Chapter Summaries

Zhang Xuezhou traded Southern Brightness Fire to Hongku, then returned to reality and discussed blood preparations and an exchange with the Aomeijia Alliance with Ren Anran. He considered using rare herbs from the Qinmeng Snake Den to develop a life-extending elixir for the elderly people of the Twilight Years Mansion.

• Zhang Xuezhou exchanged the Southern Brightness Fire technique for heavenly materials and earthly treasures, knowing Hongku would struggle to cultivate it.
• Zhang Xuezhou returned to reality, where Ren Anran asked who A Qiao was and whether he had encountered Hongku again.
• Zhang Xuezhou checked his condition and told Ren Anran that a Ferocious Beast Belt would help him make better use of his avian blood preparations.
• Ren Anran told Zhang Xuezhou that her father was negotiating an exchange with the Aomeijia Alliance, and they agreed that accepting a small loss could buy time.
• Zhang Xuezhou thought about the elderly people nearing the end of their lives and recalled potent medicinal herbs from the Qinmeng Snake Den as possible ingredients for a life-extending elixir.

Zhang Xuezhou tested a potent medicinal plant in the laboratory and injected himself with Falcon Sparrow blood serum. His body began showing the outward genetic traits of the Fourth Sequence.

• Zhang Xuezhou reviewed reports on Huang Daoxian’s fast-growing gene crops and retrieved a potent medicinal plant from the laboratory’s sealed container.
• Zhang Xuezhou ate a piece of the plant to assess its effects while Zuo Teng, Zuo Denggao, Ren Anran, and other Sequence Holders watched.
• Zuo Denggao explained that his first-class merit had improved his standing, while Zuo Teng reflected on the rewards he had received through Zhang Xuezhou.
• Zhang Xuezhou injected Falcon Sparrow blood serum into both arms after chewing the plant.
• Zhang Xuezhou spread his arms as blue-black coloring appeared on his face and palms, revealing the genetic characteristics of the Fourth Sequence.

Zhang Xuezhou discovered that the potent medicine from the snake cave accelerated blood-agent absorption and helped him reach the Fourth Sequence after taking only five doses. After exploring the medicine’s effects and considering how to formulate it, he offered a dose to his companions for testing, and Zhou Tianhao volunteered.

• Zhang Xuezhou found that the potent medicine strongly stimulated his body’s absorption of blood agent, despite causing dizziness and discomfort.
• Zhang Xuezhou’s genetic traits manifested on his arm, and he realized that five doses of high-grade Falcon Sparrow blood agent had brought him to the Fourth Sequence.
• Zhang Xuezhou classified the potent medicine as a blood-agent catalyst and considered studying its formulation and offering it in trade.
• Zhang Xuezhou asked his companions to test a dose of the medicine, and Zhou Tianhao eagerly volunteered.
• Song Sijia questioned Zhou Tianhao’s eagerness and criticized how casually Zhang Xuezhou was offering an experimental medicine.

Zhou Tianhao tested Zhang Xuezhou’s dangerous medicine alongside a blood agent and reached the Fourth Sequence, but the dose drove him into a violent, memory-fueled frenzy. He recovered with enhanced abilities and recognized the medicine’s powerful benefits and risks.

• Zhou Tianhao ignored Zhou Rihui’s warning, signed the risk notice, and prepared to test Zhang Xuezhou’s medicine with the blood agent.
• Zhou Tianhao swallowed a full 250-milliliter spoonful and was overwhelmed by memories of his harsh childhood training as his body strained past its limits.
• Zhou Manqian pinned Zhou Tianhao down after he rampaged through the B13 Research Institute, and the others questioned him to confirm his mind was intact.
• Zhou Tianhao realized he had reached the Fourth Sequence, learned he had used the Black Armor Combat Technique to wreck the institute and struck Song Sijia, and accepted that he would need to pay for the damage.
• Zhou Tianhao judged that Zhang Xuezhou’s medicine sharply increased the blood agent’s utilization but could be too dangerous for others to endure.

Zhang Xuezhou explained the risks and limits of the snake-den medicine and decided it should be tested on people attempting the Seventh Sequence. He learned that Zhu Bufan and Ren Yisheng had succeeded, while Zuo Lianguang had failed and shut himself away.

• Zhang Xuezhou told Zuo Teng that the medicine required strong mental and physical endurance and was best saved for a Sequence bottleneck.
• Zhang Xuezhou planned to compare the medicine's effects on Ren Yisheng and the others, but Ren Anran advised waiting until they failed their Seventh Sequence attempts.
• Zhang Xuezhou messaged Ren Yisheng, Zhu Bufan, and Zuo Lianguang to tell him how their attempts went.
• Zhu Bufan reported that he had succeeded at the Seventh Sequence, and Ren Yisheng soon reported the same.
• Zhang Xuezhou learned that Zuo Lianguang was the only one of the three to fail and had shut himself away.

Zhang Xuezhou and Luo Burang visited Zuo Lianguang with an experimental drug and a new method to form a Sequence Lock, offering him a chance to try for the Seventh Sequence again. Zuo Lianguang agreed to the risky test, though he remained burdened by the feeling that he had no real choice.

• Zhang Xuezhou found Zuo Lianguang devastated after his failed attempt to break through to the Seventh Sequence.
• Zhang Xuezhou offered Zuo Lianguang an experimental drug that might improve his physical vitality, but warned that another failed breakthrough could kill him.
• Luo Burang explained that the experimental Sequence Lock could strengthen Zuo Lianguang, but its collapse could erase his Sequence strength.
• Zhang Xuezhou warned that his help would bind the Sequence Lock to his power, so it might collapse if he died.
• Zuo Lianguang accepted the drug and Sequence Lock test, despite fearing its risks.

Zuo Lianguang formed and tested his Sequence Lock as Zhang Xuezhou and Luo Burang collected data to assess his chances of reaching the Seventh Sequence. With no safe dosage or way to turn back, Zuo Lianguang injected Ferocious Beast extract and began drinking the experimental drug, his mind fading into fear.

• Zuo Lianguang brought a bloodshot Sequence Lock out of his body, and Luo Burang confirmed that it expanded and contracted as Ren Anran had deduced.
• Zhang Xuezhou and Luo Burang measured the Sequence Lock while Zuo Lianguang repeatedly tested its power and answered their questions.
• Luo Burang estimated that the Sequence Lock increased Zuo Lianguang's chances of reaching the Seventh Sequence by ten percentage points.
• Zhang Xuezhou gave Zuo Lianguang a bottle of experimental drug and told him to decide how much to drink.
• Zuo Lianguang injected more Ferocious Beast extract, opened the bottle, and drank as the drug's effects began to cloud his thoughts.

Zuo Lianguang attempted to reach the Seventh Sequence while observers watched, and Zhang Xuezhou discussed Sequence Locks and the Qinmeng Secret Stone with the others. Zuo Lianguang emerged transformed into a Seventh Sequence Holder, though his mind remained unclear.

• Observers at the Twilight Years Mansion watched Zuo Lianguang's attempt through his residence's surveillance system and discussed the risks of the medicine and his second attempt at creating a Resistance Layer.
• Qimeng Haige asked Zhang Xuezhou for a Sequence Lock, but Zhang Xuezhou said he could not guide one at Qimeng Haige's high Sequence level.
• Luo Burang explained that a Sequence Lock could strengthen Gene Fighting Techniques and required Law Power as its core, prompting Zhu Bufan to ask about practicing it.
• Zhang Xuezhou said the Qinmeng Secret Stone might give them another chance to advance Sequence Locks, and he and the others discussed the dangers of returning to the snake den.
• Zuo Lianguang shouted in his frenzy, pierced the blast-resistant glass with his fingers, and completed his transformation into the Seventh Sequence while his mind remained unclear.

Zhang Xuezhou and Luo Burang continued researching ways to strengthen the mind and body for advancing through the Sequences, while Ren Yisheng discussed his unstable Eighth Sequence abilities with Zhang. They decided to return to the snake den for more precious medicine and try speaking with the snake king.

• Luo Burang struggled with the demanding Fleshly Body Technique as Twilight Years Mansion hoped the research would reduce the risks of entering the Seventh Sequence.
• Ren Yisheng asked Zhang Xuezhou whether he could take medicine from the snake den and requested tests to see if he could fully advance into the Eighth Sequence.
• Ren Yisheng demonstrated how his mental power could shatter glass, but explained that he could not sustain the ability for long or cover a wide range.
• Zhang Xuezhou and Ren Yisheng discussed using Ferocious Beast extracts to strengthen genes and advance through higher Sequences.
• Zhang Xuezhou agreed to arrange a return to the snake den, and Ren Yisheng suggested they try talking to the snake king.
• Ren Yisheng reflected that Zhang Xuezhou had bound many high-Sequence Holders and other generations to his fortunes through their shared reliance on his research.

The Twilight Years Mansion’s Sixth Sequence Holders debated whether to risk using Zhang Xuezhou’s Sequence Lock to improve their chances of reaching the Seventh Sequence. After learning that Zuo Lianguang’s breakthrough relied partly on the Lock and medicine with severe memory-loss aftereffects, several elders decided to contact Zhang Xuezhou and seek their own chances.

• Bi Dazhi, Cai Guoli, and other elderly Sequence Holders weighed the risks of the Sequence Lock against their desire to reach the Seventh Sequence and extend their lives.
• Qimeng Haige challenged those who feared the gamble, while Song Xianzhong revealed that he had already contacted Zhang Xuezhou and warned that Zhang might refuse to help them.
• Bi Dazhi and Cai Guoli began calling Zhang Xuezhou, and the group stopped debating as its members tried to reach him.
• Zuo Lianguang explained that his ability, the medicine, and the Sequence Lock had contributed forty, forty, and twenty percent to his breakthrough, respectively.
• Zhong Rang and Li Qi discussed the medicine’s severe memory-loss effects and the difficulty of obtaining more from the snake den, then Li Qi called Zhang Xuezhou as well.

Zhang Xuezhou refused requests to use the imperfect Sequence Lock to help others break through to the Seventh Sequence, warning them of the risks. He agreed to consider activating their locks if they could obtain Qimeng Haige’s R34, R35, and R36 gene catalyst formulas.

• Changkong Yinghao, Changkong Yinglian, and Zhou Rihui urged Zhang Xuezhou to help them use the Sequence Lock after Zuo Lianguang’s breakthrough, but he warned that failure could make their Sequences regress or collapse.
• Changkong Yinghao, Changkong Yinglian, and Zhou Rihui insisted they were willing to risk the consequences because they longed to reach the Seventh Sequence.
• Zhang Xuezhou explained that the Sequence Lock was promising but that activating it at high Sequences remained difficult, especially without supporting medicines.
• Zhang Xuezhou asked them to obtain Qimeng Haige’s R34, R35, and R36 gene catalyst formulas, saying a higher Sequence would let him activate their Sequence Locks more effectively.

Qimeng Haige resisted pressure from Changkong Yinghao, Changkong Yinglian, and Zhou Rihui to share his genetic catalyst formulas, but he eventually negotiated an agreement with the Scarlet Alliance State. After Zhang Xuezhou’s representatives accepted his requests, Qimeng Haige reflected on Zhang’s growing influence and absence from the negotiations.

• Qimeng Haige rejected Changkong Yinghao’s offer and complained that Zhang Xuezhou had sent others to negotiate for him.
• Changkong Yinglian warned Qimeng Haige that the Scarlet Alliance State could soon have many more Seventh Sequence Holders, weakening his bargaining position.
• Qimeng Haige agreed to share the R34, R35, and R36 genetic catalyst formulas in exchange for access to research and his insights into the Eighth Sequence.
• Qimeng Haige requested ten Sequence Lock slots from Zhang Xuezhou and asked the Scarlet Alliance State to help the Aomeijia Alliance if a Fire Meteor biological crisis occurred.
• Changkong Yinghao agreed to the assistance request, signed an agreement, and left Qimeng Haige reflecting on Zhang Xuezhou’s growing circle of influence.

Zuo Teng and Zuo Denggao asked Zhang Xuezhou to help them obtain Sequence Locks, despite his warnings about their risks and unfinished research. Zhang Xuezhou finally gave up trying to dissuade them, leaving their push for advancement to proceed.

• After Changkong Yinghao and the others left, Zuo Teng and Zuo Denggao visited Zhang Xuezhou and asked him to help them get Sequence Locks.
• Zhang Xuezhou explained that Sequence Locks remained immature and could collapse if he died or hinder their users’ future advancement.
• Zuo Teng and Zuo Denggao dismissed the risks, saying they valued the chance to reach the Seventh Sequence more than possible future setbacks.
• Zuo Denggao suggested charging others heavily for help to keep a crowd from approaching Zhang Xuezhou, but Zhang Xuezhou told him to collect the money himself.
• Zhang Xuezhou accepted that he could not stop Zuo Teng and the others from pursuing Sequence Locks and stopped trying to dissuade them.

After Zuo Lianguang reached the Seventh Sequence with the help of Zhang Xuezhou’s Sequence Lock, demand for the drug and Sequence Locks surged. Zhang Xuezhou and the institute’s core members debated the risks and agreed to promote the Sequence Lock only on a limited scale, then discussed fees and future research costs.

• News of Zuo Lianguang’s breakthrough spread, prompting Sequence Holders and Zhao Tianhua to seek the drug and Sequence Locks.
• Zhang Xuezhou gathered the institute’s core members to discuss whether they should promote the Sequence Lock as demand grew.
• Ren Anran warned that Zhang Xuezhou could become a target and that widespread use of an immature Sequence Lock could trigger a collapse.
• Luo Burang proposed building Scarlet Alliance State’s strength and drawing other countries into competition through limited promotion.
• Ren Anran supported Zuo Denggao’s high fees to discourage premature use, while Luo Burang supported expanding research samples.
• The group agreed on limited promotion and discussed raising fees to fund research into high-level catalysts, including the R37 Catalyst.

Zhang Xuezhou discussed the growing influence of the Sequence Lock with Ren Yisheng, then showed him a method for strengthening the mind through external tempering. Ren Yisheng considered using Qinmeng Secret Stones to imitate the method, while Zhang Xuezhou recalled Hu Hao’s information about Huang Snake’s Fire Seed.

• Zhang Xuezhou forwarded his calls to Zuo Denggao and went to Jishi Medical Center to avoid the commotion over the Sequence Lock.
• Ren Yisheng and Zhang Xuezhou discussed the Sequence Lock’s risks, its appeal to Sequence Holders, and how it could help them gather free helpers for a trip to the Qinmeng Snake Den.
• Zhang Xuezhou brought Ren Yisheng the text for “Dragon Coils Around the Pillar, True Fire Refines the Golden Body” and explained how external forces could strengthen the mind.
• Ren Yisheng proposed using Qinmeng Secret Stones to provide recovery during the burning, and Zhang Xuezhou recalled Hu Hao’s account of Huang Snake’s Fire Seed.

Ren Yisheng and Zhang Xuezhou discussed exploring the Fire Seed and medicinal herbs guarded by Huang Snake, while Ren Yisheng questioned Zhang about his struggle against Hongku. Ren Yisheng remained committed to helping Zhang as long as he stayed himself, but would kill him if the Fire Meteor creature consumed him.

• Ren Yisheng welcomed Zhang Xuezhou’s Fire Seed idea and said he was willing to try cultivation methods beyond the Mental Strengthening Chapter.
• Ren Yisheng proposed taking another group to Qinmeng, but Zhang Xuezhou warned that obtaining Huang Snake’s Fire Seed would likely lead to a fight they were not confident they could win.
• Ren Yisheng and Zhang Xuezhou agreed to try negotiating with Huang Snake and gather more medicinal herbs from the snake cave if they could not obtain the Fire Seed.
• Ren Yisheng asked whether the herbs could help against Hongku, and Zhang Xuezhou said they might offer a small benefit once their Sequence levels were higher.
• Zhang Xuezhou described an unlikely way to torment Hongku, and Ren Yisheng dismissed it as impractical.
• Ren Yisheng reassured himself that Zhang Xuezhou had not been assimilated and resolved to help him while he remained himself, but to kill him if the Fire Meteor creature took him over.

After developing the Fourth Sequence of the Kunpeng Combat Technique, Zhang Xuezhou returned to North Rehe to investigate why Zuo Denggao had been beaten over the Sequence Lock’s steep price. He reassured Zhu Shengnan that the technique would eventually be freely available, while Xu Zhihui decided to risk her household’s resources to obtain it early.

• Zhang Xuezhou developed the Fourth Sequence of the Kunpeng Combat Technique and left Jishi Medical Center after Ren Yisheng urged him to keep an eye on Ren Wuyang.
• Zhang Xuezhou returned to North Rehe and found Zuo Denggao demanding enormous quantities of laboratory materials from people seeking the Sequence Lock.
• Zhu Shengnan asked Zhang Xuezhou whether the Sequence Lock could guarantee advancement to the Seventh Sequence, and he explained that it would eventually be freely available but rapid results came at a cost.
• Zhen Mei pointed out that Zhang Xuezhou had not denied the guarantee, while Xu Zhihui decided to gamble on obtaining the Sequence Lock early despite the expense.

Zhang Xuezhou guided Xu Zhihui through condensing a Sequence Lock, making her the first young person besides Ren Wuyang to pay the price to learn it. Xu Zhihui left the B13 Research Institute ready to test the lock and attempt to advance to the Fourth Sequence.

• Xu Zhihui agreed to pay for the Sequence Lock, betting on Zhang Xuezhou's influence and ability despite doubting Zuo Denggao.
• Luo Burang explained Xu Zhihui's rhinoceros-based genetic traits and prepared a plan from her examination report.
• Zhang Xuezhou used his Law Power to guide Xu Zhihui in condensing the Sequence Lock and taught her how to use it.
• Xu Zhihui left the laboratory surprised by how quickly the process had finished, and Luo Burang urged her to test the lock.
• Xu Zhihui agreed to inject a blood agent and try advancing to the Fourth Sequence while Zhang Xuezhou prepared to go to sleep.

Xu Zhihui tested her Sequence Lock after Zhang Xuezhou helped activate it and saw her measured strength rise by about twenty percent. As she adapted by striking the testing equipment, she broke through to the Fourth Sequence, three years ahead of the Xu Household’s deadline.

• Zhang Manqian sparred with Zhu Shengnan at the B13 Research Institute, while Zhen Mei praised Zhang Manqian’s fighting ability.
• Xu Zhihui tested her strength under Luo Burang’s instructions and used her Gene Fighting Technique, then stretched her Sequence Lock and struck hard enough to trigger the equipment’s alarm.
• Luo Burang told Xu Zhihui that her figures had improved by about twenty percent and advised her to adapt to her new state with enough blood agent.
• Xu Zhihui kept punching and kicking, felt her body’s confinement break, and manifested thick brown skin on her hands and feet as she reached the Fourth Sequence.

After Xu Zhihui’s Sequence Lock-assisted advancement shocked the Sequence Committee Members, they weighed the risks and costs of obtaining one for themselves. Fearing that rivals would gain an advantage, Pei Ying, Zhou Bo, and Huo Deqian joined the queue despite the heavy price.

• Xu Zhihui’s advancement on the testing machine convinced Zhou Bo, Huo Deqian, and Pei Ying that Sequence Locks could help them break through their limits.
• Zhou Bo, Huo Deqian, and Pei Ying discussed the Sequence Lock’s dangers, Zhang Xuezhou’s limitations, and the possibility that it could help people reach the Seventh Sequence.
• Zhou Bo contacted Zhao Tianhua and persuaded him to redirect resources from Wanping’s research institutes to secure a place in line.
• Pei Ying and Zhou Bo committed resources to Zuo Denggao, and Huo Deqian followed so he would not fall behind the other committee members.