Ch. 481No Road to Heaven, Yet They Refused to Take It
Chapter Summary: "No Road to Heaven, Yet They Refused to Take It"
1. Key Plot Points & Events
- Xia Yunqi's background revealed: Zuo Yi calls Qin Wuyang to learn about his new disciple. Xia Yunqi's mother (Qin Wuyang's niece) was rebellious; her father was a dissolute Xia Imperial Clan descendant. Her father died in a street-racing accident before she turned one; her mother abandoned her and fled abroad.
- Raising by the Qin family: The Qin patriarch took pity on her, but she lived an awkward, neglected existence—fed and clothed, but treated coldly.
- Turning point: Xia Yunqi's friendship with Bao'er at the Qin family celebration caught Qin Wuyang's attention, leading him to send her to Jiangnan Apocalypse Academy. She has since formally kowtowed and become Zuo Yi's student (though Qin Wuyang doesn't know she awakened as a Transcendent Being with a rare talent).
- Chen Wan's ambush: On her third day as HR supervisor at a tourism development company, Chen Wan is ambushed in her car by two men posing as security guards. They demand to know Gu Yunxi's whereabouts.
- Rescue: Chen Wan crushes a wooden bead from the bracelet Zuo Yi gave her (made from Treasure Tree branches). Zuo Yi teleports instantly via the Treasure Tree's power and immobilizes both attackers.
- Cliffhanger: Zuo Yi's cold statement—"There was a road to heaven, yet they refused to take it"—signals his intent to deal harshly with the kidnappers.
2. Character Developments
- Zuo Yi: Demonstrates his protective nature toward his people. Takes genuine interest in his student's background and equips those close to him with defensive measures (bracelet, leaf necklace). Shows ruthless resolve against threats.
- Xia Yunqi: Her tragic origin story contextualizes her personality and behavior; her life turned around through the friendship with Bao'er and her formal apprenticeship under Zuo Yi.
- Chen Wan: Adjusting to her restored life in China, determined to prove her worth at work rather than coast on connections. Under threat, she stays relatively composed, refuses to reveal Gu Yunxi's whereabouts, and uses her protective item correctly.
- Qin Wuyang: Reveals he only sent Xia Yunqi to the academy due to Bao'er's friendship; believes Zuo Yi accepted her for the same reason, unaware of her awakened talent—showing his limited emotional investment in her.
3. Significant Themes
- Found family & protection: Zuo Yi uses his power not for conquest but to safeguard the vulnerable people around him (Chen Wan, Bao'er, Xia Yunqi).
- Overcoming tragic origins: Both Xia Yunqi and Chen Wan come from broken pasts but find new chances through Zuo Yi's intervention.
- Disguised danger / false security: Chen Wan believed her nightmare was over, only to be attacked while going about her ordinary routine.
- Consequences for threats: "There's a road to heaven, yet they refused to take it" establishes Zuo Yi's zero-tolerance stance toward anyone endangering his circle.
4. Character Interactions
- Zuo Yi & Qin Wuyang: A phone conversation where Qin Wuyang explains Xia Yunqi's history, expressing genuine happiness that she became Zuo Yi's student.
- Chen Wan & kidnappers: The two attackers threaten her with a dagger, demanding Gu Yunxi's location; she refuses to reveal it.
- Zuo Yi & Chen Wan: He arrives instantaneously at her moment of crisis, immobilizes the kidnappers, and comforts her with "It's all right now."
- Implicit relationship: Zuo Yi gave Chen Wan both a bracelet and a leaf necklace for protection—showing she holds significant importance to him, though the exact nature of their relationship isn't specified in this chapter.