Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• After reading the Dusk Chapter, Wu Yu learns that Baron Carlot made the Crystal Slipper in the Alchemy Workshop, where alchemy and steam technology combine. No new hidden quest appears, so he puts the chapter away.
• Wu Yu summons the Mountain Lord in its Big White Cat form, prepares for bed, and falls into a restorative sleep.
• Elsewhere, Liu Zheng leads a growing force of Tower Climbers in an assault on Dusk City’s wandering knights, confident that numbers and firepower will let him dominate the city. Chen Lingling watches the battle from a distance.
• The violence awakens a dusk-cloaked Viscount, who kills several outsiders and heads toward Liu Zheng’s forces. Beneath the city, ghosts worry that the outsiders are rousing the nobles just as the celebration approaches.
• Wu Yu wakes fully restored, having again visited the Moon Palace in a dream and spoken with Chang Xi. He wonders whether the dream might lead somewhere beyond conversation, but dismisses the idea.
• The Mountain Lord alerts Wu Yu to two intruders sheltering downstairs. When the siblings try to leave, they encounter the enormous tiger and Wu Yu. They explain that they are from Lao Capital, and Wu Yu recognizes their connection to Laoshan.

Character developments

• Wu Yu remains curious about Dusk City’s mysteries and his own abilities. His sleep restores his body and powers, while his recurring Moon Palace visits deepen his interest in Chang Xi and the dream’s nature. He handles the intruders with confidence but reassures them rather than threatening them.
• Liu Zheng grows increasingly boastful as his force expands. He sees the battle as a chance to prove himself and rule over the other Tower Climbers.
• The brother and sister are cautious and cooperative: the brother’s Danger Premonition warns him they are being watched, and the sister quickly prioritizes escape. Faced with Wu Yu, they offer an apology and compensation.

Significant themes

• Power and ambition: Liu Zheng’s confidence in overwhelming force contrasts with the unpredictable danger of Dusk City’s awakened nobles.
• The costs of interference: The outsiders’ attack risks drawing the attention of powerful inhabitants and disrupting the approaching celebration.
• Mystery and discovery: The Alchemy Workshop, Wu Yu’s summoning ability, and his repeated Moon Palace dreams all hint at deeper systems and unexplored possibilities.
• Rest and renewal: Wu Yu’s sleep restores more than physical energy, suggesting that rest is connected to his unusual spiritual experiences.

Character interactions

• Wu Yu’s affectionate exchange with the Mountain Lord shows their close, intuitive bond.
• In the Moon Palace, Chang Xi questions Wu Yu about mortal life, and he entertains her with stories.
• Liu Zheng commands his growing team, while Chen Lingling observes their battle from afar.
• Wu Yu calmly confronts the frightened siblings and learns where they come from, turning a potentially hostile encounter into a cautious conversation.

Plot points and events

• Wu Yu meets Li Tiandu, an employee of the Three Pure Ones Group, and his sister Li Tianyu, a Martial Artist. He pretends to be an old, experienced cultivator and says he has long admired the group.
• Li Tiandu explains that the group’s famous technique, One Qi Becomes Three Pure Ones, is no longer practiced: its Qi Refining volume is missing, and the technique’s “uniqueness” makes it impossible to reproduce through ordinary records.
• The siblings describe their arrival in Dusk City, where powerful monsters and hostile foreigners have pursued them. They warn Wu Yu that foreigners are using drone airstrikes in the north and claiming the area as an Ocean Federation lighthouse.
• The siblings share their explored Map with Wu Yu, revealing a large northern region. Wu Yu leaves them and heads toward a church marked on the Map, hoping to find another quest or treasure chest. He fights monsters along the way and spots two Judgment Colossi guarding the entrance.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Yu presents himself as “Brother Wu” and a seasoned cultivator, carefully drawing out information while concealing his true identity and abilities. After sensing no immediate threat, he treats the siblings calmly rather than attacking them.
• Li Tiandu initially acts friendly and deferential, but later reveals that his Danger Warning talent predicted that he and his sister would die if they antagonized Wu Yu. He suspects Wu Yu has Divine Sense or a rare spirit body.
• Li Tianyu is wary during their meeting but relaxes once Wu Yu appears peaceful; afterward, she is shocked by the danger her brother sensed.
• The Mountain Lord accompanies Wu Yu in the form of a white cat and brings him several Talismans after the siblings depart.

Significant themes

• Power and misjudgment: Wu Yu’s apparent youth contrasts with the overwhelming presence the siblings perceive, while their caution keeps a potentially deadly encounter peaceful.
• Knowledge and loss: The missing technique volume—and the claim that the technique is unique—suggests that the history of the Corporate War and the destruction of knowledge are more complicated than Wu Yu understood.
• Inequality and exploitation: Wu Yu reflects on the gulf between ordinary people struggling to survive and wealthy families whose children are sheltered and well equipped.
• Survival in a hostile world: Foreign attacks, dangerous monsters, and the approaching evacuation point make violence seem inevitable, even as Wu Yu hopes to avoid needless killing.

Chapter Summary: “The Second Silver Chest!”

Key plot points and events

• Wu Yu approaches the church, disguising his Aether Construct as a nun’s habit. The two Judgment Colossi notice him but salute instead of attacking, allowing him to enter safely.
• Behind a statue, he finds a Silver Chest. After opening it, he receives three transcendent-rank Cards: a blue-quality Aether Wizard Potion, a blue-quality Blazing Light Staff, and a purple-quality Black Vital Vine Flower.
• Wu Yu tests the staff and finds that it uses spirit power to fire a powerful beam. He absorbs it into his mercury armor, raising both the helmet and armor’s progress to 27%.
• He drinks the potion. It consumes spirit power while strengthening his soul; the Bronze Tripod helps replenish his energy, making the potion about 10% more effective. After using three spirit stones to finish absorbing it, Wu Yu discovers his Divine Sense can now move physical objects, though its range remains fifty meters.
• Outside, he uses his newly strengthened Divine Sense to control a Giant Axe Knight’s weapon and restrain it, then defeats it with a punch.
• A massive drone-and-missile assault erupts elsewhere in the city. Wu Yu suspects that Tower Climbers are under severe pressure and may be concentrating their firepower to survive. Two Judgment Colossi run toward the bombardment, and Wu Yu braces himself for what may follow.

Character development

• Wu Yu remains cautious, keeping spirit power in reserve and treating the Colossi as a potential threat even after they show no hostility.
• He grows more capable: the potion strengthens his soul enough to let him manipulate objects with Divine Sense, improving both his combat options and confidence.
• He continues to think strategically about equipment, cooperation, and the danger of other climbers, rather than rushing into a team or confrontation.

Character interactions

• The Judgment Colossi behave unexpectedly like disciplined guards, saluting Wu Yu both when he enters and when he leaves.
• Wu Yu considers the situations of several people he knows—including Liu Zheng, Yu Tiezhu, Chen Lingling, Liu Yu, and Bai Xiaotian—but does not know what has become of them.
• The chapter ends with Wu Yu watching the Colossi rush toward the distant attack and reacting to the possibility that other climbers are in grave danger.

Significant themes

• Power and adaptation: Wu Yu turns new items and abilities into practical advantages, while technology and supernatural powers each have different strengths.
• Caution in a hostile world: He carefully manages his resources and avoids unnecessary alliances, recognizing that both monsters and other climbers can be dangerous.
• Escalating danger and uncertainty: The sudden bombardment suggests that the city’s threats may be forcing climbers into desperate, large-scale action.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Wu Yu defeats the Giant Axe Knight and collects two drops: a magic stone and a white Card containing a City Defense Secret Order.
• Avoiding the chaos drawing monsters through the city, he climbs a Clock Tower to observe a large battle from a distance.
• He discovers that several hundred Inspection Bureau Tower Climbers, led by Liu Zheng, have assembled a makeshift base and deployed drones, shields, cannons, and other improvised weapons against a powerful, shield-bearing City Defense Army boss.
• The Bureau initially appears to have the upper hand, but the boss withstands its firepower. A powerful beam eventually punches through his chest—only for the Bureau’s shield to fail and the battlefield to descend into chaos. Another threat, the Viscount, closes in, while opportunistic Tower Climbers rush to steal the kill. Liu Zheng panics and orders a retreat.
• Wu Yu uses the secret order to learn that the City Defense Army was told to evacuate residents before the Festival and have everyone pray to “The Lord.” It also orders a Legion Commander to bring the Son of the Sun from a dungeon to be burned as a heretic.
• An hour later, Wu Yu reaches an intact Alchemy Workshop, finds its entrance protected by a still-active magical barrier, and brings out an Emblem to test it.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Yu remains cautious and pragmatic: he observes the battle rather than joining it, recognizes how vulnerable the assembled force could be to additional bosses, and turns away when others converge on the fight. The secret order gives him a possible lead for a hidden quest.
• Liu Zheng is revealed as a forceful but pride-conscious commander. Wu Yu suspects he rallied the Bureau after an earlier failed attempt against the boss. When the battle turns against him, Liu abandons any show of confidence and desperately orders others to cover his retreat.
• The Inspection Bureau Tower Climbers demonstrate cooperation and ingenuity, combining varied talents, materials, magical tools, and technology to build a formidable assault force. Their coordination is strained once their defenses collapse.
• The Viscount and the boss turn the apparent Bureau victory into a crisis, while rival Tower Climbers exploit the confusion in hopes of claiming the kill.
• Wu Yu thinks of former teammate Yu Tiezhu, but cannot pick him out among the crowd.

Significant themes

• Improvisation and collective skill: The Bureau’s diverse Tower Climbers combine their abilities to create weapons and defenses on-site.
• Caution versus ambition: Wu Yu prioritizes survival, while Liu Zheng risks a large force—and his reputation—pursuing the boss.
• The dangers of overconfidence: The Bureau’s overwhelming firepower seems decisive until its shield breaks and another threat enters the battle.
• Mystery and hidden lore: The order’s references to the Festival, The Lord, the dungeon, and the Son of the Sun suggest a larger religious or supernatural plot.

Key plot points and events

• Wu Yu enters the ruined Alchemy Workshop using the Carlotte Badge, which bypasses its protective magic net. He searches the workshop and finds a Golden Treasure Chest, but lacks the key.
• Suspecting the badge is more than an ID, he searches the ruins and discovers a blood-marked sphere packed with Scarlet Insect eggs and corpses. He destroys them with the Evernight Lamp, preventing any chance of the insects escaping.
• Inside the sphere is a damaged box that opens when touched with the badge. It yields the chest key and a letter revealing Baron Carlot had been working undercover for the Scarlet Holy See. The letter then threatens Wu Yu; he burns it with Bi Fang’s Calamity Fire, destroying its living blood.
• Wu Yu uses the key to open the Golden Treasure Chest after a half-hour wait. It contains transcendent leatherworking gloves, a gold-quality blade, and a red-quality Crystal Slipper.
• He feeds the gloves to his Aether Constructs, raising their integration to 42%, and tests the new blade. Its scarlet mist overwhelms the Mountain Lord’s wind-and-cloud abilities, while a swing of the blade displays images—including glimpses of Wu Yu’s past.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Yu is cautious in the dangerous workshop, but his curiosity and resourcefulness help him uncover the key and Carlot’s hidden allegiance. He destroys the Holy See’s threatening message rather than being intimidated.
• He feels reluctant to set aside the Tiger-Soul Sword, which has accompanied him through many battles, but accepts that the new gold-quality blade may replace it.
• The Mountain Lord eagerly tests the blade, initially showing off before being driven off by its scarlet mist. Its startled reaction suggests the weapon has a power it cannot control.
• Wu Yu’s discoveries leave him wary of Dusk City’s wider mysteries and factions, including the Scarlet Holy See, the City Lord, the Festival, and the Dungeon.

Significant themes

• Danger beneath appearances: The ruined workshop conceals surviving insect horrors, and Carlot’s respectable role masks his secret allegiance.
• Caution and adaptation: Wu Yu relies on protective tools, careful investigation, and quick decisions to survive.
• Unanswered mysteries: The Crystal Slipper, Carlot’s true history, and the blade’s visions hint at larger connections and hidden pasts.
• Attachment versus progress: Wu Yu’s affection for his old sword contrasts with his willingness to adopt stronger equipment.

Key events

• Wu Yu admires and crudely refines the transcendent gold-grade Karot’s Skinning Knife, whose scarlet power harms flesh while its dusk power can damage souls.
• He opens the red-quality Crystal Slipper card. The beautiful shoes seem to affect his mind despite lacking transcendent power. Their texture and the Crimson Baron’s history as a leatherworker make Wu Yu suspect they may be made from human skin; he puts them away anyway.
• After finding nothing else in the Alchemy Workshop, Wu Yu avoids the ongoing fighting at the Inspection Bureau and hunts monsters instead.
• When the first evacuation point appears, Wu Yu sees it is relatively nearby. At the same time, the Great Being’s gaze reaches 30 points and will intensify by five points each hour, adding a new danger to the city.
• A group of Tower Climbers tries to lure Wu Yu into a camouflaged pit trap and ambush him with a sniper rifle. His Divine Sense detects the trap, and his blood-red shield deflects the shot.
• Wu Yu kills the sniper with a soul attack, then uses Soul Projection, a Bi Fang talisman, and the True Essence Blood Spirit Ring to overcome the others’ weapons and defenses. He kills Xiao Zheng after discovering that he was trying to escape as a Spirit-Energy Chip.
• Wu Yu salvages equipment and cybernetic parts, then tests the hidden trap by throwing Xiao Zheng’s remains into it.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Yu continues to demonstrate caution and resourcefulness: he refuses to join the Inspection Bureau battle, detects the ambush, and anticipates Xiao Zheng’s attempted escape. His confidence is backed by powerful gear and versatile abilities, though he notes that his soul lacks offensive techniques.
• The ambushers begin the encounter greedily, treating Wu Yu as easy loot; their confidence turns to panic once they realize he is a Cultivator. Xiao Zheng’s offer of payment comes too late.
• Wu Yu’s brief encounter with the slippers reveals that even an object without obvious power can exert a strange influence, which he resists through his divine sense.

Significant themes

• Beauty concealing horror: The slippers’ radiance contrasts with Wu Yu’s suspicion that they may be made from human skin.
• Survival and opportunism: Evacuation points draw dangerous travelers, and some exploit the chaos by trapping and robbing others.
• Escalating, uncertain threats: The Great Being’s growing gaze introduces a looming danger whose nature remains unclear.
• Power and preparedness: Wu Yu’s awareness, equipment, and quick adaptation give him the advantage over an organized ambush.

Chapter Summary

Plot points and events

• Wu Yu uses his strengthened Divine Sense to trigger a hidden laser trap without entering it. He disables the signal jammer and cuts the trap’s power cables, finding evidence that previous Tower Climbers were killed there.
• He examines his loot. The Spirit Sprout Ring contains impure spirit power and functions like a small, portable Spirit-Gathering Formation, aiding his cultivation. The other items prove less useful, so he feeds them to his Aether Constructs, raising both constructs’ fusion level to 47%.
• Wu Yu kills a lone ambusher with Soul Projection, then fights two more groups on his way to Exit Point One.
• At the evacuation square, he disguises himself with the Aether Construct and observes the gathered Tower Climbers. Many are trading supplies from different worlds. Wu Yu joins in, exchanging unwanted Cards for useful items and earning 670,000 Great Ruins Source Points.
• He notices Liu Zheng leading a large group and remembers Liu’s earlier promise to give them a million points, prompting him to look over at Liu with renewed interest.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Yu shows greater confidence and resourcefulness: he uses his Divine Sense to handle traps, kills attackers efficiently, conceals his identity, and takes advantage of the trading crowd. He is pleased by the Spirit Sprout Ring and by turning low-value loot into stronger equipment.
• Liu Zheng has become a prominent leader, with Yu Tiezhu acting as his bodyguard, Chen Lingling nearby, and others gathered around him. He tells Inspection Bureau officers that they should help fellow Federation citizens, earning praise, though Wu Yu suspects pride and profit also explain why Liu stayed.
• Tower Climbers from different worlds exchange goods and information. A foreign trader offers Wu Yu a cultivation method that would gradually transform him into a merfolk; Wu Yu refuses it.

Significant themes

• Survival and danger: Traps and opportunistic ambushers make the city perilous, but preparation and power can turn the danger to one’s advantage.
• Resourcefulness and value: Items useless to one person may be valuable to another; trading lets Tower Climbers meet needs that their own worlds cannot supply.
• Power and leadership: The crowd’s safety and organization depend on influential figures, while resources and status help determine who can lead.
• Practical self-interest: Wu Yu focuses on useful gains, while Liu Zheng’s motives appear to combine public responsibility with personal ambition.

Plot points and events

• Wu Yu finishes trading in the square, turning unwanted items into useful supplies and equipment. He earns 670,000 Great Ruins Source Points but spends over 300,000 during his shopping spree.
• He spots a Gold-tier hidden-quest Card, the Courtyard Invitation, at an elderly woman’s stall. After exchanging it for a rare Transcendent magic plant, he learns that Dusk City’s monsters are ranked by noble titles and that the Church and Clock Tower are dangerous.
• Activating the Card reveals the quest: go to the Courtyard and kill the Crimson Mother. Its map marker appears in an unexplored area northwest of the square, strengthening Wu Yu’s suspicion that several quests are tied to the Scarlet Holy See.
• Meanwhile, Liu Zheng recruits Tower Climbers to hunt two wounded boss monsters. More than a thousand gather, but Wu Yu stays out of the effort.
• As Wu Yu leaves, a group led by Ulu follows him, hoping to rob him because Ulu’s talent identifies wealthy targets. They use a drone to track him.
• Wu Yu notices the surveillance and lays Bi Fang Talismans as a trap. He then pretends to find a Treasure Chest and lures the pursuers into a clock tower. They enter expecting treasure and find only the talismans, which begin to ignite.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Yu demonstrates sharp bargaining, caution, and resourcefulness. He distrusts Liu Zheng’s promises, weighs the risks of taking on a Gold quest, and turns the pursuers’ greed against them.
• Liu Zheng takes an increasingly public, organized role, rallying a large group to pursue the wounded bosses.
• The elderly potion maker is formidable and weary of risking her life. She bargains firmly with Wu Yu, accepts his magic plant, and offers him a warning in return.
• Ulu and his companions act on the assumption that Wu Yu is wealthy and vulnerable. Their confidence in Ulu’s talent leads them into Wu Yu’s ambush.

Significant themes

• Risk versus reward: Wu Yu is drawn to the Gold quest because its danger may bring exceptional rewards, even though success is uncertain.
• Trust and self-interest: Tower Climbers trade, recruit, and cooperate, but often pursue their own advantage; Wu Yu remains wary of both Liu Zheng and the would-be robbers.
• Cunning over force: Information, negotiation, and deception prove as important as combat.
• A larger conflict emerging: The Crimson Mother, the Scarlet Holy See, and warnings about the Church and Clock Tower suggest that Dusk City’s quests are connected to a broader struggle.

Chapter summary

Key plot points and events

• After destroying a tower with the [Bi Fang Talisman], Wu Yu searches the wreckage and finds a fake USB drive containing a hidden Space Chip. It holds 63 Cards, mostly low-grade pills, techniques, equipment, and materials—apparently loot taken from other Tower Climbers.
• He tests a purple [Nine-Aperture Ruler], discovering that it can unleash a massive wave of sword qi. However, the [Aether Construct] refuses to devour it, so he stores it away along with a [Wasteland Vitality Pill] and a [White Lotus Sect Straw Effigy].
• Wu Yu uses equipment gathered through trades to raise both Aether Constructs to 100% fusion. Their upgrades to gold quality provide advanced mental, physical, and energy protection, greatly improving his defenses.
• Preparing for the dangerous gold quest at the [Courtyard], Wu Yu sets out across Dusk City, hunting monsters along the way. Several groups of hostile Tower Climbers ambush him; all four teams are killed, and he takes their cybernetic parts and Cards.
• Reaching the Courtyard, Wu Yu scouts from a Clock Tower using a drone. Its footage reveals strange, prehistoric-looking vegetation, familiar bugs, and enormous scarlet flying insects with human heads. A beam suddenly strikes the drone.

Character developments

• Wu Yu remains pragmatic and opportunistic, turning the wreckage of both attackers and ambushers into useful resources.
• He grows more cautious as he approaches the Courtyard. Rather than entering blindly, he upgrades his armor, plans further preparations, and scouts the area remotely.
• His confidence is tempered by the apparent danger of the Courtyard and the unexplained force that destroys the drone.

Character interactions

• Wu Yu’s encounters with the four ambush teams are one-sided: the would-be hunters underestimate him and are killed.
• His interaction with the drone is indirect but significant: it gives him his first view of the Courtyard’s threats before an unknown attacker disables it.
• The recovered Cards hint at conflict among Tower Climbers, as the hidden stash likely came from people who had killed and looted other climbers.

Significant themes

• Preparation versus recklessness: Wu Yu strengthens his defenses and scouts before attempting a dangerous quest.
• Predator and prey: Ambushers who seek easy victims become victims themselves.
• Salvage and adaptation: Wu Yu converts combat spoils and discarded equipment into strength.
• Escalating danger: The Courtyard’s grotesque landscape and mysterious beam suggest that even careful preparation may not be enough.

Plot points and events

• Wu Yu scouts the [Courtyard] with drones and discovers that intelligent giant insects can destroy them with powerful, hard-to-dodge attacks. He judges he could probably defeat the insects, but prepares carefully rather than accepting even a small risk.
• He restores his strength, draws talismans, and has the Mountain Lord watch for danger. The Mountain Lord alerts him when a group of eight Tower Climbers enters the [Courtyard].
• The newcomers—students from River City Advanced Academy—charge in confidently, believing treasure awaits. Their varied abilities initially make short work of the insects, but the noise draws a swarm of more than a hundred, including insects that fire scarlet beams. One student is injured, and the squad escapes by flying boat, which crashes after they leave.
• Wu Yu recognizes the students but does not approach them. Their attack has drawn most of the insects to one side, giving him a safer route into the [Courtyard].
• He enters from the east, protects himself with silver [Aether Construct] armor, and fights with his flying skinning knife, martial strength, and talismans. He defeats several kinds of insects, including spike-launchers and creatures that charge up a dangerous Crimson Storm.
• After collecting the Cards they leave behind, Wu Yu plants Bi Fang Talismans in tree hollows to lure more insects, then withdraws before they arrive.

Character developments

• Wu Yu demonstrates caution and tactical patience: he scouts, prepares recovery supplies, studies the insects’ behavior, and exploits the Academy squad’s mistake rather than rushing in. In combat, he shows confidence, adaptability, and a willingness to use both physical strength and tools.
• The Academy squad shifts from swaggering confidence to panic and regret when their noisy attack attracts an overwhelming swarm. Their escape reveals the limits of their teamwork and abilities.
• The Mountain Lord serves as a discreet lookout, helping Wu Yu detect the squad’s arrival.

Significant themes

• Preparation over recklessness: Wu Yu’s methodical approach contrasts with the squad’s impulsive entry.
• Learning from danger: Observation lets Wu Yu identify enemy patterns and weaknesses before engaging.
• Risk and opportunity: The squad’s failure becomes an advantage by drawing insects away from Wu Yu’s chosen route.
• Hidden threats: The intelligent insects use ambushes and coordinated attacks, making the [Courtyard] more dangerous than a simple monster-filled area.

Character interactions

• Wu Yu gives the shrunken Mountain Lord a gentle, familiar pat and relies on it to watch the surroundings.
• He observes the Academy students from a distance, recognizing them but choosing not to make contact.
• The students encourage one another and celebrate early victories, then cooperate in a desperate retreat once overwhelmed.
• Wu Yu’s confrontation with the insects is largely solitary, but he repeatedly responds to their tactics—dodging beams and spikes, exploiting charging delays, and using talismans to eliminate groups.

Key plot points and events

• Wu Yu fights through the jungle of [Courtyard], collecting useful drops and reaching a blood-filled lake surrounded by insect eggs.
• At the island’s center, he discovers a humanoid insect developing inside the largest egg. It radiates the malice and oppressive presence of a Foundation Establishment Adept; Wu Yu realizes it will hatch in roughly a day and a half.
• Concluding the creature must be killed, Wu Yu lights his [Evernight Lamp] with [Crimson Lamp Oil] and covers the eggs with dozens of [Bi Fang Sigils]. He detonates them, then repeatedly bombards the surviving creature with talismans until the island and most of the blood pool are destroyed and the insect dies.
• A notice confirms that the creature was the Crimson Mother and that the hidden quest [Courtyard Invitation] is complete. Wu Yu chooses to trade her to the Dark Sanctuary for a gold-grade reward.
• The Crimson Mother’s death drives the remaining insects berserk, greatly increasing their strength. Wu Yu carries her corpse out while fleeing the enhanced swarm, using talisman traps and his flight ability to escape [Courtyard].
• Outside, he bludgeons a Giant Sword Knight with the corpse, then collapses from exhaustion and injects himself with a recovery aid.

Character developments

• Wu Yu shows growing confidence and tactical skill: he assesses threats, uses Divine Sense to inspect the eggs, prepares traps, and spends his resources strategically.
• His instinctive fear of the half-formed Crimson Mother reveals the danger posed by beings on the level of Foundation Establishment Adepts. He steadies himself and acts despite that fear.
• The battle leaves him shaken and depleted, underscoring the cost of his victory.

Significant themes

• Preparation and adaptability: Wu Yu’s scouting, talisman placement, and escape route prove as important as raw strength.
• Power and technological inequality: The chapter contrasts mass-produced, weak talismans with rare, high-quality Bi Fang Talismans capable of devastating force.
• Escalating consequences: Killing the Crimson Mother completes the quest but makes the surviving swarm far more dangerous.
• Survival over reward: Wu Yu abandons collecting drops and fighting unnecessarily to escape with his chosen quest reward.

Character interactions

• Wu Yu’s encounters are primarily hostile: he methodically kills the insects, then faces the Crimson Mother’s looming threat.
• After her death, he uses the Crimson Mother’s body as cargo—and finally as a weapon against the Giant Sword Knight.

Chapter Summary

Plot points and events

• After killing the Crimson Mother, Wu Yu rests, then carries her corpse toward the Dark Sanctuary to claim his quest reward. Along the way, he avoids hostile creatures, passes an already-looted church, and notices the Inspection Bureau’s team heading elsewhere.
• The apparently empty clock tower proves to be a gathering place for ghosts. Seeing the Crimson Mother’s body, they react with astonishment and fear, believing she had been destroyed long ago.
• An elderly ghost opens a portal into a Spirit Realm—the Dark Sanctuary—and invites Wu Yu inside. He enters with the corpse, finding a bright, sheltered world where the ghosts imitate their former lives despite their surroundings and belongings being unreal.
• The elderly ghost explains that the sanctuary’s inhabitants are trapped and depend on their “Lord” for guidance. They intend to sacrifice the Crimson Mother, hoping her importance will earn them an oracle or blessing.
• Wu Yu shares a carefully edited account of how he found and killed the Crimson Mother, and recounts what he learned from a ghostly nun. The old man welcomes him and offers a choice of four quest-upgraded treasures.
• Wu Yu selects the Orb of Ignorance, a gold-quality wondrous item that consumes its owner’s emotions to improve cultivation. The rewards’ golden enhancement fades from the other three items once he claims it.

Character developments

• Wu Yu remains cautious and pragmatic, scouting the clock tower before approaching and staying ready for danger. He also shows resourcefulness by recognizing the portal as a Spirit Realm and using selective, technically truthful storytelling to build trust.
• His priorities become clear when he inspects the rewards: despite the appeal of a weapon and cultivation materials, he immediately chooses the Orb because its special benefits are more valuable to him.
• The elderly ghost emerges as a courteous but devout leader, grateful for Wu Yu’s help and hopeful that the sacrifice will draw favor from the Lord.
• The sanctuary ghosts reveal strong emotions and beliefs despite being dead: they are shocked by the Crimson Mother’s return, and some respond with excitement while others pray in fear.

Character interactions

• The ghosts initially surround Wu Yu and the corpse, questioning how the Crimson Mother could have returned. The elderly ghost then takes charge, welcomes Wu Yu into the sanctuary, and explains the inhabitants’ plight.
• Wu Yu exchanges information with the old man, including the nun’s guidance and the sanctuary’s connection to the Crimson Mother. In return, the old man offers him a reward and explains the objects in the treasure box.
• Wu Yu’s account earns the old man’s trust, while the old man’s explanation frames the sacrifice as an act of hope rather than mere ritual.

Significant themes

• Hope amid confinement: The ghosts maintain routines and faith within an isolated Spirit Realm, relying on the possibility that their Lord may still help them.
• Faith and sacrifice: The sanctuary’s inhabitants believe the Crimson Mother is valuable enough to prompt divine attention.
• Appearance versus reality: The ghosts recreate ordinary life with imaginary objects, and the supposedly empty clock tower conceals a hidden community.
• Pragmatism and ambiguity: Wu Yu helps the ghosts but also controls what they learn, balancing cooperation with caution.
• The cost of advancement: His chosen wondrous item promises cultivation benefits by consuming emotions, linking power with personal sacrifice.

Key plot points

• Wu Yu stays in the Dark Sanctuary to observe the ghosts’ sacrifice of the Crimson Mother, hoping to learn about the city and its hidden shop.
• He tests the Orb of Ignorance. It consumes his emotions and briefly leaves him in an unnaturally detached state, while generating five strands of Spirit Power—an increase equivalent to about five days of natural Qi Refining.
• Wu Yu merges the orb with his Bronze Tripod, Heaven’s Return. The gold-quality item upgrades to transcendent rank, retaining continuous recovery and gaining an ability to consume emotions for an instant restoration of blood qi, Spirit Power, and mental power. It remains upgradable.
• The ghosts sacrifice the Crimson Mother, but no visible divine sign appears. They nevertheless believe their Lord accepted the offering and blessed them.
• Wu Yu questions the elderly ghost, who explains that Dusk City once had ordinary day and night. Eternal dusk began after the city’s final Festival. He suspects the Lord’s punishment may have followed an attack by the Scarlet Holy See, though the city’s defenders supposedly dealt with the attackers.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Yu approaches the ghosts strategically, recognizing that their local knowledge may be more valuable than the payment he received. He evaluates the orb pragmatically, weighing its power against the cost of losing emotions, then chooses to merge it with Heaven’s Return.
• The elderly ghost remains deeply devout, interpreting the lack of any visible response as proof of divine favor. He shares what he knows about Dusk City when Wu Yu asks, though he is cautious about discussing the Lord.
• Wu Yu is privately skeptical of the ghosts’ certainty but avoids challenging their faith, instead steering the conversation toward useful information.

Significant themes

• Power and sacrifice: The orb converts emotion into strength, while the ghosts’ ritual likewise treats sacrifice as a path to divine favor.
• Faith versus evidence: The ghosts see blessing in an event that produces no observable sign; Wu Yu’s outsider’s skepticism contrasts with their devotion.
• Pragmatism and adaptation: Wu Yu assesses the orb’s limitations, uses it to enhance a more versatile item, and gathers intelligence from the locals.
• A city’s decline and uncertainty: The onset of eternal dusk is tied to a Festival, religious authority, and a violent attack, but its true cause remains unclear.

Key plot points and events

• Wu Yu questions the old man at the Dark Sanctuary and learns about Dusk City’s annual twilight festival, the City Lord, the City Defense Army, and a mysterious woman known as the “daughter of God.” She was meant to perform a sacrificial dance at Twilight Castle during the festival before the eternal twilight began.
• The old man explains that the Son of the Sun belonged to the Dawn Church and was imprisoned in a Dungeon, possibly near the City Defense Army’s garrison. He is unsure of the Dungeon’s exact location.
• Wu Yu discovers that the Sanctuary’s ghosts will trade for sacrificial offerings. By exchanging Crimson Blood Brew and other offerings, he buys three high-grade treasures—a Cursed Stone, Featherfall Technique, and Ghost Protection Potion—plus seven Glimmer Potions.
• After Wu Yu leaves, the old man meets with a group of armored ghosts. They reveal he was once a City Defense Army captain and discuss their hatred of the Scarlet Holy See, which they blame for corrupting the festival and bringing divine punishment. They want to rescue the young woman at Twilight Castle, but the captain urges patience.
• Wu Yu rests, then goes hunting Dusk Knights while waiting for the next evacuation point to appear.
• Elsewhere, Liu Zheng’s team assembles a sturdier, repeat-firing cannon. With a scouting team luring a knight captain toward an ambush, Liu orders everyone to ready the weapon.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Yu shows himself to be pragmatic and resourceful: he gains information through conversation, recognizes the Sanctuary’s hidden-shop mechanic, and turns monster drops he had considered unimportant into valuable equipment.
• The old man shifts from solemn host to skilled merchant when offerings appear, then reveals his former military role and his lingering loyalty to the City Defense Army.
• The ghosts remain committed to fighting the Scarlet Holy See and saving the “daughter of God,” though the captain tempers their eagerness with caution.
• Liu Zheng’s team is more confident than before, believing their improved cannon and the enemy’s weakened state give them a strong chance of success.

Significant themes

• Faith and blame: The Sanctuary’s ghosts interpret the eternal twilight as divine punishment, while accusing the Scarlet Holy See of causing the crisis.
• Pragmatism and exchange: Wu Yu’s trading success shows how understanding a place’s rules can turn seemingly useless resources into major advantages.
• Caution versus action: The ghosts’ desire to charge Twilight Castle and Liu Zheng’s planned ambush both raise questions about when to wait and when to strike.
• Unresolved mystery: The identity and fate of the “daughter of God,” the City Lord, and the imprisoned Son of the Sun remain central unanswered questions.

• Wu Yu strengthens his divine sense: After using several resources, including a potion, he discovers he can lift and hurl heavy stones with basic divine sense. He switches to high-grade spirit wine for its taste, though his already powerful recovery makes its effect negligible. He checks his Bronze Token and prepares to leave through Exit Point One.
• The Inspection Bureau’s battle unleashes a crisis: After killing a Flail Knight and collecting three ordinary cards, Wu Yu hears powerful blasts in the distance. He recognizes them as Psionic Cannon fire and suspects the Inspection Bureau’s attack on a boss has gone wrong. He decides not to investigate and continues toward the exit.
• The Dusk Lord’s afterimage appears: An eerie voice repeating “Festival” signals that something has been disturbed. A colossal winged figure appears over Dusk City, and the Bronze Token announces that the Dusk Lord’s afterimage has manifested. The city’s monsters begin rampaging and fighting one another, while the afterimage’s manifestation level rises toward the point at which the Dusk Lord will truly notice the climbers.
• Wu Yu races for safety: The No. 2 Evacuation Point appears far away, so he chooses Exit Point One instead. Using his Three Pure Ones technique and Wind Control, he flies through the chaotic city, dodging monsters and the afterimage’s unpredictable gaze. The gaze turns buildings, monsters, and climbers into Twilight Statues, ignoring their equipment and defenses.
• An ambush delays him briefly: Near the exit, a group of armed climbers fires an RPG at Wu Yu. He survives behind his silver armor and blood-red barrier, then kills them with a single saber strike without stopping to loot. He reaches the phantom magic array as the evacuation countdown begins at ten minutes.
  Character and interaction notes: Wu Yu remains pragmatic and alert: despite the tempting chance to hunt monsters amid the chaos, he prioritizes escape, avoids the Inspection Bureau’s battle, and responds decisively to the ambush. His encounters with the Dusk Lord’s gaze and the hostile climbers show how little protection ordinary gear and abilities offer against the city’s escalating threats.
  Key themes: Survival over profit; the danger of attracting the attention of powers far beyond human scale; and the sudden collapse of order, as monsters and climbers alike become vulnerable to the Dusk Lord’s gaze.

Key plot points and events

• With ten minutes until evacuation from the Great Ruins, Wu Yu waits at Exit Point One while the Dusk Lord’s gaze turns everything it touches into gold.
• Two beams sweep unpredictably across the evacuation array. Wu Yu escapes them, but the others they catch become golden statues. Each forced dodge resets the evacuation countdown, so Wu Yu leads a growing group toward the safer, distant No. 2 Evacuation Point.
• The group reaches the new array after an hour, only to attract a horde of Dusk Knights. Tower Climbers from many backgrounds combine weapons, magic, and martial skills to hold them off.
• The apparent victory is short-lived. Multiple powerful monsters arrive, including a Judgment Colossus, a Twin-Blade Freak, a giant Dusk Knight resembling a City Defense Army captain, a huge Spectral Wraith, and a Crimson Baron–like enemy. Liu Zheng’s Inspection Bureau team helps suppress the humanoid bosses.
• When a Crimson Flesh Ball is destroyed, it bursts into Scarlet Insects. The swarm inflicts the status Crimson Craving, which rapidly drains blood energy, Spirit Power, and Mental Power. Wu Yu leaves the array to escape its effects and prepares to fight.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Yu stays alert and practical: he avoids the Dusk Lord’s gaze, recognizes that Exit Point One is untenable, and moves the group toward the second point. He fights cautiously at first, using the Tiger-Soul Sword, but becomes more openly prepared for battle when the new threat overwhelms the evacuation site.
• Liu Zheng arrives with Inspection Bureau members and later directs their coordinated fire against the bosses. Initially reluctant to abandon Exit Point One, he orders the team to leave after the gaze resets their countdown again.
• Liu Yu exchanges views with Wu Yu about whether the golden statues can be restored, then joins the flight to the second evacuation point. Once the bosses attack, he urges Liu Zheng to work together rather than merely hold their ground.
• Tower Climbers of different types—Cultivators, Martial Artists, technologically equipped fighters, and others—cooperate under pressure, showing how their diverse abilities complement one another.

Significant themes

• Cooperation amid danger: The group’s varied skills make it possible to survive the Dusk Knights and initially contain the bosses.
• Survival requires adaptability: Wu Yu and the others must abandon a compromised evacuation point, and later leave the array when the insect-induced status makes staying too dangerous.
• False security and escalating peril: Each apparent safe haven or victory is quickly undermined by the Dusk Lord’s gaze, the monster horde, and the arrival of multiple bosses.
• The Great Ruins’ unpredictable rules: Countdown resets, unusual monsters, and debilitating status effects make the environment as dangerous as its enemies.

Plot points and events

• The Tower Climbers and the Inspection Bureau cooperate to fight the Dusk monsters. Wu Yu kills several dangerous bosses—including a Twin-Blade Freak, a Judgment Colossus, and a Giant Wraith—using his blade and powerful Bi Fang Talismans.
• Wu Yu learns that Judgment Colossi rapidly grow stronger if not killed immediately, making them costly to defeat. Meanwhile, the Giant Sword Knight captain proves nearly impervious to conventional attacks, while the Giant Wraith can be weakened by transcendent weapons and spells.
• When some Tower Climbers demand a share of the Giant Wraith’s Cards, Wu Yu intimidates them with his remaining Talismans and keeps the loot.
• Liu Zheng’s team completes a massive spirit-energy cannon, which blasts several bosses and briefly convinces the group that the battle is over.
• Wu Yu notices that the extraction panel is missing and realizes the apparent victory is an illusion. Using the Evernight Lamp, he sees the truth: the group is outside the park, beside a wounded monster that is secretly devouring Tower Climbers while they believe they are celebrating.
• Wu Yu attacks the monster, but a terrifying giant woman emerges from a portal. He unleashes hundreds of Bi Fang and Lunar Yin Talismans, apparently severing her arm, but the blast leaves him gravely injured.
• Wu Yu uses the Bronze Tripod’s [Heaven’s Return] to restore much of his strength. A mysterious, sweet voice then warns him that the giant woman is still alive and that her weakness is a “Life Casket” hidden in her palm.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Yu demonstrates tactical judgment, resourcefulness, and resolve: he saves Talismans for threats that require immediate destruction, detects the illusion, and attacks despite facing a vastly stronger enemy. He is badly wounded but remains defiant.
• Liu Zheng and the other Tower Climbers set aside rivalries to survive, coordinating to draw monsters away and build the cannon. Their cooperation briefly turns to greed when Wu Yu claims the Giant Wraith’s Cards, but fear of his Talismans quickly ends the dispute.
• The mysterious whispering voice enters at the climax, offering Wu Yu crucial information about the giant woman’s vulnerability.
• The apparent celebration among the Tower Climbers contrasts sharply with the hidden horror of their deaths, revealing how thoroughly the illusion deceives them.

Significant themes

• Cooperation under pressure: Former rivals work together when survival demands it, though self-interest quickly resurfaces.
• Appearances versus reality: The supposed victory is a dangerous illusion, and only Wu Yu’s vigilance and the Evernight Lamp reveal the truth.
• Resourcefulness and preparation: Knowing when to conserve or spend powerful items determines who can face escalating threats.
• Survival against overwhelming danger: Wu Yu’s resilience and use of the Bronze Tripod keep him alive, but the final threat remains unresolved.

Chapter summary

• Wu Yu recovers and finishes off the Siren mother. After Heaven’s Return restores much of his body and power, Wu Yu learns from the mysterious voice that the Siren mother’s life is anchored to a phylactery hidden in her palm. He finds it, resists its escape and sonic attack, then destroys it with a Bi Fang Sigil and Calamity Fire. The mother’s corpse dissolves, leaving three Cards, including one red Card.
• The Siren father attacks from beyond the doorway. The voice reveals that the family has three members and that only the father remains. Its enormous eye appears in the doorway, and its repeated blood-colored beams nearly overwhelm Wu Yu. The doorway then expands as the monster tries to force its way through. With his Talismans gone and escape looking increasingly difficult, Wu Yu is suddenly saved by an extraordinary interruption.
• The Twilight Witch reveals herself. Time and sound stop, and the Dusk Lands fade into darkness. The Evernight Lamp illuminates a vast stage, where Wu Yu meets a beautiful girl with golden eyes. He recognizes her as the mysterious voice that had been guiding and warning him. She greets him as someone she has waited for, embraces him, and kisses his cheek, calling it “the interest.”
• The witch gives Wu Yu a chance to escape. He returns to the frozen scene near the park: the doorway and the Siren father are motionless. The witch warns that “Dusk’s gaze” will not last and urges him to leave before Eternal Dusk arrives. Wu Yu calls her the Twilight Witch. She says she will wait for him to take her away from Eternal Dusk, addressing him as “my master.”

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Yu remains decisive under pressure: he identifies and destroys the mother’s phylactery, then uses his abilities to dodge the father’s barrage. His encounter with the witch unsettles him; despite staying wary, he feels an inexplicable closeness to her and responds with questions rather than hostility.
• The Twilight Witch shifts from unseen adviser to an intimate, enigmatic presence. Her fondness for Wu Yu and claim that she has waited for him suggest a personal bond and a larger role in his journey, though her identity and motives remain unclear.
• The Siren family is nearly wiped out: Wu Yu kills the mother and son, while the father remains alive and dangerous, trapped—at least temporarily—beyond the doorway.

Significant themes

• Survival through resolve and timing: Wu Yu’s skill and quick decisions keep him alive, but the witch’s intervention is crucial.
• Hidden bonds and destiny: The witch’s familiarity, long wait, and use of “my master” hint that Wu Yu’s connection to her may extend beyond this encounter.
• The danger of the Dusk: The frozen world and warning about Eternal Dusk establish an ominous force whose rules and consequences are still unknown.

Key plot points and events

• The Twilight Witch briefly reveals that she is imprisoned by Eternal Dusk and needs Wu Yu’s help, but she gives no further directions before falling silent. Wu Yu abandons the seemingly invulnerable monster and heads for Evacuation Point No. 2.
• At the evacuation site, Wu Yu finds the battle over and waits out the countdown. He inspects his spoils: a red soul-based technique, several potions and plants, and a matching pair of gold-quality rings called Mage’s Hand. The rings let him form two physical-seeming hands with Spirit Power and Mental Power, though their full abilities remain unclear. He saves the red technique, Soul Scream, rather than learning it immediately.
• Once evacuated to the Tower, Wu Yu and the others recover under the Tower’s restoration power. The group survived, though several members—including Yu Tiezhu and Bai Xiaotian—are badly injured.
• Wu Yu’s settlement reaches Legend (one star). His rating rises through numerous kills and hidden quests, including Missing Daughter and Courtyard Invitation, and defeating several major enemies. Collecting the Crystal Slipper raises his rating to Legend; earning the Witch’s favor unlocks a hidden achievement.
• The achievement grants Wu Yu the title I Want to Live off Women. While a Witch is by his side, it provides extra reserves of Blood Qi, Spirit Power, and Mental Power, and can improve as he gains more Witches. Wu Yu protests the title’s insulting implication, but accepts the reward.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Yu learns that the Twilight Witch may be an ally in need of rescue, deepening his connection to her and raising questions about her imprisonment in Dusk City.
• His restraint and practical judgment show when he preserves Soul Scream for a possible settlement upgrade instead of learning it immediately. He also plans to investigate the Mage’s Hands after returning.
• The survivors reunite: Liu Yu jokes with Wu Yu about how well he performed, while Liu Zheng reports that he and his colleagues worked together. Wu Yu largely ignores the teasing and focuses on the settlement results.
• The Crystal Slipper appears to be more than ordinary loot: the panel identifies it as a “key offering,” strengthening the suggestion that it is tied to the Twilight Witch.

Significant themes

• Effort and reward: Wu Yu reflects that, unlike in the exploitative Cyber World, hard work in the Tower can produce tangible results.
• Mystery and hidden connections: The Witch’s imprisonment, the Slipper’s significance, and the achievement’s title all hint at deeper links between Wu Yu and Dusk City.
• Survival and cooperation: The group’s return—despite serious injuries—underscores the value of luck, resilience, and working with allies.
• Power with unanswered costs and uses: Wu Yu gains valuable abilities and equipment, but their full functions remain uncertain, leaving him to learn through experimentation.

Plot points

• Wu Yu receives his rewards for a one-star Legend rating, including the title [I Want to Live off Women]. It offers a 50% boost to essence, qi, and spirit for each witch, with potential to grow—but only one title can be active. Since he has not secured a Twilight Witch, he keeps [Godslayer] equipped.
• Liu Zheng erupts over receiving a Low-C rating, arguing that the Tower’s assessment unfairly discounts his victories because he relied on technological support. Bai Xiaotian challenges his claim to the credit, while Liu Yu explains that technology can scale through contributions from many people, unlike personally refined magical artifacts.
• Liu Zheng defends the Inspection Division’s plan to concentrate resources in a select force to maintain order, promising eventual benefits for everyone. When Liu Yu reminds him of his promise to share two million Great Ruins Source Points, Liu Zheng makes the offer conditional on joining the Bureau and earning contributions.
• Wu Yu selects six rewards: both red-grade upgrades, three gold-grade rewards, and 500,000 Great Ruins Source Points. The rewards include two potions and the ominous Crimson Ritual, which causes bodily and spiritual mutation as it grows in power. He intends to take the reward but not practice it.
• The three pieces of equipment fuse into [True Essence Hand], a transcendent red-grade ring with enhanced versions of their abilities and a new Death Substitution effect. His saber technique upgrades to [Tiger Roar and Dragon Cry], a transcendent red-grade spirit-refinement method requiring Divine Sense.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Yu remains cautious despite his excitement: he weighs the rewards strategically, keeps his current title, and conceals his reaction to the powerful upgrades because others are present.
• Liu Zheng’s anger over his rating exposes his resentment toward the Tower’s rules and his belief that collective technological support should count as personal strength. He also tries to secure the group’s cooperation by tying promised resources to Bureau membership.
• Bai Xiaotian openly disputes Liu Zheng’s justification, while Liu Yu calmly explains the distinction between technological support and individually refined artifacts—and presses Liu Zheng about his earlier promise.

Significant themes

• Merit and fairness: The dispute over Liu Zheng’s rating raises questions about how achievement should be measured when power comes from collective support.
• Power and strategy: Wu Yu chooses immediate, dependable resources alongside exceptional upgrades, balancing ambition with practicality.
• The cost of strength: The Crimson Ritual offers power through unnatural mutation, making its danger part of its appeal.
• Institutional control: Liu Zheng’s proposal to centralize resources frames order and collective welfare against personal access and choice.