Chapter Summaries

After clearing Jinshui Amusement Park, Zhang Yuanqing called Guan Ya and Li Dongze, who celebrated his survival and achievement. Fu Qingyang learned of the clear and moved to secure Zhang Yuanqing’s rewards, while Xie Lingxi planned a trip to Songhai to meet Wang Tai.

• Zhang Yuanqing told Guan Ya he had cleared Jinshui Amusement Park, and the two joked together while discussing the dungeon.
• Zhang Yuanqing called Li Dongze, reassured him that he was unharmed, and promised to send him a walkthrough.
• Li Dongze celebrated Zhang Yuanqing’s second S-rank clear and considered him a future Deacon candidate.
• Fu Qingyang learned of the clear from Li Dongze and went to report Zhang Yuanqing’s achievement to the Council of Elders.
• Xie Lingxi ordered her assistant to investigate Wang Tai and arrange a trip to Songhai to meet him.
• Zhang Yuanqing returned to the breakfast table, where Jiang Yu’er blushed and avoided looking at him.

Zhang Yuanqing submitted his Jinshui Amusement Park guide and watched the official forum identify him as Yuanshi Tianzun, the expert who had carried River God through the instance. He then tried to make the Cat King Speaker reveal what it had recorded about the Demon Lord and heard a past conversation between the Demon Lord and a woman named Betty.

• Zhang Yuanqing wrote a guide to Jinshui Amusement Park and emailed it to Li Dongze.
• River God revealed on the official forum that Yuanshi Tianzun had brought him through the S-rank instance, prompting other Walkers to recognize Zhang Yuanqing's achievement.
• Zhang Yuanqing locked his door and questioned the Cat King Speaker about the Demon Lord, but it initially remained silent.
• Zhang Yuanqing threatened the Cat King Speaker, which played a recording of intimate sounds and brought Grandmother to his door in anger.
• Zhang Yuanqing used his Night Wanderer ability to silence the recording and heard the Demon Lord speaking with Betty of the Goddess of Beauty Association.

Zhang Yuanqing listened to A Bing’s warning that he must find Black Impermanence and obtain the Roster, then made plans to join the search. At work, he learned that the Council of Elders was divided over whether to hand his guide over to the Taiyi Sect.

• The Cat King Speaker played A Bing’s recording, which warned Zhang Yuanqing not to search for him and urged him to obtain the Roster from Black Impermanence.
• Zhang Yuanqing suspected A Bing was connected to Demon Lord and Judge of Ghostly Eyes’ deaths, then wrote down plans to join the search for Black Impermanence and fulfill Ashamed to be a Father's will.
• Zhang Yuanqing burned his notes, retrieved his uncle’s waist pack, and took out the household trash for money from Aunt-in-law.
• Zhang Yuanqing went to the Kangyang District Public Security Bureau and found Li Dongze, Guan Ya, and Wang Tai discussing Wang Tai’s romantic prospects.
• Li Dongze told Zhang Yuanqing that the Council of Elders was divided over whether to hand his guide over to the Taiyi Sect.

The Five Elements Alliance elders debated how to handle the Jinshui Amusement Park guide and learned that Xie Lingxi was among its survivors. Zhang Yuanqing agreed to meet the Xie Family’s eldest daughter, and she revealed that she had come to find him rather than Wang Tai.

• Fu Qingyang proposed giving Taiyi Sect an altered guide and investigating anyone assigned the role of an evil-doer, then suggested winning Zhang Yuanqing over by approving his rewards quickly.
• The elders learned that Lady of Three Paths Mountain was seeking Yuanshi Tianzun and told Fu Qingyang to keep an eye on him.
• Yuan Ting warned Taiyi Sect captains that Jinshui Amusement Park was certain death for Night Wanderers and that the elders were delaying the guide transfer.
• Li Dongze invited Zhang Yuanqing and Wang Tai to meet a guest from the Xie Family, and Zhang Yuanqing suspected the guest was Xie Lingxi.
• At Huayu Hotel, Xie Lingxi ran toward Wang Tai but stopped before Zhang Yuanqing and told him she had found him.

Zhang Yuanqing met Xie Lingxi, who had used a dinner with the Second Team to get him alone and ask to accompany him on a task. She revealed that the Xie Family had reconnected with Stop-Killing Palace and wanted to join Zhang Yuanqing when he delivered Ashamed to be a Father's final message.

• Xie Lingxi mistook no one: she had come to find Zhang Yuanqing, and he defused her flirtatious act by joking that she had acted willingly.
• Wang Tai left after realizing Xie Lingxi had not come for him, and she told Zhang Yuanqing about the Five Elements Alliance's organizations and how professional tendencies helped form Spirit Realm Walker clans.
• Xie Lingxi sent Li Dongze and Guan Ya away after dinner, and they discussed her interest in Zhang Yuanqing and her ability to see through him.
• Xie Lingxi explained that the Xie Family had renewed ties with Stop-Killing Palace, whose master came from an old family-friend household.
• Xie Lingxi asked to accompany Zhang Yuanqing to deliver Ashamed to be a Father's message, and Zhang Yuanqing realized she had arranged the meeting to prevent him from refusing.

Zhang Yuanqing agreed to help Xie Lingxi find Master Wuhen and traveled with her to the Wuhen Hotel in Gold Mountain City. When he delivered Ashamed to be a Father's name, the receptionist denied that Wuhen was there and confronted them with a powerful aura.

• Zhang Yuanqing agreed to take Xie Lingxi to find Master Wuhen, whom they suspected belonged to an Evil Profession.
• Zhang Yuanqing told Li Dongze he wanted to join the operation against Black Impermanence, and Li Dongze said he would ask Centurion Fu for approval.
• Zhang Yuanqing returned home and spent the night playing games with Jiang Yu'er before Grandmother scolded them the next morning.
• Xie Lingxi told Zhang Yuanqing that the Xiahou Family had come to Songhai after the Palace Master crippled its direct heir.
• Zhang Yuanqing and Xie Lingxi traveled to Gold Mountain City and found the Wuhen Hotel.
• Zhang Yuanqing told the receptionist that Ashamed to be a Father had sent him to deliver a message to Master Wuhen, and she denied that anyone by that name was there.

Zhang Yuanqing and Xie Lingxi delivered Ashamed to be a Father's final words to Master Wuhen, who revealed the tragedy that had driven him to become an Evil Profession. Master Wuhen gave them Dream-Connecting Jade Talismans before sending them back to the hotel.

• The hotel receptionist led Zhang Yuanqing and Xie Lingxi to room 404, where they entered a hidden temple and met Master Wuhen.
• Zhang Yuanqing told Master Wuhen that Ashamed to be a Father had apologized and wondered whether he or the world had been wrong.
• Master Wuhen explained that Ashamed to be a Father became an Evil Profession after his daughter died by suicide following exploitation by a lending company, and that he later sought redemption through cultivation.
• Xie Lingxi grieved over Ashamed to be a Father's story, and Zhang Yuanqing said he believed the man had attained redemption.
• Master Wuhen gave Zhang Yuanqing and Xie Lingxi Dream-Connecting Jade Talismans that could summon his help once in the real world, then returned them to the hotel.

After leaving Wuhen Hotel, Zhang Yuanqing reflected on Evil Professions with Xie Lingxi, then celebrated his rewards and learned he could join the hunt for Black Impermanence. His database search revealed that Master Wuhen was a Dominion-rank Illusionist and a C-rank wanted criminal.

• Zhang Yuanqing and Xie Lingxi left Wuhen Hotel with a Dream-Entering Jade Talisman, and she wondered whether to use it if she faced danger.
• Zhang Yuanqing told Xie Lingxi to help Evil Professions like Ashamed to be a Father when she could, then the speaker in his waist pouch repeated an insulting line and embarrassed her.
• Zhang Yuanqing returned to the Kangyang District Public Security Bureau, where Li Dongze and the staff welcomed him with a celebration for his rewards.
• Guan Ya showed Zhang Yuanqing his merit and bonus list, totaling 650,000, and Li Dongze told him Centurion Fu had approved his participation in the hunt for Black Impermanence.
• Zhang Yuanqing searched the official database and found that Master Wuhen was The Past Leaves No Trace, a Dominion-rank Illusionist and C-rank wanted criminal.

Zhang Yuanqing learned how Spirit Realm missions and advancement worked, then sensed a clash between high-level Spirit Realm Walkers near his home. The Xiahou Family later sought his help to lure Wang Qian out, but he refused to betray his informant.

• Zhang Yuanqing read about Spirit Realm mission cycles and learned that advancing between stages required a large-scale slaughter dungeon.
• Zhang Yuanqing found that laying ordinary spirits to rest barely increased his experience, then summoned Little Doubi at home.
• Grandmother proposed introducing Zhang Yuanqing to a college student, but Grandfather and Aunt objected, and Grandmother dropped the idea.
• Zhang Yuanqing woke in terror during the night and sensed a vast disturbance that faded after several minutes.
• Guan Ya told Zhang Yuanqing that an expert from the Xiahou Family and the Master of Stop-Killing Palace had fought in Kangyang District, killing security guards and employees.
• Guan Ya explained that the Xiahou Family wanted Zhang Yuanqing to lure Wang Qian out, but Zhang Yuanqing refused to betray his informant.

Zhang Yuanqing learned that the Five Elements Alliance had made progress in the Black Impermanence case, then watched Li Dongze and Guan Ya refuse the Xiahou Family’s request to use his informant to lure out Stop-Killing Palace. After leaving the Public Security Bureau for class, Zhang Yuanqing was stopped by a black sedan carrying Xiahou Xin and his son.

• Zhang Yuanqing agreed not to expose Stop-Killing Palace’s informant, and Li Dongze briefed him on arrests and clues in the Black Impermanence case.
• Li Dongze told Zhang Yuanqing that Black Impermanence was a Level 6 Voodoo Master hiding in Songhai for an unknown, crucial purpose, then showed him the file of a wanted Voodoo Master named Unbridled.
• Xiahou Xin and Xiahou Tianyuan asked Li Dongze to use informant Wang Qian to lure out Stop-Killing Palace, but Li Dongze refused to involve his team in their feud.
• Guan Ya challenged Xiahou Xin and Xiahou Tianyuan, demanding ten items if they wanted the team to take the risk, and Xiahou Xin left without securing their help.
• Zhang Yuanqing joked with Guan Ya, ate lunch at the office, and left for school; a black sedan carrying Xiahou Xin and Xiahou Tianyuan forced him to stop by the roadside.

Xiahou Xin and Xiahou Tianyuan tried to recruit Zhang Yuanqing to help lure out Wang Qian, then attacked him when he refused. After Zhang Yuanqing destroyed his phone to end the fight, the Xiahou family left, and he vowed not to let their overbearing treatment happen again.

• Xiahou Xin offered Zhang Yuanqing tools and the Xiahou Family's influence in exchange for help luring out Wang Qian, but Zhang Yuanqing refused.
• Xiahou Xin ordered Xiahou Tianyuan to seize Zhang Yuanqing's phone, and Xiahou Tianyuan attacked him inside a barrier.
• Zhang Yuanqing used Night Roaming and an illusion to evade Xiahou Tianyuan, then crushed his phone to end the confrontation.
• Xiahou Xin called Xiahou Tianyuan back and warned him not to harm Zhang Yuanqing, while directing him to focus on the other Stop-Killing Palace members and the woman who had extracted secrets from his older brother.
• After the sedan left, Zhang Yuanqing examined his injuries, considered the likelihood of further retaliation, and vowed there would be no next time.

After Xiahou Tianyuan’s family threatened him, Zhang Yuanqing planned to use the conflict between the Xiahou Family and the Stop-Killing Palace to get revenge without exposing himself. Meanwhile, Unbridled considered a yin spirit’s offer to target the Five Elements Alliance, and Zhang Yuanqing learned the authorities had found Unbridled’s trail.

• Zhang Yuanqing obtained replacement SIM cards, then called Xie Lingxi and learned about the Xiahou Family’s hierarchy and the group sent to pursue the Stop-Killing Palace.
• Zhang Yuanqing messaged Wang Qian with a warning about the Xiahou Family and offered an informant’s number, but Wang Qian did not reply.
• A yin spirit visited Unbridled and offered official deployment information in exchange for gathering fallen walkers near Songhai to counterattack the Five Elements Alliance.
• The next morning, Li Dongze told Zhang Yuanqing and Guan Ya that the Kangyang District search team had found traces of Unbridled.

The Kangyang District special task force planned a nighttime raid on Unbridled, a powerful Voodoo Master suspected of working for Black Impermanence. Green Vine’s team confirmed he was inside a villa and began an operation using a barrier that would seal the area for thirty minutes.

• Li Dongze warned the team that Unbridled was a Level 3 Voodoo Master near the peak of the Extraordinary stage.
• Zhang Yuanqing joined the special task force’s meeting at the Green Vine Wellness Club, where the captains debated how to capture Unbridled without alerting him.
• Zhang Yuanqing asked whether Unbridled might be empowered by the Fallen Holy Grail, and Big Muscle Tyrant assured him they had props to counter evil power.
• Green Vine proposed acting at night and placing officials among the villa complex’s property staff, while Fu Qingyang told Ling Jun they had found Black Impermanence’s trail and needed support.
• At midnight, the special task force arrived at the villa complex, and a scout reported that Unbridled was inside.
• Green Vine took out the Mysterious Garden, warned the team that its barrier would last thirty minutes, and sent an orange cat toward the villa.

Zhang Yuanqing and the official Walkers entered Unbridled’s villa and discovered they had walked into a trap set by the Voodoo Master and his monstrous allies. Elsewhere, Fu Qingyang realized that the apparent lead on Black Impermanence was a lure and hurried back, leaving the attackers’ next move unresolved.

• The official Walkers entered the overgrown villa after Zhang Yuanqing scouted its dark first floor.
• Unbridled appeared upstairs and unleashed poisonous insects, but Zhang Yuanqing lit the kitchen and White Dragon swept the insects away with water.
• Li Dongze sensed four sources of power as Unbridled revealed four monstrous allies, all servants of Judge of Ghostly Eyes.
• Fu Qingyang questioned the report that Black Impermanence had appeared at an abandoned factory and realized the group had been lured there.
• Fu Qingyang ordered Ling Jun to return with him and leaped down from the building.

Zhang Yuanqing and the official Walkers fought Unbridled and the three Gu beasts, struggling to hold the powerful enemies at bay. After Li Dongze was wounded and the spider woman threatened to break the team’s defenses, Zhang Yuanqing exploited her weakness to healing and killed her with the Bloodthirsty Blade.

• Captain Green Vine assigned the Walkers to engage Unbridled and the three Gu beasts, while Guan Ya provided supporting fire and Zhang Yuanqing prepared to improvise.
• Big Muscle Tyrant and White Dragon attacked Unbridled, and Guan Ya cracked his scales with precisely timed gunshots after heat and cold made them brittle.
• Li Dongze and the other Walkers battled the spider woman, insect man, and snake, but the spider woman trapped and wounded Li Dongze with corrosive webbing.
• Zhang Yuanqing stabbed his own thigh to awaken the Bloodthirsty Blade, then entered Night Roaming and attacked the spider woman while Guan Ya covered him.
• The spider woman stunned the fighters with a shrill roar and struck at Zhang Yuanqing, but he blocked her attack with the Steadfast One pearl and confirmed the Gu beasts could still use their skills by instinct.
• Zhang Yuanqing slashed open the spider woman’s abdomen with the Bloodthirsty Blade, whose bleeding effect prevented her wounds from healing, and she died by the window.

Zhang Yuanqing and the official Walkers killed Spider Woman and the insect man, but Unbridled revealed that a hidden poison had weakened everyone and turned the battle against them. As Unbridled prepared to claim their lives and treasures, Zhang Yuanqing summoned the Red Bridal Veil and began invoking his trump card.

• Zhang Yuanqing killed Spider Woman, and Li Dongze directed the official Walkers to support the fight against the remaining enemies.
• Zhang Yuanqing and Captain Green Vine helped the Earth Monsters trap and kill the insect man, while the Fire Masters fell to his poisonous gas.
• Unbridled hurled Tang Guoqiang into Green Vine, then a concealed poison weakened the official Walkers and left them unable to fight effectively.
• Unbridled revealed that his secret item had released colorless, odorless poison inside the villa, then threatened to kill the Walkers and take their items.
• Zhang Yuanqing stood between Unbridled and Big Muscle Tyrant, then summoned the Red Bridal Veil as Unbridled prepared to attack.
• Zhang Yuanqing asked Unbridled if he wanted to feel like a groom, played a mournful suona melody, and draped the Red Bridal Veil over his head.

Zhang Yuanqing summoned the Ghost Bride with the Red Bridal Veil, and she killed Unbridled and the giant snake before turning on the official Walkers. He broke her control just in time to save Guan Ya, then went to retrieve the guarded item as backup arrived.

• Zhang Yuanqing donned the Red Bridal Veil, summoning the Ghost Bride as Unbridled launched a sneak attack and then fled in terror from her illusions.
• The Ghost Bride controlled Zhang Yuanqing and used his body to kill Unbridled and the giant snake.
• The Ghost Bride turned Zhang Yuanqing toward Guan Ya, but he transferred her control to Little Doubi and tore off the veil, forcing her to return to the Spirit Realm.
• Zhang Yuanqing volunteered to retrieve the item upstairs while the poisoned official Walkers waited for help.
• After the barrier dissipated, Li Dongze called for backup, and Fu Qingyang and Ling Jun arrived with more than a dozen official Walkers.

After the battle, Zhang Yuanqing recovered the Heavenly Toad Incense Burner and discovered clues that Unbridled had betrayed the officials to Black Impermanence and Dark Night Rose. Fu Qingyang restrained Zhang Yuanqing after he consumed Unbridled’s spirit and asked what he had learned.

• Official walkers treated the wounded and confirmed that Yuanshi had killed three gu beasts, while Fu Qingyang learned that he was upstairs.
• Zhang Yuanqing found and stored the Heavenly Toad Incense Burner, then considered what its ancient origins suggested about the Spirit Realm.
• Zhang Yuanqing met Fu Qingyang, who suspected an official had colluded with Unbridled and secretly cleared the room before questioning Unbridled’s spirit.
• Zhang Yuanqing consumed Unbridled’s spirit and saw memories showing that Unbridled had sold official deployments to Black Impermanence and was connected to Dark Night Rose.
• Zhang Yuanqing awoke handcuffed to a chair, and Fu Qingyang asked what he had learned.

Zhang Yuanqing and Fu Qingyang pieced together why Black Impermanence was waiting in Songhai: he needed Dark Night Rose’s help with the Fallen Holy Grail, whose control had been disrupted by the Demon Lord. After Fu Qingyang offered his support, Zhang Yuanqing met Ling Jun of the Taiyi Sect, who recognized him as the Demon Lord’s successor.

• Zhang Yuanqing told Fu Qingyang that a Spirit Servant had carried messages for Dark Night Rose, an organization Fu Qingyang had never heard of.
• Zhang Yuanqing and Fu Qingyang inferred that Black Impermanence was waiting for Dark Night Rose’s leader because he could not control the Fallen Holy Grail, and that the Demon Lord might have caused the problem.
• Zhang Yuanqing suggested that the Demon Lord may have killed Judge of Ghostly Eyes or perished alongside him, and Fu Qingyang agreed that the clues pointed toward a Night Wanderer connection.
• Fu Qingyang asked whether Zhang Yuanqing had concealed anything about Sheling Tunnel, warned that the Taiyi Sect would contact him, gave him his business card, and promised to report his contributions.
• Fu Qingyang pulled Guan Ya aside after Zhang Yuanqing told him she had called him stupid and rich.
• Ling Jun introduced himself as a Taiyi Sect member, joked with Zhang Yuanqing about joining the sect, exchanged contact information with him, and called him the Demon Lord’s successor.

The author reflected on the pressure of launching Spirit Realm in a new genre, explained why he had no backlog, and thanked editors, fellow authors, and readers for their support. He ended by rushing to write launch chapters and asking readers to subscribe on the first day.

• The author said he had switched away from xianxia because he had used up his inspiration for the genre on Da Feng and wanted to explore other kinds of writing.
• The author noted that Spirit Realm had gained strong follow-up readership despite initial doubts, but said the premium launch was only the beginning.
• The author explained that he had spent the previous six months resting and planning, so he had only written a small amount before the launch.
• The author thanked editor-in-chief An Yi, chief editor Bei He, and authors including Squid and Pork Knuckle for reviewing the opening and offering advice.
• The author thanked his author friends and readers for keeping him company, then hurried to write more launch chapters and asked readers to support the first-day subscriptions.