Chapter Summaries

Yue Qianchou used his supposed friendship with Wen Lanfeng to intimidate Biyuan Kingdom’s royal party after they tried to force him out of the inn. He left them believing he was Mr. Nongzhu of the South Sea Purple Bamboo Forest and ordered them to bring Wen Lanfeng to apologize.

• Yue Qianchou recognized the young master in white as a woman from Biyuan Kingdom’s royal family and noticed the Wen family emblem on her clothing.
• The middle-aged guard demanded that Boss Sang clear the inn, but Yue Qianchou refused and demanded twenty thousand taels of gold for his group to leave.
• When the guard moved to confront him, Yue Qianchou revealed that he knew the guard’s cultivation and claimed acquaintance with Wen Lanfeng.
• Yue Qianchou threatened to tear down Biyuan Kingdom’s imperial palace unless Wen Lanfeng came to the South Sea to apologize.
• The middle-aged guard realized Yue Qianchou was likely Mr. Nongzhu, Wen Lanfeng’s famed savior, and regretted provoking him.

Yue Qianchou forced Wen Bai, Wen Qing, and their guards to kneel after they had humiliated Furong, then accepted compensation for the inn and made Wen Qing remove her disguise. The imperial party left with Wen Qing in tears, while Yue Qianchou realized his effortless fan technique had shown the effects of Bi Changchun’s Beast Play.

• Wen Bai recognized Yue Qianchou’s threat and knelt with Wen Qing and the guards, begging him not to involve Wen Lanfeng.
• Yue Qianchou let Furong decide their fate, and she asked him to let the matter go.
• Yue Qianchou demanded compensation for the inn, and Wen Bai paid him the gold and silver the group had gathered.
• Yue Qianchou questioned Wen Qing, made her remove her hairband, and caught it with a deft fan flick.
• Yue Qianchou admired Wen Qing’s beauty and dismissed her, and she ran away sobbing with Wen Bai and the guards following.

Yue Qianchou learned that Zhao Chenxiang would hold a martial arts contest to select a prince consort and arranged for Zhang Peng to enter it, hoping to make contact with the foreign cultivation worlds. Meanwhile, Wen Qing returned to the Biyuan Kingdom embassy in tears, and her uncle learned that she had provoked Mr. Nongzhu of the South Sea Purple Bamboo Forest.

• Boss Sang told Yue Qianchou that Zhao Chenxiang would hold a martial arts contest to select a prince consort in three days.
• Zhang Peng revealed that he had killed Chu Xiong, Zhao Chenxiang’s betrothed, and Yue Qianchou suggested Zhang Peng enter the contest.
• Yue Qianchou explained that Zhang Peng’s participation could help them make contact with the foreign cultivation worlds.
• Wen Qing rushed into the Biyuan Kingdom embassy and told her uncle that she had been bullied.
• Wen Bai told the prince that Wen Qing had provoked Mr. Nongzhu of the South Sea Purple Bamboo Forest, leaving him shocked.

Wen Youyuan learned that Wen Qing had offended Mr. Nongzhu and ordered her confined while he prepared to apologize in person. At Guangying Inn, Wen Youyuan arrived with Wen Bai and others to seek a meeting with Mr. Nongzhu.

• Wen Youyuan dismissed the gathered royal relatives, then allowed Wen Chongzheng to stay and hear Wen Bai’s account.
• Wen Bai explained that Wen Qing had tried to claim an inn already booked by Mr. Nongzhu, and Wen Qing revealed that he had demanded Wen Lanfeng apologize or face the destruction of Biyuan Kingdom’s imperial palace.
• Wen Youyuan recognized the danger of offending Mr. Nongzhu, scolded Wen Qing, and ordered guards to keep her inside the embassy.
• Wen Youyuan asked Wen Bai to take him to apologize to Mr. Nongzhu, and Wen Bai reluctantly agreed.
• Wen Youyuan and Wen Bai reached Guangying Inn, where Boss Sang accepted a silver ingot and went to announce their arrival to Mr. Nongzhu.

Yue Qianchou intimidated Wen Youyuan and Wen Bai into apologizing, then asked Wen Youyuan to register Zhang Peng for Great Yang Kingdom’s martial contest. He took Furong shopping, where she quickly learned to haggle, before Zhang Peng caught Wen Chongzheng following them.

• Wen Youyuan apologized on Wen Qing’s behalf, and Yue Qianchou used the Netherworld Ghost Fire to convince him he was Mr. Nongzhu.
• Yue Qianchou spared Wen Youyuan and asked him to arrange a high-status identity for Zhang Peng to enter Great Yang Kingdom’s martial contest.
• Yue Qianchou took Furong through Dayang City to teach her shopping and bargaining, while Zhang Peng carried their purchases.
• Zhang Peng noticed Wen Chongzheng following them and helped Yue Qianchou lure him into an alley.
• Yue Qianchou ordered Zhang Peng to break Wen Chongzheng’s legs, and Wen Chongzheng begged them to hear his explanation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yue Qianchou meets Wen Chongzheng, the second son of Prince Pingxin, who wants to bask in Yue's glory to secure his succession to the throne.
• Yue Qianchou casually promises to help Wen Chongzheng, setting the stage for future political maneuvering.
• The group encounters a kind lamb chop vendor who praises Furong's fortune and receives a gold ingot from Yue Qianchou.
• They witness a procession led by Elder Lu Wanqian of Qingguang Sect, a past enemy of Yue Qianchou.

Character Developments

• Wen Chongzheng: Shows ambition and cunning, willing to do anything to secure power.
• Yue Qianchou: Demonstrates his influence and power, casually promising to help Wen Chongzheng, and shows affection towards Furong.
• Furong: Shows no fear of strangers and enjoys her time with Yue Qianchou.
• Elder Lu Wanqian: Revealed to be alive and present in Dayang City.

Significant Themes

• Ambition and power dynamics, as seen through Wen Chongzheng and Yue Qianchou.
• The influence of Yue Qianchou's reputation and wealth, as seen in the vendor's praise and his gift of gold.
• Past enemies and unresolved conflicts, as hinted by Yue Qianchou's recognition of Elder Lu Wanqian.

Character Interactions

• Yue Qianchou and Wen Chongzheng: Yue manipulates Wen into agreeing to his terms, showing his political prowess.
• Yue Qianchou and Furong: Yue shows affection and care towards Furong, wiping her face and making her happy.
• Yue Qianchou and the vendor: Yue appreciates the vendor's praise of Furong and rewards him generously.
• Yue Qianchou and Elder Lu Wanqian: Yue recognizes his old enemy, setting the stage for potential conflict.

Yue Qianchou learned that the prime minister of the Great Yang Kingdom was protected by powerful cultivators and decided to visit the Prime Minister's Mansion that night to investigate an old enemy. Instead, Wen Youyuan came to receive him, and Yue Qianchou arrived at the Biyuan Kingdom embassy, where he reprimanded Wen Qing and predicted a bright future for Wen Chongzheng.

• Yue Qianchou sent Zhang Peng to investigate the carriage convoy, then learned that the passenger was the Great Yang Kingdom's prime minister and that powerful cultivators guarded his mansion.
• Yue Qianchou told Zhang Peng not to investigate recklessly and said he would visit the Prime Minister's Mansion himself, while Zhang Peng stayed behind to watch over Furong.
• Wen Bai reported that King Pingxin had completed Yue Qianchou's earlier request, and Yue Qianchou asked to stay at the prince's residence that night.
• Wen Youyuan arrived with carriages to escort Yue Qianchou, Furong, and Zhang Peng to the Biyuan Kingdom embassy.
• At the embassy, Yue Qianchou reprimanded Wen Qing for disguising herself as a man and told Wen Youyuan that Wen Chongzheng would become a person above others.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wen Chongzheng is praised by Yue Qianchou, causing him to daydream about his future.
• Yue Qianchou and his group are accommodated in the princess's former residence.
• Yue Qianchou insists on inviting Princess Wen Qing to stay with Furong, promising her eternal youth if she serves Furong well.
• Yue Qianchou sneaks out and uses his power to start a fire at the Prime Minister's Mansion, aiming to probe its defenses.

Character Developments

• Wen Chongzheng: Becomes infatuated with his own potential after Yue Qianchou's praise.
• Wen Qing: Initially reluctant, she agrees to serve Furong after Yue Qianchou's promise of eternal youth.
• Yue Qianchou: Demonstrates his power and cunning by starting a fire at the Prime Minister's Mansion to gauge its defenses.

Significant Themes

• Power and Influence: Yue Qianchou's actions highlight the power dynamics between cultivators and mortals, as well as the influence of the Prime Minister's Mansion.
• Ambition and Greed: Characters are driven by their desires, whether it's Wen Chongzheng's ambition for power or Wen Qing's greed for eternal youth.

Character Interactions

• Wen Chongzheng and Yue Qianchou: Yue Qianchou manipulates Wen Chongzheng's pride, causing him to lose focus.
• Wen Qing and Yue Qianchou: Yue Qianchou uses Wen Qing's desire for eternal youth to make her serve Furong.
• Yue Qianchou and the Prime Minister's Mansion: Yue Qianchou's actions at the Prime Minister's Mansion reveal his cunning and willingness to stir up trouble to achieve his goals.

Yue Qianchou used a fire attack as a distraction, then led the Special Forces Team in kidnapping the prime minister’s family and killing their cultivator guards. After defeating two defenders protected by a treasure bowl, he heard powerful reinforcements approaching and ordered the team to escape.

• Yue Qianchou set fire to the Prime Minister's Mansion, but its cultivators used torrents of water to extinguish most of the flames.
• Yue Qianchou spotted Lu Wanqian guarding the prime minister's family and summoned fifty masked members of the Special Forces Team to attack.
• The Special Forces Team overwhelmed the guards and soldiers, sealed the cultivators' dantians, knocked out the prime minister and his family, and carried them away.
• Yue Qianchou joined the fight against two defenders whose green bowl created a protective aura, then pierced it with his flying swords and killed them.
• Three elders in the imperial palace heard the defenders' death cries and rushed toward the mansion.
• Yue Qianchou took the treasure bowl, warned that late Tribulation Transcendence stage experts were coming, and led the team in escaping.

After capturing Lu Wanqian, Yue Qianchou learned why the former Qingguang Sect elder had fled to the Great Yang Kingdom and obtained his records about the foreign Cultivation Worlds. Yue Qianchou killed Lu Wanqian after agreeing to consider avenging Qingguang Sect, settling their old grudge as he prepared to investigate the powerful figures behind the prime minister.

• Mi Rushan, Mi Ruhai, and Mi Ruquan inspected the ruined prime minister's residence, found a flag bearing the word “Hero,” and left the investigation to Yin Baikang.
• Yue Qianchou woke Lu Wanqian in Utopia and revealed his identity as the man who had captured him.
• Lu Wanqian explained that he had led Qingguang Sect survivors west after the sect's destruction and had eventually joined the prime minister's guards.
• Yue Qianchou told Lu Wanqian that the Yan family father and son had used Hero's name to destroy Qingguang Sect, then revealed that Bi Changchun was his master.
• Lu Wanqian gave Yue Qianchou a jade tablet containing years of information about the foreign Cultivation Worlds and asked him to avenge Qingguang Sect by killing the Yan family father and son.
• Yue Qianchou killed Lu Wanqian with blue flame and scattered his ashes on the wind.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Prime Minister's Mansion of the Great Yang Kingdom is burned down, and Prime Minister Yin Wufeng is reported missing.
• The city is in an uproar, and envoys from other countries are informed.
• Inside the Great Yang Kingdom's imperial palace, officials discuss the matter, and Emperor Zhao Heng questions Lady Li, Yin Wufeng's concubine.
• Lady Li reveals that Yin Wufeng was abducted by unknown assailants who demanded a ransom of two hundred million high-grade Spirit Stones from Yin Baikang, Yin Wufeng's grandfather.

Character Developments

• Yue Qianchou: He is revealed to be the mastermind behind the abduction of Yin Wufeng. He plans to extort Spirit Stones from Yin Baikang.
• Yin Wufeng: He is captured and used as a bargaining chip by Yue Qianchou.
• Lady Li: She is terrified and traumatized after the abduction and reveals the ransom demand to Emperor Zhao Heng.

Significant Themes

• Greed and Ambition: Yue Qianchou's actions are driven by his desire for wealth and power.
• Power Dynamics: The abduction of Yin Wufeng disrupts the political balance in the Great Yang Kingdom and the Cultivation World.
• Consequences of Actions: Yue Qianchou's actions have far-reaching consequences, affecting not only the Great Yang Kingdom but also the Cultivation World at large.

Character Interactions

• Yue Qianchou and Zhang Peng: Yue Qianchou shares his plans with Zhang Peng, who expresses a desire to participate in future actions.
• Emperor Zhao Heng and Lady Li: Emperor Zhao Heng questions Lady Li about Yin Wufeng's whereabouts and the events leading up to his abduction.
• The Mi Brothers and Emperor Zhao Heng: The Mi Brothers discuss the ransom demand with Emperor Zhao Heng, expressing their surprise and amusement at the audacity of the abductor.

Huo Zongming and his guests learned that Yin Baikang’s grandson had been kidnapped and that the kidnapper demanded two hundred million high-grade Spirit Stones. They could not identify the culprit, so Huo Zongming proposed watching the ransom exchange to discover who it was.

• Mi Rushan brought Huo Zongming a jade slip about Yin Baikang’s grandson, and Huo Zongming and Jing Yuankong reacted with shock and fury as they read it.
• Jing Yuankong took the jade slip and left to report the kidnapping and ransom demand to Yin Baikang.
• Huo Zongming summoned his five close friends and told them the kidnapper demanded two hundred million high-grade Spirit Stones.
• Huo Zongming and his friends considered whether Bi Changchun was responsible, but Shu Xin argued that the kidnapping did not suit his character.
• Huo Zongming proposed that they attend the ransom exchange in three days to learn the kidnapper’s identity.

Yue Qianchou’s kidnapping of Yin Baikang’s grandson Wufeng became a scandal across the Cultivation World after Pu Taidong and others spread the ransom demand. Yin Baikang chose to go to Dayang City himself, while powerful cultivators from many nations converged there to see what would happen.

• Pu Taidong persuaded the others to spread news of the two hundred million high-grade Spirit Stone ransom, and Huo Zongming agreed despite fearing Yin Baikang’s reaction.
• Yue Qianchou learned about Tianxia Chamber of Commerce and decided to visit its headquarters at the Treasure Gathering Basin after settling his affairs.
• Yin Baikang received widespread inquiries about Wufeng’s kidnapping before Jing Yuankong returned and confirmed the ransom demand.
• Yin Baikang rejected Jing Yuankong’s offer to handle the ransom and set out for Dayang City himself.
• Top experts from across the Cultivation Worlds rushed toward Dayang City as Yue Qianchou remained unaware that the kidnapping had become a public spectacle.

Nong Zhu, Bi Changchun, and Ancestor Nanming learned that Yin Baikang’s grandson had been kidnapped for ransom, and Ziyi suspected Yue Qianchou was responsible. On Wuji Island, Yan Zhuixing claimed his own Heroes had nothing to do with the kidnapping, while cultivators began investigating who had used that name.

• Nong Zhu intercepted a message from Xuanxuan Island and learned that Yin Baikang’s grandson had been kidnapped and that the kidnappers demanded two hundred million high-grade Spirit Stones.
• Bi Changchun, Nong Zhu, and Ancestor Nanming speculated about the culprit, and Ziyi suggested Yue Qianchou because he was always interested in Spirit Stones.
• Nong Zhu decided to go see the ransom exchange, but he refused to let Ziyi accompany him.
• Cultivators across Wuji Island received orders to investigate whether a person or group called Heroes was active in the Huaxia Cultivation World.
• Yan Zhuixing told Chang Mandong that his own Heroes were on Wuji Island and had nothing to do with the kidnapping in the Great Yang Kingdom, while Yan Bugui kept his doubts to himself.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yan Zhuixing suggests two possibilities for the hero's identity: someone stirring trouble or an organization with the same name.
• Yan Zhuixing and his father discuss the possibility of Yue Qianchou being the hero, and they decide to keep this information as leverage against him.

Character Developments

• Yan Zhuixing shows political acumen and strategic thinking, impressing his father.
• Yan Bugui is proud of his son's abilities and trusts his judgment.
• Yue Qianchou's actions and whereabouts are a mystery, and his connection to the hero is suspected.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and political maneuvering within the cultivation world.
• The consequences of past actions and the potential for future retribution.
• The importance of alliances and connections in the cultivation world.

Character Interactions

• Yan Zhuixing and Yan Bugui discuss strategies and share their thoughts on Yue Qianchou.
• Nong Zhu and Yin Baikang have a tense exchange, with Nong Zhu showing no fear of Yin Baikang's influence.
• Nong Zhu and Shu Xin interact, with Shu Xin supporting Nong Zhu's bold stance against Yin Baikang.

Nong Zhu escaped Shu Xin’s advances and traveled to the Biyuan Kingdom embassy, where he discovered that Yue Qianchou had been impersonating him. Nong Zhu recognized the disguised Yue Qianchou, and the two confronted each other in front of the confused Wen family cultivators.

• Shu Xin offered Nong Zhu wine and confessed her lingering affection, but Nong Zhu drank quickly and fled the hall.
• Wen Rui caught up with Nong Zhu and mentioned that Wen family juniors had offended him, leading Nong Zhu to suspect someone was using his identity in Dayang City.
• Nong Zhu accompanied Wen Rui to the Biyuan Kingdom embassy and asked to meet the other Mr. Nongzhu.
• At the embassy, Nong Zhu saw Yue Qianchou disguised as him, while Wen Youyuan, Wen Bai, and Zhang Peng struggled to understand who was who.
• Nong Zhu recognized Yue Qianchou and reached to inspect his disguise, but Yue Qianchou blocked his hand with a fan and rebuked him.

Yue Qianchou’s imposture was exposed when Nong Zhu arrived, but Nong Zhu kept his identity secret and warned him that the Cultivation World knew about the kidnapping of Yin Baikang’s grandson. After Yue Qianchou’s careless remark about Ziyi angered Nong Zhu, he defused the threat by saying Ziyi could seek out his master to learn the Animal Frolics, leaving Nong Zhu relieved that his daughter might keep her distance.

• Nong Zhu confronted Yue Qianchou for posing as Mr. Nongzhu, and Yue denied ever claiming that name, crushing Wen Youyuan and Wen Bai’s hopes that their guest was genuine.
• Nong Zhu concealed Yue Qianchou’s identity from Wen Rui, then sent the Wen family members away so he could speak with Yue privately.
• Nong Zhu warned Yue that the kidnapping of Yin Baikang’s grandson had become widely known and that more than a hundred Spirit Transformation cultivators would watch the ransom exchange the next day.
• Yue denied the kidnapping and blamed the rumors on no one in particular, while inwardly suspecting Huo Zongming of sabotaging his plans.
• When Yue threatened to deal with Ziyi, Nong Zhu’s killing intent filled the courtyard, but it vanished after Yue said she could seek his master to learn the Animal Frolics.

Yue Qianchou collected two hundred million high-grade Spirit Stones from Yin Baikang by secretly taking the ransom, then arranged to return Yin Wufeng while demanding another ransom for his family. Nong Zhu kept Yue Qianchou under watch, unaware that the kidnapping and ransom scheme had succeeded.

• Yue Qianchou convinced Nong Zhu that Zhang Peng had entered the Great Yang Kingdom's prince-consort contest, while Nong Zhu decided to stay and watch him.
• Nong Zhu guarded Yue Qianchou's courtyard as cultivators gathered outside Dayang City, where Yin Baikang arrived to pay the ransom.
• Yin Baikang followed the instructions on a stone slab and tossed two storage pouches into a cave, but Yue Qianchou secretly took them from Utopia.
• Yue Qianchou confirmed the pouches held two hundred million high-grade Spirit Stones and told Yin Wufeng he would release him but keep his family until another ransom was paid.
• Yin Wufeng agreed to seek another one hundred million high-grade Spirit Stones within ten days, and Yue Qianchou knocked him unconscious and carried him out.
• Yin Baikang waited without receiving his grandson and realized that the kidnapper had played him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yin Baikang is enraged and prepares to attack but hesitates when he sees Yin Wufeng injured inside the cave.
• Yin Wufeng begs Yin Baikang to save his family, revealing that they are being held captive by an unknown expert who demands another 100 million high-grade Spirit Stones as ransom.
• Yin Baikang pays the ransom, and Yin Wufeng's family members are released, appearing unconscious on a distant mountaintop with a message from the kidnapper.
• Yin Baikang, furious and humiliated, vents his anger by destroying six mountain peaks but does not find the kidnapper.

Character Developments

• Yin Baikang: Shows concern for his grandson and is willing to pay a high price to save him. However, his pride is severely injured when he is manipulated by the kidnapper, leading to a violent outburst.
• Yin Wufeng: Realizes the extent of his grandfather's power and feels remorse for the hardships his family has endured. He becomes more determined to protect his loved ones.

Significant Themes

• Pride and Humiliation: Yin Baikang's pride is severely injured, leading to a violent outburst when he cannot find the kidnapper to vent his anger.
• Power Dynamics: The unknown expert's ability to manipulate Yin Baikang, a powerful cultivator, highlights the power dynamics at play and the consequences of underestimating one's opponent.

Character Interactions

• Yin Baikang and Yin Wufeng: The interaction between grandfather and grandson reveals Yin Baikang's softer side, as he is willing to pay a high price to save his grandson and his family. However, their relationship remains strained due to Yin Baikang's pride and expectations.
• Yin Baikang and the Unknown Expert: The interaction between these two characters highlights the power dynamics at play and the consequences of underestimating one's opponent. The unknown expert's ability to manipulate Yin Baikang showcases their cunning and intelligence.

Yue Qianchou’s disguise was exposed when Furong accidentally called him by his real name in front of Yan Ji, whose disciples he had killed. Yan Ji prepared to attack him, while Nong Zhu and Huo Zongming argued over whether Nong Zhu should intervene.

• Yue Qianchou fooled Nong Zhu into thinking he had stayed in the room by leaving a lookalike behind while he slipped away.
• Nong Zhu’s visitors arrived, and Shu Xin’s interest in Nong Zhu became apparent as Yue Qianchou teased them.
• Furong accidentally called Yue Qianchou by his real name, alerting Yan Ji and the others to his identity.
• Yue Qianchou removed his mask and admitted he was the man who had killed Yan Ji’s disciples, Yan Cheng and Yan Fang.
• Yan Ji threatened to kill Yue Qianchou, while Nong Zhu urged restraint and Huo Zongming reminded him not to interfere in matters concerning the Huaxia Cultivation World.