Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Jelous takes Ye Chuqi somewhere private to talk. Their closeness surprises onlookers, who had heard rumors that they planned to end their engagement.
• Ye Chuqi says the engagement feels strange because Jelous is also Captain Red Beard—a disguise so different from his polished, princely appearance.
• Jelous shows her the Illusion Stone, a rare imperial treasure embedded in his wrist that lets him change his appearance indefinitely. He reveals that the Emperor gave it to him because he had chosen Jelous as his heir from the start.
• Ye Chuqi concludes that they should end the engagement: she does not want palace life and cannot imagine joining the imperial family.
• Jelous acknowledges her concerns but asks to keep the engagement for now while they look for another solution.

Character developments

• Ye Chuqi is curious about Jelous’s hidden identity but firm about protecting her independence. Learning he is heir makes the gap between their futures feel more serious.
• Jelous reveals both his royal status and his longing for freedom beyond the palace. He must balance his responsibilities as heir with his feelings for Ye Chuqi, and chooses not to give up on their relationship yet.

Character interactions

• Ye Chuqi and Jelous speak candidly in private; she touches the Illusion Stone after he assures her it does not hurt.
• Their conversation is observed from afar by the High Priest and Old Master Ye. Old Master Ye suspects the High Priest has a plan, though he believes Ye Chuqi’s interests will be respected.

Significant themes

• Duty versus personal freedom: Jelous’s imperial future and Ye Chuqi’s desire for an independent life may be difficult to reconcile.
• Identity and appearances: Red Beard’s disguise shows how different Jelous’s public and private lives are.
• Love and compromise: Jelous hopes they can preserve their bond without forcing Ye Chuqi into a future she does not want.

Plot points

• Jelous admits he has never wanted to inherit the Wovart throne, but previously felt duty-bound to take it rather than leave the Empire to the frail First Prince or the reckless Second Prince, Haynes.
• He explains that Haynes’s ambition could spark war: the Empire’s vassal states are vulnerable to poor leadership, and the Beast Abyss Frontline is already unstable.
• Ye Chuqi argues that Haynes may be right to view the Kabu Continent as a threat, given its covert activity on the Raila Continent.
• Jelous realizes the Empire may not simply have overlooked these activities: someone may have deliberately concealed them and manipulated the imperial family’s understanding. He has no suspect yet and decides to investigate.
• Jelous says he may need Ye Chuqi’s help. Their engagement remains unresolved, but Ye Chuqi sees no reason to rush a decision.

Character developments and interactions

• Jelous shifts from contemplating withdrawal from political responsibility to recognizing that a hidden threat may make it impossible to step away. His close, teasing manner with Ye Chuqi also hints at growing personal affection.
• Ye Chuqi challenges Jelous’s assumptions about Haynes and helps him recognize the seriousness of the Kabu Continent’s influence. She is wary of Jelous’s formal “Miss Ye,” joking that it sounds like trouble, and prefers the more familiar “Yezi.”
• Their conversation blends political strategy with flirtation: Jelous draws her closer and adopts a warmer form of address, while Ye Chuqi keeps the engagement—and its implications—at a comfortable distance.

Significant themes

• Duty versus personal desire: Jelous does not want the throne, but feels responsible for preventing unfit rulers from damaging the Empire.
• Hidden influence and uncertainty: The danger may come not only from foreign threats, but from an unseen figure who has manipulated investigations and imperial judgment.
• Power and the risks of ambition: Haynes’s desire for glory could destabilize the Empire and the wider continent, even if his concerns about Kabu are valid.
• Trust and intimacy: Ye Chuqi and Jelous’s increasingly familiar interaction develops alongside their unresolved political and romantic arrangement.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Chuqi concludes that neither the First Prince nor the Second Prince is a viable heir: the First is too ill, and the Second has already gone astray.
• Jelous is instead placing his hopes on the Emperor and Empress’s four-year-old son, Prince Dris. Emperor Clement is still young enough to give the boy time to grow into the role.
• Jelous has arranged for his mother to protect and guide Dris, who will have much to learn from the Ye, Bai, and Jun families—and the Thirteen Misty Islands.
• He asks Ye Chuqi to let Yan Jiu, Joshua, and Lord Gaines help Dris. Ye Chuqi agrees only if they choose freely and Jelous does not use her influence to pressure them.

Character developments

• Jelous shows himself to be a careful political strategist: he is cultivating a capable future ruler and strengthening ties between the royal family and the great families.
• Emperor Clement, though described as mediocre, has preserved stability by recognizing his own limits and trusting Jelous and the great families.
• Dris is presented as a promising but vulnerable child whose upbringing will shape his future.
• Yan Jiu and Joshua have grown into talented, disciplined young people. Joshua’s progress is especially notable: he has become a top student while remaining humble and focused on strong fundamentals.
• Ye Chuqi supports her companions’ growth but insists that they retain control over their own choices.

Significant themes

• Succession and political stability: Dris’s future may determine the empire’s fate, and his protection requires cooperation among powerful families.
• Education and influence: The people who teach Dris may shape both his character and the balance of power.
• Personal agency: Ye Chuqi refuses to let her friends be treated as assets or recruited through her authority.
• Long-term planning: Jelous is investing in people and relationships now to secure the empire’s future.

Character interactions

• Ye Chuqi quickly understands Jelous’s plan and cautions him not to put too much pressure on Dris.
• Jelous asks for her help in bringing her talented companions into Dris’s circle; she leaves the decision to them.
• Little White Fox reacts suspiciously to Jelous’s interest in Gaines, while Jelous ends the conversation with a playful attempt to charm Ye Chuqi.

Plot and key events

• At Ye Chuqi’s coming-of-age banquet, Jelous reveals his true identity. He is both the Third Prince and Red Beard, leader of the Red Wind Mercenary Group.
• Jelous sees these roles as incompatible: the Illusion Stone that lets him become Red Beard is an imperial treasure, and keeping it means inheriting the throne. Ye Chuqi suggests he needn’t choose between his identities—he could be emperor and still adventure as Red Beard.
• Their conversation is interrupted when Little White accidentally tears Ye Chuqi’s formal dress. She treats it lightly, uses the tear as an excuse to change, and leaves to rejoin her friends.
• The next day, Ye Qinglan is ordered back to the Beast Abyss Frontline. Ye Chuqi will go with him, both to fulfill her duty as an outstanding academy graduate and to investigate the growing crisis.
• The Fallen Demon Beasts are surging out of the Beast Abyss in greater numbers, overwhelming patrols and reaching the Endless Wall. If a major tide forms and breaches it, the danger could spread across the continent.
• Ye Qinglan departs first to lead new recruits. Jelous must finish work with the Royal Griffin Corps and take Xiao Nuo, who is reluctant to leave. Ye Chuqi stays behind with Jelous to accommodate Xiao Nuo.

Character developments and interactions

• Jelous admits his real identity but remains reluctant to choose between his freedom as Red Beard and his imperial future. Ye Chuqi challenges his all-or-nothing thinking. He privately recognizes that she would be unhappy in palace life, but takes her lack of a firm rejection of their engagement as a small victory.
• Ye Chuqi approaches Jelous’s dilemma practically and confidently. She accepts the torn dress without fuss and is ready to leave formal constraints behind. Her departure for the frontline marks a new step into adult responsibilities.
• Little White accidentally damages the dress despite trying to control its strength; Ye Chuqi reassures it rather than scolding it.
• Ye Qinglan and Jelous share concern that the Beast Abyss disturbances are unusual and may be connected to developments elsewhere, though reports from Kabu Continent offer no clear explanation.

Significant themes

• Identity and choice: Jelous assumes his princely and adventurer selves cannot coexist; Ye Chuqi argues that adulthood can mean refusing a false choice.
• Freedom versus duty: Jelous faces the demands of succession, while Ye Chuqi willingly takes on her duty at the frontline.
• Growing danger and responsibility: The escalating Beast Tide turns the characters’ personal plans toward a threat that could endanger the entire continent.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Chuqi worries about whether Xiao Nuo can survive and benefit from the Phoenix’s gift. Jelous reassures her that Xiao Nuo’s resilience and will to live will help it seize this chance to overcome its inborn limitations and shortened lifespan.
• Jelous reflects on how Ye Chuqi’s treatment of him changed after he revealed his true identity as the Third Prince. He misses the warmth and trust she showed him when he was disguised as Captain Red Beard.
• After noticing that Ye Chuqi seems reluctant to look at him, Jelous asks whether she dislikes his appearance. She deflects with a compliment, then admits he is handsome and her type.
• Jelous realizes she finds his striking looks intimidating rather than unattractive. When he asks whether she wants to be closer to him, Ye Chuqi teases him by asking whether he likes her. Jelous openly says that he does.
• Just as Jelous leans toward her, Little White pushes his face away with a paw. Ye Chuqi laughs and gathers the fox into her arms.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi is anxious for Xiao Nuo but tries to reassure Jelous about his appearance. She is playful and perceptive, recognizing Jelous’s feelings, though his frank confession catches her off guard.
• Jelous shows concern for Xiao Nuo and reveals his vulnerability about losing Ye Chuqi’s former closeness. He stops hiding behind teasing and admits his affection directly.
• Little White remains fiercely protective of Ye Chuqi, interrupting Jelous’s attempted advance at exactly the right moment.
• The exchange highlights the contrast between Jelous’s former rapport with Ye Chuqi as Red Beard and the distance she keeps now that she knows his identity.

Significant themes

• Resilience and hope: Xiao Nuo’s endurance makes the Phoenix’s gift a meaningful chance at survival and renewal.
• Identity and intimacy: Jelous’s change in identity alters his relationship with Ye Chuqi, while he longs to regain their former closeness.
• Affection and vulnerability: Jelous’s candid confession marks a shift from playful probing to honest emotional openness.
• Protective bonds: Little White’s intervention underscores its loyalty to Ye Chuqi and the close bond she shares with her companions.

Plot points and events

• Little White reacts possessively when Jelous comes too close to Ye Chuqi, swiping at him. Jelous recognizes the warning and asks Ye Chuqi to leave for the Beast Abyss Frontline.
• They leave Xiao Nuo at Griffin Camp after Ye Chuqi stabilizes Xiao Nuo by merging in the Phoenix’s life force. Jelous is reluctant but believes the camp’s protections and Harry’s care make it the safest place. He expects Xiao Nuo to seek them out after waking.
• Ye Chuqi teases Jelous about being an absent commander and asks whether he will reveal that he is also Red Beard, leader of the Red Wind Mercenary Group. Jelous explains that royal family members officially should not command mercenary forces, though many nobles covertly support them for profit.
• Jelous’s identity and possession of the illusion stone remain secret. Revealing them could destabilize the Imperial Capital, so he postpones any plans until the Beast Abyss crisis is over.
• The pair travel toward Anm Fortress, the city nearest the frontline, using several Teleportation Arrays because the journey across the continent is too long and the Lost Forest makes overland travel impractical. The chapter describes the dangerous southern lands, where settlements have been consolidated into fortified towns against sudden attacks by corrupted Demon Beasts.

Character developments and interactions

• Jelous shows concern for Xiao Nuo but puts his duty at the frontline first. He also admits that he has neglected the Griffin Legion and promises Ye Chuqi that it will not happen again.
• Ye Chuqi worries about leaving Xiao Nuo and challenges Jelous over the contrast between his attention to the Red Wind Mercenary Group and his absence from the legion.
• Their conversation is affectionate and frank: Ye Chuqi probes Jelous’s hidden identity, while he explains the political and practical risks of revealing it.
• Little White acts as Ye Chuqi’s protective companion, visibly asserting its displeasure with Jelous’s closeness.

Significant themes

• Duty versus personal attachment: Jelous leaves someone dear to him in order to serve at the frontline.
• Secrecy and political stability: Jelous must conceal his identity and resources to avoid turmoil during a military crisis.
• Unequal power and hidden interests: Mercenary groups are officially suspect, yet nobles use them to gain influence and profit.
• The cost of living under constant threat: The fortified settlements and defensive patrols show how corrupted Demon Beasts shape life across the southern continent.

Key events

• Ye Chuqi and Jelous arrive at Anm Fortress, a major military, research, and trade center near the Beast Abyss Frontline. Beyond it, smaller fortresses form another defensive line outside the Endless Wall.
• Anm Fortress is still about a month’s journey from the front. Ye Qinglan has hurried ahead with nearly a hundred elite recruits, urgently needed as reinforcements.
• Ye Chuqi learns that many recruits may die in the fighting, but accepts that everyone must contribute to the struggle for survival.
• She and Jelous collect supplies through Jun Ruofeng’s local business contacts, then ride onward on their fast Starhorn Horses, soon outpacing the fortress Patrol Team.
• The Patrol Team members discuss their hopes of earning recognition and becoming frontline soldiers. They recognize Jelous as the famed Third Prince of the Wovart Empire.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi is drawn to Anm Fortress’s rugged, cooperative atmosphere, but tempers her curiosity with an understanding of the front’s urgency and the cost of the war.
• Jelous’s reputation precedes him: the patrol members identify him immediately as a powerful, experienced frontline fighter.
• San San explains the different races Ye Chuqi sees, including the reclusive, proud, and gifted Elves.
• Ye Chuqi and Jelous act as a swift, independent pair, while the Patrol Team watches them leave with admiration.

Significant themes

• Unity through necessity: Humans, Beastfolk, Demon Beasts, and other races cooperate because survival depends on collective strength.
• Sacrifice and duty: Reinforcements are valuable, but many may never return; Ye Chuqi recognizes her own responsibility within the larger struggle.
• Ambition and service: Patrol members seek frontline duty both to protect the continent and to support their families.
• A harsh but purposeful society: Life near the Beast Abyss is dangerous, yet its shared peril leaves less room for the political scheming common in the Imperial Capital.

Chapter 368 Summary

Key events

• Ye Chuqi and Jelous travel toward the Endless Wall, relying on their skills and Beast Companions rather than stopping at smaller fortresses for supplies.
• Their journey brings them across patrols battling Fallen Demon Beasts. Ye Chuqi observes that these creatures are smaller than ordinary Demon Beasts but far stronger, grotesquely altered, and driven by an unrelenting hunger for flesh and power.
• After several fights, Ye Chuqi senses demonic energy in the region. San San confirms it is present only faintly, as an unfamiliar force beginning to transform into demonic energy.
• Ye Chuqi worries that this force may be connected to the corruption of the Beast Abyss and senses that the truth behind the spreading signs—deathly energy, malice, and now demonic energy—may be disturbing. The chapter ends as Jelous notices her staring at the fallen creatures and asks whether she needs to rest.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi has dyed her silver hair black because she feels the bright color does not suit her. Jelous still considers her striking and privately reflects on his growing affection for her.
• Jelous is more genuinely cheerful around Ye Chuqi than before. He regrets revealing his identity after drinking her wine and hopes to repair their relationship gradually. Ye Chuqi notices his unusual smiles but chooses not to question him.
• Their partnership appears comfortable and trusting: they share the road, supplies, and danger, while Jelous is attentive to Ye Chuqi’s wellbeing.
• San San shares Ye Chuqi’s concern, reinforcing their close understanding and its sensitivity to strange forces.

Significant themes

• Corruption and mounting danger: The Fallen Demon Beasts suggest a spreading force that warps living creatures and strips them of reason.
• Foreboding and unanswered clues: Several ominous phenomena may be connected, but their cause remains unknown.
• Growing intimacy: Jelous’s sincerity and quiet care contrast with his former composure, while Ye Chuqi remains observant but guarded.

Plot points and events

• Ye Chuqi notices that the demonic energy in the fallen Demon Beasts has changed. Jelous cannot detect the energy itself, but says the creatures feel more disgusting and malicious than before.
• Ye Chuqi suspects the demonic energy may have evolved from the Kabu Continent’s Dark God power, though she does not know its source or what could oppose it.
• She tests a corpse with Spiritual Power. It boils and dissolves into black pus, showing that Spiritual Power can suppress the demonic energy. However, enough demonic energy might overpower Spiritual Power in turn.
• Ye Chuqi asks whether the Light God Temple has a presence nearby, hoping to test whether light power can purify the altered energy.
• At the Endless Wall, Jelous takes her to General Ambrose’s command tent. The chapter ends as they arrive, before Ye Chuqi can conduct the test.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi displays caution and scientific curiosity: she identifies a change others cannot sense, tests her theory, and seeks help from the Light God Temple. Her experiment also reveals that the threat could become dangerous if the demonic energy grows stronger.
• Jelous trusts Ye Chuqi’s judgment and tries to interpret what she has noticed, though he can only describe the Demon Beasts’ heightened malice and repulsiveness.
• Ye Chuqi and Jelous cooperate as she explains her concern and he helps bring her to the appropriate authorities.

Significant themes

• Investigating an unfamiliar threat: the characters must determine what the altered demonic energy is and how to counter it.
• Power and its consequences: the chapter hints that the Kabu Continent’s pursuit of greater power may have produced a dangerous new force.
• War’s accumulated cost: the Endless Wall embodies centuries of sacrifice, marked by blood, violence, and continual labor to defend the continent.

Key plot points and events

• Jelous and Ye Chuqi meet General Ambrose, whose face bears a severe scar that has not healed despite the Frontline’s effective medicines.
• Ambrose explains that Ye Qinglan is away on a mission and is expected to return in three to five days. He asks Jelous what he plans to do while waiting.
• Before arrangements can be made, Ye Chuqi points out that Ambrose’s wound may be more than an ordinary injury.
• She tells Ambrose and Jelous that fallen Demon Beasts’ injuries carry a strange force she calls demonic energy. It slows healing, weakens the wounded, and makes it harder to summon Fighting Spirit.
• Ye Chuqi believes the force has grown stronger and may eventually spread through the body, potentially turning the injured into beings like fallen Demon Beasts. She says she can treat Ambrose, but first insists he understand the danger and decide who else should be informed.

Character developments

• Ye Chuqi shows confidence and medical insight, challenging Ambrose’s assumptions and speaking plainly about a threat others may have normalized.
• Ambrose is revealed as considerate but somewhat old-fashioned in how he treats women. He accepts Ye Chuqi’s correction and takes her warning seriously.
• Jelous trusts Ye Chuqi’s abilities and immediately asks whether she can help Ambrose, while remaining alert to the significance of her discovery.

Significant themes

• Hidden danger and complacency: The Frontline has accepted slow-healing wounds as normal, potentially overlooking a worsening threat.
• Knowledge and responsibility: Ye Chuqi does not simply offer treatment; she ensures Ambrose understands the implications before the information spreads.
• Respect across rank and status: Though Ambrose outranks the others, he seeks Jelous’s plans, and Ye Chuqi speaks to him directly as an expert.

Character interactions

• Ambrose tries to shield Ye Chuqi from the sight of his scar, but she rejects being treated as fragile.
• Jelous and Ambrose maintain a respectful working relationship despite their differing ranks and status.
• Jelous supports Ye Chuqi’s judgment, while Ambrose moves from polite concern to serious attention as she explains the possible consequences of demonic energy.

Plot points and events

• Worried that Demonic Qi might be hiding in Ambrose’s brain and turning people into Fallen Demon Beasts, Ye Chuqi examines him.
• She finds no Demonic Qi in his body, possibly because it was too weak or Light Power had already driven it out. She warns that searching his Sea of Consciousness is dangerous: even slight resistance could cause serious injury.
• Ambrose agrees to cooperate. When Ye Chuqi enters his mind, his instinctive resistance causes a brief burst of pain, but she soothes him with Spiritual Power and removes the hidden Demonic Qi.
• Drained by the effort, Ye Chuqi shows Ambrose the dark mass she extracted, then makes it dissipate.

Character developments

• Ye Chuqi demonstrates skill and courage, but misjudges the strain of probing Ambrose’s powerful mind. Her priority is protecting him even when the procedure puts her at risk.
• Ambrose takes the threat seriously and trusts Ye Chuqi enough to submit to a dangerous examination. He also notices Jelous’s concern is focused on Ye Chuqi.
• Jelous keeps watch and worries about Ye Chuqi, though his instinctive relief when he realizes Ambrose is more at risk reveals his personal loyalties.
• Little White wants to help Ye Chuqi but feels helpless because of its small size.

Themes and interactions

• The chapter raises the possibility that Demonic Qi could cause a widespread threat to humanity, while leaving its reach and origins uncertain.
• It emphasizes the risks of healing and investigation, especially when minds and powerful Spiritual forces are involved.
• Ye Chuqi and Ambrose’s cooperation is central to the examination: his restraint lets her remove the Qi without a disastrous clash. Jelous supports Ye Chuqi afterward, while Ambrose quietly observes the tension in their relationship.

Key plot points

• Ye Chuqi removes a trace of demonic energy from Ambrose. Its presence has an unusually disturbing effect on Jelous, stirring violent impulses and raising fears about what it could do if it spread through the Beast Abyss Frontline.
• Ye Chuqi warns that the energy could find a new host if not dealt with quickly. She is exhausted from removing it, while Ambrose worries that ordinary treatment from the Light God Temple cannot detect or eliminate the hidden threat.
• Ye Chuqi asks to meet the camp’s priest to learn more about the Temple’s powers. Ambrose summons Lois, the priest stationed in the main camp.
• Lois arrives and is delighted to see Jelous. But she notices his attention is fixed on Ye Chuqi, and Jelous introduces Ye Chuqi as his fiancée.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi shows skill and resolve in confronting the demonic energy, but the effort leaves her physically drained. She remains alert to the danger and seeks help understanding the priests’ abilities.
• Jelous is shaken by the energy’s effect on him and immediately checks Ye Chuqi for harm. His single-minded concern for her becomes apparent when he ignores Lois’s greeting and focuses on Ye Chuqi.
• Ambrose is grateful for Ye Chuqi’s help but troubled by the risk to everyone else, recognizing that the Temple’s usual precautions may be inadequate.
• Lois is introduced as a gentle, luminous Holy Son of the Light God Temple. Her joyful reunion with Jelous turns painful when she realizes his attention—and his engagement—belong to Ye Chuqi.
• Ye Chuqi notices Lois’s reaction and watches the awkward reunion with amusement, while Jelous remains oblivious to the tension.

Significant themes

• A hidden, spreading threat: The demonic energy can evade detection and may move between hosts, making it a danger beyond the immediate injury.
• The limits of established institutions: The Temple’s routine healing methods may not address an unfamiliar form of corruption.
• Devotion and jealousy: Jelous’s attachment to Ye Chuqi is contrasted with Lois’s longing for him, setting up emotional tension.

Key plot points and events

• Jelous unexpectedly encounters Lois, the Holy Son of the Light God Temple, who has remained at the Beast Abyss Frontline. Her obvious love for him makes his earlier, intimate-seeming exchange with Ye Chuqi especially painful.
• Ye Chuqi steadies Lois and offers to go directly to the wounded soldiers’ camp. Lois, despite her heartbreak, insists on helping with the investigation.
• Lois explains that wounds from Fallen Demon Beasts usually decay and heal slowly. Priests’ daily Divine Grace Baths ease the pain, promote recovery, and have inadvertently slowed Demonic Qi from spreading among the wounded.
• Lois recalls sensing an unsettling power inside Ambrose before a Divine Grace Bath seemingly made it disappear. She now wonders whether it was actually dispelled or merely concealed in his brain.
• To test Ye Chuqi’s suspicion, Lois proposes comparing recovered soldiers, those still being treated, and newly wounded soldiers. The group prepares to investigate the phenomenon more closely.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi remains practical and compassionate: she shields Lois from further embarrassment while keeping the investigation moving.
• Jelous is uncomfortable with Lois’s feelings and had apparently used Ye Chuqi as a shield during their encounter. He seems to have made his rejection clear before, though Lois’s attachment remains strong.
• Lois is devastated by seeing Jelous and Ye Chuqi’s easy rapport, but she regains her composure and puts her duty first. Her intelligence and expertise become evident as she helps shape the investigation.
• Ambrose has been concealing—or at least not fully explaining—his concerns about the strange power affecting the wounded, and he appears amused by Jelous’s awkwardness.
• Ye Chuqi and Jelous communicate through a knowing glance; Ye Chuqi later nudges him to notice Lois’s focus, while Jelous quietly insists he has already made his position clear.

Significant themes

• Duty amid personal pain: Lois sets aside heartbreak to serve the wounded.
• Compassion and responsibility: The Divine Grace Baths offer comfort and may also be preventing a wider danger.
• Uncertainty and investigation: A threat that seems to vanish may only be hiding, so the characters must compare evidence before drawing conclusions.

Key plot points and events

• Lois is hurt by the realization that Jelous’s engagement to Ye Chuqi has lasted for years and that the two seem genuinely close, despite earlier expectations that it would end.
• Nine soldiers—three from each location—are brought together so Ye Chuqi and Lois can investigate the harm caused by demonic energy from Fallen Demon Beasts.
• Lois examines soldiers at different stages of injury and recovery. She discovers that treating only a wound can drive the demonic energy deeper into the body; a whole-body Purification Spell is needed to remove it.
• Ye Chuqi explains that prompt, careful purification can stop the energy from multiplying, but healers must make sure none remains.
• Asked how she knows about demonic energy, Ye Chuqi says she encountered it in another world. Lois recognizes this as consistent with the reports about Ye Chuqi’s journeys through space-time rifts, though the revelation leaves her with an envious, bitter thought about why Ye Chuqi returned.

Character developments and interactions

• Lois is devastated by Ye Chuqi and Jelous’s closeness, yet remains professional and diligently investigates the soldiers’ condition. Her findings shake her confidence as a healer, since she had treated many people at the front without noticing the danger.
• Ye Chuqi is calm and candid about her knowledge, while recognizing Lois’s dedication despite her personal feelings.
• Lois and Ye Chuqi interact uneasily: Lois questions Ye Chuqi’s conclusions and asks how she learned about demonic energy, while Ye Chuqi answers without hostility.
• Jelous is present mainly through Lois’s feelings and his earlier declaration that Ye Chuqi is his fiancée; his trust in Ye Chuqi contrasts with Lois’s need for evidence.

Significant themes

• Duty amid personal pain: Lois continues her work even while heartbroken and unsettled.
• Knowledge gained through experience: Ye Chuqi’s unusual past gives her insight that even veteran healers lack.
• The limits of healing: A treatment can appear successful while leaving a hidden danger behind, making careful examination essential.
• Love, jealousy, and resentment: Lois’s devotion to Jelous persists despite the reality of his bond with Ye Chuqi.

Plot points and events

• Ye Chuqi warns Ambrose that demonic energy can be detected by anyone with sufficiently strong mental power, but only purification magic—possibly specifically the Divine Grace Bath—can remove it completely. Even a trace will return, so she leaves the response and arrangements to him.
• She offers to prepare medicine for Ambrose’s facial wound. She suspects it contains something unusual, distinct from demonic energy but faintly familiar. Proper treatment may require cutting away the dead tissue first.
• Jelous takes Ye Chuqi to his Magic Tent, where he offers her half the space. She questions why he has such a luxurious tent when even Ambrose uses an ordinary one.
• Jelous explains that his status as a prince brings privileges, but also limits his freedom at the frontline. He is technically a regiment commander despite holding captain’s rank, and Ye Qinglan also uses the tent when present.
• Ye Chuqi jokingly labels him a “mascot commander.” Though he is a powerful Martial Combat Grandmaster, Ambrose worries about his safety and assigns him extensive guards.
• Ambrose is also wary of Ye Chuqi, fearing the risks of having high-status visitors at the front. He recalls a nobleman who was permanently disabled there, after which the man’s family blamed Ambrose and appealed to the emperor.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi shows practical judgment, handing responsibility for the demonic-energy crisis to Ambrose while offering medical help. Her curiosity and blunt humor emerge in her exchange with Jelous.
• Jelous accepts the constraints of his royal position and does not demand to be treated like an ordinary soldier. His joking response to Ye Chuqi’s teasing reveals some sensitivity about his ceremonial military role.
• Ambrose is shown as a capable, burdened commander: he must manage a supernatural threat while protecting politically important figures and anticipating consequences for any injuries.
• Ye Chuqi and Jelous trade teasing remarks over his tent and title, while discussing the practical realities of his status.
• Ambrose and Jelous have a protective dynamic: Ambrose worries over Jelous, even though Jelous is powerful enough to defend himself.

Significant themes

• Privilege versus responsibility: Jelous’s royal status grants comforts but also restricts his military role.
• The burdens of command: Ambrose must balance battlefield needs with political pressures and personal liability.
• The lingering nature of corruption: Demonic energy cannot be removed incompletely, while Ambrose’s wound may contain a separate, mysterious substance.
• Appearance versus reality: Jelous’s title suggests authority, but he is treated partly as a morale symbol; Ambrose’s seemingly ordinary camp role conceals heavy responsibilities.

Plot points and events

• General Ambrose reflects on the young nobles sent to the Beast Abyss Frontline. Many struggle with the horrors of combat, but those who stay can grow into defenders of the continent. He believes its future will rest with them.
• Ambrose greatly admires Ye Qinglan’s ability to inspire and lead soldiers. He is less certain how to judge Ye Chuqi: her warning about Demonic Qi may be correct, and he cannot risk dismissing the danger.
• Ambrose has entrusted Lois with investigating Demonic Qi. She will report her findings to the Light God Temple, which may send reinforcements if the threat is serious.
• Ye Chuqi brings Ambrose a bitter medicinal decoction she is developing to treat his wound. He drinks it and uses dried fruit to ease the taste. She stays to observe whether it works.
• Asked whether she will join missions with Jelous, Ye Chuqi says not for now. Instead, she proposes forming a small team of no more than ten people to investigate the mutations in the Beast Abyss.
• Ambrose objects, warning that entering the Beast Abyss is dangerous not only for her but also for anyone who follows her. The chapter ends before he gives a decision.

Character development and interactions

• Ambrose is a pragmatic but compassionate commander. Though wary of Ye Chuqi’s claims, he takes the possible threat seriously and is willing to test her medicine himself. He admires Ye Qinglan and worries about Ye Chuqi’s plan.
• Ye Chuqi shows initiative and confidence, seeking to investigate the crisis firsthand. She remains guarded about San San and her hidden resources, especially with Lois involved.
• Their exchange is marked by teasing and trust: Ye Chuqi jokes about the medicine’s taste, while Ambrose candidly questions her skills and challenges her risky proposal.

Significant themes

• Leadership and sacrifice: Commanders must inspire troops and consider the lives of those under their care.
• Growth through hardship: The young recruits’ ordeals may prepare them to defend the continent’s future.
• Uncertainty and responsibility: The Demonic Qi threat is unproven, but the cost of ignoring it could be catastrophic.
• Courage balanced by caution: Ye Chuqi’s determination to investigate meets Ambrose’s concern for the team’s safety.

• Key events: Ye Chuqi proposes taking a small team into the Beast Abyss, a dangerous mission that Ambrose initially rejects. He agrees after learning that Big Black Fish can carry the group in and out. Ye Chuqi recruits Cyril for his uniquely effective potions and leaves the selection of the other candidates to Jelous and Ambrose. She begins preparing the team and hopes her brother, Ye Qinglan, will return in time. Big Black Fish eventually wakes after evolving, now much smaller and strikingly jade-like in appearance.
• Character developments: Cyril is overworked by the demand for his potions, but recognizes how much the soldiers depend on them. Ye Chuqi’s request leaves him conflicted between fear, relief at a possible break from brewing, and concern for the frontline. Their reunion makes him genuinely happy. Big Black Fish’s evolution has transformed both his size and appearance, though he remains eager for Ye Chuqi’s affection.
• Interactions: Ambrose’s skepticism gives way to cooperation once he understands Big Black Fish’s capabilities. Ye Chuqi trusts Cyril’s specialized skills and sets clear expectations for discipline within the team. Cyril greets her warmly, while Big Black Fish proudly shows off his new form and seeks to nuzzle her.
• Themes: The chapter emphasizes the risks and practical demands of cooperation, the value of specialized abilities, and the strain of service during wartime. It also balances danger and responsibility with reunion, loyalty, and affectionate humor.

Chapter Summary

• Big Black Fish’s transformation: Big Black Fish has become cleaner and smaller, and she cautiously seeks Ye Chuqi’s approval before approaching. Ye Chuqi affectionately lets her rub against her hand, then discovers two symmetrical bumps on her head that may be the beginnings of horns. Neither Ye Chuqi nor San San can explain the change. Since horns are associated with a serpent transforming into a dragon, they wonder whether Big Black Fish is undergoing an unusual evolution—but she appears to be an ordinary fish.
• Ye Chuqi prepares to leave: Jelous brings the team he assembled for Ye Chuqi’s mission and expresses that he will wait for her return. Ye Chuqi awkwardly tells him to stay safe, then warns him that the camp may not be secure and urges him to watch for signs of demonic energy. She suspects an important clue is still missing from the many pieces of evidence they have gathered.
• A dangerous mission and uncertain team: Jelous reassures Ye Chuqi that he will stay alert, but cautions her to prioritize her own survival if the mission turns dangerous. His blunt advice unsettles the team, who realize he thinks they could become a burden. Cyril and Ye Qinglan nevertheless agree that Ye Chuqi’s survival matters most. The soldiers have accepted that the mission may cost them their lives, but many privately question why Ye Chuqi—newly arrived at the Beast Abyss Frontline—has been put in charge.
• Team members introduced: The group includes Roan, a Rogue and Martial Grandmaster skilled in combat and reconnaissance; Barney, a Smith and Martial Grandmaster built to withstand attacks; and Allen, an Alchemist and Water Grand Mage with both combat and healing abilities.

Character Developments and Interactions

Ye Chuqi’s tenderness toward Big Black Fish shows how attached she is to the creature she raised, even as its unexplained evolution raises new questions. Jelous’s concern for Ye Chuqi emerges in his protective advice and his promise to investigate the demonic energy while she is away. The team, initially uneasy about Ye Chuqi’s authority, begins to recognize the stakes and the need to follow her lead.

Significant Themes

• Unexplained transformation: Big Black Fish’s possible horns deepen the mystery of her nature and suggest that she may be changing into something extraordinary.
• Duty and sacrifice: The team must accept the possibility of death while prioritizing the mission and Ye Chuqi’s survival.
• Trust under uncertainty: Ye Chuqi is expected to lead despite the team’s doubts, while Jelous and the others must rely on her judgment.
• Unresolved danger: Ye Chuqi’s sense that a crucial clue is missing foreshadows further discoveries about the demonic energy.

Plot and events

• Ye Chuqi chooses Cyril for the expedition not for combat ability, but for his sharp observations, analytical mind, and knack for unexpected ideas. Ambrose, who had not considered Cyril’s intellect especially useful, decides to watch him more closely if he survives.
• The small team departs using Big Black Fish’s teleportation ability. He makes several rapid jumps to carry the six travelers deep into the Beast Abyss, searching for a place clear of Fallen Demon Beasts.
• They arrive in a dim, mist-choked region where visibility is poor and corrupted beasts are everywhere, fighting or devouring one another. The group realizes they are truly in the depths of the Abyss.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi is confident in her team and resourceful in planning the journey, though her casual manner—and abrupt departure—leaves others uneasy.
• Cyril recognizes Ye Chuqi’s familiar habit of setting him up with a difficult situation, but wonders whether he is simply tired. His role as the team’s investigator is established.
• Ambrose worries about the people departing and is newly curious about Cyril’s abilities.
• Jelous firmly rejects any romantic connection with Lois, emphasizing that he has had a fiancée for twenty years and that nothing could happen between them. Ambrose teases him by suggesting Ye Chuqi may not be the right match either; Jelous suspects the remark has an ulterior motive.
• Ye Qinglan immediately scans for danger on arrival. San San had prepared Ye Chuqi for the conditions, while Cyril quickly adjusts; the other three struggle to reconcile the setting with what they know.

Significant themes

• Doubt and disorientation: The title reflects the travelers’ shock as the Abyss’s oppressive darkness and danger challenge their expectations.
• Trust and complementary strengths: Ye Chuqi builds her team around different abilities, valuing intelligence and analysis alongside combat readiness.
• Uncertainty and risk: Even with Big Black Fish’s power and San San’s help, the team must navigate an unpredictable, hostile environment.

Chapter 380 Summary

Key events

• Ye Chuqi’s group reaches the depths of the Beast Abyss with little trouble, finding no Fallen Demon Beasts nearby. Roan scouts, while Allen uses a water-magic barrier to keep the Abyss’s corrupting mist at bay.
• Barney quietly positions himself to protect Cyril, whom he regards as the group’s weakest member.
• Allen warns Ye Chuqi that the Abyss can corrupt Beast Companions and weaken Demon Beasts. Ye Chuqi insists Big Black Fish and Little White Fox are unusual and will be safe; the others accept her confidence.
• While the group regroups, Ye Chuqi consults San San about how Fallen Demon Beasts originate. San San has found no nests or signs of normal reproduction, and suspects the beasts form distinct groups that fight and devour one another before some move toward the outskirts.
• Ye Chuqi concludes that their source must still be traceable and asks San San to investigate further. She tells the others to handle any beasts that approach.

Character developments and interactions

• The group’s combat instincts emerge quickly: Roan scouts, Allen protects the team, and Barney takes responsibility for Cyril. The others form a protective ring around Ye Chuqi.
• Ye Chuqi remains unusually calm in the dangerous Abyss, trusts her companions’ resilience, and takes charge of the investigation.
• Allen shows concern for Ye Chuqi’s animal companions, though he doubts Little White Fox looks capable of surviving the place. Little White notices his skepticism but chooses not to respond.
• Cyril feels awkward about being treated as the weakest, even as Barney’s protectiveness reassures him.

Significant themes

• Corruption and survival: The Abyss threatens both creatures and humans, eroding strength and sanity over time.
• Investigation amid danger: The group seeks to understand the beasts’ origins rather than simply fight them.
• Trust and responsibility: Ye Chuqi relies on San San’s observations and the team’s abilities, while the others instinctively protect one another.