Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Bai Family's White Immortal requests Master and Du'e to find a medicinal catalyst, Blood Dew, from the forbidden zone of Great Peace Ridge's Ghost Cry City, in exchange for a Spirit-Linked Old Cypress root core and a five-hundred-year-old wild ginseng.
• The task involves retrieving Blood Dew from the Ghost Bride Flower, which is highly poisonous and only blooms during the new moon.
• Master agrees to the task despite its dangers.

Character Developments

• Master demonstrates his willingness to take on risks and help others, even when the task is perilous.
• Du'e shows concern for their safety and the proportionality of risks and rewards.

Significant Themes

• Trust and reputation: White Immortal trusts Master and Du'e due to their reputation and Du'e's S-class confidential file.
• Risk and reward: The task's high risk is not proportionate to the reward offered, raising questions about the Bai Family's desperation.

Character Interactions

• Master and Du'e: Master decides on the task without consulting Du'e, showing his confidence in their abilities but also his willingness to put Du'e in potentially dangerous situations.
• White Immortal and Master: They engage in a negotiation where White Immortal tries to appeal to Master's generosity and reputation.
• White Immortal and the Bai Family: White Immortal makes a decision on behalf of the Bai Family, showing her authority and influence within the family.

Key Plot Points and Events

• White Immortal requests Master and Jiang Du'e to retrieve a medicinal catalyst, Blood Dew, from Ghost Cry City.
• Jiang Du'e receives a Spirit-Communing Tree Root as an advance gift, which can dissolve misfortune qi in his body.
• A banquet is held, during which the deal is sealed, and the group discusses the Blood Dew's retrieval during the upcoming new moon.

Character Developments

• Jiang Du'e learns to accept gifts and benefits, understanding the value of the Spirit-Communing Tree Root.
• Master (Song Decai) shows his straightforward nature and dislike for formalities by asking White Immortal to address him by his name.

Significant Themes

• Alliances and Deals: The characters form an alliance for mutual benefit, highlighting the importance of deals and agreements in their world.
• Gifts and Favors: The exchange of gifts and favors is a significant aspect of their interactions, carrying both symbolic and practical value.

Character Interactions

• Master (Song Decai) and Jiang Du'e: They work together, with Master guiding Jiang Du'e and Jiang Du'e showing understanding and cooperation.
• White Immortal and Jiang Du'e: White Immortal shows favor towards Jiang Du'e, recognizing his potential and offering him a valuable gift.
• The Group: The group dynamic shifts from initial hostility to cooperation, with the banquet serving as a turning point, marking their alliance.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter begins with Ou Doudou (Xiao Jiang) and his Master returning to their hotel after a late night.
• Xiao Jiang asks his Master about Ghost Cry City, a forbidden zone they plan to enter. His Master reassures him and goes to sleep.
• Xiao Jiang studies the Spirit-Communing Cypress Root, realizing it can gradually dispel the malignant energy in his acupoints over time.
• He learns that a colleague, possibly Zhao Liansheng, will arrive the day after tomorrow to work on the mission together.
• The next day, Xiao Jiang receives a message in the team chat from Zhang Yuchen, Mao Jing, and Pan Ling expressing their desire to join the mission.
• Master refuses to let them come, deeming the task too dangerous.
• Zhao Liansheng calls Xiao Jiang, revealing he's in the Northeast and will meet him at a specified location using a code phrase.

Character Developments

• Xiao Jiang: He shows concern for his friends' safety when they express interest in joining the mission, demonstrating growth in responsibility and consideration for others.
• Master: He exhibits caution and concern for his disciple's safety, refusing to let their friends join the mission into the forbidden zone.

Significant Themes

• Friendship and Loyalty: Xiao Jiang's friends express their desire to join him on the mission, showing loyalty and camaraderie.
• Responsibility and Caution: Master's refusal to let their friends join highlights the importance of responsibility and caution in facing dangerous situations.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Jiang and Master: They exchange information and opinions about the mission and their friends' involvement.
• Xiao Jiang and his friends: They discuss the mission and their desire to join via the team chat.
• Xiao Jiang and Zhao Liansheng: They arrange a meeting place and discuss the code phrase for their encounter.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Chen arrives at a seemingly ordinary noodle shop on Changping Road, following Zhao Liansheng's instructions.
• He encounters an elderly woman who leads him to a hidden underground base of the Secret Bureau.
• Jiang Chen meets Zhao Liansheng, who is treating him for his spiritual energy imbalance.
• They discuss Jiang Chen's recent actions in Mountain City and Zhao Liansheng's current mission to eliminate the rat demon, Gray Nine Heavens.
• Jiang Chen offers to assist Zhao Liansheng, hoping to gain access to Black Mother's help in controlling his baleful energy.

Character Developments

• Jiang Chen: Demonstrates his efficiency and initiative in dealing with supernatural threats, earning recognition from the Secret Bureau.
• Zhao Liansheng: Shows professionalism and dedication to his work, appreciating Jiang Chen's assistance.

Significant Themes

• The supernatural world's threat to humanity and the Secret Bureau's role in protecting civilians.
• The importance of cooperation and teamwork in facing powerful supernatural entities.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Chen and the elderly woman: Their silent standoff highlights the mysterious and secretive nature of the Secret Bureau's operations.
• Jiang Chen and Zhao Liansheng: Their conversation reveals mutual respect and a willingness to collaborate, fostering a potential alliance.
• Jiang Chen's internal monologue: Reveals his personal motivations and the challenges he faces due to his spiritual energy imbalance.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhao Liansheng, a skilled Heavenly Doctor descendant, treats Ye Chaoyuan's numb arm using acupuncture and incantations, causing intense pain before successfully restoring feeling.
• Ye Chaoyuan absorbs evil qi again, leading to a recurrence of numbness and pain. Zhao Liansheng treats him again, warning against future evil qi absorption.
• Ye Chaoyuan discovers a caged rat demon using the Soul-Seizing Art to mesmerize him but resists and leaves without informing Zhao Liansheng.

Character Developments

• Ye Chaoyuan: Shows resilience during intense pain and maintains composure when encountering the rat demon.
• Zhao Liansheng: Demonstrates exceptional medical skills and concern for Ye Chaoyuan's well-being, hinting at a mysterious past with the authorities.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of absorbing evil qi and the importance of self-control.
• The struggle against supernatural entities and the need for vigilance.
• The tension between legitimate and illegitimate activities, hinted at in Zhao Liansheng's response to Ye Chaoyuan's offer.

Character Interactions

• Ye Chaoyuan and Zhao Liansheng: Their professional relationship deepens as Zhao Liansheng treats Ye Chaoyuan's arm, and they engage in friendly banter.
• Ye Chaoyuan and the Rat Demon: Ye Chaoyuan resists the demon's mesmerizing attempt, showing his mental fortitude.
• Ye Chaoyuan and the Old Woman: Ye Chaoyuan informs the old woman about the rat demon, maintaining a respectful and cautious demeanor.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist encounters a rat spirit in Room Three of a noodle shop and learns that the old woman running the shop is also a rat spirit.
• The protagonist decides to head to Ghost Cry City after his hand heals, as they need to obtain the Blood Dew on the night of the first day of the lunar month.
• The protagonist's master decides to leave for Great Peace Ridge the next day, ahead of schedule, to scout the area and check on Ghost Cry City.
• The master reveals that Ghost Cry City was formed due to a Fox Grudge who committed suicide after being betrayed by her groom, turning the city into a forbidden land filled with resentment and cries.

Character Developments

• The protagonist's left hand heals, allowing him to prepare for the journey to Ghost Cry City.
• The protagonist's master, despite his gruff demeanor, shows concern for the protagonist's well-being by deciding to leave earlier to scout the area.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and its consequences: The Fox Grudge's story highlights the theme of betrayal and its severe consequences, as her suicide turned an entire city into a forbidden land.
• The power of resentment: The lingering resentment from the Fox Grudge's death has created a dense fog that conceals the city and makes it a forbidden zone.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist interacts with the rat spirit and the old woman (also a rat spirit) at the noodle shop, learning about the rat spirit in Room Three.
• The protagonist communicates with his master about their plans to leave for Great Peace Ridge and Ghost Cry City, revealing his master's previous experience with the area.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist and his master plan to enter Ghost Cry City to obtain the Ghost Bride Flower's Blood Dew for White Immortal.
• They learn that Fox Grudge, a vengeful spirit, inhabits the city and is most active between 11:30 PM and 1:30 AM.
• They decide to enter on the night of the first day of the lunar month, avoiding Fox Grudge's active hours.
• Chen Hui, an immortal's disciple, drives them to the city but cannot enter due to immortals' restrictions.

Character Developments

• The protagonist shows curiosity and initiative in asking questions about Ghost Cry City and its inhabitants.
• Master demonstrates his knowledge of the city's history and his plan to avoid Fox Grudge.
• Chen Hui reveals his connection to the Hu Family's Grandmothers and warns about the dangers inside Ghost Cry City.

Significant Themes

• The power dynamics between immortals and spirits, with Fox Grudge's existence tolerated due to her seniority and the Hu Family's influence.
• The dangers and precautions needed when entering forbidden zones like Ghost Cry City.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist and his master discuss their plan and trust each other's abilities.
• The protagonist interacts with Chen Hui, learning more about Ghost Cry City and its inhabitants from him.
• Chen Hui shows respect and deference to the protagonist's master, addressing him as "Senior Song."

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group travels to Vast Sky Forest Farm, near Ghost Cry City, taking over 10 hours.
• They arrive a day and a half early to allow Master to fish before the mission.
• At midnight, a giant brown bear approaches their vehicle, and Master and the protagonist observe it.
• The bear tries to attack the car after hearing Chen Hui snore, prompting the protagonist to use his Thunder Method to scare it away.

Character Developments

• Master shows knowledge of local legends and taboos but remains indifferent to the journey's details.
• The protagonist demonstrates his cultivation skills and bravery by facing the bear.

Significant Themes

• The presence of danger and the need for caution in the mission.
• The contrast between the mundane (fishing) and the extraordinary (facing a bear).

Character Interactions

• Master and the protagonist work together to observe the bear, with Master guiding the protagonist's actions.
• Chen Hui's snoring inadvertently puts the group in danger, but the protagonist's quick action saves them.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Jiang uses the Thunder Method to scare off a massive bear, impressing Chen Hui.
• Chen Hui offers to take them to Ghost Cry City but Master declines, knowing the way.
• Chen Hui leaves, and Lin Jiang and his master spend a day fishing in the mountains, catching a significant amount of fish.
• They enter the Ghost Cry City region after four hours of walking.

Character Developments

• Lin Jiang: Demonstrates his cultivation prowess by using the Thunder Method, showing no signs of fatigue afterward.
• Master: Reveals knowledge of the area's geography from his youth, displays mediocre fishing skills, but has a deep understanding of Feng Shui and divination.

Significant Themes

• Master's expertise in Daoist techniques and Feng Shui.
• Lin Jiang's growing prowess in cultivation and combat.

Character Interactions

• Lin Jiang and Master: They interact as a teacher-student duo, with Master teaching Lin Jiang about fishing and Feng Shui, and Lin Jiang assisting Master in catching fish.
• Lin Jiang and Chen Hui: They part ways amicably, with Chen Hui expressing admiration for Lin Jiang's cultivation and offering to pick them up later.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Chen and his master arrive at the outskirts of Ghost Cry City in the afternoon and decide to enter at night.
• They wait until dusk, then Lin Chen puts on the Phantom Moon Cloak to hide his human aura.
• Master Lin creates a straw doll substitute and uses the Life-Death Substitute Spell to prepare for potential dangers inside.
• They enter the misty forest, and their compass stops working. They follow the aura flow and mist direction.
• As night falls, they encounter fierce ghosts and navigate through the ruins of the city, finding an ancient road leading to Ghost Cry City.
• They see a faint red glow in the distance, which Master Lin identifies as a Ghost-Bewildering Lantern.

Character Developments

• Lin Chen shows caution and vigilance in entering the dangerous city, demonstrating his growth as a cultivator.
• Master Lin exhibits his experience and wisdom by recognizing the ancient road and preparing for potential threats.

Significant Themes

• Preparation and Caution: Both Lin Chen and Master Lin emphasize the importance of careful preparation before entering the city.
• Adaptation: They adapt to the environment, using the Phantom Moon Cloak and Life-Death Substitute Spell to counter the ghostly aura.

Character Interactions

• Lin Chen and Master Lin work together, with Master Lin guiding and teaching Lin Chen, and Lin Chen showing eagerness to learn.
• They communicate and coordinate their actions, showing a strong master-disciple bond.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist and his master journey to Ghost Cry City, guided by mysterious lanterns that emit a bewildering mist.
• They discover numerous skeletons along the path, all victims of the lanterns' enchantment.
• Upon reaching Ghost Cry City, they observe its eerie, demonic mist and prepare to enter at the optimal time to find the Blood Bride Flower and Blood Dew.

Character Developments

• The protagonist demonstrates caution and understanding of his master's instructions, showing growth in his supernatural abilities and awareness.
• Master exhibits wisdom and experience, providing guidance and knowledge about the dangerous lanterns and Ghost Cry City's inhabitants.

Significant Themes

• The power of resentment and its manifestation in the physical world (Fox Grudge's lanterns, Ghost Cry City's demonic mist).
• The dangers of becoming overwhelmed by negative emotions (the fate of those who stare at the lanterns too long).
• The importance of timing and strategy in facing supernatural challenges (entering Ghost Cry City at the right moment to avoid confrontations with its evil inhabitants).

Character Interactions

• The master-student relationship is reinforced as the master provides guidance and the protagonist follows his instructions.
• No significant interactions with other characters occur in this chapter, as the protagonist and his master are the only humans present.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter begins with the protagonist and his master, Lin Ming, entering Ghost Cry City, where they encounter Fox Grudge's powerful resentment, affecting their emotions.
• Lin Ming reveals that Fox Grudge is likely in the Demon Law Realm, equivalent to the Heaven Surge Rank, making her a formidable opponent.
• They wait until 10:40 PM to enter the city, facing ghostly shadows and intense emotional pressure. Upon entering, they find the city filled with prosperity and a bustling night market, despite its ruined appearance from the outside.
• The protagonist is offered burning blade liquor by a rough man, who turns out to be an evil ghost selling Blackwater in a broken jar.

Character Developments

• The protagonist's understanding of Fox Grudge's power and threat level deepens.
• Lin Ming demonstrates his knowledge of demon realms and their equivalences to human cultivation ranks.

Significant Themes

• The contrast between appearance and reality, with the city's prosperity hiding its true ruin and evil.
• The power of resentment and its ability to affect emotions.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist and Lin Ming discuss Fox Grudge's past and her power level.
• The protagonist interacts with an evil ghost disguised as a vendor, highlighting the deceptive nature of the ghostly realm.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist and his master enter Ghost Cry City, a place infested with ghosts, and must hold their breath to avoid detection.
• They encounter ghosts impersonating merchants, trying to sell them items like fox pelts and fine clothes, further revealing the city's eerie atmosphere.
• The master uses yin rice to distract and disorient the ghosts, allowing them to escape the city gate and shake off pursuing ghosts.
• They discover that the city's resentment has grown stronger, and all ghosts now have identities and roles, acting out illusions based on Fox Grudge's obsession.

Character Developments

• The protagonist demonstrates caution and understanding of the situation, showing growth in his abilities.
• The master reveals his familiarity with the city's past state and concern for its current condition, displaying wisdom and experience.

Significant Themes

• Resentment: The city's growing resentment is the driving force behind the illusions and the ghosts' behavior.
• Illusion vs. Reality: The ghosts' inability to distinguish between their illusory roles and reality highlights the blurring line between the two.
• Power and Control: Fox Grudge's power is shown to be immense, controlling and manipulating the ghosts within the city.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist and his master work together to avoid detection and escape the ghosts, demonstrating their bond and trust.
• The ghosts interact with each other and the protagonists based on their illusory roles, highlighting their lack of self-awareness and control.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist and his master approach the area with the strongest resentment, where the Ghost Bride Flower is believed to be.
• They witness a ghostly wedding procession, led by a groom covered in claw marks and riding a rotting horse, followed by a bridal sedan carried by vicious ghosts.
• The wedding procession passes them, and the protagonist feels a powerful resentment, indicating that Fox Grudge, the vengeful spirit, has noticed them.

Character Developments

• The protagonist shows courage and composure in the face of the horrifying wedding procession and Fox Grudge's attention.
• Master demonstrates his experience and wisdom by recognizing the scene as a manifestation of Fox Grudge's tragic past and knowing how to react to her attention.

Significant Themes

• Resentment and Revenge: Fox Grudge's unfulfilled desires and tragic death fuel her resentment, driving her to haunt the area and cause harm.
• Appearance vs. Reality: The wedding procession shifts between a normal Qing Dynasty scene and a horrifying ghostly one, reflecting the dual nature of the event and the power of Fox Grudge's resentment.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist and his master work together, with the master guiding the protagonist's actions and protecting him from Fox Grudge's attention.
• The protagonist and the master observe the wedding procession silently, sharing their understanding of the event's significance without needing to communicate verbally.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist (you) and your master infiltrate a wedding procession to enter Ghost Cry City, avoiding detection.
• They search for the Ghost Bride Flower, which is crucial to prevent Fox Grudge's rampage, but fail to find it in the city's streets and houses.
• Realizing the flower might be at the Zhang Family residence where Fox Grudge was married, they decide to infiltrate it.
• They obtain invitations by luring and killing two evil ghosts and use them to enter the Zhang residence.

Character Developments

• The protagonist demonstrates strategic thinking and initiative in suggesting a safer method to obtain invitations.
• Master acknowledges the protagonist's idea and trusts their judgment.

Significant Themes

• Deception and stealth: The protagonist and master use invitations to infiltrate the Zhang residence, highlighting the theme of deception and the importance of stealth in their mission.
• Time constraint: The urgency of finding the Ghost Bride Flower before Fox Grudge's rampage emphasizes the theme of time constraint and the consequences of failure.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist and master work together, communicating and coordinating their actions to achieve their goal.
• The protagonist shows initiative and contributes ideas, demonstrating their growing capabilities and trust between them.
• The protagonist and master interact with evil ghosts, either avoiding them or eliminating them to obtain invitations, showcasing their survival skills and determination.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist and his master search for the Blood Bride Flower at a haunted wedding venue.
• They find a blood-red flower with a man's face on its stamen, realizing it's not the right flower.
• They decide to search the bridal chamber, where the strongest resentment is, and find the Blood Bride Flower with a crying woman's face on its stamen.
• They collect Blood Dew from the flower, which is highly toxic.

Character Developments

• The protagonist demonstrates critical thinking and deduction skills, helping to locate the correct flower.
• The master shows experience and wisdom, guiding the protagonist and making strategic decisions.

Significant Themes

• Resentment and its manifestation in the physical world.
• The toxic nature of strong emotions and their consequences.
• The importance of careful observation and deduction in problem-solving.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist and his master work together, communicating non-verbally and verbally to solve the problem.
• They rely on each other's strengths, with the master providing guidance and the protagonist offering innovative ideas.
• They face danger together, with the master supporting the protagonist when he feels dizzy from the intense resentment.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist and his master attempt to collect Blood Dew at the most dangerous time, but they only manage to gather a little over a dozen drops before they must flee.
• They hide under Fox Grudge's bed as she enters the bridal chamber, her resentment creating illusions that alter the room's appearance.
• The groom enters, and it's revealed he plans to seize Fox Grudge's cultivation using a drugged wine.

Character Developments

• The protagonist demonstrates quick thinking and decisiveness in helping his master escape.
• Master remains calm and collected under pressure, trusting the protagonist's judgment.
• Fox Grudge's resentment grows stronger, affecting her perception and creating illusions.

Significant Themes

• The dangers of greed and overreaching one's limits (as shown by the protagonist and master's attempt to gather more Blood Dew).
• The power of resentment and its ability to alter perception and reality.
• The corrupting influence of power and the lengths some will go to obtain it (as shown by the groom's actions).

Character Interactions

• The protagonist and his master work together to hide and avoid detection by Fox Grudge.
• Fox Grudge interacts with the groom, her resentment growing as he attempts to drug her.
• The matchmaker and the children outside the bridal chamber are briefly mentioned, but their roles are minimal.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter reveals the tragic past of Fox Grudge, a thousand-year-old fox demon who took human form.
• Fox Grudge marries a man who, under the guise of love, poisons her and attempts to steal her cultivation for his own gain.
• Fox Grudge is stabbed to death by her husband, leading to her transformation into an Extreme Fiend.
• The protagonist and his master witness Fox Grudge's death and her transformation, and later try to escape Ghost Cry City.

Character Developments

• Fox Grudge: Initially portrayed as a naive and loving demon, she becomes a vengeful Extreme Fiend after her tragic death.
• The Protagonist: Develops sympathy for Fox Grudge's plight but remains determined to kill her to prevent further harm.
• Master: Demonstrates quick thinking and decisiveness in their escape plan.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and Trust: Fox Grudge's trust in her husband leads to her downfall, highlighting the theme of betrayal.
• Revenge and Transformation: Fox Grudge's transformation into an Extreme Fiend after her death explores the theme of revenge and its consequences.

Character Interactions

• Fox Grudge and Her Husband: Their interaction showcases the husband's deceit and Fox Grudge's naivety, leading to her tragic end.
• The Protagonist and Master: Their interaction demonstrates their teamwork and shared determination to escape Ghost Cry City.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist (Xiao Jiang) and his master encounter a horde of evil spirits from Ghost Cry City.
• Master uses his Lightning Technique and Thunder Slash to clear a path through the ghosts.
• Xiao Jiang follows, using the same technique, and also employs the Soul-Reaping Fierce Bell to weaken the ghosts.
• Fox Grudge, the most powerful ghost in Ghost Cry City, arrives in a bridal sedan chair.
• Master decides to hold off Fox Grudge while Xiao Jiang fights his way out of the city.

Character Developments

• Master demonstrates his formidable power and combat skills, easily dispatching numerous ghosts.
• Xiao Jiang shows improvement in his cultivation, able to use the Lightning Technique and effectively wield the Soul-Reaping Fierce Bell.
• Fox Grudge is introduced as a powerful and menacing opponent.

Significant Themes

• The power of cultivation and technique in combating supernatural forces.
• The importance of teamwork and strategic decision-making in overcoming adversity.
• The theme of facing and overcoming fear (Xiao Jiang's initial reaction to Fox Grudge's arrival).

Character Interactions

• Master and Xiao Jiang work together to fight their way through the ghost horde, with Master providing guidance and protection.
• Master and Fox Grudge engage in a direct confrontation, showcasing their respective powers.
• Xiao Jiang and Master communicate briefly but effectively, demonstrating trust and understanding between them.

Key Plot Points and Events

• A powerful Fox Grudge ghost, at the Green Robe level (equivalent to half-step Human Soul Realm), attacks the master.
• The master and the protagonist fight against the ghost horde, including eight sedan bearer ghosts, some reaching the Red Robe level (equivalent to the Soul Realm).
• The protagonist uses various ritual artifacts and techniques to disrupt the ghosts' formation and fight their way out of Ghost Cry City.

Character Developments

• The protagonist demonstrates strategic thinking, using talismans to disrupt the ghosts' formation and employing a puppet to create a distraction for their escape.
• The master shows concern for the protagonist's safety, buying time for him to escape.

Significant Themes

• The power of resentment and the danger of vengeful ghosts.
• The importance of strategy and resourcefulness in overcoming powerful enemies.
• The use of ritual artifacts and techniques to combat supernatural forces.

Character Interactions

• The master and the protagonist fight side by side, with the master buying time for the protagonist to escape.
• The protagonist and the ghosts engage in a fierce battle, with the protagonist using various tactics to outmaneuver and defeat his enemies.