Chapter Summaries

Xiao Mo awoke from a dream of a masked general dying to protect a little clay figure, then visited Bai Ruxue at Ningxue Hall and asked which version of her was real. Bai Ruxue told him she had always been herself and had never changed.

• Xiao Mo woke from a dream he could not remember and put the little clay figure and mask away in a box.
• Xiao Mo chose to dine at Ningxue Hall because he wanted to hear Bai Ruxue's explanation about the previous night.
• Bai Ruxue told Xiao Mo she would not harm him or betray Zhou Kingdom, offered to help him reclaim power, and said she would leave once she obtained what she sought.
• Xiao Mo declined Bai Ruxue's offer and agreed to stay at Ningxue Hall for the night to avoid raising the Empress Dowager's suspicions.
• Xiao Mo asked Bai Ruxue which version of her was real, and she replied that Ruxue had always been herself and had never changed.

Bai Ruxue refined Xiao Mo’s Spiritual Energy with the Moonlight Art, and he woke the next morning with stronger, purer cultivation. She prepared a bloodstained sheet for the Empress Dowager to inspect, while Xiao Mo asked about the object she had spent so long seeking; Bai Ruxue said she would keep searching for it for the rest of her life.

• Bai Ruxue offered to help Xiao Mo cultivate and used the Moonlight Art to refine his Spiritual Energy until he fell asleep.
• Bai Ruxue caught Xiao Mo, laid him in bed, and vowed to protect their bond.
• Xiao Mo woke with denser, purer Spiritual Energy and learned he could continue cultivating before attempting Foundation Establishment next month.
• Bai Ruxue left blood on the bedsheet for the Empress Dowager to inspect, and Xiao Mo asked about the object she sought.
• Bai Ruxue said she would spend the rest of her life searching if she never found it.

Xiao Mo prepared to establish his Foundation after a month of cultivation, while Bai Ruxue, Jiang Qingyi, and Qin Siyao each helped strengthen different aspects of his cultivation. Jiang Qingyi gave him a Steal Heaven Pill tailored to him, and Xiao Mo was left ready to begin Foundation Establishment.

• Empress Dowager Yan celebrated news that Xiao Mo had spent the wedding night with Yan Ruxue, while the maids of Hanjiu Hall grew hopeful when he began visiting Bai Ruxue and Qin Siyao in turn.
• Bai Ruxue purified Xiao Mo's Spiritual Energy, Jiang Qingyi taught him swordsmanship, and Qin Siyao secretly refined the realm's fortune around him.
• After a month, Xiao Mo's Spiritual Energy was as dense as molten gold, and he prepared for Foundation Establishment by choosing a site and asking Wei Xun to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill.
• Wei Xun panicked when Xiao Mo revealed his plan, but Xiao Mo remained determined to undergo Foundation Establishment.
• Jiang Qingyi gave Xiao Mo a Steal Heaven Pill made using his Birth Eight Characters and told him it could help the Heavenly Dao overlook him during Foundation Establishment.
• Jiang Qingyi left after urging Xiao Mo to cultivate and warning him not to let Bai Ruxue and Qin Siyao devour him.

Luo Yang and Wang Yue set out from the Yao Race World for Myriad Laws Under Heaven, where Luo Yang hoped to visit Xiao Mo and his junior sister. After defeating Kui to obtain its hide and core, Luo Yang received a letter from the Nine-Tails Kingdom to deliver to Xiao Mo.

• Luo Yang told Wang Yue they were returning to Myriad Laws Under Heaven, and she chose to accompany him.
• Luo Yang reflected on Xiao Mo's reincarnation and planned to visit his junior sister, now head of White Deer Academy.
• At Flowing Waves Mountain, Luo Yang asked Kui for its hide and core as a reunion gift, then defeated it and took both.
• Keqing, a palace maid of the Nine-Tails Kingdom, gave Luo Yang a letter from her queen and asked him to deliver it to Xiao Mo, ruler of the Zhou Kingdom.

Xiao Mo attempted Foundation Establishment, but his tribulation became far more dangerous than expected, summoning a thunder beast as his three companions prepared to intervene. As Xiao Mo faced the final strike with the strength of the people he had helped, Shang Jiuli and the Confucian Academy sensed the return of a long-missed Sage.

• Jiang Qingyi learned that Bai Ruxue and Qin Siyao had sent gifts to repay the blood Xiao Mo spent refining his pill, and she resented their attempt to keep him from owing her a favor.
• Xiao Mo traveled to a remote plain with Jiang Qingyi, Bai Ruxue, and Qin Siyao to attempt Foundation Establishment, then swallowed the Steal Heaven Pill and faced the first two lightning strikes.
• The second strike formed into a sword and wounded Xiao Mo, while a third bolt appeared as an ancient thunder beast, prompting Bai Ruxue, Jiang Qingyi, and Qin Siyao to prepare to intervene.
• Xiao Mo stood back up, drew on the merit of the people he had helped, and swung his sword at the descending thunder beast.
• Shang Jiuli sensed her long-missed old friend reaching Foundation Establishment, while a Book Flipping Wind arose at the Confucian Academy and Kong Sheng told Jin Che that a Sage had descended.

Xiao Mo woke after twenty days unconscious and confirmed that he had survived the tribulation and reached the Foundation Establishment Realm. As he began recovering, Bai Ruxue learned that the Confucian Academy had sent a Gentleman to meet her and agreed to see him despite her displeasure.

• Xiao Mo examined his body with Spiritual Sense and realized that he had successfully established his foundation, greatly increasing his spiritual energy, lifespan, and Spiritual Sense.
• Bai Ruxue brought Xiao Mo medicine and told him that she, Mujiu, and Imperial Preceptor Jiang had watched over him while he was unconscious.
• Bai Ruxue told Xiao Mo that Eunuch Wei had dealt with Yan Shan'ao and that he would likely be able to get out of bed in five or six days.
• Chunyan told Bai Ruxue that her mother had arranged for her to return to the Yan residence because a Gentleman from the Confucian Academy wanted to meet her.
• Bai Ruxue concealed her displeasure at the Confucian Academy and agreed to meet its Gentleman.

Yu Yunwei suspected Si Li was hiding the Zhou Kingdom ruler’s identity and planned to send Ning Wei to investigate, but Ning Wei urgently brought her to Myriad Flower Valley. There, a blood kui flower bloomed into a little girl, whom Yu Yunwei named Xue Kui.

• Yu Yunwei read Listening Wind Pavilion’s report and suspected Si Li was concealing what she had learned about the Zhou Kingdom ruler.
• Yu Yunwei decided to send Ning Wei to the Zhou Kingdom, but Ning Wei interrupted her with news that something strange had happened in Myriad Flower Valley.
• Yu Yunwei flew to Senior Brother’s grave and saw spiritual energy gathering around a blood kui flower as petals swirled around it.
• The blood kui flower vanished and a little girl appeared in its place, reminding Yu Yunwei of Senior Brother’s words about his master wishing to become a flower in another life.
• Yu Yunwei dressed the girl in flower petals and named her Xue Kui.

At the Great Wall, He Yeye watched a powerful scholar-swordsman fight for Myriad Laws Under Heaven and spoke with Luo Yang about Xiao Mo. The Fox Clan appeared over the border, and He Yeye revealed that they were still pursuing Xiao Mo even after his death.

• He Yeye and Fu'er watched a blue-robed scholar-swordsman slaughter demons, while Du'er explained that his Sword Qi surpassed that of other Sword Cultivators beneath the Great Wall.
• He Yeye told Fu'er that the man had gone to the Yao Race World because people had made it impossible for him to live among them.
• Luo Yang returned with Wang Yue, and He Yeye gave him the jade token to Xiao Mo's house in Great Wall City.
• After a colossal nine-tailed fox's Dharma Aspect Projection appeared over the border, He Yeye complained that the Fox Clan still pursued Xiao Mo after his death.

Ning Wei traveled to the Zhou Kingdom Imperial Capital to find Xiao Mo and learn whether Si Li had already found him. With Wang Xin’s recommendation, she entered the palace as a maid assigned to Ningxue Hall, where she felt an unsettling presence as she arrived.

• Ning Wei reached Wang Xin’s residence and explained that Yun Wei suspected Si Li had found Xiao Mo but concealed it.
• Wang Xin wrote Ning Wei a recommendation, and Ning Wei persuaded Minister Yan to help her enter the palace as a cook.
• The palace officials instead assigned Ning Wei to serve Consort Xue at Ningxue Hall, where she learned the palace rules from Chunyan.
• As Ning Wei entered Ningxue Hall, she sensed that something was watching her, then reassured herself that she would not be discovered if she avoided cultivators and spells.

Ning Wei toured Ningxue Hall and met Consort Xue, whom she was assigned to serve. After learning that Ning Wei knew Wang Xin, Bai Ruxue suspected there was more to her new servant and found the connection interesting.

• Chunyan showed Ning Wei around Ningxue Hall and complained that a Grand Princess from Qin had thwarted Consort Xue's chance to become Empress.
• Chunyan introduced Ning Wei to Bai Ruxue, and Ning Wei was struck by Consort Xue's beauty.
• Bai Ruxue asked how Ning Wei had entered the palace, and Ning Wei explained that Wang Xin had written her a letter of introduction to Lord Yan.
• Bai Ruxue told Chunyan to teach Ning Wei her duties, then noted that Ning Wei was a Nascent Soul cultivator who knew Wang Xin from the Western Regions.

Ning Wei recognized Xiao Mo and Si Li when the Zhou Kingdom’s ruler visited Ningxue Hall, and Si Li silently signaled her to keep their identities quiet. After Si Li left to rest with stomach pain, Ning Wei confronted her in the maids’ courtyard.

• Chunyan told Ning Wei to help care for Bai Ruxue’s bedchamber and keep watch over Ningxue Hall.
• Xiao Mo arrived at Ningxue Hall, and Ning Wei recognized him as Brother Xiao.
• Ning Wei recognized Si Li by the bracelet on her wrist, while Si Li secretly signaled her not to reveal anything.
• Bai Ruxue welcomed Xiao Mo into her bedchamber, leaving Si Li and Chunyan to keep watch outside.
• Si Li complained of severe menstrual pain, and Chunyan let her go rest in the maids’ courtyard.
• Ning Wei called out to Si Li, accusing her of having gone too far.

Si Li explained to Ning Wei that Jiang Qingyi and Xiao Mo’s two powerful consorts made it too dangerous to take Xiao Mo to the Western Regions or reveal their plans. After warning Ning Wei to keep her distance, Si Li left her to act as usual, while Xiao Mo returned to his bedchamber and learned that the Book of a Hundred Lives had prepared his sixth life.

• Ning Wei confronted Si Li for hiding that Xiao Mo’s reincarnation was in the Zhou Kingdom’s Imperial Palace.
• Si Li told Ning Wei that Jiang Qingyi and Xiao Mo’s two consorts were powerful Ascension Realm cultivators, making it too dangerous to take Xiao Mo away or contact their sect.
• Ning Wei worried that Consort Xue had seen through her cultivation, and Si Li advised her to act normally and avoid communicating with her.
• Xiao Mo thanked Bai Ruxue for guiding and refining his Spiritual Energy through the night, then returned to his bedchamber.
• The Book of a Hundred Lives told Xiao Mo that it had finished preparing his sixth life and asked whether he was ready to enter.

Xiao Mo entered the sixth life of the Book of a Hundred Lives and woke as a young human child imprisoned among other children by demons. After a Dog Demon selected him and four others for a powerful household, Xiao Mo arrived at the gate of Tushan.

• Xiao Mo chose to enter the sixth life and used his real name.
• Xiao Mo woke in an iron cage among dozens of imprisoned children and saw Pig Demons guarding them.
• Boss Gou arrived to select children for a lord's household, and Xiao Mo pretended to be frightened when the Dog Demon questioned him.
• Boss Gou chose Xiao Mo and four other children, and the Pig Demons bathed them and dressed them in clean clothes.
• The children rode in a carriage to Tushan, where Xiao Mo saw the name above the gate.

Xiao Mo and four other human children were brought to Tushan Manor and assigned as servants, where Steward Xiong warned them to be loyal to the manor. Xiao Mo was sent to work in the kitchen under Master Niu, while the young fox-eared Miss left disappointed after being told humans could not play with her.

• Boss Gou brought Xiao Mo and four other children to Tushan Manor and sold them to Steward Xiong as servants.
• Steward Xiong introduced himself, ordered the children to serve the manor loyally, and assigned them to different jobs.
• The young fox-eared Miss asked Xiao Mo to play with her, but Steward Xiong said humans were unworthy, and her maids led her away.
• Steward Xiong assigned Xiao Mo to the kitchen after deciding the boy looked clever, then warned all five children to be loyal to Madam and Miss.
• A Cat Demon maid delivered Xiao Mo to Master Niu, who complained that he had wanted a grown man but accepted the boy and told him to learn the manor's rules.

Xiao Mo began working in Tushan Manor’s kitchen, where Master Niu warned him about the manor’s rules and explained how demons viewed humans as livestock. That night, the Book of a Hundred Lives revealed his tasks, including cultivating, choosing whether to join the human rebellion, and helping a young Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox reach ascension.

• Master Niu introduced himself to Xiao Mo and explained the kitchen’s rules, including that Xiao Mo must never touch the young lady or her belongings.
• Master Niu told Xiao Mo that demons considered unintelligent animals livestock and humans no different, then assigned him to chop wood, tend fires, and sleep in the Wood Shed.
• Xiao Mo collected kitchen clothes and worked through the day, impressing Master Niu with his quickness while eating well between shifts.
• As Xiao Mo fell asleep, the Book of a Hundred Lives revealed his tasks: cultivate if possible, choose whether to join the Human Race Rebel Army, and support the young Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox’s path to ascension.
• The Book explained that all tasks would be settled when the young fox reached the Ascension Realm, then asked Xiao Mo whether he could understand love.

After months of recovering at Tushan Manor, Xiao Mo met the Eldest Miss again when she hid in his woodshed while sneaking away to play. She introduced herself as Tushan Jingci before heading out alone.

• Xiao Mo spent two months hauling firewood at Tushan Manor, regaining his health and learning about Immortal Fox City and the Tushan family.
• The Eldest Miss secretly entered Xiao Mo's woodshed and hid beneath the firewood while Master Niu searched for her.
• Xiao Mo concealed the girl's presence when Master Niu asked whether he had seen her.
• After Master Niu left, the Eldest Miss asked Xiao Mo to sneak out with her, but he declined because he had work in the morning.
• The Eldest Miss ran off to play, then returned to tell Xiao Mo that her name was Tushan Jingci.

Tushan Xinhua punished Tushan Jingci for trying to sneak out, but allowed her some freedom while keeping her away from males until her sixth birthday. She revealed that Jingci’s first contact with a man before then would determine a dangerously difficult love tribulation, and only one month remained.

• Xiao Mo heard that Tushan Jingci had been caught sneaking out and confined to her room after declaring she did not want to return.
• Tushan Xinhua made Jingci kneel with a water-filled jade bowl on her head, then ordered her to reflect for three days without leaving the manor.
• Tushan Xinhua told Yueshi to let Jingci sneak out if she wished, provided she stayed within the manor.
• Lu Xia visited Tushan Xinhua and asked why she kept spanking Jingci and whether Jingci’s birthday was approaching.
• Tushan Xinhua explained that Jingci’s first contact with a man before her sixth birthday would set her love tribulation, so she had barred males from touching her until her birthday next month.

Tushan Jingci sneaked out of her room to visit Xiao Mo and play, despite being confined. After they chose tic-tac-toe, she asked him to be her lifelong friend, leaving him to answer her heartfelt promise.

• Bored in confinement, Tushan Jingci decided to sneak out and find Xiao Mo to play.
• Tushan Jingci fooled Yueshi into thinking she was asleep, then slipped away while Yueshi secretly followed her.
• Tushan Jingci found Xiao Mo in the Wood Shed and reassured him that she had come to play, not to escape the residence.
• After dismissing Xiao Mo’s concern that he was human, Tushan Jingci agreed to learn tic-tac-toe with him.
• Before their game, Tushan Jingci asked Xiao Mo if playing together made them friends and declared that he would be her friend for life.

Tushan Jingci secretly befriended Xiao Mo and visited him to play each night, while Yueshi reluctantly kept their friendship from Madam. On the night before Jingci’s sixth birthday, as Xiao Mo took her fishing, a sword attack suddenly targeted her.

• Xiao Mo played Tic-Tac-Toe with Tushan Jingci and let her win, while Yueshi watched over them.
• Yueshi decided not to tell Madam about the friendship, and Tushan Jingci began visiting Xiao Mo each night.
• Over the next half month, Xiao Mo taught Tushan Jingci more games as Yueshi grew less wary of him.
• As Tushan Jingci’s sixth birthday approached, Xiao Mo secretly carved a gift for her.
• The night before her birthday, Xiao Mo took Tushan Jingci fishing and promised her a present if she caught a fish.
• Yueshi spotted a streak of sword light thrusting toward Tushan Jingci’s back and rushed to protect her.

At a banquet in Immortal Fox City, Ying Dayuan asked Tushan Xinhua to consider a childhood betrothal between her and the Heavenly Demon Country’s First Prince. As she traveled back to Tushan Manor, Xinhua sensed something was wrong and cried out for Jingci.

• Ying Dayuan toasted Tushan Xinhua in advance of her birthday and asked the city’s leaders to help keep order for the next day’s celebration.
• Ying Dayuan told Xinhua that the Heavenly Demon Country’s ruler planned to propose a childhood betrothal between Xinhua and the First Prince.
• Xinhua said she would need time to consider the proposal because Nine-Tailed Celestial Foxes devoted themselves to one person for life.
• Xinhua left the banquet in her carriage and considered the First Prince’s potential as a match.
• Xinhua sensed something alarming, and she called out, “Jingci!”