Chapter Summaries

Key events

• Chen Lin investigates why the Girl in the Painting reacted to him. Testing Liu Shengyuan with the Embroidery Saber yields nothing, but showing the Shepherd Token prompts the girl to ask for Chen Lin specifically.
• Chen Lin enters the painting’s scenario and speaks to the girl by soul transmission. She introduces herself as Fuyao and says she is hiding from enemies, asking him to drive them away so she can return home.
• Fuyao reveals that she has been buying food from Traveling Merchants using Nightmare Coins. She is a one-star VIP, able to arrange deliveries from ordinary merchants.
• Chen Lin asks about upgrading his Road Guide. Fuyao says the County Office on Main Street can do it, but he needs a Level Two Road Guide to leave the courtyard, since he is not a resident of Zhiwu County.
• She asks Chen Lin to plead her family’s case to the County Magistrate and promises a family heirloom in return. She claims a local tyrant named Liang Batian framed her parents and tried to take her as a concubine, forcing her to hide in the painting.
• Suspicious of her incomplete account, Chen Lin refuses to commit. He asks instead how to unlock the courtyard door, hoping to secure a way out before deciding whether to help.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin methodically tests possible reasons for Fuyao’s interest, then takes a calculated risk by entering the scenario. He remains cautious, probing her story and withholding agreement until he understands the danger.
• Fuyao shifts from silent figure in a painting to an active, talkative petitioner. She is playful and eager for help, but reveals information selectively and negotiates with the promise of an heirloom.
• Liu Shengyuan serves as Chen Lin’s test subject and messenger, confirming that the Shepherd Token—not the saber—draws Fuyao’s attention. Chen Lin then clears the area so he can speak with her privately.
• Chen Lin’s exchange with Fuyao is both an information-gathering exercise and a negotiation: he seeks access to the County Office, while she wants him to help clear her family’s name.

Significant themes

• Caution amid uncertainty: Chen Lin treats Fuyao’s account as potentially incomplete and avoids committing before learning more.
• Bureaucracy and status: The Shepherd Token gives Chen Lin recognition and access to information about Nightmare Realm institutions, while his Bailiff rank and Road Guide level determine where he can go.
• Commerce and hidden systems: The Traveling Merchants’ delivery service and VIP ranks reveal that the Nightmare Realm has organized trade networks and rules beyond the immediate scenario.
• Trust and self-interest: Fuyao offers a reward for help, but Chen Lin weighs the promise against the risks and her evasions.

Key plot points and events

• The Green-Clothed Girl gives Chen Lin a large yellow key and declares that, under Nightmare Law, he has accepted a task: help her family. Success earns him her family heirloom; failure requires equal-value compensation, while abandoning the task incurs tenfold compensation and punishment.
• She reveals that the villains outside have likely sensed the key. She urges Chen Lin, a Bailiff, to go to the County Office, where his status should protect him from Huang Batian. The painting then loses its vitality, leaving Chen Lin unable to question her further.
• Chen Lin decides to proceed rather than risk being judged to have abandoned the task. He summons Hua Ruyu, explains the situation, and she advises that they must follow the rules rather than challenge them.
• Chen Lin unlocks the courtyard gate. Outside, a noisy wedding procession is underway. He briefly shuts the gate, then opens it again to investigate.
• An old man in wedding attire threatens someone named Li Fuyao, demanding submission and threatening her family and parents, who are apparently trapped inside an “Exquisite Map.” He notices Chen Lin and asks who he is.

Character developments

• Chen Lin weighs the risks carefully, rejects sending someone else in his place, and chooses to face the task himself. Though wary, he shows more confidence in his improved abilities and takes precautions before opening the gate.
• Hua Ruyu remains protective and pragmatic. She readies a Divine Ability, supports Chen Lin, and stresses that Nightmare Realm rules cannot simply be resisted.
• The Green-Clothed Girl shifts from playful to solemn as she formally imposes the task, then becomes inert within the painting.

Character interactions

• The Girl’s formal declaration clashes with Chen Lin’s insistence that he never agreed to the task; she ignores his objection and lays out its rules and stakes.
• Chen Lin consults Hua Ruyu, who urges compliance, and instructs her to remain alert and not attack independently.
• Outside, the old man’s threatening exchange with Li Fuyao is interrupted by Chen Lin’s arrival.

Significant themes

• The power of rules: Nightmare Law may bind Chen Lin regardless of whether he knowingly consented.
• Caution and responsibility: Chen Lin must balance the danger of acting against the danger of abandoning the task.
• Mystery and uncertainty: The painting, the changing lock, the sealed courtyard, and the “Exquisite Map” suggest a larger set of hidden mechanisms and powers.

Plot points and events

• Chen Lin emerges at the Li family residence, where Liang Batian accuses him of helping Hua Ruyu escape a seal and orders his guards to seize him.
• Chen Lin avoids provoking the guards, mindful that Nightmare Realm beings can be stronger than they appear and that careless actions may trigger dangerous rules.
• Liang Batian pauses when Hua Ruyu appears, then shows a lecherous interest in her. Chen Lin presents his Shepherd Token, asserting his official status; Liang mocks him, though his guards hesitate to act.
• When Liang rides at Chen Lin and cuts his face with a saber, Chen turns the wound into proof that Liang attacked a bailiff. He counters with the Soul-Destroying Finger and Embroidery Saber, killing Liang in one stroke. Hua Ruyu takes to the air to watch for an attack.
• Chen warns the remaining guards that they would also be rebelling if they attacked him. They surrender, and the theatrical troupe flees.
• A powerful chief constable, the Golden-Haired Man, arrives with five officers. After Liang’s underling accuses Chen, the constable verifies the Shepherd Token and forces the witnesses to confirm that Liang attacked first.
• The constable acknowledges Chen’s authority but insists the incident be explained to the county magistrate. He escorts Chen and the others to the County Office. Chen notices the constable’s brief reaction when he names White Cloud Pasture and suspects it may be significant.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin acts cautiously at first, then shows quick judgment by using his official status and Liang’s attack to justify a decisive counterstrike. He gains confidence in the protection offered by the Shepherd Token, while remaining wary of the chief constable.
• Hua Ruyu follows Chen’s instruction not to attack. She shields him at the confrontation and later keeps watch from the air.
• Liang Batian shifts from rage to greed when he sees Hua Ruyu, but his arrogance and attack expose him to Chen’s legal protection and cost him his life.
• The Golden-Haired Man is intimidating and forceful, but investigates the facts rather than accepting the accusation. Once the token is authenticated and witnesses confirm Chen’s account, he treats Chen respectfully—while still taking him into custody for questioning.
• Liang’s guards and underling initially side with their master, but submit when threatened by the chief constable.

Significant themes

• Rules as both danger and leverage: Chen survives by understanding how status and conduct shape what is permissible in the Nightmare Realm.
• Appearance versus power: Strange appearances and ordinary-looking guards cannot reliably reveal a being’s strength or importance.
• Authority and justice: The Shepherd Token offers real protection, but official procedures still constrain Chen.
• Caution and adaptability: Chen avoids unnecessary violence until he can turn Liang’s attack into a defensible reason to act.

Plot points and events

• Chen Lin is brought before the Black Bear Magistrate after killing Liang Batian, who had attacked him in the street. Liang’s servants accuse Chen of murder, but Chen stands his ground rather than kneeling, citing his status as a Bailiff.
• The magistrate’s initial fury makes clear that he is powerful and may have personal ties to Liang. Chen presents his Shepherd Token and identifies himself as serving Lady Gege Yun of White Cloud Pasture.
• Recognizing Gege Yun’s standing as a Commandery Princess, the magistrate abruptly becomes welcoming, gives Chen a seat, and orders Liang’s servants taken away under the law.
• The magistrate’s wife—Liang Batian’s daughter—bursts in demanding vengeance. The magistrate silences her, but Chen senses her connection has made the magistrate’s friendliness strained.
• To preserve relations, Chen offers the magistrate a hundred Nightmare Coins for the Liang family and says he will not pursue charges. The magistrate refuses the money and formally declares Chen blameless, though his manner cools.
• Chen then presents a Tianluo weapon for registration. The magistrate confirms it is used by Luo’s followers and explains the history of Luo’s divisions and the weapons’ properties. When Chen reveals a rare General Weapon, the magistrate is impressed and offers to register it for a reward.
• The county’s Treasure Vault is empty, so weapons can be exchanged for Nightmare Coins or Merit. Chen realizes his large stockpile of Tianluo weapons could earn him a substantial reward.

Character developments

• Chen Lin stays composed and assertive despite the magistrate’s intimidating power. He reads the shifting political situation, uses Gege Yun’s status to protect himself, and later tries to smooth over the personal conflict through diplomacy.
• The Black Bear Magistrate shifts from threatening anger to cordial deference once he learns Chen serves a princess. His reaction to his wife reveals a conflict between family feeling and official duty, while his handling of the weapons shows he remains bound by regulations.
• Hua Ruyu remains quietly at Chen’s side, reinforcing his confidence.
• The magistrate’s wife is shown to be emotionally invested in her father’s death and willing to challenge the court, but she backs down when threatened with divorce.

Significant themes

• Status and political protection: Chen’s identity and his connection to Gege Yun matter as much as the facts of the case.
• Law versus personal ties: The magistrate has reason to favor Liang’s family, yet official rules constrain how far he can act on that loyalty.
• Composure and negotiation: Chen avoids a direct fight by asserting his standing, offering a conciliatory gesture, and finding another way to build goodwill.
• Rules as both obstacle and safeguard: The Nightmare Realm’s regulations limit officials’ discretion but also make rewards and judgments more predictable.

Character interactions

• Chen directly challenges the court’s expected hierarchy by refusing to kneel, then establishes his credentials through the Shepherd Token.
• The magistrate’s deference to Chen after learning of Gege Yun contrasts with his anger over Liang’s death.
• Chen and the magistrate’s wife have no direct exchange, but her demand for vengeance raises the stakes and exposes the magistrate’s divided loyalties.
• Chen and the magistrate maintain a tense, polite relationship: Chen offers compensation, the magistrate refuses, and their conversation turns toward the official registration of Tianluo weapons.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin asks Black Bear Magistrate how merit works. The magistrate explains that merit can raise a bailiff’s rank, but promotions require large amounts: becoming an official costs at least a thousand merit and requires a dangerous trial.
• Merit also grants privileges, including bypassing some Road Guide restrictions and reducing penalties for breaking Nightmare Realm rules. Chen considers these benefits but decides that pursuing promotion is too costly and risky.
• Chen asks whether bailiffs can avoid the mandatory tasks imposed on visitors to Nightmare Realm scenarios. The magistrate is unsure; at Chen’s low rank, breaking such a rule could still strip him of his status.
• The magistrate explains that Nightmare Realm territories are independent, travel between them requires a Level 4 Road Guide, and entering another territory without permission may provoke its inhabitants. Many residents are rule-bound monsters, and the Realm’s laws have become harder to understand since a past upheaval.
• Chen asks who governs the Realm. The magistrate says it has no ruler: Nightmare Law arose naturally, and guardians erase beings capable of breaking it. Territories have no hierarchy over one another, though official rank and peerage confer different permissions.
• The magistrate offers Chen a copy of Nightmare Law, then turns to the immediate business of exchanging the Tianluo weapons for either Nightmare Coins or merit.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen is curious and cautious, using the conversation to learn about the Realm’s laws, hierarchy, and travel rules. He abandons the idea of pursuing high office but recognizes that rule-related exemptions could be useful.
• The magistrate treats Chen warmly as “Brother Chen,” praises his appointment by Princess Gege Yun, and gives him frank advice. He also asks Chen to speak well of him to the princess when she returns.
• Chen is relieved when the magistrate recognizes that he comes from outside the Nightmare Realm, and he thanks him for his warning.
• Learning that peerage is earned through merit makes Chen reconsider the status of Princess Gege Yun—and recall that Niuniu is one of the Realm’s powerful guardians.

Significant themes

• Power through bureaucracy: Merit buys rank and privileges, but advancement demands immense effort and dangerous trials.
• Rules and their limits: Nightmare Law governs the Realm, yet its origins are mysterious and its rules have grown distorted.
• Knowledge and uncertainty: Chen gains a clearer picture of the Realm, but even its officials understand only part of it.
• Caution in an alien world: Outsiders like Chen must navigate unfamiliar laws, hostile territories, and unequal protections.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin asks the Black Bear Magistrate about upgrading Road Guides. He learns that guides can be upgraded here only to Level 3; Level 4 guides require a higher-ranking official, a formal appointment, payment, and an assessment task.
• Chen Lin presents a large haul of Tianluo weapons, hoping to claim merit for killing their owners. The magistrate explains that Luo believers are worth far more merit than Chen had received, but he needs proof.
• Chen produces eleven low-grade willing-power crystals and five portions of willing-power powder made from the believers’ remains. He regrets leaving most of the powder behind. The items are inventoried and earn him 1,383 merit.
• The magistrate transfers the merit to Chen’s Shepherd Token and explains that merit can be used to raise Identity Level, though a higher identity alone does not grant an official post.
• Chen discovers he must refine and activate the token to access its functions. He allocates ten merit to his identity and rises to Third-Class Middle. He decides not to spend merit on Road Guide upgrades yet, since reaching first-class bailiff should give him access to a Level 3 guide.
• Before leaving, Chen raises Fuyao’s claim that her family suffered an injustice and asks the magistrate to hear her appeal.

Character developments

• Chen Lin remains cautious and pragmatic. He pushes for information and a fair merit award, but monitors the magistrate for danger and warns Hua Ruyu to be ready to intervene. He also learns to use his Identity Token and plans how best to spend his merit.
• The Black Bear Magistrate is initially helpful but increasingly impatient, partly because Chen killed the father of his concubine. He nevertheless follows the rules, verifies Chen’s evidence, and processes the reward.
• Hua Ruyu stays alert at Chen’s instruction, while Gege Yun is criticized in Chen’s thoughts for failing to explain how to use the token.

Character interactions

• Chen negotiates with the magistrate over Road Guide restrictions and the value of his captured weapons, then backs his claim with crystals and powder.
• The magistrate’s official subordinates inventory the items and confirm their value.
• Despite the magistrate’s clear desire for Chen to leave, Chen presses one final request on Fuyao’s behalf.

Significant themes

• Knowledge and hidden rules: Chen’s progress depends on learning how the Nightmare Realm’s systems actually work.
• Evidence and justice: Merit requires proof, and Chen’s final appeal raises the possibility of correcting an injustice.
• Caution amid uncertain power: Even a seemingly friendly official may be dangerous, so Chen balances cooperation with vigilance.
• Resource management: Chen weighs merit, rank, and travel permissions strategically rather than spending rewards impulsively.

Plot points and events

• Chen Lin tells the Black Bear Magistrate about the Li Family’s case. The magistrate says the case cannot be reopened because Huang Batian is dead and cannot testify, but agrees to investigate again out of consideration for Princess Gege Yun. He warns Chen Lin not to interfere beyond that.
• The magistrate gives Chen Lin a black jade token containing the Nightmare Law. Chen Lin leaves with Hua Ruyu, pleased that he has gained both the token and a possible route to future rewards.
• On the way back, Chen Lin wonders whether the town’s residents are truly conscious, whether the scenario resets between visits, and whether the magistrate is the original local ruler—or won his position within the Nightmare Realm.
• At the Li residence, Chen Lin finds the courtyard undisturbed and confirms that its seal still prevents him from flying. He remains uncertain whether the magistrate knows about the node connecting the site to the Reality Realm.
• The chapter reveals that the magistrate and the Golden-Haired Constable are plotting against the Li Family. The constable wants Chen Lin killed, but the magistrate judges him too dangerous and avoids provoking White Cloud Pasture. He assumes Chen Lin will remain cooperative because the magistrate controls access to Road Guides and merit.
• Chen Lin asks the Girl in the Painting for the promised heirloom. She explains that he has not yet completed the task: the Li Family must actually be freed, not merely avenged or brought to the magistrate’s attention. As a small thank-you, she gives him half a bunch of grapes and promises the heirloom if her family is freed.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin remains cautious and pragmatic. He avoids probing the town’s residents directly, values his relationship with the magistrate, and carefully weighs the risks of further exploration. His growing confidence comes from his increased strength and ability to exploit the Nightmare Realm’s rules.
• The Black Bear Magistrate presents himself as cooperative while privately pursuing his own plan. He recognizes Chen Lin’s strength and connections, so he chooses to manage rather than confront him.
• The Golden-Haired Constable is openly hostile toward Chen Lin, but accepts the magistrate’s judgment that a direct attack would be too risky.
• The Girl in the Painting clarifies the terms of her request and distinguishes vengeance from securing her family’s freedom. Her modest grape offering disappoints Chen Lin, though she insists the true heirloom remains promised.
• Hua Ruyu accompanies Chen Lin through the chapter but does not take a major independent role.

Significant themes

• Rules and power: Chen Lin’s success depends as much on understanding and exploiting Nightmare Realm rules as on strength.
• Trust and hidden motives: The magistrate’s apparent cooperation masks a private agenda, while Chen Lin’s alliance with the Girl in the Painting rests on a task whose terms prove more demanding than he expected.
• Uncertainty and exploration: Questions about the scenario’s time, inhabitants, and hierarchy point toward larger mysteries—and the possibility of claiming authority over a Nightmare Realm domain.
• Justice versus revenge: Killing Liang Batian avenges the Li Family, but does not resolve their underlying injustice or free them.

Plot points and events

• Chen Lin cannot get a reply from the Girl in the Painting. He stores the unusual grapes, raises his status to First-Class Subordinate using merit, then leaves the Nightmare Realm with Hua Ruyu. He had hoped the promotion would give him access to a Level 3 Road Guide and reduce any possible punishment.
• Back outside, Chen Lin finds himself and Hua Ruyu unharmed, suggesting the mission is complete—or perhaps there was never a real mission. He asks Liu Shengyuan to test a grape and seals the increasingly complicated node.
• Bai Yuzhou volunteers to eat the grape in exchange for a doubled reward. Its powerful energy lets him advance from early to mid Golden Core in about an hour, confirming that the fruit is genuinely valuable.
• Chen Lin orders Liu Shengyuan and Wu Wanshan to keep watch, pays out the rewards, and tells the cultivators to remain on the island for ten years. He decides not to pursue Li Fuyao’s apparent invitation to undertake more missions.
• Back at Tianbao Peak, Chen Lin introduces Hua Ruyu to his daughter, Chen Ling’er. Hua gives her a feather that can enable one Void Traversal.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin acts cautiously: he keeps some merit in reserve, seals the node rather than risking another visit, and treats the grape test as an experiment. He begins to suspect Li Fuyao’s motives but does not take the bait.
• Bai Yuzhou, initially anxious about both his reward and his safety, eagerly accepts the risky test. The grape’s effect brings him a major breakthrough, and he thanks Chen Lin for the opportunity.
• Hua Ruyu remains cool toward the Girl in the Painting, even suggesting the fruit might have been contaminated by her saliva. With Chen Ling’er, however, she is warm and generous, and her gift reveals her impressive power.
• Chen Ling’er welcomes Hua Ruyu respectfully and quickly grows fond of her. Hua praises Ling’er’s aptitude—while teasing Chen Lin by comparing it favorably with his own.

Significant themes

• Caution and uncertainty: Chen Lin cannot be sure whether the mission was genuine, so he takes precautions without committing to further risks.
• Power and reward: The grape’s dramatic effect shows how valuable—and potentially influential—the Nightmare Realm’s offerings can be.
• Trust and obligation: Chen Lin honors the cultivators’ rewards, while Bai Yuzhou’s willingness to test the fruit reflects the risks people accept for advancement.
• Found family and generosity: Hua Ruyu’s gift and Chen Ling’er’s warm welcome suggest a familial bond beyond formal master–servant roles.

Key plot points and events

• The Divine Will Sect holds an extravagant ceremony celebrating a Void Refinement advancement, drawing crowds to Wanling Market. Chen Lin stays out of the festivities and asks his disciples to alert him if Xin Yueling and the others arrive.
• Hua Ruyu has consumed the demon crystals Chen Lin gave her and needs more to regain strength. He gives her his remaining supply. She hopes to become powerful enough to investigate a mysterious node again, though she agrees not to pursue the entity she senses until it is safer.
• Chen Lin studies the Nightmare Realm’s laws but finds them incomplete and potentially unreliable after the realm’s upheaval. He recalls the unusual, rule-based regions of Gambling Fortune Lake and considers exploring them further.
• Zhang Zhenqian, now a Void Refinement cultivator, visits Chen Lin to honor an old promise. He gives Chen a valuable secret-art manual, permitting him to use it or share it with family, but forbidding him to sell it.
• After Zhang leaves, Chen Lin and Sun Caiyi discuss the All-Direction Trading Firm’s effort to recruit him. Chen suspects its former Void Refinement protector, Ancestor Qingyun, may have disappeared under suspicious circumstances, possibly connected to the Ruyi Staff.
• Chen copies Zhang’s secret art and gives it to Sun Caiyi to study with Qin Lingyu and “Ling’er,” warning them not to share it outside the family.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin remains cautious and strategic: he supports Hua Ruyu’s growth but restrains her from investigating dangerous mysteries too soon. He conceals his own Void Refinement advancement and avoids public attention, while quietly probing the secrets behind his former companions’ breakthroughs.
• Hua Ruyu grows stronger through demon crystals, but her unexplained hostility toward the Girl in the Painting surfaces. She cannot explain it and chooses caution about the mysterious presence linked to her.
• Zhang Zhenqian appears dependable and generous, fulfilling a promise made in the Earth Cave. He and Chen exchange polite congratulations while each avoids revealing more about the group’s opportunities and past.
• Sun Caiyi helps manage visitors and discusses Zhang’s prospects and the trading firm with Chen. Chen includes her and other family members in learning the secret art.

Significant themes

• Power and vulnerability: Advancement changes a cultivator’s influence, while factions without strong protectors risk losing their wealth.
• Caution amid uncertainty: Chen and Hua Ruyu avoid rushing into unexplained dangers, from Nightmare Realm rules to mysterious entities and artifacts.
• Promises and trust: Zhang’s gift demonstrates the value of honoring commitments, while its restriction reflects the need to guard powerful knowledge.
• Unresolved mysteries: The Earth Cave’s opportunities, Ancestor Qingyun’s disappearance, the Ruyi Staff, and Hua Ruyu’s instincts all remain open questions.

Plot points and events

• Chen Lin receives the Good Fortune Spirit-Solidifying Art from Zhang Zhenqian. He verifies it is genuine and related to the Good Fortune Spirit-Condensing Art he already knows. It can increase the chance of reaching Void Refinement by ten percent and help with higher cultivation.
• Chen Lin and Sun Caiyi discuss Zhang’s motives, but decide the art’s benefits outweigh any uncertainty. Chen Lin notes that Chen Ling’er can use it while establishing her primordial spirit domain.
• Later, Chen Lin enters the Heavenly Dao Alliance scenario without a Road Guide to test his First-Class Bailiff privileges. He passes through a Level One Road Guide barrier, confirming his status lets him bypass such restrictions.
• He meets Kannie, who has been waiting for him. She asks for help: her original body has been trapped in a dangerous, nightmare-qi-rich scenario for a thousand years and is nearing expulsion by the Nightmare Realm’s rules.
• Kannie explains that her race can grow Natal Fruits to create either offspring or clones. Her clone can deceive the Nightmare Realm’s rules and maintain a faint connection with the original body, but will die if the original does. Chen Lin declines to help, judging the scenario too dangerous.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin is pleased by the secret art but remains wary of Zhang Zhenqian’s possible motives. His new bailiff status gives him a valuable practical advantage.
• Sun Caiyi recognizes the art’s exceptional worth and asks sensible questions about Zhang’s gift.
• Kannie shifts from teasing Chen Lin to making a serious plea for assistance. Her disclosure reveals both her unusual abilities and the danger her original body faces.
• Chen Lin and Kannie share a friendly, joking rapport, but Chen Lin sets a firm limit when faced with a risk he cannot responsibly take.

Significant themes

• Power and opportunity: The secret art offers major advancement benefits, while Chen Lin’s bailiff status expands his ability to navigate the Nightmare Realm.
• Uncertainty and caution: Chen Lin accepts Zhang’s gift despite suspecting hidden motives, yet refuses Kannie’s request when the danger exceeds his capacity.
• Vastness of the worlds: Kannie’s species and cloning ability remind Chen Lin that extraordinary beings and powers exist beyond his limited knowledge.

Key plot points and events

• Kannie asks Chen Lin to enter Xiaohong’s Mushroom Hut and persuade its Guardian to rescue Kannie’s endangered main body. Earlier attempts to hire cultivators failed: none returned. Kannie offers Nightmare Coins, a substitute puppet made from her Natal Fruit, and future favors.
• Chen Lin suspects Xiaohong’s cold treatment of Kannie is a warning to stay away, and worries that intervening could endanger him or disrupt Niuniu’s unknown plans. He ultimately declines, but gives Kannie a letter and permission to approach Xiaohong in his name.
• Qin Lingyu chooses to use the mysterious grapes to improve her cultivation, despite Chen Lin’s warnings. After roughly two weeks, her cultivation surges from Nascent Soul’s early stages to the Late Stage, and she appears younger. Chen Lin cautions her to conceal the change and consolidate her gains.
• Chen Ling’er is astonished by Qin Lingyu’s progress and eager to explore the Nightmare Realm. Chen Lin allows her a cautious introduction, recognizing that it may offer a way beyond their world, and prepares to teach her survival skills. She then reveals that Lu Xiaoyi has come to visit.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin balances his desire to help Kannie against caution and concern for Niuniu. He also supports Qin Lingyu’s ambition and, unusually, agrees to let Chen Ling’er begin exploring the Nightmare Realm.
• Kannie is desperate to save her main body but accepts Chen Lin’s refusal and the limited help he offers.
• Qin Lingyu shows determination to pursue greater cultivation and independence, accepting risk rather than settling for slow progress.
• Chen Ling’er remains playful and irreverent, teasing her father about Qin Lingyu’s sudden advancement, but also displays curiosity and ambition.
• The chapter highlights Chen Lin’s close, protective relationships with his family, while his relationship with Kannie remains friendly but not deep enough to override his caution.

Significant themes

• Caution versus compassion: Chen Lin wants to help, but recognizes that good intentions can lead to fatal consequences.
• Ambition and risk: Qin Lingyu accepts danger to pursue her dream of staying with Chen Lin and advancing further.
• Power and responsibility: The grapes’ extraordinary effects could attract dangerous attention, so secrecy and stable cultivation matter.
• The search for escape: The possibility that the Nightmare Realm offers a way out of their world prompts Chen Lin to reconsider keeping his daughter away from it.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Xiaoyi visits Chen Lin after advancing to the Void Refinement Realm. Chen asks what opportunities she and the others found, but she instead asks him to teach her the Soul-Destroying Finger.
• Chen refuses to pass on the technique, which comes from his master’s secret inheritance. Lu explains that ordinary soul arts cannot help her: she has a hidden danger within her.
• Using a crystal, Lu creates an opaque barrier and forces a black eyeball to appear between her brows. Its aura matches Youruo, the sinister entity Chen has encountered before. The manifestation leaves Lu severely weakened.
• Lu reveals that a remnant of Youruo is concealed in her soul, likely connected to the mysterious soul treasures the group refined in the Earth Cave. Those treasures helped all four companions advance rapidly to Void Refinement.
• Chen agrees to try removing the remnant with the Soul-Destroying Finger, though he warns Lu that the attempt could damage her soul. In exchange, he asks for copies of some of her soul techniques.
• To reduce the risk of interference, Chen takes Lu to a remote underground chamber, activates protective barriers and formations, and begins the procedure.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin remains wary and pragmatic. He refuses to share a closely guarded technique but chooses to help Lu, partly out of concern that the remnant could threaten her—and possibly the others or himself.
• Lu Xiaoyi reveals that her apparent success came with a hidden cost. Though frightened by the entity in her soul, she trusts Chen enough to accept a dangerous attempt at removal.
• Their reunion retains its familiar, playful warmth, but their conversation turns serious as Lu confides her crisis and Chen weighs the risks before acting.
• Chen suspects the group’s sudden breakthroughs and the appearance of Youruo’s remnants may be part of a larger, unseen plan.

Significant themes

• Power at a price: The treasures that enabled rapid advancement may have planted a dangerous influence in their recipients.
• Trust and reciprocity: Lu places her life in Chen’s hands; Chen offers help while asking for knowledge in return.
• Hidden manipulation and mounting danger: Youruo’s recurring presence suggests that forces beyond the characters’ understanding may be steering events.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin removes the Youruo remnant thought fused with Lu Xiaoyi’s soul using the Soul-Destroying Finger. The procedure succeeds, but leaves her soul source badly damaged.
• Lu keeps her Void Refinement cultivation and is relieved to be free of the entity. In return for Chen Lin’s help, she gives him five soul secret arts, including the valuable defensive Soul Armor Art. They verify the arts with a spirit pact.
• Lu asks to learn the Soul-Destroying Finger, but Chen refuses, explaining that it requires a special infusion from his master and cannot be taught—not even to his wife or daughter.
• Chen offers Lu pills that restore soul source. After testing them and negotiating, she trades him pill formulas and spiritual herbs. She leaves several days later with the pills, while keeping her crystalline soul treasure.
• Chen studies the Soul Armor Art during seclusion. He finds it exceptionally complex and knows mastering it will take time, but expects its difficulty to reflect its power.
• Before Yue Tianyi’s Void Refinement ceremony, Chen learns that Yan Jiujiang of the All-Direction Trading Firm sought him out. He postpones meeting Yan and travels to the Divine Will Sect, intending to assess whether Yue and Zhang Zhenqian also carry Youruo remnants.
• Chen arrives at the sect and is warmly received by Yue, who insists they treat one another as equals. In the manor, Chen finds Lu Xiaoyi, Zhang Zhenqian, Xin Yueling, and Yan Jiujiang already gathered.

Character developments

• Chen Lin remains cautious and pragmatic, using the encounter with Lu to learn about the effects of the Soul-Destroying Finger and strengthen his collection of soul arts. Though briefly tempted by Lu’s treasure, he refuses to betray his principles.
• Lu Xiaoyi is grateful to Chen but also sharp in negotiation. Her relief at being freed is tempered by her damaged soul source and the cost of restoring it.
• Yue Tianyi shows warmth and respect toward Chen despite his new status, welcoming him personally and emphasizing their friendship.
• Yan Jiujiang’s presence suggests he has business with Chen, though the purpose remains unknown.

Significant themes

• Reciprocity and bargaining: Chen and Lu exchange aid, knowledge, and resources, with both carefully protecting their interests.
• Moral restraint: Chen considers taking Lu’s treasure but rejects the idea because it violates his principles.
• Hidden threats and vigilance: Chen suspects Youruo remnants may have helped Yue and Zhang advance, prompting his visit to the sect.
• Power and its costs: Lu is freed from possession, but the damage to her soul shows that defeating a threat can still leave lasting consequences.

Character interactions

• Chen checks on Lu after removing the remnant and honors their agreement by accepting her copied arts; they then negotiate a separate trade for soul-restoring pills.
• Lu presses Chen to share his technique, but he firmly refuses and explains why it cannot be taught.
• Chen and Yue exchange friendly, ceremonious banter before entering the manor.
• Chen’s arrival draws deference from sect members because of his ability to kill a Void Refinement cultivator; he also reunites with Lu, Zhang, Xin Yueling, and Yan at the gathering.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin attends a gathering hosted by Yue Tianyi, hoping to find Void Refinement–level resources and learn more about the Ruyi Staff and the Demon-Suppressing Temple.
• He conceals his true cultivation and takes a seat beside Zhang Zhenqian. Xin Yueling congratulates him on their acquaintance and privately requests a conversation after the gathering.
• A cyan-robed Dao Rhyme expert gives Chen Lin a brief, chilling sensation, then acts as though nothing happened. Lu Xiaoyi and Zhang Zhenqian identify him as a visitor from the eastern Xuanhuang Continent, the Great Elder of the Dark Yin Sect, who arrived with Ba Yeyu.
• The Dark Yin Sect’s name unsettles Chen Lin because of its possible links to people and events from his past, including the Dark Yin Scripture. He remains unsure whether this sect shares that inheritance.
• Lu Xiaoyi explains that the gathering concerns preliminary negotiations over the allocation of Duobao Island’s resources. The island’s valuable minerals and spiritual treasures are shared among powerful western factions, and recent deaths or disappearances of Void Refinement cultivators have prompted a reassessment.
• The gathering’s senior figures arrive: Xin Shangxiu, the Xin Family matriarch and a seventh-stage Dao Rhyme expert; Ba Yeyu; and Duanmu Jue of the True Intent Sect. Their arrival draws everyone to their feet.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin stays cautious and observant, hiding his cultivation while probing others for information. He is wary of the eastern visitor and curious about the Dark Yin Sect’s possible connection to his past.
• Xin Yueling treats Chen Lin as a peer and seeks a private meeting, signaling a closer or more important conversation ahead.
• Lu Xiaoyi speaks more casually with Chen Lin after their relationship improved, explaining the purpose of the gathering.
• Zhang Zhenqian welcomes Chen Lin and provides information about the unfamiliar visitor.
• The cyan-robed elder appears to single Chen Lin out with an unsettling aura and a strange smile, suggesting possible hostility or hidden interest.
• Yue Tianyi attempts to ease the subdued atmosphere with wine and fruit, but delays discussing the gathering’s real purpose.

Significant themes

• Secrecy and uncertainty: Chen Lin conceals his strength and must interpret ambiguous gestures and motives.
• Power and resource politics: The redistribution of Duobao Island’s wealth reflects how cultivation factions negotiate influence and survival.
• Connections to the past: The Dark Yin Sect’s appearance revives questions about Chen Lin’s earlier encounters and inherited cultivation knowledge.
• The widening world: The eastern and western continents’ limited contact underscores the scale and isolation of the realm—and the significance of the eastern visitor’s presence.

Plot and key events

• At Yue Tianyi’s celebration for advancing to Void Refinement, powerful guests—including Xin Family leader Xin Shangxiu—take control of the gathering. Xin reveals that a hidden realm beneath Duobao Island contains many spirit herbs over ten thousand years old. The factions plan to send representatives in and are trying to unite so they can secure more entry quotas.
• Chen Lin is interested because such herbs could supply the rare ingredients for the Holy Void Pill, which might help his slow Void Refinement cultivation. He remains wary, knowing the mysterious realm may also be dangerous.
• Chen learns that the Xin Family backs Wanling Market and has extensive influence over the region’s sects. The gathering ends with the major powerhouses departing abruptly, leaving host Yue Tianyi slighted.
• Afterward, Xin Yueling privately confronts Chen and reveals that she knows he has reached Void Refinement, despite his keeping it quiet. She asks whether he used a soul treasure from the Earth Cave to advance.
• Xin confesses that she used the mysterious power within her soul treasure to break through. During the breakthrough, the heretical entity Luo possessed and fused with her. She fears it will eventually take over her body.
• Xin explains that, despite her family status, she received limited resources and took risks to improve her prospects. She had suspected the soul treasures’ distribution was too coincidental but kept hers, thinking it could still be useful or valuable.
• Xin describes Luo as a legendary entity whose higher plane was shattered and whose remnants appear as strange eyeballs. Chen judges her knowledge incomplete, then claims he has a technique that may counter the entity and offers to try it.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin stays cautious and politically observant. He weighs the potential rewards of the hidden realm against its risks, and keeps his own breakthrough low-profile. In speaking with Xin, he listens carefully and probes her situation while concealing what he knows.
• Xin Yueling shifts from questioning Chen to confiding in him. Her account reveals insecurity beneath her prestigious family name, as well as regret and fear over the possession.
• Yue Tianyi is shown to have little standing among the more powerful guests: despite being the host, he must accept a lesser seat and endure their dismissive departure.
• Xin Shangxiu and the other leaders establish the Xin Family’s authority and frame the resource expedition as a matter requiring factional unity. Their presence also demonstrates the cultivation world’s strict hierarchy.

Significant themes

• Power and hierarchy: Rank determines who speaks, who receives respect, and who controls resource negotiations.
• Opportunity versus danger: The ancient herbs could advance Chen’s cultivation, but the hidden realm and soul treasures carry serious risks.
• Ambition and regret: Xin’s desire to overcome limited resources led her to use a power that may cost her identity and life.
• Secrecy and trust: Chen and Xin test one another’s knowledge and intentions before Xin shares her dangerous secret.

Key plot points

• Chen Lin offers to use his Soul-Destroying Finger to attack the heretical entity hidden within Xin Yueling. After she signs a Spirit Pact and experiences a controlled strike, she confirms that the technique weakens the entity more than it harms her soul.
• Chen Lin refuses to continue until they agree on payment. He asks Xin for rare spiritual herbs, a Void Refinement-level pill formula, and true spirit blood. She suspects he had anticipated this bargain, but agrees to seek the herbs on Duobao Island. Chen claims he must obtain the herbs first to make pills needed for further treatment.
• Chen Lin asks Lu Xiaoyi to tell Yue Tianyi and Zhang Zhenqian that he cured her and to warn them that the entity may possess them again. He promises he may help her in the future and points out that the information could earn her their gratitude.
• Chen Lin’s descendant Chen Jiliang arrives to announce that Yue and Zhang have come to see him. Chen Lin gives him pills, advises him to focus on cultivation, and responds warmly to news that his pregnant concubine is expecting a girl.
• Yue and Zhang, now convinced they are also affected by the entity, arrive in alarm after Lu Xiaoyi’s warning and Xin Yueling’s confirmation.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin reveals himself as calculating but dependable: he uses proof of his technique to secure a valuable bargain, while insisting that he honors his Spirit Pacts. He also shows a more paternal, family-minded side in his exchange with Chen Jiliang.
• Xin Yueling moves from distrust and resignation to hope after witnessing the technique’s effect. Though she recognizes Chen Lin’s maneuvering, she accepts the deal because he holds the advantage.
• Lu Xiaoyi is cheerful after her earlier cure but remains wary of Chen Lin. She eventually agrees to spread the warning, despite jokingly objecting to his grim prediction.
• Chen Jiliang is deferential and eager for Chen Lin’s approval; Chen Lin encourages his cultivation and expresses acceptance of his future granddaughter.
• Yue Tianyi and Zhang Zhenqian shift from disbelief to panic once they confirm the possession and learn Chen Lin may be able to help.

Significant themes

• Bargaining and leverage: Chen Lin turns a possible cure into a negotiated exchange, while Xin accepts because her need is urgent.
• Trust, secrecy, and obligation: Spirit Pacts protect both parties, but Chen Lin also uses selective disclosure to bring others to him.
• Persistent danger: The entity remains active, so even a successful cure offers no guarantee against future possession.
• Family and legacy: Chen Lin’s advice to Jiliang highlights cultivation as a priority while also acknowledging the emotional importance of descendants and family continuity.

Plot points and events

• Yue Tianyi and an associate visit Chen Lin with an urgent matter. In private, Chen Lin uses his Soul-Destroying Finger to persuade them to seek his help. He extracts valuable benefits and arranges for them to gather spiritual herbs on Duobao Island, sparing him the risks of going himself.
• Back at the mountain, Chen Lin’s daughter, Chen Ling’er, asks how he secured such gains. He deflects her question and learns that she has already established her Primordial Spirit Domain.
• Chen Lin takes Ling’er to a remote valley to test her domain, promising to suppress his cultivation to the Spirit Transformation Stage. Inside her earth-element domain, she attacks him with a colossal hammer, swarms of flying swords, and durable earth puppets. Chen Lin counters each assault with lightning techniques.
• Ling’er then manifests unstable phantom forms—void spirits, a development that astonishes Chen Lin. He breaks his promise and uses his Void Refinement cultivation to shatter the domain. Ling’er protests, but Chen Lin placates her and praises her exceptional achievement.
• Just as Chen Lin is about to ask how she created the void spirits, he notices something in the distance.

Character developments

• Chen Lin shows his usual resourcefulness in turning danger into an opportunity. During the spar, his pride as a father competes with his desire to tease and discipline Ling’er; her final display genuinely shocks him.
• Chen Ling’er reveals that she has secretly spent considerable time refining her Primordial Spirit Domain. Her mastery of earth techniques and ability to produce void spirits mark her as exceptionally talented. She is playful and competitive, but also wants her father’s approval.

Themes

• Parental pride and playful rivalry: Their spar is as much a test of their bond as of their abilities.
• Hidden effort and growth: Ling’er’s domain is far more developed than Chen Lin expected, showing that her apparent delay concealed sustained training.
• Power and the limits of rules: Chen Lin agrees to fight under restrictions, but breaks them when confronted with an unprecedented threat.
• Pragmatism and risk avoidance: Chen Lin’s arrangement to have others collect herbs reflects his preference for gaining resources without personally facing danger.

Character interactions

• Chen Lin bargains with Yue Tianyi and his companion, using his special technique to secure their cooperation.
• Ling’er coaxes her father for information, then invites his guidance by challenging him to test her domain.
• Father and daughter trade boasts, taunts, and attacks throughout the spar. Chen Lin ultimately concedes the bout to soothe Ling’er, while sincerely acknowledging her remarkable talent.

Key plot points

• Daoist Destiny and his disciple, Zhenyangzi, appear before Chen Lin. Zhenyangzi has advanced from a Foundation Establishment youth to late Spirit Transformation, but his master, Guangxuanzi, remains trapped in a Nightmare Realm scenario.
• Daoist Destiny removes an undetectable Daoist Sect transmission treasure from Chen Lin, then warns him that immortals and deities will rise, great upheaval is coming, and Chen Lin will face a major tribulation. He urges Chen Lin to strengthen his survival abilities.
• Chen Lin suspects the warning may concern Youruo, a powerful heretical entity connected to him. Taking the prophecy seriously, he abandons Yue Tianyi’s Void Refinement ceremony and retreats with Hua Ruyu to the underwater immortal cave, hoping the Nightmare Realm might offer safety.
• At the cave, Chen Lin learns that Bai Yuzhou recognizes the style of writing carved near a sealed node. Under Chen Lin’s questioning, Bai recalls seeing similar writing in a secret realm belonging to Huanyin Palace on the Yantian Continent.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin is shaken by Daoist Destiny’s prophecy and shifts from ordinary cultivation concerns to preparing for a potentially existential threat. He also considers whether his talent might help him detect or weaken the coming calamity.
• Daoist Destiny remains enigmatic and formidable. He gives Chen Lin a warning as repayment for his senior brother’s past use of him, but leaves before explaining the danger further.
• Zhenyangzi has grown immensely powerful but remains unable to free his imprisoned master. He shows no resentment toward Chen Lin for being unable to help.
• Chen Ling’er responds to Daoist Destiny’s visit by wishing she had asked him to locate treasures; Chen Lin rebukes her practical greed.
• Bai Yuzhou provides a potentially important lead, recalling the mysterious writing from his past visit to Huanyin Palace’s secret realm.

Significant themes

• Fate and personal responsibility: Daoist Destiny argues that people reap the consequences of their own causes rather than blaming others.
• The limits of power: Chen Lin cannot rescue Guangxuanzi or yet use his talent to avert a vast calamity.
• Prophecy and uncertainty: The warning is credible but ambiguous, forcing Chen Lin to prepare without knowing the threat’s exact source.
• Preparation and survival: The chapter emphasizes prudence in the face of forces far beyond an individual cultivator’s control.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin uses a secret art to make Bai Yuzhou recount everything he knows about the mysterious writing. After confirming his honesty, Chen compensates him with pills; Bai’s displeasure immediately turns to eager cooperation.
• Chen decides to decipher the writing before risking another exploration of the dangerous node. He hopes to consult Madam Miaoyin, a powerful Dao Rhyme Seventh Stage cultivator, but recognizes that approaching her will require care.
• Chen and Hua Ruyu arrive at Duobao Island, where rogue cultivators are gathering to bid for entry into a newly discovered Mysterious Place. Chen intends to contact Madam Miaoyin and assess whether the discovery is connected to the “Immortal and Deity Revival.”
• Chen cannot reach Xin Yueling, Yue Tianyi, or Zhang Zhenqian. Lu Xiaoyi explains that the major powers have already sent experts inside, likely accounting for the failed transmissions and leaving later entrants with few treasures.
• Lu confirms Xin and the others entered the Mysterious Place. Chen must therefore wait to collect his promised payment and seek another way to meet Madam Miaoyin.
• Lu reports strange phenomena near the Black Mist Forbidden Land and the Earth Cave: intense yin qi and brilliant clouds lasted half a day. Chen fears the event may signal danger from the heretical entity Youruo, though he also considers that Daoist Destiny may be involved.
• When Chen asks where Madam Miaoyin is staying, Lu misreads his interest as an attempt to gain resources through seduction and leaves. Chen finds out that the Huanyin Palace occupies a nearby satellite island.
• Before Chen and Hua Ruyu can go there, a colorful bird announces that Madam Miaoyin is “throwing her embroidered ball,” drawing a crowd and leaving the pair astonished.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Lin remains cautious and calculating, prioritizing information and repayment over entering the Mysterious Place. The ominous report from the Earth Cave, however, heightens his urgency to decipher the writing and continue investigating.
• Bai Yuzhou proves openly pragmatic: compensation quickly turns his resentment into enthusiasm for helping Chen.
• Lu Xiaoyi is wary because of her past possession and her still-recovering soul source. Her teasing suspicion of Chen’s motives creates an awkward misunderstanding.
• Hua Ruyu accompanies Chen but remains largely silent and concealed, prompting Lu’s curiosity about their relationship.
• Chen and Lu exchange information about the expedition, the missing companions, and the possible threat near the Earth Cave; Chen and Hua Ruyu react together to the strange announcement about Madam Miaoyin.

Significant themes

• Pragmatism and power: Bai’s attitude and the major factions’ early access to the Mysterious Place show how resources shape behavior and advantage.
• Risk versus knowledge: Chen avoids immediate exploration, preferring to understand the writing and secure his obligations first.
• Uncertainty and looming upheaval: The Mysterious Place and the Earth Cave’s unusual signs suggest wider supernatural changes may be underway.
• Reputation and misinterpretation: Lu’s reaction reflects Madam Miaoyin’s reputation and shows how easily Chen’s intentions can be misunderstood.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Lin follows the crowd to Huanyin Pavilion, where Madam Miaoyin plays a jade xiao whose music sways the emotions of cultivators across the city.
• She throws an embroidered ball toward Chen Lin. He avoids catching it, having Hua Ruyu take it instead, and disguises himself with the Transformation Technique. Miaoyin notices his evasiveness and invites them to Huanyin Island.
• Though her attendants initially intend to admit only Hua Ruyu, Miaoyin orders that both guests be brought to her. Chen Lin reluctantly goes along, hoping to learn what he needs.
• On entering her bedchamber, Chen Lin is attacked by Yin Jiuling, a Dark Yin Sect elder. The Cyan Vine Shield blocks and destroys Yin’s powerful spirit-transforming dagger.
• Miaoyin recognizes the shield’s exceptional grade and identifies Chen Lin as an outsider and a Void Refinement expert. She demands the route to the outside world and Ancestor Lingtian’s belongings, offering to let the pair leave—and teasingly proposing dual cultivation.
• Chen Lin realizes the hostility is connected to Ancestor Lingtian, but the reason for that connection remains unexplained.

Character developments

• Chen Lin remains cautious and resourceful: he disguises himself, uses Hua Ruyu to accept the invitation, and avoids revealing his identity. The shield’s success gives him greater confidence in his defenses, but Miaoyin’s knowledge and the ambush keep him wary.
• Hua Ruyu acts as Chen Lin’s proxy and companion, entering Miaoyin’s palace in his place at first. Chen Lin worries she might react violently, though she agrees to proceed carefully.
• Madam Miaoyin demonstrates both formidable power and sharp perception. Her music can influence a city’s worth of cultivators, and she quickly deduces much about Chen Lin. Her flirtation masks a serious demand.
• Yin Jiuling is revealed to be working with Miaoyin, though his presence and motives are puzzling. His failed surprise attack leaves him wary of Chen Lin.

Significant themes

• Power and influence: Miaoyin’s music controls emotions without apparent use of magic, while her status and insight make her dangerous even before combat begins.
• Disguise and concealed identity: Chen Lin’s efforts to hide who he is contrast with Miaoyin’s ability to see through much of his cover.
• Trust, danger, and negotiation: The invitation proves to be a trap, forcing Chen Lin to balance his need for information against the risk of confrontation.
• Unresolved factional ties: The demand for Ancestor Lingtian’s possessions hints at hidden alliances and conflicts among powerful figures.

Character interactions

• Chen Lin and Hua Ruyu coordinate discreetly, with Hua Ruyu catching the ball and Chen Lin warning her not to provoke Miaoyin.
• Miaoyin’s seductive public performance draws in the crowd, then her invitation singles out Chen Lin and Hua Ruyu.
• Yin Jiuling attacks Chen Lin as soon as he enters the bedchamber; Chen Lin’s shield turns the ambush around.
• Miaoyin questions and bargains with Chen Lin, while he challenges her about the attack and refuses to reveal what he knows.