Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Chen reveals overwhelming strength by killing Ming Hao—who had forcibly reached Moon Radiance using a Buddha Sarira—with a single slap. His power shocks Huijing, Eternity, and the Buddha Spirit, who realize this is likely Su Chen’s true body rather than an externally empowered avatar.
• Buddha Land activates the Bright Sun Rune Array, not to defeat Su Chen directly but to delay him until the World Honored One returns. Su Chen nevertheless forces his way through the array and heads toward the Delusion-Breaking Forest.
• Yuan Shuo recognizes the danger and focuses on helping the Star Vault Ancient King escape. He explains that Buddha Land may capture rather than kill Star Vault, allowing Yuan Shuo to ransom him later.
• Su Chen reaches the Delusion-Breaking Forest despite the array’s resistance. His body is nearing collapse because Flesh Liberation and the Flesh Imprint are exhausting the Longevity Root, but the Longevity Root’s second ability, Endless Immortality, regenerates it once and restores his vitality.
• Elsewhere, the World Honored One and the Longevity Old Man are with the Mech Sovereign, Dao Lord, and Great Heaven, preparing to study Qin Jianzhi. The World Honored One receives news of the crisis and abruptly returns to Buddha Land.
• The World Honored One arrives just as Su Chen unleashes a fully charged punch into the Delusion-Breaking Forest. The attack approaches Bright Sun-level power, shatters the Rune Array’s defenses, and severely damages Spirit Mountain.
• The punch awakens the hidden Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion beneath the forest. The entity absorbs Faith Power, merges with its restraints, and begins freeing itself while declaring that it too is the World Honored One.
• The chapter ends with Spirit Mountain shaking and cracking as the awakened body emerges as a new threat.

Character Developments

• Su Chen: Displays a dramatic increase in physical power, easily killing a Moon Radiance expert and resisting Buddha Land’s defenses. He deliberately targets the Delusion-Breaking Forest, suggesting prior knowledge of Buddha Land’s deepest secret. Although his body is close to collapse, Endless Immortality restores him long enough to complete his attack.
• The World Honored One: Shifts from confidence to fury and alarm upon realizing that Su Chen has attacked the Delusion-Breaking Forest. His emotional reaction reveals how important and dangerous the sealed Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion is.
• Huijing: Becomes increasingly frightened and confused by Su Chen’s strength. He recognizes that Su Chen may be the true body and understands that Buddha Land could gain an immense prize if it captures him.
• Buddha Spirit: Acts cautiously, using the Bright Sun Rune Array to delay Su Chen rather than confronting him directly. It is shocked when Su Chen enters the Delusion-Breaking Forest.
• Yuan Shuo: Remains practical and protective toward Star Vault, prioritizing his escape and explaining the possibility of arranging his release if he is captured.
• Star Vault Ancient King: Is bewildered by Su Chen’s behavior and by Yuan Shuo’s assurance that Su Chen does not need immediate assistance.
• Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion: Evolves from a suppressed, sealed remnant into an awakened, autonomous entity capable of absorbing Faith Power and beginning to break free.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and deception: Su Chen’s true capabilities have been concealed, causing enemies to misjudge him and react too late.
• The danger of suppressed inner selves: The Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion represents a divided or discarded aspect of the World Honored One that becomes more dangerous once awakened.
• The limits of power: Even Su Chen’s overwhelming strength carries a physical cost, forcing him to rely on regeneration and carefully build momentum.
• Faith as both control and nourishment: Buddha Land’s Faith Power helps imprison the dark body, but it also strengthens that same entity once it regains consciousness.
• Strategic conflict: The characters rely not only on direct combat but also on delay, escape, secrecy, ransom, and manipulating the timing of powerful figures’ returns.

Character Interactions

• Su Chen’s killing of Ming Hao immediately changes the balance of power and terrifies Huijing, Eternity, and the Buddha Spirit.
• Huijing and the Buddha Spirit coordinate around delaying Su Chen until the World Honored One arrives, while avoiding a direct confrontation.
• Yuan Shuo reassures and advises Star Vault, promising to help him escape or arrange his ransom if necessary.
• The World Honored One and Longevity Old Man return together, with the World Honored One guarding against both the Buddha Land crisis and possible schemes by the Mech Sovereign’s group.
• The Mech Sovereign, Dao Lord, and Great Heaven interpret the Buddha Land conflict as an opportunity to weaken the World Honored One, though they remain focused on Qin Jianzhi.
• Su Chen’s final attack directly triggers the confrontation between the World Honored One and his awakened Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion, transforming the crisis inside Buddha Land into a far greater internal catastrophe.

Key plot points

• The Bright Sun Rune Array around Spirit Mountain surges in power as the mountain cracks. The World Honored One’s furious mental outburst names Su Chen, revealing that Su Chen is involved in the crisis.
• The World Honored One’s long-hidden Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion emerges from Spirit Mountain. Su Chen had used an avatar to release it, but the World Honored One has restrained that avatar.
• The body can control the Bright Sun Rune Array and pass through it unharmed. It explains that the World Honored One separated and strengthened it with the aim of converting it, merging with it, and potentially attaining the power of a Supreme Sovereign.
• The body also accuses the World Honored One of manipulating Tai Xuan Ye into helping him while weakened. Longevity Old Man hesitates to stop the escape, and the body slips out of the array.
• Su Chen warns the World Honored One not to fall for the body’s provocation, then withdraws his consciousness from his avatar. The World Honored One discovers that Su Chen has escaped it.
• The World Honored One’s fury erupts again when he realizes that all seventy-one Buddha Sarira and nine Spirits of Radiant Moon have vanished. Huijing recognizes that Su Chen stole them despite the array’s surveillance.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Chen is revealed as the planner behind the operation: he frees the World Honored One’s counterpart, uses an expendable avatar to draw attention, escapes the World Honored One’s restraint, and apparently steals valuable items as well. He remains wary of the newly freed being rather than treating him as an ally.
• The Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion appears calm and rational, unlike what others expected. It uses its intimate knowledge of the World Honored One and his emotional reactions to weaken his position and secure its escape.
• The World Honored One loses control as his secret plan is exposed and his counterpart escapes. His anger both empowers the body and makes him vulnerable to further provocation.
• Longevity Old Man initially tries to stop the body, but pauses when it raises doubts about Tai Xuan Ye’s death. His uncertainty gives the body an opening to escape.
• Huijing shifts from alarm at the body’s appearance to dread over the theft, knowing the missing items may bring the World Honored One’s wrath down on him.
• Outside observers—including Yan Xing, Huang Pan, Xuantian Ancient King, and Chang Gexiao—piece together Su Chen’s role and recognize that disrupting the World Honored One’s plan may have prevented a future threat.

Significant themes

• Ambition and betrayal: The World Honored One’s pursuit of greater power involved manipulating both his separated counterpart and Tai Xuan Ye.
• Emotion as power and weakness: The body feeds on the World Honored One’s negative emotions, turning his rage into a strategic advantage.
• Deception and hidden agendas: Su Chen’s apparent rescue conceals multiple objectives, while the body’s calmness masks its own need to escape.
• Uncertainty and shifting alliances: Longevity Old Man must choose between opposing a familiar power and confronting a mysterious, unpredictable one.

Key plot points and events

• Su Chen successfully steals the World Honored One’s Spirit of Radiant Moon and helps free the Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion. Back at the Bronze Church, he confines nine Spirits of Radiant Moon, using them to ignite Bright Sunfire.
• Bright Sunfire lets Su Chen Sanctify his Flesh Imprint into the Chaos Flesh Embryo, granting him the imprints Impervious to Ten Thousand Arts and Boundless Might. The power strains his Spirits and Longevity Root, so it cannot be sustained indefinitely.
• Yuan Shuo gives Su Chen unfinished Meteor Crystal Armor. Su Chen returns to Buddha Land through the Stupa Pagoda, intending to confront the World Honored One rather than leave others to bear the consequences.
• Enraged by Su Chen’s actions, the World Honored One threatens the Reward and Punishment Envoys gathered outside Buddha Land. He blames Su Chen for any deaths and prepares to attack, while Longevity Old Man tries to protect the envoys.
• Before the World Honored One can strike, a massive armored dragon arrives with Su Chen standing on its back, surrounded by Bright Sunfire. Su Chen declares that his quarrel is with the World Honored One.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Chen moves from covert thief to open challenger. His new power makes him much stronger, but its heavy cost creates a clear limitation.
• Yuan Shuo supports Su Chen by supplying the armor, though he remains concerned about the danger of returning to Buddha Land.
• The World Honored One loses control of his anger, crushing a Spirit of Radiant Moon and threatening those around him. His fury exposes the depth of his hostility toward Su Chen.
• Longevity Old Man attempts to restrain the World Honored One and shield the envoys, placing himself between them and a potential massacre.
• The Reward and Punishment Envoys, including Chang Gexiao and the Xuantian Ancient King, find themselves at risk despite having gathered to avert conflict.
• The Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion watches the crisis with keen interest, sensing both the World Honored One’s unusual hatred and the potential consequences for their relationship.

Significant themes

• Power comes at a price: Su Chen’s Sanctification grants extraordinary strength but drains the sources sustaining it.
• Responsibility and blame: The World Honored One assigns all deaths to Su Chen, while Su Chen returns to face him rather than let others suffer in his place.
• Escalation and retaliation: Past aggression against the Bronze Church has come back to haunt Buddha Land, turning a blockade and theft into a looming confrontation.
• Shifting power and uncertainty: New abilities and unexpected arrivals overturn everyone’s expectations, leaving the outcome of the conflict unresolved.

Key plot points and events

• Su Chen returns to Buddha Land riding Stingy Dragon, now clad in Meteor Armor. Stingy Dragon’s charge destroys the Buddha Spirit’s giant palm, while Longevity Old Man shields the battlefield’s other forces with an ancient-tree canopy.
• Su Chen explains that he came because the Reward and Punishment Envoys might otherwise have died because of him. Their reactions are mixed: some doubt his motives, while others feel grateful.
• The World Honored One, furious over the escaped Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion and the stolen Buddha Sarira and Spirits of Radiant Moon, attacks Su Chen directly.
• He uses the World-Fixing Bell to immobilize the battlefield, summons thirty-six wrathful guardians, and attempts to kill Su Chen with the Buddha-Refining Incantation—a tiny needle that could corrupt him into a Buddha slave.
• Su Chen resists the needle with his newly gained Impervious to All Arts imprint, then draws Bright Sunfire into his arms and uses Boundless Might. He joins Stingy Dragon’s fight and destroys the guardians.
• Chang Gexiao arranges for the Stupa Pagoda to evacuate the Reward and Punishment Envoys. Longevity Old Man watches rather than intervening.
• The World Honored One becomes determined to capture Su Chen, not only for revenge but to uncover his secret: Su Chen can contend with a Bright Sun without having advanced to that rank.
• Su Chen recognizes that the World Honored One is stronger and that his borrowed Bright Sunfire will not last. He considers using his remaining Faith Spirits to let the Saint Monarch possess him.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Chen returns openly despite the danger, showing concern—whether entirely sincere or not—for the people endangered by his actions. He demonstrates the strength of his Sanctified body and two powerful imprints, but understands his advantage is temporary.
• Stingy Dragon proves a formidable partner. Wearing the Meteor Armor, he breaks through the World-Fixing Bell’s restraint and battles the guardians alongside Su Chen.
• The World Honored One shifts from anger over his losses to obsessive interest in Su Chen’s abilities. He attacks without restraint and sees capturing Su Chen as worth more than recovering his stolen treasures.
• Longevity Old Man protects the envoys but stays out of Su Chen’s duel, judging that personal regard does not justify intervention.
• The envoys and onlookers are stunned by Su Chen’s return and his ability to withstand the World Honored One. The Xuantian Ancient King even wonders whether Su Chen has come to save him and the Star Vault Ancient King.
• The Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion recognizes the danger of the Buddha-Refining Incantation and watches Su Chen’s resistance closely.

Significant themes

• Sacrifice and responsibility: Su Chen returns to protect others despite the personal risk.
• Power and its limits: Su Chen’s astonishing strength lets him challenge a Bright Sun, but his borrowed flame is finite and the World Honored One remains the stronger opponent.
• Secrets and ambition: The World Honored One’s desire to capture Su Chen reflects how extraordinary power can become an object of ruthless pursuit.
• Trust and judgment: The envoys and ancient kings debate Su Chen’s motives, while Longevity Old Man distinguishes protecting others from taking sides in a personal battle.

Chapter Summary: “Enemies? Friends?”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Chen continues battling the World Honored One, using the Sanctified Emperor of Flesh and Blood and Immortal Profession abilities. These grant him overwhelming physical strength, near-limitless vitality, and enough power to withstand the World Honored One temporarily.
• Su Chen’s real objective is not to defeat the World Honored One but to rescue the Reward and Punishment Envoys through the Stupa Pagoda. Longevity Old Man successfully evacuates them once the battlefield’s interference weakens.
• The World Honored One uses a terrifying technique that compresses an entire starfield into his palm, trapping Su Chen and Stingy Dragon. Su Chen enlarges his Flesh Dharma Aspect and tears open the surrounding space to escape.
• Just as the World Honored One is about to suppress him again, the Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion intervenes. He blocks the World Honored One and allows Su Chen and Stingy Dragon to escape.
• The World Honored One attempts to persuade the Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion to cooperate against Su Chen, arguing that they share the same origin and would both benefit from killing him. However, the Body chooses Su Chen, claiming that he has finally found a friend.
• At Su Chen’s request, the Body enters Buddha Land and rescues Star Vault Ancient King. The World Honored One does not interfere, recognizing that he cannot currently overcome the Body’s interference.
• Su Chen, the Body, and Stingy Dragon depart. Longevity Old Man also withdraws after the Reward and Punishment Envoys have been evacuated.
• Buddha Land survives but is heavily damaged, especially Spirit Mountain. The World Honored One returns and orders Huijing to bring Wuliang to him, remaining eerily calm despite his failure.
• In a remote starfield, the Body thanks Su Chen and asks for his help in restoring Buddha Land to the “proper path.” He admits that his advantage over the World Honored One is temporary and that the World Honored One may eventually modify the Rune Array and find a way to counter him.

2. Character Developments

• Su Chen: Demonstrates a dramatic increase in power through Sanctification, allowing him to contend with the World Honored One. He remains cautious, prioritizing his mission and escape over reckless confrontation. He also continues to distrust the Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion despite accepting his aid.
• World Honored One: Reveals immense power by manipulating an entire starfield, but is frustrated and effectively thwarted. His normally controlled demeanor shows cracks through his bloodshot eyes and suppressed rage. His dependence on reason and strategy becomes apparent when he realizes he cannot defeat the Body directly.
• Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion (Chi): Shifts from a dangerous unknown entity to a temporary ally. He openly opposes the World Honored One and values his new connection with Su Chen. However, his origins, motives, and alignment with the Final Ruins remain suspicious.
• Longevity Old Man: Successfully evacuates the Reward and Punishment Envoys and becomes increasingly suspicious of Su Chen’s mysterious aura and strength. He begins to suspect that Su Chen may possess abilities or connections beyond what he has revealed.
• Stingy Dragon: Continues supporting Su Chen in battle, though even his extreme speed is rendered ineffective by the World Honored One’s spatial technique.
• Huijing: Witnesses Buddha Land’s near-destruction and is shaken by the World Honored One’s unexpectedly restrained response.

3. Significant Themes

• Temporary alliances and shifting loyalties: Former enemies may cooperate when faced with a more dangerous adversary. Chi aids Su Chen not out of complete trust, but because the World Honored One is his greater enemy.
• Power versus strategy: Su Chen does not need to defeat the World Honored One outright; completing his rescue mission and surviving are sufficient victories.
• The danger of uncontrolled power: Su Chen considers Sanctifying all his abilities but recognizes that doing so could exhaust the Spirit of Radiant Moon and leave him vulnerable.
• Freedom and identity: Chi rejects the World Honored One’s offer to “grant” him freedom, insisting that he is already free. Their conflict reflects the struggle between original body and divided self.
• Uncertain morality: Chi speaks of restoring Buddha Land, but his dark appearance, connection to the Final Ruins, and unknown motives make his promise difficult to trust.
• The limits of domination: Even the World Honored One’s overwhelming strength cannot guarantee victory against an opponent who understands his methods and counters his abilities.

4. Character Interactions

• Su Chen and the World Honored One: Their battle escalates as the World Honored One attempts to crush Su Chen through spatial compression, while Su Chen relies on Sanctification and physical force to resist.
• Su Chen and Chi: Their relationship develops from mutual usefulness into a tentative alliance. Su Chen remains guarded, while Chi calls him a benefactor and asks for future cooperation.
• Chi and the World Honored One: Their shared origin creates both familiarity and hostility. The World Honored One appeals to their common roots, but Chi rejects him and chooses Su Chen instead.
• Su Chen and Longevity Old Man: Their indirect relationship grows more suspicious as Longevity Old Man notices Su Chen’s familiar aura and realizes that Su Chen may be capable of resisting him for an extended period.
• Su Chen and Star Vault Ancient King: Su Chen ensures Star Vault is rescued from Buddha Land, completing another important objective before withdrawing.

Chapter Summary: “Nine Eyes’ Flesh and Blood”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Chen discusses a potential alliance with the Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion, who wants revenge against the World Honored One. Su Chen remains cautious, refusing to promise immediate cooperation because the Body is connected to Abyssless’s Pillar Lords and may be dangerous.
• The Body gives Su Chen a Demon Buddha Prayer Bead, allowing them to contact each other in emergencies. He plans to leave and recover from his long imprisonment in Spirit Mountain.
• Before he departs, Su Chen asks about the Body’s relationship to Final Ruins. The Body explains that:
  • He was corrupted by Nine Eyes and later severed from Nine Eyes by the World Honored One.
  • The Nether Domain is the foundation of Final Ruins.
  • Because the Nether Domain supports him, he could become Final Ruins whenever he wished, though he is not currently in that state.
• Su Chen asks for flesh carrying Nine Eyes’ aura, hoping it can substitute for Final Ruins flesh in locating the Black and White Flowing Light. The Body provides a strip of horrifying flesh covered in rotating eyes.
• Su Chen’s primary objectives are fulfilled: he has obtained the Buddha Sarira, the Spirit of Radiant Moon, the Body’s cooperation or contact method, and flesh linked to Nine Eyes/Final Ruins. The only thing he failed to acquire was the Faith Spirit.
• Su Chen and Yuan Shuo acknowledge that the Body’s intervention greatly improved the outcome of the conflict in Buddha Land, but they remain wary because he shares the World Honored One’s sinister nature and could become Final Ruins.
• Su Chen leaves with Star Vault Ancient King, intending to use the Vast-Heaven Flame’s disguise while searching for the Black and White Flowing Light.
• Elsewhere, Mech Sovereign begins transforming a barren planet into a vast mechanical facility while Qin Jianzhi remains insane inside a cage. Mech Sovereign, Dao Lord, and Great Heaven debate why Qin Jianzhi was corrupted while Primordial Mountain Lord remained stable.
• Mech Sovereign receives alarming reports that communications around Buddha Land have suddenly ceased. Soon afterward, they learn that the World Honored One was apparently roaring Su Chen’s name, suggesting Su Chen has entered or directly confronted Buddha Land.

Character Developments

• Su Chen becomes more calculating and strategically confident. He balances the value of an alliance against the danger of trusting the Body, extracts crucial information, and obtains the Nine Eyes-tainted flesh without revealing his own connection to Nine Eyes.
• Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion presents himself as cooperative and candid, but his manipulative nature remains evident. He tries to build trust with Su Chen while subtly probing Su Chen’s secrets.
• Yuan Shuo recognizes Su Chen’s success and remains cautious about the Body, emphasizing that their victory came with a serious new danger.
• Mech Sovereign is portrayed as observant, analytical, and technologically capable. He notices that Buddha Land’s communications blackout cannot be explained by Primordial Mountain Lord’s earlier actions.
• Dao Lord is protective of the Bronze Church and suspicious of the others’ attempts to analyze Primordial Mountain Lord’s power.
• Qin Jianzhi remains mentally broken, contrasting with Primordial Mountain Lord and raising questions about the effects of the Black and White Flowing Light.

Significant Themes

• Cautious cooperation with enemies: Su Chen and the Body share a common enemy, but mutual benefit does not erase distrust.
• Corruption and transformation: The Body’s connection to Nine Eyes, the Nether Domain, and Final Ruins highlights how power can reshape or corrupt individuals.
• Strategic deception: Su Chen conceals his motives and reactions, while the Body tries to read him through subtle tests and observations.
• The cost of victory: The Bronze Church achieves an unexpectedly complete success, but the release of the Body creates a potentially greater long-term threat.
• Mystery of the Black and White Flowing Light: Qin Jianzhi’s insanity and Primordial Mountain Lord’s different fate suggest that the Light has unpredictable effects requiring further investigation.
• Escalating conflict: The disappearance of Buddha Land’s communications and the World Honored One’s reaction imply that Su Chen’s actions have triggered a major confrontation.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Chen and the Body: They negotiate cautiously, exchange information, and establish a possible future alliance against the World Honored One. Su Chen obtains the Demon Buddha Prayer Bead and Nine Eyes-tainted flesh.
• Su Chen and Yuan Shuo: Yuan Shuo evaluates the consequences of Su Chen’s choices, agreeing that the Body was useful but dangerous.
• Mech Sovereign, Dao Lord, and Great Heaven: They discuss Qin Jianzhi’s condition, Primordial Mountain Lord’s unexplained stability, and the dangers hidden within Buddha Land.
• Mech Sovereign and the others: Mech Sovereign reveals the communications blackout and the report that the World Honored One was calling Su Chen’s name, shifting their attention toward a possible confrontation.

Key events

• Great Heaven summons Weird King Huang Pan to learn what happened in Buddha Land. Huang Pan reports that Su Chen had been hiding there as a clone and released the World Honored One’s severed Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion.
• The body claims the World Honored One was deliberately corrupted by Nine Eyes so he could later reunite with it and attain Supreme Sovereign power. It also accuses him of arranging Tai Xuan Ye’s death. The Pillar Lords treat these claims cautiously but recognize the danger: either half might consume the other, potentially creating a Supreme Sovereign-level Final Ruins.
• When the World Honored One threatened the gathered Reward and Punishment Envoys, Su Chen returned in person. Rather than merge with the Spirit of the Bright Sun, he commanded it—equipped in mechanical armor—to fight alongside him. With help from the freed body, he repelled several attacks and helped Longevity Old Man and the envoys escape.
• The envoys regroup near a Star Gate hub, where they trade accounts of the battle and debate Su Chen’s role. Su Chen arrives and apologizes for putting them in danger, while explaining that he had managed to protect them.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Chen is shown as powerful but not invulnerable: he can contend with the World Honored One, yet Longevity Old Man believes the gap between them remains substantial. Su Chen’s return earns the envoys’ gratitude, though some question whether he acted from kindness or obligation. He insists their safety mattered to him.
• Huang Pan carefully reports what he witnessed, including uncertain details, wary of being blamed for omissions. He suspects Su Chen did something else in Buddha Land that triggered the World Honored One’s second outburst.
• The Pillar Lords assess the political and existential threat. Mech Sovereign urges Dao Lord to ensure the Bronze Church does not help the freed body consume the World Honored One. Great Heaven questions Su Chen’s motives; Dao Lord argues that his actions matter more than his reasons.
• Longevity Old Man welcomes Su Chen but doubts that saving the envoys alone explains his return, suspecting an agreement with the Stupa Pagoda. Nevertheless, he approves of the choice.
• The envoys’ debate reflects mixed loyalties: many credit Su Chen with saving them, while a few argue that his actions caused the crisis. Their willingness to defend him shows that his intervention has earned broad respect.

Significant themes

• Power and ambition: The World Honored One’s possible pursuit of Supreme Sovereign status threatens to destabilize the balance among the Pillars.
• Uncertainty and trust: The body’s accusations may be true or self-serving, and Su Chen’s motives remain unclear even as his deeds are praised.
• Responsibility amid conflict: Su Chen accepts responsibility for the envoys’ danger, while the chapter asks whether good actions should be judged by motive or outcome.
• Political consequences: Old rivalries between the Bronze Church and Buddha Land complicate efforts to contain a threat that endangers everyone.

Key plot points and events

• After the battle at Buddha Land, Su Chen reassures the Reward and Punishment Envoys and earns their respect by praising their service and arranging for the Bronze Church to cover their travel costs.
• Longevity Old Man privately asks whether Su Chen will ally with the Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion against the World Honored One. Su Chen says he declined, explaining that he released the entity only to disrupt the World Honored One—not to join its wider conflict.
• Longevity Old Man warns that the World Honored One may have been involved in Tai Xuan Ye’s death. He argues the matter cannot be ignored, though Su Chen doubts anyone can make the World Honored One pay without defeating him.
• As the Envoys disperse, the public speculates about Tao Muzhi’s fate and the clash at Buddha Land. Reports that the Bronze Church attacked spread widely.
• Old Gou meets what appears to be Eternity, only to discover that the figure has become an image of the World Honored One. The World Honored One reveals that Eternity was exposed and that he knows Old Gou planned to lure him into corruption with the Black and White Flowing Light.
• Rather than boast of victory, the World Honored One proposes a new target: Su Chen. He admits that Su Chen fought him physically and joined forces with the Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion at Buddha Land.
• Old Gou, intrigued by Su Chen’s abilities and wary of the World Honored One, agrees to discuss cooperating against him.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Chen shows political tact and generosity, using sincere-sounding praise and practical help to build goodwill. He remains cautious about alliances and modestly rejects the title of Pillar Lord, despite his growing stature.
• Longevity Old Man acts as a probing but well-meaning elder. He tests Su Chen’s intentions, then acknowledges that the younger generation is surpassing the old.
• The World Honored One is revealed to be stung by his setback and especially resentful of Su Chen. He conceals that Su Chen was responsible for exposing Eternity, then redirects his conflict with Old Gou toward a joint plan against Su Chen.
• Old Gou is calculating and opportunistic. Though he distrusts the World Honored One, he sees potential in turning his schemes toward Su Chen.

Significant themes

• Power and reputation: Su Chen’s influence grows not only through strength but through carefully judged generosity and diplomacy.
• Caution amid shifting alliances: Su Chen refuses to be drawn into a broader feud, while Old Gou and the World Honored One cooperate only because their interests temporarily align.
• Generational change: Longevity Old Man recognizes that Abyssless’s younger powers are overtaking their elders.
• Public perception and uncertainty: Ordinary people follow events through scattered reports, forming conflicting views of Buddha Land, the Bronze Church, and the missing Envoys.

Key plot points and events

• Su Chen returns from Buddha Land with the Ancient Kings of Profound Heaven and Star Vault. He apologizes for the danger he put them in, while they make clear they accept the risk. Yuan Shuo agrees to keep watch on the rescued Reward and Punishment Envoys in case anger leads them to act rashly.
• Su Chen confirms that he took Buddha Land’s Buddha Sarira and Spirit of Radiant Moon. The Bronze Church plans to stay alert for retaliation while keeping quiet about the stolen treasures unless Buddha Land speaks first.
• Su Chen reflects on other threats: Old Gou has temporarily severed the Kind Father’s contact with the outside world, leaving the Black and White Flowing Light difficult to locate; the Kind Father also plans to create a creature to search Abyssless for it. Su Chen intends to warn the other Bright Suns.
• Su Chen is nearing a second Moonfire and considers improving his Origin-Returning Talent, though the required resources—a Heart of the Great Universe, God-Defying Condensed Blood, and a Bright Sun’s origin—remain to be found.
• Across Void Cycle, news spreads that Su Chen fought the World Honored One and helped the Reward and Punishment Envoys escape. Many assume he fought alone, since few witnessed the Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion’s intervention. His reputation rises, and some call him the “World-Purifying Pillar Lord.”
• The Five Pillars establish the Stupa Council to organize the Envoys. Its rules define jurisdictions and limit faction-affiliated Envoys’ authority, while allowing the Stupa Pagoda to issue broader arrest missions.
• The Dao Lord visits the Bronze Church, warns that the World Honored One may retaliate, and cautions Su Chen not to ally with the Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion against him, lest other powers intervene.
• The Dao Lord reveals that Qin Jianzhi, corrupted by the Black and White Flowing Light, has been captured alive. A research facility will study him, and the Dao Lord proposes involving Yuan Shuo in exchange for discussing Yuan Shuo’s path to Bright Sun.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Chen shows responsibility toward allies and confidence about future retaliation. He remains guarded about his abilities and plans, but openly admits to the Dao Lord that he took Buddha Land’s treasures.
• Yuan Shuo supports Su Chen’s choices and accepts the proposed research partnership, hoping it may help him progress beyond his current “bound spirit” state.
• The Ancient Kings demonstrate loyalty and willingness to share danger with Su Chen rather than hold his decision against him.
• The Dao Lord is candid and cautious: he probes Su Chen about Buddha Land, warns him about political consequences, and offers cooperation on studying Qin Jianzhi.
• Su Chen privately wonders whether Qin Jianzhi’s corruption might provoke a reaction from the Lord of Creation, then stops the departing Dao Lord to raise an additional matter.

Significant themes

• Power and political consequences: Su Chen’s victory and theft weaken Buddha Land but invite retaliation and reshape how factions view him.
• Accountability and institutions: The Stupa Council’s procedures show that the Envoys’ influence must be constrained by rules if it is to endure.
• Trust and shared risk: Su Chen’s apology and the Ancient Kings’ response reinforce loyalty built through dangerous choices.
• Knowledge as leverage: Research into Qin Jianzhi may advance Yuan Shuo, but cooperation also requires revealing sensitive information.
• Unresolved threats: The Black and White Flowing Light, the Kind Father’s new creature, and the World Honored One’s likely response all foreshadow further conflict.

Key plot points and events

• Su Chen asks Dao Lord about two materials needed to transform a talent: the Heart of the Great Universe and God-Defying Condensed Blood.
• Dao Lord explains that both came from experiments during the Age of Chaos. God-Defying Condensed Blood was made by the Final Ruins from their flesh and blood mixed with Strange God blood, and once caused widespread corruption. The Heart of the Great Universe was a Reality Universe attempt to reverse Nether Domain corruption, but it failed.
• Dao Lord agrees to send Su Chen the Heart’s creation method after looking it up. He is heading to Buddha Land to investigate suspected Strange God parasitism, possibly another new tactic by the Final Ruins. The case may involve Tao Muzhi, whom someone may have manipulated into exposing it.
• Su Chen plans to consult Remnant Spirit and gather undeveloped Professional Spirit in preparation for making the Heart. He also becomes more cautious about the dangerous Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion.
• In the Bottom of the Nether Domain, a huge egg transforms into a humanlike figure. It vows revenge on Jue Tianshuo and condemns Gou, Chi, and Yu for betraying it, suggesting a powerful hostile being has returned.
• Su Chen completes his second Moonfire, increasing his strength. He plans to obtain more Fusion Fire from Saint Monarch, then travels with Yuan Shuo to inspect Qin Jianzhi, hoping to learn from his transformation and test whether it can stir the Lord of Creation.
• The chapter closes with the Bronze Church’s successful renaming of the Auspicious Scenery Circuit to Redfall Way, following political resistance and recent events in Buddha Land.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Chen remains ambitious and methodical: he seeks rare knowledge, prepares materials in advance, and pursues greater power while reassessing risks. His second Moonfire strengthens his confidence enough to visit Qin Jianzhi’s research site in person.
• Dao Lord shares ancient history without demanding Su Chen’s motives, but turns serious when discussing the Buddha Land investigation. He recognizes Su Chen’s possible role in Tao Muzhi’s affair, though the two do not openly confront it.
• Yuan Shuo listens to the history, worries about Qin Jianzhi’s capture, and accompanies Su Chen to the research site after deciding Su Chen can protect himself.
• Tao Muzhi is described as upright but likely manipulated; his actions have drawn the attention of Chang Gexiao and the Pillar Lords.
• The newly emerged figure’s hostility toward Jue Tianshuo and its former allies establishes a looming threat.

Significant themes

• History’s lingering consequences: Ancient experiments and conflicts continue to shape present-day dangers and opportunities.
• Corruption and resistance: The Heart of the Great Universe represents humanity’s failed effort to counter the Nether Domain, while Strange God parasitism shows that the enemy continues to evolve.
• Power and caution: Su Chen’s rapid growth broadens his options, but warnings about dangerous factions force him to reconsider how freely he engages with them.
• Factional identity and prestige: The renaming of Redfall Way shows that political power is expressed not only through force, but also through control of names and public perception.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• At the Bronze Church base, Chu Ran receives a badly wounded Seventh Rank operative. The man reports that Clearwind Commerce has a lead on Black and White Flowing Light, but speaking about it triggers a powerful information curse. Chu Ran freezes the operative to keep him alive and uses a green seed to stop the curse from spreading to himself, then sets out to report the discovery.
• Su Chen and Yuan Shuo arrive at the Snow Isle Star Gate Hub, where the Five Pillars have established a heavily guarded research facility around a modified metal planet. Its purpose is to study Qin Jianzhi, now imprisoned in a sealed chamber.
• Qin’s body has transformed beyond recognition since absorbing Black and White Flowing Light. The Mech Sovereign explains that he has become seventy-six distinct species so far, in an ongoing mutation that appears to be neither ordinary corruption nor a transformation into the Nether Domain.
• Dao Lord tells Su Chen that the group has identified a way to detect Strange God hosts: a host can no longer receive recognition from a Professional Spirit. The test has limitations, but it can help protect important disciples.
• Su Chen visits Qin’s chamber. His presence briefly alarms the facility staff, though he reassures them that he will not interfere. A mysterious panel then reveals that the Lord of Creation dislikes seeing Creation Power used in a distorted evolutionary path. The entity removes a wisp of that power from Qin and gives it to Su Chen.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Ran moves from relaxed amusement at his friend’s new title to urgent, decisive action when the wounded operative arrives. Despite his privileged status, he proves capable and resourceful, using powerful items to preserve the man’s life and contain the curse.
• Su Chen remains curious and observant, recognizing the significance of Qin’s transformation and the danger of the Strange Gods. His unexpected gain of Creation Power leaves him both surprised and amused.
• Yuan Shuo and the Mech Sovereign bond over their shared technical expertise and discuss Qin’s mutation in depth, while Su Chen and Dao Lord struggle to follow their specialist conversation.
• Dao Lord shares a practical discovery with Su Chen, demonstrating that the coalition is learning to counter Strange God infiltration.
• Pei Song welcomes Su Chen and Yuan Shuo, then becomes anxious when Su Chen suddenly appears inside the restricted research area. Su Chen’s calm manner helps reassure the staff, though his presence clearly carries great weight.

Significant themes

• Knowledge as danger: Certain information is protected by curses that punish anyone who tries to communicate it.
• Evolution and corruption: Qin’s endless mutations raise the question of whether Black and White Flowing Light is searching for a new evolutionary path or overwhelming its host.
• Adaptation and countermeasures: The factions respond to supernatural threats through research, testing, and cooperation.
• Creation and its limits: The Lord of Creation appears to object not to mutation itself, but to Creation Power being used along a “wrong” path—and intervenes accordingly.

Key plot points and events

• Su Chen visits the Bright Suns studying Qin Jianzhi, whose condition appears unchanged after Su Chen secretly extracts his Creation Power. Su Chen wonders whether the Kind Father’s power is responsible for Qin’s transformation.
• Back at the Bronze Church, Su Chen gives the Creation Power to the Saint Monarch. The panel reports that four of the Saint Monarch’s Profession requirements are complete—effectively half of them.
• Su Chen trades the remaining Faith Power from the World Honored One’s Golden Body for Fusion Fire. The Saint Monarch grants him two fires, allowing Su Chen to fuse his remaining Moonfires and move closer to Bright Sun.
• The World Honored One and Old Gou discuss their plan to obtain the Black and White Flowing Light. Alarmed by Su Chen’s rapid progress, the World Honored One insists they must act before Su Chen reaches Bright Sun. Old Gou agrees to accelerate the scheme by bringing Buddha Land into play.
• Several days later, Chu Lingyuan delivers the Heart of the Great Universe and ten thousand drops of Strange God’s Blood to Su Chen. He reveals that someone obstructed the purchase and drove the price sharply upward.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Chen remains cautious about leaving evidence linking him to Qin Jianzhi, but continues pursuing strength and advancement. He is practical about scarce resources and prepares to make God-Transcending Blood Condensate.
• The Saint Monarch responds favorably to Creation Power and Faith Power, completing Profession requirements and generously granting Su Chen two Fusion Fires.
• The World Honored One sees Su Chen as an increasingly urgent threat and is determined to eliminate him before his next advancement. His impatience contrasts with Old Gou’s more measured approach.
• Old Gou adapts their strategy, redirecting pressure toward the Bronze Church through Buddha Land while maintaining his own agenda.
• Pei Song treats Su Chen with concern, though both avoid discussing the sensitive circumstances behind Qin Jianzhi’s capture.
• Chu Lingyuan supports Su Chen by arranging rare materials and sharing the news of interference with the Strange God’s Blood purchase.

Significant themes

• Power and advancement: Creation Power, Faith Power, and Fusion Fires turn spiritual resources into concrete progress toward Bright Sun.
• Secrecy and manipulation: Su Chen, the World Honored One, and Old Gou all conceal their intentions and maneuver others into acting on incomplete information.
• Escalating urgency: Su Chen’s rapid growth narrows the window for his enemies, while the chapter’s final revelation suggests that outside forces are already obstructing his preparations.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Chu Lingyuan tells Su Chen that the Bronze Church has secured the Strange God’s Blood and built the Heart of the Great Universe, but Su Chen’s advancement to Bright Sun faces hidden obstacles.
• Requirements for the Saint Monarch Profession have been quietly blocked: sites of Tribulation Fire have closed, materials for the Nine Defilements Return to Turbidity ritual have been monopolized, and several Outer Domains have changed hands or been destroyed. Chu suspects Great Heaven, the Machine Domain, Buddha Land, and other factions are conspiring against Su Chen.
• Su Chen says the church should perform frustration and resistance without committing too much, to mislead their opponents and keep them off guard.
• Chu then reveals a possible lead on Black and White Flowing Light, a highly sought-after object. The lead comes from Peng Jing, a Bronze Church disciple recovering from an information curse.
• Peng Jing recounts that he and his team infiltrated Clearwind Commerce, a Moon Radiance faction. After learning the words “Black and White Flowing Light” from one of its leaders, the informant died, the team was cursed, and Clearwind’s forces pursued them. Peng was the sole survivor.
• Old Yuan decides the lead must be investigated and supplies three mechanical avatars that can summon him if the investigators face a Moon Radiance opponent.
• Su Chen asks about Qin Jianzhi, whose mutations have stabilized. He suspects the removed Creation Power had been driving Qin’s transformation, and that Qin is now progressing toward corruption.
• Su Chen considers pursuing the Black and White Flowing Light himself, but decides to wait for more information and focus on his immediate preparations for advancement.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Chen remains composed in the face of the conspiracy, choosing strategic deception over open confrontation. He also shows restraint by not chasing an uncertain lead.
• Chu Lingyuan is anxious about the church’s enemies and the risks of the investigation, but trusts Su Chen’s judgment. He also shows care toward Peng Jing and anger at Chu Ran’s irreverent boasting.
• Peng Jing is revealed as a loyal survivor whose fellow disciples died protecting him. He accepts the church’s need to keep him isolated while the investigation continues.
• Chu Ran remains cheeky and self-assured, joking about his dangerous posting at Snow Isle Hub until Chu Lingyuan rebukes him.
• Old Yuan takes the Black and White Flowing Light lead seriously and directly supports the investigation with powerful mechanical avatars.
• Su Chen and Old Yuan discuss both the uncertain lead and Qin Jianzhi’s condition, though Su Chen keeps his suspicions about Qin to himself.

Significant themes

• Power and political resistance: Su Chen’s rise threatens other factions, which act covertly to obstruct him.
• Information and deception: Secret requirements, false leads, curses, and staged frustration shape the conflict.
• Loyalty and sacrifice: Peng Jing’s survival came at the cost of his companions, and the church promises to honor them.
• Patience versus ambition: Su Chen is tempted to pursue a potentially crucial opportunity but chooses preparation and caution instead.

Key plot points and events

• Su Chen returns to his Floating Island and uses more than ten Moon Radiance-level Rune Arrays to contain the dangerous materials he brought back.
• Following the Remnant Spirit’s instructions, he combines Nine Eyes’ flesh, Strange God materials, Faith Power, and a black-bone altar. After more than ten days of hazardous refinement, the materials condense into a single drop of God-Defying Condensed Blood.
• Su Chen then combines the blood with the Heart of the Great Universe and a portion of Bright Sun origin borrowed from Old Yuan. The Flawless One uses them to transform Su Chen’s talent into an Origin-Returning Talent.
• His new trait, Divine Flame Body, greatly boosts his fire-related abilities: it increases Void Flame Augmentation, strengthens Profession abilities fueled by Moon Radiance fire, and reduces the cost of Sanctification with Bright Sunfire. The Flawless One also awakens Autonomous Activation, further increasing efficiency gains.
• Su Chen tests his improved talent and finds that it accelerates Moonfire fusion dramatically. He then prepares a separate sacrificial ritual using Nine Eyes’ remaining flesh and a large supply of Faith Spirit, hoping to investigate the Black and White Flowing Light and connect with the Kind Father, a being above Bright Sun.
• As Su Chen begins the ritual, the scene abruptly shifts to a crowded spaceship arriving at Northwind Star Gate Hub. A young male passenger’s pupils split into countless tiny eyes, echoing Nine Eyes’ disturbing imagery.

Character developments

• Su Chen completes a major advancement in talent and gains confidence about his growing power. He remains cautious around uncanny forces but trusts his strength and contingency plans.
• Old Yuan reluctantly provides Bright Sun origin, showing unusual anguish at the request.
• The Flawless One helps Su Chen achieve the transformation and expresses hope that he will continue pursuing his original purpose.
• The final passenger is introduced with an ominous, unexplained connection to the eye imagery surrounding Nine Eyes.

Significant themes

• Transformation through opposing forces: The warm, sacred Bright Sun origin and the sinister God-Defying Condensed Blood initially clash, then fuse into a unified change.
• Power and risk: Su Chen’s rising strength lets him handle dangerous materials and rituals, but each step toward greater power brings exposure to forces beyond his level.
• Progress without certainty: Origin-Returning Talent appears to be the highest known stage, yet Su Chen questions whether an even greater level exists.
• Faith and corruption: Faith Power serves as ritual fuel but can itself be corrupted by Strange God substances.

Character interactions

• Su Chen follows the Remnant Spirit’s guidance in refining the condensed blood and constructing the sacrificial ritual.
• His interactions with Old Yuan are indirect but consequential: Old Yuan supplies the Bright Sun origin Su Chen needs.
• The Flawless One acts as both guide and source of enhancement, assisting Su Chen’s transformation and unlocking a new ability.
• The chapter closes by juxtaposing Su Chen’s ritual with an unknown passenger whose strange eyes suggest the ritual—or the entities connected to it—may have wider consequences.

Chapter summary

Key plot points and events

• A young man disembarking at a Star Gate hub senses a ritual offering directed at him and suspects it involves Nine Eyes’ flesh or the Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion. He refuses to trace it, since doing so would break Old Gou’s blockade and reveal his location.
• The young man also senses Qin Jianzhi, whose connection to the Black and White Flowing Light suggests he may have changed profoundly. He postpones searching for the Flowing Light and goes to investigate Qin instead, considering whether consuming him could be more valuable than reclaiming his own power.
• In the Prosperous Buddha Circuit, the Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion poses as the World Honored One and gathers Faith Power. He reflects on the Black and White Flowing Light and wonders whether Su Chen is connected to Nine Eyes. He regrets having given Su Chen flesh carrying Nine Eyes’ aura.
• Old Gou uses a ritual incorporating Nine Eyes’ remains to contact the Body. He proposes they work together against the World Honored One, but the Body refuses: he intends to become the Present-Life Buddha, not align himself with the Nether Domain.
• Old Gou reports the refusal to the World Honored One. They conclude the Body may seek help from the Bronze Church and plan to bring the Church under their control, hoping this will leave him with no allies and drive him into their trap.
• At the Bronze Church, Su Chen attempts to use a rune array to contact the Kind Father, but the attempt fails. Nine Eyes’ flesh remains intact, so he can try again. He turns his attention to a possible Black and White Flowing Light lead at Clearwind Commerce.
• The chapter ends as the black prayer bead the Body gave Su Chen begins to tremble, its surface flashing with Sanskrit.

Character developments and interactions

• The young man remains cautious and focused on keeping the Black and White Flowing Light hidden. His interest shifts to Qin Jianzhi after sensing their connection, and he begins considering more ruthless ways to gain power.
• The Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion shows ambition and independence. Though Old Gou offers him an alliance against the World Honored One, the Body prioritizes becoming the Present-Life Buddha and drawing on the Buddha Circuit’s Faith Power.
• Old Gou and the World Honored One cooperate strategically despite being longtime enemies. Old Gou tries to recruit the Body, then proposes using control of the Bronze Church to pressure him into accepting a later trap.
• Su Chen persists in seeking the Black and White Flowing Light and contacting the Kind Father. His failed ritual disappoints him, but leaves him free to try again.

Significant themes

• Power and ambition: Characters weigh whether to reclaim existing power, consume others, or pursue a higher position.
• Identity and allegiance: The Body rejects the assumption that his origin makes him a servant of the Nether Domain, asserting his own chosen path.
• Manipulation and mistrust: Old Gou and the World Honored One plan around one another while attempting to manipulate the Body and the Bronze Church.
• Faith as power: The Body’s access to widespread Faith Power is central to his plan and a key advantage over Old Gou.

Chapter Summary: “New Era”

Key plot points and events

• Amitabha—the Body of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion—contacts Su Chen. He reports that Old Gou of the Final Ruins tried to recruit him against the World Honored One, but claims he refused.
• Amitabha asks Su Chen and the Primordial Mountain Lord, Old Yuan, to help him fight the World Honored One, who is actively searching for him. Su Chen agrees only to help if Amitabha is in danger of being surrounded; he will not join an attack Amitabha initiates.
• Su Chen asks for more of Nine Eyes’ flesh, but Amitabha says he has little left. After the meeting, Su Chen stores the prayer bead and considers the risks of trusting Amitabha, who might even betray him to the Final Ruins.
• Su Chen concludes that reaching Bright Sun would improve his ability to deal with the World Honored One. He considers taking Black and White Flowing Light from Old Gou, but judges the ancient Final Ruins entity too dangerous to target.
• Six months pass. Abyssless adopts a new calendar era, supported by all Six Pillars, as the receding Nether Mist expands the territory. Though some factions fear this is a step toward greater central control, the change proceeds.
• Su Chen continues fusing Moonfire and estimates that his third Moonfire will be complete in three months.
• Old Yuan and Chu Lingyuan report that Clearwind Commerce is almost certainly searching for Black and White Flowing Light in the Heaven-Patrolling Circuit. Su Chen immediately turns to planning how to obtain it.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Chen remains cautious and politically calculating. He accepts limited cooperation with Amitabha but distrusts his motives, refuses to commit to an offensive, and weighs the dangers of pursuing powerful figures or valuable treasures.
• Amitabha seeks allies against the World Honored One, presenting himself as isolated and in need of support. His resemblance to the World Honored One continues to make Su Chen uneasy, and his claim to have refused Old Gou does not earn Su Chen’s trust.
• Old Yuan and Chu Lingyuan support Su Chen’s investigation. Chu Lingyuan explains how their agents confirmed Clearwind Commerce’s unusual expeditions and the likelihood that the treasure is real.
• The World Honored One remains an impending threat, while Old Gou and the Final Ruins are treated as dangerous, unpredictable powers.

Significant themes

• Trust and strategic alliances: Cooperation is necessary, but Su Chen limits his commitments because allies may have hidden agendas.
• Power and survival: Reaching Bright Sun could change the balance of power, yet even great strength may not be enough to defeat the World Honored One.
• Political change: The New Era calendar symbolizes Abyssless’s growing coordination, while raising concerns about the Six Pillars’ expanding influence.
• Opportunity and risk: Black and White Flowing Light could advance Su Chen’s strength, but acquiring it means confronting a faction with a poor reputation and uncertain defenses.

Key plot points and events

• Su Chen, Chu Lingyuan, and Yuan Shuo narrow the search for Black and White Flowing Light to three dangerous cosmic zones: Netherworld Forest, Scarletmoor Lake, and Stigmata Crater. Electromagnetic interference makes searching difficult.
• Buddha Land has also begun investigating Clearwind Commerce’s rumored connection to the substance. Formless visited the fleet, but could not verify the claim.
• Su Chen suspects the rumor may be bait laid by Old Gou to manipulate the World Honored One. Nevertheless, he decides to pursue the strand himself, asking Yuan Shuo to conceal his aura and avoiding a larger search party that could attract attention.
• At Clearwind Commerce’s vast Wandering Dragon Fleet, head Sheng Qinghe orders the search accelerated, hoping to make the organization the Seventh Pillar of Abyssless.
• In reality, Old Gou has engineered the flow of information so both Clearwind Commerce and Buddha Land genuinely believe the rumor. He and the World Honored One want the Bronze Church to obtain the strand and corrupt Su Chen’s master when he uses it, leaving Su Chen vulnerable.
• A separate scene at the Joint Research Institute shows a young man from Great Heaven noticing Qin Jianzhi’s cage. He learns that only exceptionally powerful figures, including Su Chen, could approach it, then moves on.
• Su Chen reaches the Red Maple Star Gate hub and studies Clearwind Commerce’s location and Sheng Qinghe’s strength. Concerned that going straight to the fleet might expose him or make Old Gou withdraw the bait, he weighs a cautious approach.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Chen is ambitious but careful: the possibility of gaining Black and White Flowing Light is worth pursuing, yet he recognizes that the situation may be a trap. He rejects sending more people and relies on Yuan Shuo’s help concealing his aura.
• Chu Lingyuan warns Su Chen about Buddha Land’s involvement and the danger of the World Honored One acquiring the strand. He accepts Su Chen’s decision despite his concern.
• Yuan Shuo offers practical support and agrees to hide Su Chen’s aura.
• Sheng Qinghe shifts from ingratiating hospitality with Formless to urgency and suspicion once the visitor leaves. He is driven by ambition, but worries about leaks.
• Old Gou reveals himself as the architect behind the rumor’s distribution. He sees the plan as successful whether or not Su Chen appears.
• The World Honored One treats Formless as expendable and supports the scheme to corrupt Su Chen’s master.
• The young man from Great Heaven shows curiosity about Qin Jianzhi and Su Chen, but chooses not to risk approaching the cage.

Significant themes

• Manipulation and misdirection: Old Gou’s scheme works because the reactions of Clearwind Commerce and Buddha Land are genuine, making the false trail convincing.
• Ambition and peril: Clearwind Commerce’s desire to rise among Abyssless’s great powers makes it vulnerable to the plot.
• Trust, restraint, and risk: Su Chen must balance the potential reward against the dangers of revealing his involvement.
• Power and expendability: The World Honored One views Formless as disposable, underscoring the ruthless priorities behind the larger conflict.

Key plot points and events

• Su Chen arrives at Red Maple Hub in the dangerous Heaven-Patrolling Circuit, where identity checks are largely absent because Void Cycle coverage is poor.
• He learns that the nearby Netherworld Forest has exceptionally high mortality rates. Its Nether Mist disrupts perception, its magnetic interference can leave explorers lost, and strange creatures may threaten even powerful professionals.
• A frightened Seventh Rank professional tells Su Chen that major factions map the forest by sending in large groups to mark routes and hazards. The man expects Su Chen to punish him, but Su Chen vanishes from the hub before he can react.
• Outside the forest, Su Chen secretly tests a Sacrificial Rune Array modified by the Infinite Neural Core, using Nine Eyes’ flesh as its core rather than connecting to Kind Father. After adjusting a faulty energy node, he produces a dark trail leading into the forest—apparently toward the Black and White Flowing Light.
• Su Chen prepares a Hanging Silk Soul-Guiding Rune Array to ensure he can find his way back, then follows the trail into the Nether Mist.
• At the forest’s edge, he examines a Netherworld Tree and finds it partly incorporeal. He notes that trees removed from the forest turn to black sand and disappear.

Character developments

• Su Chen remains methodical and self-assured, gathering information before entering danger and preparing safeguards rather than rushing in. He is surprised that the array locates a target so quickly, but remains skeptical and cautious.
• The Seventh Rank professional shifts from aggressive bluster to nervous submission after sensing Su Chen’s superior strength. The encounter leaves him resolved not to provoke strangers again.

Significant themes

• Danger and uncertainty: The Netherworld Forest is far more lethal than other forbidden zones, and even experienced explorers may not understand its threats.
• Preparation and knowledge: Survival depends on gathering intelligence, mapping routes, and using reliable means to retreat.
• Power and intimidation: Su Chen controls the encounter without violence; his strength alone changes how others behave.
• The uncanny and unstable: Nether Mist, spectral phenomena, and semi-real trees make the forest’s nature difficult to define.

Character interactions

• Su Chen intimidates the hulking professional, then turns him into an unwilling guide and questions him about the forest’s dangers and exploration methods.
• The professional explains the forest’s hazards and how major powers chart it, while remaining terrified of Su Chen.
• Su Chen’s interaction with the Netherworld Forest is investigative: he tests the array, follows its signal, and cautiously studies the first tree.

Plot points and events

• Su Chen travels deeper into the Netherworld Forest, where his senses are suppressed and powerful Nether Domain Creatures attack visitors. He effortlessly destroys a Three-Headed Vulture and witnesses a Thousand-Handed Black Flood Dragon devour a pilot fleeing a damaged mecha.
• A skeletal Strange God ambushes Su Chen, but he seizes it and demands to know why it is hiding in the forest. The creature invokes the Nether King, ruler of the forest.
• The Nether King appears and claims an agreement between the Final Ruins and the Bright Suns keeps the forest untouched: neither side will invade the other’s territory, and anyone who enters is left to their fate.
• Su Chen refuses to leave without finding what he came for. When the Nether King threatens him, Su Chen releases his immense power. Recognizing him as the warrior who fought the World Honored One, the Nether King panics and agrees to show him something.
• At the forest’s heart, the Nether King reveals his true form: an enormous ancient tree. Its roots encircle a piece of flesh from a being at the Bottom of the Nether Domain.
• The flesh’s influence briefly clouds Su Chen’s perception, but he quickly recovers. Suspecting the Nether King’s intentions, Su Chen attacks and destroys the tree’s manifested body, forcing the frightened Nether King to deny plotting against him.

Character developments

• Su Chen remains curious and composed in dangerous territory, but responds decisively when threatened or manipulated. His power proves far beyond the Nether King’s expectations, and he recognizes the revealed flesh as a serious, unsettling discovery.
• The Nether King shifts from commanding and confident to fearful and submissive once Su Chen demonstrates his strength. His claim that the Final Ruins respects him proves exaggerated; he had hoped to exploit an opportunity when showing Su Chen the flesh.
• The lesser Strange God is reduced to a terrified captive and is destroyed when Su Chen releases his power.

Character interactions

• Su Chen questions the lesser Strange God about the Nether King, then challenges the Nether King’s authority and demands an explanation of the agreement.
• The Nether King warns Su Chen away, but changes course after recognizing him and takes him to the forest’s deepest region.
• Su Chen confronts the Nether King after sensing possible treachery, demonstrating that he will not accept reassurance without scrutiny.

Significant themes

• Power and intimidation: The Nether King’s authority depends partly on bluff and reputation; Su Chen’s overwhelming strength quickly overturns the encounter.
• Hidden political arrangements: The agreement between the Bright Suns and the Final Ruins reveals that even a seemingly accessible region of Abyssless is governed by unknown bargains.
• Cosmic horror and dangerous knowledge: The mysterious flesh affects Su Chen’s perception and is identified as belonging to a creature from the Nether Domain’s depths, suggesting forces far beyond ordinary beings.
• Risk and survival: The forest is a place where entrants must fend for themselves, as seen in the casualties and desperate struggles along Su Chen’s route.

Key plot points

• Su Chen discovers that the Netherworld Forest’s ancient tree is rooted in a piece of flesh from the Kind Father. The Bright Suns and Final Ruins have agreed to leave the tree alive because the flesh is dangerous: it might contaminate the Reality Universe or reach the Nether Domain.
• The tree admits it has never dared probe deeply into the flesh and warns Su Chen that killing it could cause unpredictable consequences. Su Chen nevertheless touches the flesh. The Lord of Creation intervenes, purifying most of its corrupt power and leaving Su Chen a weakened remnant, along with a high-grade Creation Light.
• With the flesh secured, Su Chen decides the tree no longer needs to live. He destroys it and much of the surrounding forest, accepting the resulting disturbance as preferable to letting others learn he was there.
• Su Chen uses the remnant flesh in his Sacrificial Rune Array, adjusting the array over several days. It reveals a scene from the past—not the Black and White Flowing Light’s location, but a room on the planet where Qin Jianzhi is held.
• The vision shows an unfamiliar young man whose disguised face gradually gives way to his true appearance: he looks remarkably like Supreme Sovereign Jue Tianshuo.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Chen remains bold and pragmatic, ignoring the old tree’s warnings, exploiting the flesh as a tool, and killing the tree once he judges it unnecessary. His encounter also demonstrates the Lord of Creation’s ability to purify the corruption.
• The old tree shifts from cautious explanation to alarm and pleading, then is shocked when Su Chen makes the dangerous flesh disappear and turns against it anyway.
• Su Chen’s investigation takes an unexpected turn: rather than finding the sought-after Black and White Flowing Light or learning something directly about Qin Jianzhi, he uncovers a mysterious link to someone resembling Jue Tianshuo.

Significant themes

• Power and risk: Even a fragment of the Kind Father is dangerous enough to deter the strongest factions, while Su Chen’s unusual power lets him handle it.
• Pragmatism and ruthlessness: Su Chen prioritizes secrecy and his objectives over the tree’s survival.
• Unintended discoveries: An attempt to locate one resource leads instead to a revealing vision and a new mystery about the disguised man’s identity.