Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Pinned Down, Attacked by a Talisman Formation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The narrator and three allies leap from a rooftop and attack the powerful Roof-Tile Fiend at Blue Tile Palace.
• The narrator uses Thunder Slash, but the fiend blocks it with his Moon Blade and newly revealed azure energy.
• The narrator realizes that the fiend possesses the Azure Crystal, which has increased his cultivation rank and concealed his aura.
• Zhang Yuchen, Pan Ling, and Mao Jing combine their techniques—Spirit Light, Azure Sky Purification, and Divine Fire—to drive the fiend backward.
• South Korean exorcists, including Kim Dehuan and Park Budo, join the battle with their own spells, further overwhelming the fiend.
• The fiend attempts to flee, but the pursuing exorcists force him toward a prepared trap.
• Three Dragon Group members, including Black Ox and Li Tao, activate the Azure Dragon Talisman Formation. Its dragon-shaped talisman energy strikes the fiend and blasts him to the ground.
• As the narrator moves in to finish him, the fiend unleashes Spirit Illumination, spreading azure light and black mist over the area.
• The mist begins forming walls and pillars, creating a house-like illusion that traps the narrator and the other three attackers inside.

Character Developments

• The narrator displays confidence, combat skill, and strategic awareness. He identifies the Azure Crystal and remains determined to defeat the fiend despite the opponent’s enhanced power.
• Zhang Yuchen, Pan Ling, and Mao Jing demonstrate strong teamwork by coordinating multiple elemental and purification techniques.
• Kim Dehuan and Park Budo prove capable allies, contributing powerful spells and helping surround the fleeing fiend.
• Black Ox, Li Tao, and the third Dragon Group member reveal careful preparation and effective formation magic by activating the Azure Dragon Talisman Formation at the ideal moment.
• The Roof-Tile Fiend shifts from aggression to desperate retreat after being overwhelmed. Once cornered, he reveals another dangerous ability, suggesting he still has considerable power and cunning.

Significant Themes

• Teamwork and coordinated strength: The combined attacks of Chinese and South Korean exorcists are far more effective than individual efforts.
• Preparation versus raw power: The talisman formation demonstrates how planning and strategy can restrain an enemy who is stronger or enhanced by a magical artifact.
• Hidden power and deception: The Azure Crystal allowed the fiend to conceal his true aura and operate unnoticed.
• Escalating danger: Just as the exorcists appear victorious, the fiend unveils a new technique, emphasizing that apparent defeat may only be temporary.
• Cultural contrast and comic relief: The South Korean exorcists’ repeated “smida” comments express their amazement at the Chinese exorcists’ abilities and lighten the otherwise intense battle.

Character Interactions

• The narrator and his three companions fight in close coordination, combining their attacks against the fiend.
• The South Korean exorcists initially watch in astonishment, then join the battle and support the Chinese group.
• The narrator and the fiend exchange hostile remarks during the chase, with the fiend expressing confidence that he will eventually catch the narrator alone.
• The Dragon Group members work together to activate the Azure Dragon Talisman Formation and coordinate with the pursuing exorcists.
• The chapter ends with the narrator, his allies, and likely other nearby exorcists trapped inside the fiend’s newly manifested house illusion.

Chapter Summary: “Transforming into a Palace, an Isolated Illusion”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The narrator, Zhang Yuchen, Mao Jing, and Pan Ling become trapped inside an illusion created by the evil entity.
• The illusion transforms from black ghost mist into an extremely realistic ancient South Korean palace.
• Pan Ling attempts to use her special eyes to identify the formation’s weakness, but the dense ghost-mist energy blocks her vision.
• The group realizes they are completely isolated: they cannot see or hear Captain Chen and the others outside.
• Zhang Yuchen’s Clear Spirit Talisman fails, confirming that the illusion is more powerful than an ordinary spiritual formation. The Mind-Calming Incantation is also unlikely to work.
• The group leaves the palace hall to investigate and finds an enormous, silent complex of palaces and pavilions under the moonlight.
• The evil entity taunts them from above, then summons hundreds of armored, zombie-like South Korean soldiers formed from black mist.
• The four companions fight their way through the soldiers. Although the enemies are numerous, they are individually weak and are destroyed easily by sword strikes, thunder techniques, and other attacks.
• After eliminating roughly half the soldiers, the group realizes that over ten minutes have passed without any sign of help or contact from outside.
• The narrator begins to suspect that the illusion may distort the perception of time, making the situation more dangerous than it initially appears.

Character Developments

• The narrator takes command, assessing the illusion’s nature and directing the group’s movements. He remains calm but grows increasingly concerned about their isolation and the possibility of altered time.
• Pan Ling is shown to possess valuable supernatural perception, but even her special eyes are rendered ineffective by the overwhelming ghost energy. Despite being the weakest cultivator, she remains involved in the battle and is protected by the others.
• Zhang Yuchen tests spiritual countermeasures with a Clear Spirit Talisman, but its failure demonstrates the unusual strength of the illusion.
• Mao Jing and Zhang Yuchen fight alongside the narrator, helping clear the summoned soldiers.
• The group functions cohesively, with the stronger members protecting Pan Ling and cooperating rather than panicking.

Significant Themes

• The danger of deceptive reality: The illusion is so convincing that the characters must treat it as physically dangerous even while knowing it is fake.
• Isolation and uncertainty: The group’s inability to see or hear the outside world creates anxiety and prevents them from relying on their allies.
• Limits of conventional techniques: Talismans and spiritual methods that normally counter illusions prove useless, emphasizing the enemy’s unusual power.
• Perception versus reality: The chapter contrasts ordinary physical illusion with higher-level spiritual or conceptual techniques, while raising questions about whether time and sensory experience can also be manipulated.
• Strength through teamwork: The characters survive the initial assault by coordinating their abilities and protecting the weakest member.

Character Interactions

• The narrator, Zhang Yuchen, and Mao Jing immediately consult Pan Ling about breaking the formation and rely on her special vision.
• When Pan Ling fails to detect an escape route, the group reassures itself and agrees to proceed cautiously.
• The narrator organizes the plan to leave the hall and investigate the illusion.
• Zhang Yuchen reports the failure of his talisman to the others, prompting the narrator to explain the illusion’s likely nature.
• During the attack, the narrator orders everyone to stay together, specifically instructing Pan Ling to remain close and protected.
• The evil entity addresses the trapped group directly, angrily taunting them before launching the ghost-soldier assault.

Chapter Summary: “Using the Fan, the Twisting Palace”

Key plot points and events

Jiang Ning and his companions—Pan Ling, Zhang Yuchen, and Mao Jing—remain trapped inside the Roof-Tile Fiend’s illusion, surrounded by endless waves of South Korean ghost soldiers. Although the soldiers are not individually powerful, the group cannot find an exit and is steadily losing energy. Mao Jing reasons that the illusion must contain a hidden variable or abnormality that serves as its weakness. Jiang Ning identifies the realm as a Shape Realm, meaning physical magic may be effective against it, and proposes fighting illusion with illusion by using the Three-Skull Round Fan’s Evil Energy Mist.
Jiang activates the Witch Pattern Hand, channeling the Four Calamities’ power into the fan. The resulting dense black mist destroys the ghost soldiers on contact, causing them to burst apart and relieving the group’s immediate pressure. However, when the mist reaches the palace, the entire structure begins to shake, twist, and rise from the earth. The illusion appears to be transforming into the Roof-Tile Fiend itself—the enormous Ghost-Faced Roof Tile.

Character developments

• Jiang Ning demonstrates tactical intelligence and decisiveness. Rather than merely enduring the illusion or searching passively for an escape, he devises a counterattack using the fan and his Witch Rune abilities. His successful strategy establishes him as the group’s main problem-solver and leader.
• Pan Ling contributes careful analysis, recognizing that the crystal’s cyan energy is sustaining the illusion but admitting she cannot locate its weakness. She also identifies the emerging palace as the Roof-Tile Fiend.
• Zhang Yuchen remains aggressive and practical, suggesting they continue fighting until help arrives. He readily supports Jiang’s plan and helps defend the group.
• Mao Jing provides the most structured analysis of the illusion, correctly suspecting that an abnormal element within it is the key. He quickly understands how Jiang intends to reverse the illusion’s effects.

Significant themes

• Strategy over brute force: The group cannot win simply by fighting the ghost soldiers indefinitely; Jiang succeeds by recognizing the nature of the realm and exploiting it.
• Turning an enemy’s weapon against it: The Roof-Tile Fiend uses an illusion to confuse and exhaust them, while Jiang uses the Evil Energy Mist to confuse and destroy the illusion’s manifestations in return.
• Illusion versus reality: The chapter emphasizes the danger of a realm so realistic that the group cannot distinguish direction or escape, while hinting that the illusion may itself become physically vulnerable.
• Escalating supernatural threat: Destroying the ghost soldiers does not end the danger. Instead, it provokes the true entity to reveal itself in a larger and more terrifying form.

Character interactions

The companions exchange rapid tactical observations while fighting. Zhang Yuchen urges Jiang to act, Pan Ling and Mao Jing listen closely to his reasoning, and Mao Jing immediately recognizes the purpose of the Three-Skull Round Fan. After Jiang’s technique succeeds, the others praise his intelligence and power, though Jiang warns them not to relax. Their brief cooperation highlights growing trust and dependence on Jiang’s judgment as the palace rises and the Roof-Tile Fiend finally begins to manifest.

Chapter Summary: “Threatening, but Only a Trapped Beast”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Pan Ling identifies the enormous, animated palace as the Ghost-Faced Roof Tile, also known as the Roof-Tile Fiend.
• Although its gigantic, twisting form creates an intimidating illusion, the group refuses to be frightened and immediately launches an attack.
• The Roof-Tile Fiend attacks with its massive palace “walls,” which function as arms and contain powerful ghost energy. The group evades the strikes while advancing in a coordinated formation.
• The exorcists bombard the palace with multiple talismans, including the Evil-Slaying, Azure Sky, Divine Fire, and Sun-Moon Baldhead talismans. Their combined attacks weaken the fiend and reveal that its cultivation is not as overwhelming as its appearance suggests.
• The fiend summons powerful ancient South Korean ghost warriors from its body. These warriors are far stronger than the earlier ghost soldiers, but the group destroys them efficiently:
  • The narrator uses Thunder Method, the Dark Axe, and Evil-Slaying Flowing Cloud.
  • Mao Jing cuts them down with fierce swordsmanship.
  • Zhang Yuchen relies on powerful, direct attacks.
  • Pan Ling provides support from behind.
• The Roof-Tile Fiend launches a final assault by loosening the palace roof tiles and sending them raining down like weapons.
• The narrator summons Senior Brother and Senior Sister from the Shadow Pouch. Senior Brother destroys the falling tiles with black lightning, while Senior Sister damages the palace gate with Frost Sword Aura.
• Through the opening created in the gate, the narrator discovers the fiend’s true body: a single blue-glowing Ghost-Faced Roof Tile hidden inside the palace.
• The narrator and the two seniors begin attacking the palace directly, causing it pain and proving that damaging the structure harms the fiend. The chapter ends as the Roof-Tile Fiend continues threatening them while suffering from their assault.

Character Developments

• The narrator demonstrates confidence, tactical awareness, and increasing combat ability. He recognizes that the palace is merely the fiend’s defensive shell and deliberately saves Senior Brother and Senior Sister for a surprise counterattack.
• Pan Ling acts as the group’s perceptive guide, identifying the palace and warning the others about the ghost energy in its attacks.
• Mao Jing continues to display precise and highly aggressive swordsmanship.
• Zhang Yuchen fights through overwhelming strength and straightforward attacks, contributing effectively despite using no elaborate technique.
• Senior Brother and Senior Sister reveal that they had already awakened during the battle. Their sudden appearance dramatically shifts the fight, demonstrating their loyalty and destructive power.
• The Roof-Tile Fiend is exposed as less powerful than its frightening appearance suggests. Its threats and bluster contrast with its vulnerability once its true body is discovered.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus reality: The enormous palace seems invincible, but it is ultimately only a shell concealing a single vulnerable roof tile.
• Teamwork and coordinated combat: Each member contributes a distinct ability, allowing the group to overcome the fiend’s large-scale attacks and summoned warriors.
• Courage against intimidation: The group refuses to be overwhelmed by the fiend’s monstrous form, relying on experience and determination.
• Strategic patience: The narrator hides Senior Brother and Senior Sister until the right moment, emphasizing preparation and surprise over reckless force.
• Exposing hidden weakness: The battle illustrates that even a terrifying enemy may be a trapped, defensive creature whose power can be neutralized by finding its core.

Character Interactions

• Pan Ling warns the others about the walls’ ghost energy, helping them avoid potentially fatal attacks.
• The narrator directs the group’s assault and urges everyone to kill the fiend.
• Mao Jing, Zhang Yuchen, and Pan Ling work in complementary roles while advancing through the summoned ghost warriors.
• The narrator calls on Senior Brother and Senior Sister at the critical moment, and both immediately respond to protect and assist him.
• Senior Brother mocks the Roof-Tile Fiend while destroying its attacks, while Senior Sister silently strikes at its gate.
• The fiend repeatedly insults and threatens the group, but its pain and desperation reveal that it is losing control of the battle.

Chapter Summary: “Kill Our Way In, Strike at Its True Body”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Roof-Tile Fiend attacks the group through ghostly hands emerging from the palace walls. Although dangerous-looking, these hands are weaker than the Tong Ghost Hand and do little to stop the exorcists.
• Jiang, Mao Jing, Pan Ling, Zhang Yuchen, and Fu attack the palace’s exterior. Pan Ling explains that the palace is merely the fiend’s outer body and that continued attacks are steadily draining its energy.
• Fu leaps onto the roof and bombards it with Thunder Method spells while taunting the fiend.
• Senior Sister proposes a more direct but dangerous strategy: break into the palace and attack the fiend’s true body, the Ghost-Faced Roof Tile.
• Jiang accepts the plan, and the group charges into the palace.
• Inside, they discover the Ghost-Faced Roof Tile suspended in green mist. The palace reacts violently, generating countless ghost-mist phantoms that attack them.
• Pan Ling uses the Yin-Yang Bagua Seal to defend three sides, but the overwhelming ghostly energy quickly strains her.
• Senior Sister casts the Cloud-Breaking Sword technique, using frost-infused sword energy to destroy the phantoms and create a narrow passage.
• Mao Jing leads the charge, using sword techniques and talismans to clear another path toward the Ghost-Faced Roof Tile.
• Jiang follows, enduring the powerful yin currents while Senior Sister protects the rear and the others maintain the formation.
• As the fiend panics and summons more ghost-mist creatures, Mao Jing uses Sword Cry and the Wind-Breaking Incantation to clear the final obstacle.
• Jiang reaches striking distance, leaps into the air, and prepares to attack the fiend’s true body with both his Dark Axe and sword.

Character Developments

• Jiang demonstrates decisiveness and leadership by quickly accepting the risky plan to attack the fiend’s core. He balances caution with the need to end the battle efficiently.
• Senior Sister shows strategic insight and battlefield control. She identifies the weakness of attacking only the outer body and takes responsibility for opening the path and guarding the group’s rear.
• Mao Jing acts as the vanguard, repeatedly clearing paths with powerful sword techniques and protecting Jiang’s advance.
• Pan Ling serves as the group’s defensive anchor, using the Yin-Yang Bagua Seal to hold back attacks despite being pushed to her limit.
• Zhang Yuchen protects the rear, helping prevent the group from being surrounded.
• Fu remains aggressive and impulsive, attacking the palace roof with Thunder Method spells while mocking the fiend, but his abilities and training make him an effective combatant.

Significant Themes

• Risk versus safety: Attacking the palace from outside is safer but slow, while entering it is highly dangerous yet offers the chance to destroy the fiend quickly.
• Teamwork and formation: Each fighter takes a specialized role—defense, vanguard, rear guard, or direct assault—allowing the group to advance despite overwhelming enemies.
• Striking at the source of evil: The chapter emphasizes that defeating an enemy’s outer form is less effective than locating and destroying its true core.
• Courage under pressure: The characters continue advancing despite the palace’s oppressive yin energy and endless ghostly attacks.

Character Interactions

• Senior Sister advises Jiang to abandon the slower exterior assault and target the Ghost-Faced Roof Tile directly; Jiang trusts her judgment.
• Jiang coordinates Mao Jing, Pan Ling, and Zhang Yuchen, establishing a unified attack.
• Pan Ling and Senior Sister work together defensively: Pan Ling blocks attacks from multiple directions while Senior Sister opens a path and later protects the rear.
• Mao Jing and Jiang form the attack spearhead, with Mao Jing clearing enemies so Jiang can reach the fiend’s core.
• The group communicates constantly during the assault, reinforcing their cooperation and mutual reliance.

Chapter Summary: “Breaking the Ability, Surrounded by Six”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ning attacks the Ghost-Faced Roof Tile with a Dark Axe and Evil-Slaying Flowing Cloud Sword while it is trapped in azure light.
• The Roof-Tile Fiend unleashes a powerful azure energy blast, but Jiang Ning identifies an Azure Crystal embedded in the tile as the source of its power.
• Using his full cultivation, Jiang Ning breaks through the azure attack and strikes the tile, destroying its illusionary palace and dispersing the surrounding Nether Evil Ghost Spirits.
• The Ghost-Faced Roof Tile survives and evades Jiang Ning’s attempt to seize it, counterattacking with azure energy that forces Jiang Ning, Mao Jing, and Senior Sister back.
• The fiend manifests as a handsome man wielding the Moon Blade and attempts to negotiate, repeatedly claiming that he does not want to fight.
• Because the group cannot understand his Korean, Pan Ling gives a rough and uncertain translation, which makes the others believe the fiend is threatening or provoking them.
• When the fiend continues resisting, Jiang Ning orders everyone to attack together. All six members unleash spells, talismans, sword techniques, fire, ice, and lightning.
• Overwhelmed and unable to fight the group directly, the Roof-Tile Fiend repeatedly dodges and begs them to stop, admitting that he was wrong and asking to be released.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ning demonstrates increased confidence and combat strength by personally breaking through the Azure Crystal’s energy and destroying the fiend’s palace illusion.
• His awareness and battle instincts improve when he quickly recognizes the Azure Crystal as the source of the Roof-Tile Fiend’s power.
• Senior Brother remains aggressive and impulsive, immediately wanting to fight the manifested fiend one-on-one, but Senior Sister restrains him and emphasizes the danger of the Azure Crystal.
• Senior Sister displays practical judgment, recognizing that teamwork is safer and more effective than individual combat.
• Mao Jing contributes to the group’s coordination by questioning Pan Ling about the enemy’s speech.
• Pan Ling tries to interpret the Korean fiend’s words despite understanding only a few phrases, but her uncertain translation contributes to the group’s decision to continue attacking.
• The Roof-Tile Fiend shifts from arrogance and threats to panic and pleading once its illusion is destroyed and it is surrounded by six powerful opponents.

Significant Themes

• Teamwork over individual strength: The group’s combined assault proves more effective than Senior Brother’s proposed one-on-one battle.
• Breaking illusions and exposing truth: Destroying the palace form reveals the fiend’s weaker true form and strips away its psychological advantage.
• Miscommunication and misunderstanding: The language barrier prevents the group from accurately understanding the fiend’s attempts at negotiation, escalating the conflict.
• Power versus strategy: Although the Azure Crystal grants the fiend significant energy and concealment abilities, it cannot compensate for the group’s superior numbers and coordinated attacks.
• Arrogance leading to vulnerability: The fiend initially boasts and attempts to control the situation, but quickly becomes desperate once its advantage disappears.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ning leads the decisive attack and is praised by the others after destroying the palace.
• Senior Brother pushes for a direct duel, while Senior Sister stops him and argues for a group assault.
• Mao Jing and the others rely on Pan Ling to interpret the fiend’s speech, though her incomplete understanding creates confusion.
• The group collectively decides that the fiend’s words are hostile and attacks together.
• The Roof-Tile Fiend repeatedly pleads with the Chinese group to stop fighting, creating an ironic contrast between its earlier arrogance and its current desperation.

Chapter Summary: Obtaining the Crystal Shard—Who Should We Hand Him Over To?

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group battles the Roof-Tile Fiend, whose cultivation is in the early-to-middle Spiritual Wisdom Realm.
• By activating the Azure Crystal, the Fiend temporarily raises his attack power to the peak of the Spiritual Wisdom Realm and blocks several attacks.
• However, he cannot use the crystal’s power continuously. Its cooldown grows longer as the battle continues, steadily reducing the threat he poses.
• Pan Ling wounds him first with three Runic Steel Needles, creating an opening for the others.
• The group attacks together, landing multiple sword strikes. The protagonist finishes the Fiend’s apparent body by smashing its head with Dark Axe.
• The destroyed body reveals the Fiend’s true form: another roof tile. Senior Brother shatters it, causing the Azure Crystal to fall free.
• The protagonist retrieves the fingernail-sized crystal, wraps it in a yellow talisman, and stores it safely.
• Although the weakened Ghost-Faced Roof Tile begs for its life, the group debates whether to kill it, hand it to South Korea, or deliver it to the Dragon Group.
• The protagonist decides to keep it alive and hand it over to the Dragon Group. This preserves the Dragon Group’s credit for the operation, strengthens their relationship, and allows the group to investigate how the Fiend acquired the Azure Crystal.
• As the ghostly fog and illusionary palaces disappear, the trapped outsiders—including Dragon Group members and South Korean experts—are finally able to reach the group.

Character Developments

• The protagonist demonstrates tactical judgment and political awareness. Rather than killing the defeated Fiend, he prioritizes future intelligence, cooperation with the Dragon Group, and preserving their role in the mission.
• Pan Ling proves her value by being the first to injure the Fiend despite being the weakest member of the group.
• Senior Brother remains aggressive and decisive, destroying the Fiend’s true roof-tile body and later repeatedly striking the weakened creature.
• Zhang Yuchen contributes by raising the practical question of what should be done with the captured Fiend.
• The Roof-Tile Fiend shifts from a threatening opponent to a helpless captive, pleading for mercy in Korean as his defenses collapse.
• The Dragon Group and South Korean forces are positioned to become involved in the aftermath, particularly concerning the crystal and the captured Fiend.

Significant Themes

• Pragmatism over vengeance: The group chooses not to kill an enemy immediately, recognizing that information and strategic benefits may be more valuable.
• Political cooperation and credit: The protagonist understands that allowing the Dragon Group to complete the mission strengthens alliances and gives them a stronger official report.
• The value of intelligence: The Azure Crystal’s origin and the Fiend’s method of obtaining it become important mysteries.
• Teamwork and changing power dynamics: The Fiend initially appears formidable, but coordinated attacks and patience expose the limits of his ability.
• Appearance versus reality: The handsome humanoid form conceals the Fiend’s true identity as a roof tile, reinforcing the danger of deceptive appearances.

Character Interactions

• The group coordinates its attacks, with Pan Ling creating the opening, the others overwhelming the Fiend, and the protagonist delivering the final blow to its apparent body.
• Senior Brother taunts and punishes the defeated Fiend after the battle, reflecting the group’s relief and triumph.
• Zhang Yuchen consults the protagonist about the captive’s fate, highlighting the protagonist’s leadership.
• The group agrees with the protagonist’s decision to preserve the Fiend for the Dragon Group and interrogation.
• The chapter ends as the Dragon Group and South Korean representatives emerge from the dissipating ghostly maze, setting up negotiations over the captured Fiend and the Azure Crystal.

Chapter Summary: “Shocked, Interrogating the Ghost-Faced Roof Tile”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the black mist disperses, the South Korean exorcists and the Chinese Dragon Group members discover that Jiang and his companions have defeated the powerful Ghost-Faced Roof-Tile Fiend.
• The South Koreans are stunned that people so young could defeat such a formidable evil entity, while the Dragon Group is relieved because it already has some understanding of Jiang’s group’s abilities.
• Captain Chen congratulates Jiang and arranges for Li Tao, who speaks Korean, to translate the interrogation.
• The Roof-Tile Fiend begs Jiang and the other Chinese cultivators to take it back to China, offering to become their slave rather than be handed over to the South Koreans.
• The South Korean exorcists angrily demand that the fiend be punished, calling it a national sinner.
• Captain Chen orders the South Koreans to withdraw so the Chinese can question the fiend privately. Park Budo initially objects, but eventually convinces his people to step back and avoid a confrontation.
• Jiang asks the Ghost-Faced Roof Tile where it obtained the Azure Crystal.
• The fiend claims that the crystal is the essence of its origin and says it gave it to Jiang as a gift. It then repeats its plea not to be returned to South Korea.

Character Developments

• Jiang and his companions demonstrate that their strength greatly exceeds the expectations of both the South Koreans and even some members of the Dragon Group. Their effortless defeat of the Roof-Tile Fiend establishes their growing power and authority.
• Captain Chen acts decisively and diplomatically. He protects Jiang’s group’s right to interrogate the fiend while preventing tensions with the South Koreans from escalating into violence.
• Park Budo shows political awareness by intervening when the Chinese forcefully remove the South Koreans. He understands that allowing a conflict would create serious problems.
• The Ghost-Faced Roof Tile shifts from a terrifying enemy to a frightened, submissive prisoner. Its desperation reveals both its fear of South Korean retaliation and its willingness to betray its former position to survive.
• Jiang remains focused and practical. Despite the fiend’s pleas and the surrounding conflict, his primary concern is learning the truth about the Azure Crystal.

Significant Themes

• Power and authority: Jiang’s group’s victory changes how others perceive them, giving them leverage over both the captured fiend and the South Korean exorcists.
• Political and national tension: The confrontation reflects rivalry between Chinese and South Korean supernatural forces, with both sides concerned about control over the captured entity.
• Survival and submission: The Roof-Tile Fiend’s willingness to become a slave illustrates how fear can drive even a powerful being to abandon pride and seek protection.
• Mystery of the Azure Crystal: The crystal is identified as the fiend’s “origin essence,” suggesting that it may be directly connected to its power, identity, and creation.
• Diplomacy versus force: Captain Chen balances firmness with restraint, using authority to secure the interrogation without allowing the situation to become an international conflict.

Character Interactions

• Jiang and Captain Chen exchange respectful greetings, with Captain Chen praising the group’s victory.
• Captain Chen calls on Li Tao to translate, establishing her as the communication link between the Chinese cultivators and the Korean-speaking fiend.
• The South Koreans verbally attack the Roof-Tile Fiend, while it ignores them and instead pleads directly with Jiang’s group.
• Captain Chen orders Park Budo and the South Korean exorcists to withdraw. Park challenges the order, but later explains it to his people as part of a sealing procedure.
• Jiang, surrounded by his companions and supported by Li Tao, directly interrogates the Roof-Tile Fiend about the Azure Crystal.
• The fiend answers that the crystal was the essence of its origin and insists that it gave it to Jiang voluntarily, while continuing to beg for protection.

Chapter Summary: “Origins, Martial City Museum”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Dragon Group interrogates the Ghost-Faced Roof Tile about the Azure Crystal embedded in his body.
• Under pressure from Jiang Ning, the artifact spirit reveals that he obtained the crystal five years earlier at the Martial City Museum in China.
• The Roof Tile had only recently developed consciousness after being excavated in South Korea and placed in the Seoul Museum. He was later transported to China for an exhibition.
• One night, he sensed the Azure Crystal’s attraction to ghosts and followed it to a construction site, where several people were fighting.
• The crystal’s injured owner eventually fled and collapsed in an alley. The Ghost-Faced Roof Tile stole the crystal and fused with it, gaining immense power and eventually acquiring a perfect human form.
• Empowered by the crystal, he spent the past year intimidating and killing people in South Korea, prompting the authorities to request the Dragon Group’s assistance.
• The Roof Tile identifies the crystal’s former owner as a Chinese man with a scorpion tattoo on his neck.
• Jiang Ning suspects the man may have been connected to the Huang Family of Southern Miao, one of the groups searching for Crystal Shards.
• Once the interrogation ends, the Dragon Group seals the Ghost-Faced Roof Tile. Li Tao is assigned responsibility for him.
• Captain Chen thanks Jiang Ning and the others and promises to arrange their earliest flight back to Mountain City, China.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ning becomes increasingly suspicious and decisive. He aggressively forces the Roof Tile to tell the truth and recognizes the possible connection between the crystal and the Huang Family.
• The Ghost-Faced Roof Tile is revealed to be an artifact spirit—or possibly a ghost possessing an artifact—whose power and human form were gained through the Azure Crystal. Despite his earlier arrogance and violence, he becomes terrified of being killed and begs to be taken to China.
• Li Tao acts as translator and intermediary, allowing the group to understand the Roof Tile’s history.
• Captain Chen demonstrates professionalism and gratitude, honoring his promise to help the group return to China.
• The Dragon Group members remain cautious and tactful, choosing not to question Jiang Ning about the crystal even after realizing he acquired it.

Significant Themes

• Power and corruption: The Azure Crystal grants extraordinary strength, but the Roof Tile’s power leads him to abuse others and commit murder.
• Origins and hidden connections: The crystal’s history reveals a possible link to the mysterious Huang Family and the broader struggle among supernatural factions to obtain Crystal Shards.
• Trust and secrecy: Jiang Ning and the Dragon Group conceal information from one another, while the Roof Tile’s testimony exposes only part of a larger mystery.
• Transformation and identity: The Roof Tile struggles to understand whether he is an awakened artifact or a ghost-bound spirit, while the crystal allows him to assume human form.
• Pragmatism: Once the group obtains the information they need, they lose interest in the Roof Tile, treating him as a problem to be contained rather than a person to be rescued.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ning threatens and interrogates the Roof Tile while Li Tao translates his responses.
• Mao Jing asks the crucial question about the crystal’s former owner, leading to the clue about the scorpion tattoo.
• The Dragon Group silently recognizes that Jiang Ning possesses the crystal but tactfully avoids demanding an explanation.
• Captain Chen formally thanks the group and arranges their return to China, closing the South Korean operation.

Chapter Summary: “Time to Go, Make the Arrangements Directly”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Zhien continues pursuing Mao Jing after being impressed by his appearance, power, and aloof demeanor. She exchanges contact information with others but clearly focuses her attention on Mao Jing.
• Mao Jing rejects her bluntly with a decisive “NO!” Despite her explanations about friendship, cultural exchange, and visiting China, he remains completely uninterested and ignores her attempts to communicate through a translation app.
• The narrator, Zhang Yuchen, and Pan Ling watch the awkward interaction and joke about Mao Jing’s overwhelming attractiveness and cold personality.
• Captain Chen returns with good news: Captain Park has arranged for the group to leave South Korea. A flight to China departs in a little over an hour, and the necessary arrangements have been made through higher authorities.
• The narrator enthusiastically asks Captain Chen to secure the earliest possible flight. Captain Chen assigns Li Tao to escort them while he and the remaining Dragon Group members stay behind to handle the aftermath of the recent battle.
• After saying goodbye to the Dragon Group and their temporary allies, the narrator calls his senior brother and sister back. They return to his shadow, while Mao Jing joins the departing group to escape Li Zhien’s persistent attention.
• Li Zhien is visibly frustrated when Mao Jing leaves without acknowledging her.
• Kim Dehuan and the other South Korean mystics offer a formal farewell. Although the narrator dislikes them, he responds politely in accordance with mystic-world customs.
• Li Tao drives the group back to the Mistglow Hall clubhouse to collect their luggage and bring Brother Wang and the other souls with them before heading to the airport for a direct flight to Mountain City.

Character Developments

• Mao Jing: His cold, detached personality is emphasized. He shows no interest in Li Zhien and remains emotionally unmoved by her flattering explanations and persistent efforts. His desire to leave is clear, especially because it allows him to escape her harassment.
• Li Zhien: Her admiration for Mao Jing becomes increasingly obvious. Even after rejection, she refuses to give up, revealing her persistence and thick-skinned nature. Her disappointment and resentment are apparent when Mao Jing ignores her.
• The narrator: He acts as an amused observer of the romantic tension while also taking responsibility for arranging the group’s return home. His relief and excitement show how exhausted he is after the long journey and battles.
• Zhang Yuchen: He recognizes Li Zhien’s unusual interest in Mao Jing and reacts with surprise at the idea that Mao Jing could be considered merely average-looking.
• Pan Ling: She teases the narrator and Zhang Yuchen about Li Zhien’s attention, while humorously downplaying her senior brother Mao Jing’s appearance.
• Captain Chen and Li Tao: They demonstrate practical leadership by coordinating the group’s safe departure and handling transportation and follow-up arrangements.
• The senior brother and sister: They return to the narrator’s shadow when called, signaling the group’s readiness to leave the battlefield and conclude their mission abroad.

Significant Themes

• Rejection and unrequited attraction: Li Zhien’s persistent pursuit of Mao Jing contrasts sharply with his complete lack of interest.
• Appearance and charisma: Mao Jing’s looks, power, and cold demeanor make him resemble an idealized drama protagonist, attracting attention even when he behaves indifferently.
• Comradeship and mutual respect: After fighting together, the various groups part as comrades, exchanging formal farewells despite personal dislike or political differences.
• Relief after hardship: The impending return home provides emotional release after nearly a month of travel, danger, combat, and escape.
• Duty and orderly closure: Captain Chen and the others prioritize logistical arrangements, ensuring the team, their belongings, and the souls in their care can return safely.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Zhien and Mao Jing: She repeatedly tries to engage him through translation, while he rejects and ignores her.
• The narrator, Zhang Yuchen, and Pan Ling: They joke about Li Zhien’s interest and debate Mao Jing’s striking appearance.
• The narrator and Captain Chen: The narrator receives confirmation that their return flight has been arranged and expresses gratitude.
• Captain Chen and Li Tao: Captain Chen delegates responsibility for escorting the departing group.
• The departing group and the Dragon Group/South Korean mystics: They exchange formal farewells, acknowledging their shared experience despite strained personal relationships.
• Mao Jing and Li Zhien: His decision to leave with the group finally ends her opportunity to continue pestering him, leaving her visibly upset.

Chapter Summary: “Time to Leave, Make the Arrangements Directly”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Zhien openly pursues Mao Jing, attracted by his handsome appearance, powerful abilities, and aloof demeanor. She repeatedly tries to gain his contact information and persuade him to deepen their friendship.
• Mao Jing rejects her bluntly with a single, decisive “No,” ignoring her continued explanations and attempts to communicate through a translation app.
• The narrator, Zhang Yuchen, and Pan Ling observe and comment on Li Zhien’s persistence and Mao Jing’s striking appearance. The lighthearted exchange helps ease the tension following the battle with the Roof-Tile Fiend.
• Captain Chen returns with good news: Captain Park has arranged for the group to leave South Korea. A flight to China departs in just over an hour, and arrangements can be made to delay it if necessary.
• The group decides to take the earliest possible flight home. Captain Chen stays behind with the Dragon Group to manage the aftermath, while Li Tao escorts the travelers.
• The narrator calls Mao Jing’s senior brother and senior sister back. They return to the narrator’s shadow, and Mao Jing joins the departing group to escape Li Zhien’s continued attention.
• The group exchanges formal farewells with the Dragon Group members, Kim Dehuan, and the other South Korean fighters, acknowledging their temporary comradeship despite lingering distrust.
• Li Tao drives them back to the Mistglow Hall clubhouse to collect their luggage and bring along Brother Wang and the other souls. They then head to the airport and fly directly to Mountain City.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Mao Jing remains cold, detached, and uninterested in romantic attention. His firm rejection of Li Zhien reinforces his emotionally distant personality and his fixation on his deceased senior sister.
• Li Zhien is shown to be persistent and shamelessly determined, continuing to pursue Mao Jing even after his clear refusal. Her disappointment becomes obvious when he leaves without acknowledging her.
• The narrator acts as an amused observer, recognizing Mao Jing’s appeal while also helping coordinate the group’s departure. His relaxed humor reflects the relief felt after the recent danger.
• Zhang Yuchen realizes that Li Zhien’s interest is directed at Mao Jing rather than himself, leaving him awkward and embarrassed after previously believing he had made progress with her.
• Pan Ling teases the narrator and Zhang Yuchen, while humorously insisting that Mao Jing’s appearance is merely “average.”
• Captain Chen and Captain Park demonstrate effective cooperation by arranging the group’s rapid return to China and dividing responsibilities between evacuation and handling the aftermath.
• The narrator’s senior brother and senior sister remain supernatural companions who return to his shadow before the group leaves.

Significant Themes

• Unrequited attraction and rejection: Li Zhien’s persistence contrasts sharply with Mao Jing’s complete lack of interest.
• Relief after danger: The group’s joking and casual observations mark a transition from the tension of battle to the comfort of returning home.
• Comradeship across boundaries: Although the narrator dislikes the South Korean team, both sides exchange respectful farewells after fighting together.
• Duty and cooperation: The Dragon Group prioritizes practical arrangements and post-battle responsibilities, ensuring the others can safely depart.
• Appearance versus personality: Mao Jing’s striking looks attract attention, but his cold and inaccessible nature makes him impossible for Li Zhien to approach emotionally.

Overall

The chapter serves as a transition from conflict to departure. After Mao Jing decisively rejects Li Zhien, Captain Chen confirms the group’s evacuation, and everyone prepares to return to China. The chapter closes with farewells, the recovery of their belongings and spirit companions, and their flight from South Korea to Mountain City.

Summary

After nearly a month of dangerous experiences overseas, the narrator returns to Mountain City from South Korea. He reflects on the battles and losses he has endured: destroying the Leng Family and killing the Qilian Mountains’ Snow Spirit King, treating his poisoned Master, fighting the Nine Chrysanthemum Sect and Japanese monks, obtaining the Abyssal Moon Soul, and escaping an ambush at Edo Harbor. Their supposed contact, “Big Brother,” betrayed them, leading to a deadly siege involving the Saiō, the Great Tengu, and the Nine Corpse Daoist. Wang Baoguo sacrifices himself so the others can escape. With help from the gang member Takahashi Masahiko, the group flees Japan through Kashima Port to Busan, where they part from Aoi Yui.
Despite serious injuries, exhaustion, and fractures, the narrator immediately focuses on saving his Master. Upon landing at the airport before dawn, he calls Uncle Yu and tells him that he has brought the crucial item needed for Xiao Yu to treat Master. He asks Uncle Yu to contact Aunt Tang and Team Leader Zhao so they can provide additional medical assistance afterward. Uncle Yu agrees to organize everything without delay.
The narrator’s companions refuse to return home and instead accompany him to the Nine Corpse Tower to check on Master. They drive through the rainy city and arrive at the school shortly after six in the morning. Uncle Yu, Third Master, Zhao Liansheng, and Aunt Tang are already waiting, having prepared for their arrival. Everyone is relieved that the group has returned and confirms that there is still enough time to save Master.
Led by Third Master, they pass through the Specimen Room and the Ghost Hand Passage into the Misty Ghost Domain. Third Master’s bronze ghost mask keeps the hostile yin souls away, allowing them to reach the bronze door leading to the Nine Corpse Tower. Inside, they encounter the tower’s oppressive hatred, enormous chains, haunted Blackwood Forest, and ghostly cries. Xiao Yu then emerges from the black mist in her white form, signaling the beginning of Master’s treatment.

Character Development and Interactions

• The narrator shows resilience and responsibility. Although badly injured and exhausted, he prioritizes Master’s treatment immediately after returning.
• Wang Baoguo’s sacrifice remains a major emotional influence, emphasizing the cost of the group’s escape.
• Aoi Yui is remembered as an ally who separated from the group in Busan and has not yet returned to Japan.
• Uncle Yu acts as a dependable organizer, immediately arranging medical support and welcoming the narrator home.
• Third Master demonstrates his practical expertise by guiding the group through the Ghost Hand Passage and using his bronze mask to protect them.
• The companions show loyalty by refusing to abandon the narrator or simply go home, choosing to accompany him to see Master.
• Xiao Yu’s appearance establishes her role as the key person capable of treating Master.

Significant Themes

• Survival and sacrifice: The group’s escape from Japan depends on Wang Baoguo’s death and the cooperation of unexpected allies.
• Loyalty and solidarity: The companions remain united despite exhaustion and danger, while the betrayal by “Big Brother” contrasts with genuine loyalty.
• Duty and urgency: The narrator’s first concern after returning is rescuing Master rather than resting or recovering himself.
• The supernatural and danger: The Nine Corpse Tower, ghosts, chains, and Misty Ghost Domain create an atmosphere of continuing peril even after the group returns home.
• Homecoming without peace: Returning to Mountain City brings relief, but the group must immediately face another urgent crisis—Master’s treatment.

Chapter Summary: “After a Month, Finally Back”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After nearly a month away, Jiang recalls the dangerous events in Japan and the Qilian Mountains:
  • Destroying the Leng Family of Yellow Springs Valley and killing the Snow Spirit King.
  • Traveling to Japan after his master was poisoned by Purple Ultimate Nether Saliva.
  • Fighting over the Abyssal Moon Soul, destroying the Nine Chrysanthemum Sect’s dojo, and battling Japanese monks on Mount Takao.
  • Confronting the Corpse Demon, known as the Great Tengu, and fleeing through several Japanese cities.
  • Being betrayed at Edo Harbor by the contact codenamed “Big Brother,” who arranged an ambush involving Saiō, the Nine Chrysanthemum Sect, Japanese monks, the Great Tengu, and the Nine Corpse Daoist.
  • Escaping only because Wang Baoguo sacrificed himself to cover their retreat.
  • Hiding with yakuza member Takahashi Masahiko and eventually escaping Japan through his connections.
  • Reaching Busan, South Korea, where the group parted from Aoi Yui.
• Jiang and his companions fly from Seoul back to Mountain City. Despite severe injuries and exhaustion, Jiang immediately contacts Uncle Yu after landing.
• He informs Uncle Yu that he has obtained the medicine needed to treat his poisoned master and asks him to arrange further medical support from Aunt Tang and Team Leader Zhao.
• Rather than resting, Jiang and the others drive through the early-morning rain to the Nine Corpse Tower.
• They meet Uncle Yu, Third Master, Zhao Liansheng, and Aunt Tang, who have been waiting for them.
• The group enters the Misty Ghost Domain through the Ghost Hand Passage and proceeds toward the Nine Corpse Tower.
• At the chapter’s end, Xiao Yu appears from the tower in a cloud of ghostly mist, signaling that Master’s treatment is about to begin.

Character Developments

• Jiang demonstrates endurance and determination. Although badly injured and physically exhausted, he prioritizes saving his master over resting.
• Wang Baoguo is remembered as a heroic figure whose self-sacrifice made the group’s escape possible.
• Aoi Yui remains emotionally significant to the group, though she has been left behind at sea and has not yet returned to Japan.
• Uncle Yu continues acting as a dependable coordinator, keeping track of the group and immediately organizing Master’s treatment.
• The returning companions show strong loyalty by refusing to go home and rest, choosing instead to accompany Jiang to the Nine Corpse Tower.
• Xiao Yu is positioned as the key person capable of using the medicine to treat Jiang’s poisoned master.

Significant Themes

• Survival and sacrifice: The group’s escape depends on Wang Baoguo’s death, emphasizing the cost of their survival.
• Loyalty and companionship: Despite exhaustion and danger, the companions remain united and support Jiang’s mission.
• Betrayal and mistrust: The betrayal by “Big Brother” reinforces the danger of relying on supposed allies.
• Perseverance and duty: Jiang’s immediate return to his master’s side shows his determination to fulfill his responsibilities despite his injuries.
• Transition from war to recovery: After a month of violent battles, the group finally returns home, but the supernatural danger remains as they enter the Nine Corpse Tower.

Character Interactions

• Jiang speaks with Uncle Yu by phone, informing him of his return and coordinating Master’s treatment.
• His companions reject his suggestion that they rest separately, insisting on staying with him because of everything they have endured together.
• Jiang reunites with Uncle Yu, Third Master, Zhao Liansheng, and Aunt Tang, all of whom express relief and urgency.
• Third Master guides the group through the Ghost Hand Passage and uses his bronze ghost mask to repel the spirits in the Misty Ghost Domain.
• The group converges with Xiao Yu before the Nine Corpse Tower, setting up the next stage of the master’s treatment.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Yu’s true spirit manifests from the black fog, confirming that her physical body remains trapped inside the Nine Corpse Tower within the bronze tower.
• Jiang Ning presents the Eight-Foot Jade Magatama, retrieved from Japan as the needed Spirit-Guarding Treasure.
• The artifact reacts to Xiao Yu’s yin energy, turning deep purple and releasing powerful purple lightning.
• Xiao Yu identifies the magatama as a counterpart to the Violet Lightning Crystal, one of the Nine Luminaries Crystals, though it contains more impurities.
• She confirms that the artifact can cure Taoist Song’s Violet Apex Nether Saliva Poison, which has left him hanging in Yinwood Forest for nearly a month.
• Xiao Yu leads the group through the dangerous forest, where ghost vines, dark trees, hanged ghosts, and evil spirits surround them.
• They reach Master Song, suspended inside a vine cocoon beneath a giant dark tree, and announce that he can finally be saved.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ning proves his importance and competence by successfully recovering the Eight-Foot Jade Magatama.
• Xiao Yu demonstrates her expertise, authority, and continued concern for the group, immediately assessing the artifact and identifying its healing power.
• Uncle Yu remains anxious and bluntly humorous about his senior brother’s condition, emphasizing both his concern and his irreverent personality.
• The group’s relief and excitement show how deeply they care about Master Song’s survival after a month of uncertainty.
• Xiao Yu’s limited manifestation highlights her own unresolved predicament: she can project only her true spirit because her physical body is still confined.

Significant Themes

• Hope after prolonged suffering: The discovery of the artifact offers a possible end to Master Song’s month-long ordeal.
• Connections between Chinese and Japanese mystical traditions: The magatama’s relationship to the Violet Lightning Crystal suggests that powerful spiritual treasures share a common origin or lineage.
• Hidden power in legendary artifacts: The famous Japanese national treasure is revealed to possess tremendous supernatural abilities.
• Sacrifice and danger: The characters reflect on how difficult the earlier battles would have been without Xiao Yu’s intervention, reinforcing the risks they face.
• Loyalty and perseverance: The group’s continued efforts to save Master Song demonstrate their commitment despite the dangers of the Abyssal Moon Soul Shrine and Yinwood Forest.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ning joyfully greets Xiao Yu and hands her the magatama.
• The surrounding members warmly welcome Xiao Yu, treating her as a trusted companion and leader.
• Xiao Yu gently asks Jiang Ning whether he obtained the Spirit-Guarding Treasure, then reassures everyone that Master Song can be cured.
• Zhao Liansheng, Aunt Tang, and Uncle Yu react with astonishment when the artifact releases purple lightning.
• Uncle Yu presses Xiao Yu to act quickly, joking that otherwise they may need to hire someone to care for Song Decai.
• Senior Brother, Senior Sister, and Uncle Yu call out to Master Song at the end, cheerfully telling him that his ordeal is finally coming to an end.

Chapter Summary: “Spirit Eye Opening, Twin-Qi Purity Separation Method”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Master Song is revealed after being lowered from the Yin Ghost Vine. His body is covered in purple veins, showing that the Purple Ultimate Nether Saliva has spread dangerously far.
• Xiao Yu warns that Master has only a few days left and orders Jiang Ning to place him in the Black Spring Water, a deadly pool formed from resentment and deathly energy.
• Xiao Yu uses the Eight-Foot Jade Magatama to summon powerful violet lightning and lowers it into the spring while reciting an ancient pre-Qin incantation.
• The Black Spring Water boils and becomes filled with lightning. The surrounding ghosts awaken and scream, while the others retreat because of the overwhelming yin and electrical energy.
• Xiao Yu carefully isolates Master from the destructive energy while using the spring and the magatama to extract the poison from his body.
• Zhao Liansheng recognizes the technique as resembling the Heavenly Doctor’s legendary Twin-Qi Purity Separation and Toxin Extraction Method, a method supposedly requiring the level of a Heavenly Doctor.
• As the treatment continues, the Black Spring Water steadily decreases, and Xiao Yu’s spirit begins to grow faint from exhausting her power.

Character Developments

• Xiao Yu demonstrates extraordinary medical and spiritual abilities, proving capable of using a technique beyond what even a Heavenly Doctor’s descendant expected from her. Her willingness to expend her own strength emphasizes her determination to save Master.
• Master Song is shown to be on the verge of death, with the poison having nearly consumed his entire body. His survival depends entirely on Xiao Yu’s intervention.
• Jiang Ning acts obediently and attentively, carrying Master into the spring and observing the treatment with concern.
• Zhao Liansheng gains renewed admiration for Xiao Yu. As a descendant of the Heavenly Doctor, he is shocked that she can perform a technique associated with the highest level of his family’s medical tradition.
• Pan Ling provides an explanation of Xiao Yu’s method, helping the others understand that Xiao Yu is controlling and isolating the energy rather than simply exposing Master to destructive lightning.
• The senior disciples are frightened by the power released and retreat, highlighting the gap between ordinary practitioners and Xiao Yu.

Significant Themes

• Extraordinary healing and sacrifice: Saving Master requires Xiao Yu to expend a large portion of her own spiritual power.
• Mastery over dangerous forces: Xiao Yu combines Black Spring Water, violet lightning, yin energy, and the Eight-Foot Jade Magatama without allowing them to destroy Master.
• Hidden power and exceptional talent: Xiao Yu’s abilities exceed established expectations, suggesting that she possesses knowledge or power comparable to legendary Heavenly Doctors.
• Life and death: The deathly spring and awakened ghosts contrast with Xiao Yu’s attempt to pull Master back from the brink of death.
• Awe and recognition: The witnesses’ reactions emphasize the rarity and greatness of Xiao Yu’s technique.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Yu gives Jiang Ning direct instructions, and he immediately carries Master out and places him in the Black Spring Water.
• Xiao Yu silently controls the treatment while the others watch from a safe distance.
• Pan Ling interprets Xiao Yu’s actions for the group, explaining how she shields Master from the energy field.
• Zhao Liansheng compares Xiao Yu’s method to the Heavenly Doctor’s legendary technique and openly praises her ability.
• The group’s fear and admiration grow as they realize that Xiao Yu is using a highly advanced method while gradually exhausting herself.

Chapter Summary: “Very Worried, a Blessing in Disguise?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The narrator and the others attempt to cure Master Song of the Violet Apex Nether Saliva Poison using the Black Spring Water and the Eight-Foot Jade Magatama’s Violet Lightning.
• The treatment requires enormous amounts of energy. Violet poison mist is extracted from Master’s body and stains the Black Spring Water purple.
• The lightning causes numerous cracks and bleeding wounds to appear across Master’s skin, making everyone fear that the treatment itself might endanger his life.
• Despite their concern, the group prioritizes expelling the poison. The poison’s violet capillaries gradually fade, showing that the treatment is succeeding.
• Xiao Yu becomes increasingly translucent from the massive spiritual-energy expenditure required to control the process.
• After roughly half an hour, Xiao Yu calms the Black Spring Water and the Violet Lightning, successfully extracting all of the poison from Master’s body.
• Xiao Yu warns that Master has absorbed some of the Magatama’s Violet Lightning energy. While unconscious, this power could erupt unpredictably, so the Eight-Foot Jade Magatama must remain with him to keep the energy balanced.
• The group realizes that Master’s near-fatal poisoning may have resulted in a major improvement to his strength.

Character Developments

• Master Song: His condition improves dramatically as the poison is removed, though he remains unconscious and covered in wounds. He has also absorbed Violet Lightning, potentially giving him a powerful new ability.
• The narrator: Remains focused on saving Master’s life, reassures the others, and becomes extremely pleased upon learning that Master may gain control over Violet Lightning.
• Eldest Senior Brother: Shows intense anxiety over Master’s bleeding wounds and fears the treatment may kill him.
• Second Senior Sister: Worries about the scars Master may retain after recovering, prompting the narrator to mention the Beauty-Preserving Medicine obtained from South Korean officials.
• Xiao Yu: Demonstrates tremendous control and endurance, using her spiritual power to extract the poison and stabilize the conflicting energies, though the process severely drains her.
• Pan Ling and Zhao Liansheng: Recognize the signs of success as Master’s aura stabilizes, helping confirm that the treatment worked.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and healing: Saving Master requires enduring severe physical damage and consuming enormous spiritual energy, emphasizing the painful cost of recovery.
• Worry versus hope: The characters initially fear that Master may die from the treatment, but their anxiety turns into excitement when his condition stabilizes.
• Disaster becoming opportunity: Master’s poisoning not only is cured but may also grant him the ability to wield Violet Lightning, transforming a crisis into a blessing.
• Loyalty and dependence: The narrator views Master as a vital source of support and sees Master’s potential increase in strength as almost equivalent to gaining strength personally.
• Power and transformation: The contrast between ordinary lightning and Violet Lightning highlights the possibility of Master reaching a much higher level of cultivation.

Character Interactions

• The narrator reassures Eldest Senior Brother that Master’s wounds are secondary to saving his life.
• Second Senior Sister raises concerns about Master’s future appearance, and the narrator comforts her by offering the Beauty-Preserving Medicine.
• Xiao Yu gives the group a clear warning about the dangers of the Violet Lightning remaining in Master’s body and instructs them to keep the Magatama with him.
• The surrounding companions celebrate Master’s recovery, with Zhao Liansheng and others expressing relief and confidence that he will survive.
• The group collectively shifts from fear over Master’s worsening injuries to excitement over the possibility that he has gained a powerful new source of strength.

Chapter Summary: “Leaving, the Two-Year Term Had Ended”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Yu announces that the group’s two-year term has ended, prompting everyone to prepare to leave.
• Master Song Decai is rescued from the Black Spring after surviving the Violet Lightning’s poison and apparently absorbing its power. His body is covered in severe wounds, but Zhao Liansheng provides medicine, and Aunt Tang treats him.
• Xiao Yu asks for the Black Umbrella so it can recover the energy she expended while manifesting. The narrator also gives her an Azure Crystal Shard obtained in South Korea, which will strengthen the seal around the Abyss Ghost Cave.
• The Bronze Nine Corpse Tower suddenly shakes as black resentful energy emerges and the surrounding ghosts become restless. Xiao Yu explains that the Five-Element Fiend Corpse used to sustain the seal is nearly depleted after roughly two years.
• Because the seal is weakening, another powerful fiend corpse must be found and placed in the Seal Coffin. Without one, Xiao Yu’s true body cannot leave the Nine Corpse Tower and the Great Fiend may eventually escape.
• The wounded Master is carried by Uncle Yu, and the group says goodbye to Xiao Yu before heading toward the bronze gate.
• As they leave, the Nine Corpse Tower continues to shake, its chains rattle, and nine-colored light from the Crystal Shards activates, emphasizing the ongoing danger beneath the tower.

Character Developments

• The narrator recognizes that he remains too weak to assist Xiao Yu and resolves to become stronger. Though injured and reluctant to leave her, he accepts that she must continue guarding the seal.
• Xiao Yu remains self-sacrificing and responsible, continuing to protect everyone and contain the Great Fiend despite being unable to leave. Her concern for the narrator’s injuries reveals her emotional attachment and care.
• Master Song Decai survives a major ordeal involving the Black Spring and Violet Lightning, though he is left badly injured. His survival is treated with both relief and Uncle Yu’s humorous irritation.
• The group demonstrates cooperation: Zhao Liansheng supplies medicine, Aunt Tang treats Master, Uncle Yu carries him, and everyone respectfully bids farewell to Xiao Yu.

Significant Themes

• Duty and sacrifice: Xiao Yu must remain behind to guard the seal, sacrificing her freedom for the safety of the group and the wider world.
• Separation and emotional attachment: The narrator and Xiao Yu part reluctantly, aware that their responsibilities force them apart.
• The passage of time: The unexpected end of the two-year term reveals how quickly time has passed and how temporary their previous solution was.
• Growing responsibility and strength: The narrator understands that survival and reunion depend on becoming stronger and eventually helping Xiao Yu.
• Fragile containment of evil: The weakening seal and restless Great Fiend show that danger is only temporarily suppressed, not eliminated.

Character Interactions

• The narrator thanks Xiao Yu for her help and gives her the Black Umbrella and Azure Crystal Shard.
• Xiao Yu expresses concern over the narrator’s chaotic energy and hidden injuries, urging him to rest.
• The group exchanges respectful farewells with Xiao Yu, calling her “Big Sister Yu,” “Miss Bai,” and “Sister Bai.”
• The narrator and Xiao Yu share a final silent exchange of mutual reluctance and understanding before he turns away and leaves with the others.

Chapter Summary: “Going to the Hospital, Out of Danger”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After parting from Xiao Yu, Jiang quickly escapes Blackwood Forest with Third Master and the others.
• The Bronze Gate closes behind them, sealing away the hatred-filled aura inside the forest.
• Wearing an evil ghost mask, Third Master leads the group safely through the sleeping Misty Evil Ghosts and the Misty Ghost Domain. Jiang no longer needs to use the Phoenix-Pattern Jade Pendant.
• They pass through the Ghost Hand Passage and return to the Specimen Room, where Uncle Yu is exhausted from carrying Master.
• Jiang takes Master onto his own back and carries him out of the Experimental Building. By daylight, they reach the car and begin the journey home.
• Jiang’s senior brother and sister hide within his shadow again.
• After returning, Jiang tells Mao Jing, Zhang Yuchen, and Pan Ling to rest. The group agrees to deal with the hundreds of compatriot ghosts they rescued and eventually send them onward. They also plan to return Brother Wang to his hometown after Master recovers.
• Jiang drives Master, Uncle Yu, Aunt Tang, and Zhao Liansheng to the Second Hospital. Master is admitted for rehabilitation and further care.
• Jiang applies medicine supplied by South Korean officials to Master, preventing severe scarring. He divides the remaining medicine between Zhao Liansheng and Aunt Tang as repayment for their help.
• Zhao Liansheng leaves to report back, while Aunt Tang stays with Master.
• In the smoking room, Uncle Yu tells Jiang that he has reunited with his deceased family members. By following the grandmaster’s instructions and submitting petitions to South Spring Academy, he has secured permission for them to remain in the world temporarily.

Character Developments

• Jiang demonstrates responsibility and gratitude. He personally carries Master to safety, arranges his hospitalization, and repays Zhao Liansheng and Aunt Tang for their assistance.
• Master is confirmed to be out of immediate danger, though he still requires rehabilitation.
• Uncle Yu has undergone a major emotional transformation. His former resentment toward Grandmaster has become sincere respect, remorse, and gratitude after being reunited with his deceased loved ones.
• Aunt Tang remains closely involved in Master’s recovery, reinforcing her emotional bond with him and her loyalty to the group.
• Zhao Liansheng continues to fulfill his official duties while also showing personal concern for Master and the others.
• Mao Jing, Zhang Yuchen, and Pan Ling willingly take responsibility for the rescued ghosts, emphasizing their reliability and compassion.

Significant Themes

• Rescue and survival: The group escapes a dangerous supernatural environment and successfully brings Master home alive.
• Gratitude and repayment: Jiang gives valuable medicine to those who protected and cared for Master, showing that loyalty and assistance should be reciprocated.
• Reconciliation and forgiveness: Uncle Yu’s reunion with his family and Grandmaster’s forgiveness allow him to let go of past anger and regret.
• Family and bonds beyond death: The chapter highlights the continuing emotional connections between the living and the dead.
• Transition from danger to recovery: The group moves from a perilous supernatural mission into a calmer period of medical treatment, rest, and emotional reflection.

Character Interactions

• Jiang and his companions cooperate closely during their escape and later divide responsibilities for Master and the rescued ghosts.
• Jiang reassures Mao Jing, Zhang Yuchen, and Pan Ling that they may rest, while they affirm their willingness to complete the task of sending the ghosts onward.
• Jiang’s exchange with Zhao Liansheng and Aunt Tang reflects mutual trust and gratitude, with each side having previously provided lifesaving aid.
• Uncle Yu’s conversation with Jiang reveals his renewed happiness and his remorse toward Grandmaster. His bow toward the west symbolizes sincere repentance and respect.
• Aunt Tang’s decision to remain at Master’s bedside suggests deepening affection and commitment between them.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Uncle Yu explains that his long-standing emotional “knot” involving his sister-in-law and brother has finally been resolved. His family has reunited, though they only have about three months together before the deceased must descend to the underworld.
• Senior Lu has largely recovered after his recent death. The Lu Family is arranging his funeral and selecting a new successor, while dealing with continued interference from the Southern Monkey faction of the Great Vietnam Court.
• Uncle Yu plans to bring Xiao Rou and his son to the South of the Ridges once Song Decai awakens, so they can eventually descend with Senior Lu.
• The narrator tells Uncle Yu that he intends to visit Brother Wang in the Lu Territory of Shandong. He explains that Brother Wang used Talisman Unraveling to help them and has been kept inside the Heaven-and-Earth Bag ever since.
• Uncle Yu warns that although Talisman Unraveling does not destroy a soul, it severely injures it. He advises the narrator to give Brother Wang some Yin Spring to help restore his soul.
• After discussing their experiences in Japan, the narrator leaves the hospital. His senior brother and sister remain behind to care for Master.
• On the drive back to the Big Fish Fishing Gear Store, the narrator video-calls Grandpa. Grandpa is patrolling the mountains with Black Emperor and quietly reassures him before ending the call.
• The narrator reflects on Grandpa’s mysterious identities as one of the Cuban Remnants, the current High Priest, and a Mortal-Realm Patrolman. He believes Grandpa’s special position and the narrator’s birth prevent Grandpa from explaining the Arcane Sect or teaching him its arts.
• Imagining a peaceful future with Xiao Yu, Master, Grandpa, and his friends, the narrator recognizes that he must eventually reach the Supreme Peak to resolve everything and achieve that life.
• Returning to the store after more than a month, he cleans himself up spiritually by offering incense to Grandmaster, rests, and sleeps deeply.
• The next morning, he opens the Heaven-and-Earth Bag and releases Brother Wang’s soul. Brother Wang appears dazed and unresponsive, so the narrator lights incense and candles, holds Yin Spring, and calls out to him.

Character Developments

• Uncle Yu experiences relief and emotional fulfillment after his family is reunited, showing that his old grief has finally eased.
• The narrator demonstrates increasing responsibility and compassion by caring for Brother Wang’s damaged soul and planning to visit him personally. He also becomes more aware of the burdens Grandpa has carried for his sake.
• Brother Wang is revealed to have sacrificed decades for his country and to have suffered serious spiritual damage after using Talisman Unraveling. His confused condition suggests that recovery will be difficult.
• Grandpa remains mysterious but is portrayed as protective and quietly affectionate. His limited communication reflects both his unusual status and the restrictions surrounding the narrator’s origins.
• The narrator’s senior brother and senior sister continue supporting Master by staying at the hospital after the narrator leaves.

Significant Themes

• Family reunion and closure: Uncle Yu’s happiness comes from regaining his family, even temporarily, emphasizing that a brief reunion can still be deeply meaningful.
• Sacrifice and patriotism: Brother Wang’s decades abroad and continued service even after death present him as a heroic figure who endured immense hardship for his country.
• Spiritual injury and healing: The damage caused by Talisman Unraveling highlights the costs of supernatural power and the need for care and restoration.
• Hidden identities and burdens: Grandpa’s concealed role and the narrator’s mysterious birth suggest deeper secrets governing the narrator’s fate.
• Hope for an ordinary life: The narrator dreams of returning home, living peacefully with loved ones, and enjoying simple activities such as fishing, gardening, and drinking with friends.
• Cultivation and destiny: The narrator understands that reaching the Supreme Peak is necessary before he can end the current troubles and realize his hoped-for future.

Character Interactions

• The narrator and Uncle Yu share a long, trusting conversation about family, Senior Lu, Brother Wang, and their recent experiences in Japan. Uncle Yu acts as both adviser and protector.
• The narrator and Grandpa have a brief but warm video call. Grandpa avoids discussing deeper matters, instead telling him to drive safely.
• The narrator and Brother Wang reunite at the end of the chapter, though Brother Wang is disoriented and unable to respond. The narrator begins the process of restoring him with incense, candles, and Yin Spring.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ning awakens Brother Wang, whose mind and soul are still unstable after using Talisman Unraveling to sacrifice himself and help the group escape Japan.
• Brother Wang initially speaks incoherently, believing they are still fleeing toward the docks and that the mission is unfinished. Jiang Ning reassures him that they have safely returned to China.
• Jiang Ning gives him Yin Spring, which calms his chaotic soul and restores his awareness.
• Brother Wang learns that the others survived and that he is now a ghostly spirit rather than a living man. Jiang Ning promises to take him back to Shandong so he can see his wife and child.
• Brother Wang accepts his death peacefully, believing that sacrificing himself to protect Jiang Ning—one of China’s future leaders in the Arcane Sect—was worthwhile.
• Jiang Ning takes him to a Mountain City hotpot restaurant, where they share a meal and drinks. Jiang Ning uses incense and Yin Spring to help sustain Brother Wang.
• Brother Wang notices the oppressive power of Grandmaster’s spirit tablet, which Jiang Ning covers with a red cloth so Brother Wang can pass safely.
• The two then go to the hospital to visit Jiang Ning’s injured master. Brother Wang wants to meet the person for whom they risked entering Japan.

Character Developments

• Brother Wang is shown to be selfless, courageous, and spiritually composed despite his death. His concern for his family remains strong, but he considers his sacrifice meaningful and refuses to let Jiang Ning feel guilty.
• Jiang Ning displays deep gratitude, grief, and responsibility toward Brother Wang. He tries to comfort him materially and emotionally, determined to give him a final experience of warmth and family before returning him home.
• Jiang Ning’s master and Grandmaster remain physically absent or incapacitated, but their spiritual and doctrinal influence is emphasized through the powerful spirit tablet and Jiang Ning’s inherited techniques.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and duty: Brother Wang views his death as a necessary sacrifice for the survival of others and the future of China’s Arcane Sect.
• The meaning of death: The chapter contrasts death as a tragic loss with death as an honorable act that carries lasting value.
• Family and closure: Brother Wang’s desire to see his wife and child reflects the emotional cost of his sacrifice and his need for peace.
• Gratitude and remembrance: Jiang Ning’s efforts to share food, incense, and companionship show his determination to honor Brother Wang.
• Tradition and spiritual power: The Grandmaster’s tablet and Jiang Ning’s combination of upright and darker techniques highlight the weight of inheritance and the different paths within arcane cultivation.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ning repeatedly reassures Brother Wang and helps him regain stability through conversation and Yin Spring.
• Brother Wang comforts Jiang Ning, insisting that his death was worthwhile and that Jiang Ning should not blame himself.
• Their shared hotpot meal creates a brief, human moment of friendship and gratitude despite Brother Wang’s ghostly state.
• Brother Wang questions Jiang Ning about his Grandmaster, his lineage, and his cultivation, revealing his respect for the spiritual power of the household.
• The chapter ends with both men visiting Jiang Ning’s master, setting up Brother Wang’s first meeting with the person whose rescue motivated their dangerous mission.