Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xian Donglai, a Divine Guard Bureau official, refuses to hand over the Three-Thousand-Year Ebony Snake-Gall Fruit to the Abyssal Army and Cicada-Holding Directorate.
• The Precious Medicine Gang elder suggests testing the fruit's authenticity using water, revealing it to be an Illusion-Transformation Fruit.
• Xian Donglai is severely beaten by Yang Ling, a Myriad Affairs Bureau official, until he's unrecognizable.
• Xian Donglai is fed the Illusion-Transformation Fruit, which poisons him to death.

Character Developments

• Xian Donglai is exposed as corrupt and colluding with unknown parties.
• Yang Ling demonstrates immense strength, defeating Xian Donglai easily and revealing his power to be no weaker than Shi Haixuan's.
• Shi Haixuan, Xu Lantern-Bearer, and Xiao Lantern-Bearer grow suspicious of the Divine Guard Bureau's recent actions.

Significant Themes

• Corruption within officialdom and the consequences of being exposed.
• The power dynamics between different bureaus and their officials.
• The use of force and intimidation to resolve disputes.

Character Interactions

• Xian Donglai and Yang Ling: Xian Donglai's refusal to cooperate leads to a violent confrontation with Yang Ling, resulting in Xian Donglai's death.
• Shi Haixuan, Xu Lantern-Bearer, and Xiao Lantern-Bearer: The three officials discuss the implications of Xian Donglai's actions and decide to notify higher authorities.
• The Precious Medicine Gang elder: He plays a minor role in revealing the fruit's authenticity but is not involved in the power struggle.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang Ling, an Upper Fifth Grade cultivator, defeats Xian Donglai, a Lower Fourth Grade, across realms, causing an uproar.
• Xian Donglai's corpse must be held by the Cicada-Holding Directorate due to a dynasty decree.
• Yang Ling is questioned about his cultivation rank advancement and the Great Dream Code.
• Yang Ling leaves Golden Lion Ridge, with the Cicada-Holding Directorate and Abyssal Army not interfering.
• The Precious Medicine Gang's leader, Zhu Qing, learns about Yang Ling's actions and invites him to a meeting.

Character Developments

• Yang Ling demonstrates his powerful cultivation and knowledge of the Great Dream Code.
• Shi Haixuan, the Abyssal Army commander, shows caution and avoids direct confrontation with Yang Ling.
• Zhu Qing, the Precious Medicine Gang leader, expresses concern about the gang's safety and his own position.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and the use of force in the cultivation world.
• The importance of rules and laws (the Great Dream Code) in maintaining order.
• The consequences of betrayal and the severity of punishment.

Character Interactions

• Yang Ling and Shi Haixuan: Yang Ling's strength and knowledge put Shi Haixuan in a difficult position, leading to a tense standoff.
• Yang Ling and Zhu Qing: Zhu Qing invites Yang Ling to a meeting, showing deference to his power and hoping to secure the gang's safety.
• Zhu Xiu and Zhu Qing: Zhu Xiu reveals his true feelings about Xian Donglai's death to Zhu Qing, hinting at their shared history and secrets.

Summary

• At the Precious Medicine Gang’s hall, Yang Ling and Eunuch Chen meet Zhu Xiu, a Fourth-Grade Grandmaster and Zhu Qing’s cousin. The gang’s leaders are stunned by the reports that Yang Ling killed both Xian Donglai and Shi Tianhu.
• Zhu Xiu privately explains that powerful Earthly Immortals may be conspiring against the Great Dream Dynasty. He Busu’s theft of the Dongting Nine-Character Scripture, Ji Tianming’s defection, and the escalating battles around A-9 City may all be connected. Yang Ling’s investigations have made him a target: Xian Donglai’s attack was likely meant to kill him, not simply obtain a rare fruit.
• Zhu Xiu warns that if Xian Donglai had survived, the enemy might have sent a Human Immortal to Golden Lion Ridge. With both Xian and Shi Tianhu dead, the immediate danger is reduced.
• Zhu Xiu praises Yang Ling for apparently acting with remarkable foresight. Yang Ling denies planning any of it, insisting he killed them simply because he could not tolerate their attempts on his life. Zhu Xiu politely accepts the explanation, though Eunuch Chen privately believes Yang Ling is exceptionally calculating.
• Yang Ling turns to business, offering Shi Tianhu’s head to the Precious Medicine Gang. Zhu Qing agrees to buy it without taking a profit, paying with a Three-Thousand-Year Ebony Snake-Gall Fruit. Yang Ling eats the fruit, strengthening his Sacred Qilin Martial Dao Tinder by sixty points, to 426/500.

Character developments and interactions

• Yang Ling remains outwardly casual and self-effacing, even as others increasingly view him as formidable and hard to read. He frames his victories as impulsive rather than strategic.
• Zhu Xiu shifts from sharing alarming intelligence to reassuring the group that the immediate threat has eased; he also adapts to Yang Ling’s denial rather than challenging it.
• Zhu Qing moves from confusion to fear and respect after learning the political stakes. He makes a generous deal with Yang Ling, partly because they are on the same side.
• Eunuch Chen realizes how close the group may have come to a much greater disaster and becomes more convinced that Yang Ling plans several steps ahead.
• Zhu Qing’s son is initially excluded from the confidential discussion, then allowed to stay once he has heard enough to be implicated.

Significant themes

• Hidden political conflict: Personal attacks and military events are part of a larger struggle involving powerful immortals and the dynasty’s stability.
• Appearances versus reality: Yang Ling’s casual explanation contrasts sharply with others’ belief that his actions show deep strategic foresight.
• Fortune and consequences: Yang Ling calls himself lucky, while those around him recognize that his victories have also altered the political danger facing them.
• Power and opportunity: The exchange of Shi Tianhu’s head for the rare fruit turns a dangerous conflict into a chance for Yang Ling to strengthen his cultivation.

Key plot points and events

• Yang Ling’s Sacred Qilin Martial Dao Tinder grows stronger, greatly increasing his power of Flesh Derivation. He believes his vitality already exceeds that of an ordinary Lower Fourth-Grade Grandmaster.
• Zhu Xiu suspects the Ebony Snake-Gall Fruit Zhu Qing gave Yang Ling may have been faulty, since Yang Ling has not yet advanced to Fourth Grade despite taking several rare medicines.
• Yang Ling confirms the fruit was genuine, then reveals that his Martial Dao Fire Seed is Tribulation Fire, not Profound Fire. Its exceptional nature makes advancement much harder and requires rare plants for kindling.
• The revelation changes the Zhu family’s view of Yang Ling: they recognize him as a prodigy with a powerful future and a potential ally.
• Zhu Qing offers to supply rare kindling plants once they arrive, presenting them as an advance gift for Yang Ling’s eventual advancement. Yang Ling welcomes the offer and thanks him.
• Yang Ling then asks the Precious Medicine Gang to lend him two or three hundred men so he can attend an important Immortal Gods Sect meeting.

Character developments and interactions

• Yang Ling grows more confident in his physical resilience and hopeful that rare kindling may let him reach Fourth Grade while still in the Abyssal Beast Grotto. He responds to Zhu Qing’s offer directly and gratefully, then seeks practical support for the meeting.
• Zhu Xiu moves from suspicion to respect after learning the truth about Yang Ling’s Tribulation Fire. He nudges Zhu Qing toward backing him.
• Zhu Qing initially defends the quality of his fruit and is unsettled by the possibility that Yang Ling’s Fire Seed is defective. Once he understands Yang Ling’s potential, he offers the Gang’s help and sees the alliance as worthwhile.
• Zhu Qing’s son and Eunuch Chen react with awe to the revelation of Tribulation Fire, while the son’s own future prospects are implicitly contrasted with Yang Ling’s extraordinary talent.

Significant themes

• Exceptional talent brings both opportunity and difficulty: Tribulation Fire marks Yang Ling as a rare prodigy, but its demands make his advancement far harder.
• Power shapes alliances: Once Yang Ling’s potential is clear, the Zhu family’s suspicion gives way to respect and support.
• Vitality and advancement: Yang Ling’s growing resilience foreshadows the dramatic transformation expected at Fourth Grade.
• Mutual benefit and political calculation: Zhu Qing’s offer is both generous and a strategic investment in a powerful figure.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang Ling, an official investigating the Immortal Gods Sect, infiltrates a gathering of sect members at Nightless Tower's Clear Water Hall.
• Li Jun, a former associate of Yang Ling, is revealed to be the host of the gathering and a leader of the Immortal Gods Sect.
• Yang Ling discovers that the sect members have changed their professions to avoid the 'Cultist' label, which could incriminate them.
• Li Jun calls for donations to support the families of sect members who died at Eagle Valley Red Copper Mine.
• Yang Ling smashes a cup, serving as a signal for the Precious Medicine Gang to arrest the Immortal Gods Sect members.

Character Developments

• Yang Ling demonstrates his investigative skills and strategic thinking by infiltrating the gathering and orchestrating the arrests.
• Li Jun shows leadership and charisma in rallying his fellow sect members, while also revealing his past struggles against Yang Ling.
• Zhu Yunbo, the young gang leader of the Precious Medicine Gang, shows loyalty to Yang Ling and swift action in responding to the signal.

Significant Themes

• Disguise and deception: The Immortal Gods Sect members change their professions to hide their true allegiance, and Yang Ling infiltrates their gathering in disguise.
• Leadership and loyalty: Li Jun's speech highlights his leadership qualities, while Zhu Yunbo's immediate response to Yang Ling's signal demonstrates loyalty.
• Consequences of actions: Li Jun's past actions against Yang Ling catch up with him, leading to his arrest.

Character Interactions

• Yang Ling and Li Jun: Their history is revealed, showing a rivalry that has persisted into Divine Realm.
• Yang Ling and Zhu Yunbo: They work together to bring down the Immortal Gods Sect, with Zhu Yunbo showing deference to Yang Ling's authority.
• Li Jun and his followers: Li Jun's speech rallies his fellow sect members, demonstrating their loyalty to him and the Immortal Gods Sect's cause.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang Ling's true identity as the leader of the Immortal Gods Sect is revealed, shocking the players.
• Yang Ling interrogates and dismisses players who aren't from the Immortal Gods Sect or haven't killed other players.
• Li Jun, a high-ranking member of the Immortal Gods Sect, is revealed to have been monitoring other sect members.
• A player commits suicide rather than reveal information about the sect leader, Li Fengxian.

Character Developments

• Yang Ling: Asserts his dominance and power, revealing his true identity and intentions.
• Li Jun: Shows signs of disillusionment with the Immortal Gods Sect and its leader, Li Fengxian.
• Other Immortal Gods Sect members: Display varying levels of loyalty and devotion to the sect and its leader.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and control within the game and the Immortal Gods Sect.
• Loyalty and devotion, explored through the actions of the sect members.
• The consequences of extreme beliefs and fanaticism.

Character Interactions

• Yang Ling interacts with the players, questioning them about their allegiance and actions.
• Li Jun interacts with Yang Ling, revealing his knowledge of the sect's inner workings and his discontent.
• The Immortal Gods Sect members interact with each other and Yang Ling, displaying their loyalty and fear.

Key plot points

• The Immortal Gods Sect captives refuse to take poison, so Yang Ling forces them to swallow it. Li Jun explains why he knows the person using his father Li Fengxian’s name is an impostor: the real Li Fengxian would know about Li Jun’s younger sister, but the supposed father ignored her message. Yang Ling suggests the impostor may be using a second account.
• Three Emergency Department officers—Ji Nian and two colleagues—are brought into Clear Water Hall after trying to enter. Ji Nian explains that the department has regrouped in the Zhao Kingdom and is targeting the Immortal Gods Sect, which they blame for killing at least three hundred players.
• Ji Nian is troubled that Yang Ling has killed members of the sect. Yang Ling and Li Jun argue that the sect’s actions make its members terrorists and that lethal force is justified. Yang Ling also questions whether players killed in the Divine Realm are truly dead.
• Zhu Yunbo summons Yang Ling to the Cicada-Holding Directorate: an abyssal martial artist has arrived as an envoy, demanding that Golden Lion Ridge surrender Zhu Xiu or face four beast-led attacks.
• The envoy, Wang Yu, recognizes Zhu Xiu from their past conflict. He says Zhu Xiu’s White Bone Cave once led the campaign that destroyed his Crimson-Refined Fire Jiao Sect, before the Great Dream Dynasty later destroyed White Bone Cave in turn. Yang Ling suspects Wang Yu may know where his sworn elder brother is.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Jun reveals his methodical investigation of the fake Li Fengxian and is firmly committed to fighting the Immortal Gods Sect.
• Yang Ling, now level 152, shows his influence and decisiveness. He welcomes Ji Nian as an acquaintance but defends his harsh treatment of sect members.
• Ji Nian reconnects with Yang Ling and reveals that the Emergency Department has become an organized force against the sect. His sense of duty conflicts with Yang Ling’s willingness to use lethal force.
• Wang Yu and Zhu Xiu expose an old history of sectarian conflict and mutual ruin, turning the envoy’s demand into a personal confrontation.
• Yang Ling’s sudden interest in Wang Yu’s past suggests the crisis may offer a lead about his sworn elder brother.

Significant themes

• Justice versus restraint: The chapter questions whether ordinary rules apply when players commit atrocities in the Divine Realm.
• Uncertainty about death and reality: Characters cannot tell whether in-game deaths are actual deaths, leaving the consequences of violence unresolved.
• Hidden identities and mistrust: The fake Li Fengxian’s use of another account raises questions about concealed identities and manipulation.
• Cycles of vengeance: The histories of the Crimson-Refined Fire Jiao Sect and White Bone Cave show how destruction is repaid in kind.

Key plot points and events

• Wang Yu confronts Golden Lion Ridge and reveals that a massive beast tide has surrounded it. He came to verify Zhu Xiu’s presence, but also reports that the Abyssal Martial Artists’ leader wants Yang Ling captured alive.
• Wang Yu claims that discontented Earthly Immortals are preparing to rebel against the Great Dream Dynasty, pointing to the Crimson-Refined Fire Jiao Sect and White Bone Cave as examples of the dynasty’s persecution of sects.
• Shi Haixuan concludes that a first-rate sect has joined forces with the Five-Poison Emperor and Red Flame Emperor. He suspects the investigation into Ji Tianming’s case has drawn Yang Ling and Zhu Xiu into danger because it may implicate an Earthly Immortal inside the dynasty.
• With an attack imminent, the defenders divide Golden Lion Ridge into four fronts. Shi Haixuan and Zhu Xiu take the north and south, Yang Ling and the two lantern-bearers take the west, and the Treasure Dragon Gang leader takes the east. Abyssal Army troops are split among them.
• The next day, the western defenders spot a swarm of at least a million Ghost King Bees—the Five-Poison Emperor’s notorious weapon. Players receive rewards for killing them, including a Diamond Chest for defeating the Beast King.

Character developments and interactions

• Wang Yu is revealed to have reached Middle Fourth Grade, exceeding Zhu Xiu’s expectations. He delivers his warning and leaves without fighting, confident that the threat outside gives the defenders little room to act.
• Yang Ling remains composed when told an Earthly Immortal wants him captured, but the possibility of a Diamond Chest excites him.
• Shi Haixuan shifts from questioning Wang Yu to assessing the political situation and organizing the defense. He warns Yang Ling that capture by the Abyssal leader would be worse than death.
• Zhu Xiu and the two lantern-bearers distrust Wang Yu’s claims, but cooperate with Shi Haixuan’s defensive plan.

Significant themes

• Political betrayal and repression: The threat to Great Dream may come from both rebellious sects and a hidden insider.
• Uneasy cooperation: Rivals and suspicious factions must work together against a common danger.
• Escalating peril and opportunity: The beast siege threatens the defenders, while the player reward system turns danger into a potential prize.

Plot points and events

• The Divine Realm announces a new stage in the defense of A-9 City: killing beasts earns rewards, including chests. Killing a beast king may yield a Diamond Chest.
• Ghost King Bees attack the western route. The two Lantern-Bearers warn that their venom can kill weaker fighters and temporarily suppress even Fifth Grade experts’ recovery.
• Commander Shi orders the western route to hold for three hours. Yang Ling learns that the other three routes face different swarms—Poison Dart Frogs, Adamantine Dragon Spiders, and Plague Rats—with the same rewards.
• Yang Ling hopes to earn an Emerald Chest by killing 100,000 Ghost King Bees, while keeping an eye on the much rarer Diamond Chest.
• When challenged to lead the charge, Yang Ling claims he is unsuited to close combat. He then unleashes more than 200 throwing knives, killing hundreds of bees almost instantly. The Lantern-Bearers lead the troops forward, and Yang Ling continues attacking from range.

Character development

• Yang Ling remains pragmatic and reward-conscious. Rather than charge into danger, he uses his strength where it is most effective—ranged combat—and quickly turns a challenge into a demonstration of power.
• Xu and Xiao Lantern-Bearer begin anxious about holding the line and doubt Yang Ling’s willingness to fight. His attack forces them to reassess him, and they move to lead the charge themselves.
• The troops and onlookers are stunned by the scale and effectiveness of Yang Ling’s throwing-knife technique.

Character interactions

• Xu Lantern-Bearer explains the Ghost King Bees’ deadly venom to Yang Ling, clarifying why the swarm is such a serious threat.
• Yang Ling coordinates with the commanders on the other routes, confirming that the attacks are part of the same reward-bearing stage.
• Xu challenges Yang Ling’s refusal to fight at close range, warning of consequences; Yang Ling answers through action rather than argument, prompting the Lantern-Bearers to rally the frontline.

Significant themes

• Adaptability over appearances: Yang Ling’s refusal to charge is not cowardice; he contributes through a combat style suited to him.
• Risk and reward: The new chests motivate the defenders, but the valuable rewards come with dangerous, high-stakes battles.
• Leadership and morale: A visible display of strength can restore confidence and spur others into action.

Key plot points and events

• The Ghost King Bees attack the western front of Golden Lion Ridge. Thousands of soldiers and martial artists fight back, but casualties mount because the bees are fast, venomous, and fearless.
• Local forces prove disciplined and effective, while many players panic or fight poorly. Yang Ling protects the players with his throwing knives, and his intervention boosts their courage.
• To speed up the battle and secure a guaranteed reward, Yang Ling unleashes five Bone Warriors and continues killing bees. He levels up and approaches the kill-count threshold for an Emerald Chest.
• The Lantern-Bearers recognize his technique as the White Bone Primordial Spirit Method and speculate that the army may defeat the bees with fewer losses than expected.
• The Ghost King Bee Beast King suddenly attacks Xiao Lantern-Bearer, paralyzing him with venom, then targets Xu Lantern-Bearer. Yang Ling’s throwing knife deflects the second strike long enough for Xu to escape with Xiao.
• Yang Ling tracks the hidden Beast King and reveals its immense size and formidable stats: Level 875, with exceptional Strength and Agility. He realizes the Diamond Chest has produced a much more dangerous opponent than expected.

Character developments and interactions

• Yang Ling remains calculating and confident, balancing concern for the players and battlefield with his desire to reach the reward threshold. His power is evident in his mass kills, summoned Bone Warriors, and timely rescue of the Lantern-Bearers.
• The players shift from fear to aggression once Yang Ling’s protection gives them confidence; some become consumed by the prospect of experience and chests.
• Xu Lantern-Bearer reacts quickly to save the paralyzed Xiao, then recognizes Yang Ling’s intervention with gratitude.
• Xiao Lantern-Bearer is briefly incapacitated by the Beast King’s venom and returns to the fight after recovering.

Significant themes

• Experience versus fear: Battle-hardened locals outperform many players, though the players’ confidence improves when they feel protected.
• Power and responsibility: Yang Ling uses his strength not only to pursue rewards but also to shield vulnerable allies.
• The cost of underestimating danger: The Beast King’s sudden strike shows that even a seemingly manageable battle can turn deadly once its true threat appears.

Plot points and events

• Yang Ling gauges the Ghost King Bee Beast King as a formidable Middle Fourth-Grade opponent: it far exceeds him in strength and agility, though his Mental Power is superior. He considers using his White Bone Ring to activate Bone General Form, but delays the fight while pursuing his guaranteed reward.
• Yang Ling and his Bone Warriors cut through the bee swarm, bringing his kill count close to 100,000. Meanwhile, the western route is nearing collapse under pressure from the Ghost King Bees.
• The Lantern-Bearers receive a letter from Chen Seal-Bearer ordering them to withdraw and reinforce A-9 City, which is reportedly facing an all-out beast-tide attack. Their sudden departure leaves Golden Lion Ridge’s western route without a Grandmaster.
• Suspecting Chen’s motives, Yang Ling realizes the withdrawal has badly undermined morale. Rather than flee, he rallies the remaining fighters and continues holding the line.
• A player nearly gets killed while opening a reward chest during battle. Yang Ling saves him and warns the others to wait for safety before claiming their rewards.
• Yang Ling reaches 100,000 kills and prepares to redeem his chest.

Character developments and interactions

• Yang Ling shifts from cautious planning to taking responsibility for the western route. His confidence and battlefield leadership help steady the troops, though he remains wary of the stronger Beast King and of Chen’s suspicious orders.
• The Lantern-Bearers obey their superior despite misgivings. Xiao Lantern-Bearer quietly warns Yang Ling to protect himself before leaving.
• Zhu Yunbo and Eunuch Chen fight together and rally around Yang Ling’s example. Eunuch Chen’s fierce response to Yang Ling’s name surprises Zhu Yunbo.
• Yang Ling and the players: Yang Ling’s intervention saves a player from a bee attack and teaches the group to prioritize survival over quickly opening chests.

Significant themes

• Leadership under pressure: Yang Ling’s willingness to stay and fight fills the vacuum left by the departing commanders.
• Duty versus suspicion: The Lantern-Bearers follow the chain of command even as the withdrawal appears poorly timed and potentially treacherous.
• Collective morale and heroism: Yang Ling’s declaration that he will hold the line inspires others to keep fighting.
• Survival over reward: The chest incident underscores the danger of putting personal gains ahead of immediate battlefield safety.

Key plot points and events

• Yang Ling’s kill count reaches the 100,000 needed for an Emerald Chest. He realizes the reward is one-time only: claiming a lesser chest would have forfeited the higher one.
• He continues attacking the Ghost King Bees from afar, targeting their leaders. His support eases the pressure on Golden Lion Ridge’s fighters, who finish off bees he knocks from the sky.
• While waiting for an opening against the cautious Ghost King Bee Beast King, Yang Ling considers the risks of using Bone General Form, which may consume substantial Mental Power.
• Eight Abyssal Martial Artists approach, intending to capture Yang Ling alive and exploit the secrets behind his strength and techniques.
• Yang Ling detects them and kills the six Fifth-Grade Grandmasters instantly with throwing knives. He freezes the two Middle Fourth-Grade Grandmasters and stores all eight bodies in his Green Dragon Ring.
• A Ghost King Bee stinger suddenly attacks Yang Ling from behind, setting up the next confrontation.

Character developments

• Yang Ling shows patience and tactical restraint: he secures the Emerald Chest but delays confronting the Beast King until he sees a favorable opening. He also demonstrates that he can detect distant threats and dispatch powerful opponents with ease.
• The Abyssal Martial Artists underestimate Yang Ling, assuming their combined strength will let them capture him. Their confidence collapses when he kills their companions in one strike.
• The battlefield’s players and martial artists grow more enthusiastic as Yang Ling’s attacks create easy opportunities to kill the fallen bees.

Significant themes

• Reward choices and opportunity cost: Yang Ling understands that claiming a lower-tier chest would permanently forfeit the Emerald reward.
• Hidden strength and misjudgment: The Abyssal group bases its plan on Yang Ling’s rank, failing to account for his actual abilities.
• Strategy over brute force: Yang Ling waits for the right moment against the Beast King and uses surprise to eliminate the ambushers.
• Cooperation and shared benefit: Though pursuing his own reward, Yang Ling’s attacks significantly help the defenders and players around him.

Character interactions

• Players debate the chest’s rarity, admire Yang Ling, and recognize that he is helping them by knocking Ghost King Bees out of the air.
• The Abyssal Martial Artists discuss Yang Ling’s suspected abilities and their orders to capture him alive, then move to ambush him.
• Yang Ling answers their planned attack with overwhelming force, while the Beast King’s stinger strikes at him from behind.

Key plot points and events

• The enormous Ghost King Bee Beast King abandons its stinger attacks and overwhelms Yang Ling with speed and six-fisted punches, driving him into a crater. The surrounding forces’ crossbow bolts cannot pierce its body.
• Yang Ling can read the Beast King’s attacks but cannot match its speed or strength. He survives thanks to his armor and summons the five Bone Warriors into a towering White Bone General, taking control of it while remaining in his own body.
• The Bone General pursues the Beast King through the swarm, cutting down countless bees and severing one of the Beast King’s wings. The fight lifts the defenders’ morale, and they rally to slaughter the swarm.
• Despite repeated hits, the Beast King’s tough body and near-instant healing keep it alive. It escapes on foot when Yang Ling’s White Bone Primordial Spirit reaches the limit of how far it can stray from his body. Yang Ling turns his fury on the remaining bees.

Character developments

• Yang Ling is forced to confront an opponent stronger and faster than he is, but shows resourcefulness by using the White Bone Ring and fighting through the Bone General. His confidence gives way to frustration when the Beast King escapes.
• The Ghost King Bee Beast King proves to be more than a stinger-wielding threat: it is massive, powerful, resilient, and cautious enough to retreat when the fight turns against it.
• Eunuch Chen, Zhu Yunbo, and the other fighters shift from alarm to renewed confidence after seeing Yang Ling’s transformation and the Beast King flee.

Character interactions

• The Beast King batters Yang Ling while he dodges and searches for an opening; Yang Ling retaliates through the White Bone General.
• Eunuch Chen reassures Zhu Yunbo and the soldiers that Yang Ling’s armor will protect him.
• Yang Ling’s emergence as the White Bone General inspires the fighters of Golden Lion Ridge to rally and attack the swarm.

Significant themes

• Adaptation under pressure: Yang Ling survives by changing tactics when his usual strength and speed are insufficient.
• Limits and setbacks: Even overwhelming power has constraints—the Primordial Spirit’s distance from Yang Ling’s body allows the Beast King to escape.
• Morale and leadership: Yang Ling’s intervention transforms the defenders’ despair into a renewed will to fight.
• The frustration of unfair odds: The Beast King’s extraordinary durability and regeneration make the battle feel almost “like cheating,” as the chapter’s title suggests.

• The western battle ends: The Ghost King Bee Beast King flees, and the swarm withdraws. Golden Lion Ridge’s fighters do not pursue, but Yang Ling orders them to keep watch and clear away the corpses. The White Bone General’s devastating performance leaves the players convinced that Yang Ling is a Fourth-Grade Grandmaster.
• Players claim rewards: Players earn chests based on their kills, with a hundred bees qualifying for a Blue Chest; nobody reaches the thousand-kill reward. The chests provide useful but modest prizes—one player gets the unranked Mountain-Crushing Fist, while others receive equipment, attribute points, and level gains. The scene underscores how few players have martial arts manuals, despite their ability to grow through leveling and equipment.
• Reinforcements are dispatched: Zhu Yunbo and Eunuch Chen ask Yang Ling what to do next. Since the Cicada-Holding Directorate’s messengers are gone, the Precious Medicine Gang carries word to the other routes. Yang Ling sends Zhu Yunbo and Eunuch Chen east with Abyssal Army troops to aid Zhu Qing, while he stays behind in case the bees return. He plans to reinforce the remaining routes once the Emerald Chest is ready.
• Yang Ling’s assessment of players: Watching the players, Yang Ling reflects that their free attribute points and equipment let them outperform many native martial artists, even without formal training. He expects them to grow dramatically over the next few years, provided they have the ambition and endurance to pursue martial arts.
• Northern route in danger: Li Jun privately warns Yang Ling that Abyssal Martial Artists have joined the fighting in the north and Zhu Xiu is being badly overwhelmed. Yang Ling sees that the Emerald Chest is nearly complete but delays going to help: Zhu Xiu will have to hold out a little longer.
• Chapter ends: Fifteen minutes later, the Emerald Chest finishes forming, glowing with emerald light.
  Character developments and interactions: Yang Ling’s strength and authority are affirmed, and he balances command decisions with his personal interest in the chest. Zhu Yunbo is eager to help his father, Zhu Qing, and acts promptly on Yang Ling’s orders. The players celebrate and compare rewards, while their envy focuses on Yang Ling’s superior chest and equipment.
  Themes: The chapter contrasts ordinary players’ gradual advancement with Yang Ling’s overwhelming power, highlights the value of ambition and perseverance, and presents rewards and personal priorities as competing demands amid an ongoing crisis.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang Ling opens the Emerald Chest and finds a map to the Abyssal Beast Grotto Pass instead of expected rewards like equipment or cultivation methods.
• The pass has 3 uses and allows Yang Ling to travel to the Abyssal Beast Grotto, a dangerous place not recommended for players below Fifth Grade.
• Each use lasts for one month, after which Yang Ling will return to his original location.

Character Developments

• Yang Ling initially feels disappointed with the reward but later realizes the potential life-saving value of the pass, leading to a shift in his perspective.
• Other players watching the scene feel envy and curiosity about Yang Ling's reward.

Significant Themes

• Unexpected Rewards: The Emerald Chest's reward is not what Yang Ling or other players expect, highlighting the theme of unexpected outcomes and the importance of adaptability.
• Life-Saving Mechanisms: The pass emphasizes the theme of survival and self-preservation in the face of danger, a crucial aspect of Yang Ling's growth.
• Curiosity and Envy: Other players' reactions to Yang Ling's reward explore the themes of curiosity, envy, and the desire for power and knowledge.

Character Interactions

• Yang Ling interacts with other players, who watch him open the Emerald Chest and react with envy and curiosity to his reward.
• Yang Ling communicates with his team, instructing them to keep watch while he explores the northern route.

Plot points and events

• On the northern road at Golden Lion Ridge, players are overwhelmed by waves of Adamantine Dragon Spiders. Their tough armor makes the creatures difficult to kill, though players are relieved that the spiders are not venomous.
• Li Jun, fighting effectively as an Eighth Grade cultivator, reassures the players that Yang Ling has been summoned and will likely come for the rewards.
• At the center of the battlefield, Zhu Xiu uses an invisible defensive barrier and his Grand Flying Sword Technique to hold off Qin Haitian, a Middle Fourth Grade Grandmaster. Qin urges Zhu Xiu to join the rebellion against the Great Dream Dynasty, which is allied with the Abyssal Beast Grotto.
• Zhu Xiu warns that powerful beasts are not as mindless as Qin assumes. Before Qin can respond, Yang Ling arrives, kills him instantly with a giant throwing knife, and cuts down the surrounding Abyssal Martial Artists with a rain of knives.
• Yang Ling asks Zhu Xiu about his barrier technique, hoping to learn it, but Zhu Xiu says it comes from the Dongting Nine-Character Scripture and suggests asking Her Ladyship for a copy.
• Yang Ling considers teaming up with Zhu Xiu to defeat the Diamond Dragon Spider Beast King. Before they can act, however, the beast king abruptly retreats, leaving Yang Ling bewildered.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhu Xiu demonstrates formidable defensive and sword skills despite being a Lower Fourth Grade Grandmaster. He remains loyal to the Great Dream Dynasty and refuses Qin Haitian’s offer to defect.
• Qin Haitian reveals the Heavenly Mandate Sect’s alliance with the Abyssal Beast Grotto, believing the rebels can control the beasts after toppling the dynasty. Zhu Xiu challenges this confidence, and Yang Ling kills Qin before the discussion can continue.
• Yang Ling arrives with overwhelming force, quickly turning the battle in Zhu Xiu’s favor. His interest in Zhu Xiu’s barrier also shows his continuing drive to acquire powerful techniques. He is surprised when the beast king chooses to flee rather than fight.
• Li Jun acts as a capable battlefield fighter and encourages the struggling players by assuring them that help is coming.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and rebellion: Zhu Xiu’s refusal to betray the dynasty contrasts with Qin’s pragmatic choice to ally with dangerous forces.
• Underestimating danger: Qin assumes the beasts can be controlled, while Zhu Xiu recognizes their growing intelligence and caution.
• Sudden shifts in power: Yang Ling’s arrival overwhelms the attackers, but the beast king’s unexpected retreat suggests that even apparent advantages can change without warning.

Key events

• After Yang Ling killed Qin Haitian on the northern front, the Diamond Dragon Spider Beast King and the Adamantine Dragon Spiders withdrew. Yang Ling briefly pursued them, but the kills did not count toward his rewards; he concluded that only the western front’s Ghost King Bees qualified.
• Zhu Xiu suspected the Beast King had retreated after seeing Qin Haitian die. Yang Ling suggested the beasts might be evolving or mutating, then sent Zhu Xiu east to reinforce Zhu Qing while he checked the southern front.
• The Poison Dart Frogs had already retreated from the south. Shi Haixuan had killed an Abyssal martial artist there, whose severed head kept demanding that Shi join the Abyssal side. Yang Ling revealed he had killed Qin Haitian, another Heavenly Mandate Sect Grandmaster, on the north.
• The head tried to provoke Shi Haixuan by claiming Qin Haitian’s death should make him avenge his disciple. Shi rejected the accusation, saying his disciple had betrayed the Great Dream Dynasty. Yang Ling claimed Qin Haitian’s head and body had mysteriously vanished.
• At the eastern front, the Plague Rats had also withdrawn, and Zhu Qing’s forces were treating the sick and wounded. The defenders had killed another Abyssal martial artist. The group concluded the invaders had lost three Fourth-Grade Grandmasters, though Wang Yu had escaped.

Character developments and interactions

• Yang Ling shows overwhelming confidence and practical focus. He tests whether killing the spiders will earn rewards, then moves quickly to aid other fronts. He hides his likely role in Qin Haitian’s remains’ disappearance behind a solemn denial, while jokingly pointing out he has nowhere to conceal them.
• Shi Haixuan is cautious around Yang Ling after learning he killed a Grandmaster nearly comparable to himself. He refuses the Abyssal captive’s attempt to turn him against Yang and treats his disciple’s betrayal as final.
• Zhu Xiu and Zhu Qing coordinate the defense and report on their fronts; Zhu Xiu worries that increasingly cautious, intelligent Beast Kings may become a greater threat.
• The severed Abyssal head serves as a taunting, hostile voice, unsuccessfully trying to sow distrust among the defenders.

Significant themes

• The beast tide’s retreats suggest the Beast Kings are becoming more intelligent and self-preserving, possibly through evolution or mutation.
• The battle’s apparent victory is costly: defenders suffer horrific deaths, poisoning, and illness, while the Abyssal forces lose key commanders.
• Loyalty and betrayal shape the human conflict: Shi Haixuan rejects his former disciple’s betrayal, while the Abyssal captive tries—and fails—to exploit personal grievances.

Key plot points and events

• Zhu Xiu and Shi Haixuan discuss Qin Haitian’s vanished body and suspect the Nine Immortal Talisman Sect may be connected to the rebellion. Its Earth-Escape Talismans could explain the disappearance.
• Yang Ling asks whether he can obtain one, but learns the sect rarely gives talismans to outsiders. Shi Haixuan suggests Yang’s military achievements might earn him a reward—though Yang may have to leave the instance before then.
• Yang offers to trade his merit for Fire-Seed Kindling. Zhu Qing declines payment, promising rare plants, while Shi Haixuan trades two 1,500-year-old Ebony Snake-Gall Fruits for Yang’s merit. Yang eats them, raising his Fire Seed from 426 to 442 out of 500.
• Back at the Precious Medicine Gang, Yang receives a Divine Realm announcement: his performance in the beast tide earned an A+ rating and a Fourth-Grade Thunder Talisman from the Nine Immortal Talisman Sect. Zhu Yunbo identifies it, though the chapter ends before its effects are explained.

Character developments and interactions

• Yang remains focused on advancing quickly, turning otherwise unusable merit into resources and openly consuming the fruits to strengthen his Fire Seed.
• Shi Haixuan becomes a practical trading partner, exchanging valuable materials for Yang’s achievements.
• Zhu Qing shows goodwill by offering rare plants without claiming Yang’s merit.
• Zhu Xiu and Zhu Qing watch Yang’s aura closely; his progress without a visible breakthrough suggests his reserves are unusually deep.

Significant themes

• Merit versus personal advancement: Yang converts public achievements into immediate cultivation gains rather than waiting for formal rewards.
• Scarcity and power: Rare talismans and ancient medicinal materials are tightly controlled, making them valuable political and martial resources.
• Hidden forces and uncertainty: Qin Haitian’s missing body raises suspicions about the Nine Immortal Talisman Sect’s role in the rebellion, while Yang’s unexpected talisman reward hints at further significance.

Plot points and events

• Zhu Yunbo explains that a Fourth-Grade Thunder Talisman can unleash a lightning formation powerful enough to destroy anyone below Fourth Grade. Yang Ling sees it as a chance to train his stalled Heavenly Will Divine Blade, not as a valuable item to sell.
• Yang Ling asks Zhu Yunbo for help. In exchange, Zhu brings him five rare Jadeblood Golden Toads—each worth 20,000 Martial Technique proficiency points and together enough to advance Yang Ling’s blade technique.
• Yang Ling gives Zhu the Thunder Talisman and asks him to activate it against him, hoping to train safely without wasting the talisman. Zhu is horrified and objects.
• At Golden Lion Ridge, struggling players receive Spirit-Nourishing Pills despite earning the lowest ratings. Their excitement highlights the rewards dungeons can offer, though the run has also driven some players to quit.
• Li Jun and Ji Nian discuss meeting Yang Ling and seeking cooperation. Li Jun warns that Yang Ling may refuse, and reveals that a former Emergency Department colleague, Luo Yu, caused trouble for him. Ji Nian says Luo Yu is being sought by a highly secretive department; Li Jun claims Luo joined the Immortal Gods Sect to change classes.

Character developments and interactions

• Yang Ling shows a pragmatic, single-minded commitment to improving his combat technique, valuing training opportunities over money or conventional safety.
• Zhu Yunbo tries to assist Yang Ling by securing rare herbs, but his concern for Yang Ling’s safety clashes with Yang Ling’s plan to face the talisman’s lightning.
• Li Jun remains guarded about Luo Yu and bitterly reflects on how his own circumstances differ from ordinary players’ struggles.
• Ji Nian is surprised by Li Jun’s information about Luo Yu and intends to verify it, while preparing to approach Yang Ling.

Significant themes

• Opportunity and inequality: Dungeons offer valuable rewards, but survival and strength determine who can benefit.
• Power and privilege: Yang Ling recognizes that access to rare resources often depends on one’s position and connections.
• Ambition versus danger: Yang Ling’s pursuit of mastery leads him to risk facing an exceptionally powerful weapon.

Key plot points and events

• Ji Nian and Li Jun arrive at the Precious Medicine Gang’s training ground, where Yang Ling and young gang leader Zhu Yunbo are preparing for a thunderstorm. Ji Nian urgently asks whether Yang Ling has met Luo Yu, an Emergency Department player. Yang Ling says Luo Yu “quit the game,” alarming Ji Nian, but postpones further discussion.
• Zhu Yunbo uses a Fourth-Grade Thunder Talisman, summoning dark clouds and lightning over the training ground. Ji Nian and Li Jun are ushered away from the area.
• Zhu Xiu, Zhu Qing, and Shi Haixuan rush over, fearing the lightning signals rebel activity. Yang Ling explains that he gave Zhu Yunbo the talisman so he could test a martial technique.
• Despite the Grandmasters’ warnings that the lightning could seriously injure him, Yang Ling insists he can withstand it. He activates his three Internal Arts and White Bone Buddha Overlord Form, then has Zhu Yunbo direct the lightning at him.
• The bolt strikes Yang Ling. He loses 100 health and is left smoking and scorched, but survives without serious injury, astonishing everyone present.

Character developments

• Yang Ling remains bold and experimental, willingly exposing himself to a powerful attack to test his abilities. His immunity proves imperfect against the talisman’s force, but he survives.
• Zhu Yunbo follows Yang Ling’s request despite his reluctance, then hesitates when asked to trigger the strike. His father’s approval and Zhu Xiu’s guidance help him proceed.
• Ji Nian is deeply shaken by the news that Luo Yu quit the game, suggesting he understands the significance of players leaving the Divine Realm.
• Zhu Qing, Zhu Xiu, and Shi Haixuan show concern for Yang Ling’s safety and are quick to investigate what they initially believe may be an attack.

Significant themes

• Risk and experimentation: Yang Ling knowingly tests his limits with a dangerous technique.
• Misunderstanding and hidden knowledge: The visitors interpret the summoned storm as a possible attack, while Yang Ling’s actual purpose is training; natives also cannot access information about events outside the Divine Realm.
• Power and its limits: Yang Ling’s defenses protect him substantially, but the strike still causes measurable damage.
• The mystery of players leaving: Luo Yu’s departure raises an ominous question that Ji Nian cannot ignore.

Character interactions

• Ji Nian presses Yang Ling for information about Luo Yu, while Li Jun restrains him and urges patience.
• Zhu Yunbo acts on Yang Ling’s instructions but is wary of striking him; Zhu Qing first scolds him, then reassures him.
• The three Grandmasters challenge Yang Ling’s decision and try to protect him, but ultimately help Zhu Yunbo activate the talisman.
• After the lightning strike, Ji Nian, Li Jun, and the Grandmasters react with disbelief at Yang Ling’s survival.