Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang He meets Grandmaster Taiyi, who hints at the dangers of seeking Sage Nuwa's discipleship.
• They discuss the Nuwa Statue's flaws, which are growing and causing the altar to crack.
• Grandmaster Taiyi gives Yang He pills to suppress injuries and reveals that Sages bear the resentment qi of the deceased.
• Yang He learns that Qianyuan Mountain is participating in Empress Nuwa's birthday festival to manage three halls and five divine statues.
• Grandmaster Taiyi reveals that he's there to meditate on the Sage's true form and that Yang He should take care of the five divine statues for opportunities.

Character Developments

• Yang He (Corpse Daoist Initiate): Yang He shows caution and understanding, realizing the Nuwa Statue's potential danger. He accepts his role in the festival and his responsibility towards the divine statues.
• Grandmaster Taiyi: Taiyi shows concern for Yang He's safety, warning him about the Nuwa Statue and the Sages. He also reveals his true purpose in Chaoge, which is to meditate on the Sage's true form.

Significant Themes

• Greed and Caution: The theme of greed is explored through the desire for Sage Nuwa's discipleship, while caution is shown through Yang He's and Taiyi's awareness of the Nuwa Statue's dangers.
• Sages and Resentment Qi: The chapter delves into the nature of Sages, who bear the resentment qi of the deceased, and the potential implications of their true forms.

Character Interactions

• Yang He and Grandmaster Taiyi: Their interaction reveals Taiyi's concern for Yang He's safety and his true purpose in Chaoge. They discuss the Nuwa Statue, Sage Nuwa, and the festival's arrangements.
• Yang He and the Black Cat: The Black Cat accompanies Yang He and receives pills from him to aid in its recovery.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang He is tasked by Grandmaster Taiyi to represent Qianyuan Mountain and guard the Nuwa Palace, despite his initial reluctance.
• Grandmaster Taiyi refines a magical artifact, the Corpse Suppressing Nail, for Yang He to protect against Malevolent Spirits.
• Grandmaster Taiyi imparts the methods for the Three-Headed, Six-Armed Dharma Body to Yang He.
• Yang He obtains a divine ability method for a spirit eye, the Triple Heaven Subtle Eye, from Grandmaster Taiyi.
• Grandmaster Taiyi's corpse collapses, and the Nuwa Statue in the hall exhibits strange behavior.
• Yang He is tasked by Daoist Priest Qingfeng to inspect and perform exorcism on the third Nuwa Statue being sent to Chaoge.

Character Developments

• Yang He: He accepts his responsibility, learns new cultivation methods, and gains a new magical artifact. He also demonstrates his resourcefulness and determination.
• Grandmaster Taiyi: He imparts crucial knowledge and artifacts to Yang He before his corpse collapses, indicating his final act of guidance.
• Daoist Priest Qingfeng: He shows concern for Yang He's well-being and seeks his help in exorcising the third Nuwa Statue.

Significant Themes

• Responsibility and duty: Yang He accepts his role as the representative of Qianyuan Mountain, understanding the importance of his task.
• Mentorship: Grandmaster Taiyi continues to guide Yang He even in his final moments, highlighting the significance of their master-disciple bond.
• Cultivation and growth: Yang He learns new methods and gains a powerful artifact, marking his progress in his cultivation journey.

Character Interactions

• Yang He and Grandmaster Taiyi: Their interaction emphasizes the master-disciple relationship, with Grandmaster Taiyi imparting knowledge and artifacts to Yang He.
• Yang He and Daoist Priest Qingfeng: Their interaction shows Qingfeng's concern for Yang He's safety and his trust in Yang He's abilities, leading to Yang He's involvement in the exorcism task.

Title: Seeking Follow-ups and Monthly Votes!

Key Plot Points and Events

• The author directly addresses the readers, pleading for their votes and continued readership.
• The author expresses that the story's progression, including reaching the Three Rivers, depends on the readers' votes.
• The author humorously compares themselves to a Buddhist monk, emphasizing their usual detachment from such matters but highlighting their current desperation.

Character Developments

• The author: The author's character is revealed to be humorous, self-deprecating, and desperate for votes to continue the story.

Significant Themes

• The power of the audience: The chapter emphasizes the importance of readers' votes and engagement in determining the story's progression.
• Humor and self-deprecation: The author uses humor to connect with the readers and lighten the tone of their plea.

Character Interactions

• The author interacts with the readers directly, creating a personal connection and encouraging engagement.
• No other characters are present in this chapter, as it is solely focused on the author's plea to the readers.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chaoge places the evil-dispelling array in a prison near Nuwa Palace, which is independent of the authorities and extends three levels underground to prevent divine statues from going out of control.
• Yang He, accompanied by Daoist Priest Qingfeng, goes to the prison to check on Madam Yin, who is pregnant with Nezha. They find the prison filled with heavy yin qi and hear children's babbling.
• Upon arrival, they find the prison filled with corpses of slaves who died of old age. Yang He realizes that the soldiers are Chāng ghosts, and the general's Chāng ghost is close to a Fierce Ghost.
• They enter the prison and find two Nuwa statues on the first level. Yang He's yang fire begins to wane, and he starts to exhibit characteristics of a corpse, but he remains alive.
• On the second level, they find a Nuwa statue with a ghost resembling a liver on its head, indicating that someone else is coveting the opportunities within Yang He's Nuwa Palace.

Character Developments

• Yang He shows disregard for his own safety, pushing his limits to help Madam Yin and suppress the Nuwa statues.
• Zhou Ji, the general, is revealed to be a Chāng ghost, showing the connection between the ancient and modern worlds.

Significant Themes

• The connection between the ancient and modern worlds through the use of Chāng ghosts in the government's Daoist lineage.
• The danger of using divine statues and the consequences of relying on slavery and torture in a world with unpredictable gods and spirits.

Character Interactions

• Yang He interacts with Daoist Priest Qingfeng, showing concern for his junior brother's safety.
• Yang He meets General Zhou Ji, who is initially wary of Yang He's true cultivation but later shows respect for his resilience despite his corpse-like state.
• Yang He and Zhou Ji work together to navigate the prison and find the Nuwa statues, with Yang He taking the lead despite the danger.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang He faces the Viscera Ghost of the Liver, learns about the Five Ghosts Transport Method, and plans to counter it.
• They approach the Nuwa Statue, and the Liver Ghost attacks, revealing its ability to steal senses and devour viscera.
• The Nuwa Statue is sealed, and the Liver Ghost is captured and refined by Yang He, resulting in the 'Right Lobe of the Viscera Liver Ghost.'
• Zhou Ji and Yang He part ways, with Zhou Ji taking the Nuwa Statue and Yang He taking the malevolent spirit remains for cultivation.

Character Developments

• Yang He demonstrates his Spiritual Vision and strategic thinking, showing eagerness to capture and refine the Liver Ghost.
• Zhou Ji shows loyalty and dedication to his duties, willing to risk his life to protect the Nuwa Statue.

Significant Themes

• Opportunity vs. Predestination: The Liver Ghost questions Yang He's fate as a disciple of an immortal, highlighting the theme of opportunity and predestination.
• Cultivation and Sacrifice: The soldiers' willingness to sacrifice their lifespan to seal the Nuwa Statue emphasizes the theme of cultivation requiring sacrifice.

Character Interactions

• Yang He and Zhou Ji work together to deal with the Nuwa Statue, but Yang He's true intentions remain hidden from Zhou Ji.
• Yang He encounters a paper figure matchmaker in the prison, hinting at a potential ghost marriage involving the Nuwa Statue.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Huang Feihu, a powerful and mysterious figure, is released from prison after Yang He's departure.
• Huang Feihu orders the transfer of three newly suppressed Nuwa Statues to Yang He, including one with a risk of losing control.
• Yang He returns to Nuwa Palace and begins refining incense and candles from the remains of malevolent spirits to cultivate his pupil ghost.
• Zhou Ji, the prison warden, personally escorts the three Nuwa Statues to Yang He and offers to help suppress the risky one, also promising to hand over the prison's malevolent spirit corpses for processing.

Character Developments

• Huang Feihu is revealed to be a formidable figure with a bull-like creature contained within his body, suggesting he has a powerful ghost or demon inside him.
• Yang He continues to develop his pupil ghost and improves his Spiritual Vision through refining incense and candles.
• Zhou Ji shows respect and caution towards Yang He, acknowledging his unique abilities and offering assistance.

Significant Themes

• The theme of ghosts and their influence on the living is further explored through Huang Feihu's bull-like creature and Yang He's pupil ghost.
• The power dynamics between characters are highlighted, with Huang Feihu's authority and Yang He's unique abilities being recognized and respected by others.

Character Interactions

• Huang Feihu and Yang He have a brief but meaningful interaction, with Huang Feihu acknowledging Yang He's abilities and Yang He realizing Huang Feihu's power.
• Zhou Ji interacts with Yang He, showing respect and offering assistance, while also acknowledging the risk posed by one of the Nuwa Statues.
• Yang He and Daoist Priest Qingfeng exchange a glance, suggesting a shared understanding or agreement regarding the situation with the Nuwa Statues.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Ji and Yang He successfully gather craftsmen to place the Nuwa Statues.
• The first Nuwa Statue, suspected to be Daji, transforms into a nine-tailed fox spirit after consuming the sacrifices.
• Over the next two days, the four halls remain calm, but Yang He feels Daji's presence.
• On the third night, Yang He is replaced by a paper figure, and the four halls' doors display the word "Joy," accompanied by suona horn music.

Character Developments

• Zhou Ji shows competence in managing the Nuwa Statue placement.
• Yang He demonstrates caution and awareness of Daji's potential threat.
• Daoist Priest Qingfeng shows concern for Yang He's well-being and notices the substitution.

Significant Themes

• The malevolent spirits' influence and control over the Nuwa Statues.
• The impending festival and its potential dangers.
• The growing tension and uncertainty surrounding Daji.

Character Interactions

• Zhou Ji and Yang He work together to prepare for the Nuwa Statue placement.
• Yang He interacts with Daoist Priest Qingfeng and his disciple, helping them gather yin qi.
• Yang He's substitution by a paper figure suggests Daji's involvement and her interest in him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Daoist Priest Qingfeng encounters malevolent paper figures at the fourth hall, which transform his disciples into paper figures.
• He attempts to send messages but is stopped by a Chan Sect disciple, Yang He, who has been possessed by a Nuwa Statue.
• Daoist Priest Qingfeng is also turned into a paper figure and taken to the hall where the Nuwa Statue is sealed.
• Daoist Wuxiang, another Chan Sect disciple, arrives, revealing his intentions to seize Yang He's innate immortal body.

Character Developments

• Daoist Priest Qingfeng: Realizes the severity of the situation and tries to warn others, but is captured and turned into a paper figure.
• Mingshan Mingshui & Zhou Ji: Become paper figures and are forced to participate in the feast.
• Daoist Wuxiang: Reveals his jealousy and resentment towards Yang He's opportunities, showing his willingness to break sect rules for personal gain.

Significant Themes

• Jealousy and Envy: Daoist Wuxiang's resentment towards Yang He's opportunities highlights the destructive power of these emotions.
• Consequences of Actions: Daoist Wuxiang's decision to act against his sect's rules and target a fellow disciple has severe consequences.
• The Immortal Path: The title of the chapter and Daoist Wuxiang's declaration of "walking the immortal path alone" emphasize the isolation and potential dangers of pursuing immortality.

Character Interactions

• Daoist Priest Qingfeng & Mingshan Mingshui & Zhou Ji: The three try to communicate silently about their situation, but their options are limited.
• Daoist Priest Qingfeng & Daoist Wuxiang: Their conversation reveals Daoist Wuxiang's true intentions and his disregard for sect rules.
• Daoist Wuxiang & Yang He: Although not physically present, Yang He's situation is the catalyst for Daoist Wuxiang's actions, highlighting their complex relationship.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Daoist Wuxiang, frustrated with his stagnant cultivation, considers possessing a body to advance.
• Yang He, an 11-year-old boy, is targeted by Daji, a malevolent spirit, in a paper mural.
• Daji absorbs Yang He's yang energy, but he enters corpse transformation, surprising Daji and Daoist Wuxiang.
• Daoist Wuxiang attempts to possess Yang He's body, but Yang He refines the Malevolent Spirits and dies, taking Daoist Wuxiang's soul with him.

Character Developments

• Daoist Wuxiang: Frustrated with his cultivation progress, he seeks to possess a body to advance. He attempts to possess Yang He but fails and dies.
• Yang He: Initially scared, he uses his wits and the unique properties of his corpse-severing immortal body to outmaneuver Daji and Daoist Wuxiang, ultimately sacrificing himself to refine the Malevolent Spirits and kill Daoist Wuxiang.
• Daji: A malevolent spirit, she absorbs Yang He's yang energy but is ultimately outsmarted and her plans thwarted.

Significant Themes

• The struggle for power and advancement, even at great cost.
• The consequences of underestimating one's opponent.
• The resourcefulness and determination of the protagonist, Yang He.

Character Interactions

• Yang He and Daji: Daji attempts to absorb Yang He's yang energy, but he outsmarts her and uses her actions against her.
• Daoist Wuxiang and Yang He: Daoist Wuxiang tries to possess Yang He's body but is ultimately killed by Yang He's actions.
• Daoist Wuxiang and other Daoists: They observe Yang He's situation, with Daoist Priest Qingfeng showing understanding of Yang He's actions, while Mingshan and Mingshui try to distance themselves from Daoist Wuxiang.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang He dies and revives in the Main World after the events in the Lore World.
• Daji, driven mad, attacks the palace, but a giant bull (King Wucheng) intervenes and suppresses her.
• Yang He's corpse regenerates, and he revives with a incomplete body.
• Huang Feihu decides to place Yang He in a coffin in the Main Hall to await the Sage's descent.

Character Developments

• Yang He: He successfully returns to the Main World, inherits the Daoist Initiate's spoils, and gains a ghost body. He also discovers that the ghost body can accommodate his liver lobes, enhancing his physique and creating a vertical eye that consumes his yang energy.
• Daji: She is driven mad by Yang He's death and attacks the palace, showing her power and instability.
• Huang Feihu: He shows concern for Yang He's wellbeing and decides to help him by placing him in the Main Hall.

Significant Themes

• Revival and Regeneration: Yang He's corpse-severing immortal body allows him to revive even with severe injuries, highlighting the theme of regeneration and perseverance.
• Power and Control: The struggle between Daji and King Wucheng showcases the theme of power and control, with King Wucheng ultimately suppressing Daji.
• Opportunity and Favor: Huang Feihu's decision to place Yang He in the Main Hall suggests that there's an opportunity or favor to be gained there, emphasizing the theme of opportunity and favor.

Character Interactions

• Yang He and Daji: Their conflict continues, with Daji attacking the palace after Yang He's death.
• Yang He and Huang Feihu: Huang Feihu shows concern for Yang He's wellbeing and decides to help him, indicating a level of trust or favor.
• Yang He and the Ghost Body: Yang He experiments with the ghost body, discovering its potential and the risks involved.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang He stabilizes his yang fire and decides to deal with the Beast Tamer.
• He searches for the Beast Tamer but finds no trace.
• Yang He encounters the Beast Tamer at the market entrance, who offers a deal to split the living people in Peibai City.
• Yang He kills the rat swarm and takes the Treasure Fish stomach.
• He discovers the Beast Tamer is hiding in the yamen and decides to kill him that night.

Character Developments

• Yang He: He has stabilized his yang fire and is now at the Hungry Ghost level. He is determined to kill the Beast Tamer.
• The Beast Tamer: He is desperate to complete his second revival and becomes increasingly unstable. He offers a deal to Yang He but fears him due to his Hungry Ghost level and pupil ghost.

Significant Themes

• The struggle for power and survival in a world filled with ghosts and cultivators.
• The consequences of desperation and obsession, as seen in the Beast Tamer's character.
• The cost of cultivation and the search for immortality.

Character Interactions

• Yang He and the Beast Tamer: They have a tense encounter at the market entrance, with the Beast Tamer trying to negotiate and Yang He refusing to back down.
• Yang He and the rat swarm: Yang He uses his pupil ghost to control and ultimately destroy the rat swarm.
• Yang He and the Black Cat: The Black Cat assists Yang He in collecting the corpses of Song Zhi's family and carrying the Treasure Fish stomach.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter begins late at night in the yamen, with Old Man Yang and Zhang Huayue patrolling. They encounter a monstrous sheep-like creature made from a person, and a ghost attacks them, stealing their Chāng ghosts.
• Yang He, the protagonist, arrives and dispatches the ghost. He then pursues the Beast Tamer, who has been using the yamen's prisoners to create ghostly livestock, into the yamen's prison.
• Yang He finds Shopkeeper Chen Baosheng, who reveals that Guo Yu, an old man with a missing arm, forced a ghostly pill on him. Yang He saves Chen and agrees to help his daughter.
• Yang He decides to eliminate the Beast Tamer to prevent future trouble.

Character Developments

• Yang He: Shows his power and determination to eliminate the Beast Tamer. He also demonstrates his willingness to help others, as seen in his agreement to help Shopkeeper Chen's daughter.
• Shopkeeper Chen Baosheng: Initially desperate and willing to pay any price for help, he reveals valuable information about Guo Yu. His daughter's situation is left unresolved, hinting at future developments.

Significant Themes

• Power and Responsibility: Yang He's power allows him to save others, but it also brings him into conflict with the Beast Tamer, highlighting the responsibilities that come with his abilities.
• Greed and its Consequences: Shopkeeper Chen's greed led him to accept a ghostly pill, resulting in severe consequences. This theme is also reflected in the Beast Tamer's actions.

Character Interactions

• Yang He and Shopkeeper Chen Baosheng: Yang He saves Chen and agrees to help his daughter, showing compassion and understanding. Chen, in turn, provides valuable information about Guo Yu.
• Yang He and the Beast Tamer: Their conflict is the central driving force of the chapter, with Yang He determined to eliminate the Beast Tamer to prevent further trouble.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang He, disguised as the temple keeper Yang, moves through Peibai City as strange phenomena occur.
• A vortex forms in the city's floodwaters, indicating a "second revival" ritual.
• Head Constable Sun emerges from the yamen, transformed by the tiger and snake ghosts, pursuing the Beast Tamer (Zhou Mo).
• Zhou Mo, possessed by a pregnant ghost, causes chaos in the city, creating more hungry ghosts.
• Yang He confronts Zhou Mo and Head Constable Sun in an alley, revealing his true power.
• Zhou Mo is consumed by the pregnant ghost, and Yang He, now revealed as a "three-thousand-year corpse," defeats the remaining hungry ghosts.

Character Developments

• Yang He: Reveals his true power, demonstrating the ability to control and manipulate ghosts without merging with them. He is now known as a "three-thousand-year corpse," suggesting an ancient and powerful origin.
• Head Constable Sun: Recovers from his madness and transforms using the tiger and snake ghosts, becoming a formidable opponent. He is shocked by Yang He's true form.
• Zhou Mo/Beast Tamer: Possessed by the pregnant ghost, he causes destruction in the city. He is ultimately consumed by the ghost and defeated by Yang He.

Significant Themes

• Revival and Transformation: The theme of revival is central to this chapter, with the "second revival" ritual and the transformations of Head Constable Sun and Zhou Mo driving the plot.
• Power and Origin: Yang He's true power and origin are revealed, suggesting an ancient and powerful lineage. This ties into the theme of transformation and revival.
• Good vs. Evil: The conflict between Yang He, Head Constable Sun, and Zhou Mo highlights the struggle between good and evil, with Yang He and Head Constable Sun working together to defeat Zhou Mo.

Character Interactions

• Yang He and Head Constable Sun: Initially adversaries, they work together to defeat Zhou Mo. Head Constable Sun is shocked by Yang He's true form and power.
• Yang He and Zhou Mo: Yang He confronts Zhou Mo, revealing his true power and defeating the pregnant ghost that possesses him.
• Zhou Mo and Head Constable Sun: Zhou Mo taunts Head Constable Sun, revealing the harsh conditions required for the pregnant ghost's revival, and the two engage in battle.

Key Plot Points and Events

• A colossal Hungry Ghost (Fiend Ghost) appears in Peibai City, descending from the Third Layer of Hell through a whirlpool, causing terror and destruction.
• The Hungry Ghost greedly surveys the city, hinting at potential further descent into the mortal realm.
• Yang He, after inspecting the Hungry Ghost, leaves Head Constable Sun to handle the situation and returns home.

Character Developments

• Head Constable Sun shows fear and reverence towards the Hungry Ghost, revealing his knowledge about Fiend Ghosts and their potential threat to the mortal realm.
• Yang He demonstrates his ability to observe the Hungry Ghost without being affected, hinting at his powerful cultivation or unique abilities.

Significant Themes

• The threat of Hungry Ghosts and their potential descent into the mortal realm.
• The power dynamics between cultivators and supernatural entities like Hungry Ghosts.

Character Interactions

• Yang He and Head Constable Sun interact briefly, with Yang He providing information about the Hungry Ghost and leaving the issue to the Head Constable.
• Yang He's interaction with his father, Old Man Yang, is brief but shows their caring relationship, with Yang He ensuring his father's safety.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Cultivators' revival process involves discarding organs, increasing their ghost portion, and descending into hell for ascension.
• Yang He learns about the revival process and the potential involvement of the Grand Master.
• The giant Hungry Ghost threat looms over Jialiang Water Town, and Yang He plans to observe the situation in the shadows.
• Yang He refines his skin pouch blood robe and century-old Treasure Fish stomach, enhancing their properties.
• In the Lore World, the Nuwa Palace's Main Hall is complete, and a perfect Nuwa statue is expected to appear.

Character Developments

• Yang He becomes more cautious and strategic, planning his moves carefully.
• The Grand Master's influence is hinted at, suggesting they might be involved in the revival process and control over cultivators.
• Head Constable Sun is mentioned, potentially being a normal person, unlike the other officials.

Significant Themes

• The duality of revival as both a descent into hell and a gradual ascension.
• The fear and uncertainty surrounding the revival process and the Grand Master's influence.
• The theme of observation and caution in Yang He's approach to dealing with the Grand Master and the Hungry Ghost threat.

Character Interactions

• Yang He interacts with the Beast Tamer, learning about the revival process and the potential involvement of the Grand Master.
• Yang He's thoughts reveal his plans to observe the situation in Jialiang Water Town and his hopes for the Grand Master to deal with the Hungry Ghost.
• In the Lore World, Yang He's corpse is placed outside the Nuwa Palace's Main Hall, causing fear and apprehension among the artisans and Zhou Ji. Huang Feihu and Wen Zhong discuss the innate immortal body and its potential as a half-step Corpse Immortal.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Nuwa Statue festival preparations are complete, with all 107 Nuwa Statues placed.
• Zhou Ji, the general, attempts to attack Wen Zhong, suspecting the Nuwa Statue's malevolence.
• The Nuwa Statue and two child statues appear in the Main Hall, causing craftsmen to rush in, chanting Nuwa's deeds.
• Yang He regains consciousness in the Main Hall, witnessing the statues and communicating with the Guanghan Fairy, who warns him about the impending danger.

Character Developments

• Zhou Ji's jealousy and desperation for Nuwa's attention lead him to attack Wen Zhong.
• Yang He, now a Living Buddha, feels fear and panic upon learning about the imminent danger from the Nuwa Statue.
• The Guanghan Fairy reveals fear and concern for Yang He's safety.

Significant Themes

• The malevolence and power of the Nuwa Statue.
• The fear and desperation caused by the unknown and uncontrollable forces.
• The protective nature of the Guanghan Fairy towards Yang He.

Character Interactions

• Wen Zhong and Huang Feihu discuss the potential danger posed by the child male statue and the need for replacement candidates.
• Yang He communicates with the Guanghan Fairy, seeking her guidance and protection.
• Zhou Ji's attempt to attack Wen Zhong highlights the tension and mistrust between the characters.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang He, playing the role of the Living Buddha, encounters a strange phenomenon within the Nuwa Statue, which gives birth to an unknown entity.
• The Living Buddha's Spiritual Vision rapidly increases, and he faces a life-threatening situation due to the foul yin qi in the hall.
• Yang He decides to use a radical cultivation method to refine his organs into yin objects, hoping to gain power from the entity.
• The Living Buddha's organs become independent entities and attempt to leave his body. Yang He chooses to let go of his heart, which is taken by an unknown force through a straw rope.
• The Living Buddha's role-play ends, and he returns to the Main World.

Character Developments

• Yang He (Living Buddha): Becomes more determined and greedy for power, willing to take risks to gain strength. He also shows a strategic mind, considering the Living Buddha's potential survival even after his death in the Lore World.
• The entity born from the Nuwa Statue: Revealed to be a Sage, though its true form and intentions remain unclear.

Significant Themes

• Greed and ambition: Yang He's desire for power and his willingness to take risks to achieve it.
• The blurred line between life and death: The Living Buddha's transformation into a yin object raises questions about his true state of existence.
• The power of Sages: The entity born from the Nuwa Statue is a Sage, suggesting their immense power and influence.

Character Interactions

• Yang He and the entity: Their interaction is tense and uncertain, with the entity displaying both interest and hostility towards Yang He.
• Yang He and the Guanghan Fairy: Although not physically present, the Guanghan Fairy's influence is felt through the cultivation technique she imparts to Yang He.
• Yang He and the pupil ghost: They work together to help the Daoist Initiate's body heal quickly before the Living Buddha's role-play ends.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang He enters the Lore World as the Corpse Daoist Initiate.
• He finds the Main Hall of Nuwa Palace desecrated, with four Boy Statues and several corpses.
• Yang He revives the Living Buddha's corpse and refills its organs using Corpse Ghost parts.
• He prepares to enter the Main Hall once there are nine Boy Statues.

Character Developments

• Yang He demonstrates adaptability and resourcefulness by reviving the Living Buddha's corpse and improving its organs.
• The Black Cat shows contentment with the concentrated yin qi in the Pure Yin Coffin.

Significant Themes

• The theme of death and rebirth is prominent, with Yang He reviving the Living Buddha's corpse and preparing to enter the Main Hall, where death is likely.
• The Sage's unique pattern of accepting disciples is highlighted, with a maximum of one Boy Statue per day.

Character Interactions

• Yang He interacts with the Black Cat, showing affection towards the cat.
• He also interacts with the Living Buddha's corpse, displaying a mix of curiosity and caution.
• The soldiers guarding the Main Hall sense the living zhuāng wailing but cannot investigate further.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Over twenty rogue cultivators enter the Main Hall of Nuwa Palace, lured by the chance to become a Sage's Disciple.
• The Main Hall contains nine male child statues, one female child statue, and blood-stained grass ropes hanging from the ceiling.
• The rogue cultivators are told that only one can become a Sage's Disciple, and the rest will perish.
• Chaos erupts as the rogue cultivators turn on each other, killing and refining corpses for power.
• Xia Xinghuai, a three-eyed cultivator, tries to test Yang He, a Daoist Initiate, but is killed by Yang He's ghost hand.
• Yang He finds two books among Xia Xinghuai's belongings: the Pupil Ghost's Qi Gazing Technique and the Blood Sacrifice Artifact Refining Method.
• An old woman's face appears at the end of the straw ropes, unseen by the other rogue cultivators.

Character Developments

• Zhou Ji, the Nuwa Palace administrator, is conflicted about letting criminals into the Main Hall but follows Huang Feihu's orders.
• Xia Xinghuai, a three-eyed cultivator, is revealed to be a monster who refines people into magical artifacts.
• Yang He, the Daoist Initiate, is shown to be more powerful than he initially seemed, easily dispatching Xia Xinghuai.
• The rogue cultivators reveal their true natures, turning on each other for survival and power.

Significant Themes

• The corrupting influence of power and immortality.
• The blurred line between humans and monsters.
• The danger of underestimating one's opponents.

Character Interactions

• Zhou Ji recognizes some of the rogue cultivators as criminals but cannot act against them due to Huang Feihu's orders.
• Xia Xinghuai tries to test Yang He but is killed instead.
• The rogue cultivators turn on each other, highlighting their selfish and ruthless natures.
• Yang He interacts with the old woman's face at the end of the straw ropes, hinting at a potential threat or mystery.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang He and other rogue cultivators face a terrifying challenge in Nuwa Palace's Main Hall.
• Grass ropes descend from the ceiling, each controlled by a Malevolent Spirit, leading to the deaths of several cultivators.
• Yang He discovers that not looking directly at the grass ropes can temporarily avoid death, but the old crone controlling them grows more aggressive.
• Yang He successfully creates the Sage's Disciple's Heart using the Living Buddha's corpse, but the old crone tries to take it.
• Yang He uses his ghost body and vertical eye to break free from the grass rope, deceiving the malevolent spirits in Nuwa's Dao field.

Character Developments

• Yang He demonstrates his cunning and resourcefulness, using his knowledge of Nuwa Palace and his abilities to survive the Main Hall's trials.
• The other rogue cultivators show fear and desperation as they face the Malevolent Spirits, with the Eater and the Two Immortals of Hushan meeting their demise.

Significant Themes

• The theme of survival and the cost of power is emphasized as Yang He faces deadly challenges to obtain the Sage's Disciple's Heart.
• The malevolent nature of Nuwa's Dao field is explored, with the old crone's fishing metaphor highlighting the cruel and indifferent power of the Sage.

Character Interactions

• Yang He interacts with the other rogue cultivators briefly, but their interactions are marked by fear, desperation, and ultimately, death.
• Yang He communicates with the pupil ghost, using it to guide the Living Buddha's heart and later merging it into his ghost body to escape the grass rope.
• The old crone in Nuwa's Dao field is an antagonistic force, trying to claim the Sage's Disciple's Heart and killing cultivators with her grass ropes.