Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gushendu of the Royal Court demands that Lin Tian and the Upper Sect Faction voluntarily leave the Secret Realm and surrender their chance to compete for the Secret Realm Origin Crystal.
• To make the demand seem more reasonable, he offers them Secret Realm Origin Power as compensation, claiming that the strong deserve to possess everything.
• The Upper Sect members are outraged by the Royal Court’s arrogance. Gu Changyuan nearly attacks, but his sister Gu Qingshuang stops him, recognizing that their faction is currently outnumbered and weaker.
• Gushendu grows increasingly confident and orders Lin Tian to leave with his people.
• Lin Tian refuses, declaring that the offered compensation is “not enough.” After inspecting the Royal Court’s forces with his consciousness, he confirms that none of them has reached the True Essence Realm.
• He suddenly attacks and kills Gushendu with a single spear thrust, then throws his impaled body aside.
• The Royal Court faction erupts in shock and fury. Ba’er orders everyone to attack Lin Tian together.
• Ye Wandao and the others recover from their shock and rush to support Lin Tian, understanding that he is the central force holding their group together.
• However, the Royal Court members move even faster and surround Lin Tian before his allies can reach him.

Character Developments

• Lin Tian: Demonstrates extreme confidence and decisiveness. Rather than accept humiliation or negotiate further, he uses his superior strength to launch a surprise attack. His careful assessment of the enemy shows that his aggression is calculated, not reckless.
• Gushendu: Begins the exchange confidently, believing the Royal Court’s numerical and strategic advantage will force Lin Tian to submit. His arrogance ends abruptly when Lin Tian kills him instantly.
• Gu Qingshuang: Displays composure and strategic judgment by restraining her hot-tempered brother and acknowledging their disadvantage.
• Gu Changyuan: Shows his anger at the Royal Court’s insulting demands and willingness to fight, but initially acts impulsively.
• Ye Wandao and the Upper Sect Faction: Though confused by Lin Tian’s sudden attack, they remain loyal and immediately move to protect him, recognizing his importance to their survival.
• Ba’er: Takes command after Gushendu’s death, responding with rage and ordering a coordinated assault.

Significant Themes

• Power and possession: The Royal Court’s claim that the strong should own everything is turned against them by Lin Tian.
• Arrogance versus true strength: The Royal Court assumes its numbers guarantee victory, but Lin Tian’s overwhelming individual power exposes their misplaced confidence.
• Strategic restraint: Gu Qingshuang’s calm response contrasts with the Royal Court’s arrogance and Gu Changyuan’s impulsiveness.
• Leadership and dependence: Lin Tian is portrayed as the Upper Sect Faction’s stabilizing force; without him, the group fears it would collapse.
• Calculated violence: Lin Tian’s attack is based on reconnaissance—he first confirms that no True Essence Realm expert is present before committing to battle.

Character Interactions

• Gushendu attempts to pressure and bargain with Lin Tian, while Lin Tian silently evaluates the Royal Court’s strength.
• Gu Changyuan reacts furiously to the Royal Court’s demands, but Gu Qingshuang restrains him and emphasizes their tactical disadvantage.
• Lin Tian rejects Gushendu’s offer and kills him before he can respond.
• Ba’er rallies the enraged Royal Court faction against Lin Tian.
• Ye Wandao and the other Upper Sect members follow Lin Tian into battle, but the Royal Court surrounds him first, creating an immediate crisis.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Wandao and his allies fear Lin Tian will be overwhelmed when Royal Court geniuses surround him, but Lin Tian remains calm and decides to end the confrontation quickly.
• Lin Tian uses his speed and spear to strike repeatedly, killing several Royal Court geniuses before they can react.
• Ba’er manages to anticipate one attack and block it, but is badly injured. He survives Lin Tian’s next thrust only by activating a protective light barrier hidden in his Sea of Consciousness; the barrier prevents a fatal blow but cannot stop him from being hurled away and wounded.
• The spectators are stunned as Lin Tian continues attacking. More Royal Court geniuses are killed, and the survivors flee toward the larger Royal Court group. Lin Tian pursues them, striking them down as they run.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Tian displays overwhelming confidence and combat ability, treating the battle as a quick way to force the Royal Court faction to leave the Secret Realm. He recognizes Ba’er as the strongest opponent in the group but judges him inadequate.
• Ba’er proves more alert than the other geniuses by reacting to Lin Tian’s first attack, yet his defensive artifact is the only reason he survives. His confidence gives way to terror.
• Ye Wandao and the other witnesses move from anxious expectation that Lin Tian will be killed to disbelief at the scale of his victory.
• The Royal Court survivors abandon the fight and run, while Lin Tian continues pursuing them.

Significant themes

• The gap between reputation and reality: Others believed Lin Tian’s strength had limits, but seeing him fight overturns their assumptions.
• Overwhelming power and fear: Lin Tian’s rapid kills turn the Royal Court geniuses from aggressors into panicked fugitives.
• Survival through preparation: Ba’er’s hidden barrier saves him from immediate death, though it cannot protect him from the attack’s full force.

Chapter Summary: “The Overwhelming Trend”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Tian continues his assault on the fleeing Royal Court geniuses, killing them one after another with his spear.
• The final three top Royal Court geniuses nearly reach their camp, but Lin Tian kills all three simultaneously with three rapid spear strikes.
• This eliminates every top genius of the Royal Court Faction and leaves both sides stunned— the Upper Sect Faction in disbelief and the Royal Court Faction in terror.
• Lin Tian orders the Upper Sect Faction to kill or drive every remaining Royal Court member from the Secret Realm.
• Ye Wandao immediately leads the Upper Sect geniuses in a full-scale attack.
• The Royal Court members, demoralized and leaderless, scatter and flee. Many crush their Tokens to teleport out, though some are killed before they can escape.
• Lin Tian withdraws to a high position, plants his spear, and observes rather than continuing to fight, confident that the battle is already decided.
• The Royal Court eventually regains enough composure to resist, but recognizing that their momentum is gone, most choose to escape.
• Ye Wandao kills the final remaining Royal Court genius, leaving no Royal Court member inside the Secret Realm.
• With the battle over, the Upper Sect Faction must now gather all the resources in the Secret Realm before they can leave.

Character Developments

• Lin Tian demonstrates overwhelming combat power by annihilating the Royal Court’s strongest fighters within moments. His calmness and efficiency emphasize his dominance.
• He shifts from active combatant to detached commander, trusting the Upper Sect Faction to finish the battle after he has broken the Royal Court’s morale.
• Ye Wandao and the Upper Sect Faction move from shock and hesitation to confidence and decisive aggression once Lin Tian gives the order.
• The Royal Court geniuses undergo a rapid collapse in morale. Their fear grows as they witness their strongest allies being killed, and they abandon the fight rather than risk certain death.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming strength and battlefield dominance: Lin Tian’s ability to kill the top Royal Court geniuses almost effortlessly determines the battle’s outcome.
• Morale as a decisive force: Once the Royal Court’s strongest fighters fall, its remaining members lose the will and unity to fight effectively.
• Leadership and momentum: Lin Tian’s command transforms the Upper Sect Faction’s shock into coordinated victory, while the Royal Court’s lack of direction causes disorder.
• Fear and survival: The Royal Court members prioritize escape through their Tokens, revealing how completely Lin Tian has broken their confidence.
• Control over resources: The Upper Sect Faction’s victory promises them possession of all the Secret Realm’s resources.

Character Interactions

• Lin Tian’s slaughter of the Royal Court geniuses directly affects both factions: it inspires the Upper Sect Faction and terrifies the Royal Court.
• His command to “kill” prompts Ye Wandao to launch the decisive offensive.
• Ye Wandao and the Upper Sect geniuses act in coordination, overwhelming the scattered Royal Court forces.
• The Royal Court members interact mainly through collective panic and flight, with no remaining leader able to rally them.
• By killing the final Royal Court survivor, Ye Wandao formally completes the faction’s victory while Lin Tian watches from above.

Chapter Summary: “The Right to Allocate”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Lin Tian kills the last Royal Court genius, the Royal Court Faction is completely driven out of the Secret Realm.
• The remaining members of the Dao Origin Sect and Sword Heaven Upper Sect gather before Lin Tian, waiting for him to decide how the Secret Realm’s resources will be divided.
• Lin Tian declares that, since only the two factions remain, they should divide all resources between themselves to avoid future conflict.
• Gu Qingshuang asks how Lin Tian intends to distribute the resources. While the Dao Origin Sect members expect Lin Tian to favor them, Gu Qingshuang hopes to negotiate the right for the Sword Heaven Upper Sect to search for resources independently.
• Lin Tian reveals that he has noticed the Sword Heaven Upper Sect using a special method to locate Secret Realm Origin Crystals.
• Gu Qingshuang is caught off guard because the existence of this method had not been publicly disclosed. Lin Tian explains that he personally observed them using it earlier.
• Rather than exposing his own superior Compass, Lin Tian allows the Sword Heaven Upper Sect to continue selecting Secret Realm Origin Crystals independently.
• He then establishes the final division: the Dao Origin Sect receives seventy percent of the Secret Realm’s resources, while the Sword Heaven Upper Sect receives thirty percent.

Character Developments

• Lin Tian demonstrates authority, strategic awareness, and political judgment. Although he is the strongest person present, he does not simply seize everything; instead, he creates a clear arrangement to prevent conflict.
• He also shows caution by concealing the existence of his Compass, understanding that revealing it could cause others to demand or confiscate the Origin Crystals he secretly gathered.
• Gu Qingshuang proves politically perceptive and ambitious. She immediately recognizes that allowing Lin Tian to distribute everything would disadvantage her sect, so she prepares to negotiate for independent resource-gathering rights.
• Her confidence falters when Lin Tian exposes that he already knows about the Sword Heaven Upper Sect’s secret method.
• Ye Wandao and the Dao Origin Sect disciples become increasingly respectful toward Lin Tian, recognizing that their opportunity to obtain enormous resources exists only because of his overwhelming strength.

Significant Themes

• Power and authority: Lin Tian’s superior strength gives him the practical right to determine how the resources are allocated.
• Negotiation and factional interests: Both sects attempt to maximize their gains while avoiding open conflict.
• Strategic secrecy: Lin Tian withholds information about his Compass, showing that knowledge and hidden advantages are as important as strength.
• Rewards and merit: The seventy-thirty division reflects the Dao Origin Sect’s greater contribution to defeating the Royal Court, while still granting the Sword Heaven Upper Sect meaningful benefits for its resource-finding ability.
• Trust versus self-interest: The factions cooperate only because their interests temporarily align; each side remains alert to the possibility of being exploited.

Character Interactions

• Lin Tian commands the attention of both factions, while Ye Wandao formally reports that everyone is assembled.
• Gu Qingshuang challenges Lin Tian to explain his intended distribution, hoping to secure a better deal for the Sword Heaven Upper Sect.
• Lin Tian reverses the pressure by questioning her sect’s hidden ability to locate Origin Crystals.
• His knowledge leaves Gu Qingshuang unable to deny the truth, shifting the balance of the negotiation in his favor.
• The chapter ends with Lin Tian granting the Sword Heaven Upper Sect independent access to Origin Crystals but reserving the majority—seventy percent—for the Dao Origin Sect.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Tian finalizes the division of resources in the Secret Realm, assigning 70% to Dao Origin Sect and its allied Upper Sect forces and 30% to Sword Heaven Upper Sect.
• Ye Wandao and the others accept the arrangement, believing they deserve more but recognizing that Lin Tian’s overwhelming contribution gives him the authority to decide.
• Gu Changyuan objects internally, feeling Sword Heaven Upper Sect should receive at least half of the resources because they are helping search for Secret Realm Origin Crystals. However, Gu Qingshuang stops him, understanding that challenging Lin Tian would be pointless.
• Lin Tian orders Ye Wandao to cooperate with Sword Heaven Upper Sect in collecting the Secret Realm’s resources. The gathering is expected to take around three days.
• With his main tasks complete, Lin Tian turns his attention to the corpses of the Royal Court geniuses, suspecting that their storage treasures may contain additional Secret Realm Origin Power or Origin Crystals.
• Outside the Secret Realm, the elders of both factions are shocked when nearly all the Royal Court disciples below the True Essence Realm suddenly return.
• Guerdo questions Gushendu, who survived Lin Tian’s attack but remains badly shaken. Gushendu reveals that Lin Tian killed the Royal Court’s strongest geniuses and forced all Royal Court forces out of the Secret Realm.
• The Upper Sect Faction learns that its disciples are now collecting the remaining Secret Realm Origin Power and Origin Crystals, leaving Elder Zhou stunned.

Character Developments

• Lin Tian demonstrates decisive leadership and unquestioned dominance. He controls the resource allocation without allowing debate and remains confident enough to delegate the collection while pursuing further gains from the fallen Royal Court experts.
• Gu Qingshuang displays political awareness and restraint. She recognizes Lin Tian’s absolute advantage and prevents Gu Changyuan from provoking an unnecessary conflict.
• Gu Changyuan is shown to be more concerned with fairness and material rewards, but he lacks the judgment to understand that their current position depends entirely on Lin Tian.
• Ye Wandao accepts Lin Tian’s orders and takes responsibility for organizing the resource search.
• Gushendu survives a fatal-looking spear attack through previously prepared methods, but the experience leaves him frightened and psychologically shaken.
• Elder Zhou reacts with astonishment upon learning how completely Lin Tian has overturned the situation inside the Secret Realm.

Significant Themes

• Power determines negotiation: The resource split is not based purely on contribution or fairness but on Lin Tian’s overwhelming strength and ability to control the situation.
• Pragmatism over pride: Gu Qingshuang understands that accepting a smaller share is wiser than demanding more from someone capable of destroying them.
• The consequences of overwhelming strength: Lin Tian’s victory not only eliminates the Royal Court’s strongest figures but also causes their remaining forces to flee.
• Hidden value and opportunism: Even after securing immense amounts of Origin Power and Origin Crystals, Lin Tian continues looking for additional benefits in the defeated enemies’ storage items.
• Changing faction balance: The Upper Sect Faction gains a major advantage as the Royal Court is driven out and Dao Origin Sect effectively takes control of the Secret Realm.

Character Interactions

• Lin Tian imposes the resource distribution while Ye Wandao and the others comply.
• Gu Changyuan nearly challenges Lin Tian, but Gu Qingshuang restrains him and publicly confirms Sword Heaven Upper Sect’s acceptance.
• Lin Tian assigns Ye Wandao to work with Sword Heaven Upper Sect, establishing cooperation between the allied groups.
• Outside the Secret Realm, Guerdo presses Gushendu for an explanation of the mass retreat.
• Gushendu reports Lin Tian’s decisive victory, while the Upper Sect Faction receives the same news and reacts with disbelief.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Elder Zhou learns that Lin Tian drove the Royal Court’s disciples out of their section of the Secret Realm and realizes that Lin Tian’s team now controls nearly half of the entire realm.
• Because the Secret Realm was formed from the fusion of two realms, this territory contains resources roughly equivalent to an entire ordinary Secret Realm. The discovery of Secret Realm Origin Crystals makes the harvest especially valuable.
• Yu Xiangtian, Dao Origin Sect’s Sect Master, is thrilled by the reversal in fortunes. He had expected the Upper Sect Faction to gain little or nothing, but Lin Tian’s team has instead secured an extraordinary amount of resources.
• The True Essence Realm team led by Mu Chunfeng remains locked in an even battle, suggesting that Dao Origin Sect’s overall gains may be even greater.
• The Royal Court Faction suffers a disastrous loss. Guerdo is particularly distressed because he failed to fulfill the King’s orders and fears losing the King’s trust and future favor.
• Lin Tian’s team rapidly gathers all remaining Secret Realm Origin Power and Secret Realm Origin Crystals. They finish collecting the resources in about two days, earlier than Lin Tian originally expected.
• Ye Wandao presents Lin Tian with a fully charged Energy Storage Crystal and a basket containing more than one hundred Secret Realm Origin Crystals, representing Dao Origin Sect’s share after Sword Heaven Upper Sect takes its agreed thirty percent.
• Ye Wandao subtly suggests checking whether Sword Heaven Upper Sect concealed any crystals, but Lin Tian declines. He has already confirmed through divine sense that they took only their proper share and wishes to preserve the alliance. He also avoids drawing attention to the crystals he secretly kept for himself.
• Lin Tian announces that the team will leave the Secret Realm, though he allows anyone who wishes to continue searching to remain. Knowing the realm has already been thoroughly searched, the disciples choose to depart.
• The disciples crush their Tokens and begin teleporting out. Outside, Elder Zhou and the others recognize that the returning group is bringing Dao Origin Sect’s greatest harvest yet.

Character Developments

• Lin Tian demonstrates authority, strategic judgment, and restraint. He successfully monopolizes a huge region, organizes the collection of resources, protects his private gains, and avoids damaging relations with Sword Heaven Upper Sect.
• Elder Zhou shifts from surprise to intense excitement as he understands the enormous value of Lin Tian’s achievement.
• Yu Xiangtian experiences a major change in expectations, moving from concern over possible failure to confidence that Dao Origin Sect will achieve an unprecedented harvest.
• Ye Wandao acts as a reliable subordinate, reporting the team’s results and recognizing Lin Tian’s diplomatic decision not to inspect their allies.
• Guerdo suffers a severe blow to his reputation. His failure leaves him worried not only about punishment but also about permanently losing the King’s confidence.

Significant Themes

• Reversal of fortune: The Upper Sect Faction, initially expected to be overwhelmed, gains a decisive advantage, while the Royal Court suffers catastrophic losses.
• Power and control: Lin Tian’s expulsion of the Royal Court allows his team to claim nearly an entire Secret Realm’s worth of resources.
• Leadership and diplomacy: Lin Tian balances authority with trust, choosing not to publicly question Sword Heaven Upper Sect’s honesty.
• Ambition and political favor: Guerdo’s anxiety shows how success in the Secret Realm affects status, reputation, and one’s standing with powerful leaders.
• Collective victory and personal gain: The team contributes to Dao Origin Sect’s massive harvest, while Lin Tian quietly safeguards additional resources for himself.

Character Interactions

• Elder Zhou and Yu Xiangtian react together to the news of Lin Tian’s success, sharing excitement over Dao Origin Sect’s unprecedented gains.
• The Royal Court elders, especially Guerdo, contrast sharply with them through their anger, disappointment, and fear of consequences.
• Ye Wandao reports directly to Lin Tian, presents the collected treasures, and hints that Sword Heaven Upper Sect should be checked for dishonesty.
• Lin Tian’s refusal to investigate Sword Heaven Upper Sect preserves the alliance and demonstrates his consideration for long-term cooperation.
• Lin Tian gives the final departure order, and the disciples follow it without hesitation, reinforcing his leadership over the team.

Chapter Summary: “You... Unharmed??”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Secret Realm exit opens, and more than a hundred Upper Sect Faction disciples emerge in rapid succession. They quickly leap down from the platform to make room for those still inside.
• Elder Zhou and the other sect leaders are initially relieved to see that many of their disciples survived, especially since their faction had suffered heavy losses earlier. They assume most of the casualties came from the great family faction.
• The most important geniuses eventually appear, including Lin Tian and Gu Qingshuang. Lin Tian immediately becomes the center of attention because of his astonishing actions in the Secret Realm.
• It is revealed that Lin Tian drove every member of the Royal Court out of the Secret Realm and killed dozens of its top geniuses.
• Elder Zhou approaches Lin Tian and uses his Martial Dao Will to inspect him. He is stunned and relieved to discover that Lin Tian is completely unharmed.
• Elder Zhou then realizes the full significance of this: Lin Tian, despite having only recently entered the Gang Realm, defeated numerous opponents of comparable level without suffering any injury.
• Elder Zhou notices the large number of Secret Realm Origin Crystals Lin Tian is carrying—over a hundred, an extraordinarily rare haul equivalent to roughly one-tenth of the Dao Origin Sect’s centuries-old treasury reserves.
• Lin Tian formally presents the crystals to Elder Zhou, explaining that he has fulfilled his mission and gathered the Secret Realm’s resources.
• Sect Master Yu Xiangtian personally arrives, collects the crystals using a spatial treasure, and expresses great satisfaction with Lin Tian’s performance and character.
• Yu Xiangtian privately regrets that Lin Tian is already Hua Chengming’s disciple, since otherwise he would have liked to take Lin Tian as his own disciple. He and Elder Zhou then return to their previous position.

Character Developments

• Lin Tian: His reputation rises dramatically. He is shown to possess overwhelming combat strength, exceptional resource-gathering ability, loyalty to his sect, and the composure to return unharmed after defeating many elite enemies.
• Elder Zhou: His initial concern for Lin Tian turns into astonishment and admiration. He begins to view Lin Tian not merely as a talented disciple, but as an almost unbelievable combat genius.
• Yu Xiangtian: His appreciation of Lin Tian deepens. Lin Tian’s clean background, Heavenly Steed Lineage, immense talent, accomplishments, and loyalty convince Yu Xiangtian that he is a rare “piece of fine jade.”
• The Upper Sect Faction: Their disciples feel envy and regret upon learning that Lin Tian and those with him gained access to the Secret Realm’s enormous resources.

Significant Themes

• Extraordinary talent and strength: Lin Tian’s ability to defeat numerous elite opponents without injury establishes him as a uniquely powerful rising figure.
• Loyalty and merit: By handing over all the Origin Crystals, Lin Tian demonstrates obedience and dedication to the Dao Origin Sect rather than keeping the treasures for himself.
• Envy and missed opportunities: Disciples who were not present during Lin Tian’s victory regret missing the chance to benefit from the Secret Realm’s resources.
• Value and recognition: Lin Tian’s actions cause influential elders and the sect master to reassess him as a potentially peerless talent.
• The vast importance of resources: The Origin Crystals are so rare that Lin Tian’s haul represents a major strategic gain for the Dao Origin Sect.

Character Interactions

• Elder Zhou and Lin Tian: Elder Zhou checks Lin Tian’s condition, visibly relieved that he is unharmed. Lin Tian then respectfully offers him the Origin Crystals.
• Yu Xiangtian and Lin Tian: Lin Tian greets the sect master respectfully and hands over the crystals. Yu Xiangtian accepts them, praises Lin Tian through his approving attitude, and recognizes his exceptional potential.
• Yu Xiangtian and Elder Zhou: After collecting the treasures, Yu Xiangtian calls Elder Zhou away, ending the exchange because the platform is not an appropriate place for a longer discussion.

Key plot points and events

• The Royal Court elders watch Lin Tian claim the Secret Realm Origin Crystals and bitterly realize they have lost a chance at power and prestige. They can do nothing, especially with the Dao Origin Sect’s Sect Master nearby.
• Lin Tian leaves the platform but does not cultivate in public. He notices that other participants’ Tokens remain, and one shatters, indicating another True Essence Realm expert has died. The Tokens do not identify the dead.
• The Secret Realm is growing dim and nearing closure; anyone still inside when it closes may be trapped. Lin Tian is no longer concerned, having already escaped.
• Lin Tian examines the Broken Sword in his Sea of Consciousness. Its inscriptions have become clearer after his Five True Essences transformed into Peerless True Gang.
• He discovers the name of a likely inner cultivation method, the Primal Grand Profound True Method, and wonders whether it is connected to his current Primal Five-Elements True Scripture.
• He also finds a combat technique, the Void Sword-Controlling True Scripture, which teaches him to control the Broken Sword as a weapon. The chapter ends as he considers its potential to kill enemies beyond his own realm.

Character developments

• Lin Tian remains cautious in public but is increasingly intrigued by the Broken Sword’s growing secrets. He identifies possible links between its techniques and his existing cultivation, and becomes excited by the prospect of wielding the sword offensively.
• The Royal Court elders shift from greed and hope to helpless resentment after Lin Tian takes the crystals.

Significant themes

• Power and lost opportunity: The elders recognize the immense value of the crystals only after they are beyond their reach.
• Growth unlocking knowledge: Lin Tian’s increased strength reveals more of the Broken Sword’s inscriptions.
• Potential and ambition: The newly discovered sword-control method hints that Lin Tian may gain the ability to overcome opponents of higher realms.
• Risk and time: The Secret Realm’s impending closure makes remaining inside dangerous, though Lin Tian has already escaped.

Character interactions

• The Royal Court elders glare at Lin Tian, blaming him for losing the crystals, but are restrained by the barrier and the nearby Sect Master.
• Lin Tian has no direct exchange with them; he turns his attention instead to the remaining Tokens and then to the Broken Sword’s newly revealed techniques.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Tian studies the Void Sword-Controlling True Scripture, a technique specifically designed to control the Broken Sword.
• His Fate Grid registers the technique’s first layer, requiring 5,000 points of progress.
• Each layer will expand the range within which Lin Tian can command the Broken Sword and unlock additional abilities.
• The most notable future ability is the Void Sword Array Diagram, which uses Martial Dao Will to create an array that summons sixteen phantom swords to surround and kill an enemy.
• Lin Tian reflects on the power of True Essence Realm cultivators. Their abilities include Martial Dao Dharma Bodies, phenomena, and array diagrams—three increasingly difficult and powerful forms of combat.
• Array diagrams are considered the highest and rarest of these techniques, usually requiring extraordinary talent, powerful backing, or exceptional fortune. Lin Tian believes his support from the Dao Origin Sect and his Fate Grid will eventually allow him to master them.
• He begins cultivating the sword-controlling scripture inside the Secret Realm. Since it relies on Martial Dao Will rather than physical movements, he cultivates it through focused mental control.
• After three days, the Secret Realm expedition comes to an end. The Tokens on the platform begin buzzing and flashing as the True Essence Realm teams are teleported out.
• The Secret Realm has grown dim, suggesting that much of its origin power and resources have been depleted. Lin Tian wonders whether the True Essence Realm cultivators were able to collect everything, given that battles continued throughout their three extra days inside.
• The True Essence Realm cultivators finally return, but they are severely wounded. Many are covered in blood, some have major injuries, and several nearly lost an arm.
• Both the Upper Sect Faction and the Royal Court Faction suffered heavy losses, though the Royal Court’s experts appear to be in somewhat better condition.

Character Developments

• Lin Tian gains a clearer understanding of the Broken Sword’s potential and acquires a new long-term cultivation goal through the Void Sword-Controlling True Scripture.
• He becomes more confident in his future prospects, believing that his Fate Grid, resources, and connection to the Dao Origin Sect will eventually let him master even the rarest True Essence Realm techniques.
• At the same time, Lin Tian recognizes that he has not yet reached the True Essence Realm and should prioritize improving his cultivation rather than rushing toward advanced abilities.
• His observations reveal growing strategic awareness: he evaluates the Secret Realm’s resources, the limits of the opposing teams, and the severity of the battles that took place below.

Significant Themes

• Power and cultivation progression: The chapter emphasizes the enormous gap between ordinary martial techniques and True Essence Realm abilities.
• Talent versus resources and fortune: Mastering array diagrams normally requires exceptional talent and powerful backing, but Lin Tian’s Fate Grid gives him an unusual advantage.
• Patience and long-term planning: Although Lin Tian possesses tremendous potential, he understands that he must advance step by step.
• The brutality of cultivation: The devastating injuries suffered by the True Essence Realm experts demonstrate that even the strongest cultivators face deadly risks.
• Competition and limited resources: The Secret Realm’s depletion and the factions’ constant battles highlight the conflict created by scarce opportunities and treasures.

Character Interactions

• Lin Tian primarily interacts with the Void Sword-Controlling True Scripture and the Broken Sword through cultivation and mental control.
• His thoughts contrast his current abilities with those of genuine True Essence Realm experts, revealing both respect for their power and confidence in eventually reaching their level.
• Upon the cultivators’ return, the Dao Origin Sect and Sword Heaven Upper Sect elders, including Elder Zhou, immediately assist their wounded experts by distributing healing pills.
• The Upper Sect and Royal Court factions remain rivals, but both sides return badly injured, showing that the conflict affected everyone.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Tian finds Mu Chunfeng among the survivors emerging from the Secret Realm and is shocked by Mu’s severe injuries. Mu is covered in blood, his clothing is torn, and he bears a large black fist mark on his chest.
• Lin Tian helps support Mu after Elder Zhou settles the returning cultivators.
• Mu is astonished to see Lin Tian completely unharmed. He initially assumes Lin Tian never entered the Secret Realm.
• Lin Tian explains that he entered earlier but exited before Mu. Elder Zhou clarifies that Lin Tian not only entered the realm but rapidly defeated and drove out all the Royal Court geniuses.
• Elder Zhou reveals that Lin Tian also gathered nearly all the resources in the Secret Realm. He transmits a divine-sense recording of Lin Tian’s actions into Mu’s mind so Mu can understand what happened.
• Mu is left speechless by Lin Tian’s achievements. He becomes even more shocked when he learns that Lin Tian’s Energy Storage Crystal is full and that Lin Tian brought back more than a hundred Secret Realm Origin Crystals.
• Mu’s loud reaction draws the attention of Ye Wandao and the other nearby cultivators. They reflect on how dangerous the Secret Realm confrontation had been and realize that their survival and enormous gains were largely due to Lin Tian’s intervention.
• The chapter ends as the others recognize that, without Lin Tian suppressing the Royal Court, they likely would have suffered devastating losses and possibly failed to escape alive.

Character Developments

• Lin Tian: His extraordinary strength and effectiveness are emphasized. Unlike the badly wounded survivors, he emerges unscathed after overwhelming the Royal Court and securing the realm’s resources, further establishing him as the decisive force of the younger generation.
• Mu Chunfeng: Though severely injured from serving as the primary combatant for his faction, Mu remains perceptive and concerned about Lin Tian. His initial disbelief gradually turns into awe as he learns what Lin Tian accomplished.
• Elder Zhou: Acts as the authoritative source explaining Lin Tian’s achievements and provides Mu with a direct spiritual replay of the events.
• Ye Wandao and the other geniuses: Their perspective shifts from celebrating their harvest to recognizing the danger they faced and Lin Tian’s crucial role in saving them.

Significant Themes

• Strength and responsibility: Those with the greatest power become the focus of enemy attacks. Mu bears the cost of defending his faction, while Lin Tian uses his overwhelming strength to protect everyone.
• Unexpected superiority: Lin Tian’s unharmed appearance contrasts sharply with the injuries of the others, revealing that his accomplishments far exceeded even the strongest participants’ expectations.
• Gratitude and recognition: The survivors begin to understand that their resources and survival were not merely the result of luck, but of Lin Tian’s decisive intervention.
• The harshness of competition: The Secret Realm is portrayed as a dangerous battlefield where rival factions target key figures and survival depends on both strength and timely retreat.

Character Interactions

• Lin Tian supports the injured Mu Chunfeng, showing concern and camaraderie between the two senior and junior disciples.
• Mu questions Lin Tian’s participation, unable to reconcile his flawless appearance with the dangers of the Secret Realm.
• Elder Zhou explains Lin Tian’s achievements and uses divine sense to show Mu what occurred.
• Mu reacts with repeated shock to Lin Tian’s victories and immense haul of resources, while nearby cultivators overhear him and reconsider their own experience.
• Ye Wandao and the others silently acknowledge Lin Tian as the unexpected factor that turned a potentially disastrous battle into a successful escape.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Secret Realm begins collapsing and separating into its original two realms. The Upper Sect and Royal Court factions are divided as their respective plazas retreat in opposite directions.
• Lin Tian and the Upper Sect faction are expelled through the glowing entrance gate and return safely outside the Secret Realm.
• Elder Zhou announces that everyone must submit their Energy Storage Crystals so Dao Origin Sect can extract and distribute the collected Secret Realm Origin Power.
• The agreed distribution is:
  • Ordinary Dao Origin Sect disciples: 20%
  • True Disciples: 30%
  • Aristocratic family members: 10%
• Because Lin Tian made significant contributions during the expedition, Elder Zhou intends to give him more than the standard True Disciple share. Lin Tian, however, is largely indifferent because he does not currently lack cultivation resources.
• An elder informs Lin Tian that processing his unusually special crystal will take at least half a day. Since Lin Tian is free to leave, he returns to his cultivation chamber rather than wait.
• At Heavenly Steed Peak, ten women connected to Lin Tian wait anxiously for his return. Song Bao’er reports that the expedition participants have returned, but the area remains restricted while the Origin Power is processed.
• The women hear that Mu Chunfeng, the third-ranked True Disciple, returned with extremely serious injuries. They fear that Lin Tian, who is weaker in cultivation, may have suffered an even worse fate.
• Song Bao’er returns without direct news of Lin Tian, explaining that only severely wounded True Essence Realm experts have been allowed to leave the restricted area.
• Just as everyone becomes convinced that Lin Tian may be in danger, he calmly appears outside and asks why they are all gathered at the door.

Character Developments

• Lin Tian: Demonstrates calmness and confidence after surviving the expedition. He shows little concern over the Origin Power reward and prioritizes returning to cultivation. His apparent safe return contrasts sharply with everyone’s fears.
• Elder Zhou: Acknowledges Lin Tian’s achievements by arranging for him to receive more than the standard thirty-percent share.
• Song Bao’er: Uses her connections to investigate the expedition and gather information, showing initiative and concern for Lin Tian despite being unable to enter the restricted area.
• Wen Qingxue and the other women: Their anxiety reveals how deeply they depend on and care about Lin Tian. Their fear intensifies after learning that even powerful True Essence Realm experts were badly injured.
• Mu Chunfeng: Though he does not appear directly, his severe injuries establish the expedition’s danger and heighten concern over Lin Tian’s condition.

Significant Themes

• The danger of the Secret Realm: The injuries suffered by high-level experts emphasize that the expedition was extremely perilous.
• Loyalty and emotional attachment: The women’s prolonged wait and growing fear demonstrate their strong emotional investment in Lin Tian.
• Rewards versus personal priorities: While others eagerly await their share of Secret Realm Origin Power, Lin Tian regards the reward as secondary to his cultivation and personal goals.
• Appearance versus reality: The women assume Lin Tian is likely gravely injured or dead based on the information available, while the chapter ends by revealing that he has returned safely and calmly.
• Power and status: The distribution system reflects the hierarchy between Dao Origin Sect disciples, True Disciples, and outside aristocratic cultivators.

Character Interactions

• Elder Zhou’s representative explains the processing delay and gives Lin Tian permission to leave.
• Song Bao’er reports the limited information she has gathered to Wen Qingxue and the other women.
• The women question Song Bao’er repeatedly about Lin Tian, but her inability to provide news worsens their fears.
• The chapter concludes with Lin Tian unexpectedly addressing the anxious group, creating a dramatic contrast between their panic and his relaxed demeanor.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Tian returns safely from the Secret Realm, surprising the women waiting for him because he shows no injuries despite reports that even True Essence Realm cultivators suffered serious wounds.
• Song Bao’er greets him and confirms that he is unharmed. Lin Tian reassures everyone that the trip went smoothly.
• Rather than immediately cultivating, Lin Tian asks the women to prepare a hot bath, reflecting his increasing comfort with luxury and relaxation.
• After bathing, he returns to his Cultivation Chamber and inspects the resources obtained from the Secret Realm:
  • A large quantity of Secret Realm Origin Power, potentially enough to carry him through the True Essence Realm and perhaps beyond.
  • 125 Secret Realm Origin Crystals, more than the amount he submitted to the sect.
• Lin Tian examines a map detailing the next cultivation method for the Demon-Subduing Golden Body. The relevant location is in the dangerous Hebei Region, so he decides to wait until reaching the True Essence Realm before going there.
• He also plans to improve his Void Sword-Controlling True Scripture, giving him another powerful defensive or offensive trump card.
• Lin Tian begins secluded cultivation.
• Meanwhile, the aristocratic families and the Sword Heaven Upper Sect depart or settle their affairs after the Secret Realm expedition.
• Dao Origin City prepares for a major reshuffling of aristocratic family rankings. The families will compete to determine their new positions, which directly control their future shares of resources under the Dao Origin Sect.

Character Developments

• Lin Tian: Demonstrates growing confidence and composure. His uninjured return shows his extraordinary strength, while his decision to bathe before cultivating reveals that he is becoming more accustomed to comfort and privilege. He also acts cautiously and strategically by delaying his journey to Hebei until he is stronger.
• Song Bao’er: Shows clear concern and affection for Lin Tian, quickly approaching him and carefully checking whether he is injured. She also playfully teases Wen Qingxue about her feelings.
• Wen Qingxue: Becomes embarrassed when questioned about her relationship with Lin Tian. Her actions—changing to shorter skirts after Lin Tian noticed her legs and immediately volunteering to wipe his back—suggest growing romantic interest despite her denial.
• The women in the courtyard: Their relief at Lin Tian’s safe return emphasizes their loyalty and concern for him.

Significant Themes

• Power and advancement: Lin Tian’s new resources and cultivation plans position him for rapid advancement into the True Essence Realm and possibly beyond.
• Preparation and caution: Although powerful, Lin Tian recognizes the danger of the Hebei Region and chooses to build his strength and acquire more techniques first.
• Comfort accompanying status: Lin Tian’s desire for a bath and greater indulgence reflects how his elevated position is changing his habits and expectations.
• Romantic tension and teasing: Song Bao’er’s playful remarks expose Wen Qingxue’s concealed attraction to Lin Tian.
• Competition for resources and status: The aristocratic families’ rankings are tied directly to their access to Dao Origin Sect resources, making the upcoming reshuffling politically and materially significant.

Character Interactions

• Song Bao’er formally greets Lin Tian but privately examines him for injuries.
• Lin Tian reassures Song Bao’er and the other women, then gives them the task of preparing his bath.
• Wen Qingxue helps Lin Tian bathe by wiping his back, prompting Song Bao’er to tease her about harboring romantic feelings.
• Wen Qingxue denies having such intentions but becomes visibly flustered, reinforcing Song Bao’er’s suspicions.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• The Murong Family holds a tense conference in Dao Origin City to discuss the clan’s worsening situation after the Secret Realm ends.
• As the weakest of the Millennial Clans, the Murong Family has become a target for rival clans seeking to seize its wealth and resources.
• The family cannot simply withdraw from the competition. Abandoning its position would likely require surrendering centuries of accumulated resources—and might still not guarantee survival.
• An elder proposes using Secret Realm Origin Power obtained through Zhao Santong as a bargaining chip to seek help from another Millennial Clan.
• Murong Ao rejects the idea, explaining that no clan would risk standing against all the factions targeting the Murong Family.
• Elsewhere, Murong Yun trains Murong Ya by tempering her body with True Essence, preparing her for a breakthrough.
• Murong Ya manages to endure an hour of True Essence refinement. Murong Yun estimates that, with her master’s preparations and the family’s support, she now has roughly a thirty percent chance of reaching the True Essence Realm.
• Murong Ya recognizes that her breakthrough is tied not only to her own future but also to the survival of the entire Murong Family.
• Murong Yun attempts to ease her pressure, reminding her that his injuries have been healed with Lin Tian’s help and assuring her that, even if the family cannot fully overcome the crisis, preserving the Murong name should be possible.
• The chapter ends as Murong Ya appears ready to raise an important question or voice a long-suppressed doubt.

Character Developments

• Murong Ao is shown as a pragmatic and worried family head. He understands the political danger facing the clan and immediately dismisses an unrealistic proposal for outside assistance.
• Murong Yun acts as a strict but encouraging master. He continues pushing Murong Ya toward a True Essence breakthrough while trying to prevent her from being overwhelmed by responsibility.
• Murong Ya grows more aware of the enormous stakes surrounding her cultivation. Her confidence is strained by the low probability of success, but she also demonstrates determination and a strong sense of duty toward her family.
• Lin Tian, though absent from the chapter’s main scenes, is revealed to have healed Murong Yun’s injuries, making him an important source of support for the family.

Significant Themes

• Survival amid political predation: The Murong Family’s wealth and status make it vulnerable because it lacks the strength to defend them.
• The burden of responsibility: Murong Ya’s personal cultivation has become inseparable from the fate of her clan.
• The difficulty of advancement: Reaching the True Essence Realm is portrayed as an extraordinary and dangerous leap, even with elite resources and guidance.
• Isolation and unreliable alliances: The Murong Family cannot count on outside help because supporting them would expose another clan to the same danger.
• Hope despite uncertainty: Although the family’s situation is bleak, Murong Yun’s recovery and Murong Ya’s possible breakthrough offer a narrow path forward.

Character Interactions

• The conference elder proposes an alliance strategy to Murong Ao, but Murong Ao firmly explains why it cannot succeed.
• Murong Yun trains Murong Ya directly, combining demanding physical refinement with reassurance and emotional support.
• Murong Ya silently wrestles with the pressure placed on her, while Murong Yun recognizes her anxiety and tries to lighten her burden.
• Murong Yun’s mention of Lin Tian establishes his beneficial connection to the Murong Family and hints at further importance in the family’s efforts to survive.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Murong Ya suggests asking Lin Tian to heal the other two seriously injured elders of the Murong Family.
• Murong Yun immediately rejects the idea, explaining that Lin Tian’s circumstances and status have changed dramatically since he helped her recover.
• In the past, Lin Tian voluntarily offered to treat Murong Yun when he was still an isolated Hundred Sects disciple seeking a foothold in the Dao Origin Sect. The Murong Family’s help—granting him access to the Secret Ground—was crucial to him then, making their agreement mutually beneficial.
• Lin Tian is now one of the Dao Origin Sect’s Top Ten True Disciples, with powerful status, backing, and a promising future. Anything the Murong Family could offer him now would merely be “adding flowers to embroidery,” rather than providing help when he was in need.
• Murong Yun advises Murong Ya to stop pursuing the idea and instead focus on recovering from the strain caused by repeated True Essence Baptisms. She warns that True Essence is too powerful for Murong Ya’s Gang Realm body and that medicinal baths are necessary to prevent hidden injuries.
• Three days pass while clan conflicts throughout Dao Origin City intensify. Families repeatedly absorb, destroy, or divide against one another, yet the Murong Family remains strangely untouched despite appearing to be one of the most vulnerable clans.
• This apparent calm makes the Murong Family even more uneasy, since they suspect a greater danger is concealed beneath the surface.
• Murong Ya continues undergoing True Essence Baptism. She can now endure it for one and a half hours, a major improvement over three days earlier.
• If she can withstand two hours, she will be ready to attempt a breakthrough into the True Essence Realm, raising her success probability to 30.5%.
• Murong Yun emphasizes that Murong Ya’s breakthrough is essential to the family’s survival. Neither the family’s wealth nor Murong Yun’s own support can raise the odds beyond that point, making this Murong Ya’s current limit.

Character Developments

• Murong Yun demonstrates a clear understanding of Lin Tian’s personality and changing social position. She recognizes that favors must be requested at the right time and that Lin Tian values privacy regarding abilities he does not reveal himself.
• Murong Ya begins the chapter optimistic that Lin Tian might easily help the remaining elders, but she gradually realizes that the relationship has changed and that the Murong Family no longer holds the leverage it once did.
• Murong Ya also shows growing endurance and determination through her progress in the True Essence Baptism, preparing to shoulder responsibility for the family’s future.

Significant Themes

• Timely assistance versus belated generosity: Help offered when someone is struggling can create a lasting bond, while aid offered after their success may have little value.
• Changing status and power: Lin Tian’s rapid rise from an isolated newcomer to an elite True Disciple transforms the balance between him and the Murong Family.
• Hidden dangers beneath apparent peace: The Murong Family’s lack of attacks is more frightening than open conflict because it suggests unseen forces or an impending crisis.
• Responsibility and sacrifice: Murong Ya’s potential breakthrough is tied directly to the survival of her entire family.

Character Interactions

• Murong Ya appeals to Murong Yun about seeking Lin Tian’s help, while Murong Yun patiently explains why the request would be inappropriate and ineffective.
• Murong Yun acts as both mentor and protector, advising Ya on recovery and warning her not to become distracted by the family’s mysterious situation.
• Their conversation reinforces the trust between them, while also showing Murong Yun’s reliance on Murong Ya as the Murong Family’s best hope for surviving the coming upheaval.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Murong Ya worries that Lin Tian may not honor his agreement to give the Murong Family ten percent of the resources he obtained from the Secret Realm.
• The concern arises because Lin Tian expelled the entire Royal Court from the Secret Realm, leaving the Dao Origin Sect faction in control of nearly half of its resources. As the strongest member and leader of the faction, Lin Tian may have gained enormous wealth and cultivation resources.
• The Murong Family’s promised ten percent could be extremely valuable, especially because it may include Secret Realm Origin Power. Murong Ya intends to use this resource to attempt a breakthrough into the True Essence Realm.
• Without Lin Tian’s promised share, Murong Ya’s chance of success would fall from thirty-five percent to twenty-five percent. Although the Murong Family could provide replacement resources, doing so might reveal her planned breakthrough and attract interference from rival factions.
• Murong Yun reassures her indirectly, trusting that Lin Tian’s association with Hua Chengming indicates that he is a person of integrity who will keep his promises.
• Meanwhile, Song Bao’er delivers Lin Tian a letter from Elder Zhou while Lin Tian is cultivating.
• Elder Zhou praises Lin Tian’s performance in the Secret Realm and informs him that he will receive fifty percent of the Secret Realm Origin Power stored in his Origin Storage Crystal.
• Because of changes within the sect, Lin Tian must personally collect his share from the Myriad Treasures Pavilion.
• Lin Tian is disappointed that he will receive only half of the stored resources. He realizes that the Dao Origin Sect prioritizes more than half of its resources for True Essence Realm cultivators under one hundred years old.

Character Developments

• Murong Ya is shown to be anxious and dependent on Lin Tian’s reliability, since her future breakthrough partly hinges on the resources he promised to provide.
• Murong Yun demonstrates confidence in Lin Tian’s character and strategic judgment. He remains calm despite the Murong Family’s vulnerable position and tries to reassure Murong Ya.
• Lin Tian continues consolidating the rewards of his Secret Realm achievement. His disappointment at receiving only half of the resources reveals his awareness of the sect’s unequal allocation system, though he does not openly challenge it.
• Elder Zhou acknowledges Lin Tian’s achievements but also represents the Dao Origin Sect’s institutional rules and resource distribution policies.
• Song Bao’er continues serving as Lin Tian’s attendant and messenger, showing her close connection to his daily affairs.

Significant Themes

• Trust and integrity: Murong Yun believes Lin Tian will honor his agreement despite the enormous value of the promised resources.
• Resource distribution and power: The sect’s resources are allocated according to cultivation level, favoring young True Essence Realm experts over lower-level disciples, regardless of individual contributions.
• The importance of the True Essence Realm: Reaching this realm is treated as the threshold for becoming a true pillar of the sect, granting access to the sect’s best support and resources.
• Political secrecy and vulnerability: Murong Ya’s planned breakthrough must remain hidden to prevent rival factions from obstructing it.
• The value of opportunity: Access to Secret Realm Origin Power can dramatically affect a cultivator’s breakthrough chances, making seemingly financial or contractual matters central to characters’ survival and advancement.

Character Interactions

• Murong Ya voices her concern directly to Murong Yun, while he responds with quiet reassurance rather than a detailed explanation.
• Song Bao’er respectfully informs Lin Tian of Elder Zhou’s letter, delivers it, and withdraws after completing her task.
• Elder Zhou communicates with Lin Tian indirectly through the letter, praising his accomplishments while informing him of the sect’s restrictions and procedures.

Chapter Summary

Plot and events

Lin Tian reflects on the importance of True Essence Realm martial artists to a sect’s long-term strength, since they possess far greater power and much longer lifespans than Gang Realm cultivators. He then leaves cultivation after learning that Elder Zhou is unavailable and that he must personally collect his share of Secret Realm Origin Power. After greeting Song Bao’er and the other women accompanying him, he travels to the Myriad Treasures Pavilion.

Interactions and setting

The pavilion stewards immediately recognize Lin Tian as one of the Dao Origin Sect’s Top Ten True Disciples, especially because his achievements in the Secret Realm—including defeating the Royal Court’s geniuses and killing dozens of them—have made him famous throughout the sect. Steward Meng Lang eagerly approaches and offers to guide him, provoking jealousy among the other stewards, who regret missing the chance to build a connection with Lin Tian. A female disciple processes Lin Tian’s identity and retrieves his reward.

Conflict and revelation

Lin Tian discovers that the crystal contains only forty percent of the Secret Realm Origin Power, despite Elder Zhou previously telling him he would receive fifty percent. He calmly questions the receiving disciple, who confirms that the official allocation is forty percent. When Lin Tian asks who determined the distribution, she explains that the Gold Spirit Lineage issued the allocation and suggests that he visit them if he wants further information.

Character development

Lin Tian continues to display composure, authority, and awareness of sect procedures. Rather than blaming the receiving disciple, he reassures her that she is merely following the rules. However, the unexpected reduction in his reward arouses his suspicion and marks a shift from routine collection to investigating possible interference or unfair treatment.

Themes

The chapter emphasizes the importance of cultivation realms and longevity, the hierarchy and prestige within the sect, the influence generated by reputation, and the hidden bureaucracy behind resource distribution. It ends by setting up a potential confrontation or investigation involving the Gold Spirit Lineage.

Chapter Summary: “Do Not Disappoint Me Again!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After leaving the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, Lin Tian learns that his share of the Secret Realm Origin Power has been reduced from the promised fifty percent to forty percent.
• He realizes the reduction was likely ordered by the Gold Spirit Lineage’s Pulse Master, who has repeatedly suppressed him and the declining Heavenly Steed Lineage.
• Lin Tian views the resource deduction as a deliberate attack on his cultivation and decides that he can no longer tolerate such treatment.
• Although he cannot confront the Gold Spirit Pulse Master directly, Lin Tian considers challenging the Gold Spirit Lineage’s True Disciples.
• His former opponent Liang Wankuo has already been defeated by Lin Tian and is not yet a suitable target. Instead, Lin Tian focuses on Yan Xingshan, the Gold Spirit Lineage’s fifth-ranked True Disciple, who has reached the True Essence Second Tempering Realm.
• Lin Tian believes he will be able to defeat Yan Xingshan after breaking through to the True Essence Realm. With the Secret Realm Origin Power, he estimates that he will need only one month to advance.
• Meanwhile, the Gold Spirit Pulse Master reveals that Liang Wankuo has also been given resources and is expected to break through to the True Essence Realm in roughly one month.
• The Pulse Master intends for Liang Wankuo to challenge Lin Tian again and reclaim the True Disciple position lost by the Gold Spirit Lineage.
• An elder warns that openly reducing Lin Tian’s resources may attract the Sect Master’s attention, especially after Lin Tian’s outstanding performance in the Secret Realm.
• The Pulse Master dismisses the concern, arguing that he has authority over resource allocation and that Lin Tian’s contribution was exaggerated. He claims the resources were merely redirected toward more useful young True Essence experts.
• The chapter ends with the Pulse Master ordering the elder to remind Liang Wankuo not to fail him again.

Character Developments

• Lin Tian: Becomes more openly confrontational toward the Gold Spirit Lineage. Although he remains calm and does not act impulsively, he resolves to respond to their repeated suppression by defeating one of their prominent disciples. His confidence grows as he anticipates the enormous strength he will gain by transforming his five strands of Peerless True Gang into True Essence.
• Gold Spirit Pulse Master: Is revealed to be deliberately undermining Lin Tian and protecting the Gold Spirit Lineage’s interests. He is arrogant, politically calculating, and unconcerned about possible criticism from the Sect Master.
• Liang Wankuo: Despite previously being humiliated and defeated by Lin Tian, he is being supported by the Gold Spirit Lineage and is preparing for another challenge after breaking through to the True Essence Realm.
• Yan Xingshan: Introduced as the Gold Spirit Lineage’s fifth-ranked True Disciple and a future target for Lin Tian. His True Essence Second Tempering cultivation establishes him as a considerably stronger opponent.
• The elder: Serves as a cautious intermediary who recognizes the risks of the Pulse Master’s actions but ultimately chooses not to challenge his superior.

Significant Themes

• Political suppression and factional conflict: The resource dispute reflects the broader rivalry between the Heavenly Steed and Gold Spirit Lineages, with Lin Tian becoming a representative figure in their struggle.
• Merit versus authority: Lin Tian’s achievements in the Secret Realm are minimized by the Pulse Master, showing how powerful figures can manipulate rewards and official explanations.
• Retaliation and strategic patience: Lin Tian does not attack recklessly. Instead, he plans to wait until his breakthrough and then retaliate by defeating a stronger Gold Spirit disciple.
• Factional succession and declining power: The Heavenly Steed Lineage’s former dominance has faded, allowing the Gold Spirit Lineage to rise and attempt to maintain control through suppression.
• Cultivation as political power: Breakthroughs are not merely personal achievements; Liang Wankuo’s advancement is being used to restore the Gold Spirit Lineage’s reputation and authority.

Important Character Interactions

• Lin Tian thanks the female disciple from the Myriad Treasures Pavilion for her assistance, maintaining a polite and composed attitude despite his anger.
• Lin Tian internally connects the female disciple’s information with the Gold Spirit Lineage’s past treatment of him, leading him to recognize the deliberate nature of the resource reduction.
• The Gold Spirit Pulse Master and his elder discuss the decision to reduce Lin Tian’s share. The elder expresses concern about provoking the Sect Master, while the Pulse Master confidently defends his authority.
• The Pulse Master places his hopes in Liang Wankuo, ordering that he be prepared for a rematch with Lin Tian after his breakthrough.
• Lin Tian and Liang Wankuo do not meet directly in this chapter, but both are preparing for an inevitable future confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “This Is... Spatial Traversal?!”

• Lin Tian postpones investigating the Gold Spirit Lineage. After storing away the crystal connected to the Metal Spirit Pulse Master, Lin Tian decides not to confront or investigate the Gold Spirit Lineage yet. He suspects the other party has prepared extensively and fears exposing himself before he breaks through to the True Essence Realm and challenges Yan Xingshan.
• He focuses on mastering the Broken Sword. Returning to his courtyard and Cultivation Chamber, Lin Tian checks his progress with the Void Sword-Controlling True Scripture. After two more days of cultivation, he advances from the First Layer to the Second Layer. The Broken Sword inside his Sea of Consciousness begins resonating with it, allowing Lin Tian to envelop and refine the sword.
• Lin Tian successfully brings the Broken Sword under control. After another two days of refinement, he summons the Broken Sword directly into his left hand. He is relieved that the dangerous and mysterious weapon is no longer dormant inside his mind, where it had made him uneasy and could have distracted him during cultivation.
• He tests the sword’s spatial abilities. Because Song Bao’er and the others are nearby, Lin Tian leaves the courtyard and finds an isolated area for experimentation. Activating the Broken Sword, he senses its power of space and realizes it can cut through spatial barriers. A casual slash creates a rift in front of him, with an identical opening appearing roughly ten meters away.
• He confirms that the rifts allow spatial traversal. Lin Tian throws a stone into one rift, and it immediately emerges from the other. He understands that the Broken Sword can connect distant locations through space, giving him a powerful method of movement and attack.
• The Broken Sword possesses even greater offensive power. Knowing that spatial traversal is likely only one of its abilities, Lin Tian pours a large amount of mental force into the sword. It gathers increasingly intense pale, silver-white spatial energy before releasing a crescent-shaped blade of light. The attack moves so quickly that it cannot be seen with the naked eye, startling even Lin Tian—but the chapter ends before its full effect is revealed.

Character Development and Interactions

• Lin Tian becomes more cautious and strategic, choosing patience over rashly confronting the Metal Spirit Pulse Master.
• His control over the Broken Sword marks a major advancement in both cultivation and combat ability.
• He demonstrates curiosity and methodical thinking by testing the sword’s functions in stages: first summoning it, then opening spatial rifts, and finally unleashing a concentrated attack.
• There are no major direct character interactions in this chapter. Song Bao’er and the others are mentioned as being in the courtyard, prompting Lin Tian to seek a private testing ground, while Yan Xingshan remains an important future opponent.

Significant Themes

• Patience and strategic restraint: Lin Tian prioritizes preparation and breakthrough over immediate confrontation.
• Mastery over danger: The Broken Sword shifts from being an unsettling threat within his mind to becoming a weapon under his control.
• Discovery of hidden power: The chapter emphasizes Lin Tian’s gradual understanding of the sword’s spatial abilities.
• Escalating power and anticipation: The sword’s ability to create portals and launch invisible, extremely fast attacks foreshadows even greater abilities and sets up the cliffhanger at the chapter’s end.

Chapter Summary: “What a Pity Then”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Tian tests the Broken Sword after successfully refining it and unleashing its new abilities.
• He discovers that Spatial Slash moves too quickly for the naked eye and creates a perfectly straight fissure extending far into the distance. Unlike ordinary attacks that crush or break objects, it seems to erase everything along its path.
• Lin Tian realizes that the Broken Sword’s techniques consume his Sea of Consciousness—his spiritual energy reserve—at an extreme rate.
• After two hours of testing, he identifies two abilities:
  • Spatial Traversal: Allows him to move himself or other living and nonliving objects through space within a current maximum range of ten meters. He can use it three times before exhausting his Sea of Consciousness.
  • Spatial Slash: An overwhelmingly destructive attack capable of seriously injuring or killing even True Essence Realm experts, but Lin Tian can currently use it only once before becoming spiritually depleted.
• Lin Tian recognizes that both abilities will grow stronger as the Void Sword-Controlling True Scripture and his Sea of Consciousness improve. Spatial Traversal may eventually cover enormous distances, while Spatial Slash could become an even more decisive trump card.
• After storing the Broken Sword in his Sea of Consciousness, Lin Tian heads to the Murong Family in Dao Origin City to honor his agreement regarding the resources obtained from the Dao Origin Sect’s Secret Realm.
• Meanwhile, Murong Ya undergoes True Essence cleansing under Murong Yun’s supervision. Her body and meridians have improved enough to meet the requirements for advancing to the True Essence Realm, and her endurance demonstrates strong willpower and potential.

Character Developments

• Lin Tian gains a clearer understanding of the Broken Sword’s capabilities and limitations. His confidence increases because of its extraordinary power, but he also learns that its spiritual cost prevents him from using it recklessly.
• He becomes more strategic, recognizing Spatial Traversal as a possible life-saving technique and Spatial Slash as a final trump card rather than a normal battle skill.
• Murong Ya shows significant physical and mental progress. Her ability to endure the painful True Essence cleansing suggests that she is nearing a breakthrough.
• Murong Yun continues to act as an evaluator and mentor, approving of Murong Ya’s improvement and potential.

Significant Themes

• Power and cost: The Broken Sword grants Lin Tian terrifying strength, but every use rapidly drains his spiritual resources.
• Growth and potential: Both Lin Tian’s techniques and Murong Ya’s cultivation are powerful because they possess room for future development.
• Strategic restraint: Lin Tian understands that overwhelming abilities are valuable only when used at the right moment.
• Obligations and trust: Despite gaining additional resources, Lin Tian prepares to fulfill his agreement with the Murong Family.
• Transformation versus destruction: Spatial Slash is portrayed not merely as a stronger physical attack, but as a force that erases space and matter directly.

Character Interactions

• Lin Tian has no direct interaction with the Murong Family during the main testing sequence, but his decision to visit them establishes the next major interaction.
• Murong Yun observes and evaluates Murong Ya’s cleansing process, silently confirming her progress.
• Their relationship reflects a mentor-and-younger-generation dynamic, with Murong Yun providing guidance and judgment while Murong Ya proves her determination.

Chapter Summary: Breaking Through the True Essence Realm

Key plot points and events

• Murong Ya has reached the minimum requirements for attempting a breakthrough to the True Essence Realm, particularly in mental fortitude and temperament. However, Murong Yun estimates her chance of success at only thirty-five percent.
• Murong Yun reflects on how difficult the True Essence Realm is to enter. He himself only succeeded with external assistance from Hua Chengming.
• Murong Ya announces that she intends to attempt the breakthrough in three days. Although Murong Yun initially considers advising her to wait, he realizes that she has already reached her current limit and cannot improve much by delaying.
• The Murong Family is under increasing pressure from rival great families. One of its important mines has recently been attacked and blockaded, signaling that the other families are beginning to test its strength.
• Murong Ya proposes informing the family head so that Secret Realm Origin Power can be prepared for her breakthrough. Her suggestion also reflects concern that Lin Tian has not yet fulfilled his agreement with the Murong Family, despite nearly ten days having passed since the Secret Realm closed.
• Just as Murong Ya is about to press Murong Yun to stop relying on Lin Tian, a maid announces that Lin Tian has arrived at the Murong Mansion and wishes to see both Murong Yun and Murong Ya.
• Murong Yun chooses to remain hidden and orders Murong Ya to invite Lin Tian inside.
• At the entrance, Lin Tian speaks with Zhou Zheng, the guard captain who has happened to be on duty during all four of Lin Tian’s visits to the mansion. The chapter ends as Murong Ya approaches after hearing that Lin Tian has arrived.

Character developments

• Murong Ya demonstrates confidence and determination by choosing to attempt the breakthrough despite the low success rate. She also shows practical awareness of the family’s worsening political situation and the need to prepare for threats.
• Murong Yun remains cautious but is forced to acknowledge both Murong Ya’s readiness and the urgency created by external enemies. His faith in Lin Tian remains strong, even though the evidence seems to suggest Lin Tian may have abandoned their agreement.
• Lin Tian maintains an influential and composed presence. His arrival immediately changes the Murong Family’s situation, proving that Murong Yun’s confidence in him may not have been misplaced.
• Zhou Zheng is revealed to be respectful and nervous around Lin Tian, emphasizing Lin Tian’s growing reputation and status as a Dao Origin Sect True Disciple.

Significant themes

• The difficulty of advancement: Breaking through to the True Essence Realm requires more than cultivation; mental strength and temperament are equally essential and cannot simply be acquired through external means.
• Trust versus appearances: Murong Ya interprets Lin Tian’s silence as a sign that he has abandoned the Murong Family, while Murong Yun continues to trust him.
• Political pressure and deterrence: Lin Tian’s reputation and demonstrated strength have temporarily protected the Murong Family from direct attacks, even though he has not openly declared his position.
• Urgency and preparation: Murong Ya’s planned breakthrough is tied not only to personal cultivation but also to the family’s need for greater strength in the face of encroaching rivals.

Character interactions

• Murong Ya and Murong Yun discuss her breakthrough plans, the need for Secret Realm Origin Power, and the danger facing the Murong Family.
• Their conversation reveals a difference in perspective: Murong Yun trusts Lin Tian, while Murong Ya believes his prolonged silence signals abandonment.
• Lin Tian’s friendly attempt to learn Zhou Zheng’s name contrasts with the guard captain’s intense humility and fear of overstepping his status.
• The arrival of Lin Tian interrupts the Murong family’s discussion and sets up a likely confrontation or negotiation concerning his promise and the family’s future.