Chapter Summaries

Chapter summary

Key events and plot

• Chen Hao accompanies Chu Jinliang to a meeting with Yuan Kai, president of Kirin. Yuan Kai recognizes Chen from Chu’s praise, while Fang Lei adds that Chen helped him complete a military mission.
• Yuan Kai’s grandson, Yuan Li, greets Chen with a deliberately crushing handshake. Chen matches his force with spiritual power. Though the exchange is framed as a greeting, it becomes a brief test of strength. Yuan Kai rebukes Yuan Li; the two young men then speak politely but agree they may spar in the future.
• Wu Daozi, leader of Capital Gate, arrives with Sun Dexing. Sun recognizes Chen—the man who once forced him to kneel—and reacts with hostility.
• As the meeting begins, Chen listens while the powerful figures discuss the state of Huaxia’s Qi Refiner world. He learns that Chu Jinliang is a senior government figure and that the National Congress has called the meeting to consider reorganizing the various Qi Refiner organizations.
• The four leading organizations are Capital Gate, Nine Blades, Rakshasa, and Ancient Dragon. Kirin works closely with the government but is not considered their equal. Each major organization has a distinctive specialty, and their rivalry has helped maintain a fragile balance.
• The government is alarmed by Rakshasa’s rapid expansion, its absorption of smaller groups, and its efforts to ally with Ancient Dragon. Rakshasa has also retaliated against Chu Jinliang’s efforts to restrain it, including the attacks on Chu Mengling and Luo Tian. Fang Lei adds that Rakshasa has brought drug trafficking and mass murder to Yunjiang.
• Chu explains that an outright government assault could drive hundreds or thousands of Qi Refiners into uncontrolled rebellion, so he wants a safer strategy. Wu Daozi questions the risks of moving against Rakshasa. Yuan Kai then reveals another purpose of the meeting: to discuss forming a three-way alliance among the National Congress, Kirin, and Capital Gate. The chapter ends before Wu Daozi responds.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Hao earns the approval of Chu, Yuan Kai, and Fang Lei, and demonstrates that he can hold his own against Yuan Li. He remains respectful toward the senior figures but does not back down from Yuan Li’s challenge.
• Yuan Li tests Chen’s strength through the handshake, then acknowledges that Chen is capable and suggests a future spar.
• Yuan Kai is courteous to Chen and intervenes when Yuan Li’s greeting becomes aggressive, but his organization’s status is clearly weaker than that of the four major powers.
• Chu Jinliang emerges as both a highly influential political figure and a cautious strategist, concerned about the social consequences of a direct crackdown.
• Wu Daozi treats Yuan Kai coolly and presses Chu on the dangers of confronting Rakshasa, signaling Capital Gate’s reluctance or skepticism.
• Sun Dexing’s resentment toward Chen remains unresolved and is rekindled by their encounter.

Significant themes

• Power and hierarchy: The handshake and the meeting alike reveal how status and strength shape relationships.
• Political balance and unintended consequences: Containing Rakshasa may be necessary, but force could destabilize the entire country.
• Alliance and mistrust: The proposed coalition offers a possible response to Rakshasa, yet the organizations’ unequal standing and existing tensions make cooperation uncertain.

Key plot points

• Yuan Kai proposes a three-way alliance between the National Congress, the Capital Gate, and the Kirin to confront the Rakshasa.
• Wu Daozi questions whether Yuan Kai has the authority to make the offer. Chu Jinliang reveals that the alliance is the president’s initiative, which persuades Wu Daozi to keep negotiating.
• Chu offers to ease the Capital Gate’s rare-earth shortage. When Wu remains noncommittal, he promises to secure the Capital Gate exclusive access to rare earth ore in Huaxia for five years.
• Wu is tempted but raises another condition: who will lead the alliance? He argues that, according to Qi Refiner custom, leadership should go to the strongest side.
• After Yuan Kai nearly attacks Wu over his taunts, Wu clarifies that young representatives—not the leaders—should compete. He suggests his grandson, Wu Jing, as the Capital Gate’s contender.
• With no obvious young champion for the National Congress, Chu Jinliang and Fang Lei turn toward Chen Hao.

Character developments

• Wu Daozi is shown as shrewd and ambitious: he uses the alliance talks to bargain for resources and a possible path to Capital Gate dominance.
• Chu Jinliang remains pragmatic and persistent, balancing diplomacy with increasingly generous incentives to secure the alliance.
• Yuan Kai is proud and quick-tempered, but restrains himself when Chu intervenes.
• Chen Hao emerges as a potential contender, though the chapter ends before he responds or competes.

Significant themes

• Power and political maneuvering: The alliance is about more than defeating the Rakshasa; each faction seeks influence and advantage.
• Bargaining and self-interest: The Capital Gate’s support hinges on rare-earth access and its position within the alliance.
• Strength and legitimacy: Wu argues that leadership among Qi Refiners should be earned through a contest of strength, shifting the negotiations toward the younger generation.

Character interactions

Wu repeatedly needles Yuan Kai, provoking his anger, while Chu Jinliang acts as mediator. Chu and Wu trade offers and evasions, each trying to gain leverage. Wu’s challenge redirects the discussion toward Wu Jing and Yuan Li—and ultimately draws attention to Chen Hao as the National Congress’s possible representative.

Key plot points

• Wu Daozi mocks the National Congress for lacking a worthy young competitor. Chu Jinliang counters by nominating Chen Hao, who agrees after Chu promises not to blame him for the outcome.
• Sun Dexing warns Wu Daozi that Chen Hao is powerful, though he conceals that Chen Hao previously defeated and humiliated him. Wu Jing dismisses Chen as an unworthy newcomer.
• The three factions agree to hold three events, each proposed by one side. Wu Daozi chooses a Spirit Artifact contest, Yuan Kai chooses spiritual-energy purity, and Chu Jinliang—following Fang Lei’s suggestion—chooses a test of Qi Armor’s defensive strength.
• Wu Daozi unveils the sixth-grade Azure Cloud Bell, a prized artifact renowned for its defenses. While the others prepare for the contest, Chen Hao casually plays on his phone.
• Chen Hao interrupts to ask whether he will have to pay if he breaks the bell. Wu Daozi laughs at the idea, then angrily promises Chen Hao will not have to pay.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Hao accepts the responsibility despite recognizing the stakes. His apparent nonchalance makes Chu Jinliang doubt his seriousness, but Fang Lei trusts his ability after witnessing him defeat Sun Dexing and survive a powerful artifact strike.
• Chu Jinliang is initially anxious about choosing Chen Hao, then grows confident in him—though Chen’s casual attitude unsettles him.
• Fang Lei acts as Chen Hao’s advocate, recommending the defensive test because he knows Chen’s Qi Armor is far tougher than its low cultivation level suggests.
• Wu Daozi moves from mockery to curiosity about Chen Hao, then becomes irritated by his apparent disrespect and bold claim.
• Sun Dexing quietly recognizes Chen’s danger but hides the humiliating details of their past encounter. Wu Jing and Yuan Li remain confident in their own strengths and look down on Chen.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus ability: Chen Hao’s modest cultivation and casual behavior conceal exceptional fighting and defensive power.
• Pride and underestimation: Wu Daozi and the young competitors judge Chen too quickly, while Fang Lei’s firsthand experience gives him greater confidence.
• Competition and alliance: The three factions’ contests are about more than skill; their outcome may affect prestige and cooperation between them.

Key events

• At the contest to test the Azure Cloud Bell, Wu Jing uses his sixth-grade Crystal Illusion Ring to form a silver-crystal hammer. His strike pushes the bell back over a meter but leaves it undamaged.
• Yuan Li attacks with his fifth-grade Violet Radiance Whip, creating a serpent-shaped strike that moves the bell only about half a meter. Wu Daozi praises him mockingly, and Yuan Li withdraws.
• Chen Hao jokes that Wu Daozi should photograph the bell before it is destroyed, then casually punches it. The Azure Cloud Bell—Capital Gate’s prized sixth-grade defensive artifact—shatters into scraps.
• Wu Daozi rages, but Chu Jinliang and Yuan Kai remind him that he had promised no one would have to pay if the bell broke. Wu Daozi reluctantly restrains himself, and Chu Jinliang moves the gathering on to the next round.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Hao reveals overwhelming power and a teasing, irreverent attitude. His casual destruction of the bell turns others’ doubts into astonishment.
• Chu Jinliang had begun to regret inviting Chen Hao, but his confidence returns after Chen’s display. He and Yuan Kai step in to protect Chen from Wu Daozi’s anger.
• Wu Daozi shifts from smug confidence in the bell’s durability to shock and fury when it is destroyed, but his own promise limits what he can do.
• Wu Jing shows off his artifact and boasts, while Yuan Li accepts the clear result without protest. Fang Lei enthusiastically celebrates Chen’s triumph.

Significant themes

• Strength versus appearances: Artifact rank and dramatic technique matter less than the user’s actual power; Chen overwhelms both competitors and the supposedly formidable bell.
• Pride and humiliation: Wu Daozi’s confidence and Capital Gate’s prestige are shaken by the bell’s destruction.
• Promises and restraint: Chu Jinliang and Yuan Kai use Wu Daozi’s earlier agreement to prevent an angry confrontation and keep the contest moving.

Key events

• Yuan Kai introduces a Spiritual Energy Stone, claiming it measures Spiritual Energy purity by how high its light rises.
• Yuan Li tests first, producing about two and a half feet of light. Yuan Kai and Yuan Li act confident, presenting this as a Kirin victory.
• Wu Jing’s light quickly reaches one foot, then stops despite his continued effort. He suspects the stone is blocking his Spiritual Energy, but Yuan Kai denies it and insults Capital Gate’s cultivation.
• Wu Daozi tests the stone himself. It works smoothly for him, reaching three feet, so he is forced to apologize to Yuan Kai after accusing him of cheating. Yuan Kai accepts the apology with open contempt.
• Chen Hao takes his turn and jokes about whether he will have to pay if he breaks the stone. His light also stalls at one foot. He realizes Yuan Kai is secretly manipulating the stone with hand seals to obstruct the test.
• Chen Hao increases his Spiritual Energy to break through the obstruction, while Yuan Kai intensifies the resistance. The contest ends with the two locked in a contest of wills.

Character developments and interactions

• Yuan Kai uses the test to humiliate Capital Gate while secretly rigging the stone against its contestants. His smugness and evasive responses reveal his deceit.
• Yuan Li appears calm and confident, benefiting from the rigged contest and exchanging knowing looks with his grandfather.
• Wu Jing recognizes the interference but cannot prove it. His protests are dismissed, and Wu Daozi angrily blames him after the stone behaves normally for the elder.
• Wu Daozi moves from suspicion to embarrassment, then swallows his pride and apologizes under pressure.
• Chen Hao stays composed and perceptive. Rather than accept the apparent result, he identifies Yuan Kai’s trick and tries to overcome it.

Significant themes

• Deception and unfair competition: Yuan Kai manipulates a supposedly objective test to manufacture a win.
• Appearances versus truth: The stone’s displayed results seem authoritative, but they conceal interference.
• Pride and humiliation: Wu Daozi’s forced apology and Yuan Kai’s contempt sharpen the rivalry between the groups.
• Resourcefulness and defiance: Chen Hao responds to manipulation by confronting it directly rather than conceding.

Plot points and events

• Chen Hao overpowers Yuan Kai’s hidden spiritual barrier during the second test by drawing on the immense energy of Chang’e’s Spirit-Gathering Array. The Spiritual Energy Stone’s light grows to an extraordinary height before the stone shatters.
• Yuan Kai accuses Chen Hao of sabotage, but Chen Hao insists he was only taking the test. Wu Daozi confirms Chen Hao did not attack the stone; Chu Jinliang argues that it was simply too fragile.
• Although Chen Hao has seemingly won both rounds, Yuan Kai and Wu Daozi insist on a third. Chen Hao agrees and proposes testing Qi Armor against a grenade.
• The observers recoil, but Chen Hao drops the grenade at his own feet. It explodes, apparently engulfing him in flames. Chu Jinliang fears he is dead, while Wu Daozi privately welcomes the apparent disaster.
• Chen Hao walks out of the smoke unharmed, having activated Holy Light Protection at the last moment after using his Heavenly Eye Art to track the grenade’s mechanism.
• Chu Jinliang declares the National Congress the competition’s winner and says it will lead the three-way alliance. Wu Daozi prepares to leave without openly agreeing, but Chu warns that he will report the matter to the president.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Hao remains confident and provocative, turning the opponents’ insistence on a third round into a dramatic demonstration. His success depends not only on his apparent toughness but also on his Heavenly Eye Art and concealed protection.
• Chu Jinliang shows deep affection and concern for Chen Hao, treating him like family and panicking when the grenade explodes. Once Chen Hao survives, Chu asserts the National Congress’s political claim to leadership.
• Yuan Kai loses composure as his test equipment is destroyed and his attempts to continue the contest backfire.
• Wu Daozi is humiliated by Chen Hao’s victories and initially hopes the grenade will kill him. He resists accepting the outcome, but Chu’s warning puts him under pressure.
• Qiao Shan helps clear people from the blast and alerts Chu that Chen Hao may have survived. The other observers shift from fear to amazement when Chen Hao emerges unharmed.

Significant themes

• Power and deception: Chen Hao’s apparent third-realm limitations conceal access to extraordinary spiritual energy and protective abilities.
• Pride and humiliation: The opponents’ determination to force another round exposes their resentment and costs them face.
• Loyalty and political authority: Chu’s personal concern for Chen Hao contrasts with his firm effort to secure leadership for the National Congress.
• Spectacle and risk: Chen Hao uses a reckless, theatrical challenge to prove his strength, though his survival relies on abilities the others do not understand.

Key plot points and events

• After Capital Gate and Kirin join the coalition against Rakshasa, Chu Jinliang praises Chen Hao and offers him membership in the National Congress and command of the operation.
• Chen declines, saying he is not ready for the responsibilities or the upheaval such a role would bring to his family and everyday life. Chu respects his decision but leaves the invitation open.
• Before returning to Zhonghai City, Chen gives Qin Yumo a protective dragon scale and leaves with the still-sleeping CC. He notices faint scale-like markings on CC’s skin, possibly a result of eating dragon meat.
• Back in Zhonghai, Chen discovers Liu Yan has gone missing. Sen Tai explains that masked attackers abducted her using a cloud of white smoke. Chen finds crude talismans at the scene and concludes that Qi Refiners were responsible.
• Confident Liu Yan is alive, Chen refuses to call the police and asks CC to track her scent. CC leads Chen and Sen Tai to the Dihao Group.
• Suspecting the group may be involved, Chen calls Long Guangsheng and vows to tear down its building. Long and Haizi, who had already been preparing a move against Dihao without telling Chen, mobilize their forces and rush to join him.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Hao remains powerful but reluctant to accept formal status or responsibility. His calm refusal of Chu’s offer contrasts with his fierce, immediate response to Liu Yan’s abduction.
• Chu Jinliang treats Chen as both family and a potential successor, but honors Chen’s choice.
• Qiao Shan urges Chen to consider the offer; Chen explains that he wants to preserve his current life.
• Qin Yumo is touched by Chen’s protective gift and watches him leave with a quiet smile.
• Sen Tai feels guilty for failing to protect Liu Yan, while Chen reassures him and takes charge of the search.
• CC displays unusual speed and stamina, and confidently takes on the task of tracking Liu Yan.
• Long Guangsheng and Haizi react urgently to Chen’s call, revealing they had already planned action against Dihao.

Significant themes

• Power versus personal freedom: Chen turns down influence and advancement to protect his ordinary life.
• Loyalty and protection: His gifts to Qin Yumo and his urgent rescue effort for Liu Yan show his care for those close to him.
• Escalating conflict: The abduction points to a confrontation between Qi Refiners, while the mobilization against Dihao suggests a broader struggle already underway.
• Hidden transformation: CC’s new markings hint that its nature may be changing.

Plot points and events

• Chen Hao, Sen Tai, and CC storm the Dihao Group building after discovering Liu Yan is being held there. Sen Tai and CC quickly defeat the guards outside, while Chen Hao’s Tiger-Subduing Arhat Fist scatters another group in the lobby.
• On the top floor, Zhang Wei and his father, Chairman Zhang Guotao, hold Liu Yan captive and demand the Blue Light Potion Formula. Liu Yan refuses to cooperate.
• A foreign-looking man in a red headscarf threatens Liu Yan and stabs her through the palm to force her to talk. Zhang Wei and Zhang Guotao are shocked by his cruelty but do not intervene.
• After learning Chen Hao is fighting his way upstairs, Zhang Wei is reassured by Brother Meng, a tattooed man who has prepared a spirit array on the floor.
• Chen Hao, Sen Tai, and CC leave the elevator into supernatural darkness that even Chen Hao’s Heavenly Eye Art cannot penetrate. They sense strange spiritual energy and enter anyway.
• Seeing Chen Hao caught in the trap, Liu Yan warns Zhang Wei not to harm him. Zhang Wei, enraged and jealous, grabs and kisses her; she bites his lip, and he slaps her. Zhang Guotao then urges Zhang Wei to take her to another room, and Zhang Wei drags her away.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Hao shows confidence and concern for Liu Yan, advancing despite the obvious trap. His combat ability has grown far beyond Sen Tai’s.
• Sen Tai demonstrates the progress he has made training in the Tiger-Subduing Arhat Fist and remains loyal to Chen Hao.
• CC fights fiercely, revealing that he is deeply worried about Liu Yan.
• Liu Yan remains defiant under captivity and torture. Her concern for Chen Hao reveals how important he has become to her.
• Zhang Wei grows increasingly possessive and volatile, mixing his demand for the formula with jealousy toward Chen Hao. Zhang Guotao supports the coercion and escalates the abuse.
• Brother Meng is confident in the supernatural trap he has set; the red-headscarfed man is openly sadistic.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and affection motivate Chen Hao, Sen Tai, CC, and Liu Yan to risk themselves for one another.
• Greed and power drive the Zhangs’ attempt to obtain the formula through force.
• Liu Yan’s resistance contrasts with her captors’ abuse, while Chen Hao’s advance sets up a confrontation between martial skill and supernatural power.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Hao and Sen Tai enter Dihao Group’s spirit array, which turns office furniture and debris into frightening apparitions and weapons.
• Chen Hao destroys the first wave with Overlord Blade Slash, then blasts apart more figures with Tiger-Subduing Arhat Fist.
• The array retaliates with a rain of sharp wooden arrows. Chen Hao blocks them with Qi Armor, CC’s unusually tough body deflects them, and Sen Tai uses his Spell Ring. When two arrows nearly strike Sen Tai, a mysterious burst of spiritual energy protects him.
• Chen Hao pushes through further attacks and uses the Heavenly Eye Art to detect the array’s core. He tells CC to destroy it while he engages a gigantic apparition.
• The men monitoring the array realize Chen Hao has found its core and begin arguing. The floor then trembles, suggesting the array has been broken.
• Elsewhere, Long Guangsheng and Haizi hurry toward Dihao Group. Haizi believes Chen Hao’s actions may actually advance their plan.
• In a separate room, Zhang Wei attempts to assault the bound Liu Yan. She kicks him in the crotch, but he retaliates by slapping her and continues his attack.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Hao demonstrates confidence, combat skill, Qi Armor, and keen perception. He protects Sen Tai and takes charge of the fight, coordinating with CC.
• Sen Tai shifts from fear to admiration as he watches Chen Hao fight. He proves capable with his Spell Ring, but the unexplained energy that saves him raises questions about what he may possess.
• CC shows formidable durability and follows Chen Hao’s order to seek out the array’s core.
• Zhang Guotao and the array’s operators grow alarmed by Chen Hao’s abilities. Yin Meng and Yin Wu’s disagreement exposes tension among them.
• Long Guangsheng and Haizi show contrasting urgency and composure, discussing whether Chen Hao’s intervention will disrupt or help their plan.
• Liu Yan resists Zhang Wei rather than submitting, while Zhang Wei’s entitlement and violence become explicit.

Significant themes

• Strength and teamwork: Chen Hao’s power, CC’s defense, and Sen Tai’s artifact complement one another.
• Perception versus appearance: The array’s terrifying ghosts are mundane objects manipulated by spiritual energy, and Chen Hao sees through the illusion to its vulnerable core.
• Hidden abilities and uncertainty: Sen Tai’s protective energy and CC’s nature intrigue the watchers, suggesting more secrets remain.
• Abuse of power and resistance: Zhang Wei uses coercion and force against Liu Yan, who fights back despite being restrained.

Plot points and events

• Chen Hao destroys the Spirit Array’s core, freeing himself from its illusion and spotting Zhang Wei in a room with Liu Yan.
• Overcome by rage, Chen Hao charges toward Zhang Wei. Meanwhile, Long Guangsheng leads an attack on Dihao Group’s men outside, forcing the more levelheaded Haizi to try to contain the chaos.
• Yin Meng attacks Chen Hao with an Ice Blade Talisman, but their clash ends in a draw. Yin Wu then uses a Rebound Talisman against Chen Hao’s Golden Cudgel strike; the talisman redirects much of the force, but both men are injured and the office is badly damaged.
• Chen Hao ignores the two cultivators and presses on toward Zhang Wei. Yin Meng tries to stop him, but Chen Hao’s Dragon Claw Immortal Artifact tears through his Qi Armor and kills him.
• Zhang Wei pleads for his life by invoking his family’s status. Chen Hao kills him with a single blow, sending him out of the window. The chapter ends with someone crying out, “My son!”

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Hao shifts from controlled determination to overwhelming, nearly mindless fury after seeing Liu Yan in danger. His strength proves far greater than his enemies expect, and he shows no hesitation in killing those who block his path.
• Yin Wu and Yin Meng begin confident in their defenses but are shaken by Chen Hao’s power. Yin Wu is wounded and loses his composure; Yin Meng dies trying to stop Chen Hao.
• Zhang Wei is exposed as a sexual predator and dies before his threats or family status can protect him.
• Long Guangsheng and Haizi demonstrate contrasting temperaments: Long Guangsheng rushes into a fight impulsively, while Haizi recognizes the risk and tries to keep events under control.
• Liu Yan’s peril is the catalyst for Chen Hao’s rage, though she has little direct action in the scene.

Significant themes

• Rage and vengeance: Chen Hao’s fury gives him overwhelming momentum but also strips away his restraint.
• Power and vulnerability: Talismans, armor, and status offer little protection against superior force.
• Justice and brutality: Chen Hao’s intervention stops Zhang Wei’s assault, but his response is lethal and uncompromising.
• Loyalty and teamwork: Haizi’s caution balances Long Guangsheng’s impulsiveness, while Chen Hao’s urgency reflects his determination to protect Liu Yan.

Plot points and events

• Zhang Wei falls from the Dihao Group building and dies, sending the men outside into panic. Long Guangsheng considers retreating, but Haizi goes upstairs to check on Chen Hao.
• Inside the ruined penthouse, Chen Hao’s body returns to normal. He covers the injured, unconscious Liu Yan and blames himself for not returning sooner.
• Grief-stricken Zhang Guotao shoots at Chen Hao from behind. Sen Tai jumps in front of the bullet, apparently sacrificing himself. Chen Hao retaliates by hurling a piece of wood through Zhang Guotao’s chest, sending him out the window to his death.
• Yin Wu, an agent of the Rakshasa, tries to escape. He reveals that the Rakshasa will remember Chen Hao, sprouts spectral wings, and flies away. He then throws grenades into the room.
• Chen Hao grabs Liu Yan, but the explosion blasts them out the window. He uses Guanghan Palace’s spatial power to disappear briefly and reappear, surviving the fall from the eightieth floor.
• Long Guangsheng takes Chen Hao and Liu Yan away before police arrive. Back at the building, Haizi mistakenly concludes they died after finding Sen Tai alone and hearing his account.
• When Haizi phones Long Guangsheng to report Chen Hao’s supposed death, Long Guangsheng realizes Chen Hao is alive beside him—but is unnerved by the impossible fall and asks whether he is a human or a ghost. Chen Hao dismisses the fear with an irritated joke.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Hao is driven by guilt and fierce protectiveness toward Liu Yan. He responds ruthlessly to the men responsible for her kidnapping and uses his extraordinary powers to save them both.
• Liu Yan remains unconscious and badly injured; Chen Hao stays focused on protecting her throughout the escape.
• Sen Tai appears to take a bullet for Chen Hao, then discovers he is unharmed. After the blast, he mistakenly believes Chen Hao and Liu Yan fell to their deaths and breaks down in guilt.
• Long Guangsheng risks staying near the scene because Chen Hao is still inside, then helps him escape. His confidence gives way to comic fear when he sees Chen Hao survive the fall.
• Haizi rushes to the penthouse to find Chen Hao, but misreads the situation and mourns him over the phone.
• Zhang Guotao is consumed by grief over Zhang Wei and attacks Chen Hao, but is killed before he can fire again.
• Yin Wu abandons the fight, demonstrating the Rakshasa’s reach and supernatural capabilities.

Significant themes

• Guilt and devotion: Chen Hao’s self-blame and unwavering care for Liu Yan shape his actions.
• Sacrifice and mistaken loss: Sen Tai’s apparent sacrifice and Haizi’s premature mourning underscore the cost and confusion of the chaos.
• Revenge and consequences: Zhang Guotao’s grief drives his attack, while the kidnapping plot leads to multiple deaths.
• Escalating supernatural conflict: Yin Wu’s flight and Chen Hao’s use of Guanghan Palace reveal that the struggle extends beyond ordinary criminal violence.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Hao rescues Liu Yan, treats her injuries, and comforts her after she wakes from a nightmare about Zhang Wei. She tells him how much she missed him during his month away.
• The next morning, Chen tells Liu that he killed Zhang Guotao and Zhang Wei. He gives her a dozen dragon scales for protection and brings her to Blue Light.
• Chen reunites with Long Guangsheng, Haizi, Sen Tai, and the others. Sen Tai reveals that the three fragments Chen gave him each saved his life; Chen confirms they are protective talismans but tells him to keep their secret.
• Chen announces his plan to seize the Dihao Group, which has lost Zhang Guotao and Zhang Wei. Long Guangsheng and Haizi support the move, abandoning their earlier plan to weaken Dihao gradually.
• Liu Yan proposes using financial leverage: with 100 billion yuan, she believes she can take over the trillion-yuan conglomerate. Blue Light Pharmaceuticals and Dragon Sea International can raise only 50 billion together.
• Chen secures 20 billion from Qin Yumo and nearly 10 billion from the Yun Family. After Mayor Jia Zhengyi cannot help, Chen contacts Chairman Gu Qijun and arranges to meet him the next day, hoping to secure more funding.

Character developments

• Chen’s guilt over leaving Liu Yan is clear, and his actions show how deeply he now prioritizes her safety. He also takes charge of the group’s next major move.
• Liu Yan is emotionally vulnerable after her ordeal, but quickly returns to her confident, capable role as a strategist and businesswoman.
• Sen Tai’s loyalty to Chen is reinforced: he has twice risked his life for Chen and Liu Yan, and Chen recognizes the debt he owes him.
• Long Guangsheng and Haizi shift from a cautious campaign against Dihao to backing an immediate takeover.

Character interactions

• Liu Yan and Chen reconcile through an emotional reunion, affectionate teasing, and renewed closeness.
• Sen Tai thanks Chen for the talismans; Chen acknowledges their power but refuses to let the secret spread.
• Liu Yan explains her leveraged-buyout strategy to the group, while the others struggle to follow the business details.
• Chen seeks funding from Qin Yumo, the Yun Family, Jia Zhengyi, and Gu Qijun. Qin agrees on the condition that her family receives a stake in Blue Light; Chen hesitates to contact Chu Jinliang because of a recent strain between them.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and protection: Sen Tai’s sacrifices and Chen’s care for Liu Yan show the strength of personal bonds.
• Ambition and risk: The group aims to absorb a vastly larger corporation despite its limited resources.
• Trust and interdependence: Chen relies on allies and investors, while Qin Yumo’s funding comes with a condition that ties their interests together.
• Power and opportunity: Dihao’s leadership crisis turns a dangerous loss into a chance to reshape the balance of business power.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Hao visits Gu Qijun in his modest apartment and asks him to help raise 20 billion. Gu says the sum is far beyond what he can arrange.
• Chen then shows Gu a black stone—the Infinite Heavenly Stone—and asks if he recognizes it. Chen believes collecting more could greatly amplify his techniques, but Gu initially cannot place it.
• Using the Heavenly Eye Art, Chen quickly locates an old notebook among Gu’s many records. It contains Gu’s notes from a jade exhibition five years earlier, which identify the person who had shown him a similar stone.
• Gu makes several calls and learns where the man, an old classmate named Dong, may be living. He and Chen travel to a remote, ivy-covered building outside Suxi City.
• The building looks abandoned, but Chen senses someone lives inside. Its windows are covered with black cloth, and Dong insists they keep all bright lights off. He descends with a kerosene lamp and greets Gu, while Chen remains wary of the strange surroundings and behavior.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Hao is direct about his financial need but does not pressure Gu when he cannot help. His real priority is identifying the stone. His supernatural perception and memory-searching ability impress and unsettle Gu, and he is alert to the building’s eerie atmosphere.
• Gu Qijun is courteous, modest, and willing to help despite being unable to raise the money. He searches his records, contacts acquaintances, and personally accompanies Chen to find Dong.
• Dong is introduced as an eccentric, isolated figure. His insistence on darkness and his abrupt reaction to Gu’s flashlight establish him as unsettling and secretive.
• Chen and Gu work together as Gu supplies memories and Chen uses the Heavenly Eye Art to find the relevant notebook. Gu’s surprise at Chen’s ability gives way to concern as they approach Dong’s home.

Significant themes

• Power and knowledge: Chen’s supernatural abilities uncover information ordinary research might take hours to find.
• Modesty and sincerity: Gu’s simple lifestyle contrasts with his status and influence.
• The uncanny: The remote house, blacked-out windows, storm, kerosene lamp, and Dong’s behavior create suspense around what Chen and Gu will discover.

Plot points and events

• During a storm, Chen Hao and Gu Qijun visit the reclusive Old Dong to ask about a stone shown at a jade exhibition five years earlier.
• Chen Hao’s Heavenly Eye Art reveals that Old Dong is a powerful Qi Refiner with an unnaturally rapid heartbeat. Old Dong claims he avoids light because of an illness.
• Mentioning the stone provokes a strong reaction. Old Dong says foreign intruders stole it and one bit him, leaving him light-sensitive and isolated. He refuses to discuss more and tries to send them away.
• Chen Hao offers to treat him. After putting Gu Qijun to sleep so they can speak privately, Chen Hao agrees to examine Old Dong—but Old Dong first tests him in combat.
• Old Dong’s fangs pierce Chen Hao’s Qi Armor, but Chen Hao’s Holy Light Protection drives him back and burns him. Old Dong confirms he is a vampire.
• Old Dong reveals his name, Dong Zhuo, and recounts how a group of foreigners followed him home after the exhibition. After one bit him, he developed aggression, extreme sensitivity to light, and a craving for blood. Doctors could not help, and his family and friends abandoned him.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Hao is perceptive and composed, recognizing that Old Dong is not an ordinary sick man. He demonstrates confidence and combat skill, then uses his Holy Light to defend himself and potentially counter Old Dong’s condition.
• Dong Zhuo (Old Dong) shifts from guarded and hostile to willing to disclose his story after Chen Hao proves capable. His fear and anger reflect the trauma and isolation caused by his transformation.
• Gu Qijun, Dong Zhuo’s old classmate and friend, is initially trusting and shocked by Dong Zhuo’s appearance. Chen Hao puts him to sleep to keep the Qi Refiners’ conversation private.
• The meeting moves from cautious questioning to a fight and finally to a partial reconciliation, as Chen Hao’s offer of help gives Dong Zhuo a reason to cooperate.

Significant themes

• Isolation and loss: Dong Zhuo’s condition has cost him his family, friends, and former life.
• The hidden supernatural world: The stone and the foreigners’ actions point to forces and knowledge beyond ordinary medicine.
• Trust earned through proof: Dong Zhuo distrusts words but becomes receptive when Chen Hao demonstrates genuine power.
• Light and darkness: Dong Zhuo’s fear of light is both a physical vulnerability and a symbol of the life of concealment imposed on him.

Plot points

• Dong Zhuo tells Chen Hao how a bite from American foreigners left him with vampiric traits: pallid skin, fangs, painful reactions to light, and a need for animal blood. He has resisted drinking human blood and spent years investigating the stone and the foreigners.
• Chen Hao’s acupuncture confirms that Dong Zhuo’s body has changed too profoundly for ordinary treatment. He instead draws an Evil-Repelling Talisman, which can suppress Dong Zhuo’s sinister energy for a limited time.
• Chen Hao agrees to give Dong Zhuo the talisman in exchange for information about the stone. Dong reveals he secretly kept a fragment, despite the foreigners stealing the rest.
• Chen Hao scans Dong’s collected research and learns that fragments of the Infinite Heavenly Stone fell around the world from the Infinite Heavenly Star. The Smith Family, an old American family, has pursued the fragments for generations and was responsible for stealing Dong’s piece and biting him.
• Dong gives Chen Hao the talisman and the hidden fragment. On touching it, Chen’s Infinite Heavenly Spirit reaches two-fifths completion, increasing his spiritual-energy power by 50%. He realizes most of the stone is still missing and may be in the Smith Family’s possession.
• Dong activates the talisman. His skin regains a more ordinary appearance, and when Chen shines a flashlight at him, Dong discovers that he is no longer afraid of light.

Character developments and interactions

• Dong Zhuo is revealed as a devoted husband and father who has endured years of isolation rather than harm others. His hope of seeing his family openly again makes him eagerly trade away his research and stone fragment.
• Chen Hao shows persistence and practical bargaining: when acupuncture fails, he tries talisman magic, but makes the exchange conditional on receiving Dong’s information and stone.
• Their relationship shifts from cautious skepticism to cooperation. Dong trusts Chen’s skill enough to accept the talisman, while Chen gains a powerful clue—and a fragment—connected to his own spiritual advancement.

Significant themes

• Humanity and sacrifice: Dong’s refusal to drink human blood preserves his moral identity despite his transformation.
• Family over possessions: Dong values reunion with his wife and children more than his collection or the stone.
• Hope tempered by uncertainty: The talisman offers Dong temporary relief, while Chen’s progress with the stone raises new concerns about the missing fragments and the Smith Family’s power.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Hao’s Evil-Repelling Talisman lets Dong Zhuo briefly tolerate daylight again, though the effect lasts only an hour. Overcome with emotion, Dong Zhuo offers to pay for more, but Chen Hao agrees to provide them free in exchange for something.
• Dong Zhuo shows Chen Hao a room of old burial goods he bought while searching for a cure. Using his Heavenly Eye, Chen Hao discovers hundreds of trapped yin spirits inside a bronze vessel and absorbs them with the Golden Cudgel. The weapon’s refinement timer jumps to twenty days, bringing it closer to level 2.
• Chen Hao asks for the contact details of Ma Big Beard, who sold Dong Zhuo the vessel. He promises Dong Zhuo a batch of talismans and leaves with Gu Qijun.
• Gu Qijun cannot remember passing out earlier. On the drive home, both men are scolded by their partners for staying out; Chen Hao teases Gu Qijun after hearing him receive the same treatment he had.
• Chen Hao returns to Liu Yan, who has been anxiously waiting for him. They reconcile, and he finally gets a restful night.
• The next morning, Liu Yan asks whether Chen Hao is still worried about raising twenty billion. He wants to act quickly before Dihao Group recovers, but rejects diluting Blue Light Pharmaceuticals’ shares for now, reserving it as a last resort.

Character developments and interactions

• Dong Zhuo moves from despair to renewed hope after experiencing the talisman’s effect. His gratitude deepens into trust, and he sees Chen Hao as his only chance to reconnect with his family.
• Chen Hao helps Dong Zhuo out of compassion while pursuing his own interest in the bronze vessel and the Golden Cudgel’s growth. He remains focused on raising the money needed to challenge Dihao Group.
• Gu Qijun is bewildered by his lost time and is humorously humbled when his wife scolds him. He and Chen Hao share playful banter.
• Liu Yan shows how worried she is when Chen Hao goes missing, then welcomes him home despite pretending to be angry. She offers a practical financing idea, while respecting his decision to wait.
• Sen Tai is seen discreetly guarding Liu Yan, prompting Chen Hao’s gratitude.

Significant themes

• Hope and compassion: Chen Hao’s talismans give Dong Zhuo a reason to keep going.
• The supernatural and its costs: The burial vessel contains trapped spirits, while the Golden Cudgel’s refinement links Chen Hao’s progress to absorbing them.
• Trust and reciprocity: Chen Hao refuses payment but asks for access to information about the vessel’s source.
• Love, worry, and domestic humor: The chapter balances supernatural and business concerns with affectionate—and comic—relationship dynamics.
• Ambition and restraint: Chen Hao is determined to raise twenty billion but avoids weakening his company unless necessary.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Hao teaches Sen Tai the Pure Heart Art and the second stage of the Tiger-Subduing Arhat Fist, giving him a strong path toward reaching the peak of the Second Realm.
• Chen Hao tries to contact Ma Big Beard to buy burial goods for the Golden Cudgel. Ma refuses, hangs up, and blocks him, so Chen Hao asks Haizi to investigate.
• Horse Face assigns Chen Hao a timed Soul Reaper mission: capture an evil spirit at Blue Light Pharmaceuticals within about 96 hours, or lose 20 years of lifespan. Chen Hao searches the site but finds no ghost.
• Horse Face reveals the target is the Saintess Remnant Soul. Chen Hao confronts her in the Crescent Pendant and learns she broke the boundary laws to warn Yun Yao to leave the Yellow Dragon Jade Marrow Vein.
• Chen Hao asks whether the mission can be canceled, but Horse Face says it cannot be changed. He offers a possible workaround: persuade the Underworld Official to cancel it by providing at least 10,000 Daoist Merit Points. Chen Hao agrees to try, despite having no clear way to obtain them.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Hao shows generosity by sharing valuable cultivation methods with Sen Tai. He is also frustrated by the Soul Reaper system but becomes determined to protect the Saintess Remnant Soul, even at substantial personal cost.
• Sen Tai is overwhelmed and grateful for Chen Hao’s instruction, and now has the means to make rapid cultivation progress.
• The Saintess Remnant Soul remains calm and accepts the possibility of punishment, despite Chen Hao’s anger and concern.
• Qin Meng explains the Saintess’s actions and urges Chen Hao to find a way to save her. She also teases him by referring to Xiang Wencun, Qin Yumo, and Yun Yao as his “mistresses,” leaving him awkward and speechless.
• Horse Face first provides the mission details, then reluctantly offers a solution that requires an enormous payment in merit points.

Significant themes

• Loyalty versus duty: Chen Hao must choose between following his Soul Reaper order and protecting someone he considers a friend.
• Sacrifice and compassion: The Saintess broke the rules to save Yun Yao, and Chen Hao is willing to risk his own lifespan and resources to help her.
• Power, obligation, and unfair systems: The mission’s harsh penalty and costly appeal leave Chen Hao feeling trapped by the Underworld’s rules.
• Generosity and mentorship: Chen Hao’s support of Sen Tai contrasts with the coercive demands imposed on him by the Soul Reaper system.

Chapter Summary: “The Heavenly Court Crowdfunding Plan”

Key plot points and events

• Chen Hao panics over a deadline: he needs 10,000 Daoist Merit Points in under four days, despite being nearly broke and already in debt to Supreme Lord Lao and the God of Wealth. Borrowing from other immortals seems hopeless.
• Liu Yan reports that Blue Light Pharmaceuticals has secured its full 100 billion yuan fundraising target. The final 20 billion came from an anonymous state-owned enterprise.
• Chen Hao correctly guesses that Chu Jinliang arranged the investment. Chu confirms he used his connections to help, and Chen Hao, moved by the unexpected support, thanks him and promises to visit.
• Liu Yan’s excitement over the company’s crowdfunding success gives Chen Hao an idea: he can crowdfund from the immortals to earn the merit points he needs.
• Looking for a product with broad appeal, Chen Hao realizes the Heavenly Court’s immortals still use primitive black-and-white phones. He buys 30 of the latest Apple phones, believing smartphones will astonish them.
• Chen Hao chooses Pagoda-Bearing Li Heavenly King as the campaign’s ambassador for his high status, popularity, and polished image. Li agrees after negotiating a fee of 1,000 Daoist Merit Points, but insists on protecting his reputation and maintaining strict professional standards.

Character developments

• Chen Hao shifts from desperation to entrepreneurial enthusiasm, applying his business experience to a new problem. He also recognizes and feels grateful for Chu Jinliang’s quiet generosity.
• Liu Yan is jubilant after Blue Light reaches its fundraising goal and remains confident in her ability to handle the company’s next steps.
• Chu Jinliang shows that he considers Chen Hao family, supporting him without asking for recognition or repayment.
• Li Heavenly King appears naïve about modern business terms but is cautious about his public image—and quick to negotiate payment.

Significant themes

• Resourcefulness and innovation: Chen Hao turns a financial crisis into a business opportunity by adapting crowdfunding and marketing tactics for the Heavenly Court.
• Loyalty and family: Chu Jinliang’s support deepens Chen Hao’s sense of obligation and gratitude.
• Reputation and self-interest: Li Heavenly King worries about his long-standing image, yet accepts the role for a substantial fee.
• Technology and change: The contrast between smartphones and the immortals’ outdated phones suggests how dramatically Chen Hao’s product could transform Heavenly Court life.

Character interactions

• Chen Hao and Liu Yan celebrate the company’s fundraising success, though Chen Hao keeps the full story about Chu Jinliang vague.
• Chen Hao and Chu Jinliang share a warm, familial exchange that strengthens their bond.
• Chen Hao consults Sun Wukong, Nezha, Red Boy, and Alchemy Boy about their phones, using their replies to identify a promising product.
• Chen Hao pitches the campaign to Li Heavenly King, persuading him with promises of fame and success; their negotiation ends with an agreement, a fee, and Li’s insistence on respectable advertising.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Hao enters the Crescent Pendant after getting Liu Yan to sleep. Qin Meng asks whether he found a way to help the Saintess; he says a solution exists, but they must wait.
• Qin Meng’s soul has grown stronger from the Spirit-Gathering Array. Chen Hao realizes that, through his bond with Guanghan Palace, the array also makes the Heavenly Book cultivate him automatically.
• Chen Hao spends the night drawing talismans, producing two Diamond Talismans and one Evil-Repelling Talisman. He intends to protect the people he cares about and fulfill his promise to Dong Zhuo.
• In the morning, Liu Yan teases Chen Hao about the strange Heavenly Court chat group on his phone, while he pretends it is merely a hobby.
• Chen Hao discovers that Li Heavenly King has already shown the immortals an Apple phone—far earlier and less carefully than planned. The phone’s photos and videos have nevertheless caused a sensation.
• Chen Hao salvages the launch by advertising the phone as a rare divine treasure and offering it for 1,000 Daoist Merit Points. After an initially worrying silence, several immortals transfer payment, making the crowdfunding campaign a success.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Hao continues to show concern for others through his talisman-making, but his patience is tested by Li Heavenly King’s improvisation. He quickly adapts, turns the unexpected exposure into a sales pitch, and succeeds.
• Qin Meng is gaining strength and confidence through the Spirit-Gathering Array, while still misunderstanding why Chen Hao was able to persuade the Soul Reaper.
• Liu Yan and Chen Hao share affectionate, teasing intimacy. Liu Yan is amused by the group chat and heads off to attend to an important task.
• Li Heavenly King enthusiastically promotes the phone without following Chen Hao’s instructions. His unplanned demonstration draws interest from Chang’e, the Seven Fairies, the Lightning Goddess, Nezha, and others.
• The immortals react with comic bewilderment to photos and videos, treating ordinary phone features as magical feats. Their excitement turns into purchases, while Sun Wukong offers help with the supposed demon beast and Supreme Lord Lao tries to negotiate exclusive distribution rights.

Significant themes

• Improvisation and adaptability: Chen Hao’s careful marketing plan is disrupted, but he makes the best of the situation.
• Technology as magic: The immortals’ reactions show how everyday modern devices can seem miraculous in another world.
• Responsibility and care: Chen Hao uses his growing abilities both to protect loved ones and to honor promises.
• Humor and cultural misunderstanding: The chapter’s comedy comes from the contrast between mundane technology and the immortals’ magical worldview.

Plot points and events

• Liu Yan begins a major effort to take over Dihao after raising another 100 billion in funding; Chen Hao leaves the business battle to her.
• Chen Hao learns that Ma Big Beard is Ma Zhe, a veteran collectibles dealer with a troubled legal history, and decides to meet him later.
• Over three days, Chen Hao makes twelve Diamond Talismans and six Evil-Repelling Talismans. He distributes the Diamond Talismans to Liu Yan and his trusted associates, and sends the Evil-Repelling Talismans to Dong Zhuo.
• Chen Hao sells a new batch of phones to the immortals, earning 30,000 Daoist Merit Points and receiving orders for more.
• He pays Horse Face 10,000 points to cancel an expiring soul-reaping task, then discovers Horse Face planned to pay the Underworld Official only 500 points. Horse Face refuses to give him the official’s contact and uses the approaching deadline to pressure him.
• Sun Wukong demands repayment of a 222-point loan, claiming the principal and interest total 22,220 points. Chen Hao pays it, wiping out his wallet.
• Alchemy Boy confirms that Wukong’s harsh terms are notorious, even recounting how the Heavenly King of Growth lost his magical treasures over a debt.
• Supreme Lord Lao and the God of Wealth then demand repayment of Chen Hao’s other debts. Furious and broke, Chen Hao insists he has nothing.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Hao is cheerful at first, but Liu Yan’s question about Xiang Wencun unsettles him. He admits Xiang stayed behind in Yunjiang, concealing that he still misses her and avoids contacting her so as not to disturb her.
• Liu Yan asks that Sen Tai protect her openly rather than in secret. Chen Hao agrees, joking that he will personally guard her when he is around.
• Chen Hao shows care for his inner circle by sharing protective talismans, while his success selling phones strengthens his ties with the immortals.
• Horse Face’s shameless profiteering and Wukong’s punishing interest leave Chen Hao feeling repeatedly cheated. His exchanges with them, and later demands from Lao and the God of Wealth, turn his newfound earnings into a comic financial disaster.

Significant themes

• Trust and exploitation: Chen Hao’s dealings with Horse Face and Wukong expose how even supernatural networks are governed by self-interest and dubious “fees.”
• Loyalty and protection: Chen Hao uses his talismans to safeguard the people closest to him.
• Business and scarcity: His phone sales show his knack for managing demand, while Liu Yan handles the high-stakes corporate struggle.
• Comedy through reversal: Chen Hao earns a fortune, only to lose it immediately to debts and opportunistic creditors.