Chapter Summaries

Zhang Ming returned to Turtle Island and revisited the places where his survival story began, then reunited with the Turtle Group and helped them prepare for the future. The chapter ended with Gu Shunjing offering Stone Mama a rare seed that could use the Black Tortoise’s lingering bloodline power to heal its soul.

• Zhang Ming returned to Turtle Island, greeted the Turtle Group, and gave Old White supplies and hundreds of tons of zombie meat.
• Zhang Ming revisited the crash memorial and his old shelter, found his forgotten notes and poster, and shared memories of surviving alone with Miss Gourd.
• Zhang Ming joined the turtles at Mysterious Valley, where he saw their scholars, cultivators, and fighters, and learned that Scarface Turtle had grown to a shell length of 150 meters.
• Gu Shunjing asked Zhang Ming how much he should offer Stone Mama for the Flame-Horn Breathing Technique, and Zhang Ming advised him to help Stone Mama if he could afford it.
• Gu Shunjing offered Stone Mama a lotus-like Strange Object and then a purple seed that could draw on the Black Tortoise’s bloodline power to restore its soul; Zhang Ming was surprised by the seed’s value.

Zhang Ming gained Dragon Turtle Power and concluded that Soul Burning could temporarily simulate a divine beast bloodline. He prepared Black Tortoise World for a possible catastrophe, then learned from Wang Fumin that a technologically advanced civilization had destroyed a medieval world with an artificial sun.

• Zhang Ming activated Dragon Turtle Power, grew into a ten-meter giant with Soul Burning, and realized the ability temporarily simulated a Dragon Turtle bloodline.
• Zhang Ming told the turtles that Black Tortoise World faced a catastrophe and described plans to anchor a future Space-Time Leap toward Yellow Sand World.
• Zhang Ming heard a broadcast report that Wang Fumin's trading team had found a medieval civilization destroyed about twenty years earlier.
• Wang Fumin's letter told Zhang Ming about the crew's voyage, the birth of the ship's first baby, and his own lingering grief for his late wife and daughter.
• Wang Fumin reported that the medieval civilization had been roasted by an artificial weapon called Flaming Sun, while a nearby coral reef island had been destroyed by an energy weapon.
• Zhang Ming watched footage showing two suns, including an azure one whose heat rapidly raised the world's temperature.

Zhang Ming experienced the realm of “I am the world” while preparing a Space-Time Leap for Black Tortoise World, leaving the destination set and the turtles ready to flee if danger arrived. He also reviewed news of a destroyed world and humanity’s war against the Shadow Beasts, then bid farewell to Gu Shunjing.

• Zhang Ming read an analysis suggesting the Destroyer Civilization had used Flaming Sun to destroy a world and capture its Holy Maiden statue, possibly an incarnation of the World Will, while experts suspected the Wanhai Civilization’s spatial technology had been involved.
• Zhang Ming learned that humanity and the Snake People had begun a campaign against the Shadow Beasts, with Zhong Yunlong commanding the first wave of 200,000 soldiers.
• Zhang Ming refused to study for one night and later joined the turtles in a peaceful week on Turtle Island before Gu Shunjing departed with Jidebao; Gu gave Little White a protective jade pendant, and Zhang Ming gave Gu a steamship.
• Zhang Ming won the turtles’ agreement to prepare for a Space-Time Leap, fed Demon God grease to the local World Will, and experienced the sensation of becoming one with Black Tortoise World.
• Zhang Ming set the leap’s destination using the mental Anchor for Yellow Sand World and arranged for Old White, Scarface, and Old Black to take responsibility for activating it if danger came.
• Zhang Ming told the turtles to build warehouses and gather seabed minerals and extra fish before the leap.

After six years of training and work on Turtle Island, Zhang Ming grew powerful enough to challenge Scarface Turtle and finally left with Stone Mama for the long-delayed civilization exchange. Near the Black Tortoise World's boundary, they encountered strange, living trees floating in the sea.

• Zhang Ming raised plans to expand Turtle Island, while Old White and Little White organized the turtles to mine and train.
• Zhang Ming planted Gu Shunjing's Lotus seed in the Black Tortoise's heart chamber, allowing Stone Mama to recover and grow stronger over six years.
• Zhang Ming trained his abilities, reached 30,201 transcendent spirit, and tested his giant form by flipping Scarface Turtle onto its back.
• Zhang Ming read letters about humanity's trade and military efforts, then waited for Stone Mama to finish recovering before leaving for the civilization exchange.
• Stone Mama emerged from the Lotus, and Zhang Ming departed Turtle Island aboard the Aerospace Plane as the turtles saw him off.
• Zhang Ming and Stone Mama spotted living trees floating near the Black Tortoise World's boundary, and the trees shook their branches after noticing the plane.

Zhang Ming encountered Tree People fleeing their destroyed world and learned that they carried a weakening crystal fruit containing their world will. When a four-armed Transcendent and his crew demanded the fruit and threatened the Black Tortoise Descendants, Zhang Ming secretly teleported an atomic bomb into their spaceship, leaving its countdown discovered.

• Zhang Ming and Stone Mama learned that the Tree People had fled a second sun that had nearly destroyed their world, and the great treant offered Zhang Ming nourishing fruit.
• The Tree People revealed a crystal fruit that was their world will, while a flying saucer arrived in pursuit and accused them of stealing it.
• Stone Mama defended the Tree People and the Black Tortoise Descendants, but the four-armed creature demanded the crystal fruit and threatened the turtles.
• Zhang Ming overheard the crew plotting to capture the turtles and find the Black Tortoise World, while the great treant surrendered the fruit and was attacked and killed.
• The four-armed creature demanded turtles as compensation, and Zhang Ming challenged the aliens to offer him their spaceship to spare their lives.
• While the spaceship charged its main cannon, Zhang Ming used the Eye of Space-Time to teleport an atomic bomb into its control room, where a soldier discovered it.

Zhang Ming destroyed the alien ship, defeated its Four-Armed Monster leader, and claimed the Crystal Fruit, which greatly increased Little Tree’s production of Source of the World. After the battle, Stone Mama accused the Old Tree People of manipulating events to secure protection, leaving Zhang Ming wary of the schemes hidden beneath the conflict.

• Zhang Ming’s Atomic Bomb wrecked the ship’s Control Room, and he fought off the Four-Armed Monster while Stone Mama rescued the Black Tortoise Descendants.
• Zhang Ming pierced the ship’s defensive barrier, killed its surviving soldiers, and defeated the Four-Armed Monster after Miss Gourd’s Gourd thwarted his Soul Devouring Claw.
• Zhang Ming destroyed the Four-Armed Monster’s mirror and captured him, then agreed to seal him with a Fruit of Eden.
• Zhang Ming attached the Crystal Fruit to Little Tree, boosting its collection of Source of the World by an estimated 122 percent.
• Zhang Ming discovered that the Old Tree People leader had survived, and Stone Mama accused it of concealing its motives and trying to exploit the conflict.

Zhang Ming salvaged a powerful spaceship and 1,600 units of Source of the World, then hid it on the moon to avoid retaliation. He brought the displaced Tree People to Black Tortoise World, where they settled as the Green Tree Tribe, and the chapter ended with a moss-covered Light and Shadow Stone falling from a tree.

• Zhang Ming discovered the spaceship's Flaming Sun weapon, while Gourd warned that the ship might have reported its location to its headquarters.
• Stone Mama warned Zhang Ming not to give the spaceship to humanity, and he took the Heavenly Secret Jade Pendant before persuading Stone Mama to help search the wreck.
• Zhang Ming and his companions found 1,600 units of Source of the World and other valuable technology, then he hauled the spaceship to the moon for safekeeping.
• Zhang Ming brought the displaced Tree People to Black Tortoise World, named them the Green Tree Tribe, and arranged places for them to settle.
• Gourd relayed the Tree People's account of two visits by flying-saucer civilizations, and Stone Mama suggested the later visitors might have treated them as livestock.
• A Light and Shadow Stone fell from a hollow in one of the large Tree People.

Zhang Ming used the Black Tortoise World’s World Will to make repeated Space-Time Leaps toward the Yellow Sand World, then left it behind and flew to the Honggang Civilization’s territory. There he reunited with Wang Fumin and Gangduo, who had risen to become a High Council Speaker and reached the Spirit Limit in Physique.

• Zhang Ming read a Light and Shadow Stone that showed a blue-skinned traveler describing the Way of Nature and giving others a short-range teleportation device, while Stone Mama speculated that the traveler might have turned to Conception Reversal.
• Zhang Ming assigned his Transcendent Spirit to Perception, found a space-time discontinuity point, and guided the Black Tortoise World through a successful leap of about 120,000 kilometers.
• Zhang Ming made further leaps over the next five months, moving the Black Tortoise World fourteen million kilometers and spending 150 units of Source of the World before stopping near the Honggang Civilization.
• Zhang Ming replenished the World Tree’s Source of the World, shared some of his remaining reserves with Stone Mama, and left the Black Tortoise World with his companions aboard the Aerospace Plane.
• After a month of flight, Zhang Ming reached the Macrosteel People’s territory, where Wang Fumin welcomed him and asked whether he had settled matters with the Black Tortoise World.
• Gangduo greeted Zhang Ming and Stone Mama, told him that their former comrade Kake had died after becoming a bandit, and said he had reached the Spirit Limit in Physique and joined the Supreme Council.

Zhang Ming attended a gathering of representatives from twenty-three civilizations preparing to trade with the Wanhai Civilization, where they discussed threats and strange discoveries in the Demon God's Sea. He met humanity’s delegation and learned about turmoil among the Snake People before an offhand suggestion left Wang Fumin considering a new path to finding a partner.

• Gangduo told Zhang Ming that the Macrosteel People had failed to find a suitable bloodline for Spirit Limit Users seeking to become Transcendents, then led him into a hall of representatives from twenty-three civilizations.
• Zhang Ming introduced himself to the representatives, learned that the Wanhai Civilization would take them to its trading market for a fee, and discussed the possible prices of his Space Gourds with Gangduo.
• The civilizations exchanged reports about Destroyer Civilization attacks, the spreading Nether Domain Calamity, a Dragon Turtle that had tried to recruit soldiers, and an awakened primordial creature discovered beneath a plateau.
• Zhang Ming met humanity’s delegation, the Akala leader Abushi, and the Snake People’s Governor Heikui, then heard from Wang Fumin that Heilin and Bailin faced accusations of betrayal over their deal with humanity.
• Wang Fumin told Zhang Ming about his search for a partner after recovering from a psychological illness, and Zhang Ming suggested he consider women from other civilizations; Wang Fumin was stunned by the idea.

Zhang Ming proposed that humanity and its allies stockpile The Starry Night Shells before revealing the Light Talisman formula, hoping to profit when demand drove prices up. The Snake People and Stone Mama joined the risky scheme, while Zhang Ming learned that the Wanhai Civilization Trade Market would host thousands of civilizations and could absorb far more shells than they could buy.

• Wang Fumin told Zhang Ming that humanity had brought about 8,000 units of goods and 5,000 units of Source of the World, while Zhang Ming’s raw materials were valued at 12,000 units.
• Miss Gourd suggested buying The Starry Night Shells, and Zhang Ming proposed publishing the Light Talisman formula after stockpiling them to raise demand and prices.
• Zhang Ming warned Wang Fumin and Stone Mama to keep the plan secret, then revealed that he had advanced beyond the Spirit Limit and vowed to fight back if anyone tried to rob them.
• Wang Fumin consulted a small think tank, and humanity invited Snake People Civilization to join the operation.
• The Snake People committed 15,000 units of goods, and Stone Mama offered to invest everything it owned.
• The Snake People Governor explained that the Wanhai Civilization Trade Market would gather thousands of civilizations and hold enough shell supplies that their purchases would not monopolize the market.

Zhang Ming organized a four-civilization alliance to secretly buy Starry Night Shells, then boarded a Wanhai Civilization transport ship bound for its trading market. The chapter ended with the Dragon Turtle, carrying a large stock of Starry Night Shells, agreeing to meet representatives from the other Pot in the Mountain.

• Zhang Ming secured deposits and cooperation from the Snake People, Macrosteel People, and Akala Civilization, forming an alliance with humanity to buy Starry Night Shells.
• Over six months, the alliance accumulated shells while Zhang Ming toured the Honggang Civilization and reunited with his Macrosteel friends.
• The Wanhai Civilization's spaceship arrived, and Captain Gandalf welcomed its passengers and explained the rules aboard the Pot in the Mountain.
• Zhang Ming and the alliance representatives planned to keep buying shells during the journey, aiming to acquire five million tons without driving up the price.
• The Dragon Turtle inspected its warehouse, learned that representatives from another Pot in the Mountain were aboard, and agreed to meet them while considering how to profit from its stored goods.

The Dragon Turtle used its overwhelming strength to force the Snake People into buying Starry Night Shells, then decided to stockpile even more shells after a mysterious premonition. The chapter ended with his warehouse holding a mountain of shells as he waited for their price to rise.

• The Dragon Turtle intimidated Heikui and the Snake People into buying all the Starry Night Shells they could pay for, then held them until their goods arrived.
• Stone Mama learned that the Dragon Turtle was forcing deals and threatened to kill him, but Old Zhang urged it to take revenge by letting the Dragon Turtle regret selling the shells cheaply.
• The Dragon Turtle traded the Snake People’s valuable goods to other civilizations for more Starry Night Shells, and his growing unease eased when he saw the shells.
• The Dragon Turtle ordered the White Sea Lion to acquire every available Starry Night Shell in exchange for Bixi bloodline goods and other stock.
• The Dragon Turtle accumulated 960,000 tonnes of Starry Night Shells, valued at 8,000 units of Source of the World, and ordered the White Sea Lion to alert him only when their price rose.

Zhang Ming and the human delegation arrived at the Wanhai Civilization’s vast trading market, where they learned its rules and registered humanity’s technologies. As the delegation settled in, Zhang Ming remained wary of the Dragon Turtle and the market’s hidden defenses, while a Wanhai official invited him to a Transcendent academic exchange in three years.

• Zhang Ming reassured the Snake People and Akala people that the Dragon Turtle’s stockpile of The Starry Night Shells posed no threat to their secret plan.
• After two months of travel, the Wanhai Civilization spacecraft reached an artificial continent, and Captain Gandalf explained the market’s fees, trading rules, and facilities.
• Zhang Ming sensed powerful presences guarding the continent and learned from Miss Gourd that divine beast remains and defensive Array Runes protected it.
• The human delegation unloaded its goods and registered its unique technologies, while Zhang Ming asked Gangduo to monitor the Dragon Turtle’s movements.
• A Wanhai Civilization official invited Zhang Ming to attend a Transcendent Academic Exchange Association in three years.

Zhang Ming and the human delegation explored the Wanhai Civilization’s vast trading market, learning about its many civilizations and examining unique technologies that could help humanity survive the Nether Domain Calamity. The chapter left them astonished by the market’s wealth of goods and possibilities as they encountered Gangduo’s Macrosteel Civilization party.

• Zhang Ming declined to join the Wanhai Civilization, asked about the Death Arena and the number of civilizations in the market, and learned that 4,600 civilizations maintained a permanent presence there.
• Wang Fumin organized the five thousand human representatives after they received identity cards, then led them to the unique technology trading market to assess potential purchases.
• Zhang Ming and the human experts examined technologies including Droplets, Klein Coils, electromagnetic weapons, aerospace planes, mining machines, Spirit Particle Bombs, and foods that enhanced physical fitness.
• Zhang Ming considered buying protective combat suits but resisted because of their high price, then visited the Wanhai Civilization’s exhibition hall and inspected its Pot in the Mountain and defensive force fields.
• Zhang Ming and his companions met Gangduo and the Macrosteel Civilization party, who were amazed by the trading market’s scale and prosperity.

At the Wanhai Civilization Trade Market, Zhang Ming and his allies weighed buying technologies to flee or endure the Nether Domain Calamity, while humanity struggled to afford the many advances it wanted. Two years later, the Bianfeng Civilization arrived to promote a new path centered on developing World Wills, provoking powerful beings and drawing the Dragon Turtle’s scorn.

• Gangduo explained that the Wanhai Civilization had warned other civilizations to destroy Shadow Beasts and avoid researching the Darkness Rule, while the Nether Domain Calamity could block out the Sun.
• Zhang Ming and his allies listed essential technologies for spatial travel and survival, and Zhang Ming decided humanity should buy everything it could afford.
• Humanity slowly traded its goods for materials and The Starry Night Shells, while experts argued over thousands of technology projects that humanity could not afford.
• The Dragon Turtle spent two years watching The Starry Night Shells prices and grew furious when large orders from the arriving Bianfeng Civilization drove the market down.
• The Bianfeng Civilization announced that the old Transcendent, Immortal, and Eternal progression was outdated and promoted developing World Wills as a new path.
• The Bianfeng representative blocked the hostile auras with a light barrier, while the Dragon Turtle dismissed him as a weakling and a charlatan.

The Bianfeng Civilization announced a new path of cultivating intelligent world wills, triggering a clash between the old and new orthodoxies and sending markets into turmoil. As Zhang Ming’s coalition finished buying The Starry Night Shells, Abushi brought the Akala Civilization’s vast stock to market to begin their plan to drive prices upward.

• The Bianfeng Civilization explained that civilizations could awaken and strengthen their world wills with Divine Beast remains, then capture other world wills to advance them; its envoy burst apart after continuing despite the Dragon Turtle’s warnings.
• The Dragon Turtle watched The Starry Night Shells fall as Divine Beast remains surged in value, while Zhang Ming and Stone Mama discussed how the new path could weaken the Wanhai Civilization’s old system.
• Stone Mama traded a Black Tortoise Bloodline petal to the Dragon Turtle for a hundred thousand tonnes of The Starry Night Shells and a favor, though both lamented the market’s continued decline.
• Zhang Ming’s coalition of human, Snake People, Macrosteel People, and Akala civilizations accumulated about 5.144 million tonnes of The Starry Night Shells, then agreed to use the Akala Civilization’s apparent stockpile to create a false shortage.
• Abushi took five million tonnes of The Starry Night Shells to the Wanhai trading market and listed them at prices ranging from 110 to 120.

Abushi’s Akala Civilization listed five million tons of Starry Night Shells, but weak demand left the sale stalled while Zhang Ming and his allies debated whether to unite and follow the New Path. Six months later, the Akala Civilization prepared to reveal the Light Talisman indirectly, while the Air Bubble Civilization’s success with space-shuttle equipment made it a rising power.

• Abushi consigned five million tons of Starry Night Shells to the Wanhai trading market, enraging Dragon Turtle, who smashed his price-checking machine and entered hibernation.
• Zhang Ming’s allies discussed buying a space-shuttle instrument for the Akala Civilization and weighed following the New Path or the old path; Zhang Ming revealed that their worlds could unite using several World Wills he possessed.
• Gangduo told Zhang Ming that the Honggang Civilization had reconsidered buying an Eternal Sun, and Zhang Ming hinted that he had other resources that could support their cooperation.
• After six months of weak demand and rejected low offers, the Akala Civilization withdrew its Starry Night Shells and planned to let other civilizations discover the Light Talisman formula so they would seek the shells as an ingredient.
• The Air Bubble Civilization prospered by selling Space Shuttle Auxiliary Devices during the Nether Domain Calamity and became a leading partner among more than a dozen civilizations.

Several civilizations discovered that The Starry Night Shells were a key ingredient in Light Talismans, prompting Zhang Ming’s allies to spread the discovery while quietly stockpiling shells. As rumors and competing buyers drove prices up, the Giant Mountain Civilization struggled to secure enough shells and tried to understand who else was buying them.

• The Centaur Civilization reported finding Light Talismans on a battered ship and identified The Starry Night Shells among their ingredients, drawing interest from civilizations at the trade meeting.
• Zhang Ming, Gangduo, and their allies revealed that they had planted ships carrying Light Talismans to spread knowledge of the talismans and raise demand for The Starry Night Shells.
• The Giant Mountain Civilization offered to buy the Akala Civilization’s shell shipment, while Zhang Ming advised Abushi to delay negotiations until prices rose.
• The Starry Night Shells rose sharply in the trading market, and Dragon Turtle awoke to learn that its stockpile had returned to cost price.
• Dragon Turtle told representatives from other civilizations that The Starry Night Shells could counter the Shadow Beast Calamity, encouraging more buyers to stockpile them.
• The Giant Mountain Civilization learned that the Air Bubble and Centaur civilizations were competing for shells, its negotiations with Akala had stalled, and Dragon Turtle had refused its trade request.

The Giant Mountain Civilization’s sudden buying spree sent Starry Night Shell prices soaring, while Zhang Ming and his allies kept their holdings and planned to reveal the Light Talisman’s formula later. Two months afterward, the Poison-Eye Civilization arrived with news about the New Path and the Nether Domain Calamity, setting up a paid information briefing.

• The Giant Mountain Civilization bought every Starry Night Shell on the exchange and offered to purchase three million tonnes, paying part of the price in Source of the World.
• Zhang Ming told Gangduo, Heikui, and Abushi to delay selling and avoid sending more ships, while they waited for prices to rise further before releasing the Light Talisman formula.
• Dragon Turtle urged gathered civilization leaders to buy or hold their Starry Night Shells, though it admitted it did not know why the price had risen.
• The Air Bubble Civilization and the Giant Mountain Civilization agreed to cooperate: the Air Bubble Civilization would decipher the Light Talisman, and the Giant Mountain Civilization would share in the resulting manufacturing methods.
• Over the next two months, Starry Night Shell prices climbed to twenty-two percent above their starting level as civilizations gathered in the Wanhai trading market.
• The Poison-Eye Civilization arrived from a neighboring World Cluster, offered its Soul-Pinning Impact Cannon for sale, and announced a paid briefing about the New Path and the Nether Domain Calamity.

At a conference of civilizations, Jia Huangjin of the Shangbu Civilization proposed working with Zhang Ming and his allies to raise the value of Starry Night Shells by revealing their uses, including their role in making Light Talismans. The group agreed to share the talisman formula, and Jia Huangjin put down a 10,000 Source of the World deposit as he began the scheme.

• Zhang Ming and his companions discussed the powerful civilizations attending the conference and considered whether to announce the Light Talismans.
• Jia Huangjin visited Zhang Ming, revealed his interest in Starry Night Shells, and proposed cooperating to promote them; Gu Shunjing vouched for him during a call from the place where he was trapped.
• Jia Huangjin criticized the Poison-Eye Civilization’s sales pitch and explained how publicizing the dangers of Shadow Beasts and the uses of Starry Night Shells could raise their price.
• Zhang Ming showed Jia Huangjin Light Talismans and shared a formula for Bone-Tempering Marrow-Cleansing Soup, demonstrating how secret recipes could reveal the shells’ hidden value.
• The humans, Macrosteel People, and Snake People agreed to give Jia Huangjin the Light Talisman formula, and he pledged a 10,000 Source of the World deposit toward a price increase of at least 200%.
• Gangduo asked Zhang Ming to seek a special deal on the Shangbu Civilization’s goods, including the World Cube.