Ch. 661The Yellow Sect's Last Disciples

Righteous Bearing, Jie Dinghui, and the contestants attacked Aiona while Feng Wu gained insight into Jie Dinghui’s Meditative Heart Fist. On a distant mountain, Zhang Shixiong prepared to unleash the Yellow Sect’s unstable inherited power, hoping to defeat Aiona and revive his sect.

  • Jie Dinghui used the Meditative Heart Fist to dissolve Aiona’s vines, and Feng Wu understood its principles but realized he could not yet use it.
  • Feng Wu joined the attack with Ou Zhizi’s bow, while Ou Zhizi opened the Gate of Ganjiang and Moye and blasted through Aiona’s vine wall.
  • Aiona attacked Righteous Bearing and Jie Dinghui with red beams; Righteous Bearing blocked them and Jie Dinghui cut them apart with his kasaya.
  • Zhang Shixiong and Xiao Shimei watched from a mountain as Zhang prepared a powerful saber strike, despite the risk that his unstable inherited power might make him explode.
  • Xiao Shimei took out her one-use Return-to-Origin Bell for protection while Zhang focused on Aiona and resolved to draw his saber.

Ch. 662[Volume finale] The legendary players

Zhang Shixiong unleashed the Yellow Sect’s Sixfold Imperial Blade and grievously wounded Aiona, but Sigler tried to exploit his exhaustion and take Xiao Shimei hostage. Long Qian and Hawkins intervened with the Infinite City players, who helped Aiona reclaim her power and defeat Crazy Aiona, ending the competition.

  • Zhang Shixiong unleashed the Sixfold Imperial Blade, severely wounding Aiona before collapsing from the effort.
  • Sigler approached Zhang Shixiong to learn how he had performed the slash, then seized Xiao Shimei as a hostage.
  • Long Qian severed Sigler’s arms, and Hawkins summoned the Infinite City players to join the battle.
  • The players restrained Crazy Aiona while Aiona revealed her true form and began reclaiming the power within her other self.
  • The players defeated Crazy Aiona, whose remaining power was absorbed by Aiona as she regained her complete form, and the competition ended.

Ch. 663Chess Society

A year after the competition, Infinite City weighed expanding its scientific research while Feng Wu left to study at the Central Court. In the Dark Demon Realm, Li Xiao learned that the mysterious Chess Society was causing trouble in the Central Court and wondered how Feng Wu was doing there.

  • Hawkins read Feng Wu’s farewell letter and discussed recruiting researchers with Aiona and Anna, who suggested bringing scholars from the Knowledge Realm or visiting the Central Court.
  • Mani fell toward Hawkins, who caught her and took her coin pouch as payment for saving her; Aiona then spoke about her Life Mother Tree class and Hawkins explained why he rejected unity.
  • Li Xiao reflected on settling the Li Family in the Dark Demon Realm and contacted Guarding the Central Court to ask about news suitable for his stream.
  • Guarding the Central Court told Li Xiao that the Chess Society had targeted Mo Qier, caused chaos, and attacked her, prompting the Central Court to impose a curfew and increase patrols.
  • Li Xiao decided that visiting the Central Court was unwise for now and wondered how Feng Wu was faring there.

Ch. 664Monster Shaman

Chapter Summary: “Monster Shaman”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Li Xiao learns that an incident has occurred in the Central Court and becomes eager to investigate, since he is actively seeking new trouble and excitement.
  • He contacts Hawkins through Mother and proposes that they jointly create an alternate self to enter the Central Court and cause disruption.
  • Mother combines portions of Li Xiao’s and Hawkins’s thoughts, along with power and a body made from Aiona’s cells, to create a new alter.
  • The new alter is given the name Aiou, chosen because his body originates from Aiona and because using Li Xiao’s name would risk exposing connections and karma.
  • Aiou is tasked with infiltrating the Central Court’s research institute. However, his impulsive, cheerful, narcissistic, and unpredictable personality immediately makes Li Xiao doubt whether the mission will go smoothly.
  • Hawkins examines Aiou through Mother and discovers that his mind contains six layers, including cheerful, cautious, morally divided, and ultimately selfless aspects. Aiou’s deepest personality appears to be a unique consciousness born from the fusion itself.
  • After returning to Infinite City, Hawkins has Aiou randomly select a profession using a roulette wheel.
  • Aiou confidently hopes to obtain a rare bard-related class, but the roulette lands on Monster Shaman, a profession that fuses monsters into the user’s body.
  • Horrified by the thought of parasitic monsters living inside him, Aiou asks for another chance and seeks Li Xiao’s support. Both Li Xiao and Hawkins refuse to help.
  • Despite complaining and threatening revenge, Aiou accepts the job-change item immediately so that he will not lose the opportunity.

Character Developments

  • Li Xiao becomes increasingly eager for action and trouble, abandoning his earlier caution about entering the Central Court. He also demonstrates practical judgment by choosing a name for Aiou that avoids exposing his identity or accumulating unwanted karma.
  • Hawkins continues experimenting with the creation of alternate selves. His interest lies not only in power but in obtaining new perspectives and forms of thought for Mother. He also displays a playful, manipulative side by intentionally tempting Aiou with the profession roulette.
  • Aiou emerges as an extremely unusual alter: cheerful, boastful, restless, curious, and wildly self-confident. His layered mind combines traits from Li Xiao, Hawkins, Aiona, and an independent consciousness. Though he complains about the Monster Shaman profession, he ultimately acts decisively and accepts it.
  • Aiona’s influence is present through the DNA used to create Aiou and through the insights incorporated into his thought structure, contributing to his distinctive personality.

Significant Themes

  • The value of diverse perspectives: Mother and Hawkins view different personalities and thought patterns as essential, comparing the need for varied viewpoints to the different perceptions of an ant and an elephant.
  • Identity and individuality: Although Aiou is created from parts of Li Xiao and Hawkins, he develops into an independent being with his own consciousness and unexpected personality.
  • Chaos emerging from unity: The fusion of carefully selected thoughts produces results none of the creators expected, showing that combining minds can create something fundamentally new.
  • Fate versus choice: Aiou proudly calls himself the “Emperor of Luck,” yet random chance gives him an unwanted profession. He must then accept the consequences rather than choose the path he imagined.
  • Comedy through contrast: Aiou’s dramatic confidence clashes with his creators’ calm detachment, especially when he receives the grotesque Monster Shaman class.

Character Interactions

  • Li Xiao and Hawkins collaborate through Mother but remain distinct individuals, making their joint creation an experiment in shared thought.
  • Li Xiao questions Hawkins about Aiou’s strange personality, while Hawkins admits that the fusion of their thoughts with Aiona’s insights produced an unpredictable result.
  • Aiou repeatedly attempts to involve himself in their private discussions, even threatening to look through Mother when excluded.
  • Hawkins treats Aiou like an entertaining younger companion, manipulating him with the roulette challenge while studying his reactions.
  • Li Xiao mostly observes Aiou’s antics with skepticism and amusement, refusing to intervene when Aiou begs him to prevent the Monster Shaman job.
  • Aiou ends the chapter by angrily promising revenge, but his actions reveal that he is willing to embrace the adventure despite his misgivings.

Ch. 665Anti-woman Noble Phantasm

He E, Feng Xie, and Cun Yi began escorting Aiou from Infinite City toward the Central Court, traveling by airship through the Demonfall Abyss. On board, Aiou ignored his escorts’ suspicions and befriended Felix, a woman whose domain had kept other players away.

  • He E, Feng Xie, and Cun Yi introduced themselves and agreed that Feng Xie would handle enemies while the others protected their escort target.
  • Aiou left Hawkins’s manor after a comedic farewell and joined the three players assigned to escort him.
  • The group boarded an airship bound for the Demonfall Abyss, where they would transfer to a vessel for the Central Court.
  • He E, Feng Xie, and Cun Yi discussed the quest’s dangers and suspected Aiou’s foolish behavior might be an act.
  • Aiou pressed his face against Felix’s domain until she let him in, then introduced himself and praised her desserts.

Ch. 666Yucali

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Felix, a woman in Infinite City, is surprised that Aiou has attracted her interest despite the city’s abundance of attractive men. She questions him about his destination, Demonfall Abyss.
  • Aiou reveals that Hawkins, the City Lord, ordered him to travel to Central Court. He must apparently pass through Demonfall Abyss to board a spaceship.
  • Aiou claims Hawkins is jealous because his “Mom” loves him more, leading Felix to wonder whether Aiou is Hawkins’s son.
  • Before leaving, Aiou kisses Felix on the forehead with cream still on his mouth. Although embarrassed by the onlookers’ laughter, Felix finds herself amused and unexpectedly pleased.
  • Back in his room, Aiou asks his escorts—He E, Feng Xie, and Cun Yi—to detour through Demonfall Abyss so he can find a monster to fuse with, since his class is Monster Sacrificer. He E refuses, insisting they must reach Central Court quickly.
  • Aiou deliberately provokes the escorts, criticizing their appearance and wishing for female escorts instead. When He E blocks his senses to ignore him, Aiou draws on his face.
  • Feng Xie realizes Aiou may be intentionally trying to get himself killed. Since Aiou possesses Resurrection Coins, his death would return him to Infinite City and cause the escort mission to fail, allowing him to seek a different escort team—possibly one including women.
  • He E restrains his anger after discovering the drawings on his face. The escorts bond over their past experiences with the notoriously exploitative mission-giver Black-Hearted Mani.
  • Their conversation reveals that He E, Feng Xie, and Cun Yi are all Earthlings from the twenty-first century. They become animated while discussing their shared cultural background.
  • Their conversation is abruptly interrupted when the passengers sense a massive presence outside the ship. They emerge to find Yucali, an unimaginably enormous and powerful creature from the Arboreal Universe.
  • The captain warns everyone not to panic, display hostility, or take unnecessary action, since provoking Yucali would be extremely dangerous.

Character Developments

  • Aiou: Presents himself as childish, handsome, spoiled, and mischievous, but his actions reveal considerable cunning. His provocations appear calculated, suggesting he may be manipulating the escort mission to obtain a more favorable team.
  • Felix: Initially skeptical of Aiou’s appeal, she gradually becomes attracted to him despite herself. His teasing kiss embarrasses her but also leaves her secretly happy, revealing a softer and more emotionally receptive side.
  • He E: Demonstrates patience and professionalism by enduring Aiou’s insults and prank rather than compromising the mission. His connection with Feng Xie and Cun Yi over shared experiences makes him more sociable.
  • Feng Xie: Shows strong insight into Aiou’s hidden motives. He also acts as a moderating presence, prepared to stop He E from attacking their target.
  • Cun Yi: Provides comic relief and reveals himself to be an old player familiar with Black-Hearted Mani’s missions. He helps complete the group’s shared Earth-born connection.

Significant Themes

  • Appearance versus reality: Aiou’s attractive appearance contrasts with his childish behavior and concealed strategic intelligence. His apparently foolish actions may serve deliberate purposes.
  • Manipulation and hidden motives: The chapter emphasizes that missions and people in Infinite City are rarely as simple as they appear. Hawkins’s assignment likely has deeper significance, and Aiou’s behavior is carefully calculated.
  • Endurance and professionalism: He E’s restraint highlights the discipline required of players, especially when dealing with irritating or dangerous mission targets.
  • Shared identity and generational culture: Earth-born players are divided by historical era and cultural background, but players from the same period can form immediate connections through shared memories and language.
  • Power and reputation: Infinite City judges people primarily by strength, level, and contributions rather than birthplace or ethnicity. The arrival of Yucali reinforces the importance of recognizing overwhelming power and avoiding needless conflict.
  • Comedy amid danger: Aiou’s pranks and the escorts’ jokes about Black-Hearted Mani create a lighthearted atmosphere that abruptly gives way to the serious threat posed by Yucali.

Character Interactions

  • Felix and Aiou share a playful, flirtatious exchange that leaves Felix unexpectedly charmed.
  • Aiou repeatedly teases and insults He E, testing his patience until He E withdraws from the interaction.
  • Feng Xie recognizes the danger of He E losing control and later joins He E and Cun Yi in joking about their past missions.
  • He E and Feng Xie discover their shared Earth-era background, with Cun Yi joining them and strengthening their camaraderie.
  • The group’s friendly conversation is interrupted when all three sense Yucali’s arrival, shifting their relationship from casual banter to collective alertness.

Ch. 667Snake-Tailed Ant

Chapter Summary: “Snake-Tailed Ant”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • The spaceship from Infinite City is forced to stop after encountering Yucali, an enormous creature nearly 150 billion light-years in diameter. Ships normally wait for Yucali to pass, a process that can take one or two weeks from the travelers’ perspective.
  • While the ship is stopped, Serpent-Tailed Ants emerge from a nearby rock. These artificially cultivated creatures are a notorious scourge of the Arboreal Universe, feeding exclusively on souls and leaving corpses covered in tiny holes.
  • The ants awaken within five minutes and begin moving toward the ship. Because the vessel has stopped within their attack range, the crew cannot simply outrun them.
  • The players launch a coordinated attack. He E uses his versatile elemental magic, Feng Xie employs an Elemental Storm, and Cun Yi prepares to use his summoned pets. However, the ants’ extraordinary defenses make the attacks largely ineffective.
  • The group estimates that the nest contains 1.5–2 million ants, far too many for them to defeat. The captain decides that the ship must move toward Yucali, reasoning that instant death from Yucali is preferable to being slowly devoured by the ants.
  • The players panic. Some seek Resurrection Coins, while others consider killing themselves to return to Infinite City. The cockpit becomes sealed behind defensive formations, preventing them from stopping the captain.
  • Felix visits the sleeping Aiou to warn him and offer him a Resurrection Coin. Rather than being frightened, Aiou becomes ecstatic upon learning that Yucali is nearby.
  • Aiou rushes onto the deck, celebrates the opportunity to “defy the heavens,” and boldly calls out to Yucali as though it were a familiar creature: “Hey, little Kali, look over here!”

Character Developments

  • He E demonstrates the breadth of his Ordinary Wizard class, using multiple elemental attacks at once. Despite his abilities, he is shocked by how resilient the ants are.
  • Feng Xie remains composed and contributes his Element Manipulator abilities, though his attack is similarly insufficient.
  • Cun Yi shows practical judgment by recognizing the scale of the ant swarm and admitting that the players likely cannot survive through combat.
  • The captain reveals his experience and grim pragmatism. He chooses what he considers the least horrifying death, preferring Yucali’s instantaneous attack to the ants’ soul-consuming assault.
  • Felix acts protectively toward Aiou, offering him a Resurrection Coin and even painless poison as a last resort. Her concern contrasts sharply with Aiou’s carefree excitement.
  • Aiou once again appears bizarrely fearless and unpredictable. Instead of reacting to imminent death, he sees Yucali as an opportunity to gain power and surpass his rivals, suggesting he may know something about Yucali that the others do not.

Significant Themes

  • The insignificance of individuals before cosmic-scale beings: Yucali’s size and power make the spaceship and its passengers virtually irrelevant.
  • Survival and the fear of death: The players debate fighting, fleeing, resurrecting, or choosing their own deaths, revealing different responses to an apparently hopeless situation.
  • The limits of power: Even capable players and powerful attacks are nearly useless against the Serpent-Tailed Ants, emphasizing the dangers of the Arboreal Universe.
  • Contrasting attitudes toward danger: Most characters respond with panic and despair, while Aiou reacts with excitement and confidence, marking him as an abnormal and potentially powerful figure.
  • Cosmic time and scale: The different perceptions of time between the travelers and Yucali reinforce the alien nature of the Arboreal Universe.

Character Interactions

  • The captain’s orders force the players into a desperate defensive battle, while the players’ arguments reveal their fear and disagreement over whether to fight or flee.
  • He E, Feng Xie, and Cun Yi cooperate in attacking the ants, but their limited success increases the group’s anxiety.
  • The captain’s decision to steer toward Yucali causes the passengers to turn against him, though they are unable to intervene.
  • Felix treats Aiou with affectionate concern, calling him “little brother” and offering him multiple means of survival or escape.
  • Aiou misunderstands or dismisses Felix’s fear, confidently insisting that they will survive before directly challenging Yucali’s attention.

Ch. 668Prayer

Chapter Summary: “Prayer”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Felix restrains Aiou when he calls out to Yucali, fearing that the colossal higher-dimensional creature will attack them.
  • Although Yucali cannot truly hear Aiou’s voice, it notices him and becomes interested in him. Aiou’s friendly smile and fearless attitude cause Yucali to approach the spaceship.
  • Yucali destroys the pursuing Serpent-Tailed Ants with a single puff of white energy, creating a massive vortex that annihilates them.
  • The players realize that the spaceship is moving toward Yucali and that Yucali is also approaching them. Panic spreads, and some players commit suicide.
  • Aiou announces that Feng Xie and the others have completed their mission. He kisses Felix goodbye, jumps from the ship, and is carried safely toward Yucali by a spacetime storm.
  • Yucali allows Aiou to land on its body and carries him through the void. Feng Xie is left stunned, recognizing that Yucali’s actions were likely caused by its interest in Aiou.
  • Aiou asks Yucali to take him to Central Court. Yucali agrees, though it does not know the route, meaning they must first find someone or something that can guide them.
  • Aiou explains his profession as a monster sacrificer, whose abilities involve communicating with monsters and sealing them by replacing bodily organs with them. He prefers forming willing, harmonious relationships rather than subduing monsters through violence.
  • Yucali reveals that it is fascinated by a mysterious power within Aiou—neither energy nor spirit—and agrees to help him subdue a suitable monster in the future.
  • When Aiou becomes hungry, Yucali offers to take him to a nearby human settlement. Their journey continues under Yucali’s protection.

Character Developments

  • Aiou displays extraordinary courage, optimism, and confidence. He treats Yucali as a potential friend rather than a terrifying cosmic entity, allowing him to establish an unusual connection with it.
  • Aiou’s charm proves to be more than superficial: it influences even Yucali, a being vastly beyond human scale. His willingness to trust and communicate with monsters reflects his ideals as a monster sacrificer.
  • Yucali shifts from an incomprehensible cosmic monster to a curious, protective companion. It saves Aiou, studies him, converses with him, and agrees to help him despite not fully understanding his nature.
  • Felix is terrified of Yucali but remains emotionally connected to Aiou. His departure leaves her distressed and powerless.
  • Feng Xie and the other players are forced to recognize how insignificant they are compared with Yucali. Feng Xie is particularly shocked that Aiou has gained the creature’s protection.

Significant Themes

  • The insignificance of humanity before higher-dimensional beings: Humans are compared to ants, emphasizing the enormous gap between Aiou’s world and Yucali’s existence.
  • Communication and understanding: Yucali cannot literally hear Aiou, yet it understands his meaning through its willingness to pay attention. The chapter suggests that communication depends less on language than on openness and interest.
  • Trust overcoming fear: Aiou’s fearless friendliness transforms a potentially fatal encounter into a relationship.
  • Mutual companionship rather than domination: Aiou’s philosophy rejects controlling monsters through force. He seeks companions who willingly coexist with him, contrasting with the exploitative side of his profession.
  • Prayer and divine attention: The chapter compares Aiou’s attempt to reach Yucali with humans praying to God. A lower being can only communicate with a higher one if the higher being chooses to listen.

Character Interactions

  • Felix tries to silence and protect Aiou, but Aiou reassures her that Yucali means no harm.
  • Aiou says goodbye to Felix through a kiss before leaving the spaceship.
  • Feng Xie confronts Aiou but cannot stop his departure, witnessing Yucali’s intervention with disbelief.
  • Aiou and Yucali begin an unusual dialogue. Yucali questions Aiou’s powers and motives, while Aiou openly jokes, boasts about his appearance, and asks Yucali to become his companion.
  • Yucali refuses to become Aiou’s heart but agrees to help him find and subdue suitable monsters.
  • Their relationship develops from curiosity into tentative cooperation, with Yucali taking responsibility for Aiou’s safety and basic needs.

Ch. 669Heart

Yucali brought Aiou to the Wizard Isles to ask the wizards for food, but their panicked attack ended when Obili realized the misunderstanding. The assassin Maha used the delivery to stab Aiou through the heart, and Yucali erupted in fury as the wizards watched.

  • Yucali approached the Wizard Isles with Aiou, and their towers opened fire before Yucali explained that Aiou was hungry and asked for food.
  • Obili stopped the wizards' attacks and sent his apprentice Maha to prepare a meal, while Maha secretly planned to assassinate Aiou and provoke Yucali into destroying the Isles.
  • Maha delivered the food in a Storage Ring and moved close to Aiou, but Aiou sensed the attack and warned Yucali to act.
  • Maha burned his soul and unleashed Sacrificial Strike, breaking free of Yucali's restraint long enough to pierce Aiou's heart before Yucali crushed him.
  • Yucali erupted in fury, and the wizards realized Maha had attacked his friend.

Ch. 670It Has Arrived

Chapter Summary: “It Has Arrived”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Maha’s assassination leaves Aiou with a fatal wound in his heart contaminated by red energy that even Yucali cannot remove. Yucali can only slow his death.
  • The wizards of the Wizard Isles fear that Yucali will retaliate and destroy them. Obili realizes that Maha was likely a hidden spy or assassin and blames himself for allowing the disaster.
  • Aiou reassures Yucali that he can revive using Resurrection Coins and asks it not to punish the innocent wizards. Because Aiou cannot give Yucali his heart, Yucali eventually helps him die by dispersing his body.
  • Yucali, saddened by the loss of its first true friend, leaves the Wizard Isles without attacking them. Obili responds by deciding that the Wizard Isles will no longer accept apprentices.
  • Aiou revives in Infinite City, but his companions—Feng Xie, He E, and Cun Yi—are forced to return and restart their mission after Yucali resolves the Serpent-Tailed Ant crisis. They scold Aiou for repeatedly causing dangerous situations.
  • The group boards another spacecraft bound for Demonfall Abyss. They try to keep Aiou from causing further trouble, while relaxing over nostalgic childhood snacks.
  • Near the end of the chapter, Captain Schwarzenegger detects something abnormal ahead: Yucali is approaching the spacecraft at immense speed, making collision or confrontation seemingly unavoidable.

Character Developments

  • Aiou: Remains optimistic and compassionate despite being mortally wounded. He values Yucali’s freedom more than his own survival and treats death casually because of his ability to revive.
  • Yucali: Experiences friendship and grief for the first time. Although immensely powerful, it chooses not to retaliate against the Wizard Isles and continues onward in lonely silence.
  • Obili: Accepts responsibility for Maha’s betrayal and the consequences of his mistake. His decision to stop accepting apprentices reflects guilt and a desire to prevent another catastrophe.
  • Feng Xie, He E, and Cun Yi: Become increasingly wary and frustrated with Aiou, though they continue accompanying and caring for him. Their irritation is balanced by camaraderie and shared nostalgia.
  • Captain Schwarzenegger: Is shown as an experienced, reflective captain, but his confidence is shattered when he recognizes Yucali approaching the ship.

Significant Themes

  • Friendship and loneliness: Aiou becomes Yucali’s first friend, briefly giving the ancient creature companionship and purpose.
  • Freedom versus attachment: Aiou refuses to bind Yucali to him by giving it his heart, choosing its independence even at the cost of his own life.
  • Guilt and responsibility: Obili and the Wizard Isles confront the consequences of trusting Maha and failing to recognize his true intentions.
  • The insignificance of ordinary beings before overwhelming power: The spacecraft and its passengers are helpless before Yucali, emphasizing the vast scale of the universe.
  • Humor amid danger: Childish snacks, teasing, and casual conversation provide comic relief despite the characters’ repeated brushes with death.

Character Interactions

  • Aiou and Yucali share a tender farewell, with Aiou encouraging Yucali to remain free and promising to visit again.
  • Feng Xie, He E, and Cun Yi confront Aiou about his reckless behavior but continue to include him in the mission.
  • The group bonds over childhood snacks, revealing a more playful and nostalgic side beneath their reputations as powerful players.
  • A woman briefly interrupts their gathering while searching for a little girl; Aiou kindly offers her food, while the others humorously hide their snacks to protect their dignity.
  • The chapter ends with Captain Schwarzenegger and the crew facing the return of Yucali, transforming their supposedly routine journey into another crisis.

Ch. 671Demonfall Abyss

Aiou reunited with Yucali, who chose to become his heart and was absorbed into him before falling asleep. After a month aboard the airship, Aiou and his companions arrived at Demonfall Abyss, where Schwarzenegger told the passengers to disembark.

  • Schwarzenegger sounded the airship alarm when Yucali appeared, and Aiou recognized it as Little Yukali.
  • Yucali told Aiou it wanted to stay with him, and Aiou accepted its request to become his heart.
  • Yucali merged with Aiou, whose stats panel showed question marks for Blood Shield and Energy.
  • Feng Xie, He E, and Cun Yi guarded Aiou while he rested and waited for Yucali to wake; Aiou declined to explain how they had formed their bond.
  • After a month of travel, Schwarzenegger brought the airship into Magic Metal Harbor in Demonfall Abyss and ordered everyone, especially Aiou, off the ship.

Ch. 672Magic Metal Fortress

Chapter Summary: Magic Metal Fortress

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Feng Xie, Aiou, Cun Yi, and He E arrive at Magic Metal Harbor intending to book passage to Central Court.
  • They learn that no merchant or passenger ships will travel there for six months because merchants are preparing early for the Elixir Festival, Central Court’s major annual celebration, held in nine months.
  • Cun Yi and He E remain in the harbor to monitor transportation, while Feng Xie reluctantly accompanies Aiou into Demonfall Abyss to explore the surrounding plains.
  • Inside the fortress, Aiou encounters vendors selling the “Four-Piece Survival Set,” consisting of:
    • Earthquake Boots for detecting fissures,
    • Insect Repellent Jade against poisonous flying insects,
    • A protective umbrella for falling rocks,
    • A specialized tent for Demonfall Abyss’s weather.
  • Aiou also examines numerous pet eggs, including Stone Dragons and Colossal Stone Monsters, but buys nothing, frustrating the vendors.
  • Feng Xie explains that Colossal Stone Monsters begin as mollusk-like creatures that gradually accumulate rocks around their bodies. Their edible core is tiny compared with their enormous stone-covered forms.
  • After nearly an hour of browsing stalls, Aiou and Feng Xie reach the fortress gate and leave Magic Metal Harbor.
  • Outside, they find a barren landscape filled with mountains, plains, and deep fissures. Feng Xie offers Aiou an Insect Repellent Jade, but Aiou refuses and creates a powerful personal energy field instead.
  • Aiou’s field manipulates spatial energy and even allows him to alter the flow of time around himself. Feng Xie realizes that, empowered by Yucali’s immense energy, Aiou is effectively beyond the reach of ordinary threats.

Character Developments

  • Aiou remains curious, eccentric, and carefree. He becomes fascinated by Demonfall Abyss’s creatures and equipment, but his habit of questioning vendors without buying anything reveals both his playful nature and disregard for ordinary commerce.
  • Aiou also demonstrates astonishing power. Rather than relying on standard survival equipment, he creates a self-contained energy domain that protects him from the environment and potentially even from Feng Xie.
  • Feng Xie acts as the practical and cautious companion. Although he recognizes that Aiou may be extremely powerful, he still follows him to prevent him from wandering alone. His dry comments and knowledge of the Abyss contrast with Aiou’s naïveté.
  • Cun Yi and He E take on a supporting role, agreeing to remain in Magic Metal Harbor and watch for any ship that arrives early.
  • The chapter reinforces the significance of Yucali, whose enormous energy supply makes Aiou’s abilities effectively inexhaustible from the perspective of normal beings.

Significant Themes

  • Preparation versus overwhelming power: The locals depend on specialized equipment to survive Demonfall Abyss, while Aiou bypasses these necessities through sheer ability.
  • The dangers of Demonfall Abyss: Earthquakes, fissures, poisonous insects, falling rocks, extreme weather, and monstrous creatures make the region highly hazardous.
  • Commerce and opportunity: The six-month shipping delay illustrates how major festivals shape trade and supply routes. Vendors also exploit newcomers’ ignorance by aggressively selling survival goods and pet eggs.
  • Perspective on strength: What seems nearly infinite to ordinary people may still be limited in theory, but Yucali’s energy is so vast that such limits are practically irrelevant.
  • Curiosity and exploration: Aiou’s interest in monsters, their biology, and the strange environment drives the chapter’s movement from the fortress into the wilderness.

Character Interactions

  • The ticket seller explains the shipping delay to Aiou and Feng Xie, linking it to the Elixir Festival and the merchants’ preparations.
  • Feng Xie and Aiou disagree indirectly over whether Aiou needs protection, with Feng Xie offering equipment and Aiou effortlessly replacing it with his own energy field.
  • Vendors repeatedly target Aiou as an inexperienced newcomer. Feng Xie bluntly suggests they approach him because he looks easy to deceive.
  • Aiou’s persistent questions about pet eggs eventually exhaust the vendors, especially when he inspects everything without making a purchase.
  • Feng Xie educates Aiou about the nature of Colossal Stone Monsters, while Aiou’s fascination with their edible core highlights his unusual interests.
  • By the end, Feng Xie silently recognizes that Aiou’s power—backed by Yucali—is far beyond what he can challenge or fully comprehend.

Ch. 673Interesting

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Feng Xie and Aiou travel through the seemingly empty outskirts of Demonfall Abyss near Demon Metal Fortress. Feng explains that monsters are rare there because patrols have already cleared the region.
  • After traveling for several hours, Yucali awakens inside Aiou’s energy body. He appears in a miniature form but retains his overwhelming power.
  • Yucali detects humans fighting Dalits roughly 93,000 kilometers away. Although Feng Xie initially suggests ignoring the battle, Aiou decides to help after learning that the humans are surrounded and several have already died.
  • Yucali transforms into a star-shaped form and rapidly carries Aiou to the battlefield, arriving before Feng Xie.
  • Aiou and Yucali find two young players surrounded by more than thirty Dalits. Yucali destroys the monsters instantly with a sweeping beam of white energy.
  • The survivors explain that they were sightseeing players separated from their tour group by an Earth Rift. Their bodyguard and companions were killed, and the Dalits intended to keep them alive as food.
  • Feng Xie explains the Dalits’ gruesome hunting custom and helps calm the survivors, who are wealthy heirs rather than experienced warriors.
  • Aiou notices that the Dalits appear to come from two different factions yet cooperated during the attack. Feng says this is highly unusual because Dalits normally kill and eat even members of their own kind.
  • The strange cooperation suggests a deeper mystery, prompting Aiou to remark that the situation is “interesting.”

Character Developments

  • Aiou demonstrates compassion and a strong instinct to help strangers, refusing to ignore the endangered humans despite having no personal connection to them.
  • Yucali reveals that he remains extraordinarily powerful even in his miniature energy form. His long-distance perception and overwhelming attack establish him as far stronger than Feng Xie.
  • Feng Xie acts as the knowledgeable, cautious guide. He understands Demonfall Abyss, explains the value of Dalit scales and Deathbound Pills, and recognizes the abnormal behavior of the monsters.
  • The two young survivors are portrayed as inexperienced and traumatized travelers rather than fighters. Their dependence on Aiou emphasizes the danger of the Abyss and the difference between wealthy players and battle-hardened adventurers.
  • Aiou and Yucali’s relationship grows warmer as they discuss exploring other worlds together. Yucali appears content as long as he can travel with Aiou.

Significant Themes

  • Compassion and responsibility: Aiou believes that knowing people are in danger creates an obligation to help them.
  • Power and restraint: Yucali annihilates the Dalits effortlessly, while Aiou remains gentle and reassuring toward the survivors. The chapter contrasts immense destructive power with emotional kindness.
  • The unfamiliar and monstrous: The Dalits’ alien appearance and cannibalistic behavior emphasize the dangers of Demonfall Abyss and challenge assumptions about what “human” descendants might look like.
  • Mystery and foreshadowing: The cooperation between normally hostile Dalit factions suggests an unusual force or event operating in the Abyss.
  • Experience versus privilege: The wealthy sightseeing players possess resources such as Resurrection Coins but lack the skills and courage of seasoned fighters.

Character Interactions

  • Aiou and Feng Xie discuss the Abyss, Dalits, and the possible motives behind the attack, with Feng providing practical knowledge while Aiou remains curious and morally driven.
  • Aiou and Yucali share affectionate, companionable exchanges about traveling across different worlds.
  • Yucali communicates mentally with Aiou, allowing him to report distant events that Feng cannot perceive.
  • Aiou comforts the two survivors after rescuing them, while Feng explains how terrifyingly close they were to being eaten alive.
  • Feng is impressed by Aiou’s speed and efficiency, recognizing that Aiou’s effortless victory surpasses what Feng himself could accomplish as quickly.
  • The chapter ends with Aiou, Feng, and the survivors confronting the unexplained alliance between the Dalit groups, setting up a larger mystery.

Ch. 674A Man of Boundless Love

Chapter Summary: “A Man of Boundless Love”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Aiou and Yucali discover that a human man and woman rescued from the wilderness carry the bloodline scent of the legendary Fang Yuan. Yucali explains that Fang Yuan’s descendants may have been the ancestors of the Berserk Demons, rather than Berserk Demons descending from humans.
  • The man identifies his father as Fang Yuan, president of the Faraway Merchant Guild. Feng Xie recognizes the name and escorts the pair back to Demon Metal Fortress.
  • While traveling, Aiou encounters several monster species—including Brute Demons, Tree-Faced Men, Ghost-Head Spiders, and others—that appear to share traces of Fang Yuan’s bloodline. He becomes increasingly fascinated and horrified by Fang Yuan’s bizarre legacy.
  • Yucali detects a powerful creature nearby, prompting Aiou to begin a livestream. Although he hopes to attract viewers, his awkward introduction causes the audience to leave almost immediately. He is later comforted by female viewers and becomes humorously jealous of Li Xiao’s greater popularity.
  • Aiou and Yucali locate a sleeping Coal-Eating Dragon in a massive crater. Viewers offer Aiou ten million Live Points to capture it, but he refuses, insisting that his channel will not casually harm animals.
  • Aiou approaches the dragon out of curiosity. The dragon awakens, reacts aggressively, and orders him to leave. Aiou attempts to befriend it and even asks it to become their guide, but the dragon rises threateningly and prepares to attack.

Character Developments

  • Aiou becomes more aware of the terrifying implications of Fang Yuan’s bloodline, while maintaining his usual playful, curious, and irreverent personality. He also reveals a strong reluctance to harm creatures unnecessarily and shows caution regarding powerful bloodlines and ancient beings.
  • Yucali continues serving as Aiou’s knowledgeable companion, identifying monsters and explaining the origins of their inherited traits. Their relationship is emphasized as deeply trusting and affectionate.
  • Feng Xie demonstrates familiarity with Fang Yuan and takes responsibility for returning the rescued pair to safety, hinting that he may know more about Fang Yuan’s history.
  • Fang Yuan never appears directly, but his influence dominates the chapter. His descendants or bloodline seem connected to numerous monstrous species, making him appear extraordinarily—perhaps absurdly—prolific and powerful.
  • The Coal-Eating Dragon is introduced as a young True Dragon with a thin but genuine dragon bloodline. It is intelligent, wary, and openly hostile toward Aiou.

Significant Themes

  • Inheritance and bloodlines: The chapter explores how a single ancient lineage may have shaped entire monster species over countless generations.
  • The absurdity of legends: Aiou’s shock at Fang Yuan’s descendants turns a frightening myth into a source of comedy and disbelief.
  • Curiosity versus caution: Aiou is eager to investigate unknown creatures but understands that some beings, particularly True Dragons, should not be provoked or exploited.
  • Companionship and loyalty: Aiou describes Yucali as his closest friend and promises that they will face future dangers together.
  • Entertainment versus ethics: Though livestreaming could earn Aiou valuable rewards, he refuses to capture the dragon for profit and frames his channel as one focused on humans and nature.
  • Comic contrast: Aiou’s confidence in his looks and streaming ability repeatedly clashes with his awkward behavior and lack of popularity.

Character Interactions

  • Aiou and Yucali privately discuss Fang Yuan’s bloodline and the origins of Berserk Demons and related monsters.
  • Aiou questions Fang Yuan’s descendants about their father, while Feng Xie politely escorts them away.
  • Aiou relies heavily on Yucali’s knowledge during their exploration, treating it as both guide and trusted companion.
  • Aiou interacts playfully with livestream viewers, who tease him, question him about his personal life, and offer rewards.
  • Viewers recognize Yucali’s identity, causing surprise because of its unusually small form.
  • Aiou tries to communicate peacefully with the Coal-Eating Dragon, but the dragon rejects his friendliness and prepares for confrontation.

Ch. 675Danger

Chapter Summary: “Danger”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Feng Xie arrives as Aiou is being chased by a juvenile Coal-Eating Dragon. Although Feng Xie initially considers subduing it, he stands aside after Aiou insists that the dragon is “one of us.” The dragon eventually exhausts itself and stops attacking.
  • Aiou reveals that he has noticed many monsters in Demonfall Abyss possessing Fang Yuan’s bloodline. Feng Xie is visibly unsettled but conceals his reaction.
  • While traveling, Feng Xie explains the difference between true dragons and dragon beasts, noting that Coal-Eating Dragons are rare in Demonfall Abyss.
  • Aiou tells Feng Xie that he is searching for something interesting to show on his Myriad Live stream. Feng Xie warns him that the platform encourages streamers to seek danger and death.
  • Aiou’s enormous female audience insults Feng Xie through the stream after hearing his criticism. Feng Xie only realizes later that Aiou has been broadcasting their conversation.
  • When Aiou reveals that over five million people are watching, Feng Xie becomes alarmed and quickly retracts his criticism. Aiou enjoys having successfully provoked and embarrassed him.
  • Feng Xie leads Aiou to a supposedly dangerous monster nest. However, the nest is abandoned because players destroyed its spawning formation fifty years earlier.
  • Aiou immediately jumps into the fissure to investigate, forcing Feng Xie to follow. Although no monsters are emerging, Feng Xie remains cautious, suspecting that something else may now inhabit the nest.

Character Developments

  • Aiou is shown to be reckless, curious, and highly confident in his ability to survive. He deliberately seeks dangerous situations for entertainment and content, while also displaying a mischievous sense of humor by baiting Feng Xie on his livestream.
  • Feng Xie acts as the cautious counterpart to Aiou. He worries about Aiou’s safety, understands the dangers of Demonfall Abyss, and has a strong distrust of Myriad Live because he once watched a streamer ruin himself through reckless challenges. Despite his irritation, he continues protecting and accompanying Aiou.
  • Fang Yuan does not appear directly, but his reputation as a terrifying figure is reinforced by the discovery that numerous monsters may carry his bloodline.
  • The Myriad Live viewers function as an influential, aggressive crowd, demonstrating how easily public opinion can be manipulated against Feng Xie.

Significant Themes

  • Danger as entertainment: Aiou treats lethal environments as opportunities for fun and livestream content, while Feng Xie sees the genuine risks beneath the spectacle.
  • Recklessness versus responsibility: Their contrasting attitudes drive the chapter, with Aiou constantly pushing forward and Feng Xie reluctantly managing the consequences.
  • The power of audiences: The livestream’s millions of viewers can publicly shame and intimidate Feng Xie, showing the social danger of mass entertainment platforms.
  • Hidden history and consequences: The abandoned monster nest reflects how players’ past actions can reshape an entire area and destroy others’ livelihoods.
  • Bloodlines and corruption: The presence of Fang Yuan’s descendants or creations among the monsters hints at a larger mystery surrounding his influence in Demonfall Abyss.

Character Interactions

  • Aiou repeatedly teases Feng Xie, first by involving him in the Coal-Eating Dragon incident and later by secretly broadcasting their conversation.
  • Feng Xie tries to lecture Aiou about danger and Myriad Live, but Aiou dismisses his concerns and turns the audience against him.
  • The viewers enthusiastically defend Aiou while insulting Feng Xie, forcing Feng Xie to apologize and soften his position.
  • Despite their bickering, Feng Xie remains protective: he guides Aiou to the monster nest, researches its history, and creates a wind barrier before entering the fissure with him.

Ch. 676Execution Demon

Chapter Summary: “Execution Demon”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Aiou and Feng Xie descend into a fissure and unknowingly enter an area occupied by intelligent, hostile humanoid creatures.
  • A group of bandaged men recognizes them as players and considers attacking, but their leader stops them because players can revive and attract reinforcements.
  • Feng Xie uses wind magic to search the fissure, exposing the group’s presence. The creatures split up, with most fleeing while Kulin stays behind to delay the players.
  • Kulin transforms his arms into black curved blades and attacks Feng Xie at extraordinary speed.
  • Feng Xie’s wind-based abilities allow him to sense and evade Kulin’s attacks, creating a stalemate. Kulin’s body is immune to ordinary wind attacks, and his blades can erode defensive barriers.
  • Kulin changes tactics and attempts to ambush Aiou after distracting Feng Xie. Yucali intervenes, transforming Aiou’s energy sphere into a giant hand that captures him.
  • Kulin unleashes forbidden power, revealing a cracked body filled with purple crystals, but he remains unable to escape Aiou’s grip.
  • The livestream viewers mock Kulin’s monstrous appearance, contrasting their admiration for Aiou with their dislike of Feng Xie and the Execution Demon.

Character Developments

  • Aiou remains curious and impulsive, wanting to pursue the hostile creatures despite the danger. His immense strength is revealed when he effortlessly restrains Kulin, even after Kulin activates forbidden power.
  • Feng Xie demonstrates caution and tactical intelligence by warning Aiou against recklessness. His mastery of wind lets him evade an opponent moving at roughly fifty times the speed of sound.
  • Yucali acts as the group’s knowledgeable guide and protector. He identifies the enemies as Execution Demons, explains their abilities, and saves Aiou from Kulin’s surprise attack.
  • Kulin is established as fiercely hostile toward players and willing to sacrifice himself to protect his companions. His hatred drives him to use dangerous forbidden power, but his confidence collapses when even that fails against Aiou.
  • The Execution Demons’ leader appears pragmatic and disciplined, prioritizing escape over revenge because he understands the consequences of provoking players.

Significant Themes

  • Players versus native creatures: The chapter emphasizes the resentment intelligent Demonfall Abyss creatures feel toward players, whose ability to revive makes them difficult and dangerous enemies.
  • Caution versus recklessness: Aiou’s eagerness to investigate contrasts with Feng Xie’s careful approach, though both ultimately contribute to handling the threat.
  • Speed versus absolute power: Kulin’s overwhelming speed and specialized blades are countered by Feng Xie’s adaptive wind defense and Aiou’s vastly superior strength.
  • Appearance and perception: The female viewers judge Kulin and Feng Xie largely by their looks, adding comic relief and highlighting the livestream’s superficial audience culture.
  • Hidden strength: Kulin initially appears dangerous enough to challenge Feng Xie, but Aiou’s effortless restraint reveals that the group’s true power hierarchy is far more uneven than it first seemed.

Character Interactions

  • The bandaged creatures discuss whether to attack the players, showing both their hatred and their fear of the players’ ability to revive.
  • Aiou questions Yucali about the enemies and urges pursuit, while Feng Xie repeatedly encourages caution.
  • Feng Xie and Kulin engage in a high-speed duel in which Kulin attacks relentlessly and Feng Xie uses the wind generated by those attacks to evade him.
  • Kulin attempts to shift the battle by targeting Aiou, but Yucali protects Aiou and captures Kulin.
  • Aiou reacts with surprise and relief after nearly being struck, while the livestream audience ridicules Kulin’s appearance and continues criticizing Feng Xie.

Ch. 677Shenan Demon Stone

Chapter Summary: “Shenan Demon Stone”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • After defeating the Execution Demon Kulin, Yucali restrains him so completely that Kulin cannot even self-destruct. Feng Xie warns Aiou not to damage the curved blades on Kulin’s arms because they are valuable Demon Metal materials.
  • Aiou debates whether Kulin should be spared. Kulin openly threatens to kill Aiou if given another chance, so Aiou decides he is irredeemable. Yucali kills Kulin instantly, though Kulin dies frustrated that he cannot finish speaking.
  • Aiou gives Feng Xie the two Demon Bone Blades to store and sell, but Feng Xie initially refuses to accept them because defeating Kulin was part of his duty. Aiou instead asks him to sell the blades on his behalf.
  • Feng Xie explains that Execution Demons are naturally hostile to humans. Earlier players attempted peaceful contact, only to be massacred, and relations between the two groups have since deteriorated.
  • A group of Execution Demons fleeing the area learns of Kulin’s death. Their leader says Kulin sacrificed himself to buy them time, suggesting they are hiding an important secret beneath the fissure.
  • Aiou notices that Kulin was unlike ordinary Execution Demons: crystals covered his body, and his appearance and behavior seemed abnormal. He decides to investigate, despite Feng Xie’s reluctance.
  • At the bottom of the fissure, Aiou and Feng Xie discover an unnaturally clean area, enormous piles of completely gnawed bones, and a burrow leading beneath a lava lake.
  • At the center of the lava lake is an island covered in crystals identified by Feng Xie as Shenan Demon Stones, also known as Free-Heaven Demon Crystals.
  • Shenan Demon Stones amplify a person’s desires, especially evil or negative ones, and can gradually transform the user so that those desires become reality. Because of their danger, they are normally destroyed, along with anyone corrupted by them.
  • Aiou orders Yucali to destroy the stones, but Yucali reveals that he can purify them instead. He explains that they are relics left by powerful Buddhist cultivators who suffered qi deviation, and that purified stones could benefit Aiou.

Character Developments

  • Aiou displays a pragmatic but increasingly investigative personality. He kills Kulin once convinced that Kulin remains a threat, yet he also shows caution when considering whether purifying the Demon Stones might endanger Yucali.
  • Yucali demonstrates overwhelming power by effortlessly suppressing Kulin and later offers to purify the dangerous stones. His calm confidence reinforces his status as the group’s strongest protector.
  • Feng Xie acts as the knowledgeable guide, explaining Demon Metal, Execution Demon history, and Shenan Demon Stones. He remains responsible and rule-conscious, refusing to claim Aiou’s spoils and growing increasingly exasperated by Aiou’s impulsive investigations.
  • Kulin is revealed as both vicious and desperate. He attempts to maintain a defiant attitude but realizes too late that his threats have ensured his death.
  • The fleeing Execution Demons show loyalty and coordination, treating Kulin’s death as a deliberate sacrifice rather than merely a defeat.

Significant Themes

  • Power and judgment: The chapter explores whether overwhelming strength grants the right to decide an enemy’s fate. Kulin’s hostility confirms that mercy would only create another threat.
  • Consequences of desire: Shenan Demon Stones embody the danger of unchecked negative desires, turning inner corruption into physical transformation and reality.
  • Knowledge versus prejudice: Although Execution Demons are generally viewed as inherently hostile, Aiou investigates the unusual evidence instead of accepting simple assumptions.
  • Duty, ownership, and fairness: Feng Xie’s refusal to accept the Demon Blades reflects the rules governing cooperation and spoils among players.
  • Curiosity and danger: Aiou’s desire to uncover mysteries repeatedly expands the mission and places the group in potentially greater danger.

Character Interactions

  • Aiou relies on Feng Xie for information but often challenges or simplifies his explanations with humorous comparisons, such as calling Shenan Demon Stones an “evil wishing machine.”
  • Yucali obeys Aiou but retains enough independence to propose purification instead of destruction. Aiou’s concern for Yucali shows mutual trust and attachment.
  • Feng Xie and Aiou have a practical but strained partnership: Feng Xie protects and advises him, while Aiou’s curiosity continually creates new problems.
  • Aiou deliberately tests Kulin’s intentions by asking whether he would attack again. Kulin’s threatening response directly leads to his execution.
  • The group’s discovery of the Demon Stones shifts the chapter from a simple battle aftermath into a larger mystery involving the Execution Demons’ transformation and hidden activities.

Ch. 678Modification

Chapter Summary

  • Yucali purifies the Shenan Demon Stone: Yucali devours the demonic shadows inside the stone, explaining that the relic is actually a powerful Mind-Image Stone, a crystallization of mental power capable of altering reality.
  • Aiou makes contact with the stone: After touching it, Aiou experiences the memories of its former owner—a practitioner who tried to reform countless evil souls. The souls deceived and eventually murdered him, causing him to lose faith and become consumed by inner demons. His final memory centers on a Mother-Child Malevolent Soul still protecting her child, leaving a strong impression on Aiou.
  • The Demonfall Abyss is transformed: Rather than wishing for greater strength, Aiou uses the Mind-Image Stone to remake the entire world. The gloomy, deadly abyss becomes a bright, colorful amusement park. Poisonous insects and monsters turn into harmless, cute creatures, while demons and other enemies become chubby babies, Slimes, Balloon Birds, and similar beings. None can harm one another, and the new creatures survive by feeding on happiness.
  • Consequences for players and investors: The transformation reaches Demon Metal Fortress, turning it into an amusement park and converting defensive structures into toys. Players can no longer hunt monsters or collect materials, devastating those whose livelihoods depend on Demonfall Abyss. Fang Yuan is furious when he realizes his investments and research have effectively been ruined, while players begin protesting on the Forum.
  • Aiou remakes himself: After using nearly all of the Mind-Image Stone, Aiou spends the final fragment transforming his body into a flexible Spatial Modeling-Clay Constitution. He pulls out his heart and reshapes it into a red carp, allowing Yucali to inhabit it. Aiou explains that he no longer has conventional vital points and can repair or replace organs, making him extremely difficult to kill.

Character Developments and Interactions

  • Aiou reveals that his wish is not for power but to eliminate violence and make the world happier, though his idealistic solution causes massive economic disruption. His playful, unconventional nature is emphasized through his transformation into a malleable body and his casual treatment of removing his own heart.
  • Yucali demonstrates overwhelming devouring and purifying abilities, then gains a physical vessel by living inside Aiou’s reshaped heart.
  • Feng Xie acts as Aiou’s cautious protector, repeatedly questioning the safety and consequences of Aiou’s actions. His exasperation grows as the world and Aiou’s body are transformed in increasingly absurd ways.
  • Fang Yuan and the players serve as the practical opposition to Aiou’s idealism. They focus on lost resources, destroyed investments, and disrupted livelihoods, highlighting the real-world costs of his seemingly benevolent wish.
  • The memories within the Mind-Image Stone introduce the theme of failed salvation: good intentions can be betrayed, and attempts to reform evil may produce despair.

Significant Themes

  • Idealism versus practical consequences: Aiou creates a peaceful world, but his solution destroys economies and careers.
  • The power of belief and imagination: The Mind-Image Stone literalizes the mind’s ability to reshape reality.
  • Redefining monstrosity: Traditionally terrifying creatures become harmless and adorable, suggesting that violence and appearance are not inherently linked.
  • Happiness as sustenance: The transformed creatures live on joy rather than flesh, replacing predation with mutual amusement.
  • Adaptability and immortality: Aiou’s ability to reshape and repair his body reinforces his unusual nature and rejection of ordinary biological limitations.

Ch. 679Setting

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Aiou’s defenses are revealed to be extraordinarily powerful. Enemies must first penetrate Yucali’s massive energy sphere, then Aiou’s thick Blood Shield, before reaching his body.
  • After emerging from the underground crack, Aiou observes that the surrounding world has been transformed. He interprets a butterfly’s failed attack as an affectionate kiss and reflects that removing the ability to do evil could eventually make all beings “good.”
  • Feng Xie warns Aiou that the Player Forum is filled with hostile posts offering bounties for his location. Aiou dismisses the threats, confident in his strength.
  • Aiou keeps his livestream active despite the danger. When viewers suggest selling his coordinates, he suspects disguised male viewers are present and uses his special account privileges to ban male viewers—accidentally removing many viewers, including several female viewers using misleading names.
  • Feng Xie urges Aiou to relocate because players may overwhelm them through sheer numbers. Aiou shuts down the livestream and begins devising disguises.
  • Aiou repeatedly proposes absurd identities and backstories involving Feng Xie, including being his younger sister, girlfriend, son, or part of a bounty-hunting family. Feng Xie grows increasingly distressed and threatens to expose their location rather than participate.
  • The chapter ends with Feng Xie pleading for a normal disguise while Aiou continues treating the situation as entertainment.

Character Developments

  • Aiou: Demonstrates immense defensive power, confidence, and indifference to the danger surrounding him. He remains playful, mischievous, and morally unconventional, believing his actions may ultimately lead to a better world. He also shows creativity and a willingness to exploit loopholes, especially through disguises and his privileged livestream account.
  • Feng Xie: Acts as the practical and cautious counterbalance to Aiou. He recognizes the seriousness of the bounty and the threat posed by overwhelming numbers. His frustration escalates as Aiou repeatedly drags him into ridiculous schemes, revealing how little control he has over his assigned protection mission.
  • Yucali: Continues serving as Aiou’s primary defensive protection, encasing him in an energy sphere powerful enough to discourage most attackers.
  • Li Xiao: Indirectly contributes to the chaos by apparently allowing or encouraging viewers to manipulate Aiou’s livestream, though he denies responsibility.

Significant Themes

  • Power and morality: Aiou believes that denying beings the ability to commit evil may naturally lead them toward goodness, raising questions about whether morality is meaningful when choice is removed.
  • Individual strength versus overwhelming numbers: Though Aiou and Yucali are extremely powerful, Feng Xie emphasizes that countless coordinated players could still trap and exhaust them.
  • Public perception and mob mentality: The Player Forum turns Aiou into a hated and highly valuable target, showing how quickly rumors, anger, and greed can create collective hostility.
  • Identity and deception: Disguises become both a practical survival strategy and a source of comedy, with Aiou treating fabricated identities as opportunities for elaborate jokes.
  • Humor amid danger: The chapter contrasts a serious manhunt with Aiou’s carefree behavior and Feng Xie’s mounting exasperation.

Character Interactions

  • Aiou and Feng Xie maintain a comic contrast: Aiou is carefree, absurd, and self-assured, while Feng Xie is responsible, anxious, and increasingly exasperated.
  • Aiou teases Feng Xie by repeatedly assigning him humiliating relationships and backstories, while Feng Xie protests and tries to maintain a believable plan.
  • Aiou interacts playfully with his livestream audience, but his attempt to remove male viewers accidentally eliminates a large portion of his audience.
  • Aiou confronts Li Xiao over the apparent sabotage, while Li Xiao denies involvement.
  • Feng Xie repeatedly warns Aiou about the practical consequences of his behavior, but Aiou continues prioritizing amusement and improvisation over caution.

Ch. 680Gathering

Aiou hid among the players while bounty hunters searched for him, then revealed himself by opening an arena and challenging everyone who wanted to fight him. He began livestreaming from the arena as his challenge and location spread rapidly through the Player Forum.

  • Aiou disguised himself as an X-scarred bounty hunter and learned that players planned to sell the harmless creatures, though he knew anyone who took them away would pay a penalty.
  • Aiou avoided Feng Xie while players gathered in the wilderness, and Maupassant explained that many had come to see the transformed Demonfall Abyss rather than hunt Aiou.
  • Aiou discovered that Cun Yi and He E had been exposed as companions, while Maupassant voiced support for the changes Aiou had made to the world.
  • Aiou learned that about thirty thousand of the hundred thousand players in the paradise were hostile toward him and decided it was time to act.
  • Aiou transformed a mountain into an arena, restored his original appearance, and livestreamed an open challenge to everyone who wanted to fight him.
  • Players rapidly reposted Aiou's challenge and the arena's coordinates on the Player Forum.
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