Chapter Summaries

The Pale Hand appeared during Lu Xin’s battle with the Hell Embryo and began stealing his black particles and divinity. Mom emerged from the embryo, cut off the Pale Hand, and nailed its stolen psychic power to Lu Xin’s hand, explaining that the theft would help him pass his teacher’s Trial of Strength.

• The Pale Hand seized Lu Xin’s black particles while the Hell Embryo collapsed, leaving Lu Xin unable to resist.
• Sister rushed to help Lu Xin, but the Pale Hand’s force field sent her flying, and Father’s attack was shattered.
• As the Pale Hand nearly pulled all the black particles from Lu Xin, silver scissors emerged from the Hell Embryo and cut off its wrist.
• Mom appeared, drove a black nail into Lu Xin’s hand, and trapped the Pale Hand’s psychic power there.
• Mom explained that she had planned to steal the Pale Hand’s power and give it to Lu Xin so he could pass his teacher’s Trial of Strength.

Lu Xin learned that Mom had obtained the Mother of Punishment’s nail to keep his palm attached, then faced the arrival of Staff Hider, one of the Thirteen Ultimates. After Staff Hider attacked with a domination chain, Lu Xin caught it, but a flood of chains descended toward him.

• Mom explained that she had borrowed the Mother of Punishment’s nail to keep Lu Xin’s palm on his body.
• The Hell Embryo collapsed, leaving the stadium’s fanatical believers without spiritual power, while Father and Sister reunited with Lu Xin and Mom.
• Chains sounded across Kindling City as Staff Hider appeared beyond layers of glass, leading spiritual entities and binding people with chains.
• Lu Xin and Staff Hider faced off across the barriers, and Staff Hider sent a chain toward Lu Xin.
• Lu Xin caught the chain with his blackened left hand and began eroding it, while the chain’s domination power tried to make him submit.
• Staff Hider sent a torrent of chains through the spatial barriers toward Lu Xin.

Lu Xin and his family fought Staff Hider’s chains as Mental Monsters poured into Kindling City, and Mom suggested using Lu Xin’s renovated house to deal with the invasion. In Qinggang, a pale hand reached through the air and stole the old building, leaving the security team to report the impossible theft to Chen Jing.

• Mom’s shadows and scissors held off Staff Hider’s chains while Lu Xin corroded and shattered the chain of domination.
• Sister asked Lu Xin not to leave her behind when he became stronger, and he promised he never would before joining Mom in clearing the chains.
• Staff Hider opened cracks across Kindling City, allowing an army of Mental Monsters and the dead to enter reality and attack the city.
• Mom explained that Kindling City gave the monsters a foothold and suggested Lu Xin bring over his renovated house instead of fighting them all himself.
• A pale hand reached through the air in Qinggang, grabbed Lu Xin’s old building, and pulled it away, leaving a square pit.
• The security observers called Chen Jing and asked whether she would believe that someone had stolen the building.

Lu Xin summoned the old building, which devoured the Mental Monsters attacking Kindling City. Hydra identified it as a Spirit Hall and declared that a true Fifth Step had appeared, while the Staff Hider tried to seize the building and drew its mysterious residents into action.

• Lu Xin pulled the old building into Kindling City, where its lights and open windows drew in and devoured the approaching Mental Monsters.
• Mom told Lu Xin that everyone living in the building was a prisoner.
• Hydra recognized the building as a Spirit Hall and explained that only someone at the Fifth Step could possess one.
• The Staff Hider stepped closer to the real world and sent iron chains to bind and drag away the old building.
• Mom told Lu Xin that the Staff Hider had fallen into a trap as a woman with a mirror, a woman on a motorcycle holding a red balloon, and a woman in a white coat with a blank contract appeared around the building.

Mom revealed that she had allied with the Eclipse Research Institute, the Black Queen, and the Technological Church to ambush Staff Hider, stripping away much of his power and forcing him to withdraw. As Staff Hider departed and Mom’s injuries resurfaced, Lu Xin decided he would not let him leave unchallenged and called for a desire-level parasitic item.

• The Black Queen, Number Seven, and Dr. An severed Staff Hider’s chains and captured them, disrupting his control over Kindling City.
• Mom explained that she had coordinated with several factions to trap Staff Hider and Pale Hand, and Lu Xin learned how broadly they had cooperated.
• Staff Hider stopped attacking under the gathered factions’ scrutiny, withdrew his remaining chains, and left Kindling City’s residents mentally unbound.
• Mom said Staff Hider had lost nearly half his power of dominion and could not descend, while Lu Xin felt guilty that his friends’ actions had also helped Staff Hider escape descent.
• Mom’s body grew illusory as her injuries resurfaced, and Lu Xin asked whether Staff Hider had hurt her before.
• Lu Xin turned toward Staff Hider’s retreating figure and shouted for someone with a desire-level parasitic item.

Lu Xin used seven parasitic items to perform a ritual that brought him face-to-face with Staff Hider in a mysterious space. Staff Hider tried to send him away, but Lu Xin had managed to reach him by exploiting the ritual’s binding rules.

• Xia Chong urged the people nearby to offer Lu Xin a desire-level parasitic item, and Red Shoes tossed him one of her red high heels.
• Lu Xin arranged seven parasitic items, including the old building, and offered them in exchange for a chance to meet Staff Hider.
• The items’ mental forces combined and carried Lu Xin through a strange, empty space toward Staff Hider.
• Lu Xin’s mental force nearly collapsed when he encountered Staff Hider, but the black particles in his eyes helped him stay stable.
• Staff Hider turned around, realized Lu Xin had reached him through the ritual, and raised his hand to wipe the air away as Lu Xin greeted him.

Lu Xin attacked Staff Hider in the strange space, landing two punches before Number Two appeared and helped him strike once more. Staff Hider expelled them, but Lu Xin returned with a piece of his black robe and chains, which he identified as Staff Hider’s source.

• Lu Xin charged Staff Hider and punched him twice, saying he was defending Mom and Number Two.
• Staff Hider unleashed immense mental power and chains that overwhelmed Lu Xin and the seven parasitic items.
• Number Two appeared, broke open a path through the chains, and let Lu Xin land a third punch on Staff Hider.
• Staff Hider rejected Lu Xin, Number Two, and the parasitic items from his space, sending them falling back toward the real world.
• Sister caught Lu Xin with spiderwebs before he hit the ground, and Lu Xin showed Mom a piece of Staff Hider’s robe with chains wrapped around it, calling it his source.

Lu Xin and his family secured the portion of Staff Hider that he had torn away, while the other allies left Kindling City. After freeing the people trapped above the stadium, Lu Xin descended to face the gathered factions, greeting the Crimson Moon Club with a coded phrase.

• Mom told Lu Xin to give the divine substance to Father, who stored it in his shadow before disappearing.
• Mom left to handle other matters, and Lu Xin decided he would seek out Seven later rather than chase her immediately.
• Lu Xin and Sister descended from the stadium as Sister carefully lowered the people caught in her webs to safety.
• Lu Xin collected the parasitic items and saw the confused Kindling forces and mysterious organizations gathered below the stadium.
• Lu Xin surveyed the investigators, spies, and Crimson Moon Club members, then asked, "Heaven King Covers Earth Tiger?"

Lu Xin reunited with the Crimson Moon Club after defeating the Staff Hider, while Xia Chong confirmed that Kindling’s threat had been stopped. As armed forces arrived, the Hell Designer surrendered to Lu Xin and asked how he had countered Kindling’s plans, leaving Lu Xin’s cryptic answer unexplained.

• Lu Xin revealed that he had defeated the Staff Hider by sacrificing seven items to see him and then punching him three times, astonishing the Crimson Moon Club members.
• Xia Chong asked whether every problem had been resolved, and Lu Xin avoided discussing the hundred million they had won.
• A chubby club member arrived in a truck, followed by armed law-enforcement troops and the Hell Designer.
• Xia Chong accused Kindling of threatening humanity and trying to create Hell, but the Hell Designer knelt and surrendered specifically to Lu Xin.
• The Hell Designer asked how Lu Xin had countered Kindling’s moves, and Lu Xin replied that Kindling had made a huge mistake from his first day in the city.

After the Hell Designer was captured, Xia Chong began negotiations with Kindling while Lu Xin decided to attend the Crimson Moon Club gathering. The club celebrated at a hotel buffet, where Night Owl revealed that he had detonated Kindling’s Hell Umbrella missiles.

• The Negative Zero Unit captured the Hell Designer, and Kindling’s elderly official promised to cooperate with the Research Institute.
• Xia Chong told Lu Xin that Kindling’s higher-ups would be punished, then left to handle the city’s aftermath; Lu Xin stayed behind to attend the gathering.
• Surgical Knife reassured Lu Xin that he had not forgotten the one hundred million, putting Lu Xin at ease about Dracula.
• Dracula led the club members and their followers to a seven-star hotel buffet, where they feasted and toasted to saving Kindling City.
• Explosions lit up the night, and Night Owl told Lu Xin that the bombs he had planted had finally gone off.
• Lu Xin asked whether Night Owl had launched all of Kindling’s Hell Umbrella missiles.

Mom, Black Queen, Dr. An, and Seven discussed their actions after stopping the Second Coming and clashed over Staff Hider, the Old Director, and the Research Institute. Seven declared that the Old Director would oppose the monsters and that the Research Institute would pay for its wrongs.

• Black Queen accused Mom of secretly giving Pale Hand to Staff Hider, and Mom defended her choices while refusing to share Staff Hider's origin except through him.
• Mom and Black Queen challenged each other over their attachments to Staff Hider, while Dr. An recorded details about Mom's Spirit Hall and deception and sent them away with the Infiltrator.
• Mom and Black Queen argued that the Research Institute could not ally with Staff Hider, and Dr. An warned that other people in reality could resist the Ultimates.
• Mom admitted she feared that repeated provocations might turn a peaceful demigod into a disaster, while Seven defended the Old Director's motives and resolve.
• Seven called Mom and Black Queen monsters, vowed that they would all be wiped out, and declared that the Research Institute would pay for its wrongs.

At the Kindling City gathering, Lu Xin collected his agreed payment and tried to secure the Crimson Moon Club’s strongest title, but the members voted for Madman Old Wang instead. Dracula and Old Wang then settled their debt, and Old Wang promised to escape from the psychiatric hospital to help her if needed.

• Lu Xin chatted with Clockwork Orange, who revealed his lucrative side jobs, and accepted the two-million balance from Dracula.
• Lu Xin paid Night Owl the promised one hundred thousand, then learned Night Owl’s proposed massage would be illegitimate and refused.
• The club members voted Madman Old Wang the strongest ability user after Dracula shared a psychiatric institute’s wanted notice for him.
• Lu Xin joined the vote for Old Wang, who accepted the title with delight and celebrated with a paper crown.
• Dracula and Old Wang agreed their debt was settled, and Old Wang promised to escape the psychiatric hospital to help her someday.

After the Crimson Moon Club members left Kindling City, Lu Xin reflected on the dangers posed by Kindling and waited for his payment. Han Bing then told him that his old home had been stolen by a pale hand and that a strange, dangerous visitor had come looking for him in Qinggang.

• The Crimson Moon Club members departed, leaving Lu Xin and Dracula to handle their remaining business.
• Lu Xin considered how Black Table’s research had helped enable later advances and worried that Kindling’s dealings with gods would encourage further reckless experiments.
• Lu Xin learned from Xia Chong that the Alliance was preparing to hold Kindling’s higher-ups accountable despite their attempts to shift the blame.
• Han Bing told Lu Xin that a pale hand had stolen his old building, and Lu Xin said he would explain the incident in a report.
• Han Bing described a visitor who had sought out the orphanage in Qinggang, could not be photographed or sketched, and seemed dangerous.

Lu Xin rushed back to Qinggang after learning that an unidentifiable man had visited Teacher Lu and the orphanage. He reached the villa and found the mysterious visitor teaching the children, leaving their reunion for after the lesson.

• Lu Xin decided to return to Qinggang immediately, and Xia Chong arranged a helicopter from Kindling City.
• Chen Jing and Han Bing told Lu Xin that Qinggang's observations of the visitor had been interfered with and that Kid considered him dangerous.
• Lu Xin arrived in Qinggang, thanked Kid for watching the orphanage, and gave her foie-gras snacks packed from Kindling City.
• Lu Xin entered the villa with Sister and found the children gathered in the senior classroom.
• The visitor paused his lesson on judgment to greet Lu Xin and signaled that they could talk after class.

Lu Xin returned to Crimson Moon Orphanage and discovered that Number Eight, now called Xu Jing, had appeared there and was teaching the children. After speaking with Teacher Lu about their painful past and reassuring her that he felt better, Lu Xin finally greeted Xu Jing, leaving their reunion just beginning.

• Lu Xin recognized Number Eight at the orphanage and asked Teacher Lu and the old guard how Xu Jing had arrived there.
• Teacher Lu apologized for how she had reacted to Lu Xin before, and Lu Xin explained that he had been away and had encountered Little Seventeen, Seven, and Number Two on his travels.
• Lu Xin admitted that he had avoided visiting the orphanage but told Teacher Lu that he felt much better; she replied that he was completely better.
• The school bell rang, and Xu Jing sent the children away from class while warning them to finish their homework.
• Xu Jing came out of the classroom, shook Lu Xin's hand, and greeted him as Number Nine.

Lu Xin reunited with Number Eight, now called Xu Jing, at the orphanage and took him and Teacher Lu out to eat while remaining wary of his return. Xu Jing revealed that he had a job near Qinggang that night and invited Lu Xin to come along.

• Number Eight introduced himself as Xu Jing and chatted with Lu Xin and Teacher Lu about the orphanage children’s education.
• Lu Xin suggested they eat out, and he, Xu Jing, and Teacher Lu left the orphanage together.
• Lu Xin led them to a restaurant staffed by Chen Jing and Gecko, where Xu Jing ate and reflected on how much had changed.
• Xu Jing acknowledged that Lu Xin and Teacher Lu were worried about his return and admitted he had come back to do something unrelated to them.
• Xu Jing checked his pocket watch, said a job awaited him near Qinggang that night, and invited Lu Xin to come along.

Lu Xin accompanied Number Eight, who revealed that he had come to judge a ruthless wilderness leader on behalf of the Midnight Court. Number Eight entered the leader’s villa and prepared his instruments, leaving his work about to begin.

• Lu Xin agreed to accompany Number Eight on his work after taking Teacher Lu back to the orphanage.
• During their drive through the wilderness, Number Eight said the Old Director had saved him and might be able to cure Little Deer, but he refused to explain the Director’s core plans.
• Number Eight told Lu Xin that General Koyaman had murdered his predecessor’s family and built a criminal enterprise in Xiaoyeshan.
• Number Eight identified himself as Xu Jing, an executor of the Midnight Court, and used a blank business card to pass through the settlement unnoticed.
• Number Eight entered General Koyaman’s villa, opened his case of instruments, and announced that he was beginning his work.

Xu Jing tried General Koyaman for his many crimes and punished him while keeping him alive. He explained that he had accepted the case because of Zhao Xiaomeng, then prepared to deliver the final judgment as Lu Xin watched.

• Xu Jing confronted General Koyaman, compelled him to confess, and repeatedly declared him guilty as he inflicted punishments that left him alive and conscious.
• Lu Xin grew uneasy at the severity of the trial and grabbed Xu Jing's shoulder to stop him.
• Xu Jing told Lu Xin that Zhao Xiaomeng, the sole survivor of General Koyaman's massacre, had endured years of abuse and died asking whether justice existed.
• Xu Jing said the Midnight Court had accepted Zhao Xiaomeng's plea and raised a silver sword to deliver his final judgment.

Xu Jing killed General Koyaman and explained to Lu Xin that the Midnight Court judged sinners who escaped justice. After they parted ways, Xu Jing set out to pursue more cases, leaving Lu Xin uncertain about his methods and principles.

• Xu Jing killed General Koyaman, collected and cleaned his torture instruments, and left a signed record of the general's crimes on the corpse.
• Xu Jing told Lu Xin that he and the Midnight Court traveled beneath the Crimson Moon to pass judgment on sinners.
• Lu Xin said he could understand intervening against injustice but objected to Xu Jing acting alone and using abilities and force without restraint.
• Xu Jing defended his methods, saying the settlement had allowed General Koyaman to live like an emperor and that the Court's principles kept its enforcers from losing control.
• Xu Jing told Lu Xin he was leaving to pursue other cases, then split into three figures and departed in different directions.
• Lu Xin stayed in the jeep, promising to answer Xu Jing's question when they met again, and later heard gunshots from the Koyaman settlement.

Lu Xin returned to Qinggang after Number Eight left and reassured Chen Jing that the visitor meant the city no harm, though he admitted he had taken his apartment building away to handle an incident. At Crimson Moon Elementary School, he told Teacher Lu that he struggled to feel happiness, understand other people’s emotions, and belong in the city.

• Lu Xin returned to Qinggang and told Chen Jing and the others that Number Eight had left and was an old orphanage classmate visiting on a business trip.
• Gecko asked Lu Xin to write a note protecting him from demotion, but Lu Xin said he trusted the homeowner’s husband more.
• Lu Xin told Chen Jing that Number Eight posed no threat to Qinggang and explained that he had taken the old building away to deal with certain incidents.
• Lu Xin went to Crimson Moon Elementary School and reassured Teacher Lu that Number Eight had left.
• Teacher Lu asked what Lu Xin meant by saying he had cured himself, and Lu Xin confessed that he struggled to feel happiness, understand sadness, and fit into other people’s lives.