Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “The Jin Family’s Anxiety”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Jin Family’s immediate problem shifts from removing the Brocade Sinew to finding an Anatomist capable of dissecting the recovered Rainbow-Scaled Tiger and retrieving the medicine needed to treat Jin Xiaofan.
• The three Anatomists previously hired by the Jin Family suddenly withdraw, and Master Ruan Fei also refuses to come. Higher pay cannot persuade them.
• Yuan Zheng eventually reaches Ruan Fei, who explains that Li Yuan has placed immense pressure on him. Ruan fears losing his career and being reduced to an ordinary Anatomist, so he agrees to obey Li Yuan and discourages other Anatomists from helping the Jin Family.
• Yuan Zheng informs Ding Xiaoyue that Li Yuan demonstrated an extraordinary dissection technique at the Feng Family estate. Ruan Fei and the other Anatomists were so intimidated that they accepted all of Li Yuan’s demands.
• Yuan Zheng begins reconsidering everything known about Li Yuan: he defeated Jin Fan, overcame the highly skilled Jin Yu, and now possesses dissection abilities that even a master Anatomist fears.
• She suggests that Li Yuan may be backed by a powerful faction, despite the Jin Family’s previous investigation concluding that he was merely a rural middle school teacher with no connections.
• Ding Xiaoyue proposes that the information about Li Yuan’s ordinary background may have been deliberately fabricated to conceal his true support.
• Convinced that Li Yuan must be eliminated before he can gain greater influence, Ding Xiaoyue resolves to act quickly.
• The chapter ends with the Jin Family trapped by the solidarity of the country’s Anatomists. Although the Rainbow-Scaled Tiger has been obtained, they cannot find anyone willing to dissect it.

Character Developments

• Yuan Zheng: Moves from confusion and frustration to suspicion and caution. She recognizes that Li Yuan’s abilities and victories cannot be explained by his supposed ordinary background.
• Ding Xiaoyue: Initially focuses on avenging Jin Xiaofan, but after hearing Yuan Zheng’s reasoning, she becomes more strategic and ruthless. She decides Li Yuan must be destroyed before he can build enough power to threaten the Jin Family.
• Ruan Fei: Reveals that fear of Li Yuan’s abilities and possible consequences has forced him to withdraw. His concern for his career and survival overrides his friendship with Yuan Zheng.
• Li Yuan: Though absent from the direct conversation, his influence grows significantly. His technical mastery, intimidation, and ability to command respected Anatomists make him appear far more dangerous than previously believed.
• The Jin Family: Their confidence weakens as they realize that their wealth and status cannot overcome the collective refusal of the Anatomists to assist them.

Significant Themes

• Hidden power and mistaken identity: Li Yuan’s apparent ordinariness contrasts sharply with his exceptional martial and anatomical abilities, raising the possibility that his true origins are concealed.
• Fear and influence: Li Yuan’s authority is demonstrated not through direct violence but through his ability to frighten experts into obeying him.
• Factional conflict and preemptive violence: Ding Xiaoyue believes threats must be eliminated before they mature, revealing the Jin Family’s ruthless political logic.
• Professional solidarity: The Anatomists’ unity prevents the Jin Family from simply hiring replacements, showing how specialized groups can resist even a powerful family.
• Uncertainty and strategic miscalculation: The Jin Family’s earlier investigation may have been completely wrong, leaving them unsure how to respond to Li Yuan.

Character Interactions

• Yuan Zheng and Ruan Fei: Yuan Zheng appeals to their long friendship and questions his refusal to help. Ruan Fei responds with an explanation of the danger he faces but refuses to reveal the full reason.
• Yuan Zheng and Ding Xiaoyue: Yuan Zheng reports Ruan Fei’s withdrawal and urges Ding Xiaoyue to reconsider Li Yuan’s identity. Their conversation shifts from anger and revenge toward suspicion and strategic planning.
• Ding Xiaoyue and Li Yuan: They do not interact directly, but Ding Xiaoyue views him as an enemy who must be eliminated before he gains greater power.
• Li Yuan and the Anatomists: Li Yuan’s display of dissection skill intimidates Ruan Fei and the others into following his orders and preventing further assistance to the Jin Family.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Jin Family’s Rainbow-Scaled Tiger remains in cold storage because its valuable Brocade Sinew is extremely fragile and difficult to preserve. Although they have obtained the beast, they cannot find an Anatomist capable of extracting the sinew.
• Ding Xiaoyue decides that killing Li Yuan is the simplest solution, despite Yuan Zheng warning that another assassination attempt could create even greater trouble for the Jin Family.
• At the Feng Family estate, Dr. Chen arrives by helicopter with a medical team to treat Feng Yingtian’s injured leg using the previously extracted Ligament Sinew.
• Li Yuan is allowed to observe the procedure. Dr. Chen successfully completes the treatment in about two hours, aided by the exceptionally intact and high-quality Ligament Sinew.
• Dr. Chen instructs Feng Yingtian to remain active and continue Martial Dao cultivation during his three-month recovery, but to avoid further injury and use no more than half his strength. Complete rest would weaken rather than improve his recovery.
• Dr. Chen praises the Anatomist who extracted the Ligament Sinew, unaware that Li Yuan himself performed the dissection.
• Afterward, Feng Yingtian tells Li Yuan about the upcoming Chu Palace Trial, an opportunity that will attract many Martial Dao geniuses. He registers both of them for the trial.

Character Developments

• Ding Xiaoyue becomes increasingly ruthless and desperate. She dismisses concerns about the consequences of killing Li Yuan, believing the Jin Family’s situation cannot become much worse.
• Li Yuan continues to conceal the full extent of his Anatomist abilities. His work is praised as the product of an older master, while he quietly gains access to an important Martial Dao opportunity.
• Feng Yingtian shows confidence in Li Yuan by including him in the Chu Palace Trial. Despite his injury, he remains focused on cultivation and advancement.
• Dr. Chen demonstrates both medical confidence and practical wisdom. He emphasizes that recovery requires controlled activity, not excessive protection.
• Mrs. Zhou remains protective of Feng Yingtian, preferring that he rest completely, but Dr. Chen convinces her that overprotectiveness could hinder his growth.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus appearance: Li Yuan is only thirty-one, yet his Anatomist skills surpass what others expect from someone his age. His true ability is hidden behind assumptions about age and experience.
• Recovery through adversity: Feng Yingtian’s treatment reflects the idea that strength is rebuilt through carefully managed challenges rather than total safety.
• Desperation and escalating conflict: The Jin Family’s inability to solve its Anatomist problem pushes Ding Xiaoyue toward murder, intensifying the threat against Li Yuan.
• Legacy and transcendence: Chu Shanhe’s achievement of breaking beyond the Ninth Grade represents the possibility of surpassing established limits and forging a new path.
• Protection versus growth: Mrs. Zhou’s desire to shield Feng Yingtian contrasts with Dr. Chen’s belief that young martial artists must continue facing risks.

Character Interactions

• Ding Xiaoyue argues with Yuan Zheng over whether killing Li Yuan will worsen the Jin Family’s problems, ultimately refusing to reconsider.
• Dr. Chen advises Mrs. Zhou against keeping Feng Yingtian inactive and urges her to support his gradual return to cultivation.
• Dr. Chen praises the unknown Anatomist responsible for the Ligament Sinew, while Feng Yingtian and Li Yuan share the secret of Li Yuan’s identity.
• Feng Yingtian invites Li Yuan to the Chu Palace Trial and warns him about a particularly formidable genius from the Xia Family.
• Li Yuan responds humorously, asking what kind of person could impress someone as talented as Feng Yingtian, setting up curiosity about the trial’s elite competitors.

Chapter Summary: “Triple Salary”

Key plot points and events

Feng Yingtian discusses Xia Zhao with Li Yuan, describing her as an unmatched prodigy who recently made enormous breakthroughs in martial techniques and cultivation methods. He warns Li Yuan not to feel discouraged around her and criticizes the idea of marrying someone as exceptional and intimidating as Xia Zhao. The conversation then turns to the upcoming Chu Palace Trial, which requires a strong Martial Dao foundation. Li Yuan and Feng Yingtian plan to depart in two days, while Li Yuan remains at the Feng residence.
Xia Zhao contacts Li Yuan to verify his registration information for the trial. When the registration system reports a failure, her assistant Cheng Jing discovers that Li Yuan was already registered, meaning someone else had paid for and submitted his entry. Xia Zhao becomes mildly suspicious and jealous, wondering who arranged his registration, but decides to discuss it with him in person at the trial.
Meanwhile, the Xia Family head questions Cheng Jing about rumors that Xia Zhao has grown close to a man. He asks Cheng Jing to monitor the situation and help Xia Zhao find a suitable partner if possible. Cheng Jing internally dismisses the idea that she could advise someone as capable and decisive as Xia Zhao.
After resting, Li Yuan and Feng Yingtian travel by helicopter to the Chu Palace. They encounter pilot Zhen Yong, whom Li Yuan credits with helping him meet the Feng Family. Feng Yingtian rewards Zhen Yong by announcing that his salary will be tripled.

Character developments

• Feng Yingtian remains proud of his own talent but openly acknowledges Xia Zhao’s overwhelming superiority. His repeated complaints reveal both admiration and frustration from years of being compared to her. His recovered leg also restores his confidence and high spirits.
• Li Yuan reveals, indirectly, that he has feelings for Xia Zhao, despite pretending to defend her in conversation. His connection to her continues to deepen through their preparations for the trial.
• Xia Zhao shows concern over Li Yuan’s registration and reacts with understated jealousy when she learns someone else entered him. She remains composed and practical, choosing to confront the matter directly rather than become openly emotional.
• Cheng Jing acts as Xia Zhao’s efficient assistant but recognizes the limits of her authority and believes Xia Zhao needs no unsolicited guidance.
• Zhen Yong is rewarded for his earlier assistance, confirming that his decision to help Li Yuan benefited him.

Significant themes

• The chapter explores the pressure of exceptional talent and the difficulty of living in another person’s shadow.
• Romantic compatibility is contrasted with outward beauty and ability, though Feng Yingtian’s views also reveal his insecurity about powerful women.
• Jealousy and unspoken affection emerge beneath otherwise practical conversations.
• Social status, family expectations, and arranged romantic prospects influence the characters’ relationships.
• Loyalty and personal connections are rewarded, as shown by Feng Yingtian’s generous salary increase for Zhen Yong.

Important character interactions

• Feng Yingtian warns Li Yuan about Xia Zhao while unknowingly discussing Li Yuan’s own romantic interest.
• Xia Zhao and Cheng Jing investigate Li Yuan’s failed registration and discover that he was already entered into the trial.
• The Xia Family head instructs Cheng Jing to monitor Xia Zhao’s possible romantic relationships.
• Li Yuan and Feng Yingtian reunite with Zhen Yong during their journey, leading Feng Yingtian to triple the pilot’s salary.

Chapter Summary: “Marriage?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Yingtian reflects on his management philosophy: rewards must be earned, punishments must be justified, and neither should be given arbitrarily. This reflects his preparation to eventually take control of the Feng Family.
• Master Zhen Yong remains cheerful during the journey, pleased both by the financial compensation and by correctly predicting how events would unfold.
• Li Yuan and Feng Yingtian travel toward the Chu Palace Ruins, located in a remote town in Xia Kingdom’s central region.
• The central region is densely populated and economically prosperous but extremely expensive. Housing prices shock Li Yuan, especially when he learns that even older apartments cost around one hundred thousand per square meter.
• The high costs make Li Yuan understand why Xu Nianxing’s mother looked down on him and preferred that her daughter marry someone from a central city. Despite his growing ability to earn money, Li Yuan’s humble upbringing has left him highly sensitive to wealth and social status.
• Xia Zhao travels separately to the Chu Palace Ruins and waits at a nearby hotel, hoping to meet Li Yuan and possibly discover who registered him for the event.

Character Developments

• Feng Yingtian is shown as disciplined, practical, and politically minded. His strict distinction between rewards and punishments demonstrates his awareness of the responsibilities of future leadership.
• Li Yuan gains a clearer understanding of the economic and social gap between himself and people from wealthy central families. His financial circumstances are improving, but his past poverty continues to shape how he views money and relationships.
• Xia Zhao becomes increasingly determined to clarify her relationship with Li Yuan. She considers asking whether he would date her—or even marry her—but remains uncertain about his feelings and worries that he may resist a relationship with a woman stronger or more influential than himself.
• Xia Zhao’s admiration for Li Yuan deepens as she recalls his courage, competence, guidance, and help with the Xia Family’s problems.

Significant Themes

• Merit and responsibility: Feng Yingtian’s views emphasize that authority requires fairness and accountability.
• Class and economic inequality: The contrast between central-city wealth and Li Yuan’s modest background highlights how housing, income, and family status influence romantic expectations.
• Marriage and social pressure: Xia Zhao faces increasing pressure from her family to attend blind dates, while she considers taking control of her own romantic future.
• Mutual uncertainty in romance: Both Xia Zhao and Li Yuan appear connected, but neither has openly expressed their feelings, creating anxiety and overthinking.
• Gender expectations: Xia Zhao worries that Li Yuan might feel uncomfortable marrying a woman who is stronger or comes from a more powerful family, reflecting concerns about pride, independence, and traditional roles.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Feng Yingtian travel together and discuss the central region’s housing prices. Feng’s casual attitude toward enormous sums of money contrasts sharply with Li Yuan’s cautious perspective.
• Xia Zhao reflects on her past interactions with Li Yuan, including his rescue of her, his martial guidance, and his assistance to her family. These memories reinforce her belief that he is worthy of becoming her partner.
• Xia Zhao has previously arranged for someone to be introduced to Xu Nianxing, apparently to remove a potential romantic rival. Although she recognizes the action was somewhat questionable, she now intends to pursue Li Yuan more directly.
• After arriving near the Chu Palace Ruins, Xia Zhao asks Cheng Jing to sit with her in the hotel restaurant while she waits for the opportunity to encounter Li Yuan and confront the questions surrounding his registration and their relationship.

Chapter Summary

• Setting and setup: Xia Zhao waits at the hotel restaurant before the Chu Palace Trial, choosing a secluded seat because she dislikes being watched while eating. The hotel is filled with martial artists preparing for the trial, and her presence makes the room noticeably quieter and more restrained.
• Li Yuan’s arrival: Li Yuan enters with Feng Yingtian, confirming Xia Zhao’s guess that he would stay at the area’s only nearby hotel. Xia Zhao relaxes upon seeing Feng Yingtian with him, realizing that Feng—not Li Yuan himself—registered him for the trial.
• Feng Yingtian introduces Xia Zhao: Feng identifies Xia Zhao as the Xia Family’s prodigy and complains that her participation will increase the pressure on him, since their elders constantly compare them. He jokingly tells Li Yuan that Xia Zhao’s presence makes things feel cold and then offers to introduce Li Yuan to his sisters as potential partners.
• Awkward confrontation: Xia Zhao approaches after overhearing Feng’s matchmaking remarks. Though Feng awkwardly explains that he was only joking, Xia Zhao responds with faint resentment, asking whether the match succeeded and whether she would be invited to the wedding. Li Yuan quickly defends Feng, easing Xia Zhao’s displeasure.
• Shared meal: Feng invites Xia Zhao to sit with them, and she unexpectedly agrees. While eating, she repeatedly glances toward Li Yuan, making it clear that her interest is directed at him rather than Feng.
• Feng realizes the hidden connection: Feng directly asks whether Xia Zhao knows Li Yuan or has something to discuss with him. Xia Zhao cryptically replies that she already has her answer. Her unusual emotional tone—less distant and more visibly affected than usual—leads Feng to suspect that she and Li Yuan share a meaningful history, perhaps connected to her knowledge of Li Yuan’s exceptional dissection skills.
• Closing exchange: Realizing he may have spoken too freely about Xia Zhao earlier, Feng asks Li Yuan whether he has known her for a long time. Li Yuan confirms that they have “known each other for quite a while,” leaving their relationship deliberately ambiguous.

Character Development and Interactions

• Xia Zhao: Reveals unusual emotional vulnerability and possible romantic interest in Li Yuan. Her normally controlled and detached demeanor softens, while her irritation at Feng’s matchmaking suggests jealousy or personal concern.
• Li Yuan: Remains calm and socially perceptive, quickly stepping in to defend Feng and soothe Xia Zhao. His brief confirmation about their long acquaintance hints at a deeper connection.
• Feng Yingtian: Begins as an anxious competitor who feels overshadowed by Xia Zhao, but becomes an observant mediator. He gradually recognizes Xia Zhao’s interest in Li Yuan and starts reconsidering the relationship between them.
• Xia Zhao and Li Yuan: Their mutual greeting and her deliberate choice to sit with him imply familiarity and trust, while their restrained conversation suggests unspoken history.
• Xia Zhao and Feng Yingtian: Their limited prior relationship is formal and distant, but Xia Zhao’s teasing, mildly resentful remarks create a new tension between them.
• Li Yuan and Feng Yingtian: Their friendly bond is evident, though Feng’s careless matchmaking jokes briefly create an awkward situation that Li Yuan must resolve.

Significant Themes

• Hidden relationships and unspoken feelings: The chapter centers on the mystery of Xia Zhao and Li Yuan’s past and Xia Zhao’s concealed interest in him.
• Social pressure and comparison: Feng’s anxiety reflects the burden of being constantly compared with a stronger family prodigy.
• Public restraint versus private emotion: Xia Zhao maintains a composed exterior in public, but her reactions reveal feelings she usually suppresses.
• Perception and discovery: Feng gradually pieces together clues from Xia Zhao’s behavior, showing how small gestures expose relationships that characters do not openly explain.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Yingtian is shocked to learn that Li Yuan and Xia Zhao have known each other for a long time.
• When Feng asks how close they are, Xia Zhao directly answers that she and Li Yuan are close enough to discuss marriage and potentially become family.
• Both Xia Zhao and Li Yuan are surprised by her blunt declaration, but when Feng asks whether she is serious, Xia Zhao confirms that she is—provided Li Yuan is willing to marry her.
• Xia Zhao leaves without demanding an immediate answer, telling Li Yuan to take time to consider her proposal.
• Afterward, Feng pulls Li Yuan aside and questions him about their relationship. Li Yuan explains that he and Xia Zhao met while training, survived a dangerous situation by supporting one another, and later worked together when Xia Zhao helped protect him from the Jin Family.
• Feng warns Li Yuan that marrying into the powerful Xia Family could be difficult. He might be overshadowed by Xia Zhao, face pressure from her elders, and struggle with the unequal status between them.
• Li Yuan admits that he is attracted to Xia Zhao herself, not her wealth or influence. He even wishes her background were less powerful, since it would make their relationship easier.
• By the end of the chapter, Li Yuan realizes that Xia Zhao has shown courage by taking the initiative while he has remained hesitant. He begins resolving to stop overthinking and seriously consider accepting her.

Character Developments

• Xia Zhao: Demonstrates unexpected boldness and sincerity by openly proposing marriage. Although initially startled by her own words, she confirms that her feelings are genuine and gives Li Yuan the freedom to decide.
• Li Yuan: Reveals that his feelings for Xia Zhao are genuine and not motivated by her family’s status. His insecurity comes from feeling unworthy of her and fearing the difficulties her powerful family may create. He begins to overcome that hesitation.
• Feng Yingtian: Acts as a concerned friend and offers a realistic warning about marriage between people from unequal backgrounds. His advice is shaped by his own past experience with family expectations and social pressure.

Significant Themes

• Love versus social status: Li Yuan and Xia Zhao’s relationship is complicated by the immense gap between their backgrounds and influence.
• Courage and initiative: Xia Zhao’s willingness to speak openly contrasts with Li Yuan’s hesitation, prompting him to reconsider his passivity.
• Family expectations: Feng emphasizes that marriage into a powerful family may involve restrictions, judgment, and unequal treatment even when material life is comfortable.
• Sincere affection: Li Yuan insists that he wants Xia Zhao herself rather than the advantages attached to her name.

Character Interactions

• Xia Zhao openly confronts Feng Yingtian’s questioning and declares her willingness to marry Li Yuan.
• Feng questions Li Yuan about their relationship and tries to dissuade him by describing the burdens of joining a powerful family.
• Li Yuan defends Xia Zhao’s character, saying she is not spoiled despite her privileged position.
• Their conversation ends with Li Yuan recognizing that he must match Xia Zhao’s bravery by making a clear decision about their future.

Chapter Summary: “Gift-Giving, and Lavish Gifts!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan overcomes his insecurity about Xia Zhao’s public declaration and resolves not to look down on himself or doubt his worth.
• Feng Yingtian congratulates him and offers support, promising to arrange custom-made jewelry for him to present to the Xia Family. He also tells Li Yuan to invoke the Feng Family’s name if he faces trouble.
• Feng warns that the Xia Family elders will quickly investigate Li Yuan, since rumors about Xia Zhao’s possible marriage will spread rapidly.
• As predicted, the news travels through the crowd. Although many people assume Xia Zhao was joking, her family takes the matter seriously.
• Xia Zhao’s assistant, Cheng Jing, refuses to provide information during a video call with the Xia Family head, so the elders begin investigating through their own channels.
• Xia Yao dismisses the rumor as fake, suggesting Xia Zhao only made the statement to escape the family’s constant pressure to marry.
• The elders connect the new rumor with Xia Zhao’s previous actions: helping Li Yuan enter a secret-realm training program, defending him against the Jin Family, and obtaining powerful cultivation techniques for him.
• After confirming that Li Yuan is the man Xia Zhao has been assisting, the Xia Family head orders lavish gifts to be sent to Li Yuan’s parents.
• The gifts are intended not merely as courtesy, but as psychological pressure: the family hopes Li Yuan will recognize the enormous difference between himself and the Xia Family and voluntarily withdraw.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Becomes more confident and composed. He accepts that Xia Zhao’s words indicate she sees genuine value in him and decides not to be intimidated by the situation.
• Feng Yingtian: Deepens his relationship with Li Yuan, treating him almost like family. He sincerely wants to support and befriend Li Yuan because of both their personal connection and Li Yuan’s exceptional anatomical skill.
• Xia Zhao: Though she does not appear directly, her actions reveal that she has invested significant effort in helping Li Yuan. Her family interprets this as evidence that she may have genuine feelings for him.
• Xia Yao: Demonstrates her idealized view of Xia Zhao, believing her to be nearly impossible to match with anyone and assuming the marriage announcement was only a rebellious response to family pressure.
• The Xia Family elders: Shift from curiosity to serious concern. They begin investigating Li Yuan and prepare a strategic, indirect attempt to discourage him.

Significant Themes

• Self-worth and confidence: Li Yuan realizes that humility should not become self-deprecation. His circumstances do not determine his value.
• Family influence and social status: Feng Yingtian’s support illustrates how a strong family can protect someone’s dignity, while the Xia Family attempts to use its wealth and power to intimidate Li Yuan.
• Love versus social expectations: Xia Zhao’s possible feelings challenge the family’s assumptions about whom she should marry.
• Power expressed through gifts: The Xia Family uses extravagant presents as a subtle weapon, hoping material wealth will expose the social gap and force Li Yuan to retreat.
• Rumor and investigation: A single public statement rapidly becomes a matter of family strategy, showing how gossip can trigger major consequences among powerful clans.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Feng Yingtian: Feng offers jewelry, protection, and emotional support; Li Yuan appreciates the gesture but remains confident that he can handle the Xia Family.
• Xia Yao and the Xia elders: Xia Yao argues that the marriage rumor is a prank caused by family pressure, but the elders remain skeptical and continue investigating.
• Xia Family elders and Cheng Jing: The elders question Cheng Jing about Xia Zhao, but she claims ignorance, forcing them to gather information elsewhere.
• The Xia Family and Li Yuan’s parents: The family prepares to send conspicuously valuable gifts, using courtesy and wealth as a means of discouraging Li Yuan from pursuing Xia Zhao.

Chapter Summary: “Two People”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter opens by explaining how lavish gifts can be used as a form of pressure. The Xia Family has given expensive gifts to Li Yuan’s parents, hoping the gesture will influence them—or Li Yuan himself—regarding his relationship with Xia Zhao.
• At night, Li Yuan and Xia Zhao meet on the hotel rooftop overlooking the brightly lit cities surrounding the Chu Palace Ruins.
• Xia Zhao asks whether Li Yuan is willing to marry her. Li Yuan initially says he needs time, briefly making her think he is refusing.
• He clarifies that he wants time to prepare a proper proposal because he feels she deserves something meaningful rather than a casual arrangement.
• Li Yuan honestly confesses that he once viewed Xia Zhao as someone far beyond his reach and still worries that being with him might cause her embarrassment or hardship.
• Xia Zhao responds warmly, moving closer to him and teasing him about how he behaved toward her in Qijia Town. The two share a more intimate and relaxed conversation than usual.
• Xia Zhao warns Li Yuan that some Xia Family elders may be meddlesome or judgmental. She assures him that she has enough authority to handle them and will protect him from unnecessary pressure.
• Li Yuan insists that he is not fragile and can tolerate casual criticism; his main concern is embarrassing Xia Zhao.
• Xia Zhao reveals that her family will investigate Li Yuan before accepting him, though she does not expect them to act maliciously. She asks him to tell her if anything makes him uncomfortable.
• She then confesses that she previously interfered in Xu Nianxing’s romantic prospects. Knowing Xu’s mother looked down on Li Yuan, Xia Zhao arranged for a matchmaker to introduce Xu to other people, hoping to prevent them from becoming a couple and create an opportunity for herself.
• Li Yuan explains that he and Xu Nianxing had never truly dated and that he had already ended the possibility before Xia Zhao’s interference. He admits that he had only considered Xu “suitable” because he believed Xia Zhao was beyond his reach.
• Relieved, Xia Zhao tells him that after the Chu Palace Trial, she will introduce him to her family, beginning with her cousins.
• Li Yuan mentions that he already knows Xia Zhao’s cousin Xia Yao from his time at Sunset Mountain Camp, though he does not boast about having helped save her.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan becomes more emotionally open. He admits his insecurity, his former feelings of inferiority toward Xia Zhao, and his desire to give her a sincere proposal. His honesty demonstrates that he is beginning to accept their relationship rather than seeing himself as unworthy of her.
• Xia Zhao reveals a softer, more affectionate side in private. Although she is powerful and confident, she is also shy and anxious about Li Yuan’s feelings. Her willingness to confront her family for him shows her commitment and protectiveness.
• Xia Zhao’s confession about Xu Nianxing exposes her jealousy and determination to pursue Li Yuan. It also shows that she has actively worked behind the scenes to remove obstacles between them.
• Their relationship becomes more equal and intimate. Xia Zhao recognizes Li Yuan’s superior insight in martial matters and does not intend for him to become dependent on her family or merely her “appendage.”

Significant Themes

• Gifts as social pressure: The Xia Family’s generosity is portrayed as a strategic tool that can create obligation and silence requests rather than simply express kindness.
• Love versus social status: Li Yuan struggles with the perceived gap between himself and Xia Zhao, while Xia Zhao rejects the idea that he is beneath her.
• Honesty and trust: Their relationship deepens as both characters discuss insecurities, past actions, and potential family conflicts openly.
• Family expectations: Marriage is presented not only as a personal choice but also as an introduction into a powerful, opinionated family.
• Mutual respect: Xia Zhao admires Li Yuan’s martial understanding and judgment, while Li Yuan trusts her strength and willingness to defend him.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Xia Zhao’s rooftop conversation shifts from uncertainty to warmth and intimacy. Her teasing helps ease his nervousness, and physical closeness symbolizes their growing emotional bond.
• Xia Zhao positions herself as Li Yuan’s defender against her family’s elders, while Li Yuan reassures her that he can withstand criticism and does not need excessive protection.
• Their discussion of Xu Nianxing clears up a possible romantic misunderstanding and allows Xia Zhao to release her guilt.
• The chapter ends with them preparing for the next stage of their relationship: Li Yuan meeting Xia Zhao’s family after the Chu Palace Trial.

Chapter Summary: “Gifts Piled into a Mountain”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After openly confessing their feelings, Li Yuan and Xia Zhao agree to obtain their marriage certificate after the Chu Palace Trial. Li Yuan feels the relationship is progressing quickly but is delighted by Xia Zhao’s initiative.
• Feng Yingtian notices their closeness when they return to the hotel and teases Li Yuan about the developing romance. He later takes Li Yuan for a late-night meal and explains the structure of the upcoming trial.
• The Chu Palace Trial contains six palaces—Hunchun, Stillness, Green Bamboo, Wu River, Peaceful Osmanthus, and Firefly—each featuring different dangers and mechanisms. The trials are said to reflect the martial cultivation experiences and obstacles of Chu Shanhe.
• Feng explains that reaching Wu River Palace would be considered a good result for someone their age, while Xia Zhao is expected to approach the more difficult Stillness Palace. He sends Li Yuan information about the trial, prioritizing Li Yuan’s immediate performance over discovering everything unaided.
• On the day of the trial, the Xia Family begins sending a huge quantity of expensive engagement gifts to Li Yuan’s rented home. The gifts form a mountain outside Heavenly River Garden and include valuable gold ornaments and furniture.
• The security guards cooperate because the Xia Family has also given each of them generous gifts. Li Yuan’s parents are overwhelmed and hesitant to touch the luxurious items.
• The spectacle attracts neighborhood attention and gossip. Xu Nianxing’s mother, Aunt Shen, sees the gifts and becomes bitter, especially because she had previously looked down on Li Yuan as an ordinary middle-school teacher.
• Neighbors speculate that Li Yuan has won the favor of a wealthy woman and praise his martial potential and possible future advancement, while Aunt Shen attempts to dismiss his prospects.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan becomes more confident and hopeful about his relationship with Xia Zhao, while remaining focused on improving his performance in the Chu Palace Trial and gaining a stronger reputation.
• Xia Zhao demonstrates decisiveness and emotional openness by directly committing to marriage and showing no embarrassment about her relationship with Li Yuan.
• Feng Yingtian acts as both a teasing friend and a supportive mentor. He recognizes Li Yuan and Xia Zhao’s feelings and provides valuable trial information.
• Li Yuan’s parents are shown as humble and unaccustomed to wealth, becoming anxious and overwhelmed by the scale of the Xia Family’s gifts.
• Aunt Shen reveals her envy and materialism. Her earlier rejection of Li Yuan’s suitability for her daughter is challenged by his sudden rise in status and association with the Xia Family.

Significant Themes

• Love and commitment: Li Yuan and Xia Zhao move rapidly from mutual affection to a serious marriage plan.
• Social status and wealth: The enormous gifts publicly display the Xia Family’s power and transform how others view Li Yuan and his family.
• Reputation and achievement: Li Yuan wants a strong trial result not only for personal growth but also to improve how influential people evaluate him.
• Class prejudice and changing perceptions: Those who previously dismissed Li Yuan begin reconsidering him once his connection to the Xia Family becomes visible.
• Support versus self-reliance: Feng Yingtian balances the value of experiencing the trial independently with the practical need to prepare for an important result.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Xia Zhao: Their intimate walk and marriage discussion confirm their romantic relationship.
• Li Yuan and Feng Yingtian: Feng teases Li Yuan about Xia Zhao, then mentors him by explaining the trial’s structure and standards.
• The Xia Family and Li Yuan’s parents: The family’s extravagant gifts serve as a formal public gesture of acceptance and commitment.
• Aunt Shen and the neighbors: Their conversation exposes conflicting attitudes—Aunt Shen remains dismissive and jealous, while the neighbors praise Li Yuan’s talent and future prospects.

Chapter Summary: The Chu Palace Trial Officially Begins

Key Plot Points and Events

• The lavish gifts sent by the Xia Family become the subject of gossip. Onlookers assume the gifts will help Li Yuan rise rapidly in status, while Xu Nianxing’s mother bitterly insists that the relationship may not last.
• The neighbors defend Li Yuan and argue that the Xia Family would not support an incapable man. Their comments make Xu Nianxing’s mother increasingly anxious and regretful, since she had previously pressured her daughter to abandon Li Yuan.
• Li Yuan’s parents are overwhelmed by the enormous pile of gifts and feel uncomfortable accepting them, especially after being told that Xia Zhao had sent them to celebrate her relationship with Li Yuan.
• Li Yuan contacts Xia Zhao for advice. She explains that her grandfather likely intended the gifts as a test or humiliation: Li Yuan might either retreat out of pride or accept them and be criticized as shameless.
• Xia Zhao encourages Li Yuan and his parents to accept the gifts calmly. She reminds him that his past guidance helped the Xia Family enormously, making the gifts insignificant in comparison.
• Li Yuan worries that accepting the gifts could make their relationship feel transactional, but Xia Zhao reassures him that she understands his intentions and wants him to maintain his self-respect.
• Xia Zhao also warns him not to measure his worth by the Xia Family elders’ opinions. Li Yuan promises to focus on his own growth and perform well in the Chu Palace Trial.
• At two in the afternoon, the Chu Palace Trial officially begins. Li Yuan enters alongside Feng Yingtian, while Xia Zhao enters earlier.
• The trial begins in Firefly Palace, the first of Chu Palace’s six compounds. After walking through a covered corridor, Li Yuan enters the palace grounds and is immediately struck by extreme, furnace-like heat, suggesting the trial will be physically dangerous.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Shows humility and discomfort with receiving excessive gifts, but gradually accepts that he has earned them through his abilities and past contributions. He resolves to prove himself through the Chu Palace Trial rather than through social approval.
• Xia Zhao: Demonstrates deep concern for Li Yuan’s emotional well-being. Though cold and distant toward outsiders, she is gentle, supportive, and psychologically perceptive with him. She actively protects his dignity from her family’s potential contempt.
• Li Yuan’s parents: Feel confused and uneasy about the extravagant gifts, but agree to accept them after Li Yuan explains that he deserves them.
• Xu Nianxing’s mother: Becomes jealous, distressed, and regretful after realizing that Li Yuan may have been far more promising than she believed. Her earlier efforts to separate him from her daughter now weigh heavily on her.
• Xu Nianxing: Does not appear directly, but her past relationship with Li Yuan remains a source of tension and regret for her mother.
• The Xia Family elders: Their gift appears to be both a display of status and a possible attempt to test or undermine Li Yuan.

Significant Themes

• Pride versus self-worth: Li Yuan must learn to accept recognition without viewing it as charity or compromising his dignity.
• Class and social status: The gifts symbolize the Xia Family’s wealth and superiority, while also exposing how society judges relationships based on power and background.
• Emotional support in relationships: Xia Zhao emphasizes that Li Yuan should not face humiliation or pressure alone; their relationship is presented as a partnership.
• Regret and misplaced judgment: Xu Nianxing’s mother represents people who underestimate others based on status and later suffer when those judgments prove wrong.
• Testing and proving oneself: The gifts and the Chu Palace Trial both function as tests of Li Yuan’s character, confidence, and abilities.
• Hidden danger: The seemingly poetic name “Firefly Palace” contrasts with its intense, potentially injurious heat, signaling that the trial is more dangerous than expected.

Character Interactions

• Neighbors argue with Xu Nianxing’s mother about Li Yuan’s prospects, highlighting their differing views of his worth.
• Li Yuan’s parents contact him about the gifts, revealing their uncertainty and concern.
• Li Yuan and Xia Zhao discuss the meaning of the gifts and the Xia Family’s motives. Xia Zhao reassures him that accepting them is justified and encourages him not to internalize criticism.
• Li Yuan later speaks with his parents and persuades them to accept the gifts confidently.
• At the trial’s opening, Li Yuan stands with Feng Yingtian, while Xia Zhao enters ahead of them, establishing their separate positions within the competition.

Chapter Summary: “A Precious Treasure Left by a Senior”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan enters Firefly Palace, where he must endure intense heat. His Heavenly Refining Body allows him to withstand the discomfort and pass through quickly.
• He crosses Peaceful Osmanthus Palace, whose pleasant-smelling osmanthus fragrance conceals a poisonous mist. His powerful physique automatically resists the toxins.
• In Wu River Palace, he encounters suffocating dampness and discovers weathered inscriptions on the walls.
• Using his [Mind Enlightenment] Talent, Li Yuan deciphers the writings and learns that the six traveling palaces belonged to Senior Chu Shanhe:
  • Five palaces were private residences and deliberately designed to discourage intruders.
  • Hunchun Palace—originally called Radiant Spring Palace—was the only place intended to receive guests and pass on guidance.
• Li Yuan realizes that the earlier palace obstacles were not genuine trials or inheritances. They were merely warnings telling later generations to leave. He therefore abandons the normal route and heads directly to Hunchun Palace.
• Observers interpret his shortcut as giving up. Staff and spectators mock him, assuming he lacks the ability and determination to continue the trial. Rumors also spread to the Xia Family elders.
• Upon reaching Hunchun Palace, Li Yuan finds it peaceful and comfortable. There, he begins reading Chu Shanhe’s preserved teachings.
• The inscriptions reveal that Chu Shanhe’s early struggles were not caused by poor talent. His master and elders had deliberately withheld proper foundational cultivation methods from him.
• At age forty, Chu Shanhe finally understood the source of his stagnation while watching fellow disciples fight, realizing that many of the obstacles in his path had been artificially created.

Character Development

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates physical endurance, intelligence, and independent judgment. Rather than blindly following the trial’s traditional route, he investigates the palace inscriptions, understands Chu Shanhe’s true intentions, and chooses the correct path. His ability to remain focused despite public ridicule highlights his composure and discernment.
• Senior Chu Shanhe: Is portrayed as both powerful and compassionate. Although he guarded his private residences, he did not intend to harm trespassers. He also freely shared his knowledge with humanity after reaching the Ninth-Rank Martial Dao, helping later generations produce more Grandmasters.
• The spectators and staff: Reveal their superficial judgments by assuming that Li Yuan’s shortcut reflects weakness or a collapsing mentality. Their reactions contrast with Li Yuan’s actual insight.
• Li Yuan’s connection to the Xia Family: His reputation as someone favored by Xia Zhao and associated with Young Master Feng causes the trial to attract additional attention and scrutiny from the Xia Family elders.

Significant Themes

• True understanding versus blind tradition: The palace route has been misunderstood over generations. Li Yuan succeeds by interpreting the inscriptions instead of accepting popular rumors.
• The danger of superficial judgment: Observers mistake Li Yuan’s intelligent decision for cowardice and failure.
• The value of foundational guidance: Chu Shanhe’s greatest obstacle was not a lack of talent but being denied proper instruction. The chapter emphasizes how essential correct knowledge is to martial development.
• Compassion and restraint: Chu Shanhe protects his private space without maliciously harming those who intrude, while still leaving valuable teachings for those who genuinely seek them.
• Self-determination: Li Yuan trusts his own reasoning and refuses to let the expectations of others dictate his actions.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Yuan interacts indirectly with Chu Shanhe through the inscriptions, gradually uncovering the senior’s personality, history, and intentions.
• The trial staff observe Li Yuan and choose not to stop him, interpreting his decision as surrender.
• Spectators ridicule Li Yuan and discuss his connections to Young Master Feng and Xia Zhao, while their comments are relayed to the Xia Family elders.
• In Radiant Spring Palace, Li Yuan begins a deeper intellectual and spiritual encounter with Chu Shanhe’s legacy by studying the senior’s account of his early martial struggles.

Chapter Summary: “Life Essence Fluid”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan finishes reading the writings left by Chu Shanhe, the world’s first Martial Dao Grandmaster and the first person to reach Ninth Grade.
• Though Chu Shanhe had publicly shared his cultivation methods and Martial Dao insights, he secretly left behind a more valuable inheritance: a vial of Life Essence Fluid.
• A carved painting on the wall leads Li Yuan outside Hunchun Palace, where he discovers a sealed metal box hidden beneath a cracked stone. Inside is the vial and Chu Shanhe’s instructions.
• Chu Shanhe explains that Life Essence Fluid greatly aided his physical tempering and eventual rise to Ninth Grade. He also reveals that it can be found periodically at another undisclosed location.
• Chu Shanhe warns that the fluid is extremely limited and could cause violent struggles or even war if its existence became widely known. He urges its inheritors to keep it secret while using their strength to protect humanity.
• Li Yuan returns to Hunchun Palace, realizing he has obtained Chu Shanhe’s true inheritance despite not formally challenging every palace.
• He studies Chu Shanhe’s philosophy and concludes that the body is the foundation of all Martial Dao. Physical tempering should constitute most of his future cultivation.
• Li Yuan recognizes that his practice of Heavenly Refining Body, although seemingly slow, is the correct long-term path.
• He searches for information about Life Essence Fluid but finds almost nothing reliable.
• Feng Yingtian arrives after hearing that Li Yuan had wandered into Hunchun Palace and become the subject of ridicule. Li Yuan asks him about the fluid.
• Feng Yingtian reveals that his family once obtained a drop when he was twelve. After diluting it into one hundred milliliters, he consumed one-tenth of the mixture, confirming that Life Essence Fluid is real and known to powerful families.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan becomes more determined to follow a body-focused cultivation path. Chu Shanhe’s records strengthen his confidence that Heavenly Refining Body is not hindering his progress but laying the proper foundation for future advancement.
• Li Yuan also demonstrates greater caution and strategic awareness by keeping his discovery discreet and avoiding surveillance while retrieving the fluid.
• Chu Shanhe is revealed as both generous and farsighted. He freely shared knowledge that could advance humanity but deliberately restricted the Life Essence Fluid because of its scarcity and potential to provoke conflict.
• Chu Shanhe’s past hardships and resentment remain evident, but his final legacy emphasizes responsibility, humanity, and protecting civilization.
• Feng Yingtian shifts from casual concern and amusement to seriousness when he realizes Li Yuan is referring to the genuine Life Essence Fluid. His family’s prior experience establishes that the treasure has been known among elite martial circles.

Significant Themes

• The body as the foundation of power: Chu Shanhe teaches that techniques and realms are meaningless without a sufficiently strong body. The Ninth Grade bottleneck is presented as a limit in physical development rather than merely a mysterious realm barrier.
• Knowledge versus scarce resources: Chu Shanhe openly distributes Martial Dao principles but hides the Life Essence Fluid, recognizing that public knowledge can benefit everyone while limited treasures create competition and bloodshed.
• Inheritance and responsibility: Receiving Chu Shanhe’s legacy comes with a moral obligation to protect humanity, not merely pursue personal strength.
• Secrecy and survival: Li Yuan must conceal the fluid’s existence, reflecting the danger posed by powerful resources in a world threatened by Fierce Beasts and human conflict.
• Misjudgment and hidden achievement: Outsiders mock Li Yuan for wandering around Hunchun Palace, unaware that he has discovered its most important secret.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan interacts indirectly with Chu Shanhe through his writings, gaining both a valuable treasure and guidance about cultivation and duty.
• The surveillance staff ridicule Li Yuan’s behavior in Hunchun Palace and speculate that Xia Zhao will be disappointed in him, highlighting the gap between public perception and reality.
• Feng Yingtian confronts Li Yuan out of concern after hearing rumors about his detour. Their conversation changes when Li Yuan mentions Life Essence Fluid, leading Feng Yingtian to share his family’s personal experience with it.
• The chapter ends with Feng Yingtian’s revelation, suggesting that the fluid may be connected to influential families and that Li Yuan’s discovery could have major consequences.

Chapter Summary: “A Single Drop Had Such Effects?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Yingtian explains the extraordinary properties of Life Essence Fluid. Even when diluted, it greatly enhances physical stamina, energy, and Martial Dao cultivation. A small amount helped him advance from Fourth Grade to Sixth Grade far faster than normal.
• Its most important ability is not cultivation enhancement but life preservation. Diluted Life Essence Fluid can extend the life of the elderly or critically injured, while a single drop of pure fluid may grant a dying martial artist another ten years.
• Feng Yingtian reveals that the fluid is believed to be extinct because it takes over a thousand years to form and was destroyed through excessive extraction. Only a tiny amount of diluted fluid supposedly remains.
• Li Yuan realizes the enormous value of the nearly fifty milliliters of Life Essence Fluid he secretly possesses. Such a treasure could provoke conflict among powerful families, organizations, and hidden forces.
• Feng Yingtian questions why Li Yuan abandoned the more prestigious trial locations and entered Hunchun Palace instead. He warns that others are watching Li Yuan and that his actions may damage his reputation with the Xia Family elders.
• Li Yuan explains that Firefly Palace and Wu River Palace offered him no useful Martial Dao benefits, while the elder associated with Hunchun Palace had made it clear that he disliked people intruding into his private residence. Li Yuan therefore chose according to his own judgment rather than trying to impress the Xia Family.
• After a brief conversation, Li Yuan and Feng Yingtian leave the trial area. Feng returns to the hotel, while Li Yuan remains behind to wait for someone.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan becomes increasingly cautious and strategic after understanding the true value and danger of Life Essence Fluid. He recognizes that revealing it could attract forces far more powerful than the Jin Family and resolves to keep it secret.
• Li Yuan also demonstrates growing independence. Rather than blindly pursuing achievements for the Xia Family’s approval, he follows what he believes is most beneficial for his own cultivation and respects the Hunchun Palace elder’s wishes.
• Feng Yingtian provides valuable knowledge about Life Essence Fluid and shows practical concern for Li Yuan’s reputation. However, he remains confused by Li Yuan’s decisions, particularly his apparent willingness to disregard conventional expectations.
• Xia Zhao’s earlier influence becomes evident. Her advice helps Li Yuan understand that the Xia Family elders may criticize him regardless of what he does, allowing him to act more freely.

Significant Themes

• The danger of great treasures: Life Essence Fluid can save lives, but its scarcity makes it capable of causing wars and widespread conflict.
• Secrecy and survival: Li Yuan understands that possessing a powerful resource is dangerous if others discover it. Concealment becomes essential to protecting himself and those connected to him.
• Independent judgment versus social expectations: Li Yuan chooses practical benefit over prestige, reputation, and the desire to win approval from powerful elders.
• The value of life: The fluid’s ability to extend lifespan highlights how far people may go to escape death, including committing violence or starting conflicts.
• Respecting boundaries: Li Yuan avoids entering the elder’s private residence because he values the elder’s stated wishes, even if doing so means appearing unsuccessful.

Character Interactions

• Feng Yingtian and Li Yuan have an open, informative discussion about Life Essence Fluid, with Feng acting as the knowledgeable source and Li Yuan carefully assessing its implications.
• Feng later challenges Li Yuan over his decision to visit Hunchun Palace, warning that outsiders may ridicule him and that the Xia Family elders may judge him negatively.
• Li Yuan responds calmly and does not argue extensively, relying on his private understanding of Xia Zhao’s position and his own reasons for choosing Hunchun Palace.
• Their differing perspectives create a contrast: Feng emphasizes reputation and conventional success, while Li Yuan prioritizes long-term benefit, discretion, and personal conviction.

Chapter Summary: “Meeting the Parents and Elders”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Yingtian recognizes that he cannot compete with Xia Zhao’s willingness to marry Li Yuan, but he still intends to cultivate a close friendship with Li Yuan. He believes the Feng Family can offer Li Yuan greater respect and appreciation because of Li Yuan’s past help and exceptional dissection skills.
• While waiting outside the Chu Palace trial area, Li Yuan examines the fifty milliliters of Life Essence Fluid given to him. He considers how powerful and valuable it is, but worries about testing it safely and determining the correct dosage.
• Li Yuan decides that purchasing testing equipment for his dissection classes at Lingshan No. 1 High School could allow him to analyze the fluid privately without risking exposure or betrayal by an outside institution.
• Xia Zhao emerges from the trial after once again failing to pass through the Stillness Palace. Li Yuan explains that the palace’s oppressive force was likely intended by Senior Chu to keep visitors away from his private residence, rather than to serve as a conventional trial.
• The pair return to Hunchun Palace, where Xia Zhao openly takes Li Yuan’s hand and leaves with him, provoking jealousy and discomfort among the onlookers.
• During the drive into the city, Li Yuan explains the clues he found on the palace walls. Xia Zhao immediately accepts his interpretation and argues that the centuries-old Chu Palace trials may have been based on a misunderstanding.
• Xia Zhao proposes visiting Li Yuan’s parents and then having him meet her own parents, effectively arranging their formal introduction as a couple preparing for marriage.
• Li Yuan agrees and plans to prepare suitable gifts. When Cheng Jing suggests that Xia Zhao provide the gifts while claiming they came from him, Xia Zhao rejects the idea, insisting that Li Yuan’s own gifts will demonstrate his sincerity.
• Xia Zhao realizes that her family may look down on Li Yuan and becomes determined to establish his standing and authority before the elders.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Shows increasing confidence and independence. He carefully considers how to investigate the Life Essence Fluid and demonstrates practical judgment by planning to acquire his own testing equipment. He also accepts the seriousness of his relationship with Xia Zhao by agreeing to meet her parents and preparing gifts himself.
• Xia Zhao: Becomes more openly affectionate and committed to Li Yuan. Her decision to arrange meetings with both families confirms that she is seriously considering marriage. She also displays strong trust in Li Yuan’s judgment and actively defends him against potential disrespect.
• Feng Yingtian: Shifts from romantic competition toward strategic friendship. Although he knows Xia Zhao has the advantage, he hopes the Feng Family’s respect and future need for Li Yuan’s abilities will win Li Yuan’s loyalty.
• Cheng Jing: Remains skeptical of Li Yuan and appears to underestimate him because of his outsider status. Her comments reveal the class and family prejudice he may face from the Xia Family.
• The Xia Family elders: Though not yet present, they are established as a looming source of judgment. Their expectations and possible disdain become a major concern for Xia Zhao.

Significant Themes

• Love versus family status: Xia Zhao’s willingness to marry Li Yuan conflicts with the likely expectations and prejudices of her powerful family.
• Trust and loyalty: Xia Zhao’s immediate belief in Li Yuan’s interpretation of the Chu Palace demonstrates the strength of her trust in him.
• Respect versus social hierarchy: Feng Yingtian believes the Feng Family would genuinely value Li Yuan, while the Xia Family may judge him as an outsider and demand that he prove himself.
• Knowledge and independent reasoning: Li Yuan challenges the accepted interpretation of the Chu Palace trials, showing the importance of careful observation over tradition.
• Preparation and sincerity: The discussion of meeting the parents emphasizes that genuine effort—not merely wealth or appearances—will determine how Li Yuan is received.

Important Character Interactions

• Feng Yingtian privately evaluates Li Yuan’s position between the Feng and Xia Families.
• Li Yuan and Xia Zhao reunite after the trial, with Xia Zhao publicly showing affection by linking fingers with him.
• In the car, Xia Zhao listens to and supports Li Yuan’s explanation of the Chu Palace.
• Xia Zhao firmly defends Li Yuan when Cheng Jing questions his role in preparing gifts.
• Xia Zhao and Li Yuan agree to meet each other’s parents, marking a major step toward formalizing their relationship.

Chapter Summary: “The News Spreads, an Ill-Matched Couple?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During dinner, Xia Zhao privately confronts her assistant, Cheng Jing, over her disrespectful attitude toward Li Yuan. She firmly states that Li Yuan will be her husband and must be treated with respect.
• Xia Zhao insists that Li Yuan is not “marrying up,” despite Cheng Jing’s belief that he is far beneath the Xia Family’s status. She warns Cheng Jing that her assumptions may not reflect the truth.
• Xia Zhao and Li Yuan arrange to visit his parents in Lingshan City the following Saturday. They agree to prepare separately before meeting, with Xia Zhao planning how best to present herself to his family.
• Xia Zhao decides that their engagement and upcoming marriage should be announced publicly rather than concealed. She expects gossip but believes an early announcement will reduce future speculation and warn members of the Xia Family not to interfere.
• The chapter explains that the Xia Family is internally divided, with branch families controlling many practical affairs and the main branch facing significant pressure.
• After dinner, Xia Zhao takes Li Yuan to the high-speed rail station before returning to the Xia Family. Li Yuan travels home and informs his parents of the upcoming visit.
• Li Yuan’s parents are unsurprised because the Xia Family’s numerous gifts have already suggested that something important was happening. They immediately begin cleaning and preparing their rented home, even hiring professional cleaners.
• Meanwhile, news of Li Yuan and Xia Zhao’s relationship and intended marriage spreads through martial-artist circles, especially among groups connected to the Xia Family. People are astonished that Xia Zhao has chosen a partner from Lingshan Middle School.
• The news also reaches Lan Eagle City, where martial artists already know both Li Yuan and Xia Zhao from their previous involvement there.

Character Developments

• Xia Zhao becomes openly protective and assertive regarding Li Yuan. She is willing to reprimand even a longtime subordinate to defend his dignity.
• She also reveals that she sees Li Yuan as an equal—or possibly someone whose true value exceeds what others recognize—rather than as an ordinary man benefiting from marriage into the Xia Family.
• Cheng Jing is shaken by Xia Zhao’s reprimand. Although she remains unconvinced about Li Yuan’s worth, she accepts that she must obey and begins searching for an explanation for Xia Zhao’s choice.
• Li Yuan demonstrates practical consideration by planning ahead for the meeting with Xia Zhao’s parents and reassuring his own parents that cleanliness is sufficient; he understands that a rushed renovation would be unnecessary and uncomfortable.
• Li Yuan’s parents show anxiety and humility about receiving someone from the powerful Xia Family, reflecting the social gap between the two families while also revealing their willingness to welcome Xia Zhao.

Significant Themes

• Hidden worth versus social status: Others judge Li Yuan by his ordinary background, while Xia Zhao implies that his real abilities and value are not yet understood.
• Equality in relationships: Xia Zhao rejects the idea that their marriage is a case of Li Yuan marrying into a superior family. Her attitude emphasizes mutual recognition rather than class or family hierarchy.
• Family pressure and internal politics: The Xia Family’s size creates conflict, competing interests, and weakened central authority. Publicizing the marriage is partly a strategic move to manage those tensions.
• Reputation and social expectations: Both families worry about appearances—whether the Xia Family will gossip about Li Yuan and whether Xia Zhao will judge his parents’ modest home.
• Public scrutiny: The couple’s relationship quickly becomes a subject of speculation, showing how powerful families and martial-artist communities closely monitor personal alliances.

Character Interactions

• Xia Zhao and Cheng Jing have a tense exchange in which Xia Zhao establishes clear boundaries and demands respect for Li Yuan.
• Xia Zhao and Li Yuan interact comfortably during dinner, discussing their future and laughing as they make plans, suggesting mutual trust and familiarity.
• Li Yuan reassures his parents when they worry about their home’s condition, emphasizing that Xia Zhao already understands their circumstances.
• The wider martial-artist community reacts with curiosity and disbelief, attempting to learn more about the seemingly mismatched couple and Li Yuan’s background.

Chapter Summary: “Li Yuan’s Lavish Gift!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhuang Meng and Tang Shuchen’s marriage remains suspended after the political downfall of their families. Tang Wenlou has been demoted and suspended, Xia Zhan has resigned as commander-in-chief, and Zhou has replaced him as Commander.
• These changes were orchestrated by Li Yuan and Xia Zhao, leaving Zhuang Meng politically marginalized in Lan Eagle City.
• Zhuang Meng continues hoping the Tang Family will recover and once believed she could manipulate Li Yuan by using her former relationship with him. However, Li Yuan completely ignored her afterward.
• News spreads that Li Yuan and Xia Zhao are together and preparing to marry. Chen Moying confirms the rumor after personally messaging Li Yuan.
• Chen Moying feels disappointed because she had secretly believed she might still have a chance with Li Yuan, but she realizes he never considered her romantically.
• Zhuang Meng reacts with disbelief and contempt, assuming Xia Zhao’s family must be accepting Li Yuan as a live-in son-in-law. Chen Moying rebukes her, pointing out that Li Yuan has long since moved on and that Zhuang Meng should stop dwelling on the past.
• After viewing photos of Li Yuan and Xia Zhao together, Zhuang Meng finally recognizes that Li Yuan truly rejected her. She also begins to understand that Xia Zhao is vastly more accomplished and admired than she is.
• Four days later, Xia Zhao is scheduled to visit Li Yuan’s parents. Li Yuan’s parents prepare by buying new clothes, excited that their son is finally getting married.
• During this period, Li Yuan studies the Life Essence Fluid. He tests a diluted version on mice and drinks some himself, experiencing a powerful surge of vitality and confirming its potential value for Martial Dao cultivation.
• Li Yuan considers presenting the Life Essence Fluid to Xia Zhao’s elders as a wedding-meeting gift, believing even a diluted portion would be extremely valuable.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates emotional detachment from Zhuang Meng and commitment to Xia Zhao. He also continues developing his abilities, carefully experimenting with the Life Essence Fluid and thinking strategically about how to impress Xia Zhao’s family.
• Xia Zhao: Though mostly absent from the chapter, her relationship with Li Yuan is publicly confirmed. Her willingness to marry him marks their relationship as serious and established.
• Zhuang Meng: Suffers a major psychological setback. Her arrogance and belief that Li Yuan remains obsessed with her collapse when she sees his genuine closeness with Xia Zhao. She is forced to confront her own inferiority and past misjudgments.
• Chen Moying: Shows loyalty to Li Yuan while suppressing her disappointment. She accepts that he has chosen Xia Zhao and defends their relationship against Zhuang Meng’s insinuations.
• Li Yuan’s parents: Become hopeful and excited about their son’s marriage after years of worrying about his personal life.

Significant Themes

• Consequences of arrogance and misjudgment: Zhuang Meng’s belief that Li Yuan still desired her is exposed as self-delusion.
• Social status and true worth: Zhuang Meng assumes Li Yuan must depend on Xia Zhao’s family, but the chapter suggests that Li Yuan’s abilities, influence, and relationship with Xia Zhao place him far above her expectations.
• Moving on from the past: Li Yuan has abandoned his former attachment to Zhuang Meng, while she remains trapped in old assumptions.
• Marriage and family approval: Xia Zhao’s upcoming visit to Li Yuan’s parents highlights the transition from romance to formal family involvement.
• Power and cultivation: The Life Essence Fluid represents Li Yuan’s growing resources and potential, as well as the expanding gap between him and those who once looked down on him.

Character Interactions

• Chen Moying and the office staff: Chen confirms Li Yuan and Xia Zhao’s engagement, encouraging everyone to offer their blessings rather than spread gossip.
• Chen Moying and Zhuang Meng: Chen harshly criticizes Zhuang Meng for interfering in the past and clinging to the belief that Li Yuan still wants her.
• Zhuang Meng and Li Yuan’s memory: Although Li Yuan does not appear directly, Zhuang Meng reflects on his past rejection and finally understands that his lack of interest was genuine.
• Li Yuan and his parents: His parents prepare for Xia Zhao’s visit, while Li Yuan thinks carefully about giving them a valuable gift.
• Li Yuan and Xia Zhao: Their relationship is confirmed as serious through their public affection and plans for marriage, contrasting sharply with Zhuang Meng’s former assumptions about Li Yuan.

Chapter Summary: “Going to the Xia Family”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan considers how to present twenty milliliters of diluted Life Essence Fluid as a gift to the Xia Family. Because the fluid can greatly enhance cultivation and prolong the lives of the elderly, he recognizes that revealing it publicly could cause conflict or danger.
• He places the fluid in a small glass vial inside an elegant gift box. Though the gift appears insignificant, Li Yuan knows its true value is extraordinary.
• Xia Zhao visits Li Yuan’s parents at Heavenly River Garden. Both families exchange gifts, and the meeting proceeds smoothly in a warm, harmonious atmosphere.
• Li Yuan’s parents are impressed by Xia Zhao’s beauty, manners, and background, though they worry that their son may not be worthy of her.
• Li Yuan’s father privately gives him the family’s entire wedding savings—700,000 yuan—and urges him to use it to buy a home without relying on Xia Zhao’s family.
• After lunch, Xia Zhao answers the parents’ questions about her family and career. Her explanations are honest, but Li Yuan’s parents cannot fully comprehend the scale and influence of the Xia Family.
• Xia Zhao’s work as a martial artist handling dangerous and urgent assignments concerns Li Yuan’s parents, who view it as difficult and risky rather than prestigious.
• Later that afternoon, Li Yuan and Xia Zhao leave for the Xia Family. They travel by plane because the journey is long and plan to arrive at night, rest, and meet the Xia elders the next morning.
• Li Yuan understands that the Xia Family will likely look down on him because of their vast wealth and status. He believes that polite words or outward confidence will not earn their respect; only demonstrating genuine ability and value will.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan becomes increasingly cautious and strategic. He understands the danger of exposing the Life Essence Fluid and carefully plans how to use it as a private gift. He also recognizes the social gap between himself and the Xia Family and concludes that practical achievements are necessary to prove his worth.
• Xia Zhao shows warmth, sincerity, and humility during her visit to Li Yuan’s parents. Despite her extraordinary family background, she does not behave arrogantly and answers their questions candidly.
• Li Yuan’s parents are nervous but welcoming toward Xia Zhao. They recognize that she comes from an exceptional family and are deeply concerned about whether Li Yuan can match her. Li Yuan’s father demonstrates his devotion by giving his lifelong savings for his son’s future.
• Li Yuan’s father reveals his practical values, emphasizing independence and warning Li Yuan not to depend on Xia Zhao’s wealth.

Significant Themes

• Value versus appearance: The Life Essence Fluid looks like an ordinary, nearly empty vial, but it is far more valuable than the expensive-looking gifts Xia Zhao brings.
• Social and familial class differences: Li Yuan’s ordinary upbringing contrasts sharply with the powerful Xia Family, creating anxiety about acceptance and status.
• Proving one’s worth: The chapter emphasizes that respect—especially from the Xia elders—must be earned through concrete ability and accomplishments rather than words or manners.
• Parental love and sacrifice: Li Yuan’s parents offer their life savings to support his marriage, showing their affection and desire to protect his dignity.
• Secrecy and danger: Li Yuan must conceal the existence of the Life Essence Fluid because its discovery could attract greed, conflict, and danger.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Xia Zhao reunite warmly at the entrance to Heavenly River Garden, displaying their growing closeness.
• Xia Zhao interacts respectfully and openly with Li Yuan’s parents, quickly winning their approval.
• Li Yuan’s parents privately discuss their concerns through their expressions and advice, especially their fear that Li Yuan may be socially inferior to Xia Zhao.
• Li Yuan’s father gives him the wedding savings in a private conversation, reinforcing the family’s expectation that he should remain financially independent.
• Li Yuan and Xia Zhao prepare together for their journey to meet the Xia elders, with Li Yuan carrying the carefully prepared Life Essence Fluid as his central contribution to the visit.

Summary of “The Xia Family’s Attitude”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan possesses the last known Life Essence Fluid—only twenty milliliters remain worldwide, even after dilution. Because it can slow aging and extend life, the substance is extremely valuable to powerful families, especially their elderly members.
• Believing the Life Essence Fluid will earn him respect, Li Yuan considers carefully how and to whom he should present it when meeting Xia Zhao’s family.
• During the flight, he asks Xia Zhao about the structure of her family. She explains that her grandfather, the family head, makes major decisions, while her father, Xia Cheng, is a powerful and domineering figure who has little right to interfere with her choice of partner.
• Xia Zhao warns Li Yuan that her family will likely flaunt its status and strength in an attempt to make him feel inferior and withdraw from the relationship. She advises him not to take their behavior seriously and promises to remain at his side.
• After arriving, Li Yuan stays overnight in a luxurious hotel arranged by Xia Zhao. The next morning, he travels to the Xia Family Estate.
• The estate is smaller and less extravagant than the Feng Family’s residence, but its antique architecture, cleanliness, and careful maintenance reflect the Xia Family’s long history and influence.
• Xia Zhao openly greets Li Yuan by linking arms with him, making her support for him clear to the family members watching. Servants carry most of his gifts, but Li Yuan keeps the box of Life Essence Fluid in his own hands.
• The family has gathered in unusually large numbers to observe the visit. Several of Xia Zhao’s cousins, dressed formally and displaying their Martial Dao pressure, attempt to intimidate Li Yuan.
• When Xia Hong questions Li Yuan’s lack of fame, Xia Zhao immediately defends him with a sarcastic reply, discouraging the others from continuing their provocation.
• As Xia Zhao introduces Li Yuan to relatives, she deliberately ignores those who show hostility or arrogance, while politely greeting relatives who appear genuinely welcoming.
• She explains that many of the friendlier relatives belong to branch families. Their support stems partly from satisfaction that she has chosen someone outside the major power families, since a powerful marriage alliance could strengthen Xia Zhao’s position and threaten their interests.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates increasing confidence and composure. Despite the Xia cousins’ attempts to pressure him with Martial Dao strength, his training through the Heavenly Refining Body and the Life Essence Fluid leave him unshaken. He also shows strategic awareness by considering how best to use the Life Essence Fluid as a gift.
• Xia Zhao: Reveals strong loyalty and protectiveness toward Li Yuan. She openly confronts hostile relatives, refuses to let the family dictate her romantic choice, and intentionally displays their relationship before the household. Her dismissive treatment of unfriendly relatives also shows that she possesses a forceful personality similar to her father.
• Xia Cheng and Xia Zhao’s grandfather: Though they do not yet appear directly, they are established as the two most important authority figures in the family. The grandfather controls major family decisions, while Xia Cheng is portrayed as a powerful, arrogant patriarchal figure.
• The Xia cousins and branch relatives: The cousins act as representatives of the family’s attempt to test or intimidate Li Yuan. The branch relatives’ friendliness is revealed to be politically motivated rather than purely warm-hearted.

Significant Themes

• Power and social hierarchy: The Xia Family uses wealth, status, reputation, and Martial Dao strength to evaluate outsiders and reinforce its superiority.
• Independence versus family control: Xia Zhao insists that her choice of partner belongs to her alone, challenging the family’s authority over her personal life.
• Hidden political interests: The reactions of the branch families show that apparent kindness may conceal rivalry and concern over future alliances.
• Confidence against intimidation: Li Yuan’s calm response to the cousins’ pressure suggests that genuine strength does not require ostentatious displays.
• The value of life: The Life Essence Fluid represents both immense material power and the universal desire to resist aging and death.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan questions Xia Zhao about her family’s leadership and receives warnings about the family’s likely attempts to belittle him.
• Xia Zhao reassures Li Yuan that she will support him, particularly against her domineering father.
• At the estate, she physically and publicly signals her allegiance by linking arms with him.
• Xia Hong attempts to provoke Li Yuan by questioning his reputation, but Xia Zhao immediately rebukes him.
• Xia Zhao selectively introduces Li Yuan to welcoming relatives while ignoring hostile ones, actively controlling his first impressions within the family.
• The visit establishes Xia Zhao and Li Yuan as a united pair confronting the Xia Family’s status-conscious and politically divided household.

Chapter Summary: “Supplements, But Not Ordinary Supplements!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan accompanies Xia Zhao to meet her relatives, where he immediately notices the Xia Family’s divided attitudes toward him. Some are supportive, while members of the main branch openly look down on him because of his ordinary background.
• Xia Zhao shields Li Yuan from unnecessary hostility by avoiding or not introducing him to certain relatives.
• Outside the reception hall, Li Yuan meets Xia Zhao’s parents. Her mother is disappointed but tries to remain polite, while her father, Xia Cheng, directly rejects Li Yuan and refuses to acknowledge him as family.
• Xia Cheng orders Li Yuan’s attendants to take back the tea and expensive liquor prepared as gifts, claiming their relationship is not close enough for him to accept them.
• Xia Zhao’s mother appears to defend Li Yuan, but her real intention is to let Xia Zhao discover for herself that he may be unsuitable. Xia Cheng also realizes that excessive opposition might push Xia Zhao closer to Li Yuan.
• Inside the reception hall, Xia Zhao introduces Li Yuan to her grandparents and other relatives. Her grandfather, Xia Ping—the head of the Xia Family—treats Li Yuan with restrained disdain and initially refuses to accept his gift.
• Li Yuan presents a special gift: twenty milliliters of diluted Life Essence Fluid, which has extraordinary health benefits. Xia Ping dismisses it as an ordinary supplement and instructs an attendant to remove it.
• Xia Zhao pleads with her grandfather to accept the gift and at least examine it. Xia Ping eventually agrees, partly because of his affection for Xia Zhao and her importance as a future leader of the family.
• The chapter ends as Xia Ping takes the gift box and prepares to inspect the supposedly “special supplement,” still expecting nothing remarkable from it.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Remains polite and composed despite repeated humiliation. He shows persistence by insisting that Xia Ping examine the gift, confident in its exceptional value.
• Xia Zhao: Demonstrates loyalty and protectiveness toward Li Yuan. She actively prevents her relatives from insulting him and speaks up when her grandfather refuses his gift, revealing her willingness to challenge family authority.
• Xia Cheng: Is openly hostile and status-conscious. He views Li Yuan as socially inferior and attempts to distance himself from the relationship, though he understands that excessive resistance could strengthen the couple’s bond.
• Xia Zhao’s mother: Maintains surface-level courtesy but subtly hopes Xia Zhao will realize Li Yuan is unsuitable. She also tries to manage the conflict between Xia Cheng and the young couple.
• Xia Ping: Uses cold treatment and social pressure to emphasize the gap between Li Yuan and the Xia Family. However, his affection for Xia Zhao leads him to compromise and accept the gift for inspection.
• The Xia Family’s branch relatives: Quietly enjoy the main branch’s rejection of Li Yuan and appear more favorable toward him because of the internal family rivalry.

Significant Themes

• Class and status prejudice: The Xia Family judges Li Yuan primarily by his background and social standing rather than his character or abilities.
• Family power and control: Xia Zhao’s relationship is treated as a matter connected to the family’s future, particularly because she may eventually inherit leadership of the Xia Family.
• The danger of excessive opposition: Xia Cheng recognizes that harsh parental resistance can cause a couple to unite more strongly against their families.
• Appearances versus true value: The family assumes Li Yuan’s gift is merely an ordinary supplement, unaware that it possesses extraordinary effects.
• Respect and dignity: Li Yuan’s persistence reflects his attempt to maintain dignity and prove that he deserves to be taken seriously despite the family’s contempt.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Xia Cheng: Their meeting is openly antagonistic. Xia Cheng rejects Li Yuan’s familiarity and refuses his gifts.
• Li Yuan and Xia Zhao’s mother: Their interaction is polite but emotionally distant, with her courtesy masking doubts about the relationship.
• Li Yuan and Xia Ping: Xia Ping initially refuses to accept or even inspect the gift, but Xia Zhao’s intervention forces him to reconsider.
• Li Yuan and Xia Zhao: Xia Zhao consistently supports him, protects him from insults, and asks her grandfather to show him basic respect.
• Xia Cheng and Xia Zhao’s mother: They differ in approach—Xia Cheng favors direct rejection, while she prefers allowing Xia Zhao to discover Li Yuan’s supposed inadequacy herself.
• Xia Zhao and Xia Ping: Their relationship is influential; Xia Ping’s affection and expectations for Xia Zhao ultimately cause him to soften his treatment of Li Yuan.

Chapter Summary: “A Drastic Change in Attitude”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan presents Xia Ping, the head of the Xia Family, with a carefully concealed gift: a small vial containing twenty milliliters of Life Essence Fluid.
• At first, Xia Ping assumes the gift is merely another ordinary supplement and has little interest in it. However, once he recognizes the pale-red liquid, he realizes its immense value.
• Life Essence Fluid is an extremely rare treasure that can extend one’s lifespan and assist martial artists in advancing their cultivation. Its disappearance has made even a small quantity priceless.
• Xia Ping is so shocked that he immediately stands up and privately takes Li Yuan to the back garden for a discussion.
• He orders his attendant to prepare his treasured Taiping Houkui tea, something he normally cannot bear to use, demonstrating how much his attitude toward Li Yuan has changed.
• In private, Li Yuan confirms that the gift is indeed Life Essence Fluid and claims that the vial contains the last twenty milliliters available to him.
• Xia Ping apologizes for his previous hostility and asks Li Yuan not to let their earlier conflict affect his relationship with Xia Zhao.
• He refrains from questioning the origin of the Life Essence Fluid, recognizing that doing so would be improper.
• Xia Ping concludes that Li Yuan’s willingness to give away such a valuable treasure proves his sincere devotion to Xia Zhao.

Character Developments

• Xia Ping: His dismissive and suspicious attitude toward Li Yuan changes dramatically. He becomes respectful, warm, and even apologetic after realizing the value of the gift. He also begins to view Li Yuan as a sincere and trustworthy partner for Xia Zhao.
• Li Yuan: He demonstrates both generosity and strategic awareness. He understands that the Life Essence Fluid will force Xia Ping to reassess him, and he deliberately presents it in private to avoid unnecessary attention.
• Xia Zhao: Though she does not know what Li Yuan gave her grandfather, she remains confident that the gift is valuable and allows Li Yuan to handle the matter himself.
• Xia Cheng and the other family members: They initially misunderstand Xia Ping’s reaction, assuming he is displeased by the gift’s apparent modesty. They are confused by his sudden change in behavior.

Significant Themes

• The power of rare resources: The Life Essence Fluid is valuable not merely as a material possession but because it can extend life and improve martial cultivation. Its scarcity gives it enormous political and personal significance.
• Sincerity proven through sacrifice: Li Yuan’s willingness to give away something he could have kept for himself convinces Xia Ping that his feelings for Xia Zhao are genuine.
• Status and respect: Xia Ping’s attitude changes immediately once he recognizes Li Yuan’s wealth and generosity, showing how value and capability influence relationships within the family.
• Privacy and discretion: Both men understand that revealing the existence of the Life Essence Fluid would attract dangerous attention from powerful martial artists and other forces.
• Family reconciliation: Li Yuan’s gift provides an opportunity for Xia Ping to acknowledge his earlier harshness and repair their relationship.

Character Interactions

• Xia Ping initially treats Li Yuan’s gift as insignificant, but his reaction changes completely after recognizing the Life Essence Fluid.
• Li Yuan and Xia Ping communicate partly through glances, showing their shared understanding of the item’s identity and importance.
• Xia Ping privately apologizes to Li Yuan and assures him that he now approves of his relationship with Xia Zhao.
• Xia Zhao’s mother questions her about the gift, but Xia Zhao protects Li Yuan’s privacy and refuses to reveal what he gave Xia Ping.
• The chapter ends with Xia Ping openly acknowledging Li Yuan’s devotion and accepting him more warmly into the family.