Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Moonlight Bestows Its Blessing”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Through an all-night study session, Ya reverse-engineers the Vortex technique for the Adventurer Path, completing Bai Zhou’s Thousand-Blade Vortex Slash. She explains that her success comes from building on the knowledge of earlier scholars and observing Bai Zhou as a genuine Destiny Adventurer.
• Ya teaches Bai Zhou an important lesson about knowledge: no one owns it, and excessive pride can become a dangerous curse. She recounts two examples—the Sun Chasers, who burned themselves alive after “becoming the sun,” and a mystic who vanished after deciphering a seemingly sentient clay tablet.
• Ya begins formally teaching Bai Zhou the Three Thousand Vortices secret technique through the Ouroboros Ritual. Their lesson includes humor, especially Bai Zhou’s decision to call the spiritual technique a “Vortex Bun” instead of fireworks.
• Rumors spread that Chief Instructor Shi challenged the Western Federation’s representatives to a sparring match. Although the result is unknown, the damaged throwing knives and the representatives’ subsequent confinement suggest Shi won or at least demonstrated overwhelming strength.
• Ya orders Bai Zhou to rest rather than overwork himself. He explores Tinghai with the Gem Witch, reconnecting with ordinary life and remembering the kindness he received in Evening City.
• During the walk, Bai Zhou experiences an epiphany about stabilizing a Vortex. That evening, he demonstrates the technique to the purple-haired Maiden, astonishing her by learning it in roughly half a day—twice as quickly as she did.
• At midnight on the Mid-Autumn Festival, Bai Zhou performs a ritual to digest the medicinal power of the Moon God’s Tear. Using lake water, a silver cup, an ancient mirror, candles, cotton thread, and a moon-related incantation, he successfully awakens the potion’s dormant power.
• The ritual transports Bai Zhou’s consciousness into an immense silver-white moonlit space. A colossal moon fills his vision, and a powerful strand of moonlight descends toward him like a divine tear as a mysterious voice declares: “Supreme Yin—Pity the Light—”

Character Developments

• Bai Zhou grows in both skill and understanding. He learns not only powerful techniques but also the importance of humility, rest, and allowing inspiration to emerge naturally.
• His dedication remains extreme, but Ya helps him recognize that relentless study can become unhealthy. He demonstrates the ability to accept advice and temporarily step away from work.
• Bai Zhou becomes more emotionally connected to Tinghai. Seeing ordinary people celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival helps him feel that the city truly accepts him, transforming it from a place he once fled into something resembling home.
• His talent becomes increasingly clear. His rapid mastery of Three Thousand Vortices humbles the previously confident purple-haired Maiden, forcing her to reconsider her own exceptional status.
• Ya is established as a compassionate, egalitarian, and highly capable teacher. Unlike the arrogant Teachers of Evening City, she treats Bai Zhou as an equal while guiding and encouraging him.
• The Gem Witch is shown in a more ordinary and approachable light as she shops for mooncakes. Her public appearance contrasts with her hidden identity as one of Tinghai’s protectors.
• The purple-haired Maiden experiences genuine shock and insecurity for the first time after witnessing Bai Zhou’s extraordinary progress.

Significant Themes

• The danger of pride in knowledge: Learning grants power, but arrogance can invite destruction. Humility is presented as essential for surviving the Extraordinary Path.
• Knowledge as a shared force: People do not possess knowledge; they are chosen by it and pursue it while it simultaneously shapes and pursues them.
• Balance between effort and rest: Bai Zhou’s breakthrough occurs only after he stops forcing himself to study and allows his mind to relax.
• Belonging and home: Ordinary sights, food, festivals, and memories of kindness gradually reconnect Bai Zhou with Tinghai and his past.
• Hidden heroism: The city’s people remain unaware of the supernatural battles and sacrifices protecting them. Bai Zhou realizes that the city itself is a more meaningful reward than any official medal.
• Moonlight and transformation: The ritual symbolizes Bai Zhou’s connection with lunar power and marks the beginning of a major awakening, suggesting divine recognition or intervention.

Important Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou and Ya: Their teacher-student relationship deepens through technical instruction, philosophical guidance, and playful banter. Ya praises his talent while warning him against arrogance and exhaustion.
• Bai Zhou and the Gem Witch: They walk through Tinghai together, allowing Bai Zhou to relax and observe normal life. Her mooncake-shopping scene reveals a casual side of her otherwise mysterious persona.
• Bai Zhou and the purple-haired Maiden: Their usual competitive dynamic reverses. Bai Zhou playfully offers her a “Vortex Bun,” while she is stunned that he has mastered the technique far faster than she did.
• Bai Zhou and Tinghai’s residents: Though he does not directly interact with most of them, observing their daily lives becomes a meaningful emotional encounter. Their unknowing dependence on hidden protectors reinforces Bai Zhou’s growing sense of purpose.
• Bai Zhou and the Moon God’s power: Through the ritual, he establishes a profound supernatural connection with lunar force, culminating in the moonlight’s apparent blessing.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Zhou completes the Moonlight Ritual by placing Moonlight Essence on the Ritual mark on his forehead. The dormant power of the [Moon God’s Tear] Magic Potion awakens and is absorbed throughout his body.
• The Ritual consumes its materials: the candles burn out, the mirror cracks, and the moon-infused cotton thread turns to ash. Bai Zhou realizes these remnants can be reused in future moon-related Rituals, especially to create powerful Moon Water.
• The character [Moon] in Bai Zhou’s Sea of Ignorance activates, accompanied by the apparition and howl of a Silver White Azure Wolf. This triggers a transformation in his blessing, adding the influence of the Moon Wolf’s power.
• Bai Zhou gains Moonlight’s Blessing, which grants:
  • Rapid healing and stamina recovery under moonlight
  • Partial cleansing of negative conditions
  • Expanded perception, allowing him to sense movement over a wide area
  • The ability to inspect and regulate his own internal spiritual condition at any time
  • Protection against mystical interference, curses, divination, and spiritual instability
  • A stabilizing “anchor” for his soul during advancement or major Rituals
• Bai Zhou discovers two additional combat-related abilities:
  • Hunting State, a ten-minute wolf-like enhancement of strength, speed, agility, and night vision
  • Silent, extremely rapid movement carried by moonlight, resembling a Moon Wolf
• Ya explains that the blessing is not merely a healing ability but a rare special constitution-like protection. She also reveals that Luo Tunan’s pursuit of the Moon God’s Tear and Sacred Body had likely been motivated by the same stabilizing and protective properties.
• Bai Zhou and Ya discuss Fang Xiaoxia’s hallucination. Bai Zhou admits that he secretly controlled the image of Fang Xiaoxia’s mother to save her and provide emotional comfort, but he questions whether the mother’s residual consciousness may have briefly possessed or influenced him.
• On the Mid-Autumn Festival, Bai Zhou enjoys an unusually peaceful day in Tinghai. The authorities’ cleanup is nearly complete, and he is no longer forced to hide or flee.
• Bai Zhou decides to sleep properly after a long period of insomnia and meditation. He dreams of an ancient mural depicting worshippers, a scarlet moon, crows, and mysterious books or records being searched through by an unseen force.
• The next morning, Bai Zhou learns from the news that Elder Wu’s conspiracy has been defeated and that Tinghai’s remaining enemies have been eliminated. The authorities publicly praise an unnamed “young Hero” who saved the city—clearly referring to Bai Zhou.
• Bai Zhou is shocked when the Gem Witch tells him that everyone knows the Luo Family has only two sons. No one recognizes the existence of Luo Tunan, despite Bai Zhou’s certainty that Luo Tunan was the true mastermind behind the catastrophe.

2. Character Developments

• Bai Zhou becomes significantly stronger and more versatile. His new blessing improves his healing, perception, spiritual control, defensive protection, and combat mobility.
• He gains greater confidence in surviving dangerous situations, joking that enemies will need to strike directly through his heart to kill him.
• Bai Zhou’s personality remains compassionate and self-sacrificing. He hides his role in saving Fang Xiaoxia because he believes the comforting illusion of maternal love is more valuable to her than the painful truth.
• His doubts about the hallucination deepen. He begins questioning whether love—or the remnants of Fang Xiaoxia’s mother—possessed genuine supernatural power.
• Bai Zhou briefly experiences ordinary life and rest, revealing how unfamiliar peace and public safety have become to him.
• Ya continues acting as Bai Zhou’s mentor and interpreter of mystical phenomena. She recognizes his unusual combination of warmth and loneliness, comparing his personality to both the sun and the moon.
• Luo Tunan gains greater narrative importance through his apparent erasure. Although Bai Zhou remembers him as a major enemy, the entire world seems to deny that he ever existed.
• Fang Xiaoxia is indirectly shown to have been protected by Bai Zhou, though she remains unaware of the full truth.
• Elder Song publicly reshapes the disaster into a heroic official narrative, praising Bai Zhou while emphasizing Elder Wu as the primary villain.

3. Significant Themes

• Transformation and hidden potential: The Ritual unlocks abilities far beyond simple healing, revealing that ancient powers may contain forgotten functions.
• Moonlight as protection and guidance: The moon symbolizes healing, perception, imagination, spiritual stability, and a guiding light for souls lost during transformation.
• Identity and erasure: The sudden disappearance of Luo Tunan from public knowledge creates a disturbing mystery about altered reality, historical rewriting, or a supernatural change in the world.
• Love versus truth: Bai Zhou chooses to preserve Fang Xiaoxia’s belief in maternal love rather than expose the illusion. The chapter questions whether an emotionally meaningful falsehood can possess genuine value—or even become real.
• The cost of power and special constitutions: Ya reveals that rare constitutions are coveted by powerful beings, not always for benevolent reasons, but often so their bodies can be used as replacements.
• Peace after catastrophe: Bai Zhou’s ordinary Mid-Autumn Festival highlights his longing for stability, while his instinctive readiness to flee or fight shows that the trauma of pursuit remains with him.
• Mysticism intertwined with reality: Ya’s explanation of silver, mirrors, photography, and imagination reinforces the idea that mundane science and supernatural principles are deeply connected.

4. Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou and Ya: They analyze the results of the Moonlight Ritual together. Ya explains the blessing’s deeper mystical significance, while Bai Zhou adds the unexpected Moon Wolf combat abilities. Their exchange shows mutual trust, intellectual partnership, and Ya’s continued role as his guide.
• Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia: Though Fang Xiaoxia is absent in the present events, Bai Zhou’s memories reveal his protective relationship with her. He secretly becomes her “mother” within the hallucination to save and comfort her, then chooses not to reveal the truth.
• Bai Zhou and the Gem Witch: During breakfast, the Gem Witch casually praises Bai Zhou’s new public fame, but their conversation becomes alarming when she denies that Luo Tunan ever existed.
• Bai Zhou and the authorities: The authorities now protect and celebrate him rather than hunt him. However, their official account of the catastrophe omits or obscures crucial information, creating tension between public history and Bai Zhou’s personal knowledge.
• Bai Zhou and Luo Tunan: Although Luo Tunan does not appear directly, Bai Zhou recognizes him as the real enemy behind the disaster. His apparent removal from everyone’s memory becomes the chapter’s central mystery and cliffhanger.

Overall Significance

The chapter marks Bai Zhou’s successful advancement through the Moonlight Ritual and establishes Moonlight’s Blessing as both a powerful survival ability and a mystical safeguard against corruption and manipulation. At the same time, the peaceful aftermath of the Tinghai catastrophe is undermined by the impossible revelation that Luo Tunan has been erased from collective memory, suggesting that the true crisis may not be over.

Chapter Summary: “The Grotesque Daily Life, the Twisted World”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Zhou discovers that everyone in Tinghai attributes the recent catastrophe to Elder Wu rather than Major Luo/Luo Tunan. The Gem Witch remembers Elder Wu as the mastermind and appears completely unaware that Luo Tunan ever played any role.
• A televised report announces that the “Tinghai Catastrophe” has ended. Martial law is lifted, order is restored, and the public mourns the officials who died during the crisis. Bai Zhou is disturbed because the broadcast’s version of events contradicts his memories.
• Bai Zhou examines top-secret Ordinance Hall archives. Every major crime—including the experiments, demon-related incidents, political corruption, and attempted Sainthood Ascension—is officially credited to Elder Wu.
• The archives reveal Elder Wu’s extensive network:
  • He controlled the Red-Purple Security Group and used it for human experimentation.
  • He funded and collaborated with the Purple Thorn Group.
  • He deeply infiltrated the Armory and several government institutions.
  • His death and the purge of his organizations are recorded as the definitive resolution of the crisis.
• Bai Zhou finds no trace of Luo Tunan in the records. He realizes that, according to the altered history, Luo Tunan never existed at all.
• After retreating to a restroom, Bai Zhou considers two possibilities: he is suffering from delusions, or someone has erased Luo Tunan’s existence from reality, rewriting people’s memories, historical records, and perceptions.
• Ya appears and confirms that she also remembers Luo Tunan. Together, they conclude that a powerful force may have erased him and caused the world to “correct” itself by assigning his deeds to Elder Wu.
• Ya theorizes that the erasure would require a B-Class Black Box—an artifact far beyond Tinghai’s known capabilities. C-Class Black Boxes can devastate cities, while B-Class artifacts are extraordinarily rare and normally sealed in the Federation’s greatest cities.
• Bai Zhou and Ya suspect that a hidden Mastermind may have stood behind Luo Tunan and orchestrated the alteration. They also wonder why both of them retained their memories, possibly because of the Blood Moon or another protective force.
• Bai Zhou connects the strange dream he experienced—featuring murals, turning pages, a Blood Moon, and cawing crows—to the altered history. His thoughts finally return to Uncle Xiang’s mysterious invitation: “Would you like to join our Daydream?”

Character Developments

• Bai Zhou becomes increasingly isolated and psychologically unsettled. He is forced to question his own sanity when the entire world contradicts his memories.
• His suspicion shifts from simple institutional incompetence to the possibility of a reality-altering conspiracy involving an immensely powerful entity.
• Bai Zhou demonstrates persistence and rational analysis by investigating official records rather than accepting the public explanation.
• His relationship with Ya deepens. Her confirmation that she remembers Luo Tunan relieves Bai Zhou of the fear that he is alone or insane.
• Ya takes on the role of an intellectual partner and investigator. Her knowledge of Black Boxes and their classifications helps Bai Zhou understand the scale of the threat.
• The Gem Witch functions as evidence of the memory alteration: she remembers the revised version of events and treats Bai Zhou’s confusion as a possible medical or psychological problem.
• Elder Wu’s posthumous reputation is transformed into that of the universal culprit. Whether he truly committed every attributed crime remains uncertain, but the altered world has made him the perfect scapegoat.

Significant Themes

• Reality versus collective perception: The chapter questions whether truth is determined by events themselves or by what everyone remembers and believes.
• Erasure of identity and history: Luo Tunan has not merely been forgotten; his existence appears to have been removed from reality, leaving the world to rewrite itself around the absence.
• Isolation and shared memory: Bai Zhou’s fear of madness is eased only when Ya confirms that she remembers the same impossible truth.
• Institutional narratives and scapegoating: Official reports simplify the catastrophe by placing all blame on Elder Wu, demonstrating how history can be reshaped into a coherent but false explanation.
• The limits of human understanding: The possibility of a B-Class Black Box places the threat beyond Tinghai’s authorities and even beyond ordinary concepts of power.
• Dreams, stories, and reality: Bai Zhou’s dream and the reference to “Daydream” suggest that the alteration may be connected to narrative, imagination, or a supernatural system capable of rewriting existence.

Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou questions the Gem Witch about Major Luo, but her confusion reveals that she has accepted the rewritten version of history.
• Bai Zhou seeks answers from the Ordinance Hall and Special Management Department, but their leaders react with concern rather than recognition, reinforcing his alienation.
• The archive Secretary treats Bai Zhou with respect as a celebrated Hero but assumes his confusion may be a health issue.
• Ya finds Bai Zhou hiding in the restroom and immediately recognizes that something is wrong. Their conversation establishes that both retained memories of Luo Tunan and can investigate the anomaly together.
• Their exchange moves from fear and uncertainty toward a tentative partnership, though the chapter ends with a new mystery: whether Luo Tunan’s erasure is connected to the “Daydream” mentioned in Uncle Xiang’s letter.

Chapter Summary: “Doctor Jiu and Fang Xiaoxia’s Call for Help”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Zhou and Ya investigate the possibility that Luo Tunan’s disappearance is connected to the Blood Worship Cult, Evening City, or a larger conspiracy involving Bai Zhou himself.
• They consider several explanations:
  • A B-Class Black Box erased Luo Tunan from reality.
  • A mystic ritual requires Luo Tunan’s existence to be removed.
  • Luo Tunan never existed, and Bai Zhou’s and Ya’s memories were manipulated.
• Ya explains that Tinghai and other cities are largely isolated from one another. If a city were destroyed, ordinary citizens elsewhere might never learn of it. The Authorities possess an Emergency Response System, but it may only detect crises shortly before catastrophe.
• Bai Zhou learns that Tinghai has survived five to seven civilization-threatening crises in the past five hundred years. Ya suggests the current situation may be the city’s eighth major crisis.
• Ya presents Bai Zhou with a choice: remain uninvolved and trust the Authorities, or investigate the mystery himself and force the Authorities to act before the crisis worsens.
• Bai Zhou decides to investigate. Since the Daydream or reality distortion spared both him and Ya, he suspects that either Tinghai, himself, or Ya may be the true target.
• At the Ordinance Hall, Bai Zhou is taken to meet Doctor Jiu, a strange, childlike medical “Big Shot” who works in a bizarre laboratory filled with occult and biological equipment.
• Doctor Jiu casually examines Bai Zhou through conversation, observation, and pulse-taking. She diagnoses him with mild mental abnormalities and accumulated Void Contamination, but considers him low-risk and gives him permission to act freely.
• Bai Zhou returns to his dormitory intending to pack and leave the Special Management Department. He discovers that someone has entered through the window and is hiding in the bathroom.
• The intruder turns out to be Fang Xiaoxia, drenched and hiding in the bathtub with a toy yellow duck. She says something terrifying happened to her and that she may have to flee the Special Management Department.
• Fang Xiaoxia asks Bai Zhou whether he will accompany her, creating a parallel to their earlier relationship in which Bai Zhou had once helped her escape danger.

Character Developments

• Bai Zhou: Becomes more aware of the scale of the supernatural dangers surrounding Tinghai and the limits of the Authorities. Though he rejects the role of “Savior,” he chooses to act because he refuses to passively wait for an unseen enemy to attack him or Ya. His determination and willingness to confront fate become stronger.
• Ya: Reveals extensive knowledge about the Federation, the Mystic World, city-level catastrophes, and the hidden responsibilities of the Authorities. She respects Bai Zhou’s freedom and refuses to pressure him into saving Tinghai, while still warning him of the consequences of both action and inaction.
• Doctor Jiu: Is introduced as an eccentric but powerful medical authority. Despite her frightening appearance and laboratory, she behaves protectively toward Bai Zhou, offering him an official diagnosis that shields him from suspicion and scrutiny.
• Fang Xiaoxia: Shows that her training has improved her posture and discipline, but she is emotionally distressed and frightened. Her return demonstrates that she still trusts Bai Zhou above others and may now be facing a threat even more serious than her previous persecution.

Significant Themes

• Ignorance versus responsibility: Ya argues that ordinary people are protected by ignorance, while knowledge of the Mystic World becomes a curse. Bai Zhou must decide whether awareness obligates him to act.
• The survival of civilization: The chapter expands the stakes from personal mysteries to the continued existence of an entire city. Destined Ones are portrayed as eventually having to choose whether to fight for civilization.
• Unreliable reality and perception: Luo Tunan’s disappearance, the Daydream, and the possibility of implanted memories raise doubts about what is real and whether Bai Zhou’s experiences can be trusted.
• Institutional protection and inadequacy: The Authorities secretly defend cities from enormous threats, yet they may be too slow or constrained to prevent every disaster. Bai Zhou remains wary of relying on them.
• Fate and personal choice: Bai Zhou refuses to become a heroic savior out of obligation, but he also refuses to ignore a threat aimed at him or those connected to him.
• Repetition and role reversal: Fang Xiaoxia’s request echoes their earlier escape, suggesting that Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia may once again be drawn into a dangerous flight together.

Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou and Ya: Their Heart-to-Heart Connection allows them to discuss the disappearance of Luo Tunan privately. Ya acts as both analyst and mentor, presenting Bai Zhou with difficult choices while respecting his autonomy.
• Bai Zhou and Doctor Jiu: Their meeting is tense but humorous. Bai Zhou views Jiu as a witchlike and potentially dangerous figure, while Jiu treats him like an overstressed young patient. She reassures him, diagnoses him, and deliberately gives him freedom to pursue the truth.
• Doctor Jiu and the Authorities: Jiu is powerful enough that the Ordinance Hall treats her with great respect. Her diagnosis protects Bai Zhou from being regarded as unstable or cursed.
• Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia: Their reunion is awkward, vulnerable, and emotionally significant. Fang Xiaoxia approaches Bai Zhou for help because she feels endangered and unable to remain with the Authorities. The chapter ends with her asking him to run away with her, leaving the nature of her new danger unresolved.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

+ Fang Xiaoxia arrives at the Special Management Department's Training Camp, where she struggles to keep up with the intense training and faces exclusion from her peers due to her perceived lack of talent and connections.
+ She endures bullying and humiliation, culminating in a physical altercation during a sparring match, which triggers an unknown power within her.
+ Fang Xiaoxia's Destiny awakens, granting her new abilities and a mysterious, otherworldly appearance.

Character Developments

+ Fang Xiaoxia: Initially confident and eager, she becomes disheartened and self-deprecating due to her struggles in the Training Camp. After her Destiny awakens, she gains new abilities and a mysterious alter ego.
+ Bai Zhou: Realizes the extent of Fang Xiaoxia's struggles and the changes she has undergone. He becomes protective and determined to help her.

Significant Themes

+ Self-discovery and growth: Fang Xiaoxia's journey from a confident newcomer to a disheartened trainee and finally to a powerful, otherworldly being.
+ Belonging and exclusion: Fang Xiaoxia's struggle to fit in and her eventual awakening, which sets her apart from her peers.
+ Destiny and fate: The awakening of Fang Xiaoxia's Destiny and the mysterious alter ego that urges her to flee with Bai Zhou, hinting at a larger, predetermined path.

Character Interactions

+ Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia: Their bond deepens as Bai Zhou learns about Fang Xiaoxia's struggles and becomes determined to help her. Fang Xiaoxia, in turn, gains newfound confidence and power.
+ Fang Xiaoxia and her peers: Initially welcomed, she later faces exclusion and bullying due to her perceived lack of talent and connections. After her awakening, she is no longer the same person they knew.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter begins with the Adventurer (Xiao Yu) and Miss Witch (Xiao Rou) in the fantasy world, preparing for the Mid-Autumn Festival.
• They encounter a magical creature, the Moon Rabbit, who challenges them to a riddle duel. If they win, they'll receive a magical item; if they lose, they'll have to help the Moon Rabbit with a task.
• They participate in various Mid-Autumn Festival activities, like lantern riddles and moon-gazing poetry, while trying to solve the Moon Rabbit's riddle.
• In the end, they successfully solve the riddle and receive a magical item, the Moonlight Stone, which allows them to return to their world.

Character Developments

• Xiao Yu (Adventurer): He demonstrates his knowledge of ancient Chinese culture and literature, solving the riddles with ease. He also shows his determination and courage in facing the challenges.
• Xiao Rou (Miss Witch): She displays her magical abilities and quick thinking, helping to solve the riddles. She also shows her competitive side and desire to win.

Significant Themes

• Cultural Heritage: The chapter celebrates Chinese culture and traditions, particularly the Mid-Autumn Festival.
• Teamwork and Cooperation: Xiao Yu and Xiao Rou must work together to solve the riddles and overcome challenges.
• Determination and Perseverance: Both characters show determination in facing the challenges and solving the riddles.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Yu and Xiao Rou: They work together as a team, combining their unique skills and knowledge to solve the riddles. Their interaction is friendly and competitive, with a hint of mutual respect and admiration.
• Xiao Yu and the Moon Rabbit: Xiao Yu shows respect and courtesy towards the Moon Rabbit, treating it as a worthy opponent and learning from its riddles.
• Xiao Rou and the Moon Rabbit: Xiao Rou is initially competitive with the Moon Rabbit but shows appreciation for its magical abilities after they win.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The author, Yu Lu, announces the successful completion of the February bounty event, with the book ranking 79th in monthly votes and 60th in bestseller rankings.
• Yu Lu decides to release two consecutive updates (16,000 words) to celebrate, including an 8,000-word main chapter and an 8,000-word side story featuring Gem Witch and Bai Zhou.
• Yu Lu opens the March bounty event, with daily updates of 4,000 words (two chapters) as the base, increasing by 4,000 words for every 1,000 monthly votes. Alliance Leaders add 5,000 words each, and half an Alliance Leader adds 2,000 words, with the potential for extra updates based on Yu Lu's mood.

Character Developments

• No significant character developments are mentioned in this chapter, as it primarily focuses on the author's announcements and the bounty event.

Significant Themes

• The theme of perseverance and hard work is emphasized, with Yu Lu pushing himself to update more chapters and words based on the book's success and reader support.
• The theme of reader interaction and engagement is highlighted, with Yu Lu involving readers in the bounty event and releasing a side story based on their votes.

Character Interactions

• While no direct interactions are mentioned, the side story featuring Gem Witch and Bai Zhou implies some light-hearted, daily-life interactions between them.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

+ Bai Zhou finds Fang Xiaoxia, who has transformed into a white-haired, red-eyed maiden with a Blood Shadow.
+ Fang Xiaoxia reveals she has two properties and invites Bai Zhou to live with her.
+ Bai Zhou leads Fang Xiaoxia to the outskirts of Tinghai, where they discover a hidden sanatorium that appears to be Evening City.

Character Developments

+ Fang Xiaoxia has awakened her Destiny and gained a Blood Shadow, a manifestation of her power and dark side.
+ Bai Zhou feels a sense of familiarity and intimacy with the hidden Evening City.

Significant Themes

+ Destiny and fate, as seen in Fang Xiaoxia's transformation and Bai Zhou's connection to Evening City.
+ The struggle between light and darkness, represented by Fang Xiaoxia's Blood Shadow and Bai Zhou's past encounters with demons.
+ The search for belonging and home, as Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia seek a place to settle down together.

Character Interactions

+ Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia form a bond as they decide to leave the Special Management Department together.
+ Bai Zhou feels a strange connection to the hidden Evening City, while Fang Xiaoxia is terrified by its eerie atmosphere.
+ Fang Xiaoxia's Blood Shadow serves as a narrator, commenting on her actions and thoughts in a dramatic, chuunibyou manner.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

+ Bai Zhou returns to Evening City, finding it unchanged and its inhabitants alive, including his neighbors and Aunt Zhang.
+ He visits Uncle Xiang's Convenience Store, where they discuss the origins of Evening City and the letter Bai Zhou received.
+ Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia help Aunt Zhang prepare a meal, during which Aunt Zhang casually chops off and cooks a finger without showing any pain or reaction.

Character Developments

+ Bai Zhou feels a mix of nostalgia and unease upon returning to Evening City, struggling to reconcile the familiar yet eerie atmosphere.
+ Aunt Zhang's casual disregard for pain and injury hints at the strange nature of Evening City's inhabitants.
+ Fang Xiaoxia remains curious and adaptable, adjusting to the peculiarities of Evening City.

Significant Themes

+ The passage of time and the changes it brings (Bai Zhou's nostalgia and Aunt Zhang's unchanged demeanor).
+ The blurring of reality and illusion (Evening City's existence and the letter's origin).
+ The acceptance of the unusual and extraordinary (Fang Xiaoxia's adaptability and Aunt Zhang's disregard for injury).

Character Interactions

+ Bai Zhou and Uncle Xiang catch up, with Uncle Xiang assuming Bai Zhou has brought Fang Xiaoxia home to meet his family.
+ Bai Zhou, Fang Xiaoxia, and Aunt Zhang prepare a meal together, with Aunt Zhang's strange behavior causing Bai Zhou unease.
+ Aunt Zhang treats Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia warmly, yet her casual disregard for pain creates tension.

• Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia visit Aunt Zhang's home, where they witness Aunt Zhang's finger being chopped off and regenerated, hinting at the illusory nature of their surroundings.
• Ya, the Ritual Master, explains that this world is a Daydream created by the people of Evening City to escape their traumatic memories in Tinghai.
• Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia leave Aunt Zhang's home, and Bai Zhou shares his past experiences and feelings about Evening City with Fang Xiaoxia.
• A mysterious doctor, who is later revealed to be the doctor in charge of Number 27, appears and warns Bai Zhou not to be there. Bai Zhou responds by asking if she has any hand-rolled noodles and ham sausages to eat, setting a tense atmosphere for their upcoming confrontation.

Key Plot Points and Events

1. Aunt Zhang's finger regeneration incident hints at the illusory nature of their surroundings.
2. Ya explains that this world is a Daydream created by the people of Evening City.
3. Bai Zhou shares his past experiences and feelings about Evening City with Fang Xiaoxia.
4. The mysterious doctor appears and warns Bai Zhou not to be there, setting a tense atmosphere for their confrontation.

Character Developments

• Bai Zhou: Reveals his past experiences and feelings about Evening City, showing his nostalgia and complicated emotions towards his hometown and its people.
• Fang Xiaoxia: Learns about Bai Zhou's past and feels empathy and heartache for his difficult upbringing.
• The mysterious doctor: Makes her first appearance, warning Bai Zhou not to be in Evening City and setting a tense atmosphere for their confrontation.

Significant Themes

• The illusory nature of reality and the power of memory and imagination to create alternative worlds.
• The complexity of nostalgia and the mixed emotions it evokes.
• The tension and anticipation of a confrontation between Bai Zhou and the mysterious doctor.

Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia: Share a moment of intimacy as Bai Zhou reveals his past to Fang Xiaoxia, deepening their bond.
• Bai Zhou and the mysterious doctor: Their tense interaction sets the stage for their upcoming confrontation, with the doctor warning Bai Zhou not to be in Evening City.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia arrive in Evening City and encounter Dr. Zhang, who is revered by the townsfolk.
• A monster, the Bitter Melon King, appears, and Dr. Zhang leads the townsfolk to a small white hospital for safety.
• Bai Zhou finds Dr. Zhang's office filled with photos and banners praising her, and discovers a medical record detailing the Evening City incident victims' treatment.
• The medical record reveals that the patients are linked to a device called the Black Box, which allows them to stay in a dream version of Evening City, but also causes dependency and health issues.

Character Developments

• Bai Zhou: He is cautious and analytical, using his Life and Death Intuition to guide his actions. He is determined to uncover the truth about Evening City and No. 27 Sanatorium.
• Dr. Zhang: She is revered by the townsfolk, who seem to be under her influence. She is dedicated to treating the Evening City incident victims but faces challenges in her methods.
• Evening City Residents: They are initially hostile towards Bai Zhou but later show him kindness. They are dependent on Dr. Zhang and the Black Box to escape their pain.

Significant Themes

• Escapism: The residents of Evening City escape their pain and reality by retreating into a dream world, highlighting the theme of escapism.
• Dependency: The patients' dependency on the Black Box and Dr. Zhang raises questions about their agency and the potential dangers of relying too heavily on others.
• The Price of Healing: The medical record suggests that Dr. Zhang's treatments have side effects, raising questions about the true cost of healing.

Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou and Dr. Zhang: They are initially hostile towards each other, with Bai Zhou suspecting Dr. Zhang of bewitching the townsfolk. However, their interactions are limited in this chapter.
• Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia: They work together to uncover the truth about Evening City and support each other throughout their investigation.
• Dr. Zhang and the Townsfolk: Dr. Zhang is revered and trusted by the townsfolk, who follow her instructions without question.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Zhou discovers medical records revealing the true state of Evening City and the people's mental condition.
• He learns about Dr. Zhang's efforts to treat and awaken the people, and her eventual decision to let them live in peace within the dream.
• Bai Zhou witnesses the community opera, which reveals the abnormal everyday life of the people in Evening City.
• The rotten-green monster appears again, and Bai Zhou decides to use this opportunity to wake everyone up.
• He makes a dramatic entrance, descending from the sky with his red-and-white cavalry saber, and challenges the monster.

Character Developments

• Dr. Zhang: She reveals her past efforts to treat and awaken the people, and her eventual decision to respect their choice to live in peace within the dream. She is conflicted about Bai Zhou's presence and intentions.
• Bai Zhou: He becomes determined to save the people and ruin the Blood Worship Cult's conspiracy. He shows off his skills and makes a dramatic entrance to challenge the monster.
• Ya: He supports Bai Zhou's decision to act and admires his entrance.

Significant Themes

• The struggle between reality and illusion, and the consequences of choosing one over the other.
• The importance of respecting individual choices and the potential consequences of not doing so.
• The conflict between the Blood Worship Cult's plans and Bai Zhou's determination to save the people.

Character Interactions

• Dr. Zhang and Bai Zhou: They have a tense interaction as Dr. Zhang is conflicted about Bai Zhou's presence and intentions, while Bai Zhou is determined to save the people.
• Bai Zhou and the people of Evening City: He makes a dramatic entrance and challenges the monster, hoping to wake everyone up.
• Ya and Bai Zhou: Ya supports Bai Zhou's decision to act and admires his entrance.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Zhou returns to Evening City and announces himself by jumping high into the air and displaying his power.
• He confronts the rotten-green monster named "Pain" that has been terrorizing Evening City.
• Bai Zhou uses his Red-White Horse Saber to fight the monster, activating its abilities such as Thousand-Blade Transformation.
• The monster uses its powers to try and control the people of Evening City, making them question Bai Zhou's interference in their lives.
• Bai Zhou responds by using his saber to disperse the monster's Gray Fog and free the people from its influence.

Character Developments

• Bai Zhou: He returns to Evening City with newfound power and confidence, determined to save his home from the monster's influence. He shows impatience when others try to control or dictate the choices of the people.
• The rotten-green monster: It becomes more aggressive and desperate as Bai Zhou's power grows, using its abilities to try and maintain control over the people.

Significant Themes

• Choice and free will: The people of Evening City are faced with the choice of whether to continue living their numb, habitual lives or to wake up and make their own decisions.
• The power of truth: Bai Zhou's revelation of the truth about the monster's influence and the deaths in Evening City forces the people to confront reality.
• The consequences of inaction: The people's decision to ignore the abnormalities in their city has led to a slow descent toward extinction.

Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou interacts with the people of Evening City, trying to awaken them from their numbness and make them see the truth about their situation.
• The rotten-green monster interacts with the people through its Gray Fog, trying to maintain control and prevent them from listening to Bai Zhou.
• Bai Zhou and the monster have a direct confrontation, with Bai Zhou determined to free the people from the monster's influence.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Zhou returns to the dreamlike Evening City to bid farewell to his childhood.
• He encounters the crystal skull hidden in the millstone, which reveals dynamic coordinates to the ruins of Evening City.
• Evening City collapses, and Bai Zhou is swallowed by the darkness, leaving behind his childhood.

Character Developments

• Bai Zhou accepts his past and prepares to move forward, growing more resolute and determined.
• He gains new insights about the ruins of Evening City and the crystal skull, which might be connected to Major Luo's disappearance.

Significant Themes

• The struggle between holding onto the past and moving forward into the future.
• The search for identity and purpose, as Bai Zhou accepts his role as an adventurer.
• The exploration of memory, nostalgia, and the impermanence of childhood.

Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou interacts with the memories of his past, bidding farewell to his childhood and the familiar sights of Evening City.
• He has an internal dialogue with himself, accepting his role as an adventurer and preparing to set off again.

• Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia return to reality after escaping the dream, finding themselves at an abandoned hospital in Tinghai.
• Bai Zhou discovers that the townspeople from Evening City are trapped in a dream-like state, unable to wake up.
• He finds hidden flesh lumps containing fragments of a Last Will, which reveal that Xiao Zhou sacrificed himself to conceal a Ritual aimed at cultivating a Gu King using the suffering of Evening City's people.
• Bai Zhou learns that this Gu King is meant to be an artificial infant King of Lustful Evils, Sloth, and that the Blood Worship Cult is involved.
• He realizes that the core component of Sloth, the suffering of Evening City's people, was absorbed by his Red-White Horse Saber.
• Bai Zhou decides to complete the Ritual himself, intending to take the benefits for himself and remove the pain from the people of Evening City.
• He heads to the Fifth Floor, where the Daydream Black Box and the final Ritual component are located.

Key Plot Points

1. Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia return to reality.
2. Bai Zhou discovers the townspeople's dream-like state and the hidden Ritual.
3. He learns about the Gu King, Sloth, and the Blood Worship Cult's involvement.
4. Bai Zhou realizes that the core component of Sloth is in his possession.
5. He decides to complete the Ritual and heads to the Fifth Floor.

Character Developments

• Bai Zhou: Becomes more determined and confident in his abilities, decides to take the benefits of the Ritual for himself.
• Fang Xiaoxia: Shows bravery and determination, following Bai Zhou despite her fears.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of the Blood Worship Cult's actions and their involvement in the Ritual.
• Bai Zhou's growing power and ambition.
• The connection between Bai Zhou and the King of Lustful Evils.

Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia: Work together to explore the hospital and uncover the Ritual's secrets.
• Bai Zhou and the townspeople: Bai Zhou is determined to help them and remove their pain.
• Bai Zhou and the Blood Worship Cult: Their involvement in the Ritual is revealed, and Bai Zhou decides to take their prize for himself.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Zhou follows the ritual fragments to the Fifth Floor, where he finds Dr. Zhang as a monstrous "Meat Mountain" connected to the Black Box.
• Dr. Zhang reveals she's already dead and asks Bai Zhou to kill her to prevent the Black Box from harming the townspeople.
• Bai Zhou fights the Meat Mountain, eventually striking its heart with his saber.
• Inside the Black Box's core, Bai Zhou performs surgeries on the townspeople, removing their pain and suffering.
• Dr. Zhang's last will, a crimson script, emerges from the Meat Mountain's heart and attacks Bai Zhou.

Character Developments

• Dr. Zhang: Reveals her true form as a monstrous Meat Mountain, asks Bai Zhou to kill her, and guides him through the surgeries. Her last will attacks Bai Zhou.
• Bai Zhou: Transforms into Dr. Zhou to perform surgeries, showing compassion and skill. He's conflicted about Dr. Zhang's fate.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice: Dr. Zhang sacrifices herself to save the townspeople, and Bai Zhou follows through on her request.
• Transformation: Dr. Zhang's transformation into a monster and Bai Zhou's transformation into Dr. Zhou highlight the duality of appearances and reality.
• Pain and Suffering: The townspeople's pain is symbolized by flesh tumors, which Bai Zhou removes through surgery.

Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou and Dr. Zhang: They have a final conversation before Dr. Zhang's death. Bai Zhou is conflicted about her fate.
• Bai Zhou and the Townspeople: Bai Zhou performs surgeries on them, removing their pain and suffering.

• Plot Points and Events: The chapter reveals Dr. Zhang's past, her struggles with her appearance affecting her work, and her eventual decision to become a monster to focus on her medical career. It also shows Bai Zhou discovering two new items, the Old Camera That Records Life and the Daydream Wreath, left behind by Dr. Zhang.
• Character Development: Dr. Zhang's character is explored in depth. Her initial struggles with her appearance and the difficulties she faces in her career lead her to make a drastic decision to become a monster, allowing her to focus solely on her medical work. Bai Zhou, on the other hand, shows empathy and understanding towards Dr. Zhang's situation.
• Themes: The primary theme is the struggle between one's personal appearance and professional aspirations. It also explores the concept of sacrifice for the greater good, as Dr. Zhang chooses to become a monster to better help her patients. Additionally, the chapter touches on the importance of remembrance and the impact one can have on others, as seen through Bai Zhou's interactions with Dr. Zhang's memories.
• Character Interactions: The chapter primarily focuses on Dr. Zhang's internal struggle and her interactions with her patients and colleagues, who often treat her differently due to her appearance. Bai Zhou interacts with Dr. Zhang's memories, understanding her situation and showing empathy towards her.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Zhou buries Dr. Zhang's body and decides to fulfill her final wish.
• The remains of Dr. Zhang release fragments of [Demon Cells], which the horse saber absorbs, beginning its transformation into a True Name Secret Treasure.
• The Dead Sea Scrolls activate, unlocking the third transformation, [Fallen Saint Physician], based on Bai Zhou's entanglement with Dr. Zhang and the influence of Saints and demons on his life.

Character Developments

• Bai Zhou: Absorbs fragments of [Demon Cells], triggering the horse saber's transformation. Unlocks the [Fallen Saint Physician] transformation, reflecting his connection with Dr. Zhang and the influence of Saints and demons on his life.
• Dr. Zhang: Although deceased, her final gift to Bai Zhou (the horse saber and [Sloth]'s identity) significantly impacts his growth and transformation.

Significant Themes

• Fate and Destiny: Bai Zhou's connection with Dr. Zhang and the influence of Saints and demons on his life trigger the [Fallen Saint Physician] transformation, highlighting the importance of fate and destiny in shaping his abilities.
• Sacrifice and Legacy: Dr. Zhang's sacrifice allows Bai Zhou to gain powerful tools and knowledge, emphasizing the theme of sacrifice and the lasting impact of one's actions on others.

Character Interactions

• Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia: Fang Xiaoxia watches in awe as Bai Zhou transforms, showing her support and admiration for him. Their interaction is minimal in this chapter, as Bai Zhou is primarily focused on his own transformation and thoughts.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

+ Bai Zhou transforms into the [Fallen Saint Physician] using the inverted Saint prototype, School Demon embryo, and Dr. Zhang as the template, combining concepts from the Dead Sea Scrolls.
+ Bai Zhou gains three major abilities: "Surgical Scalpel," "Physician's Oath," and "Assistant," along with a half-ability called "Sloth."
+ The Blood Worship Cult's Holy Son arrives at the sanatorium, recognizing Bai Zhou as the first of the Seven Sins, [Sloth].

Character Developments

+ Bai Zhou's transformation into the [Fallen Saint Physician] changes his appearance and abilities, making him more sinister and powerful.
+ Fang Xiaoxia, now a Blood Shadow, can detect and imitate fiendish objects, like the Chang Ghost.
+ The Holy Son of the Blood Worship Cult arrives, revealing his connection to Luo Tunan.

Significant Themes

+ Transformation and change, as seen in Bai Zhou's new form and the Holy Son's arrival.
+ The duality of good and evil, reflected in Bai Zhou's [Fallen Saint Physician] form and the Holy Son's sinister appearance.
+ The power of knowledge and secrets, represented by the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Holy Son's Forbidden Canon.

Character Interactions

+ Bai Zhou and Ya discuss their plan to infiltrate the Blood Worship Cult, with Bai Zhou expressing concerns about Fang Xiaoxia.
+ Bai Zhou and the Holy Son meet for the first time, with Bai Zhou hiding his true identity and the Holy Son recognizing him as [Sloth].
+ Fang Xiaoxia, now a Blood Shadow, interacts with the "Assistant Xiao Zhou," showing her ability to imitate fiendish objects.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

+ The Holy Son of the Blood Worship Cult arrives at the sanatorium, revealing himself as the creator of [Sloth] and inviting Bai Zhou to join him.
+ Bai Zhou's assistant, Fang Xiaoxia, stands by his side, showing growth and resolve.
+ Bai Zhou absorbs the Demon cell [Sloth] into his Trojan Horse, causing a powerful reaction.
+ The Holy Son reveals that he possesses Major Luo's brain, hinting at his involvement in Bai Zhou's past.
+ Three subordinates of the Blood Worship Cult's [Seven Sins Institute] appear, two of whom are Sealed Extraordinary, and one an expert above Level 6.
+ Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia leave the sanatorium with the Holy Son, embarking on a journey to the Blood Worship Cult's main headquarters.

Character Developments

+ **Bai Zhou:** Shows restraint and calculation in absorbing the Demon cell, revealing his strategic thinking and self-control. He also demonstrates determination to confront the Holy Son and the Blood Worship Cult.
+ **Fang Xiaoxia:** Exhibits growth and resolve, standing by Bai Zhou's side despite the danger. She also shows signs of developing her own powers, with Blood Shadow merging with her.
+ **The Holy Son:** Reveals his manipulative nature, having orchestrated events from the shadows. He is powerful, unfathomable, and dangerous, with the ability to control the Demon cell [Sloth].

Significant Themes

+ **Power and Control:** The Holy Son's manipulation of events and people, as well as his control over the Demon cell [Sloth], highlights the theme of power and control.
+ **Identity and Belonging:** Bai Zhou's journey to the Blood Worship Cult's headquarters raises questions about his identity and where he belongs, as he seeks to confront his past.
+ **Growth and Change:** Fang Xiaoxia's growth and development, as well as Bai Zhou's increasing power, illustrate the theme of growth and change.

Character Interactions

+ **Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia:** Their bond strengthens as they face the Holy Son together, with Fang Xiaoxia showing unwavering support for Bai Zhou.
+ **Bai Zhou and the Holy Son:** Their interaction reveals the Holy Son's manipulative nature and Bai Zhou's determination to confront him.
+ **Bai Zhou and the Three Subordinates:** The appearance of the three subordinates, two of whom are Sealed Extraordinary, foreshadows potential conflicts and challenges for Bai Zhou.