Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Severing the Good Body”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren realizes that Zhao Tong and several other senior guards are trying to pressure him into surrendering his Great Dao Pills.
• Rather than yielding, Lu Ren pretends not to understand Zhao Tong’s threat and reminds him that he serves under Su Jiyuan, who is currently in seclusion.
• Zhao Tong dismisses him angrily, while the surrounding Third Realm cultivators mock Zhao Tong for losing their bet over whether Lu Ren would willingly hand over his treasures.
• Zhao Tong privately vows to eliminate Lu Ren by sending him on a dangerous mission, believing that Lu Ren cannot remain protected inside Heaven-Prison Manor forever.
• Lu Ren returns to his residence and ignores the threat, planning instead to pursue the deputy commander position once the current political situation changes.
• He spends five years studying how to sever the Dao. Rather than forcing through the barrier, he focuses on the connection between his Chaos Great Dao Origin, the shackles of heaven and earth, and the obstacles within his own heart.
• Lu Ren successfully uses the Power of Finality to sever a second fissure in his Chaos Great Dao Origin, greatly increasing his strength and advancing to the next stage of Dao Severance.
• The breakthrough causes his Good Body to manifest. This pure, righteous counterpart believes Lu Ren’s selfish desires and emotions prevent him from proving the Dao and declares that Lu Ren must be severed.
• Lu Ren battles the Good Body. Although its attacks lack the Evil Body’s ferocity, they are perfectly reasoned, disciplined, and nearly flawless, gradually overwhelming him.
• Through the prolonged fight, Lu Ren gains a deeper understanding of good and evil. He ultimately rejects the idea that either one alone should define his path and lands a decisive strike.
• The Good Body shatters into light. Most of its essence merges back into Lu Ren, while the remainder dissipates within the Reincarnation Ancient Pagoda.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Demonstrates confidence, defiance, and strategic restraint when dealing with Zhao Tong. His cultivation advances significantly as he successfully severs his second Dao fissure. His battle with the Good Body deepens his understanding that his Dao must encompass both good and evil rather than submit to either extreme.
• Zhao Tong: Reveals himself as petty, domineering, and vindictive. After Lu Ren refuses to submit, he begins plotting to have him killed through an external mission.
• The Good Body: Embodies pure righteousness, order, and selflessness. Though it views itself as morally superior, its rigid belief that only goodness can support the Dao makes it incompatible with Lu Ren’s broader philosophy.
• The surrounding cultivators: Act as spectators and antagonistic peers, treating the conflict as entertainment and encouraging Zhao Tong’s hostility toward Lu Ren.

Significant Themes

• Individual will versus external control: Lu Ren refuses to let Zhao Tong or the rules of Heaven-Prison Manor dictate his actions.
• Balance of good and evil: The chapter argues that both good and evil are aspects of human nature and that denying either completely creates an incomplete Dao.
• Self-transcendence: Dao Severance involves breaking both external restraints and internal attachments, requiring Lu Ren to confront different aspects of himself.
• Rigid morality versus an inclusive worldview: The Good Body’s belief in absolute goodness conflicts with Lu Ren’s conviction that his Dao must embrace all things.
• Political hostility and hidden power struggles: Zhao Tong’s schemes reveal the danger of hierarchy and rivalry within Heaven-Prison Manor.

Important Character Interactions

• Lu Ren and Zhao Tong: A confrontation disguised as a polite exchange. Lu Ren refuses to surrender his Great Dao Pills, while Zhao Tong issues veiled threats and later plots his death.
• Zhao Tong and the senior cultivators: The five cultivators mock Zhao Tong after he loses their wager, intensifying his humiliation and anger.
• Lu Ren and the Good Body: Their battle is both physical and philosophical. The Good Body seeks to destroy Lu Ren in the name of purity, while Lu Ren defends a Dao that accepts both benevolence and hostility.
• Lu Ren and himself: Through the manifestation of the Good Body, Lu Ren confronts his own moral nature and ultimately integrates rather than rejects the complexity within him.

Chapter Summary: Entering the Second Realm of Dao Severance

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren successfully severs his Good Body, breaking through to the Second Realm of Dao Severance. The cracks in his second heavenly shackle expand to twenty zhang, and his aura becomes roughly five times stronger than before.
• He realizes that the next breakthrough—the Third Realm of Dao Severance—will involve severing his Self Body and fighting his true self, making it extremely dangerous. He decides to consolidate his foundation before attempting it.
• Lu Ren evaluates his strength and concludes that he could likely defeat early Third Realm cultivators and might kill middle-stage opponents using his Void of Destiny Battle Body, though he would still struggle against someone like Su Jiyuan.
• To avoid attracting attention, Lu Ren continues concealing the true power of his Void of Destiny Battle Body and remains in seclusion within the Reincarnation Ancient Pagoda.
• Over the next five years, Lu Ren studies Void Claw, seeking to merge its void and tearing properties with his swordsmanship rather than merely copying its claw techniques.
• His efforts succeed, producing a new technique called the Void Instant-Kill Sword. The strike can break Great Dao power and effortlessly kill early Third Realm cultivators; even middle-stage opponents could die if caught off guard.
• Meanwhile, Zhao Tong remains angered that Lu Ren has hidden in his residence after offending him. When a dangerous mission to eliminate Great Dao River Beasts is announced, Zhao Tong devises a plan to target Lu Ren without risking Su Jiyuan’s future displeasure.
• Lu Ren is eventually summoned and assigned a mission: he must lead ten Perfected Dao Fruit guards to investigate a suspected Lower Myriad Heavens Plane in the southern region of the Myriad Autumn Sea.
• The mission’s location causes Lu Ren to react with alarm, as it may be the Myriad Heavens Plane from which he originated.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Grows substantially stronger by reaching the Second Realm of Dao Severance. He becomes more cautious about concealing his true abilities, while also developing confidence in his combat power. His creation of the Void Instant-Kill Sword demonstrates his increasing mastery of both swordsmanship and Primordial Divine Ability principles.
• Zhao Tong: Becomes increasingly hostile toward Lu Ren and searches for a politically safe way to endanger him. His assignment of the river patrol mission appears calculated and potentially malicious.
• Su Jiyuan: Though absent in seclusion, her influence restrains Zhao Tong. Zhao Tong fears that harming Lu Ren too openly would provoke her anger.
• Xu Hao: Mentioned as the precedent for evolving Void Claw into a stronger technique, inspiring Lu Ren’s own experimentation.

Significant Themes

• Power and restraint: Lu Ren’s strength rises rapidly, but he recognizes that revealing his true abilities could make him a target for powerful figures.
• The danger of advancement: The Third Realm requires confronting one’s Self Body, emphasizing that cultivation is not merely a matter of accumulating power but also surviving an internal battle.
• Innovation through adaptation: Rather than imitate Void Claw directly, Lu Ren integrates its principles into his swordsmanship, creating a technique uniquely suited to him.
• Political danger and hidden schemes: Conflicts within Heaven-Prison Manor show that missions and authority can be used as weapons, especially when direct confrontation is risky.
• Connection to one’s origins: The assigned mission may lead Lu Ren back to his home plane, introducing the possibility of confronting his past or protecting it from destruction.

Character Interactions

• Zhao Tong and his subordinates discuss Lu Ren’s prolonged seclusion and his apparent attempt to avoid punishment.
• A subordinate proposes sending Lu Ren and others on a deadly mission, but Zhao Tong rejects the idea because Su Jiyuan might hold him responsible.
• A guard later summons Lu Ren to the grand hall, where Zhao Tong publicly assigns him the river patrol mission.
• Lu Ren accepts the assignment with anticipation, suspecting Zhao Tong may finally be making a move against him—only to become shocked when he realizes the mission may concern his original world.

Patrol Mission — Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhao Tong assigns Lu Ren a patrol mission in the South River Region, ordering him to travel with Wang Lie and ten other Perfected Dao Fruit guards.
• The guards suspect the mission is deliberately dangerous because they previously refused to give Zhao Tong gifts or resources, earning his resentment.
• While patrolling, Lu Ren passes near his own Myriad Heavens Plane and senses faint fluctuations leaking from it, suggesting the Three-Extremes Ancient Ancestor’s seal is imperfect.
• After seven days, the group detects the destruction of a Low-level Myriad Heavens Plane. Wang Lie and the others rush toward it, hoping to seize its Hearts of the World and use them to appease Zhao Tong.
• Lu Ren is troubled by the guards’ view of Low-level Planes as mere cultivation resources, since such planes contain countless living beings. Little Broken Tower reminds him that he currently lacks the strength to change this system.
• Before Wang Lie can enter the shattered plane, a Blood Heaven Manor expert attacks him. Lu Ren blocks the attack with his Chaos Palm Seal, protecting Wang Lie.
• Lu Ren’s group enters the ruined plane and discovers a barren, heavily damaged world. They hear a battle and witness a gigantic shark-like Great Dao River Beast bite off the head of the Blood Heaven Manor expert, establishing the immediate danger within the plane.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Demonstrates leadership, caution, and compassion. He protects his team despite the mission’s danger and begins seriously questioning the exploitation of Low-level Myriad Heavens Planes. His own plane’s unstable seal also becomes a source of concern.
• Wang Lie: Initially appears resentful and opportunistic, focusing on obtaining Hearts of the World to regain Zhao Tong’s favor. After Lu Ren saves him, he becomes openly grateful and more reliant on Lu Ren’s leadership.
• Zhao Tong: Is portrayed as vindictive and authoritarian, using dangerous assignments to punish guards who refused to bribe him.
• Little Broken Tower: Offers Lu Ren pragmatic guidance, emphasizing that moral ideals have little effect without sufficient power.
• The Patrol Guards: Their fear and regret reveal how Zhao Tong’s corruption affects the lower-ranking members of Heaven-Prison Manor.

Significant Themes

• Power and helplessness: Lu Ren recognizes the injustice of destroying entire worlds but understands that compassion alone cannot oppose powerful forces.
• Exploitation of weaker realms: Low-level Myriad Heavens Planes are treated as sources of Hearts of the World rather than homes to living beings.
• Corruption and retaliation: Zhao Tong’s abuse of authority shows how refusing to participate in a gift-giving system can lead to punishment.
• Leadership and responsibility: Lu Ren distinguishes himself by protecting his subordinates rather than treating them as expendable.
• Moral awakening: His connection to his own endangered plane deepens his sympathy for other worlds facing destruction.

Character Interactions

• Zhao Tong pressures Lu Ren into accepting the patrol mission and commands Wang Lie to accompany him.
• Wang Lie and the guards warn Lu Ren about Zhao Tong’s hostility and the potential danger of the assignment.
• Lu Ren reassures the guards that he will protect them, though they doubt anyone can survive an encounter with powerful river beasts.
• Little Broken Tower counsels Lu Ren not to act before he has the strength to make a real difference.
• Lu Ren saves Wang Lie from the Blood Heaven Manor expert’s attack, earning Wang Lie’s gratitude.
• The chapter ends with the group confronted by a deadly Great Dao River Beast, which kills the rival Blood Heaven Manor expert in a single brutal attack.

Summary

Plot and events

Wang Lie and the Blood Heaven Manor guards are ambushed by a swarm of ten Blood-Toothed River Sharks, powerful Great Dao River Beasts normally found only in the Great Dao River. The sharks rapidly devour the other guards and surround Wang Lie’s group, leaving them no escape. Lu Ren deduces that the beasts were deliberately released and suspects Zhao Tong’s involvement. Sea Heaven Prefecture guards witness the danger but flee immediately rather than help.

Character developments

Lu Ren remains calm and reveals that he has advanced to the Second Realm of Dao Severance, with significantly stronger control over the Chaos Great Dao. Instead of openly displaying his strength, he secretly creates an invisible barrier to block the sharks and protects Wang Lie’s group. His restraint shows both confidence and strategic awareness, as he senses a powerful enemy nearby and realizes the shark attack is part of a larger trap. Wang Lie and the other guards, initially terrified and doubtful of Lu Ren, become deeply grateful after he saves them.

Major interactions

Lu Ren orders the guards to stay behind him and follow carefully. Using Chaos aura, he shields and transports all ten guards through the shark swarm, allowing them to escape the Shattered Realm Myriad Heavens Plane. Meanwhile, Shi Kun—a Third Realm of Dao Severance guard secretly working for Zhao Tong—watches from hiding. He had arranged the ambush in exchange for three of Lu Ren’s ten Great Dao Pills and is shocked when Lu Ren escapes.

Themes

The chapter emphasizes hidden strength, deception, betrayal, and strategic patience. Zhao Tong’s willingness to use forbidden or dangerous creatures highlights the political intrigue between factions, while Lu Ren’s decision to conceal his power contrasts with the panic and arrogance of others. The chapter ends on a cliffhanger when Shi Kun prepares to kill the sharks, only for Lu Ren to suddenly reappear behind him and demand to know whether Zhao Tong ordered the attack.

Chapter Summary: Instant-Kill Sword

Plot and Events

Lu Ren confronts Shi Kun and demands to know whether Zhao Tong ordered the repeated attacks against him. Shi Kun refuses to answer directly and mocks Lu Ren, but avoids fighting him, recognizing the risks of attacking someone whose true strength is uncertain. Instead, Shi Kun charges into a pack of Blood-Toothed River Sharks and rapidly kills several with his Black Baleful Dao.
The leader of the shark pack suddenly reveals a rare ability: it devours its injured companions and evolves, growing into a massive, iron-armored creature with strength comparable to the Third Realm of Dao Severance. Shi Kun attempts to suppress it with his Black Baleful Dao and uses his strongest technique, “Kun Devours the Four Seas,” but the attack barely affects the evolved shark.
Realizing he cannot win, Shi Kun tries to flee. The shark leader uses a Dao-infused devouring force to trap him and begins pulling him into its jaws. At the last moment, Lu Ren intervenes and unleashes his newly comprehended technique, the Void Instant-Kill Sword. The gray-white sword light instantly cuts through the shark leader’s neck, killing it in one strike and saving Shi Kun.

Character Development

• Lu Ren demonstrates growing confidence and decisiveness. Though he came to Heaven-Prison Manor intending to avoid unnecessary enemies, Zhao Tong’s repeated targeting has pushed him toward open resistance. His successful use of the Void Instant-Kill Sword proves that his combat ability is far greater than Shi Kun expected.
• Shi Kun is revealed to be cautious despite his arrogance. He recognizes that attacking Lu Ren could have serious consequences and later shows the survival instincts of an experienced cultivator by immediately attempting to flee once the shark’s strength surpasses his own. His shock after Lu Ren’s rescue reflects a major reassessment of Lu Ren’s power.
• The Blood-Toothed River Shark leader evolves from a dangerous First- or Second-Realm creature into a formidable Third-Realm opponent through cannibalistic devouring, becoming the chapter’s dominant threat.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and underestimated opponents: Shi Kun initially looks down on Lu Ren, but Lu Ren’s instant-kill technique reveals that appearances and cultivation assumptions can be misleading.
• Survival and adaptation: The shark leader’s evolution shows the brutal advantages of devouring and adapting to one’s surroundings.
• The limits of power: Shi Kun’s strongest attack proves ineffective against the evolved shark, forcing him to acknowledge his vulnerability.
• Strategic restraint and timing: Lu Ren waits until the precise moment when Shi Kun is about to die, then ends the battle with one perfectly timed strike.

Character Interactions

Lu Ren and Shi Kun engage in a tense confrontation over Zhao Tong’s involvement, with Shi Kun refusing to cooperate and Lu Ren declaring that he will no longer tolerate Zhao Tong’s attacks. Shi Kun then avoids fighting Lu Ren and uses the shark pack as an alternative battlefield. When Shi Kun is trapped and facing death, Lu Ren saves him without ceremony, standing calmly with the Chaos Ancient Sword while Shi Kun reacts with disbelief and lingering fear.

Great Dao Crystal Core — Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren saves Shi Kun by killing the Blood-Pool River Shark leader with a single sword strike, despite possessing only Third Realm of Dao Severance cultivation.
• Shi Kun is shocked by Lu Ren’s hidden strength and realizes Lu Ren could likely kill him just as easily.
• After the battle, Shi Kun thanks Lu Ren and warns him that Zhao Tong will continue targeting him because Lu Ren offended him.
• Shi Kun extracts ten Great Dao Crystal Cores from the slain river sharks, including one especially large core from the leader, and gives half of them to Lu Ren as repayment.
• Lu Ren resumes his patrol mission with Wang Lie and the others. His companions become fully convinced of his strength and leadership.
• When Shi Kun reports the failed operation to Zhao Tong, he urges Zhao Tong to stop provoking Lu Ren. Zhao Tong dismisses Lu Ren as unworthy of concern but accepts his share of the Crystal Cores.
• One year later, Lu Ren completes the patrol mission and receives one thousand Origin Dao Stones, while his subordinates each receive five hundred.
• Lu Ren visits Heaven-Prison Manor’s treasury and discovers that resources are extremely expensive: a single Great Dao Pill costs ten thousand Origin Dao Stones.
• He purchases a pill-refinement manual for two thousand Origin Dao Stones and learns that Great Dao Crystal Cores can be refined into Great Dao Pills, though doing so requires a valuable Great Dao Pill Furnace.
• Unable to afford a furnace, Lu Ren continues cultivating with an existing Great Dao Pill.
• Meanwhile, Zhao Tong secretly refines the Blood-Toothed River Shark’s Crystal Cores and successfully produces ten exceptionally pure Great Dao Pills, becoming delighted by their quality.

Character Development

• Lu Ren: Reveals overwhelming combat ability, demonstrating that his apparent cultivation level hides extraordinary strength. He remains calm, refuses to fear Zhao Tong, and shows practical judgment by investing in pill-refinement knowledge.
• Shi Kun: His attitude toward Lu Ren changes from hostility to respect and gratitude. He recognizes Lu Ren’s strength and attempts to prevent Zhao Tong from provoking him further. He also acts fairly by sharing the Crystal Cores.
• Zhao Tong: Remains arrogant and hostile toward Lu Ren, believing Lu Ren is beneath him despite the failed assassination attempt. His successful pill refinement shows that he is resourceful and capable, but his obsession with the Great Dao Pills also highlights his greed.
• Wang Lie and the other guards: Their trust in and respect for Lu Ren increase substantially after witnessing his victory.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and mistaken judgment: Lu Ren’s true power far exceeds what others assume, while Zhao Tong continues to underestimate him.
• Pragmatism versus pride: Shi Kun chooses reconciliation after recognizing Lu Ren’s strength, whereas Zhao Tong’s arrogance keeps him committed to conflict.
• Value of resources and knowledge: Cultivation advancement depends not only on strength but also on Origin Dao Stones, pills, Crystal Cores, and specialized knowledge.
• Mutual obligation and loyalty: Lu Ren saves Shi Kun because they serve the same master, and Shi Kun repays him with valuable Crystal Cores.
• Economic pressure in cultivation: The enormous cost of Great Dao Pills and pill furnaces illustrates how difficult advancement is within Heaven-Prison Manor.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren and Shi Kun move from attempted enemies to mutually respectful allies after Lu Ren saves Shi Kun and Shi Kun shares the Crystal Cores.
• Shi Kun warns Lu Ren about Zhao Tong, but Lu Ren confidently dismisses Zhao Tong as a serious threat.
• Shi Kun confronts Zhao Tong indirectly, advising him to abandon his feud with Lu Ren. Zhao Tong reacts with disdain and refuses to reconsider.
• Lu Ren’s successful leadership during the year-long patrol earns the loyalty of Wang Lie and the other guards.
• The final scene parallels Lu Ren’s growing interest in refining pills with Zhao Tong’s immediate success, setting up a likely future contest over Great Dao resources.

Chapter Summary:

Conflict Intensifies

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhao Tong successfully refines exceptionally pure Great Dao Pills from Blood-Toothed River Shark Crystal Cores. After a month of secluded cultivation, he reaches the bottleneck of the Late Dao Severance Third Realm and seeks more crystal cores to complete his breakthrough.
• He asks Shi Kun for the ten Great Dao Crystal Cores Shi Kun obtained during their previous operation. Shi Kun reveals that he gave half of his cores to Lu Ren because Lu Ren defeated him but ultimately spared him.
• Shi Kun admits that Lu Ren is a decent person and advises Zhao Tong to stop targeting him. Zhao Tong agrees to let the past grievances go only if Lu Ren returns the crystal cores.
• Meanwhile, Lu Ren spends ten years cultivating inside the Reincarnation Ancient Pagoda. After refining four ordinary Great Dao Pills, he reaches the bottleneck of the Dao Severance Third Realm and begins preparing to sever his Self Body and cultivate the Chaos Great Dao.
• Shi Kun visits Lu Ren on Zhao Tong’s behalf and demands that Lu Ren surrender his ten Great Dao Crystal Cores. Lu Ren refuses, arguing that Zhao Tong has no right to demand his resources or expect forgiveness.
• Shi Kun warns Lu Ren that Zhao Tong has powerful backing: one of Zhao Tong’s uncles is a Heaven-Prison Manor commander equal in status to Su Jiyuan. Lu Ren remains unafraid and refuses to yield.
• Lu Ren also demands Zhao Tong’s pill furnace as compensation for previously plotting against him, stating that he will not let the matter go otherwise.
• Shi Kun reports Lu Ren’s refusal to Zhao Tong. Zhao Tong becomes furious and reveals clear killing intent, believing Lu Ren has repeatedly insulted and defied him.
• Ten months later, Su Jiyuan’s guards gather in the commander’s hall. Zhao Tong announces that Su Jiyuan has emerged from several years of seclusion and that a new deputy commander will soon be selected.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren advances significantly in cultivation, reaching the bottleneck of the Dao Severance Third Realm. His confidence and resolve grow, and he refuses to be intimidated by Zhao Tong’s status or connections.
• Zhao Tong becomes increasingly arrogant and hostile. His need for the crystal cores exposes his urgency to break through, while Lu Ren’s refusal turns his resentment into murderous intent.
• Shi Kun develops a more favorable view of Lu Ren after being spared during the failed operation. He attempts to mediate between Lu Ren and Zhao Tong but is unable to prevent their conflict from escalating.
• Su Jiyuan remains off-page but becomes more important after emerging from seclusion, possibly having advanced toward the Dao Fusion Realm.

Significant Themes

• Escalation of personal conflict: Zhao Tong’s original schemes against Lu Ren evolve into an open confrontation over resources, pride, and authority.
• Power versus justice: Zhao Tong relies on his family connections and position, while Lu Ren insists that strength and influence do not justify bullying or exploitation.
• Cultivation and preparation: Both Zhao Tong and Lu Ren are approaching major breakthroughs, making the Great Dao Crystal Cores strategically valuable.
• Defiance and dignity: Lu Ren refuses to submit merely to avoid trouble, choosing to confront Zhao Tong despite the risks.
• Political change: Su Jiyuan’s return and the upcoming deputy commander selection suggest that the power structure within Heaven-Prison Manor may soon shift.

Character Interactions

• Zhao Tong and Shi Kun: Zhao Tong pressures Shi Kun for the crystal cores, while Shi Kun reveals his dealings with Lu Ren and urges Zhao Tong to stop provoking him.
• Shi Kun and Lu Ren: Shi Kun acts as Zhao Tong’s messenger but also warns Lu Ren about Zhao Tong’s powerful uncle. Lu Ren rejects the demand and turns the negotiation into a counter-demand for Zhao Tong’s pill furnace.
• Lu Ren and Zhao Tong: Although they do not meet directly, their confrontation becomes explicit through Shi Kun. Lu Ren’s refusal and accusation of past wrongdoing deepen Zhao Tong’s hostility.
• Zhao Tong and the guards: Zhao Tong presides over the gathering and announces Su Jiyuan’s return and the coming deputy commander selection, demonstrating his authority while concealing his conflict with Lu Ren.

Chapter Summary: “Deputy Commander Selection”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The guards of West Hall eagerly await the selection of a new deputy commander, a position left vacant after Xu Hao’s death. They hope the new appointment will weaken Zhao Tong’s control over the hall.
• Several guards, including Wang Lie and members of Lu Ren’s squad, admit they secretly sent resources or gifts to potential candidates such as Yang Shuo and Chen Tianjin in hopes of gaining protection and favorable assignments.
• Yun Qingyao enters West Hall after successfully advancing to the Dao Fusion Realm. Her breakthrough greatly strengthens her position in Heaven-Prison Manor and reassures Lu Ren that she can better protect herself from Qiu Wanzhen.
• Yun announces that the deputy commander will be chosen through direct combat. Any guard may challenge, but the final victor will claim the position.
• Shi Kun steps forward first and declares his intention to compete. Zhou Mang soon challenges him, revealing that his strength exceeds Shi Kun’s.
• Shi Kun uses the Black Baleful Dao and manifests a giant kun, while Zhou Mang employs the Heavenly Python Intent and summons enormous python projections.
• Zhou Mang reveals his trump card: the Golden Python Dao Sword, a powerful natal Dao weapon nurtured through his own Great Dao Origin.
• With the sword’s overwhelming power, Zhou Mang breaks through Shi Kun’s defenses, wounds him repeatedly, and ultimately defeats him. Shi Kun is sent flying, bloodied and severely injured.

Character Developments

• Yun Qingyao: Enters the Dao Fusion Realm, demonstrating a profound unity with the Great Dao. Her breakthrough elevates her authority and makes her command more secure.
• Lu Ren: Feels relieved by Yun Qingyao’s advancement, believing she now has a greater chance of surviving future confrontations.
• Wang Lie and the other guards: Reveal their political calculations and fear of Zhao Tong. Their attempts to support rival candidates show how dangerous and factional the command structure has become.
• Shi Kun: Shows confidence and ambition by challenging first, but is ultimately exposed as weaker than Zhou Mang once the latter uses his natal Dao weapon.
• Zhou Mang: Establishes himself as the leading contender for deputy commander. His years of dedication to cultivating the Golden Python Dao Sword give him a decisive advantage.

Significant Themes

• Strength determines status: The deputy commander is chosen through direct combat, reflecting Heaven-Prison Manor’s brutal law that the strongest are respected and rewarded.
• Political survival and allegiance: The guards attempt to secure their futures by secretly backing powerful candidates, showing that advancement depends on both strength and factional loyalty.
• Hidden preparation and trump cards: Zhou Mang’s natal Dao weapon demonstrates how long-term cultivation and concealed abilities can overturn expectations.
• Power and protection: Yun Qingyao’s breakthrough changes the balance of authority and gives those under her command greater security.
• Ambition and rivalry: The deputy commander position intensifies competition among the strongest guards, with each contender seeking greater authority.

Character Interactions

• Wang Lie and the other guards discuss their support for Yang Shuo and Chen Tianjin, revealing mutual anxiety over Zhao Tong’s influence.
• Zhao Tong and Shi Kun lead the guards in welcoming Yun Qingyao, though the political tension beneath their respect remains evident.
• Yun Qingyao formally establishes the rules of the selection and warns the competitors that combat may result in serious injury.
• Shi Kun and Zhou Mang exchange challenges before engaging in a fierce battle between the Black Baleful Dao and Heavenly Python Dao.
• Zhou Mang’s revelation of his natal Dao weapon shocks both the crowd and Shi Kun, shifting the fight decisively in Zhou Mang’s favor.

Chapter Summary: “Easily Defeated”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Mang defeats Shi Kun and appears poised to become the new deputy commander, especially after Yang Shuo and Chen Tianjin refuse to challenge him.
• Wang Lie and the other guards worry that Zhou Mang’s alliance with Zhao Tong will make their lives difficult.
• Just as Zhou Mang asks Commander Yun Qingyao to announce the result, Lu Ren steps forward and declares his intention to challenge him.
• Although Lu Ren is only known to be in the Second Realm of Dao Severance, he confidently claims that the deputy commander position should belong to the capable.
• Zhou Mang launches a sudden, full-powered attack using his natal Great Dao weapon, the Heavenly Python Dao Sword, intending to kill Lu Ren in one strike.
• Lu Ren effortlessly blocks the attack with the Chaos Ancient Sword.
• He then uses the Void Instant-Kill Sword, unleashing gray-white Sword Qi that pierces Zhou Mang’s defense and wounds him severely.
• Zhou Mang is defeated in only two moves, shocking everyone present and overturning their assumptions about Lu Ren’s strength.
• Observers recognize Lu Ren’s Sword Qi as resembling the Void of Destiny Qi associated with Xu Hao, raising the possibility that Lu Ren possesses the Void of Destiny Battle Body.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Reveals that he has been concealing extraordinary strength. His calm confidence proves justified, and his mastery of the Chaos Ancient Sword and Void Instant-Kill Sword establishes him as a serious contender for deputy commander.
• Zhou Mang: His arrogance and confidence collapse after his strongest attack is casually blocked. His defeat exposes the limits of his natal Great Dao weapon and leaves his position in jeopardy.
• Zhao Tong: Initially confident that Zhou Mang’s promotion would help him eliminate Lu Ren, he is stunned when Lu Ren defeats Zhou Mang instead.
• Yang Shuo and Chen Tianjin: Their decision not to challenge Zhou Mang appears reasonable at first, but Lu Ren’s victory demonstrates that they significantly underestimated the newcomer.
• Wang Lie and the other guards: Their concern over Zhou Mang’s possible appointment changes into disbelief as Lu Ren unexpectedly overturns the contest.
• Shi Kun: His unusual expression suggests he may have already suspected that Lu Ren was hiding his true capabilities.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and underestimated individuals: Lu Ren’s low apparent cultivation level causes others to dismiss him, but his true power far exceeds expectations.
• Arrogance versus composure: Zhou Mang becomes increasingly enraged, while Lu Ren remains calm and controlled, reinforcing the contrast between confidence based on ability and confidence based on reputation.
• Power determining authority: The deputy commander position is shown to belong not simply to the strongest recognized candidate, but to whoever can truly demonstrate superior ability.
• Mystery surrounding Lu Ren: The similarity between his sword technique and Xu Hao’s Void of Destiny Qi introduces questions about his origins, body constitution, and possible connection to Xu Hao.

Character Interactions

• Zhou Mang challenges Yang Shuo and Chen Tianjin to contest his claim, but both decline because of his natal Great Dao weapon.
• Zhao Tong privately views Zhou Mang’s expected promotion as a means to target Lu Ren.
• Lu Ren directly confronts Zhou Mang, responding to his threats with calm provocation.
• Zhou Mang attempts to kill Lu Ren immediately, but Lu Ren blocks his attack and defeats him with a single counterstrike.
• The surrounding guards and powerful cultivators react with astonishment, while speculation begins that Lu Ren may possess the same rare Void of Destiny Battle Body as Xu Hao.

Promotion to Deputy Commander — Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren defeats Zhou Mang in the deputy commander selection, revealing that he had concealed much of his strength. His sword technique incorporates the power of the Void Claw, allowing him to break through Zhou Mang’s defenses.
• Zhao Tong accuses Lu Ren of killing Xu Hao and stealing the Void of Destiny Qi from him. Yun Qingyao confirms that she recovered the Qi after Xu Hao was killed by Blood Heaven Manor and personally gave it to Lu Ren after his Battle Realm opened.
• With the matter clarified, Yun Qingyao officially appoints Lu Ren as deputy commander of the West Hall. Nearly all the guards accept the decision, while Zhao Tong is humiliated and furious.
• Lu Ren openly dismisses Zhao Tong as an unworthy rival, intensifying their hostility.
• Yun Qingyao privately tells Lu Ren that she must leave Heaven-Prison Manor to complete her Dao Fusion by opening and activating the Ksitigarbha Dao Great World. She warns him to beware not only of Zhao Tong but also Qiu Yaoyao, who may discover the truth about his Void of Destiny Qi.
• Before her departure, Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao share an affectionate, intimate moment, reaffirming their deep relationship.
• After Yun Qingyao secretly leaves, Lu Ren rejects gifts and resources from the guards, unwilling to become indebted or give others leverage over him.
• He uses his authority as deputy commander to lead Wang Lie and the other guards on dangerous but profitable missions. Over three years, Wang Lie and the others successfully reach the Dao-Severing Realm.
• Lu Ren continues to distinguish himself from Zhao Tong by distributing mission rewards and Crystal Cores among his fifty subordinates instead of exploiting them for personal gain.
• The chapter ends with news that Yun Qingyao has returned and specifically requested to see Lu Ren.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren emerges as a powerful and principled leader. His victory exposes his hidden strength, while his refusal to accept bribes and his generosity toward his subordinates earn him their loyalty and respect.
• Yun Qingyao openly supports Lu Ren’s promotion and takes responsibility for resolving the mystery surrounding his Void of Destiny Qi. She remains protective of him despite having to leave for her own cultivation breakthrough.
• Zhao Tong suffers a major setback. His preferred candidate, Zhou Mang, loses, and Lu Ren’s promotion places Lu Ren on equal footing with him. His jealousy and hostility deepen.
• Wang Lie and the other guards shift their allegiance toward Lu Ren. Under his guidance, they improve their cultivation and eventually enter the Dao-Severing Realm.
• Zhou Mang loses both the promotion and his political advantage, becoming more cautious about Lu Ren’s growing influence.

Significant Themes

• Strength hidden beneath appearances: Lu Ren’s underestimated status is overturned when he reveals overwhelming combat ability.
• Merit versus connections: The promotion is ultimately determined by Lu Ren’s real strength rather than Zhao Tong’s backing or political maneuvering.
• Leadership and integrity: Lu Ren refuses to exploit his position, rejects gifts, and shares resources, contrasting sharply with Zhao Tong’s selfish conduct.
• Trust and loyalty: Yun Qingyao protects Lu Ren’s secret, while Lu Ren earns the loyalty of his followers through fairness and generosity.
• Ambition and danger: Lu Ren’s promotion raises his status but also draws attention from powerful figures such as Qiu Yaoyao.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren and Zhao Tong exchange sharp insults, with Lu Ren declaring that Zhao Tong is not even qualified to be his opponent.
• Yun Qingyao publicly validates Lu Ren’s possession of the Void of Destiny Qi and appoints him deputy commander.
• In private, Yun Qingyao and Lu Ren express their affection and concern for each other before her departure.
• Lu Ren encourages Wang Lie, assuring him that his talent was held back by Wang Tong’s interference and promising to help him reach Dao Severance.
• Lu Ren’s fair treatment of his fifty guards strengthens their admiration, especially when he gives them the rewards from the Sea Demon Beast mission.
• The chapter closes by setting up Lu Ren’s reunion with the returning Yun Qingyao and hinting at new developments.

Chapter Summary: “Dispersing the Bone-Eroding Qi”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren learns that Qiu Yaoyao, the young miss of Heaven-Prison Manor, has returned and is seeking him—not for his identity, but because of the Void of Destiny Qi he possesses.
• Qiu Yaoyao summons Lu Ren to a private pavilion and explains that she was injured ten years earlier by the young manor lord of Blood Heaven Manor. The resulting Blood-Heaven Bone-Eroding Qi has remained in her body and continues to threaten her cultivation.
• She reveals that Lu Ren’s Void of Destiny Qi can dispel the poisonous energy. Xu Hao had previously helped her remove some of it, but only about one-tenth each time.
• Qiu Yaoyao removes her clothing so Lu Ren can treat her more effectively, causing him momentary embarrassment and distraction. She then orders him to focus and use his energy to form needles that can enter her meridians.
• Lu Ren creates hundreds of Void Needles and sends them into Qiu Yaoyao’s meridians. The needles rapidly dissolve the Bone-Eroding Qi interfering with her Great Dao power.
• Unlike Xu Hao, who could only maintain the treatment for a short time, Lu Ren sustains it for more than two hours. Qiu Yaoyao realizes that the poison may be completely removed from her meridians.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Demonstrates extraordinary endurance, control, and dedication. Though initially startled by Qiu Yaoyao’s condition and appearance, he quickly regains focus and treats the matter seriously. His willingness to risk his life for her also reflects his desire to gain her protection against Zhao Tong and Qiu Wanzhen.
• Qiu Yaoyao: Initially appears proud, commanding, and arrogant, but her illness reveals vulnerability and urgency. She becomes increasingly surprised and hopeful as Lu Ren proves far more capable than Xu Hao at removing the poison.
• Xu Hao: Though absent, his memories and prior treatment of Qiu Yaoyao establish a comparison that highlights Lu Ren’s superior endurance and effectiveness.
• Qiu Wanzhen and Zhao Tong: They do not appear directly, but their hostility toward Lu Ren and Qiu Yaoyao’s rivalry with Qiu Wanzhen provide political motivation for Lu Ren’s cooperation.

Significant Themes

• Power and political alliances: Lu Ren views helping Qiu Yaoyao as a way to gain her protection and strengthen his position within Heaven-Prison Manor.
• Trust and vulnerability: Qiu Yaoyao must expose both her body and her illness to Lu Ren, despite her pride and usual commanding demeanor.
• Endurance and ability: Lu Ren’s superior stamina and mastery of the Void of Destiny Qi distinguish him from Xu Hao and suggest his growing importance.
• Duty versus distraction: Although the treatment begins with an awkward and sensual moment, Lu Ren suppresses his thoughts and prioritizes Qiu Yaoyao’s survival.
• Conflict between opposing powers: The Void of Destiny Qi counters the Blood-Heaven Bone-Eroding Qi, embodying the broader struggle between different forces and factions.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren respectfully meets Qiu Yaoyao after being summoned and offers to follow her orders.
• Qiu Yaoyao commands Lu Ren to treat her and threatens him if he makes a mistake, maintaining her authoritative personality.
• Lu Ren responds with loyalty and determination, promising to give everything to remove the poison.
• During the treatment, Qiu Yaoyao observes Lu Ren’s unusual endurance and gradually shifts from skepticism to astonishment and hope.

Chapter Summary: “Severing the Self Body”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren successfully uses his abundant Void of Destiny Qi to completely remove the Blood-Heaven Bone-Eroding Qi from Qiu Yaoyao.
• Overjoyed and momentarily losing her composure, Qiu Yaoyao embraces Lu Ren while still naked, then quickly dresses after he points it out.
• Lu Ren honestly explains his conflict with Zhao Tong and his desire to survive, establish himself in the Great Dao River, and seize the opportunity to serve Qiu Yaoyao.
• Qiu Yaoyao agrees to support him if Zhao Tong’s uncle, Zhao Tie, interferes, though she leaves Lu Ren’s eventual victory over Zhao Tong to his own ability.
• She orders Lu Ren to keep her recovery secret and visit her once every six months to maintain the appearance that he is treating her.
• Qiu Yaoyao orders an investigation into Lu Ren’s origins. She learns that he was exceptionally admitted to Heaven-Prison Manor after saving Su Jiyuan and later distinguished himself during the West Hall deputy commander selection.
• Recognizing Lu Ren’s unusual potential, Qiu Yaoyao considers that his allegiance could improve her chances of competing for the Manor Lord position.
• Lu Ren returns to his palace and begins planning how to use Qiu Yaoyao’s protection against Zhao Tong and Zhao Tie. He decides he may eventually take the initiative against Zhao Tong rather than merely wait for an attack.
• Over the following year, Lu Ren secretly visits Qiu Yaoyao twice while pretending to continue dispelling her affliction. He spends the remaining time preparing to break through to the Third Realm of Dao Severance.
• Zhao Tong becomes worried that Lu Ren may influence Qiu Yaoyao against him. At Zhou Mang’s urging, Zhao Tong decides that Lu Ren must be eliminated.
• Three years later, Lu Ren enters the Reincarnation Ancient Pagoda and severs his Self Body, beginning a seemingly endless battle against an identical version of himself.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Demonstrates both powerful Void of Destiny Qi and considerable political awareness. He openly presents himself as loyal to Qiu Yaoyao while strategically seeking protection from Zhao Tong’s faction. His breakthrough into the Third Realm begins a major period of self-refinement.
• Qiu Yaoyao: Regains freedom from the tormenting Blood-Heaven Bone-Eroding Qi and becomes more confident and hopeful. She accepts Lu Ren as a potentially valuable ally, not only for personal aid but also in her competition to become Manor Lord.
• Zhao Tong: Shifts from passive observation to actively plotting Lu Ren’s removal after realizing Lu Ren’s growing closeness to Qiu Yaoyao could threaten him.
• Zhou Mang: Acts as Zhao Tong’s concerned adviser, warning him about Lu Ren’s possible influence.
• Black-Clad Woman: Provides Qiu Yaoyao with background information on Lu Ren and reinforces the mystery surrounding his origins.

Significant Themes

• Alliance and political survival: Lu Ren uses his medical and cultivation abilities to secure Qiu Yaoyao’s protection, showing that strength in Heaven-Prison Manor depends on both power and political backing.
• Trust versus strategy: Lu Ren speaks sincerely about serving Qiu Yaoyao, but he is also carefully using the relationship to protect himself and prepare for future conflict.
• Hidden identities and secrecy: Qiu Yaoyao’s recovery must remain concealed, while Lu Ren’s unexplained rise causes several commanders to investigate him.
• Self-confrontation and personal growth: The Self Body represents Lu Ren’s own past and current limitations. Fighting it forces him to examine his weaknesses and perfect his control over his abilities.
• Persistence and refinement: Repeated battles against an equal opponent gradually sharpen Lu Ren’s combat awareness, suggesting that progress comes not only from victory but from enduring and learning through struggle.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren and Qiu Yaoyao develop a mutually beneficial relationship: he treats her illness, while she offers protection and political support.
• Qiu Yaoyao’s emotional reaction to her recovery briefly creates an awkward but human moment with Lu Ren before both return to a more formal dynamic.
• Qiu Yaoyao privately instructs the Black-Clad Woman to investigate Lu Ren, indicating both interest and caution.
• Zhao Tong and Zhou Mang discuss the danger posed by Lu Ren’s connection to Qiu Yaoyao, leading Zhao Tong to consider assassination or another method of eliminating him.
• Lu Ren’s most important confrontation is internal: he repeatedly battles his identical Self Body, with neither side able to gain an advantage because they possess the same strength, techniques, and awareness.

Chapter Summary: Third Realm of Dao Severance

Key Plot Points and Events

• During his ninety-ninth battle against his Self Body, Lu Ren realizes that he has gradually surpassed it through repeated combat and improved mastery of the Chaos Great Dao and Void of Destiny Qi.
• Lu Ren defeats the Self Body with a decisive sword strike. The Self Body accepts that only by surpassing oneself can one attain the Great Dao before shattering and merging back into Lu Ren.
• The Heaven-Earth Shackles within Lu Ren’s Chaos Great Dao Origin completely break apart, releasing the full power of his suppressed origin. Lu Ren successfully enters the Third Realm of Dao Severance.
• He recognizes that cultivating his Great Dao Origin will strengthen his Chaos Dao Great World, though this also increases the danger of the Myriad Heavens Plane being discovered and destroyed.
• Before he can refine his remaining Great Dao Pills, Lu Ren receives a desperate message from Wang Lie. Blood Heaven Manor has captured Wang Lie and his patrol group, demanding that Lu Ren come alone to Blood Abyss Island.
• Lu Ren travels to Blood Abyss Island and discovers that most of the Heaven-Prison Manor guards accompanying Wang Lie have already been killed. Wang Lie is being restrained by Blood Heaven Manor soldiers.
• The blood-robed commander reveals that the hostage situation is only a trap designed to lure Lu Ren out. Two of Lu Ren’s enemies, Zhao Tong and Zhou Mang, emerge from the void to confront him.
• Wang Lie realizes that Zhao Tong must have leaked their patrol route, explaining why Blood Heaven Manor was able to intercept them.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Reaches a major cultivation breakthrough by severing the Heaven-Earth Shackles and entering the Third Realm. His confidence and strength increase, but so does his awareness of the dangers threatening his world. His loyalty to his subordinates is emphasized when he immediately risks himself to rescue Wang Lie.
• Self Body: Begins as Lu Ren’s seemingly equal opponent but develops shock and fear when Lu Ren gains the advantage. In its final moments, it acknowledges Lu Ren’s achievement and the principle of surpassing oneself.
• Wang Lie: Remains loyal and courageous despite being captured, urging Lu Ren to abandon him and kill the enemy. His capture demonstrates his importance as one of Lu Ren’s trusted subordinates.
• Zhao Tong: Continues his pattern of scheming against Lu Ren, arranging for the patrol route to be exposed and helping create the ambush.
• Zhou Mang: Reappears as a hostile figure alongside Zhao Tong, indicating that Lu Ren’s previous victory over him did not end their conflict.
• Blood Heaven Manor Commander: Uses Wang Lie and the dead patrol guards as bait, revealing himself as cruel, deceptive, and confident in his larger plan.

Significant Themes

• Self-transcendence: Lu Ren’s victory symbolizes the need to surpass one’s former self in order to advance along the Great Dao.
• Growth through struggle: Endless combat with the Self Body allows Lu Ren to refine his abilities and achieve a breakthrough.
• Power and danger: Greater strength brings greater risks, especially because strengthening Lu Ren’s Chaos Dao Great World may expose it to hostile forces.
• Loyalty and responsibility: Lu Ren considers Wang Lie and the other guards his own people and acts immediately when they are threatened.
• Deception and political conflict: Blood Heaven Manor exploits Lu Ren’s relationships and uses a false promise of mercy to lure him into a carefully prepared ambush.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren and his Self Body engage in a climactic battle centered on their opposing claims to superiority. Their final exchange presents Lu Ren’s victory as the triumph of the present self over the past.
• Wang Lie warns Lu Ren that the Blood Heaven Manor forces are treacherous and begs him not to prioritize his rescue over killing the enemy.
• The Blood Heaven Manor commander taunts Lu Ren and admits that the hostage rescue was a trap.
• Zhao Tong and Zhou Mang arrive as reinforcements, transforming the confrontation into a personal showdown between Lu Ren and multiple long-standing enemies.

Chapter 4052 Summary: Instantly Slain by a Single Sword

• Ambush against Lu Ren: Zhao Tong reveals that he has allied with Blood Heaven Manor to kill Lu Ren. Blood Heaven Manor’s deputy commander, Blood Ink Mountain, explains that Lu Ren must die because he is helping Qiu Yaoyao recover, potentially allowing her to regain her strength. Zhou Mang also joins the attack, seeking revenge for his previous humiliation.
• Lu Ren’s overwhelming growth: Zhou Mang, now at the mid-stage of the Third Realm of Dao Severance, attacks with his strengthened Heavenly Python Great Dao. Lu Ren effortlessly shatters his golden-pythон-like sword strike with the Chaos Ancient Sword. A second slash pierces Zhou Mang between the brows, killing him instantly. His prized Heavenly Python Dao Sword falls beside him. This demonstrates that Lu Ren, despite being only in the early stage of the Third Realm, possesses combat power far beyond his realm.
• Zhao Tong’s shock and desperation: Zhao Tong realizes that Lu Ren has already reached the Third Realm of Dao Severance in less than ten years—an astonishing rate of cultivation even compared with Heaven-Prison Manor’s Young Manor Lord. Knowing he cannot defeat Lu Ren alone and fearing the consequences if Lu Ren survives, Zhao Tong orders Blood Ink Mountain to restrain him while he prepares a killing blow.
• Blood-Baleful Sealing-Heaven Formation: Blood Ink Mountain commands more than a dozen Blood Heaven Manor guards to form a powerful blood-based formation. Their combined Blood-Heaven Great Dao creates a massive scarlet hand capable of suppressing late-stage Third Realm cultivators. Lu Ren calmly counters with a single stream of Chaos Sword Qi, completely destroying the formation and leaving the guards badly shaken.
• Battle with Blood Ink Mountain: After breaking the formation, Lu Ren attacks Blood Ink Mountain directly. Blood Ink Mountain summons his natal Great Dao Weapon, the Bloodfiend Primordial Staff, and manages to block one sword clash, though he is still wounded and thrown backward. Lu Ren then uses the Void Instant-Kill Sword, whose gray-white sword qi moves through space with terrifying speed. Blood Ink Mountain’s defenses and staff cannot stop it, and he is slashed across the chest.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Ren displays extraordinary confidence, composure, and rapidly increasing power, defeating opponents stronger than his apparent cultivation level.
• Zhou Mang moves from arrogant confidence to helpless terror before being killed instantly.
• Zhao Tong shifts from aggressive plotting to shock and desperate calculation as he recognizes Lu Ren’s true strength.
• Blood Ink Mountain begins as a confident commander but becomes horrified after both his formation and personal defense are broken.
• The Blood Heaven Manor guards lose their initial ferocity and become fearful after witnessing their deputy commander’s defeat.
• Major themes: The chapter emphasizes Lu Ren’s explosive cultivation progress, the gulf between ordinary realm advancement and true combat ability, and the consequences of underestimating him. It also highlights desperation and political betrayal, as Zhao Tong risks everything through his alliance with Blood Heaven Manor. The repeated contrast between the enemies’ elaborate techniques and Lu Ren’s calm, simple sword strikes reinforces his overwhelming mastery.

Summary of “Defeating Zhao Tong”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhao Tong continues building momentum to unleash his powerful Heavenly River True Meaning, while Blood Ink Mountain attacks Lu Ren to buy him time.
• Lu Ren counters Blood Ink Mountain with the Six Paths Reincarnation True Meaning, combining the Heavenly God Path and Human Path with the concepts of Order and Emotion to launch a devastating divine-soul attack.
• Blood Ink Mountain’s mind is thrown into chaos, allowing Lu Ren to pierce his brow and destroy his divine soul. Lu Ren then takes his resources and natal Great Dao Weapon.
• Shocked by their leader’s death, the Blood Heaven Manor guards flee. Lu Ren traps and kills them all with the Punishment-Character Ghost Rune, creating an illusion of Hell filled with blade mountains, seas of fire, and chains.
• Lu Ren confronts Zhao Tong, who burns part of his origin and unleashes the full force of his Heavenly Water Great Dao through the technique “Heavenly River True Meaning, Overturn Heaven and Cover the Sea.”
• Lu Ren responds with a single sword strike empowered by the Chaos Great Dao and the Killing-Character Ghost Rune of the Asura Path. His sword cleaves the enormous heavenly river in two and severely wounds Zhao Tong.
• Zhao Tong is thrown into a crater and becomes terrified of Lu Ren. Under questioning, he reveals that the Heaven-Prison Manor allied with him because Lu Ren can cure the Young Miss’s Heavenly Blood Bone-Eroding Qi. They wanted Lu Ren dead so her recovery would be delayed.
• Zhao Tong further admits that he serves the Young Manor Lord rather than the Young Miss and helped undermine her in order to strengthen the Young Manor Lord’s claim to become manor lord.
• When Zhao Tong tries to bargain for his life in exchange for secret information, Lu Ren initially agrees, but Zhao Tong expresses distrust. Facing Lu Ren’s attack, Zhao Tong reveals that the Young Miss and the Northern Hall commanders have gone to the Myriad Severance Mystic Realm, where the Young Manor Lord has arranged an ambush likely to kill them.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Demonstrates overwhelming growth after entering the initial Third Realm of Dao Severance. His mastery of the Six Paths Reincarnation True Meaning, divine-soul attacks, Chaos Great Dao, and Ghost Runes allows him to defeat a stronger opponent with ease. He remains calm, decisive, and merciless toward enemies, while also carefully investigating the political motives behind the attack.
• Blood Ink Mountain: Despite being a powerful late-Third-Realm cultivator with a formidable natal weapon, he is quickly defeated because he cannot withstand Lu Ren’s divine-soul techniques.
• Zhao Tong: Initially confident in his superior cultivation and carefully prepared ultimate attack, Zhao Tong is reduced to fear after Lu Ren effortlessly breaks through his Heavenly River technique. His desperation exposes his allegiance to the Young Manor Lord and the planned ambush.
• Wang Lie: Becomes deeply shocked and reverent toward Lu Ren after witnessing him kill Blood Ink Mountain, realizing that Lu Ren’s true strength far exceeds what he previously displayed.

Significant Themes

• The overwhelming power of specialized cultivation: Lu Ren’s divine-soul attacks exploit Blood Ink Mountain’s weakness, showing that combat strength depends not only on cultivation level but also on the nature and compatibility of one’s abilities.
• Hidden political conflict and betrayal: The attack is part of a larger struggle between the Young Miss and Young Manor Lord for control of Blood Heaven Manor. Zhao Tong’s actions reveal how factional loyalty drives violence and deception.
• Calmness versus desperation: Lu Ren remains composed throughout the battle, while Zhao Tong increasingly relies on blood-burning, bargaining, and fearful revelations as his position collapses.
• Merciless justice: Lu Ren shows no mercy to the Blood Heaven Manor guards, using the Punishment-Character Ghost Rune to annihilate them after their leader’s death.
• The value and limits of trust: Zhao Tong attempts to negotiate by offering secret information but refuses to trust Lu Ren’s promise, ultimately forcing himself to reveal the information in panic.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren and Blood Ink Mountain: Their brief battle highlights Lu Ren’s superior divine-soul techniques. Blood Ink Mountain’s physical offense is neutralized, and Lu Ren kills him with a direct sword thrust.
• Lu Ren and the Blood Heaven Manor guards: The guards flee after witnessing their commander’s death, but Lu Ren seals off their escape and destroys them all.
• Lu Ren and Zhao Tong: Their confrontation shifts from a contest of power to an interrogation. After defeating Zhao Tong’s ultimate technique, Lu Ren questions his motives and learns of the alliance and political betrayal.
• Zhao Tong and the Young Miss/Young Manor Lord: Zhao Tong reveals that he belongs to the Young Manor Lord’s faction and attacked the Young Miss indirectly by attempting to eliminate Lu Ren, whose abilities are crucial to her recovery.
• Lu Ren and Wang Lie: Wang Lie’s reaction emphasizes the dramatic change in his perception of Lu Ren, from a powerful swordsman to an extraordinarily dangerous cultivator.

Chapter 4054 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhao Tong reveals the existence of the Myriad Severance Mystic Realm, a valuable realm containing rare Great Dao materials capable of forging Great Dao Weapons. He attempts to trade its location map for his life.
• Lu Ren sees through Zhao Tong’s manipulation and kills him despite Zhao Tong threatening that his uncle, Commander Zhao Tie, will retaliate. Lu Ren justifies the killing because Zhao Tong had colluded with Heaven-Blood Manor.
• Lu Ren strips Zhao Tong’s possessions, obtaining both the intelligence map and a Great Dao Pill Furnace, which will allow him to refine Great Dao Pills from Great Dao Crystal Cores.
• After instructing Wang Lie to bury their fallen companions, Lu Ren follows the map to the South River Region. Using his Chaos Eyes, he discovers a nearly invisible spatial rift concealed within the turbulent energy.
• Lu Ren enters the Myriad Severance Mystic Realm, a small space saturated with Great Dao aura and filled with valuable ores and Heavenly Materials.
• He hears a battle and finds Heaven-Prison Manor forces slaughtered around a black Iron Mountain rich in rare weapon-forging materials.
• Xue Fan’an, a Blood-haired expert from Heaven-Blood Manor, has surrounded Qiu Yaoyao and her remaining followers. Her commander and many guards have already been killed.
• Xue Fan’an murders Qianqian when she attempts to defend Qiu Yaoyao, intensifying the desperation of the situation.
• Qiu Yaoyao appears to concede the mystic realm to Xue Fan’an, but he claims both the realm and her, intending to force a marriage by dishonoring her.
• Qiu Yaoyao rejects him and declares that the man worthy of her must be powerful enough to reign supreme over the entire Great Dao River—not merely the Ten Thousand Autumn River Region.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren becomes more decisive and ruthless, refusing to be manipulated by Zhao Tong and accepting the potential political consequences of killing him.
• Lu Ren’s acquisition of the pill furnace strengthens his future cultivation prospects, since he has entered the third realm of Dao Severance and will require many Great Dao Pills.
• Lu Ren also begins thinking strategically about factional conflicts, considering using the hostility between Qiu Yaoyao and Qiu Wanzhen to eliminate Qiu Wanzhen and remove an obstacle for Qing Yao.
• Zhao Tong is exposed as calculating and desperate, but his attempt to bargain for survival fails.
• Qiu Yaoyao is shown to be proud, defiant, and unwilling to submit even when surrounded and outmatched. Her standards and ambitions extend far beyond her current region.
• Xue Fan’an is established as cruel, arrogant, predatory, and confident in his power. He treats Qiu Yaoyao as a possession rather than an equal.
• Wang Lie remains loyal and cooperative, though he worries about the consequences of Lu Ren’s actions.

Significant Themes

• Power and survival: Characters are forced to make life-or-death choices amid factional struggles over rare resources.
• Manipulation and counter-manipulation: Zhao Tong tries to use secret information to save himself, while Lu Ren recognizes and rejects the trap.
• Ambition and vision: Qiu Yaoyao’s declaration emphasizes that true greatness requires looking beyond regional power struggles toward supremacy over the entire Great Dao River.
• Pride and autonomy: Qiu Yaoyao refuses to become a political or personal prize, defending her right to choose her own partner and destiny.
• Resource-driven conflict: The mystic realm’s ores and materials make it strategically vital, capable of strengthening any faction that controls it.
• Cruelty and oppression: Xue Fan’an’s killing of Qianqian and his attempt to coerce Qiu Yaoyao highlight the brutality of the conflict.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren and Zhao Tong: Zhao Tong bargains with the mystic realm’s map, but Lu Ren sees through him and executes him.
• Lu Ren and Wang Lie: Lu Ren gives Wang Lie responsibility for burying the dead while he investigates the mystic realm; Wang Lie warns him about Commander Zhao Tie’s possible retaliation.
• Lu Ren and Qiu Yaoyao/Qiu Wanzhen: Lu Ren has not yet directly interacted with them in this chapter, but he plans to exploit their rivalry for Qing Yao’s benefit.
• Xue Fan’an and Qiu Yaoyao: Their confrontation is the chapter’s central conflict. Xue Fan’an attempts to humiliate and possess her, while Qiu Yaoyao responds with contempt and refuses to acknowledge him as worthy.
• Xue Fan’an and Qianqian: When Qianqian defends Qiu Yaoyao, Xue Fan’an kills her effortlessly, demonstrating the overwhelming imbalance of power and his merciless nature.

Summary: “A Scheme to Attack the Heart”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xue Fan’an defeats Qiu Yaoyao and prepares to eliminate her, but she bargains for the lives of her three female subordinates. In exchange for their release, she offers herself to him.
• Xue Fan’an agrees to let the three women leave, then tries to exploit Qiu Yaoyao’s greatest weakness: her desire to regain her father’s trust and eventually inherit the Heaven-Prison Manor.
• He offers Qiu Yaoyao sixty percent of the resources in the Myriad Severance Mystic Realm if she submits to him, emphasizing that the realm contains enough materials to forge more than a hundred Great Dao Weapons.
• Xue Fan’an gives her three days to consider, deliberately avoiding force so that she will not resist to the death.
• He orders Deputy Commander Dai Yue to seal the mystic realm’s entrance and establish a teleportation formation, ensuring Blood Heaven Manor can monopolize the realm’s resources.
• Lu Ren, who has been secretly observing the confrontation, recognizes Xue Fan’an’s psychological strategy and decides to interfere.
• Lu Ren follows Dai Yue to the realm’s entrance. After Dai Yue seals the Spatial Rift, Lu Ren ambushes him with soul techniques from the Heavenly God Path and Human Path.
• Dai Yue is briefly stunned, allowing Lu Ren to kill him instantly with the Void Instant-Kill Sword before he can summon his Great Dao Weapon.
• Lu Ren loots Dai Yue’s internal space, obtaining a Great Dao Weapon and more than ten Great Dao Crystal Cores. He cannot fully search Dai Yue’s memories because Dai Yue’s soul is stronger than his own.
• Using Void Life, Lu Ren transforms himself into Dai Yue, perfectly imitating his appearance, aura, and mannerisms. He then heads back toward Xue Fan’an and Qiu Yaoyao to infiltrate their group.

Character Developments

• Qiu Yaoyao shows loyalty and courage by sacrificing her freedom to save her subordinates. However, Xue Fan’an’s offer shakes her because it directly targets her ambition to earn her father’s recognition.
• Xue Fan’an is revealed as calculating and psychologically perceptive. Rather than simply killing Qiu Yaoyao, he attempts to manipulate her through her pride, family pressure, and desire for succession.
• Lu Ren demonstrates patience, strategic awareness, and increasingly sophisticated combat ability. His mastery of soul attacks, assassination techniques, spatial concealment, and transformation allows him to kill a powerful expert without being detected.
• Dai Yue is shown to be powerful but vulnerable to a carefully prepared ambush. His strength cannot save him once Lu Ren disrupts his soul and prevents him from reacting.

Significant Themes

• Psychological warfare: Xue Fan’an attacks Qiu Yaoyao emotionally rather than physically, using temptation and insecurity to undermine her resistance.
• Loyalty and sacrifice: Qiu Yaoyao prioritizes her subordinates’ survival over her own freedom.
• Power and legitimacy: Qiu Yaoyao’s struggle is tied not only to survival but also to proving herself worthy of inheriting her father’s position.
• Deception and infiltration: Lu Ren’s transformation into Dai Yue emphasizes the importance of disguise and hidden identity in the larger power struggle.
• Limits of strength: Even a high-level cultivator like Dai Yue can be killed instantly when caught off guard, showing that strategy and preparation can overcome raw cultivation.

Character Interactions

• Xue Fan’an and Qiu Yaoyao engage in a tense negotiation shaped by mutual distrust: she bargains for her subordinates, while he tries to force her into submission through an attractive offer.
• Qiu Yaoyao’s three subordinates are willing to die for her, but she orders them to leave rather than make a futile sacrifice.
• Lu Ren observes Xue Fan’an’s manipulation and adopts his own strategy, secretly eliminating Dai Yue to disrupt Blood Heaven Manor’s plans.
• Lu Ren’s impersonation of Dai Yue sets up a future confrontation or infiltration, as he returns toward Xue Fan’an while appearing to be a trusted subordinate.

Chapter Summary: “Stalling for Time”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren returns to Xue Fan’an’s side disguised as Dai Yue, claiming that the entrance to the Myriad Severance Mystic Realm has been sealed and its coordinates concealed.
• Xue Fan’an continues pressuring the injured Qiu Yaoyao to submit to him, believing her desire for her father’s approval will eventually force her to compromise.
• After nearly three days of internal struggle, Qiu Yaoyao receives a secret Divine Sense transmission from Lu Ren. He reveals his presence and tells her to agree to Xue Fan’an’s demand while delaying as long as possible.
• Qiu Yaoyao accepts becoming Xue Fan’an’s woman, but only on the condition that he first give her sixty percent of the Great Dao materials mined from the mystic realm.
• The two establish a binding contract using their Great Dao Origins. If either breaks the agreement, their Great Dao Origin will suffer backlash.
• Xue Fan’an orders the Blood Heaven Manor guards to mine without rest, using Origin Dao Stones to replenish their power. Their current mining speed means the work will take roughly a year.
• Lu Ren realizes that this delay gives him valuable time: one year outside equals ten years inside the Reincarnation Ancient Pagoda.
• He begins preparing to improve his cultivation, consuming five Great Dao Pills. The effect is limited because his Chaos Great Dao Origin is unusually powerful.
• Lu Ren plans to use Zhao Tong’s Great Dao Pill Furnace and more than twenty Great Dao Crystal Cores to refine additional pills and attempt a breakthrough to the Mid-Third Realm of Dao Severance.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Demonstrates patience, deception, and strategic planning by infiltrating Xue Fan’an’s forces. He prioritizes strengthening himself before attempting a rescue, recognizing that his current cultivation is insufficient against a Mid-Transmutation Realm expert.
• Qiu Yaoyao: Moves from despair toward hope after learning Lu Ren is present. Although she appears to surrender, she cleverly negotiates a contract that delays Xue Fan’an and protects her interests.
• Xue Fan’an: Reveals his arrogance, possessiveness, and confidence in his ability to control Qiu Yaoyao. He accepts her terms because he believes she will be unable to resist him once she receives the materials.
• Blood Heaven Manor guards: Continue mining under extreme pressure, obeying Xue Fan’an’s orders without pause.

Significant Themes

• Strategic deception and patience: Lu Ren and Qiu Yaoyao survive by concealing their true intentions and buying time rather than confronting Xue Fan’an directly.
• Freedom versus coercion: Qiu Yaoyao’s apparent consent is made under severe pressure, raising the distinction between genuine choice and forced submission.
• Power and vulnerability: Xue Fan’an attempts to exploit Qiu Yaoyao’s concern for her father’s approval, while Qiu Yaoyao recognizes that surrendering herself would give him leverage over her.
• Time as a weapon: The mining period becomes an opportunity for Lu Ren to cultivate inside the Reincarnation Ancient Pagoda and close the gap between himself and his enemies.
• Contracts and consequences: The Great Dao contract provides temporary protection and mutual restraint, showing how promises can become tools in power struggles.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren impersonates Dai Yue while reporting directly to Xue Fan’an, concealing his identity and intentions.
• Xue Fan’an taunts and pressures Qiu Yaoyao, treating her submission as inevitable.
• Lu Ren secretly contacts Qiu Yaoyao, restoring her hope and coordinating their plan.
• Qiu Yaoyao negotiates with Xue Fan’an and forces him to accept a formal contract before she will comply.
• After the contract, Xue Fan’an attempts to embrace her, but she rejects him, maintaining emotional and physical distance while continuing to stall for time.

Chapter 4057 Summary: “Secretly Plundering”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren uses Zhao Tong’s Great Dao Pill Furnace to refine twenty-five high-quality Great Dao Crystal Cores—ten obtained from Bloodfang Giant Sharks and thirteen from Dai Yue, along with the remaining cores in his possession.
• The resulting Great Dao Pills possess exceptionally pure medicinal energy, reportedly more than twice as potent as ordinary pills.
• Lu Ren consumes all twenty-five pills inside the Reincarnation Ancient Pagoda. After refining the energy, he breaks through from the Early Third Realm of Dao Severance to the Mid-Third Realm.
• He discovers that his Chaos Great Dao Origin has undergone a mysterious transformation, becoming denser, stronger, and more profound.
• Returning to the outside world, Lu Ren continues pretending to supervise the excavation at Iron Mountain. Because only a year passes externally during his cultivation, he avoids suspicion.
• When excavation is complete, Xue Fan’an orders Lu Ren—still disguised as Dai Yue—to tally the harvested materials.
• Lu Ren secretly kills all the Blood-Heaven Manor guards who worked at the site and absorbs the excavated Great Dao ores and rare materials into his internal space.
• He reports that the materials are sufficient to forge at least 120 Great Dao Weapons.
• Lu Ren then launches a surprise attack on Xue Fan’an, combining a soul attack from the Heavenly God Path and Human Path with the Void Instant-Kill Sword.
• Although Xue Fan’an is briefly dazed, his Dao Fusion Realm cultivation and Two-Leaf soul allow him to react. He blocks most of the strike with a blood-colored shield, but still suffers internal injuries from the Void Sword Qi.
• Xue Fan’an retaliates by striking Lu Ren and finally realizes that the person before him is not Dai Yue.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Advances to the Mid-Third Realm of Dao Severance and gains greater control and power through his transformed Chaos Great Dao Origin. He becomes increasingly calculating and ruthless, eliminating the guards to secure the excavation’s resources and beginning his direct confrontation with Xue Fan’an.
• Xue Fan’an: Demonstrates the resilience and defensive power of a Dao Fusion Realm expert. Despite being caught off guard and wounded, he quickly recovers and identifies Lu Ren’s disguise.
• The Blood-Heaven Manor guards: Serve as unwitting laborers whose efforts are stolen by Lu Ren; all are killed once their work is complete.
• Dai Yue: Though absent, his identity remains central to Lu Ren’s deception, which collapses when Xue Fan’an recognizes the impostor.

Significant Themes

• Secret accumulation of power: Lu Ren quietly strengthens himself through cultivation and pill refinement while maintaining a false appearance of weakness and loyalty.
• Deception and betrayal: His disguise as Dai Yue allows him to infiltrate the excavation operation, but his betrayal is ultimately exposed.
• Power gained through exploitation: Lu Ren appropriates both the crystal cores and the guards’ excavation spoils, turning others’ resources and labor toward his own advancement.
• Risk and timing: Lu Ren waits until the excavation is complete before acting, ensuring he can seize the maximum possible treasure.
• Clash between realms: The attack highlights the difference between Lu Ren’s improved Dao Severance cultivation and Xue Fan’an’s superior Dao Fusion abilities.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren maintains a formal, obedient relationship with Xue Fan’an while secretly plotting against him.
• He questions the guards about their excavation, then kills them immediately after confirming that their work is complete.
• Xue Fan’an casually accepts Lu Ren’s report about the harvest, unaware of the betrayal until Lu Ren attacks.
• Lu Ren’s soul assault and sword strike briefly overwhelm Xue Fan’an, but Xue Fan’an’s defensive abilities and counterattack reveal both the danger of the confrontation and the failure of Lu Ren’s disguise.

Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Qiu Yaoyao attacks the severely injured Xue Fan’an with her Imprisoning Heaven Great Dao, but despite his damaged Great Dao Origin, Xue easily blocks her and injures her with blood-colored palm strikes.
• Xue demands to know Lu Ren’s identity after realizing that Lu had disguised himself as Dai Yue. Lu reveals his true appearance, while Qiu Yaoyao provocatively claims that Lu is her man.
• Xue discovers that Lu Ren has killed all the guards of Blood Heaven Manor and stolen the Great Dao materials they had mined.
• Lu attempts to flee, recognizing that Xue remains extraordinarily powerful despite the damage caused by Lu’s Void Instant-Kill Sword.
• Xue pursues Lu and unleashes Blood Heaven Slaughter, a terrifying technique based on the Blood-Heaven Great Dao. Lu counters with the Chaos Great Dao, the Killing-Character Ghost Rune, the Devouring-Character Ghost Rune, and the Void of Destiny Qi.
• Lu manages to withstand the first attack, astonishing both Xue and Qiu, though he is injured and forced backward.
• Xue activates the Blood Heaven Secret Art, raising Blood Heaven Slaughter’s True Intent to the third tier—powerful enough to contend with late-stage Dao Fusion Realm cultivators.
• Lu confronts the enhanced attack directly, using the Six Paths of Reincarnation and a strengthened Killing-Character Ghost Rune. He is badly shaken but survives.
• Qiu Yaoyao catches Lu, tears open the void, and escapes with him before Xue can continue the battle.

2. Character Developments

• Lu Ren demonstrates exceptional combat ability and battle experience. Although only at the mid-stage third-layer Dao Severance Realm, he successfully withstands attacks from a mid-stage Dao Fusion expert.
• Lu remains calm and defiant despite his injuries, using multiple powerful abilities in combination and refusing to surrender to fear during Xue’s strongest attack.
• Xue Fan’an is revealed to possess overwhelming strength even with a severely damaged Great Dao Origin. His injuries, however, worsen whenever Lu’s attacks create additional cracks in it.
• Xue’s anger intensifies after discovering the destruction of Blood Heaven Manor and the theft of its resources, turning his pursuit of Lu into a personal vendetta.
• Qiu Yaoyao shows courage and decisiveness by attacking Xue, provoking him to distract him, warning Lu about the Blood Heaven Secret Art, and ultimately rescuing him.

3. Significant Themes

• Strength beyond cultivation realm: Lu’s ability to challenge Xue highlights the importance of battle experience, powerful techniques, and unique physiques or inheritances over realm alone.
• Persistence under overwhelming pressure: Lu repeatedly survives attacks that should be fatal, suppressing fear and relying on determination and combat instinct.
• The cost of injury and damaged foundations: Xue’s wounded Great Dao Origin remains a serious weakness, and every major clash worsens the damage, suggesting possible long-term consequences for his cultivation.
• Revenge and pride: Xue’s fury is driven not only by physical injury but also by the destruction and humiliation inflicted upon his Blood Heaven Manor.
• Alliance and mutual protection: Qiu Yaoyao and Lu cooperate effectively, with Qiu supporting Lu in battle and prioritizing his escape once the confrontation becomes too dangerous.

4. Character Interactions

• Xue and Qiu clash directly, with Qiu initially attempting to kill him but being overwhelmed by his superior realm and remaining power.
• Qiu deliberately provokes Xue by calling Lu her man, exploiting Xue’s anger and sense of pride.
• Xue confronts Lu over his disguise, the deaths of his guards, the stolen resources, and the damage to his Great Dao Origin.
• Lu and Xue engage in two increasingly powerful fist exchanges, establishing Lu’s extraordinary defensive and offensive potential while emphasizing Xue’s superior strength.
• Qiu acts as Lu’s protector and ally at the end, warning him against Xue’s ultimate technique, catching him after the clash, and escaping with him through the void.