Chapter Summaries

Lin En returned to Mesijie Street to check on Salgon and Lilith’s production-line projects. Lilith revealed that her succubus-run entertainment venue had already earned 350,000 emotional fragments, leaving Lin En and Salgon stunned.

• Lin En returned to Mesijie Street and asked Salgon and Lilith how their production-line research was progressing.
• Salgon reported that he had started a production line in a remote human settlement to secure supplies independently of Clockwork City.
• Lilith showed Lin En rings containing earnings from her new entertainment venue and revealed that the fragments totaled 350,000.
• Lilith explained that she had recruited her mother’s succubus friends to lure men, give them restorative supplements, and harvest emotional fragments from both the men and the succubi.
• Lin En worried that the operation would exhaust its customers, but Lilith said the supplements helped and joked that her mother would enjoy working at her company.

Lilith collected the most fragments but nearly forced herself on Lin En as a reward, until Mirror stunned and pulled her away. Salgon then presented his smaller haul and pitched a plan to turn the Spirit Realm into a systematic fear-based business, which Lin En approved.

• Lilith admitted she had resisted joining the others because she was focused on winning Lin En's favor, then lunged at him in public.
• Mirror stunned Lilith with Salgon's leg bone and pulled her off Lin En.
• Lin En asked Salgon how many fragments he had collected, and Salgon reported only twenty thousand.
• Salgon explained his plan to hire evil spirits, create frightening scenarios, and use Spirit Realm Overlay to bring people into them overnight.
• Lin En praised Salgon's business sense and agreed that the plan sounded promising.

Lin En considered how to finance Salgon’s expensive fear-scenario business, which promised a large supply of fragments to help him face the Lord of Crimson. He decided to make and sell ownerless origin substance to raise the startup capital.

• Salgon asked Lin En for funding to launch his fear-scenario operation and proposed an initial budget of five hundred thousand.
• Salgon lowered his request to three hundred and fifty thousand and claimed the scenarios could earn one hundred to two hundred thousand fragments per run and expand across multiple locations.
• Lin En agreed to find the money quickly so Salgon could scale up and help him prepare for the Lord of Crimson.
• Lin En rejected ideas including embezzling Church funds, soliciting donations, selling himself, and selling or borrowing against Lin Yin.
• Lin En decided to turn his stockpile of fragments into ownerless origin substance and sell it on the Black Market.

Lin En used his vast supply of Emotional Fragments to synthesize three ninth-tier and five eighth-tier second-stage origin substances. After implanting one with powerful spatial abilities and five Reality Anchoring sequences, he tested its effects and wondered whether it could let him exceed his ten-second limit when using his true body's power.

• Lin En converted all of his fragments into hundreds of origin substances and repeatedly synthesized the second-stage ones into higher tiers.
• Lin En combined discarded high-sequence substances from the Firstborn’s ring and produced three ninth-tier and five eighth-tier origin substances.
• Lin En revealed his first prize, a heart implant with five Reality Anchoring sequences and several spatial abilities, and installed it.
• Lin En used the implant to reinforce and compress the space around him, crushing a chair with a clenched fist.
• Lin En wondered whether Reality Anchoring could let him use power beyond his body's limit without triggering the ten-second restriction.

Lin En tested his improved ability to sustain his third-stage power and discovered that he could hold it for thirty seconds. After reviewing two new origin substances and judging one useful for himself and the other suitable for Lilith, he spent his remaining stockpile synthesizing first-order origin substances to strengthen his Vessel.

• Lin En transformed for thirty seconds before withdrawing his aura, confirming that his Vessel could now withstand his third-stage power three times longer than before.
• Lin En examined an origin substance with Mind Detonation and decided its corruption-laced psychic blast could devastate creatures in a wide area.
• Lin En chose the origin substance with increased speed, agility, and other positive sequences for Lilith, since its Desire Freezing Point sequence could curb her excessive desire.
• Lin En used up his remaining stockpile in targeted synthesis, producing eighty first-order origin substances, more than half of which contained three Flesh sequences.
• Lin En began combining the new substances to obtain five Flesh sequences and free himself from the influence of Lin Yin's origin substance.

Lin En repeatedly synthesized origin substances in an effort to remove stubborn feminization sequences and raise the number of [Flesh] sequences. He combined his two high-tier results, but the new nine-sequence substance still contained [Peerless Feminization · Ultimate], leaving his plan unresolved.

• Lin En turned eighty five-sequence substances into thirty-six six-sequence substances and four five-sequence substances, then synthesized them into a seven-sequence substance with six [Flesh] and [Feminization].
• Lin En used [Peerless Feminization] as a base and combined it with other substances, producing a second seven-sequence substance with six [Flesh] and [Peerless Feminization].
• Lin En combined the [Feminization] substance with nine others, creating an eight-sequence substance with seven [Flesh] and [Feminization] after the unwanted sequence survived.
• Lin En combined the [Peerless Feminization] substance with his remaining four substances, but it also advanced to eight sequences with seven [Flesh] while retaining its negative sequence.
• Lin En fused the two eight-sequence substances together and produced a full-sequence nine-sequence origin substance containing eight [Flesh] and [Peerless Feminization · Ultimate].

Lin En fused and implanted a Supreme Perfection Origin Substance, gaining a vast increase in flesh power while transforming into an even more beautiful version of Lin Yin. Mirror saw his new form and was stunned.

• Lin En panicked when his Sequence Nine Origin Substance evolved through fusion and lamented that he had spent all his emotional fragments.
• Lin En decided to implant the Origin Substance despite fearing that its Supreme Perfection evolution might cause another abnormal change.
• The Origin Substance unleashed immense flesh power, remodeled Lin En’s body, and sent tentacles surging into the sky around the Council Hall.
• Mirror and the others rushed to the courtyard, where Lin En said the new Origin Substance had greatly improved his vessel.
• Lin En emerged transformed into a breathtakingly beautiful girl, and Mirror asked whether he was really her master.

Lin En discovered that the Third Phase evolution had transformed him into an extraordinarily beautiful female-looking form while leaving him male anatomy and greatly increasing his strength. He resolved to replace Supreme Perfection so he could use the power without risking being caught in the wrong form.

• Mirror stopped Salgon from entering the courtyard and seeing Lin En naked, then followed Lin En's order to keep his changed form secret.
• Lin En examined his reflection and realized Supreme Perfection had made him far more beautiful, leaving him horrified by his appearance.
• Lin En checked that he still had male anatomy and concluded that the new form's physical power had multiplied several times over.
• Lin En worried that he might be ambushed before he could transform and vowed to replace Supreme Perfection with emotional fragments.
• Lin En noticed his clothes hung loosely on his smaller body and joked that he could earn quick money by selling his services.

Lin En went to Clockwork City's Black Market to sell second-tier origin substance and raise funds for Salgon's production line before the Lord of Crimson attacked. He set out his goods in the Red-Light District, while Salgon learned of Lin En's efforts and resolved to work harder.

• Lin En gathered his origin substance, told Mirror to have Salgon start recruiting and set up the scenario, and went to the Black Market to test the market.
• Lin En chose not to sell through the Void Consortium because of its thirty-percent commission and set up a stall in the Red-Light District.
• Lin En displayed origin substance from one to three sequences with prices ranging from 2,000 to 10,000 Spirit Coins.
• Mirror told Salgon that Lin En was raising money for him, and Salgon vowed to set up the scenario that night if the funding came through.
• Salgon realized Lin En might have gone to the tax-free Red-Light District, where the available services were risqué, but did not explain this to Mirror.

Firstborn visited the Void Consortium to investigate Ophiel’s would-be assassin and Hana Ye’s history in the Spirit Realm. Meanwhile, Lin En’s Origin Substance stall drew a frenzied crowd after customers mistook his sales pitch for an offer of sexual services.

• Firstborn reminded the Void Consortium lords of their agreement and asked for information about Ophiel’s attacker and the Great Demon invasion, especially Hana Ye.
• A customer mistook Lin En’s Origin Substance stall for a brothel and asked about the differences between its prices.
• Lin En explained that higher-priced Origin Substance had more sequences and could be used in more combinations, while the customers interpreted his claims as increasingly enticing services.
• Lin En assured the crowd that the Origin Substance was unused and promised a hundredfold compensation if that claim proved false, sending customers into a bidding frenzy.
• Lin En announced that he also had an eight-sequence Origin Substance and promised buyers permanent ownership and a year of protection.

Firstborn learned that the Lord of Crimson might invade and promised the Void Consortium protection. As he prepared to leave the Black Market, a familiar voice from a crowd stopped him.

• The Void Lord told Firstborn that the Lord of Crimson had met Hana Ye's mother and had issued a Bounty Writ for Hana Ye.
• The Void Lord shared intelligence about the Lord of Crimson's followers and a secret Vessel Corps that could serve as her trump card.
• Firstborn promised to protect the Void Consortium and walked with its lords to the Black Market's outer reaches.
• Firstborn declined the Void Lord's offer to arrange a meeting with a beautiful young woman and prepared to depart.
• A girl's excited shout about a three-hundred-thousand bid made Firstborn freeze because he recognized her voice.

Lin En’s stall drew a three-hundred-thousand-Spirit-Coin bid for three pieces of origin substance, but the Void Consortium Lord outbid everyone with an offer of one million each. Delighted by his three-million windfall, Lin En followed the Void Lord to meet his master, misunderstanding the Lord’s insistence that he provide company.

• Lin En offered three pieces of origin substance, and a diseased human Ability User bid three hundred thousand Spirit Coins for all three.
• As Lin En prepared to close the sale, the Void Consortium Lord arrived and offered one million Spirit Coins per piece.
• Lin En accepted the Void Consortium’s three million in checks and followed the Void Lord toward his master.
• The Void Lord told Lin En to keep his master company, while Lin En wondered why he made it sound like Lin En was selling himself.

Lin En entered the Void Consortium’s hall to meet the buyer of his origin substance, only to discover the mysterious customer was Firstborn. Firstborn mistakenly believed Lin En had come to sell himself for money, and Lin En angrily rejected his offer of help.

• Lin En entered the hall and pitched the buyer on higher-grade origin substance and additional services.
• Firstborn stopped Lin En from inspecting him and revealed his identity.
• Lin En panicked at seeing Firstborn and demanded to know why he was there.
• Firstborn asked why Lin En had come to do business and said Lin En could have asked him for money.
• Lin En insisted he could support himself and angrily asked why he had to come to Firstborn.

Lin En tried to sell origin substance at a street stall, but the Firstborn mistook his business for prostitution and confronted him. After Lin En accepted his offer of three million, the Firstborn demanded that he undress, leaving Lin En stunned as he prepared to force the misunderstanding further.

• The Firstborn found Lin En selling origin substance at a street stall and accused him of choosing strangers over accepting his help.
• Lin En explained that he wanted to raise money without taking an inflated price from someone he knew, and the Firstborn wrongly believed he was selling himself.
• The Firstborn offered three million for Lin En’s goods, and Lin En accepted as compensation for the Firstborn disrupting his sale.
• The Firstborn asked Lin En to take off his clothes, revealing that he thought the deal was for six sexual encounters rather than origin substance.
• The Firstborn, convinced Lin En had agreed to sell his body, asked whether Lin En would undress himself or need help.

Lin En discovered that the Firstborn had mistaken his Origin Substance sale for an offer to sell his body and furiously beat him for the misunderstanding. Outside the hall, the Void Lord and the Void Consortium misread the noise as evidence that the Firstborn was having sex with Lin En.

• The Firstborn tried to remove Lin En’s cloak, believing Lin En was selling himself, and Lin En punched him into a wall.
• Lin En pinned the Firstborn and demanded to know why he thought Lin En was soliciting; the Firstborn asked what else Lin En could be doing.
• Lin En repeatedly struck the Firstborn with a stool and shouted that he had come to sell Origin Substance.
• The Firstborn realized Lin En meant actual Origin Substance, while the Void Lord and the Void Consortium outside mistook the beating sounds for sex.
• Lin En recalled the crowd bidding at his stall and feared they had wanted to sleep with him rather than buy his wares.

Lin En tried to convince the Firstborn that he was a man after a misunderstanding about selling Origin Substance led to a beating. The Firstborn still mistook Lin En’s confession for wounded pride and prepared to kill the witnesses, leaving Lin En ready to prove the truth by undressing.

• Lin En beat the Firstborn for misunderstanding his words about selling Origin Substance, while the Firstborn explained that he had not actually meant to buy Lin Yin’s first time.
• The Firstborn stayed cheerful because he believed the incident proved Lin Yin had not intended to sell himself, and Lin En felt increasingly sickened by the misunderstanding.
• Lin En told the Firstborn that he was a man, but the Firstborn apologized for hurting Lin Yin and offered to kill everyone who had witnessed the incident.
• Lin En insisted that he was a man, and the Firstborn drew a sword and headed for the door to silence the witnesses.
• Lin En decided to stop pretending and reached for his belt to prove that he was a man.

Lin En exposed himself to prove to Firstborn that he was a man, but Firstborn refused to open his eyes and look. After failing to force him to, Lin En shot him when Firstborn offered to take responsibility for him.

• Lin En ripped open his robe and showed Firstborn his body to prove he was male.
• Firstborn kept his eyes closed, believing Lin En was a distressed girl and refusing to look until Lin En got dressed.
• Lin En tried for over half an hour to pry Firstborn's eyes open, but Firstborn resisted and insisted he would look only after Lin En dressed.
• Firstborn said he would take responsibility for Lin Yin, gaining 50 sympathy points.
• Lin En raised his gun and shot Firstborn, who fell to the ground.

Lin En and the Firstborn set aside their argument over Lin En’s identity and negotiated a deal for the Firstborn to sell Lin En’s ownerless Origin Substances. Lin En accepted the Firstborn’s help and kept the three million in checks as an advance, while the Firstborn secretly intended to keep supporting him.

• Lin En told the Firstborn he was raising money to restore House Lucifal and establish his own power base.
• The Firstborn offered to act as Lin En’s sales agent for a five-percent commission, claiming his connections would secure better prices.
• Lin En accepted the arrangement and agreed to let the Firstborn sell his ownerless Origin Substances.
• The Firstborn let Lin En keep the three million in checks, which Lin En tucked into his bag as an advance against future sales.
• Lin En said he would take over sales himself once he had built his own channels, while the Firstborn privately planned to keep helping him.

Lin En and Firstborn traveled through the Spirit Realm as Firstborn explained the Void Consortium’s ties to the World Ruler and the search for the authority that could close the Great Rift. Lin En realized that closing it might cut off his connection to the Warp, while Firstborn expected the scattered Vessel Families to reunite.

• Lin En asked whether the Void Consortium could identify the Crimson Secret Cult’s strongholds, and Firstborn explained that the Consortium had once served the World Ruler and had built a powerful intelligence network.
• Firstborn told Lin En that the Consortium was controlled by another hidden great demon whose missing Vessel Family had vanished during Eternal Night.
• Firstborn explained that the World Ruler was the only Supreme Pathbearer with authority over Space and may have created the Great Rift.
• Firstborn said the sleeping gods might need the World Ruler’s remaining authority to repair the Great Rift, and Lin En worried that its closure would leave him cut off from the Warp.
• Firstborn said the divine families had made little public progress finding the World Ruler’s legacy and predicted that the Vessel Families would eventually reunite.

Firstborn brought Lin En to raid a Crimson Secret Cult stronghold and taught him to wield Origin Substance as raw force. Lin En’s first attempt killed a fleeing cultist but unleashed widespread corruption across the region, leaving Firstborn stunned.

• Firstborn brought Lin En to an underground Crimson Secret Cult stronghold and proposed they loot it, with Lin En handling the plunder and Firstborn handling the killing.
• Firstborn demonstrated how precise control of Origin Substance could unleash its power directly, crushing the stronghold and lifting its remains into the air.
• Firstborn explained how sequence count and uniformity affected the strength and control of Origin Substance, then taught Lin En how to use the technique.
• Lin En focused his power and burst a fleeing figure into blood mist, but his attack also spread corruption and distortion across the surrounding region.
• Firstborn stared in disbelief at Lin En after seeing the destruction his first attempt had caused.