Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: I Truly Like You

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ming presents Lin Jun with a gray substance called the “seed,” claiming that, as a descendant of the Ancestor Fox, Lin Jun has a duty to help continue the race.
• Lin Jun refuses to cooperate, asking what would happen if he simply did not want to accept the seed.
• The White Fox attacks Lin Jun on Su Ming’s behalf, using blood-red phantoms and corrosive energy to overwhelm him.
• Empowered by the Sea Demon aura, Lin Jun is no longer restrained by the Ancestral Fox Bloodline and proves capable of confronting even Absolute Martial-level strength.
• Rather than attacking directly, Lin Jun reaches through the White Fox’s blood-red assault, seizes him, and throws him into the sea.
• Lin Jun uses the Stone Stele to pin and suppress the White Fox beneath the seabed. The stele also impales several Sea Demons, preventing them from escaping.
• Through this exchange, Lin Jun realizes that Su Ming has fully emerged from seclusion and regained complete control of the Sea Demon avatar.
• Su Ming reveals that the White Fox was merely a useful tool to him, while Lin Jun is far more important and personally intriguing. He admits that he “truly” likes Lin Jun and is delighted by Lin Jun’s unexpected strength and defiance.

2. Character Developments

• Lin Jun demonstrates a major increase in power. The Sea Demon aura has strengthened him enough to overcome the White Fox with ease and suppress a being composed of thousands of Heaven Fox Clan consciousnesses.
• Lin Jun also becomes more perceptive, recognizing that Su Ming’s emotions and control have changed and correctly concluding that Su Ming has completed his seclusion.
• Su Ming is shown to have regained full command of his avatar. Although the avatar contains only part of his consciousness, it retains enough intelligence to evaluate Lin Jun and develop a personal interest in him.
• The White Fox shifts from an aggressor to a helplessly suppressed figure, revealing that his confidence and apparent authority are insignificant compared with Lin Jun’s current strength.
• Su Ming’s attitude toward Lin Jun becomes openly possessive and admiring, combining fascination with the desire to control him.

3. Significant Themes

• Free will versus imposed duty: Su Ming frames the seed as Lin Jun’s obligation, but Lin Jun’s refusal challenges the idea that bloodline and inherited responsibility can dictate one’s choices.
• Power and coercion: The White Fox’s attack reflects the forceful methods used to enforce Su Ming’s will, while Lin Jun’s effortless counterattack reverses the power dynamic.
• Control and awakening: Su Ming’s return from seclusion marks a restoration of control, while Lin Jun’s growing strength allows him to resist being controlled by either the Ancestral Fox Bloodline or Su Ming.
• Possessive admiration: Su Ming’s declaration that he “truly likes” Lin Jun is not gentle affection; it is tied to fascination, ownership, and the pleasure of discovering someone capable of surprising him.
• Tools versus individuals: Su Ming dismisses the White Fox as merely useful, contrasting the expendability of his servants with the special attention he gives Lin Jun.

4. Character Interactions

• Su Ming attempts to manipulate Lin Jun through the language of racial duty and reproduction.
• Lin Jun directly rejects Su Ming’s expectations, establishing his independence.
• The White Fox acts as Su Ming’s enforcer, but Lin Jun humiliates and defeats him almost instantly.
• Lin Jun and Su Ming engage in a silent assessment of each other, each recognizing the other’s capabilities and intentions.
• Su Ming’s final confession of interest transforms their conflict into a more personal and dangerous relationship, suggesting that Lin Jun has become both a target and a source of fascination.

Key plot points and events

• Lin Jun hurls the Stone Stele toward Su Ming, who tries to pull it free from the seabed to save White Fox. Unable to move it, Su Ming strikes it with a hammer formed from black tendrils, shaking the Desolate Sea but failing to break the stele.
• The disturbance alerts the Sea Demons and reaches survivors across the region. Ling Zhi realizes that Lin Jun and Su Ming have clashed earlier than expected, with two months remaining before the Heavenly Tribulation.
• Lin Jun suddenly appears beside Su Ming, retrieves the stele by shrinking it, and attacks. Su Ming’s tendrils bind the weapon, but Lin Jun’s Demon-Slaying Sword pierces Su Ming and begins draining his blood.
• Su Ming counters with a blast of black energy powerful enough to cleave through the sea, forcing Lin Jun to retreat. He recognizes that Lin Jun can genuinely injure him and suspects the sword’s power may be connected to Ling Xi.
• Lin Jun removes the remaining Sea Demon Blood from the sword. The Soul-forging Furnace refines it, greatly empowering the thirty thousand Blood Shadows.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Ming shows concern for White Fox, but his confidence is shaken when Lin Jun proves capable of harming him. His suspicions about the Demon-Slaying Sword lead him to question Ling Xi’s intentions.
• Lin Jun demonstrates extraordinary speed, strength, and control over the Stone Stele, establishing himself as far more formidable than Su Ming expected.
• Ling Zhi watches from afar and recognizes that the conflict has begun ahead of schedule.
• The encounter is a direct escalation between Lin Jun and Su Ming: Lin Jun wounds and tests Su Ming, while Su Ming’s powerful counterattack reveals that the fight remains dangerous for both.

Significant themes

• Hidden power and uncertainty: Lin Jun’s abilities and the sword’s origins challenge Su Ming’s assumptions.
• Trust and suspicion: Su Ming trusts his judgment of Ling Zhi but remains deeply uncertain about Ling Xi.
• Power gained through sacrifice or extraction: Su Ming’s blood is drained, while the harvested Sea Demon Blood strengthens Lin Jun’s forces.

Key plot points and events

• After absorbing one of Su Ming’s Sea Demon avatars, Lin Jun notices that the thirty thousand Blood Shadows seem to have regained some awareness.
• The White Fox continues attacking, while the Desolate Sea and its Sea Demons turn against Lin Jun. Sensing danger, he dodges an unseen strike and brings down the Stone Stele with overwhelming force.
• Lin Jun’s blow splits open the Desolate Sea and kills countless Sea Demons, whose regeneration cannot keep pace with the damage.
• Lin Jun then throws the Demon-Slaying Sword into the exposed seabed. It pierces a hidden body, which emerges as Su Ming in the form of a blood-red fox.
• Su Ming admits he did not expect Lin Jun’s attack to be powerful enough to harm him. Lin Jun retrieves the sword, which has drawn still more blood and further stirred the Blood Shadows.
• A vast storm vortex forms overhead, and Lao Xu realizes Su Ming has become an agent of the Heavenly Tribulation—giving him the power to command heaven and earth.

Character developments

• Lin Jun demonstrates the extraordinary scale of his Absolute Martial power, but stays alert rather than celebrating. His focus remains on Su Ming and the forces gathering above.
• Su Ming is revealed to be vulnerable to Lin Jun’s power despite believing himself untouchable. His amused reaction suggests confidence—or defiance—even after being badly wounded.
• Lao Xu moves from awe at Lin Jun’s strength to alarm at Su Ming’s apparent control of heavenly power.

Significant themes

• Power and vulnerability: Su Ming’s belief that he cannot be harmed is overturned by Lin Jun’s attack.
• Escalating stakes: The conflict expands from a battle across the sea to a confrontation involving heaven itself.
• Awakening and transformation: The Blood Shadows grow more aware as they absorb Su Ming’s blood, while Su Ming’s role as the Tribulation’s agent signals a change in the nature of the fight.

Character interactions

• Lin Jun and Su Ming confront each other directly: Lin Jun wounds him with the Stone Stele and Demon-Slaying Sword, while Su Ming responds with laughter and praise for the ancestor’s judgment.
• Lao Xu watches Lin Jun’s feat in disbelief and interprets the storm above as evidence that Su Ming can now command the Heavenly Tribulation.

Chapter Summary: “What Kind of Monster Are You?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lao Xu realizes the situation is far worse than expected. Su Ming is not merely commanding resurrecting Sea Demons; he now possesses control over Heavenly Might, making him seemingly capable of destroying all life in Heaven Beyond Heaven.
• A massive vortex of purple clouds forms overhead, unleashing an overwhelming pressure that threatens to break down every living being at its origin.
• Even distant cultivators such as Ling Zhi are immobilized by the pressure, while Lao Xu warns Lin Jun to flee. Lao Xu, being no longer truly alive, can briefly resist the Heavenly Might, but Lin Jun should theoretically be vulnerable.
• Su Ming, enraged by Lin Jun’s earlier staff strike, abandons his plan to obtain Lin Jun’s bloodline and focuses solely on killing him.
• However, Lin Jun remains completely unaffected by the Heavenly Might. Su Ming is shocked and terrified, unable to understand how a human can withstand an attack powerful enough to annihilate Sea Demons.
• Su Ming concludes that Lin Jun may not yet have been fully transformed into a Sea Demon and that the Heavenly Tribulation’s power may therefore be incomplete.

Character Developments

• Su Ming shifts from confident aggressor to frightened and confused. Although he has gained extraordinary power, Lin Jun’s immunity exposes a limit—or an unexplained flaw—in his understanding of Heavenly Might.
• Lin Jun is revealed to possess an extraordinary resistance to the laws and destructive power of Heaven Beyond Heaven. His true nature or origin becomes increasingly mysterious.
• Lao Xu demonstrates concern for Lin Jun and takes practical action by trying to get him away from the Heavenly Might. His unique undead or nonliving state allows him to resist the force temporarily.
• Ling Zhi is shown to be helpless under the pressure, emphasizing the overwhelming scale of Su Ming’s power.

Significant Themes

• Defiance against heaven: The chapter escalates the conflict from a battle between individuals to a confrontation with the world’s fundamental laws.
• Identity and monstrosity: Su Ming calls Lin Jun a monster, but his own tentacled, inhuman appearance makes the accusation ironic. The scene questions whether outward appearance or true nature defines a monster.
• The limits of power and knowledge: Su Ming believes he has mastered Heavenly Might, yet Lin Jun’s immunity reveals that even immense power can remain poorly understood.
• Mystery of origins: Lin Jun’s ability to withstand Heavenly Might suggests that his nature, bloodline, or connection to the world is far more unusual than previously known.

Character Interactions

• Lao Xu urgently tells Lin Jun to escape, acting protectively despite the overwhelming danger.
• Su Ming mocks the idea of escape and attempts to kill Lin Jun, but becomes hesitant when his attack has no effect.
• Su Ming directly confronts Lin Jun’s identity by asking what kind of “monster” he is.
• Lin Jun responds with silent irony, recognizing that Su Ming—with his tentacles and inhuman form—appears far more monstrous than he does.

Chapter Summary: “It Had Actually Become a Water Region”

Key plot points and events

• Su Ming observes Lin Jun cautiously after realizing that his Heavenly Might has had virtually no effect on him. Lin Jun remains completely unharmed, convincing Su Ming that something about him is abnormal.
• Lin Jun explains internally that, because he originates from another world, this world’s laws—and therefore its Heavenly Might—cannot fully constrain or destroy him.
• Su Ming attempts to retreat rather than confront Lin Jun. He plans to wait two months until his transformation into a complete Sea Demon is finished, after which an immensely powerful Heavenly Tribulation will descend.
• Lin Jun detects Su Ming’s intention to escape and attacks immediately.
• In response, Su Ming summons the countless Sea Demons that have been gathering beneath the Desolate Sea. They erupt onto the surface in overwhelming numbers, flooding the continent and turning the Sky Sea into a vast water region.
• Lin Jun cuts through the Sea Demons with his sword and then summons tens of thousands of Blood Shadows to clear a path.
• The Blood Shadows act independently, displaying unexpected intelligence and using unfamiliar martial arts. Their power surpasses that of the Sea Demons, and they quickly slaughter them.

Character developments

• Lin Jun: Becomes more assertive and proactive. Rather than allowing Su Ming to escape, he immediately attacks. His immunity to the world’s Heavenly Might confirms his unique status as an outsider. He is also surprised and concerned by the apparent evolution of his Blood Shadows.
• Su Ming: Reveals himself to be extremely cautious and survival-oriented. After recognizing that Lin Jun is beyond his expectations, he avoids direct conflict and focuses on completing his transformation. His ability to unleash an enormous Sea Demon army demonstrates both preparation and considerable power.
• Lao Xu: Remains an observer and commentator, admitting that both Lin Jun’s resistance and the Blood Shadows’ behavior exceed his understanding.

Significant themes

• Outsider immunity and the limits of worldly laws: Lin Jun’s otherworldly origin places him beyond the normal reach of this world’s Heavenly Might.
• Caution versus confrontation: Su Ming relies on patience, retreat, and preparation, while Lin Jun chooses immediate action to prevent him from escaping.
• Transformation and awakening: Su Ming is approaching a major metamorphosis, while the Blood Shadows may be developing consciousness of their own.
• Escalating power and uncertainty: Both the Sea Demons and Blood Shadows reveal abilities beyond what the characters expected, suggesting that the conflict is entering a more unpredictable stage.

Character interactions

• Su Ming keeps his distance from Lin Jun, wary of his unexplained strength.
• Lin Jun recognizes Su Ming’s attempt to flee and attacks before he can withdraw.
• Su Ming counters by unleashing the Sea Demons across the flooded region.
• Lin Jun responds by cutting down the Sea Demons and deploying the Blood Shadows.
• Lao Xu watches the confrontation and voices the growing mystery surrounding the Blood Shadows’ apparent self-awareness.

Chapter Summary: “How Did You Do It?”

Key plot points and events

• Lin Jun realizes that the thirty thousand Blood Shadows have begun recovering fragments of consciousness after absorbing refined blood from Su Ming’s Sea Demon avatar.
• Though their minds remain incomplete, the Blood Shadows can now act with organization and display traces of human nature during battle. They begin systematically hunting the Sea Demons rather than functioning as mindless puppets.
• Lin Jun recognizes this army as a potential trump card against the enormous Sea Demon forces. He suspects that Su Ming’s special status—having received recognition from Heaven—may have allowed Lin Jun to transfer a portion of that power to the Blood Shadows.
• The Blood Shadows surround both the Sea Demons in the Desolate Sea and Su Ming, preventing Su Ming’s avatar from escaping. Lin Jun decides that Su Ming must be completely refined, hoping this will restore even more intelligence to the ancient remnants.
• More Sea Demons continue arriving, overwhelming the Blood Shadows. Without a steady supply of Lin Jun’s refined blood, the Blood Shadows begin to weaken and show signs of exhaustion.
• Instead of immediately joining the battle, Lin Jun moves above the Desolate Sea and makes a mysterious grasping gesture. His action alarms Lao Xu, enrages the incoming Sea Demons, and causes the Blood Shadows to laugh ominously.
• Su Ming witnesses Lin Jun’s action and reacts with shock, declaring it “impossible,” creating a cliffhanger.

Character developments

• Lin Jun demonstrates increasing control over both the Blood Shadows and the power connected to Su Ming. He becomes more confident in using the ancient remnants as a strategic weapon and begins considering how their recovered memories might help him understand and face the true Heavenly Tribulation.
• The Blood Shadows evolve from instinct-driven puppets into partially conscious warriors. Their coordinated tactics, emotional expressions, and laughter suggest that fragments of their former personalities or memories are returning.
• Su Ming is revealed to be more important than an ordinary Sea Demon. His connection to Heaven appears to be the source of the Blood Shadows’ awakening, but he is now trapped and vulnerable to Lin Jun’s attempts at refinement.
• Lao Xu remains bewildered by Lin Jun’s abilities. Although he has observed many unusual phenomena, he cannot understand how Lin Jun granted wisdom to so many ancient consciousnesses.

Significant themes

• Awakening and identity: The Blood Shadows’ partial restoration raises questions about whether consciousness, personality, and memory can survive across tens of thousands of years.
• Power and control: Lin Jun’s ability to command the Blood Shadows contrasts with their emerging independence and humanity, suggesting that his “puppets” may eventually become more than tools.
• The relationship between Heaven and mortals: Su Ming’s heavenly recognition becomes a source of power for Lin Jun, showing how divine forces can be intercepted, redirected, and weaponized.
• The burden of the past: The ancient remnants may hold knowledge about surviving Heavenly Tribulation, making their recovery potentially crucial to Lin Jun’s future.
• Escalating conflict: The exhausted Blood Shadows face an ever-growing Sea Demon army, while Lin Jun’s unexplained action suggests an even greater power or revelation is about to emerge.

Character interactions

• Lao Xu questions Lin Jun about how he restored the Blood Shadows’ intelligence, but Lin Jun can offer only a tentative explanation involving Su Ming’s blood and heavenly recognition.
• Lin Jun and Su Ming are placed in direct opposition: Lin Jun seeks to trap and refine Su Ming’s avatar, while Su Ming is prevented from escaping by the Blood Shadows.
• Lao Xu observes Lin Jun cautiously and retreats when Lin Jun begins his mysterious technique, indicating both fear and respect for Lin Jun’s unpredictable power.
• The Blood Shadows’ laughter, directed amid the confrontation, intensifies the tension and suggests that they recognize or anticipate what Lin Jun is about to do.

Summary of “A Clear Cry Across Time”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ming is overwhelmed by fear as he watches Lin Jun perform an unknown action. Although Sea Demons are arriving in large numbers and nearly overpowering the Blood Shadows, Su Ming realizes that Lin Jun’s action may cause the death of his Sea Demon incarnation.
• Su Ming forces back the Blood Shadows and attempts to reach Lin Jun, but they rapidly recover and surround him again.
• He discovers that the Blood Shadows grow stronger by absorbing the blood of slain Sea Demons. They also steal small amounts of blood from Su Ming during battle, and the stolen blood does not return.
• Su Ming begins to suspect that the Blood Shadows are a natural nemesis of Sea Demons. Their connection to the ancient Stone Stele suggests they may be remnants of powerful beings destroyed by Heavenly Tribulation.
• The Desolate Sea begins shaking violently. Lin Jun fights off the approaching Sea Demons with the Demon-Slaying Sword while manipulating the upheaval beneath the sea.
• A dark green object emerges from the depths: the ancient Stone Stele, covered in seaweed but otherwise undamaged despite enduring countless Heavenly Tribulations.
• The appearance of the Stone Stele causes all the Blood Shadows to stop and turn toward it. Lin Jun approaches and places his hand on its surface.
• The Stone Stele emits a clear cry that seems to resound across time, marking the chapter’s climactic ending.

Character Developments

• Su Ming: His fear and urgency reveal how seriously he views Lin Jun’s actions. He becomes more observant and analytical during battle, identifying the Blood Shadows’ blood-stealing ability and recognizing the danger they pose to Sea Demons. Despite being trapped, he remains determined to stop Lin Jun.
• Lin Jun: He is shown as powerful, controlled, and purposeful. He easily slaughters approaching Sea Demons and successfully summons the buried Stone Stele, suggesting that he possesses knowledge of or authority over ancient forces.
• Blood Shadows: They are revealed to be more than ordinary puppets. They evolve during battle, absorb Sea Demon blood, recover rapidly, and increasingly resemble living beings. Their reaction to the Stone Stele implies a deep connection to its origin.

Significant Themes

• Ancient power and buried history: The Stone Stele represents forgotten events and powers that have survived across billions of years.
• Transformation through conflict: The Blood Shadows grow stronger through combat and bloodshed, turning battle into a source of evolution.
• Predation and vulnerability: Sea Demons, despite their numbers and strength, are uniquely vulnerable to the Blood Shadows’ ability to consume and exploit their blood.
• Time and memory: The Stone Stele’s final cry connects the present to primordial history, suggesting that ancient forces are reawakening.
• Inevitability and desperation: Su Ming struggles to intervene, but the Blood Shadows and Lin Jun’s actions steadily narrow his options.

Character Interactions

• Su Ming repeatedly attempts to break through the Blood Shadows and reach Lin Jun, while the Blood Shadows surround, attack, and drain him.
• The Sea Demons aid Su Ming indirectly by attacking the Blood Shadows, but they are slaughtered and used to strengthen his enemies.
• Lin Jun directly confronts and kills the Sea Demons that approach him, using the Demon-Slaying Sword while carrying out his larger objective.
• Lin Jun’s contact with the Stone Stele causes the Blood Shadows to halt, creating a moment of tense recognition between the ancient entities and the artifact.

Chapter Summary: “Transformed into a Weapon”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The ancient Stone Stele rises from the Desolate Sea for the first time, revealing its full surface covered in sorrowful writings from countless eras.
• Its mournful cry spreads throughout Heaven Beyond Heaven, affecting all surviving beings—even the corrupted foxes regain enough reason to look toward it.
• The Celestial Fox Clan recognizes the stele and recalls its significance. They had once believed its inscriptions offered a way to resist the Heavenly Tribulation, but understanding the truth only drove them into despair.
• Lin Jun shocks everyone by lifting the stele, despite its having survived innumerable Heavenly Tribulations.
• The stele shrinks into a staff-like weapon. Lin Jun then joins it with the broken Stone Stele from the Lower Realm, forming a complete staff.
• The union of the two halves triggers violent changes in heaven and earth, while the Blood Shadows roar in approval.
• The accumulated resentment and strength of beings from tens of thousands of eras are transferred into Lin Jun’s weapon, turning him into the vessel of their long-awaited vengeance against the Sea Demons—and against heaven and earth itself.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun undergoes a major transformation from a powerful human combatant into the wielder of an ancient, world-shaking weapon. By successfully claiming and restoring the Stone Stele, he becomes the chosen bearer of the hopes and resentment of countless past eras.
• The Celestial Fox Clan is shown to possess deep knowledge of the Stone Stele’s history. Their shock reveals that even they never believed it could be moved, reinforcing Lin Jun’s extraordinary status.
• The Blood Shadows shift from destructive forces into supporters of Lin Jun. They recognize him as the instrument through which their desire for revenge can finally be fulfilled.
• The ancient beings represented by the stele are portrayed as voiceless but emotionally potent remnants. Though lacking individual consciousness, their collective resentment continues to act across time.

Significant Themes

• Inherited suffering and vengeance: The Stone Stele contains the accumulated pain of countless civilizations and eras, allowing the dead and forgotten to seek revenge through Lin Jun.
• Defiance against fate and heaven: The stele’s survival against the Heavenly Tribulation and its transformation into a weapon symbolize resistance against an apparently uncaring cosmic order.
• Hope emerging from despair: Although the inscriptions represent unbearable sorrow, Lin Jun’s ability to wield the stele gives the remnants of the past a final source of hope.
• The betrayal of heaven and earth: The ancient beings once viewed heaven and earth as a mother, yet now turn against them, suggesting a profound sense of abandonment and injustice.
• Power formed from collective memory: The weapon’s strength comes not merely from physical force but from the preserved resentment and history of countless generations.

Character Interactions

• Lin Jun and the Stone Stele: Lin Jun claims the stele and combines it with its Lower Realm counterpart, establishing a symbolic bond between himself and the accumulated will of the past.
• Lin Jun and the Blood Shadows: The Blood Shadows acknowledge Lin Jun as the means of achieving their vengeance, effectively granting him their support and power.
• Celestial Fox Clan and the Stone Stele: The fox ancestors recognize the stele’s origin and understand its importance, but their disbelief at Lin Jun’s success emphasizes how unprecedented the event is.
• Past eras and heaven and earth: The chapter frames the ancient beings’ relationship with heaven and earth as one that has changed from filial dependence to bitter rebellion.

Plot points and events

• Lin Jun realizes that the Stone Stele has become a weapon against the Heavenly Tribulation, its power born from generations of accumulated resentment.
• He raises the reunited stele, which releases a blood-red radiance visible across Heaven Beyond Heaven and the Lower Realm. Its ancient killing intent drives the Sea Demons into a frenzy and fills people with grief and dread.
• Lin Jun discovers that the stele’s halves were once a single object, broken apart by the Heavenly Tribulation. Its renewed cracks suggest that its power and endurance are not limitless.
• Setting aside his concerns, Lin Jun brings the enormous stele down on Su Ming. A blinding eruption of destructive white light engulfs Su Ming and the nearby Sea Demons.

Character developments

• Lin Jun shifts from uncertainty about the stele’s power to wielding it with confidence, presenting a deadly threat even to Su Ming’s true body.
• Su Ming, accustomed to feeling powerful as a Sea Demon, is shaken by the danger Lin Jun poses and appears helpless when the attack lands.

Character interactions

• Lin Jun confronts Su Ming directly, using the stele to overwhelm him.
• The stele’s radiance affects people across both realms, stirring grief and an instinctive fear that the destruction they sense may soon reach them.

Significant themes

• Accumulated suffering and resentment: The stele’s power is the result of pain that has endured across ages.
• Resistance to overwhelming forces: The stele was destined to challenge the Heavenly Tribulation, though its renewed cracks reveal the cost of that resistance.
• The scale of catastrophe: The light exposes distant populations to the emotional weight of past destruction, linking them through shared fear.

Key plot points and events

• Lin Jun unleashes the Stone Stele’s overwhelming power. A blinding white light wipes out the Sea Demons across the Desolate Sea and kills Su Ming’s clone.
• The blast leaves Lin Jun nearly exhausted and the Stone Stele split in two once more. He senses that the broken stele has not reached its full potential, but does not know how to reunite it.
• As the world falls silent and then gradually returns to normal, the Blood Shadows celebrate the Sea Demons’ destruction, which they see as an unprecedented blow against the Heavenly Tribulation.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Jun is left too depleted to use his abilities or even fly without Lao Xu’s support. He reflects on the Stone Stele’s limits and recognizes the Blood Shadows’ growing capacity for emotion.
• Lin Jun asks Lao Xu whether Su Ming’s clone survived. Lao Xu confirms it is dead, still stunned that a human could wield power capable of confronting the Heavenly Tribulation.
• The Blood Shadows’ cries reveal both joy and grief: the destruction of the Sea Demons gives them a rare sense of vindication after ages of helplessness.

Significant themes

• Defiance against overwhelming forces: Lin Jun’s strike marks an extraordinary victory against the Heavenly Tribulation’s creations.
• Power and its cost: The Stone Stele’s immense strength leaves Lin Jun nearly powerless afterward.
• The emergence of feeling: The Blood Shadows’ emotional response suggests they are becoming more humanlike.
• Unrealized potential: The broken Stone Stele may be stronger when whole, foreshadowing future discoveries.

Key events

• Lin Jun discovers that the Stone Stele held energy accumulated over hundreds of millions of years. Its release destroyed the Sea Demons present, but also depleted the stored energy.
• He regrets using the blast against Su Ming’s avatar rather than saving it for Su Ming himself. The avatar contained at least half of Su Ming’s blood essence and Divine Soul, however, and Ling Xi estimates the injury will take him thirty to fifty thousand years to recover from.
• Ling Xi appears as a hazy mass of energy and speaks to Lin Jun. With only two months until the Heavenly Tribulation, Lin Jun sees an opportunity to defeat it while Su Ming is incapacitated—but remains wary of unknown dangers.
• Lao Xu arrives carrying a half-dead white fox and notices Ling Xi.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Jun shifts from frustration over wasting the Stele’s power to accepting what happened, while staying cautious rather than trusting an apparently favorable prediction.
• Ling Xi survives in a diminished, unusual state. She offers information about Su Ming’s injury but admits she knows little about recent events, having been confined to this state for tens of thousands of years.
• Lin Jun and Ling Xi reunite cautiously; he recognizes her but does not press her about why she gave Su Ming the transformation method.
• Lao Xu arrives at the end, setting up his first interaction with Ling Xi.

Significant themes

• Regret and acceptance: Lin Jun laments the lost opportunity but concludes there is no point dwelling on it.
• Hidden history and power: The Stele’s accumulated energy reveals the foresight of people from an ancient era.
• Uncertainty and vigilance: Su Ming’s setback may create an opening, but neither Ling Xi nor Lin Jun can be sure what threats remain.

Chapter Summary: “Don’t Think You’re So Noble”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ling Xi reveals that Ling Zhi’s mother, Ling Xi herself, has survived, though her current state resembles a Blood Shadow more than a living human.
• Ling Xi briefly returns to human form and reunites with Lao Xu, who recognizes her as an old acquaintance from his era.
• Lao Xu questions Ling Xi about Su Ming, hoping she knows how to reverse Su Ming’s transformation. Ling Xi explains that Su Ming transformed himself; she only initiated the process. He later developed the Sea-Demon Transformation Art beyond even her understanding.
• Lao Xu discards the dying White Fox after Lin Jun’s attack and the stone stele’s energy has nearly exterminated all Sea Demons worldwide.
• The White Fox, a half-Sea Demon, survives temporarily because of its unusual nature but is close to death.
• The White Fox warns that Su Ming cannot recover after the destruction of his avatar and is now at the location where Thousand Dwelling Island sank.
• It reveals that Su Ming is protected by the Feng Jue Grand Array, an ancient formation cultivated by the Celestial Fox Clan for over a million years.
• Breaking the array by force would take Lin Jun more than two months, making the information urgently important.
• The White Fox offers to explain how to bypass or break the formation without demanding anything in return, arousing Lao Xu’s suspicion.
• Instead of addressing Lao Xu, the White Fox turns to Lin Jun and asks for his opinion, ending the chapter on a note of uncertainty.

Character Developments

• Ling Xi: Her survival is shown to be deeply unnatural. She confirms that Su Ming’s transformation has surpassed her own research and control, emphasizing his growing power and unpredictability.
• Lao Xu: He remains skeptical and cynical, especially toward the Celestial Fox remnants. However, he recognizes the practical value of the White Fox’s information and the danger posed by the Feng Jue Grand Array.
• White Fox: Though dying, it becomes more energetic and assertive. It appears willing to betray or oppose Su Ming, but its motives remain unclear. Its final remark challenges Lao Xu’s moral superiority.
• Lin Jun: His power is established through his earlier attack and his apparent ability to eventually destroy the formation by force. The White Fox’s decision to appeal directly to him suggests Lin Jun is now the key decision-maker.
• Su Ming: He is portrayed as increasingly powerful and independent. His transformation was self-directed, and he now controls an ancient, nearly impenetrable formation.

Significant Themes

• The meaning of survival: Ling Xi and the White Fox technically live, but their monstrous forms raise questions about whether survival without humanity is truly life.
• Transformation and loss of control: Su Ming’s evolution has surpassed Ling Xi’s intentions, showing how creations can develop beyond their creator’s understanding.
• Moral ambiguity and hypocrisy: Lao Xu condemns the Celestial Fox remnants for abandoning their dignity to survive, while the White Fox accuses him of pretending to be noble.
• Urgency versus distrust: The characters need the White Fox’s information immediately, yet they cannot determine whether its offer is genuine or another scheme.
• The burden of the past: Lao Xu and Ling Xi share a history spanning eras, and their current monstrous states reflect the long-term consequences of the past’s experiments and ambitions.

Important Character Interactions

• Lao Xu and Ling Xi: Their reunion is emotionally significant because they come from the same distant era, but their conversation quickly becomes focused on Su Ming’s fate.
• Lao Xu and the White Fox: Lao Xu mocks the White Fox’s apparent attempt to gain favor before death, while the White Fox retaliates by questioning his supposed nobility.
• White Fox and Lin Jun: The White Fox directs its final question to Lin Jun, implying that his judgment or cooperation will determine whether its information is accepted and whether Su Ming can be reached.

Key events

• Lao Xu realizes White Fox’s apparent betrayal is meant to give the Celestial Fox Clan a chance to survive. After Lin Jun demonstrates his strength, White Fox judges him more likely than Su Ming to live through the Heavenly Tribulation and rebuild the clan using his Ancestral Fox Bloodline.
• White Fox sides with Lin Jun, but Ling Xi warns that Su Ming would not have relied on him unless he had already made sure White Fox could not threaten him. White Fox recognizes the warning came too late, falls into the sea, and dies.
• Lao Xu mourns his longtime friend, then asks Lin Jun what they should do next.
• Lin Jun asks Ling Xi whether the two broken pieces of the Stone Stele can be reassembled, hoping to prepare for Su Ming’s eventual move. Ling Xi is surprised that Lin Jun has managed to remove the stele at all.

Character developments and interactions

• White Fox shifts from supporting Su Ming to backing Lin Jun, driven by a final effort to preserve his clan. His altered, “neither-human-nor-demon” state has slowed his thinking, leaving him vulnerable to Ling Xi’s insight.
• Lao Xu feels grief for White Fox despite his resentment of the old foxes, and defers to Lin Jun’s decisions.
• Ling Xi demonstrates her knowledge of Su Ming’s caution and quickly exposes the flaw in White Fox’s plan.
• Lin Jun remains focused on preparing for the danger ahead, especially by seeking to restore the Stone Stele.

Significant themes

• Survival and sacrifice: White Fox puts the clan’s future ahead of his own, though his attempt may be futile.
• Trust and caution: Su Ming’s meticulous planning makes apparent alliances and openings dangerous.
• Transformation and its cost: Sea Demonization has damaged White Fox’s ability to think clearly.
• Preparing for uncertainty: Even with Su Ming gravely wounded, Lin Jun refuses to assume the threat is over.

• Key events: Lin Jun discovers an ancient object that seems willing to be drawn out and has shrunk to a size he can hold. He keeps its nature to himself. Concerned about the possible danger from Su Ming, he asks Ling Xi to examine it rather than risk facing Su Ming unprepared. Ling Xi spends a day and night studying the Stone Stele, then reports that repairing it requires energy from the Interworld Domain.
• New information: Ling Xi’s records suggest that, long ago, the Lower Realm and Heaven Beyond Heaven were separate worlds. The Interworld Domain later bound them together—and Heavenly Tribulation first appeared around that time. Lin Jun wonders whether the Stone Stele was originally meant to be whole but had to be made in separate pieces because it could not extend through the Interworld Domain. Joined together, its two pieces can unleash far greater power.
• Character developments and interactions: Lin Jun is cautious despite his immense strength, seeking Ling Xi’s expertise and refusing to trust claims that Su Ming will take tens of thousands of years to recover. Ling Xi is unsettled by the mysterious object but respects Lin Jun’s choice not to explain. Lao Xu expresses strong faith in Lin Jun’s ability to overcome the repair challenge, surprising Ling Xi, who remembers him as much more cautious.
• Themes: Ancient mysteries and incomplete knowledge; the limits of even formidable characters; preparation in the face of uncertain threats; and the consequences of worlds being forcibly connected. The Stone Stele’s immense combined power also raises the stakes around the coming confrontation with Heavenly Tribulation.

Key plot points and events

• Ling Xi realizes the ancient Stone Stele was a weapon left to resist the Heavenly Tribulation. Though weakened, it nearly destroyed the Sea Demons.
• Lin Jun suggests asking the ancient predecessors about the stele, then summons Demon Kingdom City instead of explaining further.
• Ling Xi recognizes the city and reflects that Su Ming had likely orchestrated its destruction, manipulating Dragonrider Island and others to obtain her and Ling Zhi’s secrets.
• Lin Jun brings Ling Xi onto the city walls, where Ling Zhi arrives after sensing the earlier disturbance. Mother and daughter reunite.
• Ling Xi quickly emphasizes that she has little time left and that the Heavenly Tribulation is only a little over a month away. Ling Zhi sets aside her questions to focus on the crisis.
• Inside the city, the Blood Shadows stand in orderly ranks. They part for Lin Jun, while their powerful leader—a blood-red lion—beckons him forward.

Character developments and interactions

• Ling Xi is regretful about what happened to the stele and reveals a clearer understanding of Su Ming’s manipulation. Despite her reunion with Ling Zhi, she remains focused on the impending danger.
• Ling Zhi is stunned to see her mother alive, but accepts the urgency of the situation and restrains her desire for answers.
• Lin Jun takes practical action by summoning the city and bringing Ling Xi and Ling Zhi together. He also notices the Blood Shadows’ unusual behavior.
• Lao Xu observes that the Blood Shadows seem to be waiting specifically for Lin Jun.
• The Blood Shadows, formerly chaotic, now behave with striking order and apparent intent; their leader directly signals Lin Jun to approach.

Significant themes

• Hidden history and inherited purpose: The stele’s true function was lost to its creators’ descendants.
• Manipulation and betrayal: Su Ming’s influence extended behind Dragonrider Island’s actions.
• Family amid crisis: Ling Xi and Ling Zhi reunite, but the approaching catastrophe leaves little room for emotion.
• Signs of emerging agency: The Blood Shadows’ organized behavior suggests they may possess growing intelligence or a purpose of their own.

Key plot points and events

• Lin Jun approaches the Blood Lion, which thanks him. The other Blood Shadows also show gratitude.
• Lin Jun asks whether their gratitude is connected to the Sea Demons. The lion confirms that the Stone Stele is their last chance to resist the heavenly tribulation and exact some revenge—even in death.
• The Blood Lion explains that the Shadows are not living beings, but new consciousnesses formed from the final thoughts of ancient warriors preserved in the Stone Stele. Su Ming’s unusual blood, infused with the tribulation’s aura and refined by Lin Jun, helped awaken them.
• The Shadows did not recognize Lin Jun in the usual sense; they saw hope for revenge in him. They offer to help him confront the heavenly tribulation and the Sea Demons.
• Recognizing their newfound strength and potential as allies, Lin Jun asks what they need him to do.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Jun shifts from curiosity about the Shadows’ nature to understanding their purpose. He accepts their willingness to help, while seeking to learn what they expect of him.
• The Blood Lion acts as the Shadows’ spokesperson, revealing their origin, renewed consciousness, and shared motives.
• The Blood Shadows show gratitude and pledge themselves to Lin Jun, united by the hatred they inherited from the ancient warriors.

Significant themes

• Memory and rebirth: Ancient warriors’ final thoughts give rise to new consciousnesses across the ages.
• Grief and vengeance: The Shadows’ existence is shaped by the ancient warriors’ resentment at being destroyed without reason.
• Alliance through shared purpose: Lin Jun and the Shadows may be bound together by their opposition to the heavenly tribulation and the Sea Demons.

Summary of “Seemingly Not Impossible”

Key plot points and events

The Blood Lion tells Lin Jun that it sees in him a possible means of ending the Heavenly Tribulation, an endless cycle that has destroyed tens of thousands of eras. Although the Tribulation redistributes resources and prevents their concentration, it also limits cultivation by ensuring that no one in Heaven Beyond Heaven can surpass Absolute Martial. The Blood Lion and the Blood Shadows believe the Tribulation is meant to select someone capable of transcending heaven and earth, but its repeated descents have prevented that person from ever emerging. They urge Lin Jun to become that individual and end the cycle. Lin Jun considers whether Heaven’s Will may have summoned him from another world after failing to produce the chosen being through countless Tribulations. However, he sets the speculation aside, deciding that confronting Su Ming is the immediate priority. The Blood Lion and Blood Shadows pledge to help him.

Character developments

Lin Jun is recognized as fundamentally different from the beings who came before him and as the first genuine source of hope against the Heavenly Tribulation. He begins to question his origins and whether his arrival in this world was orchestrated by Heaven’s Will. Despite this revelation, he remains practical and focused, refusing to be distracted from the threat posed by Su Ming. The Blood Lion and Blood Shadows shift from observers of the cycle to active supporters of Lin Jun’s mission.

Significant themes

The chapter explores fate, selection, and the limits imposed by heaven and earth. The Heavenly Tribulation is presented as both beneficial and destructive: it preserves balance by redistributing resources but prevents ultimate advancement. Major themes include the possibility of breaking a seemingly eternal cycle, the conflict between cosmic order and individual freedom, and the idea that hope may come from an outsider or unforeseen force.

Character interactions

The Blood Lion explains the purpose and consequences of the Heavenly Tribulation to Lin Jun, asking him to transcend Absolute Martial and end the repeated destruction. Lin Jun questions the Blood Lion about Heaven’s Will and reflects on his own arrival in the world. Their exchange establishes mutual recognition: the Blood Lion sees Lin Jun as a possible savior, while Lin Jun acknowledges the larger cosmic mystery but chooses to focus on Su Ming. The Blood Shadows support the Blood Lion’s appeal and collectively promise to assist Lin Jun.

Chapter Summary

• Sea Demons’ continued threat: The Sea Demons have only temporarily vanished. Because the Heavenly Tribulation still exists, more will eventually emerge. By the time Lin Jun reaches Su Ming, another wave may appear, potentially exhausting the Stone Stele’s remaining energy.
• Blood Shadows’ evolution: Su Ming’s prolonged nourishment with Sea Demon Blood has transformed the thirty thousand Blood Shadows. They have developed self-awareness and can now absorb Sea Demon Blood directly without refining it. This allows them to replenish themselves during battle, draw strength from their enemies, and avoid rapidly disappearing. Because they are remnants of the strongest experts from countless eras and possess deep knowledge of Sea Demons, they can gradually wear down any opponent that cannot destroy them instantly.
• Investigating the Stone Stele: Lin Jun questions the Blood Lion about whether the Stone Stele can be restored or fused using energy from the Interworld Domain. The Blood Lion explains that the Stone Stele was forged over tens of thousands of eras specifically to restrain Sea Demons. Its original energy came from the Interworld Domain, whose power can endure for extraordinarily long periods and appears nearly inexhaustible.
• Limits of their knowledge: Once someone reaches the Interworld Domain, the Stone Stele could absorb its energy naturally, but the process would take too long. Special methods are required. However, the Blood Lion remembers only fragments of his former existence and cannot provide a complete method. Ling Xi also admits that she knows little about the Interworld Domain because she has not yet fully researched even the Heavenly Tribulation.
• Time pressure and strategy: With only a little over a month remaining, there is no time to investigate the matter from the beginning. Lao Xu suggests proceeding without relying entirely on the Stone Stele, noting that Lin Jun may still be able to defeat Su Ming. Lin Jun remains unconvinced, believing Su Ming will be extremely difficult to overcome and insisting that securing the Interworld Domain’s energy is necessary to make his victory certain.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Lin Jun becomes more cautious and determined, refusing to leave anything to chance.
• The Blood Lion demonstrates the limited but valuable knowledge of the newly awakened Blood Shadows.
• Ling Xi acknowledges her lack of understanding, reinforcing the mystery surrounding the Interworld Domain.
• Lao Xu acts as the pragmatic voice, encouraging Lin Jun to continue despite uncertainty.
• The group’s discussion highlights their dependence on ancient knowledge and the growing importance of the Blood Shadows and Stone Stele in the coming conflict with Su Ming.

Significant Themes

• Preparation versus uncertainty: Lin Jun seeks complete security before confronting Su Ming, while time and incomplete knowledge force the group to accept risks.
• Ancient power and inheritance: The Blood Shadows and Stone Stele embody the accumulated strength and knowledge of countless past eras.
• Adaptation and survival: The Blood Shadows’ ability to absorb Sea Demon Blood shows how they have evolved to survive their enemies.
• The unknown: The Interworld Domain is presented as a power source even more mysterious than the Heavenly Tribulation, expanding the larger cosmological mystery.

Chapter Summary: “Worth a Gamble”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Jun and his companions leave Demon Kingdom City, which he seals away after exiting.
• Upon landing on the sea, Lin Jun notices that night has continued far longer than it should have. The unnatural darkness creates an atmosphere of fear.
• Ling Zhi arrives in a panic and is overjoyed to find Lin Jun. She is shocked to discover her mother, Ling Xi, accompanying him.
• Ling Xi and Ling Zhi briefly reunite, but Ling Xi cuts the conversation short because her current condition is unstable and she does not want to give Ling Zhi false hope.
• Ling Zhi warns Lin Jun that the sun has disappeared. Lin Jun realizes this is the sign of the Heavenly Tribulation’s imminent arrival.
• Based on the records from the stone stele, the Heavenly Tribulation has begun prematurely. Lao Xu concludes that Su Ming must have forced it to happen.
• Lin Jun and Lao Xu infer that Lin Jun’s previous attack damaged Su Ming’s foundation, pushing the normally cautious Su Ming into desperate action.
• Lao Xu proposes exploiting Su Ming’s weakened state to launch a decisive attack, possibly ending the ancient Heavenly Tribulation.
• Lin Jun suspects the situation may be a trap, since Su Ming’s sudden recklessness is inconsistent with his usual careful nature.
• Despite his doubts, Lin Jun chooses to investigate, believing the potential opportunity is too important to ignore.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun remains cautious and analytical, recognizing both the opportunity and the possible danger in Su Ming’s actions. He ultimately demonstrates courage by accepting the risk.
• Ling Zhi shows strong emotional attachment to her mother and remains visibly frightened by the approaching crisis. Her panic indicates how serious the Heavenly Tribulation has become.
• Ling Xi appears outwardly calm but is physically and emotionally unstable. Her brief reunion with Ling Zhi reveals her affection while also emphasizing her limited time or fading condition.
• Lao Xu acts as the group’s strategist and encourages Lin Jun to take advantage of Su Ming’s vulnerability. He interprets Su Ming’s behavior as evidence that Lin Jun’s earlier move had seriously harmed him.
• Su Ming, though absent from the scene, is characterized through others’ observations as unusually desperate. His decision to summon the Heavenly Tribulation early suggests that his condition has deteriorated severely.

Significant Themes

• Risk versus caution: Lin Jun must decide whether the potential chance to defeat Su Ming is worth the danger of walking into a possible trap.
• Desperation and vulnerability: Su Ming’s normally controlled personality has been disrupted, showing how even a powerful and cautious enemy can be forced into desperate measures.
• Fate and the will of heaven: The Heavenly Tribulation represents a force beyond ordinary control, making Su Ming’s attempt to manipulate it exceptionally dangerous.
• Hope amid impending doom: Ling Zhi’s reunion with Ling Xi offers a brief emotional moment, but it is overshadowed by the approaching catastrophe.
• Seizing fleeting opportunities: The group understands that Su Ming’s weakened state may not last, motivating Lin Jun to investigate immediately.

Character Interactions

• Lin Jun and Ling Zhi: Ling Zhi seeks Lin Jun out in fear and relies on him for guidance after discovering the sun has vanished.
• Ling Zhi and Ling Xi: Their reunion is deeply emotional but restrained. Ling Zhi wants answers, while Ling Xi prevents a longer exchange because of her unstable condition.
• Lin Jun and Lao Xu: They discuss the meaning of the premature Heavenly Tribulation and debate whether Su Ming’s weakness should be exploited.
• Lin Jun and Su Ming: Although Su Ming does not appear directly, the chapter centers on their ongoing conflict. Lin Jun’s previous attack has apparently damaged Su Ming enough to force him into a dangerous gamble.

Chapter Summary: “So Smoothly?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Jun and his allies decide to attack Su Ming immediately rather than spend a month studying the Interworld Domain’s energy. They fear there is not enough time because Su Ming has prematurely summoned the Heavenly Tribulation.
• The Sea Demons are identified as the true sign that the Heavenly Tribulation is approaching. Their ability to transform the land into an ocean has devastated the Desolate Sea and erased its landmarks.
• Lin Jun leads the group toward the wreckage of Thousand Dwelling Island, relying on his senses to navigate through the ruined landscape.
• Ling Xi proposes breaking the Feng Jue Grand Array to create an opening for a direct attack on Su Ming. Her plan is strengthened by the presence of her mother, Ling Zhi, who possesses considerable talent in array studies.
• Sea Demons rapidly reform from the energy gathered beneath the seabed and attack the group. Unlike their usual indiscriminate madness, these demons seem focused on delaying the party’s advance.
• Lao Xu interprets the obstruction as evidence that Su Ming is frightened, but Lin Jun becomes suspicious because their progress seems unnaturally easy—as if someone is deliberately guiding them into a trap.
• Lin Jun and the Blood Shadows fight through the Sea Demons, using the creatures’ energy to strengthen the Blood Shadows while clearing a path.
• As the group advances, Lin Jun prepares to reveal or initiate the next stage of their plan involving Ling Xi and Ling Zhi.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun remains cautious and perceptive. Although he agrees that attacking Su Ming is necessary, he recognizes the suspiciously convenient circumstances and refuses to become overconfident.
• Ling Xi becomes more proactive after reuniting with Ling Zhi. Their meeting inspires her to develop a concrete strategy: dismantling the Feng Jue Grand Array.
• Ling Zhi is emotionally affected by seeing Ling Xi again and is satisfied simply to have reunited with her. She also demonstrates significant, previously understated talent in array formation.
• Lao Xu grows increasingly confident, believing Su Ming’s defensive actions prove that he is afraid.
• Su Ming is portrayed as actively influencing the battlefield through the Sea Demons, apparently attempting to slow or redirect the approaching group.

Significant Themes

• Urgency versus caution: The approaching Heavenly Tribulation forces the characters to act despite recognizing that the situation may be a trap.
• Family reunion and cooperation: Ling Xi and Ling Zhi’s shared talent and relationship give the group a new strategic advantage.
• Deception and manipulation: The unusually convenient path and the Sea Demons’ coordinated obstruction suggest that Su Ming is controlling events from behind the scenes.
• Unending catastrophe: The Sea Demons’ ability to reform from residual energy emphasizes the destructive, recurring nature of the crisis.
• Preparation for a decisive confrontation: The group shifts from observation and study to a direct assault intended to breach Su Ming’s defenses.

Character Interactions

• Ling Zhi repeatedly looks toward Ling Xi but struggles to speak, revealing the emotional weight of their reunion.
• Ling Xi addresses Ling Zhi directly and recruits her into the plan to break the Feng Jue Grand Array.
• Lin Jun listens to their discussion approvingly, recognizing the value of their combined abilities.
• Lao Xu openly jokes that Su Ming is frightened, while Lin Jun’s suspicion provides a contrast to Lao Xu’s confidence.
• Lin Jun ultimately turns his attention back to Ling Xi and Ling Zhi, preparing to coordinate their next move.