Chapter Summaries

Verdant Green Maiden told Cao Guo she would not stop Great Wei’s southward campaign, but warned that she would kill anyone who slaughtered civilians. After she refused to win the world for him, Cao Guo summoned his ministers and asked about the campaign’s progress.

• Cao Guo recognized Verdant Green Maiden as the Han Goddess and challenged her about Great Wei’s march south.
• Verdant Green Maiden forced Cao Guo to kneel and asked whether the Wei Army would slaughter cities; he said it would not.
• Verdant Green Maiden said she would allow Great Wei to march south, but would kill anyone who slaughtered the people.
• Verdant Green Maiden explained that she chose Liu Bei in the past because Cao Cao slaughtered cities, but would not support Jiangnan’s aristocrats now.
• Cao Guo asked Verdant Green Maiden to help Great Wei win the world, but she told him to win it himself and departed with Bai Susu.
• Cao Guo summoned the Prime Minister, the Grand Marshal, and the Grand Astrologer, then learned that Mount Tai remained under the Xianbei Murong Clan.

Cao Guo redirected Great Wei’s campaign to seize Mount Tai, believing the Han Goddess supported his dynasty, and then traveled there to worship. At the foot of the mountain, he found an unmarked grave and wondered who was buried there.

• Cao Guo told his ministers that he planned to take Mount Tai and perform the Investiture of the Gods, explaining that the divine dragon and Han Goddess had truly existed.
• The Prime Minister and Grand Marshal accepted Cao Guo’s plan, and the Grand Astrologer wrote a sacrificial prayer to the Verdant Green Maiden.
• Great Wei shifted its campaign against the Murong Xianbei and captured Mount Tai Commandery within a few months.
• Verdant Green Maiden learned that Cao Wei had taken Mount Tai and told Bai Susu that someone of their own was waiting there.
• Cao Guo traveled from Ji City to Mount Tai with his officials and worshippers, then noticed an unmarked grave beside the mountain path.

Cao Guo climbed Mount Tai, conferred the title Great Emperor Yu Qing on its goddess, and encountered Hong Luan, who ordered him and his court to leave. As Cao Guo descended, he ordered the Grand Astrologer to discover who Hong Luan was.

• Cao Guo ordered a blank stele placed by a grave on Mount Tai and continued to the summit with his ministers.
• Cao Guo and his party found the palace buildings on Jade Emperor Peak remarkably clean, then watched a red-clad woman emerge and sweep outside.
• Cao Guo read a sacrificial text conferring titles on the Mount Tai Goddess, including Great Emperor Yu Qing, and the sky cleared after he burned it.
• Hong Luan confronted Cao Guo, learned he had bestowed the title on his own initiative, and ordered him and his party off the mountain.
• Cao Guo left Jade Emperor Peak and instructed the Grand Astrologer to identify Hong Luan when they returned to Ji City.

Hong Luan and Heaven discussed Verdant Green Maiden’s fate and the danger of her possible divine title, while she traveled through lands disrupted by war. The chapter ended when Verdant Green Maiden encountered a woman, a boy, and their steward after their carriage crashed.

• Hong Luan questioned Heaven about Verdant Green Maiden’s divine title and whether she could survive the tribulation, and Heaven admitted he did not know.
• Hong Luan returned to Mount Tai to maintain the home she hoped Verdant Green Maiden would one day return to.
• Cao Guo ordered the Murong Clan’s forces around Mount Tai destroyed or brought to surrender, while Verdant Green Maiden and Bai Susu traveled west through the turmoil.
• Verdant Green Maiden sensed Heaven watching her, failed to calculate who it was, and accused Heaven of coveting her dragon.
• A carriage crashed near Verdant Green Maiden, spilling gold and silver, and its steward shielded the woman and boy inside from her.

Verdant Green Maiden helped Murong Ba and his companions escape toward Guanzhong in a ghost carriage, but declined to travel with them. After they crossed Hangu Pass, an Old Daoist Priest revealed that their benefactor was the Great Emperor Yu Qing.

• Verdant Green Maiden identified the fleeing group as the Murong Clan and recognized A Liudun as Murong Ba, son of Murong Huang.
• The steward attacked Verdant Green Maiden, but she knocked him back and agreed to help Murong Ba for ten gold ingots.
• Verdant Green Maiden summoned a ghost horse to carry Murong Ba and his companions west, then departed with Bai Susu and Old Yellow Ox.
• Murong Ba's ghost carriage carried the group through Hangu Pass in two days, and he planned to continue to Chang'an.
• An Old Daoist Priest told Murong Ba that Verdant Green Maiden was the Heavenly Jade Maiden of Mount Tai, Savior Great Emperor Qingxiao Hongyun, the Great Emperor Yu Qing.

Damn Heaven revealed that Cao Guo had bestowed the Divine Position of Great Emperor Yu Qing on Verdant Green Maiden, warning her that the title could bring a Heavenly Tribulation. After continuing her journey, she reunited with Yang Chan, who had finished visiting the Five Sacred Mountains and planned to settle on Mount Hua.

• Damn Heaven told Murong Ba that Cao Guo had named Verdant Green Maiden Great Emperor Yu Qing, and he urged Murong Ba to bring blessings to the common people.
• Damn Heaven warned Verdant Green Maiden that the divine title could lead to a Heavenly Tribulation, but she decided to continue traveling instead of confronting Cao Guo.
• Rumors said Cao Guo returned to Ji City with bruises and missed court for more than half a month after someone beat him.
• Verdant Green Maiden and Bai Susu met Yang Chan and Xiao Tian near Song Mountain, and Yang Chan said she had completed her travels around the Five Sacred Mountains.
• Yang Chan said she planned to settle on Mount Hua, and Verdant Green Maiden gave her the lotus holding the Mermaid's Tear Pearl.

Verdant Green Maiden gave Yang Chan the Precious Lotus Lantern and encouraged her to embrace the role of Mount Hua Goddess. After parting ways, Verdant Green Maiden and Bai Susu headed to Jiankang, where she found something amiss at the garden Cao Zhi had left her.

• Verdant Green Maiden gave Yang Chan a lotus that transformed into the Precious Lotus Lantern and urged her to do good deeds.
• Yang Chan told Verdant Green Maiden that many friends she had made over the past century had died, and reminded her to treasure reunions with old friends.
• Verdant Green Maiden admitted she had grown distant from ordinary people and said she would not make more old friends.
• Verdant Green Maiden and Yang Chan shared a meal before parting, and Verdant Green Maiden reminded Yang Chan that gods must protect the people.
• Yang Chan set off for Mount Hua with the Precious Lotus Lantern, while Verdant Green Maiden and Bai Susu traveled southeast toward Jiankang.
• Verdant Green Maiden went to the garden Cao Zhi had left her beside the Qinhuai River and sensed that something had gone wrong.

Verdant Green Maiden stopped a group from seizing the Cao Family garden by presenting its deed, then learned Cao Zhi had guarded it for her for generations. At Cao Zhi’s grave, she opened the box he had left and found a message asking, “Yu Se, have you been well?”

• Verdant Green Maiden arrived at the garden and asked whether the Prime Minister Zhuge was a descendant of Zhuge Kongming and who served as Situ.
• Verdant Green Maiden produced the garden’s genuine deed, and the intruders fled when she frightened them with her narrowed pupils.
• Cao Luo recognized Verdant Green Maiden as Empress Luo Shen and explained that Cao Zhi had ordered his family to guard the garden for her.
• Verdant Green Maiden went with Cao Luo to Cao Zhi’s grave while Bai Susu stayed behind with Old Yellow Ox.
• Cao Luo gave Verdant Green Maiden a Bronze Box from behind Cao Zhi’s stele, and she opened it to find a bamboo slip asking, “Yu Se, have you been well?”

Verdant Green Maiden visited Cao Zhi’s grave and was caught in a witchcraft accusation after returning to the garden. Wang Xizhi recognized her as Luo Shen through Cao Luo’s testimony and agreed to make amends with calligraphy.

• Verdant Green Maiden read Cao Zhi’s final work, left treasures at his grave, and promised to visit again with meat.
• Cao Luo and Verdant Green Maiden returned to the garden, where a man accused the Cao Family of using witchcraft to restore Cao Wei.
• Wang Xizhi arrived with troops, questioned Cao Luo, and learned that Verdant Green Maiden was Luo Shen.
• Wang Xizhi apologized for the accusation and promised to set things right, while Verdant Green Maiden asked him to write her a few pieces of calligraphy.

Wang Xizhi received Cao Zhi’s original poems and promised to preserve them, while Verdant Green Maiden learned why the Han court was building a Guanyin temple. Cao Luo asked to travel for ten years and write a book, and Verdant Green Maiden agreed to support his family in exchange for the book’s original manuscript.

• Verdant Green Maiden gave Wang Xizhi Cao Zhi’s original poems to copy and preserve, and Wang Xizhi thanked her for ensuring his own work would reach future generations.
• The Zhuge Family and the Wang Family abandoned plans to build a temple in the garden and chose ground across the Qinhuai River instead.
• Cao Luo explained that the Han court was building a Guanyin temple out of fear that Cao Wei might receive divine aid, and Verdant Green Maiden asked him about the Glass Bodhisattva.
• Cao Luo asked Verdant Green Maiden to help him leave home and travel so he could write a book for posterity, rather than asking her to restore the Cao Family’s standing.
• Verdant Green Maiden agreed to help Cao Luo’s wife and son while he traveled for ten years, on the condition that he give her the book’s original manuscript.

Verdant Green Maiden received Cao Luo’s wife, Qin Xian, and their son, Cao Xuan, in Jiankang. After Qin Xian recognized her as the Qing Xiao Jade Maiden Empress, Verdant Green Maiden asked whether she knew Wang Xizhi, who still owed her calligraphy.

• Cao Qin Shi introduced herself as Qin Xian and brought Cao Xuan to visit Verdant Green Maiden.
• Verdant Green Maiden traded a scarecrow for Cao Xuan’s candied fruit and praised Qin Xian for raising him well.
• Verdant Green Maiden offered Qin Xian help while Cao Luo was away, and caught Cao Xuan when he tripped.
• After Verdant Green Maiden said the scarecrow had been made by Qin Shi Huang Di as a child, Qin Xian recognized her as the Qing Xiao Jade Maiden Empress and explained her family’s ties to Yong City and Jiankang.
• Verdant Green Maiden asked Qin Xian about Wang Xizhi and complained that he had not delivered the calligraphy he owed her.

Verdant Green Maiden visited the newly opened Qinhuai Guanyin Chan Temple, where Guanyin offered her a drop of Pure Bottle Water and promised a closer alliance in the future. After returning to the garden, Verdant Green Maiden met Wang Xizhi, who presented five completed calligraphy pieces for her inspection.

• Verdant Green Maiden criticized the resources spent on the temple and left Purple Gold Mountain with Old Yellow Ox to hunt game for Bai Susu.
• Verdant Green Maiden visited the Qinhuai Guanyin Chan Temple with Qin Xian and encountered Guanyin in an illusion within the Great Hero Hall.
• Guanyin offered Verdant Green Maiden one drop of Pure Bottle Water and said she would give her the entire bottle if they met beyond this realm.
• Guanyin departed, and Verdant Green Maiden returned to the temple as evening fell, then left with Qin Xian and Cao Xuan.
• Wang Xizhi greeted Verdant Green Maiden at the garden and presented a Treasure Box containing five pieces of calligraphy he had completed.

Wang Xizhi gave five treasured calligraphy pieces to Verdant Green Maiden, who invited him and his family to Dragon Treasure Garden. Xi Xuan doubted Verdant Green Maiden was an Immortal until she witnessed Bai Susu’s supernatural power, then returned to apologize and was forgiven.

• Verdant Green Maiden accepted Wang Xizhi’s five calligraphy pieces and invited him and his wife to a meal at Dragon Treasure Garden.
• Wang Xizhi returned home, told Xi Xuan they would meet an Immortal, and brought her and their six children to Dragon Treasure Garden.
• Verdant Green Maiden hosted the family and gave toys to the children while Xi Xuan remained skeptical that she was an Immortal.
• Bai Susu used a Great Conch to make the leftovers disappear, convincing Xi Xuan that supernatural beings were real.
• Xi Xuan returned to Dragon Treasure Garden, apologized to Verdant Green Maiden for doubting her, and was reassured that she was forgiven.

After leaving Jiankang, Verdant Green Maiden encountered villagers seeking help against a monster and revealed herself as a Bodhisattva to win their trust. At the village, she discovered the supposed demon was Sun Huo Wang, who recognized her.

• Verdant Green Maiden left Dragon Treasure Garden with Bai Susu after her ten-year stay ended, and Qin Xian and Cao Xuan arrived too late to say goodbye.
• On the way, villagers told Verdant Green Maiden that a powerful monster had appeared in their village and that they were seeking an Immortal to subdue it.
• Verdant Green Maiden revealed her divine form as the Glazed Medicine Pure Light Bodhisattva, and the villagers welcomed her and led her to their village.
• A monkey carrying an iron staff appeared at the village entrance and proclaimed himself Sun Kong Kong, the Demon King of Guagua Mountain.
• Verdant Green Maiden asked the monkey to turn around, and Sun Huo Wang recognized her as the Goddess.

Verdant Green Maiden discovered that Sun Huo Wang and Yang Jian had been pretending to be demons to earn travel money, then ordered them to apologize to the villages they had deceived. As she gave them gold for the journey, Wang Xizhi arrived and recognized her, noticing Yang Jian and Sun Huo Wang beside her.

• Verdant Green Maiden struck Sun Huo Wang with a bolt of righteous lightning, then reassured the villagers that the demon would trouble them no longer.
• Verdant Green Maiden learned that Sun Huo Wang had frightened villagers while Yang Jian posed as the demon's vanquisher, though they had cleared nearby evil spirits first.
• Sun Huo Wang led Verdant Green Maiden to Yang Jian, who emerged from a cave and recognized her as his master.
• Verdant Green Maiden scolded Yang Jian and Sun Huo Wang, ordered them to revisit and apologize to every village they had swindled, and gave them gold for the journey.
• Wang Xizhi arrived with soldiers, recognized Verdant Green Maiden, and glanced at Yang Jian and Sun Huo Wang.

Verdant Green Maiden sent Yang Jian, Sun Huo Wang, and Bai Susu away to apologize, then stayed with the Wang Family in Kuaiji and offered to arrange a match between Wang Mengjiang and Cao Xuan. As the Shangsi Festival approached, Wang Xizhi invited her to join a gathering of scholars at Shanyin Orchid Pavilion.

• Verdant Green Maiden told Wang Xizhi she had dealt with the Demonic Creatures and ordered Yang Jian and Sun Huo Wang to leave with Bai Susu, who was authorized to punish them.
• Wang Xizhi invited Verdant Green Maiden to his residence, and she accepted after he offered calligraphy and manuscripts in exchange for her visit.
• At the Wang residence, Verdant Green Maiden noticed Wang Mengjiang's feelings for Cao Xuan and offered to play matchmaker; Wang Xizhi eagerly accepted.
• Verdant Green Maiden sent a letter to Jiankang, and as the Shangsi Festival neared, Wang Xizhi invited her to the purification rites and gathering at Shanyin Orchid Pavilion.

Verdant Green Woman joined Wang Xizhi and forty-one scholars for the Shangsi Festival at Shanyin Orchid Pavilion, where her music accompanied their poetry gathering. The scholars compiled the Orchid Pavilion Poetry Collection, and Wang Xizhi wrote its preface before the guests departed.

• Verdant Green Woman agreed to attend Wang Xizhi’s Shangsi Festival gathering with famous Jiang Zuo scholars.
• At Shanyin Orchid Pavilion, Verdant Green Woman introduced herself as Ying Qing, Ying Yu Se of the Yong City Qin Clan, startling the assembled scholars with her lineage.
• Verdant Green Woman declined to drink and offered to play the guqin in exchange for the original manuscripts of the scholars’ poems.
• Verdant Green Woman played Guangling San and another unfamiliar piece as the scholars composed poems beside the winding stream.
• The scholars named their poems the Orchid Pavilion Poetry Collection and asked Wang Xizhi to write its preface, which he completed in one sitting.
• As the guests departed, Zhi Dun greeted Wang Xizhi and Verdant Green Woman.

Verdant Green Maiden revealed her Buddhist attainment to Zhi Dun and helped arrange marriages for the Wang family. After Wang Ningzhi and Xie Daoyun married, she gave the bride a mysterious gift.

• Zhi Dun asked Verdant Green Maiden about her zither piece, and she claimed to have written the Glazed Sutra before showing him a sign of divinity.
• Zhi Dun began visiting the Wang household regularly to discuss Buddhist teachings with Verdant Green Maiden.
• Qin Xian sent auspicious dates for Wang Mengjiang and Cao Xuan's wedding, and Verdant Green Maiden also chose a date for Wang Ningzhi and Xie Daoyun.
• Wang Mengjiang and Cao Xuan held their wedding, followed by the prominent marriage of Wang Ningzhi and Xie Daoyun.
• Verdant Green Maiden asked Xie Daoyun to call her Sister and produced several precious objects as a wedding gift.

Verdant Green Maiden left the Wang residence and learned that Wang Xizhi had died as kingdoms rose and fell across the Northern Territory. At the Yellow River, she reunited with Chunyu Tiying and the aged Cao Luo, who offered her the books he had written during decades of travel.

• Xie Daoyun visited Verdant Green Maiden to ask about ancient texts and Confucianism, and Verdant Green Maiden shared treasures and stories with her.
• Verdant Green Maiden left the Wang residence with Old Yellow Ox, and Xi Xuan later told her that Wang Xizhi had passed away.
• Cao Wei and Great Qin rose to power in the Northern Territory while the Jiangnan Han Court lost its claim to the throne.
• Chunyu Tiying waited by the Yellow River with Cao Luo, whom she had rescued after he was badly wounded.
• Verdant Green Maiden recognized Chunyu Tiying and Cao Luo, offered to take him back to Jiankang, and told him his wife and A Wu were well.
• Cao Luo declined to return and gave Verdant Green Maiden the books he had written during his travels.

Cao Luo died after entrusting Verdant Green Maiden with his manuscript, which she named Xuanzhong Ji, and she brought his remains back to Jiankang. There, Qin Xian and Cao Xuan received the news and arranged for Cao Luo to be buried in the Cao family ancestral graveyard.

• Cao Luo died after asking Verdant Green Maiden to preserve his manuscript, and she vowed to credit him as its author.
• Verdant Green Maiden invited Chunyu Tiying to return to Jiankang with her, but Chunyu Tiying chose to continue her own journey.
• Verdant Green Maiden told Qin Xian that Cao Tianchuan had died and brought his remains back to her.
• Qin Xian told Cao Xuan about his father's return, and Cao Xuan arranged for Cao Luo to be buried in the family ancestral graveyard.
• Cao Xuan brought Wang Mengjiang and their children to pay their respects, and Wang Mengjiang told the children to bow to their grandfather.