Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• After the kidnapping of his three roommates, Jun Wangchen realizes they are hiding their fear to spare him guilt. He makes three superior Body-Tempering Pills to improve their physical resilience.
• He visits the Martial Artists’ Association to meet Wang Yu, but Wang Yu is in a meeting. While waiting, Jun hears about Sky-Piercing Mountain and enters its virtual portal.
• A friendly martial artist explains that the ancient mountain opens once a year for three days. Its ten thousand steps impose increasingly severe gravity; every thousand steps improves a climber’s aptitude, and passing five thousand earns an unknown qualification.
• Jun begins climbing and discovers that, unlike other climbers, he feels no added gravity. He tests the Swallowing Heaven Ring and finds that it absorbs the mountain’s pressure whenever he wears it.

Character development and interactions

• Jun’s concern for his roommates leads him to act practically, using his alchemy to help protect them rather than dwelling on his own guilt.
• His ambition and curiosity emerge as soon as he learns the mountain can improve aptitude; he eagerly decides to climb.
• Jun shares a friendly exchange with a cheerful, knowledgeable martial artist, who welcomes him, explains the mountain’s rules, and wishes him luck. Jun considers the man someone worth knowing.
• Discovering the ring’s effect transforms Jun’s cautious curiosity into intense excitement: he realizes he may climb without facing the challenge everyone else must endure.

Significant themes

• Protecting loved ones: Jun responds to danger by trying to make those close to him stronger.
• Opportunity and ambition: The mountain offers a rare chance to improve one’s potential, drawing martial artists from across the country.
• Unequal advantage and hidden power: Jun’s ring gives him an extraordinary advantage, raising the prospect that his climb—and its rewards—will differ radically from everyone else’s.

Plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen climbs Sky-Piercing Mountain at a perfectly steady pace of one step per second, unaffected by its increasing pressure because of the Swallowing Heaven Ring.
• He rescues Mo Xiaofei when she becomes trapped by the pressure while attempting the thirty-first step. After warning her not to push beyond her limits, he continues climbing.
• Other climbers struggle to reach even forty steps, while Jun passes them and quickly reaches sixty, then eighty and beyond. The crowd assumes the mountain’s pressure may have failed, but a climber who tests it is crushed by the normal force and expelled.
• At step ninety-nine, Dongfang Chuixue—a celebrated Jiangbei City genius—strains to reach the hundredth step and is nearly there when Jun casually walks past him.
• Jun steps onto the hundredth stair with ease, triggering a deafening resonance from the mountain.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen is revealed as extraordinarily powerful—or at least uniquely protected from the mountain’s pressure. Despite the attention he attracts, he remains calm and considerate, helping Mo Xiaofei without hesitation.
• Mo Xiaofei shifts from discouragement to renewed determination after Jun saves and encourages her. Watching his effortless climb leaves her amazed, but she gathers herself and tries the thirty-first step again.
• Dongfang Chuixue begins with confidence in his reputation and achievement, but his struggle at step ninety-nine is sharply contrasted with Jun’s effortless ascent. Jun’s casual greeting makes the disparity even more striking.
• The exhausted climbers’ disbelief turns into awe and alarm as Jun passes them.

Significant themes

• Perseverance and limits: Climbers endure hardship because the mountain offers a rare chance to improve, but Jun reminds Mo Xiaofei that recognizing when to stop can also be wise.
• Ambition and recognition: Many climb not only to improve their aptitude but to distinguish themselves; Dongfang’s goal is explicitly to make a name for himself.
• Unequal ability and appearances: The same mountain tests everyone, yet Jun’s smooth progress makes him seem almost superhuman—and leaves others unable to explain his advantage.
• Kindness amid competition: Jun’s rescue of Mo Xiaofei stands out in a challenge where most climbers are focused on conserving their own strength.

Key plot points

• Jun Wangchen rapidly climbs Sky-Piercing Mountain, triggering its ancient resonance by reaching the 100th step within five minutes.
• He immediately continues, covering the 100 steps from the 100th to the 200th in forty seconds and producing a second resonance. Concerned about running late to report to Wang Yu, he strides two steps at a time.
• Fifty seconds later, he reaches the 300th step and triggers a third resonance.
• Climbers and spectators assume several different newcomers are responsible. Those on the mountain witness Jun passing them and realize that all three feats belong to one man.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen displays extraordinary speed, composure, and confidence, treating the climb largely as a matter of efficiency. His concern about the time reinforces his practical focus.
• Dongfang Chuixue, struggling to reach the 100th step, sees Jun vanish ahead of him. His pride and fighting spirit collapse, and the mountain transports him out.
• Mo Xiaofei, still climbing in the thirties, feels discouraged by the gap between herself and the mysterious newcomer. Rather than give up, she pushes forward and unexpectedly breaks through from late-stage to peak Human Tier, crediting the mountain’s resonances with inspiring her.
• Spectators debate the climber’s identity and whether one person could possibly be behind the successive feats. Their disbelief contrasts with the climbers who directly witness Jun’s progress.

Significant themes

• Exceptional talent and perseverance: Jun’s unprecedented pace highlights the vast gap between him and ordinary climbers.
• Competition as motivation: Jun’s feats frustrate some climbers but inspire Mo Xiaofei to overcome her limits.
• Appearance versus reality: The crowd mistakes one man’s achievements for the work of several newcomers, until firsthand witnesses reveal the truth.

Key plot points and events

• Mo Xiaofei struggles under Sky-Piercing Mountain’s pressure, reaching the sixtieth step before becoming stuck. She realizes that climbing demands endurance and willpower as much as strength.
• A rapid succession of Mountain Echoes reveals that someone is climbing at an astonishing pace. The climber is Jun Wangchen, who ascends effortlessly, initially taking several steps per stride.
• At the thousandth-step region, other climbers try to follow him. Sensing them, Jun accelerates to five steps per stride and disappears from sight.
• The echoes continue almost nonstop. In about five minutes, Jun reaches the five-thousandth step, startling climbers on the mountain and spectators outside it.
• At the seven-thousand-five-hundredth step, a top-fifty-ranked martial artist recognizes the feat as extraordinary. A trench-coated man dismisses it and challenges Jun to reach six thousand steps—whereupon the six-thousandth-step echo immediately sounds.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen is revealed as an exceptionally powerful and composed climber. He treats the ascent casually and increases his speed when pursued.
• Mo Xiaofei moves from frustration and physical exhaustion to awe at Jun’s achievement. That awe becomes a trace of resolve as she turns toward the next step.
• The ranked martial artist responds thoughtfully, recognizing Jun’s potential by comparing his feat with his own first climb. The trench-coated man remains dismissive, though the next echo undercuts his skepticism.

Significant themes

• Willpower and endurance: The mountain tests stamina and mental strength, not merely physical power.
• Exceptional talent and ambition: Jun’s ascent forces others to reconsider what is possible and inspires Mo to keep going.
• Awe, doubt, and spectacle: The relentless echoes transform a routine climb into an unprecedented event, leaving even accomplished martial artists stunned.

Character interactions

• Mo and the other climbers react to Jun indirectly through the Mountain Echoes, which make his progress public.
• At the thousandth-step region, climbers attempt to pursue Jun; he senses them and widens the gap.
• The ranked man and the trench-coated man debate Jun’s accomplishment, with the six-thousandth-step echo immediately answering the latter’s challenge.

• Jun Wangchen’s astonishing ascent: Jun races up Sky-Piercing Mountain at an unprecedented pace, quickly passing the five-, six-, seven-, and eight-thousand-step milestones. Even at heights where the crushing gravity stops other elite climbers, he shows no sign of slowing down.
• Trench-Coat Man is overwhelmed: Trench-Coat Man and other top-ranked climbers try to pursue Jun, but become stranded around the 7,900th step. When Jun turns and reveals a calm, sweat-free half-profile, Trench-Coat Man realizes the gulf between them is insurmountable. His mind and cultivation falter, and the mountain ejects him.
• Jun rewrites the rankings: Jun’s name appears on the stone tablet at 10th place upon reaching 8,000 steps, then rapidly climbs through the rankings. He reaches first place at 9,500 steps and continues upward, while spectators struggle to believe the record-breaking progress.
• The summit miracle: Jun reaches 10,000 steps and stands at the summit—a feat no climber, not even the former first-ranked genius, had ever achieved. The mountain’s tremendous toll shakes the area, and weaker cultivators fall to their knees before his silhouette.
  Character developments and interactions: Trench-Coat Man’s confidence gives way to fear, frustration, and finally defeat as Jun effortlessly surpasses him. Sword-Brow Man and the other elite climbers briefly give chase, but accept that they cannot catch up. Outside the mountain, spectators—including a long-haired man who suspects Jun may be the modest newcomer he met earlier—move from disbelief to awe.
  Themes: The chapter celebrates extraordinary talent, physical endurance, and willpower, while emphasizing the vast gulf between ordinary elites and a truly exceptional genius. Jun’s quiet, effortless ascent contrasts with the shock and excitement he inspires, framing his achievement as an almost legendary, king-like triumph.

Plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen reaches the summit of Sky-Piercing Mountain on his first attempt, surpassing the Stone Tablet’s former record and stunning the martial artists below.
• The mountain’s power dramatically enhances his brain and comprehension. He realizes he can learn a martial technique after seeing it once and even infer its deeper applications.
• The onlookers react to his achievement: Dongfang Chuixue leaves determined to make a name for himself, the Trench-Coat Man heads to the Desolate Land to pursue heaven tier, and Mo Xiaofei recalls Jun’s advice and stops climbing rather than force herself onward.
• Jun returns to the Martial Artists’ Association, where Wang Yu asks him to wait. While waiting, Jun criticizes the sword forms of Wang Yu’s son, Wang Fan. Wang Fan takes offense, threatens him with his sword, and demands an apology.
• Wang Yu intervenes, apologizes for his son’s behavior, and praises Jun for single-handedly defeating more than twenty peak human tier fighters and a yellow tier expert during the Zhou Family escort mission. He says Jun’s reward is ready.
• Wang Fan refuses to believe Jun is more talented than he is and challenges him to a sword-form contest. Jun accepts. Wang Fan performs the Clear Wind Sword Art impressively, and the chapter ends with him inviting Jun to take his turn.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen gains a major leap in talent and confidence, while remaining composed and sharp-tongued when Wang Fan provokes him. His new ability to learn techniques instantly sets up the contest.
• Wang Fan is shown as skilled but arrogant, quick to take criticism as an insult and eager to prove his superiority. His father’s praise reinforces his confidence.
• Wang Yu tries to mediate between the two, apologizes for Wang Fan, and acknowledges Jun’s achievements and talent.
• Dongfang Chuixue turns his shock at Jun’s accomplishment into determination to surpass his own limits. Mo Xiaofei applies Jun’s advice by recognizing when to stop.
• Jun and Wang Fan’s exchange escalates from criticism and insults to a formal contest, with Wang Yu caught between his son and his respect for Jun.

Significant themes

• True talent and achievement: Jun’s summit climb exposes the gulf between celebrated martial artists and exceptional prodigies.
• Perseverance and self-knowledge: Dongfang resolves to work harder, while Mo Xiaofei learns that stopping can be the right choice.
• Arrogance versus humility: Wang Fan’s pride clashes with Jun’s calm confidence and Wang Yu’s measured judgment.
• Opportunity and growth: Jun’s unexpected climb transforms his abilities and creates a new test of what he can do.

Key plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen accepts Wang Fan’s challenge to demonstrate sword forms despite having no formal sword training. His greatly enhanced talent lets him reproduce Wang Fan’s earlier techniques from memory—and improve on them.
• After several minutes of concentration, Jun performs an elegant, fluid sword dance that immediately impresses Wang Yu and unsettles Wang Fan.
• Jun then drops the physical sword, saying a true swordsman does not need one. He creates a longsword from spiritual energy and manifests countless sword lights, making the surroundings themselves seem like a sword.
• His final technique, “Sword Tip Scatters, Laughing at the Mortal World,” sends a devastating wave of sword energy through the hall. Jun restrains it before it can destroy the room, but a deep cut remains across the top floor.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen reveals exceptional talent and creativity: he can quickly master what he observes, then transform it into something stronger. His calm, understated manner contrasts with the overwhelming power of his swordsmanship.
• Wang Fan shifts from smug confidence to shock and fear as he recognizes Jun’s superiority. The encounter leaves a lasting impression on him.
• Wang Yu moves from quiet concern for his son to astonishment at Jun’s ability, reinforcing his belief that Jun has hidden depths.

Significant themes

• Talent and innovation: Jun does not merely copy Wang Fan’s forms; he surpasses them by creating something new.
• Mastery beyond tools: Jun’s spiritual-energy sword suggests that true swordsmanship comes from the swordsman, not the weapon.
• Power and restraint: Jun displays force capable of devastating the hall, yet controls it before greater damage occurs.
• Appearance versus reality: Wang Fan judges Jun by his awkward grip and lack of visible sword aura, badly underestimating him.

Character interactions

• Wang Yu watches without interrupting, anxious that his son may be harmed emotionally by losing.
• Wang Fan’s confidence and mockery give way to stunned recognition as Jun performs.
• When Wang Fan challenges Jun’s decision to discard the sword, Jun calmly answers with a demonstration that makes both Wang Fan and Wang Yu understand the gulf between them.

Key plot points

• Jun Wangchen decisively defeats Wang Fan in their swordsmanship contest, revealing mastery that appears to encompass the legendary level of a Sword God.
• Rather than ridicule Wang Fan, Jun explains that true swordsmanship depends on focus, power, and speed—not flashy forms.
• He demonstrates the deeper meaning of Wang Fan’s Clear Wind Sword Art, showing how a swordsman can merge technique with the nature of wind. His resulting strike destroys the hall’s wall.
• Wang Fan recognizes the flaws in his own technique, sets aside his pride, and asks Jun for guidance. Jun teaches him and warns him to use his sword to protect rather than pursue evil.
• Jun leaves after asking Wang Yu to look for practical missions. A receptionist then reports that someone has reached Sky-Piercing Mountain’s summit for the first time. The climber is identified as Jun Wangchen, leaving Wang Yu and Wang Fan stunned.

Character developments and interactions

• Wang Fan shifts from arrogance and overconfidence to humility and sincere respect. Jun’s instruction gives him new insight into his sword art.
• Jun Wangchen demonstrates both overwhelming ability and generosity, teaching a defeated rival without boasting. His playful, self-satisfied thoughts contrast with his calm outward manner.
• Wang Yu moves from judging Jun as a young acquaintance to treating him with great respect after witnessing his skill.
• Jun’s respectful guidance and moral warning establish a mentor-like exchange with Wang Fan, despite Jun being younger.

Significant themes

• Humility and growth: Defeat becomes an opportunity for Wang Fan to learn.
• True mastery: Swordsmanship comes from understanding a technique’s underlying essence, not merely performing impressive movements.
• Power and responsibility: A sword can harm or protect; the wielder’s intentions determine its purpose.
• Unrecognized achievement: The summit revelation shows that Jun’s accomplishments extend far beyond what those around him had imagined.

Plot points and events

• After collecting his escort reward, Jun Wangchen returns to his dorm and reflects on how his increased talent let him master sword techniques beyond their original wielder’s ability. He credits Jade Rabbit for restoring the Swallowing Heaven Ring and sends her a crate of carrots in thanks.
• His merit points have risen to 500, likely from helping a girl on Sky-Piercing Mountain and helping Wang Fan understand the Clear Wind Sword Art. He still needs 1,500 more to reach 2,000 and starts thinking about how to earn them.
• With two VIP tickets to He Zihan’s concert, Jun considers inviting several acquaintances but rules them out because they are busy, difficult to approach, or likely to attract attention. He resigns himself to possibly going alone.
• A red packet appears in the Strongest Chat Group in History, but Jun is too late to claim it. He reads the group’s bawdy banter, including a prank that leaves the Jade Emperor in trouble with the Queen Mother of the West.
• Jun notices that no one has answered Su Daji’s request for advice and privately offers to help. She wants to attract the attention of the person she loves at a gathering.
• Jun discovers that Daji is still literally a fox: she has no cultivation and cannot transform into a human. He tells her a 50,000-merit Millennium Demon Core could grant the cultivation she needs.
• Daji then sends a new picture. It shows her transformed into a stunning, fully human-looking woman—and completely naked. The chapter ends with Jun staring in shock.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen is pleased by his talent and grateful to Jade Rabbit, while remaining focused on accumulating merit points. He also shows a helpful side by reaching out to Daji, though her final picture catches him completely off guard.
• Su Daji is introduced as earnest and insecure about competing for her beloved’s attention, rather than the already-seductive figure Jun expected from legend. Her unexpected transformation changes the situation dramatically.
• The chat-group members are presented as irreverent and mischievous; their teasing quickly turns into a coordinated prank against the Jade Emperor.

Significant themes

• Talent and gratitude: Jun’s sudden abilities come from the ring, and he makes a point of thanking its former owner.
• Merit and helping others: Jun’s progress toward his goal is connected to good deeds and assistance.
• Legend versus reality: Su Daji does not match Jun’s assumptions about the famous fox spirit; her lack of cultivation makes her predicament unexpectedly practical.
• Comedy through contrast: The chat’s crude joking, Jun’s mistaken expectations, and Daji’s dramatic final reveal drive the chapter’s humor.

Character interactions

• Jun thanks Jade Rabbit with carrots and privately advises Su Daji about her problem.
• Su Daji explains her worries and limitations; Jun suggests the demon core as a solution, prompting her surprising final reveal.
• The group members exchange crude jokes, then bait the Jade Emperor into an argument with the Queen Mother of the West.

Plot points and events

• Su Daji tells Jun Wangchen that she has used a Millennium Demon Core to gain a thousand years of cultivation and take human form. She asks what to do next.
• Jun sends her pictures of modern women’s clothing—high heels, stockings, a miniskirt, and a V-neck dress. Daji is fascinated by the look and asks to try it.
• Jun buys her a black outfit and sends it to her. Daji quickly changes and sends him photos from several poses. Jun is overwhelmed by her beauty and asks for more pictures, while jokingly pretending he is doing it for his readers.
• Jun tells Daji the outfit should help attract the man she loves. Grateful, she sends him ten merit points, but takes his hints about payment literally. When he finally explains that he wants compensation, she admits the Demon Core used up all her accumulated merit points.
• Daji then sends him a Nine-Tailed Fox Tail as thanks. Jun discovers that it can die in his place once, making it a valuable safeguard. He happily drops his complaints about the missing merit points.
• Daji affectionately tells Jun she loves him, then leaves to do her hair and makeup. Jun maintains a show of righteous composure, but soon heads to the bathroom again.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen is opportunistic: he hopes to earn merit points by helping Daji, and is also openly captivated by her appearance. His irritation at receiving only ten points vanishes when he gets the far more valuable fox tail.
• Su Daji is eager to attract the man she loves and readily trusts Jun’s advice. She is generous and grateful, offering her most precious possession when she cannot pay him in merit points. Her literal-minded responses also create much of the comic misunderstanding.

Significant themes

• Seduction and appearance: The fashionable outfit is presented as a tool for Daji to display her allure and win someone’s attention.
• Self-interest and unexpected generosity: Jun initially expects payment, while Daji gives what she can—even her treasured tail.
• Comic hypocrisy and temptation: Jun repeatedly claims to be virtuous while reacting intensely to Daji’s photos and voice messages.
• The value of protection: The fox tail proves more useful to Jun than the merit points he originally wanted, since it can save his life once.

Character interactions

• Jun acts as Daji’s adviser and fashion consultant, explaining the clothes and recommending them as a way to attract her beloved.
• Daji responds with enthusiasm and gratitude, sending him photos and voice messages.
• Their exchange over payment becomes a comic misunderstanding: Jun hints at compensation, Daji misunderstands, and he has to spell out that he wants merit points.
• Daji’s gift and affectionate words soften Jun’s mood, though his outward restraint contrasts with his private reactions.

Plot points and events

• After making himself feel “reborn,” Jun Wangchen begins planning how to earn merit points, but an unexpected call interrupts him.
• The caller is Xu Youyue, his childhood sweetheart, who vanished six years earlier after trouble in her family. They exchange affectionate greetings; she invites him to meet at Seven Hues KTV, and he rushes there.
• Their reunion brings back memories of their closeness, their childhood promise, and Jun’s years of longing. He also recalls that he pursued Qiu Ya partly because her eyes resembled Xu’s.
• Xu says she missed Jun and asks him to embrace her. Jun hesitates, thinking of Zi Hanyan, and tells Xu that he now likes someone else.
• Xu is hurt but remains devoted. She plays the harmonica she has practiced every day for six years, saying she wanted Jun to hear its familiar sound again. She insists she will wait for him and says she returned to fulfill their old promise.
• Xu embraces Jun, declaring that she wants to stay by his side. Jun allows the embrace but is torn between his long-standing feelings for Xu and his new attachment to Zi Hanyan.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen is overwhelmed by Xu’s return and recognizes that he still cares for her, but he tries to be honest about his feelings for Zi Hanyan. His uncertainty leaves him unable to choose.
• Xu Youyue remains affectionate and devoted, yet six years of separation have made her seem more guarded and changed. She is determined to reclaim their bond and is willing to wait despite Jun’s feelings for someone else.
• Zi Hanyan, though absent, becomes a significant emotional presence: Jun’s thoughts of her stop him from embracing Xu and complicate the reunion.

Significant themes

• Time and change: Six years have altered both Xu and Jun, and their reunion cannot simply restore the past.
• Memory and enduring devotion: Xu’s daily harmonica practice and commitment to their promise show how strongly she has held on to their shared history.
• Love, loyalty, and choice: Jun’s affection for his childhood sweetheart conflicts with his feelings for Zi Hanyan, leaving him caught between past and present.
• Unspoken pain and powerlessness: Xu’s family troubles forced her to leave, but she still cannot fully explain why; Jun recognizes that he likely could not have helped her at the time.

Character interactions

• Jun and Xu reconnect through teasing, nostalgia, and emotionally charged questions about her disappearance and return.
• Jun challenges Xu for leaving without explanation; she responds that he could not have changed the circumstances then.
• Xu seeks physical and emotional reassurance, while Jun’s hesitation and confession that he likes someone else create a painful silence.
• Xu answers his rejection with patience and resolve, then embraces him—leaving Jun comforted by her closeness but conflicted by thoughts of Zi Hanyan.

Plot and events

• Xu Youyue brings Jun Wangchen to her coworker Zhu Yiqun’s birthday party and introduces him as her boyfriend. Jun is uneasy at the label, though he lets her hold his hand.
• Zhu, who has been pursuing Youyue, and his wealthy friends mock Jun for being a university student and imply he is unworthy of her. Youyue angrily defends Jun and tries to leave, but Jun calmly persuades her to stay.
• When guests’ expensive birthday gifts make Jun an easy target, he presents Zhu with an unusual “Two-Faced Mirror.” Jun claims it makes attractive people look ugly and unattractive people look handsome; anyone whose reflection stays unchanged is “not human.”
• The mirror’s effects appear convincing: an unattractive man sees a handsome face, while a woman sees a grotesque one. The guests become absorbed in testing and photographing themselves.
• Zhu and several of the people who mocked Jun see unchanged reflections. The room falls silent, and guests back away from Zhu. Youyue appears to realize what Jun has done, while suppressing a smile.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen appears far more composed than Youyue remembers. Rather than trade insults, he reassures her and turns the party’s mockery into an elaborate embarrassment for Zhu and his friends.
• Xu Youyue openly claims Jun as her boyfriend, defends him, and is intrigued by his new abilities. Their teasing, affectionate exchange suggests renewed closeness, though Jun’s discomfort with the label hints that their feelings may not be as straightforward as before.
• Zhu Yiqun shifts from smug rival to the target of suspicion after the mirror reflects his face unchanged. His friends’ earlier insults come back to haunt them.
• Qin Shousheng leads the mockery but backs down when Zhu signals him to stop; he later shares the unsettling unchanged reflection.

Themes

• Appearance versus identity: The mirror makes physical beauty seem deceptive and raises a more disturbing question about what lies beneath a person’s appearance.
• Power and social status: Zhu’s authority and wealth initially let him control the room, but Jun’s composure and cleverness quickly overturn that dynamic.
• Change over time: Youyue recognizes that Jun has changed during their six years apart, while their relationship still carries the weight of the past.

Key plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen uses the Two-Faced Mirror to mock Zhu Yiqun and his friends: everyone’s reflection changes except theirs. He argues that the mirror’s effects are their own fault, leaving them unable to prove he deliberately targeted them.
• Zhu suppresses his anger to avoid making a scene at his birthday party. His friends then boast about his wealthy family and his supposed connection to Gu Chengtian, the powerful owner of the karaoke club.
• A drunken man enters and tries to grab Qin Shousheng’s girlfriend, Hu Lijing. Qin kicks him out and taunts him after the man threatens to return with reinforcements.
• The group resumes drinking, confident they can handle any trouble. Jun senses that men are approaching and tells Xu Youyue they cannot leave. More than ten machete-wielding men burst in and demand to know who Qin Shousheng is.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen remains calm and verbally deft when confronted, then becomes watchful when he senses danger. His composure contrasts with the others’ bravado.
• Xu Youyue stays close to Jun and quietly cautions him not to provoke Zhu’s group further. Later, uneasy about the threatened retaliation, she suggests leaving and looks to Jun for guidance.
• Zhu Yiqun hides his irritation over Jun and Xu’s closeness, then enjoys being the center of attention as his friends praise his status.
• Qin Shousheng boasts about his martial arts and acts fearless after kicking the drunken man out. His friends encourage him, while he flatters Zhu to strengthen his own standing.
• Hu Lijing is frightened when the drunken man reaches for her, and Qin pulls her into his arms after intervening.
• The drunken man’s threat turns Qin’s show of confidence into a looming confrontation.

Significant themes

• Pride and status: Zhu’s friends inflate his connections, while Qin performs toughness to win admiration.
• Words and blame: Jun turns the mirror’s effects back on his accusers by pointing out that they chose to try it.
• Recklessness and consequences: Qin’s taunting invites retaliation, while Jun’s warning suggests the group has underestimated the danger.
• Appearance versus reality: The mirror’s transformations—and the characters’ exaggerated claims about power—raise questions about how people present themselves.

• Qin Shousheng is seized: A machete-wielding gang storms the KTV room and takes Qin away for kicking a man who turns out to be a friend of their boss. His coworkers, including Zhu Yiqun, go along. Xu Youyue acts frightened and clings to Jun Wangchen, but he recognizes that her fear is feigned and keeps quiet. He also reassures her, confident that he can handle the danger.
• Boss Gu’s intervention: The group is brought before Gu Chengtian, a powerful local figure. The injured man, nicknamed Fat Cat, beats Qin while the others watch. Hu Lijing begs for Qin’s release, but Fat Cat offers to spare him only if Hu goes to bed with him.
• Zhu Yiqun negotiates: Though unsure how close his father is to Gu, Zhu invokes his father Zhu Tou’s connection and offers free use of the family hotel for future banquets. Gu agrees to release Qin, but allows Fat Cat to claim Hu.
• Qin abandons Hu: Qin, afraid to challenge Gu and his men, tells Hu to go with Fat Cat. Hu is devastated by his betrayal. Zhu’s companions offer no help, and Gu remains indifferent as Fat Cat grabs her and prepares to take her away.
• Cliffhanger: Just as Fat Cat is about to drag Hu into a dark room, an unidentified woman shouts, “Let her go!”
  Character developments and interactions: Jun’s calm confidence contrasts with Xu’s convincing performance; their reunion carries unspoken history, and Xu is surprised by how composed he has become. Zhu risks approaching Gu to protect his friend, but Qin ultimately chooses self-preservation over loyalty to Hu. Hu’s plea is ignored by the men around her, exposing their callousness and the unequal power dynamics of the room.
  Themes: The scene emphasizes coercion and abuse of power, cowardice and betrayal under pressure, and the moral indifference of people who treat others as disposable. It also builds suspense around Xu’s concealed identity and the unknown woman who steps in to defend Hu.

Plot points and events

• Xu Youyue intervenes when Gu Chengtian’s men are about to assault Hu Lijing, condemning Gu for abusing his power.
• Rather than punish Xu, Gu is captivated by her beauty and boldness. He releases Hu Lijing—but demands that Xu stay in her place.
• Gu orders his bald henchman to take Xu. Zhu Yiqun briefly tries to protect her, but Gu threatens to kill him and the others if they do not leave.
• The group, including Hu Lijing, abandons Xu and heads for the exit. Zhu Yiqun ultimately leaves too, while Xu prepares to reveal her identity.
• Before Gu’s henchman can reach her, Jun Wangchen pulls Xu into his arms and warns that anyone who touches her will die.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Youyue shows courage and compassion by risking herself for Hu, even as others warn her to stay quiet. Her fear emerges when Gu targets her, but she remains composed enough to consider using a hidden means of protection.
• Gu Chengtian shifts from apparent amusement to possessive menace. He is intrigued by Xu’s defiance, but his “mercy” toward Hu is a way to claim Xu instead.
• Zhu Yiqun tries to help Xu, revealing genuine concern, but fear of Gu’s power eventually outweighs his resolve.
• Hu Lijing is grateful to be freed, yet refuses to intervene for Xu and leaves with the others.
• Jun Wangchen remains calm throughout and finally acts decisively, placing himself between Xu and Gu’s men.

Significant themes

• Moral courage versus self-preservation: Xu risks herself to defend another woman, while the group retreats when danger becomes personal.
• Power and exploitation: Gu treats people as possessions, using his influence and threats to impose his will.
• True character under pressure: The crisis exposes who will act for another person—and who will abandon them.
• Protective loyalty and looming confrontation: Jun’s intervention ends the chapter on a direct challenge to Gu, setting up a clash.

Plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen interrupts Gu Chengtian’s threats and calmly challenges him, despite warnings that Gu is a ruthless gang leader protected by the powerful Zhou Family.
• Gu orders his bald martial-artist subordinate to attack. Jun protects Xu Youyue, snaps the man’s dagger between two fingers, catches his punch, shatters his hand, and blasts him across the room.
• After the bald man warns that Jun is an even stronger martial artist, Gu sends dozens of armed men to attack.
• Jun’s apparent control of an invisible force freezes their machetes mid-swing. He then knocks the attackers down in just seven seconds.
• With Gu left stunned and helpless, Jun approaches and repeats his opening question: “Can we have a proper talk now?”

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen remains composed and playful under threat, revealing extraordinary martial skill and an ability to wield soul power. His relaxed taunts contrast sharply with the violence of his opponents.
• Xu Youyue initially tries to protect Jun, then recognizes his soul power and wonders what he experienced during their six years apart. Her surprise gives way to hope that his growing abilities may improve their chances of being together.
• Gu Chengtian shifts from arrogant confidence to grim shock as Jun effortlessly defeats his strongest fighter and entire armed group.
• The bald subordinate goes from self-assured attacker to badly injured witness, recognizing Jun as the superior martial artist.
• Zhu Yiqun, the other onlookers, and the fat man move from expecting Jun’s defeat to fear and disbelief at his strength.

Significant themes

• Hidden strength and underestimated ability: Jun’s slight build and student status conceal overwhelming power.
• Power and intimidation: Gu’s reputation and armed men prove ineffective against Jun’s skill.
• Reunion and renewed possibility: Xu’s memories of Jun’s past protection connect his present transformation to their shared history and potential future.

Plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen keeps Gu Chengtian pinned down with his strength, rejecting Gu’s offer of money and power.
• Gu’s lover draws a Desert Eagle and tries to shoot Jun. Jun uses his soul power—an ability granted by his Third-Grade Prospective Master Alchemist status—to restrain her and take the gun.
• Rather than kill her, Jun shoots and severely injures her hand, saying a lesson is still necessary. The fat man carries her out.
• Gu’s armed men draw their pistols, but Gu orders them to lower their weapons, fearing Jun will kill him.
• Jun refuses Gu’s offer to let everyone leave unharmed, insisting that Gu must pay for frightening his companions. When Gu threatens him and his family, Jun remains unfazed.
• Gu reveals that the Zhou Family, one of Jinling City’s four great families, is his powerful backer. Jun reacts with recognition, then calls the Zhou Family head, ending the chapter before the conversation begins.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen displays extraordinary confidence, strategic control, and ruthless decisiveness. He protects his companions but stops short of killing Gu’s lover, choosing instead to punish her.
• Gu Chengtian shifts from swaggering boss to frightened negotiator, relying first on a gun, then on his armed men and political connections.
• Xu Youyue is deeply worried for Jun and secretly tries to summon help. Her relief when he survives underscores her personal concern for him.
• Zhu Yiqun and the others initially distance themselves from Jun when he appears trapped, then react with shock at his abilities and severity.

Significant themes

• Power beyond physical strength: Jun’s soul-power abilities neutralize a gun and its wielder, showing that conventional weapons cannot easily threaten him.
• Fear and status: Gu’s authority and connections fail to protect him once Jun has control of the situation.
• Protection and consequences: Jun’s actions are framed as defending his people, while his punishment of the gunwoman signals that threats against them will not go unanswered.

Character interactions

• Jun and Gu trade threats and attempted bargains, with Jun consistently holding the upper hand.
• Gu’s lover attempts to kill Jun, but he immobilizes and disarms her before injuring her hand.
• Gu’s men aim their weapons at Jun, but Gu prevents them from firing to save himself.
• Xu watches anxiously and tries to arrange help, while Jun assures the room through his actions that his companions are safe.
• Gu invokes the Zhou Family to intimidate Jun; Jun answers by calling its head directly.

Chapter Summary

• At Seven Hues KTV, Jun Wangchen calls Zhou Fangzun, head of the Zhou Family, after Gu Chengtian threatens him while claiming the family’s authority. Zhou Fangzun promises to arrive within five minutes.
• When Zhou Fangzun enters and addresses Jun as his “young friend,” Gu realizes Jun truly has powerful connections. Zhou demands an explanation, then knocks Gu into a wall with a forceful palm strike.
• After hearing what happened, Zhou severs Gu’s left arm as punishment and leaves his life in Jun’s hands. Gu kneels and apologizes. Jun asks Xu Youyue what she wants; she chooses to forgive Gu, and Jun accepts her decision.
• Zhou warns Gu never to harm anyone connected to Jun again. He then apologizes to Jun and invites him to dinner so Zhou’s daughter Rou’er can thank him for saving her life.
• Xu Youyue identifies herself as Jun’s childhood sweetheart and girlfriend. Learning about Rou’er, she reacts with some jealousy and declines that evening’s invitation, citing a candlelit dinner with Jun. Jun agrees to visit the Zhou family the next evening.

Character Developments and Interactions

Jun remains calm and self-assured throughout the confrontation, relying on his connection to Zhou to stop Gu’s intimidation. He also prioritizes Xu’s wishes, letting her decide Gu’s fate. Xu shows compassion by sparing Gu, while also revealing a hint of possessiveness when she learns Jun saved Rou’er. Zhou’s personal response makes clear that he respects Jun and is eager to maintain their relationship. Gu’s confidence collapses into fear, remorse, and submission.

Significant Themes

The chapter centers on power and status, as Gu’s authority proves fragile beside Jun’s connections; retribution, as Gu suffers for threatening Jun and Xu; and mercy, expressed through Xu’s decision to forgive him. It also emphasizes loyalty and affection, both in Jun’s consideration for Xu and in the tension raised by Zhou’s invitation and Rou’er’s connection to Jun.

Plot points

• Jun Wangchen needs 1,500 more merit points before the next month’s group fee is due, so he asks Xu Youyue for a quick way to help people.
• Xu suggests a prize Q&A at Marriott Plaza, offering rainbow lollipops to anyone who asks a question. Their first attempts fail because passersby suspect a scam and the summer heat makes them reluctant to stop.
• Jun uses a geomancy spell to cool the area and plays a melody on a leaf, attracting a crowd. He and Xu explain the event and reassure people that it is safe.
• The Q&A begins with comic questions. Jun answers a risqué question about the difference between hunger and sexual desire, then gives humorous advice on how to compliment a girlfriend while shopping for clothes.
• The chapter ends as another person nervously asks why men prefer young married women.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen is resourceful and confident, concealing his real need for merit points while using extraordinary abilities to draw people in. His answers show a playful, irreverent side.
• Xu Youyue is practical and supportive: she devises the Q&A, helps run it, and calmly addresses the crowd’s suspicions. She remains curious about Jun’s power but does not press him.
• Jun and Xu work smoothly together, though Xu is embarrassed by his dirty joke. The crowd shifts from wary observers to amused, engaged participants, while Jun’s answers earn applause and admiration.

Significant themes

• Helping others as a practical goal: Jun’s desire to do good is driven by an urgent need to earn merit points.
• Trust and public suspicion: Their harmless offer is initially mistaken for a scam, reflecting how wary people have become.
• Ingenuity and performance: Jun combines magic, music, and humor to turn a failed idea into a lively public event.
• Comedy and social advice: The Q&A uses jokes to address dating and relationships, while the final question promises another humorous exchange.

Plot points and events

• During the lawn quiz, Jun Wangchen answers a run of personal and humorous questions, including one that leads to an awkward exchange about food and another about why women in old stories offered marriage or lifelong service to a hero.
• Xu Youyue becomes visibly jealous when a girl thanks Jun with a blown kiss; Jun quickly avoids returning it.
• Asked about loneliness, Jun describes the quiet longing of people who browse online without commenting, hoping to be noticed.
• A recently heartbroken man asks how to move on after a two-year relationship. Jun advises him to accept the separation and symbolically toast the relationship: first for its past happiness, then for the man’s future, and finally to say goodbye.
• Jun’s advice moves the man and many others. The crowd begins sharing relationship troubles, and Jun answers earnestly, drawing on his own experiences and understanding.
• The quiz ends half an hour later, leaving many attendees emotional and reflective.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen shifts from joking and flirtatious banter to sincere compassion. He recognizes the crowd’s pain and stops treating the quiz as merely a way to earn Merit Points.
• Xu Youyue displays jealousy and affection, while Jun responds by keeping his conduct proper.
• The heartbroken man moves from feeling unable to let go toward accepting that it is time to move on.
• The audience connects with Jun’s words, sharing their own regrets and relationship difficulties.

Significant themes

• Loneliness and the need to be seen: People may silently seek attention while feeling isolated.
• Love, loss, and acceptance: Parting can be painful, but honoring a relationship’s past while letting it go can help people continue.
• Unrequited devotion and regret: The closing reflections contrast deep, one-sided love with the hardships and disappointments of real life.
• Compassion through shared experience: Jun’s advice matters because it comes from empathy and an understanding of emotional pain.