Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Mengde uses the Entwining Silk Technique to catch Golden-Thread Spirit Trout, binding and pulling them into his boat.
• Zhao Youming, seeing Wang Mengde's catch, rushes towards him, followed by other cultivators.
• Wang Mengde quickly catches as many fish as he can before the others arrive, totaling 280.
• The cultivators surround Wang Mengde's boat, having caught fewer fish, and express their desire to 'help' him with his catch to avoid his boat sinking.

Character Developments

• Wang Mengde demonstrates his skill and ruthlessness in fishing, prioritizing quantity over quality.
• Zhao Youming shows greed and opportunism, immediately rushing to Wang Mengde after seeing his catch.
• Zhou Lie exhibits ruthlessness and viciousness, threatening Wang Mengde openly.

Significant Themes

• Greed and its corrupting influence on characters.
• The struggle for resources and power, even among cultivators.
• The ruthlessness and cunning required for survival in the cultivation world.

Character Interactions

• Wang Mengde and Zhao Youming: Wang Mengde is initially cooperative with Zhao Youming but becomes guarded and suspicious as Zhao Youming shows his true colors.
• Wang Mengde and the other cultivators: The cultivators show envy and greed towards Wang Mengde's catch, leading to a tense standoff.
• Zhao Youming and the other cultivators: Zhao Youming manipulates the other cultivators to pressure Wang Mengde, showing his ability to influence others for his gain.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Mengde discovers a school of Golden-Thread Spirit Trout, attracting many cultivators.
• He claims that 60 of the trout belong to his friend Qin Xiangnan to avoid a fight and divide the catch.
• Qin Xiangnan backs him up, threatening the crowd with his brother's influence in the Evergreen Sect.
• The cultivators change their attitude, thanking Wang Mengde instead of fighting.
• Zhao Youming and Zhou Lie leave without getting any trout.
• Wang Mengde gives Qin Xiangnan 60 Golden-Thread Spirit Trout as thanks.

Character Developments

• Wang Mengde: Shows quick thinking, resourcefulness, and generosity.
• Qin Xiangnan: Proves to be a reliable ally and is willing to pay for Wang Mengde's guidance in spell cultivation.
• Zhao Youming and Zhou Lie: Display greed and resentment towards Wang Mengde.

Significant Themes

• Friendship and alliances (Wang Mengde and Qin Xiangnan)
• Greed and its consequences (Zhao Youming and Zhou Lie)
• The value of skills and knowledge (Wang Mengde's mastery of the Entwining Silk Technique)

Character Interactions

• Wang Mengde and Qin Xiangnan: Form a quick alliance, with Qin Xiangnan helping Wang Mengde out of a tight spot, and Wang Mengde showing gratitude by giving him 60 Golden-Thread Spirit Trout.
• Wang Mengde and the crowd: Initially hostile, they change their attitude towards Wang Mengde after Qin Xiangnan's intervention.
• Zhao Youming and Zhou Lie: Both leave without any trout, displaying resentment towards Wang Mengde.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Mengde successfully catches 220 Golden-Thread Spirit Trout, worth over ten thousand spirit sand, and returns to Rosy Cloud Island.
• He sells his catch to Liu Haiwen, a fish merchant, for 10,296 spirit sand, making a substantial profit.
• Liu Haiwen pays Wang Mengde in spirit stones, which he had to gather from other fish merchants.

Character Developments

• Wang Mengde demonstrates his fishing prowess and business acumen, earning a significant amount of money in a single day.
• Liu Haiwen shows generosity and professionalism in his dealings with Wang Mengde, going out of his way to gather the required spirit stones.

Significant Themes

• Luck and Fortune: Wang Mengde's successful catch highlights the role of luck in cultivators' lives.
• Wealth and Status: The large sum of money Wang Mengde earns reflects the high status and respect cultivators gain with wealth.
• Greed and Envy: The reactions of other cultivators on the dock illustrate the envy and greed that wealth can inspire.

Character Interactions

• Wang Mengde and Liu Haiwen interact as equals, with Liu Haiwen showing respect and generosity towards Wang Mengde.
• Wang Mengde's success draws envy and greed from other cultivators on the dock, including Zhao Youming, who had previously tried to cheat Wang Mengde.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Mengde receives a cloth pouch containing spirit stones from Liu Haiwen.
• He visits Hundred Herbs Hall to buy Essence-Nourishing Pills and a Meridian-Expanding Pill.
• Wang Mengde goes to Rosy Cloud Pavilion to browse combat spells but finds them too expensive.

Character Developments

• Wang Mengde shows ambition in wanting to learn combat spells to improve his strength.
• Shopkeeper Qin displays generosity by giving Wang Mengde a discount on the pills.
• The shopkeeper at Rosy Cloud Pavilion reveals the Evergreen Sect's policy of pricing combat spells high to maintain harmony on the island.

Significant Themes

• The high cost of combat spells and the Evergreen Sect's policy to discourage cultivators from learning them to maintain peace.
• Wang Mengde's ambition to improve his strength and skills.

Character Interactions

• Wang Mengde interacts with Liu Haiwen, receiving spirit stones from him.
• Wang Mengde interacts with Shopkeeper Qin at Hundred Herbs Hall, negotiating a discount on pills.
• Wang Mengde interacts with the shopkeeper at Rosy Cloud Pavilion, discussing the prices of combat spells.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Mengde visits Rosy Cloud Pavilion to buy spells but finds them expensive, even with installment plans, which use his body as collateral.
• He purchases the Water Arrow Technique after swearing a soul oath not to share or divulge the spell.
• Wang Mengde sets goals to buy more spells and a body-tempering technique.
• Shen Qingxue, Wang Mengde's estranged wife, returns home.

Character Developments

• Wang Mengde: Struggles with poverty, sets goals for self-improvement, and shows determination to better himself.
• Shen Qingxue: Returns home after advancing in her cultivation, displaying maturity and confidence.

Significant Themes

• Poverty and the struggle for resources in the cultivation world.
• The consequences of breaking oaths and the ruthlessness of the Evergreen Sect.
• The desire for power and status, symbolized by flying on a sword.

Character Interactions

• Wang Mengde and the shopkeeper at Rosy Cloud Pavilion: The shopkeeper tries to persuade Wang Mengde to take out an installment loan, but Wang Mengde refuses.
• Wang Mengde and Shen Qingyue: Wang Mengde overhears Shen Qingyue arguing with her sister, Shen Qingxue, and intervenes.
• Shen Qingyue and Shen Qingxue: The sisters argue, with Shen Qingyue defending Wang Mengde against Shen Qingxue's criticism.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Mengde returns home, having reached the second level of Qi Refinement.
• Shen Qingxue, Wang Mengde's wife, returns after four years, bringing a cultivation technique for her younger sister, Shen Qingyue.
• Shen Qingyue refuses the technique, suspecting it's meant to make her a cultivation cauldron for an old Foundation Establishment True Person.
• Shen Qingxue reveals the technique has no side effects and offers to find Shen Qingyue a powerful backer from a Golden Core Immortal Clan or a Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan.

Character Developments

• Wang Mengde: Shows indifference towards Shen Qingxue, reflecting his disdain for her past actions.
• Shen Qingxue: Returns after four years, showing concern for her younger sister's cultivation but also revealing her manipulative nature.
• Shen Qingyue: Initially angry at her sister's return and her plans, she later considers the benefits of cultivation, showing a mix of naivety and ambition.

Significant Themes

• The importance of cultivation and its benefits in the cultivation world.
• The manipulation and exploitation of others for personal gain.
• The tension between family loyalty and personal ambition.

Character Interactions

• Wang Mengde and Shen Qingxue: Wang Mengde shows no favor towards Shen Qingxue, while she seems to hold disdain for him.
• Shen Qingxue and Shen Qingyue: Their interaction reveals the complex dynamics between sisters, with Shen Qingxue trying to manipulate Shen Qingyue for her own purposes, while Shen Qingyue initially resists but later considers her sister's words.
• Shen Qingyue and Wang Mengde: Shen Qingyue defends Wang Mengde, showing her affection for him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Qingxue, now an outer disciple of the Evergreen Sect, visits her sister Shen Qingyue after a year.
• Shen Qingxue informs Qingyue that she has a Three-Element Spirit Root and will take her to the Evergreen Sect in a month.
• Wang Mengde, Qingyue's brother-in-law, is present. He has a Five-Element Spirit Root and is at the Second Layer of Qi Refinement.
• Shen Qingxue offers Wang Mengde a Beast Taming Technique as compensation for his past help, and to sever ties.
• Wang Mengde accepts the technique but is upset about Qingyue leaving. Shen Qingxue warns him not to harm Qingyue.

Character Developments

• Shen Qingxue: She has grown more confident and ambitious, prioritizing her cultivation and the Evergreen Sect over her family. She is willing to sever ties with Wang Mengde despite his past help.
• Wang Mengde: He has become more assertive and less submissive, standing up to Shen Qingxue. He is upset about Qingyue leaving but also happy about the possibility of being with her.
• Shen Qingyue: She is still naive and kind-hearted, caring deeply for Wang Mengde and wanting to help him. She is reluctant to leave Rosy Cloud Island.

Significant Themes

• Aptitude and Resources: Shen Qingxue believes that aptitude is crucial for cultivation, and resources determine one's speed. She prioritizes her own cultivation and the Evergreen Sect over Wang Mengde's needs.
• Gratitude and Debt: Wang Mengde helped Shen Qingxue in the past, but she feels no obligation to help him now that she has better prospects. She believes that past kindnesses do not bind her.
• Love and Attachment: Wang Mengde is in love with Qingyue, and Qingyue seems to reciprocate. However, Shen Qingxue is indifferent to their feelings and prioritizes her own goals.

Character Interactions

• Shen Qingxue and Wang Mengde: Their interaction is tense and cold. Shen Qingxue is dismissive of Wang Mengde's feelings and needs, while Wang Mengde is upset and angry about her treatment of him.
• Shen Qingxue and Shen Qingyue: Qingxue is protective of Qingyue but also prioritizes her own goals. Qingyue is naive and kind, caring deeply for Wang Mengde and reluctant to leave him.
• Wang Mengde and Shen Qingyue: Wang Mengde cares deeply for Qingyue and is upset about her leaving. Qingyue is also fond of Wang Mengde and wants to help him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Qingxue leaves after her conversation with Wang Mengde.
• Shen Qingyue realizes her sister and brother-in-law have divorced, and she has feelings for Wang Mengde.
• Wang Mengde asks Shen Qingyue to cultivate a dual cultivation art with him.
• They have dinner together, and Shen Qingyue agrees to cultivate with Wang Mengde by cooking the Bloodscale Fish.
• Wang Mengde takes the Meridian-Expanding Pill and the Essence-Nourishing Pill, improving his cultivation.
• He studies the Water Arrow Technique and reaches the beginner level.

Character Developments

• Shen Qingyue acknowledges her feelings for Wang Mengde and agrees to cultivate with him.
• Wang Mengde remains straightforward and persistent in his pursuit of Shen Qingyue.
• Wang Mengde's cultivation improves, and he gains insights into the Water Arrow Technique.

Significant Themes

• Love and relationships: The chapter explores the developing feelings between Shen Qingyue and Wang Mengde.
• Cultivation and growth: Wang Mengde's cultivation improves, reflecting his dedication and hard work.

Character Interactions

• Shen Qingyue and Wang Mengde: Their interactions become more open and affectionate, with Shen Qingyue finally acknowledging her feelings for Wang Mengde.
• Wang Mengde and the Water Arrow Technique: Wang Mengde interacts with the technique, gaining insights and improving his proficiency.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Mengde successfully uses the Water Arrow Technique for the first time, though its power is initially weak.
• He receives a jade slip containing the True Myriad Beast Taming Formula from Shen Qingxue, which he begins to study.
• After six hours of intense focus, he digests the information and reaches beginner level in the first layer of the formula.
• The jade slip then reveals the second layer, surprising Wang Mengde with its significant benefits.

Character Developments

• Wang Mengde demonstrates progress in his cultivation, mastering the Water Arrow Technique and reaching beginner level in the first layer of the True Myriad Beast Taming Formula.
• He shows determination and focus in studying the complex cultivation art, despite its initially overwhelming information.

Significant Themes

• Cultivation and Growth: Wang Mengde's journey reflects the theme of continuous cultivation and improvement, as he progresses through his techniques and gains new insights.
• Unexpected Gains: The chapter highlights the theme of unexpected windfalls, as Wang Mengde discovers the second layer of the cultivation art, greatly enhancing its value.

Character Interactions

• Wang Mengde interacts with Shen Qingxue's actions indirectly, as he reflects on her generosity and the value of the cultivation art she left behind.
• There is no direct interaction with other characters in this chapter.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Mengde begins cultivating the True Myriad Beast Taming Formula, absorbing its insights.
• He decides to focus on raising his cultivation and improving fishing spells, rather than rushing the beast-taming technique.
• Wang Mengde learns that Shen Qingyue will leave for the Evergreen Sect in a month.
• He agrees to teach Shen Qingyue her cultivation technique, the Luan-Phoenix Harmony Formula, after she offers it to him.
• Wang Mengde successfully comprehends the first level of the Luan-Phoenix Harmony Formula and begins guiding Shen Qingyue in her cultivation.
• Over the next ten days, Wang Mengde cultivates and practices spells, reaching the perfected realm in the Spirit Eye Technique, Fishing Technique, and Entwining Silk Technique.
• Wang Mengde uses spirit stones to cultivate the Luan-Phoenix Harmony Formula, reaching the second level of Qi Refining and the second level of the technique.

Character Developments

• Wang Mengde: He becomes more relaxed and content with his life, prioritizing his cultivation and Shen Qingyue's well-being. He also shows understanding and patience in guiding Shen Qingyue in her cultivation.
• Shen Qingyue: She enters the Qi Refining realm under Wang Mengde's guidance and becomes more bashful and shy around him, especially after their intimate moments during cultivation guidance.

Significant Themes

• Cultivation and personal growth: Wang Mengde focuses on improving his cultivation and skills, while Shen Qingyue begins her cultivation journey.
• Relationship development: Wang Mengde and Shen Qingyue grow closer, with Wang Mengde taking on a more nurturing and guiding role.
• The harmony of yin and yang: The Luan-Phoenix Harmony Formula emphasizes the balance of yin and yang, reflecting the importance of harmony in cultivation and relationships.

Character Interactions

• Wang Mengde and Shen Qingyue: Their relationship deepens as Wang Mengde guides Shen Qingyue in her cultivation and they share meals together. Wang Mengde shows care and concern for Shen Qingyue's well-being, while she becomes more bashful and affectionate toward him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Mengde breaks through to the third layer of Qi Refining after consuming an Essence-Nourishing Pill and refining its medicinal power using the Luan-Phoenix Harmony Formula.
• He experiences a significant increase in spiritual power, qi sea space, and meridian resilience and width.
• Wang Mengde and Shen Qingyue spend several days together, cultivating, gathering by the sea, fishing, and cooking, strengthening their bond.
• Wang Mengde practices and improves his Water Arrow Technique.
• Shen Qingxue and three other cultivators arrive at Wang Mengde's home, surprising Shen Qingyue.

Character Developments

• Wang Mengde advances his cultivation and refines his Water Arrow Technique, demonstrating his dedication and progress.
• Shen Qingyue, now a cultivator, becomes more confident and independent, enjoying her time with Wang Mengde and showing affection towards him.
• Shen Qingxue's arrival causes Shen Qingyue to feel guilty about her relationship with Wang Mengde, despite their divorce.

Significant Themes

• Cultivation progress and its challenges, such as increased proficiency requirements and resource consumption.
• The deepening relationship between Wang Mengde and Shen Qingyue, marked by affectionate gestures and shared experiences.
• The tension and guilt caused by Shen Qingyue's relationship with Wang Mengde, given her sister's previous warnings.

Character Interactions

• Wang Mengde and Shen Qingyue spend quality time together, strengthening their bond and affection.
• Wang Mengde and Shen Qingyue welcome Shen Qingxue and her companions, with Shen Qingyue feeling guilty about their relationship.
• Wang Mengde shows hospitality towards Shen Qingxue and her companions, inviting them into his home and offering them seats and water.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Qingxue introduces her Evergreen Sect seniors to Shen Qingyue.
• Lin Qingli reveals that Shen Qingxue was married, causing an awkward atmosphere.
• Shen Qingxue announces her divorce from Wang Mengde.
• Shen Qingxue decides to leave for Evergreen Sect immediately after the rain stops, taking Qingyue with her.
• Lin Qingli and Zhao Yutang subtly belittle Wang Mengde's cultivation prospects.

Character Developments

• Shen Qingxue: Shows assertiveness in her decision to leave for Evergreen Sect immediately and reveals her divorce from Wang Mengde.
• Wang Mengde: Maintains composure and calmness despite Lin Qingli and Zhao Yutang's subtle provocations, showing growth from his past timid self.
• Shen Qingyue: Feels reluctant to leave with her sister but ultimately complies.

Significant Themes

• Cultivation Aptitude: The theme of aptitude and its limits is emphasized through Wang Mengde's five spiritual roots and the prodigious talents of Lin Qingli and Zhao Yutang.
• Relationship Dynamics: The complex relationships between Shen Qingxue, Wang Mengde, Lin Qingli, Zhao Yutang, and Zhao Hongying are explored, with hints of unrequited feelings and jealousy.

Character Interactions

• Shen Qingxue and Wang Mengde: Their interaction is minimal and awkward, with Shen Qingxue showing no desire to maintain a connection with Wang Mengde.
• Lin Qingli and Zhao Yutang: They subtly work together to belittle Wang Mengde, hinting at their shared disdain for him.
• Zhao Hongying: She shows curiosity and smugness towards Wang Mengde, possibly due to her feelings for Shen Qingxue.

Chapter summary

• Lin Qingli needles Wang Mengde by warmly referring to his former marriage to Shen Qingxue and suggesting he visit the Evergreen Sect. Wang recognizes the remark as an attempt to damage Qingxue’s reputation, but answers calmly and refuses to engage.
• Shen Qingyue leaves with her sister and the others. Before she goes, Wang gives her the spirit stones he has saved, urging her to use them and repay him later. She is reluctant to accept and visibly sad to part. Shen Qingxue notices the exchange but says nothing. Qingyue’s lingering look suggests both attachment to Wang and determination to go.
• After they depart, Wang feels the house’s emptiness and regrets that his weakness means he cannot protect Qingyue. He resolves to focus on cultivation.
• More than five hundred days pass. At Rosy Cloud Pier, fishing cultivators discuss Wang’s remarkable spellwork and his ability to catch many valuable demon fish. Qin Xiangnan believes Wang may have perfected a spell, though Wang is known for keeping his abilities private. Zhao Youming and Zhou Lie mock him for avoiding deep waters, but fall silent and leave when Wang arrives.
• Wang joins Qin Xiangnan and the others for a fishing trip to reefs east of Rosy Cloud Island. Zhao and Zhou’s group turns up at the same location. Wang remains unconcerned, finds fish using the Spirit Eye Technique, and catches them rapidly with the Entwining Silk Technique, drawing envy from both groups.
• The outing turns dangerous when a school of Azure Jade Ghost Carp, each at the third layer of minor demon, appears nearby. The fish leap from the sea, and the terrified cultivators call for everyone to flee.

Character developments and interactions

Wang remains restrained in the face of provocation and gossip, but his farewell to Qingyue reveals deep affection and a painful awareness of his limitations. His skill and reputation have grown during the time skip, even as he continues to favor caution. Qingyue’s departure strengthens the emotional bond between them; Qingxue, meanwhile, watches their exchange without interfering. Qin Xiangnan acts as Wang’s admiring ally, while Zhao Youming and Zhou Lie remain resentful rivals, criticizing Wang’s caution even as they avoid confronting him.

Significant themes

The chapter contrasts caution with ambition, showing Wang’s steady competence alongside others’ contempt for his reluctance to take greater risks. It also emphasizes parting, affection, and helplessness: Wang’s generosity toward Qingyue is sincere, but he cannot yet protect her through strength. Finally, the sudden demon-fish encounter turns the fishing trip into a test of whether caution and reputation will be enough to survive.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Cultivators encounter Azure Jade Ghost Carp, ferocious demon fish with intelligence and pack-hunting abilities.
• The fish herd the cultivators north, revealing an encirclement strategy.
• Wang Mengde warns the group, and they attempt to break through to the east or west.
• Several cultivators are killed by the fish while trying to escape north.
• Wang Mengde leads a group west, while others flee east. Some cultivators attempt to escape on foot but are killed.

Character Developments

• Wang Mengde demonstrates his powerful Spirit Eye Technique and leadership, guiding the group.
• Qin Xiangnan, Zhao Youming, and Zhou Lie follow Wang Mengde's lead, showing they value his judgment.
• Some cultivators show poor judgment by fleeing north, leading to their deaths.

Significant Themes

• Intelligence and Strategy: The Azure Jade Ghost Carp display intelligence and strategic hunting, making them formidable foes.
• Leadership and Followership: Wang Mengde's leadership is crucial in this crisis, and others follow him based on his abilities.
• Judgment and Consequences: Some cultivators' poor decisions lead to their deaths, highlighting the importance of wise judgment.

Character Interactions

• Wang Mengde and Qin Xiangnan have a mentor-mentee relationship, with Qin following Wang's lead.
• Zhao Youming and Zhou Lie follow Wang Mengde, showing they value his guidance.
• Some cultivators ignore Wang Mengde's warning, leading to their deaths and highlighting the lack of trust in his judgment.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group is surrounded by Azure Jade Ghost Carp.
• Wang Mengde reveals he can use Peak Mastery Entwining Silk Technique to bind the fish, and the group agrees to fight together.
• They successfully kill ten fish, creating a gap to escape through.
• Five skiffs are destroyed, and one cultivator dies, while the rest escape.
• Wang Mengde and four others (Qin Xiangnan, Zhao Youming, Zhou Lie, and another Third Layer cultivator) flee together, with more than ten fish in pursuit.

Character Developments

• Wang Mengde: Proves his strength and leadership by using Peak Mastery Entwining Silk Technique and organizing the group's escape.
• Qin Xiangnan, Zhao Youming, Zhou Lie: They follow Wang Mengde and contribute to the fight against the fish, showing unity and cooperation.

Significant Themes

• Unity and cooperation: The group works together to fight the fish and escape, demonstrating the power of unity.
• Survival: The cultivators prioritize their survival over personal gain, as seen when they flee instead of trying to catch the fish for profit.

Character Interactions

• Wang Mengde and the group: Wang Mengde leads the group, using his strength and strategy to help them escape. The others follow his orders and contribute to the fight.
• Qin Xiangnan, Zhao Youming, Zhou Lie, and the other Third Layer cultivator: They work together with Wang Mengde, showing trust and cooperation. However, they also keep an eye on the Azure Jade Ghost Carp on Wang Mengde's boat, hinting at potential future conflicts over the spoils.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Mengde uses the Entwining Silk Technique to capture four Azure Jade Ghost Carp, worth nearly a thousand spirit stones, for Qin Xiangnan.
• Thirteen Azure Jade Ghost Carp pursue them, and Wang Mengde's spiritual power is nearly exhausted.
• Wang Mengde tries to convince his companions to flee separately using Lightbody Radiance Talismans, but they insist on attacking the pursuing fish together.
• Wang Mengde agrees, and they kill all thirteen fish using high-grade first-rank talismans. Wang Mengde gives Qin Xiangnan ten fish and one each to Zhao Youming, Zhou Lie, and Sun He.

Character Developments

• Wang Mengde: Shows selflessness by trying to save his companions first, but also displays greed by not wanting to abandon the Azure Jade Ghost Carp.
• Qin Xiangnan and others: Reveal their greed and lack of trust in Wang Mengde, plotting against him after receiving the fish.

Significant Themes

• Greed and its corrupting influence on characters.
• The tension between self-preservation and selflessness.
• The danger of underestimating opponents and overestimating one's own power.

Character Interactions

• Wang Mengde and his companions: Initially united in their struggle for survival, they become divided by greed and suspicion.
• Zhao Youming, Zhou Lie, and Sun He: Secretly plot against Wang Mengde and Qin Xiangnan, demonstrating their lack of loyalty and trust.
• Qin Xiangnan: Initially grateful to Wang Mengde, he later becomes a target of the others' greed.

Key plot points

• Zhao Youming offers Qin Xiangnan half the Azure Jade Ghost Carp in exchange for helping kill Wang Mengde. Qin agrees, and he, Zhao, Zhou Lie, and Sun He secretly prepare to attack.
• Qin warns Wang Mengde of the planned ambush. Wang remains cautious, uses his Spirit Eye Technique to spot the three men charging their attack talismans, then traps them with the Entwining Silk Technique.
• Wang kills Zhao Youming, Zhou Lie, and Sun He with Golden Arrow Talismans. As he does, Qin launches a concealed Flying Sword at him.
• Wang dodges the sword and realizes Qin was also after the entire catch. Qin attacks again, and Wang counters with both Entwining Silk and a powerful Water Arrow Technique. His arrows force Qin’s sword back and then turn toward Qin.

Character developments and interactions

• Wang Mengde proves both guarded and formidable. Though he had trusted Qin enough to call him a friend and give him fourteen fish, he never stopped watching for danger. His preparation saves him from Qin’s betrayal.
• Qin Xiangnan reveals his greed and duplicity: he first informs Wang of the others’ plot, then attacks Wang himself, hoping to claim all the fish. His friendship with Wang collapses into open combat.
• Zhao, Zhou, and Sun try to bargain and plead once trapped, but Wang refuses to spare them. They die cursing Qin for betraying them.
• The shifting alliances expose how little trust remains among the men: Qin betrays his accomplices, and Wang trusts no one completely.

Significant themes

• Greed and betrayal: The value of the fish turns supposed friends and allies against one another.
• Caution and survival: Wang’s vigilance, suspicion, and steady cultivation—not goodwill alone—keep him alive.
• Friendship under pressure: Wang’s generosity toward Qin cannot withstand Qin’s desire for greater wealth.
• Preparation and hidden strength: Wang’s mastery of spells, especially the unexpectedly powerful Water Arrow Technique, gives him the advantage in the ensuing fight.

Plot points and events

• Qin Xiangnan attacks Wang Mengde, but Wang’s Water Arrow Technique breaks through Qin’s protective talisman and wounds him severely.
• Wang binds the fallen Qin with the Entwining Silk Technique. Qin pleads for mercy, citing their friendship and his brother’s ties to the Evergreen Sect, but Wang kills him with two more water arrows—one destroying his dantian, the other killing him.
• Wang retrieves Qin’s Flying Sword and storage pouch, then takes talismans and money pouches from Qin and the three other dead cultivators: Zhao Youming, Zhou Lie, and Sun He. He also gathers thirty-seven Azure Jade Ghost Carp.
• Seeing more than twenty carp pursuing him, Wang flees west and hides his skiff in a reef field. After confirming the area is clear, he takes a Qi-Replenishing Pill and quickly restores half his spiritual energy.

Character developments

• Wang Mengde proves decisive and ruthless under pressure. Despite his exhaustion and past friendship with Qin, he refuses to let betrayal go unanswered. His Spirit Eye Technique, combat skill, and preparation—including noticing Qin’s hidden storage pouch—help him survive.
• Qin Xiangnan shifts from attacker to desperate captive, invoking their shared history and threatening revenge through his brother. His pleas fail to overcome Wang’s judgment.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and retribution: Wang sees Qin’s attack as an unforgivable betrayal of their friendship and chooses vengeance over reconciliation.
• Survival and pragmatism: Wang acts quickly after the fight, looting useful resources, fleeing pursuit, and recovering before danger returns.
• Trust and its limits: Past kindness and companionship offer no protection once greed and violence enter the relationship.

Character interactions

• Qin’s attack turns a friendship built on shared spell practice, fishing trips, and drinking into a deadly confrontation.
• Qin appeals to their past bond and then to the threat of his brother, while Wang remains unmoved, convinced that sparing him would invite another attack.
• Wang’s later actions are focused on securing resources and escape rather than mourning the dead or lingering over the conflict.

Key plot points and events

• After the fight, Wang Mengde recovers his spiritual energy and counts the 37 Azure Jade Ghost Carp he caught, worth more than 7,000 Spirit Stones.
• He reflects grimly on having killed four people, including Qin Xiangnan, whom he had considered a friend. He concludes that greed and survival shape the cultivation world, and that revealing his sudden wealth would invite danger.
• Wang refines Qin Xiangnan’s storage bag and inventories its contents: Spirit Stones, Spirit Sand, talismans, pills, and clothes. He also searches the belongings of Qin, Zhao Youming, Zhou Lie, and Sun He, finding more talismans, currency, and valuable equipment—over 1,000 Spirit Stones’ worth in total.
• To conceal evidence, he destroys the men’s money pouches and Qin’s clothes. He fits 29 carp into the storage bag and hides the remaining eight beneath ordinary fish on the skiff.
• While repeatedly using the Spirit Eye Technique to check for threats, Wang gains an insight point and sees that the technique has reached Peak Mastery. His Fishing and Entwining Silk techniques are also at Peak Mastery, while Water Arrow is at Perfection and Water Escape at Minor Accomplishment.
• He hides Qin’s Flying Sword and the storage bag in a concealed hole beneath a reef, then returns to Rosy Cloud Pier.

Character development

• Wang is shaken by killing Qin, but forces himself to suppress his grief and accept the violence as part of the cultivation world.
• His caution and pragmatism are evident: he hides his wealth, removes evidence, and keeps watch constantly.
• He remains intensely ambitious, frustrated by the pace of his cultivation and determined to turn the haul into pills and resources for further training.

Significant themes

• Greed and survival: Wealth can make a cultivator a target, and even friendship offers little protection when resources are at stake.
• Secrecy and caution: Wang’s fortune is valuable only if he can keep it hidden.
• Progress through diligence: His repeated training steadily advances his techniques, though he still feels impatient with his cultivation.

Character interactions

• The chapter focuses mainly on Wang’s solitary actions and thoughts. His relationship with Qin Xiangnan is central in retrospect: Wang’s grief over betraying a friend contrasts with his practical decision to strip, conceal, and repurpose Qin’s possessions.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Mengde returns to Rosy Cloud Island, causing a stir among the locals who have heard about his recent achievements.
• He sells eight Azure Jade Ghost Carp to Zhou Sihai, a prominent fish merchant, for 1920 spirit stones at a high price of 20 spirit stones per pound.
• Zhou Sihai asks Wang Mengde for guidance in his Spirit Eye Technique, offering compensation for his time.

Character Developments

• Wang Mengde remains calm and composed despite the attention and maintains a modest demeanor, even when praised for his skills.
• Zhou Sihai is portrayed as a generous and influential figure, willing to pay a high price for the fish and offer assistance to Wang Mengde.

Significant Themes

• The power of reputation and word-of-mouth in the cultivation world.
• The importance of connections and networking for personal advancement.
• The value of humility and modesty in cultivators.

Character Interactions

• Wang Mengde interacts with various fish cultivators and fishmongers, who are initially skeptical of his achievements but later show respect and desire to buy his fish.
• Wang Mengde's first interaction with Zhou Sihai is cordial, leading to a potential mentor-mentee relationship and mutual respect.
• Wang Mengde's internal monologues reveal his cautious nature, as he remains wary of potential betrayals despite forming new connections.