Chapter Summaries

Shrouding the Heavens: I, Jiang Ming, the Eternal Demon Emperor
945 summaries

Ch. 121Third-Turn Demon God Transformation

Chapter Summary: “Third-Turn Demon God Transformation”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Ji Ziyue, the playful and spoiled Origin Spirit Body of the Ji Family, catches Ye Fan fleeing alongside the demons. She plans to interrogate him, unaware of his many valuable secrets.
  • Yan Ruyu and Jiang Ming lead the surviving demons through the Ji Family’s encirclement. Several elderly demons sacrifice themselves to protect the younger generation and their princess.
  • After receiving two system rewards—a King Weapon, the Seven-Colored Heavenly Net Umbrella, and the teleportation platform Eight Thousand Li of Clouds and Moon—Jiang Ming uses them to evacuate Yan Ruyu and the remaining demons to Peacock King’s secret realm.
  • Jiang Ming intentionally disrupts Ji Ziyue’s guards and knocks Ji Ziyue into Ye Fan’s path. Ye Fan promptly suppresses her with his cauldron, intending to use her as a hostage against the Ji Family.
  • Jiang Ming publicly declares his loyalty to Yan Ruyu, stating that her kindness saved him from his demonic nature and that he will protect her at any cost. His declaration impresses Ye Fan, Ji Ziyue, and even Jin Ling.
  • A Ji Family elder attacks Jiang Ming for interfering with their campaign against the demons. Jiang Ming undergoes his Divine Spirit Transformation, becoming surrounded by golden divine light and displaying the Eight Forbidden Domain and Zodiac Palaces. He defeats the elder with a casual strike.
  • When a Ji Family Half-Step Great Ability attacks with a massive black palm, Jiang Ming enters a demonic state. His demonic sword cleaves the attack apart and separates the attacker’s head, though Jiang Ming deliberately spares his life.
  • A Great Ability of the Ji Family then attempts to kill Jiang Ming, fearing the rise of another Jiang Family prodigy. Jiang Ming begins his Demon God Transformation, combining divine radiance and demonic qi while manifesting an overwhelming Primordial Chaos vision.

Character Developments

  • Jiang Ming demonstrates both strategic intelligence and deep loyalty. He protects Yan Ruyu and the demon descendants while carefully restraining his desire to kill for system rewards. His successive transformations reveal that his combat power increases dramatically at each stage.
  • Ye Fan views Jiang Ming as a righteous brother and uses Ji Ziyue as a hostage. His distrust of the Ji Family deepens, while his appreciation for the demon faction and Jiang Ming grows.
  • Yan Ruyu remains central to Jiang Ming’s motivation. Her previous aid in suppressing his demonic nature strengthens his resolve to defend her.
  • Ji Ziyue is introduced as mischievous, innocent, and sharp-tongued, but her encounter with Jiang Ming and Ye Fan exposes her to the complicated moral divisions of the conflict. Despite fearing Jiang Ming’s reputation, she begins to question whether he is truly evil.
  • Ji Haoyue and the Ji Family elders become increasingly hostile toward Jiang Ming, viewing him as an obstacle and a dangerous emerging genius.
  • Jin Ling gains greater respect for Jiang Ming after hearing his declaration of loyalty and witnessing his strength.

Significant Themes

  • Loyalty versus factional allegiance: Jiang Ming rejects the idea that sharing the same human race requires him to support the Ji Family. Personal gratitude and moral loyalty matter more to him than racial or clan affiliation.
  • Moral ambiguity: The Ji Family claims to be acting righteously against demons, yet Jiang Ming sees their methods as cruel and unjust. Meanwhile, the demons display sacrifice and devotion toward their descendants.
  • Power through transformation: Jiang Ming’s Divine Spirit and Demon God transformations symbolize the coexistence of divine and demonic forces within him. His strength grows as these opposing powers merge.
  • Restraint and humanity: Although Jiang Ming benefits from the deaths of powerful enemies, he deliberately avoids killing when unnecessary, showing that he has not surrendered completely to his demonic nature.
  • Fate and unexpected alliances: Ye Fan’s collision with Ji Ziyue and Jiang Ming’s deliberate manipulation of events bring enemies together, creating alliances shaped by circumstance and mutual need.

Character Interactions

  • Ji Ziyue taunts and questions Ye Fan, while Ye Fan secretly assesses her value as a hostage.
  • Jiang Ming engineers Ye Fan and Ji Ziyue’s physical entanglement, indirectly helping Ye Fan capture her.
  • Jiang Ming and Yan Ruyu share a relationship founded on gratitude, protection, and impending marriage.
  • Ye Fan emotionally admires Jiang Ming’s public defense of Yan Ruyu and contrasts his righteousness with the Ji Family’s perceived hypocrisy.
  • Ji Haoyue and the Ji elders openly condemn Jiang Ming, leading to successive confrontations that showcase his transformations.
  • Jiang Ming’s actions alter the perceptions of Ji Ziyue and Jin Ling, who begin to see him as more than a violent madman or demonic cultivator.
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Ch. 122Bronze Immortal Hall

Chapter Summary: “Bronze Immortal Hall”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Jiang Ming confronts Elder Tai Shang Ji Yuanshan of the Ji Family, who attacks him with lethal intent. After transforming his body through the Third Transformation, Jiang Ming overwhelms the elder with a single punch and kills him.
  • The system rewards Jiang Ming with a piece of Great Divine Source, which is automatically stored in his Sea of Bitterness. Though victorious, Jiang Ming is badly weakened and retreats.
  • Ji Haoyue and Ji Hong recognize that Ji Yuanshan caused his own death by underestimating Jiang Ming. The elder had intended to eliminate Jiang Ming after recognizing his talent, but Jiang Ming detected the killing intent and counterattacked.
  • The Golden-Winged Roc supports Jiang Ming’s actions and mocks the Ji Family. Jin Ling also withdraws, using the Demon Emperor Scripture to manifest a Kun Peng and escape.
  • The Ji Family discovers that Ji Ziyue has disappeared. Since she was last seen with Ye Fan, Ji Hong decides to seek help from an old friend skilled in heavenly calculations. Ji Haoyue is distressed by both his defeat at the hands of the Demon Emperor’s descendant and the loss of his sister.
  • Ye Fan has secretly taken Jiang Ming and Ji Ziyue through an underground river. Jiang Ming pretends to remain unconscious while Ye Fan carries him and restrains Ji Ziyue, who repeatedly tries to deceive or provoke Ye Fan into releasing her.
  • After fleeing for roughly a month, the group is swept into an underground lake and discovers a massive Bronze Ancient Palace—the legendary Bronze Immortal Hall.
  • Jiang Ming finally reveals that he is awake and explains that he exhausted much of his divine power fighting the Ji Family’s Great Ability. The discovery of the Bronze Immortal Hall becomes the chapter’s major turning point and sets up the next stage of the story.

Character Developments

  • Jiang Ming: Demonstrates overwhelming physical strength, killing a Great Ability through brute force rather than complicated techniques. Despite his victory, he is drained and injured. He also grows more appreciative of Ye Fan’s loyalty and continues concealing his true condition and intentions.
  • Ye Fan: Shows resourcefulness and loyalty by carrying Jiang Ming for a month while protecting him from the Ji Family. He remains wary of Ji Ziyue and uses threats and deception to keep her under control, but he clearly regards Jiang Ming as someone dependable.
  • Ji Ziyue: Remains clever, outspoken, and manipulative, constantly attempting to escape or persuade Ye Fan. Her fear of the Bronze Immortal Hall briefly overwhelms her usual confidence. The chapter also emphasizes her extraordinary Origin Spirit Body and her connection to Ruthless Emperor.
  • Ji Haoyue: Suffers a major psychological setback after losing to Jin Ling and then learning that Ji Ziyue is missing. His confidence and status within the Ji Family are shaken.
  • Ji Hong: Reveals his deep favoritism toward Ji Ziyue and becomes anxious when she disappears, despite his attempts to portray her as harmless and innocent.
  • Jin Ling and the Golden-Winged Roc: Both recognize Jiang Ming’s value and protect or support him indirectly. Jin Ling departs after issuing a threat to the Ji Family.

Significant Themes

  • Strength versus technique: Jiang Ming’s victory illustrates the principle that absolute power can overcome countless techniques—“one force breaking ten thousand methods.”
  • The consequences of killing intent: Ji Yuanshan’s aggression directly causes his downfall. The chapter presents Jiang Ming’s counterattack as justified self-defense against an elder who underestimated him.
  • Loyalty and trust: Ye Fan’s month-long effort to protect Jiang Ming establishes a genuine bond between them. Jiang Ming’s gratitude contrasts with the otherwise hostile and suspicious relationships surrounding them.
  • Fate and destiny: Ji Ziyue’s connection to Ruthless Emperor, her Origin Spirit Body, and her accidental arrival at the Bronze Immortal Hall suggest that her life is guided by extraordinary destiny.
  • Ancient mysteries and danger: The Bronze Immortal Hall is presented as both majestic and terrifying. Its immense age, mysterious aura, and surrounding wax-preserved corpses foreshadow great danger and opportunity.
  • Hidden identities and deception: Jiang Ming pretends to be unconscious, Ye Fan hides information from Ji Ziyue, and the characters conceal their true strength or motives to survive.

Important Character Interactions

  • Jiang Ming’s clash with Ji Yuanshan establishes the deadly conflict between him and the Ji Family.
  • Ji Haoyue and Ji Hong privately acknowledge that Ji Yuanshan brought about his own death, even though Jiang Ming killed a Ji Family elder.
  • Ye Fan and Ji Ziyue engage in constant verbal conflict while he carries her through the underground river.
  • Ye Fan treats Jiang Ming as a trusted ally, caring for him and offering him Divine Spring water after he awakens.
  • Jiang Ming and Ye Fan exchange information about the battle and the fate of the Demon Race.
  • Ji Ziyue reacts fearfully to Jiang Ming’s Fiery Golden Eyes and the Bronze Immortal Hall, highlighting the ominous atmosphere surrounding the discovery.
  • The chapter closes by connecting Ji Ziyue’s fate to Ruthless Emperor, the Bronze Ring, the Bronze Immortal Hall, and the ancient threat of the Bloodfallen Phoenix known as Immortal Emperor.
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Ch. 123Body Tempering with Primordial Yellow Mother Qi

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Ji Ziyue, Ye Fan, and Jiang Ming unexpectedly arrive at the terrifying Bronze Immortal Hall. Ji Ziyue immediately panics, recognizing the danger and lamenting that she has not yet become famous or surpassed her brother, Ji Haoyue.
  • A dense black-and-yellow cloud of Profound Yellow Mother Qi surrounds the hall. Its immense gravity crushes divine senses and prevents Ye Fan and Ji Ziyue from escaping.
  • Jiang Ming realizes that an opportunity has appeared within his Sea of Bitterness. He enters the black-and-yellow mist using his Houtu Divine Form, while Ye Fan and Ji Ziyue are sucked into the Bronze Ancient Palace.
  • Inside the mist, Jiang Ming discovers vast quantities of Myriad Things Mother Qi, as well as the Root of the Mother Qi of All Things. The material is powerful enough to refine a Quasi-Emperor Armament.
  • Jiang Ming absorbs the Profound Yellow Mother Qi Essence to temper his body and strengthen his cultivation. Five drops break open the gate of his Spleen Divine Treasure.
  • His spleen transforms into an ancient star, and a golden Qilin appears as its divine totem. His physique advances to a level comparable to the seventh heaven of the Great Ability realm.
  • Jiang Ming allows his weapons, formation flags, wine gourd, sword, and lotus artifacts to absorb the Mother Qi as well. He also uses it to enhance the wine inside his gourd and improve his Immortal Brew.
  • During his cultivation, Jiang Ming enters a profound state of Dao enlightenment. His aura disappears so completely that the brewing Heavenly Tribulation dissipates.
  • After half a month, Ye Fan and Ji Ziyue emerge from the Bronze Immortal Hall through the opening created by the Ruthless Empress. They are bruised, entangled, and still arguing.
  • Ye Fan’s Green Copper Block suddenly flies toward the Root of Xuanhuang Mother Qi and becomes attached to it. Unable to retrieve it, Ye Fan suspects that Jiang Ming may be attempting to seize or manipulate his treasure.

Character Developments

  • Jiang Ming: Gains a major breakthrough by opening his Spleen Divine Treasure and substantially strengthening his physique. His Houtu Divine Form becomes more active and powerful, and he deepens his understanding of the Great Freedom Dao Scripture. He also expands the potential of his weapons and brewing techniques by refining them with Mother Qi.
  • Ye Fan: Remains resourceful but is overwhelmed by the Bronze Immortal Hall’s restrictions. His relationship with Ji Ziyue becomes more physically combative and familiar. He grows suspicious when his Green Copper Block reacts to Jiang Ming’s cultivation.
  • Ji Ziyue: Displays her usual narcissism, dramatic personality, and competitive resentment toward her brother, Ji Haoyue. Despite her fear, she survives the Bronze Immortal Hall and continues bickering with Ye Fan.
  • Ji Haoyue: Does not appear directly, but Ji Ziyue’s repeated desire to surpass him reveals their longstanding sibling rivalry.

Significant Themes

  • Fortune within danger: The Bronze Immortal Hall is an almost fatal location, yet it contains rare treasures capable of transforming cultivation and refining supreme weapons.
  • Body tempering and inner transformation: Jiang Ming’s breakthrough emphasizes the human body as an inner universe, with the Spleen Divine Treasure opening like a cosmic gate.
  • Heaven-and-earth symbolism: Profound Yellow Mother Qi represents the essence of heaven and earth—black as the essence of Heaven and yellow as the marrow of Earth—and serves as a source for evolving myriad laws.
  • Parental sacrifice: Jiang Ming reflects on why he reserved his best medicines and treasures for his daughter Tingting rather than using them for himself.
  • Rivalry and companionship: Ji Ziyue’s ambition to surpass her brother contrasts with her playful, combative relationship with Ye Fan, while Jiang Ming remains focused on cultivation rather than their quarrels.

Character Interactions

  • Ji Ziyue complains dramatically about her fate and boasts about her beauty and talent; Ye Fan mocks her narcissism and pinches her cheek and forehead.
  • Jiang Ming tells Ye Fan to consult Ji Ziyue about the Bronze Immortal Hall, acknowledging the Ji Family’s greater knowledge of the site.
  • Ye Fan and Ji Ziyue are separated from Jiang Ming when the hall pulls them inside. They endure danger together and emerge still fighting, biting, and blaming each other.
  • At the end, Ye Fan notices the connection between his Green Copper Block and Jiang Ming’s Root of Xuanhuang Mother Qi, creating immediate suspicion and tension.
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Ch. 124Heavenly Emperor Qi-Gazing Art

Chapter Summary: Heavenly Emperor Qi-Gazing Art

Key Plot Points and Events

  • While absorbing the Myriad Things Mother Qi, Jiang Ming experiences a profound vision. A crimson Torch Dragon Divine Form—associated with Zhu Jiuyin, the Time Ancestral Shaman—emerges from his Sea of Bitterness and begins refining the Mother Qi into the power of time.
  • Jiang Ming witnesses a fragment of Emperor’s past: Emperor, once the Heavenly Venerable Jie and creator of the Nine Secrets, refining the Green Copper Cauldron. Although the vision lasts only an instant in the outside world, Jiang Ming experiences it as half a year of instruction.
  • From the vision, Jiang Ming acquires the Heavenly Emperor Qi-Gazing Art, a secret technique capable of observing and manipulating the qi of heaven and earth, including terrain, fortune, spiritual energy, formations, enemy flaws, and the circulation of an opponent’s mana.
  • Jiang Ming brings Ye Fan and Ji Ziyue beside him so they can benefit from the remaining Profound Yellow Mother Qi. He also intends to preserve some of it for Tingting and Yan Ruyu.
  • He gives Ye Fan the Green Copper Block and a substantial portion of the Root of Xuanhuang Mother Qi, allowing Ye Fan to strengthen and reconstruct his cauldron.
  • Tribulation Punishment descends again. Jiang Ming’s Lightning Ancestral Shaman Divine Form confronts it while Jiang Ming and the others continue cultivating.
  • After the tribulation, Jiang Ming has his other Ancestral Shaman Divine Forms absorb the remaining Mother Qi. Three days later, the supply is exhausted, and Jiang Ming’s Lung Divine Treasure breaks through into another Divine Treasury Realm.
  • His breakthrough suggests that the Dao Palace Secret Realm may possess further potential, particularly through cultivating the body’s other organs and divine treasures.
  • Jiang Ming then demands compensation from the captive Ji Ziyue, asking her to teach him the Void Scripture’s Innate Grand Void Aura. Ye Fan joins him by demanding the Ji Family’s Great Void Technique.

Character Developments

  • Jiang Ming gains a major cultivation opportunity, the Heavenly Emperor Qi-Gazing Art, and a deeper understanding of Emperor’s path and techniques. His Torch Dragon Divine Form also begins developing the power of time.
  • Jiang Ming demonstrates both generosity and pragmatism: he shares the Mother Qi with Ye Fan and Ji Ziyue, but later insists that Ji Ziyue repay the benefits because she is technically his captive and an enemy.
  • Ye Fan becomes even more convinced that Jiang Ming is a loyal and righteous friend. Receiving the Green Copper Block and Mother Qi root greatly advances his plans to refine his cauldron. However, he readily joins Jiang Ming in extorting Ji Ziyue, revealing a more mischievous and opportunistic side.
  • Ji Ziyue grows closer to Ye Fan after their shared hardships, but remains injured, sealed, and captive. Her gratitude toward Jiang Ming collapses into shock and distress when he demands one of her family’s secret techniques.
  • Jiang Ming’s thoughts about Ji Ziyue and Ye Fan suggest that he recognizes their growing affection, though he views Ji Ziyue as too young and prefers more mature women.

Significant Themes

  • Inheritance and legacy: Jiang Ming benefits from Emperor’s ancient wisdom, showing how later cultivators inherit and reinterpret the achievements of past supreme figures.
  • Cultivation through opportunity: The Mother Qi, Emperor’s vision, tribulations, and Ancestral Shaman Divine Forms all contribute to Jiang Ming’s rapid advancement.
  • Generosity versus transactional relationships: Jiang Ming helps Ye Fan out of gratitude and friendship, but treats Ji Ziyue’s benefits as something that must be repaid.
  • Power and survival: The characters constantly balance alliances, captivity, revenge, and self-interest. Kindness exists, but it does not erase political or personal enmity.
  • Human potential: Jiang Ming begins considering whether the Dao Palace Realm can be developed beyond conventional limits by cultivating the body’s Five Viscera and Six Bowels.
  • Humor amid danger: The serious cultivation and tribulation scenes are offset by Jiang Ming and Ye Fan teasing and extorting Ji Ziyue, who reacts with exaggerated disbelief and tears.

Character Interactions

  • Jiang Ming, Ye Fan, and Ji Ziyue temporarily cooperate to absorb the Mother Qi despite their complicated relationship.
  • Jiang Ming rewards Ye Fan for carrying and supporting him, while Ye Fan responds with deep gratitude and regards him as a true brother.
  • Ji Ziyue formally thanks Jiang Ming and jokingly promises to save him from the Sea of Bitterness once she becomes an unrivaled immortal, prompting Jiang Ming’s amused annoyance.
  • During the later negotiation, Jiang Ming reminds Ji Ziyue that she is a captive and that her family previously attacked Yan Ruyu’s refuge. Ye Fan reinforces this argument and asks for the Ji Family’s Great Void Technique.
  • Ji Ziyue feels betrayed by their sudden change from apparent benefactors to hostile interrogators, while Jiang Ming and Ye Fan treat the situation as a justified exchange rather than friendship.
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Ch. 125Ye Fan Prepares to Marry into the Family

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Ji Ziyue cries after Jiang Ming refuses to force her to surrender the Innate Grand Void Aura. Although she claims her family placed a curse on the secret art, Jiang Ming recognizes that she is lying but chooses not to challenge her.
  • Jiang Ming distributes cultivation resources:
    • Ye Fan receives twenty drops of Mother Qi Essence and fifteen drops of Thunder Tribulation Liquid.
    • Ji Ziyue receives ten drops of Mother Qi Essence and five drops of Thunder Tribulation Liquid.
  • Jiang Ming uses the remaining Myriad Things Mother Qi to strengthen his divine forms, lotus treasures, and Life-Bound Sword.
  • Jiang Ming parts ways with Ye Fan and Ji Ziyue. Ye Fan then continues treating Ji Ziyue as his captive, demanding her treasures and Void Scripture techniques while humiliating her by removing her shoes and socks.
  • Jiang Ming plans to infiltrate Clumsy Peak of the Taixuan Sect to obtain the Nine Secrets: Jie, believing its appearance may be connected to Ye Fan’s Green Copper Block and the Emperor. He also hopes to pass the technique on to his future daughter, Tingting.
  • After cultivating for a month near the Taixuan Sect, Jiang Ming fully consolidates his advancement into the Dao Palace Secret Realm and opens four of its five divine treasures. He postpones opening the Liver Divine Treasure until he acquires suitable sacred medicine and cultivation resources.
  • Jiang Ming disguises himself as a powerful-looking First Generation cultivator from the Immortal Ancient Era and seals away his more recognizable cultivation methods. He joins the crowds seeking entry into the Taixuan Sect, intending to enter Clumsy Peak as a genuine disciple.
  • At the Taixuan Sect, Jiang Ming encounters Ye Fan and Ji Ziyue. Ji Ziyue has recovered her cultivation and has reversed their previous power dynamic, leaving Ye Fan covered in bite marks.
  • Ji Ziyue threatens to expose Ye Fan’s mistreatment of her to her brother. In response, Ye Fan shamelessly suggests marrying into the Ji Family.

Character Developments

  • Jiang Ming: Becomes increasingly cautious and strategic. Rather than coercing Ji Ziyue, he allows events to develop naturally. He continues strengthening his body, treasures, and divine forms while planning to obtain the Nine Secrets. His cultivation and physical foundation improve dramatically, but he recognizes that lacking a true Heavenly Tyrant Body inheritance remains a major weakness.
  • Ye Fan: Develops a more shameless, calculating side. He imitates Jiang Ming’s “thick-skinned and black-hearted” attitude by exploiting Ji Ziyue and demanding her techniques. Despite being punished by her after she regains her strength, he responds with audacity by proposing marriage to her family.
  • Ji Ziyue: Begins as an innocent girl who cries when pressured, but quickly demonstrates greater cunning after her experience outside the family. She lies convincingly about the curse on the Innate Grand Void Aura, recovers her cultivation, and regains control over Ye Fan through biting, threats, and intimidation.
  • Tingting: Although not present, Jiang Ming’s concern for her future shows his growing focus on family and inheritance. His desire to obtain the Nine Secrets is partly motivated by wanting to provide her with a powerful advantage.

Significant Themes

  • Growth through experience: Ji Ziyue’s transformation from sheltered innocence to a more cunning and assertive figure reflects the harsh lessons of the cultivation world.
  • Strategic restraint: Jiang Ming demonstrates that power does not always need to be used directly; he accepts Ji Ziyue’s deception and prioritizes long-term plans.
  • Inheritance and legacy: Jiang Ming’s concern with the Nine Secrets, the Heavenly Tyrant Body lineage, and Tingting emphasizes the importance of preserving and developing traditions for future generations.
  • Competition and adaptation: Ye Fan and Jiang Ming continually assess one another’s strengths. Jiang Ming’s advantages are offset by Ye Fan’s future Saint Body inheritance, forcing him to remain vigilant.
  • Humor and role reversal: The conflict between Ye Fan and Ji Ziyue becomes comedic as their positions reverse. Their hostile teasing and physical retaliation culminate in Ye Fan’s outrageous suggestion of marrying into her family.

Important Character Interactions

  • Jiang Ming and Ji Ziyue: Jiang Ming sees through her lie about the Innate Grand Void Aura but lets her go, showing both amusement and restraint.
  • Jiang Ming and Ye Fan: Their farewell is respectful and friendly, though Jiang Ming remains aware that Ye Fan is a growing rival whose future potential cannot be underestimated.
  • Ye Fan and Ji Ziyue: Their captive-and-captor relationship evolves into mutual harassment. Ye Fan torments Ji Ziyue, but once she recovers her cultivation, she retaliates fiercely and threatens to report him to her brother.
  • Ye Fan and Jiang Ming: Ye Fan adopts the shameless tactics Jiang Ming has displayed, while Jiang Ming observes their quarrel with amusement.
  • Ye Fan and Ji Ziyue’s family: Ye Fan’s joking proposal to marry into the Ji Family is both a provocation and a clever attempt to defuse Ji Ziyue’s threats.
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Ch. 126Targeted by the Crocodile Ancestor

Chapter Summary: “Targeted by the Crocodile Ancestor”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Ye Fan shamelessly jokes with Ji Ziyue while promising to repay the Emperor Scripture techniques he obtained from her, treating their conflict as a friendly exchange.
  • Jiang Ming notices a mysterious woman in white watching him. Using the Heavenly Emperor Qi-Gazing Art, he discovers overwhelming black misfortune qi and a powerful karmic connection between her and Ye Fan.
  • He realizes the woman is Li Xiaoman, whose body is being controlled by a fragment of the Mars Ancient Star Divine Crocodile’s Primordial Spirit. The Crocodile Ancestor appears to be searching for a suitable body, likely targeting Jiang Ming’s powerful transformed physique as well as Ye Fan’s.
  • Jiang Ming concludes that Li Xiaoman’s fate is tragic: although blessed with great fortune, she cannot control her own destiny. She may eventually become a Desolate Slave under the control of either the Crocodile Ancestor or the Ruthless Empress.
  • Rather than fear the Crocodile Ancestor, Jiang Ming considers exploiting the situation and even becoming its “friend,” since defeating it could earn him a major reward.
  • Taixuan Sect elders announce the sect’s recruitment rules. Candidates must first pass through the Profound Passage Gate, then choose one of the 108 main peaks and pass that peak’s additional selection trial.
  • Jiang Ming easily passes through the gate, unlike a show-off who is expelled and has to attempt the test again. The hundreds of thousands of candidates are reduced to only a few thousand.
  • Several reception disciples invite Jiang Ming to different peaks. The Earth Treasure Peak representatives are especially interested in him because of his immense physique and apparent suitability for body refinement.
  • Jiang Ming rejects all other options and declares that he intends to join the declining Clumsy Peak, claiming that a “peerless genius” like himself should pursue the most difficult path.
  • The chapter ends by introducing Clumsy Peak’s ruined state and tragic history. Once one of the nine strongest inheritances, it lost its peak master and most of its legacy in a battle with the Yaoguang Sacred Land five hundred years earlier. The remaining disciple is now an old, isolated man, and nearly everyone avoids the peak.

Character Developments

  • Jiang Ming demonstrates his sharp insight through the Qi-Gazing Art and quickly identifies the Crocodile Ancestor’s presence. He remains confident and calculating rather than intimidated, already considering how to profit from the dangerous situation.
  • He continues to maintain a deceptive persona, pretending to be an inexperienced rogue cultivator while secretly understanding the deeper forces and destinies surrounding him.
  • Jiang Ming also reveals his preference for difficult, unconventional paths by deliberately choosing Clumsy Peak over more prosperous inheritances.
  • Ye Fan remains mischievous and shameless, joking with Ji Ziyue even while being bitten and pressured to return what he took.
  • Ji Ziyue interacts with Ye Fan in a playful but aggressive manner, biting him in response to his teasing and refusal to immediately repay her.
  • Li Xiaoman is portrayed as a tragic figure whose fortune and future are controlled by stronger beings. Her connection to Ye Fan remains deeply entangled, while the Crocodile Ancestor uses her as a vessel.
  • The Crocodile Ancestor emerges as an important hidden threat. Its weakened Primordial Spirit seeks a powerful body and may now have noticed Jiang Ming.
  • The Clumsy Peak elder is presented as a lonely survivor of a destroyed lineage, carrying the remnants of a once-great inheritance.

Significant Themes

  • Fate versus personal freedom: Li Xiaoman’s fortune cannot save her from being controlled by the Crocodile Ancestor or the Ruthless Empress. The chapter emphasizes that blessings are meaningless if one cannot determine one’s own destiny.
  • Power and exploitation: Stronger cultivators treat bodies, inheritances, and even people as resources to be possessed or controlled.
  • Hidden identities and deception: Jiang Ming conceals his true strength behind the image of a naïve rogue cultivator, using observation and disguise to gain advantages.
  • Choosing difficulty over safety: His decision to join Clumsy Peak reflects his confidence and willingness to pursue abandoned or dangerous opportunities.
  • Decline and inheritance: Clumsy Peak’s ruined condition highlights how powerful legacies can collapse when their successors die or their teachings are lost.
  • Humor amid danger: Ye Fan’s teasing and Jiang Ming’s irreverent thoughts contrast with the serious threats posed by the Crocodile Ancestor and the tragic fate of Li Xiaoman.

Character Interactions

  • Ye Fan and Ji Ziyue engage in a teasing, physically combative exchange over stolen Emperor Scripture techniques.
  • Jiang Ming observes them and humorously misinterprets their behavior before sensing the Crocodile Ancestor’s presence.
  • Jiang Ming indirectly confronts the Crocodile Ancestor through his examination of Li Xiaoman, recognizing its intentions while concealing his awareness.
  • The Earth Treasure Peak disciples try to recruit Jiang Ming as a body-refinement candidate, praising his physique and proposing that he cultivate the path of overwhelming physical strength.
  • Jiang Ming firmly rejects their invitation and announces his intention to join Clumsy Peak, causing the surrounding candidates to view him as eccentric or foolish.
  • The crowd discusses Clumsy Peak’s ruined history and distances themselves from both the abandoned peak and Jiang Ming’s unusual choice.
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Ch. 127I Am Someone Who Crawled Out of a Grave

Chapter Summary: I Am Someone Who Crawled Out of a Grave

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Three unusual cultivators—Jiang Ming, Ye Fan, and Ji Ziyue—travel to the abandoned Clumsy Peak, hoping to become disciples and uncover its lost inheritance, particularly the Nine Secrets.
  • Peak Master Li Ruoyu warns them that Clumsy Peak’s inheritance has been cut off for five hundred years and that previous disciples eventually gave up and joined other peaks.
  • Ji Ziyue confidently claims that Clumsy Peak’s inheritance will return because of her arrival, while Ye Fan cautiously questions Li Ruoyu about the lack of an entrance test.
  • Jiang Ming introduces himself under the false name Chen Zhan, saying he “crawled out of a grave.” Although the name is fabricated, the statement is otherwise true, startling the others.
  • More than thirty disciples from other peaks arrive to watch and mock the prospective recruits. Jiang Ming challenges their arrogance, suggesting that defeating them should qualify him to join Clumsy Peak.
  • Li Ruoyu formally announces that the three will be tested and leads them through Clumsy Peak’s ruined grounds. He explains that the peak was devastated five hundred years earlier during a battle between its former master and an elder from Yaoguang Sacred Land; both combatants eventually died.
  • The test is the legendary Ninefold Heaven Steps, an ancient nine-tiered staircase that once allowed talented disciples to enter Clumsy Peak directly.
  • Jiang Ming casually climbs all nine tiers. Multicolored divine radiance erupts from the staircase, revealing an achievement beyond the known record of the sect’s strongest genius, who had reached only the seventh tier.
  • Horrified and intimidated, the visiting disciples withdraw rather than face Jiang Ming’s challenge. Jiang Ming thereby secures his place at Clumsy Peak and makes a spectacular display of talent, though the event receives little attention because it happens quickly while the other peaks are busy recruiting.

Character Developments

  • Jiang Ming: Continues concealing his true identity and strength while deliberately presenting himself as an intimidating, reckless cultivator. His effortless completion of the Ninefold Heaven Steps demonstrates overwhelming talent and confirms his determination to obtain Clumsy Peak’s inheritance. His aggressive behavior also establishes him as protective of the peak and intolerant of disrespect.
  • Ye Fan: Remains cautious and observant, probing Li Ruoyu to determine whether the test is connected to the Nine Secrets. He recognizes Jiang Ming’s extraordinary physical presence and appears increasingly aware that Jiang Ming is far from an ordinary fellow disciple.
  • Ji Ziyue: Shows her usual charm, confidence, and skill at winning over elders. She immediately supports Li Ruoyu and boldly predicts Clumsy Peak’s revival, though her confidence also risks drawing attention to her identity and abilities.
  • Li Ruoyu: Initially appears frail, dispirited, and resigned to Clumsy Peak’s decline. The arrival of three promising disciples, especially Jiang Ming’s success, restores some of his hope. He is revealed to be far more powerful and accomplished than his humble appearance suggests, possessing profound mastery of Clumsy Peak’s Way of Nature and the Nine Secrets.
  • The visiting disciples: Begin as arrogant spectators who mock Clumsy Peak and underestimate its candidates, but Jiang Ming’s achievement leaves them shocked and frightened, forcing them to retreat.

Significant Themes

  • Revival after decline: Clumsy Peak symbolizes a fallen tradition awaiting a successor capable of restoring its former glory.
  • Hidden strength and deceptive appearances: Li Ruoyu’s frailty conceals immense ability, while Jiang Ming disguises his identity and power behind a fabricated name and an outrageous persona.
  • Talent versus reputation: The neglected Clumsy Peak is dismissed by the sect, yet its test reveals that it still possesses an extraordinary inheritance capable of attracting unparalleled geniuses.
  • Defiance of arrogance: Jiang Ming’s confrontation with the visiting disciples challenges the sect’s hierarchy and the casual disrespect shown toward a fallen peak.
  • Fate and inheritance: Li Ruoyu believes that only someone with a true connection to Clumsy Peak can pass its test and continue the legacy of its deceased masters.
  • The danger of revealing ability: Jiang Ming’s display is impressive but carefully calculated, while the narration notes that Ji Ziyue’s potential public display could expose her identity.

Important Character Interactions

  • Ji Ziyue ingratiates herself with Li Ruoyu, contrasting with Jiang Ming’s blunt and provocative attitude.
  • Ye Fan questions Li Ruoyu about the absence of a test, subtly investigating how the peak’s inheritance can be obtained.
  • Jiang Ming openly challenges the visiting disciples, turning their mockery into a confrontation.
  • Li Ruoyu shifts from a despondent elder to a solemn peak master once the formal test begins.
  • Jiang Ming’s effortless climb silences the spectators and establishes an immediate power imbalance between him and the disciples of the other peaks.
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Ch. 128Nine Secrets

Chapter Summary: “Nine Secrets”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Jiang Ming, Ji Ziyue, and Ye Fan attempt to join Clumsy Peak of the Taixuan Sect by climbing the Ninefold Heaven Steps.
  • Jiang Ming drives away mocking disciples from the other peaks, violently sending them tumbling down the mountain.
  • Ji Ziyue and Ye Fan quickly complete the climb as well. Their success confirms that all three are qualified to become Clumsy Peak disciples.
  • Old Li Ruoyu formally accepts them, despite being stunned that three peerless prodigies have appeared at once. He had originally hoped only to find a single successor capable of reviving Clumsy Peak’s inheritance.
  • The three newcomers settle on the neglected mountain. They discover that Clumsy Peak possesses no obvious cultivation manual or active inheritance.
  • That night, they begin meditating on the mountain’s principles. Ye Fan focuses on comprehending the Way of Nature and the Nine Secrets, while Ji Ziyue instinctively senses the flow of spiritual power.
  • Using the Heavenly Emperor Qi-Qazing Art, Jiang Ming identifies the point where Clumsy Peak’s qi converges: a clean bluestone beside a cliff. By sitting there, he merges with the mountain’s natural energy.
  • Jiang Ming’s meditation awakates the Way of Nature and reveals that Clumsy Peak contains two inheritances: the Way of Nature and the Nine Secrets, particularly the “Jie” Secret.
  • Taking advantage of the enlightenment, Jiang Ming opens his Liver Divine Treasure and advances through the Dao Palace Secret Realm. The Sacred Medicine from the Desolate Forbidden Land helps support this breakthrough.
  • His cultivation causes Clumsy Peak to revive dramatically. Plants bloom, dead branches sprout, the mountain draws in essence from the surrounding peaks, and its height begins to increase.
  • The disturbance alarms Taixuan Sect’s elders, peak masters, and Supreme Elders, who suspect that Clumsy Peak’s ancient inheritance has reawakened.
  • After obtaining what he wanted, Jiang Ming leaves for the Five-Elements True Fire Region in the Fire Domain to continue cultivating. He leaves Ye Fan and Ji Ziyue behind to deal with the consequences.
  • Old Li Ruoyu also gains a major enlightenment and appears to break through to the realm of an Ancient Great Ability.

Character Developments

  • Jiang Ming: Demonstrates overwhelming strength and confidence by defeating the hostile disciples. He quickly harmonizes with Clumsy Peak, obtains insight into the Nine Secrets, and breaks through in only an hour. His actions reveal that he joined Clumsy Peak mainly to acquire the Nine Secrets, though he also unintentionally revives the mountain.
  • Ye Fan: Successfully joins Clumsy Peak and begins seeking its inheritance. His anxiety about being a “jinx” reflects his guilt over the disasters that followed him since arriving in this world. With the aid of his Bodhi Seed, he enters deep meditation and begins comprehending the mountain’s teachings and the Nine Secrets.
  • Ji Ziyue: Climbs the steps without showing off and proves herself equal to the others. Her special constitution gives her an extraordinary sensitivity to techniques and the movement of spiritual energy, allowing her to benefit naturally from the mountain’s enlightenment.
  • Old Li Ruoyu: Initially appears to be an obscure and lonely guardian of a declining peak, but his insight proves remarkable. Jiang Ming’s arrival and Clumsy Peak’s revival give him renewed hope, and he reaches a higher realm through his own comprehension.
  • Other Taixuan disciples: They resent the trio’s success but are too intimidated by Jiang Ming to challenge them directly. Their reaction emphasizes the difference between ordinary disciples and genuine prodigies.

Significant Themes

  • Revival after decline: Clumsy Peak, once the cultivation ground of an Ancient Sage, has been neglected and its inheritance considered lost. The arrival of the three prodigies restores its vitality.
  • The Dao of Nature: The chapter emphasizes that true power lies in harmony with heaven, earth, plants, and the natural flow of qi. “Great skill appears clumsy” becomes especially meaningful in connection with Clumsy Peak.
  • Hidden inheritance and destiny: Though Clumsy Peak seems useless and abandoned, it contains profound techniques. Its apparent weakness conceals an inheritance connected to the Nine Secrets.
  • Talent and opportunity: All three protagonists possess unusual gifts, but each responds differently to the opportunity. Jiang Ming actively exploits it, Ye Fan studies it, and Ji Ziyue naturally resonates with it.
  • Guilt and companionship: Ye Fan fears that misfortune follows him, yet Jiang Ming treats the trio as close companions and does not blame him. Their shared journey provides Ye Fan with a temporary sense of belonging.
  • The weakness of Taixuan Sect: The contrast between Taixuan Sect and the ancient Yaoguang Sacred Land highlights the importance of institutional foundation, accumulated inheritance, and historical depth.

Important Character Interactions

  • Jiang Ming confronts and defeats the disciples mocking the group, establishing his dominance and protecting Ye Fan and Ji Ziyue.
  • The three protagonists silently agree not to reveal their extraordinary origins to Old Li Ruoyu, since their backgrounds are too unusual to explain truthfully.
  • Ye Fan jokingly asks about obtaining a horse for Clumsy Peak; Old Li Ruoyu replies that his previous horse died of old age, creating a brief moment of dry humor.
  • Old Li Ruoyu observes Jiang Ming’s meditation and is astonished by how quickly he merges with Clumsy Peak.
  • Jiang Ming, Ye Fan, and Ji Ziyue each experience the mountain’s enlightenment differently, showing their contrasting personalities and abilities.
  • Jiang Ming leaves Old Li Ruoyu with a revived peak, a likely awakened inheritance, and two powerful disciples, while departing to pursue his next stage of cultivation.
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Ch. 129The Old Black Crow of the Fire Domain

Chapter Summary: The Old Black Crow of the Fire Domain

Key Plot Points and Events

  • After leaving the Taixuan Sect, Jiang Ming completes the Dao Palace Realm and survives the Five-Element Deification Tribulation.
  • His five Dao Palace Divine Treasures give birth to powerful Totem Deities, which absorb the tribulation’s lightning and Great Dao imprints, becoming increasingly sentient and combat-capable.
  • His physical body, spirit, and divine sense are greatly strengthened. His body reaches a level capable of challenging Supreme Great Ability geniuses several realms above him.
  • Jiang Ming awakens a hidden heart aperture and gains the ability of Mind-Reading, allowing him to sense the thoughts and emotions of others. The Fortune he had accumulated is consumed in the process.
  • He considers the possibility of cultivating a Heavenly Tyrant Body Divine Form in the future and plans to maintain two identities: Sword Maniac/Jiang Family Demon Son publicly and Chen Zhan secretly.
  • Jiang Ming travels to the Fire Domain, where he withstands the Five-Colored True Fire and cultivates in the seventh and eighth layers. He refines his weapons, gathers Seven-Colored Dao Flame, and strengthens his artifacts.
  • He discovers that his four Lotus Weapons and Life-Bound Sword have undergone major transformations through Profound Yellow Mother Qi, becoming comparable to higher-realm artifacts.
  • While preparing to leave, Jiang Ming encounters an Old Black Crow attempting to refine a tower from Mutton-Fat White Jade Divine Iron. Knowing the crow failed at artifact refinement in the original timeline, Jiang Ming considers helping it with the Heavenly Emperor Qi-Gazing Art and using the favor to recruit it as an ally for Yan Ruyu.

Character Developments

  • Jiang Ming advances to the complete Dao Palace Realm, dramatically improving his body, spirit, divine sense, and combat strength.
  • His five Dao Palace Deities become more autonomous and powerful, capable of leaving his body to fight and devour divine lightning.
  • He gains Mind-Reading and begins thinking more strategically about identifying allies and enemies.
  • Jiang Ming becomes increasingly focused on surpassing Ye Fan, whom he treats as a benchmark for his own cultivation. He is also motivated by the future immortal path and Dark Cataclysm, wanting enough power to protect himself and others.
  • His confidence and ambition grow, but he remains aware of his limitations, particularly his incomplete understanding of the Six Divine Bowels, the Fire Domain’s deeper secrets, and the difficulty of reliably activating Nine Secrets: Jie.

Significant Themes

  • Relentless cultivation and preparation: Jiang Ming believes he must constantly grow stronger to survive future catastrophes and avoid falling behind Ye Fan.
  • Transformation through trials: The lightning tribulation and Fire Domain refine both Jiang Ming and his weapons, turning danger into a source of power.
  • Strategic knowledge from transmigration: Jiang Ming uses his knowledge of the original story to anticipate future developments, identify valuable allies, and alter unfavorable outcomes.
  • Power versus understanding: Although Jiang Ming’s strength increases rapidly, he recognizes that some mysteries—such as the Six Divine Bowels, the Nine-Colored Flame Region, and advanced Heavenly Eyes—require deeper cultivation and comprehension.
  • Identity and hidden strength: His plans for the identities of Jiang Ming and Chen Zhan reflect the importance of secrecy, deception, and preserving hidden trump cards.

Character Interactions

  • Jiang Ming’s earlier contact with Li Ruoyu’s aura and Dao methods may benefit the transformation of his Nine-Aperture Divine-Demon Dao Embryo.
  • Jiang Ming mentally compares himself with Northern Emperor Wang Teng, recognizing that although Wang Teng’s fate was mocked, his Purple Palace Divine Sense Phenomenon was genuinely powerful.
  • Jiang Ming views Ye Fan as both a rival and a standard he must surpass.
  • His future plans involve supporting Yan Ruyu, and he hopes to turn the Old Black Crow into an aide or ally at her side.
  • The encounter with the Old Black Crow sets up a likely exchange: Jiang Ming can help it successfully refine its artifact, while gaining its gratitude and possible allegiance.
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Ch. 130This Man Had to Be Crazy

Chapter Summary: “This Man Had to Be Crazy”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Jiang Ming remains in the Fire Domain for another half month, intending to use the Fire Ancestral Shaman Dharma Form to absorb and refine some of the Nine-Colored Sacred Fire, a resource comparable to Divine Source.
  • He avoids investigating the deeper mysteries of the Fire Domain, including the legendary flame tree on the tenth layer and the Desolate Pagoda believed to be the source of the domain’s flames.
  • Two unusual Five-Clawed Golden Dragons, naturally gifted with Twelve-Colored Chaotic Flame, accompany Jiang Ming and calm the surrounding sacred fire.
  • Old Black Crow attempts to forge a pagoda from Mutton-Fat White Jade Divine Iron in the eighth layer of the Fire Domain. His effort is unstable, and Jiang Ming realizes that the material is about to be ruined.
  • Jiang Ming interrupts the forging process and warns Old Black Crow. After an initially hostile confrontation, he reveals that he can help complete the weapon.
  • Jiang Ming asks Old Black Crow to protect Yan Ruyu, the Azure Emperor’s descendant, for ten years. Old Black Crow agrees in exchange for Jiang Ming’s assistance.
  • To formalize the agreement, Jiang Ming produces a sheet made from the same precious divine iron and has Old Black Crow swear an oath upon his Dao heart.
  • Old Black Crow threatens Jiang Ming’s life if he fails, but Jiang Ming counters by revealing the power of his Saint Weapon, demonstrating that he could kill or ambush the old demon if necessary.

Character Developments

  • Jiang Ming is shown to be confident, strategic, and increasingly powerful. He is unafraid to confront an older Supreme Great Ability because he knows he can escape—or use his Saint Weapon to gain the advantage.
  • He continues prioritizing Yan Ruyu’s safety, seeking powerful allies for her while also weakening or inconveniencing her enemies.
  • Jiang Ming’s eccentric reputation is emphasized by his insistence on signing a formal contract on a sheet of priceless divine material.
  • Old Black Crow, also known as Crow Daoist, is introduced as an ancient, violent, and exceptionally powerful demon. Despite his arrogance and temper, he is practical enough to accept Jiang Ming’s offer when he realizes it may help him refine his weapon and pursue a breakthrough.
  • Old Black Crow’s failed forging attempt exposes the limits of his current artifact-refining and formation skills.

Significant Themes

  • Power and strategy: Jiang Ming does not need to overpower Old Black Crow directly; he uses knowledge, negotiation, and the threat of a Saint Weapon to secure cooperation.
  • Trust formalized through oaths: The written contract and Dao-heart vow reflect the importance of binding promises among powerful cultivators.
  • Protection and alliances: Yan Ruyu’s vulnerable position motivates Jiang Ming to recruit senior Demon Race experts against the Ji Family.
  • Ambition versus ability: Old Black Crow’s attempt to forge a powerful pagoda in one step illustrates how ambition without sufficient skill can lead to failure.
  • Reputation and eccentricity: Jiang Ming’s unusual actions and rumored madness make others underestimate or misunderstand him, even as his strength and influence continue to grow.
  • Demon Race solidarity: The persecution of Yan Ruyu is portrayed as an insult to the wider Demon Race, prompting figures such as the Peacock King and potentially Old Black Crow to support her.

Character Interactions

  • Jiang Ming confronts Old Black Crow during the forging process, criticizing his technique and provoking his anger.
  • Old Black Crow initially orders Jiang Ming to leave, but becomes more receptive after learning his identity as Yan Ruyu’s Dao companion and hearing his offer.
  • Jiang Ming and Old Black Crow exchange threats, with Jiang Ming ultimately establishing psychological dominance by displaying his Saint Weapon.
  • Their interaction ends in a conditional alliance: Jiang Ming will help forge the pagoda, and Old Black Crow will protect Yan Ruyu for ten years.
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Ch. 131Peacock King

Chapter Summary: Peacock King

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Jiang Ming firmly confronts Old Crow, declaring that he already possesses the strength to kill a Great Ability and will become strong enough within ten years to protect Yan Ruyu himself.
  • He warns Old Crow that threats and seniority will not intimidate him. Although Jiang Ming is not yet Old Crow’s equal, he is confident in his ability to escape and eventually surpass him.
  • Old Crow accepts Jiang Ming’s strength and agrees to cooperate. Together, they resume refining Old Crow’s Mutton-Fat White Jade Divine Iron pagoda.
  • Jiang Ming assists the refining process by detecting mistakes through his special eyes and abilities. The process proceeds far more smoothly, while Jiang Ming also harvests large amounts of Seven-Colored Divine Fire essence for cultivation.
  • Jiang Ming’s Divine Demon Nine-Aperture Dao Pill and the Azure Emperor’s Heart continue absorbing various spiritual essences, becoming increasingly powerful.
  • Outside the Fire Domain, Ye Fan exposes the location of the Bronze Immortal Hall, attracting numerous dying Great Abilities seeking a breakthrough. Jiang Ming considers entering the hall reckless and pointless.
  • Ye Fan is pursued by the Ji Family despite rescuing Ji Ziyue, while Jiang Ming’s killing of a Ji Family Great Ability spreads throughout the Eastern Wasteland.
  • Peacock King retaliates against the Ji Family on Yan Ruyu’s behalf, killing several of their elders and pursuing Ji Haoyue—not necessarily to kill him, but to make the Ji Family experience the fear and helplessness of having its most valued young genius hunted.
  • After one month, Old Crow successfully completes the seven-tiered pagoda. Delighted, he immediately agrees to accompany Jiang Ming and become Yan Ruyu’s Dao protector.
  • Jiang Ming and Old Crow race toward Peacock King’s secluded residence. Jiang Ming secretly uses a transformation technique and sends only a strand of hair in his place, allowing him to arrive unnoticed and impressing Old Crow with his mysterious speed.
  • They reach the Qixia Mountain Range, where Peacock King’s hidden Cave-Heaven is concealed beneath an ordinary barren hill.
  • Peacock King emerges and recognizes Jiang Ming as the Jiang Family’s “demonic son” and Yan Ruyu’s chosen companion.

Character Developments

  • Jiang Ming: Displays greater confidence, authority, and strategic cunning. He is willing to challenge ancient figures directly while remaining pragmatic about his current limitations. His abilities in formations, treasure refinement, transformation, and spiritual perception continue to develop.
  • Old Crow: Moves from arrogance and intimidation to respect and cooperation. Jiang Ming’s confidence and technical assistance convince him that the younger cultivator deserves to be treated as an equal partner rather than a junior.
  • Yan Ruyu: Though absent from the main events, she remains central to the chapter. Jiang Ming and Old Crow both act to ensure her safety, while Peacock King protects her from the Ji Family.
  • Ye Fan: Continues provoking major forces and surviving persecution. His actions surrounding the Bronze Immortal Hall and the Ji Family intensify the unrest across the Eastern Wasteland.
  • Peacock King: Is portrayed as fiercely loyal, direct, and protective. His retaliation against the Ji Family demonstrates his willingness to defend Yan Ruyu and oppose human powers.
  • Ji Family: Becomes increasingly antagonistic and dishonorable in the eyes of Jiang Ming and others, particularly because of its attempt to kill Ye Fan after Ji Ziyue was rescued.

Significant Themes

  • Strength and independence: Jiang Ming insists that his future strength, rather than another person’s protection, will secure Yan Ruyu’s Dao.
  • Respect earned through ability: Old Crow’s attitude changes only after witnessing Jiang Ming’s confidence, technical skill, and extraordinary methods.
  • Loyalty and righteous retaliation: Jiang Ming and Peacock King oppose the Ji Family because of its abuse of power and attacks on those who acted honorably.
  • Conflict between races and cultures: The demons’ directness contrasts with the Human Race’s formalities, political schemes, and hypocrisy.
  • Ambition versus recklessness: The Bronze Immortal Hall represents dangerous opportunities pursued by desperate elders, while Jiang Ming favors measured judgment over blind pursuit of power.
  • Hidden strength and deception: Jiang Ming’s use of a transformed feather and a hair double emphasizes his resourcefulness and ability to conceal his true capabilities.

Character Interactions

  • Jiang Ming and Old Crow begin with mutual hostility and testing, but their exchange develops into a cooperative relationship based on ability and shared concern for Yan Ruyu.
  • During the weapon-refining process, Jiang Ming acts as Old Crow’s technical guide, reversing their apparent seniority dynamic.
  • Old Crow’s admiration grows after Jiang Ming mysteriously keeps pace with him during their journey.
  • Peacock King greets Old Crow as an old acquaintance and openly identifies Jiang Ming as Yan Ruyu’s chosen man.
  • Jiang Ming, Old Crow, and Peacock King are positioned to form a powerful alliance against the Ji Family and other forces seeking to exploit Yan Ruyu.
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Ch. 132Azure Emperor's Nine Slashes

Chapter Summary: Azure Emperor’s Nine Slashes

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Jiang Ming reunites with Peacock King and thanks him for protecting Yan Ruyu and sheltering her demons from the Ji Family.
  • Peacock King prepares to summon Azure Flood Dragon King, intending to retaliate against the Ji Family and Yaoguang Sacred Land. Crow Daoist remains behind to guard the secret realm.
  • Jiang Ming and Crow Daoist enter the secret realm, where Jiang Ming reunites with Ye Fan and Qin Yao after more than four months apart.
  • Jiang Ming gives Qin Yao valuable cultivation resources: Profound Yellow Mother Qi Essence Liquid and Seven-Colored Divine Fire Essence Liquid.
  • He reprimands Ye Fan for neglecting Qin Yao after their intimate relationship, urging him not to treat her irresponsibly.
  • Jiang Ming finds Yan Ruyu beneath a willow tree and resumes their intimate dual cultivation.
  • During a month of cultivation, Yan Ruyu teaches Jiang Ming the Azure Emperor’s Nine Slashes, nine powerful techniques designed to counter the Nine Secrets.
  • In exchange, Jiang Ming teaches Yan Ruyu Nine Secrets: Jie, the Seventy-Two Transformations, and the Heavenly Emperor Qi-Gazing Art.
  • Using the Azure Emperor’s Heart, rare cultivation liquids, and dual cultivation, Jiang Ming helps Yan Ruyu advance to the Fourth Stage of the Four Extremes Secret Realm.
  • Yan Ruyu’s Azure Lotus Divine Body undergoes tremendous transformation. She has completed twenty-eight of thirty required transformations and may eventually become an Azure Lotus Saint Body.
  • Their cultivation also strengthens Jiang Ming, causing his Nine-Aperture Divine-Demon Dao Embryo to grow to six feet in diameter.
  • The secret realm is suddenly attacked by the Ji Family and Yaoguang Sacred Land. Qin Yao warns Jiang Ming and Yan Ruyu, and Jiang Ming prepares to fight back.

Character Developments

  • Jiang Ming further establishes himself as the leading prodigy of the Southern Region and demonstrates both generosity and strategic judgment. He values alliances with figures such as Peacock King and willingly shares his strongest secret techniques with Yan Ruyu.
  • Yan Ruyu becomes increasingly close to Jiang Ming and grows more confident in their relationship. Her cultivation and physique improve dramatically, bringing her closer to completing the Azure Lotus transformation.
  • Peacock King is portrayed as courageous, reliable, and hostile toward the Ji Family and Yaoguang Sacred Land. He takes the initiative to gather reinforcements.
  • Qin Yao has matured through hardship. Though affectionate toward Jiang Ming, she now recognizes that the Ji Family’s oppression—not Yan Ruyu alone—caused the demons’ troubles.
  • Ye Fan remains grateful to Jiang Ming but is criticized for his irresponsibility toward Qin Yao. He accepts Jiang Ming’s warning.
  • Crow Daoist continues acting as a dependable guardian while Peacock King leaves to seek help.

Significant Themes

  • Mutual trust and exchange: Jiang Ming and Yan Ruyu strengthen their bond by exchanging their most valuable techniques rather than taking advantage of one another.
  • Growth through adversity: The demons’ peaceful lives were destroyed by outside persecution, forcing Qin Yao and the others to mature and become more resilient.
  • Alliance against oppression: The Ji Family and Yaoguang Sacred Land serve as common enemies, drawing rival demon kings and human cultivators into cooperation.
  • Dual cultivation as mutual benefit: The chapter presents cultivation between Jiang Ming and Yan Ruyu as a reciprocal process that strengthens both partners rather than exploiting one.
  • Responsibility in relationships: Jiang Ming’s warning to Ye Fan emphasizes that intimacy creates obligations and that abandoning someone afterward is morally wrong.
  • Inheritance and innovation: The Azure Emperor’s Nine Slashes and the Azure Emperor’s transformation method demonstrate the depth of the Azure Emperor’s legacy and its continued influence on Yan Ruyu’s future.

Important Character Interactions

  • Jiang Ming and Peacock King discuss the defense of Yan Ruyu and plans to retaliate against their enemies.
  • Jiang Ming reunites warmly with Ye Fan and Qin Yao, gives Qin Yao cultivation treasures, and advises Ye Fan regarding her.
  • Jiang Ming and Yan Ruyu deepen their romantic relationship through intimacy and shared cultivation.
  • The two exchange exceptionally powerful secret techniques, symbolizing trust and mutual commitment.
  • Qin Yao interrupts their cultivation to report the joint assault by the Ji Family and Yaoguang Sacred Land, setting up the chapter’s coming battle.
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Ch. 133All He Wanted Was to Kill

Chapter Summary: “All He Wanted Was to Kill”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Ye Fan explains Jiang Ming’s past heroism to Yan Ruyu, claiming that Jiang Ming once defended her honor, suffered severe injuries, and remained unconscious for a month before being rescued. This strengthens Yan Ruyu’s trust in both Jiang Ming and Ye Fan.
  • Jiang Ming and Yan Ruyu’s relationship deepens after they become Dao companions. Yan Ruyu realizes she genuinely loves him and is willing to risk—or even sacrifice—her life for him.
  • After changing clothes, Jiang Ming recites a romantic poem inspired by their lakeside home. The poem deeply moves Yan Ruyu, who feels that accompanying him through the dangerous Immortal Ascension Road would make her life worthwhile.
  • The Ji Family and Yaoguang Sacred Land attack their Secret Realm Cave-Heaven while demanding that Ye Fan be handed over. Jiang Ming, now furious and no longer merely manipulating events for personal gain, decides to retaliate.
  • His cultivation reaches the perfected Golden Core Stage after cultivating with Yan Ruyu, completing his advancement in the Great Freedom Dao Scripture.
  • Jiang Ming orders Yan Ruyu and the other demon cultivators to retreat, then leaves the Cave-Heaven to confront the attackers himself.
  • Several powerful figures surround the area, including the Yaoguang Holy Lord, the Ji Family Head, the Azure Flood Dragon King, and Peacock King. The Ji Family Head demands Ye Fan, but Jiang Ming openly insults and rejects him.
  • When the Ji Family Head attacks, Peacock King intercepts him. Jiang Ming then appears among the assembled forces, including thousands of Ji Family and Yaoguang cultivators, prominent elders, and young disciples such as Hua Yunfei, the Yaoguang Sacred Son and Sacred Maiden, and Li Youyou.
  • Jiang Ming deliberately reveals his cultivation and provokes heavenly punishment. A massive lightning tribulation spreads across hundreds of li, taking the form of countless black and golden dragons.
  • Hua Yunfei recognizes the phenomenon as an extraordinarily powerful Dragon Tribulation. Jiang Ming is also engulfed by the lightning, but he intends to use the indiscriminate Tribulation Punishment to destroy the enemies gathered around him.

Character Developments

  • Jiang Ming: Becomes more emotionally committed to Yan Ruyu and recognizes Ye Fan as a genuine friend. His attitude shifts from calculated manipulation to open fury, and he embraces a ruthless desire to kill those who repeatedly threaten him and his allies.
  • Yan Ruyu: Moves from admiration and gratitude to deep romantic love. She becomes emotionally devoted to Jiang Ming and prepared to face death alongside him.
  • Ye Fan: Although absent from the central confrontation, he is reaffirmed as someone Jiang Ming considers a close friend worthy of protection.
  • Ji Family Head: His arrogance and sense of entitlement are exposed when he assumes Jiang Ming will surrender Ye Fan. Jiang Ming’s defiance provokes him into attacking.
  • Peacock King: Continues protecting Jiang Ming and mocking the Ji Family, while demonstrating his willingness to oppose powerful enemies directly.
  • Hua Yunfei: Shows greater awareness of tribulation techniques after recognizing Jiang Ming’s unusual and terrifying heavenly punishment.

Significant Themes

  • Loyalty and friendship: Jiang Ming’s bond with Ye Fan has grown through shared danger, making him unwilling to surrender Ye Fan to the Ji Family.
  • Love amid danger: Jiang Ming and Yan Ruyu’s relationship becomes stronger precisely because they face uncertain survival together.
  • Defiance against arrogance and oppression: The Ji Family’s demand reflects their belief that their status entitles them to anything, while Jiang Ming refuses to submit.
  • Power and retaliation: Jiang Ming has moved beyond passive defense. He now intends to punish anyone who repeatedly provokes him.
  • Heavenly tribulation as a weapon: Jiang Ming exploits the cultivation world’s natural laws, turning his own breakthrough into an indiscriminate attack against his enemies.
  • Poetry and emotional expression: Jiang Ming’s poem conveys love, mortality, and the desire for companionship, creating a brief moment of tenderness before the battle.

Character Interactions

  • Ye Fan manipulates the conversation skillfully to portray Jiang Ming as loyal and heroic, winning Yan Ruyu’s confidence.
  • Yan Ruyu and Jiang Ming share an intimate and emotionally sincere exchange, with Jiang Ming’s poem reinforcing their commitment to each other.
  • Jiang Ming instructs Yan Ruyu to evacuate while he confronts the attackers, emphasizing both his protectiveness and his confidence.
  • The Ji Family Head demands Ye Fan’s surrender, but Jiang Ming insults him and rejects the demand.
  • Peacock King blocks the Ji Family Head’s attack and ridicules his hypocrisy.
  • Jiang Ming confronts the gathered forces by triggering the devastating Great Dragon Tribulation, turning the entire battlefield into a deadly lightning zone.
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Ch. 134Under Lightning Tribulation, All Beings Are Equal [Third Update]

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Jiang Ming’s Great Dragon Tribulation becomes extraordinarily powerful, producing countless dragon-shaped lightning bolts. The beast riders sent by the Ji Family and Yaoguang Sacred Land, along with their mounts, are annihilated almost instantly.
  • The lightning also traps numerous Southern Region prodigies, including the Yaoguang Sacred Son, Yaoguang Sacred Maiden, and Hua Yunfei. They are badly injured and forced to flee the tribulation’s range.
  • Jiang Ming deliberately uses the tribulation to hunt the enemies’ senior cultivators. System rewards pour in as he causes the deaths of cultivators from the Wheel of the Sea, Dao Palace, Four Extremes, and Dragon Transformation realms.
  • He kills multiple Dragon Transformation elders and Half-Step Great Abilities, including one from the Ji Family and another from Yaoguang Sacred Land. A Ji Family Half-Step Great Ability provokes the tribulation by attacking Jiang Ming, only to be struck down and killed by Jiang Ming’s Life-Bound Sword.
  • Jiang Ming then pursues the Ji Family Holy Master himself. Using the Incomplete Secret: Xing, the Gu Race Secret Art, and the Nine Secrets’ amplification, he chases the Holy Master into a humiliating retreat. The Yaoguang Holy Lord is likewise forced to withdraw.
  • Nearly all the forces sent by the Ji Family and Yaoguang Sacred Land perish, while their enemies’ treasure-hunting operation fails. Jiang Ming obtains enormous quantities of Hundred-Grass Liquid, Pure Source, Divine Source Beans, and other resources.
  • Jiang Ming refines Thunder Tribulation Liquid during the tribulation and emerges with a stronger body, approaching the physical level of a Holy Master.
  • After the tribulation ends, he gives Thunder Tribulation Liquid to Peacock King and Azure Flood Dragon King in thanks for protecting him.

Character Developments

  • Jiang Ming becomes even more fearless and aggressive, turning his own tribulation into a weapon against powerful enemies. He deliberately deepens his feud with the Ji Family and Yaoguang Sacred Land while demonstrating that his physical strength and combat ability are far beyond what others expected.
  • Ye Fan is deeply affected by Jiang Ming’s actions and sees him as an example of a true, powerful man. At the same time, Ye Fan becomes more determined to cultivate independently rather than rely on Jiang Ming or others for protection.
  • Yan Ruyu and the demon group recognize that they must temporarily retreat to the Northern Region because they are not yet strong enough to withstand their enemies.
  • The Ji Family Holy Master and Yaoguang Holy Lord suffer a major loss of prestige. Their forces are destroyed, their plans collapse, and they are forced to retreat rather than confront Jiang Ming within the tribulation.
  • Peacock King and Azure Flood Dragon King continue protecting Jiang Ming’s allies and witness the humiliation of the two major factions. Azure Flood Dragon King is especially moved by the precious Thunder Tribulation Liquid containing Heavenly Dragon imprints.

Significant Themes

  • Using danger as power: Jiang Ming transforms a normally deadly trial into a battlefield advantage, showing his unconventional and reckless strength.
  • The vulnerability of authority: The Ji Family and Yaoguang Sacred Land’s senior figures lose their arrogance when confronted by a younger cultivator who cannot be safely attacked.
  • Growth through independence: Ye Fan’s shame at needing protection motivates him to pursue greater strength and seek the Western Emperor’s Dao Palace scripture.
  • Protection and repayment: Jiang Ming protects Ye Fan and Yan Ruyu’s group, while later rewarding Peacock King and Azure Flood Dragon King for their support.
  • The consequences of bullying the weak: Jiang Ming spares the younger prodigies but targets the older cultivators who used their seniority to oppress others.

Character Interactions

  • Jiang Ming ignores the furious threats of the Ji Family Holy Master and Yaoguang Holy Lord, continuing to kill their subordinates and pursue their leaders.
  • A Ji Family Half-Step Great Ability attacks Jiang Ming during the tribulation, provoking even stronger heavenly punishment and allowing Jiang Ming to kill him.
  • Jiang Ming’s protection of Ye Fan strengthens Ye Fan’s admiration and resolve.
  • Jiang Ming advises Ye Fan about the Old Yaochi Sacred Land ruins and the Western Emperor’s Dao Palace scripture, reaffirming his promise to help him cultivate.
  • Jin Ling, Old Crow, Yan Ruyu, and the other demon descendants prepare to travel to the Northern Region, where they will be safer under the influence of the Jiang Family and the Sky Roc lineage.
  • Jiang Ming formally thanks Peacock King and Azure Flood Dragon King with Thunder Tribulation Liquid, deepening his alliance with the two demon kings.
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Ch. 135Jiang Ming, Great-Great-Uncle

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Jiang Ming gives Azure Flood Dragon King and Peacock King Thunder Tribulation Liquid, earning their recognition and establishing an equal brotherly relationship with both demon kings.
  • He prepares to leave the Southern Region for the Northern Region, asking the two kings to escort him. They agree, partly to ensure Yan Ruyu’s safe journey.
  • The Southern Region’s conflict ends with Jiang Ming single-handedly devastating the forces of the Ji Family and Yaoguang Sacred Land. Their leaders, the Ji Family Patriarch and Yaoguang Holy Lord, retreat in fear, while many younger prodigies flee before Jiang Ming’s overwhelming lightning.
  • Jiang Ming’s victory makes him the dominant figure among the younger generation and deepens the hostility between him and the Ji Family and Yaoguang Sacred Land. His growing importance also increases the likelihood that the Desolate Ancient Jiang Family will value and accept him.
  • After more than half a month of travel, Jiang Ming and the two demon kings reach the Northern Region. They part ways, with Jiang Ming intending to return to the Jiang Family and later visit Azure Flood Dragon King’s territory.
  • Jiang Ming travels to Purple Mountain and infiltrates the Lihuo Sect. Using concealment and Mind-Reading, he locates the elder possessing the Lihuo Divine Furnace, knocks him unconscious, and takes the weapon without resistance.
  • The Lihuo Divine Furnace suppresses approximately ninety-five percent of the dangerous fluctuations from Jiang Ming’s Fate Pattern, surpassing even the Nine Heavens Ziwei Pagoda’s suppressive ability. Jiang Ming remains troubled by the possibility that the Fate Pattern may grow stronger alongside him.
  • He begins the journey back to the Jiang Family, planning to acknowledge his ancestry, obtain the Hengyu Scripture—especially its Four Extremes Secret Realm section—and eventually cultivate in the Fire Domain’s Nine-Colored Sacred Fire.
  • After another half month, Jiang Ming arrives at the magnificent Jiang Family territory, built across floating mountains, islands, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, and formations.
  • When he identifies himself at the entrance, the guards recognize him and address him as “Great-Great-Uncle Jiang Ming,” embarrassing and startling him because the guards are older than he is.

Character Developments

  • Jiang Ming becomes increasingly dominant and feared after defeating powerful forces alone. His strength, judgment, and strategic planning establish him as a figure capable of influencing the balance between major families and sacred lands.
  • His relationship with Peacock King and Azure Flood Dragon King shifts from cooperation to genuine brotherhood. Both respect his power, character, and treatment of Yan Ruyu.
  • Jiang Ming’s concern for Yan Ruyu remains central. He wants to help her fully cultivate the Azure Lotus Dao Body and is determined to secure treasures capable of stabilizing his Fate Pattern.
  • He feels guilty about being absent from Tingting’s life and thinks regretfully about her growing up without enough companionship.
  • Jiang Ming’s return to the Jiang Family reflects his desire to reclaim his heritage and obtain the family’s ancestral cultivation legacy.

Significant Themes

  • Strength as the basis of respect: Jiang Ming’s victories prove that power determines how the major forces treat him, regardless of previous status or political hostility.
  • Recognition and belonging: His growing connection with the Jiang Family contrasts with his earlier separation from them, while his title as “Great-Great-Uncle” humorously emphasizes his unexpected place within the clan’s genealogy.
  • Fate versus control: The mysterious Fate Pattern remains a major obstacle. Even powerful treasures can only suppress it temporarily, raising questions about its true nature and limits.
  • Brotherhood and alliance: Shared interests develop into sincere bonds between Jiang Ming and the demon kings.
  • Preserving the original course of events: Jiang Ming believes many destined events will still occur unless he deliberately interferes, so he avoids changing the future without necessity.

Character Interactions

  • Jiang Ming and the two demon kings: Jiang Ming offers them rare cultivation treasures and speaks to them as equals. In return, Peacock King and Azure Flood Dragon King escort him and openly approve of his relationship with Yan Ruyu, joking that they will attend their wedding.
  • Jiang Ming and the Lihuo Sect elder: Their interaction is brief and one-sided; Jiang Ming silently locates the elder, incapacitates him with a single finger, and takes the Lihuo Divine Furnace.
  • Jiang Ming and the Jiang Family guards: The guards initially treat him as a suspicious outsider, but immediately recognize him once he gives his name. Their respectful cry of “Great-Great-Uncle Jiang Ming” leaves him awkwardly stunned, providing the chapter’s humorous ending.
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Ch. 136The Black-Hearted Wretch

Chapter Summary: “The Black-Hearted Wretch”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • News of Jiang Ming’s return reaches the Jiang Family before he arrives through a Cross-Domain Formation Platform. Because of his conflict with the Ji Family and Yaoguang Sacred Land—particularly his destruction of most of their forces with his Tribulation Punishment—the family prepares for his arrival.
  • The Jiang Family decides not to abandon Jiang Ming or side with outside powers. Despite the trouble he has caused, they view his strength and actions as proof of the family’s power and dignity.
  • At the family gates, a ceremonial ox-horn bugle is sounded, an honor normally reserved for Holy Masters and heads of major families. More than a thousand Jiang Family members come to receive him.
  • Jiang Yun, an ancient Jiang Family ancestor, personally appears. He cautiously verifies Jiang Ming’s identity before acknowledging him as his great-grandson.
  • The chapter provides extensive background on the Jiang Family’s internal struggles, including Jiang Yichen’s branch causing disorder and the mysterious death of Jiang Ming’s grandfather, Jiang Zhe.
  • Jiang Yun had previously been awakened by Jiang Yifei’s extraordinary birth, which revealed that Jiang Yifei’s bloodline had reverted toward that of Emperor Hengyu. Jiang Yifei had been kept hidden as a trump card for the family.
  • The family is especially pleased that Jiang Ming has a daughter, Jiang Tingting, who possesses the rare Lunar Body. Though the physique threatens her life by damaging her origin, Jiang Ming has used precious medicines and secret techniques to suppress the danger for at least thirty years.
  • Jiang Ming asks to see his father and Tingting rather than engage in formal greetings. Tingting soon arrives to greet him.

Character Developments

  • Jiang Ming: He returns as a powerful but emotionally detached member of the Jiang Family. He has little personal attachment to the family and sent his father and daughter there primarily for their safety. His calm reaction contrasts with the Jiang Family’s excitement over his accomplishments.
  • Jiang Yun: An extremely old and powerful ancestor, likely over two thousand years old, he emerges from seclusion to manage the family’s affairs. He is cautious enough to verify Jiang Ming’s identity but becomes openly delighted by Jiang Ming’s strength and bloodline.
  • Jiang Yifei: His hidden status and extraordinary ancestry are revealed. His birth awakened the attention of the family’s elders because his bloodline resembled that of Emperor Hengyu. He has been concealed to preserve the Jiang Family’s advantage and dignity.
  • Jiang Tingting: Though only slightly over eight years old, she has begun cultivating and has reached the Life Spring realm. Her Lunar Body makes her exceptionally gifted but physically vulnerable. With Jiang Ming’s protection, Gu Qingyao’s guidance, and the Jiang Family’s care, she has gained time to master her dangerous constitution.
  • Jiang Zhe and Jiang Tang: Jiang Zhe’s mysterious death and Jiang Tang’s lack of cultivation knowledge explain why much of Jiang Ming’s family history remains unclear.

Significant Themes

  • Family loyalty and dignity: The Jiang Family refuses to sacrifice Jiang Ming for political convenience, seeing support for their own descendant as essential to maintaining their honor.
  • Power and survival: The family views Jiang Ming’s violent victories not as shameful but as evidence that he can survive in a ruthless cultivation world.
  • Hidden bloodlines and inherited greatness: Jiang Yifei’s connection to Emperor Hengyu and Tingting’s Lunar Body emphasize the importance—and danger—of powerful ancestral physiques.
  • The burden of exceptional talent: Tingting’s rare constitution gives her tremendous potential while threatening her life. Jiang Yifei’s extraordinary bloodline similarly forces the family to conceal and protect him.
  • Emotional distance from one’s origins: Jiang Ming is welcomed as a celebrated descendant, but he does not yet share the family’s sense of belonging. His priority is the safety of his father and daughter rather than reconnecting with the clan.
  • Decline and restoration: The Jiang Family has suffered from internal conflict and declining influence, but Jiang Ming, Jiang Yifei, and Tingting represent the possibility of its revival.

Character Interactions

  • The gatekeeping disciples treat Jiang Ming with exceptional respect and explain that the family has ordered him to be received with the honors given to a Holy Master.
  • Jiang Yun approaches Jiang Ming cautiously, testing his identity before introducing himself as his great-grandfather.
  • Jiang Yun’s reaction to Jiang Ming’s deeds is strongly approving; he considers Jiang Ming’s destruction of the Ji and Yaoguang forces a triumph rather than a disgrace.
  • Jiang Ming remains polite but impatient with formalities, immediately requesting to see his father and Tingting.
  • Tingting’s joyful arrival and cry of “Daddy!” provide the chapter’s most direct emotional reunion, contrasting with Jiang Ming’s otherwise restrained demeanor.
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Ch. 137Golden Flood Dragon Scissors

Chapter Summary: “Golden Flood Dragon Scissors”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Tingting reunites with her father, Jiang Ming, after more than three years apart. She has grown considerably and now possesses a stable cultivation foundation.
  • Jiang Ming explains that he used three extremely rare medicines—the Three-Yin Treasure Lotus, Moonlight Fruit, and Enlightenment Lotus—to stabilize Tingting’s Sea of Bitterness and protect her Lunar Body.
  • Because Tingting’s Lunar Body naturally consumes her innate yang energy, Jiang Ming used the Three-Treasure Life-Nourishing Method, along with a Sun Heart from Gu Qingyao, to preserve the balance between yin and yang and prevent her body from freezing into a state of Supreme Yin.
  • Tingting has reached the Life Spring realm and developed the cultivation phenomena Sun and Moon Shining Together and Yin-Yang Dividing Dawn and Dusk.
  • She has also refined her personal Dao armament, the Golden Flood Dragon Scissors, using Nine Heavens Scarlet Jade. The weapon embodies the harmony of yin and yang and gains power from her cultivation phenomena.
  • Jiang Yichen arrives with Jiang Ming’s father, Jiang Tang, revealing that he has kept his promise to protect Tingting and care for Jiang Tang.
  • Jiang Yichen used the Spirit-Communicating Heaven-Earth Ring given by Jiang Ming to defend them and even enlisted support from his family when some Jiang elders considered targeting Tingting.
  • The threat from those elders ended after a mysterious green-clothed old woman punished them. She is rumored to be an ancient figure who lived six thousand years ago.
  • Tingting happily reunites with her grandfather, Jiang Tang, who has opened a restaurant near the Jiang Family to avoid an idle life.
  • Tingting’s master has traveled to the Northern Region after divining that a fortuitous opportunity awaits her there.
  • Gu Qingyao arrives with a mysterious pyramid-shaped Quasi-Emperor Armament. During her time mentoring Tingting, she secretly advanced to the Saint King realm, extending her lifespan and resolving her immediate crisis.
  • The chapter closes by describing Tingting’s cultivation island, a sacred site containing sun-and-moon power and the Dao rhythm of the Jiang Family’s ancient phenomenon.

Character Developments

  • Tingting has matured emotionally and spiritually. She understands the sacrifices Jiang Ming made for her and reassures him that he gave her the best possible foundation. Her cultivation has advanced rapidly, and she now possesses both powerful phenomena and a personal Dao weapon.
  • Jiang Ming is shown as a deeply devoted father who prioritizes Tingting’s future over his own needs. Although feared throughout the cultivation world as the “Southern Region Great Demon,” he is gentle and remorseful with his family.
  • Jiang Yichen has matured from an arrogant, troublesome youth into someone capable of honoring promises and protecting his relatives. He remains proud and somewhat foolish, but his loyalty toward Tingting and Jiang Tang is genuine.
  • Jiang Tang continues to live as an ordinary, industrious man. His restaurant gives him purpose and allows him to remain involved in his family’s life.
  • Gu Qingyao has quietly grown stronger, breaking into the Saint King realm and obtaining a powerful extraterrestrial Quasi-Emperor Armament.
  • Tingting’s master is portrayed as perceptive and capable of using divination to locate opportunities, foreshadowing an important journey in the Northern Region.

Significant Themes

  • Parental sacrifice and unconditional love: Jiang Ming gives Tingting resources he once needed for himself because he wants her to surpass her original fate.
  • Balance of yin and yang: Tingting’s survival and cultivation depend on preserving the balance between her Lunar Body and innate yang energy. Her phenomena and Golden Flood Dragon Scissors symbolize this harmony.
  • Growth and maturity: Tingting recognizes her father’s efforts, while Jiang Yichen develops from a reckless child into a dependable protector.
  • Family protection and loyalty: Despite Jiang Ming’s fearsome reputation, the chapter emphasizes the family network guarding Tingting from internal threats.
  • Changing era and rising opportunities: The revival of heaven and earth’s laws and Ye Fan’s arrival signal the beginning of a Golden Age, creating new possibilities for cultivation and advancement.
  • Ordinary life amid extraordinary power: Jiang Tang’s restaurant and his bond with Tingting contrast with the dangerous world of Great Demons, Quasi-Emperor weapons, and ancient inheritances.

Character Interactions

  • Jiang Ming comforts Tingting during their emotional reunion, and she responds by assuring him that she understands and appreciates everything he has done.
  • Jiang Ming and Jiang Yichen exchange thanks, revealing that their relationship has developed into one of mutual respect.
  • Jiang Yichen proudly shows off the Heaven-Earth Ring Jiang Ming gave him, while Jiang Ming silently overlooks the fact that the treasure is being worn incorrectly.
  • Tingting affectionately embraces Jiang Tang, demonstrating the closeness between granddaughter and grandfather.
  • Jiang Ming learns from Tingting about her master’s departure and reflects on the master’s hidden abilities and future prospects.
  • Gu Qingyao’s arrival reconnects her with Jiang Ming and Tingting while also signaling her own major advancement in cultivation.
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Ch. 138Daddy Wasn't a Good Man

Chapter Summary: “Daddy Wasn’t a Good Man”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Jiang Ming settles in the Jiang Family’s Sun-Moon Sacred Island, a powerful secret realm containing the Golden Sun Trees and Moon Lake.
  • He spends three days caring for his father, Jiang Tang, using rare treasures such as Thunder Tribulation Liquid, Divine Source, Divine Spring, and Sacred Medicine to strengthen his aging body.
  • Jiang Ming personally oversees Tingting’s cultivation:
    • Gives her two strands of the Root of Xuanhuang Mother Qi to refine the Golden Flood Dragon Scissors.
    • Uses his only Saint Fruit to strengthen her foundation, helping her reach the Life Spring Realm and open her Purple Palace Sea of Consciousness.
    • Gives her thirty strands of Azure Emperor Heart Blood Qi, a gift prepared by Yan Ruyu.
  • Jiang Ming tells Tingting the truth about his initial motives toward Yan Ruyu, admitting that he originally wanted her Azure Emperor Weapon and Azure Emperor’s Heart to suppress his own demonic nature. He jokingly concludes that he is not a good man, while concealing his lustful feelings for Yan Ruyu.
  • Jiang Yun arrives with Jiang Yifei, Jiang Yichen, and Jiang Caixuan. They drink diluted Immortal Brew, which allows them to sense and comprehend fragments of the Great Dao.
  • Jiang Yun explains the history of Jiang Ming’s grandfather, Jiang Zhe:
    • Jiang Zhe once competed for the Jiang Family patriarch’s position but was defeated through unfair factional tactics.
    • He left the family, eventually settled in Clearwind Town, and died after suffering from unknown physical ailments.
    • His death was not the result of a hidden assassination plot, but his exact cause of death remains uncertain.
  • Jiang Yun gives Jiang Ming an extremely valuable inheritance jade slip containing the complete five-volume Hengyu Scripture.
  • Tingting begins cultivating after drinking the Immortal Brew. Her Sea of Bitterness manifests as a silver moon with a golden center, revealing an unusual and powerful foundation.

Character Developments

  • Jiang Ming: Shows a strong sense of responsibility as a son and father. He invests heavily in strengthening both Jiang Tang and Tingting, while also planning for Tingting’s future safety, friendships, and emotional development. Despite his immense power and ruthless reputation, he remains introspective about his morally questionable past.
  • Tingting: Grows rapidly in cultivation and displays a remarkable innate Dao foundation. She deeply trusts and admires Jiang Ming, defending him when he criticizes himself. She also understands that his absence from her life is forced by circumstances rather than lack of affection.
  • Jiang Tang: Receives continued care from his son and is physically strengthened through rare medicinal treasures. His presence highlights Jiang Ming’s attachment to his ordinary family roots.
  • Yan Ruyu: Though absent, she is characterized through her generous gift of Azure Emperor Heart Blood Qi and Jiang Ming’s account of their complicated relationship.
  • Jiang Yun: Demonstrates concern for Jiang Ming and the stability of the Jiang Family. He treats Jiang Ming as an important rising member of the family and offers him one of the family’s rarest inheritances.
  • Jiang Yifei, Jiang Yichen, and Jiang Caixuan: Their close relationship with Jiang Ming is emphasized. His gifts have made him a powerful benefactor and trusted elder figure to them, while Jiang Caixuan is positioned as a potential close friend and protector for Tingting.

Significant Themes

  • Parental love and protection: Jiang Ming’s actions show his desire to provide Tingting with strength, guidance, emotional support, and reliable allies.
  • Moral ambiguity and self-awareness: Jiang Ming openly acknowledges that his original intentions toward Yan Ruyu were selfish and exploitative, contrasting his past motives with his later loyalty and protection.
  • Family politics and factional conflict: The Jiang Family is divided between the God-King Jiang Taixu lineage and the patriarch’s faction. Power, bloodline, and strength determine authority more than tradition or familial affection.
  • Legacy and inheritance: The Hengyu Scripture, the Root of Xuanhuang Mother Qi, and the Azure Emperor Heart Blood Qi all represent the transmission of power and responsibility between generations.
  • Nature versus nurture: Jiang Ming worries that Tingting might become arrogant or spoiled like other powerful heirs. He hopes to teach her caution, humility, and the ability to judge circumstances wisely.
  • Power and hidden potential: Tingting’s extraordinary silver-moon Sea of Bitterness and Jiang Yifei’s ancestral bloodline reversion suggest that the Jiang Family’s future may be shaped by exceptional descendants.

Character Interactions

  • Jiang Ming and Tingting share a sincere father-daughter conversation about Yan Ruyu, with Tingting rejecting his self-condemnation and insisting that he is a good person.
  • Jiang Ming cares for Jiang Tang while sharing wine with him, showing affection despite their differences in cultivation and knowledge.
  • Jiang Yun speaks with Jiang Ming about Jiang Zhe’s tragic history and the internal divisions within the family.
  • Jiang Ming welcomes Jiang Yun and the three younger family members into his residence, reinforcing his growing influence and familial connections.
  • The younger Jiang members drink Immortal Brew and enter meditation together, while Tingting’s cultivation produces a striking lunar phenomenon that reveals her extraordinary potential.
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Ch. 139Four Great Phenomena

Chapter Summary: “Four Great Phenomena”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Jiang Yun presents Jiang Ming with the Jiang Family’s inheritance of the Hengyu Scripture, acknowledging that the family had failed to support him during his difficult upbringing.
  • Jiang Ming accepts the inheritance without hesitation, since obtaining the Hengyu Scripture was one of the main reasons he returned.
  • Once the jade slip recognizes Jiang Family blood, it enters Jiang Ming’s Sea of Bitterness and begins transmitting the scripture.
  • Jiang Ming enters deep meditation and Dao comprehension. His existing cultivation resonates with the Lihuo Divine Furnace, causing immense spiritual phenomena to appear.
  • Four extraordinary visions manifest behind him:
    1. A Blade of Grass Slashes the Stars—a tiny blade of grass evolves into the terrifying Nine-Leaf Sword Grass and destroys stars and powerful creatures.
    2. Auspicious Dragon-Phoenix Diagram—a Divine Dragon and True Phoenix intertwine into a supreme Dao diagram capable of suppressing the heavens.
    3. Demon Ape Ravages the Heavenly Court—a powerful demon ape battles the Golden Crow Heavenly Emperor amid demonic clouds and golden flames.
    4. Opening Heaven, a Green Willow Is Born—an ancient willow attempts to open the primordial darkness and restore a clear universe.
  • The Jiang Family members are stunned by the visions, especially because even Jiang Tingting’s exceptional Lunar Body has produced only two phenomena.
  • After half an hour, the visions fade, indicating that Jiang Ming’s Wheel of the Sea Secret Realm has reached completion.
  • A five-colored wheel then appears behind him, containing the White Tiger, Black Tortoise, Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, and Qilin. These totemic beings recognize Jiang Ming as their master.
  • Jiang Yun supplies Jiang Ming with large amounts of Pure Source and a massive piece of Divine Source to support his cultivation.
  • Jiang Ming absorbs the resources into his five Dao Palaces, nourishing his totem deities while producing the roars and cries of the five mythical beasts.
  • After two months of cultivation, Jiang Ming finally opens his eyes, his gaze releasing five-colored lightning that tears through the Void.

Character Developments

  • Jiang Ming demonstrates that his power and potential far exceed the Jiang Family’s expectations. His four great phenomena reveal an extraordinary and possibly unprecedented foundation.
  • Jiang Yun becomes even more determined to repair the family’s relationship with Jiang Ming. He realizes that allowing such a prodigy to remain estranged would be a grave mistake and actively supports his cultivation with precious resources.
  • Jiang Yichen is overwhelmed by Jiang Ming’s displays of power and loses confidence in his own ability to lead or revive his branch of the family.
  • Jiang Yifei feels relieved of the enormous expectations placed upon him. He had been treated as the family’s hope because of his resemblance to the Hengyu Ancestor, but now believes Jiang Ming can carry the family’s future.
  • Jiang Caixuan remains observant and sarcastic, easily recognizing the significance of Jiang Ming’s five Dao Palace totems before Jiang Yichen does.
  • Jiang Tingting continues her own Dao comprehension in isolation. Her exceptional cultivation and Lunar Body establish her as another peerless prodigy of the family.
  • Jiang Tang, unable to cultivate, cannot perceive the deeper meaning of the visions and sees them only as ordinary paintings, emphasizing the divide between ordinary people and cultivators.

Significant Themes

  • Family reconciliation and belonging: The Jiang Family recognizes its past neglect of Jiang Ming and attempts to win back his loyalty by offering him its ancestral inheritance and material support.
  • Unrecognized talent and delayed recognition: Jiang Ming achieved greatness independently, without the family’s assistance, making their belated efforts to embrace him both understandable and shameful.
  • The scale of true genius: The four phenomena and five totem deities show that Jiang Ming’s foundation is far beyond ordinary Divine Bodies or family prodigies.
  • Legacy and destiny: The Hengyu Scripture connects Jiang Ming to the family’s ancestral heritage, while his own unique visions show that he is not merely inheriting the past but creating a path of his own.
  • Burden and relief: Jiang Yifei and Jiang Yichen both confront the pressure of family expectations; Jiang Ming’s emergence allows the younger generation to step back from burdens they could not fully bear.
  • Cultivation as transformation: Jiang Ming’s meditation transforms spiritual energy into divine power, symbolizing his progression from an outsider into a figure capable of carrying the family’s future.

Character Interactions

  • Jiang Yun and Jiang Ming: Jiang Yun offers the Hengyu inheritance as both compensation and an attempt to restore Jiang Ming’s sense of belonging. Jiang Ming accepts it directly, showing that he values the inheritance but remains emotionally reserved toward the family.
  • Jiang Yun and the family members: Jiang Yun urges everyone to keep Jiang Ming’s phenomena secret, recognizing their importance and the danger of revealing his full potential.
  • Jiang Yichen and the others: Jiang Yichen openly expresses confusion and awe over the unfamiliar visions. His reaction contrasts with Jiang Caixuan’s greater awareness and highlights his inferiority complex.
  • Jiang Yifei and Jiang Ming: Though they do not interact directly, Jiang Ming’s achievements change Jiang Yifei’s outlook. Jiang Yifei no longer feels solely responsible for reviving the Jiang Family.
  • Jiang Ming and Jiang Tingting: They cultivate simultaneously in different ways—Jiang Ming through the Hengyu inheritance and his five Dao Palaces, Tingting through her Lunar Body—establishing them as the family’s two supreme young talents.
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Ch. 140Eight Prohibitions Battle Prowess

Chapter Summary: “Eight Prohibitions Battle Prowess”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Jiang Ming awakens after a major cultivation breakthrough. His five Dao Palace Totem Deities have each reached the combat strength of a Six Prohibitions prodigy, bringing Jiang Ming close to Eight Prohibitions battle prowess.
  • Jiang Tingting has also completed her enlightenment and made rapid progress in the Life Spring Realm. She believes she can reach the Divine Bridge Realm within six months.
  • Jiang Tang, Jiang Ming’s father, had slept for three days after drinking the potent wine Jiang Ming gave him. He awakens rejuvenated and, after being nourished by sacred medicine, Divine Spring water, and Immortal Brew, breaks through to become an Innate Martial Artist.
  • Jiang Ming teaches Tingting several powerful techniques, including Nine Secrets: Jie, the Seventy-Two Transformations, and the Heavenly Emperor Qi-Gazing Art.
  • He also teaches Jiang Tang the Clumsy Peak Way of Nature, allowing him to begin cultivating through the Shrouding Method.
  • Jiang Ming spends half a month with his family, taking Tingting and Jiang Tang to enjoy three days together in the city before returning them to Sun-Moon Sacred Island.
  • Before leaving, Jiang Ming gives Tingting Immortal Brew for cultivation and asks her to deliver another jar to Gu Qingyao.
  • Jiang Ming begins considering his next objectives: rescuing God-King Jiang and helping an ancient Saint in the Central Plains wilderness who is nearing the end of his life.

Character Developments

  • Jiang Ming: His foundation has become much stronger through the Hengyu Scripture and his Dao Palace Totem Deities. He now possesses more varied offensive techniques, including Azure Emperor’s Nine Slashes and the Hengyu secret arts. He plans to continue accumulating strength before challenging the Four Extremes Secret Realm.
  • Jiang Tingting: Her cultivation advances dramatically, and she shows confidence and obedience toward her father. Jiang Ming stresses the importance of a stable foundation rather than rushing breakthroughs. He believes the Supreme Yin Scripture, later supplemented by the Supreme Yang Scripture, will suit her constitution better than the Hengyu Scripture.
  • Jiang Tang: He is rejuvenated by Jiang Ming’s gifts and breakthroughs, becoming an Innate Martial Artist and gaining divine sense. He gives up his restaurant to begin cultivating peacefully on Sun-Moon Sacred Island.
  • Gu Qingyao: Although Jiang Ming does not yet know it, his earlier assistance helped her break through to the Saint King Realm, extending her lifespan by roughly a thousand years and resolving her immediate crisis.

Significant Themes

  • The importance of foundation: Jiang Ming repeatedly warns Tingting that steady accumulation is more important than pursuing rapid breakthroughs.
  • Family love and protection: Jiang Ming uses his resources and knowledge to improve his father’s health, protect Tingting, and prepare both of them for the dangers of cultivation.
  • The loneliness of immortality: Jiang Ming explains that the path to immortality requires constant advancement and involves separation from loved ones.
  • Suitability of cultivation methods: Different scriptures align with different constitutions. Jiang Ming carefully considers which techniques best fit Tingting, Jiang Tang, and himself.
  • Lifespan and the pursuit of longevity: The chapter emphasizes the value of Sacred Medicines, Medicine Kings, Undying Divine Medicine, and breakthroughs in extending the lives of powerful cultivators.
  • Legacy and sacrifice: Jiang Ming reflects on figures such as the Void Great Emperor, whose unyielding life and tragic death represent the ideals of human perseverance and defiance.

Character Interactions

  • Jiang Ming and Tingting share a warm father-daughter exchange. He praises her progress but advises patience, while she reassures him that she has learned the importance of a firm foundation.
  • Jiang Yun updates Jiang Ming on the family’s activities and explains that Jiang Tang and the younger disciples have left or entered seclusion.
  • Jiang Ming spends meaningful time with Jiang Tang and Tingting, taking them into the city and strengthening their family bond.
  • Before departing, Jiang Ming gives Tingting guidance for cultivation and entrusts her with delivering Immortal Brew to Gu Qingyao.
  • Jiang Ming deliberately gets Jiang Tang drunk so the old man will sleep peacefully rather than suffer the emotional pain of Jiang Ming’s departure.
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