Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Since You’re Here, Stay Behind!”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The cultivators discover that they are trapped within an extremely powerful Nine-Pillar Killing Array, hidden in the area.
• Mr. Du’e proposes that everyone cooperate to break the formation, though he covertly tests or attacks both Golden Baleful Patriarch and True Person Tianheng with grayish-white threads of light.
• The formation suddenly contracts and links the vital auras and divine souls of everyone present. Any attempt by a powerful cultivator to forcibly break free would transfer the backlash onto weaker cultivators.
• True Person Tianheng realizes the danger and abandons his attempt to sever the connection. Instead, he uses his Daoist light to protect and stabilize the weaker Tribulation Crossing cultivators.
• Su Shi’er urges Tianheng not to waste his strength protecting him alone and to assist the others instead.
• Daoist Master Xuanwei protects only himself, refusing to help the others, while Tianheng continues supporting the group.
• The scar-faced cultivator, who had triggered the formation by attacking despite warnings, begs for help. His divine soul is suddenly ripped from his body and absorbed into one of the nine pillars, killing him instantly.
• The pillars flare, and Wujie emerges from the grayish-white mist in a half-illusory form.
• Wujie reveals that True Person Tianheng is only an incarnation of Ren Yunzong, whose true body is trapped in the Immortal Ruins.
• Wujie further declares that the Divine Realm’s plans within the Immortal Ruins are extensive and that the trapped cultivators are intended to die inside the array.
• At Wujie’s command, the formation’s soul-pulling force intensifies several times, causing multiple weaker cultivators to cough blood and begin losing control of their divine souls again.

2. Character Developments

• True Person Tianheng is shown to be compassionate and responsible. Although he could potentially escape by sacrificing weaker cultivators, he refuses to do so and instead protects them, even while maintaining a defensive barrier around Su Shi’er.
• Su Shi’er demonstrates selflessness and clear judgment. He recognizes that Tianheng’s strength is needed by the entire group and asks him to prioritize saving the more vulnerable cultivators.
• Mr. Du’e maintains an amiable, harmless appearance but reveals his cautious and secretive nature by launching concealed attacks while discussing cooperation.
• Golden Baleful Patriarch remains wary and hostile toward Du’e, immediately recognizing his reputation for survival and self-preservation.
• Daoist Master Xuanwei is characterized as selfish and distrustful, choosing to protect only himself rather than share the burden with the group.
• The scar-faced cultivator suffers the consequences of his impulsive aggression. His earlier attack, made despite Jiutian Xuanye’s warning, becomes the apparent trigger for the killing array and leads directly to his death.
• Wujie appears as a powerful and confident enemy who understands the formation completely. His calm, contemptuous attitude suggests that he views the trapped cultivators as helpless prisoners rather than serious opponents.
• Ren Yunzong’s situation becomes clearer: his true body is trapped in the Immortal Ruins, while Tianheng is an incarnation acting in his place.

3. Significant Themes

• Self-sacrifice versus self-preservation: Tianheng chooses to protect weaker cultivators despite the danger, contrasting sharply with Xuanwei’s selfish defense and Du’e’s survival-oriented methods.
• The consequences of reckless action: The scar-faced cultivator’s refusal to heed warnings causes the formation’s activation and ultimately costs him his life.
• Hidden schemes and mistrust: The apparent cooperation among powerful cultivators is undermined by secret attacks, conflicting loyalties, and concealed identities.
• Unity under crisis: The formation literally links everyone’s life force, forcing the cultivators to confront the consequences of acting individually within a collective danger.
• The overwhelming power of the Divine Realm: Wujie claims that even the former Immortal Realm could not oppose the Divine Realm, emphasizing the enormous scale of the threat facing the Cultivation World.
• Entrapment and inevitability: Wujie’s command for them to “stay behind” reinforces the chapter’s atmosphere of doom, as the cultivators appear to be entering a carefully prepared death trap.

4. Character Interactions

• Du’e and Golden Baleful Patriarch exchange sarcastic remarks about each other’s survival skills, while Du’e secretly sends an attack toward him.
• Du’e’s concealed technique also targets Tianheng, but the formation’s contraction interrupts the confrontation and links everyone together.
• Tianheng and Su Shi’er display mutual concern: Tianheng protects Su Shi’er, while Su Shi’er encourages him to save the group instead of focusing solely on him.
• Tianheng and Xuanwei serve as moral contrasts. Tianheng actively aids the weaker cultivators, while Xuanwei remains isolated and self-protective.
• Wujie and Tianheng confront one another directly. Wujie mocks Tianheng as Ren Yunzong’s doomed incarnation, while Tianheng calmly identifies Wujie’s connection to the Divine Realm’s plans.
• The chapter ends with Wujie asserting control over the entire group, while the cultivators struggle to keep their divine souls from being torn out by the strengthened formation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Daoist Master Xuanwei attempts to use the Heavenly Palace’s Star-Fixing Compass to analyze or disrupt the mysterious formation of nine gray-white pillars. The formation immediately shatters his starlight net and even damages the compass.
• Golden Baleful then attacks one pillar with a massive blade of Innate Geng Metal Qi. Although he creates a crack, the other eight pillars rapidly restore it, proving that the formation shares power among all nine pillars.
• Wang Jingcheng determines that all nine pillars must be destroyed simultaneously. He creates a stellar net to lessen the formation’s soul-drawing pressure, but doing so greatly strains him and shifts the burden onto other cultivators.
• A plump old cultivator’s soul begins being dragged from his body, prompting him to cry for help. Wang Jingcheng redirects more of the stellar net’s power toward him, but this causes several others to come under increased pressure.
• Secretly, Mister Du’e uses a gray thread to connect himself to the plump old man, transferring part of the soul pressure he suffers onto the other man. This covertly eases Du’e’s burden.
• Su Shi’er, disguised by the Mirage Cloud Illusion Garment, observes the situation through Chan Ding Nine Heavens. He notices the subtle connection between Mister Du’e’s aura and the old man’s soul.
• Su Shi’er realizes that Du’e’s secret technique causes brief fluctuations in the otherwise seamless power circulation of the nine pillars. This leads him to suspect that the pillars may not be genuine physical structures at all, but illusions or projections connected to the spatial rift.

Character Developments

• Daoist Master Xuanwei: His confidence in the Heavenly Palace’s treasures is shaken when the Star-Fixing Compass fails and is damaged. His failed attempt also exposes the limits of the Heavenly Palace’s reputation.
• Golden Baleful: Acts provocatively toward Xuanwei but genuinely attempts to break the formation. His attack proves effective enough to damage one pillar, though the recoil injures him.
• Wang Jingcheng: Demonstrates strong understanding of the formation and takes responsibility for protecting the group. His stellar net temporarily reduces the soul pressure, but the effort visibly weakens him.
• Mister Du’e: Reveals himself as calculating and self-serving, secretly diverting the formation’s pressure onto another cultivator while concealing his actions from everyone else.
• Su Shi’er: Shows exceptional perception and restraint. Rather than acting rashly, he carefully studies the formation and detects both Du’e’s hidden method and the deeper flaw in the apparent structure of the nine pillars.

Significant Themes

• Cooperation versus self-preservation: The cultivators must work together to survive, yet some, like Mister Du’e, secretly sacrifice others to protect themselves.
• The limits of brute force: Direct attacks cannot overcome the formation because its power is interconnected and supported by the Immortal Ruins.
• Appearance versus reality: The nine pillars may not be real objects but deceptive manifestations, emphasizing the danger of trusting what appears obvious.
• Observation and insight: Su Shi’er’s calm analysis proves more valuable than immediate displays of power.
• Reputation versus actual ability: The failure of the Heavenly Palace’s treasure challenges its supposed superiority and reveals the uncertainty surrounding powerful sects and artifacts.

Character Interactions

• Xuanwei and Golden Baleful clash verbally and competitively, with Golden Balefal’s successful attack implicitly mocking Xuanwei’s failure.
• Wang Jingcheng attempts to protect the distressed cultivators, but his intervention redistributes the danger and creates new pressure points.
• Mister Du’e exploits the crisis without being detected, using the plump old man as a hidden substitute for the burden he should bear.
• Su Shi’er silently observes all of them, especially Du’e, and begins connecting the formation’s abnormalities to the previously noticed spatial rift.

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Shi’er closely examines the spatial rift before the Nine-Pillar Killing Array and notices that the scene inside subtly distorts whenever the nine pillars’ aura changes.
• He theorizes that the visible “Immortal Ruins” are only an illusion projected by the array, while the real spatial entrance is concealed behind it.
• Jiutian Xuanye reveals that she has already seen through Su Shi’er’s disguise, the Mirage Cloud Illusion Garment, but agrees to keep his identity secret. She also warns him to act cautiously under his assumed identity, “Hou Sihai.”
• Su Shi’er asks Jiutian Xuanye to cooperate in a probing attack. When the pillars fluctuate, she disperses the gray mist while the array’s reaction causes Du’e’s gray thread to tear more of the old man’s divine soul away.
• The attack reveals a hair-thin spatial crack behind the mist. Instead of showing the Immortal Ruins, it contains only boundless darkness, confirming that the visible ruins are a projected image and that the true entrance lies behind the formation.
• True Person Tianheng publicly asks whether Su Shi’er has found a way to break the array. Su Shi’er cautiously states that the apparent rift is likely not the true Immortal Ruins entrance.
• The other cultivators react with disbelief and skepticism, especially Daoist Master Xuanwei, who mocks Tianheng for trusting an obscure mid-stage Tribulation Crossing cultivator.
• Tianheng nevertheless declares his confidence in Su Shi’er and urges him to explain further.

2. Character Developments

• Su Shi’er: Demonstrates sharp observational and analytical abilities, recognizing the difference between the array’s illusion and the concealed entrance. He remains composed despite widespread doubt and carefully avoids revealing more than he can prove.
• Jiutian Xuanye: Shows exceptional perception by seeing through Su Shi’er’s disguise. Although cool and cautious, she trusts his judgment enough to assist him and respects his ability to analyze the formation.
• True Person Tianheng: Continues to support Su Shi’er publicly, showing confidence in his insight even when other powerful cultivators question him.
• Daoist Master Xuanwei: Reveals skepticism and hostility toward Su Shi’er, using the situation to challenge Tianheng’s judgment.
• Du’e: Suffers further damage to his divine soul when the formation reacts to Jiutian Xuanye’s attack, reinforcing the danger of probing the array.

3. Significant Themes

• Perception versus appearance: The apparent Immortal Ruins are revealed to be an illusion, emphasizing that what seems obvious may conceal a deeper truth.
• Knowledge over brute force: Jiutian Xuanye explains that the pillars draw power from the entire Immortal Ruins and cannot be destroyed through ordinary attacks. Understanding the formation is more important than overwhelming it with strength.
• Trust amid suspicion: Su Shi’er must operate under a false identity while persuading powerful strangers to trust his conclusions. Tianheng’s support contrasts with the broader crowd’s doubt.
• Caution and hidden identities: Su Shi’er’s disguise and Jiutian Xuanye’s warning highlight the risks of revealing one’s true identity in a dangerous cultivation world.
• The danger of investigation: Even a probing attack causes Du’e’s soul to suffer, showing that the formation is not merely deceptive but actively lethal.

4. Character Interactions

• Su Shi’er and Jiutian Xuanye communicate privately through voice transmission, discussing both his disguise and the formation’s structure.
• They cooperate tactically, timing Jiutian Xuanye’s attack with a fluctuation in the nine pillars to expose the hidden spatial crack.
• True Person Tianheng directly addresses Su Shi’er and invites him to share his discovery with everyone.
• Su Shi’er responds cautiously, making a limited claim rather than pretending to possess a complete solution.
• The gathered cultivators challenge his credibility, while Daoist Master Xuanwei openly ridicules him and Tianheng’s trust.
• Tianheng counters the skepticism by publicly endorsing Su Shi’er and asking him to continue.

Summary: “The Immortal Ruins’ True Entrance”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Shi’er, disguised as the rogue cultivator Hou Sihai, warns everyone that the spatial rift before them is dangerous and that attacking it could cause disaster.
• True Person Tianheng, who knows Su Shi’er well, supports his judgment. Jiutian Xuanye independently confirms that something is wrong with the spatial rift, causing the other cultivators to take Su Shi’er seriously.
• Su Shi’er explains that the nine surrounding pillars of light are connected to the Immortal Ruins across the void. Their power cycles through the pillars in sequence, with nine tremors forming one complete cycle.
• At the brief moment when the ninth pillar’s power returns to the first, the Nine-Pillar Killing Array experiences a temporary pause. This pause reveals the true entrance to the Immortal Ruins.
• Daoist Master Xuanwei mistakenly identifies a visible spatial fluctuation as the entrance, but Su Shi’er rejects it as a deliberate decoy.
• By using spatial power at the correct moment, Su Shi’er exposes a second, nearly invisible crack emitting Immortal Spiritual Qi. This proves that the obvious rift is a trap and that Su Shi’er has correctly identified the real entrance.
• The cultivators’ doubts about him disappear, while Xuanwei is visibly embarrassed that his own deduction was wrong.
• Su Shi’er explains that locating the entrance is only the first step. Everyone must cooperate to temporarily halt the Nine Pillars’ power, after which True Person Tianheng will destroy the true spatial crack and cause the killing array to collapse.
• Wang Jingcheng points out that stopping the pillars will be extremely difficult, leaving the group facing a major challenge.

Character Developments

• Su Shi’er: Demonstrates exceptional insight, composure, spatial ability, and array knowledge. He carefully withholds information until he can prove his theory, strengthening his authority among the group. He also recognizes Mr. Du’e’s hidden actions but chooses not to expose him yet.
• True Person Tianheng: Shows deep trust in Su Shi’er based on their long acquaintance. He is positioned as the person capable of delivering the decisive attack once the array is neutralized.
• Jiutian Xuanye: Her endorsement carries great weight because she is secretly a genuine Immortal. Her support immediately validates Su Shi’er’s warning.
• Daoist Master Xuanwei: His confidence is shaken after his Star-Fixing Compass leads him toward a false entrance. He becomes suspicious of Su Shi’er and realizes that the disguised cultivator possesses unusual abilities.
• Wang Jingcheng: Remains calm and rational despite the danger. He supports the discussion but honestly acknowledges the difficulty of halting the array.
• Golden Baleful Ancestor: Appreciates Su Shi’er’s talent and openly praises his array insight, showing respect for genuine ability.
• Mr. Du’e: Appears concerned for the group but is secretly redirecting the pressure on himself onto others. His concealed selfishness is noticed by Su Shi’er.

Significant Themes

• Trust and credibility: Su Shi’er earns the group’s trust not through status but by accurately explaining and demonstrating the array’s workings.
• Appearance versus reality: The visible spatial rift is a false lead, while the true entrance is hidden in an almost undetectable crack. The scene emphasizes the danger of trusting appearances.
• Cooperation versus selfishness: Escaping the killing array requires everyone to work together, contrasting with Mr. Du’e’s secret attempts to protect himself at others’ expense.
• Knowledge overcoming force: The powerful cultivators cannot simply destroy the pillars. Understanding the array’s structure and timing is essential.
• Hidden identities and perception: Su Shi’er’s disguise conceals his true abilities, while Xuanwei senses that he is not an ordinary rogue cultivator but cannot fully see through him.

Character Interactions

• Tianheng and Jiutian Xuanye both reinforce Su Shi’er’s warning, silencing the skeptics.
• Wang Jingcheng respectfully asks Su Shi’er to explain his discovery, encouraging him to reveal the array’s mechanism.
• Xuanwei challenges Su Shi’er’s interpretation by pointing out a possible entrance, but Su Shi’er calmly corrects him and later proves his own judgment.
• Golden Baleful Ancestor praises Su Shi’er, while Mr. Du’e questions the practical value of finding the entrance.
• Su Shi’er responds to Du’e by outlining a coordinated plan: the group will restrain the Nine Pillars, and Tianheng will break open the true entrance.

Summary

Plot points and events

Su Shi’er proposes using the nine gray-white pillars to break the false spatial rift. By having one cultivator suppress the power of each pillar at the precise moment it begins to emerge, the energy will accumulate until all nine forces can be released simultaneously and redirected into the false rift. Wang Jingcheng confirms the plan is possible but extremely dangerous, since even a slight timing error could cause catastrophic backlash. With no safer alternative and the draining of their divine souls worsening, nine cultivators—including Golden Baleful, Du’e, Wang Jingcheng, and Daoist Master Xuanwei—take positions before the pillars. Su Shi’er arranges auxiliary formations, while True Person Tianheng forms a massive silver sword around the true spatial crack to receive the gathered power.
As the pillars activate one after another, the assigned cultivators successfully suppress their power. At the eighth pillar, Du’e uses a puppet identical to himself to absorb the pillar’s force. However, he secretly sends a gray thread toward the cultivator guarding the ninth pillar, attempting to transfer some of the backlash onto an ally. Su Shi’er detects the scheme and uses his formation to intercept and reverse the thread. The backlash strikes Du’e instead, injuring him and causing his puppet to shatter.

Character developments

Su Shi’er demonstrates strategic intelligence, calm judgment, and strong awareness of both the array’s mechanics and the people around him. Although he acknowledges that the plan offers only a forty-to-fifty percent chance of success, he accepts the risk because inaction would likely mean certain death. Jiutian Xuanye shows trust in Su Shi’er while also recognizing Du’e’s suspicious behavior. Du’e is revealed as highly capable but selfish and treacherous, willing to endanger a fellow cultivator to protect himself. Su Shi’er’s intervention prevents Du’e from carrying out the betrayal, exposing his ability to anticipate and counter hidden threats.

Significant themes

The passage emphasizes the necessity of taking risks when survival offers no perfect choices. It also contrasts ability with character: Du’e’s sophisticated puppet technique proves his strength, but his willingness to sacrifice others reveals his moral corruption. Cooperation is essential to the group’s survival, yet distrust and concealed agendas threaten to undermine that cooperation. The scene also highlights precision, teamwork, and the consequences of disrupting a carefully balanced plan.

Character interactions

Wang Jingcheng evaluates Su Shi’er’s plan and warns the group of its dangers. Golden Baleful and Du’e volunteer first, encouraging the others to commit. Jiutian Xuanye privately questions Su Shi’er about the plan’s chances and Du’e’s possible interference, showing mutual awareness and cautious trust. Su Shi’er coordinates with True Person Tianheng, who constructs the silver energy formation. During the operation, Su Shi’er directly counters Du’e’s attempt to redirect the backlash, turning Du’e’s covert attack against him and reinforcing the tension between them.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mr. Du’e is exposed as the one who secretly interfered with the slightly plump old man while everyone was working together to break the Nine-Pillar Killing Array. Su Shi’er had detected and countered Du’e’s hidden technique, causing one of Du’e’s puppets to be destroyed and injuring him through backlash.
• The plump old man angrily prepares to attack Du’e, but Wang Jingcheng reminds him that breaking the array must take priority. He suppresses his rage for the moment.
• When the ninth pillar is stabilized, all nine pillars resonate and the Array Disks Su Shi’er planted begin drawing their accumulated power together.
• Su Shi’er channels the nine enormous streams of energy through his Array Flag and uses the Miro Heaven Hand, Cloud-Sweeping technique to redirect and merge them into a single torrent.
• The combined force strikes the false spatial rift concealing the Immortal Ruins. The illusion-like rift fractures, revealing the true entrance.
• True Person Tianheng follows Su Shi’er’s signal and uses his whisk to create a massive silver sword strike, widening the narrow spatial fissure into a proper entrance.
• Immortal Spiritual Qi and gray mist pour out of the ruins. While some cultivators are excited by the immense cultivation opportunity, others sense a sinister, dangerous presence within the aura.
• Wujie’s phantom recognizes traces of Immortal Realm techniques in Su Shi’er’s Cloud-Sweeping move. He threatens Su Shi’er, declaring that the Immortal Ruins will become his burial ground, before dispersing.
• The nine pillars explode, ending the soul-pulling effect of the array. Cultivators whose souls had been displaced hurriedly recover them, leaving the group shaken and exhausted.

Character Developments

• Su Shi’er demonstrates exceptional perception, preparation, formation mastery, and control over borrowed power. His ability to employ a technique containing traces of Immortal Realm methods causes the other cultivators—and Wujie—to reassess him.
• Mr. Du’e loses his previous composure after his scheme is exposed and one of his puppets is destroyed. Though hostile toward Su Shi’er, he remains cautious because openly revealing his treachery would endanger him.
• The slightly plump old man shifts from confusion to fury once he realizes Du’e attacked him, but reluctantly restrains himself for the sake of the larger objective.
• True Person Tianheng acts as Su Shi’er’s partner, immediately capitalizing on the revealed entrance and supplying the decisive strike that opens it fully.
• Wujie becomes personally hostile toward Su Shi’er after recognizing the unusual nature of his technique, marking Su Shi’er as a future target.

Significant Themes

• Hidden schemes and mistrust: Even during cooperation, cultivators secretly sabotage one another, showing that temporary alliances are fragile.
• Power concealed beneath anonymity: Su Shi’er presents himself as an ordinary rogue cultivator, but his abilities suggest knowledge and techniques connected to the Immortal Realm.
• Opportunity versus danger: The Immortal Ruins promise immense spiritual resources, yet the strange chill and unseen presence indicate that entering them may be deadly.
• Cooperation under pressure: Rival cultivators must suppress personal grudges and coordinate their strength to overcome the array.
• Foreshadowing and looming conflict: Wujie’s threat establishes that Su Shi’er’s actions have created a powerful enemy waiting within the ruins.

Character Interactions

• Su Shi’er subtly rebukes Mr. Du’e for becoming distracted after exposing his hidden attack, maintaining a calm and superior demeanor.
• Mr. Du’e praises Su Shi’er outwardly while concealing shock and resentment.
• The plump old man confronts Du’e verbally, but Wang Jingcheng intervenes to prevent the alliance from collapsing into violence.
• Su Shi’er directs Tianheng at the critical moment, and Tianheng responds without hesitation, demonstrating mutual trust and coordination.
• Wujie directly challenges Su Shi’er’s identity and abilities, transforming their indirect opposition into an explicit personal conflict.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After surviving the Nine-Pillar Killing Array, the cultivators turn their attention to the Immortal Ruins Entrance, a spatial rift over thirty meters tall.
• Despite the unknown dangers inside, the promise of Immortal Realm inheritances and treasures drives the Tribulation Crossing cultivators to enter. Daoist Master Xuanwei, Wang Jingcheng, Golden Baleful Ancestor, Du’e, and many others successively pass through the rift.
• Before entering, Su Shi’er retrieves a fragment of an Immortal Rune from the collapsed killing array. He stores it for later study, hoping to improve his understanding of similar formations.
• Du’e approaches Su Shi’er and apologizes for his earlier conduct. Under the watchful pressure of True Person Tianheng and Jiutian Xuanye, he offers a Humanoid Puppet and a jade slip containing the Calamity Substitution Manual.
• The puppet can sacrifice itself to endure one fatal attack aimed at the body or soul, effectively granting Su Shi’er an additional chance at survival. It cannot defend against broad-area attacks, spatial collapse, or Heavenly Tribulation lightning.
• Su Shi’er accepts the compensation, avoiding further conflict with Du’e. Du’e then enters the Immortal Ruins.
• Su Shi’er asks why Jiutian Xuanye will not enter. She explains that the Immortal Spirit Origin within her body comes from the same source as the Immortal Ruins’ power. The Ruins’ restrictions would detect her, attack her seals, and potentially expose everyone’s location. She has come only to “protect the Dao.”

Character Developments

• Su Shi’er remains cautious and pragmatic. He takes advantage of the array’s remnants by collecting the rune fragment, showing his interest in formation study. Although he distrusts Du’e, he accepts the valuable defensive treasure rather than prolonging their hostility.
• Du’e reveals fear beneath his outward composure. Surrounded by powerful figures, he uses valuable treasures to settle his dispute with Su Shi’er and ensure he can safely enter the Ruins.
• True Person Tianheng continues to exert quiet authority. His approval pressures Su Shi’er to accept Du’e’s apology and prevents Du’e from attacking or fleeing recklessly.
• Jiutian Xuanye demonstrates restraint and strategic awareness by refusing to enter the Ruins. Her role is clarified as a protector supporting Tianheng and Su Shi’er from outside.
• Wang Jingcheng expresses gratitude toward Su Shi’er and Tianheng for helping break the array, while prioritizing investigation into the connection between Wujie and the Divine Realm.
• The other cultivators are portrayed as ambitious and fearless, rushing toward the Immortal Ruins despite the obvious dangers.

Significant Themes

• Risk versus opportunity: The cultivators willingly enter a deadly unknown because the possibility of Immortal treasures outweighs caution.
• Pragmatism and survival: Su Shi’er and Du’e both avoid unnecessary conflict, choosing compensation and compromise when continued hostility would be dangerous.
• Power and intimidation: Du’e’s apology is motivated not only by remorse but by the pressure of Tianheng and Jiutian Xuanye’s overwhelming strength.
• Preparation and adaptation: Su Shi’er’s collection of the array fragment and acceptance of the calamity-substitution puppet emphasize the importance of learning from danger and securing future means of survival.
• Protection through restraint: Jiutian Xuanye’s decision not to enter shows that strength is not always expressed through direct action; remaining outside is the safest way for her to support the group.

Character Interactions

• Su Shi’er and Du’e: Their earlier conflict is partially resolved when Du’e offers the puppet and manual as compensation. Su Shi’er accepts but remains cautious.
• Du’e and True Person Tianheng/Jiutian Xuanye: Du’e senses that the two powerful figures are monitoring him and fears they may attack if he leaves without settling matters.
• Su Shi’er and True Person Tianheng: Tianheng subtly guides Su Shi’er to accept Du’e’s offering, reinforcing their cooperative relationship.
• Su Shi’er and Jiutian Xuanye: Su Shi’er questions her absence from the expedition, and she explains the restrictions that prevent her from entering.
• The cultivators as a group: Their shared desire for Immortal inheritances temporarily overrides individual suspicion, leading them to enter the Ruins one after another.

Chapter Summary: The Golden Baleful Patriarch Appears Again

Key Plot Points and Events

• True Person Tianheng reminds Su Shi’er of their agreement: Tianheng and Fellow Daoist Xuan Ye will stabilize the spatial entrance, while Su Shi’er must investigate the Immortal Ruins alone.
• Su Shi’er enters the spatial rift. During transit, the mysterious alien force within his heart meridian briefly trembles, though he has no time to investigate it.
• He arrives in a ruined city covered in gray-white mist. Nine enormous stone pillars stand throughout the city, each bearing a long-dead Immortal corpse. The pillars resemble the Nine-Pillar Killing Array outside, but the presence of the corpses makes this version far more terrifying.
• Wujie’s face appears on a massive stone wall and taunts Su Shi’er for daring to enter the ruins.
• The array begins drawing on Su Shi’er’s sea of consciousness through a subtle, invasive force. Realizing the danger, he avoids confronting the entire formation directly.
• Su Shi’er uses his knowledge of formations and the remnants of other ruined arrays within the city. By deploying three Array Flags and redirecting the Nine-Pillar Killing Array’s gray-white energy into a damaged wall, he creates a temporary path through the mist.
• He moves through several streets, using gaps and weakened sections in the city’s restrictions to escape the array’s immediate pull.
• Near a collapsed stone bridge, he senses a hidden presence inside a ruined Stone Door. A cold, decayed aura briefly appears on the opposite side of the bridge, suggesting another dangerous entity nearby.
• The nine stone pillars suddenly hum, sending ripples through the mist and exposing Su Shi’er’s surroundings. At the same time, brilliant golden light erupts in the distance, accompanied by powerful Blade Intent.
• Su Shi’er recognizes the energy as Innate Geng Metal Qi and realizes that the Golden Baleful Patriarch has entered the Immortal Ruins.
• The Golden Baleful Patriarch openly challenges the hidden dangers, displaying confidence and fearlessness. Su Shi’er chooses to move toward him, while avoiding the ominous Stone Door.
• The chapter ends with Su Shi’er noting that, despite the abundant Immortal Spiritual Qi filling the ruins, he cannot absorb any of it.

Character Developments

• Su Shi’er: Demonstrates caution, tactical intelligence, and advanced formation knowledge. Rather than fighting the Nine-Pillar Killing Array head-on, he exploits weaknesses in the surrounding ruins and turns one formation against another. His vigilance increases after sensing hidden entities and discovering that the Immortal Spiritual Qi cannot be cultivated.
• True Person Tianheng: Establishes his trust in Su Shi’er and emphasizes the importance of Su Shi’er’s mission, while remaining outside to stabilize the entrance.
• Wujie: Reveals himself indirectly through a stone wall and takes a hostile, mocking attitude toward Su Shi’er, suggesting that he has been watching or anticipating his arrival.
• Golden Baleful Patriarch: Reappears dramatically, announcing himself with overwhelming golden light and Blade Intent. His bold challenge portrays him as aggressive, confident, and unwilling to hide from the threats within the ruins.

Significant Themes

• Trust and responsibility: Su Shi’er accepts the dangerous task entrusted to him while Tianheng and Xuan Ye protect the entrance.
• Survival through strategy: The chapter emphasizes intelligence and adaptability over brute force. Su Shi’er survives by manipulating formations and exploiting environmental weaknesses.
• Hidden dangers: The ruins are filled with unseen entities, residual formations, mysterious corpses, and concealed auras. Even apparent safety may be deceptive.
• The mystery of the Immortal Ruins: The Immortal corpses, Wujie’s presence, the inaccessible Immortal Spiritual Qi, and the force within Su Shi’er’s heart meridian all deepen the chapter’s sense of ancient, unexplained power.
• Confrontation and provocation: The Golden Baleful Patriarch’s loud challenge contrasts with Su Shi’er’s cautious approach, setting up a possible conflict between bold aggression and careful investigation.

Character Interactions

• Tianheng and Su Shi’er: Tianheng gives Su Shi’er final instructions and entrusts him with the mission inside the ruins. Su Shi’er promises to do his utmost.
• Wujie and Su Shi’er: Wujie taunts Su Shi’er upon his arrival, creating an immediate adversarial relationship even though they do not meet face-to-face.
• Su Shi’er and the Golden Baleful Patriarch: They do not directly converse, but Su Shi’er recognizes the Patriarch’s appearance and moves toward him after hearing his challenge.
• Su Shi’er and the hidden entity: Su Shi’er senses an unidentified presence within the Stone Door but wisely avoids investigating it, prioritizing movement toward the distant golden light.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Shi’er reaches a partially collapsed palace hall in the ruined city, where Golden Baleful and two other cultivators are confronting a withered old man seated inside.
• The old man is fused with a wooden chair and appears almost indistinguishable from the surrounding rotten wood. A blue-black glow leaks from his chest, while a broken metal crossbeam beneath him emits faint golden light—the object Golden Baleful covets.
• Golden Baleful explains that he wants the item, but the old man offers a sinister bargain: anyone wishing to take it must first leave behind some of their blood and qi.
• Blue-black aura and wooden roots suddenly attack the group. The tall, lean cultivator responds by unleashing a giant bronze seal, revealing himself to be a powerful late Tribulation Crossing cultivator.
• The old man effortlessly counters the attack with a single point of green light. It damages the seal, pierces the cultivator’s chest, and allows wooden roots to bind him and drain his blood, qi, and vitality.
• The green-robed cultivator attempts to flee, but the ruins activate a blue-black barrier that seals the area. His attacks cannot break through.
• The old man rises from the wooden seat, revealing an aura at the late Tribulation Crossing stage. Despite appearing decayed and weakened, his techniques and combat ability far exceed those of ordinary cultivators at the same realm.
• Golden Baleful challenges him, launching a powerful golden blade attack. The old man catches the blade aura with his bare hand. Though Golden Baleful’s Innate Geng Metal Qi wounds the old man’s hand, green energy begins flowing along the blade toward Golden Baleful, threatening to drain him as well.

Character Developments

• Su Shi’er: Becomes increasingly cautious about the Immortal Ruins and recognizes that the old man’s strength cannot be judged by cultivation realm alone. He remains observant and suppresses the strange heat in his blood and qi caused by the old man’s gaze.
• Golden Baleful: Reveals his greed for the mysterious metal crossbeam but remains confident in his own combat ability. His willingness to confront the old man demonstrates his arrogance and strength, though he quickly encounters unexpected resistance.
• The gaunt old man: Emerges as a highly dangerous, parasitic existence capable of manipulating wooden roots, draining blood and qi, creating barriers, and overpowering experts of the same cultivation realm. His apparent decay conceals terrifying combat skill.
• Tall, lean cultivator: Demonstrates powerful cultivation and possesses a bronze seal comparable to a high-grade spirit-connected treasure, but is severely wounded almost instantly and trapped by the old man’s roots.
• Green-robed cultivator: Acts more cautiously, immediately attempting to escape once the old man reveals his strength, but is prevented from fleeing by the activated barrier.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength beneath appearances: The old man looks frail and nearly dead, yet possesses overwhelming techniques and combat power.
• Danger of the Immortal Ruins: The ruins contain ancient beings and treasures whose true nature is difficult to assess, making every encounter extremely dangerous.
• Greed and its consequences: Golden Baleful’s desire for the metal object brings him into direct conflict with the old man, while the other cultivators also become trapped by their pursuit of opportunity.
• Blood, qi, and vitality as resources: The old man’s ability to consume the life force of others emphasizes the predatory and corrupted nature of the ruined environment.
• Cultivation beyond realms: The chapter stresses that realm alone does not determine strength; techniques, treasures, battle experience, and special abilities can allow someone to dominate opponents at the same level.

Character Interactions

• Su Shi’er consults Golden Baleful because he is the only person present whom he knows.
• The old man addresses the group and deliberately tempts them with the item while demanding their blood and qi in return.
• The tall, lean cultivator directly attacks the old man with his bronze seal but is defeated in one exchange.
• The green-robed cultivator chooses escape over confrontation, only to discover that the old man has sealed the entire area.
• Golden Baleful openly challenges the old man and clashes with him directly. Although he damages the old man’s hand, the old man immediately counterattacks by sending draining green energy along Golden Baleful’s blade.

Chapter Summary: “Immortal?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Golden Baleful attacks the mysterious old man in the hall with a powerful blade strike enhanced by Innate Geng Metal Qi.
• The old man catches the attack with his bare hand, forcing Golden Baleful back more than ten steps and injuring his palm. However, the old man’s wooden body also cracks under the assault.
• Su Shi’er recognizes that the old man’s power contains Immortal Spiritual Qi and Immortal Essence. He realizes the man is likely a surviving Immortal from the former Immortal Realm.
• The old man confirms Su Shi’er’s deduction and takes an interest in Su Shi’er’s powerful physique and blood vitality.
• He attacks Su Shi’er with three thin strands of bluish-black energy. Su Shi’er redirects them, but the energy leaves behind painful, corrosive traces on his palm and nearly destroys a stone pillar.
• Su Shi’er purges the lingering energy with his true essence, yet becomes much more wary of the old man’s dangerous techniques.
• While the old man’s attention is diverted, Golden Baleful launches a renewed barrage of golden blade rays. The two engage in a fierce exchange inside the hall, with neither gaining a decisive advantage.
• Su Shi’er observes that the old man’s barrier isolates the hall from the outside. This weakens the Nine-Pillar Killing Array and prevents outside entities from sensing the battle, revealing that the old man deliberately designed the trap to eliminate intruders one by one.
• The lanky cultivator remains bound by wooden roots that drain his blood and vitality. His bronze seal has been weakened, while the roots’ energy appears to be restoring the old man’s damaged body.
• Su Shi’er proposes that the blue-robed cultivator restrain the roots while he deals with the remaining threat.

Character Developments

• Golden Baleful: His confidence is shaken after the old man withstands and injures him, but he quickly regains his aggression. Rather than recklessly attacking, he uses increasingly refined and deceptive blade techniques.
• The old man: Revealed to be a former Immortal or at least a surviving being with Immortal Essence. Despite his ruined foundations and decayed wooden body, he remains extraordinarily powerful, calculating, and dangerous. He can use the roots’ stolen vitality to repair himself.
• Su Shi’er: Demonstrates strong combat awareness, physical resilience, and calm under pressure. He successfully counters the old man’s attack and identifies the tactical significance of the hall’s barrier. His caution deepens as he recognizes that the old man may be far stronger than ordinary Tribulation Crossing cultivators.
• The blue-robed cultivator: Remains an important potential ally. Su Shi’er now relies on him to disrupt the roots and free or protect the weakened lanky cultivator.
• The lanky cultivator: Is steadily weakened by the roots draining his vitality, though he continues resisting with determination.

Significant Themes

• The difference between immortality and decay: The old man possesses Immortal power but survives in a damaged, crippled state, suggesting that becoming an Immortal does not guarantee freedom from ruin or suffering.
• Hidden strength and danger: Seemingly weak attacks from the old man possess devastating power, emphasizing that appearances are deceptive.
• Tactical cooperation: Su Shi’er recognizes that defeating the old man requires coordination rather than individual strength.
• Entrapment and manipulation: The hall’s barrier and the draining roots reveal a carefully prepared scheme designed to isolate, weaken, and eventually consume intruders.
• Power at a cost: The old man’s survival depends on draining the blood and vitality of others, portraying his continued existence as parasitic and desperate.

Character Interactions

• Golden Baleful and the old man directly clash, exchanging attacks that damage both sides and establish them as near-equal threats.
• The old man probes Su Shi’er’s strength and attempts to draw him closer, treating him as both a potential specimen and an opponent.
• Su Shi’er and the old man engage in a brief but dangerous exchange, after which Su Shi’er becomes more cautious.
• Su Shi’er studies the ongoing battle and the condition of the trapped cultivator before quietly asking the blue-robed cultivator to intervene.
• The chapter ends with Su Shi’er proposing a coordinated plan: the blue-robed cultivator will restrain the vitality-draining roots, while Su Shi’er handles the remaining danger.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Shi’er orders the green-robed cultivator to redirect his short blade toward the wooden roots binding the tall, thin cultivator. Although the attack produces sparks, the roots resist and tighten, forcing the green-robed cultivator to defend himself against the backlash.
• Su Shi’er intervenes directly, using the Miro Heaven Hand—“Cloud-Sweeping”—to divert the blue-black energy siphoning blood and vitality from the trapped cultivators. The stolen vitality breaks free and flows toward the surrounding light screen.
• The old man inside the hall becomes enraged and moves to attack Su Shi’er, but Golden Baleful intercepts him. Golden Baleful gathers his scattered blade gleams into a powerful strike, forcing the old man to defend himself.
• While the old man is distracted, Su Shi’er continues disrupting the wooden roots. One root cracks, allowing the tall, thin cultivator to escape by sacrificing essence blood. The green-robed cultivator quickly pulls him to safety.
• Su Shi’er realizes that the old man’s immortal body is severely damaged and that his Immortal Essence is depleted. Without the stolen blood and vitality, the old man’s injuries worsen whenever he clashes with Golden Baleful.
• The old man reveals that he still possesses a reserve of pure Immortal Spiritual Qi stored in a crystal. After shattering it, he restores much of his declining power.
• He then summons all the exposed wooden roots into a massive blue-black palm, creating an overwhelming attack that begins draining the strength, blood, vitality, and even battle intent of everyone beneath it.
• Golden Baleful responds by concentrating his blade gleams and Innate Geng Metal Qi into a colossal golden blade. The blade clashes with the giant palm, destroying parts of it but failing to overcome its regenerative power.
• The collision devastates the hall’s roof and cracks the surrounding light screen. Golden Baleful is gradually strained by the palm’s draining effect, while Su Shi’er recognizes the terrifying gap between an Immortal’s power and that of ordinary cultivators.

Character Developments

• Su Shi’er demonstrates tactical intelligence and precise control over his techniques. Rather than confronting the old man directly, he focuses on disrupting the energy source sustaining the roots and helping his allies escape.
• He gains a clearer understanding of the old man’s condition: although the man possesses an Immortal-level foundation, his damaged body and weakened Immortal Essence make him vulnerable to attrition.
• Golden Baleful proves himself capable of challenging an injured Immortal. His confidence and aggression remain strong, but he becomes increasingly serious as the giant palm begins draining his strength and Blade Intent.
• The green-robed cultivator follows Su Shi’er’s orders without hesitation, endures the backlash from the roots, and rescues the tall, thin cultivator at the critical moment.
• The tall, thin cultivator shows decisiveness by using essence blood to force himself free once the root begins to crack.
• The old man reveals himself to be cunning and well-prepared. Though apparently weakening, he retains a hidden reserve of Immortal Spiritual Qi and uses it to reverse the battle’s momentum.

Significant Themes

• Strategy versus overwhelming strength: Su Shi’er relies on identifying and disrupting the old man’s source of power rather than matching him head-on.
• The limitations of immortality: Even an Immortal can be weakened by injury, depleted reserves, and the loss of external sources of vitality.
• Sacrifice and survival: The tall, thin cultivator’s escape requires him to expend precious essence blood, emphasizing the cost of survival in the battle.
• Hidden reserves and deception: The old man’s apparent decline is partly a trap; his concealed crystal allows him to recover and unleash an even stronger technique.
• The terrifying power gap between realms: Su Shi’er realizes that even an injured Immortal can withstand attacks that would overwhelm the strongest cultivators below the Immortal realm.

Character Interactions

• Su Shi’er directs the green-robed cultivator and coordinates the effort to free the tall, thin cultivator.
• Golden Baleful protects Su Shi’er by intercepting the old man and prevents him from reaching the battlefield’s weaker points.
• Su Shi’er advises Golden Baleful to avoid prolonged close combat and exploit the old man’s injured immortal body; Golden Baleful responds by adapting his blade technique.
• The old man taunts them for attempting to exhaust him, then counters their strategy by consuming stored Immortal Spiritual Qi.
• Golden Baleful and the old man engage in the chapter’s central confrontation: a colossal golden blade against a regenerative blue-black palm, while Su Shi’er watches for an opportunity and assesses the limits of both sides.

Chapter Summary: “Wait! This Old Man Can...”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Shi’er realizes that the mysterious half-wooden old man is too powerful to face alone. Although he initially cares little about the other cultivators’ survival, he decides to cooperate with Golden Baleful Patriarch because defeating the old man requires a coordinated attack.
• While Golden Baleful Patriarch struggles against the old man’s enormous blue-black wooden palm, Su Shi’er secretly condenses a powerful palm strike and waits for the right opening.
• Su Shi’er notices that the old man’s strength is linked to three strands of green light extending from the crack in his chest. Whenever Golden Baleful Patriarch’s golden blade cuts through the wooden roots, the old man’s Immortal Runes weaken.
• Su Shi’er signals Golden Baleful Patriarch, who deliberately changes the momentum of his attack and forces the old man to pour more Immortal Essence into the giant palm.
• When the three green strands flare brightly, revealing the old man’s vulnerability, Su Shi’er moves in.
• The old man attempts to stop him with a claw-like attack infused with green light. Su Shi’er blocks it with his left arm and activates the Secret Law Gui Wu, neutralizing much of the incoming Immortal Essence. Though injured, he remains capable of attacking.
• Su Shi’er unleashes the Miro Heaven Hand, Mountain-Suppressing, combining his true essence with his powerful physical strength and blood-qi.
• Golden Baleful Patriarch prevents the old man from retreating by entangling the wooden roots with his golden blade. Su Shi’er’s palm strike destroys the old man’s Immortal Runes and splits his wooden body in half.
• The old man’s severed body releases a blue-black sphere containing his remnant soul, which attempts to escape into the broken wood behind the seat.
• Golden Baleful Patriarch intercepts it with Fierce Baleful Soul-Shattering Slash, completely destroying the remnant soul and eliminating the old man’s remaining aura.

Character Developments

• Su Shi’er demonstrates strategic judgment and willingness to cooperate when facing a dangerous enemy. He carefully suppresses his attack until the precise moment the old man becomes vulnerable.
• His physical strength and defensive abilities greatly exceed the old man’s expectations. Despite taking a direct attack from Immortal Essence, Su Shi’er suffers only a relatively minor injury and immediately launches a decisive counterattack.
• Golden Baleful Patriarch proves to be an experienced and reliable battle partner. He quickly understands Su Shi’er’s plan, creates the necessary opening, prevents the old man from escaping, and finishes off the remnant soul.
• The old man is revealed to be even more desperate and vulnerable than he initially appeared. Though possessing Immortal-level abilities, his power depends on the wooden roots and green strands connected to his body. His confidence turns to shock and ferocity once Su Shi’er breaks through his defenses.

Significant Themes

• Cooperation against overwhelming power: Even powerful cultivators must combine their strengths when facing an enemy with superior and unfamiliar abilities.
• Patience and timing: Su Shi’er’s success depends on waiting for a precise weakness rather than attacking prematurely.
• Hidden strength and adaptability: Su Shi’er’s defensive technique and formidable body allow him to withstand Immortal Essence that should have seriously injured him.
• Destruction of lingering threats: The heroes do not stop after destroying the old man’s physical body; they ensure his remnant soul is also eliminated, preventing future danger.
• The limits of apparent immortality: Although the old man possesses Immortal methods, his existence remains dependent on specific connections and vulnerabilities.

Character Interactions

• Su Shi’er and Golden Baleful Patriarch communicate through voice transmission and coordinate their attacks without needing extensive discussion.
• The old man remains alert to Su Shi’er even while fighting Golden Baleful Patriarch, leading to a brief direct clash between the two.
• Golden Baleful Patriarch supports Su Shi’er’s attack by restraining the old man and then takes responsibility for destroying the escaping remnant soul.
• The chapter ends with Golden Baleful Patriarch turning toward Su Shi’er after confirming that the old man has been completely erased.

Chapter Summary: “Protecting the Others in Front of Him”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Shi’er defeats the withered old man alongside Golden Baleful Patriarch. After landing a decisive palm strike, Su immediately withdraws, wary that Golden Baleful Patriarch might become a threat.
• Su treats the five wounds on his arm, forcing out the strange blue-black aura left by the old man’s attack. Although he appears unharmed, he recognizes how dangerous the battle was and how narrowly he avoided having his blood and vital energy drained.
• Golden Baleful Patriarch becomes suspicious of Su’s extraordinary physical strength and palm technique, noting that it resembles the abilities of an old acquaintance and contains traces of Immortal Arts. Su maintains his cover by claiming to be merely a rogue cultivator.
• The two surviving cultivators thank Su and Golden Baleful Patriarch for saving their lives. The tall, thin cultivator is badly injured, and his bronze seal has been damaged, but he considers survival more important than the loss of his treasure.
• The protective array surrounding the hall begins to collapse after repeated attacks. As dangerous figures gather outside the barrier, the group prepares to leave.
• Golden Baleful Patriarch takes an ancient metal crossbeam from beneath the wooden seat, identifying it as the treasure he came to seek. In exchange, Su Shi’er claims the old Immortal’s corpse and storage ring.
• The four cultivators flee through the ruins as the array disintegrates and gray-white mist floods the hall. The lingering Geng Metal Blade Intent and approaching footsteps suggest that other dangerous entities are nearby.
• While traveling, Su consumes a recovery pill, replenishing his true essence and completely eliminating the remaining blue-black aura in his wound.
• The group reaches a relatively stable area of mist containing several caves beneath a stone wall. Rather than approaching immediately, Su quietly retreats and positions the others in front of him, indicating his suspicion that the area may contain hidden danger.

Character Developments

• Su Shi’er: Demonstrates powerful physical strength, refined combat instincts, restraint, and strategic caution. He conceals his true identity and abilities while carefully assessing both enemies and allies. His decision to place the others ahead of him shows that he is preparing to use them as a first line of defense—or at least refusing to expose himself prematurely.
• Golden Baleful Patriarch: Reveals himself as perceptive and experienced. He recognizes that Su’s techniques are unusual and begins investigating his origins, though he accepts Su’s evasive explanation for the moment. He also obtains the metal treasure he sought, showing his priorities remain focused on ancient artifacts and cultivation.
• The tall, thin cultivator: Survives but is severely wounded, and his magic treasure is damaged. His gratitude and changed perspective show that he now values his life over material loss.
• The blue-robed cultivator: Acts as the spokesman for the two survivors and acknowledges their dependence on Su and Golden Baleful Patriarch.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identities and mutual suspicion: Su conceals his origins, while Golden Baleful Patriarch carefully probes his background. Neither fully trusts the other.
• Survival over treasure: The injured cultivator accepts the loss of his bronze seal because remaining alive is more valuable than preserving worldly possessions.
• Caution in an unknown world: The Immortal Ruins remain filled with hidden dangers, unstable formations, ancient powers, and hostile beings. Every apparent refuge may be a trap.
• Power and negotiation: Su and Golden Baleful Patriarch divide the spoils according to their contributions, balancing fairness, personal interests, and the need to preserve their alliance.
• Protective responsibility and tactical positioning: Su repeatedly helps the others survive, yet his final movement behind them also reveals his pragmatic willingness to let danger reveal itself through others first.

Character Interactions

• Golden Baleful Patriarch questions Su about his origins and the nature of his palm technique; Su responds calmly and deflects suspicion.
• The two surviving cultivators formally express their gratitude to both men, recognizing that they owe them their lives.
• Su advises the injured cultivator to focus on healing rather than speaking, emphasizing the immediate danger of the collapsing array.
• Golden Baleful Patriarch and Su negotiate the division of the old Immortal’s possessions, with the Patriarch taking the metal crossbeam and Su receiving the Immortal body and ring.
• The group cooperates silently during their escape, quickening their pace as the protective array collapses and unknown threats approach.
• Upon reaching the caves, Su’s guarded retreat changes the group’s formation and signals that he suspects the seemingly stable mist and caverns may conceal an ambush.

Chapter Summary: An Anomaly in the Immortal Ruins

Key Plot Points and Events

• Golden Baleful detects flickering light and array patterns near a cave entrance, suggesting additional restrictions.
• A gray-haired cultivator carrying a cracked bronze lamp emerges and asks whether the group killed Withered Life Elder.
• The old man identifies himself as Sang Xuangu, though he says he has forgotten his true name. He is known as the Night-Illuminating Elder.
• Sang Xuangu does not seek revenge against Withered Life Elder, whom he considered a nuisance, but he warns the newcomers not to enter the inner cave or casually release their divine sense.
• He allows Su Shi’er and the others to rest in a nearby Stone Chamber.
• Su Shi’er notices strange inhabitants and objects inside the cave: a hunched woman with two small figures, broken jade pieces containing vague human shadows, and several hidden auras.
• The four travelers enter the Stone Chamber. Golden Baleful establishes a concealment formation, while the tall, thin cultivator takes pills to recover from his severe injuries. The blue-robed cultivator guards him.
• Su Shi’er carefully inspects the chamber and sets up his own defensive array before meditating.
• He discovers that, despite the visible concentration of Immortal Spiritual Qi in the mist, he cannot absorb it through his cultivation method.
• When he attempts to draw in a small amount of Immortal Essence, a nearby Immortal Rune activates. Invisible forces pull the energy toward the mountain wall, while a terrifying aura nearly crushes Su Shi’er’s heart.
• Recognizing that the force is far beyond his ability to resist, Su Shi’er immediately withdraws his true essence. The rune and the surrounding mist then return to normal.

Character Developments

• Su Shi’er remains cautious, observant, and calculating. He uses the request for shelter to probe Sang Xuangu’s attitude and carefully investigates the Stone Chamber before resting.
• His curiosity and confidence in his cultivation methods lead him to experiment with the Immortal Spiritual Qi, but he quickly demonstrates good judgment by retreating when confronted with overwhelming power.
• Golden Baleful appears calm and fearless, immediately preparing defensive seals rather than showing concern over the dangerous surroundings.
• The tall, thin cultivator is revealed to be in critical condition, having lost substantial vital blood and energy. His reliance on medicinal pills emphasizes the severity of his wounds.
• The blue-robed cultivator protects the injured man, suggesting that the two have formed a practical alliance, even if they may not originally have been close companions.
• Sang Xuangu/Night-Illuminating Elder is mysterious and powerful. Though he permits the group to stay, his warnings and concealed strength make it clear that he is not harmless.
• The cave’s unseen inhabitants remain enigmatic, particularly the figures associated with the broken jade pieces.

Significant Themes

• Caution and survival: Every character must carefully assess threats before acting. The ruins are filled with hidden formations, ancient beings, and forces that cannot be judged by appearances.
• The unknown nature of the Immortal Ruins: The ruins contain remnants of ancient powers, strange prisoners or inhabitants, and mechanisms that even powerful cultivators do not fully understand.
• Limits of strength: Su Shi’er’s cultivation methods can normally absorb many forms of energy, yet the Immortal Rune demonstrates that some powers are governed by rules far beyond his current level.
• Trust and temporary alliances: The group cooperates despite uncertain relationships, while Sang Xuangu offers limited hospitality under strict conditions.
• The boundary between life and death: Withered Life Elder’s strange existence, Sang Xuangu’s stone-like arm, and the shadowy figures within the jade suggest a world where life, death, and imprisonment have become blurred.

Character Interactions

• Sang Xuangu questions the group about Withered Life Elder, while Golden Baleful directly challenges him about possible revenge.
• Su Shi’er diplomatically explains their situation and requests shelter, establishing a more peaceful relationship with Sang Xuangu.
• Sang Xuangu responds with conditional assistance, permitting them to rest while warning them against trespassing or using divine sense.
• Within the Stone Chamber, Golden Baleful, the injured cultivator, and the blue-robed cultivator reveal their roles through their actions: defense, recovery, and protection.
• Su Shi’er’s final experiment with the Immortal Essence creates a new mystery, implying that the mountain wall and its rune are connected to a powerful hidden force within the ruins.

Chapter Summary: “Mutation in the Immortal Spiritual Qi”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sang Xuangu warns Su Shi’er not to attempt drawing away the Immortal Spiritual Qi again, explaining that doing so would disturb more than the visible array restrictions.
• Golden Baleful confirms that the Immortal Spiritual Qi throughout the Immortal Ruins has been bound to the massive Immortal Ruins Grand Array. The arrays extend beneath the earth, through the mountains, and across the ruins of the immortal palaces, preserving this broken world.
• Sang Xuangu explains that the ruins were once less barren. Early inhabitants survived using Immortal Crystals, pills, and other relics left behind when the ruins descended into the world. Over countless years, however, these resources were consumed and never replenished.
• The lack of usable Immortal Qi and dwindling resources has caused the cultivation of the ruins’ inhabitants to decline. Ku Shengsou, once a genuine Immortal, had fallen to the late Tribulation Crossing stage. Sang Xuangu admits that he is suffering from the same process.
• Sang Xuangu reveals that some inhabitants awaken progressively weaker, while others eventually fail to awaken after their bodies and immortal souls disperse permanently.
• He warns Golden Baleful and Su Shi’er that many ancient inhabitants remain in the ruins, possessing unknown methods and abilities. If they are only seeking treasure, he advises them to leave as soon as possible.
• Su Shi’er rejects the idea of abandoning the ruins. He is determined to find Shen Miaoyin and the others trapped there, while also investigating the plans of the Divine Realm’s Divine Beings, whose actions may threaten the entire Cultivation World.
• After recovering overnight, Su Shi’er discovers that Golden Baleful and the other cultivators have already left and secretly set up concealment arrays to protect themselves while recuperating.
• Su Shi’er reinforces the chamber with additional formations before examining Ku Shengsou’s blue-black Storage Ring. Though the ring is badly damaged and close to collapse, it still contains remnants of an extraordinary aura.
• Rather than forcefully breaking the ring’s restrictions, Su Shi’er carefully exploits the damage caused by the earlier battle. After nearly half an hour, he successfully removes the remaining restrictions.
• Inside, he finds mostly exhausted dark crystals, empty pill bottles and jade cases, and spiritual materials that have decayed. The contents reveal how thoroughly Ku Shengsou’s resources—and those of the Immortal Ruins—have been depleted.

Character Developments

• Su Shi’er remains calm and cautious but becomes more firmly committed to his mission. He understands the dangers of the ruins yet refuses to retreat because of his concern for Shen Miaoyin and the wider threat posed by the Divine Realm.
• Golden Baleful demonstrates both curiosity and caution by secretly testing the Immortal Qi himself. His silence after Sang Xuangu’s warning suggests that he recognizes the seriousness of the ruins’ situation.
• Sang Xuangu is characterized as an ancient, declining survivor. His weakened state and subdued explanation reveal the long-term cost of remaining in the Immortal Ruins. Although he warns the others to leave, he also provides valuable knowledge about the ruins and its inhabitants.
• Ku Shengsou, though already dead, is further developed through the condition of his storage ring and depleted treasures. His former status as an Immortal contrasts sharply with his eventual decline and death.

Significant Themes

• Decline and impermanence: Even Immortals cannot escape deterioration when cut off from the resources necessary to sustain cultivation.
• Resource exhaustion: The ruined world is trapped in a cycle where ancient resources are consumed but never replaced, making survival increasingly difficult.
• Hidden danger: The visible arrays and ruins conceal deeper powers and unknown ancient inhabitants, emphasizing that the Immortal Ruins remain far more dangerous than they appear.
• Duty versus self-preservation: Sang Xuangu advises escape, but Su Shi’er chooses to continue for the sake of rescuing others and protecting the Cultivation World.
• The remnants of former glory: The damaged storage ring, empty containers, and decayed materials symbolize the collapse of an ancient immortal civilization.

Character Interactions

• Sang Xuangu directly cautions Su Shi’er against testing the Immortal Qi and explains the connection between the ruins’ energy and its grand array.
• Golden Baleful questions Sang Xuangu about the bound Immortal Qi and silently acknowledges the warning after learning about the ruins’ ancient inhabitants.
• Sang Xuangu comments on Golden Baleful’s difficult victory over Ku Shengsou and urges him to leave once his objectives are complete.
• Su Shi’er internally contrasts his own purpose with the others’ treasure-hunting motives, deciding that his mission to find Shen Miaoyin and oppose the Divine Realm’s schemes is too important to abandon.
• After the group separates, Su Shi’er acts independently, concealing himself with arrays and carefully opening Ku Shengsou’s storage ring.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Shi’er searches through Elder Withered Life’s storage ring and discovers that most of its treasures have been exhausted:
  • Ancient pill bottles are empty.
  • Most Immortal Stones have lost all their Immortal Spiritual Qi; only three nearly depleted stones remain.
  • He finds a sealed white jade pill bottle, half of a yellowed talisman, and a jade fragment.
  • A section of the storage space is protected by unstable Array Restrictions. Su Shi’er chooses not to interfere, fearing that forcibly breaking them could destroy whatever is sealed inside.
• The sealed bottle contains three pale-cyan pills labeled Three Origins Soul-Stabilizing Pills. Su Shi’er cautiously tests a trace of their powder rather than taking one directly.
• The pills ease the fatigue in his sea of consciousness, confirming that they nourish and stabilize the divine soul.
• Su Shi’er leaves the concealed space and consults Sang Xuangu, hoping to learn more about the pills and the broken talisman.
• Sang Xuangu identifies the pills and explains that they can repair divine-soul injuries and strengthen the divine soul, though their effects are limited for Immortals.
• He also identifies the broken talisman as a Soul-Calming Immortal Talisman, which can preserve a strand of the user’s divine soul during a fatal crisis, allowing eventual recovery even after the body is destroyed.
• Sang Xuangu offers Su Shi’er a powerful protective jade pendant in exchange for the broken talisman. The pendant can withstand at least one attack from an early Mahayana cultivator.
• Su Shi’er carefully considers the exchange and does not immediately agree.

Character Developments

• Su Shi’er demonstrates caution, resourcefulness, and analytical thinking. He refuses to recklessly open the unstable restrictions or consume an unknown pill, instead testing its powder and investigating its effects.
• His understanding of divine-soul treasures expands through Sang Xuangu’s explanations, and he recognizes the potential value of the Soul-Calming Immortal Talisman.
• Sang Xuangu reveals extensive knowledge of Immortal Realm treasures and their functions. Though outwardly calm, his tightened grip on the protective jade shows that he strongly desires the talisman.

Significant Themes

• Caution versus opportunity: Su Shi’er must balance the temptation to seize valuable treasures against the risk of damaging or losing them.
• The value of survival and the divine soul: Both the soul-stabilizing pills and the Soul-Calming Talisman emphasize that preserving the divine soul can provide a path back from destruction.
• Scarcity and depletion: The exhausted Immortal Stones and empty pill bottles reflect the decline of the Immortal Ruins and the rarity of surviving treasures.
• Negotiation and hidden motives: Sang Xuangu’s offer appears generous, but his obvious interest in the talisman suggests that its true value may exceed the protective jade’s.

Character Interactions

• Su Shi’er deliberately shows Sang Xuangu the pills and talisman to obtain information.
• Sang Xuangu recognizes that Su Shi’er is using him for identification but does not object, answering his questions directly.
• Their relationship remains cooperative but guarded: Su Shi’er seeks knowledge without surrendering control, while Sang Xuangu maintains composure but reveals his desire through his behavior.
• The chapter ends with an unresolved negotiation over the Soul-Calming Immortal Talisman and the protective jade pendant.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Shi’er exchanges the damaged half of the Soul-Calming Immortal Talisman for Sang Xuangu’s protective immortal jade, which can withstand an attack from an early Great Ascension Flying stage cultivator.
• Sang Xuangu reveals that the talisman is crucial for preserving the remnant souls of former Immortals whose bodies have deteriorated or collapsed.
• Su Shi’er offers Sang Xuangu a Three-Origin Soul-Stabilizing Pill in exchange for information about the Immortal Ruins and help identifying a mysterious jade fragment found in Ku Shengsou’s storage ring.
• Sang Xuangu confirms that the pill can stabilize remnant souls, though its effects are temporary. He gives the pill and talisman to another blurred soul within the grotto.
• Sang Xuangu explains that pills of this kind have become extremely rare in the Immortal Ruins. Ku Shengsou especially needs resources to sustain his remnant body and replenish Immortal Essence.
• He then reveals that someone recently brought similar pills to the ruins. Golden Baleful Patriarch recognizes the individual as Wujie, whose Divine Power had previously injured him.
• Sang Xuangu produces a gray-white jade tablet carrying a faint Divine Power aura. It serves as a contract: a remnant soul can imprint its divine soul onto the tablet, accept restrictions, swear allegiance, and perform missions in exchange for Spirit Crystals, pills, resources, and potentially the restoration of its immortal body.
• The pills’ seal matches the seal on Wujie’s offerings, suggesting that Wujie—or the organization behind him—supplied them. Sang Xuangu cannot confirm whether Ku Shengsou has already pledged allegiance.
• The group realizes with unease that the Divine Realm may be actively recruiting former Immortals trapped in the ruins.

Character Developments

• Su Shi’er demonstrates pragmatic judgment, valuing the defensive jade more than the talisman because it better protects his physical body. He also shows generosity and strategic intelligence by using a pill to obtain information.
• Sang Xuangu is shown to be deeply concerned with preserving the remnant souls in his care. Though emotionally restrained, his reaction to recovering the talisman reveals its great personal importance. He remains cautious and honest, promising not to claim knowledge he does not possess.
• Golden Baleful Patriarch recognizes Wujie and reveals that Wujie’s Divine Power previously harmed him, establishing a personal connection and increasing the threat surrounding Wujie’s activities.
• Ku Shengsou is portrayed as vulnerable and resource-starved, making him a likely target for recruitment.
• The blurred souls in the grotto emphasize the physical and spiritual decline of the former Immortals.

Significant Themes

• Survival and preservation: The exchange centers on protecting bodies and souls in a world where former Immortals have been reduced to fragile remnants.
• Pragmatism and trade: Power, information, and survival resources are exchanged according to necessity rather than sentiment.
• Exploitation and allegiance: Wujie’s recruitment offer presents aid as a bargain requiring obedience, restrictions, and possible servitude.
• The decline of former Immortals: The ruined bodies and fading souls reveal the consequences of long isolation in the Immortal Ruins.
• Growing external threat: The Divine Realm’s efforts to recruit these remnants suggest a larger plan and raise concern among the characters.

Character Interactions

• Su Shi’er and Sang Xuangu establish a respectful, mutually beneficial relationship through their exchange.
• Su Shi’er attempts to gain Sang Xuangu’s trust by offering a pill without demanding payment, while requesting information in return.
• Sang Xuangu cooperates but remains measured, revealing information only after verifying the pill and attending to the soul within the grotto.
• Golden Baleful Patriarch interrupts the discussion by identifying Wujie, shifting the conversation from local survival to the broader threat posed by the Divine Realm.
• The group’s final reaction—especially the exchanged glances and renewed unease—shows that Wujie’s recruitment efforts may affect everyone trapped in the Immortal Ruins.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The characters continue discussing the jade slips distributed by the Divine Realm after witnessing Ku Shengsou’s devastating attack. They realize that if all the powerful beings in the Immortal Ruins submit to the Divine Realm, the consequences could be catastrophic.
• Sang Xuangu explains that the recipients of the jade slips have reacted differently: some killed the messengers, some accepted the slips but disappeared, and he has no way of knowing who ultimately agreed.
• Inside Sang Xuangu’s cave, a weakened remnant figure uses the power from one of the talismans to stabilize several fragmentary souls contained in a broken piece of jade. Sang Xuangu reveals that these souls are survivors of an ancient battle and expresses reluctance to accept the Divine Realm’s offer because he cannot bear to surrender them later.
• The shattered jade is revealed to be a partial map of the Immortal Ruins. Although it supposedly requires Immortal Spiritual Qi to activate, Su Shi’er uses Divine Power from the Small World within his Nine Heavens Exquisite Pagoda to awaken it.
• Sang Xuangu identifies the map as an old route north of the Ruined City. It once connected to several immortal palaces but was damaged by later spatial upheavals. Following it could provide a safer route into the deeper regions of the Immortal Ruins, though the path remains filled with dangerous formations.
• Sang Xuangu recalls that several centuries earlier, an outsider Daoist passed through the area and repaired part of the damaged formations, claiming there was still a way to cross near a broken bridge.
• He reveals the repaired formations on the chamber wall. Su Shi’er recognizes an array pattern resembling the techniques of the Yun Ge Sect and begins to suspect that the mysterious Daoist may have been Sect Master Ren Yunzong.

Character Developments

• Su Shi’er demonstrates his growing resourcefulness and hidden abilities by activating an artifact that should have required Immortal Spiritual Qi. His use of Divine Power confirms that he can manipulate forces beyond his apparent Tribulation Crossing cultivation.
• Su Shi’er becomes more determined to use the map as a route into the Immortal Ruins’ depths. His suspicions about the jade slip lessen after discovering a possible connection to Ren Yunzong.
• Sang Xuangu is shown to be compassionate and burdened by the past. His concern for the remnant souls and unwillingness to hand them over reveals his resistance to the Divine Realm’s demands.
• Sang Xuangu also emerges as an important source of historical knowledge about the Immortal Ruins, their ancient battles, and their surviving formations.
• Golden Baleful and the others remain largely silent but are visibly shocked by Su Shi’er’s ability to activate the jade map.

Significant Themes

• Submission versus resistance: The characters confront the threat posed by the Divine Realm’s recruitment and the moral cost of accepting its power.
• The weight of the past: The ancient battle, the ruined Immortal Realm, and the remnant souls continue to shape the present.
• Hidden power and appearances: Su Shi’er’s modest cultivation conceals access to Divine Power, emphasizing that true strength cannot be judged by cultivation realm alone.
• Trust and suspicion: Su Shi’er remains cautious about the jade slip and its origins, but the possible connection to Ren Yunzong gives him renewed confidence in the route.
• Survival amid ruins: The Immortal Ruins are portrayed as a dangerous remnant of a destroyed world, where maps, formations, and old alliances are essential to survival.

Character Interactions

• Su Shi’er questions Sang Xuangu about the jade slips, the map, and the route into the ruins, while Sang Xuangu provides information but remains guarded.
• Sang Xuangu’s compassion toward the remnant souls contrasts with the Divine Realm’s apparent demand for obedience.
• Su Shi’er’s unexplained activation of the map astonishes Sang Xuangu, Golden Baleful, and the others, reinforcing the mystery surrounding his abilities.
• When Sang Xuangu reveals the outsider Daoist’s repaired formations, Su Shi’er carefully examines them and privately connects their techniques to Ren Yunzong, creating a possible link between his current mission and the Yun Ge Sect.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Su Shi’er asks Sang Xuangu whether the ancient Daoist ever revealed a way to pass through the Immortal Ruins. Sang Xuangu admits he does not know, but shows Su the fragmented jade map and identifies several destroyed locations where further investigation may begin.
• The map reveals a path bypassing the broken bridge and leading toward a partially visible immortal palace deep within the ruins. Su Shi’er becomes convinced that he must eventually explore it.
• Su Shi’er completes the refinement of the Du’e Puppet by merging it with his blood essence and divine sense. He establishes a direct connection with it and confirms that it can substitute for him when a killing blow follows his aura.
• By studying the Calamity Substitution Manual, Su learns that the puppet must perfectly imitate his aura and soul fluctuations at the moment of attack. Any imperfection could cause both him and the puppet to suffer.
• The manual contains methods for maintaining and activating the puppet but omits the secret art Du’e previously used to redirect formation power. Su realizes Du’e deliberately withheld an important technique and that the puppet’s effectiveness will therefore be limited.
• The manual also reveals strict limitations: Calamity Substitution cannot counter attacks affecting an entire area, such as Heavenly Tribulation, collapsing space, or attacks sweeping indiscriminately through the void. The missing formation-condensing method also makes creating additional puppets impossible.
• A third attack from the Nine Pillars strikes the cave. Sang Xuangu reinforces the ancient lamp and cave defenses, but the impact causes severe shaking and weakens him further as pieces of his petrified arm crumble away.
• After the gray-white mist retreats, Sang Xuangu warns that the Nine Pillars’ attacks are growing stronger and that their remaining time is nearly exhausted. Su Shi’er gathers the formation flags and leaves the chamber.

Character developments

• Su Shi’er becomes more determined to investigate the Immortal Ruins, especially the route leading toward the mysterious immortal palace.
• He gains a new defensive resource through the fully refined Du’e Puppet, but also develops a clearer understanding of its risks and limitations.
• Su’s assessment of Du’e becomes more distrustful and pragmatic. He recognizes that Du’e offered valuable compensation while still concealing his most important techniques.
• Sang Xuangu continues protecting the group despite his deteriorating condition. The repeated attacks visibly strain him, and his petrified arm deteriorates further.
• Sang Xuangu’s warning reveals growing urgency and concern as the cave’s defenses and the ancient lamp weaken.

Significant themes

• Time and impending crisis: The strengthening attacks of the Nine Pillars and the dimming ancient lamp emphasize that the group’s refuge is failing.
• Trust and concealed motives: Du’e’s incomplete gift demonstrates that alliances remain conditional and that powerful cultivators preserve their true secrets.
• Survival through substitution and sacrifice: The Du’e Puppet embodies the idea of transferring danger onto another vessel, while Sang Xuangu’s continued defense reflects personal sacrifice.
• Limits of power and preparation: Even valuable techniques have narrow conditions; understanding a method does not guarantee complete protection.
• Exploration of forbidden knowledge: The immortal palace and forbidden regions of the Immortal Ruins promise answers but also signal immense danger.

Character interactions

• Su Shi’er respectfully consults Sang Xuangu about the Immortal Ruins, and Sang provides the information available to him without hiding the limits of his knowledge.
• Su Shi’er studies Du’e’s teachings but interprets them critically, recognizing both their value and the deliberate omissions.
• During the Nine Pillars’ attack, Sang Xuangu acts immediately to defend the cave while Su Shi’er observes the cost of that protection. Their interaction highlights Sang’s protective role and Su’s growing awareness of the group’s precarious situation.
• The chapter ends with Su Shi’er responding to the crisis through action—collecting the formation flags and leaving the chamber—rather than offering reassurance.

Chapter Summary: “Heavenly Palace Has Its Own Rules”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Shi’er leaves the stone chamber and encounters Golden Baleful, who reveals that he plans to investigate an ancient battlefield to the west, where he senses strong weapon baleful intent. The two part ways, agreeing to remain cautious and hoping to meet again.
• Su Shi’er checks on the injured cultivator and the blue-robed cultivator hiding within Sang Xuangu’s protective array. The blue-robed cultivator offers Sang Xuangu pills and Spirit Crystals in exchange for allowing them to remain until his companion recovers.
• Sang Xuangu accepts the payment but warns that he may not be able to protect them if a truly powerful enemy appears.
• Su Shi’er prepares to travel north along the route marked on his remnant jade map. Sang Xuangu warns him that the mysterious force in the Immortal Ruins is growing stronger and advises him to use the remaining Array Restrictions to conceal his movements before the Nine Pillars disperse them.
• Su Shi’er departs into the mist and heads deeper into the ruined city, following the path potentially connected to Sect Master Ren Yunzong.
• Elsewhere, Wang Jingcheng investigates a cracked blue stone stele using his Star Disk. A golden Divine Rune appears, along with traces indicating that several Heavenly Palace cultivators who disappeared over the years may be connected to the Immortal Ruins.
• Daoist Master Xuanwei, a powerful Great Ascension Flying stage cultivator of the Heavenly Palace, arrives and confronts Wang Jingcheng. He orders Wang to hand over his discoveries, leave the ruins, and return to the Heavenly Palace for punishment.
• Wang Jingcheng challenges the Heavenly Palace’s decision to suppress his investigation into Wujie, pointing out that Wujie possesses Divine Power, has killed Heavenly Palace cultivators, and may be connected to the deeper conspiracy surrounding the Immortal Ruins.
• Xuanwei invokes the principle that “Heavenly Palace has its own rules” and releases overwhelming pressure against Wang Jingcheng, leaving him struggling beneath the force of the older cultivator’s cultivation.

Character Developments

• Su Shi’er remains cautious and purposeful. Although he accepts Sang Xuangu’s guidance, he does not lower his guard and continues independently toward the ruins’ deeper regions.
• Golden Baleful demonstrates his bold, opportunistic nature by immediately pursuing the ancient battlefield and its possible treasures. His departure establishes that the group’s temporary alliance is ending.
• Sang Xuangu acts as a pragmatic protector. He accepts compensation for sheltering the injured cultivators but clearly defines the limits of his protection. His warning to Su Shi’er shows his awareness of the ruins’ rapidly worsening danger.
• The blue-robed cultivator prioritizes his injured companion’s survival, willingly paying Sang Xuangu for continued refuge.
• Wang Jingcheng is revealed as determined, composed, and willing to challenge Heavenly Palace authority. He continues investigating Wujie despite official orders, motivated by a desire to uncover the truth behind the killings and disappearances.
• Daoist Master Xuanwei appears as an embodiment of Heavenly Palace authority. His calm but intimidating demeanor suggests immense power, while his insistence on obedience raises doubts about whether the Heavenly Palace is protecting institutional secrets.

Significant Themes

• Institutional authority versus truth: Wang Jingcheng’s investigation conflicts with the Heavenly Palace’s demand for obedience, suggesting that official “rules” may be used to conceal uncomfortable truths.
• Hidden conspiracies: The Divine Rune and traces of erased Heavenly Palace auras connect the Immortal Ruins to the unexplained disappearances of Heavenly Palace cultivators and possibly to Wujie.
• Danger and survival: The characters must constantly balance exploration, alliances, and self-preservation as the ruins’ forces grow stronger and the Nine Pillars alter the environment.
• Temporary alliances and personal interests: Golden Baleful seeks battlefield treasures, while the blue-robed cultivator seeks shelter and Su Shi’er pursues his own route. Their cooperation is practical rather than permanent.
• Power and suppression: Xuanwei’s overwhelming cultivation demonstrates the vast hierarchy between Heavenly Palace authorities and ordinary cultivators, while Wang’s resistance highlights the risks of opposing powerful institutions.

Character Interactions

• Su Shi’er and Golden Baleful: They exchange cautious farewells after discussing their separate destinations.
• Blue-robed cultivator and Sang Xuangu: The blue-robed cultivator pays for continued protection, and Sang Xuangu agrees while warning him of the limits of that protection.
• Su Shi’er and Sang Xuangu: Sang Xuangu gives Su Shi’er crucial tactical advice about avoiding detection by using the remaining arrays.
• Wang Jingcheng and Daoist Master Xuanwei: Their confrontation shifts from formal politeness to ideological conflict. Wang questions the Heavenly Palace’s motives, while Xuanwei asserts authority and responds with force, ending the chapter with Wang physically suppressed but not yet defeated.