Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Qian Yu reveals deep, unhealing wounds caused by a powerful False God hidden in the Gang Wind Mountains’ Black Mist. The creature’s Gang Wind continues to worsen his injuries.
• Moonlit Night persuades Qian Yu to join the Evil Extermination Division’s group: staying behind would likely mean a slow death, while working together offers a chance to escape. Qian Yu agrees, entrusting the Cloudwind Sword Sect disciples’ survival to the group.
• Moonlit Night leads everyone onward in search of the Gang Wind Heart, and the Evil Extermination Division forms up before entering the Black Mist.
• A concealed attacker kills several Cloudwind Sword Sect disciples with sudden, nearly undetectable gusts of Gang Wind. Qin An senses an attack, blocks one with his Dharma Form, and catches a brief glimpse of the creature: amber eyes and a huge, rotten-toothed mouth filled with wind.
• Moonlit Night identifies the enemy as a Wind Devourer, a False God born from Gang Wind that can control it and is especially powerful in its mountain home.
• Qin An argues that waiting defensively will cost lives and proposes actively hunting the creature. Before he can explain his plan, a Bronze Dao Marshal dismisses him. Qin An threatens to throw the man into the Black Mist if he speaks again.

Character developments

• Qian Yu moves from hesitation to resolve, accepting that fighting alongside the group is preferable to waiting helplessly.
• Qin An shows sharp awareness and exceptional combat ability, surprising Moonlit Night and Liu Ping by breaking a Gang Wind attack. He also takes the initiative to challenge the group’s cautious approach.
• Zheng Rou briefly overcomes her usual timidity to defend Qin An, though she quickly becomes flustered when mocked.
• Moonlit Night remains decisive and focused on the mission, but is surprised by Qin An’s strength.

Significant themes

• Survival through cooperation: Qian Yu and his disciples stand little chance alone; the group must rely on formation and mutual support.
• Courage amid uncertainty: The enemy is largely unseen, yet the group must continue into danger rather than retreat or wait.
• Adaptability and initiative: Qin An believes passive defense is futile against an enemy with endless Gang Wind and urges a proactive response.
• Hidden threats and unequal power: The Black Mist obscures the battlefield, allowing the Wind Devourer to target vulnerable fighters while remaining difficult to locate.

Character interactions

• Moonlit Night bluntly persuades Qian Yu to join, then warns that everyone must fight for their own survival.
• Qin An and Moonlit Night discuss how to respond to the Wind Devourer; he advocates hunting it, while she favors defending until they find clues.
• Liu Ping confirms the first death was caused by Gang Wind, and later joins Moonlit Night in recognizing Qin An’s unusual strength.
• Zheng Rou stands up for Qin An when another Bronze Dao Marshal tries to silence him. The man’s hostility appears driven by jealousy and admiration for Moonlit Night; Qin An responds with a direct threat.

Key plot points and events

• A Bronze Dao Marshal challenges Qin An, underestimating him because of his lower cultivation stage. Qin An disarms him almost instantly and holds a blade to his throat until Moonlit Night intervenes.
• Qin An proposes using a Formation to locate the hidden Wind Devourer. Drawing on the mountain’s Earth Vein, he disperses the Black Mist and reveals the monster.
• The Wind Devourer attacks Qin An, but he counters with Three-Blade Fusion and the Formation’s power, kills it with one strike, and retrieves its False Soul.
• Liu Ping examines the corpse and discovers an Azure Wind Pearl embedded inside it. Moonlit Night recognizes it as evidence that the Azure Mystic Bird Tribe used the pearl to control the Wind Devourer and delay the group while they seek the Gang Wind Heart. Zheng Rou explains that the pearl can control wind-aspected False Gods one stage weaker than its maker, suggesting a powerful member of the tribe is present.

Character developments

• Qin An demonstrates exceptional combat ability and skill with Formations, exceeding even his own expectations by defeating a Perfection-stage opponent. He remains focused on the mission and uninterested in competing for command.
• Moonlit Night moves from curiosity to respect, admitting she underestimated Qin An and acknowledging he might have rivaled her for leadership.
• The Bronze Dao Marshal is humiliated and intimidated, backing down after Qin An nearly kills him.
• Liu Ping reveals his former experience as a coroner, which helps uncover the conspiracy.
• Zheng Rou proudly supports Qin An and contributes important knowledge about the Azure Wind Pearl.

Significant themes

• Strength beyond appearances: Qin An’s lower cultivation stage hides extraordinary ability.
• Duty over status: Qin An rejects the command position and prioritizes the mission.
• Deception and hidden threats: The Wind Devourer was deliberately controlled as part of a broader scheme.
• Cooperation and expertise: Qin An’s Formation skills and Liu Ping’s forensic experience help the group overcome danger and expose the plot.

Character interactions

• Qin An’s confrontation with the Bronze Dao Marshal establishes his authority and ends the latter’s provocation.
• Moonlit Night mediates the clash, then engages Qin An seriously once she sees his capabilities.
• Liu Ping’s account of Qin An’s past strengthens the group’s respect for him.
• After the Wind Devourer’s death, Liu Ping’s discovery and Zheng Rou’s explanation shift the group’s attention from the immediate threat to the Azure Mystic Bird Tribe’s conspiracy.

Plot points and events

• Qin An’s group learns that the Azure Mystic Birds are using Azure Wind Pearls to control False Gods and delay the Evil Extermination Division while they search for the Gang Wind Heart.
• With no way to contact or search for Zhu Xueshuang, Qin An’s group presses onward. Qian Yu’s Cloudwind Sword Sect, recognizing the danger, abandons the pursuit and seeks shelter.
• Azure Feather’s clan follows a wind-sensing treasure toward the Gang Wind Heart. Though its controlled False Gods slow the Division, the Azure Birds cannot hold back the strongest Silver Dao Marshals.
• Signal Flares announce the Gang Wind Heart’s location, drawing the Division to a mountain crowned by a flickering light. Informed by Qin An’s report that the Azure Birds may be ahead, Zhu Xueshuang’s commanders surround the mountain and prepare to ambush them as they leave.
• Azure Feather reaches the Heart but discovers the Division has encircled the mountain. He takes it anyway, gathers his surviving clansmen, and attempts a desperate breakout.
• The Azure Birds clash with the Division. Azure Feather wounds a Silver Dao Marshal wielding twin rings, but the Marshal predicts reinforcements will arrive. A powerful gale then approaches from every direction, leaving Azure Feather alarmed as the chapter ends.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An contributes crucial intelligence about the Azure Birds, helping Zhu Xueshuang’s group avoid charging blindly into the mountain.
• Zhu Xueshuang responds strategically, turning the Division’s forces into a defensive ring and directing them to reinforce the fighting.
• Azure Feather is focused and pragmatic: he prioritizes the Gang Wind Heart over revenge against Qin An, but shifts to a high-risk escape once the encirclement closes. His grief over clan members lost in the mountain briefly reveals the cost of the expedition.
• Qian Yu chooses his disciples’ survival over the chance of claiming the treasure.
• The twin-ring Silver Dao Marshal taunts Azure Feather and holds him off despite serious injuries, while their duel highlights the growing urgency of the Division’s reinforcements.

Significant themes

• Strategy and information: Qin An’s warning lets the Division prepare an ambush; communication failures and the Azure Birds’ wind-based network shape the opposing sides’ plans.
• Survival and sacrifice: Qian Yu retreats, while Azure Feather’s surviving clansmen press on despite losses and the likelihood of death.
• Pursuit and reversal: The Azure Birds initially control the pace, but their apparent advantage turns into a trap when the Division encircles the mountain.
• Escalating conflict: The Gang Wind Heart intensifies the struggle, and the chapter ends on the brink of a larger confrontation.

Plot points and events

• Zhu Xueshuang and three other Silver Dao Marshals arrive with Bronze Dao Marshals, turning the battle against the Azure Mystic Birds into a massacre. Azure Feather is left alone and surrounded.
• Refusing to surrender despite offering the Gang Wind Heart in exchange for his life, Azure Feather swallows it and transforms into a giant bird. He attacks the Silver Dao Marshal who is already injured, but the other three intervene and badly wound him.
• As Bronze Dao Marshals continue attacking, Azure Feather sacrifices his blood essence to unleash the Gang Wind Heart’s power across the mountains. His body withers to bones, and the resulting Gang Wind grows far stronger, forming barriers that sweep inward.
• Zhu Xueshuang recognizes the danger and leads the Evil Extermination Division toward the mountains’ center. Other groups flee there as well, trapped between the converging winds.
• At the center, the human factions confront the Demons and False Gods. Zhu Xueshuang orders an attack; the Evil Extermination Division wins with almost no losses. Qin An secretly collects eighty Demon Spirits, but the approaching Gang Wind remains the greater threat.
• Zhu Xueshuang proposes that all the human factions join the Evil Extermination Division’s Celestial Circuit Formation, which can channel the Gang Wind Heart’s power into a large defensive barrier. As she explains how to form it, Qin An begins to look uneasy.

Character developments and interactions

• Azure Feather shifts from bargaining for survival to defiant self-sacrifice once he realizes the Silver Dao Marshals will not spare him. His final act is meant to destroy his enemies along with himself.
• Zhu Xueshuang remains decisive and practical: she rejects Azure Feather’s offer, recognizes the danger of his last technique, and takes charge of organizing a collective defense.
• Qin An stays wary and self-interested. He follows the stronger group to survive, profits from the renewed fighting, and recognizes that the Gang Wind could kill nearly everyone else—even if he has a means to escape.
• The Silver Dao Marshals work together to overwhelm Azure Feather; later, the human factions cooperate under Zhu Xueshuang’s leadership, while humans, Demons, and False Gods remain openly hostile.

Significant themes

• Sacrifice and vengeance: Azure Feather uses his life and his people’s blood to turn defeat into a threat against his killers.
• The cost of seeking power: The factions’ search for opportunity in a Forbidden Land exposes them to dangers they cannot control.
• Cooperation under pressure: Survival now depends on factions pooling their strength, despite their usual divisions.
• Self-preservation and fortune: Qin An’s gains are fleeting beside the danger facing the group, underscoring how survival can outweigh victory or wealth.

Key events

• While Zhu Xueshuang explains the Celestial Circuit Formation, Qin An judges its defenses inadequate. Though a Bronze Dao Marshal, he proposes using his stronger Gale Black-Armor Formation, powered by the Gang Wind Heart.
• Zhu Xueshuang backs Qin An despite a Silver Dao Marshal’s initial objection. Qin An directs everyone into position and anchors the formation with the Gang Wind Heart.
• The formation withstands a devastating Gang Wind tornado. When the armor begins to crack, Qin An channels more Void Essence into the Heart, restoring and strengthening it until the wind subsides.
• Exhausted but alive, the group recovers. The Silver Dao Marshal who challenged Qin An apologizes, and Qin An graciously accepts. Zhu Xueshuang returns the Gang Wind Heart and praises Qin An’s ability.
• The Evil Extermination Division personnel leave the mountains; the Martial World factions remain behind seeking opportunities.
• Elsewhere, Azure Mystic discovers that Azure Feather is dead. A vision shows Qin An’s formation defeating the wind, prompting Azure Mystic to kill one of his attendants in a rage and order an investigation into Qin An.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An demonstrates confidence, strategic judgment, and impressive formation skill. He remains composed under scrutiny and danger, and responds modestly to both praise and the earlier criticism.
• Zhu Xueshuang has grown to respect Qin An’s potential. Rather than dismissing him because of his rank, she invites him to explain and trusts his plan.
• The Silver Dao Marshal with the rings shifts from cautionary opposition to sincere apology after seeing Qin An’s success.
• Zheng Rou watches Qin An with increasing admiration and fervor.
• Azure Mystic is revealed as ruthless and vengeful; he links Qin An to Azure Feather’s death and makes him a target.

Significant themes

• Merit over rank: Qin An’s expertise earns the attention and trust of people senior to him.
• Leadership and cooperation: The group survives through Qin An’s guidance and everyone’s coordinated effort.
• Restraint and accountability: Qin An accepts a sincere apology without resentment.
• Consequences and looming conflict: The successful defense saves the group but draws the attention of a dangerous enemy.

Plot points and events

• Azure Mystic reacts furiously to the death of his younger brother, Azure Feather, and vows to drive Qin An out of the Skycloud Circuit. He sends others to investigate or act on his behalf.
• The Alchemist Alliance’s Master and Pill King Zhang Tianyi celebrate believing Qin An dead. Their celebration ends when they learn Qin An has returned with the Gang Wind Heart and earned a formidable reputation in the Evil Extermination Division by protecting many Bronze Dao Marshals and four Silver Dao Marshals.
• The Alliance Master and Zhang Tianyi blame each other for their failed plot, but recognize that they are implicated together. Zhang proposes using Azure Mystic’s desire for revenge to have Qin An killed; the Alliance Master agrees to provide resources.
• Yu Tian, seeking revenge for his own younger brother, learns that Qin An is now well protected. He decides to coordinate with the Azure Mystic Bird Tribe and the Alchemist Alliance against him.
• Back at the Evil Extermination Division, Qin An calculates that his expedition merits will support several months of training. He plans to advance his Formation Master and Alchemist professions, then focus on raising his Scholar profession and improving his mind method. He goes to sleep, but the chapter ends as he begins having an unusual dream.

Character developments and interactions

• Azure Mystic is revealed as an influential, formidable leader whose grief and anger are tempered by deliberate control. His followers support his pursuit of Qin An.
• The Alliance Master and Zhang Tianyi shift from triumph to despair, then turn on one another before reconciling out of mutual necessity. Their partnership is now driven by shared culpability and self-preservation.
• Yu Tian abandons the idea of acting alone and seeks alliances, recognizing that Qin An’s protection—not simply his strength—is the chief obstacle.
• Qin An remains unaware of the schemes against him and responds to his success with a practical, ambitious training plan.

Significant themes

• Consequences and escalating retaliation: Qin An’s past actions draw several enemies into overlapping revenge plots.
• Power through reputation and alliances: His growing standing makes him harder to attack, while his enemies try to overcome that protection by joining forces.
• Self-interest and unstable loyalty: The Alliance leaders’ alliance survives only because betrayal would endanger them both.
• Preparation and advancement: Qin An uses his earned rewards to plan sustained improvement rather than resting on his success.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An experiences an unusually vivid nightmare: white mist surrounds him, then turns into deadly black poison filled with blood-red eyes. He wakes shaken and suspects the vision is connected to Myriad Poison Cloud Peak and possibly the Phantom Image he encountered, but has no proof.
• Rather than pursue speculation, Qin An decides to focus on raising his Profession Proficiency.
• Bai Lingfeng visits Li Moyun. He reveals that Qin An helped him escape in Xunyang Prefecture and that Qin An’s determination and subsequent success have caught his interest. He tells Li Moyun to record Qin An’s progress, but not to remove the challenges he faces.
• Li Moyun realizes Bai Lingfeng’s interest may disrupt his own plan to recruit Qin An for a prince’s faction. He feels unable to refuse someone of Bai Lingfeng’s standing.
• Several months pass. While others assume Qin An has lost momentum, he has been quietly training, visiting a shop for medicinal supplies, and studying Miscellaneous Books in the Confidential Archives.
• Qin An finally exchanges Merits for a Mind Method and many Demon Spirits, suggesting his private preparation is about to yield results. The chapter ends as a line of smoke appears before him.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains disciplined and pragmatic: he sets aside an unresolved supernatural threat to pursue concrete training. His quiet routine contrasts with the public belief that he has stalled.
• Bai Lingfeng moves from repaying Qin An’s past favor to taking a genuine interest in his potential. He chooses to observe rather than intervene, believing hardship will help Qin An grow.
• Li Moyun is caught between his political ambitions and Bai Lingfeng’s authority. Though outwardly compliant, he worries that Bai Lingfeng’s attention will thwart his plan.
• The Bronze Dao Marshals discuss Qin An’s disappearance and judge his lack of assignments as fading ambition. Their assumptions highlight how little they know of his private efforts.

Significant themes

• Quiet preparation versus visible achievement: Qin An’s apparent inactivity conceals sustained work and careful planning.
• Growth through adversity: Bai Lingfeng believes obstacles can strengthen Qin An, so he refuses to clear the way for him.
• Ambition and political influence: Li Moyun’s plans reveal the pressure to draw talented people into powerful factions.
• Unresolved danger and patience: Qin An suspects the nightmare points to a larger threat, but waits for stronger evidence and greater strength before acting.

Summary

Key plot points and events

• After months of steady work, Qin An raises his Alchemist and Formation Master professions to Level 17, bringing their Unity Realm talents to Perfection. His Scholar profession reaches Level 18, gaining the ability to connect related knowledge and infer hidden information.
• His Scholar talents also reach Great Completion in the Shattered Void Realm, including a new ability to identify weaknesses in opponents’ mind methods—an advantage in combat.
• Qin An studies the Void-Gazing Mind Method and quickly cultivates it to Great Completion. He then brings his foundational Nine-Turn Bodhi Golden Essence Art from Initial Proficiency to Great Completion.
• Hoping to combine the two methods, Qin An first fails for lack of talent. He burns large amounts of Blood Essence to gain the necessary insight and successfully creates the Nine-Turn Bodhi Void Essence Art, a Great Completion method that combines the original art’s strengths with the ability to shift Void Essence between real and unreal.
• The fusion consumes fifty Demon Spirits, leaving Qin An with only fifty of his original hundred. He recognizes that completing his four remaining methods will require another two hundred.
• Qin An delivers pills to the Dragon Palace’s shop and receives twenty Demon Spirits. The Dragon Demon is astonished that Qin An has already reached Great Completion in the Shattered Void Realm. As Qin An prepares to leave and pursue more resources, the Dragon Demon stops him.

Character development

• Qin An grows markedly in both scholarship and combat capability. He is pleased with his professional progress but remains ambitious, seeking still greater power and planning to develop his other professions. His confidence is tempered by awareness of the resources his advancement consumes.
• The Dragon Demon shifts from viewing Qin An chiefly as a talented alchemist and business partner to feeling awe at his cultivation. Qin An’s rapid advance also makes the Dragon Demon painfully aware of the gap between their progress.

Significant themes

• Knowledge as power: Qin An’s Scholar abilities let him learn, connect ideas, and identify weaknesses, directly strengthening both his cultivation and fighting potential.
• Ambition and sacrifice: His breakthrough requires burning Blood Essence and spending half his Demon Spirits, illustrating the steep cost of pursuing greater strength.
• Innovation through synthesis: Qin An’s new art emerges from combining two established methods, turning their complementary qualities into a more versatile technique.
• The scale of the world: Even after reaching Great Completion, Qin An considers himself far from the pinnacle of Skycloud Circuit and continues striving.

Character interactions

• The Dragon Demon questions Qin An’s sudden advancement; Qin An gives a brief explanation, while the Dragon Demon responds with awe and discomfort at how quickly Qin An has surpassed expectations.
• Qin An completes his regular pill delivery, receives payment, and says he will return the following month. The Dragon Demon’s urgent request to wait sets up the next development.

• The Dragon King’s invitation: As Qin An visits the Dragon Demon’s shop, the demon gives him an invitation to the Old Dragon King’s birthday celebration. Guests can choose a treasure from the Dragon Palace treasury afterward, including rare cultivation methods. Though Qin An is focused on earning Merit, he decides the potential reward is worth the time and agrees to attend. He plans to bring Compound Pills as a modest gift.
• Journey to the palace: After several days of training at the Butcher Shop, Qin An travels in ordinary clothes, concealing his Evil Extermination Division identity. At the river, Dragon Demons ferry guests underwater in boats protected by magical bubbles. The swift, disorienting journey ends at the lavish Dragon Palace, where humans, demons, and False Gods gather.
• An unexpected reception: The Third Dragon Princess and Long Tianxing wait at the entrance. Their presence surprises the guests, who speculate that an important visitor must be expected. Qin An joins the onlookers and casually chats with a middle-aged guest, pretending he is merely curious too. The princess spots him, freezes, and walks toward him—leaving the crowd abruptly silent.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An is pragmatic: he weighs the invitation against his work, then chooses the celebration for its valuable potential reward. He also shows social tact by preparing a gift and traveling without flaunting his official status.
• The Dragon Demon acts deferentially, persuading Qin An to attend and showing relief when he accepts.
• The Third Dragon Princess’s unusual decision to greet guests—and her immediate reaction to Qin An—signals a personal or political significance that has not yet been explained.
• Long Tianxing stands beside the princess, while Qin An keeps up an ordinary conversation with the guests, unaware or unconcerned that he is the person she is waiting for.
  Themes: The chapter highlights the value of networking and diplomacy, the balance between duty and opportunity, and the gap between outward appearances and hidden status. It ends on a cliffhanger as the princess approaches Qin An.

Plot points and events

• As the Dragon King’s birthday guests gather, the Third Dragon Princess approaches Qin An, revealing that she had been waiting specifically for him. She publicly calls him the most distinguished guest, surprising the gathered guests and prompting them to wonder about his identity.
• She escorts Qin An to a luxurious, quiet room in her side palace. Long Tianxing explains why the Old Dragon King favors her: her mother died saving him during a war with the Phoenix Demon Tribe, and he has since devoted his affection to their daughter.
• The Princess acknowledges that her mother’s legacy has shaped her life, sometimes helping her but also casting a shadow over her own identity. She makes sure Qin An is comfortably accommodated, then leaves him to rest.
• Long Tianxing warns Qin An that the Alchemist Alliance—already hostile toward the Dragon Palace—has arrived for the birthday feast, risking conflict. He also cautions that the Dragon King’s youngest son, the arrogant Ninth Prince, may openly challenge Qin An.
• Qin An remains calm, saying he came to cooperate with the Dragon Palace and will deal with trouble as it arises. The next day, he and Long Tianxing head to the Main Hall for the celebration. The chapter ends just as Long Tianxing is about to seat him and something unexpected occurs.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An is treated with unusual deference but stays modest and composed. He shows interest in the Princess’s family history and refuses to be rattled by warnings about political hostility.
• The Third Dragon Princess demonstrates warmth, tact, and attentiveness toward Qin An, while revealing her complicated feelings about living in the shadow of her mother’s reputation.
• Long Tianxing acts as Qin An’s confidant and guide, explaining the palace’s history and warning him about likely threats.
• The Princess’s public welcome sparks curiosity and ambition among the guests, who begin considering how to learn Qin An’s identity and cultivate a connection with him.

Significant themes

• Reputation and influence: The Princess’s status rests partly on her mother’s sacrifice and the Old Dragon King’s affection, while Qin An’s importance is suggested by the respect he receives.
• Composure amid conflict: Qin An meets political danger with calm confidence rather than fear.
• Family legacy and identity: The Princess values her mother’s legacy but also feels constrained by it.
• Hospitality and court politics: A birthday celebration masks rivalries, resentments, and the possibility of an alliance turning hostile.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Long Jiu, the Dragon Palace’s arrogant Ninth Prince, confronts Qin An at the Old Dragon King’s birthday banquet and taunts him for visiting a demon faction. He also threatens Long Tianxing, whom he previously beat.
• Qin An initially ignores Long Jiu and returns to his seat. When Long Jiu escalates the confrontation, Qin An quietly reminds Long Tianxing not to let fear undermine his determination to strengthen his family branch.
• The Third Dragon Princess intervenes, defending Qin An as her honored guest. Qin An draws Cold Star, but instead of attacking, he places the sword in Long Jiu’s hand and dares him to kill him.
• Qin An explains the consequences: he supplies pills to the Dragon Palace and nearby factions, is an honored guest, and could redirect his business to the Phoenix Demon Tribe. He also invokes his position in the Evil Extermination Division and his connection to Li Moyun.
• Realizing the political and economic cost of harming Qin An, Long Jiu loses his nerve, drops the sword, and flees in humiliation. Qin An returns to his tea and dismisses the watching guests.
• The Third Dragon Princess praises Qin An, but a rush of footsteps at the hall entrance interrupts her. The chapter ends before the newcomers are identified.

Character developments

• Qin An demonstrates composure, strategic thinking, and confidence. He turns Long Jiu’s threat into a public test of courage, using his commercial value and political connections to make Long Jiu back down. His apparent fearlessness is partly protected by his secret Death Substitution Needle.
• Long Tianxing begins fearful and submissive before Long Jiu, but Qin An’s reminder restores his resolve to pursue the prosperity of his family branch. His admiration for Qin An deepens.
• Long Jiu is exposed as boastful but cautious when faced with real consequences. His attempt to assert authority ends in public embarrassment.
• The Third Dragon Princess shows loyalty to Qin An and recognizes him as a valuable ally and guest.

Significant themes

• Resolve and self-command: Fear can undermine long-term ambitions, while a timely reminder can restore purpose.
• Power beyond physical strength: Qin An wins not through combat, but through leverage, reputation, and an understanding of political and economic consequences.
• Pride and humiliation: Long Jiu’s desire to defend his status leads him into a trap that makes his weakness visible to the entire banquet.
• Appearances versus reality: Qin An seems to stake his life recklessly, but he has a hidden safeguard.

Character interactions

• Qin An’s calm disregard provokes Long Jiu, who tries to intimidate him and Long Tianxing.
• Qin An supports Long Tianxing with a brief but meaningful reminder, strengthening their bond and earning Long Tianxing’s gratitude.
• The Third Dragon Princess publicly challenges Long Jiu on Qin An’s behalf.
• Qin An turns Long Jiu’s own weapon into a psychological and political challenge, compelling him to retreat without a fight.

Key plot points and events

• After Qin An’s dramatic victory over Long Jiu—who abandoned his weapon and fled—the Old Dragon King arrives at his birthday celebration in a grand, ceremonial procession.
• The King opens the feast by crushing a jade stone that draws fish around the Dragon Palace. Guests dine and watch the Dragon Demons dance, while Qin An receives toasts from guests impressed by his strength, his Evil Extermination Division rank, and his reputation as an alchemist.
• Qin An notices two hostile-looking visitors: the Alchemist Alliance’s Master and Pill King Zhang Tianyi. The Third Dragon Princess confirms they arrived uninvited but says her father allowed them in to avoid trouble.
• At the evening banquet’s close, the Old Dragon King announces that invited guests may enter the Dragon Palace Treasury. Qin An sets off to choose an item, accompanied by the Third Dragon Princess and Long Tianxing.
• The Old Dragon King personally stops Qin An and takes him aside for a private conversation. He warns that the Alchemist Alliance representatives’ unusual restraint may conceal a threat. When Qin An points out that a warning alone did not require a private meeting, the King produces a wooden box and pushes it toward him; the chapter ends before its contents are revealed.

Character developments

• Qin An remains composed and socially adept despite suddenly becoming the focus of attention. He reads the Alchemist Alliance visitors’ behavior as suspicious and quickly recognizes that the Old Dragon King has more to say than a simple warning.
• The Third Dragon Princess shows concern for Qin An’s safety and confidence in the Dragon Palace’s ability to protect him. Her father’s private summons surprises her.
• The Old Dragon King presents himself as frail during the public celebration, but privately reveals a vigorous, perceptive side. He takes Qin An seriously enough to offer a discreet warning—and apparently something more.
• Long Tianxing is deferential toward the Dragon King and follows the Third Princess and Qin An toward the treasury.

Character interactions

• Guests from different factions court Qin An with flattering toasts, reflecting his rising influence.
• The Third Dragon Princess identifies the Alchemist Alliance visitors and reassures Qin An, while he questions their motives.
• The Old Dragon King separates Qin An from the others to speak privately; their direct, probing exchange shows mutual respect and Qin An’s preference for candor.

Significant themes

• Power and reputation: Qin An’s recent victory and affiliations rapidly attract admiration and attention.
• Suspicion beneath appearances: The Alliance visitors’ seemingly harmless behavior is treated as a possible warning sign.
• Protection and political influence: The Dragon Palace’s authority, the Third Princess’s concern, and the Old Dragon King’s intervention all shape Qin An’s security.
• Ceremony versus reality: The festive spectacle contrasts with the private warnings and unexplained developments beneath the celebration.

Key plot points and events

• The Old Dragon King gives Qin An a third stalk of Mystic Void Grass, completing the set Qin An needs for a peerless foundation in the Shattered Void Realm.
• He explains that the gift is an investment: as the Dragon King nears the end of his lifespan, the Dragon Palace may face succession turmoil and attacks from enemies such as the Phoenix Demon Tribe. He hopes Qin An will help if he becomes strong enough.
• Qin An accepts only on the condition that he is not obligated to fight enemies beyond his ability. The Dragon King agrees, and Qin An absorbs the herb.
• The Dragon King warns Qin An that the Alchemist Alliance may cause trouble. Qin An then claims his permitted treasury reward: the Enchantment Blade Technique, which strengthens the cohesion of different Void Essence attributes and suits his nine-colored essence.
• After Qin An leaves, the Dragon King orders his sons not to provoke him and confines the Ninth Dragon Prince, who has already clashed with Qin An.
• Qin An returns to his quarters and leaves the Dragon Palace the next morning with the Third Dragon Princess and Long Tianxing. He refuses to explain his private meeting with the Dragon King. As he boards a departing boat, two unidentified figures follow him aboard.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains cautious and practical: he questions the Dragon King’s motives, sets clear limits on his promise, and chooses a reward that supports his training. He also keeps the Dragon King’s confidence.
• The Old Dragon King reveals his vulnerability and desperation beneath his authority. He bets on Qin An’s future rather than relying on powerful figures already entangled in local politics.
• The Third Dragon Princess remains curious about Qin An’s private audience, but he firmly declines to share its contents.
• Long Tianxing accompanies Qin An to the exit and watches him depart without speaking.
• The Old Dragon King’s order to discipline the Ninth Dragon Prince shows how seriously he takes Qin An’s importance to the Dragon Palace’s future.

Significant themes

• Strategic trust and investment: The Dragon King risks a valuable resource to build an alliance with someone he believes has exceptional potential.
• Power and political entanglement: Qin An’s outsider status is presented as an advantage because he is less tied to local interests.
• Conditional loyalty and self-preservation: Qin An is willing to help, but refuses a promise that could require a futile sacrifice.
• Secrecy and uncertainty: Qin An keeps the meeting confidential, while the identities and intentions of the two passengers boarding after him remain unknown.

Plot points and events

• After the Dragon Palace celebration, Qin An boards a magical boat with the Alchemist Alliance Master and Zhang Tianyi. The Third Dragon Princess and Long Tianxing suspect the pair are targeting him, but the boat cannot be stopped.
• Once ashore, Qin An speeds toward the Evil Extermination Division. The Alliance Master and Zhang Tianyi secretly follow, having arranged for Yu Tian of the Seven-Color Fish Sect and Azure Mystic of the Azure Mystic Bird Tribe to join them.
• Yu Tian and Azure Mystic ambush Qin An, while the Alliance Master and Zhang Tianyi block his escape. The four accuse him of killing or frustrating their kin and interests. Qin An confirms killing Yu Tian’s brother and another Fish Demon, but denies responsibility for Azure Feather’s death, explaining that the Silver Dao Marshal killed him.
• Qin An attacks with Three-Blade Fusion, but Azure Mystic’s Gang Wind easily disperses it. Yu Tian then strikes Qin An, seemingly reducing him to ash. The attackers believe he is dead.
• Qin An survives through the Death Substitution Needle, reappears far from the ambush, and vows to take revenge. He returns to the Evil Extermination Division and confronts Zhu Xueshuang, asking what punishment applies to someone who attacks him and defies the Division’s authority.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains composed despite being outnumbered, openly acknowledges his past actions, and refuses to submit. His survival transforms him from a presumed victim into someone intent on retaliation.
• The Alliance Master and Zhang Tianyi reveal that their real goal is to eliminate Qin An and protect their pill profits. Once they believe him dead, they immediately discuss raising prices and withholding pills from the Dragon Palace.
• Yu Tian acts to avenge his brother; Azure Mystic seeks retribution for Azure Feather, though his grievance rests on Qin An’s interference rather than causing the death. The two cooperate for the ambush, then depart separately.
• The Third Dragon Princess and Long Tianxing recognize the danger but cannot intervene. At the chapter’s end, Qin An brings the conflict to Zhu Xueshuang, invoking the Division’s authority.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and greed: The Alliance Master and Zhang Tianyi exploit the celebration and their connection to Qin An to arrange his murder for financial gain.
• Revenge and competing grievances: Each attacker frames the ambush as justice for a perceived injury, while Qin An treats their actions as a declaration of war.
• Hidden strength and survival: The Death Substitution Needle reverses what seemed to be certain death, emphasizing that appearances can be deceptive.
• Power and authority: Qin An’s final question shifts the issue from personal vengeance to whether an attack on him is also an offense against the Evil Extermination Division.

Plot points and events

• Qin An reports that the Alchemist Alliance tried to kill him. Zhu Xueshuang, a Silver Dao Marshal of the Evil Extermination Division, treats the attack as a violation of the Division’s rules and immediately reports it to Li Moyun.
• Zhu assembles dozens of Bronze Dao Marshals and leads them to surround the Alchemist Alliance. Qin An accompanies them, intent on exacting revenge.
• Inside the Alliance, its Master and Zhang Tianyi celebrate Qin An’s supposed death. They plan to deny Pills to the Dragon Palace, aid the Phoenix Demon Tribe, and use the crisis to pressure independent alchemists into surrendering valuable formulas.
• When the Alliance learns Qin An survived and the Division has arrived, the Alliance Master and Zhang Tianyi try to escape through a secret passage. The Division has already discovered and destroyed it.
• Zhu’s forces subdue the Alliance’s disciples and expose the two leaders. The Alliance Master blames Zhang Tianyi and offers free Pills; Zhang Tianyi reveals that the Master knowingly helped arrange the attack. They begin fighting, but Qin An stops them, declaring that both will die.

Character developments

• Qin An remains composed while turning the Division’s rules and collective loyalty to his advantage. His immediate goal is revenge, and he also plans to pursue the Azure Mystic Bird Tribe and Seven-Color Fish Sect.
• Zhu Xueshuang acts decisively to defend a fellow member, showing the Division’s fierce solidarity and strict opposition to human factions attacking its own.
• The Alliance Master and Zhang Tianyi shift from smug celebration to panic when Qin An’s survival is revealed. Under pressure, both abandon their partnership and try to shift blame.

Significant themes

• Institutional loyalty and deterrence: The Division treats attacks on its members as attacks on the organization, enforcing a firm boundary against internal betrayal.
• Revenge and consequences: Qin An’s survival turns the conspirators’ celebration into a reckoning.
• Greed and self-interest: The Alliance leaders’ schemes to control Pills and formulas—and their readiness to betray each other—expose their opportunism.
• Intelligence and preparation: The Division’s knowledge of the escape tunnel defeats the leaders’ last attempt to flee.

Character interactions

• Qin An gives Zhu his account; she responds with immediate anger and mobilizes the Division.
• The Bronze Dao Marshals affirm their duty to protect Qin An, reinforcing their shared loyalty.
• The Alliance Master and Zhang Tianyi initially celebrate together, but once cornered they accuse and attack one another.
• Qin An confronts them calmly, while Zhu and her forces maintain control of the scene.

Plot points and events

• Qin An kills Zhang Tianyi and the Alchemist Alliance Master after restraining them with his overwhelming pressure. The Alliance Master dies with his body intact but his internal organs destroyed.
• Zhu Xueshuang orders the Alliance members taken to the Evil Extermination Division’s dungeon for questioning. Those who conspired with the two leaders will be executed; the rest will be released. The Division will take control of the Alchemist Alliance.
• Qin An decides that the Azure Mystic Bird Tribe remains his chief threat. He plans to grow stronger, then use himself as bait to lure Azure Mystic into a confrontation. He rejects Zhu Xueshuang’s offer to help, fearing the tribe would detect a joint plan.
• Azure Mystic learns that Qin An survived and led the operation against the Alliance. He orders his followers to track Qin An and vows to kill him if he leaves the Skycloud Circuit.
• Several months pass. Qin An avoids missions and public attention, training his professions and techniques instead. The Division’s takeover of the Alliance makes him briefly famous, but interest shifts to newer talents.
• Qin An reaches Level Eighteen in both his Butcher and Blacksmith professions and reforges Cold Star and his armor, improving their spiritual quality. The chapter ends as a new system notification begins to appear.

Character development and interactions

• Qin An demonstrates ruthless decisiveness in killing the Alliance leaders, then shows patience and strategic caution by choosing long-term cultivation over immediate retaliation.
• Zhu Xueshuang respects Qin An’s resolve and supports him, but recognizes she cannot change his decision. She also acts decisively to bring the Alliance under the Division’s authority.
• Azure Mystic appears to have set aside his revenge after avenging his brother, but news of Qin An’s survival reignites his hatred. He responds by planning a future ambush.
• The Alliance Master pleads for mercy, but Qin An’s execution of him and Zhang Tianyi establishes the consequences of conspiring against him.

Significant themes

• Power and retribution: Qin An’s strength reshapes the Alliance and leaves his enemies vulnerable.
• Patience and preparation: Rather than rush into a dangerous fight, Qin An prioritizes training before confronting Azure Mystic.
• Secrecy and strategy: Both Qin An and Azure Mystic understand the value of information, surveillance, and avoiding traps.
• Reputation versus ambition: Qin An ignores status and advancement through missions, choosing private cultivation over public recognition.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An’s Butcher and Blacksmith Professions both reach level 18, bringing major improvements to their skills and talents. He gains a chance to experience insight while deriving blade techniques, and the ability to recognize weaknesses in bare-handed combat methods.
• Using his new abilities and burning Vital Blood, he fuses the Enchantment Blade Technique with the Nine-Turn Heartless Crosswise Blade, creating the Nine-Turn Heartless Demon-Crossing Blade at Great Completion. It greatly strengthens his nine types of Void Essence and may let him defeat even powerful Shattered Void Realm opponents.
• He also masters the Demon-Subduing Saint Fist and fuses it with the Nine-Turn Blood-Burning Earth Vein Demon-Sealing Hand, creating the Nine-Turn Blood-Burning Earth Demon-Sealing Hand. The new technique retains Blood Burning and is especially effective against Demons and False Gods, possibly giving him a chance against Essence Transformation Realm foes.
• The derivations cost him many Demon Spirits, so he preserves most of his remaining supply as a combat reserve. With his Merits dwindling, Qin An decides to take a mission near the Skycloud Circuit, where he can earn rewards without straying into the territory of enemies watching him.
• On his way to ask Zhu Xueshuang about missions, Qin An is stopped by Chen Liuyun, an acquaintance from the same place. Chen has an Essence Transformation Realm aura but no official post. He says he has something Qin An will find interesting, and suggests they talk.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An grows substantially stronger and more versatile, improving both his weapon techniques and anti-Demon combat. Yet he remains cautious, unsure whether he could truly defeat an Essence Transformation Realm opponent.
• He deliberately avoids risky missions far from home, mindful of the Azure Mystic Bird Tribe and Yu Tian of the Seven-Color Fish Sect.
• Chen Liuyun approaches Qin An with unusual friendliness, asking him to call him “Brother Chen.” Qin An notices Chen’s lack of rank and questions what happened; Chen offers to explain privately.

Significant themes

• Power through persistence and sacrifice: Qin An’s technique fusions require repeated failures and the burning of Vital Blood or Blood Essence.
• Preparation and caution: Despite his growing strength, Qin An prioritizes reserves, safe opportunities, and measured progress.
• Status and reputation: Qin An’s recent fame has faded after months of quiet, while Chen’s unexplained loss of position hints that rank and standing can change abruptly.

Plot points and events

• Former Chief Prefecture Head Chen Liuyun meets Qin An privately and explains that, after reaching the Essence Transformation Realm, he was preparing to advance as a Dao Marshal or enter the Ancient Battlefield Ruins when Bai Lingfeng intervened.
• Chen reveals Bai Lingfeng’s unusual rank: he is a Forbidden Land Envoy, a senior Evil Extermination Division official who travels among the Forbidden Lands and maintains their balance. Chen cannot explain how that works, citing Division rules.
• On Bai Lingfeng’s behalf, Chen invites Qin An to consider becoming an Envoy. The requirements are reaching the Essence Transformation Realm and possessing a Peerless Foundation strong enough to carry through the Unity Realm. The position is dangerous, but offers more Merits, authority, and freedom than ordinary Marshal roles.
• Qin An says he would accept the opportunity once he reaches the required realm. Chen assures him Bai Lingfeng is watching his progress, then leaves for a mission wearing a Mountain Patrol Marshal’s badge—an unexplained detail he says Qin An will understand later.
• Qin An visits Zhu Xueshuang to ask for a nearby mission. She offers him a rare escort assignment, only fifty li north of Fortune Circuit. He accepts, and Zhu warns that the person being escorted has an unusual identity; the chapter ends before revealing who it is.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An is intrigued by the Envoy role, especially its freedom, which would help him improve his Profession Proficiency. He remains cautious about the position’s dangers but is willing to pursue it.
• Chen Liuyun acts as an intermediary for Bai Lingfeng, sharing only what he is permitted to disclose. His badge and Marshal duties suggest Envoys may also hold or perform other roles.
• Bai Lingfeng, whom Qin An once encountered in the Ancient Battlefield Ruins, is revealed to have a powerful, hidden position and to be monitoring Qin An’s advancement.
• Zhu Xueshuang recognizes Qin An’s preference for efficiency and understands that staying near Skycloud Circuit may also keep him safer from the Azure Mystic Bird Tribe and Seven-Colored Cloud Gate. She assigns him a local mission.

Significant themes

• Power and hidden hierarchies: The Division’s structure extends beyond its familiar Marshal ranks, and the Forbidden Lands have deeper rules than Qin An understands.
• Freedom versus danger: Qin An is drawn to the Envoy role’s autonomy and rewards despite its greater risks.
• Secrecy and foreshadowing: Chen’s guarded explanations, his badge, and the escort’s undisclosed identity set up future revelations.

Key plot points and events

• Zhu Xueshuang assigns Qin An to escort the coffin of Zhou patriarch to Boundless Mountain, where Zhou tradition requires burial. The mission is sensitive: the patriarch was an undercover informant for the Evil Extermination Division, and protecting his funeral may reassure other agents that the Division will honor its obligations.
• Qin An arrives alone at the Zhou Residence. Though a servant doubts one escort is enough, Qin An insists he can handle the task.
• The Zhou patriarch had helped the Division eliminate an important Demon. His identity as an informant was exposed, and Demon forces killed him. The Zhou Household fears they will also attack the funeral procession and desecrate his body.
• After the funeral vigil, Qin An leads a procession of nearly a hundred people out of the city. Hearing rumors that someone familiar with the patriarch’s movements may have betrayed him, Qin An stays alert.
• The journey is uneventful until the group reaches a plain near Boundless Mountain. Fifteen Demons, all at Great Completion in the Shattered Void Realm, block their way.
• Qin An draws his saber, Cold Star, and calmly prepares to fight, saying the Demons are not numerous enough to trouble him.

Character developments

• Qin An is practical and watchful. He reflects briefly on mortality during the vigil, but remains unsentimental and focused on action. He also anticipates possible betrayal and keeps his hand near his saber before danger appears.
• Zhou Wangshi, the patriarch’s widow, is grieving but composed and perceptive. She does not challenge Qin An’s authority despite noticing he has come alone, and she holds herself steady when the Demons appear.
• The Zhou Household is shown as loyal to its patriarch and committed to the traditional burial, while fearing that the Demons’ threat could extend beyond his death.

Significant themes

• Duty and institutional trust: Safely burying the patriarch matters not only to his family but also to the confidence of other undercover agents.
• Loyalty, betrayal, and revenge: The patriarch’s service to the Division provoked Demon retaliation, and someone may have leaked information about his movements.
• Mortality and legacy: Qin An considers how life ends, while the funeral underscores that a person’s body and the manner of their burial carry meaning for the living.
• Appearance and sincerity: The vigil includes both genuine mourners and people merely pretending to grieve, prompting Qin An to reflect on the relationship between character and outward expression.

Character interactions

• Qin An firmly rebukes the servant who questions his ability, then enters the residence without escalating the matter.
• Zhou Wangshi respectfully coordinates the departure and trusts the Division’s choice of escort.
• The funeral procession’s mourners and onlookers reveal both public affection for the patriarch and fear of speaking openly about his death.
• When the Demons arrive, Qin An’s calm confidence contrasts with the family’s alarm, ending the chapter on the brink of combat.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An effortlessly kills all fifteen demons attacking the Zhou funeral procession, collecting their Demon Spirits. His display of overwhelming strength leaves Zhou Wangshi and the others stunned.
• He escorts the procession to Boundless Mountain, where Master Zhou is buried in his favorite Bamboo Grove.
• Just as the Zhou Household prepares to fill the grave, the Coffin begins to shake and knocks sound from within. Killing Intent seeps through its seams, prompting Zhou Wangshi to insist that Master Zhou has become a False God and must be killed immediately.
• Qin An suspects her urgency is meant to destroy evidence. He breaks open the Coffin and discovers Master Zhou alive, with black, Killing-Intent-bearing threads sewn into his burial clothes.
• Realizing Zhou Wangshi had tried to make him mistake Master Zhou for a False God, Qin An seizes her and accuses her of betraying the Evil Extermination Division. He destroys the threads, freeing Master Zhou, who asks Qin An to spare her because she knows secrets useful to the Division.

Character developments

• Qin An demonstrates his extraordinary combat ability and sharp judgment. He remains alert to inconsistencies even while carrying out a straightforward escort mission, and chooses to investigate rather than obey Zhou Wangshi’s demand.
• Zhou Wangshi shifts from fearful deference to apparent grief, then reveals suspicious urgency and is exposed as a possible traitor. She refuses to answer Qin An’s accusation.
• Master Zhou is revealed to have been alive and deliberately restrained. Despite his ordeal, he speaks up to protect Zhou Wangshi, claiming her knowledge could benefit the Division.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus truth: The Killing Intent suggests a False God, but the real source is the specially made thread in Master Zhou’s clothing.
• Loyalty and betrayal: Qin An’s suspicion that someone in the household leaked information turns toward Zhou Wangshi.
• Judgment and restraint: Qin An’s strength matters, but his refusal to act hastily prevents him from killing an innocent man.
• Mercy and usefulness: Master Zhou asks that Zhou Wangshi be spared not out of denial, but because her secrets may serve the Division.

Character interactions

• Qin An’s calm confidence contrasts with the demons’ mockery and the funeral party’s fear.
• Zhou Wangshi treats Qin An with deference, but her insistence that he destroy the Coffin alerts him to her motives.
• Qin An confronts and restrains Zhou Wangshi, while Master Zhou intervenes to ask that she be spared.