Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wan Gan, the true Director of the Bureau of Celestial Observation, reveals himself and exposes Qi Ziyue's past betrayals to the gathered sorcerers.
• The sorcerers are shocked and outraged, demanding Qi Ziyue's whereabouts.
• Wan Gan demonstrates his power by stripping a fourth-rank starwatcher of his spiritual energy, causing him to explode, as a warning to respect Heaven, Earth, and nature.

Character Developments

• Wan Gan: Reveals himself as the true power behind the Bureau, displaying his immense authority and ruthlessness.
• Li Mingyuan: Struggles with the contradiction between his new, forced memories of Qi Ziyue and his personal experiences, feeling suspicion and fear towards Wan Gan.

Significant Themes

• Truth and Perception: Wan Gan manipulates the sorcerers' memories, showing the power of perception over objective truth.
• Power and Fear: Wan Gan's display of power instills fear and awe in the sorcerers, emphasizing the relationship between power and control.
• Respect for Nature: Wan Gan warns the sorcerers to respect Heaven, Earth, and nature, hinting at the consequences of defying this.

Character Interactions

• Wan Gan and the Sorcerers: Wan Gan asserts his dominance over the sorcerers, using fear and manipulation to control them.
• Li Mingyuan and Wan Gan: Li Mingyuan feels suspicion and fear towards Wan Gan, but dares not show it due to the power imbalance.
• Li Mingyuan and the Sorcerers: Li Mingyuan appears to react like the other sorcerers, but internally struggles with the new information about Qi Ziyue.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wan Gan, the Chief Supervisor, effortlessly destroys and recreates the ancient Celestial Secrets Disk on the Myriad Phenomena Tower.
• He senses an owl spying on him and traps it within a 50 li radius of the capital.
• The owl, later revealed to be a cultivator in disguise, struggles to escape but is attacked by a flock of red-billed warblers.
• Ji Xuanyuan and Yu Hao attempt to train with Xiao Fan but collapse after a simple exercise.
• Xiao Fan returns the Beast-Controlling Bell to Yu Hao but immediately asks to borrow his master's supreme Daoist secret art.

Character Developments

• Wan Gan demonstrates his immense power and ability to sense and trap cultivators.
• Ji Xuanyuan and Yu Hao show their lack of physical fitness and determination in cultivation.
• Xiao Fan displays his honesty in returning a borrowed item but also his greed for powerful cultivation techniques.

Significant Themes

• The power dynamics between cultivators and the consequences of underestimating opponents.
• The struggle and hardship in physical cultivation and the determination required.
• The duality of character, as seen in Xiao Fan's honesty and greed.

Character Interactions

• Wan Gan's interaction with the owl cultivator highlights his dominance and the owl's desperation.
• Ji Xuanyuan and Yu Hao's interaction with Xiao Fan shows their lack of physical prowess and Xiao Fan's manipulative nature.
• The interaction between the owl cultivator and the red-billed warblers is a comedic interlude that underscores the owl's predicament.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Fan and Ji Xuanyuan are in Cloud Rest Garden, discussing the upcoming banquet at the Second Prince's residence. Xiao Fan advises against attending due to safety concerns and the mysterious nature of the event.
• Ji Xuanyuan reveals his guilt for not visiting his second brother in years and decides to attend the banquet despite Xiao Fan's reservations.
• Xiao Fan agrees to accompany Ji Xuanyuan to the banquet.
• Ji Xuanyuan, in a moment of emotion, calls Xiao Fan his "real big brother," causing a stir among the servants.
• Xiao Fan takes Yu Hao to an unknown location, leaving Ji Xuanyuan and the old steward behind.

Character Developments

• Xiao Fan: Shows concern for Ji Xuanyuan's safety and acknowledges Ji Xuanyuan's humanity and potential for leadership.
• Ji Xuanyuan: Exhibits remorse for not visiting his second brother and determination to attend the banquet, showing his caring nature.
• Yu Hao: Shows jealousy of Xiao Fan's relationship with Ji Xuanyuan and is dragged along by Xiao Fan to an unknown location.

Significant Themes

• Brotherhood and Loyalty: Xiao Fan's willingness to follow Ji Xuanyuan and his concern for Ji Xuanyuan's safety highlight the theme of brotherhood and loyalty.
• Power Struggles: The tense political atmosphere in the imperial family, with brothers turning against each other, is a significant theme.
• Potential for Growth: Both Xiao Fan and Ji Xuanyuan show potential for growth and change, with Ji Xuanyuan's determination to make amends and Xiao Fan's acknowledgment of Ji Xuanyuan's humanity.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Fan and Ji Xuanyuan: Their interaction shows a growing bond, with Xiao Fan showing concern for Ji Xuanyuan's safety and Ji Xuanyuan acknowledging Xiao Fan's importance.
• Xiao Fan and Yu Hao: Xiao Fan's mysterious behavior and Yu Hao's jealousy of their relationship lead to a tense interaction between them.
• Ji Xuanyuan and the Servants: Ji Xuanyuan's careless words cause a stir among the servants, highlighting the power dynamics and the servants' awareness of the political climate.

Chapter Summary: “Severed Earth Veins”

Key plot points and events

• Xiao Fan takes Yu Hao to Clear Ripple Garden, a neglected residence in the inner city that was supposedly bestowed by the Crown Prince.
• Yu Hao is initially horrified by the overgrown, abandoned courtyard, while Xiao Fan humorously defends its “wild charm.”
• Xiao Fan asks Yu Hao, a Dao Sect cultivator skilled in Qi Gazing and Vein Observation, to investigate whether the residence’s feng shui contains a hidden problem.
• Yu Hao deploys five elemental formation flags and activates the Branching Lines, Fixing Veins Technique to inspect the earth veins beneath the residence.
• The formation initially reveals an ordinary, balanced layout, but the central Earth position soon becomes unstable. Black qi emerges from beneath the ground and begins suppressing the formation.
• Yu Hao exposes a sinister pattern beneath the courtyard: the earth veins have been deliberately twisted and severed around the center, forming a curse-like seal.
• He concludes that someone buried an evil object beneath the residence to cut off a branch of the Dragon Vein, drain spiritual energy, transform fortune into misfortune, and bring disaster upon anyone who lives there.

Character developments

• Xiao Fan remains playful and teasing, but his true purpose is serious: he suspects the residence has a hidden feng shui mystery and relies on Yu Hao’s expertise to uncover it.
• Yu Hao begins boastfully, eager to demonstrate the Dao Sect’s secret arts, but quickly becomes focused and grave once the investigation reveals a dangerous formation.
• Xiao Fan’s own ability, Stirring Heaven and Earth, proves insufficiently precise for the examination and appears unusually dulled by the residence’s corrupted feng shui.
• Yu Hao’s confidence is justified as he successfully identifies the unnatural earth-vein disruption.

Significant themes

• Appearances versus reality: The residence appears merely abandoned, but its neglect is the result of a deliberate supernatural scheme.
• Hidden danger beneath prosperity: A valuable inner-city property can conceal a destructive curse and political or mystical intrigue.
• Knowledge and specialization: Xiao Fan possesses strong martial senses, but Yu Hao’s specialized Dao Sect techniques are necessary to uncover the truth.
• Corruption of natural order: The severed Dragon Vein represents the deliberate disruption of balance, fortune, and spiritual energy.
• Foreshadowing and mystery: The buried evil object and the person who planted it introduce a larger unresolved threat.

Character interactions

• Xiao Fan jokes at Yu Hao’s expense during the ride and about the residence’s condition, while Yu Hao responds with pride and competitive irritation.
• Their banter shifts into cooperation when Xiao Fan asks Yu Hao to investigate the courtyard.
• Xiao Fan watches and supplements Yu Hao’s ritual with his own spiritual perception, but ultimately recognizes Yu Hao’s superior expertise.
• After discovering the severed Dragon Vein, Yu Hao urgently warns Xiao Fan that the residence was deliberately cursed and that something dangerous lies buried beneath it.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Fan discovers a malicious trap set by the Crown Prince in his new residence, a severed vein that could cause his death in the future.
• Yu Hao investigates the trap but finds it too complex for his skills. He suggests inviting his master, but Xiao Fan decides to find another way.
• Xiao Fan demonstrates the 'Formless Sword Qi' technique to Yu Hao, who agrees to teach him in exchange for a seventh-grade magical artifact.

Character Developments

• Xiao Fan shows his strategic thinking and caution by inviting Yu Hao to investigate the trap and by demonstrating his martial arts skills to motivate Yu Hao.
• Yu Hao displays his eagerness to learn powerful techniques and his willingness to bargain for them.

Significant Themes

• Caution and vigilance in the face of potential danger (Xiao Fan discovering the trap).
• The value of knowledge and skills, and the willingness to pay for them (Yu Hao's eagerness to learn 'Formless Sword Qi').

Character Interactions

• Xiao Fan and Yu Hao's interaction shows a dynamic of mutual benefit and bargaining, with Xiao Fan using Yu Hao's eagerness to learn martial arts to his advantage.
• Xiao Fan's interaction with Dongfang Yunxi is brief but tense, with her signaling for him to lie down on the Red Crystal Bed without speaking.

Chapter Summary: Heart-Scorching Seal

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Fan and Dongfang Yunxi undergo the daily “blood exchange” ritual in the Red Crystal Palace. To avoid being distracted by her seductive presence, Xiao Fan blindfolds himself.
• Dongfang Yunxi deliberately uses him as a human pillow, then stops him when he attempts to embrace her, reminding him that she remains fully alert and capable of restraining him.
• Xiao Fan tries to persuade her to help cleanse the baleful forces affecting his new residence. Instead of speaking directly, he disguises the situation as a tragic story about an unfortunate “friend,” whose haunted house may endanger the capital.
• Dongfang Yunxi immediately sees through the deception and identifies the residence as Xiao Fan’s own. She also recognizes that he wants her assistance.
• When Xiao Fan hesitates to ask for help, she teases and torments him by lightly scratching the dragon scales over his heart meridians. Unable to endure the sensation, he finally admits that he needs her aid.
• Dongfang Yunxi demands payment. Since Xiao Fan claims to have nothing left to offer, she places the Heart-Scorching Seal in his Heart Furnace.
• She explains that the seal will activate if he disobeys her or harbors disloyal thoughts, causing intense Heart Flame pain. In exchange, she agrees to act on his behalf once.
• Unexpectedly, the seal’s placement completes the tempering of Xiao Fan’s Heart Flame. His fire-element spiritual energy and soul condense into Spirit Essence, causing a major arcane cultivation breakthrough:
  • From the perfected ninth rank of the Arcane Spirit-Calling Realm
  • To the early, then mid-stage, eighth rank of the Arcane Essence-Congealing Realm

Character Developments

• Xiao Fan remains scheming and prideful but is repeatedly outmaneuvered by Dongfang Yunxi. His attempts at manipulation fail because she sees through him immediately.
• His fear of losing control—and particularly of physical pain—forces him to abandon his pretense and openly request her help.
• Despite resenting Dongfang Yunxi’s domination, Xiao Fan benefits greatly from the Heart-Scorching Seal and briefly considers the exchange worthwhile.
• His final thoughts reveal that his pride remains intact: he vows to someday reverse their power dynamic and prove himself superior to her.
• Dongfang Yunxi demonstrates overwhelming control, perceptiveness, and playful cruelty. She treats Xiao Fan’s resistance as entertainment while maintaining an outwardly calm and detached demeanor.
• She shows that her assistance always comes with conditions, using the seal to bind Xiao Fan’s loyalty rather than simply accepting ordinary payment.

Significant Themes

• Power and control: Dongfang Yunxi holds the upper hand physically, psychologically, and magically, while Xiao Fan struggles to preserve his dignity.
• Manipulation versus perception: Xiao Fan attempts to manipulate her through theatrical storytelling, but Dongfang Yunxi instantly recognizes his true motives.
• Humiliation and pride: Xiao Fan is repeatedly forced into submission, yet internally maintains his confidence and dreams of eventual revenge.
• Fortune within misfortune: The supposedly oppressive Heart-Scorching Seal unexpectedly accelerates Xiao Fan’s cultivation and becomes beneficial to him.
• Transactional relationships: Dongfang Yunxi’s help is never freely given; their interactions are framed as exchanges involving obedience, sacrifice, and control.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Fan tries to resist Dongfang Yunxi’s seductive proximity by blindfolding himself, while she deliberately tests his composure.
• When he attempts to embrace her, she issues a simple command—“Don’t move”—and intimidates him into immediate obedience.
• His exaggerated “friend’s” tragic tale becomes a comic confrontation when she exposes the truth without indulging his performance.
• Her teasing touch forces him to abandon his bargaining tactics and confess his need for assistance.
• The chapter ends with Dongfang Yunxi imposing a magical bond of obedience, while Xiao Fan outwardly submits but privately vows to defeat her one day.

Chapter Summary: “Vein-Severing Dragon-Slaying!”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• After completing Xiao Fan’s regular “treatment,” Dongfang Yunxi leaves the Red Crystal Palace with him.
• They travel through the Sacred Fire Sect and fly to the abandoned Clear Ripple Garden, where Xiao Fan previously discovered a source of evil energy.
• Dongfang Yunxi investigates the scorched earth and identifies the buried object as a Vein-Severing Cone, a powerful artifact belonging to the ancient Vein-Severing Dragon-Slaying Formation.
• She explains that the formation was created to sever a nation’s Dragon Vein and destroy its fortune. It was responsible for the fall of the former Great Xia dynasty and the death of its Martial God emperor.
• Although the Great Liang founder ordered all traces of the formation destroyed, one concealed Vein-Severing Cone survived underground. Over time, it became contaminated by Calamity Poison and attracted the resentful spirits of people who had died violently at the site.
• Dongfang Yunxi gives Xiao Fan two options: destroy the artifact with Crimson Flame or purify it and remove it.
• She chooses purification, using the technique “Ashen Karma.” A translucent Karma Flame enters the earth and burns the wronged souls’ sins, allowing them to be released rather than annihilated.
• The chapter ends as Xiao Fan realizes that, despite Dongfang Yunxi’s ruthless and domineering nature, she retains genuine compassion.

2. Character Developments

• Xiao Fan remains outwardly obedient and somewhat intimidated by Dongfang Yunxi, privately comparing himself to a “pretty boy” kept by a powerful woman.
• His caution is validated: had he tried to excavate the artifact himself, the resentful spirits and Calamity Poison might have killed him.
• Xiao Fan experiences a powerful, unexplained reaction when he hears the phrase “dragon-slaying,” suggesting a deeper connection between his own identity or fate and the Dragon Vein-related formation.
• He gains a greater understanding of Dongfang Yunxi’s abilities and moral complexity, moving from fear and resentment toward reluctant admiration.
• Dongfang Yunxi demonstrates immense authority, knowledge, and power. She is capable of destroying the artifact and spirits outright but deliberately chooses a more merciful method, revealing a compassionate side beneath her harsh exterior.

3. Significant Themes

• National destiny and Dragon Veins: The chapter links a nation’s prosperity to mystical earth veins and shows how their destruction can cause political collapse, disasters, and social ruin.
• Forbidden power and historical consequences: The Vein-Severing Formation represents dangerous knowledge whose misuse destroyed a dynasty, explaining why later rulers tried to erase it completely.
• Compassion versus destruction: Dongfang Yunxi’s choice to purify the spirits instead of obliterating them emphasizes mercy, redemption, and the possibility of release.
• Hidden identities and foreshadowing: Xiao Fan’s near-suffocation at the mention of “dragon-slaying” hints at an unknown relationship between him and the ancient formation or Dragon Vein.
• Moral complexity: Dongfang Yunxi is portrayed as cruel and domineering in her treatment of Xiao Fan, yet capable of kindness toward the dead and suffering.

4. Character Interactions

• Dongfang Yunxi commands Xiao Fan throughout their journey, while he responds submissively and guides her to Clear Ripple Garden.
• She physically stabilizes him when the words “dragon-slaying” trigger a terrifying reaction, showing both her power and her concern.
• She praises Xiao Fan for reporting the danger instead of acting recklessly, acknowledging that his caution saved his life.
• During the purification ritual, Dongfang Yunxi instructs Xiao Fan to guard his spirit and calm his heart when the spirits’ screams threaten to overwhelm him.
• Xiao Fan’s view of her changes: although he still considers her “bad” and fears her treatment of him, he begins to recognize the kindness and compassion hidden beneath her ruthless exterior.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The vengeful spirits beneath Xiao Fan’s residence are finally purified, and their terrifying screams fade away.
• Dongfang Yunxi displays overwhelming power, using the Earth-Splitting Technique to open a chasm more than twenty zhang deep.
• She extracts a huge, blackened stone pillar—the Vein-Severing Cone—which had been embedded in the earth and corrupted by a dense concentration of Calamity Poison.
• Dongfang Yunxi burns away the poison coating the stone with a fiery serpent, but Xiao Fan stops her from touching it. Claiming the poison may remain inside its cracks, he tests the stone himself.
• Xiao Fan absorbs the remaining Calamity Poison, gaining 79 points and raising his total to 90/200.
• Dongfang Yunxi destroys the ancient restriction sealing the stone. The formation collapses easily because centuries of poison erosion have already weakened it.
• The Vein-Severing Cone shrinks to palm-size and is stored in Dongfang Yunxi’s high-grade spatial brocade pouch.
• Once the stone is removed, the blocked dragon vein beneath the residence reconnects. Pure dragon energy floods the courtyard, transforming it into an excellent place for cultivation.
• Dongfang Yunxi activates Xiao Fan’s Scorching Heart mark, reminding him that her assistance came with a price and that he must obey her orders.

Character Developments

• Xiao Fan: Continues to hide his true ability to absorb Calamity Poison. He acts considerate and loyal by testing the stone first, but primarily benefits himself by absorbing its poison. Although outwardly submissive after experiencing the Scorching Heart punishment, he secretly vows to overcome Dongfang Yunxi someday.
• Dongfang Yunxi: Demonstrates extraordinary strength, magical control, and composure. She effortlessly handles the corrupted stone and ancient formation, maintaining complete authority over the situation. Her gentle beauty contrasts sharply with her ruthless, domineering methods.
• Xiao Fan becomes increasingly aware of the enormous gap between his own abilities and Dongfang Yunxi’s cultivation, while also recognizing the value of her help.

Significant Themes

• Power and control: Dongfang Yunxi’s strength allows her to dictate events and enforce Xiao Fan’s obedience through the Scorching Heart mark.
• Hidden abilities and deception: Xiao Fan conceals his Calamity Poison absorption ability behind a fabricated explanation, presenting self-interest as concern for Dongfang Yunxi’s safety.
• Restoration and renewal: Removing the Vein-Severing Cone revives the dragon vein and restores the residence’s spiritual vitality.
• Beauty versus danger: Dongfang Yunxi appears delicate and elegant but possesses terrifying destructive power and a cruelly playful temperament.
• Submission versus resistance: Xiao Fan submits externally while internally resisting and plotting for a future reversal of their power dynamic.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Fan physically stops Dongfang Yunxi from touching the stone and briefly holds her hand, causing an awkward moment when she calmly asks whether he intends to let go.
• He flatters her by emphasizing her importance and claiming he is willing to risk himself for her.
• After absorbing the poison, he assures her that the stone is safe, while she independently verifies and dismantles its remaining restriction.
• Dongfang Yunxi reminds Xiao Fan that her help was not free by activating his Scorching Heart mark. Her teasing smile and painful punishment reinforce their unequal but increasingly personal dynamic.
• Xiao Fan obediently agrees to follow her orders, though he secretly curses her and dreams of making her submit in the future.

Chapter Summary: “Benefits of the Black-Clad Guard”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Fan returns to the Sacred Fire Altar with Dongfang Yunxi, despite inwardly plotting revenge against her. His body, however, obediently follows her because of the control exerted by the Heart-Scorching Seal.
• He asks Dongfang Yunxi to teach him the seal technique. She agrees to copy it into his Myriad Arts Ruyi, which now contains:
  1. Beast-Taming Art
  2. Heart-Scorching Seal
  3. One empty slot
• Dongfang Yunxi explains the technique’s limitations: the target’s transcendent rank must be below Xiao Fan’s spellcraft rank, stronger targets require more spiritual energy, and the seal cannot be removed using the ruyi itself.
• Xiao Fan is disappointed that he cannot use the copied technique to break his own seal, but realizes it will allow him to control and recruit gray-clad “temporary workers.”
• After escorting Dongfang Yunxi back to the Red Crystal Palace, Xiao Fan retrieves his black divine steed and leaves the Sacred Fire Sect.
• He travels toward the southeastern mass grave outside the capital to investigate the mysterious “thing” Mu Sha mentioned before dying, suspecting it may be connected to larger secrets involving the Crown Prince and recent events.
• Thanks to his new status as a Black-Clad Guard, Xiao Fan can legally travel during curfew. Soldiers salute him rather than stopping him, allowing him to move openly instead of sneaking through the city.
• As he rides through the impoverished outskirts, he observes the stark contrast between the capital’s wealthy inner districts and the suffering beyond the walls.
• Near the wilderness, Xiao Fan hears a woman crying for help. Recognizing that she and possibly others are in danger, he immediately rides toward the voice.

Character Developments

• Xiao Fan remains outwardly respectful toward Dongfang Yunxi while privately resisting her control and searching for ways to turn the Heart-Scorching Seal to his own advantage.
• His growing abilities and access to magical tools make him more strategically minded; he quickly considers using the seal to recruit and control useful allies.
• His new Black-Clad Guard identity grants him authority and freedom of movement, marking a significant improvement in his social position and operational capabilities.
• Xiao Fan also displays increasing empathy. The poverty and suffering in the outskirts weigh heavily on him, revealing his concern for ordinary people beneath his scheming exterior.
• Dongfang Yunxi continues to control Xiao Fan but also assists him by teaching him the seal technique and explaining its risks. Her warning suggests she understands his rebellious intentions and remains several steps ahead of him.
• Mu Sha, though already dead, continues to influence Xiao Fan’s actions through the mystery he left behind.

Significant Themes

• Control versus resistance: Xiao Fan’s body is controlled by the Heart-Scorching Seal, but his mind remains defiant and constantly searches for ways to regain power.
• Power and manipulation: The seal represents both oppression and potential weaponry, showing how magical abilities can be used to dominate others.
• Authority and freedom: Becoming a Black-Clad Guard gives Xiao Fan lawful access and influence, demonstrating how official status can transform one’s freedom of action.
• Social inequality: The chapter contrasts the capital’s luxury with the poverty, hunger, and insecurity of the outskirts, exposing the unequal consequences of the imperial court’s ongoing wars.
• Duty and moral responsibility: Although Xiao Fan is pursuing a private investigation, he immediately responds to the woman’s cries, suggesting that his personal motives are intertwined with a developing sense of justice.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Fan and Dongfang Yunxi share a tense, superficially polite relationship. He asks her for knowledge while secretly hoping to undermine her control, and she cooperates while warning him not to challenge the seal.
• Xiao Fan’s interaction with the Sacred Fire Sect disciples is largely nonverbal; their pity, curiosity, familiarity, and envy reflect his unusual relationship with the sect and Dongfang Yunxi.
• His brief encounters with patrol soldiers show the authority granted by his Black-Clad Guard token.
• The chapter ends with Xiao Fan responding to an unseen group of victims, setting up an imminent confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “Evil”

Key Plot Points and Events

• In a collapsing hut, a young woman and her badly injured brother are held captive by eight violent men led by the one-eyed thug Wu Ergou.
• Wu Ergou and his gang claim the woman’s family still owes money, despite her insistence that her father had already repaid the debt. They reveal that her father was beaten to death and that her brother has now been seriously injured.
• The gang attempts to force the woman into sexual slavery as repayment. When she resists, Wu Ergou beats her and orders the others to restrain her.
• The arrival of the Capital Patrol Guards briefly gives the woman hope. She tries to call for help, but a thug silences her.
• Wu Ergou goes outside and manipulates Master Liu, a patrol guard who already knows him. He threatens Liu by implying that the family has powerful enemies and tempts him with the chance to abuse the woman.
• Although Master Liu initially hesitates, he ultimately abandons his duty and joins the gang’s assault, exposing the corruption and moral weakness of the supposed law enforcer.
• Just as the woman is being pinned down, an unseen attacker outside releases a razor-sharp blade aura through the window. Three thugs are killed instantly.
• A mysterious man announces that the Black-Clad Guard is handling the case and orders the remaining criminals to surrender, ending the chapter on a tense cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• The young woman: Begins terrified and seemingly helpless, but her despair turns into defiance. She bites Wu Ergou and vows to fight to the death. Her brief hope in official protection collapses when Master Liu betrays her, leaving her emotionally shattered before the new rescuer appears.
• Wu Ergou: Revealed as a brutal, manipulative gang leader. He uses violence, intimidation, corruption, and sexual exploitation to control others, while remaining calm and calculating when the patrol arrives.
• Master Liu: His character exposes institutional corruption. Though he is responsible for protecting civilians, greed, lust, fear, and personal dissatisfaction overcome his conscience, transforming him into another predator.
• The mysterious Black-Clad Guard: Introduced as a powerful and decisive figure. His ability to kill three men without warning establishes him as an intimidating force aligned with justice—or at least opposed to the gang’s cruelty.

Significant Themes

• Corruption of authority: The chapter contrasts the promise of justice with Master Liu’s willingness to participate in abuse.
• Abuse of power: Wu Ergou exploits debt, social status, and political connections to justify violence against a vulnerable family.
• Despair and fragile hope: The woman’s hope rises when help arrives, dies when the guard betrays her, and is unexpectedly revived by the Black-Clad Guard’s intervention.
• Evil hidden behind social order: The gang’s brutality is openly monstrous, but the chapter suggests that respectable officials can be equally corrupt when tempted.
• Resistance and justice: The woman’s defiance and the mysterious guard’s intervention introduce the possibility that oppression can be challenged.

Character Interactions

• Wu Ergou humiliates and threatens the woman while the gang encourages him, creating a scene of collective cruelty.
• The woman fights back physically and verbally, refusing to accept the gang’s accusations or submit quietly.
• Wu Ergou and Master Liu interact as corrupt acquaintances: Wu uses flattery, threats, and temptation to draw Liu into the crime.
• Master Liu’s betrayal destroys the woman’s faith in the authorities.
• The Black-Clad Guard interrupts the criminals with overwhelming force, shifting the power balance and confronting the surviving villains.

Chapter Summary: “Lying”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Xiao Fan arrives outside the building, three thugs rush out with knives, hoping to overwhelm or challenge the supposed Black-Clad Guard. Xiao Fan instantly kills them with invisible blade aura, severing their heads.
• He confronts the remaining men, including gang leader Wu Ergou and Master Liu. Terrified, Wu Ergou and another thug kneel, beg for mercy, and even lose control of themselves.
• Xiao Fan confirms Wu Ergou’s identity, then kills the last minor thug, explaining that he needs only the leader alive for questioning.
• Master Liu attempts to save himself by falsely claiming he was an innocent night patrolman who arrived to rescue the abused woman. The woman immediately accuses him of being part of the gang.
• Xiao Fan reveals that he heard and understood everything before entering, so Master Liu’s lies are useless. He kills Master Liu as punishment for his crimes and for attempting to deceive a Black-Clad Guard.
• Once her attackers are dead, the woman breaks down in grief and relief. Xiao Fan comforts her and realizes that she looks familiar.
• The woman recognizes Xiao Fan as her benefactor and begins bowing her head against the ground in emotional gratitude.

Character Developments

• Xiao Fan is shown as exceptionally powerful, decisive, and merciless toward criminals. His heightened hearing allowed him to know the entire situation beforehand, and his killing intent reflects his anger at the woman’s mistreatment. At the same time, he demonstrates restraint and practicality by deliberately keeping Wu Ergou alive for interrogation and showing compassion toward the victim.
• Wu Ergou changes from a violent gang leader into a completely helpless and terrified captive. His fear is so extreme that he cannot speak properly and eventually faints after witnessing another thug’s execution.
• Master Liu initially appears more composed and calculating than the other criminals. He tries to manipulate Xiao Fan through a fabricated story, but his confidence collapses when Xiao Fan exposes that he already knows the truth. His pleading reveals his cowardice and self-preservation.
• The woman moves from victimized silence and physical weakness to briefly asserting herself by denouncing Master Liu. After receiving justice, she releases her suppressed fear and grief, then recognizes Xiao Fan as someone who helped her in the past.

Significant Themes

• Justice versus deception: Master Liu attempts to distort the truth, but Xiao Fan’s knowledge and authority ensure that the guilty cannot escape through lies.
• The consequences of evil: The criminals’ violence is answered with immediate and severe punishment, emphasizing Xiao Fan’s harsh sense of justice.
• Fear and power: The gang members’ terror demonstrates the overwhelming reputation and strength of the Black-Clad Guards, especially through Xiao Fan’s effortless killings.
• Compassion beneath severity: Although Xiao Fan acts brutally toward the criminals, he protects, comforts, and provides clothing for the victim, showing that his violence is directed toward punishment rather than cruelty.
• Recognition and past connections: The woman’s final recognition of Xiao Fan introduces a personal connection and suggests that their relationship will become important in later events.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Fan dominates the criminals through his cold questioning, deadly sword aura, and knowledge of their actions.
• The woman directly challenges Master Liu’s false testimony, while Master Liu tries to discredit her and shift blame onto her.
• Xiao Fan reassures the woman, confirms her innocence, and punishes Master Liu after exposing his lies.
• The chapter ends with an emotional reunion between Xiao Fan and the woman, who identifies him as her benefactor.

Chapter Summary: Evil Men Meet Even Fiercer Men

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Fan recognizes Li Li as the woman he previously rescued at the capital’s city gate from the thug Zhang Bin. She and her father had never forgotten his kindness, but their lives later fell into tragedy, leaving Li Li homeless and alone.
• Before Xiao Fan can learn what happened to her family, a large group of armed men surrounds the shack. Their forces include an eighth-rank martial artist, several ninth-rank martial artists, a ninth-rank spellcaster, and numerous ordinary thugs.
• Xiao Fan orders Li Li to hide inside and not come out, placing himself between her and the attackers.
• The group is led by the arrogant Young Master Yan, while Niu Bucheng—formerly an accomplice of Qin Han—provokes Xiao Fan. Xiao Fan is surprised that Niu Bucheng escaped the Black-Clad Guard dungeon, suggesting he has powerful backing.
• Niu Bucheng mistakenly believes Xiao Fan is still only an eighth-rank martial artist. The attackers are unaware that Xiao Fan has advanced to the seventh-rank Spirit Tempering Realm and is also an eighth-rank spellcaster.
• Xiao Fan calmly gives them one final chance to leave. Their vulgar threats against both him and Li Li convince him that they have no intention of retreating.
• When the attackers begin laughing and boasting about torturing Xiao Fan and assaulting Li Li, Xiao Fan launches a sudden counterattack. In less than two breaths, he kills one ninth-rank martial artist by ripping out and crushing his heart, then decapitates two others—including the spellcaster—with invisible blade qi.

Character Developments

• Xiao Fan: Demonstrates compassion by remembering and protecting Li Li, but also reveals his terrifying increase in strength. He remains composed and offers mercy before resorting to lethal force.
• Li Li: Shows trust and good judgment by immediately obeying Xiao Fan’s order to hide, recognizing that remaining outside would only endanger him.
• Niu Bucheng: Is revealed to be cowardly despite his loud threats. He relies on outdated information about Xiao Fan and appears to have influential protection that enabled his escape from prison.
• Young Master Yan and his followers: Their arrogance, cruelty, and predatory behavior expose them as violent criminals who greatly underestimate Xiao Fan.

Significant Themes

• Karma and fate: Xiao Fan’s earlier act of kindness toward Li Li unexpectedly brings him to her aid again.
• Hidden strength and misinformation: The attackers’ confidence comes from their false belief that Xiao Fan remains at his former level.
• Justice versus brutality: Xiao Fan distinguishes the disciplined justice of the Black-Clad Guards from the attackers’ lawless violence, yet responds decisively when they reject mercy.
• Protection of the vulnerable: Xiao Fan’s intervention highlights his willingness to defend innocent people, especially those abused by the powerful.
• Arrogance before downfall: The enemies’ mockery and obscene threats immediately precede their swift deaths.

Character Interactions

• Li Li emotionally identifies Xiao Fan as her former benefactor and tries to repay him through gratitude.
• Xiao Fan reassures and protects Li Li, instructing her to remain inside.
• Niu Bucheng taunts Xiao Fan while hiding behind Young Master Yan, prompting Xiao Fan to remind him of his fear of the Black-Clad Guard dungeon.
• Young Master Yan’s group mocks Xiao Fan’s warning and openly threatens Li Li, provoking his decisive attack.
• The chapter ends with Xiao Fan having killed three attackers almost instantly, while the remaining group is left to confront the true extent of his power.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Young Master Yan finally reacts to Xiao Fan’s overwhelming strength and orders his remaining men to attack.
• Four Ninth-Rank Martial Artists rush Xiao Fan from different directions, but his Hidden Dragon Scales make him nearly impervious to their weapons. He crushes their steel axes and kills two by tearing out their hearts.
• Of Young Master Yan’s original group—over twenty people, including five Ninth-Rank Martial Artists and one Ninth-Rank Sorcerer—only Young Master Yan and two attackers remain. Xiao Fan kills the final two Ninth-Rank Martial Artists without even drawing his saber.
• The ordinary thugs panic and flee, abandoning Young Master Yan. Xiao Fan orders Yan to remain where he is or die.
• Using his divine sense and Dazzling Step, Xiao Fan pursues and captures Niu Bucheng, kicking him down and pinning him beneath his foot.
• Niu Bucheng begs for mercy and claims that Qin Han orchestrated the attack, insisting he merely acted as a guide and was forced to participate.
• Xiao Fan questions why Qin Han spared Niu Bucheng despite Niu’s history of betraying and implicating others.
• Under pressure, Niu Bucheng reveals that Qin Han depended on him to handle many secret, illegal, and morally corrupt tasks. Niu knows too much and was useful enough that Qin Han could not easily eliminate him.

Character Developments

• Xiao Fan demonstrates overwhelming physical strength, speed, fearlessness, and control. He casually withstands weapons, kills elite opponents barehanded, and maintains complete dominance over the battlefield.
• Young Master Yan changes from an arrogant commander into a terrified and helpless survivor. His confidence collapses once he realizes Xiao Fan has defeated his entire group without unsheathing his weapon.
• Niu Bucheng is shown to be cowardly, shameless, and highly opportunistic. He immediately betrays Qin Han to save himself, portraying his actions as forced while attempting to shift all blame.
• Qin Han is developed indirectly as a ruthless figure involved in numerous hidden crimes. His survival depends on people like Niu Bucheng who carry out his dirty work.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power and intimidation: Xiao Fan’s effortless victory establishes him as a terrifying force far beyond his opponents’ expectations.
• Cowardice and self-preservation: The thugs flee immediately when the situation turns deadly, while Niu Bucheng abandons his supposed ally to preserve his own life.
• Betrayal and moral corruption: Niu’s willingness to expose Qin Han reflects a world governed by self-interest rather than loyalty.
• Secrets as leverage: Qin Han’s crimes give Niu Bucheng protection because he possesses valuable knowledge and has been involved in covert wrongdoing.
• Justice and vengeance: Xiao Fan treats the attackers as enemies deserving punishment, while his interrogation seeks to uncover the larger conspiracy behind the ambush.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Fan dominates Young Master Yan through a cold command, forcing the frightened nobleman to remain still.
• Xiao Fan captures and interrogates Niu Bucheng, alternating physical pressure with threats to extract the truth.
• Niu Bucheng desperately flatters Xiao Fan as “Grandpa” and begs for mercy while blaming Qin Han.
• The exchange exposes the hidden working relationship between Qin Han and Niu Bucheng, setting up a broader conflict with Qin Han.

Chapter Summary: “Playing Tricks Before the ‘King of Hell’”

Key plot points and events

• Niu Bucheng betrays his former master, Qin Han, to save himself. He reveals that Qin Han has engaged in numerous immoral schemes, including seducing his father’s concubine, targeting noblewomen, and arranging surveillance of all three princesses of Great Liang.
• Qin Han’s men have been studying the princesses’ routines, guard rotations, and defensive weaknesses, apparently preparing to assault or abduct them.
• Outraged, Xiao Fan declares that Qin Han must die and manipulates Niu Bucheng into agreeing to help eliminate him.
• Xiao Fan places the mysterious Heart-Scorching Seal on Niu Bucheng using the Myriad Arts Ruyi, pretending that it is a protective spell. In reality, it is a means of controlling and punishing Niu Bucheng.
• Xiao Fan orders Niu Bucheng to return to Qin Han, maintain his role as a loyal subordinate, avoid arousing suspicion, and meet Xiao Fan in five days at the Wondrous Immortal Pavilion.
• Niu Bucheng outwardly agrees but secretly plans to betray Xiao Fan immediately by informing Qin Han. He does not realize that the seal will force him to obey Xiao Fan.

Character developments

• Xiao Fan is shown to be increasingly ruthless, strategic, and perceptive. His anger at the threat to the princesses reveals a strong sense of justice and protectiveness, while his use of the seal demonstrates his willingness to employ deception and coercion.
• Niu Bucheng is established as shameless, self-serving, and highly opportunistic. He repeatedly praises his own “loyalty,” but his immediate intention is to betray whoever currently holds power. His apparent submission to Xiao Fan is entirely motivated by survival.
• Qin Han, though absent, is characterized as corrupt, predatory, and dangerously ambitious. His plans against the princesses elevate him from a local villain to a threat deserving execution.

Significant themes

• Deception and manipulation: Both Xiao Fan and Niu Bucheng attempt to trick each other, but Xiao Fan sees through Niu Bucheng’s false loyalty.
• Justice versus self-interest: Xiao Fan frames Qin Han’s execution as righteous justice, while Niu Bucheng cares only about preserving his own life.
• Control and coercion: The Heart-Scorching Seal symbolizes Xiao Fan’s ability to impose loyalty when genuine trust is impossible.
• Moral corruption and abuse of power: Qin Han’s schemes against women and the princesses expose the extreme consequences of unchecked privilege and desire.
• Irony and dark humor: Niu Bucheng loudly condemns Qin Han and volunteers to help destroy him, only to be forced into that very mission himself.

Character interactions

• Xiao Fan interrogates and intimidates Niu Bucheng, using physical force and threats to extract the truth.
• Niu Bucheng alternates between confession, flattery, exaggerated loyalty, and secret treachery.
• Xiao Fan turns Niu Bucheng’s false agreement into a binding obligation by secretly marking him with the Heart-Scorching Seal.
• Their relationship becomes one of enforced cooperation: Niu Bucheng believes he is deceiving Xiao Fan, while Xiao Fan has already anticipated his betrayal and retains complete control.

Xiao Fan questioned Yan Ning after defeating his men, then summoned the Black-Clad Guard to take the captives and protect Li Li. He left Li Li in their care and arranged for her brother’s remains to be buried before continuing his investigation.

• Xiao Fan ordered Niu Bucheng to watch Qin Han and report any plans against the three princesses to the Shadow Pivot Court, then sent him away.
• Xiao Fan questioned Yan Ning, who revealed he was Yan Zhong’s second son and the Iron Mountain Sect’s young master but hesitated to explain his connection to Qin Han.
• Xiao Fan made Yan Ning knock himself unconscious, then summoned the Black-Clad Guard with a signal flare and had the guards secure Yan Ning and Wu Ergou.
• Xiao Fan ordered Sun Gui’s patrol to protect Li Li and arrange her lodging at the Shadow Pivot Court’s temporary accommodations.
• Xiao Fan and the guards cremated Li Li’s brother and buried his remains, then Li Li thanked Xiao Fan and left for the city under escort.

Chapter Summary: “Dagger”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After defeating a group of enemies, Xiao Fan uses the Fire Element Art to burn their corpses and erase all evidence of the battle.
• His ability to cast spells instantly reflects his advancement to the eighth rank, Essence Condensation Realm. Unlike ninth-rank sorcerers, he can store spiritual energy in his Spirit Essence and no longer needs to prepare each spell by drawing power from the environment.
• Xiao Fan travels on his black steed, the “Lamborghini Horse,” toward the Southeast Capital Outskirts Mass Graveyard, following a clue left by the dying Mu Sha: a withered locust tree.
• The graveyard is filled with deathly cold, resentment, and an unnatural absence of living creatures.
• Near the Sacred Flame Barrier, Xiao Fan finds a ruined house and several dead locust trees. He investigates the house first and realizes that, despite its abandoned appearance, it has been recently cleaned and maintained. This suggests someone deliberately erased traces of their presence.
• Finding nothing in the house or surrounding area, Xiao Fan examines the crooked dead locust tree indicated by Mu Sha.
• He initially finds no evidence, but then notices a narrow, unnaturally shaped crack in the trunk. By illuminating it with a small flame, he determines that it is a deep dagger mark.
• Xiao Fan takes out the strange, poisonous dagger previously associated with the mysterious woman in black. Its tip fits the mark perfectly.
• He concludes that the dagger may not have been intended to poison Mu Sha at all. Instead, it may be a key or marker meant to reveal a hidden message, location, or secret connected to the tree.

Character Developments

• Xiao Fan demonstrates greater confidence and technical mastery after reaching the eighth rank. His instant spellcasting shows how much stronger and more versatile he has become.
• His martial perception and careful investigation reveal his growing ability to notice subtle inconsistencies, such as the unnatural cleanliness of the abandoned house and the hidden blade mark.
• Xiao Fan shifts from irritation at Mu Sha’s seemingly useless clue to intense suspicion about the dagger’s true purpose.
• His attitude becomes increasingly serious as he realizes he may have been manipulated by the woman in black.

Significant Themes

• Hidden intentions and deception: Objects and actions are not what they initially appear to be. The dagger may have had a completely different purpose from the one Xiao Fan assumed.
• Clues concealed in plain sight: The abandoned house, dead tree, and apparent lack of evidence all conceal deliberate traces left by someone skilled at hiding information.
• Power and advancement: Xiao Fan’s improved spellcasting illustrates the practical difference between the ninth and eighth ranks.
• Death and secrecy: The mass graveyard’s atmosphere of decay and resentment mirrors the hidden conspiracy surrounding Mu Sha, the woman in black, and the dagger.
• Manipulation and uncertainty: Xiao Fan begins questioning whether he has been guided into a larger scheme without understanding the true purpose of the objects placed in his hands.

Character Interactions

• The chapter contains no direct dialogue between living characters, but Xiao Fan’s actions connect him to several unseen figures:
  • Mu Sha left the clue involving the withered locust tree, suggesting he intended Xiao Fan to find something there.
  • The woman in black gave Xiao Fan the poisonous dagger, which now appears to be a secret key or marker rather than merely a weapon.
  • The destroyed enemies have no interaction with Xiao Fan beyond their defeat, but his cremation of their bodies emphasizes his practical and ruthless approach to eliminating evidence.
    The chapter ends with Xiao Fan beginning to reevaluate the dagger and the woman in black’s motives, just as he senses that the weapon conceals an even deeper secret.

Chapter Summary: “Too Wonderful for Words!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Fan activates a mysterious dagger by infusing it with spiritual energy. A blood-red sigil appears, resonating with a hidden source beneath the roots of a withered locust tree.
• Using knowledge from the Black-Clad Guard Duty Manual, he identifies the dagger as the “key” to a paired Sensing Talisman, with the hidden object beneath the tree serving as the “lock.”
• Although tempted to excavate the buried object, Xiao Fan recognizes the danger of the sinister mass graveyard and recalls how reckless action at the Sunrise Street residence nearly killed him.
• He stops the activation, stores the dagger, and devises a safer plan: report the location to Lord White Tiger and have the Shadow Pivot Court retrieve the object. Xiao Fan can then secretly investigate it using the dagger.
• He immediately rides back toward the capital.
• Meanwhile, at Cloud Rest Garden, Ji Xuanyuan welcomes his elder brother, Crown Prince Ji Xuanzhao. The Crown Prince advises him not to attend their Second Brother’s family banquet.
• Ji Xuanyuan insists that he should visit their brother despite past tensions. Ji Xuanzhao agrees to accompany him to protect him.
• Ji Xuanyuan then announces that he also wants to bring Xiao Fan. The Crown Prince maintains a calm exterior, but his subtle reaction suggests suspicion or displeasure.

Character Developments

• Xiao Fan: Demonstrates caution, strategic thinking, and growing confidence. Rather than risking his life for immediate answers, he chooses to manipulate the situation safely and use others to retrieve the dangerous object.
• Ji Xuanyuan: Remains trusting, affectionate, and somewhat naive. He deeply admires the Crown Prince and views him as dependable, while also showing loyalty toward their Second Brother and Xiao Fan.
• Ji Xuanzhao: Presents himself as warm, protective, and brotherly, but his opposition to the Second Prince and his reaction to Xiao Fan reveal possible hidden concerns or motives.
• Lord White Tiger and the Shadow Pivot Court: Though not present, they become central to Xiao Fan’s planned investigation.

Significant Themes

• Caution versus curiosity: Xiao Fan’s desire for knowledge conflicts with the dangers of acting recklessly.
• Strategic manipulation: He realizes that the safest way to uncover the secret is to let others take the risk while retaining control through the dagger.
• Hidden danger and sinister secrets: The buried object, the blood-red talisman, and the mass graveyard create an atmosphere of occult threat.
• Family loyalty and political tension: Ji Xuanyuan’s affection for both brothers contrasts with the Crown Prince’s apparent distrust of the Second Prince.
• Appearances versus intentions: Ji Xuanzhao appears kind and protective, yet his subtle reaction to Xiao Fan hints that his true thoughts may be more complicated.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Fan internally weighs the risks of investigating the talisman before choosing a safer course of action.
• Ji Xuanyuan and Ji Xuanzhao share a warm, intimate exchange that emphasizes their brotherly bond and Xuanyuan’s reliance on the Crown Prince.
• Ji Xuanzhao tries to dissuade Ji Xuanyuan from attending the Second Prince’s banquet, but ultimately agrees to accompany him.
• Ji Xuanyuan’s decision to bring Xiao Fan introduces a new tension, as the Crown Prince’s restrained reaction suggests that Xiao Fan’s presence may complicate his plans.

Chapter Summary: “Crown Prince”

Plot Points and Events

• Ji Xuanyuan meets privately with the Crown Prince, who questions why Xiao Fan accompanied him previously. Ji Xuanyuan instinctively wants to tell the truth but lies to protect Xiao Fan, claiming he brought him along because he was frightened and trusted him.
• The Crown Prince reveals that the emperor may grant a princely title to the prince who recommended the champion of the Nine Provinces Martial Tournament. Since Xiao Fan won first place, Ji Xuanyuan is technically eligible.
• Ji Xuanyuan immediately rejects the honor, insisting that Xiao Fan earned the victory entirely through his own strength and that he does not deserve credit. His response appears sincere, convincing the Crown Prince that he is not secretly seeking political power.
• The brothers enjoy tea, pastries, and conversation, joking about palace affairs and complaining about the Fourth Prince, Ji Xuanyin.
• Before departing, the Crown Prince promises to send Ji Xuanyuan more rare Xiang’er Tea, which he has always specially reserved for him. He also warns Ji Xuanyuan to travel with more guards because evil-cult remnants and bandits have made the capital dangerous. He gives him a consecrated Hetian Jade pendant for protection.
• After leaving, the Crown Prince’s carriage does not return to the Eastern Palace. Instead, it travels to a secret, isolated residence.
• During the journey, the Crown Prince’s coachman observes that his cultivation is nearing a breakthrough to the fourth rank. The Crown Prince, however, is frustrated because he believes his progress is too slow and is worried about political developments involving Ji Xuanrui, the Second Prince.
• The Crown Prince decides to attend a banquet hosted by Ji Xuanrui despite suspecting it is a trap. He intends to use the opportunity to assess the Second Prince’s strength and warn him.
• At the hidden residence, the Crown Prince disguises himself in a black robe and orders his coachman to guard the entrance. He encounters eerie servants who move like soulless puppets before being greeted by Ji Xuanrui, who is pushed out in a wheelchair by Steward Zhou.

Character Developments

• Ji Xuanyuan: Demonstrates loyalty and protectiveness toward Xiao Fan by concealing the truth about their earlier situation. He remains politically indifferent and genuinely uninterested in exploiting Xiao Fan’s victory for personal advancement. His affection and trust toward the Crown Prince are clear, though his apparent innocence may also make him seem vulnerable.
• The Crown Prince: Shows warmth and indulgence toward Ji Xuanyuan, treating him almost like the carefree younger brother he remembers. At the same time, his private behavior reveals him to be calculating, suspicious, ambitious, and deeply involved in political maneuvering. He is nearing a cultivation breakthrough but remains anxious about threats from the other princes.
• Ji Xuanrui: Although he does not yet act directly, his decision to host a banquet is presented as suspicious. His mysterious residence, wheelchair-bound condition, and apparent control over puppet-like servants create an ominous impression.
• Ji Xuanyin: Becomes the subject of the brothers’ complaints and humorously suffers unexplained sneezing after being discussed.

Significant Themes

• Trust and concealment: Ji Xuanyuan lies for Xiao Fan’s protection, while the Crown Prince carefully tests his honesty through abrupt questions and close observation.
• Brotherly affection versus political suspicion: The Crown Prince and Ji Xuanyuan share genuine warmth, but their relationship exists within a palace environment defined by rivalry, power, and hidden motives.
• Innocence and power: Ji Xuanyuan’s rejection of the title emphasizes his lack of political ambition, contrasting with the Crown Prince’s awareness that every reward can become a source of factional power.
• Hidden identities and secret agendas: The Crown Prince’s disguise, secret destination, puppet-like servants, and Ji Xuanrui’s suspicious banquet all reinforce the chapter’s atmosphere of secrecy and danger.
• Protection and vulnerability: The tea, jade pendant, warnings, and guards show the Crown Prince’s protective care, while also suggesting that Ji Xuanyuan is exposed to growing threats in the capital.

Character Interactions

• Ji Xuanyuan and the Crown Prince share a relaxed, affectionate conversation over tea and pastries, behaving like close brothers despite the political tension surrounding them.
• The Crown Prince subtly interrogates Ji Xuanyuan about Xiao Fan and the potential title, testing whether he is hiding ambition or deception.
• Ji Xuanyuan responds with apparent sincerity and reinforces his dependence on the Crown Prince, saying he has no reason to worry while his elder brother is present.
• The Crown Prince’s coachman respectfully discusses his cultivation progress and advises him to avoid Ji Xuanrui’s banquet, but the Crown Prince rejects caution in favor of confronting and probing his rival.
• The chapter ends with the Crown Prince and Ji Xuanrui finally facing one another, beginning a potentially dangerous political exchange.

Chapter Summary: “Brothers Bound by Blood”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Crown Prince secretly visits the Second Prince, Ji Xuanrui, at his residence to question the purpose of an upcoming family banquet.
• Their conversation quickly becomes a hostile power struggle. The Crown Prince reveals that he knows Ji Xuanrui has ties to the destroyed Buried Moon organization and mocks his supposed recovery from illness.
• Ji Xuanrui claims the banquet is simply an attempt to reconnect with his brothers, but the Crown Prince clearly suspects a hidden plan.
• The Crown Prince threatens Ji Xuanrui indirectly by discussing the worsening illness of their mother and announcing that a physician from the Southern Frontier will arrive in five days—the same day as the banquet.
• He further implies that the physician could suffer an “accident” while traveling, making it clear that the mother’s survival depends on Ji Xuanrui’s cooperation.
• In fury, Ji Xuanrui attacks the Crown Prince and grabs his throat, but his weakened body cannot harm him. The Crown Prince easily breaks free and continues taunting him.
• After the Crown Prince leaves, Ji Xuanrui rises from his wheelchair, revealing that his frailty was at least partly an act. His demeanor becomes terrifyingly unstable, and he laughs at the Crown Prince while calling him his “dear younger brother.”

Character Developments

• The Crown Prince is portrayed as calculating, cruel, and psychologically manipulative. He uses family loyalty, veiled threats, and emotional torture to control Ji Xuanrui while maintaining a calm, almost affectionate manner.
• Ji Xuanrui, the Second Prince, reveals intense hatred and desperation beneath his sickly façade. His violent reaction to the threat against his mother shows that she remains a major vulnerability.
• Ji Xuanrui’s final transformation suggests that his illness and helplessness are disguises, or that he possesses a disturbing hidden nature. His shifting emotions and inhuman laughter imply madness, possession, or multiple forces struggling within him.
• Both brothers weaponize the language of family. Their claims of affection conceal suspicion, resentment, and a struggle for power.

Significant Themes

• Familial bonds as weapons: The phrase “brothers bound by blood” is repeatedly used ironically. Their shared bloodline does not create trust; instead, it gives each brother leverage over the other.
• Political manipulation and coercion: The Crown Prince avoids direct accusations and threats, using “coincidence” and concern for their mother to issue unmistakable warnings.
• Masks and hidden identities: Ji Xuanrui’s sickly appearance conceals his true condition, while the Crown Prince’s calm brotherly demeanor conceals ruthless intentions.
• Madness and inhumanity: Ji Xuanrui’s final behavior blurs the boundary between human emotion and something monstrous, suggesting deeper supernatural or psychological corruption.
• Power versus helplessness: Although Ji Xuanrui appears physically weak, the Crown Prince treats him as a dangerous rival, indicating that influence and hidden strength matter more than outward appearance.

Character Interactions

• The brothers engage in constant verbal provocation, each using polite titles and affectionate language sarcastically.
• The Crown Prince invades Ji Xuanrui’s personal space, pats his hand, and speaks intimately while delivering threats, combining mock tenderness with cruelty.
• Ji Xuanrui responds with escalating anger, eventually attempting to strangle the Crown Prince when their mother is threatened.
• Their final exchange reverses the apparent power dynamic: the Crown Prince leaves believing he has exerted control, but Ji Xuanrui’s terrifying laughter suggests he may have his own plans for the banquet.

Key plot points

• Xiao Fan reports to Commander Yang Tong that Mu Sha’s remnant soul instructed him to retrieve something from the Mass Burial Ground. He claims the site is dangerously saturated with baleful energy and that entering it recklessly could unleash a catastrophe.
• Before giving the report, Xiao Fan also boasts about single-handedly defeating dozens of attackers. Yang Tong recognizes the exaggeration but lets it pass, praises Xiao Fan’s caution about the burial ground, and says he will follow up later.
• Yang Tong asks whether Lin Fengche has been troubling Xiao Fan. Xiao Fan denies it emphatically, despite Yang’s offer to help, and leaves relieved.
• Xiao Fan then visits Li Li, who explains how she and her father reached the capital. Night Erosion destroyed their village, Li Family Village, and separated them from her mother and older brother; they believe their family died.
• Hoping the capital’s ever-burning Sacred Flame would make it safe, Li Li and her father traveled there. After Zhang Bin transformed into a monster at the city gate, they fled and later feared retaliation from his remaining subordinates. They have since survived on the outskirts through odd jobs.
• Li Li begins to recount a further misfortune, but the chapter ends before she reveals it.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Fan presents himself to Yang Tong as brave and dutiful, but his flamboyant boasting contrasts with his more careful, strategic explanation about the burial ground. He also conceals any trouble with Lin Fengche.
• Yang Tong is perceptive and measured: he sees through Xiao Fan’s performance, values caution over reckless action, and subtly offers protection regarding Lin Fengche.
• Li Li reveals the trauma and loss behind her gratitude to Xiao Fan. Though grief overwhelms her at points, she chooses to continue telling her story. Xiao Fan responds with patience and compassion, offering her a handkerchief and permission to stop.

Significant themes

• Survival amid catastrophe: Night Erosion destroys communities and leaves survivors displaced and bereaved.
• Fear and the search for safety: Li Li’s family’s journey to the capital shows how even a supposed refuge can become dangerous.
• Caution versus bravado: Xiao Fan boasts of heroism while correctly recognizing the risks of acting without preparation.
• Compassion and trust: Xiao Fan’s kindness helps Li Li share painful experiences, while Yang Tong’s restrained support suggests a cautious bond of trust.