Chapter Summaries

After Lu Zheng’s true body escaped with Yan Hongxia and the Bronze Mirror, his earthen puppet remained to mislead the Ghost King and turn him against the two intruders. The puppet vanished, leaving the Ghost King furious at the pair and desperate to recover his stolen treasure.

• The man and woman accused Lu Zheng’s earthen puppet of being the impostor who had taken the Bronze Mirror, while the puppet denied it and blamed the woman’s transformation arts.
• The Ghost King seized the puppet and demanded the Treasure Mirror, but the puppet urged him to kill the man and woman instead.
• The man identified Lu Zheng as a disciple of White Cloud Temple, and the puppet taunted the Ghost King about daring to pursue him there or to Jinhua Mountain.
• The puppet warned that the Ghost King needed Yang Energy and suggested the man and woman would flee, sowing suspicion between them.
• The Ghost King tried to extract the puppet’s divine sense, but the puppet collapsed into lifeless earth, and the Ghost King realized Lu Zheng had used a top-tier secret art.
• The Ghost King blamed the man and woman for bringing trouble to his estate and angrily turned on them.

Lu Zheng and Yan Hongxia went to Huizhou Prefecture to report the Ghost King and the two southern frontier cultivators to the Demon Suppression Division. Pacification Commissioner Huang Kun killed the Ghost King and captured the pair, while Lu Zheng gained fifty-eight strands of Light of Luck.

• Lu Zheng sealed the stolen Bronze Mirror with a third Cloud Sealing Spell as he and Yan Hongxia traveled to Huizhou Prefecture for help.
• Lu Zheng explained the Ghost King and the southern frontier pair’s crimes to the Demon Suppression Division, prompting Pacification Commissioner Huang Kun to set out in person.
• Lu Zheng hurried after Huang Kun, hoping to be close enough to receive Light of Luck when the enemies were defeated.
• Huang Kun used a bolt of lightning to kill the Ghost King and cripple the two southern frontier cultivators, whom he kept alive for questioning.
• The Jade Seal trembled, and Lu Zheng received fifty-eight strands of Light of Luck.

After returning to the modern world, Lu Zheng joined Lin Wan and Japanese Interpol officer Takeuchi Akemi for dinner and a night out at a nightclub. He found the club’s loud, intense atmosphere unappealing and returned to the booth with Lin Wan.

• Lu Zheng said goodbye to Yan Hongxia, then crossed back to the modern world and learned Lin Wan had returned from her case.
• Lu Zheng called Lin Wan and agreed to pick her and Takeuchi Akemi up before their nightclub outing.
• At dinner, Lin Wan explained that the case had reached its current stage and Takeuchi Akemi would retrieve crucial evidence from the Hai City liaison office the next day.
• Lu Zheng accompanied Lin Wan and Takeuchi Akemi to a nightclub, where they danced and he observed how clubs in Japan differed from those in Hua Country.
• Lu Zheng decided the nightclub’s stimulation was too crude and returned to the booth, where Lin Wan blushed when he mentioned working out.

Lin Wan and Lu Zheng spent the night at a nightclub, then helped Takeuchi Akemi collect evidence before seeing her off at the airport. Later, Lin Wan received a call saying Takeuchi Akemi was dead.

• Lu Zheng and Lin Wan watched Takeuchi Akemi dance at a nightclub, where Lin Wan turned away two girls seeking a place to sit.
• After the three stayed out until past two in the morning, Lin Wan and Lu Zheng returned home and went to bed.
• Takeuchi Akemi called Lin Wan the next morning to arrange collecting documents and getting a ride to the airport.
• At the Liaison Office, Lin Wan collected a locked leather case containing evidence against a Japanese suspect and potential clues to a deeper mastermind.
• Lu Zheng drove Lin Wan and Takeuchi Akemi to the airport, then spent the day with Lin Wan in the city.
• While Lin Wan and Lu Zheng ate barbecue, Lin Wan received a call and learned that Takeuchi Akemi was dead.

After learning that Takeuchi Akemi had been murdered and her evidence stolen, Lin Wan continued the investigation while Lu Zheng returned to ancient times. He reunited with the women at Peach Blossom Glade and agreed to play music with Bai Ting'er.

• Lin Wan told Lu Zheng that Takeuchi Akemi had been found dead at Tokyo Airport and that the evidence she carried was missing.
• Lin Wan explained that the case involved corruption, money laundering, and crimes in domestic gray industries, and said she would travel to investigate further.
• Lu Zheng returned to ancient times, then arrived home in Tonglin County a few days later and found Uncle Li, Aunt Liu, and Old Huang well.
• Lu Zheng learned that Liu Qingyan and Liu Qingquan had gone to Peach Blossom Glade and joined them, where many women were enjoying games, stories, and music.
• Yu Mingxin asked Lu Zheng to play the Yao Zither, and Lu Zheng agreed to perform an ensemble piece with Bai Ting'er.

Lu Zheng hosted a gathering at Peach Blossom Manor, where he played music and games before Guang Yue arrived to challenge him to a spar. The chapter left Lu Zheng and Guang Yue trading attacks, with Guang Yue recognizing Lu Zheng’s Golden Citadel Heart Sword.

• Lu Zheng played the Phoenix Tail Zither with Bai Ting'er and the other Heavenly Maidens, then played Go with Zhu Yushan.
• Guang Yue arrived and explained that his Great Sun Golden Light Illumination Sutra had improved and that he had come to seek Lu Zheng’s guidance.
• Lu Zheng and Guang Yue began sparring while Liu Qingquan told the others about their past encounters.
• Guang Yue used his Radiant Relic and a swastika sigil to attack Lu Zheng, who countered with the Golden Citadel Heart Sword.
• Guang Yue recognized Lu Zheng’s technique as the Heart Sword from the Jinhua Sect’s Golden Citadel Imperial Dharma Evolution Mysterious Secret.

Lu Zheng reunited with his companions after his journey, sparred with Guang Yue, and later told Shen Ying and Liu Qingyan about his adventures and the Bronze Mirror he had obtained. The evening ended with Lu Zheng and the women relaxing together beneath the moonlight.

• Lu Zheng defeated Guang Yue in a spar and joked about the lumps he had raised on the monk’s head.
• Guang Yue joined Lu Zheng and the others, and later discussed Buddhist teachings with Zhu Yushan.
• Lu Zheng returned to Tonglin County with the Liu Family Sisters and found Shen Ying waiting for him at home.
• Lu Zheng told Shen Ying and Liu Qingyan about meeting Yan Hongxia and the events at White Cloud Temple and the Jinhua Sect.
• Lu Zheng showed Shen Ying and Liu Qingyan the Ghost King’s Bronze Mirror and explained its power and the danger it had posed.
• Lu Zheng, Shen Ying, and Liu Qingyan sat together beneath the persimmon tree as moonlight fell.

Lu Zheng received Du Yuru and his family, who had come to thank him for saving them and revealed that Du Yuru was now the prefect of Yizhou Prefecture. The visit ended with Lu Zheng learning that Du YueYao appeared to have feelings for him after he mentioned his fiancée.

• Lu Zheng found Du Yuru’s carriage outside his home and learned that the family had come from Yizhou Prefecture to thank him.
• Lu Zheng welcomed Du Yuru, Du Furen, Du YueYao, and Uncle Li into his residence and served them fruit and pastries.
• Du Yuru revealed that he had been appointed prefect of Yizhou Prefecture and again thanked Lu Zheng for rescuing his family.
• Du Yuru asked whether Lu Zheng planned to enter officialdom, and Lu Zheng said he had no interest in taking the examinations.
• Du Furen asked whether Lu Zheng lived alone and was married; Lu Zheng said he already had a fiancée, and Du YueYao’s expression changed in dismay.

Lu Zheng told Du Yuru’s family that he was engaged to Liu Qingyan, and Du YueYao asked to meet her to discuss medicine. After meeting Liu Qingyan and discovering her skill, Du YueYao asked to study medicine with her.

• Lu Zheng told Du Furen that his fiancée was Liu Qingyan, who lived next door and came from a family of physicians.
• Du YueYao asked Lu Zheng to introduce her to Liu Qingyan so they could discuss medical arts, and Lu Zheng agreed.
• Lu Zheng invited Du Yuru’s family to stay for dinner and sent Uncle Li to fetch Liu Qingyan.
• Lu Zheng introduced Liu Qingyan to Du Yuru’s family, and Du YueYao was struck by her beauty.
• Du YueYao discussed medicine with Liu Qingyan, realized Liu Qingyan surpassed her in skill and knowledge, and asked to study under her.

After Du YueYao began arranging to study medicine under Liu Qingyan, Lu Zheng visited Daoist Priest Mingzhang and discussed the cultivation methods gifted by the Jinhua Sect. Back in Tonglin County, Lu Zheng called Lin Wan and offered to visit her while her investigation continued, but startled shouts came through her phone.

• Lu Zheng accepted Du YueYao's plan to study medicine with Liu Qingyan after Du Yuru's family departed Tonglin County.
• Lu Zheng visited Daoist Priest Mingzhang, who praised the Jinhua Sect's gifts and warned Lu Zheng not to neglect his Qi Refining foundation.
• Lu Zheng told Daoist Priest Mingzhang about killing a Ghost King and capturing two Southern Border cultivators with the Huizhou Prefecture Demon Suppression Division.
• Lu Zheng called Lin Wan and offered to visit her while she remained on a case.
• Several people shouted a warning about a car over Lin Wan's phone.

Lu Zheng agreed to visit Lin Wan in Weizhi City, where she was investigating an international criminal group. Their lunch was interrupted when children delivered Lin Wan a threatening letter containing a bullet, and Lu Zheng said he had already collected the envelope’s aura.

• Lin Wan dodged a car that crashed into a roadside tree, then told Lu Zheng the occupants had been sent to the hospital and the police had taken over.
• Lu Zheng and Lin Wan arranged for him to visit her, though Lin Wan forgot to tell him where she was working.
• Over lunch in Weizhi City, Lin Wan explained that the group’s local members had reorganized after evidence was stolen in Japan and a suspect was released on bail.
• Two children brought Lin Wan an envelope from an unknown man, claiming it could help her catch criminals.
• Lin Wan found a bullet inside the envelope and read the threat letter, then said she needed to return so it could be examined.
• Lu Zheng told Lin Wan he had already collected the aura from the envelope.

Lu Zheng investigated the source of the threatening letter while Lin Wan returned to the bureau, and the fat man who sent the threat was trapped in a terrifying illusion. When the police arrived and found him with a gun and incriminating documents, he asked to turn himself in.

• Lu Zheng went to investigate who sent Lin Wan the letter while she returned to the City Bureau to run tests.
• The fat man who ordered the letter decided to hide his ledger and documents, taking a pistol from his office safe.
• The fat man saw the office door and window vanish, watched his phone turn into a snake, and panicked as he became convinced he was trapped in a supernatural mission.
• The illusion ended with the fat man at his desk holding the pistol as Lin Wan and two police officers entered his office.
• The fat man dropped the pistol and told Lin Wan he wanted to turn himself in.

After helping Lin Wan close in on a Japanese agent, Lu Zheng returned to the ancient era and found Shen Ying and Peach Blossom Manor under attack by four powerful cultivators. The surprise assault was underway, with Shen Ying and the Old Peach Tree fighting back as Lu Zheng arrived.

• Lin Wan explained that the recovered evidence could implicate the Japanese agent but might not expose the hidden mastermind.
• Lu Zheng told Lin Wan to return to work and used the Dream Ingress Technique to teach her about the Taiyuan Xuan Book and cultivation.
• Lu Zheng returned to Sea City, crossed into the ancient era, and sensed a warning from his peachwood pendant.
• Shen Ying and the Old Peach Tree fought four hostile cultivators who had launched a dawn attack on Peach Blossom Manor.
• Shen Ying had alerted Lu Zheng and arranged for the Eighteen Peach Blossom Heavenly Maidens to form a formation against the attackers.

Shen Ying and the Eighteen Heavenly Women fought off four Directional Divine Envoys trying to seize her soul with the Four Extremes Soul-Locking Token. As the attackers unleashed their strongest assault, Lu Zheng arrived and struck with his Golden Citadel Heart Sword.

• The four Directional Divine Envoys used the Four Extremes Soul-Locking Token to pull at Shen Ying’s soul while attacking her and the Eighteen Heavenly Women.
• The Heavenly Women resisted the token’s pull and disrupted the four attackers with their varied techniques.
• The Western Divine Envoy stirred the peach tree’s roots, and the four intensified their assault to find an opening in Shen Ying’s defenses.
• Shen Ying received feedback from Lu Zheng but concealed it and continued to hold off the attackers.
• The four Divine Envoys activated the Four Extremes Soul-Locking Curse, and Lu Zheng appeared beside them and called out, “Golden Citadel Heart Sword, sever!”

Lu Zheng and Shen Ying fought the Four Directional Divine Envoys as the Four Poles God-Locking Token grew stronger by absorbing the souls of fallen envoys. After the Eastern and Southern Divine Envoys died, Lu Zheng immobilized the Western Divine Envoy, leaving the battle poised to continue.

• Lu Zheng struck the Four Directional Divine Envoys with the Golden Citadel Heart Sword, immobilized the Northern Divine Envoy, and killed him, but the token absorbed his soul and strengthened its pull on Shen Ying.
• The remaining envoys attacked Lu Zheng and the Eighteen Heavenly Women while Shen Ying struggled against the token’s stronger soul-pulling force.
• Lu Zheng ordered the Eighteen Heavenly Women to help Shen Ying, and together they overwhelmed and killed the Eastern Divine Envoy; the token absorbed his soul.
• Lu Zheng’s Red Jade Swords killed the Southern Divine Envoy despite his Peach Wood Flying Swords piercing Lu Zheng, and the token absorbed the Southern Envoy’s soul.
• Lu Zheng appeared beside the Western Divine Envoy and cast the Body Immobilization Spell.

Lu Zheng and Shen Ying defeated the Four Directional Divine Envoys and stopped the Four Extremes God-Locking Token from capturing Shen Ying's soul. The token's destruction triggered a hidden curse backlash, but everyone survived and the curse dissipated.

• Lu Zheng used Invisibility Technique to kill the Northern Divine Envoy, then joined Shen Ying and the Eighteen Heavenly Women in attacking the Eastern Divine Envoy.
• Lu Zheng fought the Southern Divine Envoy with a life-for-life tactic, then immobilized and beheaded the Western Divine Envoy while secretly sealing his soul.
• The Four Extremes God-Locking Token lost control after the Divine Envoys fell, and Lu Zheng collected two hundred and eighteen strands of Light of Luck.
• Shen Ying warned Lu Zheng that the token contained the Millennium Peach Tree Spirit's Curse Seal, so Lu Zheng sent his earthen puppet to destroy it.
• The token's hidden curse unleashed a spiritual backlash that shattered the puppet and blade, but Lu Zheng and the others resisted the shockwaves as the curse dissipated.

After the Four Directional Divine Envoys attacked Peach Blossom Manor, Lu Zheng used a Mirror Viewing Curse to uncover their connection to Peach Mother and its plan to devour Shen Ying. With the threat temporarily gone, Shen Ying and Lu Zheng shared the recovered magical artifacts and weapons with the Heavenly Women.

• Shen Ying explained that the Four Directional Divine Envoys had tried to seize her divine soul so Peach Mother could devour her and gain the power of "Peach Blossoms."
• Lu Zheng used the Mirror Viewing Curse on the Western Divine Envoy's sealed soul, learned Peach Mother's motives and plans, then let the soul dissipate.
• Lu Zheng told Shen Ying that Peach Mother could not leave Peach Mother Divine Mountain and that its four strongest disciples had been killed, leaving it unable to threaten her for now.
• Shen Ying accepted the magical artifacts recovered from the Four Directional Divine Envoys and promised to cleanse and distribute them among the Eighteen Heavenly Women.
• Lu Zheng gave Tao Zhen an Embroidered Spring Blade and offered weapons to the other martial Heavenly Women, who eagerly named their choices.

After returning to Tonglin County, Lu Zheng learned that Prefect Du had ordered the county government to watch for his return, then received a visit from Zhao Family manager Zhou Mingsheng. Zhou revealed that the Zhao Family wanted to buy Lu Zheng’s storefront in Cong An Ward, leaving Lu Zheng to consider the offer.

• Lu Zheng and Shen Ying concluded that Peach Mother Divine Mountain posed little immediate threat, and Lu Zheng returned to Tonglin County the next morning.
• Liu Butou told Lu Zheng that Prefect Du had instructed the county government to notify him when Lu Zheng returned, and Lu Zheng explained that Du was an acquaintance.
• Uncle Li told Lu Zheng that someone had come to discuss business, and Zhou Mingsheng arrived at Lu Zheng’s home.
• Zhou Mingsheng introduced himself as a manager of the Zhao Family of Yizhou and said the family wanted to purchase Lu Zheng’s storefront in Cong An Ward.

Zhou Mingsheng tried to buy Lu Zheng’s shop for the Zhao Family, but Lu refused to sell. Lu then joined Liu Qingquan and Liu San at Renxin Hall, where Liu Qingyan continued treating patients as Lu noticed her growing merit.

• Zhou Mingsheng offered Lu Zheng 450 strings of cash for his shop, then raised the offer to 470 strings and invoked the Zhao Family’s connections.
• Lu Zheng refused to sell, and Zhou Mingsheng stopped his servant from insulting Lu before leaving to report back to the Zhao Family.
• Lu Zheng brought roast chicken from the modern world and met Liu Qingquan and Liu San on their way to Renxin Hall.
• Liu Qingyan treated an elderly patient, and Lu Zheng sensed faint Merit Golden Light around her.
• Lu Zheng set down the food and offered to help Liu Qingyan treat the patients waiting at Renxin Hall.

Lu Zheng rejected an attempt by outsiders from Yizhou Prefecture to buy Sweet Delights Shop’s premises and declined an invitation to meet them at Spring Breeze Pavilion. As he and Liu Qingyan returned home, three figures confronted him outside the Lu Family residence.

• Liu Qingyan and Lu Zheng shared lunch with Liu Qingquan and discussed the outsiders’ offer of four hundred and fifty strings of cash for Sweet Delights Shop’s premises.
• Old Man Liu warned that the outsiders might approach Lu Zheng again, but Lu Zheng said he had no reason to sell.
• Uncle Li delivered an invitation to a banquet at Spring Breeze Pavilion, signed by Zhao Wenrong, and Lu Zheng refused it.
• Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan agreed to visit Hundred Springs Valley with Sister Shen during the next ten-day rest.
• Three figures stepped out beside the Lu Family residence, and one accused Lu Zheng of putting on airs.