Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen’s third-grade Beast-Control Pill releases an aura that drives more than a hundred nearby enclosures of demonic beasts into a frenzy. He contains the aura with soul power, and the keepers eventually calm the animals.
• Noticing the Greenwood Dogs’ intense response, Jun experiments with the Soul-Seizing Art, extracting tiny portions of beasts’ souls. The dogs immediately become calm and affectionate, and his soul power reveals that other beasts respond similarly.
• Jun concludes that manipulating beast souls can control demonic beasts more effectively than conventional Beast Taming, pills, or contracts.
• He then merges beast souls into the pill. Its aura becomes so potent that beasts across the Cloudrise Tribe—and even powerful guardian beasts from other tribes—lose control and rush toward its source. Beast Tamers’ techniques and pills cannot restore their bonds.
• As the tribe’s chief, protectors, and elders try to contain the crisis, an ancient sound shakes the region. A mountain transforms into an enormous Stone Beast, and the people bow in reverence.

Character developments

• Jun moves from surprise at the pill’s effects to methodical experimentation, discovering a potentially superior means of controlling beasts.
• His curiosity leads him to intensify the experiment, unleashing consequences far beyond the enclosure and exposing the extraordinary power of his alchemy and soul techniques.
• The keepers and tribe members shift from confusion to alarm as they lose control of their beasts; the appearance of the Stone Beast turns their fear into awe.

Significant themes

• Power and unintended consequences: Jun’s experiment escalates from a local disturbance to a threat affecting multiple tribes.
• Control versus bonds: Soul manipulation proves stronger than Beast Tamers’ established methods and contractual bonds.
• Discovery through experimentation: Jun’s insight comes from observing the beasts and testing his theory—but his curiosity carries serious risks.
• The ancient and the overwhelming: The Stone Beast’s emergence reveals a power far beyond the tribe’s ordinary understanding.

Character interactions

• Jun studies the Greenwood Dogs’ reactions and tests how extracted beast souls affect them.
• Keepers struggle to restrain their beasts, while Beast Tamers attempt—and fail—to regain control through their arts and pills.
• The Cloudrise chief and elders mobilize to suppress the disturbance.
• The assembled tribes respond to the Stone Beast by bowing and addressing it as “Lord Stone Beast.”

Key plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen’s experiment—adding a Beast Soul to a Beast-Control Pill—creates an aura that attracts demonic beasts across the region and exposes his location.
• The Stone Beast awakens, and the legendary Cloudmist Heavenly Beast appears. Demonic beasts from the sky, land, sea, and underground converge on the Cloudrise Tribe, prompting tribes to raise their Clan-Protection Arrays.
• Unable to contain the pill’s aura, Jun throws it to the five Greenwood Dogs. The strongest, a cunning Curly-Haired Greenwood Dog, swallows it and falls into a deep sleep as it begins to transform.
• The surrounding beasts erupt in anger and fight among themselves for over an hour, leaving many corpses—including more than a hundred Earth Tier beasts—but never attack the tribes. The Stone Beast and Cloudmist Heavenly Beast withdraw, and the crisis ends.
• Tribe members benefit from the carcasses, while the leaders search the beast pens for the cause. Jun conceals his involvement, and the tribes resolve to improve their defenses.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen realizes the pill’s effects are far more powerful than expected. He stays resourceful under pressure but is alarmed by the danger his experiment has caused.
• The Curly-Haired Greenwood Dog reveals unusual cunning by stealing the pill, then begins a major transformation after consuming it.
• The tribes’ leaders and residents shift from panic to relief, but the near-disaster convinces them to prepare more seriously for future threats.

Significant themes

• Unintended consequences of experimentation: Jun’s small-scale test triggers a region-wide calamity.
• Power and attraction: The pill’s aura draws even legendary, immensely powerful beasts.
• Luck and survival: The tribes escape destruction, while the dogs’ conflict inadvertently redirects the crisis.
• Preparedness: The tribes recognize that survival cannot depend on fortune alone.

Character interactions

• The five Greenwood Dogs fight over the pill, abandoning their usual bonds; the Curly-Haired Dog outmaneuvers them and claims it.
• Jun observes the dog’s transformation and chooses not to interfere once he determines it is safe.
• The tribespeople respond collectively to the approaching beasts, then investigate the aftermath. Their leaders question Jun’s pen, but he quietly hides the truth.

Key plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen avoids the Cloudrise Tribe’s search after the beast frenzy, which people believe was caused by a valuable treasure.
• He feeds ordinary Beast-Control Pills to four Greenwood Dogs, rapidly bringing them to adulthood. The curly-haired puppy, which swallowed a pill containing a beast soul, wakes later with earth-tier power.
• Jun names the dogs Little Gold, Little Wood, Little Water, Little Fire, and Little Earth. Little Gold is clearly dominant, while the others are fiercely devoted to Jun.
• The next morning, Han Fan enters the quarters searching for a powerful beast to tame. He is a late yellow-tier cultivator who hopes to regain influence after his father’s death weakened the Han Family.
• Han is startled by the dogs’ formidable auras—especially Little Earth’s growl and Little Gold’s presence. When Jun appears, Little Gold’s cold, threatening gaze makes Han feel he is facing an earth-tier beast.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen realizes that beast-soul pills could potentially raise powerful beasts to even higher tiers. He imagines commanding a pack of heaven-tier beasts, but keeps the dogs’ transformation secret and begins cultivating.
• Little Gold has become powerful and possessive of Jun, intimidating the other dogs whenever they approach him.
• Han Fan is determined to reverse his family’s decline. Though discouraged by the ordinary appearance of Jun’s dogs, their hidden strength surprises him and may offer the opportunity he is seeking.
• Jun treats the dogs affectionately, while their behavior shows obedience to him and deference to Little Gold. Han’s first encounter with Jun and the dogs ends in wary shock.

Significant themes

• Power and social standing: Han’s family falls from influence after its strongest member dies, illustrating how status depends on strength.
• Hidden potential and appearances: The dogs look commonplace but possess startling power; Jun himself also appears frail while seeming mysterious.
• Ambition and transformation: Jun sees the pills’ potential to change the balance of power, while Han seeks strength to reclaim his place in the tribe.

Plot points and events

• Han Fan, a descendant of the Han Family—one of the Cloudrise Tribe’s four great bloodlines—arrives at Jun Wangchen’s Animal Care House to choose a demon beast.
• Impressed by the Greenwood Dogs, Han Fan first wants them all, then settles on Little Earth. Jun warns that Han is too weak to control the dogs.
• Little Earth demonstrates its speed by suddenly lunging at Han, stopping only when Jun orders it to. Rather than being frightened away, Han becomes eager to claim the dog, believing it could help restore his family’s standing in the Demon Beast Tournament.
• Citing a tribal rule that gives the four great bloodlines’ descendants the right to choose a beast from any Animal Care House, Han attempts to contract Little Earth.
• Despite using his ten mastered Beast Taming Arts, Han cannot subdue Little Earth. The dog eventually attacks him again, but Jun stops it with a single command.

Character developments and interactions

• Han Fan begins arrogant, relying on his family status and beast-taming skills. Little Earth’s power first terrifies him, then fuels his ambition. After his techniques fail and Jun effortlessly controls the dog, Han is left shaken and awed.
• Jun Wangchen remains calm and restrained throughout. He does not openly challenge Han’s entitlement, but makes clear that the dogs cannot be controlled by someone of Han’s strength. His authority over Little Earth is unquestionable.
• Little Earth is loyal to Jun and resists Han’s attempts to claim it. It obeys Jun immediately, even while poised to attack Han.

Significant themes

• True authority versus inherited status: Han invokes his family’s privilege, but rank cannot overcome Jun’s mastery or Little Earth’s resistance.
• Power and control: Han’s formal techniques prove ineffective, while Jun’s simple commands demonstrate a deeper bond and greater influence.
• Ambition and misjudgment: Han’s desire to improve his family’s reputation blinds him to the risks of challenging Jun and the dog.

Key plot points and events

• Han Fan visits Jun Wangchen’s rearing house and discovers that his five Greenwood Dogs are exceptionally powerful and cannot be tamed by ordinary techniques. He concludes Jun is an advanced Beast Tamer and leaves, intending to tell his sister.
• Jun realizes Han Fan may expose the dogs’ unusual abilities, complicating his investigation of the traitor Gao Leizhen. He prefers to avoid disrupting the Cloudrise Tribe but is willing to act forcefully if needed.
• Meanwhile, Han Xin steals the Beast-Control Pill left to Han Fan by their late father. The tribe’s chief orders Han Fan and Han Xin to settle the dispute through a demonic-beast match that night.
• Han Fan doubts he can win: Han Xin has a mutant Black-Tier beast. Han Ling’er offers to seek a comparable beast from Master Dabu, but Han Fan believes the price would be prohibitive.
• Remembering Jun’s Greenwood Dogs, Han Fan goes to ask for help. He respectfully calls Jun “senior,” despite the mockery and humiliation of onlookers. Han Ling’er initially considers forcing entry but stops when Han Fan insists on showing respect.
• Jun finally opens the door and invites them inside.

Character developments and interactions

• Han Fan moves from awe of Jun to desperation over his family’s crisis, then makes a bold appeal for help. His respect for Jun is sincere, and he shows restraint by preventing Han Ling’er from forcing her way in.
• Han Ling’er is protective of her brother and concerned with the Han Family’s dignity. Though offended by Jun’s silence and the crowd’s remarks, she ultimately follows Han Fan’s lead.
• Jun Wangchen remains cautious and focused on his mission, weighing peaceful investigation against force. His invitation leaves Han Fan’s request unresolved but offers a chance for an alliance.
• Han Xin is established as an opportunistic rival who has taken the inheritance pill and holds an advantage in the coming match.

Significant themes

• Status and respect: Han Fan’s deference to Jun contrasts with the Han Family’s noble standing and the crowd’s contempt.
• Family inheritance and decline: The stolen pill represents both Han Fan’s father’s sacrifice and the weakened, fractured state of the Han Family.
• Power and leverage: The match is about more than a valuable pill; it also concerns the family’s reputation, while Jun’s powerful beasts could change the balance.
• Restraint versus force: Jun prefers not to cause upheaval, while Han Fan’s situation pushes him to seek help through humility rather than coercion.

Plot points and events

• Han Fan enters Jun Wangchen’s courtyard and kneels, asking for help in an upcoming Beast Duel against Han Xin, who has wronged his family. He wants Jun’s Greenwood Dogs to compete—not to help him tame them.
• Jun agrees to consider helping, but asks for information on every member of the Cloudrise Tribe so he can investigate Pill Sect traitor Gao Leizhen more efficiently.
• Han Fan accepts despite the risk that the information could endanger his tribe. Jun reveals his Pill Sect Inner Disciple token, easing Han Ling’er’s suspicions.
• Han Ling’er agrees to provide the information on the condition that Jun helps her brother win. The group heads to the Beast Duel.
• Han Ling’er brings in the respected Beast Tamer Master Da Bu, whose father owes a life-debt to hers. Da Bu dismisses Jun as a mere keeper and, after learning Han Fan has already invited him, angrily turns to leave.

Character developments and interactions

• Han Fan shows growing resolve: usually reluctant to fight for anything, he is prepared to risk his life and his tribe’s secrets to defend his father’s dignity.
• Han Ling’er begins openly distrustful of Jun and tries to stop Han Fan from kneeling or sharing tribal information. Though she eventually accepts the bargain, she remains protective and warns Jun not to misuse it.
• Jun Wangchen stays calm and self-assured. He turns Han Fan’s plea into an exchange that advances his investigation, and his blunt dismissal of Han Ling’er further antagonizes her.
• Master Da Bu appears proud and status-conscious. He underestimates Jun and the Greenwood Dogs, then takes offense at being asked to help after Jun has already been invited.

Significant themes

• Family loyalty and dignity: Han Fan acts to defend his father and family after years of mistreatment.
• Trust versus self-preservation: Han Fan and Ling’er weigh helping Jun against the danger of exposing their tribe’s members.
• Status and appearances: Da Bu judges Jun by his low-status role and the dogs’ apparent tier, while Jun’s real standing is revealed through his Pill Sect token.

Key plot points and events

• Han Ling’er persuades Da Bu, an elder of the Cloudrise Tribe, to help Han Fan in his demonic beast duel. Da Bu agrees reluctantly, looking down on Jun Wangchen and his low-tier Greenwood Dog.
• At the Back Hill arena, onlookers gossip about Han Fan’s weak prospects: his opponent, Han Xin, has a Black Tier demonic beast, while Han Fan is believed to have only a Yellow Tier one.
• The Left Guardian agrees to referee. He privately reflects on the decline of Han Fan’s family and the loss of the Beast-Control Pill his father left him.
• Han Xin arrives with the Cloudrise Tribe’s Grand Elder. He claims that strength entitles him to the pill; Han Fan accuses him of stealing it and vows to reclaim it.
• Han Xin reveals a Bloodthirsty Snake, a dangerous Black Tier beast raised by the rarely seen Right Guardian.
• Rather than trust Jun Wangchen, Han Ling’er asks Da Bu to step in. Da Bu unveils his Three-Eyed Bird, then transforms it with hand seals: it becomes a powerful Black Tier Mutated Three-Eyed Bird, astonishing the crowd.

Character developments and interactions

• Han Fan remains determined despite public ridicule and Han Xin’s advantage. His anger over the stolen pill is clear, but he still trusts Jun Wangchen more than Da Bu.
• Han Ling’er is anxious about Han Fan losing face and blames Jun Wangchen for influencing him. She intervenes by asking Da Bu for help.
• Da Bu begins contemptuous of the task and dismissive of Jun Wangchen, but agrees to assist after Han Ling’er’s appeal. He displays pride in his beast and its unusual strength.
• Jun Wangchen stays calm in the face of insults and observes the arena and its fighters without reacting.
• Han Xin presents himself as entitled to the Beast-Control Pill and taunts Han Fan, while the Grand Elder’s presence underscores his institutional support.
• The Left Guardian acts impartially as referee, though he privately sympathizes with the siblings’ misfortune.

Significant themes

• Power and entitlement: Han Xin argues that strength determines who deserves the pill, while Han Fan insists it belongs to him by inheritance.
• Family decline and injustice: The Han family’s former status has crumbled, leaving Han Fan and Han Ling’er vulnerable to those with greater influence.
• Appearances versus hidden potential: The crowd underestimates the Three-Eyed Bird until its mutation reveals its Black Tier power.
• Trust and judgment: Han Ling’er’s distrust of Jun Wangchen contrasts with Han Fan’s confidence in him, while Jun Wangchen’s composure sets him apart from the surrounding hostility.

Plot points and events

• Han Xin’s Bloodthirsty Snake fights Da Bu’s supposedly mutated Three-Eyed Bird. The snake proves faster, tears off the bird’s wings, drains its blood essence, and kills it.
• Han Fan collapses in despair, while Han Ling’er’s confidence in Da Bu turns to bitter disappointment. Da Bu defends himself, arguing that he never promised to use his strongest beast.
• Jun Wangchen reminds them that the contest is best of three and sends out Little Earth, his Greenwood Dog.
• The crowd expects Little Earth to be easily defeated, but its speed suddenly multiplies. It reaches the Bloodthirsty Snake and kills it with one claw, stunning everyone.

Character developments

• Han Fan is crushed by the first loss but gathers himself enough to ask Jun Wangchen for help.
• Han Ling’er recognizes that she trusted Da Bu too blindly, then appeals to Jun Wangchen when he offers another chance.
• Da Bu is exposed as having overstated his confidence and avoided using his strongest beast; he tries to save face after losing.
• Han Xin begins the chapter confident and dismissive, but Little Earth’s unexpected victory overturns his apparent advantage.
• Jun Wangchen remains composed and reveals that his seemingly ordinary Greenwood Dog is far stronger than it appears. Little Earth displays speed and power that surprise the entire crowd.

Significant themes

• Appearances can deceive: A low-ranked Greenwood Dog defeats a much stronger-looking opponent.
• Pride and humiliation: The duel becomes a test of Han Fan and Han Ling’er’s dignity, while the crowd’s ridicule deepens their distress.
• Trust and accountability: Han Ling’er learns that relying on Da Bu’s promises without considering his motives was naïve.
• Hidden strength and shifting expectations: The battle’s outcome shows that perceived rank and reputation do not guarantee victory.

Character interactions

• Da Bu and Han Xin exchange polite remarks after the first bout, with Han Xin offering Da Bu a face-saving explanation for the loss.
• Han Ling’er confronts Da Bu over his failed assurances, and he responds defensively.
• Jun Wangchen offers Han Fan and Han Ling’er hope by pointing out that the match is not over; Han Fan pleads for his help, and Han Ling’er offers to meet his request.
• Jun Wangchen then directs Little Earth into battle, where its swift kill silences the previously mocking spectators.

Plot and key events

• Little Earth, Jun Wangchen’s Greenwood Dog, kills Han Xin’s Black Tier Bloodthirsty Snake with one strike, stunning the crowd and turning the competition in Han Fan’s favor.
• The spectators recognize Jun as a possible Beast Tamer, and Han Fan is vindicated for choosing him. Han Ling’er regrets having doubted Jun and having sent Da Bu to compete earlier.
• Han Xin suffers a backlash from his dead contracted beast. The Cloudrise Tribe’s Grand Elder stabilizes him but looks at Jun with hostility.
• Da Bu, resentful of the attention Jun receives, claims the Greenwood Dog’s strength came from luck and that he had identified its potential before handing it over.
• Han Xin insists the contest is still tied and sends out a stronger, peak Black Tier Mutant Bloodthirsty Snake.
• Jun calmly calls on Little Fire. The dog kills the snake instantly, then returns to Jun and goes back to sleep, leaving the crowd speechless.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen remains composed and demonstrates that he has more than one exceptionally powerful beast.
• Han Fan feels vindicated and proud after enduring earlier mockery.
• Han Ling’er shifts from doubt to admiration, recognizing that she misjudged Jun.
• Han Xin refuses to concede, but loses another beast and faces the consequences of their contract.
• Da Bu reacts to his humiliation by taking credit for Little Earth’s potential and dismissing Jun’s achievement as luck.
• The Grand Elder shows interest in Jun’s beasts but also hostility toward him; the crowd’s admiration likewise turns to suspicion when Da Bu suggests Jun’s success was accidental.

Significant themes

• Appearances can deceive: A seemingly ordinary Greenwood Dog proves overwhelmingly powerful.
• Skill versus luck: Jun’s repeated victories challenge Da Bu’s claim that the first win was merely fortunate.
• Public judgment and vindication: Han Fan and Jun gain recognition after being ridiculed, while Han Ling’er confronts her mistaken assumptions.
• Power and rivalry: The contest grows more dangerous as Han Xin escalates by producing an even stronger beast.

Plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen’s Greenwood Dog kills Han Xin’s peak-black-tier mutated bloodthirsty snake almost instantly, stunning the crowd and proving that his first mutated dog was no fluke.
• Jun reveals two more mutated Greenwood Dogs, Little Water and Little Wood. Their displays of power—especially Little Wood’s incredible speed and its ability to cow nearby beasts—leave the spectators convinced Jun is an exceptionally powerful Beast Tamer.
• Jun repeatedly challenges Da Bu’s claim that he had “already known” the dogs were unusual. Under public scrutiny, Da Bu finally admits it, then collapses unconscious after the humiliation.
• The Right Guardian arrives and accuses Jun of cruelty for killing a beast during the Beast Duel. He demands that Jun surrender all his Greenwood Dogs and report to the Enforcement Hall, while secretly coveting the beast-taming Secret Art he believes Jun possesses.
• Though others recognize the Guardian’s demand as unfair, they stay silent. Han Fan finally speaks up, declaring that he refuses to accept it.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen remains composed and uses his dogs’ abilities to expose Da Bu’s dishonesty and demonstrate his own strength.
• Da Bu shifts from confident dismissal to embarrassment and distress as Jun’s reveals undermine him; his shame culminates in his collapse.
• Han Fan is deeply grateful to Jun and ultimately finds the courage to oppose the Right Guardian openly.
• Han Ling’er watches Jun with growing admiration.
• Han Xin is shaken when his strongest beast is effortlessly defeated.
• The Left Guardian grows wary of Jun and has secretly alerted the tribe’s chief, but later recognizes the Right Guardian’s demand is unjust and chooses not to challenge him.
• The Right Guardian presents his demand as discipline but is chiefly interested in seizing Jun’s dogs and learning his supposed Secret Art.

Significant themes

• Power and reputation: Jun’s successive demonstrations transform the crowd’s view of him from lucky breeder to formidable Beast Tamer.
• Public humiliation and truth: Da Bu’s evasions collapse under Jun’s pointed questions and undeniable evidence.
• Abuse of authority: The Right Guardian exploits his position to target Jun, while bystanders stay quiet to protect themselves.
• Courage and loyalty: Han Fan’s protest contrasts with the crowd’s silence and shows his gratitude becoming active resistance.

Plot points and events

• Han Fan defends Jun Wangchen, arguing that the Tribe’s Beast Duel rules make the Right Guardian’s snake’s death a matter of fate, not Jun’s fault.
• Jun offers the Right Guardian a chance to claim his five mutant Greenwood Dogs—but only if the Right Guardian can make them submit willingly. In return, Jun will try to tame the Right Guardian’s beasts.
• Confident in his skill as an Advanced Beast Tamer, the Right Guardian tries two methods: Greenwood Incense, which can make ordinary Greenwood Dogs abandon their contracts, and Greenwood Refining Meat, a delicacy they normally cannot resist.
• Both methods work on other Greenwood Dogs nearby, impressing the crowd. But Jun’s five are unaffected: they ignore the incense, and Little Earth sniffs the meat, rejects it, and returns to playing with the others. The crowd is left stunned.

Character developments and interactions

• Han Fan shows courage by speaking up for Jun, then grows anxious as the Right Guardian’s techniques appear likely to work.
• The Right Guardian begins confident and boastful, but his confidence falters as each attempt fails. He tries to hide his embarrassment by insisting he has another method.
• Jun Wangchen remains calm and self-assured, deliberately setting the challenge and watching the Right Guardian’s failures. His exceptional control over beast souls explains why ordinary taming methods cannot sway his dogs.
• Han Ling’er initially worries that Jun is being reckless, then notices Little Earth’s rejection of the meat.
• Han Xin admires the Right Guardian’s power and hopes Jun will lose his dogs, but his expectations are thwarted.

Significant themes

• Rules and justice: Han Fan invokes the Beast Duel rules to challenge the Right Guardian’s attempt to retaliate.
• Power versus genuine loyalty: The Right Guardian can override ordinary beast contracts, but his methods cannot move Jun’s unusually resistant dogs.
• Pride and overconfidence: The Right Guardian’s certainty contrasts with Jun’s quiet confidence.
• Unexpected reversal: What seems like an inevitable victory for the experienced Beast Tamer turns into public failure.

Plot points and events

• The Right Guardian tries to lure Jun Wangchen’s five Greenwood Dogs away with prized Greenwood Refining Meat, then Greenwood Mountain Spring. Neither attracts them, and his taming spells also fail.
• As the crowd shifts from admiration to ridicule, the Right Guardian grows furious and brings out his trump card: a Beast-Control Pill he spent a week refining.
• The pill sends the other demonic beasts into a frenzy, but Jun Wangchen’s dogs barely react. Little Gold appears disdainful, and Little Earth prefers the Beast-Control Pills Jun Wangchen has been feeding it.
• The crowd falls silent as the Right Guardian realizes that even his most powerful method has no effect.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen remains composed throughout, confident that his dogs are not tempted by ordinary rewards—or by the Right Guardian’s pill.
• The Right Guardian moves from certainty and arrogance to embarrassment, anger, and finally disbelief as each attempt fails.
• The Left Guardian becomes increasingly wary of Jun Wangchen, recognizing that his ability to raise such loyal dogs suggests exceptional beast-taming skill.
• Han Fan and Han Ling’er shift from despair to hope, then share the crowd’s astonishment.
• Han Xin and the Grand Elder are stunned and uncomfortable as the Right Guardian’s failure becomes public.

Significant themes

• Loyalty versus temptation: Jun Wangchen’s dogs resist rewards that excite other beasts, highlighting their unusual bond with him.
• Skill and hidden strength: Jun Wangchen’s abilities are revealed through the extraordinary behavior of his seemingly ordinary dogs.
• Pride and humiliation: The Right Guardian’s escalating attempts to prove his mastery only deepen his loss of face.
• The value of care and quality: Little Earth’s preference suggests that the Beast-Control Pills Jun Wangchen provides are far superior to the Right Guardian’s prized version.

Plot points and events

• The Right Guardian’s Beast-Control Pill fails to attract Jun Wangchen’s five Greenwood Dogs. Jun explains that his dogs are accustomed to superior pills he refined himself and refuses to treat the failed attempt as a victory for the Guardian.
• Under their earlier arrangement, the Right Guardian releases his vast collection of demonic beasts for Jun to try to tame. The display includes numerous beasts and three powerful Earth Tier specimens: a Three-Eyed Wolf, a Crawling Tiger, and an unusually humanoid Bloodthirsty Snake.
• Jun quietly uses the Soul-Seizing Art and simply invites the beasts to join him. Almost the entire collection breaks its contracts and rushes to his side. Even the three Earth Tier beasts eventually defect, leaving the Right Guardian with none.
• Humiliated and enraged, the Right Guardian spits blood, then destroys his necklace and summons an enormous Eight-Eyed Soul-Eater Centipede. Its half-step Heaven Tier aura overwhelms weaker spectators, and Han Fan and Han Ling’er identify it in alarm.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen remains calm and confident throughout. His mastery of beast-taming is revealed to be far beyond what the Right Guardian—and the spectators—expected.
• The Right Guardian shifts from smug confidence in his collection to disbelief, humiliation, and rage after losing every beast. He responds by unleashing a fearsome hidden weapon.
• The Bloodthirsty Snake is revealed to be an ancient, exceptionally powerful being, likely weakened and reverted to its current form after an injury. It recognizes Jun’s promise and chooses to follow him.
• The spectators, including the Cloudrise Tribe’s Grand Elder and Left Guardian, are stunned as beasts under contract defy their owners and rush toward Jun.

Significant themes

• True affinity versus force and ownership: The beasts abandon their contracts and choose Jun, suggesting that allegiance cannot be secured by possession alone.
• Superior skill and preparation: Jun’s refined pills and use of the Soul-Seizing Art expose the limits of the Right Guardian’s confidence and expertise.
• Pride and humiliation: The Right Guardian’s public defeat transforms his self-assurance into furious desperation.
• Escalating danger: The chapter moves from a contest of beast-taming to the sudden threat of a half-step Heaven Tier monster.

Character interactions

• Jun and the Right Guardian’s contest follows their agreement: after the Guardian fails to tame Jun’s dogs, Jun gets the chance to claim his beasts.
• The Right Guardian boasts that Jun cannot take any of them; Jun’s calm invitation prompts the herd to defect, making the reversal especially humiliating.
• The Left Guardian tries to restrain the escaping beasts with a barrier, while the Grand Elder unsuccessfully attempts to control his own.
• Jun addresses the ancient Bloodthirsty Snake directly, and it chooses to join him before the Right Guardian summons the centipede.

Key plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen discovers that the Cloudrise Tribe’s Right Guardian, Gao Leizhen, is the Pill Sect traitor he was sent to find.
• Gao orders his Half-Step Heaven Tier Eight-Eyed Soul-Eater Centipede to attack. Jun summons Little Gold, his Greenwood Dog, which reveals its golden form and kills the centipede almost instantly.
• Jun kills Gao with a single burst of force, collects his body, and declares the mission complete.
• The Cloudrise Tribe chief arrives and cautiously apologizes, recognizing Jun’s overwhelming power. Jun says he has no intention of harming the tribe and prepares to leave.
• Jun keeps several of Gao’s beasts but gives the remaining ones to Han Fan, advising him that strength is necessary to control one’s fate.
• Han Fan kneels in gratitude and vows to become powerful. Jun departs on the Dragon Abyss Sword.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen remains composed throughout the confrontation, revealing that he is far stronger than those around him expect. He completes his mission efficiently and leaves without exploiting his advantage over the tribe.
• Little Gold is revealed to be a golden Greenwood Dog with extraordinary, apparently Heaven Tier strength. Its victory terrifies the crowd and even Gao’s beasts.
• Han Fan moves from concern for Jun to profound admiration. Jun’s advice and gift inspire him to commit himself to becoming stronger.
• Han Ling’er restrains Han Fan from risking himself against Gao’s beast.
• The Cloudrise Tribe’s leaders and bystanders shift from fear and suspicion to awe and deference after witnessing Jun and Little Gold’s power. The Grand Elder briefly feels greed but suppresses it; Han Xin regrets challenging Jun.

Significant themes

• Strength and self-determination: Jun teaches Han Fan that the powerful can shape their own lives, while the weak are swept along by circumstance.
• Hidden potential and transformation: Little Gold’s evolution from a low-tier Greenwood Dog into a golden powerhouse overturns the crowd’s assumptions.
• Reputation and awe: Jun’s display of power instantly changes how the tribe sees him, earning both respect and fear.
• Mentorship and aspiration: Jun’s example gives Han Fan a goal and motivates him to pursue a stronger future.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen returns to the Pill Sect after completing his mission and learns that the East–West Shore Exchange Competition is approaching. Its preliminaries will select competitors and determine which Inner Disciples advance to Core Disciple.
• The East Shore has struggled against the West Shore for three years, placing few disciples in the top ten. Its disadvantages stem from its gentler, herb-based pills and weaker martial-arts showing compared with the West Shore’s potent beast-control pills and stronger disciples.
• The East Shore’s prospects look better this year, with several talented disciples emerging. Jun hears of First Peak disciples Murong Tianyi and Zhao Wuji, and remains confident that his own advanced alchemy skills will make the competition manageable.
• Before the preliminaries, Jun cultivates and refines Beast-Control Pills for his animals. The injured Bloodthirsty Snake appears to recover somewhat after taking one.
• At Sunset Plaza, the East Shore disciples assemble before the Peak Masters and elders. Fang Yiqian arrives, followed by Zhao Wuji and the highly anticipated Murong Tianyi, whose arrival impresses the crowd.
• The chapter ends with Long Aotian observing that Jun’s ability is impossible to measure, unlike that of the other disciples.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen remains outwardly unconcerned by the preliminaries and impatient with the slow process of rising through the sect ranks. His hidden capability, however, makes him an enigma even to Long Aotian.
• Fang Yiqian returns from a difficult mission looking more confident and experienced. Mu Fengzheng praises her talent but says she still needs to be tempered; he considers her less capable than Jun.
• Zhao Wuji displays Earth Tier strength and a cold, competitive attitude. He largely ignores Fang Yiqian, considering only Murong Tianyi a serious rival.
• Murong Tianyi arrives through Sword Flight and is revealed to possess late Earth Tier strength, perhaps approaching Earth Tier Peak in combat due to his sword cultivation. His presence quiets and impresses the crowd.
• Mu Fengzheng and Long Aotian trade remarks about their talented disciples. Long boasts of Zhao Wuji and Murong Tianyi, while Mu points out Jun’s superiority—or at least his extraordinary, unreadable potential.

Significant themes

• Rivalry and competition: The East Shore seeks to overcome years of poor results against the West, while its leading disciples measure themselves against one another.
• Talent versus cultivation and experience: Fang Yiqian’s recent growth is acknowledged, but she and the other prodigies still face gaps in ability and the need for further tempering.
• Hidden strength: Jun’s apparent indifference contrasts with his immense, difficult-to-gauge ability, setting him apart from the openly impressive Zhao Wuji and Murong Tianyi.

Plot points and events

• Mu Fengzheng explains that the Pill Sect’s master has forbidden him from taking Jun Wangchen as a disciple for now, suggesting the master has taken a special interest in Jun.
• Several elders praise Jun’s extraordinary performance and agree that he is a strong contender, though they advise letting him develop without drawing too much attention.
• Jun surveys the crowd and recognizes that Zhao Wuji and Murong Tianyi are far stronger than their Inner Disciple status might suggest. He realizes the sect’s public rankings conceal some of its true strength.
• More than a thousand spectators gather at Sunset Plaza. The crowd predicts Murong Tianyi, Zhao Wuji, and Fang Yiqian will dominate the competition.
• Mu Fengzheng urges the competitors to fight seriously, promising that the sect will protect their acquired opportunities. Long Aotian announces that the top hundred will advance to Core Disciple status, while the top ten will represent the East Shore in an exchange competition three days later. Its top three will become the sect master’s Personal Disciples.
• Long Aotian reveals the competition’s setting: the valley shifts, and an immense ancient stone bridge appears.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen is increasingly recognized by senior sect figures, though the sect master’s interest in him remains unexplained. He reassesses his assumptions about the Pill Sect after sensing the hidden strength of its disciples.
• Mu Fengzheng and the elders admire Jun but favor a cautious approach, avoiding excessive praise that might make him arrogant.
• Murong Tianyi and Zhao Wuji project confidence and disdain toward other competitors, setting them up as formidable rivals.
• Long Aotian lays out the competition’s stakes and unveils its arena.

Significant themes

• Hidden talent and strength: Official rankings do not reveal the Pill Sect’s full power, and Jun is not the only concealed force.
• Ambition and recognition: The competition offers promotion, prestige, and the chance to become a Personal Disciple.
• The uncertainty of genius: Mu Fengzheng warns that exceptional talent does not guarantee lasting success.
• Fairness and trust: The sect promises not to let competitors’ acquired opportunities be forcibly taken, backed by the Enforcement Hall.

Key plot points and events

• Long Aotian announces the Proof-Seeking Bridge race: the fastest disciple to the far end wins, with the first hundred ranked. Contestants may use any nonlethal means, and the bridge is expected to contain obstacles.
• At the starting bell, more than a thousand Inner Disciples surge onto the bridge. Murong Tianyi takes the lead, followed by Zhao Wuji and Fang Yiqian; Mei Yuxiang, Maseike, and several previously concealed talents trail them.
• Jun Wangchen initially strolls around taking pictures, making spectators and elders think he is not taking the contest seriously. He then uses the speed technique Shifting Form, Changing Shadow to race past the field at astonishing speed, leaving the crowd stunned.
• Wooden figures suddenly appear on the bridge and attack the contestants. Strong fighters such as Murong Tianyi cut through them without losing much momentum, while others are delayed. The rankings begin to shift.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen reveals that he has an exceptionally powerful speed technique, transforming from apparent slacker into a serious contender.
• Murong Tianyi establishes himself as a formidable frontrunner, combining speed with decisive swordsmanship.
• Zhao Wuji stays close behind Murong and shows fierce competitive drive.
• Fang Yiqian demonstrates excellent movement skills, while several previously unremarkable disciples reveal hidden strength once the race begins.

Significant themes

• Appearances can mislead: Jun’s leisurely behavior conceals his exceptional ability.
• Adaptability matters: The wooden figures disrupt the race and reward those who can respond effectively, not just those who start fast.
• Competition reveals hidden talent: The high-stakes trial brings concealed strengths and rivalries to light.

Character interactions

• Murong and Zhao compete closely for the lead, with Zhao visibly intent on catching him.
• Jun’s sudden bursts past other contestants provoke disbelief, frustration, and admiration.
• The elders, including Mu Fengzheng and Long Aotian, are first puzzled by Jun’s behavior and then astonished by his speed.
• The wooden figures force contestants to fight both the obstacles and one another for position.

Key plot points and events

• The Proof-Seeking Bridge’s obstacles—wooden figures, a gravity-inducing mist, sinking ground, whirlwinds, thin air, and a zone where speed distorts distance—slow or confuse many contestants.
• Jun Wangchen passes through each obstacle with astonishing ease, overtaking the field and rapidly climbing into the top ten.
• He passes the buzz-cut contestant, who had reached ninth place, then overtakes Mei Yuxiang and Maseike while they battle for fourth.
• Jun also passes Fang Yiqian, who is struggling through a high-pressure zone, and Zhao Wuji, who is trapped by the speed-distorting zone.
• Murong Tianyi remains ahead after using a spatial artifact to bypass that zone. The chapter ends as Jun reaches it, steps past Zhao, and turns incorporeal to cross.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen establishes himself as the race’s overwhelming standout. His calm, effortless progress suggests he can handle the bridge’s challenges without relying on the methods that impede others.
• Mei Yuxiang and Maseike lose confidence after Jun overtakes them, feeling their own talent only highlights his brilliance.
• Fang Yiqian is demoralized when Jun passes her despite her effort and the zone’s intense pressure.
• Zhao Wuji remains determined to catch Murong Tianyi, but is stunned when Jun passes him and apparently uses a comparable incorporeal technique.
• Murong Tianyi’s lead comes from a spatial artifact, prompting Zhao to view his advantage as reliance on outside help.

Significant themes

• Skill versus reliance on tools: Jun’s performance contrasts with Murong’s use of an artifact, though Jun’s own abilities remain mysterious.
• Perseverance and composure: Contestants struggle to adapt to changing obstacles, while Jun stays calm and consistent.
• Talent and comparison: Jun’s rapid ascent shakes the confidence of other gifted disciples and redirects the crowd’s attention away from the previous leaders.

Character interactions

• Mu Fengzheng criticizes the disciples for treating the wooden figures as serious threats; Long Aotian notices Jun’s exceptional speed.
• The spectators and competitors react with growing shock as Jun overtakes one contestant after another.
• Zhao dismisses Murong’s artifact as outside assistance, then is left speechless when Jun passes him in the same difficult zone.

Key plot points and events

• Zhao Wuji is left stunned when Jun Wangchen crosses the void in a single step. Recognizing the famed Inner Disciple—already celebrated for exceptional Martial and Pill Dao talent—Zhao takes out a treasure to hurry onward.
• In the bridge’s final section, cultivation and Soul Power are suppressed, and each step increases the crushing weight on the body. Murong Tianyi, hoping to win the preliminary round and become the sect master’s Personal Disciple, struggles onward and assumes his rivals will fare no better.
• Jun Wangchen catches up, then passes Murong with ease. Murong’s attempts to explain this away fail when he realizes the pressure is still present: Jun is enduring it without visible effort.
• Jun crosses the finish line after only ten minutes. His arrival triggers a bell and an image of him appears above the bridge, stunning the Peak Masters and the watching Outer Disciples.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen is revealed to possess a heaven-tier peak physique, making the final section’s immense pressure trivial to him. His calm, almost bored manner contrasts with the challenge that overwhelms others.
• Murong Tianyi shifts from confident ambition to disbelief and self-doubt as Jun effortlessly overtakes him. He had seen himself as Jun’s equal—or better—but can no longer explain the difference.
• Zhao Wuji recognizes Jun’s reputation and responds with caution and urgency.
• Long Aotian and Mu Fengzheng, initially incredulous at Jun’s victory, begin to understand why the sect master is interested in him.

Significant themes

• Hidden strength and underestimated talent: Jun’s abilities exceed what others expect, even those who are themselves considered geniuses.
• Ambition tested by reality: Murong’s goal of becoming the sect master’s Personal Disciple is shaken by Jun’s overwhelming performance.
• Reputation and recognition: Jun’s earlier achievements in the Pill Dao frame the expectations surrounding him, while his bridge victory magnifies his fame throughout the sect.

Plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen’s unexpected first-place finish in the Dao Proving Bridge preliminary round shocks the Pill Sect. Murong Tianyi, who expected to win, collapses after raging and spitting blood; Zhao Wuji presses on, hoping to secure second place.
• The preliminaries conclude an hour later. Jun is named first, promoted to Core Disciple, and told he will compete in an exchange tournament with the other top-ten contestants in three days. Rewards for the top three—and the remaining top-ten contestants—are announced.
• Jun moves to more luxurious Core Disciple quarters and spends the evening casually releasing his captured beasts and playing games.
• By the next day, Jun’s fame has spread throughout the sect. On his way to collect his first-place reward, he encounters Lu Deshui publicly delivering elaborate praise. Jun asks him to stop, and the two walk together.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen remains calm and modest despite his victory and sudden celebrity. He dislikes crowds and returns to his residence after the event.
• Murong Tianyi is devastated by losing first place and reacts with wounded pride, ultimately collapsing unconscious.
• Zhao Wuji is disappointed but determined, shifting his focus to claiming second place.
• Fang Yiqian feels overshadowed by Jun once again, while Mei Yuxiang and Maseike are impressed but discouraged by how easily he seems to succeed.
• Lu Deshui emerges as Jun’s enthusiastic, florid flatterer. His admiration is sincere, though Jun finds his manner amusing and excessive.

Significant themes

• Unexpected achievement and shattered expectations: Jun’s victory overturns the crowd’s predictions and the presumed hierarchy among contestants.
• Pride, rivalry, and perseverance: Murong is consumed by humiliation, whereas Zhao responds to defeat by continuing onward.
• Fame and humility: The sect quickly idolizes Jun, but he treats his success as luck and resists being placed on a pedestal.
• Admiration and comic excess: Lu’s extravagant praise contrasts with Jun’s dry, understated responses.

Character interactions

• The spectators react with astonishment, envy, respect, and admiration as Jun’s first-place finish becomes known.
• Jun’s victory intensifies the contrast between his composure and Murong’s breakdown, while also affecting the morale of Fang, Mei, and Maseike.
• Lu praises Jun at length; Jun gently waves off the compliments, then ends the exchange with a deadpan remark: “You make such a good point, I’m actually speechless!”