Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Ye Chuqi finishes an intense strength workout with extraordinary ease, using academy equipment that is confirmed to be genuinely heavy. Her classmates are stunned and begin to see her as a serious rival.
• Akes explains that Ye Chuqi must have real ability to have been admitted to Imperial Capital Academy, despite having no Fighting Spirit. She urges the others to stop watching and focus on their own training.
• Ye Chuqi leaves without noticing the commotion. She worries that, without Fighting Spirit, she will fail the academy’s comprehensive evaluation in a month and be forced to leave.
• Encouraged by San San, she goes to a meditation room to work on awakening Fighting Spirit. After realizing she cannot search for something that is not there, she decides she must draw it out of her body.
• She sets aside her Spiritual Power and uses it to wear down her cells, hoping to force her body’s potential to emerge as Fighting Spirit. San San recognizes the danger but notes that she avoids further damaging her already-injured meridians.

Character developments

• Ye Chuqi is revealed as exceptionally strong and disciplined, though she remains anxious about her lack of Fighting Spirit and her future at the academy. Once she commits to a goal, she is willing to push herself brutally.
• Akes shows clear-eyed judgment and a competitive streak, warning the class not to underestimate Ye Chuqi.
• San San acts as Ye Chuqi’s coach and counterweight, correcting her misunderstanding of how Fighting Spirit is awakened and monitoring the risk to her body.

Character interactions

• The classmates look to Akes to explain Ye Chuqi’s performance; Akes challenges their assumptions and reframes Ye Chuqi as both a capable classmate and a formidable competitor.
• San San initially rallies Ye Chuqi, then corrects her approach. Their familiar, teasing exchange highlights San San’s concern and Ye Chuqi’s unusual methods.

Significant themes

• Strength and merit: The academy values ability, and exceptional performance earns respect even amid rivalry.
• Persistence and self-discipline: Ye Chuqi responds to a looming deadline by training harder rather than giving up.
• Risk and determination: Her willingness to hurt herself to awaken Fighting Spirit underscores both her resolve and the danger of her methods.

Plot points and events

• Little White, still suffering from severe damage to its Divine Sense, senses that Ye Chuqi is in danger. Its Contract activates, and it sends her some of its precious Source Power despite its own fragile condition.
• Ye Chuqi feels the power aiding her breakthrough and worries that using it could harm Little White. San San urges her to keep concentrating: once the power has been given, stopping would only waste it.
• Guided by the Source Power, Ye Chuqi gains a clearer perception of the energy within her body. She sees her green, wood-aligned Spiritual Power and notices another energy emerging from her organs. She suspects it is Fighting Spirit, but is alarmed that it appears green like her Spiritual Power.
• As the energies mingle, the new sparks acquire a golden sheen. The Source Power then stops, and Ye Chuqi emerges from meditation with a brief golden glimmer in her eyes.
• She rushes home, finds Little White cold and unconscious, and carries it into her space. She holds it in the warmed Spirit Spring through the night, helping its body recover some warmth. San San arranges a Spiritual Power bubble so Little White can rest comfortably while it heals.

Character developments

• Ye Chuqi advances toward awakening Fighting Spirit and shows how deeply she cares for Little White, becoming distressed that it risked itself for her.
• Little White remains confused and badly injured, but its instinctive loyalty moves it to help Ye Chuqi at great personal cost.
• San San serves as Ye Chuqi’s practical guide, pushing her to complete the breakthrough and then helping care for Little White.
• Big Black Fish offers a wry observation: Little White may not have understood how much danger it was in when it gave Ye Chuqi its power.

Themes and interactions

• The chapter emphasizes loyalty and sacrifice: Little White acts out of instinctive attachment, while Ye Chuqi responds with gratitude and concern.
• It explores the connection between cultivation, energy, and the body, as Ye Chuqi discovers how Spiritual Power and Fighting Spirit may coexist—and possibly share the influence of her wood-aligned root.
• Key interactions center on the Contract’s silent exchange, San San’s urgent guidance, and Ye Chuqi’s tender care for Little White.

Key plot points and events

• Big Black Fish abandons brooding over the source of his power and turns his attention to advancing.
• Ye Chuqi completes her strength and endurance work exceptionally, but initially skips Fighting Spirit training, leaving a red cross on her plan and placing her last in Class Six.
• Her visible success motivates the other students to train harder, though her classmates struggle to get to know her because she disappears after morning practice.
• After a week of intensive, private effort, Ye Chuqi’s Fighting Spirit results change from blank to passing. Her ranking rises into the middle of the class, surprising everyone.
• At the weekly class meeting, Lucien reminds the students to earn credits for their year-end assessment and encourages Ye Chuqi to spend more time building rapport with her classmates.
• Akes notices Ye Chuqi’s rapid improvement and asks how she managed it.

Character development

• Ye Chuqi learns to control Fighting Spirit, which also helps heal her internal injuries. She can now use it in combat, but still struggles to combine it with Spiritual Power: when she calls on Spiritual Power, Fighting Spirit retreats. Her Sword Cultivator experience helps her adapt unusually quickly.
• Akes shifts from admiring Ye Chuqi’s scores to worrying that her own top ranking may be threatened, then becomes curious about Ye Chuqi’s progress.
• Lucien recognizes Ye Chuqi’s gains while cautioning her that training alone is not enough; she will need to work with her classmates.
• The class grows more disciplined under the influence of Ye Chuqi’s high scores, but also feels shut out by her constant absence.

Significant themes

• Perseverance and rapid growth: Consistent, targeted practice lets Ye Chuqi make in a week progress that normally takes Junior Class students years.
• Mastering opposing instincts: Ye Chuqi must suppress her habitual reliance on Spiritual Power to develop control over Fighting Spirit.
• Achievement versus connection: Training advances individual skill, but Lucien stresses that teamwork and relationships matter too.
• Competition as motivation: Ye Chuqi’s excellent results spur her classmates to raise their own standards.

Character interactions

• The classmates admire Ye Chuqi’s progress but feel frustrated that they cannot get close to her.
• Lucien praises her improvement and gently urges her to socialize more, and she accepts the advice.
• Akes approaches Ye Chuqi directly, puzzled by the speed of her Fighting Spirit training.

Plot points and events

• Class Six students are astonished by Ye Chuqi’s rapid progress in Fighting Spirit, though they assume she had prior experience. Only Akes knows she began from nothing; Ye Chuqi attributes her success to talent, while privately drawing on her familiarity with another cultivation system.
• Akes admits she has never come second and feels unsettled by the gap between her and Ye Chuqi. Ye Chuqi boldly declares she will become the top first-year—and eventually the academy’s best.
• Herman arrives with students from another class and teases Akes, revealing their long history together. Akes snaps back, while Ye Chuqi steps aside and asks classmates about them.
• Nora and Holly explain that Akes and Herman grew up together and are reportedly engaged. They bicker regularly, and Herman seems delighted to have any place in Akes’s thoughts.
• Akes and Herman quickly head to the Challenge Arena, apparently to settle things through a fight. Ye Chuqi asks whether they should follow, but Nora says Akes usually returns in a worse mood.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi remains confident and ambitious, openly setting herself an enormous goal. She is also beginning to connect with classmates beyond Akes.
• Akes reveals her pride in always being first, alongside insecurity about Ye Chuqi’s fast advancement. She is protective of Ye Chuqi when Herman’s group arrives, but her rivalry with Herman dominates her attention.
• Herman uses playful provocation to draw Akes into an exchange and treats even her dislike as a sign that he matters to her.
• Nora and Holly eagerly welcome the chance to speak with Ye Chuqi and provide background on Akes and Herman.

Significant themes

• Ambition and insecurity: Ye Chuqi’s bold goals contrast with Akes’s anxiety about losing her longstanding position at the top.
• Hidden ability and different paths: Others misread Ye Chuqi’s rapid growth because they do not know her real starting point—or her prior cultivation experience.
• Rivalry and affection: Akes and Herman’s combative banter suggests a complicated closeness beneath their mutual teasing and irritation.

Key plot points and events

• Nora explains Herman’s habit of pretending to lose to Akes in arena matches, leaving Akes frustrated. Ye Chuqi doubts this is a sign of affection and sees it as a childish stunt.
• Elmer, Herman’s childhood friend and subordinate, arrives with a warning: Akes’s chosen mission is dangerous, and Herman wants her to abandon it or let him join.
• Nora invites Ye Chuqi to join their mission team. Ye accepts without hesitation, arguing that academy missions are screened for students and that they should not give up based on an unexplained warning.
• Ye Chuqi suspects Herman and Elmer know more about the mission’s danger than they are saying. Elmer’s silence heightens Nora’s concern.
• Ye advises Nora to tell Akes the truth and let her decide for herself. She then declines Nora’s invitation and goes to complete her daily strength training, planning to observe how others train their Fighting Spirit.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi shows confidence, sound judgment, and a strong preference for honesty and personal choice. She challenges Elmer’s vague warning and criticizes Herman’s manipulative behavior toward Akes.
• Nora is candid and loyal, especially in teasing Elmer. Ye’s reasoning makes her reconsider whether to intervene in Akes’s decision.
• Elmer is caught between Herman and Akes. Though he delivers Herman’s warning, he cannot explain the danger and is unsettled by Ye’s sharp inference.
• Herman and Akes remain offstage but shape the conflict: Herman tries to protect or influence Akes indirectly, while Akes is portrayed as strong-willed and kind.

Significant themes

• Honesty and agency: Ye argues that concern for someone does not justify withholding information or deciding for them.
• Trust and communication: The group’s uncertainty grows because Herman’s warning is indirect and unexplained.
• Strength and responsibility: Ye rejects giving up too easily, while also recognizing that people should be allowed to assess risks for themselves.
• Affection versus manipulation: Herman’s repeated arena deception is presented as immature behavior rather than proof of love.

Plot points and events

• Ye Chuqi joins Akes’s mission team, prompting a rush of students eager to join. Akes requires applicants to survive half an hour against her in the Challenge Arena; after three days, the team reaches its ten-member limit.
• As Ye Chuqi watches Akes train and spar with prospective recruits, she learns more about the Combat Academy’s methods and gauges her classmates’ abilities.
• She notices that one boy’s strength-training form is slightly wrong. After she demonstrates a small adjustment, he experiences an unsettling ache and tingling as his muscles react to the unfamiliar movement.
• Ye Chuqi explains that his body is accustomed to his old technique. Though doubtful and uncomfortable, the boy trusts her and begins correcting his form, quickly finding the proper movement.
• The narration reveals that the boys’ training plans were improved using Ye Chuqi’s earlier guidance, but their actual training habits were not. Bai Fenghua, who adapted the plans, likely noticed the gap.

Character developments

• Ye Chuqi shows a sharp eye for technique and a practical understanding of how training shapes strength. She is becoming more engaged with her classmates and with the Combat Academy’s training culture.
• Akes establishes herself as a demanding, formidable team leader, using a tough trial to select members.
• The boy Ye Chuqi advises moves from skepticism and alarm to trusting her enough to change a long-established habit.
• The other boys are portrayed as capable and resilient, but inexperienced in refining their technique.

Significant themes

• Technique matters as much as effort: hard training can be inefficient if the fundamentals are wrong.
• Growth requires discomfort: correcting ingrained habits can be painful before it produces better results.
• Trust and expertise: the boy accepts Ye Chuqi’s advice despite not fully understanding it.
• The gap between a plan and its practice: the training program has been improved on paper, but its methods have not fully caught up.

Character interactions

• Akes tests and selects applicants through sparring, while the students’ eagerness to join reflects the team’s reputation.
• Ye Chuqi observes Akes and her classmates, then directly coaches a boy by demonstrating a better lifting angle.
• The boy questions her explanation but ultimately follows her instruction, beginning a more careful exchange between Ye Chuqi’s expertise and the class’s established routines.

Key plot points and events

• Bai Fenghua assigns Ye Chuqi to Akes’s team, seemingly both to give her a mission and help her bond with classmates. The team is heading to a small town to investigate Demon Beast attacks.
• Akes worries because a rival team may also take the task—and Herman may be leading it. Ye Chuqi jokes that worrying about Herman only gives him importance; Akes admits she wishes she could stop caring.
• The ten-person team gathers and introduces itself. Akes has assembled a balanced group of Advanced Class students, including combat specialists, two Archmage brothers, and two novice Alchemists from the Comprehensive Academy.
• When asked about her abilities, Ye Chuqi says she is skilled with a sword, fights well, and can gather information. Akes notes the team lacks a Rogue, but Ye Chuqi clarifies that she is a Sword Cultivator who gathers rumors through good listening rather than stealth.

Character development and interactions

• Ye Chuqi shows warmth and humor, helping Akes laugh at her frustration while recognizing that Akes cannot simply dismiss her feelings about Herman.
• Akes’s care in selecting capable teammates—and their willingness to join—reveals her popularity and leadership. She also values the Comprehensive Academy students as essential support rather than combatants.
• The group’s curiosity about Ye Chuqi highlights that she is still an unfamiliar newcomer among classmates who already know one another.
• Team members introduced include Martial Fighters Kagel and Kailan; twin Archmages Ferrandi, a Fire Mage, and Fermowen, a Water Mage; and Alchemists Cyril and Ivan, whose skills cover healing, equipment maintenance, and ore-finding.

Significant themes

• Belonging and teamwork: The mission offers Ye Chuqi a chance to connect with classmates, and Akes builds a team around complementary skills.
• Practical value beyond combat: Support roles such as alchemy and information-gathering are portrayed as crucial to a successful mission.
• Managing rivalry and emotion: Ye Chuqi encourages Akes not to let resentment toward Herman dominate her focus, while acknowledging that feelings are not always easy to control.

Plot and events

• After Little White’s near-death experience, Ye Chuqi resolves to make better use of her powerful Divine Sense. San San’s habit of stepping in to warn her remains an obstacle, though he insists he is only concerned for her.
• Akes’s team prepares for a trip expected to last at least ten days. Since some members lack Spatial Rings, Akes lends one to Cyril and Ivan. Ye Chuqi, meanwhile, realizes just how wealthy she is: she owns around sixteen rings, many given to her by her noble relatives and acquaintances.
• Ye Chuqi worries that leaving will interrupt the team’s daily training check-ins. Akes explains that the Sheepskin Scroll records when students are away on tasks, so they are excused.
• At the academy entrance, Herman and his friends appear to intercept the team. Akes ignores him and leads everyone past, following Ye Chuqi’s advice not to give him a reaction.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi is becoming more determined to rely on her own abilities rather than letting San San handle everything. Her surprise at the Scroll’s functions and at the scale of her own wealth also highlights how unfamiliar she is with academy life and her privileged background.
• Akes shows practical leadership by arranging equipment and explaining academy procedures. Her calm dismissal of Herman reflects an effort to avoid being drawn into the arguments he knows how to provoke.
• San San remains protective, but his constant warnings frustrate Ye Chuqi’s efforts to practice independently.
• Herman and Akes are bound by an arranged engagement. Akes dislikes his behavior but feels unable to end it herself: her family’s diminished standing makes the alliance important, and neither family nor Herman is likely to initiate a breakup.

Significant themes

• Independence and trust: Ye Chuqi wants to develop her own abilities, while San San’s protectiveness can limit her.
• Privilege and inequality: Spatial Rings and professional training are costly; Ye Chuqi’s abundance contrasts sharply with Cyril and Ivan’s poverty.
• Power and social obligation: Akes’s engagement illustrates how family alliances and changing status can restrict personal choice.
• Emotional restraint: By refusing to react to Herman, Akes denies him the chance to provoke the confrontation he seems to want.

Key plot points

• Ye Chuqi recognizes that Akes’s unusual calm is unsettling Herman: instead of arguing with him, Akes has simply ignored him and walked away.
• Akes explains that she once tried to make her arranged engagement to Herman work, but gave up after realizing how poorly he treated her. Since then, his constant provocations have kept them in a cycle of anger and fights.
• Following Ye Chuqi’s advice makes Akes feel liberated. Ye Chuqi cautions that ignoring Herman is not enough forever: Akes should stop holding back when they eventually fight.
• Herman catches up with Akes’s ten-person team. His team has the same composition and has clearly taken the same mission to challenge hers.
• Herman offers Starhorn Horses for Akes’s group to ride, presenting the offer as practical concern. Akes calmly declines, saying her team has other missions along the way. Herman is unsettled by her changed manner and presses to join them.

Character developments

• Akes shifts from reflexive anger toward Herman to deliberate composure. She realizes that refusing to engage with him feels like breaking free of a long-standing burden, though she still intends to confront him physically when necessary.
• Ye Chuqi acts as Akes’s steady adviser, helping her see that she can choose how to respond and encouraging her to become stronger.
• Herman is confused by Akes’s calm and tries to regain control of their familiar dynamic through offers and insistent attention.
• Nora remains wary of Herman’s likely pursuit, while Elmer recognizes that Ye Chuqi may be responsible for Akes’s change.

Significant themes

• Emotional independence: Akes begins separating her choices from the hostile pattern she and Herman have repeated for years.
• Changing power dynamics: Herman is thrown off when Akes no longer reacts as he expects.
• Self-control and strength: Composure can be liberating, but Akes is also urged not to mistake restraint for weakness.

Character interactions

• Akes and Ye Chuqi discuss Herman’s provocations; Ye Chuqi validates Akes’s relief while encouraging her to prepare for a future fight.
• Herman repeatedly approaches Akes, first expecting an argument and then offering transportation. Akes responds politely but firmly, denying him the reaction and access he seeks.
• Nora worries that Herman will follow, and Ye Chuqi predicts that he will—an expectation quickly confirmed.

Key plot points

• Akes resists Herman’s attempt to provoke and control her, keeping her composure and leading her friends away. Herman, frustrated that his usual tactics fail, decides to follow the group and wait for her to crack.
• The group considers renting Riding Beasts to speed their journey. Cyril and Ivan refuse because they cannot afford them and do not want Akes paying for everything; Nora would like to ride but has not saved enough.
• Nora asks to see Ye Chuqi’s Starhorn Horse. Ye Chuqi summons Starry, whose beauty leaves Nora awestruck. Starry shyly hides behind Ye Chuqi, then gently touches Nora’s hair with her horn. Nora’s excitement becomes so overwhelming that Holly has to quiet her.

Character developments and interactions

• Akes recognizes Herman’s manipulation and successfully refuses to let him dictate her choices. She also feels newly warmed by the loyalty and concern of her friends.
• Herman becomes visibly angry when Akes refuses his bait, but remains convinced that pressure will eventually make her lose control. Elmer tries to calm him.
• Cyril and Ivan show independence by declining financial help, despite the hardships of walking.
• Nora is eager for a Riding Beast but accepts the group’s circumstances; her open affection for Starry creates a playful moment. Starry, initially shy, responds gently once she senses Nora’s sincere admiration.
• Ye Chuqi shares Starry with the group, while Holly steps in to manage Nora’s exuberant reaction.

Significant themes

• Resisting manipulation: Akes’s calmness breaks Herman’s usual pattern of control.
• Friendship and mutual support: Akes notices how her companions stand by her, while Cyril and Ivan avoid turning the partnership into dependence.
• Financial hardship and self-reliance: The group’s choices reflect the cost of travel and the importance of contributing fairly.
• Trust across differences: Starry’s gentle response to Nora shows how sincere affection can bridge the gap between human and animal.

Key plot points and events

• Starry’s beauty and unusual demeanor draw the group’s attention, though their attempts to approach her only make her retreat.
• Herman and his companions observe Akes’s group from a distance. Herman is gloomy, while Elmer watches Ye Chuqi; she gives him a chilling look and silently warns him to stay away.
• Akes no longer reacts impulsively to Herman’s presence. She recognizes how foolish she once was, while Herman’s mood worsens.
• Ye Chuqi leads her companions away from the main road to visit the Royal Griffin Legion’s base, where her brother Ye Qinglan’s mount, Xiao Bu, has been staying.
• Xiao Bu senses her before the guards do and flies to meet her. Its powerful landing sends her companions stumbling, though it shields Ye Chuqi from the gust.
• Ye Chuqi greets Xiao Bu affectionately, and Starry joins in. Xiao Bu is delighted to see her but becomes despondent when it learns she will leave soon.

Character developments

• Akes shows greater self-control and perspective: rather than confronting Herman, she reflects on her past behavior.
• Ye Chuqi remains wary and forceful, particularly toward Elmer, whom she considers a manipulative influence on Herman.
• Xiao Bu reveals a playful, affectionate side. Its exaggerated gloom at Ye Chuqi’s impending departure shows how attached it is to her.
• Ye Chuqi’s companions are reminded of her connection to Ye Qinglan, whose reputation had initially sparked their interest in her.

Significant themes

• Changing perspective and growth: Akes’s restraint contrasts with her former impulsiveness.
• Manipulation and distrust: Ye Chuqi suspects Elmer quietly encourages Herman’s worst behavior.
• Loyalty and affection: Xiao Bu’s enthusiastic welcome—and sadness at her departure—shows the bond between people and their mounts.
• Status and privilege: The Royal Griffin Legion represents an elite, prestigious path to military service, unlike the dangerous Beast Abyss frontline.

Character interactions

• Ye Chuqi warns Elmer away with a look and a silent message.
• Herman’s distant presence affects Akes’s group, but Akes chooses not to engage with him.
• Xiao Bu greets Ye Chuqi warmly, shields her from its landing wind, and accepts her affectionate touch; Starry also approaches it.

Plot points and events

• Xiao Bu, eager to spend more time with Ye Chuqi and leave the Griffins behind, nudges her onto its back.
• Ye Chuqi refuses to ride alone because she is traveling with nine companions. Xiao Bu, unwilling to carry anyone but her, summons a group of off-duty Griffins instead.
• The Griffins agree to serve as mounts after learning they can go out and play. They scoop up Ye Chuqi’s friends, including a startled, resigned Akes, while disappointed Griffins eye Herman and the other adults.
• Akes explains that off-duty Griffins may go where they like, though they rarely leave their base. Ye Chuqi decides the whole group should go on an outing and asks Xiao Bu to keep the Griffins safe.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Bu shows its affection for Ye Chuqi and its possessive, proud nature: it will carry her, but initially regards everyone else as a burden. It also keeps the other Griffins in line with a warning.
• Ye Chuqi is playful and considerate, insisting that her companions travel with her and turning the Griffins’ enthusiasm into a group trip.
• Akes reacts with dry resignation as the plan spirals beyond her control, but provides practical information about the Griffins’ time off.
• The Griffins are revealed to be playful and eager for company, especially the chance to carry human “cubs.” Their excitement contrasts with the students’ and adults’ nervousness.

Significant themes

• The chapter’s comedy comes from the gap between the Griffins’ imposing status and their fluffy, eager behavior.
• It also highlights companionship and freedom: Ye Chuqi includes her friends, while the off-duty Griffins seize a rare chance to leave their usual surroundings and play.

Plot and events

• Xiao Bu and the other Royal Griffins carry the group at exhilarating speed. Ye Chuqi realizes the Human Cubs are struggling and calls a halt, though the Griffins are eager to keep flying.
• The group has already covered a third of the journey, leaving Herman’s party far behind. They rest while Xiao Bu takes the Griffins to play.
• Cyril, battered by the flight, brews a Medicinal Decoction to ward off illness. Ye Chuqi recognizes that he has prepared it skillfully.
• Akes reviews the gathering tasks assigned to the group. With their travel time shortened, they can begin collecting the materials before reaching their destination.
• Ye Chuqi studies the list, which includes common Herbs and harder-to-find items: Chacha Bird nests, Taha Bee hives, and Tumble Ant nests. The chapter explains how Chacha Bird nests acquire healing properties and that Taha Bee honey is prized for its exceptional taste.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi shows practical concern for the riders, stopping the flight when she sees their distress. She also notices Cyril’s skill as an Alchemist.
• Cyril is physically overwhelmed by the flight but responds sensibly by preparing medicine for himself.
• Akes takes a logistical role, calculating their progress and identifying a chance to complete gathering tasks early.
• The Griffins are revealed as powerful, playful creatures whose enthusiasm for flying can make them heedless of their passengers. Xiao Bu is more restrained, though Ye Chuqi still has to rein him in.
• The young adventurers share amusement over the flight, while Ivan helps the exhausted Cyril down and advises him to take medicine.

Themes

• The chapter contrasts the Griffins’ freedom and exhilaration with the humans’ physical limits.
• It emphasizes cooperation and care within the group, as well as the practical knowledge and patience needed for adventuring and gathering rare materials.

Key plot points and events

• The students divide up their academy task: Cyril gathers delicate Herbs, Ivan handles the Ore-eating Tumble Ants, and Akes and the Archmage brothers take on the Taha Bees. Ye Chuqi volunteers to find Chacha Bird nests.
• Ye Chuqi and Akes bet on who will finish first. Akes expects Ye Chuqi to struggle because the birds are difficult to locate.
• Using the birds’ nesting habits and the local terrain, Ye Chuqi quickly finds a suitable grove near a cliff. She collects ten nests, leaving Spiritual Energy-nourished fruit behind as compensation.
• Akes and the brothers return from their difficult Taha Bee raid to find Ye Chuqi already back and barbecuing for the Griffins. Akes loses the bet and gives Ye Chuqi all the Ore and Beast Cores she carries.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi demonstrates confidence, practical knowledge, and impressive mobility. Though she wins decisively, she shows consideration for the birds by leaving them fruit.
• Akes is competitive and initially skeptical, but accepts her defeat. Losing her treasured collection of Ore and Beast Cores clearly pains her, and she suspects Ye Chuqi knew how much she had.
• Ivan volunteers for the Tumble Ant task but turns shy and flustered when told Nora and Holly will protect him.
• Cyril’s expertise in handling Herbs earns him responsibility for that task, while Akes protects the less combat-capable Archmage brothers during the bee raid.

Significant themes

• Different strengths working together: The task assignments reflect each student’s skills and help the group manage varied dangers.
• Knowledge and ingenuity: Ye Chuqi succeeds through understanding Chacha Bird habits rather than brute force.
• Fairness and generosity: She honors her wager and leaves the birds a gift, while Akes follows through despite her disappointment.
• Humor and camaraderie: The playful bet, Akes’s crushingly complete loss, and her consolation barbecue keep the competition affectionate.

Plot points and events

• Ye Chuqi collects Akes’s wager—mixed ore and a large number of well-preserved Low-Rank Beast Cores—without realizing how much it is worth. The Archmage brothers are dismayed as they watch her claim it.
• The Griffins, given only small portions of barbecue, sulk and ignore their High-Grade Beast Companion Feed. Their longing makes Akes and the Archmage brothers rush to finish their own food.
• When Cyril, Nora, and Ivan return, Cyril gives his barbecue to the Griffin that carried him. The Griffin gratefully gulps it down and pats him so enthusiastically that it nearly knocks him over.
• On the afternoon’s flight, Cyril’s Griffin gives him a comfortable, protected ride. The others get a wild, stunt-filled journey; Nora especially enjoys it, urging her Griffin to go faster and higher.
• Herman’s party arrives at the abandoned campsite too late to catch Akes’s group. After checking the area, they learn Akes’s team gathered materials from nearby nests and collected herbs. Herman rejects the idea of doing the same tasks and insists on pursuing them.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi remains practical and firm, refusing to feed the Griffins more barbecue despite their disappointment.
• Cyril shows kindness to his former carrier, and his small gesture earns him special treatment on the flight.
• Nora reveals an unexpected appetite for risk, relishing the aerial stunts rather than fearing them.
• Akes and the Archmage brothers are amused and uneasy under the Griffins’ resentful attention, while Nora quickly catches on and eats faster.
• Herman remains fiercely competitive: although he knows he is unlikely to catch Akes soon, his pride drives him to keep going. Elmer is more strategic, suggesting they investigate the campsite and consider nearby tasks.

Significant themes

• Small acts of kindness build trust: Cyril’s food-sharing leads to a warmer bond with his Griffin.
• Pride and competition: Herman’s pursuit is motivated less by the mission than by his desire not to lose to Akes again.
• Humor and contrast: The Griffins’ dramatic sulking, the companions’ uncomfortable meal, and the wildly different flight experiences provide much of the chapter’s comedy.

Key plot points and events

• Elmer allows Akes and the others to handle routine collection tasks but keeps control of the town investigation, which could reveal the source of the danger and earn substantial credits.
• The group approaches Mousse Bay, a prosperous port linking sea and river trade. Akes has the Griffins land outside town so the Royal Griffin Legion’s large flock—especially the White Lion Owl—won’t alarm residents.
• Xiao Bu reluctantly takes the Griffins to wait nearby, remaining protective of Ye Qinglan, who is away. Ye Chuqi promises the Griffins a barbecue as thanks.
• Town guards, already nervous after recent Demon Beast attacks, briefly fear the flock signals a Beast Tide. When the academy students approach, they recognize them and hurry to welcome them.
• The guard captain escorts the group to the Town Office. The exhausted Town Chief greets them with visible relief, suggesting the town is desperate for help.
• Akes immediately asks for details about the attacks. The students have only been assigned a preliminary investigation; if a High-Rank Magic Beast is responsible, they would not be equipped to confront it.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi experiences her first academy mission and is surprised by the privilege and deference students receive. She also questions the assignment’s logic, recognizing the risk of sending students toward a potentially powerful beast.
• Akes takes charge of the inquiry, steering the Town Chief away from emotional greetings and toward practical information.
• Xiao Bu shows loyalty and protectiveness toward Ye Qinglan, despite being asked to leave with the Griffins.
• The Town Chief and guards reveal how strained and frightened the town has become; their relief at the academy’s arrival contrasts with the students’ uncertainty about what they have been sent to do.

Significant themes

• Privilege and authority: Academy uniforms and credentials open doors, and students receive a level of respect normally reserved for powerful figures.
• Fear and uncertainty: Recent attacks have left the town on edge, while the cause and scale of the threat remain unknown.
• Responsibility and caution: The group must investigate without assuming they can defeat whatever is behind the attacks; Elmer’s concern about the stakes foreshadows danger beyond routine training.

Plot points and events

• Ye Chuqi suspects the academy’s information about Mussel Bay may be incomplete or misleading, and quietly asks Cyril to examine Mayor Akes.
• Cyril confirms that Akes is genuinely exhausted and mentally weakened from overwork, with no other obvious illness.
• Akes explains the crisis: Sea Beasts have been harassing ships and fishermen, and recently began attacking coastal villages. Their raids damage homes and disrupt fishing and trade, while guards and adventurers have struggled to stop them.
• The Sea Beasts retreat before help arrives, leaving only damp traces. A joint bounty from the Town Office and Adventurers’ Guild has produced no results.
• Akes brings Ye Chuqi’s group to a prepared courtyard so they can discuss the situation. The companions consider why the beasts appeared and how they remain hidden.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi shows herself to be observant and indirect: she prompts Cyril to assess Akes without explaining her suspicions, then encourages the group to openly share their theories.
• Cyril trusts Ye Chuqi’s judgment and follows her suggestion, though he remains worried that he might have missed something in his examination.
• Akes is revealed to be under severe strain, having tried to manage the worsening crisis with limited resources.
• Ferrandi asks whether Ye Chuqi suspects Akes or the town; she denies having enough evidence to accuse anyone.
• Fermowen points out that the Sea Beasts’ numbers, varied participation, and elusiveness are unusual. Ivan offers a practical explanation: underwater caves and deep ravines could provide hiding places inaccessible to adventurers.

Significant themes

• Uncertainty and concealed information: The group questions whether official assessments tell the whole story, but lacks evidence for firm conclusions.
• Limits of authority and resources: Guards, adventurers, and the mayor are all struggling against a threat they cannot reliably locate or confront.
• Collaboration through discussion: Ye Chuqi urges the group to test ideas together rather than remain silent.
• The wider cost of danger: Even without many casualties, the attacks undermine livelihoods, food supplies, trade, and the town’s sense of security.

Key plot points and events

• The group considers why supposedly low-level Sea Beasts are carrying out coordinated raids, targeting specific fishing villages, and retreating strategically.
• Nora suggests that someone—or a more intelligent Demon Beast—may be directing them. Kailan adds that the Sea Beasts might be searching for something, since they keep gathering around Mussel Bay without launching a major attack.
• The Adventurers decide to investigate several leads around town, the fishing villages, the harbor, and the merchant ships. Their main goals are to discover why the Sea Beasts appeared and what they are seeking; dealing with the beasts is outside the assignment.
• Ye Chuqi chooses to investigate underwater, where she can travel more effectively than her companions. She secretly summons Big Black Fish from shore.
• Big Black Fish complains that he is a freshwater fish in the salty sea, but soon becomes delighted by the vast open water and swims about excitedly.

Character developments and interactions

• Nora’s humor and keen observation help raise the possibility that the Sea Beasts’ behavior is not natural; Holly teases her by pointing out that the beasts know when to flee, unlike Nora.
• Kailan, usually quiet, offers the important insight that the creatures may be searching rather than attacking.
• Cyril remains suspicious that the Town Chief knows something, but Ye Chuqi’s question exposes that he has no evidence.
• Akes helps organize the investigation and worries about Ye Chuqi going alone. Ye Chuqi reassures her that Big Black Fish will help.
• Ye Chuqi’s casual apology to Big Black Fish—and his quick shift from discomfort to excitement—adds a light, affectionate moment amid the investigation.

Significant themes

• Unnatural intelligence and hidden leadership: The Sea Beasts’ coordinated tactics suggest an unseen controller or a more dangerous force behind them.
• Investigation and uncertainty: The group has several plausible theories but must gather evidence before drawing conclusions.
• Teamwork and complementary abilities: The Adventurers divide their work according to their strengths, while Ye Chuqi’s unique bond with Big Black Fish gives her access to the seabed.
• Humor amid danger: Teasing and Big Black Fish’s complaints ease the tension surrounding the threat.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Chuqi waits while Big Black Fish adjusts to seawater, then sends it to search deeper waters for places where the Sea Beasts may be hiding. It must avoid alerting them.
• While Big Black Fish searches, Ye Chuqi and San San investigate the shallower, more complex seabed. Ye Chuqi suspects the Sea Beasts may be using undersea caverns, fissures, or tunnels connected to an Ore Vein.
• San San detects unusually chaotic Magnetic Fields, suggesting rich mineral deposits nearby. The disorder is so extreme that Ye Chuqi wonders whether someone deliberately obscured the Ore Vein to keep it undiscovered.
• San San identifies the most chaotic area. Ye Chuqi prepares to break open the seabed with her Greatsword, but San San spots a nearby fissure that may provide an easier route toward the vein.

Character developments

• Ye Chuqi shows patience with Big Black Fish and divides the search intelligently, trusting each companion to handle a different task. She also acts decisively when she suspects the Ore Vein has been concealed.
• San San is thrilled by the possibility of finding an Ore Vein, since it has long hoped Ye Chuqi might obtain a Spirit Vein for it. Its familiarity with Ore and Magnetic Fields proves useful in tracking the deposit.
• Big Black Fish adapts rapidly to its new saltwater surroundings and eagerly sets off to search, with its teleportation talent making Ye Chuqi confident it can escape danger.

Significant themes

• Trust and teamwork: Ye Chuqi, San San, and Big Black Fish coordinate their different abilities rather than relying on a single search method.
• Adaptation and resourcefulness: Big Black Fish adjusts to the sea, while Ye Chuqi and San San use their knowledge of Ore and Magnetic Fields to investigate a difficult environment.
• Hidden resources and mystery: The chaotic seabed may conceal a valuable Ore Vein—and possibly evidence that someone intentionally hid it.

Character interactions

• Ye Chuqi gently redirects Big Black Fish from enjoying its new environment to the mission, then lets it search independently.
• San San questions why Ye Chuqi is in the water but still relays her instructions; it later shares its findings and its excitement about the Ore Vein.
• When Ye Chuqi prepares to strike the seabed, San San urgently interrupts and suggests using a fissure instead, guiding her toward a more efficient approach.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Chuqi follows San San’s directions through a narrow underwater fissure and enters a vast, dark cavern filled with glowing plankton and enormous, partly unseen creatures. Both her and San San’s senses are sharply limited inside.
• San San detects an ore deposit beyond a rock wall. Ye Chuqi uses her growing Sword Intent to carve a much larger opening through the earthquake-weakened seabed.
• San San identifies the deposit as Black Iron Ore, not the disappointing Black Ghost Stone. Ye Chuqi recalls that Black Ghost Stone can accompany Black Iron Ore and wonders whether the Black Ghost Stone found earlier at Little Oasis points to an ore vein in the Ashen Wasteland.
• When San San suggests collecting the vein as one would a Spirit Vein, Ye Chuqi protests that she is far too weak: she has only recently reached Foundation Establishment and is still recovering.
• San San ignores the objection and asks why Ye Chuqi said its memory was failing “again,” hinting that its memory problems have a deeper cause.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi displays greater command of her Sword Intent, using it to unleash a powerful strike despite her damaged condition. She is practical and skeptical about attempting a feat far beyond her cultivation.
• San San’s excitement at finding Black Iron Ore gives way to uncertainty about how to extract it. Its restricted perception and suspected memory issues remain significant limitations.
• Their familiar, teasing rapport continues: Ye Chuqi mocks San San’s dramatic disappointment and disbelief, while San San catches on to her revealing remark about its memory.

Significant themes

• Power and ambition: The valuable ore vein offers a major opportunity, but Ye Chuqi’s current strength may make it impossible to claim.
• Limited knowledge: Darkness, magnetic interference, and restricted senses make even a vast deposit difficult to assess.
• Memory and identity: San San’s question about Ye Chuqi’s wording deepens the mystery surrounding its memory loss.
• Opportunity and uncertainty: The possible Ashen Wasteland vein could be a reward—or may already have been discovered by someone else.