Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: The Arrogant Master

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Leigang arranges guesthouse accommodations for Xu Ruofang, Li Ting, Yuan Huapeng, Gao Qiang, and Yuan Youwei. Li Ting questions why they cannot stay at his home, unaware that the Xu family villa has been mortgaged and is now occupied by Feng Jun, the “master.”
• Under pressure, Xu Leigang reveals that the villa is rented to Feng Jun. The revelation shocks the visitors, especially because they assume Feng Jun may be exploiting Xu Leigang’s desperation for money.
• Yuan Huapeng and Li Ting remain skeptical of Feng Jun’s abilities and have brought Gao Qiang, a knowledgeable practitioner of ancient medicine, to evaluate him. Gao Qiang openly doubts Feng Jun and suggests that, if treatment fails, Feng Jun might disappear without a trace.
• Xu Leigang defends Feng Jun, warning Gao Qiang not to judge methods he does not understand. Gao Qiang responds arrogantly that he can understand Feng Jun’s principles as long as they are explained to him.
• Xu Leigang hosts a banquet, while Xu Ruofang and Li Ting discuss his decision to give up the house. Xu Ruofang conceals the embarrassing truth about the mortgage, while Yuan Huapeng privately concludes that Feng Jun has “brainwashed” Xu Leigang.
• For two consecutive days, Feng Jun fails to appear, claiming to be occupied. The delay frustrates Yuan Huapeng, who has taken time away from important work and grows increasingly suspicious and angry.
• The group eventually waits outside Feng Jun’s villa. They remain there for hours in the rain, eating lunch at the entrance and sitting in a van as evening approaches.
• Feng Jun finally returns in a silver-gray vehicle with an unfamiliar young woman. Xu Leigang hurriedly changes from addressing him as “Master Feng” to “President Feng,” suggesting the woman’s presence makes him cautious.
• Feng Jun allows the group inside and asks Xu Leigang why they have come despite his warning that he was busy. The chapter ends as the long-delayed confrontation is about to begin.

Character Developments

• Xu Leigang: Becomes increasingly embarrassed and defensive about his financial situation and his trust in Feng Jun. Although he resents the others’ suspicion, he restrains his temper out of concern for his sister and continues supporting Feng Jun.
• Xu Ruofang: Protects the Xu family’s reputation by hiding the truth about the mortgaged villa. She subtly supports Xu Leigang and hopes Feng Jun’s treatment will succeed so the house can be recovered.
• Yuan Huapeng: Moves from polite skepticism to open frustration. He suspects Feng Jun is a fraud and is especially angered by the master’s unexplained absence and apparent arrogance.
• Li Ting: Initially trusts the idea of Feng Jun treating Yuan Youwei, but Gao Qiang’s warning makes her recognize the risks. She remains respectful toward Feng Jun while becoming more cautious.
• Gao Qiang: Introduced as an expert or practitioner of ancient medicine who has come to assess Feng Jun. He is confident, dismissive, and eager to judge Feng Jun’s methods despite lacking firsthand knowledge.
• Feng Jun: Establishes an image of distance and arrogance by remaining unavailable for days. His unexplained activities and wealth—enough to provide over forty million—make him mysterious and difficult for the others to evaluate.
• Yuan Youwei: Remains carefree and detached from the adults’ tension, quietly playing on a tablet while everyone else waits anxiously.

Significant Themes

• Trust versus skepticism: The group is divided between those willing to trust Feng Jun and those who demand proof of his abilities.
• Reputation and family pride: Xu Ruofang and Xu Leigang conceal the mortgage to protect the Xu family from humiliation and ridicule.
• Arrogance and authority: Feng Jun’s absence and Gao Qiang’s confident contempt mirror each other, raising questions about who truly possesses expertise.
• Desperation and vulnerability: The family’s willingness to mortgage a home and tolerate Feng Jun’s behavior reflects their desperation to cure Yuan Youwei.
• Social status and appearances: The characters interpret the villa, Feng Jun’s living arrangements, his car, and the woman accompanying him as signs of wealth, credibility, or moral character.

Character Interactions

• Li Ting’s innocent questions expose the awkward truth about the Xu family’s housing situation.
• Xu Leigang clashes verbally with Gao Qiang, defending Feng Jun while suppressing his anger for Xu Ruofang’s sake.
• Yuan Huapeng and Li Ting privately discuss Xu Leigang’s choices, with Yuan Huapeng characterizing Feng Jun as manipulative.
• The entire group’s prolonged wait outside the villa intensifies resentment and distrust.
• When Feng Jun returns, Li Ting greets him respectfully, while Yuan Huapeng and Gao Qiang remain silent and watchful. Feng Jun immediately challenges Xu Leigang for coming despite his stated absence, setting up the chapter’s unresolved confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “An Inconvenient Coincidence”

Plot Points and Events

• Xu Leigang finds himself caught between Feng Jun, whom he respects, and the Long City group, who have come seeking Feng Jun’s help for the child Yuan Youwei.
• Feng Jun is angry that the group has blocked his residence and pressured him into treating Youwei. He emphasizes that he is not a licensed doctor and has no obligation to help anyone.
• Gao Qiang openly challenges Feng Jun’s qualifications, suggesting that treating people with weight-loss medication amounts to practicing medicine illegally. Feng Jun counters that Gao has no proof of wrongdoing and asks whether he intends to stop Feng Jun from helping others.
• Li Ting, Youwei’s mother, politely asks Feng Jun to treat her child and makes clear that she trusts him. Her support changes Feng Jun’s attitude, and he agrees to help despite his irritation, partly because he hopes to gain something from the family.
• Gao Qiang demands to observe the entire treatment, claiming concern for Youwei’s safety. Yuan Huapeng indirectly supports this request, prompting Xu Leigang to angrily defend Feng Jun and remind them that they are on his territory.
• Feng Jun refuses to allow anyone to watch his treatment and gives the group one final chance to object. When no one responds, he instructs Xu Leigang to escort Manager Chang outside before beginning.
• The chapter then reveals Feng Jun’s recent dealings with Manager Chang. After becoming distant from Sister Hong, Feng Jun began working with Manager Chang on the purchase of a barren mountain and developed a casual physical relationship with her.
• Feng Jun brought Manager Chang to Peach Blossom Valley because the treatment would be lengthy and possibly disruptive. Once she is escorted away, Feng Jun prepares to begin treating Yuan Youwei, inviting the child to play a game with him.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Becomes increasingly irritated by the group’s entitlement but remains willing to help because Li Ting sincerely trusts him and because he expects compensation or assistance from the family. He also demonstrates his secrecy regarding his treatment methods and his desire to control the situation.
• Xu Leigang: Shows strong loyalty to Feng Jun and grows openly hostile toward Gao Qiang for challenging him. His patience with the Long City visitors reaches its limit.
• Gao Qiang: Establishes himself as an aggressive skeptic who views Feng Jun as a possible fraud or illegal practitioner. He insists on observing the treatment and is unwilling to defer to Feng Jun’s authority.
• Li Ting: Acts as the most supportive member of the family, trusting Feng Jun despite the lack of formal medical credentials. Her maternal concern motivates Feng Jun to cooperate.
• Yuan Huapeng: Avoids direct confrontation but subtly backs Gao Qiang. He adopts a cautious “wait and see” attitude, intending to intervene if Feng Jun’s treatment fails.
• Manager Chang: Is presented as Feng Jun’s business partner and casual romantic companion. Her calm, detached behavior suggests a relationship without emotional expectations.
• Sister Hong: Though absent, she remains important to Feng Jun’s recent emotional state. Her coldness has frustrated him and pushed him toward working with Manager Chang instead.

Significant Themes

• Trust versus formal qualifications: The conflict centers on whether Feng Jun’s results and personal reputation matter more than his lack of a medical license.
• Personal autonomy and obligation: Feng Jun insists that helping others is a favor, not a duty, and resents being pressured into using his abilities.
• Skepticism and hidden power: Gao Qiang demands proof and transparency, while Feng Jun protects the secrecy of his unusual methods.
• Loyalty and social hierarchy: Xu Leigang defends Feng Jun because of their relationship, while the Yuan family’s status creates tension over who has the authority to make demands.
• Transactional relationships: Feng Jun’s interactions—with the Yuan family, Sister Hong, and Manager Chang—are shaped by exchanges of favors, business, resources, and personal benefit.
• Control and boundaries: Feng Jun repeatedly sets limits over who may enter, observe, or benefit from his treatment.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Xu Leigang have a close but tense exchange, with Xu attempting to explain the visitors’ impatience and later defending Feng Jun.
• Feng Jun and Gao Qiang clash directly over medical legitimacy and the right to observe the treatment.
• Li Ting’s respectful appeal contrasts with Gao Qiang’s confrontational approach and ultimately persuades Feng Jun to cooperate.
• Yuan Huapeng supports Gao Qiang indirectly, creating friction with Xu Leigang while maintaining a guarded silence.
• Feng Jun and Manager Chang share a casual, physically intimate relationship alongside their business dealings.
• The chapter ends with Feng Jun shifting from confrontation to a gentler interaction with Yuan Youwei, preparing to begin the secretive treatment.

Chapter Summary: “Found the Right Person”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Twelve-year-old Yuan Youwei, severely overweight and spoiled by his wealthy family, is brought to Feng Jun for treatment.
• Although Youwei is frightened, his mother, Li Ting, suppresses her maternal instincts and allows Feng Jun to begin the procedure. Xu Ruofang reassures the boy by presenting the treatment as a way to become handsome and attract girls.
• Youwei’s remarks about social status reveal how strongly he has absorbed the values of his privileged environment.
• Feng Jun takes Youwei upstairs and begins the treatment. The boy’s prolonged screams cause intense anxiety for his parents, especially Li Ting, who struggles to endure the waiting.
• When Feng Jun announces that the treatment will continue for another half hour, Li Ting begs him to hurry. Feng Jun refuses, insisting that he controls the process.
• Yuan Huapeng demands to inspect the room, claiming that his son needs supervision. Feng Jun firmly refuses and warns that the family can leave if they do not trust him.
• Huapeng orders Gao Qiang, a retired special forces soldier, to go upstairs. When Gao attempts to force his way past Feng Jun, Feng Jun effortlessly throws him several meters out of the villa.
• The incident proves Feng Jun’s overwhelming physical strength and establishes his authority. Gao, recognizing Feng Jun as an opponent far beyond his own ability, is too frightened to retaliate.
• The family is stunned into silence. Feng Jun declares that the villa is his territory and that he makes the rules.
• Xu Ruofang apologizes on behalf of the parents, explaining that their behavior comes from loving their child. Feng Jun criticizes excessive parental protection, comparing over-coddled children to plants raised in greenhouses.
• Despite the frightening treatment and Feng Jun’s harshness, Li Ting concludes that they have finally found the right person to help her son.

Character Developments

• Yuan Youwei: Revealed as spoiled, status-conscious, and influenced by the elitist attitudes of his classmates and environment. Though scared, he must submit to the painful treatment.
• Li Ting: Begins as an anxious, protective mother but deliberately restrains herself for her son’s sake. Her trust in Feng Jun increases after witnessing his decisiveness and strength.
• Yuan Huapeng: Acts authoritative and distrustful, attempting to impose his will as a powerful father. Feng Jun’s dominance forces him to recognize that he has no control over the treatment.
• Feng Jun: Demonstrates absolute confidence, strict boundaries, and extraordinary martial ability. He refuses to tolerate interference or displays of privilege, insisting that his methods and rules be respected.
• Gao Qiang: Initially confident in his combat ability, he is decisively defeated and becomes deeply intimidated by Feng Jun.
• Xu Ruofang: Serves as the most diplomatic figure, calming Li Ting and apologizing for the family’s behavior. She understands both maternal fear and the need to trust Feng Jun.

Significant Themes

• Trust versus control: The parents must surrender control of their child’s treatment and trust Feng Jun, despite his secrecy and harsh methods.
• Parental protection and overindulgence: Feng Jun condemns excessive coddling, arguing that children protected from all hardship cannot grow strong.
• Privilege versus personal ability: Yuan Youwei’s belief in family status contrasts with Feng Jun’s insistence that wealth and influence mean nothing on his territory.
• Authority and boundaries: Feng Jun establishes that his expertise gives him the right to control the treatment, while the family’s social standing gives them no special authority.
• Strength and intimidation: Gao Qiang’s defeat reveals Feng Jun as a genuinely formidable figure and reinforces the seriousness of his methods.

Character Interactions

• Li Ting and Xu Ruofang discuss Youwei’s elitist worldview and the influence of his classmates.
• Xu Ruofang comforts Li Ting while Youwei screams upstairs, encouraging her to trust Feng Jun.
• Yuan Huapeng confronts Feng Jun over access to his son, leading to a direct clash of authority.
• Gao Qiang physically challenges Feng Jun and is effortlessly thrown from the villa, turning the conflict into a demonstration of Feng Jun’s superiority.
• Xu Ruofang mediates between the family and Feng Jun, while Feng Jun responds by condemning their overprotective parenting.
• By the end, the family’s fear and frustration give way to reluctant acceptance that Feng Jun may truly be capable of curing Youwei.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• After Feng Jun angrily silences the room, he explains that he had only left Yuan Youwei’s room to get water after the boy began sweating heavily from the treatment.
• The Yuan family questions Feng Jun about his methods, but he refuses to explain the treatment’s principles, insisting that their agreement is an equal exchange: he treats Youwei, while they provide him with scarce supplies.
• Feng Jun warns that although they may consider their supplies valuable, his pills and treatment are equally special. He also makes clear that their arrogant attitude would have prevented them from obtaining his help under different circumstances.
• After approximately thirty-three minutes, the painful treatment ends. The family finds Youwei restrained on a specially modified bed, drenched in sweat and surrounded by puddles of it.
• Youwei is released after another five minutes. He is severely dehydrated, covered in foul-smelling yellow-brown grease, and unable to speak normally because of his hoarse throat.
• After bathing, Youwei appears much more energetic and immediately becomes hungry. Feng Jun instructs the family to give him easily digestible food and let him eat according to his appetite.
• Xu Leigang returns and lightens the tense atmosphere. He admits that he deliberately did not warn the family how painful the treatment would be, fearing they would reject it.
• Yuan Huapeng notices the unusual amount of grease removed from his son’s body and begins suspecting that Feng Jun may have performed something like “Marrow Cleansing and Tendon Transformation.”
• The Yuan family ultimately leaves rather than staying for dinner, largely because Yuan Huapeng hesitates and fails to accept Xu Leigang’s invitation.

2. Character Developments

• Feng Jun remains confident, blunt, and unwilling to justify himself to people he considers arrogant. However, his actions show genuine concern for Youwei’s treatment and a willingness to help because of his relationship with Xu Leigang.
• Yuan Huapeng shifts from suspicion and indignation toward unease, respect, and regret. The visible results of the treatment force him to reconsider Feng Jun’s abilities, though his pride prevents him from openly apologizing.
• Li Ting is initially distressed and angry over her son’s suffering, but she restrains herself after seeing Feng Jun’s authority and the treatment’s effects. She also tactfully protects her husband’s dignity by taking responsibility for declining dinner.
• Yuan Youwei demonstrates unexpected toughness despite being spoiled. He endures the treatment, reassures his mother, and shows clear physical improvement afterward.
• Xu Ruofang acts as a mediator, feeling sympathy for the confused Yuan family and helping clarify Feng Jun’s actions.
• Gao Qiang moves from questioning Feng Jun’s qualifications to respectfully seeking knowledge, though Feng Jun still refuses to satisfy his curiosity.
• Xu Leigang continues to trust and support Feng Jun. His teasing and casual manner help ease tensions, though his decision not to reveal the treatment’s pain also contributes to the family’s anger.

3. Significant Themes

• Results versus explanations: Feng Jun argues that tangible results matter more than theoretical explanations, especially when the other party has not yet fulfilled its side of the bargain.
• Equality and pride: Feng Jun insists that all communication should occur between equals, while the Yuan family’s arrogance and concern for status repeatedly obstruct honest interaction.
• Trust and proof: The Yuan family will not fully trust Feng Jun until they see results, while Feng Jun refuses to offer further information until they demonstrate trust by supplying the materials he needs.
• Hidden ability and misunderstanding: The treatment initially appears cruel and mysterious, but its dramatic physical effects suggest extraordinary medical or martial capabilities.
• Family relationships and saving face: The Yuan couple’s private exchange shows how pride, embarrassment, and mutual consideration shape their decisions more than straightforward communication.

4. Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and the Yuan family clash over respect, authority, and the need for explanations, but his successful treatment leaves them unable to refute his position.
• Xu Ruofang tries to mediate between Feng Jun and the Yuan family, while Gao Qiang adopts a more respectful attitude in hopes of learning from him.
• Li Ting reacts emotionally to Youwei’s suffering and later confronts Xu Leigang for concealing the treatment’s painful nature.
• Xu Leigang defends Feng Jun and reassures the family that they will eventually be grateful for the treatment.
• Yuan Huapeng and Li Ting’s private conversation reveals their differing responses to Feng Jun: Huapeng is embarrassed and wants to preserve dignity, while Li Ting pragmatically prioritizes results and avoids forcing an apology.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yuan Huapeng becomes convinced that Feng Jun’s treatment is genuinely effective and that Feng is a powerful, unconventional master. He interprets the treatment as “detoxification,” though he privately believes it is closer to Marrow Cleansing and Tendon Transformation.
• After two days, Yuan Youwei has lost about five pounds without regaining weight, despite eating normally. His energy and physical condition have also improved significantly.
• The Yuan family learns that the treatment requires four doses, spaced three to five days apart, and asks Xu Leigang to arrange the second session.
• Xu Leigang warns them that Feng Jun may still be displeased because their previous visit interrupted his private time with a woman. The Yuan family apologizes and agrees to wait.
• Feng Jun becomes available the next afternoon. Yuan Youwei prepares for the painful treatment with a mouthguard, while his mother, Li Ting, is allowed to stay with him.
• Feng administers the second pill and leaves the room, avoiding the inevitable screams. He spends the waiting period casually using Social Diary and chatting with the Xu siblings.
• When Feng admits that he has almost no followers, Gao Qiang suggests helping him promote his weight-loss treatment. Feng rejects the idea, unwilling to expose his abilities or become known merely as a weight-loss doctor.
• The group discusses how Feng could become an internet celebrity. Gao Qiang recommends carefully choosing a public image and hiring professionals, while Xu Leigang observes that wealthy people can simply spend money to build an online presence.

Character Developments

• Yuan Huapeng: Shifts from skepticism and embarrassment to deep respect for Feng Jun. He regrets that his family previously behaved too cautiously and worries about maintaining Feng’s goodwill.
• Li Ting: Remains highly protective of her son, buying him a mouthguard and considering anesthesia before accepting Feng’s judgment that he should endure the pain himself. She also shows a humorous, possessive side in her exchange with her husband.
• Yuan Youwei: Becomes fully committed to continuing the treatment. Though the first session was agonizing, the dramatic improvement in his stamina and physical lightness convinces him that the pain is worthwhile.
• Xu Leigang: Continues acting as Feng Jun’s intermediary and admirer. He tries to flatter Feng, protect his interests, and prevent others from offending him.
• Feng Jun: Remains detached and unconcerned with impressing the Yuan family. He wants online popularity but dislikes the attention, exploitation, and loss of status that might accompany it.
• Gao Qiang: Attempts to ingratiate himself with Feng by offering his social-media influence and publicity expertise. His experience exposing fraud makes him knowledgeable about online promotion.
• Yuan Huapeng and Li Ting’s marriage: Their playful argument over whether Yuan regrets marrying Li Ting reveals a familiar relationship in which Yuan avoids conflict through humor and diplomacy.

Significant Themes

• Respect earned through results: The Yuan family’s attitude changes only after witnessing Youwei’s measurable physical improvement.
• Power and social hierarchy: Feng Jun’s abilities and wealth place him above ordinary social expectations, causing others to carefully manage his moods and seek his approval.
• Image versus privacy: Feng wants to become famous but does not want strangers intruding into his life or forcing him to reveal his secrets.
• Wealth and influence: The chapter suggests that money can substitute for effort in building fame, while also questioning whether such manufactured popularity is respectable.
• Family concern and sacrifice: The Yuan parents endure inconvenience and embarrassment, while Li Ting accepts her son’s suffering because she believes the treatment will help him.
• Miscommunication and mistaken assumptions: Xu Leigang’s earlier warnings were ignored, and the Yuan family’s concern unintentionally offended Feng by interrupting his private plans.

Character Interactions

• The Yuan family relies on Xu Leigang to communicate with Feng and repair the damage from their earlier visit.
• Xu Leigang explains Feng’s preferences and personal life, causing the group to speculate humorously about the kinds of women he likes.
• Li Ting and Yuan Huapeng exchange teasing remarks about marriage, with Yuan skillfully calming her irritation.
• Feng allows Li Ting to remain with Youwei during the treatment because he recognizes her sincerity as a mother.
• Gao Qiang and Xu Leigang compete to offer Feng advice and assistance with Social Diary, each trying to gain his favor.
• Feng rejects their proposed publicity strategies, emphasizing that he wants popularity without becoming vulgar, commercialized, or overly exposed.

Chapter Summary: “Heartbeat”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the second round of treatment, the Yuan family invites Feng Jun, Xu Leigang, and others to dinner at an expensive sanatorium near Feng Jun’s villa.
• Yuan Huapeng informs Feng Jun that he will soon return to work and asks him to look after Yuan Youwei and Li Ting. Because the Yuan family and Gao Qiang have changed their previously arrogant attitudes, Feng Jun becomes more willing to tolerate them.
• During dinner, the adults drink heavily, and even twelve-year-old Yuan Youwei boldly drinks baijiu with Feng Jun.
• Yuan Huapeng privately discusses the weapons transaction with Feng Jun, including quantity and payment. He insists that the deal must follow normal business rules: Feng Jun must pay for the weapons, while treating Yuan Youwei is not considered payment.
• Xu Leigang agrees to guarantee Feng Jun financially, demonstrating how wealth and influence allow the parties to negotiate as equals.
• Gao Qiang asks Feng Jun to explain the principles behind his weight-loss pills. Feng Jun refuses, saying Gao Qiang would not understand. Gao offers to become Feng Jun’s disciple and promote him through his public account, but Feng Jun remains reluctant.
• Xia Xiaoyu unexpectedly encounters Gao Qiang. They know each other through her military-connected family, as one of her cousins served with Gao Qiang.
• Xia Xiaoyu becomes curious about Feng Jun, while Gao Qiang notices that she may have feelings for him. Gao considers subtly bringing them together but worries because Feng Jun appears romantically unreliable.
• A second, extraordinarily beautiful girl arrives and makes a dismissive comment about Feng Jun’s abilities. Both Feng Jun and Gao Qiang are momentarily overwhelmed by her appearance. Feng Jun quickly suppresses his reaction by reminding himself that beauty and youth are temporary.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Becomes more forgiving toward the Yuan family after their change in attitude. He maintains firm boundaries over business and refuses to reveal the secrets behind his pills. Despite his self-control, he is visibly affected by the beautiful girl’s appearance.
• Yuan Huapeng: Shows increased respect and fairness toward Feng Jun. He separates personal gratitude for Yuan Youwei’s treatment from the weapons transaction and insists on clear rules.
• Gao Qiang: Demonstrates strong loyalty to both the Yuan family and Feng Jun. He seeks to learn from Feng Jun, even offering to become his disciple, and begins acting as a potential mediator in Feng Jun and Xia Xiaoyu’s relationship.
• Xia Xiaoyu: Reveals a possible unrequited interest in Feng Jun, though she tries to appear casual. Her connection with Gao Qiang shows her military-family background and longstanding ties to him.
• Yuan Youwei: Displays confidence and surprising boldness by drinking with the adults, suggesting growing physical and social self-assurance.
• Xu Leigang: His willingness to guarantee Feng Jun’s payment highlights his trust and financial influence.
• The unnamed beautiful girl: Her entrance creates an immediate emotional impact on Feng Jun and Gao Qiang. Her dismissive attitude suggests confidence, arrogance, or prior familiarity with Feng Jun.

Significant Themes

• Trust and changing relationships: The Yuan family’s improved behavior allows Feng Jun to reconsider his hostility toward them.
• Rules versus personal favors: Feng Jun’s treatment of Yuan Youwei does not erase the need for the Yuan family to follow proper commercial arrangements.
• Power and influence: Wealth, reputation, and personal ability determine who receives trust and special treatment.
• Beauty and emotional control: The stunning girl provokes an instinctive reaction in both men, but Feng Jun attempts to overcome attraction through rational, almost philosophical detachment.
• Romantic uncertainty: Xia Xiaoyu’s possible feelings for Feng Jun contrast with his apparent lack of interest, while Gao Qiang’s observations introduce the possibility of future matchmaking.
• Knowledge and exclusivity: Feng Jun’s pills and cultivation methods remain mysterious, reinforcing his status as someone whose abilities cannot easily be replicated.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Yuan Huapeng: Conduct a serious, businesslike negotiation about weapons and payment, marking a relationship based increasingly on mutual respect.
• Feng Jun and Gao Qiang: Gao admires Feng Jun and seeks his instruction, while Feng Jun remains guarded and unwilling to share his secrets.
• Gao Qiang and Xia Xiaoyu: Reunite warmly as old acquaintances. Gao recognizes her possible attraction to Feng Jun and considers protecting her from being hurt.
• Xia Xiaoyu and Feng Jun: Their interaction is indirect but emotionally significant; Xiaoyu shows interest, while Feng Jun remains outwardly detached.
• Feng Jun and the unnamed beauty: Her mocking remark and his powerful reaction hint at a prior connection or future conflict, ending the chapter on a note of romantic and dramatic tension.

Chapter Summary: The Capable Can Do Anything

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun mentally adjusts to the possibility that the Phone Plane contains female cultivators who may be exceptionally beautiful.
• During a conversation with Gao Qiang, Yuan Huapeng, and Xia Xiaoyu, Yu Qingzhu interrupts and criticizes Feng Jun’s attitude and abilities.
• Feng Jun and Yu Qingzhu exchange sarcastic remarks. Their mutual dislike becomes increasingly obvious, especially when she rejects the idea of being associated with him as “the two of us.”
• Xia Xiaoyu intervenes, explaining that Feng Jun is her brother’s former comrade and childhood acquaintance. She tries to calm Yu Qingzhu and prevent the disagreement from escalating.
• Feng Jun decides to return to the private room, refusing to take Yu Qingzhu’s insults seriously.
• Zhang Weihong—“Sister Hong,” Feng Jun’s former superior and intimate acquaintance—appears unexpectedly. She teases Feng Jun and Xia Xiaoyu about seeming like a couple.
• Feng Jun responds more warmly to Zhang Weihong than to the other women and subtly offers to have someone take her home, revealing his continued interest in her.
• Zhang Weihong explains that she is dining with a client. Feng Jun notices the client openly staring at Yu Qingzhu and becomes jealous and irritated, though he conceals his emotions.
• Feeling that Zhang Weihong has repeatedly avoided him while making time for another man, Feng Jun decides to stop pursuing her forgiveness and leaves.
• Zhang Weihong watches him depart but does not call him back. She then comments that Feng Jun is self-willed and lacking in manners.
• The chapter ends with Yuan Huapeng recognizing Zhang Weihong as the general manager of Hongjie Club.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Displays increasing confidence and sharp-tongued independence. He refuses to submit to Yu Qingzhu’s social dominance and chooses to distance himself from Zhang Weihong after feeling jealous and slighted. Despite claiming indifference, his emotional reaction suggests he still cares about her.
• Yu Qingzhu: Remains proud, aloof, and highly self-assured. She looks down on Feng Jun because of his humble past and believes his sudden wealth has not changed his coarse nature. Her behavior also reflects her protective attitude toward Xia Xiaoyu.
• Xia Xiaoyu: Acts as a mediator between Feng Jun and Yu Qingzhu. Her embarrassment around Zhang Weihong reveals that her past concern for Feng Jun may have involved deeper feelings than she admitted.
• Zhang Weihong: Appears mature, confident, and socially sophisticated. She deliberately teases Feng Jun but maintains emotional distance, refusing his offer of assistance and allowing him to leave without explanation.
• Gao Qiang and Yuan Huapeng: Both become increasingly impressed—and somewhat overwhelmed—by Feng Jun’s connections with several exceptionally beautiful women. Their reactions reinforce Feng Jun’s unusual social and romantic position.

Significant Themes

• Judgment based on status and appearance: Yu Qingzhu judges Feng Jun according to his former life as a club waiter, while others interpret his relationships with beautiful women as evidence of his power and success.
• Pride and social distance: Feng Jun and Yu Qingzhu clash because neither is willing to yield. Their arguments reflect competing ideas of dignity, manners, and superiority.
• Jealousy and concealed emotion: Feng Jun pretends not to care about Zhang Weihong’s client, but his decision to abandon his pursuit of her is clearly influenced by jealousy.
• Romantic ambiguity: Feng Jun’s relationships with Xia Xiaoyu, Yu Qingzhu, and Zhang Weihong are all emotionally complicated, though none is clearly defined.
• Power and personal transformation: Feng Jun’s rise in status has attracted attention and admiration, supporting the chapter’s central idea that “the capable can do anything.”

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Yu Qingzhu engage in a tense exchange of sarcasm, each viewing the other as rude and arrogant.
• Xia Xiaoyu attempts to reconcile them and protect their relationship from worsening.
• Zhang Weihong’s arrival shifts Feng Jun’s attention, revealing his preference and lingering attachment to her.
• Feng Jun’s jealousy toward Zhang Weihong’s male client contrasts with his outwardly calm departure.
• Gao Qiang and Yuan Huapeng observe these interactions as outsiders, interpreting Feng Jun’s dealings with the three women as proof of his extraordinary luck and ability.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yuan Huapeng recognizes Zhang Weihong (“Sister Hong”) as Feng Jun’s former boss and current business partner, prompting him to treat her respectfully.
• Sister Hong encounters Xia Xiaoyu and Yu Qingzhu. She pretends not to know Yu Qingzhu personally, then explains that she recognized her through Hongjie Club’s surveillance footage.
• Feng Jun returns from drinking, carrying a handbag, and abruptly announces that he is going home. His hurried departure suggests he is jealous or uncomfortable seeing Sister Hong with another man.
• Sister Hong reflects on her complicated relationship with Feng Jun. She had repeatedly rejected his invitations as part of a playful emotional game, but he eventually stopped asking.
• Seeing Feng Jun with Xia Xiaoyu reignited Sister Hong’s interest and jealousy. She realizes she enjoys provoking his jealousy, though she worries that the feeling may not last.
• Sister Hong compares herself with the youthful and beautiful Yu Qingzhu, becoming conscious of her age and fearing that Feng Jun may eventually forget her.
• Back with her own group, the middle-aged businessman “Little Niu” asks about Yu Qingzhu. Sister Hong warns him that pursuing her would be dangerous and threatens to send him to Hejiang, frightening him into backing down.
• Sister Hong calls Xu Leigang and orders him to take her home, using the excuse that it would be unsafe for her to travel alone at night.

Character Developments

• Sister Hong/Zhang Weihong: Revealed as confident, emotionally perceptive, and skilled at manipulating social situations, yet privately vulnerable. She enjoys Feng Jun’s attention and jealousy but struggles with insecurity about aging and being replaced by younger women.
• Feng Jun: Appears proud and emotionally guarded. Rather than confront Sister Hong or reveal jealousy, he leaves abruptly, suggesting he prefers avoidance to openly expressing his feelings.
• Xia Xiaoyu: Remains somewhat awkward and defensive around Feng Jun, denying any close relationship with him.
• Yu Qingzhu: Presents herself as innocent and observant but is socially sharp enough to suspect that Sister Hong recognized her for personal reasons.
• Yuan Huapeng: Acts as a polite intermediary who understands Sister Hong’s importance in Feng Jun’s life and social circle.
• Little Niu: Confident and flirtatious, but aware of Sister Hong’s power. His boldness disappears when she warns him about Yu Qingzhu.
• Xu Leigang: Reluctant to help Sister Hong because he is drunk and entertaining relatives, but remains within her circle of influence.

Significant Themes

• Jealousy and emotional games: Sister Hong deliberately provokes Feng Jun’s jealousy while also enjoying the reassurance it gives her.
• Pride and indirect communication: Both Sister Hong and Feng Jun avoid direct emotional confession, expressing desire through refusals, teasing, and withdrawal.
• Aging versus youth: Sister Hong’s encounter with Yu Qingzhu forces her to confront the power of youth and her fear of losing Feng Jun’s attention.
• Power and social influence: Sister Hong commands respect and fear, using humor, threats, and connections to control those around her.
• Uncertainty in relationships: Despite their intimacy and shared past, Sister Hong and Feng Jun have made no promises to one another, leaving their relationship emotionally unstable.

Important Character Interactions

• Yuan Huapeng politely introduces himself to Sister Hong and acknowledges her connection to Feng Jun.
• Sister Hong exchanges playful but probing remarks with Yu Qingzhu, while Yu questions how she was recognized.
• Feng Jun avoids everyone after returning, indirectly revealing his discomfort.
• Sister Hong mentally interprets Feng Jun’s departure as jealousy and takes pleasure in it.
• Little Niu attempts to inquire about Yu Qingzhu, but Sister Hong firmly warns him away.
• Sister Hong pressures Xu Leigang over the phone to escort her home, reinforcing her commanding personality.

Chapter Summary: “Who Was Afraid of Him?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Leigang escorts Sister Hong back to the grain store after she asks him to take her home. He reports this to Feng Jun, who realizes Sister Hong likely wanted him to know she had not gone out with anyone else.
• Feng Jun becomes increasingly preoccupied with the ambiguous relationship between himself and Sister Hong. He drinks alone while considering how to handle their unresolved situation.
• Over the next several days, Feng Jun divides his time between reality and the cultivation world. He brings an installation manual to Lang Zhen and personally trains him and the others until the equipment works properly.
• Yuan Youwei completes treatment with the Body-Tempering Pills. He loses significant weight and experiences a major improvement in his health and physical condition.
• Li Ting is satisfied with the treatment but asks to delay part of the payment until she can confirm that Yuan Youwei will not relapse. Feng Jun agrees, but only in exchange for a five-percent discount, emphasizing that personal favors and business transactions must remain separate.
• Feng Jun receives his Magotan and reaches a preliminary agreement to buy a barren mountain. The owner demands a one-time payment of 150 million yuan, offering only a four-percent discount, leaving Feng Jun short of cash.
• Because Sister Hong has not yet paid him for previous jade shipments and because selling through his former southern-city connections could lead to exploitation, Feng Jun decides to try selling jade in Long City.
• He asks Xu Leigang whether Yuan Huapeng can help. Yuan discovers that influential figures—probably Young Master Dou or Young Master Ye—have warned Long City’s jade dealers not to buy Funiu jade. The jade can still be sold, but only slowly and at unfavorable prices.
• Xu Leigang discusses the problem with Wang Haifeng, hoping he might contact Sister Hong. Instead, Wang questions why Xu is so afraid of Feng Jun and suggests confronting Feng Jun directly.
• Xu hints that Feng Jun is far more formidable than Wang realizes, calling him “Master Feng” and claiming he could defeat several people with one hand. Wang remains skeptical and jokingly proposes ambushing Feng Jun outside his home.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: His wealth and influence continue to grow, but he faces new financial pressure because of the mountain purchase. He shows greater emotional restraint and maturity when reflecting on his former desire to return home and show off his success, recognizing that true detachment means no longer caring about others’ opinions. He also becomes irritable when practical problems threaten his plans.
• Xu Leigang: He remains deeply cautious around both Sister Hong and Feng Jun. Although physically imposing and socially connected, he is intimidated by Feng Jun’s hidden abilities and feels trapped between protecting Feng Jun’s secrets and handling practical business matters.
• Sister Hong: Her request to be escorted home suggests she is sensitive to Feng Jun’s opinion and may be trying to reassure him about her behavior. Her strained relationship with Feng Jun remains unresolved.
• Yuan Youwei: The treatment dramatically transforms his appearance, health, appetite, and confidence, demonstrating the effectiveness of Feng Jun’s Body-Tempering Pills.
• Li Ting: She proves practical and cautious, prioritizing her son’s long-term health and after-sales support over immediate financial convenience.
• Wang Haifeng: He remains bold, outspoken, and overconfident. His friendship with Feng Jun makes him dismissive of the idea that Feng Jun is dangerous, though Xu’s hints begin to make him suspicious.

Significant Themes

• Power and hidden strength: Feng Jun’s true abilities are known only to a few people, creating a contrast between his ordinary public image and the fear he inspires in those aware of his capabilities.
• Business versus personal relationships: Feng Jun insists that favors and commerce remain separate, while his dealings with Sister Hong are complicated precisely because emotional and financial ties overlap.
• Emotional maturity and letting go: Feng Jun reflects that the desire to show off success comes from an inability to move on. His reduced interest in returning home demonstrates growing detachment from his past.
• Financial pressure despite wealth: Although Feng Jun is extremely wealthy by ordinary standards, major plans still create liquidity problems, forcing him to reconsider his business channels and promises.
• Social influence and market manipulation: The warning against buying Funiu jade shows how powerful individuals can distort markets, suppress prices, and limit a businessman’s options.
• Misunderstanding and secrecy: Xu cannot explain why Feng Jun is so formidable, while Wang interprets his behavior as cowardice or bootlicking. This gap in knowledge drives the chapter’s humor and tension.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Sister Hong: Their relationship remains emotionally charged and unclear. Sister Hong’s actions imply concern about how Feng Jun perceives her, while Feng Jun struggles with jealousy and uncertainty.
• Feng Jun and Xu Leigang: Xu acts as a cautious intermediary, reporting Sister Hong’s actions and attempting to solve Feng Jun’s financial problems. Feng Jun’s irritation shows the pressure he places on Xu, even without directly threatening him.
• Feng Jun and Li Ting: Their negotiation reflects mutual trust but also firm boundaries. Feng Jun accommodates her request while ensuring that delayed payment has a business cost.
• Xu Leigang and Yuan Huapeng: Xu seeks help selling jade, but Yuan explains that political and commercial pressure in Long City makes an immediate sale difficult.
• Xu Leigang and Wang Haifeng: Xu asks Wang for help contacting Sister Hong, but their conversation shifts into a debate over who is truly afraid of Feng Jun. Wang’s bravado contrasts sharply with Xu’s guarded understanding.
• Wang Haifeng and Feng Jun: Though Feng Jun is absent from their conversation, Wang’s proposed ambush sets up a potentially comic confrontation and shows that he still views Feng Jun primarily as a friend and sparring partner rather than a dangerous master.

Chapter Summary: “Suicidal Stupidity (Second Update)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Despite Xu Leigang’s warnings, Wang Haifeng decides to ambush Feng Jun, believing a surprise attack will compensate for the gap in their abilities.
• The two sneak into Peach Blossom Valley and hide near Feng Jun’s villa. Feng Jun soon returns with his assistant, Li Xiaobin.
• Wang Haifeng attacks, but Feng Jun reacts instinctively and effortlessly throws him to the ground, severely injuring his ankle, arm, and possibly his ribs and hip.
• Xu Leigang stops Feng Jun from delivering another blow and explains that the attacker is Wang Haifeng.
• Feng Jun and Xu carry Wang into the villa, where Feng Jun criticizes his choice to attack at a location containing valuable and important items—apparently including jade—and while his female assistant was present.
• Feng Jun explains that he attacked so forcefully because he had to assume the ambusher might harm or take Li Xiaobin hostage.
• Rather than call a doctor, Feng Jun offers to treat Wang himself. He first reduces the pain by tapping several acupoints and temporarily regulating Wang’s qi and blood.
• Li Xiaobin is sent away before Feng Jun begins the more secretive part of the treatment. Feng Jun and Xu remove Wang’s clothes, allowing Feng Jun to examine his injuries with Internal Power.
• Xu reveals that Feng Jun possesses genuine Internal Power, confirming Wang’s growing recognition of his “master” status.
• Feng Jun suddenly resets Wang’s dislocated ankle and arm, causing intense pain despite the earlier temporary pain relief. He then leaves Xu to monitor Wang.

Character Developments

• Wang Haifeng is shown to be reckless, overconfident, and stubborn, but also pragmatic. He recognizes his mistake, accepts Feng Jun’s treatment, and readily humbles himself when he realizes Feng Jun possesses extraordinary healing abilities.
• Feng Jun demonstrates overwhelming combat ability, sharp defensive instincts, and mastery of internal techniques. He is initially ruthless because he believes Li Xiaobin may be in danger, but once he identifies Wang, he becomes more controlled and even offers medical assistance.
• Xu Leigang acts as the voice of reason and a mediator. He tries to prevent the ambush, helps restrain Wang’s foolishness, and mocks him while still assisting with his treatment.
• Li Xiaobin remains largely unaware of Feng Jun’s deeper abilities. Feng Jun’s decision to conceal his Internal Power from her shows that he is cautious about trust and about mixing friendship, employment, and secret knowledge.

Significant Themes

• Recklessness versus prudence: Wang’s insistence on attacking despite Xu’s objections leads directly to his injuries.
• Hidden strength and misjudgment: Wang badly underestimates Feng Jun, while Feng Jun initially treats the attacker as a potentially dangerous expert.
• Trust and secrecy: Feng Jun is willing to help Wang but deliberately hides his more extraordinary abilities from Li Xiaobin.
• Protection and responsibility: Feng Jun’s violent response is motivated not only by self-defense but also by the need to protect his assistant and the valuable contents of the villa.
• Humor through humiliation: Wang’s injuries, complaints, and forced submission to Feng Jun create a comic contrast with his earlier confidence.

Character Interactions

• Wang and Xu argue over whether the ambush is wise, with Xu correctly predicting that Wang is courting disaster.
• Feng Jun and Wang exchange sarcastic remarks after the attack, with Feng Jun criticizing Wang’s tactics and Wang protesting that Feng went too far.
• Xu repeatedly mocks Wang’s inflated confidence while helping transport and care for him.
• Feng Jun explains his defensive reasoning to Wang, emphasizing that an unknown attacker could have threatened Li Xiaobin.
• Xu indirectly confirms Feng Jun’s Internal Power, increasing Wang’s respect and dependence on him.
• Feng Jun, Xu, and Wang collaborate during the treatment, while Li Xiaobin is deliberately excluded from witnessing Feng Jun’s hidden abilities.

Chapter Summary: “Blessing in Disguise”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun treats Wang Haifeng’s severe injuries using medicine from the Cultivation Plane: a restorative pill and a medicinal powder dissolved in liquor.
• After Feng Jun massages the medicine into Wang’s body for nearly half an hour, Wang experiences rapid relief and can stand and dress himself.
• Feng Jun explains that Wang is not completely healed and must avoid strenuous activity for a month. A second pill could shorten the recovery period to about a week, so Feng Jun gives Wang the last pill in the jade vial, instructing him not to take it until the following day.
• Wang repeatedly offers to pay, recognizing that the medicine effectively allows wealthy people to “buy time,” but Feng Jun insists on giving it to him.
• Wang and Xu Leigang discuss helping Feng Jun guard his villa and possibly becoming his disciples. Feng Jun agrees to let them take turns guarding the property, provided they respect his privacy and keep his secrets.
• When the two men formally express their desire to become disciples, Feng Jun refuses to accept them immediately. He says he must first determine which techniques suit them and warns that improper training could damage his reputation.
• Wang’s joking, overly familiar attitude irritates Feng Jun. Feng dismisses both men, making clear that disciples must show genuine respect and commitment.
• Xu Leigang quickly apologizes and demonstrates that he understands his subordinate position, while Wang remains surprised and uncomfortable at how stern Feng Jun has become.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Demonstrates the value of his Cultivation Plane resources and his advanced medical knowledge. He is generous with Wang but firm about boundaries, discipline, secrecy, and respect. He increasingly views himself as a master rather than a former colleague.
• Wang Haifeng: Recovers quickly and becomes even more eager to obtain Feng Jun’s medicine and martial knowledge. However, his joking personality prevents him from adopting the humility and seriousness Feng Jun expects from a disciple.
• Xu Leigang: Shows loyalty and practical support by volunteering to guard the villa and become Feng Jun’s disciple. Unlike Wang, he is more willing to acknowledge Feng Jun’s authority and carefully observe proper etiquette.
• Li Xiaobin: Her decision to leave after dinner contrasts with Wang and Xu’s willingness to remain at the villa. Her earlier success as an assistant also reinforces the importance of separating personal familiarity from professional roles.

Significant Themes

• Value beyond money: The medicine is difficult to price because it provides something money cannot normally buy—time and accelerated recovery.
• Respect and hierarchy: Feng Jun insists that friendship and past familiarity cannot override the master-disciple relationship. Genuine learning requires discipline and proper recognition of authority.
• Boundaries and secrecy: Feng Jun’s unusual resources must remain private, making trust and discretion essential for anyone working with him.
• Opportunity and attitude: A rare opportunity can be wasted if it is not treated seriously. Wang’s casual behavior risks losing access to Feng Jun’s cultivation techniques.
• Changing social status: Feng Jun’s transformation from ordinary colleague to wealthy, powerful master forces Wang and Xu to renegotiate their relationships with him.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Wang share a mixture of generosity, teasing, and tension: Feng helps him freely but becomes annoyed when Wang treats the situation too casually.
• Wang and Xu joke about each other, especially Wang’s claim that his better physique and athletic ability would make him more suitable as a disciple.
• Xu generally supports Feng Jun’s authority and follows his lead, while Wang tries to preserve their old familiarity through humor.
• Feng Jun’s rejection of their immediate discipleship ambitions establishes a new boundary: friendship may remain, but instruction will require seriousness, respect, and proper conduct.

Chapter Summary: “Fate”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun refuses to teach his old friend Wang Haifeng martial arts, explaining that friendship does not create an obligation to provide something as valuable as cultivation techniques.
• Wang Haifeng takes the refusal badly and leaves the villa angrily, believing Feng Jun has changed after becoming successful.
• While walking away, Wang reconsiders Feng Jun’s argument. He realizes that his offer to guard the gate was not truly equal compensation for learning genuine martial arts.
• A conversation with Sister Hong reveals that people from Long City respectfully call Feng Jun “Master” and seek his help, confirming that Feng Jun’s abilities and status are far greater than Wang had understood.
• Wang recognizes that he had continued viewing Feng Jun as his former equal instead of acknowledging Feng’s new position and abilities.
• Understanding that delaying an apology could permanently damage their friendship, Wang returns to the villa the same day.
• He formally apologizes, admits that his attitude was wrong, and asks Feng Jun to reconsider accepting him as a disciple.
• Feng Jun and Xu Leigang frame Wang’s opportunity through the idea that “people choose cultivation techniques, and cultivation techniques choose people,” suggesting that becoming Feng Jun’s student may depend on fate.
• Wang’s resentment disappears, replaced by curiosity and an anxious desire not to lose the opportunity.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun remains calm and firm. He values friendship but refuses to let it become a justification for entitlement. He shows confidence in Wang’s ability to reflect and return on his own.
• Wang Haifeng undergoes the chapter’s main transformation. He begins defensive, proud, and resentful, but gradually recognizes his selfishness and misjudgment. His practical nature allows him to change once presented with convincing evidence.
• Xu Leigang acts as an observer and mediator. He criticizes Wang’s immature attitude but also understands the history between the two men and discreetly allows Wang to return without worsening the conflict.
• Sister Hong indirectly confirms Feng Jun’s importance and refuses to interfere in his financial or personal affairs, reinforcing Feng Jun’s elevated status.

Significant Themes

• Friendship versus obligation: Long-standing friendship does not entitle one person to another’s money, knowledge, or abilities.
• Changing status and perspective: Wang must accept that Feng Jun is no longer the ordinary friend he remembers.
• Humility and self-correction: Wang’s willingness to admit fault allows him to preserve the friendship and possibly gain a valuable opportunity.
• Fate and opportunity: The chapter suggests that access to cultivation and extraordinary power depends not only on desire but also on whether one is suited for it and whether the timing is right.
• Value and reciprocity: Wang learns that not every offer of service constitutes fair payment, especially when the desired skill is rare and transformative.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Wang Haifeng argue over whether friendship obligates Feng Jun to teach martial arts. Feng Jun remains direct but avoids insulting him.
• Xu Leigang criticizes Wang after his departure but respects the friendship enough to open the gate when Wang returns without asking Feng Jun’s permission first.
• Wang’s call with Sister Hong forces him to confront Feng Jun’s reputation and his own mistaken assumptions.
• Upon returning, Wang respectfully addresses Feng Jun as “Master Feng” and accepts that learning from him requires a change in attitude.
• Feng Jun’s restrained reaction and Xu Leigang’s comments about fate leave Wang both humbled and eager to prove himself.

Chapter Summary: “Reluctantly”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun formally accepts Wang Haifeng as a disciple, explaining that he had originally expected more from Wang than from Xu Leigang because Wang was younger and physically fit.
• Xu Leigang reveals that he had wanted to become Feng’s disciple long ago but had been refused because the timing was not right.
• Wang and Xu briefly argue over Xu’s failure to warn Wang about Feng’s abilities. Wang eventually apologizes after realizing that Xu had been unable to reveal Feng’s secrets without permission.
• Feng examines both men by taking their pulses and circulating internal qi through their meridians.
  • He discovers Wang has an old injury near his left shoulder.
  • He finds that Xu, despite being older and overweight, has surprisingly good meridians and bodily responses, likely because of the Body-Tempering Pill he previously consumed.
• Feng retreats to devise cultivation methods suited to each man’s constitution. Wang and Xu discuss Feng’s hidden abilities and agree not to reveal them.
• Feng tells them to settle their personal affairs and prepare for cultivation. They purchase high-quality training equipment and build a small guardroom outside Feng’s villa so they can remain nearby and protect the residence.
• After two days, Feng gives them different techniques:
  • Wang receives Nine Forms, Eighteen Diagrams, an ordinary method suited to his balanced but average aptitude.
  • Xu receives Nine Forms, Twenty-Seven Diagrams, which better accommodates his unusual elemental constitution and weakened innate vitality.
• Feng personally explains the techniques and instructs them to develop a sense of qi.
• After five days, neither man succeeds, leaving Feng frustrated. He reflects that he has chosen ordinary, middle-aged friends as disciples rather than people with exceptional talent, but recognizes that they are among the few people he can trust and that he urgently needs a dependable core group in the real world.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Becomes more deliberate and responsible as a master. He evaluates his disciples carefully, designs individualized cultivation methods, and values loyalty, discretion, and proper conduct over raw talent. His reflections also reveal his strategic goal of building a foundation in the real world before expanding his activities in the Phone Plane.
• Wang Haifeng: Moves from impulsive aggression to respectful submission. He accepts Feng as his master, apologizes to Xu, and demonstrates improved judgment by sharing Sister Hong’s message only after earning forgiveness. His aptitude is ordinary, but he is physically capable and eager to learn.
• Xu Leigang: Shows loyalty and humility despite his teasing personality. He accepts Feng’s authority, protects his secrets, and takes practical steps to support Feng, including arranging the guardroom. His constitution is better than Wang’s, but his age, weight, and lack of discipline hinder him.
• Wang and Xu: Their relationship shifts from casual friends and bickering companions to fellow disciples. Their arguments remain humorous, but mutual loyalty and cooperation begin replacing rivalry.

Significant Themes

• Trust and loyalty: Feng chooses friends as disciples because he lacks anyone else he can fully trust, while Wang and Xu prove their loyalty through discretion and service.
• The burden of mentorship: Feng must tailor instruction to each disciple’s body and limitations rather than simply passing on the same technique.
• Talent versus circumstance: Both disciples have mediocre prospects due to age, past injuries, or weakened constitutions, contrasting with the exceptional disciples common in cultivation stories.
• Pragmatism and compromise: Feng knows his choices are imperfect, but he needs allies immediately to establish a stable foundation.
• Secrecy and responsibility: Feng keeps his martial abilities hidden from his parents because he believes premature cultivation could harm them, intending to help them only after obtaining safer immortal arts or life-extending treasures.

Character Interactions

• Feng gives Wang tacit permission to retaliate verbally against Xu, showing his informal rapport with both men.
• Wang and Xu trade accusations about Wang’s womanizing and Xu’s failure to give him advance warning, but Wang ultimately apologizes.
• Feng interrupts their quarrel and redirects them toward training.
• Wang quietly questions Feng’s secrecy from his parents, though he does not voice the criticism.
• Feng evaluates both men personally, compares their aptitudes, and assigns them separate cultivation paths.
• The two disciples cooperate by preparing their personal affairs, buying training clothes, and setting up a guard post near Feng’s home while waiting to begin cultivation.

Chapter Summary: “Every Beginning Is Hard”

Key Plot Points and Events

• By the sixth day of training, Li Xiaobin notices that Wang Haifeng and Xu Leigang seem emotionally unsettled because they have failed to sense qi on their own.
• Feng Jun decides to personally guide both men in developing a sense of qi, despite knowing that those who discover qi independently may possess greater cultivation potential.
• He explains that their age limits their future achievements more than the need for guidance does, encouraging them not to dwell on comparisons.
• Feng Jun first guides Wang Haifeng. Haifeng’s body passively accepts Feng Jun’s qi, but he struggles to generate an independent response. The process causes intense numbness and itching, forcing Feng Jun to stop temporarily.
• Xu Leigang’s guidance proceeds more smoothly. After roughly half an hour, a faint strand of inner qi forms in his Sea of Qi. Feng Jun deliberately withdraws his assistance so that Xu can continue cultivating independently.
• Wang Haifeng becomes discouraged when he realizes Xu has progressed first. Feng Jun firmly warns him that jealousy and comparison are harmful to cultivation, while reassuring him that Haifeng’s technique is actually superior.
• Xu develops a stable sense of qi that night and spends two days consolidating it. Wang eventually succeeds three nights later, though his qi remains weak and unstable for five additional days.
• Once both men have established their foundations, Feng Jun instructs them to study and memorize the next parts of their cultivation diagrams.
• He then gives each of them half a Body-Tempering Pill and orders them to circulate their qi while enduring its effects.
• Xu tolerates the pill relatively well, while Haifeng experiences much greater pain due to his inexperience and accumulated impurities. Motivated by competition with Xu, Haifeng forces himself to continue practicing despite the discomfort.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Acts increasingly like a genuine teacher. He balances honesty, discipline, encouragement, and strategic reassurance, even admitting internally that he sometimes has to “lie through his teeth” to motivate his disciples.
• Wang Haifeng: Initially anxious about his talent and future, he becomes deeply discouraged by Xu’s faster progress. However, his stubbornness and competitive spirit help him endure both the painful qi-guidance process and the Body-Tempering Pill.
• Xu Leigang: Progresses faster in sensing qi and shows greater natural ease during cultivation. Although he fears the Body-Tempering Pill, he remains calm and adapts well once he realizes the pain is manageable.
• Li Xiaobin: Demonstrates increasing awareness of the unusual emotional behavior surrounding the two new disciples, hinting that Feng Jun’s secret activities may attract more attention.

Significant Themes

• The difficulty of beginnings: Both men struggle with the first essential step of cultivation, showing that progress requires patience and endurance.
• Natural talent versus assisted growth: The chapter explores whether those who need guidance are inherently less gifted, while emphasizing that potential is not the same as achievement.
• Age and limited opportunity: Feng Jun reminds them that they began cultivating late, so their realistic goal is to reach their own limits rather than compare themselves with youthful prodigies.
• The dangers of comparison: Haifeng’s jealousy nearly undermines his mindset, and Feng Jun stresses that comparing progress can damage a cultivator’s resolve.
• Pain as part of advancement: The numbness of qi guidance and the agony of body tempering establish cultivation as physically and psychologically demanding.
• Mentorship and motivation: Feng Jun must tailor his teaching methods to each disciple, combining technical guidance with firm correction and encouragement.

Character Interactions

• Li Xiaobin privately questions Feng Jun about Haifeng and Leigang, prompting him to intervene.
• Haifeng and Leigang repeatedly question Feng Jun about why they need assistance and what it means for their potential, revealing their insecurity.
• Feng Jun guides each disciple physically and energetically, adjusting his approach according to their different responses.
• Haifeng watches Xu’s successful progress with envy and anxiety, while Feng Jun directly confronts his inferiority complex.
• The two disciples’ rivalry continues during the Body-Tempering Pill exercise: Haifeng, noticing Xu’s relative calm, refuses to be outdone and pushes himself through the pain.

Chapter Summary: “Blatant (Please Vote)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Leigang and Wang Haifeng complete a morning of cultivation after taking Body-Tempering Pills.
• Wang Haifeng gains the most from the session because he endures the pills’ intense pain and continues circulating his energy, allowing the medicine to spread efficiently through his body.
• Xu Leigang is less disciplined and fails to circulate his energy consistently during the painful period, though he still benefits from the pills.
• After cultivation, both men discover that the process has expelled a foul-smelling substance from their bodies. They shower and change clothes, with Xu revealing that he had thoughtfully prepared extra underwear for such situations.
• Feng Jun receives word that the weapons in Turkey are ready and that he must proceed with a money-losing operation in Hejiang to settle an arranged transaction.
• Feng Jun decides to travel to Turkey alone, while Xu Leigang and Wang Haifeng go to Hejiang. Their stated task is to lose money at a casino so that the financial transfer appears legitimate.
• The two men play poker in a VIP room under coded arrangements. They deliberately lose tens of millions through an obvious transfer of funds, completing the operation in roughly three hours.
• The casino gives them extra chips as compensation for being valuable customers. Wang Haifeng loses his chips, while Xu Leigang wins a small amount and stops while ahead.
• After handling related accounts in Bud City, they return to Yang City.
• Feng Jun assigns them further cultivation: two days of adaptation followed by taking the remaining half of the Body-Tempering Pill on the third day. He then leaves for Hengzhou on his way to Turkey.
• Wang Haifeng worries about Feng Jun traveling alone through dangerous territory and considers contacting Sister Hong for help, but Xu Leigang advises against revealing more information.
• The next morning, an attractive foreign-looking woman arrives at Peach Blossom Valley and asks through the surveillance system whether Feng Jun is present, creating a new mystery and cliffhanger.

Character Development

• Wang Haifeng demonstrates exceptional determination and a willingness to endure severe pain. Although he is usually pleasure-seeking and unruly, cultivation reveals a ruthless, disciplined side when challenged.
• Xu Leigang is less tolerant of pain and less committed during cultivation, but he remains experienced, practical, and responsible. His preparation of spare clothing shows foresight, while his handling of the casino operation reflects confidence and composure.
• Feng Jun becomes increasingly cautious and strategic. He separates the group to reduce the risk of exposing their weapons transaction, trusts only those with reliable backgrounds to guard the villa, and keeps his plans secret even from allies.
• Wang Haifeng and Xu Leigang grow more devoted to Feng Jun. Despite their worries about him, they accept his expectations and continue cultivating rather than abandoning their assigned responsibilities.

Significant Themes

• Discipline versus temperament: Wang Haifeng’s success shows how determination and endurance can outweigh natural comfort or upbringing.
• The dangers of cultivation: Even early-stage energy circulation can go wrong, emphasizing the need for precision and Feng Jun’s role as a cautious instructor.
• Trust and secrecy: Feng Jun carefully limits who knows about the weapons and financial operations, showing that secrecy is essential for survival.
• Loyalty and responsibility: Although Wang and Xu are tempted to travel with Feng Jun or seek outside help, they ultimately follow orders and protect the villa.
• Money as a tool: The gambling operation illustrates how wealth is used not for profit but to disguise an illicit transaction.
• Blending the extraordinary with the ordinary: Body-tempering, international arms dealings, and covert financial transfers are interwoven with mundane humor about showers, clothing, and gambling.

Character Interactions

• Xu Leigang and Wang Haifeng tease each other after cultivation, especially over their foul smell and lack of clean underwear.
• Feng Jun reprimands Xu for wasting part of the medicine’s effects but recognizes Wang’s dangerous yet effective perseverance.
• Xu and Wang debate who should accompany Feng Jun and who should guard the villa, revealing their differing personalities: Wang wants excitement, while Xu is more cautious and practical.
• Feng Jun firmly asserts authority by insisting on traveling alone and assigning both men to Hejiang.
• After returning, Wang expresses concern for Feng Jun’s safety and suggests contacting Sister Hong; Xu rejects the idea to protect Feng Jun’s secrecy.
• The chapter ends with the unexpected arrival of a beautiful foreign woman asking for Feng Jun, suggesting that Sister Hong’s organization may already know about his departure or have urgent business with him.

Chapter Summary: “Too Many People with Ulterior Motives”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhang Caixin arrives at Peach Blossom Valley looking for Feng Jun and bringing him money from jade sales. Wang Haifeng is initially distracted by her beauty, but she quickly makes clear that she only wants information.
• Wang Haifeng and Xu Leigang refuse to reveal Feng Jun’s location because he is secretly away on a dangerous mission. Through careful questioning, Zhang Caixin deduces that he went to Hengzhou and may actually be in Turkey.
• Zhang warns them that Hengzhou’s jade industry is highly complicated. Although Feng Jun mainly trades nephrite and has not directly threatened local profits, many jewelry dealers have connections there, making his trip dangerous.
• The men realize Zhang Caixin and her sister, Sister Hong, may have ulterior motives. Xu Leigang suspects Zhang knows more than she admits, while Wang Haifeng wonders whether Zhang herself is especially worried about Feng Jun.
• Zhang leaves after being unable to obtain useful information, offering to have Sister Hong help if Feng Jun needs assistance.
• Feng Jun returns four days later, thinner, darker, and bearing a scrape on his forehead. He explains that Turkish smugglers and their associates in Xia Nation ambushed and pursued him.
• During his escape, Feng Jun learned to use a sniper rifle, fought back decisively, and killed several pursuers near the border. He then evaded further blockades by using his speed and vehicles from the other world.
• To avoid continued pursuit, he flew first to Ming City and stayed there overnight before returning to Yang City.
• Feng Jun concludes that people involved in this trade cannot be trusted to honor agreements. Despite the danger, he confirms that the goods were successfully obtained and remain intact.

Character Developments

• Zhang Caixin is shown to be perceptive, composed, and more concerned about Feng Jun than she openly admits. She quickly detects the men’s evasiveness and correctly suspects that Feng Jun has gone abroad.
• Wang Haifeng remains flirtatious and informal, but he is also loyal and cautious about protecting Feng Jun’s secrets. He becomes genuinely worried once he learns Feng Jun traveled alone.
• Xu Leigang demonstrates sharp observational skills and a talent for psychological probing. He recognizes Zhang’s hidden knowledge and suspects a complicated relationship between her, Sister Hong, and Feng Jun.
• Feng Jun returns more hardened and experienced. The dangerous journey reinforces his willingness to respond violently when threatened and increases his distrust of foreign trading partners.
• Sister Hong, though absent, is portrayed as influential and highly perceptive. Her warning to Wang and her likely deduction of Feng Jun’s destination suggest that she is deeply invested in his safety.

Significant Themes

• Hidden motives and mutual suspicion: Nearly everyone conceals information or has a private reason for asking questions, creating tension even among business partners.
• Loyalty and protection: Wang and Xu protect Feng Jun’s whereabouts, while Zhang and Sister Hong attempt to determine whether he is in danger.
• Trust versus opportunism: The chapter contrasts personal loyalty with the ruthless, unreliable nature of the jade trade.
• Strength as protection: Feng Jun’s survival depends on speed, combat ability, armor, and decisiveness rather than negotiation or goodwill.
• Growing danger surrounding Feng Jun: His expanding business and access to valuable jade attract increasingly powerful and hostile interests.

Character Interactions

• Zhang’s bluntness clashes humorously with Wang Haifeng’s flirtatious behavior, especially when she calls him “uncle.”
• Xu Leigang repeatedly tests Zhang with indirect questions, while Zhang counters by exposing the weaknesses in his claims.
• Wang and Xu cooperate in concealing Feng Jun’s whereabouts but privately analyze Zhang’s motives and her relationship with Sister Hong.
• After Feng Jun returns, the men listen to his account with concern, then shift to practical matters by confirming that the valuable goods survived the journey.

Chapter Summary: “Blocked at the Door”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun inspects Xu Leigang and Wang Haifeng’s cultivation. Xu has begun the second diagram of the first form, while Wang remains on the first diagram but has made clear progress in aura strength and control.
• He encourages them to ask questions before he becomes busy again. His immediate plans are to buy weapons, diesel, food, a freezer, and other supplies before returning to the Phone Plane for an extended stay.
• Feng Jun learns that Sister Hong’s younger sister has visited to settle payment for the goods Sister Hong purchased and to ask about his whereabouts.
• He reflects that his romantic interest in Sister Hong has cooled. He now sees his earlier feelings as excessive and believes he should stop pursuing someone who does not openly reciprocate.
• While Feng Jun naps, Zhang Caixin arrives unexpectedly and pounds on his door. Their exchange becomes flirtatious and confrontational when she refuses to wait outside and watches him change.
• Downstairs, Zhang Caixin, Xu Leigang, and Wang Haifeng discuss the delayed payment. Zhang explains that Sister Hong’s business faces pressure from customers who delay payment, while Feng Jun argues that Sister Hong should have paid him directly after selling the goods.
• Feng Jun suspects Sister Hong deliberately waited for him to contact her, perhaps expecting him to visit and endure another emotional rejection. Her sending Zhang Caixin to pay confirms his suspicion.
• Zhang Caixin emphasizes that business relationships require flexibility and favors, but Feng Jun remains skeptical, believing wealthy jewelry dealers should be able to pay promptly.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Displays growing confidence and detachment. He is focused on practical preparations for his return to the Phone Plane and is less emotionally invested in Sister Hong. He also shows his usual bluntness and independence in business matters.
• Xu Leigang and Wang Haifeng: Continue progressing steadily in cultivation. Their improvement confirms that Feng Jun’s teachings are effective, particularly for disciplined adult learners.
• Sister Hong: Though absent, she is characterized as trustworthy, capable, and possibly emotionally conflicted. Her concern for Feng Jun’s safety and decision to send her sister to settle the debt suggest she still cares about him despite their strained relationship.
• Zhang Caixin: Appears bold, outspoken, and teasing. She openly challenges Feng Jun, flirts with him, and defends her sister’s business decisions while also revealing that Sister Hong has been worried about him.
• Feng Jun and Zhang Caixin: Their interaction is marked by playful antagonism and sexual tension. She invades his privacy and mocks his physique, while he responds with irritation, humor, and deliberate provocation.

Significant Themes

• Emotional withdrawal and self-respect: Feng Jun decides not to chase Sister Hong after recognizing that affection should be mutual.
• Trust versus formal obligation: Although Sister Hong delays payment, Feng Jun trusts her character enough not to demand immediate settlement, distinguishing personal confidence from strict business procedure.
• Business relationships and social obligations: Zhang Caixin argues that commerce depends on favors, patience, and maintaining connections, whereas Feng Jun favors clear, immediate transactions.
• Cultivation and steady progress: The chapter reinforces that adults may advance more slowly at first but can cultivate effectively through calmness and discipline.
• Gender roles and flirtation: The confrontation between Feng Jun and Zhang Caixin uses teasing, physical boldness, and verbal sparring to develop their chemistry.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun encourages Xu Leigang and Wang Haifeng and evaluates their cultivation progress.
• He discusses Sister Hong’s delayed payment with Zhang Caixin, who explains the pressures of the jewelry market and defends her sister.
• Feng Jun and Zhang Caixin engage in a provocative, humorous exchange beginning at his bedroom door and continuing downstairs.
• Xu Leigang and Wang Haifeng quietly observe the encounter, treating Zhang Caixin’s arrival as entertaining entertainment.
• Through Zhang Caixin, Feng Jun indirectly learns that Sister Hong has been concerned about him, complicating his attempt to distance himself emotionally.

Chapter Summary: “Scheming for Petty Gain”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun learns from Zhang Caixin that jade buyers are delaying payments and demanding credit despite the abundance and high quality of his jade.
• He initially finds their reasoning—abundant supply justifying delayed payment—absurd, but realizes that buyers assume he has enormous profit margins and therefore feel entitled to favorable terms.
• Feng Jun proposes a strict policy: cash on delivery, with anyone unwilling to accept the terms refused service.
• Zhang Caixin explains that Sister Hong must operate more cautiously. Unlike Feng Jun, she does not possess an inexhaustible jade supply and must protect the company’s reputation, cash flow, and long-term access to the market.
• Feng Jun learns that Sister Hong has sold more than three hundred million yuan worth of jade. She offers to let him withdraw two hundred million, while keeping at least one hundred million in the company accounts to demonstrate financial strength.
• Feng Jun refuses the money and promises to send even more jade. He insists that only sincere buyers should be served, even if that means suspending sales for months.
• Zhang Caixin calls Sister Hong to discuss Feng Jun’s proposal while Sister Hong is negotiating with a Long City buyer.
• The buyer wants to purchase more than sixty million yuan in jade but seeks lower prices and payment in four installments, citing the risks of doing business with a supplier opposed by influential figures in Long City.
• Sister Hong refuses to lower the price or accept installments. She demands full payment before pickup and places responsibility for delivery on the buyer.
• The buyer realizes that Sister Hong’s claim of limited funds is deliberate rather than genuine: she is using the company’s visible cash reserves to appear financially secure while refusing to accommodate buyers who previously changed their terms.
• Angered by her position, he puts the deal on hold.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun displays growing confidence and assertiveness. Backed by his seemingly limitless jade supply, he is willing to abandon the jade business entirely rather than tolerate manipulation.
• He also gains a better understanding of Sister Hong’s cautious business strategy and recognizes that his own boldness comes from resources she does not possess.
• Zhang Caixin acts as the intermediary between Feng Jun and Sister Hong. She admires Feng Jun’s direct approach but understands the practical risks of provoking a market-wide boycott.
• Sister Hong/Zhang Weihong proves herself a firm and strategically minded businesswoman. She refuses to reward buyers who previously broke their agreements and uses the company’s cash reserves as a demonstration of financial stability.
• The Long City general manager is revealed to be opportunistic. He wants premium jade at favorable prices while using political pressure and payment delays as bargaining tools. His frustration grows when Sister Hong refuses to yield.

Significant Themes

• Power and leverage in business: Whoever controls scarce or desirable goods can dictate terms, but long-term survival also requires careful management of relationships and reputation.
• Abundance versus perceived scarcity: Feng Jun’s limitless supply gives him unusual freedom, while Sister Hong must behave as though resources are limited to protect her business position.
• Financial appearances and strategic deception: Sister Hong keeps substantial funds on the company books to signal strength, even while claiming that cash is tight to justify refusing installment payments.
• Loyalty and reciprocity: Sister Hong argues that buyers cannot demand loyalty while abandoning previously agreed terms whenever circumstances change.
• Principles versus pragmatism: Feng Jun favors uncompromising action, whereas Sister Hong balances confrontation with the need to maintain a functioning business during the peak sales season.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Zhang Caixin debate whether buyers’ demands should be tolerated. Their conversation reveals the difference between Feng Jun’s confidence and Sister Hong’s cautious calculations.
• Zhang Caixin challenges Feng Jun by asking whether he can guarantee an endless supply or permanent control of his jade source, forcing him to recognize the limits of Sister Hong’s position.
• Sister Hong and the Long City buyer engage in a tense negotiation. He appeals to friendship, regional risks, and supposed sincerity, while she counters by emphasizing broken agreements, superior goods, and the necessity of full payment.
• Their meeting ends without a deal, establishing Sister Hong’s refusal to submit to buyers attempting to exploit her circumstances.

Chapter Summary: “Prospects (Please Vote)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhang Weihong negotiates with Manager Su over a jade purchase. Although she initially plans to compromise to preserve the business relationship, a phone call from Cai Xin changes her mood and priorities.
• Her affectionate reaction reveals that she is emotionally involved with someone, astonishing and even slightly unsettling Manager Su.
• Zhang abruptly ends the negotiation, telling Manager Su that the deal can be postponed until summer. When he threatens to contact Feng Jun, she calmly encourages him to do so, explaining that Feng has just returned to Yang City.
• Zhang warns Manager Su that Feng Jun may reduce or abandon the jade business and intends to stop selling to customers from Long City. Manager Su is shocked but recognizes the seriousness of the threat and considers Feng Jun unusually bold.
• That evening, Feng Jun hosts a banquet at the sanatorium to celebrate the preliminary completion of his yearly cooperation with Zhang Weihong.
• Important figures from the local jewelry industry attend, including Zhang Weihong and her sister, Wang Haifeng, Xu Leigang, Zhang Wei, Li Qiang, Henglong executive vice president Liang Haiqing, and Li Dafu chairman Li Yongrui.
• The gathering turns into a discussion about the future of Funiu’s jewelry industry and the threat posed by large outside jewelry chains.
• Li Yongrui argues that local businesses must unite against powerful national competitors, while Liang Haiqing advocates differentiated competition and adapting business strategies.
• Their debate exposes divisions within the local industry: Li favors collective resistance and expansion, while Liang takes a more pragmatic, market-oriented approach.
• Li Yongrui predicts that Henglong may eventually sell or separate its jewelry division, while Liang refuses to confirm this and emphasizes that business strategies can change.
• Li ends by expressing his hope that local jewelry companies can organize and expand overseas.

Character Developments

• Zhang Weihong demonstrates that, despite her usually considerate and diplomatic nature, she can become decisive when Feng Jun’s interests are involved. Her willingness to abandon a potentially valuable customer shows growing confidence and loyalty.
• Her warm smile and gentle phone conversation reveal a more private, romantic side, contrasting with her usual image as a cool and capable businesswoman.
• Feng Jun remains mostly offstage but exerts strong influence. His willingness to stop selling to Long City merchants shows his pride, decisiveness, and readiness to retaliate against those who reject him.
• Manager Su begins the chapter assuming Zhang will compromise, but he is gradually forced to recognize that she and Feng Jun may genuinely be willing to walk away from his business.
• Li Yongrui emerges as an influential, proud industry leader who feels responsible for defending local jewelry companies.
• Liang Haiqing is portrayed as practical and cautious. Although he wants to repair his relationship with Feng Jun, he also believes businesses should survive through flexibility rather than confrontational resistance.

Significant Themes

• Business negotiation and dignity: Zhang refuses to sacrifice her position merely to preserve a deal, while Feng Jun’s stance suggests that business relationships also involve respect.
• Loyalty and partnership: Zhang’s actions show her alignment with Feng Jun, even though she is technically only managing the jade business on his behalf.
• Market competition and survival: The local jewelry industry faces pressure from larger, better-funded national and foreign brands.
• Unity versus adaptation: Li Yongrui believes local merchants must unite, while Liang Haiqing argues that specialized strengths and differentiated competition offer a more realistic path.
• Power and influence: The chapter contrasts ordinary industry participants, such as Manager Su, with powerful figures like Li Yongrui, who can communicate directly with government authorities.
• Uncertainty and strategic change: Several businesses may reduce or abandon jewelry operations, emphasizing that companies must continually adjust to survive.

Character Interactions

• Zhang Weihong and Manager Su: Their negotiation shifts from polite compromise to firm rejection. Su tries to pressure Zhang by invoking Feng Jun, but she calmly turns the threat back on him.
• Zhang Weihong and Feng Jun: Although Feng is absent from the negotiation, Zhang’s behavior reflects trust, loyalty, and likely growing personal affection toward him.
• Feng Jun and the banquet guests: Feng acts as host but mostly observes while the industry leaders debate. His position gives him influence despite his limited participation.
• Li Yongrui and Liang Haiqing: Their exchange forms the chapter’s main ideological conflict. Li favors collective resistance to major competitors, while Liang supports flexible strategies and market differentiation.
• Li Yongrui and the broader industry: He positions himself as a leader attempting to rally Funiu’s jewelry merchants and protect them from being overwhelmed by outside companies.

Chapter Summary: “Old Grudges”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A tense discussion between Li Yongrui and Liang Haiqing is temporarily lightened when the group jokes about a piece of jade Feng Jun gave Wang Haifeng. After being carved into an embarrassing shape, Wang had it recarved as a raised fist.
• Li Yongrui reveals that his earlier defense of Funiu’s jewelry industry was partly intended to preserve Feng Jun’s goodwill toward the city. Feng controls valuable jade resources and could become an important ally if outside competitors threaten local businesses.
• Feng announces that he plans to make his jade business more organized next year, but he rejects the idea of opening a storefront because it would create employee, tax, and administrative burdens. The others largely support his flexible, low-overhead approach.
• The conversation turns hostile when Liang Haiqing criticizes Yang City’s business environment and brings up Jubaozhai, the company connected to Feng’s longstanding enemies, the Wang family.
• The group discusses Wang Weimin’s recent attempts to restore his reputation through Jubaozhai’s sponsorship of a provincial production. Wang has also accused Feng of sabotaging and framing Jubaozhai, while Wang Tiechen has reportedly been seeking support from Long City.
• Feng decides that the Wang family and Jubaozhai can no longer be ignored. Rather than merely targeting Wang Weimin personally, he identifies Jubaozhai as the true source of the family’s influence.
• Sister Hong proposes attacking Jubaozhai’s reputation through rumors and a manufactured crisis of trust. Feng approves the strategy but suggests a more powerful move: publicly spreading that he intends to stop selling jade to Long City entirely.
• The chapter ends with the group—especially Li Yongrui—shocked by Feng’s announcement. Liang Haiqing points out that Long City is the nation’s largest jade market, emphasizing the seriousness and potential impact of Feng’s decision.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates increasing confidence and strategic sophistication. He is unwilling to be tied down by conventional business structures and prefers flexibility, but he is also prepared to use his resources decisively against Jubaozhai.
• Li Yongrui emerges as a pragmatic political and business strategist. He wants to preserve Feng’s favorable feelings toward Funiu rather than immediately recruit him, recognizing that Feng’s loyalty cannot be assumed.
• Liang Haiqing continues to oppose Jubaozhai and openly supports Feng’s conflict with the Wang family, though he is surprised and concerned by Feng’s willingness to sacrifice access to Long City.
• Sister Hong reveals a ruthless understanding of corporate warfare, suggesting that damaging Jubaozhai’s credibility may be more effective than attacking it directly.
• Li Qiang remains grateful to Feng and Sister Hong for helping him after his assault. He strongly supports taking action against Jubaozhai and argues that defeating Wang Weimin alone would accomplish little.
• Xu Leigang favors direct, forceful solutions, such as setting traps, but recognizes that destroying a major company requires a different approach.
• Wang Weimin and Wang Tiechen are portrayed as becoming increasingly desperate. Their attempts to gain protection and rebuild legitimacy suggest that the Wang family feels threatened by Feng.

Significant Themes

• Business as power and leverage: Feng’s control over jade supplies gives him influence far beyond that of a normal merchant.
• Loyalty versus profit: Li Yongrui acknowledges that businesses and individuals rarely remain loyal when greater profits are available, making Feng’s goodwill valuable but uncertain.
• Reputation as a weapon: In the jewelry industry, trust is essential. The characters recognize that undermining Jubaozhai’s credibility could be more devastating than a direct commercial attack.
• Old grudges and retaliation: Past conflicts involving Feng, the Wang family, Liu Hong, and Li Qiang continue to shape present decisions. The group views retaliation as both personal justice and practical strategy.
• Freedom versus institutional stability: Feng prefers avoiding storefronts, employees, and taxes, while others debate whether a formal business structure is necessary for long-term growth.
• Escalation and calculated risk: Feng’s plan to cut off Long City represents a dramatic escalation. It may harm his own business in the short term, but it could seriously weaken Jubaozhai and reshape the regional jewelry market.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Wang Haifeng: Their friendship is shown through teasing over the oddly carved jade ornament.
• Feng Jun and Li Yongrui: Li attempts to cultivate Feng’s goodwill toward Funiu, while Feng honestly explains his reluctance to establish a conventional storefront.
• Feng Jun and Liang Haiqing: Their exchange over Jubaozhai exposes their shared hostility toward the Wang family, though Liang is unsettled by Feng’s extreme business decision.
• Feng Jun and Sister Hong: Feng trusts Sister Hong’s darker, more strategic methods and assigns her responsibility for spreading pressure against Jubaozhai.
• Feng Jun and Li Qiang: Li Qiang’s gratitude and loyalty are evident as he supports Feng’s decision to act against the Wang family.
• The group as a whole: Most participants urge direct retaliation, but Feng redirects the discussion from attacking Wang Weimin to undermining the larger institution—Jubaozhai itself.