The best IET novel yet if I'm trying to be objective about it. He's certainly grown as a writer and this was an improvement over even Flying Sword Path. It focuses on the "spirit of humanity," which is quite a nice theme, if a bit idealized. MC is similar to other IET MCs in personality, so he's easy to root for, but not all that unique. His character growth is minimal and incremental (no moral dilemmas or change in worldview or goals). I like that IET didn't try to do anything crazy or ambitious with the romance (no long separations, no "you're not worthy", no revival quest, etc). It's a subdued, stable, supportive relationship that's established from pretty much the very beginning of the story and has a constant effect on the MC's mentality toward cultivation and his ambitions in life. Certainly not a detractor from the story like in some of IET's other works. The world building and cultivation system were consistent with no ass-pulls or deus ex machina. The scope of the setting only expanded once and even that was foreshadowed very early on. We go from the "home world" to the "outer realm" and that's basically it. No infinitely higher and wider stages like in CD or DE. Just like in Flying Sword Path, IET tells the story he wants to tell until it's finished and then the story's over without following our MC all the way to peak of existence like in his earlier works. I think that worked out pretty well in this case. Nothing revolutionary, but it was a good read that kept me interested until the end.

I think they're missing the point... Are they worried about being attacked one-sidedly from underground? Or about being attacked in the rear with a spiked mace? He may have done both before, they're not actually related in any way. These sheltered sect disciples are really...

Immortal Downpour Peak aka Immortal Forest Peak, depending on what mood the translator is in... sometimes translated both ways in the same chapter even... at least I think so.

But is Jiu Wu the only one or will there be a steady stream of breakups throughout the sect now that Changshou's painting made the rounds amongst the elders?

I completely did not see that coming. How clever.

I have a feeling that this simple handing over of the painting might cause more waves than he thinks. Maybe Xuandu won't be too happy with him?

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Haha. It's a sign of a good novel when you can do this kind of reasoning and actually have it work out. It proves that the novel sticks to its own rules and doesn't rely on asspulls and deux ex machina to resolve things.

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Good chapter. I didn't think they'd be Magi/Witch descendants, but that explains a lot.

Actually, I think it is possible to predict given what we know so far. Here's my attempt: Now that Ao Yi is there, Changshou can only rope him in somehow. He can't kill him for the same reason he spared him the previous time, he can't incapacitate him and alter his memory either since he has a huge entourage, so he can only acquire his help in keeping his secret. If he gets exposed, he's screwed since it infringes upon the benefits of the Western Sect. He could simply tell the truth and ask Ao Yi for help in destroying the sea god sect, but Changshou would probably not want to ask for a favor, since he would owe significant karma in that case, and there's still the possibility of being exposed since Ao Yi doesn't really have any stake in keeping the secret and no reason to make a vow to the Heavenly Dao. Asking that would only make the karmic debt heavier. So instead of receiving a favor, he'll have to find a way to make it seem like he's actually doing Ao Yi a favor instead, reversing the karmic debt. The poor dragon's gonna get scammed for sure, but knowing Changshou, he wouldn't want to leave any resentment behind, so it'll probably be beneficial to either Ao Yi personally or to the dragon race. Simply dissolving the Sea God sect isn't enough benefit for Ao Yi, so he'll probably have to keep it going and instead let him share in the benefits. I doubt he can simply hand over the position of Sea God to Ao Yi, since if that was a possible solution, he would have already done so. But maybe there's a way to let Ao Yi or the dragon race as a whole receive some merit and use them as a shield against the Western Sect? That still leaves some hidden danger behind, but the western sect probably wouldn't move against the dragons over a local sea god. It's the best solution I can come up with.

Either that or he Jinxed himself...

The conspiracy begins to reveal itself...

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Severing Karma? More like a sneak attack! Even now Xuandu can't give up on making more Ren school babies.

HSSB isn't on Webnovel, so no need for fast pass. Check it out on Novelupdates.