Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: Changes in the Myriad Gu Alliance

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Yuan rescues Granny Hua and several young Gu Masters from an ambush by the Gu God Sect in Falling Wild Goose Gorge, defeating the attackers through overwhelming martial strength.
• Granny Hua confirms Chen Yuan’s identity as a member of the Martial Suppression Hall sent by Long Yao and leads him to the Myriad Gu Alliance’s hidden headquarters.
• The headquarters is concealed within a mist-covered valley protected by poisonous brambles and numerous Gu insects.
• Long Yao reveals that the Alliance’s situation has drastically worsened:
  • The Gu God Sect has allied with Zhao Jingyuan, the Third Prince of the Great Xia Court.
  • Zhao Jingyuan’s forces, including the expert Xue Ju, greatly strengthened the Gu God Sect.
  • Granny Dragon Ghost, Long Yao’s master, was ambushed by Gu God Sect Master Ma Jiuxian and Xue Ju.
  • Granny Dragon Ghost and Ma Jiuxian disappeared into the Soul-Severing Forest Secret Realm.
  • The Myriad Gu Origin Mother Cauldron was seized by the Gu God Sect.
  • Without the cauldron and Granny Dragon Ghost, Chen Yuan’s Blood Spirit Heaven-Rending Gu cannot currently be refined.
• With the Alliance Master missing, Long Yao’s grand-uncle, Long Tiande, has assumed temporary leadership.
• At a council meeting, Long Tiande proposes attacking Eagle-Sorrow Ravine, an important Gu-raising site and strategic position held by the Gu God Sect, in order to break the Alliance’s encirclement.
• Most of the Alliance’s leaders oppose the plan, citing heavy casualties and weakened forces. Their reluctance exposes serious divisions within the newly formed Alliance.

Character Developments

• Chen Yuan: Demonstrates both his formidable combat ability and his loyalty to Long Yao and Granny Dragon Ghost. Although his original goal is to have the Blood Spirit Heaven-Rending Gu refined, he is willing to become involved in the Alliance’s war against the Gu God Sect.
• Long Yao: Appears more mature than before but is burdened by guilt, anxiety, and responsibility. Her master’s disappearance and the Alliance’s deteriorating position have left her under considerable pressure.
• Granny Hua: Remains cautious because of the Alliance’s unstable circumstances, but becomes respectful and grateful after Chen Yuan saves her. Her injuries also highlight the increasing danger faced by the Alliance.
• Long Tiande: Takes on temporary leadership after Granny Dragon Ghost’s disappearance. He attempts to rally the Alliance toward a decisive counterattack but struggles to command unity.
• Alliance leaders: Their reactions reveal that many are motivated more by immediate survival and past rewards than by genuine solidarity. They become reluctant to fight once the Alliance begins suffering losses.

Significant Themes

• Fragility of alliances: The Myriad Gu Alliance was formed recently and lacks deep trust or cohesion. Its members cooperate while victories and rewards are plentiful but retreat into self-interest after setbacks.
• Leadership and responsibility: With Granny Dragon Ghost missing, Long Tiande and Long Yao must deal with both military pressure and internal disunity.
• Loyalty versus self-interest: Chen Yuan’s willingness to help contrasts with the village leaders who benefited from previous campaigns but now refuse to share the risks.
• The consequences of political alliances: The Gu God Sect’s partnership with Zhao Jingyuan transforms a balanced conflict into a much more dangerous struggle.
• Strength and reputation: Chen Yuan’s fame on the Hidden Dragon Ranking earns him admiration among the isolated Miao Borderlands Gu Masters, while his actions prove that his reputation is deserved.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Yuan and Granny Hua establish mutual trust after he saves her and her group.
• Long Yao apologizes to Chen Yuan for being unable to fulfill the promise of refining his Gu, while Chen Yuan reassures her that he would have come regardless.
• Long Tiande formally welcomes Chen Yuan and thanks him for protecting the Alliance’s disciples.
• During the council meeting, Long Tiande calls for an attack on Eagle-Sorrow Ravine, but representatives from Black Miao Village, Azure Miao Stockade, and other groups reject the proposal.
• Chen Yuan observes the dispute silently, recognizing that the Alliance is too unstable to endure prolonged adversity.

Key plot points

• The Myriad Gu Alliance’s leaders argue over whether to attack the Gu God Sect. With Granny Dragon Ghost missing and the alliance’s contact point at Falling Wild Goose Gorge destroyed, many village chiefs refuse to risk their forces.
• Long Tiande warns that the Sect will soon threaten their villages, but opponents—especially leaders from Black Miao Village and Azure Miao Stockade—insist they should not be treated as expendable.
• Long Yao defends the alliance and reminds the chiefs that they once shared in its victories and rewards. When the Black Miao chief questions her authority, Chen Yuan intervenes, calling the dissenters cowardly and offering to attack the outpost himself.
• The insulted chiefs leave, followed by more than a dozen allies. About a third of the gathering remains, exposing the alliance’s deep divisions.
• Long Yao explains the Gu Master hierarchy and the powerful lineages behind the dissenting villages. Many joined the alliance to protect their inherited Gu and secret arts, but now resist contributing to its defense.

Character developments and interactions

• Long Yao moves from restrained frustration to openly defending her master’s alliance. Though she struggles to answer the Black Miao chief’s challenge, Chen Yuan’s support surprises her.
• Chen Yuan steps into the dispute despite being an outsider, criticizing the chiefs’ reluctance and volunteering to act. His intervention escalates tensions but demonstrates loyalty to Long Yao and willingness to help.
• Long Tiande tries to maintain order and avoid alienating the chiefs, but ultimately accepts their departure. He apologizes to Chen Yuan and acknowledges the alliance’s weak foundations.
• The village chiefs reveal that their loyalty is conditional: they want the alliance’s protection and rewards but resist risking their own forces. Black Miao’s Ran Agong and Azure Miao’s Sha Gutong lead the opposition.

Significant themes

• Unity versus self-interest: The alliance’s greatest danger may be internal disunity rather than the Gu God Sect.
• Leadership and legitimacy: With Granny Dragon Ghost absent, Long Yao’s authority is challenged, while Long Tiande struggles to hold the coalition together.
• Power, lineage, and obligation: The villages’ prestigious ancestry gives them influence, but their inherited status does not guarantee loyalty or courage.
• Outsider intervention: Chen Yuan’s outsider status is used to dismiss him, yet he acts more decisively than the alliance’s own members.

Chapter Summary: “Each With Their Own Schemes”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Long Yao reveals the Myriad Gu Alliance’s internal divisions to Chen Yuan. Although the alliance has considerable territory and influence, many factions are self-interested and unwilling to fight the Gu God Sect.
• Chen Yuan agrees to attack Eagle-Sorrow Ravine, a strategically vital Gu God Sect outpost and gu-breeding ground. The ravine was seized from a powerful Miao clan that the Gu God Sect destroyed.
• The Gu God Sect has completed its encirclement of the Myriad Gu Alliance. Although its leader, Ma Jiuxian, is missing, nine elders continue directing the sect’s campaign.
• Eagle-Sorrow Ravine is defended by an elder-level Spirit Gu Master, possibly alongside Ma Jiuxian’s son, Ma Yougui. Long Yao warns Chen Yuan that the battle will be extremely dangerous.
• Chen Yuan remains confident, explaining that Spirit Gu Masters are comparable to Eighth-Realm Divine experts but are generally less balanced in direct combat. He believes he can defeat one if he survives the enemy’s gu-insect attacks and closes the distance.
• Long Yao agrees to lead a force of more than fifty gu masters. Long Tiande reluctantly approves the operation but arranges support in case they need rescuing.
• Meanwhile, Ran Agong and Sha Gutong discuss Chen Yuan’s plan. Ran Agong persuades the others not to interfere, reasoning that they benefit whether Chen Yuan succeeds or dies:
  • If he succeeds, the Gu God Sect will be weakened.
  • If he fails, the alliance’s cautious factions will gain justification for avoiding direct conflict.
• Ran Agong admits that he and the other factions joined the alliance primarily for survival, not out of loyalty to Dragon Family Village. They intend to conserve their strength and wait to see whether Granny Dragon Ghost returns.
• Chen Yuan’s force reaches Eagle-Sorrow Ravine, whose narrow passage is protected by steep cliffs, a single stone bridge, and a fortified outpost.
• The fortress is guarded by Chu Biao, a powerful high-level gu master whose natal gu is a highly poisonous Myriad-Poison Heaven Centipede. The walls are covered with masses of blue-gray gu insects.
• After observing the fortress, Chen Yuan orders Long Yao and the others to remain in the forest while he advances alone, apparently preparing to infiltrate or scout the stronghold.

Character Developments

• Chen Yuan demonstrates confidence and strategic understanding. He does not underestimate Spirit Gu Masters but believes his own cultivation and secret techniques give him a decisive advantage in close combat.
• Long Yao becomes more decisive and supportive of Chen Yuan. Despite recognizing the danger, she chooses to accompany him and personally lead the alliance’s forces.
• Long Tiande appears cautious and responsible. He worries about sending an outsider and Dragon Family Village’s heir into danger, but ultimately respects their decision and arranges backup.
• Ran Agong is revealed as calculating and politically opportunistic. He prioritizes preserving his faction’s power over supporting the alliance’s military efforts.
• Sha Gutong is portrayed as angry but simple-minded. He initially wants to confront Chen Yuan, then eagerly adopts Ran Agong’s self-serving plan without recognizing its deeper political implications.
• Granny Dragon Ghost, though absent, remains an important unifying figure. Her fair treatment of weaker factions has earned their loyalty, while her disappearance creates uncertainty and political maneuvering.

Significant Themes

• Alliance versus factionalism: The Myriad Gu Alliance possesses strength in numbers but lacks genuine unity. Its members cooperate only when their interests align.
• Courage versus self-preservation: Chen Yuan and Long Yao are willing to risk themselves against the Gu God Sect, while Ran Agong and others prefer to wait safely and benefit from either outcome.
• Political opportunism: Ran Agong views the attack not in terms of loyalty or justice but as a situation where every possible result can serve his faction.
• Leadership and legitimacy: Granny Dragon Ghost’s fair leadership contrasts with the selfish ambitions of those waiting to replace her.
• Specialized strength versus balanced power: The discussion of Spirit Gu Masters highlights the difference between highly specialized gu techniques and the more comprehensive abilities of martial artists.
• Strategic importance of resources: Eagle-Sorrow Ravine is valuable not only because of its location but also because its gu-breeding grounds provide a stable source of insects essential to gu masters.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Yuan and Long Yao: They establish mutual trust as Long Yao accepts his assessment of the enemy and agrees to fight beside him.
• Chen Yuan and Long Tiande: Chen Yuan bluntly criticizes the alliance’s hollow unity, while Long Tiande acknowledges the truth but remains concerned about the risks of relying on an outsider.
• Ran Agong and Sha Gutong: Ran Agong manipulates Sha Gutong’s anger into a policy of noninvolvement, revealing the cynical strategy of the alliance’s more powerful factions.
• Chen Yuan and the alliance’s weaker factions: Chen Yuan’s insistence on bringing smaller villages and independent gu masters suggests he values broader cooperation rather than relying solely on elite factions.
• Chen Yuan and the Eagle-Sorrow Ravine defenses: His solitary advance after surveying the fortress signals that he intends to test or bypass the outpost’s defenses personally.

Chapter Summary: “The Power That Restrained the Gu Path”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Yuan and his companions enter Eagle-Sorrow Ravine, an important Gu-raising ground belonging to the Gu God Sect.
• A large swarm of poisonous Gu insects detects them and prepares to attack, but Chen Yuan easily destroys them with Tara Guanyin’s Vow-Granting Seal.
• Chu Biao, a powerful Gu God Sect hall master, emerges with more than thirty Gu Masters to defend the entrance.
• Chu Biao summons his life-bound Gu, the Myriad-Poison Heaven Centipede—a gigantic, heavily armored and highly poisonous creature capable of threatening even powerful martial artists.
• The Gu Masters launch a coordinated assault, surrounding Chen Yuan with swarms of insects and Gu techniques.
• Chen Yuan counters with the Nine Deaths Netherworld Slash, annihilating most of the attacking Gu insects. Although the centipede survives the slash because of its poison and impenetrable shell, Chen Yuan remains unaffected by its poisonous mist.
• Using the Gouli Bloodflame God-Burning Seal and his Liyan Blood Fiend Power, Chen Yuan burns the centipede from within and destroys it.
• The death of his life-bound Gu severely injures Chu Biao. Chen Yuan then kills him with a single sword strike.
• The remaining Gu Masters attempt to flee, but Chen Yuan’s sweeping blood-colored blade attack kills them all within seconds.
• With the entrance secured, Chen Yuan and his allies advance into Eagle-Sorrow Ravine. They soon encounter Jade-Scale Granny, one of the Gu God Sect’s nine elders, along with Ma Yougui, the sect leader’s son.
• Jade-Scale Granny insults Long Yao and his companions, while Ma Yougui recognizes Chen Yuan as “Chen Jiutian,” second on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, and addresses him with admiration.

Character Developments

• Chen Yuan: Demonstrates overwhelming combat power and confirms that his nearly flawless cultivation makes him exceptionally resistant to poison and specialized Gu techniques. He remains calm, decisive, and ruthless, eliminating the entire entrance defense in fewer than ten breaths.
• Chu Biao: Revealed as an experienced and brutal Gu Master who relies heavily on his Myriad-Poison Heaven Centipede. His confidence collapses when Chen Yuan resists his strongest poison and destroys his life-bound Gu, exposing the weakness of his specialized cultivation.
• Long Yao: Remains composed because he has previously witnessed Chen Yuan defeat even stronger opponents.
• Granny Hua and the other companions: Become deeply awed by Chen Yuan’s strength, viewing him almost as a divine or invincible figure.
• Jade-Scale Granny: Introduced as a sinister and powerful Gu God Sect elder who holds open contempt for Long Yao’s group.
• Ma Yougui: Introduced as the sect leader’s son. Unlike Jade-Scale Granny, he reacts to Chen Yuan with enthusiasm and admiration, suggesting a potentially different attitude toward him.

Significant Themes

• Natural restraint versus broad cultivation: The chapter clarifies that martial arts do not inherently counter the Gu Path. Rather, Chen Yuan’s balanced cultivation—combining Daoist, Buddhist, and demonic arts with perfected body, internal strength, and spirit—happens to negate the Gu Masters’ usual advantages.
• Specialization and vulnerability: Gu Masters often center their strength on one life-bound Gu or a narrow area of expertise. When Chen Yuan destroys Chu Biao’s centipede, Chu Biao is left nearly helpless.
• Versatility versus dependence: Chen Yuan’s diverse abilities allow him to resist poison, survive close combat, counter ranged attacks, and exploit elemental weaknesses. This contrasts with Gu Masters who depend on particular insects and techniques.
• Overwhelming power and reputation: Chen Yuan’s swift victory reinforces his growing reputation and causes allies and enemies alike to reassess him.
• The morality of the Gu God Sect: The sect accepts violent plunderers such as Chu Biao, distinguishing it from more disciplined traditions and emphasizing its ruthless, unscrupulous nature.

Character Interactions

• Chen Yuan and Chu Biao engage in a brief but decisive confrontation, with Chu Biao relying on intimidation, poison, and his centipede while Chen Yuan methodically overcomes each threat.
• Chen Yuan’s victory impresses and frightens his companions, especially Granny Hua and the others, while Long Yao remains confident in him.
• Jade-Scale Granny immediately confronts and verbally attacks Long Yao’s group, revealing hostility between them and the Gu God Sect.
• Ma Yougui interrupts this hostile atmosphere by recognizing Chen Yuan’s identity and politely expressing admiration, creating a contrast with Jade-Scale Granny’s aggression.
• The chapter ends with Chen Yuan facing the Gu God Sect’s higher-ranking forces, setting up a confrontation with Jade-Scale Granny and Ma Yougui.

Chapter Summary: “Jade-Scale Granny”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ma Yougui, heir of the Gu God Sect, attempts to recruit Chen Yuan by flattering him and offering Long Yao to him as a concubine or “plaything.”
• He dismisses Chen Yuan’s killing of Gu God Sect disciple Chu Biao as a “misunderstanding” and promises Chen Yuan protection if he becomes a guest elder of the sect.
• Ma Yougui boasts about being friends with Han Chang, the former fifth-ranked figure on the Hidden Dragon Ranking. Chen Yuan reveals that he is actually Han Chang’s enemy and immediately attacks Ma Yougui.
• Jade-Scale Granny intervenes, striking Ma Yougui aside and ordering him to stay behind her. She then begins fighting Chen Yuan.
• Jade-Scale Granny summons jade-green, horned snakes that release the deadly Bone-Eroding Heartbane Venom. Her poison cloud corrodes Chen Yuan’s protective energy, but his Primordial Chaos Power and Blazing Flame Blood Fiend force protect him.
• Chen Yuan destroys the Jade-Scale Snakes and tears through the poison mist, then attacks Jade-Scale Granny with his powerful Nine Deaths Netherworld Slash.
• Jade-Scale Granny summons a gigantic blue-gold python from beneath the earth. The creature possesses immense strength and the same poisonous energy, knocking Chen Yuan back despite being wounded by his slash.
• Suspicious of the python’s weak life force and unnatural existence, Chen Yuan uses the Son of Heaven Qi-Watching Art and discovers that it is not a naturally born beast, but an artificial creation produced through a form of gu art.

Character Developments

• Chen Yuan: Remains calm and dismissive toward Ma Yougui’s arrogance. He quickly identifies the danger of insulting him through Han Chang’s name and demonstrates exceptional resistance to Jade-Scale Granny’s poison. His analytical abilities allow him to see through the python’s unnatural nature.
• Ma Yougui: Revealed as arrogant, ignorant, and politically inept. He treats powerful figures as status symbols, falsely believing that superficial friendships make him their equal. He also shows no loyalty toward deceased sect members and reacts resentfully when Jade-Scale Granny humiliates him.
• Jade-Scale Granny: Emerges as the genuinely dangerous combatant of the Gu God Sect group. Though disgusted by Ma Yougui’s behavior, she remains responsible for protecting him. Her mastery of venomous gu and ability to create or control a colossal artificial beast make her a formidable opponent.
• Long Yao: Is angered and humiliated by Ma Yougui’s degrading proposition. She follows Chen Yuan’s order to retreat and leads the Myriad Gu Alliance against the other Gu Masters, recognizing that she and the others would only hinder Chen Yuan’s duel.
• Gu God Sect: Its forces are shown to possess stronger individual Gu Masters, balancing the Myriad Gu Alliance’s numerical advantage.

Significant Themes

• Arrogance and ignorance: Ma Yougui’s confidence is based on association rather than ability or genuine friendship. His ignorance of Chen Yuan and Han Chang’s enmity leads directly to his downfall.
• True strength versus reputation: Chen Yuan’s rank and reputation are not merely symbolic; he proves his superiority through combat, while Ma Yougui only uses prestigious names to inflate his own standing.
• Loyalty and sect politics: Jade-Scale Granny’s criticism of Ma Yougui reflects concern that his treatment of Chu Biao will damage the Gu God Sect’s morale and loyalty.
• Hidden truths and unnatural power: The blue-gold python initially appears to be a monstrous beast, but Chen Yuan determines that it is an artificial gu creation, emphasizing the danger of deceptive appearances and forbidden techniques.
• Independence and resistance: Chen Yuan refuses to submit to the Gu God Sect’s dominance or accept its supposed protection, choosing direct confrontation instead.

Character Interactions

• Ma Yougui speaks condescendingly to Chen Yuan while simultaneously attempting to flatter and recruit him.
• He objectifies and insults Long Yao, provoking her fury.
• Chen Yuan exposes Ma Yougui’s ignorance about Han Chang and attacks him without hesitation.
• Jade-Scale Granny protects Ma Yougui but clearly despises his stupidity, striking him aside and ordering him out of the way.
• Long Yao and the Myriad Gu Alliance engage the Gu God Sect’s Gu Masters while Chen Yuan handles Jade-Scale Granny alone.
• The chapter ends with Chen Yuan uncovering the artificial nature of Jade-Scale Granny’s enormous python, setting up a deeper investigation into her gu techniques.

Chapter Summary: “A Tiger Father Begets a Dog of a Son”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Yuan battles Jade-Scale Granny, a powerful Spirit Gu Master of the Gu God Sect, whose signature technique is the Azure-Gold Giant Python.
• Using the Son of Heaven Qi-Watching Art, Chen Yuan identifies the python’s true core: a snake-and-ant-like Life Gu hidden in its mind.
• Rather than attacking the python externally, Chen Yuan enters its mouth and unleashes the Chaos-Reversing Yin-Yang Spirit-Brightening Art from within. The explosion destroys the python’s jaws and allows him to seize and crush Jade-Scale Granny’s Life Gu.
• With her Life Gu destroyed, Jade-Scale Granny loses control of her offensive Gu insects and becomes nearly defenseless. She attempts to flee using two speed-type Gu insects, but Chen Yuan kills her with the Maudgalyayana Hell-Piercing Arrow.
• Chen Yuan seals the powerful yin-yang technique after the battle. Although his control has improved since reaching the Origin Pill Realm, the technique still consumes a tremendous amount of energy.
• The Gu God Sect forces lose their courage after witnessing Jade-Scale Granny’s death. Long Yao and the others rout them.
• Chen Yuan turns his attention to Ma Yougui, the Gu God Sect leader’s son. Ma Yougui attempts to escape and throws out his Gu insects in desperation.
• At Long Yao’s request, Chen Yuan avoids killing Ma Yougui or destroying his Gu insects. Instead, he uses the Tara Mother Obstacle-Breaking Karma-Subduing Mantra to incapacitate both the insects and Ma Yougui.
• Long Yao collects the valuable Gu insects, while Chen Yuan subdues Ma Yougui and prepares to interrogate him.
• Ma Yougui begs for his life and foolishly offers to sever his ties with Han Chang, unaware that Han Chang is already dead. Long Yao contemptuously labels him “a dog of a son,” contrasting him with his powerful father.

Character Developments

• Chen Yuan: Demonstrates tactical intelligence, courage, and overwhelming combat ability. He defeats a seasoned Spirit Gu Master by targeting her weakness rather than fighting her strength directly. His improved mastery of the Chaos-Reversing Yin-Yang Spirit-Brightening Art reflects his advancement into the Origin Pill Realm. He also shows practical judgment by sparing Ma Yougui’s Gu insects for interrogation and future use.
• Jade-Scale Granny: Her reputation as a formidable Spirit Gu Master collapses once Chen Yuan discovers and destroys her sole Life Gu. Her narrow and specialized cultivation leaves her helpless afterward, exposing the weakness of relying too heavily on a single core ability.
• Long Yao: Acts pragmatically and strategically. She recognizes the value of Ma Yougui’s Gu insects and prevents Chen Yuan from destroying them. Her contempt for Ma Yougui highlights her disdain for cowardice and incompetence.
• Ma Yougui: Revealed as cowardly, weak, uninformed, and dependent on his father’s status. Despite being the son of the Gu God Sect leader, he lacks both combat ability and basic awareness of current events.
• The Gu God Sect forces: Their morale collapses after Jade-Scale Granny’s death, showing how dependent they were on powerful leadership and how little confidence they possessed individually.

Significant Themes

• Strength built on a single weakness: Jade-Scale Granny’s immense power depends on one Life Gu. Once Chen Yuan identifies and destroys it, her entire fighting style collapses.
• Tactical intelligence over brute force: Chen Yuan wins by understanding the structure of his opponent’s technique and attacking from within, rather than simply overpowering the giant python.
• Reputation versus true ability: Jade-Scale Granny’s past reputation cannot save her, while Ma Yougui’s noble lineage proves meaningless because he lacks talent and courage.
• Strategic alliances and investment: Chen Yuan deliberately supports the newly formed Myriad Gu Alliance, hoping to build a relationship with Long Yao, Granny Dragon Ghost, and the Dragon Family Village. His actions are motivated not only by the present conflict but also by future political and martial benefits.
• Cowardice and incompetence: Ma Yougui’s panic and ignorance provide a sharp contrast to Chen Yuan’s decisiveness, reinforcing the chapter’s title and its judgment of inherited status without personal merit.
• Mercy as practicality: Chen Yuan spares Ma Yougui not out of compassion but because the Gu God Sect’s knowledge and resources may prove useful.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Yuan and Jade-Scale Granny: Their confrontation is a battle of insight versus specialized power. Chen Yuan penetrates her technique, destroys her Life Gu, and kills her before she can escape.
• Chen Yuan and Long Yao: Long Yao trusts Chen Yuan enough to ask him to preserve Ma Yougui and the Gu insects. Chen Yuan immediately complies, showing cooperation and reinforcing their developing alliance.
• Chen Yuan and Ma Yougui: Ma Yougui begs for mercy while Chen Yuan mocks his ignorance and keeps him pinned beneath his foot, establishing a stark power imbalance.
• Long Yao and Ma Yougui: Long Yao openly scorns him, calling him the worthless son of a powerful father and emphasizing his failure to live up to his family’s reputation.

Chapter Summary: “An Unexpected Traitor”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Myriad Gu Hall and the Gu God Sect remain locked in a brutal struggle for control of the Miao Borderlands.
• After defeating the Gu God Sect at Eagle-Sorrow Ravine and killing Jade-Scale Granny, Chen Yuan and Long Yao interrogate Ma Yougui, the son of Gu God Sect leader Ma Jiuxian.
• Ma Yougui reveals that:
  • Most of the Gu God Sect’s elders are stationed at strategic passes.
  • The Great Xia Court’s third prince is staying at the Gu God Sect headquarters in pursuit of life-extending gu insects.
  • A traitor within the Myriad Gu Alliance has been leaking the locations and defenses of the alliance’s strongholds.
• The traitor is identified as Sha Gutong of Azure Miao Stockade. His betrayal enabled Ma Jiuxian to ambush Granny Dragon Ghost and helped the Gu God Sect repeatedly defeat alliance forces.
• Long Yao initially proposes arresting Sha Gutong and holding a public trial. Chen Yuan rejects this as too slow and politically dangerous.
• Chen advises Long Yao to expose Sha Gutong’s crimes and kill him immediately, while also destroying Azure Miao Stockade to intimidate the other alliance members.
• To protect Long Yao and the Dragon Family faction from appearing tyrannical, Chen Yuan volunteers to kill Sha Gutong himself, leaving the destruction of the stockade to Long Yao.
• The alliance gathers valuable gu insects and refining materials from Eagle-Sorrow Ravine but abandons the breeding ground because it lacks enough manpower to defend it.
• On returning, Chen Yuan and Long Yao astonish the Myriad Gu Alliance by revealing that they captured the ravine without deploying another Spirit Gu Master and killed one of the Gu God Sect’s nine elders.
• Ran Agong reacts with disbelief and resentment, while Sha Gutong displays visible unease. The chapter ends as the alliance prepares for a public meeting.

Character Developments

• Chen Yuan: Demonstrates strategic intelligence, decisiveness, and political awareness. He recognizes that the traitor must be dealt with swiftly but also understands the importance of managing public perception. By taking responsibility for Sha Gutong’s execution, he protects Long Yao’s legitimacy while strengthening his alliance with the Dragon Family.
• Long Yao: Develops from an inexperienced young woman into a more capable leader. She accepts Chen Yuan’s reasoning and begins to understand the authority and responsibility required to lead the Myriad Gu Alliance.
• Ma Yougui: Is revealed to be cowardly, ignorant, and largely useless, but his desperation accidentally exposes the existence and identity of the alliance’s traitor.
• Sha Gutong: Is exposed as the unexpected betrayer. His apparent stupidity and dependence on Ran Agong had concealed his treachery.
• Ran Agong: Is shown to be resentful and ambitious, though apparently not the traitor. His dismissive attitude toward Chen Yuan and Long Yao suggests possible future conflict.
• Granny Hua: Recognizes Chen Yuan’s willingness to absorb hatred on behalf of the Dragon Family and appreciates the depth of his political calculations.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and hidden motives: The alliance’s greatest threat comes from within, emphasizing how appearances can conceal treachery.
• Leadership and authority: Long Yao must learn to exercise power decisively while avoiding the appearance of becoming as oppressive as the Gu God Sect.
• Political strategy: Chen Yuan understands that military victory alone is insufficient; how actions are perceived can determine whether an alliance survives.
• Power and reputation: Chen’s status as second on the Hidden Dragon Ranking gives weight to his promises and contributes to the alliance’s awe after the victory.
• The value of gu-breeding grounds: The chapter explains that nurturing gu insects is as important as refining them, highlighting the foundations of the Gu Path and the alliance’s limited resources.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Yuan intimidates Ma Yougui into revealing information, while Long Yao questions him about the Gu God Sect’s plans.
• Ma Yougui bargains for his life and exposes Sha Gutong’s betrayal.
• Chen Yuan advises Long Yao on how to punish Sha Gutong and preserve the Dragon Family’s authority.
• Long Yao accepts Chen’s plan, while Granny Hua understands and appreciates his willingness to act as the alliance’s “villain.”
• Ran Agong and Sha Gutong react to news of the alliance’s unexpected victory, setting up the coming confrontation at the alliance meeting.

Chapter Summary: “I Hate Treacherous Scum Most of All!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Myriad Gu Alliance gathers in a large plaza, where Chen Yuan secretly instructs Long Yao to announce their victory at Eagle-Sorrow Ravine and distribute the spoils.
• Long Yao reveals that the alliance destroyed one of the Gu God Sect’s major Gu-breeding grounds, killed Jade-Scale Granny—one of the Sect’s Nine Elders—and seized a huge quantity of Gu insects and materials.
• The loot is distributed according to contribution. Independent Gu Masters and smaller villages receive generous shares, while larger villages receive less because they did not participate.
• The distribution causes excitement among the victors and deep regret among those who had remained neutral, especially the Gu Masters of Black Miao Village led by Ran Agong.
• Long Yao presents Ma Yougui, son of the Gu God Sect’s leader. Many alliance members demand his death because of his past atrocities, including the destruction of Fang Family Village.
• Instead of immediately killing Ma Yougui, Long Yao forces him to identify the traitor who revealed Granny Dragon Ghost’s whereabouts to the Gu God Sect.
• Ma Yougui accuses Sha Gutong of Blue Miao Village. The accusation shocks the alliance, particularly Ran Agong, who had assumed Sha Gutong was merely supporting his own cautious political strategy.
• Chen Yuan immediately condemns Sha Gutong as a traitor and attacks him with a powerful sun-and-moon blade technique.
• Sha Gutong uses the Six-Winged Vajra Armor, a secret Gu insect linked to Blue Miao Village’s inheritance, to block the attack. Although he survives, the force drives him into the ground.
• Realizing that the alliance will not spare him, Sha Gutong attempts to seize Long Yao as a hostage and escape.
• Chen Yuan pursues him and uses the Tara Mother Obstacle-Breaking Karma-Subduing Mantra to disrupt his mental connection with the Six-Winged Vajra Armor.
• Sha Gutong’s natal Gu insect separates from him and tries to defend him, but Chen Yuan’s strike injures it.
• The chapter ends as Chen Yuan launches the Maudgalyayana Hell-Piercing Arrow at the weakened Sha Gutong.

Character Developments

• Chen Yuan: Demonstrates remarkable confidence and strength. His ability to kill Jade-Scale Granny and overpower Sha Gutong shows that his combat power greatly exceeds what his Origin Pill Realm cultivation would suggest. He is also portrayed as uncompromising toward betrayal and fiercely protective of the alliance.
• Long Yao: Shows growing political awareness. She realizes that Chen Yuan deliberately brought independent and small-village Gu Masters on the expedition so that they would become personally invested in the alliance after receiving the spoils.
• Long Tiande: Recognizes Chen Yuan’s exceptional strategic foresight and strength, confirming his status as a major talent from the Central Plains.
• Ma Yougui: Appears cowardly and frightened when confronted by the alliance, but his knowledge of the traitor gives him temporary value and protects him from immediate execution.
• Ran Agong: Is shocked and angered by Sha Gutong’s betrayal. Although Ran Agong himself had been politically cautious and hoped to preserve his faction’s strength, he had not intended to destroy the Myriad Gu Alliance.
• Sha Gutong: His seemingly simple and obedient personality is revealed to conceal greater cunning. Once exposed, he abandons loyalty and attempts to use Long Yao as a hostage, confirming his treacherous nature.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and ingratitude: The chapter emphasizes that treachery from someone who benefited from the alliance is worse than ordinary hostility. Chen Yuan’s hatred of “treacherous scum” drives his immediate judgment of Sha Gutong.
• Leadership through rewards: Chen Yuan strengthens the alliance not only through military victory but also by distributing gains fairly. The rewards encourage loyalty among independent Gu Masters and smaller villages.
• The cost of neutrality: Those who refused to join the attack are left regretting their hesitation, showing how neutrality can become a political and strategic disadvantage.
• Justice versus vengeance: Ma Yougui is hated for his crimes, but the alliance delays his punishment in order to uncover the traitor. Practical justice takes precedence over immediate revenge.
• Hidden strength and deception: Chen Yuan’s unexpected power and Sha Gutong’s concealed intentions both demonstrate that appearances can be misleading.

Character Interactions

• Chen Yuan and Long Yao: Chen Yuan directs the operation from behind the scenes, while Long Yao publicly announces the victory and distributes the spoils, strengthening their partnership.
• Long Yao and Ma Yougui: Long Yao controls Ma Yougui and forces him to expose the traitor despite the crowd’s desire to kill him.
• Ran Agong and Sha Gutong: Ran Agong is stunned that his apparent follower secretly betrayed the alliance. Their relationship is shown to be based on political alignment rather than complete trust.
• Chen Yuan and Sha Gutong: Their confrontation becomes the chapter’s central conflict. Chen Yuan denounces Sha Gutong morally before overwhelming him physically and spiritually.
• The Alliance and Ma Yougui: The gathered Gu Masters express collective hatred toward Ma Yougui because of his past crimes, establishing the deep hostility between the Myriad Gu Alliance and the Gu God Sect.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Sha Gutong, a Gu master whose strength depends on the Six-Winged Vajra Armor, races to merge with the armor after sensing Chen Yuan’s attack. Chen Yuan’s arrow still pierces his shoulder, revealing the overwhelming gap between them.
• Sha Gutong uses a healing Gu and unleashes his hidden trump card: an ancient close-combat technique supported by powerful qi and blood. Golden blade-wings emerge from his body, allowing him to attack Chen Yuan with tremendous speed and force.
• Chen Yuan easily counters him. He strikes Sha Gutong with several powerful techniques, including the Gouli Bloodflame God-Burning Seal and the Trailokyavijaya Demon-Subduing Mantra, driving him underground and severely injuring him.
• In their final clash, Chen Yuan catches Sha Gutong’s blade-wings barehanded, tears off his arms, and destroys the Six-Winged Vajra Armor with a single punch. Sha Gutong is left on the verge of death.
• Ran Agong confronts Sha Gutong publicly, accusing him of betraying the Myriad Gu Alliance. Sha Gutong mocks Ran Agong’s hypocrisy and reveals that he himself has been secretly cooperating with the Gu God Sect.
• Sha Gutong explains that he sent his son and Azure Miao Stockade’s elite Gu masters to the Gu God Sect by faking their deaths. He believes the Gu God Sect will eventually unify the Miao Borderlands, while the divided and hesitant Myriad Gu Alliance is doomed.
• Ran Agong kills Sha Gutong, apparently to silence him and distance himself from the revelations.
• Long Yao immediately challenges Ran Agong, implying that Sha Gutong exposed his true intentions. Ran Agong denies collusion, submits to Long Family Village, and promises to fight the Gu God Sect.
• The villages that once followed Ran Agong lose faith in him. They recognize that his self-preserving attitude could destroy the alliance and reluctantly accept Dragon Family Village’s leadership.

Character developments

• Chen Yuan: Demonstrates overwhelming physical strength and combat mastery. His ability to defeat Sha Gutong’s armor and blade-wings with his bare hands establishes him as a terrifying force even among powerful body cultivators.
• Sha Gutong: Revealed to be far more intelligent, patient, and strategic than his foolish appearance suggested. Although he is a traitor, he understands the political reality of the Miao Borderlands and has prepared a future for his people through the Gu God Sect.
• Ran Agong: Exposed as cautious, hypocritical, and primarily concerned with preserving himself and Black Miao Village. His killing of Sha Gutong appears less like righteous anger and more like an attempt to conceal his own doubts and avoid suspicion.
• Long Yao: Becomes more assertive as a political leader. She publicly confronts Ran Agong and reinforces Dragon Family Village’s authority over the alliance.
• The Myriad Gu Alliance: Experiences a major shift in internal power. The other villages lose confidence in Ran Agong and begin accepting Dragon Family Village’s leadership as necessary for survival.

Significant themes

• Unity versus division: The conflict between the Gu God Sect and the Myriad Gu Alliance shows that scattered clans cannot survive against a unified power.
• Political pragmatism: Sha Gutong’s betrayal is driven by his belief that the Gu God Sect is more likely to win. His actions suggest that choosing the eventual victor may be more important than remaining loyal to a failing alliance.
• Hypocrisy and self-preservation: Ran Agong represents leaders who speak of loyalty while secretly prioritizing their own survival. His exposed weakness damages his authority.
• Appearances versus reality: Sha Gutong’s foolish exterior conceals intelligence and long-term planning, while Ran Agong’s righteous appearance conceals fear and opportunism.
• The cost of indecision: The chapter argues that hesitation and fragmented leadership may destroy the Myriad Gu Alliance, especially when faced with the Gu God Sect’s decisive command structure.

Character interactions

• Chen Yuan and Sha Gutong: Their battle is the chapter’s central confrontation. Sha Gutong unveils his strongest technique, but Chen Yuan’s superior cultivation overwhelms him completely.
• Ran Agong and Sha Gutong: Their exchange exposes the alliance’s internal corruption. Sha Gutong openly condemns Ran Agong’s cowardice and predicts the alliance’s destruction.
• Ran Agong and Long Yao: Long Yao challenges Ran Agong’s motives after he kills Sha Gutong. Ran Agong is forced to humble himself and publicly affirm loyalty to Dragon Family Village.
• Ran Agong and the other villages: His followers begin distancing themselves from him after realizing that his cautious strategy could lead to the alliance’s collapse.

Chapter Summary: “Shifting the Balance of Attack and Defense”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sha Gutong dies, and Azure Miao Stockade is purged. Before surrendering to the Gu God Sect, Sha had secretly sent the stockade’s genuinely young elites away, leaving behind mostly elderly, weak, or disabled members.
• Ma Yougui is brought before Chen Yuan after identifying Sha Gutong. Although Ma believed Chen had promised to spare him, Chen exploits the wording of his promise and allows the Myriad Gu Alliance to execute him.
• Long Yao has Ma Yougui subjected to Myriad Gu Devouring the Heart, a traditional punishment in which each member uses a Gu worm to bite the condemned. Ma eventually dies and is reduced to a skeleton.
• Chen Yuan urges Long Yao to exploit the Alliance’s victory and attack the Gu God Sect before it can recover. Long Yao publicly calls for an all-out struggle against the Sect and begins consolidating support.
• Long Tiande supports Long Yao, while Ran Agong and Black Miao Village also declare their allegiance. Sha Gutong’s betrayal and death have destroyed Ran Agong’s former standing, leaving him little choice but to join Long Yao.
• Chen Yuan reorganizes the Alliance’s forces. Long Tiande remains in charge of the headquarters, while the available Spirit Gu Masters divide into attack teams. Chen Yuan leads a third force by himself.
• Chen Yuan proposes abandoning and evacuating the Alliance’s external strongholds. The Alliance will concentrate its people at Myriad Gu Hall and attack the Gu God Sect’s resource-rich Gu-cultivation grounds instead.
• This strategy quickly succeeds. In several days, the Alliance captures five strongholds, destroys six cultivation grounds, and kills four Gu God Sect elders. Chen Yuan personally kills two Spirit Gu Masters.
• The Gu God Sect’s counterattacks fail to gain resources because the Alliance has already evacuated its strongholds. Realizing that the Alliance is now plundering them rather than being gradually destroyed, the Sect recalls its scattered forces.
• The chapter ends with the introduction of Third Prince Zhao Jingyuan and Soul-Severing Spear Xue Ju. Zhao orders Xue Ju to kill Chen Jiutian once the Gu God Sect’s forces return, revealing that outside political forces are preparing to intervene.

Character Developments

• Chen Yuan demonstrates strategic insight and ruthless pragmatism. He uses the Alliance’s momentum, identifies its limited resources, and develops a strategy based on preserving people while stripping the Gu God Sect of its cultivation resources.
• Chen also seeks personal growth. He deliberately fights Spirit Gu Masters alone to temper his body and improve his combat strength without recklessly challenging true Divine Altar experts.
• Long Yao begins emerging as the legitimate young alliance master. Initially dependent on Chen Yuan’s guidance, she successfully turns his advice into a rallying speech and gains the support of the Alliance.
• Long Tiande reveals that he prioritizes Long Yao’s succession and the long-term future of the Myriad Gu Alliance over personal power. His support gives her authority.
• Ran Agong loses influence after Sha Gutong’s exposure but pragmatically submits to Long Yao to preserve his position and survival.
• Ma Yougui is shown to be naïve and desperate. His belief that Chen Yuan would spare him collapses when Chen exploits the literal wording of his promise.
• Zhao Jingyuan is anxious about the Gu God Sect’s losses and becomes willing to escalate the conflict by deploying Xue Ju.
• Xue Ju is portrayed as calm, disciplined, and dangerous, quietly maintaining his spear while preparing for assassination.

Significant Themes

• The reversal of power: The chapter’s central idea is that the balance between attack and defense has shifted. The Gu God Sect, once dominant, becomes the target of systematic raids.
• Resources versus territory: Chen Yuan argues that people matter more than individual strongholds. By abandoning territory and preserving personnel, the Alliance can force the enemy to gain nothing from its victories.
• Strategic adaptation: Success depends on changing tactics when circumstances change. The Alliance must stop defending every location and instead attack the Gu God Sect’s economic and cultivation foundation.
• Ruthlessness and justice: Ma Yougui’s execution and the punishment of Azure Miao traitors show the harsh moral code of the Miao Borderlands, where betrayal is repaid with ritualized violence.
• Leadership and legitimacy: Long Yao’s authority grows through victory, public resolve, and the backing of elders and allied villages.
• Combat as cultivation: Chen Yuan treats battle not only as warfare but also as a method of strengthening his body and preparing for higher realms.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Yuan and Ma Yougui: Chen verbally outmaneuvers Ma and permits his execution, emphasizing Chen’s cold pragmatism.
• Long Yao and the Myriad Gu Alliance: Long Yao publicly rallies the Alliance against the Gu God Sect and receives declarations of loyalty from Long Tiande’s followers and Ran Agong.
• Chen Yuan and Long Yao: Their relationship is strategically collaborative. Chen supplies the plan, while Long Yao delivers it publicly and builds political authority.
• Long Yao and Long Tiande: Long Tiande quietly supports Long Yao’s rise, treating her as the future of the Alliance.
• Chen Yuan and the Gu God Sect: Chen personally attacks the Sect’s elders, using them as both strategic targets and opponents against whom he can refine his strength.
• Zhao Jingyuan and Xue Ju: Zhao presses Xue Ju to intervene directly, while Xue’s calm demeanor contrasts with Zhao’s anxiety and highlights the threat posed by the incoming assassin.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhao Jingyuan explains why he intends to support the Gu God Sect against the Myriad Gu Alliance. He wants to preserve Ma Jiuxian’s influence so that Ma will provide a life-extending Gu insect for the emperor.
• Xue Ju warns Zhao that gaining such a treasure will not persuade the emperor to replace the crown prince. Zhao admits this is not his true goal: he plans to use the Time Gu to prolong the emperor’s life and deepen the crown prince’s despair.
• The Time Gu slows bodily aging rather than directly increasing lifespan. If the seventy-year-old emperor gains it, the crown prince—already over forty and waiting twenty-seven years since entering the Eastern Palace—could remain crown prince for another twenty years or more.
• Zhao believes this prolonged delay may drive the crown prince into rebellion. If the crown prince eventually ascends, the Dragon Vein and Human Sovereign Sword would reduce him to ordinary mortality and possibly leave him with little time to live.
• Zhao’s political position is outlined: the crown prince has the strongest foundation but is aging; the second prince is virtuous but lacks powerful support; the fourth prince is too young and inexperienced. Zhao, supported by his mother’s powerful family and her status as Imperial Noble Consort, sees himself as the strongest alternative.
• Xue Ju pledges to follow Zhao through any struggle, even rebellion. His loyalty stems from his lifelong devotion to Zhao’s mother, Song Zhiyan, who rescued him from servitude, trained him, and placed him in Zhao’s service. His loyalty also conceals a long-suppressed affection for her.
• Several days later, the Gu God Sect’s remaining elders meet after losing four Spirit Gu Master elders and six Gu-raising grounds in only seven days.
• The elders identify Chen Jiutian as the main cause of their defeats. After entering the Myriad Gu Alliance, Chen advanced directly to Origin Pill Realm Peak Perfection and killed three of the four fallen elders.
• The Gu God Sect hesitates to commit all its forces against Chen because its headquarters is a valuable blessed land and must be protected until Ma Jiuxian returns.
• Zhao Jingyuan and Xue Ju enter the meeting. Zhao claims he can force Chen Jiutian to withdraw because Chen’s Martial Suppression Hall has nominally submitted to Great Xia.
• When challenged about the limits of imperial authority in the Miao Borderlands, Zhao declares that if Chen refuses to retreat, he will kill him. Xue Ju and his Soul-Severing Spear are presented as the means of defeating Chen.

Character Developments

• Zhao Jingyuan is revealed as ambitious, calculating, and politically manipulative. His apparent concern for the emperor’s health is secondary to his plan to destabilize the crown prince and seize the throne.
• Xue Ju is shown to be completely devoted to Zhao Jingyuan. His willingness to support rebellion reflects both gratitude toward Song Zhiyan and his hidden romantic feelings for her.
• The crown prince emerges as a tragic political figure: despite decades of waiting, his age and the emperor’s potential longevity may prevent him from ever ruling meaningfully.
• Ma Zhongde is established as the loyal but cautious leader of the Gu God Sect’s elders. He prioritizes protecting the sect’s headquarters and fears failing Ma Jiuxian.
• Chen Jiutian gains the reputation of a decisive young powerhouse whose sudden breakthrough and battlefield success have overturned the Gu God Sect’s previous advantage.

Significant Themes

• Political ambition and succession: Zhao weaponizes the emperor’s lifespan and the crown prince’s frustration in his attempt to claim the throne.
• The cruelty of prolonged waiting: The title reflects the crown prince’s increasingly hopeless position after nearly three decades as heir apparent.
• Loyalty and debt: Xue Ju’s life is shaped by gratitude toward Song Zhiyan, demonstrating how personal indebtedness can become absolute political loyalty.
• Power versus legitimacy: Zhao relies on imperial status, while the Gu God Sect and Myriad Gu Alliance rely on martial strength and local influence.
• Aging, mortality, and authority: The Time Gu, the emperor’s age, and the life-shortening effects of coronation all connect physical lifespan with political power.
• Risk and responsibility: The Gu God Sect must balance eliminating Chen Jiutian against protecting its irreplaceable headquarters.

Character Interactions

• Zhao and Xue Ju debate whether helping the Gu God Sect is worthwhile, with Xue warning that the emperor’s favor cannot easily change the succession.
• Zhao reveals his true strategy to Xue, showing the depth of trust between them and the ruthlessness of his ambition.
• Xue’s internal reflections connect his obedience to Zhao with his unresolved feelings for Song Zhiyan.
• The Gu God Sect elders argue over how to respond to Chen Jiutian, but fear and uncertainty prevent them from committing their full strength.
• Zhao confronts the elders directly, asserting imperial authority and promising to handle Chen. His confidence clashes with Ma Zhongde’s skepticism about the court’s influence in the Miao Borderlands.

Plot and key events

• Zhao Jingyuan recruits the Gu God Sect to help him obtain a Time Gu, promising in return his support and friendship. Xue Ju, an Imperial Guard instructor, agrees to plan the campaign against Chen Jiutian.
• Xue Ju studies reports of Chen Jiutian’s victories and recognizes his exceptional strength. He devises a trap: the Gu God Sect will appear to defend three Gu-rearing grounds, while secretly positioning extra elders at two sites and spreading word that Ma Zhongde is guarding the distant Heavenfall Gorge.
• The Myriad Gu Alliance takes the bait. Four elders attack the two nearer grounds, while Chen Yuan leads Long Yao and a small force toward Heavenfall Gorge, hoping to eliminate Ma Zhongde.
• On the way, Chen Yuan notices the gorge is unusually far from the other grounds and reasons that the apparent defense is a deliberate setup aimed at him. He identifies Xue Ju as the likely mastermind.
• Rather than retreat, Chen Yuan decides to turn the ambush around and pursue Xue Ju. He knows Xue Ju is an eighth-level Divine Altar Realm Grandmaster, but has heard that an old injury makes his strength unstable. Chen Yuan hopes to use the fight to further hone his own combat ability, confident he can escape if necessary.

Character developments and interactions

• Xue Ju reveals himself as a careful strategist who respects Chen Yuan’s talent and warns the Gu God elders not to underestimate him. He coordinates closely with Zhao Jingyuan and Ma Zhongde.
• Zhao Jingyuan makes clear that his support is self-interested: he wants the Time Gu, the Gu God Hall, and influence beyond the Miao Borderlands.
• Ma Zhongde and the elders accept Xue Ju’s plan, trusting Zhao Jingyuan’s alliance and committing the sect to the operation.
• Chen Yuan demonstrates keen strategic judgment by detecting the trap from the geography and the enemy’s deployment. His confidence has grown after defeating several Spirit Gu Masters, and he seeks stronger opponents to test himself.
• Long Yao urges Chen Yuan to withdraw once the danger becomes clear, but Chen Yuan instead proposes counter-ambushing Xue Ju.

Significant themes

• Strategy versus direct force: Xue Ju’s layered deception contrasts with the Gu God Sect’s preference for straightforward combat; Chen Yuan proves equally perceptive by seeing through it.
• Growth through adversity: Chen Yuan treats powerful enemies as opportunities to sharpen his abilities.
• Alliance and self-interest: Zhao Jingyuan’s partnership is framed as useful to both sides, but driven by his own ambitions as much as by loyalty.
• Confidence and risk: Chen Yuan’s belief in his ability to survive lets him challenge a much stronger opponent, though the outcome remains uncertain.

Summary

• Chen Yuan turns the trap around. Rather than enter Heavenfall Gorge, where Xue Ju has prepared an ambush and a powerful Gu formation, Chen Yuan hides along the route to the other two Gu-rearing grounds. He expects Xue Ju to wait, then face a dilemma: stay in the gorge or leave to reinforce his allies.
• The waiting game breaks down. Zhao Jingyuan grows increasingly anxious that the Myriad Gu Alliance has not appeared and worries that failure will damage his standing in the Gu God Sect. Xue Ju remains cautious, warning Zhao not to assume he can make the proud, formidable Ma Jiuxian his subordinate. After three days, Zhao’s impatience forces Xue Ju to abandon the gorge and lead reinforcements toward the other sites.
• Chen Yuan launches his ambush. On a mountain trail, Xue Ju notices that the surrounding forest is unnaturally silent. Before the group can investigate, Chen Yuan attacks with a powerful arrow and swarms of Gu insects. Xue Ju deflects the arrow and recognizes that Chen Yuan has anticipated the trap.
• Zhao Jingyuan tries to recruit Chen Yuan. He offers Chen Yuan a powerful position if he will support Zhao’s bid for the throne. Chen Yuan rejects him bluntly, predicting that Zhao will never become crown prince, much less emperor. Xue Ju understands that Chen Yuan’s contempt is not merely for Zhao, but for the court itself.
• Chen Yuan and Xue Ju begin their duel. Xue Ju praises Chen Yuan’s rapid rise in cultivation but stresses that battle skill and experience matter as much as rank. He unleashes the power of a Divine Altar Realm grandmaster. Chen Yuan answers with the Chaos-Reversing Yin-Yang Spirit-Brightening Art and the Nine Deaths Netherworld Slash. Their attacks collide with devastating force, but the chapter ends before the outcome is known.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Yuan shows patience and strategic confidence, choosing to protect his own objectives rather than concern himself with the alliance’s losses. He also seeks a genuine test against a powerful opponent and refuses political patronage.
• Xue Ju proves disciplined and perceptive, detecting danger through the forest’s unnatural silence. His experience makes him a formidable fighter, and he treats Chen Yuan as a serious threat.
• Zhao Jingyuan is revealed as ambitious but politically naïve and easily unsettled. His eagerness to secure powerful allies overrides Xue Ju’s advice.
• Chen Yuan and Xue Ju move from a contest of strategy to a direct fight that will determine life and death. Chen Yuan and Zhao Jingyuan clash over recruitment and the succession struggle, while Xue Ju and Zhao show a clear difference in judgment: Xue is cautious; Zhao is driven by ambition.

Significant themes

• Patience versus impatience: Chen Yuan wins the strategic advantage by waiting, while Zhao’s anxiety forces Xue Ju to leave his prepared position.
• Strategy and adaptability: Both sides plan carefully, but Chen Yuan turns his opponent’s trap into an opportunity.
• Martial strength beyond cultivation rank: Xue Ju argues that experience, combat judgment, and killing intent are essential to mastery.
• Political ambition and naïveté: Zhao’s pursuit of allies reflects his desire for power, but Chen Yuan sees his approach as shallow and his prospects as poor.

Plot points

• Chen Yuan and Xue Ju begin a devastating duel, their attacks powerful enough to shake the surrounding battlefield and alarm the Miao Borderlands Gu Masters.
• Xue Ju’s spear techniques draw on the power of Heaven and Earth, while Chen Yuan counters with Chaos Power, merged Daoist-Buddhist-Demonic arts, and increasingly costly techniques.
• Chen Yuan uses the Son of Heaven Qi-Watching Art to spot an old injury: a partially healed crack in Xue Ju’s heart meridian. He has been directing hidden, penetrating force at it throughout their exchanges.
• The injury finally reopens, disrupting Xue Ju’s momentum. Chen Yuan seizes the opening and unleashes Sun and Moon Sharing the Sky, a supreme technique that breaks Xue Ju’s spear and leaves him gravely injured.
• Xue Ju urges Zhao Jingyuan to flee. Zhao, recognizing that he cannot fight Chen Yuan himself, abandons the battlefield.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Yuan proves both exceptionally powerful and tactically patient. Though his body is close to breaking under the strain of matching an Eighth-Level Divine Altar martial artist, he wins by identifying and exploiting Xue Ju’s hidden weakness rather than relying on strength alone.
• Xue Ju displays formidable discipline and spear mastery, but his old internal injury becomes decisive. Once defeated, he prioritizes protecting Zhao Jingyuan and warns him to escape.
• Zhao Jingyuan shifts from confidence that Chen Yuan is losing to urgent self-preservation. He had hoped to recruit Chen Jiutian, but decides that killing him would benefit his political ambitions—until Xue Ju’s defeat forces him to flee.
• Long Yao, fighting Imperial Guards nearby, watches Chen Yuan’s worsening condition with concern.

Significant themes

• Strategy alongside strength: Chen Yuan’s careful diagnosis and repeated probing turn a near-losing battle around.
• Power’s cost: Chen Yuan can briefly match Xue Ju’s realm-level force, but doing so severely damages his body.
• Ambition and loyalty: Zhao’s political calculations contrast with Xue Ju’s devotion to protecting his prince.
• Hidden vulnerabilities: Even apparently flawless techniques—and formidable warriors—can be undone by weaknesses concealed beneath the surface.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Yuan mocks Xue Ju for sacrificing himself to protect Zhao Jingyuan, who has already fled. Xue Ju’s memories reveal that his loyalty is actually to Zhao’s mother: she rescued him from abuse when he was young, and he has spent his life honoring his promise to protect her son.
• Believing Chen Yuan threatens the imperial court—and therefore the woman he serves—Xue Ju burns his Primordial Spirit to pursue and kill him, despite his already-damaged heart meridians.
• Chen Yuan turns to face him and unleashes a trace of the Hungry Ghost Path, summoning a shadowy Heavenly Halberd. Its power consumes vitality, including Chen Yuan’s own. Xue Ju’s spear-like punch meets Chen Yuan’s single halberd strike, and Xue Ju is completely devoured.
• Chen Yuan survives but is severely weakened. After taking restorative pills, he recovers enough to learn that Zhao Jingyuan escaped and the Myriad Gu Alliance failed to capture two other gu-rearing grounds.
• Chen Yuan orders a temporary withdrawal from further assaults. With Xue Ju dead, he expects the Gu God Sect to be manageable after the alliance rests and regroups.
• Back at the Myriad Gu Alliance, Long Yao is relieved to see Chen Yuan. They find her long-absent master waiting, and Long Yao greets her joyfully.

Character developments and interactions

• Xue Ju is revealed as a tragic, devoted protector. His allegiance is less to Zhao Jingyuan himself than to Zhao’s mother and the promise he made to her. He dies pursuing Chen Yuan, driven by loyalty and fear for her future.
• Chen Yuan demonstrates strategic restraint by fleeing Xue Ju’s overwhelming power, then decisiveness by using the Hungry Ghost Path when forced to fight. He recognizes its tremendous potential but also its steep physical cost: he can manage only one strike for now.
• Zhao Jingyuan escapes, but loses his strongest protector and suffers major setbacks, leaving him vulnerable when he returns to the capital.
• Long Yao shows concern for Chen Yuan and regret over Zhao’s escape. Chen Yuan reassures her and gives clear orders for regrouping rather than risking more losses.

Significant themes

• Devotion and its costs: Xue Ju’s life is shaped by a promise to the woman who saved him, even though the person he protects is cold and ungrateful.
• Power at a price: The Hungry Ghost Path can annihilate a formidable opponent, but using it rapidly drains Chen Yuan’s vitality and damages his body.
• Political ambition and loyalty: Xue Ju’s loyalty to the woman he serves outweighs any allegiance to the imperial court, while Zhao’s escape leaves his political prospects precarious.
• Pragmatism in conflict: Chen Yuan prioritizes survival and recovery, postponing further attacks until his forces are ready.

Key plot points and events

• Granny Dragon Ghost returns to the Myriad Gu Alliance after being trapped in the Soul-Severing Forest Secret Realm with Ma Jiuxian. They fought repeatedly but neither could defeat the other.
• Long Yao is overjoyed to see her master again. Granny Dragon Ghost thanks Chen Yuan for protecting Long Yao, Dragon Family Village, and the Alliance while she was away, and promises the Alliance’s full support.
• Granny Dragon Ghost reports that Ma Jiuxian plans to rally Gu God Sect forces and kill her. With the Sect weakened by Chen Yuan’s recent actions, she believes this is the Alliance’s best chance to defeat it and secure the Miao Borderlands—but admits she cannot beat Ma Jiuxian alone.
• Chen Yuan gives her the Six-Winged Golden Cicada and Blood Spirit Sky-Eyed Moth. Granny Dragon Ghost proposes temporarily combining them into an imitation Blood Spirit Heaven-Rending Gu to use against Ma Jiuxian, then refining Chen Yuan a true one later.
• Granny Dragon Ghost recognizes the Golden Cicada: it was raised by her cousin and stolen years earlier by Qin Honglian, who had been manipulated with a Love Gu. The insect’s return to Dragon Family Village feels like an unlikely turn of fate.

Character developments

• Granny Dragon Ghost returns as a powerful, principled figure whose loyalty and sense of obligation are stronger than her eccentric manner suggests. She remains wary of her own limitations but is ready to risk her Gu insects against the Gu God Sect.
• Chen Yuan shows both generosity and discernment: he readily entrusts Granny Dragon Ghost with valuable Gu insects because he trusts her character and respects her ambitions.
• Long Yao reveals her deep affection and dependence on her master through her emotional reunion.
• Ma Jiuxian is presented as a formidable but ruthless leader focused on power and control.

Significant themes

• Trust and reciprocity: Granny Dragon Ghost offers help in return for Chen Yuan’s support, while Chen Yuan’s trust enables her to pursue a larger goal.
• What makes a true master: Chen Yuan argues that a Grand Shaman is not simply someone who obtains legendary Gu, but someone who creates a new path and advances Gu cultivation.
• Ambition versus principle: Ma Jiuxian seeks power through others’ Gu, whereas Granny Dragon Ghost values original achievement and genuine progress.
• Fate and return: The Golden Cicada’s journey from Dragon Family Village to Chen Yuan and back suggests the strange convergence of past events.

Character interactions

• Long Yao embraces Granny Dragon Ghost, who affectionately rebukes her.
• Granny Dragon Ghost formally thanks Chen Yuan and pledges the Alliance’s aid.
• Chen Yuan and Granny Dragon Ghost discuss the coming conflict and the temporary use of his Gu insects; his praise of her ideals deeply moves her.
• Granny Dragon Ghost explains the Golden Cicada’s history, connecting Chen Yuan’s acquisition of it to her cousin’s tragic past.

Key plot points

• Chen Yuan learns that his Six-Winged Golden Cicada originally came from Dragon Family Village: Qin Honglian, one of the Five Ghosts of Yin Mountain, had been its disciple. The rare Gu has thus returned to its place of origin.
• While Granny Dragon Ghost refines a pseudo-Blood Spirit Heaven-Rending Gu and Chen Yuan recuperates, the Myriad Gu Alliance prepares to attack the weakened Gu God Sect.
• Back at the sect, Ma Jiuxian learns that the Alliance has destroyed many breeding grounds, killed four elders and his son, Ma Yougui. Enraged, he punishes elder Ma Zhongde and orders the sect to recall its disciples and activate the costly, irreversible Gu God Formation.
• Ma Jiuxian wants Chen Yuan captured alive and crippled so he can personally subject him to the Myriad Gu Heart-Devouring Punishment.
• Half a month later, the Alliance marches on Heavenly Gu Peak. The Gu God Sect is ready behind its formation. Granny Dragon Ghost and Ma Jiuxian exchange accusations over the future of the Gu Path before Granny deploys the pseudo-Blood Spirit Heaven-Rending Gu. It tears a huge breach in the formation, beginning the decisive battle.

Character developments and interactions

• Ma Jiuxian is revealed as ruthless and power-driven. Though he puts the sect’s survival ahead of openly mourning his son, he still intends to avenge him. He views Gu insects as expendable tools and is willing to sacrifice them all for victory.
• Granny Dragon Ghost remains committed to an older, more conservative Gu tradition and demonstrates formidable resourcefulness by using the pseudo-fierce Gu against the formation.
• Chen Yuan is recovering and preparing for the conflict; Ma Jiuxian’s demand to keep him alive makes him a personal target.
• Ma Zhongde voices concern about the formation’s cost but is quickly silenced by Ma Jiuxian’s violence and authority.
• Granny Dragon Ghost and Ma Jiuxian’s confrontation reflects the broader ideological conflict between the Alliance and the sect.

Significant themes

• Two visions of the Gu Path: Granny Dragon Ghost believes in coexistence with Gu insects and protecting the Miao Borderlands; Ma Jiuxian treats Gu as instruments of power and seeks expansion beyond it.
• Power and sacrifice: The Gu God Formation may save the sect, but it consumes the insects sustaining it.
• Tradition versus ambition: The rivals’ incompatible aims make compromise impossible, setting up a fight to the death.

Summary: “The Visitor from Soaring Clouds Grotto”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Granny Dragon Ghost uses the Blood Spirit Heaven-Rending Gu to tear open the powerful Gu God Formation, allowing the Myriad Gu Alliance to invade the Gu God Sect’s defenses.
• Ma Jiuxian leads the Gu God Sect in resisting the invasion. Although Granny Dragon Ghost has superior Gu Path attainment, Ma Jiuxian’s greater arsenal and combat resources previously gave him the advantage. The Blood Spirit Heaven-Rending Gu now allows her to suppress him.
• The battle becomes a desperate life-or-death struggle. Old Grandpa Zai abandons his schemes and fights seriously, while Chen Yuan engages a Spirit Gu Master and continues weakening the Gu God Formation.
• Chen Yuan, strengthened by his previous battle with Xue Ju and his increased adaptability to the Hungry Ghost Path, overwhelms and kills his opponent.
• Throughout the fight, Chen Yuan senses that he is being watched. The watcher is revealed to be a strange black-robed man with two faces and two Primordial Spirits, secretly waiting for Chen Yuan to finish his battle.
• The black-robed man traps Chen Yuan inside the Great Black Heaven Sealing Essence Formation, an extremely powerful dark formation personally developed by his master. His intervention also gives Ma Jiuxian an opportunity to attack Granny Dragon Ghost while Chen Yuan is isolated.
• The black-robed man demands the Fate Stone Chen Yuan acquired in the Heaven-Piercing Tower and reveals that he serves the Master of Soaring Clouds Grotto.
• Chen Yuan recognizes the master as an ancient and repeatedly defeated figure who was once crushed by Qin Wuye. He deliberately mocks the Master of Soaring Clouds Grotto, though he remains cautious because of the master’s longevity, hidden abilities, and influence over various factions.
• The black-robed man attacks Chen Yuan with two Heavenly Weapons: a sinister black sword and a curved hook that produces a vast river of blood.
• Revealed as an Eighth-Level Divine Altar Realm Grandmaster, the attacker can operate his two Primordial Spirits simultaneously, using two separate powers and techniques at once.
• Chen Yuan responds with his strongest methods, including the Chaos-Reversing Yin-Yang Spirit-Brightening Art, the power of the Primordial Unity Divine Pill, and the Black Dragon Visualization. However, the attacker’s Sword Qi and blood river break apart the Black Dragon Visualization, leaving Chen Yuan in a dangerous confrontation.

Character Developments

• Chen Yuan demonstrates sharper perception, greater physical strength, and improved control over Hungry Ghost Path power after his battle with Xue Ju. He also reveals his caution and strategic awareness by recognizing the danger posed by the Master of Soaring Clouds Grotto.
• Granny Dragon Ghost gains the upper hand over Ma Jiuxian after acquiring the Blood Spirit Heaven-Rending Gu, shifting the battlefield balance in favor of the Myriad Gu Alliance.
• Ma Jiuxian is forced into a defensive struggle. When Chen Yuan is trapped, he immediately exploits the situation to regain momentum against Granny Dragon Ghost.
• The black-robed attacker is introduced as a highly unusual and dangerous servant of the Master of Soaring Clouds Grotto. His two-faced body and dual Primordial Spirits give him extraordinary combat versatility.
• The Master of Soaring Clouds Grotto remains offstage but emerges as a major hidden antagonist. His inability to appear openly and his reliance on servants suggest that he is still evading powerful enemies while manipulating events from the shadows.

Significant Themes

• Hidden threats and vigilance: Chen Yuan’s sense that he is being watched proves correct, emphasizing the danger of overlooking unseen enemies during a chaotic battlefield.
• Old powers returning: The Master of Soaring Clouds Grotto, an ancient figure with a history of defeat, is once again influencing the martial world through agents and secret schemes.
• Adaptation through conflict: Chen Yuan’s near-exhaustion and loss of vitality ultimately strengthen his body and improve his compatibility with Hungry Ghost Path power.
• Pride and provocation: Chen Yuan mocks the Master of Soaring Clouds Grotto’s humiliating history, using contempt as psychological pressure while privately treating him as a serious threat.
• Power through unusual methods: The black-robed man’s simultaneous use of two Primordial Spirits and two cultivation systems demonstrates how bizarre, forbidden, or unconventional techniques can challenge conventional strength.
• Shifting battlefield alliances: The conflict between the Gu God Sect and Myriad Gu Alliance is disrupted by an outside force, showing how larger hidden agendas can overturn an established battle.

Character Interactions

• Granny Dragon Ghost vs. Ma Jiuxian: Their duel shifts from Ma Jiuxian’s previous dominance to Granny Dragon Ghost’s suppression after she obtains the Blood Spirit Heaven-Rending Gu.
• Chen Yuan vs. the Gu God Sect elder: Chen Yuan overwhelmingly dominates the Spirit Gu Master and kills him with the Maudgalyayana Hell-Piercing Arrow followed by a single slash.
• Chen Yuan and the black-robed man: The black-robed man tries to intimidate Chen Yuan into surrendering the Fate Stone, while Chen Yuan responds with ridicule and refuses to show fear.
• The black-robed man and his master: The servant speaks reverently and cautiously about the Master of Soaring Clouds Grotto, emphasizing his loyalty and fear of exposing their master to old enemies.
• The black-robed man’s two personalities: His two faces speak independently, creating an eerie duality that reflects his ability to wield two powers and Primordial Spirits simultaneously.
• Ma Jiuxian and the unknown intervention: Although Ma Jiuxian does not know who trapped Chen Yuan, he immediately benefits from the disruption and attacks Granny Dragon Ghost more aggressively.

Chapter Summary: “Demonic Spear Breaks the Formation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Yuan battles a terrifying black-robed opponent with Two Souls in One—two Primordial Spirits sharing a single body. Though each soul is only at the early Divine Altar Realm, their perfectly coordinated attacks make them comparable to two grandmasters fighting together.
• The black-robed man destroys Chen Yuan’s Black Dragon Visualization and combines sinister sword qi, hook techniques, blood power, and Heaven-and-Earth energy to suppress him.
• Chen Yuan activates the Primordial Unity Divine Pill and uses several powerful techniques:

Nine Deaths Netherworld Slash

Bloodslaughter Heaven-Calamity Hand

Gouli Bloodflame God-Burning Seal

Tara Mother Obstacle-Breaking Karma-Subduing Mantra

• The Buddhist mantra briefly disrupts the two Primordial Spirits, allowing Chen Yuan to injure and repel the black-robed man. However, the opponent quickly recovers because his dual spirits can resist spiritual attacks.
• The black-robed man unleashes a massive crimson taiji formation, combining sinister qi and blood power to reinforce the Great Black Heaven Sealing Essence Formation and crush Chen Yuan.
• Using the Son of Heaven Qi-Watching Art, Chen Yuan sees that the fusion of the two Primordial Spirits is incomplete and contains flaws. However, he lacks the spiritual power to separate them directly.
• Chen Yuan counters with Sun and Moon Sharing the Sky, merging Yin and Yang and unleashing overwhelming radiance. Despite its strength, the attack cannot break the sealing formation.
• Refusing to reveal his Hungry Ghost Path abilities or risk damaging his vitality, Chen Yuan uses his hidden trump card: the Netherworld Demonic Weapon Corpse Grove.
• Corpse Grove erupts from Chen Yuan’s arm as a terrifying bone spear formed from demonic and corpse qi. It pierces through the black-robed man, nearly killing him, and then tears apart the Great Black Heaven Sealing Essence Formation.
• As the formation collapses, Chen Yuan sees that Granny Dragon Ghost has been fighting Ma Jiuxian outside while attempting to rescue him.
• Using Corpse Grove’s remaining power, Chen Yuan launches a surprise attack on Ma Jiuxian. Ma Jiuxian’s defensive Gu insect is pierced, and the demonic spear punches a fist-sized hole through his back.

Character Developments

• Chen Yuan demonstrates extraordinary combat ability far beyond what should be possible for his Origin Pill Realm cultivation. He remains resourceful under extreme pressure and carefully chooses which trump cards to reveal.
• He shows strategic restraint by refusing to use the Hungry Ghost Path, recognizing that doing so could expose his identity and might fail to break the formation.
• Chen Yuan reveals the terrifying growth potential of Corpse Grove, which has absorbed his qi and blood over time and become stronger than ordinary Divine-Artifact Avatars.
• The black-robed man’s arrogance turns into shock and fear after Corpse Grove pierces him. His confidence in his two-souled advantage is badly shaken.
• Granny Dragon Ghost is shown risking herself to save Chen Yuan, while Ma Jiuxian actively obstructs her and becomes the target of Chen Yuan’s counterattack.
• Ma Jiuxian, previously focused on preventing Granny Dragon Ghost’s intervention, is caught off guard by Chen Yuan’s sudden escape and suffers a devastating injury.

Significant Themes

• Hidden power and controlled revelation: Chen Yuan possesses multiple secret abilities but must decide which can be safely used without exposing his identity or harming himself.
• Strength versus technique: The black-robed man’s strength comes from perfect coordination between two souls, while Chen Yuan counters through observation, adaptability, and overwhelming force.
• Incomplete perfection: The black-robed man’s seemingly flawless Two Souls in One technique contains hidden flaws, suggesting that even powerful transformations have limitations.
• Desperation and sacrifice: Chen Yuan damages his own body and expends a precious demonic weapon to escape an otherwise lethal confinement.
• Reversal of power: The chapter shifts from Chen Yuan being completely suppressed to the black-robed man and Ma Jiuxian both suffering sudden, unexpected blows.

Character Interactions

• Chen Yuan vs. the black-robed man: Their battle dominates the chapter. The black-robed man relies on synchronized sword-and-hook attacks, while Chen Yuan answers with layered divine, demonic, Buddhist, and Yin-Yang techniques.
• Chen Yuan and the two Primordial Spirits: Chen Yuan’s mantra briefly disrupts them, exposing the limits of their fusion, but their shared body allows them to recover almost immediately.
• Granny Dragon Ghost vs. Ma Jiuxian: Granny Dragon Ghost attempts to reach and rescue Chen Yuan, while Ma Jiuxian fights to stop her outside the sealing formation.
• Chen Yuan vs. Ma Jiuxian: After escaping, Chen Yuan redirects Corpse Grove’s final power toward Ma Jiuxian, catching him unprepared and severely wounding him.

Chapter Summary: “A Cunning Rabbit Has Three Burrows”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Yuan breaks free from the Great Black Heaven Sealing Essence Formation and unleashes Corpse Grove, severely injuring Ma Jiuxian and crippling his own right arm in the process.
• Granny Dragon Ghost takes advantage of Ma Jiuxian’s weakened state. Using three peak-tier Gu insects, including the imitation Blood Spirit Heaven-Rending Gu, she tears Ma Jiuxian apart and apparently kills him.
• The mysterious black-robed enemy escapes before Chen Yuan or Granny Dragon Ghost can pursue him. Chen explains that the man was sent by one of his powerful enemies and had already used a secret escape technique.
• With Ma Jiuxian seemingly dead, the Gu God Sect collapses. Its members flee, surrender, or are killed by the Myriad Gu Alliance, which has a deep blood feud with the sect.
• The Alliance loots Heavenly Gu Peak. The Gu God Formation has exhausted the area’s Gu insects and damaged its spiritual energy, making the peak unusable as a Gu-raising site for many years.
• After the Alliance leaves, the wounded black-robed man returns to Heavenly Gu Peak. He reveals that he and his companion were sent by their master to retrieve the Fate Stone, but their mission failed and their vessel was badly damaged by Chen Yuan’s Divine-Artifact Avatar.
• Seeking compensation for their failure, the black-robed man uncovers a giant cocoon buried beneath the mountain. Inside is a younger version of Ma Jiuxian.
• Ma Jiuxian survived through a rare Rebirth Silkworm, a Gu insect that creates a second body containing its owner’s flesh, blood, spirit, and memories. The cocoon allowed him to reincarnate after his apparent death.
• Ma Jiuxian awakens weak, without Gu insects or allies. The black-robed man offers him protection and a place under his master, promising that he may eventually regain his strength and rise to become a Grand Shaman.

Character Developments

• Chen Yuan demonstrates overwhelming explosive power through Corpse Grove, but the technique leaves him seriously weakened and temporarily disables his right arm. He recognizes that his inability to pursue the black-robed enemy is due to his depleted condition.
• Granny Dragon Ghost proves decisive and ruthless, immediately killing Ma Jiuxian’s apparent body and enforcing the Alliance’s victory without hesitation. Although fair, she shows no mercy toward enemies responsible for bloodshed.
• Ma Jiuxian is revealed to be exceptionally cautious and prepared. His use of the Rebirth Silkworm confirms that he had secretly arranged a second chance, embodying the idea of a “cunning rabbit with three burrows.” However, his reborn body is fragile, and he has lost his sect, Gu insects, and political power.
• The black-robed man and his companion are shown to fear their master’s judgment more than their injuries. Their failed mission has placed them in danger, motivating them to recruit Ma Jiuxian as compensation.
• The Myriad Gu Alliance shifts from a besieged coalition into the victorious force controlling the aftermath, though its members’ personal hatred makes the cleanup especially brutal.

Significant Themes

• Preparation and hidden survival plans: Ma Jiuxian’s Rebirth Silkworm represents the value of leaving oneself multiple escape routes. His survival was the result of a seemingly insignificant precaution made years earlier.
• The cost of power: Chen Yuan’s devastating technique can change the battle’s outcome but severely damages his body and limits his ability to act afterward.
• Revenge and justice: The Alliance’s treatment of the Gu God Sect reflects the deep cycle of violence between the two factions. Surrender does not guarantee safety because past crimes must still be judged.
• Failure and usefulness: The black-robed men’s fear of their master highlights a harsh hierarchy in which only useful subordinates are valued.
• Identity and rebirth: Ma Jiuxian’s new body preserves his memories but not his former status or strength, forcing him to rebuild himself from nothing.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Yuan and Granny Dragon Ghost cooperate after escaping the formation, with Chen warning her not to pursue the fleeing black-robed enemy.
• Granny Dragon Ghost’s attack completes Chen Yuan’s assault on Ma Jiuxian, making their combined efforts responsible for the Gu God Sect’s apparent defeat.
• The black-robed pair assess their losses and argue over how to compensate their master before discovering Ma Jiuxian’s hidden cocoon.
• Ma Jiuxian awakens hostile and alarmed, immediately recalling Chen Yuan and Granny Dragon Ghost as the people who destroyed him.
• The black-robed man then offers Ma Jiuxian a deal: protection and the chance to regain his former power in exchange for serving their mysterious master.