In the animated series Sword of Coming (剑来), a quiet but cutting line changes everything. When Lu Chen (陆沉) swims upstream against the river of time with his new disciple He Xiaoliang (贺小凉), Master Qi (齐) suddenly remarks, “Lu Chen’s magic is nothing special.” It sounds cold, almost out of character. After all, Qi rarely insults anyone directly.
But this time, he means it. He knows exactly what Lu Chen has been doing: pushing him into a corner, scheming behind the scenes, forcing him into a dead end. Yet Qi does not fight back with fists or spells. Instead, he chooses to lay down his own life – for Chen Ping’an (陈平安), for the little town, and for a path much larger than revenge.
The Real Fight
Why would Lu Chen want to harm Qi? Lu Chen holds a high position as one of the three leaders of the Daoist school. He deeply respects his senior fellow disciple, Kou Ming (寇名). One of Kou Ming’s avatars is Li Xisheng (李希圣), a name familiar to many fans. Over the years, Li Xisheng has taken quite a few lucky chances that originally belonged to Chen Ping’an. Feeling somewhat guilty, he once gave Chen a peach charm as compensation. But here is the catch: Li Xisheng is only one piece of Kou Ming. Kou Ming also has avatars in Buddhist and Confucian paths. He walks a road that merges the three teachings.
Qi supports the very same idea: blending Daoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism into one great way. Lu Chen, however, cannot accept that. In his eyes, only his senior brother Kou Ming deserves to reach the top of that mountain. Two people competing for the same breakthrough would only crowd each other out. This is a key reason why he pushes Qi into a corner – and eventually to his death. It is strangely similar to another character, Bai Ze (白泽). As the ancestor of all demons, Bai Ze grows stronger when fewer demons exist. He holds their very lives in his hands. We have seen how cruel he can be: just by whispering Qing Ying’s name, he makes her suffer terribly and even cuts off one of her tails. More demons mean weaker Bai Ze. For Lu Chen, fewer rivals on the same path mean a clearer victory for Kou Ming.
What Qi Truly Despises
Qi sees Lu Chen’s methods for what they are: cheap and dirty tricks. He believes that Lu Chen’s scheming does not help Kou Ming at all. Instead, it stains Kou Ming’s reputation and brings shame to the Daoist tradition. Yes, Lu Chen is a powerful figure at the fourteenth level. His magic is undoubtedly strong. But to Qi, that power has hit a wall. Lu Chen will never step onto the true grand path because he lacks something far more important than skill.
That missing piece is virtue and responsibility. Qi has never looked down on anyone simply for having low cultivation. He bows politely to Chen Ping’an, who has almost no magical power at all. That respectful gesture contrasts sharply with his cold “nothing special” about Lu Chen. It is not about what Lu Chen can do – it is about who he is. A man with the Way but no moral backbone, with spells but no courage to bear the weight of his actions. That is what Qi hates.
This does not mean Lu Chen is pure evil. He is simply walking his own road, believing with all his heart that Kou Ming should be the one to reach the summit of the merged three teachings. Everything he does – every trap, every calculated move – comes from that belief. But Qi has seen through the entire chessboard long ago. He knows every scheme, every hidden trick. None of it surprises him. That is why he does not even bother to get angry. He simply dismisses it all with a quiet, almost tired remark.
The Light in Chen Ping’an
So where does Qi place all his hope? On Chen Ping’an. He bets everything on this young man. He chooses to die – but not to disappear completely. His body may perish, but his Way does not fade away. That is because his death serves a larger purpose. Qi has grown deeply disappointed with the world around him. He has seen too much selfishness, too many people like Lu Chen who follow rules without heart. Yet Chen Ping’an shines like a small lamp in the darkness. He gives Qi a reason to believe that another kind of path is still possible.
That path is not about quick power or clever schemes. It is about someone who, despite having almost no cultivation, still receives a respectful bow from a master like Qi. That simple act says everything. Chen Ping’an represents something Lu Chen will never understand: that the highest Way is not about defeating others or securing a place for your senior brother. It is about carrying a torch when everyone else has given up. It is about choosing virtue even when you have no power to back it up.
In the end, Qi’s words about Lu Chen are not really an insult. They are a judgment. He is not saying Lu Chen is weak. He is saying that strength without a soul leads nowhere. Lu Chen will remain stuck at his level forever, no matter how many centuries he cultivates. Meanwhile, a boy with almost nothing may one day walk a road that Lu Chen cannot even see. That is why Qi smiles when he says those words – not out of arrogance, but out of quiet certainty.