Recaps

Cao Fengqi learned how merit points and military service records worked, then followed Director Duan to a government research project. He offered to judge whether he could help finish the work in a day, but Wu Jiahao doubted his confidence.

• Director Duan explained that Cao Fengqi’s ten thousand merit points had different purchasing power depending on supply and demand, and that service records could qualify him for promotion.
• Cao Fengqi searched the trading platform for information on the Fate Witch Grand Church and objected to its prices; Director Duan and Cao Jianjun explained the dangers and equipment losses involved in exploring it.
• Director Duan took Cao Fengqi to a research work area and introduced him to Wu Jiahao as a potential contributor to the project.
• Cao Jianjun revealed that Cao Fengqi had perfect ninth-dan Mystic Artificer skill, but Wu Jiahao questioned whether forging skill translated to research ability.
• Cao Fengqi said he would join only if he could finish the task that day, while Wu Jiahao scoffed at the claim because his team had spent half a month completing only half the project.

Cao Fengqi reviewed the Transcendent Arsenal’s research into a disposable level 6 weapon and negotiated for merit and cultivation-room access before offering a redesign. He began making an oversized nail case to demonstrate his approach.

• Wu Jiahao had Xiao Liu bring the research materials to Cao Fengqi, who found the project aimed to make a soul-free level 6 transcendent grenade for clearing Desolate Towns.
• Cao Fengqi asked Director Duan about the project’s rewards, then pushed for merit points and access to a level 8 cultivation room for his uncle and the others.
• Cao Fengqi dismissed the existing design as simple, provoking the Mystic Artificers, and said the metal pellets needed to be redesigned to withstand the explosion.
• Cao Fengqi suggested using a level 5 outer case and level 6 spikes, making the weapon larger if necessary.
• Cao Fengqi used Transcendent Emberfire and level 5 metal to forge an oversized nail case beside the research team.

Cao Fengqi quickly perfected a hidden weapon at the research institute and earned sixty percent of the project credit, then used merit points to buy detailed information about the Fate Witch Grand Church. The information warned him about dangerous creatures there, including Mirage Rats that could attack and permanently damage a person’s mind.

• Cao Fengqi forged a level 5 hidden weapon in under ten minutes, impressing Director Duan and the research institute staff.
• Director Duan offered Cao Fengqi sixty percent of the project credit and invited him to join the institute, but Cao Fengqi left the offer open.
• Cao Fengqi asked Cao Jianjun for a quiet room and spent 2,000 merit points to obtain information about the Fate Witch Grand Church.
• Cao Fengqi read about the church’s history, its evil creatures, and the Mirage Rat’s abilities and deadly mental attacks.

Cao Fengqi studied the Fate Witch Grand Church’s threats and searched the authorities’ trading platform for ways to strengthen himself, eventually learning two level 9 Strongman Techniques. He then spotted Xu Fenghua at the Super Armory, learning that she was the powerful deputy director of the Tianbei Base City Law Enforcement Bureau.

• Cao Fengqi read that the Fate Witch Grand Church’s varied enemies made it dangerous for a lone transcendent, and considered strengthening his Beast Herder Sequence and battle pets to counter them.
• Cao Fengqi browsed the authorities’ trading platform, found powerful Beast Shepherd items too costly, and exchanged merit points for the Heavenly Shadow Phantom Movement Technique and Star-Shooting Art.
• Cao Fengqi mastered both level 9 Strongman Techniques, greatly improving his movement and archery.
• Cao Fengzhi invited Cao Fengqi to look through a telescope at the woman he hoped to date, whom he called his future sister-in-law.
• Cao Fengqi recognized a woman he had previously found rude and asked who she was; Cao Fengzhi identified her as Deputy Director Xu Fenghua, an Adjudicator and General Xu Zhenjiang’s only daughter.

Cao Fengqi sold surplus equipment, repaired his dual blades, and absorbed souls to prepare for the Mirage Rats. He entered the mirage and began fighting all seven rats, discovering that his sword art was far more powerful than expected.

• Cao Fengqi learned from Cao Fengzhi about Xu Fenghua's status and power, then dismissed thoughts of seeking her out.
• Cao Fengqi sold his spare equipment and World Medal, repaired his level 7 dual blades, and used souls to raise his Spirit Tamer experience and prepare for the Mirage Rats.
• Cao Fengqi traveled by wheelchair to the Fate Witch Grand Church and entered the mirage with Xiaotian Dog, Nightmare, and his other companions.
• Cao Fengqi fired at the red warnings, exposing the seven Mirage Rats and drawing their attack.
• Cao Fengqi used Emberflame Burns the Heavens to sweep the Mirage Rats with fire and was surprised by the sword art's power.

Cao Fengqi defeated the Mirage Rats and contracted four of them as battle pets. After considering how to strengthen his pets, he tested their abilities and collected the supplies left behind before moving on.

• Cao Fengqi killed three Mirage Rats with his sword art, then wounded three more while Xiaotian Dog and the Nightmares fought the rest.
• Cao Fengqi used the Evil Herding Art and Evil Beast Contracting Art to contract four wounded Mirage Rats.
• Cao Fengqi examined the Mirage Rats’ skills and realized their soul-absorbing ability could greatly increase their spirit.
• Cao Fengqi arranged for the Nightmares and Xiaotian Dog to consume three Mirage Rat corpses so he could measure their growth.
• Cao Fengqi collected the level 5, level 6, and level 7 supplies, then continued forward.

Cao Fengqi defeated a group of Mirage Rats, contracted some and strengthened his battle-pet army before entering a larger mirage realm. A new scan revealed many more resources nearby, leaving him confident he could rapidly grow stronger by hunting Mirage Rats.

• Cao Fengqi was briefly controlled by eight Mirage Rats, then recovered and killed them with the Flame Wing Feather Sword and Transcendent Emberfire.
• Cao Fengqi decided to contract four Mirage Rats and have his battle pets absorb the other four, then waited two hours for his pets to recover.
• Cao Fengqi left the church-like mirage realm with fifteen battle pets and approached a forest that he recognized as another mirage realm.
• Cao Fengqi used the warning objects shown by his script to expose the forest's hidden pillars and ambushed eleven Mirage Rats with bullets.
• Cao Fengqi ordered his battle pets to fight the Mirage Rats and received a scan showing dozens of new resources, prompting him to celebrate his expected rapid growth.

Cao Fengqi collected Mirage Rats and discovered a Domain Condenser's soul fragment in the Fate Witch Grand Church, then encountered a powerful Aberrant Witch Worm whose strange attack continued to affect him as he fled. The chapter left him trying to burn away the yellow strands burrowing into his body with Transcendent Emberfire.

• Cao Fengqi suppressed 11 more Mirage Rats, bringing his sleeping total to 15, and collected a level 7 witch statue.
• Cao Fengqi dug up a Soul Nurturing Box and found a level 8 Domain Condenser's soul fragment inside, which he suspected might be useful to Sister Youya.
• Cao Fengqi left the mirage area and spotted an Aberrant Witch Worm, which turned his skin yellow and numbed his soul.
• Cao Fengqi attacked the Aberrant Witch Worm with Holy Light Cannon, Nightmare's Mental Smite, and Mirage Sleep, but the creature dodged and blocked the attacks.
• Cao Fengqi fled in his wheelchair, but yellow strands gathered on his skin and began burrowing toward his body, so he unleashed Transcendent Emberfire to stop them.

After surviving the Aberrant Witch Worm’s strange attack, Cao Fengqi tested how efficiently his battle pets could grow by consuming Mirage Rats and planned how to divide them among his pets. He learned that Xiao Youya had been injured, though the chapter did not reveal how badly or what had happened to her.

• Cao Fengqi used transcendent Herding Fire to suppress the yellow energy from the Aberrant Witch Worm and left the Lost Land, resolving to explore more cautiously.
• Cao Fengqi measured the growth and recovery rates of his Mirage Rat, Nightmare, and Xiaotian Dog battle pets by testing their skills and feeding them Mirage Rats.
• Cao Fengqi decided to have his Mirage Rat leader absorb ten Mirage Rats and Xiaotian Dog eat five, then went to sleep after more than twenty hours of research.
• Cao Fengqi discovered that his hair had turned yellow and failed to remove the color with transcendent Herding Fire.
• Liu Chunying told Cao Fengqi that Xiao Youxiu had visited her and that Xiao Youya had been injured.

Cao Fengqi visited the injured Xiao Youya, gave her a valuable treasure to help her, and claimed he was her simp. The chapter ended with him kissing her despite her protests while she was injured.

• Cao Fengqi learned that Xiao Youya had been badly hurt when Dragon Head Mountain's supernatural beings ambushed her during a territorial fight.
• Feng Qinglan gave Xiao Youya a level-seven pill to repair her spiritual power, and Divine Granny admitted her faulty divination had led to the ambush.
• Cao Fengqi visited Xiao Youya and gave her a Domain Condenser's Soul Fragment, which she initially refused because she did not want to owe him favors.
• Cao Fengqi called himself Xiao Youya's simp, restrained her as she protested, and kissed her.

Cao Fengqi left Xiao Youya recovering after taking advantage of her, then dismissed Feng Qingxuan’s challenge without knowing the other man planned to pursue her. The next morning, he discovered that the Mirage Rat and Xiaotian Dog had both advanced to level 7, gaining powerful new skills.

• Cao Fengqi left Xiao Youya with a level 8 treasure, while she struggled with her feelings about his help and his unwanted kisses.
• Xiao Youxiu asked Cao Fengqi what he had said to Xiao Youya, and Cao Fengqi concealed the truth with a nonsensical reply.
• Feng Qingxuan challenged Cao Fengqi to compete fairly, while Feng Qinglan and Feng Qingxuan confidently discussed winning Xiao Youya’s affection.
• Cao Fengqi returned home and chatted with his parents while his battle pets continued improving.
• The next morning, Cao Fengqi found that the Mirage Rat and Xiaotian Dog had reached level 7 and gained new skills, including Mirage Realm Protection and Metal Hardening.

Cao Fengqi explored the Fate Witch Grand Church, hunting Mirage Rats to strengthen his battle pets and collect valuable resources. He captured eleven rats and found several treasures, then continued toward a detected level 8 resource.

• Cao Fengqi decided to avoid the Aberrant Witch Worm for now and searched the unexplored area for Mirage Rats.
• Cao Fengqi found a Mirage, summoned the Xiaotian Dog and the Mirage Rat leader, and entered to fight the rats.
• The Xiaotian Dog crashed into a pillar while attacking, and the Mirage Rats fled; Cao Fengqi pursued them and captured eleven after the dog ate one.
• Cao Fengqi collected a level 7 Soul Potion, a level 7 Three-Bladed Bone Knife, and other resources from the Mirage.
• Cao Fengqi continued exploring toward a level 8 treasure detected two thousand meters ahead.

Cao Fengqi discovered that a tiny Aberrant Witch Worm had dyed his hair yellow, then came under attack from a swarm of them. He suspected his yellow hair carried a curse that let the worms track him, and considered turning their aggression into an advantage by luring them into a Mirage.

• Cao Fengqi used the Mirage Rat leader’s Mirage Sleep to stop a nearly invisible level-six Aberrant Witch Worm and identified it.
• More than twenty Aberrant Witch Worms attacked Cao Fengqi, including fast-moving assailants and a soul-locked bone-spur attack.
• Cao Fengqi had Xiaotian Dog block the bone spur, then escaped with his battle pets in the level-seven wheelchair.
• After the worms stopped pursuing him, Cao Fengqi realized they might be tracking him because the Aberrant Witch Worm had dyed his hair yellow as a curse.
• Cao Fengqi considered using the worms’ aggression against them by setting Mirage traps with the Mirage Rats.

Cao Fengqi contracted an Aberrant Witch Worm and continued searching the Fate Witch Grand Church, where he discovered several groups of powerful Transcendents and Dragon Head Mountain territory. After scanning Dragon Head Mountain’s forces, he noticed one powerful resource was separated from the group and that they appeared to be fighting.

• Cao Fengqi sent the injured Xiaotian Dog to recover and contracted the Aberrant Witch Worm, which his scan identified as a Black-Gold Bloodthirsty Gu with three skills.
• Cao Fengqi continued looking for Mirage Rats and detected several groups of Transcendents exploring the ruins, so he tried to avoid them.
• Cao Fengqi heard Dragon Head Mountain’s warning that trespassers in its claimed territory would be treated as enemies and decided to scout the faction from a distance.
• Cao Fengqi scanned ten Dragon Head Mountain Transcendents and noticed that one level-eight resource was apart from the group while the others appeared to be fighting.

Cao Fengqi secretly stole a damaged level-eight Soul Perception Disc while Dragon Head Mountain fought ghosts, then attacked the group from behind with his cannons. Elder Chen noticed the ambush, and the middle-aged man on the skeletal warhorse summoned a shield of skeletons as Dragon Head Mountain fell into chaos.

• Cao Fengqi used the Black-Gold Bloodthirsty Gu to sneak past Dragon Head Mountain’s warning line and reach a level-eight item.
• He found a damaged Soul Perception Disc embedded in a skeleton inside a broken church pillar and carried it back to his storage ring.
• Cao Fengqi rode his Nightmares into the air and fired his Holy Light Cannon and Vulcan Autocannon at Dragon Head Mountain’s fighters.
• Elder Chen sensed the attack, but a ghost interrupted him as bullets killed Liu Dongyi and threw the group into disorder.
• The middle-aged man on the skeletal warhorse summoned more than a thousand skeletons to form a shield behind Dragon Head Mountain.

Cao Fengqi ambushed Dragon Head Mountain, escaped their pursuit, and gathered resources from an unexplored area of the Lost Land. After returning to reality, he found a message from his uncle about a lucrative research project for the authorities.

• Cao Fengqi shot at Dragon Head Mountain, killing two members before fleeing as Elder Chen ordered the group to retreat.
• Cao Fengqi explored the far right of the Lost Land, collected five Mirage Rats and a level 7 metal witch statue, then detected Dragon Head Mountain approaching and escaped.
• Elder Chen traced Cao Fengqi's path and concluded that he had a detection treasure and exceptional speed, so the group planned to obtain a level 8 speed-type treasure.
• Cao Fengqi returned to the Great Fog Forest, waited until he felt safe, and then left the Lost Land with his collected items and a level 6 witch worm battle pet.
• Cao Fengqi saw a message from his uncle offering him a chance to join an important authorities' research project with a generous reward.

Cao Fengqi went with Cao Fengzhi to the Law Enforcement Bureau training grounds, where he saw Xu Fenghua again. As the trainees prepared to leave, Cao Fengqi whistled and called out to her, drawing everyone’s attention.

• Cao Fengqi decided to raise two Mirage Rat battle pets and told his parents he was going to the Transcendent Arsenal.
• Cao Fengzhi met Cao Fengqi at the arsenal and led him to watch Xu Fenghua train with the Law Enforcement Bureau.
• Cao Fengqi stared at Xu Fenghua and gave a young man who glared at him the middle finger.
• Xu Zhenjiang and other men talked about Xu Fenghua’s popularity and the kind of man she might choose.
• After training ended, Cao Fengqi whistled at Xu Fenghua and greeted her, making everyone turn to look at him.

Cao Fengqi reunited with Xu Fenghua at the Law Enforcement Bureau, surprising everyone when she took him away with her. Xu Zhenjiang watched them leave and ordered Xiao Leng to investigate Cao Fengqi.

• Cao Fengzhi tried to stop Cao Fengqi from provoking Xu Fenghua and apologized to the Law Enforcement Bureau members.
• Xu Fenghua recognized Cao Fengqi, while Xu Zhenjiang dismissed another man's offer to teach him a lesson and expected his daughter to break his leg.
• Xu Fenghua asked Cao Fengqi why he was there, and he teased her about their reunion and reminded her that he had saved her life.
• Xu Fenghua told Cao Fengqi to come with her, and he left with her while Cao Fengzhi and the onlookers watched in confusion.
• Xu Zhenjiang wondered how Cao Fengqi knew his daughter and ordered Xiao Leng to investigate him.

Cao Fengqi visited Xu Fenghua at the Law Enforcement Bureau, where he showed off his tenth-stage Strongman Sword Technique and sparred with her. He left her furious after making her think he was offering swordsmanship advice when he was only teasing her.

• Xu Fenghua offered Cao Fengqi treasures or merit in exchange for his help, but he chose her custom Fenghua Sword.
• Cao Fengqi demonstrated a five-element sword technique, astonishing Xu Fenghua, who asked about his sword skill and Transcendent Sequence.
• Xu Fenghua tested him with her sword, and Cao Fengqi easily countered her attacks while criticizing her technique.
• Xu Fenghua increased her strength, forcing Cao Fengqi to use Intercept the Waves, Seal the River to block her and retreat several steps.
• Cao Fengqi claimed his Strongman Sword Technique was at the tenth stage and told Xu Fenghua her sword had impurities because she needed more practice.
• Xu Fenghua realized Cao Fengqi had been mocking her instead of giving guidance and angrily cursed him.

Cao Fengqi used spiritual power to guide Xu Fenghua through the transition from the seventh to the eighth stage of swordsmanship, and she quickly awakened her sword intent. Xu Fenghua learned that his teaching method came from the Beast Herding Heart and threatened to castrate him if he could not help her advance further.

• Xu Fenghua punched Cao Fengqi for insulting her, then agreed to let him teach her swordsmanship in exchange for covering him in Tianbei Base City.
• Xu Fenghua demonstrated her swordsmanship, and Cao Fengqi identified that she was stuck between the seventh stage of heart and the eighth stage of intent.
• Cao Fengqi used spiritual power from the Beast Herding Heart to guide Xu Fenghua as she practiced.
• Xu Fenghua broke through to the eighth stage of swordsmanship and asked Cao Fengqi how he had taught her so quickly.
• Cao Fengqi explained that he had applied the Beast Herding Heart, then nearly called Xu Fenghua a white tiger before stopping himself.
• Xu Fenghua guessed what he had meant and threatened to castrate him if he failed to help her reach the ninth or tenth stage.

Xu Fenghua demanded Cao Fengqi teach her swordsmanship, but he had been summoned to the Transcendent Arsenal for an important research project. As they headed there together, he demonstrated sword intent and a high-level movement art, leaving Xu Fenghua eager to learn from him.

• Cao Fengqi told Xu Fenghua he had to visit the Transcendent Arsenal for a research project, and she decided to go with him.
• Xu Fenghua discovered Cao Fengqi was a Spark Guild honorary captain and asked how he had saved her from the Ruins Nightmare Domain; he dodged the question with a joke.
• Xu Fenghua explained that an unknown Ruin Demon had trapped hundreds of thousands of people and that she alone survived from the Law Enforcement Bureau squad she led.
• Cao Fengqi explained sword intent and demonstrated it for Xu Fenghua as they walked, while the two bickered.
• Cao Fengqi dodged Xu Fenghua's punch with the Heavenly Shadow Lost Trace Movement Art and revealed it had reached the ninth stage.
• Xu Fenghua demanded that Cao Fengqi teach her the movement art, but he refused and threatened to shout that she was molesting him.

Cao Fengqi accompanied Xu Fenghua into the Transcendent Arsenal conference room, where Xu Zhenjiang recognized the sword she had given Cao and took it back. The meeting ended with Cao calling Xu Zhenjiang an old geezer after noticing he was smoking his cigarette backward.

• Two young men at the Transcendent Arsenal saw Xu Fenghua acting intimately with Cao Fengqi and could not believe their eyes.
• Xu Fenghua led Cao Fengqi into the conference room, where he spotted his uncle, Cao Jianjun.
• Xu Zhenjiang saw the sword in Cao Fengqi's hand, used his power to take it, and demanded to know where it came from.
• Xu Fenghua told Xu Zhenjiang that she had given Cao Fengqi the sword, which had been his birthday present to her.
• Xu Zhenjiang put the sword into his storage space, sat down, and smoked furiously while Cao Fengqi told him he was smoking backward.

Cao Fengqi joined the Transcendent Arsenal’s research effort to develop a device that could detect people corrupted by evil energy, drawn by its substantial reward and the chance to save lives. As Xu Zhenjiang’s jealousy simmered and Zhu Mingshan boasted about his accomplishments, Cao Fengqi revealed that he had only just turned eighteen.

• Director Duan invited Cao Fengqi to help with a difficult research project, whose reward included the rank of major general, rare materials, and a level-eight item.
• Xu Fenghua explained that the project aimed to detect contamination, twisted souls, and worshippers of evil gods, whose attacks killed tens of thousands daily.
• Cao Fengqi asked whether they had test subjects, and the group set off to examine the available contaminated people and evil-god followers.
• Director Xu explained that Cao Fengqi had reached the perfected ninth stage of Mystic Artificer and developed both the Vulcan Autocannon and the Transcendent Grenade.
• Xu Zhenjiang praised Zhu Mingshan, a thirty-year-old third-stage Smelter, and Zhu advised Cao Fengqi to keep working hard.
• Cao Fengqi agreed, then told Zhu Mingshan that he had only just turned eighteen.

Cao Fengqi mocked Xu Zhenjiang by boasting about his rapid achievements, then joined the group at the Transcendent Shelter to help develop a detector for evil energy. The researchers began dividing the work among three possible detection methods.

• Cao Fengqi revealed that he was eighteen, prompting Zhu Mingshan and Xu Zhenjiang to react with surprise at his progress as an Artifact Refiner.
• Cao Fengqi reminded Cao Jianjun and Director Duan how quickly he had improved their weapons, then asked Xu Fenghua whether he was a piece of trash.
• Xu Fenghua silenced Cao Fengqi with purple light and warned him not to mock her father, while Xu Zhenjiang fumed and wondered if his daughter had grown interested in the brat.
• Xu Zhenjiang's group reached the Transcendent Shelter, where Cao Fengqi saw contaminated people, believers, and evil god servants held in cells.
• Director Xu outlined three research approaches for detecting evil energy and assigned the researchers to choose directions under the three Smelters' leadership.

Cao Fengqi proposed using a damaged Soul Perception Disc to develop a detector for corrupted people, believers, and servants of evil gods. He claimed he was 99% confident he could find a solution, leaving Xu Fenghua and the others stunned.

• Cao Fengqi asked whether the government had a soul-type perception disc or a blueprint for one, and Director Duan said it had neither.
• Cao Fengqi took out the damaged level 8 Soul Perception Disc he had taken from Dragon Head Mountain and considered analyzing its forging blueprint.
• Cao Fengqi admitted he had only thought of one solution so far, then said his confidence was about 99%.
• Director Duan loudly questioned whether Cao Fengqi was serious, and everyone in the shelter turned to look.