Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Duan Fei uses a self-injury curse ritual to inflict matching wounds on Iris. His immortal body lets him repeatedly stab himself without dying, and he takes unnerving pleasure in the pain.
• Iris initially survives because she is a powerful fifth-tier vampire, but Duan Fei keeps injuring his vital organs until she dies. Zhao Qiu is disturbed by Duan Fei’s brutal fighting style.
• Four vampires notice their captain’s death and attack Zhou Fan. Once Duan Fei and Zhao Qiu’s fight is over, Zhou Fan reveals his immense strength, summoning a Susanoo that easily overwhelms them.
• The vampires fuse their bodies and energy into a powerful giant. Lin Qianqian arrives and destroys it with a swarm of explosive tags, accidentally eliminating the last apparent source of information.
• Zhou Fan teases Lin Qianqian for ruining the chance to capture a vampire. A voice from the darkness then claims they still have another chance.

Character developments and interactions

• Duan Fei shows how his immortality shapes his combat style: he willingly endures extreme injury and enjoys the pain. His gruesome method unsettles Zhao Qiu.
• Zhao Qiu and Duan Fei share a brief exchange in which Zhao Qiu urges him to fight less painfully, while Duan Fei explains his masochistic pleasure.
• Zhou Fan proves he had been holding back against the four vampires and confidently treats them as no real threat. He had also been monitoring Iris’s fight, prepared to protect Zhao Qiu.
• Lin Qianqian demonstrates quick combat instincts by joining the battle and destroying the fused vampire, though Zhou Fan jokes that she has cost them a chance to interrogate him.
• The new, unseen speaker introduces a fresh mystery and suggests the group may still obtain information.

Significant themes

• Pain, immortality, and brutality: Duan Fei’s ability to survive turns self-harm into a weapon, but his delight in suffering makes victory disturbing rather than heroic.
• Hidden strength and arrogance: Zhou Fan’s reveal shifts the power balance, and his “adult and children” taunt humiliates the vampires.
• Teamwork and miscommunication: The fighters’ separate efforts help defeat the vampires, but Lin Qianqian’s well-meant intervention clashes with Zhou Fan’s plan to capture one alive.
• Unresolved danger: The final voice implies that the confrontation—and the search for answers—is not over.

Plot points and events

• Zhou Fan and his companions are confronted by Raymond Russell, a vampire earl, and four fourth-tier, five-star personal guards.
• Lin Qianqian explains the vampires’ noble hierarchy and its connection to cultivation and royal blood. Although Raymond is only fifth tier, one star, his royal bloodline makes him far stronger than an ordinary vampire of the same rank.
• Raymond recognizes the group as the people who killed Osborn. He threatens to kill them and return their bodies to Xinghai University.
• After noticing Lin Qianqian’s rare, high-quality blood, Raymond becomes fixated on capturing her alive and draining her blood.
• Raymond orders his guards to seize Lin Qianqian and kill the others. Zhou Fan calmly prepares to face them.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Qianqian displays detailed knowledge of vampire customs and hierarchy. She is disgusted by Raymond’s predatory interest in her.
• Zhou Fan remains composed and unimpressed by Raymond’s title, focusing instead on the threat posed by his guards.
• Zhao Qiu angrily objects to Raymond’s remarks about Lin Qianqian and challenges him.
• Raymond presents himself with polished elegance, but his fixation on Lin Qianqian and threats reveal his arrogance and cruelty. He treats the group’s defeat as certain.
• The four personal guards obey Raymond without hesitation, contrasting with the earlier vampire squad.

Significant themes

• Bloodline and status: Vampire rank depends not only on cultivation but also on the purity of one’s royal blood.
• Predation and objectification: Raymond sees Lin Qianqian as a valuable source of blood rather than as a person.
• Arrogance versus resolve: Raymond assumes his rank and numbers guarantee victory, while Zhou Fan refuses to be intimidated.
• Escalating danger: The arrival of a disciplined personal guard signals a more serious confrontation than the group’s previous battle.

Plot points and events

• Four Vampire guards charge Zhou Fan’s group, expecting one-on-one fights. Lin Qianqian instead intercepts all four and tells Zhou, Zhao Qiu, and Duan Fei to focus on Raymond.
• Lin uses her Paper Element Superpower to imbue paper with five elements—wind, lightning, fire, earth, and water—shifting attacks to keep the guards off balance. She can replenish her paper by drawing on ambient spiritual energy, conserving her own.
• The guards adapt and launch coordinated attacks. Lin’s paper defenses appear to fail when the scythe-wielder cuts through her, but she has turned her body into paper. The paper wraps around him as explosive tags; Lin detonates them and kills him.
• Zhao Qiu and Duan Fei watch, realizing Lin is handling the guards without their help.
• Meanwhile, Zhou confronts Raymond alone. Zhou’s Sharingan reveals Raymond is a fifth-tier, three-star Vampire, stronger in spiritual energy than the four guards combined. Raymond suggests Zhou should first defeat the guards with his allies, confident Zhou cannot beat him alone.
• Zhou accepts the challenge, activating his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, Susanoo armor, Sage Mode, and the Star Shatter Halberd’s “Peerless” ability. The chapter ends as the duel is about to begin.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Qianqian demonstrates remarkable versatility and composure, proving that her third-tier, five-star rank understates her combat ability. She takes pride in getting her chance to shine and decisively outsmarts the guards.
• Zhou Fan trusts Lin’s strength rather than questioning her ability, while choosing to face Raymond himself. His confidence is matched by his preparation.
• Zhao Qiu and Duan Fei offer to support Lin, but her dominance leaves them as spectators. Duan praises her as the group’s deputy leader.
• Raymond displays condescending confidence, giving Zhou tactical advice because he assumes Zhou is outmatched.

Significant themes

• Strength beyond rank: Lin’s abilities far exceed what her tier would suggest.
• Versatility and strategy: Changing elemental attacks, defensive paper techniques, and a concealed explosive counter let Lin overcome stronger opponents.
• Trust and leadership: Zhou delegates according to his teammates’ strengths, while Lin asserts her own place in the group.
• Pride and underestimation: The guards and Raymond misjudge their opponents, creating openings for Lin—and setting up Zhou’s confrontation.

Key plot points and events

• Zhou Fan stacks Susanoo armor, Sage Mode, and Peerless, dramatically raising his cultivation from third tier, five stars to fourth tier, four stars.
• Raymond, a much faster and stronger fifth-tier vampire, admires Zhou Fan’s power and wants to drain his blood to steal it.
• Zhou Fan attacks with his halberd, but Raymond repeatedly dodges and counters. Zhou Fan’s Sharingan can track Raymond, though his body cannot match the vampire’s speed.
• Zhou Fan provokes Raymond, who admits he has been holding back and then attacks in earnest.
• Zhou Fan uses Amaterasu, deliberately letting Raymond cut through his Susanoo so the black flames will catch on him. Raymond suffers, but sheds an outer layer of skin to escape them.
• Recognizing that direct combat is ineffective, Zhou Fan scatters kunai around the battlefield. When Raymond charges to deliver a killing blow, Zhou Fan flicks one kunai past him—and vanishes just before Raymond’s claws reach his heart.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Fan remains composed and taunts Raymond despite being outmatched physically. He adapts from direct attacks to a tactical setup, showing that he relies on strategy as well as power.
• Raymond shifts from amused confidence to anger after Zhou Fan’s Amaterasu forces him to shed skin. He stops playing with his opponent and commits to killing him quickly.
• Their exchange is a contest of speed, perception, and composure: Raymond dominates in raw physical ability, while Zhou Fan uses his eyes, unusual techniques, and provocation to create openings.

Significant themes

• Strength has limits: A major power boost does not erase the gap in speed and experience.
• Adaptability and strategy: Zhou Fan compensates for inferior physical speed by exploiting unusual abilities and preparing the battlefield.
• Pride and provocation: Zhou Fan’s insults unsettle Raymond and help push him into acting rashly.
• Power as a prize: Raymond’s desire to steal Zhou Fan’s ability makes their fight both a struggle for survival and a battle over Zhou Fan’s rare power.

Plot and key events

• Zhou Fan turns the speed-focused Raymond’s advantage against him with Flying Thunder God teleportation. He dodges Raymond’s nearly fatal strike, appears behind him, and lands a Rasengan.
• Raymond survives but is badly injured. Zhou Fan reveals the tactical edge behind his attacks: a Flying Thunder God mark was left on Raymond, letting him teleport directly to his opponent.
• Zhou Fan then uses a much larger Rasengan at point-blank range, blasting Raymond through multiple walls.
• Elsewhere, Lin Qianqian continues fighting four Vampires. She blocks their initial attacks with Paper-Style Guard, escapes their powerful blood net by detonating thousands of Explosive Tags, and faces a combined Blood Bat attack that pierces her defenses.
• The chapter ends as Lin calmly activates Angel Shield against the incoming attack.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Fan demonstrates that he can match or surpass Raymond’s speed through strategy and teleportation rather than ordinary movement. He uses the Rasengan as an instant attack suited to Flying Thunder God, despite usually preferring more overwhelming techniques.
• Raymond shifts from confidence to confusion, humiliation, and fury after Zhou repeatedly outmaneuvers him. He can no longer keep pace with Zhou’s teleportation.
• Lin Qianqian shows composure and resourcefulness while fighting multiple opponents. She adapts her paper techniques to counter their attacks and escapes the blood net, though the Vampires’ secret combined technique forces her to rely on Angel Shield.
• The Vampires coordinate their attacks: two create the blood net, while the whip- and scythe-wielders later combine their power into the Blood Bat.

Significant themes

• Strategy over raw ability: Zhou wins the speed contest by exploiting teleportation and a hidden mark.
• Adaptability under pressure: Both Zhou and Lin choose techniques suited to their opponents’ strengths.
• Confidence challenged: Raymond’s belief that he is unbeatable in speed collapses when confronted with Zhou’s tactics.

Plot and events

• Lin Qianqian blocks the four elite vampires’ combined ultimate attack with her Angel Shield, then uses her paper techniques to surround them.
• Her Sealing Tags absorb the vampires’ attacks. She converts the captured energy into more tags, turns them into Explosive Tags, and multiplies them into 20,000.
• The ensuing barrage lasts nearly five minutes and kills all four guards, who lack the tier-four skill Blood Source Rebirth.
• As Zhou Fan fights Raymond, he notices the explosions and realizes Lin’s group has defeated the guards. Raymond is rattled by the loss.
• Zhou uses a Flying Thunder God Mark to teleport to Raymond and strikes him with Sage Art: Massive Twin Rasengans, shattering much of his blood-red armor despite Raymond’s improved defenses.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Qianqian proves to be an exceptionally powerful fighter, combining overwhelming offense with layered defenses and sealing abilities. She treats the vampires’ attacks as a source of energy and ammunition.
• Duan Fei praises Lin’s strength, while Zhao Qiu notes that Zhou Fan could withstand her explosive barrage. The group admires both fighters and regards Zhou as the only one stronger than Lin.
• Raymond becomes increasingly anxious as his guards fall and he remains on the defensive against Zhou.
• Zhou Fan stays composed, using the change in the battle to press his advantage.

Significant themes

• Versatility and preparation: Lin’s mix of offensive, defensive, and sealing techniques lets her counter many kinds of attacks.
• Turning an enemy’s strength against them: The vampires’ assaults supply the energy Lin needs to defeat them.
• Power and loyalty: The group’s admiration for Lin and Zhou reinforces their standing as formidable allies, while the guards’ defeat further isolates Raymond.

Plot points

• Raymond, a vampire Earl, is badly injured by Zhou Fan’s repeated attacks but uses his vampiric healing to keep fighting.
• He deduces that Zhou Fan’s Flying Thunder God Technique relies on a spatial mark placed on him. When Zhou Fan tries another surprise attack, Raymond anticipates it and forces him to retreat.
• Zhou Fan reveals that Raymond has already used Blood Source Rebirth, a vampire ability that restores the user after a fatal injury. Raymond confirms this but claims the first use has not weakened him.
• Raymond activates his vampire true form, boosting his speed, strength, and defense. He and Zhou Fan trade rapid attacks, but neither can land a blow.
• Raymond changes tactics and casts Blood Source: Heavenly Net, a vast, razor-sharp blood net that covers the battlefield, including Zhou Fan’s allies. Lin Qianqian’s Explosive Tags fail to break it.
• Rather than block the attack with Susanoo, Zhou Fan uses Flying Thunder God to reach Lin Qianqian, Zhao Qiu, and Duan Fei, then teleports all four of them away.

Character developments and interactions

• Raymond proves perceptive and analytical by figuring out the mark behind Zhou Fan’s technique. His confidence rises once he can anticipate the attacks, and he threatens to take Zhou Fan’s eyes.
• Zhou Fan remains calm and tactical, exploiting his Sharingan to see through Raymond’s hidden rebirth and prioritizing his allies’ safety when they are threatened.
• Lin Qianqian responds quickly with her Paper Explosion Technique, but discovers that Raymond’s net is too powerful to break.
• Zhao Qiu warns Zhou Fan about the incoming danger, while Duan Fei is also caught in the net’s range.

Significant themes

• Knowledge and adaptation: Raymond’s breakthrough in understanding Zhou Fan’s ability shifts the fight, while Zhou Fan counters by recognizing Raymond’s concealed rebirth.
• Power versus strategy: Raw speed and strength do not guarantee victory; both fighters adjust their tactics as the battle evolves.
• Protection and teamwork: Zhou Fan’s decisive move is to rescue his companions rather than focus solely on defeating Raymond.

Plot points and events

• Raymond unleashes a vast, razor-sharp blood net, intending to cover every known Flying Thunder God marker and cut off Zhou Fan’s escape routes. Zhou Fan nevertheless teleports his companions to a marker he had planted outside Ashen City.
• Although Duan Fei worries that fleeing will let the remaining Vampire spy escape, Zhou Fan decides to return rather than abandon the mission.
• Outside the city, Zhou Fan prepares an overwhelming attack: he summons a Wood Golem and Wood Dragon, armors them with Susanoo, and draws power from Shukaku and Matatabi. He then teleports the entire construct back to the Abandoned Factory.
• Raymond, believing Zhou Fan has fled, is caught off guard. Zhou Fan’s Star Shatter Halberd smashes through Raymond’s Vampire True Form and drives him into the ground.
• The strike opens a vast ravine, sends groundwater and magma surging upward, shakes Ashen City, and begins a crack that stretches across the city.

Character developments

• Zhou Fan shows tactical caution by retreating from an attack he cannot safely block, then returning with a carefully prepared counterattack. He is willing to use immense force to finish the fight.
• Raymond shifts from confident anger at Zhou Fan’s escape to shock and desperation when Zhou Fan reappears with vastly greater power.
• Shukaku and Matatabi readily lend Zhou Fan their strength. Zhao Qiu and Duan Fei remain anxious about the scale and potential consequences of his attacks; Lin Qianqian is eager to fight.

Significant themes

• Strategy over pride: Zhou Fan chooses escape when necessary, then uses teleportation to turn retreat into an advantage.
• Escalating power and spectacle: The combined Wood Golem, Susanoo, Wood Dragon, tailed-beast energy, and halberd demonstrate the extraordinary scale of Zhou Fan’s abilities.
• Collateral danger: Zhou Fan’s attack threatens the whole city, raising the question of the consequences of overwhelming force.

Character interactions

• Zhao Qiu and Duan Fei question whether the group should flee; Zhou Fan insists on returning, while Lin Qianqian offers to attack.
• Zhou reassures his companions that Raymond has not followed them, though his preparations alarm them.
• Shukaku and Matatabi cooperate with Zhou Fan, while Raymond’s threats and assumptions are overturned when Zhou suddenly appears behind him.

Plot points and events

• Zhou Fan’s Susanoo splits Ashen City in two while fighting the vampire Raymond, triggering panic across the city and earning Zhou a huge number of emotion points.
• Unsure whether Raymond is truly dead, Zhou Fan strikes the chasm five more times before teleporting away. He meets Zhao Qiu, Lin Qianqian, and Duan Fei outside the city; they confirm the mission is over and joke about the Esper Bureau’s absence.
• Raymond survives by preserving some of his blood-source power and delaying his resurrection. He decides to report Zhou Fan’s strength to his country and propose a plan to eliminate him before he grows stronger.
• Before Raymond can leave, She Wan appears and says he needs powerful, unusual test subjects for an experiment. He attacks Raymond, intending to use him.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Fan remains immensely powerful but is casually embarrassed by the citywide destruction. He briefly considers exploiting similar destruction for emotion points, then rejects the idea.
• Zhao Qiu recognizes Zhou’s handiwork and teases him about the devastation; the group also complains that the Esper Bureau left them to do the work.
• Raymond shifts from dismissing Zhou to viewing him as a major threat, and resolves to have him assassinated.
• She Wan emerges as a new danger, targeting the weakened Raymond for his experiment.

Significant themes

• Power and unintended consequences: Zhou’s overwhelming strength completes the mission but causes massive collateral damage.
• Escalating rivalry: Zhou’s talent draws the attention of hostile forces, who see his potential growth as a threat.
• Survival and opportunism: Raymond survives through cunning, only to become vulnerable to She Wan’s schemes.

Key plot points and events

• She Wan ambushes the weakened vampire Earl Raymond, bites him, and immobilizes him with a newly developed Cursed Seal. Raymond’s earlier fight with Zhou Fan has left him too exhausted to resist.
• She Wan swallows Raymond with a giant snake, intending to study vampire biology and gain their abilities. His larger goal is still to obtain Zhou Fan’s body and Sharingan, but he plans to grow stronger first.
• Zhou Fan’s group meets Captain Qian and four other Esper Bureau agents in Ashen City. Qian is shocked to learn that Zhou Fan has already fought and defeated the vampire spies—and accidentally split the city with his power.
• Since the Bureau arrives after the battle, its agents take responsibility for collecting the vampire spies’ bodies as evidence. Zhou Fan’s group decides to eat, explore, and shop before returning.

Character developments

• She Wan reveals himself as a patient but ruthless researcher: he avoids confronting Zhou Fan directly and targets Raymond as a valuable substitute test subject.
• Raymond is dangerous but vulnerable after overexerting himself against Zhou Fan; his anger and threats cannot overcome She Wan’s seal.
• Zhou Fan and his companions demonstrate striking speed and combat ability, completing a mission that was meant to take days.
• Captain Qian is bewildered by the group’s effectiveness and the scale of Zhou Fan’s destruction.

Significant themes

• Ambition and obsession: She Wan’s research is driven by his desire to acquire powerful abilities and ultimately take Zhou Fan’s Sharingan.
• Power has limits: Raymond’s strength cannot compensate for exhaustion, while She Wan wins through preparation and a specialized technique.
• Comic contrast between expectations and reality: The Bureau expects a lengthy intelligence mission, but the students resolve it almost immediately—and treat the aftermath as an opportunity for a meal and sightseeing.

Character interactions

• She Wan taunts Raymond while explaining the Cursed Seal and his plans, turning Raymond’s defeat into a research opportunity.
• Zhou Fan’s group bluntly tells Captain Qian that the vampire spies are already dead; Zhao Qiu’s sarcastic remarks show lingering resentment at the Bureau’s late arrival.
• Captain Qian questions Zhou Fan’s account of splitting Ashen City, while Zhou Fan casually describes it as using “a little too much force.”
• Zhou Fan’s group declines to leave immediately, prioritizing food and exploring the city after a long day.

Plot and events

• After splitting Ashen City in two during their mission, Zhou Fan and his teammates recover at a restaurant, where they devour two rounds of nearly ten dishes each.
• Lin Qianqian urges the exhausted group to leave before it gets too late. Outside, they are surrounded by Bald Third and members of the Blood Hand Society.
• Bald Third, whom Lin had previously injured with an Explosive Tag after he harassed her, seeks revenge and threatens to take her. His brother, Ding Hao, the Society’s leader, demands that Lin stay while the three boys leave their genitals behind—or die.
• Zhou Fan and his friends reject the demand. When Ding Hao prepares to attack, Zhou identifies them as Xinghai University students on a mission and warns that the university and its principal will retaliate. Ding Hao orders his men to hold back.

Character developments and interactions

• The group’s enormous appetites reflect how much energy they have spent; Zhao Qiu and Duan Fei are especially ravenous, while Lin remains comparatively composed.
• Zhou Fan steps between Lin and Bald Third, protecting her and answering the threats with jokes and defiance. Zhao Qiu backs him up with mock concern about “positive values.”
• Lin is the practical one, pushing the others to stop lounging and get on the road.
• Bald Third is consumed by revenge and fixated on Lin; Ding Hao uses his authority to threaten the group but hesitates when he learns their institutional ties.

Significant themes

• Survival and pragmatism: Ashen City’s residents largely mind their own business, and the group treats the upheaval as part of life in a dangerous place.
• Loyalty and protection: Zhou Fan stands up for Lin, while the team faces the threat together.
• Power and connections: The immediate standoff shifts when Zhou invokes Xinghai University, showing that reputation and powerful affiliations can deter violence.
• Comic contrast: The gang’s crude threats clash with the group’s matter-of-fact, joking responses.

Key plot points and events

• Zhao Qiu reveals that he and his companions are students from Xinghai University, hoping the school’s reputation will deter the Blood Hand Society. The crowd and some gang members become cautious, since the university could target the Society even if it has no formal authority in Ashen City.
• The tactic backfires when Society leader Ding Hao reveals a personal grudge: a Xinghai University Executor killed his younger brother, and the university’s principal caused his parents’ deaths. He vows to kill the students and then Xi Yan.
• Ding Hao, a fourth-tier, five-star powerhouse, attacks Zhou Fan with his Clear Wind Exploding Fist. Zhou blocks the punch with the Uchiha Gunbai, absorbing its compressed force and reflecting it back with Uchiha Reflection, sending Ding Hao flying.
• Rather than risk another direct exchange, Ding Hao orders his dozen-plus subordinates to attack. Lin Qianqian counters with Paper Blizzard: Splendid Bloom, cutting down the attackers, then uses explosive tags against Ding Hao and Bald Third.
• Ding Hao’s Whirlwind Shield is overwhelmed by the blasts. Bald Third, already in a wheelchair, panics and tries to flee; several explosive tags stick to him and detonate.

Character developments

• Zhao Qiu briefly enjoys the prestige of invoking his university, then realizes that doing so has exposed the group to an enemy.
• Zhou Fan responds calmly and effectively in combat, using the Gunbai to turn Ding Hao’s own strength against him.
• Ding Hao is revealed as a powerful but deeply vengeful antagonist. After his first attack is reflected, he preserves his pride by sending his subordinates into battle instead.
• Lin Qianqian demonstrates decisive, wide-ranging combat ability, quickly neutralizing the gang’s attackers and pressuring its leaders.

Significant themes

• Reputation and unintended consequences: A powerful affiliation can intimidate others, but it can also attract people with grudges against that institution.
• Personal vengeance: Ding Hao’s family losses drive his hostility toward Xinghai University and Xi Yan.
• Pride and leadership: Ding Hao refuses help after being knocked back and maintains his bravado, while rationalizing his use of subordinates as good leadership.
• Turning an enemy’s strength against them: Zhou Fan’s defense transforms Ding Hao’s own attack into the force that defeats him.

Character interactions

• Zhao Qiu tries to intimidate the Society by citing Xinghai University, while Zhou Fan pulls him out of the way of Ding Hao’s surprise wind blade.
• Ding Hao confronts the students over their school’s past actions and declares his intention to kill them and Xi Yan.
• Zhou Fan and Ding Hao clash directly, with Zhou’s Gunbai nullifying and reflecting Ding Hao’s punch.
• Ding Hao orders his gang to attack; Lin Qianqian defeats the assault and follows with explosive attacks on Ding Hao and Bald Third.

Plot and key events

• Lin Qianqian quickly defeats the Blood Hand Society members Ding Hao and Bald Third with Explosive Tags, leaving them badly injured. Impatient to end the fight, she urges Zhou Fan and Zhao Qiu to finish the two off.
• Zhou Fan prepares to use a fireball, but a scarred stranger appears and destroys it with one punch. He claims he intends to take Ding Hao and Bald Third for their bounties.
• When Zhao Qiu questions whether he is really a bounty hunter, the stranger kills both criminals by snapping their necks. Since the bounty mission allows them to be dead or alive, Zhou Fan lets him take the bodies.
• The man identifies himself as Jiaoxin and leaves. Bystanders recognize him as the Southern District’s strongest bounty hunter, reputed to have an immortal body and to target criminals with large bounties.
• Zhou Fan regrets missing the chance to fight Jiaoxin and resolves to do so if they meet again. After resting, the group travels toward the school on a flying mutant beast. Zhou Fan also plans to leave a Flying Thunder God Mark there for faster travel—and an escape route.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Qianqian is shown to be efficient, decisive, and short-tempered: she ends the fight swiftly rather than letting Zhou Fan prolong it.
• Zhou Fan is playful in combat but accepts the situation once Jiaoxin takes the bodies. His curiosity and competitive spirit are piqued by Jiaoxin’s reputation.
• Zhao Qiu is cautious and challenges Jiaoxin’s story, prompting the stranger to prove his intentions in a brutal way.
• Jiaoxin is introduced as quiet, ruthless, and highly pragmatic. His reputation unsettles the crowd, though his actual strength remains uncertain.

Significant themes

• Survival and pragmatism: In Ashen City, killing and ruthless decisions are treated as ordinary necessities.
• Reputation and uncertainty: Jiaoxin’s feared reputation—and rumors of his immortality—shape how people respond to him.
• Mobility and escape: Zhou Fan’s plan to use teleportation marks reflects the group’s need to move quickly and retreat when necessary.

Plot points and events

• After returning to Xinghai University, Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian go to bed. The next morning, Zhao Qiu wakes Zhou Fan to show him news that Ashen City has been split apart by a sword strike.
• Online commenters connect the attack to the earlier destruction of Lanya Island and speculate about the mysterious attacker’s identity and power. Zhou Fan is amused by the attention and joins Zhao Qiu for breakfast.
• The incident generates a large number of emotion points, bringing Zhou Fan’s balance to 77,000—just over 20,000 short of the 100,000 needed to redeem Kamui, which he wants for its defensive value.
• Zhou Fan unlocks the “Renowned Far and Wide” achievement and receives five draw attempts. The prize wheel now offers Impure World Reincarnation as its grand prize, but he does not win it.
• After three modest emotion-point rewards, his final two draws yield Chidori Series Ninjutsu and Eight Gates Release, prompting an excited reaction.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Fan remains unconcerned about public attention, treating his trending status as familiar and enjoying the emotion points it brings. His priority is still acquiring Kamui, though he is intrigued by the possibility of winning powerful techniques.
• Zhao Qiu is enthusiastic about Zhou Fan’s latest notoriety and rushes to share the news, then happily accepts breakfast as compensation for waking him.
• The chapter highlights their easy friendship through teasing and casual banter.

Significant themes

• Fame and anonymity: The public celebrates and speculates about the mysterious attacker, while Zhou Fan stays unidentified and detached from the attention.
• Power as a resource: Public reactions translate directly into emotion points and system rewards, turning notoriety into practical gains.
• Morality and power: Zhou Fan considers the ethical cost of Impure World Reincarnation’s living sacrifice, but sets the question aside since he has not obtained the technique.

Key plot points and events

• Zhou Fan celebrates drawing two powerful rewards: the full Chidori Ninjutsu series, including Kirin, and the Eight Gates Technique.
• His enhanced body lets him open all eight gates, though he knows the Gate of Death would kill him. He sees the lower gates as another backup trump card.
• After breakfast, Zhou Fan, Zhao Qiu, Lin Qianqian, and Duan Fei meet Principal Xi Yan. He gives them each a High-Grade Spirit Stone for their mission in Ashen City.
• Xi Yan confirms the Vampire spies were eliminated but notes that the Esper Bureau missed its chance to question them for intelligence.
• Xi Yan confronts Zhou Fan about cleaving Ashen City in two and urges him to avoid causing such destruction in future missions. Zhou Fan and Zhao Qiu defend his actions, citing the strength of the Vampire Earl and the danger they faced.
• Xi Yan suspects Zhou Fan may have caused the damage to discourage further assignments. Zhou Fan denies it, and the group is dismissed.

Character developments

• Zhou Fan gains the Eight Gates Technique, expanding his already formidable arsenal, and privately imagines combining it with his other abilities. He remains casual and defensive about the collateral damage he causes.
• Xi Yan is impressed by the mission’s success but increasingly worried about Zhou Fan’s destructive methods, the lack of intelligence gathered, and the school’s potential liability.
• Zhao Qiu admires Zhou Fan’s strength and backs his explanation, though he also teases him about his earlier excitement.

Significant themes

• Power and its cost: The Eight Gates offer immense strength at severe physical risk, especially the fatal Gate of Death.
• Collateral damage and responsibility: Defeating powerful enemies is not the only concern; destructive methods can endanger cities and impose costs on others.
• Strength versus intelligence-gathering: The team’s victory comes at the expense of leaving no Vampire spies alive to interrogate.
• Humor amid danger: The characters treat world-shaking destruction and overwhelming power with banter and mock suspicion.

Character interactions

• Zhou Fan hides his excitement from Zhao Qiu, who notices his grin and teases him.
• Xi Yan rewards the team, then questions Zhou Fan about the destruction and warns him to show restraint.
• Zhao Qiu enthusiastically praises Zhou Fan’s performance and supports his defense, while Xi Yan jokingly suggests the pair caused the damage to avoid future missions.

Plot and events

• Zhou Fan invites Zhao Qiu to spar, alarming him because he assumes Zhou wants to beat him up. Zhou clarifies that they will compare Taijutsu only, and Zhao agrees after setting rules against Zhou using his other abilities.
• Zhao activates his Life Shackles, while Zhou reveals his new Eight Gates Release—a technique that similarly removes bodily limits to increase power.
• They each open their first three stages, then fight hand-to-hand. When Zhao unlocks his fourth shackle, Zhou opens his fourth gate to match him.
• After an intense exchange, Zhou wins by a narrow margin and helps Zhao back up. Zhou notes that Eight Gates Release has eight stages, compared with the five shackles Zhao currently has.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhao begins wary and defensive, but becomes confident once the spar’s rules are clear. He takes pride in his Taijutsu and refuses to accept that his defeat proves his technique inferior.
• Zhou is eager to test his new technique and treats Zhao as a suitable, trusted sparring partner. He acknowledges that Zhao’s fourth shackle gives a greater boost than his corresponding gate, attributing his victory to his higher cultivation realm.
• Their friendly rivalry grows more intense: Zhao vows to develop his Life Shackles to eight stages, while Zhou openly teases him about having fewer.

Significant themes

• Competition and self-improvement: Both fighters push their limits and use the match to measure their abilities.
• Different paths to strength: Life Shackles and Eight Gates Release work similarly, but their stages and power increases differ.
• Respect beneath teasing: Their banter masks mutual trust and recognition of each other’s skill.

Plot points and events

• After defeating Zhao Qiu in a spar, Zhou Fan jokes that he is “cheating” and reveals he has mastered the powerful Eight Gates Technique, leaving Zhao Qiu impressed and frustrated by how many abilities Zhou already possesses.
• Zhou Fan proposes using a Treasure Map—earned from clearing the Tower of Trials—to search for treasure. Zhao Qiu and Duan Fei eagerly agree.
• Lin Qianqian initially declines, preferring to cultivate. Zhou Fan persuades her by suggesting the others might find something that could strengthen them and threaten her position as Dawn’s Deputy Leader. She quickly changes her mind and joins.
• The next morning, the four enter the map’s Spatial Passage and arrive in a fog-shrouded wasteland. Zhou checks the map, which indicates the treasure lies ahead, and the group sets off.
• Lin uses paper butterflies to scout, since they can move through the fog unaffected.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Fan is increasingly formidable, having added a major Taijutsu technique to his already extensive powers. He also sees the treasure hunt as a chance to help Dawn’s members grow stronger.
• Lin Qianqian is competitive and determined to keep pace with Zhou. Though she frames joining as a Deputy Leader’s responsibility, her real motive is to avoid falling further behind—and perhaps find a way to surpass him. Her scouting ability gives her a chance to demonstrate her own value.
• Zhao Qiu remains both awed by Zhou’s strength and eager for adventure; his banter keeps their friendship lighthearted.
• Duan Fei is enthusiastic about the hunt and praises Lin’s useful ability.
• The group’s camaraderie is mixed with rivalry, especially Lin’s desire to catch up to Zhou and retain her status.

Significant themes

• Competition and ambition: Lin’s pride and rivalry drive her decisions, while Zhou’s strength raises the bar for everyone.
• Team growth and leadership: Zhou wants Dawn’s members to become stronger before the organization takes on serious missions.
• Curiosity and risk: The mysterious, hostile-looking destination makes the treasure hunt exciting, and the group presses on despite limited visibility.

Plot points and events

• Zhou Fan’s group—Zhou Fan, Lin Qianqian, Zhao Qiu, and Duan Fei—pushes through dense fog, guided by Lin’s paper butterflies and the Treasure Map.
• They’re ambushed by a huge flock of Soul-Eating Crows. Though individually weak, the second-tier beasts overwhelm them with numbers and coordinated sonic attacks that cause intense mental pain.
• The group counters together: Zhou uses fire techniques, Lin’s explosive tags disrupt the crows’ cries and defend against attacks, Zhao fights with enhanced strength, and Duan relies on his durability and scythe. Zhou’s flames ultimately wipe out the flock.
• They continue through the fog, encountering increasingly powerful mutant beasts, all of which they defeat.
• The group reaches a Stone Forest littered with human bones and spots an ornate stone gate, apparently marking the treasure site.
• As they enter, the ground shakes and twenty fourth-tier Stone Statue Guardians emerge. The chapter ends as the final challenge begins.

Character development and interactions

• Zhou Fan remains composed and confident but emphasizes that strength should not become carelessness. He recognizes the danger and leads the group onward.
• Lin Qianqian proves crucial through reconnaissance and quick tactical thinking, especially when she interrupts the crows’ sonic attack.
• Zhao Qiu is shaken by how dangerous the flock’s mental assault is, acknowledging that he might not have survived it alone.
• Duan Fei shows fearlessness, allowing the crows to attack him while he strikes back with his scythe.
• The group cooperates effectively, covering one another’s weaknesses during the ambush.

Significant themes

• Teamwork and complementary strengths: The flock is defeated through coordinated abilities rather than individual power alone.
• Vigilance in dangerous environments: Zhou stresses that confidence is useful, but blind arrogance is not.
• Escalating peril and the cost of treasure-seeking: The bones suggest many previous explorers died before reaching the gate, while stronger threats appear deeper in the realm.

Plot points and events

• Zhou Fan lets Zhao Qiu and Duan Fei handle twenty Fourth Tier, One Star stone guards themselves, using the fight as training.
• After initially being knocked back, the two adapt and destroy the guards in about half an hour. Their victory reveals the limits of their abilities: Zhao Qiu can fight effectively after unlocking his Life Shackles, while Duan Fei’s blood-dependent Curse is useless against bloodless enemies.
• As the group approaches the stone door to the treasure, members of the Golden Eagle Group appear and claim the prize. Zhao Qiu has never heard of them, despite their claim to be Ashen City’s second-strongest organization.
• Zhou Fan swiftly incapacitates the intruders, including their scar-faced leader, whom he traps with a Sharingan illusion before kicking him into his companions.
• Zhou Fan opens the stone door with spiritual energy, and the group enters the dark passage beyond.

Character development

• Zhao Qiu shows resilience and growing combat ability, though he is initially overconfident and takes a hard hit.
• Duan Fei enjoys the challenge but discovers a serious weakness: without an enemy’s blood, he must rely on his Immortal Body and direct combat. Zhou Fan recognizes that he needs additional abilities.
• Zhou Fan acts as a mentor, deliberately giving his companions room to improve, while remaining efficient and decisive when a real obstacle threatens to delay them.

Significant themes

• Growth through challenge: Zhou Fan lets his companions earn their victory rather than carrying them.
• Strengths and vulnerabilities: Powerful abilities can be situational, making adaptability important.
• Arrogance and power: The Golden Eagle Group’s threats and reputation mean little against Zhou Fan’s overwhelming skill.

Character interactions

• Zhao Qiu and Duan Fei trade jokes and taunts, then encourage each other as they fight the guards.
• Zhou Fan praises their progress but also identifies Duan Fei’s limitations.
• The Golden Eagle Group tries to intimidate the trio and claim the treasure; Zhao Qiu’s sincere unfamiliarity annoys them, and Zhou Fan ends the confrontation with minimal effort.

Key plot points

• Zhou Fan’s group enters a long, trap-filled passage after Lin Qianqian discovers her Paper Butterflies stop working more than five meters away, suggesting a restriction inside.
• Duan Fei volunteers to lead and deliberately triggers every trap. His immortal body lets him absorb the damage, clearing the path while the others remain unharmed.
• At the passage’s end, they find four chests containing a mysterious silver fragment, Frenzy Gauntlets, a Charm Ring, and a Star Spring Necklace.
• Zhou Fan distributes the useful items: Duan Fei gets the ring, Zhao Qiu the gauntlets, and Lin Qianqian the necklace. Zhou keeps the unidentified fragment, which even his Sharingan cannot explain.
• On returning outside, the group finds bounty hunter Jiaoxin tying up the Golden Eagle Group. Jiaoxin demands that they hand over anything valuable, revealing he intends to rob them.

Character developments and interactions

• Duan Fei shows how effectively—and recklessly—he can use his immortal body, serving as a living shield against the traps. The team accepts his role with little concern, even joking about it.
• Zhou Fan acts as a practical leader, allocating rewards according to each person’s strengths and keeping the mysterious fragment for himself.
• Zhao Qiu is nervous about the traps but excited by the treasure; the gauntlets give him a new boost to his fighting power. He and Duan Fei trade jokes about Jiaoxin’s name.
• Lin Qianqian cautiously scouts ahead, but the passage’s restriction limits her abilities. She receives the necklace to improve her Spiritual Energy recovery.
• Jiaoxin appears as an immediate threat, calmly confronting the group after binding the Golden Eagle members.

Significant themes

• Teamwork through complementary abilities: Duan Fei’s durability protects the group, while Zhou Fan matches each reward to its recipient.
• Risk and resourcefulness: The group advances despite uncertain traps by using Duan Fei’s unusual resilience.
• Mystery and looming danger: The fragment’s unknown purpose and Jiaoxin’s attempted robbery leave the group facing unanswered questions and a new conflict.