Chapter Summaries

Lu Zheng and Lin Wan encountered poachers who had captured a giant panda cub and came to hunt its mother. When the adult panda charged, Lu Zheng used his powers to disable the poachers’ weapons, leaving the confrontation unresolved.

• Lu Zheng and Lin Wan found a wild panda in Qionglai Mountain, fed it bamboo, and petted it while it slept.
• After hearing a gunshot, Lu Zheng and Lin Wan flew toward it and found seven poachers with a captured panda cub.
• The poachers discussed hunting an adult panda and used the cub’s cries to draw its mother out of the woods.
• The adult panda charged the poachers, but their tranquilizer darts and guns were stopped or broken by Lu Zheng’s unseen power.
• The poacher holding the cub dropped its cage and fled as the adult panda pounced, while the remaining rifles snapped in two.

Lu Zheng and Lin Wan rescued a giant panda cub, killed the poachers and their upstream contacts, then returned to Sea City. Lu Zheng later agreed to accompany Wang Xiaowan to Shaotong Mountain to join White Cloud Temple, where he was summoned to meet a visiting martial uncle from Qingwei Palace.

• The giant panda freed its cub after the cage opened, and Lu Zheng killed the seven poachers and learned the identity of their upstream contact.
• Lu Zheng and Lin Wan returned to the forest, then traveled to the border and killed a foreign trade boss and an anti-Hua Country nouveau riche before flying back to Sea City.
• Lu Zheng brought spicy rabbit heads to Liu Qingquan, learned that Du YueYao had developed Qi Sensation, and agreed to visit the Wang Family about Wang Xiaowan joining White Cloud Temple.
• Lu Zheng told Old Master Wang and Wang Xiaowan that he would take her to Shaotong Mountain the next morning.
• At White Cloud Temple, Yuan Ning told Lu Zheng that Daoist Priest Mingzhang was receiving guests from Qingwei Palace, then Mingzhang summoned Lu Zheng to meet his martial uncle.

Lu Zheng brought Wang Xiaowan to White Cloud Temple to seek Daoist Priest Mingzhang’s guidance, but Shouyi Zhenren recognized her powerful Primordial Spirit and offered her Qingwei Palace’s fundamental method. Wang Xiaowan became Shouyi Zhenren’s disciple as an Outer Sect Layman, and Shouyi Zhenren also passed Lu Zheng the Qingwei Jade Citadel Lightning Dharma to study.

• Lu Zheng introduced Wang Xiaowan to Daoist Priest Mingzhang and explained her character, resistance to Corpse Poison, and cultivation talent.
• Daoist Priest Mingzhang and Shouyi Zhenren debated which sect’s methods would best suit Wang Xiaowan’s powerful Primordial Spirit.
• Wang Xiaowan declined to leave home for full entry into either sect and asked to become an Outer Sect Layman instead.
• Shouyi Zhenren agreed to make Wang Xiaowan his Outer Sect Layman disciple and offered to teach her the Qingwei Jade Citadel Origin Descent Great Dharma.
• Shouyi Zhenren passed Lu Zheng the Qingwei Jade Citadel Lightning Dharma through his divine sense.

Lu Zheng helped Wang Xiaowan join Qingwei Palace under Shouyi Zhenren, who began training her at White Cloud Temple. After hearing about Wang Xiaowan’s new master, Fan Boyu resolved to train Du YueYao to surpass her, while Lu Zheng returned home and shared the day’s events with his family.

• Shouyi Zhenren taught Lu Zheng the Qingwei Jade Citadel Lightning Dharma in exchange for his help guiding Wang Xiaowan.
• Shouyi Zhenren accepted Wang Xiaowan as an Outer Sect Layman of Qingwei Palace and planned to train her at White Cloud Temple for about half a year.
• Lu Zheng brought Old Master Wang back to the county town, then returned to Tong Yi Alley, where Du YueYao, Fan Boyu, Shen Ying, and the Liu family asked about Wang Xiaowan.
• Lu Zheng revealed that Wang Xiaowan had joined Qingwei Palace, prompting Fan Boyu to take Du YueYao home to cultivate so she could surpass Wang Xiaowan.
• Lu Zheng told his family about Shouyi Zhenren and Daoist Priest Mingzhang bickering, then spent the night with Shen Ying and Qing Yan.

Lu Zheng mastered the Qingwei Jade Citadel Lightning Dharma and visited Shen Ying at Peach Blossom Manor, where he learned Tao Zhen had been captured by a Demon Creature. Tao Rui and Tao Jue returned without Tao Zhen, leaving Lu Zheng and the Heavenly Maidens to face the danger.

• Lu Zheng tested his lightning dharma in the courtyard, startled Liu San, and went outside the city to practice.
• Lu Zheng used the Jade Seal to enhance his cultivation and tried several lightning arts, blasting a woodland before heading to Peach Blossom Glade.
• Lu Zheng reunited with Shen Ying and relaxed with her and the Peach Blossom Heavenly Maidens at Peach Blossom Manor.
• Shen Ying told Lu Zheng that Tao Rui and Tao Jue had returned in a panic and that Tao Zhen was missing.
• Tao Rui and Tao Jue told Shen Ying and Lu Zheng that a Demon Creature had attacked them, and Tao Zhen had stayed behind to let them escape before it captured her.

After the Boar Demon abducted Tao Zhen and threatened Shen Ying, Lu Zheng accompanied her and the Heavenly Maidens to confront him at his mountain cave. The demon’s magical fan and sleep-inducing smoke gave him an opening, but Lu Zheng remained unaffected and cleared the smoke as Shen Ying attacked.

• Tao Rui told Shen Ying that the Boar Demon had wounded her and Tao Zhen, and had threatened to make Shen Ying his bride.
• Lu Zheng took Shen Ying and the nine Heavenly Maidens by cloud to the demon’s cave southwest of Tonglin.
• The Boar Demon leered at Shen Ying, and she attacked him with Peach Blossom Evil.
• The demon used a Round Fan to scatter Shen Ying’s attack and spread smoke that nearly made the Heavenly Maidens and Shen Ying fall asleep.
• Lu Zheng dispelled the smoke with a Purifying Cloud Spell while Shen Ying launched Taiyuan Xuan Light at the Boar Demon.

Shen Ying defeated a Boar Demon who had attacked Tao Zhen, and Lu Zheng brought the demon’s body and treasure fan back to Peach Blossom Glade. There, Lu Zheng prepared a whole pig banquet for the arriving guests, leaving the feast spread across the table.

• Shen Ying trapped the Boar Demon with Taiyuan Xuan Light while Lu Zheng blocked his escape, and the Peach Blossom Heavenly Maidens rescued Tao Zhen from the cave.
• After Tao Zhen recovered, Shen Ying combined Peach Blossom Evil with Taiyuan Xuan Light and killed the Boar Demon; Lu Zheng took the Round Fan, which Shen Ying found could produce a warm breeze.
• Tao Zhen reported that the Boar Demon had only recently settled in the cave, and Shen Ying and Lu Zheng returned with the demon’s corpse to Peach Blossom Glade.
• Lu Zheng announced he would make a whole pig banquet and prepared the boar using every part of its body.
• Liu Qingyan, Du YueYao, Fan Boyu, and others arrived, and Lu Zheng served a long array of pork dishes that left the guests eagerly eyeing the feast.

Lu Zheng hosted the Old Beggar for a feast, where the stranger revealed himself as Liu Zong, True Person Qianhai of the Heavenly Evasion Sect. After dinner, Liu Zong stayed in Tonglin County at Lu Zheng’s invitation.

• The Old Beggar arrived at Peach Blossom Glade unnoticed, startling Fan Boyu with his formidable presence.
• Lu Zheng welcomed the Old Beggar, and Liu Qingyan, Shen Ying, and the others shared a whole-boar feast with him.
• The Old Beggar revealed that his name was Liu Zong and that he belonged to the Heavenly Evasion Sect; Fan Boyu recognized him as True Person Qianhai and feared the sect’s old grudge.
• Liu Zong praised Lu Zheng’s cooking and offered to introduce him as an imperial chef, but Lu Zheng said he cooked only for family and friends.
• After everyone finished the feast, Liu Zong followed Lu Zheng back to Tonglin County and asked to stay in a side room.

Lu Zheng chatted with the Old Beggar about his cultivation, his Jinhua Sect techniques, and his time at the sect before cooking him lunch. The Old Beggar offered to teach Lu Zheng a method as a gift, but Lu Zheng refused, leaving them still at odds over whether he should accept.

• Lu Zheng explained that he had learned Jinhua Sect's Transformation Divine Method after obtaining a wooden Divine Lord statue and visiting the sect, and he credited Peng Yu Zhenren with passing on a method that let him cultivate spirit and qi together.
• The Old Beggar questioned Lu Zheng about Peng Yu Zhenren, but Lu Zheng denied that the old daoist had tested him at chess.
• Lu Zheng cooked a meal of home-style dishes for the Old Beggar, who then jokingly offered to recruit him into the Heavenly Evasion Sect.
• The Old Beggar offered Lu Zheng a cultivation method as a meeting gift, but Lu Zheng repeatedly refused to ask for anything.
• The Old Beggar insisted that Lu Zheng had to choose something to learn and criticized Lu Zheng's Master, while Lu Zheng continued refusing.

The Old Beggar tried to teach Lu Zheng a spell, but Lu Zheng already knew nearly every art he offered. The Old Beggar eventually taught him Turn Earth into Steel, a spell that countered Earthwalk Technique.

• The Old Beggar offered Lu Zheng a Water Aversion Art, Puppet Technique, sword formula, and Celestial Gale Wind Spell, but Lu Zheng said he already knew them or had learned equivalent arts.
• The Old Beggar offered Lu Zheng the Lesser Yang Divine Lightning Dharma, and Lu Zheng revealed that Shouyi Zhenren had taught him the Qingwei Jade Citadel Lightning Dharma.
• Lu Zheng listed several other arts he knew, then showed the Old Beggar a Three-Ginseng Yu Zhi Pill, which the Old Beggar recognized as an exceptional alchemical product.
• The Old Beggar learned that Lu Zheng knew Earthwalk Technique and offered to teach him a rare spell that countered it.
• Lu Zheng agreed, and the Old Beggar passed the method for Turn Earth into Steel into his mind.

After spending a carefree day at Mirror Lake, Lu Zheng and the two women returned to Peach Blossom Manor, where they learned that enemies from Du Yu Mountain had arrived. Huangfu Xu reported that a Wolf Demon and another wolf-like demon had come to the Huangfu Family, setting up a confrontation.

• The Old Beggar left Lu Zheng's home after teaching him Turn Earth into Steel and advising him on cultivation.
• Lu Zheng, Shen Ying, and Liu Qingyan spent the night together, then went to Mirror Lake for fishing, lunch, and a boat ride.
• Liu Qingquan told them that Huangfu Xu had arrived with news that enemies had come.
• Huangfu Xu reported that a Wolf Demon and a wolf-like demon had circled Wild Wolf Mountain before coming to the Huangfu Family.

Lu Zheng learned that two demons from Du Yu Mountain had seized the Huangfu Family’s matriarch while investigating Leng Jian’s death, and he organized a group to confront them. The allies set out separately to gather at Wild Wolf Mountain, where the two demons were staying.

• Huangfu Xu explained that Leng Jian was the illegitimate son of Leng Li, lord of Du Yu Mountain, and that the two demons had taken Old Madam and Huangfu Jing to Wild Wolf Mountain.
• Lu Zheng reassured Huangfu Xu and decided to seek help from Pacification Commissioner Chu Jin, Mister Fan, his Master, and Shouyi Zhenren.
• Lu Zheng flew toward Yizhou to meet Chu Jin, while Shen Ying headed to Shaotong Mountain to contact Daoist Priest Mingzhang.
• Liu Qingyan returned to Tonglin County with Du YueYao to tell Fan Boyu about the plan.

Lu Zheng arrived at Wild Wolf Mountain to rescue Old Madam and Huangfu Jing, and Leng Jueming and Bei Huang attacked before trying to retreat. Their escape was blocked by an enraged newcomer, leaving the demons caught between enemies.

• Leng Jueming and Bei Huang drank wine at Wild Wolf Mountain while keeping Old Madam and Huangfu Jing under guard and discussing their search for Leng Jian's killer.
• Huangfu Jing and Old Madam secretly discussed whether Xu'er had made progress in arranging help, while the two demons indulged themselves in the neighboring cave.
• Lu Zheng emerged from the ground and sent two figures from his gourd to protect the women and attack Leng Jueming and Bei Huang.
• Bei Huang recognized the danger and urged Leng Jueming to retreat, but both demons found their way blocked by someone threatening to strip their sinews and turn them into cloaks.

Lu Zheng and his allies fought Bei Huang and Leng Jueming in the cave until reinforcements arrived. Bei Huang surrendered, while Leng Jueming was struck by Shouyi Zhenren’s thunder and Fan Boyu’s curse.

• Bei Huang and Leng Jueming turned back to attack Lu Zheng, Liu Qingyan, and the Huangfu Family rather than risk being surrounded.
• Lu Zheng used a Puppet Technique to survive Bei Huang’s invisible blade, then struck him with five bolts of lightning.
• Shouyi Zhenren, Fan Boyu, and their companions entered the cave and joined the fight.
• Leng Jueming tried to kill Old Madam and Huangfu Jing, but Lu Zheng’s cloud qi blocked his advance.
• Bei Huang surrendered and offered to serve the group.
• Shouyi Zhenren struck Leng Jueming with Great Seal Spirit-Subduing Thunder as Fan Boyu’s curse damaged his true spirit.

Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan stopped in a fishing town by the Wanyuan River to buy fish and soft-shelled turtles on their way home. They met the scholar Li Yong at a boat selling a striking tricolored koi, and Liu Qingyan bought it.

• Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan left Huangfu Manor and flew home after Lu Zheng upgraded the Jade Seal.
• Liu Qingyan asked Lu Zheng to take a boat on the Wanyuan River, and they landed in a busy fishing town.
• Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan bought two soft-shelled turtles and three carp from a fisherman.
• Li Yong introduced himself to Lu Zheng and admired a tricolored koi in the fisherman's hold.
• The fisherman asked three strings of cash for the koi, and Liu Qingyan agreed to buy it.

Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan bought a striking koi at the docks, then discovered it carried an extraordinary amount of Light of Luck and might be a powerful demon. When Lu Zheng questioned it aboard the Cloud Head, the koi revealed its ability to speak and transformed into human form.

• Lu Zheng bought the koi from a boatman before Li Yong could claim it, then he and Liu Qingyan flew away toward Tonglin County.
• Lu Zheng realized the purchase had earned him nearly four hundred strands of Light of Luck and suspected the koi was no ordinary fish.
• Lu Zheng decided to release the koi, but Liu Qingyan worried it might be caught again, so Lu Zheng questioned it while preparing to fight or flee.
• The koi spoke, called Liu Qingyan Big Sister Fox, and asked how Lu Zheng had seen through its disguise.
• Lu Zheng listed the koi's unusual behavior and spirited eyes as clues, and the koi praised his reasoning before leaping from the bucket and transforming into human form.

Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan rescued Ao Qian, a young dragon princess, by expelling the demonic qi that had wounded her. Ao Qian explained that a demonic beast had attacked her and Deputy General Xie, and she had accidentally been carried far from the East Sea before fishermen caught her.

• Liu Qingyan used her new needle technique, aided by Lu Zheng's true qi, to draw the demonic qi out of Ao Qian.
• Lu Zheng destroyed the expelled demonic qi with repeated Flying Cloud Cleaves Evil spells.
• Ao Qian revealed that she was a dragon princess with divine eyes and explained that her brocade carp form was a transformation spell.
• Ao Qian told Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan that a demonic beast had injured Deputy General Xie and forced her to flee from the East Sea.
• Deputy General Xie's poor sense of direction carried Ao Qian toward the Yi River, where she swam upstream for over half a month before fishermen caught her.

Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan weighed the danger of returning Ao Qian while a demonic jade dragon remained hidden among the Jade Dragon Race. Ao Qian revealed she could contact her parents directly, and they decided she would stay in the Central Plains until the Jade Dragon King dealt with the threat.

• Lu Zheng brought Ao Qian and Liu Qingyan to Tonglin County and planned to return Ao Qian to the East Sea after a meal.
• Ao Qian revealed that the Demon Head who attacked her had been a jade dragon fallen into demonic ways.
• Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan worried that Ao Qian would remain in danger if the Jade Dragon King could not immediately find the demonic dragon.
• Ao Qian explained that her life-bound dragon soul Jade Tablet would show her father she was alive and well.
• Ao Qian remembered she had a Thousand-Mile Mirror that could contact her parents, and Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan decided she would stay in the Central Plains until the Jade Dragon King handled the demonic dragon.

Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan took Ao Qian to the Southern Borderlands so she could contact her parents without revealing their location. After learning about the demonic dragon and Deputy General Xie’s sacrifice, Ao Jin promised to investigate while Ao Qian stayed with Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan.

• Lu Zheng stopped Ao Qian from using the Thousand-Mile Mirror near Tonglin County and took her and Liu Qingyan to the edge of the Southern Borderlands.
• Ao Qian used the Thousand-Mile Mirror to speak with her mother and father, and Ao Jin asked where she was and whether she had been injured.
• Ao Qian told Ao Jin that a dragon of the Jade Dragon Race had fallen into Demonic Possession and recounted how Deputy General Xie had sent her away before Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan saved her.
• Lu Zheng explained why he and Liu Qingyan remained out of view, and Ao Jin thanked them and agreed that Ao Qian could stay with them.
• Ao Jin revealed that the Thousand-Mile Mirror could preserve images but could not determine locations, then promised to investigate the demonic dragon and avenge Deputy General Xie.

Lu Zheng brought Ao Qian back to the Liu household, where she settled in as Li Qian and delighted in games, toys, and the family’s activities. Meanwhile, Lu Zheng spent the Light of Luck he had gained to strengthen his abilities, leaving his cultivation and intimacy with Liu Qingyan renewed.

• Liu Qingyan arranged for Ao Qian to stay with her and gave her the mortal identity Li Qian, with Qian Bao'er as her pet name.
• Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan returned with Ao Qian to the Liu family courtyard, where Liu Qingquan and the family welcomed her as a distant cousin.
• Ao Qian settled into the household, played with Liu Qingquan and the local children, and took part in a sports meet with guests from Five Beauties Manor and Peach Blossom Glade.
• Ao Qian enjoyed her new life so much that she nearly forgot to contact home, while telling her mother about Lu Zheng’s inventions.
• Lu Zheng used his Light of Luck to enhance his cultivation, foundational abilities, and various skills.
• Liu Qingyan noticed Lu Zheng had become more formidable, and they practiced together amid the flowers at Peach Blossom Manor.