Ch. 4401Breaking the Record Again

Chapter Summary: “Breaking the Record Again”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Lu Ren triggers a phenomenon in the Great Dao Hundred-Refinements Tower by challenging it at the Realm-Locking Peak Stage.
  • He quickly clears the fortieth floor, shocking the disciples because Realm-Locking cultivators rarely spend tokens on the tower and Lu Ren is publicly regarded as possessing only an Ordinary Battle Body.
  • Several Daoists—including Myriad Swords, Nine Luminaries, Myriad Manifestations, and Guanlan—arrive to observe his progress. They debate how far Lu Ren can advance, with Guanlan predicting the forty-ninth floor while others remain skeptical.
  • On the fortieth floor, Lu Ren defeats ten Shadow Cat Puppets and receives several treasures. He selects a bottle of Dao-Shedding Profound Essence, which can help condense Great Dao power and prepare him for the Dao-Shedding Stage.
  • Refusing to stop, Lu Ren proceeds beyond the fortieth floor:
    • The forty-first floor contains a Dao-Shedding Battle Soul, which he kills with one strike.
    • Subsequent floors contain increasing numbers of stronger Battle Souls.
    • By the forty-ninth floor, he faces nearly one hundred Battle Souls, each with peak Third Dao-Shedding Transformation combat strength.
  • Lu Ren unleashes his techniques, including Myriad Weapons Slaying the Dao and Chaos Heaven Burial, eventually destroying all the Battle Souls after a difficult battle.
  • His name appears on the forty-ninth-floor ranking, tying the record previously associated with Ba Cangshan and other powerful disciples.
  • The disciples and observing Daoists are stunned. However, Myriad Swords Daoist insists that Lu Ren cannot possibly pass the fiftieth floor, believing the forty-ninth floor to be his limit.
  • Lu Ren enters the gateway to the fiftieth floor, setting up the next challenge.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ren: Demonstrates extraordinary combat ability far beyond what his Realm-Locking cultivation and supposed Ordinary Battle Body would suggest. He shows confidence, persistence, and a strong desire to test his limits. Obtaining the Dao-Shedding Profound Essence also gives him an important resource for a future breakthrough.
  • Guanlan Daoist: Correctly predicts that Lu Ren can reach the forty-ninth floor, showing that she has a comparatively accurate understanding of his capabilities.
  • Myriad Swords Daoist: Acknowledges Lu Ren’s talent but remains skeptical of his direct combat strength and insists that the fiftieth floor is beyond him.
  • Nine Luminaries Daoist and Myriad Manifestations Daoist: Offer more analytical and open-minded assessments, recognizing both Lu Ren’s limitations and his history of surprising others.

Significant Themes

  • Hidden strength and underestimated talent: Lu Ren’s achievements contradict the public belief that he is merely an Ordinary Battle Body.
  • Breaking expectations: His rapid progress challenges established assumptions about the limits of Realm-Locking cultivators.
  • Perseverance and ambition: Lu Ren continues advancing even after obtaining the treasure he needs, determined to confront the tower’s greatest known hurdle.
  • Competition and record-breaking: His ascent to the forty-ninth floor ties the records of stronger cultivators and intensifies anticipation over whether he can surpass them.
  • Preparation for transformation: The Dao-Shedding Profound Essence symbolizes Lu Ren’s approaching breakthrough and advancement to a higher realm.

Character Interactions

  • The disciples question the Tower Guardian Elder about the phenomenon, and his revelation that Lu Ren caused it sparks widespread amazement.
  • The observing Daoists debate Lu Ren’s likely limit, with Guanlan offering a more optimistic prediction and Myriad Swords arguing that Lu Ren’s victory over Ba Cangshan depended on special tactics rather than overwhelming direct strength.
  • Lu Ren’s actions inside the tower contrast with the Daoists’ discussion outside: while they speculate about his limits, he silently proves them wrong by reaching the forty-ninth floor and immediately challenging the fiftieth.

Ch. 4402Myriad Forms Dao Board

Chapter Summary: Myriad Forms Dao Board

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Lu Ren enters the fiftieth level and finds himself on a gigantic 108-square Dao board, with each plaza-sized square containing a different Great Dao aura.
  • Little Broken Tower explains that the board is not an ordinary formation but a manifestation of Unity-Returning Stage Grand Dao True Intent, likely created by an expert of the Heavenly Net Myriad Forms Clan.
  • The trial’s rules are announced:
    • Reach the life gate at the far end within one day.
    • Stepping on death squares three times results in failure.
    • Suffering grievous injuries also causes failure.
  • Using Chaos Dao Contemplation, Lu Ren examines the hidden nature of the squares. He realizes that their appearances are deceptive: seemingly dangerous squares may be safe, while peaceful-looking ones may contain death.
  • He successfully identifies and crosses several life squares.
  • When faced with a choice between a death square, a tribulation square, and a slaughter square, Lu Ren chooses the slaughter square.
  • Ten Battle Souls emerge, each possessing Heaven-Unity Early Stage combat strength. Unlike ordinary cultivators, they cannot draw upon the world’s Great Dao but rely on powerful intrinsic Battle Intent.
  • Lu Ren uses the Void-Sealing Power to restrain them, then attacks with Myriad Weapons Slaying the Dao, unleashing five hundred Great Dao Spirit Weapons.
  • Although the Battle Souls are repeatedly repelled, they continue attacking in coordinated formations. Lu Ren relies on movement, teleportation-like evasion, and Void Afterimage to avoid their combined strikes.
  • He catches a saber-wielding Battle Soul from behind and destroys it with Chaos Heaven Burial, marking the first Battle Soul’s defeat.

Character Development

  • Lu Ren demonstrates caution and strategic thinking rather than rushing across the Dao board. He recognizes that understanding the board is essential because every move may lead to death or another dangerous trial.
  • His mastery of Chaos Dao Contemplation develops further, allowing him to perceive hidden truths beneath the misleading appearances of the Dao squares.
  • Lu Ren also displays adaptability in combat. Since the Battle Souls cannot be weakened by severing their connection to the world’s Great Dao, he changes tactics and combines restraint, overwhelming weapon attacks, deception, and precise strikes.
  • His confidence grows after correctly identifying safe squares and surviving the slaughter trial, though he remains aware of the Battle Souls’ danger.

Significant Themes

  • Appearance versus reality: The Dao squares disguise their true natures, emphasizing that surface impressions can be dangerously misleading.
  • Insight and deduction over brute force: Success depends on seeing through the Dao board’s transformations, not simply overpowering every obstacle.
  • The vastness of cultivation power: The board reveals how formidable Unity-Returning Stage Grand Dao True Intent can be.
  • Adaptation in battle: Lu Ren’s usual method of weakening opponents by cutting off their Great Dao access is ineffective against the Battle Souls, forcing him to employ new strategies.
  • Perseverance under constrained risk: With limited chances and a strict time limit, every decision carries lasting consequences.

Character Interactions

  • Lu Ren consults Little Broken Tower, whose explanation helps him understand the origin and nature of the Dao board.
  • Their exchange establishes the board as an extraordinary inheritance or trial created through profound Dao comprehension.
  • Lu Ren has no direct interaction with other living characters in the chapter; his main opposition comes from the manifested Battle Souls, which function as powerful, coordinated trial guardians.
  • The Battle Souls’ teamwork contrasts with Lu Ren’s individual adaptability and tactical creativity.

Ch. 4403Slaughter Grid and Illusion Grid

Chapter Summary: “Slaughter Grid and Illusion Grid”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Outside the Great Dao Hundred-Refinements Tower, several Daoists and disciples watch Lu Ren challenge the fiftieth floor. They emphasize that this floor’s Myriad Forms Dao Board is exceptionally dangerous, containing Slaughter, Illusion, Tribulation, Imprisonment, and potentially deadly grids.
  • Lu Ren enters a Slaughter Grid, where ten Battle Souls with Heaven-Unity Early Stage strength attack him.
  • Using Myriad Weapons Slaying the Dao, Void Afterimage, Void Instant-Kill Sword, and Chaos Heaven Burial, Lu Ren evades and gradually destroys the Battle Souls.
  • The battle lasts half an incense stick. Lu Ren kills all ten Battle Souls but suffers injuries and expends nearly half of his Chaos Great Dao Power.
  • Realizing that his strength does not automatically recover between trials, Lu Ren enters the Reincarnation Ancient Pagoda and uses Origin Dao Stones to restore himself. He remembers that he has only one day to complete the challenge.
  • Through Chaos Dao Contemplation, Lu Ren examines three possible Dao grids. He senses tribulation aura on one side, illusion energy on the other, and deathly aura ahead. He chooses the right-hand grid.
  • The chosen grid is an Illusion Grid, which manifests the Undying Demoness, Qiu Yaoyao, Long Xiaoman, and others, using their voices and appearances to disturb Lu Ren’s mind.
  • Lu Ren initially attacks the illusions with his sword, but they repeatedly reform. He realizes physical attacks cannot destroy mind-based illusions.
  • He activates the Heavenly God Path Intent, whose overwhelming divine pressure suppresses and shatters the illusions permanently.
  • After breaking the Illusion Grid, Lu Ren resumes deducing his next route through the Dao board.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ren demonstrates exceptional combat ability, defeating opponents far above his cultivation level despite being only at the Realm-Locking Stage.
  • His battle reveals the limits of his endurance: although victorious, he becomes injured and significantly depleted, forcing him to think strategically rather than rely solely on brute strength.
  • Lu Ren shows strong mental discipline in the Illusion Grid. Even when confronted with emotionally significant figures, he recognizes the deception and refuses to lose himself.
  • He also displays adaptability by changing methods: when sword attacks fail, he uses the Heavenly God Path Intent to destroy the illusions at their source.
  • The observing Daoists remain skeptical but acknowledge the extraordinary difficulty of Lu Ren’s challenge and the possibility that his talent may allow him to defy expectations.

Significant Themes

  • Endurance versus overwhelming difficulty: Victory is possible, but every trial consumes Lu Ren’s strength and makes later challenges more dangerous.
  • Strategy and adaptability: Lu Ren must choose his route carefully, restore his energy, and use different powers against different types of trials.
  • The danger of mental attacks: The Illusion Grid shows that psychological disruption can be more subtle and difficult to overcome than direct combat.
  • Willpower and self-mastery: Lu Ren’s ability to recognize and reject emotionally powerful illusions highlights his firm resolve.
  • Defying conventional limits: The chapter reinforces the contrast between Lu Ren’s Realm-Locking cultivation and his ability to survive trials that have defeated many Heaven-Unity Mid Stage disciples.

Character Interactions

  • The observing Daoists—particularly Myriad Swords Daoist, Nine Luminaries Daoist, Myriad Manifestations Daoist, and Guanlan Daoist—discuss the dangers of the fiftieth floor and assess Lu Ren’s chances.
  • Within the Illusion Grid, false manifestations of the Undying Demoness, Qiu Yaoyao, and Long Xiaoman call out to Lu Ren, attempting to evoke concern, attachment, and a desire to save them.
  • Lu Ren does not engage with the apparent pleas emotionally; instead, he identifies them as illusions and destroys them through the pressure of the Heavenly God Path Intent.

Ch. 4404The Last Dao Grid

Chapter Summary: The Last Dao Grid

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Lu Ren analyzes three Dao Grids and identifies them as a Tribulation Grid, an Imprisonment Grid, and a Slaughter Grid.
  • Choosing the familiar Slaughter Grid, he defeats ten Battle Souls after a difficult battle.
  • He continues through the Myriad Forms Dao Board, successfully overcoming several Illusion and Slaughter Grids by using Chaos Dao Contemplation to choose safer paths.
  • After reaching the board’s central region in about an hour, Lu Ren discovers that all three available routes are Death Grids.
  • Through careful deduction, he chooses the right-hand Death Grid because it leads toward a faint trace of vitality. Although the grid briefly erodes his Great Dao Origin, he survives and reaches a Life Grid.
  • As he approaches the Life Gate, the grids become increasingly difficult to predict. Some grids transform into different types than his deductions indicated, forcing him to repeatedly confirm each path.
  • Near the Life Gate, Lu Ren discovers that every possible final route is an Imprisonment Grid. With sufficient time remaining, he deliberately enters one to complete the trial.
  • He is transported into a constantly shifting forest maze filled with ancient trees, vines, and Great Dao patterns. Attempts to fly or cut through the vegetation fail to provide a lasting route, as the forest continually rearranges itself.
  • Little Broken Tower explains that the grid is designed to trap him, while Immortal-Smiting Iron notes that even powerful Heaven-Unity Stage cultivators would struggle to find the exit.
  • When Little Broken Tower reveals that it can sense the exit but cannot guide Lu Ren through the shifting maze, Lu Ren decides to create his own path rather than search for one.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ren demonstrates increasing confidence, caution, and strategic judgment. He relies on experience to handle Slaughter Grids and uses Chaos Dao Contemplation to minimize unnecessary risks.
  • His progress through the Death Grid shows his willingness to face danger when no safe alternative exists.
  • As the trial becomes unpredictable, Lu Ren adapts by verifying his deductions multiple times instead of relying on his first impression.
  • In the Imprisonment Grid, his determination becomes especially clear: rather than accept that the maze is impassable, he resolves to break through it by force.
  • Little Broken Tower serves as a knowledgeable but practical guide, explaining the nature of the Imprisonment Grid and revealing that it can sense the exit.
  • Immortal-Smiting Iron offers a more pessimistic assessment, emphasizing the difficulty of the maze and Lu Ren’s disadvantage compared with Heaven-Unity Stage experts.

Significant Themes

  • Strategy over brute force: Lu Ren survives largely by analyzing the Dao Grids and selecting the least dangerous route.
  • Adaptability in uncertainty: The changing nature of the grids forces him to revise his methods and distrust simple predictions.
  • Perseverance against confinement: The Imprisonment Grid symbolizes an obstacle designed to deny progress, but Lu Ren refuses to remain trapped.
  • Limits of cultivation and ingenuity: Although Lu Ren lacks the ability of higher-stage cultivators to sense the Great Dao’s momentum, he compensates through intelligence, determination, and creative problem-solving.
  • Choosing action over helplessness: The chapter ends with Lu Ren rejecting passive searching and deciding to carve out his own way forward.

Character Interactions

  • Lu Ren consults Immortal-Smiting Iron about dividing the search for the exit, but Immortal-Smiting Iron warns that the maze’s constant changes make cooperation ineffective.
  • Little Broken Tower provides crucial information about the grid’s purpose and later reveals that it can detect the exit.
  • Their exchange highlights the difference between knowing where the destination is and possessing a practical route to reach it.
  • Lu Ren’s final declaration shows his independent resolve and establishes the next stage of the confrontation with the Imprisonment Grid.

Ch. 4405Passing the Fiftieth Floor

Chapter Summary: Through the Fiftieth Floor

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Little Broken Tower detects the exit of the Imprisonment Grid roughly three hundred zhang ahead and to the left.
  • Lu Ren unleashes Myriad Weapons Slaying the Dao, using five hundred Great Dao Spirit Weapons to carve through the forest of constantly regenerating ancient trees and vines.
  • His Chaos Great Dao Power is nearly exhausted before he reaches the exit. To break through the final obstruction, he summons Immortal-Smiting Iron.
  • Immortal-Smiting Iron transforms into a massive turtle-shell-like slab, smashes through the vegetation, and carries Lu Ren to the light gate.
  • Lu Ren exits the Imprisonment Grid and enters the Gate of Life, successfully clearing the fiftieth floor.
  • The Myriad Forms Dao Board reacts dramatically, causing the entire Great Dao Hundred-Refinements Tower to shake and illuminate the fiftieth floor.
  • Lu Ren’s ranking rises from the forty-ninth to the fiftieth floor, shocking everyone at the Myriad Dao Plaza.
  • After clearing the floor, Lu Ren receives more than a dozen valuable rewards, including Great Dao True Treasures, secret cultivation manuals, Heaven-Unity Dao Pills, Primordial Dao Pills, and Great Dao True Iron.
  • Immortal-Smiting Iron identifies the Great Dao True Iron as a powerful supplement that can restore it to the level of a Great Dao True Weapon, so Lu Ren chooses it.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ren demonstrates exceptional combat ability, endurance, and decisiveness. Despite being at the Realm-Locking Peak Stage, he overcomes a challenge that many Heaven-Unity Stage cultivators cannot pass.
  • His successful completion of the fiftieth floor confirms that his talent is extraordinary and validates Sect Master Xuan Yin’s decision to accept him as a personal disciple.
  • Lu Ren also gains a major future advantage: after consuming the Great Dao True Iron, Immortal-Smiting Iron will be able to rival Heaven-Unity Early Stage on its own and threaten Heaven-Unity Late Stage when fully activated by Lu Ren.
  • Immortal-Smiting Iron becomes more important as both a loyal companion and a potential high-level weapon. Its timely intervention is essential to Lu Ren’s escape.
  • Little Broken Tower continues to support Lu Ren by guiding him toward the exit.

Significant Themes

  • Overcoming impossible odds: Lu Ren succeeds despite severe exhaustion and a challenge that has defeated far stronger cultivators.
  • Talent and recognition: His achievement shocks the sect and establishes him as a rare monster-level genius.
  • The value of cooperation: Lu Ren’s success depends not only on his own strength but also on the assistance of Little Broken Tower and Immortal-Smiting Iron.
  • Power growth and strategic advancement: The reward selection emphasizes the importance of strengthening weapons and companions, not merely improving Lu Ren’s personal cultivation.
  • Reputation and expectation: Clearing the fiftieth floor dramatically raises Lu Ren’s status while likely attracting greater attention and scrutiny.

Character Interactions

  • Little Broken Tower informs Lu Ren of the exit’s location.
  • Lu Ren relies on Immortal-Smiting Iron to break through the final barriers, while Immortal-Smiting Iron urges him to select the Great Dao True Iron.
  • The Daoists, disciples, and Tower Guardian Elder react with disbelief and admiration to Lu Ren’s achievement, recognizing the feat as nearly unprecedented.
  • Lu Ren and Immortal-Smiting Iron discuss the weapon’s potential after advancement, revealing the enormous combat power it may soon possess.

Ch. 4406The Final Record

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • After selecting his rewards, Lu Ren’s depleted Chaos Great Dao Power is fully restored, and a portal to the fifty-first floor appears.
  • He gives the Great Dao True Iron to Immortal-Smiting Iron inside the Reincarnation Ancient Pagoda, allowing it to recover to the level of a Great Dao True Weapon.
  • On the fifty-first floor, Lu Ren defeats a powerful Heaven-Unity Early Stage Battle Soul after a difficult battle and receives five thousand Great Dao Pills.
  • The fifty-second floor summons ten Heaven-Unity Early Stage Battle Souls. Lu Ren initially struggles against their combined attack, but Immortal-Smiting Iron emerges and crushes all ten.
  • On the fifty-third floor, one hundred Heaven-Unity Early Stage Battle Souls appear. Immortal-Smiting Iron single-handedly destroys them all after an extended assault.
  • The fifty-fourth floor contains one Heaven-Unity Mid Stage Battle Soul. Lu Ren channels most of his Chaos Great Dao Power into Immortal-Smiting Iron, greatly amplifying its strength. Together, they destroy the Battle Soul in a single devastating clash.
  • Recognizing that the fifty-fifth floor would likely contain ten Heaven-Unity Mid Stage Battle Souls—more than he can defeat—Lu Ren chooses to stop and exits the tower.
  • His ranking reaches the fifty-fourth floor, shocking the disciples and Daoists watching from the Myriad Dao Plaza.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ren demonstrates extraordinary combat ability for someone at the Realm-Locking Peak Stage. He defeats opponents several levels beyond his cultivation and carefully evaluates his limits rather than recklessly continuing.
  • His reliance on Immortal-Smiting Iron becomes a major strength. Once restored with the Great Dao True Iron, it advances to the Great Dao True Weapon level and gains enough power to overwhelm large groups of Heaven-Unity Battle Souls.
  • Lu Ren discovers that fully controlling Immortal-Smiting Iron consumes a tremendous amount of Chaos Great Dao Power, making its strongest attacks powerful but difficult to sustain.
  • Immortal-Smiting Iron becomes highly enthusiastic after recovering its former level and eagerly assists Lu Ren, displaying a lively, boastful personality.
  • The watching Daoists become increasingly suspicious that Lu Ren possesses hidden trump cards or secrets, since his achievements cannot be explained by cultivation level or “luck” alone.

Significant Themes

  • Strength beyond cultivation: Lu Ren’s performance emphasizes that true combat power depends on abilities, treasures, techniques, and battle experience—not merely realm level.
  • Strategic restraint: Rather than pursuing fame recklessly, Lu Ren recognizes the danger of the next floor and wisely withdraws after reaching his current limit.
  • Power and cost: Immortal-Smiting Iron’s restored strength dramatically changes the battles, but using it at full power consumes enormous energy, highlighting the balance between overwhelming force and endurance.
  • Hidden potential and mystery: Lu Ren’s unexplained abilities and powerful weapon cause others to question his origins and concealed resources.
  • Public recognition: His rapid ascent through the tower transforms him from an impressive contestant into a figure capable of shocking the entire sect.

Character Interactions

  • Lu Ren entrusts the Great Dao True Iron to Immortal-Smiting Iron, promising that it will continue helping him climb once it recovers.
  • Immortal-Smiting Iron enthusiastically accepts and later returns to the battlefield at a crucial moment, rescuing Lu Ren from the combined assault of ten Battle Souls.
  • Lu Ren and Immortal-Smiting Iron cooperate directly against the Heaven-Unity Mid Stage Battle Soul, with Lu Ren supplying his Great Dao Power while Immortal-Smiting Iron delivers the decisive attack.
  • Outside the tower, the Tower Guardian Elder praises Lu Ren’s achievement, while the surrounding disciples react with disbelief to Lu Ren’s dismissive claim that his success was merely “luck.”
  • Nine Luminaries Daoist, Myriad Manifestations Daoist, and Myriad Swords Daoist discuss Lu Ren’s achievement and conclude that he must possess extraordinary hidden methods or trump cards.

Ch. 4407Stepping into the Dao-Shedding Stage

Chapter Summary: “Stepping into Dao-Shedding”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • After reaching the fifty-fourth floor of the Great Dao Hundred-Refinements Tower, Lu Ren explains that his Chaos Dao Contemplation allowed him to decipher the tower’s Dao patterns.
  • He leaves Myriad Dao Plaza to return to his Source Court for secluded cultivation. The surrounding Daoists marvel at his achievement and recognize that his rivalry with Cang Xuanming, another Void of Destiny Battle Body, may lead to a fated battle.
  • Lu Ren enters the Reincarnation Ancient Pagoda and consumes the Dao-Shedding Profound Essence obtained from the tower’s fortieth floor.
  • Guided by the essence, he realizes that reaching Dao-Shedding requires compressing and transforming his Chaos Great Dao Power with Void-Sealing Power.
  • Over three years of cultivation—and after exhausting more than sixty thousand Great Dao Pills—Lu Ren successfully transforms his Great Dao Power and breaks through from Realm-Locking to Dao-Shedding.
  • His power increases several times over, giving him confidence that he might now contend with cultivators at the Heaven-Unity Late Stage.
  • Sect Master Xuan Yin summons him directly through his divine soul. After confirming Lu Ren’s breakthrough, the sect master reveals alarming news: another Void of Destiny Battle Body has appeared.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ren demonstrates exceptional talent, comprehension, and cultivation speed. His first attempt at the tower reaches the fifty-fourth floor, and he advances to Dao-Shedding only three months after leaving the tower.
  • His Chaos Great Dao foundation proves far superior to that of ordinary cultivators, allowing him to complete the transformation despite the enormous energy required.
  • Lu Ren becomes more confident in his strength, believing he may be capable of challenging Heaven-Unity Late Stage opponents.
  • Sect Master Xuan Yin shows both admiration and concern. He recognizes Lu Ren’s extraordinary potential but suggests that his rapid breakthrough is connected to an approaching crisis.
  • Cang Xuanming remains absent, but his importance grows as the Daoists identify him as Lu Ren’s destined rival.
  • The emergence of another Void of Destiny Battle Body introduces a new, potentially dangerous figure into the conflict.

Significant Themes

  • Talent versus opportunity: The Dao-Shedding Profound Essence provides Lu Ren with the chance to comprehend the breakthrough, but his immense foundation and understanding are essential to completing it.
  • The cost of cultivation: Lu Ren’s breakthrough requires years of focus and the consumption of tens of thousands of Great Dao Pills, emphasizing the immense resources needed for advancement.
  • Destiny and rivalry: The repeated references to Void of Destiny Battle Bodies establish that Lu Ren’s path is tied to predestined battles and powerful rivals.
  • Power bringing danger: Lu Ren’s growth grants him greater confidence, but the appearance of another Battle Body suggests that increased strength will also draw him into larger conflicts.
  • Mentorship and hidden knowledge: Sect Master Xuan Yin acts as both mentor and source of crucial information, hinting that he understands threats beyond Lu Ren’s current awareness.

Character Interactions

  • Lu Ren and Guanlan Daoist: Guanlan questions how Lu Ren passed the fiftieth floor. His explanation leaves her impressed, though still astonished by his achievement.
  • Lu Ren and the Daoists at Myriad Dao Plaza: He courteously bids them farewell, while they discuss his monstrous talent and speculate about his coming battle with Cang Xuanming.
  • Lu Ren and Sect Master Xuan Yin: Xuan Yin immediately notices Lu Ren’s breakthrough and praises his foundation and comprehension. Their conversation shifts from recognition of Lu Ren’s success to concern over the appearance of a new Void of Destiny Battle Body.
  • Lu Ren and Cang Xuanming: They do not meet in the chapter, but their fated rivalry remains a central source of tension and anticipation.

Ch. 4408Underworld Realm

Chapter Summary:

Underworld Realm

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Sect Master Xuan Yin informs Lu Ren that a Void of Destiny Battle Body has appeared in the Underworld Realm.
  • The Great Dao Sect’s rival, Cang Xuanming, has already entered the Underworld Realm to find this person and obtain a wisp of Void of Destiny Remnant Qi.
  • Lu Ren learns that the Underworld Realm is the central plane connected to countless Ghost Dao worlds. It is rich in:
    • Yin Nether Qi
    • Yellow Springs Qi
    • Life-and-Death Great Dao origin aura
    • Reincarnation Great Dao origin aura
  • Because of its unique environment, many cultivators specializing in Ghost Dao, Netherworld, Life-and-Death, and Reincarnation cultivation visit the realm despite its hostility toward outsiders.
  • Entry requires a Ghost-Protection Token. Great forces can obtain tokens permitting a ten-year stay, while purchased tokens generally allow only five years. Illegal entrants risk execution by the Underworld Realm’s Ghost-Subduing Guards.
  • Lu Ren decides to enter the Underworld Realm, both to improve his cultivation and to prevent Cang Xuanming from obtaining the Remnant Qi first.
  • Sect Master Xuan Yin agrees and gives Lu Ren:
    • Detailed intelligence on the target
    • Arrangements for Elder Huntian to escort him and secure a token
    • A Myriad-Extinction Nether King Talisman, capable of blocking one attack from a Dao-Proving Realm expert
  • The target is revealed to be Ming Wujin, a suspected Void of Destiny Battle Body who has fused with Void-Sealing Heaven Qi.
  • Ming Wujin was last seen in the Myriad Ghost Imperial Capital, located in Netherworld Ancient Province, an ancient region controlled by the Netherworld Ancient Clan.
  • Lu Ren is expected to begin his search in the Myriad Ghost Imperial Capital.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ren shows increased determination and strategic awareness. He recognizes that allowing Cang Xuanming to obtain Void-Sealing Heaven Qi could make his rival even more powerful.
  • Lu Ren also sees the Underworld Realm as an opportunity to advance his Six Paths Reincarnation True Meaning, which has stalled at the Subtlety Stage. Its environment may help him reach the Intent-Transformation Stage and integrate reincarnation power into his swordsmanship.
  • Sect Master Xuan Yin continues to act as Lu Ren’s mentor and protector, providing intelligence, official support, and a powerful defensive artifact. However, he warns Lu Ren that the Underworld Realm is far more dangerous than the Great Dao River.
  • Cang Xuanming is established as an immediate rival and major threat. His prior experience in the Underworld Realm, concealed identity, and pursuit of the Remnant Qi give him a significant advantage.
  • Ming Wujin is introduced as the central target of the coming conflict, though his personality and motives remain unknown.

Significant Themes

  • Competition and urgency: Lu Ren’s decision is driven by the race against Cang Xuanming and the danger of allowing his rival to grow stronger.
  • Growth through trials: Sect Master Xuan Yin emphasizes that true power requires experience and danger across different realms, not merely secluded cultivation.
  • Risk versus opportunity: The Underworld Realm offers ideal conditions for Lu Ren’s reincarnation cultivation but exposes him to hostile Ghost Dao forces and possible death.
  • Legality and identity: Entry restrictions and the need to conceal Great Dao Sect affiliations highlight the political complexity of the Underworld Realm.
  • Destiny and power accumulation: The Void of Destiny Battle Body and Remnant Qi continue to represent rare opportunities capable of dramatically altering the balance of power.

Character Interactions

  • Sect Master Xuan Yin explains the Underworld Realm’s nature, rules, and dangers to Lu Ren.
  • Lu Ren questions the restrictions on entry and confirms that Cang Xuanming has already gone there.
  • Xuan Yin offers Lu Ren official assistance, including a Ghost-Protection Token and Elder Huntian’s escort.
  • Lu Ren accepts the mission without hesitation, despite the possibility that Cang Xuanming may ambush or eliminate him.
  • Their conversation ends with Xuan Yin directly challenging Lu Ren, asking whether he fears Cang Xuanming reaching Ming Wujin first or using the Underworld Realm against him.

Ch. 4409Persuading Daoist Guanlan

Chapter Summary: “Persuading Guanlan Daoist”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Lu Ren assures Sect Master Xuan Yin that he does not fear Cang Xuanming, despite Cang’s greater current strength.
  • Xuan Yin acknowledges that Lu Ren and Cang Xuanming are both his disciples and are destined for a future battle, though he hopes it never occurs.
  • After Lu Ren leaves, Xuan Yin reflects on Lu Ren’s extraordinary growth and worries that he may soon threaten Cang Xuanming. He hopes Cang will use the trip to the Underworld Realm to eliminate Lu Ren.
  • Lu Ren meets Elder Huntian and confirms his plan to enter the Underworld Realm, where Cang Xuanming has already gone.
  • Aware of the danger, Lu Ren decides to recruit Guanlan Daoist as protection.
  • Guanlan initially refuses, seeing no reason for a powerful Daoist to risk herself for Lu Ren.
  • Lu Ren persuades her by offering two Imperial-Origin Dao Lotuses, rare treasures capable of greatly aiding Daoists in comprehending Grand Dao True Intent.
  • Guanlan accepts one lotus as a deposit and agrees to accompany Lu Ren, promising to protect him only if he faces mortal danger rather than directly assisting with his objectives.
  • Elder Huntian summons an ancient warship, and Lu Ren, Guanlan, and Elder Huntian depart for the Underworld Realm.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ren: Displays confidence, strategic thinking, and growing influence. Rather than avoiding the danger posed by Cang Xuanming, he prepares for it by securing powerful protection. His willingness to spend extremely valuable treasures demonstrates both his wealth and his determination.
  • Sect Master Xuan Yin: Becomes increasingly concerned about Lu Ren’s rapid advancement and recognizes that Lu Ren may upset the balance between the two destined disciples. His thoughts reveal a willingness to let Cang eliminate Lu Ren to resolve their karmic conflict.
  • Cang Xuanming: Though absent, he is portrayed as Lu Ren’s powerful rival and a growing threat. He has already gathered forces in the Underworld Realm, suggesting that he may be preparing to target Lu Ren.
  • Guanlan Daoist: Initially detached and unwilling to take risks, she is persuaded by the value of the Imperial-Origin Dao Lotuses. Her agreement also implies that she has some personal regard for Lu Ren beyond the transaction.
  • Elder Huntian: Acts as Lu Ren’s escort and remains skeptical of his ability to persuade Guanlan, though he ultimately helps facilitate the journey.

Significant Themes

  • Rivalry and fate: Lu Ren and Cang Xuanming are bound by a predicted battle, with their conflict presented as both personal and karmic.
  • Rapid growth and shifting power: Lu Ren’s astonishing advancement has begun to challenge assumptions about Cang’s superiority.
  • Strategy over brute force: Lu Ren recognizes the danger of entering hostile territory alone and uses diplomacy and valuable resources to secure an ally.
  • The value of cultivation treasures: The Imperial-Origin Dao Lotus is powerful enough to persuade even a Daoist to accept considerable danger.
  • Conditional alliances: Guanlan’s support is limited; she agrees to protect Lu Ren but not to solve his problems for him.

Character Interactions

  • Lu Ren and Xuan Yin: Their conversation highlights mutual respect, while Xuan Yin’s private reflections reveal his uncertainty and concern about Lu Ren’s potential.
  • Lu Ren and Elder Huntian: Huntian warns Lu Ren about Cang Xuanming, but Lu Ren responds confidently and reveals his plan to recruit Guanlan.
  • Lu Ren and Guanlan Daoist: Their negotiation shifts from refusal to agreement when Lu Ren offers the Imperial-Origin Dao Lotuses. Guanlan establishes clear limits on her assistance.
  • Lu Ren, Guanlan, and Elder Huntian: After reaching an agreement, the three cooperate and depart for the Underworld Realm aboard Elder Huntian’s ancient warship.

Ch. 4410Journey to the Underworld Realm

Chapter Summary: Journey to the Underworld Realm

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Lu Ren travels west along the Great Dao River with Guanlan Daoist and Elder Huntian aboard an ancient warship.
  • Their destination is the Yellow Springs Crossing Domain, a dangerous river region that connects the Great Dao River to the Underworld Realm. The area is filled with Ghostfish Beasts and Netherworld aura, making it nearly fatal for anyone below the Dao-Unity Realm.
  • Guanlan Daoist uses her ability to perceive yin and yang and deduce heavenly dangers to guide the warship safely through the domain. Although several Ghostfish Beasts attack, Lu Ren defeats them without difficulty and gradually adapts to the Netherworld aura.
  • After a month, they reach an island at the end of the domain, where they obtain Ghost-Protection Tokens from a gray-robed elder. The tokens allow Lu Ren and Guanlan to enter the Underworld Realm while concealing their identities for up to ten years.
  • Guanlan claims they are traveling to the Soul-Eating Ghost Province, deliberately avoiding revealing their true destination, the Netherworld Ancient Province.
  • The two use a teleportation formation and arrive in a dark mountain range within the Underworld Realm. Other cultivators recognize them as outsiders from the Great Dao River.
  • Guanlan explains that information about Lu Ren’s Void of Destiny Battle Body has spread widely. Traveling directly to the Netherworld Ancient Province would attract suspicion, especially because Cang Xuanming has already gathered forces in the Underworld Realm and may be plotting to kill Lu Ren.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ren becomes more accustomed to the Underworld environment and demonstrates his combat strength by easily killing the Ghostfish Beasts they encounter.
  • He grows increasingly impressed by Guanlan Daoist’s abilities, realizing that her talent for heavenly deduction makes her a valuable ally in his search for Ming Wujin.
  • Lu Ren also learns to act more cautiously, disguising his aura and accepting the need for indirect travel.
  • Guanlan Daoist proves herself both perceptive and politically cautious. She anticipates danger, redirects the warship, hides their actual destination, and warns Lu Ren about Cang Xuanming’s preparations.
  • Elder Huntian supports the journey by securing the Ghost-Protection Tokens through his authority as an elder of the Great Dao Sect, then parts ways with Lu Ren and Guanlan before their teleportation.

Significant Themes

  • Danger and vigilance: The Yellow Springs Crossing Domain and the Underworld Realm are hostile environments where survival depends on preparation and constant awareness.
  • Secrecy and deception: Lu Ren and Guanlan conceal their identities, suppress their auras, and lie about their destination to avoid attracting enemies.
  • Strategic alliances: Lu Ren’s success depends not only on his own strength but also on Guanlan’s foresight and Elder Huntian’s connections.
  • Rising conflict: The spread of information about Lu Ren’s special battle body has made him a target, while Cang Xuanming’s growing influence suggests that a confrontation is approaching.
  • Trust versus suspicion: Guanlan’s warning reflects the need to remain cautious even among potential allies, emphasizing the dangers of the Underworld’s political landscape.

Character Interactions

  • Lu Ren repeatedly questions Guanlan about their destination and the dangers of the journey, showing his growing reliance on her judgment.
  • Elder Huntian praises Guanlan’s predictive abilities and reassures Lu Ren that she can help them avoid major threats.
  • Guanlan interrupts Lu Ren when he nearly reveals their true destination, demonstrating her greater caution and control over their plans.
  • Before separating, Elder Huntian reminds Lu Ren and Guanlan to take care of themselves.
  • Upon arriving in the Underworld Realm, Guanlan asks Lu Ren to stop calling her “Daoist,” signaling a more informal partnership as they begin operating under assumed identities.

Ch. 4411The Corpse Crow Clan

Concise Chapter Summary: The Corpse Crow Clan

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Guanlan Daoist reveals that Cang Xuanming once defeated Luo Youming, the Young Tribe Leader of the powerful Reincarnation Netherkin. This feat made Cang famous throughout the Underworld Realm and earned him support from many factions.
  • Lu Ren realizes that taking the Void of Destiny Battle Body from Cang Xuanming will be extremely difficult, especially because Cang has likely prepared an ambush for him.
  • Guanlan Daoist and Lu Ren travel toward the Netherworld Ancient Province, choosing to pass through the dangerous Soul-Devouring Ancient Forest to avoid Soul-Eating Ghost Province’s main city.
  • The forest is inhabited by vicious Soul-Devouring Ghost Crows, which can consume divine souls and track the residual auras of cultivators.
  • Shortly after entering, Guanlan Daoist detects hidden killing intent. The surrounding ghost-crow shadows transform into black-robed cultivators from the Corpse Crow Clan.
  • The Corpse Crow Clan reveals that Cang Xuanming ordered them to intercept Lu Ren. Cang prepared ambushes in both Soul-Eating Ghost Province and the Netherworld Ancient Province, ensuring that Lu Ren could not easily evade him.
  • The enemy force includes at least ten Heaven-Questioning Stage experts, supported by numerous cultivators of lower but still formidable realms.
  • Guanlan Daoist concludes that fighting directly is too dangerous. She orders Lu Ren to seek help from the Reincarnation Netherkin while she holds off the attackers.
  • The Corpse Crow Clan launches its assault, surrounding Lu Ren with hundreds of black shadows and enormous Corpse Crow manifestations.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ren becomes more cautious after learning of Cang Xuanming’s reputation and extensive preparations. Although angered by the ambush, he accepts Guanlan Daoist’s strategic advice rather than recklessly fighting.
  • Guanlan Daoist demonstrates sharp perception by identifying both the danger in the forest and the Corpse Crow Clan’s identity. She takes responsibility for protecting Lu Ren and devises an escape strategy.
  • Cang Xuanming is established as a highly capable and politically influential rival. His previous victory over Luo Youming and his coordinated ambushes show his strength, foresight, and determination to eliminate Lu Ren.
  • The Corpse Crow Clan is portrayed as loyal agents of Cang Xuanming, possessing strong intelligence networks and considerable combat power.

Significant Themes

  • Strategic preparation versus brute force: Cang’s carefully arranged ambush demonstrates the importance of planning, while Guanlan recognizes that direct confrontation would be fatal.
  • The danger of reputation and power: Cang’s past victory over the Reincarnation Netherkin’s heir establishes the threat Lu Ren faces.
  • Trust and cooperation: Lu Ren relies on Guanlan’s judgment, while Guanlan risks herself to create an opportunity for his escape.
  • Predatory danger in the Underworld Realm: The Soul-Devouring Ancient Forest and Corpse Crow Clan symbolize an environment where both nature and cultivators hunt the vulnerable.
  • Escalating conflict: Cang’s pursuit of Lu Ren has expanded into a realm-wide operation, suggesting that their rivalry is becoming increasingly serious.

Character Interactions

  • Guanlan informs Lu Ren of Cang Xuanming’s history, strengthening Lu Ren’s understanding of his opponent.
  • She warns Lu Ren about the forest and later detects the ambush before he does, emphasizing her greater experience and perception.
  • The Corpse Crow elder directly confronts Guanlan, acknowledging her identity while demanding that she abandon Lu Ren.
  • Guanlan rejects the threat by planning Lu Ren’s escape, while Lu Ren accepts her command to seek assistance from the Reincarnation Netherkin.
  • The chapter ends with the Corpse Crow Clan attacking Lu Ren en masse, while Guanlan prepares to defend him.

Ch. 4412Daoist Guanlan's Strength

Chapter Summary: “Guanlan Daoist’s Strength”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Guanlan Daoist unleashes her full Great Dao power, manifesting a Yin-Yang domain and using her sword technique, Yin-Yang Heaven-Viewing Sword.
  • Her single black-and-white sword strike cuts through space in every direction, instantly killing numerous Corpse Crow Clan experts at the Heaven-Unity, Return-to-True, and higher stages.
  • The ten Heaven-Questioning Stage Corpse Crow experts attempt to restrain her with Corpse Crow phantoms, but Guanlan Daoist counters with the Primordial Divine Ability Yin-Yang Return to the Void.
  • She swallows their attacks within her Yin-Yang Dao realm, severely wounds three of the ten experts, and forces the rest to retreat.
  • Using another sword strike, Guanlan Daoist opens a path for Lu Ren, allowing him to flee deeper into the Soul-Devouring Ancient Forest.
  • She continues attacking the pursuing Corpse Crow forces, killing or severely injuring many more and reducing their encirclement by more than half.
  • Enraged, the black-robed elder and the remaining Heaven-Questioning experts activate the formation Corpse Crow Nether-Soul Realm, trapping Guanlan Daoist inside a dark barrier filled with soul phantoms.
  • Although she cannot immediately break free, Guanlan Daoist’s attacks shake the formation and injure its controllers.
  • Lu Ren escapes the main encirclement, but more than a dozen powerful Corpse Crow experts—including one at the World-Evolution Stage—continue pursuing him.
  • The black-robed elder orders them to kill Lu Ren at any cost, while Guanlan Daoist confidently declares that they still underestimate Lu Ren.

Character Developments

  • Guanlan Daoist demonstrates overwhelming power and establishes the true might of a Great Dao Sect Daoist. She effortlessly massacres lower-level enemies and withstands the combined assault of ten powerful Heaven-Questioning experts.
  • Despite being trapped, Guanlan Daoist remains calm, decisive, and focused on protecting Lu Ren. Her confidence in his abilities suggests she believes he can survive without her direct assistance.
  • Lu Ren shows discipline and decisiveness by immediately taking advantage of the opening Guanlan Daoist creates and escaping into the forest.
  • The black-robed elder becomes increasingly furious and desperate as his forces suffer catastrophic losses. His determination to kill Lu Ren reflects both his fear of Lu Ren’s potential and the importance of the pursuit to the Corpse Crow Clan.
  • The Corpse Crow experts shift from arrogance to fear after witnessing Guanlan Daoist’s strength.

Significant Themes

  • The overwhelming gap between cultivation realms: Guanlan Daoist’s performance reveals how vastly stronger a true Daoist is compared with ordinary high-level cultivators.
  • Sacrifice and protection: Guanlan Daoist willingly engages the enemy’s strongest forces to give Lu Ren a chance to escape.
  • Confidence in one’s allies: Her final remark shows complete faith in Lu Ren, even after she is separated from him.
  • Fear following power: The Corpse Crow Clan’s confidence collapses once Guanlan Daoist reveals her full strength.
  • Desperation and strategic adaptation: After direct attacks fail, the Corpse Crow experts resort to a formation to restrain Guanlan Daoist and redirect their remaining forces toward Lu Ren.

Character Interactions

  • Guanlan Daoist repeatedly protects Lu Ren by cutting through the Corpse Crow encirclement and ordering him to flee.
  • Lu Ren responds to her assistance without hesitation, escaping while she holds back the enemy.
  • The black-robed elder confronts Guanlan Daoist indirectly through his forces and later taunts her, insisting that killing Lu Ren will justify the Corpse Crow Clan’s losses.
  • Guanlan Daoist answers with confidence, dismissing the elder’s belief that the pursuing Corpse Crow experts are strong enough to defeat Lu Ren.

Ch. 4413Escape and Pursuit Between Life and Death

Chapter Summary: Escape and Pursuit Between Life and Death

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Lu Ren flees through the Soul-Devouring Ancient Forest while being pursued by more than a dozen Corpse Crow Clan experts.
  • The pursuers surround him in a clearing. Their leader is a seventh-level Dao-Integration Realm cultivator at the World-Evolution Stage, supported by seven Return-to-True Stage experts and three Heaven-Unity Late Stage experts.
  • Three Heaven-Unity Late Stage enemies attack first, but Lu Ren uses Chaos Heaven Burial to destroy their attacks and kill all three instantly.
  • The Corpse Crow Clan realizes that Lu Ren’s strength far exceeds his apparent Dao-Shedding Stage cultivation and decides he must be eliminated because of his extraordinary talent and connection to the Xuan Yin Sect Master.
  • The seven Return-to-True experts attack together. Lu Ren initially blocks them with Myriad Weapons Slaying the Dao, using five hundred Great Dao Spirit Weapons to form a defensive Slaughtering Torrent.
  • Recognizing the overwhelming difference between the Heaven-Unity and Return-to-True stages, Lu Ren uses Void Afterimage, a divine ability of the Void of Destiny Qi, to evade their attacks through illusory afterimages.
  • The Corpse Crow leader orders the others to continue attacking and exhaust Lu Ren’s strength, knowing that Lu Ren will eventually be vulnerable to the World-Evolution Stage expert.
  • As the battle becomes increasingly dangerous, the Immortal-Smiting Iron proposes a strategy: lure the Soul-Devouring Ghost Crow flock into the battlefield.
  • Lu Ren accepts the idea because the crows threaten divine souls, while his own soul is protected by the Reincarnation Ancient Pagoda. The chapter ends as they prepare to turn the forest’s inhabitants against the Corpse Crow Clan.

Character Development

  • Lu Ren demonstrates the terrifying power of his Chaos Great Dao and his ability to kill opponents above his cultivation level. However, he also gains a more realistic understanding of the enormous gap between the Heaven-Unity and Return-to-True realms.
  • He shifts from relying purely on direct combat to using strategy and the environment to survive.
  • The Corpse Crow leader is established as cautious and calculating. Rather than attacking personally, he attempts to force Lu Ren to reveal his life-saving trump cards and exhaust his power.
  • The Immortal-Smiting Iron shows initiative and tactical intelligence by identifying a way to exploit the Soul-Devouring Ancient Forest.

Significant Themes

  • Survival against overwhelming odds: Lu Ren faces a vastly superior group but continues resisting through skill, divine abilities, and adaptability.
  • The importance of hidden strength: His apparent Dao-Shedding cultivation conceals combat power capable of killing Heaven-Unity experts and challenging stronger realms.
  • Strategy over brute force: Direct confrontation is insufficient, so Lu Ren must exploit the local environment and the Soul-Devouring Ghost Crows.
  • The dangers of cultivation realms: The chapter emphasizes the qualitative difference between stages, especially the terrifying power of Return-to-True cultivators compared with Heaven-Unity experts.
  • Talent and threat: Lu Ren’s potential makes him a target of assassination, with the Corpse Crow Clan fearing that he may become as formidable as the Profound Fate Dao Disciple.

Character Interactions

  • The Corpse Crow leader confronts and threatens Lu Ren while directing his subordinates’ attacks.
  • Lu Ren responds defiantly, killing the three initial attackers and forcing the Corpse Crow Clan to reassess him.
  • The seven Return-to-True experts coordinate their attacks against Lu Ren, while Lu Ren alternates between defense and evasion.
  • The Immortal-Smiting Iron communicates with Lu Ren during the crisis and suggests using the Soul-Devouring Ghost Crows as unexpected allies or weapons.

Ch. 4414Soul-Devouring Ghost Crow Swarm

Chapter Summary: Soul-Devouring Ghost Crow Swarm

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Lu Ren and Immortal-Smiting Iron confront seven Return-to-True Stage experts from the Corpse Crow Clan, led by a powerful man in black.
  • Immortal-Smiting Iron reveals its strength as a Great Dao True Treasure, transforming into a massive tortoiseshell-shaped weapon and smashing one of the enemies aside.
  • Lu Ren uses Myriad Weapons Slaying the Dao, combining five hundred Great Dao Spirit Weapons into a devastating torrent that forces the Corpse Crow Clan experts back.
  • Immortal-Smiting Iron takes the opportunity to escape. The man in black orders the others to ignore it and focus on killing Lu Ren.
  • Lu Ren is gradually overwhelmed. Despite using the Void Afterimage, he is struck repeatedly, his Battle Body’s defensive Crystal Luster shatters, and he is injured.
  • Just as the enemies prepare to kill him, Immortal-Smiting Iron returns while leading the terrifying Soul-Devouring Ghost Crow Swarm out of the depths of the ancient forest.
  • The ghost crows engulf Lu Ren and the seven Return-to-True Stage experts. Rather than attacking the body, they invade the sea of consciousness and devour their victims’ divine souls.
  • Lu Ren activates the Reincarnation Ancient Pagoda, which destroys the ghost crow phantoms attacking his soul and protects him.
  • The seven Return-to-True Stage experts are not so fortunate. Their souls are completely devoured, leaving their bodies dead despite suffering almost no physical damage.
  • The man in black initially flees but turns back because Lu Ren contains the Void of Destiny Remnant Qi, which the Profound Fate Dao Disciple desires.
  • Using the Great Dao True Treasure Corpse-Soul Nether Lantern, he unleashes eerie green flames that burn through many ghost crows and eventually forces the swarm to retreat.
  • The man in black survives but is badly weakened after both fighting the swarm and suffering attacks on his divine soul.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ren: Demonstrates resourcefulness and resilience while fighting opponents far above his cultivation level. His Reincarnation Ancient Pagoda proves to be a powerful defense against soul-based attacks, revealing that his abilities are especially suited to countering the ghost crows.
  • Immortal-Smiting Iron: Shows intelligence and initiative by creating an escape route, drawing the ghost crow swarm toward the battlefield, and indirectly rescuing Lu Ren. Its status as a Great Dao True Treasure makes it highly coveted.
  • The man in black: Reveals that his concern is not for his subordinates but for the Void of Destiny Remnant Qi within Lu Ren. Although he abandons the seven experts at first, he risks returning to save Lu Ren from the swarm. His use of the Corpse-Soul Nether Lantern displays both his strength and his vulnerability to soul attacks.
  • The seven Corpse Crow Clan experts: Their confidence and numerical advantage collapse when confronted by the ghost crow swarm, emphasizing the limits of their cultivation against specialized soul-devouring creatures.

Significant Themes

  • Strategy over brute force: Lu Ren and Immortal-Smiting Iron survive by coordinating attacks, creating an opening, and manipulating the environment rather than defeating the stronger enemies directly.
  • The danger of soul-based attacks: Physical defenses are nearly useless against the ghost crows, highlighting the importance of protecting the divine soul.
  • Power and possession: The man in black values Lu Ren primarily because of the Void of Destiny Remnant Qi within him, showing how powerful figures treat individuals as vessels for coveted treasures or destiny-related power.
  • Unexpected alliances and indirect rescue: Immortal-Smiting Iron’s actions save Lu Ren without directly defeating the enemies, while the man in black is forced to protect the person he intends to exploit.
  • The cost of overwhelming power: Even a World-Evolution Stage expert with a specialized Great Dao True Treasure suffers serious soul damage when confronting the swarm.

Character Interactions

  • Lu Ren and Immortal-Smiting Iron cooperate closely, with Lu Ren trusting it to break through the encirclement.
  • The Corpse Crow Clan experts attempt to overwhelm Lu Ren through coordinated attacks, while their leader commands them to prioritize him over the escaping treasure.
  • Immortal-Smiting Iron’s escape and return transform the battle by bringing the ghost crow swarm into conflict with everyone present.
  • The man in black abandons the seven experts, then returns only because Lu Ren’s Void of Destiny Remnant Qi is valuable. He ultimately uses the Corpse-Soul Nether Lantern both to protect Lu Ren and to save himself from the swarm.
  • The ghost crows act as an impartial destructive force, killing the seven experts and severely weakening their leader while leaving Lu Ren alive due to his Reincarnation Ancient Pagoda.

Ch. 4415Second Dao-Shedding Transformation

Chapter Summary: “Second Dao-Shedding Transformation”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Lu Ren survives the previous battle and exploits the black-robed Corpse Crow Clan expert’s weakened state. After the man is distracted and injured by the Soul-Devouring Ghost Crows and Immortal-Smiting Iron, Lu Ren kills him with a surprise sword strike from within the yin mist.
  • Lu Ren loots the corpse, obtaining the Great Dao True Treasure Corpse-Soul Nether Lantern, more than a dozen Great Dao True Weapons, and nearly one hundred thousand Great Dao Pills.
  • Fearing that the battle’s disturbance will attract more Soul-Devouring Ghost Crows, Lu Ren and the Immortal-Smiting Iron immediately leave Soul-Eating Ghost Province and head toward Netherworld Ancient Province.
  • During the journey, Lu Ren enters the Reincarnation Ancient Pagoda and uses the stolen Great Dao Pills to cultivate his Chaos Great Dao Power. After nearly nine years inside the pagoda—less than a year outside—he successfully completes the Second Dao-Shedding Transformation.
  • Upon arriving at Netherworld Ancient Province, Lu Ren prepares to seek out the Reincarnation Netherkin and persuade Luo Youming to help him oppose Cang Xuanming.
  • The chapter then shifts to Reincarnation Nether Mountain, where Luo Youming, his daughter, and a young man flee in badly wounded condition. Three powerful pursuers chase them, declaring that Ghost Sorrow has ordered Luo Youming and his daughter to be captured or killed.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ren demonstrates greater combat ability and tactical awareness by waiting until the black-robed expert is weakened before delivering the killing blow.
  • His successful cultivation breakthrough raises his Chaos Great Dao Power from the First to the Second Dao-Shedding Transformation, significantly increasing his strength.
  • Lu Ren becomes more strategically focused. Rather than immediately seeking Ming Wujin or confronting Cang Xuanming, he decides to recruit Luo Youming as an ally first.
  • Luo Youming is introduced as a powerful but severely injured figure, apparently the leader or patriarch of the Reincarnation Netherkin. Despite his wounds, he insists that he can continue fighting.
  • Luo Youming’s daughter is shown to be deeply concerned for him and actively supports him during their escape.
  • The unnamed young man remains injured but retains strong fighting spirit, suggesting determination and possible importance to the Reincarnation Netherkin conflict.
  • The Immortal-Smiting Iron continues to serve as Lu Ren’s mount, transport, and combat partner, helping him escape quickly and reach Netherworld Ancient Province.

Significant Themes

  • Strength gained through adversity: Lu Ren turns a dangerous battle and the death of an enemy into an opportunity to acquire resources and advance his cultivation.
  • Strategic alliance-building: The chapter emphasizes that raw strength may not be enough to defeat Cang Xuanming, making allies such as Luo Youming essential.
  • Time and accelerated cultivation: The Reincarnation Ancient Pagoda allows Lu Ren to spend nearly a decade cultivating while less than a year passes in the outside world.
  • Predator and prey: The Soul-Devouring Ghost Crows threaten all combatants indiscriminately, while Luo Youming and his companions are hunted by a separate powerful faction.
  • Escalating conflict among ancient clans: Netherworld Ancient Province is presented as a major center of power, and the pursuit of Luo Youming suggests a broader struggle involving the Primordial Clans and Ghost Sorrow.

Character Interactions

  • Lu Ren and the Immortal-Smiting Iron coordinate closely during both the battle and their escape. Lu Ren relies on it to repel danger, travel, and reach the Reincarnation Netherkin.
  • Lu Ren reflects on his victory and acknowledges that the Soul-Devouring Ghost Crows were crucial in weakening the black-robed expert.
  • Lu Ren communicates his plan to the Immortal-Smiting Iron, directing it toward Netherworld Ancient Province and later entering cultivation while it transports him.
  • Lu Ren intends to negotiate with Luo Youming, hoping to convince him to help confront Cang Xuanming.
  • Luo Youming’s daughter anxiously asks about his condition and supports him as they flee, while Luo Youming reassures her that he can endure.
  • The pursuing gray-robed men confront Luo Youming and announce that Ghost Sorrow has ordered his capture, establishing the immediate cliffhanger.

Ch. 4416Upheaval in the Reincarnation Netherkin

Chapter Summary: Reincarnation Netherkin Upheaval

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Luo Youming is pursued by three Reincarnation Netherkin clansmen, all at the Heaven-Unity Late Stage. They accuse him of stealing the tribe’s treasured artifact and betraying the Reincarnation Netherkin, claiming that Luo Guichou has become the new Young Tribe Leader.
  • Luo Youming is severely injured and fleeing with his daughter, Luo Qianli. The three pursuers intend to prevent him from escaping, fearing that he will recover and remain a threat to Luo Guichou’s control of the tribe.
  • Lu Lunhui, an outsider with an Ordinary Battle Body and a Heaven-Unity Mid Stage cultivation, volunteers to stay behind and delay the enemies so Luo Youming and Luo Qianli can escape.
  • Luo Qianli refuses to abandon Lu Lunhui, but he persuades her by reminding her that she must protect her injured father and prevent the tribe from falling entirely into Luo Guichou’s hands.
  • Lu Lunhui reveals and activates the powerful Reincarnation Eight Desolations Scripture, creating an Eight Desolations Domain and eight reincarnation avatars modeled after himself.
  • The avatars block all three enemies, preventing them from pursuing Luo Youming and Luo Qianli. The clansmen are shocked that Lu Lunhui possesses a secret scripture so rare that even the Reincarnation Netherkin know it only from ancient records.
  • The scripture allows the avatars to repeatedly reform as long as Lu Lunhui’s Great Dao energy remains, but it consumes tremendous strength. Lu Lunhui soon begins to weaken.
  • Luo Youming and Luo Qianli gain distance, but Luo Qianli senses that Lu Lunhui may not survive. She breaks away from her father and decides to return to him, despite Luo Youming’s warning that her presence could make his sacrifice meaningless.
  • The chapter ends with Luo Qianli tearfully declaring that she cannot stand by while Lu Lunhui dies, asking her father to let her be selfish just once.

Character Developments

  • Lu Lunhui demonstrates exceptional courage, loyalty, and self-sacrifice. Despite being previously looked down upon for his Ordinary Battle Body and lowly origins, he risks his life to protect Luo Youming and Luo Qianli.
  • Luo Youming recognizes his past prejudice toward Lu Lunhui. He admits that he once dismissed and expelled him, but now realizes that this outsider is the one defending him during the tribe’s crisis.
  • Luo Qianli shows deep devotion to Lu Lunhui. Although initially forced to flee with her father, she cannot accept abandoning him and ultimately chooses to return, prioritizing love and loyalty over her own safety.
  • The pursuing clansmen shift from contempt toward Lu Lunhui to shock and greed after witnessing his mastery of the Reincarnation Eight Desolations Scripture. They now want to capture him and claim credit for obtaining the rare technique.

Significant Themes

  • Self-sacrifice and loyalty: Lu Lunhui risks death to save people who once rejected him.
  • Redemption and changed judgment: Luo Youming’s former contempt for Lu Lunhui is overturned when Lu Lunhui proves his character through action.
  • Love versus duty: Luo Qianli is torn between protecting her father and returning to the man she loves.
  • Power beyond status: Lu Lunhui’s Ordinary Battle Body and outsider status conceal a rare and formidable mastery of the Reincarnation Great Dao.
  • Political succession and betrayal: The conflict reflects a struggle for control of the Reincarnation Netherkin, with Luo Guichou’s claim to leadership and Luo Youming’s survival at the center.

Important Character Interactions

  • Luo Youming and the pursuing clansmen argue over his alleged betrayal and loss of leadership rights.
  • Lu Lunhui confronts the three clansmen and insists that none of them will pass him.
  • Luo Qianli repeatedly pleads to remain with Lu Lunhui, while he urges her to escape with her father.
  • Luo Youming expresses remorse for having mistreated Lu Lunhui in the past.
  • At the end, Luo Qianli defies Luo Youming and prepares to return to Lu Lunhui, creating a cliffhanger over whether she can save him or will share his fate.

Ch. 4417Surrender Without a Fight

Summary: “Surrender Without Resistance”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Luo Qianli tells her father, Luo Youming, that she intends to leave with Lu Lunhui. Luo Youming, devastated by regret over neglecting her after her mother’s death, finally allows her to go and urges her not to live with regrets.
  • After Qianli departs, Luo Youming secretly vows to avenge her and Lu Lunhui if he survives and returns to the Reincarnation Netherkin.
  • While attempting to escape, Luo Youming is surrounded by more than a dozen members of his own clan. They have sided with Luo Guichou and seek the reward offered for capturing him.
  • The attackers remind Luo Youming that he is no longer the Young Tribe Leader but a condemned traitor accused of stealing the Lineage’s supreme treasure.
  • Although severely injured, Luo Youming unleashes the Reincarnation Great Dao and knocks the attackers back. However, the exertion worsens the cracks in his Great Dao Origin and threatens to destroy it completely.
  • The attackers attempt to exploit his weakness by demanding that he surrender, even threatening Luo Qianli’s safety. Luo Youming refuses, declaring that he would rather die fighting than submit.
  • Before he can launch another attack, a mysterious cultivator named Lu Ren appears. Using extraordinarily powerful realm-locking techniques, Lu Ren immobilizes every attacker, including Dao-Shedding Stage cultivators.
  • Lu Ren identifies himself as a cultivator from outside the Underworld Realm and questions Luo Youming about how the powerful Young Tribe Leader came to be hunted by his own people.

Character Developments

  • Luo Youming: Moves from guilt and emotional restraint to acceptance of his daughter’s choice. Despite his physical ruin, he retains his pride, determination, and loyalty to those he loves. His refusal to surrender reveals his unwillingness to betray his dignity or submit to Luo Guichou.
  • Luo Qianli: Demonstrates independence by leaving with Lu Lunhui, while still showing affection and concern for her father. Her departure marks a painful but important separation between them.
  • The Reincarnation Netherkin attackers: Their loyalty to Luo Youming collapses in the face of personal gain. They view him not as their former leader and benefactor, but as a valuable bounty.
  • Lu Ren: Is introduced as a powerful and enigmatic outsider. Despite appearing to be at the Dao-Shedding Stage, he possesses overwhelming sealing abilities and immediately takes control of the situation.

Significant Themes

  • Parental regret and reconciliation: Luo Youming acknowledges that his obsession with cultivation caused him to neglect Qianli, creating an emotional breakthrough between father and daughter.
  • Loyalty versus self-interest: The clan members abandon their former ties to Luo Youming for rewards, showing how political downfall can expose the fragility of allegiance.
  • Pride and resistance: Luo Youming’s declaration that he will not surrender without resistance emphasizes dignity in the face of defeat and death.
  • Betrayal and political power: Luo Youming’s fall from Young Tribe Leader to hunted “sinner” reflects the ruthless shifting of power within the Reincarnation Netherkin.
  • Unexpected intervention: Lu Ren’s arrival introduces a new force that may alter Luo Youming’s fate and the broader conflict.

Character Interactions

  • Luo Youming and Luo Qianli: They share a sorrowful farewell. He admits his failures as a father and grants her permission to leave, while she responds with respect and concern.
  • Luo Youming and the clan attackers: Their confrontation contrasts his former authority and personal investment in them with their current greed and betrayal.
  • The attackers and Luo Guichou: Though Luo Guichou does not appear directly, his influence drives the attack through promises of rewards and threats against Qianli.
  • Luo Youming and Lu Ren: Their first exchange is cautious and investigative. Lu Ren rescues Luo Youming from immediate danger, then questions the circumstances of his downfall.

Ch. 4418Father Arrives

Chapter Summary: “Father Arrives”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Luo Youming, badly wounded and pursued by members of the Reincarnation Netherkin clan, asks Lu Ren for help.
  • The Netherkin leader warns Lu Ren not to interfere, claiming Luo Youming is a criminal and threatening him with retaliation from their powerful backer, Ghost Sorrow.
  • Lu Ren learns that Luo Youming’s daughter is Luo Qianli and confirms that Luo Youming knows Lu Lunhui, Lu Ren’s son.
  • Little Broken Tower detects Lu Lunhui and Luo Qianli nearby through their Reincarnation Great Dao aura. Lu Ren immediately realizes they are in danger.
  • Lu Ren kills the pursuing Netherkin group with a single sword strike. His attack contains Return to Simplicity-level Grand Dao True Intent, shocking Luo Youming.
  • Lu Ren rushes toward the Eight Desolations Domain while Luo Youming follows despite his injuries.
  • Inside the domain, Lu Lunhui is overwhelmed by three Reincarnation Netherkin cultivators. His eight Reincarnation avatars are repeatedly destroyed until they can no longer reform, causing the domain to collapse and leaving him severely weakened.
  • Luo Qianli returns instead of escaping, choosing to stand beside Lu Lunhui even if they must die together.
  • The Netherkin prepare to capture both of them, but Lu Ren arrives and orders their release, threatening them with death.
  • Lu Lunhui and Luo Qianli are stunned by Lu Ren’s appearance. The Netherkin leader, however, underestimates him because Lu Ren is only at the Second Dao-Shedding Transformation realm.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ren: Demonstrates overwhelming combat ability and fierce protectiveness toward his son. His mastery of Grand Dao True Intent makes him far more dangerous than his cultivation level suggests. His calm concern turns into decisive violence once he learns Lu Lunhui is threatened.
  • Lu Lunhui: Shows remarkable endurance by using the Reincarnation Eight Desolations Scripture to hold off three powerful enemies despite possessing only an Ordinary Battle Body. Though nearly exhausted, he remains concerned for Luo Qianli and refuses to accept her sacrifice.
  • Luo Qianli: Displays deep loyalty and courage by returning to Lu Lunhui rather than abandoning him. Her declaration that she will die with him confirms the strength of their bond and her rejection of clan expectations.
  • Luo Youming: Though severely injured, he follows Lu Ren to help his daughter and Lu Lunhui. He is astonished by Lu Ren’s strength and recognizes his extraordinary talent.
  • Reincarnation Netherkin enemies: Remain arrogant and dismissive, judging Lu Lunhui for his bloodline and Lu Ren for his apparent cultivation level. Their confidence contrasts sharply with Lu Ren’s actual power.

Significant Themes

  • Parental protection: Lu Ren’s arrival is driven by his determination to save his son, transforming the power balance immediately.
  • Loyalty and sacrifice: Luo Qianli’s refusal to abandon Lu Lunhui emphasizes devotion that transcends clan rules and personal safety.
  • Prejudice against perceived weakness: The Netherkin belittle Lu Lunhui for being an Ordinary Battle Body and underestimate Lu Ren because of his cultivation realm.
  • Hidden strength and reversal of power: Lu Ren’s extraordinary sword intent and effortless slaughter of the Netherkin reveal that surface cultivation does not reflect true ability.
  • Defiance of authority: Lu Qianli and Lu Lunhui reject the Reincarnation Netherkin’s bloodline hierarchy, while Lu Ren openly challenges the clan and Ghost Sorrow.

Important Character Interactions

  • Lu Ren and Luo Youming: Luo Youming seeks Lu Ren’s aid, and their conversation reveals the connection between their children. Lu Ren’s priorities shift immediately when he learns Lu Lunhui is endangered.
  • Lu Ren and the Netherkin: Lu Ren ignores their threats, kills their companions, and later confronts the remaining three with a direct ultimatum.
  • Lu Lunhui and Luo Qianli: Their exchange highlights their mutual love and willingness to protect one another. Luo Qianli refuses to leave him, while Lu Lunhui worries about her safety.
  • Lu Ren and Lu Lunhui: Their reunion is brief but emotionally powerful; Lu Lunhui reacts with disbelief when his father appears at the critical moment.
  • Lu Ren and Luo Qianli: Luo Qianli is shocked to see Lu Ren, while he silently positions himself as their protector.

Ch. 4419Instantly Killing Three Heaven-Unity Late Stage Cultivators

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Lu Ren confronts three Reincarnation Netherkin cultivators and orders them to release Lu Lunhui and Luo Qianli.
  • Although Lu Ren is only at the Second Dao-Shedding Transformation, his aura makes the opponents sense danger. The leading Heaven-Unity Late Stage cultivator attacks him with the Reincarnation Dao.
  • Lu Ren counters with Chaos Heaven Burial, instantly destroying the man’s Reincarnation Nether Disc and killing him with a single sword strike.
  • The remaining two cultivators seize Lu Lunhui and Luo Qianli as hostages, hoping to restrain Lu Ren.
  • Lu Ren uses Void Instant-Kill Sword to pierce both enemies. They recognize that he possesses Void of Destiny Qi and speculate that he may have a Void of Destiny Battle Body.
  • The two cultivators attempt to flee and report the incident to their Young Tribe Leader, but Lu Ren pursues and kills them with two more Chaos sword strikes.
  • Before Lu Ren and the others can escape, Luo Xuan, a powerful Reincarnation Netherkin genius at the Early Return-to-True Stage, arrives.
  • Luo Xuan reveals immense strength through his Primordial Battle Body and sixty-five-percent bloodline concentration. He prepares the Primordial Divine Ability Reincarnation Nether Slash, directing a massive nether blade at Lu Ren.
  • The chapter ends with Luo Xuan’s devastating attack descending, leaving Lu Ren’s fate unresolved.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ren demonstrates a dramatic increase in combat power. Despite his low cultivation realm and supposedly Ordinary Battle Body, he effortlessly kills three Heaven-Unity Late Stage opponents.
  • His mastery of Chaos Heaven Burial, Void Instant-Kill Sword, and Void of Destiny Qi establishes him as an extraordinary and highly dangerous combatant.
  • Lu Lunhui is shocked and impressed by his father’s strength, realizing that Lu Ren has become far more powerful than expected.
  • Luo Qianli, initially confident in Lu Ren’s talent, is likewise astonished by his ability to kill a Heaven-Unity Late Stage expert instantly. However, she becomes deeply alarmed upon recognizing Luo Xuan’s ultimate technique.
  • Luo Xuan is introduced as one of the Reincarnation Netherkin’s foremost young geniuses and a much greater threat than the three defeated cultivators.

Significant Themes

  • Hidden power and underestimated strength: Lu Ren’s low realm conceals combat ability capable of overwhelming opponents several major stages above him.
  • Battle-body and bloodline superiority: The chapter emphasizes the importance of Void of Destiny and Primordial Battle Bodies, as well as Reincarnation Netherkin bloodline concentration.
  • Protective resolve: Lu Ren’s repeated demand to release Lu Lunhui and Luo Qianli reflects his determination to protect them, even while surrounded by powerful enemies.
  • Escalating conflict: The easy victories against the three cultivators lead directly to a confrontation with an even stronger adversary, raising the stakes sharply.
  • Clash between outsider and established power: Lu Ren’s unknown identity and abilities threaten the authority of the Reincarnation Netherkin and prompt them to call in their strongest available genius.

Character Interactions

  • Lu Ren commands the Reincarnation Netherkin cultivators to release the captives, but the leading man responds arrogantly and attacks.
  • Lu Lunhui and Luo Qianli witness Lu Ren’s overwhelming victories and react with shock.
  • The two remaining enemies attempt to exploit Lu Lunhui and Luo Qianli as hostages, but Lu Ren defeats them before they can use the threat.
  • Luo Xuan confronts Lu Ren after observing the deaths of his fellow tribe members and accuses him of meddling in Reincarnation Netherkin affairs.
  • Luo Qianli recognizes Luo Xuan and warns Lu Ren about the lethal power of his Reincarnation Nether Slash.

Ch. 4420Battle Against an Early Return-to-True Stage Expert

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Lu Ren counters Luo Xuan’s thousand-zhang Nether Reincarnation Blade with Myriad Weapons Slaying the Dao, releasing five hundred Great Dao Spirit Weapons in a devastating torrent.
  • Although several weapons shatter, the torrent ultimately destroys Luo Xuan’s blade and breaks through his defensive Reincarnation vortexes, injuring him and cracking his Reincarnation Nether Heaven Battle Body.
  • Rather than become enraged, Luo Xuan is exhilarated by Lu Ren’s strength. He activates the Netherblood Dao-Burning Codex, burning his Primordial Bloodline to raise his combat power from the Early Return-to-True Stage toward the Mid-Return-to-True Stage.
  • Empowered by the technique, Luo Xuan destroys Lu Ren’s next Slaughtering Torrent, forcing Lu Ren to recognize that continuing the battle is dangerous.
  • Lu Ren orders Lu Lunhui and Luo Qianli to flee while he holds Luo Xuan back. Luo Xuan attempts to stop them using the Ancient Nether Soul-Burning Cauldron, a Great Dao True Treasure that releases flames capable of burning both body and soul.
  • Lu Ren counters with the Corpse-Soul Nether Lantern, producing ghostly green flames that clash with Luo Xuan’s Nether flames.
  • Little Broken Tower warns that numerous Reincarnation Netherkin experts are approaching, including beings with Heaven-Questioning Stage auras. Realizing they cannot remain, Lu Ren uses his final trump card, the Immortal-Smiting Iron.
  • The Immortal-Smiting Iron overwhelms and knocks away Luo Xuan’s cauldron before smashing directly into him. Luo Xuan’s defenses collapse, his battle body cracks, and he is hurled into and through a Nether Mountain, left severely wounded.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ren demonstrates that, despite being only at the Second Dao-Shedding Transformation, his Void of Destiny Battle Body, powerful techniques, and multiple Great Dao True Treasures allow him to challenge and injure a much higher-level Return-to-True expert.
  • He remains calm and tactical, shifting from offense to retreat once Luo Xuan’s strength increases and reinforcements begin approaching.
  • Luo Xuan is revealed to be an exceptionally powerful Reincarnation Netherkin genius, but he is also shocked by Lu Ren’s abilities. His confidence turns into disbelief after Lu Ren’s Immortal-Smiting Iron inflicts overwhelming damage.
  • Lu Lunhui shows concern for his father and urges him not to continue fighting, while obeying Lu Ren’s order to escape with Luo Qianli.
  • Luo Qianli is deeply astonished by Lu Ren, recognizing him as an unprecedented talent even among the Underworld Realm’s strongest geniuses.
  • Little Broken Tower acts as an important guide and warning system, alerting Lu Ren to the imminent arrival of powerful enemies.

Significant Themes

  • Unprecedented talent and defiance of realms: Lu Ren’s ability to injure a Return-to-True expert while at the Second Dao-Shedding Transformation emphasizes his extraordinary potential.
  • Power versus strategy: Raw strength alone is not enough; Lu Ren survives by recognizing when Luo Xuan becomes too dangerous and preparing to withdraw.
  • Escalation and hidden trump cards: Both fighters reveal increasingly powerful techniques and treasures, turning the battle into a contest of secret advantages.
  • Sacrifice and protection: Lu Ren risks himself to give Lu Lunhui and Luo Qianli time to escape.
  • Pride and disbelief: Luo Xuan’s confidence in his higher cultivation and superior Great Dao Power is shattered when Lu Ren’s treasure defeats him so decisively.

Character Interactions

  • Lu Ren and Luo Xuan engage in a rapidly escalating duel, with each countering the other’s techniques.
  • Lu Xuan? Wait: Lu Lunhui pleads with Lu Ren to stop fighting, emphasizing the danger of incoming Reincarnation Netherkin experts.
  • Lu Ren commands Lu Lunhui to escort Luo Qianli away, placing their safety above continuing the battle.
  • Luo Xuan refuses to let them escape and attempts to block their retreat, forcing Lu Ren to unleash the Immortal-Smiting Iron.
  • The chapter ends with Luo Xuan badly injured and unable to understand how Lu Ren’s Great Dao True Treasure could overpower his own.
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