Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: Ancient Mine of Absolute Beginning

Key Plot Points and Events

• After successfully overcoming a tribulation, Jiang Ming decides to leave seclusion with Yan Ruyu to gain combat experience and prepare for his breakthrough into the second realm of the Four Extremes Secret Realm.
• Jiang Ming senses that his Great Freedom Dao Scripture is approaching a breakthrough, though he recognizes that true Dao comprehension cannot be forced or simply passed down through empowerment.
• The pair travels to Source City, a settlement built near the Ancient Mine of Absolute Beginning. The city is populated entirely by cultivators, many of whom were exiled or sent there to mine Source Stones.
• Source City is notorious for fraudulent Source Stone vendors. Yan Ruyu uses the Heavenly Emperor Qi-Gazing Art to identify deceptive stalls, confirming that most stones are not worth their asking prices.
• Jiang Ming discovers bounty notices for Ye Fan, issued by the Ji Family, and for himself, jointly issued by the Ji Family and Yaoguang Sacred Land. The bounty on Jiang Ming is far higher, demonstrating how seriously those factions regard him.
• To avoid recognition, Jiang Ming and Yan Ruyu disguise themselves using the Seventy-Two Transformations.
• Jiang Ming senses Ye Fan nearby and decides to join a group preparing to explore the Ancient Mine. He views the journey as an opportunity to gain experience and possibly obtain Divine Source.
• The pair pays Old Knife-Hilt one hundred jin of Source to join the expedition. Jiang Ming obtains the payment by secretly using the Azure Emperor’s technique, Nine Slashes—Plunder, to steal Source from Ji Family guards.
• Old Knife-Hilt establishes strict rules for the expedition, requiring everyone to follow his commands and avoid wandering away.
• Jiang Ming reflects that Ye Fan is entering the dangerous mine without the Lihuo Divine Furnace. He concludes that Ye Fan’s extraordinary fortune may have deliberately brought them together, giving Ye Fan a better chance of surviving.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ming grows increasingly confident in his cultivation and physical power but remains aware that he still lacks the Dao Traces of a true Dao-Severing King.
• He demonstrates a pragmatic, opportunistic personality: he seeks danger for cultivation, exploits his abilities creatively, and is willing to take advantage of doomed expedition members.
• Jiang Ming also shows concern for Ye Fan, recognizing that the younger cultivator may otherwise have died in the mine. Though he jokes about killing Ye Fan for a reward, he is effectively inclined to protect him.
• Yan Ruyu continues to be quiet and reserved, preferring a peaceful life, but willingly accompanies Jiang Ming because she values their shared experiences. She becomes angry upon seeing the bounty placed on Jiang Ming and offers to help avenge him.
• Yan Ruyu’s possession of an Emperor Armament makes her a major source of security during the expedition.
• Ye Fan is portrayed as extraordinarily bold and fortunate, daring to approach the Ancient Mine without his usual protective treasure and somehow encountering Jiang Ming at the right moment.
• Old Knife-Hilt is introduced as a stern and experienced expedition leader who prioritizes discipline and survival.

Significant Themes

• Cultivation through experience and danger: Jiang Ming believes seclusion alone is insufficient; facing peril is necessary to strengthen both cultivation and the Dao heart.
• The ineffability of the Dao: The chapter emphasizes that genuine Dao comprehension cannot be fully explained, named, or transferred through shortcuts.
• Fortune and fate: Ye Fan’s repeated survival and chance encounter with Jiang Ming suggest that his extraordinary destiny continues to guide events.
• Greed and deception: Source City’s merchants exploit cultivators’ hopes of finding Divine Source, while bounty notices turn violence and information into commodities.
• Power and political hostility: The bounties on Jiang Ming and Ye Fan show the escalating conflict with the Ji Family and Yaoguang Sacred Land.
• Companionship amid danger: Jiang Ming and Yan Ruyu’s journey is both a cultivation expedition and a romantic shared adventure.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ming takes Yan Ruyu’s hand and invites her to travel with him, reinforcing their close and affectionate relationship.
• Yan Ruyu trusts Jiang Ming’s judgment and agrees to leave seclusion despite her quiet, homebody nature.
• The two jointly assess the Source Stone market, with Yan Ruyu’s Qi-Gazing Art supporting Jiang Ming’s observations.
• Yan Ruyu reacts protectively to Jiang Ming’s bounty, while Jiang Ming dismisses the threats and reassures her.
• Jiang Ming and Yan Ruyu join Old Knife-Hilt’s expedition and accept his rules without argument.
• Jiang Ming notices Ye Fan within the group and silently reassesses the journey, deciding that his presence—and Yan Ruyu’s protection—may be crucial to Ye Fan’s survival.

Chapter Summary: “Ye Fan: That Familiar Attack Stance”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ming, Yan Ruyu, Ye Fan, and a group of cultivators enter the outskirts of the Ancient Mine of Absolute Beginning, a notorious Life Restricted Zone.
• Old Knife-Hilt serves as their guide, warning them repeatedly that the region is extremely dangerous. He recalls that only three people survived a previous expedition of twenty-eight.
• A reckless young cultivator, Li Yuan, repeatedly dismisses the danger and pressures the group to advance. Old Knife-Hilt eventually returns his payment and tries to leave, but most of the group insists on continuing.
• The travelers discover enormous ancient stone buildings, possibly remnants of the Giant Race, and become excited by the prospect of finding Divine Source, Saint materials, or other treasures.
• As they approach the danger zone, a terrifying blood-colored sandstorm and black, ghost-like whirlwinds suddenly appear.
• Jiang Ming uses Azure Emperor’s Nine Slashes—Plunder to steal more than four thousand jin of Source from the group amid the chaos.
• He protects himself, Yan Ruyu, and Ye Fan with the Divine-Demon Dao Diagram. When black whirlwinds attack, Jiang Ming counters with a purple Little Pagoda and flames from the Hengyu Scripture, destroying the threatening entities.
• Ye Fan recognizes Jiang Ming from his distinctive combat style and tentatively calls him “Big Brother Jiang,” revealing that the two are acquaintances despite Ye Fan’s earlier inability to identify him.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ming remains relaxed and playful despite the danger. He mediates conflicts, secretly exploits the group’s greed, and demonstrates overwhelming defensive and offensive power.
• Yan Ruyu stays alert and close to Jiang Ming, prepared to summon the Azure Emperor’s Weapon. She is the first to sense the unnatural wind and remains cautious throughout.
• Ye Fan appears disoriented and does not initially recognize Jiang Ming or Yan Ruyu. However, he instinctively feels a connection with Jiang Ming and ultimately identifies him through his familiar attack stance.
• Old Knife-Hilt is revealed as a knowledgeable but increasingly frustrated guide with experience in Source Arts, earth veins, and the former Killer Heavenly Court’s techniques. His warnings are ignored, and he finally abandons the expedition.
• Li Yuan is portrayed as reckless, greedy, and ignorant of the Ancient Mine’s true danger. His constant interruptions worsen tensions and symbolize the group’s irresponsible curiosity.
• The expedition members’ deaths demonstrate the consequences of underestimating the restricted zone.

Significant Themes

• Greed versus survival: The cultivators knowingly advance into danger for the possibility of finding treasures, showing how wealth and opportunity overpower caution.
• The terror of the unknown: Old Knife-Hilt emphasizes that the greatest threat is not merely beasts or demons but dangers that cannot be understood or predicted.
• Recklessness and hubris: The group ignores repeated warnings because they believe their cultivation and numbers make them safe.
• Hidden identity and recognition: Ye Fan’s recognition of Jiang Ming through his fighting technique highlights how familiar actions can reveal a person even when appearances and memories fail.
• Power and opportunism: Jiang Ming treats the disaster as an opportunity, plundering the group’s Source while also protecting himself and his companions.
• Trust and companionship: Despite Ye Fan’s confusion, his instinctive sense of familiarity with Jiang Ming suggests a continuing bond between them.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ming repeatedly intervenes between Old Knife-Hilt and Li Yuan, attempting to calm their arguments while privately judging Li Yuan’s foolishness.
• Old Knife-Hilt’s warnings clash with the group’s growing greed, eventually causing him to abandon them.
• Jiang Ming and Ye Fan exchange a meaningful glance when both realize that valuable stone materials might be worth the risk, creating an immediate sense of mutual understanding.
• Yan Ruyu alerts Jiang Ming to the approaching danger and remains physically close to him.
• Jiang Ming pulls Ye Fan into the protection of the Divine-Demon Dao Diagram and shields both Ye Fan and Yan Ruyu during the attack.
• After witnessing Jiang Ming’s familiar techniques, Ye Fan cautiously addresses him as “Big Brother Jiang,” ending the chapter with their recognition.

Chapter Summary: “Evil Dragon Vomiting Blood”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ming, Yan Ruyu, Ye Fan, Old Knife-Hilt, and several other cultivators become trapped inside the Forbidden Zone of the Ancient Mine of Absolute Beginning after the earth veins shift and draw them inward.
• A blood mist and black whirlwind attack the group, killing many cultivators. Jiang Ming and Yan Ruyu survive, while seven others awaken afterward in terror.
• Old Knife-Hilt explains that the group has entered a deadly restricted area where even Holy Masters and Emperor Lords may perish. He reluctantly takes responsibility for leading everyone out.
• After traveling several li, the group encounters a huge ravine resembling an evil dragon. Jiang Ming warns a blue-robed cultivator not to approach it, and demonstrates the danger by throwing in a treasure artifact, which is instantly disintegrated.
• Ye Fan recognizes the terrain through the Origin Heavenly Book. Jiang Ming identifies it as the Fire Dragon Tomb, a terrifying source-terrain formation containing a deadly configuration known as Dragon Spitting Blood or Dragon Vomiting Blood.
• Yan Ruyu and Ye Fan help warn the group away from another dangerous area. They discover a blood-red pool formed by the dragon-shaped terrain, which appears to be the blood vomited by a dead evil dragon.
• As day changes toward night, the formation activates. Blood erupts into the sky, forming a massive blood dragon that fills the ravine and creates a powerful suction force.
• Jiang Ming saves one of the weaker cultivators with a green rope. The survivors flee, finally realizing that the route they are following leads deeper toward the Ancient Mine rather than toward safety.
• Ye Fan questions Jiang Ming about entering the mine in search of opportunities. Jiang Ming bluntly says that entering the Ancient Mine would mean certain death, prompting Ye Fan to realize that Old Knife-Hilt has led them down a dead-end path.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ming remains calm, sarcastic, and confident in dangerous situations. He possesses extensive knowledge of forbidden terrain and repeatedly saves others, though he refuses to take formal responsibility for leading the group. His warnings gradually earn the survivors’ respect.
• Yan Ruyu continues to act as Jiang Ming’s perceptive companion. Using the Heavenly Emperor Qi-Gazing Art, she detects the ominous black qi surrounding the terrain and helps warn the others of danger.
• Ye Fan recognizes Jiang Ming but initially does not openly acknowledge him. His knowledge of the Source Heavenly Master Art allows him to identify the deadly formations. His confidence collapses once he realizes the group is moving toward the Ancient Mine and that there is no genuine escape route.
• Old Knife-Hilt shifts from an experienced guide to an anxious and reluctant leader. He recognizes that his own abilities are insufficient inside the Forbidden Zone and begins relying on Jiang Ming, Yan Ruyu, and Ye Fan.
• The surviving cultivators become fearful and submissive after witnessing the forbidden zone’s power. Those saved by Jiang Ming express gratitude and promise to stop acting recklessly.

Significant Themes

• Nature’s overwhelming power: The terrain itself becomes a deadly force, showing that forbidden zones can kill powerful cultivators without requiring a visible enemy.
• Knowledge versus strength: Jiang Ming, Ye Fan, and Yan Ruyu survive largely because they can recognize dangerous formations, while brute force offers little protection.
• False hopes and misjudgment: The group entered the region expecting adventure or opportunity but instead found a path toward certain death.
• Fortune and calamity: Jiang Ming observes that Ye Fan’s great fortune may bring misfortune to those around him, allowing him to gain benefits while others are drawn into danger.
• Mortality and helplessness: Even powerful figures must flee from the Dragon Vomiting Blood formation, emphasizing the limits of cultivation before ancient forbidden phenomena.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ming dismisses Ye Fan’s attempt to identify him, despite their previous cooperation in the Desolate Forbidden Land.
• Jiang Ming and Yan Ruyu communicate through voice transmissions and coordinate their understanding of the danger.
• Jiang Ming repeatedly warns the other cultivators, especially the blue-robed man, preventing them from approaching lethal terrain.
• Ye Fan confirms Jiang Ming’s warnings using the Origin Heavenly Book and helps guide the group around the formation.
• Old Knife-Hilt looks to Jiang Ming and Yan Ruyu for salvation, though Jiang Ming deliberately avoids becoming the group’s leader.
• Jiang Ming saves a weak cultivator with his rope, earning gratitude, but cautions that he cannot rescue people who continue to act foolishly.
• Ye Fan privately confronts Jiang Ming about their increasingly dangerous route, only to learn that they are heading toward a dead end rather than toward a genuine opportunity.

Chapter Summary: “A Face of God, a Face of Demon”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Fan, Jiang Ming, Old Knife-Hilt, Yan Ruyu, and the surviving cultivators become trapped by the dangerous Source Terrain Force surrounding the Ancient Mine of Absolute Beginning.
• Jiang Ming explains that Divine Source veins can be corrupted by evil qi, transforming into Evil Source and producing deadly phenomena such as Ghost Mist and Source Vein Killing Forces.
• Ye Fan recalls the Source Heavenly Master Art and begins searching for a way to escape. Jiang Ming knows a safe route through his Heavenly Emperor Qi-Gazing Art and Source Arts, but chooses not to lead immediately, hoping to find valuable treasures such as Phoenix Blood Scarlet Gold.
• Yan Ruyu and Jiang Ming encounter a black-furred humanoid monster. Yan Ruyu attacks its soul with Azure Emperor’s Nine Slashes: Soul Wound, exploiting the weakness common to the mine’s monsters. Jiang Ming finishes it with a Three-Colored Fire Lotus, whose powerful evil-breaking Samadhi True Fire burns the creature to ash.
• Ye Fan takes responsibility for guiding the group and requests Source to break the seal. Most survivors discover that their stored Source has mysteriously vanished, likely swept away by the black evil wind. Old Knife-Hilt contributes what he has, but Ye Fan ultimately supplies a thousand jin of Source himself.
• While Ye Fan works with Source Terrain Force, Jiang Ming secretly establishes a powerful killing formation with the Nine Heavens Ziwei Jade Pagoda as its formation eye.
• Jiang Ming identifies a massive piece of Divine Source containing a living Dao-Severing King. The sealed creature has two heads and eight arms, with one side silver and the other black, resembling a being with “one face of god and one face of demon.”
• Jiang Ming connects this creature to the Primordial Royal Clans and the ancient beings sleeping beneath the Ancient Mine of Absolute Beginning. He also reflects on the mine’s connection to later events involving an Immortal Embryo that eventually becomes an emperor.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ming remains calm, calculating, and powerful. He protects the group while concealing his full abilities and withholding his Source, preferring to conserve resources and seize greater opportunities. His thoughts also reveal his long-term plans for strengthening his weapons and supporting his daughter Tingting.
• Ye Fan demonstrates growing mastery of Source Arts and increased responsibility. Though anxious about the mine’s dangers and suspicious of Jiang Ming’s actions, he steps forward to guide the survivors and personally sacrifices a large amount of Source to save them.
• Yan Ruyu proves her increasing strength and trust in Jiang Ming. She uses her soul-based technique decisively against the black-furred monster and remains closely protected by Jiang Ming’s Seven-Colored Heavenly Net Umbrella.
• Old Knife-Hilt acts generously and practically, offering his own Source when the others are unable to help. He also becomes frustrated by the survivors’ reluctance to sacrifice their remaining resources.
• The surviving cultivators are reduced to frightened, dependent figures. Their loss of Source emphasizes their vulnerability within the Ancient Mine.

Significant Themes

• Danger hidden beneath apparent wealth: The Ancient Mine contains immense Divine Source treasures, but those same veins can become corrupted into deadly Evil Source.
• Knowledge as survival: Mastery of Source Arts, qi-gazing techniques, and awareness of spiritual weaknesses is more valuable than brute force.
• Hidden power and strategic restraint: Jiang Ming deliberately conceals his abilities and resources, balancing immediate rescue against the possibility of obtaining rare treasures.
• The contrast between divinity and monstrosity: The black-furred creature and the two-faced sealed king embody the transformation of powerful beings into corrupted or inhuman forms.
• Ancient forces and future destiny: The mine is linked to Primordial Creatures, sleeping kings, forbidden zones, and major future events in the cultivation world.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ming consults Ye Fan about how to escape, but Ye Fan ultimately becomes the group’s guide when Jiang Ming declines to lead.
• Yan Ruyu and Jiang Ming fight together seamlessly, with her soul attack disabling the monster and his fire destroying it.
• Jiang Ming supports and protects Yan Ruyu, giving her powerful weapons, Divine Source, and guidance, while preventing her from studying Source Arts because of the danger of developing ominous red hair.
• Old Knife-Hilt clashes with the surviving cultivators over their unwillingness to contribute Source, while Ye Fan resolves the crisis by paying the greatest personal cost.
• Ye Fan suspects Yan Ruyu’s identity despite her disguise and views Jiang Ming’s decision to bring her into the mine as characteristic of his reckless, unconventional behavior.

Chapter Summary: “Three-Star Reward”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A two-headed, eight-armed Primordial Creature—a ninth-level Dao-Severing King—awakens beneath the ground.
• Jiang Ming’s preparations activate simultaneously: the Nine Heavens Ziwei Jade Pagoda, Pure Source, and a Star-Guiding Terrain arranged by Ye Fan combine to launch a devastating attack.
• The Primordial Creature is blasted apart and burned to ashes by Nine-Colored Sacred Fire. Jiang Ming receives a three-star system reward: the Gu Insect Black-Patterned Blood Mosquito, which binds itself to his Sea of Bitterness.
• Jiang Ming’s Dao Soldiers recover the remaining Divine Source and the Ziwei Jade Pagoda. His Azure Dragon Totem Deity travels to the Central Plains to seek help from a Saint.
• The destruction of the Evil Source Terrain causes the ground to collapse into a huge abyss, but Jiang Ming and the others escape safely.
• Jiang Ming strengthens his cultivation through the Great Freedom Dao Scripture and reflects on the paradox of Amitabha Buddha: a figure who embodied compassion yet left behind immense destruction in pursuit of immortality.
• Ye Fan leads the group away from the Fire Dragon Tomb. Jiang Ming secretly admits that he “schemed” the Primordial King to death, leaving Ye Fan impressed despite the underhanded methods.
• The group encounters three powerful figures in the Ancient Mine of Absolute Beginning: the Yaoguang Sacred Son, Yao Xi, and the Yaochi Sacred Maiden. Jiang Ming frightens them into fleeing by running away first.
• The group is then mysteriously drawn toward the Ancient Mine. Stellar power pours into the mine, and its terrifying influence begins to affect their emotions and judgment.
• Jiang Ming warns everyone not to look into the mine, comparing it to an abyss that gazes back at those who observe it. One person who attempts to use a Netherworld Eye is injured.
• Ye Fan eventually uses his knowledge of Source Terrain and the Origin Heavenly Book to guide everyone away from the mine. They survive because they never actually enter it.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ming demonstrates his resourcefulness and ruthlessness by killing a powerful Primordial King through preparation, terrain manipulation, and concealed tactics rather than direct combat.
• His cultivation improves after absorbing the benefits of the Great Freedom Dao Scripture. His Nine-Aperture Divine-Demon Dao Embryo and Primordial Chaos Qi become stronger.
• Jiang Ming continues to combine intelligence with mischievous behavior, especially when he tricks the three powerful youths into fleeing.
• Ye Fan remains the group’s practical guide and ultimately solves the crisis involving the Ancient Mine. He is astonished—and somewhat exasperated—by Jiang Ming’s methods.
• Yan Ruyu becomes more trusting of Jiang Ming, following his warning not to observe the Ancient Mine. She also recognizes his dangerous and playful personality.
• Yaochi Sacred Maiden, Yaoguang Sacred Son, and Yao Xi are shown to have advanced significantly in cultivation, though they are caught off guard by Jiang Ming’s deception.
• Old Knife-Hilt reinforces the group’s fear of the Ancient Mine by recalling its terrifying reputation.

Significant Themes

• The duality of good and evil: Jiang Ming reflects on how a single thought can make someone either a Buddha or a demon, using Amitabha Buddha’s compassionate teachings and destructive obsession as an example.
• Cunning versus strength: The chapter emphasizes that intelligence, preparation, and terrain can defeat an opponent far stronger than oneself.
• The danger of forbidden knowledge: Looking into the Ancient Mine invites injury and possibly death, reinforcing the idea that some mysteries are dangerous simply to perceive.
• Survival in hostile environments: The characters must rely on caution, cooperation, and specialized knowledge rather than brute force.
• The unpredictability of fate: The group repeatedly encounters unexpected dangers, including a Primordial King, living figures within the mine region, and mysterious forces pulling them toward the Ancient Mine.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ming secretly explains his victory to Ye Fan, who is impressed but frustrated that Jiang Ming refuses to take the lead.
• Jiang Ming jokes with Yan Ruyu about frightening people, then uses his retreat to scare the three distant figures into fleeing.
• Yan Ruyu follows Jiang Ming’s warning and avoids looking into the Ancient Mine, eventually understanding the wisdom behind his caution.
• Ye Fan and Jiang Ming exchange sarcastic voice transmissions while approaching the mine; Jiang Ming pretends to be too injured to help, while Ye Fan clearly does not believe him.
• The group depends on Ye Fan’s Source Heavenly Master knowledge to escape the Ancient Mine’s influence.

Chapter Summary: “Duan De’s Martial Uncle”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ming, Yan Ruyu, Ye Fan, and several other cultivators finally escape the terrifying vicinity of the Ancient Mine of Absolute Beginning, the most dangerous area within the Forbidden Zone.
• They encounter three “living taboos”: the Yaochi Sacred Maiden, the Yaoguang Sacred Son, and the Yaoguang Sacred Maiden. The group initially panics, assuming the three are pursuing them.
• The situation reverses when the three taboo figures see Jiang Ming’s group and flee in terror, believing they are ghosts or other supernatural beings who survived the Ancient Mine.
• Jiang Ming and Ye Fan deliberately chase them to frighten them in retaliation for nearly causing their deaths. The pursuit forces the three into the dangerous Fallen Phoenix Slope, a natural killing formation.
• Jiang Ming disguises himself as Ji Haoyue, while Yan Ruyu transforms into Ji Ziyue, and they pretend to be old acquaintances of the three fugitives.
• Ye Fan maintains his current identity as “Duan De’s martial uncle,” using the reputation of the infamous grave-robbing Daoist to explain his suspicious behavior.
• After both groups exchange accusations and complaints, they realize the entire conflict was caused by mutual misunderstandings. Their hostility gradually subsides.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ming continues to display his mischievous, fearless, and manipulative nature. He hides his knowledge of the three figures, pursues them for revenge, and quickly invents a false identity to confuse them.
• Ye Fan embraces his ruthless “Ye Hei” temperament, immediately chasing the three sacred figures without hesitation. He also shows caution by avoiding disguises that might expose him or attract unwanted enemies.
• Yan Ruyu supports Jiang Ming’s schemes, calmly transforming into Ji Ziyue and helping maintain the deception despite her normally reserved personality.
• Yaochi Sacred Maiden is shown struggling under immense pressure. She uses the Western Emperor Sealing Heaven Step and a powerful replica of the Immortal Tear Green Gold Pagoda to protect herself and her companions.
• Yaoguang Sacred Son and Sacred Maiden become visibly frightened and exhausted after being trapped in the Ancient Mine. The Sacred Maiden remains especially hostile toward Ye Fan, though she does not recognize him.
• The surviving cultivators who accompany Jiang Ming’s group regain their courage once the danger passes, but quickly become cautious when they realize the identities and power of the three sacred figures.

Significant Themes

• Mutual fear and misunderstanding: Both groups mistake the other for a terrifying supernatural threat, creating a comic reversal in which renowned figures flee from one another.
• Reputation and identity: Ye Fan’s assumed identity as Duan De’s martial uncle and Jiang Ming’s impersonation of Ji Haoyue demonstrate how reputations can shape people’s reactions even without direct proof.
• Danger of forbidden lands: The Ancient Mine and Fallen Phoenix Slope emphasize the deadly, mysterious nature of the Forbidden Zone, where even powerful cultivators are insignificant.
• Revenge through deception: Rather than fighting directly, Jiang Ming and Ye Fan retaliate by psychologically tormenting the three sacred figures.
• Power and survival: The chapter highlights the importance of powerful artifacts, escape techniques, and knowledge of terrain when facing ancient formations and forbidden zones.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ming and Ye Fan argue indirectly over Jiang Ming’s concealed knowledge and his apparent attempt to exploit the situation.
• Jiang Ming and Yan Ruyu cooperate seamlessly in their disguises, presenting themselves as Ji Haoyue and Ji Ziyue.
• Jiang Ming blames the three sacred figures for frightening and endangering his group, while the Yaochi Sacred Maiden realizes that both sides had suffered from the same misunderstanding.
• The Yaoguang Sacred Maiden insults “Duan De’s martial uncle,” unknowingly directing her hostility toward Ye Fan.
• Complaints from the surviving cultivators reveal how terrified they were, helping both sides understand one another and easing the tension between them.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ming, disguised as Ji Haoyue, and Yan Ruyu, disguised as Ji Ziyue, are confronted by the Yaochi and Yaoguang Sacred Maidens and the Yaoguang Sacred Son. They explain that their pursuit was merely to observe the others’ embarrassment after everyone had been frightened in the Ancient Mine of Absolute Beginning.
• Jiang Ming makes a pointed remark about not stealing someone else’s beloved companion, alluding to rumors surrounding the Yaoguang Sacred Maiden’s missing undergarment and her alleged connection with Ye Fan. The exchange creates considerable tension, which Ye Fan quickly defuses by redirecting attention toward escaping the forbidden land.
• The group enters a beautiful but ominous pine forest within the Ancient Mine. Jiang Ming discovers a jade skeleton and retrieves a valuable dragon-shaped Spirit-Communicating Jade, but warns that the area is extremely dangerous because even an Emperor Lord-level cultivator died there.
• Ye Fan, Jiang Ming, Yan Ruyu, Old Knife-Hilt, the seven extras, and the three sacred-land disciples flee. However, the group becomes separated, and Ye Fan, Jiang Ming, and Yan Ruyu find themselves trapped in an apparently endless landscape.
• Black threads begin attacking them with power equivalent to the ninth level of the Dragon Transformation Realm. Yan Ruyu protects the others with the Seven-Colored Heavenly Net Umbrella while Jiang Ming realizes that the area contains a hidden method of survival.
• Jiang Ming urges Ye Fan to use the Origin Heavenly Book. The book resonates with the surrounding Source Art Veins, revealing a path left behind by an ancient Source Heavenly Master.
• Following the activated veins, the trio reaches an ancient temple and learns that the area is the “Saint-Burying Ground,” where numerous Emperor Lords, Holy Masters, a God King, and even Dao-Severing Kings have died.
• The site was created by the Fourth-Generation Heavenly Origin Master, who developed nine supplementary pages beyond the Origin Heavenly Book and sealed a powerful Saint-Burying Killing Array. He deliberately made the place his own grave to avoid bringing late-life ominousness and disaster upon others.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ming remains shameless, provocative, and confident, openly admitting that he chased the others for amusement. Beneath his mockery, however, he proves highly perceptive, quickly recognizing the danger of the forest and identifying the Origin Heavenly Book as their key to survival.
• Yan Ruyu continues to display calm loyalty and practical strength. She maintains her disguise, holds Jiang Ming’s hand to preserve the illusion of being Ji Ziyue, and uses the Seven-Colored Heavenly Net Umbrella to shield both Jiang Ming and Ye Fan.
• Ye Fan acts as the group’s mediator, trying to suppress the conflict caused by Jiang Ming’s insults. He also becomes increasingly dependent on Jiang Ming’s guidance and successfully uses the Origin Heavenly Book to uncover the escape route.
• The Yaoguang Sacred Maiden and Sacred Son become visibly uncomfortable and suspicious because of Jiang Ming’s insinuations about the undergarment incident. Their guarded reactions reveal that the rumors continue to damage their relationships and reputations.
• The Yaochi Sacred Maiden is surprised by the bluntness of Jiang Ming’s disguised Ji Haoyue and recognizes that he is far more provocative than expected.
• Old Knife-Hilt sides with Ye Fan and focuses on survival rather than factional hostility, reinforcing his practical and fearless nature.
• The Fourth-Generation Heavenly Origin Master is introduced through inscriptions and inheritance as a self-sacrificing master who transcended conventional Source Heavenly Master techniques and willingly sealed himself in the forbidden ground.

Significant Themes

• Misunderstanding and disguise: Much of the chapter’s humor and tension comes from Jiang Ming and Yan Ruyu impersonating members of the Ji Family while interacting with people who know those identities.
• Humor amid mortal danger: Jiang Ming’s teasing and the awkward undergarment controversy contrast sharply with the deadly environment, creating comic relief without lessening the threat.
• The deceptive beauty of forbidden lands: The tranquil moonlit forest hides a killing formation capable of wearing even supreme experts to death.
• Knowledge as a path to survival: The Origin Heavenly Book and Source Heavenly Master inheritance provide the means to understand and escape the seemingly inescapable terrain.
• Late-life ominousness and responsibility: The Fourth-Generation Heavenly Origin Master’s decision to bury himself reflects the burden carried by powerful cultivators whose decline can bring calamity to their descendants and the wider world.
• Legacy and inheritance: The chapter emphasizes the depth of the Source Heavenly Master lineage, revealing that the Origin Heavenly Book contains only part of its founder’s later achievements.

Important Character Interactions

• Jiang Ming and the Yaoguang Sacred Maiden exchange veiled insults concerning romance and her rumored relationship with Ye Fan.
• Ye Fan repeatedly acts as a peacemaker, interrupting the confrontation and urging everyone to concentrate on escape.
• Yan Ruyu supports Jiang Ming physically and strategically, preserving their disguises while protecting the group.
• Jiang Ming guides Ye Fan in using the Origin Heavenly Book, demonstrating their growing cooperation despite Jiang Ming’s constant mockery.
• The sacred-land disciples follow Jiang Ming and Ye Fan because they believe Duan De’s associates possess unusual survival methods, creating an uneasy alliance amid mutual suspicion.

Chapter Summary: “Late-Life Ominousness”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Fan realizes that practicing the Source Heavenly Master Art can cause Late-Life Ominousness, marked by terrifying phenomena such as growing red hair. Jiang Ming points out that Ye Fan’s Desolate Ancient Sacred Body may suffer the same fate, telling him to “fight poison with poison.”
• After studying the Fourth-Generation Heavenly Origin Master’s inheritance, Ye Fan obtains a green turtle shell, an ominous object containing the remnants of a powerful corpse. Jiang Ming warns him not to tamper with it, and Ye Fan decides to keep it as a final weapon or deterrent.
• The group discovers that the Fourth-Generation Heavenly Origin Master sealed himself within a natural Saint-Burying Ground, using the local source veins and the Nefarious Dragon Blood-Vomiting Formation to create a Coffin Formation.
• Ye Fan again sees the mysterious red hair, reinforcing his fear of the ominous fate awaiting Source Heavenly Masters. Jiang Ming remains confident, claiming he will become a Great Emperor and eliminate the source of the curse.
• After leaving the forbidden pine forest, the group gives an unconvincing explanation that they entered the danger zone to save everyone else. The survivors remain suspicious but do not press them.
• The Yaochi Sacred Maiden identifies the turtle shell as a form of Divine Turtle Longevity Source, likely once containing a sentient Saint Spirit. Yan Ruyu senses that it holds an extremely ominous, decayed corpse, possibly connected to a fallen Quasi-Emperor.
• Later, the group encounters a seemingly innocent winged child with golden Double Pupils. Li Desheng’s Netherworld Eye reveals that the child is actually associated with a massive monster.
• The monster transforms into a powerful blue-faced creature with bone wings. Jiang Ming disguises himself as Ji Haoyue using the Seventy-Two Transformations and fights alongside the Yaoguang Sacred Son.
• Jiang Ming uses Ji Haoyue’s characteristic great-moon phenomenon and Azure Sea Tidebirth, while the Yaoguang Sacred Son employs the Primal Holy Light Technique. Together, they defeat the monster after it reaches the strength of the sixth transformation of the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm.
• Old Knife-Hilt warns that the monster was only a minor servant and that they have entered the sleeping ground of even more terrifying beings. The group immediately flees.

Character Developments

• Ye Fan: Becomes more resigned to the possibility of Late-Life Ominousness but remains practical and cautious. He keeps the turtle shell as a dangerous trump card and grows increasingly hostile toward the Ji Family, except for Ji Ziyue.
• Jiang Ming: Continues to use humor and blunt “comfort” to ease Ye Fan’s worries. He demonstrates extraordinary combat ability and deception, disguising himself as Ji Haoyue while deliberately displaying only limited strength. He also appears intent on causing trouble for the Ji Family.
• Yan Ruyu: Shows greater understanding of the dangers associated with the Source Heavenly Master Art. Her Heavenly Emperor Qi-Gazing Art detects the terrible nature of the red hair and the corpse sealed within the turtle shell.
• Yaoguang Sacred Son: Reveals formidable combat power, likely possessing a Primal Holy Light Body and strength around the Six Prohibitions. His attack power is comparable to high-level Emperor- or Great Saint-derived techniques.
• Yaochi Sacred Maiden: Demonstrates extensive knowledge by identifying the turtle shell and immediately recognizing its danger.
• Old Knife-Hilt: Remains the group’s cautious guide, repeatedly urging everyone to leave the Forbidden Zone before encountering stronger monsters.

Significant Themes

• Fate and ominous destiny: The Source Heavenly Master Art and the Desolate Ancient Sacred Body both carry the threat of terrifying late-life calamities. The characters must accept dangers that cannot easily be avoided.
• Knowledge versus danger: Understanding ancient inheritances grants power but also exposes practitioners to curses, forbidden secrets, and mysterious consequences.
• Deception and hidden strength: Jiang Ming conceals his true abilities behind transformations and carefully controlled combat power, while the apparently innocent winged child masks a monstrous reality.
• Survival in forbidden lands: The group repeatedly encounters sealed corpses, ancient formations, and powerful creatures, emphasizing the overwhelming danger of the Forbidden Zone.
• Distrust between factions: Ye Fan’s resentment toward the Ji Family, Jiang Ming’s willingness to exploit Ji Haoyue’s identity, and the group’s suspicion of one another reveal the political tensions underlying their cooperation.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ming bluntly “comforts” Ye Fan about his impending ominous fate, leading Ye Fan to sarcastically accept his advice.
• Jiang Ming warns Ye Fan not to tamper with the turtle shell; Ye Fan initially hesitates but later keeps it as a weapon.
• Yan Ruyu privately informs Jiang Ming of the corpse-like presence inside the shell, and he identifies it as possible Quasi-Emperor corpse qi.
• The Yaochi Sacred Maiden and the other cultivators recoil from Ye Fan after sensing the turtle shell’s danger, while Jiang Ming and Yan Ruyu remain calm.
• Jiang Ming, disguised as Ji Haoyue, cooperates with the Yaoguang Sacred Son to kill the monster. Their combined attack displays both mutual combat ability and Jiang Ming’s skill at imitating Ji Haoyue.
• Ye Fan recognizes Jiang Ming’s ulterior motive in impersonating Ji Haoyue and leaves first when Old Knife-Hilt warns of even greater dangers.

Chapter Summary: The Legacy Left Behind by Emperor Hengyu

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ming and the others flee across the Forbidden Zone of Absolute Beginning after awakening a terrifying gray-furred Primordial Creature. Although Jiang Ming considers killing it for its body, he decides the risk is too great.
• Their escape leads them into the Blood Fiend Grotto, a Death Forbidden Land filled with Supreme Yin and evil energy. Jiang Ming identifies it as the Crimson Moon Grotto, paired with the nearby Fallen Sun Ridge.
• The group discovers that this is the legendary place where Emperor Hengyu refined his Extreme Dao weapon, the Hengyu Furnace. Jiang Ming explains that Hengyu once used the area’s extreme yang fire and even provoked an Ancient Mine Supreme while attempting to draw out the Immortal Emperor.
• Using the Jiang Family’s Eight Deities Savage Force, Jiang Ming activates a hidden arrangement left by Emperor Hengyu. A crimson path appears, leading to an ancient hall marked “Hengyu.”
• A piece of Phoenix Blood Scarlet Gold emerges from the arrangement. The Yaoguang Sacred Son attempts to seize it, but Yan Ruyu intercepts him. Jiang Ming then takes the treasure and knocks the Yaoguang Sacred Son off the protected path with an evolved Void Great Handprint.
• Inside the Hengyu legacy, Jiang Ming receives Emperor Hengyu’s insights into weapon refinement, the Fire Dao, fire control, and related techniques. A black fire seed, left specifically for Hengyu’s descendants, later flies out of the black sun toward Jiang Ming.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ming: Demonstrates his growing knowledge of forbidden lands and his connection to the Jiang Family’s ancestral heritage. He successfully claims the Phoenix Blood Scarlet Gold and begins inheriting Hengyu’s legacy. Though he feels guilty about taking what would have become Ye Fan’s opportunity, he plans to compensate him later.
• Ye Fan: Becomes increasingly reliant on Jiang Ming’s knowledge and lineage connections. He recognizes that Jiang Ming has gained an extraordinary inheritance and protects him while he cultivates. Ye Fan also hopes to obtain the Hengyu Scripture, though he is disappointed.
• Yan Ruyu: Firmly protects Jiang Ming, immediately confronting the Yaoguang Sacred Son when he tries to seize the treasure. Her strength shocks him, especially because her attack reveals the Azure Emperor’s techniques rather than the Ji Family’s methods.
• Yaoguang Sacred Son: Acts opportunistically by attempting to snatch the Phoenix Blood Scarlet Gold. He is overpowered first by Yan Ruyu and then by Jiang Ming, suffering humiliation and being forced away from the crimson path.
• Yaoguang Sacred Maiden: Attempts to defend her fellow disciple but is temporarily hindered by Yan Ruyu’s divine sense. She remains politically composed, arguing that the treasure rightfully belongs to whoever can obtain it.
• Yao Xi and Old Knife-Hilt: Help identify the danger of the Blood Fiend Grotto, with Yao Xi’s Moon Palace cultivation giving her particular sensitivity to its Supreme Yin power.
• Yaochi Sacred Maiden: Recognizes Jiang Ming’s true identity after noticing his techniques and the guidance of the light. Her view of him becomes more complicated: she still remembers his past impropriety, but also learns of his grief and devotion following Smoke Glow Fairy’s death.

Significant Themes

• Ancestral inheritance and destiny: Jiang Ming’s bloodline allows him to activate Emperor Hengyu’s hidden legacy, suggesting that ancient emperors deliberately prepared opportunities for descendants.
• Opportunity and compensation: Jiang Ming takes a treasure that would originally have belonged to Ye Fan’s daughter, creating an ethical tension. His intention to compensate Ye Fan reflects the chapter’s concern with fate, fairness, and altered destinies.
• Power and opportunism: The Yaoguang Sacred Son’s attempt to seize the treasure contrasts with Jiang Ming’s legitimate connection to the legacy, while Yan Ruyu’s intervention highlights loyalty over personal gain.
• The danger of forbidden lands: The Blood Fiend Grotto and the awakened Primordial Creature emphasize that even powerful cultivators must balance greed with caution.
• Reputation and hidden identity: Jiang Ming’s disguise as Ji Haoyue begins to unravel. His techniques, lineage, and behavior allow others—particularly the Yaochi Sacred Maiden—to identify him.

Important Character Interactions

• Jiang Ming and Ye Fan share an understanding based on ancestral ties, hidden opportunities, and mutual reliance.
• Yan Ruyu acts protectively toward Jiang Ming, clashing directly with the Yaoguang Sacred Son and briefly suppressing the Yaoguang Sacred Maiden’s intervention.
• Jiang Ming humiliates the Yaoguang Sacred Son after the attempted theft, while the Yaoguang Sacred Maiden argues that Jiang Ming earned the treasure fairly.
• Ye Fan warns everyone not to disturb Jiang Ming’s cultivation, even threatening to destroy the green turtle and perish alongside the group.
• The Yaochi Sacred Maiden reassesses Jiang Ming after realizing he is the man associated with both her past grievance and the tragic death of Smoke Glow Fairy.

Chapter Summary: Ye Fan: The Crazy Stone

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ming completes the inheritance left by Emperor Hengyu in Fallen Sun Ridge. He gains valuable insights into weapon refinement and improves his control over the Human-Body Furnace True Fire.
• He obtains the Black Sun Fire Seed, a terrifying flame capable of refining even Saints and potentially Great Saints. He plans to use it to refine the Black Lotus Weapon and cultivate his Samadhi True Fire.
• Ye Fan uses his small cauldron, made from Great Luo Silver Gold, to collect flames from the Black Sun. Several cultivators imitate him, but their inferior artifacts melt, leaving them devastated. Yan Ruyu, the Yaoguang and Yaochi Sacred Maidens, and Old Knife-Hilt also successfully obtain some flames.
• Jiang Ming considers the future uses of the Black Sun and Blood Moon, particularly their possible value for his daughter’s constitution. However, he recognizes that the Blood Moon Seed is currently too dangerous and unsuitable for her cultivation.
• The group exits the Forbidden Zone of Absolute Beginning through a blood-red path. The weaker cultivators immediately flee, relieved to have survived.
• Jiang Ming warns Ye Fan to leave because a major conflict is about to erupt over the valuable treasures obtained inside the forbidden zone. He specifically cautions Ye Fan that others may target his precious cauldron.
• The Yaoguang Sacred Son approaches Jiang Ming, politely requesting an exchange for the Phoenix Blood Scarlet Gold. Yao Xi and the Yaochi Sacred Maiden also express interest in seeing or obtaining the immortal metal.
• Ye Fan steps forward to distract and block Yao Xi, while Yan Ruyu positions herself against the Yaochi Sacred Maiden. The situation develops toward a confrontation surrounding Jiang Ming’s treasure.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ming grows more confident in his mastery of fire and weapon refinement. His success in obtaining the Black Sun Fire Seed greatly strengthens his future plans for refining weapons and cultivating inner flames.
• Ye Fan demonstrates increased cultivation and confidence after obtaining the Western Emperor Scripture. He believes he can confront Yao Xi and willingly places himself between her and Jiang Ming, showing both loyalty and strategic boldness.
• Yan Ruyu continues to act as Jiang Ming’s closest ally. She calmly steps forward to face the Yaochi Sacred Maiden, reflecting her strength, composure, and willingness to protect Jiang Ming.
• The Yaoguang Sacred Son is revealed to have secretly reached the first stage of the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm. His polite behavior conceals ambition and deep confidence, and he appears unwilling to abandon the opportunity to seize or trade for Jiang Ming’s treasure.
• The Yaochi Sacred Maiden remains outwardly restrained but harbors resentment toward Jiang Ming because of their earlier encounter. Her interest in the Phoenix Blood Scarlet Gold also gives her an excuse to challenge him.
• Yao Xi recognizes Ye Fan’s shameless smile as belonging to the thief who once stole her undergarments, causing her hostility toward him to resurface immediately.

Significant Themes

• Treasure and danger: The chapter emphasizes that extraordinary treasures attract deadly conflict. The Black Sun flames and Phoenix Blood Scarlet Gold are powerful enough to change the balance between major factions.
• Preparation and long-term cultivation: Jiang Ming is already planning how to combine the Black Sun, Blood Moon, and Fire Tree into a broader cultivation system, showing the importance of foresight in the pursuit of power.
• Hidden strength: Several characters conceal their true cultivation or abilities. The Yaoguang Sacred Son’s secret breakthrough demonstrates that appearances and public reputations cannot be trusted.
• Loyalty and protection: Ye Fan and Yan Ruyu both place themselves between Jiang Ming and his potential enemies, reinforcing the bonds formed through shared danger.
• Reputation and past grudges: Previous encounters—particularly Ye Fan’s theft from Yao Xi and Jiang Ming’s battle with the Yaochi Sacred Maiden—continue to shape present relationships and intensify the coming confrontation.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ming warns Ye Fan privately about the approaching battle and the danger of displaying his valuable cauldron.
• Ye Fan offers to lure Yao Xi away, provoking her by using the same flirtatious manner associated with his past theft from her.
• The Yaoguang Sacred Son approaches Jiang Ming with apparent courtesy, proposing an exchange for the Phoenix Blood Scarlet Gold while likely testing Jiang Ming’s strength.
• The Yaochi Sacred Maiden attempts to pressure Jiang Ming into revealing the immortal metal, but Yan Ruyu steps in to confront her.
• The chapter ends with the major figures facing one another, as old grudges, competing interests, and concealed strength make a battle increasingly likely.

Chapter Summary: Ye Fan: Now We’re Screwed

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yaoguang Sacred Son suspects Jiang Ming has cultivated the Heaven Devouring Demon Art and inherited the Ruthless Empress’s legacy. Jiang Ming’s rapid rise and survival against the Lightning Bird seem impossible by normal standards, strengthening Yaoguang’s suspicion.
• Yaoguang develops killing intent toward Jiang Ming, hoping to obtain his mysterious origin and power. Jiang Ming senses these thoughts through Mind-Reading and recognizes Yaoguang as a potential enemy.
• Two terrifying corpse-monsters—one covered in gray hair and the other in white hair—appear at the edge of the Forbidden Zone of Absolute Beginning. They are former Dao-Severing Kings corrupted after death into Furry Zombies.
• Rather than retreating quietly, Jiang Ming deliberately provokes the monsters, ordering Yaoguang to deal with one of them and mocking them as cowards. Ye Fan is horrified and concludes that remaining near Jiang Ming is extremely dangerous.
• Jiang Ming lures the monsters far away from the forbidden zone while repeatedly testing their strength with stones and boulders. The attacks reveal that the zombies still retain much of their former King-level power.
• Yan Ruyu remains confident because she possesses an Emperor Armament, which cannot be used inside the restricted zone but can be unleashed once they are sufficiently far away.
• Ye Fan flees separately but encounters groups from the Yaoguang Sacred Land, Yaochi Sacred Land, and Jiang Family searching for missing figures. The Jiang Family has issued public bounties against the Yaoguang and Ji families, reflecting its renewed strength and hostility.
• The Yaochi and Yaoguang groups learn that the monsters have escaped the forbidden zone and begin fleeing. The zombies, enraged by the presence of many living cultivators, split up and charge toward the Yaoguang and Yaochi forces.
• Jiang Ming decides the distance is now sufficient and instructs Yan Ruyu to protect herself while he attempts to preserve the monsters’ bodies for later use. The three powerful Dao protectors finally arrive, though they had previously been unable to intervene because of the red mist and black gale within the forbidden zone.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ming: Reveals his confidence, recklessness, and tactical intelligence. He uses provocation to control the monsters’ movements, tests their abilities, and plans to capture their intact corpses rather than simply destroy them.
• Yaoguang Sacred Son: His pride and suspicion deepen into hostility toward Jiang Ming. Despite his desire to appear powerful, he immediately recognizes the danger of the corpse-monsters and flees.
• Ye Fan: Becomes increasingly fearful of Jiang Ming’s behavior and decides that staying near him is too dangerous. His repeated reactions provide comic relief while highlighting Jiang Ming’s alarming personality.
• Yan Ruyu: Remains composed and confident because of her Emperor Armament. She trusts that, outside the forbidden zone, its power will give her overwhelming protection.
• Yaochi Sacred Maiden: Shows concern for her fellow disciples and urgently warns them to flee. Her calm, elegant image contrasts with Jiang Ming’s chaotic provocation.
• Old Knife-Hilt: Abandons his plans to profit from the situation after witnessing Jiang Ming’s madness, confirming Jiang Ming’s reputation as an unpredictable figure.
• Jiang Family: Its renewed confidence and influence are emphasized through the public bounties, supported by the emergence of powerful members from God-King Jiang Taixu’s lineage.

Significant Themes

• Power and paranoia: Jiang Ming’s unnatural rise causes powerful figures like Yaoguang Sacred Son to suspect him, even without definitive proof.
• Recklessness versus caution: Jiang Ming deliberately courts danger, while Ye Fan, Yaoguang, and Old Knife-Hilt prioritize survival and retreat.
• The influence of forbidden zones: The Ancient Mine and Forbidden Zone of Absolute Beginning remain sources of supernatural corruption, terrifying monsters, and unpredictable threats.
• Political rivalry: The Jiang Family’s bounty notices demonstrate the escalating conflict between major sacred lands and ancient families.
• Confidence in overwhelming power: Yan Ruyu’s reliance on the Emperor Armament illustrates how possession of an Extreme Dao weapon changes one’s attitude toward danger.
• Humor amid crisis: Jiang Ming’s taunts and Ye Fan’s panic create a comedic contrast with the genuinely lethal threat posed by the zombies.

Character Interactions

• Yaoguang’s hidden suspicion and killing intent toward Jiang Ming are detected through Jiang Ming’s Mind-Reading.
• Jiang Ming mocks the two zombies and sarcastically assigns the gray one to Yaoguang Sacred Son, prompting Yaoguang to flee.
• Jiang Ming coordinates with Ye Fan and Yan Ruyu, ordering them to run while he draws the monsters away.
• Ye Fan repeatedly reacts in alarm to Jiang Ming’s provocations and ultimately separates from the group.
• The Yaochi Sacred Maiden warns her fellow disciples through the Heavenly Sound Art, while Yaoguang Sacred Son similarly alerts his own followers.
• Jiang Ming privately instructs Yan Ruyu to avoid using the Emperor Armament offensively and preserve the zombies’ bodies, revealing his intention to exploit them after the battle.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• After the blood mist and black wind dissipate, the Yaoguang Sacred Son, Yaoguang Sacred Maiden, and Yaochi Sacred Maiden disappear.
• A gray-furred corpse monster attacks the Yaoguang Sacred Land’s disciples, forcing the Yaoguang Sacred Son’s hidden protector—a powerful elder surrounded by 108 divine halos—to reveal himself.
• Jiang Ming recognizes that the monster is not a true King and decides that capturing both “Furry Zombies” is too difficult. He chooses to seize one instead.
• Using twelve demonic formation flags, Jiang Ming seals the monster inside a black-mist formation. Seven King-tier skeletons and three Yaochi corpses restrain it.
• Jiang Ming enters his Divine Spirit Transformation, greatly increasing his power. He uses Azure Emperor’s Nine Slashes to attack the monster’s weak spiritual awareness, destroying its consciousness.
• He then seals the weakened monster inside the Divine-Demon Dao Diagram, guarded by seven Fire-Element Dao Soldiers.
• The transformation severely drains Jiang Ming’s vital essence, but the Divine Source in his Sea of Bitterness rapidly restores most of his strength.
• Jiang Ming and Yan Ruyu prepare to leave while the Gray Corpse retreats toward the Forbidden Zone of Absolute Beginning.
• Several powerful figures arrive to hunt the Yaoguang Sacred Son and Sacred Maiden for a promised King-Tier Divine Weapon: Jiang Yi, Tu Tian, and another sinister black-feathered old monster.
• Jiang Ming deliberately provokes the retreating Gray Corpse, drawing it back toward the chaotic battlefield.
• Observers identify Jiang Ming despite his disguise as Ji Haoyue. Ye Fan, disguised as a Daoist priest, reveals his identity to the Jiang Family disciples.
• Jiang Yi accepts that the disguised man is Jiang Ming, praising his notorious recklessness and madness.
• The Yaochi Sacred Maiden’s protector also appears to defend her amid the turmoil, while the region around the Forbidden Land becomes increasingly chaotic.

2. Character Developments

• Jiang Ming demonstrates growing confidence and tactical sophistication. Rather than recklessly confronting a superior monster, he uses formations, corpse soldiers, spiritual attacks, and sealing techniques to neutralize it.
• His Divine Spirit Transformation is revealed to be extremely powerful, incorporating the Twelve Earthly Branches, the Five-Colored Dao Diagram, nine violet-gold dragons, and the Azure Emperor’s techniques. However, it consumes a substantial portion of his vital essence.
• Jiang Ming’s cultivation continues to develop through his Dao Palace and Four Extremes foundations. His awakened Vermilion Bird Dao Spirit grants him access to destructive flame-based power.
• Yan Ruyu remains Jiang Ming’s close companion and beloved, openly associated with him despite the dangers surrounding them.
• Jiang Yi is characterized as bold, greedy for the promised reward, and highly supportive of Jiang Ming. He views Jiang Ming’s recklessness as a family trait.
• Ye Fan continues operating undercover, disguising himself as a Daoist and blending into the Jiang Family’s group.
• The various protectors of the sacred lands are forced to expose themselves, emphasizing the seriousness of the developing conflict.

3. Significant Themes

• Strategy over brute force: Jiang Ming succeeds through preparation, formations, spiritual attacks, and coordinated corpse soldiers rather than direct combat.
• The danger and cost of power: His transformation allows him to defeat the monster, but it consumes nearly one-third of his vital essence and drains his internal divine support.
• Chaos and opportunism: The disappearance of the sacred heirs and the bounty on their heads attract numerous powerful figures, turning the area into a battlefield.
• Identity and disguise: Jiang Ming impersonates Ji Haoyue, while Ye Fan disguises himself as a Daoist. Their true identities become a source of observation and speculation.
• Family loyalty and reputation: Jiang Yi’s immediate belief that the reckless figure must be Jiang Ming highlights Jiang Ming’s established reputation for madness, while his family and allies continue to support him.
• Corruption and spiritual weakness: The Gray Corpse’s body is formidable, but its newly formed, chaotic spiritual awareness is vulnerable, showing that physical strength does not eliminate inner weaknesses.

4. Character Interactions

• Jiang Ming clashes indirectly with the Yaoguang Sacred Land’s protector while targeting the gray corpse monster.
• He works alongside his own skeleton and corpse soldiers to restrain and seal the monster.
• Jiang Ming and Yan Ruyu coordinate their escape as the battlefield expands.
• Jiang Ming provokes the Gray Corpse, exploiting its hatred and unstable mind.
• Jiang Yi, Tu Tian, and the black-feathered old monster gather to pursue the Yaoguang figures, motivated by the Jiang Family’s reward.
• Ye Fan interacts with Jiang Family disciples while concealed, revealing Jiang Ming’s true identity through conversation.
• Jiang Yi praises Jiang Ming and approves of his relationship with Yan Ruyu, while the Yaochi protector focuses on safeguarding the endangered Yaochi Sacred Maiden.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ming decisively defeats and refines the Gray Corpse in the Forbidden Zone of Absolute Beginning. In his demonic second form, he uses the Twelve Demon God Banners, Water-Element Dao Soldiers, demonic phantoms, and the Hengyu Scripture’s Six Desires Refining the Heart technique to destroy the corpse’s consciousness.
• He stores the remaining spirituality in his Divine-Demon Dao Diagram, planning to refine the corpse into a Poison-Element Dao Soldier.
• After leaving the forbidden zone, Jiang Ming is identified by Ye Fan as an expert in Source Arts and sealing techniques. Ye Fan directs the Yaochi Sacred Maiden to Jiang Ming rather than helping her himself.
• Jiang Ming attempts to slip away with Yan Ruyu while attacking the fleeing Yaoguang Sacred Son and provoking conflict between Yaoguang Sacred Land and the Ji Family. The Yaoguang Sacred Son escapes using a Jade Teleportation Platform.
• Jiang Ming explains to Yan Ruyu why the Yaoguang Sacred Son and Hua Yunfei are dangerous because of their connections to the Ruthless Emperor’s legacy and the Heaven Devouring Demon Art. He intends to watch whether they preserve their humanity or become threats.
• Jiang Ming and Yan Ruyu openly affirm their attachment, with Yan Ruyu promising to remain by his side.
• He gives Yan Ruyu the Hengyu Scripture’s fire-control technique, a Golden Lotus Sacred Flame seed, a Lotus Lantern imprint, and valuable materials so she can eventually forge her own Lotus Lantern Dao Soldier.
• Crow Daoist arrives after killing a Supreme Great Ability from Yaoguang Sacred Land. Jiang Ming rewards him with ten drops of Thunder Tribulation Liquid for supporting Yan Ruyu and standing with him.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ming displays increasing mastery of both demonic techniques and Emperor-level inheritances. He is ruthless toward enemies but generous toward allies, rewarding Crow Daoist and strengthening Yan Ruyu rather than keeping all resources for himself.
• Yan Ruyu becomes more closely aligned with Jiang Ming emotionally and politically. She accepts his guidance, receives major cultivation opportunities, and agrees to stay with him. Her future path begins to shift toward refining a personal Dao Soldier.
• Ye Fan shows his usual cleverness and self-preservation by redirecting the Yaochi Sacred Maiden’s request to Jiang Ming, avoiding involvement in a potentially troublesome relationship.
• Yaoguang Sacred Son is portrayed as cautious and calculating. He refuses to fight while surrounded by powerful enemies, escapes, and privately vows revenge once his strength becomes sufficient.
• Crow Daoist further confirms his loyalty to Yan Ruyu and the Demon Race. He recognizes Jiang Ming’s extraordinary potential and accepts Jiang’s gift despite initially intending to refuse it.
• Yaochi Sacred Maiden remains connected to Jiang Ming through their complicated past and is interested in his knowledge of sealing techniques.

Significant Themes

• Power balanced by restraint: Jiang Ming has the strength to kill the Yaoguang Sacred Son but chooses to observe him, reserving judgment based on whether he harms innocents.
• Loyalty and reciprocity: Jiang Ming repays Crow Daoist for his support and invests heavily in Yan Ruyu’s future, emphasizing the value of allies and personal bonds.
• The danger of inherited evil: The Yaoguang Sacred Son and Hua Yunfei represent the threat of powerful demonic inheritances corrupting their wielders, while Jiang Ming questions whether they can retain their original Dao hearts.
• Longevity and companionship: Jiang Ming fears reaching the end of the cultivation path with everyone he knows gone, making his emotional commitment to Yan Ruyu especially significant.
• Legacy and lost history: The chapter reflects on Emperor Hengyu, imperial descendants, Emperor Armaments, and the destruction caused by the Dark Cataclysm.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ming and Yan Ruyu grow more intimate as he warns her about dangerous cultivators and asks whether she will remain with him; she agrees, and they embrace.
• Ye Fan deliberately pushes the Yaochi Sacred Maiden toward Jiang Ming, exploiting their prior connection and avoiding trouble himself.
• Jiang Ming taunts the Yaoguang Sacred Son through Ji Haoyue, attempting to create distrust between Yaoguang Sacred Land and the Ji Family.
• Jiang Ming instructs Yan Ruyu in cultivation and gives her resources for refining a personal Lotus Lantern Dao Soldier.
• Crow Daoist respectfully acknowledges Yan Ruyu as the Demon Race’s princess and exchanges words with Jiang Ming before accepting the Thunder Tribulation Liquid.

Chapter Summary: Ye Fan Successfully Passed the Buck

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yan Ruyu leaves to enter seclusion after receiving a large fragment of Divine Source from Jiang Ming. His reminder about the Lotus Lantern convinces her that this is an important opportunity. Crow Daoist accompanies her as her protector, fulfilling his promise to guard her for ten years.
• Jiang Ming rewards Jiang Yi and Tu Tian, who supported him, with ten drops of Thunder Tribulation Liquid each.
• Jiang Yi discusses Jiang Ming’s grandfather, Jiang Zhe, revealing that Jiang Zhe died more than fifty years earlier. Jiang Yi suspects he may have fallen while attempting to force a breakthrough into the Dao-Severing Realm. He also reveals that Jiang Zhe’s son, Jiang Tang, cannot cultivate.
• Feeling unable to offer Jiang Ming an appropriate gift, Jiang Yi gives him two pieces of Golden Divine Source instead. Jiang Ming accepts without making him uncomfortable.
• The Yaochi Sacred Maiden arrives and asks Jiang Ming for help using the Sixfold Immortal-Sealing Technique on nine mysterious stone fragments kept by Yaochi Sacred Land.
• Jiang Ming teases her by revealing that he knows her private name, Tao Yaoyao, secretly using his Mind-Reading ability. She quickly deduces how he learned it.
• The Yaochi Sacred Maiden explains that Duan De’s martial uncle recommended Jiang Ming after refusing to assist her himself. Jiang Ming realizes that Ye Fan—or the people connected to him—has effectively vouched for his expertise in Source Arts, despite Jiang Ming never publicly revealing that ability.
• Jiang Ming, the Yaochi Sacred Maiden, her protector, Jiang Yi, and Tu Tian travel to a Yaochi estate in Source City to examine the stones.
• At the estate, Jiang Ming uses the Heavenly Emperor Qi-Gazing Art and then his Double Pupils to inspect the stone fragments. He determines that at least two pieces contain dangerous auras connected to the Forbidden Land of Absolute Beginning. He also concludes that they are fragments broken from a larger stone material.

Character Development

• Jiang Ming becomes increasingly confident in his abilities and status. He openly dismisses the need for protection and believes he can survive even powerful enemies through his refined Divine-Demon Dao Soldier and strategic abilities.
• His mischievous, shameless personality is emphasized through his flirtatious teasing of the Yaochi Sacred Maiden and his private mockery of Jiang Yi and Tu Tian.
• Yan Ruyu is shown as decisive and ambitious. Her immediate return to seclusion reflects her eagerness to pursue the opportunity connected to the Lotus Lantern.
• Crow Daoist demonstrates loyalty by continuing to protect Yan Ruyu.
• Jiang Yi is portrayed as blunt, emotional, and generous despite his poverty. His memories reveal grief over Jiang Zhe’s death and sympathy for the misfortunes of Jiang Zhe’s descendants.
• The Yaochi Sacred Maiden displays intelligence, honesty, and caution. Although embarrassed by Jiang Ming’s teasing, she recognizes his value and approaches him for help with a serious matter.
• Jiang Yi and Tu Tian remain shameless and comic, insisting on accompanying Jiang Ming partly to observe the Yaochi experts and broaden their “horizons.”
• The Yaochi protector is revealed to be highly accomplished but inwardly disdainful of Jiang Yi and Tu Tian’s romantic interest, considering them unsuccessful and foolish.

Significant Themes

• Family legacy and loss: Jiang Ming learns more about his grandfather Jiang Zhe and the painful history of his family, including rebellion, failed ambitions, and Jiang Tang’s inability to cultivate.
• Trust and reputation: Jiang Ming benefits from the recommendation of Duan De’s martial uncle, demonstrating how reputation and indirect alliances open doors even when his abilities remain concealed.
• Hidden powers and perception: Mind-Reading, the Heavenly Emperor Qi-Gazing Art, and Double Pupils allow Jiang Ming to perceive secrets, inner thoughts, and dangers invisible to others.
• Humor amid danger: The chapter balances serious mysteries involving the Forbidden Land of Absolute Beginning with Jiang Ming’s teasing, internal sarcasm, and the antics of Jiang Yi and Tu Tian.
• The mystery of forbidden relics: The stone fragments carry ominous auras and appear connected to an ancient, dangerous source, setting up a potentially significant future discovery.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ming and Yan Ruyu share a respectful mentor-like relationship, with Jiang Ming encouraging her cultivation and Yan Ruyu trusting his guidance.
• Jiang Ming and Jiang Yi bond over their shared family connection, though Jiang Yi’s grief and embarrassment create an emotional undercurrent.
• Jiang Ming teases the Yaochi Sacred Maiden about her private name, creating a flirtatious but tense dynamic. She is embarrassed yet continues to rely on him.
• Jiang Ming internally mocks Jiang Yi and Tu Tian for pursuing the Yaochi protector, while the protector privately dismisses them.
• The Yaochi Sacred Maiden treats Jiang Ming as a capable expert and seeks his cooperation, marking a shift from suspicion to practical alliance.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ming examines nine massive stone fragments belonging to Yaochi Sacred Land. Using his powerful vision, he determines that all nine came from a single original stone from the Forbidden Land of Absolute Beginning. The stones are dangerous but may contain extraordinary opportunities.
• The Yaochi Sacred Maiden asks Jiang Ming to visit Yaochi in two years and help seal seven similar stones. Jiang Ming agrees, explaining that he first needs to strengthen his cultivation and break through into the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm.
• During their farewell, Jiang Ming interprets her intended high-five as a handshake and then embraces her, provoking an angry reaction from a Yaochi elder. Jiang Yi and Tu Tian awkwardly defend his behavior as a “friendly gesture.”
• Jiang Ming reflects on the Jiang Family’s shameless tradition of pursuing Sacred Maidens, invoking the examples of Jiang Taixu and Fairy Caiyun. The chapter humorously presents romance, descendants, and family prosperity as part of the family’s “custom.”
• Jiang Ming leaves to cultivate in the Yaochi Ruins. His immediate goals are to refine two Cursed Dao Soldiers, produce more Yaochi Immortal Pool Essence Liquid, and eventually obtain the Heaven-Swallowing Demon Canopy from Duan De.
• While in seclusion, Jiang Ming realizes that the Heaven-Swallowing Demon Canopy may actually be hidden in the Cloudbreak Mountains, inside the broken bowl Duan De uses as camouflage. He decides to intercept Duan De rather than wait for the later underground-palace incident.
• Jiang Ming finishes refining the Cursed Dao Soldiers and continues cultivating. His Black-Patterned Blood Mosquito absorbs cursed essence and advances from roughly the Four Extremes level to the Dragon Transformation level, becoming a dangerous assassination weapon.
• Jiang Ming approaches a breakthrough in both the second level of the Four Extremes Secret Realm and the Great Freedom Dao Scripture, but deliberately postpones it while preparing an ambush for Duan De.
• The chapter ends with news of a major gathering in Chaoyang City, hosted by the Ji Family. The Ji Family is targeting Ye Fan because of his stolen or incomplete Ji Family techniques and his possession of the Myriad Things Mother Qi Cauldron.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ming: Demonstrates increasingly advanced perception, especially through his Fiery Golden Eyes, Double Pupils, and developing Heavenly Eye. He becomes more ambitious and strategic, seeking the Heaven-Swallowing Demon Canopy to stabilize his Fate Pattern. His personality remains bold, shameless, playful, and opportunistic, while his cultivation rapidly approaches major breakthroughs.
• Yaochi Sacred Maiden: Becomes highly pleased and trusting after Jiang Ming correctly identifies the stones and agrees to assist Yaochi. Her friendly interaction with him becomes awkward when he responds with an overly intimate embrace.
• Jiang Yi and Tu Tian: Reveal their familiarity with the Jiang Family’s audacious behavior. Rather than condemn Jiang Ming, they awkwardly rationalize his flirtation and even admire his boldness.
• Duan De: Is established as Jiang Ming’s next major target. His reputation as a cunning grave robber and master of deception motivates Jiang Ming to steal the Heaven-Swallowing Demon Canopy before Duan De can profit from it.
• Hua Yunfei: Is briefly discussed as someone whose mentality has collapsed under the pressure of the Heaven Devouring Demon Art and his entanglement with Li Xiaoman and the Crocodile Ancestor. Jiang Ming remains uncertain about his eventual fate.
• Black-Patterned Blood Mosquito: Evolves significantly through Jiang Ming’s cultivation resources, becoming a crystalline, cursed creature capable of threatening even powerful geniuses through surprise attacks.
• Ye Fan: Remains under growing pressure from the Ji Family, which considers him vulnerable and wants to kill him as a warning to others.

Significant Themes

• Danger and opportunity in ancient treasures: The mysterious stones and the Heaven-Swallowing Demon Canopy represent the rewards and risks hidden within ancient ruins and forbidden lands.
• Cultivation and preparation: Jiang Ming repeatedly postpones action until his cultivation, Dao Scripture, and secret weapons are sufficiently developed.
• Family tradition and shamelessness: The Jiang Family’s “tradition” of pursuing Sacred Maidens is treated comically as both romantic boldness and a duty to preserve the family line.
• Strategic manipulation: Jiang Ming prefers ambushes, disguise-breaking, and obtaining treasures before rivals understand what is happening.
• Destiny and self-determination: Hua Yunfei’s crisis raises the question of whether cultivation inevitably leads to becoming someone else’s tool or whether one can still change one’s fate.
• Rising conflict among major powers: The Ji Family’s pursuit of Ye Fan, the existence of assassin organizations, and the struggles over ancient treasures show that the Northern Region is becoming increasingly dangerous.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ming and the Yaochi Sacred Maiden establish a mutually beneficial agreement over the ancient stones, though his overly familiar farewell creates tension with the Yaochi elder.
• Jiang Yi and Tu Tian humorously support Jiang Ming, connecting his behavior to the family’s historical pursuit of Sacred Maidens.
• Jiang Ming’s past connection with Hua Yunfei is mentioned: while disguised as Dharma Master Sanzang, he discussed the Dao and offered Hua Yunfei subtle guidance.
• Jiang Ming prepares for a future confrontation with Duan De over the Heaven-Swallowing Demon Canopy.
• The Ji Family’s hostility toward Ye Fan sets up the next major conflict, centered on Ye Fan’s knowledge of Ji Family techniques and his possession of the Myriad Things Mother Qi Cauldron.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Fan is being hunted by the Ji Family, Yaoguang Sacred Land, and numerous young cultivators because of his powerful cultivation techniques, including a suspected Emperor Scripture and Madman’s footwork. His bounty has risen to one cubic unit of Source.
• While hiding in Chaoyang City, Ye Fan disguises himself and drinks with Black Emperor. The city is filled with cultivators discussing a campaign against him.
• Jiang Ming arrives disguised as his nephew, Jiang Yichen, riding a formidable Three-Headed Azure Hell Wolf. He joins Ye Fan and Black Emperor after recognizing Ye Fan.
• Jiang Ming privately reveals that he is searching for Duan De, who allegedly stole one of his treasures. Ye Fan realizes Jiang Ming intends to recover it, likely by force.
• After eating, Jiang Ming, Ye Fan, Black Emperor, and the wolf travel to the Cloudbreak Mountains, a beautiful but extremely dangerous region where several former sects were destroyed.
• Jiang Ming releases his Black-Patterned Blood Mosquito to scout for hidden people and begins searching for the Heaven-Swallowing Demon Canopy using his Heavenly Emperor Qi-Gazing Art, Source Arts, and formation knowledge.
• Black Emperor warns everyone not to dig recklessly, revealing that he was once trapped in the mountains for eighteen years. Despite his warnings, Ye Fan and Black Emperor eventually begin exploring as well.

Character Developments

• Ye Fan: Continues to act cautiously under disguise because of the enormous bounty on him. He shows growing familiarity with Jiang Ming’s dangerous reputation and tries to prevent Black Emperor from provoking him. His humor and composure remain intact despite the threat surrounding him.
• Jiang Ming: Demonstrates his eccentricity, power, and ruthlessness. He disguises himself as Jiang Yichen, tames a powerful wolf through brutal methods, and calmly begins investigating a dangerous ruin in pursuit of treasure and revenge against Duan De.
• Black Emperor: Displays his greedy, argumentative nature, immediately considering robbing Jiang Ming for his valuable mount. However, he becomes genuinely fearful when faced with the Cloudbreak Mountains, recalling his eighteen-year imprisonment there.
• Duan De: Does not appear directly, but his reputation as a shameless treasure-seeker and Jiang Ming’s longtime nemesis remains central. Jiang Ming intends to use Duan De’s methods to safely explore the mountains.
• Three-Headed Azure Hell Wolf: Introduced as an exceptionally powerful savage beast with three heads, six eyes, and lightning-and-flame abilities. Though initially fierce, it has been completely subdued by Jiang Ming and behaves like a docile dog.

Significant Themes

• Pursuit and danger: Ye Fan’s growing bounty makes him the target of powerful forces, forcing him to conceal his identity and remain constantly alert.
• Greed and treasure hunting: Nearly every major character is drawn to valuable artifacts, Source, or hidden inheritances, often despite the dangers involved.
• Reputation and deception: Jiang Ming’s disguise, Ye Fan’s false identity, and the rumors surrounding each character show how reputation can be manipulated or used as protection.
• Madness versus caution: Jiang Ming’s reckless boldness contrasts with Black Emperor’s hard-earned fear of the mountains. The chapter questions whether courage, madness, or experience is most useful in dangerous ruins.
• Comedic rivalry: The interactions between Ye Fan and Black Emperor provide humor, especially Ye Fan teasing him for being a dog and Black Emperor reacting violently to the wolf’s judgmental stare.

Character Interactions

• Ye Fan repeatedly mocks Black Emperor, calling attention to his canine nature and comparing him unfavorably to Duan De.
• Black Emperor considers robbing Jiang Ming but is restrained when Ye Fan explains Jiang Ming’s terrifying history and unpredictable temperament.
• Jiang Ming ignores most of Black Emperor’s provocations and focuses on his own objective, creating tension between his seriousness and the pair’s bickering.
• Jiang Ming and Ye Fan communicate secretly through voice transmission, allowing them to recognize each other’s identities while concealing the truth from the surrounding cultivators.
• The chapter ends with all four companions entering the dangerous mountains, united temporarily by the prospect of discovering hidden treasures.

Chapter Summary: Duan De Would Arrive Ahead in Half a Cup of Tea

Key Plot Points and Events

• Over three days, powerful young cultivators from across the Eastern Wasteland gather at the Cloudbreak Mountains. Even those in the Other Shore Realm are cautious, since the weakest arrivals are still considered insignificant compared with the great factions’ geniuses.
• Ye Fan originally came to confront enemies from the Ji Family, Yaoguang Sacred Land, and other factions, but he and Jiang Ming instead focus on locating a hidden inheritance or treasure connected to the Ruthless Empress.
• Jiang Ming identifies the tallest, partially severed peak in the central mountains as the most likely location of the treasure. The mountain contains both immense opportunities and deadly restrictions left by the Ruthless Empress.
• Jiang Ming hires Ye Fan and Black Emperor to help him enter the mountain, giving each a head-sized Divine Source as a deposit and promising three more if they succeed. The Divine Sources contain the aura of a Primordial Dao-Severing King whom Jiang Ming previously killed.
• Ye Fan accepts immediately, while Black Emperor reluctantly agrees after seeing the value of the payment. They formalize the arrangement using a contract made from Golden Jade King Paper.
• Jiang Ming senses the arrival of Duan De, the “dead fatty” and notorious tomb raider, who has been drawn to the mountain by its unusual signs. Jiang Ming realizes Duan De has not yet obtained the Heaven-Swallowing Demon Canopy.
• To prevent the surrounding geniuses from interfering, Jiang Ming orders Ye Fan to drive them away through battle. He and Black Emperor conceal themselves with the Eight Gods Qi-Locking Formation and prepare to use Duan De as a guide through the dangerous area.
• Jiang Ming prepares a small baseball bat forged from Nine Heavens Golden Jade King and enhanced with the God-Beating Stone Treasure Art, intending to knock Duan De unconscious from behind before he can obtain the treasure.
• Jiang Ming promises Black Emperor a fist-sized piece of Nine Heavens Golden Jade King if it helps him acquire the Heaven-Swallowing Demon Canopy.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ming becomes increasingly calculating and proactive. He combines reconnaissance, contracts, concealment formations, and prepared weapons to control the situation before the treasure hunt begins.
• Ye Fan shifts from seeking personal revenge and spoils to cooperating with Jiang Ming. He trusts Jiang Ming’s generosity and sees the agreement as an opportunity to gain enough resources to advance through the Dao Palace Realm.
• Black Emperor remains greedy, suspicious, and opportunistic, but it recognizes Jiang Ming as a valuable collaborator. It is especially tempted by Jiang Ming’s Divine Sources and Nine Heavens Golden Jade King.
• Duan De is introduced as a cautious, heavily equipped tomb raider with powerful geomantic techniques. He has not yet acquired his major treasure, making him Jiang Ming’s intended target.
• Hua Yunfei is discussed as a dangerous figure who cultivates the Heaven Devouring Demon Art and covets powerful physiques such as Ye Fan’s Desolate Ancient Sacred Body. This reinforces the danger Ye Fan faces from talented enemies.
• Pang Bo is mentioned as diligently cultivating in the Dao Palace Realm under the guidance of the old demon within him. His Demon Saint bloodline and compatibility with the Azure Emperor Scripture are emphasized.

Significant Themes

• Resource and opportunity competition: The gathering illustrates how powerful inheritances attract countless ambitious cultivators, while rare resources such as Divine Sources and special physiques can determine advancement.
• Predation and survival: Hua Yunfei’s Heaven Devouring Demon Art and the Black-Patterned Blood Mosquito’s desire to consume Ye Fan and Black Emperor emphasize the brutal logic of cultivation, where powerful origins are treated as nourishment.
• Trust through transactions: Jiang Ming relies on formal contracts and generous payments to secure cooperation, showing that in the cultivation world, practical benefits often matter more than loyalty.
• Preparation versus chance: Jiang Ming carefully studies the mountain’s signs, sets up formations, and prepares a specialized weapon, while Duan De represents the unpredictable adventurer who may stumble into hidden opportunities.
• Humor amid danger: Black Emperor’s jealousy, greed, and instinctive dislike of Duan De provide comic relief against the serious threats surrounding the Ruthless Empress’s inheritance.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ming and Ye Fan establish a mutually beneficial partnership, with Jiang Ming providing resources and Ye Fan agreeing to clear away rival cultivators.
• Jiang Ming and Black Emperor cooperate uneasily but profitably; Black Emperor is impressed by Jiang Ming’s generosity while remaining wary of his eccentric methods.
• The Black-Patterned Blood Mosquito silently covets the blood and origins of both Ye Fan and Black Emperor, but Jiang Ming’s control prevents it from attacking.
• Jiang Ming and Black Emperor recognize Duan De as a potential enemy and temporarily hide together to ambush him.
• Ye Fan’s interaction with the surrounding geniuses is set up for confrontation, as he prepares to defeat those who have come seeking his life and treasures.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ming warns Black Emperor not to be excessively greedy, secretly hoping the dog will cause trouble so he can justifiably harvest its blood for his Black-Patterned Blood Mosquitoes.
• Ye Fan overwhelms the assembled young cultivators, defeating them with ease. He then tries to leave, but Jiang Ming gives him three pieces of Divine Source as payment for helping clear the area.
• Jiang Ming advises Ye Fan to focus on cultivation and lends Black Emperor to himself for the investigation. In exchange, Ye Fan receives a three-headed wolf under Jiang Ming’s control.
• Ye Fan declines Jiang Ming’s implied challenge to test his strength, recognizing that Jiang Ming is still far beyond him. He departs to cultivate and locate Pang Bo.
• Duan De secretly investigates the Cloudbreak Mountains, suspecting they contain an extraordinary hidden secret. Jiang Ming and Black Emperor follow him, aware of his expertise in tombs, formations, and ancient ruins.
• Duan De spends several days breaking through the mountain’s formations. His body proves extraordinarily durable, surprising even Black Emperor.
• Once Duan De opens a hidden tunnel, Jiang Ming and Black Emperor follow him. Black Emperor dismantles Duan De’s anti-tracking traps, demonstrating profound mastery of Formation Dao.
• Inside a seemingly empty stone chamber, Duan De discovers Jiang Ming and Black Emperor following him. He and Black Emperor immediately argue over ownership of the site, with Black Emperor citing an old inscription claiming he discovered and occupied it for eighteen years.
• Their dispute turns physical when Black Emperor bites Duan De, whose protective treasures fail to stop the dog. Meanwhile, Jiang Ming searches the chamber instead of participating in the fight.
• Using several powerful perception techniques, Jiang Ming detects a hidden anomaly behind a wall. He passes through it with the Nine Heavens Ziwei Jade Pagoda and discovers a dusty, damaged bowl.
• Jiang Ming realizes that the bowl conceals one of Ruthless Empress’s Emperor Armaments. He retrieves it, recognizing it as the mysterious bowl and lid associated with the Empress and her hidden legacy.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ming remains calculating, powerful, and opportunistic. He manipulates events to keep Black Emperor under control, deliberately uses Ye Fan’s strength, and searches intelligently rather than relying on brute force.
• Ye Fan demonstrates impressive combat growth by defeating multiple Four Extremes cultivators, but he also recognizes the enormous gap between himself and Jiang Ming. His refusal to accept Jiang Ming’s challenge shows caution and maturity.
• Black Emperor is portrayed as greedy, combative, and highly possessive, yet also extremely capable. His deep knowledge of the site and exceptional Formation Dao skills become crucial to the investigation.
• Duan De displays his usual shamelessness and tomb-robbing expertise, but his astonishing physical durability earns Black Emperor’s respect and astonishment.
• Ruthless Empress never appears directly, but her influence dominates the chapter through the sealed treasures and ancient formations she left behind.

Significant Themes

• Greed and restraint: Jiang Ming’s opening warning establishes the danger of grasping for everything. The chapter repeatedly contrasts greed with calculated patience.
• Strength and humility: Ye Fan’s victories are impressive, but his interaction with Jiang Ming reminds him that he is still at an earlier stage of cultivation.
• Hidden value beneath appearances: The apparently worthless, broken bowl conceals an Emperor Armament, emphasizing that profound treasures may look ordinary.
• Competition and opportunism: Jiang Ming, Black Emperor, and Duan De all try to exploit the same ancient site, creating tension between cooperation and betrayal.
• Ancient legacies: The Cloudbreak Mountains contain traces of powerful historical figures, particularly Ruthless Empress, whose sealed treasures continue to influence the present.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ming verbally warns Black Emperor while privately planning to exploit its inevitable greed.
• Jiang Ming and Ye Fan interact as powerful allies with a mentor-like dynamic: Jiang Ming rewards Ye Fan but bluntly criticizes his insufficient strength.
• Ye Fan avoids provoking Jiang Ming and leaves after accepting the Divine Source.
• Jiang Ming and Black Emperor cooperate in tracking Duan De, with Black Emperor handling formations and serving as the physical counter to the tomb robber.
• Duan De and Black Emperor immediately clash over territorial ownership, trading insults before engaging in a comedic but intense struggle.
• Jiang Ming remains detached from their quarrel, allowing Black Emperor to restrain Duan De while he uncovers the true treasure.

Chapter Summary: Duan De: Jiang Ming, You Again

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Fan travels toward the Azure Flood Dragon King’s Dao Field but is intercepted by a perfected Four Extremes cultivator from the Ji Family, who is pursuing him with the help of the imitation Void Mirror.
• To deceive the pursuers, Ye Fan disguises himself as Jiang Yichen using the Source Heavenly Master Art. The Three-Headed Azure Hell Wolf reinforces the deception by pretending to be Jiang Yichen’s mount.
• Taking advantage of the Ji cultivator’s hesitation, Ye Fan and the wolf attack together. Ye Fan uses the Myriad Things Mother Qi Cauldron to kill the enemy, while the Black-Patterned Blood Mosquito devours the cultivator’s essence. Ye Fan then flees, recognizing that he is still too weak to confront powerful Four Extremes experts directly.
• Meanwhile, Jiang Ming returns to find the Black Emperor fighting with Duan De. The two are evenly matched, with the Black Emperor’s rapidly strengthened body proving exceptionally durable.
• The Black Emperor suggests robbing Duan De. Jiang Ming agrees, citing Duan De’s past actions against Ye Fan and himself, including stealing Ye Fan’s Green Copper Block and selling him to the Demon Race.
• Duan De angrily protests that Jiang Ming has robbed him repeatedly, while Jiang Ming and the Black Emperor openly threaten to take all his treasures.
• Duan De reveals a powerful Purple Tenuity Jade alms bowl, a King-level divine weapon that survived in this altered timeline because Jiang Ming had already taken the Heaven-Swallowing Demon Canopy.
• The confrontation is restrained when Jiang Ming warns that fighting inside the Ruthless Emperor Formation could cause all three of them to be annihilated.
• Jiang Ming leaves the chamber with the Black Emperor, but Duan De follows. Jiang Ming realizes that Duan De may be provoking him because he wants to be struck by Heavenly Tribulation, which could cleanse the death qi accumulated in his body and aid his cultivation.
• The chapter ends with Jiang Ming and the Black Emperor mocking Duan De over whether he can even summon a lightning tribulation after breaking through to the Four Extremes Realm.

Character Developments

• Ye Fan: Demonstrates greater cunning and adaptability by using disguise and deception rather than confronting a superior enemy directly. His successful ambush confirms his resourcefulness, but his escape also emphasizes his awareness that his current strength remains insufficient.
• Jiang Ming: Continues acting as a powerful protector of Ye Fan while openly exploiting and intimidating his enemies. He is confident enough to threaten Duan De, yet cautious about the dangers of the Emperor Formation.
• Duan De: Remains greedy, argumentative, and resentful toward Jiang Ming, but his actions reveal a deeper cultivation purpose. He may be deliberately seeking tribulation lightning to refine his body and remove lingering death qi.
• Black Emperor: Has grown rapidly to roughly Dao Palace-level strength and becomes an enthusiastic partner in robbing Duan De. Its loyalty to Ye Fan gives it a moral justification for its otherwise shameless behavior.
• Three-Headed Azure Hell Wolf: Despite being considered weak by Jiang Ming and others, it contributes decisively to Ye Fan’s ambush and fulfills its role as his escort.
• Yan Ruyu and Jiang Ming’s relationship: Jiang Ming’s plans remain focused on helping Yan Ruyu transform her physique and origin so she can eventually compete with the Primordial Imperial Clan’s younger generation.

Significant Themes

• Strength versus strategy: Ye Fan survives not through superior cultivation but through disguise, deception, teamwork, and the overwhelming weight of his divine weapon.
• Protection and retaliation: Jiang Ming and the Black Emperor frame their robbery of Duan De as punishment for his mistreatment of Ye Fan, blending genuine loyalty with opportunistic greed.
• Cultivation through tribulation: The chapter highlights the relationship between destruction and renewal. For Duan De, lightning is both a danger and a means of cleansing death qi and strengthening his body.
• Altered fate and timeline: Several events differ from the original course of history, such as Duan De retaining his Purple Tenuity Jade bowl because Jiang Ming obtained the Heaven-Swallowing Demon Canopy first.
• Comedic rivalry amid danger: The exchanges between Jiang Ming, Duan De, and the Black Emperor provide humor through insults, accusations, and attempted robbery, even while the characters operate in highly dangerous locations.

Important Character Interactions

• Ye Fan and the Ji Family: Ye Fan deceives and ambushes the pursuing cultivator, assisted by the Three-Headed Azure Hell Wolf and the Black-Patterned Blood Mosquito.
• Jiang Ming and Duan De: Their long-standing feud resurfaces, with Duan De accusing Jiang Ming of repeatedly robbing him and Jiang Ming justifying his actions as revenge.
• Jiang Ming and the Black Emperor: They form a temporary alliance against Duan De, with the Black Emperor enthusiastically supporting Jiang Ming’s threats.
• Duan De and the Black Emperor: Their mutual insults escalate the conflict, especially after the Black Emperor calls Duan De a grave robber and “dead fatty.”
• Jiang Ming and Duan De regarding tribulation: Jiang Ming recognizes Duan De’s hidden motive and mocks his possible inability to summon Heavenly Tribulation, provoking Duan De further.

Chapter Summary: “Duan De and Black Emperor Perish Together”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ming reveals his true cultivation level, triggering the terrifying Three Thousand Vermilion Bird Tribulation—a blood-red lightning storm filled with enormous dragon-headed birds.
• Duan De, after provoking Jiang Ming, attempts to use the tribulation for his own benefit and deliberately drags the Big Black Dog/Black Emperor into it as well. Both are brutally struck by lightning while Jiang Ming calmly completes his own tribulation.
• Jiang Ming successfully finishes the Tribulation Punishment and reflects that Duan De now owes him a favor, since Jiang Ming had originally taken Duan De’s opportunity but allowed him to benefit from the lightning.
• The injured Black Emperor remains behind, clearly hoping to receive compensation. Jiang Ming gives it Thunder Tribulation Liquid, Divine Source, and Nine Heavens Golden Jade King. The liquid rapidly heals the dog and even improves its understanding of lightning techniques, inspiring it to call itself “Lightning Dog.”
• Jiang Ming and Black Emperor decide to travel to the Azure Flood Dragon King’s dojo, where they intend to enter seclusion. They expect Ye Fan to be there as well.
• Jiang Ming analyzes his latest breakthrough. By cultivating his left hand with the Azure Dragon Dao Seal, he continues stabilizing the Four Extremes Secret Realm through the power of the Four Symbols. His Great Freedom Dao Scripture and Hengyu Scripture are now influencing each other, potentially allowing him to nurture a powerful Dao Embryo comparable to an Innate Saint Spirit.
• Jiang Ming senses that his cultivation methods have evolved beyond their original paths and may lead to an unprecedented transformation within three months.
• Ji Haoyue and Ji Ziyue suddenly arrive while searching for Ye Fan. Ji Haoyue has recovered from his previous injuries and reached the Third Stage of the Four Extremes Secret Realm, but Jiang Ming criticizes him for progressing too slowly compared with Hua Yunfei and the Yaoguang Sacred Son.
• The encounter becomes awkward because Ji Haoyue’s family is publicly hostile toward Jiang Ming, despite the two once having been friends and fellow Dao companions. Jiang Ming refuses to fight and chooses to part ways peacefully.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ming: Grows more confident and powerful after surviving another tribulation. He remains calm, calculating, and generous toward Black Emperor, while also becoming increasingly aware that his cultivation is developing along an unpredictable path beyond the limits of established scriptures.
• Duan De: Continues acting shamelessly and opportunistically. He tries to benefit from Jiang Ming’s tribulation and retaliates against Black Emperor for mocking him, but ultimately suffers heavily under the lightning.
• Black Emperor: Is dragged into the tribulation and nearly cooked alive, but receives generous compensation from Jiang Ming. His injuries heal, his lightning comprehension improves, and he begins pursuing lightning-based techniques.
• Ji Haoyue: Has recovered and advanced to the Third Stage of Four Extremes, but his progress is now inferior to several rivals. He is embarrassed by the conflict between his family and Jiang Ming and appears unwilling to fight his former friend.
• Ji Ziyue: Remains warmly attached to Jiang Ming and views him as a fundamentally good person. She continues to sympathize with both Jiang Ming and Ye Fan despite her family’s hostility toward them.

Significant Themes

• Tribulation as both punishment and opportunity: Heavenly lightning harms those who provoke it but can also strengthen cultivators and improve their comprehension.
• Friendship versus factional conflict: Personal bonds between Jiang Ming and the Ji siblings are complicated by the Ji Family’s political and martial hostility.
• Cultivation beyond established limits: Jiang Ming’s techniques are evolving independently, suggesting that his path may surpass the original intentions of the Great Freedom Dao Scripture and Hengyu Scripture.
• Generosity and self-interest: Duan De exploits every opportunity, while Jiang Ming rewards Black Emperor fairly despite their chaotic circumstances.
• Growth through destruction: Both Jiang Ming’s breakthrough and Black Emperor’s recovery emphasize transformation through surviving overwhelming destructive forces.

Important Character Interactions

• Jiang Ming provokes Duan De and Black Emperor by releasing his cultivation suppression and summoning the Vermilion Bird Tribulation.
• Duan De retaliates by dragging Black Emperor into the tribulation, causing both of them to suffer.
• Jiang Ming compensates Black Emperor with healing treasures, creating renewed goodwill between them.
• Jiang Ming and Black Emperor agree to travel together and enter seclusion.
• Jiang Ming warmly greets Ji Ziyue but confronts Ji Haoyue coldly, suspecting an ambush.
• Ji Haoyue explains his awkward position: he once regarded Jiang Ming as a friend, but his family’s actions placed them on opposing sides. Jiang Ming ultimately avoids conflict and ends the encounter peacefully.