Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Wen and Zuo Shuiyun discover a mass grave and a blood pool in an underground cavern near the Cheng Family, suggesting an internal massacre.
• Cheng Ruidá, the Cheng Family Head, reveals he has another Foundation Establishment cultivator, Cheng Han, hidden within the family.
• Cheng Ruidá captures the blood demon and invites Song Wen and Zuo Shuiyun to help refine a mysterious pill, threatening them if they refuse.
• They enter the Cheng Family's Pill Chamber, leading to an underground cavern with a large pill furnace and a Qi-Sealing formation.

Character Developments

• Song Wen shows his ability to uncover secrets and his willingness to take risks when provoked.
• Zuo Shuiyun shows hesitation and reliance on Song Wen's judgment.
• Cheng Ruidá reveals his ruthless and manipulative nature, willing to massacre his own clan for his scheme.

Significant Themes

• Ambition and ruthlessness: Cheng Ruidá's willingness to sacrifice his clan for his goals.
• Trust and loyalty: Zuo Shuiyun's reliance on Song Wen's decisions, and Song Wen's apparent loyalty to the Beast Taming Sect.
• Discovery and revelation: Song Wen's uncovering of the Cheng Family's secrets and Cheng Ruidá's hidden plans.

Character Interactions

• Song Wen and Zuo Shuiyun: They show a growing trust and reliance on each other, with Song Wen taking the lead in decision-making.
• Cheng Ruidá and Cheng Han: They work together to control Song Wen and Zuo Shuiyun, revealing a hidden power dynamic within the Cheng Family.
• Song Wen and Cheng Ruidá: Their interaction reveals Cheng Ruidá's underestimation of Song Wen and his overconfidence in his own schemes.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zuo Shuiyun and Song Wen study a complex second-tier pill formula given by Cheng Ruidá.
• They assist Cheng Ruidá in refining the 'Blood Puppet Spirit-Refining Pill' over half a month.
• Cheng Ruidá successfully refines the pill and plans to use it on the Blood Demon.
• He offers Zuo Shuiyun and Song Wen spirit stones as promised, but asks for Zuo's help in a secret matter.

Character Developments

• Zuo Shuiyun: Initially underestimates Song Wen but later becomes more wary of him. She is shocked and enraged by Cheng Ruidá's request.
• Cheng Ruidá: Reveals himself to be a skilled second-tier alchemist. He is manipulative and willing to use others for his goals.
• Song Wen: Remains calm and composed throughout, hinting at hidden depths to his character.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and Power Dynamics: Cheng Ruidá uses his power and position to manipulate others, while Zuo Shuiyun and Song Wen must navigate this dynamic to protect their interests.
• Trust and Betrayal: Zuo Shuiyun's trust in Cheng Ruidá is betrayed, leading to her anger and refusal to cooperate.

Character Interactions

• Zuo Shuiyun and Song Wen: They work together in refining the pill but have differing views on how to handle Cheng Ruidá's request.
• Zuo Shuiyun and Cheng Ruidá: Their interaction is tense, with Zuo becoming enraged by Cheng's request, while Cheng tries to persuade her with offers of compensation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Cheng Ruidá, the patriarch, offers increasing amounts of spirit stones to Zuo Shuiyun, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, to perform a dual cultivation technique with a Blood Demon to earn the stones.
• Zuo Shuiyun is initially appalled but considers the offer due to the high reward.
• The Blood Demon breaks free and attacks Cheng Ruidá, who flees. Zuo Shuiyun tries to escape but is cut off by a flying sword.
• Song Wen, another cultivator, bribes Cheng Han, Cheng Ruidá's son, to leave but attacks him instead, killing him and learning about the Cheng Family's recent history.

Character Developments

• Zuo Shuiyun: Initially outraged, she considers compromising her principles for wealth, showing a complex moral struggle.
• Cheng Ruidá: Reveals a sinister side, exploiting others for his gain.
• Song Wen: Displays cunning and ruthlessness, using a bribe as a distraction before attacking.

Significant Themes

• Moral Compromise: Zuo Shuiyun's internal struggle highlights the theme of maintaining integrity in the face of temptation.
• Deception and Betrayal: Song Wen's actions towards Cheng Han illustrate the theme of trust and deception.

Character Interactions

• Zuo Shuiyun and Cheng Ruidá: Their interaction shows a power dynamic, with Cheng Ruidá attempting to exploit Zuo Shuiyun.
• Song Wen and Cheng Han: Their interaction demonstrates Song Wen's ability to deceive and manipulate, leading to Cheng Han's demise.

Key Plot Points & Events

• A mysterious plague kills nearly a thousand Cheng Family mortals. Cheng Ruidá, the patriarch, collects the bodies and claims it's an extremely contagious disease.
• Half a year later, another mass death occurs, this time including Qi Refining cultivators. Panic spreads, and rumors of a curse or enemy vengeance emerge.
• Over the next few years, clan members vanish without explanation. Cheng Han is given a Foundation Establishment Pill by Cheng Ruidá, but must allow him to plant a Soul-Locking Curse in his sea of consciousness.
• Cheng Ruidá reveals he obtained the Blood Curse Art, a secret technique used to cultivate a powerful spirit beast using human blood essence. He used this art on a spirit monkey, causing mass deaths among the clan.
• The blood demon, created from the spirit monkey, begins hunting and killing clan members, leading to a rapid decline in the family's population.
• Song Wen, a cultivator, learns about the blood demon and the truth behind the deaths from Cheng Han's memories. He kills Cheng Han and captures Qiulu, the patriarch's daughter disguised as a servant.

Character Developments

• Cheng Ruidá: Revealed as the mastermind behind the deaths, using the Blood Curse Art to cultivate a spirit beast. He controls clan members through fear and a Soul-Locking Curse.
• Cheng Han: Initially unwilling to submit to Cheng Ruidá, he eventually does so to achieve Foundation Establishment. He later shares the truth with Song Wen before being killed.
• Qiulu: Disguised as a servant, she uses her beauty and intelligence to secure a higher status within the family. Captured by Song Wen, she begs for her life.

Significant Themes

• Ambition and its consequences (Cheng Ruidá's desire for power leading to mass deaths)
• The cost of cultivation (using human lives to fuel a spirit beast's growth)
• Manipulation and control (Cheng Ruidá's use of fear and curses to maintain power)

Character Interactions

• Cheng Ruidá manipulates and controls other clan members, including Cheng Han.
• Cheng Han shares the truth with Song Wen, leading to his death.
• Song Wen interacts with Qiulu, capturing and devouring her blood essence and soul.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zuo Shuiyun and Song Wen team up to kill Cheng Ruidá, who had used his relatives to raise a blood demon and refine an evil pill.
• Cheng Ruidá is killed by Song Wen's flying sword, assisted by Zuo Shuiyun.
• Zuo Shuiyun captures the blood demon and heals it using pills.
• Song Wen takes Cheng Ruidá's storage ring and finds a blood-red token inside.
• They divide Cheng Ruidá's belongings; Song Wen takes the storage ring and Cheng Ruidá's corpse, while Zuo Shuiyun takes the blood demon and the Blood Puppet Spirit-Refining Pill.
• They part ways, each entering separate cave dwellings on a mountain.

Character Developments

• Zuo Shuiyun: Shows her ruthlessness and ambition by capturing the blood demon to make it her spirit beast.
• Song Wen: Reveals hidden strength and cunning by hiding his true intentions and trapping Cheng Ruidá's soul using the Binding Soul Technique.

Significant Themes

• Ambition and power hunger: Both Zuo Shuiyun and Song Wen are driven by their desire for power and resources, leading them to act independently despite their temporary alliance.
• Betrayal and trust: Their alliance is built on deceit, as each has their own agenda and is willing to betray the other if it suits their goals.

Character Interactions

• Zuo Shuiyun and Song Wen: Their interaction is marked by mutual suspicion and hidden agendas, with each trying to gain more from their alliance while keeping their true intentions secret.
• Zuo Shuiyun and the blood demon: Zuo Shuiyun shows no mercy in capturing and subduing the blood demon, viewing it as a valuable resource to increase her power.
• Song Wen and Cheng Ruidá's soul: Song Wen secretly traps Cheng Ruidá's soul, indicating his desire to gain more information or power from it.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zuo Shuiyun informs Song Wen that she plans to stay and cultivate in seclusion, and they agree to meet again in a month to return to the sect together.
• Song Wen discovers the entrance to the ruins where Cheng Ruidá obtained the Blood Curse Technique and decides to investigate.
• Inside the ruins, Song Wen finds an underground cave with a deep river and a grotto containing a skeleton with a storage ring. He finds nothing useful and considers exploring the river.
• Cyan light activates, and Song Wen is transported to an ancient underground hall with a palace, thirteen statues, and a deep pool.

Character Developments

• Zuo Shuiyun decides to stay and cultivate in seclusion to subdue the blood demon before returning to the sect.
• Song Wen shows curiosity and determination in investigating the ruins for clues about the Corpse King Blood Refinement Art.

Significant Themes

• The passage of time and the erosion of ancient civilizations, as seen in the underground cave and the ancient hall.
• The power of ancient artifacts and techniques, hinted at by the storage ring and the Blood Curse Technique.

Character Interactions

• Song Wen and Zuo Shuiyun discuss their plans and agree to meet later.
• Three groups of cultivators (Azure Robes, Buddhist, and Rogue Cultivators) face off in the ancient hall, hinting at potential future interactions or conflicts.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tang Fu, a cultivator, and his group discover the Blood Cloud Cave, but are followed by Miaofa, a Buddhist monk, and his group.
• Both groups enter the cave, leading to the deaths of two of Alliance Leader Zhong's subordinates, activating restrictions and preventing anyone from leaving.
• A Rogue Cultivator, Song Wen, is inexplicably teleported to the cave's square.
• The main group enters the great hall, leaving Song Wen alone in the square with powerful restrictions preventing him from leaving (gravity, airborne, and spiritual sense restrictions).
• Song Wen discovers a cave entrance and a waterfall, speculating that the waterfall might lead upstream to an exit.

Character Developments

• Tang Fu: Starts off aggressive and furious towards Miaofa, but later agrees to cooperate due to their shared predicament.
• Miaofa: Remains calm and composed despite Tang Fu's anger, showing a level of wisdom and patience.
• Song Wen: Initially terrified, he quickly adapts to his situation, using his knowledge and resources to investigate his surroundings and strategize his escape.

Significant Themes

• Cooperation vs. Competition: The initial hostility between Tang Fu and Miaofa gives way to cooperation due to their shared predicament, highlighting the importance of working together in difficult situations.
• Adaptation and Resourcefulness: Song Wen's ability to assess his situation and use his knowledge and resources to plan his escape demonstrates the importance of adaptability and resourcefulness in the face of adversity.

Character Interactions

• Tang Fu and Miaofa: Their initial argument highlights their differing views and methods, but they eventually agree to cooperate.
• Song Wen and the Main Group: Song Wen is left alone in the square, highlighting his isolation and the need for him to rely on his own skills and knowledge to escape.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Tang Family cultivators and Rogue Cultivators, led by Zhong Liang, search the grand hall of Blood Cloud Cave but find nothing.
• Song Wen enters the grand hall later and also finds nothing.
• Tang Fu and Zhong Liang's group turn their attention to the thirteen stone statues in the plaza, hoping to find a way out.
• Tang Fu orders one of his subordinates, a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage body cultivator, to attack Song Wen and force him to interact with the statues.
• Song Wen uses his Turtle-Snake Shield and lightning arts to kill the subordinate, demonstrating the power of his thunder arts.

Character Developments

• Miaofa remains neutral and uninvolved, waiting for opportunities.
• Song Wen reveals his true strength and killing intent, showing that he is not to be underestimated.
• Tang Fu's group underestimates Song Wen, leading to the loss of one of their cultivators.

Significant Themes

• The power of thunder arts and their ability to restrain yin and evil entities.
• The danger of underestimating opponents, as seen in the death of Tang Fu's subordinate.
• The importance of adaptability and resourcefulness in facing unexpected situations, as shown by Song Wen's actions.

Character Interactions

• Miaofa keeps his distance from the conflict, showing no allegiance to either side.
• Tang Fu and Zhong Liang communicate through spiritual sense, indicating a level of cooperation between them.
• Song Wen's interaction with Tang Fu's subordinate demonstrates his combat prowess and willingness to fight when provoked.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Wen faces Tang Fu and other cultivators at the Blood Cloud Cave plaza.
• Thirteen statues come to life, revealing a hidden entrance to a treasure site.
• Song Wen and others descend into a deep hole, leading to an underground river.
• They reach an underground lake with a stone hall at its center, containing ancient dried corpses and a bronze corpse coffin.

Character Developments

• Song Wen demonstrates his combat prowess and strategic thinking, ambushing and killing cultivators.
• Tang Fu shows his cunning and determination in pursuing the treasure.
• Miaofa and the Buddhist monks exhibit their power against the dried corpses.

Significant Themes

• The pursuit of power and treasure at any cost, even at the risk of one's life.
• The ancient, desolate aura surrounding the bronze corpse coffin hints at a mysterious and potentially dangerous history.

Character Interactions

• Tang Fu and others work together to clear out the dried corpses but remain cautious and wary of each other.
• Miaofa and the Buddhist monks cooperate effectively against the dried corpses, showcasing their teamwork and shared goals.
• Song Wen remains hidden, observing and waiting for the right moment to act, demonstrating his independent nature and strategic thinking.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhong Liang and Tang Fu reveal their past efforts to locate Blood Cloud Cave, seeking a cultivation technique to help them form their cores.
• They invite Miaofa and his group to join forces, promising to share the technique if found.
• The group discusses the bronze corpses guarding the platform, deciding Zhong Liang will lure them away while the others attack.

Character Developments

• Zhong Liang: Shows ambition and courage, volunteering for the dangerous task of luring the bronze corpses.
• Tang Fu: Demonstrates caution and strategic thinking, considering the risks and benefits of Zhong Liang's plan.
• Miaofa: Maintains a calm and collected demeanor, agreeing to support Zhong Liang's plan.

Significant Themes

• Ambition and risk-taking: Zhong Liang's desire to form his core drives him to take on a dangerous task.
• Cooperation and trust: The group works together, sharing information and agreeing to support each other's plans.
• Power dynamics: The bronze corpses' strength and the battle formation they've formed pose a significant threat to the group.

Character Interactions

• Zhong Liang and Tang Fu: They share a history of collaboration and mutual respect, working together to locate Blood Cloud Cave.
• Zhong Liang and Miaofa: They establish a temporary alliance, agreeing to share any found treasures and support each other in battle.
• The group: They discuss strategies and agree on a plan, with Zhong Liang volunteering for the most dangerous part.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhong Liang lures the bronze corpses off the platform using corpse-luring methods and chunks of flesh.
• The bronze corpses attack Tang Fu, Miaofa, and the others, who are trapped in the stone hall.
• Miaofa kills one bronze corpse using Buddhist arts, but Miaofa's spiritual power is nearly depleted.
• Zhong Liang opens the bronze corpse coffin and finds an enormous wooden statue carved from Soul-Nourishing Wood.

Character Developments

• Zhong Liang demonstrates his cunning and resourcefulness in luring the bronze corpses but also shows greed for the Soul-Nourishing Wood statue.
• Miaofa proves his powerful Buddhist arts but is reluctant to help Tang Fu and the others further due to his depleted spiritual power.

Significant Themes

• Greed and its consequences (Zhong Liang's desire for the Soul-Nourishing Wood statue)
• The limits of one's power and when to help others (Miaofa's decision not to aid Tang Fu and the others)

Character Interactions

• Zhong Liang manipulates Tang Fu and the others, leading to their entrapment and attack by the bronze corpses.
• Miaofa initially helps Tang Fu and the others but later prioritizes his own safety due to his depleted spiritual power.
• Tang Fu and the others struggle to hold off the bronze corpses, hoping for Miaofa's assistance.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhong Liang discovers a wooden statue and two blood-red jade slips in an overturned bronze corpse coffin.
• Miaofa's relic shatters, freeing the bronze corpses.
• A silver corpse, now powerful due to absorbing Yellow Essence Fungus, blocks the escape route.
• The group faces a silver corpse ahead and bronze corpses behind, with no escape in sight.

Character Developments

• Zhong Liang: Shows opportunism and willingness to betray allies for personal gain.
• Miaofa: Prioritizes revenge over self-preservation, leading to his downfall.
• Song Wen: Reveals his true power and control over the silver corpse, trapping the group.

Significant Themes

• Greed and betrayal: Characters prioritize personal gain over alliances and cooperation.
• Power dynamics: The silver corpse's increased power shifts the balance of control.
• Desperate situations: Characters face a dire scenario with no clear escape route.

Character Interactions

• Zhong Liang and Tang Fu: Zhong Liang betrays Tang Fu, but they temporarily ally to escape.
• Miaofa and Tang Fu: Miaofa seeks revenge against Tang Fu, leading to his death.
• Song Wen and the group: Song Wen traps the group between the silver corpse and bronze corpses, showing his dominance.

Key Plot Points and Events

• A battle ensues at the entrance of the stone hall, causing significant destruction.
• Zhong Liang surrenders two jade slips to Song Wen in exchange for his life but ambushes him with a blood mist poison.
• Song Wen, protected by his bronze Great Lu and Myriad Poisons Primordial Body, emerges unharmed from the blood mist.
• Zhong Liang is killed by the Ghost King, and Song Wen retrieves the jade slips.
• A wooden statue from the bronze corpse coffin awakens and blocks everyone's exit, intending to devour their souls to stabilize its soul body.
• The statue sends out wyrm phantoms to attack the strongest cultivators: Song Wen, Tang Fu, and Miaofa.
• Tang Fu and Miaofa struggle against the phantoms, while Tang Si is killed and his soul taken.
• Song Wen attempts to use the Blood Escape Technique but is stopped by the statue.
• Song Wen summons the silver corpse and Ghost King to attack the statue, and the Great Cavern Divine Thunder strikes the statue, damaging its magical patterns.

Character Developments

• Zhong Liang shows cowardice and willingness to sacrifice his subordinates for his own survival.
• Song Wen demonstrates his resistance to poisons and his ability to counter spiritual attacks.
• Blood Brow, the wooden statue, reveals its ability to send out soul-devouring phantoms and its delight in facing powerful attacks.

Significant Themes

• The power of poisons and resistance to them.
• The threat of spiritual attacks and the need for protection against them.
• The struggle for survival and the willingness to sacrifice others for one's own gain.
• The allure of power and the desire to face strong opponents.

Character Interactions

• Zhong Liang attempts to deceive and ambush Song Wen but ultimately fails.
• Song Wen, Tang Fu, and Miaofa face off against the wyrm phantoms sent by Blood Brow.
• Tang Fu sacrifices Tang Si to buy himself time but eventually falls to the wyrm phantom as well.
• Song Wen, Tang Fu, and Miaofa work together to escape, but only Song Wen successfully evades the phantoms initially.
• Song Wen, Tang Fu, and Miaofa, along with the remaining cultivator Tang Si, face Blood Brow together, but only Song Wen manages to summon his bronze corpses to fight back.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Blood Brow, a soul entity, is released from a wooden statue and thanks Song Wen for breaking its restraints.
• Blood Brow attempts to devour Song Wen's soul but fails. She flees, leaving part of her soul behind.
• Blood Brow merges with the silver corpse, taking control of it, and escapes. Song Wen pursues but fails to recapture it.
• Song Wen captures the three bronze corpses left behind and stores them in a coffin.
• Song Wen leaves the stone hall, following the underground river downstream, eventually emerging from a mountain cave.

Character Developments

• Blood Brow demonstrates her cunning and power, initially appearing grateful but quickly turning hostile. She shows a willingness to sacrifice parts of herself to escape.
• Song Wen shows resilience and determination in pursuing the silver corpse but ultimately fails to recapture it. He adapts by capturing the bronze corpses.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal: Blood Brow betrays Song Wen after he unknowingly aids her escape.
• Power and Control: The struggle for control over the silver corpse and the bronze corpses highlights the characters' desire for power.
• Adaptation: Song Wen adapts to his loss by capturing the bronze corpses, showing his resourcefulness.

Character Interactions

• Song Wen vs. Blood Brow: Their interaction is marked by deception and pursuit, with Blood Brow initially thanking Song Wen before attempting to devour his soul and later escaping in the silver corpse.
• Song Wen vs. Bronze Corpses: Song Wen battles and eventually captures the bronze corpses to compensate for his loss of the silver corpse.

Chapter Summary: “Reasons for Cultivating Both Righteous and Demonic Paths”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Wen establishes a temporary cave abode several hundred miles from Zuo Shuiyun’s location, with over twenty days remaining before their agreed meeting.
• He uses Sacred Beetle Gu, a Qi-Isolating Formation, and a Nine-Palace Yin-Transforming Formation to secure the area before entering seclusion.
• Song Wen successfully refines three Copper Corpses over fifteen days. He stores two and begins refining the strongest into a pseudo-Third Rank Silver Corpse using a Profound Yin Stone and other yin-aligned materials.
• With only two days left before meeting Zuo Shuiyun, he halts the Silver Corpse refinement and seals the unfinished corpse temporarily.
• Song Wen studies two blood-colored jade slips:
  • The first contains the Corpse King Reincarnation Art.
  • The second records Blood Brow’s account, revealing the history of Blood Cloud Cave and her imprisonment.

Character Development

• Song Wen continues strengthening his corpse-refining abilities and carefully manages his limited time and resources. Although intrigued by the Corpse King Reincarnation Art, he decides not to switch cultivation methods because doing so would require abandoning his current Foundation Establishment cultivation, acquiring large quantities of corpse-path materials, and risking exposure within the Beast Taming Sect.
• His understanding of cultivation deepens. He realizes that his ability to practice both the Corpse King Blood Refinement Art and the Longevity Art may not stem from a special constitution; the two arts were originally parts of the same greater technique.
• Blood Brow is revealed as a former Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivator whose ambition to reach a higher realm led her to murder a Divine Blood Sect genius and steal the Corpse King Reincarnation Art. Her actions ultimately caused the destruction of Blood Cloud Cave and her own capture.

Significant Themes

• The artificial division between righteous and demonic cultivation: The Corpse King Reincarnation Art suggests that spiritual qi and corpse qi are both aspects of the natural energy of heaven and earth, rather than fundamentally separate forces.
• The cost of ambition: Blood Brow’s desire to advance beyond the Nascent Soul Middle Stage drove her to commit murder, bringing ruin upon herself and her sect.
• Knowledge hidden or fragmented by powerful forces: The Corpse King Reincarnation Art appears to have been deliberately divided into the Corpse King Blood Refinement Art and the Longevity Art, allowing the Divine Blood Sect’s influence to spread indirectly through the cultivation world.
• Pragmatism and survival: Song Wen prioritizes preserving his existing cultivation, maintaining secrecy, and securing reliable resources over pursuing a potentially superior but impractical technique.
• Endless punishment and resilience: Blood Brow’s soul is repeatedly tortured to the verge of collapse, yet the Soul-Nourishing Wood restores her, turning her imprisonment into a seemingly endless cycle.

Character Interactions

• Song Wen’s upcoming meeting with Zuo Shuiyun shapes his decisions throughout the chapter, forcing him to stop refining the Silver Corpse before it is complete.
• Song Wen has no direct interaction with Blood Brow in the chapter, but her written account provides crucial information about the Divine Blood Sect, Blood Cloud Cave, and the origins of the cultivation arts.
• Blood Brow’s past involves conflict with the Divine Blood Sect, whose experts destroyed her physical body, captured her Nascent Soul, and imprisoned her in a Soul Shackle inside a Bronze Corpse Coffin.
• The twenty-four Undying Copper Corpses serve as permanent guardians, preventing Blood Brow from escaping even after her soul becomes powerful enough to manipulate the Soul Shackle.

Ending Position

Blood Brow discovers that although she can control the Soul Shackle and extend her soul power beyond it, she cannot escape the Bronze Corpse Coffin. Any movement triggers the twenty-four Copper Corpses to converge and reseal it, leaving her trapped despite her gradual recovery and growing spiritual strength.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Blood Brow, trapped in a stone hall, sends jade slips with maps to lure cultivators for help.
• Zhong Liang, Tang Fu, and others find the stone hall and release Blood Brow using Song Wen's thunder arts.
• Song Wen obtains a Bronze Corpse Coffin but fails to refine it and stores it away.
• Song Wen and Zuo Shuiyun return to the Beast Taming Sect and report on the Cheng Family mission.
• Song Wen takes a year's leave to focus on cultivation and enters seclusion.
• Song Wen advances to Foundation Establishment Late Stage after eight months of arduous cultivation.

Character Developments

• Blood Brow: Successfully lures cultivators to help her escape her predicament.
• Song Wen: Advances in cultivation and alchemy skills, becomes more confident and assertive.
• Zuo Shuiyun: Shows concern for her reputation and tries to control the narrative of the Cheng Family mission.

Significant Themes

• Greed and desperation leading to unethical actions (Blood Brow, Cheng Ruidá).
• The value of knowledge and skills (Song Wen's alchemy, Blood Brow's ancient cultivation arts).
• The importance of reputation and appearance (Zuo Shuiyun).

Character Interactions

• Blood Brow manipulates cultivators to help her escape.
• Song Wen and Zuo Shuiyun work together to complete the Cheng Family mission but have differing accounts of the events.
• Song Wen interacts with Wang Ming, an elder from East Birch Market, regarding pill refinement.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Wen is approached by Zhou Siyi with a new assignment.
• They travel to a forbidden valley within the Beast Taming Sect, where a secret Human-Snake Cavern is located.
• The cavern houses a vast underground hall with pools of human-snakes and coffins containing bodies with sealed souls.
• Rong Jingyun, the sect elder in charge, is worried and searching for leads.

Character Developments

• Zhou Siyi's attitude towards Song Wen has improved since their mission together.
• Liu Jiang has been promoted to Hall-Guarding Elder, likely due to his success in cultivating human-snakes.
• Rong Jingyun is shown to be anxious and worried about the situation in the Human-Snake Cavern.

Significant Themes

• The importance of human-snakes to the Beast Taming Sect.
• The sect's secrets and forbidden grounds.
• The consequences of cultivating human-snakes, as seen in the sealed souls.

Character Interactions

• Zhou Siyi and Song Wen's relationship has improved, with Zhou Siyi acting more friendly towards him.
• Liu Jiang and Song Wen reunite, with Liu Jiang now holding a higher position in the sect.
• Rong Jingyun, Zhou Siyi, and Liu Jiang discuss the situation in the Human-Snake Cavern, showing their shared concern.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Wen, an alchemy expert, is invited to try refining Man-Snakes into 'Profound Corpses' to create 'Profound Qi', a new qi with traits of life and death.
• The Beast Taming Sect has tried this with Foundation Establishment elders, Golden Core experts, and even demonic cultivators, but none succeeded.
• Song Wen is given a chance to attempt the refinement using a first-rank Man-Snake.

Character Developments

• Song Wen: He shows understanding of corpse refinement and is respectful yet determined in his approach.
• Rong Jingyun: She is patient and thorough in explaining the process and the sect's attempts so far.
• Liu Jiang: He is cautious and stingy with the Man-Snakes, only allowing Song Wen to use a first-rank one for practice.

Significant Themes

• The difficulty and importance of creating 'Profound Qi'.
• The challenge of refining Man-Snakes due to their vigorous vitality.
• The sect's secrecy and potential punishment for divulging their methods.

Character Interactions

• Rong Jingyun & Song Wen: Rong Jingyun explains the process and tasks to Song Wen, showing trust in his abilities.
• Liu Jiang & Song Wen: Liu Jiang is initially reluctant to give Song Wen a Man-Snake but eventually agrees due to past favors.
• Zhou Siyi & Song Wen: Zhou Siyi provides Song Wen with necessary items and guidance, showing seniority and helpfulness.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Wen selects a ninth-level Qi Refining human-snake for refinement.
• He enters Corpse Cave No. 15, seals it, and hides a Sacred Beetle Gu at the entrance for protection.
• Song Wen studies a jade slip containing corpse-refining insights and methods.
• He places the human-snake in a corpse-nurturing coffin and begins the refinement process using Yin Baleful Dew and other materials.
• After three days, he successfully completes the first refinement of the human-snake.
• Rong Jingyun requests to observe Song Wen's corpse-refining process, and he agrees.
• Rong Jingyun offers Song Wen a second-rank human-snake for his next refinement.

Character Developments

• Song Wen: Shows exceptional talent in corpse refinement, completing the first refinement in just three days. He remains calm under Rong Jingyun's scrutiny and expresses interest in refining a second-rank human-snake.
• Zhou Siyi: Struggles with her own human-snake refinement and is impressed by Song Wen's success. She encourages Rong Jingyun to observe Song Wen's process.
• Rong Jingyun: Recognizes Song Wen's talent in corpse refinement and offers him better resources. She is interested in observing his process to understand his abilities better.

Significant Themes

• Talent and Skill: The chapter emphasizes Song Wen's exceptional talent in corpse refinement, contrasting it with his ordinary cultivation and pill-refining talents.
• Opportunity and Ambition: Song Wen seizes the opportunity to display his skills and gain favor from Rong Jingyun, aiming to secure better resources for his future refinements.

Character Interactions

• Song Wen and Zhou Siyi: Zhou Siyi shares her struggles with human-snake refinement and expresses admiration for Song Wen's success. She encourages Rong Jingyun to observe his process.
• Song Wen and Rong Jingyun: Rong Jingyun is impressed by Song Wen's talent and offers him better resources. She requests to observe his refinement process, and he agrees, hoping to secure her favor.
• Song Wen and the Steward Elders (Zhang Bing and Li Shi): The steward elders observe Song Wen's refinement process alongside Rong Jingyun and Zhou Siyi, likely assessing his skills and potential.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Wen successfully completes the first corpse refining of a second-order human-snake, consuming almost all of the Yin Baleful Dew.
• Rong Jingyun rewards Song Wen with a monthly stipend and permission to continue studying alchemy, hinting at a potential sect reward for his success in corpse refining.
• Song Wen takes the two human-snakes back to his cave dwelling, using a Scarlet-Blood Demon Spider gauze veil to conceal them and a Righteous Qi Mirror to hide the corpse baleful aura.
• He sets up Six-Harmony Demon-Locking Formations around the snake pits to help the human-snakes recover and feeds them with flesh balls.
• The Sacred Beetle Gu consume the remaining flesh balls, with Song Wen leaving one behind to guard the cave dwelling.

Character Developments

• Song Wen demonstrates his competence in corpse refining, earning Rong Jingyun's trust and reward.
• Rong Jingyun shows favor towards Song Wen, providing him with resources and guidance.
• The human-snakes display hostility towards Song Wen, reflecting their hatred and desire for freedom.

Significant Themes

• The theme of trust and reward is evident as Rong Jingyun shows favor towards Song Wen for his successful corpse refining.
• The theme of confinement and freedom is highlighted through the human-snakes' hostility and desire to break free from their restrictions.

Character Interactions

• Song Wen interacts with Rong Jingyun, who rewards and guides him, and with Zhou Siyi, who questions him about his plans.
• Song Wen interacts with the human-snakes, feeding them and setting up formations to aid their recovery, despite their hostility towards him.
• Song Wen interacts with the Sacred Beetle Gu, feeding them the remaining flesh balls and leaving one behind to guard the cave dwelling.