Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Are You Being Polite?”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun reflects on his breakthrough plans. He intends to enter minor worlds where Astral Baleful Intent has accumulated over countless years, using the World-Breaking Talisman to gather enough energy to overcome the barrier faced by Peak Innate experts.
• At Premium Auspicious Wish Hall, Chen continues unsealing Spirit-Sealing Stones for wealthy customers. Unlike Prince Ning, these customers choose their own stones with the help of experienced treasure seekers.
• The results are poor: only two stones out of more than a dozen produce profits, while the rest are empty or recover only part of their cost.
• Chen realizes that he has ignited 1,179 acupoints and still needs 108 more to reach 1,287, excluding the Nine Wisdom Apertures. Since the market will close soon and he may have to wait another month, he decides to stockpile Spirit-Sealing Stones from other shops.
• He visits Three Treasures Hall, a larger and more prestigious gambling-stone establishment whose Spirit-Sealing Stones contain stronger restrictions and richer spiritual energy.
• The shop’s head shopkeeper, Shen Haowen, chief appraisal grandmaster Wang Heng, and several disciples confront Chen. They interpret his arrival as a possible challenge to their establishment.
• Wang Heng openly challenges Chen to a contest: each grandmaster must select and unseal a Spirit-Sealing Stone, with the winner determined by the condition of the stone fragments and the value of the revealed treasure.
• Manager Fang of Ruyi Pavilion arrives and proposes a fairer arrangement: Chen chooses a stone in Three Treasures Hall, while Wang Heng chooses one in Ruyi Pavilion, preventing either from exploiting prior knowledge of their own shop’s stones.
• Wang Heng agrees, and the contest begins. Chen starts examining Three Treasures Hall’s many stones, but recognizes that the competition is difficult because it tests not only unsealing skill but also the ability to identify valuable treasures in advance.

2. Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Becomes increasingly confident in his cultivation prospects and his ability to overcome Astral Baleful Intent. However, he also encounters a limitation: his treasure-unsealing success has largely depended on prior appraisal information, which is not useful when he must independently identify the most valuable stone for the contest. His calm, polite attitude remains intact even when others act aggressively toward him.
• Wang Heng: Is introduced as Three Treasures Hall’s chief appraisal grandmaster. He is proud, competitive, and defensive of his reputation, immediately treating Chen as a rival and challenging him in front of the gathered spectators.
• Manager Fang: Demonstrates loyalty to Chen and Ruyi Pavilion, publicly supporting him and privately assuring him that the establishment stands behind him. He also attempts to ensure the contest is conducted fairly.
• Shen Haowen: Acts cautiously but anxiously, concerned that Chen’s presence could damage Three Treasures Hall’s standing or appear to challenge its authority.
• Customers and onlookers: Become excited by the confrontation, treating the unexpected rivalry as public entertainment.

3. Significant Themes

• Competition and institutional rivalry: The hostility between Ruyi Pavilion and Three Treasures Hall reveals a deeper grudge between the two establishments, turning Chen’s ordinary shopping trip into a formal contest.
• Appearance versus intention: Chen enters Three Treasures Hall simply to purchase and study Spirit-Sealing Stones, but his reputation causes others to interpret his actions as provocation.
• Skill versus information: The chapter distinguishes between technical unsealing ability and genuine treasure-seeking judgment. Chen excels at dismantling restrictions, but the contest requires him to identify valuable stones without relying on previously acquired appraisal data.
• Ambition and preparation: Chen’s determination to ignite every accessible acupoint drives him to seek out additional resources before the market closes.
• Politeness amid hostility: The title reflects the ironic gap between Chen’s courteous behavior and Wang Heng’s aggressive interpretation of his visit. Chen repeatedly wonders why his opponents are acting as though he has insulted them.

4. Character Interactions

• Chen respectfully identifies himself to Shen Haowen and explains that he merely wants to purchase Spirit-Sealing Stones from several shops.
• Wang Heng interrupts with an insulting challenge, framing Chen’s fame as a reason to test him publicly.
• Manager Fang counters Wang Heng’s proposed rules and protects Chen from an unfair contest conducted entirely within Three Treasures Hall.
• Fang privately encourages Chen through True Qi Transmission, while Chen asks about the origin of the hostility between the two shops.
• Fang hints that the conflict stems from an older grudge that neither of them can easily resolve.
• The chapter ends with Chen examining the stones under intense public attention, aware that unsealing them is not enough—he must also select one containing a truly valuable treasure.

Chapter Summary: “Choosing a Spirit-Sealing Stone”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun faces a high-stakes treasure-unsealing contest against Appraisal Grandmaster Wang Heng, representing Ruyi Pavilion while Wang Heng represents the Three Treasures Hall. The result could damage either establishment’s reputation and influence.
• Using the Spirit Eye Technique, Chen examines the Spirit-Sealing Stones and eliminates those with weak spiritual energy or too few restrictions, since more valuable treasures are generally protected by stronger seals.
• He narrows the selection to eight enormous stones containing more than seventy restrictions each. He rejects three stones with over one hundred restrictions because their backlash would be dangerously severe, even though he could neutralize seventy-two restrictions through his mastery of the Seventy-Two Restriction Method.
• Unsure how to identify the most valuable treasure among the remaining eight, Chen considers using Money Opens All Doors, but rejects the idea because the cost of obtaining precise information would be enormous.
• Instead, he uses the Divination Art, spending over ten percent of his century’s worth of Arcane Cultivation to evaluate each stone.
• His divinations reveal:
  • Two stones are effectively empty or certain to cause heavy losses.
  • Two will result in slight losses.
  • One will yield only a small profit.
  • Three show prosperous fortune and likely contain the most valuable treasures.
• Chen successfully narrows his choice to three promising stones, ensuring that whichever he selects will produce a profit.
• Meanwhile, Wang Heng returns with his chosen Spirit-Sealing Stone and prepares to unseal it publicly in the Bright Hall before a large audience.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates caution, strategic thinking, and confidence. Rather than recklessly choosing the most heavily sealed stone, he considers the danger of restrictive backlash and carefully combines multiple abilities to improve his odds.
• His reluctance to use Money Opens All Doors highlights his practical awareness of the cost of his powers. He relies on his own judgment and divination first, preserving the more expensive divine skill as a last resort.
• Chen’s confidence grows after narrowing the options to three profitable stones. Although spectators doubt him because he is less famous than Wang Heng, he remains calm and refuses to be provoked.
• Wang Heng is portrayed as arrogant and concerned with reputation. He chooses his stone quickly, publicly displays confidence, and taunts Chen by offering humiliating conditions if Chen admits defeat.
• Wang’s behavior also reveals the pressure he faces: unlike Chen, he cannot afford to lose because the contest affects both his personal standing and the reputation of the Three Treasures Hall.

Significant Themes

• Reputation and institutional rivalry: The contest is not merely personal; it represents the struggle between Ruyi Pavilion and the Three Treasures Hall.
• Caution versus bravado: Chen carefully calculates risks, while Wang relies on confidence, fame, and public provocation.
• The uncertainty of gambling: Even stones protected by numerous restrictions may contain worthless treasures. The chapter emphasizes the unpredictability of stone gambling and the common pattern that most participants lose.
• The cost of power and knowledge: Chen’s abilities are powerful but not free. Divination consumes Arcane Cultivation, while Money Opens All Doors demands an immense monetary price.
• Public perception versus true ability: The crowd favors the well-known Wang Heng because Chen has not yet publicly proven himself, showing how reputation can overshadow actual skill.

Character Interactions

• Chen internally evaluates the contest’s importance and exchanges restrained but pointed remarks with Wang.
• Wang mocks Chen for failing to choose a stone and offers him humiliating terms for surrender, including giving up five stones from Ruyi Pavilion and calling Wang “Lord Heng.”
• Chen dismisses the provocation and warns that Wang may be the one embarrassed if he loses.
• The surrounding treasure gamblers discuss Chen’s slow divination process and compare him unfavorably with Wang, whose public unsealing attracts a large crowd.
• The chapter ends with Wang and Chen poised to compete publicly, as Wang’s chosen stone is carried into the Bright Hall for unsealing.

Chapter Summary: “Impossible, Absolutely Impossible”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The contest between Chen Shaojun of Ruyi Pavilion and Wang Heng of the Three Treasures Hall escalates into a major gamble.
• The original stakes were mainly the reputations of the two stone-gambling houses, but Wang Heng adds two humiliating conditions:
  1. Each side may freely choose five Spirit-Sealing Stones from the opponent’s establishment.
  2. Whenever they meet, the loser must detour around the winner or bow and call him “grandpa.”
• Both sides accept, turning the contest into a public battle over the ranking and prestige of Ruyi Pavilion and the Three Treasures Hall.
• Chen learns from Head Manager Fang that the two establishments have longstanding hostility, including a past dispute over a Spirit-Sealing Stone containing the Life Flower. The Three Treasures Hall is exploiting Chen’s recent appointment as Ruyi Pavilion’s chief Treasure Unsealer to challenge them.
• To select the best stone from three possibilities, Chen uses Money Opens All Doors, spending twenty-seven million taels of silver. He determines that the second stone—the huge oval “Giant Egg”—contains the most valuable treasure.
• Both chosen stones are transported to the Radiance Palace and placed on the same platform for public unsealing.
• Wang Heng begins unsealing his chosen stone, while Chen prepares to unseal the far larger and more valuable Giant Egg from the Three Treasures Hall.
• Chen uses the Spirit Eye Technique to assess the stone, then performs divination with three copper coins. The result is auspicious, confirming that he can safely unseal it.
• Wang Heng is shocked because he knows the Giant Egg is one of the Three Treasures Hall’s top ten Spirit-Sealing Stones and has always considered it too dangerous for himself to unseal.
• Despite this, Wang dismisses Chen as an inexperienced “clown” brought out by Ruyi Pavilion in desperation.
• Spectators begin arguing over the likely winner and establish betting pools. Most favor Wang Heng, but Xiong Chumo of Ruyi Pavilion wagers his entire savings of one hundred thousand taels on Chen.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Becomes more serious as the stakes rise and feels the pressure of representing Ruyi Pavilion. He accepts responsibility for the house’s reputation and resolves not to betray Head Manager Fang’s trust. His confidence grows after confirming through divination that he can handle the Giant Egg.
• Wang Heng: Reveals strong confidence and arrogance. Although he recognizes the Giant Egg’s immense value and danger, he refuses to believe Chen can unseal it. His contempt causes him to underestimate Chen.
• Head Manager Fang: Shows anxiety over the consequences of defeat but explains the rivalry to Chen and expresses strong faith in Chen’s abilities.
• Xiong Chumo: Demonstrates complete confidence in Chen by risking all his savings, contrasting with the majority’s skepticism.
• The spectators: Divide into supporters of Wang Heng and Chen, reflecting the uncertainty surrounding Chen’s mysterious background and reputation.

Significant Themes

• Reputation and institutional rivalry: The contest is not merely personal; it determines whether Ruyi Pavilion or the Three Treasures Hall will be publicly regarded as the stronger establishment.
• Confidence versus arrogance: Wang Heng’s certainty borders on contempt, while Chen’s confidence is quieter and supported by careful preparation and specialized abilities.
• Hidden talent and underestimation: Chen’s unknown origins lead many to dismiss him, even though his earlier successes and extraordinary unsealing speed suggest formidable skill.
• Risk and gambling: The chapter emphasizes enormous financial and reputational stakes, with both the stone-gambling houses and individual spectators placing everything on uncertain outcomes.
• Preparation and capability: Chen does not choose impulsively; he combines financial sacrifice, spiritual perception, and divination to ensure his choice is sound.

Character Interactions

• Wang Heng provokes Chen by imposing the additional wager conditions, turning a professional contest into a personal humiliation game.
• Head Manager Fang privately warns Chen of the pressure and explains the historical conflict between the two establishments.
• Chen reassures Fang through his determination to protect Ruyi Pavilion’s reputation.
• Wang Heng watches Chen’s preparations, interprets his divination as showmanship, and internally mocks him while secretly feeling alarm at Chen’s choice.
• The crowd debates Chen’s ability, with some citing his previous profitable stone selections and rapid unsealing speed as evidence of genuine talent.
• Xiong Chumo openly supports Chen, placing his entire fortune on Chen’s victory and predicting that Wang Heng will lose his reputation.

Chapter Summary: “Igniting Twelve Hundred Acupoints”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Observers increasingly favor Chen Shaojun in the treasure-unsealing contest between Ruyi Pavilion and the Spirit-Sealing House, believing that Ruyi Pavilion would not have entrusted such an important contest to an inexperienced Treasure Unsealer without good reason.
• The Spirit-Sealing House Master and Master Gu secretly observe the contest. Master Gu acknowledges Wang Heng’s considerable skill, especially his mastery of the Sixty-Three Returning-Yang Wards, but admits that Chen Shaojun is difficult to fathom.
• The House Master reveals that he hopes Chen Shaojun will win because he may be capable of unsealing the Spirit-Sealing House’s legendary Stone King, which has remained sealed for centuries.
• While unsealing an enormous, egg-shaped Spirit-Sealing Stone, Chen absorbs its vast stores of mixed spiritual energy instead of allowing it to disperse. He secretly converts this energy into Innate True Essence and uses it to ignite more martial acupoints.
• Chen’s number of ignited acupoints reaches twelve hundred, greatly strengthening his body, constitution, and martial power. He conceals the resulting martial aura through the Embryonic Transformation technique so that no one discovers his unusual cultivation method.
• Once all the mixed spiritual energy has been absorbed, the Spirit-Sealing Stone releases a powerful backlash consisting of 108 restrictions arranged as black chains.
• Chen counters seventy-two of the restrictions with the Seventy-Two Restriction Method. He then uses the Baleful Severing Ruler and his self-created Thirty-Six Unity-Returning Staff Strikes to destroy the remaining thirty-six restrictions.
• Chen completely unseals the Spirit-Sealing Stone, doing so calmly and efficiently. The crowd concludes that his treasure-unsealing abilities surpass Wang Heng’s, giving Ruyi Pavilion victory.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates that he is far more powerful and versatile than the public realizes. His ability to absorb mixed spiritual energy allows him to advance his martial cultivation during the contest while simultaneously unsealing the treasure.
• His cultivation reaches a major milestone with twelve hundred acupoints ignited, substantially increasing his physical strength and the power of his techniques.
• Chen also reveals his mastery of both Daoist restriction-breaking methods and martial techniques, showing that he can combine the two paths seamlessly.
• Wang Heng, previously regarded as one of the marketplace’s foremost Treasure Unsealers, is decisively outperformed. Although skilled, he can only neutralize roughly half of the mixed energy in a smaller Spirit-Sealing Stone while Chen handles a far larger one.
• The Spirit-Sealing House Master becomes increasingly interested in Chen and hints that Chen may possess a cultivation path similar to his own. He begins considering Chen as the possible unsealer of the House’s Stone King.
• Master Gu shifts from cautious assessment to genuine admiration, recognizing that Chen’s method may offer valuable insights for the Treasure Unsealing profession.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and deception: Chen conceals both his martial identity and his method of absorbing mixed spiritual energy, allowing others to underestimate him.
• Innovation versus tradition: Chen’s unconventional ability to convert chaotic spiritual energy into martial power challenges established beliefs about what Treasure Unsealers—and Martial Warriors—can accomplish.
• Integration of martial and Daoist techniques: The chapter emphasizes Chen’s unique ability to combine spiritual restriction methods with physical martial attacks.
• Reputation and reversal of expectations: Wang Heng’s established reputation is overturned by Chen’s superior performance, demonstrating that proven status can be eclipsed by hidden talent.
• Power gained through opportunity: Chen transforms the contest into a cultivation breakthrough, turning the Spirit-Sealing Stone’s dangerous energy into personal strength.

Character Interactions

• The House Master and Master Gu discuss Chen and Wang Heng’s abilities. Master Gu offers a technical evaluation, while the House Master expresses unusual confidence in Chen and suggests that Chen may be connected to a powerful cultivation path.
• The spectators debate whether Chen is truly absorbing the mixed spiritual energy or relying on a hidden magical treasure, unable to imagine that he is directly converting it into cultivation.
• Chen and the restrictions engage in the chapter’s central confrontation: he first uses the Seventy-Two Restriction Method, then personally destroys the remaining backlash with the Baleful Severing Ruler.
• The crowd’s reaction changes from curiosity and speculation to shock and admiration once Chen completes the unsealing. His victory confirms Ruyi Pavilion’s superiority in the contest.

Chapter Summary: “Dragon? Divine Dragon?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Master Wang Heng completes the unraveling of his Spirit-Sealing Stone after struggling against powerful restriction backlash. Although he uses the Sixty-Three Restriction-Breaking Method and a special silk-like treasure to suppress the remaining backlash, Chen Shaojun has already finished first and appears to have surpassed him in every technical aspect.
• Wang Heng argues that the contest should be decided by the value of the treasures inside, not by unraveling speed or technique.
• Wang Heng reveals a fiery red fan covered in flame patterns. The crowd speculates that it may be the legendary True Flame Fan, an Ancient Immortal Treasure capable of releasing Samadhi True Fire.
• Several powerful cultivators bid increasingly high prices, reaching one hundred thousand Lower-Grade Spirit Stones, but Wang Heng refuses to sell because he believes the fan may be worth five hundred thousand to one million Spirit Stones.
• Chen Shaojun then opens his Spirit-Sealing Stone. A seven-colored radiance suddenly bursts out, nearly escaping before Chen suppresses it with a giant palm imprint.
• The treasure is revealed to be a living, small white dragon sealed inside a huge transparent crystal block. The discovery shocks the entire market and causes many spectators to develop greed and murderous intentions.
• The market authorities, Ruyi Pavilion, and Three Treasures Hall quickly secure the area, preventing anyone from attacking or seizing the dragon.
• Buyers begin offering enormous sums for the Little White Dragon, with bids quickly exceeding one million Lower-Grade Spirit Stones. Pei Zhen even offers to satisfy any conditions on behalf of the Beast King Sect.
• The Little White Dragon appears intelligent and fearful of being sold. It bows to Chen Shaojun in submission, then flies onto his shoulder after sensing the comforting Martial Dao Fragrance emanating from him.
• Chen Shaojun refuses all offers and declares that he will not sell the dragon.
• Attention then shifts to the crystal block that housed the dragon. The crowd realizes it is likely an enormous Supreme-Grade Spirit Stone, possibly containing the equivalent of more than fifty thousand ordinary Supreme-Grade Spirit Stones.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates overwhelming skill and composure. He not only outperforms Wang Heng in unraveling technique but also immediately suppresses the escaping dragon and refuses to sacrifice it for wealth.
• Master Wang Heng suffers a clear defeat despite uncovering an extremely valuable treasure. His confidence returns temporarily because of the fiery fan’s apparent worth, but Chen’s discovery leaves him overshadowed.
• The Little White Dragon is shown to possess remarkable intelligence, emotional awareness, and a strong instinct for self-preservation. It recognizes Chen as someone safe and willingly submits to him.
• Pei Zhen and the Beast King Sect reveal their intense interest in acquiring the dragon, suggesting its immense value to beast-related cultivation or power.
• The spectators and buyers shift rapidly from curiosity to greed, emphasizing how extraordinary and dangerous the dragon’s appearance is.

Significant Themes

• Value versus technique: The contest is not determined solely by speed or craftsmanship; the true worth of the sealed treasure ultimately decides victory.
• Greed and danger: The dragon’s appearance immediately awakens greed in the crowd, showing how rare treasures can threaten their own safety and provoke violence.
• Recognition and loyalty: The Little White Dragon instinctively chooses Chen, creating a bond based not on force or wealth but on comfort, trust, and spiritual affinity.
• Hidden greatness: Both the fiery fan and the crystal block conceal their true value until fully unraveled, reinforcing the uncertainty and risk of treasure gambling.
• Power and restraint: Although Chen possesses the ability to dominate the situation, he remains calm and refuses to exploit or sell the vulnerable dragon.

Character Interactions

• Wang Heng and Chen Shaojun engage in a public contest, with Wang attempting to shift the focus from unraveling skill to treasure value.
• Wang Heng’s fiery fan attracts bids and speculation from multiple experts, particularly True Person Xie Hong of the Fire God Palace.
• The crowd and major factions compete to purchase Chen’s dragon, but Chen rejects all offers.
• The Little White Dragon directly interacts with Chen by bowing, seeking his protection, and settling on his shoulder.
• Pei Zhen attempts to negotiate on behalf of the Beast King Sect, but Chen’s attachment to the dragon ends the discussion.
• The crowd’s reaction to the crystal block transforms the event once again, as the dragon’s container may itself be an even more valuable treasure.

Chapter Summary: “Victory Decided, Invitation, Stone Appraisal Gathering”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Supreme-Grade Spirit Stone found inside Chen Shaojun’s Spirit-Sealing Stone is revealed to be extraordinarily valuable. Although its nominal conversion equals fifty million Lower-Grade Spirit Stones, such stones are effectively priceless and nearly impossible to obtain.
• The Little White Dragon becomes defensive when people focus on its nest. Chen Shaojun reassures it and stores the Supreme-Grade Spirit Stone using his Heaven-and-Earth-in-the-Sleeve Technique, making it clear that he will not sell it.
• Several powerful figures attempt to persuade Chen Shaojun to sell the stone or accept their protection. Wang Yinyang of the Great Luo Sect offers sect support, while Pei Zhen implies that the Beast King Sect could also protect him. Chen politely but firmly refuses.
• Three Treasures Hall is forced to acknowledge its defeat in the stone-unsealing contest. Master Wang Heng’s True Flame Fan is valuable, but Chen’s unsealed dragon egg—containing both the Little White Dragon and the Supreme-Grade Spirit Stone—is worth more than ten times as much.
• The defeat is especially humiliating because Chen selected the winning Spirit-Sealing Stone from Three Treasures Hall itself. The contest damages the shop’s reputation, though it may also attract customers curious to purchase and unseal its stones.
• Shopkeeper Fang mocks Three Treasures Hall’s failure, while Shen Haowen tries to argue that Chen only succeeded through luck. Wang Heng ultimately accepts defeat and promises to avoid Chen whenever they meet.
• As the winner, Chen is allowed to choose five Spirit-Sealing Stones from Three Treasures Hall. He deliberately avoids the shop’s most dangerous “Stone King” and selects several stones he had previously identified as likely to contain treasures, prioritizing cultivation gains over perfect divination.
• Gan Wendao, owner of the Spirit-Sealing House, arrives with Gu Chen, his chief Treasure Unsealer. After witnessing Chen’s performance, both express admiration, with Gu Chen admitting that Chen’s abilities far surpass his own.
• Gan Wendao invites Chen to attend a Stone Appraisal Gathering at the Spirit-Sealing House, where Chen will be asked to appraise and possibly unseal several high-quality Spirit-Sealing Stones. With Pei Zhen’s encouragement, Chen accepts the invitation. The gathering will take place one month later, when the next market opens.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Demonstrates composure, confidence, and firm control over his treasures. He refuses tempting offers of protection or wealth, remains unmoved by Wang Heng’s defeat, and makes practical choices when selecting his five reward stones. His reputation rises from that of a talented master to one capable of surpassing established experts.
• Little White Dragon: Shows strong attachment to its Supreme-Grade Spirit Stone nest and instinctively protects it from potential thieves. Its behavior highlights both its vulnerability and its unusual importance.
• Master Wang Heng: Experiences shock, humiliation, and discouragement after losing. Unlike Shen Haowen, he ultimately accepts responsibility and acknowledges that his skill was inferior.
• Shen Haowen: Responds defensively and refuses to accept the significance of the defeat, attempting to dismiss Chen’s success as luck.
• Shopkeeper Fang: Gains confidence after Ruyi Pavilion’s victory and openly taunts Three Treasures Hall, emphasizing the rivalry between the two establishments.
• Gan Wendao and Gu Chen: Recognize Chen’s exceptional talent. Gu Chen humbly admits that his own treasure-unsealing ability is far below Chen’s, while Gan Wendao takes the initiative to establish a relationship with him.
• Pei Zhen: Acts as an adviser to Chen, encouraging him to attend Gan Wendao’s gathering and implicitly recognizing the value of the connection.

Significant Themes

• Unmatched value and rarity: The Supreme-Grade Spirit Stone illustrates how nominal prices cannot capture the true value of rare treasures.
• Reputation and humiliation: Three Treasures Hall’s defeat damages its standing, while Chen’s victory greatly enhances his fame.
• Skill versus luck: Shen Haowen attributes Chen’s success to luck, but the reactions of Wang Heng, Gu Chen, and Gan Wendao suggest that Chen’s abilities are genuinely extraordinary.
• Power and protection: Multiple factions attempt to use offers of protection to gain influence over Chen, but he remains independent and refuses to become indebted to them.
• Humility and recognition: Wang Heng and Gu Chen demonstrate different forms of acknowledging superior skill—Wang accepts defeat, while Gu Chen openly admits his inferiority.
• Opportunity and advancement: The Stone Appraisal Gathering offers Chen access to stronger treasures, influential figures, and potentially greater recognition in the world of treasure unsealing.

Character Interactions

• Chen reassures the frightened Little White Dragon before protecting its nest.
• Wang Yinyang and Pei Zhen indirectly compete to offer Chen protection, but Chen rejects both approaches.
• Shopkeeper Fang confronts Shen Haowen and Wang Heng, emphasizing their defeat and defending Ruyi Pavilion’s superiority.
• Wang Heng formally concedes to Chen and promises to keep his distance.
• Gan Wendao and Gu Chen approach Chen through the crowd, praise his techniques, and invite him to the Spirit-Sealing House’s gathering.
• Pei Zhen privately advises Chen to accept the invitation, influencing Chen’s decision to participate.

Chapter Summary: “Mirage Beast Slumbers”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun is asked by Guildmaster Gan whether he can appraise the most heavily restricted Spirit-Sealing Stone in the Three Treasures Hall. Chen admits that the risk is extremely high and he has no present certainty, though he may succeed with enough time and improved strength.
• Chen realizes that his spiritual power has reached a bottleneck after perfecting the Myriad Spirits Unsealing Technique. To strengthen it further, he considers writing appraisal books and establishing theories, since readers’ sincere belief in his works can earn him feedback from heaven and earth.
• The appraisal contest ends, and Chen leaves with Pei Zhen, Manager Fang, and others. His Supreme-Grade Spirit Stone, five large Spirit-Sealing Stones, and especially the newly awakened little white dragon attract widespread greed.
• Pei Zhen warns Chen that the dragon’s existence will cause a huge upheaval because dragons have been extinct since the Heaven-Sealing War. He offers the protection of the Beast King Sect and says its Sect Master will soon arrive.
• Chen politely refuses. He suspects that the Beast King Sect may intend to tame or enslave the dragon as a guardian beast rather than merely protect him. He is determined to keep the dragon for himself.
• Manager Fang warns that when the Mirage Beast falls asleep, everyone inside its body will be expelled and scattered randomly across the area outside Shengjing City. Many powerful figures may then attack Chen for his treasures and the dragon.
• Chen remains confident that he can escape and leaves to prepare privately. Pei Zhen acknowledges that he cannot force Chen to cooperate, but asks Manager Fang to warn him that Daoist experts may already have placed tracking marks on him.
• In a quiet chamber, Chen confirms that numerous people have indeed marked him. He had ignored them because no one could safely act inside the Mirage Beast and because the mysterious Young Master Wuq​​ue deterred conflict.
• To prepare for his escape, Chen releases the treasures stored in his existing Heaven-and-Earth-in-the-Sleeve Technique. He plans to recast it at its second level, which can contain living creatures, allowing him to hide the little white dragon inside his sleeve when the Mirage Beast expels everyone.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Demonstrates honesty about the limits of his appraisal ability but immediately begins planning how to overcome them. He becomes more cautious and strategic as the danger surrounding the dragon increases, relying on concealment and preparation rather than accepting protection from a potentially exploitative sect.
• Guildmaster Gan and Gu Chen: Gain greater respect for Chen’s appraisal methods. Gan is impressed by Chen’s potential, while Gu Chen openly expresses admiration and hopes to exchange techniques with him.
• Pei Zhen: Shows concern for Chen’s safety and offers protection, but his affiliation with the Beast King Sect creates ambiguity about his motives. He recognizes that Chen’s refusal leaves little he can do.
• Manager Fang: Acts as a practical adviser, emphasizing the immediate threat of powerful enemies and warning Chen about tracking marks.
• The little white dragon: Remains innocent, adorable, and attached to Chen, intoxicated by the Martial Dao Fragrance surrounding him. Its immature intelligence makes it especially vulnerable to capture and enslavement.

Significant Themes

• Power attracts danger: Rare treasures and divine creatures provoke greed, political interest, and betrayal, making Chen’s success in the contest a source of immediate peril.
• Ownership versus exploitation: Chen views the dragon as his responsibility and refuses to let powerful sects enslave it as a guardian beast.
• Caution and hidden strength: Chen conceals his true abilities, tolerates tracking attempts without revealing that they are ineffective, and prepares a secret escape rather than confronting every enemy directly.
• Growth through knowledge and recognition: Writing books and establishing theories becomes a possible path for Chen to increase his spiritual power through the acknowledgment of readers.
• Trust and uncertain motives: Even seemingly benevolent protection may conceal self-interest, particularly when powerful organizations specialize in controlling rare beasts.

Character Interactions

• Chen and Guildmaster Gan discuss the limits and future potential of Chen’s appraisal abilities, ending with mutual respect.
• Gu Chen reinforces this respect by proposing future exchanges of appraisal techniques.
• Pei Zhen and Manager Fang jointly urge Chen to remain under Ruyi Pavilion’s protection, warning him of the approaching crisis.
• Chen respectfully rejects their offer, asserting his independence and confidence in his own plans.
• After Chen leaves, Pei Zhen and Manager Fang discuss the danger he faces and acknowledge that the dragon and Supreme-Grade Spirit Stone would tempt even powerful sects.
• Manager Fang later warns Chen about the tracking marks, prompting Chen to begin preparing the second-level Sleeve Cosmos Technique.

Chapter Summary: Second Layer of the Sleeve Cosmos Technique

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun uses the Second Layer of the Sleeve Cosmos Technique, the Heaven-and-Earth-in-the-Sleeve Technique, to create a sealed inner space capable of hiding and imprisoning living beings.
• The technique consumes nearly all of his arcane cultivation, forcing him to spend three points of Merit Golden Light to replenish his strength before successfully casting it.
• He stores the young Little White Dragon inside the sleeve space, protecting it from divination and from the numerous factions attempting to locate and rob him.
• The sleeve space is revealed to be enormous—roughly the size of a small village—and possesses extremely powerful sealing properties. It can also be adjusted in size according to Chen Shaojun’s will.
• Little White Dragon quickly adapts to its new home. It finds its original nest, a Supreme-Grade Spirit Stone, eats part of it, and falls asleep comfortably. Chen Shaojun is alarmed by the enormous cost of raising the dragon but ultimately decides to let it keep the stone.
• Chen Shaojun senses twelve tracking marks placed on him by hostile factions in the Three Treasures Hall. He creates a clone and transfers all the marks onto it, ensuring that anyone tracking him will find the clone rather than his true body.
• He uses Embryonic Transformation to restore his original appearance and alter his aura, separating himself from the identity of Master Chen Ping’an, who had appraised the Divine Dragon and Supreme-Grade Spirit Stone.
• As the Mirage Beast prepares to fall asleep, the marketplace’s sealing formations activate to preserve the treasures inside the shops.
• When the Mirage Beast expels everyone from its body, Chen Shaojun and his clone are sent to separate locations in the wilderness outside Shengjing City.
• Chen Shaojun deliberately waits to see which enemies will track and attack his marked clone.
• The chapter ends when a sword-carrying Martial Warrior approaches Chen Shaojun and asks whether he is waiting for the battle to begin.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates increasing confidence, ingenuity, and strategic caution. Rather than relying purely on strength, he combines concealment, cloning, disguise, and spatial magic to protect himself and Little White Dragon.
• He also shows a more paternal or compassionate attitude toward the dragon. Although troubled by its enormous appetite, he cannot bring himself to take away the spirit stone that may have been left by its mother as nourishment.
• His open-mindedness and growing wealth give him confidence that he can support Little White Dragon despite the financial burden.
• Little White Dragon becomes more comfortable and dependent on Chen Shaojun. It initially fears being imprisoned but quickly treats the sleeve space as its home, returning to its nest and sleeping peacefully.
• Chen Shaojun’s enemies remain largely unseen, but their twelve tracking marks establish that many powerful factions are actively targeting him.
• The approaching sword-wielding Martial Warrior introduces a possible new ally, rival, or participant in the impending conflict.

Significant Themes

• Preparation over brute force: Chen Shaojun survives through layered precautions rather than direct confrontation.
• Protection and responsibility: His decision to shelter Little White Dragon shows that he is willing to accept substantial costs to protect something vulnerable under his care.
• Concealment and identity: The sleeve space, clone, and Embryonic Transformation allow Chen Shaojun to sever the connection between his true self and the famous identity being hunted.
• Power comes with a price: The second-layer technique is extraordinarily powerful but consumes vast amounts of arcane cultivation and Merit Golden Light.
• Trust and danger in a competitive world: Nearly everyone emerging from the marketplace is wary of others, and alliances are necessary because betrayal and sudden attacks are constant possibilities.
• The mystery of divine beasts: The Mirage Beast’s sleeping and waking alter space on a massive scale, hinting at power beyond ordinary cultivation realms.

Character Interactions

• Chen Shaojun and Little White Dragon have a playful but unequal relationship: the dragon resists being moved, while Chen Shaojun treats the sleeve space as a safe “new home.”
• Chen Shaojun mentally weighs his responsibility toward Little White Dragon against the cost of feeding it, ultimately choosing compassion.
• His clone functions as a deliberate substitute and shield, allowing him to manipulate the hostility of twelve factions without exposing his real body.
• Chen Shaojun’s earlier refusal of Pei Zhen’s protection is revisited, emphasizing his preference for independent planning.
• Upon being expelled into the wilderness, Chen Shaojun encounters numerous suspicious experts who avoid one another or prepare to strike at the slightest sign of danger.
• The final interaction begins with an unidentified Martial Warrior addressing Chen Shaojun about the expected battle, setting up the chapter’s next confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “A Great Battle Erupts, Yet Not Because of Me?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun encounters Jiang Younan, a Fifth-Layer Qi Sea Realm martial warrior, who excitedly predicts a massive battle over the treasures Chen obtained at Ruyi Pavilion: a rare Divine Dragon hatchling and an enormous top-grade Spirit Stone.
• Jiang believes powerful factions will fight to seize these treasures, possibly involving Nascent Soul Realm cultivators, Martial Saints, and even the strongest experts of Shengjing City.
• Although Jiang glorifies dying in a legendary battle, Chen rejects the idea of risking his life merely to watch a spectacle. He heads toward Shengjing City, intending to put distance between himself and the coming conflict.
• Chen’s true body retreats because his avatar, left near the battlefield, is intended to draw attention. He fears that if powerful experts discover the avatar’s true nature, they may track down his real body.
• Along the way, several formidable figures rapidly leave Shengjing City:
  • Wang Shanhe, a Ninth-Stage Spirit Astral Realm expert
  • Wan Xiangjun, an Eighth-Stage Spirit Astral Realm expert
  • A peak Core-Formation Realm cultivator known as the

Five Peaks True Person

• Laughing Monk, a True Lord-level expert
• Old Eunuch Xue, a mid-stage Divine Profound Realm Martial Saint
• Chen realizes that far more high-level experts have been drawn by the Divine Dragon than initially expected. The strongest figures move so discreetly that their presence is difficult to detect.
• Jiang initially wants to witness the battle but changes his mind after sensing the terrifying auras of the experts. He follows Chen into Shengjing City instead.
• At the city gate, Chen, Jiang, and other survivors from the marketplace pass through inspections safely.
• Shortly after they enter the city, a thunderous explosion signals that the anticipated battle has begun outside Shengjing City.
• Ironically, Chen’s avatar remains unharmed and uninvolved. The great battle erupts without him being forced to participate.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun remains cautious, strategic, and detached from unnecessary danger. He prioritizes protecting his true body over curiosity or glory and quickly reassesses the situation when stronger experts appear.
• His confidence is tempered by realism: while he believes his methods and avatar could handle lower-level experts, he recognizes that Divine Profound Realm Martial Saints and Nascent Soul Realm True Lords pose a serious threat.
• Jiang Younan is introduced as boastful, dramatic, and fascinated by heroic death. He claims to value glory above family and survival, though he later admits that his speech was exaggerated and that he has neither wife nor children.
• Jiang’s bravado collapses when he senses the presence of truly powerful experts. Despite his eccentric personality, he proves sensible enough to abandon the battlefield once he understands the danger.
• Chen and Jiang develop a humorous dynamic: Chen responds to Jiang’s grand declarations with blunt sarcasm, while Jiang reacts indignantly but continues following him.

Significant Themes

• Caution versus reckless glory: Jiang romanticizes dying spectacularly, while Chen argues that survival and prudence are more important than an impressive death.
• The danger of power: The Divine Dragon and Spirit Stone attract forces vastly stronger than ordinary martial warriors, showing how rare treasures can destabilize the world and draw hidden experts into conflict.
• True strength and concealed power: The chapter emphasizes that the most powerful figures may be the hardest to detect because they can perfectly control their auras and movements.
• Identity and deception: Chen’s use of an avatar allows him to separate his apparent presence from his true body, but this protection may fail if stronger experts uncover the deception.
• The limits of ordinary people: Jiang’s recognition that he would be destroyed by even the battle’s aftershocks highlights the enormous gap between lower-level warriors and top experts.
• Irony: A battle supposedly centered on Chen’s treasures begins, yet Chen himself successfully escapes and is not involved.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen questions Jiang’s willingness to abandon his supposed family for glory, exposing the impracticality of Jiang’s philosophy.
• Jiang boasts about his reputation as a romantic wanderer, but Chen mocks him by suggesting that his romantic success depends entirely on money.
• Chen identifies the passing experts by name and cultivation level, impressing and confusing Jiang, who prides himself on knowing the martial world.
• Chen invites Jiang to return toward the battlefield if he truly wants to watch, but Jiang immediately refuses after realizing the danger.
• Their exchange combines comedy with exposition, while also reinforcing Chen’s pragmatism and Jiang’s transformation from reckless spectator to frightened survivor.

Chapter Summary: “Display of Strength”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun discovers that a battle has erupted near the forest before the expected great conflict begins.
• A human Martial Warrior clashes with a powerful Four-Tailed Cat Demon. Their fight reveals that numerous demon beasts are hiding nearby.
• The demon beasts emerge and begin attacking the human cultivators. Their appearance is connected to Chen Shaojun’s companion, the Little White Dragon.
• Chen realizes that the dragon’s bloodline and innate Dragon Might make it a likely future Demon Emperor. This explains why demons have risked approaching Shengjing City, despite the court’s suppression of their kind.
• Chen also understands that information about the dragon has spread through demon spies, transformed demons living among humans, and human collaborators.
• While Chen’s true body remains safe, his clone is discovered by Daoist Le Kang of Fengcheng Mountain Jade Tripod Temple and several followers.
• Le Kang pretends to come to Chen’s rescue but clearly intends to capture or exploit him. When Chen refuses to cooperate and attempts to leave, Le Kang uses a Binding Body Talisman and a Gravity Talisman to restrain him.
• Chen easily breaks free, forcing Le Kang and his junior brother to reveal their murderous intentions.
• Realizing that only his clone is present, Chen abandons his earlier caution and decides to confront them directly.
• Le Kang and his junior brother attack with flying swords and lightning. Chen responds by activating Heavenly Manifestation, growing into a giant and multiplying his strength tenfold.
• His enormous palm strike overwhelms and knocks away both flying swords, establishing his superior power as the chapter ends.

2. Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Becomes more confident and assertive. Initially cautious because of the many powerful figures nearby, he remembers that only a clone is at risk and recognizes that he has little to lose. His confidence reflects his rapidly increasing martial and arcane cultivation.
• Little White Dragon: Though not directly present in the confrontation, its existence is revealed to have immense political and supernatural significance. Its divine bloodline could make it the next ruler of the demon race.
• Four-Tailed Cat Demon: Demonstrates the strength and unusual abilities of a high-level demon beast, including a foul black-mist attack that forces its opponent to retreat.
• Daoist Le Kang: Is exposed as deceitful and opportunistic. He disguises his attempt to capture Chen as a rescue mission, then turns openly hostile when Chen refuses.
• Le Kang’s Junior Brother: More direct and violent than Le Kang, immediately advocating Chen’s death and attacking without hesitation.

3. Significant Themes

• Power attracts conflict: The Little White Dragon’s appearance draws demons, cultivators, and other forces into a dangerous struggle.
• Hidden strength and deception: Chen’s clone allows him to conceal his true level of risk, while Le Kang hides hostile intentions behind false concern.
• The return of ancient authority: The dragon’s bloodline evokes the former White Dragon King and the lost age when divine beasts ruled the demon race.
• Confidence through growth: Chen’s increasing cultivation changes his response to danger; instead of fleeing from every threat, he recognizes when he possesses enough strength to fight.
• Political and supernatural upheaval: The appearance of a divine beast disrupts the fragile balance between humans and demons, even in the heavily controlled region surrounding Shengjing.

4. Character Interactions

• The Four-Tailed Cat Demon confronts a human Martial Warrior, claiming it has come to protect the emerging Demon Realm Holy Emperor.
• Chen internally analyzes the demon’s words and connects them to the Little White Dragon’s heritage.
• Daoist Le Kang approaches Chen under the pretense of rescuing him, but Chen immediately distrusts him and attempts to escape.
• Le Kang pursues and restrains Chen with talismans, while Chen breaks their effects effortlessly.
• Le Kang and his junior brother threaten Chen after he refuses to submit. Chen responds with open hostility and reveals a fraction of his true combat ability.
• The chapter concludes with Chen’s gigantic palm strike defeating the two Daoists’ initial attacks and demonstrating the vast gap between their expectations and his actual strength.

Summary: “Striking Down Confidence”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun defeats the flying swords of Daoist Le Kang and his junior brother with a single palm strike.
• Daoist Le Kang’s junior brother hits Chen with a powerful lightning spell, enhanced by his Wind-Thunder Physique, but Chen remains completely unharmed.
• Daoist Le Kang realizes that Chen is not merely an Innate Realm Martial Warrior but a cultivator with strength comparable to the Nascent Soul Realm. Chen’s enormous Dharma body and extraordinary physical defenses explain his immunity to the lightning attack.
• Chen kills Daoist Le Kang’s junior brother with the Tathagata Divine Palm after the man attempts to defend himself with a cone-shaped Dharma treasure.
• Enraged, Daoist Le Kang unleashes his strongest technique, the Void-Piercing Sword. The attack reaches the limit of what the surrounding space can bear and nearly tears open a black hole.
• Chen counters with another palm strike, shattering the sword. He then finishes Daoist Le Kang with a Six-Meridian Divine Sword attack to the head.
• When nearby experts arrive, the battle is already over. They find only Daoist Le Kang’s corpse and a massive palm imprint several zhang deep in the earth.
• The witnesses speculate that the killer was either a powerful Nascent Soul cultivator, a Martial Saint, or an elder from the hidden sect associated with the “Kunlun Daoist,” a mysterious figure known for powerful palm techniques and a huge Dharma body.
• The gathered experts are reminded that the conflict is connected to the Divine Dragon, which many factions are seeking. Several groups discover that their tracking marks connected to Chen have reappeared in the southwest and secretly pursue him.
• Wang Shanhe pretends to withdraw from the competition, claiming he cannot seize the Divine Dragon from the hidden sect, but actually heads southwest. Other factions follow after realizing his true intention.
• In a cave, Chen reflects on the battle and recognizes that he now genuinely possesses the power to contend with Nascent Soul Realm True Lords.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: His confidence rises dramatically. Previously wary of Nascent Soul cultivators and Martial Saints because he had never personally fought one, he now realizes that his combined martial and arcane strength can overwhelm at least some opponents in that realm. His body-tempering, twelve hundred ignited acupoints, Heavenly Manifestation amplification, and Indestructible Vajra Technique make him exceptionally durable.
• Daoist Le Kang: Initially confident that Chen could be easily defeated, he becomes shocked and desperate after discovering Chen’s true strength. His grief over his junior brother’s death drives him into a frenzied final attack, but his strongest sword technique is still defeated.
• Le Kang’s junior brother: His faith in his supposedly invincible lightning technique collapses when Chen withstands it without injury. He is killed before he can mount an effective defense.
• Wang Shanhe and the other factions: Their outward cooperation gives way to suspicion and opportunism. They use false excuses to pursue Chen and the Divine Dragon while avoiding openly admitting their intentions.
• Laughing Monk and Old Eunuch Xue: Their observations establish them as powerful and perceptive figures. Laughing Monk identifies the use of a massive Dharma body, while Old Eunuch Xue connects the evidence to the hidden sect and the Kunlun Daoist.

Significant Themes

• Confidence through direct experience: Chen’s victory transforms theoretical strength into genuine self-assurance. Fighting and defeating a Nascent Soul expert proves that his abilities are not merely comparable on paper.
• Hidden strength and mistaken identity: Chen’s opponents underestimate him because they believe he is only an Innate Realm Martial Warrior. His concealed cultivation and unusual techniques allow him to surprise them completely.
• Physical cultivation and resilience: The passage emphasizes the importance of Chen’s body-tempering, acupoint cultivation, and Flawless Physique foundation. His victory depends not only on offensive power but also on his ability to withstand devastating attacks.
• The danger of ambition and revenge: Le Kang’s fury over his junior brother’s death causes him to fight recklessly, while the surrounding factions are driven by their desire to obtain the Divine Dragon.
• Deception and factional rivalry: The experts pretend to withdraw or act disinterested while secretly tracking Chen, showing that the search for the Divine Dragon has turned former allies into calculating competitors.
• Reputation and mystery: The battle’s aftermath creates further speculation about the hidden sect, its elders, and the true identity and power of the Kunlun Daoist.

Character Interactions

• Chen directly clashes with both Daoist Le Kang and his junior brother, rejecting Le Kang’s claim that the conflict was a misunderstanding.
• Le Kang begs for leniency only after realizing Chen’s overwhelming strength, but Chen responds that those who try to kill others must accept being killed themselves.
• Le Kang’s grief and rage lead him to attack Chen with the Void-Piercing Sword, while Chen answers with overwhelming palm power and a final sword technique.
• The gathered cultivators debate who killed Le Kang and whether the attacker was connected to Chen’s hidden sect.
• Wang Shanhe publicly claims to withdraw, but his actions reveal that he and the others are competing to track Chen and seize the Divine Dragon.

Chapter Summary: White Serpent King, Teacher of the Demon Lord

Key Plot Points and Events

• After killing Daoist Le Kang, Chen Shaojun reflects on the battle and realizes that even his clone—possessing only seventy percent of his true body’s strength—was powerful enough to defeat an Early Nascent Soul cultivator.
• However, the battle exhausts nearly all of the clone’s arcane cultivation and Innate True Essence, reducing him to a strength only slightly above that of an ordinary Innate Realm grandmaster.
• To protect his true identity, Chen Shaojun had used a diversion and fled after the battle. He considers dispersing the weakened clone but decides to remain and observe the motives of the Demon Race and the powerful figures from Shengjing City.
• Chen deliberately removes the concealment around his heavenly secrets, allowing others to locate him.
• Wang Shanhe, prince of the Princely Estate, arrives first and offers Chen wealth, status, protection, and access to martial and Dao arts in exchange for publicly joining the Princely Estate.
• Yun Feilong, master of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, makes a competing offer. His faction promises similar benefits but asks only for one drop of Little White Dragon’s essence blood rather than demanding ownership of the dragon.
• Numerous powerful figures gather, including Laughing Monk, Old Eunuch Xue, Pei Zhen of Ruyi Pavilion, and other renowned experts. Their real target is Little White Dragon, though they hesitate because they do not know where the dragon is and fear accidentally killing Chen.
• The White Serpent King then appears with the Four-Tailed Cat and a large host of powerful demon beasts. His arrival shocks the gathered experts because he is the Demon Lord’s teacher, one of the Demon Race’s greatest figures, and a legendary eight-thousand-year-old powerhouse.
• The White Serpent King declares that he has come only to bring a fellow demon-race member home, implying that Little White Dragon is connected to the Demon Race’s plans.
• Old Eunuch Xue warns him that entering Shengjing City violates the agreement between the Great Zhou Dynasty and the Demon Race. The White Serpent King responds mockingly, suggesting that any people sent against him may not return.
• He casually flicks his tongue, producing an attack powerful enough to collapse space where Old Eunuch Xue had been standing. The chapter ends with the gathered experts realizing the overwhelming difference between their strength and that of the White Serpent King.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Gains confidence after confirming that his combat ability can reach the Nascent Soul level even through a weakened clone. At the same time, he becomes more cautious, recognizing the clone’s severe limitations and the dangers of exposing his true strength. His curiosity and strategic nature lead him to remain at the scene rather than flee.
• Wang Shanhe: Is presented as an ambitious and confident heir of a powerful clan. He openly tries to recruit Chen with promises of wealth, influence, women, martial arts, and protection.
• Yun Feilong: Appears more calculating and seemingly sincere than Wang Shanhe. By offering to leave Little White Dragon in Chen’s possession while requesting only essence blood, he presents a more attractive proposal, though his true motives remain suspicious.
• Old Eunuch Xue: Acts as the representative of the Sacred Emperor and attempts to uphold the Great Zhou Dynasty’s authority despite recognizing the danger posed by the White Serpent King. His confrontation with the demon king reveals both his courage and the enormous gap between them.
• White Serpent King: Establishes himself as an arrogant, immensely powerful, and politically significant figure. His calm attitude, ancient cultivation, and effortless attack demonstrate that he stands far above ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators and Martial Saints.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and identity: Chen must conceal the true power of both his clone and true body to avoid political danger and unwanted attention.
• Limits of power: Although Chen’s victory over Daoist Le Kang boosts his confidence, his depleted clone reminds him that strength without reserves can be dangerous.
• Political competition: The Princely Estate, Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, Great Zhou Dynasty, and Demon Race all pursue their own interests regarding Chen and Little White Dragon.
• Bloodline versus strength: The chapter questions whether Little White Dragon’s divine heritage alone is enough to make him Demon Emperor, emphasizing that the Demon Race ultimately respects power and authority.
• The vast hierarchy of cultivation: The White Serpent King’s appearance highlights that identical realms do not imply equal combat strength; age, foundation, body, experience, and accumulated cultivation can create an overwhelming gap.
• Human-demon tensions: The White Serpent King’s entrance violates a long-standing pact and risks escalating existing tensions into open conflict between the Great Zhou Dynasty and the Demon Race.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Shaojun and Wang Shanhe: Wang attempts to recruit Chen by appealing to ambition, comfort, status, and security.
• Chen Shaojun and Yun Feilong: Yun offers a seemingly more reasonable alliance, but his demand for Little White Dragon’s essence blood makes Chen suspect hidden motives.
• Old Eunuch Xue and the gathered experts: Xue represents the dynasty’s authority, but the other experts remain cautious because even their combined strength may not be enough to challenge the White Serpent King.
• Old Eunuch Xue and the White Serpent King: Their verbal confrontation exposes the fragile political pact between humans and demons. The White Serpent King’s contemptuous response and space-shattering tongue strike establish his dominance.
• Chen Shaojun and the White Serpent King: Though they do not directly confront one another in the chapter, Chen recognizes the demon king as the true source of the earlier flood and understands that the situation surrounding Little White Dragon is far more complicated than a simple rescue mission.

Chapter Summary: Martial Hero Marquis

Key Plot Points and Events

• The White Snake Demon King confronts Old Eunuch Xue and dismisses his authority to speak for humanity.
• Martial Hero Marquis Ren Tiancheng, one of the world’s greatest experts and the Great Zhou Dynasty’s Grand Marshal, appears—but reveals that he has arrived only through a martial avatar.
• Despite being merely an avatar possessing roughly eighty percent of his true body’s strength, Ren Tiancheng battles the White Snake Demon King on equal terms.
• Ren uses the Martial Dao Golden Tower, a powerful technique that nearly suppresses and seals the demon king.
• The White Snake Demon King reveals a golden horn with three markings, unleashing power that breaks it free from the tower. The horn represents three thousand years of condensed cultivation and indicates that the demon is progressing toward transforming from a snake into a flood dragon.
• The demon king then attacks the surrounding spectators, forcing many experts and weaker cultivators to flee. Ren blocks most of the attack, though some people are severely injured or killed.
• Using the chaos as a distraction, the White Snake Demon King coils around Chen Shaojun and abducts him, fleeing away from Shengjing City.
• Ren chooses not to pursue. He explains that his avatar cannot catch the demon king and that the White Snake had clearly prepared its escape route. He also admits that his avatar might not defeat the demon king in a prolonged battle.
• The chapter ends with Ren explaining the significance of the demon’s golden horn: the White Snake has begun advancing toward flood-dragon transformation, though it remains far from completing the process.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun is deeply shaken by the battle and recognizes the vast gap between his own hundred years of cultivation and the strength of true peak experts. However, witnessing the clash strengthens his determination to improve and eventually rival or surpass them.
• Martial Hero Marquis Ren Tiancheng is established as a calm, honest, and supremely powerful expert. He does not exaggerate his strength or hide his limitations, openly acknowledging that his avatar is weaker than the White Snake Demon King.
• The White Snake Demon King is shown to be extremely cunning and formidable. It deliberately provokes Ren, uses the surrounding crowd as a distraction, and successfully captures Chen Shaojun rather than remaining trapped in a direct confrontation.
• Old Eunuch Xue and the other senior experts are shown to be powerful compared with ordinary cultivators but vastly inferior to the White Snake Demon King and Ren Tiancheng.

Significant Themes

• The enormous hierarchy of power: Even elite experts are helpless before beings at the world’s true peak, emphasizing the vast differences between cultivation realms.
• Ambition and self-improvement: Chen Shaojun’s shock does not discourage him; instead, it inspires him to pursue greater strength through his treasures, divine abilities, and cultivation opportunities.
• Honesty and mastery: Ren Tiancheng’s willingness to acknowledge his avatar’s limitations reflects the purity and clarity expected of a true martial expert.
• Evolution and transformation: The White Snake’s horn symbolizes the demon race’s path from snake to flood dragon and eventually true dragon, linking physical transformation with accumulated cultivation and power.
• Strategy over brute force: Although Ren nearly defeats the demon king in direct combat, the White Snake wins the immediate objective through planning, deception, and a well-timed abduction.

Character Interactions

• Old Eunuch Xue challenges the White Snake Demon King’s right to threaten humanity, but the demon king contemptuously rejects him.
• Ren Tiancheng directly confronts the White Snake and exchanges devastating attacks with it, demonstrating that he is the only nearby expert capable of truly restraining it.
• The White Snake uses its battle with Ren to create an opening, then turns its attention to Chen Shaojun and kidnaps him.
• Old Eunuch Xue questions Ren’s decision not to pursue, prompting Ren to explain the limitations of his avatar and the danger of chasing the prepared demon king.
• Ren later clarifies the meaning of the White Snake’s golden horn for the surrounding experts, revealing the demon’s progress toward flood-dragon transformation.

Chapter Summary: “Confidence”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter explains the legendary transformation of snakes into flood dragons and flood dragons into true dragons. These transformations represent the refinement of a demon beast’s bloodline back toward its ancestral form.
• Such evolution is only possible when a demon beast possesses a sufficiently powerful divine-beast or top-tier demon-beast bloodline. In the modern era, the process has become nearly mythical because the required time, cultivation, and resources are immense.
• The White Snake Demon King is given as an example. After eight thousand years of secluded cultivation, she has raised her Divine Dragon Bloodline to only thirty percent. By forcibly transforming into a flood dragon, she sacrificed three thousand years of cultivation to grow a single horn.
• Although this loss reduced her Arcane Cultivation, her physical strength and overall combat power increased, making her more dangerous than before.
• The human experts become alarmed that the White Snake Demon King has captured Master Chen and may use the Divine Dragon’s blood essence to accelerate her transformation. Others argue that she would not dare harm the Divine Dragon before the Demon Emperor’s Treasury is opened, since only a demon possessing Divine Dragon Bloodline can access it.
• Martial Hero Marquis dismisses the threat, confidently claiming that humanity could defeat and dismantle the White Snake Demon King if necessary. He then departs, demonstrating his extraordinary movement technique.
• After he leaves, the human forces begin slaughtering the ordinary demon beasts that had gathered near Shengjing City and are now attempting to flee.
• Meanwhile, the White Snake Demon King carries Chen Shaojun’s avatar through the sky at tremendous speed, shielding him from violent winds, lightning, and other dangers of high-altitude travel.
• She brings him to Snake Valley, her enormous and dangerous lair, which is filled with giant snakes, poisonous miasma, extremely dense spiritual energy, rare herbs, and priceless treasures.
• Inside a vast stone cave, the White Snake Demon King releases Chen and assumes the form of an exceptionally beautiful woman.
• She interrogates Chen about the location of the Little White Dragon, whom the Demon Race wants to reclaim as a possible future Demon Emperor.
• Chen refuses to reveal the dragon’s location and questions the Demon King’s motives, suggesting that she may want to extract the Little White Dragon’s blood essence to accelerate her own snake-to-flood-dragon transformation.
• The White Snake Demon King is surprised by Chen’s boldness and complete lack of fear. Chen remains calm because he is only an avatar and therefore faces no real danger if captured or destroyed.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Displays remarkable composure, confidence, and verbal boldness despite being in the White Snake Demon King’s territory. He skillfully challenges her assumptions and exposes the likely personal motive behind her interest in the Little White Dragon. His avatar status gives him psychological freedom, allowing him to treat the encounter almost casually.
• White Snake Demon King: Her history and ambitions are revealed more clearly. She has endured thousands of years of cultivation and sacrificed a large portion of her power to begin transforming into a flood dragon. She is portrayed as powerful, calculating, and potentially willing to exploit the Little White Dragon’s bloodline, though she is also intrigued and unsettled by Chen’s unusual calmness.
• Martial Hero Marquis: Reinforced as one of the strongest figures of the present age. His authority comes not from his title but from his overwhelming strength, which earns the respect even of other supreme experts.
• Little White Dragon: Though absent from the chapter, its importance increases. It is both a candidate for the Demon Emperor and a source of pure Divine Dragon Bloodline that could significantly aid the White Snake Demon King.

Significant Themes

• Bloodline refinement and ancestral return: Power is presented as a process of returning to an ancient, purer origin. Transformation depends not only on effort but also on possessing the right bloodline.
• The enormous cost of power: The White Snake Demon King’s three-thousand-year sacrifice demonstrates that advancement can require irreversible losses. Greater physical strength does not necessarily mean greater cultivation in every sense.
• Confidence versus fear: Chen’s calmness contrasts sharply with the terror normally inspired by the White Snake Demon King. The chapter emphasizes that psychological composure can itself become a form of power.
• Strength as the basis of respect: Martial Hero Marquis is respected because of his strength rather than his formal rank, reflecting the chapter’s martial-world principle that true power determines status.
• Power, exploitation, and trust: The discussion over the Little White Dragon raises questions about whether the Demon Race seeks to protect its future emperor or exploit its bloodline for power.
• Appearance versus true nature: The White Snake Demon King’s beautiful human form contrasts with her monstrous true body, reinforcing the distinction between outward appearance and inner danger.

Character Interactions

• The human experts debate whether the White Snake Demon King will use the Divine Dragon’s blood essence, revealing their fear and uncertainty about the Demon Race’s plans.
• Martial Hero Marquis reassures the others through his overwhelming confidence before departing, establishing his dominance over the gathering.
• Chen Shaojun and the White Snake Demon King engage in a tense but unusually conversational interrogation. She demands information about the Little White Dragon, while Chen responds with evasions, counterquestions, and pointed accusations.
• Chen’s irreverent joke that the Little White Dragon is merely his “pet” rather than his child further confuses the White Snake Demon King and highlights his unconventional personality.
• The encounter ends with the Demon King deeply puzzled by Chen’s lack of fear, while Chen remains relaxed because he knows his avatar cannot truly be harmed.

Chapter Summary: Demon Emperor’s Treasury

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun explains to the White Snake Demon King that the Little White Dragon’s blood essence is too weak to be useful to her. She confirms that she has no intention of refining it for personal cultivation.
• The White Snake Demon King reveals the true reason the Demon Race wants the Little White Dragon: its existence may allow them to open the Demon Emperor’s Treasury.
• The treasury contains the accumulated treasures of countless Demon Emperors, including powerful weapons, rare resources, and mature Divine Dragon blood essence. It can only be located with the Demon Emperor’s Scepter and opened by someone possessing the proper Demon Emperor bloodline who can transform into a true dragon.
• The current Demon Lord possesses the scepter but lacks the required bloodline, meaning he cannot access the treasury. The Little White Dragon could fulfill the missing condition and potentially trigger the resurgence of the Demon Race.
• The White Snake Demon King explains that the birth of a new White Dragon has drawn the attention of human and demonic powerhouses. If the treasury is opened, the balance of power could shift dramatically, forcing powerful human figures to intervene.
• She demands to know where Chen Shaojun has hidden the Little White Dragon. Chen reveals that it has always been with his true body and that the figure before her is only an avatar.
• Realizing she has been deceived, the White Snake Demon King attacks in fury, but Chen’s avatar disperses before she can strike him.
• Enraged and humiliated, the White Snake Demon King devastates the surrounding demon territory, killing or injuring many creatures and destroying the landscape.
• Back at his manor, Chen reflects on the information he obtained. He recognizes that surrendering the Little White Dragon could have catastrophic consequences and resolves not to cooperate with the White Snake Demon King or the Demon Race.
• Chen then considers the strength of Martial Hero Marquis Ren Tiancheng, who suppressed the White Snake Demon King using only an avatar. Inspired by the gap between their abilities, Chen focuses on further strengthening himself and preparing to ignite more acupoints.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates increasing confidence, strategic intelligence, and composure. He deliberately allows the White Snake Demon King to speak freely because his avatar can be sacrificed without endangering his true body.
• He remains morally opposed to the White Snake Demon King because of the devastation she has caused humanity, despite her temporary willingness to answer his questions.
• Chen gains a clearer understanding of the Little White Dragon’s importance and begins treating it as a potential key to a major struggle between the Demon Race and humanity.
• His ambition grows after witnessing Ren Tiancheng’s power. He acknowledges that he is still far below the Martial Saint level but takes pride in his solid martial foundation and progress.
• The White Snake Demon King is shown to be ancient, powerful, calculating, and deeply ambitious. Her desire for the treasury’s dragon blood reveals her personal interest in evolving into a flood dragon.
• Her composure collapses when she discovers that Chen has outmaneuvered her, exposing her pride and violent temperament.
• Martial Hero Marquis Ren Tiancheng is established as an extremely powerful Peak Martial Saint whose avatar alone can suppress the White Snake Demon King.

Significant Themes

• Power and strategic deception: Chen survives not through direct strength but by using an avatar, gathering information, and concealing the Little White Dragon’s true location.
• The danger of bloodlines and inheritance: The Little White Dragon’s divine bloodline is valuable not merely for its strength but because it may revive the Demon Race’s ancient imperial legacy.
• Balance of power: The Demon Emperor’s Treasury could dramatically increase the Demon Race’s strength, threatening humanity and provoking a large-scale conflict.
• Moral contrast between humans and demons: Chen rejects cooperation with the White Snake Demon King, emphasizing the suffering caused by her past actions and showing that temporary civility does not erase moral responsibility.
• Ambition and self-improvement: Chen recognizes the vast gap between himself and the world’s greatest experts, turning his admiration of Ren Tiancheng into motivation to continue cultivating.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Shaojun and the White Snake Demon King: Their conversation is outwardly calm but fundamentally adversarial. She believes Chen is powerless, while he uses the encounter to extract crucial information and secretly relies on his avatar’s expendability.
• The White Snake Demon King and the Little White Dragon: She views the dragon primarily as the key to accessing the treasury and strengthening the Demon Race, rather than as an individual to protect.
• Chen Shaojun and Ren Tiancheng: Although they do not interact directly in this chapter, Chen reflects on Ren’s overwhelming strength and uses him as an example of the level he hopes to reach.
• Humanity and the Demon Race: The chapter establishes an escalating conflict in which the Little White Dragon’s fate may determine whether the Demon Race can reclaim its former supremacy.

Chapter Summary: “Number One Appraisal Hall Opens for Business”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun returns to the Lin Clan Pawnshop after winning five enormous Spirit-Sealing Stones from the Jie Bao Appraisal Grandmaster of Three Treasures Hall. He plans to use their mixed spiritual energy to ignite the remaining acupoints in his body.
• The Lin Clan’s newly expanded branch is prepared for opening, with Chief Appraiser Qin Wenshan and Chen Shaojun serving as its two Appraisal Grandmasters.
• The new establishment is given the provocative name “Number One Appraisal Hall.”
• Qin Wenshan’s friends attend the opening and respectfully greet Chen Shaojun, despite their disbelief that someone so young and new to the profession has become an Appraisal Grandmaster.
• Other pawnshops initially appear absent, causing unease and speculation. The reason becomes clear when numerous Appraisal Grandmasters and shopkeepers arrive together, clearly intending to challenge the new establishment.
• The signboard is unveiled amid a lion dance, acrobatic performances, and a large crowd. Its name immediately provokes outrage among the visiting appraisers.
• Grandmasters Zhao Wen, Jin Yunlai, Zuo Tongmu, and others accuse the new pawnshop of arrogantly claiming supremacy over the entire appraisal profession.
• They demand that the signboard be changed and threaten to smash it if the owners refuse.
• Shopkeeper Liu remains outwardly composed and asks how the dispute should be resolved, determined not to let the pawnshop’s reputation be destroyed on its opening day.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun continues to rise rapidly in power and status. Though still young and relatively unknown socially, he is now treated with formal respect because of his appraisal mastery and the influence of his Appraiser’s Handbook.
• Qin Wenshan has officially advanced to Appraisal Grandmaster. Although he lacks confidence in the boastful shop name, his admiration for Chen Shaojun’s abilities leads him to support the decision.
• Shopkeeper Liu shows ambition and courage. Despite his nervousness, he is committed to making the pawnshop prominent and refuses to surrender its signboard without a fight.
• The rival Appraisal Grandmasters, especially Zhao Wen and Zuo Tongmu, reveal their pride and insecurity. They view the new signboard as a direct challenge to their established reputations.
• Qin Wenshan’s acquaintances acknowledge Chen Shaojun’s superiority, even if they privately struggle to accept his extraordinary rise.

Significant Themes

• Reputation versus true ability: The title “Number One” is viewed as unacceptable unless backed by undeniable appraisal skill.
• Pride and professional rivalry: Established masters resent the sudden rise of younger appraisers and unite to defend their prestige.
• Youth challenging tradition: Chen Shaojun’s meteoric success threatens a profession dominated by older, experienced figures.
• Ambition and risk: Shopkeeper Liu and Qin Wenshan gamble their reputation on the bold new name, knowing failure could ruin the pawnshop before it properly opens.
• Recognition and legitimacy: The chapter emphasizes that achievement, rather than age or seniority, determines respect in the appraisal world.

Character Interactions

• Chen Shaojun is introduced to Qin Wenshan’s guests, who address him respectfully as “Grandmaster” despite their astonishment at his youth.
• Qin Wenshan quietly relies on Chen Shaojun’s judgment, accepting the risky name because he trusts Chen’s appraisal ability.
• Shopkeeper Liu attempts to welcome the rival Grandmasters politely, but Zhao Wen responds with sarcasm and refuses to enter the hall.
• Zhao Wen and other Grandmasters openly challenge Chen Shaojun, Qin Wenshan, and Liu, insisting that the title “Number One Appraisal Hall” be removed.
• The chapter ends with the new pawnshop facing a collective challenge from the entire established appraisal community, setting up a confrontation over whether Chen Shaojun’s abilities can justify the audacious claim.

Chapter Summary: “Smashing the Signboard”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Clan Pawnshop unveils its controversial new signboard, proclaiming itself the “Number One Pawnshop under Heaven.”
• Seventeen established pawnshops, led by Ancient-Surpassing Pawnshop’s Appraisal Grandmaster Zhao Wen, arrive immediately to challenge the claim.
• They accuse Lin Clan Pawnshop of arrogance and threaten to smash the signboard unless the shop accepts a formal appraisal test.
• The challenge requires Lin Clan Pawnshop’s appraisers to identify one difficult treasure brought by each of the seventeen pawnshops.
• If they succeed, the rival pawnshops will acknowledge Lin Clan Pawnshop’s title. If they fail, the signboard will be removed and destroyed.
• Although Shopkeeper Liu and Qin Wenshan recognize the danger and hesitate, Chen Shaojun confidently accepts the challenge.
• The test is scheduled for the following day, giving Chen time to prepare.
• After the rivals depart, Chen enters the appraisal room to continue unsealing Spirit-Sealing Stones and strengthen himself before the contest.
• He successfully begins unsealing one of the stones, releasing immense spiritual energy that he converts into Innate True Essence.
• The energy ignites more of his acupoints, strengthening his physique and bringing him closer to a Perfectly Flawless Physique.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates calm confidence and takes responsibility for the bold “Number One” claim, which he originally proposed. His abilities have advanced far beyond those of an ordinary Appraisal Grandmaster, giving him confidence that the rival pawnshops’ treasures may not be able to defeat him.
• He also reveals practical caution beneath his confidence. He understands that the opponents may bring exceptionally dangerous treasures, possibly even Divine Weapons or Immortal Treasures, and therefore makes serious preparations.
• Qin Wenshan, despite being a respected Appraisal Grandmaster, recognizes that the challenge may be beyond his abilities. He becomes worried and places his hopes on Chen.
• Shopkeeper Liu is cautious and concerned about accepting the test, citing legendary treasures such as the Seven-Colored Golden Venerable Cup and a dangerous golden cauldron.
• The rival pawnshops, especially Zhao Wen, act collectively to suppress Lin Clan Pawnshop and force it to abandon its provocative title.

Significant Themes

• Confidence versus intimidation: The rival pawnshops attempt to use their collective reputation and threatening behavior to force Lin Clan Pawnshop into submission, but Chen responds with composure.
• Merit and reputation: The chapter questions whether a bold claim of superiority must be proven through ability rather than accepted through tradition or status.
• Preparation and hidden strength: Chen does not rely solely on confidence; he uses the remaining time to improve his spiritual power and martial foundation.
• Risk in the pursuit of mastery: Treasure appraisal is dangerous because baleful intent can injure or kill the appraiser. Advancement therefore requires both courage and careful judgment.
• Suppression of newcomers: The established pawnshops unite against Lin Clan Pawnshop, reflecting the resistance that arises when a new force threatens the existing order.

Character Interactions

• Zhao Wen confronts Shopkeeper Liu and the Lin Clan representatives, laying out the conditions of the appraisal challenge.
• Qin Wenshan and the shop staff react anxiously, while the gathered crowd eagerly watches the confrontation as entertainment.
• Chen interrupts the rivals’ attempt to remove the signboard and personally accepts the test.
• Afterward, Qin Wenshan asks Chen whether he is truly confident, and Shopkeeper Liu warns him about especially dangerous treasures that may be presented.
• Chen reassures them, maintaining that he will deal with whatever challenges arise, then privately prepares for the contest by unsealing a Spirit-Sealing Stone and increasing his strength.

Chapter Summary: “Blood-Red Battle Robe”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun carefully conceals his aura because of his numerous secrets and enemies. He is secretly a Peak Innate Realm martial expert, an exceptional treasure unsealer, a powerful Daoist cultivator, and the man rumored to have been captured by the White Snake Demon King.
• He finishes unsealing a massive Spirit-Sealing Stone by igniting acupoints and neutralizing all seventy-two restriction backlash forces with the Seventy-Two Restriction Method and the Tathagata Divine Palm.
• After igniting thirty-three additional acupoints, Chen realizes that his martial techniques are beginning to resonate with heaven and earth. His attacks can now borrow external cosmic power rather than relying solely on his own Innate True Essence.
• He theorizes that the number of ignited acupoints determines a martial artist’s potential. More acupoints create stronger links between the body’s “small universe” and the outside world, improving both combat strength and comprehension of martial arts.
• The Spirit-Sealing Stone contains a crimson battle robe covered in ancient bloodstains and radiating intense Killing Intent and Blood Baleful Qi.
• Divination indicates that unsealing the robe is auspicious, so Chen begins the process with the Myriad Spirits Unsealing Technique.
• The robe releases a massive river of Blood Baleful Qi, followed by the spiritual remnants of numerous powerful warriors and demons. These include an armored horned warrior, an elderly man, a three-headed hound, and other monstrous figures.
• Chen calmly suppresses the apparitions. He uses Eight Swords Flying Together to destroy them, taking advantage of the technique’s greatly increased power now that his attacks can draw on heaven and earth’s strength.
• The final spiritual imprint belongs to a kindly, weathered old man. Rather than resisting, the old man willingly erases his own imprint and asks Chen to give the battle robe a better home.
• With the original owner’s imprint gone, Chen easily removes the robe’s remaining Killing Intent and completes the unsealing.
• The chapter ends as the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror begins revealing the battle robe’s history and origins.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: His strength and potential continue to rise after igniting more acupoints. He gains a clearer understanding of how acupoint cultivation allows him to resonate with heaven and earth, enhancing both his martial power and learning speed. His confidence and composure are also emphasized as he calmly handles the robe’s violent spiritual backlash.
• The battle robe’s original owner: Although introduced only through a spiritual imprint, the old man appears unusually powerful and detached. His effortless self-erasure suggests exceptional cultivation and hints that the robe has a mysterious and important history.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identity and caution: Chen’s many abilities and connections make secrecy essential for survival.
• The relationship between the body and the universe: Ignited acupoints act as bridges between the human body and heaven and earth, allowing martial artists to borrow external power.
• Potential and cultivation foundations: The chapter suggests that the number of acupoints, rather than physique alone, is the true basis of long-term strength and talent.
• The burden of history: The battle robe carries the blood, grudges, and remnants of countless powerful beings, showing how treasures preserve the violence and memories of the past.
• Acceptance and succession: The original owner’s willingness to erase his imprint implies that the robe is being deliberately passed on, possibly as part of a larger unfinished legacy.

Character Interactions

• Chen directly clashes with the battle robe’s summoned warriors and spectral creatures, countering their attacks with his own martial techniques.
• He neutralizes the armored warrior’s shockwave and destroys him with a sword after the warrior attempts a surprise attack.
• Chen’s spiritual power battles the robe’s Blood Baleful Qi in a prolonged contest of endurance.
• His only direct interaction with the original owner occurs when the old man willingly relinquishes the robe, creating an unusual moment of trust between the ancient former master and Chen.

Chapter Summary: “Stars Shift, Stars Transpose, 1,287 Acupoints Lit”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun appraises a powerful battle robe and witnesses its history through the appraisal screen.
• The robe once belonged to Liu Zhennan, a Spirit Severing Realm cultivator who fought during the ancient Demon-Sealing War. Liu Zhennan eventually died after battling four demons of the same realm.
• The chapter reveals that a huge rift once connected the human world to the Heavenly Demon Realm, allowing demons, monsters, ghosts, and fiends to invade. Humanity’s cultivators, martial artists, and Demon Race members united to repel them.
• The Demon-Sealing War lasted for centuries or millennia and ended with the entrances between the two realms being sealed. However, the seal also weakened the world’s laws, restricting cultivation beyond the Nascent Soul Realm and martial advancement beyond the Divine Profound Realm.
• Chen realizes that breaking the seal could restore the world’s cultivation potential but would also invite another catastrophic demon invasion.
• The battle robe is graded as an Immortal Rank—Middle Grade treasure. Chen keeps it because of its powerful defensive abilities, wind control, and speed enhancement.
• His appraisal reward is the Stars-Shift-and-Stars-Transpose Technique, a defensive divine ability that redirects an enemy’s attacks. At its highest level, it can return an attack with twice its original power, though this requires substantial energy.
• Chen appraises another Spirit-Sealing Stone and finds a shattered ancient disk. Because it is incomplete, he cannot determine its full nature and stores it for possible restoration later.
• After processing the third Spirit-Sealing Stone, Chen’s cultivated acupoints reach 1,287, triggering a major bodily transformation.

Character Development

• Chen gains a deeper understanding of the world’s history and develops strong admiration for the ancient cultivators who sacrificed themselves to protect later generations.
• He recognizes that the world is effectively a “great prison,” cut off from higher realms of cultivation by the Heaven-and-Earth Seal.
• Although he worries that the seal may eventually limit his own progress, he decides not to concern himself with the distant problem yet.
• His physical strength, Innate True Essence, comprehension, and connection to heaven and earth all improve dramatically after his acupoints resonate with the world.
• Chen learns that he has actually opened 1,294 acupoints, not merely 1,287, because the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart naturally opened seven additional acupoints.
• He identifies the remaining obstacles to achieving the Perfectly Flawless Physique: the seven acupoints associated with his innate heart must be ignited, followed by the mysterious Heaven-and-Earth Two Apertures.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and protection: Ancient cultivators gave their lives to seal away the demons and preserve peace for future generations.
• Freedom versus safety: Removing the world’s restrictions could enable greater cultivation but would also expose the world to annihilation.
• The limits of heaven and earth: Even extraordinary geniuses cannot surpass the cultivation ceiling while the seal remains intact.
• Inheritance and preservation: The battle robe and shattered disk represent the surviving legacy of ancient experts.
• Progress through self-cultivation: Chen’s physical and spiritual advancement is shown through the ignition of acupoints and the transformation of his body.
• Uncertainty and destiny: The final Heaven-and-Earth Two Apertures cannot be found through ordinary effort alone and may require sudden insight, fortune, or life-and-death experience.

Character Interactions

• The chapter contains few direct interpersonal exchanges. Chen’s main “interaction” is with the memories and legacy embedded in the battle robe and Spirit-Sealing Stones.
• Through the robe’s history, he connects emotionally with Liu Zhennan and the countless cultivators who fought in the Demon-Sealing War.
• Chen also interacts with the treasures through his appraisal abilities, gaining knowledge, storing them, and incorporating their benefits into his growing power.

Chapter Summary: Book of Martial Dao?

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun recognizes that advancing from the Innate Realm to the Spirit Astral Realm requires extremely rare, high-grade Heavenly Astral Baleful Intent—not ordinary Killing Intent.
• He concludes that the small worlds are his best chance of finding sufficient First-Grade Baleful Gathering Grounds and abundant Astral Baleful Intent.
• Because he possesses only one World-Breaking Talisman, Chen Shaojun decides to carefully investigate and identify the best possible locations before entering a small world.
• He temporarily stops unsealing Spirit-Sealing Stones because the process has exhausted much of his time and mental power.
• Instead, he appraises numerous lower-grade treasures from the small worlds. The process allows him to recover mentally while observing the customs, cultures, and possible Baleful Gathering Grounds of those worlds.
• He stores the appraisal rewards using the Stacking Talisman, causing its accumulated grade assessment to rise to the Spirit Rank.
• After eating at the newly opened shop, Chen Shaojun turns his attention to increasing his stagnant mental power.
• He considers several methods—heavenly treasures, cultivation techniques, natural growth, and writing books or expounding doctrines—and decides that writing a widely circulated professional work is the most practical option.
• Chen Shaojun chooses to write a Book of Martial Dao, followed later by a canon of Daoist immortal arts.
• Rather than create an ordinary Body Tempering manual, he plans to combine cultivation insights from multiple small worlds with his own understanding of martial apertures.
• He begins an intense process of deduction, using his Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart and consuming a Spirit-Communing Pill to aid his enlightenment. By the end of the chapter, he has not written anything yet, but his growing smile suggests he has made major progress.

2. Character Development

• Chen Shaojun becomes more strategic and patient regarding his advancement. He understands that recklessly entering a small world would waste his only opportunity, so he prioritizes preparation and information gathering.
• His ambitions expand beyond personal cultivation. He realizes that his knowledge can benefit the entire martial world while also strengthening his own mental power through the gratitude and recognition of readers.
• He demonstrates growing confidence in his ability to synthesize knowledge from different worlds and improve upon existing cultivation systems.
• His Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart is shown to be crucial not only for combat and cultivation, but also for deep intellectual deduction and creative breakthroughs.
• Chen Shaojun begins moving from being merely an exceptional practitioner to becoming a potential founder of new martial traditions.

3. Significant Themes

• Preparation versus haste: True advancement requires patience, especially when resources and opportunities are limited.
• Scarcity and resource management: Rare Heavenly Astral Baleful Intent is nearly impossible to obtain in the main world, making the single World-Breaking Talisman extremely valuable.
• Knowledge as power: Chen Shaojun’s understanding of different worlds allows him to create methods superior to conventional techniques.
• Innovation and synthesis: The chapter emphasizes combining the strengths of various cultivation systems rather than simply copying existing manuals.
• Teaching as cultivation: Writing a recognized martial text can both spread knowledge and provide spiritual or mental feedback to its author.
• Foundations determine greatness: Chen Shaojun focuses on the Body Tempering Realm and aperture development because a stronger foundation can enable greater future achievements.
• The relationship between influence and power: Recognition and gratitude from others can directly increase Chen Shaojun’s mental strength.

4. Character Interactions

• Chen Shaojun has no major direct conversations in the chapter.
• His interaction with the outside world is mainly indirect:
  • The shop’s opening and competitors create practical complications, though the business still provides him with a lavish meal.
  • Someone knocks on the appraisal room door, interrupting his treasure appraisal and signaling that it is time to eat.
  • His previous interaction with appraisers through the Appraiser’s Handbook serves as an important example: their admiration and gratitude increased his mental power.
• The most significant “interaction” is intellectual—Chen Shaojun engages with the cultivation knowledge contained in treasures from various small worlds and prepares to transform that knowledge into a new martial system.