Chapter Summaries

• Plot/events: This is an author’s personal note rather than a story chapter. Sixue checks the book’s rankings, feels discouraged to see it last on the Sanjiang list, then is surprised and moved by two readers’ tips.
• Character development: Sixue shifts from disappointment to renewed motivation, promising to work harder and resume regular updates.
• Themes: Reader support, gratitude, perseverance, and commitment to a creative project.
• Interactions: Sixue thanks the two tippers and other longtime supporters, pledges at least three chapters the next day, and announces that Volume Two—and a new journey for the protagonist—will begin then.

Key plot points and events

• Er Dongsheng and his companions travel north by hot-air balloon, aiming to reach the Trading Camp so he can learn what happened there before leaving the region.
• At high altitude, the balloon is safer from demons and large birds, though the freezing darkness and strong winds make the journey difficult. Bei’er excitedly explores, nearly gets blown away, and is firmly told to stay inside.
• After three days, the balloon reaches the area above the Camp. Er Dongsheng leaves his companions behind and descends alone to investigate.
• The closer he gets, the more he senses an unnatural, bone-deep chill. The Camp is eerily quiet: no demons or other living creatures appear.
• He sneaks inside and finds empty buildings and a deserted Trading Square, with abandoned goods, spoiled food, and melted snow scattered across the ground. The chapter ends with the mystery unresolved.

Character developments

• Er Dongsheng remains cautious and protective, but his need to understand the Camp’s fate outweighs his reluctance to take risks. He goes down alone despite the danger.
• Bei’er is playful and thrilled by flight, but her recklessness shows how vulnerable she is in the open air. Er Dongsheng’s actions underscore his protective attachment to her.
• The rest of the group stays aboard the balloon while Er Dongsheng investigates.

Significant themes

• Isolation and unease: The vast, lightless sky and the Camp’s silence create an atmosphere of profound desolation.
• Curiosity versus safety: Er Dongsheng chooses to investigate even though the danger is unknown.
• Protection and companionship: The playful exchange with Bei’er offers warmth amid the threatening journey.
• Mystery and impending danger: The abandoned Camp and unnatural chill suggest that something catastrophic has happened.

Character interactions

• Bei’er plays excitedly on the balloon, but Er Dongsheng catches her when the wind nearly carries her away and scolds her before hiding her safely inside his clothes.
• He insists that Bei’er remain behind during the investigation, despite her protests, prioritizing her safety.
• The chapter contains no encounters with the Camp’s inhabitants; their absence is itself the central source of tension.

Plot points and events

• Er Dongsheng returns to the Demon and Fairy settlements and finds both completely deserted. The homes are undisturbed, with no signs of evacuation or fighting, suggesting the inhabitants vanished suddenly.
• In the Fairy Queen’s residence, he discovers faint Abyssal writing in blood: “Beware… death… underground… save…” The message is too damaged to interpret, but indicates a recent catastrophe that the Queen may have struggled to warn others about.
• While searching, Er Dongsheng hears someone outside and spots a Fairy crouched in the road, apparently chewing. When she ignores his approach, he circles around to investigate.
• He finds her gnawing on her own arm. The wound shows no blood, and her exposed bones bear strange black patterns. With scarlet, unfocused eyes, she detects Er Dongsheng and lets out a monstrous roar. The chapter ends as something disturbing begins to happen within her body.

Character developments

• Er Dongsheng shifts from puzzlement to alarm as the deserted settlement and cryptic warning deepen the mystery. Though frightened, he remains cautious and investigates the strange Fairy.
• The Fairy Queen is absent, but her hurried warning suggests she faced danger and may have tried to leave a message for whoever came after her.
• The encountered Fairy appears radically changed: she acts without awareness, consumes her own flesh, and behaves like a creature rather than a person.

Character interactions

• Er Dongsheng searches the Queen’s home for clues but finds only her blood-written message.
• He tries to attract the strange Fairy’s attention with his footsteps, then approaches from the side when she does not respond. She eventually senses him and roars.

Significant themes

• A growing mystery: The sudden disappearance of an entire community has no obvious explanation.
• Horror and transformation: The Fairy’s self-cannibalism and altered body suggest a horrifying change or corruption.
• Warnings and helplessness: The Queen’s incomplete message hints at danger but offers Er Dongsheng little guidance, heightening the sense that the catastrophe may still be unfolding.

Summary

Plot and events

• The fairy’s body swells, cracks, and bursts apart, revealing a skeleton marked with intricate black patterns and lit by flames in its eye sockets.
• The skeleton attacks Er Dongsheng with startling speed and strength, cutting his arm and drawing blood.
• Er dodges and counters with a powerful side kick, shattering the skeleton’s claws and skull and scattering her bones.
• The remains begin reassembling through a pale Void Rune, showing that the creature is not truly dead. Er smashes the rune with the Spear of Destruction, then takes one of her bones and flees in his strongest Flame Demon God form as a furious roar follows him.

Character development

• Er Dongsheng remains alert and pragmatic: he holds back his transformation at first to avoid attracting other creatures, but quickly resorts to overwhelming force when threatened.
• Though confident enough to strike decisively, he recognizes the skeleton’s extraordinary durability and is uncertain whether his attack has killed her.

Themes

• The chapter emphasizes the horror and uncertainty of the Abyss, where familiar forms conceal monstrous transformations and even death may not be final.
• It also highlights the limits and costs of strength: Er wins the first clash, but the skeleton’s defenses injure him, and her apparent defeat only triggers a more ominous threat.

Character interactions

• The encounter is a direct struggle between Er and the undead skeleton: she attacks relentlessly, while he blocks, counters, destroys her body, and interrupts her resurrection.
• Their conflict remains unresolved as Er escapes and the creature’s roar pursues him.

Key plot points and events

• Er Dongsheng flees the camp after realizing the danger there is far beyond his ability to face. A gigantic eye of pale flame rises over the camp and scans the area.
• When Er accidentally crushes something underfoot, the eye spots him and fires a devastating blast. The pale flames enter his body and begin altering his cells, but he manages to escape.
• He returns to the hot-air balloon, orders everyone to head for the mountains, and collapses from his injuries. Lulu and Bei’er stay with him in alarm.
• Once away from the camp, Er examines the damage and discovers the pale fire has transformed some of his cells into something resembling undead tissue. He suspects the eye intended to turn him into one of its followers.
• His Ink Spirit Flame battles the pale fire inside him, suppresses it, and restores most of his cells. It then swallows the remaining pale flame before Er can stop it.

Character developments and interactions

• Er remains decisive under pressure, prioritizing escape and ordering the group away from danger. His usual confidence gives way to alarm when he realizes the pale flames could change him into an undead creature.
• Lulu and Bei’er show deep concern when Er collapses; he tries to reassure them despite his condition.
• The Ink Spirit Flame acts as a powerful, unruly ally: it protects Er by defeating the pale fire, but ignores his warning and consumes it anyway.
• The giant eye appears intelligent and purposeful. After attacking Er, it withdraws, seemingly expecting the pale fire to complete its transformation.

Significant themes

• Survival and retreat: Er recognizes the limits of his strength and escapes rather than risking a direct confrontation.
• Identity and corruption: The altered cells raise the frightening possibility that becoming undead could mean losing who he is.
• Power and control: Er depends on the Ink Spirit Flame, but cannot fully command it—even when it acts in his favor.
• Hidden menace: The eye’s deliberate attack suggests a larger, calculating threat within the camp.

Key plot points and events

• Er Dongsheng and his companions have spent nearly a month traveling through a vast, dark mountain range in their hot-air balloon. The snow-covered peaks are dimly visible only at close range, forcing them to navigate carefully around steep slopes and narrow gaps.
• As the terrain climbs, they fly thousands of meters above the ground, enduring fierce winds and extreme cold. Er Dongsheng must stay constantly alert and sometimes leave the balloon to pull it away from danger.
• They reach what appears to be the range’s highest ridge. After following one enormous peak for days—and searching onward for several more—they find no pass or lower route. Their food and supplies are limited, and the group’s hope begins to fade.
• At six or seven thousand meters, the thin air and cold leave the Fairies, Succubus, and others increasingly weak. Er Dongsheng pauses the balloon and realizes they cannot keep searching indefinitely.
• He considers a dangerous alternative for crossing the ridge, but the chapter ends before he decides what to do.

Character developments

• Er Dongsheng remains capable and determined, but the endless peak and his companions’ worsening condition leave him exhausted, anxious, and unsure. His practical concern for the group competes with his reluctance to take a serious risk.
• Xierjie voices concerns about their altitude and direction, reflecting the growing danger and uncertainty.
• The little girl is visibly weakened by the altitude. Er Dongsheng comforts her, showing his tenderness and protective attachment.
• Little Bei’er remains carefree and asleep, offering a brief contrast to the group’s distress.

Significant themes

• Survival against an overwhelming environment: The immense mountains, darkness, cold, and thin air steadily wear down the travelers.
• Hope versus reality: The group continues searching for a pass even as each day brings no change and their supplies dwindle.
• Leadership and responsibility: Er Dongsheng must choose between a dangerous crossing and the risk of delaying until the group grows weaker.
• Care amid hardship: His quiet tenderness toward the sick little girl highlights the human bonds sustaining the group.

Character interactions

• Xierjie warns Er Dongsheng about their altitude and the risk of losing their way; he acknowledges the danger and steers the balloon around the peaks.
• Er Dongsheng works closely with the others to navigate the mountains, bearing the strain of keeping the balloon clear of the cliffs.
• When the little girl weakly calls to him, he reassures her and tucks Bei’er back under the covers, briefly setting aside his strategic worries to care for them.

Plot points and events

• Er Dongsheng anchors the hot-air balloon near Snow Peak, tells its passengers to stay put, and climbs alone to scout a route over the ridge.
• He climbs using claws strengthened by cells altered through exposure to the Ink Spirit Flame and Pale Flame. The cells retain their former abilities while gaining the Pale Flame’s durability and seeming immortality.
• As he ascends, the steep, icy terrain becomes increasingly difficult. Thin air and extreme cold leave him dizzy, nauseated, and struggling to breathe; he pauses to recover and warms himself with fire.
• Despite the system warning that his air supply is critically low, Er Dongsheng continues, driven by his determination to reach a wider world. Eventually, he recognizes that he cannot safely go on.
• He digs a snow cave to rest, where the air and temperature are more tolerable. Inside, he discovers a faint, unexpectedly warm breeze coming through an opening—and wonders where it originates.

Character developments

• Er Dongsheng shows ingenuity and caution by scouting ahead, adapting his altered cells for climbing, and choosing to rest rather than push past his limits.
• His ambition and stubborn resolve remain strong: he refuses to abandon his goal even when his body is failing, though he ultimately accepts the need to change tactics.
• He reflects on his mysterious Ink Spirit Flame, now quiet after consuming the Pale Flame, and feels some regret over not keeping the Fairy Queen with him.

Significant themes

• Perseverance and limits: Determination carries Er Dongsheng far, but survival also requires recognizing when to stop.
• Adaptation and transformation: His altered cells give him new strengths, while his body still remains vulnerable to ordinary needs like oxygen.
• Curiosity and the unknown: Questions about demons, Spirit Rune Chains, the Fairy Queen, and the warm wind hint at mysteries beyond his current understanding.

Character interactions

• Er Dongsheng gives instructions to those aboard the balloon before leaving them behind, but there is no direct exchange with them in this chapter.
• He briefly argues with the system’s warning, dismissing it before deciding for himself to stop.
• His bond with the Ink Spirit Flame remains an important, if indirect, relationship: he senses its unusual stillness and anticipates its return.

Key plot points and events

• Er Dongsheng breaks through the ice in the ridge and discovers a network of mysterious gateways. Beyond them lies an enormous, warm, air-filled world hidden inside the mountain.
• The gateway initially repels him, but he realizes its energy is connected to his black flame. Using that power, he passes through.
• Inside, he finds towering patterned pillars, white trees, and vast amounts of rock floating without regard to gravity. The pillars radiate heat and appear to be artificial structures that create the unusual environment.
• Er Dongsheng flies upward for over ten minutes—covering what he estimates to be more than a hundred kilometers—but still cannot see the top. He gives up exploring for now and returns to bring the others.
• By the time he reaches the entrance, it has nearly frozen shut, so he breaks through the ice again and heads back toward the waiting hot-air balloon.

Character development

• Er Dongsheng shifts from near despair to exhilaration as he uncovers the hidden world. His inherited knowledge, careful testing, and quick deduction help him understand how to pass through the barrier.
• His wonder at the discovery is tempered by practical concern: rather than explore further alone, he prioritizes returning to the others.

Significant themes

• Discovery and hidden worlds: An apparently solid, frozen ridge conceals a vast, habitable realm.
• Ancient power and engineering: The patterned pillars and barrier suggest a powerful creator deliberately shaped the space.
• Limits of understanding: The immense scale and strange gravity defy Er Dongsheng’s expectations, leaving the world’s full nature unknown.
• Cooperation: Er Dongsheng recognizes that the discovery should be shared with the others rather than pursued alone.

Character interactions

• This chapter focuses almost entirely on Er Dongsheng’s solo exploration. His only anticipated interaction is with the group waiting at the hot-air balloon, whom he intends to bring into the hidden world.

Key events

• Er Dongsheng returns to the hot-air balloon and tells Lulu and the others he has found a mild, resource-rich world that can serve as a temporary refuge. Their prolonged journey through thin air and extreme cold has left the group exhausted and ill.
• He clears a huge ice cavern near the Barrier Gates and guides the balloons into it, giving everyone access to warmer air. The group quickly recovers from their nausea and dizziness.
• Little Bei’er unexpectedly passes through a Barrier Gate unharmed. Er Dongsheng discovers that he cannot enter without using Ink Spirit Flame, while the others cannot pass either. Little Bei’er remains a puzzling exception, able to move through the barrier freely.
• Since Er Dongsheng cannot safely use the flame to carry the others through, he decides to deploy his unfinished Burning Legion plan earlier than intended. The plan—his first step toward conquering the Star Sea—was developed with the system and shaped by earlier encounters, including Little Bei’er and the remains of a Death Creature. Its method and risks are not yet revealed.

Character developments and interactions

• Er Dongsheng shows care and responsibility toward Lulu and the others, but his growing power and imposing presence also make most of them hesitant around him. He reassures them about their new refuge and works to protect them from the hostile environment.
• Lulu and the others are relieved and eager to reach the promised sanctuary; their physical recovery underscores how harsh the journey has been.
• Little Bei’er is impulsive, curious, and apparently immune to the barrier. Er Dongsheng scolds and flicks her forehead after she rushes through, while accepting that her secrets may not yet be understood.

Significant themes

• Survival and refuge: The group’s immediate needs—air, warmth, water, and food—drive Er Dongsheng’s decisions.
• Care amid power: His formidable abilities serve a protective role, especially toward the vulnerable companions.
• Mystery and unforeseen exceptions: Little Bei’er’s unexplained ability hints at secrets beyond Er Dongsheng’s current understanding.
• Ambition and sacrifice: The Burning Legion represents Er Dongsheng’s long-term ambition, but using it prematurely may strain him and expose the unfinished plan’s flaws.

Key plot points and events

• Er Dongsheng realizes the group needs the Ink Spirit Flame’s acceptance to enter the Mysterious Land. His Burning Legion plan could help secure it.
• Inspired by stories of humans made into powerful half-monster warriors, he devises a way to implant pieces of his own demonic flesh into others. The flesh carries the destructive Ink Spirit Flame, while a simple Abyss System Sub-System would control it and prevent it from consuming its host.
• The implanted flame would let hosts gain energy from creatures they kill, with a share returned to Er Dongsheng. The Sub-Systems would also let him monitor threats to himself and, if necessary, destroy a host—though he conceals this safeguard.
• He presents the group with a carefully edited explanation of the plan, then gives pieces of his flesh and Sub-Systems to nineteen people, including Lulu and Bei’er. Creating so many Sub-Systems nearly exhausts him.
• Each person places the flesh over their heart, where it begins merging with their body. Er Dongsheng calls the resulting individual power an “Awakening,” marking the birth of the Burning Legion’s first Awakened.

Character developments and interactions

• Er Dongsheng shows ambition and strategic ingenuity, but also a willingness to manipulate and secretly control his followers. He wants them to remain independent enough to grow powerful while keeping their lives in his hands.
• He is physically and mentally strained by the procedure, revealing that his grand plan is far beyond his current strength.
• Lulu and Bei’er eagerly want the chance to become stronger. Er Dongsheng initially means to exclude them, but relents when he sees their enthusiasm.
• The others accept the implanted flesh with excitement, trusting Er Dongsheng’s account without knowing the full extent of his control.

Significant themes

• Power and corruption: The Ink Spirit Flame offers strength at the risk of transforming or destroying its hosts.
• Control versus independence: Er Dongsheng avoids binding followers through their True Names, which would hinder their growth, but replaces that system with a hidden means of surveillance and coercion.
• Ambition and unintended consequences: What begins as a practical solution is foreshadowed as the origin of a destructive force that will one day devastate countless worlds.

Key plot points

• Er Dongsheng’s flesh fuses into the fairies’ bodies. The process is painful for most, though Little Succubus and mutated Ximir feel little discomfort. Little Bei’er experiences no pain at all.
• The group begins testing their awakenings. Bei’er’s first attempts seem to fail, but a burst of black Ink Spirit Flame erupts around her.
• Bei’er emerges from the flames as a tiny human girl, apparently transformed from her mermaid-like form. She celebrates her new height, but can sustain the transformation for only a few seconds before reverting.
• Lulu then awakens. Brilliant white energy pours from her, accompanied by white wings marked with black patterns of Ink Spirit Flame. Er Dongsheng is astonished, as the power resembles light yet does not harm him like the legendary force that counters darkness.
• Lulu says the power makes her feel warm and well. Er Dongsheng remains unsure what caused either girl’s unusual awakening and turns to observe the others.

Character developments and interactions

• Bei’er remains playful and boastful, but her awakening reveals a surprising store of Ink Spirit Flame and a new, if temporary, human form. Er Dongsheng comforts her when she is upset about changing back.
• Lulu shows determination beneath her timidness. Wanting to become strong enough to protect Er Dongsheng—and fearing the vulnerability of being weak—she gathers her courage to awaken. Her new power appears to suit her.
• Er Dongsheng is surprised by both awakenings and carefully investigates Lulu’s energy, but cannot explain it. He reassures Bei’er and guides the group through the process.

Significant themes

• Strength, vulnerability, and belonging: Lulu’s fear of abandonment is tied to her weakness and desire to protect herself and those she loves.
• Growth and transformation: The awakenings offer the fairies new abilities and possibilities, though Bei’er’s transformation proves temporary.
• The unexpected nature of power: Mutations produce results that defy Er Dongsheng’s expectations, especially Lulu’s apparently light-like energy emerging in the Abyss.

Plot points and events

• The Fairies undergo a dramatic Awakening: scarlet flames engulf them, black patterns spread across their bodies, and triangular Black Crystal cores appear on their foreheads. The cores store energy, connect them to Er Dongsheng’s system space, and may let him communicate with—or eventually project himself to—their bearers.
• Their awakened forms also produce huge fiery wings and greatly increase their power. An ordinary Fairy cracks thousand-year-old ice with a punch, matching an ordinary First-Level Demon.
• First-Level Demons Xierjie and her sister unleash a far stronger attack, shattering ice and reaching the power of a peak First-Level Demon. The sisters are astonished and delighted by their new strength.
• Er Dongsheng reflects on using this transformation to build a varied, powerful “Burning Legion,” then leads the awakened Fairies and other companions through the Barrier Gate into a new world.

Character developments

• Er Dongsheng grows more confident in his Awakening method and imagines expanding it to many races and Demon bloodlines. He views the offer of strength as a way to attract followers while accepting that they will be under his control.
• The Fairies gain formidable combat ability and become visibly excited by their transformation.
• Xierjie and her sister discover that Awakening has raised them far beyond what they expected, deepening their enthusiasm for Er Dongsheng’s power.

Significant themes

• Power as temptation and allegiance: Even those who understand the cost of serving Er Dongsheng may be drawn in by the promise of strength.
• Transformation and ambition: Awakening turns a physically weak race into dangerous fighters and fuels Er Dongsheng’s vision of an expanding legion.
• Destruction as a source of power: The Ink Spirit Flame devours energy, leaving behind a pure form that can accelerate growth.

Character interactions

• Er Dongsheng tests the Fairies’ new strength and praises the ordinary Fairy who cracks the ice.
• He watches Xierjie and her sister demonstrate their power; they respond with astonishment and excited gratitude.
• He then gathers the group and leads them through the Barrier Gate, framing the passage as the start of a new home and a new world.

Key plot points and events

• Ximir, now a red-flamed Fairy, kills and consumes a powerful beast, continuing to grow stronger. Lulu heals her with her altered light-like power, which can aid Awakened Demons without harming them.
• Lulu and Ximir head back to the floating island the group has made their home after weeks of searching. The island has a lake warmed by a Heaven-Piercing Pillar, but nights are dangerously cold and bring out hostile creatures.
• Er Dongsheng finishes bathing in the lake with Little Bei’er and returns to the group’s underground cavern before nightfall. There, a stone door and a large fire help keep everyone safe and warm.
• The others welcome him with food and gifts, while the sycophantic imp Sibya fusses over him.

Character developments and interactions

• Ximir is content with her simple life and steady growth, trusting that Baal’s leadership will improve their future.
• Lulu is becoming a valuable healer and fighter, though she remains weak; her unusual, bright transformation is a source of envy for Bei’er.
• Bei’er feels jealous of Lulu’s white transformation and has grown quiet and cold toward her. She takes pride in the handmade outfit Er Dongsheng made for her, which she keeps as a keepsake.
• Er Dongsheng finds comfort in returning to his companions and their shared shelter. The welcoming household reinforces the group’s closeness.

Significant themes

• Home and belonging: Safety, companionship, and a warm welcome make the cavern feel like a true home.
• Growth and hope: The Demons take satisfaction in steadily increasing their strength and believe their lives can improve.
• Jealousy and affection: Bei’er’s rivalry with Lulu reveals her insecurity, but also her attachment to Er Dongsheng and the family.
• Survival through cooperation: The group relies on hunting, healing, shelter, and shared warmth to endure a harsh world.

Key plot points and events

• Er Dongsheng, Little Lulu, Little Bei’er, and their companions share a meal in their underground cave. Er Dongsheng is treated as the group’s leader, while he openly spoils Bei’er and invites the Xierjie sisters—leaders of the fledgling Burning Legion—to eat with them.
• Strange demons attack the cave again at night, forcing Er Dongsheng and the sisters to defend the entrance. The attackers are Whirlwind Demons: spinning vortices that hurl leaves and debris like blades.
• Er Dongsheng explains the demons’ habits and the group’s tactic: fight them in a narrow passage to limit their movement, then break through the vortex’s defenses and destroy the rock core inside. He kills the first demon with a powerful strike that sends a destructive vibration through its core.
• After the group defeats several more small demons, the survivors flee. Er Dongsheng expects them to stay away for a few days.
• Outside, a vast, motionless vortex—apparently connected to the smaller demons—briefly forms a humanlike face, looks toward the cave, then vanishes.

Character developments and interactions

• Er Dongsheng’s authority remains unquestioned: the group waits for him to begin eating and follows his directions during the attack. He is calm and experienced in dealing with the demons.
• His tenderness toward Little Bei’er contrasts with his fierce manner in combat; he ensures she receives the same food he does.
• Inviting the Xierjie sisters to the table reflects his consideration for his subordinates and his confidence in their importance to the Burning Legion.
• The sisters fight alongside Er Dongsheng, though their fireball proves ineffective against the Whirlwind Demon’s defenses. The others stay back so they do not crowd the narrow passage.

Significant themes

• Leadership and loyalty: The meal ritual and coordinated defense show the group’s hierarchy and solidarity.
• Care amid danger: Er Dongsheng balances affection for Bei’er and consideration for his followers with decisive protection of the group.
• Learning to survive: Understanding the demons’ behavior and weaknesses is as important as raw strength.
• Escalating mystery and threat: The demons have begun attacking even underground, and the enormous vortex’s attention suggests a larger danger or an unexplained connection to Er Dongsheng.

• Key events: After her Sanjiang feature ended, Sixue tried to publish a book review filled with thanks and reflections. Instead, the site repeatedly displayed “Your book review is under review,” leaving her unable to post it.
• Character development: Sixue is eager to express herself and grateful to her readers, but her enthusiasm turns into exasperation as the review remains pending.
• Themes: The frustration of online moderation and the desire to connect with an audience.
• Character interactions: Sixue appeals directly to her readers, asking whether they know what the message means or how she can resolve the problem.

Key plot points

• Er Dongsheng examines a strange Rock Core from a defeated creature. Though it looks like ordinary stone, it is extraordinarily dense and has signs of life. Magnified particles reveal mysterious markings, but he cannot explain what makes the rock alive.
• His investigation deepens his conviction that the Mysterious Space—its floating islands, pillars, and unusual creatures—was either created or shaped by a powerful being.
• After a night of slow cultivation, Er Dongsheng remains stuck at the Early Second-Level Demon stage. He gives the Fairies’ hunting gains to his still-weak followers rather than keeping the essence energy for himself.
• The next morning, he visits the community’s popular Hot Spring with Lulu and the timid, mutated Fairy Ximir, intending to assess both girls’ strength.

Character developments and interactions

• Er Dongsheng’s curiosity grows into a strong hunger to understand the world, though he recognizes that he lacks the knowledge to solve its mysteries yet. He also shows patience and generosity by prioritizing his followers’ growth.
• Lulu remains devoted to him and insists on staying close. He realizes he has neglected her lately and plans to check her progress.
• Ximir is still shy around Er Dongsheng, but Lulu draws her along. Er Dongsheng treats both girls warmly, patting their heads.
• Little Bei’er tries to eat the Rock Core, mistaking it for food, and breaks her teeth. Her comic mishap confirms how rock-like the creature’s remains are.
• The Fairies work cooperatively, greeting Er Dongsheng as “Lord Baal”—a greeting that spread after he taught it to Little Succubus.

Significant themes

• Exploration and mystery: The world’s unnatural phenomena invite investigation, but much remains beyond Er Dongsheng’s understanding.
• Leadership and responsibility: He invests resources in his followers despite his own stalled cultivation.
• Patience amid limitations: Both his research and personal growth are slow, yet he accepts that answers and progress will take time.
• Domestic warmth and humor: The community’s routines and Bei’er’s mishap lighten the chapter’s broader sense of wonder.

This is an author’s note rather than a story chapter. Sixue asks readers to support the new book by recommending it and leaving feedback, including suggestions for the Abyss’s settings and adventures. The author says they have revised some outlines in response to reader preferences, will consider useful ideas, and are preparing a large batch of chapters for release before the New Year.

Key plot points and events

• Er Dongsheng and his companions enjoy a hot spring formed by the island’s dramatic temperature swings. He is relaxed and confident, while Little Bei’er lazily floats on his chest.
• Their rest is interrupted when a fairy reports that Xierjie has been badly injured and her sister is trapped.
• Xierjie’s wound is infected with powerful dark corrosion, which Er Dongsheng recognizes as characteristic of the Abyss Snake family.
• Xierjie explains that the sisters encountered a small, dragon-like creature while hunting. After killing it, they were surrounded by a group of unfamiliar creatures with poisonous attacks and an ability to stiffen their bodies. Xierjie escaped, but her sister was left behind.
• Little Lulu uses her Awakening healing ability to drive much of the poison from Xierjie’s wound.
• Once Xierjie is out of immediate danger, Er Dongsheng sets off to rescue her sister, confident that the enemy poses little threat to him.

Character developments and interactions

• Er Dongsheng remains selective and self-assured, but shows concern for his valuable subordinates and responds decisively when one is in danger. He also recognizes the encounter as evidence of a previously unknown intelligent species.
• Xierjie is distraught over her sister’s capture, revealing the depth of their bond and their history of relying on each other.
• Little Lulu demonstrates the practical value of her healing power, which Er Dongsheng believes could become much more formidable as she grows.
• Little Bei’er provides a comic contrast to the crisis: she is content to lounge in the spring rather than move or swim.
• The fairies’ loyalty centers on the Xierjie sisters, something Er Dongsheng notices as he considers how to manage his growing group of subordinates.

Significant themes

• Discovery and escalation: The mysterious attackers may be a social, intelligent species with multiple unusual abilities, suggesting a new threat and a wider world of unknown beings.
• Loyalty and kinship: Xierjie risks herself for her sister, and her anguish shows how strongly their relationship shapes her actions.
• Power and hierarchy: Er Dongsheng judges danger by strength and sees his followers partly in terms of their usefulness, while still taking responsibility for those under his command.
• Contrasts in tone: The chapter shifts from playful, sensual relaxation to urgency and danger, underscoring how quickly calm can be disrupted.

Key plot points and events

• On a distant Floating Island, Shiweier secretly absorbs the remaining energy from a dead guardian beast to recover, taking care not to let the surrounding Demons notice that its carcass is nearly drained.
• The local tribe’s Demons surround her, furious that she killed their guardian beast. Their leader, Christina, warns that the tribe faces an approaching crisis and fears it cannot survive without the beast.
• Shiweier invokes her lord, Kaoshan, and tries to hold off the attackers until help arrives. When they attack, she enters her Awakening state, gaining immense strength and fighting several off—but poison and exhaustion begin to stiffen her limbs.
• Shiweier taunts the Demons with memories of a figure whose power dwarfs her own. Christina recognizes the description and reacts with fearful awe.
• A huge, flame-wreathed figure appears on the horizon. Shiweier identifies him as Lord Baal and collapses from exhaustion. A black shadow flashes past, and the Spear of Destruction arrives.

Character developments

• Shiweier is resourceful and composed under pressure. She conceals her recovery, chooses to hold her ground rather than risk fleeing, and uses intimidation as well as combat to buy time. Despite her power, she is running out of strength and succumbs just as rescue arrives.
• Christina is driven by grief and fear for her tribe’s future. Her anger makes her attack recklessly, but she also recognizes the scale of the threat represented by the powerful figure Shiweier describes.
• Baal remains offstage until the ending, but his overwhelming presence signals that the balance of power is about to shift.

Significant themes

• Survival and sacrifice: The guardian beast’s death leaves the tribe vulnerable, while Shiweier must conserve strength and endure until help comes.
• Power and intimidation: Shiweier’s transformation briefly changes the fight’s momentum, but the promised arrival of Baal—and the memory of an even mightier figure—defines a much greater scale of power.
• Fear of the unknown: The Demons’ unusual abilities and the approaching crisis unsettle both sides, while their recognition of the remembered figure suggests a forbidden or terrifying history.

Character interactions

• Shiweier and Christina clash over the guardian beast’s death, with Christina’s grief fueling the tribe’s coordinated attack.
• Shiweier warns her attackers that her lord is coming, then uses her Awakening and boasts of a still more powerful figure to intimidate them.
• Christina rallies her people when she realizes Shiweier is weakening, but the arrival of Baal interrupts the assault and leaves the outcome unresolved.

Key plot points

• Baal, the Overlord of the Earth, arrives on the battlefield, summoned by his immense Spear of Destruction. His aura alone overwhelms the gathered demons, forcing several to their knees.
• Christina’s group tries to explain that they attacked because Baal’s subordinate killed their tribe’s guardian beast. Baal dismisses the grievance and refuses to let them go, viewing them as valuable experimental subjects.
• Baal notices the strange nature of the place: the Abyssal Will seems faint, and the demons lack Abyss Stars. He suspects the area may hold useful discoveries.
• As a vast force of fire-winged Fairies approaches, Baal signals them with an emblem of black Ink Spirit Flame. Dozens of Fairies land and salute him as the Burning Squad.
• Baal orders the squad to fight the opposing demons one-on-one and capture them all. The battle is about to begin.

Character developments

• Baal / Er Dongsheng displays overwhelming power and cold pragmatism. He is curious about the unfamiliar region, but treats its inhabitants as specimens rather than people. Though his followers show gratitude, he remains wary of their potential betrayal.
• Christina tries to negotiate despite her anger and fear, then considers using a dangerous stone shard as a last resort.
• Shiweier recovers from exhaustion and openly admires Baal, while still warning him about the strength of their opponents.
• Xierjie arrives to check on Shiweier and notices her intense admiration.
• The Burning Squad demonstrates discipline and loyalty, eagerly awaiting orders. Baal sees their arrival as a chance to assess their combat abilities.

Significant themes

• Power and helplessness: The weak are forced to plead with the strong, who can disregard justice without consequence.
• Pragmatism and exploitation: Baal views enemies as useful resources and experimental subjects.
• Loyalty and suspicion: Service and gratitude do not erase Baal’s belief that betrayal is always possible.
• Discovery: The unusual absence of Abyssal traits hints that the setting may conceal secrets or opportunities.

Character interactions

• Christina confronts Baal about the guardian beast’s death, but he cuts off her explanation and refuses mercy.
• Shiweier warns Baal about the enemy, while Xierjie checks on her and reacts to her admiration of him.
• The Burning Squad salutes Baal and receives his order to capture the opposing demons, setting the stage for the coming battle.