Chapter Summaries

After the battle in Yunze Town ended the drought and drove away the corpse monsters, Qin He and the surviving troops returned to the Capital City. Qin He found an extra iron pot in his room, while Ling Zhonghai and Gao Linkun secretly worried that he would discover they had replaced the missing one.

• Rain swept across Yunze Town and the Lu Region, ending the drought and restoring hope to the people.
• Qin He headed home three days later as the victorious army dispersed, leaving only the Flying Fish Guards and Capital Garrison troops to reach the Capital City.
• The East City Corpse Burning Facility welcomed its returning group, and Qin He went back to the Corpse Burning Room.
• Qin He and Big Turtle found an unfamiliar Large Iron Pot on the stove, while Qin He also took out the pot he had brought back from the Lu Region.
• Ling Zhonghai and Gao Linkun revealed that they had bought a replacement pot after the original disappeared, fearing Qin He would blame them.

After returning to the Capital City, Qin He learned that An Zhongjiu was likely behind trouble involving Shiju and that the Immortal Green Ox Temple had mysteriously collapsed while he was away. Ling Zhonghai then told him that a fox had been seen near the temple on the night it fell.

• Qin He asked Ling Zhonghai and Gao Linkun whether anyone had used his Corpse Burning Room, and they claimed an old pot had been left there by mistake.
• Qin He questioned the two men about events in the Capital City and learned that An Zhongjiu had visited Zhaoyu Prison and later reached the external force level.
• Qin He concluded that An Zhongjiu was probably responsible for the trouble involving Shiju.
• Qin He learned that the Immortal Green Ox Temple had collapsed while he was away and suspected someone had deliberately targeted him.
• Ling Zhonghai told Qin He that someone had seen a fox near the temple on the night it collapsed.

Qin He visited the ruins of Immortal Green Ox Temple and found Chang Wen, Wei Yuanji, and Tu Baishou overseeing a new temple’s construction. He discovered traces of demon qi among the deliberately smashed ruins and resolved to make the demons pay.

• Qin He went to Immortal Green Ox Temple and found workers and Ministry of Works Bureau craftsmen clearing the ruins and building a new temple.
• Qin He recognized Chang Wen, Wei Yuanji, and Tu Baishou as the people behind the construction, while noting that Tu Baishou had joined the temple-building effort and Dou Lao Liu had gone to the Nine Borders.
• Qin He disguised himself as a minor official and examined the ruins, finding that the bricks and tiles had been smashed rather than brought down by age.
• Qin He detected traces of demon qi at the site and decided to retaliate against whoever had attacked the temple.

Qin He found the shadow clone possessing Shiju in the Corpse Burning Hall and sealed it before it could fully fuse with the corpse. He prepared to burn it with Southern Ming Li Fire, leaving Shiju terrified.

• Qin He visited Zhaoyu Prison disguised as Wei Wu and learned that Imperial Physician Ju had agreed to treat Wei Wu’s illness.
• Qin He entered the Corpse Burning Hall and found Shiju sealed inside a chained Corpse Suppressing Coffin.
• Qin He discovered that the shadow clone had possessed Shiju and attacked him with high-rank strength.
• Qin He dodged the attack, sealed Shiju with a golden Spirit Suppressing and Corpse Suppressing seal, and sent it onto the Corpse Burning Furnace.
• Qin He ignited a blue flame with a Fire Stone, and Shiju recognized it as Southern Ming Li Fire.

Wei Yuanchun let his peers persuade him to abandon his errand for Wei Wu and take them to visit his newly celebrated second brother, Wei Yuanji. Meanwhile, Qin He burned five corpses with Southern Ming Li Fire and gained a technique that let him regenerate severed limbs.

• After his shift ended, Wei Yuanchun was approached by peers eager to meet Wei Yuanji, whose fame had risen after his trip to the Lu Region.
• The group gave Wei Yuanchun a gold ingot and convinced him that Wei Wu no longer deserved his attention.
• Wei Yuanchun led the group toward his home, intending to ask Wei Yuanji to help him transfer away from gate duty.
• At the East City Corpse Burning Facility, Qin He burned Shiju and four other corpses in five furnaces fueled by Southern Ming Li Fire.
• Qin He received several rewards, including the Self-Healing Technique, which could regenerate severed limbs and restore crippled flesh.

Qin He learned the Yin Yang Eye, saw a ghost messenger collect souls, and learned how souls became ghosts. After a Rat Demon set fire to the Immortal Green Ox Temple construction site, it challenged Great Immortal Green Ox to face the Four Great Immortal Clans in three days.

• Qin He used the Yin Yang Eye to see souls and watched a ghost messenger bind and carry them away.
• Wang Tie Zhu explained that souls traveled outside the mortal realm and became ghosts when resentment and Yin Energy corrupted them.
• Qin He received a Great Yang Pill and settled back into his home, enjoying his quiet life.
• Qin He heard that the Immortal Green Ox Temple construction site was on fire and rushed there.
• Qin He followed demonic aura from the fire and confronted a Rat Demon, which announced a challenge from the Four Great Immortal Clans for three days later.

Qin He rejected the Rat Spirit’s challenge to a one-on-one duel and proposed that all five Great Immortal Families face him together in three days. He punished the Rat Spirit for destroying his temple and left, suspecting the Di Clan had stirred up the conflict.

• The Rat Spirit recognized Qin He as Great Immortal Green Ox and challenged him to a duel to decide life and death.
• Qin He proposed that all five Great Immortal Families attack him together in three days, but the Rat Spirit said the Fox Immortal Family would not participate.
• When the Rat Spirit tried to leave, Qin He cut off its tail with a Corpse Suppressing Nail for destroying his temple.
• The Rat Spirit threatened Qin He as it fled, so he repeatedly struck it with more nails until it fell silent.
• Qin He left, reasoning that the Di Clan was behind the families’ actions and that their ambitions did not concern him unless they came before him.

Qin He bought more deceptive candied hawthorn skewers while enjoying the arrival of spring. Elsewhere, Cao Yan found Wei Wu and beat him over their old grudge, while Wei Wu also discovered he had missed his chance to see Imperial Physician Ju.

• Qin He bought three skewers from a vendor, learned they contained no hawthorns, and then bought six more after the vendor argued that food names did not have to describe their ingredients.
• Cao Yan beat Wei Wu in front of a crowd, cursing him for having thrown a Thunderclap Cannon at him in Linqing City.
• Wei Wu learned that Imperial Physician Ju had left the palace two days earlier and would not be available to treat his hemorrhoidal fistula until the following month.
• Wei Wu was left baffled and despairing after Wei Yuanchun claimed he had already told him about Imperial Physician Ju's leave.

After returning to the Capital City, Wei Wu was brutally beaten by Cao Yan, who blamed him for throwing a Thunderclap Cannon. Qin He found the badly injured Wei Wu and took him to a ruined temple, where he began treating his wounds and discovered the damage from Miao Qianhe’s curse.

• Cao Yan attacked Wei Wu in the street, accusing him of throwing a Thunderclap Cannon, and left after warning that he would beat him whenever they met.
• Qin He heard that Wei Wu had been beaten, recognized him in the crowd, and carried him away to a secluded ruined temple.
• Qin He examined Wei Wu and found that his bones and meridians were badly damaged, so he gave him Golden Wound and Marrow Cleansing Pills.
• Qin He discovered that Miao Qianhe’s curse had caused a severe, infected growth and took out his Xiuchun Saber to treat it.

Qin He used his healing medicine and techniques to remove Wei Wu’s cursed hemorrhoids and reshape his face. He then gave Wei Wu powerful combat skills and cultivation insights, leaving him transformed and prepared to fight.

• Qin He cut away Wei Wu’s hemorrhoids with his Xiuchun Saber and used a Golden Wound Pill to heal the wound.
• Qin He used Return My Beauty Fist to remove Wei Wu’s swelling and reshape his face into a handsome appearance.
• Qin He fired four shots at Wei Wu and bestowed Dog Beating Staff Technique, Savage Ox Strength, Sparrow Steps, and Great Majestic Heavenly Dragon upon him.
• Qin He gave Wei Wu Great Accomplishment in his new abilities, added cultivation insights, and left the ruined temple.
• Two screams came from the temple later, the first filled with terror and the second with delight.

Qin He discovered that sweet potatoes were being grown as pig feed at Prince Zhongshan's Mansion's pig farm and recognized their potential as a high-yield crop. He left after magically giving the farm workers knowledge of sweet potato breeding and cultivation.

• A chubby boy called Qin He's candied hawthorn skewer sweet potato, prompting Qin He to realize the fruit might be a high-yield staple crop.
• Qin He asked Granny Huang about sweet potatoes, and she told him they were grown at the pig farm to feed pigs.
• Qin He visited Prince Zhongshan's Mansion's pig farm and questioned steward Qiu Sanhai about the sweet potato crop.
• Qiu Sanhai confessed he had planted sweet potatoes to replace damp, moldy grain and profit by selling the grain he saved.
• Qin He told Qiu Sanhai to plant more sweet potatoes and bestowed sweet potato breeding and cultivation knowledge on the workers.

After being beaten by Cao Yan, Wei Wu returned to the Flying Fish Guard and marched to the Cao Residence with a Thunderclap Cannon, while Wei Yuanji and Chang Wen followed to keep the confrontation from becoming a disgrace. Cao Yan ignored Wei Wu’s challenge until an explosion at the gates made him realize Wei Wu had used the cannon.

• Rumors spread across Capital City about Cao Yan beating Wei Wu and the growing tension between the Cao Clan Military Family and the Flying Fish Guard.
• The Flying Fish Guard searched for the missing Wei Wu, who soon reappeared unharmed and armed himself with a Wolf Tooth Club and a Thunderclap Cannon.
• Wei Yuanchun warned Wei Yuanji and Chang Wen that Wei Wu was heading to the Cao Residence, and the two officials hurried there to intervene.
• Wei Yuanji and Chang Wen reached the crowded Cao Residence and decided to let the challenge proceed, stepping in only if Wei Wu was badly overmatched.
• Wei Wu called Cao Yan out to fight, but Cao Yan stayed inside to make him wait.
• Wei Wu fired a Thunderclap Cannon at the Cao Residence gates, and Cao Yan recognized the blast and angrily smashed a table.

Wei Wu confronted Cao Yan after the Cao Family gate was destroyed, and shocked everyone with his restored appearance and greatly increased strength. Their battle began with Wei Wu forcing Cao Yan into a severe disadvantage.

• Cao Yan rushed outside and found Wei Wu standing before the ruined Cao Family gate, then questioned whether the handsome man was really Wei Wu.
• Wei Wu accused Cao Yan of attacking him without reason, while Cao Yan blamed him for occupying the Corpse Burning Facility and using a Thunderclap Cannon.
• Wei Wu charged with Sparrow Steps and smashed Cao Yan’s saber into his shoulder, breaking bone and burying Cao Yan’s legs in the ground.
• Wei Yuanchun, Chang Wen, and Wei Yuanji were stunned by Wei Wu’s strength, while Cao Yan demanded to know who he really was.
• Wei Wu attacked again, and his Wolf Tooth Club and Savage Ox Strength put Cao Yan under pressure despite Cao Yan’s Hegemonic Inner Strength.

Wei Wu defeated Cao Yan with the third move of the Dog Beating Staff Technique, winning back the Flying Fish Guard’s honor. Cao Yan escaped with a rare Swift Travel Talisman, and Wei Wu vowed to beat him whenever they met again.

• Wei Wu overwhelmed Cao Yan with his Great Accomplishment-level Dog Beating Staff Technique and knocked him into the gate ruins with Countercut Dog's Butt.
• The crowd and Flying Fish Guard cheered Wei Wu, who reveled in his victory and sudden increase in strength.
• Cao Yan accused the Flying Fish Guard of replacing Wei Wu with someone else, but Wei Wu denied it and challenged him to fight again.
• Cao Yan used a Swift Travel Talisman to flee down the street before Wei Wu could catch him.
• Wei Wu shouted that he would beat Cao Yan every time they met.

Wei Wu led the Flying Fish Guard in ransacking the empty Cao Residence, while Qin He roamed the docks slapping people and passing on useful skills. Qin He ended at the Canal Navy Office shipyard, where he beat the guards, taught the shipwrights, and gave the eunuch the false name Wei Wu of the Corpse Burning Hall.

• Wei Wu ordered the Flying Fish Guard to smash Cao Residence and beat the servants and dogs left inside.
• Qin He reflected that higher crop yields would not fix the dynasty’s problems and decided to distribute production skills to people he encountered.
• Qin He passed sewing-machine, wheat-growing, horse-taming, stallion-breeding, and sow-care skills to people around the docks by slapping their heads.
• Qin He entered the Canal Navy Office shipyard, defeated its guards, and slapped every shipbuilding craftsman to pass on skills including warship construction, steam engines, forging, and nautical charts.
• When the leading eunuch demanded his name, Qin He claimed he was Wei Wu of the Corpse Burning Hall.

Qin He’s head-patting inspections sparked rumors that Wei Wu could drive people mad, and strange behavior by those he had slapped seemed to confirm them. The next day, Wei Wu found himself feared across the streets, where he was left wondering why everyone fled from him.

• Qin He visited workshops, docks, and the Tianxing Jian, and rumors about his head-patting spread through the Capital City.
• People Qin He had slapped began behaving strangely, including Shopkeeper Lu, Old Li, the Ninth Foreman, and Ying Lao Six.
• The rumors convinced people that a Flying Fish Guard madman could scatter a person’s soul with a slap.
• After drinking celebration wine and sleeping, Wei Wu went out the next day and watched the crowds flee in terror.
• Wei Wu moved to another street, found it deserted too, and wondered why everyone was treating him like a ghost.

Qin He learned that a Rat Spirit had fled to the Mass Grave and agreed to visit it with Little Yellow Ox. Before they left, Xu Changshou asked Qin He for more yogurt after becoming intimate with Yang Qiao'er.

• Little Yellow Ox told Qin He that a Rat Spirit had tried to steal cattle and fled to the Mass Grave after being chased away.
• Qin He agreed to go to the Mass Grave with Little Yellow Ox and told Wang Tie Zhu to fix the main gate.
• Xu Changshou returned to the facility and asked Qin He for more yogurt.
• Qin He realized Xu Changshou and Yang Qiao'er had become lovers after Xu Changshou returned alive from the Lu Region.

After three nights with Yang Qiao'er, Xu Changshou turned to Qin He for help because he was exhausted. Qin He refused to make more potent yogurt, but planned to teach Xu Changshou Chamber Arts instead.

• After three nights with Yang Qiao'er, Xu Changshou visited Qin He with panda eyes and asked for more yogurt.
• Qin He explained that Yang Qiao'er's innate Inner Charm made her dangerously alluring and warned Xu Changshou to show restraint.
• At the mention of yogurt, Little Yellow Ox fled, fearing it would be made to provide more.
• Qin He told Xu Changshou that the yogurt's rare medicinal ingredients were gone and that he could not make more.
• Xu Changshou left disappointed, and Qin He decided he could teach him a Minor Achievement-level version of Chamber Arts.

Qin He returned to Mass Grave and slaughtered the starving stray dogs before discovering a strange Yin-shrouded valley at its depths. As he faced a muddy river, an iron-chain bridge, and fields of Red Spider Lilies, an unseen voice declared his Yang lifespan over and demanded that he enter the Underworld.

• Qin He went to Mass Grave alone and found its stray dogs even more vicious and hungry than before.
• Qin He used Corpse Suppressing Nails to kill the charging dogs and cleared the packs as he moved deeper into Mass Grave.
• Qin He entered a forest filled with dense Yin Energy, where his detection and Night Vision Technique were impaired.
• Qin He crossed two ridges and found a muddy underground stream, an iron-chain bridge, and thousands of Red Spider Lilies.
• An icy voice told Qin He that his Yang lifespan had ended and ordered him to enter the Underworld.

Qin He learned that his soul had been separated from his body and that the Underworld had judged his allotted lifespan to be over. King Yama offered him immediate reincarnation and Rebirth in Paradise, and Qin He began crossing the nether road toward the River of Forgetfulness.

• The white-robed judge declared that Qin He had stolen years of life and that his lifespan had ended.
• Qin He saw his own body standing motionless beyond the Yin mist and realized he had been separated from it.
• The white-robed judge insisted that the Book of Life and Death could not be wrong, while Qin He questioned how his soul had been drawn out.
• King Yama promised Qin He direct reincarnation and Rebirth in Paradise if he entered the Underworld.
• Qin He agreed and stepped toward the Yellow Springs River as Shore Flowers spread across the riverbank.