Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen sells Chen Zijun three wooden tokens for thirty million, securing Chen’s place in the top three. He keeps three tokens for himself and plans to sell the remaining seven.
• Three other Probationary Members decide to attack Jun together, take his tokens, and then seize Chen’s tokens as well.
• Chen considers helping Jun but waits to see how he handles the attack, worried the three men might target him next.
• Jun stands his ground and effortlessly defeats all three attackers in under half a minute: he breaks their hands, then smashes two into each other, knocking them unconscious.

Character development and interactions

• Jun Wangchen is revealed as both shrewd and confident. He has prepared to profit from the assessment and remains calm when outnumbered, displaying extraordinary strength.
• Chen Zijun is relieved and thrilled to buy his advancement, but also wary of Jun and uncertain whether to help him in a fight.
• The three attackers, led by the man in white, underestimate Jun and pay for their coordinated ambush with severe injuries.
• The Charm Heavenly King watches in surprise as Jun chooses to face the group directly rather than evade them.

Significant themes

• Power and survival: The tokens determine who advances, prompting both commerce and attempted theft.
• Strength versus numbers: Jun’s overwhelming ability overturns the attackers’ assumption that three fighters can defeat one.
• Pragmatism and trust: Chen’s decision to buy tokens—and hesitate before helping Jun—shows how self-interest shapes relationships in a high-stakes trial.

Key plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen defeats three peak black-tier opponents on Ring Three in under half a minute, leaving Chen Zijun relieved he never tried to reclaim his token.
• His victory inspires competitors across the other rings—including Hete Xixi, Liu Doudou, Wei Mingzhe, Mo Long, Li Tianshuai, and Wang Shanzhi—to stop chasing leopards and fight one another for wooden tokens. The trial devolves into chaos, while the leopards look on in confusion.
• Jun approaches the surviving man in white, who panics and mistakes him for a threat. Jun clarifies that he wants to sell tokens, not attack him.
• Jun offers four tokens for twenty million each, claiming the higher price compensates him for the man’s earlier attempt to snatch his tokens. The man reluctantly pays eighty million, and Jun cheerfully closes the sale.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen is shown to be overwhelmingly strong, self-assured, and opportunistic: he intimidates opponents but also turns their fear into a profitable sale. His exaggerated inner monologue and irritation at the man’s boastful plea provide much of the chapter’s comedy.
• Chen Zijun recognizes how dangerous Jun is and feels fortunate to have backed down.
• Hete Xixi and Liu Doudou, along with several other contestants, are emboldened by Jun’s display and join the token fights. Liu’s admiration for Jun is reinforced by her competitive response.
• The man in white shifts from terror to confusion, then submits to Jun’s inflated price despite resenting the deal.

Significant themes

• Strength and influence: Jun’s victory changes the behavior of contestants across the arena.
• Competition and opportunism: The struggle shifts from chasing leopards to fighting other participants, while Jun exploits the situation to sell tokens.
• Humor through misunderstanding and exaggeration: The man’s panicked assumptions collide with Jun’s blunt correction, and the leopards’ comic commentary punctuates the disorder.

Plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen reflects that he has won 110 million from Chen Zijun and the man in white, jokingly crediting his good looks.
• The speed assessment ends. Eighty contestants who failed to collect a wooden token are eliminated, leaving 120. They receive a burst of energy to recover their stamina.
• Flame Heavenly King announces the next test: contestants must push a thousand-jin round stone 60 meters along a 100-meter pool within an hour.
• The contestants initially assume the task is easy. Jun Wangchen suspects a hidden complication and uses his Fiery Golden Eyes to inspect the stones. He discovers a glowing red sphere concealed inside each one, though he does not yet know its function.
• When contestants begin pushing, the spheres drain away half the force applied, leaving the stones immovable at first.
• Hete Xixi works out that contestants must apply enough force to overcome this effect and moves his stone half a meter. Wei Mingzhe and several others also grasp the challenge and begin pushing with great strength.
• The Heavenly Kings notice the promising contestants. Charm Heavenly King then spots Jun Wangchen behaving strangely: he is feeling and rubbing himself against his stone.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen remains observant and wary, correctly suspecting the test is not as simple as it looks. His unusual, seemingly sleazy examination of the stone draws Charm Heavenly King’s attention.
• Hete Xixi demonstrates quick reasoning by identifying how the force-draining effect works, then tests his theory successfully.
• Wei Mingzhe, along with Mo Long, Li Tianshuai, Wang Shanzhi, and Liu Doudou, also shows strength and insight by figuring out how to move the stones.
• Flame Heavenly King oversees the assessments, while the Heavenly Kings quietly evaluate the remaining contestants. Charm Heavenly King reacts with visible disapproval or surprise at Jun Wangchen’s behavior.

Significant themes

• Appearances can mislead: What seems like a straightforward strength challenge hides a supernatural obstacle.
• Observation and comprehension matter alongside raw power: Success depends on recognizing the stones’ effect as well as exerting strength.
• Competition and selection: The trials steadily eliminate contestants while the judges watch for exceptional ability.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• During the Mythic Heavenly Palace’s strength assessment, probationary members must push thousand-jin round stones sixty meters through a pool. The stones are specially designed to reduce the force applied to them.
• Jun Wangchen studies his stone instead of immediately trying to shove it forward. He identifies its weakest point, pierces the shell with internal force, and uses his sound-controlling technique, Lingering Melodies, to shatter the small red stone inside. This disables the stone’s force-dampening effect.
• Once the obstacle is removed, Jun pushes his stone forward rapidly and without apparent strain, soon reaching the fifty-meter mark.
• Wei Mingzhe, who had led the test by pushing his stone to thirty-five meters, is exhausted and stunned when Jun sweeps past him. The other candidates are equally incredulous.
• The four Heavenly Kings watching the assessment are astonished: Jun is only a peak black-tier Martial Artist, yet he is moving a thousand-jin stone with extraordinary ease.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen shows that he prefers clever shortcuts to exhausting labor. He calmly analyzes the test’s mechanism, solves it through precision and technique, then jokingly credits his success to being handsome.
• Wei Mingzhe is determined to impress the Heavenly Kings and initially feels confident about his performance. Jun’s effortless progress undermines that confidence and leaves him frustrated and bewildered.
• The other probationary members react with disbelief and suspect Jun may be cheating or not even human.
• The Heavenly Kings, especially the Charm Heavenly King, question Jun’s apparent lack of seriousness. Their surprise grows when his unconventional approach proves so effective.

Significant themes

• Ingenuity over brute force: Jun succeeds by understanding and disabling the test’s mechanism rather than simply overpowering it.
• Appearances versus ability: Jun’s playful, unserious demeanor masks keen observation and formidable skill.
• Competition and comparison: The candidates’ efforts are measured against one another, making Jun’s unexpected performance especially demoralizing for those who have struggled.
• Confidence and humility: Jun’s boastful humor contrasts with the others’ earnest effort and the observers’ astonishment.

Key events

• Jun Wangchen reaches the sixty-meter mark with ease, far ahead of Wei Mingzhe, who is second at thirty-five meters.
• Inspired by Jun’s display, Hete Xixi removes a seal on his strength. His power surges from peak Black Tier to mid Earth Tier, and he drives his stone ten meters in a single strike, reaching Wei’s mark.
• Mo Long then reveals a red, flame-like mark and unleashes a burst of power, pushing his stone fifteen meters at once. The Four Heavenly Kings recognize him as a Demon Sealer—someone who carries the power of an Ancient Demon Beast—and the Flame Heavenly King insists he should join the Mythic Heavenly Palace.
• Mo Long’s feat spurs Li Tianshuai, Wang Shanzhi, Liu Doudou, and other strong contestants to reveal their hidden abilities. The trial grows increasingly competitive, and several begin closing in on Jun.
• Jun notices the challengers and decides to stop holding back, leaping into the air to launch his “Jun-Style Stone-Pushing Method.”

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen remains comfortably in the lead, but shifts from effortless confidence to playful determination as others begin to catch up.
• Hete Xixi is fiercely competitive. Seeing Jun’s strength, he breaks his grandfather’s seal and displays the destructive power of his metal element.
• Mo Long reveals his Demon Sealer nature and proves himself a major threat. His performance impresses Hete Xixi and excites the Flame Heavenly King, who wants him as a disciple.
• The Four Heavenly Kings watch the contestants closely, impressed by the batch’s talent; the Flame Heavenly King is especially eager to recruit Mo Long.
• The contestants’ displays provoke one another: Jun inspires Hete, Mo Long’s feat impresses Hete and alarms his rivals, and the growing competition pushes others to unleash their own strength.

Significant themes

• Competition brings out hidden power: The trial becomes a test not just of strength but of how much each contestant is willing to reveal.
• Talent attracts recognition: Exceptional feats draw the Four Heavenly Kings’ attention and may determine who earns a place in the Mythic Heavenly Palace.
• Rivalry and escalation: Each major display raises the stakes, setting up Jun’s response to the newly serious challengers.

Plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen sends a thousand-jin boulder flying roughly forty meters with two punches, despite the test halving his strength. His feat surpasses even the best results the Four Heavenly Kings had seen from Earth Tier Martial Artists.
• Several probationary members accuse him of cheating, led by Member Sixty. Wei Mingzhe recognizes the accusation as envy and is about to defend Jun.
• Jun instead demonstrates his technique in Sixty’s pool: he channels sword-like internal force into the boulder, then uses Lingering Melodies to control its vibrations and shatter it from within.
• Jun turns the accusation back on Sixty, who is humiliated and forfeits by crushing his triangular cone. The other candidates make way for Jun, now openly impressed.
• Thunder Heavenly King declares that he intends to recruit Jun. The other three Kings do not challenge him, recalling his past violent response to competition.
• The strength test ends. Most candidates fall short of Jun’s result; even strong performers such as Mo Long reach only about ninety meters.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen establishes himself as the test’s standout through both raw power and technical skill. He remains composed under accusation, answers with a controlled demonstration rather than an argument, and responds to admiration with flamboyant, self-mocking vanity.
• Probationary Member Sixty shifts from confident accuser to embarrassed target of Jun’s counterchallenge, then withdraws from the test.
• Wei Mingzhe recognizes Jun’s ability and is ready to vouch for him, though Jun resolves the confrontation himself.
• Thunder Heavenly King is impressed by Jun’s strength and temperament and openly claims him as a prospective recruit; the other Kings yield to his reputation.

Significant themes

• Skill versus suspicion: An extraordinary result invites accusations, but Jun’s display shows his strength comes from genuine ability and technique.
• Power and respect: The crowd’s hostility gives way to deference once Jun proves himself.
• Pride and comedy: Jun’s inner monologue punctures the dramatic spectacle with exaggerated vanity and jokes about appearance.
• Competition and recruitment: The test measures not only candidates’ abilities but also draws the attention of powerful mentors.

Plot and key events

• After the first round, 70 candidates remain. The Flame Heavenly King announces a second round: hunt demonic beasts in a valley and earn points—1 for a peak yellow-tier beast, 10 for a peak black-tier beast, and 100 for an early earth-tier beast. Only the top 40 will normally advance.
• The candidates will be unable to use martial techniques, and the Heavenly King warns that death in the valley will be real. Since nearly all candidates are only peak black tier, the earth-tier beasts and the ban on techniques make the test seem dangerously unfair.
• Jun Wangchen suspects the assessment is testing something beyond hunting, because the Mythic Heavenly Palace’s tests are supposed to be fair.
• Many candidates withdraw rather than risk their lives. Mo Long and his companions look to Jun Wangchen and remain at first, but more candidates leave during a final ten-second decision period.
• Only 16 stay. The Flame Heavenly King then reveals that the second round is already over: the 54 who withdrew are eliminated, while all 16 who remained pass.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen remains observant and composed, questioning the apparent unfairness instead of reacting with the crowd. His silence influences Mo Long and the others to hesitate before withdrawing.
• The Flame Heavenly King is calm and authoritative throughout, warning the candidates of the danger but not forcing anyone to continue. His final announcement reveals that the test was a judgment of their willingness to face uncertainty, not a hunt.
• The candidates shift from alarm and protest to mass withdrawal, prioritizing survival over advancement. Those who withdraw mock the remaining candidates, unaware that staying is precisely what earns a pass.

Significant themes

• Courage under uncertainty: The decisive test is whether candidates will risk proceeding when the rules and dangers are unclear.
• Appearances versus reality: What seems to be a beast-hunting challenge is actually a test of resolve.
• Choice and consequence: Candidates may withdraw freely, but their decision determines whether they advance.
• Leadership by example: Jun Wangchen’s composure affects those around him, even without a direct speech.

Plot points and events

• The Flame Heavenly King reveals that the second round was not a hunt for demonic beasts but a test of courage. The dangerous targets and ban on martial techniques were deliberate pressures meant to expose candidates unwilling to risk their lives for a greater responsibility.
• He dismisses all fifty-four candidates who withdrew, explaining that the Mythic Heavenly Palace needs members who will face danger rather than flee. The candidates accept the rebuke with shame and are removed.
• The sixteen who remained are made full members of the Mythic Heavenly Palace. The Flame Heavenly King explains that the third round will determine their rank and benefits through duels: quarterfinalists may become inner members, semifinalists core members eligible to study under one of the Four Heavenly Kings, and the champion will become the Heavenly Palace Prodigy with the highest administrative authority in their city.
• The candidates remove their masks for the tournament. Jun Wangchen’s unexpectedly youthful face astonishes the others—and particularly Mo Long, Li Tianshuai, and Wang Shanzhi, who recognize him.

Character developments and interactions

• The eliminated candidates are shown to prioritize personal safety over duty, while the sixteen survivors have demonstrated the resolve the Palace values.
• Jun Wangchen understands the hidden purpose of the second round early on. He is especially motivated by the championship because its status could help him win the Xu Family’s approval as Xu Youyue’s fiancé.
• The Flame Heavenly King acts as both judge and teacher: he rejects those who lack courage but warns the survivors not to become complacent, urging winners and losers alike to remember one another as motivation.
• The reveal of Jun Wangchen’s identity creates a striking moment of recognition: his youth surprises the candidates and Four Heavenly Kings, while three acquaintances react in shock.

Significant themes

• Courage and sacrifice: True cultivation and service require facing danger and accepting responsibility, not merely working hard.
• Duty over self-preservation: The Palace expects its members to protect Huaxia even when doing so may cost them their lives.
• Competition and perseverance: The final tournament offers status and resources, but the Heavenly King stresses that winners can fall behind and losers can surpass them through continued effort.

Plot points and events

• The third round begins: sixteen Probationary Members are assigned to eight Tournament Stages for knockout duels. A contestant loses if they cannot continue or fall off; if neither happens within ten minutes, the fight continues until someone wins.
• Jun Wangchen’s identity as the celebrated Probationary Member Seven shocks Mo Long, Li Tianshuai, and Wang Shanzhi. Wei Mingzhe realizes Jun may be the person his younger brother wanted him to target and decides he should discourage that plan rather than risk provoking Jun.
• Other contestants are relieved not to face Jun, while Jiang Chen—Tianhai City’s leading genius—prepares to fight him.
• During their greeting, Jiang tries to surprise Jun with a surge of force and killing intent. Jun absorbs it and counters, briefly unsettling Jiang.
• Jiang unleashes his powerful Mountain-Crushing Strike. Jun meets it head-on, combining peak black-tier strength with destructive sound waves from his Lingering Melodies skill.
• The collision shakes the stage and draws the attention of the other fighters. The Flame Heavenly King assumes Jun will be overwhelmed—but Jiang is the one hurled backward. Jun remains standing, poised to continue.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen reveals that his strength is not merely physical: he can use sound waves to enhance his attacks and threaten opponents above his tier. His calm confidence persists under pressure.
• Jiang Chen is powerful and aggressive, attempting to gain an early advantage, but Jun’s counter and unexpected technique disrupt his confidence.
• Mo Long, Li Tianshuai, and Wang Shanzhi react differently to Jun’s status: respect, excitement, and resentment, respectively. Wang Shanzhi’s desire for revenge remains unresolved.
• Wei Mingzhe shows caution and sound judgment, recognizing Jun as someone too dangerous to antagonize.
• The Flame Heavenly King underestimates Jun’s combat ability, mistaking the apparent exchange for Jun’s defeat.

Significant themes

• Appearances can mislead: Jun’s seemingly ordinary punch conceals a highly destructive technique.
• Talent and humility: Several younger contestants are humbled by Jun’s exceptional performance.
• Power and reputation: Jun’s identity shifts how others assess their chances and choices.
• Overconfidence and surprise: The Heavenly King’s mistaken prediction underscores that raw strength and expectations do not guarantee the outcome.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Chen is stunned when his first Mountain-Crushing Strike fails: Jun Wangchen stops it with an apparently ordinary punch and remains unharmed.
• The Flame Heavenly King checks Jun for hidden artifacts but finds none, concluding that Jun’s strength is his own.
• Taunted by Jun’s confident challenge, Jiang Chen unleashes the technique’s second form, Heaven-Destroying Earth-Shattering Strike. He gathers surrounding energy into a massive red sphere and hurls it as a blade toward Jun.
• The Cold Heavenly King expects Jun to lose, but the Charm Heavenly King predicts Jun will win.
• Jun says Jiang is only controlling natural energy. He draws natural forces from the surroundings—and even from nearby fighters—and releases a beam of golden light with two fingers.
• The beam shatters Jiang’s attack, strikes him, and sends him off the stage unconscious. Jun never moves from his spot.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen displays immense strength and confidence, casually inviting Jiang to use his full power. His effortless victory establishes him as a formidable contender for Heaven Hall’s chosen prodigy.
• Jiang Chen shifts from disbelief to defiant confidence, then terror and defeat when his strongest attack is overwhelmed.
• The Flame Heavenly King investigates Jun’s power and recognizes his exceptional potential. The Cold Heavenly King doubts Jun can prevail, while the Charm Heavenly King trusts her intuition and predicts his win.
• The watching contestants stop their own fights to witness the clash, then turn their attention to Jun in astonishment.

Significant themes

• True strength versus appearances: Jun’s victory comes without a visible weapon or magical treasure.
• Mastery of nature: Jiang can harness natural energy, but Jun’s control is vastly greater, allowing him to command the forces around him.
• Confidence and intimidation: Jun’s composure and disdain contrast with Jiang’s mounting alarm, making the victory as psychologically striking as it is physical.

Key plot points and events

• After Jun Wangchen defeats Jiang Chen by controlling the natural forces around him, the Heavenly Kings react with astonishment. Cold Heavenly King’s two predictions about Jun—how far he would climb the Heavenly Ladder and whether he would win—have both proved wrong.
• Flame Heavenly King declares Jun the winner and has Jiang Chen taken for treatment. The remaining contestants finish their matches, leaving eight finalists.
• The tournament advances to the next round: the eight stages become four. Li Tianshuai is relieved not to draw Jun, whom he considers impossible to beat, and goes on to face someone else.
• Jun is matched against Liu Doudou. She opens with six rose-shaped martial-energy attacks that combine force with a mind-bewitching effect. Jun counters with six energy dragons, which destroy the roses and combine into a larger dragon.
• Liu reveals a harmonica and uses a rare sonic technique, turning musical energy into countless daggers that slice apart Jun’s dragon. Jun is intrigued by her unusual attack.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen further demonstrates his extraordinary command of nature and overwhelming martial energy. He remains calm against Liu’s seductive, disorienting technique, then responds with playful amusement when she reveals her sonic ability.
• Cold Heavenly King is visibly embarrassed by his repeated misjudgments of Jun. Charm Heavenly King teases him, while Flame Heavenly King recognizes Jun’s strength and manages the tournament.
• Li Tianshuai shows both fighting competence—winning his earlier match through strength, speed, and timing—and comic admiration of Jun, while boasting theatrically after his victory.
• Liu Doudou initially appears composed and asks Jun to go easy on her. His crude double entendre embarrasses and angers her, prompting her to attack in earnest. When her first technique fails, she escalates by revealing her rare harmonica-based skill.

Significant themes

• Hidden ability and mistaken judgment: Jun repeatedly exceeds expectations, while Liu’s true skill emerges only after her opening move is countered.
• Composure versus distraction: Liu’s attacks exploit an opponent’s attention and resolve, but Jun’s disciplined mind prevents them from taking hold.
• Escalation and adaptation: The duel shifts from martial-energy constructs to an unusual sonic technique, setting up a more challenging exchange.

Key plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen faces Liu Doudou, Wanhao City’s celebrated young genius, in the quarterfinals.
• Liu attacks with her harmonica, weaving powerful, multicolored sound waves that can both injure opponents and bewilder their minds. The crowd expects Jun to be overwhelmed.
• Liu’s mental attack has no apparent effect on Jun; the stronger it becomes, the clearer and more composed he seems.
• As the sound waves close in, the Thunder Heavenly King prepares to intervene to protect him.
• Jun calmly says, “Disperse!” His command instantly shatters and erases Liu’s sonic attack, leaving the spectators stunned.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen displays extraordinary composure and mental strength, then reveals an apparently overwhelming ability to command or nullify sound waves. His full power remains mysterious.
• Liu Doudou begins confident in her signature technique but becomes alarmed when Jun resists its mind-bewildering effect. She still believes its physical force can defeat him—until it vanishes.
• The Thunder Heavenly King reveals an interest in Jun’s talent and is willing to step in to prevent him from being injured.
• The Cold Heavenly King avoids making a firm prediction after earlier mistakes; the Charm Heavenly King recognizes his caution.

Significant themes

• Hidden strength and underestimated opponents: The crowd assumes Jun’s stillness means helplessness, but his calm masks decisive power.
• Willpower against mental influence: Liu’s technique depends on overwhelming both body and mind, yet Jun’s resolve appears untouched.
• Authority and mastery: The sound waves’ apparent submission to Jun’s single word suggests a level of control beyond ordinary martial skill.

Character interactions

• Liu challenges Jun with her signature harmonica technique while spectators debate their chances.
• The Charm Heavenly King questions the Cold Heavenly King about the likely winner, prompting his guarded answer.
• The Thunder Heavenly King moves to rescue Jun but is halted by Jun’s sudden counter.
• Jun’s command silences the crowd and overturns Liu’s confidence in an instant.

Key events

• Jun Wangchen overwhelms Liu Doudou’s sound-wave attack with a single command, “Disperse,” then strikes the Tournament Stage with a Heaven-Descending Divine Palm, splitting it in two and leaving a huge palm print.
• The other matches stop as contestants and spectators stare at the destruction. Even the Four Heavenly Kings are stunned, especially by Jun’s ability to make his words exert force.
• Jun picks up Liu’s fallen harmonica and plays a few notes. The sound briefly immobilizes everyone present, including the Heavenly Kings, before they break free using their domain power.
• Jun offers to teach Liu the technique. Recognizing the scale of his power, she admits defeat.

Character developments and interactions

• Liu Doudou shifts from terror and disbelief to a bitter, sincere acceptance of defeat. Her loss ends the undefeated record of East City’s celebrated sound-wave prodigy.
• Jun remains calm and gracious throughout, displaying overwhelming power without humiliating Liu; his offer to teach her softens the encounter.
• Contestants including Li Tianshuai, Wang Shanzhi, Hete Xixi, Chen Zijun, Wei Mingzhe, and Jiang Chen react with awe, fear, or self-doubt. Jiang, previously defeated by Jun, realizes how mistaken his confidence in his own reputation was.
• The Four Heavenly Kings—Thunder, Cold, Charm, and Flame—recognize Jun as an extraordinarily rare talent and discuss giving him proper support.

Significant themes

• Hidden strength and shattered assumptions: Jun’s peak Black Tier rank seems incompatible with feats that appear beyond even Earth Tier ability.
• The limits of reputation: Liu’s honors and Jiang’s title as North City’s greatest genius mean little beside genuine ability.
• Power and restraint: Jun demonstrates potentially lethal force but ends the match with an offer of instruction rather than cruelty.

Plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen advances to the semifinals after defeating Liu Doudou. The other quarterfinals produce surprises: Li Tianshuai, Wang Shanzhi, and especially the highly ranked Wei Mingzhe are eliminated. Wei appears so terrified by his defeat that Jun suspects his opponent must be exceptionally powerful.
• The Flame Heavenly King reduces the four tournament stages to two, pairing Jun against Mo Long.
• Mo Long reveals he had already reached Earth Tier before the assessment but concealed his strength. Jun reveals he, too, has reached Earth Tier, attributing his progress to the earlier trials.
• Their auras collide with enough force to shake the stage and overwhelm nearby spectators. Mo Long then launches Heavenly Extreme Palm, an attack the Flame Heavenly King judges to have middle Earth Tier power.
• Jun waits until the attack is almost upon him, then counters with Red Sword at the Fingertips. His sword splits the enormous palm in a single stroke, and the resulting sword energy continues toward Mo Long.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen demonstrates calm confidence and exceptional control, revealing his hidden Earth Tier strength and meeting Mo Long’s overwhelming attack head-on.
• Mo Long is revealed to have concealed his own Earth Tier status. His excitement at facing a worthy opponent gives way to a serious test of Jun’s ability.
• Wei Mingzhe is shown as deeply shaken by his defeat, hinting at the formidable strength of the opponent who eliminated him.

Character interactions

• Jun and Mo Long acknowledge one another as worthy rivals and disclose their previously hidden strength before fighting.
• Spectators debate which fighter has the advantage, while some fear for Jun when he appears not to dodge Mo Long’s attack.
• The Flame Heavenly King watches closely, recognizing the power of Mo Long’s technique and waiting to see Jun’s response.

Significant themes

• Hidden strength and revelation: Both semifinalists had concealed their true cultivation, and the tournament exposes the gap between appearances and ability.
• Power under pressure: Jun’s decisive counter shows composure and precision against a much-feared attack.
• Rivalry and spectacle: The clash excites the crowd and offers other fighters a chance to learn from the contestants’ techniques.

Key plot points and events

• Mo Long counters Jun Wangchen’s sword strike by manifesting Myriad Beast Body, a Demon Sealer ability that borrows an Ancient Demon Beast’s durability. Though only partly manifested, it destroys the incoming sword energy.
• Jun Wangchen escalates, drawing natural energy into the shape of a mountain and bringing it down on Mo Long. Mo Long strengthens his manifestation and withstands the blow.
• As the spectators react to the fighters’ extraordinary power, Mo Long reveals another ability: Myriad Beast Eye. It traps Jun Wangchen in an illusion and immobilizes him.
• Believing Jun has lost, Mo Long gathers his remaining internal force and launches another Heavenly Extreme Palm. The chapter ends before its result is shown.
• Outside the arena, Flame Heavenly King explains the risks of Demon Sealer abilities. He is astonished that Mo Long possesses both abilities and expresses interest in taking him under his wing.

Character developments

• Mo Long proves to be a formidable, resourceful fighter with an unusually strong will: despite the danger of demonic backlash, he controls two rare innate abilities and keeps his composure.
• Jun Wangchen recognizes that Mo Long’s hidden abilities make him a serious threat and responds by fighting more earnestly. He is caught off guard by Myriad Beast Eye.
• Flame Heavenly King shifts from explaining Demon Sealer powers to openly wanting to recruit Mo Long.
• Wei Mingzhe regrets losing his earlier match, since it cost him the chance to fight either of these exceptional opponents.
• Li Tianshuai admires Mo Long’s talent and wonders whether he can defeat Jun.

Significant themes

• Hidden strength and trump cards: Both fighters reveal increasingly powerful techniques, and Mo Long claims the decisive advantage.
• Power at a cost: Demon Sealer abilities offer immense strength but risk the user’s mind and life through demonic backlash.
• Willpower and ambition: Mo Long’s control over two dangerous abilities highlights his mental resilience; Wei’s regret reflects the desire to test oneself against worthy rivals.

Character interactions

• Jun and Mo Long face off in a rapidly escalating duel, each testing the other with powerful techniques.
• Flame Heavenly King explains the nature and danger of Demon Sealer abilities to Thunder Heavenly King, whose shock prompts a joking, crude exchange between them.
• The spectators and tournament participants watch, admire, and debate the fighters’ prospects as Mo Long appears to seize the upper hand.

Key plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen appears trapped by Mo Long’s Eye of Ten Thousand Beasts, which leaves its target unable to move or defend. Mo Long strikes him with Heavenly Extreme Palm, and the spectators assume the match is over.
• Jun Wangchen’s Fiery Golden Eyes break the illusion’s restraint—but the palm still hits him. When the dust clears, he stands unharmed, stunning everyone.
• Exhausted and out of internal power, Mo Long prepares to draw on the Ancient Demon Beast’s power, despite the severe harm and aftereffects it would cause him.
• Before Mo Long can act, Jun Wangchen uses “Swift as a Spark, Fleeing Like Dust!” to switch Mo Long’s position with a scrap of clothing. He then knocks Mo Long off the stage with three punches, winning the match.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen proves that his apparent vulnerability conceals both a defense against illusion and further techniques. His calm composure contrasts with the crowd’s disbelief, reinforcing his extraordinary confidence and strength.
• Mo Long is revealed as powerful and resourceful: his hidden Eye of Ten Thousand Beasts nearly wins him the match. But his strength is depleted, and his desperation to win leads him toward a dangerous last resort before Jun Wangchen defeats him.
• The spectators and heavenly kings move from confidence in Mo Long’s victory to astonishment at Jun Wangchen’s survival and decisive counterattack.

Significant themes

• Appearances can mislead: Jun Wangchen seems helpless and defeated, but the apparent trap does not overcome him.
• Hidden strength and strategy: Mo Long’s concealed trump card nearly changes the outcome, while Jun Wangchen’s ability to counter it turns the match around.
• The loneliness of supremacy: Jun Wangchen’s effortless victory leaves the crowd speechless, presenting invincibility as impressive but isolating.

Character interactions

• Mo Long’s illusion and attack put Jun Wangchen under pressure, while the spectators and officials watch and debate the likely outcome.
• Jun Wangchen responds first by breaking the illusion, then by countering Mo Long’s attempted final move and overpowering him.
• Li Tianshuai openly admires Jun Wangchen, while Wei Mingzhe and the Flame Heavenly King express shock at what they witness.

Plot and events

• Jun Wangchen defeats Mo Long by using Shifting Form, Changing Shadow to knock him off the stage before Mo can draw on the Ancient Demon Beast’s power. His victory sends him to the final.
• Hete Xixi wins the other semifinal, setting up the final between him and Jun Wangchen.
• Hete opens the fight with flying swords formed from force. Jun dodges the first, then uses a sonic attack to halt and shatter the swords.
• Jun rushes in and punches Hete’s defensive barrier, but cannot break it. Hete reveals that his unusually refined origin force can withstand attacks from a middle Earth Tier martial artist.
• Jun strikes again using soul power rather than physical force. It passes through the barrier, and Hete’s confidence falters. The chapter ends before the effect of the attack is revealed.

Character development

• Jun Wangchen continues to surprise others with hidden abilities. Though calm and confident, he treats Hete as a serious threat and adapts by exploiting the difference between physical and soul-based attacks.
• Hete Xixi is revealed as a determined and highly skilled contender. He has long wanted to face Jun, and his advanced force control and powerful defense show that his quiet rise was no fluke.
• Mo Long is left bitter and disheartened by how decisively Jun defeats him.
• The Flame Heavenly King’s view of Jun shifts: he admits he underestimated him, while both Heavenly Kings admire Hete’s abilities.

Themes

• Hidden strength and underestimated opponents: Both finalists have concealed depths, and appearances do not reveal their true capabilities.
• Adaptability and strategy: Jun answers each threat with a different technique, while Hete’s specialized defense forces him to change approach.
• Ambition and perseverance: Hete’s determination to reach the final and challenge Jun drives his progress.

Character interactions

• Jun’s decisive victory leaves Mo Long frustrated and impressed by the gap between them.
• Jun and Hete approach the final with mutual caution, then test each other through ranged attacks, defense, and close combat.
• The spectators and Heavenly Kings react to the finalists’ techniques, framing the duel as a contest between Jun’s versatile hidden powers and Hete’s refined force control.

Key plot points and events

• Hete Xixi’s Origin Force barrier initially seems formidable, but Jun Wangchen breaks through it with a single punch, leaving Hete staggering and surprising the crowd.
• Hete releases a seal placed by his grandfather, raising his power from peak Black Tier to Earth Tier. He forms a sword from his force and challenges Jun to withstand his strongest technique, enhanced by the Power of Gold.
• Hete’s “Shadowless Sword” moves so quickly that it appears slow to ordinary observers. Its first strike cuts a deep gash into Jun’s left arm.
• Hete warns Jun to surrender before the next attack. Confident in his swordsmanship, he launches a storm of nearly invisible sword energy across the stage.
• Jun uses his Soul Power to sense the sword energy and Hete’s movements. He effortlessly evades the barrage, moving as if guided automatically.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen shows that his calm confidence is backed by exceptional strength. Though wounded, he quickly assesses Hete’s technique and counters it with his Soul Power.
• Hete Xixi reveals both the depth of his training and the full extent of his power. His confidence turns into a serious attempt to defeat Jun when Jun refuses to concede.
• Wei Mingzhe, having previously lost to Hete, is reminded of how far Jun surpasses him.
• The Cold Heavenly King openly recognizes Hete as an outstanding prodigy, impressed by his years of sword training.

Significant themes

• Hard work alongside natural talent: Hete’s decade of dedication makes his swordsmanship exceptionally dangerous.
• Confidence versus understanding: Hete assumes his sword technique is decisive, but underestimates Jun’s abilities.
• Different forms of power: Hete relies on force and swordsmanship, while Jun’s perception through Soul Power lets him neutralize attacks that seem unavoidable.

Character interactions

• Jun’s composed response to Hete’s boasts contrasts with Hete’s growing confidence and aggression.
• Hete gives Jun a chance to surrender, but Jun’s refusal prompts Hete to attack in earnest.
• The spectators and observers react with astonishment, comparing Jun’s breakthrough against Hete’s defense with Wei Mingzhe’s earlier failure.

Plot points and events

• Hete Xixi repeatedly attacks Jun Wangchen with his fast, destructive sword technique, Boundless Falling Leaves Rustle Down. Jun dodges every strike, despite having been cut earlier.
• The spectators assume Hete’s sword energy is weakening, but the Cold Heavenly King realizes Jun is using extraordinary soul power to sense the attacks’ direction. The Charm Heavenly King is astonished by the scale of that power.
• Frustrated and shaken, Hete stops fighting and concludes he has lost because he cannot land a blow.
• Jun explains that he has a different understanding of swordsmanship. He forms a sword from spiritual power and demonstrates Shadow Moves, Sword Resounds, Subduing All Things.
• Jun’s sword intent and sword force merge with the surroundings, turning the environment into an extension of his blade. The strike cleaves the Tournament Stage—and the ground beneath it—down to a depth of one hundred meters, leaving the crowd stunned.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen reveals both exceptional soul power and formidable sword mastery. He remains calm and composed, contrasting with the devastating scale of his attack.
• Hete Xixi shifts from confidence to confusion, then despair. His inability to strike Jun makes him question his own swordsmanship.
• Li Tianshuai shows his growing friendship with Jun and anxiously cheers him on.
• The Four Heavenly Kings recognize Jun’s extraordinary abilities and react with grave astonishment.

Significant themes

• Different paths to mastery: Jun challenges Hete’s belief that speed and destructive power are the core of swordsmanship.
• Perception and hidden ability: Jun’s immense soul power lets him anticipate attacks that should be impossible to evade.
• Power and humility: Jun’s immense strength is presented without boastfulness, making his quiet composure all the more striking.
• Defeat as a turning point: Hete’s failure forces him to confront doubts about his identity and technique.

Character interactions

• Hete’s attacks and Jun’s effortless evasion turn their duel into a public spectacle.
• Jun speaks to Hete not to mock him, but to explain that his own sword philosophy differs from Hete’s.
• The crowd’s confusion gives way to awe as Jun demonstrates his technique; Hete watches, trembling, as Jun’s power overwhelms the arena.

Key plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen wins first place in the probationary member assessment and, with fifteen other successful candidates, officially joins the Mythic Heavenly Palace.
• The four Heavenly Kings open the Heaven and Earth Creation Pool, a rare training opportunity available once to new official members. Its spiritual energy grows denser from the outer ring to the inner ring; participants are assigned rings according to their assessment results.
• The Flame Heavenly King warns that absorbing too much energy can cause a martial artist’s body to explode, and tells everyone to leave by crushing a Triangular Prism if they reach their limit.
• Jun and the other top finalists enter the inner ring. All sixteen begin absorbing the pool’s unusually concentrated spiritual power.
• After an initial day of progress, Jun continues training. His absorption becomes so powerful that it creates a vortex around him, while the energy violently expands his dantian.
• Jun endures two days of intense pain and breaks through after three days in the pool, reaching Mid Earth Tier (early Golden Core), with thirteen spiritual power grooves.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen is established as the assessment’s standout and demonstrates exceptional absorption capacity, determination, and pain tolerance. His breakthrough marks a major increase in strength.
• The other participants, including the three fellow finalists, also grow stronger, though the passage gives no specific breakthroughs for them.
• The Flame Heavenly King acts as both benefactor and cautionary guide, granting the newcomers access to the pool while stressing its dangers.

Significant themes

• Opportunity and risk: The pool offers rapid advancement, but greed can make its blessings fatal.
• Perseverance: Jun’s breakthrough comes through sustained effort and endurance despite severe pain.
• Merit and reward: Assessment performance determines access to the pool’s most potent inner ring, linking achievement to opportunity.

Character interactions

• The Flame Heavenly King congratulates the new members, explains the pool’s rules, and warns them about overabsorbing spiritual power; the candidates respond solemnly.
• The four Heavenly Kings work together to transport the members into their assigned rings.
• The participants’ excitement and eagerness to train are heightened by watching one another begin absorbing energy, while Jun trains alongside the other finalists in the inner ring.