Chapter Summaries

Wang Hai, Han Ling, and Shen Heng reviewed videos of the Calamity Beast’s appearance as headquarters flooded the internet with fake monster footage to obscure the real incident. Online explanations helped the story fade, but Shen Heng remained puzzled by why the beast had become seventh-tier.

• Han Ling showed the group videos and comments documenting the shadow in the clouds, while Shen Heng noticed that many viewers doubted the footage was real.
• Han Ling found new videos of enormous creatures appearing in deserts, Antarctica, the Mariana Trench, and a volcano.
• Wang Hai said headquarters was using fake videos to dilute attention, and he explained that witnesses might be handled by local Supervision Bureaus or persuaded that they had seen an atmospheric phenomenon.
• Experts described the incident as a mirage or projection, and online discussion gradually dwindled.
• Shen Heng wondered whether the Calamity Beast’s sudden rise to seventh-tier had been due to luck.

Yan Yu explained that Lanikai Island was causing Origin Power levels to rise because its abnormal space linked Earth more closely to the other world. The investigation suggested that the Darkwing Heavenly Spine Beast had stayed there to stabilize a passage, and Yan Yu warned that something had set its sights on them.

• Yue Zheng confronted Zhao Yonggang over trading half the Darkwing Heavenly Spine Beast's corpse for investigation rights, while Jiang Xingwei challenged Yue Zheng and Li Daoyi called for the investigation results.
• Yan Yu projected Lanikai Island and reported that Origin Power levels there were far higher than in the Capital and had been rising rapidly around the world.
• Yan Yu explained that Lanikai Island's distorted space was allowing Origin Power to seep from the other world into theirs.
• Yan Yu said the Darkwing Heavenly Spine Beast had likely stayed on the island to stabilize the passage between worlds and warned that something had set its sights on them.

Zhao Yonggang warned the group that the other world might be organized and that future conflict could become a war between worlds. He proposed preparing humanity through a universal cultivation plan and making the Calamity Beast threat public, leaving the group to begin preparations for disclosure.

• Zhao Yonggang explained that the Darkwing Heavenly Spine Beast’s appearance showed the other world could infiltrate their world, and warned that humanity had little time to prepare for a possible war between worlds.
• Yue Zheng, Li Daoyi, and Jiang Lin affirmed their willingness to fight and die to protect humanity.
• Zhao Yonggang introduced the universal cultivation plan, arguing that future wars would require powerful fighters rather than large numbers of low-tier ones.
• Yan Yu said ordinary people might begin sensing Origin Power once its atmospheric concentration reached 100 P/cm³, and estimated it would reach 90 P/cm³ in a month or two.
• Zhao Yonggang said the Calamity Beast threat would be made public, with the Supervision Bureau and Police Department monitoring for unrest, while foreign governments could decide whether to disclose it.

At the Linhai City Supervision Bureau, Le Gu Nan announced her breakthrough to Tier 3 as the team discussed their cultivation progress and waited for the national broadcast. The government publicly revealed the overlap between Blue Star and the Ruins Realm, the Calamity Beasts, and Origin Power, leaving Yu Haoming stunned by the news.

• Le Gu Nan told Shen Heng, Han Ling, Wu Cheng, and Wang Hai that she had broken through to Tier 3.
• Shen Heng said he expected to reach Tier 3 in about half a month, while Wang Hai said he could apply for Tier 4 in about six months.
• The national broadcast announced that Blue Star and the Ruins Realm had been overlapping since 2012 and that Calamity Beasts and Origin Power had come through with the phenomenon.
• Yu Haoming encountered the broadcast repeatedly in his short-video feed, checked the livestream comments, and realized the announcement was real.

The national news broadcast revealed the Calamity Beast threat, the Supervision Bureau’s role, and the release of Origin Power perception courses. It announced the creation of Martial Arts Associations, leaving citizens with a way to register and pursue cultivation.

• A-Kai’s viewers urged him to watch the news, where he learned that Calamity Beasts were real and ranged up to threats capable of surviving a nuclear strike.
• The broadcast explained that Supervision Bureaus would handle Calamity Beast incidents and urged citizens to report suspected activity.
• Shen Heng and Wang Hai discussed why the government had revealed the threat, while Han Ling worried about social unrest and Shen Heng said preparations were in place.
• The government announced that Origin Power perception courses would be publicly available through Supervision Bureau accounts.
• The news announced that Martial Arts Associations would be established, led locally by Supervision Bureau directors and nationally by Jiang Xingwei, and that people who sensed Origin Power could register for cultivation.

Shen Heng considered the newly announced Martial Arts Association, while Shen Shuning and Xiao Bai'er watched the news reveal plans for martial arts academies and the risks of fighting Calamity Beasts. After recalling a concealed Calamity Beast incident at their school, Shen Shuning decided to enlist despite the high projected casualty rate.

• Shen Heng learned that the state would establish the Martial Arts Association to register and guide civilian martial artists.
• At Capital University, Xiao Bai'er and Shen Shuning watched the broadcast reveal the existence of the Ruins Realm and Calamity Beasts.
• Shen Shuning reminded Xiao Bai'er that a hazardous-substance accident at their school the previous year had involved Calamity Beasts and that many people had died.
• The broadcast announced two martial arts academies, free enrollment for eligible adults, and the possibility that combat casualties could exceed fifty percent.
• Shen Shuning told Xiao Bai'er she would sign up because the worsening situation left them no way to escape the coming fight.

After the announcement revealed Calamity Beasts to the public, Shen Heng and his team discussed how their work would change and were assigned to supervise Origin Power affinity testing. Shen Heng left to cultivate, with Wei Leyang following him downstairs as the team adjusted to the start of a new era.

• Shen Heng and the others watched the national announcement disclose the Calamity Beasts and the coming affinity tests.
• Wu Cheng pointed out that the announcement would end the bureau martial artist’s points income from producing memory-blurring spray.
• Wang Hai said the team’s regular work would continue and assigned Shen Heng with himself, Han Ling with Le Gu Nan, and Wei Leyang with Wu Cheng to oversee affinity testing.
• Shen Heng explained that he could block distracting sounds with his evolved ability but chose to endure them while cultivating.
• Shen Heng left the dining room to cultivate, and Wei Leyang followed him downstairs.

Lin Mo underwent Origin Power affinity testing and scored 68%, while Shen Heng observed the results and considered how affinity might affect sensing Origin Power. The chapter ended with Shen Heng asking Le Gu Nan what Han Ling had to do that day.

• Lin Mo tested at the site and received an Origin Power affinity score of 68%.
• A student scored 78%, drawing envious reactions from the people waiting to be tested.
• Shen Heng and Le Gu Nan discussed recent high scores and the ranges most people tested within.
• Shen Heng reflected on how the testing device measured affinity and wondered whether a high score helped people sense Origin Power.
• Shen Heng asked Le Gu Nan what Han Ling had to do that day.

Le Gu Nan explained how her ability could make solid wood flow by altering its timescale, though she doubted she could yet use it to attack. Afterward, businessman Jiang Yifan approached Shen Heng and Le Gu Nan, hoping to connect with someone from the Supervision Bureau, but Shen Heng clarified that they were only helping with errands.

• Le Gu Nan showed Shen Heng her book about how solids flow and explained that even wood could slowly change over a sufficiently long timescale.
• Le Gu Nan demonstrated her ability by making the tabletop ripple and soften, then restored it to its original state.
• Le Gu Nan said she still needed to analyze matter before using Reconstruction and was unsure whether she could reach the level Shen Heng had described.
• Jiang Yifan introduced himself as an executive deputy general manager of Changshun Group and asked whether Shen Heng and Le Gu Nan were inspectors from the Supervision Bureau.
• Shen Heng gave Jiang Yifan his name but stopped Le Gu Nan from sharing hers, and Jiang Yifan left after offering to help them in the future.
• Shen Heng told Le Gu Nan that Jiang Yifan had been trying to make a connection with someone from the bureau.

Shen Heng and Le Gu Nan discussed why a stranger had approached them, concluding that their youthful faces had made him suspicious. Days later, Shen Heng completed a painful bodily transformation at the Supervision Bureau and reached the Third Tier.

• Shen Heng told Le Gu Nan that, despite restrictions on sharing cultivation methods and equipment, they could offer guidance and build ties with the Supervision Bureau.
• Shen Heng explained that their youthful appearance was the likely reason the stranger had questioned them, and Le Gu Nan returned to reading.
• Shen Heng watched applicants queue while circulating Origin Power through his body using the Five Animal Fist.
• Several days later, Shen Heng poured Origin Power into his heart as his blood transformed, enduring intense pain as the molten-gold blood spread through his body.
• Shen Heng opened his eyes with a golden gleam and realized he had reached the Third Tier.

After breaking through to the third tier, Shen Heng spoke with Xu Yuqin about the dangers of becoming a martial artist and hid his work with the Supervision Bureau so she would not worry. He then checked online discussions showing that many people struggled to sense Origin Power.

• More than ten days after Shen Heng's breakthrough, he woke and ate dinner with Xu Yuqin.
• Xu Yuqin asked whether Shen Heng had taken an Origin Power test, and he assured her he had not.
• Xu Yuqin warned Shen Heng that martial artists and Supervision Bureau members faced serious danger, while Shen Heng decided not to tell her he worked with the bureau.
• Xu Yuqin called Shen Shuning as Shen Heng checked Martial World Easy Exchange for Firmament Breath Beast Lung Crystals and posted a new bounty.
• Shen Heng read a post about an inspector whose cousin with 83% Origin Power affinity still could not sense Origin Power after more than ten days.
• Shen Heng checked social media and saw that whether Origin Power could be sensed was the top twenty-four-hour trending topic.

Shen Shuning and Xiao Bai'er received early admission to the Great Xia Northern Martial Arts Academy, while Shen Shuning kept her plans from her worried mother. Six months later, Shen Heng saved Lin Xiaoyu from a Calamity Beast and reported the kill to the emergency operator.

• Shen Heng dismissed a forum user's boast about sensing Origin Power as nonsense.
• Shen Shuning told her mother she would not get her Origin Power affinity tested, and explained to Xiao Bai'er that a possible encounter with a Calamity Beast influenced her decision.
• Xiao Bai'er received an admission notice to the Great Xia Northern Martial Arts Academy and excitedly showed it to Shen Shuning.
• Half a year later, Lin Xiaoyu encountered a scaled hyena-like Calamity Beast, called emergency services, and fled until she injured her ankle.
• Shen Heng walked up to the Calamity Beast, killed it with a blade, and told the operator it had been dealt with.

Shen Heng rescued Lin Xiaoyu from a Scale-Armored Hyena and waited until the medical and logistics teams arrived. As he left, he reflected on how Calamity Beast incidents had surged across Blue Star over the past half year since the Ruins Realm discovered the Darkwing Heavenly Spine Beast’s death.

• Shen Heng checked Lin Xiaoyu’s sprained ankle and stayed with her until help arrived.
• Lin Xiaoyu learned Shen Heng was a nineteen-year-old inspector and asked whether she could still cultivate and join the Supervision Bureau.
• Logistics personnel removed the Scale-Armored Hyena, and medical personnel took Lin Xiaoyu away.
• Lin Xiaoyu asked Shen Heng if she had a chance to join the Supervision Bureau, and he told her she would have a chance.
• Shen Heng reflected that Linhai’s monthly Calamity Beast incidents had risen from six to twelve in half a year as the Ruins Realm deepened its connection with Blue Star.

The chapter described how Calamity Beast sightings and attacks pushed Great Xia to relocate people from remote villages, while foreign countries struggled with unrest after revealing the Ruins Realm’s threat. Shen Heng returned home and heard someone coughing, leaving his immediate concern unresolved.

• Online Calamity Beast hunters gained attention, including one blogger who was exposed for dressing his horse in fake scale armor.
• A video of a scale-armored mandrill attacking a village and an official confronting it accelerated Great Xia’s rural relocation efforts.
• Foreign governments revealed the Ruins Realm and Calamity Beasts, triggering looting, riots, and armed groups taking over towns before order gradually returned.
• Shen Heng arrived home, opened the door, and heard repeated coughing inside.

Shen Heng learned that his mother, Xu Yuqin, had only two or three months left to live, and listened as she shared her fears and regrets. The next day, he drove to the Linhai City Martial Arts Association, where martial artists continued registering to learn to absorb Origin Power.

• Shen Heng cooked egg noodles for Xu Yuqin, and they reminisced about his father as they ate.
• Xu Yuqin asked whether Shen Heng knew about her illness, and he admitted he had known for a long time.
• Shen Heng confirmed that Xu Yuqin had only two or three months left, and she tearfully spoke about leaving him and Xiao Ning behind.
• After Xu Yuqin returned to her room, Shen Heng sat alone and murmured about the two or three months and the news that had not yet come.
• The next day, Shen Heng drove to the Linhai City Martial Arts Association, where more than forty martial artists had registered to learn to absorb Origin Power.

Shen Heng visited the Linhai City Martial Arts Association, where he encountered Ye Chengyun publicizing his newly sensed Origin Power and learned of his plans to recruit martial artists. After checking the week’s registration list, Shen Heng found Yu Jingming’s name among the three new registrants.

• Shen Heng arrived at the Martial Arts Association and accepted ten thousand yuan to wait while Ye Chengyun’s interview was filmed.
• Ye Chengyun told reporters that martial artists would be needed to protect businesses from the growing Ruins Realm invasion, and Shen Heng recognized that he was promoting himself and his family company.
• Ye Chengyun introduced himself to Shen Heng and tried to start a conversation, but Shen Heng ended it and went inside.
• Shen Heng met association office director Ma Weizhi and asked to see the week’s new registrations.
• Shen Heng scanned the list of three new registrants and recognized Yu Jingming’s name.

Shen Heng reviewed the new Martial Arts Association members’ files and told Ma Weizhi to keep media crews outside the main gate. Meanwhile, Ye Chengyun, Fang Yunshu, and Yu Jingming discussed Linhai’s strongest fighters and the secretive Supervision Bureau as they waited for their lesson to begin.

• Shen Heng read the files of Ye Chengyun, Fang Yunshu, and Yu Jingming and noted their comfortable family backgrounds.
• Shen Heng told Ma Weizhi to stop interviews inside the Martial Arts Association and allow filming only outside the main gate.
• Ye Chengyun asked Fang Yunshu who was strongest in Linhai, and she named Wang Hai among the Supervision Bureau and Lei Zhijian outside it.
• Ye Chengyun, Fang Yunshu, and Yu Jingming discussed how little the public knew about the Supervision Bureau and how Ye Chengyun’s group had failed to meet Wang Hai.
• Fang Yunshu said the lesson would start in two minutes and that only the three of them appeared to have registered that week; Ye Chengyun wondered if someone he had seen earlier was already registered.

Shen Heng taught Ye Chengyun, Fang Yunshu, and Yu Jingming the basics of cultivation, including the Five Animal Fist and Heavenly Cycle Breathing Technique. After learning that Yu Jingming had failed to awaken an ability, Shen Heng asked whether he had ever thought about becoming one of the very best.

• Shen Heng arrived at the training room and revealed to Ye Chengyun, Fang Yunshu, and Yu Jingming that he would teach them cultivation.
• Shen Heng explained how Origin Power cultivation worked and taught the three the Five Animal Fist and Heavenly Cycle Breathing Technique.
• After several hours, Shen Heng confirmed that all three had learned the basics and told them to cultivate diligently to reach the first tier.
• Yu Jingming returned to speak with Shen Heng, who learned that Yu Jingming had failed to awaken an ability.
• Yu Jingming said he could still cultivate without an ability, and Shen Heng asked if he had ever thought about becoming one of the very best.

Shen Heng explained to Yu Jingming that martial artists without abilities could still become strong by improving their bodies, techniques, and Origin Power control, then demonstrated his self-developed Flow technique. Yu Jingming returned to Canglan Saber School encouraged, while Shen Heng left his own ambition uncertain.

• Yu Jingming told Shen Heng that he only wanted enough strength to cultivate and protect his family, and Shen Heng explained how effort could help someone without an ability become a capable martial artist.
• Shen Heng described abilities as specialized applications of Origin Power and showed Yu Jingming how Origin Power flowed through his body.
• Shen Heng revealed his Flow combat technique, which continuously circulated Origin Power to enhance his physique, and told Yu Jingming he could only learn it after reaching the fourth tier.
• Yu Jingming asked Shen Heng whether he wanted to become one of the very best, and Shen Heng replied, "If there was a chance..."
• Yu Jingming returned to Canglan Saber School, where he greeted the other students as enrollment in his family's business had grown following the government announcement of the Ruins Realm invasion.

Yu Jingming returned to the Canglan Saber School and told Yu Chunhe what Shen Heng had taught him about cultivation without an ability. Their father, Yu Zhenzhong, then revealed his plan to send Chunhe to teach saber techniques to the Supervision Bureau and have her join if she awakened, while Jingming objected because of the danger.

• Yu Jingming corrected a student's saber slash before visiting Yu Chunhe in the back courtyard.
• Yu Chunhe guessed that Shen Heng had taught Jingming to cultivate, and Jingming explained that diligent cultivation could let someone without an ability match people with low-level abilities.
• Yu Chunhe imagined Jingming becoming a novel-like main character, while Jingming said he had failed to awaken three times and could not safely try again.
• Yu Zhenzhong said he would arrange for Yu Chunhe to teach saber techniques to the Supervision Bureau next year and have her join if she awakened.
• Yu Jingming objected, arguing that the Supervision Bureau was too dangerous, but Yu Zhenzhong defended the plan and questioned whether Chunhe could even join.