Chapter Summaries

Lu Chen sold Xu Yu a Curse- and Grudge-Resolving Talisman to help her mother, Huang Xiumei, who was being punished in Tongue-Pulling Hell. After the talisman burned and ten punishments were reduced, Xu Yu rushed back to Lu Chen, leaving the watching crowd convinced she was about to accuse him of fraud.

• Xu Yu bought a talisman from Lu Chen and followed his instructions to offer incense and ask the Underworld Martial and Virtuous General and King Yama for aid.
• Xie Qingyi sensed the incense offering in the Netherworld, while Lu Chen learned that gaining a Rank would let him sense Incense Fire directly.
• Xu Yu's talisman ignited by itself, and Fan Rusong received an order to reduce Huang Xiumei's punishment by ten tongue-pullings.
• Fan Rusong brought Huang Xiumei out of Tongue-Pulling Hell, while King Qin Guang and his Left Judge discussed exploiting King Yama's growing Incense Fire.
• Xu Yu spoke with her mother in Yama Hall, then rushed back to Lu Chen, where the crowd mistook her breathless approach for an angry demand for an explanation.

Lu Chen sold spirit talismans at the Lu Clan Temple, drawing a huge crowd after buyers confirmed their power. With supplies exhausted and worshippers demanding more, he announced a temple fair called the Blessing Black-Yellow Grand Rite, leaving its benefits to be revealed.

• Xu Yu confirmed that a Curse-Dispelling Talisman had reduced her mother's karmic sins and bought another talisman within her lifetime limit.
• Lu Chen sold Zhang Tao one of each type of talisman and explained their offerings, uses, and restrictions.
• Wang Jintao bought a Plague-Severing Poison-Vanishing Spirit Talisman after Lu Chen described its power against demons.
• The talismans sold out as worshippers crowded the temple, and buyers emerged praising their effects.
• Lu Chen told the disappointed crowd that production would take months, then announced a temple fair in ten days called the Blessing Black-Yellow Grand Rite.

Lu Chen announced a temple fair with free talismans and a blessing rite, drawing worshippers and raising hopes for his temple’s growth. He then discussed his talismans and the Spirit Void Association with Yu Feng, while Wang Jintao began testing a Plague-Severing Talisman at an A-rank demon lair.

• Lu Chen announced four kinds of spirit talismans as free lottery prizes and promised blessings to sincere visitors at the temple fair ten days later.
• Lu Chen advised Zhang Tao that a grand rite could help his father, and the crowd surged into Lu Clan Temple to make offerings.
• Yu Feng confronted Lu Chen about his talismans, agreed to help approve the Spirit Void Association, and warned him to be careful beyond Jiangdu.
• Wang Jintao entered the mountains to test whether a Plague-Severing Talisman could defeat the Transformed Great Demon guarding Iron Wolf Mountain’s A-rank dungeon.

Wang Jintao used the Plague-Repelling Talisman against a Transformed Great Demon and barely survived its attack. The talisman’s power annihilated the wolf demons, and Lu Chen watched from Qianjiang City as the livestream viewers clamored to buy more.

• Wang Jintao lured the wolf demons out of their cave, and the transformed wolf demon attacked him before he could draw the talisman.
• The wolf demon shattered Wang Jintao’s armor and broke his bones, leaving him unable to fight as it prepared to kill him.
• Wang Jintao’s blood activated the Plague-Repelling Talisman, releasing Azure Miasma that made the wolf demon retreat and wither.
• Wang Jintao called on the Plague-Wielding Young Lord and the Five Directions Plague Envoys, and the resulting miasma killed the wolf demons, including their leader.
• The livestream viewers praised the talisman and rushed to buy it, while Lu Chen watched Wang Jintao survive from Qianjiang City.

Lu Chen used his Prefectural City God authority to manipulate fortune and organize talisman buyers into a plan to promote spirit talismans and the Lu Clan Temple. As buyers livestreamed their talismans defeating demons and resentful spirits, the Lu Clan Temple and spirit talismans became trending topics across the internet.

• Lu Chen learned from Hu Sanniang that City God authority could stir fortune, and he used it to help Wang Jintao survive a wolf demon’s attack and go live.
• Lu Chen ordered Hu Sanniang to monitor Jiang Province’s Lineages, especially the Wang Family, and learned that Wang Yiming had left Qianjiang.
• Lu Chen watched talisman buyers promote their wares through the Profound Light Technique and used fortune to aid their efforts.
• Spirit Cultivators livestreamed their Minor City God Five-Camp Summoning Talismans defeating B-rank and C-rank resentful spirits.
• Videos of talisman demonstrations spread online, making spirit talismans and the Lu Clan Temple trending topics as Lu Chen secretly amplified the publicity.

Videos of Lu Chen’s powerful, inexpensive spirit talismans spread online, prompting influential families and Qianjiang’s city lord to assess his growing reach. The chapter ended with Huang Yaowu visibly shaken as he watched the talismans’ displays of power.

• Sun Xingwen watched videos of Lu Chen’s talismans summoning yin soldiers and displaying other formidable powers, then rushed to tell Sun Qingcang and Sun Dechang.
• Sun Dechang explained that Lu Chen was using the low-priced talismans to build the reputation and Incense Fire of Lu Clan Temple, and said the temple might someday contend with aristocratic families.
• Zheng Changguo and Madam Zheng watched videos of the talismans and speculated about Lu Chen’s divine connections and plans to expand his Incense Fire.
• Madam Zheng urged Zheng Changguo to protect Lu Chen from families who might covet the talismans, and Zheng Changguo agreed to visit Lu Chen’s temple with her to show support.
• Huang Yaowu watched several videos of the talismans in his office, grew visibly alarmed, and snapped at his secretary for asking whether he was all right.

As Lu Chen’s talismans drew crowds to the Lu Clan Temple, the Wu and Qin families plotted to undermine his upcoming temple fair and steal his Incense Fire. Lu Chen returned to Cloudtop Manor and discovered that his Sin-Bearing Strongman jade plaque recorded the merit flowing to him, though its total remained unknown.

• Huang Yaowu marveled at Lu Chen’s talismans and wondered whether Yu Feng had helped raise a future Great Clan.
• Old Wu and the Qin family matriarch agreed to offer worship for free to divert Incense Fire from the Lu Clan Temple before its temple fair.
• Crowds flocked to Jiangdu and the Lu Clan Temple as drivers and visitors prepared for the Blessing Grand Ritual eight days later.
• Lu Chen returned to Cloudtop Manor, saw his disciples training quickly, and planned to hold the ritual before beginning Temple-Breaking.
• Lu Chen discovered that his Sin-Bearing Strongman jade plaque recorded incoming merit, and he tried to check how much he had accumulated.

Lu Chen discovered that the Sin-Bearing Strongman Jade Tablet had recorded only 4,500 merit, then watched his disciples practice as he anticipated the Plague Department’s surge in Incense Fire. The Plague Lord’s department received a torrent of worship through Lu Chen’s Plague-Repelling Talisman, and the Plague Lord privately declared that he had won the bet with My Lady.

• Lu Chen found 4,500 merit recorded in the jade tablet and wondered why selling Netherworld Currency had earned him none.
• Lu Chen supervised his disciples’ practice and anticipated how Jiangdu’s worship would affect the Plague Department and Lord God of Wealth.
• Two immortal officials saw the Plague Department’s Incense Fire surge into a torrent and suspected Lu Chen was responsible.
• The Five Plague Envoys celebrated the influx of Wish Power until the Plague Lord urged them to cultivate and protect the department’s future.
• The Plague Lord watched the golden rain of Incense Fire and said that he had won the bet with My Lady.

Incense Fire surged at the Plague Department and Lord God of Wealth Hall, stirring the Heavenly Court and drawing the attention of the Water and Fire Virtue Star Lords. The Star Lord of Water Virtue set out to act on Lu Chen’s behalf and arrived at the Star Lord of Fire Virtue’s palace.

• Lord God of Wealth watched his hall’s Incense Fire surge and resolved to stake his life rather than disappoint Zhao Gongming.
• Immortals across the Heavenly Court discussed the sudden Incense Fire gains at the Plague Department and Lord God of Wealth Hall, crediting Lu Chen.
• Winnowing Basket Leopard reported the surge to the Star Lord of Water Virtue, who praised Lu Chen’s strategy and flew out of Mysterious Dipper Palace.
• The Star Lord of Water Virtue blasted aside Northern Pole Exorcism Office generals who tried to stop him, then continued on with Winnowing Basket Leopard.
• The Star Lord of Fire Virtue learned that the Plague Department’s Incense Fire rivaled and surpassed his department’s, then prepared to use a Profound Light Mirror.
• The Star Lord of Water Virtue arrived at Paulownia Splendor Palace and told the Star Lord of Fire Virtue there was no need to trouble himself.

Star Lord of Water Virtue urged Star Lord of Fire Virtue to join him in sharing the fortune surrounding Lu Chen and pursuing the Dao Fruit together. He left Fire Virtue facing the danger of the current Eastern Expansion, warning that the dead Matchmaker God proved this conflict was no harmless political maneuver.

• Star Lord of Water Virtue visited Star Lord of Fire Virtue and revealed that Lu Chen had earned the merits for his new immortal registry himself.
• Star Lord of Water Virtue showed Fire Virtue that Lu Chen had crafted a Lingbao and used a ritual to gather merit for the Well Dragon King.
• Star Lord of Water Virtue explained that he had concealed Lu Chen's actions and connected his Dao resonance to a familiar, recurring event.
• Star Lord of Water Virtue proposed that the two Five Elements Star Lords cooperate, share in the great situation's fortune, and attain Daluo together.
• Star Lord of Water Virtue warned that the current Eastern Expansion was a real conflict, not the failed effort from a thousand years earlier, and reminded Fire Virtue that Matchmaker God was dead.

Star Lord of Water Virtue persuaded Star Lord of Fire Virtue to stay out of Friend Lu’s temple-breaking campaign by warning him that a larger upheaval was already taking shape. Fire Virtue agreed to withdraw, leaving four opponents on Lu’s remaining list, while Water Virtue expected the conflict to reveal the forces behind it.

• Star Lord of Water Virtue argued that Friend Lu’s rise echoed the monkey’s earlier path and that the western road had already begun with his Esoteric Sect.
• Star Lord of Water Virtue revealed that Friend Lu planned to break temples, including Star Lord of Fire Virtue’s, and urged him to treat the attack as an opportunity rather than defend the temple.
• Star Lord of Water Virtue proposed a wager over the campaign’s outcome, but Star Lord of Fire Virtue declined and agreed not to participate in the temple-breaking.
• After Water Virtue left, Fire-Crow General asked about the meeting, and Fire Virtue said Water Virtue had called Friend Lu a monkey.
• Star Lord of Water Virtue told Winnowing Basket Leopard to inform Broom Star that Fire Virtue could be removed from Friend Lu’s list, then reflected that the campaign’s success would reveal the hidden forces and Friend Lu’s lineage.

Lu Chen planned to expand his Incense Fire network through a graded talisman system and future-dividend Godhood Currency while preparing for Temple-Breaking. He learned Star Lord of Fire Virtue had withdrawn from the lineup, leaving Emperor Wenchang as the last deity he hoped to restrain, and Broom Star offered a plan.

• Lu Chen watched Lu Clan Temple overflow with worshippers while the Qin and Wu families’ free offerings failed to draw people away.
• Lu Chen devised a plan to distribute lower-grade talismans through affiliated temples while keeping the strongest talismans exclusive, and considered issuing Godhood Currency backed by future Incense Fire dividends.
• Lu Chen considered inviting Dipper Mother, Primordial Sovereign to strengthen his Temple-Breaking lineup and prepared to travel to Qianjiang City.
• Broom Star urgently reported that Star Lord of Water Virtue had persuaded Star Lord of Fire Virtue to withdraw from the Temple-Breaking lineup.
• Lu Chen celebrated that only four main deities remained and focused on Emperor Wenchang, while Broom Star offered a plan to restrain him.

Lu Chen rejected Broom Star’s plan to disrupt Emperor Wenchang’s literary fortune, then discovered his Divine Service Rating with the Emperor had fallen to 1.5%. After the Emperor answered Lu Chen’s worship with an ambiguous verse, Lu Chen returned to Jiangdu and committed to breaking three families in six days.

• Broom Star proposed throwing Emperor Wenchang’s literary fortune into chaos to keep him from opposing Temple-Breaking, but Lu Chen refused because it risked severe consequences and lost merit.
• Lu Chen checked his Divine Service Rating and found Emperor Wenchang’s score had dropped from 2% to 1.5%, so he went to a temple in Qianjiang City to worship and recite poetry.
• Emperor Wenchang sent the verse “Though we meet, we know not one another; each drifts amid water and clouds” to the mortal world, leaving Lu Chen unsure whether it was a rebuke.
• Lu Chen rushed back to Jiangdu and told Yu Feng to arrange the Temple-Breaking, declaring that he would break three families in six days.
• Yu Feng issued formal notices to Old Wu, the Qin family matriarch, and Zhao Jiutang, and the Heaven-Serving Directorate was notified of the Lu Clan Temple’s plan to rise to Great Clan rank.