Ch. 361The Dark Shadows Are Cold Like the Abyss
Key plot points
- Guided by the Ancient Web, Li Shun sends his will through the Chaos to locate a new world and establish a passage using Mystic Yellow Qi. The journey is frightening: the surroundings grow pitch-black, his target nearly disappears, and he feels himself sinking into an abyss. The world’s presence finally steadies him.
- The destination appears peaceful, but it is smaller than Great Qian and far more densely populated. Li Shun cannot yet detect the filth and corruption the Ancient Web warned about.
- Returning to the Square Inch, Li Shun realizes the Chaos has dulled his perception; the familiar world feels intensely hot by comparison. He recovers after half a day and resolves not to risk sending his divine intent through the Chaos again soon.
- Li Shun challenges the Ancient Web for concealing the danger. It explains that fear would have deterred him, and that firsthand experience has shown he can endure the Chaos without going mad.
- He enters the new world through the newly formed door. The crossing is disorienting, and his new body contains an overwhelming flood of memories from countless past lives. The pain nearly overwhelms him, so he abandons the attempt to explore those memories.
- Before he can recover, an attacker strikes from behind and pierces his chest. Li Shun collapses, apparently mortally wounded.
Character developments and interactions
- Li Shun is curious and determined, but the Chaos exposes his vulnerability and fear. He questions the Ancient Web’s judgment, then proceeds despite the danger. In the new world, he quickly recognizes that its extraordinary burden of memories makes exploration impossible.
- The Ancient Web remains calm and practical, guiding Li Shun through the Chaos and praising his resilience. Its decision not to fully explain the risks creates tension: Li Shun feels misled, while the Web argues that warning him would have made him retreat.
- The attacker appears opportunistic and amused, mistaking Li Shun’s disorientation for harmless daydreaming and exploiting it to land a sudden, devastating blow.
Significant themes
- The peril of the unknown: The Chaos and the new world are dangerous in ways Li Shun cannot initially perceive.
- Knowledge through experience: The Ancient Web believes firsthand exposure teaches what warnings cannot, though this approach strains its trust with Li Shun.
- Identity and accumulated lives: The new body’s countless reincarnations overwhelm Li Shun, raising questions about the weight of inherited memory and personal identity.
- Vulnerability and sudden violence: Despite careful preparation and extraordinary powers, Li Shun enters the new world disoriented and is immediately caught off guard.