Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Another Sword Token?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun examines Ye Haotian’s abilities and inheritance after using two Copying Talismans.
• He compares Ye Haotian’s Indestructible Body with the superior Saint Physique, noting that the former mainly provides extreme regeneration rather than truly invincible defense.
• Among Ye Haotian’s techniques, Chen Shaojun is especially drawn to the Secret Art of Movement, one of the Nine Secrets and reportedly the fastest speed-enhancing secret technique in the world.
• Rather than copy the Indestructible Body, Chen chooses to copy the Secret Art of Movement. His mastery immediately reaches Ye Haotian’s proficient level.
• Chen reflects that the two Copying Talismans have given him the Innate Dao Body and the Secret Art of Movement, greatly improving both his cultivation potential and ability to escape danger.
• At the auction, several major figures—including the Cold Smoke Fairy, Xie Xiaoyu, Guo Xianyun, Yan Shuangjie, and Wan Fengnian—invite Chen to join their private rooms. He declines their invitations to preserve his mysterious, unaffiliated identity.
• The auction organizers eventually invite him to a Heaven Grade private room, recognizing him as a Core-Formation Realm expert.
• The auction begins:
  • A pristine ancient jade-green sword is offered. Chen identifies it as a genuine unused master-forged weapon and estimates its value at three to five thousand taels. Shopkeeper Liu bids, but the sword ultimately sells for seven thousand taels.
  • A seventy-year-old wine is auctioned. Chen detects that its seal was damaged, causing a musty flavor and potentially harmful effects. Despite this, it sells for five hundred taels to Zhou Kuang, an acquaintance from the Mo Clan Trading House.
• The chapter ends when a Sword Token appears at auction. Chen recognizes it as one of eight tokens connected to the legendary Sword Elder’s cave dwelling and inheritance.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Gains the Secret Art of Movement and becomes more confident in his survival abilities. He believes that, unless an opponent is two major realms stronger, he should be able to escape. He also demonstrates restraint and strategic caution by refusing to become closely associated with major sects.
• Ye Haotian: His status as the successor of the Saint Physique’s lineage is strengthened by the powerful inheritance he possesses, particularly the Secret Art of Movement, despite his own physique being only the Indestructible Body.
• Shopkeeper Liu: Shows complete trust in Chen’s appraisal and immediately bids on the ancient sword based on Chen’s judgment.
• The major sect successors: Their repeated invitations reveal their interest in cultivating relationships with Chen, whom they view as a powerful and mysterious independent expert.
• Zhou Kuang: Reappears as the buyer of the flawed wine, linking the auction to Chen’s previous dealings with the Mo Clan Trading House.

Significant Themes

• Strength versus specialization: The chapter distinguishes between physical invulnerability and regeneration, emphasizing that different powerful physiques excel in different areas.
• Strategic choice and adaptability: Chen prioritizes the Secret Art of Movement over the Indestructible Body because speed complements his existing abilities and gives him a stronger survival advantage.
• Secrecy and independence: Chen deliberately avoids forming ties with major sects, maintaining his false identity and preventing others from discovering his true background.
• The value of appraisal and discernment: Chen’s abilities allow him to see beyond appearances, accurately judging the sword’s quality and identifying the wine’s hidden defect.
• Inheritance and ancient power: The appearance of the Sword Token introduces the continuing influence of the ancient Sword Elder and suggests that powerful relics and inheritances are becoming entangled with current events.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen mentally evaluates Ye Haotian’s physique and techniques before copying the Secret Art of Movement.
• Representatives of the Cold Smoke Fairy, Divine Sword Manor, Tai Chi Zen Sect, Azure Cloud Sect, and Heavenly Spirit Sect each attempt to invite Chen into their circles, but he politely refuses.
• The auction organizers acknowledge Chen’s strength and move him into a Heaven Grade private room.
• Shopkeeper Liu consults Chen about the ancient sword, relying on his appraisal to place a bid.
• Chen identifies Zhou Kuang among the bidders after recognizing that the auctioned wine is defective.
• The appearance of the Sword Token causes Chen to connect the auction item with the Red-Clad Cult’s earlier interception of the Mo Clan Trading House’s convoy, raising suspicions about whether the two incidents are related.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• An auction presents a Sword Token, one of six created by the ancient Sword Elder, a legendary powerhouse who dominated the cultivation world eight thousand years earlier.
• Sword Elder’s tokens supposedly lead to his hidden cave-dwelling, containing immense treasures and his Daoist inheritance.
• Wu Zhongliang reveals that all six tokens are required to open the cave, but gathering three allows the formation of a Little Sword Token Array, which can locate the remaining three.
• The Heavenly Spirit Sect and Jadeite Immortal Sect each already possess one token, making the auctioned token the crucial third piece.
• The bidding becomes intense, eventually surpassing one million taels of silver, with only the Heavenly Spirit Sect, Jadeite Immortal Sect, and Azure Cloud Sect still competing.
• Chen Shaojun investigates whether the auctioned token is the one transported by the Mo Clan Trading House. By secretly examining Chief Shopkeeper Mo Cheng’s jade pendant with his Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror, he confirms that it is.
• His investigation reveals that Mo Cheng, Fang Ping, and Zhou Kuang delivered the token to Yang Yuanhang, the Ninth-Layer Innate Realm commander of Myriad Treasures Town.
• The token actually belongs to a mysterious figure referred to as “my lord,” who possesses two Sword Tokens but deliberately released one at auction.
• This scheme is intended to force the Heavenly Spirit Sect and Jadeite Immortal Sect to form the Little Sword Token Array, locate the remaining tokens, and eventually seek cooperation with “my lord.” He hopes to negotiate a larger share of Sword Elder’s treasures without appearing to beg the two sects for inclusion.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates greater caution and strategic awareness. He recognizes that the appearance of the third public Sword Token will eventually expose the token he personally possesses, putting him in danger.
• He estimates that the mysterious “my lord” must be extraordinarily powerful—at least a Spirit Astral Realm expert and possibly even a Martial Saint.
• Rather than panic, Chen Shaojun views the delay before the Little Sword Token Array is formed as an opportunity to increase his cultivation. He believes that reaching one hundred years of Arcane Cultivation could bring him to a level comparable to the Nascent Soul Realm.
• His Treasure Appraisal rewards him with a Fasting Pill, which allows a person to survive a month without food or drink and assists low-level cultivators in improving their practice.
• Yang Yuanhang appears cautious and politically astute, understanding both the benefits and risks of possessing multiple Sword Tokens.
• Fang Ping explains and defends “my lord’s” strategy, while Mo Cheng serves as the merchant intermediary who delivered the token.
• The leading disciples of the three major sects—Heavenly Spirit, Jadeite Immortal, and Azure Cloud—shift from apparent friendliness to fierce competition once the auction becomes decisive.

Significant Themes

• Power and political maneuvering: The Sword Token is valuable not only for its treasures but also for the influence it grants over the future exploration of Sword Elder’s cave.
• Strategic concealment: “My lord” hides his strength and intentions, using the auction to manipulate powerful sects into approaching him.
• Danger accompanying opportunity: The cave-dwelling promises immense advancement, but possessing a token also makes its owner a target.
• Preparation and patience: Chen Shaojun realizes that time before the major conflict is more valuable than immediate action and plans to strengthen himself before the token array reveals his possession.
• The unequal balance of power: Ordinary cultivators are effectively excluded from the struggle, while top-tier sects and powerful hidden figures compete over the inheritance.

Character Interactions

• Wu Zhongliang excites the auction crowd by revealing the Sword Token’s origin, then tempers their enthusiasm by explaining the requirement for all six tokens.
• The auction bidders compete aggressively, with Red Dust Fairy initially commanding attention but unable to deter others from pursuing the inheritance.
• Chen Shaojun secretly removes and examines Mo Cheng’s jade pendant, using it to uncover the meeting between the Mo Clan Trading House and Yang Yuanhang.
• Yang Yuanhang, Mo Cheng, and Fang Ping discuss why “my lord” released one of his two tokens and how he intends to negotiate with the major sects.
• Chen Shaojun independently reconstructs the entire scheme and realizes that the Sword Token auction is the opening move in a much larger struggle.

Chapter Summary: “Divine Weapon Recognizes a Master?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The auction for Sword Elder’s Sword Token reaches its climax when Zhang Qiankun, seated in Soaring Cloud Pavilion’s private room, enters the bidding on behalf of the Crown Prince’s faction.
• The Sword Token is ultimately sold for 5.7 million taels of silver, defeating the three major immortal sects’ attempts to obtain it.
• The auction proceeds to a set of Twelfth-Grade Heavenly Fragrance, an incense once refined by the destroyed Heavenly Fragrance Sect. It can greatly enhance Daoist and martial cultivation, improve comprehension, and strengthen spiritual power.
• Chen Shaojun recognizes that the auctioned incense resembles the Arcane Incense he already possesses. He bids successfully, purchasing five sticks for 50,000 taels.
• Chen makes a few additional bids but withdraws when prices exceed the value he places on the items. Shopkeeper Liu spends heavily on two longevity-enhancing spirit pills.
• The auction’s finale is the Evil-vanquishing Sword, a massive Divine Weapon once wielded by a peak Martial Saint. Its extreme weight, immense killing intent, Sword Astral, and sword spirit make it dangerous and difficult to control.
• Chen uses the Spirit Eye Technique to inspect the sword and discovers that its true power lies in its sword spirit, which can harmonize with a chosen master and allow the full power of the weapon to be used.
• Although Chen cannot afford to compete in the auction, the sword unexpectedly establishes a connection with him and appears to recognize him as its master while still on the auction platform.
• The Evil-vanquishing Sword is eventually purchased by the occupant of Private Room Eleven for 2.3 million taels.
• Chen considers whether to seize the sword and escape using his mastery of movement and escape techniques, potentially using his Kunlun Daoist identity and Clone Technique to avoid exposing his true self.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun continues to demonstrate his exceptional insight through the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror and Spirit Eye Technique. He recognizes the value of spiritual-power-enhancing treasures and realizes that the Evil-vanquishing Sword is ideally suited to his Swordheart Clarity talent.
• His unexpected connection with the sword reveals that his abilities—or some aspect of his destiny—may be extraordinary enough to attract and tame a Divine Weapon automatically.
• Chen’s wealth is shown to be considerable but insufficient compared with the enormous fortunes of major sects and powerful factions. This gives him a moment of humility and frustration.
• Shopkeeper Liu appears financially bold and practical, spending large sums on longevity-enhancing pills.
• Zhang Qiankun is revealed as the likely hidden authority behind Soaring Cloud Pavilion’s immense influence. He is identified as a top Spirit Astral martial expert and a confidant of Crown Prince Zhou Lingyun.
• The three immortal sects, Divine Sword Manor, and other elite bidders are portrayed as powerful competitors with access to vast resources.

Significant Themes

• Power, wealth, and status: The auction demonstrates that possessing money is not enough; only those with sufficient strength and backing can safely claim priceless treasures.
• Hidden identities and political influence: Soaring Cloud Pavilion’s low-profile business empire is connected to the Crown Prince, showing how political power operates behind commercial and auction activity.
• Fate and recognition: The Evil-vanquishing Sword’s spontaneous recognition of Chen suggests a deeper bond between worthy weapons and destined masters.
• The value of cultivation resources: The Heavenly Fragrance emphasizes how rare treasures can accelerate comprehension, strengthen spiritual power, and provide advantages that accumulate over time.
• Temptation versus caution: Chen must weigh the immense opportunity of obtaining a Divine Weapon against the danger of provoking powerful auction participants and exposing his identity.
• Human-and-weapon unity: The sword spirit’s ability to harmonize with its master reinforces the martial theme that the greatest weapons are not merely tools but partners with their own will.

Character Interactions

• Chen discusses the identity of Soaring Cloud Pavilion’s hidden owner with Shopkeeper Liu and others, learning about Zhang Qiankun’s connection to the Crown Prince.
• The auction participants react with shock and speculation when Zhang Qiankun challenges the three immortal sects for the Sword Token.
• Chen and Shopkeeper Liu participate in the auction independently: Chen buys the Heavenly Fragrance, while Liu purchases longevity-enhancing pills.
• Chen observes the competition among Xie Xiaoyu of Divine Sword Manor, Guo Xianyun of the Tai Chi Zen Sect, and the bidder from Private Room Eleven for the Evil-vanquishing Sword.
• The most important “interaction” is between Chen and the sword itself: without physical contact, the sword spirit forms a mysterious bond with him and apparently accepts him as its master.
• The chapter ends with Chen contemplating whether to take the sword by force and escape, leaving the outcome unresolved.

Chapter Summary: “Ten Million Taels of Silver”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The auction reaches its climax with the unveiling of a massive black bell, carried by two Qi Sea Realm martial artists. It stands over four feet tall, weighs thirteen thousand jin, and astonishes everyone.
• The auctioneer, Wu Zhongliang, suggests that the bell may be the legendary Soul-Devouring Bell, a terrifying ancient treasure once wielded by the Devil Dao powerhouse Xie Old Devil.
• The Soul-Devouring Bell is famed for attacking the soul. Its toll once killed or incapacitated countless Daoist experts during the ancient war between the Immortal and Devil Daos.
• Although the auction organizers cannot verify the bell’s identity, they classify it as a top-tier Immortal Treasure and set its starting price at three million taels of silver.
• Chen Shaojun secretly uses the Spirit Eye Technique to inspect the bell. The attempt nearly destroys his spiritual power, but the overwhelming soul-burning force convinces him that the bell is almost certainly the genuine Soul-Devouring Bell.
• The bell’s connection to the Burial Heaven Pit puzzles Chen, since it appears to be a treasure native to this world rather than one from a small world.
• Bidding quickly escalates among the wealthy occupants of the Heaven-class rooms. Heaven-class Room Eleven eventually wins the bell for 8.2 million taels.
• Since the same room previously purchased a divine sword for 2.3 million taels, its total spending reaches 10.5 million taels, prompting widespread speculation about the buyer’s identity and wealth.
• Chen realizes that the divine sword—which has already acknowledged him as its master—is being delivered to Room Eleven along with the black cauldron. He considers mentally summoning the sword back before its new owners discover that it is bound to someone else.
• However, he hesitates because reclaiming it publicly could cause chaos and endanger Shopkeeper Liu and the other people accompanying him.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates increasingly sharp appraisal abilities and knowledge of ancient treasures. Though his spiritual power is still insufficient to fully appraise the bell, he correctly infers its identity from its soul-destroying aura.
• His spiritual strength has been gradually improving, partly due to the influence of writing and publishing the Appraiser’s Handbook, but it remains inadequate for treasures of the bell’s level.
• Chen’s caution and responsibility become clear: although he is capable of protecting himself, he refuses to act recklessly if it might place Shopkeeper Liu and others in danger.
• He also displays financial awareness by recognizing that ten million taels represents an extraordinarily vast amount of immediately available wealth.
• Wu Zhongliang skillfully increases the auction’s excitement by emphasizing the bell’s immense weight, historical associations, and possible identity.
• Shopkeeper Liu remains impressed by the auction’s enormous prices and becomes curious about the mysterious buyers in Room Eleven.

Significant Themes

• The overwhelming power of ancient treasures: The black bell’s weight and soul-attacking ability establish it as an artifact far beyond ordinary divine weapons.
• Uncertainty and speculation: The organizers exploit the bell’s resemblance to the Soul-Devouring Bell without making a definitive claim, showing how legend and ambiguity can drive value.
• Wealth and power: The auction reveals the immense financial resources of major sects and hidden elites. Silver is portrayed as a tool of influence that even powerful cultivators may struggle to mobilize.
• Responsibility versus self-interest: Chen wants to reclaim his divine sword but must weigh personal gain against the safety of those around him.
• The limits of ability: Chen possesses exceptional appraisal talent, yet the bell reminds him that his spiritual strength is still far below the level required to fully understand the highest-grade treasures.
• Mysteries of origin: The bell’s presence in the Burial Heaven Pit raises larger questions about how treasures from different worlds are connected.

Character Interactions

• Wu Zhongliang engages the crowd by revealing the bell’s specifications and linking it to the Soul-Devouring Bell legend.
• Chen privately assesses the bell while Shopkeeper Liu notices his physical reaction and asks whether something is wrong. Chen conceals his discovery rather than revealing that he believes the bell is genuine.
• Auction attendees discuss the bell, previous record-breaking sales, and the value of Immortal Artifacts, providing context for the enormous bids.
• The crowd speculates about the identity of the buyers in Room Eleven after they purchase both the divine sword and the black bell.
• Chen mentally considers the divine sword’s situation and his possible confrontation with the Room Eleven buyers, but the presence of Shopkeeper Liu and the other companions restrains him from acting immediately.

Chapter Summary: “Sudden Change, Battle”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the auction ends, many people remain behind to discover the identity of the mysterious buyer in private room eleven. Chen Shaojun also stays to investigate, partly because he is concerned for Shopkeeper Liu’s safety.
• The auction organizer, Spear King Wang Lin, delivers the two final treasures—the Divine Weapon sword and the black bell or cauldron suspected to be an Immortal Treasure—to the buyers.
• The buyers are revealed to be:
  • Zhen Pingxun, an old acquaintance of Wang Lin and a Third Layer Innate Realm expert from the Red-Clad Cult.
  • Chen He, a powerful and mysterious Red-Clad Cult elder whose strength far surpasses Wang Lin’s.
• Chen He gives the Divine Weapon sword to Zhen Pingxun, replacing the weapon Zhen had previously lost.
• When Wang Lin demands payment of 10.5 million taels of silver, Chen He bluntly declares that he has no money and never intended to pay. He stores the black treasure and attempts to leave with Zhen Pingxun.
• Wang Lin attacks to stop them. Chen He easily deflects his spear strike and sends him flying, destroying part of the auction room.
• Two Spirit Astral Realm guards rush in to defend the auction, leading to a major battle. Chen He fights both simultaneously while still protecting Zhen Pingxun.
• The auction hall collapses, many spectators flee, and several people are injured or killed by the battle’s stray attacks.
• Chen Shaojun’s avatar evacuates Shopkeeper Liu and discreetly protects him from the surrounding attacks.
• Chen Shaojun identifies the attacker as Chen He, one of the Red-Clad Cult’s eight great elders and a Fourth Layer Spirit Astral Realm expert.
• Although numerous righteous-path experts covet the Divine Weapon and Immortal Treasure, they hesitate to intervene without a legitimate justification. The auction organizers are likewise trapped: calling for help could allow others to seize the treasures.
• Chen He overwhelmingly suppresses the two defending Spirit Astral Realm experts, leaving the organizers angry, helpless, and unable to stop him.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates caution, awareness, and loyalty by prioritizing Shopkeeper Liu’s safety while concealing his own abilities. His knowledge from appraisal scenes allows him to identify Chen He and understand the Red-Clad Cult’s strength.
• Shopkeeper Liu remains frightened and confused by the sudden battle but trusts Chen Shaojun enough to flee with him.
• Zhen Pingxun is shown to have risen greatly in status and strength since his earlier days with Wang Lin. He is also deeply grateful to Chen He for giving him the Divine Weapon.
• Chen He is revealed as arrogant, decisive, and overwhelmingly powerful. He treats the auction treasures as gifts, openly refuses payment, and confronts the auction’s forces without fear.
• Wang Lin shifts from confident organizer and old friend to an alarmed defender of the auction’s interests. His attempt to stop Chen He fails almost instantly.
• The auction organizers and righteous experts are portrayed as constrained by reputation and moral appearances, unable to act freely despite their desire for the treasures.

Significant Themes

• Power versus rules: The auction’s contracts and authority prove meaningless against overwhelming strength.
• Hidden identities and concealed power: The mysterious buyer’s identity creates suspense, while Chen He’s restrained aura masks his terrifying cultivation.
• Greed and moral justification: Many experts want the treasures but hesitate because acting openly would expose their greed and damage their righteous reputations.
• Loyalty and protection: Chen Shaojun’s concern for Shopkeeper Liu contrasts with the Red-Clad Cult’s ruthless seizure of the treasures.
• Helplessness before superior strength: Even multiple Spirit Astral Realm experts and the auction’s defenses cannot counter Chen He’s dominance.

Important Character Interactions

• Wang Lin and Zhen Pingxun: Their former friendship is revealed, but it is strained when Zhen participates in refusing payment and fleeing with Chen He.
• Wang Lin and Chen He: Their formal exchange quickly becomes hostile when Chen He refuses to pay. Wang Lin’s attack results in his effortless defeat.
• Chen He and Zhen Pingxun: Chen He acts as Zhen’s superior and protector, gifting him the Divine Weapon and shielding him during the battle.
• Chen Shaojun and Shopkeeper Liu: Chen Shaojun takes responsibility for Liu’s safety and guides him out of the collapsing auction grounds.
• Chen Shaojun and the Red-Clad Cult: Chen Shaojun’s previous encounters and appraisal knowledge allow him to recognize Zhen Pingxun and correctly identify Chen He’s position and strength within the cult.

Chapter Summary: “Chasing Down, Unleashing Might”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Red-Clad Cult’s attack leaves the Myriad Treasures Eight Immortals and the experts protecting the auction in a desperate situation. Their two Spirit Astral Realm Attendants cannot defeat Chen He, a Fourth Layer Spirit Astral Realm expert, while also protecting Zhen Pingxun.
• Chen He knocks back the two Attendants, seizes Zhen Pingxun, and attempts to escape before the gathered forces can surround him.
• Wang Lin calls on everyone to pursue and defeat the fugitives, promising the Myriad Treasures Eight Immortals will reward them. Although many claim to be defending the auction’s hosts, their true motivations are largely the Divine Weapon and the suspected Soul-Suppressing Bell.
• Red Dust Fairy, Ye Haotian, Zhuang Hanyan, Wan Fengnian, Yan Shuangjie, Xie Xiaoyu, Guo Xianyun, and other major figures join the pursuit. The martial artists are especially attracted by the Red-Clad Cult’s stolen divine sword.
• Chen Shaojun follows after copying Ye Haotian’s movement technique. By combining it with Cloud Riding and Mist Driving, he greatly increases his speed, overtaking nearly everyone and even surpassing Ye Haotian.
• Chen He notices Chen Shaojun closing in and attacks with a powerful fist domain that seals the surrounding space.
• Chen Shaojun responds by activating the newly acquired Three Heads and Six Arms ability, reaching the second stage—Two Heads and Four Arms—which doubles his spell power and dramatically accelerates his casting.
• He stops Chen He’s fist with Treasure-Fixing Divine Light, then repeatedly strikes him with the Thunderfall Technique. The lightning overwhelms Chen He despite his powerful Spirit Astral defenses.
• The pursuing experts are stunned by Chen Shaojun’s speed and the extraordinary power of his seemingly ordinary spells. Yan Shuangjie correctly suspects that Two Heads and Four Arms is responsible for the dramatic amplification.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Demonstrates a major leap in ability. His copied movement art and Cloud Riding and Mist Driving make him faster than even Ye Haotian, while Three Heads and Six Arms multiplies his spell power and casting speed. He deliberately uses Chen He as a test of his own strength, showing growing confidence.
• Chen He: Though initially dominant and experienced, he becomes increasingly threatened by Chen Shaojun’s pursuit and rapid attacks. His inability to escape or withstand the lightning reveals the limits of his advantage.
• Ye Haotian: His pride in his unparalleled speed is challenged when Chen Shaojun overtakes him. He becomes more serious and recognizes that Chen Shaojun is far more formidable than expected.
• Red Dust Fairy: Her interest in Chen Shaojun increases after observing his speed, physique, and unusual talent. She also remains motivated by the possibility that the Black Bell is the legendary Soul-Suppressing Bell.
• Yan Shuangjie: His Double Pupils allow him to identify the likely source of Chen Shaojun’s enhanced power, marking him as especially perceptive among the pursuing experts.
• Xie Xiaoyu and other martial cultivators: Their pursuit is motivated not only by the Immortal Treasure but also by the stolen divine sword, which could greatly strengthen a gifted swordsman such as Xie Xiaoyu.

Significant Themes

• Greed disguised as righteousness: The pursuers publicly frame their actions as helping the auction hosts, but their real objective is possession of the Soul-Suppressing Bell and divine sword.
• Hidden strength and sudden revelation: Chen Shaojun’s true capabilities are concealed until he reveals his overwhelming speed and the Three Heads and Six Arms technique.
• Competition among prodigies: Chen Shaojun’s performance directly challenges established geniuses such as Ye Haotian and Red Dust Fairy, altering their perceptions of him.
• Power through combination: Chen Shaojun’s strength comes from combining copied techniques and abilities—movement arts, Cloud Riding and Mist Driving, Treasure-Fixing Divine Light, Thunderfall, and Two Heads and Four Arms.
• Testing one’s limits: Rather than merely pursuing the treasure, Chen Shaojun intentionally confronts Chen He to measure his own combat ability against a powerful Spirit Astral Realm opponent.

Character Interactions

• Wang Lin and the assembled experts: Wang Lin persuades the crowd to join the pursuit by promising rewards, exposing the shared interest in the treasures.
• Ye Haotian and Red Dust Fairy: They exchange remarks about the treasure and compete indirectly in speed, with Ye Haotian’s movement ability ultimately surpassed by Chen Shaojun.
• Chen Shaojun and Chen He: Their confrontation forms the chapter’s climax. Chen He attempts to seal Chen Shaojun with a fist domain, but Chen Shaojun neutralizes the attack and overwhelms him with amplified spells.
• The observing experts and Chen Shaojun: The crowd shifts from viewing him as an obscure hidden-sect disciple to recognizing him as a dangerous and possibly peerless genius.

Chapter Summary: Maze of the Formation Dao, Divine Sword Returns

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yan Shuangjie, using his Double Pupils, identifies Chen Shaojun’s transformation as a supreme amplification technique. Zhuang Hanyan recognizes it as a variation of the legendary Three Heads and Six Arms, a divine ability said to increase spell power tenfold. Chen can only manifest Two Heads and Four Arms, likely because his Core Essence is insufficient, but the enhancement remains formidable.
• Chen Shaojun blocks Chen He while Red Dust Fairy, Ye Haotian, and two Early Spirit Astral Realm experts join the assault. Chen He realizes he is badly outnumbered and calls for assistance from Peng Yuan.
• Peng Yuan creates a massive fog formation that conceals the battlefield and allows hidden red-clad archers to attack. Their arrows kill and injure several pursuers, causing confusion and panic.
• Yan Shuangjie locates the archer with his Double Pupils, but the enemy escapes before he and Wan Fengnian can strike. Zhuang Hanyan’s wind spell briefly clears part of the fog, but the formation quickly regenerates.
• Chen Shaojun uses the Wind-and-Rain Calling Technique, amplified by Two Heads and Four Arms, to unleash a vast gale that completely disperses the fog formation and exposes the hidden attackers. The spell drains much of his Arcane Cultivation, so he uses Merit Golden Light to replenish himself.
• Chen Shaojun then activates his connection with the divine sword he previously made acknowledge him as its master. The sword breaks free from Zhen Pingxun’s grasp and flies into Chen Shaojun’s hand, shocking everyone.
• With the divine sword restored to him, Chen Shaojun launches Sword Twenty-Three, an evolved form of the Saintly Spirit Sword Art. Chen He responds by activating his body-protecting divine art, throwing out a defensive Bronze Token Rank, and striking back with a punch.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun reveals a dramatic increase in both magical and martial power. His mastery of the Two Heads and Four Arms technique greatly amplifies his spells, while his Swordheart Clarity allows him to advance the Saintly Spirit Sword Art beyond its original eighteen forms to Sword Twenty-Three.
• He also demonstrates careful resource management by consuming Merit Golden Light to restore his depleted Arcane Cultivation.
• Yan Shuangjie shows the superior perception granted by his Double Pupils, correctly analyzing Chen Shaojun’s ability and locating the hidden archer.
• Zhuang Hanyan proves knowledgeable about ancient divine abilities and identifies Chen Shaojun’s technique, while also attempting to counter the fog formation.
• Chen He shifts from confidence to alarm as Chen Shaojun’s allies surround him. His combat instincts remain sharp, allowing him to deploy several defensive measures in an instant.
• Zhen Pingxun suffers the loss of the divine sword and is left stunned and distressed when it abandons him for Chen Shaojun.
• Red Dust Fairy and Ye Haotian display their formidable reputations and combat strength by immediately joining the attack.

Significant Themes

• Hidden mastery and underestimated power: Chen Shaojun’s abilities initially appear limited, but his cultivation, divine techniques, and sword comprehension combine to produce unexpectedly overwhelming strength.
• Legend becoming reality: The supposedly mythical Three Heads and Six Arms technique is shown to exist, emphasizing the gap between ancient legends and the current generation’s extraordinary cultivators.
• Preparation versus adaptability: The fog formation and ambush initially give Peng Yuan’s side an advantage, but Chen Shaojun counters it with a large-scale spell suited to the battlefield.
• The bond between divine weapons and their true masters: The divine sword’s automatic return confirms Chen Shaojun’s ownership and undermines Zhen Pingxun’s assumption that physical possession meant control.
• Escalating confrontation: The battle develops from a pursuit into a clash involving powerful formations, divine abilities, legendary sword techniques, and multiple top-tier fighters.

Character Interactions

• Yan Shuangjie and Zhuang Hanyan analyze Chen Shaojun’s transformation for the others, helping them understand the source and limits of his power.
• Chen He urgently calls for Peng Yuan’s intervention when Chen Shaojun, Red Dust Fairy, Ye Haotian, and the two Spirit Astral Realm experts converge on him.
• Peng Yuan supports Chen He indirectly through the fog formation and hidden archers, creating a battlefield designed to separate and weaken the pursuing group.
• Yan Shuangjie directs Wan Fengnian toward the concealed archer, though their combined attack fails to land.
• The surrounding cultivators depend on Chen Shaojun to dispel the fog, and their morale rises once his gale exposes the ambush.
• Chen Shaojun’s return of the divine sword directly humiliates and destabilizes Zhen Pingxun before he turns the weapon against Chen He.
• The chapter ends with Chen Shaojun’s Sword Twenty-Three colliding with Chen He’s layered defenses, setting up the decisive continuation of their duel.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun attacks Chen He with Sword Twenty-Three, empowered by a divine sword. The strike destroys Chen He’s Bronze Token and protective Spirit Astral Qi, finally injuring his fist seal.
• The attack shocks everyone because Chen Shaojun’s sword technique is martial arts rather than Daoist magic, revealing that he possesses both Daoist and martial cultivation.
• Chen Shaojun immediately follows with the Water-Dropping Stone-Piercing Technique, creating a dark cloud that releases increasingly powerful raindrops. At first, Chen He dismisses the drops as harmless.
• Red Dust Fairy, Ye Haotian, and two Spirit Astral Realm experts join the assault on Chen He. At the same time, Chen He’s allies intervene:
  • A poisonous flying sword wounds the two Spirit Astral experts.
  • Ye Haotian traps the flying sword with a magical handkerchief.
  • A mysterious elder releases a vast wave of orange-red flames, forcing the attackers onto the defensive.
• The mysterious Daoist is revealed as Peng the Evil Elder, an old enemy of Ye Haotian. Ye Haotian and Peng Yuan engage in a fierce battle, with Peng’s experience, poison arts, and evil techniques initially giving him an advantage. Red Dust Fairy joins Ye Haotian to balance the fight.
• Elsewhere, the formation’s mist is dispersed by Chen Shaojun’s earlier Wind-and-Rain Calling Technique. The trapped experts counterattack the red-clothed martial artists, killing many of them and nearly defeating the enemy archer.
• The Water-Dropping Stone-Piercing Technique gradually becomes more powerful with each successive drop. Its attacks stack upon one another and lock onto the same point, making them impossible to evade once the spell is established.
• Chen He attempts to flee and then rushes Chen Shaojun to interrupt the spell, but Chen Shaojun calmly evades his attacks and counters with the Thirteen Swords of Death and Sword Twenty-Three.
• By the ninth drop, the rain’s force reaches the level of an Innate Realm attack, creating genuine danger for Chen He.
• Chen He retaliates by combining multiple fist seals into a massive, mountain-like attack. Chen Shaojun answers with the final move of the Tathagata Divine Palm, Ten Thousand Buddhas Paying Homage.
• The two attacks collide, sending both fighters backward, but they quickly resume fighting. Chen Shaojun enjoys the battle as a rare opportunity to test his strength, though he refrains from using Heavenly Manifestation because of its immense consumption.
• He ultimately uses Merit Golden Light to replenish his depleted arcane cultivation.

2. Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun is revealed to be a powerful Dao-Martial Mastery expert, possessing exceptional skill in both swordsmanship and Daoist techniques. His divine sword more than doubles his offensive power, while his Water-Dropping Stone-Piercing Technique demonstrates unusual persistence and technical sophistication. He remains calm under pressure and deliberately uses Chen He to assess his own limits.
• Chen He is deeply shaken by Chen Shaojun’s strength and especially by the unavoidable, escalating rain technique. His confidence turns into alarm and frustration, forcing him to use increasingly powerful martial attacks.
• Red Dust Fairy becomes even more impressed by Chen Shaojun after recognizing that he practices both Dao and martial arts. She actively supports the battle, defending against the flying sword and later assisting Ye Haotian.
• Ye Haotian reveals a personal grudge against Peng the Evil Elder. His past trust in Peng led to a major loss, making their confrontation intensely personal. Despite Peng’s superior experience and poison techniques, Ye Haotian fights him directly and stubbornly.
• Peng the Evil Elder is established as a veteran, highly experienced opponent whose mastery of poison, evil arts, spells, and magical treasures compensates for inferior natural Daoist talent.
• The surrounding experts, initially disadvantaged by the formation, recover once the mist disappears and begin overwhelming the red-clothed martial forces.

3. Significant Themes

• The difficulty and rarity of mastering multiple paths: The chapter emphasizes that achieving Dao-Martial Mastery requires immense time and dedication, making Chen Shaojun’s accomplishment especially remarkable.
• Accumulation and inevitability: The Water-Dropping Stone-Piercing Technique symbolizes how small, seemingly insignificant attacks can become overwhelming through persistence and accumulation.
• Combat as discovery and self-testing: Chen Shaojun treats the battle not merely as survival but as a chance to measure his abilities and explore the limits of his techniques.
• Experience versus talent: Peng the Evil Elder’s seasoned combat ability and mastery of poison allow him to challenge the naturally gifted Ye Haotian, highlighting the value of experience and cunning.
• Past betrayal and revenge: Ye Haotian’s conflict with Peng is driven by old betrayal, adding emotional stakes beyond the immediate battle.
• Teamwork amid individual struggles: Multiple characters fight separate opponents while supporting one another, particularly Red Dust Fairy assisting Ye Haotian and the experts joining the assault on Chen He.

4. Important Character Interactions

• Chen Shaojun and Chen He: Their duel dominates the chapter. Chen Shaojun uses swordsmanship, movement techniques, and the escalating rain spell to pressure Chen He, while Chen He relies on overwhelming fist seals and his superior martial realm.
• Chen Shaojun and the gathered experts: His dual cultivation surprises and inspires astonishment among the others, changing their perception of him.
• Red Dust Fairy and Chen Shaojun: She recognizes the significance of his martial strength and becomes more impressed by his abilities.
• Ye Haotian and Peng the Evil Elder: Their battle is fueled by resentment over Peng’s past betrayal. Peng’s flying sword and flames clash with Ye Haotian’s magical treasures and martial techniques.
• Red Dust Fairy and Ye Haotian: She intervenes to support Ye Haotian against Peng, helping prevent him from being overwhelmed.
• Chen Shaojun and the enemy forces: His techniques disperse the battlefield’s concealment and contribute indirectly to the destruction of the red-clothed martial artists.

Chapter Summary: “Who Was He?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen He, a Fourth-Layer Spirit Astral Realm expert, is overwhelmed by Chen Shaojun’s extraordinary combination of Daoist techniques and martial arts.
• Chen Shaojun’s supernatural rain technique becomes increasingly powerful with every falling raindrop. Each drop accumulates force, eventually reaching the level of attacks from Spirit Astral Realm experts and threatening to break Chen He’s defenses.
• Chen He realizes he cannot escape or summon meaningful help. The Red-Clad Cult forces are suffering heavy losses, while Peng Yuan is being suppressed by Ye Haotian and the Red Dust Fairy.
• Reflecting on his failed plan, Chen He recognizes that he severely underestimated the younger generation’s strength, especially Chen Shaojun’s mastery of both Daoist cultivation and martial arts.
• Desperate, Chen He consumes an Explosive Origin Pill. The pill burns his qi, blood essence, potential, and lifespan in exchange for a temporary surge in strength.
• Empowered by the pill, Chen He launches a devastating punch. Chen Shaojun blocks it with the Tathagata Divine Palm but is forced backward and realizes he can no longer remain careless.
• Chen Shaojun spends two points of Merit Golden Light and activates Heavenly Manifestation, transforming into a massive giant and revealing that he had not yet been fighting at full strength.
• This revelation shocks everyone observing the battle. Zhuang Hanyan and Yan Shuangjie realize that Chen Shaojun is actually the mysterious “Kunlun Daoist,” the masked or disguised expert from Burial Heaven Pit who previously defeated Yan Shuangjie.
• Yan Shuangjie is especially devastated. He had previously consoled himself by believing Kunlun Daoist was an older, more experienced expert. Discovering that the person who defeated him is a peerless genius of his own generation makes his loss far more humiliating.
• Chen He has only enough time to endure perhaps two more rain strikes. He unleashes the fourth form of the powerful Divine Dragon Fist, made possible by the Explosive Origin Pill.
• Chen Shaojun responds by combining Heavenly Manifestation with Three Heads and Six Arms. Using four arms simultaneously, he prepares a sword technique, palm strike, finger attack, and hand seal against Chen He’s incoming fist.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Reveals himself to be far stronger than previously believed. His mastery of both martial and Daoist paths, along with multiple divine abilities, establishes him as an exceptional “monster” among his generation. He becomes more cautious after experiencing the force of Chen He’s enhanced punch but confidently escalates his power.
• Chen He: Moves from arrogance and confidence to panic, despair, and desperation. He acknowledges that talent and cultivation cannot be judged by age or experience alone. His use of the Explosive Origin Pill shows his willingness to sacrifice long-term cultivation and lifespan to survive.
• Yan Shuangjie: Suffers a major psychological blow after learning that Chen Shaojun and Kunlun Daoist are the same person. His previous defeat is no longer something he can attribute to an older expert’s superior experience.
• Zhuang Hanyan: Is stunned by the revelation of Chen Shaojun’s hidden identity and recognizes the extraordinary depth of his abilities.
• Wan Fengnian and the other spectators: Gain a new appreciation for the power of the current generation’s peerless talents and begin wondering about Chen Shaojun’s mysterious sect and the many techniques he may still possess.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identity and revelation: Chen Shaojun’s true identity as Kunlun Daoist is exposed, dramatically changing how others perceive him.
• The gap between ordinary people and true geniuses: Chen He realizes that years of cultivation do not necessarily overcome the innate talent, inheritances, and combat ability of genuine prodigies.
• Desperation and sacrifice: Chen He’s use of the Explosive Origin Pill illustrates the cost of survival and the willingness to damage one’s future for immediate power.
• Overwhelming talent and versatility: Chen Shaojun’s ability to combine martial arts, Daoist techniques, divine abilities, and multiple forms simultaneously makes him exceptionally difficult to predict or defeat.
• Pride and humiliation: Yan Shuangjie’s reaction emphasizes how defeat becomes more painful when the victor is a peer rather than an older, more experienced master.
• The changing balance of power: The battle demonstrates that the younger generation may already rival or surpass established experts.

Character Interactions

• Chen Shaojun vs. Chen He: The chapter centers on their escalating confrontation. Chen He relies on explosive temporary power, while Chen Shaojun counters with layered divine abilities and superior versatility.
• Chen He and his allies: Chen He looks for assistance but sees that the Red-Clad Cult is losing badly and Peng Yuan is already being pressured by Ye Haotian and the Red Dust Fairy.
• Chen Shaojun and Yan Shuangjie: Though they do not directly confront each other in this section, Chen Shaojun’s revealed identity forces Yan Shuangjie to reassess his earlier defeat and suffer renewed humiliation.
• Chen Shaojun and the observers: His use of Heavenly Manifestation exposes his hidden strength to Zhuang Hanyan, Yan Shuangjie, Wan Fengnian, and the wider crowd, turning him into the central figure of awe and speculation.
• Final clash: Chen He attacks with the fourth form of Divine Dragon Fist, while Chen Shaojun answers with four simultaneous techniques through Three Heads and Six Arms, setting up the next decisive exchange.

Chapter Summary: “Immortal Treasures Dazzle the Eyes”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun unleashes the full power of his Daoist martial techniques against Chen He, who has taken the Explosive Origin Pill and used the fourth stance of the Divine Dragon Fist.
• He first employs the Treasure-Fixing Divine Light, briefly disrupting Chen He’s overwhelming fist seal.
• Chen Shaojun’s Tathagata Divine Palm clashes with the fist but is shattered by Chen He’s immense strength.
• He immediately follows with the curse-killing technique Nail-Head Seven Arrows, using a paper effigy and Chen He’s blood. The seven invisible attacks severely damage Chen He’s soul, disrupt the connection between his body and spirit, and weaken his combat ability.
• Chen Shaojun then uses Sword Twenty-Three, empowered by Heavenly Manifestation and his divine sword. The sword destroys Chen He’s fist seal and pierces through his chest.
• Before Chen Shaojun can answer Chen He’s final question—“Who exactly are you?”—a previously condensed raindrop pierces Chen He’s skull and kills him.
• Chen Shaojun takes Chen He’s Storage Ring, pleased that it will provide much more space than his current one.
• The surrounding fighters are shocked that Chen Shaojun defeated a Spirit Astral Realm expert who had already amplified his strength with the Explosive Origin Pill.
• Attention quickly shifts to the possibility that Chen He’s Storage Ring contains the legendary Immortal Weapon, possibly the Soul-Suppressing Bell.
• Auction-house representatives and other cultivators demand the treasure, while many secretly prepare to seize it by force.
• When someone launches the first attack, Chen Shaojun kills him instantly with the One-Yang Finger, then disappears using the Five Elements Escape Art, specifically Earth Escape.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates that his greatest strength lies not merely in individual techniques but in combining multiple arts almost simultaneously. His ability to attack an opponent’s body, soul, defenses, and movement in rapid succession makes him appear like several powerful enemies attacking at once.
• He gains greater confidence in his curse-killing technique, while recognizing its limitations: insufficient preparation, weak materials for the effigy, and inadequate cultivation prevented him from killing Chen He immediately.
• Chen He is portrayed as extraordinarily powerful and resilient. Even after his fist is broken, his soul is damaged, and his heart is pierced, he remains alive briefly due to his immense vitality. His final confusion centers on Chen Shaojun’s mysterious identity.
• Red Dust Fairy becomes intensely interested in Chen Shaojun, viewing him as a rare equal or possibly superior rival.
• Ye Haotian, previously celebrated as an unmatched younger-generation genius, realizes that he is weaker than Chen Shaojun.
• Wan Fengnian is humbled after recognizing the vast gulf between his own abilities and Chen Shaojun’s.
• Zhuang Hanyan accepts that she cannot compete with Chen Shaojun, despite his status as a fellow young genius.
• The surrounding experts, initially impressed but cautious, become driven by greed once they believe Chen Shaojun possesses an Immortal Treasure.

Significant Themes

• The overwhelming power of combined abilities: Chen Shaojun wins by chaining different techniques together rather than relying on one supreme attack.
• Hidden strength and mystery: His unknown origins and concealed identity make him even more formidable in the eyes of observers.
• The limits of power: Even an extremely potent curse technique depends on preparation, materials, cultivation, and knowledge of the target.
• Greed and temptation: The rumored Immortal Weapon immediately causes otherwise cautious cultivators to abandon restraint and attack Chen Shaojun.
• Recognition and rivalry among geniuses: Several talented young cultivators are forced to reassess their positions after witnessing Chen Shaojun’s strength.
• The contrast between composure and desperation: Chen Shaojun remains calm and efficient, while Chen He becomes disoriented and the crowd grows increasingly reckless.

Character Interactions

• Chen Shaojun and Chen He engage in a rapid, brutal exchange in which Chen Shaojun exploits Chen He’s weakened defenses and damaged soul.
• Chen He seeks to learn Chen Shaojun’s identity before dying, but the falling raindrop prevents him from receiving an answer.
• Red Dust Fairy, Ye Haotian, Wan Fengnian, and Zhuang Hanyan each react differently to Chen Shaojun’s victory—through excitement, humiliation, bitterness, or resignation.
• The auction-house representatives approach Chen Shaojun diplomatically at first, claiming the Immortal Weapon belongs to them because payment was never completed.
• Their cautious demands quickly turn into collective hostility as cultivators decide that overwhelming Chen Shaojun may be worth the risk.
• Chen Shaojun responds decisively, killing the first attacker and preparing to confront the larger group.

Summary: “Escaping the Two Powerhouses”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun uses the perfected Earth Escape technique to disappear underground after becoming the target of numerous cultivators seeking the treasures he possesses.
• The attackers realize that his combat methods resemble those of the mysterious powerhouse who previously appeared at Burial Heaven Pit. They conclude that Chen Shaojun may be the same person who seized the Immortal Treasure there and defeated Yan Shuangjie.
• The crowd becomes even more desperate after believing Chen Shaojun possesses several extraordinary treasures, including the Soul-Suppressing Bell and the mysterious Immortal Treasure connected to the earlier Heavenly Cataclysm.
• Powerful attacks bombard the ground in an attempt to force him out. However, Chen Shaojun’s perfected Five Elements Escape Art, strong physical body, and the weakening effect of the earth allow him to evade the attacks safely.
• Chen Shaojun recognizes that ordinary cultivators cannot threaten him, but he remains wary of exceptional geniuses such as Red Dust Fairy, Ye Haotian, Yan Shuangjie, and Zhuang Hanyan, whose sects may have powerful trump cards.
• Using the Spirit Eye Technique, he detects two hidden auras far stronger than ordinary Dao-Martial powerhouses:
  • One resembles blazing fire and may belong to a high-level Martial Saint or an extremely advanced Spirit Astral cultivator.
  • The other is ethereal and mysterious, likely belonging to a powerful Nascent Soul-level Daoist.
• Chen Shaojun realizes these figures are probably “protectors of the Dao,” guardians assigned to watch over powerful geniuses. They had not interfered earlier, but the Soul-Suppressing Bell may be valuable enough to motivate them to act.
• Sensing that one of the hidden powerhouses has locked onto him, Chen Shaojun abandons his plan to flee through the sky and continues underground.
• He appraises Chen He’s Storage Ring, using the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror to remove its killing intent and identify its value. The ring is rated Upper Spirit Rank, and the appraisal rewards him with an Immortal Rank—Middle Grade Stacking Talisman.
• To escape, Chen Shaojun transfers his belongings into Chen He’s much larger Storage Ring, then creates a clone and gives it the Storage Ring containing the Soul-Suppressing Bell.
• He disguises himself through Embryonic Transformation, changing his aura into that of an ordinary stone while the clone flees underground carrying the apparent treasure.
• The surrounding cultivators and hidden powerhouse pursue the clone. Once Chen Shaojun confirms the threatening presence has moved away, he remains concealed and safely escapes.
• Later, several geniuses attack the fleeing clone, causing it to emerge from the earth and dissipate. The pursuers are shocked to discover that they had been chasing only a clone.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates composure, tactical intelligence, and caution under overwhelming pressure. Rather than risk fighting two vastly stronger hidden experts, he chooses to sacrifice the Soul-Suppressing Bell to preserve his life.
• His confidence in his own strength grows, but he remains realistic about his limitations. He knows he can defeat ordinary powerhouses and perhaps one or two exceptional geniuses, yet cannot safely confront multiple high-level experts.
• Yan Shuangjie is forced to acknowledge that Chen Shaojun’s methods match those of the mysterious figure who defeated him earlier. His humiliation and uncertainty prevent him from recklessly challenging Chen Shaojun first.
• The unnamed attackers become increasingly greedy and aggressive after learning that Chen Shaojun may possess multiple Immortal Treasures.
• The two hidden top-tier powerhouses remain largely inactive observers, but their presence creates the central danger and forces Chen Shaojun to change his escape strategy.

Significant Themes

• Prudence over greed: Chen Shaojun chooses survival over retaining a priceless Immortal Treasure, emphasizing that no treasure is worth an unreasonable risk.
• The danger of fame and wealth: Possessing powerful treasures makes Chen Shaojun the target of everyone nearby, regardless of his intentions.
• Strategy versus brute force: The attackers rely on overwhelming bombardment, while Chen Shaojun survives through superior techniques, perception, deception, and planning.
• Limits of power: Although Chen Shaojun is exceptionally strong, he recognizes the gap between himself and true top-tier experts.
• Identity and concealment: The connection between Kunlun Daoist and the mysterious powerhouse becomes more widely suspected, increasing the threat to Chen Shaojun’s hidden identity.
• Long-term cultivation over immediate gain: Chen Shaojun believes steady growth through the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror is safer than gambling his life for one treasure.

Important Character Interactions

• The crowd collectively discusses Chen Shaojun’s suspected identity, while Yan Shuangjie reluctantly confirms that his strength resembles that of the person who defeated him.
• Numerous cultivators coordinate their attacks, using magical treasures and earth-shaking techniques to pursue Chen Shaojun underground.
• Chen Shaojun internally evaluates the threat posed by famous geniuses and the two mysterious guardian-like powerhouses.
• Chen Shaojun interacts with Chen He’s remains and Storage Ring, purifying and appraising it before using it as part of his escape plan.
• His clone becomes the apparent target of the entire crowd, drawing away both the pursuing cultivators and the hidden powerhouse while Chen Shaojun disguises himself as a stone.
• The attackers ultimately destroy the clone, only to realize that Chen Shaojun himself escaped long before.

Chapter Summary: “Taking Stock of the Spoils, Martial Dao Treasure Armor”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun’s apparent disappearance is revealed to have been caused by the destruction of a clone. The powerful observers realize that the “Kunlun Daoist” they had been pursuing was not his true body.
• The discovery causes widespread panic and anger, as everyone wonders whether Chen Shaojun’s real body has already escaped with the Divine Weapon sword and other treasures.
• Chen Shaojun intentionally leaves behind his Storage Ring. When someone picks it up, rival powerhouses attack, triggering another chaotic battle.
• The ring shatters during the fighting, releasing the Soul-Suppressing Bell. Its appearance immediately draws everyone’s attention, and the gathered experts abandon their search for Chen Shaojun to fight over the confirmed Immortal Treasure.
• The two powerful protectors—one a high-level Spirit Astral Realm expert and the other a mysterious Nascent Soul Realm cultivator—also give up the pursuit after realizing the Soul-Suppressing Bell is a more tangible and tempting prize.
• Once the battlefield is clear, Chen Shaojun emerges from underground. He uses Embryonic Transformation to alter his appearance, aura, physique, and bearing before quietly returning to Myriad Treasures Town.
• Rather than immediately reunite with the clone left near Shopkeeper Liu, Chen Shaojun returns to his rented room and begins examining the spoils taken from Chen He’s Storage Ring.
• He inventories vast quantities of wealth, including approximately 1,857,000 taels of silver, over two thousand Spirit Stones, numerous spiritual pills, weapons, armor, and martial arts texts.
• His most valuable discovery is a complete golden Martial Dao Treasure Armor, a supreme defensive treasure that could serve as the foundation of a major Martial Dao clan.
• He also studies Chen He’s martial arts manuals and cultivation notes, finding that they clarify the principles and progression of Martial Dao. Impressed by their systematic explanations, he settles down to read them carefully.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates increasing cunning, caution, and strategic maturity. He uses a clone as bait, sacrifices the Storage Ring to redirect his pursuers, hides underground, and disguises himself before leaving.
• His decision to abandon the Soul-Suppressing Bell shows restraint and a realistic understanding of his limitations. He recognizes that possessing such a powerful treasure could expose him to tracking, soul-locking, deduction, and pursuit by the Nascent Soul cultivator.
• Chen Shaojun briefly regrets losing the bell but quickly overcomes his disappointment by focusing on future growth. He becomes more confident that stronger treasures will eventually be within his reach.
• He also gains greater insight into his own Martial Dao. Though already at the Innate Realm, he recognizes that Chen He’s notes can strengthen his theoretical foundations and deepen his understanding.
• Chen He, though dead, is further characterized through his possessions. His wealth reflects his status as a senior Red-Clad Cult member, while his armor and books reveal extensive preparation, resources, and Martial Dao knowledge.
• The unnamed powerhouses are shown to be pragmatic and treasure-driven: even those assigned to pursue Chen Shaojun abandon that mission when the Soul-Suppressing Bell appears.

Significant Themes

• Strategic sacrifice and survival: Chen Shaojun gives up the Soul-Suppressing Bell and uses his clone and Storage Ring to mislead stronger enemies, emphasizing that survival is more important than greed.
• Insufficient strength and long-term ambition: The chapter stresses that Chen Shaojun is powerful but not yet strong enough to challenge the highest-level cultivators openly. His restraint reflects a long-term strategy of growing stronger before claiming greater treasures.
• The danger and value of treasures: Immortal Weapons, Spirit Stones, armor, and pills represent both immense power and immense risk. The Soul-Suppressing Bell’s appearance instantly transforms the battlefield into a struggle among powerful factions.
• Inheritance and unintended rewards: Chen He’s death transfers his accumulated wealth, resources, and knowledge to Chen Shaojun, showing how the defeat of one cultivator can become the foundation of another’s advancement.
• Martial Dao as a systematic discipline: Chen Shaojun realizes that martial arts are not merely mysterious techniques but an organized field based on reason, principles, and gradual study.
• Pragmatism over pride: Chen Shaojun is relieved that Chen He did not wear the treasure armor during their battle. Although he regrets not facing Chen He at full strength, he recognizes that a safer victory is preferable to a more glorious but potentially fatal contest.

Character Interactions

• The hidden powerhouses observe and react to the revelation that Chen Shaojun used a clone, but they never directly confront his true body.
• The gathered cultivators turn on one another when the Storage Ring appears, with one person losing a hand while trying to seize it.
• The Soul-Suppressing Bell redirects the attention of the entire crowd, creating a fresh conflict that allows Chen Shaojun to escape.
• Chen Shaojun’s relationship with the clone near Shopkeeper Liu is indirectly shown: he trusts the clone to survive independently and delays returning to it while securing and examining his gains.
• His interaction with Chen He continues after Chen He’s death through the latter’s possessions. Chen Shaojun evaluates Chen He’s wealth, weapons, armor, medicine, and writings, treating them as both trophies and sources of future growth.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun rapidly studies Chen He’s collection of martial arts treatises using his Unforgettable Memory and Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart. He not only memorizes the books but also comprehends and organizes their principles.
• He distinguishes the two major cultivation paths: Daoist cultivation studies the laws and mysteries of heaven and earth, while martial arts develops the power of the self. Both ultimately seek transcendence.
• Chen Shaojun recognizes Chen He’s exceptional understanding of martial arts, especially through Chen He’s personal notes and insights. The study gives him a clearer direction for his own cultivation.
• Among the remaining items in Chen He’s Storage Ring, Chen Shaojun discovers:
  • A black Inheritance Stele
  • A jade box containing a beast-hide scroll
• By sending spiritual power into the stele, Chen Shaojun inherits the Divine Dragon Fist Technique, the powerful martial art Chen He previously used against him.
• The technique has seven forms. Chen Shaojun can already perform the first three and believes that, with further study and Spirit-Communing Pills, he can eventually master it completely.
• He notices that the Inheritance Stele has developed a crack and can likely transmit its inheritance to only one more person before breaking.
• Inside the jade box, he finds the Heavenly Cycle Acupoint Diagram, also referred to as the Stellar Acupoint Diagram. It maps 1,080 human acupoints, far more than the 720 used by his Creation Heart Scripture.
• Chen Shaojun realizes that the diagram may be more valuable than the Divine Dragon Fist because it can directly strengthen his cultivation foundation and increase his future potential.

2. Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates extraordinary learning ability, quickly transforming Chen He’s collection into a systematic understanding of martial arts theory.
• His perspective broadens: he now understands that martial arts is not merely a method of physical combat but a complete path toward self-transcendence.
• He becomes more confident in his future cultivation after gaining a clear theoretical foundation and discovering new resources.
• His martial arts arsenal expands through the acquisition of the Divine Dragon Fist Technique, adding a powerful offensive method comparable to the Tathagata Divine Palm.
• The Heavenly Cycle Acupoint Diagram significantly improves his prospects by offering a way to ignite more acupoints, strengthen his body, and increase his chances of reaching the Spirit Astral Realm.
• Chen He’s character is further revealed through his writings and possessions. He was not only a formidable fighter but also a deeply knowledgeable martial arts scholar who placed extraordinary value on the acupoint diagram.

3. Significant Themes

• Different paths to transcendence: Daoist arts investigate external cosmic laws, while martial arts refine the individual’s internal strength. Neither path is inherently superior.
• Knowledge as power: Chen Shaojun’s ability to understand and integrate theory is shown to be nearly as important as his combat talent.
• The importance of foundations: Martial arts strength depends heavily on the number and quality of acupoints cultivated, not merely on one’s visible realm.
• Inheritance and preservation: The Inheritance Stele represents the effort to preserve powerful techniques that cannot be recorded through ordinary writing.
• Opportunity and scarcity: The stele’s limited durability emphasizes the rarity of inherited knowledge and Chen Shaojun’s good fortune in obtaining it.
• Cultivation resources determine status: Superior martial arts manuals and greater acupoint development allow practitioners from powerful families and sects to surpass others at the same realm.

4. Character Interactions

• Though Chen He is no longer present, Chen Shaojun interacts with him through his books, notes, martial inheritance, and treasured possessions.
• Chen Shaojun’s earlier battle with Chen He provides context for the Divine Dragon Fist’s overwhelming power; Chen He’s use of only its first four forms had already forced Chen Shaojun to combine several powerful techniques to defend himself.
• The jade box reveals Chen He’s emotional attachment to the Heavenly Cycle Acupoint Diagram. His repeated sighs while holding it suggest regret or an unresolved inability to make full use of its potential.
• Through studying Chen He’s writings and inheriting his techniques, Chen Shaojun gains not only practical power but also a deeper connection to and understanding of his former opponent.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun reflects on the importance of cultivating a strong foundation in the Innate Realm. The Creation Heart Scripture can ignite 720 acupoints, but true perfection requires all 1,296 acupoints to be activated, forming a Flawless Physique and reaching Innate Great Perfection.
• A Flawless Physique would grant overwhelming physical strength, allowing an Innate cultivator to defeat Spirit Astral experts through genuine martial power rather than relying on spells, Daoist techniques, or special abilities.
• Chen Shaojun explains that locating unignited acupoints is extremely difficult because they cannot be detected even through Inner Sight. The newly acquired Heavenly Cycle Acupoint Diagram reveals 1,092 acupoint locations, leaving only 204 undiscovered.
• He understands Chen He’s regret: Chen He obtained the diagram only after reaching the third level of the Spirit Astral Realm, too late to maximize his foundation. Chen He’s Galaxy True Art covered only 630 acupoints, leaving him at a major disadvantage compared with cultivators who had activated over a thousand.
• Since the black market in Shengjing City has not yet opened, Chen Shaojun decides to remain where he is and appraise more treasures from Chen He’s Storage Ring. His clone is already traveling toward Shengjing with Shopkeeper Liu and the Mo Clan Trading House.
• He appraises a bloodstained, battle-worn longsword. Its former owner, Wu Kui, was a notorious unorthodox expert who practiced the evil Ghost Sword Technique, capable of destroying both body and soul.
• Wu Kui had once been targeted for recruitment by Chen He, then a regional hall master of the Red-Clad Cult. Wu Kui refused, leading to repeated conflicts and an eventual battle in which Chen He killed him and claimed the sword.
• The Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror identifies the sword as a mid-grade treasure and rewards Chen Shaojun with the Dog-Beating Staff Technique, a legendary Beggar Sect martial art traditionally reserved for its leader.
• Chen Shaojun practices the technique, then repeatedly simplifies and strengthens it. He reduces it from 36 forms and 108 stances to 18 forms and 64 stances, doubles its power, and later compresses it further into 32 and then 18 stances.
• By the end of the chapter, the technique has become so transformed that it no longer resembles the original Dog-Beating Staff Technique. Its power now surpasses the One-Yang Finger and rivals top-tier ultimate martial arts.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates a deep understanding of martial foundations and long-term potential. Although he has only recently entered the first level of the Innate Realm and has not ignited any acupoints, the Heavenly Cycle Acupoint Diagram gives him confidence that he can eventually pursue a Flawless Physique.
• He continues to display his ability to combine appraisal rewards with his own martial knowledge. Rather than merely learning the Dog-Beating Staff Technique, he analyzes, simplifies, and improves it into a new and more powerful art.
• Chen Shaojun’s theoretical understanding of martial arts grows significantly. Having absorbed many martial principles, he uses Spirit-Communing Pills to support increasingly sophisticated deductions.
• Chen He is portrayed as powerful but burdened by regret. His late acquisition of the acupoint diagram makes him painfully aware that his cultivation foundation and future potential are inferior to those of better-prepared experts.
• Wu Kui is established as a ruthless and evil martial artist whose Ghost Sword Technique reflects his cruelty, though his defeat by Chen He turns his weapon into one of Chen He’s prized spoils.

Significant Themes

• Foundation determines future strength: The number of acupoints ignited during the Innate Realm determines a cultivator’s physical completeness, combat power, and future potential.
• Knowledge and opportunity must arrive at the right time: Chen He’s late discovery of the acupoint diagram demonstrates that even a valuable treasure may be of limited use if obtained after the crucial stage of cultivation.
• Perfection versus complacency: Chen Shaojun refuses to settle for the Creation Heart Scripture’s 720 acupoints and continues seeking a path toward all 1,296.
• Transformation through understanding: Chen Shaojun does not passively accept inherited martial techniques. By analyzing their principles, he removes unnecessary complexity and creates something superior.
• The danger of evil techniques: The Ghost Sword Technique represents martial power pursued through cruel and destructive means, contrasting with Chen Shaojun’s more analytical and constructive approach.
• Potential is limitless when supported by insight: The staff technique’s repeated simplification suggests that martial arts can continually evolve when guided by sufficient theory, experience, and ingenuity.

Character Interactions

• Chen Shaojun’s present actions are influenced by Chen He’s history: he learns from Chen He’s regret and uses the treasures Chen He collected.
• Chen He’s attempted recruitment of Wu Kui led to their conflict and ultimately Wu Kui’s death, linking the sword and its evil technique to Chen He’s past.
• Chen Shaojun indirectly interacts with Shopkeeper Liu, the Mo Clan Trading House, and his clone through their ongoing journey toward Shengjing City.
• His interaction with the Dog-Beating Staff Technique is effectively a contest between inherited martial tradition and his own innovation: he first masters the art, then reshapes it into a stronger, nearly original technique.

Chapter Summary: Heaven-and-Earth-in-the-Sleeve Technique

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun completes another stage of his self-created staff art. By combining the Dog-Beating Staff Technique with other staff techniques and his own martial insights, he develops the Unity-Returning Staff Technique.
• The technique has condensed 108 staff forms into a smaller number of increasingly powerful strikes, currently reaching eighteen forms. Chen believes it may eventually become the Nine Unity-Returning Staff Strikes, culminating in a single overwhelming blow, but further deduction would require several days even with the aid of a Spirit-Communing Pill.
• He chooses not to continue refining it immediately, since his purpose was mainly to test and verify his own martial theories rather than urgently increase his combat power.
• Chen continues appraising several weapons with the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror. Their grades accumulate on an Immortal Rank—Middle Grade Stacking Talisman.
• The appraisal visions reveal the tragic histories of the weapons’ former owners, including wandering heroes, righteous martial artists, demonic cultivators, a demon, and an exceptionally talented young genius who was killed almost immediately after entering the martial world by Chen He and the Red-Clad Cult.
• Chen also appraises a powerful Martial Dao Treasure Armor. He first cleanses its intense Killing Intent and Astral Baleful Intent using his spiritual power and the Myriad Spirits Unsealing Technique.
• The armor’s history reveals that Chen He seized it from a declining martial aristocratic clan whose lack of a Spirit Astral Realm expert left them vulnerable. The armor fills the Stacking Talisman to capacity, producing an Immortal Rank—Middle Grade reward.
• Chen draws the reward and obtains the legendary Heaven-and-Earth-in-the-Sleeve Technique, also known as the Sleeve Cosmos Technique.
• The technique has four levels:
  1. Storage: Creates an enormous internal space.
  2. Trapping: Imprisons opponents within the sleeve.
  3. Domain: Forms an independent prison-like domain that is extremely difficult to escape.
  4. Time: Allows time to flow differently inside, potentially making years pass within while only moments pass outside.
• Excited by its power, Chen attempts to cast the technique. The effort immediately leaves him pale, weakened, and severely drained.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates growing confidence in his ability to create original martial arts rather than merely relying on perfect-mastered rewards from the treasure mirror.
• He remains disciplined and avoids arrogance after comparing his talent with the many geniuses who have appeared throughout history.
• The deaths revealed through the appraisal visions make him more reflective. He recognizes that talent alone is meaningless unless one survives long enough to mature.
• His spiritual power and appraisal abilities continue to improve, allowing him to overcome the armor’s powerful Killing Intent.
• His acquisition of the Heaven-and-Earth-in-the-Sleeve Technique greatly expands his potential in storage, combat, imprisonment, domain control, and possibly temporal manipulation, though his first attempt shows that he cannot yet use it effortlessly.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus survival: The tragic young genius illustrates that brilliance is fleeting if one dies before reaching maturity.
• Strength and vulnerability: The fall of the martial aristocratic clan demonstrates that valuable treasures attract danger when their owners lack sufficient strength to protect them.
• Self-created mastery: Chen’s Unity-Returning Staff Technique represents his attempt to prove his own martial understanding instead of depending entirely on externally granted abilities.
• The unpredictability of fate: Each weapon preserves a fragment of a different life, revealing how sudden accidents, betrayal, or bad timing can determine a person’s destiny.
• Power and responsibility: The Heaven-and-Earth-in-the-Sleeve Technique is extraordinarily powerful, but Chen’s physical reaction emphasizes that possessing a divine ability does not mean one can immediately wield it without limits.

Character Interactions

• The chapter mainly focuses on Chen Shaojun’s interaction with the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror, the Stacking Talisman, the Martial Dao Treasure Armor, and the newly obtained divine technique.
• The appraisal visions depict past conflicts involving Chen He, the Red-Clad Cult, the Blood-Drinking Mad Saber Nie Bufan’s household, a righteous-path leader, and the leader’s fleeing companion.
• These indirect interactions shape Chen Shaojun’s reflections on betrayal, loyalty, injustice, and the harsh rules governing the martial world.

Chapter Summary: “Sleeve Space, News”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun tests the first layer of the Heaven-and-Earth-in-the-Sleeve Technique, creating a large storage space inside his sleeve.
• The technique consumes all forty years of his arcane cultivation and remains incomplete:
  • The space is smaller than its full potential.
  • It will last only about twenty days instead of forty-nine.
  • Its gravity and stored weight are partially transferred to Chen Shaojun.
• He realizes the technique requires at least a hundred years of cultivation for complete use, with its later layers demanding hundreds, thousands, or even ten thousand years of cultivation.
• Rather than dismissing the space, Chen decides to use it to store treasures. Having obtained substantial wealth from Chen He’s Storage Ring, he plans to buy and appraise as many treasures as possible in Myriad Treasures Town before returning to Shengjing City to make a fortune.
• Chen also considers the limitations of his clone:
  • It can remain separated from his main body for only twelve hours.
  • It must stay within roughly a hundred li of him.
• After leaving his room, Chen hears widespread discussion about the auction battle and discovers that his identity as Kunlun Daoist has become famous.
• He learns that the Red Dust Fairy and Ye Haotian ultimately seized the Soul-Suppressing Bell after defeating or repelling numerous competitors.
• The Red Dust Fairy fought several younger geniuses at once, severely injuring Xie Xiaoyu and Yan Shuangjie and forcing Wan Fengnian to flee.
• When a Nascent Soul Realm expert from the Azure Cloud Sect intervened to save Yan Shuangjie, Ye Haotian’s protector, Uncle Kun, appeared and fought him, allowing the Red Dust Fairy and Ye Haotian to secure the bell.
• Chen realizes that these two powerful older experts were the reason he wisely abandoned the Soul-Suppressing Bell rather than risk being trapped or killed.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates greater understanding of his new divine ability, recognizing both its immense potential and its severe cultivation requirements.
• His cautious and calculating nature becomes clear. He values long-term profit and survival over possessing the Soul-Suppressing Bell.
• He develops a more ambitious plan to use his Sleeve Space, wealth, and appraisal abilities to acquire treasures and generate enormous profits.
• Chen’s reputation as Kunlun Daoist grows rapidly. Others regard him as one of the strongest figures among the younger generation, even though he deliberately hides his true identity.
• The Red Dust Fairy is portrayed as nearly invincible among her peers, defeating multiple elite opponents and boldly challenging an older Nascent Soul expert.
• Ye Haotian shows political and strategic importance by cooperating with the Red Dust Fairy and relying on his powerful protector.
• Yan Shuangjie suffers a humiliating defeat, with his Double Pupils divine ability nearly destroyed by the Red Dust Fairy.

Significant Themes

• Power and limitations: The Sleeve Technique is extraordinarily powerful, but its effectiveness is restricted by Chen’s current cultivation.
• Patience and long-term strategy: Chen chooses wealth, safety, and future growth over immediate possession of an Immortal Treasure.
• Reputation versus reality: Public opinion sees Kunlun Daoist as either overly cautious or decisively intelligent, while only Chen knows the true reasons behind his actions.
• Generational strength: Young geniuses may dominate their peers, but older experts possess deeper cultivation and remain dangerous threats.
• Concealed power and information: Chen’s awareness of hidden experts gives him an advantage and allows him to retreat before being ambushed.
• Resource accumulation: Treasures, wealth, cultivation, and information are all treated as necessary foundations for future advancement.

Character Interactions

• Chen does not directly participate in the chapter’s conversations but listens to a teahouse discussion about the auction battle.
• The Red Dust Fairy fights Xie Xiaoyu, Wan Fengnian, and Yan Shuangjie, decisively overwhelming them.
• An Azure Cloud Sect elder intervenes on Yan Shuangjie’s behalf.
• Ye Haotian and the Red Dust Fairy cooperate to seize the Soul-Suppressing Bell.
• Ye Haotian’s protector, Uncle Kun, battles the Azure Cloud Sect’s Nascent Soul expert.
• The teahouse speakers debate Chen’s decision to abandon the Soul-Suppressing Bell, ultimately concluding that he had correctly anticipated the danger posed by the two older experts.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• A discussion reveals that the Demon Sect was not completely destroyed by the great Immortal sects. Although the Devil Master was suppressed and the demons withdrew into hiding, surviving experts and the Soul-Suppressing Lineage remain active in several regions.
• The emergence of the Soul-Suppressing Bell could therefore attract not only Immortal sect powerhouses but also dangerous demonic factions. Chen Shaojun realizes the potential danger but is relieved that the bell is no longer in his possession.
• Disguised as a traveling merchant, Chen Shaojun enters Myriad Treasures Town and systematically purchases every valuable treasure in nearly all the shops—regardless of size, rarity, or price.
• His enormous spending creates a sensation. He spends almost all of his wealth, buying so many treasures that his Sleeve Space becomes heavily overloaded.
• His conspicuous wealth attracts hidden observers, including Innate Realm experts, but Chen remains unconcerned because he knows his strength far exceeds theirs.
• While leaving the town, Chen encounters an old beggar and a young beggar. He gives them a few pieces of silver, but the old beggar prevents the youth from attempting to rob him.
• The beggars later observe more than a dozen wanted criminals ambush Chen. With a single casual strike from a wooden stick, Chen kills every attacker, including Innate Realm grandmasters, without leaving visible wounds.
• The old beggar realizes that Chen’s “charity” was actually a warning and an opportunity for the pair to survive by leaving peacefully.

2. Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Demonstrates confidence, immense wealth, careful awareness of danger, and overwhelming martial power. He remains calm despite being watched and deliberately allows others to underestimate him. His effortless defeat of the attackers confirms his extraordinary mastery and precision.
• The old beggar, Master Xu: Reveals himself to be a powerful and perceptive martial artist at the Eighth Layer of the Qi Sea Realm. His caution and ability to recognize Chen’s concealed strength save both himself and his grandson.
• The young beggar: Initially arrogant and eager to rob Chen, believing him to be an ordinary merchant. After witnessing Chen’s strength, he becomes shocked and fearful.
• The attackers: Their greed and criminal confidence lead them to underestimate Chen. Their deaths emphasize the enormous gap between ordinary martial experts and Chen.

3. Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and deceptive appearances: Chen appears ordinary because his power is so well concealed, making him more frightening than someone openly displaying strength.
• Greed and its consequences: Chen’s wealth attracts criminals, but their attempt to exploit him results in instant death.
• Mercy and warning: Chen’s small donation to the beggars gives them a chance to walk away safely; the old beggar understands that accepting it and leaving was effectively an act of mercy.
• The lingering threat of the Demon Sect: The chapter expands the wider danger surrounding the Soul-Suppressing Bell, showing that past conflicts have not truly ended.
• Absolute power and control: Chen kills a large group with one seemingly simple strike, displaying not only overwhelming strength but also perfect control over his force.
• The burden of success: His massive acquisition of treasures creates a practical problem, as the weight of his accumulated items begins to affect him.

4. Character Interactions

• The gathered martial artists discuss the Demon Sect’s survival, changing the crowd’s understanding of the Soul-Suppressing Bell’s significance.
• Chen interacts with treasure-shop owners as a wealthy merchant, earning their enthusiasm and concern as he empties their stores.
• Shopkeepers warn Chen about potential robbery and offer escorts, but he politely declines because he is confident in his own ability.
• Chen’s exchange with the beggars appears charitable on the surface, but the old beggar recognizes the danger surrounding him and withdraws.
• The old beggar lectures the young beggar on why Chen is terrifying, explaining that his ordinary appearance, Storage Ring, and calm behavior reveal immense hidden power.
• The beggars then witness Chen’s one-sided battle against the criminals, cementing their fear and respect for him.

Chapter Summary: Martial Saint-Level Inheritance

Key Plot Points and Events

• An old beggar realizes that Chen Shaojun is an overwhelmingly powerful expert after narrowly surviving their encounter. He retrieves the little beggar and quickly flees, grateful that he did not attack.
• While traveling through the air, Chen Shaojun reflects on his newly created Unity-Returning Staff Technique. Its first form, reduced from 108 staff strikes to 18, already possesses power comparable to Sword Twenty-One of the Saintly Spirit Sword Art.
• Chen Shaojun considers the technique’s future development:

Nine Unity-Returning Staff Strikes

Three Unifying Staff Strikes

• The ultimate

Single Unifying Staff Strike

• He believes the completed technique could surpass Sword Twenty-Three and potentially reach the level of a Martial Saint Inheritance. However, he recognizes that his current First-Layer Innate cultivation is insufficient for such deductions.
• Chen Shaojun reunites with the Mo Clan Trading House caravan by dissolving his mana clone and merging with it. No one realizes that the person who had previously accompanied the caravan was only a clone.
• The caravan resumes its journey without further attacks. The Red-Clad Cult has withdrawn after suffering heavy losses in Myriad Treasures Town, including the death of Chen He and the defeat of other experts. Only Peng the Evil Elder escaped.
• During the peaceful journey, Chen Shaojun alternates between traveling with the caravan, cultivating, studying martial arts, and appraising treasures obtained from Myriad Treasures Town.
• He becomes increasingly dissatisfied with the low-quality rewards produced by appraising ordinary treasures. One particularly useless reward is the skill of midwifery, which he has no practical use for.
• Chen Shaojun recalls that writing books and spreading knowledge can increase his spiritual power. His Appraiser’s Handbook had gained recognition and caused his spiritual strength to grow through the “gift of heaven and earth.”
• To make better use of his many treasures, Chen Shaojun plans to obtain Stacking Talismans, which combine rewards from multiple treasures and raise the resulting reward’s grade.
• He prepares more than ten high-grade treasures with dense Killing Intent and hidden mysteries, intending to use his final Wish Talisman to request high-quality Stacking Talismans.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates growing confidence in his martial creativity and a clearer understanding of the hierarchy of supreme martial arts. At the same time, he remains pragmatic, acknowledging the limits imposed by his current cultivation.
• He becomes more strategic in managing the rewards from the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror. Rather than appraising treasures indiscriminately, he seeks ways to improve reward quality through talisman combinations.
• His interest in writing develops beyond scholarship or altruism; he now recognizes it as a reliable method of strengthening his spiritual power.
• The old beggar is established as cautious and perceptive enough to recognize Chen Shaojun’s terrifying strength, choosing survival over confrontation.
• The Red-Clad Cult is temporarily weakened after its losses, reducing the immediate danger to the caravan.

Significant Themes

• The power of inheritance: Martial Saint-level techniques are portrayed as the foundations of powerful clans and sects, capable of determining an expert’s ability to dominate the martial world.
• Ambition versus limitation: Chen Shaojun dreams of creating an ultimate staff technique but understands that true advancement requires time, cultivation, and external assistance.
• Resource optimization: The chapter emphasizes the need to use powerful treasures and talismans efficiently rather than wasting them on mediocre rewards.
• Knowledge as power: Writing and teaching provide not only social influence but also tangible spiritual advancement, linking intellectual achievement with cultivation.
• Caution and survival: Both Chen Shaojun and the old beggar act carefully when facing unknown or overwhelming forces. Strategic restraint proves more valuable than reckless action.
• The limits of systems: Even the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror has restrictions. Wish Talismans and Fortune Talismans cannot be repeatedly obtained through the same method, preventing Chen Shaojun from exploiting an endless loophole.

Character Interactions

• The old beggar and Chen Shaojun’s brief confrontation establishes the vast gap between Chen Shaojun’s strength and ordinary martial practitioners.
• Chen Shaojun interacts indirectly with the Mo Clan Trading House through his clone and later rejoins the caravan without revealing the deception.
• The caravan’s safety is indirectly connected to the Red-Clad Cult’s defeat and the successful delivery of the Sword Token.
• Chen Shaojun’s main “interactions” in the latter half are with the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror, the Fortune Talisman, and the Wish Talisman, treating them almost as strategic tools whose rules he must understand and exploit carefully.

Chapter Summary: World Comparison, Using the Wish Talisman Again

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun prepares to appraise ten weapons simultaneously, including sabers and swords filled with dense Killing Intent.
• Because of his immense spiritual power and powerful martial strength, he is confident that the weapons’ Blade Astral Force, Sword Qi, and other backlash will not harm him.
• To ensure the appraisal is safe, he performs divination with three copper coins. The auspicious result confirms that no accident is likely.
• He unleashes the Myriad Spirits Unsealing Technique, breaking down and dissolving the weapons’ various forms of Killing Intent.
• Once the Killing Intent is removed, the weapons’ former owners unleash powerful attacks. Chen Shaojun casually deflects all of them and then cleanses the weapons of their lingering wills and auras.
• The Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror reveals the histories of the weapons and their former owners, allowing Chen Shaojun to study another world’s cultivation system.
• He activates the Wish Talisman and Fortune Talisman, wishing for all appraisal rewards to be Stacking Talismans while using the Fortune Talisman to increase their ranks.
• The first batch produces eight Immortal Rank—Middle Grade Stacking Talismans and two Lower Immortal Rank Stacking Talismans.
• Unsatisfied because none reach the Immortal Rank—Upper Grade, Chen Shaojun immediately appraises another ten treasures before the talismans’ hundred-breath duration ends.
• The second batch is appraised successfully and yields another ten Immortal Rank Stacking Talismans.

Character Development

• Chen Shaojun’s confidence continues to grow. His spiritual power and martial strength now make dangers that threaten ordinary Treasure Unsealers almost irrelevant to him.
• He demonstrates increasing efficiency and strategic thinking by appraising ten treasures at once rather than individually.
• His cautious nature remains evident: despite his confidence, he uses divination before beginning the appraisal.
• Chen Shaojun shows intellectual curiosity and humility when studying the other world’s cultivation system. Instead of dismissing it because its combat techniques seem less advanced, he recognizes its strengths and considers how it might improve his own cultivation.
• His ambition is also clear. Even Immortal Rank—Middle Grade Stacking Talismans do not fully satisfy him; he continues seeking higher-grade rewards.

Significant Themes

• Strength overcoming danger: Chen Shaojun’s superior cultivation allows him to neutralize threats that would be fatal to ordinary appraisers.
• Prudence alongside confidence: He combines overwhelming power with divination and careful planning rather than acting recklessly.
• Cross-world cultivation comparison: The chapter explores how different worlds develop similar principles through different systems, such as the other world’s Golden Core and Purple Core refinement compared with Chen Shaojun’s aperture cultivation.
• Integration of Dao and martial paths: Chen Shaojun realizes that the other world’s combined cultivation system may offer valuable insight into merging his own Daoist and martial abilities.
• The tragedy of love and conflict: One weapon’s history reveals two lovers forced into violence by hostility between their Lineages, emphasizing how social divisions and historical circumstances can destroy personal relationships.
• Endless pursuit of improvement: Chen Shaojun’s dissatisfaction with merely high-level rewards reflects his relentless drive toward greater power and efficiency.

Character Interactions

• Chen Shaojun has no direct interaction with living characters in the chapter, but he encounters the wills and residual auras of the weapons’ former owners.
• The most significant remembered relationship is between a powerful wandering martial artist and the scarred woman he loved. Although they loved each other, hostility between their Lineages drove them into mutual destruction: she stabbed him and then killed herself.
• Through the appraisal visions, Chen Shaojun indirectly studies the lives, abilities, and cultivation achievements of numerous former weapon owners.
• His interaction with the Wish and Fortune Talismans is strategic rather than personal: he makes a precise wish and uses their combined effects to maximize his rewards before their limited duration expires.

Chapter Summary: “What Would Anyone Want This Thing For?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun continues appraising treasures in Myriad Treasures Town while the effects of his Wish Talisman and Fortune Talisman are still active.
• He first obtains several Stacking Talismans: four Lower Immortal Rank and six Immortal Rank—Middle Grade, but is disappointed that none are Immortal Rank—Upper Grade.
• He then appraises a strange large black bowl containing an exceptionally dense form of Killing Intent. Unlike previous treasures, it contains no residual aura or hidden attack, but its Nether Baleful Qi is extremely dangerous.
• The Killing Intent is revealed to be Earthly Baleful Intent, a powerful form of Earth Sha capable of killing ordinary people through mere contact. Chen Shaojun must expend substantial spiritual power and use the Myriad Spirits Unsealing Technique to destroy it.
• The Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror reveals that the bowl is a Baleful Qi-Gathering Treasure, created to collect the Qi of Heaven Gang and Qi of Earth Sha. Such energy is used by Peak Innate martial artists to temper their Innate True Essence and advance into the Spirit Astral Realm.
• Chen Shaojun learns that the bowl’s former owner had reached the Peak of the Innate Realm and ignited 336 acupoints, but had poor prospects of surviving the harsher Qi of Heaven Gang. The gentler Qi of Earth Sha was therefore more suitable for him.
• Although the bowl is judged to be only Upper Spirit Rank, it unexpectedly produces an Immortal Rank—Upper Grade Stacking Talisman, specifically one of exceptionally high quality. Chen Shaojun concludes that treasures within the same rank can still differ greatly in hidden quality.
• With little time remaining, Chen Shaojun rapidly appraises a batch of thirty lower-ranked treasures, receiving thirty Stacking Talismans ranging from Mid-Grade Treasure Rank to Upper Spirit Rank.
• He appraises ten more low-grade treasures and receives several martial arts manuals, spells, spirit pills, a singing technique, and a Matchmaking Thread. He considers most of these rewards of little personal use but stores them anyway.
• He finishes with a total of fifty-one Stacking Talismans: one Immortal Rank—Upper Grade, fifteen Immortal Rank—Middle Grade, five Lower Immortal Rank, and thirty of lower grades. He regards the appraisal session as highly successful.

Character Development

• Chen Shaojun’s confidence and efficiency increase: He appraises increasingly dangerous treasures with greater speed, relying on his powerful spiritual energy and refined appraisal techniques.
• His caution remains intact: Despite his strength, he performs divination before confronting the black bowl because he values survival more than maximizing rewards.
• His understanding of cultivation deepens: Through the bowl’s appraisal, he gains greater insight into the relationship between Killing Intent, Innate True Essence, Astral Force, and the Spirit Astral Realm.
• He becomes more pragmatic under time pressure: Once the most valuable treasures have been handled, he abandons detailed examination and rapidly processes lower-ranked items to secure whatever rewards remain.
• His personality remains humorous and detached: He jokes about the uselessness of the singing technique and Matchmaking Thread, especially his preference for remaining single, while still recognizing that others may benefit from them.

Significant Themes

• Risk versus reward: Chen Shaojun repeatedly weighs the value of a treasure against the danger and time required to appraise it.
• Hidden differences within fixed ranks: The chapter emphasizes that treasures sharing the same official rank may vary significantly in quality, explaining why the Upper Spirit Rank bowl yields an unusually powerful talisman.
• Cultivation through external power: The discussion of Heaven Gang and Earth Sha shows that advancement depends not only on internal cultivation but also on absorbing and refining powerful natural forces.
• Practicality and opportunity: Chen Shaojun takes advantage of a rare chance to freely appraise many treasures in Myriad Treasures Town, understanding that such opportunities may never recur.
• The passage of eras: His remark that “the age when spirit talismans held sway over the world has passed” suggests a changing cultivation world in which old treasures and techniques may no longer have the influence they once did.
• Respect for other cultivators: Although the former owner of the bowl had limited prospects, Chen Shaojun respects him as a Peak Innate expert who had reached a realm beyond Chen’s own.

Character Interactions

• There are no direct encounters with other characters in this chapter.
• Chen Shaojun’s primary interaction is with the treasures themselves, especially the black bowl and the dangerous Nether Baleful Qi within it.
• His interaction with the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror reveals the history and purpose of the bowl and provides the chapter’s major cultivation exposition.
• His internal reactions—disappointment, caution, surprise, amusement, and satisfaction—drive the chapter’s emotional progression.