Chapter Summaries

Chapter summary

Over ten years in Tianquan City, Qin Hao repeatedly changed his appearance and discreetly searched its shops for treasures rich in divine soul power. He collected eighty-six such items, but they cost nearly ten million low-grade origin crystals—and, even so, would only be enough to reconstruct two of his four remaining doppelgangers, with some power left over. Qin Hao suspects he has nearly exhausted the city’s supply and has been watched by suspicious people; the Blood Crow Captain and his companions helped protect his movements.
Qin Hao weighs whether to begin secluded cultivation with enough treasures for two doppelgangers or continue searching. He is reluctant to stop, since he may not emerge from seclusion soon, but further shopping risks exposing him. His ten-year room rental at the Mountain Spring Tavern has also expired.
When the tavern attendant visits to ask whether Qin Hao will renew, he notices Qin Hao’s progress. Qin Hao has cultivated during his stay, advanced toward becoming a Middle Rank Dao-Origin Divine Lord, and begun to form his Void Sword Dao Intent. After tipping the attendant, Qin Hao asks about the city’s largest treasure dealers. The attendant explains that Tianquan City has more than a thousand shops selling rare materials, many hidden in alleys and accessible only through introductions. Qin Hao realizes he has searched only the more visible market, but learns that simply knowing a hidden shop’s location may not be enough to enter.

Character and thematic notes

• Qin Hao: Patient and cautious, he has made steady cultivation progress but faces a difficult choice between pursuing his goal and avoiding danger.
• The attendant: Friendly and eager to help, he uses his local knowledge to offer Qin Hao a possible new lead.
• Themes: Persistence and sacrifice, the risks of being watched, the limits of an apparent search, and the tension between pursuing ambition and withdrawing into cultivation.

Plot points

• Qin Hao learns that Tianquan City’s expensive treasure firms require referrals, cultivation credentials, or other proof of status.
• A waiter at the Mountain Spring Tavern tells him about the Myriad Origins Treasure Pavilion, which allows entry through an insider’s referral, an invitation for a Lower Divine King or half-step Divine King, or possession of ten million low-grade origin crystals.
• Qin Hao realizes he meets the wealth requirement: despite spending heavily on soul-related treasures, he estimates he still has twenty million origin crystals.
• He asks whether he might get in by trying his luck. The waiter gives directions but warns him that the pavilion is difficult to enter. Qin Hao leaves to investigate.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin Hao remains focused on finding what he needs, though the chapter does not reveal what he intends to buy. He keeps his wealth and intentions private, responding sharply when the waiter asks a personal question. His brief display of pressure frightens the waiter, but Qin Hao soon lets the matter pass.
• The waiter is helpful and somewhat curious. After overstepping, he apologizes and cautiously offers directions and advice. Once Qin Hao is gone, he cheerfully reflects on the two origin crystals he earned and hopes to make more by learning useful information.
• Their exchange highlights the difference in their positions: the waiter knows the city’s customs but lacks access to elite shops, while Qin Hao has the resources to qualify yet still faces uncertainty.

Significant themes

• Wealth and status as gatekeepers: Access to valuable goods depends on money, cultivation, or connections.
• Hidden identity and discretion: Qin Hao conceals his purpose and reacts defensively when questioned.
• Ambition and chance: Despite the pavilion’s strict rules, Qin Hao is willing to test whether he can gain entry.

Key plot points and events

• Qin Hao disguises himself and heads to the Myriad Origins Treasure Pavilion in Tianquan City, carrying ten million low-grade Origin Crystals.
• He needs a Divine Soul Treasure to help reconstruct more doppelgangers and improve his chances against Demon Venerable Ten Thousand Balefuls, who has refined the Star-Shattering Ring.
• Qin Hao recognizes the danger: he qualifies for entry only through the Pavilion’s special invitation route, and its motives are uncertain. He nevertheless judges the risk worthwhile, noting that Tianquan City’s laws and his escape into the Mirror Lake Profound Heaven Mirror offer some protection.
• At the Pavilion’s unassuming entrance, a white-robed attendant initially dismisses him for lacking an invitation. Nearby cultivators expect Qin Hao to be punished for trying to enter.
• Qin Hao gives the attendant a Storage Spirit Ring and tells him to inspect its contents. The attendant discovers ten million low-grade Origin Crystals and reacts with shock, disbelief, greed, and uncertainty.

Character developments

• Qin Hao remains cautious but determined. He weighs the dangers carefully, then uses his wealth and composure to challenge the attendant’s dismissive treatment.
• The attendant shifts from cool skepticism to alarm and avarice after seeing the fortune, leaving his intentions unclear.
• Qin Hao’s companions remain on guard inside the Mirror Lake Profound Heaven Mirror, ready to respond to danger.

Significant themes

• Risk versus necessity: Qin Hao accepts a calculated danger because his larger struggle may require power he cannot gain through ordinary cultivation alone.
• Wealth and influence: The attendant’s attitude changes instantly when confronted with a vast sum, exposing the power of money—and the greed it can provoke.
• Appearance versus reality: The modest-looking shop hides a powerful, exclusive organization, while Qin Hao’s unremarkable disguise conceals both his resources and resolve.
• Caution and preparedness: Qin Hao plans around possible betrayal, while his companions stay ready to protect him.

Character interactions

• Qin Hao discusses the risk of visiting the Pavilion with Captain Blood Crow and his companions, who respond by preparing for possible trouble.
• The Pavilion attendant questions and dismisses Qin Hao; Qin Hao counters with a pointed remark about the Pavilion’s “hospitality” and then presents the ring.
• Nearby cultivators watch the exchange and mock Qin Hao, expecting him to be rejected, but the discovery of his fortune changes the encounter’s direction.

Key plot points and events

• Qin Hao enters the Myriad Origins Treasure Pavilion carrying ten million low-grade origin crystals. Liu Zhuang, the front-hall manager, is astonished and assumes Qin Hao is either a Divine King in disguise or a powerful clan heir.
• Liu Zhuang respectfully admits him but says he must first inform the proprietor. Qin Hao agrees and is shown to a private alcove.
• The first floor holds ordinary treasures, but Qin Hao finds no divine-soul treasures. Liu Zhuang says the more valuable items are on the second and third floors, which Qin Hao’s divine sense could not detect.
• While Qin Hao waits alertly, Liu Zhuang goes to the fourth floor, reserved for senior members. There, the pavilion’s Half-Step Divine King proprietor, Qingwu, is speaking with a Lower Divine King.
• The burly Divine King urges Qingwu to join him in killing Divine King Blazing Axe and seizing control of Tianquan City.

Character developments

• Qin Hao remains composed and guarded, allowing Liu Zhuang to mistake him for someone more powerful or better connected. He is careful to conceal his true appearance and monitor the pavilion while he waits.
• Liu Zhuang shifts from surprise to deference after seeing Qin Hao’s wealth and sensing his spiritual power. He treats Qin Hao respectfully and escalates the matter to his superior.
• Qingwu is introduced as a powerful pavilion leader whose furrowed expression suggests she is weighing a serious problem.
• The burly Divine King is revealed as forceful and ambitious, openly proposing a violent bid for control of the city.

Significant themes

• Appearances and mistaken identity: Qin Hao’s wealth and concealed strength lead others to make assumptions about his status.
• Power and social hierarchy: Access to the pavilion’s hidden floors depends on rank, while perceived power immediately changes how people behave.
• Caution and concealment: Qin Hao protects his identity and stays vigilant in an unfamiliar place.
• Political ambition: The proposal to eliminate Blazing Axe introduces a struggle for control of Tianquan City.

Character interactions

• Liu Zhuang treats Qin Hao with increasing respect and escorts him inside, while Qin Hao politely accepts the attention without correcting his assumptions.
• The alley’s onlookers, having mocked Qin Hao, become frightened when they believe he may be a Divine King and quickly leave.
• On the fourth floor, the Divine King presses Qingwu to join his plan against Blazing Axe; her response is not yet shown.

Key plot points and events

• In a private room at the Myriad Origins Treasure Pavilion, Manager Qingwu and Divine King Ziyang discuss a dangerous assignment from Tianquan City’s ruler, Divine King Blazing Axe: escorting something to Eastern Yin City.
• Ziyang initially proposes fighting their way through, but Qingwu points out that Blazing Axe is much stronger than the two of them together. They decide they must complete the task and recruit capable Dao-Origin Divine Lords or Half-Step Divine Kings rather than hire another expensive Divine King.
• Before Qingwu can make arrangements, her subordinate Liu Zhuang reports an unusual visitor. The man appears to be an Early-Stage Dao-Origin Divine Lord, but he has deposited ten million low-grade origin crystals—the threshold for entry into the pavilion.
• Qingwu and Ziyang suspect the visitor may be a Lower Divine King and go to meet him. On the way, Ziyang senses powerful divine-soul energy coming from the first floor, confirming that the visitor is no ordinary cultivator.
• Ziyang finds the visitor’s soul power puzzling: it is remarkably strong, yet seems insufficiently condensed.

Character developments and interactions

• Qingwu demonstrates practical judgment and authority as the pavilion’s Tianquan City manager. Although Ziyang is stronger in combat, he defers to her decisions because she outranks him organizationally.
• Ziyang is impulsive and eager to fight, but accepts Qingwu’s cautious plan. He is also protective of the pavilion, though he disguises his concern for Qingwu with a defensive joke.
• Liu Zhuang is nervous about reporting the visitor’s apparent cultivation, but his evidence—the enormous deposit—proves important. He is relieved that he did not offend the stranger.
• Qingwu and Ziyang respond to the visitor with growing caution and curiosity, while their teasing exchange hints at personal familiarity between them.

Significant themes

• Prudence over force: Qingwu recognizes that reckless resistance to a stronger opponent would be futile.
• Hierarchy and responsibility: Combat strength does not determine every kind of authority; Qingwu leads despite Ziyang’s greater fighting ability.
• Appearances can mislead: The visitor looks like a low-level cultivator, yet his wealth and immense soul power suggest otherwise.
• Power and uncertainty: Even experienced Divine Kings struggle to interpret the stranger’s unusual abilities, setting up a mystery around his true nature.

Key plot points and events

• Qingwu and Divine King Ziyang sense exceptionally powerful divine-soul energy on the pavilion’s first floor. Ziyang judges it strong but unusually unrefined and unconcentrated, suggesting its owner may not be a Divine King.
• Qingwu asks Ziyang to probe the source at full strength. Ziyang unleashes his divine-soul power, and Qin Hao counters with a sword-shaped burst of soul energy.
• The clash leaves Qingwu uncomfortable and visibly shocks Ziyang, while Qin Hao remains steady. Ziyang determines that Qin Hao is only an Early-Stage Dao-Origin Divine Lord, despite possessing soul strength approaching that of a Middle Divine King.
• Qingwu suggests Qin Hao may be a reincarnated mighty expert, though acknowledges this is only a possibility. Concerned that the probe may have offended him, Ziyang considers the risk; Qingwu instead heads downstairs, hoping to do business with Qin Hao.

Character developments

• Qin Hao demonstrates confidence and control: he recognizes the pavilion’s investigation but is not intimidated, trusting his superior soul strength and the protection afforded by operating in Tianquan City.
• Divine King Ziyang shifts from probing cautiously to alarm and disbelief when he learns Qin Hao’s actual cultivation. He also becomes worried about having provoked a possible ancient expert.
• Qingwu proves perceptive and strategic, inferring that Qin Hao’s unusually powerful but less-refined soul may indicate reincarnation. Rather than escalate the encounter, Qingwu sees an opportunity for negotiation.

Significant themes

• Hidden power and deceptive appearances: Qin Hao’s low cultivation conceals soul strength far beyond what it should permit.
• Reincarnation and second chances: The possibility that Qin Hao is an ancient powerhouse reborn introduces the prospect of great potential—and vulnerability before he regains his former strength.
• Caution versus opportunity: The pavilion’s leaders must balance the danger of antagonizing Qin Hao against the chance to form a profitable deal.

Character interactions

• Qingwu directs Ziyang to test the mysterious presence, overruling his concern that probing might provoke it.
• Qin Hao and Ziyang engage in a silent clash of divine-soul power, revealing the gulf between Qin Hao’s cultivation rank and his true soul strength.
• Afterward, Qingwu explains the reincarnation theory to Ziyang and moves to meet Qin Hao with a conciliatory, business-minded approach.

Key plot points and events

• Qin Hao, using the name Eugene, meets Qingwu, manager of the Myriad Origins Treasure Pavilion, and Divine King Ziyang, her bodyguard.
• Qingwu and Ziyang are struck by Qin Hao’s unusually powerful divine soul and calmness, especially given his low cultivation. They speculate that he may be a reincarnated powerhouse or an heir to an exceptional lineage.
• Qin Hao explains that he wants to buy divine soul treasures and is prepared to spend up to ten million low-grade origin crystals.
• The pavilion produces ten treasures worth nearly two million crystals. Qin Hao buys them all, though he knows they are insufficient for his plans to create the remaining four doppelgangers and advance the Thousand Shadows Spirit Transformation Art.
• When Qin Hao says he will buy any further treasures at any price, Qingwu reveals that the pavilion has another valuable divine soul treasure and asks him to wait.

Character developments

• Qin Hao remains composed under scrutiny and focused on acquiring rare treasures. Though disappointed by the limited stock, he is willing to pay generously and keep searching.
• Qingwu shows perceptiveness and confidence as a manager, quickly assessing Qin Hao as extraordinary while remaining courteous and strategic.
• Divine King Ziyang is vigilant and protective, and shares Qingwu’s growing suspicion that Qin Hao may be a powerful reincarnated expert.

Significant themes

• Hidden power and mistaken identity: Qin Hao’s modest cultivation conceals a formidable divine soul, prompting others to imagine a far greater past.
• Scarcity and ambition: Rare divine soul treasures are difficult to obtain, while Qin Hao’s cultivation goals require them in large quantities.
• Caution and calculated trust: Qingwu and Ziyang weigh the risks of dealing with Qin Hao, while he stays alert but proceeds with the transaction.

Character interactions

• Qingwu and Ziyang examine Qin Hao closely, while he remains unruffled and gives only the borrowed name “Eugene.”
• Qin Hao’s direct request surprises them and intensifies their suspicions about his origins.
• Qingwu responds to his willingness to buy more by offering another valuable treasure, setting up a further negotiation.

Key plot points and events

• Qin Hao is shown a second divine-soul treasure: Worry-Free Divine Amber, a small crystal containing an extraordinary concentration of soul power.
• The amber could provide enough power for Qin Hao to rebuild his doppelganger and continue practicing the Thousand Shadows Spirit Transformation Art.
• Qingwu explains that the treasure would normally be sent to the Myriad Origins Treasure Pavilion’s headquarters and auctioned. Its starting bid is eight million low-grade origin crystals, but an auction may not happen for tens of thousands of epochs—far too long for Qin Hao to wait.
• Qingwu offers to sell it directly to him for the starting price if he escorts an item to Eastern Yin City.
• Qin Hao recognizes that the offer has hidden risks and asks what makes the item difficult to transport.

Character developments

• Qin Hao remains composed and practical. Although he urgently wants the amber, he does not let that need push him into accepting an unclear deal.
• Qingwu reveals that she has a specific purpose in presenting the treasure. She tries to make the direct purchase appealing while withholding details about the escort task.

Character interactions

• Qingwu presents the amber and emphasizes its rarity and value.
• Qin Hao questions the auction delay and the possibility of bypassing it, prompting Qingwu to disclose her proposal.
• Their exchange is cautious and transactional: Qingwu makes an attractive offer, while Qin Hao probes for the catch rather than agreeing immediately.

Significant themes

• Scarcity and urgency: The amber is exceptionally rare, and Qin Hao’s limited time makes the normal auction route impractical.
• The price of opportunity: A favorable deal may come with hidden danger or obligation.
• Caution and leverage: Both characters understand the treasure’s value and negotiate from different positions.

Key plot points and events

• Qingwu explains that the Youying Soulstone emits dangerous Ghost Soul Power, creating “soul wind” that can trigger inner demons, madness, or death in ordinary cultivators—even when the stone is sealed.
• Qin Hao realizes his unusually powerful divine soul should let him resist or neutralize its effects, making the escort potentially manageable.
• The mission is to carry the stone from Tianquan City to Eastern Yin City and deliver it to Divine King Dongyin. The journey takes over six months, with only part of the route covered by teleportation.
• The reward includes three months’ access to the Dongyin Sword Monument, which could help Qin Hao’s Sword Dao cultivation. Completing the task would also help him obtain Worry-Free Divine Amber and pursue cultivation at Tianquan Cave Abode.
• Divine King Ziyang will accompany the escort, alongside other cultivators considered resistant to the stone’s influence.
• Qin Hao questions why the pavilion would entrust such a perilous task to an Early-Stage Dao-Origin Divine Lord rather than a Divine King. Qingwu explains that hiring a Divine King is prohibitively expensive: at least a million low-grade origin crystals for a Lower Divine King, and much more for a Middle Divine King.
• The mission was ordered by Divine King Blazing Axe, Tianquan City’s lord, who is arranging the stone for his friend Divine King Dongyin’s effort to forge a mid-grade divine weapon. The pavilion must comply, despite the danger.
• Qin Hao consults his companions through the Mirror Lake Profound Heaven Mirror. The Blood Crow Captain thinks the mission may be worth attempting; Eugene warns that the Youying Soulstone is notoriously sinister. Qin Hao begins weighing the risks.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin Hao moves from considering the mission’s rewards to examining its dangers and questioning why he was selected. His confidence in his divine-soul strength is tempered by uncertainty about the stone.
• Qingwu is anxious to secure Qin Hao’s cooperation. She explains the mission, its incentives, and the pavilion’s financial and political constraints in detail.
• The Blood Crow Captain encourages Qin Hao to consider accepting, while Eugene urges caution based on the stone’s reputation.
• The mission exposes the pavilion’s limited freedom: it is caught between the danger of the escort and the obligation to obey Blazing Axe.

Significant themes

• Power and vulnerability: Qin Hao’s exceptional divine soul may protect him where ordinary cultivators would be helpless, but the stone remains an uncertain threat.
• Duty versus self-interest: The pavilion undertakes a dangerous task not for its own gain, but because it cannot defy a powerful city lord.
• Risk and reward: The Sword Monument, cultivation opportunities, and savings make the mission attractive, while the long journey and soul-corrupting artifact make it hazardous.
• Pragmatism and political pressure: Cost, influence, and obligation shape the decision as much as combat strength does.

Key plot points and events

• Qin Hao and his companions assess the risks of escorting the Youying Soulstone to Eastern Yin City. The journey’s greatest danger is the flight after teleportation, when they could face Star Pirates—or Divine King Ziyang himself, who might try to steal Qin Hao’s ten million origin crystals.
• Qin Hao judges that Ziyang is powerful but believes he could resist him or escape if necessary. Wanting the Worry-Free Divine Amber, he decides the risk is worthwhile.
• Qin Hao agrees to join the escort mission. His role will be to help form a group formation that suppresses the Soulstone’s Youying Power, serving as its core. The round trip should take about a year, and departure is planned within three days to half a month.
• After Qin Hao leaves, Qingwu and Ziyang discuss whether he is a Reincarnated Great Expert. They decide to proceed because they need his unusual soul power and can meet his demand for the amber.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin Hao remains cautious and calculating. He recognizes both the potential threat posed by Ziyang and the value of the mission, then negotiates by confirming his duties and leaving Qingwu a Message Jade Slip.
• Qingwu is eager to secure Qin Hao’s help but cannot read him clearly. She suspects he sees through her intentions and pragmatically decides to give him the reward he wants.
• Divine King Ziyang is wary of Qin Hao and worries that, if he is a Reincarnated Great Expert, enemies tracking him could endanger the escort. Qingwu challenges him to consider the alternative—undertaking the mission alone—and he has no answer.

Significant themes

• Risk and reward: Qin Hao accepts danger because the mission offers something he values, while recognizing that no journey is entirely safe.
• Suspicion and uncertainty: Qin Hao’s extraordinary soul power makes others wonder who—or what—he really is, but neither Qingwu nor Ziyang can know for certain.
• Pragmatism and uneasy cooperation: The characters cooperate not because they fully trust one another, but because each has something to gain and few better options.

Chapter summary

• Qin Hao prepares for the escort mission. In his inn room in Tianquan City, he briefly doubts whether he is strong enough to escort the Myriad Origins Treasure Pavilion’s cargo, especially given the danger posed by the Youying Soul Stone. He decides to go ahead and use the remaining time to cultivate rather than worry.
• His progress—and limits—are clarified. Qin Hao has developed an embryonic Void Sword Dao Intent, in addition to his established Sword Dao Intent. The new Dao Intent is still faint and insubstantial, and he knows turning it into a fully realized form will take time. Reaching Middle Rank Dao-Origin Divine Lord requires mastering three forms of Dao Intent; he currently has only one complete form and no third. He therefore expects not to advance before departure, though his Void Sword Dao Intent does grow more solid during ten days of secluded cultivation.
• The mission gathering begins. After ten days, Qin Hao receives a message from a woman at the Myriad Origins Treasure Pavilion: the group has assembled and is waiting for him. He wonders how many people have been recruited, recognizing that protecting himself from the Youying power is different from suppressing the Soul Stone itself. He sets out for the Pavilion.
• Other recruits are introduced. In a rear courtyard of the Pavilion, two bored men wait: one carries a great saber, while the other wears armor marked with a red-glowing gemstone. Both are Peak-Stage Dao-Origin Divine Lords with substantial Divine Soul Power, apparently recruited by Qingwu.

Character developments and interactions

Qin Hao remains cautious but practical, choosing cultivation and preparation over anxiety. His progress with Void Sword Dao Intent shows his potential, while the demanding requirements for advancement temper expectations. The woman’s message prompts him to leave, and the two newly introduced cultivators suggest the escort team will include additional capable recruits. The chapter ends before Qin Hao meets them.

Significant themes

• Preparation in the face of danger: Greater strength may improve Qin Hao’s resistance to the Soul Stone’s influence, but he understands that it cannot guarantee success.
• Slow, disciplined advancement: Even in an environment rich in Dao-Origin, mastery requires sustained effort; a breakthrough cannot simply be rushed.
• Potential versus achievement: Qin Hao’s embryonic Void Sword Dao Intent marks progress, but it remains far from the mastery required for his next rank.

Key plot points and events

• Jing Lie, a notorious half-step Divine King, arrives at a courtyard where Wei Suhe and Zang Dajiang are preparing for a mission to escort a Youying Soulstone.
• Wei and Zang welcome him eagerly, though they fear his vicious temperament. They agree to give him 30% of their reward, as his usual condition for joining a mission.
• Qin Hao enters disguised as a middle-aged man in black robes. His apparent cultivation is only Early-Stage Dao-Origin Divine Lord, prompting Wei and Zang to question why the Myriad Origins Treasure Pavilion selected him.
• Qin Hao assesses the group’s Divine Souls and equipment. He recognizes Jing Lie’s unusually strong Divine Soul, Wei Suhe’s soul-attacking great saber, and Zang Dajiang’s armor, which can weaken Divine Soul attacks.
• Wei and Zang worry that Qin Hao’s apparent weakness could endanger everyone if the Youying Soulstone’s power leaks and creates a soul wind. Jing Lie dismisses their objections, but insists Qin Hao must pay the Origin Crystals he owes.

Character developments and interactions

• Jing Lie is established as powerful, calculating, and ruthless: he has killed companions who disobeyed him and demands a share of mission rewards. Despite this, he accepts the Pavilion’s decision to include Qin Hao and rebukes Wei and Zang for underestimating him.
• Wei Suhe and Zang Dajiang defer to Jing Lie and seek his protection, while remaining suspicious and fearful of Qin Hao’s apparent lack of strength.
• Qin Hao remains calm and observant, concealing his true appearance and strength. He quietly identifies the group’s capabilities without revealing what he knows.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus true ability: Qin Hao looks like a weak cultivator, but his concealed power and perceptiveness make the others’ assumptions unreliable.
• Power, fear, and hierarchy: Jing Lie’s strength earns obedience, while his reputation for cruelty makes even allies wary.
• Trust and mission risk: The group’s doubts about Qin Hao expose the tension between relying on official decisions and judging others by appearances.

Key plot points and events

• Qin Hao joins the courtyard where Jing Lie, Wei Suhe, and Zang Dajiang are waiting for an escort mission involving the Youying Soulstone.
• Jing Lie demands Qin Hao hand over origin crystals. Qin Hao realizes Jing Lie expects a cut of his mission pay, but Qin Hao has no reward to share—and refuses to give up his own crystals.
• Qin Hao ignores the men. Wei Suhe and Zang Dajiang want to confront him, but Jing Lie stops them and threatens that Qin Hao will regret his defiance.
• Qin Hao recognizes how dangerous the Outer Domain’s strength-based hierarchy can be, but privately resolves to defend himself if the three attack. He cultivates to build up divine strength.
• While listening to their conversation, Qin Hao learns that all three are Free Mercenaries in the Mercenary Hall. Jing Lie routinely takes thirty percent of his partners’ rewards. The chapter ends as a woman enters the courtyard.

Character developments

• Qin Hao remains outwardly calm and refuses to be intimidated or extorted. Though he acknowledges the danger, he believes he can kill Jing Lie if forced to fight.
• Jing Lie is revealed as an arrogant, calculating leader who uses his strength and status to claim a share of others’ earnings.
• Wei Suhe and Zang Dajiang display contempt for Qin Hao and defer to Jing Lie, both fearing the consequences of his displeasure.

Significant themes

• Might makes right: The Outer Domain is portrayed as especially harsh, with the powerful exploiting those beneath them.
• Extortion and mercenary hierarchy: Jing Lie’s routine cut from others’ pay shows how exploitation is normalized.
• Defiance and hidden strength: Qin Hao refuses to submit, despite appearing weaker, and prepares quietly for a possible clash.

Character interactions

• Jing Lie’s demand and Qin Hao’s silence escalate the tension; Wei Suhe and Zang Dajiang act as his enforcers.
• Jing Lie restrains his companions, choosing to threaten Qin Hao and wait for him to yield rather than attack immediately.
• The three men’s casual conversation gives Qin Hao information about their organization, mission pay, and Jing Lie’s usual share-taking.

Plot and events

• A young woman arrives at the courtyard. Qin Hao recognizes that, despite being a peak-stage Dao-Origin Divine Lord, her unusually powerful divine soul makes her markedly stronger than Wei Suhe and Zang Dajiang.
• Wei Suhe identifies her as Li Yunchan, daughter of the Li Family’s head—one of Tianquan City’s two great clans. She has joined the Mercenary Hall to test herself and is famous for killing a half-step Divine King during a mission, despite being badly wounded.
• Jing Lie sees Li Yunchan’s arrival as a chance to pursue her and gain access to her family’s resources, which he hopes will help him reach Divine Kinghood.
• He approaches and invites her to sit with him. Li Yunchan ignores him, walks past, and chooses to stand beneath the eaves beside Qin Hao.
• The courtyard falls silent. Jing Lie, humiliated by her apparent preference for Qin Hao, turns his anger toward him.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Yunchan is introduced as talented, battle-tested, self-reliant, and emotionally distant. Her deliberate choice to ignore Jing Lie and approach Qin Hao establishes her independence and hints at interest or respect toward Qin Hao.
• Jing Lie reveals himself as ambitious and predatory: he views Li Yunchan less as a person than as a route to status and power. Her rejection wounds his pride and fuels his hostility toward Qin Hao.
• Qin Hao remains observant and composed, quickly assessing Li Yunchan’s strength and sensing that Jing Lie’s welcome is self-serving.
• Wei Suhe and Zang Dajiang recognize Li Yunchan’s standing and step aside as Jing Lie takes the lead, then are surprised by her public rebuff.

Significant themes

• Strength beyond rank: Li Yunchan’s exceptional soul power and combat record distinguish her from cultivators at the same realm.
• Independence and merit: Despite her prestigious family background, she seeks danger and growth through her own missions.
• Ambition and entitlement: Jing Lie’s calculations show how power can turn relationships into instruments of advancement.
• Pride and humiliation: Li Yunchan’s quiet rejection becomes a public challenge to Jing Lie’s status, setting up conflict with Qin Hao.

Key plot points and events

• Qin Hao notices Li Yunchan approaching him instead of Jing Lie. Jing Lie, already hostile, becomes more enraged when Qin Hao calmly ignores his killing intent and closes his eyes.
• Li Yunchan realizes Jing Lie’s hostility is partly a result of her choosing to approach Qin Hao. She feels guilty and prepares to defend Qin Hao if Jing Lie attacks, though Jing Lie ultimately holds back.
• Qingwu and Divine King Ziyang arrive and announce the escort mission is ready to begin. The mission payment has been placed with the Mercenary Hall for collection after completion.
• Jing Lie challenges the decision to recruit Qin Hao, questioning whether an Early-Stage Dao-Origin Divine Lord is useful—or whether the mission is a trap. Wei Suhe and Zang Dajiang support his complaint.
• Qingwu explains that the recruits were chosen for qualities of their divine souls, not simply their cultivation. She distributes jade slips containing the Blazing Sun Formation, which six people must deploy with the Soul-Sealing Casket to suppress the youying power for three days.
• The journey remains dangerous: Qingwu warns that anyone caught in the soul wind may die. Jing Lie quietly considers the possibility of an “accident.”

Character developments and interactions

• Qin Hao remains composed despite Jing Lie’s intimidation and public criticism. He privately anticipates a later dispute over Jing Lie demanding a share of his reward.
• Jing Lie grows increasingly resentful of Qin Hao, interpreting his calm as arrogance. Though he restrains himself for now, his thoughts suggest he may exploit the hazards of the journey against Qin Hao.
• Li Yunchan feels responsible for drawing Jing Lie’s hostility onto Qin Hao. She is prepared to protect him and becomes intrigued by his apparent fearlessness, finding him difficult to judge.
• Qingwu knows Qin Hao’s low cultivation invites suspicion but stands by the recruitment, emphasizing that the mission requires special soul-related abilities.
• Wei Suhe and Zang Dajiang side with Jing Lie and direct their dissatisfaction at Qin Hao.

Significant themes

• Appearances versus hidden ability: Qin Hao’s ordinary appearance and low cultivation contrast with his calm confidence and the Pavilion’s decision to recruit him.
• Power, pride, and resentment: Jing Lie’s wounded pride turns into a dangerous personal grudge.
• Responsibility and protection: Li Yunchan feels accountable for the consequences of her choices and is willing to intervene for Qin Hao.
• Danger and mistrust: The escort’s hazards may become cover for deliberate harm, foreshadowing conflict during the mission.

Key events

• Qin Hao, Li Yunchan, Jing Lie, Wei Suhe, Zang Dajiang, and Divine King Ziyang form the Blazing Sun Formation, which will help contain the Youying Soulstone during its journey.
• Qin Hao’s section of the formation shines more brightly than Jing Lie’s, revealing his unusually powerful divine soul. Jing Lie and the others are surprised but dismiss him because of his low cultivation.
• Qingwu brings out the Soul-Sealing Casket, which contains the Youying Soulstone. Even the small amount of Youying Power leaking from it causes terrifying visions and unsettles everyone.
• Qin Hao dispels the visions first, followed by Divine King Ziyang. The others struggle more, and Wei Suhe and Zang Dajiang recoil in fear.
• The formation’s golden threads wrap around the casket and stop the Youying Power from leaking. Qingwu warns that the group must reinforce the formation every three days throughout a journey of at least six months, and stresses the dire consequences of disrupting the mission.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin Hao demonstrates exceptional soul strength and composure, impressing Qingwu and Ziyang while drawing envy and contempt from Jing Lie, Wei Suhe, and Zang Dajiang.
• Ziyang is quietly impressed that Qin Hao overcomes the Youying Power even faster than he does.
• Li Yunchan observes Qin Hao’s ability with interest but reveals little of her reaction.
• Qingwu takes charge, relying on Qin Hao’s ability while firmly reminding everyone of their obligations.

Significant themes

• Power beyond cultivation: Qin Hao’s soul strength challenges assumptions based on rank.
• Danger and discipline: The Soul-Sealing Casket’s contents pose a threat even while contained, making cooperation and vigilance essential.
• Arrogance and underestimation: Jing Lie and the others discount Qin Hao despite evidence of his strength.

Plot points

• Qingwu orders the group to escort the Soul-Sealing Casket, which contains the dangerous Youying Soulstone. The Blazing Sun Formation can suppress it for only three days, so the group must renew the seal regularly.
• Qingwu initially assigns the casket to Qin Hao. Wei Suhe objects, arguing that Qin Hao’s low cultivation makes him an unsuitable guardian.
• Qingwu promptly hands the casket to Wei Suhe instead, trapping him with the responsibility. He is too intimidated by her to refuse.
• Divine King Ziyang leads the party toward Tianquan City’s Teleportation Array; from there, they will travel to Eastern Yin City. The round trip is expected to take at least a year.
• After the party leaves, Qingwu admits she is relieved to have passed the dangerous “hot potato” onward, though she worries about what could happen to Ziyang if the Soulstone’s power forms a Soul Wind.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin Hao recognizes that Qingwu trusted him because his divine soul is exceptionally strong, but he shows little concern over losing the casket—or Wei Suhe’s hostile glare. He judges Wei Suhe’s predicament as self-inflicted.
• Wei Suhe learns that objecting can make him personally responsible for the danger he meant to avoid. His fear and regret replace his earlier confidence.
• Qingwu is forceful and pragmatic: she treats the casket’s custody as a burden someone must accept and uses her authority to prevent anyone from backing out.
• Li Yunchan quietly offers to protect Qin Hao during the journey, possibly to make amends for having previously drawn him into trouble. Qin Hao notices but remains focused on the mission.
• Jing Lie and Zang Dajiang distance themselves from Wei Suhe after he is assigned the casket, underscoring how dangerous and unwanted the duty is.

Significant themes

• Words and consequences: Wei Suhe’s objection—his “one word too many”—lands the very responsibility he criticized onto himself.
• Dangerous responsibility: The casket is a threat even while sealed, and its keeper faces both immediate risk and the burden of renewing the formation.
• Power and trust: Qingwu’s choice reflects her confidence in Qin Hao’s hidden strength, while the others judge him chiefly by his low cultivation.
• Self-preservation and duty: The group proceeds with the mission despite the serious risks, while Qingwu’s private relief reveals how readily responsibility is passed along.

Key plot points and events

• Qin Hao and his companions use a Teleportation Array in Tianquan City to begin escorting the Youying Soulstone toward Eastern Yin City. The long-distance teleportation causes dizziness, though Qin Hao recovers quickly thanks to his unusually powerful divine soul.
• They arrive at Azure Wave Island, a remote space-borne island surrounded by an ocean. Its array connects only to Tianquan City, and few people live or travel there.
• Divine King Ziyang explains that the journey to Eastern Yin City will take about half a year. The route crosses the edge of the dangerous Sun-Chasing Sundial Zone, which they must traverse for at least half a month.
• The zone’s chaotic Dao-Origin can kill the unprepared, but its greater threat is its inhabitants: powerful Star Pirates who prey on passing travelers. A past military campaign to eradicate them ended in catastrophe, establishing the zone’s fearsome reputation.
• Ziyang warns the group to stay alert. Qin Hao recognizes that their mission’s main dangers are both the Soulstone’s potentially lethal Youying Power and the pirates in the zone.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin Hao observes how the teleportation affects the group and reflects on his own strength: his soul is far more powerful than his physical body, allowing him to recover quickly.
• Divine King Ziyang remains composed during teleportation and takes responsibility for briefing the others on the route and its risks.
• Jing Lie, Li Yunchan, Wei Suhe, and Zang Dajiang recover at different speeds; Jing Lie is first among them, while Wei Suhe and Zang Dajiang take longest. Ziyang’s warning makes the whole group visibly more tense.

Significant themes

• A dangerous escort mission: Even before reaching their destination, the group faces threats from both the artifact they carry and the route ahead.
• Power and survival: The Sun-Chasing Sundial Zone thrives because it shelters formidable outcasts, making it too powerful for outsiders to suppress.
• Unequal vulnerability: Qin Hao and Ziyang may withstand dangers that could kill the rest of the party, underscoring the group’s differing levels of strength.

Plot points and events

• Qin Hao and his companions continue escorting the Soul-Sealing Casket through space toward Eastern Yin City. Every three days, they stop to renew the Blazing Sun Formation that seals the dangerous Youying Soulstone inside.
• Divine King Ziyang initially slows down for Qin Hao, but discovers that the Early-Stage Dao-Origin Divine Lord can easily match even Peak-Stage travel speeds. Qin Hao’s stamina and pace surprise the group.
• After three months of exhausting travel, the party reaches the mist-shrouded edge of the Sun-Chasing Sundial Zone, a region notorious for Star Pirates and even Divine King-level threats.
• Going around the zone would take vastly longer and would not guarantee safety. Ziyang concludes they must cross it directly, a dangerous passage expected to take about half a month.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin Hao remains composed and ignores Jing Lie and Wei Suhe’s hostility. His exceptional speed earns the group’s respect and reveals abilities beyond what his cultivation rank suggests.
• Jing Lie remains resentful of Qin Hao’s defiance. Though impressed by his speed, he dismisses it because Qin Hao’s cultivation is weaker and privately hopes he will be stranded.
• Wei Suhe, burdened with carrying the casket and fearing the Soulstone’s power, grows increasingly anxious and bitter. He wishes Qin Hao had been made responsible for it and repeatedly glares at him.
• Li Yunchan stays near Qin Hao and offers him limited protection, though she knows she might abandon him if danger becomes too great. She is also wary as they approach the pirate-infested zone.
• Divine King Ziyang leads the group, adjusts their pace to accommodate Qin Hao, and explains the risks and necessity of their route.

Significant themes

• Danger and forced cooperation: The escort party must rely on one another despite mistrust, rivalry, and fear.
• Appearances versus capability: Qin Hao’s low cultivation rank masks striking endurance and speed.
• Risk and necessity: The group faces a perilous route because safer alternatives would be impractical and no less uncertain.
• Fear’s corrosive effects: Wei Suhe’s dread of the casket deepens his hostility toward Qin Hao.

Key plot points and events

• Divine King Ziyang leads Qin Hao and the others toward the Sun-Chasing Sundial Zone, wary of the dangerous region and the Youying Soulstone they carry. He insists that nothing go wrong before they cross it.
• Qin Hao follows while secretly cultivating and monitoring their surroundings. With his six doppelgangers merged and the Thousand Shadows Spirit Transformation Art active, he can move far faster than the group, but hides that ability.
• Qin Hao marvels at the powerful warships passing through the region and reflects that he is still too weak to operate one. He hopes the escort mission succeeds so he can obtain the Worry-Free Divine Amber and cultivate at Tianquan Cave Abode; he also misses Mu Ziqing and his other companions.
• The group enters the mist-covered Sun-Chasing Sundial Zone. Its strange substance makes the Dao-Origin chaotic, disrupting outsiders’ cultivation and strength.
• Elsewhere in the zone, Liu Hou—a Middle Rank Dao-Origin Divine Lord who has lived there for over ten thousand Epochs—complains that his remote post offers few opportunities or resources. He then senses spatial disturbances from newcomers entering the zone and eagerly identifies them as prey.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin Hao shows restraint by concealing his true speed and strength, while remaining alert during travel. His ambition to grow stronger is balanced by homesickness and thoughts of those he left behind.
• Divine King Ziyang is cautious and commanding, pushing the group onward while treating the Youying Soulstone and the crossing as serious risks.
• Liu Hou (“Monkey”) is introduced as a resource-starved, opportunistic local. His frustration quickly turns to excitement when he detects incoming travelers.
• Qin Hao travels alongside Ziyang and the other escorts, while Liu Hou’s discovery sets up a likely confrontation between the newcomers and the zone’s resident predator.

Significant themes

• Hidden strength and restraint: Qin Hao deliberately conceals what he can do rather than drawing attention to himself.
• Danger and adaptation: The zone’s chaotic Dao-Origin makes it hazardous for outsiders, while Liu Hou’s long residence has allowed him to adapt and even use it.
• Ambition and longing: Qin Hao’s desire for cultivation and greater power coexists with his yearning for home and loved ones.
• Scarcity and predation: Liu Hou’s lack of resources reflects the harshness of life in the zone, where arriving travelers may become targets.