Chapter Summary: “3,577 Abyss City Alliance”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Jing and Ling Ling leave the impoverished Lower District of Blackwater City and head toward the cleaner Central District.
• The chapter reflects on Gao Jing’s decision to kill two attackers in self-defense. He follows the Great Wilderness’s social rules: strength determines status, and those who maliciously offend stronger individuals may be killed without consequence.
• The young archer Ling Ling is deeply shaken after witnessing Gao Jing kill the two thugs, but she ultimately accepts that his actions were justified and offers to testify for him if the Guard Corps investigates.
• They pass the polluted Blackwater River, whose water comes from the Black Iron Mine Cave—the city’s main source of livelihood and its primary trade connection with Azure River City.
• Ling Ling introduces Gao Jing to the 3,577 Abyss City Alliance, an organization that connects members across numerous Abyss cities. It provides intelligence, trading, equipment exchange, and missions.
• Intrigued by the Alliance’s ability to provide information about the wider world, Gao Jing agrees to visit its Blackwater City branch and potentially join as a Third-Level Member.
• Before reaching the branch, Gao Jing notices a strange wooden statue at a riverside market. Its appearance resembles a carving he previously obtained from a goblin camp.
• Ling Ling helps him bargain with the dishonest stall owner. Gao Jing eventually buys the statue for five copper coins, borrowing the money from Ling Ling.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing demonstrates increasing confidence and adaptability in Abyss society. He understands the importance of hierarchy and is prepared to defend himself decisively, even against local troublemakers.
• He also shows practical caution: although he is not afraid of the Guard Corps, he recognizes the value of Ling Ling’s support and considers whether the Alliance may contain hidden risks.
• Ling Ling matures emotionally after witnessing violence. Though initially frightened, she distinguishes right from wrong and refuses to condemn Gao Jing for defending them. Her willingness to testify shows courage and loyalty.
• Ling Ling is also revealed to be familiar with local customs, prices, organizations, and social structures, making her an important guide for Gao Jing.
• Their relationship develops into one of mutual trust and cooperation, with Ling Ling helping Gao Jing navigate both the city and its marketplace.

Significant Themes

• The rule of strength: Social order in the Great Wilderness is based on power and rank rather than equal justice. The powerful are respected, while weaker individuals risk death if they provoke someone above them.
• Innocence versus harsh reality: Ling Ling’s shock at the killings represents the loss of naïveté required to survive in the Great Wilderness.
• Adaptation and survival: Gao Jing believes people must either adapt to the world’s brutality or return to a safer environment before their innocence causes irreversible harm.
• Knowledge as power: The Three Alliance appeals to Gao Jing because it can provide information about the Abyss, its cities, trade networks, and resources—knowledge he urgently lacks.
• Pollution and labor: Blackwater City’s polluted river reflects the harsh industrial conditions created by the Black Iron Mine, emphasizing the dependence of ordinary Abyssfolk on dangerous and environmentally damaging labor.
• Trust and cooperation: Gao Jing relies on Ling Ling’s local knowledge, while she comes to trust his judgment and moral character.

Character Interactions

• Gao Jing reassures Ling Ling after the killings and tests whether she can accept his actions. She responds by affirming that he did nothing wrong and promising to support him.
• Ling Ling proudly introduces the Alliance and encourages Gao Jing to join, highlighting its benefits.
• Gao Jing questions her about the organization, showing both curiosity and caution.
• At the market, Ling Ling protects Gao Jing from being overcharged, recognizing the stall owner’s attempt to exploit his unfamiliarity with local prices.
• Their easy cooperation during the bargaining scene reinforces their growing companionship and shows Ling Ling becoming a practical, trusted partner.

Chapter Summary: “Joining the Alliance”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Jing discovers that the wooden carving he purchased contains a large amount of Faith Power, which is absorbed by his Copper Anchor. To prevent the carving from visibly crumbling, he hides it in his backpack.
• With Ling Ling’s help, he finds and buys two more carvings. He learns that they are Gulu God Statues, sacred objects once used by Gulu Goblins. Because adventurers consider them nearly worthless loot, Gao Jing acquires them very cheaply.
• Gao Jing learns that Blackwater City uses small copper coins, with an exchange rate of one large copper coin to one thousand small copper coins. The Three Alliance provides currency exchange services.
• Ling Ling brings Gao Jing to the local branch of the 3,577 Abyss City Alliance, a large and well-equipped building containing mission boards, a tavern, an inn, and administrative facilities.
• At the branch, Ling Ling introduces Gao Jing as someone who wishes to join the Alliance. Her former companions approach her and invite her on a mission to hunt Stone-Nest Bugs, but she politely refuses.
• When the Alliance staff asks Gao Jing about his strength, he displays a Flame Longsaber Totem Battle Skill. This reveals him to be at least a High-Level Totem Warrior, astonishing everyone present.
• A leather-armored man who had been interested in Ling Ling becomes jealous and intimidated by Gao Jing’s strength. He secretly leaves without further confrontation.
• Gao Jing completes the Alliance registration process by providing basic information and pressing his thumbprint into beast blood. He receives a Level Three Alliance badge and a membership booklet.
• After exchanging currency and repaying Ling Ling, Gao Jing tours the Alliance building. He then leaves to return to Shan Tai, intending to come back the next day.
• As soon as he exits the Alliance branch, a group of armed warriors surrounds him and identifies him as their target, creating a cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing: Demonstrates his resourcefulness, generosity, and growing interest in collecting Faith Power. His casual display of advanced Totem Power establishes him as exceptionally talented and much stronger than most people his age. He also officially expands his network and access to the Abyss world by joining the Alliance.
• Ling Ling: Becomes increasingly friendly and comfortable with Gao Jing. She helps him bargain, lends him money, guides him through Blackwater City, and introduces him to the Alliance. Her refusal to rejoin her former team suggests she may be distancing herself from them or choosing to support Gao Jing instead.
• Leather-armored warrior: Reveals possessiveness toward Ling Ling and immediately views Gao Jing as a rival. His confidence collapses once Gao Jing demonstrates superior strength, causing him to retreat.
• Alliance staff: Treat Gao Jing with considerably greater respect after witnessing his Totem Battle Skill, emphasizing how strongly status depends on martial power.

Significant Themes

• Hidden value and misunderstood objects: The Gulu God Statues are considered worthless by ordinary adventurers, yet they contain valuable Faith Power for Gao Jing.
• Power determines status: Gao Jing’s strength instantly changes how others perceive and treat him, especially within the Alliance.
• Generosity and mutual benefit: Gao Jing rewards Ling Ling’s assistance and sees his generosity as a fair exchange for the opportunities she helped provide.
• Integration into a larger society: Joining the Alliance gives Gao Jing formal identity, mobility, access to missions, and connections across the Abyss cities.
• Jealousy and social rivalry: The leather-armored man’s reaction shows how Gao Jing’s appearance, wealth, and strength can provoke insecurity and hostility.
• Foreshadowing and danger: The abrupt ambush outside the Alliance suggests Gao Jing’s activities have attracted enemies or that his arrival in Blackwater City has already drawn attention.

Important Character Interactions

• Gao Jing and Ling Ling build trust through shopping, bargaining, and shared exploration.
• Ling Ling’s former teammate attempts to reclaim her for his group, but she rejects him, subtly prioritizing her current association with Gao Jing.
• Gao Jing’s public demonstration of power silences the potential rivalry and earns him immediate recognition from the Alliance.
• The chapter ends with Gao Jing confronted by armed warriors, setting up an imminent conflict.

Key plot points/events

• Gao Jing is surrounded by over a dozen elite Guard Corps warriors led by Deputy Commander Wan Ge, who intends to arrest him for killing two men in the lower district.
• Wan Ge uses a rat-faced informant to identify Gao Jing and blocks his retreat to the Alliance Branch, where he would be protected.
• Ling Ling urges Gao Jing to escape into the Alliance Branch and runs to find help.
• Gao Jing activates his Flame Blade totem, revealing his High-Level Totem Warrior strength; Wan Ge hesitates.
• Steward Zhi Qi unexpectedly arrives in a wheelchair and intervenes, claiming the killings were justified and ordering Wan Ge to leave.
• Wan Ge, intimidated by Zhi Qi’s power, withdraws with his men.
• Gao Jing thanks Zhi Qi, who complains that Gao Jing didn’t notify him of his visit. They agree to meet again tomorrow.

Character developments

• Gao Jing remains calm and fearless under pressure, ready to fight but grateful for a peaceful resolution.
• Ling Ling shows loyalty and quick thinking, but is embarrassed after previously criticizing Zhi Qi.
• Zhi Qi reveals himself as a powerful and influential figure in Blackwater City, acting protectively toward Gao Jing.
• Wan Ge is forced to back down despite his authority, showing the hierarchy among Blackwater City’s powers.

Significant themes

• Power and influence: Political authority (Zhi Qi) outweighs military force (Wan Ge).
• Protection and alliance: The Alliance Branch and connections provide safety.
• Misjudgment: Ling Ling’s earlier negative view of Zhi Qi is overturned.

Character interactions

• Gao Jing vs. Wan Ge: Confrontation and tension; Wan Ge yields to Zhi Qi’s command.
• Ling Ling and Gao Jing: Her concern and attempt to get help; Gao Jing reassures her.
• Gao Jing and Zhi Qi: A friendly, respectful encounter; Zhi Qi offers hospitality and future meeting.

Chapter Summary: “Gao Jing’s Scheme”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Jing returns from Blackwater Underground City to Azure River City by riding Zhi Qi’s domesticated Golden Armored Beetle through a hidden vertical passage.
• The beetle demands payment, refusing copper coins but happily accepting dried bear meat. Gao Jing realizes he has been overcharged, comparing the creature’s cleverness to its master, Zhi Qi.
• Red-Eyed Crows continue searching for the person responsible for the massacre. As the chief culprit, Gao Jing avoids them and secretly makes his way back to the inn.
• Shan Tai has not yet returned, so Gao Jing assesses his spoils from Blackwater City. He absorbs the Faith Power from three Gulu God Statues, discovering that their energy is unusually abundant and pure.
• The absorbed Faith Power produces a cluster of mysterious white Faithfire, though Gao Jing still does not know its purpose.
• Gao Jing identifies the Gulu statues as a promising new source of Faith Power and begins thinking about how to exploit another resource: the Abyss City Alliance badge.
• Shan Tai returns after visiting Qing Lan and presenting her with White Liquor. His success suggests that their plan to gain influence in Azure River City is working.
• Gao Jing explains the broader scheme: use White Liquor to build relationships with Azure River City’s ruling class and establish a profitable trade route for the impoverished Mountain Tribe.
• Salt initially seems like an ideal trade commodity, since Main World salt is much better than Azure River City’s Saltstone. However, Gao Jing recognizes that salt is politically sensitive and that selling superior salt could threaten Azure River City’s control and provoke hostility.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing remains resourceful, observant, and strategically minded. He avoids unnecessary conflict with the Red-Eyed Crows, carefully studies his gains, and looks for economic and political solutions to the Mountain Tribe’s problems.
• His understanding of Faith Power expands as he discovers that Gulu God Statues contain unusually pure energy capable of condensing into Faithfire.
• Gao Jing also shows concern for the Mountain Tribe’s long-term welfare. His goal is not merely personal profit but securing weapons, tools, food, and greater stability for his people.
• Shan Tai appears to have made progress with Qing Lan. His embarrassment and obvious happiness suggest that their relationship is developing, even though he gives Gao Jing very few details.
• Zhi Qi’s influence is felt through the Golden Armored Beetle, whose crafty behavior mirrors its owner’s personality.

Significant Themes

• Resourcefulness and opportunism: Gao Jing turns seemingly minor opportunities—such as statues, trade goods, and alliances—into potential sources of power and wealth.
• Economic power and political control: The discussion of salt and iron emphasizes that essential resources determine Azure River City’s dominance over surrounding tribes.
• Community responsibility: Gao Jing’s ambitions are tied to improving the Mountain Tribe’s harsh living conditions, especially by obtaining metal weapons and tools.
• Hidden power and discovery: The Faith Power and Faithfire introduce a developing supernatural mystery, while Gao Jing continues experimenting without fully understanding their purpose.
• Trust, influence, and social strategy: Rather than relying solely on force, Gao Jing seeks to build relationships with Qing Lan’s family and Azure River City’s upper ranks through White Liquor.

Character Interactions

• Gao Jing humorously negotiates with the Golden Armored Beetle, eventually paying it in dried meat rather than coins.
• He thinks about Shan Tai’s relationship with Qing Lan and hopes Shan Tai’s efforts succeed.
• When Shan Tai returns, Gao Jing teases him about his meeting with Qing Lan but stops when Shan Tai becomes embarrassed.
• Gao Jing and Shan Tai’s White Liquor venture demonstrates their cooperation: Shan Tai handles the personal connection with Qing Lan, while Gao Jing develops the larger economic strategy.
• The chapter ends with Gao Jing recognizing that gaining influence through trade will require caution, since directly challenging Azure River City’s control over salt could turn a profitable plan into a political threat.

Chapter Summary

Plot and Events

• Gao Jing abandons the idea of exporting coarse salt because selling it to the powerful Azure River City tribes would be too sensitive and dangerous. He instead chooses White Liquor as the Mountain Tribe’s external trade commodity because giants favor strong alcohol, the profits are high, and the Mountain Tribe can act as a middleman without revealing its own manufacturing capabilities.
• Gao Jing hopes the White Liquor trade will strengthen the Mountain Tribe’s relationship with the Qing River Caravan and improve Shan Tai’s chances of marrying Qing Lan. Shan Tai’s new status as an Array Totem Grand Warrior further increases their bargaining power.
• Before returning home, Gao Jing travels to Blackwater City to meet Zhi Qi, leader of the Qing River Caravan.
• He reaches Blackwater City by jumping through a chimney passage and using the Phantom Wing Pendant to glide safely to the Abyss City Alliance branch.
• At the Alliance branch, Gao Jing posts a long-term mission offering five hundred copper coins for each Gulu God Statue. He intends to acquire Faith Power through purchased statues rather than spending time hunting goblins himself. He deposits ten Shell Coins to fund the mission, potentially purchasing thousands of statues.
• Gao Jing then meets Zhi Qi on the branch’s fifth floor and gives him a box of genuine Ashton Cigars as thanks for his previous help. Their humorous conversation includes Gao Jing’s exaggerated claims about the cigars’ origins and a fictional “American Grand Commander.”
• After nearly two hours of negotiations, Gao Jing and Zhi Qi establish a preliminary cooperation plan concerning the White Liquor business.
• Gao Jing returns to Azure River City on Zhi Qi’s Golden Armored Beetle, then departs with Shan Tai for the Mountain Stronghold.

Character Development

• Gao Jing demonstrates strategic caution and commercial ingenuity. He recognizes that salt and iron would attract dangerous attention, while White Liquor offers profit with fewer political risks.
• He also shows his willingness to spend heavily and manipulate market incentives, using money to encourage adventurers to collect Gulu God Statues.
• Gao Jing continues to act as Shan Tai’s supporter and strategist, helping him pursue both tribal prosperity and marriage.
• Shan Tai displays complete trust in Gao Jing, agreeing to wait for him and follow his plans without objection.
• Zhi Qi is shown to be commercially minded and receptive to profitable ventures. His relationship with Gao Jing develops from mutual courtesy into a potentially important business partnership.

Themes

• Pragmatic trade and risk management: Gao Jing chooses a less politically dangerous commodity over more valuable but sensitive resources.
• Power through commerce: Wealth becomes a tool for cultivation, influence, and even marriage negotiations.
• Exploitation of incentives: Gao Jing turns the Alliance’s mission system into a means of gathering Faith Power, caring little about the consequences for goblins.
• Cultural misunderstanding and humor: Gao Jing’s fabricated explanations about cigars, America Abyss City, and political events create comic contrasts between the two worlds.
• Cooperation and social advancement: Business alliances may strengthen the Mountain Tribe and help Shan Tai overcome social barriers to marrying Qing Lan.

Character Interactions

• Gao Jing and Shan Tai discuss the White Liquor plan, with Gao Jing positioning the trade as a way to improve Shan Tai’s marriage prospects.
• Gao Jing interacts with the Alliance clerk while posting the Gulu God Statue mission, surprising the clerk with the unusually high reward.
• Gao Jing and Zhi Qi exchange polite but insincere greetings before discussing business. Gao Jing thanks him with cigars, and their playful conversation reinforces their growing rapport.
• Their extended negotiation concludes with a preliminary agreement that could connect the Mountain Tribe, Qing River Caravan, and Azure River City through White Liquor commerce.

Summary: "Happy New Year"

Key Plot Points

• The Great Wilderness Giants celebrate the final day of Calendar Year 31,755 with their most important festival: a bonfire ceremony in the stronghold training grounds, complete with drums, war songs, ancestor worship, and three hibernating black bears roasted over the fire.
• Gao Jing brings Main World fireworks to the celebration—bundled Roman candles for the children and enormous aerial fireworks that astonish the entire tribe. Shan Guo'er leads the children in lighting them.
• Old Wizard Shan Yan reflects on his past worries about the tribe's future versus his current hopeful outlook, symbolizing the community's improved fortunes since Gao Jing's arrival.
• Shan Guo'er privately asks Gao Jing if she can set off fireworks next year; he promises even bigger ones.
• The next morning (New Year's Day), Gao Jing wakes Shan Guo'er with news of a gift. He gives her: (1) a bright red Tang-style cotton jacket embroidered with golden phoenixes—custom-ordered from a Main World costume company since she stands 11.5 meters tall—and (2) a real "large" red envelope containing six copper coins as New Year's money (one per year of her age), explaining the legend of the Sui demon that preys on children during the New Year.
• Shan Guo'er, moved by the gifts and customs, asks Gao Jing if he will always be this good to her. He promises he will, and for the first time, she truly believes she won't be abandoned.
• The chapter ends with Ah Huang the dog joining them; Shan Guo'er hugs him and wishes him Happy New Year.

Character Developments

• Shan Guo'er: Her long-held insecurity (fear that her happiness will vanish) finally resolves. Though she'd asked similar questions before, this time she genuinely internalizes Gao Jing's promise and stops feeling panicked about possible partings. She also wishes to grow up slowly so she can keep receiving New Year's money.
• Gao Jing: Explicitly reveals his paternal bond: "I have long regarded Shan Guo'er as my own daughter. In this world, the little girl has become my deepest bond." His gift-giving shows thoughtfulness and devotion (measuring, custom-ordering, planning).
• Shan Yan (Old Wizard): Completes a subtle arc—one year ago he feared for the tribe's survival; now he watches the fireworks with relaxed wrinkles and optimism.

Significant Themes

• New beginnings and hope: The New Year holiday frames renewal; the tribe's mood contrasts sharply with the previous year's uncertainty.
• Found family and unconditional love: Gao Jing and Shan Guo'er's father-daughter relationship transcends species and blood, culminating in the promise scene.
• Cross-cultural exchange: Main World customs (fireworks, red envelopes, New Year's money, the Sui legend) are grafted onto Great Wilderness tradition, enriching both worlds.
• Childhood and its preservation: Shan Guo'er's joy, the children's wonder at fireworks, and her secret wish to stay young highlight the preciousness of childhood innocence.
• Security and belonging: The emotional core is a child's fear of loss transforming into trust and peace.

Character Interactions

• The communal bonfire celebration unites the whole tribe; children run to the walls with fireworks while Giants watch in awe.
• Shan Guo'er's whispered request on the stronghold wall is a tender, intimate moment—her smile is described as more dazzling than the fireworks.
• Gao Jing teases her awake ("The sun is shining on your butt!" / "If you don't get up, I'll give your gift to someone else!"), showing their playful rapport.
• Gao Jing carefully instructs her on how to wear the jacket properly; she handles it with uncharacteristic gentleness.
• The climactic interaction: Gao Jing stands on the table and presses his palm to Shan Guo'er's face as she leans in, a quiet physical symbol of their bond and his promise. Her fear melts away in that touch.
• The chapter closes with the cozy image of Shan Guo'er hugging Ah Huang and wishing him a Happy New Year, the family unit complete.

Chapter Summary: Another Breakthrough

Key Plot Points

• Gao Jing has been sparring daily with Shan Tai (a pinnacle Totem Grand Warrior) at Ten-Mile Slope for nearly half a month since the New Year
• During a training session, Gao Jing drinks his last jar of Earthfury Bear blood and attacks with full power
• Mid-combat, Gao Jing suddenly breaks through from High-Level to Upper-Tier Totem Warrior — his blade flames change from scarlet to crimson-white with severalfold higher temperature, and his Flame Blade cuts deep into Shan Tai's shield, nearly piercing it (previously impossible)
• Shan Tai takes Gao Jing to see the old Wizard Shan Yan, who is shocked by the news
• Shan Yan asks about Gao Jing's future plans and offers him "two choices" (left to be revealed)

Character Developments

• Gao Jing: Breaks through to Upper-Tier Totem Warrior, gaining the Battle Armor ability (a qualitative leap in defense). His growth is unprecedented — from ordinary person to Upper-Tier Totem Warrior in six months at the stronghold (or a year counting Main World training). Despite his talent, he does not become arrogant; the gap between him and Shan Tai humbles him and sharpens his will. He remains committed to his original goal: becoming a Wizard/Shaman.
• Shan Tai: Acts as a sparring partner/practice dummy for Gao Jing, genuinely praising his progress and sincerely congratulating him on the breakthrough.
• Shan Yan: His common sense is repeatedly overturned by Gao Jing's monstrous feats, though he's now more resistant to shock. He takes an active interest in guiding Gao Jing's path forward.

Significant Themes

• Relentless pursuit of growth: Training continues even in the harshest cold
• Humility despite talent: Gao Jing sees the enormous gap between himself and Shan Tai and uses it to temper his will and grind away arrogance
• Warrior vs. Wizard path: Even gifted in martial cultivation, Gao Jing stays true to his dream of becoming a mage
• The value of strong opponents: Shan Tai's role as an unbreakable shield forces Gao Jing to grow

Character Interactions

• Gao Jing ↔ Shan Tai: A respectful mentorship/sparring dynamic. Shan Tai becomes both a measuring stick and a wall for Gao Jing to overcome; their exchange is friendly, with Shan Tai celebrating Gao Jing's achievement.
• Gao Jing ↔ Shan Yan: Shan Yan, astounded by the breakthrough, dismisses Shan Tai and asks privately about Gao Jing's intentions. Gao Jing answers without hesitation that he still wants to become a Wizard, setting up a pivotal decision with the "two choices" he is offered.

Chapter Summary: “Inheritance Stone”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shan Yan explains that most Great Wilderness Wizards begin as warriors because wizard cultivation and spellcasting consume Life Origin Force, requiring a strong physical foundation.
• Gao Jing, possessing both fire and spirit Source Essences and having reached the High-Tier Totem Warrior level, is fully qualified to transition into wizard cultivation.
• Shan Yan presents Gao Jing with two options:
  1. Begin wizard cultivation immediately as a Witch Adept.
  2. Continue advancing as a warrior until reaching the peak of the Totem Warrior path, then become a wizard.
• Shan Yan warns that switching paths after becoming a Low-Tier Totem Grand Warrior is dangerous because fusing with a Demon Beast Soul can conflict with spell cultivation, potentially damaging the foundation or causing death.
• The strongest Battle Wizards are those who first reach the Upper-Tier Totem Grand Warrior realm, fully integrate their Beast Souls, and then cultivate wizardcraft.
• Shan Yan explains the three major wizard paths:
  • Battle Wizards, who combine martial techniques and spells.
  • True Knowledge Wizards, who focus on spiritual cultivation, research, and spells.
  • Creation Wizards, who create artifacts, potions, runes, salt, coins, and weapons.
• Gao Jing chooses to continue along the martial path, believing the more scholarly wizard paths do not suit him.
• Shan Yan gives Gao Jing a precious Inheritance Stone containing the Mountain Tribe Soul Refining Art, the tribe’s sole inherited secret art.
• Gao Jing promises to return two Inheritance Stones to the tribe after becoming a Grand Wizard. Immediately afterward, he senses an uncanny force descending upon him.

Character Development

• Gao Jing demonstrates decisiveness and self-awareness by choosing the warrior route rather than rushing into wizard cultivation. His preference for direct combat confirms that he is naturally suited to becoming a Battle Wizard.
• Shan Yan acts as both mentor and guardian of the tribe’s future. Though cautious with his limited Life Origin Force, he recognizes Gao Jing’s extraordinary potential and entrusts him with one of the tribe’s most valuable treasures.
• Shan Yan’s history is revealed: he was once a Battle Wizard but gradually became more like a True Knowledge Wizard as age reduced his ability to fight directly.
• Gao Jing’s solemn promise shows growing loyalty to the Mountain Tribe and a willingness to repay its trust.

Significant Themes

• The importance of foundations: A strong body is essential for enduring wizard cultivation, and the timing of a class transition can determine future strength or ruin.
• Choice and specialization: Gao Jing must choose between rapid wizard advancement and deeper martial development, highlighting the sacrifices involved in pursuing power.
• Heritage and responsibility: The Inheritance Stone embodies the Mountain Tribe’s history, knowledge, and hopes for survival.
• Trust and reciprocity: Shan Yan entrusts Gao Jing with a rare secret art, while Gao Jing vows to repay the tribe once he gains sufficient power.
• The unity of martial and magical paths: The chapter presents Battle Wizards as a synthesis of physical combat and spellcraft rather than a strict separation between warriors and wizards.

Character Interactions

• Shan Yan carefully explains the risks and benefits of each possible path, treating Gao Jing as someone capable of making an important decision.
• Gao Jing challenges Shan Yan by asking whether he can delay wizard cultivation until after reaching the Low-Tier Totem Grand Warrior stage. Shan Yan firmly rejects the idea and explains the dangers of conflicting powers.
• Shan Yan encourages Gao Jing toward the Battle Wizard path, while Gao Jing confirms that fighting-oriented cultivation best matches his personality.
• Their exchange over the Inheritance Stone becomes a moment of mutual respect: Shan Yan offers the treasure despite its immense value, and Gao Jing accepts only after promising to return even more to the tribe.

Chapter Summary: “Towering Kunlun”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Under Shan Yan’s guidance, Gao Jing uses the precious Inheritance Stone to receive the Mountain Tribe Soul Refining Art.
• The stone overwhelms him with ancient memories and mysterious information. Although the experience feels timeless, the complete 3,579-character secret art is eventually imprinted in his Sea of Consciousness.
• Gao Jing comprehends the technique immediately, despite its far greater profundity than the Great Wilderness Battle Record and Totem Primer.
• The Soul Refining Art focuses on cultivating spiritual power, which is essential for a wizard’s spellcasting. Gao Jing realizes that his previous use of the Copper Anchor and Witchcraft Artifacts had only provided rudimentary spiritual training.
• The first step of the technique is to visualize a sacred mountain within the Sea of Consciousness. Rather than choosing the Great Wilderness Humans’ Ancestor Mountain, Gao Jing selects Kunlun Mountain from his memories of the Main World.
• Kunlun resonates with him because of its cultural importance as the “ancestor of all mountains” in Great Xia and because he has vivid memories of a documentary about it.
• Gao Jing successfully manifests a Kunlun Divine Mountain in his Sea of Consciousness. His spiritual perception becomes dramatically sharper, and he feels as though the world has become clearer.
• The Inheritance Stone crumbles after the inheritance is completed. Shan Yan reveals that nearly an entire day has passed.
• Since Gao Jing has reached the High-Tier Totem Warrior realm, Shan Yan asks about his second Essence Totem.
• Shan Yan recommends that Gao Jing choose another Flame Blade rather than Blazing Hammer, Scarlet Fist, or Sparks Scorch the Plains.
• Gao Jing accepts the advice and decides to carve a second Flame Blade, allowing him to wield one in each hand.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing: His spiritual foundation advances significantly through the Mountain Tribe Soul Refining Art. He demonstrates strong willpower by surviving the inheritance process and instantly comprehending the secret art. He also shows maturity and restraint by carefully choosing Kunlun based on personal resonance rather than simply following tradition. His decision to specialize in Flame Blade techniques establishes him as a focused future Battle Wizard.
• Shan Yan: He acts as Gao Jing’s mentor and guide, providing the Inheritance Stone and later offering strategic advice about Gao Jing’s combat development. His approval shows that Gao Jing has successfully passed a demanding spiritual test.

Significant Themes

• Inheritance and identity: Gao Jing receives an ancient tribal technique but adapts its first principle to his own cultural and emotional identity, choosing Kunlun instead of the traditional Ancestor Mountain.
• Spiritual cultivation: The chapter emphasizes that true wizardly strength depends on building a powerful spirit, not merely accumulating combat techniques.
• Specialization over excess: Shan Yan stresses that mastering one technique deeply is better than spreading one’s time across too many abilities.
• Connection between memory and power: Gao Jing’s vivid memories of Kunlun enable him to form a stronger spiritual mountain, showing how personal experience and emotional resonance influence cultivation.
• Tradition versus individuality: Gao Jing respects the inherited method while making an independent choice that better suits his origins and sense of belonging.

Character Interactions

• Shan Yan guides Gao Jing through the inheritance process and later confirms his success.
• Gao Jing expresses gratitude and respect toward Shan Yan, trusting his judgment.
• Their discussion about the second Essence Totem highlights Shan Yan’s strategic wisdom and Gao Jing’s willingness to accept sound advice.
• The exchange ultimately leads Gao Jing to adopt a dual-Flame-Blade fighting style focused on refinement and coordinated combat.

Chapter Summary: “Joy, Happiness, Peace, and Safety”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Spring suddenly arrives in the Great Wilderness, ending the long winter. The Mountain Stronghold awakens, with warriors preparing to hunt and women repairing homes and making baskets.
• Gao Jing leaves the stronghold for the Main World, promising Shan Guo’er that he will return soon. She is no longer anxious when he leaves, trusting him and looking forward to the food and novelties he brings back.
• Gao Jing plans to fulfill his new trade agreement with Zhi Qi and Azure River City by supplying 5,000 tons of white liquor. The order will cost roughly 250 million yuan, forcing him to spend considerable time in the Main World earning and arranging the necessary funds.
• After returning to Cloud City, Gao Jing contacts Ji Yu and learns that she will soon travel to Lion City with her mother for the Lunar New Year. Her absence reminds him of the loneliness he has felt during past holidays since his grandfather’s death.
• Gao Jing purchases a white Mercedes-Benz G63, planning to drive it to the Western Frontier after the New Year. He intends to visit Kunlun Mountain in person because the old shaman, Shan Yan, told him that directly seeing the sacred mountain he visualized may help him advance in the Mountain Tribe Soul Refining Art.
• Gao Jing’s cultivation has reached the First Mountain realm, in which Kunlun exists only as a phantom in his consciousness. To reach the Second Mountain, he must transform that illusion into reality, a difficult breakthrough that may require personal contact with the actual sacred mountain.
• Gao Jing buys various luxury goods and daily necessities before unexpectedly receiving a call from Ji Yu. Although she had said she was busy preparing for her trip, she arranges matters at work and asks him to pick her up.
• The two spend the evening together, sharing dinner and intimacy at a hotel before Ji Yu must return home to prepare for her flight.
• Ji Yu explains her family history: her maternal grandparents and extended family live in Lion City, where she spends the New Year surrounded by relatives. This family gathering helps ease her sadness over her father’s death.
• Gao Jing comforts Ji Yu as she becomes emotional, holding her tightly while she prepares to leave for more than half a month.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing becomes increasingly established in both worlds. He is not only managing tribal and intercity trade but also planning major financial and cultivation-related endeavors in the Main World.
• His success and wealth have not erased his loneliness; Ji Yu’s departure and the memory of spending lonely holidays after his grandfather’s death reveal his continuing emotional vulnerability.
• Gao Jing shows determination in cultivation. Rather than waiting passively, he commits to traveling to Kunlun despite the difficult season, demonstrating urgency and ambition.
• Shan Guo’er has grown more confident and emotionally secure. She now trusts Gao Jing’s promises and views his departures as temporary rather than threatening.
• Ji Yu reveals a softer, more dependent side of herself. She seeks Gao Jing’s company despite her busy schedule, feels reluctant to leave him, and finds comfort and safety in his embrace.
• Shan Yan’s past experience provides Gao Jing with important spiritual guidance and motivates his journey to the Western Frontier.

Significant Themes

• Renewal and awakening: The sudden arrival of spring symbolizes the revival of the Great Wilderness, the stronghold, and its people after a harsh winter.
• Trust and emotional security: Shan Guo’er’s confidence in Gao Jing and Ji Yu’s sense of safety with him show how dependable relationships provide stability.
• Ambition and transformation: Gao Jing’s business plans, vehicle purchase, and journey to Kunlun reflect his determination to advance materially and spiritually.
• Loneliness versus belonging: Gao Jing’s solitary holidays contrast with Ji Yu’s large family gatherings, emphasizing the emotional importance of companionship and family.
• The meeting of two worlds: Gao Jing’s life is divided between the Main World and the Great Wilderness, requiring him to balance commerce, cultivation, responsibility, and personal relationships.
• Joy and peace: The chapter focuses less on conflict and more on the rare comfort Gao Jing feels while holding Ji Yu, highlighting happiness, intimacy, and a sense of safety amid his demanding life.

Important Character Interactions

• Gao Jing and Shan Guo’er part warmly at the stronghold gate, with her promising to wait for him.
• Gao Jing’s trade relationship with Zhi Qi creates a major commercial obligation involving Azure River City and the Mountain Stronghold.
• Shan Yan’s advice shapes Gao Jing’s decision to visit Kunlun Mountain and pursue the next stage of cultivation.
• Gao Jing and Ji Yu reconnect after her initial claim that she is too busy. Their dinner and private evening strengthen their emotional bond.
• Ji Yu shares painful family memories with Gao Jing, and he responds not with words but with physical comfort and reassurance, deepening their intimacy.

Chapter Summary: “Flame Battle Armor Test”

Key Plot Points and Events

• In the villa basement, Gao Jing completes the final stage of developing Battle Aura Armor, a signature ability of High-Tier Totem Warriors.
• Using his fire-aspected Battle Aura and control enhanced by the Mountain Tribe Soul Refining Art, he creates a full suit of crimson Flame Battle Armor. The armor covers him from head to toe and can automatically repair damage by consuming Battle Aura.
• Gao Jing tests the armor’s defenses against several firearms:
  • A Glock 19 bullet is completely stopped and deflected.
  • A more powerful Colt Viper round also fails to penetrate, though it consumes more Battle Aura.
  • He then tests against an M16 and an AK-74, confirming that even rifle rounds cannot easily break through the armor.
• Gao Jing concludes that ordinary pistols and rifles no longer pose an immediate threat to him, though he recognizes that sustained machine-gun fire could exhaust his Battle Aura. He avoids testing against a Barrett M107A1, believing only a future Totem Grand Warrior advancement might allow him to withstand its heavy ammunition.
• After storing the weapons and cleaning the basement, Gao Jing visits Tiger Rose Tattoo Studio to receive his second Essence Totem, the Flame Blade Totem, tattooed onto his left arm.
• Tattoo artist Fan Hu warns Gao Jing that he is getting tattoos too frequently and should avoid covering his body with them. Gao Jing appreciates the concern but privately decides he may need to find another tattoo artist in the future.
• Fan Hu also tells Gao Jing that Walarilo, a fellow disciple of the professional fighter Shawang Suxi, has challenged him for a $100,000 appearance fee. Gao Jing jokingly demands ten times that amount before he will consider accepting.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing demonstrates major growth in both power and technical control. He is no longer merely a newly advanced High-Tier Totem Warrior; he can now construct sophisticated armor comparable to a supernatural suit of protection.
• His mastery of the Mountain Tribe Soul Refining Art significantly improves his precision, allowing him to create armor far superior to what most newly advanced Totem Warriors could manage.
• Gao Jing becomes much more confident about operating in the Main World, since firearms that once represented a deadly threat can now be resisted.
• Despite his growing strength, he remains cautious and practical. He understands the limitations of his armor, particularly its Battle Aura consumption and vulnerability to sustained or high-caliber fire.
• His increasing collection of tattoos reflects his commitment to developing his Totem abilities, while Fan Hu’s warning highlights the physical and social consequences of that path.

Significant Themes

• Power gained through refinement: Battle Aura Armor is not simply acquired through advancement; its quality depends on control, craftsmanship, and personal adaptation.
• Strength and limitation: Gao Jing’s new defense makes him extraordinarily resilient, but it is not invincible. Ammunition strength and Battle Aura consumption remain important constraints.
• Preparation and experimentation: Rather than relying on assumptions, Gao Jing tests his abilities systematically with different firearms to understand their practical limits.
• Transformation and identity: His supernatural tattoos and armor increasingly distinguish him from ordinary people, even as he continues living in the modern world.
• Confidence versus recklessness: Gao Jing is pleased by his new power but avoids testing himself against the Barrett rifle, showing that his confidence has not eliminated caution.

Character Interactions

• Gao Jing and Fan Hu: Fan Hu acts as both tattoo artist and concerned acquaintance. He efficiently tattoos Gao Jing’s Flame Blade Totem but advises him not to continue getting tattoos so frequently. Gao Jing responds good-naturedly and acknowledges Fan Hu’s sincerity.
• Gao Jing and Walarilo: Although they do not meet directly, Walarilo’s challenge introduces a potential future conflict. Gao Jing treats the offer humorously, demanding a much higher appearance fee rather than immediately accepting.
• Gao Jing and Shawang Suxi: Shawang is connected indirectly through Walarilo and Gao Jing’s previous encounter or awareness of him as a professional fighter. His faction’s challenge suggests that Gao Jing’s growing reputation is attracting increasingly serious opponents.

Chapter Summary: “Westward for Six Thousand Li”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Jing’s newly awakened bloodline and advancement to the Transcendent realm have made him overwhelmingly stronger than everyone in the Main World. His main challenge is now controlling his strength rather than defeating opponents.
• At Fan Hu’s tattoo shop, Gao Jing jokes about fighting professional boxers for no payment. Fan Hu recognizes that Gao Jing’s confidence is based on genuine power, though he doubts the fighters would accept the challenge.
• Back home, Gao Jing tests the Flame Blade Totem carved onto his left arm. He successfully manifests Flame Blades in both hands, discovering that the dual-blade form is more powerful but difficult to control.
• He spends three days and nights training his left-handed Flame Blade with the Seven Enemy-Breaking Blades technique. His goal is to make both hands equally proficient before developing a personalized dual-blade battle skill.
• After resting, Gao Jing buys and collects his Mercedes-Benz G63, then spontaneously begins a journey west toward Kunlun Mountain. The trip spans roughly six thousand li and crosses six provinces.
• During the drive, he experiments with infusing the moving vehicle with Battle Aura. His spiritual power allows him to envelop and understand the vehicle’s internal structure without damaging it.
• The infusion makes Gao Jing feel unified with the vehicle, giving him extraordinary control and awareness. He can perform advanced driving maneuvers effortlessly and sense nearby vehicles, potentially giving him the ability to dominate professional racing.
• After reaching Shanzhou, he has the G63 serviced and spends the night there. The next day, heavy snow and road closures force him off the expressway.
• When even the Battle Aura-enhanced vehicle can no longer cross the snow-covered terrain, Gao Jing stores it away and continues toward Kunlun Mountain on foot through the storm.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing: His strength continues to grow, but the chapter emphasizes his increasing mastery and control rather than raw power alone. He begins adapting traditional battle skills to his own abilities, experimenting with dual blades and Battle Aura infusion.
• Fan Hu: He becomes more aware of the vast gap between Gao Jing and ordinary fighters. His reaction shifts from practical skepticism to silent recognition of Gao Jing’s extraordinary confidence and ability.
• Gao Jing’s relationship with tradition: He takes Shan Yan’s teachings seriously, accepting that ancient battle skills are refined legacies rather than outdated techniques. He intends to build upon the Flame Blade instead of abandoning it for supposedly stronger skills.

Significant Themes

• Strength and restraint: Gao Jing has reached a level where uncontrolled power is more dangerous than any opponent, making discipline essential.
• Mastery over novelty: True power comes from perfecting a foundational technique and adapting it personally, not merely choosing the strongest available skill.
• Human-machine unity: The Battle Aura experiment extends Gao Jing’s warrior abilities into the technological world, allowing him to perceive and control a vehicle almost like a living mount.
• Determination and adventure: Gao Jing’s longing for Kunlun Mountain overcomes loneliness, bad weather, blocked roads, and physical hardship.
• Tradition meeting modernity: Ancient Totem Warrior abilities are applied to a modern Mercedes-Benz, blending supernatural cultivation with contemporary technology.

Character Interactions

• Gao Jing and Fan Hu: Their conversation is lighthearted but reveals the enormous disparity between Gao Jing and professional fighters. Fan Hu doubts anyone would accept Gao Jing’s challenge, while Gao Jing jokes about demanding payment before allowing himself to be “beaten.”
• Gao Jing and Shan Yan’s teachings: Though Shan Yan is not present, his advice guides Gao Jing’s training. Gao Jing follows the old shaman’s belief that every traditional battle skill has value and can become powerful through mastery.
• Gao Jing and his vehicle: Through Battle Aura Infusion, Gao Jing develops an almost symbiotic relationship with the Mercedes G63, treating it like a mount and gaining unparalleled control over it.

Chapter Summary: “Sacred Mountain Resonance”

Key Plot Points and Events

• In the brutal winter of the Kunlun Mountains, with temperatures below –20°C and powerful blizzards sweeping across the plateau, Gao Jing travels alone toward the mountains.
• His Battle Armor protects him from the freezing conditions, allowing him to move rapidly and use his Transcendent abilities without concern for witnesses.
• Upon reaching Kunlun, Gao Jing is deeply awed by the mountain’s grandeur. Seeing the real landscape strengthens and solidifies the Sacred Mountain he has visualized in his Sea of Consciousness.
• Rather than climb immediately, he seeks shelter in a cave, only to discover that it is occupied by a starving Snow Leopard mother and her two cubs.
• The leopard initially threatens Gao Jing, but he uses his spiritual power to convey goodwill. He then offers the family a large piece of Barbarian Bull meat, easing the mother’s hostility and helping the cubs survive.
• Gao Jing sets up a tent inside the cave and spends the night cultivating the Mountain Tribe Soul Refining Art. He senses a powerful spiritual connection between himself and Kunlun, feeling as though he has returned to his true homeland.
• The next morning, he leaves additional meat for the Snow Leopard family as “rent” and climbs the mountain in search of spiritual resonance rather than the summit.
• While meditating on a snowy slope, Gao Jing achieves Sacred Mountain Resonance, the breakthrough marking the first realm of the Mountain Tribe Soul Refining Art. The Sacred Mountain in his consciousness transforms from illusion into reality, doubling his spiritual power.
• After celebrating, Gao Jing investigates an unusual sensation near a rock and begins digging through the snow and ice, discovering something buried beneath it. The chapter ends on this cliffhanger.

Character Development

• Gao Jing demonstrates confidence, resilience, and compassion. Although vastly more powerful than the Snow Leopard, he avoids conflict and assists the starving family.
• His spiritual cultivation advances significantly: his connection to Kunlun deepens, and he successfully completes the first stage of his soul-refining technique.
• Gao Jing’s bond with the mountain becomes almost personal and instinctive. He views himself as a wanderer returning to his original home, suggesting that Kunlun may be tied to his deeper identity or destiny.
• The Snow Leopard mother shifts from fear and hostility to wary acceptance after Gao Jing communicates goodwill and provides food. Her protective instincts toward her cubs are emphasized.
• The cubs are portrayed as vulnerable but curious, with one attempting to approach Gao Jing before being restrained by its mother.

Significant Themes

• Harmony between humans and nature: Gao Jing chooses cooperation over domination, respecting the Snow Leopard’s territory and helping the family survive.
• Spiritual resonance and belonging: Kunlun is more than a physical location; it acts as a source of spiritual connection and personal identity for Gao Jing.
• Transformation through cultivation: The mountain’s reality within Gao Jing’s consciousness reflects his growing power and the merging of the inner and outer worlds.
• Survival in a harsh environment: Both Gao Jing and the Snow Leopard family confront the dangers of winter, though their abilities and circumstances differ.
• Mystery and discovery: The buried object at the end hints at a new revelation connected to Kunlun’s secrets.

Important Character Interactions

• Gao Jing and the Snow Leopard mother begin as potential enemies, but his spiritual reassurance and gift of meat establish a tense yet peaceful coexistence.
• The mother prioritizes feeding her cubs before herself, highlighting her protective nature.
• One curious cub attempts to approach Gao Jing, but its mother immediately stops it, maintaining caution despite accepting his help.
• Gao Jing’s interaction with Kunlun is largely spiritual rather than physical: by visualizing and resonating with the mountain, he achieves a major cultivation breakthrough.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points

• Gao Jing, while in the Kunlun Mountains, senses something unusual and digs into the ice, uncovering the corpse of a fully equipped young mountaineer
• He photographs the scene, stores the body in his storage space, and returns to Shanzhou
• He buys an ice coffin from a funeral service company and places the victim's body inside it
• From the victim's backpack, he finds an ID card identifying him as He Yuanbo, a native of the capital, one year younger than Gao Jing
• The victim's phone charges but is password-locked; Gao Jing makes no attempt to crack it
• He plans to return to Cloud City the next day, though he notes he'll still be alone for the New Year
• Zhong Yunxiu calls him, revealing her first movie premieres on Lunar New Year's Day in Shanghai, and she's the female lead—Gao Jing correctly guesses her family invested in it, and she hangs up in embarrassment
• Late at night, the dead mountaineer's phone rings; the caller is labeled "The One I Love Most"—a woman identifying herself as He Yuanbo's lover
• She offers him 5 million yuan, but Gao Jing refuses, asking only to be left alone afterward
• After ending the call, Gao Jing cultivates the Mountain Tribe Soul Refining Art to clear his mind

Character Developments

• Gao Jing: Shows strong moral character—respects the dead, refuses payment for his good deed, and doesn't pry into the victim's phone. He's pragmatic and avoids complications, preferring a quiet life. His cultivation practice (Mountain Tribe Soul Refining Art) is noted as his method of mental discipline
• Zhong Yunxiu: Demonstrates insecurity beneath her bragging, seeking Gao Jing's acknowledgment of her success, and reacts emotionally when he sees through her (correctly guessing her family funded the film)

Significant Themes

• Respect for the dead: Gao Jing's thorough handling of the corpse—storing it properly, photographing evidence, and seeking to return it to family—reflects his sense of moral duty
• Doing good without reward: Gao Jing's refusal of 5 million yuan reinforces his integrity; "He sought no reward, only a clear conscience"
• Isolation: Gao Jing notes he's alone regardless of where he spends the New Year, highlighting his solitary life
• The supernatural/mystical: His ability to sense the corpse through resonating with the mountain hints at his unique powers

Character Interactions

• Gao Jing ↔ Zhong Yunxiu: A tense, teasing phone call. She calls him "Uncle," seems eager to impress him, and grows frustrated when he sees through her. Their dynamic suggests an underlying connection despite their different worlds
• Gao Jing ↔ The woman (He Yuanbo's lover): A solemn, emotionally heavy conversation. She first screams in despair, then calms and offers money; Gao Jing sets clear boundaries, asking only for distance after the handover

Chapter Summary: “A Great Favor”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Jing waits on an isolated road near Shanzhou to return He Yuanbo’s body, which he recovered from Kunlun Mountain after Yuanbo had been missing for more than three years.
• He Yuanbo’s wealthy family arrives in a convoy from the Capital City, including his older brother He Yuanpeng, sister-in-law Qin Qing, and several bodyguards.
• Qin Qing grieves intensely upon seeing Yuanbo’s body, while He Yuanpeng confirms its identity and collects Yuanbo’s backpack, identification, and phone.
• He Yuanpeng questions Gao Jing about how he found and transported Yuanbo’s body alone in a single day, finding the explanation nearly impossible to believe.
• To demonstrate that he is not an ordinary person, Gao Jing crushes a stone into powder with his bare hand and implies that he possesses extraordinary abilities connected to Kunlun Mountain.
• Qin Qing reminds He Yuanpeng that she promised not to investigate Gao Jing’s methods as long as Yuanbo was brought home. Gao Jing refuses the family’s promised five-million reward.
• Qin Qing gives Gao Jing her business card, offering future assistance if he ever needs it. Gao Jing accepts it before departing for Cloud City.
• After Gao Jing leaves, He Yuanpeng remains suspicious but ultimately acknowledges that Gao Jing has performed an immense kindness. Qin Qing argues that they should respond with gratitude rather than suspicion.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing: Demonstrates compassion, honesty, and restraint by returning Yuanbo’s body, preserving his belongings, refusing payment, and explaining himself only to avoid future complications. He also reveals a glimpse of his supernatural strength and becomes aware that Yuanbo’s spirit can generate Faith Power.
• He Yuanpeng: Initially approaches Gao Jing with grief and suspicion, but gradually recognizes the magnitude of Gao Jing’s favor. Although he still doubts Gao Jing’s story, he chooses not to act ungratefully.
• Qin Qing: Shown as deeply devoted to Yuanbo and emotionally fragile but morally clear-minded. Her priority is bringing Yuanbo home, and she prevents He Yuanpeng from pursuing unnecessary questions. She expresses sincere gratitude toward Gao Jing.
• He Yuanbo: Though deceased, Yuanbo remains important through his family’s grief and the mysterious Faith Power that flows from him, suggesting that his gratitude or spirit continues to influence events.

Significant Themes

• Gratitude versus suspicion: The He family must decide whether to investigate Gao Jing or honor the extraordinary kindness he has shown them.
• Respect for the dead and closure: Returning Yuanbo’s body allows him to come home and gives his family the chance to mourn properly.
• Hidden power and mystery: Gao Jing’s abilities and the source of his supernatural strength remain unexplained, linking him to the legends of Kunlun Mountain.
• The value of righteousness: Gao Jing acts out of principle rather than financial gain, reinforcing the idea that true kindness should not be measured by reward.
• Faith and spiritual influence: Yuanbo’s posthumous generation of Faith Power introduces a supernatural dimension and suggests that emotional bonds may persist after death.

Character Interactions

• Gao Jing and Qin Qing share a respectful exchange centered on Yuanbo’s return and the family’s gratitude.
• He Yuanpeng questions Gao Jing about the recovery, but Gao Jing calmly answers and demonstrates his extraordinary strength.
• Qin Qing intervenes when He Yuanpeng’s suspicions threaten to overshadow their gratitude, reminding him of their promise and their moral responsibility.
• The chapter ends with He Yuanpeng and Qin Qing united in accepting Gao Jing’s favor, even though the mystery surrounding him remains unresolved.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points & Events

• Gao Jing drives back to Cloud City from the Western Frontier, reflecting on He Yuanbo's death (three years prior) and the realization that Qin Qing had been repeatedly calling her dead husband's number, hoping for a miracle—which allowed He Yuanbo to "return home" immediately after his phone was charged.
• Gao Jing is struck by the realization that his understanding of Faith Power was shallow, leading to a moment of humility ("The more a person knows, the more they understand their own ignorance").
• On the 29th of the twelfth lunar month, Gao Jing receives a call from his timid half-sister, Gao Yuanyuan, asking for help.
• He finds her and her mother, Ge Guizhi, living in a squalid, illegally built shack in an old neighborhood slated for demolition, besieged by debt collectors demanding repayment of Gao Hongbo's debts.
• Gao Jing drives off the creditors by unleashing the Red Serpent's pressure, terrifying them (one man wets himself).
• He learns that Ge Guizhi lost her job due to the harassment and that his father, Gao Hongbo, fled abroad after his business failed, leaving mountains of debt.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing: Reaches a philosophical understanding of love and death; shows humility about his knowledge of Faith Power; demonstrates compassion by intervening for his estranged half-sister despite their lack of closeness. His capacity for protective anger is on display.
• Ge Guizhi: Revealed as a down-on-her-luck mother, retaining traces of past beauty but broken by hardship; has been collateral damage to Gao Hongbo's failures.
• Gao Yuanyuan: Introduced as a thin, frail, timid girl (17-18) with fair skin and large eyes; clearly suffering from their circumstances.

Significant Themes

• Love and sacrifice — The tragedy of He Yuanbo and Qin Qing's devotion ("What, in all the world, was love, that it made life and death pledge themselves to one another!")
• Family obligation — Gao Jing helping family he barely knows, separating his half-sister's innocence from his father's misdeeds
• Consequences of others' actions — Ge Guizhi and Gao Yuanyuan paying for Gao Hongbo's failures
• Knowledge and humility — Recognizing the limits of one's understanding
• Power as protection — Gao Jing using intimidation to shield the vulnerable

Character Interactions

• Gao Jing's internal reflection on He Yuanbo, Qin Qing, and the nature of Faith Power
• Confrontation with the debt collectors (who flee in terror after his pressure display)
• Conversation with Ge Guizhi, who tearfully explains her situation (lost job, harassment, blamed for Gao Hongbo's debts)
• Brief, tender exchange with Gao Yuanyuan, who addresses him timidly as "Brother"

Author's Note: The author explains he cannot update more frequently because his wife has shingles (beside her ear) and is hospitalized; he must care for his family and daughter, requesting understanding.

Chapter Summary: “Arrangements”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Jing rescues his estranged stepmother, Ge Guizhi, and younger half-sister, Gao Yuanyuan, from their impoverished and unsafe living conditions after Ge Guizhi finally divorces the irresponsible Gao Hongbo.
• Rather than simply giving them money, Gao Jing arranges for them to become self-sufficient. He contacts Niu Jinxing, who promises to find Ge Guizhi suitable employment through the Niu family’s Fuli Group.
• Zhang Ying, Niu Jinxing’s sister-in-law, meets them at Jinghua Garden and provides a fully furnished three-bedroom apartment owned by Fuli Group. The apartment is located in a secure, high-value residential complex near the subway.
• Gao Jing assures Ge Guizhi and Yuanyuan that they do not need to worry about rent or future harassment from creditors. He also promises to pay Yuanyuan’s university tuition and gives her a large New Year’s gift.
• Before leaving, Gao Jing is invited to spend New Year’s Eve with them. Though he initially intends to decline, Yuanyuan’s hopeful expression moves him to accept.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing: Demonstrates wealth, influence, responsibility, and compassion. Although he has remained emotionally distant from Ge Guizhi and Yuanyuan, he takes responsibility for them once he realizes how badly they have suffered. He prefers helping them build an independent life rather than making them permanently dependent on him.
• Gao Yuanyuan: Is portrayed as shy, weak, undernourished, and frightened due to her difficult upbringing. Despite this, she is academically gifted, ranking tenth in her school. Gao Jing’s support gives her a safer environment and hope for her future.
• Ge Guizhi: Appears timid and accustomed to deprivation, even wanting to bring old household utensils to their new home. She is overwhelmed by Gao Jing’s generosity and feels guilty for Yuanyuan’s suffering, but she begins receiving practical support through housing and a promised job.
• Zhang Ying and Niu Jinxing: Act as reliable allies who quickly use the Fuli Group’s resources to assist Gao Jing’s family.

Significant Themes

• Family responsibility and reconciliation: Gao Jing’s relationship with his estranged relatives begins to change as he chooses to protect and support them.
• Independence versus charity: Gao Jing believes lasting happiness comes from self-reliance, so he arranges employment and stability rather than merely handing over money.
• Transformation through wealth and power: Gao Jing’s success allows him to completely alter Ge Guizhi and Yuanyuan’s circumstances, protecting them from poverty and intimidation.
• Compassion overcoming emotional distance: Though Gao Jing initially sees Ge Guizhi as nearly a stranger, his concern for Yuanyuan leads him to become more emotionally involved.
• Hope and new beginnings: The new apartment, Yuanyuan’s educational prospects, and Ge Guizhi’s future job represent a fresh start after years of hardship.

Character Interactions

• Gao Jing directs Ge Guizhi and Yuanyuan to pack only essential belongings, showing his practical concern and willingness to take charge.
• He and Zhang Ying discuss the apartment and its value, highlighting the resources available through Fuli Group.
• Gao Jing gently encourages Yuanyuan to study, eat better, and pursue university, while she responds with shy gratitude.
• Ge Guizhi tearfully expresses her shame and gratitude, and Yuanyuan comforts her by embracing her.
• Gao Jing warns them to contact the police or Zhang Ying if creditors return, reinforcing his protective role.
• Yuanyuan’s hopeful look ultimately persuades Gao Jing to accept Ge Guizhi’s invitation for New Year’s Eve, marking an important step toward closer family ties.

Chapter Summary: New Year's Eve Dinner

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Jing senses Faith Power flowing into his Copper Anchor's Faith Pool from his sister Gao Yuanyuan and her mother Ge Guizhi, confirming his efforts on their behalf bore fruit.
• He receives an urgent courier delivery: an invitation from Zhong Yunxiu's production crew to attend the premiere of Meeting the Best Youth on January 25 at the Shanghai Grand Theater, including a reception banquet and hotel accommodations at the Shangri-La Grand Hotel.
• Zhong Yunxiu calls and uses persuasive (and theatrical) pleading to ensure Gao Jing attends; he reluctantly agrees.
• On New Year's Eve, Gao Jing drives to Jinghua Garden residential complex (an apartment Zhang Ying secretly arranged for his sister's family) for dinner.
• The three share a modest but warm New Year's Eve dinner, marking the first time Gao Jing and his sister have sat together for a meal.
• Gao Jing gives them a small portion of Hundred-Fruit Wine to drink daily, claiming it's inexpensive—though in truth, a bottle could auction for tens of millions.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing: Shows deep emotional attachment to family; reflects nostalgically on his late grandfather and how New Year's Eve lost meaning after his death. He rediscovers the warmth of home through this dinner, prioritizing whom he eats with over what is served.
• Gao Yuanyuan: Transformed from timid and heartbroken to visibly brighter and more energetic. She shows small acts of care (fetching slippers, giving her brother a drumstick), revealing a gentler, more affectionate side.
• Ge Guizhi: Displays nervous gratitude and humility toward Gao Jing, eager to make him feel welcome; her joy makes her seem younger.
• Zhong Yunxiu: Demonstrates clever persistence and emotional manipulation (though lighthearted) to get what she wants; she clearly bears no lasting grudge toward Gao Jing.

Significant Themes

• Family and belonging: The chapter centers on the rekindling of a sibling bond and the rediscovery of "home" as a feeling, not a place.
• Generosity and humility: Gao Jing provides lavish help (housing, health, expensive tonic) while downplaying its value to protect his relatives' comfort.
• Memory and loss: Gao Jing's memories of his grandfather highlight the loneliness he endured and why this dinner matters so deeply.
• Quiet reward: Faith Power gained from his sister's genuine gratitude reinforces that sincere acts bear spiritual fruit.

Character Interactions

• Gao Jing & Zhong Yunxiu: Briefly antagonistic but playfully resolved; she switches from aggrieved to delighted instantly when he agrees to attend the premiere.
• Gao Jing & Gao Yuanyuan: Warm and tender; he gives her flowers, she prepares slippers and serves him food—both show mutual care.
• Gao Jing & Ge Guizhi: Respectful and reassuring; he appreciates her cooking, and she defers to him with humble gratitude.
• The dinner table scene: Represents the emotional core—a small, ordinary meal shared by three people who have each known hardship/family loss, finally feeling whole together.

Summary: “Su Family Birthday Banquet”

• Opening holiday exchanges: Before the Spring Festival Gala, Gao Jing receives New Year greetings from friends, former classmates, clients, and acquaintances. Zhong Yunxiu also calls him, reminding him not to forget the premiere. When questioned by her cousin, Su Yazhen, about who she was speaking to, Zhong jokingly disguises Gao Jing as a supposed classmate named “Major Heat,” suggesting she may secretly have romantic feelings for him. Su Yazhen suspects Zhong is interested in an older man but eventually stops pressing her.
• Arrival at Su Garden: Zhong Yunxiu and Su Yazhen arrive at the Su family’s ancestral residence in a Rolls-Royce. Su Garden, one of Gusu City’s famous gardens, is lavishly decorated for both New Year’s Eve and the eightieth birthday of the family matriarch, Ye Jinlan, known as Old Madam Su.
• Old Madam Su’s history and authority: Ye Jinlan became the family’s true leader after her husband died when she was forty. She suppressed internal opposition, reorganized the family, and expanded its influence, turning the Su family into a vast business empire worth over one hundred billion yuan. Even at eighty, she retains firm control over the clan.
• The birthday gathering: Hundreds of members from the Su family’s five direct branches, collateral relatives, and allied families gather in the Hall of Gathering Worthies. The hall is decorated with traditional longevity symbols, offerings, birthday food, and kneeling cushions. Guests and descendants take turns bowing and offering blessings.
• Family gift competition: Old Madam Su accepts gifts only from the five direct branches, one from each branch, rejecting all others and returning them with presents. Because pleasing her can bring major advantages in the following year, the five branches treat the birthday gifts as a competition to display wealth, loyalty, and influence.
• Su Yazhen’s position: Su Yazhen, the eldest granddaughter of the third direct branch, is one of Ye Jinlan’s favored descendants. Her beauty, education, and family background have made her highly desirable among the young men present. After earning degrees from Imperial Capital University and Wharton, she was entrusted with managing a billion-yuan company as “practice,” provoking envy within the family.
• Interactions with Old Madam Su: Su Yazhen respectfully kowtows and wishes her great-grandmother longevity. Ye Jinlan praises her beauty and hints that she should marry, while Su Yazhen politely says she would rather remain with her. Ye Jinlan advises her to bring any future suitor for approval. Zhong Yunxiu then pays her respects; despite Zhong’s usual mischievousness, she behaves carefully before the old madam, who treats her affectionately.
• Ending: With Su Yazhen and Zhong Yunxiu’s arrival, all five direct branches are represented. The formal greetings end, and the highly anticipated presentation of the five birthday gifts begins.

Key Themes

• Family power and hierarchy: Ye Jinlan’s authority governs both family relationships and business success.
• Tradition and status: The elaborate birthday rituals reinforce the Su family’s prestige and heritage.
• Competition beneath ceremony: Although the event appears warm and festive, the direct branches compete for the matriarch’s approval and future rewards.
• Marriage and expectations: Su Yazhen’s beauty, status, and future marriage are treated as matters of family interest.
• Contrasting personalities: Zhong Yunxiu’s playful mischief contrasts with Su Yazhen’s composure, elegance, and responsibility.

Chapter Summary: Su Garden Jade Contest (Part 1)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Jinlan, the eighty-year-old matriarch of the Su Family, is famous for her love of Hotan white jade and Southern Myanmar jadeite. Her vast collection is worth billions and will eventually be divided among the family’s direct descendants.
• Because of this inheritance, the five direct branches compete fiercely every year to present the most impressive jade-related birthday gift at Ye Jinlan’s New Year’s Eve birthday banquet. This tradition has become known as the “Su Garden Jade Contest.”
• The contest begins with the eldest branch, represented by Su Jiasheng. He presents a flawless Mutton-Fat White Jade Guanyin statue carved by the legendary historical jade master Shen Huaizhi, formerly an imperial craftsman. The rare masterpiece earns Ye Jinlan’s enthusiastic approval and gives Jiasheng an early advantage.
• Su Jiachang of the second branch follows with 108 Imperial Green jadeite Buddhist beads, allegedly once belonging to Empress Dowager Cixuan. Because Ye Jinlan admires Cixuan, the gift appeals strongly to her and allows the second branch to challenge the eldest branch.
• Su Yazhen, Ye Jinlan’s favorite grandchild, represents the third branch. Under considerable pressure, she presents a custom jadeite jewelry set. However, when the box is opened, the room falls silent, and the other branches react with mockery or smugness, suggesting that the gift is unexpectedly disappointing or unsuitable.

Character Developments

• Ye Jinlan: Revealed as a powerful but affectionate family matriarch who values thoughtfulness as much as monetary worth. Although she enjoys rare treasures, she judges gifts according to how well they reflect her personal tastes.
• Su Jiasheng: Established as the capable and favored heir of the eldest branch. His prestigious Guanyin statue displays his resources, connections, and ambition. His confidence rises after receiving Ye Jinlan’s praise, but he becomes visibly unsettled when the second branch produces an equally remarkable gift.
• Su Jiachang: Shown as a quiet but strategic rival. His branch has apparently prepared carefully in secret, and his triumphant presentation of the imperial Buddhist beads gives him confidence and allows him to challenge Jiasheng.
• Su Yazhen: Identified as Ye Jinlan’s most beloved grandchild and the source of significant advantages for the third branch. Her privileged position creates resentment among the other family members. The disappointing reception of her gift places her under unexpected pressure and threatens her branch’s standing.
• The other Su Family branches: Their envy and competitiveness are evident. They wait eagerly for Yazhen to fail, revealing that the family’s outward harmony masks deep rivalry.

Significant Themes

• Family rivalry and competition: The birthday celebration functions as a contest for influence, affection, and future inheritance rather than merely a family gathering.
• Wealth and legacy: Ye Jinlan’s jade collection represents both luxury and a potential means of restoring the family if it ever declines.
• Status and favoritism: Gifts are used to demonstrate power, resources, and closeness to the matriarch. Ye Jinlan’s affection for Yazhen has benefited the third branch, intensifying resentment.
• Appearance versus substance: The family members present themselves as respectful and united, but their reactions reveal pride, hostility, and concealed ambition.
• Personal meaning versus monetary value: Ye Jinlan claims that the most expensive gift is not necessarily the best; the true measure is whether the giver understands her tastes and has put genuine thought into the present.

Character Interactions

• Ye Jinlan warmly praises Jiasheng’s Guanyin statue, while Jiasheng responds with calculated humility and obvious pride.
• Jiachang presents his imperial Buddhist beads with confidence and subtly taunts Jiasheng by giving him a smug look after earning Ye Jinlan’s approval.
• Ye Jinlan’s enthusiasm for Cixuan’s former possession highlights how closely Jiachang’s gift matches her personal interests.
• When Yazhen presents her jewelry, Ye Jinlan remains encouraging, but the stunned silence and mocking reactions from the other branches create immediate tension.
• The chapter ends on a cliffhanger: the third branch’s gift appears to be a serious failure, leaving Yazhen’s reputation and the outcome of the contest uncertain.