Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• The old woman had raised over a hundred Beetle Gu, aiming to mutate them into higher-ranked Sacred Beetle Gu, but failed before her death.
• Song Wen tests the vitality of eight Beetle Gu eggs and decides to hatch them.
• Song Wen learns about two methods of raising Gu: using a Gu Cauldron or one's own body. He ponders which method to choose.
• Song Wen sells three bottles of essence blood to a shop for 420 Spirit Stones.
• He buys Qi-Gathering Pills and a secondhand Gu Cauldron for cultivation and hatching the Beetle Gu eggs.
• Song Wen spots Junior Sister Chen in the market.

Character Developments

• Song Wen: He is cautious and strategic, considering the risks and benefits of different Gu cultivation methods. He also demonstrates shrewdness in selling essence blood and buying necessary items for cultivation.
• Junior Sister Chen: Although not directly involved in this chapter, her appearance at the market hints at potential future interactions with Song Wen.

Significant Themes

• Cultivation and Growth: Song Wen's decision to cultivate Gu Worms and his purchase of Qi-Gathering Pills reflect his dedication to advancing his cultivation.
• Risk vs. Reward: Song Wen weighs the risks and benefits of different Gu cultivation methods and selling essence blood, showing his strategic thinking.
• Disguise and Identity: Song Wen's consideration of disguising himself for future essence blood sales highlights his need to maintain a low profile and protect his identity.

Character Interactions

• Song Wen interacts with the shop attendant, selling essence blood and buying a Gu Cauldron. Their conversation reveals the attendant's suspicion about Song Wen's background.
• Song Wen spots Junior Sister Chen in the market, setting up a potential encounter between them.

Key events

• Song Wen meets Chen Yi at a market stall, where she sells spirit herbs. He learns that Zhang Xiaofan became the personal disciple of a Golden Core elder after showing talent for alchemy. Zhang’s master gave him a large spirit field, which Chen Yi and the other two former companions tend; Zhang shares part of the harvest’s income with them.
• Song Wen buys 88 stalks of Azure Spirit Grass from Chen Yi for ten Spirit Stones. He needs a substantial supply to feed the juvenile Beetle Gu he is raising. They exchange communication Jade Slips so he can contact her for future herbs.
• Back at his cave, Song Wen puts all eight insect eggs into his Gu Cauldron with powdered Spirit Stone to encourage them to hatch.
• He then cultivates using Qi-Gathering Pills and Corpse-Baleful Qi, finding this method more effective than Corpse Blood Pills—but costly.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Yi has become enterprising, running a market stall despite her modest income. She is friendly and generous, offering Song Wen Azure Spirit Grass before learning he needs far more than a gift could provide.
• Song Wen remains guarded about his circumstances, but he builds a practical connection with Chen Yi. He declines her free herbs to avoid owing a favor, and sees her access to the spirit-herb garden and Pill Hall connections as potentially valuable.
• Zhang Xiaofan’s sudden rise in status benefits his former companions, who receive work and a share of the spirit-field profits.

Significant themes

• Fortune and social mobility: Zhang’s talent and patronage radically change his standing, improving the prospects of those around him.
• Pragmatism and reciprocity: Song Wen manages relationships carefully, preferring fair payment and useful, mutually beneficial ties.
• The cost of advancement: Better cultivation methods accelerate Song Wen’s progress, but their expense leaves him dependent on income from the Corpse Dissection Cave.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Wen successfully hatches seven Beetle Gu larvae from the eggs, with one having a distinctive black spot.
• The larvae consume Azure Spirit Grass rapidly but show no signs of growth.
• After 20 days, the larvae spin cocoons and transform into adult Beetle Gu.
• Song Wen refines the Gu worms, and they come under his control.
• The black-spotted larva does not form a cocoon and continues to grow stronger and hungrier.

Character Developments

• Song Wen demonstrates patience and curiosity in raising the Gu worms, especially the unusual black-spotted larva.
• He shows understanding and adaptability in handling the Gu worms' growth and transformation.

Significant Themes

• Patience and Persistence: Song Wen's willingness to wait and observe the Gu worms, even the one with poor initial vitality, pays off.
• Potential and Unpredictability: The black-spotted larva represents the unexpected and the potential for something extraordinary.

Character Interactions

• Song Wen interacts with the Gu worms through feeding, observing, and refining them.
• The Gu worms, in turn, react to Song Wen's actions, showing hostility when threatened and closeness when safe.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The black-spotted larva spins a cocoon after a month, much longer than usual, and emerges as a Beetle Gu with a black abdomen but gray carapace and head.
• The Beetle Gu suddenly becomes violent and enters the Qi Refining Middle Stage, overpowering Song Wen.
• Song Wen chooses to refine the Beetle Gu with his own essence blood, successfully taming it.
• Song Wen decides to raise Black-Bellied Beetle Gu in large numbers and refines the remaining seven Gu Worms into his body.
• The Black-Bellied Beetle Gu mates with four females, producing twelve eggs. Nine hatch into ordinary larvae, while three remain dormant.

Character Developments

• Song Wen demonstrates quick thinking and decisiveness in handling the Gu Worm backlash.
• Song Wen's cultivation advances to the Qi Refining Third Layer, but he conceals it to match his supposed sixth-grade mid-level spiritual root.

Significant Themes

• The dangers and challenges of cultivating Gu Worms and the path of immortality.
• The importance of resources and essence blood in raising Gu Worms and cultivating.

Character Interactions

• Song Wen interacts with the Gu Worms, refining and controlling them, and making decisions about their breeding.
• Song Wen's internal struggle and determination are highlighted as he faces the Gu Worm backlash and decides to refine the Gu Worms into his body.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Wen releases his Beetle Gu to stretch their wings and senses two eggs hatching, resulting in two black-spotted larvae.
• He sells essence blood for 1,100 spirit stones and buys Azure Spirit Grass and Purple Moonflowers for his Gu.
• Song Wen discovers Purple Moonflowers aren't suitable for Black-Bellied Beetle Gu and buys Silver-Shining Stone instead.
• He changes his appearance and enters a gambling house, then returns to his cave abode cautiously.

Character Developments

• Song Wen continues to raise and experiment with his Gu, showing dedication and patience.
• He becomes more cautious and paranoid, reflecting his growing awareness of the Cultivation World's dangers.

Significant Themes

• Cultivation and Growth: Song Wen's dedication to improving his Gu's strength mirrors his own cultivation journey.
• Trust and Caution: Song Wen's experience with Chen Yi and his increasing paranoia highlight the theme of trust in the perilous Cultivation World.
• Resource Management: Song Wen's careful management of his spirit stones and resources shows his practical side and long-term planning.

Character Interactions

• Song Wen interacts with shopkeepers and other cultivators in the marketplace but remains cautious and distant, showing no close relationships or trust in others.
• His interactions with his Gu are detailed, showing care and attention to their needs and growth.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Wen is tasked by Yuan Cheng to dissect a batch of special corpses using Dissection Platform No. 8.
• The corpses are revealed to be those of hundred children under five years old, used by Devil Dao cultivators for cultivation or refining.
• Song Wen completes the dissections in two hours and delivers the results to Yuan Cheng's cave.
• Wu Sui, a personal disciple of Yin Fiend Hall and grandson of its hall master, inspects the dissections and praises Song Wen's work.
• Wu Sui offers Song Wen a chance to join Yin Fiend Hall if he advances to Late Qi Refinement within six years.

Character Developments

• Song Wen: Shows professionalism and detachment in handling the children's corpses, revealing his pragmatic survival mindset. He also demonstrates caution and awareness of the Devil Dao's cruel nature.
• Yuan Cheng: Reveals envy towards Wu Sui's prospects and desperation to advance to Foundation Establishment, hinting at his unfulfilled ambitions and time pressure.
• Wu Sui: Displayed as a powerful and influential figure, with a seventh-grade superior Spiritual Root and Qi Refinement Seventh Layer cultivation at age 16.

Significant Themes

• Cruelty and Pragmatism: The Devil Dao's cruel practices are highlighted through the use of children's corpses, while Song Wen's pragmatic approach to survival is emphasized.
• Ambition and Time Pressure: Yuan Cheng's envy of Wu Sui and desperation to advance reflect the theme of ambition and the pressure of time in cultivation.

Character Interactions

• Song Wen and Yuan Cheng: Their interaction shows Yuan Cheng's seniority and authority over Song Wen, as well as Yuan Cheng's envy of Song Wen's opportunity to meet Wu Sui.
• Song Wen and Wu Sui: Their brief interaction reveals Wu Sui's power and influence, as well as his favor towards Song Wen, offering him a chance to join Yin Fiend Hall.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Wen leaves the Corpse Dissection Cave, having successfully cultivated without contamination.
• He receives a mission from the External Affairs Hall to inventory spiritual herbs in Poison Miasma Swamp, a low-risk mission due in three days.
• Song Wen prepares for the mission, reflecting on his rapid cultivation progress.

Character Developments

• Song Wen demonstrates adaptability and resourcefulness, bribing the External Affairs Hall deacon to secure a low-risk mission.
• He shows awareness of his cultivation progress and limitations, preparing for his mission accordingly.

Significant Themes

• Adaptability and Resourcefulness: Song Wen's ability to navigate challenges and make the most of his situation is crucial to his survival and progress.
• Cultivation Progression: The chapter explores the concept of cultivation bottlenecks and the factors contributing to Song Wen's rapid advancement.

Character Interactions

• Song Wen interacts with the External Affairs Hall deacon, bribing him to secure a favorable mission.
• There's mention of Wu Sui, who had earlier suggested Song Wen join Yin Fiend Hall, but Song Wen has since put this aside.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Wen has now 21 Black-Bellied Beetle Gu, consuming 600 Spirit Stones monthly.
• He's refining a Corpse Puppet using a Late Qi Refinement cultivator's corpse, which will be ready in 2-3 days.
• Song Wen visits a magical artifact shop, where he encounters a woman with concealed cultivation.

Character Developments

• Song Wen's mental strength has improved, aiding his cultivation and spellcasting.
• He acknowledges his weaknesses: lack of blade technique, defensive magical artifact, and perfect mastery of Flight Technique.
• The woman in the shop is revealed to have high cultivation (Late Qi Refinement or above), despite appearing weak.

Significant Themes

• The dangers of underestimating others based on appearances.
• The importance of mental strength in cultivation and spellcasting.
• The potential for hidden threats in the Cultivation World.

Character Interactions

• Song Wen interacts with the woman in the shop, initially unaware of her true cultivation.
• The woman attempts to bewitch Song Wen with her voice and fragrance, but he remains unaffected due to his powerful mental strength.

Summary of Chapter

1. Key Plot Points / Events

• Song Wen, a cautious Corpse Demon Sect outer disciple, visits an artifact shop to buy a mid-grade defensive artifact.
• He selects a small black Ghost Head Shield (with a Qi-Refining Fifth Layer ghost sealed inside) after haggling from the quoted 200 Spirit Stones down to 180.
• The shopkeeper, a seductive woman, is secretly using customers to practice her charm technique; Song Wen unexpectedly resists it.
• After Song Wen leaves, the shopkeeper learns from her assistant Xiao He that she mispriced the shield — it cost the shop 200 Spirit Stones and should have been sold for 400. Realizing she lost money again, she rushes out but Song Wen is already gone.
• Song Wen removes his disguise in a restaurant, checks for followers, and continues browsing street stalls.
• He approaches a familiar merchant, Senior Brother Xu, asking for something powerful enough to threaten late/peak Qi Refining cultivators. Xu hints he has such an item, but the scene cuts off before revealing it.

2. Character Developments

• Song Wen: Extremely cautious, shrewd in bargaining, resistant to charm/soul attacks, and careful about being followed. He is preparing defenses for a sect mission and looks for trump cards against stronger enemies.
• The Shopkeeper (Miss): Seductive, absent-minded, poor at remembering artifact prices, and reliant on her charm technique to boost sales. She becomes curious and slightly resentful toward Song Wen.
• Xiao He: The assistant is greedy, practical, and quick to suggest violence or compromise. She is more aware of prices than her mistress.

3. Significant Themes

• Caution and concealment in the cultivation world.
• Appearances vs. reality (cheap bargain vs. seller’s loss; charming appearance vs. manipulation).
• Greed and opportunism among cultivators.
• The importance of trump cards and preparedness for danger.

4. Character Interactions

• Song Wen’s cold, businesslike bargaining with the charming shopkeeper marks the main interaction.
• The shopkeeper and Xiao He’s post-sale exchange reveals the price mistake and their failed intent to rob Song Wen.
• Song Wen’s brief talk with Senior Brother Xu sets up a potential purchase of a powerful hidden weapon for future use.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Wen buys two Heavenly Thunder Talismans from Senior Brother Xu, which can only be activated by righteous qi of heaven and earth.
• Song Wen discovers he can activate the talismans using his Longevity Art cultivation.
• Song Wen buys Heaven-Burning Fire poison from Senior Brother Xu, which is highly toxic to Qi Refining cultivators.
• Song Wen also purchases various talismans and bombs for his sect mission.

Character Developments

• Song Wen demonstrates his shrewdness in bargaining and his resourcefulness in finding useful items for his mission.
• Senior Brother Xu shows his business acumen and willingness to sell valuable items to Song Wen.

Significant Themes

• The power dynamics between righteous and demonic cultivators, with lightning and thunder being particularly restraining to demonic cultivators.
• The importance of preparation and resourcefulness in facing challenges and missions.

Character Interactions

• Song Wen interacts with Senior Brother Xu, bargaining for talismans and poison, and showing interest in Senior Brother Xu's advice on sect missions.
• Song Wen's inability to find Chen Yi at the market leads him to return to his cave dwelling, hinting at a potential future interaction between them regarding the sect mission.

Plot and events

• Song Wen refines the Ghost Head Shield by feeding it dozens of drops of blood essence, subduing the fierce ghost inside, then washing the artifact with spiritual power. The process takes about four hours.
• He asks Chen Yi for information on Seven-Colored Grass and the Yan Family, offering thirty Spirit Stones for reliable details needed within three days, before he leaves the sect.
• Song Wen brings his newly finished Corpse Puppet out of its coffin. It is tall, powerful-looking, and surrounded by corpse qi; he is pleased with it.
• Chen Yi obtains the requested information through Zhang Xiaofan, whose master is a Golden Core expert in the Pill Chamber. She meets Song Wen at the menial disciples’ dining hall, where they exchange the Jade Slip and payment discreetly.
• Song Wen confirms that he is taking an assignment to visit the Yan Family. Chen Yi explains that her own assignment is to deliver five stalks of Fire Spirit Grass. Rather than risk a dangerous journey to Long Rock Mountain, she bought the herb from a stronger cultivator, though it cost her more than she could afford. Song Wen’s earlier offer of payment has helped her.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Wen demonstrates unusual capacity for his cultivation level: his mental power and abundant blood essence let him refine the shield far faster than most cultivators could. He is pragmatic, cautious about the reliability of information, and willing to pay for what he needs.
• Chen Yi proves resourceful and diligent, using her connection to Zhang Xiaofan to obtain information and complete her assignment safely. She appreciates Song Wen’s help, and their relationship remains cordial and mutually helpful.
• Song Wen and Chen Yi speak privately while eating, keeping their business low-profile. He thanks her, verifies her source, and congratulates her on nearing completion of her task.

Significant themes

• Preparation and risk management: Song Wen gathers intelligence before leaving, while Chen Yi avoids a perilous expedition by purchasing what she needs.
• Power and resource disparities: Cultivation ability shapes what each character can safely accomplish; money, contacts, and specialized strengths can compensate for weakness.
• Practical cooperation: Information, favors, and Spirit Stones form a mutually beneficial network among cultivators.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Wen receives a jade slip from Chen Yi containing information about the Seven-Colored Grass and the Yan Family.
• The next day, Song Wen arrives early at the Pill Chamber for their mission to the Poison Miasma Swamp.
• Elder Shen warns them about the mission's importance and the consequences of embezzling spiritual herbs.
• Elder Shen privately warns Song Wen to monitor Guo Tao and report any transgressions.

Character Developments

• Song Wen: Shows respect and deference to his seniors, but is surprised and concerned about Elder Shen's private warning to monitor Guo Tao.
• Guo Tao: Shows a friendly and upright demeanor, but his true intentions are unknown.

Significant Themes

• Trust and suspicion within the sect: Elder Shen's warning to Song Wen highlights the lack of trust among sect members, even on a mission together.
• Consequences of misconduct: Elder Shen's description of punishment for embezzling spiritual herbs emphasizes the severe consequences of wrongdoing.

Character Interactions

• Song Wen and Guo Tao: They meet for the first time and exchange pleasantries, showing respect to each other as they are to work together on the mission.
• Elder Shen and Song Wen/Guo Tao: Elder Shen warns them about the mission's importance and the consequences of failure, showing his authority and seriousness. He also privately warns Song Wen to monitor Guo Tao.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Wen and Guo Tao leave the alchemy chamber grounds.
• Guo Tao reveals a flying boat, surprising Song Wen.
• They travel to the Poison Miasma Swamp in the flying boat.
• Upon arrival, they meet Yan Family members and are led to the patriarch, Yan Zhengping.
• Yan Zhengping invites them to stay the night and promises to arrange the inventory of the Seven-Colored Grass the next day.
• A young woman, presumably Yan Zhengping's granddaughter, enters the hall.

Character Developments

• Song Wen: Shows astonishment at Guo Tao's flying boat and naivety about the cultivation world, playing the part of a newcomer to gain Guo Tao's trust.
• Guo Tao: Reveals his pride and eagerness to impress Song Wen with his family's wealth and status, hinting at his hidden agenda.

Significant Themes

• Deception and Trust: Song Wen deceives Guo Tao to gain information, while Guo Tao likely has ulterior motives for being so attentive to Song Wen.
• Power and Wealth: Guo Tao's family background is emphasized, showing the influence of wealth and status in the cultivation world.

Character Interactions

• Song Wen and Guo Tao: Their relationship grows closer as Song Wen flatters Guo Tao, while Guo Tao treats Song Wen like a junior brother, likely to gain his trust or use him for his own purposes.
• Song Wen and Yan Zhengping: They meet briefly, with Yan Zhengping inviting them to stay and promising to arrange the inventory task.
• Yan Zhengping and the young woman: Implied to be grandfather and granddaughter, their relationship is not yet explored.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Wen, an outer disciple of the sect, arrives at the Yan Family residence for an inventory of their spirit herbs.
• He meets Yan Zhengping, the Yan Family patriarch, and Yan Yiwen, Yan Zhengping's granddaughter and a cultivation genius.
• Yan Yiwen, upon meeting Song Wen, dismisses him as weak and unworthy of her attention, causing embarrassment for both Song Wen and Yan Zhengping.
• Song Wen is given a reward of ten Qi-Gathering Pills by Yan Zhengping as an apology.
• Later, Song Wen discovers that Guo Tao, his companion on this mission, is secretly working with the Yan Family.

Character Developments

• Song Wen: Shows composure and restraint in the face of humiliation, hinting at a deeper character not initially apparent.
• Yan Yiwen: Initially appears arrogant and dismissive, but her true intentions remain unclear.
• Guo Tao: Revealed to be deceitful and working against Song Wen, indicating a hidden agenda.

Significant Themes

• Appearance vs. Reality: Characters are not always as they seem, with hidden depths and agendas.
• Cultivation and Status: Cultivation level influences one's status and respect in society, as seen in Yan Yiwen's dismissive attitude towards Song Wen.

Character Interactions

• Song Wen and Yan Yiwen: Their initial meeting is tense and embarrassing, setting the stage for potential future interactions.
• Song Wen and Guo Tao: Their partnership is revealed to be deceitful, suggesting future conflict.
• Yan Zhengping and Yan Yiwen: Their relationship is strained due to Yan Yiwen's behavior, with Yan Zhengping appearing to disapprove of her actions.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Guo Tao and Yan Zhengping discuss Song Wen, with Guo Tao dismissing him as timid and spineless, while Yan Zhengping warns against underestimating him.
• Yan Zhengping tasks Guo Tao with keeping a close watch on Song Wen and reports any suspicious behavior, even suggesting killing him if necessary.
• Guo Tao warns Song Wen about a sudden Miasma Tide, advising him to stay indoors, which Song Wen finds suspicious due to the lack of corresponding celestial phenomenon.

Character Developments

• Song Wen (Extreme Yin): Shows composure when humiliated by Yi Wen, raising concerns about his true nature. He becomes suspicious of Guo Tao's intentions and decides to play along while investigating.
• Guo Tao: Reveals his loyalty to the Yan Family and his role in the sect inventory assignment. He tries to manipulate Song Wen, showing deceitfulness.
• Yan Zhengping: Shows concern about the potential threat Song Wen poses to the Yan Family's secret. He is cautious and strategic in his decisions.

Significant Themes

• Deception and Trust: Guo Tao deceives Song Wen, and the Yan Family manipulates him. Song Wen, however, is not as naive as they believe, raising the theme of trust and deception.
• Cunning vs. Naivety: Guo Tao and the Yan Family underestimate Song Wen, assuming he is naive and easy to fool. However, Song Wen shows cunning by playing along while investigating their true intentions.

Character Interactions

• Guo Tao and Song Wen: Guo Tao tries to manipulate and control Song Wen, while Song Wen plays along, trying to uncover Guo Tao's true intentions.
• Yan Zhengping and Guo Tao: Yan Zhengping shows concern for the family's secret, while Guo Tao is more straightforward and less tactful, leading to a slight rebuke from Yan Zhengping.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Guo Tao informs Song Wen that the miasma tide has receded, and they're going to the spirit field to take inventory of the Seven-Colored Grass.
• Song Wen struggles with the decision to either continue being manipulated by the Yan Family or risk exposure by trying to uncover the spirit field's problem.
• They travel to the spirit field on a specially made, shallow-draft ship. Yan Zhengping, the Yan Family's head, personally leads the inventory team.
• The spirit field is revealed to be a vast expanse of floating turf, cultivated with Seven-Colored Grass. It's divided into sections for different ages of the spiritual herb.

Character Developments

• Song Wen grapples with his loyalty to the sect and self-preservation, showing signs of growing determination and resourcefulness.
• Yan Zhengping displays pride in his family's achievements and the spirit field's scale, hinting at the Yan Family's power and influence.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty vs. Self-Preservation: Song Wen struggles with whether to remain loyal to the sect or prioritize his own survival.
• Power and Wealth: The Yan Family's spirit field demonstrates their wealth and influence, contrasting with Song Wen's humble background.

Character Interactions

• Guo Tao shows concern for Song Wen's well-being and offers guidance on cultivation.
• Yan Zhengping proudly explains the spirit field's layout and history to Guo Tao and Song Wen, subtly displaying his family's power.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Yan Family's ship is too large to enter the spirit fields, so they transfer to a small boat.
• Only five people can fit on the small boat, and the Yan Family insists that only one person from the sect (Guo Tao) can accompany them, leaving Song Wen behind.
• Yan Zhengping provides Song Wen with a bronze mirror that allows him to see everything happening in the spirit fields through Guo Tao's Image Stone.
• Song Wen observes the hundred-year Seven-Colored Grass plants in the spirit fields through the bronze mirror, finding nothing amiss.

Character Developments

• Song Wen: Becomes suspicious of the Yan Family's intentions and their treatment of him. He starts questioning their actions and begins to look for ways to inspect the spirit herbs at close range.
• Yan Zhengping: Reveals his manipulative nature, treating Song Wen as a fool. He provides Song Wen with the bronze mirror to keep him appeased but not involved.
• Guo Tao: Shows favoritism towards Song Wen but ultimately prioritizes his mission and the Yan Family's interests.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and Deception: The Yan Family and Guo Tao manipulate Song Wen to keep him from discovering the truth about the spirit fields.
• Trust and Suspicion: Song Wen's trust in the Yan Family and Guo Tao wanes as he becomes more suspicious of their actions.
• Power Dynamics: The Yan Family's influence and power are evident in their treatment of Song Wen and Guo Tao.

Character Interactions

• Song Wen and Yan Zhengping: Their interaction reveals Yan Zhengping's condescending attitude towards Song Wen and his intention to keep him in the dark.
• Song Wen and Guo Tao: Guo Tao shows concern for Song Wen's feelings but ultimately prioritizes the mission and the Yan Family's interests, leaving Song Wen behind.
• Song Wen and the Yan Family cultivators: The Yan Family cultivators initially show curiosity towards Song Wen but soon ignore him, allowing him to move freely on the ship.

Chapter Summary: “Ambush”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Wen secretly sends an ordinary Beetle Gu down the ship’s hull and uses his spiritual sense through it to inspect the nearby spirit fields.
• He discovers that the supposed hundred-year Seven-Colored Grass is counterfeit: the plants are only around ten years old, with their colors and black markings painted on to imitate mature herbs.
• Song Wen concludes that the Yan Family has secretly removed most of the Corpse Demon Sect’s valuable spirit herbs and replaced them with disguised, low-year plants.
• He theorizes that the Yan Family remains in the Poison Miasma Swamp because it is force-ripening another batch of high-year Seven-Colored Grass. Once the herbs mature, the family likely plans to flee.
• Song Wen decides that he has gathered enough evidence to report the Yan Family to the sect and focuses on surviving the return journey.
• After Yan Zhengping and Guo Tao complete their deceptive inspection, Guo Tao publicly declares that the spirit herb inventory is accurate.
• Although Song Wen suggests returning immediately, Yan Zhengping persuades Guo Tao to accept a banquet at the Yan Family residence and delay departure until the next morning.
• As the ship begins traveling toward the Yan residence, more than a dozen black-clad cultivators suddenly emerge from the swamp and launch a coordinated ambush.
• Yan Zhengping activates the ship’s defensive barrier. It withstands the attackers’ fireballs, wind blades, resentful ghosts, and murderous magical weapons, but the force of the assault violently rocks the ship.

Character Developments

• Song Wen: Demonstrates greater caution, resourcefulness, and observational skill. His use of the inconspicuous Beetle Gu allows him to uncover the Yan Family’s fraud without arousing suspicion. He also becomes increasingly convinced that the family is concealing a larger plan and carefully hides his knowledge.
• Yan Zhengping: Maintains a polite, hospitable façade while apparently helping conceal the Yan Family’s crimes. His calm behavior changes instantly during the ambush, revealing his authority and combat awareness as he orders the ship’s defenses activated.
• Guo Tao: Continues acting as the responsible leader of the mission, but his willingness to accept Yan Zhengping’s invitation suggests either naivety, complicity, or misplaced confidence. His apparent trust contrasts sharply with Song Wen’s suspicion.
• The Yan Family: Their bold embezzlement of sect property and continued presence in the swamp reveal considerable ambition and desperation. Their relationship to the ambushers remains unclear, but the timing suggests the return journey has been deliberately compromised.

Significant Themes

• Deception and appearances: Counterfeit herbs, false hospitality, and the staged inventory all emphasize how easily appearances can conceal betrayal.
• Caution versus trust: Song Wen’s secret investigation contrasts with Guo Tao’s readiness to trust the Yan Family.
• Greed and risk: The Yan Family’s theft of sect resources shows how greed drives them to endanger their entire clan.
• Survival in a dangerous cultivation world: Song Wen understands that uncovering the truth is only useful if he survives long enough to report it.
• Hidden conspiracies: The ambush expands the conflict beyond simple embezzlement, suggesting a broader plot involving the Yan Family and possibly outside forces.

Character Interactions

• Song Wen and Guo Tao exchange a restrained discussion about when to return, with Song Wen deliberately appearing hesitant rather than suspicious.
• Yan Zhengping uses warmth and hospitality to delay the two sect cultivators, while Guo Tao accepts his proposal despite Song Wen’s preference for immediate departure.
• Song Wen silently observes the interaction and recognizes both men as convincing actors.
• The chapter ends with the entire group forced into a crisis by the sudden attack, shifting the dynamic from polite deception to open danger.

Chapter Summary: “Yan Zhengping’s Killing Intent”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Wen senses the overwhelming strength of the black-clad attackers, most of whom are late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators, including several at the eighth and ninth levels.
• The Yan Family prepares to defend the ship. Their defensive barrier is strong enough to withstand the attackers’ initial assault, but it is rapidly weakening.
• Realizing that no one intends to protect him, Song Wen moves to the stern and prepares an escape route. He summons his corpse puppet, readies the Ghost Head Shield and a Flying Talisman, and plans to flee into the nearby forest if the barrier collapses.
• Ghost Three, leader of the attackers, confronts Yan Zhengping. He reveals that he is attacking the Yan Family because they once exterminated his clan.
• Yan Zhengping invokes the Yan Family’s Foundation Establishment ancestor and their supposed protection by the Corpse Demon Sect, attempting to intimidate the attackers.
• Ghost Three exposes several secrets:
  • The Yan Family’s ancestor is elderly, possibly dead, and likely too weak to intervene.
  • The Yan Family has secretly colluded with the Nine Palaces Sect for two years.
  • They have been selling Seven-Colored Grass behind the Corpse Demon Sect’s back.
• Ghost Three secretly charges his blood-red demon-subduing pestle while distracting Yan Zhengping, preparing a powerful attack against the ship’s barrier.
• The revelation shocks the Yan Family’s mid-stage cultivators, who were unaware of the betrayal. The senior members panic, realizing the family has been exposed and can no longer retreat safely.
• The Yan Family’s only remaining option is to kill everyone outside the clan, suppress the news, and flee to the Nine Palaces Sect.
• The chapter ends with Yan Zhengping turning his murderous gaze toward Song Wen, suggesting that Song Wen may be targeted as a potential witness or sacrifice.

Character Developments

• Song Wen: Demonstrates caution, independence, and survival instinct. He correctly recognizes that the Yan Family will not protect him and may even sacrifice him. His preparations show that he is unwilling to rely on others and has already planned an escape.
• Yan Zhengping: His outward arrogance begins to crack under pressure. Although he boasts of the Yan Family’s backing, his defensive words reveal anxiety. After Ghost Three exposes the family’s crimes, Yan Zhengping becomes openly hostile toward Song Wen.
• Ghost Three: Emerges as a calculating and vengeful leader. His hatred stems from the destruction of his clan, but he is also well-informed and strategically patient, gathering intelligence and concealing his attack until the right moment.
• Yan Family elders and cultivators: Their confidence collapses after learning that their leaders secretly betrayed the Corpse Demon Sect. The revelation forces them into a desperate fight for survival.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and political intrigue: The Yan Family’s secret alliance with the Nine Palaces Sect threatens to destroy its relationship with the Corpse Demon Sect.
• Survival and self-interest: Song Wen understands that alliances disappear in a crisis, while the Yan Family is prepared to sacrifice outsiders to preserve itself.
• Hidden weakness behind outward power: Yan Zhengping relies on the reputation of the family’s ancestor and the Corpse Demon Sect, but Ghost Three exposes that these protections may be largely illusory.
• Revenge and generational conflict: Ghost Three’s assault is driven by the Yan Family’s massacre of his clan.
• Secrets as weapons: Ghost Three’s knowledge of the Yan Family’s illegal dealings shifts the balance of power and traps the family into a fight to the death.

Important Character Interactions

• Ghost Three and Yan Zhengping: Their confrontation combines personal revenge, threats, and political exposure. Ghost Three taunts Yan Zhengping and reveals the family’s crimes, while Yan Zhengping attempts unsuccessfully to maintain authority.
• Song Wen and the Yan Family: Though largely ignored by the family during the defense, Song Wen recognizes their hostility and prepares to escape. Yan Zhengping’s final murderous glance signals a direct threat.
• Ghost Three and the attackers: Ghost Three commands the black-clad cultivators and coordinates the assault, using his conversation with Yan Zhengping to charge his weapon for a decisive strike.
• Yan Family members: The revelation of the secret alliance divides them emotionally: the middle-ranking cultivators are shocked and confused, while the senior members realize they must eliminate all witnesses and flee.

Chapter Summary: “A Fierce Battle”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yan Zhengping, a ninth-level Qi Refinement cultivator, releases powerful killing intent toward Song Wen, who realizes he cannot survive a direct confrontation.
• Ghost Three launches a full-strength attack with his demon-subduing pestle. The weapon shatters the Yan Family’s already-weakened defensive barrier and continues toward Yan Zhengping.
• Yan Zhengping counters with ten poisonous steel needles, surrounding himself in green poison vapor. The needles repeatedly strike the pestle, weakening its momentum and forcing the two ninth-level cultivators into a temporary stalemate.
• The collision between their attacks creates a devastating shockwave that endangers everyone on the boat.
• Song Wen uses a Flying Talisman and the corpse puppet on his back to escape. The shockwave nearly destroys the puppet, but Song Wen survives by activating the fourth-level Corpse King Blood Refinement Art, which greatly strengthens his body.
• Taking advantage of the chaos, Song Wen leaps through the forest and escapes. Neither the Rogue Cultivators nor the Yan Family recognizes him as an important threat, allowing him to disappear safely.
• Meanwhile, the Yan Family struggles under the Rogue Cultivators’ assault. Their defenses begin to collapse, and Yan Zhengping grows increasingly anxious while waiting for reinforcements.
• More than twenty Yan Family cultivators guarding the Seven-Colored Grass spirit field arrive. Though they provide support, their strongest member is only at the eighth level of Qi Refinement.
• Ghost Three urges the Rogue Cultivators to fight without restraint, appealing to their greed by promising them the Yan Family’s enormous wealth. Motivated by the prospect of treasure, the Rogue Cultivators intensify their attack.

Character Developments

• Song Wen demonstrates caution and survival instincts. Rather than becoming involved in the battle, he immediately prioritizes escape.
• His Corpse King Blood Refinement Art proves highly effective, allowing him to endure the shockwave of attacks from ninth-level cultivators despite being only at the fourth level of Qi Refinement.
• Song Wen’s damaged corpse puppet is shown to be valuable but vulnerable, nearly destroyed while protecting him.
• Ghost Three reveals himself to be both ruthless and strategically minded. He understands that the Rogue Cultivators must commit fully because reconciliation with the Yan Family is no longer possible.
• Yan Zhengping, initially composed and confident, becomes anxious as his family’s defenses weaken. His reliance on poison techniques is highlighted during his clash with Ghost Three.
• The Rogue Cultivators are portrayed as hardened, desperate individuals whose greed can overcome their fear of the Yan Family.

Significant Themes

• Survival over loyalty or heroism: Song Wen abandons the battlefield rather than risk his life in a conflict unrelated to him.
• Greed as a source of power: Ghost Three uses the promise of the Yan Family’s wealth to unify and motivate the Rogue Cultivators.
• Risk and desperation: Ghost Three’s assault reflects the point of no return between the Rogue Cultivators and the Yan Family.
• Concealed strength and mistaken identity: Song Wen survives partly because others underestimate him as a weak, low-level cultivator.
• The brutal nature of cultivation society: The battle is driven by revenge, wealth, betrayal, and the willingness to use vicious techniques without restraint.

Character Interactions

• Song Wen and Yan Zhengping: Yan Zhengping’s killing intent terrifies Song Wen, who avoids direct confrontation.
• Ghost Three and Yan Zhengping: Their battle forms the chapter’s central conflict, with Ghost Three’s demon-subduing pestle opposed by Yan Zhengping’s poisonous needles.
• Song Wen and his corpse puppet: The puppet shields Song Wen from the shockwave, sacrificing itself so he can escape.
• Ghost Three and the Rogue Cultivators: Ghost Three rallies them by emphasizing the inevitability of the conflict and promising immense rewards.
• Yan Family cultivators and reinforcements: The arrival of the spirit-field guards briefly boosts morale, though it does not eliminate the Yan Family’s disadvantage.