Chapter Summaries

• The group decides to seek justice. Uncle Tie Zhu and Auntie Liu fear that confronting the powerful residents of Taiyun Villa will bring trouble on their visitors. They offer to leave the city and let the matter go, but Jiang insists that Qiong Wuliang must be held accountable for using curses and harming others. The group leaves despite the couple’s continued concern, promising to visit again the next day.
• Jiang questions the two braided ghosts. While waiting for a car, he learns that Qiong Wuliang has forty-two other slave ghosts. The ghosts explain that they were buried as sacrifices for Hesheli Antai, a high-ranking Qing official, and were freed when Qiong dug up their Slave Stele a year earlier.
• A dangerous discovery emerges. Antai’s tomb was never fully opened. Qiong and his men reached only the outer chambers; Antai’s guards killed more than ten intruders, and Qiong escaped with the stele and some burial goods. Antai and his son Wenling remain buried inside and are reportedly close to becoming Ghost Immortals. Jiang begins wondering whether their bodies might still be intact—and usable.
  Character developments and interactions: Jiang remains resolute and morally motivated, while Uncle Tie Zhu and Auntie Liu show their generosity by prioritizing the group’s safety over their own grievance. Zhang Yuchen tries to reassure them with a joking claim about “licenses to kill,” prompting alarm; Pan Ling rebukes him, and Jiang clarifies that the group will act according to Daoist rules. Mao Jing contributes knowledge about Qing tombs and asks whether Antai’s coffin was disturbed.
  Themes: The chapter contrasts caution with the pursuit of justice, emphasizes responsibility for preventing future harm, and introduces the dangers of disturbing burial sites—especially when powerful supernatural beings may still reside within them.

After Uncle Tie Zhu and Auntie Liu warn Jiang’s group not to confront the powerful residents of Taiyun Villa District, Jiang and his companions reassure them that they will handle the matter according to Daoist rules. The couple would rather abandon their grievances than put their visitors in danger, but Jiang insists that letting the culprit go would leave others vulnerable to the abuse of curse techniques. The group leaves the Antique Appraisal Studio late at night, taking the two captured Braided Ghosts with them.
On the way, Jiang asks how many Slave Ghosts Qiong Wuliang still controls. The ghosts say forty-two remain, then reveal that they were buried to accompany Hesheli Antai, a distinguished Qing official who died during the Qianlong era. Antai’s eldest son arranged the burial, and the ghosts were freed only a year ago, when Qiong Wuliang unearthed their Slave Stele.
Mao Jing asks whether Antai’s coffin was also disturbed. One ghost explains that Qiong Wuliang opened only an outer chamber; Antai and his son Wenling remain in the inner tomb, where they are nearing Ghost Immortal status. Antai’s guards killed most of Qiong’s party, forcing him to flee with the stele and a few burial goods. Jiang realizes that the tomb may still contain intact bodies—and begins wondering whether they could be used.
Character developments and interactions: Jiang shows resolve and a strong sense of responsibility, while Tie Zhu and Auntie Liu reveal their kindness and fear for their friends’ safety. Zhang Yuchen’s joke about “licenses to kill” alarms them, prompting Pan Ling to rebuke him and Jiang to clarify their methods. Mao Jing contributes knowledge of Qing tombs and asks probing questions that uncover the tomb’s secrets.
Themes: The chapter contrasts compassion with fear, emphasizes accountability for supernatural abuse, and introduces the dangerous potential of ancient tombs and the pursuit of power.

Key plot points and events

• The two Qing-dynasty ghosts confirm that the lord and his son remain in the Antai Great Tomb near Capital City, where they pursue immortality by absorbing living people. Jiang decides to investigate the tomb after dealing with more urgent business.
• The group travels to Taiyun Villa District to confront the evil cultivator and grave robber hiding in Villa 31.
• The ghosts identify the villa and help disrupt its surveillance. Jiang and his companions scale the outer wall, then enter the courtyard.
• The ghosts beg to be released, fearing their master’s punishment, but Zhang Yuchen ties them to a stone table.
• Inside, the group hears the Qiong family drinking and boasting about its power and protection by “Uncle Wuliang.” Jiang kicks in the door, beginning the confrontation.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang decides to pursue the Antai tomb, but prioritizes the immediate threat in Tai City. He also plans to reconnect with Aisin Gioro Fuwang, whose local knowledge and assistance could help with the tomb.
• Mao Jing quickly understands Jiang’s intention to investigate the tomb, showing their familiarity and shared judgment.
• Zhang Yuchen is eager about a possible trip to Capital City, but also voices concern about being caught on camera. He takes charge of the captured ghosts, using them to interfere with surveillance and then restraining them.
• The two ghosts cooperate out of fear, identifying their master’s location while pleading for protection from his retaliation.
• The Qiong family is introduced as arrogant and confident, boasting of its influence and the protection of Uncle Wuliang.

Significant themes

• Duty versus curiosity: Jiang postpones investigating the mysterious tomb to address the immediate danger in Tai City.
• Power and intimidation: The Qiong family’s confidence reflects the influence of wealth, family status, and powerful protectors.
• Coercion and survival: The ghosts assist the group not out of loyalty, but because they are trapped between their master and their captors.
• Preparation and alliance: Jiang recognizes that local connections—especially Fuwang’s—could make a dangerous future mission more manageable.

Plot points and events

• The narrator’s group breaks into a lavish villa and recognizes the familiar earthy odor of tombs, suggesting its valuables may have been looted from ancient graves.
• They confront Fatty Qiong, the thug who arranged an attack on them, and his uncle, an elderly man linked to ghostly servants.
• Fatty Qiong boasts of his uncle’s protection and threatens the group, even making a vile remark about Pan Ling. His uncle, however, cautions that the intruders are no ordinary people.
• When Fatty Qiong orders his men to attack, Zhang Yuchen quickly knocks down the six or seven thugs.
• The narrator deliberately holds back from immediately overpowering the uncle, hoping to break his confidence and extract information about a great Qing Dynasty tomb.
• The uncle produces a carved stone tablet and summons a horde of ghosts, which appear throughout the villa as the chapter ends.

Character development

• The narrator remains composed and strategic, treating the confrontation as an opportunity to obtain information rather than simply a fight.
• Zhang Yuchen demonstrates formidable physical ability and control, defeating the attackers quickly while avoiding lethal force.
• Fatty Qiong reveals his cruelty and entitlement, but his confidence collapses once his thugs are defeated.
• The uncle appears experienced and cautious, yet relies on supernatural power when ordinary force fails.

Character interactions

• Fatty Qiong recognizes the group and urges his uncle to punish them, while insulting and threatening Pan Ling.
• The uncle acknowledges the group’s abilities but dismisses their threat until Zhang Yuchen defeats his men.
• The group’s show of force leaves Fatty Qiong frightened and forces his uncle into a supernatural counterattack.

Significant themes

• Power and intimidation: Fatty Qiong’s threats fail when confronted with the group’s strength.
• Strategy over brute force: The narrator seeks to undermine the uncle psychologically and gain information.
• The supernatural and the past: Tomb-like scents, looted antiques, and the ghost-summoning tablet connect the present conflict to ancient burial sites.

Plot points and events

• Qiong Wuliang activates the Slave Stele, summoning dozens of braided Ghost Servants from the Qing official’s tomb.
• He orders the ghosts to attack the narrator, expecting the display to frighten the group.
• The narrator remains calm and uses Palm Thunder to destroy or disable the entire ghostly horde in a single strike.
• Qiong Wuliang panics and tries to flee. The narrator knocks him down with a vase, then kills him with a wooden chair.
• Fatty Qiong and the other thugs are left terrified and helpless.

Character developments

• The narrator demonstrates overwhelming confidence and power, dispatching both the ghosts and Qiong Wuliang without hesitation.
• Qiong Wuliang’s bravado collapses once his supernatural weapon fails; he becomes desperate and fearful.
• Zhang Yuchen offers to intervene but accepts the narrator’s decision to handle the attack himself.
• The thugs, accustomed to intimidation rather than real danger, are shaken by the ghosts and the narrator’s lightning attack.

Significant themes

• Power and fear: Qiong Wuliang’s apparent control vanishes when confronted with greater force.
• The supernatural as a weapon: The Slave Stele turns the ghosts’ lingering resentment into violence, but cannot protect its wielder.
• Retribution and brutality: The narrator responds to Qiong Wuliang’s cruelty with decisive, lethal force.

Character interactions

• Qiong Wuliang taunts the narrator and commands the ghosts to attack him.
• Zhang Yuchen prepares to help, but the narrator tells him to stand back.
• After his plan fails, Qiong Wuliang begs for mercy and tries to negotiate; the narrator ignores him and kills him.
• Fatty Qiong and the other men watch in panic, unable or unwilling to intervene.

Plot points and events

• After Jiang Ning kills Qiong Wuliang with a bench, Fatty Qiong and his thugs panic and beg for mercy.
• Jiang Ning pulls Qiong Wuliang’s newly formed ghost from his body and questions him about the Qing Dynasty tomb where the Slave Stele was found. Qiong identifies it as Ghost Grove near the Baichao River in Capital City’s eastern suburbs.
• Having obtained the information, Jiang destroys Qiong Wuliang’s ghost. Jiang refuses Zhang Yuchen’s suggestion to break the surviving men’s legs, explaining that killing ordinary people is beyond their authority.
• Jiang contacts Luo Jianhua, who arranges for local agent Kong Yue to handle the case. While waiting, Mao Jing and the others search the villa; Zhang Yuchen takes an antique jade pendant.
• Kong Yue arrives from Spring City with several men who appear to be corpse burners. She confirms Jiang’s identity.

Character developments

• Jiang Ning remains decisive and ruthless toward Qiong Wuliang, but draws a firm boundary around harming ordinary people. He follows procedure by contacting the authorities.
• Fatty Qiong loses his composure, tries to blame his uncle, and joins the thugs in pleading for his life.
• Qiong Wuliang shows cowardice in death, attempting to save himself by offering up his nephew and the tomb’s treasures.
• Zhang Yuchen suggests further punishment but accepts Jiang’s decision; he also takes an interest in the jade pendant.

Significant themes

• Justice and authority: Jiang punishes the dangerous ghost while leaving ordinary accomplices to the authorities.
• Consequences of wrongdoing: Qiong Wuliang’s attack leads directly to his death and the destruction of his ghost.
• Fear and self-preservation: The frightened men quickly turn on one another to avoid blame.

Character interactions

• Qiong Wuliang begs Jiang for mercy and tries to shift responsibility onto Fatty Qiong; Fatty Qiong, in turn, denies his uncle’s claims and begs Jiang himself.
• The thugs plead collectively, while Zhang Yuchen asks whether they should be physically punished.
• Jiang coordinates with Luo Jianhua and then contacts Kong Yue to arrange the official response.

Key plot points and events

• After helping Uncle Tie Zhu and Auntie Liu, the narrator and companions accept the couple’s invitation to dinner. Uncle Tie Zhu drinks himself dizzy, while the narrator explains that the group plans to visit Dai Temple, climb Mount Tai, pay respects to Mount Tai Granny, and then travel to the capital—without revealing their intended search for a Qing Dynasty tomb.
• The group declines Auntie Liu’s offers to host and guide them, urging her to rest after her recovery. The narrator gives her protective talismans before they part.
• At Dai Temple, they explore its historic gates, courtyards, halls, and many stone inscriptions. Mao Jing studies the inscriptions closely, while Zhang Yuchen is largely uninterested.
• At Tianzhu Hall, the group solemnly offers incense and bows to the Eastern Peak Mount Tai Deity. Zhang Yuchen quietly prays to become a powerful exorcist.
• After spending hours among the inscriptions in Han Cypress Courtyard, they enter a small courtyard containing the Qin Mount Tai Inscription and Li Si Stele. Pan Ling notices something unusual about one of the steles and rushes toward it; the others follow.

Character developments and interactions

• The narrator shows continued concern for Auntie Liu’s health, advising her to rest and giving her protective charms.
• Uncle Tie Zhu and Auntie Liu express gratitude and warmth by inviting the group to dinner and offering hospitality.
• Mao Jing’s passion for historical inscriptions shapes the group’s slow tour, while Zhang Yuchen’s ambitious, boastful prayer reveals his determination to become the strongest exorcist.
• The group shares a respectful, solemn moment at the deity’s hall, then responds immediately when Pan Ling senses something strange at the stele.

Significant themes

• Respect for history and the sacred: The group treats Dai Temple and its deity with reverence, while Mao Jing engages deeply with its historical records.
• Gratitude and mutual care: The visitors accept the couple’s generosity and, in turn, look after Auntie Liu’s wellbeing.
• Ambition and humility: Zhang Yuchen dreams of great power, but the narrator’s experience before the deity makes him feel small before an immense presence.
• The supernatural beneath the ordinary: Pan Ling’s discovery hints that the temple’s historical relics may hold more than cultural significance.

Key plot points and events

• The group visits the Qin-era Li Si Stele, a damaged, mostly illegible national treasure. Pan Ling alone can perceive strange energy rippling from it.
• Because the stele cannot be damaged, the four companions meditate around it, hoping to learn from its energy.
• Mao Jing discovers that channeling true qi can reveal traces of the lost inscription and guides Zhang Yuchen in sensing its underlying state rather than reading the characters.
• Pan Ling makes a remarkable breakthrough, reaching the peak of the Strength Soul Realm in just half an hour. Mao Jing and Zhang Yuchen gain insights that strengthen their qi.
• The narrator senses nothing through ordinary cultivation, so he respectfully addresses the Eastern Peak Emperor before channeling his unusual four misfortune qi into the stele.
• His qi seems to open a door within the stele. Instead of revealing the inscription, it clears a misty vision and exposes a gigantic, pupil-less red eye, whose immense pressure leaves him stunned.

Character developments and interactions

• Pan Ling demonstrates exceptional perception and turns the stele’s energy into rapid cultivation progress.
• Mao Jing acts as a perceptive guide, recognizing how the inscription can be sensed and helping Zhang Yuchen focus.
• Zhang Yuchen shows strong cultivation talent, quickly absorbing Mao Jing’s advice, though he cannot read the revealed characters.
• The narrator is initially unable to benefit from the stele, but experiments with his four misfortune qi after showing respect to the temple’s deity. His approach unlocks a far more disturbing vision than the others experience.
• The companions cooperate by meditating together and sharing discoveries, while each responds to the stele in a different way.

Significant themes

• Different paths to insight: The same artifact gives each practitioner a distinct experience, shaped by their abilities and qi.
• Respect for sacred and cultural heritage: The group avoids damaging the national treasure, and the narrator seeks permission before using ominous energy at the temple.
• Cultivation through opportunity: The stele catalyzes breakthroughs and hidden perceptions.
• Mystery and foreboding: The red eye suggests the stele conceals something powerful and potentially dangerous beyond its historical inscription.

Plot and events

• The group visits the weathered Li Si Stele in the rear courtyard of Mount Tai’s Heavenly Blessing Hall. Pan Ling alone can see unusual waves of energy coming from it.
• Unable to read most of the inscription, the four sit in meditation, hoping to learn from the stele without damaging the national treasure.
• Mao Jing senses that True Qi can reveal the missing characters and urges Zhang Yuchen to focus on the stele’s energy. Zhang gains insight, while the narrator initially perceives nothing.
• Pan Ling’s cultivation surges, and she reaches the peak of the Strength Soul Realm in just half an hour. Mao Jing and Zhang Yuchen also strengthen their qi.
• The narrator tries using his Four Misfortune Qi instead of ordinary True Qi. It seems to open a hidden, door-like presence within the stele—but rather than revealing the inscription, it unveils a misty scene.
• As the narrator clears the mist with more of his qi, a vast red eye appears and fixes its gaze on him. He recognizes it as the Great Fiend Eye.

Character developments and interactions

• Pan Ling demonstrates a rare sensitivity to the stele and turns that connection into a remarkable breakthrough.
• Mao Jing acts as the group’s guide, identifying how True Qi can connect practitioners to the inscription’s hidden energy.
• Zhang Yuchen shows strong cultivation talent, quickly responding to Mao Jing’s advice, though he cannot read the characters.
• The narrator feels excluded from the others’ progress, then takes a risk by using his ominous Four Misfortune Qi. Before doing so, he respectfully warns the Eastern Peak Emperor.
• The group meditates together, but each experiences the stele differently; the narrator’s discovery separates him from their more straightforward gains.

Significant themes

• Different paths to insight: The stele responds differently to each practitioner, suggesting that perception and cultivation depend on the kind of energy used.
• Respect for the sacred and the ancient: The group avoids harming the relic, and the narrator acknowledges the temple’s deity before using dangerous power.
• Knowledge carries risk: The narrator’s attempt to penetrate the stele’s mystery leads not to an inscription, but to a terrifying encounter with a supernatural force.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Ning enters an Intent Realm beneath the Li Si Stele, similar to the trial on Mount Heng.
• A Great Fiend Eye appears and attacks him with black tentacles. Within the realm, Jiang Ning is powerless: he cannot use qi or wake himself.
• As the tentacles pierce him, he sees chaotic images and hears a voice calling him a “key” and urging him to “come back.” The ordeal subjects him to prolonged, intense pain.
• Mao Jing’s distant calls reach him. When Jiang Ning answers, a glowing stele appears, and the Great Fiend’s tentacles withdraw. Before fading, the Fiend promises, “We’ll meet again.”
• Jiang Ning notices black qi and eye-shaped marks on his hands, then realizes these are manifestations within the realm. Unable to wake, he follows Mao Jing’s voice to the stele.
• Examining it, he recognizes that it is a more complete version of the Li Si Stele and a monument intended to suppress the Great Fiend. He concludes that using the Four Misfortune Qi brought his consciousness into the realm, and that the stele may be his way out.

Character development

• Jiang Ning begins shocked and trapped, then endures the Fiend’s attack through defiance and stubborn resistance. Though exhausted and terrified, he keeps moving toward the stele rather than giving up.
• He shows growing understanding of the supernatural situation, identifying the stele’s purpose and connecting his use of the Four Misfortune Qi to his entrapment.
• Mao Jing acts as a lifeline: her persistent calls help Jiang Ning regain awareness and find direction.

Character interactions

• Jiang Ning and the Great Fiend Eye: The Fiend attacks him, speaks cryptically of his being a “key,” and hints at a future encounter. Jiang Ning curses and resists it.
• Jiang Ning and Mao Jing: Mao Jing calls him back from outside the realm. Her voice helps him endure, orient himself, and reach the stele.
• Jiang Ning and the stele: The stele draws him toward it and appears connected to both the Fiend’s confinement and Jiang Ning’s possible escape.

Significant themes

• Powerlessness and endurance: Jiang Ning is stripped of his abilities, leaving persistence as his only means of resistance.
• The uncertain boundary between consciousness and reality: His altered hands and the realm’s torment feel real, though he recognizes they are manifestations of his mind.
• Sealing and containment: The stele is revealed as a tool for suppressing the Great Fiend, linking Jiang Ning’s accidental entry to a larger supernatural threat.
• Unresolved fate: The Fiend’s reference to Jiang Ning as a “key,” along with its promise to meet again, suggests a deeper connection and future danger.

Key plot points and events

• When Jiang Ning touches the Li Si Stele, it dissolves into light and draws him into an intent realm, where he encounters a Red-Eyed Great Fiend sealed beneath it.
• Though only unconscious for about five minutes in the real world, Jiang experiences what feels like hours of torture as black tentacles pierce him. He also sees his hands mutate, but the changes remain confined to the mental realm.
• His companions revive him and learn what happened. They agree the danger must be reported to Miss Bai and the Secret Bureau.
• The group leaves Dai Temple. Jiang is too weak to continue their planned climb, so they check into a nearby hotel and postpone the Mount Tai ascent until the following afternoon.
• That night, Jiang repeatedly wakes from dreams that his hands are turning into black tentacles. Nearby weeds at the stele have begun to wither, hinting that the seal or fiend may be affecting the surroundings.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Ning is shaken and physically and mentally drained by the encounter. He suspects the fiend targeted him because fiends regard him as a key to escaping the Ghost Cave. His companions support him and help him leave the temple and rest.
• Mao Jing identifies Jiang’s personal connection to the fiend as a likely reason he alone was drawn into the dangerous intent realm.
• Pan Ling tends to Jiang’s nosebleed, while Mao Jing and Zhang Yuchen help him sit up and later guide him away. All three reassure him when he apologizes for delaying the group.

Significant themes

• Ancient seals and forgotten knowledge: The stele and Heavenly Blessing Hall conceal a threat whose purpose seems to have been lost over time.
• The lasting reach of supernatural danger: The fiend can invade Jiang’s mental realm, and the withering weeds suggest its influence may extend beyond the vision.
• Loyalty and mutual care: Jiang’s companions prioritize his safety over their plans, underscoring the trust forged through shared danger.

Key plot points and events

• After being drained by the Great Fiend’s attack, Jiang wakes around midday. He feels physically normal, and Mao Jing has already reported the incident to the Secret Bureau and arranged for Daoist Qingshan to inform Third Master.
• The group—Jiang, Mao Jing, Zhang Yuchen, and Pan Ling—sets out that evening to climb Mount Tai. They reach Jade Emperor Peak around 1 a.m., but the temple is closed. Jiang feels inexplicably uneasy near it.
• At Sunrise Viewing Peak, Jiang dreams again that his hands are itching and turning into black tendrils. He wakes to find them normal, but the repeated dream worries him.
• The group watches the sunrise. Jiang finds the light uncomfortably intense, which he suspects is another consequence of encountering the red Great Fiend Eye in the Intent Realm beneath the Li Si Stele.
• He keeps his concerns to himself so as not to spoil the others’ enjoyment. After taking a group photo, they prepare to descend and go to Bixia Temple.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang is increasingly alert to possible lingering effects from his encounter with the Great Fiend. Though he appears physically well, repeated disturbing dreams and light sensitivity make him suspect something is wrong.
• Mao Jing proves dependable by handling the report and follow-up while Jiang is unconscious. He and Zhang Yuchen are rested and readily agree to continue the journey.
• Pan Ling checks Jiang with her Yin-Yang Eyes, later enjoys the sunrise and organizes a group photo.
• The four companions share a calm outing, while Jiang privately conceals his growing concern.

Significant themes

• Lingering supernatural consequences: The Great Fiend’s influence may persist even after Jiang’s apparent recovery.
• Unease beneath beauty: Mount Tai’s spectacular sunrise contrasts with Jiang’s unsettling dreams and unexplained sensitivity.
• Trust and care: Mao Jing handles practical responsibilities, and Pan Ling checks Jiang’s condition, while Jiang protects the group’s mood by keeping his fears to himself.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Ning, Zhang Yuchen, Mao Jing, and Pan Ling walk to Bixia Temple on Mount Tai, where they pay respects to Bixia Yuanjun.
• Mao Jing formally presents himself as a Qingcheng disciple and shows his jade identity token. The young Daoist Yuanxin recognizes the visitors and leads them toward the temple’s rear courtyard.
• They learn that Bixia Temple’s annual trials are underway. The trials assess disciples’ abilities and may include invited practitioners from nearby Daoist and Buddhist temples.
• Jiang Ning asks to watch, and Yuanxin agrees, escorting them toward the rear courtyard, where the noise suggests the competition is already lively.

Character developments and interactions

• Mao Jing recalls visiting the temple years earlier with a senior sister who is no longer present. His smile and sadness reveal lingering grief; Zhang Yuchen and Jiang Ning notice, while Pan Ling tactfully changes the subject by taking photos.
• Mao Jing acts as the group’s formal representative, introducing everyone to Yuanxin. Yuanxin shifts from cautious curiosity to respectful welcome after seeing Mao Jing’s credentials and recognizing the group.
• Jiang Ning shows interest in the trials and asks to attend; the group follows Yuanxin into the temple’s restricted training area.

Significant themes

• Tradition and religious community: The temple’s public worship spaces contrast with its private training grounds.
• Discipline and merit: The trials determine disciples’ standing and opportunities, with weaker performers assigned routine duties.
• Memory and loss: Mao Jing’s recollection of his absent senior sister adds a quiet note of grief.
• Respect and belonging: Ritual greetings and identity tokens establish trust between practitioners from different sects.

Key events and plot points

• The narrator and companions enter Bixia Temple’s rear courtyard with Yuanxin and learn that the gathering includes both the temple’s annual disciple assessment and a martial exchange between young practitioners from different Daoist and Buddhist institutions.
• They choose to stay and watch. The narrator notices Senior Ningxiazi, Bixia Temple’s purple-robed female master, seated with other senior Daoists.
• Ningxiazi formally opens the event, presenting it as a chance for practitioners to learn from one another and improve.
• A temple official explains the assessment’s three stages and grading system. A “good” result grants permission for practical training off the mountain; an “excellent” result grants ten months of training without needing to apply, plus a Taiyuan Pill. Three outside masters will judge the assessment.
• Afterward, the exchange matches will offer increasing rewards for three consecutive wins, five wins, and the overall championship.

Character developments

• The narrator and companions—Mao Jing, Zhang Yuchen, and Pan Ling—show curiosity and enthusiasm, opting to watch rather than rest.
• Yuanxin acts as their courteous guide, then leaves to attend to temple duties.
• Ningxiazi is established as a respected, authoritative leader whose calm announcement commands the crowd’s attention.

Significant themes

• Cultivation through exchange: Ningxiazi emphasizes that practitioners grow by learning from others rather than working in isolation.
• Merit and competition: The graded assessment and escalating match rewards encourage discipline and ambition.
• Community among traditions: Daoists and Buddhist practitioners gather together, suggesting cooperation alongside rivalry.

Character interactions

• Yuanxin guides the visitors and offers them a place to rest; they politely decline in favor of watching.
• Bixia Temple’s disciples discuss their hopes of earning leave and their confidence in senior disciple Song Kun, while also anticipating formidable visitors.
• Ningxiazi addresses the assembled practitioners, and the invited examiners acknowledge their introductions.

Plot and events

• Bixia Temple announces its internal trials, with valuable prizes for the winners: Taiyuan Pills, a powerful single-use demon-subduing plaque, and items for insight and healing.
• Zhang Yuchen suggests that he and his companions enter and claim all the rewards. The others point out that doing so would be excessive and damage their reputation.
• The first stage, a qualifying trial overseen by Daoist Xuanting, asks more than sixty young Bixia Temple disciples to use their birth Eight Characters to determine and draw a suitable talisman within three minutes, then activate it.
• The prompt is “heaven,” which corresponds to the Qian trigram. Candidates must combine that framework with the element indicated by their own birth details.
• Some candidates reason out the task and activate their talismans; others panic, make mistakes, or run out of time. Only about one-third pass. Many failures face expulsion from the mountain, and some break down in tears.

Character development

• Zhang Yuchen is eager to take advantage of the prizes, but recognizes that the test would be difficult without the instruction he received from his uncle.
• The narrator quickly works out the required talisman, showing familiarity with Eight Trigrams and talisman-making, though he observes rather than competes.
• Mao Jing and Pan Ling behave more cautiously, valuing their reputation over easy rewards.
• Daoist Xuanting comes across as an experienced, authoritative examiner, calmly administering the test.

Character interactions

• The narrator’s group discusses whether to enter the trials and how far it would be acceptable to go for the prizes.
• Bixia disciples encourage and reassure one another before the test, but the time limit leaves little room for helping others.
• Successful candidates celebrate their results, while unsuccessful ones voice their panic and plead for divine help.

Significant themes

• The cruelty of sect life: Even carefully selected outer disciples can be expelled after failing a single difficult test.
• Skill under pressure: The trial tests not only knowledge but also quick reasoning, precision, and the ability to work within a strict deadline.
• Ambition and restraint: The prize discussion contrasts the desire to seize an opportunity with concern for fairness and reputation.

The second trial tested Bixia Temple disciples’ ability to resist the mind-bewildering Red Illusion Scroll, and only eight passed. Master Baixin began the final trial by unleashing the pressure of his early-stage strength soul realm cultivation on the candidates.

• Tiezizi of the Laoshan Sect presented the Red Illusion Scroll and challenged the Bixia Temple disciples to gaze at its talisman without losing themselves to its illusions.
• The Red Illusion Scroll made the disciples see handsome men or beautiful women, and many collapsed while only eight passed.
• Master Baixin of the Dustless Palace announced that candidates had to withstand one sword strike to pass the final trial.
• Master Baixin released the power of his early-stage strength soul realm cultivation against the disciples taking the assessment.

Master Baixin tested the examinees’ combat skills, then Bixia Temple held a friendly tournament where Liu Yumeng entered the ring after Li Feng’s three-match winning streak. Li Feng conceded without fighting, leaving Liu Yumeng awaiting her next challenger.

• Master Baixin struck down most of the examinees, while three endured a strike and passed.
• The middle-aged Daoist announced a friendly tournament in which three consecutive wins could earn a reward.
• Beifeng fought another Bixia Temple disciple and lost, and later challengers failed to achieve a streak longer than three wins.
• Liu Yumeng entered the ring to face Li Feng, who conceded and stepped out.
• Bixia Temple disciples cheered Liu Yumeng as the sect seniors praised her.

Liu Yumeng challenged Jiang to a sparring match after no one volunteered to face Bixia Temple’s eldest senior sister. Jiang accepted, confident in his strength but mindful to show restraint on her home turf.

• Liu Yumeng waited for challengers, but the crowd and visiting disciples avoided facing her.
• Ningxiazi told Liu Yumeng to choose a promising young talent herself.
• Liu Yumeng noticed Jiang and his companions, then pointed him out and invited him to spar.
• Zhang Yuchen, Pan Ling, and Mao Jing urged Jiang to take the stage and remember to show tact.
• Jiang accepted Liu Yumeng’s challenge and walked toward the central arena.

The narrator faced Liu Yumeng in a platform match at Bixia Temple, holding back so she could lose with dignity. After she invited him to attack first and showed off her cultivation, he struck her with a single punch, leaving the crowd and elders stunned.

• Liu Yumeng offered to take three moves from the narrator before fighting back, and he released his peak Central Pivot Realm aura.
• The narrator threw a talisman and landed an ordinary palm strike while the onlookers praised Liu Yumeng for fending him off.
• After the narrator used his third move, Liu Yumeng revealed her Strength Soul Realm cultivation and urged him to show his real strength.
• The narrator charged without using talismans or techniques, dodged Liu Yumeng's talisman, and punched her cheek.
• Liu Yumeng stumbled backward, while the Bixia Temple disciples and elders stared in disbelief.

Du'e defeated Liu Yumeng in the arena after revealing his Strength Soul Realm cultivation and using the Thunder Method. As he celebrated with his companions, Xie Jinghong of the Laoshan Sect stepped forward to confront him.

• Liu Yumeng unleashed Bixia Temple's five-element spell, but Du'e raised his cultivation to the middle stage of the Strength Soul Realm and shattered it with Palm Thunder.
• The electricity struck Liu Yumeng and knocked her to her knees, while Du'e held back enough to preserve her dignity.
• Liu Yumeng acknowledged her defeat, thanked Du'e for showing mercy, and asked for his Daoist name; Du'e introduced himself, and the referee declared him the winner.
• Mao Jing stayed expressionless, Pan Ling gave Du'e two thumbs-up, and Zhang Yuchen loudly cheered for him, embarrassing Du'e.
• Xie Jinghong of the Laoshan Sect stepped out of the crowd, glaring furiously at Du'e.