Chapter Summaries

Mo Feng deployed the Demonfolk’s Air Fortress against Huo Hai, whose Undead Army had been holding back their forces. After dodging its devastating Spirit Stone Cannon, Huo Hai found that insect-repelling grass blocked his Blazing Flame Sparrows, while Flying Vessels began bombing the Undead Army.

• Mo Feng ordered the Demonfolk to deploy their secret weapon after his commanders agreed that the battle was turning against them.
• The Air Fortress rose from the mountains and flew toward Huo Hai, who recognized its Flying Vessels and formidable defenses.
• The fortress fired its Spirit Stone Cannon, but Huo Hai escaped the blast with Snake Step and rescued the Ghost Insect.
• Mo Feng revealed that the cannon’s power rivaled a Spirit King’s strike, and Huo Hai realized the attack could have destroyed his Undead Army.
• Huo Hai sent Blazing Flame Sparrows against the Flying Vessels, but insect-repelling grass stopped them and soldiers shot some down.
• The Flying Vessels dropped Thunderbursts over the Undead Army, threatening to wipe it out.

Huo Hai used his Star Gu and blood-powered Blazing Flame Sparrows to cripple the Demon Spirit Masters’ forces and destroy the Air Fortress, but the costly attack left him drained and short of insects. He ordered the Star Gu to finish off the remaining Flying Vessels and consume their spirit stones.

• Huo Hai released his Star Gu, which killed Demon Spirit Masters aboard the Flying Vessels and stopped their bombardment, while their attacks rapidly consumed spiritual power.
• Huo Hai evaded another Spirit Stone Cannon shot, and Mo Feng ordered his forces to kill him at any cost.
• Huo Hai used the art of forced insect control and the Reinforcement Seal to send Spirit General Realm Blazing Flame Sparrows against the Air Fortress.
• The Blazing Flame Sparrows detonated in waves, shattering the fortress’s defensive barrier and destroying the Air Fortress and the people inside.
• Huo Hai recovered from his wound but felt drained and lamented the loss of most of his Blazing Flame Sparrows.
• Huo Hai ordered the Star Gu to destroy the remaining Flying Vessels and devour their spirit stones.

Summary: “Seeing He Ya Again”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Huo Hai orders the Star Gu to destroy the abandoned Flying Vessels. The insects tear the vessels apart, devouring their Spirit Stones and Spirit Jade while avoiding the unstable Explosive Spirit Stones.
• Realizing the explosive materials can be used against the Demonfolk, Huo Hai has the Star Gu carry and drop the Explosive Spirit Stones and Thunderbursts over the enemy army.
• Mo Feng and the Demon Spirit Masters attempt to intercept the explosives, but they react too slowly. The resulting detonations kill more than ten thousand Demonfolk and cause immense destruction.
• Mo Feng angrily blames the Demon Spirit Masters for failing to prevent the losses, but he remains unwilling to attack Huo Hai because of the dangerous Star Gu surrounding him.
• Huo Hai encounters He Ya, an old enemy who has become a Mid-Stage Spirit Marshal and a Demon Spirit Master. He Ya reveals that he has come specifically to take revenge for the humiliation Huo Hai once inflicted on him.
• Two additional Spirit Marshal-level Demon Spirit Masters appear, including a highly skilled assassin. Their presence shows that the Demonfolk have assembled a powerful force to eliminate Huo Hai.
• He Ya and the other two experts equip themselves with specially prepared Profound Grade Upper-tier armor designed to resist Huo Hai’s insects.
• Huo Hai considers using the Demon-Subduing Sword, which could easily penetrate their armor, but decides against revealing it. He wants to preserve the weapon for dealing with the Devil Master and avoid exposing his true capabilities.
• Despite exhaustion and the Star Gu’s enormous consumption of Spirit Jade, Huo Hai chooses to fight using his current strength. The three armored Spirit Marshals then cross the battlefield and advance toward him.

Character Developments

• Huo Hai: Demonstrates tactical creativity by turning the enemy’s own explosives against them. Although physically drained and concerned about his resources, he remains confident and eager to test his progress. His refusal to reveal the Demon-Subduing Sword shows patience and strategic restraint.
• He Ya: Has transformed from a former weakling into a powerful Mid-Stage Spirit Marshal, fueled by deep hatred and resentment. However, his obsession with revenge and emotional instability suggest that his mental state remains fragile despite his increased strength.
• Mo Feng: Becomes increasingly furious and humiliated after his forces suffer catastrophic losses from their own weapons. Nevertheless, he is cautious around Huo Hai and recognizes the threat posed by the Star Gu.
• The Demon Spirit Masters: Reveal that the Demonfolk consider Huo Hai a major threat. Their coordinated deployment and specialized armor indicate careful preparation for confronting him.

Significant Themes

• Vengeance and hatred: He Ya’s rapid cultivation is linked to his intense resentment toward Huo Hai, illustrating how hatred can provide power while also consuming a person emotionally.
• Strength versus state of mind: Huo Hai believes raw cultivation is not enough; without a strong heart and proper control, power cannot be fully utilized. This contrasts his composure with He Ya’s obsession.
• Strategy over brute force: Huo Hai wins a major advantage by repurposing the Flying Vessels’ explosives rather than relying solely on direct combat.
• Concealed power and long-term planning: Huo Hai deliberately withholds the Demon-Subduing Sword because revealing it could jeopardize his future battle against the Devil Master.
• The cost of power: The Star Gu consume vast quantities of Spirit Jade to maintain their strength, forcing Huo Hai to balance immediate victory against dwindling resources.

Character Interactions

• Huo Hai and Mo Feng clash indirectly: Huo Hai uses the Demonfolk’s explosives against them, while Mo Feng desperately attempts to stop the attack and later vents his anger at his subordinates.
• Huo Hai and He Ya exchange deeply hostile insults. He Ya demands repayment for his past humiliation, while Huo Hai deliberately provokes him by calling him a “cripple,” intensifying He Ya’s rage.
• He Ya presents himself as the leader of the operation, supplying armor and directing the other two Spirit Marshals.
• The three Spirit Marshals act together for the first time at the chapter’s conclusion, advancing on Huo Hai and setting up the impending battle.

Summary of “One Against Three”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Huo Hai faces three Spirit Marshal opponents: He Ya, Mo Feng, and a masked assassin. With no chance to retreat, he commits to defeating them in a direct battle.
• He immediately targets Mo Feng, striking his throat with the Sunset Sword. Although the blow is powerful enough to rival a Late Spirit General, Mo Feng’s specially forged armor absorbs almost all the damage.
• He Ya recognizes the exceptional quality of Huo Hai’s sword and becomes greedy, hoping to seize the rumored Profound Grade Upper-tier weapon.
• He Ya joins the fight with his own swordsmanship, but his lower-grade weapon leaves him at a disadvantage. Mo Feng and the assassin then coordinate attacks from the front and rear.
• Huo Hai uses Snake Step, Spirit Serpent Movement, and a copied version of Cloudflow Finger to counter them. His Nine Illusions of Flowing Clouds strike damages Mo Feng’s palm despite being performed without a weapon, shocking all three opponents.
• Realizing that he cannot defeat three armored Spirit Marshals through swordsmanship alone, Huo Hai summons his Star Gu.
• The Star Gu overpower and push back the armored men, while Huo Hai repeatedly tests their armor with his sword. However, the armor has no obvious weakness and resists every direct attack.
• Huo Hai becomes increasingly concerned as the Demonfolk army continues attacking his undead forces with commanders and war weapons. If the battle continues, his undead may be destroyed and he may be forced to flee.
• He summons his remaining Blazing Flame Sparrows and orders them to explode around the opponents. The explosions do not damage the armor, but their vibrations cause the three men to stagger.
• Huo Hai deduces that the armor can block physical damage but cannot fully suppress intense vibrations.
• He secretly manipulates the battlefield, guiding the three opponents into specific positions.
• At the end of the chapter, he traps He Ya inside a Star Gu spirit-power shield containing more than a dozen Blazing Flame Sparrows, while another Star Gu barrier separates Mo Feng and the assassin from him. His counterattack is about to begin.

Character Developments

• Huo Hai: Demonstrates exceptional combat ability, adaptability, and tactical intelligence. Though unable to overpower the armored opponents directly, he experiments with multiple techniques, identifies the armor’s weakness, and patiently arranges a trap. His mastery of the Star Gu and willingness to improvise reveal that he relies on strategy as much as strength.
• He Ya: Initially confident because of his superior cultivation and armor, he becomes impressed and alarmed by Huo Hai’s power. His greed over Huo Hai’s sword exposes his overconfidence and distracts him from the danger.
• Mo Feng: Shows confidence in his armor and palm techniques but is repeatedly shocked by Huo Hai’s strength. His armor protects him from serious injury, yet he is unable to match the Star Gu’s physical force or withstand the vibrations from the explosions.
• The Assassin: Remains mostly silent and relies on positioning and surprise attacks. Despite successfully approaching Huo Hai from behind, he is unable to gain an advantage once Huo Hai summons the Star Gu.

Significant Themes

• Strategy versus overwhelming strength: Huo Hai cannot simply break through the armor, so he studies its limitations and wins an advantage through battlefield control.
• Adaptability in combat: Huo Hai uses swordsmanship, movement techniques, copied abilities, spirit insects, and explosive creatures when his initial methods prove ineffective.
• The limits of defensive power: The armor appears nearly invincible against direct attacks, but its inability to negate vibration reveals that even powerful defenses have weaknesses.
• Greed and overconfidence: He Ya’s desire for Huo Hai’s sword contributes to his failure to recognize the danger of Huo Hai’s hidden abilities.
• Hidden capabilities and surprise: The opponents know about Huo Hai’s Star Gu but underestimate their defensive and tactical abilities, allowing him to catch them off guard.

Character Interactions

• Huo Hai and Mo Feng clash directly, with Huo Hai’s sword and copied Cloudflow Finger repeatedly testing Mo Feng’s armor and palm techniques.
• He Ya engages Huo Hai in sword combat but is frustrated by the superiority of Huo Hai’s weapon and technique.
• Mo Feng and the assassin coordinate attacks against Huo Hai while He Ya applies pressure from the front, creating a three-sided assault.
• Huo Hai counters their cooperation by using movement techniques and the Star Gu to disrupt their formation.
• He Ya taunts Huo Hai and urges him to surrender, unaware that Huo Hai has already discovered a possible weakness and maneuvered the group into a trap.
• The chapter ends with Huo Hai isolating He Ya and separating the other two opponents, placing He Ya inside a shield filled with explosive Blazing Flame Sparrows.

Chapter Summary: “Slaying”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Huo Hai traps He Ya inside a powerful spiritual energy shield formed by the Star Gu. He Ya is unable to break through it, realizing that Huo Hai’s strength has far surpassed his expectations.
• Huo Hai reveals that he was responsible for the insect attack that injured He Ya in the past. He explains that he previously spared He Ya to avoid causing trouble in the Western Frontier, but now intends to settle their old conflict.
• Huo Hai’s true reason for killing He Ya is his anger over He Ya’s attack on his younger sister, Yun’er. He believes He Ya would have killed both him and Yun’er—or subjected her to an even worse fate—if he had not intervened.
• Huo Hai reinforces the Blazing Flame Sparrows and causes them to explode inside the confined shield. The explosions, amplified by the Star Gu barrier, become powerful enough to rival attacks from the Spirit King Realm.
• He Ya’s armor initially protects him, but the explosions destroy its defensive Spirit Formation. The resulting force tears apart his armor’s joints, severs his arm, and eventually turns his body into blood mist.
• The assassin and Mo Feng, who had been attacking Huo Hai from behind, panic after witnessing He Ya’s death and attempt to flee.
• The two use a special scroll that dramatically increases their speed. Huo Hai cannot catch both, so he chooses to pursue the assassin, whom he considers the more dangerous threat because of his stealth and ability to launch future attacks.
• Huo Hai traps the assassin in another Star Gu shield and kills him with the same explosive technique. Mo Feng escapes.
• Afterward, Huo Hai realizes that the attack nearly exhausted his spiritual energy, but he is excited by its immense destructive potential. He believes the technique may allow him to injure or kill opponents far stronger than himself.
• Huo Hai collects the damaged armor left behind, hoping it can be repaired or sold for a large amount of Spirit Jade.

Character Developments

• Huo Hai fully embraces his killing intent toward He Ya and demonstrates his willingness to use overwhelming force when protecting his family. His anger over Yun’er’s attempted murder drives the execution.
• Huo Hai also displays greater tactical maturity. Rather than pursuing both fleeing enemies recklessly, he prioritizes the assassin as the more dangerous target and accepts Mo Feng’s escape.
• His confidence increases after discovering that the combined explosive technique can produce power approaching the Spirit King Realm, though he also recognizes its enormous spiritual energy cost.
• He Ya changes from an arrogant attacker into a terrified and helpless victim. His armor and strength prove useless against Huo Hai’s carefully contained explosions, and he dies after his defenses fail.
• The assassin realizes too late that Huo Hai’s defenses are nearly impenetrable. Despite attempting to flee and protect his armor’s joints, he suffers the same fate as He Ya.
• Mo Feng abandons the assassin and escapes, revealing his instinct for self-preservation and his comparatively lesser combat ability.

Significant Themes

• Vengeance and protection: Huo Hai’s killing of He Ya is motivated less by personal injury than by the threat posed to Yun’er. Family protection justifies his otherwise restrained attitude toward revenge.
• Power through strategy: Huo Hai defeats stronger opponents not simply through raw strength, but by combining reinforced insects, confinement, and repeated explosions to magnify destructive force.
• The limits of armor and defenses: The armor can withstand direct attacks, but its vulnerable joints and depleted Spirit Formations expose the weakness beneath its apparent invulnerability.
• The cost of overwhelming power: Huo Hai’s new technique can bridge major differences in cultivation, but maintaining the Star Gu shields consumes enormous spiritual energy.
• Fear and survival: The deaths of He Ya and the assassin immediately destroy the remaining enemies’ confidence, causing Mo Feng to flee rather than continue fighting.

Character Interactions

• Huo Hai confronts He Ya directly, revealing their shared history and accusing him of attacking Yun’er. Their exchange transforms the battle into a personal settling of past grievances.
• He Ya’s fear and shock contrast with Huo Hai’s cold determination as Huo Hai carries out the execution.
• The assassin and Mo Feng attack Huo Hai together, but the Star Gu repeatedly block them, demonstrating the defensive superiority of Huo Hai’s insect army.
• After witnessing He Ya’s death, the assassin and Mo Feng react differently: both flee, but Mo Feng abandons the assassin while Huo Hai deliberately captures and eliminates him.
• Huo Hai’s final decision to let Mo Feng escape reflects his assessment that Mo Feng is not an immediate danger, whereas the assassin must be removed.

After destroying the Demon Spirit Masters’ forces, Huo Hai watched Mo Feng retreat with the Demonfolk Army toward another fortress. Huo Hai’s hidden Confusion Insects threw the army into a deadly frenzy, leaving Mo Feng trying to stop his own forces from slaughtering one another.

• The Demon Spirit Masters fled after Huo Hai killed He Ya and another Spirit Marshal and destroyed their aerial fortress.
• Mo Feng ordered the Demonfolk Army to retreat toward a fortress, planning to hold off Huo Hai until the Devil Master could intervene.
• Huo Hai let Mo Feng’s army go while Little Gold moved ahead and Huo Hai’s undead continued fighting the rear guard.
• The retreating Demonfolk entered a wider mountain passage, where hidden Confusion Insects stirred up their anger and suspicion.
• Demon Spirit Masters and Demonfolk began attacking one another, causing heavy losses within minutes.
• Mo Feng turned on the fighting Demon Spirit Masters and demanded they stop, but no one listened.

Chapter Summary: Mo Feng’s Final Road

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mo Feng kills several Demon Spirit Masters, drawing the hatred of the surrounding Demonfolk and causing them to turn against him.
• The Confusion Insects amplify rage and hostility without fully controlling anyone, creating a chaotic battlefield. Demonfolk and Demon Spirit Masters attack Mo Feng in waves, exhausting his spiritual power despite his powerful armor.
• Huo Hai avoids directly entering the dangerous melee. He restores his spiritual power, raises more Undead from the corpses on the battlefield, and prepares to finish Mo Feng once the latter is weakened.
• Little Butterfly and Silver Pearl complete their metamorphoses. Both reach the Spirit Marshal Realm, and their innate abilities become significantly stronger.
• Little Butterfly’s improved Mental Power allows it to briefly control opponents of the same level. Huo Hai uses this ability to manipulate Mo Feng into opening a joint in his armor.
• Little Gold slips through the gap and injects Mo Feng with lethal venom. After the control ends, Mo Feng realizes he has been poisoned, but the toxin quickly spreads through his body and kills him.
• Huo Hai retrieves Mo Feng’s valuable armor with the Star Gu before the surrounding Demonfolk can destroy or seize it.
• The chapter ends with Huo Hai realizing that he has killed three Spirit Marshal experts consecutively.

Character Developments

• Huo Hai demonstrates increasing tactical caution and efficiency. Rather than risk fighting inside the Demonfolk army, he weakens Mo Feng indirectly and uses his Spirit Insects strategically.
• Mo Feng changes from a powerful commander into an isolated target. His aggression makes him the focus of the battlefield’s hatred, and exhaustion leaves him vulnerable despite his nearly invincible armor.
• Little Butterfly completes its metamorphosis and reaches the Spirit Marshal Realm. Its Mental Power and ability to control living beings have greatly improved, allowing it to influence even same-level experts.
• Silver Pearl also completes its metamorphosis and becomes stronger, though its new abilities remain untested.
• Little Gold proves the terrifying effectiveness of its poison by killing a Spirit Marshal almost instantly, though Huo Hai jokingly criticizes the unpleasant condition of the corpse.

Significant Themes

• Strength versus numbers: Even a powerful Spirit Marshal can be overwhelmed when surrounded by an army.
• Tactical cooperation: Huo Hai succeeds through coordinated use of Little Butterfly’s control, Little Gold’s venom, and the Star Gu’s retrieval ability rather than through direct combat.
• The danger of uncontrolled emotions: The Confusion Insects do not erase free will; instead, they intensify anger and violent impulses, turning the battlefield into a self-sustaining slaughter.
• Adaptation and growth: The Spirit Insects’ metamorphoses expand Huo Hai’s available strategies and allow him to defeat opponents who would otherwise be difficult to kill.
• Pragmatism and resourcefulness: Huo Hai prioritizes survival, conserves spiritual power, raises Undead from the dead, and salvages Mo Feng’s armor after the victory.

Character Interactions

• Huo Hai commands Little Gold and the Confusion Insects to wear Mo Feng down while he remains safely outside the main conflict.
• Little Butterfly communicates directly with Huo Hai after its metamorphosis, showing a rare moment of personal interaction and increased closeness.
• Huo Hai uses Little Butterfly’s vision to observe Mo Feng and direct the assassination.
• Little Butterfly mentally controls Mo Feng long enough for Little Gold to enter his armor and poison him.
• Huo Hai comforts Little Gold after complaining about the destructive effect of its venom, highlighting their unusual but familiar master-and-spirit-insect relationship.

After killing Mo Feng, Huo Hai reflected on the battle’s dangers and his reliance on luck, then examined Silver Pearl and Little Butterfly’s newly strengthened abilities. He left Little Gold to watch the remaining Demonfolk Army and rested under Star Gu’s protection while recovering and sensing an approaching breakthrough.

• Huo Hai reviewed how unexpected Spirit Marshals, the Air Fortress, and Insect-Repelling Grass had nearly defeated him, and resolved to prepare more carefully.
• Huo Hai left Little Gold to kill any Demon Spirit Master who escaped the Confusion Insects’ control and called Little Butterfly back to his side.
• Huo Hai examined Silver Pearl’s enhanced spider silk control and found it could shape and manipulate detached silk, though its spiritual power was limited.
• Huo Hai discovered that Little Butterfly had gained direct mental attacks and a mental defensive barrier, alongside stronger illusions and mental control.
• Huo Hai let Little Butterfly rest after its transformation, then closed his eyes to recover with Star Gu guarding him as he sensed a possible breakthrough to mid-stage Spirit Marshal.

After recovering his vitality and cleansing the residue from his pills, Huo Hai turned the Demonfolk corpses into a massive undead army and began his counterattack. His Blazing Flame Sparrows blasted open the mountain passage, leaving the Demon Spirit Masters ahead facing his advancing forces.

• Huo Hai spent three days recovering while the Demonfolk and Demon Spirit Masters behind him fought until no Demon Spirit Masters remained.
• Huo Hai swallowed mist-cleansing grass, purified his spirit veins, and felt himself move closer to the mid-stage Spirit Marshal realm.
• Huo Hai killed the few surviving Demonfolk, used their corpses to gather death spiritual power, and raised more than ten thousand high-quality undead.
• Huo Hai joined the forward Undead Army and summoned newly cultivated Blazing Flame Sparrows to bombard the Demonfolk blocking the passage.
• Huo Hai's undead surged into the cleared passage as the Demon Spirit Masters ahead wondered whether Mo Feng had abandoned them.

Huo Hai annihilated the eastern Demonfolk Army by using his Blazing Flame Sparrows, Undead, and Confusion Insect, then sent word of the victory and led his forces north. By the next morning, he had reached the Demonfolk’s last fortress and began blasting through its defenses.

• Huo Hai used Blazing Flame Sparrows to clear the passage and let his Undead Army attack the Demonfolk on the other side.
• Demon Spirit Masters recognized Huo Hai and fled, but his enhanced Confusion Insect turned them and the Demonfolk against one another.
• Huo Hai’s Undead Army slaughtered the seventy thousand Demonfolk, and he sent a Windswift Sparrow carrying news that the eastern army had been annihilated.
• Huo Hai ordered the Undead to kill the remaining Demonfolk and Demon Spirit Masters, then marched north with his army.
• Huo Hai arrived at the last Demonfolk fortress and used Blazing Flame Sparrows to blast breaches through its walls.

Huo Hai led his growing Undead Army north, destroying fortresses and earning acclaim after eliminating a major threat, but the Bright Yang Kingdom ordered him back to prevent him from gaining more merit. He left the undead guarding the eastern route and headed south, ignoring the political maneuvering behind the order.

• Huo Hai used Blazing Flame Sparrows and powerful undead to destroy fortresses and swell his army to a million creatures as he advanced north.
• Bright Yang Kingdom officials learned that Huo Hai had defeated 120,000 Demonfolk and killed three Spirit Marshals, while investigators confirmed he had also destroyed the Air Fortress.
• The Bright Yang Kingdom's officials welcomed Huo Hai's achievements but planned to use his destruction of the fortresses against him, and he demolished five major fortresses over half a month.
• A messenger delivered orders recalling Huo Hai and intelligence explaining that the vice dean's provocations had helped ignite an all-out war between the Southern Nations Alliance and the Demon Spirit Masters.
• Huo Hai shredded the recall letter, ordered his undead to guard the eastern route, recalled the Ghost Insect, and headed south.

Huo Hai returned from the eastern front to Bright Yang City, where crowds welcomed him as a celebrated general. After arriving at his lodgings, he met the vice dean and realized the man’s cultivation now lagged behind his own.

• Huo Hai traveled openly from the depleted eastern front and boarded a reserve Airship after learning his previous vessel needed extensive repairs.
• Blood Rose joined Huo Hai on the Airship, explaining that the Ink Lotus Domain had recalled its disciples from the fronts for the coming battle against the Demon Burial Mound.
• Huo Hai and Blood Rose returned to the capital and rode through cheering crowds toward Bright Yang City in a royal carriage.
• A royal official told Huo Hai he would be escorted to the palace for rewards, prompting him to privately resent the Bright Yang Kingdom’s presumption.
• The vice dean greeted Huo Hai at his lodgings, and Huo Hai observed that the vice dean’s cultivation had fallen behind his own.

Huo Hai learned that his Earth-Grade Source Spirit Stone gave him greater potential than he had realized, then attended a reward ceremony at the Bright Yang Kingdom's Royal Palace. He confronted the ruler's attempts to assert authority over him and demanded that the rewards be given quickly.

• The vice dean and Blood Rose explained the Continuity Renewal Method and its drawbacks, while Huo Hai kept the exceptional quality of his own and his companions' Source Spirit Stones secret.
• The vice dean left, and Blood Rose flirted with Huo Hai before he headed to his room.
• The next morning, Huo Hai traveled by royal carriage to the Bright Yang Kingdom's Royal Palace, where he noticed that few attendees came from the Southern Cloud Kingdom and none came from the Ink Lotus Domain.
• At the palace, a military officer demanded that Huo Hai kneel, but the ruler allowed him to remain standing because of his status and strength.
• Huo Hai dismissed the ruler's authority over him and demanded that the reward ceremony begin, prompting the ruler to agree.

Chapter Summary: “Snow Jade Ice Orchid in Hand”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During the reward ceremony, the ruler of Bright Yang Kingdom deliberately minimizes Huo Hai’s achievements. Although Huo Hai destroyed an army of 120,000 Demonfolk and killed three Spirit Marshal Realm experts, his accomplishments are discounted because he destroyed fortresses and lacks proof of the three kills.
• The ruler reluctantly acknowledges Huo Hai’s destruction of an Air Fortress and agrees to award him the Snow Jade Ice Orchid, claiming it is comparable in value to an Air Fortress.
• Huo Hai exposes the ruler’s hypocrisy by asking whether his accumulated merits can be exchanged for something else. He chooses Spirit Jade instead and receives one million Spirit Jade.
• To prove the value of his achievements and retaliate against the ruler’s insults, Huo Hai reveals that he possesses three special suits of armor taken from the defeated Spirit Marshals. Rather than sell them to the Imperial Family, he announces that he will auction them publicly for Spirit Jade.
• Huo Hai further humiliates the ruler by sarcastically suggesting that the Imperial Family, which supposedly owns treasures comparable to an Air Fortress, would have no use for such “trash armor.”
• He leaves the palace without waiting for permission or using an imperial carriage, openly demonstrating his contempt and independence.
• Though furious, the ruler does not retaliate because he fears Huo Hai’s strength and recognizes the military value of the armor.
• After Huo Hai returns to his quarters, royal guards arrive—not to attack him, but to deliver the Snow Jade Ice Orchid and the promised Spirit Jade.

Character Developments

• Huo Hai: Becomes increasingly hostile toward Bright Yang Kingdom and loses any willingness to cooperate with it in the future. He remains calm and strategic rather than openly losing his temper, using the armor auction to reclaim both material benefits and personal dignity. His confidence and influence are shown to be strong enough that even the kingdom’s ruler cannot punish him.
• Ruler of Bright Yang Kingdom: Reveals himself as manipulative, petty, and politically calculating. He tries to reduce Huo Hai’s rewards to preserve the Snow Jade Ice Orchid and avoid strengthening a potential enemy, but his scheme backfires and leaves him humiliated. Despite his anger and greed, he is forced to tolerate Huo Hai because of the latter’s overwhelming power.
• Southern Cloud Kingdom disciples: React with anger and disbelief at the unfair treatment of Huo Hai, viewing it as further evidence of Bright Yang Kingdom’s arrogance.
• Bright Yang Kingdom disciples: Some are uncomfortable, while others take pleasure in Huo Hai’s misfortune, reflecting the political hostility surrounding him.

Significant Themes

• Power versus political authority: Although the ruler possesses formal authority, Huo Hai’s overwhelming strength prevents him from being controlled or punished.
• Fairness and exploitation: The ruler manipulates the accounting of Huo Hai’s merits, showing how institutions can distort justice for political purposes.
• Dignity and retaliation: Huo Hai refuses to accept humiliation quietly. His public announcement about the armor allows him to recover his honor while also punishing the ruler politically.
• Practical value over reputation: Huo Hai cares little about official recognition or public opinion. He prefers tangible rewards such as Spirit Jade and uses his reputation only as a tool.
• Mutual distrust: Bright Yang Kingdom sees Huo Hai as a future threat, while Huo Hai increasingly views the kingdom as an enemy rather than an ally.

Character Interactions

• The central interaction is the confrontation between Huo Hai and the ruler. The ruler attempts to belittle Huo Hai’s achievements, while Huo Hai responds with controlled sarcasm and strategic pressure.
• Huo Hai’s request to exchange his stored merits for Spirit Jade forces the ruler to honor at least part of his contribution.
• By announcing the auction of the three armors in front of everyone, Huo Hai publicly challenges the ruler’s credibility and exposes the exaggerated comparison between the Snow Jade Ice Orchid and an Air Fortress.
• The royal guards’ respectful delivery of the rewards contrasts with the ruler’s hostile attitude, confirming that the kingdom must still honor its obligations despite its resentment.

Huo Hai stored the Snow Jade Ice Orchid safely in his inner space and used the Bright Yang Kingdom’s slight against him to arrange a public embarrassment for its Imperial Family. After ten days of cultivation, he broke through to mid-stage Spirit Marshal and prepared to use the orchid in a few days.

• Huo Hai examined the Snow Jade Ice Orchid, then confirmed it could survive in his inner space as its mysterious power sustained it.
• Blood Rose offered to help Huo Hai confront the Bright Yang Kingdom’s ruler, but Huo Hai declined to avoid owing the Drifting Flower Pavilion a favor and endangering the Huo Family.
• Huo Hai asked Blood Rose to publicize the three suits of armor at Bright Yang City’s major auction as equipment the Imperial Family had rejected, and she agreed.
• Huo Hai spent ten days cultivating until his spiritual power fully fused with stellar force in one spirit vein, then began fusing power in a second vein.
• Huo Hai broke through to mid-stage Spirit Marshal and resolved to keep pursuing perfect cultivation despite its heavy resource costs.

After consolidating his breakthrough to the middle stage of the Spirit Marshal Realm, Huo Hai went to Bright Yang City’s auction with Blood Rose, hoping to replenish the Spirit Jade he had spent raising Blazing Flame Sparrows. He provoked the eldest prince into explaining his interest in the armor, sparking rumors of a hidden treasure, then settled into his private box to review the auction lots.

• Huo Hai practiced his Battle Spirit Arts after breaking through, finding Blood-Shaking Thorn close to the Greater Accomplishment Stage and deciding he needed stronger arts.
• Blood Rose reminded Huo Hai that the auction was starting, and he agreed to go with her after nearly forgetting the date.
• At the auction entrance, Huo Hai mocked the eldest prince about the three suits of armor, and the prince admitted he wanted them as rewards for his subordinates.
• Bystanders turned Huo Hai’s remark into rumors that the eldest prince knew of a hidden treasure, while Blood Rose laughed at the trouble this could cause him.
• Huo Hai and Blood Rose followed an attendant to their private box, where Huo Hai began reading the auction booklet.

Chapter Summary: “Unexpected Discovery”

• Auction strategy and armor bidding: The auction begins with a complete Profound Grade Upper-tier Peak armor, despite it supposedly being the grand finale. Blood Rose explains that the auction house is using the armor to attract attention and provoke competition early. By selling one complete set first and saving two damaged pieces for later, it encourages failed bidders to spend more while keeping the later auction items competitive. The armor’s price quickly exceeds one million Spirit Jade.
• The eldest prince’s difficulties: The eldest prince wins the complete armor for 1.3 million Spirit Jade, but the high price leaves him with less than one million remaining. He orders additional funds to be transferred from the Imperial Family, since he still needs to obtain the other two armor pieces. Because Huo Hai has spread the belief that the Imperial Family looks down on the armor, the prince must bid personally rather than rely on Imperial authority. Other bidders aggressively compete against him, preventing him from purchasing anything else and increasing his frustration toward Huo Hai.
• Auction prices rise: The armor’s opening spectacle drives up the prices of subsequent items, confirming Blood Rose’s analysis. Huo Hai occasionally bids, mainly purchasing Spirit Medicines needed to cultivate stronger Spirit Insects. Blood Rose persuades him to buy several pieces of jewelry, revealing her personal interest in ornaments despite their lack of practical value to Huo Hai.
• Huo Hai’s unexpected discovery: A piece of Black Cloud Amber is presented. Although the amber normally has limited medicinal value—mainly helping restore spiritual power for cultivators below the Spirit General Realm—Huo Hai immediately senses that it is important. He notices two tiny insects trapped inside the amber and instinctively believes they will be valuable to him. His reaction is unusually intense, showing that his intuition and focus remain closely tied to his Spirit Insect cultivation.
• Competition over the amber: Huo Hai initially bids ten Spirit Jade, already far above the amber’s normal value. The eldest prince, angered by Huo Hai’s influence and wishing to provoke him, bids eleven Spirit Jade. Other attendees then compete simply because the eldest prince has shown interest, driving the price to thirty Spirit Jade. Huo Hai decisively raises the bid to one hundred Spirit Jade, warning that he will withdraw if anyone bids higher. The room falls silent, leaving Huo Hai in control of the purchase.
• Character interactions and development: Blood Rose continues acting as Huo Hai’s adviser, explaining the auction house’s financial tactics, while also displaying a more playful side through her desire for jewelry. Huo Hai demonstrates his analytical understanding of auctions, his willingness to spend heavily on resources connected to his cultivation, and his growing confidence in acting decisively. The eldest prince becomes increasingly resentful and powerless, while Huo Hai’s earlier publicity continues to undermine the prince’s authority.
• Major themes: The chapter emphasizes strategy and manipulation, showing how auctions exploit greed, status, and competition; resourcefulness and foresight, through Huo Hai’s investment in Spirit Medicines and rare materials; and the tension between public reputation and private motives, as the Imperial Family’s supposed disdain for the armor affects the prince’s bidding. The amber also introduces a theme of hidden value, suggesting that seemingly ordinary objects may conceal rare or transformative treasures.

Chapter Summary: “End and Gains”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The First Prince initially bids against Huo Hai for a piece of Black Cloud Amber, mainly to inconvenience him. However, after Huo Hai raises the price to one hundred Spirit Jade, the First Prince withdraws rather than deepen the conflict.
• Huo Hai successfully obtains the amber. Although it appears ordinary, he discovers two insect-like remains inside it that still contain traces of life. He stores them in his Inner Space and uses its power to preserve and nourish them, hoping to hatch them later.
• After Huo Hai’s intimidating bid, other bidders stop competing with him for Spirit Medicine, allowing him to acquire whatever medicinal items he wants.
• The auction’s two damaged Profound Grade Upper-tier armors attract intense competition. Their prices rise dramatically, reaching a total of 3.3 million Spirit Jade. The First Prince is forced to purchase both for his mission.
• The final armor begins at 1.5 million Spirit Jade and eventually sells for 2.2 million. The First Prince cannot afford it because the Imperial Family will not release more funds, forcing him to abandon the purchase.
• Huo Hai earns 5.5 million Spirit Jade from selling the three armors. After the auction house takes its ten-percent commission, he receives 4.95 million Spirit Jade.
• Blood Rose celebrates Huo Hai’s success and jokingly demands a reward. Huo Hai agrees to consider giving her something reasonable, while carefully avoiding making an unconditional promise.
• That evening, the auction house delivers the Spirit Jade to Huo Hai’s residence. He verifies the shipment, signs for it, and stores the entire fortune in his Inner Space.
• Huo Hai concludes that he now has enough resources to support himself until reaching the Spirit King Realm. He also realizes that, having reached the Spirit Marshal Realm, he no longer needs to fear the Four Great Families of the Southern Cloud Kingdom, none of whom possess a Spirit Marshal.

Character Developments

• Huo Hai displays confidence, ruthlessness, and increased power. He is willing to follow the rules temporarily but openly admits that he would seize anything truly valuable to him after leaving the auction house.
• His careful examination of the amber reveals his growing knowledge and patience. Rather than dismissing the item as worthless, he recognizes its hidden potential and begins preserving the insects inside it.
• Huo Hai’s new financial strength greatly improves his position. His wealth and cultivation make him less dependent on powerful factions and more willing to reveal or use his Inner Space.
• The First Prince becomes increasingly frustrated and anxious. His impulsive attempt to provoke Huo Hai fails, and he suffers repeated setbacks as his bids attract unwanted competition.
• The First Prince’s inability to purchase the final armor highlights the limits of the Imperial Family’s resources compared with the accumulated wealth of ancient Lineages. He ultimately gives up to avoid harming Bright Yang Kingdom’s broader development.
• Blood Rose becomes more openly playful and familiar with Huo Hai, teasing him about a reward and physically embracing him in excitement over their profits. Her interest also suggests that she views the success as partly her own achievement.

Significant Themes

• Power and economic influence: Wealth and cultivation determine who can control the auction. Huo Hai’s successful bids intimidate others, while the First Prince’s authority cannot compensate for insufficient funds.
• Hidden value: The Black Cloud Amber appears worthless to everyone except Huo Hai, emphasizing that true value may be concealed and recognizable only to someone with specialized knowledge.
• Growing independence: Huo Hai’s wealth and Spirit Marshal cultivation free him from dependence on established powers and reduce his fear of the Four Great Families.
• Political and institutional limits: Even the Imperial Family must consider its treasury and the kingdom’s long-term stability, showing that centralized authority has practical constraints.
• Greed and exploitation: The auction house earns an enormous commission from Huo Hai’s sales, while the intense bidding demonstrates how quickly people become driven by competition and perceived value.

Character Interactions

• Huo Hai and the First Prince engage in a subtle contest of provocation and restraint. Huo Hai’s firm bid causes the First Prince to retreat, while the First Prince’s later purchases indirectly enriches Huo Hai.
• Huo Hai and Blood Rose share a teasing, increasingly comfortable relationship. She questions his fascination with the amber and later asks how he will reward her for helping generate the huge profit.
• The First Prince’s aides reveal the financial limitations of the Imperial Family and attempt to persuade him not to overdraw the treasury.
• Huo Hai interacts formally with the auction house’s delivery staff, reassuring them that they will not be blamed if problems arise after the Spirit Jade is delivered.

Chapter Summary: “Two Insects”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the auction, the major Lineages remain inactive despite the ongoing war. The front lines stay stable because the true experts have not intervened.
• Huo Hai avoids participating in the war, using excuses to remain away from the battlefield. Bright Yang Kingdom repeatedly asks him to eliminate the million-strong Undead army he previously left at the eastern front, but he refuses, claiming he is too far away to control them.
• The Undead remain passive unless provoked, creating a serious problem for Bright Yang Kingdom. The kingdom’s rulers regret scheming against Huo Hai, since they can no longer force him to resolve the situation.
• Huo Hai spends several days stabilizing his newly advanced cultivation. Once the insects inside the Black Cloud Amber recover, he performs a Shamanic ritual to hatch them.
• The amber is completely consumed during the ritual. Several insects emerge, but Huo Hai discards the unwanted varieties and focuses on two useful species.
• The first species resembles a small white caterpillar. It absorbs spiritual energy and produces pure spiritual-energy crystals. Huo Hai names it the Spirit-Gathering Insect and realizes that its crystals can directly increase cultivation without side effects.
• The second species is a tiny bluish-green, legless grub. Through Little Gold’s ability to interpret insects, Huo Hai discovers that it thrives in wine and naturally transforms rotting fruit into alcohol.
• Huo Hai names it the Wine Insect. He places several of them in a wine jar, where they happily swim through the wine.
• Huo Hai plans to experiment further with raising both insects’ levels and increasing their numbers. When he finally leaves his room, he finds Blood Rose waiting outside after being unable to see him for three days.

Character Developments

• Huo Hai becomes increasingly confident and resourceful after his breakthrough in cultivation. He is willing to spend valuable resources and conduct unconventional experiments to develop new advantages.
• His discovery of the Spirit-Gathering Insect gives him a potentially revolutionary method of rapidly strengthening his cultivation through pure spiritual-energy crystals.
• Huo Hai also displays curiosity and patience while investigating the mysterious Wine Insect, even though its usefulness is not immediately clear.
• Blood Rose shows continued familiarity and attachment to Huo Hai. Although she is mildly annoyed that he disappeared without explanation, she is not genuinely angry and jokingly demands compensation for waiting.
• Bright Yang Kingdom is portrayed as politically weakened and frustrated, unable to control Huo Hai after previously treating him as an enemy.

Significant Themes

• Consequences of political betrayal: Bright Yang Kingdom’s earlier schemes against Huo Hai leave it unable to request his help when it needs him most.
• Resourcefulness and experimentation: Huo Hai transforms rare, seemingly obscure creatures into potentially invaluable tools for cultivation and production.
• The hidden value of the weak: Neither insect is powerful in combat, but both possess rare and highly useful abilities.
• Control versus independence: Huo Hai’s refusal to intervene allows the Undead army to remain a strategic force outside the kingdom’s control.
• Discovery and adaptation: Huo Hai relies on observation, testing, and Little Gold’s communication to understand unfamiliar life forms.

Character Interactions

• Huo Hai maintains an adversarial but advantageous relationship with Bright Yang Kingdom, refusing its requests while benefiting from the pressure his Undead army creates.
• He communicates indirectly with the insects through Little Gold, using its ability to interpret their instincts and needs.
• His interaction with the Wine Insects is experimental but careful, as he tests whether wine is truly essential to their survival.
• The chapter ends with Blood Rose confronting Huo Hai playfully after his unexplained seclusion, reintroducing their familiar, teasing dynamic.

Huo Hai spent a day shopping with Blood Rose, then secluded himself to transform the Snow Jade Ice Orchid into a flower whose power could boost his cultivation. After carefully consuming it, he felt its effects begin to emerge, though their result remained unknown.

• Blood Rose took Huo Hai shopping around Bright Yang City for the day, and he told her he would enter secluded cultivation afterward.
• Huo Hai used his spiritual power to drive the Snow Jade Ice Orchid's special power into its blossom, leaving the rest of the plant withered.
• Huo Hai rested and cultivated with Little White's mist until his vitality, energy, and spirit reached their peak.
• Huo Hai plucked and ate the transformed blossom, which melted and spread its power throughout his body.
• After a period without any apparent change, Huo Hai sensed the Snow Jade Ice Orchid's effects beginning to take hold.