Chapter Summaries

• Plot events: Lu Ren learns that the number of Reincarnation Steles a cultivator activates depends on how much of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth they can sense within the Reincarnation Stele Forest. Luo Youming reveals that he once activated 150 steles, ranking third in the Reincarnation Netherkin’s history; the record-holder activated 200. Ancient Elder Luo Lin explains that activating 100 would already mark someone as a top genius, then opens the forest and directs Lu Ren to meditate on the central Reincarnation Stone. Before entering, Lu Ren asks Luo Youming for 300,000 Great Dao Pills to support his eventual breakthrough to the Heaven-Unity Stage. Though shocked and visibly pained by the enormous request, Luo Youming gives them to him. Lu Ren then begins cultivating in the forest, and after a month, the nearest Reincarnation Stele trembles and one of its ancient inscriptions lights up.
• Character developments: Lu Ren displays confidence, ambition, and a strikingly large appetite for resources, believing he may need six times the pills Luo Youming used for his own breakthrough. His cultivation potential appears extraordinary, as he quickly benefits from the forest’s enhancement and may be able to reach the Heaven-Unity Stage in roughly a month. Luo Youming is shown to be generous and loyal, honoring his bond with Lu Ren despite the heavy financial burden. His forced smile and reluctance reveal his distress, while Luo Lin bluntly recognizes that he is sacrificing his own resources out of gratitude and family ties.
• Character interactions: Lu Ren questions Luo Youming about his past achievement and compares it against the forest’s thousand steles, unintentionally sounding dismissive. He then asks for the massive loan, prompting Luo Youming’s disbelief. Luo Youming insists that, as marriage-linked family—and because Lu Ren saved his life—the pills need not be considered a loan. After Lu Ren leaves, Luo Lin criticizes Luo Youming for “suffering in silence,” but Luo Youming defends the gift by emphasizing their relationship and his debt to Lu Ren.
• Significant themes: The chapter emphasizes cultivation talent, ambition, and the importance of foundational resources. It also explores loyalty, gratitude, family obligation, and the tension between generosity and personal cost. The Reincarnation Stele Forest is portrayed as a powerful bridge between cultivators and the natural laws of heaven and earth, suggesting that Lu Ren’s progress may challenge long-standing clan records.

Chapter Summary: “Activating the Reincarnation Steles”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren’s Chaos Great Dao Origin begins trembling as he finally senses the Heaven-Earth Great Dao Momentum within the Reincarnation Stele Forest.
• His breakthrough triggers the forest’s Reincarnation Steles, causing them to shake and illuminate one after another.
• Ancient Elder Luo Lin and the young Reincarnation Netherkin clansmen outside realize that Lu Ren has sensed the Great Dao Momentum after only one month—a speed considered extraordinarily fast.
• Lu Ren rapidly activates the Reincarnation Steles:
  • He surpasses one hundred within moments.
  • He reaches two hundred, tying the historical record of the Reincarnation Netherkin.
  • He continues far beyond the record, activating five hundred, seven hundred, and eventually eight hundred steles.
• Each activated stele releases a pillar of Reincarnation light, eventually forming a dazzling “river” or sea of light above the forest and illuminating much of the Reincarnation Netherkin territory.
• The disturbance alerts the entire Reincarnation Netherkin clan. Powerful figures awaken and rush toward the stele forest after learning that a single outsider, Lu Ren, caused the phenomenon.
• Although the activation rate gradually slows, the steles continue lighting up. After the eight-hundredth stele activates, everyone begins wondering whether Lu Ren might activate all one thousand.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Demonstrates astonishing comprehension and endurance. Despite being only at the Dao-Shedding Stage, he not only senses the Heaven-Earth Great Dao Momentum in record time but withstands the immense pressure generated by activating hundreds of steles.
• Ancient Elder Luo Lin: Shifts from surprise to complete disbelief as Lu Ren repeatedly exceeds his expectations. He initially considers one hundred steles impressive, then watches Lu Ren tie the clan’s historical record and surpass it many times over.
• Reincarnation Netherkin clansmen: Their curiosity about Lu Ren turns into shock and awe. They begin viewing his performance as an unprecedented miracle rather than an ordinary cultivation achievement.

Significant Themes

• Extraordinary talent and record-breaking achievement: Lu Ren’s progress establishes him as a prodigy far beyond even the Reincarnation Netherkin’s greatest historical figures.
• Outsider surpassing an ancient clan: The fact that an outsider activates more steles than any Reincarnation Netherkin emphasizes the disruptive power of Lu Ren’s abilities.
• Endurance under overwhelming pressure: The more steles Lu Ren activates, the greater the Heaven-Earth Great Dao Momentum becomes, making his continued progress a testament to his powerful Chaos Great Dao Origin and determination.
• Anticipation and escalation: The chapter continually raises the stakes, moving from one hundred to eight hundred steles and ending with the possibility that Lu Ren may activate all one thousand.

Character Interactions

• Luo Lin observes and comments on Lu Ren’s progress, acting as the primary witness to the unfolding feat.
• The young Reincarnation Netherkin clansmen discuss Lu Ren’s speed and achievements, comparing him with their own cultivation standards.
• As news spreads, the wider Reincarnation Netherkin community gathers at the forest, collectively reacting with disbelief and amazement.
• Lu Ren does not directly converse with the others; his actions and cultivation performance become the focus of everyone’s attention.

Chapter Summary: “Successive Breakthroughs”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren continues enduring the immense pressure of the heaven-and-earth Great Dao while seated on the Reincarnation Stone.
• He progressively activates the Reincarnation Steles, surpassing the previous Reincarnation Netherkin record of 200:
  • 800, then 900, 999, and finally all 1,000 steles.
• The final, previously blank Reincarnation Stele activates when Lu Ren manifests the phantom of the Six Paths of Reincarnation, revealing ancient reincarnation patterns.
• Once all 1,000 steles are active, they form a powerful hidden formation known as the Heavenly Reincarnation Formation.
• The formation releases a force of the heaven-and-earth Great Dao more than ten times stronger than before, finally shattering Lu Ren’s Dao-Shedding bottleneck.
• Lu Ren burns 300,000 Great Dao Pills to provide additional energy and breaks through from the Dao-Shedding Stage into the Heaven-Unity Stage.
• The formation continues empowering him, allowing him to advance rapidly through the Heaven-Unity Initial and Middle stages and finally reach the Heaven-Unity Late Stage.
• After the breakthrough, Lu Ren tests his connection to the heaven-and-earth Great Dao and discovers that his combat power has increased enormously. He believes he can now fight a World-Evolution Late Stage Primordial Battle Body directly and kill an Ordinary Battle Body with ease.

Character Development

• Lu Ren: Demonstrates extraordinary endurance, determination, and talent by refusing to stop despite the danger to his divine soul and Chaos Great Dao Origin. His mastery of reincarnation deepens when the Six Paths phantom enables the activation of the final stele. He evolves from merely seeking a breakthrough into an unprecedented figure who unlocks the Reincarnation Stele Forest’s hidden power.
• Ancient Elder Luo Lin and the Reincarnation Netherkin: Their confidence and expectations are overturned by Lu Ren’s achievement. They are rendered speechless and shocked when he surpasses their ancient record and activates every stele.
• Little Broken Tower: Provides the crucial explanation that the stele forest is actually concealing the Heavenly Reincarnation Formation, helping Lu Ren understand the source of his extraordinary breakthrough.

Significant Themes

• Perseverance under extreme pressure: Lu Ren continues despite his body and soul nearing their limits.
• Hidden potential and discovery: The stele forest contains a secret formation that no one recognized because no previous cultivator activated all 1,000 steles.
• Surpassing established limits: Lu Ren’s achievement vastly exceeds the Reincarnation Netherkin’s strongest historical record.
• Power through comprehension and preparation: His Six Paths of Reincarnation insight and stockpile of Great Dao Pills combine with the formation to produce an unprecedented advancement.
• Transformation and ascension: The chapter presents Lu Ren’s leap from Dao-Shedding to Heaven-Unity Late Stage as a dramatic elevation in both realm and combat capability.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren has no direct conversation with the Reincarnation Netherkin during the breakthrough, but his actions provoke their collective shock and disbelief.
• Ancient Elder Luo Lin reacts with particular astonishment because Lu Ren’s achievement surpasses the Netherkin’s record by a tremendous margin.
• Little Broken Tower communicates with Lu Ren internally, explaining the Heavenly Reincarnation Formation and confirming that Lu Ren is its first true activator.

Chapter Summary: “Benefiting for Countless Ages”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Heavenly Reincarnation Formation activates after all one thousand Reincarnation Steles are awakened, shocking the Reincarnation Netherkin clansmen.
• Ming Elder appears and explains that the formation had been sealed for countless ages. Its activation will awaken the Heaven and Earth Dao Rhyme within the Reincarnation Stele Forest.
• Because of the formation, future Reincarnation Netherkin cultivators will comprehend the momentum of the Heaven and Earth Great Dao at least ten times faster, greatly strengthening the clan and helping its younger generation advance toward the Heaven-Unity Stage.
• Elder Luo Lin reveals that Lu Ren, an outsider and disciple of the Great Dao Sect, was responsible for activating the steles. Ming Elder does not blame him; instead, he recognizes that Lu Ren has done the clan an enormous service.
• After cultivating for one month, Lu Ren emerges from the forest having reached the Heaven-Unity Late Stage. His Chaos Great Dao Power now strongly resonates with the surrounding Heaven and Earth Great Dao.
• Elder Luo Lin tells Lu Ren that the Reincarnation Netherkin owe him a tremendous debt, while Lu Ren modestly remarks that he has not taken advantage of their hospitality.
• Luo Qianli arrives with urgent news from her father, Luo Youming: Ming Wujin has appeared in the Myriad Ghost Imperial Capital.
• Lu Ren receives Luo Youming’s message through a jade slip and immediately sets out for the Myriad Ghost Imperial Capital to investigate Ming Wujin’s whereabouts.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Makes a major breakthrough from his previous cultivation level to the Heaven-Unity Late Stage in only one month. His mastery of the Chaos Great Dao has also deepened, and he now carries an imposing aura. His actions unintentionally benefit the entire Reincarnation Netherkin clan, further establishing his importance and influence.
• Elder Luo Lin: Initially fears punishment for allowing an outsider into the Reincarnation Stele Forest, but his attitude changes to gratitude and respect once he learns the formation’s benefits.
• Ming Elder: Demonstrates his deep knowledge of the clan’s ancient inheritance and immediately recognizes Lu Ren’s contribution. Rather than treating Lu Ren as an outsider, he views him as someone who has brought lasting fortune to the Reincarnation Netherkin.
• Luo Qianli: Acts as a messenger and shows concern for Lu Ren’s safety, reflecting her continued trust and care for him.
• Luo Youming: Continues supporting Lu Ren by personally investigating Ming Wujin and promptly sending him intelligence.

Significant Themes

• Unintended merit and destiny: Lu Ren enters the forest for personal cultivation but accidentally revives an ancient formation that benefits the clan for generations.
• Reciprocity and gratitude: Although Lu Ren is an outsider, his contribution creates a powerful bond between him and the Reincarnation Netherkin.
• The value of opportunity: The exception made to admit Lu Ren into the forest produces consequences far greater than anyone expected.
• Growth through cultivation: Lu Ren’s rapid breakthrough highlights his extraordinary potential and signals that he is becoming increasingly capable of facing powerful enemies.
• Ancient legacies awakening: The Heavenly Reincarnation Formation represents a forgotten inheritance whose revival reshapes the clan’s future.

Important Character Interactions

• Ming Elder and Elder Luo Lin: Ming Elder questions who activated the formation, causing Luo Lin anxiety, but ultimately praises Lu Ren and explains the formation’s benefits.
• Elder Luo Lin and Lu Ren: Luo Lin expresses the clan’s gratitude, while Lu Ren responds humbly and acknowledges the opportunity he was given.
• Luo Qianli and Lu Ren: Qianli delivers the news about Ming Wujin and warns Lu Ren to be careful; Lu Ren reassures her by emphasizing his newfound strength.
• Luo Youming and Lu Ren: Though communicating indirectly through the jade slip, Luo Youming summons Lu Ren to the Myriad Ghost Imperial Capital, setting up the chapter’s next major conflict.

Chapter Summary: Myriad Ghost Imperial Capital

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren arrives at the ancient Myriad Ghost Imperial Capital, a massive city floating above a black nether river and filled with ghost qi, ghost cultivators, and Primordial Clan powerhouses.
• He travels directly to a secluded nether tower, using a jade slip to locate Luo Youming and the Reincarnation Netherkin.
• Luo Youming is shocked to discover that Lu Ren has reached the Heaven-Unity Late Stage. Lu Ren reveals that he activated all one thousand Reincarnation Steles in the Reincarnation Stele Forest, far surpassing the Reincarnation Netherkin’s record of two hundred.
• Lu Ren asks about Ming Wujin. Luo Youming explains that rumors claim Ming Wujin has been captured and sold to the Myriad Ghost Black Market, drawing powerful figures from across the Underworld Realm.
• Lu Ren and Luo Youming conclude that the news is probably a trap designed to lure out those seeking the Void of Destiny Remnant Qi—especially Lu Ren and Cang Xuanming. They speculate that another Void of Destiny Battle Body may be manipulating events.
• Since Luo Youming cannot openly compete for the remnant qi on behalf of the Reincarnation Netherkin, Lu Ren must investigate and fight independently.
• Before Lu Ren leaves, Luo Youming gives him 500,000 Great Dao Pills, gathered privately by several elders as a loan.
• Lu Ren heads toward the Myriad Ghost Black Market while hearing widespread rumors about Ming Wujin. Just as he proceeds through the city, he suddenly senses an intense, inexplicable danger.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren demonstrates extraordinary cultivation talent by advancing to the Heaven-Unity Late Stage and activating every Reincarnation Stele. His confidence and strategic awareness have also grown; he immediately suspects that Ming Wujin’s alleged capture is a carefully arranged deception.
• Luo Youming becomes increasingly impressed and unsettled by Lu Ren’s progress. He acts as an ally by providing information and substantial financial support, while making clear that Lu Ren must face the struggle himself.
• Ming Wujin remains absent, but his alleged capture transforms him into bait in a larger conflict involving the Void of Destiny Remnant Qi.
• The possibility of a fourth Void of Destiny Battle Body is introduced, suggesting a new and potentially dangerous rival behind the conspiracy.

Significant Themes

• Conspiracy and manipulation: Public rumors about Ming Wujin may be deliberately engineered to draw powerful competitors into a trap.
• Exceptional talent and rapid advancement: Lu Ren’s unprecedented achievement with the Reincarnation Steles establishes him as an extraordinary force.
• Competition for destiny and power: The struggle over the Void of Destiny Remnant Qi pits Void of Destiny Battle Bodies against one another while excluding Primordial Battle Bodies.
• Trust and reluctant alliance: Lu Ren and Luo Youming cooperate despite differing interests, with Luo Youming offering aid while maintaining the Reincarnation Netherkin’s neutrality.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren meets Luo Youming and the Reincarnation Netherkin elders in the nether tower.
• Luo Youming reacts with disbelief to Lu Ren’s cultivation breakthrough and questions him about the Reincarnation Steles.
• Lu Ren and Luo Youming exchange theories about Ming Wujin’s supposed capture, jointly recognizing the likelihood of a hidden mastermind.
• Luo Youming warns Lu Ren that he cannot openly participate and provides him with Great Dao Pills instead.
• As Lu Ren leaves for the black market, conversations among city-dwellers reinforce the rumors surrounding Ming Wujin, ending with Lu Ren detecting an ominous presence or threat.

Chapter Summary: Entering the Myriad Ghost Black Market

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren senses a terrifying killing intent while traveling through the Myriad Ghost Imperial Capital. He evades the pursuer by darting through the crowded streets and hiding in an alley.
• The pursuer is revealed to be Guanlan Daoist, who deliberately tested Lu Ren’s reactions. She recognizes that he has advanced to the Heaven-Unity Late Stage after gaining an opportunity within the Reincarnation Netherkin.
• Lu Ren suspects the original killing intent might have belonged to Cang Xuanming, whose strength is even greater because he possesses three strands of Void of Destiny Remnant Qi. Lu Ren realizes that merely reaching Heaven-Unity is still insufficient against the strongest experts.
• Lu Ren explains that he has come to investigate the Myriad Ghost Black Market because Ming Wujin was reportedly captured and sold there. Although he suspects the news may be a trap, he intends to investigate regardless.
• Guanlan reveals that she has been in the imperial capital for over a month and that Cang Xuanming has already entered the black market with several powerful allies.
• Despite the danger, Lu Ren decides to proceed. Guanlan chooses to accompany him, honoring her promise to protect him.
• They enter the black market through a dilapidated Ghost Temple containing a strange three-headed, six-armed Asura statue. A formation transports them to an underground realm filled with ghostly qi, netherfire, floating black pavilions, and masked cultivators.
• An announcement reveals that the black market is displaying a “Void of Destiny Battle Body.” Lu Ren and Guanlan follow the crowd to a black nether-iron platform.
• A sealed iron cage is brought onto the platform. Inside is a young, frightened woman wearing a tattered white dress. Her body emits unmistakable Void of Destiny Qi, confirming that she is the advertised target.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Demonstrates improved strength and evasive ability after reaching the Heaven-Unity Late Stage, but remains aware of the gap between himself and peak experts such as Cang Xuanming. His determination and willingness to face danger continue to define him.
• Guanlan Daoist: Shows both confidence in Lu Ren’s growth and continued concern for his safety. Her decision to accompany him reinforces her protective promise and suggests a degree of trust and investment in his fate.
• Cang Xuanming: Though absent in person, he becomes a major looming threat. His early arrival at the black market and possession of three strands of Void of Destiny Remnant Qi establish him as a formidable rival.
• The Imprisoned Woman: Is introduced as vulnerable, frightened, and confused, yet possesses the rare and highly significant Void of Destiny Qi, making her the center of the black market’s attention.

Significant Themes

• Strength versus true power: Lu Ren’s breakthrough gives him confidence but also highlights how far he remains from the realm of the strongest cultivators.
• Danger hidden beneath opportunity: The black market offers information about Ming Wujin and the Void of Destiny Battle Body, but both may be bait in a larger trap.
• Trust and protection: Guanlan’s willingness to accompany Lu Ren reflects loyalty and mutual reliance amid escalating dangers.
• Exploitation of the powerful and vulnerable: The imprisoned woman is treated as an object for public display and likely sale, emphasizing the black market’s brutality.
• Masks and concealed identities: The masked visitors, hidden auras, and mysterious rules of the market create an atmosphere of secrecy and uncertainty.

Character Interactions

• Guanlan surprises Lu Ren by revealing that she was the one who pursued him and tested his abilities.
• The two discuss the danger of entering the black market, with Guanlan warning that the rumored capture of Ming Wujin could be a trap.
• Lu Ren initially intends to proceed alone, but Guanlan insists on joining him to protect him from Cang Xuanming and other enemies.
• Together, they enter the black market and witness the unveiling of the mysterious Void of Destiny Battle Body.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ming Wujin, rumored to be a terrifying evil cultivator, is revealed to be a frail-looking woman imprisoned in an iron cage at the Myriad Ghost Black Market.
• The ghost-masked auctioneer announces that she possesses a Void of Destiny Battle Body fused with Void-Sealing Heaven Qi, a strand of Void of Destiny Remnant Qi.
• Because such remnant qi may help cultivators with Ordinary Battle Bodies alter their fate and gain a chance to enter the Dao-Proving Realm, Ming Wujin becomes extremely valuable.
• The Myriad Ghost Black Market puts her up for auction, declaring that identity and background will not matter—only the value of the offered stakes.
• The bidding begins at one hundred thousand Great Dao Pills and rapidly escalates. Bidders offer increasing amounts of pills and Great Dao True Treasures.
• The price eventually reaches three Great Dao True Treasures, seemingly ending most competition.
• Cang Xuanming then enters the auction anonymously, offering three Great Dao True Treasures plus one hundred thousand Great Dao Pills. His appearance causes the other bidders to fall silent because of his immense influence and the backing of the Great Dao Sect.

Character Developments

• Ming Wujin is portrayed as frightened and vulnerable, trembling beneath the greedy attention of the crowd. Her appearance contrasts sharply with her reputation as a ruthless evil cultivator.
• Lu Ren feels sympathy toward Ming Wujin and questions whether he could truly attack her if confronted. He recognizes that his own position as a Great Dao Sect disciple protects him from suffering a fate similar to hers.
• Guanlan Daoist provides insight into the motivations of the bidders and hints that Lu Ren and he may resort to force if Cang Xuanming acquires Ming Wujin.
• Cang Xuanming is established as a powerful rival and a determined buyer. As a Profound Fate Dao Disciple with a Void of Destiny Battle Body and three fused strands of remnant qi, he has a particularly strong reason to obtain Ming Wujin’s Void-Sealing Heaven Qi.

Significant Themes

• Exploitation of power and talent: Ming Wujin is treated as a commodity rather than a person because of her rare constitution.
• Fate and cultivation: Void of Destiny Remnant Qi represents a chance to overcome limitations, alter one’s destiny, and reach the Dao-Proving Realm.
• Privilege and protection: Lu Ren’s status within the Great Dao Sect shields him from the fate of being hunted or auctioned, highlighting the importance of backing and social position.
• Greed and desperation: Many aging cultivators bid because they have little hope of advancing through normal means, making Ming Wujin a symbol of their last opportunity.
• Conflict beneath civility: Although the event appears to be an auction, the participants understand that possession of Ming Wujin may ultimately be decided through violence.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren and Guanlan Daoist discuss the value of Ming Wujin, the bidders’ motives, and whether they can afford to compete.
• Guanlan Daoist warns that Cang Xuanming may have prepared more thoroughly than they have.
• Lu Ren admits he intends to bid but lacks sufficient resources, while Guanlan offers to contribute his own.
• Their discussion concludes with the possibility of forcibly taking Ming Wujin if Cang Xuanming wins the auction.
• Cang Xuanming’s bid changes the atmosphere of the entire black market, demonstrating his intimidating reputation and forcing other cultivators to withdraw.

Chapter Summary: “Two Fish Take the Bait”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Cang Xuanming secretly enters the Myriad Ghost Black Market and bids for Ming Wujin, a Void of Destiny Battle Body. His presence intimidates the other cultivators, who initially stop bidding.
• Blood Zombie Daoist challenges him, offering three Great Dao True Treasures and two hundred thousand Great Dao Pills. Cang Xuanming counters with four Great Dao True Treasures, forcing Blood Zombie Daoist to withdraw.
• Lu Ren and Guanlan Daoist discuss their limited resources. Lu Ren then makes a major bid of three Great Dao True Treasures, five hundred thousand Great Dao Pills, and ten Great Dao True Weapons.
• Cang Xuanming publicly identifies Lu Ren, revealing that he is the renowned Lu Ren of the Great Dao Sect and another Void of Destiny Battle Body. Lu Ren challenges Cang Xuanming to show himself, but Cang refuses, saying he will meet Lu Ren after obtaining Ming Wujin.
• From a hidden pavilion, a mysterious black-dressed woman reveals that both Lu Ren and Cang Xuanming are “big fish” who have taken the bait. She orders a black-robed elder to begin an attack before the black market can react.
• Cang Xuanming raises the bid to six Great Dao True Treasures, surpassing Lu Ren’s financial ability. Rather than continue bidding, Guanlan Daoist proposes abducting Cang Xuanming.
• Guanlan begins deducing Cang Xuanming’s location from the traces of aura he exposed while speaking. She tells Lu Ren to contact the Reincarnation Netherkin, since the two of them alone may not be able to defeat or capture him.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Demonstrates boldness by openly competing with Cang Xuanming despite having fewer resources. He remains composed after his identity is exposed, but becomes frustrated when Cang’s final bid exceeds his means. He shifts from competing through the auction to considering a direct confrontation.
• Guanlan Daoist: Shows strategic intelligence and confidence. She recognizes that Cang’s repeated bids have revealed enough of his aura to track him and proposes a more practical plan: cooperating with the Reincarnation Netherkin to seize him.
• Cang Xuanming: Establishes himself as wealthy, powerful, and highly confident. He remains hidden while manipulating the auction and easily defeats both Blood Zombie Daoist and Lu Ren financially.
• Blood Zombie Daoist: Displays desperation and fearlessness, motivated by thirty thousand years of stagnation at the Late-Heaven-Questioning Stage. However, his resources are insufficient to compete with Cang Xuanming.
• The black-dressed woman: Is revealed as the mastermind behind an imminent attack. She views Lu Ren and Cang Xuanming as targets rather than ordinary participants in the auction.

Significant Themes

• Bait and manipulation: The auction is revealed to be a trap designed to draw out two powerful Void of Destiny Battle Bodies. The title emphasizes that both Lu Ren and Cang Xuanming have unknowingly entered the enemy’s scheme.
• Power and resources: Wealth, status, cultivation strength, and factional backing determine the course of the bidding. Cang Xuanming’s superior foundation gives him a decisive advantage.
• Concealment versus exposure: Cang attempts to hide his location, but his repeated public statements inadvertently expose traces of his aura. Lu Ren’s identity is also revealed, increasing the danger around him.
• Strategy over direct strength: Once Lu Ren cannot compete financially, Guanlan turns to deduction, tracking, and alliance-building, showing that intelligence and cooperation may overcome a disadvantage in resources.
• Rising danger: The auction’s competitive tension masks a larger conflict, as the black market’s hidden faction prepares to strike before anyone can respond.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren and Guanlan Daoist work together closely, combining their resources and discussing how to counter Cang Xuanming.
• Blood Zombie Daoist directly challenges Cang Xuanming but is defeated in the bidding.
• Cang Xuanming publicly exposes Lu Ren’s identity and taunts him, while Lu Ren challenges Cang to reveal himself.
• The black-dressed woman commands the black-robed elder to attack, indicating their coordinated roles in the ambush.
• Guanlan persuades Lu Ren to abandon the auction and seek help from the Reincarnation Netherkin to capture Cang Xuanming.

Chapter Summary: Cage of Tribulation

Key Plot Points and Events

• The auction for Ming Wujin, the Void of Destiny Battle Body, concludes when Cang Xuanming, the Profound Fate Dao Disciple, offers six Great Dao True Treasures.
• Cang Xuanming postpones the transaction, intending to complete it later at the Myriad Ghost Black Market to avoid becoming a target by taking Ming Wujin away publicly.
• As four ghost cultivators transport Ming Wujin’s iron cage away, more than a dozen black-robed figures ambush them.
• The attackers kill the four guards instantly and seize the cage, escaping into the depths of the black market.
• Cang Xuanming becomes enraged, claiming Ming Wujin as his “Remnant Qi,” while the auction host—the ghost-faced man—reveals himself to be a Dao-Proving Realm expert and pursues the kidnappers.
• The ghost-faced man attacks the fleeing group with a massive ghost claw, but an eight-armed masked warrior emerges to confront him.
• The warrior is revealed to be from the Eight-Armed Asura Clan. He wields eight swords and clashes directly with the ghost-faced man, forcing him back.
• While the two Dao-Proving experts battle, the other Asura Clan members carry Ming Wujin toward the exit.
• The ghost-faced man identifies their clan and orders the black market’s forces to intercept them. The disguised attackers reveal their crimson arms and openly confirm their identities.
• The escape triggers widespread chaos. Black market experts, rogue cultivators, and other powerful figures join the pursuit, hoping to seize Ming Wujin for themselves.

Character Developments

• Ming Wujin remains terrified and helpless inside the cage, emphasizing her vulnerability despite the immense value of her battle body.
• Cang Xuanming shifts from composed bidder to furious claimant after Ming Wujin is stolen, showing how strongly he values or possesses her.
• The ghost-faced auction host is revealed as a powerful Dao-Proving Realm cultivator, transforming him from a mysterious auctioneer into the Myriad Ghost Black Market’s formidable enforcer.
• The Eight-Armed Asura leader demonstrates overwhelming strength and self-sacrifice by staying behind to delay the ghost-faced man while his companions escape.
• Lu Ren witnesses the clash and recognizes the enormous gap between Dao-Proving experts and lower realms, deepening his understanding of the power hierarchy.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and sudden reversal: The successful auction is overturned immediately by the kidnapping, showing that power and violence ultimately govern the black market.
• Greed and opportunism: Once Ming Wujin is stolen, nearly every powerful figure joins the chase, hoping to claim the priceless Void of Destiny Battle Body.
• Power beyond rules: The Asura Clan openly attacks the black market, demonstrating that even an organized auction cannot guarantee safety when supreme experts intervene.
• Sacrifice and loyalty: The Asura leader risks confronting a Dao-Proving expert so the others can escape with Ming Wujin.
• The insignificance of weaker cultivators: The battle’s aftershocks injure or threaten ordinary cultivators, highlighting the terrifying consequences of conflicts among top-level experts.

Character Interactions

• Cang Xuanming negotiates with the ghost-faced auction host over the delayed transaction.
• The ghost-faced man confronts the Eight-Armed Asura leader in a direct, high-level battle.
• The Asura leader orders his companions to flee while he holds off their pursuer.
• The Myriad Ghost Black Market forces unite against the Asura Clan, while independent cultivators join the chase for their own benefit.
• Lu Ren and Guanlan Daoist observe the unfolding conflict, with Lu Ren personally enduring the overwhelming pressure of the Dao-Proving clash.

Chapter Summary: “It Was Indeed a Trap”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Myriad Ghost Black Market descends into chaos after experts from the Eight-Armed Asura Clan abduct Ming Wujin, the Void of Destiny Battle Body.
• Lu Ren and Guanlan Daoist pursue the kidnappers while discussing the Eight-Armed Asura Clan’s history. The clan was once defeated by the Four-Winged Asura Clan in a struggle over Primordial Force and later disappeared after suffering retaliation.
• After leaving the Myriad Ghost Imperial Capital, the pursuers discover that the kidnappers have split into more than a dozen groups, each carrying a black-clothed iron cage. The cloth blocks aura detection, making it impossible to identify Ming Wujin’s location through ordinary means.
• Lu Ren senses a faint resonance between his Origin Qi and one cage, allowing him to identify the correct group. Guanlan Daoist follows him as other experts pursue the remaining decoys.
• Guanlan detects an ambush in a ghostly mountain range. Rather than immediately intervene, she and Lu Ren hide and observe as dozens of powerful experts surround the fleeing group inside a canyon.
• The canyon’s hidden formation activates, trapping the pursuers. The black-clad leader reveals that Ming Wujin’s kidnapping was a lure and that the true targets are Lu Ren and Cang Xuanming.
• Lu Ren realizes the entire operation was designed as a trap and suspects that the person inside the cage may be connected to the real mastermind.
• Before Lu Ren and Guanlan can seize the cage, the black-clad leader detects their hiding place, breaks through the formation, and attacks them. His disguise is destroyed, revealing eight crimson arms wielding eight swords, whose combined attack seals off the surrounding space.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren demonstrates sharp judgment and confidence by using his Origin Qi to identify the real cage when conventional soul-searching fails. He quickly recognizes the deeper purpose behind the kidnapping.
• Guanlan Daoist displays strong deduction and perception, detecting the hidden ambush before Lu Ren and the others enter it. She remains composed and suggests waiting for an opportunity to benefit from the conflict.
• The Eight-Armed Asura Clan leader is revealed as calculating and prepared. He uses multiple decoy groups, aura-blocking cloth, and a concealed formation to manipulate the pursuing experts and draw out Lu Ren.
• Ming Wujin remains imprisoned and largely unseen, but his importance as the Void of Destiny Battle Body makes him the central prize of the conflict.
• Cang Xuanming is identified as another major target, implying that the conspiracy extends beyond Ming Wujin’s abduction.

Significant Themes

• Deception and layered schemes: The apparent kidnapping is only the first stage of a larger plan intended to lure powerful figures into a controlled battlefield.
• Information and perception: Aura-blocking technology, decoys, formations, and disguise emphasize how difficult it is to distinguish truth from falsehood.
• Fallen lineages and revenge: The history of the Eight-Armed Asura Clan reflects the long-term consequences of ancient struggles among powerful bloodlines.
• Predator and prey reversal: The pursuers initially believe they are hunting the kidnappers, but the situation reverses when they become trapped targets themselves.
• Strategic restraint: Lu Ren and Guanlan rely on observation and timing rather than rushing into a dangerous confrontation.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren and Guanlan discuss the Eight-Armed Asura Clan’s origins while pursuing the decoys, establishing mutual trust and cooperation.
• Guanlan questions Lu Ren’s certainty about the cage, and he explains that Origin Qi resonance—not ordinary aura detection—led him to the correct target.
• Guanlan warns Lu Ren about the ambush and proposes allowing the trapped experts and kidnappers to clash before intervening.
• Lu Ren and Guanlan jointly infer that the cage may contain the key to the conspiracy, but their plan is interrupted when the Eight-Armed Asura leader discovers them and launches a direct attack.

Chapter Summary:

Asura Clan Ambush

Key Plot Points and Events

• Guanlan Daoist shields Lu Ren from a sudden attack by an Eight-Armed Asura Clan expert, using a Yin-Yang Dao Diagram to block eight powerful sword strikes. The clash reveals that their opponent is in the Late Heaven-Questioning Stage.
• The Asura expert exposes that the ambush was specifically prepared for Lu Ren and Cang Xuanming, both Void of Destiny Battle Bodies. He confirms that Lu Ren and Guanlan Daoist had been followed and that the Asura Clan intends to capture them.
• Guanlan Daoist orders Lu Ren to retreat, but the Asura Clan leader commands five World-Evolution Stage experts to surround and attack him.
• At the same time, five other Asura experts remain behind to guard an iron cage containing an unknown captive or object. Their formation attracts the attention of the dozens of experts trapped in the canyon.
• The trapped experts attempt to seize the cage, but the Heaven-Questioning Stage guardian activates the canyon’s powerful formation. Ghost claws, Underworld-Pattern Chains, and spectral warriors erupt from the ground and void, severely repelling the attackers and nearly dragging one expert into the formation.
• The crowd is forced to retreat and remain still, realizing that the cage is protected by a deadly formation.
• The five World-Evolution Stage Asura experts combine their Asura Grand Dao powers and Great Dao World Phantoms into a massive crimson Slaughtering Torrent aimed at Lu Ren.
• Guanlan Daoist tries to intervene, but the leading Asura expert blocks her with another barrage of sword light. The chapter ends with Lu Ren facing the combined attack of five powerful enemies and Guanlan Daoist unable to assist him.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren remains defiant and cold despite being targeted, openly challenging the Asura Clan and warning them of the Great Dao Sect’s retaliation. His confidence suggests he does not intend to surrender easily.
• Guanlan Daoist demonstrates formidable defensive ability by blocking the initial attack and standing between Lu Ren and danger. She acts protectively and decisively, but is ultimately restrained by the Asura leader.
• The Eight-Armed Asura Clan expert is revealed as a calculating and well-informed enemy. He has studied Lu Ren and Guanlan Daoist’s identities and arranged a coordinated ambush designed to isolate and capture them.
• The trapped experts shift from opportunistic attackers to fearful bystanders after witnessing the power of the canyon formation. Their failed attempt to seize the cage highlights the danger of acting without understanding the trap.

Significant Themes

• Predation and survival: The Asura Clan views Void of Destiny Battle Bodies as prey, emphasizing the brutal laws of the Underworld Realm.
• Preparation versus confidence: The ambush succeeds because the Asura Clan has carefully researched its targets and divided its forces effectively.
• Isolation and overwhelming odds: Lu Ren and Guanlan Daoist are separated and prevented from supporting each other, leaving Lu Ren surrounded by superior numbers.
• Hidden dangers and uncertainty: The mysterious iron cage and the formation guarding it suggest a larger plan beyond the immediate attack.
• Limits of outside authority: The Asura expert dismisses the Great Dao Sect’s influence in the Underworld Realm, arguing that its power cannot protect Lu Ren here.

Character Interactions

• Guanlan Daoist protects Lu Ren and urges him to escape, showing their alliance and her willingness to risk herself for him.
• Lu Ren confronts the Asura leader over the ambush and invokes the Great Dao Sect, but the enemy mocks the Sect’s inability to intervene.
• The Asura leader deliberately separates Guanlan Daoist from Lu Ren, engaging her personally while sending five experts against Lu Ren.
• The trapped experts briefly unite to attack the cage, but the formation’s guardian intimidates them into submission.
• The chapter concludes with Guanlan Daoist watching helplessly as Lu Ren is attacked by five World-Evolution Stage opponents, creating a major cliffhanger.

Chapter Summary: “Slaying Five World-Evolution Experts”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Five Eight-Armed Asura Clan experts—two World-Evolution Late Stage, two Middle Stage, and one Early Stage—combine their strength to attack Lu Ren with the Slaughtering Torrent.
• Lu Ren remains calm and counters with Chaos Heaven Burial, using the Chaos Ancient Sword to completely shatter their combined attack without retreating.
• Declaring that it is his turn, Lu Ren attacks the weakest member first:
  • He kills the Early World-Evolution expert with a single sword strike, destroying both his Battle Body and Great Dao Origin.
• Lu Ren then uses the Void Instant-Kill Sword against a Middle Stage expert, breaks his Asura Blood Shield, and kills him with a second strike.
• The remaining three experts attempt to overwhelm him. The two Late Stage cultivators summon their Asura Grand Dao Worlds and combine their power into the devastating Asura Heaven-Extinguishing attack.
• Lu Ren counters by empowering his sword with both Heavenly God Path Intent and Human Path Intent. His sword destroys the enormous Asura Blood Sword and disrupts the two experts’ divine souls and Great Dao power.
• He follows up with two decisive strikes, killing both World-Evolution Late Stage experts.
• The final Middle Stage expert attempts to flee, but Lu Ren’s Void Instant-Kill Sword pierces him before he can escape.
• All five World-Evolution experts are slain, leaving the canyon in stunned silence.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren demonstrates overwhelming combat power far beyond what is expected of a Heaven-Unity Late Stage cultivator. He not only crosses one major realm to fight World-Evolution experts but defeats five opponents, including two Late Stage experts.
• His confidence and composure remain unchanged even when surrounded by powerful enemies. After blocking their combined attack, he immediately takes the initiative.
• Lu Ren displays tactical intelligence by eliminating the weakest opponent first, rapidly reducing the enemy formation before confronting the strongest two.
• His mastery of multiple techniques is highlighted, particularly Chaos Heaven Burial, Void Instant-Kill Sword, and the combined use of Heavenly God and Human Path Intents.
• The five Asura experts shift from confidence to disbelief, then panic and terror as Lu Ren defeats them one after another.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming strength and extraordinary talent: Lu Ren’s abilities surpass the limits normally associated with his cultivation realm.
• Reversal of expectations: The five experts expect to crush a single Heaven-Unity cultivator, but their coordinated assault is effortlessly broken.
• Power through technique and intent: Lu Ren’s victory is not based solely on raw strength; his sword techniques, Dao power, and Path Intents work together to destroy both bodies and souls.
• Fear and psychological dominance: Each successive victory intensifies the enemies’ fear, while Lu Ren’s calmness emphasizes the vast difference between them.
• Spectators witnessing a legend: The trapped Underworld Realm experts are forced to reevaluate Lu Ren, realizing that his combat strength exceeds their understanding.

Character Interactions

• The five Asura experts initially cooperate confidently, believing their combined attack will seriously injure Lu Ren.
• Lu Ren directly challenges their confidence by effortlessly blocking their attack and announcing his counterattack.
• The Asura experts attempt to coordinate again after two of their members fall, but their combined ultimate technique is still defeated.
• The final surviving expert abandons the battle and flees, but Lu Ren pursues and kills him instantly.
• The Underworld Realm experts do not participate directly in the fight but react with growing shock, ultimately witnessing Lu Ren’s complete domination of the five World-Evolution cultivators.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

Lu Ren kills all five World-Evolution Stage experts, shocking everyone present—including the Heaven-Questioning experts and the Underworld Realm cultivators trapped inside the Blood-Soul Corpse-Ghost Formation. Xiu Ao orders Xiu Pu to force the trapped cultivators to attack Lu Ren; otherwise, the formation will be fully activated and kill them all.
Rather than flee, Lu Ren charges into the formation. He uses the Immortal-Smiting Iron, which transforms into a massive tortoise-shell defense and withstands the formation’s corpse-ghost attacks. The treasure absorbs the attacks and unleashes the Blade-Pinning Dao Formation, shattering the formation’s corpse-ghost blood shield and severely injuring Xiu Pu and the others.
The slash also destroys the black cloth and iron cage, revealing that the captive is Ming Wujin. She is thrown unconscious from the wreckage, and Lu Ren immediately rescues and shields her.
The trapped Underworld Realm experts launch a combined assault against Lu Ren, including more than a dozen Heaven-Questioning Stage attacks. The Immortal-Smiting Iron blocks the barrage, though its defensive power is visibly nearing its limit. As Lu Ren attempts to escape with Ming Wujin, an overwhelming Great Dao pressure descends, freezing the canyon and causing everyone’s Great Dao Origins to tremble. Lu Ren recognizes the arrival of a Dao-Proving Realm expert.

Character developments

• Lu Ren demonstrates overwhelming combat power, courage, and confidence by defeating five World-Evolution experts and willingly entering the deadly formation to rescue Ming Wujin. His reliance on the Immortal-Smiting Iron also highlights the treasure’s extraordinary defensive and offensive capabilities.
• Xiu Pu shifts from controlling the situation to desperation after Lu Ren breaks through the formation’s defenses and destroys the cage.
• Guanlan Daoist shows concern for Lu Ren and urges him to flee, but Lu Ren remains determined.
• Ming Wujin is confirmed to have been imprisoned in the iron cage; she is rescued but remains unconscious.
• The Underworld Realm experts become increasingly fearful and desperate, forced to attack Lu Ren to avoid being killed by their own formation.

Significant themes

• Power overcoming overwhelming odds: Lu Ren repeatedly survives attacks that should be impossible for someone at his cultivation level.
• Defiance and resolve: Instead of retreating, Lu Ren enters the formation and turns the enemy’s strongest weapon against them.
• Rescue and loyalty: His immediate priority after freeing Ming Wujin is protecting and carrying her to safety.
• Fear and coercion: Xiu Ao and Xiu Pu manipulate the trapped experts by threatening them with the formation’s destruction, forcing enemies into cooperation.
• Escalation of danger: The chapter moves from Lu Ren’s stunning victories to the sudden appearance of an even more powerful Dao-Proving Realm opponent.

Character interactions

• Xiu Ao and Xiu Pu coordinate the formation and pressure the trapped experts to attack Lu Ren.
• Guanlan Daoist warns Lu Ren to escape, but he rejects retreat.
• Lu Ren and the Immortal-Smiting Iron work in tandem: the treasure absorbs the formation’s attacks, then retaliates with a devastating blade strike.
• Lu Ren rescues Ming Wujin after destroying her cage and shields her from the combined assault.
• The trapped cultivators, terrified of the formation, collectively turn their attacks against Lu Ren—only for a mysterious Dao-Proving Realm expert to arrive and change the situation.

Chapter Summary: “Taking Ming Wujin Away”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A Dao-Proving expert, Xiu Wang, arrives in the gorge to stop Lu Ren from rescuing the unconscious Ming Wujin.
• Xiu Wang reveals that Cang Xuanming has also been captured, alarming Lu Ren because Cang possesses powerful Void of Destiny Remnant Qi and is heavily protected.
• Xiu Wang attacks Lu Ren with an Asura Ghost Claw, using overwhelming Dao-Proving power to suppress Lu Ren’s cultivation.
• Lu Ren activates Sect Master Xuan Yin’s trump card, the Myriad-Extinction Nether King Talisman.
• The talisman manifests a powerful Nether King phantom, which destroys Xiu Wang’s attack and severely injures him.
• Lu Ren takes advantage of the opening to escape with Ming Wujin.
• Guanlan Daoist also withdraws, while Xiu Wang realizes that Cang Xuanming may have deliberately allowed himself to be captured in order to confront the mastermind behind the plot.
• Xiu Wang leads the Eight-Armed Asura Clan away, and the Blood-Soul Corpse-Ghost Formation dissipates.
• The trapped Underworld experts speculate that the mastermind intended to use Ming Wujin as bait to lure out Lu Ren and Cang Xuanming, but the two may have turned the scheme against its creator.
• Lu Ren brings Ming Wujin to a secluded valley. Rather than killing her immediately, he decides to wait until she awakens so he can learn the truth and act without guilt.
• After half a day, Ming Wujin finally opens her eyes.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren: Demonstrates both resourcefulness and moral restraint. He uses a powerful protective talisman to overcome an enemy at the Dao-Proving Realm, then refuses to kill Ming Wujin without understanding her identity or crimes.
• Xiu Wang: Initially appears overwhelmingly confident, but is shocked and injured by Lu Ren’s hidden trump card. He later shows strategic insight by recognizing that Cang Xuanming’s capture was likely intentional.
• Cang Xuanming: Though absent from the chapter, his deliberate capture establishes him as a calculating figure who may be pursuing the mastermind from within.
• Ming Wujin: Remains unconscious for most of the chapter, appearing extremely weak and injured. Her awakening sets up the possibility of revealing her background and motives.
• Guanlan Daoist: Successfully withdraws once Lu Ren escapes and appears to understand that the confrontation is part of a larger scheme.
• Immortal-Smiting Iron: Encourages Lu Ren to kill Ming Wujin, contrasting with Lu Ren’s hesitation and ethical concerns.

Significant Themes

• Hidden trump cards and power struggles: Even a Dao-Proving expert can be checked by powerful treasures and preparations.
• Manipulation and reversal: The apparent hunters may themselves be targets, as Cang Xuanming’s capture could be part of a counterplan.
• Fate and sacrifice: Those who fuse with Void of Destiny Remnant Qi are forced onto a dangerous path where survival requires killing or being killed.
• Moral responsibility: Lu Ren struggles with whether to kill someone who may be dangerous but has done him no known harm.
• The cost of power: The Void of Destiny Battle Body grants extraordinary strength but binds its users to a destructive destiny.

Character Interactions

• Xiu Ao praises Xiu Wang and warns him about Lu Ren, but Xiu Wang ignores him and focuses on the battle.
• Xiu Wang confronts Lu Ren and attempts to capture him, while Lu Ren counters with the Nether King Talisman.
• Guanlan Daoist comments that Lu Ren’s status as Xuan Yin’s disciple explains his many powerful defenses before departing.
• Immortal-Smiting Iron urges Lu Ren to kill Ming Wujin, but Lu Ren rejects the suggestion until he can determine the truth.
• The Underworld experts analyze the conflict afterward, recognizing that the supposed bait-and-fisherman relationship may have been reversed.

Chapter Summary: The One Behind It All

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ming Wujin awakens after being rescued by Lu Ren. She is frightened at first, but recognizes that Lu Ren also possesses the Void of Destiny Battle Body.
• Ming Wujin confirms that the Void-Sealing Heaven Qi is inside her and assumes Lu Ren intends to kill her to obtain it.
• Before dying, she asks Lu Ren to help her kill her sister, Ming Lengxue, whom she identifies as the true mastermind behind the incident at the Myriad Ghost Black Market.
• Ming Wujin reveals that Ming Lengxue originally obtained two strands of Void of Destiny Remnant Qi. Unable to fuse them because they repelled each other, Ming Lengxue fused one strand herself and forcibly implanted the other—Void-Sealing Heaven Qi—into Ming Wujin.
• Ming Lengxue deliberately used Ming Wujin as bait to lure other Void of Destiny Battle Body wielders into a trap, hoping to eliminate potential rivals after strengthening herself.
• Ming Lengxue is allied with the Yellow Springs Ghost Clan, a powerful Primordial Clan. The Eight-Armed Asura Clan serves the Yellow Springs Ghost Clan, explaining how Ming Lengxue was able to command them.
• Lu Ren agrees to help Ming Wujin assassinate her sister. They plan to wait for Ming Lengxue at the Yellow Springs Branch, where she is expected to return after the failed operation.
• Ming Lengxue is revealed to be a late-stage World-Evolution cultivator with combat strength at the Ultimate Dao Stage. She possesses the Destiny Ruin Devouring Dao Qi, whose Primordial Divine Ability, the Void Dao Abyss, can devour Great Dao attacks.
• Lu Ren also remains wary of Cang Xuanming, who possesses three strands of Void of Destiny Remnant Qi and may have deliberately allowed himself to be captured as part of a larger plan.
• When Ming Wujin tries to travel under her own power, the unstable Void-Sealing Heaven Qi and chaotic Great Dao Origin cause her to cough blood and collapse.
• Lu Ren catches her and uses the Immortal-Smiting Iron, transformed into a flying tortoise-shell platform, to transport them toward the Yellow Springs Branch.

Character Developments

• Ming Wujin: Changes from a frightened captive into a determined, vengeful survivor. Though she believes death is inevitable because of her weakness, she insists on killing Ming Lengxue herself before dying. Her physical instability shows the severe consequences of being forcibly implanted with the Void-Sealing Heaven Qi.
• Lu Ren: Becomes more involved in the conflict after learning the truth behind the trap. He remains cautious and analytical, evaluating Ming Wujin’s condition and Ming Lengxue’s abilities before agreeing to help. His decision to carry Ming Wujin also demonstrates a protective side.
• Ming Lengxue: Emerges as the chapter’s true antagonist. She is revealed to be calculating and ruthless, willing to rewrite her sister’s fate and use her as bait for personal advancement. Her alliance with the Yellow Springs Ghost Clan greatly expands the scale of the threat.
• Cang Xuanming: Becomes a suspicious, unpredictable figure whose apparent capture may have been intentional.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation of fate: Ming Wujin’s life was forcibly altered by her sister, reflecting the chapter’s focus on whether individuals can resist a destiny imposed by others.
• Betrayal and family hatred: The conflict is deeply personal, as Ming Lengxue sacrifices and exploits her own sister for power.
• Power and exploitation: The Void of Destiny Remnant Qi is treated as a resource, with people being used as vessels, bait, or weapons.
• Trust and uneasy alliances: Lu Ren and Ming Wujin cooperate despite their opposing interests and the fact that Lu Ren may ultimately want the power within her.
• Hidden masterminds and shifting strategy: The failed black-market operation is revealed to be only part of a larger scheme involving several powerful factions and possible deception by Cang Xuanming.

Character Interactions

• Ming Wujin initially fears Lu Ren and expects him to kill her, but eventually pleads for his help.
• Lu Ren questions her about Ming Lengxue’s motives, affiliations, cultivation, and abilities before agreeing to cooperate.
• Ming Wujin’s hatred and desperation persuade Lu Ren to join her in targeting her sister.
• After Ming Wujin collapses, Lu Ren physically catches and supports her, then arranges transportation with the Immortal-Smiting Iron.
• The Immortal-Smiting Iron teasingly remarks that Lu Ren is overly protective of women, but Lu Ren dismisses the comment and orders it to continue toward the Yellow Springs Branch.

Yellow Springs Branch — Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter opens in a vast, dangerous mountain range in Netherworld Ancient Province, filled with dense ghostly qi and ferocious ghost beasts. Hidden at its center is the Yellow Springs Branch, a secret intelligence-gathering base of the Yellow Springs Ghost Clan.
• Ming Lengxue receives reports that all thirteen teams have acted according to plan:
  • Cang Xuanming has been captured by Lord Xiu Wang and is being transported back.
  • Xiu Wang has gone after the team carrying Ming Wujin.
• Ming Lengxue realizes that Lu Ren deliberately identified the correct team among thirteen false targets by tracking Ming Wujin’s aura. She acknowledges that Lu Ren’s ability to use fate and Void of Destiny Qi makes him highly dangerous.
• The Yellow Springs Ghost Clan’s plan is revealed: kill Cang Xuanming, Lu Ren, and Ming Wujin to obtain their combined Void of Destiny Remnant Qi. Ming Lengxue expects to acquire seven strands, while the clan continues searching for the remaining Remnant Qi and the legendary Origin Qi.
• Cang Xuanming is brought to the branch in an iron cage, bound by chains and sealing runes designed to suppress his Great Dao Origin.
• Ming Lengxue orders Xiu Yuan to inspect the seals and execute Cang Xuanming without exposing her own presence prematurely.
• Cang Xuanming calmly confronts Xiu Yuan and reveals that he possesses Fate-Calamity Heaven-Pupil Qi, allowing him to perceive a person’s fate. He predicts that Xiu Yuan will die.
• Xiu Yuan dismisses the warning and orders numerous powerful Eight-Armed Asura Clan cultivators to attack the imprisoned Cang Xuanming.
• Instead of killing him, the combined assault shatters the iron cage, breaks his chains, and destroys the sealing runes binding his Great Dao Origin.
• Cang Xuanming emerges completely unharmed, leaving the attackers stunned. He repeats his prediction that Xiu Yuan will die, suggesting that his capture may have been part of a larger plan or that his true strength was never suppressed.

Character Developments

• Ming Lengxue: Established as a cold, calculating, and cautious leader. She is focused on collecting Void of Destiny Remnant Qi and refuses to personally appear until Cang Xuanming is unquestionably dead. Her concern over the unknown location of the Origin Qi reveals both ambition and lingering uncertainty.
• Cang Xuanming: Demonstrates exceptional composure under extreme danger. As the Profound Fate Dao Disciple, he uses his fate-related abilities to intimidate Xiu Yuan and appears far more capable than the Yellow Springs Branch expected. His survival and liberation dramatically shift the balance of power.
• Xiu Yuan: Initially confident and contemptuous, believing Cang Xuanming to be helpless once sealed. His unease after hearing the death prophecy shows that Cang’s words affect him, though he suppresses his fear and acts recklessly.
• Lu Ren and Ming Wujin: Though absent from the immediate scene, both remain central to the larger conflict. Lu Ren’s ability to identify Ming Wujin’s location marks him as a serious threat, while Ming Wujin is still being pursued for his Remnant Qi.

Significant Themes

• Fate versus control: Cang Xuanming’s prophetic abilities challenge the Yellow Springs Clan’s carefully arranged scheme, suggesting that fate may undermine even a seemingly flawless plan.
• Overconfidence and miscalculation: The attackers assume Cang Xuanming’s seals make him powerless, but their own assault frees him instead.
• Hidden strength and deception: Cang’s calm behavior and apparent captivity conceal his actual capabilities, creating suspense about whether his capture was intentional.
• Power and ambition: Ming Lengxue’s pursuit of the Remnant Qi and Origin Qi reflects the broader struggle among powerful factions to control ultimate sources of destiny-related power.
• Fear beneath authority: Although Xiu Yuan projects confidence, Cang Xuanming’s prediction exposes the psychological vulnerability behind his bravado.

Character Interactions

• Ming Lengxue and Xiu Yuan discuss the capture of Cang Xuanming and the strategic value of the Remnant Qi, revealing their shared confidence in the Yellow Springs Clan’s plan.
• Ming Lengxue orders Xiu Yuan to verify the seals before killing Cang, emphasizing her distrust and careful nature.
• Cang Xuanming confronts Xiu Yuan directly, demands that the hidden mastermind reveal himself, and predicts Xiu Yuan’s death.
• Xiu Yuan responds with ridicule and orders the Eight-Armed Asura experts to attack.
• After the failed execution, Cang Xuanming again addresses Xiu Yuan, transforming the interaction from an apparent interrogation and execution into a possible reversal in which the captor has become the threatened party.

Chapter Summary: “Void Dao-Cutting Qi”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiu Yuan and the Eight-Armed Asura Clan attack Cang Xuanming, believing his Great Dao Origin remains sealed.
• Cang reveals that his seal has been overcome and draws a gray-white sword infused with Void Dao-Cutting Qi.
• His sword strikes sever the incoming attacks and temporarily cuts the Asura experts’ connection to their Great Dao Origins, leaving them unable to use their Great Dao power.
• Xiu Yuan identifies the terrifying ability of Void Dao-Cutting Qi but notes that its effects last only a few breaths and are less effective against cultivators with Primordial Battle Bodies.
• Members of the Yellow Springs Ghost Clan emerge, confirming that they orchestrated the plot to capture Cang Xuanming and supported the Eight-Armed Asura Clan’s actions in the Myriad Ghost Black Market.
• The Yellow Springs Ghost Clan activates a massive Yellow Springs Ghost Formation, trapping Cang and bombarding him with endless ghostly attacks. Although he destroys many attacks with his sword, he cannot immediately escape.
• Meanwhile, Lu Ren and Ming Wujin secretly infiltrate the Yellow Springs Branch. Ming uses Void-Sealing Heaven Qi to hide their auras.
• From concealment, Lu Ren observes Cang trapped in the formation and suspects that Cang deliberately allowed himself to be captured. He waits to see whether Cang can escape—or whether his death will benefit Lu Ren.

Character Developments

• Cang Xuanming demonstrates that his sealed Great Dao Origin was not a true limitation and reveals formidable control over Void Dao-Cutting Qi. His calmness and confidence suggest he anticipated the ambush and came prepared.
• Xiu Yuan shifts from confidence to alarm after realizing Cang’s sword can sever access to the Great Dao Origin. He remains knowledgeable and identifies the technique’s limitations.
• The Yellow Springs Ghost Clan leader is established as the true force behind the capture plot. He is confident in the clan’s formation and openly declares his intention to kill Cang.
• Lu Ren acts as a calculating observer rather than a rescuer. He is pleased by Cang’s predicament and would even welcome Cang’s death.
• Ming Wujin, despite her weakened appearance, contributes crucially by concealing herself and Lu Ren with Void-Sealing Heaven Qi.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and deception: Cang’s apparent vulnerability was a ruse, while the enemy’s supposed control of the situation may also be part of a larger trap.
• Preparation versus overwhelming force: Cang relies on a specialized technique, while the Yellow Springs Clan counters with a large-scale formation and superior numbers.
• Dao power and its vulnerabilities: Void Dao-Cutting Qi reveals that even powerful cultivators can be temporarily disconnected from their fundamental source of strength.
• Manipulation and opportunism: Lu Ren treats the conflict as an opportunity, observing rather than intervening and hoping to profit from either outcome.
• Primordial bloodlines and hierarchy: The chapter emphasizes that Primordial Battle Bodies and bloodlines determine resistance to powerful techniques, reinforcing the setting’s unequal power structure.

Important Character Interactions

• Cang humiliates the Eight-Armed Asura Clan by dismantling their attacks and disabling their Great Dao Origins.
• Xiu Yuan recognizes and explains the nature of Cang’s sword technique, revealing both its power and limitations.
• Cang and the Yellow Springs Ghost Clan leader exchange accusations and threats, with Cang exposing the clan’s hidden involvement.
• Lu Ren and Ming Wujin work together covertly, while Lu Ren watches Cang’s confrontation from the shadows with detached, self-serving interest.

Summary: “Cang Xuanming’s Methods”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Cang Xuanming remains trapped inside the Yellow Springs Ghost Formation, apparently being worn down by continuous attacks infused with corrosive Yellow Springs Ghost Qi.
• Yellow Springs Ruler believes the formation will gradually exhaust Cang Xuanming and prevent him from using hidden life-saving techniques.
• In reality, Cang Xuanming deliberately pretends to be suppressed while secretly using the Fate-Calamity Heaven-Pupil Qi to inspect the entire Yellow Springs Branch.
• He discovers that the branch contains no Dao-Proving Realm experts and locates a hidden Void of Destiny aura inside a distant ghost hall.
• Cang Xuanming unleashes the Heavenly Mandate Soul-Sealing Qi, creating the Soul Suppression Prison. This suppresses the souls and disrupts the Great Dao circulation of the experts maintaining the formation.
• Taking advantage of the formation’s instability, he uses his gray-white longsword and Life-Severing True Intent to strike its weakness. The Yellow Springs Ghost Formation collapses completely.
• Yellow Springs Ruler orders his forces to attack, but Cang Xuanming overwhelms them with soul suppression and Void Dao-Cutting Qi, which either immobilizes their souls or temporarily severs their Great Dao Origins.
• Cang Xuanming kills Xiu Yuan by piercing his brow and annihilating both his soul and Great Dao Origin. He then slaughters more than twenty Yellow Springs Ghost Clan and Eight-Armed Asura Clan experts.
• Yellow Springs Ruler survives several attacks by relying on the Yellow Springs Ghost Clan’s Primordial Bloodline and the Yellow Springs Ghost Mark, which manifests as a defensive ghost river. However, Cang Xuanming still severely injures him and cuts into his Great Dao Origin.
• Yellow Springs Ruler flees into a ghost hall, but Cang Xuanming pursues him, declaring that the hunter has become the prey.
• Before Cang Xuanming can enter the hall, a massive hand descends from above. He cuts into it but is knocked backward and slightly injured.
• The attacker is revealed to be Xiu Wang, setting up a new confrontation.

Character Developments

• Cang Xuanming: Demonstrates exceptional composure, tactical deception, and overwhelming combat ability. Rather than passively enduring the formation, he uses it as an opportunity to survey the enemy’s territory, identify weaknesses, and launch a decisive counterattack.
• Yellow Springs Ruler: Initially confident in his strategy, believing Cang Xuanming can be exhausted. His confidence turns to fear when Cang breaks the formation and massacres his subordinates. Though powerful and protected by his clan’s bloodline techniques, he is forced to retreat after suffering serious injuries.
• Xiu Yuan: Shifts from an attacking enemy to a desperate fugitive, but is quickly killed by Cang Xuanming’s sword.
• Xiu Wang: Makes a dramatic entrance at the end by interrupting Cang Xuanming’s pursuit, demonstrating enough power to injure or repel him.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and deception: Cang Xuanming’s apparent disadvantage is deliberate, emphasizing the danger of underestimating a calm and observant opponent.
• Hunter and prey reversal: Yellow Springs Ruler believes he is trapping Cang Xuanming, but the situation reverses once Cang identifies the formation’s flaw and begins the slaughter.
• Supremacy of technique and strategy: Cang’s victory comes not only from raw strength but from combining fate perception, soul suppression, Dao-severing abilities, and precise swordsmanship.
• Destruction of foundations: His attacks target souls and Great Dao Origins, showing that true victory requires annihilating an opponent’s underlying cultivation rather than merely wounding the body.
• Escalating conflict: The defeat of the Yellow Springs forces appears decisive, but Xiu Wang’s arrival reveals that a stronger threat remains.

Character Interactions

• Yellow Springs Ruler explains the formation’s purpose to his subordinates, reinforcing his confidence in his plan.
• Cang Xuanming silently deceives the Yellow Springs forces while observing their territory and locating their hidden presence.
• The Yellow Springs and Eight-Armed Asura experts attempt to surround and kill Cang but are rendered helpless by his Soul Suppression Prison and sword techniques.
• Xiu Yuan attempts to escape but is intercepted and executed by Cang.
• Yellow Springs Ruler directly clashes with Cang, using his bloodline and Yellow Springs Ghost Mark defensively before fleeing.
• Cang pursues Yellow Springs Ruler but is intercepted by Xiu Wang, whose sudden attack ends the chapter on a cliffhanger.

Chapter Summary: “Shaking a Dao-Proving Realm Expert”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren is surprised when Xiu Wang, a Dao-Proving Realm expert, appears at the Yellow Springs branch.
• Xiu Wang confronts Cang Xuanming, revealing that Cang deliberately allowed himself to be captured as bait for an ambush.
• Xiu Wang launches a powerful attack with his eight arms, creating an enormous Asura Ghost Claw infused with Great Dao power.
• Cang Xuanming counters with the supreme-grade Great Dao True Treasure, the Dao-Severing Brush, inherited from Sect Master Xuan Yin. Its brushstroke can sever the surrounding Great Dao.
• Although the brush briefly clashes with Xiu Wang’s attack, Xiu Wang’s Dao-Proving Realm strength overwhelms Cang Xuanming, injuring and sending him flying.
• Cang Xuanming remains composed, retrieves his treasure, acknowledges that he cannot yet defeat a Dao-Proving Realm expert, and escapes while declaring that this is only the beginning.
• Xiu Wang does not pursue Cang Xuanming and instead enters the ghost hall.
• Ming Wujin tells Lu Ren that Ming Lengxue will likely report the failure and return with reinforcements. They agree to seek another opportunity to kill her.
• In the ghost hall, Ming Lengxue, the Yellow Springs Ruler, and Xiu Wang discuss the disastrous operation. They failed to capture either Cang Xuanming or Lu Ren and suffered heavy losses among the Yellow Springs Ghost Clan and Eight-Armed Asura Clan.
• Ming Lengxue admits that she underestimated Lu Ren and Cang Xuanming. She vows to kill Cang Xuanming personally after reaching the Heaven-Questioning Stage.
• Ming Lengxue and the others return to the Yellow Springs Ghost Clan.
• Once they leave, Ming Wujin dispels the Void Forbidden Domain. She and Lu Ren reenter the branch to retrieve important items.
• The plaza is filled with corpses and abandoned Great Dao True Weapons. Lu Ren avoids collecting the weapons to prevent detection.
• Lu Ren discovers that he can sense and communicate with the spatial fluctuations inside the corpses of enemies killed by Cang Xuanming, suggesting a new and unusual ability to access their internal storage spaces.

Character Developments

• Cang Xuanming: Demonstrates exceptional intelligence, composure, and preparation. His use of himself as bait and possession of the Dao-Severing Brush reveal why he is regarded as a Dao Child. Though still unable to match a Dao-Proving Realm expert directly, he escapes confidently and views the encounter as a temporary setback.
• Xiu Wang: Displays overwhelming combat strength but is angered by Cang Xuanming’s calculated behavior. His inability to kill Cang Xuanming despite having the advantage suggests that Cang’s defensive resources and strategic skill are formidable.
• Ming Lengxue: Suffers a major defeat and loses many subordinates. Her confidence is shaken, but the failure hardens her resolve to advance her cultivation and personally kill Cang Xuanming.
• Lu Ren: Gains a deeper appreciation of Cang Xuanming’s abilities and begins discovering that he may be able to access the internal spaces of corpses killed by others.
• Ming Wujin: Remains cautious and strategic, prioritizing retreat and recovery after the failed operation. Her use of the Void Forbidden Domain appears to have placed a strain on her.

Significant Themes

• Strategic intelligence versus overwhelming power: Cang Xuanming cannot defeat Xiu Wang physically, but his preparation and tactical planning allow him to survive the confrontation.
• Hidden strength and underestimated opponents: Both Lu Ren and Cang Xuanming possess abilities that their enemies failed to anticipate, leading to the destruction of the ambush.
• Rivalry and escalating conflict: The failed operation deepens the hostility between Ming Lengxue and Cang Xuanming, while Lu Ren and Ming Wujin prepare for future clashes.
• Growth through adversity: Cang Xuanming openly acknowledges his current weakness, yet treats the battle as motivation for future improvement.
• The consequences of failed schemes: Ming Lengxue’s failed plan results in severe losses, political pressure, and the need to report to the Young Tribe Leader.

Important Character Interactions

• Cang Xuanming and Xiu Wang: Their exchange combines verbal provocation with a high-level battle. Cang’s calm confidence frustrates Xiu Wang, while the fight establishes the gap between Dao-Proving Realm power and Cang’s current strength.
• Lu Ren and Ming Wujin: They discuss Ming Lengxue’s likely return and agree that killing her will require careful planning rather than a direct confrontation.
• Ming Lengxue and the Yellow Springs Ruler: The Yellow Springs Ruler criticizes Ming Lengxue for the operation’s failure and demands that she account for the losses.
• Ming Lengxue and Xiu Wang: Their shared defeat creates a grim atmosphere, though Ming Lengxue remains determined to grow stronger and retaliate.
• Lu Ren and the corpses: Lu Ren’s discovery of spatial fluctuations within the dead cultivators hints at a new ability that may allow him to recover their hidden resources.

Chapter Summary: “Laborer”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ren realizes that although the experts in the Yellow Springs Branch were killed by Cang Xuanming, their corpses still contain traces of Void of Destiny Qi. Because his Origin Qi can resonate with those traces, he successfully senses and plunders the internal spaces of dozens of corpses.
• He collects resources worth at least five million Great Dao Pills, regarding Cang Xuanming as an unwitting “laborer” who created the opportunity for him to loot the dead.
• Ming Wujin returns from the depths of the Yellow Springs Branch after retrieving a Dao Grass, which temporarily stabilizes the Void-Sealing Heaven Qi afflicting her.
• Lu Ren and Ming Wujin leave the branch and travel toward the Myriad Ghost Imperial Capital on the Immortal-Smiting Iron. Lu Ren intends to visit the Myriad Ghost Black Market and search for treasures that can help him enter the Forbidden Extreme Realm of the Heaven-Unity Stage.
• Before entering the capital, Lu Ren and Ming Wujin disguise themselves with ghost-face masks.
• Lu Ren meets Luo Youming, patriarch of the Reincarnation Netherkin. He returns five hundred thousand Great Dao Pills previously owed to him and explains that the Yellow Springs Ghost Clan orchestrated the recent incident involving Ming Wujin.
• Lu Ren reveals that the Yellow Springs Ghost Clan is secretly nurturing another Void of Destiny Battle Body, using Ming Wujin as bait to lure both her and Lu Ren into a trap.
• At the Myriad Ghost Black Market, Lu Ren discovers that the entrance has been sealed. The Black Market has suspended operations after the Eight-Armed Asura Clan attacked, seized an auction item, and killed several Black Market experts.
• The Four-Winged Asura Clan, which backs the Black Market, has been enraged and is sending its Young Tribe Leader to resolve the matter. Lu Ren considers exploiting the coming turmoil to kill Ming Lengxue.

Character Developments

• Lu Ren demonstrates increasing resourcefulness and opportunism. He turns the aftermath of Cang Xuanming’s attack to his advantage, obtaining a fortune without directly exposing himself. He also remains focused on improving his cultivation and eliminating Ming Lengxue.
• Ming Wujin is recovering but remains endangered by the Void-Sealing Heaven Qi inside her body. The Dao Grass gives her temporary stability, though it is not a permanent solution. She also continues to trust and accompany Lu Ren.
• Luo Youming shows concern for Lu Ren’s safety and becomes more cautious after learning that the Yellow Springs Ghost Clan was behind the scheme. He warns Lu Ren not to act recklessly.
• Cang Xuanming is not present directly, but his destructive actions indirectly benefit Lu Ren by leaving behind corpses filled with valuable resources.
• The Yellow Springs Ghost Clan is established as a major hidden enemy, deliberately cultivating another Void of Destiny Battle Body and plotting against Lu Ren and Ming Wujin.

Significant Themes

• Turning danger into opportunity: Lu Ren converts the aftermath of a massacre into immense personal gain.
• Hidden conspiracies and factional conflict: Multiple powerful clans—the Yellow Springs Ghost Clan, Eight-Armed Asura Clan, and Four-Winged Asura Clan—are maneuvering behind the scenes.
• Power through preparation: Lu Ren seeks rare treasures and cultivation breakthroughs rather than relying solely on combat strength.
• Trust and secrecy: Lu Ren reveals important information selectively, disguises himself and Ming Wujin, and withholds her true identity from Luo Youming by calling her a maid.
• Temporary survival versus lasting solutions: Ming Wujin’s Dao Grass stabilizes her condition only temporarily, emphasizing the urgency of finding a permanent remedy.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ren and Ming Wujin cooperate closely while fleeing the Yellow Springs Branch; Lu Ren notices her improving condition, and she explains the Dao Grass’s effect.
• The Immortal-Smiting Iron provides comic relief by teasing Lu Ren about traveling with women, prompting Lu Ren’s irritation and Ming Wujin’s embarrassed silence.
• Luo Youming welcomes Lu Ren back, questions Ming Wujin’s identity, and receives Lu Ren’s report about the Yellow Springs Ghost Clan’s plot.
• Luo Youming advises caution, while Lu Ren confidently insists that he knows how to proceed.
• After learning of the Four-Winged Asura Clan’s intervention, Lu Ren begins planning how to use the resulting chaos against Ming Lengxue.