Chapter Summaries

Zi Shou questioned whether Su Daji was truly Su Daji, then ordered her escorted into the palace as Empress Su. After Chong Houhu spoke up about rewarding Su Hu, Zi Shou granted Su Hu a royal-relative stipend but adjourned court without rewarding Chong Houhu.

• Su Hu explained that Daji was waiting outside because Zi Shou had not explicitly summoned her into the hall.
• Daji entered, and Zi Shou questioned whether she was really Su Daji; she avoided answering directly and challenged him to decide her identity.
• Zi Shou ordered the maidservants to escort Daji into the palace as Empress Su.
• Chong Houhu asked Zi Shou to reward Su Hu for bringing his daughter to the palace, hinting at his own efforts in arranging the journey.
• Zi Shou granted Su Hu a stipend of two thousand shi per month as a royal relative, then adjourned court without giving Chong Houhu a reward.

Zi Shou remained suspicious of Su Daji despite Yunxiao finding nothing unusual, while Su Daji grew curious about Zi Shou and kept her identity hidden. Meanwhile, Lady Yin’s third pregnancy continued past three years, and powerful figures across the Three Realms awaited the child’s birth.

• Zi Shou asked Yunxiao to examine Su Daji, but Yunxiao sensed only an ordinary human woman and teased Zi Shou about favoring her.
• Su Daji concluded that Zi Shou’s behavior suggested he knew she had been replaced and wondered who he really was.
• Su Daji kept a low profile in the palace, unaware that Tongtian had failed to notice her presence.
• The narration introduced Li Jing’s background and his sons Jinzha and Muzha, who had become disciples of Chan Sect immortals.
• Lady Yin remained pregnant with Li Jing’s third child for more than three years, while Shennong, Nuwa, and Primordial Heavenly Venerate awaited the birth.

Nuwa sent the restored soul of the girl killed by Ao Bing into Lady Yin’s womb, and after three years and six months Lady Yin gave birth. Li Jing and Lady Yin were left wondering how to care for their newborn, who appeared only as a radiant ball of light.

• Nuwa decided the girl’s soul had been restored and that it was time for her to be born.
• Lady Yin dreamed that an elegant woman placed a radiant spirit pearl into her abdomen, then went into labor.
• Li Jing brought the midwife to Lady Yin, who gave birth while he waited anxiously outside.
• Li Jing discovered that the swaddled newborn was a ball of light rather than an infant and sent the midwife and servants away in secrecy.
• Lady Yin saw the radiant orb and worried with Li Jing about how to raise a child with no visible mouth.

Nuwa agreed to let Primordial Heavenly Venerate take Lady Yin’s unusual newborn into the Chan teachings after he implied he could resolve the child’s condition. True Person Taiyi arrived at Li Mansion to meet his destined disciple, and Lady Yin carried the ball of light to him.

• Shennong and Nuwa were baffled that Lady Yin had given birth to a ball of light, and Nuwa worried the child might not emerge before the great tribulation ended.
• Primordial Heavenly Venerate asked Nuwa to let the child enter the Chan teachings, and Nuwa agreed on condition that the child would have no further ties to her.
• Primordial Heavenly Venerate sent True Person Taiyi to Chentang Pass and taught him a secret technique to address the child’s condition.
• Li Jing welcomed True Person Taiyi, who said he had a destined master-disciple bond with Li Jing’s third child and could resolve the child’s problem.
• Lady Yin personally carried the ball of light from the rear hall to meet True Person Taiyi.

Lady Yin and Li Jing entrusted their newborn, still enclosed in a ball of light, to True Person Taiyi, who used the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Cover to help her emerge. The girl was born in a burst of flames, immediately knocked Taiyi down, and left Shennong and Nuwa reacting to her unexpected personality.

• Lady Yin came out carrying the child, and Li Jing introduced True Person Taiyi as a disciple of Yuxu who could resolve the child's condition.
• Lady Yin handed the bundle to True Person Taiyi, who placed the ball of light inside the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Cover and filled it with flames.
• Li Jing and Lady Yin feared Taiyi was harming the child, but he explained that the fire was meant to help her emerge from the light.
• A voice from inside the cover complained about the heat, and the ball of light burst open as a little girl kicked the cover into Taiyi's head.
• The girl stepped on Taiyi's face and demanded to know if he had burned her, while Shennong was dismayed and Nuwa blamed Shen Gui.

The little girl born from Lady Yin’s ball of light clashed with True Person Taiyi, but he agreed to accept her as his disciple. True Person Taiyi named her Nezha, and Li Jing approved.

• True Person Taiyi bound the little girl with his Fly Whisk after she kicked him, and Li Jing apologized for her behavior.
• Lady Yin embraced the little girl, who called her Mother but complained about being held too tightly.
• True Person Taiyi released the little girl and assured Li Jing he would not argue with a child, but she demanded to know why he had tried to burn her.
• Li Jing asked whether True Person Taiyi still intended to take the child as his disciple, and True Person Taiyi agreed.
• True Person Taiyi named Li Jing and Lady Yin’s third child Nezha, and Li Jing praised the name.

Nezha mocked True Person Taiyi for having fewer treasures than she did, then accepted him as her master after he offered her his collection. True Person Taiyi kept his Fly Whisk, but Nezha ended the chapter disappointed in her supposedly wealthy master.

• Nezha refused to become True Person Taiyi’s disciple and bragged that she already had two Innate Spiritual Treasures.
• True Person Taiyi laid out his treasures and offered them to Nezha if she accepted him as her master.
• Nezha gathered the treasures and gladly called True Person Taiyi her master.
• Nezha tried to bargain for True Person Taiyi’s Fly Whisk in exchange for changing how she referred to herself, but he refused.
• Nezha stored the treasures in her bellyband and muttered that taking True Person Taiyi as her master was bad luck.

After True Person Taiyi fled from Nezha, Zi Shou summoned Li Jing, Lady Yin, and Nezha to Chaoge under the pretext of recognizing Li Jing’s service. The family arrived at Feiyun Pavilion, where Zi Shou and the Queen were waiting to receive them.

• True Person Taiyi declined Li Jing’s offer of a meal and fled, leaving Nezha at home until he could take her to the mountain.
• After hearing that True Person Taiyi had accepted Nezha as his disciple, Zi Shou ordered Li Jing to bring his wife and daughter to Chaoge.
• Li Jing obeyed the decree and traveled to the capital with Lady Yin and Nezha.
• You Hun told Li Jing that Zi Shou would receive him and the Queen would receive Lady Yin and Nezha, but Nezha grumbled about having to go.
• You Hun led the family into the palace and told Li Jing that Zi Shou and the Queen were waiting for them inside Feiyun Pavilion.

Li Jing and his family attended a banquet with Zi Shou, Jiang Yun, and Su Daji, where Zi Shou introduced the women and questioned Nezha’s behavior. The chapter ended with Jiang Yun asking Nezha why she called herself “this young master.”

• You Hun escorted Li Jing and his family to Feiyun Pavilion, leaving Li Jing stunned to learn the helpful guide was the infamous official You Hun.
• Li Jing, Lady Yin, and Nezha met Zi Shou, Jiang Yun, and Su Daji, and Zi Shou introduced the two women as The Queen and Consort Su.
• Zi Shou hosted a banquet, praised Li Jing’s service, and asked about his youngest child.
• Li Jing introduced Nezha, who stood and called herself “this young master,” making Jiang Yun laugh.
• Nezha challenged Jiang Yun, who asked why such a pretty little girl called herself “this young master.”

Jiang Yun asked Zi Shou to let her adopt Nezha, and Zi Shou secured Li Jing’s agreement by presenting the adoption as the Queen’s wish. Nezha objected to being promised without his consent, then began bargaining with Jiang Yun, who told him he could ask Zi Shou for whatever benefits he wanted.

• Jiang Yun asked Zi Shou if she could adopt Nezha as her son.
• Zi Shou told Li Jing that Jiang Yun wished to adopt Nezha, and Li Jing readily agreed.
• Nezha objected that Li Jing had accepted without asking him and questioned Jiang Yun about becoming his godmother.
• Lady Yin scolded Nezha and agreed to the adoption on his behalf.
• Jiang Yun invited Nezha to name his price and said he could ask Zi Shou for anything he wanted.

Nezha became Jiang Yun and Zi Shou’s adopted daughter, while Wangshu planned to give her a powerful spiritual treasure. After Li Jing’s family left Chaoge, Zi Shou arranged to visit Xuanyuan Temple with Su Daji, unsettling her because she suspected he knew about her connection to Xuanyuan’s Tomb.

• Zi Shou agreed to reserve Nezha’s reward for later, and Nezha reluctantly called Jiang Yun “Mother Queen.”
• Wangshu revealed that she had influenced Zi Shou and planned to give Nezha a Top-grade Primordial Spiritual Treasure suited to a hidden danger within her.
• Luohu emerged from seclusion and hinted that she also had a grand gift to give Nezha.
• Li Jing’s family left Chaoge, and Zi Shou decided to investigate Su Daji by going to Xuanyuan’s Tomb behind Xuanyuan Temple.
• Zi Shou instructed Fei Zhong to announce that he would visit Xuanyuan Temple with Su Daji, leaving her alarmed and unable to contact Luohu.

Zi Shou visited Xuanyuan Temple with Su Daji and followed Yunxiao’s guidance to the cave leading into Xuanyuan’s Tomb. He revealed the entrance to Su Daji and asked whether she knew what lay inside.

• Qiongxiao and Bixiao left Chaoge without telling Yunxiao, while Yunxiao stayed to protect Zi Shou.
• Feng Jiu and Ming Yu struggled to cook the ingredients they had gathered after Qingqiu’s departure left them without her meals.
• Zi Shou arrived at Xuanyuan Temple with Su Daji and sent Fang Bi and the guards to secure the outside.
• Zi Shou and Su Daji offered incense before Emperor Xuanyuan’s statue, and Zi Shou suggested they walk around the temple.
• Zi Shou followed Yunxiao’s directions to the cave entrance behind Xuanyuan Temple and asked Su Daji what she knew about its contents.

Su Daji agreed to protect Little Qingqiu’s friends, and she and Zi Shou entered Xuanyuan's Tomb to investigate. They discovered Feng Jiu and Ming Yu were only trying to catch a rooster, leaving Su Daji ready to speak frankly with Zi Shou.

• Little Qingqiu pleaded with Su Daji to protect Little Jiu and Little Yu, and Su Daji promised she would.
• Zi Shou took Su Daji into Xuanyuan's Tomb after her silence confirmed his suspicions about her.
• Zi Shou heard Feng Jiu and Ming Yu discussing whether to kill someone and feared they were harming a living being.
• Ming Yu revealed that the two were trying to catch a rooster, and Su Daji laughed at Zi Shou's misunderstanding.
• Su Daji dropped her disguise, and she and Zi Shou continued into the tomb to talk while Feng Jiu and Ming Yu cornered the rooster.

Su Daji reunited with Feng Jiu and Ming Yu in Xuanyuan's Tomb, then answered Zi Shou's questions about the original Su Daji and the person who sent her. Zi Shou left believing Nuwa had sent her, while Su Daji revealed that her name was Qingqiu.

• Su Daji freed the bald rooster from Feng Jiu and Ming Yu, who recognized her and rushed to greet her before she sent them away to clean up.
• Su Daji told Zi Shou that the original Su Daji had died at human hands and that she had not killed her.
• Su Daji said she could not reveal who had sent her, and Zi Shou concluded that Nuwa was responsible.
• Zi Shou asked Su Daji for her real name, and she introduced herself as Qingqiu.
• Zi Shou questioned whether Qingqiu was her name or referred to her origin, leaving Qingqiu puzzled.

Qingqiu explained to Zi Shou that she was an ancient Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox inhabiting the body of her descendant, and that she would return the body once her task was finished. Feng Jiu and Ming Yu reunited with Qingqiu after cleaning up and admitted they were hungry, leaving Zi Shou doubtful they could cook.

• Qingqiu told Zi Shou that she had perished long ago and now occupied the body of her descendant, whose bloodline made her the world's only Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox.
• Zi Shou said he did not need to know why Qingqiu had concealed her identity, as long as she had not harmed him.
• Feng Jiu and Ming Yu returned and told Qingqiu they had cultivated diligently under her instruction.
• Feng Jiu and Ming Yu said they had eaten fruit, then tried to catch a rooster for roast chicken, but it had disappeared.
• Zi Shou remembered the mess in the tomb chamber and doubted Feng Jiu and Ming Yu could properly prepare a chicken.

Zi Shou agreed to let Qingqiu bring Feng Jiu and Ming Yu into the palace as her maids, and arranged food and wine for them. As the group prepared to leave Xuanyuan’s Tomb, Yunxiao warned Zi Shou that Qingqiu might be far stronger than he realized.

• Zi Shou teased Qingqiu about stealing food and offered to bring Feng Jiu and Ming Yu into the palace, where they would have plenty to eat.
• Qingqiu accepted and told Feng Jiu and Ming Yu they could ask Zi Shou for roast chicken and wine, joking that he would be their free meal ticket.
• Zi Shou ordered Fang Bi to buy roast chickens and wine, then asked Yunxiao whether she now believed Qingqiu was unusual.
• Yunxiao said she still could not detect anything strange about Qingqiu and warned Zi Shou to be careful because Qingqiu might be much stronger than they thought.
• Qingqiu brought Feng Jiu and Ming Yu out of Xuanyuan’s Tomb, and Zi Shou gave them roast chicken; they thanked him as a good person.

Zi Shou returned to the palace with Qingqiu, Feng Jiu, and Ming Yu, while Qingqiu realized he might unknowingly possess the power of an ancient demon god. At Chentang Pass, Nezha returned as the Queen’s adopted daughter and began flirting with other girls.

• Zi Shou invited Feng Jiu and Ming Yu into his carriage, but they admitted they feared his terrifying aura and worried he might eat them.
• Qingqiu suspected Zi Shou did not know his true identity and learned that he could break Yunxiao’s formations through sheer strength.
• Qingqiu suggested Zi Shou might eventually understand what was happening to him, and Zi Shou decided that being strong was useful.
• Zi Shou arrived at the palace with Qingqiu, Feng Jiu, and Ming Yu, and Tongtian did not interfere.
• Nezha returned to Chentang Pass as the Queen’s adopted daughter and began flirting with other families’ little girls.

Nezha left Chentang Pass to find something entertaining and, after reaching the East Sea, caught fish to grill for dinner. A girl who objected to her eating the fish began crying after Nezha told her to get lost, leaving Nezha baffled and conceding that it counted as a curse.

• Nezha slipped out of Chentang Pass after she grew bored of teasing the girls there.
• Nezha reached the East Sea shore, found fish trapped in a puddle, and prepared a bonfire to grill them.
• A pretty little girl confronted Nezha and insisted that she return the fish to the sea because they were cute and her friends.
• Nezha ignored the girl's objections, skewered three fish, and told her to leave or share the grilled fish.
• The girl cried because Nezha had told her to get lost, and Nezha reluctantly agreed that it counted as cursing at her.

Nezha helped Ao Xin return stranded fish to the sea, and the two became friends. They later sat by the shore, where Ao Xin said she lived in a nearby fishing village and came to save fish whenever she had time.

• Nezha agreed to help Ao Xin return the stranded fish to the sea as compensation for insulting her.
• Nezha ate the fish she had grilled, then used Crimson Silk to send the remaining fish on the beach back to the sea.
• Ao Xin said that each fish they saved cared, prompting Nezha to introduce herself and propose that they become friends.
• Nezha and Ao Xin sat by the sea, where Ao Xin explained that she lived in a small fishing village and visited the shore to save fish.

Nezha and Ao Xin parted as friends after Ao Xin gave her a conch to call her, and Ao Xin returned to the East Sea Crystal Palace. There, her brother Ao Bing reflected on his guilt over killing Shennong’s daughter and feared that her eventual rebirth would bring their unresolved karma to an end.

• Ao Xin gave Nezha a conch shell and promised to visit if she heard Nezha call, then left for home.
• Nezha asked whether Ao Xin had pretended to cry when they first met, but Ao Xin laughed without answering and departed.
• Ao Xin sneaked back into the Crystal Palace, where her third brother confronted her and invited her to spend the next day with him.
• Ao Bing told Ao Xin that he had joined the East Sea Navy to atone for killing Shennong’s daughter, though he had actually joined to quiet his guilt.
• Ao Bing remembered that he had been spared because a supreme figure said Shennong’s daughter would settle their karma after she was reborn, and he feared he would not be able to see Ao Xin then.