Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After waking, Ke’er accepts Anfuni’s gift: the black strip containing the Void Coin recording. She then gives an Elf elder a memory sphere containing Li Ziran’s valuable knowledge, ordering all Elves to study it instead of the Organ Handbook.
• Ke’er abruptly leaves for Christie’s Auction House, signaling that she intends to negotiate directly with Cat Three rather than honor her previous agreement with Snow Woman.
• At the auction house, Ke’er boldly presents herself as “Li Ziran’s wife” and reveals that she controls 313 of Li Ziran’s robot bodies. She threatens to expose Snow Woman’s cooperation with Christie’s and suggests that Li Ziran might punish her.
• Snow Woman is discovered hiding in Cat Three’s room, confirming that she has been secretly collaborating with Christie’s and had previously tried to investigate the location of Li Ziran’s organs.
• Ke’er reframes the conflict as a business partnership: Cat Three wants profit and influence, Snow Woman wants more Void Coins, and Ke’er needs money to bid for fragments of the Red Soil Continent.
• When Cat Three asks how the bodies can generate the greatest profit, Ke’er insists on maximizing their value. Cat Three proposes auctioning them through Christie’s Void Network.
• Ke’er refuses to let Cat Three meet Li Ziran, protecting the fact that Li Ziran is currently asleep and unable to respond. Instead, she leads everyone to the Deep Sea to inspect the hidden stockpile.
• At the ocean trench, Ke’er summons two enormous Devouring Serpents. They rise from the depths carrying Li Ziran’s gigantic laboratory, revealing the location of the robot bodies.

Character Developments

• Ke’er becomes increasingly assertive, calculating, and business-minded. She adopts Li Ziran’s mannerisms and tactics, controlling every conversation and using both threats and negotiation to gain the upper hand.
• Anfuni grows more uneasy and impressed by Ke’er. She recognizes that Ke’er has been deeply influenced by Li Ziran and is now behaving almost like him.
• Cat Three, initially dismissive of Ke’er because of her status as an ordinary Elf, is forced to take her seriously once she reveals the enormous number of robot bodies under her control. He shifts from rejection to cautious cooperation.
• Snow Woman is exposed as a secret collaborator with Christie’s. Her confidence collapses into fear when Ke’er reveals that she knows where she is and could potentially have Li Ziran punish her.
• Li Ziran, though absent and asleep, remains central to the chapter. His inventions, reputation, relationships, and hidden resources determine the actions of nearly every character.

Significant Themes

• Power through information and leverage: Ke’er dominates because she knows Snow Woman’s betrayal, controls Li Ziran’s bodies, and understands how to exploit Cat Three’s ambitions.
• Commercialization and survival: The characters treat Li Ziran’s creations, Void Coins, and even political territory as commodities in a larger struggle for survival and influence.
• Imitation and identity: Ke’er’s speech, posture, and ruthlessness increasingly resemble Li Ziran’s, suggesting that his influence has reshaped her personality.
• Betrayal and pragmatism: Snow Woman’s betrayal is presented not simply as moral failure but as a response to having little control over her own fate. Ke’er accepts this pragmatically, preferring to turn betrayal into cooperation.
• The hidden scale of Li Ziran’s power: The 313 robot bodies and the giant underwater laboratory reveal that Li Ziran’s resources are far greater than most factions realize.

Character Interactions

• Ke’er and Anfuni interact as uneasy allies, with Anfuni observing and reacting to Ke’er’s increasingly Li Ziran-like behavior.
• Ke’er confronts Cat Three directly, overcoming his prejudice through confidence, threats, and a highly profitable proposal.
• Ke’er exposes Snow Woman in front of Cat Three but avoids openly punishing her, instead incorporating her interests into a proposed three-way partnership.
• Cat Three and Ke’er negotiate an auction arrangement, with Cat Three recognizing that her robot bodies could significantly advance his position within Christie’s.
• The chapter ends with Ke’er leading Cat Three, Snow Woman, Anfuni, and the others to Li Ziran’s secret laboratory, where the scale of his hidden operation becomes visible.

Chapter Summary: “Auctioning Shells on the Spot”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group enters Li Ziran’s robot laboratory after Devouring Serpent retreats. Ke’er contemptuously refers to the serpents as “watchdogs,” alarming Anfuni and Goni, who feel that her personality has changed drastically since the collision of origins.
• They pass through the robot’s familiar corridors and operating room, the site of Li Ziran’s scandal involving the Primordial Elf. Ke’er remains unnervingly calm despite the uncomfortable memories associated with the place.
• Ke’er leads everyone to a huge plaza containing rows of humanoid shells modeled after nearly every race on the Red Soil Continent. Tanks nearby hold rare shells based on powerful peak races, including Black Dragons, Vampires, Phoenix-like monsters, and other dangerous beings.
• Cat Three immediately proposes auctioning the shells through the Void Network. He quickly connects buyers from across the Void Expanse, who begin asking about the shells’ capabilities, durability, and potential to penetrate the Red Soil Continent.
• Ke’er refuses to use Li Ziran’s Black Bar to receive the auction profits and instead has Cat Three create a new account in her own name. This causes Anfuni to realize that Ke’er intends to claim Li Ziran’s wealth for herself.
• The first humanoid shell is auctioned with very limited information and a starting price of 10,000 Void Coins. Despite the uncertainty, bidding quickly raises the price to 11,568 Void Coins.
• The auction proceeds at extraordinary speed. Within less than fifteen minutes, half the shells are sold, and Ke’er’s account approaches one million Void Coins.
• Unable to tolerate Li Ziran’s assets being diverted, Anfuni removes Ke’er’s Black Bar and openly accuses her of stealing. Ke’er responds that, as Li Ziran’s wife, she has the right to manage his possessions, while Anfuni is merely an unrelated outsider.

Character Developments

• Ke’er: Her transformation into a cold, ruthless, and possessive figure becomes unmistakable. She treats the Devouring Serpents dismissively, remains unaffected by Li Ziran’s scandalous past, and deliberately redirects the auction profits into her personal account. Her confidence and smugness increase as the Void Coins accumulate.
• Anfuni: She becomes increasingly suspicious and distressed by Ke’er’s behavior. Her loyalty to Li Ziran and concern for his property eventually overcome her caution, leading her to confront Ke’er directly.
• Goni: Like Anfuni, she recognizes that Ke’er has become difficult to control, though she does not intervene during the confrontation.
• Cat Three: He acts as a highly pragmatic businessman. He recognizes Ke’er’s intentions but does not object, caring more about completing the profitable auction than about determining who rightfully owns the proceeds.
• Jin Potter: His reaction highlights the enormous value of Void Coins. He anxiously watches the bidding, hoping merely to obtain leftover change, but is disappointed when the price rises beyond his expectations.
• Snow and Cat Three’s clients: Their curiosity and aggressive questioning emphasize how valuable and strategically important Li Ziran’s shells are to forces throughout the Void Expanse.

Significant Themes

• Power and ownership: The chapter centers on who has the authority to control Li Ziran’s creations and wealth. Ke’er invokes her marital relationship, while Anfuni appeals to loyalty and rightful ownership.
• Corruption and identity: Ke’er’s altered personality raises concerns about whether she is still the same person. Her coldness and possessiveness suggest that the collision of origins has fundamentally changed her.
• Greed and opportunism: Cat Three and the buyers focus on profit and military utility, disregarding the moral question of selling Li Ziran’s creations.
• Trust and loyalty: Anfuni’s opposition shows her continuing devotion to Li Ziran, while Ke’er’s actions make her appear increasingly untrustworthy.
• The commercialization of power: Living shells modeled after powerful races are treated as auction commodities, revealing how technology and biology have become tools in the struggle for influence.

Important Character Interactions

• Ke’er’s insulting description of the Devouring Serpents as “watchdogs” clashes with Anfuni’s knowledge of their friendship with Li Ziran.
• Ke’er’s calm behavior in the operating room contrasts with the others’ discomfort over its connection to Li Ziran’s scandal.
• Cat Three enthusiastically collaborates with Ke’er, creating her private Black Bar and facilitating the auction despite understanding the implications.
• Anfuni repeatedly objects to Ke’er’s handling of the profits, first indirectly and finally through a direct accusation.
• The chapter ends with a sharp confrontation: Anfuni calls Ke’er a thief, while Ke’er asserts her status as Li Ziran’s wife and dismisses Anfuni as a stranger with no right to interfere.

Chapter Summary: The Faith of the Corrupted Acolytes

Key Plot Points and Events

• Anfuni confronts Ke’er during the auction, accusing her of betraying Li Ziran’s interests and allowing his wealth and achievements to be plundered.
• Ke’er rejects Anfuni’s appeal to their shared love for Li Ziran. She argues that love requires strength and possession, not self-sacrificing dependence, indirectly labeling Anfuni a “parasite.”
• When Anfuni attempts to disrupt the auction using her Revenge Soul, Cat Three suppresses her with his mysterious sealing power. He absorbs the revenge elements from her body, stripping her of all elemental abilities and leaving her crippled.
• Ke’er refuses to intervene, dismissing Anfuni as unimportant and leaving Cat Three free to expel her from the auction house.
• Teleported to the ruined rainforest, Anfuni is overwhelmed by shame, grief, and helplessness. Believing she has failed Li Ziran, she attempts suicide.
• Snow Woman stops her and reveals that she has secretly joined the Corrupted Church. She reminds Anfuni of the Church’s creed: Corrupted Acolytes must believe in Li Ziran as a savior and trust in their own skills and faith.
• Snow Woman and Goni suggest that Anfuni may be able to awaken Li Ziran through their friendship. Goni explains that Li Ziran deeply trusts very few people, and Anfuni appears to be one of them.

Character Developments

• Anfuni suffers a devastating emotional and physical collapse. Her confidence in her role as Li Ziran’s protector is shattered when she realizes she lacks the authority and strength to stop the auction. Despite this, her devotion to Li Ziran remains firm.
• Ke’er is portrayed as increasingly ruthless and power-oriented. She rejects emotional attachment as a source of strength and embraces dominance as the basis of love and survival. Her cold treatment of Anfuni reveals a dramatic break from their former closeness.
• Cat Three demonstrates overwhelming control over the auction house and the ability to strip others of their powers. His favoritism toward Ke’er contrasts sharply with his merciless treatment of Anfuni.
• Snow Woman reveals a hidden allegiance and a stronger ideological connection to Li Ziran than previously suspected. She acts as both Anfuni’s rescuer and a harsh motivator.
• Goni shows that he has carefully studied Li Ziran’s personality and relationships. He identifies Anfuni as a potentially crucial person in awakening him.

Significant Themes

• Faith versus helplessness: Anfuni’s despair reflects the danger of losing faith in oneself, while Snow Woman insists that Corrupted Acolytes must preserve their belief in Li Ziran and their own abilities.
• Different forms of love: Ke’er views love as mutual strength and possession, while Anfuni embodies loyalty, protection, and self-sacrifice. Their opposing beliefs drive the conflict.
• Power and exploitation: The auction becomes a symbol of powerful figures consuming Li Ziran’s achievements while those closest to him are unable to protect them.
• Identity and betrayal: Anfuni can no longer recognize Ke’er, whose transformation suggests either ideological corruption or a deliberate rejection of her former self.
• Friendship as emotional power: The chapter introduces the possibility that friendship, rather than romantic love, may be capable of awakening Li Ziran.

Character Interactions

• Anfuni and Ke’er clash over loyalty, love, and control of Li Ziran’s wealth.
• Cat Three intervenes against Anfuni but defers to Ke’er regarding her fate, highlighting their alliance.
• Ke’er’s indifference deeply wounds Anfuni, turning their former sisterly bond into apparent rejection.
• Snow Woman rescues Anfuni from suicide but mocks her weakness, challenging her to reclaim her faith.
• Snow Woman and Goni encourage Anfuni to believe that her unique friendship with Li Ziran may be the key to bringing him back.

Chapter Summary: “Awakening Li Ziran, Count Me In”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Ziran remains completely trapped inside his self-created Void World, which is also preventing the auction for the Void Coins from being won by Goni’s group. Goni explains that Li Ziran can only be awakened if someone enters the Void World and causes him enough emotional pain—ideally through betrayal.
• Anfuni initially refuses to betray Li Ziran, whom she considers the only person she truly acknowledges. However, pressured by the urgency of the situation and reminded of her painful conflict with the current Elven Queen, she agrees to enter the Void World.
• The Snow Woman volunteers to accompany Anfuni. Because Li Ziran placed a Sealing Spell on her soul, their connection may help stimulate his consciousness. Goni accepts her as a backup participant.
• Jin Potter unexpectedly offers to join them, despite having little power and knowing he may never awaken again. His willingness to risk everything in hopes of changing his fate impresses Anfuni, who persuades Goni to let him participate.
• Anfuni, the Snow Woman, and Jin Potter channel their spiritual power into Li Ziran’s Soul Fragment and enter the Void World.
• Inside, they find a vast, dark Void Expanse filled with countless spiral formations moving around an enormous double-helix vortex. The environment begins assimilating them almost immediately.
• Anfuni loses her identity within seconds, repeatedly forgetting that she came to find Li Ziran. The Snow Woman resists longer but is also absorbed into the spiral structure. Jin Potter struggles as well.
• Goni repeatedly strikes Anfuni’s soul to restore her awareness. The pain causes her to scream, and these cries unexpectedly produce tremors in Li Ziran’s Soul Fragment.
• Goni realizes that Li Ziran is responding not to betrayal, but to Anfuni’s pain. He abandons the original plan and begins deliberately causing Anfuni pain, ordering her to keep screaming in hopes of awakening Li Ziran.

Character Developments

• Anfuni: Demonstrates deep loyalty to Li Ziran but doubts her own ability to affect him. She willingly risks losing herself to save him, though her weak resistance to the Void World reveals her vulnerability. Her pain becomes the first clear stimulus capable of reaching Li Ziran.
• Goni: Acts as the pragmatic strategist and guide. Initially convinced that betrayal is necessary, he becomes increasingly doubtful when the participants are assimilated almost instantly. His discovery that Anfuni’s screams can affect Li Ziran gives him renewed hope.
• Snow Woman: Shows greater mental resilience than Anfuni and actively tries to move toward the center of the Void World. Her connection to Li Ziran makes her a valuable backup, though she too begins to lose herself.
• Jin Potter: Reveals unexpected courage and ambition. Despite being considered weak and insignificant by Goni, he chooses to risk his life because he admires Li Ziran and hopes the attempt may change his destiny.
• Li Ziran: Remains unconscious and largely transformed into the structure of the Void World, but his soul is not entirely unresponsive. His reactions suggest that emotional or physical pain can still penetrate his otherwise total isolation.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty versus betrayal: Anfuni’s loyalty is tested when betrayal is proposed as the only way to awaken Li Ziran.
• Pain as a connection: The chapter presents suffering as a force capable of breaking through isolation and reaching someone who has become almost completely detached from reality.
• Identity and assimilation: The Void World erases the intruders’ memories and individuality, emphasizing the danger of entering Li Ziran’s inner realm.
• Courage and self-sacrifice: Anfuni, the Snow Woman, and especially Jin Potter risk permanent loss of consciousness for Li Ziran’s sake.
• Unexpected solutions: The carefully planned strategy fails, while Anfuni’s involuntary cries of pain unexpectedly create the first meaningful response from Li Ziran.

Character Interactions

• Goni pressures and instructs Anfuni, arguing that betrayal is necessary, while Anfuni insists on her unwavering devotion to Li Ziran.
• The Snow Woman volunteers beside Anfuni, presenting herself as both a participant and a link to Li Ziran through the seal on her soul.
• Jin Potter’s request to join surprises the others, and Anfuni supports him despite Goni’s doubts about his usefulness.
• Goni repeatedly awakens Anfuni by striking her soul, turning her pain into a deliberate method of communicating with Li Ziran.
• The chapter ends with Goni ordering Anfuni to continue screaming, having discovered that her suffering is the only thing so far capable of provoking a reaction from Li Ziran.

Goni tortured Anfuni with Trial silver and origin annihilation to provoke Li Ziran into awakening from the Void World. Anfuni’s suffering spread through the double helices, and Goni sensed Li Ziran’s will repairing her soul and watching over her.

• Goni used Trial silver to intensify Anfuni’s pain, causing Li Ziran’s Soul Fragment to react violently.
• Anfuni endured relentless agony and cried out for help while trying to awaken Li Ziran.
• Goni pressed a small dose of origin annihilation between Anfuni’s brows, causing her body and soul to suffer freezing and burning pain.
• Anfuni fell silent and became still as the black energy corroded her brain, while Goni feared her soul had broken.
• The double-helix structures gathered around Anfuni, joined together, and carried her pain outward as warmth began to envelop her.
• Goni noticed the Void Chains repairing Anfuni’s damaged soul and realized Li Ziran’s will was watching over her.

Chapter Summary: “Li Ziran, Is That You?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Goni observes Li Ziran’s Soul Fragment as the black dot within it gradually develops into a human form, signaling that Li Ziran’s consciousness is awakening.
• The chapter explains the nature of Void: a higher-level power originating from the Void Expanse, which can be explored through immersion in the Void World. Its mysteries are still largely unknown, even to powerful beings.
• Goni realizes that Li Ziran’s understanding and control of Void have already surpassed his own. He decides that teaching Li Ziran his theories might actually interfere with Li Ziran’s unique path of discovery.
• While Li Ziran’s consciousness evolves, Anfuni enters a dreamlike state and witnesses what appears to be the development of Li Ziran’s personal Void World:
  • Vast galaxies and celestial bodies form in perfect order.
  • A central black dot turns scarlet and destroys the surrounding star systems.
  • The resulting sea of fire transforms the celestial bodies, which eventually collapse into darkness.
  • The black dot devours the remnants of countless worlds before becoming stagnant.
  • It then begins expelling strange rays of light, which settle into forms resembling living beings.
• Li Ziran’s voice emerges within the Void World as he analyzes what he is seeing. He theorizes about elements, Void Chains, rules, temperature, collapse, and the possible birth of new elements.
• Anfuni recognizes Li Ziran’s voice and excitedly confirms that he is alive and conscious. However, his countless murmurs become overwhelming, forcing her to shout at him.
• Anfuni is abruptly expelled from the Void World. Outside, Goni discovers that the Soul Fragment has reverted to a black dot, and Li Ziran’s soul power appears to be completely exhausted.
• Anfuni, the Snow Woman, and Jin Potter awaken one after another, all seemingly ejected from the Void World after experiencing the same extraordinary vision.

Character Developments

• Li Ziran: Undergoes a profound transformation during his immersion in Void. His consciousness appears to expand beyond ordinary human perception, allowing him to experience or construct entire galaxies, stars, elements, and cosmic processes. His understanding of Void begins to surpass Goni’s.
• Goni: Displays intense excitement and pride in Li Ziran’s progress. He recognizes that Li Ziran’s development is unprecedented and wisely concludes that imposing his own theories could limit rather than help his student.
• Anfuni: Becomes emotionally reassured when she hears Li Ziran’s voice, confirming that he is alive. Her connection with him deepens as she senses an inexplicable affinity with the celestial world inside his Void.
• Snow Woman and Jin Potter: Wake confused after being expelled from the Void World, implying that they too were affected by or connected to Li Ziran’s transformation.

Significant Themes

• Transformation through Void: Immersion in Void changes not merely a person’s abilities but the very scale and perspective of their consciousness.
• Creation and destruction: The chapter presents cosmic evolution as a cycle of formation, collapse, devouring, and rebirth.
• Limits of knowledge: Even Goni, an experienced master, recognizes that established theories may obstruct rather than guide someone pursuing a completely new path.
• Cosmic evolution and natural laws: Li Ziran’s observations suggest that elements, Void Chains, temperature, collapse, and other forces are governed by deeper rules that can potentially be broken or recombined.
• Connection amid vastness: Despite the immense scale of Li Ziran’s Void World, Anfuni still feels a personal affinity with it, reflecting her emotional bond with Li Ziran.

Character Interactions

• Goni and Li Ziran: Their teacher-student relationship is marked by Goni’s admiration and humility. Goni acknowledges that Li Ziran may already exceed him in Void comprehension.
• Anfuni and Li Ziran: Anfuni recognizes Li Ziran’s voice within the Void World and calls out to him, showing her concern and emotional attachment. Li Ziran does not directly respond, but his presence reassures her.
• Anfuni and Goni: After awakening, Anfuni is questioned by Goni about what happened, though the chapter ends before she can explain.
• Anfuni, the Snow Woman, and Jin Potter: All three emerge from the Void World confused and disoriented, suggesting they shared—or were simultaneously affected by—the same extraordinary experience.

Chapter Summary: “Evolution of Void”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Goni, Anfuni, Jin Potter, and Snow escape the collapsing Soul Fragment, but remain confused about what caused their release. They suspect that Li Ziran’s consciousness may have influenced events.
• A black speck appears inside the fragment and rapidly multiplies into countless spiral-shaped particles. These particles reorganize into stars, celestial bodies, nebulae, and galaxies, creating a miniature universe.
• Goni realizes that Li Ziran has fused his own Void System—an unprecedented feat in the Void Expanse. The galaxies include recognizable forms associated with Li Ziran’s Void World, such as the Frog and the goat.
• The miniature universe collapses back into a black point, from which a powerful, ancient will emerges. Goni identifies it as Li Ziran’s consciousness and is deeply shaken by its overwhelming destructive force.
• Blood-red spiral particles then appear and gradually form chains, spheres, and finally a human brain. Other organs—including the heart, liver, kidneys, and intestines—develop in sequence until a complete human body is formed.
• The group recognizes that Li Ziran is revealing the fundamental process by which Void Chains and living organs are created. Jin Potter and Snow understand that this knowledge is an extraordinary treasure, potentially comparable to the secrets used by the Ancient Clans.
• The newly formed human shell suddenly disintegrates into gray particles. Anfuni immediately realizes that Li Ziran may have disappeared or taken a hidden form and rushes to the Elves’ Derivative Space.
• Goni follows after sensing that Li Ziran’s vital signs have vanished—not because he is dead, but because he has concealed himself from spiritual detection. Jin Potter also joins the pursuit, driven by fear, hope, and his desire to recover his sealed soul.

Character Developments

• Li Ziran: Revealed to possess an unprecedented Void System and a consciousness powerful enough to overwhelm Goni. His mind appears capable of generating entire universes and demonstrating the origins of living organisms, suggesting that he has reached a level far beyond ordinary Void practitioners.
• Goni: Moves from confusion to astonishment and intellectual excitement. His confidence is shaken when Li Ziran’s will suppresses him effortlessly, forcing him to recognize that Li Ziran may stand at the absolute peak of the Void Expanse.
• Anfuni: Shows that she has received special insight into Li Ziran through a dreamlike experience. She recognizes his Void World and becomes highly anxious when she realizes he may have vanished, taking immediate action to find him.
• Jin Potter: Initially doubts his own role in the escape, but gains renewed hope after witnessing Li Ziran’s biological evolution. His fear of Li Ziran becomes motivation, particularly because his soul remains sealed.
• Snow Woman: Remains observant and restrained, but internally experiences profound shock. The evolution of the human brain gives her insights relevant to her abilities as an Organ Master.
• The Elves: Continue studying fragments of memory and dissecting bodies, unaware of the larger mystery unfolding around Li Ziran.

Significant Themes

• Creation and evolution: The chapter presents the formation of universes, galaxies, organs, and human bodies as parallel processes governed by hidden laws.
• The limits of knowledge: Even Goni, an extremely powerful figure, cannot fully comprehend Li Ziran’s transformation. The others can observe the process but only partially understand it.
• The nature of consciousness: Li Ziran’s consciousness appears less like a conventional living mind and more like an ancient, transcendent will capable of existing beyond physical form.
• Knowledge as power: The formation of the brain and organs reveals secrets that could transform the understanding of Void Chains, healing, and the abilities of the Ancient Clans.
• Fear turning into motivation: Jin Potter’s terror of Li Ziran becomes a source of hope and determination, while Goni’s shock compels him to pursue the truth.
• Life within nothingness: The Soul Fragment repeatedly shifts between emptiness, cosmic creation, and biological formation, suggesting that life and existence can emerge directly from the Void.

Character Interactions

• Goni, Anfuni, Jin Potter, and Snow debate the cause of their escape and observe the fragment together.
• Anfuni identifies Li Ziran’s Void World from her dreamlike experience, while Jin Potter states that he saw something different.
• Goni orders everyone to remain silent so they do not miss the fragment’s transformation and becomes the first to understand its significance.
• The group collectively witnesses the creation of a brain and human body, each reacting according to their expertise and personal perspective.
• When the body disappears, Anfuni urgently commands Jin Potter to send her into the Elves’ Derivative Space. Goni quickly understands her concern and follows, while Jin Potter pursues them in hopes of resolving his own predicament.

Shadow Trap: “Li Ziran: Awakening” — Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Anfuni and the others open the door to Ke’er’s treehouse, expecting to find Li Ziran awake after his return from the Void World.
• Instead, they find Ke’er waiting inside and Li Ziran apparently lying asleep on a bed. Ke’er claims that Li Ziran instructed her to let them in and that he is trying to stabilize his condition.
• Anfuni notices an oil painting depicting the celestial bodies of Li Ziran’s Void World. Ke’er is adding details to it, suggesting that she has access to Li Ziran’s memories or knowledge of the Void.
• Goni theorizes that the painting reflects Li Ziran’s deepest memories and guilt—particularly his feelings regarding the destruction of the rainforest and the fall of the Elves.
• Goni and Ke’er argue over Li Ziran’s future. Ke’er believes he should become an Elven prince and establish a powerful Void kingdom, while Goni insists that Li Ziran is fundamentally a solitary wanderer who would reject such ambitions.
• Anfuni attempts to approach Li Ziran but passes through the apparent bed and discovers that the sleeping figure is only a phantom. The real Li Ziran is missing.
• Ke’er’s image reveals a possessive, distorted plan: she intends to keep Li Ziran away from the others and use his power and wealth to build an Elven empire.
• Goni identifies the figure as a phantom from the Void Expanse, possibly created by Cat Three, and warns that Li Ziran may be under control.
• Before the group can escape, the treehouse door slams shut, plunging them into darkness.

Character Developments

• Anfuni is emotionally overwhelmed by the prospect of seeing Li Ziran again. Her anxiety and desperation drive her to challenge Ke’er directly once she realizes the sleeping figure is false.
• Li Ziran remains physically absent and unconscious—or otherwise inaccessible—but his influence is evident through the painting, Ke’er’s altered behavior, and the instructions she claims came from him. His awakening is left unresolved.
• Ke’er appears gentler than before, but this façade collapses when challenged. She is revealed to be obsessive and possessive, viewing Li Ziran as the future leader of the Elves and rejecting everyone else as a parasite.
• Goni remains perceptive and skeptical. He recognizes the manipulation behind the scene and correctly suspects that the treehouse contains a phantom rather than the real Ke’er or Li Ziran.
• Snow and Jin Potter provide urgency at the beginning, emphasizing the group’s practical concern about recovering the Void Coins.

Significant Themes

• Reality versus illusion: The apparent sleeping Li Ziran and Ke’er are revealed to be deceptive projections, emphasizing the danger of appearances.
• Possession and control: Ke’er’s desire to claim Li Ziran and determine his future contrasts with his presumed independence.
• Freedom versus imposed destiny: Goni argues that Li Ziran is a solitary wanderer, while Ke’er tries to force him into the role of Elven prince and empire-builder.
• Guilt and memory: The painting may represent Li Ziran’s deepest memories and unresolved guilt over the Elves and the ruined rainforest.
• Manipulation through emotional bonds: Ke’er’s affection has become distorted by Li Ziran’s influence, making her willing to isolate him from his allies.

Character Interactions

• Anfuni and Ke’er exchange tense, distrustful questions about Li Ziran’s condition.
• Goni confronts Ke’er about her understanding of Li Ziran’s memories and accuses her of misunderstanding his nature.
• Ke’er fiercely defends her plan for Li Ziran, while Goni dismisses it as a dangerous distortion of his wishes.
• Anfuni breaks through the verbal standoff by physically approaching Li Ziran, exposing the phantom and forcing the group to recognize that they have been trapped in an illusion.

Summary: “Li Ziran Awakens”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Goni, Anfuni, Snow, and Jin Potter enter a seemingly safe treehouse, only to be trapped in a powerful Void Trap created by the Ancient Clans of the Void Expanse. The trap isolates them in darkness and disrupts their consciousness and communication.
• Goni realizes that the earlier appearances of Ke’er and Li Ziran were illusions intended to lure them inside. Unable to break the trap himself, he uses the Soul Fragment connected to Li Ziran and taps it as a desperate signal.
• The signal awakens Li Ziran’s influence. Ripples of Void power spread through the darkness, restoring the group’s ability to sense and communicate with one another and tearing apart the trap.
• Li Ziran appears inside the treehouse, newly awakened but disoriented. Violent, incompatible Tides swirl around his naked body, creating destructive energy comparable to rotating saws or Spatial Rifts.
• Goni orders everyone to retreat, warning that Li Ziran has not fully recovered his memories or control. The treehouse is annihilated, and the surrounding Derivative Space begins collapsing as Li Ziran’s Tides clash with those of the Red Soil Continent.
• The entire space melts, forcing the Elves to flee. Li Ziran remains at the center of the destruction, resisting the combined Tides of the continent like an immovable black dot.
• Goni recognizes that Li Ziran is controlling a newly formed and extraordinarily powerful Void Chain. As Li Ziran’s memories return, he gains mastery over the elements within him and neutralizes the catastrophic collision.
• Li Ziran finally emerges looking almost ordinary, but his elementless body demonstrates an extremely advanced level of control. He acknowledges Goni as his master but admits that he awakened through his own strength.
• When Li Ziran asks about current events, Jin Potter nervously reveals that Li Ziran’s body is being auctioned over the Deep Sea.

Character Developments

• Li Ziran: Awakens from the Void World in a confused but immensely powerful state. He initially lacks control over his memories and energy, but gradually regains mastery over himself and demonstrates the creation or possession of a new Void Chain.
• Goni: Shows experience and caution by identifying the Void Trap, attempting to protect the others, and ordering their retreat. He realizes that Li Ziran’s power has surpassed even his expectations and feels pride in Li Ziran’s independence.
• Anfuni: Becomes frightened and seeks reassurance from Goni, then nearly rushes toward Li Ziran before being restrained. Her concern for Li Ziran is clear, but she learns how dangerous his unstable awakened state is.
• Jin Potter: Remains anxious and fearful, especially under Li Ziran’s pressure. He ultimately delivers the crucial information about the auction.
• Snow: Acts as an immediate point of contact during the trap, helping confirm that the group’s communication has been restored.
• The Elves: Shift from studying the mysterious notebook to fleeing for their lives as their Derivative Space collapses.

Significant Themes

• Awakening and self-mastery: Li Ziran’s awakening is not simply a return to consciousness; it is a process of reclaiming memory, identity, and control over immense power.
• The danger of uncontrolled strength: Even Li Ziran’s allies are endangered by his presence before he can regulate his Tides.
• Independence versus dependence: Although Goni helps summon Li Ziran, Li Ziran ultimately breaks free through his own ability, reinforcing his autonomy.
• Void power and evolution: The confrontation suggests that Li Ziran has mastered a Void World more complete than the Red Soil Continent, marking a major advancement in his power.
• Illusion and deception: The false versions of Ke’er and Li Ziran demonstrate how easily appearances can conceal deadly traps.
• Vulnerability amid overwhelming power: Despite his near-invincible abilities, Li Ziran is mentally confused and unaware of the situation surrounding him.

Character Interactions

• Goni commands the group during the Void Trap and repeatedly attempts to establish contact with Anfuni and Snow.
• He uses the Soul Fragment to call Li Ziran, indirectly enabling the rescue.
• Anfuni relies on Goni for protection and reassurance, while Goni physically prevents her from approaching the unstable Li Ziran.
• Goni and Li Ziran share a master-disciple relationship. Li Ziran thanks Goni for awakening him, but Goni corrects him and emphasizes that Li Ziran freed himself.
• Li Ziran questions Jin Potter about the state of the Red Soil Continent and the Ancient Clans. Jin Potter answers fearfully, revealing the shocking news that Li Ziran’s body is being auctioned over the Deep Sea.

Chapter Summary: “Anfuni’s Emotional Compensation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jin Potter informs Li Ziran that Ke’er discovered the body he had hidden in the Deep Sea, located the Devouring Serpent, and recovered the robot. Cat Three is auctioning the bodies and has already accumulated over two million Void Coins.
• When Li Ziran demands to know how Ke’er found the body, Goni admits that it was her idea to lead Ke’er there while Li Ziran was unconscious.
• Li Ziran uses a Memory Spell on an elf and discovers that Ke’er obtained a rare formula for adding elements to embryos. He realizes that her personality has changed dramatically and suspects that the alteration may stem from changes to her soul’s origin point.
• Li Ziran returns to the robot, which appears to recognize and welcome him. He and his companions enter the operating room and observe the ongoing auction.
• The auction is taking place inside a hidden Derivative Space, where Cat Three and Ke’er are selling Li Ziran’s bodies to various races. Using Void Chains, Li Ziran forcibly tears open and collapses the hidden space, appearing directly in the auction hall.
• Ke’er happily welcomes Li Ziran and presents him with the auction’s profits—2.01 million Void Coins. She enthusiastically promises to help him create an army of Witch Doctors using her new knowledge of bodies and surgery.
• Li Ziran ignores the money and focuses on Cat Three, accusing him of exploiting Ke’er and attempting to deceive him through a fraudulent auction.
• Cat Three tries to escape, but Li Ziran intercepts him and crushes his body into a nearly paper-thin form. When Cat Three invokes the authority of Christie's Auction House, Li Ziran responds by threatening to destroy the bodies being sold.
• Li Ziran bargains with Cat Three, demanding only 700,000 Void Coins in exchange for allowing him to take the bodies. He then raises the demand to 701,000 coins, adding 1,000 Void Coins as compensation for the emotional harm done to Anfuni.

Character Developments

• Li Ziran shows increased mastery over the Void and remains calm, calculating, and intimidating. His investigation into soul origin points deepens his understanding of how fundamental changes can transform a person. He is troubled by Ke’er’s transformation but remains willing to confront those who exploited her.
• Ke’er has changed from a simple, honest girl into someone ambitious, possessive, and highly capable. Despite her altered temperament, she still appears deeply devoted to Li Ziran and sincerely wants to give him everything she has gained.
• Anfuni becomes emotionally significant in Li Ziran’s negotiations. His insistence on “emotional compensation” suggests that he recognizes the mistreatment she suffered and is willing to defend her interests.
• Cat Three shifts from confident auctioneer to frightened negotiator. He tries to hide behind the reputation of Christie's Auction House, but Li Ziran exposes his dishonesty and overwhelms him.
• Goni acts as a mediator and informant, accepting responsibility for helping Ke’er and explaining the events that occurred during Li Ziran’s absence.
• Jin Potter remains a nervous subordinate, terrified of Li Ziran’s power and judgment.

Significant Themes

• Transformation of identity: Ke’er’s personality change raises questions about whether a person remains the same after their soul’s origin point is altered.
• Power and control: Li Ziran’s ability to breach hidden spaces, manipulate the Void, and threaten the auction’s merchandise establishes his overwhelming authority.
• Exploitation and manipulation: Cat Three disguises a self-serving scheme as a fair auction, taking advantage of Ke’er’s altered mind and attempting to profit from Li Ziran’s absence.
• Emotional compensation versus material wealth: Although the auction produces millions of Void Coins, Li Ziran is more concerned with justice, loyalty, and compensating Anfuni than with maximizing profit.
• Possession and devotion: Ke’er treats her discoveries and earnings as gifts for Li Ziran, suggesting that her devotion has become intertwined with ownership and the desire to prove her usefulness.

Character Interactions

• Li Ziran interrogates Jin Potter and Goni about Ke’er’s actions, then uses an elf’s memories to confirm what happened.
• Ke’er warmly embraces Li Ziran and proudly offers him the auction proceeds and her future services, while he remains focused on Cat Three rather than responding to her affection.
• Cat Three attempts to negotiate and invoke institutional protection, but Li Ziran physically overpowers and psychologically intimidates him.
• Anfuni’s distress is acknowledged indirectly when Li Ziran adds her emotional compensation to the final payment.
• The chapter ends with Li Ziran asserting control over the auction, Cat Three, and the bodies, while exposing the conflict between genuine loyalty and calculated exploitation.

Chapter Summary: “Auction Scam”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ke’er realizes she may have been deceived after seeing the enormous price—701,000 Void Coins—displayed on the Black Bar supposedly issued by Christie’s.
• Cat Three attempts to deny responsibility and escape, but Li Ziran traps him inside the robot with an invisible force that causes his Void Chains to collapse.
• The chapter reveals Christie’s larger secret: the Red Soil Continent may survive the Void’s destruction of its inhabitants. Powerful beings hope to fuse themselves with the continent and become part of its laws, gaining permanent existence and future control over the Void Expanse.
• Cat Three sees Li Ziran’s shells as a chance to obtain enough wealth to escape his role as an auctioneer and participate in the coming division of the continent.
• Li Ziran demands payment for the shells. Cat Three offers progressively larger but still insufficient sums, first 50,000 and then 170,000 Void Coins.
• As punishment, Li Ziran’s Annihilation power begins destroying Cat Three’s body. Terrified, Cat Three admits he cannot pay and suggests selling the remaining shells through Christie’s Void Network.
• Ke’er discovers that the promised auction never existed. Cat Three had no ability to organize a real auction, and the Black Bar he gave her is counterfeit.
• Enraged, Ke’er attacks Cat Three, but he ignores her and focuses entirely on Li Ziran, whose decision determines whether he survives.
• Li Ziran questions Cat Three’s plan to rely on online buyers and demands a more reliable, proactive way to obtain the money.

Character Developments

• Ke’er shifts from confidence to shock and humiliation. She had believed she understood the brutal world and had trusted Cat Three’s apparent assistance, but now realizes she was manipulated. Her anger finally erupts when she attacks him.
• Cat Three is exposed as a fraud rather than a powerful auction organizer. His greed and ambition are revealed: he intended to exploit the shells to gain wealth, leave Christie’s, and secure a place in the future reshaping of the Void Expanse. When threatened with annihilation, his arrogance collapses into panic and desperate submission.
• Li Ziran demonstrates overwhelming control and psychological dominance. He remains calm while destroying Cat Three and refuses to accept weak excuses or uncertain plans. His demands show that he is not merely seeking revenge but also forcing Cat Three to produce a concrete solution.
• Goni becomes passive and powerless. Although Cat Three invokes his authority to validate the Void Coins, Goni avoids intervening because control of the situation has clearly passed to Li Ziran.

Significant Themes

• Deception and false appearances: The supposed auction, Christie’s credentials, and Black Bar are all revealed to be fraudulent. The chapter emphasizes how easily trust and prestige can be used to manipulate others.
• Power and coercion: Li Ziran’s control over Cat Three shows the difference between apparent authority and genuine power. Cat Three’s status means little once Li Ziran can threaten his existence directly.
• Greed and ambition: Cat Three’s scam is driven by his desire to escape his subordinate position and gain a share of the continent’s future power.
• Survival and transformation: The explanation of the Red Soil Continent introduces the possibility of surviving the Void by merging with the continent, suggesting that existence may require abandoning one’s original form.
• Trust and disillusionment: Ke’er’s idealized view of the transaction collapses, leaving her to confront her vulnerability and the danger of relying on others in the Void Expanse.

Character Interactions

• Li Ziran and Cat Three: Their exchange is the chapter’s central conflict. Cat Three bargains, lies, and pleads, while Li Ziran calmly imposes an impossible price and uses Annihilation to force compliance.
• Ke’er and Cat Three: Ke’er confronts Cat Three after learning the auction was fabricated. Her attack reflects her betrayal and anger, though Cat Three considers her irrelevant compared with Li Ziran.
• Cat Three and Goni: Cat Three tries to use Goni as proof that his payment system is legitimate, but Goni refuses to support him and remains silent.
• Li Ziran and Ke’er: Li Ziran does not directly comfort or explain the deception to Ke’er; instead, his control of the situation allows the truth to emerge. His final questioning also shows that he expects practical results rather than emotional reactions.

Chapter Summary: “Super VIP Network”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Ziran confronts Cat Three after discovering that Cat Three intended to profit from selling his shells through Christie’s Auction House.
• To demonstrate his power, Li Ziran uses a Void Strike that destroys the Void Chains in Cat Three’s legs, causing them to crumble into sand. Cat Three realizes Li Ziran could erase him completely and that he is being kept alive only because he remains useful.
• Cat Three hands over his entire fortune—170,000 Void Coins—but Li Ziran makes clear that this is not enough. He wants his shells sold for a much higher total of 700,000 Void Coins.
• Li Ziran questions whether the ordinary Void Network can quickly sell the shells. Cat Three admits that it cannot: even valuable goods may remain unnoticed for a long time.
• Li Ziran learns about Christie’s Super VIP Network, a restricted marketplace used by the auction house’s most powerful customers. Goods listed there can sell rapidly and at extremely high prices, but only headquarters and certain top-level auction houses are authorized to submit items.
• Cat Three initially refuses to access it, fearing Christie’s punishment. Li Ziran tortures him by making his shoulder and internal organs slowly weather away, forcing him to cooperate.
• Cat Three disguises himself as a high-ranking Christie’s auctioneer and transmits detailed information about the shells to the Super VIP Network, including their survival time, internal structure, soul-possession abilities, and footage of them moving across continents and underground.
• The network displays rare and extremely expensive goods, including ancient souls, elemental constructs, superbrains, and dragon shells. Li Ziran’s new Black Dragon-form shell is then placed at the top of the listings:
  • “New Tidal Shell, Black Dragon form”
  • Equipped with a

Tidal Shield

• Capable of moving through the Void Expanse and continents
• Made by Master Li Ziran
• Introductory price: 38,000 Void Coins

Character Developments

• Li Ziran is revealed to be overwhelmingly powerful, calculating, and ruthless. He remains outwardly calm and even polite while inflicting terrifying punishment, treating Cat Three’s suffering as a practical means to achieve his goal.
• Li Ziran also demonstrates strategic foresight. His prepared information and immediate interest in the Super VIP Network suggest that he anticipated Cat Three might have access to it.
• Cat Three loses his confidence and manipulative attitude. After realizing that Li Ziran can destroy him effortlessly, he becomes completely submissive and prioritizes survival over profit, authority, or loyalty to Christie’s.
• Jin Potter is intimidated by Li Ziran’s power. Any thought of opposing or exploiting Li Ziran disappears after witnessing Cat Three’s destruction.
• Goni helps verify the authenticity of Cat Three’s Void Coins, while Snow reacts with shock to the enormous physical quantity of wealth, emphasizing the scale of the payment.

Significant Themes

• Power and coercion: Li Ziran’s superior strength allows him to force cooperation without negotiation. Cat Three’s decisions are shaped entirely by fear.
• Survival versus authority: Cat Three chooses to violate Christie’s strict rules rather than endure Li Ziran’s punishment, reflecting the theme that immediate survival overrides institutional loyalty.
• Value and commerce: The chapter contrasts ordinary wealth with access to elite markets. The Super VIP Network transforms rare goods into vastly more valuable commodities.
• Appearance versus reality: Li Ziran’s calm smile and courteous tone conceal extreme violence, while Cat Three’s apparent business connections cannot protect him from a stronger power.
• Preparation and control: The detailed shell information and Li Ziran’s interest in the restricted network suggest that he is carefully planning the shells’ commercialization rather than acting impulsively.

Character Interactions

• Li Ziran dominates his interactions with Cat Three, alternating between mild conversation, threats, and physical punishment to control him.
• Cat Three attempts to negotiate by surrendering his fortune, but Li Ziran repeatedly exposes the inadequacy of his offerings and pressures him into greater cooperation.
• Goni and Snow witness the confrontation and react to the scale of Li Ziran’s wealth and power, reinforcing his growing authority.
• Jin Potter silently reassesses Li Ziran after seeing Cat Three’s mutilation, shifting from possible opportunism to fear and obedience.
• The chapter ends with Cat Three successfully placing Li Ziran’s Black Dragon shell into the highest-level marketplace, marking the beginning of a potentially enormous commercial opportunity.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• A new product—an unusual shell—appears on Christie's High-Grade VIP Network but receives no purchases during its first five minutes. Because the product lacks headquarters approval and appears low-grade, elite clients show little interest.
• Li Ziran orders Cat Three to sell the goods within five hours, despite Cat Three insisting that such sales normally require time, exposure, and word of mouth.
• Cat Three realizes that the only way to meet Li Ziran’s deadline is to use Christie's Headquarters Recommendation Slot, a prestigious promotional position that virtually guarantees immediate sales.
• The slot is controlled by Christie's headquarters, and using it without authorization would violate one of the organization’s most serious taboos.
• Goni exposes Cat Three’s hidden authority and deduces that he likely learned to manipulate Christie's systems through Kazilan, a powerful first-rank auctioneer whose Void Chains specialize in disguise and infiltration.
• Cat Three refuses to reveal his method, fearing punishment from Christie’s leadership and his teacher.
• Li Ziran confronts Cat Three psychologically rather than physically, mocking his lack of ambition and challenging him to pursue strength and independence instead of remaining a powerless auctioneer.
• Li Ziran offers Cat Three the possibility of becoming a true client and gaining his own Void Chains, implying that cooperation could provide him with a better future.
• Cat Three recognizes that Li Ziran is referring to the Headquarters Recommendation Slot and realizes that using it may be his only path to survival and advancement.

Character Developments

• Li Ziran is shown as cold, intimidating, and highly perceptive, but also capable of manipulating others through ambition rather than fear alone. He identifies Cat Three’s hidden desire to escape his low position and become powerful.
• Cat Three shifts from terrified compliance to resistance, revealing that he still possesses pride and ambition. His greatest conflict is between fear of Christie’s punishment and his desire to rise beyond his status as an auctioneer.
• Goni demonstrates extensive knowledge of the Void Expanse, Christie’s hierarchy, and Void Chains. His deductions reveal him to be far more dangerous and informed than an ordinary steward.
• Kazilan, though absent, becomes important through discussion of her Void Chains and influence over Cat Three’s abilities and background.

Significant Themes

• Ambition versus fear: Cat Three’s choices are driven by both his fear of punishment and his buried wish for greater power.
• The difficulty of living under oppression: Li Ziran argues that death is easy, while living with dignity and independence requires real strength.
• Power and authority: The Headquarters Recommendation Slot symbolizes Christie’s institutional power and the danger of challenging established hierarchies.
• Manipulation and psychological control: Li Ziran and Goni pressure Cat Three by exposing secrets and appealing to his deepest desires rather than relying solely on violence.
• Risk and reward: Cat Three must decide whether the potential reward of becoming a client is worth violating Christie’s most fundamental rules.

Character Interactions

• Li Ziran and Cat Three: Their relationship is dominated by intimidation, coercion, and negotiation. Li Ziran initially commands Cat Three, then provokes him by questioning his ambition before offering him an opportunity for transformation.
• Goni and Cat Three: Goni dismantles Cat Three’s claims of being an ordinary auctioneer by accurately tracing his privileges and possible connection to Kazilan.
• Li Ziran and Goni: Both understand how to pressure Cat Three, but Goni relies on deduction and exposure, while Li Ziran uses emotional manipulation and promises of power.
• Cat Three and his teacher/Kazilan: Although she does not appear directly, Cat Three’s fear of betraying Kazilan’s rules shapes his refusal to use the Headquarters Recommendation Slot.

Chapter Summary: A Moment to Witness History

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Ziran renegotiates his deal with Cat Three, reducing his desired payment and allowing Cat Three to keep most of the profits. His goal is to motivate Cat Three to focus on selling the products rather than dwelling on their initial failure.
• Cat Three explains that ordinary shells are unsuitable for a Christie's Auction House headquarters recommendation. To pass appraisal, the products must contain dense and complex Void Chains, the primary measure of an item's value.
• Li Ziran transforms the massive Black Dragon shell into a palm-sized wooden puppet by compressing it and implanting a small portion of the Void Chains he has comprehended.
• The miniature shell activates, displaying a star-map-like array and generating a protective Tide containing Thunder, Water, and storm elements. Though imperfect, it allows the shell to survive independently in the Void Expanse for roughly two days, or potentially a month with additional methods of gathering and preserving elements.
• Jin Potter realizes the revolutionary significance of Li Ziran's creation. The shell could allow even ordinary creatures to live in the Void Expanse, creating an enormous market and potentially transforming the entire region.
• While Li Ziran modifies the remaining shells, Cat Three secretly infiltrates Christie's Auction House's Void Network to obtain unauthorized access and submit the product for headquarters recommendation.
• The product successfully appears on the network as “Headquarters Recommendation: Tidal Shell.”
• Almost immediately, the first purchases arrive: two separate transfers of 70,000 Void Coins, totaling 140,000. The unexpectedly rapid sales leave everyone stunned.

Character Developments

• Li Ziran demonstrates greater flexibility and business sense, deliberately encouraging Cat Three's ambition and treating him as a partner rather than merely a debtor. His technical mastery is further revealed through the creation of the Tidal Shell.
• Cat Three shifts from despair and fear of failure to intense determination and greed-driven optimism. He becomes fully invested in selling Li Ziran's invention and successfully risks infiltrating Christie's network.
• Jin Potter experiences a profound change in perspective. What he once considered a possible scam becomes a genuine breakthrough capable of changing the lives of ordinary Void creatures. He begins viewing himself as someone who could “witness history.”
• Ke'er feels increasingly irrelevant and insecure. Although she believes her shell-making skills should make her indispensable, she cannot understand Li Ziran's methods and becomes frustrated at being excluded.
• Anfuni and Goni remain focused on the practical business operation, especially fundraising and handling the incoming money, while also reacting anxiously to the unexpected network activity.

Significant Themes

• Ambition as a source of miracles: Li Ziran recognizes that ambitious people like Cat Three and Jin Potter are capable of creating extraordinary opportunities.
• Innovation versus established standards: The Tidal Shell surpasses conventional appraisal criteria and challenges the limitations of existing Void technology.
• The transformative power of technology: A shell that permits ordinary beings to survive in the Void Expanse could reshape society, commerce, and the balance between powerful and powerless creatures.
• Risk, investment, and reward: The chapter repeatedly emphasizes that greater investment and daring produce greater returns, both financially and historically.
• Witnessing history: Jin Potter sees the invention not merely as a profitable product but as the beginning of a new era, highlighting the difference between commercial success and revolutionary significance.
• Insecurity and obsolescence: Ke'er’s reaction reflects the fear of becoming unnecessary when someone else’s abilities surpass one’s own.

Character Interactions

• Li Ziran and Cat Three develop a mutually beneficial partnership: Li provides the revolutionary product, while Cat Three supplies commercial expertise and access to Christie's network.
• Cat Three and Jin Potter clash over priorities. Cat Three concentrates on selling and raising money, while Jin Potter becomes emotionally overwhelmed by the Tidal Shell’s historical importance.
• Jin Potter enthusiastically urges Cat Three to submit the shell to the headquarters auction, calling the existing products worthless by comparison.
• Anfuni reprimands Jin Potter for distracting everyone from their urgent financial problems.
• Li Ziran remains impatient with Jin Potter’s excitement, answering his questions briefly and returning to the shell modifications.
• Ke’er watches the group’s cooperation from the sidelines, feeling that she has been excluded despite her own technical abilities.
• The chapter ends with the entire group united in astonishment as the headquarters recommendation immediately generates rapid sales and a massive influx of Void Coins.

Li Ziran helped Cat Three sell the modified shells, then protected him from the president of Christie's Auction House. With the sales complete, Cat Three told Li Ziran that an old-nobility faction might obstruct his bid for a piece of the Red Soil Continent.

• Li Ziran gave Cat Three the agreed share of the shell proceeds, and Cat Three collected about seven hundred thousand Void Coins before Christie's removed the listings.
• The president of Christie's detected the unauthorized sales and sent a Void Strike after Cat Three, but Li Ziran's nebular structure shattered and absorbed most of the Void Chains.
• The president examined the Tidal Shells, ordered Christie's to buy them back for twice their sale price, and instructed staff to compensate the purchasers.
• Cat Three thanked Li Ziran for saving him and refused to share his earnings with Jin Potter or the others.
• Cat Three explained that the Ancient Clans viewed newcomers as inferior and revealed that Mr. Gelong, a leading old-guard representative, would oversee the auction for the Red Soil Continent.

Chapter Summary: Obtaining an Auction Slot

Key Plot Points and Events

• Goni argues that Christie's auction may be relatively fair because it is controlled by neutral forces rather than strictly by the old or new factions of the Void Expanse. Cat Three counters that the limited number of auction slots and the possibility of powerful races purchasing multiple sections make the competition extremely dangerous.
• The group questions why Christie's is auctioning portions of the Red Soil Continent instead of claiming them for itself. Cat Three admits that he does not know Christie's true motives, having received only instructions to establish an auction house on the continent.
• Goni insists that the group must secure an auction slot immediately rather than waste time speculating. Cat Three explains that participants must reserve a slot through Christie's network and provide a deposit of at least 500,000 Void Coins.
• Cat Three reassures Li Ziran that the Void Coins obtained through Six Flavors House are difficult for Christie's to trace and that he has disguised the information on Li's Black Bar. Li gives Cat Three the Black Bar, entrusting him with the deposit.
• At Christie's Auction House in Hippo Ancient City, Li undergoes an extensive identity and soul scan. After 500,000 Void Coins are deposited, Christie's constructs a universal teleportation platform leading to a Derivative Space containing the Red Soil Continent auction map.
• Cat Three warns Li to conceal his identity after entering the Derivative Space and recommends seeking intelligence from Quentin, an attendant at a large establishment called the Mill. The auction is scheduled for three days later, with preliminary events and transactions occurring beforehand.
• Anfuni, Jin Potter, Snow, and Goni decide to accompany Li. Goni initially hesitates because he does not want to encounter old acquaintances in the Void Expanse, but Jin Potter humorously forces him onto the teleportation platform.
• Ke’er, Li’s wife in name and the Elven Queen, refuses to go. She chooses to remain behind to protect the Elves and use Li’s knowledge of organs to train an army of Witch Doctors. Her jealous declaration that she alone will be indispensable to Li creates emotional tension before she leaves.
• Goni urges the others to become stronger, warning that the Derivative Space contains powerful Void Expanse races and that anyone unable to contribute may be eliminated.
• After teleporting, the group sees the Red Soil Continent divided into 56 numbered regions. Anfuni is dissatisfied with the small size of the rainforest section, but learns that it has an estimated price of 1.72 million Void Coins, far exceeding the minimum deposit.

Character Developments

• Li Ziran demonstrates decisiveness by immediately paying the deposit and trusting Cat Three with the enormous sum of Void Coins. He also begins taking responsibility for leading his companions into a dangerous political and economic arena.
• Goni acts as a knowledgeable mentor and strategist. Although he fears returning to the Void Expanse and facing former acquaintances, his concern for Li and the group ultimately overcomes his reluctance.
• Cat Three shows practical loyalty toward Li. Despite his past conflict with the group, he protects Li’s financial information, arranges the auction slot, and provides guidance about surviving the Derivative Space.
• Anfuni remains eager and emotionally invested in Li’s mission, immediately volunteering to accompany him. She also shows sympathy toward Ke’er, recognizing that Ke’er’s harsh behavior is rooted in genuine concern for Li.
• Jin Potter gains confidence and enthusiasm. Though socially low-ranking, he sees the expedition as a rare opportunity to enter the world of powerful beings and volunteers to serve as the group’s errand-runner.
• Ke’er reveals both devotion and insecurity. Rather than accompanying Li, she stays behind to strengthen the Elves, transforming her jealousy into a determination to become indispensable through practical support.
• Goni’s warning pushes the companions to confront their own inadequacy and recognize that survival will require genuine growth rather than emotional attachment alone.

Significant Themes

• Power, wealth, and access: Money determines who can even enter the contest, while the massive estimated prices show that the auction will be dominated by wealthy and powerful races.
• Hidden motives and political uncertainty: Christie's public auction may conceal a larger plan connected to the division of the Red Soil Continent. Even insiders such as Cat Three do not understand the organization’s full intentions.
• Trust and risk: Li entrusts Cat Three with 700,000 Void Coins despite their previous history, highlighting the need to rely on uncertain allies in a dangerous environment.
• Preparation versus sentiment: The group’s emotional bonds are important, but Goni emphasizes that affection cannot replace ability. Those who cannot contribute may be discarded.
• Jealousy transformed into loyalty: Ke’er’s possessiveness is mixed with genuine devotion. Her decision to remain behind suggests that support can take different forms, including building strength away from the main conflict.
• Entering a larger world: The teleportation marks the group’s transition from the familiar Red Soil Continent into the broader, more dangerous society of the Void Expanse.

Character Interactions

• Goni and Cat Three debate the fairness and dangers of Christie's auction, revealing their differing knowledge and perspectives.
• Li’s decision to trust Cat Three reassures the group but briefly worries Anfuni, who fears the loss or misuse of the Void Coins.
• Cat Three tries to ease Anfuni’s concerns and emphasizes that he will not betray Li again.
• Jin Potter lightens the atmosphere with humor, especially when he forces the reluctant Goni onto the teleportation platform.
• Ke’er’s confrontation with Anfuni and Goni exposes her jealousy and determination to compete for Li’s importance.
• Anfuni’s sympathy for Ke’er shows that the women’s rivalry is tempered by an understanding of their shared concern for Li.
• Goni’s final lecture redirects the group from pity and emotional distraction toward discipline and self-improvement.

Chapter Summary: Christie’s Auction House Headquarters

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Ziran, Anfuni, and Goni enter Christie’s Derivative Space, which resembles a vast ancient city built within a protective field of mysterious “Ultimate Elements.”
• From above, they can see the Red Soil Continent and surrounding ocean divided into purchasable plots, each with a listed valuation. Li Ziran realizes his 700,000 Void Coins are insufficient for anything valuable and resolves to locate his intended target continent quickly.
• As they travel toward Christie’s headquarters, they pass a remarkably diverse population: Dragons, Abominations, Vampires, Zombies, Giants, insect-based beings, Elves, Orcs, and other ancient races. Many races that are extinct or rare on the Red Soil Continent live here openly.
• Goni explains that many of these species possess powerful bloodlines and complete Void Chains inheritances. He also identifies the Beast Race members as followers of the Ancestor Cult and points out the Nature Cult’s Elves.
• Li Ziran browses books about the Void and buys several despite Goni’s warnings. The books contain eccentric theories, such as the Void being made of nested triangles, a snake, flowers, or a decomposing Great Dragon.
• Li Ziran reflects on his own incomplete Void Chains. Although he can imagine nebulae and other cosmic structures, his actual chains remain primitive. He recognizes that true strength requires Void Chains to be fused with concrete, reality-based chains.
• After spending 700 Void Coins on books, Li Ziran stops and refocuses on securing a continent.
• The group reaches Christie’s headquarters, a large complex containing the Mill, Six Flavors House, the Void Pawnshop, and the eighteen-story Christie’s Auction House.
• They meet Quentin, a thin Panda Orc recommended by Cat Three. Quentin demands 1,000 Void Coins merely to provide auction information and accompany them, prompting Goni’s outrage. Quentin refuses to lower the price, insisting his time is valuable.

Character Developments

• Li Ziran remains focused on obtaining a continent but shows strong intellectual curiosity about the Void. His purchases reveal both his desperation to strengthen his Void Chains and his willingness to investigate unconventional ideas.
• He gains greater self-awareness regarding his abilities: his imagined nebulae are not yet genuine, complete Void Chains, and he must develop chains grounded in reality.
• Goni acts as Li Ziran’s practical guide and financial watchdog. He explains the factions and races of the Derivative Space and becomes increasingly exasperated by Li Ziran’s spending.
• Anfuni appears cautious and fascinated by the unfamiliar Dragons and other species, staying close to Li Ziran for safety.
• Quentin is introduced as arrogant, greedy, and confident in the value of his services. His connection to Cat Three gives him leverage, but he still treats the group dismissively.

Significant Themes

• Knowledge versus practical power: Li Ziran’s fascination with Void theories contrasts with the immediate need to secure a continent and obtain useful inheritances.
• The limits of imagination: The chapter emphasizes that imagined structures are not enough; genuine strength comes from chains that exist concretely and are fully integrated.
• Cosmology and interpretation: The bizarre theories about the Void highlight how little its true nature is understood and contrast with Li Ziran’s preference for spirals, Gravity, planetary formation, and nebular development.
• Wealth and value: Void Coins determine access to land, information, and expertise. Li Ziran’s limited funds make every purchase consequential, while Quentin exploits the value of his time.
• A wider, more diverse world: The Derivative Space reveals that powerful and ancient races thrive beyond the Red Soil Continent, suggesting a much larger civilization and power structure.

Character Interactions

• Anfuni whispers nervously about the Dragons, while Li Ziran tells her to behave and avoid attracting attention.
• Goni educates Li Ziran about the various races, cults, and inheritances found in the Derivative Space.
• Goni repeatedly warns Li Ziran not to waste money on unreliable Void theories, but Li Ziran ignores him and spends 700 Void Coins.
• At Christie’s headquarters, Goni introduces Cat Three’s recommendation when negotiating with Quentin, but Quentin uses the connection to justify—not reduce—his high price.
• The chapter ends with Goni angrily challenging Quentin’s demand while Quentin dismisses him and returns to flattering a woman nearby.

Chapter Summary: “VIP Room”

Key Plot Points and Events

• At the Mill, Goni argues with Quentin over the price of his guidance, objecting to the enormous fee of 1,000 Void Coins.
• Li Ziran studies the Mill’s refined wine and glassware, recognizing that every object contains carefully integrated Ultimate Element and Void Chains. He concludes that Christie’s maintains extremely high standards.
• Quentin initially dismisses Li Ziran because he is human and assumes he cannot afford the services. Li Ziran proves otherwise by purchasing a 5,000-Void-Coin bottle of rum with his Black Bar.
• His display of wealth attracts the attention of the Mill’s female attendants, though Li Ziran politely refuses their offers and insists on speaking with Quentin.
• Quentin accepts a 1,000-Void-Coin payment and leads Li Ziran’s group through the Mill’s hidden kitchens, alleys, ladders, and maze-like passages.
• Quentin reveals that his real name is Aki and that he is also known as Quentin or Zorro. He is Cat Three’s brother, sometimes nicknamed Cat Four, and works as one of Christie’s most informed guides.
• Aki brings the group to Room 903, one of only eighteen private VIP rooms in the Mill. Jin Potter quickly reserves it to secure the space.
• Inside, Aki explains that the auction will begin in seventy-two hours. Only those with an auction quota may participate, and the group must now choose which fragment of the Red Soil Continent they want to claim.
• Aki reveals the Mill’s extensive hidden services, including intelligence trading, Christie’s secrets, loans, collateral arrangements, and other private transactions.
• Although Goni suspects Aki of leading them into a trap, Li Ziran is satisfied with the room and services. He pays an additional 2,000 Void Coins for a VIP dinner invitation hosted by the Great Dragon Clan.

Character Developments

• Li Ziran demonstrates considerable wealth, confidence, and careful judgment. He is willing to spend heavily when the service is genuinely valuable, but he remains alert to being exploited.
• He shows strong observational ability, analyzing the Ultimate Element and Void Chains in Christie’s products and recognizing the sophistication behind the Mill’s operation.
• Li Ziran also displays social composure. He handles the attendants’ advances without hostility and negotiates with Quentin through calm, deliberate spending rather than aggression.
• Goni remains suspicious and outspoken, especially regarding the price of services and Aki’s hidden motives.
• Quentin/Aki/Zorro is revealed to be an experienced, opportunistic guide with extensive knowledge of Christie’s. He uses multiple identities depending on his clients and profits by selling access to exclusive spaces and information.
• Jin Potter acts efficiently on Li Ziran’s behalf, rushing to reserve Room 903 when Aki warns him to do so.

Significant Themes

• Luxury and exploitation: The Mill’s elegant presentation hides an aggressive commercial system designed to extract money from newcomers.
• Information as power: Aki’s real value lies less in physical guidance than in his knowledge of Christie’s, its secrets, auction arrangements, and hidden services.
• Appearances and hidden structures: Behind the public-facing bar and crowded marketplace is a maze of private passages, VIP rooms, and secret business networks.
• Wealth and social status: Money immediately changes how others treat Li Ziran, attracting attention and unlocking privileges unavailable to ordinary visitors.
• Caution versus opportunity: Li Ziran recognizes that Aki may be exploiting them, but he also understands that the access and information are worth the cost.

Character Interactions

• Goni quarrels with Quentin over the guide’s excessive fee.
• Quentin initially looks down on Li Ziran for being human, but his attitude shifts after Li Ziran effortlessly spends 5,000 Void Coins.
• A female attendant flirts with Li Ziran and offers cheaper services, but he declines in order to continue negotiating with Quentin.
• Aki and Goni clash over whether the hidden route to the VIP room is a suspicious trap or simply part of Aki’s service.
• Li Ziran ultimately validates Aki’s usefulness by purchasing both the exclusive room access and a VIP dinner invitation, positioning the group for valuable connections before the auction.

Li Ziran and his companions examined the Red Soil Continent auction and debated which plot they could afford. He chose to pursue Hippo Ancient City despite their lack of funds, leaving them to consider how much they could borrow.

• Quentin explained the auction’s estimated prices, offered to help secure a plot, and arranged a 150,000-Void-Coin loan for the group.
• Li Ziran paid Quentin 5,000 Void Coins for auction arrangements, prompting Anfuni to complain about his charges.
• Goni advised the group to seek outside financing and recommended a modestly priced lake region north of the Rhine Prairie.
• Li Ziran instead selected Hippo Ancient City, arguing that its location, defenses, and underground elemental activity made it exceptionally valuable.
• The group worried that Hippo Ancient City’s 1.2 million starting price exceeded their 700,000 Void Coins, while Li Ziran considered how much his potential might secure through underground lending.

Chapter Summary: “Invitation Ticket, Formal Gown, Beauty”

Key Plot Points and Events

• An invitation to the Ancient Clans Gathering, a private pre-auction cocktail party, is mysteriously delivered to Li Ziran’s group. It is identical to the valuable ticket Li Ziran previously bought for two thousand Void Coins, suggesting that someone powerful has taken an interest in them.
• A message on the ticket says, “The gift is outside.” The group discovers a finely tailored red formal gown waiting beyond their door.
• Because each ticket admits only one person and attendants are forbidden, only Li Ziran and one companion can attend. Goni suggests that Li bring a female companion and proposes that Snow and Anfuni try on the gown.
• The gown clearly fits Snow, revealing that it was custom-made for her. She changes into it and transforms from an inconspicuous Snow Woman into an elegant, aristocratic beauty.
• Li and Snow travel through Mill’s VIP teleportation passage to the gathering. Meanwhile, Anfuni, Goni, and Jin Potter remain behind and receive one thousand Void Coins each to explore Christie’s headquarters.
• At the gathering, Li and Snow encounter a grand hall filled with powerful beings from many races, including Dragons, Giants, Undead, Insect creatures, Vampires, Behemoths, and Ancient Elves. They are conspicuous as rare Human Race newcomers.
• Stone is already present on the dance floor, while Li becomes increasingly curious about who arranged the invitation and gown.

Character Developments

• Li Ziran remains calm and adaptable, treating the mysterious invitation as both a potential danger and an opportunity to expand his influence. He also shows confidence in Snow, encouraging her to use her social skills at the gathering.
• Snow gains confidence and visibility. Although initially nervous and bewildered by the attention, the gown reveals her beauty and gives her a new social role as Li’s companion. Her transformation suggests that others recognize potential in her that she herself does not yet appreciate.
• Anfuni experiences jealousy and disappointment when Li chooses Snow, but Goni forces her to reconsider her priorities. She begins to understand that securing Li’s support for conquering Hippo Ancient City will require strategy rather than emotional dependence.
• Goni acts as a perceptive mentor. He recognizes the political importance of the invitation, advises Anfuni to suppress her jealousy, and reminds her to take advantage of opportunities rather than waiting for success to come easily.
• Jin Potter eagerly embraces the chance to spend money and explore, though Goni views him as merely a temporary helper rather than a lasting member of Li’s circle.

Significant Themes

• Opportunity amid danger: The invitation may conceal hostile intentions, but Li chooses to treat it as a chance to build connections and gather information.
• Appearance and social power: Snow’s gown dramatically changes how others perceive her, emphasizing how clothing, beauty, and presentation can affect status and influence.
• Jealousy versus ambition: Anfuni’s jealousy is contrasted with the need for strategic thinking and long-term goals.
• Recognition and hidden potential: The anonymous sender’s effort to tailor the gown for Snow implies that her value has been noticed by powerful outsiders.
• Money and opportunity: Goni stresses that success in Christie’s headquarters requires spending resources wisely; valuable chances rarely come without investment.
• Outsiders entering a higher world: Li and Snow, unfamiliar with the gathering’s powerful races and social circles, must navigate a world far beyond their previous experience.

Character Interactions

• The group debates who should accompany Li, with Anfuni recommending Goni while Goni insists that Li bring a female companion.
• Anfuni graciously gives the gown to Snow and compliments her potential, despite privately feeling jealous.
• Goni places Snow’s hand on Li’s arm, presenting them as a refined pair and teasing Li about his noble appearance.
• Goni counsels Anfuni after Li and Snow depart, urging her to focus on conquering Hippo Ancient City and learning from the opportunities around her.
• Li reassures Snow at the gathering, encouraging her to rely on her ability to deceive and negotiate while they investigate who invited them.