Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Zhao Qiu unexpectedly grabs the Sea God Spear and escapes over a cliff, riding a manta ray. The field team realizes he has betrayed them and gives chase.
• Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian pursue him by air while the others follow in their boat. Neither knows why Zhao Qiu has turned on them.
• Zhou Fan tries to slow Zhao Qiu without seriously hurting him, then attacks the manta ray with water dragons. It is knocked aside, and Zhao Qiu falls into the sea.
• Zhao Qiu reveals the Third Metabolism Lock of his Life Shackles and attacks Zhou Fan with powerful air blasts and a rapid barrage of flaming punches. Zhou Fan blocks the assault with a Rasengan and Susanoo, then knocks Zhao Qiu into the water.
• A second boat arrives carrying Auge, the Blood Society’s leader, whom Zhou Fan had believed he killed the day before. Auge explains that the previous version was only a Blood Clone.
• Su Mei appears alongside Auge and tries to seduce Zhou Fan into joining the Blood Society. Lin Qianqian steps between them, visibly displeased.

Character developments

• Zhao Qiu shifts abruptly from ally to apparent thief, behaving in a way that alarms Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian. His mastery of the Third Metabolism Lock shows he is a formidable opponent.
• Zhou Fan responds cautiously at first, trying not to injure Zhao Qiu, but escalates when necessary. He remains composed when Auge reappears.
• Lin Qianqian joins the pursuit and becomes protective of Zhou Fan when Su Mei attempts to tempt him.
• Auge is revealed to have survived through a Blood Clone, confirming that his earlier apparent death was not genuine.
• Su Mei makes her first direct approach to Zhou Fan, using flirtation as a recruitment tactic.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and uncertainty: Zhao Qiu’s sudden escape raises doubts about what is really happening.
• Hidden powers and survival: Zhao Qiu’s advanced technique and Auge’s clone reveal that both allies and enemies may have concealed abilities.
• Loyalty and temptation: Su Mei tests Zhou Fan’s allegiance, while Lin Qianqian’s response suggests personal protectiveness.
• Escalating conflict: The chase quickly turns into a confrontation with the Blood Society.

Character interactions

• Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian coordinate their pursuit but share uncertainty about Zhao Qiu’s motives.
• Zhou Fan tries to stop Zhao Qiu without harming him, then fights him directly after Zhao Qiu attacks.
• Zhou Fan challenges Auge about his survival; Auge explains the Blood Clone.
• Su Mei openly offers Zhou Fan pleasure and power through the Blood Society, and Lin Qianqian reacts by stepping in front of him and insulting her.

Plot points and events

• Su Mei tries to seduce Zhou Fan while secretly using her Mind Control ability on him. He resists, and Zhou Fan recognizes that she had also controlled Little Ball.
• Zhao Qiu returns with the Sea God Spear and boards Su Mei and Auge’s boat. Zhou Fan realizes the Blood Society’s apparent defeat in the previous day’s operation was a deception: its leaders survived and had engineered events to steal the spear.
• Luo Luodong’s group catches up and confronts the Blood Society. Though Su Mei and Auge have only a few subordinates, Su Mei summons dozens of third- and fourth-tier sea beasts, which surround and attack the Azure Dragon.
• Luo Luodong and the others are forced to defend their vessel. He kills several beasts but cannot break through the swarm, so he sends Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian after the fleeing enemy boat.
• Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian attack together, but the boat’s barrier blocks them. Su Mei then summons a much larger, tentacled sea beast to stop their pursuit.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Fan remains alert and resistant to Su Mei’s charm and mental manipulation. He pursues the Blood Society partly to recover Zhao Qiu, who is still aboard their vessel.
• Lin Qianqian feels jealous and irritated by Su Mei’s advances, but joins Zhou Fan in the pursuit and fights alongside him.
• Su Mei reveals herself as a calculating strategist: she used deception, remote mind control, and her ability to command sea beasts to secure the Sea God Spear.
• Luo Luodong responds decisively to the ambush, leading the defense and entrusting the pursuit to the two teammates able to fly.

Significant themes

• Deception and misdirection: The Blood Society’s supposed losses and the apparent mission setup concealed its true objective.
• Power and countermeasures: Zhou Fan’s strong psychic defenses foil Su Mei’s direct manipulation, while her control of many sea beasts gives her a different advantage.
• Loyalty and responsibility: Zhou Fan pursues the enemy not only for the Sea God Spear but also to rescue Zhao Qiu.
• Jealousy and rivalry: Su Mei’s flirtation provokes Lin Qianqian, adding personal tension to the confrontation.

Key plot points and events

• Zhou Fan recognizes the summoned Sea Beast as Gyuki, the Eight-Tails: a Fifth Tier, 2-Star Beast King. Fighting at sea gives the Sea Beasts a major advantage, and the Blood Society also has Su Mei’s controlled beasts and Auge to contend with.
• Lin Qianqian engages Gyuki. Her paper blades cannot pierce its hide, but a concentrated explosion staggers it. When Gyuki attacks with its tails, her Paper-Style Guard and Paper Transformation protect her; she then uses lightning-infused paper to shock the beast through the surrounding seawater.
• While Lin Qianqian keeps Gyuki occupied, Zhou Fan flies toward Su Mei and Auge to recover the Sea God Spear. Su Mei sends a swarm of Sea Beasts after him, but his Mangekyō Sharingan ability lets their attacks pass through him.
• Su Mei uses the captive Zhao Qiu as a shield, expecting Zhou Fan to hesitate. Zhou Fan phases through Zhao Qiu instead, pierces the boat’s barrier, and counters Auge’s Blood Dragon with Chidori Sharp Spear.
• Still under Su Mei’s control, Zhao Qiu attacks Zhou Fan. Zhou Fan blocks him, then enters Zhao Qiu’s consciousness with Sharingan genjutsu, defeats Su Mei’s psychic presence, and frees his friend.
• Su Mei suffers a psychic backlash. Enraged by having been controlled, Zhao Qiu opens the Fourth Internal Organ Lock and prepares to retaliate.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Fan displays confidence and tactical control, using his phasing ability to bypass both physical attacks and Su Mei’s hostage strategy. He also shows he can match Zhao Qiu in hand-to-hand combat and defeat Su Mei within Zhao Qiu’s consciousness.
• Lin Qianqian proves resourceful against a much tougher opponent: when direct attacks fail, she exploits Gyuki’s exposure to electricity through the seawater.
• Zhao Qiu is freed but deeply humiliated and furious about being forced to watch Su Mei control his body. His anger drives him to unleash more of his power.
• Su Mei relies on psychic control and hostages to restrain Zhou Fan, but her confidence collapses when he overcomes her control and destroys her psychic presence.
• Auge supports the defense with his Blood Dragon Technique, but Zhou Fan quickly defeats the attack.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and friendship: Zhou Fan risks confronting Su Mei to rescue Zhao Qiu and refuses to abandon him.
• Agency and violation: Zhao Qiu’s helplessness under mind control makes the loss of control over one’s own body especially disturbing.
• Adaptability and power: Lin Qianqian and Zhou Fan overcome seemingly unfavorable odds by exploiting their abilities creatively.
• Confidence versus control: Su Mei’s reliance on manipulation fails against Zhou Fan’s superior skill and resolve.

Plot points and events

• Zhao Qiu opens his Fourth Internal Organ Lock and clashes with Auge aboard the ship. Their attacks destroy the vessel, forcing both sides to fight at sea.
• Zhou Fan sends Zhao Qiu back to help Luo Luodong’s group, leaving him and Lin Qianqian to confront Auge, Su Mei, and their sea beasts. Su Mei keeps hold of the Sea God Spear.
• Eight-Tails launches a Tailed Beast Bomb toward the allies behind Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian. Zhou Fan absorbs it with Flying Thunder God and has a shadow clone redirect it back, devastating the sea beasts and injuring Eight-Tails, Auge, and Su Mei.
• Zhou Fan uses Amaterasu on Eight-Tails, whose attempts to extinguish the flames spread them to nearby sea beasts. Auge and Su Mei flee with the spear.
• Lin Qianqian pursues them. Auge stays behind to delay her, while Su Mei escapes. He blocks Lin’s explosive tags, then attacks with blood techniques and casts his Blood Eye genjutsu.
• Lin Qianqian resists the illusion and pierces Auge’s heart with a paper blade.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Fan shows tactical control and prioritizes protecting the people behind him, turning Eight-Tails’ attack against the enemy. He also restrains Eight-Tails with Amaterasu.
• Lin Qianqian demonstrates confidence and composure, holding off a powerful group of sea beasts and defeating Auge despite his genjutsu. She compares his illusion unfavorably with Zhou Fan’s.
• Auge proves willing to sacrifice himself so Su Mei can escape, but underestimates Lin Qianqian.
• Su Mei remains focused on protecting the Sea God Spear and retreats when the battle turns against her.
• Zhao Qiu is powerful on land but disadvantaged at sea, so Zhou Fan sends him to support the others.

Significant themes

• Teamwork and protection: Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian act to shield their allies rather than simply evade danger.
• Adaptability and strategy: Zhou Fan redirects an overwhelming attack, while Lin Qianqian counters Auge’s illusion and close-range assault.
• Overconfidence and misjudgment: Auge assumes Lin is an easy target, and his confidence proves fatal.
• Sacrifice and divided loyalties: Auge stays behind to give Su Mei a chance to escape with the Sea God Spear.

Key plot points and events

• Lin Qianqian, once badly traumatized by Zhou Fan’s Genjutsu, has become resistant to nearly all Genjutsu after enduring the Nightmare Lord’s Heart Demon Trial. Zhou Fan’s Sharingan Genjutsu remains an exception; Auge’s Blood Eye Genjutsu is too weak to affect her.
• Auge survives Lin Qianqian’s Paper Knife attack through rapid regeneration and counters with blood spears. His stronger attack overwhelms her ordinary paper spears.
• Lin Qianqian reveals a more powerful technique: Spatial Paper Shards infused with spatial energy. They slice through Auge’s blood spears and shield, then sever both his hands.
• Su Mei intervenes with Mind Invasion, drawing Lin Qianqian into her consciousness space. She binds Lin Qianqian and tries to take control, then attempts to read her memories and exploit her vulnerabilities.
• Lin Qianqian resists Su Mei’s intrusion. When Su Mei briefly discovers the identity of the person Lin Qianqian deeply cares for, Lin Qianqian’s psychic power surges and forcibly expels her.

Character developments

• Lin Qianqian displays both advanced combat ability and surprising mental strength. Her spatial techniques are a major leap in power, and she proves capable of resisting a psychic attack despite not being a psychic specialist.
• Auge demonstrates resilience through rapid healing, but Lin Qianqian’s spatial power bypasses his defenses and leaves him seriously impaired.
• Su Mei shows confidence in her mind-control skills, partly because Lin Qianqian initially seems less psychically powerful than Zhou Fan. Her failed invasion reveals that Lin Qianqian’s mental strength is greater than expected.
• Zhou Fan’s influence remains significant: his past Genjutsu shaped Lin Qianqian’s fears and resistance, and his exceptional psychic defenses are the standard Su Mei compares her victims against.

Significant themes

• Trauma and resilience: Lin Qianqian has transformed painful experiences into resistance and strength.
• The limits of control: Su Mei’s attempts to dominate Lin Qianqian’s mind fail against her will and psychic power.
• Love as strength and vulnerability: The memory of someone Lin Qianqian cares about appears to trigger her sudden surge of power, though the identity is not revealed in this excerpt.
• Power through adaptation: Lin Qianqian counters stronger opponents by developing spatially infused techniques rather than relying on brute force.

Character interactions

• Lin Qianqian and Auge exchange attacks, with her spatial technique overcoming his greater tier and regenerative defenses.
• Su Mei steps in to help Auge by attacking Lin Qianqian mentally, then tries to control and psychologically weaken her through memory-reading.
• Lin Qianqian resists Su Mei’s intrusion and drives her out, echoing Zhou Fan’s earlier ability to withstand Su Mei’s psychic attacks.

Key events

• Zhou Fan extinguishes the Amaterasu burning the Eight-Tails before it can be killed, intending to subdue it.
• The Eight-Tails feigns defeat and launches a point-blank Miniature Tailed Beast Bomb, but Zhou Fan survives inside Crow Tengu Susanoo.
• Zhou Fan restrains it with a Wood Dragon and traps it with Sharingan genjutsu. The system then contracts the beast as Gyūki, his sixth Tailed Beast.
• On another battlefield, Lin Qianqian overwhelms Auge and Su Mei with spatial attacks and a three-meter defensive zone. She also resists Su Mei’s Mind Invasion, though Auge’s exploding sea creatures briefly slow her down.
• As Auge and Su Mei try to retreat, Zhou Fan arrives and strikes them with a Big Ball Spiraling Serial Sphere. They are injured and cornered, with the Sea God Spear still at issue. A ship from Meixing Country then appears, leaving the confrontation unresolved.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Fan shows both restraint and tactical versatility: he stops Amaterasu to preserve the Eight-Tails, then combines Susanoo, Wood Release, and genjutsu to secure it. He now has six Tailed Beasts and remains intent on collecting the rest.
• The Eight-Tails reveals cunning by pretending to be incapacitated, but is ultimately subdued and contracted as Zhou Fan’s Summoning Beast.
• Lin Qianqian proves far stronger than Auge and Su Mei expected. She adapts after Su Mei’s earlier mental attack and repels it, establishing herself as a formidable combatant in her own right.
• Auge and Su Mei are forced from offense into desperate retreat. Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian’s teamwork closes off their escape.

Significant themes

• Power and countermeasures: Zhou Fan’s combination of abilities counters the Eight-Tails, while Lin Qianqian’s spatial power makes conventional attacks ineffective.
• Adaptation and deception: The Eight-Tails uses a feigned defeat, while Lin Qianqian learns from Su Mei’s previous attack.
• Control and collection: Zhou Fan treats Tailed Beasts as resources to acquire, expanding his growing roster.
• Uncertain escalation: The arrival of the Meixing ship suggests a new force may complicate the fight over the Sea God Spear.

Key plot points and events

• After Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian pursue them, Auge and Su Mei reach a ship flying Meixing Country’s flag and are taken aboard.
• Auge reveals he has always been from Meixing Country, though he grew up in Xia Country. Zhou Fan recognizes his blood-based powers and extraordinary healing as signs of vampire heritage.
• Su Mei says she was not originally from Meixing Country but has now joined it.
• Luo Luodong and the others arrive. He identifies the ship’s crew as the First Squad of Meixing Country’s Pacific Third Esper Squad—the team’s strongest unit. Its captain, Ilica, is a Fifth Tier, Five Star vampire.
• Ilica claims the ship is in international waters and warns that if Xia Country’s side attacks first, it could be treated as deliberately starting a war.
• Zhou Fan demands the Sea God Spear. When Ilica refuses to back down, Zhou Fan creates twenty Wood Clones to block the ship’s escape, while carefully avoiding the first attack. He argues that running them over would make Ilica’s side the aggressor.

Character developments and interactions

• Auge openly embraces his Meixing Country identity and confirms Zhou Fan’s suspicions about his vampire-like abilities.
• Su Mei reveals that she has switched allegiance and now considers herself a Meixing Country citizen.
• Zhou Fan remains confident and confrontational, but uses a calculated standoff rather than striking first, turning Ilica’s diplomatic threat back on him.
• Luo Luodong recognizes the strategic danger of the Meixing Country presence and provides context about the squad’s strength.
• Zhao Qiu talks boldly, while Gu Yu cautions him that Ilica and his unit are formidable.
• Ilica uses his rank and the risk of international conflict to intimidate the group, but Zhou Fan refuses to yield.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and identity: Auge and Su Mei’s allegiance shifts complicate questions of nationality and belonging.
• Power and intimidation: Ilica relies on status and strength, while Zhou Fan counters with confidence and tactical restraint.
• Diplomacy and provocation: Both sides maneuver to avoid appearing responsible for starting a war.
• Unequal strength and trust: The group recognizes the danger posed by Ilica’s elite squad, yet relies on Zhou Fan to hold the line.

Chapter Summary

• Plot and events: Zhou Fan surrounds Ilica’s ship with Shadow Clones but avoids attacking first, hoping to make Meixing Country appear responsible if a fight breaks out. Both sides threaten one another as they weigh the danger of turning a personal clash into an international conflict. The Haicheng Esper Bureau arrives under Director Lin Hai, seemingly giving Zhou Fan’s group backup. Then Lin Hai suddenly stabs Zhou Fan from behind and reveals, “Sorry, I’m undercover.”
• Character developments: Zhou Fan shows himself to be calculating and willing to use underhanded tactics to gain the moral advantage, though he is also eager for a worthy fight with Ilica. Luo Luodong backs Zhou Fan and stands firm despite knowing Ilica is stronger. The rest of Zhou Fan’s team likewise close ranks behind him. Lin Hai’s apparent concern and support prove to be a deception.
• Character interactions: Ilica and Zhou Fan trade threats while each tries to make the other strike first. Luo Luodong openly challenges Ilica and supports Zhou Fan’s plan. Lin Hai initially explains why the Bureau came and warns against provoking an international conflict, only to betray Zhou Fan moments later.
• Themes: The chapter explores the gap between moral justification and practical power: being “in the right” matters only if survivors can report what happened. It also emphasizes the risks of personal disputes becoming international incidents, loyalty within a team, and the danger of trusting apparent allies.

Key plot points and events

• Lin Hai suddenly stabs Zhou Fan with a poisoned dagger. The wound itself is minor, but the poison leaves Zhou Fan severely weakened.
• Lin Hai admits he has turned against the Esper Bureau for the promise of a better future. Luo Luodong realizes Lin Hai and the Blood Society had secretly cooperated to obtain the Sea God Spear.
• Lin Hai’s group intends to give the spear to Meixing Country to prove their loyalty and secure a place there. Ilica avoids attacking directly, hoping to keep the conflict framed as an internal Xia Country affair.
• The heroes recognize the stakes: the legendary Sea God Spear could make its owner overwhelmingly powerful at sea, and Meixing Country’s possession of it could upset the global balance.
• With Zhou Fan injured and their side outnumbered, Gu Ning warns that they cannot easily stop the enemy. As Ilica’s warship begins to withdraw with the spear, a giant Explosive Clay doll lands on it and detonates.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Hai reveals himself as a calculating traitor, openly valuing personal advancement over loyalty. He threatens Luo Luodong and the others if they resist.
• Luo Luodong pieces together the conspiracy and condemns Lin Hai’s betrayal, while weighing whether his weakened team can fight.
• Zhou Fan is incapacitated by the poison, forcing his allies to protect him and diminishing their fighting strength.
• Lin Qianqian immediately attacks Lin Hai and then supports Zhou Fan; the others form a defensive barrier around him.
• Ilica remains an opportunistic observer, letting Xia Country’s agents take the blame if violence breaks out.
• Gu Ning urges a realistic assessment of their disadvantage, while Yuan An stresses that the Sea God Spear must not be surrendered.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and self-interest: Lin Hai justifies treason as a route to a “better life.”
• Power and geopolitics: A legendary weapon can shift naval dominance and threaten the balance between nations.
• Prudence under pressure: The heroes must confront the danger without ignoring their limited numbers and Zhou Fan’s condition.
• Manipulation and plausible deniability: Ilica seeks to benefit from the conflict while avoiding direct responsibility.
  Ending: The sudden explosion aboard Ilica’s warship interrupts the attempted retreat, setting up the next confrontation.

Key plot points and events

• Deidara, Jiaoxin, and Duan Fei arrive aboard a clay bird and bomb Ilica’s warship. Deidara openly claims they are from [Dawn] and intend to steal the treasure, distancing the attack from Xinghai University.
• Deidara’s powerful C3 explosion destroys the ship’s defensive barrier, allowing Jiaoxin and Duan Fei to board.
• Duan Fei charges the Vampires and survives repeated attacks. He then activates a blood-based ritual that links him to everyone whose blood he has tasted; when he stabs himself, they feel the same agonizing pain.
• Jiaoxin attacks with three elemental masks, while Deidara’s aerial bombardment prevents enemies from surrounding his allies. The three throw the warship into chaos.
• Ilica urges Lin Hai to deal with the attackers. As Lin Hai moves against Duan Fei, Luo Luodong intercepts him, and Gu Ning, Gu Yu, Zhao Qiu, and others join the fight. Their immediate priority is to reclaim the Sea God Spear.

Character developments

• Duan Fei reveals both his apparent immortality and the dangerous mechanics of his curse ritual, turning his willingness to endure pain into a weapon.
• Deidara is bold and openly provocative, treating the assault as a raid and using explosives to overcome the ship’s defenses.
• Jiaoxin demonstrates powerful battlefield control through coordinated elemental attacks.
• Lin Hai becomes openly enraged by the repeated interference and moves to take action, but is promptly challenged.

Character interactions

• Zhao Qiu realizes Zhou Fan summoned the three [Dawn] members after Zhou Fan gives him a confirming gesture.
• Ilica confronts the attackers and questions Lin Hai about responsibility for people from Xia Country.
• The Vampires first dismiss Duan Fei, then discover that his ritual makes their injuries echo his own.
• Luo Luodong directly confronts Lin Hai, while the others join the broader battle.

Significant themes

• Pain as power: Duan Fei weaponizes suffering, making his own injury a source of control over his enemies.
• Chaos and teamwork: The attackers’ complementary tactics—bombardment, elemental firepower, and close combat—disrupt a heavily defended warship.
• Escalating conflict: The battle shifts from a targeted raid into a wider confrontation, with the Sea God Spear becoming the group’s central objective.

Plot and battle events

• Luo Luodong and the Xinghai University fighters join the battle, openly targeting Lin Hai, Auge, and Su Mei—Xia Country traitors. The rest of the team divides up to keep the opponents occupied.
• Deidara, Jiaoxin, and Duan Fei attack the Vampires aboard the warship. Duan Fei uses his ability to turn their blood-based fighting style against them, cursing Vampires with their own blood. Jiaoxin overwhelms them with powerful attacks, while Deidara provides aerial support with Clay Bombs.
• Ilica, captain of the First Squad, enters the fight and immediately pins Duan Fei to the deck with blood spears. He prepares to crush Duan Fei’s head, but Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian intervene.
• The Sea God Spear remains in Vampire hands, guarded by Ilica’s deputy captain. Ilica stands between the heroes and the weapon.
• Zhou Fan taunts Ilica by mentioning that he killed captains Osborn and Iris. Ilica recognizes Zhou as the fighter responsible and vows to kill him before his talent can mature.
• Zhou Fan activates Sage Mode and Unrivaled Under Heaven, clashing with Ilica and managing to force him back, though the impact drives Zhou several steps away.
• Lin Qianqian attacks with explosive tags. Ilica withstands the initial blast, but she evades his punch by transforming her body into paper and traps him in a multiplying-paper-bomb technique. The resulting explosion tears away a large section of his flesh, which rapidly regenerates.

Character developments and interactions

• Luo Luodong confronts Lin Hai directly, insisting he will fight even if it costs him his life. Their battle begins with lightning-based attacks.
• The group’s opponents are deliberately assigned: Gu Ning and Yuan An face psychic Su Mei, while Zhao Qiu and Gu Yu take on Auge.
• Duan Fei’s apparent immortality lets him endure attacks and exploit the Vampires’ use of blood, but Ilica’s strike temporarily incapacitates him.
• Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian work together to rescue Duan Fei and challenge Ilica. Their abilities can injure and surprise him, but his strength and regeneration remain formidable.
• Ilica shifts from contemptuous confidence to keen interest in the two young fighters, deciding to take them seriously.

Significant themes

• Sacrifice and resolve: Luo Luodong accepts the possibility of death rather than backing down.
• Teamwork and tactical matchups: Fighters are assigned opponents suited to their abilities, and Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian combine their powers effectively.
• Power versus resilience: The heroes can stagger or injure Ilica, but his high rank and rapid regeneration make him difficult to defeat.
• Dangerous ambition: Ilica sees Zhou Fan’s potential as a threat and intends to eliminate him before he can grow stronger.

Plot and key events

• Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian fight Ilica in midair, combining their attacks well enough to hold their own despite being far below his tier.
• Ilica tries to ambush Zhou Fan, but Kamui lets the attack pass through him. Zhou Fan counters with a Rasenshuriken, knocking Ilica into the sea.
• Ilica then attacks Lin Qianqian. Her Paper-Style Guard, strengthened by spatial power, automatically blocks his punch and even hurts his arm.
• Zhou Fan opens the Seventh Gate and engages Ilica. He evades Ilica’s strike with Kamui, then hits him with Daytime Tiger.
• Lin Qianqian follows with spatial paper shards, and Zhou Fan uses Dust Release. Ilica dodges most of the attack but loses half his body, which begins to regenerate.
• Convinced the pair will become major future threats to Meixing Country, Ilica vows to kill them and activates Vampire True Form.

Character developments

• Zhou Fan demonstrates how effectively he combines Kamui, powerful attacks, and misdirection rather than relying on a straightforward contest of strength.
• Lin Qianqian reveals she has recently mastered spatial power, using it to make her paper defenses exceptionally strong and her attacks dangerous.
• Ilica grows increasingly shocked, jealous, and alarmed as the two younger fighters exceed his expectations. His personal conflict becomes a national-security motive.

Themes

• Teamwork and complementary abilities: Zhou Fan’s intangibility and offense pair well with Lin Qianqian’s rapid defense and spatial attacks.
• Power and potential: The supposedly weaker fighters challenge a stronger opponent through skill and unusual abilities.
• Fear of future threats: Ilica’s resolve shifts from defeating them in battle to eliminating them before they can grow stronger.

Character interactions

• Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian coordinate attacks and cover for each other, while Zhou Fan is surprised by Lin Qianqian’s new mastery of spatial power.
• Ilica’s failed attacks on each fighter reveal their distinct defenses: Kamui for Zhou Fan and the spatially reinforced paper shield for Lin Qianqian.
• After their combined assault badly damages him, Ilica’s respect for their strength turns into determination to destroy them.

Key plot points and events

• Ilica, captain of Meixing Country’s First Squad, reveals his enormous Vampire True Form, a manifestation of a vampire’s power.
• Zhou Fan responds with Complete Body Susanoo, then channels the power of six tailed beasts into it. This creates his Ultimate Susanoo, whose strength approaches that of his Susanoo-Clad Kurama.
• The size difference unsettles Ilica, who suppresses his fear and insists that greater size does not guarantee victory.
• Ilica attacks with several blood-based techniques. Zhou Fan’s first sword strike cuts away half of the Vampire True Form, but Ilica rapidly regenerates it.
• Ilica uses speed and repeated attacks to damage Susanoo, eventually breaking its armor and blasting away part of its body.
• Zhou Fan calmly restores Susanoo with his ocular power and challenges Ilica to continue, leaving the fight unresolved.

Character developments

• Zhou Fan demonstrates both adaptability and confidence, testing a new way to combine Susanoo with the tailed beasts’ power. He notes that the missing Nine-Tails keeps his Ultimate Susanoo from reaching its fullest potential.
• Ilica begins assured of his superiority, but Zhou Fan’s overwhelming size and power make him feel genuine fear. He hides that reaction and fights on, relying on agility, relentless attacks, and vampire regeneration.

Character interactions

• The tailed beasts respond to Zhou Fan’s request by lending him their power, though Eight-Tails contributes less because Zhou Fan has only recently subdued him.
• Ilica and Zhou Fan exchange attacks and taunts: Ilica dismisses Zhou Fan’s size, while Zhou Fan remains composed even after his Susanoo is badly damaged.

Significant themes

• Power and escalation: Zhou Fan builds strength by combining multiple abilities and sources of power.
• Appearance versus capability: Ilica argues that size alone does not determine a fight, but the battle reveals a vast gap in their strength.
• Endurance versus force: Ilica’s regeneration lets him recover from devastating damage, while Zhou Fan’s Susanoo can also be restored.
• Confidence under pressure: Both fighters maintain a defiant front, though Ilica’s composure is shaken by fear.

Plot points and events

• Ilica’s strongest attacks damage only part of Zhou Fan’s Complete Body Susanoo, which Zhou Fan restores instantly. Zhou Fan takes the offensive, while Ilica’s blood arrows fail to pierce Susanoo’s defenses.
• Ilica lands a claw strike that cracks Susanoo and nearly reaches Zhou Fan, but Zhou Fan counters with Dust Release, destroying more than half of Ilica’s Vampire True Form. Susanoo then drives the wounded form into the seabed.
• Remembering his family and loved ones, Ilica summons his last strength to withstand Susanoo’s sword energy. His Vampire True Form vanishes, but Zhou Fan follows up with Kirin, striking Ilica with a massive lightning attack.
• The onlookers believe Ilica has been defeated—until he reappears aboard the warship through Blood Source Rebirth, a vampire ability that grants one return from fatal injury. The rebirth leaves him at only 60% of his former strength.
• Though Zhou Fan remains confident, Ilica refuses to concede. He grabs the Sea God Spear and activates it, setting up the next confrontation.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Fan stays composed throughout, revealing the overwhelming durability and power of his Susanoo and his ability to use other Ninjutsu while it is active. He knows vampires can revive and is unfazed by Ilica’s return.
• Ilica shifts from confidence to desperation, then draws resolve from his love for his family. Even after being defeated and weakened, he chooses to fight on.
• Zhao Qiu treats Zhou Fan’s destructive power as familiar, noting that the open sea spared nearby cities from damage. Yuan An, Gu Ning, and Gu Yu are stunned by Susanoo’s scale.
• Ilica’s crew are shaken to see their supposedly invincible captain lose to a university student.

Significant themes

• Love as a source of resilience: Ilica’s devotion to his family gives him the will to resist when defeat seems certain.
• Power and endurance: Zhou Fan dominates through overwhelming force, while Ilica’s vampire regeneration and rebirth let him survive beyond a seemingly decisive defeat.
• Determination despite the odds: Ilica’s refusal to surrender keeps the conflict alive even after his power has sharply declined.

Plot points and events

• Ilica forces the sealed Sea God Spear aloft despite its resistance. His success shows that the weapon has partly acknowledged him, and he uses it to draw on the ocean’s power.
• The spear restores Ilica’s lost strength and boosts his cultivation from fifth tier, five stars to sixth tier, one star. He then enlarges his Vampire True Form to 120 meters and challenges Zhou Fan.
• Zhou Fan, inside his Complete Body Susanoo, deliberately waited for Ilica to activate the spear so he could face its full power.
• The two giants clash head-on. The Sea God Spear gives Ilica the advantage: his Sea God Strike breaks both of the Susanoo’s blades and buries it beneath a mass of seawater. His Sea God Annihilation then pierces the Susanoo and wounds Zhou Fan.
• Zhou Fan’s Hashirama Cells rapidly heal the wounds. Rather than retreat, he laughs with excitement at the pain and welcomes the battle.

Character developments

• Ilica becomes more powerful and confident after partially mastering the spear, believing he can now kill Zhou Fan.
• Zhou Fan reveals his preference for fair, high-stakes combat: he refuses to interrupt Ilica’s activation and relishes being pushed hard, even when injured.

Character interactions

• Luo Luodong and Yuan An explain the spear’s seal and doubt Ilica can wield it; his success surprises them.
• Ilica taunts Zhou Fan for not attacking earlier, then attacks him with the spear.
• Zhou Fan answers Ilica’s apparent triumph with laughter, treating the damage as proof that the fight has finally become worthwhile.

Significant themes

• Worthiness and power: The Sea God Spear tests its wielder, and Ilica’s struggle earns him only partial recognition.
• Respect for a true contest: Zhou Fan values facing an opponent at full strength more than taking an easy advantage.
• Power and hubris: The spear’s boost makes Ilica feel invincible, setting up his confidence against Zhou Fan’s resilience.

Plot points and events

• Zhou Fan revels in the pain of battle, then restores his Complete Body Susanoo and equips it with the Star Shatter Halberd, enlarged to 100 meters.
• The Susanoo uses Unrivaled Under Heaven to strengthen itself, allowing it to clash evenly with Ilica’s Vampire True Form and the partly awakened Sea God Spear.
• Their blows send enormous waves across the sea, forcing the Azure Dragon, nearby vessels, and their crews to retreat.
• Frustrated that he cannot overpower Zhou Fan, Ilica burns his own blood to draw out greater strength. Because he has already used Blood Source Rebirth, exhausting his blood will kill him permanently.
• Zhou Fan answers with his strongest combination yet: True Several Thousand Hands, armored by Susanoo and empowered by all six Tailed Beasts. He then merges Kamui into the Buddha’s fists, unleashing Sage Art: Wood Release: Kamui: True Several Thousand Hands as Ilica launches his ultimate spear thrust.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Fan is energized rather than intimidated by the danger. He remains confident, but shows respect for Ilica’s willingness to stake his life by answering with his most powerful technique.
• Ilica shifts from certainty in the Sea God Spear to anger and desperation when it fails to give him an advantage. He knowingly risks permanent death in a final attempt to defeat Zhou Fan.
• Zhao Qiu watches Zhou Fan’s escalating strength with admiration, feeling reassured to have him as an ally. His group and the Meixing Country forces keep their distance to avoid being wrecked by the battle.

Significant themes

• Power and its cost: Ilica’s forbidden blood-burning technique offers tremendous strength at the price of his life.
• Growth through conflict: Zhou Fan sees pain and dangerous battles as what make a fight meaningful.
• Temporary power versus earned strength: Zhou Fan judges Ilica’s boosted abilities as less formidable than power gained through genuine cultivation.
• Escalation and respect: Each fighter answers the other’s greatest display with an even more extreme one, driving the clash toward a decisive confrontation.

Plot points and events

• Zhou Fan unleashes Kamui-infused Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands against Ilica, whose Sea God Spear lets him answer with a barrage of thrusts.
• Their attacks collide for over ten minutes, creating immense shock waves that batter the surrounding sea and threaten to capsize the Azure Dragon. Luo Luodong organizes the crew to reinforce the ship’s barrier, while Lin Qianqian shields it with Paper Shards.
• When the battle ends, much of Zhou Fan’s wooden construct is destroyed, but Zhou Fan remains unharmed. Ilica is badly wounded, and the Sea God Spear is cracked and powerless.
• Ilica tries to rise again, declaring that he must fight for the people he loves. Zhou Fan kills him with the Star Shatter Halberd before he can recover.
• Zhou Fan ends the mission, dispels Susanoo-Clad Kurama, and notes that the technique’s energy cost means he can currently use it only once.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Fan proves overwhelmingly stronger than Ilica and acknowledges him as one of his most formidable opponents, though he mocks Ilica’s last-stand declaration and refuses to let him make a sudden comeback.
• Ilica shifts from confidence to defeat, then makes a final stand motivated by love and loyalty. His resolve does not change the outcome.
• Luo Luodong stays composed under pressure, coordinating the crew’s defensive efforts.
• Lin Qianqian demonstrates her exceptional strength by directly shielding the ship from the battle’s shock waves.
• Zhao Qiu and the others are left struggling to keep the ship upright, underscoring the scale of the duel.

Significant themes

• Power and its limits: Ilica’s borrowed, incomplete command of the Sea God Spear cannot overcome Zhou Fan’s greater strength; Zhou Fan’s own ultimate technique also has a steep cost.
• Defiance versus reality: Ilica’s appeal to love and determination reflects heroic comeback conventions, but Zhou Fan rejects the idea that resolve alone guarantees victory.
• Recognition amid conflict: Despite killing Ilica, Zhou Fan respects his strength and admits the fight was genuinely exciting.

Key plot points and events

• After Zhou Fan defeats and kills Ilica, his allies are stunned by the scale of his strength. Yuan An, Gu Ning, and Gu Yu realize he had held back during their earlier encounters and that none of them could have challenged his Complete Body Susanoo.
• Zhou Fan says he was mostly testing Ilica rather than fighting at full strength. He asks whether killing a Meixing Country captain will cause trouble, but Luo Luodong and Zhao Qiu insist Ilica’s side provoked the confrontation and they will not back down.
• The survivors aboard Ilica’s ship flee. Luo Luodong orders the Azure Dragon to pursue, but five Meixing Country warships arrive and aim their cannons at it.
• Before Zhou Fan can respond, Lin Qianqian intercepts the incoming energy shells with sealing jutsu, then attacks the fleet with her newly strengthened multiplying paper bombs.
• Her explosive barrage—augmented with paper that targets defensive barriers—overwhelms the ships’ defenses and destroys the entire formation.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Fan: His allies gain a clearer sense of how far his strength exceeds theirs. He remains relatively restrained, treating combat as a test unless he faces a true enemy.
• Yuan An, Gu Ning, and Gu Yu: Their admiration—and, for Gu Ning, reassessment of his own prospects against Zhou Fan—deepens after seeing Zhou Fan’s true power.
• Luo Luodong and Zhao Qiu: They stand firm against Meixing Country and choose to pursue the fleeing enemy rather than accept the insult.
• Lin Qianqian: She demonstrates the major growth of her paper-bomb technique, decisively taking charge of the fleet engagement and proving herself a powerful battlefield combatant.
• The group acts collectively: Zhou Fan asks about the consequences, Luo Luodong and Zhao Qiu set the response, and Lin Qianqian supplies the decisive attack.

Significant themes

• Hidden strength and changed perceptions: Zhou Fan’s allies discover that their previous estimates of him were far too low.
• Escalation and resolve: Once Ilica’s side initiates violence, the Xia Country group refuses to retreat or let the remaining enemies escape.
• Growth through innovation: Lin Qianqian’s evolved technique turns a defensive interception into overwhelming offense.
• Teamwork and complementary abilities: The group’s coordinated resolve combines with individual strengths, even as Lin Qianqian ultimately decides the battle alone.

Key plot points

• Lin Qianqian destroys Meixing Country’s warship formation with 500,000 Explosive Tags, impressing the group and reaffirming her status as a formidable runner-up to Zhou Fan.
• The team finishes off surviving vampires. They capture Auge, Su Mei, and the traitorous Haicheng Esper Bureau director Lin Hai; Lin Hai will be dealt with through official proceedings.
• Zhou Fan and the others prepare to return. The Sea God Spear, damaged in Zhou Fan’s battle with Ilica, shatters when he picks it up.
• The broken weapon releases a powerful apparition of the Sea God. It seals the area, traps the group, and attacks Zhou Fan with a spear as punishment for breaking the artifact.
• Zhou Fan refuses to dodge if doing so would expose his companions. He summons his Complete Body Susanoo and several Wood Release defenses to block the attack. The chapter ends as Susanoo clashes with the Sea God’s spear.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Qianqian demonstrates overwhelming destructive power, earning the awe of Zhao Qiu, Gu Yu, and the others.
• Zhou Fan remains the group’s strongest fighter, but his decision to shield his companions—even at personal risk—shows his protectiveness and judgment.
• Luo Luodong ensures Lin Hai is captured rather than killed, prioritizing proper procedure despite the betrayal.
• Zhou Fan and Luo Luodong share a brief comic exchange over whether Zhou Fan should pay for the shattered spear; Luo Luodong rejects his excuse but recognizes that the weapon was already badly damaged.

Significant themes

• Power and responsibility: Zhou Fan’s strength matters not only in combat but in protecting those around him.
• Loyalty and justice: Lin Hai’s betrayal is answered through lawful accountability, while the group works together to eliminate the remaining threat.
• The danger of ancient power: The Sea God Spear’s lingering will reveals that even a broken artifact can remain lethal.

Plot and key events

• After defeating Ilica, Zhou Fan takes the Sea God’s spear attack head-on to protect the people behind him. His Susanoo is destroyed, and he is left with no spiritual energy.
• He falls into the sea and begins to drown. Lin Qianqian dives after him and resuscitates him by sharing her breath, then brings him safely to a nearby island.
• The storm has scattered the Director and the others, though Lin Qianqian believes they are probably safe. Zhou Fan plans to search for them after resting.
• Exhausted and hungry, Zhou Fan stays on the island while Lin Qianqian goes to look for food, leaving a Paper Clone behind to guard him.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Fan is physically depleted after fighting both Ilica and the Sea God’s afterimage, and he recognizes that Lin Qianqian saved his life. He is grateful but oblivious to her embarrassment about their underwater kiss.
• Lin Qianqian acts decisively to rescue him, then nervously insists the kiss was purely an emergency measure. Privately, she regrets that it was too brief to satisfy a system punishment requiring a five-second kiss. She is also frustrated when Zhou Fan assumes she is simply protecting him and later treats her clone like a servant.
• Their exchange highlights their contrasting perspectives: Lin Qianqian is flustered and emotionally invested, while Zhou Fan remains straightforward and unaware of the romantic tension. The Paper Clone’s protest adds a comic note to the scene.

Significant themes

• Sacrifice and mutual care: Zhou Fan protects others from the Sea God, while Lin Qianqian risks herself to save him.
• Romantic misunderstanding: A life-saving kiss carries emotional significance for Lin Qianqian, but Zhou Fan sees it only as an act of rescue.
• Recovery after conflict: The chapter shifts from a massive battle to the characters’ exhaustion, reunion, and need to regroup.