their origin Great Dao to fuel their attacks, leading to a prolonged, intense fight.
• After a quarter of an hour, both fighters show signs of mental exhaustion, but the battle continues with unyielding ferocity.
• Li Su lands a critical hit, shattering the Evil Spirit's body and causing his river to leak out. The Evil Spirit counterattacks, injuring Li Su but suffering severe damage himself.
• The Evil Spirit's origin is injured, leading to a drop in his realm and the growth of abnormal fleshy buds on his body. He becomes consumed by hatred and a desire for revenge.

Character Developments

• Li Su: Demonstrates incredible resilience and determination, pushing himself to the limit in the face of a powerful enemy. He shows a willingness to sacrifice himself to defeat the Evil Spirit.
• Near-Saint Evil Spirit: Initially confident and decisive, the Evil Spirit becomes increasingly desperate and vengeful as the battle progresses. His injury and fall in realm cause him to lose hope and dignity.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of burning one's origin Great Dao: Both Li Su and the Evil Spirit face severe repercussions, including physical and mental exhaustion, and potential loss of future cultivation progress.
• The relentless nature of battle: The fight between Li Su and the Evil Spirit is portrayed as an unyielding, brutal struggle with no room for retreat or mercy.
• The importance of mental fortitude: Both combatants reach their mental limits, but Li Su manages to maintain his focus and land a critical hit, while the Evil Spirit becomes consumed by hatred and desperation.

Character Interactions

• Li Su and the Near-Saint Evil Spirit: Their interaction is characterized by intense, unyielding combat, with both fighters pushing each other to their limits. The Evil Spirit's injury and fall in realm lead to a shift in their dynamic, with the Evil Spirit becoming increasingly vengeful and desperate.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Su faces off against a near-Saint Evil Spirit in a battle of life and death.
• Li Su's Life Supreme Dao Fruit transforms, allowing him to grow stronger and adapt to the overload.
• The near-Saint Evil Spirit summons a sinister supreme treasure, which collides with Li Su's Map of Mountains and Rivers.
• Li Su flees with a massive fortune, including resources, luck, and origin, after the collision.

Character Developments

• Li Su's Life Supreme Dao Fruit evolves, enabling him to reach new heights in his cultivation.
• The near-Saint Evil Spirit becomes desperate and willing to sacrifice everything to destroy Li Su.

Significant Themes

• The power of Life Supreme and its potential for growth.
• The danger posed by near-Saints and their willingness to sacrifice everything.
• The impact of supreme treasures and their collisions.

Character Interactions

• Li Su and the near-Saint Evil Spirit engage in a fierce battle, each determined to destroy the other.
• Li Su's Life Supreme Dao Fruit resonates with Lady Nuwa, revealing her true form to him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Su travels to Fengdu and finds it deserted, indicating the Book of Life and Death's departure.
• He visits Xue City and discovers it abandoned, but senses that Xue Xue and Zhao Yan are safe and hidden.
• Li Su finds the Heart Sword Sect and Dao Sect destroyed, suggesting the other factions are also facing difficulties.
• He sees the Evil Nature Sky Pillar piercing through the Primordial World and realizes the scale of the threat.
• Li Su decides to digest his gains from killing the near-Saint Evil Spirit.

Character Developments

• Li Su becomes more determined to face the impending war and protect his loved ones.
• He understands the severity of the situation and the challenges ahead, but remains resolved.

Significant Themes

• The theme of preparation and facing challenges head-on is emphasized as Li Su acknowledges the threat and decides to digest his gains to strengthen himself.
• The theme of fate and destiny is reinforced as Li Su considers the ancient Great Destruction and its connection to the Dao of Destiny.

Character Interactions

• Li Su interacts with the supreme treasures, who understand the preciousness of Origin and luck but cannot stop him from cultivating the Dao of Destiny in his unique way.
• Li Su senses the auras of Xue Xue and Zhao Yan, reassuring him of their safety but also making him consider how to handle their relationships in the future.

• Li Su consolidates his gains and reaches the Hundred Million Dao Realm, but finds that his Dao of Fate requires far more fate than he expected, potentially even from Saints.
• He decides to enter the World Fragment again, this time aiming for the Investiture of the Gods era to seek out a Heavenly Dao Saint and complete his Dao of Fate.
• Before entering, the Six Saints Supreme Treasures activate, creating a golden gate with ten supreme scriptures, hinting at the danger and importance of this journey.
• Li Su enters the World Fragment and selects the Southern Jambu Continent, hoping to start in a peaceful era before the Investiture of the Gods War.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gatsby reveals to Nick that he loves Daisy and has been trying to rekindle their past love.
• Gatsby asks Nick to arrange a meeting between him and Daisy, which Nick reluctantly agrees to.
• Daisy and Gatsby meet at Nick's house, where Daisy expresses her love for Gatsby but also her entanglement with her husband, Tom.
• Tom, who has been having an affair with Myrtle Wilson, suspects Daisy's infidelity and confronts her about it.
• Daisy, in a moment of panic and anger, reveals Gatsby's criminal past to Tom.

Character Developments

• Gatsby: His obsession with Daisy becomes more apparent, and he reveals his true feelings to Nick. However, his idealization of Daisy begins to crumble as he sees her true nature.
• Daisy: She shows her true colors, revealing her shallowness, selfishness, and inability to make a decision. She is more concerned with her social standing and comfort than her feelings for Gatsby.
• Tom: His affair with Myrtle and suspicion of Daisy's infidelity lead him to confront Daisy, causing her to reveal Gatsby's past.

Significant Themes

• The American Dream: Gatsby's pursuit of Daisy and his idealized past represents the unattainability of the American Dream.
• Illusion vs. Reality: Gatsby's perception of Daisy and their past is shown to be an illusion, contrasting with the harsh reality of their situation.
• Wealth and Social Class: The differences in wealth and social class between Gatsby and the Buchanans are highlighted, showing the barriers between them.

Character Interactions

• Gatsby and Daisy: Their reunion is tense, with Daisy expressing her love for Gatsby but also her entanglement with Tom. Gatsby's idealization of Daisy is challenged as he sees her true nature.
• Tom and Daisy: Their confrontation reveals the cracks in their marriage and Daisy's affair with Gatsby. Tom's suspicion and anger lead him to reveal Gatsby's past to Daisy.
• Nick and Gatsby: Nick's role as a confidant and intermediary between Gatsby and Daisy becomes more complicated as he becomes aware of the true nature of their relationship.

Chapter Summary: “A Heavenly Beginning”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Su reincarnates as a newborn in a remote rainforest village on the Southern Jambu Continent. The region is saturated with deadly miasma, but the village is protected by a strange altar bearing a massive bull skull and giant snake bones, which emit black flames that repel the poison.
• The villagers are enormous, three-meter-tall people living a seemingly peaceful, primitive life. However, Li Su soon discovers that the village is far from ordinary:
  • His family possesses battle-worn tiger-hide armor and a heavily damaged axe covered in killing intent.
  • His grandfather uses witchcraft-like spells.
  • His father uses blood-red, flame-like power.
  • His second uncle is a terrifying demonic-path cultivator.
• Li Su realizes that his family follows traditions associated with witchcraft and the demonic path rather than orthodox Daoist cultivation. This appears to cut him off from his preferred route to meet the orthodox Saints and their disciples.
• During a family meeting, Li Su learns the shocking truth: the village belongs to the Nine Li bloodline, descendants and followers of Chiyou.
• The family is in conflict with Xuanyuan, the Yellow Emperor, who continues persecuting the Nine Li after defeating and killing their leader, the Lord of War, five years earlier.
• Xuanyuan has launched an extermination campaign against the Nine Li and sent the Drought Goddess to destroy Shu Land’s water dragon, threatening devastating consequences for the region.
• Li Su recognizes that the Battle of Zhuolu has only recently ended, placing his reincarnation more than 2,600 years before Christ, long before the Xia Dynasty.
• Overwhelmed by the implications of being born into the defeated Nine Li faction—and potentially becoming a target of Heaven and the Human King—Li Su faints. He awakens the next day after the family meeting has ended, despondent about his extremely dangerous starting circumstances.

Character Developments

• Li Su: Despite being physically reborn as an infant, Li Su retains the intelligence, experience, and spiritual awareness of a former Billion Dao Realm expert. He quickly learns to understand the local language and assesses his surroundings with sarcasm and alarm. His confidence collapses when he discovers that he has been born into the enemies of the Yellow Emperor and may be opposed by Heaven itself.
• Li Su’s grandfather: The village chief and a practitioner of witchcraft. He appears respected and powerful within the village.
• Li Su’s father: A fierce warrior who uses blood-based or flame-like supernatural power. His anger toward Xuanyuan reveals the family’s deep hatred and fear of the Yellow Emperor.
• Li Su’s second uncle: A powerful demonic-path figure with an intimidating aura of killing intent, bloodlust, and resentment. Despite his sinister appearance, he is warmly welcomed by the family and shows affection toward his relatives.
• Li Su’s mother: Holds a respected position in the village and is accompanied by two extraordinary creatures, Big Yellow and Little Flower.
• Xuanyuan/Yellow Emperor: Though absent from the chapter, he is established as the central antagonist from the Nine Li perspective. He is conducting military and supernatural campaigns to eliminate the remaining Nine Li tribes.

Significant Themes

• Reincarnation and cruel fate: Li Su expects reincarnation to provide a new opportunity, but instead finds himself born into one of the most politically dangerous factions in history.
• Perspective and morality: The chapter complicates the usual heroic image of the Yellow Emperor. To the Nine Li, he is a ruthless conqueror and persecutor, while Li Su struggles to reconcile this with his traditional image as a benevolent human ruler.
• Conflict between orthodox and unorthodox cultivation: Li Su’s family practices witchcraft and demonic cultivation, placing him opposite the dominant Daoist traditions of the Investiture of the Gods era.
• History viewed from the losing side: Famous mythological events—especially the Battle of Zhuolu—are presented from the perspective of Chiyou’s descendants rather than the victorious Yan-Huang lineage.
• Humanity versus Heaven: Li Su fears that opposing the Yellow Emperor means opposing humanity’s providence and even Heaven itself, making escape or resistance extraordinarily difficult.
• Peace masking danger: The village appears harmonious and ordinary, but its protected location, supernatural altar, giant inhabitants, and warlike heritage reveal that it is a refuge under siege.

Character Interactions

• The villagers treat one another with familial warmth despite their intimidating appearance and violent background.
• Li Su’s grandfather and father warmly welcome his demonic-path uncle, showing that within the village, family loyalty outweighs orthodox judgments about good and evil.
• The adults gather in a serious family council after the uncle brings news of Xuanyuan’s latest campaigns. Their shared outrage and grief reveal the deep unity of the Nine Li survivors.
• Li Su observes these interactions helplessly from his mother’s arms, internally reacting to the revelations while being unable to speak or influence events.
• The family’s curses against Xuanyuan and mourning for their fallen Lord of War expose both their hatred of the Yellow Emperor and their sense of continuing persecution.

Chapter Summary — It Shouldn’t Be Like This

Key Plot Points and Events

• By age three, Li Su has become an extraordinary Nine Li child. His body appears normal, but he weighs nearly one hundred jin and consumes enormous quantities of meat—eventually around thirty-five jin per day.
• His Nine Li/Witch Clan bloodline manifests unusually early. At only seven days old, he develops terrifying fangs and is found gnawing through a demon boar’s roasted leg while asleep.
• Li Su initially tries to hide his abnormal talents, fearing that his Nine Li heritage and future cultivation in demonic arts will make him an enemy of the “righteous” factions. However, his uncontrollable hunger forces him to accept that he cannot appear ordinary.
• His appetite and physical development continue for five years. By age five, he is nearly a meter tall, possesses several thousand jin of strength, and emits such dense blood vitality that ordinary demon insects die when they approach him.
• The village celebrates Li Su as a potential hope for the declining Nine Li people. His second uncle plans to take him to a demonic sect when he turns six.
• Meanwhile, the Nine Li clan faces extermination by Xuanyuan and his forces. The Drought Goddess has devastated Shu Land, causing severe drought, heat, and spreading environmental destruction. After suffering a disastrous defeat against her, the clan begins considering an evacuation to Dry Province.
• At age five, Li Su’s second uncle returns badly injured, missing an arm, and warns that the Drought Goddess has brought the Li-Slaying Army to their village.
• Li Su’s grandfather, the village shaman, uses a forbidden-looking ritual to transfer Second Uncle’s injuries onto another villager and restore him. The villagers then arm themselves, preparing to fight.
• While the village’s adults, elders, women, and children charge into battle, Second Uncle carries Li Su away in an attempt to preserve the clan’s “genius” and future hope.
• Li Su realizes that his family and the entire village are sacrificing themselves to save him. He struggles desperately, but his grandfather’s black chains bind his body and silence him.
• The chapter ends with Second Uncle urging Li Su to survive because he is “Nine Li’s hope,” while Li Su internally rejects the situation, crying that it should not be happening.

Character Developments

• Li Su/Li Hao: He shifts from cautious concealment to reluctant acceptance of his abnormal nature. Although initially detached from the clan’s fate and focused on long-term cultivation plans, he develops deep emotional attachment to the village after five years of care. His helplessness during the evacuation forces him to confront his identity and the human cost of being treated as the clan’s future.
• Second Uncle: A powerful demonic cultivator and devoted guardian, he repeatedly returns to the village despite grave danger. His decision to carry Li Su away demonstrates both his affection and his willingness to sacrifice the rest of the village to preserve Li Su.
• Grandfather: The village shaman and a decisive leader. He uses his power to save Second Uncle and commands the villagers to fight, while also binding Li Su so that he cannot return to the battle.
• Li Su’s parents and the villagers: Their joy and pride in Li Su develop into fierce protectiveness. Their willingness to remain behind and fight reveals the depth of their familial and communal loyalty.
• The Drought Goddess: She emerges as a terrifying, nearly unstoppable enemy whose campaign threatens to destroy the Nine Li entirely.

Significant Themes

• Talent as both blessing and burden: Li Su’s extraordinary abilities bring hope to the Nine Li, but they also deprive him of an ordinary childhood and make him a target.
• Survival versus attachment: The clan believes Li Su must live even if everyone else dies, but Li Su cannot accept survival purchased through the loss of his family.
• Identity and inherited conflict: Li Su’s modern or outsider perspective conflicts with his Nine Li bloodline and his emotional ties to the clan. His connection to Yanhuang’s side also creates internal unease as he recognizes that he is now part of the persecuted enemy.
• Sacrifice and collective survival: The villagers willingly fight and die so that one child can preserve the future of their people.
• Historical inevitability and powerlessness: Li Su understands that Xuanyuan’s victory is supported by overwhelming human fortune, making the Nine Li’s defeat seem unavoidable despite their courage.
• The cruelty of fate: The title reflects Li Su’s horror at being separated from his family and forced to survive when everything he loves is being destroyed.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Su’s family responds to his fangs, appetite, and physical growth with pride rather than fear, treating his abnormalities as signs of Nine Li greatness.
• His second uncle repeatedly encourages his future, promising to take him into the demonic sect and recognizing his potential.
• The villagers’ collective affection for Li Su contrasts with his earlier emotional distance; their sacrifices reveal how deeply they regard him as family and hope.
• Grandfather and Second Uncle cooperate during the injury-transfer ritual, showing the village’s limited but powerful shamanic abilities.
• Second Uncle ignores Li Su’s pleas while fleeing with him, prioritizing Li Su’s survival over his emotional wishes.
• Grandfather’s final command—“Kill the Xuan dogs!”—unites the village against the approaching army, while his chains prevent Li Su from joining them.
• The final exchange between Second Uncle and Li Su crystallizes the conflict: Second Uncle demands that Li Su live for the clan, while Li Su desperately wants to remain with and save the people who raised him.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• A boar demon attacks Li Su, but Li Su, despite his small size, defeats it with astonishing strength.
• Li Su returns to Li Zhan with the boar demon, showing his growth and capability.
• A group of hundred riders, led by the Drought Goddess, is pursuing Li Su and Li Zhan, killing any wild demons in their path.

Character Developments

• Li Su: Shows immense physical strength and courage, taking care of Li Zhan and providing for them. He's also dealing with the emotional pain of realizing his role in the destruction of his village.
• Li Zhan: Weakened by his injuries, he's grateful for Li Su's help but feels guilty for not sending Li Su away to safety.

Significant Themes

• The harsh reality of survival in the wilderness and the necessity of strength.
• The emotional pain of loss and regret.
• The inevitability of conflict between the Nine Li clan and the forces of Yellow Emperor.

Character Interactions

• Li Su and Li Zhan: Their bond deepens as Li Su takes care of Li Zhan, showing his growth and responsibility. Li Zhan, despite his guilt, appreciates Li Su's actions.
• Li Su and the Drought Goddess: Their conflict is foreshadowed as the Drought Goddess' forces approach, unaware of Li Su's presence.

Chapter Summary: “Young Dragon’s Roar!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Zhan and five-year-old Li Su finish dealing with a boar demon. Because of his injuries, Li Zhan can only use limited cultivation techniques, drying most of the meat rather than cooking it.
• After the destruction of their village, Li Su becomes determined to grow stronger and begins actively questioning Li Zhan about the Nine Li clan’s cultivation.
• Li Zhan teaches him the clan’s two foundational paths:
  • Battle arts, which awaken and strengthen the body.
  • Divine arts, which awaken and strengthen the spirit.
• Li Su immediately masters the battle art, discovers his own unique pattern, and imprints it into his bones. Within two days, he can cultivate continuously through breathing and subtle bodily vibrations.
• His bloodline concentration, already an extraordinary ten percent, rises to 10.1 percent. This greatly increases his appetite, physical strength, and awareness that his long-nurtured talent is close to awakening.
• Li Su’s strength becomes astonishing: he effortlessly carries an ironwood trunk weighing over two tons while transporting the injured Li Zhan toward the Skyward River.
• Li Su begins studying divine arts by visualizing Baleful, a violent form of killing energy that the Nine Li clan can use to temper both body and spirit. He delays deeper cultivation until they reach Dry Province, where it will be safer.
• Near the Skyward River, over a hundred blood-covered riders emerge from the forest. They are enemies of the Nine Li clan and charge while displaying the severed heads of villagers.
• Li Zhan prepares to sacrifice himself so Li Su can escape. Seeing the heads of people he loved, Li Su erupts in fury and releases a thunderous roar, declaring that he wants their lives.

Character Developments

• Li Su: His grief and desire for vengeance transform him from a carefree child into someone intensely focused on strength and survival. His frighteningly rapid mastery of cultivation confirms his extraordinary talent. His physical power is already approaching the standard of a great warrior, and his first major awakening appears imminent.
• Li Zhan: Though injured and emotionally unstable after the village’s destruction, he takes responsibility for preserving the Nine Li clan’s inheritance by teaching Li Su. His sorrow gradually shifts into pride and hope, but he remains prepared to die protecting his nephew.
• Li Su’s lost family and villagers: Their deaths continue to motivate Li Su and shape his growing hatred toward the attackers.

Significant Themes

• Grief transformed into power: Both characters cope with tragedy through cultivation, protection, and revenge.
• Inheritance and survival: With the village destroyed, Li Su becomes the bearer of the Nine Li clan’s future.
• Nature versus nurture: Li Su’s bloodline gives him immense potential, but the catastrophe and Li Zhan’s instruction force him to mature prematurely.
• The burden of genius: Li Su’s talent is so overwhelming that Li Zhan can barely guide him, leaving the older man proud but almost helpless.
• Rage and justice: The sight of the villagers’ heads turns Li Su’s quiet determination into open murderous fury.

Character Interactions

• Li Su repeatedly questions Li Zhan, creating a teacher-student relationship in which Li Zhan passes on the clan’s last surviving cultivation knowledge.
• Li Zhan is moved by Li Su’s eagerness but mourns that a five-year-old has been forced to abandon his innocence.
• Li Su’s effortless improvement leaves Li Zhan unable to criticize or even meaningfully instruct him, producing a mixture of pride, melancholy, and comic frustration.
• While traveling, Li Su notices Li Zhan’s emotional instability but responds with patience rather than judgment.
• When the enemy cavalry appears, Li Zhan instinctively moves to protect Li Su, while Li Su’s grief and anger finally explode into the powerful roar that ends the chapter.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Two members of the Hundred Demons Palace, Old Demon Sun and the big-nosed man, appear near the Skyward River in Central Province.
• Old Demon Sun goes ashore to investigate a commotion, while the big-nosed man retreats into the river due to the presence of Xuanyuan's Li-Slaying Army.
• Li Su, a young member of the Nine Li clan, confronts the Li-Slaying Army and engages in a fierce battle.

Character Developments

• Old Demon Sun: Despite his weak appearance, he is a formidable Golden Core demon cultivator who has survived many battles and taken in Nine Li disciples.
• Big-nosed man: A Golden Core demon cultivator who has taken in nearly twenty Nine Li disciples and is cautious about engaging with Xuanyuan's army.
• Li Su: A five-year-old boy who demonstrates exceptional strength, skill, and ferocity in battle, using the Nine Li Battle Method to defend against and attack the Li-Slaying Army.

Significant Themes

• The power dynamics between demon cultivators and mortal armies.
• The ferocity and resilience of the Nine Li clan, even in the face of adversity.
• The consequences of underestimating one's opponent, as seen in the big-nosed man's retreat and the Li-Slaying Army's initial underestimation of Li Su.

Character Interactions

• Old Demon Sun and the big-nosed man: They acknowledge each other's presence but do not engage in conversation, each acting according to their own interests.
• Li Su and the Li-Slaying Army: Li Su demonstrates his prowess in battle, first deflecting a powerful sword strike and then using the Nine Li Battle Method to dodge a volley of arrows. He then engages in hand-to-hand combat with the cavalrymen, displaying remarkable strength and ferocity.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Su faces off against the Hundred Cavalry Commander and his troops.
• Li Su, fueled by anger and grief, defeats the Hundred Cavalry, but suffers severe injuries.
• The Hundred Cavalry Commander, after witnessing Li Su's prowess, commits suicide to prevent capture, warning his subordinates about the new Nine Li king.
• Li Su, despite his injuries, recovers using his powerful will and innate strength.

Character Developments

• Li Su: Demonstrates exceptional combat skills and resilience, awakening his Nine Li bloodline further. His anger and grief drive him to push his limits, leading to severe injuries but also a display of his extraordinary willpower and recovery abilities.
• Hundred Cavalry Commander: Initially driven by anger and a desire to slay the Nine Li, he gains a realization after witnessing Li Su's prowess, committing suicide to prevent capture and warning his subordinates about the new Nine Li king.

Significant Themes

• The cycle of violence and revenge between the Xuanyuan and Nine Li clans.
• The awakening of Li Su's Nine Li bloodline and his extraordinary potential.
• The consequences of underestimating one's opponent and the dangers of hubris.

Character Interactions

• Li Su vs. Hundred Cavalry Commander: A fierce and brutal battle ensues between Li Su and the Hundred Cavalry Commander, ending with both severely injured. The Commander's realization and subsequent suicide highlight the impact of Li Su's actions on his opponent.
• Li Su and the Hundred Cavalry: The interaction between Li Su and the Hundred Cavalry soldiers is marked by intense violence and hatred, with Li Su's actions fueled by his desire for revenge and the soldiers' by their orders to annihilate the Nine Li tribe.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Su defeats a hundred cavalrymen and their commander, but is severely injured.
• An old demon from the Hundred Demons Palace, the "Sun" surnamed demon, appears and offers to take Li Su as his disciple.
• Li Su and Li Zhan are taken to Dry Province by the old demon.
• Imperial Daughter Ba of Central Province appears, hinting at trouble for the old demon and the two Li clan members.

Character Developments

• Li Su demonstrates exceptional combat skills and resilience, but is still severely injured after the battle.
• Li Zhan is relieved and hopeful when the old demon offers to take Li Su as his disciple.
• The old demon, "Sun," shows interest in Li Su's potential and takes him to Dry Province.
• Imperial Daughter Ba's sudden appearance suggests she is after Li Su and Li Zhan, indicating potential danger for them.

Significant Themes

• The theme of survival and perseverance is highlighted as Li Su continues to face challenges despite his young age and injuries.
• The theme of mentorship and guidance is introduced with the old demon taking Li Su as his disciple.
• The theme of danger and pursuit is emphasized as Imperial Daughter Ba appears, hinting at further trouble for Li Su and Li Zhan.

Character Interactions

• Li Su and Li Zhan's relationship as uncle and nephew is strengthened as they face adversity together.
• Li Su and the old demon, "Sun," interact briefly, with the old demon showing interest in Li Su's potential.
• The old demon and the big-nosed man interact, with the big-nosed man expressing regret and suspicion about the old demon's actions.

Chapter Summary

Crossing the Skyward River

Li Su, Li Zhan, and the old Golden Core demon cross the enormous Skyward River. Although it is only nine hundred li wide, the river is filled with powerful demons, forcing cultivators to detour and take at least three days to cross safely.

Arrival near Dry Province

On the morning of the third day, Li Su awakens and sees Dry Province Continent approaching. Li Zhan is relieved, believing that reaching Dry Province will remove the immediate threat of extermination from Xuanyuan. He also hopes the Nine Li tribe will eventually return to Central Province and rebuild itself.

Impression of Dry Province

Li Su observes that Dry Province is filled with chaotic, conflicting energies: righteous qi, demonic qi, devilish qi, and killing intent. He recognizes it as a dangerous land of war and slaughter, far inferior to Central Province.

Li Su’s recovery

Li Su discovers that he has completely recovered from his exhaustion. The old man explains that he gave him a Return-Origin Pill, a powerful restorative pill whose energy is still nourishing Li Su’s body. Li Su thanks the old man, acknowledging that the pill was likely valuable enough for Foundation Establishment cultivators.

The old man gives Li Su a cultivation method

The old man hands Li Su a yellowed book containing the foundational Qi Refinement technique of his sect or lineage. He urges Li Su to cultivate immediately and attempt to enter Qi Refinement while the pill’s energy remains in his body.

Li Su’s reaction to the technique

Li Su quickly memorizes the roughly eleven-hundred-character text. The technique teaches the practitioner to use the body as a furnace, absorb the essences of heaven and earth, and refine them into qi. It is exceptionally orthodox, profound, stable, and suitable even for people with poor talent. It emphasizes gradual accumulation, strong foundations, longevity, and steady advancement.

Suspiciously high-grade method

Li Su realizes that this is not an ordinary demonic cultivation art. It is an extremely sophisticated Daoist-style inner cultivation method—possibly powerful enough to support cultivation all the way to immortality. Its quality is far beyond what one would expect from the introductory technique of a Golden Core demon from the Hundred Demons Palace.

Li Su conceals his true understanding

Although he could master the method almost instantly because of his immense soul and cultivation experience, Li Su deliberately reads and turns the pages slowly. He wants to hide the fact that he is far more knowledgeable and capable than a five-year-old child should be.

Character Developments and Interactions

Li Su and Li Zhan

Li Zhan shows deep concern for Li Su during his long sleep and becomes visibly relieved when he awakens. His hopes for the Nine Li tribe’s revival are tied closely to Li Su’s survival.

Li Su and the old man

The old man continues to care for and instruct Li Su, giving him both the Return-Origin Pill and a valuable cultivation method. Li Su remains grateful but wary, recognizing that the old man may possess ulterior motives. He is willing to repay kindness but would retaliate if he were being raised for some sinister purpose.

Li Su’s mindset

Li Su maintains a pragmatic, suspicious attitude. He follows the principle of repaying kindness and vengeance equally, while carefully concealing his extraordinary abilities.

Significant Themes

The contrast between appearance and reality

The old man is a great demon, yet his cultivation technique is more orthodox and profound than many righteous sect methods. This creates the central mystery of the chapter.

Foundation and gradual cultivation

The technique emphasizes stable accumulation, strong foundations, and longevity rather than rapid or reckless advancement.

Exile and hope for restoration

Reaching Dry Province marks the Nine Li tribe’s escape from immediate danger, but Li Zhan’s thoughts already turn toward rebuilding and reclaiming their homeland.

Hidden identities and concealed power

Li Su appears to be an ordinary five-year-old, but he possesses exceptional knowledge and strength. His deliberate act of pretending to study slowly highlights the gap between his outward identity and his true nature.

Orthodoxy versus demonic affiliation

The chapter questions the assumption that demons must use evil or inferior cultivation methods, especially through the revelation that the old man’s “beginner” technique is extraordinarily orthodox and powerful.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Su receives a cultivation art from an old Golden Core demon, who wants him to cultivate it to resolve his cultivation issue.
• Li Su realizes the art is from the Elucidation Sect, which he can't join due to his race, and it's too righteous, making him a target for demonic cultivators.
• The old demon wants Li Su to cultivate Sky Firmament Qi to help him, but Li Su plans to stall and awaken his talents instead.

Character Developments

• Li Su: Shows strategic thinking and adaptability, planning to use the situation to his advantage.
• The Withered Elder: Reveals his true purpose, seeking Li Su's help to resolve his cultivation issue.

Significant Themes

• The struggle between the righteous and demonic paths in cultivation.
• The importance of adaptability and strategic thinking in survival and growth.
• The manipulation of pawns by powerful cultivators.

Character Interactions

• Li Su and the Withered Elder: They both have their own agendas, leading to a tense yet seemingly harmonious interaction.
• Li Su and Li Zhan: Li Zhan is relieved that Li Su has made progress in cultivation, showing a caring uncle-nephew relationship.