Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Another Conversation with Zhao Minghui”

Plot Points and Events

• After seven days of intense training, Wu Ming’s abilities undergo a major transformation. His strength rises to 4,194 kg, his Spiritual Force to 4,186 kg, and his speed to 62 m/s, making him an Advanced Warrior in both physical strength and Spiritual Force.
• His cell activity and neural reaction speed reach the Beginner Warlord level, while his Hidden Strength improves to a 1.3x force amplitude. With equipment and techniques included, his Force of Will reaches sevenfold amplification.
• Wu Ming reflects on how joining the Xingyi Martial Arts Hall and learning advanced Guidance Techniques allowed his Genetic Energy cultivation to surpass his previously stronger Spiritual Force.
• He senses energy fluctuations from Jia Qingshan’s room and realizes that the hall master has successfully cultivated the Five Hearts Toward Heaven technique and broken through into the Genetic Warrior realm.
• Jia Qingshan reveals that his strength has risen to approximately 2,800 kg, an astonishing increase that demonstrates his exceptional talent. Although he does not awaken Spiritual Force, his physical transformation is extremely powerful.
• Wu Ming begins considering the possible future strength of humanity and the monsters that may appear during the coming Beast Tide. He concludes that the threat must involve powerful Lord-level monsters, possibly even several High Lord-level creatures.
• Concerned that the authorities may underestimate the danger, Wu Ming decides to warn Zhao Minghui again. He explains that mutated animals may eventually absorb Cosmic Energy, undergo complete genetic evolution, and become genuine monsters.
• Wu Ming emphasizes that a Beast Tide made up of such evolved creatures could threaten human civilization itself.

Character Developments

• Wu Ming becomes significantly stronger and more balanced, overcoming his previous weakness in speed and stabilizing his Genetic Warrior cultivation.
• He grows more aware of his long-term potential, recognizing the importance of researching a Spiritual Force Guidance Technique next.
• Wu Ming also develops greater strategic foresight, connecting current animal mutations with the catastrophic Beast Tide from the original timeline.
• Jia Qingshan successfully enters the Genetic Warrior realm and displays extraordinary physical talent. His trust in Wu Ming deepens, and he immediately agrees to cooperate in protecting humanity.
• Zhao Minghui remains overworked and cautious but continues to take Wu Ming’s discoveries seriously.

Significant Themes

• The value of guidance and mentorship: Wu Ming’s rapid progress proves that proper martial techniques and instruction can transform a person’s potential.
• Humanity versus evolutionary threats: The chapter expands the danger beyond ordinary mutated animals, suggesting that creatures may evolve into beings comparable to or stronger than human Martial Artists.
• Preparation versus complacency: Wu Ming understands that humanity must prepare before the Beast Tide becomes unavoidable.
• Shared responsibility: Jia Qingshan’s willingness to cooperate reinforces the idea that survival will require powerful individuals and authorities to work together.
• Foreshadowing and escalating danger: The possibility of Lord-level monsters hints that the future catastrophe will be far worse than a normal animal uprising.

Character Interactions

• Wu Ming congratulates Jia Qingshan on his breakthrough and questions him about his new strength.
• Their conversation shifts from personal cultivation to the larger threat facing humanity. Wu Ming shares his theory that mutated creatures can absorb Cosmic Energy and evolve genetically.
• Jia Qingshan accepts Wu Ming’s warning and promises full cooperation.
• Wu Ming then contacts Zhao Minghui, continuing their earlier discussion about mutated creatures and presenting his more alarming conclusion: a true Beast Tide could place all human civilization in mortal danger.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Wu Ming explains to Zhao Minghui that Gene Evolution enables a person, after sufficiently optimizing their genes, to sense and absorb Cosmic Energy, resulting in a complete physical transformation.
• He reveals that his strength exceeds 4,000 kilograms, while the immediate result of transformation was approximately 2,700 kilograms.
• Jia Qingshan confirms Wu Ming’s claims, stating that he has also absorbed Cosmic Energy and currently possesses physical strength of roughly 2,800 kilograms. His existence demonstrates that Genetic Warriors are not an isolated phenomenon.
• Zhao Minghui, recognizing the seriousness of the discovery, says the government requires conclusive evidence and announces that he will personally bring equipment to verify their abilities.
• Wu Ming decides that, if the government confirms the results, he will promote his cultivation method to help create more Genetic Warriors. Jia Qingshan cautions that very few martial artists possess the necessary physical foundation.
• Jia reveals that his advancement depended heavily on the Jia Family’s secret techniques and medicines: the Jade Lock Golden Pass Formula and Nine-Dragon Decoction.
• Wu Ming admits he has considered using these methods to accelerate human evolution but promises not to reveal or take them without the Jia Family’s consent. Jia becomes conflicted because sharing them could benefit the nation while also sacrificing important family inheritance.
• Zhao Minghui arrives at the martial arts hall with armed soldiers and a heavy truck containing specialized testing equipment linked directly to higher authorities.
• Jia undergoes testing first, and his enhanced physical abilities are confirmed. Zhao then tells Wu Ming that confirmation of his own results will allow the government to begin a comprehensive campaign against mutated creatures.
• Wu Ming enters the truck’s testing compartment, bringing the chapter to a pause before his results are revealed.

2. Character Developments

• Wu Ming emerges as both a revolutionary figure and a potential national resource. Although still a high school student, he is willing to share his discoveries to help humanity resist the mutated creatures. He also shows restraint by respecting the Jia Family’s ownership of its secret techniques.
• Jia Qingshan changes from a skeptical martial arts master into the second confirmed Genetic Warrior. His success strengthens Wu Ming’s theory, but it also places him in a moral dilemma over whether to sacrifice his family’s inheritance for the greater good.
• Zhao Minghui shifts from disbelief to cautious acceptance. As a government official, he responds practically by demanding scientific verification and preparing to act on the results.
• The government is portrayed as increasingly willing to mobilize military resources once the existence of Genetic Warriors is confirmed.

3. Significant Themes

• Scientific proof versus extraordinary claims: The government cannot rely on testimony alone and insists on measurable, reproducible evidence.
• The advancement of humanity: Gene Evolution and Cosmic Energy offer a possible path for humans to survive the threat posed by mutated creatures.
• Individual inheritance versus collective survival: Jia’s secret martial arts techniques and medicines may help the entire country, but sharing them could cost his family its unique legacy.
• Trust and responsibility: Wu Ming gains influence by being honest about what he knows and by respecting Jia’s right to decide the fate of his family’s teachings.
• The institutional response to crisis: Once the discovery is verified, the government plans to use it immediately in a broader anti-mutant campaign.

4. Character Interactions

• Wu Ming and Zhao Minghui discuss the nature and effects of Cosmic Energy, with Zhao pressing for clarification and evidence.
• Jia Qingshan publicly supports Wu Ming’s account, giving the theory independent confirmation.
• Wu and Jia discuss the possibility of spreading the cultivation method, revealing their shared concern for humanity but differing assessments of how many people can benefit.
• Their conversation becomes tense when Jia realizes Wu may be considering the Jia Family’s secret formula and medicine. Wu reassures him that the decision belongs to the Jia Family.
• Zhao Minghui’s arrival formalizes the relationship between Wu, Jia, and the government. After brief introductions, he moves directly to testing, emphasizing the urgency of the mutant crisis.

Chapter Summary: “Verification and Spread”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wu Ming undergoes a series of physical tests inside a specially equipped train car, measuring his arm strength, explosive leg power, and punching force.
• His punch registers at 4,196 kilograms, demonstrating extraordinary physical power.
• A scanning device examines his body while transmitting the results to a military compound in Kyoto.
• Officials discover that Wu Ming’s muscle strength is about 1.5 times that of Jia Qingshan, while his skin and bones are 3.75 times stronger. This means ordinary bullets would likely fail to penetrate his skin.
• Wu Ming requests permission to demonstrate another ability: Spiritual Force, or telekinesis.
• He uses his mind to lift and hurl a weight plate at the punching machine, producing an impact force of 4,053 kilograms despite the limited space.
• After the tests, Wu Ming returns to the training ground and discusses his abilities and physical abnormalities with Zhao Minghui.
• Zhao explains that Wu Ming and Jia Qingshan’s results provide convincing evidence for officials considering a nationwide campaign to eliminate mutated creatures.
• However, government leaders remain hesitant because of competing domestic crises and the enormous scale of the problem. The special medicine being produced is insufficient for the population.
• Wu Ming reflects that the RR Virus outbreak is only halfway through its projected three-month duration, suggesting that the disaster and casualties will continue to worsen.

Character Developments

• Wu Ming reveals the full extent of his evolution. His strength is immense, but his enhanced skin and bones are even more exceptional.
• He openly demonstrates Spiritual Force while concealing the true source of his abnormal physical durability—the Tungsten Steel Armor talent.
• Wu Ming shows increased strategic caution by presenting a plausible explanation for his abilities and withholding information that could expose his secrets.
• Zhao Minghui becomes increasingly convinced of Wu Ming’s extraordinary potential but accepts that some mysteries about him may remain unexplained.
• Zhao is also portrayed as exhausted and burdened by the growing national crisis.
• Military officials begin treating Wu Ming as important evidence in support of more aggressive action against mutated creatures.

Significant Themes

• Verification and proof: Wu Ming’s abilities must be measured and documented before authorities will take decisive action.
• Government hesitation versus emergency response: Even with evidence of danger, bureaucratic concerns and competing crises delay large-scale intervention.
• Secrecy and self-protection: Wu Ming balances cooperation with the government against the need to hide the true nature of his powers.
• Escalation of the disaster: The outbreak is presented as an expanding national catastrophe, with the current situation only an early stage.
• Human adaptation and evolution: Wu Ming’s transformed body and awakened Spiritual Force illustrate how individuals may evolve in response to the RR Virus and cosmic energy.

Character Interactions

• The automated testing system directs Wu Ming through the physical and biological examinations.
• Military officers observe his results remotely and debate the significance of his unusual durability.
• Wu Ming requests and receives approval to conduct an additional Spiritual Force test, impressing the officials.
• Zhao Minghui questions Wu Ming about both his telekinesis and his enhanced body. Wu Ming offers a partial explanation, while concealing the Tungsten Steel Armor talent.
• Their conversation shifts from personal abilities to the broader national response, with Zhao explaining the political obstacles to eliminating mutated creatures.

Chapter Summary: “Ways and Submission”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhao Minghui explains that the nation’s leadership is divided over whether to prioritize domestic stability or launch a military purge against mutated creatures.
• Wu Ming realizes that the emergence of increasingly powerful mutations—especially creatures capable of evolving to the level of himself and Jia Qingshan—has strengthened the pro-war faction.
• However, the country has only slightly more than two million active-duty soldiers, and at least half must remain to suppress domestic unrest. Even deploying the remaining million troops would be hopeless against hundreds of millions of mutated creatures.
• Wu Ming proposes partially lifting the Gun Ban Order. Instead of fully arming the public, the state would authorize selected citizens to hunt mutated creatures and exchange their corpses for rewards.
• To prevent the policy from causing civil disorder, anyone who uses a gun against another person would be executed, regardless of whether casualties occurred.
• Zhao Minghui worries that loosening gun restrictions could intensify unrest and that punishment alone might not deter criminals.
• Wu Ming reveals that the state could maintain control through Genetic Warriors, whose power would surpass that of ordinary gun holders.
• Jia Qingshan confirms that Wu Ming possesses a method for cultivating Genetic Energy. After eight days of training, Jia used it to sense cosmic energy and break through to become a Genetic Warrior.
• Wu Ming offers to give the cultivation method to the state so it can create its own force of Genetic Warriors.
• Jia Qingshan also offers his family’s hereditary martial art and secret medicine, which can help Martial Artists reach the Human Body Limit required for Genetic Energy cultivation.

Character Developments

• Wu Ming: Shows strategic foresight and a strong sense of national responsibility. Rather than blaming himself for the epidemic’s death toll, he focuses on solving the manpower shortage and preventing the Beast Tide. He presents a risky but potentially effective national mobilization plan and willingly offers his cultivation method to the government.
• Zhao Minghui: Initially acts as a comforting and pragmatic official, but becomes increasingly conflicted as he recognizes the scale of the mutated-creature threat. His attitude shifts from skepticism toward serious consideration of Wu Ming’s proposal.
• Jia Qingshan: Previously quiet during the discussion, he publicly confirms his breakthrough and supports Wu Ming. By offering his family’s secret techniques and medicine, he demonstrates loyalty to the nation and trust in Wu Ming.

Significant Themes

• National survival versus internal stability: The leadership must choose between suppressing domestic disorder and confronting the external threat of mutated creatures.
• Manpower as the central resource: Weapons are available, but the nation lacks enough personnel to use them effectively on the enormous mutated population.
• Controlled empowerment of civilians: The proposed gun policy explores whether ordinary citizens can be mobilized without causing social collapse.
• Power and state authority: Wu Ming argues that the government must retain overwhelming power, now represented not only by weapons but by Genetic Warriors.
• Sacrifice and cooperation: Wu Ming and Jia Qingshan are willing to surrender valuable personal and familial secrets for the nation’s survival.
• Evolution of threats: The chapter emphasizes that mutated creatures may continue growing stronger, making delayed action increasingly dangerous.

Character Interactions

• Zhao Minghui reassures Wu Ming about the epidemic, prompting Wu Ming to clarify that his concern is the nation’s strategic situation.
• Wu Ming questions Zhao about the military’s limitations, exposing the scale of the manpower crisis.
• Their discussion develops into a debate over the risks and benefits of lifting gun restrictions.
• Jia Qingshan’s revelation confirms Wu Ming’s claims and gives Zhao Minghui a concrete example of Genetic Energy cultivation.
• Wu Ming and Jia jointly persuade Zhao that a state-controlled force of Genetic Warriors could make civilian mobilization viable while preserving government authority.

Chapter Summary: “Advice”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Wu Ming and Jia Qingshan formally hand Zhao Minghui two valuable cultivation manuals:
  • The Jade Lock Golden Pass Formula, which accelerates advancement to the Quasi-Martial Artist stage.
  • The Five Hearts Toward Heaven method, which provides a path toward becoming a Genetic Warrior.
• Zhao Minghui recognizes that the manuals are national treasures and promises that the government will fulfill any reasonable request from Wu Ming and Jia Qingshan.
• Rather than asking for personal rewards, Wu Ming urges the nation to begin eliminating mutant creatures as soon as possible. Jia Qingshan supports him, explaining that he surrendered his family’s inheritance to protect the nation and prepare for the coming catastrophe.
• Zhao reveals that higher authorities have already approved Wu Ming’s proposal to remove restrictions and launch a nationwide campaign against mutant beasts, although the practical details still need to be developed.
• Wu Ming, Zhao, and Jia hold a two-hour planning meeting. Wu Ming presents a detailed strategy for dealing with the future Beast Tide:
  • Gradually relax gun restrictions instead of lifting them immediately.
  • Grant firearms access first to veterans who have undergone the RR Virus transformation.
  • Allow veterans to hunt mutant creatures independently in cities rather than recalling them into centralized military service.
  • Have the active military focus on large wild beasts and threats near cities.
  • Establish a licensing system for civilian hunters, who could legally purchase firearms and ammunition.
  • Use the newly acquired cultivation methods to train elite soldiers into Genetic Warriors.
  • Recruit Hidden Strength Martial Artists as an additional pool of reserve warriors.
  • Publicize the power of Martial Artists and reveal the cultivation methods only after public interest has been generated.
  • Reward citizens with contribution points or money for killing mutant animals and turning in their corpses.
• Wu Ming emphasizes that rats and other urban pests are a major hidden danger, since they can multiply unnoticed and eventually create devastating Beast Tides.
• Zhao records Wu Ming’s proposals and promises to report them faithfully to the authorities.

2. Character Developments

• Wu Ming is shown to be highly selfless, farsighted, and strategically capable. He refuses personal compensation and focuses entirely on preparing humanity for the coming disaster. His month-long preparation allows him to offer a comprehensive national defense plan despite his young age.
• Jia Qingshan demonstrates loyalty to his family’s ideals and a strong sense of duty. He views giving up his family’s martial inheritance as a way to honor his deceased master and save civilians in the future.
• Zhao Minghui grows increasingly impressed by Wu Ming’s insight. He initially comes to receive the manuals but realizes that Wu Ming has identified threats and solutions the government itself overlooked, especially the danger posed by rats.
• The government is characterized as cautious but willing to act decisively once convincing evidence and practical proposals are provided.

3. Significant Themes

• Sacrifice for the greater good: Both Wu Ming and Jia Qingshan reject personal gain in favor of protecting the nation.
• Preparation against catastrophe: The chapter stresses that future disasters must be addressed before they become unmanageable.
• Knowledge as national power: The cultivation manuals are treated as strategic resources capable of transforming the nation’s military and survival prospects.
• Balancing freedom and social order: Wu Ming’s proposal recognizes that lifting the gun ban could cause unrest, so he recommends a gradual, controlled transition.
• Collective action: The Beast Tide cannot be defeated by the military alone; civilians, veterans, Martial Artists, and Genetic Warriors must all contribute.
• Hidden dangers: Ordinary creatures such as rats may pose greater long-term risks than more visible wild beasts, emphasizing the importance of looking beyond obvious threats.
• Public opinion and political strategy: Wu Ming advises the government to build public fascination with Martial Artists before revealing cultivation methods and expanding civilian participation.

4. Character Interactions

• Wu Ming and Jia Qingshan jointly present the manuals and express their commitment to national defense.
• Zhao Minghui formally thanks them, offers government rewards, and conveys the authorities’ promise to support their goals.
• During the planning meeting, Wu Ming takes the lead while Zhao carefully records his advice. Jia remains present as a supporter, contributing moral legitimacy rather than detailed strategy.
• Wu Ming’s discussion of rats shocks Zhao, forcing him to recognize a major weakness in the government’s existing Beast Tide preparations.
• The chapter ends with Zhao acknowledging Wu Ming’s extraordinary intelligence and agreeing to submit his recommendations to the higher authorities.

Chapter Summary: “Cultivation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhao Minghui leaves with Jia Qingshan to help the country establish and train its first Genetic Warriors. Jia Qingshan accepts the role of instructor because Wu Ming declines, claiming he is too young.
• Before departing, Jia Qingshan gives Wu Ming the key to the Recording Room. He reveals that it contains complete instructional recordings of Xingyi Quan and the core techniques of various Internal Martial Arts schools, not merely animal videos.
• Jia Qingshan arranges for Wu Ming to receive Nine-Dragon Decoction daily. He also authorizes Wu Ming to teach Jia Yi, Ruan Qingzhu, and Zhu Hongyu the Jade Lock Golden Pass Formula.
• Wu Ming discovers that all three have mastered the Three-Body Stance after eight days of practice. Using his newly achieved Hidden Strength, he rapidly guides them in cultivating the Jade Lock Golden Pass Formula.
• Wu Ming orders Jia Yi to teach Ruan Qingzhu and Zhu Hongyu additional stance techniques, including the Dragon-Subduing Tiger-Overturning Stake. He urges all three to cultivate several stances simultaneously so they can reach the Human Body Limit and enter the Bright Strength realm quickly.
• After five days, all three reach the major completion stage of the Jade Lock Golden Pass Formula, sealing approximately seventy percent of their pores and acupoints. Jia Yi and Ruan Qingzhu approach eight hundred kilograms of strength, while Zhu Hongyu reaches seven hundred.
• Wu Ming spends the same period studying the martial arts recordings. By absorbing the strengths of multiple schools, he improves his Five-Elements Blade Art and raises his Hidden Strength burst multiplier from 1.3 to 1.5 times.
• His own strength increases from 4,194 to 5,502 kilograms, and his Spiritual Force rises from 4,186 to 4,551 kilograms. He estimates that he will reach the Battle General realm within ten days if his progress continues.
• Wu Ming remains unable to master the Banda Secret Essentials, particularly its method of stacking Hidden Strength, which he believes could significantly increase his combat power.

Character Developments

• Wu Ming: Becomes a Hidden Strength Martial Artist and demonstrates extraordinary talent by reaching the realm in only a few days. He grows into a capable teacher and researcher, combining techniques from many schools to improve his own martial arts.
• Jia Qingshan: Takes on the important responsibility of guiding the country’s Genetic Warrior program. His trust in Wu Ming is shown through his decision to give him access to the Recording Room and permit him to teach Jia Yi and the others.
• Jia Yi: Gains a new respect for Wu Ming after learning that he has reached the extremely rare Hidden Strength realm. He becomes more willing to take risks in cultivation and assumes responsibility for teaching the other two stance techniques.
• Ruan Qingzhu and Zhu Hongyu: Make rapid progress after mastering the Three-Body Stance and begin learning the Jade Lock Golden Pass Formula. Both are placed on a faster cultivation path toward becoming Quasi-Martial Artists and eventually Genetic Warriors.

Significant Themes

• Knowledge and inheritance: The Recording Room preserves the accumulated wisdom of numerous Internal Martial Arts traditions, allowing Wu Ming to learn beyond the limitations of a single school.
• Exceptional talent and accelerated growth: Wu Ming’s rapid advancement highlights his unusual potential, while the others’ progress shows how proper guidance and resources can dramatically improve cultivation.
• Tradition adapting to new power systems: Internal Martial Arts techniques are being used alongside Genetic Warrior cultivation, suggesting that the two systems can reinforce each other.
• Risk versus progress: Wu Ming prioritizes rapid advancement toward the Human Body Limit, accepting possible damage to the others’ foundations because he believes future genetic transformation will repair the harm.
• Limits of cultivation: Even after mastering many techniques, Wu Ming encounters barriers such as the difficult Banda Secret Essentials, emphasizing that greater strength requires deeper insight rather than simple accumulation.

Character Interactions

• Jia Qingshan entrusts Wu Ming with the Recording Room and encourages him to become stronger before their next meeting.
• Wu Ming and Jia Qingshan discuss the training of Jia Yi and the two young women, with Jia Qingshan providing support through the Nine-Dragon Decoction and authorization to teach the Jade Lock Golden Pass Formula.
• Wu Ming guides all three students directly, using his Hidden Strength to accelerate their cultivation.
• Jia Yi reacts with astonishment to Wu Ming’s breakthrough and then accepts Wu Ming’s demanding training plan.
• Wu Ming assigns Jia Yi to teach Ruan Qingzhu and Zhu Hongyu while he independently studies the martial arts recordings.

Chapter Summary: Wu Ming’s Path to Transforming Strength

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wu Ming questions the Banda Secret Essentials’ requirement of a “pure mind,” believing that understanding the underlying principle of Energy Locks should be enough to cultivate the technique.
• He analyzes Energy Locks as a method of temporarily stopping force at several body nodes and releasing it all at once to produce a stronger burst.
• After testing the traditional method, he identifies several flaws:
  • Refining each node through meditation would be extremely slow for him.
  • The recommended nodes—the lower abdomen, chest, and throat—are too far apart.
  • Charging force through them takes several seconds, making the method impractical in real combat.
• Wu Ming decides to develop his own Hidden Strength stacking technique rather than follow the Banda method directly.
• He plans to place closely connected nodes along his arms for faster activation.
• Instead of using intense meditation and willpower to refine the nodes, he chooses to build them physically by manipulating cells with force.
• Although cellular-level control normally belongs to Transforming Strength masters, Wu Ming’s Spiritual Force—enhanced by his former Virus Controller talent—allows him to observe individual cells.
• By combining this perception with Hidden Strength control, he can subtly influence cellular movement and construct a force node.
• After locking himself in the projection room, Wu Ming begins forming the first node in his right arm.
• Several hours of painstaking work produce visible progress; he estimates the first node will be complete within three to five days.

Character Development

• Wu Ming demonstrates strong independence and adaptability by refusing to accept the Banda Secret Essentials’ limitations at face value.
• He shifts from merely practicing inherited techniques to designing a method specifically suited to his own abilities and combat needs.
• His understanding of force control deepens from muscle and fascia manipulation toward cellular manipulation.
• The process gives him a possible route toward Transforming Strength, though he recognizes that this remains unproven.
• Wu Ming also shows practical caution: he continues studying the original Energy Lock technique in case his new method fails, ensuring that his efforts will still improve his Hidden Strength abilities.

Significant Themes

• Innovation versus tradition: Wu Ming improves upon an established technique instead of following it rigidly.
• The relationship between mind and body: The Banda method relies on mental purity and meditation, while Wu Ming pursues direct physical and cellular control.
• Individualized cultivation: Effective martial advancement depends on adapting methods to one’s own talents and limitations.
• Persistence and precision: The construction of the node is slow and meticulous, but every small adjustment improves Wu Ming’s control.
• The threshold of transformation: Wu Ming’s experiments suggest that mastering cellular control may be the key to reaching the Transforming Strength realm.

Character Interactions

• Jia Qingshan’s earlier explanation of the Banda Secret Essentials influences Wu Ming’s analysis, particularly the requirement of a pure mind.
• Wu Ming recalls Jia’s comment that Master Lei Xiao was poor at combat, using the slow charging time of the traditional Three-Lock Realm technique as evidence.
• There is no direct conversation in the chapter; the main interaction is Wu Ming’s internal engagement with the teachings and limitations passed on by Jia Qingshan.

Chapter Summary: “Reentering Void Silence! Spiritual Guidance Technique?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wu Ming becomes dissatisfied with merely observing the exterior of cells while constructing Energy Lock nodes. He decides to probe deeper into the microscopic structure of cells using Spiritual Force.
• His deeper perception reveals molecular chains and energy flows in extraordinary detail, dramatically improving his understanding of force and the efficiency of his cultivation.
• However, the microscopic observation rapidly drains his mental strength. After only ten seconds, his Sea of Consciousness is nearly exhausted, and he collapses into sleep.
• While unconscious, Wu Ming’s consciousness enters the mysterious Void Silence state again. Unlike his previous experience, he remains fully lucid and can think clearly.
• Remembering the dangers described in an ancient text, Wu Ming considers using Void Silence to enhance his body and study techniques, but ultimately chooses safety over potential gains. He returns to his body after roughly one minute inside the state.
• Upon waking, he discovers that his first Hidden Strength node has been completed, meaning he has successfully mastered the first level of Hidden Strength.
• His physical strength, Hidden Strength limit, and Spiritual Force have all increased dramatically:
  • Strength: 5,502 → 6,811 kg
  • Spiritual Force: 4,551 → 6,687 kg
• Wu Ming is shocked to learn that only one minute in Void Silence corresponded to approximately two hours passing in the outside world.
• He deliberately overdrafts his Spiritual Force a second time to test the phenomenon, but this time he merely falls into ordinary sleep and does not enter Void Silence.
• After nearly ten hours of sleep, Wu Ming returns to the dormitory, performs his routine training, and finds that his Spiritual Force increases by another 210 kg—three times the previous day’s progress.
• He begins to suspect that his microscopic perception, mental exhaustion, sleep, or some combination of these may have revealed the secret of a powerful Spiritual Guidance Technique.

Character Development

• Wu Ming demonstrates increasing control, ambition, and scientific curiosity as he attempts to improve his cultivation through microscopic observation.
• At the same time, he shows caution and rational judgment. Although Void Silence offers extraordinary benefits, he refuses to risk permanent separation from his body when he already possesses a reliable path to advancement.
• His understanding of his own abilities deepens. He learns that Spiritual Force can be used not only externally but also to perceive intracellular structures and refine force control.
• His excitement grows when his training efficiency suddenly improves, suggesting that he may have discovered a new cultivation method.

Significant Themes

• Opportunity versus risk: Void Silence provides enormous benefits but may destroy Wu Ming’s consciousness if used recklessly.
• Scientific exploration of cultivation: Wu Ming treats Spiritual Force and bodily energy as systems that can be observed, tested, and optimized.
• The value of caution: Unlike someone desperate for power, Wu Ming avoids gambling his life because he already has dependable means of growth.
• Hidden potential and unexplained phenomena: The chapter suggests that the body, consciousness, and Spiritual Force contain powers not fully understood even by the original world’s knowledge.
• Time and perception: Void Silence appears to distort the relationship between internal and external time, raising new mysteries.

Character Interactions

• There are no major direct interactions in this chapter.
• Wu Ming and Jia Yi: Jia Yi is present in the dormitory and is already asleep when Wu Ming returns. Wu Ming deliberately avoids disturbing him.
• Most of the chapter focuses on Wu Ming’s internal reasoning, experimentation, and confrontation with the risks of his newfound abilities.

Summary of “Jia Qingshan Returns”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wu Ming discovers that his recent Spiritual Force training has become three times more efficient, suggesting he has obtained or activated a Spiritual Guidance Technique.
• He also realizes that entering a state resembling Void Silence has improved his sleep. Although he sleeps only three hours, he wakes fully refreshed, giving him more time for training.
• Wu Ming shifts his daytime focus toward Dragon Sparrow Saber techniques. He believes weapons are essential for efficiently killing the powerful mutated creatures and monsters that will appear in the future.
• He works to make his saber movements instinctive rather than consciously calculated. His goal is to reach Perfect Level technique before the Beast Tide arrives in September.
• Since the Plum Blossom Stakes no longer challenge him, Wu Ming creates a new movement-training method: having people throw stones at him from different directions so he can practice evasion.
• Ruan Qingzhu and the others initially help him, but the demanding routine exhausts them. Wu Ming therefore recruits students from the martial arts school, paying them to throw stones during daily training.
• He rapidly improves both his saber and movement techniques by switching between the Weapon Master and Melee Grandmaster abilities.
• On February 17, Jia Yi and Ruan Qingzhu reach Quasi-Martial Artist physical fitness. Wu Ming reveals the existence of the Genetic Energy Cultivation Method and teaches them the Five Hearts Toward Heaven technique.
• Zhu Hongyu reaches the required level two days later and also receives the cultivation method.
• By the end of February, Wu Ming’s saber and movement techniques both reach Basic Mastery, allowing him to respond naturally and instinctively without conscious thought.
• On February 28, Jia Qingshan, the martial arts school’s master, returns, marking the chapter’s concluding event.

Character Developments

• Wu Ming becomes increasingly disciplined and combat-focused. He makes efficient use of his unusual Void Silence-related benefits while remaining cautious about their cause.
• His saber skills advance from refined but deliberate techniques to Basic Mastery, where his body instinctively chooses the correct move.
• His movement and evasion abilities undergo a similar breakthrough.
• Wu Ming also takes on a teaching role by introducing Jia Yi, Ruan Qingzhu, and Zhu Hongyu to Genetic Energy cultivation.
• Jia Yi and Ruan Qingzhu reach Quasi-Martial Artist physical fitness and begin pursuing an alternative cultivation path beyond Internal Martial Arts.
• Zhu Hongyu lags slightly behind but catches up after two additional days of training.
• Ruan Qingzhu and the other assistants are willing to support Wu Ming but become physically exhausted by his demanding evasion drills.
• Jia Mengyun helps Wu Ming organize paid student participation, demonstrating her usefulness and connection to the martial arts school.
• Jia Qingshan returns at the end of the chapter, setting up the next stage of the story.

Significant Themes

• Relentless preparation: Wu Ming trains intensely because of the approaching Beast Tide and the need to survive future monster attacks.
• Instinct versus conscious thought: True combat mastery requires movements to become automatic, allowing the body to react faster than deliberate analysis.
• Multiple paths to power: The chapter introduces Genetic Energy cultivation as a system that exists alongside Internal Martial Arts.
• Efficient use of opportunity: Wu Ming accepts the benefits of his unusual sleep and Void Silence effects without becoming overly attached to them.
• Practical combat over theory: Although Wu Ming studies advanced levels such as Microscopic, Perfect, and Intent Domain, he prioritizes actual combat experience and physical application.
• Cooperation and resourcefulness: Wu Ming turns to friends, students, and paid assistance to support his training rather than relying solely on himself.

Character Interactions

• Wu Ming discusses the stone-throwing training with Ruan Qingzhu and the others, then shifts the responsibility to martial arts students when his companions become too tired.
• He approaches Jia Mengyun to recruit and organize students, offering payment for their participation.
• Wu Ming gathers Jia Yi, Ruan Qingzhu, and Zhu Hongyu to explain the Genetic Energy Cultivation Method and distributes the Five Hearts Toward Heaven technique once each reaches the required physical level.
• The chapter ends with Jia Qingshan’s return to the school, suggesting that his presence may significantly affect Wu Ming and the others’ future training and plans.

Summary: Jia Yi’s Breakthrough and Farewell

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wu Ming stays in the dormitory instead of training because Jia Yi is attempting his first breakthrough into the Genetic Warrior realm. He remains nearby to protect him.
• Jia Qingshan returns from the military after helping oversee the country’s first group of Genetic Warrior breakthroughs. Sensing Jia Yi’s Cosmic Energy, he comes to the dormitory and observes the breakthrough.
• Jia Yi successfully completes the process after roughly two and a half hours. Wu Ming tests his new strength using the Dragon Sparrow Battle Blade and Spiritual Force, estimating that Jia Yi can exert about 3,000 kilograms of strength—an increase of approximately 2,100 kilograms.
• Jia Qingshan is astonished, realizing that Jia Yi’s talent surpasses even his own. Jia Yi’s achievement is especially meaningful because physical limitations had previously prevented him from training normally.
• After Jia Yi leaves the room, Jia Qingshan privately informs Wu Ming about the military’s findings. Most new Genetic Warriors gained only 500–800 kilograms of strength, while the strongest gained around 1,100 kilograms. This confirms that Wu Ming and Jia Qingshan possess unusually high talent, with Jia Yi now exceeding both of them in initial potential.
• Jia Qingshan explains that Thunder God missed the training camp because he was stranded in India with his mother, while Hong was never summoned because his identity remained unknown.
• The chapter ends with Wu Ming revealing that he, Qingzhu, and the others must leave the martial arts hall.

Character Developments

• Jia Yi undergoes a major transformation, advancing from a physically limited martial arts enthusiast to a Genetic Warrior. His extraordinary breakthrough establishes him as one of the most talented Martial Artists alive.
• Jia Qingshan gains a deeper understanding of Martial Artist talent after observing many breakthroughs in the military. He becomes both proud of Jia Yi and aware that Jia Yi may eventually surpass him.
• Wu Ming continues to act as a protector, mentor, and evaluator. His calm testing method reveals Jia Yi’s strength, while his final announcement suggests that he is preparing for a significant change in direction.
• Thunder God and Hong remain absent but are discussed in the context of the growing network of powerful Martial Artists.

Significant Themes

• Talent and potential: The amount of Cosmic Energy absorbed during a first breakthrough reflects long-term potential, and differences between Martial Artists are beginning to emerge.
• Growth and transformation: Jia Yi’s breakthrough allows him to overcome the physical limitations that had defined his earlier life.
• Family pride and mentorship: Jia Qingshan’s reaction combines professional assessment with genuine familial happiness.
• Confidentiality and political change: The military’s research and recruitment reveal the country’s efforts to understand and control the emergence of Genetic Warriors.
• Farewell and transition: Wu Ming’s decision to leave the martial arts hall signals the end of one phase and the beginning of another.

Character Interactions

• Wu Ming quietly guards Jia Yi during the breakthrough and later tests his strength with the battle blade.
• Jia Qingshan praises Jia Yi’s talent and encourages him to assess his new abilities.
• Jia Yi respectfully obeys his uncle’s request to leave before the confidential conversation, demonstrating his trust and discipline.
• Jia Qingshan and Wu Ming privately exchange military intelligence, strengthening their mutual trust.
• The chapter concludes with Wu Ming informing Jia Qingshan that he and his companions are departing, creating an emotional and narrative turning point.

Summary of “Wu Ming’s Growth”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After twenty days of intensive training, Wu Ming decides to leave Jia Qingshan’s martial arts school and return home, having been away for a month.
• His latest attributes reveal extraordinary progress:
  • Genetic strength has surpassed 10,000 kilograms, reaching the Beginner Warlord level.
  • Spiritual Force is close to 10,000 kilograms and is also at the Beginner Warlord level.
  • His Force Amplitude has risen to 3.9 times.
  • His Force of Will Amplitude has reached 8 times, partly due to equipment.
  • His cell activity and neural response have also advanced significantly.
• Wu Ming’s rapid improvement comes primarily from developing two additional layers of Hidden Strength, creating “Triple Hidden Strength.” Combined with the Energy Lock technique, this gives him a 2.1-fold burst increase.
• He has also discovered that repeatedly using his Force of Will to examine his cells improves its precision. Over half a month, this effectively doubles the upper limit of his Force of Will Amplitude.
• Wu Ming’s Spiritual Force has now surpassed his Martial Artist abilities, but he keeps this advantage secret. He only reveals his more visible Genetic Warrior progress to Jia Qingshan.
• Jia Qingshan returns the key to the Recording Room and learns that Wu Ming plans to seek real combat after returning home, preferably fighting transformed monsters or mutated creatures.
• Jia informs Wu Ming that the government has begun implementing his earlier Beast Tide preparations:
  • Military forces are clearing mutated creatures around cities.
  • Retired soldiers are being issued Gun Permits and supplied with affordable firearms and ammunition to eliminate threats nearby.
• Jia suggests that Wu Ming contact Zhao Minghui and use government resources to locate powerful monsters for combat training.

Character Development

• Wu Ming has progressed from an already gifted fighter into a remarkably powerful young expert in only two months since the RR Virus outbreak. He has developed advanced techniques along both the Martial Artist and Spirit Reader paths.
• He demonstrates increasing strategic awareness by concealing his Spiritual Force advantage while revealing only enough of his Martial Artist strength to establish himself as a genius.
• Despite his immense power, Wu Ming recognizes that he lacks practical combat experience. He now seeks dangerous opponents to overcome hesitation, gain courage, and test his abilities in real battles.
• Jia Qingshan, once confident in his own reputation as “Jia Invincible,” realizes that Wu Ming has surpassed him. His reaction combines shock, admiration, and slight bitterness, reflecting his acceptance that a younger generation has overtaken him.
• Jia also takes on a supportive mentor role, helping Wu Ming connect his personal training goals with the government’s broader efforts.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus resources: Jia Qingshan’s access to rare medicinal soups produces impressive gains, but Wu Ming’s natural talent and innovative techniques allow him to advance far more quickly.
• Rapid evolution in a crisis: The short period since the RR Virus outbreak highlights how quickly individuals and society are being forced to adapt.
• Concealed strength and strategic caution: Wu Ming deliberately hides his greatest trump card, recognizing that revealing all his abilities could be dangerous.
• The need for real combat: Training alone cannot replace experience. Wu Ming understands that fighting monsters is necessary to overcome fear and fully develop his abilities.
• Individual power and collective survival: Wu Ming’s growth is increasingly connected to national efforts against the Beast Tide, suggesting cooperation between exceptional individuals and organized government forces.

Important Character Interactions

• Jia Qingshan notices Wu Ming’s intention to leave and acknowledges the results of his training.
• Wu Ming returns the Recording Room key, symbolically ending this stage of his development under Jia’s instruction.
• Jia compares their progress and realizes that Wu Ming would likely defeat him in battle, marking a major shift in their relationship.
• Wu Ming explains his desire for actual combat, while Jia endorses the idea and proposes using Zhao Minghui and government networks to locate suitable enemies.
• Their conversation ends with Wu Ming considering Jia’s proposal, potentially opening the way for him to become involved in organized monster-hunting operations.

Chapter Summary: “Holding the Southwest”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jia Qingshan proposes that Wu Ming cooperate with the government through its intelligence network. This would help him locate not only dangerous monsters but also mutated plants—known as Wood Spirits—which could greatly accelerate his cultivation.
• Wu Ming contacts Zhao Minghui to arrange the shipment of his weapons and proposes exchanging government intelligence for his assistance in hunting powerful monsters.
• Zhao initially suggests that Wu Ming remain in Kyoto, where he could be rapidly deployed nationwide, but Wu declines because he wants to stay near his hometown in Shushi.
• As a compromise, Zhao offers Wu responsibility for the entire Sichuan Province through the newly created Safety Inspection Department, a government organization made up of Genetic Warriors.
• Wu accepts, provided he can remain based in Shushi. He is appointed Sichuan Inspector, receiving extensive benefits, freedom from regular duties, inspection-free travel, and a dedicated facility.
• After Wu reveals that his telekinetic flight can cover roughly 500 kilometers in half an hour, Zhao expands his jurisdiction to a 500-kilometer radius around Shushi, including parts of several neighboring provinces and regions.
• Wu is promoted to Southwestern Inspector. Although he worries about the increased responsibility, Zhao assures him that he may refuse occasional missions and eventually resign once enough Martial Artists are trained to replace him. Wu reluctantly agrees.

Character Developments

• Wu Ming demonstrates increasing confidence in his abilities and strategic goals. He recognizes that government intelligence will be essential for finding Wood Spirits and advancing beyond his current level.
• He also shows a strong attachment to his hometown and independence, refusing to relocate permanently to Kyoto despite the practical advantages.
• Wu’s combat abilities and telekinetic speed have advanced significantly, allowing him to serve as a rapid-response protector across a vast region.
• His acceptance of the Southwestern Inspector role marks a major step toward becoming a public protector rather than merely pursuing personal cultivation.
• Zhao Minghui reveals himself as both politically shrewd and highly accommodating. He gradually persuades Wu to accept a much larger role while offering generous authority, benefits, and flexibility.
• Jia Qingshan acts as the catalyst for Wu’s cooperation with the government by identifying the mutual advantages of an intelligence-sharing arrangement.

Significant Themes

• Personal ambition versus public responsibility: Wu seeks monsters and Wood Spirits to improve his own strength, but his abilities increasingly obligate him to protect others.
• The importance of information: Intelligence networks become as valuable as physical strength in locating hidden monsters and mutated plants.
• Government cooperation during crisis: The authorities are understaffed and must rely on exceptional individuals like Wu to cover dangerous areas.
• Freedom balanced with duty: Wu preserves his independence and hometown ties while accepting responsibility for a large territory.
• Emerging social hierarchy: Wu’s promotion reflects the growing importance of Martial Artists and Spirit Readers in the post-epidemic world.

Character Interactions

• Jia Qingshan persuades Wu that cooperation with the national intelligence network will benefit both his cultivation and the country.
• Wu and Zhao Minghui negotiate over weapons transport, monster-hunting cooperation, and Wu’s future posting.
• Zhao repeatedly adapts his proposal to Wu’s preferences: first Kyoto, then Sichuan, and finally the wider southwest after learning about Wu’s flight speed.
• Their conversation has a lightly manipulative but mutually respectful tone, with Zhao strategically appealing to Wu’s patriotism while offering him considerable autonomy.
• Wu ultimately accepts the expanded role not because he seeks authority, but because the arrangement allows him to remain free while using his powers to defend his home region and surrounding areas.

Chapter Summary:

Return, Ruan Qingzhu Breaks Through

Key Plot Points and Events

• While Wu Ming and his companions travel back to Shushi, Zhao Minghui informs him that his employment as an Inspector has been finalized. His privileges are activated, and an Inspector base has been prepared at the former Southwest Military Region garrison near Wu Ming’s home.
• Wu Ming learns that the higher-ups had already planned to recruit him for the Inspection Department, though his earlier offer of cooperation accelerated the arrangement. The base is nearly ready, and he is asked to report in a few days to collect his credentials.
• At the airport, Wu Ming’s permanent inspection-exemption status attracts attention and allows him and his companions to pass through a VIP channel.
• After arriving at Shuangliu Airport, they reunite with Ruan Qingzhu’s father, Ruan Zaixing. Wu Ming explains that Ruan Qingzhu and Zhu Hongyu have both reached the Human Body Limit and can eventually become Genetic Warriors by learning the cultivation method.
• Inspired by this news, Ruan Zaixing asks whether he can cultivate as well. Wu Ming agrees to teach him the foundational Stance Work and later help him master the secret technique. He also offers to teach Ruan Zaixing’s wife if she is interested.
• Wu Ming drops Zhu Hongyu off and encourages her to continue cultivating. He suggests that, after her breakthrough, she might join the new department. He recognizes her talent and believes she could eventually reach Warlord or even Planetary Level.
• Rather than immediately reporting to the Inspector base, Wu Ming stays home to help his mother, Shen Xinglan, cultivate the Jade Lock Golden Pass Formula. Zhao Minghui later confirms that Wu Ming’s credentials and the Sichuan Branch’s staff are ready, but allows him a few extra days before assuming his post.
• After several days, Shen Xinglan reaches the major mastery stage of the formula and prepares to return to work. Wu Ming reminds her to continue drinking the Nine-Dragon Decoction and practicing regularly.
• Just as Wu Ming decides to finally visit the Inspector’s base, Ruan Zaixing urgently calls to report that Ruan Qingzhu appears to have broken through—but fainted immediately afterward.

Character Developments

• Wu Ming: Officially becomes an Inspector and gains access to national intelligence and support networks. He shows increasing responsibility toward both his new organization and his family, delaying his appointment to help his mother cultivate. He also demonstrates a long-term strategy of recruiting talented Martial Artists such as Zhu Hongyu.
• Ruan Qingzhu: Returns home stronger and more determined. Although Jia Yi surpassed her by breaking through first, this motivates her to work harder. She appears to have finally crossed into the next stage of cultivation, though the breakthrough leaves her unconscious.
• Zhu Hongyu: Has reached the Human Body Limit and continues to display strong discipline and mental resilience. Wu Ming identifies her as a promising future recruit.
• Ruan Zaixing: Becomes interested in cultivation after learning about Genetic Warriors and hopes to strengthen himself. His excitement also reveals his deep concern for his daughter when her breakthrough goes wrong.
• Shen Xinglan: Makes significant progress under Wu Ming’s guidance, reaching major mastery of the Jade Lock Golden Pass Formula. She begins the process of becoming physically stronger despite continuing her medical career.
• Zhao Minghui: Acts as an enthusiastic and supportive superior, efficiently arranging Wu Ming’s position, base, credentials, and personnel.

Significant Themes

• Institutional recognition and responsibility: Wu Ming’s talents are formally acknowledged as he takes on the role of Inspector, but the position also brings duties beyond his personal cultivation.
• Cultivation as a path open to many: The chapter emphasizes that ordinary people, including Ruan Zaixing and Shen Xinglan, can pursue strength through proper instruction and perseverance.
• Mentorship and family bonds: Wu Ming increasingly acts as a teacher and protector, guiding his mother, Ruan Zaixing, Ruan Qingzhu, and Zhu Hongyu.
• Talent recruitment and preparation for future threats: Wu Ming understands that resisting future dangers such as the Beast Tide will require building a capable team rather than fighting alone.
• Persistence and competitive drive: Ruan Qingzhu’s frustration at being surpassed by Jia Yi becomes motivation to improve, showing how rivalry can fuel advancement.
• Balancing personal and public obligations: Wu Ming delays his official duties to help his mother, illustrating the tension between his growing responsibilities and loyalty to family.

Important Character Interactions

• Zhao Minghui confirms Wu Ming’s appointment and explains the origins of the Inspector base.
• Wu Ming teaches Ruan Zaixing about Genetic Warriors and offers to guide his cultivation.
• Wu Ming encourages Zhu Hongyu to continue training and hints at recruiting her into the Inspection Department.
• Wu Ming supports Shen Xinglan’s cultivation and reminds her to maintain her regimen after returning to work.
• Ruan Zaixing’s final phone call interrupts Wu Ming’s planned report to the base, announcing Ruan Qingzhu’s dangerous breakthrough.

Chapter Summary: “Wargod-Level Potential”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ruan Qingzhu successfully breaks through to the Genetic Warrior realm and simultaneously awakens her Spiritual Force.
• She initially loses consciousness, worrying her father, Ruan Zaixing. Wu Ming recognizes the signs of Spiritual Force awakening and immediately travels to the Ruan family home.
• Wu Ming confirms that Qingzhu’s awakening is proceeding safely. She wakes an hour later and learns that she has become a Spirit Reader.
• Testing reveals that Qingzhu possesses:
  • Physical strength of approximately 3,700 kilograms
  • Spiritual Force exceeding Wu Ming’s current detection range
  • An estimated Spiritual Force strength of around 15,000 kilograms, equivalent to the peak of a Beginner Warlord
  • A rare solid-liquid hybrid Sea of Consciousness, indicating extraordinary potential
• Wu Ming concludes that Qingzhu has at least High-Level Battle General potential and is very likely capable of reaching the Beginner Wargod level, making her one of the world’s most talented individuals.
• Her initial Force of Will Amplitude is only twofold, limiting her current combat power to roughly 30,000 kilograms. Wu Ming’s output remains nearly three times higher.
• Wu Ming gives Qingzhu a cultivation plan:
  1. Practice Internal Martial Arts, master Hidden Strength, and complete the Jade Lock Golden Pass Formula.
  2. Improve her Force of Will Amplitude by studying the microscopic world and refining her control over Spiritual Force.
• After several hours of guidance, Qingzhu understands her future path. Wu Ming eats lunch with the family and leaves, preparing to take up his new post.

Character Development

• Ruan Qingzhu makes a major advancement, becoming a Spirit Reader with world-class potential. Her confidence and excitement grow as she realizes the significance of her talent.
• Wu Ming demonstrates both his expertise and emotional concern for Qingzhu. He remains calm to reassure her family while carefully assessing her condition and planning her development.
• Ruan Zaixing becomes deeply reassured and increasingly approving of Wu Ming. Seeing Wu Ming personally guide Qingzhu, he recognizes him as an ideal future son-in-law.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus cultivation: Qingzhu’s enormous innate Spiritual Force potential gives her a major advantage, though she must still develop technique and control.
• The risks of advancement: Spiritual Force awakening can be fatal, emphasizing that breakthroughs involve genuine danger.
• Guidance and mentorship: Wu Ming shares his discoveries and experience, helping Qingzhu avoid inefficient training and maximize her potential.
• Family trust and approval: Ruan Zaixing’s confidence in Wu Ming strengthens as he witnesses Wu Ming’s concern for and investment in Qingzhu.
• Potential and destiny: Qingzhu’s rare talent suggests she may eventually become a Wargod-level figure capable of influencing the world.

Character Interactions

• Wu Ming reassures Ruan Zaixing over the phone and then personally examines Qingzhu.
• After Qingzhu awakens, Wu Ming congratulates her and helps her sense and understand her Sea of Consciousness.
• Wu Ming and Qingzhu compare their abilities, with Wu Ming explaining the significance of her solid-liquid hybrid Spiritual Force talent.
• Wu Ming provides detailed instruction for her future cultivation while Ruan Zaixing observes proudly and eventually leaves them alone.

Chapter Summary: “Taking Office”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• After leaving the Ruan family, Wu Ming changes into formal clothes, arms himself, and travels to the Inspector’s garrison.
• The garrison was once connected to his father Wu Zhanguo’s military career, but it has since been renovated and converted into a heavily secured military facility.
• At the entrance, Wu Ming identifies himself as the newly appointed Southwest Inspector. The sentry contacts the administration, and the gates are opened for him.
• Wu Ming meets Zhao Qingran, the garrison’s administrative supervisor and his temporary secretary.
• Zhao explains that Wu Ming has been given an independent regimental force of up to three thousand personnel. The unit answers directly to Wu Ming and cannot be deployed by other military authorities without his permission.
• The unit’s purpose is to train and eventually handle lower-level monster threats, allowing Wu Ming to focus on increasingly powerful monsters as their numbers grow.
• Wu receives his official credentials, uniform, equipment, and a private office containing a lounge and a large training room.
• He accesses the Inspection Department’s internal monster database and reviews reports on known creatures, including several from the original work and many unfamiliar species.
• Wu discovers that a High-Level Beast Soldier recently killed several soldiers and destroyed an armored vehicle before being eliminated. He regrets not taking office sooner and vows that such unnecessary sacrifices will not continue under his watch.

2. Character Development

• Wu Ming begins transitioning from an outsider with unusual abilities into an official protector with institutional authority and military resources.
• He is surprised by the extent of the government’s trust, particularly the independent force granted to him, recognizing that it is effectively his personal armed unit.
• His attitude toward his new position becomes more serious and responsible after reading about the soldiers who died before he could intervene.
• Wu’s final promise reveals a growing sense of duty and a determination to prevent future casualties.
• Zhao Qingran is introduced as a capable, respectful administrator who will help Wu coordinate with higher authorities and manage the garrison.

3. Significant Themes

• Responsibility and leadership: Wu Ming must now manage not only his own battles but also a larger organization intended to protect the country.
• The burden of power: The independent regiment gives Wu considerable freedom, but it also places the consequences of future failures directly on him.
• Preparation for escalation: The chapter establishes that monsters will become more numerous and powerful, requiring a structured force rather than relying solely on Wu.
• Sacrifice and determination: The deaths of soldiers highlight the human cost of the monster crisis and strengthen Wu’s resolve.
• Transformation through duty: Taking office changes Wu’s mindset, making him see himself less as an individual fighter and more as a guardian responsible for others.

4. Character Interactions

• Wu Ming calmly but firmly establishes his identity with the sentry, who immediately shifts from suspicion to respect after recognizing him.
• Zhao Qingran welcomes Wu, explains the garrison’s organization, and outlines the authority and responsibilities of his new command.
• Their exchange shows Wu’s surprise at the independence granted to him and Zhao’s role as an intermediary between Wu and higher authorities.
• Wu’s interaction with the monster intelligence system is indirect but emotionally significant: learning of the soldiers’ deaths prompts his private vow to protect others more effectively.

Chapter Summary: “News of the Wood Spirit”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wu Ming studies the Patrol Envoy Work Regulations, learning that regional-level patrol envoys are entitled to command an Independent Regiment of 3,000 soldiers, along with a substantial salary, performance-based rewards, and monthly special-operations funding.
• He orders the Southwest Military Region to transfer personnel for his regiment, specifically requesting troops under his father Wu Zhanguo’s command and insisting that his father be transferred as well.
• Wu Ming receives his first emergency mission: a Purple-Eyed Black Ape is attacking villages near Nanmu Village.
• He arrives in about twelve minutes and kills the five-meter-tall monster instantly with a diving Xingyi Saber Technique: Saber-Splitting Form, minimizing further civilian casualties.
• The attack has already killed three civilians and destroyed several houses. After reporting the situation, Wu Ming leaves the cleanup to local authorities.
• Over the next several days, he handles increasingly frequent monster missions, usually fighting High-Level Beast Soldiers. He deliberately restrains himself to use the battles as practical training.
• His movement technique reaches the Microscopic Level, and his saber technique eventually advances to the second stage after repeated combat and practice.
• Monster attacks become more common, foreshadowing the appearance of stronger creatures, including the first Beast General-level monster.
• On the seventh day, Wu Ming learns that the Independent Regiment has been assembled and will soon arrive at the base. He looks forward to seeing Wu Zhanguo’s reaction to discovering that his son is now the highest-ranking officer there.
• Immediately afterward, Wu Ming receives a strange emergency report: an herbalist witnessed a Black-Scaled Giant Python fighting an enormous willow tree deep in Dragon Gate Mountain.
• Realizing that the willow may be the legendary Wood Spirit, Wu Ming is shocked and intrigued.

Character Development

• Wu Ming settles into his role as a patrol envoy, displaying decisiveness, confidence, and organizational ability.
• He demonstrates strong concern for civilians by ending the Black Ape battle immediately rather than prolonging it for training.
• His repeated missions reveal his disciplined approach to cultivation: he uses weaker monsters to refine his technique while carefully controlling his strength.
• His movement technique and saber skills both advance significantly, showing steady martial growth.
• Wu Ming also begins taking greater responsibility as a commander, preparing to train and lead the newly formed Independent Regiment.
• His playful anticipation of Wu Zhanguo’s arrival adds a personal and humorous side to his otherwise professional demeanor.

Significant Themes

• Growing supernatural danger: Monster attacks are becoming more frequent, suggesting that the world is entering a new and increasingly dangerous era.
• Duty and responsibility: Wu Ming balances personal cultivation with protecting civilians and fulfilling his official obligations.
• Preparation for the future: The Independent Regiment and Wu Ming’s training indicate that larger conflicts are approaching.
• Progress through real combat: Practical battles, rather than isolated practice, help Wu Ming break through technical bottlenecks.
• Discovery of unknown powers: The appearance of a possible Wood Spirit suggests that monsters may evolve into stranger and more powerful forms than previously known.

Character Interactions

• Wu Ming communicates with the Information Division liaison officer, receiving mission reports and coordinating responses.
• He issues orders to the Southwest Military Region to assemble his Independent Regiment.
• His relationship with Wu Zhanguo is central to his plans; Wu Ming wants his father transferred so he can train and support him personally.
• During missions, Wu Ming cooperates efficiently with local authorities, reporting casualties and leaving them to manage the aftermath.
• The chapter ends with Wu Ming reacting to the liaison officer’s report about the willow tree, connecting the mysterious monster to the concept of a Wood Spirit.

Chapter Summary: “Slaying an Intermediate Beast General”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wu Ming receives intelligence about a possible Wood Spirit, believed to be a giant willow tree, along with evidence of its battle against a Black-Scaled Giant Python.
• By comparing the python’s size with known specimens, Wu Ming identifies it as a likely Intermediate Beast General, roughly twenty meters long.
• The willow is estimated to be a century-old Wood Spirit at the Battle General level—not yet the far more powerful Millennium Willow Heart described in the original work.
• Wu Ming travels to the forest and observes the two monsters fighting. He determines that neither is an Advanced Beast General, making the encounter manageable.
• Rather than fight both enemies simultaneously, Wu Ming devises a strategy to separate them. He attacks the python’s eyes with two Willow-Leaf Flying Swords, blinding it and provoking it into pursuit.
• Wu Ming deliberately lures the enraged python five kilometers away from the willow.
• He spends approximately half an hour dodging the python’s attacks through the forest, using the battle to improve his movement technique and approach the Perfect Level.
• Once the python’s stamina and threat have diminished, Wu Ming kills it with the Rising Saber Form, enhanced by four layers of Hidden Strength and a 4.7-times power burst.
• The chapter ends with Wu Ming carrying the python’s body back and preparing to confront the century-old willow tree.

Character Developments

• Wu Ming demonstrates increased confidence, tactical awareness, and combat maturity. He carefully evaluates enemy strength before acting and avoids an unnecessary two-on-one battle.
• His cultivation has advanced to approximately 14,000 kilograms of physical strength and 12,500 kilograms of Spiritual Force, keeping him within the Beginner Warlord range.
• He makes effective use of his Spiritual Force-controlled flying swords, exploiting the python’s inability to blink.
• Wu Ming treats the battle as both a mission and a training opportunity, deliberately prolonging the fight to refine his movement technique.
• Although he does not achieve a breakthrough to Perfect Level movement, his skills improve significantly through combat experience.

Significant Themes

• Strategic combat over brute force: Wu Ming wins by separating the enemies and exploiting the python’s anger and weaknesses.
• Preparation and risk assessment: His lack of a proper combat suit makes him cautious about fighting opponents of equal strength.
• Growth through battle: The python serves as a training opponent, allowing Wu Ming to refine his movement and combat techniques.
• Hidden opportunities in dangerous environments: The discovery of the Wood Spirit and Beast General presents both danger and valuable resources.
• Foreshadowing and power progression: The century-old willow hints at the much more powerful Millennium Willow Heart and establishes future challenges beyond Wu Ming’s current abilities.

Character Interactions

• Wu Ming communicates with the liaison officer, requesting and analyzing the newly collected intelligence.
• He briefly interacts with the Black-Scaled Giant Python by attacking its eyes and provoking it into pursuing him.
• The python’s rage and reliance on heat detection allow Wu Ming to manipulate its behavior and draw it away from the willow.
• Wu Ming has not yet directly fought the Wood Spirit; the chapter concludes just before their confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “Mistletoe (Please Keep Reading!)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wu Ming discovers a century-old willow tree containing what he believes is a valuable Willow Wood Core. Using it could raise his strength from 14,000 kilograms to roughly 28,000 kilograms, bringing him close to the Advanced Battle General level.
• Before attacking, he studies the willow’s 832 branches and realizes that only the shorter, central branches possess Intermediate Battle General-level power. By controlling his distance, he can limit the number of branches attacking him at once.
• Wu Ming initially treats the willow as a training opponent, practicing his movement and saber techniques while dodging increasingly large numbers of branches.
• He soon notices that the branches are unusually weak and brittle. Remembering that true willow-type Wood Spirits rely on entanglement rather than simple whipping attacks, he concludes that the willow itself is not the actual Wood Spirit.
• Switching from his Close-Combat Grandmaster ability to Weapon Master, Wu Ming releases nine Flying Swords. They quickly cut away the willow’s branches and expose a smaller parasitic plant hidden in the crown.
• Wu Ming identifies the yellow-green, patterned plant—with amber-like berries—as the true Wood Spirit. It has parasitized and controlled the willow tree, concentrating its power through a limited number of branches.
• He severs the plant’s embedded roots and the section of trunk supporting them. The plant dies immediately, allowing Wu Ming to remove it.
• Upon touching its fruit, his panel identifies it as a century-old Wood Spirit called Mistletoe, granting several powerful genetic and physical enhancements. Its abilities will solidify after seven days.

Character Development

• Wu Ming demonstrates caution and tactical intelligence by analyzing the willow’s attack range instead of rushing in.
• His confidence grows when he realizes he can control the number of attacking branches, but he remains observant enough to recognize that the battle does not match his expectations.
• He uses knowledge from the original plot to correct his mistaken assumptions, showing adaptability and resourcefulness.
• Wu Ming transitions from treating the willow as a training tool to approaching the situation as an investigation, ultimately uncovering the hidden parasite.
• His combat versatility is emphasized through his ability to switch from close combat to long-range Flying Sword control.

Significant Themes

• Observation over brute force: Wu Ming wins by studying the enemy’s attack patterns and limitations.
• Appearances versus reality: The willow appears to be the hostile Wood Spirit, but the true threat is a concealed parasitic plant.
• Adaptability and knowledge: Wu Ming’s familiarity with Wood Spirits allows him to recognize the discrepancy between the willow’s behavior and a genuine Wood Spirit’s abilities.
• Resources and advancement: The Mistletoe represents a major opportunity for Wu Ming’s future growth and preparation for the coming Beast Tide.
• Control and parasitism: The chapter explores how the Mistletoe manipulates the willow, turning an ordinary mutated tree into a dangerous weapon.

Character Interactions

• Wu Ming has no direct interaction with other human characters in this chapter.
• His primary confrontation is with the parasitized willow tree and the hidden Mistletoe.
• The willow’s attacks initially create the appearance of an ordinary battle, but Wu Ming gradually recognizes that the tree is merely being controlled by the true Wood Spirit.
• Wu Ming’s Flying Swords act as an extension of his will, overwhelming the willow’s clumsy defenses and forcing the concealed Mistletoe to reveal itself.

Resulting Reward

The century-old Wood Spirit · Mistletoe grants:

• Energy Abundance: Genetic Energy level increases by 1, up to Level 5.
• Tendon Cleansing and Marrow Washing: Genetic Energy talent increases by 100%.
• Strengthened Tendons and Bones: Bone strength and body-control talent each increase by 100%.
• Its effects will fully solidify after seven days.

Summary: “Wu Zhanguo’s Expectations”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wu Ming examines the three talents granted by the Century-old Wood Spirit, Mistletoe. While the first talent is ordinary for a low-level Wood Spirit, the other two—improved Genetic Energy talent, bone strength, and body control—greatly exceed his expectations.
• Unsure whether consuming Mistletoe directly would improve his talents, Wu Ming equips it through the Equipment Bar, replacing the Flying Sword. Mistletoe will require seven days to solidify its effects.
• Equipping Mistletoe activates a new two-piece set effect: Genetic Energy talent +300%. Wu Ming realizes this bonus compensates for the temporary loss of one equipment piece while Mistletoe is being processed.
• He tests the same principle with the Flying Sword, replacing the Tungsten-Gold Battle Armor, and discovers that it triggers Spiritual Force talent +300%. This confirms that consumables can activate temporary compensation effects for incomplete equipment sets.
• Wu Ming calculates that his Genetic Energy cultivation will remain efficient during the seven-day solidification period. Once Mistletoe’s enhancement takes effect, he expects to reach the peak of the Intermediate Battle General level and potentially break through to Advanced Battle General by late March.
• He recognizes that Spiritual Force will become his main weakness and begins considering whether another Wood Spirit might improve it.
• Wu Ming transports the corpse of an Intermediate Beast General, a Black-Scaled Giant Python, back to Shushi. He intends to use its materials to produce combat uniforms for himself and his subordinates. Because of the corpse’s enormous weight, the return journey takes more than two hours.
• Meanwhile, 3,000 soldiers from the Southwest Military Region arrive at the new garrison. Wu Zhanguo accompanies them but is no longer the regiment commander, since Wu Ming now holds sole command as Inspector.
• Wu Zhanguo receives basic logistical consideration because of his colonel rank, but no one assigns him further duties. He learns that only the Inspector can personally organize the Independent Regiment, yet the Inspector is absent.
• Zhao Qingran explains that Wu Ming has gone out to eliminate monsters. Wu Zhanguo, already experienced in fighting mutated creatures, gains even greater respect for the Inspector and eagerly anticipates meeting his fellow clansman.

Character Developments

• Wu Ming: Becomes more ambitious and strategically minded. He carefully evaluates the long-term value of Mistletoe rather than focusing only on immediate power. His calculations show growing confidence in reaching higher battle realms, while his awareness of Spiritual Force as a weakness motivates future preparation.
• Wu Zhanguo: Is introduced as disciplined, capable, and respectful of stronger warriors. Although he retains his colonel rank, he accepts the loss of command authority. His admiration for Wu Ming grows after learning that the Inspector personally handles high-level monster extermination.
• Zhao Qingran: Serves as the information link between Wu Zhanguo and the absent Wu Ming, clarifying the Inspector’s role and activities.

Significant Themes

• Strategic cultivation and resource management: Wu Ming weighs immediate equipment bonuses against the rare long-term benefits of Mistletoe’s talent enhancements.
• Power progression and optimization: The chapter emphasizes how set effects, cultivation speed, and temporary sacrifices can be combined to maximize growth.
• Adaptability and experimentation: Wu Ming tests whether different equipment combinations trigger compensation effects and successfully discovers a useful system mechanic.
• Leadership and authority: Wu Ming’s status as Inspector places him above the former regiment commander, while Wu Zhanguo must adjust to the new military hierarchy.
• Anticipation and rising expectations: Wu Zhanguo’s expectations of meeting Wu Ming build toward their future interaction and suggest the importance of their shared clan connection.

Character Interactions

• Wu Ming interacts primarily with Mistletoe and the Equipment Bar, using experimentation and analysis to uncover how consumables affect equipment sets.
• Wu Zhanguo interacts with garrison staff while trying to determine his responsibilities, but they can provide little information because the Inspector alone controls the regiment’s assignment.
• Zhao Qingran explains Wu Ming’s absence and role to Wu Zhanguo, strengthening Wu Zhanguo’s admiration.
• Although Wu Ming and Wu Zhanguo do not meet directly in the chapter, their relationship is established through shared clan identity and Wu Zhanguo’s growing anticipation of their first encounter.

Chapter Summary: “Reporting and Training”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wu Zhanguo and his soldiers witness the arrival of a gigantic black-scaled creature. What initially appears to be a dragon is revealed to be a headless giant python’s corpse, with Wu Ming standing on top of it.
• Wu Zhanguo is shocked to learn that his son, Wu Ming, has become the Southwest Inspector. He had believed Wu Ming was still in Kyoto studying Internal Martial Arts only a month earlier.
• Wu Ming explains that his strength impressed the authorities, who recruited him directly as an Inspector.
• He orders Zhao Qingran to have the python’s corpse dismantled carefully, hoping to use its exceptionally durable scales and hide for protective equipment.
• Wu Ming gives the newly arrived Independent Regiment a day of rest and announces that he will personally begin training them the following day.
• In a report to the Information Department, Wu Ming describes:
  • The black-scaled python, which was more powerful than a conventional high-level beast.
  • The danger posed by creatures stronger than high-level beasts.
  • The mutated Mistletoe plant, which possesses consciousness or spirituality, attacks intruders, and uses abilities derived from the plants it parasitizes.
  • Mistletoe’s tough branches and its vulnerability at the roots.
  • Its ability to accelerate biological evolution and dramatically increase Genetic Energy.
• Wu Ming names such spiritually awakened plants “Wood Spirits” and recommends that authorities search for more of them.
• He proposes using the python’s scales in high-strength alloys and requests cooperation between the Southwest Branch and Xingzhu Group, along with access to Blue Gold reserves.
• Wu Zhanguo accepts that Wu Ming is genuinely the Inspector but remains astonished by his rapid rise in status.
• He asks why Wu Ming transferred three thousand of his soldiers to the Southwest Branch. Wu Ming explains that the Inspection Branch is understaffed and needs combat squads capable of handling low-level beasts.
• Wu Ming reveals that he has a special training method that can turn the soldiers into Quasi-Martial Artists within ten days to one month.

Character Developments

• Wu Ming demonstrates overwhelming combat ability, organizational authority, and scientific and strategic insight. He is no longer merely a student but a powerful government agent capable of directing military operations and research projects.
• He also shows maturity and leadership by immediately converting the python and Mistletoe discoveries into practical military and technological advantages.
• Wu Zhanguo moves from confusion and concern to acceptance and pride. Though unsettled that his son now outranks him in influence, he trusts Wu Ming’s intentions and judgment.
• Zhao Qingran functions as Wu Ming’s reliable subordinate, promptly carrying out logistical orders without hesitation.
• The Information Department treats Wu Ming as a high-ranking and credible authority, recording and acting on his intelligence.

Significant Themes

• Rapid transformation and rising power: Wu Ming’s sudden promotion reflects how quickly society and its institutions are changing in response to the emergence of powerful beasts and supernatural plants.
• The militarization of scientific discovery: Every unusual organism is evaluated for defensive, medical, or technological applications, such as armor, alloys, and enhanced evolution.
• Family pride and generational reversal: Wu Zhanguo, once the senior military figure, discovers that his son has surpassed him in both strength and official importance.
• Preparation for a worsening crisis: The need to recruit and train thousands of soldiers suggests that beast incidents are becoming more frequent and dangerous.
• Practical leadership: Wu Ming combines personal power with long-term planning, emphasizing intelligence-sharing, resource development, training, and institutional cooperation.

Important Character Interactions

• Wu Ming and Wu Zhanguo: Their reunion is marked by shock, unanswered questions, and eventual mutual understanding. Wu Ming reassures his father while explaining his new role and plans for the soldiers.
• Wu Ming and Zhao Qingran: Wu Ming issues operational orders regarding the corpse and the soldiers’ schedule, while Zhao Qingran responds efficiently and respectfully.
• Wu Ming and the Information Department: Their conversation establishes Wu Ming’s role as a source of critical intelligence and a coordinator of research and military initiatives.
• Wu Zhanguo and the Independent Regiment: Wu Zhanguo’s concern for the soldiers reflects his responsibility as their former commander, especially regarding whether they will be exposed to dangers beyond their abilities.