Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Ill-Gotten Wealth”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao arrive at Black Crocodile Island in disguise. They overhear widespread rumors about Lu Ren’s recent battle at the Return-to-Ruins River Site, where he supposedly repelled an army of four thousand from Prince Mu’s Heaven Manor and killed hundreds, including Lord Mu Xue.
• They visit the Black Crocodile Merchant Guild to liquidate the spoils taken from more than a dozen commanders.
• The guild’s gray-robed Dao-Controlling Realm elder appraises the resources—including medicinal herbs, Great Dao Weapon materials, and weapon fragments—and values them at nearly twenty million Origin Dao Stones. He rounds the amount up to twenty million.
• Lu Ren orders one hundred ownerless Great Dao Weapons for use with the Myriad Weapons Slaying Dao Secret Art. Because ownerless weapons are rare, the order will cost at least fifty million Origin Dao Stones and may take up to three years to complete.
• Lu Ren pays the required ten-million-stone balance immediately, demonstrating that he possesses enormous wealth despite appearing to be only in the Early-Stage Dao-Controlling Realm.
• He then asks about rare supreme treasures. The elder informs him of a Black Market Treasure Appraisal Fair to be held in one year. Attendance requires proof of at least fifty million Origin Dao Stones and the purchase of at least one treasure.
• Lu Ren displays fifty million Origin Dao Stones, receives an admission token, and leaves with Yun Qingyao.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Remains calm and composed despite becoming famous throughout the Prince Mu River Region. His wealth and confidence reveal his growing power and resources. He also takes concrete steps to strengthen himself by commissioning one hundred ownerless Great Dao Weapons.
• Yun Qingyao: Shows awareness of the danger surrounding Lu Ren’s growing reputation and emphasizes the importance of their disguises. She is visibly surprised by the scale of Lu Ren’s wealth.
• Merchant Guild Elder: Initially polite and professional, he becomes increasingly shocked by the quantity and suspicious origin of Lu Ren’s resources. By the end, he is deeply puzzled about the identities and background of the two seemingly low-level cultivators.

Significant Themes

• Reputation and concealment: Lu Ren’s deeds have spread rapidly, forcing him and Yun Qingyao to hide their identities.
• Power beneath appearances: Their Early-Stage Dao-Controlling Realm cultivation contrasts sharply with Lu Ren’s immense wealth and extraordinary combat achievements.
• Ill-gotten wealth and moral ambiguity: The merchant guild openly deals in resources and treasures obtained through questionable means, treating their origins as an accepted part of the cultivation world.
• Preparation and accumulation: Lu Ren converts battle spoils into money, weapons, and future opportunities, steadily preparing for greater challenges.
• Strength through resources: The chapter highlights how wealth, treasures, and specialized weapons can significantly enhance a cultivator’s power.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao quietly discuss the rapid spread of his fame and the necessity of remaining disguised.
• Lu Ren negotiates directly with the guild elder, whose astonishment grows as Lu Ren reveals increasingly large purchases and reserves of Origin Dao Stones.
• Their exchange establishes Lu Ren as a decisive and financially powerful customer, while the elder recognizes that the pair’s true origins are far more extraordinary than their cultivation levels suggest.

Chapter Summary: Entering the Mid Dao-Controlling Realm

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao leave the Black Crocodile Merchant Guild, the guild’s old man remains deeply disturbed by Lu Ren’s cold, sinister Great Dao aura.
• He orders an investigation into their identities. The guild’s intelligence network discovers that Lu Ren is likely connected to the mysterious Underworld Realm, possibly belonging to one of its major forces.
• The old man reports this to E Wan Tong, president of the Black Crocodile Merchant Guild and one of Black Crocodile Island’s rulers. E Wan Tong is intrigued rather than alarmed.
• E Wan Tong decides not to investigate Lu Ren further. Instead, he views Lu Ren’s presence as potentially beneficial to the guild’s plan to hunt the Void of Destiny Battle Body, believing Lu Ren may increase their chances of success.
• Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao retreat to a secluded cultivation pavilion to prepare for the Black Market Treasure Appraisal Fair, which will take place in one month.
• They discuss the fair’s likely dangers, since many of its treasures may have questionable origins and the gathering could descend into chaos. Nevertheless, their priority is to acquire cultivation resources and any treasures capable of increasing their strength.
• Lu Ren enters prolonged seclusion within the Reincarnation Ancient Pagoda. He focuses on comprehending “Dao Dominion” and strengthening his Dao-Controlling Seal.
• After twenty years of cultivation, his comprehension reaches a bottleneck. He consumes five hundred Great Dao Pills, using their immense energy to force a breakthrough.
• His Dao-Controlling Seal expands from one inch to two inches, triggering a major transformation in his Chaos Great Dao Origin.
• Lu Ren successfully advances to the Mid Dao-Controlling Realm. His Chaos Great Dao power increases approximately fivefold, while his control over it becomes significantly more refined.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Becomes more cautious and strategically minded regarding the upcoming appraisal fair. Through twenty years of arduous cultivation, he breaks into the Mid Dao-Controlling Realm and greatly improves both the power and control of his Chaos Great Dao.
• Yun Qingyao: Continues to act as Lu Ren’s calm and prudent companion. She recognizes the dangers of the Black Market Treasure Appraisal Fair and encourages caution while supporting their goal of obtaining valuable resources.
• E Wan Tong: Revealed as a powerful, calculating leader. Rather than treating Lu Ren as a threat, he sees him as a possible asset in the guild’s plan to capture the Void of Destiny Battle Body.
• The old guild elder: Initially shocked and uneasy about Lu Ren’s mysterious aura and possible Underworld origins, he serves as the one who alerts E Wan Tong to Lu Ren’s presence.

Significant Themes

• Mystery and hidden origins: Lu Ren’s unusual Ghost Dao aura leads the Black Crocodile Merchant Guild to suspect that he comes from the enigmatic Underworld Realm.
• Power and opportunity: E Wan Tong demonstrates how powerful forces may view unknown experts not only as threats but also as potential tools or allies.
• Preparation amid danger: Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao understand that the upcoming fair may be chaotic, yet they are willing to enter it because the possible rewards justify the risks.
• Persistence in cultivation: Lu Ren’s breakthrough comes only after twenty years of difficult comprehension and the expenditure of substantial resources.
• Mastery over raw strength: The chapter emphasizes that advancement in the Dao-Controlling Realm depends not merely on accumulating power, but on strengthening the Dao-Controlling Seal and achieving finer command over one’s Great Dao.

Character Interactions

• The guild elder reports Lu Ren’s identity and abilities to E Wan Tong, prompting the president to reconsider the significance of the upcoming appraisal fair.
• E Wan Tong rejects further investigation, showing confidence in his judgment and revealing his interest in using Lu Ren’s presence to aid the guild’s hunt.
• Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao discuss the risks and objectives of the appraisal fair, establishing their shared strategy.
• During cultivation, Lu Ren independently works through the limits of his understanding, ultimately achieving his breakthrough and gaining much greater control over his Chaos Great Dao.

Chapter Summary: Black Market Treasure Appraisal Fair

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren completes his cultivation inside the Reincarnation Ancient Pagoda and breaks through to the Mid Dao-Controlling Realm.
• His Chaos Great Dao becomes far more refined, and even his Ghost Dao gains significantly greater power. He believes he may now be capable of fighting Mu Aogu directly.
• Yun Qingyao has not advanced further, having only recently entered the Dao-Controlling Realm, but she remains confident that Lu Ren’s breakthrough improves their chances at the appraisal fair.
• Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao return to the Black Crocodile Merchant Guild using their Black Crocodile Token and are escorted into a hidden independent space.
• The venue contains twenty throne-like black stone platforms, most occupied by powerful figures from major rogue-cultivator factions in the Prince Mu River Region.
• The Asura Young Master, a sinister and extremely powerful Late Dao-Controlling Realm expert, arrives and draws widespread fear. He is known for possessing a rare Twelve-Pattern Battle Body and for rejecting recruitment from Prince Mu’s Heaven Manor.
• Qin Moshang, the guild steward, announces the rules: each participant receives only five appraisal opportunities. For each treasure, participants bid what they believe it is worth; if another person bids higher, the original bidder loses one opportunity.
• The fair also offers every participant the chance to buy one Great Dao Spirit Weapon for only ten million Origin Dao Stones, suggesting the event may have a hidden purpose beyond ordinary treasure sales.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren undergoes a major power increase, advancing to the Mid Dao-Controlling Realm and gaining much stronger control over both the Chaos Great Dao and Ghost Dao.
• His confidence rises considerably, especially regarding a possible future confrontation with Mu Aogu.
• Yun Qingyao remains supportive and recognizes the importance of Lu Ren’s breakthrough, though her own cultivation has not changed significantly.
• Asura Young Master is introduced as a dangerous and exceptionally gifted figure, with a reputation that intimidates even Mid Dao-Controlling Realm experts.
• Qin Moshang acts as the fair’s calm and formal host, revealing the unusual rules and suspiciously generous weapon offer.

Significant Themes

• Power advancement and transformation: Lu Ren’s breakthrough demonstrates that cultivation beyond the Dao-Controlling Realm brings qualitative changes, not merely greater raw strength.
• Strategy and judgment: The five-bid limit makes the appraisal fair a test of discernment, restraint, and psychological calculation rather than simple wealth.
• Hidden motives and intrigue: The unusually cheap Great Dao Spirit Weapons imply that the merchant guild has a deeper agenda.
• Status and influence: Attendance is restricted to powerful factions and cultivators capable of paying fifty million Origin Dao Stones, emphasizing the elite nature of the event.
• Rivalry and danger: The arrival of the Asura Young Master raises the tension and introduces a potentially significant future opponent or rival.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao discuss his breakthrough and its effect on their prospects at the fair.
• The steward treats them with respect after verifying Lu Ren’s Black Crocodile Token, signaling their recognized status.
• Other attendees speculate about the unfamiliar pair and their qualifications.
• Yun Qingyao quietly informs Lu Ren about the Asura Young Master’s reputation and abilities.
• Lu Ren responds with interest and admiration toward the young man’s Twelve-Pattern Battle Body.
• Qin Moshang addresses all participants as influential regional figures and explains the competitive appraisal process.

Summary of “Immortal Soul Spirit Liquid”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Moshang opens the appraisal fair by presenting the Baleful Bone-Melting Gourd, a Great Dao Spirit Weapon capable of releasing poison dangerous even to Peak Dao-Controlling Realm cultivators.
• After competitive bidding, Luo Yan purchases the gourd for thirty million Origin Dao Stones, establishing the extraordinary prices of the fair’s treasures.
• Numerous valuable items—including spirit weapons, secret manuals, Grand Dao True Intent, Dao pills, and talismans—are sold. Lu Ren observes carefully, preserving his limited five appraisal opportunities.
• The main attraction is revealed: a bottle of Immortal Soul Spirit Liquid, which can raise the soul level of cultivators below the Three-Leaf Realm.
• The treasure causes widespread excitement because many powerful cultivators are stuck at the Two-Leaf Realm, and reaching the Three-Leaf Realm would greatly improve their comprehension and ability to use Grand Dao techniques.
• Lu Ren initially hesitates, since the liquid may be expensive and he wants to reserve his wealth for other treasures. However, after seeing Yun Qingyao’s interest, he decides to obtain it for her.
• Bai Lian, a beautiful woman accompanying Young Master Asura Path, also asks him to buy the liquid for her. He agrees, hoping her improved soul techniques will make her a stronger ally.
• Bidding begins at thirty million Origin Dao Stones and quickly rises. Lu Ren abruptly bids fifty million, shocking the entire plaza and drawing everyone’s attention.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren is shown to be cautious and strategic with his resources, but he becomes decisive and generous when Yun Qingyao’s needs are involved. His willingness to vastly overpay demonstrates both his wealth and his concern for her.
• Yun Qingyao reveals that her soul is only one step from the Three-Leaf Realm. Advancing would greatly strengthen her Soul-Calming Brahma Sound, making the liquid especially valuable to her.
• Young Master Asura Path appears confident and wealthy, treating the purchase as a favor to Bai Lian. He believes the appraisal fair is unlikely to offer anything personally useful to him.
• Bai Lian shows ambition and loyalty, wanting to improve her soul techniques so she can better assist Young Master Asura Path.
• Qin Moshang successfully builds excitement around the treasures and is visibly surprised by Lu Ren’s unexpectedly high bid.
• Other cultivators display intense desire for soul-enhancing treasures, reflecting the rarity and importance of soul advancement.

Significant Themes

• The rarity and value of soul cultivation: Advancing the soul is far more difficult than ordinary cultivation, making the Immortal Soul Spirit Liquid exceptionally desirable.
• Wealth and power: The enormous prices reveal the vast resources possessed by top cultivators and the relationship between treasure ownership and strength.
• Strategic restraint versus decisive action: Lu Ren carefully saves his appraisal opportunities, but abandons caution when Yun Qingyao’s advancement is at stake.
• Loyalty and personal bonds: Lu Ren’s decision is motivated less by his own needs than by his desire to support Yun Qingyao.
• Competition and status: The bidding serves as a display of influence, with Lu Ren’s fifty-million offer instantly dominating the gathering.

Important Character Interactions

• Luo Yan clashes verbally with the bald bidder before decisively winning the Baleful Bone-Melting Gourd.
• Lu Ren discusses the Immortal Soul Spirit Liquid with Yun Qingyao. She voices concern that he should prioritize himself, but he reassures her through his decision to bid.
• Bai Lian appeals to Young Master Asura Path, who promises to obtain the treasure for her.
• Lu Ren’s fifty-million bid silences the crowd and shifts the balance of the auction, setting up a likely confrontation with other wealthy bidders.

Chapter Summary: “Seventy Million Origin Dao Stones”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren bids fifty million Origin Dao Stones for a bottle of Immortal Soul Spirit Liquid after Yun Qingyao shows interest in it.
• Young Master Asura competes for the same treasure, apparently intending to give it to his maid, Bai Lian. The bidding escalates:
  • Asura: 55 million
  • Lu Ren: 60 million
  • Asura: 65 million
  • Lu Ren: 70 million
• Lu Ren identifies himself publicly as “Gui Ao” and boldly declares that he will use all five of his appraisal opportunities if necessary.
• Asura threatens Lu Ren, but Lu Ren dismisses him, insisting that an appraisal fair is decided by the highest bid. Asura ultimately withdraws after Bai Lian advises him not to waste his resources.
• Lu Ren wins the Immortal Soul Spirit Liquid and immediately gives it to Yun Qingyao.
• The rest of the appraisal fair features powerful treasures, including Dao pills, scrolls containing Grand Dao True Intent, and high-level defensive armor. Lu Ren does not bid again because he has only two appraisal opportunities left.
• Qin Moshang then unveils a mysterious black fragment. Lu Ren senses that it is far more powerful than a Great Dao Spirit Weapon.
• The Immortal-Smiting Iron recognizes it as a fragment of a Great Dao True Weapon and urges Lu Ren to obtain it so it can absorb the fragment and recover its strength.
• Lu Ren promises to buy the fragment regardless of its price.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Demonstrates extraordinary wealth, decisiveness, and devotion to Yun Qingyao. His arrogant public persona as “Gui Ao” also shows that he is willing to confront powerful enemies rather than retreat. His priorities shift toward securing the Great Dao True Weapon fragment for the Immortal-Smiting Iron.
• Yun Qingyao: Is deeply moved by Lu Ren’s willingness to spend seventy million Origin Dao Stones for her. Though her disguise conceals her expression, her softened gaze and gratitude reveal growing warmth toward him.
• Young Master Asura: Becomes increasingly angered and humiliated by Lu Ren’s repeated bids. His pride and territorial attitude are exposed when he admits that he cannot tolerate anyone opposing him in the Black Crocodile Island region.
• Bai Lian: Shows restraint and practical judgment by urging Asura to stop bidding before he wastes too many resources over wounded pride.
• Immortal-Smiting Iron: Reveals the potential to regain the level of a Great Dao True Weapon by consuming enough powerful materials, making the fragment extremely important to Lu Ren.

Significant Themes

• Devotion expressed through sacrifice: Lu Ren’s massive expenditure emphasizes his care for Yun Qingyao and his willingness to support those close to him.
• Pride and power: The bidding contest becomes a clash of status and will between Lu Ren and Young Master Asura, with wealth serving as a display of authority.
• Hidden identities and underestimated strength: Lu Ren presents himself as “Gui Ao,” causing others to speculate about his background while concealing his true identity and capabilities.
• Strategic restraint: Despite his extravagant spending, Lu Ren refuses to bid on later treasures unless they are truly valuable, showing that his actions are calculated rather than reckless.
• The value of ancient power: The Great Dao True Weapon fragment introduces a potentially transformative resource and hints at the Immortal-Smiting Iron’s future restoration.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao share a tender moment when he gives her the spirit liquid, strengthening their emotional bond.
• Lu Ren and Young Master Asura engage in an increasingly hostile verbal and financial confrontation, establishing Asura as a future enemy.
• Bai Lian acts as a moderating influence on Asura, preventing the conflict from escalating further during the auction.
• Qin Moshang controls the appraisal fair and formally completes Lu Ren’s purchase before introducing the mysterious fragment.
• The Immortal-Smiting Iron communicates urgently with Lu Ren, revealing the fragment’s identity and persuading him to pursue it at any cost.

Chapter Summary: “Great Dao True Weapon Fragment”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Moshang introduces a mysterious black fragment obtained from a river site, claiming it is likely part of a Great Dao True Weapon.
• Although the crowd initially dismisses it because it is only a fragment, Qin demonstrates its power by using it to pierce through a battered Great Dao Spirit Weapon shield.
• The fragment’s ability to serve as a hidden weapon—potentially breaking through powerful defenses and even threatening a Primordial Battle Body—causes its value to rise sharply.
• Bidding quickly escalates from twenty million Origin Dao Stones to forty-five million, with the Asura Young Master taking the lead.
• Lu Ren consults Yun Qingyao and realizes they have fifty million Origin Dao Stones between them. He bids fifty million, directly challenging the Asura Young Master.
• Angered, the Asura Young Master releases his slaughtering Great Dao power against Lu Ren. Lu Ren counters with the Ghost Dao, surprising the crowd by resisting despite being only at the Mid Dao-Controlling Realm.
• The Asura Young Master increases his bid to sixty million Origin Dao Stones and claims his earlier attack was merely meant to “liven up the atmosphere.”
• Lu Ren admits privately that he cannot afford sixty million, but Immortal-Smiting Iron urges him to obtain the fragment, promising that it will restore much of its strength after being devoured.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Demonstrates increasing confidence and financial daring by challenging the Asura Young Master. His ability to withstand the latter’s Great Dao power confirms that his strength has advanced considerably since the previous year.
• Yun Qingyao: Supports Lu Ren financially and emotionally, revealing that she has about twenty million Origin Dao Stones left. She also becomes visibly worried when Lu Ren is struck.
• Asura Young Master: Shows his determination to acquire the fragment and his domineering, aggressive temperament. He reacts angrily when Lu Ren competes with him and escalates both the bidding and the confrontation.
• Qin Moshang: Acts as the auctioneer and evaluator, skillfully emphasizing the fragment’s value while attempting to keep the black market event orderly.
• Immortal-Smiting Iron: Reveals that the fragment could significantly restore its power, making the item personally important to Lu Ren’s group. Its humorous offer to permit future dual cultivation lightens the tension.

Significant Themes

• Power and hidden potential: An apparently incomplete object can still possess extraordinary value when used creatively.
• Competition and status: The bidding becomes a direct contest between Lu Ren and the Asura Young Master, reflecting their growing rivalry.
• Strength beyond cultivation level: Lu Ren’s resistance to a stronger opponent shows that combat ability cannot be judged solely by realm.
• Resource and risk management: Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao must weigh their remaining wealth against the strategic and restorative benefits of the fragment.
• Rules versus intimidation: The Asura Young Master attempts to use force when bidding fails, while Qin Moshang insists that the event’s rules be respected.

Character Interactions

• Qin Moshang persuades the crowd by demonstrating the fragment’s piercing ability.
• Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao discuss their remaining funds and cooperate in deciding how far to bid.
• Lu Ren verbally challenges the Asura Young Master’s sense of entitlement, prompting the latter to attack him with Great Dao power.
• Yun Qingyao reacts anxiously when Lu Ren is hit, while Lu Ren reassures her and accuses the Asura Young Master of violating the auction’s rules.
• Qin Moshang intervenes to restrain the confrontation.
• Immortal-Smiting Iron privately pressures Lu Ren to continue bidding, emphasizing that the fragment may restore its lost strength.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren and Immortal-Smiting Iron realize they cannot compete with the Asura Young Master for the Great Dao True Weapon fragment. With only fifty million Origin Dao Stones and one appraisal opportunity remaining, Lu Ren deliberately stops bidding at fifty million.
• The Asura Young Master wins the fragment for sixty million Origin Dao Stones and mocks Lu Ren, but Lu Ren remains indifferent. He privately plans to deal with the Asura Young Master after the appraisal event, expecting retaliation for their earlier conflict.
• The black market appraisal event continues, presenting more than eighty valuable treasures. Most are worth at least twenty million Origin Dao Stones, with some reaching fifty or sixty million. Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao conserve their remaining funds.
• Near the event’s conclusion, a huge black stone door opens, revealing countless ownerless Great Dao Spirit Weapons. Qin Moshang announces that each can be purchased for only ten million Origin Dao Stones, far below their usual value.
• Yun Qingyao selects a snow-white longsword containing Ghost Dao fluctuations, while Lu Ren chooses a black longsword.
• After the selections, Qin Moshang announces that the president of the Black Crocodile Merchant Guild wishes to meet the attendees.
• The president, E Wan Tong, appears. He is a half-man, half-crocodile cultivator at the Peak Dao-Controlling Realm, and his arrival shocks the crowd.
• E Wan Tong reveals that the extraordinary treasures and cheap Great Dao Spirit Weapons were not truly his guild’s possessions. They were given to him by his mysterious master, who ordered him to sell them cheaply.
• The revelation causes widespread astonishment, since E Wan Tong is already one of the most powerful figures in the Prince Mu River Region. The chapter ends with everyone wondering who could possibly be powerful enough to serve as his master.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Demonstrates restraint and strategic thinking by abandoning the bid rather than wasting his remaining resources. He intentionally allows the Asura Young Master to win, apparently planning to use the young master’s expected retaliation as an opportunity to confront him later.
• Immortal-Smiting Iron: Initially becomes frantic over the bidding conflict but regains confidence when Lu Ren explains his plan.
• Yun Qingyao: Uses their limited resources carefully and obtains a Ghost Dao-aligned Great Dao Spirit Weapon suited to her cultivation.
• Asura Young Master: Wins the Great Dao True Weapon fragment but becomes increasingly arrogant, openly provoking Lu Ren. His hostility toward Lu Ren is likely to continue beyond the auction.
• E Wan Tong: Is introduced as the formidable president of the Black Crocodile Merchant Guild. His status is elevated further by the revelation that he has a powerful and mysterious master.

Significant Themes

• Strategic patience versus reckless pride: Lu Ren refuses to be drawn into an expensive bidding war, contrasting his composure with the Asura Young Master’s arrogance.
• Hidden power and deeper forces: The merchant guild’s unusual generosity suggests that greater powers are operating behind the scenes.
• Wealth and influence: The event displays the Black Crocodile Merchant Guild’s extraordinary resources and reach, while also implying that its apparent strength may come from an even more powerful backer.
• Suspense and foreshadowing: E Wan Tong’s mysterious master introduces a major unresolved mystery and hints at future conflict or alliances.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren and Immortal-Smiting Iron discuss their financial limitations and agree to let the Asura Young Master win temporarily.
• The Asura Young Master taunts Lu Ren after securing the fragment, but Lu Ren pointedly ignores him.
• Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao jointly conserve their remaining Origin Dao Stones and select suitable Great Dao Spirit Weapons.
• Qin Moshang oversees the auction and later introduces E Wan Tong to the crowd.
• E Wan Tong addresses the attendees and explains the source of the event’s unusually valuable and inexpensive treasures, provoking shock and speculation throughout the plaza.

Chapter Summary: “Hunting Operation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• E Wan Tong reveals that the mysterious master backing him is not connected to Prince Mu’s Heaven Manor but comes from the Upper River Region.
• He announces that his master wants the assembled powers to hunt down Lu Ren, the wielder of the Void of Destiny Battle Body, and seize the Remnant Qi within him.
• The revelation shocks the crowd, since Lu Ren is known for defeating an army of four thousand from Prince Mu’s Heaven Manor despite being only at the Early-Stage Dao-Controlling Realm.
• E Wan Tong offers an enormous reward: anyone who helps complete the mission may join his master’s upstream faction, while the person who personally kills Lu Ren and obtains his Remnant Qi will receive a Dao-Unification Pill.
• Numerous factions, including the Ten Thousand Bones Territory and Black Demon Island, agree to participate.
• Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao are present in disguise as Gui Ao and Gui Yao of the Underworld Realm. Lu Ren conceals his identity and pretends to be interested in fighting himself.
• The Asura Young Master also joins the operation, eager to challenge and kill Lu Ren personally.

Character Developments

• E Wan Tong shifts from a seemingly generous treasure seller into the organizer of a large-scale assassination operation. His confident demeanor reveals that he is acting under the orders of a powerful upstream master.
• Lu Ren remains calm despite learning that an upstream expert wants him dead. He becomes suspicious about the identity and motives of this enemy, especially why the master is relying on others instead of acting personally.
• Yun Qingyao immediately recognizes the danger but maintains her disguise alongside Lu Ren.
• The Asura Young Master displays his arrogance and battle-loving nature. Rather than being intimidated by Lu Ren’s reputation, he is excited by the prospect of defeating a stronger genius and gaining fame.
• The assembled factions are shown to be highly opportunistic: the promise of entering an upstream faction quickly outweighs their concerns about the danger of hunting Lu Ren.

Significant Themes

• Power and social hierarchy: The contrast between the Middle and Upper River Regions emphasizes how insignificant even powerful middle-region factions are compared with upstream forces.
• Ambition and opportunism: The factions are willing to risk provoking Lu Ren because joining an upstream faction could completely transform their status and future.
• Hidden identities and deception: Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao’s disguises allow them to learn of the assassination plot from within the enemy alliance.
• Hunting geniuses and rivalry: The Asura Young Master’s interest in Lu Ren reflects the theme of powerful cultivators seeking fame by defeating exceptional opponents.
• Manipulation by unseen forces: The upstream master remains hidden, using rewards and multiple factions to pursue a personal objective involving Lu Ren’s Remnant Qi.

Character Interactions

• E Wan Tong first reassures the crowd that his master means them no harm, then gradually pressures them into accepting the hunting mission through promises of advancement and treasure.
• The Asura Young Master questions the need to mobilize so many forces against Lu Ren, but ultimately accepts the challenge out of confidence and excitement.
• E Wan Tong directly recruits Lu Ren, disguised as Gui Ao, who agrees to participate under the pretense of wanting to test Lu Ren’s abilities.
• When E Wan Tong reveals that Gui Ao is from the Underworld Realm, the Asura Young Master becomes more attentive, recognizing his unusual status.
• The final announcement of the Dao-Unification Pill transforms the gathering into an explosive competition, ensuring that the hunt for Lu Ren will be pursued with even greater intensity.

Chapter Summary: “Karmic Ties Between Void of Destiny Battle Bodies”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The black market gathering reveals the existence of a Dao-Unification Pill, a priceless treasure that increases the chances of a Peak Dao-Controlling Realm cultivator successfully entering the Dao-Unity Realm. The announcement arouses intense greed, especially from the Asura Young Master and several powerful Late-Stage Dao-Controlling Realm experts.
• E Wan Tong distributes special talismans to twenty participants and announces that, in three months, he will lead them to newly discovered Ancient Battlefield Ruins in the Prince Mu River Region.
• E Wan Tong claims that the ruins will help everyone improve their strength, but Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao realize that this is likely part of E Wan Tong’s plan to prepare a stronger group to hunt Lu Ren.
• After returning to their pavilion, Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao discuss the danger posed by the mysterious figure behind E Wan Tong. They conclude that this person is likely another Void of Destiny Battle Body and may be the true source of the ongoing pursuit.
• The two begin closed-door cultivation for three months in the outside world, equivalent to three years for Lu Ren inside the Reincarnation Ancient Pagoda.
• Lu Ren continues cultivating his Dao-Controlling Seal and deepening his control over the Chaos Great Dao. Although his progress is slow, his mastery steadily improves.
• Yun Qingyao consumes the Immortal Soul Spirit Liquid and successfully advances her divine soul cultivation to the Three-Leaf Realm, greatly strengthening her soul attacks.
• At the end of the chapter, Lu Ren’s talisman reacts, indicating that the Ancient Battlefield Ruins have been located. He and Yun Qingyao follow its direction, preparing to enter the next stage of E Wan Tong’s scheme.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Remains calm and strategically cautious despite being targeted. He recognizes that remaining hidden gives him an advantage, but he also understands that eliminating E Wan Tong’s group will not end the threat unless the mysterious mastermind is exposed. His cultivation progresses gradually, particularly in controlling the difficult Chaos Great Dao.
• Yun Qingyao: Displays sharp insight into E Wan Tong’s intentions and shares Lu Ren’s concerns about the hidden enemy. Her successful advancement to the Three-Leaf Realm significantly increases her combat potential, allowing her divine soul attacks to threaten even Late-Stage Dao-Controlling Realm experts.
• E Wan Tong: Reveals himself to be manipulating the gathered experts. His apparent support is likely intended to strengthen them before directing them against Lu Ren.
• Asura Young Master and other experts: Become highly motivated by the Dao-Unification Pill, establishing a powerful incentive for them to participate in the coming conflict.

Significant Themes

• Power and destiny: The Dao-Unification Pill represents the chance to overcome a nearly impossible bottleneck and “change one’s destiny.”
• Hidden schemes and strategic warfare: E Wan Tong’s public actions conceal a larger hunting plan, while Lu Ren relies on secrecy and caution to counter him.
• Karmic responsibility: As a Void of Destiny Battle Body, Lu Ren believes he must confront the related karma and rescue the mysterious person who shares the same constitution.
• Cultivation through patience: Both protagonists make meaningful progress, though Lu Ren’s advancement is slow and difficult, emphasizing that higher realms require persistence rather than quick gains.
• Trust and partnership: Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao openly analyze threats together and cultivate side by side, reinforcing their mutual reliance.

Character Interactions

• E Wan Tong publicly presents the Ancient Battlefield Ruins as an opportunity for everyone to grow stronger, while Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao privately identify it as a likely trap.
• Yun Qingyao questions how E Wan Tong can guarantee that Lu Ren will be forced out, prompting Lu Ren to explain his advantage of operating from the shadows.
• The two discuss the mysterious mastermind and agree that the true enemy must eventually be exposed.
• After sharing a tender moment, they separate to cultivate before reuniting when the talisman activates.
• The chapter ends with Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao acting together, following the talisman toward the Ancient Battlefield Ruins.

Chapter Summary: Ancient Evil Battlefield

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao arrive at a black island in the Prince Mu River Region aboard the Immortal-Smiting Iron, following a talisman’s guidance.
• They meet nearly fifty powerful cultivators from the Black Market Treasure Appraisal Fair, including the Asura Young Master, Luo Yan, Old Man of Ten Thousand Bones, the Black Demon Island Lord, and President E Wan Tong.
• E Wan Tong and four Late-Stage Dao-Controlling Realm elders activate an ancient formation, opening a black vortex leading to a hidden ruin.
• The destination is revealed to be the Ancient Evil Battlefield, a remnant of the ancient war in which the major forces fought armies of Evil Bodies across the Great Dao River.
• E Wan Tong warns that the battlefield contains countless Evil Souls, including beings at the Peak Dao-Controlling Realm, and advises everyone to remain together.
• After entering, the group encounters a desolate land filled with gray earth, ruined mountains, dried river regions, ancient corpses, broken weapons, and overwhelming evil energy.
• Evil Souls attack repeatedly. Old Man of Ten Thousand Bones destroys a Mid Dao-Controlling Realm Evil Soul with one palm, while Lu Ren kills another with a single sword strike using his newly acquired Great Dao Spirit Weapon. The Asura Young Master effortlessly destroys even Late-Stage Evil Souls.
• E Wan Tong secretly reveals that the group is ultimately competing for a powerful inheritance and that their expedition also serves to eliminate the Void of Destiny Battle Body. He expects the journey to end in a struggle where only the survivors will remain.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren demonstrates that he is no longer merely relying on his reputation from the Underworld Realm. His new weapon allows him to kill a Mid Dao-Controlling Realm Evil Soul instantly, attracting the attention of the other experts.
• Yun Qingyao remains closely aligned with Lu Ren, entering the battlefield alongside him and supporting his cautious approach.
• The Asura Young Master displays immense confidence and overwhelming strength, casually destroying powerful Evil Souls. His hostility and rivalry toward Lu Ren remain evident.
• Old Man of Ten Thousand Bones proves the terrifying power of his Ten Thousand Bones Great Dao by killing an Evil Soul in one blow.
• E Wan Tong presents himself as a cautious guide, but his private conversation reveals that he has a much more calculating agenda. He is willing to let the group weaken itself before the final conflict over the inheritance.
• Lu Ren reflects on the danger posed by Evil Bodies and realizes why the Great Dao River seeks to erase Low-level Myriad Heavens Planes.

Significant Themes

• Ancient destruction and lingering evil: The battlefield shows how the consequences of an ancient war continue to poison the present.
• Power and survival: Strength determines who can advance, obtain opportunities, and survive the battlefield.
• Hidden motives and betrayal: Although the cultivators initially cooperate, their alliance is temporary because all are competing for the same inheritance.
• The danger of Evil Bodies: The history of the battlefield provides broader context for the Great Dao River’s hostility toward Low-level Myriad Heavens Planes.
• Opportunity amid death: The ruins contain immense treasures and inheritances, but obtaining them requires risking death against powerful Evil Souls and rival cultivators.

Character Interactions

• The gathered experts eagerly greet Lu Ren because of his Underworld Realm background and intimidating reputation, while the Asura Young Master watches him coldly.
• The Asura Young Master questions E Wan Tong about the ruins, prompting the explanation of the Ancient Evil Battlefield’s history.
• E Wan Tong warns the entire group to remain together, presenting cooperation as necessary for survival.
• The cultivators observe and praise Old Man of Ten Thousand Bones after he destroys an Evil Soul.
• Lu Ren’s swift victory with his new weapon causes the other experts to reassess his strength.
• A gray-robed elder questions E Wan Tong’s decision to keep everyone together, but E Wan Tong explains that the group will eventually fight over the inheritance regardless—and hints that they are also being used to hunt the Void of Destiny Battle Body.

Chapter Summary: Asura Young Master’s Killing Intent

Key Plot Points and Events

• E Wan Tong leads the group deeper into the Ancient Evil Battlefield, where the environment becomes darker and saturated with evil aura. They encounter decayed weapon fragments and ancient skeletons still radiating powerful Grand Dao pressure, revealing the battlefield’s deadly history.
• The group is suddenly ambushed by an enormous army of Evil Souls—more than a thousand in number, including many Late-Stage and several Peak Dao-Controlling Realm entities.
• E Wan Tong reveals that this same Evil Soul army once forced him to retreat from the battlefield. He urges everyone to scatter rather than risk being surrounded.
• E Wan Tong uses his Grand Dao True Intent, manifesting a gigantic black crocodile that destroys numerous Evil Souls and creates an opening for the group’s escape.
• The Asura Young Master and Bai Lian also break through the encirclement. Rather than immediately fleeing, the Asura Young Master hides nearby to observe Lu Ren, whom he suspects may be unusually powerful.
• Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao become surrounded by more than a hundred Evil Souls, including five Late-Stage Dao-Controlling Realm opponents. Despite the overwhelming odds, both fight effectively.
• Yun Qingyao escapes while Lu Ren confronts the five stronger Evil Souls alone. He withstands their combined attack, repels them, destroys the surrounding Evil Souls, and escapes after her.
• Impressed and alarmed by Lu Ren’s strength, the Asura Young Master realizes that “Gui Ao” may be a major genius from the Hell or Underworld Realm.
• The Asura Young Master concludes that Lu Ren could threaten his chance of obtaining the Dao-Unification Pill and openly vows to kill anyone who obstructs him.

Character Developments

• E Wan Tong: Demonstrates his formidable power and battlefield experience, taking command during the crisis and using his black crocodile manifestation to save the group. His admission that he was once forced back emphasizes the danger of the Evil Soul army.
• Asura Young Master: Reveals himself to be arrogant, calculating, and ruthless. He chooses to observe Lu Ren rather than flee and becomes increasingly threatened by Lu Ren’s abilities. His concern develops into explicit killing intent.
• Bai Lian: Remains loyal to the Asura Young Master and supports his judgment, but she is visibly shocked by Lu Ren’s strength. She recognizes him as a serious rival for the Dao-Unification Pill.
• Lu Ren: Displays exceptional combat ability and composure. Though only at the Mid Dao-Controlling Realm, he withstands a combined assault from five Late-Stage Evil Souls, revealing that his true strength far exceeds expectations.
• Yun Qingyao: Fights efficiently alongside Lu Ren and obeys his command to retreat, trusting him to hold off the stronger enemies.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and concealed identities: Lu Ren’s performance suggests that his apparent cultivation level does not reflect his true capabilities or background.
• Competition and threat: The struggle for the Dao-Unification Pill turns powerful cultivators into potential enemies, with the Asura Young Master viewing Lu Ren as an obstacle that must be eliminated.
• Survival amid overwhelming danger: The Evil Soul ambush forces the group to abandon cooperation and rely on individual strength.
• Arrogance versus reality: The Asura Young Master initially views Lu Ren with contempt, but Lu Ren’s unexpected resistance forces him to reconsider his assumptions.
• The deadly legacy of the Ancient Evil Battlefield: The ruined weapons, pressured skeletons, and massive Evil Soul army establish the battlefield as a place filled with the remnants of ancient catastrophe.

Character Interactions

• E Wan Tong warns the group and orders everyone to flee separately after breaking open the Evil Soul formation.
• The Asura Young Master instructs Bai Lian to stay close while escaping, then deliberately remains behind with her to watch Lu Ren.
• Lu Ren protects Yun Qingyao by ordering her to retreat while he holds back the five Late-Stage Evil Souls.
• Bai Lian and the Asura Young Master discuss Lu Ren’s identity and potential, with Bai Lian warning that he may claim the Dao-Unification Pill.
• The Asura Young Master responds by declaring that Lu Ren—and anyone else blocking his goal—must die.

Chapter Summary: “Primordial Source”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After escaping the Evil Soul army, Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao hide on a mountain peak and realize that E Wan Tong has likely gone off to search for opportunities alone.
• Yun Qingyao proposes capturing an Evil Soul and using her Soul-Calming Brahma Sound to restore its former consciousness. They successfully convert a peak Dao Dominion Realm Evil Soul.
• The converted Evil Soul reveals that a Primordial Source, formed from the gathered bloodlines of fallen Primordial Clan experts, lies within a nearby mountain range.
• The Primordial Source is identified as a form of Chaos True Origin, an extremely rare treasure capable of greatly increasing Primordial bloodline concentration. Yun Qingyao believes it could increase her bloodline concentration by at least ten percent.
• The Evil Soul warns that numerous powerful Undying Battle Souls guard the treasure. Nevertheless, Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao follow it into a cave.
• Deep inside, they discover a fist-sized golden Primordial Source surrounded by ancient runes and sealed by a powerful formation. More than a dozen ancient corpses lie beneath it, suggesting that the deceased were once top-level experts.
• Immortal-Smiting Iron reveals that it can potentially break the seal, though it must first strengthen its spiritual nature and cannot destroy the formation immediately.
• Before Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao can formulate a plan, the Asura Young Master and Bai Lian enter the cave. The Asura Young Master immediately recognizes the Primordial Source and reacts with intense excitement, setting up a confrontation.

Character Developments

• Yun Qingyao demonstrates increased mastery of the Soul-Calming Brahma Sound, easily converting a powerful Evil Soul. Her knowledge of Primordial Clan treasures and her desire to strengthen her bloodline become more prominent.
• Lu Ren shows strategic flexibility, quickly recognizing the value of using a converted Evil Soul as a guide. Although concerned by the seal and the guarding Evil Souls, he remains determined to obtain the treasure.
• The converted Evil Soul regains its consciousness and becomes a temporary guide, providing crucial information about the battlefield and the Primordial Source.
• Immortal-Smiting Iron reveals another important ability: breaking formations. However, its current spiritual strength is insufficient to remove the seal immediately.
• The Asura Young Master becomes visibly overwhelmed by greed and excitement upon seeing the Primordial Source, indicating that he will likely compete directly with Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao.

Significant Themes

• Knowledge as power: Yun Qingyao’s ability to restore the Evil Soul’s consciousness gives the group information unavailable to their rivals.
• Inheritance and bloodline: The Primordial Source embodies the importance of Primordial bloodline concentration and the intense competition surrounding ancestral power.
• Treasure and danger: The source is immensely valuable but protected by a powerful seal and numerous Undying Battle Souls.
• Cooperation and hidden abilities: Lu Ren, Yun Qingyao, the converted Evil Soul, and Immortal-Smiting Iron each contribute distinct abilities, emphasizing the importance of teamwork.
• Rising conflict: The discovery of the treasure brings the protagonists into unavoidable competition with the Asura Young Master and Bai Lian.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao cooperate closely, with Yun Qingyao providing the idea to convert an Evil Soul and Lu Ren directing their exploration.
• Yun Qingyao questions the converted Evil Soul about the battlefield, treating it respectfully as a knowledgeable senior.
• The Evil Soul guides them through the mountain range and warns them about the dangers surrounding the Primordial Source.
• Lu Ren consults Immortal-Smiting Iron after discovering the seal, learning that the weapon may eventually be able to break it.
• The arrival of the Asura Young Master and Bai Lian interrupts the group’s planning and transforms the treasure hunt into a looming struggle over the Primordial Source.

Chapter Summary: “Split Up to Pursue and Kill”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Young Master Asura and Bai Lian secretly track Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao to the cavern containing the Primordial Source. Bai Lian had followed Lu Ren without being detected.
• Asura identifies the Primordial Source as even more valuable than a Dao-Unification Pill and attempts to seize it.
• Touching the seal triggers a violent reaction: the seal repels Asura and awakens hundreds of powerful Evil Souls, including many at the Peak Dao-Controlling Realm.
• All four escape the cavern, but the danger leads Asura to decide that Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao must be killed so that only he and Bai Lian will know the Primordial Source’s location.
• Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao split up, intending to divide and eliminate their pursuers. Asura chases Lu Ren, while Bai Lian pursues Yun Qingyao.
• Lu Ren deliberately stops at a remote mountain and confronts Asura. Asura launches his strongest technique, Asura Hell Slash, using the phantom of a massive Asura.
• Lu Ren blocks the attack with his Ghost Dao and Great Dao Spirit Weapon sword. Despite Asura’s higher cultivation, Lu Ren withstands more than ten consecutive attacks, shocking Asura and revealing that he is far stronger than expected.

Character Developments

• Young Master Asura: His greed and ambition intensify after discovering the Primordial Source. He becomes openly murderous, believing eliminating Lu Ren will secure both the Primordial Source secret and future rewards. His confidence begins to waver when Lu Ren repeatedly blocks his attacks.
• Bai Lian: She proves instrumental in tracking Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao and shares Asura’s excitement over the Primordial Source. She follows Asura’s command to pursue Yun Qingyao.
• Lu Ren: Demonstrates composure and strategic intelligence by splitting from Yun Qingyao and apparently luring Asura away from the others. His combat ability proves exceptional, allowing him to contend with an opponent at the Late-Stage Dao-Controlling Realm despite being only at the Mid Dao-Controlling Realm.
• Yun Qingyao: Cooperates calmly with Lu Ren and follows his plan to divide the enemies, showing trust and battle discipline.
• The Evil Soul: Correctly recognizes the danger of disturbing the Primordial Source’s seal and warns the group before the Evil Souls awaken.

Significant Themes

• Greed and betrayal: The Primordial Source immediately turns former pursuers into potential killers, as Asura prioritizes secrecy and possession over survival or cooperation.
• Strategy versus raw power: Lu Ren relies on planning and positioning to separate the enemies, while Asura depends on his superior cultivation and overwhelming attacks.
• Hidden strength and underestimated opponents: Asura assumes Lu Ren’s lower realm makes him vulnerable, but Lu Ren’s ability to withstand his attacks challenges that assumption.
• Dangerous forbidden power: The Primordial Source is both immensely valuable and heavily protected, with its seal capable of summoning a massive Evil Soul horde.

Character Interactions

• Asura praises Bai Lian for tracking Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao, then orders her to pursue Yun Qingyao after the group separates.
• Asura threatens Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao to eliminate witnesses and secure the Primordial Source’s secret.
• Lu Ren mocks Asura’s confidence, rejecting the idea that his lower cultivation makes him easy to kill.
• Their confrontation becomes a direct contest between Asura’s blood-based Grand Dao and Lu Ren’s Ghost Dao, ending with Lu Ren successfully resisting Asura’s initial assault.

Chapter Summary: Slaying Asura Young Master

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Asura Young Master becomes enraged and unleashes his full power, activating all twelve Battle Marks of his Twelve-Pattern Battle Body. His strength, combined with the Asura Grand Dao and blood blade, overwhelms Lu Ren and repeatedly sends him flying.
• Lu Ren realizes that his Ghost Dao power alone is insufficient to defeat the Late-Stage Dao-Controlling Realm Asura Young Master.
• Revealing that he has been holding back, Lu Ren activates the Chaos Great Dao Origin, which blasts the Asura Young Master away and exposes his true identity as Lu Ren, despite disguising himself as “Gui Ao.”
• Lu Ren then merges with the Heaven-Chaos Great Dao True Intent, causing his aura to surge beyond that of an ordinary peak Dao-Controlling Realm expert. The Asura Young Master is horrified as he finally understands how Lu Ren previously defeated Prince Mu’s army.
• Refusing to retreat, the Asura Young Master uses a Great Dao True Weapon Fragment, believing it can instantly kill Lu Ren.
• Lu Ren counters by summoning the Immortal-Smiting Iron. Rather than being pierced, the fragment is absorbed and devoured by the iron, greatly increasing its power.
• The Asura Young Master attempts to flee, but Lu Ren strikes him with a Heaven-Chaos Palm Seal. The attack destroys his Twelve-Pattern Battle Body and shatters all twelve Battle Marks.
• Lu Ren finishes him with the Void Instant-Kill Sword, which tears apart his Great Dao Origin and divine soul. The Asura Young Master dies regretting that he ever tried to kill Lu Ren and fearing that E Wan Tong and the others will also perish.
• Lu Ren loots the Asura Young Master’s internal space, finding over a thousand Great Dao Pills and many other resources, but immediately hurries to Yun Qingyao’s location.
• Yun Qingyao has already killed Bai Lian, though she admits Bai Lian’s powerful divine soul techniques made the battle dangerous.
• Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao discuss the seal and the approaching Evil Souls. The Immortal-Smiting Iron explains that it could break the seal but lacks the formation materials needed to create a Blade-Pinning Dao Formation, which could temporarily hold back the Evil Souls.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren reveals the full extent of his strength, shifting from struggling defensively to completely dominating the battle. His mastery of Chaos Great Dao power and Heaven-Chaos Great Dao True Intent confirms that he is far more powerful than his Mid Dao-Controlling Realm cultivation suggests.
• Lu Ren also demonstrates increasing reliance on powerful artifacts and companions, especially the Immortal-Smiting Iron, which grows stronger by consuming the Great Dao True Weapon Fragment.
• The Asura Young Master undergoes a rapid change from arrogant confidence to fear and despair. He recognizes Lu Ren’s true identity and overwhelming talent only after it is too late.
• Yun Qingyao proves capable of defeating Bai Lian, particularly because her divine soul has reached the Three-Leaf Realm.
• The Immortal-Smiting Iron displays both growing power and a mischievous personality, while also providing essential strategic knowledge about formations and the Evil Souls.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and revelation: Lu Ren’s disguise and deliberate restraint emphasize that appearances and cultivation level do not reflect his true power.
• The danger of underestimating a genius: The Asura Young Master dismisses Lu Ren as merely a Mid Dao-Controlling Realm cultivator, only to discover that Lu Ren’s special abilities place him far above ordinary experts.
• Power through cooperation and artifacts: Lu Ren’s victory depends not only on his own cultivation but also on the Immortal-Smiting Iron’s unique ability and Yun Qingyao’s divine soul strength.
• Escalating threats: Although the Asura Young Master has been defeated, the approaching Evil Souls and the sealed danger suggest that a larger crisis remains.
• Preparation versus immediate combat: The need for the Blade-Pinning Dao Formation introduces a strategic problem: breaking the seal may unleash enemies that the group is not yet prepared to contain.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren and the Asura Young Master exchange threats throughout the battle, with the Asura Young Master initially mocking Lu Ren’s cultivation and Lu Ren confidently revealing that he has only been testing him.
• The Asura Young Master recognizes Lu Ren’s identity and power but still chooses to fight, driven by pride and determination.
• Lu Ren and the Immortal-Smiting Iron cooperate closely, with Lu Ren trusting it to block and absorb the Great Dao True Weapon Fragment.
• After the battle, Lu Ren reunites with Yun Qingyao, who reports on her fight with Bai Lian and acknowledges the danger of Bai Lian’s divine soul abilities.
• Lu Ren consults the Immortal-Smiting Iron about breaking the seal, leading to the discovery that formation materials are necessary to defend against the Evil Souls.

Chapter Summary: “Refining the Chaos True Origin”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren asks whether Immortal-Smiting Iron’s Blade-Pinning Dao Formation can withstand the Evil Soul army. Immortal-Smiting Iron confidently claims it could suppress even countless Evil Souls, though the formation still requires additional materials.
• While sorting through Young Master Asura’s belongings, Immortal-Smiting Iron discovers a large amount of Myriad-Blade Mystic Crystal, the formation’s primary material. He suggests obtaining the remaining materials from E Wan Tong.
• Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao return to the mountain cave containing the Primordial Source after the Evil Souls disperse. A converted Evil Soul warns them that attempting to seize the Primordial Source will alert the entire Evil Soul army.
• Immortal-Smiting Iron attacks the seal surrounding the Primordial Source. After several powerful strikes, the golden seal cracks and finally shatters.
• At the same time, Yun Qingyao summons Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and uses the Soul-Calming Brahma Sound to suppress the approaching Evil Souls. The sound proves especially effective because it counters the souls’ frenzied nature.
• When Lu Ren attempts to take the Primordial Source, it violently rejects him and sends him flying. Immortal-Smiting Iron explains that the Primordial Source has developed instinctive awareness and formed a connection with the Ancient Evil Battlefield, making it impossible to remove by force.
• The only solution is to refine the Primordial Source where it lies. Lu Ren orders Yun Qingyao to refine it while he holds back the Evil Soul army.
• Yun Qingyao begins refining the Primordial Source, while Lu Ren moves to the cave entrance and attacks the gathering Evil Souls with the Chaos Ancient Sword.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren demonstrates decisive leadership and self-sacrifice. Although he initially wants to claim the Primordial Source himself, he immediately changes plans and entrusts it to Yun Qingyao once its rejection is revealed.
• Yun Qingyao displays a powerful new ability through the Soul-Calming Brahma Sound, successfully suppressing an entire army of Evil Souls that ordinary soul attacks could not affect. She also accepts the dangerous task of refining the Primordial Source.
• Immortal-Smiting Iron remains confident and useful, successfully breaking the seal and identifying the Primordial Source’s special connection to the battlefield. Its discovery of rare formation materials also advances Lu Ren’s future plans.
• The converted Evil Soul becomes a cautious informant, warning Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao about the dangers of disturbing the Primordial Source.

Significant Themes

• Cooperation and trust: Lu Ren, Yun Qingyao, and Immortal-Smiting Iron must combine their abilities to overcome the seal and the Evil Soul army.
• Adaptability under pressure: When the original plan fails because the Primordial Source cannot be removed, Lu Ren quickly devises an alternative.
• Sacrifice and mutual reliance: Lu Ren risks confronting the Evil Souls so Yun Qingyao can complete the refinement, reflecting their deep trust in one another.
• The power of specialized abilities: Yun Qingyao’s Soul-Calming Brahma Sound succeeds because it directly counters the Evil Souls’ nature, showing that the right technique matters more than brute force.
• Ancient forces and spiritual bonds: The Primordial Source’s instinctive connection to the Ancient Evil Battlefield suggests that powerful treasures can develop their own awareness and resist those who try to control them.

Important Character Interactions

• Lu Ren questions Immortal-Smiting Iron’s confidence, but ultimately relies on its expertise to break the seal.
• Yun Qingyao advises Lu Ren and offers to suppress the Evil Souls, while Lu Ren later entrusts her with refining the Primordial Source.
• The converted Evil Soul attempts to dissuade them, warning that their actions will draw the Evil Soul army back.
• Lu Ren reassures Yun Qingyao when she hesitates, insisting that he can hold off the Evil Souls while she completes the refinement.

Chapter Summary: “Guarding the Cave”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren guards the cave entrance while Yun Qingyao absorbs the Primordial Source and undergoes a bloodline transformation.
• Initially surrounded by stunned Evil Souls, Lu Ren quickly kills them with his Chaos Ancient Sword, converting their remains into Battle Marks.
• An overwhelming horde of Evil Souls attacks. Lu Ren unleashes the power of the Chaos Great Dao, his Twelve-Pattern Battle Body, and various Six Paths of Reincarnation True Meanings—especially the Asura and Beast Paths—to hold them back.
• Lu Ren dramatically kills a Peak Dao-Controlling Realm Evil Soul despite being only at the Mid Dao-Controlling Realm, astonishing Yun Qingyao’s converted Evil Soul servant.
• The battle continues for over an hour. More than three hundred Evil Souls are slain, including many Peak Dao-Controlling Realm opponents, but Lu Ren gradually exhausts his Dao power and detonates nearly all of his Battle Marks to delay the horde.
• Severely wounded and unable to continue holding the entrance, Lu Ren is saved when Yun Qingyao completes her breakthrough. She advances to the Mid Dao-Controlling Realm, and her Primordial Aura erupts through the cave.
• Yun Qingyao’s transformation triggers a reaction in the distant Taiqing Yuan Celestial Clan. Their sacred Taiqing Yuan Celestial Jade Butterfly awakens and summons seven Ancient Azure Kite phantoms.
• The seven cries shock the clan, signifying the emergence of a genius with a Primordial Bloodline concentration exceeding seventy—apparently Yun Qingyao.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Demonstrates extraordinary combat power, defeating enemies above his realm and successfully defending the cave despite overwhelming odds. His endurance, determination, and willingness to sacrifice Battle Marks reveal his loyalty and resolve. However, the prolonged battle leaves him badly injured and completely drained of Dao power.
• Yun Qingyao: Successfully absorbs the Primordial Source, greatly strengthens her Taiqing Yuan Celestial bloodline, and breaks through to the Mid Dao-Controlling Realm. Her breakthrough also appears to establish her as an exceptional talent recognized by her distant clan.
• Yun Qingyao’s converted Evil Soul: Retains fragments of past knowledge and recognizes that Lu Ren’s strength is comparable to that of the greatest Primordial Clan geniuses, increasing his awe toward Lu Ren.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and perseverance: Lu Ren continues fighting even after his energy and resources are nearly exhausted, prioritizing Yun Qingyao’s breakthrough and safety.
• Power beyond conventional realms: Lu Ren’s ability to kill Peak Dao-Controlling opponents while at the Mid Realm emphasizes the importance of combat talent, techniques, and special abilities over cultivation level alone.
• Bloodline inheritance and destiny: Yun Qingyao’s transformation awakens an ancient clan treasure, suggesting that her bloodline carries enormous significance and may reconnect her to the Taiqing Yuan Celestial Clan.
• Recognition of greatness: Both the Evil Soul and the Taiqing clan’s sacred artifact identify extraordinary talent, foreshadowing Yun Qingyao’s growing importance.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao are separated physically but cooperate directly: Lu Ren protects the cave while Yun Qingyao focuses on her breakthrough.
• The converted Evil Soul witnesses Lu Ren’s battle and reacts with disbelief and admiration at his ability to overcome a higher-realm opponent.
• Yun Qingyao’s breakthrough indirectly affects the Taiqing Yuan Celestial Clan, whose elders and members respond with shock to the seven Azure Kite cries.

Chapter Summary: “Bloodline Concentration of Seventy Percent”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Taiqing Yuan Celestial Jade Butterfly detects an unprecedented bloodline reaction, producing a phenomenon associated with a Primordial Bloodline concentration above seventy percent—something the artifact had never before revealed.
• The Taiqing Yuan Celestial Clan’s ancient ancestors emerge from the forbidden grounds and learn that the person responsible is Su Jiyuan, a member of the extremely recent one hundred and third generation.
• Su Jiyuan had previously possessed only a fifty-two-percent bloodline concentration, but after winning the clan tournament and receiving a Primordial Dao Pill, she left to train and apparently encountered a major opportunity in the Great Dao River.
• The clan immediately decides to send elders to retrieve and protect her, recognizing that her bloodline could elevate the clan’s future status.
• In the Ancient Evil Battlefield, Yun Qingyao finishes refining the Primordial Source and finds Lu Ren surrounded by countless Evil Souls and covered in blood.
• Yun Qingyao rapidly rescues Lu Ren and the Evil Soul, escaping the encirclement before the Evil Souls can react. Once the Primordial Source is refined, the Evil Souls lose the ability to track it and disperse.
• Lu Ren reveals that his injuries are manageable and that his intense battle greatly deepened his understanding of the Dao-Controlling Seal. He believes he is close to breaking into the Late-Stage Dao-Controlling Realm.
• Yun Qingyao’s Primordial Bloodline has also improved significantly, as shown by her dramatically enhanced movement speed.
• Lu Ren enters the Reincarnation Ancient Pagoda to recover and cultivate, while Yun Qingyao follows the Evil Soul toward another possible fortuitous encounter in the battlefield.
• After three months of recovery and meditation, Lu Ren’s Dao-Controlling Seal begins to tremble, signaling that he is ready to attempt his breakthrough.

Character Developments

• Su Jiyuan: Experiences a remarkable transformation, raising her bloodline concentration from fifty-two percent to over seventy percent. She becomes one of the rarest and most valuable descendants in the history of the Taiqing Yuan Celestial Clan.
• Yun Qingyao: Successfully refines the Primordial Source, greatly improving her Primordial Bloodline and movement technique. She also demonstrates courage and concern by risking herself to save Lu Ren.
• Lu Ren: Despite suffering injuries while protecting Yun Qingyao, he gains profound combat insight. His understanding of the Chaos Great Dao advances to the point where a breakthrough to the Late-Stage Dao-Controlling Realm becomes imminent.
• Taiqing Yuan Celestial Clan Ancestors: Their initial disbelief turns into urgency and excitement. They recognize Su Jiyuan’s potential as a major turning point for the clan and immediately organize her protection.

Significant Themes

• The importance of bloodline inheritance: Primordial Bloodline concentration determines status, talent, and cultivation priority within the clan. A seventy-percent concentration is portrayed as extraordinarily rare and powerful.
• Fortune emerging from adversity: Both Yun Qingyao and Lu Ren benefit from dangerous experiences—Yun Qingyao gains power through refining the Primordial Source, while Lu Ren turns severe combat into a breakthrough opportunity.
• Protection of exceptional talent: The clan’s immediate response to Su Jiyuan’s emergence highlights how powerful bloodline descendants are treated as essential to the survival and rise of Primordial Clans.
• Progress through life-and-death combat: Lu Ren’s advancement demonstrates that battle and extreme pressure can accelerate comprehension of the Dao.

Character Interactions

• The Taiqing Yuan Celestial Clan’s ancestors collectively investigate the mysterious bloodline reaction and discuss Su Jiyuan’s identity and significance.
• Yun Qingyao rescues Lu Ren from the Evil Souls, then checks on his condition with clear concern.
• Lu Ren reassures Yun Qingyao while asking about her progress, and the two acknowledge each other’s cultivation improvements.
• Lu Ren entrusts Yun Qingyao to the Evil Soul’s guidance while he enters seclusion, showing mutual trust and cooperation.
• The Evil Soul becomes Yun Qingyao’s guide to another potential opportunity within the Ancient Evil Battlefield.

Chapter Summary: Late-Stage Dao-Controlling Realm

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren successfully expands his Dao-Controlling Seal to four inches, greatly improving his control over the Great Dao.
• Using one thousand Great Dao Pills looted from the Asura Young Master, he breaks through from the Middle-Stage to the Late-Stage Dao-Controlling Realm.
• Lu Ren becomes confident that, apart from Dao-Unity Realm experts, few opponents can challenge him. He believes he could easily defeat Mu Aogu, the strongest Peak Dao-Controlling expert he had previously encountered.
• Yun Qingyao contacts him through a Sound Transmission Talisman, informing him that she, Luo Yan, the Old Man of Ten Thousand Bones, the Black Demon Island Lord, and others have discovered an ancient city surrounded by thousands of Evil Souls.
• Lu Ren travels to the city, intending to avoid revealing too much of his strength while using the ongoing battle as cover to enter.
• He joins the group’s assault and demonstrates overwhelming power, destroying numerous Evil Souls with his Ghost Dao.
• Lu Ren, Yun Qingyao, and the Old Man of Ten Thousand Bones break through the Evil Soul blockade and enter the ancient city. Luo Yan, the Black Demon Island Lord, and the other experts follow shortly afterward.
• Inside, the group discovers a ruined city filled with traces of an ancient, catastrophic battle and begins looting its hidden resources.
• Lu Ren finds a concealed shop containing rare materials for Great Dao Weapons. The Immortal-Smiting Iron absorbs the materials, causing the tortoise patterns on its surface to grow denser and brighter.

Character Development

• Lu Ren: Experiences a major cultivation breakthrough and becomes a Late-Stage Dao-Controlling Realm expert. His confidence and arrogance increase, and his combat ability is shown to have risen dramatically. He also becomes increasingly curious about the origins and potential of the Immortal-Smiting Iron.
• Yun Qingyao: Acts as Lu Ren’s informant and partner, carefully observing the situation before he arrives. She supports his strategy of entering the city without unnecessarily exposing their full strength.
• Old Man of Ten Thousand Bones: Recognizes Lu Ren’s breakthrough and praises his talent. He cooperates with Lu Ren during the assault and quickly enters the city to secure opportunities.
• Luo Yan and the Black Demon Island Lord: Initially fight the Evil Souls alongside their forces but abandon the wider battle once Lu Ren and the others enter, eager to claim the ancient city’s treasures.
• Immortal-Smiting Iron: Displays the ability to devour Great Dao materials and appears to be restoring or increasing its power, hinting at a mysterious and powerful past.

Significant Themes

• Cultivation and power progression: Lu Ren’s breakthrough demonstrates how resources, combat experience, and comprehension of the Dao combine to accelerate advancement.
• Competition for opportunities: The ancient city immediately turns former allies and fellow travelers into rivals competing to seize its treasures.
• Risk versus concealment: Lu Ren chooses to hide his true strength rather than fight the entire Evil Soul army openly, showing strategic restraint despite his increased power.
• Ancient mysteries and lost civilizations: The ruined city, ancient battle traces, and surviving resources suggest a larger history connected to the Ancient Evil Battlefield.
• The unknown potential of artifacts: The Immortal-Smiting Iron’s ability to absorb rare materials raises questions about its former rank and future capabilities.

Character Interactions

• Yun Qingyao informs Lu Ren of the ancient city and warns him about its dangers.
• Lu Ren and Yun Qingyao coordinate their entrance strategy and advance into the city together.
• The Old Man of Ten Thousand Bones praises Lu Ren’s breakthrough and proposes joining forces against the Evil Souls.
• Lu Ren publicly presents himself as “Young Master Gui Ao,” maintaining his disguise while cooperating with the other experts.
• Lu Ren’s spectacular attack impresses and shocks the surrounding cultivators, establishing his superiority in battle.
• The group’s cooperation ends once they enter the city, as the experts scatter independently to search for treasures.

Chapter Summary: “Scouring the Ancient City”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Immortal-Smiting Iron consumes all the remaining Great Dao materials in a shop, restoring a significant portion of its artifact patterns.
• It reveals that, although it has not yet recovered to the level of a Great Dao True Weapon, it can now easily break third-order Dao Formations, which are powerful enough to correspond with the Dao Dominion Realm.
• Lu Ren and Immortal-Smiting Iron continue looting the ancient city’s shops. Most pills have decayed and lost their medicinal power, but a formation-material shop still contains many valuable resources.
• Old Man of Ten Thousand Bones yields the formation shop to Lu Ren after Lu Ren expresses interest in it. Immortal-Smiting Iron identifies materials needed for the Blade-Pinning Dao Formation, allowing it to finally gather a complete set.
• Lu Ren’s group strips dozens of shops throughout the city. Their discoveries suggest that the ancient city was once a major trading center belonging to a powerful faction, and that someone else may have looted parts of it before them.
• As the group moves deeper into the city, a terrifying scream from E Wan Tong alerts them that something dangerous has happened.
• They find E Wan Tong and four gray-robed elders trapped in the tails of a gigantic Nine-Tailed Blood Fox. The fox’s fur has pierced their bodies and is draining their blood.
• The Nine-Tailed Blood Fox possesses at least peak Dao Dominion Realm strength. Realizing that even E Wan Tong has been defeated, the group becomes terrified and begins considering retreat rather than attempting a rescue.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren remains practical and opportunistic, efficiently gathering resources while showing particular interest in formation-related treasures.
• Immortal-Smiting Iron regains part of its former power and confidence. Its enthusiasm for reconstructing and deploying the Blade-Pinning Dao Formation highlights its expertise and hints at a powerful past.
• Old Man of Ten Thousand Bones demonstrates caution and flexibility by willingly giving Lu Ren access to the formation shop, knowing the city contains many other opportunities.
• E Wan Tong, previously a powerful and independent figure, is shown in a helpless and desperate state, emphasizing the danger of the ancient city’s depths.
• Yun Qingyao and Lu Ren recognize that the city is far more dangerous and mysterious than initially expected.

Significant Themes

• Ruins concealing both opportunity and danger: The city contains immense treasures, but its deeper regions harbor threats capable of overwhelming powerful cultivators.
• The passage of time and decay: Once-valuable pills and resources have deteriorated, while surviving materials remain precious because of their rarity.
• Power and vulnerability: The defeat of E Wan Tong illustrates that strength alone offers no guarantee of safety in the ancient city.
• Pragmatism versus loyalty: After seeing E Wan Tong’s predicament, most of the group prioritizes survival and their own gains over rescuing him.
• Hidden history: The city’s layout and abundant shops imply that it once belonged to a powerful civilization or faction, while previous looters suggest that its secrets may have attracted others before Lu Ren’s group.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren jokingly teases Immortal-Smiting Iron about its glorious past, while the artifact responds proudly but claims that a true hero does not boast.
• Immortal-Smiting Iron eagerly urges Lu Ren to enter the formation-material shop, and Lu Ren accommodates its interest despite teasing its obsession with the Blade-Pinning Dao Formation.
• Lu Ren politely asks Old Man of Ten Thousand Bones to yield the shop, and the old man agrees without conflict.
• The group exchanges observations about their respective gains before deciding to explore deeper into the city.
• Upon discovering E Wan Tong’s plight, E Wan Tong begs the group for help, but fear of the Nine-Tailed Blood Fox causes the others to hesitate and retreat, creating a sharp contrast between his desperation and their self-preservation.

Chapter Summary: “Nine-Tailed Blood Fox”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren realizes that E Wan Tong must survive because E Wan Tong may lead him to the hidden figure behind the conspiracy.
• To motivate the other cultivators to intervene, Lu Ren warns that E Wan Tong’s death would prevent them from hunting the Void of Destiny Battle Body and obtaining the coveted Dao-Unification Pill.
• E Wan Tong uses the True Demon Dao Talisman, unleashing Return-to-Simplicity-level True Demon Great Dao True Intent. The attack severely wounds the Nine-Tailed Blood Fox, piercing its head.
• Encouraged by Lu Ren, over thirty Mid- and Late-Stage Dao-Controlling Realm cultivators launch a coordinated assault. Their combined attacks badly injure the fox, sever one of its tails, and force it to flee.
• E Wan Tong and his four gray-robed elders are rescued but are left severely weakened after their blood is drained.
• Lu Ren claims he will pursue the injured fox. Yun Qingyao follows him, while the others remain behind.
• Once away from the group, Lu Ren reveals his true strength by dismissing his Ghost Dao power and unleashing the Heaven-Chaos Great Dao True Intent.
• His Chaos palm strike overwhelms the already-wounded Nine-Tailed Blood Fox, shattering its tails and severely damaging its body.
• Lu Ren questions the fox about its presence in the ancient city. The fox reveals that its master died there and that it has guarded the location ever since, suggesting the existence of a powerful inheritance.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Demonstrates his strategic thinking by manipulating the group into saving E Wan Tong, while concealing his deeper motives. He also reveals that his apparent Late-Stage Dao-Controlling Realm strength is only a disguise; his true Chaos Great Dao power is vastly superior.
• E Wan Tong: Though nearly defeated, he makes a desperate final effort with the True Demon Dao Talisman. His survival preserves Lu Ren’s chance to investigate the greater conspiracy.
• Yun Qingyao: Remains loyal to Lu Ren and immediately follows him into danger, implying trust in his judgment and strength.
• Nine-Tailed Blood Fox: Shifts from an overwhelming predator to a desperate, heavily injured guardian. Its fear and confusion grow after discovering Lu Ren’s concealed power.
• The other cultivators: Initially hesitate to help E Wan Tong, but greed and the promise of the Dao-Unification Pill drive them to join the battle.

Significant Themes

• Concealed identity and hidden strength: Lu Ren deliberately masks his abilities, revealing them only when he is alone with the fox.
• Manipulation and ulterior motives: The rescue of E Wan Tong is presented as altruism, but Lu Ren’s real goal is to trace the forces behind him.
• Cooperation born from self-interest: The cultivators unite not out of compassion, but because they fear losing access to the Dao-Unification Pill.
• Guardianship and inheritance: The fox’s explanation introduces the possibility that the ancient city contains its deceased master’s legacy.
• Power and deception: The chapter contrasts the group’s combined strength with Lu Ren’s individual might, emphasizing that appearances can be misleading.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren rallies the hesitant cultivators by appealing to their shared interest in the Dao-Unification Pill.
• E Wan Tong supports the group’s counterattack by using his talisman, while Lu Ren directs the others to exploit the fox’s weakened state.
• Old Man of Ten Thousand Bones and the other cultivators help the injured E Wan Tong after the battle.
• E Wan Tong warns Lu Ren against pursuing the fox, but Lu Ren dismisses the danger and leaves with Yun Qingyao.
• Lu Ren confronts the Nine-Tailed Blood Fox privately, overpowering it and questioning its origins. The fox’s answer reveals a possible connection between the ancient city, its dead master, and a hidden inheritance.