Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Xiao Meng completes the fusion of his Divine Palace with his body and enters the Divine Transformation Realm. His Heavenly Tribulation intensifies, however, and blood-red lightning immediately attacks him.
• He survives the first bolt by trapping it with the Great Buddha Pagoda Art and Thunder Emperor Treasure Art, then burning it away with primordial origin flame. When the tribulation produces two lightning dragons, he destroys one and devours part of the other with the Heaven-Devouring Demon Art.
• A swarm of lightning beasts follows. Xiao Meng deploys numerous formations, defenses, and techniques, while refining the lightning he swallows to strengthen his cultivation. He reaches the peak of the early Divine Transformation stage and breaks into its middle stage.
• The system tells him to bind the Taiyi True Water Pool using a drop of heart’s blood, then orders him to provoke the tribulation. Though terrified, Xiao Meng insults the heavens until the lightning grows more than thirty times stronger.
• A mountain-sized blood-red dragon attacks. Xiao Meng throws every resource at it—formations, treasures, techniques, pills, primordial flame, and a purple-gold dragon puppet formed from Zhukun’s scale. After these defenses fail, he strikes the dragon with the Heaven-Collapsing Crash, severely injuring it but leaving it alive.
• Exhausted, badly wounded, and nearly out of energy, Xiao Meng faces the surviving dragon as it dives in to finish him. He calls on the system for help, and it only tells him to remain calm.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Meng advances significantly in cultivation but is pushed to the brink physically and emotionally. His usual brash humor and defiance become desperate survival tactics; even so, he keeps improvising and refuses to surrender.
• Xiao Xuan watches in growing astonishment, repeatedly marveling at Xiao Meng’s techniques and formations. He is especially baffled by Xiao Meng’s decision to taunt the tribulation.
• The system directs Xiao Meng to bind the pool and provoke the tribulation but gives no explanation, then offers only a vague reassurance when he is on the verge of death.
• Xiao Meng’s relationship with the Heavenly Tribulation is portrayed as a furious, absurdly one-sided confrontation: he curses and challenges it, while it answers with increasingly lethal attacks.

Significant themes

• Defiance and perseverance: Xiao Meng keeps fighting despite overwhelming danger and repeated injuries.
• Power through risk: Refining tribulation lightning strengthens him, but requires him to endure tremendous pain and near-fatal danger.
• Improvisation and resourcefulness: He combines formations, treasures, techniques, pills, and allies’ gifts to survive.
• Humor amid peril: Xiao Meng’s insults and bravado contrast with the genuine horror of the tribulation, giving the life-or-death battle a comic edge.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• After a near-fatal battle, Xiao Meng swallows a Phoenix Bloodstone and instantly recovers. He then devours the wounded blood-red dragon, provoking an immense Heavenly Tribulation.
• At the system’s direction, Xiao Meng curses at the heavens and casts his purple fishing rod into the blood-red thunder. The tribulation unexpectedly vanishes, and he reels in Destruction Divine Thunder, one of the universe’s nine great divine thunders, to store for a future weapon.
• Xiao Meng returns to the Sacred Mountain with the unconscious Xiao Xuan, then visits the Xiao Clan and the Netherworld Realm. He plans to use the Bodhi Heart to revive Gu Yuan’s younger sister and brings Divine Soil to help restore the Bodhi Ancient Tree.
• Back in Jia Ma, he learns that another city has been massacred. He is furious, though relieved that Su Qian and others have evacuated refugees to the Black-Corner Region.
• Xiao Meng helps Su Qian devise a system for governing the refugees: academy elite disciples will manage newly built cities, with rewards and punishments tied to their performance.
• He learns that Xiao Yan and Venerable Yao visited the academy seeking Heavenly Flames, then departed for the Sky Snake Empire.
• Xiao Meng mass-produces pills, including over a thousand Seventh-Grade Pills, distributing them among Zi Yan, Jia Nan Academy, the Xiao Clan, and Black-Corner Region factions. He also supports the Ice Emperor’s cultivation.
• He brings the Snake-People a large supply of pills and Divine Soil. After hearing of a powerful purple-robed figure pursuing Xiao Yan, he helps Medusa protect her people by establishing more than twenty formations powered by the Nine Nether Sea.
• Xiao Meng decides to forge a sword and resumes fishing for materials, but the system has deducted ten fishing chances because he caught the Destruction Divine Thunder.

Character developments

• Xiao Meng grows stronger and more resourceful, surviving a terrifying tribulation and acquiring a powerful weapon material. He also takes increasing responsibility for refugees, the Xiao Clan, and the Snake-People. Though usually irreverent, the massacre news reveals a genuinely ruthless protective streak.
• Xiao Xuan remains committed to helping the Xiao Clan, intending to forge himself a body and protect it alongside Xiao Meng.
• Medusa is shown actively safeguarding her people and gains control over powerful defensive formations.
• The Ice Emperor advances to Eight-Star Dou Emperor, benefiting from Xiao Meng’s investment in his cultivation.
• Su Qian shifts from venting frustration to embracing Xiao Meng’s practical plan for refugee governance.

Significant themes

• Power paired with responsibility: Xiao Meng’s strength is increasingly used to protect communities and support their development.
• Unpredictability and trust: The system’s cryptic instructions repeatedly put Xiao Meng in danger, yet he follows them because he believes there is a larger plan.
• Building and rebuilding: Refugee settlement, improved farmland, pill distribution, and protective formations emphasize recovery and collective security amid violence.
• Humor amid danger: Xiao Meng’s profanity, the system’s absurd timing, and his banter with others contrast with the chapter’s destructive threats.

Character interactions

• Xiao Meng and the system clash over its demands, especially during the tribulation and fishing sequence.
• Xiao Meng and Xiao Xuan discuss the Xiao Clan’s future before Xiao Meng returns home.
• Xiao Meng’s teasing rapport with Xiao Ding, Xiao Li, and the Nether Emperor contrasts with his anger over the massacre.
• Su Qian scolds Xiao Meng for being absent; they argue, then work together on a plan to govern displaced people.
• Xiao Meng collaborates with Medusa and the Skyfire Venerable to establish the Snake-People’s defenses.

Plot points and events

• Xiao Meng fishes up Endless City, a damaged divine city that can expand without limit once the Endless Tree is planted in it. Following the system’s instructions, he places it near the northern border of the Chu Yun Empire, where it begins growing rapidly.
• The system predicts the city’s position will eventually let Xiao Meng control more than half the Dou Qi Continent. Xiao Meng recruits Xiao Chen to guard the site and conceals it with arrays; the growing Endless Tree can hide Xiao Chen’s aura.
• Preparing for future threats, Xiao Meng arranges several Space Wormholes and begins forging a powerful custom sword from rare materials. The process costs him three drops of blood essence, and he must nourish the Taiyi True Water Pool to help the weapon form.
• Zi Yan, whose strength and appetite for pills have grown, visits with Mu Zichen. Xiao Meng takes them and other Xiao Clan members to the Black-Corner Region, where he refines thousands of Sixth- and Seventh-Grade pills to sustain her.
• The system reveals that much of Zi Yan’s Void Divine Dragon bloodline has awakened, driving her enormous energy needs. Xiao Meng produces an even larger supply of pills, then enters the Netherworld Realm to cultivate and prepare for a breakthrough to Late Divine Transformation.
• On the twenty-third day of his seclusion, Xiao Yan returns for his Three-Year Agreement with Nalan Yanran, setting up the coming confrontation.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Meng remains cautious despite the Xiao Clan’s growing advantages. He recognizes powerful enemies may still threaten them and makes preparations rather than trusting their apparent security.
• Xiao Chen is astonished by Endless City and agrees to guard it. Xiao Meng’s explanation that it could secure the north for the Xiao Clan fills Xiao Chen with confidence, though Xiao Meng is less reassured.
• Xiao Ding and Xiao Li tease and pester Xiao Meng over his sword design; they are bewildered by its creation and later enjoy accompanying him on outings. Their banter emphasizes their close, familiar relationship.
• Mu Zichen shows Xiao Zhan and the family great respect, crediting Xiao Meng with saving his life. Xiao Ding and Xiao Li are delighted when Xiao Meng calls them his eldest and second-eldest brothers.
• Xiao Zhan warmly welcomes both Mu Zichen and Zi Yan. Zi Yan remains reserved with the family but trusts Xiao Meng to supply her pills and is happy to receive them.
• The Nether Emperor supports Xiao Meng’s plans, helping prepare Endless City and later guarding his seclusion.

Significant themes

• Preparation amid uncertainty: Powerful relics and allies do not eliminate the danger posed by formidable rivals, so Xiao Meng continues building defenses and strengthening himself.
• Power and responsibility: Endless City could enable vast territorial control, while Xiao Meng’s resources and cultivation are increasingly tied to protecting the Xiao Clan and supporting others.
• Sacrifice and cultivation: Forging the sword costs Xiao Meng blood essence, and both his weapon-making and breakthrough require time, effort, and discipline.
• Humor and family bonds: Xiao Meng’s exasperation over his brothers’ teasing and Zi Yan’s seemingly bottomless appetite offsets the chapter’s escalating stakes.

Key plot points and events

• The Xiao Clan learns that the Misty Cloud Sect has withdrawn its patrols and defenses ahead of Xiao Yan’s Three-Year Agreement. The Ice Emperor warns that Xiao Meng has long suspected the sect is connected to the black-robed killer responsible for massacres across the four empires.
• Yao Chen and Xiao Yan confirm they recently fought that same mysterious man when he attacked the Snake-People, but neither saw his face. The group realizes the Misty Cloud Sect may be far more dangerous than it appears.
• Xiao Ding reasons that the sect may possess a Dou Sheng, since Xiao Meng would otherwise have taken their ancestor Xiao Chen—revealed to be a Five-Star Dou Sheng—to attack it already. Xiao Chen is currently away, and Xiao Meng has prepared for the confrontation; the Ice Emperor says the coming day is when Xiao Meng will move against the sect.
• Xiao Yan insists on honoring the agreement despite the danger. His family and allies gather to support him, while his brothers stay behind because they would be vulnerable to the battle’s shockwaves. Xiao Xun’er is absent, having been taken back by the Ancient Clan for her safety.
• The next morning, Xiao Yan travels to Misty Cloud Mountain with Yao Chen, the Ice Emperor, the Skyfire Venerable, and other allies. Jia Xing Tian joins them as the empire’s guardian. At the summit, they find a large, composed assembly of sect members presided over by former sect leader Yun Shan.
• Xiao Yan formally declares that he has come to fulfill the Three-Year Agreement. Nalan Yanran, whose cultivation seems impossible for even powerful experts to discern, asks why Xiao Meng is absent and dismisses the agreement as a joke.
• Nalan Yanran refuses to fight Xiao Yan, saying he is not worth her time, and threatens to visit the Xiao residence to settle accounts with Xiao Meng. Xiao Yan answers that she is not qualified to fight his brother. The chapter ends as the observers react in alarm.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Yan remains determined and self-possessed, choosing to face Nalan Yanran despite the larger threat. He defends his brother and refuses to be intimidated by her contempt.
• Xiao Ding and Xiao Li want to accompany their younger brother but accept that they would only endanger themselves. Xiao Ding’s deduction about Xiao Chen and a possible Dou Sheng helps the group grasp the sect’s potential strength.
• Yao Chen and the Ice Emperor provide warnings based on their knowledge and experience, reinforcing that the Misty Cloud Sect cannot be underestimated.
• Nalan Yanran appears calm, powerful, and dismissive of Xiao Yan and the agreement, but her challenge to Xiao Meng reveals a personal grievance.
• Nalan Jie and Nalan Xiao are anxious and regretful: the Nalan family has become isolated because of Xiao Meng’s reputation and power.
• Xiao Yan and his family share a warm farewell, while his allies accompany him to the sect. At the summit, the exchange between Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran quickly becomes confrontational.

Significant themes

• Hidden power and uncertainty: The Misty Cloud Sect’s peaceful appearance masks possible extraordinary strength, while Nalan Yanran’s cultivation is unreadable.
• Family loyalty and protection: Xiao Yan’s family supports him, and his brothers stay behind not from lack of care but to avoid becoming liabilities.
• Pride and rivalry: The Three-Year Agreement has become a clash of dignity, resentment, and competing judgments of strength.
• Reputation and isolation: Xiao Meng’s fearsome reputation protects the Xiao Clan but also leaves the Nalan family shunned and politically vulnerable.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Nalan Yanran reveals power comparable to a Dou Zong, shocking the Misty Cloud Sect, her family, and the watching experts. She initially dismisses Xiao Yan as too weak to participate in their Three-Year Agreement.
• Xiao Yan responds by unleashing his own strength, matching hers. Yun Shan declares that the fight has no rules and that life and death are left to fate.
• The duel escalates through powerful techniques: Nalan Yanran uses illusions, torrents of sword energy, wind, and exceptionally strong ice; Xiao Yan counters with flames, a defensive Stupa Tower, his blood-red third eye, a blazing sun, and a fire-based formation of four legendary beasts.
• Both fighters sustain serious injuries but remain evenly matched. Nalan Yanran ultimately traps Xiao Yan in a seal formed by nine Ice Phoenixes, even using her blood essence to strengthen it.
• Xiao Yan breaks free in an eruption of flame. A shard of ice wounds Nalan Yanran, leaving her unable to continue. She admits defeat, and Xiao Yan wins.
• Before Yun Shan can formally announce the result, he calls out to Xiao Meng, who is apparently watching from afar. The chapter ends as Yun Shan and Xiao Meng recognize each other, hinting that the larger confrontation is about to begin.

Character developments

• Xiao Yan proves he is far stronger than Nalan Yanran expected and reveals an increasingly varied arsenal. Though badly hurt, he withstands her ultimate technique and wins without gloating.
• Nalan Yanran is shown to have advanced astonishingly during her seclusion, wielding both wind and powerful ice techniques. Her confidence gives way to respect for Xiao Yan, then to disbelief and humiliation when she loses.
• Yao Chen remains confident in his disciple despite the danger, trusting Xiao Yan to settle his own score.
• The spectators, including veteran experts and Nalan Yanran’s family, are forced to reassess the younger generation’s power and the Misty Cloud Sect’s capabilities.
• Yun Shan stays composed and does not announce the winner, instead directing attention toward Xiao Meng and the impending encounter.

Significant themes

• Hidden strength and mistaken judgments: Both fighters initially underestimate one another, and each reveals greater power as the battle progresses.
• Youth surpassing experience: The onlookers marvel that fighters so young have reached heights many experts could not attain over decades.
• Resolve and personal responsibility: Xiao Yan persists through a near-sealing technique, while Yao Chen refuses to intervene because the conflict is Xiao Yan’s to face.
• Victory amid unfinished conflict: Xiao Yan wins the duel, but the final call to Xiao Meng makes clear that this is not the chapter’s—and perhaps not the larger conflict’s—last confrontation.

Character interactions

• Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran trade taunts, then meet one another as genuine rivals, with mutual respect emerging beneath their hostility.
• Nalan Yanran’s display shocks her relatives, who had no idea how powerful she had become; her eventual defeat leaves them devastated.
• Yao Chen and Skyfire Venerable discuss whether to intervene, but Yao Chen chooses to trust Xiao Yan.
• The spectators react collectively with awe and dread as the duel’s destructive scale grows.
• Yun Shan’s final challenge redirects the scene from Xiao Yan’s victory toward Xiao Meng, setting up a new encounter.

Chapter Summary: “Clash of Two Transmigrators”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Meng arrives at the confrontation between Xiao Yan’s group and the Misty Cloud Sect, immediately recognizing Yun Shan as the other transmigrator, whom he calls “Pojun.”
• The system orders Xiao Meng to obtain three drops of Nalan Yanran’s heartblood and a strand of her divine soul willingly before nightfall, rewarding him with two fishing attempts. Xiao Meng is confused but later learns the materials have an important purpose.
• Xiao Meng orders Yao Chen and the others to withdraw with the weakened Xiao Yan while he confronts Yun Shan alone.
• Yun Shan and Xiao Meng reveal that they have been secretly monitoring and testing one another for years. Their conflict began after Yun Shan slaughtered Stone Desert City while searching for Xiao Meng’s brothers.
• Yun Shan confirms that he was the black-robed murderer responsible for massacring multiple cities across the three empires. This revelation horrifies the Misty Cloud Sect members, Jia Xing Tian, the Ice Emperor, and the others, who had trusted or previously dealt with Yun Shan.
• Yun Shan explains that he avoided attacking the Jia Ma Empire directly after suspecting Xiao Meng knew of his identity. He also admits that his agents tested Xiao Meng in Wutan City, the Black-Corner Region, and Jia Nan Academy, partly because he wanted to capture Xiao Xun’er.
• Before fighting Xiao Meng, Yun Shan reveals two Five-Star Dou Saint-level puppets attacking the Xiao Clan. Xiao Meng remains unconcerned, revealing that Zi Yan is protecting the clan.
• Zi Yan appears with overwhelming power derived from scales containing Zhukun’s strength. She easily suppresses the two Dou Saints, demonstrating that Xiao Meng’s preparations have defeated Yun Shan’s first move.
• Yun Shan threatens to make the two puppets self-destruct, potentially destroying Wutan City and the entire Jia Ma Empire. Xiao Meng counters by activating the Nine Dragons Sealing Heaven Formation, supported by the Nether Emperor, Huangzai, and nine violet-gold dragons. The formation can contain even a Six-Star Dou Saint’s self-destruction.
• Xiao Meng further reveals that he protected the Black-Corner Region and Jia Nan Academy. The Qian-Bai Elders possess Zhukun’s scales and, with the formation’s support, can oppose enemy Dou Saints.
• Although Yun Shan has lost several exchanges, Xiao Meng suspects he has concealed far more power. Yun Shan then summons ten additional figures, revealing an astonishing force of ten Dou Saints and escalating the confrontation dramatically.

Character Developments

• Xiao Meng: Becomes the calm, strategic center of the confrontation. He reveals extensive preparations, anticipates Yun Shan’s suicidal tactics, and displays confidence in handling forces far above ordinary Dou Saint level. His feelings toward Nalan Yanran are complicated by sympathy, resentment, guilt, and the possibility that he caused her current condition.
• Yun Shan/Pojun: Is exposed as the ruthless transmigrator behind the city massacres. He is calculating, paranoid, and willing to sacrifice entire cities and his own powerful puppets to defeat Xiao Meng. Despite losing several rounds, he remains confident and reveals increasingly greater trump cards.
• Xiao Yan: Is weakened but reassured by Xiao Meng’s arrival. His admiration for his third brother deepens, though he also recognizes how terrifying Xiao Meng would be as an enemy.
• Nalan Yanran: Learns that Yun Shan, whom she had trusted as the Misty Cloud Sect’s former leader, is a monstrous killer. She is also overwhelmed by the gap between Xiao Meng and Xiao Yan, as well as by the hidden powers surrounding the conflict.
• Zi Yan: Emerges from her former role as a seemingly insignificant child and reveals power capable of overwhelming Five-Star Dou Saints. Her connection to Zhukun becomes central to Xiao Meng’s defensive strategy.
• Yao Chen and the other allies: Their trust and awe toward Xiao Meng increase as they witness his ability to predict and neutralize Yun Shan’s plans. They also become increasingly frightened by the scale of Yun Shan’s hidden forces.

Significant Themes

• Preparation versus brute force: Xiao Meng’s foresight and layered defenses repeatedly neutralize Yun Shan’s overwhelming attacks.
• The danger of hidden identities: Yun Shan’s friendly appearance conceals his identity as a mass murderer and fellow transmigrator, showing how appearances and reputations can be misleading.
• Strategic paranoia: Both transmigrators have spent years testing, observing, and avoiding one another, creating a conflict built on suspicion and incomplete information.
• Moral ambiguity and guilt: Xiao Meng sympathizes with Nalan Yanran’s original motives but still feels compelled to kill her, especially because he believes his own actions contributed to her corruption.
• Power escalation: The chapter continually overturns the characters’ understanding of strength, moving from Dou Saints to stronger hidden forces and revealing that even apparently minor characters possess terrifying abilities.
• Collateral damage and ruthlessness: Yun Shan treats cities, clans, and even his own Dou Saint puppets as expendable tools, contrasting with Xiao Meng’s efforts to protect civilians and secure multiple battlefields.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiao Meng and Xiao Yan reunite warmly, with Xiao Yan showing both relief and deep admiration.
• Xiao Meng and Nalan Yanran share a tense encounter shaped by hostility, pity, and unspoken guilt.
• Xiao Meng and Yun Shan engage in a calm but threatening exchange, identifying one another as transmigrators and recounting their years of mutual testing.
• Yao Chen and Xiao Meng exchange sarcastic remarks before Yao Chen retreats with Xiao Yan.
• Yun Shan attempts to intimidate Xiao Meng by threatening the Xiao Clan, but Xiao Meng counters each threat with previously prepared defenses.
• Zi Yan’s unexpected arrival shocks everyone, particularly Su Qian, Yao Chen, Xiao Yan, and Yun Shan, as she reveals her extraordinary strength.
• The chapter ends with Yun Shan summoning ten Dou Saints, transforming the confrontation into an even larger and more dangerous clash.

Key plot points and events

• Xiao Chen arrives at the Misty Cloud Sect, revealing that his strength has risen to mid-stage Eight-Star Dou Sheng. He confidently takes the ten puppet Dou Shengs away to fight in the Chu Yun Empire, leaving Xiao Meng to face Yun Shan.
• Xiao Meng and Yun Shan agree to let the uninvolved disciples and families leave. Nalan Yanran remains because Yun Shan insists she stay. Xiao Meng also sends Xiao Yan, Yao Chen, and the others to safety.
• Before their duel, Xiao Meng warns that Nalan Yanran’s body is in danger and hints that Yun Shan has sinister intentions toward her. Yun Shan, who has long suspected she is unusual, demands to know her identity.
• Xiao Meng bargains with Yun Shan for permission to take three drops of Nalan Yanran’s heart’s blood and a strand of her soul. He claims the blood can save Gu Yuan’s younger sister, who is afflicted with a gu parasite, and promises protection for the Nalan Family if he survives.
• Nalan Yanran agrees, provided Xiao Meng helps find her missing master, Yun Yun. His system reveals that Yun Yun is somewhere in the Beast Mountain Range, but Xiao Meng hides this knowledge and pretends he cannot locate her.
• After Nalan Yanran gives up the blood and soul, Yun Shan again asks who she really is. Xiao Meng admits he does not know.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Chen is revealed to be far stronger than others expected. He praises Xiao Yan and reassures Xiao Meng before taking charge of the larger battle.
• Xiao Meng remains composed and calculating, balancing concern for bystanders with strategic bargaining. He protects Nalan Yanran from Yun Shan’s immediate control while concealing what he knows.
• Yun Shan is wary of both Xiao Meng and Nalan Yanran. His inability to identify her through his system fuels his suspicion, though he accepts Xiao Meng’s deal to learn more.
• Nalan Yanran begins confused and distrustful, but her concern for her master and family leads her to accept Xiao Meng’s terms. The extraction leaves her gravely weakened.
• Xiao Yan, Yao Chen, and the others defer to Xiao Chen and withdraw when Xiao Meng tells them to keep clear of the duel.

Significant themes

• Power and uncertainty: Even powerful systems and Dou Shengs cannot explain every mystery, particularly Nalan Yanran’s identity and Yun Yun’s whereabouts.
• Strategic deception: Xiao Meng uses half-truths, negotiation, and feigned ignorance to secure what he needs without revealing his advantage.
• Protection and sacrifice: Xiao Meng tries to spare bystanders and offers protection to the Nalan Family, while Nalan Yanran sacrifices part of her vitality to pursue her master’s rescue.
• Family, loyalty, and obligation: The characters’ decisions are shaped by their ties to clans, friends, and mentors.

Chapter Summary: “Battle of the Two Transmigrators”

Key plot points and events

• Xiao Meng tricks Yun Shan by denying that he knows Nalan Yanran, prompting Yun Shan to seal Misty Cloud Mountain with an eighty-one-flag formation so Xiao Meng cannot escape.
• Yun Shan attacks first, but Xiao Meng meets his demonic techniques with powerful lightning arts and the Great Desolate Heaven-Imprisoning Finger. Their escalating duel features demonic weapons, fiends, and an exchange of major blows.
• Yun Shan summons eight Demon Lords. Xiao Meng counters with eight Buddha Ancient Pagodas, then detonates the towers to destroy four Demon Lords. He kills the remaining four through a combination of lightning and brute strength.
• Yun Shan catches Xiao Meng off guard with a sword strike and presses his advantage with superior speed. Both fighters are wounded in their ensuing close-range clashes.
• Yun Shan activates a body-refining technique and the Eight-Part Demon God Fist, but Xiao Meng uses multiple formations to trap and batter him. Yun Shan summons a Demon Domain full of heavenly demons to break free; Xiao Meng drops the formations at the last moment, then lands a retaliatory strike as Yun Shan escapes.
• Yun Shan attacks with a demonic flute whose melody assails both body and soul, filling Xiao Meng’s surroundings and mind with demons. Xiao Meng’s powerful soul and Primordial Origin Flame let him resist the inner attack and ultimately burn away the Demon Domain.
• Xiao Meng uses the flame to blast Yun Shan into the ruins and pursues him. Just as the flames are about to finish Yun Shan, he suddenly reappears in the sky holding something that shocks Xiao Meng; the chapter ends on this cliffhanger.

Character developments

• Xiao Meng remains confident and irreverent, but the battle exposes vulnerabilities: Yun Shan’s speed and tactical timing leave him seriously injured, and Xiao Meng recognizes his need for a movement technique. He also reveals the Primordial Origin Flame as a powerful trump card.
• Yun Shan proves far more formidable and resourceful than his initial attack suggests. Though battered and forced to retreat from Xiao Meng’s formations and flame, he adapts repeatedly and retains a final, unexplained source of power.
• Nalan Yanran is stunned by Xiao Meng’s sudden denial and by how radically the Misty Cloud Sect has changed.
• Xiao Yan and the other observers are increasingly awed by Xiao Meng’s growth and abilities, especially his physical strength and Primordial Origin Flame.

Significant themes

• Power versus preparation: Xiao Meng’s vast abilities are effective, but Yun Shan’s speed, timing, and tactical choices repeatedly create danger.
• Adaptability and concealed strength: Both fighters reveal new techniques and reserves as the battle escalates; Xiao Meng’s flame is a decisive surprise, while Yun Shan’s final move remains hidden.
• The cost of unchecked ambition: Yun Shan’s rise relies on demonic power, mass slaughter, puppets, and dangerous methods, while his obsession with gaining strength makes him a ruthless opponent.
• Mutual respect amid rivalry: Despite their hostility, both recognize each other’s strengths and treat the fight as a worthy contest.

Character interactions

• Xiao Meng openly mocks and deceives Yun Shan, turning their exchange into a personal contest as well as a fight.
• Their battle alternates between direct clashes and tactical counters: Yun Shan exploits his speed, while Xiao Meng relies on formations, lightning, physical strength, and finally the Primordial Origin Flame.
• Xiao Yan, Hu Gan, Fire Elder, Su Qian, and Yao Chen watch from a distance, reacting with disbelief and concern as Xiao Meng’s power becomes clear.
• Nalan Yanran watches in confusion, unable to reconcile Yun Shan’s command over powerful experts with the strength he displays personally.

Chapter Summary: “Two Transmigrators’ Battle (2)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A grand formation surrounds Wutan City, protecting it from the destructive aftershocks of the battle between three Dou Saints. Nether Emperor and Huangzai maintain the Nine Dragons Sealing Heaven Formation, using nine restored Ancient Void Dragon puppets powered by the Taishi Tree.
• In the sky above the city, Zi Yan has already killed one of the opposing Five-Star Dou Saint puppets. She continues overpowering the remaining puppet, revealing a terrifyingly savage strength that shocks everyone watching below.
• The Xiao Clan members realize that the quiet girl who used to sit on rooftops eating pills is actually an extremely powerful combatant. Xiao Li admires her, while Xiao Ding and Xiao Zhan feel relieved—and slightly frightened—that they never seriously provoked her.
• Other battles across the region have ended:
  • Xiao Chen has fought ten opponents alone in the evacuated Chu Yun Empire and killed four Five-Star Dou Saints, devastating the empire and damaging nearby territory.
  • Medusa watches anxiously from the Snake-People’s territory toward the Misty Cloud Sect, secretly gathering power.
• At the Misty Cloud Sect, Yun Shan reveals that he has mastered the terrifying Divine Elephant Suppressing Prison Strength. He wields the Underworld God’s Spear, possesses Demon Wings, and can use abilities such as Nethergod’s Protection and the Hell Furnace.
• Xiao Meng responds by constructing numerous formations and using the Great Desolation Barrenness Scripture to drain the vitality of Misty Cloud Mountain, strengthening his formations.
• Yun Shan breaks through several formations with his immense speed and spear techniques. His Nethergod’s Protection shields him from Xiao Meng’s attacks, but Xiao Meng’s Primordial Origin Flame proves powerful enough to damage it.
• Yun Shan summons the Hell Furnace, which can refine and devour nearly every form of energy. Xiao Meng is forced to withdraw his flame attacks to prevent the Primordial Origin Flame from being consumed.
• Xiao Meng then reveals his terrifying physical strength through the Eternal Undying Art, allowing him to seize Yun Shan’s Underworld God’s Spear and match the power of the divine elephant directly.
• Yun Shan attempts to use the Hell Furnace to refine Xiao Meng, but Xiao Meng counters with the Heaven-Devouring Demon Art. Instead of being consumed, Yun Shan’s blood, vitality, and energy are drawn into Xiao Meng’s vortex.
• Forced to retreat, Yun Shan acknowledges that Xiao Meng surpasses him in physical strength, soul power, and offensive abilities. However, he believes his superior speed may still give him an advantage.
• Yun Shan then activates the incomplete Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Art, creating three avatars with strength equal to his own. Xiao Meng is shocked to discover that he must now face four Yun Shans, all capable of using the Divine Elephant Suppressing Prison Strength.
• The chapter ends as the four Yun Shans prepare a coordinated attack, while Xiao Meng begins activating another powerful transformation technique: “He transforms into freedom, he transforms into myriad ages.”

Character Developments

• Zi Yan demonstrates her full combat potential, transforming from an apparently aloof, pill-eating child into a ferocious powerhouse capable of killing a Five-Star Dou Saint.
• Xiao Meng reveals that his greatest strength is not merely formations or flames, but his extraordinary divine body, immense vitality, powerful soul, and vast collection of techniques. He remains confident even when confronted by overwhelming odds.
• Yun Shan unveils the results of his cultivation and proves himself to be an exceptionally dangerous opponent. Despite his confidence, he gradually realizes that Xiao Meng has surpassed him in several fundamental areas.
• The Xiao Clan gains a new appreciation—and fear—of Zi Yan. Xiao Ding becomes protective of the clan, Xiao Li idolizes Zi Yan’s strength, and Xiao Zhan remains concerned about Xiao Meng’s battle.
• Medusa is shown to be emotionally invested in the battle at the Misty Cloud Sect, suggesting concern for Xiao Meng and readiness to intervene if necessary.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and underestimated identities: Zi Yan’s harmless appearance conceals overwhelming power, while Xiao Meng’s true physical strength surprises even those close to him.
• Escalation and overwhelming power: The battle progresses from formations and spear techniques to divine cultivation arts, world-devouring flames, body refinement, and equally powerful avatars.
• Adaptability and countermeasures: Both Xiao Meng and Yun Shan repeatedly answer each other’s techniques with specialized abilities, emphasizing tactical creativity rather than brute force alone.
• Confidence versus genuine superiority: Yun Shan initially mocks Xiao Meng, but his confidence gradually turns into shock as Xiao Meng counters nearly every advantage he possesses.
• The danger of incomplete power: Even Yun Shan’s stolen and incomplete Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Art is extraordinarily powerful, showing how terrifying the complete technique might be.

Character Interactions

• The Xiao Clan members discuss Zi Yan with a mixture of awe, fear, and admiration, joking that Xiao Meng is the only person capable of supporting her appetite for pills.
• Xiao Zhan expresses concern for Xiao Meng, while Xiao Ding reassures him by trusting Xiao Meng’s confidence and expecting Zi Yan to finish her own battle soon.
• Yao Lao, Skyfire Venerable, Jia Xing Tian, and the others react with disbelief to the frightening power displayed by Yun Shan and Xiao Meng.
• Xiao Meng and Yun Shan exchange repeated taunts and challenges throughout the battle. Yun Shan mocks Xiao Meng’s formations, while Xiao Meng ridicules Yun Shan’s defensive techniques and refuses to concede.
• Their confrontation becomes an escalating contest of counters: Yun Shan’s Hell Furnace versus Xiao Meng’s Heaven-Devouring Demon Art, and Yun Shan’s divine elephant strength versus Xiao Meng’s divine body.
• The chapter concludes with Yun Shan’s three powerful avatars surrounding Xiao Meng, setting up the next stage of their battle.

Chapter Summary: The Battle of Two Transmigrators (3)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Meng reveals that he possesses the complete Self-Manifestation Great Law, a technique superior to Yun Shan’s Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Art. Unlike Yun Shan’s method, which creates incarnations based on the user’s own strength, Xiao Meng’s technique can manifest versions of himself—and even other people—across time and reality.
• Xiao Meng successfully manifests three additional versions of himself, shocking Yun Shan and everyone watching. He then creates a copy of Yun Shan, who can also use the Divine Elephant Suppressing Prison Strength, neutralizing Yun Shan’s overwhelming speed advantage.
• A massive battle erupts across Misty Cloud Mountain. Xiao Meng’s numerous bodies attack Yun Shan and his three incarnations simultaneously, while both sides unleash powerful techniques, including:
  • Yun Shan’s Nether God Armor, Underworld God’s Spear, demonic mist, divine elephant, and hell furnace.
  • Xiao Meng’s Heaven-Devouring Demon Art, Thunder Emperor Treasure Art, Primordial Origin Flame, Stupa Towers, lightning formations, and immortal sword.
• Yun Shan’s God-Demon Seal infiltrates Xiao Meng’s body, sealing his cells and energy and sharply weakening his speed and control. Xiao Meng is seriously injured when Yun Shan pierces his chest with the Underworld God’s Spear.
• Xiao Meng uses his Primordial Origin Flame, pills, and Stupa Towers to purge the seal and recover enough to continue fighting. He recognizes that his manifested incarnations are weaker because they cannot use the Taixu Divine Lotus or, at present, the Primordial Origin Flame.
• Yun Shan summons three powerful demonic puppets created from demons drawn through the Hell Gate. Each possesses roughly seventy to eighty percent of Yun Shan’s strength and initially creates a major obstacle for Xiao Meng.
• After a difficult battle, Xiao Meng traps and destroys all three puppets using formations, lightning, the Heaven-Devouring Demon Art, Stupa Towers, and the Primordial Origin Flame.
• With the puppets eliminated, Xiao Meng and his incarnations overwhelm Yun Shan’s incarnations. They kill one incarnation through a coordinated assault, then destroy the remaining two in succession.
• Yun Shan is forced into an increasingly desperate one-against-many battle. He manages to kill the Yun Shan copy manifested by Xiao Meng, but by then Xiao Meng has eliminated all of Yun Shan’s other incarnations.
• The chapter ends with Xiao Meng noticing a mysterious gate behind Yun Shan, suggesting that Yun Shan may still possess another hidden trump card.

Character Developments

• Xiao Meng demonstrates a major advantage in both cultivation techniques and combat adaptability. His mastery of the complete Self-Manifestation Great Law allows him to multiply his forces and imitate opponents.
• He remains calm and determined despite suffering severe injuries and having his abilities partially sealed. His willingness to fight with overwhelming force shows his resolve to end the battle quickly.
• Xiao Meng also reveals limitations: his incarnations cannot fully reproduce his most powerful treasures and abilities, especially the Taixu Divine Lotus, making them less capable than his true body.
• Yun Shan loses his earlier confidence as Xiao Meng repeatedly counters his techniques. Despite possessing extraordinary speed, powerful armor, divine weapons, incarnations, and demonic puppets, he is gradually forced into a defensive and desperate position.
• Yun Shan’s tenacity remains impressive. He survives devastating attacks that should have killed him and continues fighting even after his incarnations and divine elephant are destroyed.

Significant Themes

• Superiority through mastery and completeness: Xiao Meng’s complete version of the Self-Manifestation Great Law contrasts with Yun Shan’s reliance on powerful but ultimately countered techniques.
• Numbers versus individual strength: Yun Shan’s speed makes him nearly unbeatable one-on-one, but Xiao Meng’s ability to create multiple powerful combatants changes the balance of the battle.
• Adaptation and preparation: Both fighters constantly introduce new abilities and counters, showing that victory depends not only on raw strength but also on flexibility and tactical awareness.
• Desperation and endurance: As the battle escalates, both characters fight through serious injuries and exhaustion, refusing to yield even when the outcome appears decided.
• Hidden power and uncertainty: The mysterious gate behind Yun Shan hints that the battle may not yet be over and that Yun Shan has another unknown resource.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Meng repeatedly taunts Yun Shan, confidently declaring that Yun Shan is destined to lose and die.
• Yun Shan rejects Xiao Meng’s claims and insists that the outcome remains undecided, though his increasingly desperate actions reveal growing fear and pressure.
• Xiao Meng’s manifested Yun Shan directly restrains the original Yun Shan, preventing him from exploiting his speed.
• Yun Shan is forced to watch helplessly as his incarnations are destroyed, especially when Xiao Meng prevents him from rescuing them.
• The spectators, including Yao Lao and Xiao Yan, are stunned by Xiao Meng’s techniques and sympathize with Yun Shan, recognizing that every method Yun Shan uses is countered by Xiao Meng.

Chapter Summary: “Surrounded on All Sides”

Key plot points and events

• Yun Shan opens the Hell Gate, summoning four powerful demons to attack Xiao Meng’s clones while he fights Xiao Meng directly. The summoning severely strains Yun Shan, but the ensuing battle is brutal and prolonged.
• Xiao Meng and Yun Shan repeatedly trade devastating blows. One by one, Xiao Meng’s clones and the demons are killed; the last clone survives long enough to defeat the final demon and begins recovering with pills.
• Even after hours of combat, neither man can finish the other. Yun Shan finally admits he cannot defeat Xiao Meng in a direct fight and reveals more than two hundred powerful black-robed followers and over three hundred scantily dressed women, using them to cover his retreat.
• Xiao Meng gives chase, aided by Big Old Two. Yun Shan is intercepted by Zi Yan, who had been lying in wait, but escapes again using a black feather that greatly boosts his speed.
• Xiao Meng’s pursuit is part of a wider trap. Xiao Chen, Zi Yan, Big Old Two, and later Medusa block Yun Shan’s escape routes. Yun Shan realizes Xiao Meng had arranged events to prevent him from contacting his puppets, which have already been destroyed, and that Xiao Meng’s system has also interfered with Yun Shan’s ability to predict events.
• Medusa wounds Yun Shan and forces him to choose another route. He heads toward the Black-Corner Region, apparently hoping to reach a wormhole to the Central Plains or turn the region’s defenses to his advantage.
• The chapter ends with Yun Shan halting above the Black-Corner Region and revealing that he still has a hidden trump card. He releases a flash of black light, leaving its effect unresolved.

Character developments

• Xiao Meng shows endurance, confidence, and strategic foresight. Despite severe injuries, he continues fighting and has planned a network of interceptions for Yun Shan’s escape.
• Yun Shan proves extraordinarily resilient and resourceful, but his defeat in the direct duel forces him into flight. His fear and frustration grow as he discovers how thoroughly Xiao Meng has anticipated him.
• Zi Yan is revealed to be an active part of the plan, waiting in ambush and striking Yun Shan when he tries to escape.
• Big Old Two supports Xiao Meng in the pursuit, carrying him and helping close the distance.
• Xiao Chen and Medusa serve as additional barriers, confirming that Xiao Meng’s allies have coordinated to contain Yun Shan.
• Nalan Yanran, unconscious in a fissure, undergoes an unexplained transformation in the background.

Significant themes

• Attrition and survival: The duel shows both opponents enduring extreme physical damage and continuing to fight.
• Planning versus prediction: Xiao Meng’s coordinated trap and disruption of Yun Shan’s system undermine Yun Shan’s assumptions and escape plans.
• Isolation and encirclement: Yun Shan’s routes steadily close as allies appear at carefully chosen points.
• Escalation and unresolved danger: Even after losing the direct fight and much of his support, Yun Shan retains a final, unknown resource.

Character interactions

• Xiao Meng and Yun Shan exchange threats and insults throughout their relentless duel, each refusing to yield.
• Xiao Meng uses his clone strategically, supplying it with pills after it defeats the demons.
• Big Old Two joins Xiao Meng’s pursuit, while Zi Yan attacks Yun Shan from an ambush.
• Medusa intercepts Yun Shan with the power of the Nine Nether Sea, forcing him to change direction.
• Xiao Meng, Big Old Two, Zi Yan, and Xiao Chen spread out rather than regrouping, coordinating their efforts to block Yun Shan’s escape.

Summary of “Yun Shan’s Doom”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yun Shan unveils his final trump card: a Seven-Star Dou Saint Puppet, claiming it is his only remaining puppet.
• He reveals that creating Dou Saint puppets requires massacring millions of people, openly admitting that he slaughtered entire countries to obtain the necessary materials.
• Xiao Meng condemns Yun Shan’s mass killings. Yun Shan attempts to shift the blame onto Xiao Meng, arguing that people died indirectly because Xiao Meng relocated civilians from several empires.
• Xiao Meng rejects Yun Shan’s reasoning and swears to avenge the dead. He vows that, if necessary, he will one day create a world of reincarnation so the innocent can receive another life and the wicked can be punished.
• Xiao Meng’s oath unexpectedly attracts the attention of the Heavenly Will, which brands him with a red mark. The system explains that the mark grants unknown benefits but will bring eternal suffering if Xiao Meng fails to fulfill his oath.
• Yun Shan activates his puppet’s true power, transforming it from a Seven-Star Dou Saint into a Late-Stage Nine-Star Dou Saint. The astonishing increase shocks everyone, including Xiao Chen.
• The system informs Xiao Meng that the puppet’s power is temporary and will disappear after roughly three or four hours.
• Xiao Meng reveals that he has prepared a countermeasure: the Nine Dragons Sealing Heaven Formation, powered by nine Ancient Void Dragon puppets and assisted by the Qian-Bai Elders.
• The formation seals and conceals the Black-Corner Region and Jia Nan Academy, preventing Yun Shan from using the inhabitants as hostages or escaping easily.
• Xiao Xuan, a peak Nine-Star Dou Saint and near-Dou Di expert, finally appears. Yun Shan realizes that Xiao Meng had been hiding far more strength and preparation than he expected.
• Yun Shan orders his powerful puppet to delay the group while he escapes. Xiao Xuan and Xiao Chen remain behind to fight and contain the puppet, while Xiao Meng and Zi Yan pursue Yun Shan.
• After more than two hours of pursuit, Xiao Meng reveals that Yun Shan has been deliberately driven toward a prepared location. Yun Shan’s path is blocked by the Bodhi Ancient Tree, whose power disrupts space and halts his escape.

Character Developments

• Xiao Meng demonstrates a deep sense of justice and responsibility. Although he is pragmatic and sometimes playful, his oath shows that he genuinely carries the burden of those killed by Yun Shan’s actions.
• His vow also places a supernatural obligation upon him through the Mark of the Heavenly Will, raising the stakes of his promise to destroy Yun Shan and protect the innocent.
• Xiao Meng’s strategic ability becomes increasingly clear. He has anticipated Yun Shan’s possible escape routes, arranged the sealing formation, concealed the region, and manipulated Yun Shan’s flight path.
• Yun Shan is exposed as a ruthless and morally distorted villain. He treats mass murder as a legitimate path to cultivation and tries to defend himself through sophistry. His confidence collapses once he realizes Xiao Meng has prepared multiple hidden countermeasures.
• Xiao Xuan is revealed to have been observing and supporting the battle from the beginning. His presence confirms that Xiao Meng’s faction has overwhelming hidden strength.
• Zi Yan remains eager and aggressive, wanting to fight directly, though Xiao Meng restrains her when her lack of true combat experience could become dangerous. She later assists in the pursuit.
• Xiao Chen initially reacts emotionally to Yun Shan’s accusations and is ready to intervene, but Xiao Meng assigns him the more strategic role of protecting the civilians and supporting Xiao Xuan.

Significant Themes

• Justice versus moral relativism: Yun Shan argues that killing is natural for powerful cultivators and that Xiao Meng bears indirect responsibility for civilian deaths. Xiao Meng rejects this worldview, distinguishing intentional slaughter from unavoidable consequences and accepting responsibility through a vow of justice.
• The burden of promises: Xiao Meng’s oath becomes literally binding when the Heavenly Will marks him, emphasizing that moral commitments can carry immense consequences.
• Hidden preparation versus arrogance: Yun Shan believes his transformed puppet guarantees victory, but Xiao Meng’s planning, alliances, formations, and concealed reserves repeatedly undermine that confidence.
• Power and responsibility: The chapter contrasts Yun Shan’s pursuit of strength through mass slaughter with Xiao Meng’s desire to use power to protect people, avenge victims, and potentially create a better world.
• Hope amid destruction: Xiao Meng’s promise of reincarnation introduces the idea that justice may extend beyond revenge, toward restoring the innocent and reshaping the world.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Meng and Yun Shan engage in a philosophical confrontation as much as a battle, with Yun Shan attempting to corrupt Xiao Meng’s sense of guilt and Xiao Meng answering with a firm moral position.
• Xiao Chen tries to defend Xiao Meng from Yun Shan’s accusations, but Xiao Meng calmly takes control of the exchange and explains his vow.
• Xiao Meng restrains Zi Yan and Xiao Chen from acting rashly, showing his role as the battle’s strategist and leader.
• Yun Shan’s interaction with Xiao Xuan is especially devastating: after boasting about his ultimate puppet, he discovers that Xiao Xuan—a peak Nine-Star Dou Saint—has been present all along.
• Xiao Xuan and Xiao Chen cooperate to contain the puppet, while Xiao Meng and Zi Yan pursue Yun Shan.
• Big Old Two assists Xiao Meng by burning its blood essence to increase their speed, and Zi Yan uses medicinal pills to keep up.
• The chapter ends with Yun Shan trapped before the Bodhi Ancient Tree, suggesting that his carefully planned escape is about to become his final defeat.

Chapter Summary: Yun Shan’s Identity and the Reason for the Transmigration

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yun Shan attempts to flee after losing the decisive battle, but Xiao Meng reveals that he anticipated both victory and defeat. He prepared multiple escape routes and arranged the battlefield near the Bodhi Ancient Tree, whose strength rivals that of a Nine-Star Dou Saint.
• Xiao Meng explains that he had accounted for nearly every possible reinforcement Yun Shan might possess, including controlled Nine-Star Dou Saints and the involvement of the Ancient Clans. He also prepared spatial wormholes to evacuate the Xiao Clan if necessary.
• Refusing to accept defeat, Yun Shan burns his own life force and summons the true Hell Gate, intending to sacrifice himself and drag the entire Dou Qi Continent into destruction.
• Acting on the system’s urgent instructions, Xiao Meng uses three drops of his blood essence to invoke the Taixu Divine Lotus, sealing and suppressing Yun Shan before the Hell Gate can fully manifest.
• The suppression unexpectedly breaks a seal inside Yun Shan’s body. A terrifying entity emerges, revealing that the “system” Yun Shan relied upon was merely a fragment of its own consciousness.
• The entity identifies Yun Shan’s true origin: he was once the King of Divine Elephants, God Who Suppresses Prisons, Ancestor of All Phenomena, and Son of the Lord. After his death, Holy King Yang Qi resurrected and reforged him, fusing him with the Mark of the Gods and making him a near–Non-Existence Realm expert.
• Yang Qi had originally used Yun Shan to seal this ancient being. The entity manipulated Yun Shan through countless reincarnations, gradually weakening the seal. It needed Yun Shan to die and a person of immense fortune—ultimately Xiao Meng—to bear part of the resulting karma.
• The entity transfers itself into Xiao Meng, leaving him responsible for the karma of its escape. Yun Shan’s body collapses, and his consciousness disappears.
• Xiao Meng’s system launches a full-powered attack, using the Heavenly Will Mark to conceal its intervention. It successfully erases the entity’s remaining origin, something even Yang Qi had previously been unable to accomplish.
• The Hell Gate remains behind. The system seals it temporarily, but the seal will last only three years, creating a future crisis involving the possible invasion of hellish demons.
• Xiao Xuan, Xiao Chen, Big Old Two, and Zi Yan arrive. Xiao Meng explains the situation and returns to the Xiao Clan to recover, while Xiao Chen is assigned to help deal with the aftermath.

Character Developments

• Xiao Meng is shown to be highly strategic and cautious. Unlike Yun Shan, he plans for failure as well as victory and is willing to sacrifice three of the Heavenly Will Mark’s nine “peerless opportunities” to eliminate the ancient entity. His confidence also increases after witnessing the system destroy an existence beyond ordinary comprehension.
• Yun Shan undergoes a devastating identity revelation. His immense power, cultivation techniques, and system assistance were not truly his own achievements; they were tools used by the sealed entity to weaken its prison and find a suitable bearer of its karma. His arrogance collapses as he realizes he was manipulated throughout his reincarnation.
• The hidden entity is revealed as an ancient, extremely powerful being that has endured imprisonment for trillions of years. Although it nearly escapes, Xiao Meng’s system destroys its origin, leaving only a weak strand of consciousness that will eventually dissipate.
• Xiao Xuan increasingly relies on Xiao Meng’s judgment, treating him as a central pillar of the Xiao Clan. This reinforces Xiao Meng’s growing authority and importance.
• Zi Yan reacts with anxiety and concern during the Hell Gate crisis, emphasizing the danger of the situation and her connection to the group.

Significant Themes

• Arrogance versus preparation: Yun Shan’s belief that his overwhelming power made defeat impossible contrasts with Xiao Meng’s willingness to anticipate failure and prepare contingencies.
• Identity and manipulation: Yun Shan’s apparent power and independence are exposed as illusions. His reincarnation, cultivation, and system were all connected to a larger scheme controlled by the sealed entity.
• Karma and sacrifice: Xiao Meng must bear the consequences of the entity’s escape, while the system sacrifices three of his future opportunities to destroy it. Power always carries a cost.
• The limits of power: Even beings comparable to Yang Qi and the Non-Existence Realm cannot freely destroy the entity. The system’s intervention demonstrates its extraordinary nature while also revealing limits imposed by the Heavenly Will Mark.
• Temporary victory and future danger: Yun Shan and the ancient entity are defeated, but the Hell Gate remains sealed only temporarily. The chapter replaces one immediate threat with a looming three-year deadline.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiao Meng and Yun Shan: Their confrontation centers on strategy, pride, and the difference between preparing for all outcomes and assuming victory is guaranteed. Xiao Meng taunts Yun Shan after gaining control of the situation, while Yun Shan makes one final attempt to destroy the world.
• Xiao Meng and the hidden entity: The entity dismisses Xiao Meng as an ant and attempts to seize or seal him, but Xiao Meng relies on his system to retaliate. Their exchange establishes Xiao Meng as the person who unknowingly bears the entity’s karma and ultimately becomes responsible for its destruction.
• Xiao Meng and the system: The system gives him the Taixu Divine Lotus incantation, explains the Heavenly Will Mark’s function, and provides the decisive attack. Their interaction also highlights the system’s secretive nature and the severe cost of using its full power.
• Xiao Meng and Xiao Xuan: Xiao Xuan seeks Xiao Meng’s guidance after the crisis, demonstrating his trust in Xiao Meng’s judgment and his elevated status within the Xiao Clan.
• The group and the Hell Gate: Xiao Xuan, Xiao Chen, Big Old Two, and Zi Yan all recognize the gate as an unprecedented threat. Its presence shifts the group’s focus from celebrating Yun Shan’s defeat to preparing for a larger impending disaster.

Chapter Summary: “Expanding Jia Nan Academy”

Key plot points and events

• After the battle at the Misty Cloud Sect, the Xiao Clan becomes famous across the northwest. Wutan City draws visitors, while the rapidly expanding Endless City—and its immense, fire-covered Endless Tree—astonishes even powerful Dou Saints.
• Xiao Xuan explains his theory that breaking through to Dou Di requires a missing energy he calls Origin Emperor Energy. He believes the Netherworld Realm’s Divine Power may supply it, though he and Xiao Chen agree not to risk damaging the realm.
• Xiao Yan reports that Nalan Yanran has fled to the Central Plains. Xiao Meng later confirms that she is now far beyond Xiao Yan’s ability to face and orders the Xiao Clan to protect the Nalan Family, while cautioning that it need not excuse their own reckless actions.
• Xiao Meng recovers from his injuries and confirms that Yao Chen and Skyfire Venerable are recovering as well. His cultivation has reached the peak of the Divine Transformation Realm.
• Xiao Meng and his companions arrive after Xiao Xuan and Xiao Chen defeat two powerful Nine Serene Deep Ground Pythons. Learning that Qiong Leng has strengthened and taken control of the Python Clan and other factions, Xiao Meng sends the ancestors to warn the great Ancient Clans and prepare for mass relocation. He gives them Taishi Tree leaves to conceal their auras.
• Xiao Meng proposes turning Jia Nan Academy into a continent-wide institution for humans and intelligent magical beasts. He promises vast teaching resources, including hundreds of thousands of Dou Techniques across several tiers, and lays out plans to expand the grounds, relocate nearby populations, and establish a Small Inner Academy for exceptional students. Su Qian and the academy elders agree to help.
• Xiao Meng works to accelerate the Endless Tree’s growth with Divine Soil and sends Hai Bo Dong to train in the Snake-People’s Nine Nether Sea, hoping to develop his ice power. Medusa agrees to assist with the academy’s population relocation.
• Xiao Meng takes Xiao Yan, Xiao Ding, and Xiao Li to the Sacred Mountain and explains the Bodhi Ancient Tree’s power to aid enlightenment and cultivation. He encourages his brothers to keep striving toward Dou Di, reminding them how quickly they have already advanced.
• As the brothers help fill the tree’s planting platform with soil, the Bodhi Ancient Tree suddenly emits a brilliant light. All four are left staring in astonishment; the chapter ends before revealing what happens next.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Meng acts as strategist, protector, and benefactor: he addresses the larger threat, plans for mass survival, supports his family and allies, and expands institutions that could help people grow stronger.
• Xiao Xuan moves from speculation to confidence that Divine Power may enable a Dou Di breakthrough, but remains cautious about risking the Netherworld Realm.
• Xiao Yan is shaken by Nalan Yanran’s transformation and worries over his injured teacher. He accepts Xiao Meng’s protection order for the Nalan Family and is encouraged by his brother’s confidence in their potential.
• Xiao Ding and Xiao Li shift from curiosity about the Misty Cloud battle to practical work for the clan and academy. Along with Xiao Yan, they are awed by the Sacred Mountain and the Bodhi Ancient Tree.
• Su Qian and the academy elders are initially overwhelmed by Xiao Meng’s ambition and promised resources, but agree to organize the expansion.
• Xiao Xuan and Xiao Chen act decisively against the Python threat, though Xiao Chen is badly injured. Their discussion with Xiao Meng connects the local crisis to the danger spreading through the Central Plains.
• Xiao Meng’s trust and warmth toward his brothers and loyal allies are reflected in his mentoring of them and in his decision to invest in Hai Bo Dong’s development.

Significant themes

• Collective survival and preparation: The threat facing the continent requires cooperation, relocation, and large-scale cultivation rather than isolated resistance.
• Growth and possibility: Xiao Meng challenges his brothers to see Dou Di as attainable, using their rapid past progress as proof that seemingly impossible goals can be reached.
• Power balanced by responsibility: Xiao Meng possesses extraordinary resources, but repeatedly considers their risks and uses them to protect others.
• Knowledge, potential, and enlightenment: Jia Nan Academy, the Sacred Mountain, and the Bodhi Ancient Tree all represent ways to develop talent and unlock greater understanding.

Chapter Summary: Xiao Meng’s Way of Courting Girls

Key Plot Points and Events

• A mysterious young woman, Gu Nianxue, emerges from the light of the Bodhi Ancient Tree. She is revealed to be a legendary beauty who had been frozen in an ice coffin for over a thousand years to protect her from the Life-Devouring Gu placed in her by Hun Tiandi.
• Xiao Meng immediately pretends to have shared a centuries-long romantic relationship with her, calling her “Xue’er” and claiming that he traveled for three hundred years to awaken her.
• He tells Gu Nianxue that he saved her by drawing the Life-Devouring Gu into his own body and obtaining the Bodhi Heart from the Bodhi Ancient Tree.
• The Bodhi Ancient Tree exposes part of Xiao Meng’s deception, announcing that Xiao Meng must surrender his soul as payment. Xiao Meng attempts to use the situation to make Gu Nianxue believe he is sacrificing himself for her.
• His plan fails when Gu Nianxue reveals that she can read minds. She recognizes that Xiao Meng is deliberately manipulating her emotions and has been pretending to be her lover.
• Xiao Meng abandons the act, argues that although he lied about their relationship, he genuinely saved her because he likes her. Their confrontation becomes comedic and antagonistic, with Gu Nianxue attacking him and Xiao Meng effortlessly restraining her.
• Xiao Meng has the Bodhi Ancient Tree return Gu Nianxue’s crystal coffin and prepares to leave, taking his brothers with him. He claims that she is their future sister-in-law and secretly resolves to make her his wife.
• He soon returns to the Sacred Mountain and begins an elaborate courtship campaign. He shows off his power, rides dramatically on his flaming divine bird, cultivates beneath the Bodhi Tree, and drinks whiskey in an attempt to fascinate Gu Nianxue.
• Xiao Meng alternates between arrogance, indifference, and emotional sincerity. He pretends not to care about Gu Nianxue while leading her toward the exit.
• During their walk, Gu Nianxue thanks him for saving her and directly asks whether he truly likes her. Xiao Meng openly confesses that he fell for her at first sight and saved her because of his feelings.
• He then claims that true love means allowing her to live happily even if she does not return his feelings, implying that they may never meet again. His words deeply affect Gu Nianxue, who begins following him in emotional confusion.

Character Developments

• Xiao Meng is established as shameless, theatrical, manipulative, and highly confident in his ability to charm women. Though much of his initial behavior is deceptive, his willingness to endure the Life-Devouring Gu and risk his life against Hun Tiandi suggests that his feelings are not entirely fabricated. He shifts from exaggerated romantic acting to a more calculated “push-and-pull” courtship strategy.
• Gu Nianxue begins confused and suspicious, quickly recognizing that Xiao Meng is lying. Her mind-reading ability allows her to see through his schemes, and she angrily challenges him. However, his genuine admission that he likes her, combined with his displays of power and apparent willingness to let her go, gradually unsettles and attracts her.
• Xiao Ding, Xiao Li, and Xiao Yan function as shocked observers and comic commentators. They recognize Xiao Meng’s behavior as an outrageous attempt at seduction and are repeatedly appalled by his shamelessness.
• The Bodhi Ancient Tree acts as both a supernatural power and an unwilling participant in Xiao Meng’s performance, healing Gu Nianxue while publicly revealing the terms of Xiao Meng’s bargain.
• The system undermines Xiao Meng by informing him that Gu Nianxue can read minds, ruining his carefully staged sacrifice.

Significant Themes

• Deception versus genuine affection: Xiao Meng lies about their shared history, but his actual sacrifices and confession suggest that his affection may be real despite his dishonesty.
• Courtship as performance: Xiao Meng treats romance like a calculated act, using dramatic speeches, displays of strength, emotional manipulation, and deliberate aloofness to influence Gu Nianxue.
• Power and attraction: His overwhelming strength and flamboyant demonstrations of cultivation are presented as part of his romantic appeal.
• Emotional manipulation and the “push-and-pull” tactic: Xiao Meng alternates between intense attention and cold distance, provoking Gu Nianxue’s curiosity, resentment, and growing emotional investment.
• Freedom versus possession: Xiao Meng claims that loving someone means wanting her happiness rather than forcing her to stay, yet his actions—including closing the exits and trying to make her his wife—contradict this ideal.
• Comedy through contrast: The seriousness of Gu Nianxue’s rescue and Xiao Meng’s apparent sacrifice is repeatedly undercut by his shameless motives, his brothers’ disbelief, and Gu Nianxue’s ability to see through him.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Meng and Gu Nianxue’s relationship begins with false intimacy: he calls her “Xue’er,” touches her hair, and presents himself as her devoted savior, while she struggles to understand who he is.
• The Bodhi Ancient Tree exposes Xiao Meng’s sacrifice, causing Gu Nianxue to feel shocked and indebted before she realizes he is using the situation to court her.
• Gu Nianxue retaliates by reading Xiao Meng’s thoughts and mocking his performance, reversing the power dynamic and embarrassing him.
• Their argument reveals genuine tension: she resents being deceived, while he insists that his efforts and suffering prove that his feelings are real.
• Xiao Meng’s brothers repeatedly react with disbelief and condemnation but also admire his audacity.
• By the end of the chapter, Gu Nianxue remains angry and suspicious, but Xiao Meng’s confession and apparent willingness to let her go have begun to affect her emotionally.

Chapter Summary: “A Battle of Wits”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter opens in the Thunder Clan’s isolated domain within the Heavenly Thunder Mountain Range. The clan is hosting its once-a-decade grand competition, attended by over a hundred thousand spectators, numerous elders, and clan chief Lei Ying, an eight-star Dou Saint.
• The celebration is interrupted when someone forcibly tears through the Thunder Clan’s spatial barrier. Lei Ying initially attempts to block the intruder and orders the elders to attack, but their combined strength is overwhelmed.
• Two figures enter: a gaunt old man wielding a huge blood-colored axe and a calm, black-robed middle-aged man. Lei Ying recognizes the latter as Xiao Xuan, a legendary figure believed to have died and been reduced to a remnant soul in the Heavenly Tomb.
• Xiao Xuan reveals that he has reconstructed a powerful body and has come to the Thunder Clan to discuss an important matter. His reappearance shocks Lei Ying and the clan elders, who understand the significance of his return.
• Elsewhere, in the Black-Corner Region, Xiao Meng abandons Gu Nianxue after bringing her out of the Sacred Mountain’s space, hoping she will ask him to accompany her. When she does not, he becomes frustrated and secretly follows her.
• Gu Nianxue quickly attracts a crowd because of her extraordinary beauty. Despite being a Dou Zong, she becomes frightened by the thousands of ordinary people following her and is too nervous to ask for directions.
• Xiao Meng intervenes at a roadside tea stall, dispersing the crowd with his power. Gu Nianxue recognizes him as a lifeline and begs him to take her away.
• Xiao Meng carries her through the air. Although embarrassed and angry at his physical closeness, Gu Nianxue cannot hurt him and becomes curious about why she can no longer read his thoughts.
• Xiao Meng denies deliberately guarding his mind, though his internal thoughts reveal that he has been concealing his true abilities and intentions.
• Gu Nianxue asks about returning to the Central Plains and whether the Xiao Clan can send an expert to escort her. Xiao Meng lies about the Xiao Clan’s strength and explains that the spatial wormholes and Sacred Mountain’s protective space are unrelated to any Xiao Clan expert.
• He claims that Gu Yuan originally sent her to Xiao Meng because Xiao Meng possessed the Life-Suspending Pill, which had preserved her life when the Life-Devouring Gu nearly consumed her vitality.
• Xiao Meng eventually offers to escort her personally. After initially doubting that he is strong enough to survive the dangerous journey, Gu Nianxue accepts.
• He gives her a black robe to conceal her beauty and prevent unwanted attention. When he praises her appearance, she becomes delighted and smug, while Xiao Meng privately vows that she will eventually “repay” him for her earlier rejection. The chapter ends as they prepare to depart.

Character Developments

• Xiao Xuan: His dramatic return establishes that he is no longer merely a remnant soul. His reconstructed body is powerful enough to breach a Dou Di-created independent space and overpower Lei Ying’s forces, signaling a major increase in his status and influence.
• Lei Ying: Initially confident as the Thunder Clan’s chief, Lei Ying is quickly forced into shock and caution when he realizes the intruder surpasses him. His recognition of Xiao Xuan emphasizes Xiao Xuan’s legendary reputation.
• Xiao Meng: He continues using shameless tricks and feigned indifference to stay close to Gu Nianxue. Though he pretends to be offended and helpless, he actively protects her, watches over her, and ultimately volunteers to escort her. His concealed strength and guarded thoughts suggest that he is more capable—and more emotionally invested—than he admits.
• Gu Nianxue: She remains intelligent and suspicious, questioning Xiao Meng’s hidden abilities and noticing that she can no longer read his thoughts. However, she is also inexperienced in dealing with ordinary society, easily frightened by attention, and increasingly dependent on Xiao Meng. His praise visibly affects her confidence and mood.
• Xiao Meng and Gu Nianxue’s relationship: Their dynamic shifts from separation and mutual irritation toward reluctant cooperation and romantic teasing. Xiao Meng wants her to acknowledge her need for him, while Gu Nianxue alternates between distrust, embarrassment, annoyance, and growing comfort around him.

Significant Themes

• Power and reputation: Xiao Xuan’s arrival demonstrates how legendary status can instantly alter the balance of power. The Thunder Clan’s confidence collapses once they recognize both his identity and overwhelming strength.
• Concealed strength and deception: Xiao Meng hides his abilities and manipulates circumstances to remain near Gu Nianxue, while Xiao Xuan’s appearance contradicts everything the world believes about his death.
• Pride and dependence: Gu Nianxue refuses to ask Xiao Meng to accompany her out of pride, while Xiao Meng’s own pride leads him to stage a false departure. Both ultimately depend on one another despite refusing to admit it directly.
• Romantic banter and emotional manipulation: Xiao Meng uses exaggerated politeness, self-pity, teasing, and compliments to influence Gu Nianxue. Her reactions reveal that his praise and attention matter to her more than she is willing to acknowledge.
• Appearance as both gift and burden: Gu Nianxue’s beauty brings admiration but also unwanted danger and attention, prompting Xiao Meng to disguise her.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiao Xuan and Lei Ying: Their reunion is tense and unequal. Lei Ying tries to defend the Thunder Clan but is overwhelmed, then reacts with disbelief when he realizes Xiao Xuan has returned.
• Xiao Meng and Gu Nianxue: Their exchanges are filled with sarcasm, suspicion, and flirtation. Gu Nianxue scolds him for abandoning her and carrying her improperly, while Xiao Meng mocks her fearfulness and secretly enjoys her reliance on him.
• Xiao Meng’s protection of Gu Nianxue: He prevents the crowd from approaching her, escorts her away from danger, offers to guide her across the perilous route to the Central Plains, and provides clothing to conceal her identity and beauty.
• Gu Nianxue’s response to Xiao Meng’s praise: She changes from irritation to pleasure when he calls her beautiful, revealing the growing emotional tension between them.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• In the Thunder Clan’s council hall, Xiao Xuan and Xiao Chen pressure Lei Ying to relocate the entire Thunder Clan. They warn that the Nine Netherworld Serpent clan poses an overwhelming threat and may turn the Thunder Clan into puppet-like beings within one or two years.
• Xiao Xuan promises Lei Ying that, if the Thunder Clan cooperates with the Xiao Clan, he can help him reach the Dou Di realm within a hundred years. Xiao Xuan also reveals that he himself possesses the conditions needed to break through and expects to advance within three years.
• Convinced that relocation is the only way to preserve the Thunder Clan’s bloodline and possibly its future Dou Di inheritance, Lei Ying agrees. The clan begins preparing a confidential evacuation through a powerful spatial wormhole.
• In the Northern Mountain Range, Xiao Meng completes an extraordinary pill-refining session, producing more than seventy thousand pills over ten days. The feat astonishes Yao Chen and Xiao Yan, while Zi Yan eagerly consumes and hoards many of the valuable pills.
• Xiao Meng distributes the pills among Zi Yan, the Xiao Clan, and Jia Nan Academy. The repeated lightning tribulations also strengthen his physical body.
• Xiao Meng gives Xiao Yan information about two Heavenly Flames—the Nine Netherwind Flame and the Turtle Spirit Earth Flame—and recommends that he cultivate in Endless City. Xiao Yan and Yao Chen immediately depart to pursue them.
• Xiao Meng sends Mu Zichen to train in the Snake-People’s territory and places Zi Yan into deep sleep beneath the Bodhi Ancient Tree after her extensive pill consumption. Xiao Ding and Xiao Li continue studying the Heavenly Evolution Scripture.
• Xiao Meng advises Xiao Zhan to delegate administrative duties so he can focus more on cultivation. Before leaving, Xiao Zhan enthusiastically discusses marriage and grandchildren, embarrassing Xiao Meng.
• At Jia Nan Academy, Xiao Meng gives Fire Elder a jade slip containing his pill-refining insights and assigns Skyfire Venerable to guard the Xiao Clan and oversee its defensive formation. He also learns that Fallen Heart Flame’s intelligence has developed significantly and that it has entered seclusion.
• Xiao Meng finally meets Gu Nianxue and prepares to travel with her. During the journey, he produces fine food and alcohol, clearly attempting to court her. The chapter ends with him mischievously humming that he will get her drunk and “do whatever” he wants.

Character Developments

• Xiao Xuan is revealed to be even more confident and formidable than before. He has gained access to the conditions necessary for a Dou Di breakthrough and takes a decisive leadership role in protecting allied clans.
• Xiao Chen acts as a severe but pragmatic negotiator, making it clear that the Thunder Clan’s survival depends on cooperation.
• Lei Ying shifts from resistance and suspicion to decisive acceptance, prioritizing the preservation of his clan’s bloodline over attachment to its ancestral land.
• Xiao Meng continues to display overwhelming talent in alchemy, cultivation, organization, and strategy. He also reveals a more playful and calculating side while courting Gu Nianxue.
• Xiao Yan remains ambitious and eager to improve, immediately pursuing the Heavenly Flames suggested by Xiao Meng.
• Zi Yan becomes even more attached to Xiao Meng’s pills, treating powerful seventh-tier pills like snacks. Her subsequent deep sleep suggests a period of major growth or transformation.
• Fire Elder remains greedy for advancement but is also comically shameless, eagerly accepting Xiao Meng’s guidance.
• Skyfire Venerable demonstrates loyalty by accepting responsibility for guarding the Xiao Clan.
• Gu Nianxue becomes increasingly receptive to Xiao Meng’s attention. She is surprised and touched by his cooking, though she tries to hide her growing embarrassment and affection.
• Xiao Zhan is portrayed as a proud, affectionate father whose greatest current wish is for his sons to marry and continue the Xiao Clan’s lineage.

Significant Themes

• Survival versus tradition: The Thunder Clan must abandon its ancestral home to preserve its people and bloodline.
• The pursuit of transcendence: The possibility of reaching the Dou Di realm motivates Lei Ying and frames the Xiao Clan’s growing influence.
• Power and preparation: Xiao Meng strengthens allies through pills, cultivation opportunities, defensive arrangements, and strategic guidance.
• Inheritance and continuity: Bloodlines, clan survival, future generations, and the preservation of knowledge are central concerns throughout the chapter.
• Mentorship and loyalty: Xiao Meng supports Xiao Yan, Mu Zichen, Fire Elder, Skyfire Venerable, and the wider Xiao Clan by sharing resources and knowledge.
• Romantic courtship and comedy: The serious political and cultivation developments are balanced by Xiao Meng’s playful attempts to win Gu Nianxue, including preparing food, drinks, and an awkwardly suggestive plan.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Xuan, Xiao Chen, and Lei Ying: They engage in a tense negotiation over the Thunder Clan’s relocation, with Xiao Xuan’s Dou Di promise ultimately convincing Lei Ying.
• Xiao Meng and Xiao Yan: Xiao Meng guides Xiao Yan toward new Heavenly Flames, reinforcing their supportive brotherly relationship.
• Xiao Meng and Zi Yan: Xiao Meng supplies her with pills, while she greedily collects and eats them, creating a humorous contrast between his generosity and her appetite.
• Xiao Meng and Xiao Zhan: Their conversation highlights Xiao Zhan’s desire for grandchildren and Xiao Meng’s discomfort with his father’s aggressive matchmaking.
• Xiao Meng and Fire Elder: Their teasing exchange mixes insults with genuine mentorship, culminating in Xiao Meng giving Fire Elder valuable alchemy insights.
• Xiao Meng and Skyfire Venerable: Xiao Meng entrusts Skyfire with the Xiao Clan’s safety and provides him with a defensive artifact.
• Xiao Meng and Gu Nianxue: Their relationship advances through playful banter and subtle romantic gestures. Gu Nianxue is visibly moved by Xiao Meng’s personal effort, while Xiao Meng deliberately creates an intimate travel setting with food and alcohol.
• Xiao Meng and Huangzai: Huangzai silently endures Xiao Meng’s attempt to barbecue while flying, serving as a humorous, unwilling accomplice in Xiao Meng’s courtship.

Chapter Summary: “Sweetheart, You’re So Beautiful”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Endless City has expanded into a colossal structure over ten thousand zhang above ground and an equal distance below it. Although the city continues growing rapidly, Xiao Meng remains anxious that it will not expand quickly enough to isolate the Northwestern Region from threats such as Qiong Leng.
• Xiao Meng cultivates beneath the Endless Tree, using its powerful Divine Flame to temper his body. He perfects the Divine Transformation Realm but fails to break through into the Divine Astral Realm, a more powerful stage involving the Eight Gates and Nine Palaces.
• Gu Nianxue spends her time near Xiao Meng and gradually realizes that she has developed feelings for him, though she remains unaware—or unwilling to admit—the depth of her affection.
• Big Old Two repeatedly teases Gu Nianxue by calling her “Madam,” while ingratiating itself by bringing her fruit, offering food, water, massages, and other services. Gu Nianxue frequently strikes or scolds it, but she also recognizes that the bird treats her kindly.
• Xiao Meng and Big Old Two deliberately provoke Gu Nianxue into revealing her concern for Xiao Meng. Xiao Meng takes her hand, embraces her, flirts shamelessly, and eventually confesses that he loves her.
• During a sunset walk across Endless City, Xiao Meng asks Gu Nianxue to try being together. She initially rejects him in embarrassment, but her reaction is driven by shyness rather than genuine anger. Xiao Meng paints a portrait of her, and the emotional possibility of separation causes Gu Nianxue to admit indirectly that she does not want to leave him.
• Gu Nianxue agrees to spend time with Xiao Meng as his companion, though she warns him not to behave improperly. They make pastries together, with Big Old Two assisting and negotiating for a share of the Primordial Origin Stone.
• The following morning, Gu Nianxue wakes up in Xiao Meng’s bed and discovers him holding her. Xiao Meng falsely claims that she entered the wrong bed, though Big Old Two knows he carried her there during the night. Their playful argument continues as Xiao Meng hugs and teases her.
• Xiao Meng suddenly senses trouble involving the Ancient Void Dragon Clan. He orders Big Old Two to retrieve Zi Yan from Jia Nan Academy and prepares to leave with Gu Nianxue.
• He reveals that he is the Ancient Void Dragon Clan’s Punishment Elder, a position second only to the Dragon Emperor, and explains the connection to the surviving Old Dragon Emperor and the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor’s cave abode.
• Xiao Meng initially wants Gu Nianxue to stay behind for her safety, giving her enchanted Endless Tree leaves and a dragon scale for protection. She refuses to remain behind, insisting that since they are now together, they should share danger as well. Xiao Meng eventually agrees, though he continues to worry and repeatedly instructs her to be careful.

2. Character Developments

• Xiao Meng: Becomes more emotionally direct with Gu Nianxue, moving from flirtatious teasing to an explicit confession and a sincere request to begin a relationship. Despite his shameless behavior, he shows genuine concern for her safety and becomes protective when the Ancient Void Dragon Clan faces danger. His cultivation also advances, though he remains temporarily stuck at the Divine Transformation Realm.
• Gu Nianxue: Gradually shifts from irritation and resistance toward openly caring about Xiao Meng. She defends Big Old Two when Xiao Meng pretends to punish it, worries when Xiao Meng senses danger, and refuses to abandon him when he leaves. Her agreement to “spend some time” with him effectively marks the beginning of their relationship, even though she continues to deny or disguise her feelings.
• Big Old Two: Acts as a comic instigator and unofficial matchmaker. It deliberately calls Gu Nianxue “Madam,” exposes her interest in Xiao Meng, and cooperates with Xiao Meng’s schemes. Though often mistreated, it remains loyal and cleverly secures Xiao Meng’s promise of a Primordial Origin Stone.
• Zi Yan: Does not appear directly, but her imminent retrieval signals that she will be involved in the crisis facing the Ancient Void Dragon Clan.

3. Significant Themes

• Romance beneath humor and teasing: Xiao Meng’s shameless conduct serves as comic relief, but it gradually leads to a sincere emotional confession and mutual commitment.
• Affection expressed through actions: Gu Nianxue rarely states her feelings directly; instead, her concern, reluctance to separate, willingness to share danger, and acceptance of Xiao Meng’s hand-holding reveal her growing attachment.
• Protection versus partnership: Xiao Meng wants to shield Gu Nianxue from danger, while she insists that a genuine relationship requires facing hardships together rather than being treated as someone fragile or burdensome.
• Separation and uncertainty: The possibility of Gu Nianxue returning to the Ancient Clan forces both characters to confront the fear that their relationship may be temporary.
• Power and responsibility: Xiao Meng’s role as Punishment Elder gives him obligations beyond Endless City and links his personal life to the larger conflict involving the Ancient Void Dragon Clan and the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor’s inheritance.
• Comedic manipulation and loyalty: Xiao Meng and Big Old Two work together to tease Gu Nianxue, but their schemes also demonstrate their close partnership and the bird’s loyalty to Xiao Meng.

4. Character Interactions

• Gu Nianxue and Big Old Two engage in repeated comic exchanges, with the bird treating her like Xiao Meng’s future wife and Gu Nianxue responding with embarrassment, anger, and reluctant tolerance.
• Xiao Meng and Big Old Two secretly cooperate to provoke Gu Nianxue, though Xiao Meng pretends to punish the bird when it goes too far. Gu Nianxue unexpectedly defends Big Old Two, revealing her kindness and concern.
• Xiao Meng and Gu Nianxue progress from verbal sparring to hand-holding, embracing, walking together, sharing food, and beginning a tentative romantic relationship.
• Their relationship remains playful and argumentative: Gu Nianxue calls Xiao Meng shameless and lecherous, while Xiao Meng responds with exaggerated innocence and persistent affection.
• Their romantic progress is interrupted by the crisis involving the Ancient Void Dragon Clan, but Gu Nianxue’s insistence on accompanying Xiao Meng confirms that she now views their bond as a partnership rather than a temporary amusement.

Chapter Summary: Turmoil in the Ancient Void Dragon Clan

Key Plot Points and Events

• The ancient clans continue relocating their populations to prepare for the looming threat posed by the Soul Clan. Although the process is difficult because of the clans’ enormous populations, their many powerful experts allow it to proceed rapidly.
• Xiao Xuan, Xiao Chen, Gu Yuan, and the other ancient clan leaders travel to the Soul Clan to form an alliance against their common enemy. However, they discover that the Soul Realm is sealed by an overwhelming spatial barrier that even multiple high-level Dou Saints cannot penetrate.
• Xiao Xuan suspects that the Soul Clan may have been controlled by an even more terrifying existence. He warns that the Soul Clan might have become puppets rather than independently producing a Dou Di.
• Xiao Xuan orders the relocation efforts to accelerate and hopes that Endless City can divide the continent when the enemy begins its attack, buying the survivors time.
• Xiao Xuan requests all seven pieces of the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade. He reveals that he needs them not to pursue the Dou Di realm, but to rescue Zhukun, the imprisoned Old Dragon Emperor of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan. The clan leaders surrender the jade, and Xiao Chen is tasked with saving Zhukun.
• Xiao Yan, having refined the Nine Netherwind Flame and Turtle Spirit Earth Flame, reaches enough strength to contend with three- or four-star Dou Venerables. He discusses the scarcity of remaining Heavenly Flames with Yao Lao and explains that refining them seems to awaken mysterious powers or memories within him.
• Xiao Yan decides to investigate the magma world beneath Jia Nan Academy, believing it contains the answers to the mysteries surrounding his Flame Mantra and awakened memories. He plans to seek help from Xiao Clan ancestors because the region is too dangerous for him and Yao Lao alone.
• At Ice River Valley, the transmigrator inhabiting Nalan Yanran’s body absorbs the valley’s icy energy and causes its permanent destruction. She discovers a Causal Thread within her body connected to Xiao Yan, which suppresses her strength and forces her cultivation to remain incomplete.
• Nalan Yanran realizes the thread was likely formed from the unwillingness she felt after losing to Xiao Yan at the Misty Cloud Sect. She concludes that an outside entity, possibly a Sequence Three being, deliberately created the link to exploit Xiao Yan’s immense fortune.
• East Dragon Island of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan is attacked by the combined forces of the West, South, and North Dragon Islands. The attackers slaughter the island’s inhabitants while attempting to destroy a mysterious defensive barrier.
• A mysterious white-clothed man, addressed as Mr. Qiong, arrives and reveals that the barrier was not created by the Dragon Emperor. He is secretly interested in the incomplete Ancestor Dragon Pool beneath the island, hoping to absorb it, restore most of his strength, and eventually advance further.
• Mr. Qiong uses powerful black energy to weaken the barrier, which soon collapses. The allied dragon forces invade and overwhelm East Dragon Island, severely injuring its elders and killing many defenders.
• Just as the West Dragon King prepares to execute the surviving elders, an unknown figure mockingly calls him a “vicious ugly bastard,” setting up a confrontation.

Character Developments

• Xiao Xuan emerges as the central leader of the anti-Soul Clan effort. He places survival above old grudges, temporarily setting aside his hatred of Hun Tiandi and taking command during the crisis.
• Xiao Chen is entrusted with the crucial mission of using the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade to rescue Zhukun, indicating the trust Xiao Xuan places in him.
• Xiao Yan continues his extraordinary growth through Heavenly Flame refinement. His abilities are advancing rapidly, while his unexplained memories and awakening power suggest a deeper origin connected to the Flame Mantra.
• Yao Lao remains Xiao Yan’s mentor and advisor, balancing pride in Xiao Yan’s progress with concern over the dangers of the magma world.
• Nalan Yanran, despite possessing tremendous power, is enraged and frustrated by the Causal Thread restricting her cultivation. Her discovery gives her a new target and intensifies her hostility toward Xiao Yan and the unknown force manipulating her fate.
• Ice River Venerable is shown to be powerful but helpless against Nalan Yanran’s superior control of icy energy, forcing him to abandon any attempt to fight her.
• Mr. Qiong is revealed as a calculating and ambitious outsider. He views the Ancient Void Dragon Clan’s catastrophe as an opportunity to obtain the Ancestor Dragon Pool and recover his strength.
• The East Dragon Island elders and defenders demonstrate desperation and loyalty, choosing to fight to the death rather than surrender, despite being hopelessly outnumbered.

Significant Themes

• Unity against a greater evil: The ancient clans must overcome generations of hostility and distrust to face the Soul Clan and the unknown force behind it.
• Fear of forces beyond comprehension: The sealed Soul Realm and the possibility that the Soul Clan has been transformed into puppets emphasize how powerless even the strongest Dou Saints may be.
• Fate and causal manipulation: Nalan Yanran’s Causal Thread reveals that personal emotions and pivotal events can be exploited by higher beings to control destiny and suppress power.
• The cost of power: Xiao Yan’s Heavenly Flame refinement brings rapid strength but also awakens dangerous mysteries, while Mr. Qiong’s pursuit of the Ancestor Dragon Pool involves exploiting bloodshed and destruction.
• Desperation and sacrifice: The defenders of East Dragon Island fight despite knowing they are likely to die, reflecting loyalty, hatred, and the determination to preserve honor.
• Hidden identities and larger cosmic forces: The chapter repeatedly suggests that beings from outside the Dou Qi Continent—such as the force manipulating Nalan Yanran and Mr. Qiong—are influencing events on the continent.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiao Xuan and the ancient clan leaders: Xiao Xuan takes charge of the crisis and persuades the clans to surrender their Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade for the rescue mission.
• Xiao Xuan and Xiao Chen: Xiao Xuan gives Xiao Chen the responsibility of rescuing Zhukun while he remains behind to supervise the relocation and defend against possible attacks.
• Xiao Yan and Yao Lao: They discuss Xiao Yan’s rapid advancement, the scarcity of Heavenly Flames, the strange memories awakened within him, and the dangers of investigating the magma world.
• Nalan Yanran and Xiao Yan: Although Xiao Yan is not physically present, the Causal Thread binds their fates together. Nalan Yanran’s strength is suppressed through Xiao Yan’s fortune, causing her to regard him as the key to overcoming her restriction.
• Ice River Venerable and Nalan Yanran: Ice River Venerable admits that fighting her within Ice River Valley would be suicidal because her control over ice exceeds his understanding.
• The Dragon Kings and East Dragon Island: The West, South, and North Dragon Kings lead a brutal assault against their own kin, mocking the defenders’ faith in Zhukun’s return.
• Mr. Qiong and the Dragon Kings: Mr. Qiong treats the Dragon Kings as tools, encouraging them to continue attacking while secretly planning to claim the Ancestor Dragon Pool for himself.
• Mr. Qiong and the East Dragon Island defenders: His arrival marks a decisive turning point, as his black energy destroys the barrier protecting the island and enables the invaders to begin their massacre.

Plot points and events

• Xiao Meng arrives during the Ancient Void Dragon Clan’s crisis and immediately severs the West Dragon King’s arm. Wielding the Dragon-Slaying Saber, he claims the clan’s office of elder of punishments and kills Man Yan, who challenges him.
• He condemns the Three Great Dragon Kings and their chief followers for rebellion and the slaughter of their own people. Zi Yan reveals her awakened Dragon Emperor bloodline and summons the Dragon-Slaying Sword, killing the three kings and several commanders with ease. Xiao Meng orders the bodies collected for puppet-making, compelling the surviving rebels to obey.
• Xiao Meng reunites with Qiong Leng, who is revealed to be fighting through a powerful clone. While Zi Yan goes to retrieve the Ancestor Dragon Pool, Xiao Meng, Huangzai (Big Old Two), and the others prepare to face him.
• Qiong Leng’s clone proves far stronger than Xiao Meng’s previous opponents. He wounds Xiao Meng and overwhelms Huangzai, but Xiao Meng and the bird coordinate their attacks. Xiao Meng’s broken blade cuts off Qiong Leng’s arm, which he absorbs into his Heavenly Abode to feed the Taixu Divine Lotus.
• As the battle turns against them, Xiao Meng creates three manifestations of himself, but cannot manifest Qiong Leng because his true body is too powerful. The four Xiao Mengs form an array and drain the clone’s energy. Qiong Leng sacrifices his remaining arm to escape, leaving Xiao Meng frustrated that the clone survives.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Meng establishes himself as a ruthless, confident enforcer, relying on threats and decisive violence to control the dragon clan. In the fight, he shows resourcefulness and tactical cooperation, though his playful teasing persists even when badly injured.
• Zi Yan has grown into a formidable potential Dragon Emperor. Her royal bloodline and command of the Dragon-Slaying Sword inspire loyalty in East Dragon Island and terror in the rebels; she follows Xiao Meng’s lead without hesitation.
• Qiong Leng emerges as a dangerous, calculating enemy whose clone is vastly stronger than those Xiao Meng faced before. Though wounded and forced to flee, he remains formidable.
• Huangzai fights loyally alongside Xiao Meng, using its extraordinary flames to pressure Qiong Leng and create openings, but suffers severe injuries. Xiao Meng and Gu Nianxue show concern for it.
• Gu Nianxue worries over Xiao Meng and offers to help by activating a dragon scale, but he sends her to protect Huangzai instead. Their exchange mixes genuine concern with flirtatious banter.
• Zhuli and the other dragons shift from shock and grief over the clan’s losses to fearful submission as Xiao Meng and Zi Yan demonstrate overwhelming authority.

Significant themes

• Power and legitimacy: Zi Yan’s bloodline and sacred sword legitimize her claim to leadership, while Xiao Meng uses the saber and strength to enforce order.
• Justice versus vengeance: The rebels are punished for their atrocities, but Xiao Meng’s plan to turn their remains into puppets crosses a sacred taboo, showing how harsh his idea of justice is.
• Loyalty and cooperation: Xiao Meng, Huangzai, and his manifestations combine their abilities against a superior enemy.
• Escalating conflict: Qiong Leng’s survival and the revelation of his greater true-body strength foreshadow a larger confrontation.