Chapter Summaries

Yang Ling advanced Heavenly Will Divine Blade into Heavenly Will Immortal-Slaying Blade and explored the Martial Training Space’s sparring options. He decided to raise his limits before testing himself against the Grandmaster Network’s strongest Middle-Third-Grade opponents, and drank an Intermediate Bloodline Gene Mutation Potion.

• Yang Ling considered the limits of his White Bone Primordial Spirit Method’s Rebirth skill and kept it as a final trump card.
• Yang Ling consumed two hundred Black Tiger Spirit-Nourishing Pills and advanced Heavenly Will Divine Blade to Transcendent Sainthood, unlocking Heavenly Will Immortal-Slaying Blade.
• Yang Ling tested the new blade and found that activating it cost 100,000 points of health, 100,000 points of vital blood, and 5,000 points of mental power.
• Yang Ling examined the Martial Training Space’s virtual sparring prices and discovered that real sparring partners were virtual avatars based on players who earned transaction points.
• Yang Ling found thirty-six Gold Medal Sparring Partners representing the upper limit of Middle-Third-Grade Great Grandmasters and decided to improve himself before challenging one.
• Yang Ling drank an Intermediate Bloodline Gene Mutation Potion.

Yang Ling took an Advanced Bloodline Gene Mutation Potion and discovered it triggered an extraordinarily violent transformation. At Pangu Gene headquarters, Zhang Enci revealed that the potion contained ancient god genes and had been given to Luo Kai as part of a plan to eliminate him; Yang Ling’s absorption then began an ancient god qualification trial.

• Yang Ling completed his fifth gene mutation after an Intermediate Bloodline Gene Mutation Potion increased his strength and agility by 2,000 points each.
• Yang Ling drank an Advanced Bloodline Gene Mutation Potion and began another mutation.
• Zhang Enci told Pangu Gene executives that he had developed the advanced potion using ancient god genes and had given a potent, flawed version to Luo Kai.
• Zhang Enci explained that he expected Luo Kai to fail the mutation, be purged from the Grandmaster Network, or cause disaster in the Divine Realm.
• Yang Ling struggled to suppress the potion’s violent effects as his muscles grew, and a system message identified the genes as belonging to the Vajra White Bone Buddha and announced an early ancient god qualification trial.

After taking the Advanced Bloodline Gene Mutation Potion, Yang Ling’s body transformed into a gigantic mass of flesh as the White Bone Vajra Buddha’s genes awakened. The White Bone Loose Immortal suppressed the mutation and restored him, but the Ancient God Qualification Trial failed, and a colossal eye appeared behind him.

• Yang Ling received notifications that the White Bone Vajra Buddha’s genes had triggered the Ancient God Qualification Trial, then watched his body grow into a vast mass of flesh.
• Yang Ling searched for the genes causing the mutation as strange creatures and white bones sprouted across his body.
• Yang Ling’s Myriad Dharma Eye activated, and he wondered whether he should abandon his body and pursue the primordial spirit path.
• The White Bone Loose Immortal appeared, entered Yang Ling’s head, and suppressed the White Bone Vajra Buddha’s thoughts, returning Yang Ling’s body to normal.
• Yang Ling saw the trial-failed notification, heard the White Bone Loose Immortal warn him, and turned to find a gigantic vertical-pupiled eye staring at him.

After his sixth gene mutation, Yang Ling discovered that his attributes, vital blood, and health had risen dramatically, then tested his strength against Gold Medal Sparring Partner Dao-Seeking Heartless Sword. The spar ended with Yang Ling unleashing enough power to destroy the training space’s terrain.

• Yang Ling ignored the giant eye watching him and found that his strength and agility had each increased by 5,000 points, while his mental power had broken its cap.
• Yang Ling discovered his vital blood had doubled to 1,000,000 and his health had risen to 690,000, then allocated his free attribute points to agility.
• Yang Ling paid 30,000 Transaction Points to spar with Dao-Seeking Heartless Sword and assessed the peak Middle Third Grade fighter’s attributes and abilities.
• With ten seconds left, Yang Ling activated his internal arts, Overlord Form, and armor, then destroyed Dao-Seeking Heartless Sword with a Heavenly Will Immortal-Slaying Blade.
• The attack left a vast crater in the martial training space, and Yang Ling paid a 2,000 Transaction Point repair fee.

Yang Ling tested the immense power and steep costs of Heavenly Will Immortal-Slaying Blade, then investigated the Grandmaster Network and gene-mutation limits. After returning to Jia-One City, he revealed his gains to Zhao De, who noticed that Yang Ling had reached the upper third grade.

• Yang Ling discovered that Heavenly Will Immortal-Slaying Blade could destroy an area a kilometer across, but its health, vital blood, and mental-power costs limited him to two uses.
• Yang Ling found that every task in the Grandmaster Network Task Hall was unavailable and learned that the network's gold medal sparring partners had mostly died or moved to the Celestial Immortal Network.
• Lei Wanqi explained how gene mutation potions raised attribute caps, and Yang Ling learned that Dao-Seeking Heartless Sword had ranked ninety-seventh in the Celestial Immortal Network.
• Yang Ling returned to the Abyssal Beast Grotto in Jia-One City and told Zhao De that he had gained benefits.
• Zhao De examined Yang Ling and realized he had reached the upper third grade.

Yang Ling learned that his Martial Dao Furnace had not yet manifested in his dantian, leaving him short of the Upper Third Grade despite his powerful aura. He arranged to sell his spoils through Zhao De’s contact, received the Violet Abode Divine Dao Scripture, and began asking Zhao De about the White Bone Primordial Spirit Method.

• Zhao De explained that Yang Ling’s Martial Dao Furnace had to take shape in his dantian for him to reach the Upper Third Grade and warned that his strong foundation could make future breakthroughs difficult.
• Yang Ling told Zhao De he had obtained a hundred sets of Middle Third-Grade Divine Weapon Armor and fifty Basic Treasure-Storing Talismans, and asked whether he should sell them in the Abyssal Beast Grotto.
• Zhao De proposed selling the goods to several great clans in the Abyssal Beast Grotto in exchange for Black Tortoise Longevity Blood Pills and offered a token to an old friend who could arrange the deal.
• Zhao De gave Yang Ling the Violet Abode Divine Dao Scripture, and Yang Ling saw that its cultivation requirement was 8,000 mental power for him.
• Yang Ling thanked Zhao De for the scripture and asked him about the White Bone Primordial Spirit Method.

Chapter Summary: Five-Treasure City

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang Ling explains to Zhao De that the White Bone Primordial Spirit Method has granted him a fourth Primordial Spirit, the White Bone Loose Immortal, after he consumed the Dragon Blood Bodhi. He suspects this new Primordial Spirit is unusual.
• Yang Ling uses the Myriad Dharma Eye to summon or reveal the White Bone God Lord, who appears beside him.
• The White Bone God Lord confirms that she rescued Yang Ling from a recent calamity in which a Celestial Immortal plotted against him. She demands that Yang Ling visit the White Bone Dao Palace and forbids Zhao De from forcing him to abandon the White Bone Primordial Spirit Method through the Bone-Burning Inheritance.
• She claims that Yang Ling’s bond with her is deeper than his bond with Zhao De, implying that she encountered him before Zhao De did—possibly in the White Bone Cave dungeon.
• After the Myriad Dharma Eye’s effect ends, Yang Ling suffers severe mental exhaustion. Zhao De promises to take him to the White Bone Dao Palace after returning to the Zhao Kingdom and assures him that he will protect him.
• Zhao De instructs Yang Ling to sell the Divine Weapon Armor and Basic Treasure-Storing Talisman, exchanging them for pills or rare flowers and herbs. He also plans to request a transfer back to the capital and bring Yang Ling with him.
• Yang Ling travels alone to Five-Treasure City in the Abyssal Beast Grotto. The city is highly prosperous and populated mainly by Abyssfolk, with members of the Abyss Six Surnames especially common.
• He arrives at Five-Treasure House, the region’s largest marketplace for rare flowers and herbs and a major commercial center connected to the Five-Treasure Divine Tree.
• A mysterious red-clothed girl named Pork Belly verifies Yang Ling’s withered-vine token and leads him inside to arrange the sale of his goods.

Character Developments

• Yang Ling becomes more cautious and politically aware. He conceals his identity by calling himself “Ding Zong” and carefully evaluates everyone he meets.
• His relationship with the White Bone God Lord grows more complicated. She treats him as her disciple and protectorate, while Yang Ling begins to suspect she has been connected to him since his time in the White Bone Cave.
• Yang Ling’s confidence has increased. Although he recognizes that Pork Belly is likely a Human Immortal with superior Mental Power, he believes his own peak attributes make him capable of confronting her if necessary.
• Zhao De demonstrates concern for Yang Ling and tries to balance his role as Yang Ling’s master with the White Bone God Lord’s influence. He promises to shield Yang Ling while allowing him to pursue the White Bone cultivation path.
• The White Bone God Lord reveals her possessive and authoritative nature. She openly asserts that Yang Ling is her disciple as well as Zhao De’s and warns Zhao De not to interfere with his cultivation.
• Pork Belly appears cheerful and approachable but is revealed to be far more powerful than she looks, creating an element of uncertainty around her intentions.

Significant Themes

• Competing claims over loyalty and mentorship: Both Zhao De and the White Bone God Lord claim authority over Yang Ling, creating tension over who will guide his future.
• Hidden identities and concealed power: Yang Ling disguises his origins, while Pork Belly hides her true strength behind an innocent appearance.
• Dangerous cultivation paths: The White Bone Primordial Spirit Method is presented as a powerful but mysterious path that Yang Ling must continue to the end.
• Political and commercial complexity: Five-Treasure City reflects the competing factions of the Abyssal Beast Grotto, where trade, factional influence, and power are closely connected.
• Trust and uncertainty: Yang Ling must depend on powerful figures whose motives remain unclear, including the White Bone God Lord and the people controlling Five-Treasure House.

Character Interactions

• Yang Ling respectfully explains his situation to Zhao De while secretly using the conversation to confirm the White Bone God Lord’s existence.
• The White Bone God Lord confronts Zhao De, insisting that Yang Ling is also her disciple and warning him not to alter Yang Ling’s cultivation.
• Yang Ling praises the White Bone God Lord for saving his life, but she questions why he revealed her existence to Zhao De.
• Zhao De reassures Yang Ling that he will accompany him to the White Bone Dao Palace and protect him.
• In Five-Treasure House, Pork Belly questions Yang Ling, confirms his token, and takes charge of his transaction. Yang Ling remains polite and cautious, addressing her as “Miss Wu” despite suspecting her immense power.

Chapter Summary: “Feeling Great!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Pork Belly brings Yang Ling to a quiet courtyard controlled by the Five-Treasure House and summons six chief shopkeepers, each a Lower Third-Grade Great Grandmaster, along with an appraiser.
• Yang Ling reveals that he has:
  • One hundred sets of exceptionally high-quality Middle Third-Grade Divine Weapon Armor.
  • Fifty Basic Treasure-Storing Talismans.
• The shopkeepers are initially shocked and suspicious, but Pork Belly assures them that Yang Ling’s background is trustworthy because the Five-Treasure Divine Tree is her godfather.
• Yang Ling displays all one hundred armor sets. The appraiser confirms that their materials, spiritual essence, and abilities are far superior to ordinary armor of the same grade.
• The shopkeepers immediately compete for the armor, especially the fifty sets of Blazing Armor, whose spiritual essence grants exceptional protection against ordinary attacks.
• Yang Ling requests payment primarily in Black Tortoise Longevity Blood Pills, though he agrees to accept other resources with comparable cultivation benefits.
• Five-Treasure House values each armor set at fifty Black Tortoise Longevity Blood Pills.
• The six families jointly agree to purchase all one hundred sets, totaling five thousand pills, but need ten days to gather the funds.
• Yang Ling accepts the delay and calculates that the transaction will provide roughly 250 million internal energy experience, potentially allowing major advances in his cultivation techniques.
• The chapter ends with Sikou Rong asking Yang Ling to display the fifty Basic Treasure-Storing Talismans for inspection.

Character Developments

• Yang Ling: Demonstrates confidence, business sense, and strategic thinking. He recognizes that combat-enhancing resources from the Divine Realm are more valuable to him than maximizing profit through the Grandmaster Network. His successful deal greatly increases his anticipation of future breakthroughs.
• Pork Belly/Miss Five: Shows authority and influence within the Five-Treasure House. Her endorsement is powerful enough to make the shopkeepers immediately trust Yang Ling’s unexplained background.
• Sikou Rong and the other shopkeepers: Initially underestimate Yang Ling, but become respectful and eager once they see the quality and scale of his goods. Their competitive behavior reveals how valuable the armor is to their families and businesses.
• The appraiser: Provides objective confirmation that Yang Ling’s armor is unusually high quality, strengthening the bargaining position of the deal.

Significant Themes

• Resource exchange and differing economies: The value of items differs greatly between the Divine Realm and the Grandmaster Network. Yang Ling adapts his strategy to local scarcity and demand.
• Power over profit: Yang Ling decides that resources improving his combat strength are more important than simply obtaining the most profitable exchange.
• Influence and trust: Pork Belly’s connection to the Five-Treasure Divine Tree allows Yang Ling to bypass suspicion and conduct a massive transaction.
• Rarity and competition: The scarcity of Middle Third-Grade experts and Black Tortoise Longevity Blood Pills highlights the limited availability of powerful resources.
• Anticipation of advancement: The deal promises enough pills to significantly improve Yang Ling’s techniques and cultivation.

Character Interactions

• Pork Belly introduces Yang Ling to the six shopkeepers and asks him to present the deal.
• The shopkeepers question Yang Ling’s identity and background, but Pork Belly protects his privacy by invoking her godfather’s authority.
• Yang Ling and the appraiser interact professionally as the latter tests the armor’s spiritual essence.
• The shopkeepers compete over the Blazing Armor, with Sikou Rong attempting to claim all fifty sets before being challenged by another merchant.
• Pork Belly negotiates the valuation and confirms that the shopkeepers’ collective purchase is legitimate rather than a delaying tactic.
• The chapter closes with Sikou Rong shifting attention to the Basic Treasure-Storing Talismans, setting up the next stage of the transaction.

Yang Ling prepared to collect the Abyss Six Surnames’ payment for his talismans as Divine Realm launched version 3.0. The update restored dungeons and announced a martial arts tournament, and Yang Ling decided to check the Heaven-Devouring Dao Palace after the transaction.

• The Five-Treasure House valued each Basic Treasure-Storing Talisman at twenty Black Tortoise Longevity Blood Pills, and the Abyss Six Surnames agreed to buy all fifty alongside the Divine Weapon Armor.
• Yang Ling stayed at the Five-Treasure House for ten days, waiting for the transaction and planning to return with Zhao De afterward.
• Divine Realm 3.0 launched, fixing exploits, restoring dungeons, announcing a Ninth Grade martial arts tournament, and giving every player an Experience Mega Pack.
• Yang Ling found that the Heaven-Devouring Dao Palace Dungeon still showed as exclusive and planned to enter after receiving the payment and improving his Internal Arts.
• Pork Belly told Yang Ling that the clan elders had arrived, and she led him to meet them.

Chapter Summary: “Ten-Thousand-Year Horned Dragon Marrow”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qiguan Zhaojian explains that the Abyss Six Surnames are the strongest clans in the Abyssal Beast Grotto, which also contains hundreds of smaller families.
• He implies that Yang Ling should offer the clans a discount in exchange for their future support of his business. Yang Ling initially misunderstands him, then firmly rejects the request.
• Yang Ling defends the agreed price by emphasizing the rarity and quality of the trade goods: one hundred sets of Middle Third-Grade Divine Weapon Armor and fifty Basic Treasure-Storing Talismans.
• The six clans produce the items they gathered for the exchange. They have only obtained two thousand Black Tortoise Longevity Blood Pills and intend to replace the remaining four thousand with other pills, herbs, and treasures.
• Their main substitute is a bottle of Ten-Thousand-Year Dragon Marrow, supposedly equivalent to four thousand Black Tortoise Longevity Blood Pills.
• Yang Ling’s appraisal reveals the substance is actually Ten-Thousand-Year Horned Dragon Marrow, which provides enormous cultivation experience but requires High-Grade Tribulation Fire and accelerates beastification.
• When Yang Ling directly asks about Horned Dragon Marrow, the six clan leaders react with shock, exposing that they knew the truth.
• Lord Wu Bao, the Five-Treasure House’s powerful elder and Pork Belly’s godfather, arrives and confirms that the material is not ordinary Dragon Marrow.
• The clans admit they substituted Horned Dragon Marrow because they could not gather enough pills in time, violating the Five-Treasure House’s rules.
• Pork Belly becomes enraged, her face transforming with hundreds of eyes. Yang Ling recognizes the terrifying identity behind her appearance: the Five-Poison Emperor.

Character Developments

• Yang Ling demonstrates sharp business judgment and increasing vigilance. He refuses to be pressured into lowering the price and carefully investigates the supposed Dragon Marrow rather than accepting the clans’ claims.
• Qiguan Zhaojian and the other five clan elders are revealed to be deceptive and desperate. Though initially confident, they become visibly frightened when their substitution is exposed.
• Pork Belly shifts from a cheerful inspector into a frightening and powerful figure. Her connection to the Five-Poison Emperor becomes apparent, suggesting that her harmless appearance conceals immense strength.
• Lord Wu Bao is established as an authoritative elder with close ties to Pork Belly and the Five-Treasure House. He is disappointed that the clans violated the organization’s rules.

Significant Themes

• Trust and fair dealing: Yang Ling insists that the agreed trade must be honored, presenting trust as the foundation of future cooperation.
• Deception and accountability: The clans attempt to disguise an inferior—or at least different and dangerous—substitute, but their lie is uncovered.
• Power concealed beneath appearances: Pork Belly’s transformation reveals that seemingly harmless characters may possess terrifying identities and abilities.
• Risk hidden in valuable treasures: The Horned Dragon Marrow offers tremendous cultivation benefits but carries serious requirements and side effects, emphasizing that powerful resources often come at a cost.
• Economic and political influence: The trade is so large that it could affect the entire Abyssal Beast Grotto for years, highlighting Yang Ling’s growing commercial and strategic importance.

Character Interactions

• Qiguan Zhaojian tries to negotiate a discount by appealing to the clans’ future support, but Yang Ling counters firmly and threatens to sell to the Great Dream Dynasty instead.
• Yang Ling relies on Pork Belly to inspect the Dragon Marrow, though her initial assessment fails to identify its true nature.
• Yang Ling’s pointed questions about consumption requirements unsettle the clan elders and expose their hidden knowledge.
• Lord Wu Bao confronts Pork Belly and the six clans, revealing the deception and condemning their violation of the Five-Treasure House’s rules.
• The chapter ends with Pork Belly’s terrifying transformation, leaving Yang Ling—and the clan elders—confronted with the true danger of the Five-Poison Emperor.

Chapter Summary: “Have a Meal Before You Leave”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang Ling and his companions discover that Pork Belly is actually the terrifying Five-Poison Emperor. Her anger triggers a frightening transformation, but the old man—her “godfather”—calms her and sends her away to rest.
• The old man confronts Qiguan Zhao and representatives of the Abyss Six Surnames for attempting to deceive Yang Ling with the Ten-Thousand-Year Horned Dragon Marrow, an item with dangerous side effects that could accelerate ferocious-beast transformation.
• He forces the six families to compensate Yang Ling with ten Dragon Blood Bodhis. Yang Ling initially cancels the transaction and refuses to accept the marrow.
• Fearing the loss of the deal, Qiguan Zhao promises that the six families can gather six thousand Black Tortoise Longevity Blood Pills within an hour. The old man persuades Yang Ling to wait.
• During the wait, the old man privately warns Yang Ling about a strange dream involving Yang Ling stealing and eating Pork Belly’s Great Sun Golden Core. He also cautions Yang Ling to be careful in the future Abyssal Beast Grotto, where discovery of his identity could place him in danger.
• After an hour, the six families return with the six thousand pills, revealing that they likely possessed the resources all along but tried to take advantage of Yang Ling. The trade is completed under the old man’s supervision.
• Before Yang Ling leaves, the old man jokingly—or ominously—invites him to “have a meal,” referencing the events of the dream. Yang Ling agrees to stay another day.

Character Developments

• Yang Ling remains cautious and calculating. He rejects the dangerous marrow despite its great value and refuses to let the six families profit from him. His thoughts also reveal his fear of undergoing an unattractive or monstrous transformation.
• Pork Belly is shown to possess an extraordinarily dangerous identity and power as the Five-Poison Emperor, but she is also childlike and unaware of the seriousness of her outburst. Her “old ailment” causes her transformation and apparent drowsiness.
• The old man/Wu Bao demonstrates overwhelming authority, emotional control, and influence over both Pork Belly and the six families. He protects Yang Ling, imposes compensation, and forces the families to conduct business fairly.
• Qiguan Zhao shifts from a manipulative merchant to a submissive negotiator. He repeatedly flatters the old man and eventually produces the full payment to prevent the deal from collapsing.
• Zhao De, Yang Ling’s master, is revealed to have a long-standing connection with the old man and to possess remarkable longevity, having survived without transforming into a ferocious beast.

Significant Themes

• Power and protection: The old man’s authority ensures that Yang Ling cannot easily be bullied, showing how relationships and backing can matter as much as personal strength.
• Trust and deception in commerce: The six families attempt to disguise a harmful product as a valuable trade item, but their deception is exposed when pressure forces them to produce the proper payment.
• The danger of transformation: Ferocious-beast transformation remains a recurring threat, affecting both the value of treasures and the fate of powerful figures.
• Dreams and prophecy: The old man’s dream appears connected to real events and future danger, suggesting that dreams may reveal hidden possibilities or important destinies.
• Hidden identities and ancient connections: Pork Belly, Zhao De, and the old man all possess deeper histories and powers than Yang Ling fully understands.

Character Interactions

• The old man gently calms Pork Belly during her outburst, revealing a close guardian-like relationship between them.
• He reprimands Qiguan Zhao and the six families for insulting his authority by trying to deceive Yang Ling, compelling them to provide compensation.
• Yang Ling and the old man have a cautious but increasingly familiar conversation. The old man probes him indirectly through the dream, while Yang Ling avoids discussing Pork Belly’s Great Sun Golden Core.
• Qiguan Zhao repeatedly negotiates with Yang Ling but ultimately must submit to the old man’s conditions.
• The chapter ends with the old man teasing Yang Ling about the dream’s cannibalistic implication, while Yang Ling prudently accepts another day of hospitality.

Chapter Summary: “Master Zhao, Can You Come In, Little Friend?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang Ling upgrades Grand Azure Dragon Force by rapidly consuming thousands of Black Tortoise Longevity Blood Pills. The breakthrough proceeds safely despite his concern that the remnants of the White Bone Vajra Buddha’s genes might interfere.
• Grand Azure Dragon Force reaches Return to Simplicity, granting:
  • 800 free attribute points
  • A stronger strength bonus
  • 50,000 additional health and vital blood
  • The divine ability Azure Dragon Body, which greatly increases strength and defense and temporarily allows him to summon wind and rain.
• Yang Ling reflects on his growing foundation and realizes he now possesses three Return-to-Simplicity techniques, including White Bone Journey West Scripture, Azure Dragon Body, and Rebirth. He believes that, despite lacking the resources and backing of elite conglomerate heirs, his personal cultivation foundation may soon surpass theirs.
• He continues consuming pills to upgrade the Heavenly Will Hundred Battles Manual. It also reaches Return to Simplicity, granting:
  • 1,000 free attribute points
  • An increased dual-attribute boost
  • Heavenly Will Body, whose evasion rises dramatically from 50% to 80%.
• Yang Ling becomes confident that his extremely high health, defensive techniques, evasion, and other abilities will make him very difficult to kill, even against stronger opponents.
• He then examines the Violet Abode Divine Dao Scripture, a cultivation manual given to him by Master Zhao. Its early stages provide mental power, while its ultimate skill, Violet Abode Space, can preserve a primordial spirit and keep spiritual awareness from dying.
• Before he can investigate the scripture further, someone outside calls, “Little friend, can you come in?” Yang Ling panics and immediately escapes into the Heaven-Devouring Dao Palace Dungeon rather than entering the grandmaster network.

Character Development

• Yang Ling grows increasingly confident in his cultivation potential. He sees himself as catching up to—and potentially surpassing—the privileged heirs of powerful conglomerates through sheer foundation and efficient use of his abilities.
• His strategic awareness also improves. He carefully evaluates the practical value of each breakthrough, especially defensive abilities such as evasion and health enhancement.
• His curiosity about the Violet Abode Divine Dao Scripture suggests a growing interest in mental cultivation and the survival of primordial spirits.
• Despite his confidence in battle, Yang Ling remains comically nervous when confronted unexpectedly, fleeing rather than dealing with the visitor outside.

Significant Themes

• Foundation versus resources: Yang Ling lacks the backing of elite families but compensates with extraordinary cultivation techniques, pills, and the Sacred Qilin Martial Dao Furnace.
• Accumulation and advancement: The chapter emphasizes how repeated cultivation breakthroughs steadily build overwhelming power.
• Defense and survival: High health, evasion, defensive skills, and primordial-spirit preservation are presented as crucial advantages in future conflicts.
• Cultivation as a game-like system: Experience points, attributes, skills, and breakthrough rewards frame Yang Ling’s growth in a highly quantifiable manner.
• Mystery of spiritual survival: Violet Abode Space introduces the possibility that primordial spirits can survive bodily destruction or transformation.

Character Interactions

• Yang Ling and Master Zhao: Although Master Zhao does not appear directly, his influence is significant. He provided the Violet Abode Divine Dao Scripture and previously discussed the rarity of Return-to-Simplicity techniques.
• Yang Ling and the unseen visitor: A voice outside unexpectedly asks him to come in. The identity is not revealed, but the interruption frightens Yang Ling enough to make him flee into the dungeon.
• Yang Ling and the conglomerate heirs: These characters are discussed rather than directly encountered. Yang Ling compares his cultivation progress with theirs and resolves to match or exceed their advantages.

Yang Ling encountered Zong Heng and Shi Tianlong in the ruined ancient temple while wondering whether to meet the Grand Ancestor. When Zong Heng attacked him, Yang Ling revealed overwhelming strength and left him disarmed, then accused him of a capital crime.

• Yang Ling set aside thoughts of the Grand Ancestor after Zong Heng and the others questioned him about his armor and Fortune Summoning technique.
• Yang Ling insulted Zong Heng, who attacked him with Great Strength Vajra Palm.
• Yang Ling's chest repelled Zong Heng's strike, destroying his right arm with the returned force.
• Zong Heng attacked again, and Yang Ling's defense destroyed his left arm as well.
• Shi Tianlong and Zong Heng realized Yang Ling's strength and suspected Zhao De had arranged a trap.
• Yang Ling accused Zong Heng of attacking the Iron Garment Division director and ordered him to speak on his knees.

Yang Ling confronted Shi Fadu, the Arhat Temple abbot, over the temples’ alleged rebellion and ordered him and Zong Heng’s group to surrender. The chapter ended with Yang Ling demanding an answer as they stood silently before him.

• Zong Heng and Shi Tianlong tried to persuade Yang Ling to settle the matter privately, but Yang Ling said he would investigate the Arhat Temple’s abbot himself.
• Shi Fadu arrived, and Zong Heng and the others rose from their knees, believing the abbot could force Yang Ling to yield.
• Yang Ling examined Shi Fadu’s attributes and recognized him as a powerful Upper Third Grade great grandmaster.
• Shi Fadu identified himself as the Arhat Temple abbot and said Yang Ling could address his accusations directly to him.
• Yang Ling ordered Shi Fadu, Zong Heng, and the others to surrender, disclose every detail of their rebellion plot, and cooperate with the confiscation of the Arhat Temple’s assets.
• When the group remained silent, Yang Ling demanded to know whether they had understood him.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Yang Ling confronts Shi Fadu, abbot of Arhat Temple, and demands details about the temple’s alleged ties to the Great Dream Dynasty and its spies.
• Shi Fadu sends Zong Heng and the others away, then attacks Yang Ling without warning.
• Yang Ling’s superior speed and strength let him overwhelm Shi Fadu with three hundred Mountain-Crushing Fists, leaving him gravely injured. Shi Fadu’s Upper Third-Grade vitality rapidly heals him.
• Yang Ling summons the others. Zong Heng stops three junior monks from fleeing and brings them before him; the group kneels while Yang Ling waits for Shi Fadu to recover.
• Shi Fadu activates the Great Vajra Wisdom King Body, growing into a four-meter giant with extraordinary defense. He believes this ability will let him defeat Yang Ling.
• Yang Ling tests the defense with a punch, then uses attacks that deal true damage and a guaranteed critical hit. Shi Fadu’s transformation collapses, and he falls to his knees in pain.

Character developments

• Yang Ling remains confident and curious, even while facing a powerful opponent. He deliberately gives Shi Fadu time to recover so he can see the abbot’s full strength, then exposes the limits of his vaunted ability.
• Shi Fadu moves from calm authority to surprise, then confidence after activating his secret Divine Ability. His confidence is shattered when Yang Ling bypasses its defense.
• Zong Heng initially trusts the abbot to resolve the situation, but becomes frightened by Yang Ling’s power. He tries to preserve himself by restraining the junior monks and cooperating.
• Shi Tianlong senses that something is wrong and knows more about the Great Vajra Wisdom King Art than the others. He hopes the abbot’s transformation will turn the fight around.

Significant themes

• Overconfidence versus actual strength: Shi Fadu assumes his reputation and Divine Ability will protect him, but Yang Ling’s power and tactics prove decisive.
• Hidden abilities and their limits: The Great Vajra Wisdom King Body is formidable against ordinary attacks, yet it cannot withstand Yang Ling’s true-damage strikes.
• Power and authority: The confrontation centers on an imperial official challenging a major temple, while the monks’ conduct shifts once Yang Ling demonstrates overwhelming force.

Character interactions

• Yang Ling presses Shi Fadu for information, while Shi Fadu responds with a challenge and attacks rather than answering.
• Zong Heng and the other monks react to the fight with fear; Zong Heng prevents the juniors from escaping and submits them to Yang Ling.
• Shi Fadu boasts that his Divine Ability has turned the tables, but Yang Ling’s matter-of-fact testing and decisive counterattack undermine his claim.

Yang Ling forced Shi Fadu to answer for the Arhat Temple’s plot, but learned the abbot had an Earthly Immortal patron and could destroy his own martial inheritance. Zhao De arrived, and the chapter ended with Shi Fadu discovering that Yang Ling was Zhao De’s disciple.

• Yang Ling defeated Shi Fadu’s Vajra defense, accused the Arhat Temple of colluding with the Great Nether Temple, and demanded the abbot perform a bone-burning inheritance and surrender his martial manuals.
• Shi Fadu warned that an Earthly Immortal backed him and threatened to burn away his cultivation before Yang Ling could claim anything.
• Zhao De arrived and confirmed that Shi Fadu could destroy his own inheritance, while Yang Ling found he could not open Zhao De’s attribute panel.
• Shi Fadu urged Zhao De to join forces with him against Yang Ling, but Yang Ling called Zhao De his master and denied being a traitor.
• Zhao De ordered Shi Fadu to kneel while he spoke with his disciple.

Key plot points and events

• In the ruined Great Nether Temple, Zhao De questions Yang Ling about his rapid rise in cultivation and loyalty. Yang Ling denies working for the Rong Martial Emperor, any major sect, or Zhao De’s enemies, and declares he would follow Zhao De even into rebellion.
• Zhao De orders Yang Ling to lead a raid on Arhat Temple. The temple has lost its Third-Grade Grandmaster, but its leader, Shi Fadu, has an Earthly Immortal patron. Zhao De insists Yang Ling will be safe and says he has another use for Shi Fadu.
• Yang Ling hesitates, worried about facing an Earthly Immortal, but accepts the mission after deciding to strengthen himself first.
• In Arhat City, Yang Ling finds the local Iron Garment Division office and meets its Seventh-Grade officer, Li Yuan. More than a hundred Iron Garments assemble, but Yang Ling dismisses them without explaining the raid, apparently expecting stronger forces to be involved.
• Yang Ling prepares to advance from Middle to Upper Third Grade. He plans to spend his attribute points and use 1,000 Counterfeit Blood Tyrant Pills to exceed his limits, multiply his vitality, and improve his chances of surviving the mission.

Character developments

• Yang Ling demonstrates loyalty to Zhao De but also caution and self-preservation. He accepts the dangerous assignment only after resolving to raise his strength.
• Zhao De appears to trust Yang Ling, yet tests him with rapid-fire questions and uses humor to draw out his reluctance. His confidence that Yang Ling will be safe—and his separate plan for Shi Fadu—suggests he knows more than he reveals.
• Li Yuan is initially guarded, then becomes deferential after verifying Yang Ling’s token.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and trust: Zhao De probes whether Yang Ling is truly on his side, while Yang Ling’s answers are tested by the prospect of real danger.
• Power and survival: Yang Ling prioritizes strengthening himself before undertaking a mission that may put him against an Immortal-backed enemy.
• Hidden agendas and political history: Great Nether Temple’s destruction and Zhao De’s undisclosed purpose for Shi Fadu hint at larger conflicts.

Character interactions

• Zhao De questions Yang Ling about his past, allegiance, and willingness to rebel, then assigns him the Arhat Temple raid.
• Yang Ling tries to retreat when the danger becomes clear, but Zhao De challenges his trust in his master and persuades him to proceed.
• Yang Ling asserts his authority with Li Yuan and the assembled Iron Garments, though he gives them no immediate orders.

Yang Ling broke through to the Upper Third Grade while staying in Arhat City, then led the Iron Garments to raid Arhat Temple. At the temple gates, he confronted imperial officials who tried to stop him.

• Yang Ling consumed Counterfeit Blood Tyrant Pills until his strength reached 22,400, then spent his free attribute points on agility and broke through the Upper Third Grade.
• Yang Ling’s Sacred Qilin Martial Dao Furnace manifested as his health and vital blood surged during the breakthrough.
• After days in seclusion, Yang Ling overheard Li Yuan and Xu Kai discussing why he had come to Arhat City, then revealed that he intended to raid Arhat Temple and arrest its monks.
• Yang Ling ordered the Iron Garments to assemble; Xu Kai disappeared before the force of over a hundred men marched to Arhat Temple.
• At the temple gate, an imperial official ordered Yang Ling to leave and threatened to dismiss him, but Yang Ling declared that he would raid the temple anyway.

Key plot points and events

• Yang Ling brings the newly formed Iron Garment Division to Arhat Temple, where they face Kong Luan, the Right Vice Minister of Personnel and a Lower Third-Grade Great Grandmaster.
• Kong Luan presents an official document granting him temporary authority over the Ministry of Personnel and declares Yang Ling dismissed. He orders the Iron Garments to leave as well.
• Most of the officers falter, and Xu Kai urges them to retreat. Li Yuan and the others ultimately step back, though they remain concerned about Yang Ling.
• Yang Ling refuses to surrender his token, having sensed that Kong Luan may be the mission’s true opponent. When Kong accuses him of rebellion, Yang Ling accepts the charge and summons his Profound Fire Qilin Armor and Xiao Bai, who transforms into a Divine Weapon Armor.
• Kong Luan reveals that he is also a Spirit Armor Master and attacks, confident that Yang Ling’s cultivation is inferior. Yang Ling swiftly overwhelms him, piercing his armor and leaving him badly wounded.
• As Yang Ling advances on the injured official, he boasts that even Shi Fadu would be no match for him. Li Yuan quietly corrects his word choice, prompting Yang Ling to joke that he is “a martial artist, after all.”

Character developments

• Yang Ling remains composed under political pressure and is willing to defy official authority when he believes a threat must be confronted. His unexpected power and confidence astonish both allies and opponents.
• Li Yuan stays loyal enough to watch Yang Ling’s lead, while still offering a dry correction amid the crisis.
• The Iron Garments reveal their inexperience: Kong Luan’s status and dismissal order unsettle them, and most retreat rather than risk open defiance.
• Kong Luan shifts from smugly asserting his authority to alarm and overconfidence, then is decisively defeated.

Significant themes

• Authority versus strength: Kong Luan relies on his official rank and dismissal powers, but Yang Ling’s combat ability proves more decisive.
• Loyalty and institutional weakness: The Iron Garment Division’s hesitation reflects its lack of confidence and maturity as a new organization.
• Appearances and underestimated ability: Yang Ling’s supposedly modest rank conceals formidable strength, while Kong Luan’s confidence in his superior cultivation proves misplaced.

Character interactions

• Kong Luan uses his appointment document to intimidate Yang Ling and the Iron Garments; Yang Ling refuses to yield.
• Xu Kai pressures the officers to withdraw, while Li Yuan remains attentive to Yang Ling’s actions.
• Yang Ling and Kong Luan exchange accusations of rebellion before fighting, with Yang Ling turning Kong Luan’s charge into a challenge.
• After the battle, Li Yuan’s understated correction contrasts with Yang Ling’s swagger and humor.

Summary

• Yang Ling approaches Arhat Temple after defeating Kong Luan’s forces. The officials initially accuse him of rebellion and threaten his clan, but Kong Luan tells them to be quiet and declares his support for Yang Ling. He claims he was misled earlier, restores Yang Ling as head of the Iron Garment Division, and calls him “a pillar of the Rong Kingdom.”
• Yang Ling directs the Iron Garments to search and confiscate Arhat Temple. He cites the attempted murder of a court official by monks Zong Heng and Shi Fadu, and adds that Shi Tianlong, a monk from the enemy Great Dream Dynasty, took part—raising the charge to collusion with a hostile state.
• Kong Luan leads more than a hundred Iron Garments in the operation. The temple’s monks are arrested or confined, while the officials who had accompanied Kong Luan avoid taking responsibility. The search continues for twenty-four hours and turns up wealth, weapons, medicines, martial manuals, and detailed records of the temple’s personnel.
• Li Yuan and others reveal that Xu Kai had secretly informed Arhat Temple of Yang Ling’s arrival and accepted thirty thousand taels in bribes over the years. Xu Kai admits his guilt and begs for forgiveness. Yang Ling lets him remain on his knees but offers no immediate punishment.
• After reviewing the inventory, Yang Ling wonders why his mission has not ended. The mission is titled “Siege of Arhat Temple,” leading him to suspect that simply arresting the monks and confiscating the temple’s property may not be enough—and that he may be expected to kill them all.

Character developments and interactions

• Kong Luan shifts from opposing Yang Ling to supporting him once he realizes the danger and recognizes Yang Ling’s authority. He helps legitimize the operation and turns on the monks.
• Yang Ling remains calm and in control, using legal charges to direct the crackdown. His final uncertainty suggests the mission may demand more violence than he has so far shown.
• The Iron Garments, initially unsure how to respond, regain confidence once Kong Luan backs Yang Ling and take part eagerly in the search.
• Xu Kai is exposed as a long-term informant and bribe-taker. His plea for mercy contrasts with Yang Ling’s restrained, unreadable response.
• Arhat Temple’s monks are increasingly isolated: they cannot resist without appearing to confirm the accusations, and they watch their leaders and property fall into Iron Garment Division custody.

Significant themes

• Power and political survival: Kong Luan’s reversal shows how quickly allegiance can change when authority and danger become clear.
• Corruption and betrayal: Xu Kai’s paid betrayal undermines trust within the Iron Garment Division.
• Law as a weapon: The accusations against Arhat Temple provide justification for a sweeping seizure, while the monks’ resistance could make them seem guilty.
• Uncertainty about justice and violence: The unresolved mission objective raises the possibility that the crackdown may go beyond arrest and confiscation.