Ch. 1961Changing the Path of Evolution

Chapter Summary: “Changing the Path of Evolution”

Key plot points and events

  • Demon Emperor Daochen wants the Xenomorphs to become a subordinate, symbiotic race. He sees symbiosis as a way for different races to compensate for one another’s weaknesses and advance along new evolutionary paths.
  • After returning to the Primordial World, he establishes several projects: Insect Queens are released to reproduce under the Fire Barbarians’ supervision, while the Five Elements Illusion Gods are confined with the Heavenly Dao’s permission and consulted by Fuxi and formation masters about illusion arts.
  • At a Xenomorph breeding facility, Daochen proposes developing Xenomorphs into microscopic Virus Bodies that can multiply, combine, and form protective biological armor around a host.
  • The Xenomorph Mother warns that Virus Bodies are fragile and that transforming into such a form will be difficult. Daochen supplies Virus Body genes and abundant world power to support the research.
  • After tens of millions of failures, the Mother creates one successful Xenomorph Virus Body and names him Poison Source. He attaches himself to Daochen, but his initial armor is too weak to offer meaningful protection.
  • Daochen directs Poison Source to absorb world power and toughen each Virus Body, even allowing him to consume Daochen’s own cells. After nearly a thousand years of experimentation, Poison Source becomes closely attuned to Daochen and can form a coordinated suit of biological armor.

Character developments and interactions

  • Daochen acts as strategist, patron, and experimental partner. He invests resources in the Xenomorphs and pushes them toward an evolutionary path that could make them more useful allies.
  • The Xenomorph Mother moves from skepticism to active cooperation, carefully overseeing the transformation and proudly presenting its first success.
  • Poison Source develops from a fragile, shapeless organism into an intelligent symbiote capable of adapting to Daochen and working with his body.
  • The relationship between Daochen and the Xenomorphs shifts toward partnership: he provides protection, genes, world power, and even his cells, while Poison Source supplies the beginnings of biological armor.

Significant themes

  • Evolution through cooperation: Symbiotic races can progress by supporting one another rather than relying solely on individual cultivation.
  • Adaptation and experimentation: New evolutionary paths demand extensive trial and error, but persistence and resources can turn an unlikely idea into a viable form.
  • Power and responsibility: Daochen’s access to world power and willingness to share it enable the Xenomorphs to develop beyond their previous limits.
  • Collective strength: Though individual Virus Bodies are weak, their proliferation and coordination may create formidable protection when combined.

Ch. 1962Poison Source's Evolution

Key plot points and events

  • Demon Emperor Daochen oversees a live Superweapon test, firing it at Poison Source, who is encased in silver Bio-Armor. The blast pushes Daochen back but proves relatively easy for a powerful individual to evade; Fuxi notes that many Superweapons could instead create deadly battlefield-wide crossfire.
  • Fuxi suggests making Poison Source capable of splitting, so he can be deployed in numbers alongside the Superweapons. Daochen agrees that Poison Source needs Splitting Demon genes to gain this ability.
  • Daochen obtains two Splitting Demons through the Giant Mouth Tribe and gives them to Poison Source to harvest and integrate their genes. Poison Source’s evolution continues.
  • Daochen then checks on the Five Elements Illusion Gods, who are being forced to train his people in Illusion Formations. They protest that the formations are innate knowledge and threaten to complain to their overlord.
  • Daochen separates Tianyi from the others and has the Heavenly Dao Will take control of him and extract his memories, allowing it to teach the formations directly.

Character developments and interactions

  • Daochen is shown as a hands-on, pragmatic creator and strategist. He personally powers and tests the Superweapon, directs Poison Source’s development, and is willing to use coercion and memory extraction to obtain defenses for the Primordial World.
  • Fuxi evaluates the Superweapons’ battlefield strengths and weaknesses, emphasizing their potential in coordinated mass deployment while warning that they are vulnerable if enemies reach the rear.
  • Poison Source remains an engineered biological weapon whose capabilities are being deliberately expanded; the next desired trait is self-replication through splitting.
  • The Five Elements Illusion Gods resist cooperating, but Daochen dismisses their objections and treats their knowledge as necessary for the Primordial World’s defense.
  • Tianyi is taken over by the Heavenly Dao Will, which becomes the means of extracting and teaching the Illusion Formations.

Significant themes

  • Security versus morality: Daochen accepts ethically questionable methods—sacrificing captives’ autonomy and invading their memories—because he believes the Primordial World’s survival outweighs personal scruples.
  • Weaponization and control: Both Poison Source and the Illusion Gods’ knowledge are turned into tools of defense under Daochen’s direction.
  • Collective defense versus self-preservation: Daochen sees the Illusion God Race as willing to abandon the Primordial World for its own safety, reinforcing his determination not to let outsiders dictate its fate.

Ch. 1963The trouble brought on by the Illusion God Race

Key plot points and events

  • The Heavenly Dao subdues the Five Elements Illusion Gods, who begin teaching the Demon Emperor, Fuxi, and others. The Demon Emperor is impressed by the Illusion God Race’s mastery of formations.
  • Three years into the lessons, the Illusion God Race complains that the Five Elements Illusion Gods have stopped contacting them. The Demon Emperor insists they had agreed the Five Elements Illusion Gods would obey him and warns the race not to disrupt their cooperation.
  • Angered by what he sees as the Demon Emperor’s interference, Illusion God sends warriors to the Primordial World’s battlefield. Their presence alarms the Abyss Empire, which has a history of hunting the Illusion God Race because Illusion God once nearly controlled the Abyssal Will.
  • The Abyss Lord orders a major assault on the Primordial World. The Demon Emperor withdraws his forces behind the Primordial Heavenly Dao’s reach, and the world’s defensive line collapses.
  • Hoping to make the Abyss Lord leave, the Demon Emperor and the overlords plan a strategic retreat that makes the Primordial World appear close to destruction. The Giant Mouth Overlord claims the Illusion God Race’s appearance was a smokescreen designed to draw the Abyss Empire’s attention.
  • Convinced he has been lured into a trap, the Abyss Lord leaves the Giant Mouth Tribe to continue the attack and takes the other races away, intending to retaliate against the Illusion God Race.

Character developments and interactions

  • Demon Emperor Daochen shifts from studying the Illusion Gods to managing the crisis they provoke. He remains firm with the Dark God Clan’s envoy, then responds pragmatically to the Abyss Empire’s assault by withdrawing and coordinating with allied overlords.
  • Illusion God is portrayed as impatient and easily provoked. He retaliates against the Demon Emperor after the Five Elements Illusion Gods fail to contact the Illusion God Race.
  • Abyss Lord acts on the Abyssal Will’s longstanding hostility toward the Illusion God Race, then reassesses the battlefield and withdraws most of his forces when he suspects a diversion.
  • The Giant Mouth Overlord takes a calculated risk by presenting the Illusion God Race’s presence as a deliberate decoy, helping persuade the Abyss Lord to leave.

Significant themes

  • Manipulation and deception: Illusions and strategic misinformation shape both the battlefield and the decisions of powerful leaders.
  • The cost of retaliation: Illusion God’s attempt to punish the Demon Emperor triggers a much broader offensive against the Primordial World.
  • Strategic sacrifice: The Demon Emperor accepts territorial losses to avoid provoking a full-scale attack and to draw the Abyss Lord away.
  • Fragile alliances and competing priorities: Cooperation among the Primordial World, the Giant Mouth Tribe, and others is complicated by distrust, political leverage, and the threat of mutual destruction.

Ch. 1964Taking the Act Further

Plot and key events

  • After the Abyss Lord’s visit, the Giant Mouth Overlord meets Demon Emperor Daochen. With the Abyssal Will now watching the conflict closely, their earlier deception is no longer enough.
  • The Overlord proposes staging a convincing victory for the Giant Mouth Tribe: the Independent Alliance will surrender most of its territory, while the Giant Mouth forces occupy it and both sides simulate costly resource exchanges. The Primordial World will use puppets to provide apparent casualties.
  • Daochen agrees to consider the plan. He will arrange for the Alliance’s worlds to disperse into small, isolated areas, which the Giant Mouth Tribe will surround to prevent outside contact.
  • Daochen then summons the Independent Alliance—including the Fortune Clan, Fire Barbarian Race, Clearwater Way, and Wisdom Race—and orders them to carry out the risky withdrawal. Though they fear being left vulnerable to the Giant Mouth Tribe, he accepts responsibility for the decision.

Character development and interactions

  • The Giant Mouth Overlord shows resolve and defiance. He is willing to risk his people’s destruction rather than submit, and personally commits to carrying out the deception.
  • Demon Emperor Daochen acts as both strategist and leader. He trusts the Overlord’s intent, persuades the Alliance to take a dangerous gamble, and bears responsibility for the consequences.
  • Their clasped hands mark a deepening friendship and mutual trust, forged by their shared struggle to protect their peoples.
  • The Alliance members, especially the Wisdom Race, remain wary: surrendering territory could leave them at the Giant Mouth Tribe’s mercy. Daochen overrides their hesitation, arguing that inaction is no safer.

Significant themes

  • Resistance against oppression: The characters believe persecution breeds rebellion, and that resistance will continue even if one people is defeated.
  • Survival through sacrifice and deception: Both sides accept staged losses and territorial concessions to mislead a greater power and preserve their races.
  • Trust under extreme risk: The plan depends on the Alliance trusting the Giant Mouth Tribe despite its apparent advantage.
  • Defiance and legacy: The Overlord would rather die resisting than allow his tribe to disappear without leaving a mark.

Ch. 1965Failing to Steal the Chicken, Losing a Handful of Rice

Plot points and events

  • The Abyss Empire breaches the Primordial World’s defenses, then shifts its main offensive toward the Sea of Illusion Gods after the Abyssal Will learns the Illusion God Race has repeatedly manipulated him. Enraged, he orders a major assault on them.
  • At Angel King City, the Angel Chiefs challenge the Wisdom Angel Chief over the Angel Empire’s retreats and the loss of the Primordial World. The Seraph Chief is especially upset because the Wisdom Angel Chief failed to protect his student, the Demon Emperor.
  • The Wisdom Angel Chief rejects personal grievances and reveals that the Abyss Empire is massing against the Illusion God Race. He proposes an alliance with them and a counterattack against the Abyss Empire.
  • The Angel Chiefs agree to prepare. The Power Angel Chief goes as an envoy, while the Power and Might Angel forces assemble under the Wisdom Angel Chief.
  • Rather than attack immediately, the Wisdom Angel Chief orders the Angels to leave a gap in their defenses, making their line appear to collapse. The Splitting Devil Overlord mistakes this for another Angel retreat and orders his troops to pursue.

Character developments and interactions

  • Abyssal Will: His anger at the Illusion God Race escalates into a decision to launch an all-out assault.
  • Wisdom Angel Chief: He maintains a controlled, strategic demeanor, rebukes the Seraph Chief for mixing personal concerns with council business, and uses the Abyss Empire’s new campaign as an opportunity to plan a counterattack.
  • Seraph Chief: He remains resentful over the Primordial World’s abandonment, but restrains himself and allows the council to continue.
  • Splitting Devil Overlord: Confident from past experience pursuing the Angels, he assumes their apparent collapse is a rout and commits his forces to the chase.
  • The council’s initial mistrust of reports gives way to cooperation once the Wisdom Angel Chief describes the evidence and the potential alliance.

Significant themes

  • Strategy through deception: The Wisdom Angel Chief uses a feigned retreat to lure the enemy into a vulnerable pursuit.
  • Pragmatism versus personal loyalty: The Seraph Chief’s concern for his student conflicts with the Wisdom Angel Chief’s insistence that the empire’s war must take priority.
  • Shifting alliances: The Angels consider joining forces with the Illusion God Race, turning the Abyss Empire’s attack into a possible strategic opening.
  • Overconfidence and misjudgment: The Splitting Devil Overlord’s familiarity with Angel tactics may lead him to misread a deliberate trap.

Ch. 1966The Angel Empire's Counterattack

Plot points and events

  • The Angel Empire turns a long, deliberate retreat into a surprise counteroffensive after securing an alliance with the Illusion God Race, whose Five Elements Illusion Gods are on their way.
  • The Wisdom Angel Chief assigns the Might Angels to the left flank, the Power Angels to the right, and leads the War Angels himself. The Splitting Demons are caught unprepared: the Might Angel commander nearly kills their Sovereign, and the Angel forces break through and drive the enemy into retreat.
  • The Abyss Empire’s lack of rear defenses lets the Angels advance rapidly. In a year, they recover nearly all the territory they had lost over tens of thousands of years, destroying many Abyssal forces and migrant populations along the way.
  • The Primordial World declines to join the counterattack. The Demon Emperor doubts it will last and keeps his troops in place, though he sends Hongjun to explain the decision. The Wisdom Angel Chief accepts the response and focuses on the main campaign.
  • The Abyss Lord, despite hearing of the Angel front’s collapse, refuses to abandon his campaign against the Illusion God Race. The Abyssal Will also insists that the Sea of Illusion Gods must be destroyed before the Abyss Empire withdraws.

Character developments and interactions

  • The Wisdom Angel Chief begins the counteroffensive nervously, but grows confident as his plan succeeds. He and the Might and Power Angel commanders coordinate the attack.
  • The Might Angel commander shows his aggressive, strength-first outlook, arguing for all-out war rather than attrition. His immense physical power proves decisive against the Splitting Demons.
  • The Power Angel commander remains quiet and practical, concentrating on directing troops; the contrast with the outspoken Might commander highlights their different temperaments.
  • The Demon Emperor is surprised by the Angel Empire’s sudden offensive but favors caution. His refusal to assist reflects tension between the Primordial World and the Angel Empire, though he insists he was not asked for help.
  • The Abyss Lord’s anger at the Illusion God Race hardens into a determination to eliminate it before addressing the Angel counterattack.

Significant themes

  • Strategic surprise: The Abyss Empire’s assumptions, formed by the Angels’ repeated retreats, leave it vulnerable to a sudden reversal.
  • Strength versus attrition: The Might commander rejects a slow war of resources, while the successful counterattack shows the value of decisive action.
  • Alliance and distrust: The Illusion God Race aids the Angels, while the Primordial World stays out of the campaign, exposing tensions among potential allies.
  • Conflicting priorities: Even as the Angel Empire regains ground, the Abyss Lord remains fixated on destroying the Illusion God Race.

Ch. 1967The Sea of Illusion Gods Is Consumed

Key plot points and events

  • The Abyssal Devil Race consumes the Sea of Illusion Gods to destroy it. Because intelligent beings become trapped in its illusions, the abyssal will turns to mindless Ghouls, whose instincts make them resistant to the sea’s manipulation.
  • The Angel Empire recaptures its lost territory and invades the Abyss Empire. The One-Horned Devil Race takes charge of the Abyss Empire’s defenses.
  • The Wisdom Angel Chief and the One-Horned Devil Overlord, both World Kings, move their evenly matched battle beyond the heavens to avoid widespread destruction.
  • Watching the conflict, Demon Emperor Daochen arranges a limited angel attack so the Giant Mouth Overlord can withdraw without drawing suspicion. He instructs him to hold the existing defensive line rather than attack.
  • Daochen decides that understanding the abyssal will’s plans and strengthening the Primordial World matter more than continuing the war. He identifies cultivation, poison sources, biological armor, and mastery of world power as priorities.

Character developments and interactions

  • The abyssal will shows its ruthless pragmatism: it sacrifices its own forces and repurposes discarded Ghouls to achieve its goal.
  • The Wisdom Angel Chief and One-Horned Devil Overlord confront each other with mutual hostility, but their equal strength produces no clear advantage.
  • The Giant Mouth Overlord is anxious about the shifting war and his precarious position. Daochen gives him a face-saving way to retreat and a new role as an investigator.
  • Demon Emperor Daochen becomes more cautious and strategic. Recognizing that the Abyss Empire vastly outmatches the Primordial World for now, he concludes that ordinary cannon fodder cannot secure victory and that the Primordial World’s own warriors must become its main force.

Significant themes

  • Ruthless sacrifice: The abyssal will treats its subordinate races as expendable resources.
  • Strength and survival: The chapter emphasizes that battlefield numbers matter little against overwhelming power.
  • Strategic restraint: Daochen chooses to stabilize the front and gather intelligence instead of escalating a dangerous conflict.
  • Building a foundation: The Primordial World must develop its own strength before it can challenge the Abyss Empire.

Ch. 1968Changes in the Primordial World

Plot points and events

  • Demon Emperor Daochen reorganizes the Primordial World to improve its military readiness. Children of every race must attend the Primordial Academy and learn to use world power, while academies and research facilities spread throughout the world.
  • Research focuses on giving Poison Source true reproductive ability: not merely creating copies that share one mind, but producing independent individuals with their own souls. Daochen hopes they can become trusted companions to the world’s people.
  • Human Sovereign Fuxi reports that his team has acquired Fallen Angel genes, though they may carry harmful traits. Daochen orders continued efforts to obtain Angel genes and encourages combining useful abilities from many species. Fuxi also brings Splitting Demon genes for their division ability.
  • The war between the Primordial World and the Abyss Empire settles into a new pattern. With the Angel Empire attacking strongly, the Primordial World takes the lead offensively, using vast numbers of Insect Race cannon fodder to sustain the battle. The Giant Mouth Tribe consumes them for nourishment, and the Demon Emperor maintains their coordinated “performance.”
  • The Abyss Empire is weakened by internal discord and the Abyss Lord’s absence. Its races argue over who bears the fighting, while Splitting and One-Horned Demons lead the defense and others are urged to contribute.
  • At the Sea of Illusion Gods, the Abyss Lord’s crude assault proves devastating: Ghouls lure victims into the sea’s illusions, then drag them out to be consumed, draining the sea’s power. The Lord of Illusion Gods seeks Angel reinforcements and accepts subordination to the Angel Empire, including surrendering people who will effectively become slaves.
  • Facing the sea’s rapid decline, the Lord of Illusion Gods recognizes that his people’s dependence on it left them dangerously vulnerable.

Character developments and interactions

  • Daochen shows strategic patience and long-term planning, directing both military preparations and genetic research. He stresses gradual progress and encourages drawing abilities from varied races.
  • Fuxi acts as a careful researcher and adviser, reporting obstacles while proactively sourcing useful genes.
  • The Abyssal races grow resentful over unequal burdens, exposing divisions that weaken their empire.
  • The Lord of Illusion Gods shifts from seeking rescue to accepting a humiliating alliance, and reflects on his race’s past arrogance and structural weakness.
  • The Chief Power Angel negotiates the Illusion God Race’s submission, exchanging protection for control and an annual transfer of their people.

Significant themes

  • Preparation and adaptation: Daochen strengthens institutions, armies, and research rather than relying on a single solution.
  • Individuality and trust: Poison Source’s independent souls are considered essential for genuine companionship and security.
  • Dependence as vulnerability: The Illusion God Race’s reliance on one source of power becomes a fatal weakness.
  • Power and survival: The Illusion God Race accepts enslavement to avoid extinction, while the Abyss Empire’s internal divisions undermine its defense.
  • The cost of war: Cannon fodder, exploitation, and the consumption of entire populations reveal the conflict’s brutality.

Ch. 1969The Lord of Illusion Gods' Helplessness

Plot points

  • Power Angel Chief Alice arrives at the Sea of Illusion Gods with two hundred million elite Angels—far fewer than the Lord of Illusion Gods expected, given the Abyss Empire’s vastly larger forces.
  • Alice warns that the Illusion God Race may still lose its territory. She says the Angels’ limited deployment can help stabilize the defenses, but she intends to return and push the Angel Council toward an all-out war.
  • The Lord of Illusion Gods, disappointed but desperate, urges Alice to persuade the council. He argues that the Abyssal Will threatens not only his people but the entire Great Void.
  • Alice returns to the Angel Empire and calls a new council session. Its proceedings are undisclosed, though Angel envoys begin traveling frequently between the Angel and Abyss Empires.

Character developments and interactions

  • Lord of Illusion Gods is grateful for Angel support but becomes disillusioned when he learns its scale. He had expected the Angels to accept his people as vassals and commit more fully. He nevertheless presses Alice to secure decisive action.
  • Power Angel Alice wants to help the Illusion God Race and favors confronting the Abyss Empire, but she has been constrained by the Angel Council. She leaves determined to argue for escalation.
  • Wisdom Angel Ellus favors restraint and possible renewed dialogue with the Abyss Empire, while Alice supports a stronger response. Their differing strategies reflect a wider division within the Angel leadership.

Significant themes

  • Alliance and unequal expectations: The Illusion God Race needs protection and is willing to submit, but the Angels offer only limited aid, leaving the alliance uncertain.
  • Strategic division: The Angel Council is split between avoiding a costly full-scale war and eliminating the Abyss Empire before its power grows.
  • The danger of unchecked rule: The Abyssal Will’s emotional, centralized control can unite its empire, but also drive it into reckless wars.
  • War’s wider consequences: The prolonged conflict gives smaller races time and opportunity to rise, potentially altering the balance of power between the two great empires.

Ch. 1970The Demon Emperor's Wisdom

Plot points and events

  • The Giant Mouth Overlord warns Demon Emperor Daochen that the Angel Empire and Abyss Empire may negotiate peace. Daochen argues that peace would be dangerous for smaller powers: the two empires could turn on the Independent Alliance and the Primordial World once their war no longer drained their strength.
  • Daochen urges the Overlord to keep the Giant Mouth Clan from breaking away from the Abyss Empire for now. He proposes a ploy: spread the claim that the Angel King will soon return, making the abyssal will unwilling to trust peace talks.
  • The Overlord realizes Daochen does not know whether the Angel King will actually emerge. The rumor is useful because the Angel King is the only figure the abyssal will truly fears.
  • Daochen’s experiment succeeds: two self-dividing specimens have grown in culture dishes. He plans to develop them into new poison-source individuals by implanting them in ordinary people of the Primordial World.
  • After the Overlord delivers the message, the abyssal will dismisses the peace proposal and orders a stronger assault on the Sea of Illusion Gods, aiming to infect the Illusion God Race with inner demons.

Character development and interactions

  • Daochen reveals himself as a calculating strategist. He sees the ongoing war as protection for weaker factions, manipulates uncertainty about the Angel King, and remains absorbed in his research even while discussing geopolitics.
  • The Giant Mouth Overlord is cautious and practical. He wants peace and security for his people, but accepts Daochen’s reasoning and carries out the message. He also recognizes the Giant Mouth Clan’s limits: it can grow quickly, but its leaders struggle to advance.
  • The abyssal will is shown as ruthless and increasingly obsessive. Rather than negotiate, he escalates the war to eliminate the other powers capable of threatening him.

Significant themes

  • War as both danger and opportunity: conflict weakens the great empires, giving smaller races room to grow, even as it consumes the Primordial World’s resources.
  • Deception and uncertainty: Daochen turns an unverified rumor into a strategic weapon.
  • Power and vulnerability: the abyssal will’s apparent dominance is constrained by fear of the Angel King and Illusion God Lord.
  • Ambition and scientific experimentation: Daochen’s work hints at a disturbing plan to create new poison-source beings through ordinary people.

Ch. 1971The Shattering of the Angel Race's Ideal

Plot points and events

  • The Wisdom Angel Chief, Ellus, waits in vain for the Abyss Lord to answer her peace proposal. When she contacts the Fallen Angels, their Overlord dismisses the Angel chiefs as insignificant and says the Abyss Lord has no interest in talks.
  • Ellus abandons hopes of negotiation and warns Power Angel Chief Alice that the Abyss Empire intends to keep fighting. She explains that the prolonged war is draining the Angel Empire: repeated reincarnations diminish angels’ potential, and some warriors choose never to be revived.
  • Alice reassures Ellus and argues that the Abyss Empire is also stretched by fighting on many fronts. The conflict is drawing other races toward the Angel Empire, and defeating the Abyss could secure the Great Void for them.
  • The Seven Archangels meet and decide to intensify the war. The Power, Might, and Wisdom Angels will send full reinforcements, though the Angel Race keeps reserves because it fears an all-out war and does not know what forces the Abyss still has.
  • Both empires remain locked in a costly war of attrition: the angels can revive their fallen, while the Abyss can produce troops at an extraordinary rate.
  • In the Sea of Illusion Gods, the Abyss Lord orders the Inner Demon Overlord to attack the Illusion God Race. The Overlord says he has recalled and deployed all the Extraterrestrial Demons. He enters the Sea, where the Illusion Gods have already fallen into the inner demon domain without realizing it.

Character developments and interactions

  • Ellus shifts from advocating peace to supporting a stronger military response after the Abyss Lord’s contemptuous rejection. Her initial proposal came from concern about the Angel Empire’s losses and the rise of powerful outside races.
  • Alice remains composed and persuades Ellus not to blame herself, presenting the war as strategically favorable despite its cost.
  • The Abyss Lord shows contempt for negotiation and confidence in the Inner Demon Race.
  • The Inner Demon Overlord is deeply devoted to the Abyss Lord, who treats him like a favored “pet.” He eagerly accepts the order and draws strength from the Lord’s resentment.

Significant themes

  • Peace rejected, war escalated: The Abyss Lord’s refusal closes the door on diplomacy and hardens the Angel leadership’s resolve.
  • The cost of endless conflict: Angel reincarnation preserves numbers but damages individuals’ potential and morale; the Abyss’s vast production sustains its armies.
  • Power and political calculation: The Angel chiefs balance commitment to victory against the danger of exposing their full strength.
  • Invisible threats and corruption: The Inner Demon Race’s attack relies on unseen influence—the Illusion Gods are already trapped without knowing it.

Ch. 1972The Illusion God Race Fell into Utter Chaos

Key plot points

  • The Sea of Illusion Gods erupts into violent infighting as members of the Illusion God Race lose control of themselves.
  • The Lord of Illusion Gods identifies the cause as inner demons sent by the Abyss Lord. He destroys one and orders his people back to their ancestral land for an Inner Demon Trial.
  • Their retreat leaves the Sea of Illusion Gods poorly defended, allowing the Abyss Empire to seize half of it. The Abyss Lord then pauses his advance and sends Ghouls to wear down the sea itself, knowing the Illusion God Race depends on it.
  • The Lord of Illusion Gods reveals his countermeasure: releasing uncontrollable Illusion Sea Beasts. The creatures devastate the Abyssal forces, forcing the Abyss Lord to withdraw and investigate.
  • In the Primordial World, the Demon Emperor orders the Poison Source race to reproduce on a massive scale, using abundant world power. Meanwhile, experts continue training under his doppelganger.
  • The Insect Queen arrives for an interview and reminds the Demon Emperor that she had submitted her visitor request long ago.

Character developments and interactions

  • Lord of Illusion Gods: Recognizes the inner-demon attack, prioritizes his people’s mental recovery, and then turns to a ruthless gamble with the sea beasts. He is determined to defend his domain and punish the Abyss Lord.
  • Abyss Lord: Shows strategic patience by targeting the Sea of Illusion Gods rather than simply pressing forward. He is forced to retreat when the released beasts overwhelm his army.
  • Demon Emperor: Focuses on expanding the Poison Source population rather than strengthening individuals, aiming to spread Bio-Armor throughout the Primordial World.
  • Insect Queen: Reappears in a lightly comic exchange, teasing the Demon Emperor for forgetting her planned visit.

Significant themes

  • Psychological vulnerability as a weapon: Inner demons exploit hidden malice and can destabilize an entire race.
  • Risk and cost of defense: The Illusion God Lord’s trial and sea-beast strategies may protect his people, but each carries serious consequences.
  • Strategic warfare: Both leaders target what sustains the opposing side—the Abyss Lord attacks the sea, while the Illusion God Lord unleashes its dangerous inhabitants.
  • Power through scale: The Demon Emperor seeks influence through widespread reproduction and training, not merely individual strength.

Ch. 1973A New Round of Trade

Plot points and events

  • The Illusion God Race, losing ground badly to the Abyss Empire, asks the Primordial World for military support. The Dark God King approaches the Insect Queen, who brings the request to Demon Emperor Daochen.
  • Daochen is reluctant to aid the Illusion God Race because its past actions nearly destroyed the Primordial World. He also considers the Angel Empire a more dependable ally, despite recognizing that its current alliance serves its own interests.
  • The Insect Queen explains that the Illusion God Race will pay heavily for help. Daochen agrees to trade Insect Race cannon fodder and Mechanical Puppets for Illusion God Crystals, setting a price of ten crystals per puppet.
  • Desperate for a way to slow the Abyss Empire, the Illusion God Race accepts the deal. The Insect Queen returns to secluded cultivation, while the Primordial World completes the transaction.
  • The Illusion God Lord reveals that his people can fuse with the purchased beings. The process transforms an ordinary Perfect God Insect into a monstrous, intelligent warrior more powerful than a grand ancestor god.

Character developments and interactions

  • Demon Emperor Daochen remains wary and resentful of the Illusion God Race, but is willing to make a profitable, limited deal. He sees the transaction as an exchange of underused forces for valuable crystals rather than a commitment to rescue them.
  • The Insect Queen acts as a practical intermediary after being approached by the Dark God King. She understands the larger war’s stakes but does not linger over the deal, returning to cultivation once her task is complete.
  • The Illusion God Lord appears resourceful and determined: he intends to turn what others dismiss as weak cannon fodder into a means of strengthening his race.
  • Human Sovereign Fuxi helps introduce the Insect Queen, then remains present as Daochen considers her request.

Significant themes

  • Pragmatism over loyalty: Alliances are shaped by advantage and necessity, not trust or affection.
  • Survival through adaptation: The Illusion God Race responds to near-defeat by changing its own racial traits through fusion.
  • Escalating war and shifting power: As the Abyss Empire advances and the Angel Empire prepares its own offensive, desperate factions seek any means to survive.
  • Underestimated resources: Forces considered ineffective by one side may become decisive when used in an unexpected way.

Ch. 1974The transformation of the Illusion God Race

Key plot points and events

  • Facing an increasingly desperate war, the Illusion God Lord orders large numbers of his people to undergo irreversible fusion, sacrificing their ability to return to their usual illusory forms for greater combat strength. The first to fuse are lower-potential members, who will serve as the opening wave against enemy cannon fodder.
  • The Illusion God Race fuses not only with Insect Race forces but also with Perfect God Mechanical Puppets. The resulting puppets gain intelligence, improved combat awareness, and roughly Grand Ancestor God-level strength.
  • The Illusion God Lord recognizes that the Independent Alliance’s involvement helped draw the Illusion God Race and Abyss Empire into the war, but sees the deeper cause as his past role in the attempt to destroy the Abyssal Will. He believes the conflict can end only with his own death or the Abyssal Will’s destruction.
  • Meanwhile, Wisdom Angel Chief Ellus rallies the Angel Army, declaring that the Angel Empire will not be intimidated into peace. She leads a massive assault on the Abyss Empire.
  • Splitting Devil Overlord, already uneasy, discovers the Angel forces approaching in overwhelming numbers. Ellus’s sacred sword effortlessly dissolves the defenses of Demon-Hunting City, and the Angels storm the city.
  • The attack catches the Abyss Empire off guard. The Splitting Devil Overlord flees rather than face the Angels, while multiple cities are breached in the sudden offensive.

Character developments and interactions

  • Illusion God Lord accepts a drastic, irreversible measure to protect his people, showing how severely the war has weakened their position. He also acknowledges his personal responsibility for the conflict.
  • Ellus shifts from rallying her troops with defiant speeches to personally leading them into battle. Her prayer and effortless destruction of the city barrier demonstrate her formidable power.
  • Splitting Devil Overlord is characterized by caution, but the scale and force of the Angel assault overwhelm him; for the first time, he abandons resistance and runs.
  • The Angel troops respond to Ellus with fervent loyalty, answering her call with battle cries and following her into the city.

Significant themes

  • Sacrifice and irreversible choices: The Illusion God Race gives up a defining ability to survive the war.
  • Escalation and responsibility: Past actions have consequences, and the conflict now demands a decisive outcome.
  • The cost of underestimating an enemy: The Abyss Empire’s confidence and prepared defenses prove useless against the Angels’ sudden, overwhelming assault.
  • Righteous conviction and wartime fervor: Ellus inspires her forces by framing the battle as a defense of the Angel Empire’s dignity and resolve.

Ch. 1975Launching the War

Key plot points and events

  • The Angel Race orders Demon Emperor Daochen’s Independent Alliance to attack the Abyss Empire immediately, targeting the Giant Mouth Clan’s defensive sector. Daochen agrees to send troops within three days, despite being caught off guard and lacking time to prepare.
  • Daochen organizes the campaign: he asks Chi You to identify the other participating races, has Fuxi assemble puppet and Insect Race forces, and asks Qingchan to warn the Giant Mouth Overlord to prepare for a future withdrawal.
  • The Angel Empire also mobilizes its subordinate races, including the Insect Race and Dark God Clan. At a council meeting, the Angels decide not to divert their own troops to suppress rebellions among minor races. Instead, they create regional law-enforcement forces from subordinate races: the Independent Alliance in the west, Dark God Clan in the south, and Golden Squid Race in the east.
  • Three days later, Fuxi leads puppet and Insect Race troops into battle against the Giant Mouth Clan. The fighting is planned as a prolonged war of attrition; the Giant Mouth Clan is eventually meant to withdraw gradually while appearing weakened.
  • Once the campaign is underway, Daochen leaves battlefield management to others and returns to researching Poison Source.

Character developments and interactions

  • Daochen is reluctant but politically compelled to follow the Angel Race’s orders. He acts pragmatically, preparing both for the attack and for the Giant Mouth Clan’s eventual retreat.
  • Fuxi takes command of the advance and carries out the attrition strategy without concern for the heavy losses among the puppet forces.
  • Qingchan is tasked with communicating directly with the Giant Mouth Overlord, linking the alliance’s military plan to the intended withdrawal.
  • The Wisdom Angel envoy delivers the Angel Chief’s urgent order and insists that there is no need to wait for preparations, citing Chief Ellus’s intervention and the Abyss Empire’s weakened state.
  • The Seraph Chief argues against diverting Angel troops from the main war and quietly supports using the Independent Alliance in the west, protecting Daochen’s alliance. The other Angel Chiefs recognize his personal interest but accept the proposal.

Significant themes

  • Power and coercion: The subordinate races have little freedom to refuse the Angel Empire’s demands.
  • Political maneuvering: Military deployments and law-enforcement assignments serve strategic and personal interests as well as practical needs.
  • Sacrifice and attrition: Puppet and Insect forces are treated as expendable in a long-term plan.
  • Managing instability during war: The Angel Empire seeks to contain rebellions without weakening its main front, delegating internal control to subordinate races.

Ch. 1976Law Enforcement Bureau

Key plot points and events

  • The Angel Empire appoints Demon Emperor Daochen, leader of the Independent Alliance, as director of a new Western Law Enforcement Bureau. Its mission is to suppress rebellious newly emerged races and restore order in the west.
  • The Wisdom Angel envoy, Ailin, reveals she will work alongside Daochen. She explains that the bureau must recruit representatives from western races, while the Independent Alliance remains its main military force.
  • Daochen asks what support the Angel Empire will provide and tries to protect his alliance from being overburdened. Ailin insists its hundred million elite Angel troops are sufficient for western pacification, while also demanding a stronger northern offensive.
  • Daochen offers Ailin his Mechanical Puppets and Insect Race troops, along with replacements, and leaves most bureau operations in her hands. He contributes only a small contingent of his own people.

Character developments and interactions

  • Daochen presents himself as cooperative but carefully avoids committing his core forces. He recognizes that the Angel Empire intends to limit his independent authority, yet turns the arrangement to his advantage by shifting the bureau’s costs and responsibilities to Ailin.
  • Ailin is far more conciliatory than on her previous visit, but is ambitious and eager for power. Daochen realizes she wants control of the bureau, and he gives it to her.
  • Their exchange is polite but strategic: Ailin secures influence for the Angel Empire, while Daochen gains a way to manage the western crisis without sacrificing his most valuable troops.

Significant themes

  • Power and control: The Angel Empire delegates enforcement to subordinate races but ensures it retains influence over the operation.
  • Political maneuvering: Daochen and Ailin each use cooperation to pursue their own interests.
  • Resource management: Daochen protects his forces and balances the western assignment against the ongoing northern war.
  • Imperial dependence: The Angel Empire needs allied troops but fears those allies becoming stronger through the conflict.

Ch. 1977The Establishment of the Law Enforcement Bureau

Plot points and events

  • The Law Enforcement Bureau is founded in a grand ceremony attended by the Angel Alliance’s races, the Independent Alliance, and the powerful Five Elements God Clan.
  • Eileen calls on every race to contribute elite troops, framing the bureau as the force that will protect the alliance and suppress the rebellion in the West. The Demon Emperor publicly pledges the Independent Alliance’s support, while the Five Elements God Clan and other races promise troops on varying schedules.
  • Within a month, the bureau has amassed an enormous force, including Insect Race troops and puppets. Meanwhile, the western rebellion escalates: rebels destroy emerging races, consume their worlds for power, and begin attacking beyond those targets.
  • Eileen orders three campaigns: the Wisdom Race and puppet army against the Demon Scorpion Clan; the Five Elements God Clan against the Demon Dragon Clan; and Eileen herself, leading the Insect Race, against the Mingling Clan. She demands total destruction and no prisoners.
  • In the Primordial World, the Demon Emperor approves of Eileen’s actions but keeps his own forces out of the conflict. He orders everyone to intensify cultivation so the Primordial World can eventually contend with the Two Great Empires.

Character developments and interactions

  • Eileen demonstrates growing authority and strategic confidence, securing troop commitments and directing simultaneous campaigns. Her orders reveal a ruthless approach to rebellion.
  • The Demon Emperor acts as a conspicuous supporter at the founding ceremony, coordinating publicly with Eileen. Privately, however, he maintains his policy of neutrality and focuses on strengthening the Primordial World.
  • The Five Elements God Clan’s Fire God King shows support while negotiating time to mobilize. The clan’s unusual ability to pass strength down after death helps explain its formidable status.

Significant themes

  • Power and legitimacy: The bureau’s authority depends on the races’ cooperation and its ability to enforce order.
  • Escalation and resource hunger: The rebels’ gains from consuming other worlds fuel further aggression.
  • Pragmatic alliances: The Demon Emperor supports Eileen’s institution without committing his own forces to her wars.
  • Preparation and discipline: While the bureau mobilizes for battle, the Primordial World pursues strength through strict, relentless cultivation.

Ch. 1978The Changes in the Illusion God Race

Plot points and events

  • The Angel Empire continues its rapid invasion of the Abyss Empire, but its advance creates a hidden weakness: each captured region needs troops to garrison it, gradually thinning the invading army. Ellus, the Wisdom Angel, fails to notice the problem and remains pleased with the gains.
  • The Abyss Empire, caught unprepared, holds its defenses while awaiting the Abyss Lord. Once he returns, he orders more troops committed against the Illusion God Race, whose attacks have pushed the war to a fever pitch.
  • The Illusion God Race’s Sea Beasts and Insect-based Fusion Beasts assault the Abyss Empire on multiple fronts. The Abyss Lord finds the Fusion Beasts especially difficult to counter. The Inner Demon Race, meanwhile, has been routed; after learning to resist inner-demon attacks, its usefulness has declined.
  • The Illusion God Lord tells Alice that his people can no longer sustain the war: more than half their strength is gone, and the Sea of Illusion Gods has shrunk by nearly a third. He now aims not to destroy the whole Abyss Empire, but to eliminate the Abyssal Will.
  • Alice acknowledges the opportunity and promises to seek Angel reinforcements, while privately recognizing that the Angel Empire may also want to exploit the conflict to seize more Abyssal territory.

Character developments and interactions

  • The Abyss Lord has become more sober and urgent since taking personal responsibility for the war. He orders heavier commitment of troops and recognizes the threat posed by the Illusion God Race.
  • The Illusion God Lord shifts from confidence in his race’s standing to a painful acceptance of its weakness. Despite the cost, he is willing to risk his people’s lives to pin down the Abyss Lord and Abyssal Will.
  • Alice is torn between guilt over failing to secure earlier support for the Illusion God Race and her duty to the Angel Empire. She offers to petition the Angel chiefs, but also sees how the war might benefit her own side.
  • The Illusion God Lord appeals directly to Alice’s influence, offering to stake everything if the Angel Empire sends more troops. Alice responds cautiously, promising both to consult the other chiefs and, at minimum, to bring some reinforcements.

Significant themes

  • The cost of expansion: The Angel Empire’s territorial gains weaken its forces by stretching them across conquered lands.
  • Misjudged strength and changing fortunes: The Illusion God Lord’s former confidence gives way to an awareness of the vast gap between his race and the two great empires.
  • Alliance versus self-interest: The Angel Empire’s support is limited by its own ambitions, even as the Illusion God Race faces possible destruction.
  • War’s escalating sacrifice: With both sides under severe pressure, victory increasingly depends on committing more troops—and accepting potentially catastrophic losses.

Ch. 1979Awakening the Angel King

Plot points

  • After returning from the Sea of Illusion Gods, Power Angel Alice briefs the Angel Chiefs. She reports that the Illusion God Lord is risking everything to hold back the Abyssal Will, but the Chiefs hesitate to commit: battlefield illusions could mislead them, the Abyssal Devil Race has used only a third of its forces, and stronger attacks might provoke a wider war.
  • Alice still feels obliged to send some help after promising the Illusion God Lord. She asks the elite Lord Angels to join the fight.
  • The Lord Angel Chief agrees that the Lord Angels should enter the war, but says they will attack the Abyss Empire on their own terms rather than act specifically to support the Illusion God Race. He reveals that he wants to awaken the Angel King.
  • Alice warns that the king is domineering and that reviving his authority could undo the Angel Empire’s current progress. She leaves without visiting the Throne Angels, as suggested, and instead consults Wisdom Angel Chief Ellus.
  • Ellus agrees that the king should not be awakened—but proposes telling him that the Angel Empire is thriving, expecting his pride to make him stay in seclusion.

Character developments and interactions

  • Alice becomes wary of the Lord Angel Chief’s plan. Her concern is partly political: she and Ellus gained power after the upheaval that led to the king’s withdrawal, and she fears losing it.
  • The Lord Angel Chief shows continued loyalty to the Angel King and dissatisfaction with the current leadership, though he presents his wish to awaken the king as a tentative idea.
  • Ellus shares Alice’s opposition to the king’s return but relies on a calculated appeal to his vanity rather than confronting him directly.
  • The exchange between Alice and the Lord Angel Chief exposes a divide within the angel leadership; Alice and Ellus’s discussion shows that even allies may differ over how to manage the king.

Significant themes

  • Caution and uncertainty in war: Illusions, incomplete intelligence, and the risk of escalation make decisive action difficult.
  • Power and leadership: The angels debate whether an authoritarian but powerful king would help or destabilize the empire.
  • Political self-interest: Alice’s concern for the empire is entwined with her own position and the authority she shares with Ellus.
  • Manipulation and pride: Ellus hopes to influence the king by telling him the empire is succeeding without him.

Ch. 1980The Throne Angel's Kindness

Key plot points and events

  • Alice and the Wisdom Angel discuss the Angel King’s likely reaction to news of the Angel Race’s situation. They believe his former tyranny and arrogance make him unlikely to return unless the race faces imminent extinction.
  • They decide to keep seeking allies while discreetly mentioning the Lord Angel’s plan to rescue the Angel King. They expect most Angels to oppose bringing him back.
  • Alice visits the Throne Angel Chief, who already knows she is coming and agrees to send Throne Angel forces.
  • The Chief argues that the Angel King should be left alone to cultivate and perhaps change his character. Alice agrees outwardly, though she is mainly pleased that the Throne Angels will provide support.
  • The Chief criticizes the Angel Race’s ambition to dominate the Great Void, but accepts that its leaders are unlikely to abandon that inherited obsession.

Character developments and interactions

  • Alice shows political pragmatism: she accepts the Throne Angel Chief’s reasoning because securing military aid matters more than sharing his ideals.
  • The Wisdom Angel understands how the Angel King’s personality developed and helps shape a cautious strategy around it.
  • The Throne Angel Chief emerges as thoughtful and peace-oriented. He values personal cultivation and a meaningful life over conquest, yet recognizes he cannot easily change the race’s shared ambitions.
  • Alice and the Chief speak cordially, but their agreement is largely practical rather than ideological.

Significant themes

  • Leadership and tyranny: The Angel King’s past dominance explains both others’ fear of him and their reluctance to restore his authority.
  • Ambition versus contentment: The Throne Angel Chief questions the race’s drive for domination, contrasting it with cultivation and individual fulfillment.
  • Inherited collective beliefs: The Angel Race’s expansionist ambition is portrayed as deeply ingrained, difficult to overcome even when it harms the race’s potential.
  • Politics and compromise: Alice gains support by finding common ground, even when her motives differ from the ally’s.
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