Four

A fallen kingdom whose soldiers and institutions have been scattered. Its collapse looms over the backstory of characters like You Zixiong.

Definition

A fallen kingdom whose soldiers and institutions have been scattered. Its collapse looms over the backstory of characters like You Zixiong.

Story context

Fellow Daoists, grab your strategist hats! Chapter 544 is a masterclass in *Wheeling and Dealing 101*. Li Huowang has just stolen the spine-sword, and the entire office is baying for his blood. But instead of running, he waltzes into a fine dining establishment, pours the baijiu, and transforms a deadlock into a bargaining chip. This is the chapter where our favorite blood-soaked schemer proves he can play office politics just as well as he plays flesh-horror chess. The stakes shift from sword-fights to soul-crushing dialogue, and the real weapon here isn’t a sword—it’s the offer of a “Heart-Element.”

Why it matters

This chapter is a palate cleanser that’s anything but clean. It’s a slow-burn negotiation scene that packs a lore bomb and a political landmine into the same bottle of wine. Watch how Li Huowang pivots from cornered animal to cunning merchant—his offer of a Heart-Element is both a lifeline and a confession of what he really is. And that final beat about Four Qi’s fall and the Office’s dissolution? That’s not a throwaway line; it’s the novel’s way of whispering that the cosmic dominoes are starting to fall. Get ready, because the game is being played on multiple boards now.