Chapter Summaries

Key events

• Luo Mian discovers that he cannot use Shadow Escape inside Zhou Sining’s mysterious darkness-filled Subspace. Though unsettled, he casts Lost Black Mist, a poisonous Shadow spell, while secretly preparing a Super Level attack.
• Burning Heaven absorbs the mist before it can harm Zhou Sining. Zhou then advances unharmed, leaving Luo Mian baffled.
• Luo Mian unleashes Void Dark Execution Ground: Executioner’s Axe Shadow, a Super Level spell. Zhou plants Burning Heaven in the ground, and the blade absorbs the entire spell as well.
• While Luo Mian is distracted and trying to form another Star Palace, Zhou closes the distance and executes him with a single strike. A sacred Power of Sanction dissolves Luo’s body and soul into ghostly blue light, which flows into the Evil Blade.

Character developments

• Luo Mian shifts from confidence in his magic and combat experience to panic as his strongest spells prove useless. His earlier arrogance cannot protect him once Zhou reaches him.
• Zhou Sining remains silent and controlled throughout the confrontation. His apparent vulnerability conceals overwhelming power and a clear purpose: to carry out a sentence against someone whose guilt has already been established.
• Burning Heaven is revealed as ravenously hungry, eagerly devouring both Luo’s spells and the power they contain.

Significant themes

• Judgment and punishment: Zhou’s act is framed as an execution following established guilt, rather than a contest or ordinary fight.
• Limits of power and knowledge: Luo’s mastery of Shadow magic fails in a darkness he cannot control, and he cannot comprehend Burning Heaven’s ability to consume his spells.
• Fear reversing into helplessness: The hunter who expects to trap and kill his opponent becomes trapped by his own assumptions.

Character interactions

• Luo demands Zhou’s identity and later taunts him, but Zhou gives no answer, responding through his actions.
• Luo tries to defeat Zhou with concealment, poison, and overwhelming force; Zhou counters by having Burning Heaven absorb each attack.
• The blade’s eager, almost conversational hunger contrasts with Zhou’s calm silence, reinforcing the supernatural menace of their partnership.

Key plot points

• During the West Fortress crisis, Zhou Sining disappears along with Luo Mian after drawing the mysterious Burning Heaven Blade. The witnesses cannot explain what happened.
• Zhou reappears about ten seconds later, but collapses from exhaustion. Before losing consciousness, he asks Leng Qing to find Han Ji and give him magic energy.
• Han Ji transfers an enormous amount of energy to revive him. Zhou realizes that using Burning Heaven has cost far more than before, and that the blade likely absorbed Luo Mian’s magic energy and treasures.
• Han Ji explains that Hangzhou’s officials have covered for Zhou: Luo Mian’s death is publicly attributed to the Totem Black Snake, which also receives credit for driving back the Silver Sky Lord and White Demon Eagle Legion.
• Han Ji orders Zhou to remain in the Ancient Capital and keep a low profile. He also tells him to prepare for the coming National Team selection and World Academy Competition.

Character development and interactions

• Zhou Sining accepts responsibility for his actions without regret, apologizes for the trouble he caused, and promises to behave—though his confidence and cheekiness quickly return. He also shows concern for protecting the Totem Black Snake and acknowledges that Burning Heaven is too costly to use casually.
• Han Ji is angry that Zhou acted recklessly and exposed the blade, but ultimately helps him recover and protects him through the official cover story. His scolding reflects both frustration and concern.
• Leng Qing catches Zhou when he collapses and follows his request to seek help.
• Mo Fan is indirectly important: his friendship with the Totem Black Snake helps secure its cooperation with the explanation of Luo Mian’s death.

Significant themes

• Power has a price: Burning Heaven’s immense strength demands a huge amount of magic energy and leaves Zhou dangerously weakened.
• Responsibility over regret: Zhou does not regret intervening, but accepts that he must answer for the consequences.
• Loyalty and protection: Han Ji and Hangzhou’s officials shield Zhou, while Zhou’s actions help protect the Totem Black Snake from further blame.
• Secrecy and political compromise: The authorities choose a convenient public account to preserve stability and protect those involved.

Key plot points and events

• After waking and confirming he was unharmed, Zhou Sining left the hospital and learned what had happened while he was unconscious. Mo Fan had helped the Totem Black Snake recover, repel the Silver Sky Lord and its White Demon Eagle Legion, and secure victory. Wang Xiaojun and Ling Ling delivered Eagle Red Grass to the Healing Physician, who developed a cure for the epidemic by dawn.
• With Han Ji and Mo Fan leading the response, Luo Mian’s death was attributed to the Totem Black Snake. The authorities gave up their claim to Crimson Blade: Burning Heaven.
• Wang Xiaojun received a military rank and a transfer to the Sky Eagle breeding department. Mo Fan received the Totem Black Snake’s shed skin. Zhou Sining was awarded ten million for holding Luo Mian off and helping make his crimes public. Including his other funds, Zhou now had sixty million.
• Zhou Sining considered how to use the money, then remembered the Black Dragon Hatchling, whom he had left in his Contract Space during his seven-month coma.
• The hatchling appeared healthy but weak, its forehead scale dim. Zhou Sining supplied it with mana and fed it eight Servant-level Spirit Essences, which it swallowed effortlessly.
• Looking for a better way to raise the dragon, he searched the System Shop. A special package costing 10,000 life points promised to bring the hatchling only to late infancy—not even the juvenile stage.

Character developments

• Zhou Sining recognizes how much others contributed to the crisis and receives sincere thanks from Han Ji’s group. His concern for the hatchling reveals a tender, protective side, and he commits to caring for it.
• Wang Xiaojun’s bravery earns formal recognition and a new military posting.
• The Black Dragon Hatchling shows extraordinary appetite and resilience, hinting at the strength—and expense—of its noble bloodline.

Character interactions

• Mo Fan protects Crimson Blade: Burning Heaven from the authorities, with the Totem Black Snake’s support, while Han Ji helps settle the official account of Luo Mian’s death.
• Zhou Sining thanks Mo Fan for his help, then turns his attention to the hatchling, apologizing and feeding it.
• The hatchling responds to Zhou’s mana and Spirit Essences, strengthening their affectionate bond.

Significant themes

• Recognition and sacrifice: Several people’s actions are honored, especially Zhou’s role in confronting Luo Mian and Wang Xiaojun’s service.
• Responsibility and care: Zhou’s guilt over neglecting the hatchling leads him to prioritize its health.
• Power and cost: The dragon’s rare bloodline makes it formidable, but raising it demands substantial resources—and even the System Shop’s expensive package offers only limited growth.

Plot and key events

• Zhou Sining redeems the Black Dragon Baby Package. The baby dragon swallows the shimmering bead, grows inside a cocoon, and emerges noticeably larger.
• To test its strength, Zhou Sining hits it with a level-four-enhanced Heaven-Shaking Blast. The baby dragon is unharmed, though the explosion frightens it. Zhou Sining realizes it may already have Warrior Level strength and resistance to magic up to the Intermediate Level.
• He apologizes and feeds it two Warrior Level Spirit Essences. The dragon forgives him, and the two spend the day bonding.
• That night, Zhou Sining takes the dragon to the Outer City Wall while hunting Undead. When it insists on going out, he refuses—but it escapes from his clothing and flies toward the Undead.
• A system notification reports that Fierce Dragon God has killed a Servant Level Bone Undead, revealing that the baby dragon is already fighting.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Sining moves from wary curiosity to amazement at the dragon’s strength. Though impulsive in testing it, he quickly feels guilty, comforts it, and tries to keep it safe.
• The baby Black Dragon is powerful but emotionally and behaviorally still a curious infant. It trusts Zhou Sining through their soul link, yet asserts its independence when he tries to restrain it.
• Their bond deepens through feeding, reassurance, and shared communication, but the dragon’s escape hints that caring for it will require more than simply keeping it close.

Significant themes

• Power and unexpected potential: The dragon’s strength far exceeds what its infancy suggests.
• Trust and responsibility: Zhou Sining’s excitement leads him to test the dragon, but he must also account for its feelings and safety.
• Independence versus protection: The baby dragon’s urge to explore clashes with Zhou Sining’s desire to shield it from danger.
• Humor through contrast: The dragon looks helplessly cute, yet it can shrug off Zhou Sining’s powerful attack and kill an Undead almost immediately.

Key plot points and events

• Zhou Sining discovers that when his baby Black Dragon, Fierce Dragon God, kills an Undead, he receives some life points. The dragon also brings back an Undead Crystal, confirming that its kills retain their usual loot rather than converting entirely into points.
• Pleased that the dragon can earn points and find food for itself, Zhou encourages it to hunt while warning it to avoid people and call for help if endangered. He monitors it through their contract bond as he continues fighting.
• By the end of the night, they have earned roughly 3,000 life points; Fierce Dragon God contributed 700 by killing nearly a hundred Servant-level enemies. Zhou rewards it with a Warrior-level Spirit Essence, then sends it to rest at home.
• After midnight, Zhou enters the System Shop to find cultivation resources for Mu Nujiao. He believes she is under pressure from her family—particularly over an arranged marriage—and feels responsible for some of that pressure because of his actions.
• He finds a gold-grade plant seed called the Other Shore, priced at 8,000 life points. Its powers include enhancing plant control, making plant creations lull opponents into complacency, and draining life force. It can develop into either a life-aligned flower with strong defenses and healing dew, or a dangerous death-aligned flower that guides souls to the afterlife. Zhou is astonished by its power.

Character development and interactions

• Zhou Sining shifts from confusion about the system’s rules to delight at Fierce Dragon God’s independence. He shows his affection by praising, cuddling, feeding, and carefully instructing the dragon. His concern for Mu Nujiao also reveals guilt and growing personal commitment.
• Fierce Dragon God displays intelligence and initiative: it hunts effectively, brings Zhou its loot, checks before leaving again, and remains energetic after a long night. Its rapid learning and strength make Zhou increasingly confident in letting it act on its own.
• Zhou and Mu Nujiao do not meet, but Zhou’s search for a resource reflects his awareness of her family troubles and his desire to help her.

Significant themes

• Partnership and responsibility: The dragon’s contribution eases Zhou’s burden, while his care for it shows that its growth is not merely practical.
• Power and its costs: The Other Shore seed offers potent benefits but carries a stark life-and-death duality, hinting that its power may be dangerous.
• Guilt and care: Zhou’s decision to help Mu Nujiao is driven by both concern for her and recognition of how his choices may have worsened her situation.

Key plot points

• After acquiring the Plant Seed Other Shore, Zhou Sining decides to obtain an equally powerful Wind Seed to help Mu Nujiao.
• A week of work with Fierce Dragon God earns him over 25,000 life points. He buys the top-tier Devouring Wind Seed Fuyao for 8,000 points and saves the rest, though he briefly considers buying additional years of life.
• Zhou visits Mu Nujiao at their shared apartment with a Frost Blue Rose and gives her both seeds. He claims he found them while clearing an old tomb, rather than explaining their true source.
• Mu initially refuses because the seeds are far more valuable than the money she owes him. Zhou tells her he likes her and offers the gifts without expecting anything in return.
• He awkwardly tries to leave before his feelings get the better of him. Mu stops him, embraces him, and makes clear that she already returned his feelings during their training. They confirm their relationship.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou’s purchases reflect both his growing ability to earn life points and his commitment to building a secure, happy future with Mu. He is sincere but nervous when he finally confesses.
• Mu’s usual composure gives way to surprise, emotion, and affection. Though she worries about the gifts’ enormous value, she accepts Zhou’s feelings and reassures him that she likes him.
• Their exchange moves their relationship from mutual but unspoken affection to an explicit commitment.

Significant themes

• Love expressed through support: Zhou uses his gains to ease the pressures Mu faces, while emphasizing that his gifts are freely given.
• Ambition and security: His determination to obtain the life he wants is tempered by a desire to enjoy the present rather than obsess over distant goals.
• Trust and vulnerability: Both characters risk emotional honesty, turning a practical gift-giving visit into a defining moment in their relationship.

Key events

• Zhou Sining and Mu Nujiao share an intimate embrace. When she shyly points out that he is physically aroused, he panics, apologizes, and retreats to take a shower, leaving both of them embarrassed.
• Later, they meet again after showering. Mu Nujiao thanks him for giving her the Plant Seed and Wind Seed. Having absorbed them, she can already feel a major improvement in her magical control and cultivation.
• The gifts may also strengthen her independence from her family and help her resist being forced into an arranged marriage.
• As they talk, Zhou Sining tells Mu Nujiao she is beautiful and asks if he can kiss her.

Character developments

• Zhou Sining recognizes that his attraction is more than physical: he is pursuing Mu Nujiao because he sincerely wants a relationship with her. Though desire and nervousness fluster him, he is considerate and checks her comfort before making a move.
• Mu Nujiao becomes more open about her feelings and her gratitude. She is beginning to see Zhou Sining as someone she may love, and the prospect of choosing her own future matters increasingly to her.

Character interactions

• Their closeness shifts between affectionate warmth and awkward, mutual shyness. Mu Nujiao’s teasing observation catches Zhou Sining off guard, while their later conversation restores their tenderness.
• She thanks him earnestly for the valuable gifts; he insists he gave them freely, not as a transaction. Their exchange reinforces their growing trust and affection.

Significant themes

• Love beyond attraction: Their initial physical attraction is developing into sincere care and emotional commitment.
• Choice and independence: Mu Nujiao’s new resources may help her escape family pressure and decide her own future.
• Consent and vulnerability: Zhou Sining’s request to kiss her shows his desire to approach intimacy with her agreement, despite his nervousness.

Key events

• Zhou Sining and Mu Nujiao share an intense first kiss. Although their attraction is strong, Zhou restrains himself, deciding not to rush their new relationship.
• Zhou tells Mu about the Wind Seed he gave her: it is actually a rare Devouring Seed, which can consume other seeds and resources, gain their traits, and potentially evolve into a Soul Seed. Mu is astonished by its immense value.
• Mu cautions Zhou to keep his wealth and unusual resources discreet, lest he attract danger. He assures her he understands.
• Mu mentions that Mo Fan is recruiting teammates for an expedition to the Northern Corner of the Scorching Plains, where he hopes to find a Flame Belle.
• Zhou decides not to join: Han Ji has forbidden him from going off on such trips, and he wants to recover from his six-month unconsciousness, earn life points, and train his newly awakened Space Element. He encourages Mu to go for the combat experience.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou and Mu’s relationship becomes physically and emotionally closer. Zhou shows affection but also patience and concern for Mu’s comfort.
• Mu demonstrates trust and respect for Zhou’s privacy, while also worrying about his safety and his tendency to attract trouble.
• Mu wants to test her improved abilities in real combat, especially with her new Plant and Wind Seeds.
• Zhou supports her choice, trusting Mo Fan to keep her safe—though he jokes that she can abandon Mo Fan if things go wrong. Mu teases him for being a poor friend.

Significant themes

• Trust and intimacy: The couple’s first kiss deepens their relationship, while their honest conversation reinforces mutual care.
• Power and responsibility: The Devouring Seed’s extraordinary potential is balanced by the risk of drawing unwanted attention.
• Growth through experience: Mu values field combat as a way to develop beyond training against other mages.
• Different priorities: Zhou chooses recovery and focused training over an expedition, while supporting Mu’s independent pursuit of experience.

Key plot points

• Zhou Sining declines Mo Fan’s offer to join an adventure, choosing instead to focus on becoming stronger. He knows his memories of the original story are fading, so he can no longer rely on foreknowledge to prevent disasters.
• Before Mo Fan leaves for the Northern Corner of the Scorching Plains, Zhou warns him to watch Chen Ying and hints that an unusually perceptive Flame Spirit may lead him to the Flame Belle.
• Zhou gives Mu Nujiao a costly set of Magic Equipment for her journey. The two share an emotional farewell before she boards her plane.
• Zhou returns to the Ancient Capital’s Outer City Wall and spends a month hunting Undead, earning 80,000 life points.
• The Ancient Capital Academy’s National Team selection tournament begins. Zhou qualifies and expects to secure the nominations needed for a team place. His likely rival, Jiang Shaoxu, has left the academy.

Character development and interactions

• Zhou shows greater urgency and independence: with his ability to predict events weakening, he commits to building enough strength to face future crises himself. He also uses hints and a small lie about his Mind Element to steer Mo Fan without revealing what he knows.
• Zhou and Mu Nujiao’s new relationship is affectionate but tested by their separation. His generous gift reflects both his wealth and concern for her safety; she initially hesitates but accepts it.
• Mo Fan is puzzled by Zhou’s cryptic warnings but agrees to heed them. The group’s teasing and the other couples’ farewells provide a lighter counterpoint to Zhou’s serious preparations.

Significant themes

• Preparation and self-reliance: Zhou can no longer depend on remembered events, so personal strength becomes essential.
• Affection and separation: Zhou and Mu Nujiao’s farewell emphasizes the emotional cost of their upcoming journeys.
• Knowledge as imperfect protection: Zhou’s foresight can still help others, but its limits are becoming increasingly clear.
• Ambition and competition: The tournament offers Zhou a crucial path toward the National Team, and he approaches it with confidence.

Key plot points and events

• Zhou Sining joins a randomly assembled selection-tournament team with Li Jie, Shi Lei, and Li Xiaomian. The team quickly learns that he is the Fire Element department’s famous top-ranked student and has a formidable summoned beast, the Sand Prison Flame Demon Tiger.
• Zhou Sining dominates their first match almost single-handedly, using his powerful Fire Element magic to overwhelm the opponents. His teammates are relieved to have such a strong ally but frustrated that they have no opportunity to demonstrate their own abilities in a tournament judged partly on teamwork.
• Rather than prioritize the tournament or accommodate his teammates, Zhou focuses on cultivation, earning life points at the Outer City Wall, and preparing for the coming Ancient Capital Cataclysm.
• He spends life points on magical artifacts, equipment, Fire Element soul seeds for Gangsha, and supplies for his battle pets. His Space Element rapidly reaches Intermediate Level 3, while his Fire Element nears Advanced Level 2. His Summoning and Mind Elements also approach the Advanced threshold.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Sining is confident in his overwhelming power and unapologetic about pursuing his own priorities. He reveals the Sand Prison Flame Demon Tiger but keeps the baby Black Dragon secret. His growing strength across several elements fuels his excitement and self-confidence.
• Li Jie takes the lead in organizing the team and thinks strategically about its composition and tournament goals.
• Shi Lei and Li Xiaomian are impressed by Zhou’s summoned beast and abilities, but become frustrated when his solo victories leave them sidelined.
• The team begins with friendly enthusiasm, but Zhou’s refusal to restrain himself creates tension between his personal efficiency and the group’s need to earn teamwork scores.

Significant themes

• Individual power versus teamwork: Zhou’s strength secures victories but undermines his teammates’ chance to contribute.
• Ambition and preparation: He treats the tournament as secondary to cultivation, resource gathering, and survival.
• Resource management and growth: Life points and magical items accelerate his progress, while his pets and summoned creatures are also part of his long-term plans.

Key plot points and events

• Su Zhe, Jiang Bowen, and Zhou Sining observe an unusually large Undead Tide outside the Ancient Capital. The men attribute it to winter, but the increase leaves Su Zhe privately uneasy.
• Zhou Sining says he has come to watch rather than prepare for the academy selection tournament. He has won five matches with a single spell each and expects to make the final nomination list.
• Han Ji summons Zhou Sining to the Bell Tower Magic Association. There, Zhou encounters Councilor Zhu Meng and several senior military officers.
• Han Ji explains that Sha Yuan has been detected closer to the Ancient Capital. Its presence is intensifying the deathly energy across the plains and may awaken the Ghost Tyrant, an Undead Monarch buried beyond the North City Wall.
• The officials agree they must strengthen the Hidden Threat Strategic Plan. Since the Ghost Tyrant is difficult to reach while buried and in shadow form, Han Ji proposes waiting for it to awaken and then using the Holy Judgment Formation to kill it.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Sining is confident after dominating the tournament, though he remains attentive and respectful around the officials. His familiarity with Han Ji lets him enter the meeting, and his past encounter with Zhu Meng is remembered.
• Su Zhe tries to dismiss the ominous signs, while Jiang Bowen takes a more measured view; Zhou Sining’s warning irritates them.
• Zhu Meng is intrigued by Zhou Sining’s past role in Luo Mian’s death. In the meeting, he supports decisive action but accepts Han Ji’s plan as the best available option.
• Han Ji leads the strategic discussion, while Lu Xu and Fei Jiao emphasize the dangers and practical obstacles of confronting the Ghost Tyrant.

Significant themes

• Growing danger and foreshadowing: The rising Undead numbers and approaching Sha Yuan signal a looming crisis.
• Preparation under uncertainty: The officials must plan against powerful threats despite limited forces and incomplete options.
• Confidence and capability: Zhou’s effortless tournament victories contrast with the grave, high-stakes concerns facing the Ancient Capital.

Plot points and events

• After the Ancient Capital’s leaders agree to strengthen their hidden threat strategy and secretly prepare the Holy Judgment Array, they notice Zhou Sining, who was allowed to attend their strategic meeting.
• Han Ji introduces Zhou as a gifted student from Bo City. Fei Jiao’s mention of another Bo City student makes Zhou realize that Zhang Xiaohou is already in the Ancient Capital.
• Once the other leaders leave, Han Ji tells Zhou he is likely to make the tournament Nomination List and may earn a place on the National Team.
• Han Ji asks whether Zhou’s Demon-Slaying Tool, Burning Heaven, could kill a Monarch-Level Creature. Zhou is willing to help if possible, but admits he has no idea whether Burning Heaven is strong enough. Han Ji tells him not to feel pressured.
• Han Ji promises to support Zhou’s tournament prospects, then approves his request to train in the Wild Goose Pagoda for up to half a month.
• After Zhou leaves, Han Ji looks toward the Undead Battlefield, worried about the approaching Sha Yuan and the Ghost Tyrant’s eventual awakening. He hopes the crisis never forces him to send Zhou into danger.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Sining remains composed among powerful leaders and shows both ambition and loyalty: he wants to advance in the tournament, but says he will risk helping the city if he can. His rapid progress—already nearing another breakthrough—is emphasized.
• Han Ji acts as both mentor and strategist. He is proud of Zhou and actively supports his advancement, but feels guilty about even considering asking him to face a Monarch-Level threat.
• Fei Jiao reveals lingering pain when Zhang Xiaohou is mentioned, while Zhu Meng hints at Zhou’s connection to another well-known young man from Bo City.

Significant themes

• Duty versus personal risk: Zhou’s potential power could help save the city, but relying on a young mage could cost him his life.
• Mentorship and succession: Han Ji wants Zhou to excel and sees the younger generation as the future of the Ancient Capital.
• Uncertainty in the face of crisis: Burning Heaven’s true limits are unknown, while the approaching undead threat may soon force difficult choices.

Plot points and events

• With Han Ji’s approval, Zhou Sining secures fifteen days of training in the Wild Goose Pagoda. He plans to spend the time on its increasingly powerful floors, making the most of the accelerated cultivation.
• He releases Baby Black Dragon, who eagerly absorbs the Pagoda’s rich magic energy. The dragon’s thoughts reveal that he has been hungry for a long time and resents Zhou Sining’s inadequate feeding.
• Zhou first strengthens his Space Element, then trains his Summoning, Mind, and Space Elements on the third floor. Using a Star River Vein, he breaks through all three Nebula barriers and reaches the Advanced Level in every Element, joining his already-advanced Fire Element.
• On the fourth floor, Zhou continues training the Fire Element. After the full fifteen days, it reaches the second tier, though not the third. He also learns to draw an Advanced-Level Space Star Constellation and makes substantial progress toward advancing Space further.
• Gangsha evolves into a Supreme Soul Seed, gaining a sixfold boost and the traits Penetration, Eternal Burning, Devour Other Flames, and Fire Poison.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou’s extraordinary growth makes him confident and exhilarated: at twenty-one, he has reached the Advanced Level in all four Elements. He tries to tell himself to stay humble, but his excitement is unmistakable.
• Baby Black Dragon has grown larger and is increasingly aware of the world around him. His excitement at the Pagoda’s energy contrasts with his frustration at Zhou’s failure to realize how hungry he has been.
• Zhou is focused on cultivation and initially misunderstands the dragon’s glare, believing he has fed it adequately with Spirit Essences and opportunities to hunt Undead.

Significant themes

• Ambition and rapid advancement: Strategic use of rare resources and the Pagoda’s training boosts allows Zhou to achieve years’ worth of progress in days.
• Power carries responsibilities: Zhou’s intense focus on his own cultivation leaves him unaware of his companion’s needs.
• Success and humility: Zhou’s immense achievement leaves him triumphant, even as he recognizes that he should avoid becoming boastful.

Key plot points and events

• The selection tournament has reached its final three matches. Zhou Sining’s nomination is secure, but he still wants to compete for the academy’s extra nomination. He decides not to reveal his domain or Advanced Level power unless necessary.
• Zhou meets Mu Bai, who missed the final round and is heading to guard the Outer City Wall. Mu Bai explains that the Ancient Capital has tightened restrictions since councilor Zhu Meng arrived to oversee a strategic hazard plan.
• The Undead on the Ancient Capital Plain have multiplied, and their death aura has grown stronger. At the northern wall, Zhou sees the usual safe zone reduced from thirty meters to twenty, despite increased military deployment.
• A sudden torrential storm worsens the crisis: rain obscures the mages’ vision and weakens fire magic, while invigorating the Undead. They surge toward the wall in a massive wave.
• Nearby, twenty Warrior-Level Undead erupt from the ground less than a kilometer from the northern Outer City Wall, alarming Zhou and Mu Bai.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou shows concern for Mu Bai’s prospects, sincerely encouraging him despite the gap between him and students backed by powerful families. He recognizes that Mu Bai’s lack of resources—not lack of talent—is holding him back.
• Mu Bai candidly describes the city’s worsening conditions and reacts with frustration to the rain, which makes the coming guard duty more dangerous.
• Zhou shifts from casual curiosity about the city to alarm as he witnesses the scale of the Undead threat.

Significant themes

• Unequal opportunity: Talent alone may not be enough when elite families control resources and influence.
• Escalating danger: The shrinking safe zone, growing Undead numbers, and sudden appearance of powerful enemies signal that the Ancient Capital’s crisis is intensifying.
• Nature as an advantage to the enemy: The storm turns a difficult defense into a near-nightmare by helping the Undead while hindering human mages.
• Restraint and hidden strength: Zhou keeps his strongest abilities concealed, even as events may soon test that decision.

Plot points and events

• Rotting Corpse Warriors appear at the North City Wall’s third battle line, prompting civilians and non-official Beginner Mages to evacuate and Intermediate Mages to reinforce the area.
• Mu Bai expects the undead group to require a large, coordinated force. Zhou Sining rejects the plan and reveals he is an Advanced Mage.
• Zhou Sining summons seven Fire Element Star Maps into an Advanced Star Constellation and casts Heavenly Flame Funeral. Enhanced white fire rains across the battlefield, spreading through the tightly packed undead and destroying the Rotting Corpse Warriors.
• Before the defenders can celebrate, the ground erupts nearby and a Commander-Level Ancient Warrior appears on a phantom warhorse. Its arrival terrifies the crowd, and emergency calls go out for reinforcements and evacuation.

Character developments

• Zhou Sining reveals that he reached the Advanced Level some time ago, despite being only twenty-one. His power and composure mark him as a formidable defender.
• Mu Bai is stunned to learn how far Zhou Sining has progressed and recognizes that he underestimated him.
• The mages and soldiers shift from alarm to admiration after witnessing Zhou Sining destroy the undead with one spell, then back to fear when the Ancient Warrior appears.

Character interactions

• Mu Bai proposes a cautious group attack; Zhou Sining dismisses the idea and handles the threat himself.
• Zhou’s display inspires awe among the assembled mages, while officials and Sky Eagle Mages respond to the Ancient Warrior by raising the alarm and calling for support.

Significant themes

• Hidden strength and revelation: Zhou Sining’s true level surprises those around him.
• Individual power versus collective effort: One Advanced Mage accomplishes what would have required a large force.
• The limits of victory: The triumph over the Rotting Corpse Warriors is immediately overshadowed by a more dangerous threat.

Plot points and events

• Zhou Sining confronts a towering Ancient Warrior near the city wall, recognizing it as a Commander Level threat that must be stopped.
• He uses his new Divine Footwork boots to reach the enemy and strengthens his white flames with the Gangsha Domain, overpowering the creature’s black deathly energy.
• His first attack, Blazing Fist: Nine Flood Dragons, is blocked by a wall of black ice. The attack’s main purpose, however, is to distract the Ancient Warrior while Zhou completes a Star Constellation.
• Zhou casts Heavenly Flame Funeral, raining enhanced white flames onto the Ancient Warrior. When it tries to flee, he teleports in front of it and uses Mind Control to immobilize it for nearly five seconds.
• The Flame Rain badly wounds the Ancient Warrior and its Phantom Warhorse. Zhou narrowly avoids a deadly spear strike after releasing his hold; the warhorse then collapses, engulfed in white fire with its rider.

Character development

• Zhou shows tactical discipline: he treats his first attack as a diversion, times his spellcasting carefully, and combines movement, mental magic, and fire magic.
• His growing power is evident in his Supreme Fire Soul Seed and Fifth Realm mental strength, though the fight also reminds him that a Commander Level opponent remains dangerous even when gravely injured.
• The Ancient Warrior shifts from contemptuous confidence to panic under the Flame Rain, but continues fighting fiercely.

Themes

• Power and preparation: Zhou’s strength comes not only from potent abilities but from planning and combining them effectively.
• Courage against overwhelming odds: He faces a vastly larger enemy alone rather than allow it to threaten the city.
• The cost of overconfidence: The Ancient Warrior underestimates Zhou’s opening attack, giving him time to prepare his decisive spell.
• Danger persists: Even a nearly defeated enemy can still deliver a lethal counterattack.

Character interactions

• The Ancient Warrior identifies Zhou as the one who disturbed its sleep and repeatedly tries to kill him with its spear, deathly energy, and black ice.
• Zhou answers its taunts with bold attacks and calculated control, ultimately stopping its charge long enough for Heavenly Flame Funeral to take effect.
• The Phantom Warhorse serves as the Ancient Warrior’s mount and escape route, but collapses under the damage, leaving both engulfed in flames.

Plot points and events

• Zhou Sining returns to the Outer City Wall after killing a Commander Level Ancient Warrior with one Heavenly Flame Funeral: Flame Rain. His single-handed victory amazes everyone, but he is more concerned with the worsening storm.
• The torrential rain is already extinguishing a third of the White Flame Sea. As it washes away the plains’ topsoil, buried deathly energy rises, causing more Undead—and increasingly powerful ones—to emerge.
• Zhou Sining spots a vast, unnatural mass of darkness spreading in the distance. Mu Bai cannot see it, but Zhou insists it is real. The darkness contracts into an enormous, egg-shaped form, marked by two blood-red lights.
• A distant roar shakes the plains. Undead rapidly multiply, followed by Warrior Level creatures, including Shadow Ghost Warriors. Then several enormous White Yin Ghost Ministers appear—powerful Commander Level Undead associated with Ghost Monarchs.
• Zhou realizes that the Ghost Tyrant has awakened, signaling a much greater threat to the Ancient Capital.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Sining shows confidence and formidable power, yet remains alert to the danger rather than basking in the crowd’s admiration. His knowledge of the expected Ghost Tyrant makes him especially fearful when he recognizes the signs of its arrival.
• Mu Bai admires Zhou’s strength and trusts his judgment, even though he cannot see the distant darkness himself. Their exchange underscores both their companionship and the difference in their abilities.
• The people on the wall shift from amazement at Zhou’s victory to alarm as the Undead surge and the Ghost Ministers appear.

Significant themes

• Escalating catastrophe: The rain does more than threaten the defenders; it releases buried energy that fuels a rapidly growing Undead horde.
• Power and limits: Zhou’s impressive strength can defeat a formidable enemy, but the scale of the emerging threat exceeds a single victory.
• Isolation and foreknowledge: Zhou alone perceives the distant darkness and understands what it means, leaving him to face the warning before others can recognize it.

Key plot points and events

• A blood-red light and a tolling bell signal a major emergency across the Ancient Capital. Four consecutive Radiant Light signals summon affiliated mages to the North City Tower.
• Three White Yin Ghost Ministers are approaching the North City Wall. The area erupts into confusion as civilians and mages move, but the military rapidly organizes the defenses into battle lines, reserves, supply routes, and treatment areas.
• Mu Bai heads to the North City Tower to join the response. Zhou Sining stays behind, takes to the air, and attacks the approaching undead.
• Zhou Sining’s amplified Heavenly Flame Funeral: Flame Rain devastates large packs of Warrior Level undead and briefly creates a barrier of fire, though heavy rain and the growing deathly aura weaken its effect.
• Commander Lin Tian joins Zhou Sining and confirms that Military Commander Lu Xu is engaging the three Ghost Ministers.
• Lu Xu confronts the Ghost Ministers and uses a powerful Light Element spell, destroying their bodies and leaving only their remnant souls. With the major threats removed, assembled mages can manage the remaining undead, and the crisis is temporarily contained.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Sining remains composed amid the confusion, chooses to defend the wall, and demonstrates formidable power and stamina by repeatedly casting an amplified fire spell. He coordinates briefly with Lin Tian and recognizes the need to hold back from attacking the Ghost Ministers alone.
• Mu Bai responds to the emergency by going to the North City Tower, where unaffiliated mages are to be organized and assigned.
• Lin Tian introduces himself as commander of the Third Battle Line and clarifies the military plan: ordinary forces handle the Warrior Level creatures while Lu Xu confronts the Ghost Ministers.
• Lu Xu displays decisive command and overwhelming Light Element power, quickly eliminating the three principal enemies.

Significant themes

• Collective organization in crisis: The city transforms from disorder into a coordinated defense through clear roles, routes, and reserves.
• Duty and cooperation: Mages from many organizations are compelled to answer the call, while military and civilian forces support one another.
• Strength used strategically: Zhou Sining targets the clustered lesser undead, while Lu Xu handles the greater threats.
• Light versus death: Light magic proves especially destructive against the undead, underscoring its symbolic and practical opposition to deathly forces.

Plot points and events

• After a brutal night defending the city, the rain stops and the remaining undead retreat underground. Lu Xu had killed the dangerous White Yin Ghost Minister, while the Advanced Level mages handled ordinary undead.
• Zhou Sining and Mu Bai notice the Crimson Alert remains in effect despite the daylight and the Ghost Ministers’ deaths. Zhou quietly reveals that the Ghost Tyrant—an Undead Monarch—has awakened. They agree to keep the news secret.
• The men rest, and after two or three days the alert is lifted, though the city’s security remains heightened.
• Zhou checks his rewards and discovers he has 80,000 life points. While considering ways to strengthen himself and his battle pets, he explores the System Shop and discovers that Innate Talents can be purchased.
• He buys Stardust Mutation for 20,000 life points. The talent lets him cast spells one level above his mastery, provided he does not cross a major level boundary. He assigns it to himself and chooses his Fire Element.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Sining remains practical under pressure: he warns Mu Bai about the Ghost Tyrant but also urges him not to panic or spread rumors.
• Mu Bai is shaken by the revelation but agrees to keep it confidential.
• Exhausted from the defense, Zhou and Mu Bai both recognize the need to recover rather than return immediately to combat.
• Zhou’s discovery of purchasable talents shifts his priorities: instead of immediately investing in his pets, he chooses to enhance his own combat ability.

Significant themes

• Hidden danger and secrecy: The lifted alert does not mean the threat is gone; officials conceal the Ghost Tyrant’s awakening.
• Power and opportunity: Zhou’s growing resources give him new ways to improve, but the System Shop’s strange prices force careful choices.
• The changing nature of advantage: Innate Talents, once rare personal gifts, can now be bought and potentially shared, raising the possibility of dramatically altering the balance of power.

Key plot points and events

• Zhou Sining gains the Innate Fire Element Devouring Seed, then reviews his system panel. With his abilities and Gangsha amplification, he believes he can now challenge super-level mages.
• He spends system currency on spirit essences and fire spirit seeds for his two pets, the Sand Prison Flame Demon Tiger and Baby Black Dragon.
• Mu Bai tells him that He Yu has arrived seeking news of Zhang Xiaohou, who has been missing during a secret mission in the Ancient Capital.
• He Yu explains that Zhang Xiaohou and Chief Instructor Zhan Kong both disappeared from contact after coming to the city several months earlier. The military has given her no answers.
• Zhou Sining contacts Chief Instructor Fei Jiao. After hearing the situation, Fei Jiao asks Zhou to bring He Yu to the North City Tower, suggesting he has important information. Zhou takes her there.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Sining’s new talent and growing magical power leave him exhilarated, but his concern for Zhang Xiaohou quickly takes priority.
• He Yu is no longer the timid girl Zhou remembers. Military service has made her resilient and decisive, though her worry over Zhang Xiaohou’s disappearance is evident.
• Zhou, Mu Bai, Zhou Min, and Zhao Kunsan try to reassure He Yu. Zhou Min defends her feelings when Zhao Kunsan’s joking remark comes across as insensitive.
• Zhou acts as He Yu’s intermediary, using his connections to reach Fei Jiao. Fei Jiao’s grave response deepens the sense that the disappearance is serious.

Significant themes

• Power and responsibility: Zhou Sining celebrates his newfound strength but uses his connections to help an old friend.
• Loyalty and concern: He Yu’s determination to find Zhang Xiaohou shows the strength of their relationship.
• Uncertainty and danger: The military’s silence and Fei Jiao’s solemn tone suggest that Zhang Xiaohou’s mission—and the broader crisis in the Ancient Capital—may be perilous.