Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: The Mountain Need Not Be High

Key Plot Points and Events

• After detecting a mysterious visitor near the temple, Feng Jun follows the person’s scent into the rainy night. The trail disappears because of the rain, but Feng determines that the individual was an elderly ordinary person rather than a Buddhist or Daoist cultivator, since there was no incense scent.
• Concerned for Gazi’s safety, Feng orders Gazi, Gao Qiang, and Di Aixin to share a room for the rest of the night instead of allowing Gazi to sleep alone.
• The next morning, Feng’s group eats breakfast at Green Mountain Sect and climbs the relatively short mountain to attend the Heaven-Worship Ceremony.
• The ceremony draws nearly twenty thousand spectators, including more than a thousand Daoists, despite the winter weather and rushed preparations.
• Tang Wangsun introduces the attending Daoist leaders before beginning the ritual. Feng notices Zheng, a dark-skinned Daoist from Jade Sect Mountain’s Lesser Pure Void Grotto-Heaven, whom he had met the previous day.
• Feng is suspicious that Zheng, whose sect originated as a hereditary temple, uses the Ten Directions Forest’s organizational system and holds the prestigious title of Scripture Master. He views this as contradictory because hereditary temples traditionally guard their teachings, while the Ten Directions Forest emphasizes spreading doctrine.
• Feng disguises himself as a young, sickly-looking Daoist and temporarily leaves Zhang Caixin and the others behind. While disguised, he speaks to Gazi and Gao Qiang, who recognize that his transformation involves more than ordinary makeup. He refuses to teach them the technique immediately.
• After the lengthy ceremony, the attendees gather at a pavilion built around a sealed mountain cave. The cave contains a stone turtle fountain, which has supposedly been the source of a miraculous spirit spring connected to Golden Altar Huayang Heaven.
• Green Mountain Sect has reopened the cave using a Spirit-Gathering Array. Although the spring water is technically artificially restored, it corresponds to a genuine minor benefit of the grotto-heaven.
• The sect plans to present the reopened spring as proof that the eighth Daoist Grotto-Heaven has returned, while keeping the true secluded cultivation site hidden from the public.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates heightened sensory abilities, especially his ability to detect and distinguish scents. His caution and investigative instincts intensify as he continues probing the identity and motives of the mysterious visitor.
• Feng also shows leadership by protecting Gazi and keeping his companions together at night.
• His ability to disguise himself convincingly reveals another aspect of his power and resourcefulness. He remains secretive about how the technique works, even with Gazi and Gao Qiang.
• Gazi remains curious and eager to learn Feng’s techniques, but his impulsiveness prompts Feng to take precautions for his safety.
• Gao Qiang is skeptical and observant, correctly realizing that Feng’s disguise alters his body as well as his appearance.
• Tang Wangsun appears as a capable organizer who manages the large ceremony and carefully presents Green Mountain Sect’s history and religious legitimacy.
• Daoist Zheng becomes a figure of interest and suspicion to Feng. His unusual institutional affiliation and elevated title suggest complicated relationships between different Daoist traditions.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus reality: Green Mountain Sect presents an “ancient” spirit spring that has been artificially restored, reflecting the broader tension between genuine tradition and staged religious spectacle.
• Religious legitimacy and authority: Feng questions whether sects that claim to follow different traditions can honestly adopt one another’s systems and titles.
• Secrecy versus public benefit: The true grotto-heaven remains hidden, while the sect offers ordinary believers access to a small portion of its power through the spring.
• Tradition adapting to modern conditions: The sect uses spiritual formations, tourism, ceremony, and public relations to preserve and expand its influence.
• The value of hidden greatness: The chapter’s title suggests that physical height or outward grandeur is unimportant when a place possesses spiritual significance; even a small mountain or cave can become renowned through its connection to immortals.

Character Interactions

• Feng and the duty priest discuss the mysterious scent, with Feng’s unusual explanation leaving the priest impressed despite his confusion.
• Feng directs Gazi, Gao Qiang, and Di Aixin to share a room, establishing his protective authority over the group.
• Feng observes and mentally evaluates Daoist Zheng, who notices Feng looking at him and responds with a faint, unsettling smile.
• While disguised, Feng exchanges whispered remarks with Gazi and Gao Qiang during the ceremony. Gazi asks to learn Feng’s technique, while Gao Qiang questions whether the disguise is merely cosmetic.
• Tang Wangsun interacts publicly with the Daoist leaders and spectators, acting as the ceremony’s central host and representative of Green Mountain Sect.

Chapter Summary: “Where There Are Immortals, There Is Spirit”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun confirms that the Spirit Spring water genuinely contains a small amount of spiritual energy. The continuous flow creates a faint mist around the stone turtle, giving the spring an otherworldly appearance.
• Green Mountain Sect announces that Spirit Spring water can only be collected when Golden Altar Huayang Heaven opens—on the first and fifteenth days of each month, during the morning. Although the crowd initially complains, Tang Wangsun explains that the grotto-heaven cannot yet sustain constant access.
• The restriction satisfies ordinary visitors, but knowledgeable cultivators recognize it as a clever way for Green Mountain Sect to conserve and control its scarce spiritual resources.
• After lunch, the large group travels to the true Golden Altar Huayang Heaven. Daoists check identities at the entrance, even stopping Feng Jun’s group because one member’s appearance has been altered.
• Yang Yuxin and Gu Jiahui arrive and confirm that Feng Jun’s group is traveling together, allowing them to pass. Feng Jun, disguised as a sickly young Daoist, secretly places a hand on Mei’s shoulder and speaks in his own voice, revealing his identity to Yang Yuxin.
• Zhuang Haoyun and his injured son, Zhuang Zesheng, appear at the checkpoint. The guarding Daoist reacts angrily because Zhuang Haoyun once sent people to steal Green Mountain Sect’s Ancestral Tablet. Zhuang calmly states that Tang Wenji authorized his visit, while Feng Jun and the others use the confrontation to move ahead.
• Inside Golden Altar Huayang Heaven, the visitors see bamboo forests, dense spiritual mist, and numerous caves carved into the mountainside. Feng Jun realizes that the grottoes are part of a Spirit-Gathering Array designed to provide cultivation spaces and efficiently distribute spiritual energy.
• Tang Wangsun introduces the site as the Eighth Grotto-Heaven and First Blessed Land. He explains that the lower grotto-heaven is merely an extension for ordinary visitors, while the true grotto-heaven is reserved for cultivators and protected from the mortal world.
• Visitors are allowed to explore the area but are forbidden from entering the corridor leading into the mist unless personally invited.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates his increasing understanding of cultivation formations. By examining Green Mountain Sect’s arrangement, he gains new insight into how Spirit-Gathering Arrays and traditional grotto carvings may function.
• Tang Wangsun proves himself an effective leader and public speaker. He balances authority with humor, persuading the crowd to accept restrictive rules while concealing Green Mountain Sect’s strategic resource management.
• Yang Yuxin remains observant and composed. She immediately recognizes Feng Jun’s disguise from his voice and behavior, but protects his secret without exposing him publicly.
• Gu Jiahui continues to accompany and support her mother, while both women remain cautious about unwanted attention from the Zhuang family.
• Zhuang Haoyun appears bold and unapologetic despite his hostile history with Green Mountain Sect. He relies on Tang Wenji’s authorization and refuses to be intimidated.
• Zhuang Zesheng has made physical progress and can now walk with crutches, though he still requires support because of weakness in his lower body.
• The young gatekeeping Daoist is shown to be strict and loyal to his sect, but also inexperienced and vulnerable when confronted with influential guests and old grudges.

Significant Themes

• Scarcity and controlled access: Spiritual energy is valuable and limited, so Green Mountain Sect carefully regulates the Spirit Spring and the grotto-heaven.
• Appearance versus reality: The lower spring site appears impressive, but the true grotto-heaven is far more significant. Feng Jun’s disguise and Yang Yuxin’s recognition of him further reinforce the theme of hidden identities.
• Tradition supported by practical knowledge: Ancient grotto carvings are revealed to have a functional cultivation purpose rather than being merely decorative or religious.
• Preservation of sacred spaces: The restrictions on entry emphasize the boundary between ordinary society and the secluded world of cultivators.
• Political maneuvering and reputation: Green Mountain Sect’s public explanations, Zhuang Haoyun’s past offense, and the importance of personal introductions show how status and relationships influence access and authority.

Character Interactions

• Tang Wangsun addresses the crowd directly, using humor and reason to justify Green Mountain Sect’s limitations.
• Feng Jun interacts covertly with Yang Yuxin by disguising himself and speaking in his usual voice; she recognizes him and discreetly supports his passage.
• Yang Yuxin and Gu Jiahui maintain polite but guarded relations with Zhuang Haoyun’s family, aware that the Zhuang family likely has ulterior motives.
• The checkpoint Daoist confronts Zhuang Haoyun over the attempted theft of Green Mountain Sect’s Ancestral Tablet, creating a tense standoff.
• Feng Jun’s group takes advantage of that confrontation to pass into the grotto-heaven.
• Tang Wangsun establishes a formal boundary between the visitors and the sacred cultivation area, permitting observation while firmly forbidding unauthorized entry.

Chapter Summary: “Mass Excitement”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Green Mountain publicly reopens the Juqu Grotto-Abode, also known as Golden Altar Huayang Heaven, attracting more than a thousand distinguished cultivators and representatives from various grotto-heavens and sects.
• Although the grotto-heaven appears ordinary and its corridors do not seem especially dangerous, visitors sense genuine spiritual energy within. Green Mountain disciples organize controlled tours while preventing photography and stopping guests from cultivating inside.
• The reopening confirms that Green Mountain’s announcement is legitimate rather than publicity. This leads many guests to question how the sect managed to revive a grotto-heaven during the Dharma-Ending Age, when spiritual energy is supposedly declining.
• Celestial Master Tang Wangsun claims the reopening resulted from blessings left by Green Mountain’s patriarchs and favorable modern conditions. Few believe this explanation.
• Several guests speculate that Green Mountain used a Spirit-Gathering Array powered by rare Spirit Stones, possibly obtained from an ancient ancestral storage treasure.
• Tang Wangsun refuses to reveal Green Mountain’s secrets, but eventually admits that the sect possesses only four Spirit Stones and that their spiritual energy is nearly exhausted.
• The discussion becomes politically charged as rival sects probe Green Mountain’s resources and accuse it of selfishly hoarding an opportunity that could benefit the wider cultivation world.

Character Developments

• Tang Wangsun demonstrates restraint and political awareness. Though repeatedly provoked, he avoids openly attacking powerful figures and tries to preserve Green Mountain’s public image through measured honesty.
• He also reveals a strategic goal: the ceremony is meant not only to reshape Green Mountain’s declining reputation but also to prevent future conflict by addressing rumors openly.
• Tang Wenji, the unconventional Little Celestial Master, shows her boldness and sharp tongue by directly challenging Dragon-Phoenix Mountain’s representative. She protects Green Mountain’s dignity without hesitation.
• Zheng Jingzhu of Jade Sect is portrayed as openly antagonistic and opportunistic. Because Jade Sect already has a poor reputation, he attempts to make Green Mountain appear equally suspicious or hypocritical.
• Daoist Qiu of South Mountain uses seemingly curious questions to spread the rumor that Green Mountain obtained countless Spirit Stones, revealing himself as politically crafty.
• The Dragon-Phoenix Mountain representative tests Green Mountain’s defenses and accuses it of flaunting its fortune, but quickly retreats when Tang Wenji turns the criticism back on his sect.
• Elder Guo of the Martial Sect asks about the Spirit Stones for a likely private purpose. Unlike the other guests, he maintains a relatively cordial relationship with Tang Wangsun and does not press the issue publicly.

Significant Themes

• Scarcity and competition in the Dharma-Ending Age: The decline of spiritual energy makes Green Mountain’s resources extremely valuable, turning the reopening into a matter of interest—and potential conflict—for every sect.
• Public image versus private power: Green Mountain must demonstrate that its grotto-heaven is real while concealing enough of its resources to avoid becoming a target.
• Political maneuvering and sect rivalry: Questions about Spirit Stones are less about curiosity than about probing Green Mountain’s strength, wealth, and vulnerability.
• Tradition and inheritance: Green Mountain attributes its revival to blessings from its patriarchs, emphasizing the value of ancient lineages and preserved inheritances.
• Truth, rumor, and reputation: The chapter shows how rumors can be used as weapons, especially when sects compete to control the narrative surrounding Green Mountain’s sudden resurgence.
• Modernity and cultivation: The mention that the Spirit-Gathering Array runs on nuclear power humorously links ancient cultivation techniques with modern technology.

Character Interactions

• Guests crowd around Tang Wangsun, demanding an explanation for the grotto-heaven’s reopening.
• Tang Wangsun and Zheng Jingzhu exchange accusations over Spirit Stones and the reliability of their respective sects.
• Daoist Qiu intensifies suspicion by suggesting Green Mountain discovered a huge ancestral cache.
• A Dragon-Phoenix Mountain Daoist openly criticizes Tang Wangsun for refusing to share Green Mountain’s resources, escalating the dispute.
• Tang Wenji intervenes and exposes Dragon-Phoenix Mountain’s own reluctance to disclose its patriarchal inheritances, forcing its representative to withdraw.
• Elder Guo asks Tang Wangsun directly about the number of Spirit Stones, creating a more serious and potentially cooperative interaction.
• Tang Wangsun ends the exchange with a dismissive proverb—“How can sparrows understand the ambitions of swans?”—signaling Green Mountain’s confidence and refusal to be intimidated.

Chapter Summary: “Finding Time Amid the Hustle at 3 A.M.”

Key events

The author announces that the book has reached six hundred chapters and thanks readers for their concern about Feng Xiao’s elderly father. He explains that his father, over eighty, previously suffered a cerebral infarction that left his right arm numb and weak. His platelet count was dangerously high, and his right eye had recently become nearly blind.
At Shandong University Second Hospital, doctors determined that he required hospitalization because another stroke could occur at any time. Treatment would focus on lowering his platelet count, identifying whether the condition was primary, and providing physical therapy. His eye problem was diagnosed as a cataract, which could be treated surgically once the weather cooled. Because of his age and medical history, he needed constant supervision.

Character developments

Feng Xiao and his two siblings struggle to balance caring for their father with their other responsibilities. They eventually hire a caregiver, though some relatives or observers criticize them for not providing all the care themselves. Feng Xiao feels sympathy for middle-aged only children who must handle such burdens alone. Despite exhaustion and a lack of time, he remains committed to writing and repaying promised bonus chapters.

Character interactions

Feng Xiao addresses readers directly, giving them a detailed update about his father’s health and explaining the family’s decisions. He acknowledges public judgment over hiring a caregiver and responds that it is impossible to satisfy everyone. He also thanks supporters, promises to finish an outstanding bonus chapter, and asks readers to continue voting.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes family responsibility, filial expectations, and the physical and emotional strain of caring for aging parents. It also explores the conflict between personal obligations and professional commitments. Amid the stress, Feng Xiao finds comfort in writing, repaying readers’ support, and watching the book’s monthly votes increase.

Chapter Summary: Celestial Master Tang the Master Thespian

Key Plot Points and Events

• Green Mountain Sect decides to release its spirit spring for public use, despite possessing only four Spirit Stones and facing the risk that other factions will covet its resources.
• Celestial Master Tang Wangsun supports the decision because it could:
  • Attract more people toward Dao cultivation as society prospers.
  • Establish Green Mountain Sect’s influence for decades after his eventual death.
  • Help the sect restore its grotto-heaven and surpass rival Daoist branches.
  • Take advantage of its potential alliance with Feng Jun, the powerful master of Luohua Manor.
• At a gathering of Daoist factions, Zheng of the Jade Sect questions whether Green Mountain Sect can afford such generosity. Tang Wangsun responds sharply, defending the sect’s ambition.
• Zheng then suggests that Green Mountain Sect lend or sell two Spirit Stones to the Jade Sect. Other factions follow:
  • Fugu Scarlet Cloud Heaven requests one Spirit Stone outright.
  • The Gugui Lineage offers a high price for two Spirit Stones and reveals a mysterious connection to Master Xuanwei and the lost Guxuansi True Heaven lineage.
• Tang Wangsun claims that Green Mountain Sect has only one accessible Spirit Stone because the other three are sealed in a storage artifact that cannot be opened without a powerful cultivator.
• This explanation frustrates the factions seeking Spirit Stones but creates an opportunity for Tang Wangsun to emphasize Green Mountain Sect’s connection to an elusive “great cultivator”—clearly Feng Jun.
• When the Martial Sect asks for an introduction to this cultivator, Tang politely refuses to guarantee one, implying that the senior is difficult to approach.
• Tang further warns Zheng that disrespecting the mysterious cultivator could endanger the Jade Sect, effectively silencing him and discouraging the other factions from rashly visiting Luohua Manor.
• Feng Jun observes the exchange and recognizes that Tang Wangsun is an exceptionally skilled manipulator, comparable even to Tang Wenji.

Character Developments

• Tang Wangsun demonstrates strategic vision, confidence, and political cunning. He presents Green Mountain Sect’s risky decision as an act of courage and foresight while deliberately using Feng Jun’s reputation to protect the sect and deter rivals.
• Zheng, Scripture Master of the Jade Sect, remains sharp-tongued and skeptical. However, Tang’s invocation of the mysterious great cultivator leaves him unable to continue pressing the issue.
• The female Daoist nun from Scarlet Cloud Heaven is shown as blunt, impulsive, and socially unaware. Her direct demand for a Spirit Stone unintentionally helps Tang Wangsun break the gathering’s deadlock.
• Daoist Qiu of South Mountain provides comic relief through his argument with the nun over an ancient theft, especially when she invokes modern concepts such as followers, reposts, and being “canceled.”
• Elder Guo of the Martial Sect is practical and opportunistic, trying to negotiate privately for Spirit Stones and later seeking access to Feng Jun.
• Feng Jun remains mostly an observer but gains a clearer sense of Tang Wangsun’s political skill and the influence his reputation now carries.

Significant Themes

• Strategic generosity: Releasing valuable resources is portrayed not merely as charity but as a long-term investment in influence, development, and sect revival.
• Power and perception: Tang Wangsun understands that appearing powerful and difficult to access can be as valuable as possessing actual resources.
• Political theater and manipulation: Tang carefully stages the conversation, allowing others to make demands before using the storage-artifact explanation and Feng Jun’s reputation to control the room.
• Tradition confronting modernity: Ancient Daoist factions interact awkwardly with modern language and social-media culture, creating humor and highlighting the gap between their worlds.
• Revival amid decline: The sects’ struggle over Spirit Stones reflects the broader decline of spiritual energy and the difficulty of restoring once-great Daoist institutions.
• Reputation as protection: Feng Jun’s status as a possible great cultivator becomes a shield that discourages rival sects from exploiting Green Mountain Sect.

Character Interactions

• Tang Wangsun and Zheng engage in a pointed verbal exchange, with Zheng questioning Green Mountain Sect’s judgment and Tang countering with confidence and veiled threats.
• Tang subtly encourages Scarlet Cloud Heaven’s nun to make her demand, using her impulsiveness to bring the Spirit Stone issue into the open.
• The nun’s dispute with Daoist Qiu mixes ancient sectarian grudges with modern social-media references, producing comic tension.
• Elder Guo attempts to establish a connection with Tang and Feng Jun, but Tang avoids making any promises.
• Tang’s warning to Zheng transforms the gathering’s attitude: instead of seeing Feng Jun as a convenient ally to approach, the factions begin treating him as a dangerous and inaccessible power.
• Feng Jun’s final reaction confirms the chapter’s central portrayal of Tang Wangsun as a master performer who uses words, timing, and carefully crafted impressions to advance Green Mountain Sect’s interests.

Chapter Summary: The Disruptor

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun is pleased that Tang Wangsun uses Mount Qing’s reputation to facilitate cooperation. Feng’s true aim remains cultivating immortality, and he wants to avoid unnecessary ties with local cultivators while still obtaining useful contacts and treasures such as Yin Soul Stones.
• Tang Wangsun implies that Mount Qing has a special relationship with the mysterious senior Feng Jun, provoking Dragon-Phoenix Mountain to question what Mount Qing paid for that favor. Tang Wenji defends Mount Qing by reminding them that Dragon-Phoenix Mountain once benefited from currying favor with the Imperial Court.
• During the ceremony, a gray-clothed intruder breaks into the Juqu Grotto-Abode and attacks the Spirit-Gathering Array. He impersonates a member of the Lotus Mountain Sect to confuse the gathered cultivators.
• The intruder escapes with the Spirit Stones from the array’s core, but not the complete array plate. Mount Qing’s martial uncle, stationed inside the array, engages him and forces him to flee.
• Tang Wenji pursues the thief. The intruder is struck by lightning while attempting to escape, but despite being severely burned, he remains mobile and tries to seize Tang Wenji as a hostage.
• He grabs what he believes is Tang Wenji’s hair, only to discover that she is wearing a wig. Embarrassed and enraged, Tang Wenji attacks him with her Nine-Section Whip.
• The thief draws two daggers and attempts to overpower her before reinforcements arrive. Gazi intervenes by throwing his reinforced staff and then using his Windshadow Kick to knock the thief away.
• Additional observers arrive, cutting off the thief’s escape. He is finally captured after being weakened by the lightning strike, the whip, Gazi’s attack, and his earlier clash with Mount Qing’s elderly ascetic martial expert.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun is shown to be pragmatic and detached. He welcomes Mount Qing’s assistance but views alliances primarily as useful arrangements that must provide benefits to all sides.
• Tang Wangsun displays political tact but also becomes irritated when Dragon-Phoenix Mountain openly challenges Mount Qing’s relationship with Feng Jun.
• Tang Wenji demonstrates exceptional speed, intelligence, decisiveness, and combat ability. However, her lack of experience with treachery causes her to underestimate the injured thief and approach him carelessly.
• Gazi proves himself reliable and courageous. Though his techniques are still at an early stage, he reacts quickly, uses his resources creatively, and plays a decisive role in stopping the escape.
• The gray-clothed thief is revealed as a dangerous and resourceful combatant. Even after being struck by lightning and badly burned, he adapts immediately, attempting to take Tang Wenji hostage rather than fight directly.

Significant Themes

• Pragmatic alliances and reciprocity: Feng Jun and Mount Qing treat cooperation as an exchange of benefits rather than a matter of loyalty or sentiment.
• Political rivalry among sects: The exchange between Mount Qing and Dragon-Phoenix Mountain reflects longstanding competition and suspicion between cultivation lineages.
• The danger of inexperience: Tang Wenji’s superior abilities cannot fully compensate for her unfamiliarity with deception and ruthless martial-world tactics.
• Adaptability under pressure: The thief survives repeated setbacks by changing tactics, while Gazi and Tang Wenji succeed by responding quickly to the evolving situation.
• The gap between ceremony and violence: A formal grand ceremony is abruptly disrupted by theft, ambush, and a life-and-death struggle, exposing the instability beneath the gathering’s dignified surface.

Character Interactions

• Tang Wangsun and Dragon-Phoenix Mountain clash verbally over Mount Qing’s connection to the mysterious senior.
• Tang Wenji intervenes to defend Mount Qing’s honor.
• The thief fights Mount Qing’s elderly martial uncle before escaping with the Spirit Stones.
• Tang Wenji pursues and confronts the thief, who attempts to capture her as a hostage.
• Gazi arrives at the critical moment, combining his thrown staff and Windshadow Kick with Tang Wenji’s whip attack.
• Other martial practitioners surround the thief, ensuring his capture and preventing further escape.

Chapter Summary: “The Origins of Divine Thunder”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the gray-clad attacker is captured, the stolen Spirit Stones are placed into the Spirit-Gathering Array at Golden Altar Huayang Heaven. Their depleted condition suggests they have been heavily used, though only Zheng of the Jade Sect recognizes this clearly.
• Tang Wangsun orders the attacker taken away for interrogation using Green Mountain Sect’s methods. The man is bound and carried off despite his severe injuries.
• The crowd debates the origin of the powerful thunder technique that struck the attacker and his accomplices. Many believe it resembles the legendary Nine Heavens Divine Thunder, but no one openly claims responsibility.
• The thunder was actually cast by Feng Jun, who is disguised as a sallow-faced Daoist. He recognized the gray-clad man as the same person who had spied outside Cai Xin and Xiao Li’s windows at Luohua Manor.
• Tang Wenji questions Gazi about his concealed staff and remarkable footwork. Gazi identifies his technique as “Windshadow Kick” but refuses to reveal his master’s identity.
• After learning that the attacker had targeted Luohua Manor the previous night, Tang Wenji becomes concerned and begins making calls to investigate.
• The ceremony is judged a success. The Spirit-Gathering Array and Spirit Stones confirm that Golden Altar Huayang Heaven has reopened, attracting the envy and interest of many Daoists and martial artists.
• Nearly two hundred guests remain for a second day so they can study and experience the array more closely. Tang Wangsun agrees, hoping to strengthen Green Mountain Sect’s reputation and influence.
• That evening, Green Mountain Sect hosts a vegetarian banquet. Feng Jun’s group instead prepares a meat hot pot, and the martial artists from the previous night join them. The Green Mountain Sect members do not dare interfere because of Luohua Manor’s growing prestige.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Demonstrates his mastery of thunder techniques by secretly striking the attacker. His ability to identify the man by scent also shows his heightened perception and vigilance. He continues maintaining a low profile while quietly protecting his people.
• Gazi: Reveals impressive footwork and hints that it is actually an offensive kicking technique. He remains evasive about his background and master, following Feng Jun’s instructions not to disclose too much.
• Tang Wenji: Shows increasing curiosity about Gazi and suspicion regarding Feng Jun’s involvement in the thunder attack. She also becomes more attentive to Luohua Manor’s security after learning the gray-clad man had spied on its members.
• Tang Wangsun: Recovers some composure after the disturbance and handles the situation politically. By allowing guests to stay and inspect the array, he seeks to turn the ceremony into an opportunity to establish Green Mountain Sect as a leading Daoist power.
• Zheng of the Jade Sect: Quietly recognizes that the Spirit Stones are nearly exhausted. He withholds this information, since exposing it might help Green Mountain Sect prove that the stones were not newly stolen or misrepresented.
• The Martial Warrior Daoist: Becomes impressed by Gazi’s footwork and openly seeks to learn its name and lineage, revealing his respect for genuine martial skill.

Significant Themes

• Hidden power and deliberate restraint: Feng Jun’s thunder technique is powerful enough to astonish everyone, yet he refuses public recognition and remains disguised.
• Reputation and political influence: The Spirit-Gathering Array gives Green Mountain Sect both legitimacy and status, while Tang Wangsun uses the guests’ curiosity to strengthen the sect’s position.
• Knowledge as power: Understanding the condition of Spirit Stones, identifying martial techniques, and recognizing the thunder’s origin all provide characters with advantages that others lack.
• Security and unseen threats: The attacker’s surveillance of Luohua Manor shows that danger remains active even during a public celebration.
• Cultivation and material resources: The renewed blessed grotto and Spirit-Gathering Array inspire envy because spiritual resources are rare and can transform a sect’s future.
• Sectarian customs versus personal authority: Green Mountain Sect’s formal vegetarian banquet contrasts with Luohua Manor’s informal meat hot pot, while the sect ultimately accommodates Feng Jun’s group because of their influence.

Character Interactions

• Tang Wangsun publicly directs the handling of the captured attacker, reinforcing Green Mountain Sect’s authority.
• Tang Wenji playfully questions Gazi about his hidden staff, while the Martial Warrior Daoist focuses seriously on Gazi’s footwork and asks about his teacher.
• Gazi indirectly confirms to Tang Wenji that Feng Jun cast the thunder, then points out Feng Jun’s disguise.
• Feng Jun tells Tang Wenji that the attacker was connected to the previous night’s incident, prompting her concern and investigation.
• Guests remain at Green Mountain Sect to examine the Spirit-Gathering Array, creating a mixture of curiosity, envy, and political opportunity.
• Feng Jun’s group shares their hot pot with the martial artists, demonstrating their independence from Green Mountain Sect’s formal arrangements and their growing social influence.

Chapter Summary: “Everyone Was an Actor”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During a hotpot meal, the group revisits the previous day’s wager between Di Aixin and Master Xiong’s disciple.
• Di Aixin wins an arm-wrestling match and insists on being paid the agreed-upon 10,000 yuan. When the disciple demands another round, Di Aixin repeatedly raises the stakes:
  • He wins a second time and receives another 20,000 yuan.
  • He attempts to draw the disciple into further wagers until Master Xiong realizes Di Aixin is deliberately “fishing” for money.
• Master Xiong becomes interested in testing Di Aixin himself. He offers to accept Di Aixin as a disciple if Di Aixin loses, rather than demanding a monetary payment.
• Di Aixin hesitates and ultimately declines, choosing to remain at Luohua Manor. He believes the manor’s power and opportunities far exceed what other sects can offer, even if he is not yet considered a core member.
• Elsewhere, Daoist Nun Guan confronts Celestial Master Tang and claims she helped him publicly promote Luohua Manor during the day. She pressures him to provide contact information for Luohua Manor by threatening to spread a damaging rumor that he privately belittled Green Mountain Sect.
• Tang reluctantly agrees to discuss cooperation later but warns her to keep the matter secret.
• When Tang Wangsun returns, Tang Wenji informs Feng Jun and the others that the thief responsible for the incident earlier that day has been identified as the Blood Flood Dragon King, shocking Master Xiong.

Character Developments

• Di Aixin demonstrates not only exceptional natural strength but also cunning, confidence, and considerable skill at manipulating wagers. He values money, yet his loyalty to Luohua Manor is stronger than the immediate benefits offered by Master Xiong.
• Master Xiong recognizes Di Aixin’s talent and becomes eager to recruit him, revealing both his appreciation for potential and his competitive attitude toward Luohua Manor.
• Master Xiong’s disciple is shown to be proud and impulsive. His refusal to accept defeat allows Di Aixin to exploit him financially, leaving him resentful and embarrassed.
• Gao Qiang acts protectively toward Di Aixin and Luohua Manor. He understands Di Aixin’s schemes but discourages him from accepting a high-stakes challenge that might result in Master Xiong recruiting him.
• Daoist Nun Guan is revealed to be politically shrewd, manipulative, and highly competitive. Her interest in Luohua Manor is motivated by both cooperation and fear that rival sects will gain an advantage.
• Celestial Master Tang is cautious and diplomatic, but Daoist Nun Guan’s threat forces him to acknowledge her leverage.
• Tang Wenji delivers the important revelation about the identity of the thief, shifting the chapter toward a more serious conflict.

Significant Themes

• Talent and recruitment: Di Aixin’s unusual physical ability makes him desirable to rival sects, highlighting competition over promising cultivators.
• Loyalty versus immediate gain: Although Master Xiong offers him a direct path to advancement, Di Aixin prefers to remain with Luohua Manor because he believes its long-term potential is greater.
• Money and self-interest: The arm-wrestling sequence presents Di Aixin as practical and opportunistic, using financial wagers to his advantage.
• Politics and rivalry among sects: Daoist Nun Guan’s manipulation of Tang illustrates how religious and cultivation organizations compete for influence, resources, and access to Luohua Manor.
• Appearances and deception: The title is reflected in the characters’ behavior: Di Aixin pretends to be merely competitive while strategically fleecing his opponent, while Daoist Nun Guan frames coercion as cooperation.
• The gap between established sects and Luohua Manor: Other factions recognize Luohua Manor’s extraordinary power and seek either to associate with it or prevent it from gaining further advantages.

Character Interactions

• Di Aixin and Master Xiong’s disciple engage in a playful but increasingly hostile contest, with Di Aixin controlling the terms and humiliating him through repeated victories.
• Master Xiong and Di Aixin interact as potential master and disciple, but Di Aixin’s refusal confirms his commitment to Luohua Manor.
• Gao Qiang supports Di Aixin while quietly protecting the manor’s interests.
• Daoist Nun Guan and Celestial Master Tang engage in a battle of wit and intimidation, with Guan successfully forcing Tang to consider an alliance or introduction to Luohua Manor.
• Tang Wenji’s announcement at the end connects the lighthearted political and financial maneuvering to a more dangerous mystery involving the Blood Flood Dragon King.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Master Xiong explains the fearsome history of the Blood Flood Dragon King, an elderly former Martial Warrior who began cultivating, developed a blood-related mutation, and became dependent on consuming human blood. For decades, he preyed on ordinary people, then increasingly targeted Martial Warriors and cultivators to strengthen his cultivation.
• Although the Blood Flood Dragon King had disappeared for more than ten years and was presumed dead, he reappears at Green Mountain. Feng Jun suspects he had been lurking near Zhang Caixin and Li Shishi because of the spiritual energy in the Spirit Beast meat.
• Tang Wenji says the authorities intend to interrogate the Blood Flood Dragon King and hand him over to the police. Feng Jun instead suggests that the man should be made to commit suicide. Tang Wenji leaves without responding, shocking the visiting cultivators, who interpret Feng Jun’s casual instruction as evidence of Luohua Manor’s overwhelming status.
• While touring Green Mountain’s Spirit-Gathering Array, Feng Jun discovers that it is more efficient than expected despite consuming almost the same amount of Spirit Stones. He investigates and finds that the array’s foundation lies atop a huge boulder containing faint underground energy currents.
• Feng Jun concludes that these currents may be an Earth Vein, which enhances the effectiveness of the Spirit-Gathering Array. His Divine Sense is significantly suppressed inside the area, suggesting that Green Mountain still retains powerful, mysterious remnants despite the Age of Dharma Decline.
• The Martial Sect sends Elder Guo to visit Luohua Manor, expressing interest in Lu Xiaoning’s footwork and the Sleeve-Hidden Staff. The sect proposes long-term martial arts exchanges and cooperation. Feng Jun dislikes the unannounced visit and refuses to meet them, leaving Gazi, Gao Qiang, and Zhang Caixin to receive the delegation.
• Feng Jun’s group returns to Yang City. Luohua Manor resumes normal operations, though the shortage of manpower caused several members to divide their time between cultivation and management.
• The disciples now better understand the manor’s importance, and even Hao Fengjing reduces her outside teaching to spend more time there.
• Renovations of the jade building are completed. Yang Yuxin brings Gu Jiahui to stay at the manor through the winter and hopes that her daughter may eventually become Feng Jun’s disciple. Feng Jun allows Gu Jiahui to recuperate in the Bamboo Grove.
• Feng Jun has absorbed most of the Daoist texts obtained from Green Mountain, aided by his stronger Divine Sense. Meanwhile, the Chaori County construction project proceeds smoothly under Yang Yuxin’s management.
• As winter arrives, Mou Miao delivers one hundred Boiler-Backed Engines. During sleet and rain that night, an intruder breaks into the valley. Although the weather interferes with some surveillance equipment, Luohua Manor’s numerous alarms and vigilant residents detect the intrusion.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates increasing confidence and authority. He treats the Blood Flood Dragon King as a serious threat, takes a ruthless stance toward him, and investigates Green Mountain’s secrets with patience and caution.
• His discovery of the possible Earth Vein shows his growing understanding of cultivation formations and the hidden foundations of the Ten Great Grotto-Heavens.
• Tang Wenji is placed in an awkward position between official procedure and Feng Jun’s far harsher recommendation regarding the Blood Flood Dragon King.
• The six disciples become more committed to Luohua Manor after recognizing its significance and increase the time they spend there.
• Yang Yuxin continues carefully supporting Gu Jiahui’s possible path toward becoming Feng Jun’s disciple, choosing to prove her daughter’s value rather than make a premature request.
• Gu Jiahui begins staying at the manor for health and spiritual recuperation, bringing her closer to Feng Jun’s cultivation environment.
• Hao Fengjing shows greater loyalty to the manor by reducing her substitute teaching duties.
• The Martial Sect reveals a willingness to cooperate with Luohua Manor, but its confidence and lack of prior permission are viewed as presumptuous.

Significant Themes

• Power, reputation, and hierarchy: The Blood Flood Dragon King’s terrifying reputation contrasts with Luohua Manor’s growing influence. Even major organizations such as the Martial Sect must recognize that Feng Jun’s group cannot be approached casually.
• Justice versus mercy: Feng Jun’s recommendation that the Blood Flood Dragon King die rather than be handed over to the authorities highlights the brutal standards of the cultivator world.
• Hidden spiritual foundations: The possible Earth Vein beneath Green Mountain suggests that ancient cultivation sites rely on deeper natural forces than visible formations alone.
• The Age of Dharma Decline: Despite diminished spiritual resources, ancient grotto-heavens retain abilities—such as suppressing Divine Sense—that remain beyond ordinary understanding.
• Community and loyalty: The disciples’ increased dedication, the manor’s collective vigilance, and the efforts to maintain operations emphasize Luohua Manor as both a cultivation base and a tightly connected community.
• Modern systems supporting cultivation: Surveillance equipment, construction projects, appliances, and industrial machinery coexist with formations, Divine Sense, and ancient cultivation techniques.

Character Interactions

• Master Xiong educates Feng Jun about the Blood Flood Dragon King, while Feng Jun questions Tang Wenji about the man’s fate.
• Feng Jun’s blunt suggestion regarding the Blood Flood Dragon King unsettles Tang Wenji and the surrounding cultivators, reinforcing the perceived dominance of Luohua Manor.
• Elder Guo approaches Luohua Manor on behalf of the Martial Sect, but Feng Jun deliberately avoids meeting him and delegates the reception to Gazi, Gao Qiang, and Zhang Caixin.
• Yang Yuxin discusses Gu Jiahui’s future indirectly through her actions, bringing her daughter to the manor and hoping to earn Feng Jun’s recognition.
• The chapter ends with the manor’s residents responding collectively to an intrusion, setting up a likely confrontation.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

During an intensely hot summer in Taiyuan, Feng Xiao tries to take a daily bath at home. Because the residential complex is using excessive amounts of water, the water pressure suddenly fails just as Feng Xiao has completely covered their body in soap. Turning on the faucet only makes it suck in air, confirming that the water will not return soon.
With no usable water at home except bottled water and boiling water in a thermos, Feng Xiao orders a jug of purified water through a delivery app. However, the delivery takes long enough for much of the soap and water on their body to dry. Feng Xiao then discovers that purified water is ineffective for washing off soap—the more they wash, the more slippery they become. They must order mineral water as well, making the bath unusually expensive.
The chapter ends with a humorous explanation that this costly bathing incident justifies a “third update,” followed by a request for monthly tickets.

Character Development

• Feng Xiao is portrayed as practical but initially overly frugal, trying to manage the crisis with whatever water is available.
• Their experience teaches them that being too cheap can create greater inconvenience and expense.
• Feng Xiao’s frustration is presented humorously, especially through the escalating difficulty of washing off the soap and the need to pay for multiple water deliveries.

Significant Themes

• Everyday misfortune and absurdity: A simple bath becomes an elaborate logistical problem.
• Frugality versus practicality: Saving money by using purified water proves counterproductive.
• Humor in inconvenience: The chapter turns an embarrassing domestic disaster into comic material.
• Direct reader engagement: The request for monthly tickets connects the narrator’s personal mishap to the ongoing publication process.

Character Interactions

There are no substantial interpersonal interactions. Feng Xiao briefly interacts with the delivery service and delivery worker while ordering and receiving bottled water. The chapter mainly focuses on Feng Xiao’s internal thoughts, observations, and humorous self-commentary.

Chapter Summary: “An Uninvited Guest”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Two men dressed in black infiltrate Luohua Manor at night. The alarm alerts Li Shishi, who notices the intruders, and Gao Qiang activates the manor’s spotlights.
• A worker from the temporary sheds confronts the fleeing intruders with an iron shovel. One infiltrator easily knocks him away, prompting Feng Jun to intervene.
• Feng Jun strikes the attacker with lightning, while the second intruder flees toward the valley. Because that direction contains the newly completed Misty Confinement Formation, Feng Jun allows him to run into it.
• Feng Jun follows the lightning-struck man outside the manor, avoiding surveillance cameras. The man eventually hides in a grove and discovers that the lightning has destroyed his phone.
• Feng Jun appears floating in midair, terrifying the intruder. Realizing he cannot escape, the man begs for mercy and reveals that he has a tracking chip implanted in his body.
• Feng Jun immobilizes him, surgically removes the chip, and stores it away so its discovery will not expose the man’s identity or Feng Jun’s countermeasures.
• The infiltrator, Old Qian, tries to appeal to Feng Jun’s concern for his family and threatens that Feng Jun may create trouble for himself. Feng Jun counters by pointing out that Qian’s side had already invoked his parents and injured one of his workers.
• Under threat that his family may be endangered, Old Qian agrees to explain the reason for the intrusion.
• He reveals that he follows the Qingcheng cultivation system and serves as a retainer of the Qingcheng Sect. Qingcheng became alarmed after Green Mountain Sect reopened Juqu Grotto-Abode and discovered that Luohua Manor had played an important role in Green Mountain’s revival.
• Qian and another expert were sent to investigate Luohua Manor, underestimating its strength because they had not witnessed its influence at the grotto-abode reopening ceremony.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates overwhelming power and confidence. He uses lightning, aerial movement, formations, acupoint attacks, and his Storage Pouch to control the situation completely.
• Feng Jun also shows a strong protective instinct toward those loyal to him. His lightning attack is primarily intended to defend the worker who was assaulted.
• At the same time, Feng Jun reveals a ruthless and pragmatic side. He is willing to threaten Old Qian’s family and demands information before deciding whether to kill him.
• Old Qian shifts from a confident infiltrator to a frightened captive. His belief that Feng Jun might be persuaded or intimidated collapses once he sees Feng Jun’s abilities and realizes the tracking chip has been discovered.
• The workers and guards are shown to trust Feng Jun because he rewards loyalty and protects those who defend the manor.

Significant Themes

• The danger of underestimating hidden power: Qingcheng’s agents assume Luohua Manor is merely a secular estate, but its defenses and Feng Jun’s abilities prove otherwise.
• Protection and loyalty: Feng Jun’s treatment of the worker reinforces that those who serve the manor will not be abandoned or bullied.
• Pragmatism versus moral boundaries: Feng Jun condemns Qian for threatening his family but then uses Qian’s own family as leverage, highlighting the brutal reciprocity of their conflict.
• Secrecy and surveillance: The implanted tracking chip, destroyed phone, cameras, and Storage Pouch all emphasize the struggle to conceal identities, movements, and supernatural capabilities.
• The rising influence of Luohua Manor: The manor has become important enough to attract investigation from major cultivation factions, despite its relatively young foundation.

Character Interactions

• Li Shishi and Gao Qiang respond quickly to the break-in, coordinating the manor’s defenses.
• The worker and the infiltrators: The worker bravely confronts the thieves, but one intruder injures him before Feng Jun intervenes.
• Feng Jun and the fleeing intruder: Feng Jun stalks him, reveals his supernatural strength, removes the tracking chip, and interrogates him.
• Feng Jun and Old Qian: Their exchange becomes a battle of intimidation. Qian appeals to family honor and tries to negotiate, while Feng Jun exposes Qian’s hypocrisy and forces him to reveal Qingcheng’s involvement.
• Qingcheng Sect and Green Mountain Sect: Though they do not appear directly, their rivalry motivates the intrusion. Qingcheng’s concern over Green Mountain’s revival leads it to investigate Luohua Manor as the hidden source of Green Mountain’s newfound confidence.

Chapter Summary: “Zhang Hongfei Again”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Old Qian and his companion spend nearly a week investigating Luohua Manor, consulting cultivators, ceremony attendees, local contacts, and satellite maps. They discover the manor’s influence extends into the secular world and suspect the secluded bamboo grove contains something important.
• Taking advantage of a nighttime sleetstorm, they infiltrate the manor through a rocky section where they cut surveillance-camera wires. However, they are detected before even entering the Misty Confinement Formation.
• Realizing they cannot fight Luohua Manor directly, the intruders flee. During the pursuit, Old Qian injures an elderly manor worker, breaking several ribs and causing internal bleeding.
• Feng Jun captures Old Qian and interrogates him about who sent them. Old Qian claims he received orders from both government authorities and Qingcheng, but Feng Jun rejects the excuse and threatens the safety of his family. Old Qian admits they were investigating the sudden appearance of a powerful cultivator and his connection to Luohua Manor.
• When a passing vehicle gives Old Qian hope of attracting help, he shouts for assistance, but Feng Jun immediately sends him into the Phone Space. Feng Jun then returns to the manor, where the second intruder is trapped inside the Misty Confinement Formation.
• Feng Jun orders the manor’s lights shut off and reassures the guards that they are not responsible, since no one entered through their assigned area. He personally treats the injured employee and rewards him with fifty thousand yuan while raising his salary to ten thousand yuan per month.
• The next morning, the manor residents take the break-in calmly, assuming the intruders will suffer a bad fate. Zhang Caixin instead becomes interested in how long the trapped infiltrator can survive inside the formation.
• Two hours later, Zhang Hongfei, deputy captain of the White Apricot Town Police Station, arrives at the gate. Reluctantly, he claims the police are searching for an online wanted fugitive reportedly seen nearby.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun becomes increasingly ruthless and protective of his family and manor. He shows no sympathy for those investigating his parents and treats the intruders as people who have already forfeited their lives. At the same time, he demonstrates responsibility by caring for the injured worker and rewarding his loyalty.
• Old Qian shifts from confident infiltrator to frightened captive. His attempt to invoke governmental and Qingcheng connections fails, and under pressure he reveals the purpose of the mission.
• Zhang Caixin grows more confident in her cultivation and her role within Luohua Manor. She openly suggests that she should become its future leader and hints at romantic feelings for Feng Jun, claiming she is more suitable for him than his other companions.
• Yang Yuxin quietly observes Feng Jun and Zhang Caixin’s intimate exchange and appears visibly disturbed or hurt, suggesting jealousy or emotional unease.
• Zhang Hongfei is portrayed as unwilling and apprehensive about confronting Luohua Manor, but he nevertheless fulfills his official duty and arrives to investigate.

Significant Themes

• Underestimating hidden power: The intruders carefully prepare and gather extensive intelligence, yet still fail because they underestimate the manor’s defenses.
• Protection and retaliation: Feng Jun’s harsh treatment of the infiltrators reflects his determination to protect his family, employees, and secrets.
• Authority versus personal power: Old Qian attempts to shield himself by invoking government connections, but Feng Jun makes clear that formal authority cannot necessarily protect those who threaten him.
• Loyalty and reward: Feng Jun’s treatment of the injured employee emphasizes that those loyal to the manor will be protected and compensated.
• Romance and rivalry: Zhang Caixin’s conversation reveals her growing affection and ambition, while Yang Yuxin’s reaction introduces tension among Feng Jun’s female companions.
• Testing and confidence: Feng Jun treats the infiltration as an opportunity to test the Misty Confinement Formation, displaying his confidence that even potential flaws can be turned to advantage.

Important Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Old Qian: A tense interrogation in which Feng Jun rejects excuses, exposes Old Qian’s affiliations, and forces him to confess the mission’s purpose.
• Feng Jun and the manor guards: Feng Jun calms them after the intrusion, assuring them that they are not to blame.
• Feng Jun and the injured worker: He personally provides treatment and rewards the employee financially, reinforcing their bond of trust.
• Feng Jun and Zhang Caixin: Their discussion shifts from formation theory to flirtation. Zhang Caixin asserts her superiority and suitability as Feng Jun’s partner, while Feng Jun teases her but ultimately says he has plans for her future.
• Zhang Caixin and Yang Yuxin: They do not directly interact, but Yang Yuxin witnesses Zhang Caixin’s romantic exchange with Feng Jun and reacts with visible discomfort.
• Zhang Hongfei and Luohua Manor: His arrival sets up a new confrontation, as he must investigate the supposed fugitive despite clearly fearing the manor’s power.

Chapter Summary: “Advancing and Retreating with Reason”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Police Captain Zhang Hongfei arrives at Luohua Manor with a junior officer to search for a wanted murderer reportedly hiding nearby.
• The manor’s guards, especially the short guard Old Bai and Gao Mengang, refuse to let the police enter without Feng Jun’s direct approval. They mock the officers and insist the police contact Feng Jun themselves.
• Captain Zhang suspects the wanted-criminal report may be an excuse to investigate Luohua Manor, particularly because of the manor’s mysterious reputation and recent unexplained events.
• Old Bai denies that anything unusual happened at the manor the previous night, though Zhang immediately senses that he is lying.
• Unable to gain entry, Zhang decides to wait outside the gate. He and the junior officer remain there for most of the day despite the sleet and cold.
• Old Bai secretly informs Feng Jun that the police are waiting. Feng Jun orders him to let them wait and warns everyone in the manor not to go outside unnecessarily, preventing the police from finding an excuse to enter or question important residents.
• The manor’s residents and associates remain inside. Even Hao Fengjing takes the day off, while only ordinary workers and visitors come and go.
• Zhang eventually leaves at the end of his shift without achieving anything.
• Later that night, Yang Yuxin asks Feng Jun what happened to the person he chased the previous evening. Feng Jun falsely claims that he failed to catch him.
• Yang reveals that her family learned the two men who disappeared after visiting Luohua Manor had accepted recruitment from Qingcheng while also passing information to the authorities.
• Feng Jun realizes that these two men had been working both sides, explaining why the police were cautiously investigating the manor.
• Yang remarks that relying on unreliable petty criminals is still preferable to having no informants at all.

Character Developments

• Captain Zhang Hongfei demonstrates caution and political awareness. Although irritated by the guards, he knows Luohua Manor is dangerous and influential enough that he cannot act rashly.
• The junior policeman, Xiao Liu, is hotheaded and disrespectful toward the guards, but Zhang repeatedly restrains him. His inexperience contrasts sharply with Zhang’s understanding of the manor’s power.
• Old Bai proves loyal and tactically intelligent. He protects the manor’s secrets, lies convincingly to the police, and reports their movements to Feng Jun while continuing to treat Zhang courteously.
• Feng Jun becomes increasingly suspicious and defensive. He recognizes that the police visit is probably connected to the previous night’s events and takes practical steps to protect the manor’s residents.
• Yang Yuxin is portrayed as frank, pragmatic, and well-informed. She dislikes unnecessary lies but accepts that sensitive matters sometimes require discretion.
• The two Qian men are revealed to have operated as double agents, taking Qingcheng’s money while cooperating with the authorities.

Significant Themes

• Caution and strategic retreat: Both sides avoid direct confrontation. The police wait rather than force entry, while Luohua Manor avoids giving them any opportunity to escalate matters.
• Power and intimidation: Despite being ordinary security guards, Old Bai and Gao Mengang behave confidently because Luohua Manor’s reputation protects them.
• Secrecy and loyalty: The manor’s employees understand that protecting Feng Jun and concealing its secrets is part of their responsibility.
• Political maneuvering and ambiguity: The chapter emphasizes hidden agendas, unofficial investigations, and people working for multiple sides.
• Trust and usefulness: Yang’s comment about informants shows a pragmatic view of morality—unreliable allies may still be valuable when alternatives are worse.

Character Interactions

• The guards openly challenge Captain Zhang and Xiao Liu, creating a tense but largely verbal standoff.
• Zhang disciplines Xiao Liu and prevents him from provoking the manor’s guards or undermining the police mission.
• Old Bai maintains a polite relationship with Zhang while secretly obstructing him and reporting to Feng Jun.
• Feng Jun and Old Bai coordinate through a phone call, demonstrating the manor’s internal communication and hierarchy.
• Feng Jun and Yang Yuxin discuss the previous night’s events and the double-dealing informants. Her questioning exposes Feng Jun’s lie, but she does not press him aggressively, reflecting mutual understanding and discretion.

Chapter Summary: “Simple and Brutal”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun confirms that the authorities have not discovered the person trapped inside the Misty Confinement Formation. He considers killing the intruder to prevent future trouble but decides to wait, partly because the intruder is merely a traitor and partly because Feng Jun is curious whether the formation will hold.
• Zhuang Zesheng, recovering from his injuries, visits the villa and asks to borrow Feng Jun’s yacht so he can photograph himself in the snow. He also suggests inviting Gu Jiahui, but she refuses because she needs to study for upcoming exams.
• The Bamboo Grove’s unusual warmth is discussed. Despite the cold weather, the grove remains comfortable, possibly because the Spirit-Gathering Array retains spiritual energy and subtly regulates the climate.
• A drone flies low over Luohua Manor, clearly observing or scouting the grounds. Feng Jun and Yang Yuxin consider how to respond, since the drone’s operators have not identified themselves.
• Rather than use a gun, Feng Jun openly employs the Lightning-Calling Technique and strikes the drone with lightning, causing it to crash.
• The drone operators, watching from a surveillance van, are shocked and angry. They speculate that the drone may have been hit by electromagnetic interference, but a woman reports that it appears to have been struck by lightning.
• Yang Yuxin realizes Feng Jun is no longer concealing his ability to control lightning. Feng Jun admits that he has become more restless and less willing to tolerate provocations as his power, wealth, influence, and connections have grown.
• Feng Jun jokingly says that Yang Yuxin’s presence gives him confidence because she can help handle the consequences. Both of them are curious about how the drone’s operators will justify coming to reclaim it.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Shows increasing confidence and impatience. He is still self-aware and recognizes that his growing power could lead to arrogance, but he is less willing to suppress himself or tolerate threats against his family and territory. His deliberate public use of lightning marks a shift away from his formerly cautious and secretive behavior.
• Yang Yuxin: Acts as a pragmatic and influential ally. She understands the political implications of the drone incident and offers to help manage the aftermath. Her reaction to Feng Jun’s lightning technique also suggests growing interest in the extent of his abilities.
• Zhuang Zesheng: Demonstrates improved physical recovery by walking with only one crutch. He is more active and socially outgoing, wanting to use the yacht and invite Gu Jiahui on a scenic trip.
• Gu Jiahui: Remains focused and disciplined, prioritizing her studies over leisure. Her comfort in the Bamboo Grove also highlights her familiarity with Luohua Manor and its unusual environment.

Significant Themes

• Growing power and confidence: Feng Jun’s willingness to strike the drone openly reflects his transition from cautious self-protection to assertive defense of his territory.
• Boundaries and provocation: The drone represents an intrusion into Luohua Manor. Feng Jun sees tolerating such behavior as a sign of weakness, emphasizing the importance of defending personal space and authority.
• Power versus restraint: Feng Jun recognizes that becoming stronger and more influential can breed arrogance. His self-reflection shows an ongoing struggle between confidence and the need for discipline.
• Hidden supernatural abilities becoming public: The Lightning-Calling Technique, previously kept discreet, is now displayed openly before Yang Yuxin, suggesting that Feng Jun’s identity and powers may become increasingly difficult to conceal.
• Political and social protection: Yang Yuxin’s presence gives Feng Jun confidence because of her connections and ability to resolve conflicts, highlighting the relationship between supernatural strength and worldly influence.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Zhuang Zesheng: Feng Jun encourages Zhuang to leave the Bamboo Grove occasionally and move around as part of his recovery. Their interaction is supportive and casual.
• Zhuang Zesheng and Gu Jiahui: Zhuang invites her on the yacht, but she firmly refuses, prioritizing her exams. Their exchange lightly contrasts his playful enthusiasm with her seriousness.
• Feng Jun and Yang Yuxin: They jointly assess the drone threat. Feng Jun relies on her social and political judgment, while Yang recognizes and accepts his increasingly assertive behavior. Their banter reveals mutual trust and a comfortable partnership.
• Feng Jun and the drone operators: Although they never meet directly, Feng Jun’s lightning strike serves as a blunt warning against spying on Luohua Manor. The operators’ confusion and anger set up a likely confrontation in the future.

Summary of “They Came Knocking”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A drone spying on Luohua Manor is struck down by Feng Jun’s Lightning-Calling Technique. Because the drone was noisy, many people nearby witnessed it, though they did not know who had operated it or where it came from.
• Feng Jun and Yang Yuxin wait for the drone’s owners to demand its return. Meanwhile, the investigators outside the manor debate how to proceed.
• The drone belonged to a covert investigation connected to two informants who had infiltrated Luohua Manor. One informant, Old Qian, lost all electronic equipment when Feng Jun struck him with lightning; the other disappeared after entering the Misty Confinement Formation. Their disappearance leaves the investigators without clear evidence or an excuse to search the manor.
• The investigators report that the drone may have been destroyed by supernatural means, but their superiors point out that suspicion and circumstantial reasoning cannot replace proof.
• When snow begins falling, the investigators fear that evidence left by their missing informants will be buried. They send a second drone into the manor’s airspace.
• Feng Jun immediately destroys the second drone with an even stronger lightning strike. The gatehouse also identifies the surveillance vehicle parked outside the manor.
• Feng Jun considers destroying the vehicle as well, but instead sends Xu Leigang to question its occupants. Two men and a woman claim to be aerial-photography enthusiasts whose drones crashed inside Luohua Manor. They ask permission to enter and retrieve them.
• Xu Leigang refuses to acknowledge that any drones entered the property. The visitors counter that they have video evidence and claim the right to film anywhere that is not officially designated a no-fly zone.
• The visitors attempt to reverse the accusation, implying that Luohua Manor is unlawfully withholding their property and refusing to contact the authorities because it wants to steal the drones.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun grows more defensive and confrontational toward the investigators, recognizing that the drone attacks are deliberate surveillance. Though tempted to destroy the expensive vehicle, he restrains himself and chooses negotiation first.
• Yang Yuxin demonstrates her experience and composure by offering to help handle the visitors. Her presence suggests that Feng Jun values her judgment in dealing with official or socially complicated threats.
• Xu Leigang reveals a forceful, intimidating side beneath his normally genial personality. He takes charge at the gate and refuses to be manipulated by the visitors’ arguments.
• Zhang Caixin becomes more determined to strengthen herself after witnessing Feng Jun’s lightning technique, though she does not yet realize that her constitution is unsuitable for cultivating it.
• The outside investigators become increasingly anxious and desperate. Their original plan has failed, their informants are missing, and worsening weather threatens the little evidence they possess.

Significant Themes

• Evidence versus suspicion: The investigators strongly suspect that Feng Jun possesses supernatural abilities, but they cannot prove that the lightning was deliberately summoned.
• Clash between modern authority and extraordinary powers: Surveillance technology, legal pretexts, and official procedures repeatedly fail against Luohua Manor’s formations and cultivation techniques.
• Privacy and intrusion: The manor’s residents view the drones as an unacceptable invasion, while the investigators disguise surveillance as lawful aerial photography.
• Power and deterrence: Feng Jun’s destruction of both drones sends a clear warning, but the visitors’ decision to confront the manor shows that official pressure has not disappeared.
• Manipulation of legal narratives: Both sides attempt to portray themselves as the injured party, showing how accusations and technicalities can be used as weapons.
• Desire for strength: Zhang Caixin’s reaction reflects the broader cultivation theme of characters seeking greater power to protect themselves and respond to increasingly dangerous threats.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Yang Yuxin discuss whether the drone operators will appear, with Yang initially believing they may avoid confronting the manor.
• The investigators repeatedly consult their superiors, who remain cautious because they lack concrete evidence and have political complications connected to the Gu family.
• Feng Jun orders Xu Leigang to confront the visitors, while Yang Yuxin joins them to help manage the situation.
• At the gate, Xu Leigang and the three visitors engage in a tense verbal battle. Xu emphasizes the manor’s status as private property, while the visitors invoke aerial-filming rights and threaten to involve the authorities.
• Feng Jun and Yang Yuxin observe from inside the vehicle, allowing Xu Leigang to serve as their initial representative while they assess the visitors’ intentions.

Chapter Summary: “The Miracle Doctor Takes Action”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Three unidentified newcomers confront Xu Leigang at Luohua Manor, claiming to be aerial-photography enthusiasts whose expensive drones lost contact and disappeared inside the estate.
• They insist they have the legal right to fly drones in the area and demand either the return of the drones or permission to search the manor. They threaten to call the police if refused.
• Xu Leigang agrees to let them search only after they reveal their identities, then has their identification cards photographed.
• Feng Jun and Yang Yuxin, who have been listening from their car, step out when the IDs are produced. Feng immediately recognizes that the documents are government-issued identities containing false personal information.
• Feng exposes each visitor’s hidden secrets:
  • “Wang Chao” is actually Lan Wei and has falsified his age.
  • One man suffers from cirrhosis and needs urgent treatment.
  • The woman has infertility caused by a “cold uterus.”
• Feng explains that he is warning them that no secret—including information they do not know themselves—is hidden from him. He accuses them of trying to exploit his property and use him as a stepping stone for their superiors.
• Lan Wei admits that the matter has attracted the attention of higher authorities and that they cannot simply stop investigating.
• Feng warns that anyone who escalates the conflict will face consequences. When the woman insults him and threatens him indirectly, Feng slaps her, making clear that he will not tolerate threats against himself or his family.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun reveals a more intimidating and confrontational side. Rather than merely defending the manor, he uses his medical knowledge and investigative abilities to dismantle the newcomers’ confidence.
• His role as a miracle doctor is emphasized: he diagnoses serious medical conditions without examination and uses that knowledge strategically.
• Feng’s sense of justice is also clarified. He considers people who blindly execute harmful orders to be responsible for the consequences, not innocent tools of their superiors.
• Xu Leigang remains loyal and defensive of Feng, though he is initially uncertain about the newcomers’ true identities and motives.
• Lan Wei becomes visibly shaken when Feng exposes his falsified identity and age. He is particularly concerned that Feng might reveal the truth to higher authorities.
• The male colleague with cirrhosis begins to take Feng’s medical warning seriously, showing that Feng’s diagnosis affects him despite the confrontation.
• The woman becomes increasingly hostile after Feng exposes her infertility and eventually insults him, provoking his physical retaliation.

Significant Themes

• Secrets and hidden identities: Feng demonstrates that concealed personal information can become a weapon, especially when people attempt to investigate or threaten him.
• Power and intimidation: The outsiders initially rely on legal authority and superior backing, but Feng reverses the power dynamic by exposing their vulnerabilities.
• Responsibility and complicity: Feng rejects the idea that subordinates are blameless when carrying out questionable orders, arguing that executors share responsibility with the mastermind.
• Privacy and hypocrisy: The newcomers investigate Feng’s property and family while objecting when Feng reveals their own private matters, exposing their double standard.
• Protection of home and family: Feng’s anger is ultimately driven by the outsiders’ apparent attempt to use his possessions and relatives against him.

Character Interactions

• Xu Leigang verbally counters the three visitors and demands their identification before allowing them into the manor.
• Feng takes over the confrontation, calmly examining the IDs and exposing the visitors’ false identities and personal secrets.
• Lan Wei tries to justify their actions by claiming they are merely following orders from higher authorities.
• Feng rejects this excuse and directly condemns their willingness to participate in the investigation.
• The woman challenges Feng and accuses him of going too far, but her own threat against him and his family causes the conflict to escalate.
• Feng ends the exchange by slapping her, establishing that the confrontation has moved beyond verbal pressure and that he is prepared to act decisively.

Chapter Summary: “The Truth Hurts Most”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Feng Jun confronts the group investigating Luohua Manor, one of the female agents attempts to attack him. Feng Jun slaps her, but Lan Wei restrains her before the confrontation escalates.
• The man suffering from cirrhosis tries to claim that the group never intended to disturb Feng Jun’s family and suggests that the incident may be a misunderstanding. Feng Jun refuses to accept this explanation, implying that he knows their true motives.
• Yang Yuxin challenges the group’s claim that they act solely in the state’s interests, pointing out that their actions could just as easily be driven by private interests.
• Feng Jun angrily condemns the woman for disguising personal greed and unauthorized behavior as patriotism. He emphasizes that she does not represent the government merely because she is a government employee.
• Yang Yuxin takes control of the discussion. She identifies herself, explains that the group has disrupted her child’s studies, and offers to compensate them 100,000 yuan for the drone they were searching for—on the condition that they leave immediately and never return.
• The agents withdraw to consult their superiors. They soon return, apologize, and claim the entire incident was a misunderstanding.
• The cirrhosis-afflicted man respectfully acknowledges Feng Jun’s ability to diagnose his hidden illness and expresses gratitude, despite Feng Jun bluntly admitting that he only revealed the illness to demonstrate his own abilities.
• Yang Yuxin insists on paying the compensation, and the man reluctantly provides his bank account.
• After the agents leave in their emergency repair vehicle, Feng Jun, Yang Yuxin, and Xu Leigang discuss whether the group can be trusted to keep its promise.
• Feng Jun decides that merely allowing the agents to leave may make Luohua Manor appear weak. He announces his intention to go to Qingcheng and make those who have offended the manor pay a price.
• Xu Leigang volunteers to accompany him, but Feng Jun refuses, telling him to focus on cultivation and family instead.
• Yang Yuxin declares that she will accompany Feng Jun, revealing that her Yang family originally came from Elixir Land.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Becomes increasingly assertive and uncompromising. He openly rejects the agents’ authority, exposes their hypocrisy, and makes clear that Luohua Manor will retaliate against anyone who threatens it. His decision to visit Qingcheng signals a shift from defense to deliberate action.
• Yang Yuxin: Demonstrates her influence, composure, and political awareness. She protects both her family and the agents by forcing the situation to end peacefully, while also showing that she is willing to stand alongside Feng Jun in future conflict.
• The cirrhosis-afflicted man: Shifts from defensive representative to respectful negotiator. He recognizes Feng Jun’s power and understands that continuing the conflict could endanger himself and his colleagues.
• The female agent: Reveals herself as impulsive, confrontational, and ideologically self-righteous. Her argument that government interests justify their conduct is directly challenged by both Yang Yuxin and Feng Jun.
• Xu Leigang: Initially reacts impulsively and wants revenge, but accepts Feng Jun’s instruction to remain behind and concentrate on cultivation and family responsibilities.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus official excuses: The chapter questions whether claims of serving the state are genuine or merely used to conceal private motives and abuse of authority.
• Power and intimidation: Both sides rely on status and influence, but Feng Jun’s personal strength and Yang Yuxin’s social position ultimately force the agents to retreat.
• Authority and responsibility: Yang Yuxin distinguishes between legitimate government authority and individuals who improperly claim to represent the state.
• Restraint versus retaliation: The immediate conflict ends peacefully, but Feng Jun believes forgiveness without consequences could invite future attacks.
• Loyalty and protection: Yang Yuxin protects Feng Jun’s family and the manor, while Feng Jun views retaliation as necessary to safeguard his people’s reputation and security.
• Blunt honesty: Feng Jun repeatedly speaks with uncomfortable directness, refusing polite explanations or false gratitude.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and the female agent: Their confrontation centers on hypocrisy and unauthorized violence. Feng Jun verbally overwhelms her after physically stopping her aggression.
• Feng Jun and the cirrhosis-afflicted man: Their exchange evolves from hostility to grudging respect. The man recognizes Feng Jun’s medical and supernatural abilities, while Feng Jun warns him not to repeat the mistake.
• Yang Yuxin and the agents: Yang uses calm authority and financial compensation to end the dispute, while warning them that she is protecting them from more serious consequences.
• Feng Jun and Yang Yuxin: They operate as allies, with Yang handling the immediate negotiation and Feng planning the longer-term response.
• Feng Jun and Xu Leigang: Feng restrains Xu’s impulsiveness, directing him away from revenge and toward cultivation and family.
• Yang Yuxin and Feng Jun at the conclusion: Her decision to accompany him to Qingcheng strengthens their alliance and hints at deeper connections between her family and the wider cultivation world.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang Yuxin prepares to accompany Feng Jun to Elixir Land and later Qingcheng. She has few responsibilities tying her to Luohua Manor, trusting the manor’s experts and her connections to protect Gu Jiahui and oversee the Chaori County development.
• Feng Jun delays their departure for three days because Qingcheng’s informant remains trapped inside the untested Misty Confinement Formation. Rather than risk the prisoner escaping—or waste a rare Martial Yi-level test subject—he waits until cold and hunger have weakened the man, then secretly enters the formation.
• Zhuang Haoyun visits Feng Jun with several unusual items, including two handwritten Dao Scriptures. Feng Jun photographs the useful alchemy text but dismisses the other as nonsense and explains that he has little faith in Blue Star’s traditional alchemy, especially its dangerous use of substances such as mercury and arsenic.
• Zhuang invites Feng Jun to visit Pingcheng before Elixir Land, hoping to trade away more of his family’s inherited treasures. Feng Jun declines for now, promising to consider visiting Bingzhou after returning.
• Feng Jun and Yang Yuxin arrive in Jincheng, where her relatives arrange a luxurious resort villa and transportation. Yang Yuxin privately explains that they only need a car and driver for their personal business.
• Her cousin Yang Yuji suspects Feng Jun is merely a young man exploiting Yang Yuxin. When Yang Yuxin insists that Feng is a powerful cultivator, Yuji tests him by asking about local experts from Yue Mei and Qingcheng. Feng gives an ominously vague answer: she will know soon.
• The next morning, the Yang Family sends a patrol car and a striking female officer to escort them. Feng jokes that this hardly qualifies as keeping a low profile. After another car arrives, the officer blocks their departure, insisting that she was ordered to protect them.
• Yang Yuxin bluntly tells the officer that her strength is not enough to guarantee their safety, establishing Feng Jun’s superiority and hinting at the danger surrounding their mission.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Demonstrates caution, strategic patience, and a willingness to study his enemies rather than act impulsively. He values the Misty Confinement Formation as both a weapon and an experimental tool. He remains confident and unconcerned with Yang Yuji’s suspicions, while avoiding unnecessary explanations.
• Yang Yuxin: Shows loyalty and trust toward Feng Jun, openly defending his status as a powerful cultivator. She is practical and discreet about their trip, but displays jealousy when the female patrol officer focuses on Feng Jun.
• Zhuang Haoyun: Becomes increasingly willing to sacrifice or trade his family’s inherited treasures in hopes of gaining Feng Jun’s favor or assistance. He accepts Feng’s repeated refusals without serious resentment.
• Yang Yuji: Initially treats Feng Jun as a possible gigolo or fraud taking advantage of her widowed cousin. Her attitude reflects both protectiveness toward Yang Yuxin and skepticism about cultivation.
• Female patrol officer: Appears highly serious, dutiful, and confident in her protective mission, though Yang Yuxin considers her inadequate compared with the threats Feng Jun faces.

Significant Themes

• Caution versus urgency: Feng Jun wants to settle his conflict with Qingcheng quickly but recognizes the danger of leaving an untested formation unattended.
• Power and hidden ability: Ordinary people around Feng Jun repeatedly underestimate him because they cannot perceive his true cultivation or influence.
• Low-profile intentions versus conspicuous circumstances: Despite Yang Yuxin’s desire for discretion, her family’s arrangements—especially the patrol-car escort—draw attention and create comic tension.
• Trust in experience over tradition: Feng Jun favors the more developed alchemy system of the Phone Plane and remains skeptical of poorly understood or dangerous Blue Star practices.
• Protection and social responsibility: The Yang Family attempts to safeguard its returning relative, even though its conventional methods are insufficient against supernatural threats.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Yang Yuxin work closely together, balancing his cultivation concerns with her practical connections and family resources.
• Feng and Zhuang Haoyun maintain a transactional but respectful relationship: Zhuang offers rare items, while Feng evaluates them without pretending to be interested.
• Yang Yuji challenges Feng’s credibility and privately warns him not to exploit Yang Yuxin. Feng responds with calm ambiguity rather than defensiveness.
• The female patrol officer’s insistence on protecting Feng and Yang Yuxin creates a humorous confrontation. Yang Yuxin intervenes sharply, asserting that Feng’s enemies are beyond the officer’s ability to handle and revealing her possessiveness toward him.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang Yuxin and Feng Jun are accompanied by a tall female patrol officer assigned to protect Yang Yuxin and follow their instructions.
• The patrol officer challenges Feng Jun, confidently offering to defeat him with only one hand. Feng Jun instead restrains her with one hand while allowing her to attack freely.
• Despite her powerful punches and kicks, she cannot hurt him. When she attacks his nose, Feng Jun finally uses his other hand, twisting her fist and injuring her shoulder.
• Afterward, Feng Jun teases her about walking the several kilometers back to the resort. Yang Yuxin intervenes and convinces him to let the patrol officer accompany them because neither she nor Feng Jun knows Jincheng’s roads well.
• Feng Jun warns the patrol officer not to be overly curious, but she proves talkative, blunt, and unable to resist asking questions. Her tomboyish behavior includes awkward attempts to act cute when Feng Jun scolds her.
• Feng Jun visits several medical facilities:
  1. A private hospital specializing in colorectal treatment.
  2. A hospital focused on rhinitis.
  3. A cosmetic surgery clinic.
• At each place, Feng Jun mainly observes the facilities rather than seeking treatment.
• At the cosmetic clinic, a receptionist enthusiastically promotes eye surgery and praises Feng Jun’s height, appearance, physique, and temperament.
• Feng Jun jokes that his face supposedly represents wealth, status, prosperity, and a large family, so he must consult his parents before changing it.
• The receptionist reveals that the clinic has connections with both Moonbrow Mountain and Qingcheng Mountain and can arrange for a religious master to analyze Feng Jun’s facial features.
• Feng Jun is allowed to tour the clinic under the receptionist’s supervision.
• Afterward, the patrol officer questions Feng Jun about how he knew about the clinic’s religious connections. He silently reveals that he had previously extracted information from two people, implying that his hospital visits are part of a broader investigation.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Demonstrates overwhelming physical strength, confidence, and composure. He remains playful and sarcastic, but his actions show that he is carefully gathering intelligence rather than merely sightseeing. He also prioritizes Yang Yuxin’s safety by accepting the patrol officer’s protection.
• Yang Yuxin: Acts as the practical mediator between Feng Jun and the patrol officer. Though she is unfamiliar with modern Jincheng, she recognizes the need for additional protection and helps manage the group’s interactions.
• Female patrol officer: Initially arrogant about her combat ability, she quickly learns that Feng Jun is far stronger. Despite the defeat, she remains bold, outspoken, and curious. Her blunt tomboyish personality contrasts with her occasional attempts to act coquettishly toward Feng Jun.
• Cosmetic clinic receptionist: Becomes immediately attracted to Feng Jun and treats him with unusual enthusiasm. Her professional sales pitch gradually reveals the clinic’s ties to religious figures and possible occult or fortune-telling practices.

Significant Themes

• Strength versus confidence: The patrol officer’s bravado collapses when faced with Feng Jun’s superior power, emphasizing the gap between skill and overwhelming physical ability.
• Protection and responsibility: Feng Jun accepts the patrol officer’s presence not because he needs protection, but because Yang Yuxin does.
• Curiosity and secrecy: The patrol officer constantly asks questions, while Feng Jun deliberately withholds information and quietly conducts his own investigation.
• Appearance, wealth, and fate: The cosmetic clinic scene satirizes beauty standards and the belief that facial features determine prosperity, status, and destiny.
• Commercialized spirituality: The clinic’s connections with both Buddhist and Taoist institutions suggest that religious traditions are being used as part of a business strategy.
• Humor through personality clashes: Feng Jun’s dry sarcasm, Yang Yuxin’s restraint, and the patrol officer’s blunt curiosity create much of the chapter’s comedic tension.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun defeats and teases the patrol officer, establishing a dynamic of dominance mixed with playful verbal sparring.
• Yang Yuxin repeatedly mediates between them, especially when the patrol officer’s behavior becomes excessive.
• The patrol officer’s attempts to act cute toward Feng Jun are awkward because of her imposing height and tomboyish manner.
• The cosmetic receptionist openly flirts with Feng Jun while trying to sell him surgery, but Feng Jun responds with exaggerated discussions of his supposedly auspicious appearance.
• Yang Yuxin silently recognizes the absurdity of Feng Jun’s conversation with the receptionist, while the patrol officer later asks direct questions about the clinic’s religious connections.

Chapter Summary: “The Physiognomy Industry”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang Yuxin tells a policewoman the full story behind Qingcheng’s activities, joking that Qingcheng’s reputation must be ruined through her account.
• The policewoman and her colleagues discuss the strange cooperation between monastics and cosmetic-surgery hospitals, speculating that physiognomy-guided plastic surgery is a new commercial service.
• Feng Jun visits one of three hospitals owned by Zhu Yuefu. He is shown around without registering or leaving his contact information, partly because the receptionist is distracted by her personal interest in him.
• Hospital management criticizes the receptionist for failing to record Feng Jun’s details and for violating procedure. Her explanation—that Feng Jun was wealthy but skeptical about whether physiognomy could improve cosmetic surgery—is included in the daily report.
• The hospital director realizes that Feng’s visit supports Chairman Zhu’s plan to combine physiognomy and cosmetic surgery as a new business model.
• Zhu Yuefu reviews an image of Feng Jun and recognizes him as the mysterious man from Luohua Manor. He becomes alarmed, wondering why Feng is in his hospital and whether Feng has discovered Zhu’s involvement in the attempted attack on Luohua Manor.
• The chapter reveals that Zhu funded the two Martial Masters who raided Luohua Manor. He was persuaded by both Buddhist and Daoist factions, who portrayed Feng as someone possessing valuable opportunities and potentially threatening their interests.
• Zhu had studied Feng’s physiognomy and believed Feng’s face indicated poverty and hardship, contradicting Feng’s current success. Seeing him again causes Zhu to reconsider the situation.
• Zhu angrily rejects the director’s description of Feng as a “rich second-generation heir” and demands to know which employee received him.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Remains cautious and evasive. He avoids registering at the hospital or giving his phone number, suggesting he is alert to possible surveillance or exploitation.
• Yang Yuxin: Acts as a truth-teller whose account may damage Qingcheng’s public reputation.
• The receptionist: Is embarrassed and reprimanded for mixing personal feelings with professional duties. Her attraction to Feng prevents her from handling him as aggressively as she would an ordinary customer.
• The policewoman: Treats the incident as an amusing example of religious institutions adapting to commercial society, though it makes her question the reliability of fortune-telling.
• Zhu Yuefu: Is revealed as wealthy, commercially ambitious, superstitious, and deeply involved with both Buddhist and Daoist networks. His confidence in his own physiognomy knowledge is shaken by Feng’s success, and he becomes anxious that Feng may have identified him as an enemy.

Significant Themes

• Religion and commercialization: Buddhist and Daoist practitioners are shown adapting their spiritual authority into profitable services, including physiognomy-based cosmetic surgery.
• Faith in a declining spiritual age: Even as traditional religious faith weakens, people still seek spiritual explanations, guidance, and psychological reassurance.
• Business innovation and exploitation: Zhu Yuefu views physiognomy as a new market opportunity, showing how spiritual beliefs can be packaged and sold alongside medical or cosmetic procedures.
• Appearance versus reality: Cosmetic surgery changes the external face, while physiognomy supposedly reveals destiny. Feng’s actual success contradicts Zhu’s reading of his face, highlighting the limits of judging people by appearances.
• Religious factionalism and manipulation: Buddhist and Daoist groups use Zhu’s devotion and wealth to involve him in their conflict with Green Mountain Sect, turning spiritual rivalry into covert violence.
• Misjudgment: Several characters misunderstand Feng—especially the hospital staff, who assume he is a rich heir, and Zhu, whose physiognomic analysis fails to explain Feng’s transformation.

Character Interactions

• Yang Yuxin and the policewoman discuss Qingcheng’s questionable activities.
• The policewoman’s colleagues debate whether the monastics or the hospital initiated the physiognomy business arrangement.
• The receptionist explains Feng’s behavior to hospital management, defending him as a serious but skeptical potential customer.
• Zhu Yuefu’s secretary helps identify Feng from the hospital’s image records.
• Zhu recalls conversations with a Moonbrow Mountain monk and a Qingcheng Daoist, both of whom encouraged him to oppose Feng and Green Mountain Sect.
• Zhu then confronts the hospital director by phone, angrily demanding accurate information about Feng’s visit and the employee who handled him.