Chapter Summaries

Qin Xi and his companions sought a place to rest in a small village after days of sleeping outdoors. Di Qun and Ao Xin found a household willing to host them for one night, and they arrived at the bamboo house after agreeing to pay one tael of silver.

• Daoist Yangmei suggested resting in the village, and Ao Xin agreed that they should find lodging.
• Qin Xi asked Ao Xin and Di Qun to look for somewhere to stay while he waited with Daoist Yangmei at the village entrance.
• Di Qun reported that the village had no inn but that a household would host them for the night.
• Di Qun led Qin Xi, Daoist Yangmei, and Ao Xin to a large bamboo house and said she had arranged a one-night stay for one tael of silver.

Qin Xi and Daoist Yangmei stayed at an old man's home for the night, where Qin Xi learned that the man lived alone after his two sons left to work in town. As they drank tea in the courtyard, Qin Xi asked whether there was anything to eat.

• Qin Xi paid the old man to let the group stay at his house for one night.
• Qin Xi greeted the cautious old man politely and asked whether he lived alone.
• The old man said his two sons had gone to town for work and rarely returned.
• Qin Xi sat in the courtyard, praised the old man's tea, and the old man served tea to Qin Xi and Daoist Yangmei.
• Qin Xi asked whether the house had anything to eat, after Ao Xin had found a few simple provisions.

Qin Xi and his companions stayed with the old man, who cooked them a simple meal from greens and meat. They gathered beneath the grape trellis to eat, with Daoist Yangmei finally getting up after Qin Xi kicked him.

• Ao Xin told Qin Xi that the old man had rice and greens, but the group was not skilled at cooking.
• The old man offered to cook, and Qin Xi asked Ao Xin and Di Qun to help him.
• The old man picked greens from his garden and cooked four dishes with some meat.
• Qin Xi and the others carried the food beneath the grape trellis and set out the bowls and chopsticks.
• Qin Xi kicked Daoist Yangmei and told him to get up for dinner, and Daoist Yangmei slowly opened his eyes.

Qin Xi and his companions shared a meal with the old man, then chatted with him about the village’s young people working away from home. As evening came and Daoist Yangmei grew sleepy again, Qin Xi told the old man he could attend to his own tasks while they rested.

• Daoist Yangmei praised the old man’s cooking, and Qin Xi and the others ate the meal.
• Ao Xin and Di Qun cleared the dishes while Qin Xi invited the old man to sit and chat.
• Qin Xi asked whether many young people from the village had gone away to work, and the old man said they often returned home once or twice a year.
• As evening fell and Daoist Yangmei became drowsy, Qin Xi told the old man to go about his business while they rested.

Qin Xi enjoyed a quiet evening in an old man's courtyard while Daoist Yangmei rested. He reopened the group chat, where the others asked about his journey, and showed them the peaceful place where he was staying.

• The old man left for the village entrance after telling Qin Xi that he would prepare everything for the night.
• Qin Xi watched the old man go and appreciated the peaceful evening in the courtyard.
• Daoist Yangmei chose to sleep in a wicker chair and asked Qin Xi to wake him at bedtime.
• Qin Xi opened the system Chat Group after realizing he had not spoken with the Big Bosses for several days.
• Neeko, Forever Seventeen-Year-Old Girl, and Wukong greeted Qin Xi and asked where he was and whether he had reached the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
• Qin Xi showed the group the clean courtyard, its yellow chicks, and the bamboo table beneath a grape trellis.

Qin Xi welcomed his companions at a farmhouse in Jiangnan, where they encouraged him to rest and discussed how things had been going. The conversation turned toward the lives of ordinary people, but Qin Xi's thought was left unfinished.

• Qin Xi's companions were surprised by how comfortably he was living at the farmhouse, and Nine-to-Five Admiral asked whether he had lodged with a farming family.
• Qin Xi confirmed he had taken lodging in the village so he could rest, and Leona and Ancestor Hongjun urged him to take care of himself.
• Qin Xi asked Ancestor Hongjun about the Void Sect, and Ancestor Hongjun said nothing special had happened.
• Qin Xi asked Ouyang Qing about the Fox Clan, and Ouyang Qing said its affairs were complicated but there had been no major problems.
• Forever Seventeen-Year-Old Girl told Ouyang Qing to contact her if trouble arose, and Qin Xi began talking about ordinary people's lives before trailing off.

Qin Xi discussed the burdens he carried with the group and promised to keep them updated as he traveled toward the Magical Beast Mountain Range. The group wondered whether he could find traces of the Masked Man there.

• Qin Xi reflected on how heavy his responsibilities felt, and Leona told him to carry only what he could bear.
• Wukong warned Qin Xi that people who seemed weak could be vicious, and Qin Xi agreed with him.
• Nine-to-Five Admiral asked about Qin Xi's journey, and Qin Xi said he would reach the edge of the Magical Beast Mountain Range in three days.
• Nine-to-Five Admiral asked Qin Xi to send videos from the range, and Qin Xi agreed to keep the group updated.
• Forever Seventeen-Year-Old Girl asked whether Qin Xi could find traces of the Masked Man in the vast Magical Beast Mountain Range.

Qin Xi discussed searching for the Masked Man, accepting that he might not find him. He then persuaded Ao Xin and Di Qun to join the Chat Group, and they agreed.

• Qin Xi said he would search for the Masked Man if he could, but would not force the attempt.
• Ao Xin and Di Qun came out after packing, and Qin Xi remembered he had offered to add them to the Chat Group.
• Ao Xin and Di Qun initially declined, saying they were content to follow Qin Xi.
• Nine-to-Five Admiral and Forever Seventeen-Year-Old Girl explained that joining would make it easier for everyone to stay in contact.
• Qin Xi settled the matter and said he would add Ao Xin and Di Qun and help them choose group names, and they agreed.

Qin Xi added Di Qun and Ao Xin to the group, where the members began brainstorming domineering codenames for the two clan leaders. The naming discussion continued as General Nine-to-Five suggested a shared title, which Forever Seventeen-Year-Old Girl rejected.

• Qin Xi added Di Qun and Ao Xin to the group.
• Neeko and the others began discussing names for the newcomers, while Ao Xin and Di Qun said they would accept anything that sounded good.
• Wukong insisted that their names had to be domineering for them to become members of the Chat Group.
• Qin Xi reflected that Di Qun and Ao Xin stayed by his side because he had helped them and protected their clansmen.
• General Nine-to-Five proposed calling them both Ancient Monster Dragon Emperor, but Forever Seventeen-Year-Old Girl objected to giving them one combined name.

The group discussed a grand name for Di Qun, and Most Beautiful White Fox suggested Monster Venerable. Di Qun accepted the name, while the group proposed giving Ao Xin an online name as well.

• Leona suggested Monster Venerable Di or Dragon Ancient Emperor as possible names.
• Wukong admitted he was not good at inventing names, and Most Beautiful White Fox suggested calling Di Qun Monster Venerable.
• Ouyang Qing’s suggestion won the group’s approval, and Qin Xi said the name suited Di Qun and the Monster Clan.
• Nine-to-Five Admiral declared that they would call Di Qun Monster Venerable.
• Di Qun thanked everyone and accepted the name.

The group welcomed Di Qun and settled on the name Monster Venerable for her. They debated what to call Ao Xin until Daoist Yangmei suggested Ancient Dragon Emperor, leaving the group surprised by his idea.

• Di Qun politely introduced herself, and the group laughed and welcomed her as a friend.
• Forever Seventeen-Year-Old Girl praised Di Qun’s unchanged appearance, and the group settled on Monster Venerable as her name.
• Qin Xi asked the group to choose a name for Ao Xin, the only newcomer still without one.
• Daoist Yangmei suggested Ancient Monster Dragon Emperor, but Qin Xi reminded him that the group had already rejected it.
• Daoist Yangmei proposed removing “Monster” and calling Ao Xin Ancient Dragon Emperor, surprising everyone.
• Leona asked Daoist Yangmei whether he understood what the group had been discussing.

The group settled on Dragon Ancient Emperor as Ao Xin’s name after Daoist Yangmei proposed it. Qin Xi ended the late-night Chat Group conversation, leaving Di Qun and Ao Xin’s names finalized.

• Daoist Yangmei revealed that he had heard the group discussing names and said his suggestion was Dragon Ancient Emperor.
• Qin Xi asked the group whether they had objections to naming Ao Xin Dragon Ancient Emperor, and Ao Xin welcomed the name.
• Daoist Yangmei, Nine-to-Five Admiral, and Wukong supported the name, while Forever Seventeen-Year-Old Girl prepared to object.
• Leona gently stopped Forever Seventeen-Year-Old Girl from arguing and said the group was family.
• Qin Xi confirmed that Di Qun and Ao Xin’s names were settled and ended the Chat Group conversation for the night.

Qin Xi ended the group chat early because he was exhausted and did not want to disturb the old man. The group agreed to rest, and Qin Xi planned to start another video chat after reaching the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

• Forever Seventeen-Year-Old Girl asked Qin Xi to keep chatting, but Neeko noticed his worn-out appearance and suggested everyone break up.
• Qin Xi told the group he would start another video chat in a few days, once he reached the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
• Ouyang Qing said good night and excused himself to review documents, while Ancestor Hongjun also urged everyone to disperse before returning to his paperwork.
• Qin Xi looked at the quiet night sky and decided to enjoy the peaceful evening alone for a little while.

Qin Xi and the others ended their late-night chat and rested before preparing to leave the mountain village the next morning. The old man had risen early to make them breakfast, and Ao Xin and Di Qun helped him serve it.

• Daoist Yangmei and Nine-to-Five Admiral said goodnight, and Qin Xi ended the group video chat.
• Qin Xi gazed at the moon and stars before feeling cold and going inside to rest.
• Qin Xi got up early the next morning to continue his journey.
• The old man prepared porridge, flatbreads, and side dishes before dawn and greeted Qin Xi.
• Qin Xi washed up and waited beneath the grape trellis while Ao Xin and Di Qun helped the old man bring out breakfast.

Qin Xi and his companions left the old man’s village and hurried toward the Magical Beast Mountain Range. By nightfall, they reached its edge, where Daoist Yangmei identified the mountains ahead as the range shown on their map.

• Qin Xi arranged for Ao Xin to leave money for the old man, then thanked him and said goodbye.
• Qin Xi led Ao Xin, Di Qun, and Daoist Yangmei out of the village and told them to hurry toward the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
• Qin Xi and his companions traveled through the wilderness, eating dry flatbread along the way.
• At night, Qin Xi and his companions reached the edge of the mountain range, and Daoist Yangmei said the map showed it lay ahead.

Qin Xi and his companions reached the edge of the Magical Beast Mountain Range and camped there for the night before entering at dawn. After sharing a simple meal, they rested beneath a clear, starry sky.

• Qin Xi decided the group would camp at the mountain range’s edge and enter at daybreak.
• Ao Xin and Di Qun set up camp, then caught a rabbit and gathered wild fruits for dinner.
• Qin Xi reassured Ao Xin and Di Qun that he had few demands as long as they traveled safely.
• Daoist Yangmei told Qin Xi to stay optimistic and advised the group not to split up.
• Ao Xin and Di Qun went to rest, while Daoist Yangmei gazed at the crescent moon and stars.

Qin Xi and Daoist Yangmei camped before entering the Magical Beast Mountain Range, discussing their ongoing failure to find the Masked Man. At dawn, Di Qun and Ao Xin prepared porridge while they waited for Qin Xi and Daoist Yangmei to wake.

• Daoist Yangmei asked Qin Xi whether they would find the Masked Man this time, and Qin Xi admitted he was frustrated by their lack of progress.
• Daoist Yangmei reassured Qin Xi that their friends would help resolve the matter, and Qin Xi said their support made him feel strong.
• Qin Xi urged Daoist Yangmei to sleep in the tent because they would prepare to enter the Magical Beast Mountain Range the next morning.
• After Daoist Yangmei fell asleep, Qin Xi stayed outside worrying that the search might fail and leave him needing to visit the Central Plains Flying Eagle Sect or another place.
• At dawn, Qin Xi woke to birdsong and saw that Di Qun and Ao Xin had cooked porridge and were waiting for him and Daoist Yangmei.

Qin Xi, Daoist Yangmei, Di Qun, and Ao Xin ate breakfast before setting out into the Magical Beast Mountain Range. The group found the forest more beautiful and less frightening than its reputation suggested.

• Qin Xi woke Daoist Yangmei and reminded Di Qun and Ao Xin to stay careful in the mountain range.
• Di Qun and Ao Xin assured Qin Xi they could handle the dangers, then the group ate porridge and wild vegetables.
• Qin Xi and the others packed their belongings and left extra supplies outside the mountain range.
• The group entered the forest and found tall trees, birdsong, flowers, and small animals instead of the gloom they had expected.
• Daoist Yangmei remarked to Qin Xi that the scenery was better than many famous scenic spots.

Qin Xi and the others searched the Magical Beast Mountain Range without finding clues or encountering danger, then heard running water and discovered a small stream. The group reached the stream, and Daoist Yangmei suddenly seemed much less exhausted.

• Qin Xi warned the group to stay careful as they went deeper into the mountains.
• Di Qun, Ao Xin, and Daoist Yangmei remarked that their trek across two mountains had yielded nothing and left them tired.
• Di Qun heard water, and Qin Xi led the group toward the sound.
• The group found a small stream, and Daoist Yangmei immediately stopped acting exhausted.

Qin Xi and his companions rested by a clear stream before setting off to cross more mountains and investigate the area. Daoist Yangmei complained about the exhausting journey but insisted on staying beside Qin Xi.

• Daoist Yangmei washed his face in the stream and called Qin Xi, Di Qun, and the others over to drink.
• Di Qun gave Qin Xi and Daoist Yangmei flatbread and water while the group rested.
• After eating, Qin Xi told the group to cross two more mountains that afternoon and look for anything unusual.
• Daoist Yangmei complained that the continued walking would wear him out, but refused Qin Xi's suggestion that he wait at the edge of the Demon Beast Mountain Range.
• Qin Xi told Daoist Yangmei to stop complaining and keep moving.