Ch. 361Wind, Rain, Thunder, Lightning—Heaven-Shaking, Earth-Sundering

Chapter Summary: “Wind, Rain, Thunder, Lightning—Heaven-Shaking, Earth-Sundering”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • The assembled wizard powerhouses debate Chen Shaojun’s identity. Although some doubt that he is truly a Gods and Devils powerhouse because his appearance and techniques seem human, most conclude that his extraordinary abilities must belong to an unknown divine-level being.
  • Chen Shaojun combines the Wind-and-Rain Calling Technique with the Thunderfall Technique, killing large numbers of Magic Beasts despite the spells’ individual limitations.
  • The two Beast Kings, Wisdom Bear James and Swamp King Nibert, force stronger Magic Beasts—many at Levels Three through Five—to attack Chen Shaojun.
  • When the Magic Beasts’ combined spells begin shaking the Five-Elements Reversal Defense Array, Chen Shaojun casts the Heaven-Shaking Earth-Sundering Technique. The earth splits, pits swallow the beasts, and a resonating force damages their blood and organs, throwing the horde into panic.
  • The Beast Kings personally intervene. James hurls a mountain-sized boulder, while Nibert releases corrosive black mist, ultimately destroying Chen Shaojun’s defensive array.
  • With the horde and both Beast Kings attacking simultaneously, Chen Shaojun finally reveals more of his true combat ability:
    • He uses the sword-pellet technique One Sword Shatters Ten Thousand Techniques to pierce and seriously injure James.
    • He dodges Nibert’s attack, crushes the serpent king’s head with one palm, then uses its body to flatten other Magic Beasts.
    • He summons numerous swords with Eight Swords Flying Together, killing large numbers of high-level Magic Beasts by piercing their heads and extracting their Magic Crystals.
  • Realizing they cannot win, both Beast Kings flee despite their injuries.

Character Developments

  • Chen Shaojun is shown to be far stronger than his earlier large-scale spells suggested. He remains calm throughout the assault and reveals that the earlier attacks were only part of his strength, with his true body still cultivating and the battle being handled by a clone.
  • Wisdom Bear James shifts from commanding the horde to fear and retreat. His defensive spell is easily broken, and he is badly wounded by Chen Shaojun’s flying sword.
  • Swamp King Nibert demonstrates formidable vitality by surviving a devastating palm strike, but he is still overwhelmed and forced to flee.
  • Wizard Hanbo becomes Chen Shaojun’s defender among the observing wizards, recognizing the difficulty and power of his techniques. His confidence influences the others to reassess Chen Shaojun’s abilities.
  • The observing wizard powerhouses move from uncertainty to serious respect, realizing that Chen Shaojun has not yet used his full strength.

Significant Themes

  • Hidden power and mistaken judgment: Chen Shaojun’s restrained demeanor and human appearance cause others to underestimate him, but his successive techniques reveal overwhelming strength.
  • The power of combined techniques: Wind, rain, thunder, and earth-shaking spells become far more destructive when used together.
  • Psychological domination: The Heaven-Shaking Earth-Sundering Technique is important not only for its physical damage but also for the terror and helplessness it inspires in the Magic Beasts.
  • Overwhelming individual strength versus overwhelming numbers: The Beast Kings rely on a massive horde, yet Chen Shaojun’s superior techniques and precision allow him to defeat them with relative ease.
  • Confidence under pressure: Chen Shaojun’s composure contrasts sharply with the growing panic of the Magic Beasts and Beast Kings.

Character Interactions

  • The wizard powerhouses debate Chen Shaojun’s origins and abilities, with Wizard Hanbo arguing that his repeated spellcasting proves exceptional strength.
  • The Beast Kings command and intimidate the Magic Beasts, forcing them to attack even after witnessing the slaughter of their companions.
  • Chen Shaojun directly confronts both Beast Kings, injuring James, overpowering Nibert, and using Nibert’s body against the surrounding horde.
  • The battle ends with the Beast Kings abandoning their forces and fleeing from Chen Shaojun.

Ch. 362Gods and Devils Expert Has Truly Appeared

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Chen Shaojun, using only a clone, overwhelms two powerful Beast Kings—Wisdom Bear James and Swamp King Nibert—and forces the surrounding Magic Beasts to flee.
  • Although he could likely kill both Beast Kings, Chen Shaojun stops pursuing them because his clone has already consumed more than half of its Arcane Cultivation and Innate True Essence. Continuing would risk the clone dissipating.
  • Chen Shaojun reveals that he is close to breaking through to the Spirit Astral Realm. Of his 1,290 acupoints, 1,200 have already been transformed into Astral Force, leaving only ninety-six unfinished.
  • The weakening Killing Intent in the Baleful Gathering Ground allows sunlight to begin reaching the area for the first time in thousands of years.
  • The observing wizards are stunned by Chen Shaojun’s strength, especially his ability to control multiple swords remotely and use a slender sword powerful enough to pierce James’s famed Rock Defense.
  • The wizards debate Chen Shaojun’s identity. They initially suspect he is the Gods and Devils expert sealed by Wizard God Nahl ten thousand years ago, but his human appearance conflicts with historical descriptions of that being as a huge, emerald-green creature.
  • Wizard Hanbo and Wizard Besk admit they never confirmed the exact location of the ancient sealing array, weakening their assumption that Chen Shaojun was the escaped entity.
  • A new beast tide suddenly rushes toward the group. The Magic Beasts are not attacking Chen Shaojun, however; they are fleeing in terror from an approaching mass of Yin Souls and poisonous insects.
  • The Yin Souls and Insect Sea move together, devouring Magic Beasts of every level—even Fifth-Level creatures—and forcing the two Beast Kings to flee again.
  • Clark Sean notices a gigantic emerald-green humanoid figure behind the Insect Sea. Its appearance and abilities match the historical records of the Gods and Devils expert.
  • The wizards realize that the true sealed expert has indeed escaped and brace themselves for an even greater threat.

Character Developments

  • Chen Shaojun: Demonstrates overwhelming combat power while remaining cautious about the limits of his clone. His imminent breakthrough gives him confidence that he will soon become vastly more formidable.
  • Wisdom Bear James and Swamp King Nibert: Despite being Beast Kings, they are shown to be completely outmatched by Chen Shaojun. They later flee again from the approaching Yin Souls and Insect Sea.
  • The observing wizards: Their confidence and assumptions collapse after witnessing Chen Shaojun’s strength. Even the Radiant Church’s members are forced to acknowledge that he is close to Wizard God-level power.
  • Wizard Hanbo and Wizard Besk: Their certainty that Chen Shaojun is the ancient sealed expert is undermined, and they are compelled to admit their investigation was based largely on speculation.
  • Clark Sean: Uses his exceptional spiritual power and vision to identify the true Gods and Devils expert behind the Insect Sea.

Significant Themes

  • Misidentification and hidden identity: The chapter contrasts Chen Shaojun’s human appearance with the emergence of the true Gods and Devils expert, revealing that the observers had mistaken one powerful figure for another.
  • Overwhelming power and hierarchy: Chen Shaojun’s effortless defeat of the Beast Kings establishes the extraordinary gap between him and ordinary Legendary experts, while the escaped Gods and Devils expert introduces an even more terrifying level of power.
  • Limits and strategic restraint: Although Chen Shaojun is extremely powerful, he recognizes the danger of exhausting his clone and chooses not to pursue a potentially costly victory.
  • Escalating danger: The battlefield shifts from a conflict involving Chen Shaojun and the Magic Beasts to a much larger catastrophe involving Yin Souls, poisonous insects, and the ancient sealed entity.
  • Fear and survival: The Magic Beasts, including the Beast Kings, abandon pride and flee for their lives, emphasizing the overwhelming destructive force of the Insect Sea and Yin Souls.

Character Interactions

  • Chen Shaojun battles the two Beast Kings and the Magic Beast horde, decisively overpowering them.
  • The wizards observe and analyze his abilities, debating whether he is a warrior, a powerful wizard, or the sealed Gods and Devils expert.
  • Hanbo questions Bեսk about the ancient seal, leading Bեսk to acknowledge that the group’s assumptions may have been wrong.
  • The wizards collectively react with disbelief and fear when Clark Sean identifies the emerald-green figure behind the advancing Insect Sea.
  • By the end of the chapter, the wizards’ attention shifts away from Chen Shaojun and toward the newly emerged Gods and Devils expert, whom they recognize as the true existential threat.

Ch. 363The Might of a Roar

Chapter Summary: “The Might of a Roar”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • The wizards realize that a Gods and Devils powerhouse, equivalent to the legendary seventh realm of the Wizard God, has escaped its ten-thousand-year seal. Its emergence threatens to plunge the entire Wizard World into disaster.
  • The wizards have prepared a sealing magic array, but they face two major obstacles: the escaped powerhouse must be lured into the array, and its enormous Yin Soul army and Insect Sea must first be dispersed.
  • The beast kings Wisdom Bear James and Swamp King Nibert, pursued by the Yin Souls and insects, flee toward Chen Shaojun and beg for his protection. They explain that the Demon Realm powerhouse had previously tried to force them into submission and is now exterminating all Magic Beasts that resisted it.
  • Chen Shaojun deduces that the disturbance caused by his cultivation weakened the surrounding sealing array, allowing the Demon Realm expert to escape.
  • Although Chen does not particularly desire the beast kings as servants, he agrees to intervene because the Demon Realm powerhouse is an enemy of humanity.
  • While his true body continues cultivating under the protection of the beast kings and their gathered Magic Beasts, Chen’s avatar confronts the Yin Soul army and Insect Sea.
  • Chen unleashes the Lion’s Roar Technique, infused with innate true essence, mental strength, and the power of heaven and earth. His single roar annihilates most of the Yin Souls and kills nearly the entire Insect Sea.
  • The attack exposes the previously hidden Demon Realm powerhouse, who is shocked and enraged by the destruction of its forces.

Character Developments

  • Chen Shaojun demonstrates overwhelming strength and composure. His cultivation has reached a critical stage, with only a small number of acupoints remaining before his transformation is complete, making the interruption especially irritating.
  • He reveals that he is not merely powerful in conventional spells but also possesses devastating martial techniques and exceptional control over sound, spiritual power, and heavenly laws.
  • Wisdom Bear James and Swamp King Nibert abandon their pride and willingly submit to Chen after realizing that they cannot survive without his protection. Their submission reflects both their desperation and their recognition of his superior strength.
  • The wizards shift from relying solely on their sealing plan to placing their hopes in Chen’s ability to neutralize the enemy forces.
  • The Demon Realm powerhouse, initially dominant, suffers its first major setback and reacts with anger after Chen destroys its army.

Significant Themes

  • The vast gap between realms: The chapter emphasizes the terrifying power of a Gods and Devils powerhouse, while also revealing that Chen may possess strength capable of challenging such beings.
  • Power and submission: Threatened by annihilation, the beast kings willingly serve Chen, showing how absolute strength can override pride and former hostility.
  • Unexpected consequences of cultivation: Chen’s breakthrough disturbs the balance of the Baleful Gathering Ground, unintentionally weakening the seal and enabling the Demon Realm expert’s escape.
  • The importance of technique and timing: Chen’s roar is effective not only because of its raw force but because it exploits the close formation and vulnerabilities of the Yin Souls and insects.
  • Humanity versus demonic forces: Chen chooses to act partly because the escaped powerhouse is an enemy of humanity, expanding his role from solitary cultivator to defender against a broader supernatural threat.

Character Interactions

  • The wizards debate how to recapture the escaped powerhouse and recognize that Chen is their greatest potential ally.
  • James and Nibert plead with Chen for protection, confessing their past resistance to the Demon Realm powerhouse and offering him their loyalty.
  • Chen questions their request but ultimately accepts their appeal, ordering them to guard his true body while his avatar confronts the enemy.
  • The wizards and beast kings witness Chen’s roar with disbelief, realizing that he had previously concealed much of his true power.
  • Chen’s attack directly provokes the Demon Realm powerhouse, setting up their inevitable confrontation.

Ch. 364Divine Domain

Chapter Summary: “Divine Domain”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • The recently awakened Xige Heavenly Demon, a powerful Gods and Devils expert, reveals that his two enormous legions were destroyed by a single roar while he was sealed away. Furious, he prepares to attack the surrounding forces.
  • The observing wizards debate whether to intervene. Some want to let another fighter test the demon’s strength first, while others believe they must act to protect the Wizard World.
  • Clark Sean, a young and exceptionally talented peak Level-Six Legendary Wizard, criticizes the others’ caution. He sees the demon as a rare opportunity to study the path toward becoming a Level-Seven Wizard God.
  • Clark charges first, followed by Hanbo, leader of the Crow Organization, Wizard Bেস্ক, and the other wizard experts. They attack Xige Heavenly Demon with powerful spells while Chen Shaojun joins the battle using his Sword Pellet.
  • Xige unleashes his Divine Domain, a law-based field that suppresses everyone within it. Their physical abilities and elemental affinity are reduced by roughly seventy percent, while Xige’s own strength is enhanced.
  • Chen Shaojun quickly recognizes that the Divine Domain is essentially a manifestation of laws. Because of his extraordinary comprehension of law power and his Perfectly Flawless Physique, he can move through the domain without being meaningfully affected.
  • Xige attacks Clark with an azure blade-like strike. Clark’s defensive spell is instantly destroyed, and he realizes that even a weakened God-Tier Expert is overwhelmingly stronger than a Level-Six Legendary Wizard.
  • At the moment Clark accepts his death, he gains a profound understanding of the relationship between spells, laws, and Divine Domains. However, before the attack can kill him, Chen Shaojun intervenes and destroys the azure strike, saving his life.

Character Developments

  • Xige Heavenly Demon is established as immensely powerful despite having only recently escaped his seal and presumably possessing less than half his former strength. His confidence and contempt for the wizards emphasize his superiority.
  • Clark Sean is characterized as ambitious, fearless, and obsessed with reaching the Wizard God realm. His recklessness initially leads him into mortal danger, but the encounter grants him valuable insight into Divine Domains and the nature of higher-level magic.
  • Clark’s near-death experience changes his understanding of the gap between Legendary Wizards and God-Tier Experts. Rather than panicking, he calmly accepts death after believing he has glimpsed the truth of magic.
  • Chen Shaojun demonstrates exceptional mastery of laws. Unlike the other wizards, he is not hindered by Xige’s Divine Domain. His decision to save Clark also reveals a willingness to recognize and repay goodwill.
  • The other wizards are shown to be cautious and divided between those still pursuing advancement and those who merely wish to survive peacefully.

Significant Themes

  • The overwhelming gap between realms: The chapter stresses that advancement from Level Six to Level Seven is not merely a matter of greater power, but a fundamental transformation in how energy and laws are understood.
  • Courage versus self-preservation: Clark’s willingness to confront danger contrasts with the other wizards’ hesitation and later flight.
  • The pursuit of truth: Clark values gaining genuine insight into the mysteries of magic even at the cost of his life, reflecting the ideal of a seeker who would rather understand the Way briefly than live without discovering it.
  • Law as the foundation of power: Divine Domains are revealed to be advanced manifestations of the laws of heaven and earth, connecting high-level magic to deeper cosmic principles.
  • The value of experience and survival: Clark’s near-death revelation suggests that profound breakthroughs may arise from confronting overwhelming adversity, provided one survives long enough to use the insight.

Character Interactions

  • Clark openly rebukes the hesitant wizards, accusing them of relying on others and lacking the courage necessary to become Wizard Gods.
  • Hanbo and Wizard Bেস্ক join Clark because Xige emerged within Crow Organization territory, giving them both practical responsibility and personal motivation to fight.
  • The wizard group collectively attacks Xige, but his Divine Domain immediately reverses the advantage and causes many of them to panic.
  • Xige treats the wizards as insignificant “insects,” demonstrating his contempt for their combined assault.
  • Clark recognizes Chen Shaojun as an ally when Chen enters the battle, though Chen’s intervention ultimately proves decisive.
  • Chen saves Clark at the last moment because Clark had willingly come to assist him, establishing a relationship based on mutual goodwill and respect.

Ch. 365Cultivation Complete

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Chen Shaojun’s avatar continues battling the sealed Gods and Devils expert, a weakened but still terrifying Divine-Tier demon.
  • Using his superior comprehension of rules and the extreme speed of his Sword Pellet, Chen rescues Clark Sean from a lethal attack.
  • The demon reveals a powerful magic treasure: a massive stone-like seal capable of crushing space and releasing dizziness-inducing waves. Chen counters it with the Tathagata Divine Palm, but the seal overwhelms his attack.
  • Chen uses the Treasure-Fixing Divine Light to halt the seal temporarily, allowing him to evade it with the Secret Art of Movement.
  • The demon follows with claw attacks, green-light restraints, and repeated strikes from the great seal. Chen destroys or avoids these attacks but cannot overpower the seal directly with his avatar.
  • Clark Sean and the other wizard experts join the fight. Clark summons a black fire dragon, while the remaining wizards bombard the demon with spells from outside its Divine Domain.
  • Chen’s Sword Pellet repeatedly targets the demon’s weak points, preventing it from freely attacking the wizards. This creates a stalemate.
  • Clark proposes luring the demon into a nearby valley containing a prepared sealing array. Chen refuses, confidently claiming that he can defeat the demon alone.
  • The chapter reveals that Chen’s secluded cultivation has reached a major breakthrough: all 1,296 acupoints have transformed, and his Innate True Qi has completely become Astral Force.
  • His true body emerges from cultivation, guarded by Little White Dragon and watched over by the recently submitted Wisdom Bear James and Swamp King Nibert.
  • Chen enters the battlefield using the Earth-Traversing Golden Light, demonstrating that he and the supposed “twin brother” avatar are actually one person.

Character Developments

  • Chen Shaojun: Completes a significant cultivation breakthrough, causing his physical strength, aura, and internal power to undergo a qualitative transformation. His confidence increases, and he abandons the group’s defensive plan because he believes his newly enhanced strength is sufficient to defeat the demon.
  • Clark Sean: Initially rescued by Chen, he becomes determined to cooperate with him and later risks himself by launching a black fire dragon attack. His confusion grows when he realizes Chen’s avatar and true body are not separate brothers.
  • The Gods and Devils expert: Demonstrates immense strength despite having been sealed for ten thousand years and retaining less than one-tenth of his original power. He possesses an unusually powerful magic seal and remains wary of Chen’s Sword Pellet.
  • Little White Dragon: Continues guarding Chen during his cultivation, remaining suspicious of the former enemies James and Nibert while showing affection and pride when Chen awakens.
  • Wisdom Bear James and Swamp King Nibert: Having submitted to Chen, they cautiously assist by keeping watch from a distance and avoiding any action that might provoke Little White Dragon.

Significant Themes

  • The value of preparation and breakthrough: Chen’s earlier cultivation and accumulation of First-Rank Killing Intent culminate in a decisive transformation at a crucial moment.
  • Confidence versus caution: The wizards favor sealing and containment, while Chen trusts his own rapidly increasing power and chooses direct confrontation.
  • Adaptability in combat: Chen combines martial arts, magical techniques, movement arts, sword control, and treasure-countering abilities to survive the demon’s varied attacks.
  • Hidden identity and revelation: The apparent distinction between Chen’s avatar and true body is exposed, creating a major shift in how the other characters understand him.
  • Strength despite decline: The demon’s weakened state illustrates how formidable a powerful expert can remain even after ten thousand years of suppression.

Character Interactions

  • Chen repeatedly protects and assists Clark while simultaneously coordinating with the wizard group through his battlefield actions.
  • Clark urges Chen to cooperate with the sealing-array plan, but Chen dismisses the suggestion and insists he can resolve the threat himself.
  • Chen’s avatar and the wizard experts work together to keep the demon away from his cultivating true body.
  • Little White Dragon acts protectively toward Chen and distrustfully toward James and Nibert, while Chen reassures it after completing his cultivation.
  • Chen’s sudden appearance beside his avatar leaves Clark stunned, as he realizes the two figures are not brothers but different manifestations of the same person.

Ch. 366One Palm Strike to Death

Chapter Summary: “One Palm Strike to Death”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Chen Shaojun reveals that the fighter who had been battling Xige Heavenly Demon was only his clone; his true body had been observing nearby.
  • He dismisses the clone and unleashes his full power after breaking through to the Spirit Astral Realm.
  • Chen casts the fourth-stage techniques Heavenly Manifestation and Three Heads and Six Arms, becoming an enormous, terrifying figure with overwhelming physical strength.
  • His transformation shocks the surrounding wizard powerhouses, who begin to suspect that Chen’s strength may have reached the Divine Tier.
  • Xige Heavenly Demon, previously confident in his power, becomes frightened and briefly considers fleeing.
  • Xige attacks with his great seal, transforming it into a mountain-sized weapon. Chen catches it with one hand, suppresses its power through sheer strength, and reduces it back to its original form.
  • Chen retaliates with a single palm strike. By compressing and folding the surrounding space, he immobilizes Xige and prevents him from escaping.
  • Xige’s defensive barrier shatters instantly. Chen’s palm crushes his body, destroys his vitality, and pulverizes his soul.
  • The surrounding experts discover Xige’s nearly flattened corpse in a massive palm-shaped crater. He is completely dead, with no possibility of resurrection.
  • Chen is disappointed that the battle ends too quickly and reflects on what the victory reveals about his power.
  • He concludes that Xige’s strength had been severely weakened by ten thousand years of sealing. Though Xige may have been a true Divine-Tier expert in his prime, he was now only comparable to the clone of Martial Hero Marquis Ren Tiancheng, or possibly the White Snake Demon King.
  • Chen therefore remains uncertain whether his own true strength has genuinely reached the Divine Tier.

Character Developments

  • Chen Shaojun: Reveals his true body and demonstrates an enormous increase in power. He becomes confident enough to test his full strength, yet remains cautious and analytical afterward, refusing to overestimate himself.
  • Xige Heavenly Demon: His arrogance and confidence collapse when confronted with Chen’s true strength. He becomes fearful, attempts to defend himself, and is ultimately killed by a single palm strike.
  • Wizard powerhouses: Their confidence is replaced by shock and unease. They begin viewing Chen as a potentially world-shaking existence whose power may rival or exceed that of a God-Tier expert.
  • Clark Sean and others: Their earlier suspicions about Chen’s true body are confirmed, but his actual strength far exceeds what they had imagined.

Significant Themes

  • Hidden strength and revelation: Chen’s clone conceals the true extent of his power, creating a dramatic contrast when his true body appears.
  • Overwhelming power: The battle emphasizes the enormous gap between Chen and the weakened Xige, turning what seemed like a major confrontation into a one-sided defeat.
  • Pride versus fear: Xige’s pride prevents him from fleeing even after recognizing the danger, ultimately leading to his death.
  • Limits of measurement: Despite his victory, Chen cannot accurately determine whether he has reached the Divine Tier because his opponent was too weakened to provide a reliable comparison.
  • Consequences of time and suppression: Xige’s ten-thousand-year sealing drastically reduced his former strength, showing how imprisonment and loss of power can diminish even a once-great being.
  • Potential disruption of the world order: The wizard powerhouses fear that Chen’s emergence could alter the balance of power and threaten their authority.

Character Interactions

  • Chen directly taunts Xige after revealing that the earlier attacker was only a clone.
  • Xige responds by launching his great seal, but Chen effortlessly captures and neutralizes it.
  • Chen returns the attack “courtesy for courtesy” with a single palm strike, crushing Xige’s defense and killing him.
  • The surrounding wizards observe the confrontation in disbelief, shifting from hoping Chen will survive to fearing what his existence may mean for the Wizard World.

Ch. 367The Limits of Power

Chapter Summary: “The Limits of Power”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • After defeating Xige Heavenly Demon, Chen Shaojun evaluates his true strength. He realizes that, when combining his immortal and martial techniques—such as Heavenly Manifestation, Three Heads and Six Arms, Earth-Traversing Golden Light, and Heaven-and-Earth-in-the-Sleeve—his combat power has reached the highest level permitted by the world.
  • Chen determines that killing Xige does not mean he has fully attained God-Tier strength, because Xige had been weakened by ten thousand years of sealing and possessed less than one-tenth of his former power.
  • During his strongest attack, Chen senses the suppression of the Heaven-and-Earth Seal. He concludes that this world limits attack power, speed, and defense, preventing experts from displaying their full potential.
  • He theorizes that he has reached the world’s “limit of power,” a level comparable to the Divine Realm that only true God-Tier experts can normally access. He may now stand alongside figures such as Martial Hero Marquis Ren Tiancheng, the Heavenly Spirit Sect Master, and the Demon Lord.
  • Chen considers testing whether he has also reached the world’s speed limit, but postpones the attempt because maintaining multiple divine abilities has consumed significant energy. He admits that defense remains his greatest weakness and is probably below the world’s defensive limit.
  • The Wizard World’s surviving experts approach Chen to thank him for destroying Xige and saving their world. Leading figures from the Radiant Church and other major wizard organizations introduce themselves.
  • Chen reveals his real name, explaining that although these wizards had initially watched from the sidelines during the beast tide, they later risked their lives to fight Xige. Their willingness to defend their world earns his respect.
  • The wizards ask whether Chen is a Level-Seven Wizard, or Wizard God. He denies this, describing himself instead as a traveler from another world.
  • Chen confirms that he comes from a larger world governed by similar heavenly laws. He suggests that these shared rules may explain how Xige reached the Wizard World ten thousand years ago. He also reveals that his own world suffered a catastrophe at the same time, one far more destructive than the disaster suffered by the Wizard World.

Character Developments

  • Chen Shaojun: Gains a clearer understanding of his power and its limitations. He recognizes that his strength is comparable to the pinnacle experts of the world, though he has not truly become a God-Tier expert. He also shows humility, self-awareness, and respect for those willing to sacrifice themselves for others. Having completed his purpose in the Wizard World, he is now free to leave using the World-Breaking Talisman.
  • The Wizard Experts: Their attitude shifts from uncertainty and curiosity to deep reverence after witnessing Chen’s defeat of Xige. They demonstrate courage by fighting Xige despite the danger, and their questions reveal both their fear and hope that Chen might be a new Wizard God.
  • Xige Heavenly Demon: Though already defeated, his historical significance is emphasized. He was a former God-Tier existence whose arrival caused a catastrophe ten thousand years earlier.

Significant Themes

  • The limits of power: Even supreme techniques are ultimately restricted by the laws of the world and the practitioner’s realm. Chen’s strength has reached the maximum level this sealed world allows.
  • Potential versus restriction: The Heaven-and-Earth Seal suppresses experts without necessarily reducing their true underlying potential. The chapter distinguishes between a person’s actual strength and the amount of power they can manifest.
  • Humility and self-knowledge: Chen does not mistake a spectacular victory over a weakened enemy for genuine God-Tier status. He carefully identifies both his strengths and his weakness in defense.
  • Courage and responsibility: The wizard experts gain Chen’s respect because they eventually fight to protect their world, showing that moral courage matters even in the presence of overwhelming danger.
  • Worlds beyond one’s own: Chen’s identity as an outsider expands the story’s scope and introduces the possibility of larger worlds, shared cosmic laws, and interconnected catastrophes.

Important Character Interactions

  • Chen reflects on Martial Hero Marquis Ren Tiancheng, his former ideal, and realizes that he has reached a comparable level of combat power much earlier than expected.
  • Orlando Neil, president of the Radiant Church, first approaches Chen and formally thanks him.
  • Besimo Hali, Walsh Sam, and Clark Sean also greet Chen, expressing gratitude and admiration. Clark specifically thanks him for saving his life.
  • Walsh asks whether Chen is a Wizard God, prompting Chen to explain that he is an outsider rather than a native wizard.
  • The wizard experts respond with astonishment and bombard Chen with questions about his origin, purpose, and relationship to the Wizard World’s strongest beings.
  • Chen answers openly, establishing a respectful but mysterious relationship with the surviving wizard powers.

Ch. 368The Path to Godhood

Chapter Summary: “The Path to Godhood”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Chen Shaojun confirms that his world also suffered a catastrophic descent of Gods and Devils ten thousand years earlier, suggesting that both worlds share similar historical disasters and cosmic laws.
  • He reveals that he is close to reaching the Wizard God—or Divine—Realm, though he has not formally broken through yet.
  • Chen explains that both worlds are constrained by an invisible Heaven-and-Earth Seal created ten thousand years ago. This suppression prevents powerful cultivators from entering the Divine Tier.
  • He identifies the threshold for overcoming the seal through force: a cultivator must possess attack power roughly ten times greater than the Heaven-Earth Limit.
  • Chen argues that he has an advantage over ordinary experts because his martial and Arcane Cultivation systems allow substantial, potentially limitless growth.
  • In response to Orlando Neil’s questions, Chen describes two broad routes to godhood:
    1. Breaking through by force, either through overwhelming strength or by mastering all laws related to a particular element.
    2. Borrowing external power, primarily by fusing with the Heart of the World or gathering the faith of an entire world.
  • Chen reveals that the Heart of the World in the Wizard World has already been used. Clark Sean identifies its former user as Wizard God Nahl, who found a Black Divine Stone and fused with it.
  • Chen explains that Nahl became invincible within the Wizard World but was unable to leave it. He likely removed the Heart of the World to escape this restriction, weakening himself before battling the descending Xige Heavenly Demon and eventually dying.
  • Chen suggests that Wizard Nick, the supposed deceased founder of the Radiant Church, may not truly be dead. The church’s immense influence and accumulated faith could potentially have enabled Nick to pursue godhood.
  • Chen finally reveals his real purpose: as a “merchant” from another world, he wishes to trade knowledge of a practical path to godhood in exchange for the Wizard World’s treasures, including cultivation techniques, spell structures, texts, magical equipment, and other rare items.

Character Developments

  • Chen Shaojun presents himself as confident, knowledgeable, and strategically minded. He openly shares secrets but carefully controls the conversation, using his information to establish a profitable bargain.
  • He also demonstrates a broader ambition: rather than plundering the Wizard World, he intends to acquire its treasures through trade while building influence.
  • Orlando Neil, president of the Radiant Church, is shown to possess extensive knowledge of the Wizard World’s history and the difficulties of reaching the Wizard God Realm. He becomes visibly alarmed when Chen implies that the church’s faith-based system may be connected to Wizard Nick’s continued existence.
  • Clark Sean reveals his scholarly knowledge and personal connection to Wizard God Nahl’s legacy. His discovery of Nahl’s writings allows him to identify the Black Divine Stone as the Heart of the World.
  • Besimo Hali attempts to redirect the discussion when Chen’s comments threaten to expose secrets about the Radiant Church.
  • The assembled wizards shift from skepticism to intense interest as Chen presents a potentially more achievable route to godhood.

Significant Themes

  • The cost of power: Fusing with the Heart of the World grants overwhelming strength but binds the user permanently to that world.
  • Freedom versus invincibility: Wizard Nahl’s decision to abandon absolute power in order to escape the Wizard World’s restrictions highlights the value of independence over security.
  • Knowledge as power and currency: Chen’s understanding of multiple worlds allows him to convert secrets about cultivation and godhood into valuable trade.
  • Faith and collective will: The chapter presents belief as a force capable of surpassing even the will of heaven and earth.
  • Limits and transcendence: The Heaven-and-Earth Seal represents both a cosmic restriction and a challenge that can be overcome through strength, mastery of laws, or external power.
  • Hidden identities and uncertain survival: The possibility that Wizard Nick remains alive introduces suspicion about the true nature of the Radiant Church and its deity.

Important Character Interactions

  • Chen’s open discussion of the Heaven-and-Earth Seal shocks the wizards and establishes him as someone with knowledge beyond their world.
  • Orlando directly challenges Chen to explain how he intends to overcome the suppression, prompting the detailed explanation of the paths to godhood.
  • Chen’s pointed suggestion that the Radiant Church may be using the faith-based path places Orlando under pressure and causes the other wizards to scrutinize him.
  • Clark’s account of Wizard Nahl supports Chen’s explanation of the Heart of the World and adds historical credibility to the discussion.
  • Chen’s final proposal transforms the gathering from an exchange of questions into a potential commercial negotiation: the wizards must decide whether the promise of godhood is worth surrendering their world’s magical knowledge and treasures.

Ch. 369Inheritance Crystal

Chapter Summary: “Inheritance Crystal”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

  • Chen Shaojun reflects that his greatest source of growth is the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror, which rewards him for appraising unknown treasures. Because he needs more treasures to appraise, he decides to exchange cultivation methods for valuables in the Wizard World.
  • Rather than secretly looting powerful factions, Chen openly offers a Path to Godhood in exchange for treasures. His offer shocks the assembled wizards, since the Heaven-and-Earth Seal has prevented them from entering the Divine Realm for thousands of years.
  • Wizard Hanbo, leader of the Crow Organization, acts first. He offers the organization’s storage bracelet, containing its vast treasure collection—including precious Inheritance Crystals—in exchange for Chen’s method.
  • Chen examines the collection and accepts the trade. He creates a private space to prevent others from overhearing their discussion.
  • Chen explains that the Heaven-and-Earth Seal limits even the strongest wizards to the peak of legendary power. To become gods, they must increase their attack power to more than ten times the existing limit, thereby breaking through the seal.
  • He provides the cultivation method Three Heads and Six Arms, which increases spell power through several stages:
    • One Head and Four Arms: twofold increase
    • Two Heads and Four Arms: twofold increase
    • Two Heads and Six Arms: fourfold increase
    • Three Heads and Six Arms: eightfold increase
  • Chen explains that powerful forbidden spells could supply the additional strength needed to reach the tenfold threshold.
  • To make the trade more worthwhile, Chen inscribes ten additional spells onto an Inheritance Crystal, including the Insect-Repelling Technique, Wind-and-Rain Calling Technique, Beheading Technique, Stone-to-Gold Technique, and Thunderfall Technique.
  • Hanbo eagerly accepts the exchange, believing the inheritance will allow him to cultivate rapidly and potentially reach the higher stages of Three Heads and Six Arms.
  • After the transaction, Chen sends Hanbo away. The other wizards immediately question Hanbo, but he refuses to reveal the details because the inheritance is sealed and cannot be shared.

2. Character Developments

  • Chen Shaojun demonstrates increased confidence, strategic thinking, and commercial pragmatism. He recognizes that the treasures are more valuable to him than the spell inheritances, since appraising them can generate further rewards through the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror.
  • He also shows generosity—or at least calculated generosity—by adding numerous spells to the exchange. His lack of sectarian restrictions allows him to share powerful techniques freely.
  • Wizard Hanbo is portrayed as decisive, ambitious, and highly perceptive. Unlike the hesitant wizards around him, he immediately risks the Crow Organization’s inheritance treasures to obtain a chance at godhood.
  • Hanbo’s excitement grows as he realizes that Chen’s method is based on firsthand knowledge and that the Inheritance Crystal can significantly accelerate cultivation.
  • The other wizards become more eager and suspicious after seeing Hanbo return, but they are unable to learn what he obtained.

3. Significant Themes

  • Knowledge as a form of power and currency: Chen exchanges rare cultivation knowledge for treasures, showing that information can be more valuable than physical wealth.
  • Breaking imposed limits: The Heaven-and-Earth Seal represents an apparently absolute boundary, but Chen presents a method of surpassing it through accumulated power and ingenuity.
  • Risk and opportunity: Hanbo must sacrifice the Crow Organization’s most important resources for a chance at transcendence, highlighting the enormous stakes of pursuing godhood.
  • Preservation and transmission of knowledge: Inheritance Crystals ensure that spells and cultivation methods survive accurately across generations, protecting magical lineages from being lost.
  • Strategic generosity: Chen’s additional spell inheritances appear generous, but they are also a calculated exchange because he values the treasures more highly than the techniques he gives away.
  • Secrecy and competition: The sealed inheritance prevents Hanbo from sharing the method, reinforcing the rivalry among the wizards and ensuring that each faction must negotiate independently.

4. Character Interactions

  • Chen addresses the assembled wizards collectively, provoking shock and disbelief by announcing that he knows a viable path to godhood.
  • Hanbo separates himself from the hesitant crowd by immediately offering the Crow Organization’s treasures.
  • Chen and Hanbo conduct a private negotiation inside a sealed space, where Chen explains the nature of the Heaven-and-Earth Seal and the requirements for breaking through it.
  • Hanbo questions whether the method is genuine and whether Three Heads and Six Arms can truly increase spell power enough to reach the Divine Realm. Chen reassures him by explaining the tenfold threshold and the technique’s proven effectiveness.
  • Chen further strengthens the deal by supplying additional spell inheritances, leading Hanbo to accept enthusiastically.
  • Afterward, the remaining wizards press Hanbo for information, but he refuses to answer, preserving the secret and intensifying their curiosity.

Ch. 370Nothing Could Be Better

Chapter Summary: “Nothing Could Be Better”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Clark Sean offers Chen Shaojun a storage bracelet filled with Magic Crystals, rare treasures, cultivation records, materials, and several mysterious divine statues obtained near the place where Wizard God Nahl died.
  • Rather than receiving the Three Heads and Six Arms technique, Clark requests information about cultivating elemental laws and becoming a god by directly comprehending the laws of heaven and earth.
  • Chen explains that cultivators can approach godhood by comprehending a single elemental law, such as fire, wind, thunder, darkness, or light. Complete mastery grants the cultivator heaven and earth’s recognition and forms a Godhead.
  • Chen clarifies that even one elemental law contains multiple principles. For fire, these may include explosion, heat, coldness, and other deeper aspects. These principles must eventually be understood and fused together.
  • Chen advises Clark to study the structures of fire-based spells, since every spell reflects an application of an elemental law. He gives Clark an Inheritance Crystal containing the Three Heads and Six Arms technique, several fire spells, and his own insights into the laws.
  • After Clark departs, numerous wizards begin trading their treasures and cultivation resources to Chen in exchange for spells and inheritances. News spreads, attracting powerful wizards from across the Wizard World.
  • Chen continues trading for five days, distributing various Daoist spell inheritances. Even those who cannot offer top-tier treasures receive valuable techniques because Chen possesses an enormous reserve of cultivation knowledge.
  • During this period, the Killing Intent within Devil’s Pit is greatly weakened by Chen’s cultivation. The two Beast Kings submit to him, and the Magic Beasts protect him, making the area safe for wizards to enter and leave.
  • After the final wizard completes a trade, Hornby Dale arrives with a group of powerful warriors. He offers thirty storage bracelets filled mostly with ancient and antique treasures in exchange for a cultivation path suitable for warriors.
  • Hornby explains that warriors are limited by the Three-Blood and Blood Transformation Realms, with no known way to advance further. Their strength and social status are generally inferior to those of wizards, and some are even enslaved by them.
  • Chen is especially pleased by the antique treasures because they can provide valuable appraisal rewards through the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror. He accepts Hornby Dale’s request and trade.

Character Developments

  • Chen Shaojun: Demonstrates generosity, extensive knowledge, and confidence in his ability to guide different cultivation systems. He adapts his teachings to each person rather than forcing them to accept a standard inheritance. His growing influence is shown by the wizards’ eagerness to trade with him and the obedience of the Beast Kings and Magic Beasts.
  • Clark Sean: Reveals strong ambition and a deep personal connection to the elemental-law path. After nearing death, he gained new insight into the elements and becomes determined to pursue the more difficult but potentially greater path of comprehending laws directly.
  • Hornby Dale: Emerges as a determined leader and representative of the warrior class. Though born a commoner, he has reached the Blood Transformation Realm and seeks a way to overcome the limits imposed on warriors. His willingness to kneel and offer his entire group’s collected treasures shows both humility and desperation.
  • The Wizard Community: Shifts from curiosity to active participation. The wizards increasingly recognize Chen’s value and authority, coming from across the world to exchange resources for his superior techniques.
  • The Magic Beasts: Their relationship with Chen changes from hostility to loyalty after the Beast Kings submit to him. They now guard him and intimidate anyone who might threaten him.

Significant Themes

  • The pursuit of transcendence: Both Clark and Hornby seek ways beyond the limits of their established cultivation systems—Clark toward godhood through elemental laws and Hornby toward advancement beyond the Blood Transformation Realm.
  • Knowledge as power and currency: Chen’s cultivation knowledge is valuable enough to exchange for entire personal or organizational treasuries. The chapter presents information and inheritance as resources comparable to rare treasures.
  • Individualized cultivation paths: Chen emphasizes that the most suitable path depends on a person’s talents and affinities. Clark’s fire affinity makes elemental-law cultivation appropriate, while warriors require an entirely different method.
  • Breaking social and systemic limits: Warriors are oppressed and regarded as inferior to wizards, but Hornby’s request suggests the possibility of overturning this hierarchy through a new cultivation path.
  • Accumulation and opportunity: Chen values the sheer quantity of antique treasures because each may produce appraisal rewards, reflecting his long-term strategy of gathering resources and turning them into greater power.
  • Authority through strength: Chen’s defeat of a God-and-Devil-level being, control over Devil’s Pit, and command of the Beast Kings establish him as an overwhelming figure whom both wizards and monsters must respect.

Important Character Interactions

  • Chen and Clark negotiate privately, with Chen first offering the standard inheritance and then tailoring the exchange to Clark’s chosen elemental-law path.
  • Chen acts as Clark’s teacher, explaining Godheads, elemental laws, law principles, and the connection between spell structures and deeper comprehension.
  • The wizards interact with Chen through a large-scale exchange, trading their accumulated treasures for powerful spell inheritances.
  • The wizards remain cautious around the Magic Beasts, while the beasts protect Chen; this reverses the normal power relationship within Devil’s Pit.
  • Hornby Dale approaches Chen respectfully, kneels with his followers, and presents their collective treasures while pleading for a cultivation method that can help warriors surpass their limits.
  • Chen immediately accepts Hornby’s offer, motivated both by his willingness to help and by the exceptional value of the thirty storage bracelets’ contents.

Ch. 371Return

Chapter Summary: “Return”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Chen Shaojun explains six major cultivation systems capable of surpassing the world’s existing limits and potentially reaching godhood:
    1. Martial cultivation, progressing from Body Tempering to the Divine Domain.
    2. Bloodline cultivation, which strengthens and awakens ancestral potential.
    3. Soul Power cultivation, which absorbs the souls of powerful Magic Beasts to form Soul Rings and gain their abilities.
    4. Star Power cultivation, drawing strength from the stars.
    5. Pure body-tempering cultivation through the Flesh-Crossing Technique.
    6. Knight cultivation, progressing from Knight Apprentice to Knight God.
  • He compares these systems and states that they can potentially produce experts equal to high-level wizards or even Wizard Gods.
  • Hornby Dale, an eighty-year-old Blood Transformation expert with only a limited lifespan remaining, asks which method is fastest.
  • Chen identifies Soul Power cultivation as the quickest and most accessible method, though it has a weaker foundation and a growth limit tied to the strength of available Magic Beasts.
  • Because Hornby has little time left, he chooses Soul Power cultivation despite its disadvantages.
  • Chen secretly creates the promised cultivation method. Since he does not actually possess one, he appraises numerous treasures using the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror, combines their grades with Stacking Talismans, and uses a Wish Talisman to obtain a suitable scripture.
  • The wish produces the Soul Codex, containing Soul Ring extraction techniques, the Tang Clan Soul Power system, and extensive theoretical knowledge.
  • Chen inscribes the method into a transmission crystal. To make his gift more equitable, he adds martial techniques such as Wind God Leg, Cloud-Displacing Palm, Thunderbolt Fist, and his own Martial Dao Fundamentals.
  • Chen gives the crystal to Hornby, declares his business in the world complete, and uses a World-Breaking Talisman to tear open the world barrier and depart.

Character Developments

  • Chen Shaojun is revealed to possess broad knowledge of many cultivation systems gathered from different worlds. He is resourceful and willing to create or obtain a solution when he has made a promise, even though he initially lacks the Soul Power method.
  • His generosity and confidence become more apparent. He does not merely provide the minimum Soul Codex but also includes powerful martial techniques and foundational teachings that might inspire a new cultivation path.
  • Hornby Dale is characterized by urgency and pragmatism. His advanced age and declining lifespan make rapid progress more important than long-term potential, reliability, or cultivation purity. He therefore chooses the fastest method without hesitation.
  • Hornby’s priorities show that his desire for strength is connected to a long-held personal wish, though the chapter does not reveal that wish in detail.

Significant Themes

  • Time versus potential: The best cultivation method is not necessarily the one with the greatest ultimate power, but the one that fits an individual’s circumstances. Hornby chooses speed because his remaining lifespan is limited.
  • Limits of cultivation systems: Every path has strengths and weaknesses. Soul Power cultivation offers rapid advancement and inherited abilities but depends entirely on the availability and strength of powerful Magic Beasts.
  • Knowledge and adaptation: Chen’s understanding of multiple worlds allows him to compare systems, combine techniques, and introduce new possibilities into the Wizard World.
  • Generosity and influence: Chen’s gift may enable others to develop an alternative martial path, suggesting that his actions could continue shaping the world even after his departure.
  • Transience and farewell: The chapter concludes Chen’s involvement in this world, emphasizing the temporary nature of his relationships and interventions across different realms.

Character Interactions

  • Chen and Hornby have a mentor-and-recipient exchange: Chen presents the available paths and explains their advantages and drawbacks, while Hornby asks practical questions based on his age and limited lifespan.
  • Chen refuses to guarantee Hornby’s success, stressing that cultivation depends on talent, fortune, resources, and personal effort rather than the method alone.
  • After Hornby selects Soul Power cultivation, Chen privately prepares the promised scripture, demonstrating both responsibility and a desire to preserve his reputation.
  • Their final interaction is a parting exchange. Chen gives Hornby the transmission crystal, explains its contents, offers additional martial knowledge, and leaves with a polite farewell before vanishing through the world barrier.

Ch. 372Surging Spiritual Power

Chapter Summary: “Surging Spiritual Power”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Hornby Dale is initially stunned when Chen Shaojun abruptly leaves after completing their transaction.
  • He activates the Inheritance Crystal and confirms that it contains the promised Soul Codex, a genuine cultivation method capable of helping him reach the level of a Sixth-Level Legendary Soul Cultivator within ten years.
  • Hornby Dale discovers that the crystal also contains Martial Dao Fundamentals, a foundational martial arts text. He realizes this may be even more valuable than the Soul Codex, despite lacking the techniques for higher realms.
  • Grateful and impressed, Hornby Dale leaves with his subordinates, intending to preserve and pass on the martial arts inheritance.
  • Back in his own courtyard, Chen Shaojun reflects on his gains from the Wizard World:
    • Numerous Killing Intent resources and Baleful Gathering Grounds.
    • Around a million Magic Crystals acquired through trade.
    • Wizard treasures, including staffs, robes, crowns, and a particularly powerful staff once belonging to Wizard God Nahl.
    • Various wizard inheritances, which he considers useful mainly as references rather than as cultivation paths.
  • Chen Shaojun acknowledges that his greatest gain is his breakthrough into the Spirit Astral Realm, giving him combat strength comparable to Martial Saints and possibly allowing him to contend with Peak Martial Saints.
  • He considers the hidden experts and powerful sects within the Great Zhou Dynasty, especially those possessing Grotto-Heaven Blessed Lands that may allow cultivation beyond the limits imposed by the main world.
  • He also recalls the Sword Token and the possible effort by the Heavenly Spirit Sect and Jade Pool Immortal Sect to locate Sword Elder’s inheritance and its associated Grotto-Heaven Blessed Land.
  • Unlike before, Chen Shaojun is no longer overly concerned about these factions taking the Sword Token by force, since his increased strength gives him greater authority and protection.
  • The chapter ends with Chen Shaojun’s spiritual power suddenly surging, increasing to ten times its previous level.

Character Developments

  • Chen Shaojun becomes significantly more powerful and confident after breaking through to the Spirit Astral Realm. However, he remains cautious, recognizing that hidden experts and God-Tier cultivators may still exist.
  • His broader perspective also develops: he begins analyzing the balance of power among the Great Zhou Dynasty, major sects, Grotto-Heaven Blessed Lands, and hidden cultivation forces.
  • Hornby Dale gains a legitimate path to further advancement through the Soul Codex and discovers the much deeper potential of martial dao. He becomes more respectful of Chen Shaojun and intends to pass the martial inheritance to future generations.

Significant Themes

  • The value of knowledge and inheritance: The Martial Dao Fundamentals may be more precious than the originally purchased Soul Codex, emphasizing that foundational principles can be more valuable than immediately usable techniques.
  • Strength and authority: Chen Shaojun’s breakthrough changes his position in the world. Greater power gives him the confidence to resist major factions rather than merely avoid them.
  • Hidden powers and limits: The chapter stresses that public rankings do not reveal the full extent of the world’s strength. Secret realms, ancient sects, and Grotto-Heaven Blessed Lands may contain beings far stronger than commonly known experts.
  • Cultivation as legacy: Hornby Dale’s thoughts shift from personal advancement to preserving martial dao for his descendants.
  • Cautious confidence: Chen Shaojun is more assured after his breakthrough but continues to recognize that greater realms and stronger opponents remain beyond him.

Character Interactions

  • Chen Shaojun and Hornby Dale interact primarily through their exchange of treasures and inheritances. Chen provides the Soul Codex and Martial Dao Fundamentals in return for valuable Wizard World resources.
  • Hornby Dale carefully examines Chen’s gift and confirms its authenticity, first appreciating the Soul Codex and then realizing that the martial inheritance may be even more extraordinary.
  • Their transaction establishes mutual benefit and deepens Hornby Dale’s respect for Chen, whom he regards as almost divine.
  • Chen Shaojun’s imagined future conflict with the Heavenly Spirit Sect and Jade Pool Immortal Sect reflects his changing relationship with the major powers: he is no longer automatically at a disadvantage and is prepared to defend what belongs to him.

Ch. 373Reasons and Effects (Happy New Year)

Chapter Summary: “Reasons and Effects (Happy New Year)”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Chen Shaojun returns from the Wizard World and discovers that his mental power has increased more than tenfold because of the vast number of spiritual particles flowing back to him.
  • The spiritual particles accumulated as more people across the Great Zhou Dynasty practiced the Martial Dao Fundamentals he had created. Its spread accelerated while he was away, aided by the government’s public endorsement.
  • His mental perception expands from roughly one hundred meters to one thousand meters. Within this range, he can perceive living beings, objects, invisible energies, and even the movement of the world’s laws with extraordinary clarity.
  • His enhanced perception allows him to identify a white light covering the world. He realizes it is likely the ancient sealing force established ten thousand years ago to prevent demons and monsters from returning. This seal also suppresses the world’s cultivators, preventing anyone from breaking beyond the Spirit Severing Realm.
  • Chen Shaojun recognizes that, with sufficient effort, he could potentially break the seal and remove the world’s restrictions. However, he rejects this shortcut because it would not directly strengthen him, and the time spent doing so could instead be used to improve his cultivation.
  • By listening to nearby conversations, Chen Shaojun learns how widely the Martial Dao Fundamentals has spread and how highly it is regarded by ordinary people, martial artists, the imperial court, Emperor Great Zhou, and Martial Hero Marquis Ren Tiancheng.
  • He removes tens of thousands of treasures from storage bracelets gifted by Hornby Dale and begins testing his increased mental power through mass appraisal.
  • He successfully appraises five hundred treasures almost instantly and with minimal effort, then follows with another batch of one thousand treasures.
  • Using a Stacking Talisman, he combines the appraisal rewards from the treasures. The talisman advances to the peak of Immortal Rank—Middle Grade, reaching its current limit.

Character Developments

  • Chen Shaojun becomes significantly more powerful, especially in mental strength and perception. His expanded range and refined awareness give him exceptional combat potential within one thousand meters.
  • He demonstrates greater strategic maturity by recognizing the sealing light as a possible route to transcendence but choosing not to pursue it immediately because it is merely a shortcut rather than a genuine improvement in strength.
  • His confidence in the Martial Dao Fundamentals grows as he realizes its widespread influence. He also begins planning additional chapters covering the Qi Sea, Innate, Spirit Astral, and Divine Profound realms so that future practitioners can advance beyond Body Tempering and potentially reach the Martial Saint level.
  • His appraisal ability improves dramatically. What once required effort for around one hundred treasures can now handle hundreds or even a thousand items with ease.
  • Chen remains emotionally detached from the history and heroes of the Wizard World, viewing the Great Zhou Dynasty’s long history and achievements as more significant by comparison.

Significant Themes

  • Cause and effect: The gratitude and benefits experienced by countless practitioners return to Chen Shaojun as spiritual particles, directly strengthening him.
  • The power of knowledge and dissemination: A cultivation manual can transform an entire society when it is accessible, understandable, and supported by the ruling authority.
  • Public support versus suppression: The chapter contrasts the Great Zhou Dynasty’s promotion of the Martial Dao Fundamentals with the previous dynasty’s suppression of the Martial Canon, showing how political decisions determine whether knowledge flourishes or disappears.
  • Shortcuts versus genuine growth: Chen rejects breaking the ancient seal immediately because removing an external restriction would not necessarily improve his actual strength.
  • Perception and hidden truths: His increased mental power enables him to see the previously undetectable sealing light, suggesting that greater strength reveals deeper secrets about the world.
  • Accumulation and limits: The chapter emphasizes gradual growth—spiritual particles, martial knowledge, treasures, and appraisal rewards all accumulate until they produce qualitative advances.

Character Interactions

  • Chen’s influence is reflected indirectly through conversations among ordinary residents, who praise the Martial Dao Fundamentals and describe its benefits.
  • The people discuss the support of Emperor Great Zhou and Ren Tiancheng, whose public approval helped the manual spread throughout the dynasty.
  • Their discussion also recalls the persecution of those who preserved the previous dynasty’s Martial Canon, highlighting the different political environments surrounding the two martial texts.
  • Chen’s past exchange with Hornby Dale is revisited through the treasures he received from him. Although Chen acknowledges that the Soul Codex and Martial Dao Fundamentals were worth more than the treasures, he still values the large collection because it supplies materials for his appraisal system.

Ch. 374Thousand-Mile Sight! Copying Divine Ability?

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

  • Chen Shaojun activates an Immortal Rank—Middle Grade Stacking Talisman and receives the divine ability Thousand-Mile Sight.
  • Thousand-Mile Sight has four levels:
    1. Thousand-Mile Gaze
    2. Void-Piercing Secret-Seeking
    3. Spirit-Seeking Treasure-Probing
    4. Return to Original Simplicity
  • At its highest level, the ability allows Chen to see through physical obstructions, observe events thousands of miles away, and perceive a treasure’s elemental particles, internal laws, structure, and energy patterns.
  • Chen realizes that this ability might allow him to copy treasures by studying their fundamental composition and then recreating them with the Stone-to-Gold Technique.
  • He tests the idea on a Lower-Grade Spirit Stone. After memorizing its structure with the help of his Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart, he reconstructs its elemental particles and internal laws.
  • The first version is only an unstable shell. Chen discovers that a true copy also requires the original object’s internal pulsation and stabilizing force.
  • After infusing the recreated Spirit Stone with the correct laws, he successfully produces an exact duplicate in size, weight, appearance, and spiritual-energy density.
  • Although the process consumes nearly all of his Arcane Cultivation and much of his spiritual power, Chen recognizes its enormous potential.
  • He begins considering whether he can replicate far more valuable objects, especially the mysterious Three-Legged Nine-Dragon Cauldron, which may be one of the legendary Nine Provinces Cauldrons.

2. Character Developments

  • Chen Shaojun’s abilities expand beyond appraisal and combat. Thousand-Mile Sight greatly improves his perception, comprehension of the Great Dao, and ability to study treasures.
  • His confidence and ambition grow as he realizes he may have discovered a method to reproduce virtually any treasure.
  • His unique talents—the Perfectly Flawless Physique, Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart, powerful spiritual control, and mastery of multiple spells—prove essential to the copying process.
  • Chen remains cautious and analytical. He recognizes that replication is extremely costly and that more powerful treasures may be vastly harder to reproduce.
  • His ambitions escalate from duplicating a simple Spirit Stone to potentially creating multiple supreme Immortal Treasures and even Nine Provinces Cauldrons.

3. Significant Themes

  • Perception and understanding: True knowledge of an object requires seeing beyond its appearance into its elemental and lawful foundations.
  • Creation versus imitation: The chapter explores whether perfectly reproducing an object’s structure and laws can make an authentic copy.
  • The hidden vitality of matter: Even seemingly lifeless objects contain internal forces and rhythms that maintain their stability.
  • Power and limitless growth: The ability to duplicate treasures could dramatically accelerate Chen’s cultivation and provide inexhaustible resources.
  • Uniqueness and exceptional talent: Chen’s success depends not only on cultivation but also on rare innate gifts that ordinary cultivators cannot easily replicate.
  • Ambition and danger: His thoughts of duplicating the Nine Provinces Cauldrons hint at the immense power—and possible risks—of his new ability.

4. Character Interactions

  • The chapter contains no major interpersonal encounters. Chen’s primary “interaction” is with the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror, the Spirit Stone, and his own techniques.
  • He combines Thousand-Mile Sight, the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart, the Stone-to-Gold Technique, and his Arcane Cultivation in a coordinated experiment.
  • His next intended interaction is with the Three-Legged Nine-Dragon Cauldron, which he plans to examine and determine whether it can also be copied.

Ch. 375Unfathomably Deep

Chapter Summary: “Unfathomably Deep”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Chen Shaojun prepares to appraise the Three-Legged Nine-Dragon Cauldron, an Immortal Treasure from Myriad Treasures Town. His mental power has increased tenfold, potentially allowing him to uncover the cauldron’s true purpose and abilities.
  • Before beginning, Chen detects several people watching his residence and stops.
  • Yongtai True Lord, Feng Ling Fairy, Zhang Qiankun, and Wang Qinian arrive using the Little Sword Token Array. They have located the final Sword Token needed to gather all six tokens and enter Sword Elder’s Cave-Dwelling.
  • The group initially assumes the Sword Token belongs to an ordinary young appraiser. Believing him easy to persuade, they expect to obtain it cheaply.
  • Chen remains calm and identifies the Sword Token immediately. He reveals that he is Chen Shaojun, the famed Appraisal God, whom Zhang Qiankun has previously encountered.
  • The visitors become cautious when Chen’s composure suggests that he is far more powerful or well-prepared than he appears.
  • Chen questions how many Sword Tokens they possess and challenges their claim that they can offer him a “great price.” The chapter ends with Yongtai confidently asking whether Chen knows their true identities.

Character Developments

  • Chen Shaojun: His greatly enhanced mental power has transformed his confidence. He no longer feels compelled to hide his identity or behave overly cautiously, since he believes he is effectively invincible beneath the Heaven and Earth seal. Nevertheless, he remains prudent, aware that hidden experts or exceptional individuals may exist.
  • Yongtai True Lord, Feng Ling Fairy, and Zhang Qiankun: They arrive expecting to deal with an ordinary person but are forced to reassess Chen after he recognizes the Sword Token and calmly confronts them.
  • Wang Qinian: More observant and informed than the others, he recognizes Chen as the Appraisal God and senses that Chen’s calmness conceals considerable strength or backing. He becomes the most cautious member of the group and tries to prevent the others from offending Chen.
  • Zhang Qiankun: Recalls meeting Chen at the Sword Token auction and is particularly unsettled by Chen’s current confidence, which does not match his apparent cultivation.

Significant Themes

  • Hidden strength and deceptive appearances: Chen appears to possess only the cultivation of an ordinary martial beginner, yet his true power and mental strength are extraordinary. The group’s mistaken assessment exposes the danger of judging people by appearances.
  • Transformation through power: Chen’s increased strength changes his attitude from fearful concealment to calm self-assurance, though he retains his underlying caution.
  • Greed and calculated negotiation: The four powerful figures initially view the Sword Token’s owner as someone who can be easily compensated, revealing their confidence in their status and resources.
  • Limits of worldly knowledge: Although Chen feels nearly invincible under the current seal, he recognizes that the world may contain hidden geniuses, treasures, or fate-defying individuals capable of breaking established rules.
  • Status versus true ability: The visitors expect their identities to intimidate Chen, but his composure undermines the authority they assume their positions will grant them.

Character Interactions

  • The four visitors approach Chen with polite but transactional intentions, introducing themselves and offering an exchange for the Sword Token.
  • Chen responds with controlled politeness while deliberately testing their knowledge and motives.
  • His immediate recognition of the token creates tension and embarrassment because it reveals that he understands its value.
  • Wang Qinian acts as the group’s mediator, recognizing Chen’s reputation and carefully steering the conversation.
  • Chen turns the negotiation around by questioning what they can truly afford, positioning himself as the stronger party despite his unremarkable appearance.

Ch. 376Old Senior? Red Dust Heart Tempering?

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Yongtai True Lord, vice sect master of the Heavenly Spirit Sect and a late-stage Nascent Soul expert, arrives with Feng Ling Fairy, Zhang Qiankun, and Wang Qinian to negotiate for the Sword Token held by Chen Shaojun.
  • Because one Sword Token grants access for only three cultivators to Sword Elder’s Cave-Dwelling, the group assumes Chen Shaojun—whom they believe to be an ordinary offering clerk—can be pressured or persuaded into surrendering a spot.
  • Chen Shaojun refuses to give up the token and calmly states that he intends to claim a place in the cave-dwelling expedition himself.
  • Zhang Qiankun attempts to intimidate him with his aura. Chen Shaojun responds by releasing his spiritual power, amplified by the Phantom God Pearl.
  • The spiritual pressure overwhelms everyone present. Zhang Qiankun collapses in terror and exhaustion, while even Yongtai True Lord and the others realize they could not withstand Chen Shaojun’s power.
  • Chen Shaojun is surprised by the effectiveness of his own spiritual attack, since he intended only to deter rather than seriously injure Zhang Qiankun.
  • The group immediately changes its attitude. They conclude that Chen Shaojun must be an ancient, reclusive powerhouse practicing “Red Dust Heart Tempering,” rather than a young cultivator who has only recently begun training.
  • Yongtai True Lord and Zhang Qiankun apologize and respectfully acknowledge Chen Shaojun’s right to claim a spot. The group becomes worried that their planned expedition may be jeopardized by this unexpected powerhouse.

Character Developments

  • Chen Shaojun: Demonstrates overwhelming spiritual power while maintaining a calm and measured demeanor. He reveals that he is not willing to be treated as insignificant and intends to participate in the exploration himself. His controlled response shows both confidence and restraint.
  • Yongtai True Lord: Initially views Chen Shaojun as an ordinary person who can easily be manipulated. After witnessing his power, he becomes deeply respectful and imagines Chen to be an ancient hidden expert, possibly even comparable to the strongest Limit-Breaking cultivators.
  • Zhang Qiankun: Begins aggressively and arrogantly, believing his connection to Crown Prince Zhou Lingyun gives him leverage. After being nearly crushed by Chen’s spiritual power, he becomes frightened, submissive, and apologetic.
  • Feng Ling Fairy and Wang Qinian: Though less directly confrontational, they also recognize Chen’s terrifying strength and abandon any plans to pressure him.
  • The group as a whole: Their confidence turns into caution and unease. They realize the final Sword Token cannot be obtained through ordinary negotiation or intimidation.

Significant Themes

  • The danger of underestimating appearances: Chen’s humble identity hides power far beyond what the group expects.
  • Power and status versus true strength: Political influence, sect rank, wealth, and official connections become meaningless when confronted with Chen’s overwhelming spiritual power.
  • The unknown as a source of fear: Because the group cannot understand Chen’s origins or limits, they imagine him to be an ancient hidden monster, making him even more intimidating.
  • Red Dust Heart Tempering: The chapter introduces the idea of powerful cultivators disguising themselves as ordinary people to experience mortal life and refine their hearts.
  • Restraint and deterrence: Chen chooses to frighten rather than kill or seriously injure Zhang Qiankun, showing that his power is matched by self-control.

Character Interactions

  • The four visitors collectively try to secure the Sword Token, assuming Chen will surrender a spot.
  • Chen calmly challenges their assumptions and insists on keeping both the token and one of its associated places.
  • Zhang Qiankun directly confronts Chen, prompting Chen’s spiritual-power demonstration.
  • After Zhang’s defeat, Yongtai True Lord becomes the first to acknowledge Chen as a senior figure and assures him that he may claim a place—or even control all three places connected to the token.
  • Zhang follows with a formal apology, while the others adopt similarly respectful attitudes.
  • Their earlier alliance, formed to divide the cave-dwelling’s available spots, is now threatened because Chen’s unexpected presence changes the balance of power.

Ch. 377Negotiating the Plan

Chapter Summary: “Negotiating the Plan”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Chen Shaojun negotiates with Yongtai True Lord, Feng Ling Fairy, Zhang Qiankun, and others regarding their future expedition into Sword Elder’s Cave-Dwelling.
  • Rather than claim any treasures they find, Chen asks only to appraise them afterward. He is especially interested in viewing Sword Elder’s inheritance, particularly the legendary swords kept within the Sword Cave.
  • The group explains that Sword Elder created six Sword Tokens, each allowing three people to enter the cave-dwelling. Four tokens are currently accounted for, while the remaining one belongs to Prince Zhou Yinong, whose true body is absent. The expedition will likely begin in about a month.
  • Chen casually reveals knowledge of the Great Zhou Dynasty’s campaign against Blade World, including the presence of two God-Tier Experts there. His unexpected knowledge shocks the others, who realize he may possess an extremely mysterious identity.
  • When questioned, Chen identifies himself as a chief appraiser working for the Lin Clan Pawnshop. The others assume this is merely his public persona and do not believe it reflects his true background.
  • Upon leaving, the group discovers Chen’s Golden-Leaf Spirit Tea Tree growing inside a formation in his manor. They are astonished that such a rare immortal plant is alive and nearing maturity, but they quickly depart to avoid appearing covetous.
  • After the visitors leave, Chen resumes appraising the Three-Legged Nine-Dragon Cauldron. Its manifestation displays nine dragons, brilliant golden light, immense majesty, and overwhelming righteous energy, but no Killing Intent.
  • His initial divination attempt fails when two ordinary copper coins shatter. Chen realizes the cauldron is so extraordinary that inferior coins cannot withstand the divination. When he uses ancient mother coins minted at the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the divination produces an auspicious result.

Character Developments

  • Chen Shaojun: Demonstrates confidence, strategic thinking, and deep insight into his own abilities. He understands that the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror, rather than weapons or techniques, is the foundation of his power, making appraisal more valuable to him than acquiring treasures directly. His casual knowledge of secret imperial affairs further establishes his mysterious and formidable nature.
  • Yongtai True Lord and the others: Become increasingly cautious and intimidated by Chen. They agree to his terms outwardly despite their doubts, fearing his overwhelming strength. Their perception of him shifts from a powerful appraiser to a potentially much more influential and enigmatic figure.
  • Zhang Qiankun: Is particularly stunned by Chen’s knowledge of Blade World and the Great Zhou Dynasty’s military strength. His attempt to uncover Chen’s identity fails, leaving him suspicious and uneasy.
  • Prince Zhou Yinong: Though absent from the scene, his importance is established because the expedition cannot proceed until his Sword Token and true body become available.
  • The Golden-Leaf Spirit Tea Tree: Its development reveals that Chen possesses an extraordinarily rare immortal seed, while Chen himself remains relatively indifferent to its cultivation benefits because his need for Dao comprehension has diminished.

Significant Themes

  • Hidden identity and misjudgment: Chen speaks honestly about his profession, yet the others distrust his simple explanation and assume he is concealing a greater identity. The chapter highlights how extraordinary behavior causes truth to appear deceptive.
  • Power and intimidation: Chen’s overwhelming strength controls the negotiation without open coercion. The visitors’ careful departure through the gate reflects their fear of offending him.
  • True value versus apparent value: Chen is not interested in possessing famous swords or rare treasures for their own sake. He values the appraisal rewards generated by the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror more than the treasures themselves.
  • The limits of ordinary tools before extraordinary power: The copper coins shatter because they are inadequate for divining the fate of the Nine-Dragon Cauldron. Only ancient coins imbued with stronger historical and imperial significance can produce a result.
  • Righteousness and imperial authority: The cauldron’s radiant righteous energy and connection to ancient Great Zhou currency suggest an association with legitimacy, imperial fortune, and immense positive power.
  • The passage of time: The nearly mature Golden-Leaf Spirit Tea Tree and the ancient swords preserved in Sword Elder’s cave emphasize the enormous timescales involved in cultivation and treasure formation.

Character Interactions

  • Chen calmly sets the terms of cooperation, while Yongtai True Lord and the others cautiously accept them despite their distrust.
  • Chen’s mention of Blade World creates a tense shift in the conversation, exposing the gap between his knowledge and that of the others.
  • Zhang Qiankun politely probes Chen’s identity, but Chen gives only his public name and occupation, leaving the question unresolved.
  • The group’s discovery of the Spirit Tea Tree leads to collective amazement and speculation about Chen’s residence and cultivation environment.
  • After the group leaves, Chen returns to his solitary work, contrasting their anxiety and suspicion with his calm focus on appraising the cauldron.

Ch. 378Creation of Heaven and Earth?

Chapter Summary: “Creation of Heaven and Earth?”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Chen Shaojun begins appraising the Three-Legged Nine-Dragon Cauldron, an exceptionally powerful treasure whose magnificent righteous aura resists his spiritual power.
  • Unlike Baleful Intent, the cauldron’s righteous aura is part of its fundamental power. Destroying it would weaken the treasure’s grade and reduce his eventual appraisal reward.
  • Chen discovers that he can compress, temper, and spiritually transform the righteous aura rather than simply destroy it. Using his vastly increased spiritual power, he gradually subdues and purifies the cauldron’s power.
  • After half an hour, the cauldron launches a final counterattack in the form of a gigantic Divine Dragon. Its strength approaches the Heaven-Earth Limit.
  • Chen responds with Three Heads and Six Arms, Heavenly Manifestation, and the Tathagata Divine Palm. He contains the collision with the Heaven-and-Earth-in-the-Sleeve Technique, though his sleeve space is severely damaged.
  • He successfully destroys the Divine Dragon and completes the appraisal.
  • The Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror reveals the cauldron’s history: it is one of the Nine Provinces Cauldrons, forged by an ancient emperor from rare materials and the souls of nine powerful evil dragons to suppress the Nine Provinces, repel demons, stabilize spiritual energy, and ensure prosperity.
  • The cauldron had previously belonged to the Thunder-Controlling Immortal, who died during the ancient war between the human immortals and the Devil Race.
  • The treasure is graded Divine Rank—Middle Grade, the highest-level treasure Chen has ever appraised.
  • His reward is revealed as “Creation of Heaven and Earth,” seemingly the legendary divine ability associated with Pangu splitting primordial chaos and creating the world.

Character Development

  • Chen’s tenfold increase in spiritual power is shown to have dramatically improved his ability to appraise extraordinary treasures.
  • He demonstrates greater caution and technical sophistication by preserving the cauldron’s righteous aura instead of recklessly dismantling it.
  • His awareness of past appraisal disasters—particularly Wu Xuan’s enslavement by a Buddhist treasure—reinforces his vigilance against losing control of his mind.
  • Chen’s combat strength has also advanced significantly. With his martial cultivation, divine abilities, and Tathagata Divine Palm, he can withstand an attack approaching the Heaven-Earth Limit.
  • His excitement and disbelief at receiving a Divine Rank reward reveal how significant this breakthrough is in his cultivation and treasure-appraisal career.

Significant Themes

  • Power and restraint: True mastery requires preserving and controlling a treasure’s power rather than simply overpowering or destroying it.
  • The danger of losing oneself: Powerful treasures can corrupt or enslave their appraisers, making spiritual strength and mental discipline essential.
  • The legacy of sacrifice: The Nine Provinces Cauldrons embody the efforts of ancient emperors and immortals who fought to protect humanity and maintain order.
  • Creation and cosmic origins: The chapter shifts from treasure appraisal to the possibility of acquiring Pangu’s world-creating power, expanding the story’s scale toward primordial myths and the foundations of existence.
  • Progress through cultivation: Chen’s improved spiritual power enables him to overcome challenges that would previously have been impossible.

Character Interactions

  • Chen’s primary interaction is with the Three-Legged Nine-Dragon Cauldron, whose righteous aura initially resists him and later becomes subdued through spiritual tempering.
  • The cauldron’s final Divine Dragon manifestation directly confronts Chen, creating a clash between the treasure’s ancient power and Chen’s newly elevated abilities.
  • The historical interactions revealed through the appraisal include the ancient emperor’s use of the nine evil dragon souls, the Thunder-Controlling Immortal’s possession of the cauldron, and the devastating war between the human immortals and the Devil Race.
  • Chen also mentally contrasts his situation with Wu Xuan’s tragic fate, using that historical example to guide his cautious approach.

Ch. 379The Moment to Witness a Miracle

Chapter Summary: The Moment to Witness a Miracle

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Chen Shaojun receives the Heaven-Opening and Earth-Splitting Technique after appraising a Divine Rank—Middle Grade item.
  • He learns that the technique is not Pangu’s actual divine art, but an enormously powerful ability created by a top-tier expert inspired by the myth. It contains three attacks:

Heaven-Opening Strike

Earth-Splitting Strike

Genesis Strike

  • Chen realizes that his current two hundred years of Arcane Cultivation is insufficient to use the technique. The three moves require approximately three hundred, six hundred, and one thousand years of cultivation respectively.
  • His frustration grows because he also cannot freely use several other powerful divine abilities, including Heavenly Manifestation, Three Heads and Six Arms, and Heaven-and-Earth-in-the-Sleeve.
  • He concludes that increasing his Arcane Cultivation requires large quantities of Merit Golden Light, but obtaining it depends on the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror’s random rewards. Stacking Talismans and Wish Talismans could help, but both are scarce.
  • Chen devises a possible solution: use his Copying Divine Ability to replicate Stacking Talismans and Wish Talismans, allowing him to obtain Merit Golden Light more reliably.
  • To test the idea, he uses Thousand-Mile Sight to study a Lower Immortal Rank Stacking Talisman in microscopic detail. He memorizes the movements, positions, and trajectories of its particles with the help of his Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart.
  • After resting for half a day, he begins recreating the talisman with the Stone-to-Gold Technique, painstakingly gathering and arranging particles from the surrounding world. The chapter ends while he is still carefully attempting the replication.

Character Development

  • Chen’s power has advanced extraordinarily quickly—he rose from an ordinary Appraiser Apprentice to a formidable cultivator in less than a year—but he remains dissatisfied with his limitations.
  • His ambition is revealed to be self-directed: he does not compare himself with others, believing that his true opponent is himself.
  • He recognizes that his rapid growth depends on the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror rather than solely on his own innate ability, showing both humility and clear self-awareness.
  • His confidence in his unique gifts increases, especially in the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart, whose memory and calculation abilities make the copying experiment possible.
  • Chen demonstrates patience and discipline by resting before attempting the difficult replication and proceeding with extreme caution rather than acting impulsively.

Significant Themes

  • Endless pursuit of strength: Even immense progress does not satisfy Chen, who measures himself against his own potential.
  • Power versus limitations: Possessing supreme techniques is meaningless if one lacks the cultivation needed to use them.
  • Ingenuity and resourcefulness: Chen seeks a systematic way to overcome the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror’s randomness and scarcity of resources.
  • Knowledge as power: Understanding the microscopic structure and laws within a talisman may allow Chen to reproduce seemingly unique treasures.
  • Transformation through perseverance: The chapter emphasizes that great abilities require patience, precision, and sustained effort, not merely talent or luck.
  • Miracle through preparation: The “miracle” Chen hopes to witness is not effortless divine intervention, but the result of combining his talents, techniques, and careful planning.

Character Interactions

  • The chapter contains little direct interaction with other characters. Chen primarily engages with:
    • The Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror, whose random rewards determine his opportunities.
    • The Stacking Talisman, which he studies as both an object and a potential source of limitless resources.
    • His own techniques and abilities, especially Thousand-Mile Sight, the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart, and Stone-to-Gold.
  • Past reactions from Yongtai True Lord, Feng Ling Fairy, and others are mentioned: they assume Chen is an ancient reclusive powerhouse because his growth seems impossibly fast, rather than believing he was recently an ordinary apprentice.

Ch. 380Copying Successful

Chapter Summary: “Copying Successful”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Chen Shaojun successfully copies a Lower Immortal Rank Stacking Talisman using his enhanced understanding of Thousand-Mile Sight, the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart, and the Stone-to-Gold Technique.
  • He tests the copied talisman by using it with the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror. The mirror recognizes and activates it, proving the copy is genuine and functional.
  • Realizing the significance of this breakthrough, Chen understands that he can now potentially create an endless supply of Stacking Talismans and Wish Talismans. This would allow him to deliberately obtain rewards such as:
    • Merit Golden Light
    • Suitable offensive divine powers
    • Important cultivation treasures
    • Other desired techniques and items
  • He copies more talismans, becoming increasingly efficient with practice. By the following morning, he has produced more than a dozen Stacking Talismans, though doing so consumes considerable arcane cultivation and requires him twice to replenish himself with Merit Golden Light.
  • While walking through Shengjing City, Chen sees commoners practicing the Martial Dao Fundamentals he created. Pleased by their efforts, he secretly transfers some of his martial insights into their minds.
  • The practitioners immediately understand their previous mistakes, correct their forms, and experience rapid improvement. Believing an immortal has aided them, they kneel and worship in gratitude, while Chen quietly leaves.
  • Returning to Number One Appraisal Hall, Chen finds that many treasures have accumulated during his absence. Using his greatly enhanced spiritual power and the Heaven-and-Earth-in-the-Sleeve Technique, he creates a private space for appraisal.
  • His improved cultivation allows him to appraise dozens or even hundreds of treasures at once. He finishes nearly an entire month’s worth of accumulated work in roughly an hour.
  • Chen uses his newly copied Stacking Talismans on the treasures, completing five talisman-stacking processes before the ordinary treasures are exhausted.
  • A few jade-boxed treasures remain, evidently rarer or connected to more important owners. The first is a beautiful but relatively ordinary Jade Ruyi. When he opens the second box, Chen recognizes the object inside and reacts with surprise, ending the chapter on a cliffhanger.

Character Development

  • Chen Shaojun gains confidence after proving that his copying method works. His ability to reproduce special talismans marks a major expansion of his power and resources.
  • He becomes more strategic about his future development. Rather than relying on random rewards from the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror, he can now pursue powers and treasures specifically suited to his needs, especially offensive abilities.
  • His growing strength has also improved his understanding of existing techniques. Abilities that once seemed mainly auxiliary, such as Thousand-Mile Sight and the Sleeve Cosmos Technique, now reveal more advanced and practical applications.
  • Chen displays a benevolent but detached attitude toward ordinary martial artists. He helps them sincerely but does not attempt to control their future or take responsibility for every consequence of their actions.
  • His rapid appraisal speed demonstrates how far he has advanced beyond ordinary Appraisal Grandmasters and suggests that his reputation and workload will continue to grow.

Significant Themes

  • Mastery through accumulation: Repeated practice allows Chen to copy talismans faster and with less expenditure, showing how experience transforms difficult techniques into routine skills.
  • Control over destiny: The copied talismans give Chen the possibility of choosing his own rewards rather than depending on chance, emphasizing the desire to shape one’s path through deliberate effort.
  • Power and responsibility: Chen helps the martial artists but leaves them responsible for how they use their strength. The chapter considers whether power creates virtue or merely amplifies a person’s existing character.
  • The importance of foundations: The Martial Dao Fundamentals are portrayed as orthodox, righteous teachings. Proper understanding and diligent practice—not shortcuts alone—are necessary for genuine advancement.
  • Growth revealing new potential: As Chen becomes stronger, previously familiar techniques acquire new uses, reinforcing the idea that higher realms of cultivation bring deeper understanding.

Character Interactions

  • Chen interacts indirectly with the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror, whose recognition of the copied talisman confirms the success of his experiment.
  • He silently assists the young martial artists by transmitting his understanding, while they respond with astonishment, gratitude, and worship.
  • The staff of Number One Appraisal Hall warmly welcome him upon his return, reflecting his status and their respect.
  • Chen’s relationship with Shopkeeper Liu is implied through Liu’s efforts to manage the workload and protect Chen from exhaustion by refusing some clients’ treasures.
  • The chapter concludes with Chen confronting an unexpected treasure in the second jade box, setting up the next development.
Show
Page 19 of 23