Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “What Kind of Assassin Stays This Poor?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jing Yuan arrives at Dragon Exaltation Hall with the Cloud Knight reinforcements, revealing that the assassins’ supposed backup has been defeated or turned against them.
• He exposes the Dragon Masters’ conspiracy: they intended to kill Bailu, manipulate Dan Heng’s compassion for the Vidyadhara, and pressure him into remaining behind as High Elder.
• Huanxi denies leading the plot, but Jing Yuan orders her and the controlled assassins to be taken to the Ten Lords’ Decree for interrogation.
• After the immediate crisis ends, Bailu reflects on her status as a “false dragon” in the eyes of the elders and admits that she now understands how far they were willing to go to remove her.
• Jing Yuan offers Bailu protection at the Shence Mansion, but she chooses to remain with Dan Heng and Yan Huan for a little longer.
• Bailu and Dan Heng discuss their unconventional upbringings. Neither experienced the traditional Vidyadhara mentor system, and they recognize a sense of shared fate between them.
• Dan Heng explains that Bailu possesses genuine High Elder power, particularly the ability to heal and restore life, contrasting it with his own destructive power.
• Yan Huan, initially feeling ignored during the conversation, suddenly realizes he has a reason to follow the arrested assassins and rushes to the ferry.
• He summons the assassins back using his control over them. They abandon the Cloud Knights, return from the ships—even swimming through the water—and surrender all their money to Yan Huan.
• The supposedly dangerous assassins turn out to be remarkably poor: the combined money from hundreds of them fills only half a sack, leaving Yan Huan and the Cloud Knights stunned.

Character Developments

• Jing Yuan demonstrates his strategic awareness and authority, having anticipated the Dragon Masters’ scheme. His calm humor contrasts with the seriousness of the situation.
• Huanxi remains defiant, refusing to confess and expressing greater fear of the Ten Lords’ Decree than of death.
• Bailu becomes more aware of her political vulnerability and the elders’ hostility, but she also gains confidence in her own legitimacy and power.
• Dan Heng offers Bailu reassurance, recognizing that her ability to repair the Jianmu seal proves she possesses the true restorative power of a High Elder. His discussion of his past hints at his continuing alienation from Vidyadhara tradition.
• Yan Huan shifts from passive bystander to comic disruptor. His concern that he might leave empty-handed leads to an absurd but successful collection of the assassins’ possessions.

Significant Themes

• Political betrayal and legitimacy: Bailu’s position is threatened by elders who reject her authority and seek to replace her.
• Identity and inherited power: The chapter contrasts Bailu’s healing abilities with Dan Heng’s destructive power while questioning what truly defines a High Elder.
• Isolation and unconventional family: Bailu and Dan Heng bond over growing up without the traditional Vidyadhara mentor-and-community structure.
• Justice versus manipulation: Jing Yuan’s intervention restores order and ensures the conspirators will face formal judgment.
• Comedy amid danger: The dramatic assassination plot ends with the anticlimactic discovery that the assassins are broke, highlighting Yan Huan’s irreverent personality.

Character Interactions

• Jing Yuan confronts Huanxi and exposes the Dragon Masters’ plan while maintaining a teasing, confident manner.
• Jing Yuan offers Bailu protection, but she politely declines immediate relocation so she can continue speaking with Dan Heng and Yan Huan.
• Bailu and Dan Heng share a reflective conversation about mentors, past lives, their unusual upbringings, and their different forms of High Elder power.
• Yan Huan interrupts the Cloud Knights’ arrest operation and uses the assassins’ obedience to make them return and hand over their money, producing a humorous final scene.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jing Yuan orders the Cloud Knight Army to recapture the escaped individuals.
• Dan Heng's exile order is lifted, but he decides to continue his journey as a Nameless.
• Welt, March 7th, Dan Heng, and Yan Huan board the Star Rail Express to return.
• They encounter a controversial movie about Welt's past actions on the train's screen.
• Yan Huan receives a message from an unknown account, later revealed to be from Kafka.

Character Developments

• Dan Heng remains committed to his journey as a Nameless, despite the lifted exile order.
• March 7th expresses her frustration with the Aeon of Joy and other organizations' actions on the Xianzhou.
• Yan Huan shows annoyance with Silver Wolf's projection in his room and her cryptic messages.

Significant Themes

• Trust and betrayal, as seen in March 7th's complaints about the Aeon of Joy and the Xianzhou's lack of recognition of the impersonated Fox person.
• The consequences of one's actions, as Welt faces criticism for his past decisions shown in the movie.
• Secrecy and hidden messages, as Yan Huan receives a mysterious message from Kafka.

Character Interactions

• Jing Yuan, Welt, and Yan Huan have a casual conversation before boarding the train.
• March 7th complains to Himeko about their experiences on the Xianzhou.
• Yan Huan interacts with Silver Wolf's projection, expressing annoyance and suspicion.
• Yan Huan receives a message from Kafka, hinting at a potential secret meeting.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yan Huan receives a message from Kafka, revealing Blade's critical condition and Kafka's need for help.
• Yan Huan, excited, decides to help immediately, much to March 7th's surprise.
• Yan Huan navigates through the Divination Department, evading Cloud Knights searching for the Stellaron Hunter (Kafka), and finds her.

Character Developments

• Yan Huan shows unexpected eagerness and loyalty, prioritizing Kafka's needs over his own.
• Kafka maintains her calm and collected demeanor, revealing her strategic thinking and resourcefulness.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and Friendship: Yan Huan's immediate response to Kafka's plea highlights their strong bond.
• Trust and Deception: Kafka's cautious approach, initially doubting Yan Huan's identity, underscores the importance of trust in their relationship.

Character Interactions

• Yan Huan and March 7th: March 7th's disbelief at Yan Huan's sudden eagerness and his secrecy about his mission creates a tense, humorous interaction.
• Yan Huan and Kafka: Their reunion is filled with warmth and mutual understanding, with Yan Huan's gift-giving and Kafka's acceptance signifying their strong connection.

Summary

Plot points and events

• Kafka explains that Blade is suffering from the Mara-struck, a madness caused by the Immortality Race’s accumulated memories and emotions. His condition has worsened severely since fighting Yan Huan, making it impossible for him to travel.
• Kafka asks Yan Huan to help stabilize Blade while she uses her Word Spirit Technique to suppress and seal the Mara-struck. She assures him that she knows what danger is coming and that he will suffer no lasting consequences.
• Yan Huan offers his special artifact, Featherfall Dust, to help. Kafka refuses to keep it, explaining that it belongs to him and is not part of “the turning gears of fate,” but asks him to use it on Blade.
• Yan Huan places the feather on Blade’s head, calming his emotions and memories. Kafka then gains permission to control the feather through her Word Spirit Technique.
• Kafka sends Yan Huan away to distract the patrolling Cloud Knights and nearby monsters without causing too much commotion. Yan Huan, however, decides that simply luring them away is insufficient and prepares to drive them off more forcefully with his baseball bat.
• He discovers a Cloud Knight hiding nearby who overheard the conversation. The frightened soldier begs for mercy and admits that he cannot guarantee the others—particularly Yan Qing—will leave.
• Yan Qing appears on the wall and confronts Yan Huan, accusing him of shielding the Stellaron Hunters. He demands to know whether Yan Huan is truly prepared, as one of the Nameless, to “swear to the death” to protect them.

Character developments

• Yan Huan demonstrates loyalty and confidence in Kafka’s plan, readily agreeing to assist her. His interpretation of the assignment is aggressively literal and comedic: rather than quietly distracting the guards, he intends to eliminate the possibility of their return.
• Kafka reveals a more vulnerable and cooperative side, acknowledging her responsibility for Blade’s condition and sincerely relying on Yan Huan’s help. She remains composed and manipulative but also expresses genuine relief and gratitude.
• Blade remains largely inactive, but his condition is central to the chapter. The feather temporarily calms his chaotic memories and emotions, allowing Kafka’s technique to function.
• The Cloud Knight is portrayed as frightened and practical, willing to abandon his duty to avoid being attacked.
• Yan Qing appears disciplined and stern, emphasizing duty and confronting Yan Huan directly.

Significant themes

• Duty versus personal loyalty: Yan Huan chooses to aid Kafka and Blade despite their opposition to the Luofu, placing personal judgment above official allegiance.
• Burden of memory and emotion: Blade’s Mara-struck reflects the destructive weight of immortality, forgotten memories, and accumulated suffering.
• Fate and agency: Kafka’s references to the “turning gears of fate” contrast with Yan Huan’s active choices and willingness to intervene.
• Comedic subversion of heroism: Yan Huan treats “guard duty” as an excuse for overwhelming violence, while the Cloud Knight’s exaggerated fear undercuts the seriousness of the confrontation.

Character interactions

• Kafka and Yan Huan negotiate Blade’s treatment, with Kafka appealing to his willingness to help and Yan Huan responding earnestly.
• Yan Huan and Kafka cooperate smoothly: he uses Featherfall Dust to calm Blade, while she prepares to suppress the Mara-struck.
• Yan Huan intimidates the hiding Cloud Knight, who exposes that Yan Qing is nearby.
• The chapter ends with Yan Qing challenging Yan Huan over his allegiance and asking whether he is willing to fight to the death for the Stellaron Hunters, setting up their confrontation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yan Qing confronts Yan Huan, who is protecting Stellaron Hunters, leading to a heated argument.
• Yan Qing, in a sudden change of behavior, starts protecting a Stellaron Hunter and declares he's joining them.
• Jing Yuan, the General, returns to find Yan Qing in this unusual state and tries to intervene.
• Yan Qing, acting erratically, curses at Jing Yuan and claims to be a spy for the Stellaron Hunters.

Character Developments

• Yan Qing: Exhibits unexpected behavior, switching from condemning Stellaron Hunters to protecting one and claiming to be a spy for their organization. This could indicate a shift in his priorities or a hidden agenda.
• Jing Yuan: Shows amusement rather than concern over Yan Qing's behavior, suggesting he might know more about Yan Qing's true intentions or capabilities.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and Betrayal: Yan Qing's sudden allegiance shift to the Stellaron Hunters raises questions about his loyalty and whether he's truly betraying his previous stance or acting under different motivations.
• Power Dynamics: The interactions between Yan Qing, Yan Huan, and Jing Yuan highlight the power dynamics among these characters and their respective organizations.

Character Interactions

• Yan Qing vs. Yan Huan: Their argument showcases their differing views on the Stellaron Hunters, with Yan Huan defending them and Yan Qing condemning them.
• Jing Yuan vs. Yan Qing: Jing Yuan's amusement at Yan Qing's behavior suggests a complex relationship between them, possibly built on shared history or understanding.
• Yan Qing vs. Jing Yuan: Yan Qing's cursing and accusations towards Jing Yuan indicate a breakdown in their usual dynamic, with Yan Qing acting out of character.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yan Qing confronts Jing Yuan, demanding the Cloud Knights retreat.
• Jing Yuan orders the Cloud Knights to withdraw, acknowledging Yan Qing's threat.
• Jing Yuan requests to speak with Blade, but Kafka declines due to Blade's condition.
• Jing Yuan leaves, expressing interest in Yan Huan and Blade's connection.
• Yan Qing polishes the shoes of Kafka, Yan Huan, and Blade, while they plan to brainwash Blade.

Character Developments

• Yan Qing: Displayed increased confidence and aggression, possibly due to stimulant use.
• Jing Yuan: Showed understanding and acceptance of Yan Qing's threat, prioritizing Blade's condition.
• Blade: Remained in a Mara-struck state, oblivious to his surroundings.
• Yan Huan: Continued to work with Kafka to help Blade, showing concern for his well-being.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics: Yan Qing's threat and Jing Yuan's response highlight the shifting power balance.
• Manipulation and control: Yan Huan and Kafka's attempt to brainwash Blade raises questions about free will and manipulation.
• Connection and belonging: Jing Yuan's interest in Yan Huan and Blade's relationship suggests a deeper connection between them.

Character Interactions

• Yan Qing vs. Jing Yuan: Yan Qing's aggressive stance and Jing Yuan's calm response show a clash of wills.
• Yan Huan and Kafka: They work together to help Blade, demonstrating their shared goal and trust in each other.
• Yan Qing and Blade: Yan Qing's shoe-polishing act shows a desire to connect with Blade, despite his current state.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yan Huan and Kafka continue brainwashing Blade, planning to make him 'forget' certain names.
• Yan Qing regains consciousness and confronts Yan Huan and Kafka, accusing them of aiding Stellaron Hunters.
• Yan Huan shows Yan Qing a livestream of himself cursing Jing Yuan and expressing support for Stellaron Hunters.
• Yan Huan sends Yan Qing back to Changle Heaven via a teleportation gate.
• Jing Yuan returns to Changle Heaven and encounters Yan Qing, expressing that keeping Blade was never the plan.

Character Developments

• Yan Huan: Shows his manipulative side, using mind control and deception to send Yan Qing away.
• Yan Qing: Regains consciousness and becomes more determined to capture the wanted criminal, but also starts questioning his loyalty to Jing Yuan.
• Jing Yuan: Shows understanding and acceptance of the Express Crew's actions, indicating a shift in his perspective.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and truth: Yan Huan manipulates Yan Qing using a livestream, raising questions about the truth and its interpretation.
• Loyalty and trust: Yan Qing's loyalty to Jing Yuan is tested, and he begins to question his trust in the General.

Character Interactions

• Yan Huan and Yan Qing: Yan Huan manipulates and sends away Yan Qing, showing his power and lack of remorse.
• Jing Yuan and Yan Qing: Jing Yuan comforts Yan Qing, but his words leave Yan Qing confused and questioning his loyalty.
• Jing Yuan and Jingliu: They briefly cross paths, with Jingliu acknowledging Yan Qing's presence.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Kafka, Yan Huan, and Blade wake up after a brainwashing session to control Blade's Mara-struck condition.
• Kafka reveals that without Yan Huan's help, they would have been captured by Yan Qing and their relationship with Xianzhou would have been strained.
• Blade decides to leave to meet someone he owes a great deal to, while Kafka leaves to continue her 'script'.
• Yan Huan and March 7th discuss Yan Huan's actions protecting the Stellaron Hunters and the potential consequences with the Xianzhou.
• Dan Heng is revealed to have gotten involved with another woman, alerting Yan Huan.

Character Developments

• Blade regains clarity of mind and decides to leave to meet an unknown person.
• Kafka remains mysterious about her future plans and leaves without Yan Huan.
• Yan Huan shows concern for the potential consequences of his actions with the Xianzhou.
• Dan Heng's womanizing ways are revealed again.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of one's actions and the potential fallout from them (Yan Huan's protection of the Stellaron Hunters).
• The mysterious 'scripts' that Kafka and Blade seem to follow, hinting at their larger roles in the story.

Character Interactions

• Kafka and Yan Huan share a moment of understanding and gratitude for each other's help.
• Blade and Yan Huan have a brief interaction where Blade acknowledges Yan Huan's help but also expresses his desire to leave.
• Yan Huan and March 7th discuss the potential consequences of Yan Huan's actions, showing their close relationship and Yan Huan's trust in March 7th.
• Yan Huan's reaction to Dan Heng's involvement with another woman shows his concern and possible disapproval of Dan Heng's behavior.

Key Plot Points and Events

• March 7th and Yan Huan find a mysterious letter in the carriage, which they believe is for Dan Heng and hints at a woman.
• Dan Heng confirms the letter is for him but doesn't reveal its contents or who sent it.
• Dan Heng decides to go to the Shence Mansion alone, despite March 7th and Yan Huan's concerns about his safety.
• March 7th and Yan Huan discuss whether to follow Dan Heng, deciding against it due to potential awkwardness and Dan Heng's request to handle it alone.

Character Developments

• Dan Heng: Shows caution and secrecy regarding the letter, hinting at a complicated past and potential danger.
• March 7th: Demonstrates concern for Dan Heng's safety and a desire to protect him, but respects his decision to handle the matter alone.
• Yan Huan: Shows concern for Dan Heng's safety but also understands the potential awkwardness of accompanying him, displaying a more mature and considerate side.

Significant Themes

• Trust and Independence: Dan Heng's decision to handle the matter alone shows his trust in his abilities and independence, while March 7th and Yan Huan's respect for his decision highlights their trust in him.
• Past Actions and Consequences: The letter and Dan Heng's past life are hinted to have serious consequences, raising questions about the impact of one's actions on their present life.

Character Interactions

• Dan Heng, March 7th, and Yan Huan: The trio's interaction shows a mix of concern, respect, and understanding, with Dan Heng maintaining secrecy about the letter while March 7th and Yan Huan express worry about his safety.
• Jingliu and Yan Qing: Jingliu's brief interaction with Yan Qing hints at a shared history and potential tension between them, foreshadowing possible conflict in the Shence Mansion.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Dan Heng, the Imbibitor Lunae from his past life, arrives at the Shence Mansion.
• He meets Jingliu, his former friend and mentor from his past life, who is now a prisoner awaiting trial.
• Jingliu challenges Dan Heng to face her, as he has been discussing her with others without acknowledging her presence.

Character Developments

• Dan Heng: Struggles with accepting his past life as the Imbibitor Lunae. He tries to distance himself from his past, claiming he is now someone else.
• Jingliu: Remains calm and composed despite being a prisoner. She is determined to confront Dan Heng about their shared past.

Significant Themes

• The impact of one's past on their present and future.
• The struggle to leave one's past behind and start anew.
• The consequences of one's actions and the inability to escape them.

Character Interactions

• Dan Heng and Jingliu: Their interaction is tense, with Jingliu trying to engage Dan Heng about their shared history, while Dan Heng attempts to distance himself from it.
• Dan Heng, Yan Qing, and Qingzu: They discuss Jingliu and her past before Dan Heng approaches her. Yan Qing and Qingzu warn Dan Heng about Jingliu's capabilities.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jingliu explains to Dan Heng that she has returned to the Luofu to surrender and face judgment for her past crimes. Before being transferred for trial, she requested one day to visit old friends and fulfill the promise made by the former Cloud-Soaring Five. Jing Yuan approved the request, trusting that Dan Heng would attend.
• Jingliu confirms that she sent the letter inviting Dan Heng to the Express.
• In the Scalegorge Waterscape, Jing Yuan privately interrogates Luocha rather than keeping him in the Imprisonment Prison. He accuses Luocha of suspicious involvement in the Luofu crisis: arriving shortly before the Stellaron disaster, entering the prison during the chaos, and concealing his true objective.
• Luocha claims he is only a merchant transporting a mysterious token and insists that he “was not lying” about his circumstances. Jing Yuan reveals that he knows Luocha’s hidden identity and past activities, including his involvement in the Sorrowful Fortress and the Veiled Nebula.
• Jing Yuan states that Luocha will be sent to the Void-Lingering Xianzhou for a joint trial and potentially eternal punishment. However, he admits that he brought Luocha to the Waterscape partly to speak privately about Jingliu.
• Luocha recalls the former Cloud-Soaring Five—Jingliu, Dan Feng, Bai Heng, Ying Xing, and Jing Yuan—and observes that their once-glorious group ultimately fell apart. He correctly identifies Jingliu as the subject Jing Yuan has been avoiding.
• At Shence Mansion, Jingliu prepares to revisit old locations, drink wine, and mourn the past. She teases Yan Qing about his embarrassing livestream incident, while Yan Qing insists he was under the influence of Yan Huan and did not act willingly.
• Jingliu reveals that the Dragon Masters once approached Yan Huan about becoming the High Elder. Yan Huan instead manipulated them and took their money. Dan Heng is shocked that he was unaware of this.
• Dan Heng admits feeling guilty that the affairs of the Imbibitor Lunae lineage continue to affect his companions.

Character Developments

• Dan Heng: Continues to separate himself from Dan Feng’s crimes, but still feels responsible for the consequences of the Imbibitor Lunae legacy. His reaction shows that he remains concerned about how his past identity burdens others.
• Jingliu: Presents herself as a repentant sinner willing to accept punishment. At the same time, she remains sharp, playful, and confident, teasing Yan Qing and revealing sensitive information with deliberate amusement. Her request to revisit old places shows her desire to confront and mourn her past.
• Jing Yuan: Demonstrates strategic caution and emotional restraint. He is suspicious of Luocha, has investigated his hidden history, and uses the private meeting to probe both Luocha and the unresolved matter of Jingliu.
• Luocha: Maintains his composed, enigmatic demeanor even when confronted with serious accusations. He admits that he had an objective in the Imprisonment Prison but continues to conceal its exact nature, while showing unusual insight into Jing Yuan’s emotional motivations.
• Yan Qing: Is embarrassed and defensive about the livestream incident, emphasizing that his actions were manipulated rather than voluntary. His frustrated exchanges with Jingliu reveal their teasing but uneven dynamic.
• Yan Huan: Though absent, he is characterized as clever and capable: he successfully handled the Dragon Transformation Secret Method crisis and outmaneuvered the Dragon Masters.

Significant Themes

• Consequences of the past: The former Cloud-Soaring Five and the Imbibitor Lunae legacy continue to shape the present, even after centuries.
• Guilt and accountability: Jingliu willingly seeks punishment, while Dan Heng struggles with inherited responsibility for Dan Feng’s actions.
• Truth versus deception: Luocha’s insistence that he is not lying contrasts with the obvious gaps in his story and Jing Yuan’s knowledge of his hidden identity.
• Broken friendships and nostalgia: Memories of the Cloud-Soaring Five emphasize how legendary unity can decay into separation and estrangement.
• Identity and inherited roles: Dan Heng’s relationship to Dan Feng and the Dragon Masters’ attempt to recruit Yan Huan reflect the tension between personal identity and expectations imposed by tradition.
• Strategic manipulation: Several characters—Jing Yuan, Luocha, Jingliu, and Yan Huan—use information, ambiguity, or deception to control events.

Important Character Interactions

• Jingliu and Dan Heng: Their conversation is restrained but emotionally charged. Jingliu acknowledges Dan Heng as separate from Dan Feng while still confronting him with the consequences of his former identity.
• Jing Yuan and Luocha: Their interrogation is a battle of composure and hidden knowledge. Jing Yuan exposes Luocha’s suspicious history, while Luocha redirects the discussion toward Jingliu and the General’s personal motives.
• Jingliu and Yan Qing: Jingliu playfully provokes Yan Qing about his livestream behavior, while he reacts with indignation and attempts to defend himself.
• Jingliu and Dan Heng: Her revelation about Yan Huan and the Dragon Masters surprises Dan Heng and reinforces how much the Imbibitor Lunae legacy continues to affect him.
• Jing Yuan and Jingliu: Though they do not meet directly in the chapter, Jing Yuan’s private conversation with Luocha and his approval of Jingliu’s request show that he remains deeply connected to her and is quietly facilitating her final reunion with old friends.

Chapter Summary: “Luofu Sightseer”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jingliu has turned herself in to the Xianzhou Alliance and agrees to travel under escort rather than flee. She insists that Dan Heng accompany her because accepting her letter also meant accepting her invitation.
• Yan Qing assigns two Cloud Knights to accompany them, though the chosen pair behave unusually, bickering and even briefly fighting over their excitement at being selected.
• Jingliu struggles to decide where to begin her visit to the Luofu. She explains that, after living for a thousand years, memories become overwhelming and difficult to navigate, comparing immortality to carrying a mountain through a maze.
• At Hui Xing Port, Jingliu watches the Star Skiffs and reveals that she came to honor Bai Heng, a deceased Foxian pilot who was once Dan Feng’s friend and ally.
• Dan Heng has no direct emotional memory of Bai Heng, but fragments from Dan Feng’s past surface when he hears her name. Jingliu confirms that Bai Heng was a friend to both Dan Feng and the others.
• Jingliu regrets never saying goodbye before leaving the Luofu and wishes to send a Star Skiff into the stars as a memorial rite. Since she knows little about Star Skiff construction, Yan Qing offers to help.
• When Mara-struck soldiers attack, Jingliu deliberately refuses to fight, claiming the role of a sightseer and leaving the battle to Yan Qing and Dan Heng.
• The chapter ends with Jingliu teasing the two Cloud Knights for remaining behind to watch her, prompting one to awkwardly admit that they are effectively there to monitor her.

Character Developments

• Jingliu: Demonstrates both overwhelming confidence and vulnerability. Although she is cooperative with the Alliance, she remains powerful enough to make the Cloud Knights uneasy. Her difficulty recalling the past and her wish to honor Bai Heng reveal her lingering grief and regret.
• Dan Heng: Continues to distance himself from Dan Feng, yet involuntary memories emerge when Bai Heng’s name is mentioned. His restrained response shows the tension between his current identity and his previous life.
• Yan Qing: Acts responsibly as Jingliu’s escort and shows practical leadership by reducing the number of guards and guiding the group through Hui Xing Port. He also displays youthful impatience and energy compared with Jingliu’s ancient perspective.
• The two Cloud Knights: Provide comic relief through their odd behavior, sibling-like arguing, and casual commentary. Despite their nervousness, they recognize Jingliu’s danger and are primarily assigned to observe her.

Significant Themes

• The burden of immortality: Jingliu describes long life as an exhausting maze of accumulated memories, suggesting that immortality brings confusion and emotional weight rather than simple wisdom.
• Memory and identity: Dan Heng’s inability to remember Bai Heng contrasts with the memories of Dan Feng, emphasizing the conflict between present identity and inherited or former lives.
• Grief and unfinished goodbyes: Jingliu’s memorial for Bai Heng represents her attempt to resolve long-standing regret and honor a lost companion.
• Past and present relationships: The chapter explores how old friendships continue to affect people even after identities, loyalties, and circumstances have changed.
• Humor amid tension: The Cloud Knights’ antics and Jingliu’s teasing lighten an otherwise somber journey involving guilt, death, and dangerous political circumstances.

Character Interactions

• Jingliu challenges Dan Heng to confront his connection to Dan Feng and refuses to let him avoid the journey.
• Yan Qing balances authority with youthful exasperation, managing both Jingliu’s demands and the Cloud Knights’ absurd behavior.
• Jingliu and Dan Heng share a quiet understanding surrounding Bai Heng, with Jingliu prompting him to acknowledge the connection.
• Yan Qing and Dan Heng fight the Mara-struck soldiers while Jingliu observes, reinforcing her deliberate “sightseer” role.
• Jingliu exposes the Cloud Knights’ true purpose—watching her—turning their surveillance into another moment of playful tension.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yan Qing and Jingliu reach Hui Xing Port's assembly line for Star-chasers.
• Yan Qing remembers Bai Heng, a former Cloud Knight, from an ancient text.
• Jingliu shares Bai Heng's history of bad luck but exceptional survival skills.
• A new Star-chaser is activated, and Jingliu bids it farewell, commemorating Bai Heng's death.
• The group proceeds to the Artisanship Commission, finding it in disarray due to recent events.

Character Developments

• Yan Qing demonstrates his knowledge of ancient texts, challenging Jingliu's initial impression of him as a brute.
• Jingliu reveals her deep respect and admiration for Bai Heng, showing her emotional depth and history with the Cloud Knights.
• Dan Heng is shown to have made a mistake regarding Bai Heng, causing Jingliu distress.

Significant Themes

• Luck and destiny: Bai Heng's extraordinary luck in survival despite her misfortunes.
• Loss and remembrance: Jingliu's grief over Bai Heng's death and her desire to honor her legacy.
• Change and decay: The state of the Artisanship Commission reflects the broader decline of civilization due to Jianmu's resurrection.

Character Interactions

• Yan Qing and Jingliu share a moment of camaraderie as they discuss Bai Heng, leading to a deeper understanding between them.
• Jingliu's coldness towards Dan Heng highlights the tension between them due to his past actions regarding Bai Heng.
• The Cloud Knights whisper amongst themselves, indicating their awareness of the gravity of the situation and the history they're witnessing.

Chapter Summary: “Who Are You Kidding”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jingliu and Yan Qing argue over the Artisanship Commission’s failure to protect itself during the Stellaron crisis. Yan Qing defends the Cloud Knights, explaining that many troops were deployed to support the Yaoqing’s punitive campaign, leaving the Luofu’s forces stretched thin.
• Jingliu challenges Yan Qing to another sparring match, partly using the opportunity to make him clear a path through the Mara-struck soldiers and other abominations. She instructs him to lead and meet the others at the Forge of Creation.
• After Yan Qing leaves, Dan Heng questions Jingliu’s motives. She reveals that she separated him from the group because she wants to fight alongside Dan Heng—or, more accurately, test the combat skills associated with his former identity, Imbibitor Lunae.
• Jingliu and Dan Heng fight together through the enemy forces, demonstrating highly effective coordination. Their sword-and-spear techniques resemble the movements of former comrades.
• During the battle, Jingliu repeatedly calls Dan Heng “Imbibitor Lunae” and points out that his spear, Cloud-Piercer, still recognizes him as its master. She argues that his identical fighting style proves he cannot completely escape his connection to Dan Feng.
• Jingliu brings up Ying Xing, the weapon craftsman who forged Dan Heng’s spear. Dan Heng remembers Ying Xing’s name and briefly recalls his passionate ambition.
• Jingliu explains that Ying Xing was once a brash young outsider who came to the Xianzhou seeking revenge against the abominations and mastery of every craft. He eventually became an extraordinary artisan, earning the title “Hundred Crafts,” though the Alliance refused to let a short-lived species lead the Artisanship Commission.
• Jingliu and Dan Heng eventually rejoin Yan Qing, who has reached the platform first. Yan Qing suspects Jingliu deliberately allowed him to win, but she mockingly praises his rapid improvement.
• Yan Qing reveals that he overheard Jingliu and Dan Heng discussing Ying Xing. Jingliu evasively jokes about the Cloud Knights listening as well and refuses to clarify whether Ying Xing is truly dead.

Character Developments

• Jingliu: Remains teasing, manipulative, and emotionally guarded, but her memories of Ying Xing reveal genuine nostalgia and respect. She uses combat and conversation to pressure Dan Heng into confronting his past.
• Dan Heng: Displays continued discomfort and vigilance around Jingliu. Although he insists he is separate from Dan Feng, his fighting style, weapon, and involuntary memory of Ying Xing show that traces of his former life remain.
• Yan Qing: Shows growing confidence and maturity in battle, eagerly taking the lead against the Mara-struck. Despite his pride, he recognizes Jingliu’s teasing and remains indignant when she treats him like a child.
• Ying Xing: Though absent, he is developed through Jingliu’s recollections as an ambitious, talented, short-lived outsider whose exceptional craftsmanship earned him recognition despite institutional prejudice.

Significant Themes

• Identity and reincarnation: Jingliu challenges Dan Heng’s belief that he is entirely separate from Dan Feng, suggesting that skills, instincts, and relationships can survive even when memories do not.
• Memory and the past: Dan Heng’s weapon and combat abilities serve as links to a history he cannot fully remember or escape.
• Talent versus social prejudice: Ying Xing’s accomplishments contrast with the Alliance’s refusal to allow a short-lived person to lead the Artisanship Commission.
• Mortality and value: Ying Xing’s desire to make his brief life meaningful reflects the tension between the Xianzhou’s long-lived society and the urgency of short-lived lives.
• Teasing as emotional pressure: Jingliu uses humor and mockery to manipulate both Yan Qing and Dan Heng, concealing serious intentions beneath playful remarks.
• Duty and institutional failure: The discussion of the Artisanship Commission and the Cloud Knights highlights the strain placed on the Xianzhou during wartime and the consequences of limited military resources.

Character Interactions

• Jingliu and Yan Qing: Their exchanges are combative but familiar. Jingliu provokes Yan Qing into proving himself, while Yan Qing calls out her manipulation and refuses to be treated as inexperienced.
• Jingliu and Dan Heng: Their coordinated fighting exposes their shared history and creates tension. Jingliu deliberately addresses him as Imbibitor Lunae, forcing him to confront his connection to Dan Feng and Ying Xing.
• Dan Heng and Ying Xing’s memory: Dan Heng’s brief recollection of Ying Xing marks an important crack in his resistance to his past.
• Yan Qing and the Cloud Knights: Yan Qing notices that the two accompanying Cloud Knights underestimate him and later points out that they, too, were eavesdropping.
• Jingliu and the Cloud Knights: Jingliu jokingly claims she cannot drive them away because they might become offended or attack her, further blurring her sincerity with deliberate misdirection.

Chapter Summary: “I’m Really Here to See a Doctor”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jingliu explains that Ying Xing, originally a short-lived species, became immortal through a desperate attempt to resurrect a fallen friend using the flesh and blood of an Abundance Emanator.
• His transformation made him an immortal monster—the very kind of existence he had once despised.
• Jingliu reveals that she removed Ying Xing from the Imprisonment Prison, trained him in swordsmanship, and killed him one hundred times to force him to remember the karmic consequences of his past actions. This strongly implies Ying Xing became the individual now known by another name.
• Jingliu, Dan Heng, and Yan Qing leave for the Alchemy Commission.
• At Scalegorge Waterscape, Luocha speaks privately with General Jing Yuan. He argues that the Alliance’s war against Yaoshi, though admirable, is too narrow to solve the deeper desire of intelligent beings to escape short lifespans.
• Luocha claims that Jingliu’s revelations point toward a solution involving the Void-Lingering Xianzhou, or Xuling. Jing Yuan realizes that Luocha’s legal surrender and pardon were primarily a strategy to gain passage there and meet the Alliance’s highest authorities.
• Luocha’s mysterious coffin is implied to be connected to this plan. Before the conversation can continue, a long-haired man arrives and mocks Jing Yuan for admitting that Luocha had outmaneuvered him.
• At the Alchemy Commission, Jingliu visits Bailu’s clinic, claiming she wishes to seek medical advice “like an ordinary person.” Bailu recognizes her from the earlier battle involving Yan Huan and asks whether she wants treatment for her eyes or another illness.

Character Developments

• Jingliu: Her attitude toward Ying Xing is revealed to be harsh and uncompromising rather than affectionate. She views repeated death and sword training as a form of punishment and forced redemption. At the same time, her willingness to seek Bailu’s help suggests vulnerability beneath her severe exterior, especially concerning her impaired eyes or another hidden condition.
• Ying Xing: His tragic history becomes clearer. His desire to resurrect a friend led him to commit the very type of forbidden act he condemned, resulting in immortality and monstrosity. Jingliu’s punishment apparently gave him a new identity and a chance to begin again.
• Dan Heng: He continues to investigate Jingliu’s past and reacts with concern to her treatment of Ying Xing. His presence also helps connect Jingliu to Bailu.
• Yan Qing: He asks direct questions about Jingliu’s feelings toward Ying Xing and is shocked by the brutality of her “sympathy.” His growing realization of Ying Xing’s identity adds a layer of tension and discovery.
• Jing Yuan: He demonstrates political awareness, immediately recognizing that Luocha’s surrender was calculated. Although frustrated at being manipulated, he acknowledges Luocha’s strategy as highly effective.
• Luocha: He presents himself as a philosophical opponent of the Alliance’s narrow focus on the Hunt. His true objective is to reach Xuling and potentially pursue a broader solution to Yaoshi’s curse.
• Bailu: She remains friendly and informal but quickly recognizes Jingliu as a formidable warrior. Her role as the Dragon Healer places her in a position to diagnose Jingliu’s mysterious condition.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of defying mortality: Ying Xing’s attempt to overcome death produces corruption rather than salvation, emphasizing the destructive consequences of immortality pursued through forbidden means.
• Punishment and redemption: Jingliu’s brutal training is framed as giving Ying Xing a chance to “start over,” raising questions about whether suffering and repeated death can truly atone for past sins.
• Fate and irony: Jingliu repeatedly emphasizes fate’s cruel humor—Ying Xing becomes the kind of immortal monster he hated, while Luocha manipulates the Alliance through its own laws.
• The limits of ideology: Luocha challenges the Alliance’s belief that destroying Yaoshi and Abundance creatures alone can solve the problem, arguing that the desire for immortality is rooted in the natural fear of death.
• Hidden motives and political maneuvering: Luocha’s apparent surrender masks a larger plan, while the arrival of the mocking long-haired man suggests further secrets and conflicts surrounding Jing Yuan and the Alliance.
• Vulnerability beneath strength: Jingliu, despite her imposing reputation, deliberately seeks out a healer, hinting that even powerful figures cannot escape physical or emotional wounds.

Important Character Interactions

• Jingliu and Dan Heng discuss Ying Xing’s transformation and fate, with Dan Heng questioning how a short-lived person could still be alive.
• Yan Qing challenges Jingliu about her lack of sympathy, prompting her explanation of Ying Xing’s punishment.
• Luocha and Jing Yuan debate the Alliance’s war against Yaoshi and the deeper causes of the immortality crisis.
• Jing Yuan exposes Luocha’s manipulation of the legal system and his plan to reach Xuling.
• Jingliu meets Bailu, who recognizes her from a past battle and prepares to examine her, bringing the chapter to a cliffhanger about Jingliu’s illness.

Chapter Summary: “Can You Mix Me a Serving of Sour Plum Soup?”

Plot and events

Jingliu visits Bailu for a medical examination, explaining that she has nightmares, mental confusion, and fears being triggered by memories of the past. Bailu takes her pulse and discovers that Jingliu’s condition is highly abnormal: her body appears alive, but her pulse is nearly nonexistent, while strange energy continues to flow through her organs and meridians. Bailu wants to study Jingliu regularly, but Dan Heng explains that Jingliu is leaving the Luofu the next day to stand trial elsewhere, making continued treatment impossible. Bailu prescribes medicine and emphasizes that Jingliu should drink more hot water, but she cannot find her medicine chest. A seemingly lazy Cloud Knight eventually returns it, only to casually ask Bailu to prepare him sour plum soup without additives.
Meanwhile, a huge gorilla-like Abundance creature enters the medical market carrying the corpse of another Abomination. It identifies the Cloud Knight, Yan Huan, as its target and charges at him. Bailu panics and asks Dan Heng for help; Dan Heng shields her, and the scene ends as a cold flash passes by, leaving the outcome unresolved.

Character development

• Jingliu reveals vulnerability beneath her controlled exterior. Her nightmares and fear of awakening inner demons show that she is struggling psychologically, while her unnatural physical condition emphasizes her distance from ordinary life.
• Bailu acts professionally despite her youthful appearance, though she is also ambitious and excited by the possibility of documenting Jingliu’s unprecedented condition. She remains easily flustered by danger and disorder.
• Dan Heng continues to serve as a calm, protective presence, quietly managing Bailu’s concerns and protecting her from the attacking creature.
• Yan Huan, initially presented as a lazy Cloud Knight, unexpectedly retrieves Bailu’s medicine chest, though his joking request for sour plum soup preserves his carefree attitude. His apparent connection to the Abundance creature hints at greater significance.

Significant themes

The chapter explores the conflict between past trauma and emotional repression, shown through Jingliu’s bandaged eyes and nightmares. It also contrasts medical knowledge with supernatural or abnormal conditions, as Bailu encounters a patient beyond anything in her experience. The chapter mixes serious concerns about illness, judgment, and mortality with comic relief, particularly through Bailu’s awkward misunderstandings, the lazy Cloud Knights, and the missing medicine chest. The sudden attack introduces a theme of hidden danger beneath everyday absurdity.

Character interactions

Jingliu speaks patiently with Bailu and submits to her examination, while Bailu struggles to interpret Jingliu’s unusual pulse. Bailu and Dan Heng privately discuss Jingliu’s condition, with nearby Cloud Knights humorously interrupting despite pretending not to eavesdrop. Bailu then relies on Dan Heng while searching for her medicine chest. Yan Huan’s playful conversation with Bailu is abruptly interrupted when the Abundance creature attacks, prompting Dan Heng to place himself between Bailu and the threat.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jingliu, now revealed to be Mara-struck, kills a giant blue ape threatening Bailu.
• Jingliu refuses Bailu's medical help, stating her condition is beyond cure.
• Jingliu inquires about a mysterious patient wrapped in bandages who visited Bailu.
• The group meets at the Scalegorge Waterscape, where Jingliu invites the remaining Cloud-Soaring Five for a farewell gathering.

Character Developments

• Jingliu: Accepts her impending doom but remains determined to fulfill her wishes and grievances.
• Bailu: Shows concern for Jingliu's condition but acknowledges her helplessness in treating it.
• Jing Yuan: Acts as a mediator between the remaining Cloud-Soaring Five.

Significant Themes

• Acceptance of fate and mortality.
• The power of hatred and its consequences.
• The importance of fulfilling promises and reminiscing about the past.

Character Interactions

• Jingliu and Bailu: Jingliu seeks Bailu's medical help but ultimately declines it, showing respect for Bailu's skills while accepting her own fate.
• Jingliu and the Cloud-Soaring Five: Jingliu extends an invitation for a farewell gathering, acknowledging the impermanence of their brotherhood and the impending separation due to her trial.
• Yan Qing and the Cloud Knights: Yan Qing ensures the safety of Luocha and the Cloud Knights while also expressing disbelief at Yan Huan and March 7th's behavior.

Chapter Summary: “Let Me Straighten This Out for You”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yan Qing discovers Yan Huan and March 7th secretly cooking sour plum soup outside Dragon Exaltation Hall while the others hold a private meeting.
• The group discusses the painful history of the former Cloud-Soaring Five: Jing Yuan, Jingliu, Dan Feng/Dan Heng, Ying Xing/Blade, and Bai Heng.
• Yan Qing worries that Jing Yuan will once again be left alone after Jingliu is escorted to the Void-Lingering Xianzhou and Dan Heng resumes traveling with the Astral Express.
• Yan Huan reassures him with a mixture of speculation and absurd humor, suggesting that Jing Yuan may not truly die—even joking that he might merely “go missing” or be revived.
• Yan Qing asks Yan Huan to explain what happened to the Cloud-Soaring Five. Yan Huan agrees, treating the matter as confidential gossip shared among insiders.
• Yan Huan begins his account with the Shuhu Incident:
  • Jingliu fought to protect Dan Feng.
  • Dan Feng lost control through Dragon’s Madness.
  • Bai Heng fought heroically, awakening Dan Feng and turning the battle in their favor.
  • Her exertion led to her death.
  • Overcome with guilt, Dan Feng and Ying Xing attempted to resurrect her using her remaining blood and hair.
  • Dan Feng proposed using the Vidyadhara method of shedding scales as a possible means of restoring her, despite Bai Heng not being Vidyadhara and already being dead.
• Before explaining the outcome, Yan Huan pauses to drink sour plum soup—then reveals he needs to use the bathroom.

Character Developments

• Yan Qing shows deep concern for Jing Yuan and the fate of the former Cloud-Soaring Five. His emotional reaction reveals how strongly he values his master and how seriously he takes the group’s history.
• Yan Huan acts as an overly confident storyteller and self-appointed investigator. Although he claims to have reconstructed the truth, his account is mixed with speculation, exaggeration, and comedic digressions.
• March 7th remains practical and impatient, helping prepare the sour plum soup while pushing Yan Huan to explain the story clearly.
• Jing Yuan is portrayed indirectly as someone burdened by centuries of separation and loss, having remained behind to protect the Xianzhou after the others departed.
• Dan Feng is presented as powerful and influential but also consumed by guilt after Bai Heng’s death.
• Bai Heng is characterized as courageous and self-sacrificing, dying after saving Dan Feng and supporting the others during battle.
• Ying Xing/Blade is shown as grieving alongside Dan Feng and willing to participate in an attempt to resurrect Bai Heng.

Significant Themes

• The lasting pain of separation and loss: The former friends have repeatedly been divided by death, exile, transformation, and duty.
• Guilt and the refusal to accept death: Dan Feng and Ying Xing’s resurrection attempt reflects their inability to accept Bai Heng’s death.
• The burden of immortality and longevity: The discussion contrasts the long lives of the Vidyadhara and Jingliu with Bai Heng’s mortal lifespan.
• Friendship and loyalty: The former Cloud-Soaring Five’s actions stem from their deep bonds, while Yan Qing, Yan Huan, and March 7th show concern for their own companions.
• Rumor versus truth: Yan Huan presents an incomplete, possibly unreliable reconstruction of historical events, emphasizing how difficult it is to understand the past from scattered accounts.
• Comedy amid tragedy: Serious topics such as death, guilt, and resurrection are repeatedly undercut by jokes about revival, male characters “going missing,” and Yan Huan interrupting his explanation to use the bathroom.

Character Interactions

• Yan Huan and March 7th bond over preparing sour plum soup and act as informal guardians of Dan Heng.
• Yan Qing challenges their reliability, especially because Yan Huan appears to have inserted himself into the situation without being asked.
• Yan Huan reassures and teases Yan Qing, but also recognizes his anxiety and comforts him.
• March 7th urges Yan Huan to stop rambling and explain the past directly.
• Yan Qing listens intently and becomes increasingly invested in Yan Huan’s version of the Cloud-Soaring Five’s history.
• The chapter ends on a comic interruption: after building suspense around Bai Heng’s attempted resurrection, Yan Huan stops the story because he drank too much sour plum soup and needs to use the bathroom.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yan Huan recounts the history of the Cloud-Soaring Five, focusing on Dan Heng's failed revival by Dan Feng and Ying Xing using the Dragon Transformation Divine Method, which resulted in a wicked dragon and severe consequences for the group.
• The failed revival led to Jingliu's hatred towards Dan Feng and Ying Xing, Jing Yuan's exile of Dan Heng, and Jingliu's Mara-struck state.
• The chapter reveals that the wicked dragon did not die but transformed into an egg, and Dan Feng lost his healing abilities after being prevented from fully shedding his scales.

Character Developments

• Dan Heng: Despite his friends' efforts to revive him, he remains alive but is exiled by Jing Yuan and later encounters Blade, who seeks to test his limits due to his identical abilities to Dan Feng.
• Blade (Ying Xing): After Jingliu's repeated attacks, he loses his craft and joins the Stellaron Hunters under a new identity. His hatred towards Dan Heng stems from the latter's lack of recognition and his perceived disrespect towards Bai Heng's memory.
• Jing Yuan: He guards the Luofu alone for hundreds of years, facing an Aeon of Destruction and cleaning up the messes left by his friends. He exiles Dan Heng and later confronts him again.

Significant Themes

• Friendship and betrayal: The Cloud-Soaring Five's friendship is tested and ultimately broken due to their actions and the consequences of the failed revival attempt.
• Loss and grief: Each character grapples with the loss of Bai Heng and the changes in their relationships, leading to various forms of grief and coping mechanisms.
• Redemption and judgment: The characters seek redemption for their past actions, with Jing Yuan serving as the judge of Dan Heng's fate.

Character Interactions

• Yan Huan shares the history of the Cloud-Soaring Five with Yan Qing and March 7th, revealing the tragic fates of the group's members.
• Blade's past interactions with Dan Heng are revealed, highlighting his desire to test Dan Heng's limits and his inability to accept Dan Heng's lack of recognition.
• Jing Yuan's decision to confront Dan Heng once again is foreshadowed, setting the stage for their upcoming encounter.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jingliu, Dan Heng, Blade, and Jing Yuan meet at the Dragon Exaltation Hall to discuss their past actions and their consequences.
• Jingliu reveals that each of them must pay a price for their actions: Dan Heng for instigating the resurrection of the dead, Blade for assisting him, and Jingliu for betraying her alliance.
• Jing Yuan reveals that they are to be sent to the Jade Palace instead of the Void Archives, as per the Marshal's orders.
• Blade challenges Jingliu to a duel, seeking a brief death to escape his immortal monstrosity.

Character Developments

• Jingliu: She accepts her past actions and is ready to face the consequences. She feels tired of being a pawn in the gods' games but is determined to stand on the side of victory.
• Blade: He seeks a way to end his immortality and is persistent in challenging Jingliu, hoping she will grant him a brief death.
• Dan Heng: He accepts his role as the instigator and is ready to face the consequences. He is preparing to return to the Express.
• Jing Yuan: He follows the Alliance's laws but also tries to manipulate the situation to his advantage. He accompanies Jingliu and Luocha to the Jade Palace.

Significant Themes

• Consequences of Actions: Each character must face the repercussions of their past decisions.
• Predetermined Paths vs. Free Will: The characters struggle with the idea that they are pawns in a larger game, with limited control over their own destinies.
• Redemption and Acceptance: The characters accept their past actions and are ready to face the consequences, seeking a way to redeem themselves.

Character Interactions

• Jingliu and Blade: Their duel serves as a way for Blade to seek redemption and an end to his immortality, while Jingliu accepts her role in his creation and is willing to grant him this final wish.
• Jingliu and Jing Yuan: Jing Yuan manipulates the situation to send Jingliu to the Jade Palace instead of the Void Archives, showing his desire to control the outcome of their journey.
• Dan Heng and the Others: Dan Heng accepts his role as the instigator and is ready to face the consequences, showing remorse for his actions.