Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “This Child Cannot Be Allowed to Live”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Ziyi, the strongest member of the younger generation of the Archaic Qin Household, battles Lu Chen—currently disguised as “Lu Bufan”—at the Void Eighth Pass.
• Qin Ziyi is shocked to discover that Lu Chen possesses a body-refining cultivation comparable to her own Chaos Sword Body. Their close-combat exchange reveals that Lu Chen’s strength continues to rise during the fight.
• Lu Chen eventually forces Qin Ziyi back with a punch, stunning the watching Qin Household members and proving that he may surpass even their celebrated big sister in physical strength.
• Qin Ziyi becomes increasingly furious because Lu Chen has seized her seven flying swords. She unleashes more of her Chaos energy and uses increasingly powerful attacks.
• Lu Chen reveals internally that he cultivates the ancient Five-Element Body-Refining Technique. His body has already reached the Middle Iron Bone Stage, and he hopes to eventually attain the Five-Element Tyrant Body, an unparalleled physique once possessed by the fallen Five Elements Immortal Sect.
• Qin Ziyi unleashes her ultimate punch. Although it sends Lu Chen flying backward, he remains confident that she has not defeated him and views her as an ideal opponent for tempering his body.
• Qin Ziyi then uses Sword-Body Unity, transforming into an immense beam of Chaotic Sword Light. Lu Chen catches and restrains the attack with his bare hands, but the sword qi pierces his flesh and drives him through a stone mountain more than ten miles away.
• The collision destroys the entire mountain, leaving the spectators stunned by the combat power of two Golden Core cultivators. Their strength appears comparable to that of Nascent Soul patriarchs.
• Liu Yan’er, Shen Li, and Tang Xiaoman realize that the unassuming man they had considered robbing earlier is extraordinarily powerful. They regret even considering offending him.
• In the Grand Void Immortal Hall, the leaders of the five Ancient Desolate Aristocratic Clans and the Grand Void Immortal Sect observe the battle through a bronze mirror. The Qin Household head recognizes Lu Chen as a major threat and concludes that “this child cannot be allowed to live.”

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Demonstrates overwhelming physical strength, resilience, and composure. He remains calm even when Qin Ziyi’s attacks force him back and sees the battle as an opportunity to refine his Five-Element Body. His ambitions are also revealed: he seeks to cultivate the legendary Five-Element Tyrant Body and improve Qin Ziyi’s stolen flying swords into Divine Artifacts.
• Qin Ziyi: Her pride and anger intensify as Lu Chen refuses to return her swords. Despite losing her weapons, she displays terrifying combat ability through her Chaos Sword Body and Sword-Body Unity. Her frustration ultimately turns into genuine killing intent.
• Ye Xianliu: Acknowledges that Qin Ziyi surpasses him, while still distinguishing her personal strength from the overall power of the Ancient Desolate Ye Household.
• Liu Yan’er, Shen Li, and Tang Xiaoman: Shift from considering Lu Chen a potential target to recognizing him as someone who must be respected and never provoked.
• Qin Household Head: Becomes wary of Lu Chen after witnessing him fight Qin Ziyi to a standstill and decides that Lu Chen represents a dangerous future threat.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and mistaken identity: Lu Chen’s ordinary appearance conceals an extraordinary physique and combat ability, causing others to underestimate him.
• Rivalry between supreme talents: The battle pits Qin Ziyi’s Supreme Chaos Spiritual Root and Chaos Sword Body against Lu Chen’s Five-Element Body, presenting two rare and potentially world-shaking paths of cultivation.
• Body refinement and transcendence: Lu Chen’s ambitions connect the current battle to the legendary Five-Element Tyrant Body, suggesting that his ultimate goal is to reach a level beyond ordinary cultivators and even challenge Nascent Soul experts physically.
• Power creates danger: Lu Chen’s performance attracts the attention of the highest authorities. His strength, rather than earning admiration alone, makes him a target for elimination.
• Weapons and opportunity: While Qin Ziyi focuses on recovering her stolen flying swords, Lu Chen views them as resources that can be reforged and upgraded, highlighting their contrasting priorities.

Character Interactions

• Lu Chen and Qin Ziyi: Their confrontation evolves from a contest over the stolen flying swords into a deadly battle between rival physiques. Qin Ziyi demands their return and threatens Lu Chen, while he calmly challenges her to take them back by force.
• Lu Chen and the spectators: His display of power changes the surrounding cultivators’ attitudes from possible hostility to fear and respect.
• Ye Xianliu and Qin Ziyi: Ye Xianliu privately recognizes Qin Ziyi as superior to himself, though he rejects the idea that this makes the Qin Household stronger than the Ye Household overall.
• Qin Household Head and Lu Chen: After witnessing Lu Chen’s battle through the bronze mirror, the Qin Household head identifies him as a dangerous emerging figure and resolves that he must be eliminated.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• In the Grand Void Immortal Sect, the Qin Household head develops murderous intentions toward Lu Chen after witnessing his strength in the Grand Void Mirror. He fears Lu Chen’s future growth and considers eliminating him.
• Several elders warn that Lu Chen may be backed by an ancient expert. The Grand Void Sect Master declares that Lu Chen must be protected by the sect’s rules while challenging the passes.
• During his battle with Qin Ziyi, Lu Chen is driven backward by her transformed Chaotic Sword Light. Although his powerful body withstands the attack, his palms are cut and begin bleeding.
• Lu Chen realizes that he must further cultivate the Five-Element Body-Refining Art, reaching the major-completion stage of the Iron Bone realm, if he wants to fully resist Qin Ziyi’s Chaos Sword Qi.
• He considers using the Godslayer Dagger to defeat her, but senses an unseen danger watching him. Rather than risk exposing the dagger or escalating the battle, he withdraws.
• Qin Ziyi pursues him because Lu Chen has taken her seven flying swords. Ye Xianliu follows as well, eager to observe their high-level battle.
• After Lu Chen and Qin Ziyi leave, surrounding cultivators attack the Qin Household disciples, openly citing the Household’s habit of killing others and seizing their treasures. Qin Jian admits that the Qin Household killed Lu Chen, provoking a large-scale clash.
• Shen Li, Liu Yan’er, and Tang Xiaoman avoid the battle and decide to challenge the passes first, planning to reunite with Lu Chen at the Immortal Ascension Road. Liu Yan’er’s God-Slaying Forbidden Curse confirms that Lu Chen is still alive.
• Lu Chen repeatedly attempts to shake Qin Ziyi but cannot lose her. He deliberately heads toward Purgatory Gorge, the most dangerous location in the Eighth Void Pass and a place connected to the Yin Corpse Sect.
• Qin Ziyi follows him despite recognizing the immense danger. At the gorge’s entrance, she demands the return of her seven flying swords and offers to meet whatever conditions Lu Chen names.
• Lu Chen responds teasingly, asking whether he may truly name “any terms,” ending the chapter on a provocative cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Demonstrates impressive physical endurance, speed, and tactical judgment. Though capable of using the Godslayer Dagger, he chooses retreat after sensing hidden observers, showing caution rather than recklessness. He also deliberately uses Purgatory Gorge to control the pursuit.
• Qin Ziyi: Her strength is confirmed through the destructive power of her Chaos Sword Qi. Despite being unable to catch Lu Chen easily, she remains determined and composed, pursuing him to recover her flying swords.
• Qin Household Head: Reveals his fear and hostility toward Lu Chen, viewing him as a future threat who should be killed if he cannot be controlled.
• Shen Li and Liu Yan’er: Show strategic restraint by refusing to become involved in the Qin Household battle. Their decision reflects trust that Lu Chen remains alive and a focus on reaching the next stage of the trial.
• Qin Household Disciples: Become vulnerable once Qin Ziyi leaves, exposing the resentment others hold toward the Qin Household.
• Grand Void Sect Elders and Sect Master: Establish that Lu Chen’s challenge is being monitored by the highest authorities and that sect rules will prevent covert interference.

Significant Themes

• Fear of rising power: Lu Chen’s extraordinary talent threatens established powers, especially the Qin Household.
• Rules versus hidden schemes: Although the Grand Void Immortal Sect enforces formal rules, powerful figures still harbor secret intentions and murderous plans.
• Strength and restraint: Lu Chen’s ability to retreat instead of immediately revealing his divine weapon emphasizes strategic survival over pride.
• Consequences of oppression: The Qin Household’s history of killing and plundering causes other cultivators to retaliate the moment its protection disappears.
• Risk and pursuit: Lu Chen turns a disadvantageous pursuit into a calculated gamble by leading Qin Ziyi toward Purgatory Gorge.

Character Interactions

• The elders confront the Qin Household head over his intention to harm Lu Chen, while the Sect Master firmly warns everyone against violating the sect’s rules.
• Lu Chen and Qin Ziyi engage in a destructive battle, followed by a high-speed pursuit driven by her desire to reclaim her swords.
• The Qin Household disciples clash with surrounding cultivators after Qin Jian openly confirms Lu Chen’s killing.
• Shen Li, Liu Yan’er, and Tang Xiaoman coordinate their escape and agree to continue challenging the passes.
• At Purgatory Gorge, Qin Ziyi shifts from combat to negotiation, asking Lu Chen to return her swords. Lu Chen answers with a deliberately suggestive counterquestion, setting up their next confrontation.

Chapter Summary

Plot and events

Lu Chen and Qin Ziyi race to the entrance of Purgatory Gorge. Qin Ziyi, desperate to recover the seven top-grade flying swords Lu Chen stole from her, promises to grant him any reasonable condition. Lu Chen jokingly—or provocatively—asks her to dual cultivate with him. Qin Ziyi is shocked and embarrassed, offering instead to swear by the Heavenly Dao that she will perform three righteous favors for him. Lu Chen refuses to return the swords without a guarantee and deliberately enters Purgatory Gorge, forcing Qin Ziyi to pursue him.
Inside the gorge, Lu Chen conceals his aura and cautiously navigates the death-filled landscape. He passes the site of the previous Qin Household ambush, where Qin Fan’s enormous handprint remains. Remembering how narrowly he escaped death by hiding in the Yin-Yang Space, Lu Chen carefully avoids the area and continues deeper into the gorge.
Meanwhile, in Void City, Qin Fan learns that all the subordinates he sent to the Void Eighth Pass to kill Lu Chen have died. Enraged and humiliated that a supposedly weak Qi Refining cultivator has caused such losses, he orders his black-clad trump card to enter the Ancient Immortal Secret Realm using an Ascension Token rather than risk himself. Qin Fan intends for the man to kill Lu Chen if Lu Chen survives the Thirteen Void Passes and reaches the secret realm.
Qin Fan then meets Qin Lie, who provides an Avatar War Puppet capable of unleashing a full-strength Peak Golden Core attack while being controlled by only a wisp of divine sense. Qin Fan plans to use the puppet to enter the Ancient Immortal Secret Realm because he has already advanced to the Nascent Soul Realm and therefore cannot enter personally. Qin Lie criticizes this as cowardly and shortsighted, noting that the Qin Household’s other leading heirs have suppressed their cultivation so they can enter the realm themselves. Qin Fan nevertheless activates the puppet, vowing to kill Lu Chen there.

Character developments

• Lu Chen displays confidence, cunning, and a mischievous sense of humor. He exploits Qin Ziyi’s desperation, refuses to be tricked into returning the swords, and chooses the dangerous gorge rather than surrender his advantage. His fear of Qin Fan’s previous attack also shows that, beneath his bravado, he remains wary and strategic.
• Qin Ziyi is revealed to be powerful but emotionally flustered by Lu Chen’s provocative demand. Despite her anger and pride as the Qin Household’s leading young woman, she becomes anxious enough to pursue him into Purgatory Gorge.
• Qin Fan becomes increasingly furious and obsessed with eliminating Lu Chen. His reliance on subordinates and the Avatar War Puppet reveals his unwillingness to personally face danger, contrasting with the other Qin heirs.
• Qin Lie acts as a skeptical elder and political evaluator. He supports Qin Fan but doubts his judgment and courage.
• The unnamed black-clad subordinate is established as Qin Fan’s hidden trump card and future threat to Lu Chen.

Significant themes

• Cunning versus raw strength: Lu Chen survives and maintains control through deception, timing, and unusual abilities rather than superior cultivation.
• Pride and humiliation: Qin Ziyi’s outrage and Qin Fan’s fury both stem from wounded pride after being outmaneuvered by Lu Chen.
• Courage versus self-preservation: Qin Fan’s use of the puppet contrasts with the Qin Household heirs who deliberately remain at Peak Golden Core to personally pursue opportunities in the secret realm.
• Power and manipulation: Lu Chen uses the flying swords as leverage, while Qin Fan uses subordinates, political ambition, and the war puppet to pursue his goals.
• Danger beneath apparent weakness: Lu Chen is dismissed as a “trash” because of his low cultivation, yet repeatedly defeats or survives stronger opponents.

Character interactions

• Lu Chen and Qin Ziyi engage in a tense, teasing negotiation over her swords, with Lu Chen deliberately embarrassing her and Qin Ziyi attempting to bargain her way out of his demand. Their rivalry combines hostility, frustration, and provocative humor.
• Qin Fan commands his black-clad subordinate and warns him not to jeopardize his role as a trump card.
• Qin Fan and Qin Lie disagree over strategy: Qin Fan believes using the Avatar War Puppet is intelligent, while Qin Lie sees it as evidence of cowardice and poor judgment.
• The chapter ends with Qin Fan activating the puppet and renewing his personal vendetta against Lu Chen.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• In Void City, Li Yunsheng learns that Qin Fan has sent an Avatar War Puppet into the Ancient Immortal Secret Realm to target Lu Chen. She mocks Qin Fan for refusing to enter personally and decides to respond with her own war puppet.
• Li Yunsheng reveals that her Avatar War Puppet was forged from Millennium Frost-Iron and can unleash the full power of a Half-Step Nascent Soul cultivator. She intends to confront Qin Fan directly in defense of Lu Chen.
• Lu Chen, unaware of Qin Fan’s assassination attempt, explores Purgatory Gorge, the Eighth of the Thirteen Void Passes. He encounters a wandering spirit but destroys it with his powerful qi and blood.
• He discovers a large force of Yin Corpse Sect disciples controlling nearly every zombie in the gorge with Puppet Corpse Gu. The disciples are gathering and directing a massive zombie army toward the depths of Purgatory Gorge.
• Lu Chen observes the masked woman leading the Yin Corpse Sect and a gigantic, unusually powerful zombie accompanying her.
• The zombie army encounters a colossal white tiger ferocious spirit. A fierce battle begins as the tiger tears through the zombies.
• At that moment, the formation spirit of the Thirteen Void Passes announces that pass-clearing missions have begun. Completing missions will grant valuable rewards and allow challengers to advance.
• Lu Chen receives the first mission of the Eighth Pass: kill the Corpse King in Purgatory Gorge. The reward is a Nascent Soul Pill, and successful completion will teleport the victor directly to the Ninth Pass.
• The news causes the entire Eighth Pass to erupt in excitement, with countless cultivators rushing toward Purgatory Gorge to compete for the prize.

Character Developments

• Li Yunsheng is shown as ambitious, resilient, and fiercely protective of Lu Chen. Her rise from an ignored concubine-born daughter to the sect’s key trainee underscores her extraordinary determination. She now possesses enough influence and power to challenge Qin Fan’s schemes.
• Qin Fan is established as a hidden enemy willing to use an Avatar War Puppet to assassinate Lu Chen rather than confront him directly.
• Lu Chen continues to grow more alert and capable. Although briefly frightened by the wandering spirit, he quickly destroys it and recognizes the danger posed by the Yin Corpse Sect’s preparations. The mission announcement forces him into a major new challenge.
• Li Haotian’s downfall is emphasized. Once favored because of his Supreme Sword Spirit Root, he has lost his privileged position and resources after Li Yunsheng surpassed him.

Significant Themes

• Overcoming an oppressive origin: Li Yunsheng’s rise from a neglected concubine-born child to a sect prodigy highlights perseverance and defiance of social hierarchy.
• Loyalty and protection: Lu Chen has become Li Yunsheng’s “reverse scale,” making his enemies her enemies and motivating her to risk confrontation with Qin Fan.
• The necessity of true trials: The chapter contrasts indirect methods, such as Avatar War Puppets, with genuine cultivation through danger, combat, and life-and-death experiences.
• Competition and opportunity: The pass-clearing missions transform the secret realm into an even more intense battlefield, where danger offers the possibility of enormous rewards.
• Hidden dangers and escalating conflict: The zombie army, the ferocious spirit, Qin Fan’s assassination attempt, and the Corpse King mission all indicate that the challenges ahead will be far more dangerous than ordinary exploration.

Character Interactions

• Li Yunsheng’s subordinate reports Qin Fan’s actions, while maid Hong Shang reacts with surprise when Li Yunsheng reveals her own Avatar War Puppet.
• Li Yunsheng openly declares her intention to confront Qin Fan and protect Lu Chen.
• Lu Chen observes the masked Yin Corpse Sect leader directing her disciples and their zombie army, though he remains hidden and does not yet confront them.
• The Yin Corpse Sect’s zombie horde clashes with the white tiger ferocious spirit, creating the immediate battlefield around which the new mission is announced.
• The mission announcement unites and redirects countless challengers, all competing to kill the Corpse King and obtain the Nascent Soul Pill.

Chapter Summary: “The Good Show Was Finally About to Begin”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Chen is betrayed by Qin Fan, who orders an attack on him at the teleportation platform. Although Lu Chen possesses an Ascension Token that should have taken him directly to the Summit of the Void, he is instead forcibly sent to the Eighth Void Pass, known as Purgatory.
• A trial mission is issued throughout Purgatory. The primary objective is to hunt the Corpse King, with a Nascent Soul Pill offered as the reward.
• Lu Chen realizes that the Yin Corpse Sect has entered Purgatory specifically to capture the Corpse King. The sect had discovered a Half-Step Corpse King there 120 years earlier and spent that time preparing for this opportunity.
• The Corpse King has since evolved into a true Corpse King, making the mission far more dangerous. Nevertheless, the reward is so valuable that numerous Golden Core cultivators and rogue cultivators rush toward Purgatory Gorge.
• Lu Chen decides to follow behind the Yin Corpse Sect, allowing them to confront the danger first so he can potentially benefit from the aftermath.
• The Yin Corpse Sect initially hesitates after learning of the Corpse King’s transformation, but Sect Master Yin Suchang ultimately orders the Zombie army to continue advancing.
• Lu Chen detects other hidden cultivators waiting to take advantage of the conflict, confirming that several groups intend to profit from the battle.
• The advancing army reaches a massive Bone Mountain topped by an enormous skull. A terrifying aura emanates from within it, strongly suggesting that the Corpse King is concealed inside.
• The Yin Corpse Sect surrounds the Bone Mountain and prepares to attack, while Lu Chen watches from hiding, anticipating the imminent confrontation.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen remains calm, opportunistic, and adaptable despite Qin Fan’s betrayal. Rather than panicking after being sent to Purgatory, he immediately evaluates the mission and recognizes the value of the Nascent Soul Pill.
• He also demonstrates patience and strategic caution by following the Yin Corpse Sect instead of confronting the Corpse King first.
• Yin Suchang, the mysterious Sect Master of the Yin Corpse Sect, is shown to be powerful and decisive, though even she must carefully consider the danger posed by a true Corpse King.
• The black-robed old woman, apparently a senior member of the sect, provides historical context about the Corpse King and voices concern over its unexpected advancement.
• The Yin Corpse Sect’s disciples and Zombies act as a coordinated force under Yin Suchang’s command, revealing the sect’s expertise in controlling undead creatures.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and adversity: Qin Fan’s interference turns Lu Chen’s straightforward ascent into a dangerous trial, forcing him to survive under unfavorable conditions.
• Opportunity amid danger: The Nascent Soul Pill demonstrates how immense rewards can compel cultivators to confront overwhelming threats.
• Cunning and survival: Lu Chen relies on observation, patience, and opportunism rather than rushing into battle.
• Power and transformation: The Half-Step Corpse King’s evolution into a true Corpse King raises the stakes and emphasizes the unpredictable growth of powerful beings.
• Competition for resources: The mission attracts sects, rogue cultivators, and hidden opportunists, showing the ruthless nature of the cultivation world.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fan’s unseen command directly causes Lu Chen’s predicament and establishes him as the source of Lu Chen’s current danger.
• Yin Suchang consults with the black-robed elder about whether the sect should continue pursuing the Corpse King. Their exchange highlights the tension between caution and the enormous reward awaiting them.
• Lu Chen secretly observes the Yin Corpse Sect’s discussion and movements without revealing his presence.
• The sect’s disciples await Yin Suchang’s decision, while she directs the Zombie army to surround the Bone Mountain.
• Lu Chen and several hidden cultivators remain behind the main force, all waiting to exploit the coming battle. The chapter ends just before the confrontation begins.

Chapter Summary: “Corpse King Emerges, Corpse Qi Towering to the Heavens!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A massive Bone Mountain mysteriously appears in Purgatory Gorge, formed from the remains of countless creatures. A gigantic skull rests at its peak, surrounded by overwhelming deathly aura and yin winds.
• Lu Chen observes from a distance and prepares his Godslayer Dagger, suspecting that a terrifying Zombie King is hidden within the skull.
• The Yin Corpse Sect begins constructing its Nine-Yin Corpse Refining Formation around the Bone Mountain. They bury formation-marked Spirit Stones, gather numerous Zombies inside the formation, and use the Zombies’ corpse qi to strengthen it.
• Yin Suchang and an elder discuss their plan. They estimate only a fifty-percent chance of defeating or subduing the Zombie King, but Yin Suchang decides the risk is worthwhile because success could greatly increase the Yin Corpse Sect’s strength.
• Once activated, the formation draws in the deathly aura and corpse qi from the gorge, creating a powerful black barrier around the Bone Mountain.
• The formation awakens the Corpse King. Two Flying Zombies—previously seen escaping—emerge from the skull and attack the Yin Corpse Sect.
• The black-robed elder restrains the Flying Zombies with yin chains, allowing Yin Suchang to place Puppet Corpse Gu inside them and seize control of them.
• Yin Suchang orders the two Flying Zombies to attack the skull. They enter through its eye sockets, causing the skull to explode.
• The Corpse King emerges from the destruction. It is a grotesque half-skeleton, half-flesh creature with a recondensed Divine Soul, proving that it possesses intelligence.
• The Corpse King effortlessly crushes the two Flying Zombies, drains their corpse qi, and reduces their bodies to dust.
• Its roar collapses the Bone Mountain and sends destructive corpse qi throughout the gorge. The Nine-Yin Corpse Refining Formation blocks the blast, but begins to tremble under the strain.
• The formation consumes the power of the Zombies within it, turning them into dust as it attempts to weaken the Corpse King.
• The Corpse King launches its first direct attack against the formation, immediately putting the Yin Corpse Sect disciples under immense pressure.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Remains cautious and observant. He recognizes the danger of the Corpse King and keeps the Godslayer Dagger ready, prepared to intervene if necessary. His confidence in the Yin Corpse Sect’s formation quickly diminishes after witnessing the Corpse King’s overwhelming strength.
• Yin Suchang: Displays decisiveness and ambition. Despite the formation’s uncertain odds, she chooses to gamble on capturing the Corpse King for the sake of elevating her sect. She also demonstrates strong control over Zombies by successfully implanting Puppet Corpse Gu in the two Flying Zombies.
• The black-robed elder: Acts as the tactical leader of the formation and shows considerable skill by restraining the Flying Zombies and coordinating the attack.
• The Corpse King: Is revealed to possess intelligence through its recondensed Divine Soul. Its immense physical strength and ability to absorb corpse qi establish it as a terrifying opponent far beyond ordinary Zombies.

Significant Themes

• Risk and ambition: The Yin Corpse Sect knowingly risks destruction for the chance to gain a powerful Corpse King and transform the sect’s status.
• Power beyond control: The sect’s careful preparations and advanced formation are challenged almost immediately, suggesting that the Corpse King may be far more powerful than anticipated.
• Death and consumption: Corpse qi, bones, and dead bodies serve as both weapons and sources of power. The Corpse King’s ability to devour the Flying Zombies emphasizes the brutal cycle of strength through consumption.
• Caution versus greed: Lu Chen prioritizes survival and keeps his weapon ready, while the Yin Corpse Sect pursues power despite the danger.
• The evolution of undead beings: The Corpse King’s Divine Soul and intelligence distinguish it from ordinary Zombies, marking it as a higher and more dangerous form of existence.

Character Interactions

• Yin Suchang consults the black-robed elder about the formation’s chances, revealing their shared goal of subduing the Corpse King.
• The elder restrains the two Flying Zombies so Yin Suchang can control them with Puppet Corpse Gu.
• Yin Suchang then commands the newly controlled Zombies to attack the Corpse King.
• The Corpse King responds by killing and devouring the two Flying Zombies, turning the sect’s weapons against it into fuel for its own power.
• Lu Chen watches the conflict from outside the formation, silently assessing both the Yin Corpse Sect’s strategy and the Corpse King’s terrifying strength.

The Yin Corpse Sect used the Nine-Yin Corpse Refining Formation to try to subdue the Corpse King, but its overwhelming strength devastated their formation and killed one of their disciples. The sect trapped it with the Nine Yin Immortal-Binding Net, and Yin Suchang moved in to implant a Puppet Corpse Gu and seize control.

• The Corpse King emerged with one half of its body dead and the other alive, then shook the Yin Corpse Sect's formation with a single punch.
• The Corpse King destroyed the Nine Yin Beast phantoms and devoured the death energy and corpse energy they released.
• The black-robed crone drove the formation against the Corpse King, but its bone dragon phantom broke through and killed a Yin Corpse Sect disciple.
• The black-robed crone unleashed the Nine Yin Immortal-Binding Net, trapping both the Corpse King and its bone dragon phantom.
• Yin Suchang rushed to the trapped Corpse King and pressed a finger between its brows to implant the Puppet Corpse Gu.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The Yin Corpse Sect successfully traps the immensely powerful Corpse King using the Nine Yin Corpse Refining Grand Formation.
• Yin Suchang, the sect master, inserts the specially refined Puppet Corpse Gu King into the Corpse King’s glabella, believing she has subdued it.
• The Corpse King initially appears calm, causing Yin Suchang and the sect members to celebrate. They believe they have obtained a weapon powerful enough to elevate the Yin Corpse Sect to the level of the Eastern Continent’s greatest sects and clans.
• Lu Chen realizes something is wrong because the mission to hunt the Corpse King remains active. This confirms that the Corpse King has not truly been subdued.
• The Corpse King suddenly smiles and rejects the Puppet Corpse Gu King. Black blood pours from Yin Suchang’s seven orifices, revealing that the connection has been reversed or destroyed.
• The Corpse King breaks free, shattering the formation and releasing an enormous storm of corpse qi and death qi.
• The Nine Yin Corpse Refining Grand Formation collapses, killing the Yin Corpse Sect disciples stationed at its cores. The storm also destroys hidden challengers, evil spirits, bones, boulders, and much of the surrounding gorge.
• Lu Chen hides in a cave to survive the devastation. He realizes that the Corpse King is likely comparable to a true Nascent Soul-level existence, making the mission seemingly impossible for the Golden Core and Half-Step Nascent Soul cultivators in the pass.
• After the storm ends, Lu Chen finds no remains or treasures from the Yin Corpse Sect—except Yin Suchang, who has somehow survived embedded in a cliff wall.
• As Lu Chen approaches her, the Corpse King silently appears directly behind him, leaving him frozen in fear.

2. Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Demonstrates caution, intelligence, and strong observational skills by noticing that the mission has not been completed despite the Yin Corpse Sect’s apparent success. He also begins considering whether his Five Elements Swallowing Heaven Scripture can absorb corpse qi and death qi. His confidence is shaken when he witnesses the Corpse King’s overwhelming power and discovers it behind him.
• Yin Suchang: Initially appears triumphant and confident, believing she has secured the Corpse King for her sect. Her pride turns to shock and desperation when the Puppet Corpse Gu King fails and the Corpse King destroys the formation. Despite the catastrophe, she unexpectedly survives.
• The Corpse King: Revealed to be vastly more intelligent and powerful than the Yin Corpse Sect anticipated. It deliberately allows them to believe they have succeeded before breaking free with devastating force. Its ability to appear behind Lu Chen without warning emphasizes its terrifying strength and supernatural presence.
• Yin Corpse Sect disciples: Their sacrifice and losses show the enormous cost of attempting to control the Corpse King. Their deaths leave the sect apparently annihilated.

3. Significant Themes

• Overconfidence and miscalculation: The Yin Corpse Sect mistakes temporary submission for genuine control and celebrates before confirming the result.
• The danger of unchecked power: The Corpse King’s escape demonstrates how a force far beyond the cultivators’ level can destroy carefully prepared plans in an instant.
• Survival through caution and observation: Lu Chen survives because he remains suspicious rather than joining the sect’s celebration.
• The limits of human control: The sect’s elaborate formation, years of preparation, and precious Puppet Corpse Gu King prove useless against the Corpse King.
• Opportunity amid danger: Even during the disaster, Lu Chen considers absorbing corpse qi and death qi to improve his cultivation, showing his continual search for advantage.
• The unpredictability of fate: Yin Suchang survives when everyone else appears to perish, while the mission remains unresolved and the Corpse King continues to stalk the area.

4. Character Interactions

• Yin Suchang and the Corpse King: She attempts to dominate it by implanting the Puppet Corpse Gu King, but the Corpse King turns the situation around and overwhelms her.
• The Yin Corpse Sect and the Corpse King: The sect sacrifices nearly all its strength to capture the Corpse King, only to be destroyed by the very being it hoped to control.
• Lu Chen and the aftermath: Lu Chen observes the sect’s failure from concealment, evaluates the destruction, and finds the surviving Yin Suchang.
• Lu Chen and the Corpse King: Their interaction ends on a tense cliffhanger when the Corpse King appears behind Lu Chen without warning, suggesting that he may be its next target.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Chen is caught off guard when the recently empowered Corpse King appears directly behind him. Having witnessed its terrifying strength—and knowing it absorbed the Yin Corpse Sect’s death and corpse aura—he realizes he cannot defeat it directly.
• Yin Suchang calls for Lu Chen’s help from a hole in the rock wall, unaware that the Corpse King is behind him. As the Corpse King prepares to attack, a masked woman in black suddenly fires a lightning arrow from her Thundercloud Bow.
• The arrow strikes the Corpse King’s spine, electrocuting it and knocking it into a crater. The woman uses the Thunder Escape Technique to appear beside Lu Chen and boasts that the Corpse King cannot withstand her attack.
• Lu Chen suspects she did not truly save him, but merely used him as bait to distract the Corpse King. Their exchange becomes sarcastic and hostile, with Lu Chen joking that she should repay her “life-saving grace” by offering herself to him. She angrily insults his altered appearance and threatens to gouge out his eyes.
• Lu Chen examines the Corpse King with his Yin-Yang Dao Eyes and realizes that, despite appearing dead, it remains extremely powerful. Its life force, death force, dantian flame, and soul power are all still active.
• Believing the Corpse King is defeated, Lu Chen attempts to escape. However, the Corpse King rises again. The woman is shocked but prepares a second lightning arrow.
• Rather than fight, the Corpse King flees, revealing that the Thundercloud Bow and its arrows—made from Ten-Thousand-Year Lightning-Struck Wood—are its natural counter.
• The woman pursues and shoots the Corpse King through the head, piercing its left eye and inflicting a much more serious injury.
• Lu Chen recognizes an opportunity to kill the weakened Corpse King and claim the reward. Other powerful cultivators rush in as well, motivated by the promised Nascent Soul Pill and direct passage to the Ninth Pass.
• The woman in black claims the Corpse King as her own, setting up a conflict over the weakened monster and its rewards.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Demonstrates caution, quick thinking, and opportunism. He conceals his identity and appearance, keeps the Yin-Yang Space as a final escape method, and immediately moves to exploit the Corpse King’s injuries rather than confront it head-on.
• Masked woman in black: Revealed to possess exceptional speed, powerful lightning techniques, and a weapon uniquely suited to countering the Corpse King. She is confident, aggressive, and possessive of her prey, but becomes visibly shocked when the Corpse King survives her first attack.
• Corpse King: Becomes even stronger after absorbing the Yin Corpse Sect’s gathered energy, but is nevertheless vulnerable to lightning and lightning-struck wood. Its decision to flee shows that it recognizes the woman and her weapons as a genuine threat.
• Yin Suchang: Remains injured and dependent on Lu Chen’s help, though she is unaware of the danger standing behind him.

Significant Themes

• Natural nemeses and elemental weakness: The chapter emphasizes that overwhelming strength can be undermined by a perfectly matched counter, with lightning serving as the Corpse King’s greatest weakness.
• Cunning over brute force: Lu Chen survives through preparation, deception, and the possibility of retreat rather than direct combat.
• Opportunism and competition: Once the Corpse King is weakened, multiple cultivators immediately converge to seize the reward, showing how quickly alliances and danger shift in the cultivation world.
• Hidden identities and misdirection: Lu Chen’s disguise allows him to move unnoticed while others mistakenly believe his true identity has already been killed.
• Arrogance versus reality: The woman initially boasts that the Corpse King is defeated, only to discover that it can survive her first strike.

Character Interactions

• Yin Suchang calls to Lu Chen for rescue without realizing the Corpse King is behind him.
• The masked woman intervenes, but Lu Chen accuses her of exploiting him rather than saving him.
• Their conversation is filled with teasing, insults, and mutual irritation, revealing Lu Chen’s provocative personality and the woman’s fiery temper.
• Lu Chen warns her that the Corpse King is still alive, and her confidence is shaken when it rises.
• After she severely wounds the Corpse King, Lu Chen and several other cultivators move in to claim the kill, while the woman insists that the Corpse King belongs to her.

Chapter Summary: “Qin Ziyi Arrives to Kill!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A woman in black, Lei Ting, arrives at the Corpse King’s location and declares that the creature belongs to her. Her identity as a member of the powerful, secluded Ancient Lei Household shocks the surrounding cultivators.
• Lu Chen ignores the others’ fear of Lei Ting and focuses on completing the Purgatory trials so he can reach the Ninth Pass and reunite with Liu Fuyao and Yun Feiyan.
• The Corpse King has fallen into a strange swamp known as Ghost Mist Marsh, where it disappears beneath the black water and mist.
• Lu Chen recognizes the marsh as the location of another dangerous mission: hunting the Thousand-Faced Ghost Princess for a supreme-grade Azure Wood Longevity Pill. The marsh also contains Nether Crocodiles, which provide a lesser clearance reward.
• Lu Chen proposes cooperating with Lei Ting. To prove his strength, he destroys three Nether Crocodiles with a single punch using only his physical power.
• Impressed by his strength, Lei Ting agrees to work with him. Their arrangement is that Lei Ting will kill the Corpse King, while Lu Chen receives its Corpse Core and Soul Flame. Lu Chen shows no interest in the coveted Nascent Soul Pill.
• Before they can begin hunting the Corpse King, Qin Ziyi arrives, furious and determined to kill Lu Chen unless he returns her flying sword.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen remains focused, pragmatic, and confident. He prioritizes finding his companions and completing the trial over valuable rewards. His extraordinary physical strength is revealed when he kills three Nether Crocodiles with one punch.
• Lei Ting is introduced as a proud and formidable descendant of the Ancient Lei Household. Initially dismissive of Lu Chen, she changes her opinion after witnessing his strength and agrees to cooperate with him, though she continues to distrust him.
• Qin Ziyi appears enraged and vengeful. Her pursuit of Lu Chen shows that their conflict over her stolen or lost flying sword remains unresolved, and she now openly threatens his life.

Significant Themes

• Strength beyond appearances: Lu Chen looks unremarkable to Lei Ting, but his physical cultivation proves far greater than expected.
• Pragmatism and differing priorities: While most cultivators covet the Nascent Soul Pill, Lu Chen values the Corpse Core and Soul Flame because they directly support his cultivation.
• Trust through mutual benefit: Lei Ting agrees to cooperate not because she trusts Lu Chen, but because their goals are compatible and his power makes him useful.
• Danger and hidden threats: Ghost Mist Marsh is presented as a sinister, unpredictable environment filled with concealed monsters, mysterious figures, and the hidden Corpse King.
• Competing factions and ancient power: Lei Ting’s appearance emphasizes the influence of ancient cultivation clans, while Qin Ziyi’s arrival adds another personal conflict to Lu Chen’s increasingly dangerous situation.

Character Interactions

• Lei Ting intimidates the other cultivators by claiming the Corpse King, but Lu Chen treats her as a potential partner rather than an untouchable heir of an ancient clan.
• Lu Chen teases Lei Ting about exchanging staff techniques, provoking her disdain before proving his abilities.
• Their negotiation establishes a temporary alliance based on clearly divided rewards.
• Qin Ziyi interrupts the alliance and confronts Lu Chen directly, demanding the return of her flying sword and threatening to kill him.

Chapter Summary: “Dog Man, Die!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Before entering Ghost Mist Marsh, Qin Ziyi confronts Lu Chen, furious because he secretly took her seven life-bound flying swords.
• Lei Ting agrees to cooperate with Lu Chen but refuses to intervene in his dispute with Qin Ziyi, choosing instead to watch the confrontation.
• Qin Ziyi attacks Lu Chen with a powerful Chaos Great Hand Seal, drawing on her Supreme Chaos Spiritual Root. Lu Chen destroys the attack with a single punch, shocking Lei Ting and enraging Qin Ziyi.
• Qin Ziyi begins preparing an even more dangerous technique. Before she can use it, undead creatures emerge from the marsh and surround the group.
• One undead creature sneaks up behind Lu Chen. Qin Ziyi’s Chaos Sword Qi misses Lu Chen and destroys the creature instead.
• A massive Nether Crocodile King attacks Qin Ziyi. She reveals that she possesses an eighth and even stronger life-bound flying sword, Chaos, and uses it to cleave the crocodile in half.
• Qin Ziyi then directs the full power of Chaos at Lu Chen. The sword’s might transforms the atmosphere, filling the area with overwhelming Sword Qi.
• Lei Ting warns Lu Chen to dodge, but he has no time to escape. Trapped beneath the descending sword, Lu Chen desperately uses both fists to resist, uncertain whether he can survive.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen remains irreverent and confident, openly provoking Qin Ziyi despite knowing her immense status and strength. His ability to shatter her Chaos Great Hand Seal with one punch reveals that his physical power is far greater than he appears.
• Qin Ziyi shifts from controlled anger to outright fury. Her pride is severely wounded by Lu Chen’s theft of her swords and his casual defiance. She reveals previously hidden strength, including her most powerful life-bound sword, showing that she is willing to risk everything to defeat him.
• Lei Ting becomes increasingly impressed and shocked by Lu Chen’s abilities. Although she initially treats the fight as entertainment, she recognizes the danger of Qin Ziyi’s final attack and urgently warns him.
• The conflict between Lu Chen and Qin Ziyi becomes more serious: what began as a dispute over stolen swords escalates into a potentially lethal battle.

Significant Themes

• Pride and provocation: Qin Ziyi’s anger is driven not only by the stolen swords but also by Lu Chen’s mocking attitude and refusal to respect her status.
• Hidden strength and underestimated opponents: Lu Chen appears ordinary but withstands an attack from one of the strongest young cultivators, while Qin Ziyi reveals that her visible weapons were not her full power.
• Escalation and survival: The arrival of the undead and Nether Crocodile King turns a personal duel into a broader life-or-death crisis.
• Power versus control: Qin Ziyi’s growing rage threatens to overwhelm her judgment, while Lu Chen’s humor masks the seriousness of his situation.
• Unstable alliances: Lei Ting cooperates with Lu Chen but remains an observer rather than a true ally, stepping in only verbally when the danger becomes extreme.

Character Interactions

• Lu Chen and Qin Ziyi: Their hostile exchange is filled with insults, sarcasm, and escalating attacks. Lu Chen calls her reaction excessive, while Qin Ziyi repeatedly vows to kill him.
• Lu Chen and Lei Ting: Lu Chen seeks her approval after destroying the Chaos Great Hand Seal, jokingly asking whether his punch was impressive. Lei Ting responds with disbelief rather than praise.
• Qin Ziyi and the undead creatures: The Nether Crocodile King targets Qin Ziyi, giving her an opportunity to demonstrate the power of her strongest sword.
• Lu Chen and the undead: An undead creature nearly ambushes him, but Qin Ziyi’s attack accidentally saves him by destroying it.
• The chapter ends with Lu Chen and Qin Ziyi locked in a deadly confrontation, as he attempts to block her strongest sword strike.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Qin Ziyi reveals that she possesses not seven but eight natal flying swords, with the eighth—the Chaos Flying Sword—being her most powerful weapon.
• She launches a devastating attack against Lu Chen. The strike produces chaotic sword energy powerful enough to contend with an early Nascent Soul cultivator, forcing Lu Chen to defend himself with all his strength.
• Before Qin Ziyi can kill him, the trial’s immortal power activates because she has completed the Nether Crocodile hunting mission by killing the Nether Crocodile King. She is forcibly transported to the Ninth Pass, unintentionally saving Lu Chen.
• Qin Ziyi remains furious because she was prevented from reclaiming her sword and killing Lu Chen. She warns him that she will be waiting ahead.
• Lei Ting and Lu Chen continue fighting the surrounding undead. Lei Ting destroys large groups with her Heavenly Thunder Palm, while Lu Chen uses physical strength and even a powerful breath to scatter the undead.
• The two enter the swamp in search of the fallen Corpse King. Lei Ting can track it because her divine arrow, made from Ten-Thousand-Year Lightning-Struck Wood, remains embedded in the creature.
• They reach a silent black lake filled with corpses. Mist rises from the water, carrying a strange fragrance that disorients Lu Chen.
• Under the mist’s influence, Lu Chen begins hallucinating countless beautiful women approaching and embracing him, ending the chapter on a seductive and ominous cliffhanger.

Character developments

• Qin Ziyi is established as an exceptionally powerful and unconventional sword cultivator. Her eight swords and Chaos Flying Sword demonstrate her extraordinary talent, while her anger at being denied victory reveals her pride and determination.
• Lu Chen survives through a combination of strength, confidence, luck, and humor. Despite facing a potentially fatal attack, he remains dismissive and playful afterward. His vast resources are also highlighted when he casually consumes Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Fruits and travels in a flying boat.
• Lei Ting proves herself to be a capable and practical ally, using lightning to counter the undead and guiding Lu Chen toward the Corpse King. Her curiosity about Lu Chen’s identity and resources grows.
• Lu Chen’s mysterious background becomes more apparent through his possession of rare treasures, though he deliberately refuses to explain himself.

Significant themes

• Overwhelming talent and power: Qin Ziyi’s eight natal swords and ability to challenge a higher realm emphasize the chapter’s focus on exceptional cultivation strength.
• Fate and trial rules: The mission system interrupts Qin Ziyi’s attack, showing that even powerful cultivators are subject to the rigid rules of the trial.
• Luck versus preparation: Lu Chen repeatedly survives through fortunate timing, but his physical strength, treasures, and adaptability also contribute to his survival.
• Mystery and hidden identities: Lu Chen’s unexplained wealth and abilities make him increasingly suspicious and intriguing to Lei Ting.
• Beauty and illusion as danger: The alluring mist suggests that appearances and pleasure may conceal a deadly threat.

Character interactions

• Qin Ziyi and Lu Chen clash directly, with her attempting to kill him and reclaim her sword while he mocks her as she is transported away.
• Lei Ting warns Lu Chen that Qin Ziyi will likely seek revenge, but Lu Chen responds with characteristic indifference.
• Lu Chen and Lei Ting begin cooperating more closely in the swamp, combining her tracking ability and lightning techniques with his strength and resources.
• Their playful conversation about Lu Chen’s spirit fruits reveals growing familiarity and mutual curiosity, though Lu Chen continues to conceal his origins.

Chapter Summary: Do You Want Me to Be a Groom Before I Die?

Key Plot Points and Events

• A strange fog and seductive fragrance spread across Black Lake, trapping Lu Chen in an illusion.
• He sees beautiful women and a mysterious woman in red inviting him to bed. Though apparently bewitched, Lu Chen attacks her instead, slapping and punching her.
• The woman reveals that she intended to absorb Lu Chen’s essence, energy, and spirit to break through into the Ghost King Realm.
• Lu Chen’s Yin-Yang Dao Eyes and Yin-Yang Cauldron protect his mind, allowing him to resist her illusion technique.
• The illusion collapses, revealing that Lu Chen is standing on an iceberg in Black Lake. The mysterious woman is a powerful ghost called the Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort.
• The Ghost Consort summons more than a dozen terrifying Ghost Brides, all dressed in red wedding gowns. She declares that she will turn Lu Chen into a Puppet Ghost General and force him to serve her brides.
• She also reveals her Myriad Souls Umbrella, which contains countless sealed souls.
• Lu Chen realizes that his companion, Lei Ting, has fallen victim to the Ghost Consort’s illusions. Lei Ting begins suffering from qi deviation, with her aura becoming chaotic and blood appearing at her mouth.
• When Lu Chen attempts to reach Lei Ting, the Ghost Consort and her Ghost Brides surround him, placing him in immediate danger.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Demonstrates strong mental resistance, confidence, and combat instinct. He mocks the Ghost Consort and refuses to be intimidated, but his attitude changes to urgency when Lei Ting’s condition worsens. His protective concern for her becomes the main source of tension at the chapter’s end.
• Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort: Revealed as a cruel, powerful, and highly perverse ghost who preys on intruders. She uses seductive illusions to drain men’s vitality, transforms women into Ghost Brides, and collects souls inside her umbrella. Lu Chen’s resistance humiliates and enrages her.
• Lei Ting: Initially remains meditating on the flying boat, but she is shown to be vulnerable to the Ghost Consort’s mental techniques. Her worsening qi deviation makes her dependent on Lu Chen’s intervention.

Significant Themes

• Illusion versus reality: The Ghost Consort’s seductive world conceals a deadly trap, while Lu Chen’s spiritual defenses allow him to distinguish truth from deception.
• Mental strength and self-control: Lu Chen’s resistance contrasts with the Ghost Consort’s expectation that every victim will succumb to desire.
• Predation and exploitation: The Ghost Consort views people as sources of vitality, servants, or trapped souls, emphasizing her cruel domination over Black Lake.
• Protection and urgency: Lu Chen’s immediate concern for Lei Ting shifts the conflict from personal confrontation to a rescue mission.
• Mockery of seduction and power: The Ghost Consort relies on beauty and temptation, but Lu Chen responds with ridicule and physical violence, undermining her confidence.

Character Interactions

• The Ghost Consort attempts to seduce and mentally control Lu Chen, but he turns the situation around and physically humiliates her.
• Lu Chen and the Ghost Consort exchange taunts, with her threatening to make him a groom and imprison his soul, while he condemns her as a vicious female ghost.
• The Ghost Consort uses Lei Ting’s deteriorating condition to distract and pressure Lu Chen.
• By the chapter’s conclusion, Lu Chen is surrounded by the Ghost Brides and the Ghost Consort while trying to save Lei Ting from qi deviation.

Chapter Summary: “Five Bolts from the Blue for the Brides”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort tries to force Lu Chen to become a groom for her numerous Ghost Brides, treating him as a husband to be shared among them.
• Furious, Lu Chen attacks her with Fire Fist, using powerful blood-and-qi energy to form a flaming dragon. The attack counters the ghostly energy and forces the Ghost Consort back.
• Lu Chen retreats to the flying boat, where Lei Ting is suffering from chaotic vital energy after being attacked by an illusion that stirred up her inner demons.
• Lu Chen uses the Yin-Yang Creation Art to stabilize Lei Ting, but the Ghost Consort and more than a dozen Ghost Brides pursue them.
• The Ghost Brides assault the flying boat’s defensive barrier. Although the barrier initially withstands their attacks, the combined assault eventually shatters it.
• At the critical moment, Lei Ting awakens and strikes a Ghost Bride with a lightning-infused fist.
• Revealing the full power of her Thunder Spiritual Root, Lei Ting summons the technique “Thunder Shaking the Nine Heavens.” Lightning rains down on the Ghost Brides, burning and paralyzing them before they fall into Black Lake.
• Enraged, the Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort activates the Myriad Souls Umbrella, releasing countless souls to overwhelm Lu Chen and Lei Ting. She arrogantly assumes Lei Ting cannot produce enough heavenly lightning to defeat them, setting up the chapter’s cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen demonstrates his refusal to submit to the Ghost Consort’s schemes and relies on fire-based physical combat, a natural counter to ghosts and demons.
• He also shows concern and trust toward Lei Ting, risking himself to stabilize her rather than abandoning her during the attack.
• Lei Ting undergoes a major breakthrough by overcoming the inner demons created by the Ghost Consort’s illusion. She awakens with greatly strengthened cultivation and reveals the overwhelming destructive power of her Thunder Spiritual Root.
• Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort shifts from confidence to anger and concern after discovering that Lei Ting’s lightning is a natural nemesis to ghosts. Her desperation leads her to unleash the Myriad Souls Umbrella’s full power.
• The Ghost Brides, despite being powerful former Golden Core cultivators, are shown to fear Lei Ting’s lightning and obey the Ghost Consort only because of her control over them.

Significant Themes

• Resistance against coercion: Lu Chen rejects the Ghost Consort’s attempt to control and exploit him.
• Overcoming inner demons: Lei Ting’s survival symbolizes mental and spiritual growth, as she breaks through the illusion by confronting her inner turmoil.
• Natural forces opposing evil: Fire and especially lightning are presented as forces that suppress demons and evil spirits.
• Trust and cooperation: Lu Chen protects and assists Lei Ting, while their combined abilities allow them to resist an enemy with overwhelming numbers.
• Power reversal: The Ghost Consort initially dominates the battle, but Lei Ting’s awakening suddenly turns her Ghost Brides’ advantage into a severe weakness.

Character Interactions

• Lu Chen directly confronts the Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort and rejects her attempt to designate him as a groom.
• He protects Lei Ting while she is incapacitated, using his cultivation technique to restore her vital energy.
• Lei Ting repays his protection by awakening at the decisive moment and defending both of them.
• The Ghost Consort commands the Ghost Brides to attack Lu Chen and Lei Ting, but they instinctively fear Lei Ting’s lightning.
• The chapter ends with the Ghost Consort escalating the conflict by releasing countless souls against the pair.

Chapter Summary: “Drawing the Bow to Shoot Ten Thousand Ghosts”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort unleashes the Ten-Thousand Souls White Bone Umbrella, expanding it across the sky and Black Lake and releasing countless Malevolent Souls and spirits.
• Lei Ting prepares to defend herself and Lu Chen with her Thundercloud Bow and a Thunder Arrow made from Ten-Thousand-Year Lightning-Struck Wood.
• Lu Chen discovers that his body can withstand Lei Ting’s lightning, suffering only a mild tingling sensation. Lei Ting is shocked by his unusual physical resilience.
• Lei Ting’s lightning disperses or severely damages the incoming ghosts, creating a powerful protective barrier around their flying boat.
• Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort summons a massive ghostly manifestation with Half-Step Ghost King-level power. It attacks Lei Ting with an enormous palm.
• Lei Ting fires her Thunder Arrow. The arrow pierces the ghostly giant’s hand and body before striking the White Bone Umbrella, punching a large hole through the powerful ghost artifact.
• Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort retreats into Black Lake with her damaged umbrella, vowing revenge.
• Immediately afterward, the flying boat is destroyed from beneath by the Corpse King, which had been hiding under Black Lake and concealing its aura.
• The Corpse King attacks both Lu Chen and Lei Ting. Lu Chen blocks one punch but is forced backward, while Lei Ting is struck directly and sent flying, vomiting blood.
• Despite already having two Thunder Arrows lodged in its body, the Corpse King remains extremely powerful. It pursues Lei Ting, driven by hatred for the injuries she inflicted.
• Lu Chen chases after the Corpse King using the Five Elements Step and prepares to attack it with the Godslayer Dagger.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Displays exceptional physical durability by withstanding Lei Ting’s lightning. He also shows increasing combat ability after reaching the Mid-Foundation Establishment Realm, allowing him to pursue the Corpse King through the air. His instinct to protect Lei Ting becomes clear when he immediately intervenes after she is attacked.
• Lei Ting: Demonstrates immense power and confidence as an archer and lightning cultivator. Her Thunder Arrow proves to be a devastating counter to ghostly beings, severely damaging both the Half-Step Ghost King manifestation and the White Bone Umbrella. However, her confidence is challenged when the Corpse King catches her off guard.
• Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort: Reveals the terrifying power of her top-grade ghost artifact and her ability to summon a Half-Step Ghost King. Despite her strength, she is forced to retreat after Lei Ting’s lightning arrow destroys the umbrella’s defenses.
• Corpse King: Shows remarkable cunning by hiding beneath Black Lake and ambushing the pair. Even after suffering two wounds from Thunder Arrows, it retains terrifying Nascent Soul-level strength and focuses its rage on Lei Ting.

Significant Themes

• Lightning versus ghostly power: Lightning is established as the natural nemesis of ghost cultivators and undead beings. Lei Ting’s attacks overcome overwhelming numbers and even damage a top-grade ghost artifact.
• Hidden danger and reversals: The apparent victory over Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort is immediately followed by a surprise attack from the concealed Corpse King.
• Strength beyond appearances: Lu Chen’s ability to withstand Lei Ting’s lightning reveals that his physical body is far stronger than expected.
• Cooperation and protection: Though Lu Chen initially hides behind Lei Ting, he quickly takes action to protect her once the Corpse King attacks.
• Persistence of powerful enemies: Neither the ghost consort nor the Corpse King is easily defeated, emphasizing the danger of the swamp and the gap between the protagonists and true high-level cultivators.

Character Interactions

• Lu Chen playfully hides behind Lei Ting while she prepares to fight, creating a contrast between his apparent caution and his extraordinary resilience.
• Lei Ting’s lightning unintentionally affects Lu Chen, but he reacts with curiosity rather than fear, surprising her.
• Lei Ting’s attack briefly turns the battle in their favor, forcing Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort to retreat.
• The Corpse King interrupts their victory, attacking both cultivators and targeting Lei Ting in particular because of her earlier arrow strikes.
• Lu Chen responds to Lei Ting’s injury by pursuing the Corpse King and drawing the Godslayer Dagger, setting up the next confrontation.

Chapter Summary: A Sinful Mess—Forced by a Woman Again!

Plot Points and Events

• Lei Ting uses her bow to destroy the Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort’s Ten-Thousand Souls White Bone Umbrella, forcing the Ghost Consort to flee.
• The Corpse King emerges from beneath the Black Lake and ambushes the group, striking Lei Ting and sending her flying.
• Lu Chen, disguised as the cultivator Lu Bufan, intervenes to protect Lei Ting. Although the Corpse King initially appears overwhelmingly powerful, Lu Chen attacks it with the Godslayer Dagger.
• The dagger pierces the Corpse King’s defenses and begins devouring its life-and-death energy while its Godslaying Power attacks the creature’s soul.
• Lu Chen further injures the Corpse King by kicking Lei Ting’s Thunder Arrow through its body. The dagger ultimately destroys the Soul Flame in the Corpse King’s head, apparently killing it.
• Lu Chen discovers that the Corpse King possesses a Divine Soul hidden inside its Blood Core. By leaving the Divine Soul intact, he prevents the heavens from transporting him prematurely to the Ninth Pass.
• He realizes that destroying the Divine Soul later can serve as an emergency escape route to the Ninth Pass.
• On a nearby island, Lu Chen and Lei Ting are attacked by a poisonous Lustful Bliss Snake. Lu Chen kills it with the Godslayer Dagger, but both he and Lei Ting are exposed to its potent aphrodisiac venom.
• As the venom takes effect, Lei Ting loses consciousness and begins removing her clothes. Lu Chen struggles to resist but is affected as well.
• Lei Ting finally pounces on him, and despite his protests and supposed reluctance, the two become intimate under the influence of the snake venom.

Character Development

• Lu Chen/Lu Bufan: Demonstrates his strength, quick reflexes, tactical intelligence, and willingness to protect Lei Ting. His possession of the Godslayer Dagger remains a major hidden advantage. He also shows his opportunistic side by preserving the Corpse King’s Divine Soul as a potential escape mechanism.
• Lei Ting: Proves herself a formidable archer by defeating the Ghost Consort’s defensive artifact. However, she is badly injured by the Corpse King and later rendered helpless by the Lustful Bliss Snake’s poison.
• Corpse King: Initially appears nearly unstoppable, but its unusual vulnerability to the Godslayer Dagger and Thunder Arrow leads to its defeat. Its possession of a Divine Soul reveals that it is more sophisticated and difficult to kill than expected.
• Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort: Forced to retreat after Lei Ting destroys her umbrella, removing her from the immediate conflict.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identities and deception: Lu Chen’s death was faked, allowing him to operate under the identity of Lu Bufan and act from the shadows.
• Power concealed beneath appearances: The seemingly ordinary black dagger is actually a rare Divine Artifact capable of destroying the Corpse King’s soul.
• Death and survival: The Corpse King’s Divine Soul complicates the meaning of death, while Lu Chen turns its survival into a strategic advantage.
• Fate and opportunism: Lu Chen repeatedly converts dangerous situations into benefits, using the Corpse King’s Blood Core as an escape option.
• Comic erotic misfortune: The chapter shifts from intense combat to farce when the Lustful Bliss Snake’s venom forces Lu Chen and Lei Ting into an embarrassing intimate encounter.

Character Interactions

• Lu Chen rescues Lei Ting from the Corpse King after she is injured.
• Lei Ting warns Lu Bufan to flee, unaware that he is actually Lu Chen.
• Lu Chen and the Corpse King engage in a brief but decisive battle, with Lu Chen exploiting the dagger and Thunder Arrow in combination.
• Lei Ting is astonished by Lu Chen’s ability to kill the Corpse King.
• After the snake attack, both characters are affected by the venom; Lei Ting initiates the encounter while Lu Chen protests but ultimately succumbs to the poison.

Chapter Summary: “Picking Up Your Pants and Denying It, Huh!”

Key plot points and events

• Lu Chen awakens to find Lei Ting pointing a sword at his throat. She is furious and humiliated because, while poisoned by the Lustful Bliss Snake, she forced herself into dual cultivation with him.
• Lu Chen insists that he is the victim and uses an Image-Recording Sound Talisman as evidence. The recording embarrasses Lei Ting so badly that she destroys it.
• Lu Chen explains that their dual cultivation was beneficial, revealing that he gained roughly 4,000 strands of Yin-Yang Essence after completing about 200 Greater Celestial Circuits—more than sixteen hours of cultivation.
• Lei Ting realizes that the Lustful Bliss Snake caused her behavior and acknowledges that Lu Chen was not truly at fault. However, she threatens him to keep the incident secret.
• Lei Ting retrieves a seven-colored Lustful Union Pearl from the snake’s corpse, learning that it can neutralize all poisons.
• The pair roast and eat the snake’s meat before preparing to continue through the Eighth Void Pass, Purgatory.
• Lu Chen learns that the Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort is hiding in a palace beneath Black Lake. Lei Ting challenges him to enter the enemy’s lair with her, and he confidently accepts.

Character developments

• Lu Chen remains shameless and humorous, turning an embarrassing situation into an opportunity to tease Lei Ting. He also discovers that his dual-cultivation abilities are extraordinarily powerful.
• Lei Ting shifts from murderous rage to reluctant acceptance after learning that she was poisoned and that the encounter improved her cultivation. Though still embarrassed and hostile, she begins cooperating with Lu Chen.
• Lei Ting’s cultivation has advanced significantly, bringing her close to the Nascent Soul Realm, which she has deliberately postponed entering until the Ancient Immortal Secret Realm.

Significant themes

• Misunderstanding and accountability: Lei Ting initially blames Lu Chen, but evidence and the effects of the poison reveal the truth.
• Dual cultivation as both intimacy and power: The encounter is treated comically but also serves as a major source of cultivation advancement.
• Humor amid danger: Lu Chen’s irreverence, fascination with recording talismans, and casual roasting of monster meat contrast with the deadly setting.
• Hidden knowledge and ancient inheritances: Lei Ting’s familiarity with the Void Passes highlights the superior knowledge possessed by ancient aristocratic clans.

Character interactions

• Lu Chen and Lei Ting argue over who was responsible for their encounter, with Lu Chen using mock indignation and teasing to provoke her.
• Despite their awkwardness, they cooperate practically: changing clothes, collecting the snake’s treasure, eating together, and planning their next move.
• Their relationship develops into a tense but increasingly trusting partnership, with Lei Ting relying on Lu Chen’s strength as they prepare to confront the Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort.

Chapter Summary: “Emperor Zombie, Fake Lei Ting?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Chen and Lei Ting travel to the bottom of Black Lake, where they discover a vast, eerie palace protected by a glowing blue pearl.
• Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort taunts them from inside and invites them to enter.
• Upon entering, they are attacked by a squad of agile Zombies possessed by powerful ghosts.
• Lu Chen demonstrates his extraordinary physical strength by allowing a ghost general’s saber to strike his head, then breaking the weapon with his bare hand.
• He decapitates the ghost general, only to discover that the Zombie can simply reattach its head and continue fighting.
• Lu Chen defeats the ghost general in a clash of fists, but sinister fog causes the ghost soldiers to disappear.
• Lu Chen proceeds into the main hall and finds an imposing figure in a dragon robe seated on an imperial throne: an Emperor Zombie.
• He realizes that Lei Ting has briefly disappeared. When she returns, Lu Chen reprimands her for leaving his side.
• The apparent Lei Ting then stabs Lu Chen in the kidney with a dagger, revealing herself to be an impostor connected to the Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort.
• The dagger cannot pierce Lu Chen’s body, and the fake Lei Ting is injured by the recoil.
• At the same moment, the Emperor Zombie attacks Lu Chen, leaving him caught between two threats.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Continues to reveal the terrifying strength and durability of his body. He remains confident against the ghost soldiers but becomes cautious when entering the main hall. His quick realization that the “Lei Ting” beside him is an impostor shows his alertness and perceptiveness.
• Lei Ting: Witnesses Lu Chen’s overwhelming physical power and gains a new level of respect and astonishment toward him. However, her disappearance creates uncertainty about whether the real Lei Ting has been captured or replaced.
• Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort: Her ability to manipulate appearances is emphasized, suggesting that she has prepared an elaborate ambush rather than confronting Lu Chen directly.
• Ghost General and Emperor Zombie: The ghost general proves highly resilient, while the Emperor Zombie is presented as a far more intimidating and powerful figure whose true abilities remain unknown.
• Fake Lei Ting: Successfully infiltrates Lu Chen’s defenses through deception, but fails to injure him because of his nearly indestructible body.

Significant Themes

• Deception and identity: The Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort’s powers make appearances unreliable, forcing Lu Chen to question those around him.
• Physical strength versus supernatural resilience: Lu Chen’s body withstands weapons and attacks that would destroy ordinary cultivators, while the Zombies possess unnatural regenerative abilities.
• Confidence and danger: Lu Chen’s calm attitude allows him to dominate the ghost soldiers, but the palace’s illusions and disguises show that brute strength alone may not be enough.
• Trust and vulnerability: Lei Ting’s apparent betrayal creates tension, especially because Lu Chen had trusted her enough to let her remain close behind him.

Character Interactions

• Lu Chen and Lei Ting enter the palace together, with Lu Chen taking the lead and warning her to stay close.
• Lei Ting watches in disbelief as Lu Chen tanks the ghost general’s attacks and destroys its weapon.
• Lu Chen protects Lei Ting from the force of his clash with the ghost general.
• After she returns to the hall, Lu Chen angrily scolds Lei Ting for wandering away.
• The disguised enemy exploits their familiarity, approaching from behind and stabbing Lu Chen before attacking alongside the Emperor Zombie.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Chen enters Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort’s hidden palace beneath Black Lake, expecting her lair to be there.
• The Ghost Consort, disguised as Lei Ting, ambushes him with a poisoned dagger while an Emperor Zombie attacks from the front.
• Lu Chen’s recently strengthened Middle Iron Bone-stage body protects him from the dagger. He counters with fire-infused punches, exploiting fire’s effectiveness against Zombies and driving the Emperor Zombie into the dragon throne.
• The Ghost Consort binds Lu Chen with her magically extended hair and attempts to slash his throat. Believing him dead, she relaxes—but Lu Chen breaks free, reveals his powerful body cultivation, and catches her by the throat.
• Lu Chen crushes her physical host, but her true Ghost Body escapes as black qi. He realizes she can survive by possessing another Walking Corpse and tries to pursue her.
• The Emperor Zombie undergoes a frightening transformation, becoming larger, faster, and more powerful. It summons countless armored Corpse Soldiers to surround Lu Chen.
• Lu Chen destroys the Corpse Soldiers with his Five-Element Fist, using techniques such as Fire Fist Incinerates Heaven and Fire Dragon Soars into the Sky.
• He defeats the transformed Emperor Zombie in a direct clash, sending it crashing into the palace wall.
• Meanwhile, the Ghost Consort possesses another prepared Walking Corpse, takes on Lu Chen’s appearance, and approaches Lei Ting while she is surrounded by the Corpse Soldiers—setting up a deception and a new conflict.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Demonstrates the growing strength of his Body Cultivation, with skin and bones strong enough to resist a deadly poisoned dagger. He remains calm and confident even when surrounded, relying on fire-based martial techniques to overwhelm both Zombies and Corpse Soldiers.
• Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort: Reveals her ability to escape destruction by abandoning possessed bodies and possessing others. She proves cunning and resourceful, using Lu Chen’s appearance to deceive Lei Ting.
• Emperor Zombie: Evolves from a powerful Zombie into a much more monstrous form, gaining enhanced strength, speed, claws, and corpse energy. Despite this transformation, it remains inferior to Lu Chen.
• Lei Ting: Is used as the Ghost Consort’s disguise and becomes the likely target of the Ghost Consort’s next impersonation scheme.

Significant Themes

• Strength overcoming deception: The Ghost Consort’s ambush and poison fail because Lu Chen’s physical cultivation exceeds her expectations.
• Fire versus corruption: Fire is repeatedly presented as a natural counter to Zombies and corpse energy, symbolizing Lu Chen’s vitality and destructive power against deathly forces.
• Survival through transformation: Both the Emperor Zombie and Ghost Consort rely on transformation—one physically, the other through possession—to continue fighting.
• Confidence and dominance: Lu Chen’s growing power allows him to treat increasingly terrifying enemies with disdain, reinforcing his rise in strength.
• Identity and deception: The Ghost Consort’s shapeshifting and final impersonation of Lu Chen create uncertainty about who can be trusted.

Character Interactions

• The Ghost Consort attacks Lu Chen while disguised as Lei Ting, combining assassination and deception.
• Lu Chen battles both the Ghost Consort and Emperor Zombie simultaneously, using his physical strength and fire techniques to reverse the ambush.
• Lu Chen verbally mocks the Emperor Zombie after defeating its summoned Corpse Soldiers and overpowering its transformed body.
• The Ghost Consort escapes Lu Chen’s grasp and begins a new scheme by disguising herself as Lu Chen and approaching Lei Ting.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Lei Ting is trapped in a plaza by an apparently endless army of Corpse Soldiers and powerful Corpse Generals. She fights back with her Lightning Nine-Link Whip, destroying large numbers of enemies, but is gradually overwhelmed by their sheer numbers.
• Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort, disguised as Lu Chen, appears and pretends to help Lei Ting. When Lei Ting approaches her, the disguised Ghost Consort ambushes her by driving Lock-Dragon Nails into her back, sealing her cultivation and leaving her helpless.
• The Ghost Consort takes Lei Ting hostage, intending to use her to force Lu Chen to surrender. She also wants revenge because Lei Ting previously destroyed her Ten-Thousand Souls White Bone Umbrella.
• In the main hall, however, the Ghost Consort discovers that Lu Chen has already defeated Emperor Zombie and is standing on his head. Her plan to threaten Lu Chen is immediately undermined.
• The Ghost Consort threatens to kill Lei Ting unless Lu Chen releases Emperor Zombie. After refusing to release either hostage first, the two agree to exchange them simultaneously.
• Lu Chen appears to cooperate, but when the count reaches three, he throws Emperor Zombie toward the Ghost Consort’s side. As the Corpse forces panic, Lu Chen takes advantage of the confusion and attacks the Ghost Consort with a powerful punch.

Character Developments

• Lei Ting demonstrates impressive combat ability and courage, destroying Corpse Soldiers and Generals with her lightning whip. Nevertheless, her confidence is shaken when she is tricked by the Ghost Consort and has her cultivation sealed.
• Thousand-Faced Ghost Consort reveals herself as highly deceptive and vindictive. She exploits her disguise to ambush Lei Ting and tries to use her as leverage, but becomes overconfident after capturing her.
• Lu Chen is shown to be far stronger than expected, having decisively defeated Emperor Zombie. He also proves resourceful and tactically clever, turning the hostage exchange into an opportunity for a surprise attack.
• Emperor Zombie is reduced from a powerful ruler to a helpless captive, symbolizing Lu Chen’s dominance over the undead forces.

Significant Themes

• Deception and disguise: The Ghost Consort’s ability to impersonate Lu Chen highlights the danger of trusting appearances.
• Power and reversal of control: The apparent advantage shifts repeatedly—from Lei Ting being surrounded, to her capture, to Lu Chen defeating the undead emperor and regaining the upper hand.
• Cunning versus brute force: Although the Corpse army relies on overwhelming numbers, Lu Chen succeeds through timing, manipulation, and strategy.
• Pride and humiliation: The Ghost Consort’s arrogance and desire for revenge lead her to underestimate Lu Chen, while Lu Chen openly humiliates Emperor Zombie to undermine the undead faction’s authority.

Character Interactions

• Lei Ting confronts the disguised Ghost Consort, believing her to be Lu Chen, before being betrayed and paralyzed.
• The Ghost Consort attempts to use Lei Ting’s capture to control Lu Chen.
• Lu Chen and the Ghost Consort engage in a tense hostage negotiation, each refusing to trust the other.
• The chapter ends with Lu Chen exploiting the exchange and launching a surprise attack on the Ghost Consort, leaving the confrontation unresolved.