Recaps

Su Wan and Deputy Commander Chen briefed the special admissions students on a confirmed tier six ferocious beast in the Northern Depths and selected Jiang Lan, Fang Duo, Bai Ze, and Guo Yu for an advance team clearing a route for the Military’s hunting squad. Jiang Lan collected supplies and reviewed the dangerous three-to-five-day mission plan, then rested at home before the team’s departure the next morning.

• Deputy Commander Chen confirmed that a tier six ferocious beast had been sighted in the Northern Depths and explained that three Diamond Realm martial artists would hunt it after an advance team cleared fifth-tier beasts from their route.
• Su Wan provisionally assigned Jiang Lan, Fang Duo, Bai Ze, and Guo Yu to the Vanguard Team, which would depart at six the next morning.
• Deputy Commander Chen asked Jiang Lan about killing a mid-fifth-tier beast and praised his accomplishments, saying he had high hopes for him.
• Zhao Xuan and Lin Wan wished Jiang Lan safety, and Jiang Lan promised to return before collecting basic equipment from the Logistics Support Department.
• Jiang Lan read the mission document at home and assessed his chances against fifth-tier beasts, identifying being surrounded or encountering a tier six beast as the main dangers.

Jiang Lan left for a mission in the Wilderness Zone with a twelve-member advance team led by Han Zheng and Shen Yan. When the team encountered a mid-fifth-tier Gray-Maned Leopard, Jiang Lan killed it with one kick, astonishing everyone.

• Jiang Lan told Shen Qingqiu he would be away on a three-to-five-day mission, and Shen Qingqiu saw him off the next morning.
• Jiang Lan joined the advance team at the city gate, where Han Zheng and Shen Yan explained the combat and retreat rules.
• The team traveled into the Wilderness Zone, and Jiang Lan sensed a mid-fifth-tier beast ahead before the others did.
• Han Zheng ordered the team to attack the Gray-Maned Leopard, and Jiang Lan rushed forward and killed it with a single kick.
• Han Zheng and the other team members stared in shock at Jiang Lan's instant victory.

Jiang Lan impressed the Vanguard Team by killing several mid-Fifth Tier beasts and defeating a late-Fifth Tier Iron-Clad Bear. The team advanced nearly fifty kilometers before Han Zheng called for camp, assigning the watch while telling Jiang Lan to rest.

• Han Zheng saw the Gray-Maned Leopard Jiang Lan had killed and changed the team’s plan to let Jiang Lan handle beasts below the mid-Fifth Tier.
• Jiang Lan killed three mid-Fifth Tier Ferocious Beasts in quick succession as the team continued through the wilderness.
• Jiang Lan sensed a late-Fifth Tier beast and asked Han Zheng to let him fight it alone.
• Jiang Lan dodged the Iron-Clad Bear’s charge, endured its paw strike, and killed it with a punch and Earth-Cracking Leg.
• Han Zheng praised Jiang Lan, and the Vanguard Team advanced nearly fifty kilometers before making camp at dusk.

Jiang Lan and the Vanguard Team were caught between a sixth-tier beast and a pack of fifth-tier beasts, forcing them into a desperate battle. After they defeated the pack, the sixth-tier beast’s oppressive presence reached them, and Han Zheng ordered the team to flee with the wounded.

• Han Zheng received an emergency alert that a sixth-tier beast was moving south along the Vanguard Team’s route, and he ordered everyone to retreat.
• Jiang Lan sensed eight fifth-tier beasts rushing toward the team, so Han Zheng ordered them to form up against a rock wall and face the charge.
• Jiang Lan killed three beasts attacking the front, then rushed to help his teammates defeat the remaining beasts.
• As Han Zheng was about to speak after the battle, Jiang Lan sensed the sixth-tier beast’s presence, and Han Zheng ordered everyone to flee and help the wounded.

Jiang Lan stayed behind to hold off a Tier Six Ferocious Beast while Han Zheng and the others escaped. After taking several powerful blows and realizing he could not match the beast defensively, Jiang Lan launched a counterattack.

• Jiang Lan told Han Zheng to lead the team away while he delayed the Tier Six Ferocious Beast, and Han Zheng gave him one hundred seconds.
• The Tier Six Ferocious Beast charged Jiang Lan and struck him hard enough to send him crashing through a tree.
• Jiang Lan endured the beast's next attack head-on, suffering injuries but remaining on his feet.
• Jiang Lan decided that simply taking hits would not work and sprang forward to punch the beast.

Jiang Lan held off a Tier Six Ferocious Beast until Deputy Commander Chen and two other Diamond Realm fighters arrived to take over. He rejoined Han Zheng and the others, who were amazed he had survived, and Han Zheng promised the Academy would hear about his efforts.

• Jiang Lan struck the Tier Six Ferocious Beast with his Iron Mountain Fist and Earth-Cracking Leg, but barely affected it before its attack sent him skidding across the ground.
• Jiang Lan prepared to flee, but Deputy Commander Chen and two other Diamond Realm fighters arrived and knocked the beast aside, telling him to go ahead while they fought it.
• Jiang Lan watched the fighters battle the beast, realized how great the gap was between his strength and the Diamond Realm, and felt newly determined to grow stronger.
• Jiang Lan caught up with Han Zheng and the others, told them the Military's Diamond Realm fighters were holding off the beast, and reassured them that he was fine.
• Han Zheng thanked Jiang Lan and promised to explain his actions to the Academy, while Jiang Lan played down the danger he had faced.

After returning from the Wilderness Zone, Jiang Lan received his share of the hunting spoils, traded for more fifth-tier essence blood, and upgraded his indestructible diamond body to level thirty-two. He ended the chapter at home, recovering and planning to reach level thirty-three within three days.

• Han Zheng reported that the mission was complete and the Vanguard Team disbanded, then gave Jiang Lan twenty-two bottles of fifth-tier essence blood and twenty-two Beast Cores.
• Jiang Lan traded eighteen fifth-tier Beast Cores at the shop for eighteen bottles of fifth-tier essence blood.
• Jiang Lan returned home, reassured Shen Qingqiu, and rested after eating a meal she had prepared.
• Jiang Lan used thirty-two bottles of fifth-tier essence blood to raise his indestructible diamond body to level thirty-two, increasing his defense, vitality, and agility.
• Jiang Lan assessed his chances against tier six ferocious beasts and set a goal to reach level thirty-three within three days.

Su Wan told Jiang Lan that the Military wanted to recruit him for its special combat ranks after hearing about his stand against a tier six ferocious beast. Jiang Lan declined, and Su Wan agreed to delay the matter while warning him to keep a low profile.

• Jiang Lan went to Su Wan's office after she summoned him.
• Su Wan confirmed that she had read Han Zheng's report and learned from Deputy Commander Chen that Jiang Lan had held off a tier six ferocious beast alone.
• Su Wan gave Jiang Lan the Military's recruitment offer, and he considered the benefits before deciding to remain at the Academy.
• Su Wan agreed to hold off the Military for now and warned Jiang Lan that the Academy might not be able to resist if it insisted on recruiting him.
• Su Wan told Jiang Lan to keep a low profile, said the Spiritual Energy Chamber should reopen in a few days, and advised him to wait for a suitable mentor.

Jiang Lan used the reopened Spiritual Energy Chamber and twelve bottles of fifth-tier fierce beast blood essence to raise his indestructible diamond body to level 33. After the Academy lifted restrictions on entering the Wilderness Zone’s middle region, he left the city to hunt and search for opportunities, where he spotted what might be a spiritual energy cave.

• Jiang Lan learned the Spiritual Energy Chamber had reopened and absorbed enough spiritual energy there to reach 42/64 upgrade progress.
• Jiang Lan traded fourth-tier beast cores for twelve bottles of fifth-tier essence blood, then used them to advance his indestructible diamond body to level 33.
• Jiang Lan decided to leave the city for more essence blood and possible opportunities, registered with Su Wan, and received approval to enter the middle region.
• Jiang Lan left home the next morning, entered the middle region of the Wilderness Zone, and hunted ferocious beasts.
• Jiang Lan noticed a large concentration of spiritual power ahead that appeared to be a spiritual energy cave.

Jiang Lan discovered a vast underground cavern filled with spiritual energy crystals and defeated the late fifth-tier Rock-Tusked Boar guarding it. He upgraded his Indestructible Diamond Body to level 34, collected the remaining crystals, and left to return home, with more passages still unexplored.

• Jiang Lan followed dense spiritual energy into an underground passage and found hundreds of crystals throughout a large cavern.
• Jiang Lan killed the Rock-Tusked Boar with an Earth-Cracking Leg and an Iron Mountain Fist.
• Jiang Lan used the crystals to upgrade his Indestructible Diamond Body to level 34, raising his defense, vitality, and spirit.
• Jiang Lan harvested the reachable crystals, bringing his next upgrade progress to 52/256.
• Jiang Lan memorized the cavern's location and returned to the surface to head home before Shen Qingqiu became worried.

Jiang Lan harvested spiritual energy crystals from the cave and upgraded his Indestructible Diamond Body to level 35, discovering signs of old mining in one passage. Back home, he calculated that he could soon meet the next upgrade requirement but worried about obtaining enough higher-tier essence blood afterward.

• Jiang Lan entered the spiritual energy cave and collected crystals from its passages until he upgraded his Indestructible Diamond Body to level 35.
• Jiang Lan found an artificially excavated section reinforced with rusty iron pipes, suggesting someone had mined there decades earlier.
• Jiang Lan cleared the cave and outer passage, bringing his progress toward the next upgrade to 270 out of 512.
• Jiang Lan returned home, told Shen Qingqiu he had made a good haul, and went to shower.
• Jiang Lan calculated he could gather enough fifth-tier essence blood for another upgrade in under a month, but worried that later upgrades might require scarce sixth-tier essence blood.

Jiang Lan met with Deputy Commander Chen Xiao, who explained that the Military was not seeking to recruit him but wanted to introduce him to the Guardian Manor, a powerful organization of Diamond Realm Martial Artists. Jiang Lan became interested and decided to wait for the promised assessment.

• Jiang Lan accepted a friend request from Chen Xiao and agreed to meet him at Four Seas Teahouse.
• Chen Xiao asked Jiang Lan about joining the Military, but Jiang Lan said he preferred staying at the Academy.
• Chen Xiao revealed that the Guardian Manor was founded by powerful Martial Artists after spiritual energy revived and that its weakest members were in the Diamond Realm.
• Chen Xiao praised Jiang Lan for staying behind to protect his teammates during the Tier Six Ferocious Beast attack and offered him an assessment for possible membership.
• Jiang Lan considered the resources and strength the Guardian Manor could offer and decided to wait for its assessor.

Jiang Lan confessed his feelings to Shen Qingqiu, and Shen Qingqiu admitted he liked him too. Later, Gu Changqing contacted Jiang Lan on Chen Xiao’s behalf and arranged a meeting about the Guardian Manor for the next afternoon.

• Jiang Lan picked Shen Qingqiu up from work, and they walked home together before sharing dinner and an evening on the sofa.
• Shen Qingqiu noticed Jiang Lan seemed distracted, and Jiang Lan told him an organization might come looking for him.
• Jiang Lan kissed Shen Qingqiu and confessed that he liked him; Shen Qingqiu blushingly said he liked Jiang Lan too.
• Gu Changqing called Jiang Lan on Chen Xiao’s behalf and arranged to meet him outside the teahouse at two the next afternoon.

Jiang Lan met Gu Changqing to discuss joining the Guardian Manor and learned that passing its evaluation required retrieving Spirit Vein Ore from a dangerous Wilderness Zone. After hearing the mission details, he weighed the risk and asked what benefits membership would bring.

• Jiang Lan told Shen Qingqiu he was meeting someone from the organization, then teased him before Shen Qingqiu left for work.
• Jiang Lan met Gu Changqing at a teahouse, where Gu asked why he had declined the Military’s offer and what he wanted from the future.
• Gu Changqing explained that the Guardian Manor controlled Spirit Vein Mining Areas and that Spirit Vein Ore held far more spiritual energy than Fierce Beast Blood Essence.
• Jiang Lan described finding an abandoned cavern in the Wilderness Zone, and Gu Changqing confirmed that it had been an exhausted Spirit Vein Mining Area where new crystals had formed.
• Gu Changqing gave Jiang Lan an evaluation mission to retrieve Spirit Vein Ore from a newly discovered Spirit Vein Node near a peak Fifth Tier Ferocious Beast.
• Jiang Lan considered accepting the dangerous mission and asked Gu Changqing what benefits he would receive after joining the Guardian Manor.

Jiang Lan accepted Gu Changqing’s mission to retrieve Spirit Vein Ore from a node in the Deep Wilderness Zone, gaining access to valuable resources and the Guardian Manor’s protection. He reached the cave entrance guided by the locator and sensed a peak-fifth-tier aura inside.

• Gu Changqing explained the Spirit Vein Ore rewards, mining-area access, and protection offered by the Guardian Manor, and Jiang Lan accepted the mission.
• Gu Changqing gave Jiang Lan a locator and told him to return with the ore alive to pass.
• Jiang Lan told Shen Qingqiu he planned to enter the Deep Wilderness Zone, and Shen Qingqiu urged him to be careful.
• Jiang Lan left home after breakfast and traveled into the Deep Wilderness Zone, avoiding beasts until three blocked his path.
• Jiang Lan killed an Iron-Clad Bear, a Gray-Maned Leopard, and a Red-Maned Lion, then followed the locator to a cave emitting dense spiritual energy.
• Jiang Lan sensed a peak-fifth-tier aura deep inside the cave and realized he had reached the Spirit Vein Node.

Jiang Lan entered a cavern rich in spiritual energy and found Spirit Vein Ore guarded by a Raging-Horn Savage Bull. He fought the beast by dodging its attacks and repeatedly striking the same weak spot in its armor, gaining the advantage as it grew increasingly frantic.

• Jiang Lan entered the underground chamber and discovered Spirit Vein Ore and a massive Raging-Horn Savage Bull guarding it.
• Jiang Lan attacked the Savage Bull with Earth-Cracking Leg, but his first kick barely cracked its armor.
• The Savage Bull countered with its horns, hooves, and tail, sending Jiang Lan crashing into a cave wall, but he got back up.
• Jiang Lan used Wind-Walking Step to circle behind the Savage Bull and repeatedly kick the same spot, widening the crack in its armor.
• The enraged Savage Bull rampaged through the chamber, and Jiang Lan recognized its chaotic movements as an opportunity to win.

Jiang Lan killed the Savage Bull, upgraded Indestructible Diamond Body to level 36, and collected the five pieces of Spirit Vein Ore. After returning home, he arranged to meet Gu Changqing the next afternoon to hand over the ore and anticipated joining the Guardian Manor.

• Jiang Lan exploited the Savage Bull’s exposed flank, shattered its shell, and killed it with Iron Mountain Fist and Earth-Cracking Leg.
• Jiang Lan upgraded Indestructible Diamond Body to level 36 and learned that the next upgrade required one piece of Spirit Vein Ore.
• Jiang Lan collected all five pieces of Spirit Vein Ore and left the cave after finding nothing else he needed.
• Jiang Lan returned home, told Shen Qingqiu that the mission went smoothly, and messaged Gu Changqing that he had obtained the ore.
• Gu Changqing arranged to meet Jiang Lan at the same place at two the next afternoon, and Jiang Lan looked forward to joining the Guardian Manor.

Jiang Lan passed Gu Changqing’s assessment and officially joined the Guardian Manor, gaining access to monthly Spirit Vein Ore, a mining area, and organizational gatherings. At home, he used his remaining ore to raise his Indestructible Diamond Body to level 38 and discovered the next upgrade required only three pieces.

• Jiang Lan brought Spirit Vein Ore to Gu Changqing, who took one piece for the task and confirmed Jiang Lan had passed the assessment.
• Gu Changqing gave Jiang Lan an Identity Token and explained the Guardian Manor’s resources, mining area, missions, and Monday gatherings.
• Jiang Lan returned home and used four pieces of Spirit Vein Ore to advance his Indestructible Diamond Body from level 36 to level 38.
• Jiang Lan noticed his next upgrade required three pieces of ore instead of the four he had expected and wondered how the requirement would change.
• Shen Qingqiu returned from work, and Jiang Lan told him that joining the Guardian Manor would bring extra resources to help improve his strength.

Jiang Lan discovered that the Guard Token brought him to a customizable virtual space and a communal hall where he encountered a powerful Guardian Manor member. The man recognized Jiang Lan as a newcomer and was surprised that the organization had recruited someone at the divine strength realm.

• At dinner, Shen Qingqiu seemed troubled and asked Jiang Lan how strong he had become; Jiang Lan estimated he was near the peak of the divine strength realm.
• Shen Qingqiu left for his room, and Jiang Lan realized that their growing strength gap was making Shen Qingqiu feel insecure.
• Jiang Lan activated the Guard Token and found himself in a realistic virtual room whose furnishings and scenery changed according to his thoughts.
• Jiang Lan left his private room and entered a mall-like communal hall with named storefronts and exercise equipment.
• Jiang Lan encountered a man whose strength he could not gauge, and the man asked whether Jiang Lan was new before remarking on his divine strength realm.

Jiang Lan learned how the Inner Domain shops and contribution-point missions worked, then returned on Monday to browse the wares. After finding cultivation items that could improve talent, he chose a mission to clear a ferocious beast nest as a way to earn contribution points.

• Jiang Lan met Zhang Tie, who explained that members could use shops in the Inner Domain and earn contribution points through missions or trades.
• Jiang Lan discovered that thinking about leaving the Inner Domain returned him to his room, then waited until Monday to visit again.
• Jiang Lan browsed shops selling weapons and cultivation techniques before finding the Spirit of Plants and Trees shop.
• Jiang Lan read about a Spirit Source Fruit and Marrow-Cleansing Pill that could improve spiritual affinity and talent.
• Jiang Lan searched the mission board and chose a mission to clear a deep Wilderness Zone nest containing peak fifth-tier beasts, with a possible sixth-tier beast.

Jiang Lan accepted a mission to kill a peak-fifth tier Ferocious Beast and traveled to its cave, where he killed a giant python with ease. As he prepared to leave, he sensed a sixth-tier presence approaching the cave.

• Jiang Lan accepted the mission and received its location and intelligence directly in his consciousness.
• Jiang Lan told Shen Qingqiu he would be away for a day or two, then left for the Deep Wilderness Zone.
• Jiang Lan followed the mission coordinates to a cave and found a peak-fifth tier giant python inside.
• Jiang Lan killed the python with a series of powerful attacks and collected its Essence Blood, Beast Core, and tongue for the mission.
• Jiang Lan sensed a familiar sixth-tier aura rapidly approaching from outside the cave.

Jiang Lan fought and killed a Tier Six Ferocious Beast after discovering he could withstand its attacks and gradually break through its armor. He collected its essence blood and beast core, but wondered how little they would be worth in the inner region compared with his growing strength.

• Jiang Lan faced a heavily armored Tier Six Ferocious Beast in the cave and survived its powerful charge with only dull pain.
• Jiang Lan dodged the beast’s attacks and used Earth-Cracking Leg and Iron Mountain Fist to crack its armor during a running battle.
• Jiang Lan broke the beast’s right front leg, knocked it down, and struck its temple until it stopped moving.
• Jiang Lan processed the corpse and collected its essence blood and beast core, then wondered how many contribution points they would earn.

Jiang Lan used his monthly Spirit Vein Ore allocation to upgrade his Indestructible Diamond Body to level 39, then went to the Inner Domain to choose another mission. He accepted an escort mission that could bring him closer to earning enough contribution points to buy a Spirit Source Fruit.

• Jiang Lan returned home with torn clothes, and a Guardian Manor messenger delivered his monthly allocation of two pieces of Spirit Vein Ore.
• Jiang Lan combined the allocation with his saved ore and upgraded his Indestructible Diamond Body to level 39, raising his strength above two thousand.
• Jiang Lan entered the Inner Domain and received 200 contribution points after the mission panel confirmed his previous mission was complete.
• Jiang Lan reviewed the available missions and chose to escort supplies from the Spirit Vein Mining Area to the Base City for 350 contribution points.
• Jiang Lan calculated that the escort reward, together with another clearing mission and 50 more points, could let him buy a Spirit Source Fruit.

Jiang Lan traveled from Central Base City to a mining area near Jiangnan Base City to escort a shipment of processed Spirit Vein Ore. After loading three heavy crates onto his back, he set off toward the Guardian Manor outpost in Jiangnan Base City.

• Jiang Lan accepted the escort mission and learned that the mining area lay about two hundred kilometers west of Jiangnan Base City.
• Jiang Lan told Shen Qingqiu he was going out, then ran toward Jiangnan Base City at full speed.
• Jiang Lan showed his Guardian Manor Token to the mining area guard, who called for manager Meng Weidong.
• Meng Weidong guided Jiang Lan through the spiritually rich mining area and explained that the shipment needed an escort because fifth-tier ferocious beasts prowled along the route.
• Meng Weidong helped Jiang Lan secure three crates of processed Spirit Vein Ore, and Jiang Lan hoisted them onto his back before departing.

Jiang Lan completed an ore escort mission to Jiangnan Base City, fighting off ferocious beasts along the way and learning that beasts across Blue Star had become unusually restless. After collecting his receipt, he left the city to continue home, planning to save contribution points for a Spirit Source Fruit for Shen Qingqiu.

• Jiang Lan encountered a Red-Maned Lion, an Iron-Clad Bear, and two other fifth-tier ferocious beasts on the way to Jiangnan Base City, defeating the lion and bear while the others fled.
• Jiang Lan entered Jiangnan Base City and delivered three crates of ore to the Guardian Manor outpost.
• Sister Zhou checked the ore, gave Jiang Lan a receipt, and told him ferocious beasts across Blue Star had recently become restless.
• Jiang Lan left the outpost and headed out of the city, thinking about saving contribution points to obtain a Spirit Source Fruit for Shen Qingqiu.