Mystic

Story context

Buckle up, fellow Daoists—this chapter is a psychological minefield. Li Huowang finally gets a clear, terrifying answer about the Ao-Jing Sect's power structure: the Dung-Beetle Ascension isn't just a one-time torture session, but a ladder. Each rung puts you closer to the primordial god Bashe, and the big prize at the top (ten Calamities) is nothing less than bodily sainthood. The man kneeling before him, Zu Yi, has already gone through this grinder and is begging for the method. But instead of a triumphant power-up, this revelation nearly shatters Li Huowang. Because he knows exactly what the next step on that ladder would cost him—and the price is written in the faces of everyone he loves.

Why it matters

This chapter is a masterclass in emotional whiplash. It starts as a dry, tactical info-dump about power levels—the kind of conversation that would normally have a xianxia protagonist rubbing his hands together. But the moment Li Huowang starts to calculate his next Ascension, the narrative pulls the rug out. The memory of his past pain isn't just a flashback; it's a full-on psychological assault. The way the text shifts from strategic thinking to screaming "Mom! I can't tell!" is the novel's core horror engine at work. This isn't a hero who hesitates because he's weak. He hesitates because he's already seen what the "power-up" does to the people around him, and the cost is no longer theoretical. Pay close attention to the line "Last time it was Yang Na. Who would be next?"—that's not a rhetorical question. It's a prophecy. The chapter's real victory isn't learning about the ten-Calamity god; it's Li Huowang's decision to refuse the easy path, even when every logical cell in his brain is screaming at him to take it.

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Source novel

Dao Gui Yi Xian