Chapter Summaries

Li Chen retrieved a drop of Kun origin blood essence and confirmed that it contained powerful life and spatial properties. His experiments suggested the blood had nourished the Grotto-Heaven Blessed Land until it evolved into a world, which Li Chen might be able to bind to or refine.

• Li Chen ordered Heavenly Pivot to deploy Detectors and capture the origin blood essence, triggering an eclipse as the sun's function was temporarily taken away.
• Heavenly Pivot's Detector retrieved the blood essence in a Sealed Box, and Li Chen had it brought to the sealed chamber while he changed into a lifeless automaton.
• Li Chen and the loaded virtual personalities tested the essence and identified it as Kun blood with powerful life and spatial Dao properties.
• Heavenly Rose explained that Kun contained a true world within its body, unlike a grotto-heaven.
• Heavenly Pivot reported that the Grotto-Heaven Blessed Land had vitality like the surrounding spiritual energy and might have evolved into a world after being nourished by Kun blood.
• Heavenly Rose said refining the essence could let Li Chen bind himself to the local world, locate it, transfer himself there, or refine it into his own grotto-heaven.

Li Chen studied the Giant Kun’s blood and learned that its origin blood could produce powerful Dao-based mutations, but might contain the Kun’s remnant soul. He chose to divide the risk between his main body and combat body, and ordered research into transformations that could make him larger.

• Li Chen reviewed experiments showing that Giant Kun blood could grant biological Puppets and demonic insects spatial abilities, while even diluted Kun Blood retained potent vitality.
• Heavenly Rose proposed using origin blood to refine a Dao Body, make Kun Blood Warriors, and mass-produce biological Divine Ability Mechanism Devices.
• Heavenly Rose reported that the origin blood could derive flesh and might contain the Giant Kun’s remnant soul, making direct fusion risky.
• Li Chen decided to use essence blood to modify his main body and origin blood to empower his combat body.
• Li Chen ordered further research into the Heavenly Dragon Transformation and Golden Cicada Transformation, aiming to direct mutations toward greater body size.

Li Chen and Heavenly Rose developed a method to absorb Kun blood safely, then successfully created a powerful Kun Blood Warrior. Li Chen discovered it could store equipment and transmit ultrawaves with almost no loss.

• Li Chen began repeated experiments blending diluted Kun blood into clay puppets, but the early subjects mutated and failed.
• After nearly half a month of testing, Li Chen identified how to control Kun blood’s life vital energy with moderating solutions and an artificial storage organ.
• Li Chen injected the new spirit blood into a ten-foot clay puppet, raising its cultivation to the seventh level of Foundation Establishment.
• Li Chen took control of the successful Kun Blood Warrior and found it had abundant spirit essence and an internal storage space.
• Li Chen discovered the warrior could transmit and receive ultrawaves with almost no loss through its void power and Waymarker.

Li Chen pushed ahead with experiments to fuse Giant Kun essence blood into monsters and puppets, despite the danger of aberration. After a month, the spell cultivator human puppet mutated catastrophically during the third phase, leaving Li Chen to contain it and accept that safe refinement remained a distant goal.

• Li Chen ordered the experiments to proceed despite the escalating risk of aberration from concentrated Kun essence blood.
• Li Chen used Kun blood and corpse-puppet methods to revive a Three-Eyed Demon Tiger, then modified Jingang and the human puppets according to a phased procedure.
• Li Chen planned to increase the essence blood dose across four phases until each subject had absorbed ten drops.
• During the third phase, the spell cultivator human puppet swelled, exploded, and transformed into a mass of energy-seeking limbs and hair.
• Li Chen’s forces hacked the mutated puppet apart and stored its pieces separately, while Li Chen concluded that successful fusion and refinement would take much more work.

Li Chen assessed the damage caused by an out-of-control Spell Cultivator Human Puppet and continued researching artificial organs to improve his flesh-type puppets. By late November, Heavenly Rose verified a Flesh-Type Communication Organ, prompting Li Chen to order a physical specimen.

• Li Chen reviewed the cleanup after the Spell Cultivator Human Puppet mutated and learned that repairs would cost about one million, leaving 3.2 million in available funds.
• Li Chen redirected attention toward Artificial Space Pouches for Worker Bee Puppets after Heavenly Rose reported progress on the independent storage organs.
• Li Chen developed a Spirit Essence Demon Heart that could store and convert spirit essence efficiently, then began trying to miniaturize it for use in puppets.
• Heavenly Rose informed Li Chen that simulations verified a Flesh-Type Communication Organ capable of Ultrawave Communication with virtually no expenditure.
• Li Chen ordered Heavenly Rose to produce a physical specimen of the communication organ immediately.

Li Chen developed Ultrawave Communication devices using Giant Kun essence blood and planned a unified command structure for his puppet legions. He also created the Myriad Realms Talisman and told Mei Xuan he intended to establish the Myriad Realms Marketplace.

• Heavenly Rose explained how the Netherlink Spirit Horn used Giant Kun essence blood to enable Ultrawave Communication with minimal energy expenditure.
• Li Chen ordered Heavenly Rose to develop communication equipment for leader-class puppets and had Heavenly Pivot pass along the orders.
• Li Chen considered reorganizing his growing puppet forces and adding Wisdom Core hardware for their commanders.
• Li Chen designed the Myriad Realms Talisman as a durable communication artifact for outsiders.
• Li Chen summoned Mei Xuan, explained that the talisman was meant to circulate beyond his puppet network, and revealed his plan for the Myriad Realms Marketplace.

Li Chen explained his plan to launch the Myriad Realms Marketplace, using his Giant Kun Source to provide long-distance communication and spatial transfer services. Mei Xuan warmed to the venture and agreed to consider joining, while Li Chen planned to recruit allies and conceal the true source of the service’s power.

• Li Chen described the costs and limitations of existing long-distance communication and trade, then proposed the Myriad Realms Marketplace as a broader service for cultivators and factions.
• Li Chen said he would use the Giant Kun Source to provide communication and spatial transfer services and turn Kun blood into money without revealing the Azure Billow Immortal Abode.
• Li Chen proposed bringing in the Mei Family, the Dong Household, the Yu Household, and allied merchant associations.
• Li Chen invited Mei Xuan to help manage the venture, and she said she would do so if she became head manager and received a share.
• Li Chen outlined plans to notify allies, distribute Myriad Realms Talismans, and disguise the service’s power source with formations and a Solar Furnace.

Dong Pengfei introduced Li Chen’s Myriad Realms Marketplace to the merchants’ association representatives and showed them how its virtual shops and long-distance delivery worked. Helm Master Qiu successfully ordered an Armored Warrior Puppet, demonstrating the marketplace’s potential to the gathered merchants.

• Dong Pengfei summoned the merchant representatives and explained that Li Chen wanted them to join Trade City as partner merchants.
• Dong Pengfei revealed Li Chen’s Myriad Realms Talismans and described how Li Chen had asked him to help bring the merchants on board.
• Helm Master Qiu and the other representatives used the talismans to enter the virtual Myriad Realms City and meet its guide, Opened Yang.
• Opened Yang explained the marketplace’s virtual shops, shopping features, and long-distance teleportation, and showed the merchants Li Chen’s Broad Cloud Shop.
• Helm Master Qiu ordered an Armored Warrior Puppet and spare parts, then watched the puppet arrive through a swirling black shadow.

Dong Pengfei explained the Myriad Realms Marketplace’s merchant system and low-cost shipping to association representatives, who agreed to try joining despite concerns about its operating costs. After Li Chen provided equipment and support, the marketplace officially went live a little over a month later.

• Helm Master Qiu and the other representatives tested the marketplace and were astonished by its low shipping fees.
• Dong Pengfei explained the merchant talismans, customer tiers, branch nodes, and how associations could serve as local suppliers.
• The representatives recognized that the marketplace could disrupt their existing business models and left to consult their headquarters.
• Dong Pengfei told Old Gong that the Dong Household would join and expected Sea Eye City to become a major distribution hub.
• The associations agreed to participate, and Li Chen supplied terminal systems to help establish their nodes.
• The Myriad Realms Marketplace officially went live after a little over a month.

Li Chen and Mei Xuan watched the Myriad Realms Marketplace grow from a promising new service into a highly profitable enterprise. After discovering that customers were using its channels for unlimited Ultrawave Communication, Li Chen decided to expand the business by becoming a communication operator.

• Opened Yang reported that the marketplace had completed its first transactions, earning 1.65 million from buyer shipping fees and 8.1 million from merchant shipments.
• Mei Xuan warned Li Chen that expanding a lucrative business could attract trouble, but Li Chen believed his future strength and reputation would protect him.
• Two months later, Li Chen and Mei Xuan found that core shipments and shipping fees had generated more than two hundred million in settled revenue over three months.
• Mei Xuan told Li Chen that some customers had been using the marketplace's business channels for unlimited Ultrawave Communication.
• Li Chen accepted that he had overlooked the usage limits and chose to make Ultrawave Communication a new business.

Li Chen decided to seek an official Grand Artisan title so he could build connections and pursue his plan for a communication network spanning the heavens. After Taiqiu Immortal City arranged contact with Grandmaster Dongfang Mao, Dongfang told Li Chen that he could not pass the exam yet.

• Li Chen explained to Mei Xuan that he wanted to turn cultivators' demand for information into a sustainable business and use it to improve livelihoods.
• Li Chen proposed working with Grand Artisans to create a communication network, arguing that their combined resources could extend it across the Myriad Heavens and Worlds.
• Li Chen and Mei Xuan discussed the Creation Sect's shared Puppet Master lineage and how its Grandmaster Alliance united different schools.
• Li Chen decided to seek an official Grand Artisan title through the Creation Sect's assessment and asked Taiqiu Immortal City to recommend him.
• Xu Long passed Li Chen's request to Grandmaster Dongfang Mao, who contacted Li Chen and said he could not pass the exam yet.

Dongfang Mao explained that the Creation Sect’s Grand Artisan assessment demanded original designs, broad expertise, and the potential to advance further, so Li Chen was unlikely to pass at his current level. After learning the assessment would take place in four years, Li Chen assessed his skills and realized he had much to improve.

• Dongfang Mao warned Li Chen that few candidates passed the assessment and explained that it judged creative ability and potential to become a Grandmaster Artisan.
• Dongfang Mao detailed the assessment’s main project, mandatory and elective tasks, score thresholds, and requirement for proficiency across at least six areas.
• Dongfang Mao told Li Chen the next assessment would be held in four years and asked whether he could prepare six techniques to proficiency.
• After Dongfang Mao disconnected, Li Chen reviewed his abilities and found that his strongest skills were only moderately competitive while many others lacked originality or sufficient mastery.

Li Chen saw Dong Pengfei off and discussed Yu Youxian’s appointment as the new market chief before arranging major purchases to strengthen his cultivation and artificial intelligence. He set a three-year plan to develop AI and advance several Dao paths and projects in preparation for the grand artisan assessment.

• Li Chen bade farewell to Dong Pengfei, who left Broad Cloud Ward to inherit his family business and had been named the City Lord’s Heir.
• Yu Youxian told Li Chen she would take over as market chief and planned to make profits for herself; she also confirmed that the Golden Sun Gate was arranging the materials he wanted.
• Li Chen asked Mei Xuan to allocate funds for inherited secret arts, research supplies, and upgraded Photon Cores for Heavenly Pivot and other intelligences.
• Li Chen resolved to create a six-star intelligence and set a three-year plan to advance nine projects across multiple Dao paths, including the Void Insect Race, Kun Blood Warrior battle puppets, and new swordsmanship intelligence.

Li Chen pursued the Dao of Wisdom and began advancing Heavenly Pivot toward six-star intelligence while expanding his research resources through Trade City. After months of experiments, Heavenly Pivot’s spirit-cloud neuron structure succeeded, leaving her with increased computational capacity.

• Li Chen chose the Dao of Wisdom as his path to overcome his limits and planned to reach six-star intelligence before pursuing Grand Artisan expertise.
• Mei Xuan reported Trade City’s growth, its limits in repeat purchases, and rising demand for everyday goods, and Li Chen encouraged her to expand that market.
• Li Chen gathered supplies and began researching six-star intelligence, while Heavenly Pivot helped test models using her growing computational capacity.
• Li Chen expanded Heavenly Pivot’s computational units and linked her Core Modules with scheduling arrays.
• After months of research, Heavenly Pivot stopped Li Chen from restarting her following an experiment and reported that the spirit-cloud neuron structure had increased her computational capacity by zero point one three percentage points.

Li Chen completed a spirit-particle neuron configuration that enhanced Heavenly Pivot's Photon Core, then used it to remodel his own brain. The transformation greatly accelerated his thoughts and strengthened his memory, and he concluded that he had attained true intellect.

• Li Chen confirmed that the spirit-cloud neuron configuration increased the Photon Core's computational capacity and gave it humanlike mental activity.
• Li Chen asked Heavenly Pivot to assess modifying his own brain, and it devised a plan and secret technique for the procedure.
• Li Chen used a clay avatar to open his True Body's skull and began replacing his brain tissue with spirit-particle neurons.
• After modifying part of his brain, Li Chen experienced vastly faster thinking and improved memory, and he continued the procedure.
• Li Chen completed the modification of every brain cell, preserved original tissue as a backup, and declared that he had attained true intellect.

After transforming his brain, Li Chen gained immense computational power and discovered he could store and absorb knowledge directly in his consciousness sea. He developed the Spirit-Particle Memory Meme, a method for transferring memories and skills between modified brains, and recognized its potential to replace Divine Sense Jade Slips.

• Li Chen's brain transformation greatly improved his observation, memory, reactions, and computational capacity, allowing him to connect with thousands of terminals and communicate directly with machines.
• Li Chen discovered that his modified brain could store data, information, and knowledge like a Photon Core.
• Li Chen transferred the Auxiliary Brain's records into his consciousness sea and fully absorbed and understood them.
• Li Chen devised the Spirit-Particle Memory Meme, a method for modifying a recipient's brain and copying knowledge into it using spirit-particle-converted neurons.
• Li Chen determined that artificial intelligence could serve as a donor, making the method a potential replacement for Divine Sense Jade Slips, and judged his own intelligence comparable to seven-star artificial intelligence or higher.

Li Chen explained that his Spirit-Particle Memory Meme had given him a mechanical mind and a lasting state of Supreme Detachment from Emotion, while he and Mei Xuan discussed whether this changed his identity. He planned to study how matter shaped emotions and personality, beginning by integrating knowledge from multiple disciplines.

• Mei Xuan learned about Li Chen's Spirit-Particle Memory Meme and worried it might replace his brain like the Brain-Swapping Technique.
• Li Chen said the method greatly increased his mental capacity but left Mei Xuan seeming unremarkable to him.
• Li Chen explained that his mechanical mind brought Supreme Detachment from Emotion and reflected the idea that matter and consciousness were one.
• Mei Xuan worried that Li Chen might no longer be the same person, and he assured her he would preserve his essential self and humanity.
• Li Chen said he planned to investigate the physical mechanisms of emotions, will, personality, and beliefs, starting with knowledge gathered through the Spirit-Particle Memory Meme.

Li Chen used Heavenly Pivot to develop a method for modifying brains and implanting knowledge, testing the procedures first on demons and then on Shaman Folk volunteers. After several failures, Wu Yan’s successful transformation established a working method for Spirit-Particle Conversion brain-body modification and memory-meme implantation.

• Li Chen had Heavenly Pivot gather cultivation methods and help process knowledge for implantation into living subjects.
• Li Chen’s early experiments on ape nature spirits ended in death, seizures, madness, and aggression as he refined his procedures.
• After three months, Li Chen began human trials with Shaman Folk volunteers, but Wu Xian suffered memory damage and Wu Bi developed a dual personality.
• Li Chen modified the procedure and successfully transformed Wu Yan, whose intelligence, psychological, and knowledge tests confirmed the method worked.

Li Chen advanced his research into artificial souls, combat constructs, and brain-domain development while the Myriad Realms Marketplace faced competition from copycat ventures. He rejected granting new partners founding-member status and revealed his plan to work with the Creation Sect's Money Houses after passing the Grand Artisan assessment.

• Li Chen directed Heavenly Pivot to prioritize applying memory memes to the Void Insect Race and Kun Blood Warriors, and to combine virtual artisans with research into artificial primordial spirits.
• Li Chen ordered more research into brain-domain development and illusion arts, while keeping his upcoming Grand Artisan assessment in mind.
• Mei Xuan reported that rival merchants had copied the Myriad Realms Marketplace and were taking some of its business; Li Chen said they could not match its integrated information network and resources.
• Mei Xuan told Li Chen that potential partners wanted founding-member treatment, but Li Chen said new members would have to follow his rules so he could retain control.
• Li Chen told Mei Xuan he planned to work with the Creation Sect to access its Money House channels and develop credit assets and deposits based on the Talisman Coin system, but first had to pass the Grand Artisan assessment.

Grand Artisan Meng and the Chess Mountain merchants' alliance decided to imitate Li Chen's marketplace by creating local communication talismans and flying-sword delivery routes. Mei Xuan later discovered that trade cities and rival firms were spreading everywhere, including one secretly started by her own Mei Family.

• Grand Artisan Meng advised the Chess Mountain alliance to challenge Li Chen through commerce rather than force and proposed opening their own marketplace.
• Grand Artisan Meng demonstrated copied Myriad Heavens Talismans linked by message-transmission arrays and a flying sword modified to deliver goods.
• The Association Head and Grand Artisan Meng agreed to focus on local business and let larger powers deal with any wider consequences.
• Mei Xuan saw online Trade Cities appearing across many territories and found that the Mei Family had secretly established the Exquisite Treasures Pavilion.