Chapter Summary: “Spoils of War”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Jing kills the black-robed wizard with his Desert Eagle. Although the wizard’s magical barrier weakens the bullet, the third shot still pierces his skull, interrupting the lightning spell he was preparing.
• He stores the wizard’s corpse, staff, and the previously killed burly warrior’s body in his storage space.
• The final enemy, a middle-aged man, tries unsuccessfully to escape by climbing the alley wall. Terrified, he surrenders and reveals that:
  • The black-robed wizard hired him to wait at the Abyss City Alliance branch.
  • His job was to lure out the person who had posted the expensive request for the Gulu God Statue.
  • He had no statue and was only pretending to possess one.
  • After Gao Jing exposed the deception, he contacted the wizard, leading to the ambush.
  • The wizard was probably a Witch Adept and had a strong, unexplained interest in the statue.
• The city’s Guard Corps arrives after hearing the gunshots. Before the middle-aged man can call for help, Gao Jing kills him and escapes over the wall using Weaver’s Bracer.
• In a secluded location, Gao Jing searches the wizard’s corpse and finds:
  • Two rings that are likely Witchcraft Artifacts
  • Three beast-hide scrolls
  • A runic stone tablet
  • A bronze key with a wooden tag marked “Upper Residence” and “579”
• Realizing the key corresponds to a residence in Blackwater City’s Upper District, Gao Jing crosses the guarded bridge using the tag as proof of access.
• After searching for nearly an hour, he locates a deserted three-story villa and unlocks it with the key. The house, presumably the wizard’s residence, now belongs to Gao Jing.

Character Development

• Gao Jing demonstrates overwhelming combat superiority, killing the wizard before he can use his stronger spells or magical artifacts. He remains calm and methodical throughout the encounter.
• His pragmatism is emphasized by his decision to question the surviving attacker before killing him, search the wizard’s possessions, and investigate the stolen residence.
• Gao Jing grows more resourceful and cautious. He avoids confrontation with the Guard Corps, uses the wooden tag to pass through the checkpoint, and relies on Weaver’s Bracer to escape unseen.
• The black-robed wizard dies in shock and regret, realizing too late that he underestimated Gao Jing’s unfamiliar firearm and never had the chance to deploy his more powerful abilities.
• The middle-aged man undergoes a complete psychological collapse, shifting from attempted escape to desperate pleading before being killed when he tries to summon the authorities.

Significant Themes

• The danger of underestimating unfamiliar technology: The wizard’s magical defenses and planned spells are rendered useless by Gao Jing’s firearm.
• Spoils and opportunity: Gao Jing turns the aftermath of the ambush into a gain, acquiring magical items, weapons, information, and a valuable residence.
• Power and survival: Fear determines the middle-aged man’s behavior, while Gao Jing’s strength allows him to control the situation and eliminate every threat.
• Mystery and foreshadowing: The wizard’s interest in the Gulu God Statue, the unidentified magical items, and the newly acquired villa suggest future discoveries.
• Law versus self-preservation: The arrival of the Guard Corps creates an external threat, but Gao Jing avoids capture by acting decisively and leaving no evidence behind.

Character Interactions

• Gao Jing interrogates the middle-aged man, forcing him to explain the trap and the wizard’s motives.
• The middle-aged man attempts to manipulate Gao Jing by blaming the wizard, but his plea for mercy fails.
• Gao Jing indirectly interacts with the city guards by presenting the residence tag, exploiting their recognition of the document without revealing his identity.
• The chapter ends with Gao Jing claiming the wizard’s Upper District home, turning the defeated enemy’s resources into his own advantage.

Chapter Summary: “God-Making Society”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Jing enters the deceased black-robed wizard’s villa after covering himself in Battle Armor, wary of possible traps.
• The house recognizes him through the glowing rune wooden token, suggesting that the token grants him some form of ownership or authorization.
• He thoroughly explores the villa, finding a kitchen, storage room, garden, bedrooms, bathrooms with seemingly endless clean water, and a sealed meditation room.
• In the study, he discovers a valuable collection of books about wizardry, spells, the Underworld’s plants, animals, minerals, medicines, travel, and history. He stores all of them in his storage space.
• Gao Jing finds and reads the wizard’s diary, learning that the man called himself Owl, a High-Ranked Witch Adept.
• The diary reveals Owl’s background, his resentment toward the wizarding establishment, and his expulsion from Wuzhi Wizard Tower.
• Owl later joined the secretive and heretical God-Making Society, gaining access to resources and knowledge in exchange for serving as an agent in Blackwater City.
• The society’s main objective is to create a god powerful enough to lead the Abyssfolk to the surface, establish a divine kingdom, and subjugate the Great Wilderness Giants.
• Owl’s assigned mission was to collect “objects of faith.” The Gulu God Statue, which Gao Jing had attempted to purchase, was one such object.
• Gao Jing therefore unknowingly became Owl’s rival, causing Owl to resent him for driving up the statue’s value and interfering with his mission.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing acts cautiously and methodically, applying the lesson from his previous encounter by protecting himself before entering the villa.
• He demonstrates growing resourcefulness by securing the house, collecting its books, and using modern equipment—an LED lamp—to study the diary.
• His understanding of the Underworld expands significantly through the books and Owl’s records.
• Owl is revealed as a talented but socially disadvantaged wizard whose bitterness stems from poverty, mediocrity, humiliation, and exclusion from powerful institutions.
• His desire for advancement and revenge led him to join the God-Making Society, transforming him from a resentful outsider into a participant in an extremist conspiracy.

Significant Themes

• Knowledge as power: The villa’s books and diary provide Gao Jing with crucial knowledge about wizard society and the Underworld.
• Resentment and ambition: Owl’s envy and humiliation fuel his pursuit of power and revenge.
• Extremism and ideological manipulation: The God-Making Society’s legitimate grievance—Abyssfolk oppression—has been twisted into a plan for conquest and enslavement.
• Social inequality: Owl’s lack of talent, wealth, connections, and institutional support leaves him vulnerable to exploitation by the secret society.
• Faith and the creation of gods: The chapter introduces the importance of “objects of faith” and suggests that divine power may be artificially constructed.

Character Interactions

• Gao Jing never meets Owl directly in this chapter, since he has already killed him, but their conflict remains central.
• Their rivalry began over the Gulu God Statue: Gao Jing’s high-priced purchase disrupted Owl’s attempt to acquire it cheaply for the God-Making Society.
• Owl’s diary acts as the main point of connection between the two characters, allowing Gao Jing to uncover Owl’s motives and the larger conspiracy behind their confrontation.

Summary of “Struck It Rich”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Jing finishes reading Owl’s diary and learns why Owl secretly purchased Gulu God Statues from street vendors rather than posting public requests through the Abyss City Alliance. Owl feared exposing his identity and deliberately kept the statues’ value unnoticed so he could acquire them cheaply.
• Owl was a member of the God-Making Society, an organization that collected objects of faith and exchanged them for cultivation resources and knowledge. He was also researching these objects in hopes of becoming a god, despite not yet being a Formal Wizard.
• Gao Jing realizes that the God-Making Society already understands Faith Power and may possess methods for exploiting it. Because he also depends on Gulu God Statues to strengthen the Copper Anchor, he is likely to come into conflict with the organization.
• Gao Jing worries that his own public attempts to purchase statues may cause others to mistake him for a member of the God-Making Society. Although this could bring danger, he has no immediate solution and decides to proceed cautiously.
• He searches Owl’s house again and discovers a hidden mechanism beneath the living-room floor. After safely bypassing an electrically trapped copper ring, he opens a concealed passage leading to an underground secret room.
• The room contains hundreds of statues, including Gulu God Statues and several other kinds, along with a workbench covered in statue-related tools and damaged specimens.
• Gao Jing absorbs the Faith Power from every statue into the Copper Anchor, greatly increasing its Faith Pool and bringing it closer to another upgrade.
• He also takes Owl’s money, potions, and magical materials into his storage space, concluding that he has gained an enormous fortune.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing becomes more aware of the God-Making Society’s strength and recognizes it as a future major enemy rather than merely a suspicious organization.
• His determination to collect Faith Power remains unchanged. Although he understands the risks, abandoning the statues would prevent the Copper Anchor from progressing.
• Gao Jing demonstrates increased caution and practicality by using gloves, Battle Armor, and careful examination before opening Owl’s trap.
• Owl is revealed to have been ambitious, secretive, wealthy, and obsessed with becoming a god. His long-term efforts to collect and study objects of faith ultimately benefit Gao Jing after his death.
• Gao Jing’s attitude toward Owl shifts into a mixture of contempt and amusement: Owl’s painstaking preparations have effectively left his resources behind for Gao Jing to claim.

Significant Themes

• Ambition and obsession: Owl’s desire to become a god reflects the extreme ambitions of the God-Making Society.
• Hidden power and secrecy: Objects that appear worthless to ordinary people contain immense Faith Power, while secret identities and concealed facilities shape the conflict.
• Risk versus necessity: Gao Jing understands that collecting statues may expose him to the God-Making Society, but the Copper Anchor’s growing needs make stopping impossible.
• Inheritance through conflict: Owl’s research, wealth, and collection—built over years—are taken over by Gao Jing, emphasizing how one person’s downfall can become another’s opportunity.
• Preparation and caution: Gao Jing’s careful handling of the trap contrasts with Owl’s inadequate defenses, showing Gao Jing’s growing survival instincts.

Character Interactions

• Though Owl is already dead, his actions continue to shape Gao Jing’s decisions. Gao Jing interprets Owl’s motives through the diary and recognizes that Owl likely ordered the ambush against him before dying.
• Gao Jing anticipates future conflict with the God-Making Society and considers using the broader Underworld’s hostility toward the organization to his advantage.
• His interaction with Owl’s hidden collection is effectively a final confrontation: Gao Jing defeats Owl’s defenses, claims his resources, and absorbs the Faith Power Owl spent years gathering.

Chapter Summary: “The Subway”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Jing spends the evening relaxing on his villa’s balcony in Blackwater City while practicing the Mountain Tribe Soul Refining Art. During meditation, he visualizes the sacred Kunlun Mountain within his Sea of Consciousness.
• The next morning, he visits the Blackwater Branch of the Abyss City Alliance and learns more about the wooden token recovered from the black-robed Witch Adept.
• The token is revealed to be a Householder Token, a low-tier Witchcraft Artifact that grants access to a specific Upper District residence. Because the villa’s original owner is dead and unable to object, Gao Jing can theoretically claim the property as his own.
• He also learns that owning a villa involves substantial annual taxes and maintenance fees. Fortunately, the current year’s expenses have already been paid.
• Gao Jing meets Kui Bao and the other members of the adventurer team. They descend beneath the Alliance branch to board the Underground Trackway, a subway-like rail system.
• Gao Jing is astonished to discover that Blackwater City is connected to other Abyss Cities by a primitive but extensive railway network.
• The team boards a five-car Spirit-Energy Underground Railcar, powered by a Witchcraft Artifact rather than ordinary fuel. The journey to Netherworld Ruin City will take approximately ten hours.
• During the trip, Kui Bao explains that railways have existed for thousands of years and now connect several thousand Abyss Cities. Netherworld Ruin City was recently discovered during the construction of a new trackway, prompting a major exploration mission.
• As more adventurers board, the carriage becomes crowded, with late passengers forced to stand.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing demonstrates growing comfort and independence in the Great World. He enjoys the villa, continues cultivating his spiritual abilities, and calmly investigates the legal and practical value of his new residence.
• His curiosity and honesty are emphasized when he openly asks Kui Bao questions about the Railcar instead of pretending to understand unfamiliar technology.
• Gao Jing remains observant and easily impressed by the advanced infrastructure of the Abyss Cities, revealing how much of a newcomer he still is.
• Kui Bao continues acting as the experienced leader of the group. He is decisive, organized, and willing to explain the unfamiliar surroundings to Gao Jing.
• Nine Apertures remains affectionate toward Gao Jing but reacts curiously to his meditation before quietly withdrawing.

Significant Themes

• Adaptation to an unfamiliar world: Gao Jing gradually learns the customs, laws, technologies, and dangers of the Great World.
• The coexistence of magic and technology: The subway resembles a modern rail system but is powered by Spirit Energy and Witchcraft Artifacts, blending industrial design with supernatural forces.
• Ownership and bureaucracy: The Householder Token system shows that even valuable magical residences are governed by strict legal and financial rules.
• Exploration and discovery: Netherworld Ruin City represents an unknown frontier drawing adventurers through the promise of wealth and opportunity.
• Knowledge through humility: Gao Jing’s willingness to ask questions allows him to understand the world more effectively than if he tried to conceal his ignorance.

Character Interactions

• Gao Jing and Nine Apertures share a brief affectionate moment before the creature senses his meditation and leaves him to practice.
• Gao Jing interacts with officials at the Abyss City Alliance to clarify the function of the Householder Token and the obligations attached to owning the villa.
• Kui Bao reunites with Gao Jing and the other team members, immediately taking charge and directing them to the Underground Trackway.
• Kui Bao notices Gao Jing’s surprise and explains the subway system, the Railcar, and the route to Netherworld Ruin City.
• The one-eyed warrior views Gao Jing as an inexperienced newcomer, reinforcing the difference between Gao Jing’s outsider status and the team’s greater familiarity with adventuring.

Chapter Summary: “Calamity from Nowhere”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Jing and Kui Bao’s adventurer squad travel by crowded Underground Trackway toward Netherworld Ruin City.
• During the tense journey, the squad is confronted by Kui Yang, a powerful Fifth-Level warrior leading an elite team.
• Kui Yang mocks Kui Bao’s decision to undertake the exploration mission and insults the strength of his new teammates.
• He deliberately targets Gao Jing, ordering him to move so he can intimidate Kui Bao. Gao Jing refuses and openly challenges Kui Yang’s rude behavior.
• Kui Yang reacts with concealed killing intent and threatens Gao Jing, but a railway enforcer intervenes, preventing violence aboard the train.
• Kui Yang and his team withdraw, though he makes it clear that Gao Jing and Kui Bao’s group have become targets.
• After paying the fare, the squad continues the journey in an oppressive silence. Eagle Seven blames Gao Jing for attracting Kui Yang’s attention, while Kui Bao angrily defends him.
• The train arrives at the terminus near Netherworld Ruin City. The adventurers collect mission supplies—including healing, antidote, and stamina potions, as well as a map—before entering the ruins.
• The supposed exploration mission is revealed to be largely a cleansing operation: the adventurers must eliminate Wraiths, Vengeful Spirits, and Demon Ghosts occupying the ruined city.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing demonstrates confidence and fearlessness. Despite being only a Third-Level member, he remains calm under Kui Yang’s intimidation and refuses to submit to humiliation.
• Kui Bao shows strong leadership and loyalty. Although he is aware that Kui Yang’s team is much stronger, he still stands up for Gao Jing and refuses to let his teammate be bullied.
• Eagle Seven is revealed to be intimidated by Kui Yang’s reputation and power. His anxiety leads him to resent Gao Jing, whom he believes has brought danger upon the group.
• Kui Yang is established as arrogant, aggressive, and vindictive. He uses his superior rank and team strength to threaten weaker adventurers and deliberately provokes Kui Bao through Gao Jing.
• Gao Jing’s teammates appear inexperienced or cautious, lowering their heads rather than confronting Kui Yang directly.

Significant Themes

• Strength versus status: Alliance badges represent both rank and power, causing weaker members to fear and defer to higher-level warriors.
• Courage under intimidation: Gao Jing’s refusal to be cowed contrasts with the fear shown by the rest of the squad.
• Leadership and responsibility: Kui Bao’s defense of Gao Jing reflects the burden of protecting one’s teammates, even when doing so risks conflict with a stronger opponent.
• Unavoidable conflict: Gao Jing is drawn into a feud he did not initiate, emphasizing the theme of “calamity from nowhere.”
• Danger beneath official missions: The journey begins as a formal exploration assignment but is revealed to involve dangerous combat against supernatural creatures.

Character Interactions

• Eagle Seven speaks dismissively to Gao Jing, treating him like an ignorant outsider.
• Kui Yang confronts Kui Bao and insults his squad, using Gao Jing as a tool to provoke him.
• Gao Jing directly challenges Kui Yang, creating an immediate personal grudge.
• Kui Bao attempts to restrain the confrontation but ultimately defends Gao Jing when Kui Yang goes too far.
• Eagle Seven later voices his fear and indirectly blames Gao Jing, while Kui Bao silences him and acknowledges that Gao Jing has been unfairly dragged into the conflict.

Exploring the Ruin City — Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Netherworld Ruin City was discovered accidentally when construction crews from Iron Furnace Abyss City and Wuzhi Abyss City broke through a sealed rock wall while building an Underground Trackway.
• Because the city was valuable but dangerous, Iron Furnace Abyss City issued an exploration mission through the Abyss City Alliance rather than sending its own forces. Adventurers were tasked with clearing Undead creatures and collecting Tears of the Undead, with each person required to gather at least ten.
• The adventurers were warned that several teams had already disappeared inside. Captain Kui Bao emphasized survival and ordered the group to avoid unnecessary risks.
• Upon exiting the tunnel, the team saw the enormous Netherworld Ruin City. It was dark, cold, and mysterious, filled with strange glowing mushrooms, densely packed pointed-roof buildings, and a towering black Wizard Tower at its center.
• Kui Bao distributed expensive Spirit Energy potions that reduced the effects of the city’s negative energy and conserved the adventurers’ Battle Aura.
• Rather than entering the city’s deeper regions, Kui Bao led the group along the outer districts, moving cautiously with the scout in front and the archers protected in the middle.
• Initially, they encountered no Undead—only abandoned buildings, vines, and weeds. Eagle Seven became impatient and urged the group to explore farther inward so they could collect mission rewards.
• Before Kui Bao could respond, the scout warned them that fog had appeared. White mist rapidly spread through the streets, intensifying the surrounding negative energy and weakening the potions’ effects.
• Kui Bao ordered everyone to regroup around him just as a sudden, unexplained change began.

Character Developments

• Kui Bao is established as a careful, responsible leader. He prioritizes his team’s survival, avoids unnecessary confrontations, and understands the danger of the Ruin City better than the more impulsive members.
• Gao Jing proves observant and practical. He recognizes that Iron Furnace Abyss City is using adventurers as expendable labor but accepts the risk because the potential rewards are valuable. He also notices the usefulness and cost of the Spirit Energy potion, prompting him to consider having his own potions appraised.
• Eagle Seven is revealed to be impatient and ambitious. He is eager to prove himself and obtain more Tears of the Undead, but his recklessness clashes with Kui Bao’s cautious strategy.
• The scout, archers, and warriors demonstrate disciplined teamwork by maintaining a defensive formation and responding quickly to danger.
• Kui Bao regrets recruiting Eagle Seven, suggesting that Eagle Seven’s attitude may become a liability.

Significant Themes

• Risk versus reward: The adventurers knowingly accept extreme danger in pursuit of wealth and mission rewards, while the city authorities avoid risking their own personnel.
• Exploitation and pragmatism: Iron Furnace Abyss City effectively uses adventurers as cannon fodder, but the adventurers willingly accept the arrangement because it offers opportunities for profit.
• Survival and leadership: Kui Bao’s insistence on caution contrasts with Eagle Seven’s desire for glory, highlighting the importance of discipline in a hostile environment.
• The unknown and supernatural danger: The silent, abandoned city, negative energy, and sudden fog establish an atmosphere of mystery and impending horror.
• Preparation versus unpredictability: Even specialized potions and careful planning may not be enough when the environment itself suddenly changes.

Character Interactions

• Kui Bao briefs the team about the city’s dangers and gains their agreement to prioritize survival.
• He distributes Spirit Energy potions, supporting the group’s ability to endure the negative energy.
• Kui Bao deliberately changes direction to avoid encountering Kui Yang’s team, revealing tension or rivalry between the groups.
• Eagle Seven challenges Kui Bao’s cautious approach and argues for advancing deeper into the city.
• The scout interrupts the disagreement by warning everyone about the spreading fog, after which Kui Bao immediately commands the team to gather around him.
• The chapter ends at the moment the fog triggers an unknown threat or phenomenon.

Chapter Summary: “Fighting Alone”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The team is ambushed at the outskirts of Netherworld Ruin City when skeletal hands erupt from the ground and seize their ankles.
• Gao Jing activates his Flame Totem and manifests a blazing blade, discovering that totem-infused weapons can directly injure Undead. He destroys several skeletal claws and kills one Undead buried beneath the soil.
• The Undead change tactics, thrusting bone swords through the ground. One warrior is wounded, and the team retreats in panic.
• Kui Bao orders everyone to stay together, warning them that scattering previously nearly caused his team’s destruction. However, the newcomers lose discipline under pressure.
• Thick fog descends, accompanied by eerie, disembodied voices known as Undead Whispers. Kui Bao recognizes the danger as a sign that a powerful Undead has appeared and immediately flees.
• The adventuring team collapses, with everyone running except Gao Jing. Rather than blindly follow them through the fog, he moves to the nearby rock wall and positions his back against it, limiting the directions from which he can be attacked.
• A Wraith attacks, but Gao Jing destroys it with his perfected Great Cleaving Saber, causing it to dissolve and drop a mission item: a Tear of the Undead.
• More Wraiths emerge. Gao Jing tests his pistol, confirming that ordinary bullets cannot harm spiritual entities, then switches to twin Flame Blades.
• Fighting alone against the advancing Wraiths, Gao Jing uses the Seven Enemy-Breaking Blades to create a blazing defensive net, repeatedly destroying the spirits and collecting enough Tears of the Undead to fulfill the mission requirements.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing demonstrates composure, tactical intelligence, and growing confidence. He recognizes the danger of fleeing blindly, chooses defensible terrain, and remains calm even while surrounded.
• His mastery of the Flame Totem and saber techniques is highlighted. He adapts quickly, tests the limits of his weapons, and fights with increasing ferocity and battle spirit.
• Kui Bao’s experience is evident in his recognition of the Undead Whispers and his awareness of the threat they signify. However, fear overwhelms his leadership, and he abandons the team when the danger escalates.
• The inexperienced adventurers reveal their lack of discipline and battlefield coordination, scattering despite Kui Bao’s warnings.

Significant Themes

• Courage versus panic: The team’s training and caution collapse once genuine supernatural danger appears, while Gao Jing remains steady.
• Experience and leadership: Kui Bao understands the threat but cannot maintain command under extreme pressure, showing that knowledge does not always equal emotional control.
• Adaptation and preparedness: Gao Jing survives by using specialized weapons, testing ineffective methods, and exploiting the rock wall to protect himself.
• Fighting alone and self-reliance: The chapter emphasizes Gao Jing’s ability to stand independently when the group abandons him.
• The limits of conventional strength: Physical attacks and firearms are useless against Wraiths; only weapons infused with totem power can harm them.

Character Interactions

• Kui Bao repeatedly urges the team to remain together, but the others panic and ignore his instructions.
• His fear-driven flight contrasts sharply with Gao Jing’s controlled decision to hold his ground.
• Gao Jing does not interact directly with the fleeing team afterward; instead, his main “interaction” is with the Undead, confronting them alone and proving his superiority through disciplined combat.

Summary: "Vengeful Spirit" (怨灵)

Key Plot Points & Events

1. Wraith battle continues: Gao Jing fights endless waves of Wraiths (low-ranked undead) in the mist using Flame Blades manifested from Battle Aura. Ordinary weapons can't harm them, but his blades destroy them with one slash each.
2. Prolonged combat: He holds his ground for over ten minutes, killing dozens/hundreds of Wraiths, but exhausts most of his Battle Aura in the process—forced to convert Totem Power to sustain himself.
3. The tide retreats, a greater threat appears: The Wraiths suddenly retreat. A nearly 3-meter-tall black-robed Vengeful Spirit emerges, wielding a hook-scythe with violet ghost-fire eyes—a rank above Wraiths and far more dangerous.
4. Mental attack nearly succeeds: The Vengeful Spirit projects a mind-affecting influence telling Gao Jing to kneel and submit. His Copper Anchor amulet flashes and snaps him out of it just as the spirit closes to two meters.
5. Counterattack: Enraged, Gao Jing merges his dual blades into one massive flame strike and leaps at the Vengeful Spirit. The spirit recoils in apparent alarm, retreating and pulling back its scythe. The chapter ends on this cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing's combat growth: Initially clumsy with dual blades, he rapidly becomes proficient through live combat, developing a "one blade attacks, one defends" rhythm and executing instinctive combination strikes.
• Extreme fighting style: He refuses to manifest Battle Armor, pouring all power into offense—a calculated but risky choice.
• Improved instincts: He senses the Vengeful Spirit's arrival before it appears, showing his danger perception sharpening.
• Mental fortitude tested: Though briefly affected by the spirit's psychic attack, his rage and battle intent break the influence entirely.

Significant Themes

• Life-or-death battle as the best teacher: Real combat produces sharper skills than any training.
• Resource sustainability: Battle Aura management and conversion of Totem Power become critical survival issues.
• The escalation spiral: Beating trash mobs draws stronger enemies—survival requires adapting or retreating.
• Mental/spiritual threats: A new kind of danger beyond physical combat, countered by protective artifacts (the Copper Anchor) and pure willpower.
• Soul-level cold: The Vengeful Spirit's mere presence freezes the environment and chills even the soul—a force beyond ordinary monsters.

Character Interactions

• Gao Jing vs. Wraiths: One-sided slaughter, but their sheer numbers and persistence make them dangerous—an attrition fight.
• Gao Jing vs. Vengeful Spirit: The spirit first relies on psychological domination rather than direct attack. When Gao Jing breaks free, the spirit visibly startles (its flames contract) and retreats from his attack—suggesting it is cautious or even afraid.
• Kui Bao (referenced): Gao Jing recalls his warning that Vengeful Spirits, though only one rank above Wraiths, are as superior as a Totem Warrior over an ordinary warrior—and possess varied, eerie abilities.

Chapter Summary: “Restraint”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Jing battles a powerful black Vengeful Spirit, which is larger and faster than the white Wraiths.
• When Gao Jing’s attack misses, the Vengeful Spirit uses an incantation, “Olekaso,” to transform its hook-scythe into numerous black snakes.
• The snakes bind Gao Jing in midair and assault him both physically and mentally. Their icy energy penetrates his Battle Armor, while intensified Undead Whispers attack his Sea of Consciousness.
• Gao Jing’s Kunlun Divine Mountain protects his soul, but cracks begin appearing as it struggles against the Vengeful Spirit’s overwhelming spiritual assault. His Battle Armor also starts weakening.
• On the verge of retreating to the Main World through the Copper Anchor, Gao Jing realizes he can use Faithfire.
• He draws Faith Power from the Faith Pool and fuses Faithfire with his Battle Armor. The resulting white-gold flames burn away the black snakes and severely injure the Vengeful Spirit.
• The Vengeful Spirit flees into Ruin City rather than continue fighting. Gao Jing wisely chooses not to pursue it, recognizing that stronger Undead likely inhabit the city.
• Gao Jing discovers that Faithfire can restrain and destroy negative energy, making it especially effective against Undead creatures.
• He gathers the Tears of the Undead left by the Wraiths—roughly one or two hundred, far more than the ten required for his mission.
• A wounded five-person adventurer group arrives, led by Kui Yang, whom Gao Jing previously encountered on the Railcar.
• Seeing Gao Jing alone and surrounded by valuable loot, Kui Yang attempts to intimidate and rob him. His group surrounds Gao Jing.
• Gao Jing responds by drawing a strange silver firearm and immediately killing three of Kui Yang’s companions with headshots. He then aims the weapon at Kui Yang, leaving the confrontation unresolved at the chapter’s end.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing: Demonstrates endurance, tactical restraint, and adaptability. Instead of retreating, he recognizes Faithfire’s potential and uses it to overcome a seemingly fatal situation. He also shows sound judgment by refusing to enter Ruin City recklessly.
• Black Vengeful Spirit: Revealed to possess exceptional speed, binding abilities, and devastating mental attacks. However, it is highly vulnerable to Faithfire, which causes it to flee.
• Kui Yang: His greed and hostility resurface immediately upon seeing Gao Jing’s weakness and valuable spoils. His confidence collapses into fear after witnessing Gao Jing’s firearm kill three allies instantly.
• Kui Yang’s Companions: Their coordinated ambush fails completely, and three are killed before they can react.

Significant Themes

• Restraint and judgment: Gao Jing controls his impulse to pursue the wounded Vengeful Spirit or enter Ruin City, prioritizing survival over reckless victory.
• Discovery through crisis: Faithfire’s true purpose becomes clear only when Gao Jing is pushed to the brink, showing how danger can reveal hidden abilities.
• Positive versus negative energy: Faithfire, born from collective positive belief, naturally counters the resentment, hatred, and corruption embodied by the Undead.
• Greed and consequences: Kui Yang’s attempt to exploit Gao Jing’s situation results in the rapid deaths of his companions and places him directly in Gao Jing’s sights.
• Hidden power and preparation: Gao Jing’s unfamiliar firearm and newly understood Faithfire give him decisive advantages that his enemies fail to anticipate.

Character Interactions

• Gao Jing and the Vengeful Spirit engage in a desperate combat centered on physical restraint and spiritual domination.
• Gao Jing’s connection to the Copper Anchor and Faith Pool enables him to turn the battle around.
• Gao Jing and Kui Yang meet again as enemies. Kui Yang tries to force Gao Jing to surrender, but Gao Jing answers with gunfire, reversing the power dynamic instantly.
• The chapter ends with Gao Jing confronting Kui Yang at close range, his weapon aimed at him after eliminating most of Kui Yang’s group.

Chapter Summary: “Killing Weapon”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Kui Yang encounters Gao Jing alone among the scattered Tears of the Undead and assumes he has an easy opportunity to attack him. Confident in his five-person team and superior cultivation, Kui Yang believes Gao Jing cannot resist.
• Gao Jing suddenly reveals the power of his firearm, the Desert Eagle, and kills three of Kui Yang’s companions instantly. The survivors assume the weapon is a terrifying Witchcraft Artifact.
• Kui Yang manages to block one shot with his Battle Aura Armor, while a swordsman attacks Gao Jing with a powerful wind-infused greatsword.
• Kui Yang and the swordsman coordinate their attacks, trapping Gao Jing against a rock wall. Their combined strength overwhelms him, and they believe they have cornered him.
• At the last moment, Gao Jing activates the Weaver’s Bracer, leaps more than ten meters upward, and adheres to the rock wall.
• From this elevated position, he draws the Barrett M107A1, a far more destructive weapon than the Desert Eagle. Two sniper rounds tear through Kui Yang’s defenses and kill him.
• The swordsman attempts to flee, but Gao Jing shoots him in the back and then fires again before he can finish pleading for his life. All five of Kui Yang’s companions are dead.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing demonstrates increasing combat adaptability and tactical awareness. Rather than relying solely on the Desert Eagle, he combines multiple artifacts and weapons—the Weaver’s Bracer, Flame Blade, Desert Eagle, and Barrett—to overcome stronger opponents.
• He remains calm under extreme pressure, using the wall and vertical space to reverse a seemingly hopeless situation.
• Kui Yang shifts from arrogance and anticipation of revenge to terror, fury, and desperation. His confidence in his superior numbers and cultivation collapses once he witnesses Gao Jing’s weapons.
• The swordsman proves to be an experienced and capable warrior, briefly forcing Gao Jing into difficulty, but loses his composure after Kui Yang’s death and is killed while attempting to escape.

Significant Themes

• Technological firepower versus conventional cultivation: Gao Jing’s firearms allow him to kill opponents who are individually stronger and better trained.
• Overconfidence and miscalculation: Kui Yang’s assumption that numerical superiority guarantees victory prevents him from recognizing Gao Jing’s true threat.
• Adaptability under pressure: Gao Jing survives by changing weapons and tactics at the critical moment rather than confronting his enemies directly on their terms.
• Merciless survival: The chapter emphasizes the brutality of the adventurer world, where hesitation or pleading offers no protection.

Character Interactions

• Kui Yang approaches Gao Jing with hostility, intending to humiliate and destroy him.
• Gao Jing’s opening attack kills three members of Kui Yang’s group, immediately transforming the encounter into a desperate two-on-one battle.
• Kui Yang and the swordsman cooperate effectively, attacking Gao Jing from opposite sides and attempting to prevent him from using his firearm again.
• Gao Jing evades their finishing assault, gains the high ground, and kills Kui Yang first. The swordsman then abandons the fight, but Gao Jing pursues and executes him before he can negotiate.

Chapter Summary: Harvest and Reflection

Key Plot Points

• Gao Jing survives the battle against Kui Yang's adventurer squad, having killed them all using his Barrett sniper rifle, Desert Eagle, and Witchcraft Artifacts.
• He collects quest items (Tears of the Undead) and loots the bodies: weapons, three sets of leather armor, and potions. No Witchcraft Artifacts are found, as expected for low/mid-tier adventurers.
• Kui Yang's and the swordsman's corpses begin to transform into walking corpses due to accumulated negative energy; Gao Jing burns them apart with Faithfire-infused Battle Aura, then dismembers the other bodies for safety.
• The mist around Netherworld Ruin City recedes, but Gao Jing decides not to enter, recognizing the danger is beyond his current strength.
• He returns through the passage to the outer cavern, where surviving adventurers are angrily demanding compensation from the Abyss City Alliance for the mission being far more dangerous than its third-tier rating.
• Kui Bao, who also survived, spots Gao Jing and exclaims in surprise that he is still alive.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing reflects on his weak spiritual will: the black wraith's mental attack nearly defeated him without the Copper Anchor's protection. He resolves to cultivate the Mountain Tribe Soul Refining Art more seriously.
• He realizes his ability to retreat to the Main World gives him an escape route, which prevents him from unleashing his full fighting potential. He struggles with how to balance forcing himself into dangerous situations to grow stronger without recklessly courting death.
• He demonstrates practicality and caution: looting efficiently, avoiding unnecessary risks inside the Ruin City, and ensuring the dead cannot rise again.

Significant Themes

• Equipment as a force multiplier: When strength is equal, superior gear decides battles.
• Self-reliance vs. safety nets: Over-reliance on an escape route weakens courage and potential growth.
• The need for mental fortitude: Physical strength alone is insufficient against soul-level attacks.
• The unforgiving nature of the Underworld: Bodies can reanimate; danger never truly ends.

Character Interactions

• Gao Jing's main interaction is with the corpses of his enemies, which he secures and destroys.
• Brief interaction with Kui Bao, who is shocked to see Gao Jing alive—reinforcing that Gao Jing accomplished something remarkable against the squad.

Here is a concise summary of the chapter "Turning In the Quest":

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Kui Bao's Survival: Kui Bao reappears, battered and wounded after escaping the Netherworld Ruin City, but is shocked to find Gao Jing completely unscathed.
• Gao Jing's Indifference: Gao Jing ignores Kui Bao's explanations and dismisses his excuses for abandoning the party.
• Quest Turn-In: Gao Jing approaches the Alliance clerk to turn in the Ruin City exploration quest, needing at least 10 lowest-tier Tears of the Undead.
• Revealing the Spoils: Gao Jing produces a pouch containing 267 Tier-One and 39 Tier-Two Tears of the Undead, astonishing the clerk and nearby adventurers.
• Exchange for Points: Gao Jing exchanges all the Tears for points, earning 3,550 points plus a 100-silver-coin reward pending at the main branch.
• Kui Bao's Cowardice: Kui Bao hides in the crowd, hoping Gao Jing won't expose his betrayal to protect his reputation.

2. Character Developments

• Gao Jing: Demonstrates competence, composure, and independence. He is pragmatic, prioritizing the quest over drama, and holds a clear moral line—cutting ties with the cowardly Kui Bao without malice.
• Kui Bao: Confirms his cowardice and selfishness. His internal regret is focused on the lost opportunity to benefit from Gao Jing's strength rather than genuine remorse, revealing his mercenary nature.

3. Significant Themes

• Betrayal and Consequences: Kui Bao's abandonment of his comrades leads to his downfall, showing that a leader's cowardice destroys their credibility.
• Moral Justice vs. Practicality: Gao Jing's silent success—turning in the quest while ignoring Kui Bao—implies that competence is more powerful than petty revenge.
• Greed and Regret: The reactions of Kui Bao and other adventurers highlight how envy over another's success magnifies their own failure.

4. Character Interactions

• Gao Jing & Kui Bao: A tense, one-sided conversation where Gao Jing coldly shuts down Kui Bao's excuses, revealing his disgust.
• Gao Jing & the Clerk: A professional exchange where the clerk initially doubts Gao Jing but becomes delighted by his success, contrasting with the complaining adventurers.
• Kui Bao's Internal Monologue: He avoids Gao Jing, consumed by regret and fear of being exposed, explicitly calculating the loss to his reputation.

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Jing finishes his Ruin City mission, reflects that it went “fairly good,” and considers future solo exploration in Netherworld Ruin City.
• He unexpectedly meets Ling Ling, an archer friend from Azure River City who once introduced him to Blackwater Underground City and the Abyss City Alliance.
• Ling Ling reveals she came with friends on the same mission; half her team was lost, and four friends remain trapped inside the Ruin City.
• Gao Jing warns her not to go back, sensing danger.
• Suddenly, violent tremors shake the cavern. A bloodied adventurer staggers out screaming about an undead riot and is killed by bone spears.
• A massive flood of skeletal undead erupts from the passageway, overwhelming sentries and adventurers—this is the “Undead Calamity.”
• Giant Bone Beetles burrow out of the ground, spewing Netherfire and killing many people.
• One Bone Beetle chases Gao Jing and Ling Ling. Gao Jing stops, pulls out an M72 LAW rocket launcher, and fires at the beetle—just as it opens its jaws.

2. Character Developments

• Gao Jing: Pragmatic, survival-focused, and decisive. He is unwilling to risk his life for others, telling Ling Ling to abandon her trapped friends. He also proves resourceful in crisis, using a modern anti-armor weapon against undead monsters.
• Ling Ling: Grieving and anxious about her missing friends, but ultimately follows Gao Jing’s lead. She is torn between loyalty and self-preservation, then chooses survival.

3. Significant Themes

• Catastrophe and chaos: The “Undead Calamity” turns an already dangerous mission into a full-scale disaster.
• Survival vs. loyalty: Gao Jing embodies cold pragmatism; Ling Ling struggles between saving friends and escaping.
• The cost of exploration: Ruin City expeditions are shown as reckless gambles that can unleash deadly forces.
• Self-reliance: Gao Jing’s instinct to act alone and use his own resources contrasts with team-based missions.

4. Character Interactions

• Gao Jing and Ling Ling: A warm reunion quickly becomes tense as Ling Ling shares her team’s tragedy. Gao Jing bluntly tells her to forget her friends and run.
• Ling Ling’s internal conflict: She hesitates, apologizes, and ultimately runs with Gao Jing, accepting his harsh judgment.
• Gao Jing vs. the Bone Beetle: He takes decisive action to protect both of them, firing a rocket launcher as the chapter ends in a cliffhanger.

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Jing kills a Bone Beetle with an M72 LAW rocket launcher, destroying its head and body.
• A massive undead horde (skeletons, ghosts, Vengeful Spirits, more Bone Beetles) surges through the Underground Trackway.
• Gao Jing uses stored incendiary liquid and a Zippo to create a wall of fire, blocking the pursuit.
• He activates the Giant Spirit Totem, growing to ~4 meters tall, and carries Ling Ling while running barefoot over skeletal claws.
• After exhausting his totem power, they escape to safety, with no undead sounds behind them.
• They return to Blackwater Underground City and report the Undead Calamity at Netherworld Ruin City to the Abyss City Alliance.
• The Alliance detains them temporarily for verification of their information.
• Gao Jing sees Zhi Qi again.

2. Character Developments

• Gao Jing: Demonstrates resourcefulness, combat skill, and selflessness; he saves Ling Ling at great personal risk and exhaustion. His protective nature and raw power are highlighted.
• Ling Ling: Transitions from terror to trust and admiration; she shows newfound courage by kissing Gao Jing in gratitude, deepening her emotional attachment.

3. Significant Themes

• Survival and desperation: The relentless chase forces extreme measures (using heavy weapons, burning supplies, transforming).
• Heroism and sacrifice: Gao Jing endangers himself to protect Ling Ling without hesitation.
• Trust and emotional bonding: Crisis strengthens the connection between Gao Jing and Ling Ling.
• Looming threat: The Undead Calamity signals a large-scale danger affecting multiple cities.

4. Character Interactions

• Gao Jing and Ling Ling: He rescues her, carries her during the escape, and she repays him with a shy, grateful kiss; their relationship grows warmer and more intimate.
• Gao Jing and Ling Ling with the Abyss City Alliance: They report the crisis and are held for verification, introducing potential political/suspense dynamics.
• Gao Jing and Zhi Qi: A brief reconnection at the Alliance branch, hinting at future developments.

Summary of "Spirit Feather" Chapter

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhi Qi despairs over the Undead Calamity erupting at Netherworld Ruin City; the Abyss City Alliance seals all Underground Trackways, cutting off transportation and supply exchange between Abyss Cities.
• Many adventurers and Iron Furnace Abyss City personnel are trapped near Netherworld Ruin City with little chance of survival; massive compensation losses loom. The only solution is to quarantine the area and wait — possibly for months.
• Zhi Qi invites Gao Jing to take a post in Blackwater City; Gao Jing declines, viewing these cities as mere stepping stones toward the Great World.
• Gao Jing inquires about the God-Making Society; Zhi Qi warns him they are ALL dangerous lunatics ("if hanged, none would be innocent"). Gao Jing withholds that he killed a member, but is reassured by Zhi Qi's hostility toward them.
• Gao Jing leaves with Ling Ling, who gifts him a Spirit Feather — a feather that allows her to sense him when he calls her name, provided they are not too far apart. (Unbeknownst to Gao Jing, it belongs to a mated Spirit Kite pair and carries romantic significance.)
• Gao Jing returns to Azure River City. Shan Tai arrives days later with large quantities of wine and goes to formally propose marriage to Qing Lan's parents. Gao Jing asks about the result — and is left utterly stunned by Shan Tai's answer (cliffhanger).

2. Character Developments

• Gao Jing: Remains focused on his larger goal (the Great World), refusing entanglements and positions. Shows caution/strategic thinking by not disclosing his kill to Zhi Qi despite their good relations.
• Ling Ling: Openly shows romantic interest by gifting the Spirit Feather (a mate-bond token), though Gao Jing misses the meaning.
• Zhi Qi: Demonstrates goodwill and a desire to recruit Gao Jing; shows strong enmity toward the God-Making Society.

3. Significant Themes

• Consequences of catastrophe: The Undead Calamity triggers widespread disruption, sealing borders and causing economic/social fallout.
• Ambition vs. settling down: Gao Jing's refusal of a stable position highlights his determination to move upward.
• Caution and trust: Gao Jing's decision to withhold information about the God-Making Society shows even allies may not be told everything.
• Romance and unspoken signals: The Spirit Feather symbolizes a deepening bond, though one side is unaware of its weight.

4. Character Interactions

• Gao Jing × Zhi Qi: Civil but measured; Zhi Qi offers a position, warns about the God-Making Society; Gao Jing probes for information while guarding his secrets.
• Gao Jing × Ling Ling: A warm parting; Ling Ling bestows the Spirit Feather, revealing her feelings.
• Shan Tai × Qing Lan's parents (offscreen): Marriage proposal event, outcome conveyed through Gao Jing's shocked reaction — cliffhanger for the next chapter.

Chapter Summary: “The Giant Opened His Mouth”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Jing arrives in Azure River City with Shan Tai and a huge delivery of gifts: 500 jars of White Liquor, furs, and other offerings to formally propose Qing Lan’s marriage.
• Qing Lan’s parents accept Shan Tai as a suitable match, acknowledging his strength, his relationship with Qing Lan, and his status as a Low-Tier Totem Grand Warrior.
• However, they impose demanding marriage conditions:
  • Shan Tai must purchase a large residence in Azure River City.
  • One future child must take Qing Lan’s surname and be raised by her parents.
  • Shan Tai must provide a bride price of 1,800 jars of White Liquor, 500 Shell Pearls, and 10 Second-Tier Demon Beasts.
• Gao Jing is shocked by the enormous demands. The White Liquor alone would amount to 18,000 tons and cost roughly 700 million, making him painfully aware of his financial limitations.
• The bride price is explained as a contribution to the entire Azure River Tribe. Qing Lan is a newly promoted High-Tier Totem Warrior and is expected to become a Totem Grand Warrior, making her an extremely valuable member of the tribe.
• Qing Lan’s family also offers Shan Tai an alternative: marry into their family, in which case they would waive the bride price, provide a dowry, and buy the residence themselves.
• Shan Tai refuses because marrying into the Azure River Tribe would mean abandoning the Mountain Tribe and his existing wives.
• Qing Lan then bursts into the inn, emotionally declaring that she does not want a bride price and is willing to leave with Shan Tai immediately.
• After interrupting the couple’s emotional reunion with a loudspeaker, Gao Jing announces that he will find a way to meet the bride-price demands.
• Gao Jing concludes that eloping would damage Qing Lan’s position and that Shan Tai cannot marry into her family, leaving compliance with her parents’ demands as the best available option.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing: Initially overwhelmed by the scale of the bride price, he shifts from shock to determination. He accepts responsibility for solving the problem and begins considering ways to obtain more White Liquor, Shell Pearls, and other resources from the Main World.
• Shan Tai: Demonstrates loyalty to both Qing Lan and the Mountain Tribe. Although he loves Qing Lan, he refuses to abandon his tribe or his existing wives by marrying into her family.
• Qing Lan: Reveals the depth of her love for Shan Tai by rejecting the bride price and attempting to leave with him. Her emotional reaction also shows her conflict between filial duty, tribal expectations, and personal happiness.
• Qing Lan’s Parents: Appear to be demanding, but their conditions serve both to protect Qing Lan’s status and to provide a justification to the wider tribe. Their alternative offer suggests they may be trying to persuade Shan Tai to join the Azure River Tribe.
• Mountain Cat: Helps explain the political and tribal motivations behind the bride price.

Significant Themes

• Love versus tribal duty: Shan Tai and Qing Lan love each other, but their marriage is constrained by tribal interests, family expectations, and political alliances.
• Sacrifice and loyalty: Shan Tai’s refusal to marry into Qing Lan’s family emphasizes his loyalty to the Mountain Tribe and his existing family.
• Marriage as a political and economic arrangement: Qing Lan’s marriage is treated not merely as a personal union but as a matter affecting two tribes’ strength and future.
• Resource disparity: The enormous quantities of goods required highlight the vast difference in scale between Gao Jing’s world and the Great Wilderness.
• Responsibility and friendship: Gao Jing takes on the burden of supporting Shan Tai, demonstrating his loyalty and willingness to help his companions despite the staggering cost.

Character Interactions

• Shan Tai reports the marriage conditions to Gao Jing, who reacts with disbelief at the enormous bride price.
• Gao Jing and Shan Tai discuss the purpose of the White Liquor and the possibility of Shan Tai marrying into Qing Lan’s family.
• Shan Tai firmly rejects the idea of leaving the Mountain Tribe.
• Qing Lan interrupts the discussion, embraces Shan Tai, and declares that she would rather abandon the bride price and leave with him.
• Gao Jing humorously breaks up their emotional moment with a loudspeaker, then reassures them that he will handle the bride price.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points & Events

1. Aftermath of the Marriage Negotiation: Gao Jing settles Shan Tai's engagement to Qing Lan in Azure River City. He declines Shan Tai's gratitude, noting they're family.
2. Logistics Assigned to Shan Tai: Before Shan Tai returns to the Mountain Stronghold, Gao Jing assigns him tasks: produce 1,800 wine jars, cut oak and cedar timber from the Muten Stronghold area (which Gao Jing had previously scouted), and hunt demon beasts as part of the bride price.
3. Timber Trade Plans: Gao Jing reveals his commercial strategy—Purple Sandalwood, Hundred-Fruit Wine, and Spirit Jade remain high-end luxury goods (limited supply), while oak and cedar will serve as bulk commodities for the Two-World Trade, targeting millions of cubic meters.
4. Undead Calamity Escalates: Returning to Blackwater City, Gao Jing finds all routes sealed, Underground Trackways damaged, and Undead forces having advanced within dozens of li of the city. The Abyss City Alliance offers generous rewards for defense missions.
5. Return to Main World: After two days, Gao Jing exits the Great World, spends a night in Hong Kong, then flies to Shanghai for the Jiashang Auction House spring auction on March 20, where another ten bottles of Hundred-Fruit Wine will be sold.
6. Reunion with Ji Yu: Gao Jing meets his lover Ji Yu at the Jin Mao Grand Hyatt. She reveals her "Pink Crown" diamond—originally 12.85 carats, now cut to 6.80 carats as a heart shape—has been completed by an international jewelry brand into a necklace. He fastens it on her.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing: Demonstrates his practical, strategic mind—managing both magical-world logistics and modern-world business. His resourcefulness shows in developing timber as a new trade commodity. His affection for Ji Yu is genuine, though their relationship is primarily physical.
• Shan Tai: Expresses deep gratitude and confidence, swearing he can hunt "twenty or thirty" demon beasts—clearly energized by love for Qing Lan.
• Ji Yu: Affectionate and eager to share her prized possession with Gao Jing; saved wearing the necklace until he could see it firsthand.

Significant Themes

• Transactional Nature of Relationships: Marriage, bride price, and the Two-World Trade are all framed as exchanges with calculated value.
• Power of Love as Motivation: Shan Tai's determination is explicitly attributed to love, which fuels his willingness to undertake major tasks.
• Interworld Commerce: The chapter lays groundwork for expanding trade between the magical and modern worlds—scarce luxury goods versus bulk commodities.
• Impending Crisis: The Undead Calamity forms a backdrop of mounting tension, contrasting with the carefree luxury of the modern-world scenes.

Character Interactions

• Gao Jing & Shan Tai: Pragmatic exchange about business logistics; Shan Tai shows emotional gratitude while Gao Jing deflects formality.
• Gao Jing & Ji Yu: Intimate reunion with playful banter. She shyly presents the necklace; he adorns her with it. Their dynamic is affectionate yet casual, with implied physical intimacy handled tastefully.

Chapter Summary: The Most Expensive Cat Bed in History

Key Plot Points and Events

• While Gao Jing is showing Ji Yu the expensive “Pink Crown” diamond necklace, Nine Apertures suddenly appears from beneath the bed, having been awakened by the necklace’s scent.
• Ji Yu is overjoyed to reunite with the spirit cat and affectionately embraces and kisses it.
• Gao Jing explains that he brought Nine Apertures with him because he has been staying in Shanghai and did not want to leave it with someone else. The cat has grown more intelligent and powerful through regular interaction and freedom, rather than remaining sealed inside its Witchcraft Artifact bell.
• Concerned about keeping a pet in a hotel, Gao Jing suggests buying a permanent residence. He proposes purchasing a luxury sky villa at Shanghai No. 1, priced at approximately 250 million yuan.
• The enormous villa includes multiple floors, bedrooms, living rooms, bathrooms, a sky garden, and a swimming pool. Ji Yu jokingly calls it an extravagant “cat bed” for Nine Apertures.
• Ji Yu proposes filming a vlog about buying the villa as Nine Apertures’s home. Gao Jing agrees, recognizing that the cat’s enormous online popularity generates valuable Faith Power.
• Ji Yu then reveals that Prosperity Sky Entertainment has invited Nine Apertures to appear on the fifth season of Chinese Talent Show, a major television program. She asks Gao Jing whether they should accept.

Character Developments

• Gao Jing continues to display immense wealth and confidence. He views the 250-million-yuan villa as a reasonable purchase, especially because his future lumber business is expected to generate enormous profits.
• He also shows genuine affection and responsibility toward Nine Apertures, prioritizing its comfort and development. His decision to let the spirit cat roam freely has helped increase its intelligence, abilities, and attachment to him.
• Ji Yu demonstrates her deep emotional bond with Nine Apertures. She is thrilled to see it again and treats it almost like family, even jokingly calling Gao Jing its “Daddy.”
• Ji Yu also proves to be an effective manager of Nine Apertures’s public image. She has rejected ordinary commercial offers in accordance with Gao Jing’s wishes but recognizes that appearing on a major talent show could greatly expand the cat’s fame.
• Nine Apertures is portrayed as unusually intelligent and spiritually gifted. It can behave like a trained pet, is attached to both Gao Jing and Ji Yu, and remains fascinated by the diamond necklace.

Significant Themes

• Wealth and extravagance: Gao Jing’s purchase of an ultra-luxurious villa for a spirit cat emphasizes his extraordinary financial power and the chapter’s humorous exaggeration.
• Companionship and affection: Nine Apertures is not merely a tool or magical creature; it has become a beloved companion whose emotional bonds with the characters continue to deepen.
• Growth through freedom and care: The spirit cat’s improved intelligence and abilities suggest that personal attention, interaction, and freedom help supernatural beings develop.
• Fame and influence: Nine Apertures’s online popularity has expanded across multiple platforms, making it a powerful source of Faith Power for Gao Jing.
• The value of publicity beyond money: Although Gao Jing refuses ordinary endorsements, he considers major public exposure worthwhile because it can increase Nine Apertures’s fame and, consequently, his supply of Faith Power.

Character Interactions

• Ji Yu enthusiastically reunites with Nine Apertures, hugging, kissing, and playfully making it bow to Gao Jing in thanks.
• Gao Jing calmly explains his care for the cat and jokes about purchasing the villa as its new “nest.”
• Ji Yu teases Gao Jing about spending 250 million yuan on a cat bed but ultimately supports the idea.
• The two collaborate on the idea of turning the home purchase into a viral vlog.
• Ji Yu consults Gao Jing about the television invitation, setting up a decision about whether Nine Apertures should enter mainstream entertainment.

Chapter Summary: "The One Who Regrets It Won't Be Me"

1. Key Plot Points

• Gao Jing finalizes the purchase of the 250-million-yuan super sky mansion at Shanghai No. 1 after a second viewing, with Azure Coast Studio filming the process for a new "Little Nine's Home-Buying Story" video.
• The mansion comes with three parking spaces and a gifted Mercedes-Benz S400L (for the nanny).
• Gao Jing reflects on his transformation from dreaming of a modest 70-80 sqm apartment to buying this luxury property in one year.
• He and Ji Yu move in; he gives her an access card and keys.
• Three days later, Niu Jinxing visits and warns Gao Jing that last year's big buyers won't bid at this year's Jiashang Spring Auction for Hundred-Fruit Wine, and that someone has pressured his family not to bid either.
• Gao Jing reveals he's mentally prepared, suspects Jiangnan Minghui Biotechnology (who previously wanted the formula) is behind the suppression, and states he'll stop selling after this batch.
• He warns that if they "play dirty," he won't be the one regretting it—making Niu Jinxing feel like he's facing a savage beast.

2. Character Developments

• Gao Jing: Shows his growing confidence, wealth, and unshakable calm in the face of business suppression. His dangerous, cold side subtly surfaces when threatened.
• Niu Jinxing: Deepens his wariness of Gao Jing, sensing an unfathomable, intimidating presence behind his friend's ordinary background.
• Ji Yu: Solidifies her position in Gao Jing's life by moving in with him.

3. Significant Themes

• Class Ascension: From dreams of a modest down payment to a 250-million-yuan mansion—highlighting the unpredictability of life.
• Business Rivalry/Suppression: The attempt by powerful interests to devalue and control Hundred-Fruit Wine through collusion.
• Trust and Intimacy: Gao Jing gifting keys symbolizes deep trust in Ji Yu.
• Hidden Power: Gao Jing's mysterious background and strength remain undisclosed, fueling intrigue.

4. Character Interactions

• Gao Jing & Ji Yu: Playful and affectionate; she blocks his kiss with Nine Apertures (the cat), then tours the mansion; he gives her keys, and she hesitantly accepts.
• Gao Jing & Niu Jinxing: Candid discussion about the auction suppression; Niu acts as a loyal friend delivering a warning.
• Ji Yu & Zhang Ying: Zhang Ying is shown the mansion by Ji Yu, while the men talk privately.

Summary: Little Nine's Home-Buying Chronicle (Chapter 1)

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter opens with Luo Ang, a 996 programmer in Jincheng, returning exhausted to his cramped rented room after work.
• He prepares a frugal dinner: instant noodles with sausage and pickled mustard greens (a rare splurge).
• After logging into his messaging app, he sees a group notification from the "Large Cat-Absorption Base" fan group, linking to a new Bilibili video by the uploader "High Mountain."
• The video is titled Little Nine's Home-Buying Chronicle. Luo Ang expects a simple cat-house vlog but is shocked to discover Little Nine—a cat—is "buying" a 1,080-square-meter luxury residence in central Shanghai worth 250 million yuan.
• The video tour showcases a three-story villa with an indoor elevator, 270-degree panoramic balcony, sky garden, open-air pool, and ultra-luxury furnishings (a million-yuan sofa, a 100,000-yuan faucet).
• The video concludes with Little Nine pressing her inked paw print onto a property purchase contract as sales representatives applaud.
• The video goes viral, amassing over 5 million views within hours, with tens of thousands of bullet comments across multiple platforms (Bilibili, Weibo, QuickVoice).

2. Character Developments

• Luo Ang is introduced as a hardworking, frugal programmer who sends most of his salary home to support his family's debts and save for his younger sister's college tuition.
• He is a devoted cat lover, having grown up with a beloved tabby cat that disappeared, leaving lasting fondness.
• He finds genuine happiness and emotional relief in watching cat videos, especially Little Nine's, using them as a free escape from the pressures of life.
• He is a loyal fan who dismisses claims that Little Nine is CGI, believing she's a genuinely extraordinary cat.
• Little Nine (the cat) is depicted as absurdly intelligent and beloved by fans—able to use the toilet, understand human speech, and now "purchase" property.
• "Ninth Lady" (Little Nine's beautiful owner) appears in the video, briefly but memorably, holding Little Nine on the balcony.

3. Significant Themes

• The gap between wealth and hardship: Luo Ang eats instant noodles in a rented room while watching a cat buy a 250-million-yuan Shanghai mansion—a stark, bittersweet contrast.
• Finding joy in small things: Pet videos serve as a free, vital source of happiness that helps Luo Ang endure his difficult life.
• Internet culture and virality: The chapter highlights how content spreads across platforms, with bullet comments and fan groups creating a collective viewing experience.
• The anthropomorphization of pets: Little Nine is treated as a person—buying property, signing contracts—blurring the line between animal and human.

4. Character Interactions

• Luo Ang interacts with his online fan group ("Large Cat-Absorption Base"), which alerts him to the new video.
• Within the video, Ninth Lady and sales consultants interact with Little Nine as she tours the property and signs the contract.
• Luo Ang engages indirectly with the wider viewer community through bullet comments, which reflect a mix of awe, disbelief, and admiration (e.g., "Humans are worse off than cats," "Is this for real?").