Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Zhe, disguised as Ye Tian, arrives at Cloudrise Manor for Ji Bochang's funeral.
• He finds a cheap, thin coffin made of paulownia wood beneath the stilted house, with no joss paper or wreaths, indicating disrespect.
• He discovers that the coffin isn't Ji Bochang's, leading him to suspect a Weird Event.
• A wooden calligraphy brush falls from above, nearly hitting Ning Zhe. He meets Shi Yurou, Ji Bochang's daughter, who reveals that the coffin is indeed her father's, but he had specific burial wishes.
• Ji Bochang's will includes instructions to keep everything in the house untouched and to invite specific people to the funeral using black invitations.
• Shi Yurou shares that the night before, they heard knocks from inside the coffin and found copper coins missing from their pockets. Upon checking, they found the coffin empty.

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe: Shows curiosity and caution in investigating the strange occurrences at Cloudrise Manor.
• Shi Yurou: Honest and respectful towards her father's wishes, she shares the unusual events happening at the manor.

Significant Themes

• Disrespect and lack of filial piety towards the deceased (Ji Bochang's siblings' actions).
• The strangeness and otherworldliness of Cloudrise Manor, hinting at an impending Weird Event.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe and Shi Yurou: They meet for the first time, with Shi Yurou sharing crucial information about the manor and her father's wishes with Ning Zhe.
• Ji Bochang's siblings (Shi Yurou and Ji Yunying): They are mentioned to have kept vigil for their father together and experienced strange events together.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ji Bochang's corpse disappears after his death.
• Shi Yurou and Ji Yunying each lose one of their four copper coins, which were meant to be kept on their person at all times.
• Ji Bochang's study remains untouched, with his will instructing his children to invite Ascendants on a list to his funeral.

Character Developments

• Shi Yurou shows respect for tradition and etiquette, even in distressing circumstances.
• Ji Bochang is portrayed as someone who valued elegance and collectibles, but lacked depth in his knowledge.

Significant Themes

• The importance of rules and traditions in maintaining order (symbolized by the copper coins).
• The value of imperfection and repair (represented by the Seven Teapots).

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe and Shi Yurou interact as she explains the study and its contents to him.
• Ning Zhe shows understanding and knowledge about the items in the study, impressing Shi Yurou.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Zhe, disguised as Ye Tian, visits Cloudrise Manor to investigate Ji Bochang's death.
• He notices a couplet at the entrance written by Ji Bochang, hinting at wealth and longevity.
• In Ji Bochang's study, Ning Zhe finds an unfinished calligraphy that hints at searching for Ji Bochang's corpse.
• Ning Zhe leaves the study, but Ji Yunying and Lan Shiwen, who arrive soon after, claim they didn't see him.
• Surveillance footage shows Ning Zhe walking towards the main gate, but he's actually exploring the manor's forest.

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe (Ye Tian): He's observant, deductive, and uninterested in resolving the Weird Event. He's searching for Ji Bochang's corpse and information about Yu Ziqian's Ghost.
• Shi Yurou: She's confused and distressed about her father's death and his strange will. She's also embarrassed about serving bitter tea to Ning Zhe.
• Ji Yunying: He's concerned about his father's will and seems unaware of the supernatural events occurring.
• Lan Shiwen: He's polite and understanding. He seems to know about Ji Bochang's eccentricities and is willing to help the siblings.

Significant Themes

• Death and Legacy: Ji Bochang's death and his unusual will are the central events driving the plot.
• Supernatural Elements: The Ghost and the Thought Imprint are mysterious and unexplained phenomena that Ning Zhe is investigating.
• Trust and Deception: Ning Zhe's true identity and intentions are hidden from the siblings, creating a sense of unease and mistrust.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe and Shi Yurou: They have a brief, awkward interaction where Shi Yurou offers tea, and Ning Zhe declines, causing her embarrassment.
• Ji Yunying and Lan Shiwen: They arrive together and discuss Ji Bochang's will, unaware of Ning Zhe's presence or the supernatural events unfolding.
• Ning Zhe and Ji Bochang (posthumously): Through his will and hints, Ji Bochang interacts with Ning Zhe, guiding him to search for his corpse.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lan Shiwen discovers clues hinting that Ji Bochang's body might be hidden near paper mulberry trees.
• Ye Tian, an Ascendant, is suspected of knowing the location of Ji Bochang's corpse and is believed to be seeking a way to extend his own life.
• Lan Shiwen decides to continue investigating despite the potential danger posed by Ye Tian.

Character Developments

• Lan Shiwen demonstrates his keen observation skills and understanding of Ji Bochang's preferences.
• Ye Tian's reputation and intentions are revealed, showing him as desperate and potentially dangerous.

Significant Themes

• The theme of desperation and the lengths one might go to extend their life is explored through Ye Tian's character.
• The importance of observation and deduction in solving mysteries is highlighted through Lan Shiwen's actions.

Character Interactions

• Lan Shiwen interacts with Ji Yunying and Shi Yurou, sharing his findings and suspicions about Ji Bochang's corpse and Ye Tian's intentions.
• Lan Shiwen investigates Ye Tian's background online, revealing the other Ascendant's dire situation and potential motives.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Zhe, in the form of a peregrine falcon, flies over Cloudrise Manor and discovers a forest of male paper mulberry trees, with only one female tree bearing fruit.
• He finds a shrine beneath the female tree, containing a cross-legged clay statue resembling an old man, later identified as Ji Bochang.
• The statue, revealed to be the God of Wealth, opens his hollow eye sockets and kills two people (Liu Hongzhi and an unnamed individual) with a single raised hand.
• Ning Zhe flees the scene in his bird form.

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe demonstrates his ability to transform into a bird and his analytical skills in identifying the forest's unusual composition.
• Ji Bochang is revealed to be the God of Wealth, with the power to kill with a single gesture.

Significant Themes

• The theme of the God of Wealth's power and its consequences is introduced, with the deity shown to be dangerous and unpredictable.
• The contrast between the idyllic setting of Cloudrise Manor and the sinister events occurring in the forest highlights the duality of appearances and reality.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe interacts with the God of Wealth, though it's a one-sided exchange as the deity kills two people without speaking to Ning Zhe.
• Ning Zhe's decision to flee indicates his recognition of the God of Wealth's power and the need for caution.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Yurou and Ji Yunying wake up in Cloudrise Manor. Shi Yurou, dressed in mourning white, notices the paper mulberry trees and other clues around the manor.
• Ye Tian (Ning Zhe in disguise) appears, cuts the red string bracelet from Shi Yurou's wrist, takes two copper coins, and leaves as a peregrine falcon.
• The manor's atmosphere becomes alien and eerie. The siblings' internet connection is lost.
• Shi Yurou's father, now a ghostly figure, appears behind Ji Yunying. He carries a small cloth pouch and looks toward Cloud Dream Marsh, where Ning Zhe flew.
• The ghostly figure, seemingly the God of Wealth, approaches the siblings, then leaves, floating toward the manor's front gate.

Character Developments

• Shi Yurou: Realizes the significance of the paper mulberry trees and other clues, experiences extreme fear when encountering the ghostly figure of her father.
• Ji Yunying: Initially unaware of the supernatural events, becomes terrified when seeing his father's ghostly figure. Loses two copper coins from his bracelet.

Significant Themes

• Supernatural elements and their impact on the living.
• The power of the red string bracelet and copper coins in protecting against supernatural threats.
• The eerie and unsettling atmosphere created by the ghostly figure's presence.

Character Interactions

• Shi Yurou and Ji Yunying: The siblings interact briefly, with Shi Yurou warning Ji Yunying about the ghostly figure and both of them witnessing the ghostly figure's appearance and departure.
• Shi Yurou and the ghostly figure: Shi Yurou is terrified by the ghostly figure of her father, while the figure seems to examine her and Ji Yunying before leaving.
• Ji Yunying and the ghostly figure: Ji Yunying is initially unaware of the ghostly figure but becomes terrified upon seeing it. The figure approaches him but does not harm him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tourists are crossing Cloud Dream Marsh by boat, discussing their plans for the day.
• A sudden emergency stop occurs due to the boat's detection of a humanoid object in the lake.
• A mysterious figure is found standing on the lake's surface, later revealed to be Fortune God, a decapitated corpse that revives upon hearing a coin drop.

Character Developments

• No significant character developments occur in this chapter as it focuses on the tourists' initial reactions to the supernatural event.

Significant Themes

• Supernatural occurrences and the unknown.
• Fear and panic in the face of the unexplained.
• The theme of revival or resurrection, symbolized by Fortune God's headless body.

Character Interactions

• Tourists on the boat discuss their plans and react to the sudden stop and the mysterious figure.
• The captain of the boat is baffled and unsure of how to react to the situation.
• The mysterious figure (Fortune God) interacts with the tourists only through its eerie presence and the supernatural event of its revival.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ji Bochang's death is reversed by the God of Wealth, but it's the God of Wealth possessing Ji Bochang's corpse, not Ji Bochang himself.
• Ning Zhe awakens in a pavilion by Cloud Dream Marsh.
• Tuyu calls Ning Zhe (disguised as Yu Ziqian) to warn him about an impending Weird Event and to leave Cloud Dream Marsh before 8 AM.
• Ning Zhe decides not to intervene in the God of Wealth's Weird Event, as it doesn't align with his core rule.
• Ning Zhe returns to Cloudrise Manor and sees Lan Shiwen talking to Ji Yunying.

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe: Realizes the God of Wealth's rule can reverse life and death, but it's incompatible with his core rule. Decides not to intervene in the Weird Event.
• Tuyu: Shows concern for other Ascendants' safety by warning them about the Weird Event.

Significant Themes

• Rules and Compatibility: Different rules have different effects and compatibilities with an Ascendant's core rule. Seeking incompatible rules can lead to fatal weaknesses.
• Weird Events and Ascendants: Weird Events attract Ascendants, who have their own motivations for intervening.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe and Tuyu: They have a brief, informative conversation over the phone, with Tuyu warning Ning Zhe about the Weird Event.
• Ning Zhe and Lan Shiwen: They haven't interacted yet, but Ning Zhe sees Lan Shiwen talking to Ji Yunying at Cloudrise Manor.

Chapter Summary

Setting: Second Floor of Cloud Dream Marsh, soon to be sealed off due to the Fortune God losing control.

1. Key Plot Points

• Shi Yurou is terrified of Ning Zhe (disguised as “Ye Tian”), remembering he lured the Fortune God earlier.
• Ji Yunying confronts Ning Zhe, demanding the return of his late father’s Copper Coins from his sister’s bracelet.
• Ning Zhe acknowledges taking the coins but refuses to return them, mocking Ji Yunying’s helplessness.
• Ning Zhe realizes Shi Yurou and Ji Yunying have encountered the Fortune God twice: first losing one coin each, then two coins each — implying escalating costs.
• Lan Shiwen warns them to flee because the area is being sealed and the Fortune God has lost control.
• When Ji Yunying throws a punch, Ning Zhe shoots him dead, takes his remaining two Copper Coins, and attaches them to his own collection.
• Ning Zhe reveals he killed Ji Yunying not out of anger, but to test a hypothesis about the “Five Connections” rules.
• After a mysterious coin sound, time reverses and Ji Yunying is resurrected. He attacks again; Ning Zhe slaps him and reveals he now has two lives left, while Shi Yurou has three.
• Lan Shiwen praises Ning Zhe as a genius.
• Ning Zhe offers to sell his deductions about the Five Connections rules — payment in Life-Buying Money, not ordinary currency.
• Lan Shiwen agrees to pay ten Life-Buying Money. Ning Zhe mentally regrets asking too little.

2. Character Developments

• Ning Zhe: Cold, calculating, and ruthlessly pragmatic. He is willing to kill an innocent person purely to test a rule, then treats the resurrection as data. His priority is survival and information, not morality.
• Ji Yunying: Impulsive and hot-blooded; he suffers the consequences of confronting a stronger Ascendant and learns that death/resurrection is not something he can control.
• Shi Yurou: Utterly powerless and terrified; she dare not even cry aloud for fear of angering Ning Zhe.
• Lan Shiwen: Pragmatic and unshaken by violence. He doesn’t care about the siblings’ deaths; he only recognizes the value of Ning Zhe’s knowledge and negotiates the price.

3. Significant Themes

• Life as Currency: Copper Coins / Life-Buying Money literally buy survival; lives are counted, spent, and regained under the Fortune God’s rules.
• Moral Inversion: Murder becomes a tool for testing supernatural laws, and human life is devalued in the face of survival.
• Information as Power: Ning Zhe’s insights into the Five Connections are treated as high-value commodities.
• Predatory Hierarchy: Ascendants like Ning Zhe and Lan Shiwen operate above ordinary people, who are expendable in their schemes.

4. Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe & Ji Yunying: Confrontation → murder → resurrection → humiliation. Ning Zhe dominates absolutely.
• Ning Zhe & Lan Shiwen: A cold business relationship; Lan Shiwen respects Ning Zhe’s intellect, Ning Zhe uses Lan Shiwen’s resources/coins.
• Shi Yurou & Everyone: She is a passive victim, clinging to her brother and fearing Ning Zhe; her distress is ignored by the men.
• Lan Shiwen & the Siblings: He warns them but keeps his distance, showing detached pragmatism rather than real care.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Zhe explains the rules of the Fortune God's transactions to Lan Shiwen, who pays him for the information.
• The Fortune God approaches, and Lan Shiwen, terrified, asks Ning Zhe for all his Copper Coins, promising to repay double later.
• They leave Cloudrise Manor in Lan Shiwen's car, with Lan Shiwen revealing he can predict the future and has seen the Fortune God buying the lives of all Yundu City's residents, turning it into a 'dead city'.

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe: Shows understanding of the Fortune God's rules and maintains a calm demeanor despite the impending danger.
• Lan Shiwen: Reveals his rule of predicting the future and shows fear when he sees the Fortune God approaching, indicating his rule might be connected to it.

Significant Themes

• Transactions and Consequences: The Fortune God's transactions have severe consequences, as seen in the potential fate of Yundu City.
• Trust and Reputation: Lan Shiwen tries to use his reputation as collateral, but Ning Zhe insists on immediate payment, highlighting the importance of trust and contractual principles.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe and Lan Shiwen: Their interaction shows Ning Zhe's cautious nature and Lan Shiwen's desperation, as he tries to persuade Ning Zhe to trust him without immediate payment.
• Lan Shiwen and the others: Lan Shiwen's revelation about his rule and the future of Yundu City is witnessed by Shi Yurou and the Ji Yunying siblings, indicating the gravity of the situation.

Summary: "Asked, but He Didn't Know"

Key Plot Points

• Ning Zhe and Lan Shiwen observe the Han River Bridge where Cloud Dream Marsh's western sky is dark and Yundu City's eastern sky is clear—the boundary of an impending Weird Event.
• Lan Shiwen explains that Cha Yu (Tuyu) will seal off Cloud Dream Marsh for exactly four hours, but the Fortune God will remain unbroken afterward and slaughter Yundu City's inhabitants.
• Lan Shiwen reveals that Ji Bochang (the previous Fortune God) intentionally orchestrated this disaster by inviting multiple Ascendants to his funeral, knowing their gathered Life-Buying Money would attract the Fortune God's rule.
• Lan Shiwen confronts Ji Yunying and Shi Yurou, demanding the key Ji Bochang hid in his mouth. Ji Yunying initially refuses but surrenders after being shot once (he had two lives).
• Despite receiving the key, Lan Shiwen kills Ji Yunying anyway, explaining that Ji Yunying would rape his younger sister in the future.
• Lan Shiwen explains the Fortune God's mechanics: 1 life = 1 Copper Coin = 1 life in the first transaction, but the ratio worsens with each subsequent transaction. The solution requires hoarding life-buying money.
• The key opens a haunted house in Cloudrise Mountain where Ji Bochang stored his forty years of accumulated Life-Buying Money—Lan Shiwen's only hope.
• Ning Zhe volunteers to accompany Lan Shiwen, not out of heroism but as a mutually beneficial arrangement: he'll help Lan Shiwen now in exchange for a future favor involving Lan Shiwen's prediction ability.

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe: Pragmatic and self-interested. He explicitly rejects heroism, framing his help as a transactional deal. He is observant, mentally cataloging Lan Shiwen's ability's potential weaknesses (though keeping this to himself).
• Lan Shiwen: Ruthless and calculating. His future-prediction ability makes him coldly pragmatic—he kills Ji Yunying even after getting the key because he's seen what Ji Yunying will do. His motivation appears to be protecting his younger sister, driving him to stop the Fortune God's rampage.
• Ji Yunying: Desperate and ultimately powerless. Clings to his foster father's legacy but has no real leverage. His death demonstrates Lan Shiwen's merciless practicality.
• Shi Yurou: Broken by events, she cowardly pleads for survival. Lan Shiwen spares her because his ability shows she won't seek revenge.

Significant Themes

• Transactionality and exchange: The Fortune God's rule reduces human life to currency. Characters themselves engage in transactional relationships (Ning Zhe and Lan Shiwen's deal), mirroring the rule they fight against.
• Foreknowledge as a double-edged sword: Lan Shiwen's prediction ability gives him near-perfect tactical advantage but also appears to drive him toward bitter pragmatism—he chooses preemptive violence based on crimes not yet committed.
• Moral ambiguity: There are no clear heroes. Lan Shiwen kills to prevent future harm to his family; Ning Zhe helps only for personal gain. The "villain" Ji Bochang orchestrated everything from beyond the grave.
• Inevitability vs. agency: The future Lan Shiwen saw (Fortune God rampaging in Yundu City) is not fixed—the presence of the key and Ji Bochang's hoard represents a chance to alter fate.
• The cost of power: Ascendants' abilities come with rules and limitations (exactly four hours, specific key requirements), making even powerful beings bound by cosmic transaction terms.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe & Lan Shiwen: A pragmatic alliance. Ning Zhe presses for information, Lan Shiwen provides it. Their dynamic is mutual wariness with clear self-interest on both sides.
• Lan Shiwen & Ji Yunying: Brutal and one-sided. Lan Shiwen immediately establishes dominance, shooting Ji Yunying to force compliance, then executing him anyway.
• Ji Yunying & Shi Yurou: Siblings in crisis—Ji Yunying shows defiance, Shi Yurou shows cowardice, with Shi Yurou urging her brother to comply.
• Lan Shiwen's subordinates: Brief appearance of two uniformed men who handle logistics (taking the car, Ji Yunying's body, and Shi Yurou away), showing Lan Shiwen has resources and infrastructure.

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Zhe has agreed to accompany Lan Shiwen into Cloudrise Mountain, partly to use the rule of Predicting the Future to foresee something in his own future.
• Lan Shiwen reveals why he is risking his life: he grew up in Yundu City and refuses to let it be destroyed.
• He explains Ji Bochang’s scheme: Ji Bochang, known as the Fortune God, used his “Five Connections” rule to create Life-Buying Money (copper coins). His absurdly priced calligraphy and paintings were actually a front for laundering money; buyers received a copper coin as a gift, effectively buying back their own lives.
• The rule is fair but harsh: the cost of buying a life rises exponentially (1 coin for the first life, 2 for the second, 4 for the third), while the value of selling lives plummets (1 life for 1 coin, 2 lives for 1 coin, etc.).
• Ji Bochang himself died many times and eventually could no longer afford to buy back his own life. Facing death, he went mad and planned his own funeral as a massive Weird Event involving at least ten out-of-control rules, intending to drag all of Cloud Capital into hell with him.
• Lan Shiwen plans to retrieve Ji Bochang’s hidden money before the Fortune God kills the other Ascendants and lets his assets grow unchecked.
• They abandon the car at the mountain road, and Ning Zhe transforms into a giant brown bear to carry Lan Shiwen into the mountains.
• Their destination is Gathering Immortals Garden, a former Taoist temple honoring the Cloud Ridge Three Immortals: Fortune, Emolument, and Longevity. Ning Zhe finds it suspiciously relevant.

2. Character Developments

• Ning Zhe: Shows his pragmatic, slightly cynical side with jokes, but also reveals hidden depth. He has a shape-shifting trump card (turning into a bear), suggesting more to his abilities than the Ascendant Network records show.
• Lan Shiwen: Displayed as a rare responsible Ascendant. He is willing to risk his life not for personal gain but to protect his hometown and the people he knows. He carries the weight of the mission and trusts Ning Zhe enough to ride on his back.

3. Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and Responsibility: Lan Shiwen’s motivation is rooted in moral duty, not personal profit.
• Madness Born from Despair: Ji Bochang’s downfall shows how the terror of death can corrupt a person beyond humanity.
• Fair but Ruthless Rules: The Life-Buying Money system is “fair” in its symmetry, but still devastating; the same rules that made Ji Bochang powerful eventually destroyed him.
• Hidden Truths and Disguises: Ning Zhe’s true abilities are not what they seem, and Ji Bochang’s art was never art—it was a tool for laundering lives.

4. Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe and Lan Shiwen share a tense but cooperative partnership. Ning Zhe teases Lan Shiwen about reckless driving and his noble motives, while Lan Shiwen calmly explains the stakes.
• Their conversation reveals mutual trust: Ning Zhe gives him the bracelet of copper coins and trusts him to guide the way, while Lan Shiwen climbs onto his transformed back without hesitation.
• Ji Bochang is only referenced, but his shadow looms over the entire chapter as the unseen antagonist.

Summary

1. Key Plot Points

• Ning Zhe, in brown bear form, carries Lan Shiwen through the deep forest of Cloudrise Mountain, following Lan’s directions.
• They emerge onto a tourist path leading to Gathering Immortals Garden, an ancient residence.
• Near the path, they find a shrine holding a composite statue: the Cloud Ridge Three Immortals — a brocade-robed young man (Star of Emolument / Fortune God), a child with a cloth sack, and an elderly man with a longevity lock.
• Ning Zhe notices the shrine resembles one seen earlier, but no further clues appear.
• They climb the long stone path and reach the residence's blood-red gate, which bears white paper couplets with red characters—identical to those seen before at Cloudrise Manor, despite auspicious wording.
• Lan Shiwen uses the rusty key taken from Ji Yunying to unlock the gate.
• Inside, they traverse a three-courtyard compound: outer flower garden with stone toads holding copper coins, a second courtyard with black-and-white rockeries and side rooms, and a central courtyard with bamboo, a pond, and the Main Hall.
• Ning Zhe realizes the layout is reversed from a normal siheyuan: ornamental features are on the outside, while the Main Hall is buried deepest at the center—like a garment turned inside out.
• Lan Shiwen warns that this is not a tourist site but another world, and that the “immortals” gathered here are not benevolent spirits.
• Their goal: find Ji Bochang’s hidden inheritance.

2. Character Developments

• Ning Zhe: Observant and cautious; uses his bear form practically; mentally analyzes architectural and symbolic details, showing growing competence in navigating supernatural dangers.
• Lan Shiwen: Acts as a knowledgeable guide; calm but wary; understands local mythology, the significance of the shrine, and the inverted layout; clearly aware of the occult danger they are stepping into.

3. Significant Themes

• Inversion and Uncanny Architecture: The reversed siheyuan layout signals a place that defies normal human design—possibly built for the dead or spirits.
• Fortune, Death, and Immortality: The shrine mixing the Fortune God with longevity figures, white couplets, and the name “Gathering Immortals” blur the lines between blessing, death, and the supernatural.
• Hidden Inheritance and the Past: The search for Ji Bochang's money ties the physical journey to unresolved history and buried secrets.

4. Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe carries Lan Shiwen through rough terrain—showing physical cooperation and trust.
• Lan Shiwen gives concise explanations about the shrine and the residence, while Ning Zhe listens, observes, and confirms details.
• Lan Shiwen takes the lead with the key, but both move as a pair, with Lan warning Ning Zhe to stay alert and Ning Zhe acknowledging the danger.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Zhe and Lan Shiwen enter Gathering Immortals Garden, a dangerous place filled with hidden threats.
• Ning Zhe nearly dies twice: once from a bamboo stalk piercing his heart, and another time from an inexplicable sudden death, causing his pistol to discharge and kill Lan Shiwen.
• They discover that Ji Bochang, the Fortune God, hid his Life-Buying Money in the garden, but the reason behind hiding it remains unclear.

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe: Shows his reckless and daring side by deciding to bathe in the pond, believing it will improve his luck.
• Lan Shiwen: Demonstrates his commitment to helping Ning Zhe by repeatedly using his ability to Predict the Future, even knowing its limits.

Significant Themes

• Danger and Death: The garden is filled with hidden dangers that can cause instant death, highlighting the theme of mortality and the fragility of life.
• Luck and Fortune: The mention of bathing to improve luck ties into the theme of fortune and the role of the Fortune God, Ji Bochang.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe and Lan Shiwen: Their interaction shows a growing trust and reliance on each other as they navigate the dangerous garden together. Lan Shiwen's willingness to use his ability repeatedly to protect Ning Zhe demonstrates their growing bond.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Zhe, despite not warming up, bathes in an icy pool without incident.
• He then transforms into a giant snake and swims to a pavilion at the pool's center.
• Lan Shiwen predicts Ning Zhe's death beneath the pavilion, but Ning Zhe returns safely.
• Ning Zhe discovers three coffins beneath the pavilion, inscribed with "Fortune", "Prosperity", and "Longevity".

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe demonstrates exceptional physical condition and adaptability, surviving unlikely events.
• Lan Shiwen begins to understand the concept of luck and its influence on events, based on his predictions.
• An unseen figure in a Wedding Dress is introduced, hinting at supernatural involvement.

Significant Themes

• Luck and its influence on events and outcomes.
• The power of belief and rituals, as seen in Ning Zhe's prayers.
• The potential dangers of the unknown, represented by the coffins.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe and Lan Shiwen interact, with Ning Zhe encouraging Lan Shiwen to bathe, and Lan Shiwen predicting Ning Zhe's fate.
• The unseen figure in the Wedding Dress observes Ning Zhe's actions, suggesting potential future interactions.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Zhe discovers three treasure coffins at the bottom of a pool in Gathering Immortals Garden, each representing Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity.
• He finds that the white Prosperity coffin has been opened and its nails removed.
• Ning Zhe hears knocking sounds from the red Fortune coffin and experiences a leg cramp, prompting him to drag the white Prosperity coffin ashore.
• Lan Shiwen reveals he had a premonition of Ning Zhe being crushed by the Three Immortals statue.
• They deduce that Ji Bochang, as the Fortune God, opened the white Prosperity coffin forty years ago, controlling the Five Connections.

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe demonstrates his adaptability and determination by retrieving the coffin despite the dangers and his injury.
• Lan Shiwen shows his honesty in revealing his failed premonition and his analytical skills in piecing together the events.

Significant Themes

• Fate and Luck: The chapter explores the contrast between Lan Shiwen's premonitions and the actual events, highlighting the role of luck in shaping outcomes.
• Death and Burial: The water burial custom and the coffins emphasize the theme of death and its various rituals.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe and Lan Shiwen work together to understand the events and share their findings, demonstrating a growing partnership.
• He Nianjun appears silently observing the scene, maintaining her mysterious demeanor.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Zhe and Lan Shiwen find Ji Bochang's coffin in the pond, containing a corpse and a thick layer of copper coins.
• They realize that the corpse in the coffin is Ji Bochang's, and they decide to leave Cloud Dream Marsh with the coffin.
• Upon reaching the exit, they find the gate closed, and Lan Shiwen reveals that the Yin Family, the original owners of Gathering Immortals Garden, are behind it.

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe shows curiosity and a willingness to help Lan Shiwen, despite the dangers they face.
• Lan Shiwen reveals his past involvement in the Millennium Massacre and his disdain for aristocratic families who use rules passed down through bloodlines to control others.

Significant Themes

• The theme of power and control is evident, with the Yin Family seeking to maintain their influence and the independent Ascendants, like Lan Shiwen, rebelling against this control.
• The consequences of ambition and greed are highlighted, as the Yin Family's desire to reclaim their legacy leads them back to Gathering Immortals Garden, despite the risks.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe and Lan Shiwen work together to uncover the secrets of Cloud Dream Marsh and Ji Bochang's inheritance.
• Lan Shiwen shares his past with Ning Zhe, revealing his involvement in the Millennium Massacre and his disdain for the Yin Family, which sets the stage for potential conflict.
• The Yin Family is mentioned but not yet encountered, leaving their interactions with Lan Shiwen and Ning Zhe for future chapters.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lan Shiwen confronts Ji Wuxie, a remnant of the Yin family, at Lan Shiwen's father's funeral.
• Ji Wuxie reveals the Yin family's past atrocities and demands Lan Shiwen surrender the keys to Gathering Immortals Garden.
• Lan Shiwen, with Ning Zhe's help, kills Ji Wuxie and retrieves two Side Gate keys.
• They leave Gathering Immortals Garden, and Ning Zhe departs.
• Ji Bochang's funeral proceeds, and Lan Shiwen meets with Ning Zhe (as Yu Ziqian) to discuss future plans.

Character Developments

• Lan Shiwen's hatred towards aristocratic families is further emphasized, revealing his personal creed to exterminate such families.
• Ning Zhe shows indifference to Lan Shiwen's personal vendetta, focusing only on his own goals.

Significant Themes

• The conflict between lone wanderers and aristocratic families.
• The consequences of past actions and the desire for revenge.
• The value of personal connections and trust among Ascendants.

Character Interactions

• Lan Shiwen and Ning Zhe work together to eliminate Ji Wuxie, demonstrating their compatibility and mutual respect.
• Ning Zhe meets with Lan Shiwen at Ji Bochang's funeral to discuss future plans, showing their growing alliance.
• Lan Shiwen agrees to help Ning Zhe with his search for a specific Ghost and to secure the Fortune-Character Red Coffin for him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Baizhi returns home to find her mother, Feng Yushu, unusually dressed up and wearing makeup.
• Feng Yushu reveals she's meeting Ning Zhe at the mall.
• Baizhi faints in her room after her mother leaves.
• Feng Yushu meets Ning Zhe at the "Patra" Shopping Center. She's nervous and anxious but ultimately happy to see him.

Character Developments

• Baizhi: She's curious about her mother's unusual behavior and seems to be aware of her mother's feelings for Ning Zhe.
• Feng Yushu: She's nervous and restless about meeting Ning Zhe, showing her growing feelings for him. She's also willing to go to great lengths to help him, as seen when she obtains Tian Chengchong's personal belongings.
• Ning Zhe: He's calm and collected, showing no signs of nervousness about meeting Feng Yushu. He's focused on his goal and trusts Feng Yushu to help him.

Significant Themes

• Love and attraction: Feng Yushu's nervousness and actions around Ning Zhe highlight her growing feelings for him.
• Trust: Ning Zhe trusts Feng Yushu to help him, and Feng Yushu trusts Ning Zhe enough to obtain the items he needs.

Character Interactions

• Baizhi and Feng Yushu: Baizhi is curious about her mother's behavior and asks about it, while Feng Yushu is evasive but ultimately honest about meeting Ning Zhe.
• Feng Yushu and Ning Zhe: Feng Yushu is nervous and anxious about meeting Ning Zhe, while he is calm and collected. They discuss the task he gave her, and he thanks her for her help.

Chapter Summary: "Fenwu"

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Zhe obtains the late Tian Chengyun's SIM card, citizen ID, and work badge from Feng Yushu, who smuggled the SIM card out of police evidence storage.
• Ning Zhe deduces that Fenwu — not Yu Ziqian — was the Ascendant who released Ghosts to kill people in Bishuiwan Manor, targeting Ning Zhe's Ghosts (likely Zhaoyou).
• Since Tian Chengyun (a survivor) lied in his TV interview, Ning Zhe believes Fenwu silenced him; the SIM card is the key to unlocking Tian's identity and memories to track Fenwu.
• Ning Zhe strengthens the mental "Thought Imprint" on Feng Yushu, making her more obedient, and formally assigns her as his "killing blade" — willing to risk her life to kill Fenwu if needed.
• He criticizes her flashy outfit for drawing unwanted attention, and she agrees to dress plainly in the future.
• Before leaving, Ning Zhe gives Feng Yushu three protective Copper Coins (from Lan Shiwen's coffin stash) and instructs her to keep them hidden.
• He tasks her with investigating what her husband did in Ancient Tablet Town in the past.

2. Character Developments

• Ning Zhe: Shows extreme caution and strategic planning — turning people into tools, anticipating hidden threats, and preparing multiple contingencies. He uses Yu Ziqian's face as cover and values discretion over appearances.
• Feng Yushu: Demonstrates deep loyalty and emotional attachment to Ning Zhe, eagerly seeking his approval, accepting his criticism, and cherishing his gift. Her role shifts from survivor to obedient asset.

3. Significant Themes

• Hidden threats and paranoia: Fenwu remains an invisible stalker; Ning Zhe's survival depends on uncovering him before being killed.
• Power and control: The Thought Imprint and "blade" metaphor show how Ning Zhe manipulates relationships for survival.
• The danger of visibility: Ostentation attracts unwanted attention in a world of Ascendants and Ghosts.
• Preparation vs. vulnerability: Ning Zhe knows his current powers can't match Fenwu, so he relies on human assets and intelligence gathering.

4. Character Interactions

• The chapter is a single private conversation between Ning Zhe and Feng Yushu at a mall.
• Ning Zhe explains his investigation in detail, tests Feng Yushu's understanding, and issues commands; she responds with nervousness, agreement, and a desire to be close to him.
• Their dynamic is transactional yet emotionally colored — Ning Zhe treats her as a tool but also offers small protections (the Coins), while Feng Yushu shows genuine devotion despite his cold demeanor.