Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Demon Emperor Daochen breaks the Blade Spirit’s stalemate by attacking the fragile Demon Realm Space, forcing him out of hiding. The Blade Spirit retreats inside again, realizing that space offers no absolute safety in the Primordial World.
• The Blade Spirit resumes the fight with surprise attacks aimed at vulnerable spots, but Daochen anticipates them and knocks him away.
• Discovering his remodeled body can withstand Daochen’s blows, the Blade Spirit switches to a direct assault. Daochen catches one Blade Arm and batters him while pulling against it, then proves the Blade Spirit’s other weapon cannot penetrate his defenses.
• To escape being torn apart, the Blade Spirit detaches one of his own arms. After further testing, he recognizes he cannot win and kneels in submission.
• Daochen accepts the surrender and declares that the Blade Spirits will serve him, promising they will benefit from following him.

Character developments

• The Blade Spirit moves from humiliation and confusion to tactical adaptation: he learns that hiding in space is unsafe and that his enhanced body can endure attacks. But after losing an arm and finding his weapons ineffective, he gives up rather than face certain defeat.
• Demon Emperor Daochen remains cautious and in control. He tests the Blade Spirit’s abilities, confirms the limits of both their defenses and weapons, and turns the victory into a demand for service.

Significant themes

• Adaptation and learning: Old assumptions from Chaos do not necessarily apply in the Primordial World.
• Power and vulnerability: The Blade Spirit can withstand great force, yet remains helpless when his opponent can control the terms of the fight.
• Humiliation and submission: Repeated defeats and the loss of an arm lead the Blade Spirit to concede.
• Mastery and exploitation: Daochen uses the encounter both to test his own strength and to secure a subordinate.

Character interactions

• Daochen first offers the Blade Spirit a chance to “start over,” but the Blade Spirit retreats instead.
• Their battle shifts from stealth attacks to a head-on contest, with Daochen’s strength and near-impenetrable body overwhelming the Blade Spirit.
• The Blade Spirit angrily accuses Daochen of bullying him and misleading him about a reward. Daochen dismisses the complaint and confidently frames servitude as the Blade Spirits’ good fortune.

Key plot points

• After a Blade Spirit’s successful transformation, the Demon Emperor modifies four of the five Blade Spirits, deliberately leaving Number One unchanged as a safeguard and opportunity for growth.
• The Blade Spirits feel both proud to serve the Demon Emperor and somewhat wronged that they must protect someone vastly stronger than themselves. They have long survived the dangers of Chaos, especially while protecting their young.
• The Demon Emperor considers whether Number One might advance by developing his bloodline power, as the Emperor himself has done, but keeps the relevant method and its secret world inaccessible to others.
• With the Primordial World’s defenses progressing, the Demon Emperor decides to seek out the Void Ancient Gods and use the mission chiefly to train his troops.
• The Lord of Darkness says he cannot directly sense the enemy, but can trace the auras of the New Generation Void Gods. He worries this could expose them and endanger his own people; the Demon Emperor insists on proceeding.
• Meanwhile, three Void Ancient Gods and the neutral Ancient Tiger advance through Chaos. One Ancient God questions Kesailin’s willingness to take on the assignment, while acknowledging it serves as a show of their authority.

Character developments and interactions

• The Demon Emperor is confident and intent on turning the coming confrontation into a military exercise. He also shows caution in preserving Number One as a “seed” rather than modifying every Blade Spirit.
• The Blade Spirits develop a sense of loyalty and pride in their new master, while remaining mindful of the dangers their race faces and protective of their young.
• The Lord of Darkness is reluctant to risk the New Generation Void Gods, who are his pawns and people, but yields to the Emperor’s demand.
• Ancient Tiger remains detached from combat and mysterious to the others. The Void Ancient Gods’ exchange suggests internal tension over the expedition.

Significant themes

• Power and growth: Mechanical enhancement promises rapid strength but may impose a ceiling; bloodline development may offer a way beyond physical limits.
• Loyalty and protection: The Blade Spirits accept the burden of guarding a powerful master, while their own history is shaped by protecting their vulnerable young.
• Duty versus personal risk: The Lord of Darkness must balance obedience with concern for the losses his people may suffer.
• Confidence and authority: Both sides treat the expedition as a display of power, setting up a looming clash in Chaos.

Plot points

• Kesailin, Celestial Person, Insect God, and Ancient Tiger travel toward a dangerous mission. Kesailin doubts a companion’s chances of surviving, while Celestial Person boasts that he will be safe so long as no one attacks him.
• Celestial Person tries to draw Insect God into conversation, claiming to understand his insect-language sounds. Kesailin doubts Insect God has spoken at all, and Celestial Person insults her for not understanding.
• Ancient Tiger detects an approaching enemy and calls them an “appetizer.” Insect God volunteers to intercept the newcomer.
• Kesailin warns that the enemy may be baiting them and urges the group to check on Insect God. Celestial Person agrees to go, despite initially treating the encounter casually.
• Celestial Person also threatens the gathered Void Gods, demanding to know who revealed their location and warning that traitors will be killed.

Character developments and interactions

• Celestial Person is powerful, highly intelligent, and habitually cautious, though he masks this with jokes and constant chatter. He teases Kesailin and pretends to converse with Insect God; beneath his humor, he is ruthless and alert to betrayal.
• Kesailin is prickly when mocked but remains focused on the mission’s risks. She recognizes Celestial Person’s cautious nature and tries to keep him from worsening an already tense situation.
• Insect God remains silent and enigmatic, communicating—if at all—through insect sounds. He volunteers to confront the approaching enemy.
• Ancient Tiger identifies the approaching threat and provides Insect God with its location.
• The group’s banter offers relief from the loneliness of traveling through the void, but their suspicions and threats reveal deep mistrust.

Significant themes

• Loneliness and companionship: The endless void makes conversation and company valuable, even when it takes the form of teasing.
• Power, rank, and survival: The Void Gods fear losing their hard-won Ancient God positions and understand the dangers of the coming mission.
• Caution versus bravado: Celestial Person jokes and postures, while Kesailin and he both recognize that the apparent lone enemy may be part of an ambush.
• Loyalty and betrayal: Celestial Person’s threat shows that their group is held together not only by shared aims but also by fear of punishment.

Key plot points and events

• Kesailin reassures the gathered group that they will punish only the traitor, then orders them to find and help the Insect God, warning them they will face consequences if he is harmed.
• The Insect God searches for a mysterious attacker who has repeatedly ambushed him. The attacks have been minor, but the assailant’s power is gradually assimilating his insects and turning them against him.
• Demon Emperor Daochen watches the fight, judging that the Insect God is a poor training opponent because his insect-based body makes him difficult to kill. The Lord of Darkness warns that the enemy’s main force is approaching, but Daochen insists on using the encounter to train his troops and weaken the Primordial World’s enemies.
• The Lord of Darkness urges Daochen to capture Ancient Tiger, a powerful tracker whose intervention could threaten them. Intrigued, Daochen resolves to seize him.
• Daochen attacks the Insect God, cutting him into eight pieces. The Insect God rapidly reassembles with insects, then escapes by scattering into countless small insects. Frustrated, Daochen concludes that defeating him may require killing the entire insect race.
• The Lord of Darkness reports that reinforcements have arrived, including the Celestial Person, an exceptionally powerful and influential Void Ancient God.

Character developments and interactions

• Kesailin shows authority and protectiveness, both in her promise of fair punishment and her insistence that the Insect God be rescued.
• The Insect God is angry and unnerved by the persistent ambushes and assimilation of his insects, but remains cautious, prioritizing survival over fighting Daochen directly.
• Demon Emperor Daochen is confident and eager for battle, dismissing warnings and seeking powerful opponents. His frustration grows when his decisive attacks fail to stop the Insect God.
• The Lord of Darkness acts as Daochen’s cautious adviser, warning him about the approaching force and steering his attention toward Ancient Tiger.
• The confrontation highlights the mismatch between Daochen’s direct aggression and the Insect God’s evasive, dispersed form.

Significant themes

• Power and vulnerability: Even a formidable fighter can be disadvantaged by an opponent whose nature makes ordinary attacks ineffective.
• Caution versus bravado: The Insect God survives by avoiding direct combat, while Daochen’s confidence pushes him into frustration.
• Loyalty and authority: Kesailin’s group obeys her commands, while the Lord of Darkness navigates how much to reveal to his ruler.
• Escalating danger: The arrival of the Celestial Person signals that the conflict is about to intensify.

Key plot points and events

• Demon Emperor Daochen learns that the enemy force includes a powerful Void Ancient God called the Celestial Person, famed for his wisdom. The Lord of Darkness warns that the apparent leader may be one of many physical doppelgangers.
• The Demon Emperor and his companions are surrounded by an army of Gods of the Void. Kesailin recognizes Daochen and admits she is no match for him, though she expects the main force to arrive.
• The Celestial Person sends a doppelganger to test Daochen while the rest of the army attacks. The Lord of Darkness panics at the numbers, but Daochen urges him to stop hiding his strength and prove himself as a teammate.
• Daochen confronts the doppelganger and destroys it instantly with Blood Flame, absorbing its essence. He realizes the Celestial Person’s doubles are physical bodies, likely created at great cost.
• Kesailin and the Celestial Person are shaken by Daochen’s power. The Insect God reappears and reports that Ancient Tiger has already fled, apparently frightened by Daochen.

Character developments and interactions

• Daochen is confident, dismissive of the Celestial Person’s reputation, and eager to turn the battle into an opportunity. He challenges the Lord of Darkness to reveal his capabilities and demonstrates overwhelming power.
• The Lord of Darkness begins frightened but understands Daochen’s expectations. He has concealed his strength for self-preservation, yet agrees to unleash it and expresses faith in Daochen’s future.
• Kesailin shifts from confidence in the army’s numbers to alarm when she recognizes Daochen, acknowledging her own inferiority and hoping reinforcements will arrive.
• The Celestial Person is initially willing to probe Daochen with a doppelganger, but becomes apprehensive after watching it die instantly.
• The Insect God remains withdrawn and sparing with words, but returns with important intelligence about Ancient Tiger’s flight.

Significant themes

• Hidden strength and trust: Daochen pushes the Lord of Darkness to stop relying solely on concealment and demonstrate that he can stand beside him.
• Reputation versus reality: The Celestial Person’s wisdom and elaborate tactics are overwhelmed by Daochen’s raw power.
• Power and intimidation: Daochen’s victory destabilizes the enemy, turning their numerical advantage into fear and uncertainty.
• Ambition and destiny: The Lord of Darkness believes Daochen may be destined to reach the legendary Heavenly Dao Realm, a possibility most consider nearly impossible.

Plot points and events

• The Celestial Person resists the fear that has overwhelmed Kesailin and the Insect God. He decides the group must confront Demon Emperor Daochen rather than retreat and risk losing the will to fight him forever.
• He proposes wearing Daochen down with their many powerful warriors and his genuine doppelgangers. His real goal is not necessarily victory: he needs to face Daochen, gauge their strength gap, and preserve his courage.
• Kesailin agrees to help by keeping the Lord of Darkness occupied, while the Insect God offers to secure the battlefield against interference.
• The Lord of Fury boldly challenges Daochen, confident his innate fire resistance will protect him. Daochen summons three unseen attackers, who quickly cut apart the Lord of Fury’s body.
• Before the Lord of Fury can recover, the Lord of Darkness seizes and devours his void body, ignoring a Celestial Person doppelganger’s warning.
• Daochen then engulfs that doppelganger in bloodflame and melts it into essence.

Character developments and interactions

• Celestial Person: Shows courage, discipline, and competitive ambition. Unlike Kesailin and the Insect God, who chiefly want to survive, he believes understanding an opponent is necessary to eventually catch up.
• Kesailin and the Insect God: Their admiration for the Celestial Person’s resolve moves them from fearful hesitation to offering support.
• Lord of Fury: His overconfidence proves fatal; his fire resistance does not protect him from Daochen’s swift attack or the Lord of Darkness’s hunger.
• Lord of Darkness: Acts brutally to strengthen himself and deter the surrounding enemies, despite knowing he may be outmatched by the gathered Saint Realm powerhouses.
• Daochen: Remains cautious despite his overwhelming advantage, and demonstrates it by effortlessly destroying both the Lord of Fury’s body and a Celestial Person doppelganger.

Significant themes

• Courage versus survival: The Celestial Person chooses confrontation not because he expects to win, but because retreat would deepen his fear.
• Knowledge as a path to growth: Measuring the gap between himself and Daochen is, to him, the first step toward overcoming it.
• Power and intimidation: Daochen and the Lord of Darkness use spectacular violence to warn their enemies, while the gathered Gods of the Void struggle to maintain composure.

Plot points and events

• The Demon Emperor Daochen fights off the Celestial Person’s seemingly endless doppelgangers, occasionally devouring them to restore his energy.
• He senses a hidden threat and spots the real Celestial Person near Kesailin. When the Celestial Person attacks from behind with a Frost Palm, Daochen allows the blow to hit his shoulder, then uses the opening to smash the attacker’s dantian.
• Although injured, the Celestial Person escapes into the crowd as more doppelgangers and Gods of the Void swarm Daochen. Kesailin and the Insect God prepare to join the fight, but the Celestial Person warns them that Daochen is too dangerous and orders them to flee. They disappear.
• Daochen and his allies continue fighting until the attackers realize their leaders have abandoned them. The remaining forces scatter, including the doppelgangers; many Gods of the Void escape as bodiless Void Bodies.
• Daochen decides not to pursue the defeated enemy. The Lord of Darkness explains that this was likely an advance force and that stronger opponents may still be coming. Daochen resolves to face them later and says Blade Spirit and the others must grow stronger.

Character developments

• Daochen demonstrates sharp instincts, careful preparation, and tactical cunning: he anticipates a possible ambush and turns the Celestial Person’s attack against him. He is wounded, however, and recognizes that even weaker enemies can still hurt him.
• The Celestial Person proves powerful and clever, but ultimately cautious. After his failed ambush, he recognizes that the battle is unwinnable and prioritizes escape over pride.
• Kesailin and the Insect God abandon the fight immediately when warned, showing that they trust the Celestial Person’s judgment.
• The Lord of Darkness acts as Daochen’s adviser, interpreting the enemy’s choices and assessing the likely threat ahead.
• Blade Spirit and the other allies contribute to the fighting, but their inability to harm Void Bodies exposes a serious weakness.

Significant themes

• Cunning versus brute force: Daochen wins not just through strength, but by anticipating his opponent’s strategy.
• Pragmatism and survival: The Celestial Person’s group retreats once the odds become clear, while Daochen refuses to waste effort chasing them.
• Pride and caution: The Lord of Darkness suggests the Celestial Person attacked partly to prove he could challenge Daochen, yet withdrew once he understood the danger.
• Preparation for a greater conflict: The skirmish is only a preview of the coming battle, and Daochen’s allies still need to improve.

Character interactions

• Daochen and the Celestial Person exchange blows and taunts; Daochen’s counterattack leaves the Celestial Person badly injured.
• The Celestial Person warns Kesailin and the Insect God that Daochen cannot be defeated, prompting their escape.
• After the battle, Daochen questions the enemy’s motives, and the Lord of Darkness offers a strategic explanation.
• Daochen and the Lord of Darkness discuss the likely arrival of stronger forces and the need to strengthen their allies.

Key plot points and events

• The Demon Emperor ends the training exercise dissatisfied: his forces can cause destruction but cannot reliably harm Void Bodies. He resolves to study the void with the Phantom Worms, hoping to defeat the Void Gods decisively, but keeps this goal from the Lord of Darkness, who is himself a Void God.
• Celestial Person, Kesailin, and Insect God return to find Ancient Tiger calmly waiting alone. He asks them to join his faction.
• Insect God reveals that a Broodmother Worm recorded Ancient Tiger devouring all ten Void Ancient Gods. Illusion God had helped him subdue the others and was secretly a traitor.
• Ancient Tiger confirms the betrayal and offers the three a choice: submit or die. Celestial Person immediately kneels, and Kesailin and Insect God follow.
• Ancient Tiger explains that he is waiting for an opportunity to advance to the Heavenly Dao Realm. He suggests that a hidden power controls the world, likening its inhabitants to fish in a pond whose keeper may release only a few. Celestial Person is shaken but cannot accept the possibility.

Character developments

• Demon Emperor becomes more focused on understanding and countering Void Bodies, revealing his ambition for a decisive, lasting victory.
• Ancient Tiger is shown to be far more dangerous and calculating than his relaxed manner suggests. He defeated the ten Void Ancient Gods, manipulated Illusion God, and recruits capable followers rather than killing them.
• Celestial Person demonstrates pragmatism by submitting when resistance is hopeless, but Ancient Tiger’s account of a hidden power unsettles his confidence in his understanding of reality.
• Insect God proves observant and resourceful: despite Ancient Tiger’s efforts to cover his tracks, his worm’s recording exposes the massacre and Illusion God’s treachery.
• Illusion God is revealed as a turncoat who tried to use his powers against Ancient Tiger and was instead controlled by him.

Significant themes

• Power and survival: Mercy and pride can be liabilities when facing overwhelming force; knowing when to yield may be wiser than resisting.
• Knowledge and vulnerability: The Demon Emperor’s inability to harm Void Bodies exposes a crucial weakness in his war effort.
• Hidden control and uncertainty: Ancient Tiger’s pond analogy challenges the characters’ belief that their world and achievements are entirely their own.
• Ambition and risk: The pursuit of advancement may offer escape or transformation, but its outcome is unknown.

Character interactions

• Ancient Tiger’s casual hospitality contrasts with the fear and anger of the returning trio, heightening the reveal of his strength.
• Insect God presents the evidence; Celestial Person initially doubts it, then submits once Ancient Tiger confirms the story.
• Ancient Tiger praises Celestial Person’s adaptability and uses his dealings with Illusion God as a warning against arrogance.
• Celestial Person questions Ancient Tiger about the Heavenly Dao Realm, prompting the chapter’s unsettling revelation about the possible “fish keeper.”

Plot points

• Ancient Tiger reveals that the Gods of the Void are trapped in a larger scheme, but insists they can still resist rather than accept their fate.
• He says he has been hiding his strength while recovering from an old, mysterious injury. He spared the Celestial Person and his two companions partly because their wisdom could be useful.
• Ancient Tiger admits he devoured the army of Gods of the Void to regain power.
• The group agrees that continuing the invasion of the Primordial World is pointless. They decide to return to the Land of the Void and seek chances to grow stronger.
• The Celestial Person proposes a feigned surrender: the Illusion God will join the Primordial World, drawing the Void titans toward it while Ancient Tiger stays concealed. The group hopes to let the two sides weaken each other.
• After Ancient Tiger’s betrayal becomes known, two titans vow to pursue and kill him, ordering their forces to mobilize.

Character developments and interactions

• Ancient Tiger shifts from cautious survivor to openly defiant strategist. Though he inspires loyalty, he remains calculating and intends to keep himself behind the scenes.
• The Celestial Person moves from despair to admiration and practical scheming. He offers the plan to use the Primordial World as a shield and a battlefield.
• The Celestial Person’s companions are impressed by Ancient Tiger’s strength and resolve, though his admission that he ate the Void army briefly makes them fear they might be future prey.
• The Void titans respond to the betrayal with anger and regret, recognizing that they underestimated Ancient Tiger.

Significant themes

• Resistance against predestination: Even in a trap, the characters choose to fight for a chance at freedom.
• Power and survival: Ancient Tiger’s ruthless devouring of others reflects the brutal means required to regain strength.
• Deception and shifting alliances: The group plans a false surrender to manipulate both the Primordial World and the Void titans.
• Hope amid danger: Their plan has slim odds, but they pursue it because even a remote chance of escape is worth taking.

Plot points and events

• The rulers of the Land of the Void decide to stop hiding after Ancient Tiger and Illusion God’s betrayal and the destruction of their army. They mobilize their elite Gods of the Void to attack the Primordial World.
• Meanwhile, Demon Emperor Daochen and the Lord of Darkness review the spoils from their recent battle, including treasures and the void bodies they devoured.
• Daochen asks how void bodies might be harmed without relying on the Lord of Darkness eating them. The Lord explains that a rare substance called essence of reality can injure them, but it is difficult to find and loses its power outside an illusion.
• Daochen asks Heavenly Dao Hongjun to locate Mirage Bugs, whose long-lasting illusions might allow essence of reality to form. They find the insects, but no metal has appeared yet. The Lord of Darkness suggests the place may simply need more time.

Character developments and interactions

• The two Void rulers shift from cautious observers to open aggressors, driven by impatience, fear of stagnation, and the perceived crisis in their homeland. Their fear of entering the Heavenly Dao Realm remains rooted in the ominous, unverified belief that Heaven consumes those who reach it.
• Daochen takes the Lord of Darkness’s information seriously and immediately seeks a practical weapon against the Gods of the Void, though he doubts the claim when no essence of reality is found.
• The Lord of Darkness shows unusual openness by revealing a possible weakness of his own kind. He remains uncertain whether the legendary metal truly exists.
• Hongjun responds eagerly to Daochen’s request and explains that the Heavenly Dao protects Mirage Bugs because they are rare and harmless.

Significant themes

• Fear of the unknown: The Void rulers’ hesitation to advance or return reflects how powerful an unproven threat can become.
• Stagnation versus action: After ages of waiting for change, the rulers finally act—but their offensive may expose them to greater danger.
• Hidden vulnerabilities and the search for leverage: Essence of reality offers a potential counter to seemingly invulnerable void bodies, though its rarity and dependence on illusion make it difficult to use.
• Uncertainty and legend: Both the danger of Heaven and the existence of essence of reality remain matters of belief rather than confirmed fact.

Key plot points and events

• Demon Emperor Daochen discovers that “Essence of Reality” can be found only by perceiving reality hidden beneath the Mirage Bugs’ illusions. Using his unusual eyes and finely controlled psychic power, he finds a river and retrieves stones suspended between reality and illusion.
• He tests a stone against the Lord of Darkness’s Void Body. It pierces him, confirming that the stones are real and can harm Void beings.
• Daochen captures a Mirage Bug and realizes the stones might be refined into weapons and fitted with lasting illusion formations—potentially useful against the Gods of the Void.
• He also recognizes a major vulnerability: his allies cannot detect enemies attacking in Void Body form, leaving the Primordial World exposed to surprise attacks.
• An alarm sounds. At the world’s edge, Lord Illusion God arrives and surrenders, claiming he devoured the Void Army and broke with the Void World. He warns that the two Void sovereigns are advancing with their armies.

Character developments and interactions

• Demon Emperor Daochen shows ingenuity and restraint: rather than unleash overwhelming psychic force on the Mirage Bugs, he uses a precise method to uncover their secret. His rare ability to perceive what lies beneath both illusion and reality is emphasized, along with his pride in being exceptional.
• The Lord of Darkness cooperates by allowing Daochen to test the stones on his Void Body. He admires Daochen’s abilities, though his praise is also flattery. Daochen, pleased, considers investing more in him.
• Lord Illusion God shifts from apparent enemy to self-proclaimed defector. His surrender surprises the defenders, but his warning reveals that the larger threat has intensified.

Significant themes

• Reality and illusion: The chapter blurs the boundary between them, making discovery depend on seeing both the real world and the illusions layered over it.
• Perception and exceptional ability: Daochen’s unique sight gives him an advantage others cannot reproduce, exposing the limits of relying on ordinary perception.
• Preparation versus vulnerability: The new stones offer a possible weapon, but the inability to detect Void Bodies leaves the Primordial World dangerously unprepared.
• Shifting loyalties and escalating conflict: The enemy’s internal fracture creates an unexpected ally, while the advance of the two sovereigns raises the stakes.

Plot points and events

• The Illusion God claims he devoured the God of the Void’s army, but says the Demon Emperor can verify that the enemy camp is now scattered in ruins. He adds that Ancient Tiger escaped when the fighting turned dangerous.
• To demonstrate his value, the Illusion God creates convincing armies and monstrous beasts with his illusion magic. Demon Emperor Daochen notices that the display feels strangely lifeless, but lets it continue.
• Daochen offers to take the Illusion God in, provided he proves his loyalty by surrendering his soul for a binding mark.
• The Illusion God believes the Lord of Darkness has already submitted and, feeling trapped by his own alliance with Daochen, enters a Soul Contract.
• Once the contract is complete, Daochen reveals that the Lord of Darkness’s apparent soul mark was only an illusion spell. The Illusion God has genuinely placed himself under Daochen’s control.
• Ancient Tiger watches from hiding, recognizing too late that Daochen was never offering the Illusion God a safe choice: submission or elimination.

Character developments and interactions

• Demon Emperor Daochen is pragmatic and ruthless. He values the Illusion God’s battlefield usefulness, but makes clear he will force the issue if necessary.
• The Illusion God boasts of his power and seeks protection and a chance to resist the Void Ancient Gods. His suspicion gives way to panic when he realizes he has been tricked into genuine submission.
• The Lord of Darkness acts as Daochen’s accomplice, faking his own submission with a spell and helping deceive the Illusion God. Daochen praises his resourcefulness.
• Ancient Tiger remains concealed and silently judges the Illusion God’s mistake, while also recognizing Daochen’s cunning.

Significant themes

• Deception and illusion: The Illusion God’s specialty is turned against him by the Lord of Darkness, whose spell proves more effective than the elaborate displays.
• Power and coercion: The offer of submission is not truly voluntary; Daochen intends to secure the Illusion God either way.
• Arrogance and misjudgment: The Illusion God underestimates his opponents and trusts what he sees, while Ancient Tiger’s earlier confidence in Daochen’s gullibility also proves misplaced.

Key plot points

• Illusion God realizes the Lord of Darkness has manipulated him and helped Demon Emperor Daochen. He angrily protests, while Daochen admits he recognized Illusion God’s usefulness and accepted him for his defensive abilities.
• Ancient Tiger, watching from hiding, concludes Daochen likely knew about both his presence and the illusion affecting Illusion God. He remains pleased with his own plan: the two sovereigns are expected to confront Daochen.
• Kesailin and her companions are intimidated by Ancient Tiger’s unpredictable, ruthless nature. He takes them farther into the chaos.
• Daochen senses a watcher but does not investigate. He confirms through their soul connection that Illusion God is under an illusion—and deliberately leaves it in place, believing it may make him easier to control.
• Three days later, Daochen asks Illusion God and Human Sovereign Fuxi to create an illusion formation covering the Primordial World. It must protect the realm from Void Ancient Gods and, especially, attacks by void bodies, which the existing defenses cannot counter.
• Fuxi agrees to work closely with Illusion God, whose expertise in illusion laws greatly exceeds his own.
• Ancient Tiger ventures into a lightless, silent region of chaos, searching for clues about the Heavenly Dao Realm and his own limits. He finds nothing, but this time he and his companions avoid becoming separated.

Character developments and interactions

• Demon Emperor Daochen shows strategic pragmatism: he knows Illusion God has been manipulated but tolerates it, prioritizing control and the potential benefit to his defenses.
• Illusion God and Fuxi develop a collegial rapport as fellow specialists in illusions. Fuxi respects Illusion God’s superior knowledge, while both welcome the chance to exchange ideas.
• Ancient Tiger remains confident in his long-term schemes, but his uncertainty about the Heavenly Dao Realm reveals limits to his understanding. His companions’ fear contrasts with his former reputation as a kindly guide.
• Kesailin and her companions stay silent and cling to Ancient Tiger as they travel, wary of his power and volatility.

Significant themes

• Manipulation and layered schemes: Daochen, Ancient Tiger, and the Lord of Darkness all maneuver around one another, each pursuing a different advantage.
• Knowledge as defense: The Primordial World’s vulnerability stems from its limited understanding of the void; the new formation depends on combining Fuxi’s and Illusion God’s expertise.
• Power and uncertainty: Even formidable beings such as Ancient Tiger cannot fully grasp the realms and forces beyond their experience.
• Fear and isolation: The silent darkness strips travelers of orientation and communication, making even powerful characters vulnerable.

Key plot points

• Ancient Tiger leads Celestial Person and Kesailin through a strange boundary and back into chaos, hoping to find something useful.
• They discover humanlike, insectlike creatures clinging to Kesailin’s back and devouring her body. She escapes by abandoning it and taking her Void Body, but the creatures consume the body completely.
• A creature resembling Celestial Person approaches him and displays a binding notice: he must hunt one thousand Trickster Demon Mosquitoes within ten days. Ancient Tiger explains that missions bring rewards, failure brings punishment, and three failures mean permanent disappearance.
• Ancient Tiger reveals his own mission is to hunt one thousand Golden-Headed Tigers, which he believes are nearby. He urges the others to cooperate and warns that each mission is considered achievable when issued.

Character developments and interactions

• Kesailin is frightened by the unseen creatures and shocked to discover how badly her body has been eaten; she abandons it to survive.
• Celestial Person is bewildered by the mission and initially dismisses the threat, trusting in his many resurrection safeguards. Ancient Tiger’s warning challenges that confidence.
• Ancient Tiger treats the discovery as an omen and is eager to seize the opportunity. He takes charge, explains the rules, and proposes an alliance.
• Insect God is unusually unsettled by the creatures despite his familiarity with insects. Celestial Person and Ancient Tiger check one another for signs of infestation.

Significant themes

• Unfamiliar laws and loss of control: The mission system imposes rules that even powerful beings may not escape.
• Overconfidence versus humility: Celestial Person’s faith in his immortality conflicts with Ancient Tiger’s insistence that these laws are absolute.
• Survival and cooperation: The group faces an unknown threat and a punishing task system, making teamwork essential.

Plot points and events

• Celestial Person and Ancient Tiger discover that their missions are to hunt a thousand Trickster Demon Mosquitoes and Golden-Headed Tigers, respectively.
• Insect God hesitates over his mission, but Ancient Tiger warns that abandoning it would mean forfeiting valuable rewards and falling behind.
• Insect God asks Kesailin for help, then sends five insects to surround and attack her. He reveals that his mission is to hunt her, the God of the Void.
• Celestial Person and Ancient Tiger refuse to intervene. Insect God unleashes his full power, and his insects devour Kesailin’s Void Body.
• Kesailin claims she can be reborn and vows revenge. Ancient Tiger tells her she has only one chance: as the failed target, she will be erased.
• Ancient Tiger recalls once being hunted himself in Chaos. Though he escaped and killed his attackers, he was badly injured and retreated to the Void. He has now returned to Chaos hoping to become a hunter rather than prey.
• Ancient Tiger suggests the three stay together, cooperate, and help one another complete their missions. Celestial Person asks about the mission rewards, while Insect God stands silently and Little Insect God records something.

Character developments and interactions

• Insect God reveals a ruthless, calculating side: he exploits Kesailin’s trust and uses overwhelming force to complete his mission quickly.
• Kesailin shifts from suspicion of Insect God to desperate appeals for help, then defiance and hatred when attacked. Her threats of revenge are undermined by Ancient Tiger’s explanation that she will be erased.
• Ancient Tiger is pragmatic about the missions and their consequences. His past as hunted prey informs his determination to survive and his proposal that the hunters work together.
• Celestial Person watches Kesailin’s death without intervening, then focuses on the practical question of mission rewards.
• The three supposed companions accept that their assigned missions may require them to hunt one another—or other beings—and choose cooperation among themselves over helping their target.

Significant themes

• The hunter–prey cycle: Roles can change, and survival may depend on becoming the hunter rather than remaining prey.
• Missions versus loyalty: The promise of rewards and fear of falling behind override compassion and comradeship.
• Betrayal and moral compromise: Insect God’s attack, and the others’ refusal to help, show how mission systems turn allies into threats.
• The tragedy of assigned roles: Ancient Tiger sees both hunters and prey as victims of a system that forces them into violent roles.

Plot points and events

• The Insect God completes his mission to kill Kesailin and receives a Chaos Primordial Worm, a seemingly ordinary creature with the same S1 strength as himself but immense potential and the ability to reproduce by division.
• Realizing the worm could greatly multiply his power, the Insect God hides its value from Ancient Tiger and the Celestial Person. They suspect it may be useful but do not press him.
• The three allies set out to search for Ancient Tiger’s Golden-Headed Tiger and the Celestial Person’s Trickster Demon Mosquito.
• In the Demon Realm, Demon Emperor Daochen is unexpectedly bound to a new system and assigned to kill the Chaos Behemoth Parago within half a day.
• Parago appears outside the Primordial World, where it has already badly wounded the Lord of Fate. Daochen goes to confront it, initially focused on defending his people rather than fulfilling the mission.
• As Daochen approaches the behemoth, his bloodline begins to stir, hinting at a connection that may affect the confrontation.

Character developments and interactions

• The Insect God proves cautious and strategically minded: he recognizes the worm’s potential, conceals it, and maintains the alliance because it remains useful.
• Ancient Tiger and the Celestial Person are curious about the reward but accept the Insect God’s explanation and continue cooperating with him.
• Daochen responds skeptically to the mysterious system, but when Parago threatens the Primordial World, he acts out of duty. The injured Lord of Fate warns him, while other experts gather around him in support.

Significant themes

• Hidden potential and secrecy: The worm’s unassuming appearance masks a reward that could transform the Insect God’s strength.
• Uncertainty and adaptation: The characters face strange systems, unfamiliar missions, and threats they do not fully understand.
• Duty and survival: Daochen’s priority is protecting the Primordial World, not earning a reward.
• Strength and scale: Parago’s enormous size makes it a threat beyond ordinary measures, emphasizing the danger of Chaos.

Plot points and events

• Demon Emperor Daochen discovers that consuming a Chaos Behemoth can strengthen his bloodline, so he attacks Paragu with the Heaven Measuring Ruler and Blood Flame. He burns its flesh into essence and devours it, steadily hardening and compressing his body and boosting his explosive power.
• Paragu’s huge size and slow reactions leave it unable to stop him. Even after it is reduced to a thin membrane and continues trying to regenerate, Daochen ultimately kills it to complete his mission.
• The system rewards him with the Blood Sacrifice Art, a powerful technique that burns bloodline power to unleash greater strength, but can damage the user’s bloodline and cause immense slaughter. Daochen stores it rather than testing it.
• Daochen notices small, lookalike beings appearing among the crowd. The Lord of Darkness reports that others have seen the same phenomenon and that he has been assigned a mission to find an “Infiltrator.”
• Using an apparent scanning ability, Daochen discovers the Lord of Darkness is a powerful Reincarnated Void Ancient God with high potential. The Lord of Light also has high potential, despite very low strength. Daochen wonders whether Void Land Infiltrators are present in the Primordial World.

Character developments and interactions

• Daochen’s discovery that devouring behemoths can improve his bloodline turns Paragu into both a target and a source of power. He briefly feels pity for the creature’s struggle to survive, but carries out his mission and kills it.
• His grotesque, fearless feeding alarms the onlookers, who begin to fear that they themselves could become his food.
• Daochen remains cautious about the Blood Sacrifice Art, recognizing its destructive costs even while valuing it as a potential trump card.
• The Lord of Darkness approaches Daochen with concerns about the strange doubles. Their exchange reveals that the group may be receiving individual missions, while Daochen’s private scan exposes how much strength and potential the Lord of Darkness has concealed.

Significant themes

• Power through consumption: Daochen converts an enemy’s body into fuel for his own evolution.
• The cost of strength: The Blood Sacrifice Art offers overwhelming power at the expense of bloodline damage and possible mass destruction.
• Hidden identities and uncertainty: The strange doubles, concealed abilities, and Infiltrator mission suggest that the world—and Daochen’s companions—hold secrets not yet understood.

Key plot points

• The Lord of Darkness knows there may be several sympathizers or infiltrators among his followers, but he cannot identify them reliably. Accusing the wrong person could fracture the coalition they need against the Void Ancient Gods.
• Demon Emperor Daochen reassures the gathered group and says ten people are especially suspicious. The Lord of Darkness points to one man, then immediately clears him, using the encounter to set up a test: each person must explain why they are trustworthy.
• One follower protests the suspicion, urges the others to disband, and reveals himself as an infiltrator. He claims the task promises an escape opportunity, then boards a grotesque, blood-covered spaceship and flees the Primordial World.
• The Lord of Darkness and the others are caught off guard by the escape. The fugitive reaches the Land of the Void and reports that he has been exposed.
• There he meets another Lord of Darkness, who reveals that the fugitive has fallen for an illusion. The real Lord of Darkness dismisses him as a fool for failing to see through it.

Character developments and interactions

• Lord of Darkness is cautious and politically astute: despite suspecting several followers, he avoids rash accusations to preserve unity. He uses a staged interrogation to observe their reactions, but is initially surprised when the infiltrator escapes.
• Demon Emperor Daochen helps manage the group’s fear, then watches the test with curiosity. He urges the exposed infiltrator to surrender, though the man refuses.
• The infiltrator is bold and deceptive, trying to stir up rebellion before making his escape. His confidence collapses when he discovers he has been lured into an illusion.
• The followers are anxious about being falsely accused; the prospect of suspicion causes immediate tension and threatens to divide them.

Significant themes

• Trust and suspicion: The threat of infiltration makes loyalty difficult to judge, while reckless purges could be as dangerous as hidden betrayal.
• Unity versus self-preservation: The Lord of Darkness must balance security with keeping his allies together; the infiltrator instead pursues personal escape.
• Deception and misjudgment: The infiltrator thinks he has outsmarted his pursuers, only to be deceived by an illusion himself.

Plot points and events

• The Demon Emperor reveals that the apparent mission, its reward, and the events surrounding the Void Gods were all illusions. The illusions lured the infiltrator into exposing himself by offering easy missions and starry-sky Flying Shuttles as escape tools.
• The Illusion God explains that the entire Primordial World has long been covered by a vast illusion, created to protect it and help the Demon Emperor find traitors. The other Void Gods are each trapped in separate illusions and cannot see what is happening.
• The Lord of Darkness tests the small figure accompanying him. It attacks and devours the figure beside the Void God, after which the Lord’s mission is declared complete.
• The Lord receives a Legendary Mask that can perfectly imitate another person and detect flaws. Though the Demon Emperor initially dismisses it as unimpressive, his system cannot scan the Lord once he puts it on.

Character developments and interactions

• The Demon Emperor demonstrates extensive preparation and control, impressing the Lord of Darkness. He recognizes the mask’s hidden defensive value but also realizes it reduces his ability to monitor the Lord.
• The Lord of Darkness admires the Demon Emperor’s strategy and becomes more cautious of him. He remains allied with him, partly because he is a reincarnation who has fallen behind his former era and needs time to regain his strength.
• The Illusion God credits the Demon Emperor with helping shape the illusions, emphasizing that the operation is a joint effort.
• The Lord’s curiosity about the small figure leads to a violent confrontation between it and the Void God’s companion.

Significant themes

• Deception as protection and strategy: Illusions conceal the truth, expose traitors, and shield the Primordial World.
• Control and mistrust: The Demon Emperor’s foresight gives him an advantage, but even his allies remain wary of his power.
• Hidden value: The mask seems ordinary until its ability to block the Demon Emperor’s scan is revealed.
• Fragile alliances: The Demon Emperor and Lord of Darkness cooperate, while each remains mindful of the other’s potential threat.

Key plot points and events

• The Demon Emperor realizes that mission rewards can strengthen both himself and his rivals, so completing missions quickly—and preventing opponents from doing so—will matter.
• Two Void Overlords send huge numbers of Void Gods to search for a mission target. After completing it, each gains nearly half again as much strength and orders their followers to prioritize future missions.
• Across Chaos, the first wave of missions is completed. Most participants grow stronger, though some die along the way.
• Daochen observes that mission rewards vary with a person’s strength and potential: powerful beings like himself gain dramatically more, while those with less potential gain less. He also discovers that stronger beings can inspect the information of weaker ones, but not the reverse.
• The Lord of Darkness reports that, within the Primordial World, only the twelve Void Gods, the Lord of Fate, and Heavenly Dao Hongjun received special missions.
• Daochen suspects the missions are part of a trial for reaching the Heavenly Dao Realm—one designed to push everyone’s potential and strengthen the strongest.
• The Lord of Darkness proposes an alliance against the Void Overlords. Daochen initially questions his fear of them, but accepts their alliance after hearing how formidable the Overlords are.

Character developments and interactions

• Demon Emperor Daochen shifts from confidence in his ability to protect the Primordial World to a more cautious recognition of the Overlords’ overwhelming experience and power. He agrees to ally with the Lord of Darkness.
• Lord of Darkness admires Daochen’s superior potential but uses the Mask to conceal his own growth. Though wary of the Overlords, he shows strategic resolve by seeking cooperation.
• The Void Overlords reveal their ambition and ruthlessness by mobilizing vast forces and demanding total devotion to missions.

Significant themes

• Power and potential: Mission rewards are unequal, favoring those already strong or gifted.
• Competition and cooperation: Missions turn advancement into a race, while confronting greater threats makes alliances necessary.
• Concealment and protection: Hidden information can shield powerful beings from scrutiny and help them avoid becoming targets.
• Experience as an advantage: Even extraordinary newcomers may struggle to catch up with rulers who have accumulated strength and skill across countless eras.