Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian asks Eunuch Jing Guan which factions oppose the Devil Sect, especially Devil-Transforming Mountain. Jing explains that the Literary Cultivators, Dao Cultivators, many Martial lineages, the imperial clan, and Fate Arts Masters all harbor deep hostility toward the Devil Sect. Its practice of refining Martial Cultivators into puppets has made it particularly despised.
• After Jing leaves, Li recruits Han Anbo to help him disrupt the Devil Sect members stationed in the Ministry of Justice. Li plans to use Fate Arts to gather intelligence and create conflicts, while Han arranges rumors and covert manipulation through his contacts in Northchang County.
• Li prepares Mandate-Bearing Talismans to store Fate Arts temporarily, then begins targeting Ministry of Justice Devil Cultivators in North Chang City.
• At Hundred Blossoms House, Li lowers two Devil Cultivators’ Fortune, links them through fate to a wealthy young man, and causes the youth to vomit on them. When they insult him, the youth’s guards beat them severely and imprison them, despite their claims that they are Ministry of Justice officials.
• At Red Delight House, Li uses a “Malicious Peach Blossom Lure” to make a Devil Cultivator appear to be embracing another man. This provokes a fight, drawing in a stronger Ministry of Justice member. The conflict ends with both Devil Cultivators suffering broken limbs.
• Li repeatedly uses Trace-Erasing Arts to remove evidence of his Fate Arts. He briefly notices a familiar, frail figure entering an apothecary but cannot identify the person.
• Using a dead Night Guard’s hair as Fate Material and the Seeking Immortal Bee as a guide, Li locates additional Ministry of Justice Devil Cultivators. By the end of the night, nearly all such personnel stationed outside have encountered misfortune or powerful enemies and are forced to withdraw.
• Li returns with valuable intelligence. The misfortunes he engineered suppress the targets’ Fortune, allowing him to observe their Fate Projections more easily through Qi-Gazing and Fate-Observing techniques.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian becomes increasingly proactive and strategically devious. Rather than confronting the Devil Sect directly, he weaponizes Fate Arts to manipulate circumstances, provoke internal and external conflicts, and collect information while concealing his involvement.
• Han Anbo demonstrates his usefulness as an underground organizer and agrees to spread rumors and exploit his connections in Northchang County.
• Jing Guan provides important political and factional intelligence, clarifying the broad opposition to the Devil Sect.
• The Devil Cultivators are shown as feared but vulnerable. Their official status cannot protect them once their Fortune is weakened and they are drawn into conflicts with powerful nobles or martial experts.

Significant Themes

• Fate as a weapon: Li does not rely solely on strength; he alters probability, relationships, and circumstances to make enemies destroy or punish one another.
• Political factionalism: The Devil Sect is isolated because nearly every major power views it with suspicion or hatred.
• Covert warfare and information gathering: Rumors, disguises, planted conflicts, and erased magical traces allow Li to attack while avoiding detection.
• The fragility of status: Even Ministry of Justice officials can be beaten or humiliated when caught in a situation where authority is ignored or disbelieved.
• Justice versus manipulation: Li’s actions are directed against hated enemies, but he achieves his goals through deception, engineered misfortune, and morally ambiguous methods.

Character Interactions

• Jing Guan and Li discuss the Devil Sect’s enemies and Zhou Chunfeng’s open contempt for them.
• Li privately recruits Han Anbo, trusting him with plans he could not safely reveal to Jing Guan.
• Li manipulates a wealthy young master into attacking two Devil Cultivators, then arranges a separate romantic misunderstanding that causes another Ministry of Justice member to fight his own people.
• The Devil Cultivators repeatedly attempt to invoke their official authority, but their claims only worsen their humiliation when their opponents refuse to believe them.

Chapter Summary: Going Out to Scout, Meeting the Person on the Bridge Again

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian uses a Fortune Fish and Fate Projection to reconstruct the Ministry of Justice’s investigation into Nether Mountain. He learns that Zhang Yulin, a Seventh Rank direct disciple of Devil-Transforming Mountain, has discovered that Great Passage Martial Academy is secretly a Nether Mountain stronghold.
• Li inspects the academy’s Momentum Configuration Cloud with the Layout Assessment Art. Although the cloud is primarily vivid green—suggesting many Middle Rank experts—it is heavily stained with concentrated purple and black energy. Li interprets the purple as Nether Mountain’s influence and the black as impending calamity.
• Realizing that the academy may contain dangerous experts, possibly even Fourth Rank martial artists, Li withdraws cautiously and ensures he is not followed.
• He informs Han Anbo and Jing Guan, arranging for the Ministry of Justice to be pressured into acting first while the Patrol Bureau secretly prepares its own forces.
• Jing Guan contacts Yan Shixiao through a Communication Talisman Disc. Reinforcements are arranged from several institutions, including the Divine Capital Yamen, Five-City Military and Horse Bureau, North Prosper Guard, Night Guard, and Inner Factory. At least two Fourth Rank experts and numerous magical artifacts will be available, though no Third Rank expert can be mobilized.
• Because the reinforcements will not arrive until the following night, Li spends the next day scouting the city in disguise. He maps locations associated with Nether Mountain’s Momentum Configuration Clouds while avoiding actions that might expose the planned operation.
• At a restaurant, Li unexpectedly encounters the mysterious figure he saw near the apothecary. The person is revealed to be Shen Xiaoyi—also known as White Deer Head—disguised as an elegant young gentleman. Shen recognizes Li, recalling their earlier meeting at the bridge.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates growing mastery of Fate Arts and strategic judgment. Rather than confronting Great Passage Martial Academy rashly, he recognizes the danger, gathers reinforcements, and prioritizes secrecy and preparation.
• He also shows increased political and military awareness by manipulating the timing of the Ministry of Justice’s response and coordinating with multiple government forces.
• Jing Guan shifts from surprise to determined support. He recognizes the potential merit and danger of the mission, successfully obtains reinforcements, and emphasizes that this will be the Patrol Bureau’s first major operation.
• Han Anbo understands Li’s indirect instructions and helps create pressure on the Ministry of Justice without openly revealing the Patrol Bureau’s knowledge.
• Shen Xiaoyi reappears in a new identity and appearance, showing that his relationship with Li remains mysterious. His familiarity and confident recognition suggest he has been observing Li closely.

Significant Themes

• Caution versus haste: Li understands that acting too soon could alert a powerful enemy, so he balances the need to strike with the need to conceal his preparations.
• Hidden danger beneath appearances: Great Passage Martial Academy appears to be an ordinary institution, but its Momentum Configuration Cloud reveals corruption, concealed strength, and looming disaster.
• Political and military limitations: Even when the threat may involve powerful enemies, Upper Rank experts cannot be deployed easily because of the broader war against the Demon Race and the scarcity of national resources.
• Fate and interpretation: Li relies on Fate Arts and Momentum Configuration Clouds not as absolute proof, but as clues requiring careful deduction and judgment.
• Escalating conflict with Nether Mountain: Li’s past attacks on Nether Mountain and his connection to the emperor make him a likely target of the Nether Lord, increasing the personal stakes of the coming confrontation.

Character Interactions

• Li and Han Anbo communicate indirectly, with Li carefully avoiding explicit claims while ensuring Han understands the intended maneuver.
• Li warns Jing Guan about the hidden experts in the academy and urges him to mobilize additional forces. Jing initially doubts that a Third Rank expert can be obtained but agrees to request support from Yan Shixiao.
• Jing reassures Li that magical artifacts and multiple Middle Rank experts can compensate for the absence of an Upper Rank cultivator. Both acknowledge that the operation must succeed.
• Li and Jing discuss the danger Nether Mountain poses to Li personally, especially because Li is a Fate Arts Master.
• At the restaurant, Shen Xiaoyi recognizes Li and quotes their previous bridge encounter. Li identifies him by his familiar voice, while the green-clad girl laughs at his surprise, ending the chapter on a moment of mystery and light amusement.

Chapter Summary: “Li Yangguang Politely Discusses the Mines”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian joins Shen Xiaoyi, Qiu Ye, and Xiaohua to discuss a potential mining partnership.
• Qiu Ye, heir of the declining Luyang Duke’s Estate, explains that his family’s last profitable mine has been exhausted. Lacking funds for new exploration, he seeks outside investors.
• Shen Xiaoyi’s Jiangnan Commercial Guild is considering investing one hundred thousand taels of silver for a ten-percent share, but Shen considers the price and risk excessive.
• Li Qingxian secretly examines Qiu Ye’s fate but gains little useful information without spending a Fortune Fish. His deductions suggest Qiu Ye will not reverse his family’s decline in the near future.
• Li refuses to inspect the mines immediately, claiming he is too busy, though Qiu Ye realizes that Li may possess considerable financial resources. Shen also begins to suspect that Li is connected to the government.
• After the meeting, Shen warns Li that Northchang County is dangerous and advises him to leave once his business is finished.
• Returning to the yamen, Li analyzes Nether Mountain’s force patterns and notices another purple power intertwined with them. He suspects this is the Mud Society, which alternately cooperates and conflicts with Nether Mountain while remaining less affected by calamity.
• Following Zhou Chunfeng’s instructions, Li decides not to investigate the Mud Society yet, since he has already attracted the attention of Nether Mountain’s Nether Lord.
• With Ministry of Justice reinforcements preparing to attack Great Passage Martial Academy, Li plans to act first—but target Nether Mountain’s smaller strongholds instead.
• He intends to let the Ministry of Justice engage the academy, then send the Factory Guards and North Prosper Guard into the city to capture other targets and claim the resulting merit.
• Preparations begin, while Yu Ping is ordered to remain behind because Zhang Yulin can identify him.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Demonstrates financial ambition, political caution, fate-reading ability, and strategic opportunism. He conceals his official identity, avoids unnecessary use of Fortune Fish, and devises a plan to benefit from the Ministry of Justice’s expected battle.
• Shen Xiaoyi: Acts as a cautious but politically minded merchant. He values cooperation with the Luyang household despite concerns over the investment and begins to recognize that Li is more powerful and connected than he appears.
• Qiu Ye: Is revealed to be the impoverished heir of a declining ducal family. Although desperate for investment, he remains unwilling to accept an overly unfavorable deal and becomes hopeful when he realizes Li may be wealthy.
• Xiaohua: Serves Shen Xiaoyi and interacts playfully with Li, showing a friendly, teasing personality.
• Jing Guan: Initially questions Li’s strategy but quickly understands its potential and becomes enthusiastic about securing two major achievements.
• Yu Ping: Is sidelined from the operation because his identity is known to Zhang Yulin.

Significant Themes

• Decline of hereditary power: The Luyang family’s dwindling wealth and lost titles illustrate the weakening of old aristocratic houses.
• Risk and investment: The mining discussion reflects the tension between financial opportunity and uncertainty, especially when resources require large upfront commitments.
• Concealed identities and political maneuvering: Li hides his official status while others attempt to assess his true background and capabilities.
• Fate versus practical judgment: Although Li can inspect fate, he refuses to waste limited resources and relies on observable circumstances and strategic reasoning.
• Institutional rivalry: The Ministry of Justice, Patrol Bureau, Nether Mountain, and Mud Society compete for influence and credit.
• Profiting from conflict: Li plans to exploit the Ministry of Justice’s direct confrontation with Nether Mountain in order to secure easier victories and greater political merit.

Character Interactions

• Li and Xiaohua exchange lighthearted teasing over their names, establishing an easy rapport.
• Shen introduces Li to Qiu Ye and later tests Li’s background by asking whether he works for the government; Li answers evasively.
• Li mediates the mining discussion by emphasizing the risks and insisting that the site must be inspected before any commitment.
• Shen warns Li about Northchang County’s instability, signaling both concern and continued interest in future cooperation.
• Jing Guan initially doubts Li’s plan to avoid the main battle but soon embraces its strategic advantages.
• Li gives orders to Yu Ping and the wider team, reinforcing his authority as they prepare for the coming operation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Night raid on Spring Dawn Tower and Ten-Thousand Flowers Tower by the Patrol Bureau, Ministry of Justice, and Night Guard.
• Battle at Great Passage Martial Academy between the Ministry of Justice and Nether Mountain rebels.
• Li Qingxian's team captures over a hundred Nether Mountain rebels throughout the night.
• Reinforcements from the Night Guard and North Prosper Guard arrive but fail to save the Ministry of Justice forces.
• Fei Yan and Zhang, the Chief Constabulary, argue over responsibility for the Ministry of Justice's losses.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates his strength and strategic thinking, earning respect from his team.
• Fei Yan shows his political acumen and willingness to protect the Inner Factory's interests.
• Zhang, the Chief Constabulary, displays anger and frustration over the Ministry of Justice's losses.

Significant Themes

• The power struggle between different factions (Ministry of Justice, Night Guard, Inner Factory, and North Prosper Guard).
• The determination and resilience of the Nether Mountain rebels.
• The importance of strategic planning and intelligence gathering, as shown by Li Qingxian's use of the Seeking Immortal Bee.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian works alongside his team, earning their respect and trust.
• Fei Yan and Zhang argue, highlighting the tension between their respective factions.
• Nether Mountain rebels fight together, showcasing their unity and shared cause.

Chapter Summary: “The Government Office, Determined to Claim First Merit”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian returns to the government office after capturing numerous Nether Mountain members. Fei Yan publicly praises him and suggests that he deserves the operation’s “first merit,” though Li modestly deflects the credit.
• The officials debate what to do next. Fei Yan explains that the incident is significant enough to be reported to the Cabinet and the emperor, while the investigation, interrogations, and preparations will continue.
• Zhang Yulin of the Ministry of Justice accuses Northchang County of mishandling the operation and claims that its actions disrupted the Ministry’s plans. He argues that the county’s intervention allowed the Great Passage Martial Academy rebels to escape.
• County Magistrate Yin Shuli retaliates, exposing the Ministry of Justice’s misconduct: abusing civilians, insulting officials’ families, mistreating Prince Qing’s relatives, and killing fellow Night Guard members. He threatens to report these actions.
• Li Qingxian intervenes, urging everyone to prioritize the larger threat—Nether Mountain’s hidden forces and their nest in Qichang Mountain—rather than fight over past wrongdoing.
• Zhang Yulin declares that the Ministry of Justice intends to claim first merit and leaves angrily with his faction.
• Fei Yan and the others discuss the political rivalry between the Patrol Bureau and the Ministry of Justice’s Devil Sect faction. Fei Yan vows that the Ministry will not steal credit or obstruct their efforts.
• Li Qingxian explains the limits of his Fate Arts. He cannot observe overly powerful locations, desolate wildernesses, or anything more than roughly ten li away. Because Nether Mountain’s forces are hidden in remote terrain and other Fate Arts Masters interfere with him, he cannot simply locate their main base.
• Fei Yan reveals that the White Nether Disciple, one of Nether Mountain’s three Nether Children, has descended the mountain and may be using Fate Arts. Li Qingxian concludes that the person interfering with him is probably not White Nether Disciple, because the interference is limited and defensive rather than an attempt to destroy all his divinations.
• Fei Yan orders Li Qingxian to resume searching for Nether Mountain members while postponing action against the Mud Society, since their manpower is limited and the two organizations may support one another.
• Fei Yan warns Li Qingxian that Nether Mountain might attempt to assassinate him. Taking the threat seriously, Li Qingxian changes clothes and appearance before continuing his work.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates modesty, strategic thinking, and growing political awareness. He refuses to openly claim credit, promotes cooperation, and focuses on the larger campaign rather than factional disputes. His explanation of Fate Arts also reveals both his expertise and his current limitations as a Ninth Rank practitioner.
• Fei Yan emerges as a politically shrewd leader who supports Li Qingxian and seeks to strengthen the Patrol Bureau’s position. He is willing to confront the Ministry of Justice but also recognizes the need for restraint and additional high-ranking support.
• Zhang Yulin is shown as aggressive and determined to secure first merit for the Ministry of Justice. He attempts to shift blame onto Northchang County but loses control of the political situation when his faction’s misconduct is exposed.
• Yin Shuli proves himself bold and protective of Northchang County. Though new to the Ministry of Justice’s Devil Sect faction, he directly challenges Zhang Yulin and refuses to let the county become the scapegoat.
• Jing Guan and Han Anbo remain observant commentators, recognizing the factional conflict and quietly assessing the new political players.
• The White Nether Disciple is established as a significant potential antagonist, though Li Qingxian doubts he is currently operating in Northchang County.

Significant Themes

• Political rivalry and the struggle for merit: The chapter emphasizes how government factions compete for credit even during a dangerous military and investigative operation.
• Responsibility versus blame: Northchang County and the Ministry of Justice attempt to avoid becoming responsible for failure while claiming credit for success.
• The importance of the greater cause: Li Qingxian repeatedly urges the officials to set aside personal and institutional grievances to focus on destroying Nether Mountain.
• Limits of power and knowledge: Fate Arts are powerful but constrained by distance, terrain, scale, and interference from rival practitioners.
• Growing danger to Li Qingxian: His usefulness as a Fate Arts Master makes him both valuable to the government and a likely target for assassination.
• Factional alliances: The potential cooperation between Nether Mountain and the Mud Society shows that the court’s enemies may temporarily unite against a common threat.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and Fei Yan: Their exchange shows increasing trust. Fei Yan publicly supports Li and privately consults him about Fate Arts, while Li provides crucial strategic information.
• Li Qingxian and Zhang Yulin: Li remains polite but questions Zhang’s account of events, indirectly challenging the Ministry of Justice’s attempt to control the narrative.
• Yin Shuli and Zhang Yulin: Their confrontation becomes the chapter’s main political clash, with Yin refusing to accept blame and threatening to expose the Ministry’s misconduct.
• Li Qingxian and Yin Shuli: Li calms Yin’s anger and redirects the discussion toward the broader military objective.
• Fei Yan and the Ministry of Justice: Fei Yan views Zhang’s faction as rivals attempting to steal credit and prepares to report any obstruction to higher authorities.
• Fei Yan and Li Qingxian: Fei Yan warns Li about assassination, showing concern for his safety, while Li responds by taking immediate precautions and disguising himself.

Chapter Summary: “Talking About Fortune Mandates in Prison”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian spends two hours placing layers of Fate Arts throughout his room and courtyard before falling asleep.
• A disguised Fifth Rank assassin from Nether Mountain attempts to locate Li Qingxian using a talisman transformed into an invisible black hawk. Li’s defensive Fate Arts destroy the hawk and make the courtyard difficult to identify.
• The assassin enters the wrong compound and is trapped by Li’s Fate Arts, which manifest as an invisible black umbrella, rope, blindfold, and bloody handprint.
• While hiding in a latrine, the assassin encounters Zhou Hen, a powerful and intimidating martial expert. Zhou Hen captures and seals him before he can escape.
• In prison, Fei Yan reveals that the assassin is a deathsworn trained by Nether Mountain. Despite severe torture and the removal of poison from between his teeth, the assassin refuses to confess.
• Li tries to intimidate him by claiming that Fate Arts can uncover the truth regardless of whether he speaks, offering him safety and a future in the imperial court if he cooperates.
• The assassin, whose family died in the Dead Devil Lands, rejects the offer and denounces Li and the imperial authorities. He argues that the emperor’s continued rule prevents true peace and prosperity.
• Fei Yan explains the power of Fortune Mandates: imperial blessings can greatly accelerate cultivation, remain permanently as long as the recipient does not betray humanity, and may even help create powerful Upper Rank experts. However, relying on one during major-rank breakthroughs can make future advancement more difficult.
• Li and Fei Yan acknowledge the assassin’s courage but proceed with their duties. Fei Yan cripples his dantian and formally convicts him of rebellion and treason using official seals.
• Li sees no Fate Mandate above the assassin’s head, interprets this as “Extinction of the Four Fiends”—a sign of certain death—and enters the man’s Fate Mansion to investigate his destiny.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Demonstrates growing mastery and sophistication in Fate Arts, using them defensively to thwart the assassin. He shows respect for the prisoner’s convictions while remaining committed to serving the imperial authorities. His interest in Fortune Mandates also reveals his awareness of the political and cultivation advantages tied to imperial power.
• Zhou Hen: Establishes himself as an extremely formidable and efficient protector. His casual capture of a peak Fifth Rank assassin emphasizes his terrifying strength and reputation as “Madman Zhou.”
• The Assassin: Is portrayed as fanatically loyal, fearless, and deeply embittered by personal loss. His family’s death has left him indifferent to survival, making him resistant to torture, threats, and promises of reward.
• Fei Yan: Acts as both interrogator and source of political information. Though willing to use harsh methods, he admires the assassin’s resolve and explains the practical importance of Fortune Mandates.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and ideology: The assassin and the imperial officials both believe they are serving justice, highlighting the conflict between opposing political and moral systems.
• Fate versus free will: Li claims that Fate Arts can reveal the truth regardless of the prisoner’s choices, raising questions about whether individual resistance can overcome destiny.
• Imperial power and cultivation: Fortune Mandates symbolize the emperor’s ability to convert political loyalty into supernatural strength, explaining why powerful factions compete for positions in the court.
• Conviction and sacrifice: The assassin’s willingness to die rather than betray his cause contrasts with the officials’ belief that order and obedience justify coercion.
• Moral ambiguity: Although labeled a rebel and traitor, the assassin is presented as courageous and principled, while Li feels the emotional weight of condemning him.

Important Character Interactions

• The assassin’s encounter with Zhou Hen in the latrine combines suspense and dark humor, as the assassin unknowingly hides beside the very man capable of defeating him.
• Li attempts to negotiate with the prisoner through a mixture of intimidation and mercy, but the assassin responds with contempt.
• Fei Yan defends the imperial system and its promise of peace, while the assassin condemns the emperor and the court as oppressive.
• Li and Fei Yan cooperate in legally and magically preparing the prisoner for fate-deduction, even as Li privately respects his courage.

Chapter Summary: “Nightfall Spanning the Heavens, Fierce Fire Burning the Courtyard”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian examines the slain assassin’s Fate Mansion using the Heaven’s Mandate Instrument.
• The assassin’s Fate reveals a troubled life:
  • His youth was relatively fortunate, represented by Pond Fat Fish, suggesting modest wealth and a smooth upbringing.
  • His adulthood contains three ominous Fate Stars: Nightfall Spanning the Heavens, Fire of the Burning Courtyard, and Sound of Etching Bone, symbolizing overwhelming disaster, enduring hatred, and painful memories.
  • His middle age includes True Fire Tempering Wood and Black Flame Melting Sword. These indicate resilience and the potential to forge a powerful Fate Spirit, but also show that his damaged foundation prevents his cultivation from progressing.
• Li Qingxian concludes that the assassin was originally Water Fate but recklessly cultivated fire-based techniques, damaging his foundation. His potential “Black Flame” sword is therefore destined to melt rather than become a peerless weapon.
• By examining the assassin’s Fate Projections, Li Qingxian reconstructs his history:
  • The assassin once lived a peaceful life with healthy parents, a virtuous wife, and a daughter.
  • At age twenty-five, he returned to Lu City and witnessed the aftermath of its transformation into a Dead Devil Land.
  • His family and fellow citizens were likely victims of the disaster, motivating him to investigate its true cause.
  • His investigation led him to Mazhou Island and Devil-Transforming Mountain. He infiltrated the Devil Sect but, unable to cultivate demonic arts, served as an outer sect enforcer.
  • He secretly released prisoners from Nether Mountain and was eventually discovered and imprisoned.
  • When Nether Mountain attacked the prison, one of the people he had saved brought him into their organization.
  • He joined Nether Mountain’s deathsworn camp, rapidly rose from Ninth Rank to Fifth Rank, and carried out numerous assassinations at his superiors’ command.
  • He was recently sent to Chang Mountain to assassinate a court-affiliated Fate Arts Master during preparations for Emperor Taining’s birthday.
• Li Qingxian uses another Fortune Fish to inspect additional Fate Projections, but a Chaos Fate Banner suddenly destroys the assassin’s Fate Mold and prevents further investigation.
• Despite this, Li Qingxian learns enough to identify White Nether Disciple and infer details about Nether Mountain’s operations.
• He notices clues in one projection—unripe black cherries, sugar maple sap, and soil on the assassin’s shoes—that may allow him to trace the assassin’s route using Fate-Seeking Arts.
• Li Qingxian warns Fei Yan that captured important suspects should not be disturbed before he examines them.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates growing mastery of Fate Arts and increasingly sophisticated deduction. He moves beyond simply reading Fate and begins using it to investigate conspiracies and track suspects.
• His attitude toward the assassin becomes more sympathetic. Rather than seeing him merely as an enemy, Li recognizes him as a victim of the Lu City disaster who was driven into extremism by grief and manipulation.
• Li Qingxian also develops a deeper distrust of official explanations concerning the Lu City Dead Devil Lands.
• The assassin is revealed to be morally complex: although he became a ruthless killer, he originally resisted the Devil Sect, secretly saved prisoners, and acted from trauma and a desire for truth.
• Fei Yan is positioned as a practical ally who seeks to understand Li Qingxian’s discoveries and may help apply them through the Patrol Bureau.

Significant Themes

• Trauma and vengeance: The destruction of Lu City transforms an ordinary family man into a deathsworn assassin. His “Fire of the Burning Courtyard” symbolizes hatred that persists as long as the memory of the disaster burns.
• Truth versus propaganda: Li questions the official claim that the Demon Race destroyed Lu City, identifying inconsistencies in geography, military behavior, and the Devil Sect’s history.
• Institutional manipulation: The Devil Sect may have created the Dead Devil Lands and later blamed them on the Demon Race, suggesting a large-scale political deception.
• Fate and personal choice: The assassin’s Fate reveals both his potential and his self-destructive choices. His decision to convert Water Fate into Fire damages his foundation, showing how obsession can distort one’s natural path.
• Resilience amid destruction: The central tree in True Fire Tempering Wood survives repeated fires, representing endurance and the possibility of renewal despite catastrophe.
• Limits of knowledge: The Chaos Fate Banner destroys the assassin’s remaining Fate Projections, emphasizing that Fate Arts can uncover much but cannot reveal everything.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and the assassin: Although the assassin is dead, Li engages with his memories and Fate, gradually understanding the suffering and motives behind his crimes.
• Li Qingxian and Fei Yan: Li asks Fei Yan to preserve future captives for Fate examination. Fei Yan questions what happened, opening the way for Li to explain the assassin’s background and the broader conspiracy.
• The assassin and Nether Mountain: His relationship with Nether Mountain begins through the people he secretly saves and develops into loyal service as a deathsworn assassin.
• The assassin and the Devil Sect: He infiltrates the sect to investigate Lu City, but his hatred and moral opposition eventually lead him to betray it and assist its enemies.

Chapter Summary: A Great Deed Accomplished, a Fortune Mandate Obtained

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian explains that the Inner Factory’s mishandling of the assassin’s clothes, shoes, and traces of maple sugar has weakened his ability to use Fate Arts to reconstruct the man’s movements.
• Fei Yan agrees that the Northern Route Office will allow Li to examine important prisoners before interrogation in the future.
• After the others leave, Li privately questions the assassin, Liu Shida, about the Lu City Disaster and Devil-Transforming Mountain.
• Li offers Liu a bargain: Liu will reveal what he knows about Devil-Transforming Mountain, while Li will eventually help him take revenge on its members, particularly Zhang Yulin. In return, Liu asks for a quick death.
• Liu reveals that Devil-Transforming Mountain—not the broader Devil Sect or the Demon Race—caused the Lu City Disaster. The sect was testing demonic poison and arts, but the experiment went catastrophically wrong, poisoning the city and creating much of the Dead Devil Lands.
• Liu explains that he joined Devil-Transforming Mountain to investigate the disaster after failing to enter Lu City and save his family. His continuing hatred and grief drove him to kill Devil Cultivators.
• Li uses a Soundproofing Talisman to maintain secrecy, then employs a Fortune-Movement Bridge and Fate Arts to extract five of Liu’s Fate Stars.
• Afterward, Li orders Fei Yan to execute Liu. He also directs the Inner Factory to use Liu’s clothes and shoes as Fate Materials to estimate the route to Nether Mountain’s Divine Capital Branch.
• Fei Yan predicts that Li’s contribution will earn him a Seventh Rank Fortune Mandate and possibly allow him to pass the Seventh Rank Azure Cloud Examination, opening a powerful official career.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Demonstrates greater mastery and sophistication in Fate Arts, successfully overcoming the interference of the Chaos Fate Banner and extracting five Fate Stars in a single day. He also shows strategic cunning by negotiating with Liu and balancing compassion with ruthless practicality. His growing political importance becomes clear as Fei Yan outlines his potential advancement.
• Liu Shida: Reveals himself as a tragic revenge-driven figure rather than a simple Devil Sect assassin. His family’s death in the Lu City Disaster destroyed his ordinary hopes, leaving him consumed by guilt and hatred. Although he distrusts Li, he ultimately cooperates in exchange for a quick death and a chance to expose the truth.
• Fei Yan: Gains increased respect for Li’s abilities and recognizes his value to the Inner Factory. He becomes more accommodating, promising to protect Li’s access to prisoners and encouraging his future advancement.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus official secrecy: The Lu City Disaster is an official taboo, yet Liu’s testimony exposes that the accepted explanation was false and that Devil-Transforming Mountain was responsible.
• Fate and manipulation: Fate can be traced, obscured, purchased, and hunted. The Chaos Fate Banner demonstrates how powerful forces can distort truth and destiny, while Li’s growing expertise allows him to exploit even damaged fates.
• Revenge and grief: Liu’s hatred is rooted in the loss of his family. His memories of his daughter’s love of seashells and his wife’s shared past reveal the humanity beneath his murderous actions.
• Moral compromise: Li promises revenge, extracts Liu’s Fate Stars, and then orders his execution. The chapter presents justice and exploitation as intertwined within the political and supernatural systems.
• Ambition and political rise: Li’s service against Nether Mountain may transform him from a minor Night Guard official into a powerful military and civil figure, showing how wartime disorder creates opportunities for advancement.

Important Character Interactions

• Li and Fei Yan: Their relationship becomes more cooperative. Fei acknowledges Li’s expertise and offers institutional support, while Li provides intelligence crucial to the campaign against Nether Mountain.
• Li and Liu Shida: Their private negotiation is the chapter’s emotional center. Li uses both factual knowledge and personal memories to break through Liu’s resistance, while Liu demands dignity through a swift death.
• Li and Liu’s family memories: By mentioning the family members’ preferences, especially the daughter’s love of white seashells, Li forces Liu to confront the personal tragedy behind his vengeance. Liu’s final request—that Li bury a bracelet of white seashells near Lu City—preserves this emotional connection.
• Li and the wider court: Fei Yan’s discussion places Li within a larger political structure, suggesting that his Fate Arts and family background may enable him to rise rapidly through the wartime bureaucracy.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fei Yan explains why the emperor favors Li Qingxian: Li’s Literary Cultivator background, unique connection to the Fate Measuring Sect, lack of direct association with the former Crown Prince or Chief Guard Envoy, and dependence on imperial protection make him politically trustworthy. Li counters that his late father created many enemies, leaving the emperor as his only reliable patron.
• After confirming that the final reinforcements have arrived, Li transfers command of Units A and B to He Lei and prepares to improve his cultivation.
• Having stabilized his Ninth-Rank foundation, Li performs a ritual to invest an Eighth-Rank Inner God using the Sky Firmament Sect’s teachings.
• The ritual manifests numerous divine Strongmen, including:
  • The

Lightning-Wrapped Drum-Bearing Strongman

• The

Sword-Hugging Edge-Sharpening Strongwoman

• Both Inner Gods enter Li’s Spirit Platform. He gains the Chaos Sword-Seed Technique and the Twelve Divine Incantations of Changing Heaven, Gathering Clouds, Drawing Thunder, and Beating Drums, significantly strengthening and expanding his Thunder Arts.
• Li uses the Chaos Sword-Seed Technique to make the Sword-Hugging Strongwoman disappear, apparently beginning a special or strategic transformation of that Inner God.
• He Lei and Han Anbo report that the Ministry of Justice has received major reinforcements, including four Fourth-Rank experts and a Seventh-Rank Fate Arts Master. The Ministry also intercepted over five hundred troops originally sent to Li’s side.
• Li investigates the county’s Momentum Configuration and discovers that the Ministry of Justice is being supported by a large Devil Sect force. At least three additional Fourth Ranks and over a thousand Devil Cultivators are hidden nearby.
• Fei Yan confirms that the Devil Cultivators have been mobilized to assist the Ministry of Justice and may soon assemble enough strength to rival a Third Rank. They intend to enter the mountains within two days to search for the Nether Mountain Branch.
• Recognizing the severe danger and the possibility that the Ministry of Justice will seize the credit, Li refuses to enter the mountains unless the Inner Factory or Night Guard provides a Third-Rank expert.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian becomes more politically aware, recognizing that his unusual background and lack of dangerous affiliations make him valuable to the emperor. At the same time, he remains conscious of his vulnerability and dependence on imperial support.
• His cultivation advances meaningfully as he successfully invests an Eighth-Rank Inner God and acquires powerful new Thunder Arts and sword-related abilities.
• Li demonstrates growing strategic caution. Rather than blindly accepting a dangerous mission, he evaluates enemy strength, political risks, and the likelihood of being exploited.
• Fei Yan continues acting as Li’s political and military ally, while revealing his understanding of the emperor’s trust and the broader court struggle.
• He Lei serves as a dependable commander and information source, efficiently taking over Li’s units and reporting enemy movements.
• The Ministry of Justice emerges as an increasingly aggressive rival, willing to intercept reinforcements and cooperate with Devil Cultivators to gain military and political merit.

Significant Themes

• Political trust and factional survival: Li’s usefulness comes partly from being politically isolated and therefore easier for the emperor to trust.
• Power through cultivation: Li’s newly invested Inner Gods reinforce the importance of steadily increasing personal strength amid factional conflict.
• Strategic caution versus ambition: Although merit and advancement are at stake, Li refuses to risk certain death without adequate support.
• Rivalry and hidden alliances: The Ministry of Justice’s cooperation with the Devil Sect reveals the unstable and deceptive nature of imperial power struggles.
• Time pressure: The approaching mountain operation forces Li and his allies to make decisions before they can fully prepare.

Character Interactions

• Fei Yan and Li discuss why the emperor favors Li, with Li responding cynically about his father’s enemies and political isolation.
• Li formally transfers command to He Lei, showing trust in He Lei’s military competence.
• Li interacts with the two newly invested Strongmen during the ritual, then incorporates their abilities into his Spirit Platform.
• He Lei and Han Anbo brief Li on the Ministry of Justice’s reinforcements and political interference.
• Li and Fei Yan compare intelligence about the Devil Sect’s mobilization. Their discussion ends with Li demanding Third-Rank support before he will participate in the dangerous search for the Nether Mountain Branch.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian discusses the danger of pursuing the Nether Mountain Branch. Since the Nether Lords may retaliate after he exposed their spy in the Divine Capital, he refuses to proceed without protection from a Third Rank expert.
• Han Anbo proposes bringing along a Third Rank eunuch under the pretext of accompanying the army. Fei Yan soon learns that Yu Qingchen, reputedly the strongest Third Rank expert in the Inner Court, is available.
• Li Qingxian agrees to participate once Yu Qingchen arrives. He uses Fate Arts to conceal Yu’s presence and movements from the Ministry of Justice and Nether Mountain’s Fate Arts Masters.
• The Inner Factory and Patrol Bureau deploy over three thousand troops into Chang Mountain, dividing into three coordinated routes. Their true search formation keeps the main forces close enough to support Li Qingxian’s central army.
• The Ministry of Justice follows, sending Devil Cultivators ahead to scout while its main troops advance in two mutually supporting groups.
• Using a fragment of Liu Shida’s clothing, dirt, and hair, Li Qingxian performs Fate-Seeking Arts. A Young Seeking Immortal Bee traces Liu Shida’s route, but a Chaos Fate Banner destroys or hides it, confirming that the Nether Mountain Branch is nearby.
• Rather than approach directly and frighten the enemy into retreating, Li Qingxian deliberately adjusts the army’s route to preserve the illusion that the search is unfocused.
• After several days of difficult mountain travel, the tracking bee vanishes after moving only two li, indicating that the army has reached the vicinity of the Nether Mountain Branch’s hideout.
• Before Li Qingxian can decide how to proceed, Night Guard scouts intercept a group of more than twenty people. The group claims to belong to the Liuyang Duke’s Estate, but the guards suspect them of being Nether Mountain spies.
• Li Qingxian recognizes Qiu Ye, Shen Xiaoyi, and Shen Xiaohua and vouches for them. The group is released from immediate suspicion, though Li Qingxian warns them not to take any further action during the operation.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian shows caution and strategic maturity. He acknowledges the limits of his strength as a Lower Rank Fate Arts Master and insists that success depends on proper military protection and Eunuch Lu’s resolve.
• He demonstrates increasing confidence in his Fate Arts, successfully locating the enemy’s general position while also concealing Yu Qingchen’s arrival.
• Li’s willingness to protect old acquaintances reveals both his influence within the expedition and his sense of responsibility, but he remains wary and questions whether Qiu Ye’s party has hidden ties to Nether Mountain.
• Yu Qingchen is established as an exceptionally powerful but low-profile Third Rank expert, whose presence greatly strengthens the expedition.
• Qiu Ye is grateful to Li Qingxian for preventing his group from being treated as enemy spies and emphasizes his family’s hostility toward Nether Mountain.
• Shen Xiaoyi admits that even Fate Arts might not have helped him avoid Li Qingxian, suggesting Li’s tracking and concealment abilities have become formidable.
• Shen Xiaohua remains friendly and respectful toward Li, greeting him warmly despite the tense circumstances.

Significant Themes

• Caution versus ambition: Li refuses to pursue a dangerous enemy recklessly and insists on adequate protection.
• The limits and possibilities of Fate Arts: Fate Arts can reveal hidden routes and conceal powerful figures, but enemy formations such as the Chaos Fate Banner can interfere with them.
• Strategic deception: Both sides rely on concealment, misdirection, and controlled movements rather than openly confronting one another.
• Political and military rivalry: The Patrol Bureau, Inner Factory, and Ministry of Justice compete to locate the Nether Mountain Branch, creating a struggle over both security and credit.
• Trust amid suspicion: Even familiar figures are treated as possible enemy agents, showing how deeply infiltration has affected the investigation.

Character Interactions

• Fei Yan and Jing Guan initially worry about Li’s safety, while Han Anbo devises the plan to secure Third Rank protection.
• Li cooperates with the eunuchs but openly states that his role is limited to locating the enemy; the final battle depends on the expedition’s commanders and high-ranking experts.
• Li coordinates the search strategy with the expedition, deliberately avoiding a direct approach after detecting the enemy’s concealment.
• When Qiu Ye’s party is detained, Li publicly identifies them and prevents an unnecessary confrontation.
• Li then privately cautions Qiu Ye, Shen Xiaoyi, and Shen Xiaohua to remain completely inactive, making clear that their unexpected presence could complicate the operation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Xiaoyi arrives with more than ten black-clad guards, accompanied by the seemingly ordinary but powerful Lin Cong, the “Snowglow Sword” of the Heavenly Mountain Sect and a Fourth Rank cultivator.
• Li Qingxian reports Shen Xiaoyi’s group to Fei Yan, the army’s supervising officer, and presents a Pure Gold Token from the Jiangnan Commercial Guild. Fei Yan confirms that Qiu Ye is connected to the Liuyang Duke’s Estate and decides not to detain them outright.
• To balance caution with political connections, Fei Yan orders a squad to “protect” Shen Xiaoyi’s party and have them travel with the army until the campaign ends.
• The allied cultivators discuss whether the group could be connected to the rebels. Although they remain suspicious, Shen Xiaoyi, Qiu Ye, and Lin Cong all have respectable reputations and do not resemble Nether Mountain’s violent members.
• For three days, Li Qingxian repeatedly uses Fate-Seeking Arts but fails to locate the hidden Nether Mountain Branch. He concludes that the enemy possesses a Seventh Rank Fate Arts Master who is concealing their position and possibly suppressing the army’s Momentum Configuration.
• After reviewing the routes already searched by the allied forces and Ministry of Justice troops, Li determines that the only remaining option is to challenge the enemy Fate Arts Master through a Fate Arts contest known as the Heavenly Mandate Chessboard, or, on a larger scale, the Rivalry of Heroes.
• Li asks Shen Xiaoyi for assistance. Shen hesitates because directly helping could implicate the Jiangnan Commercial Guild, but Li points out that Shen’s group is already involved in the unfolding conflict.
• Shen refuses to directly attack Nether Mountain but agrees to discuss the casting method for Li’s planned use of Six Signs Seeking Fate.
• Li proposes using the signs of earth, water, wind, wood, grass, and light, combined with soil from someone who had approached Nether Mountain and other local Fate Materials.
• Shen advises replacing the light sign with the insect sign. Although insects are normally a powerful sign, they are dormant and weak in the morning, making them safer and more practical for a single casting.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates political judgment by protecting Shen Xiaoyi’s group while still allowing the army to monitor them. His inability to locate the rebels frustrates him, but he adapts by turning to a more advanced Fate Arts strategy.
• Fei Yan shows pragmatic leadership. He avoids antagonizing the powerful Liuyang Duke’s Estate and Jiangnan Commercial Guild while maintaining military security.
• Shen Xiaoyi is revealed to be cautious and politically aware. Though reluctant to endanger his guild, he recognizes that he is already tied to the conflict and begins helping Li indirectly.
• Qiu Ye maintains a cooperative attitude, presenting himself as a loyal official willing to assist in suppressing rebels.
• Lin Cong is established as a hidden powerhouse whose plain appearance conceals Fourth Rank strength.
• The allied cultivators shift from suspicion toward guarded acceptance of Shen Xiaoyi’s group, though they remain prepared to kill them if they show signs of betrayal.

Significant Themes

• Suspicion versus reputation: The army must decide whether to trust people with respectable backgrounds despite their possible connections to rebel forces.
• Political compromise: Fei Yan’s arrangement reflects the need to balance military duty with powerful social and commercial connections.
• Fate and strategy: The search becomes a contest between opposing Fate Arts Masters, emphasizing that victory may depend more on manipulation of destiny and terrain than direct combat.
• Hidden involvement: Li’s statement that Shen has “already entered the chessboard” suggests that neutrality is impossible once a person becomes entangled in a larger conflict.
• Adaptability under pressure: When conventional searches fail, Li develops a new plan and seeks Shen’s specialized knowledge.

Character Interactions

• Li negotiates with Fei Yan, advocating a measured response toward Shen Xiaoyi’s party.
• Fei Yan and the officers debate the group’s identities and whether they could be rebels.
• Li and Shen have a cautious but increasingly cooperative discussion about Fate Arts. Shen avoids direct confrontation but offers technical guidance.
• Xiaohua lightens the conversation by teasing Shen when he becomes embarrassed over Li’s request for a Fate Artifact.
• Shen’s final recommendation—to use insects instead of light—provides Li with a potentially viable method for locating the hidden Nether Mountain forces.

Chapter Summary: “Borrowing a Fate Disk Shamelessly”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian prepares for a Fate Arts duel against a powerful Seventh Rank Fate Arts Master.
• He asks Shen Xiaoyi to recount stories about Fate-Seeking Arts, including practitioners searching through mountains and forests, taking revenge, and dueling other Fate Arts Masters.
• He also requests accounts of famous Fate Arts battles. Li memorizes and analyzes these stories for two hours, improving his understanding of Fate Arts and their countermeasures.
• On a concealed mountaintop, Li constructs an elaborate system of thirty-six Fate Arts aspects from six basic materials: a stone, water, an air-filled ball, a branch, grass, and a yellow swallowtail butterfly.
• The six true aspects become a stone ox, twin-fish ice sculpture, round-bellied eagle, seven-colored flower, green grasshopper, and green caterpillar. Each produces five false aspects through the Life-Division Technique.
• Li strengthens the aspects with martial cultivators’ essence blood, Literary Cultivators’ righteous qi, Daoist spells, and Puppet Cultivators’ curses. He then layers numerous Fate Arts onto them.
• Shen Xiaoyi is shocked by Li’s unconventional approach. He predicts that Li will win because his opponent will prepare only for traditional Fate Arts, not for Li’s combination of Fate Arts, Daoist techniques, puppet arts, righteous qi, and martial vitality.
• Li jokingly suggests adding Evil Sect and Devil Cultivator techniques in future operations. Eunuch Fei approves of the idea.
• Li sends the thirty-six signs to be buried across different locations, creating a wide-ranging Fate Arts arrangement.
• He then shamelessly borrows Shen Xiaoyi’s spare Fate Disk, promising to repay him later. After inspecting it, Li absorbs the disk into his Spirit Platform and installs it in his Fate Mansion.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates rapid learning, strategic creativity, and confidence. Although inexperienced in Fate Chess and lacking formal guidance, he compensates through intensive analysis and by combining multiple cultivation systems.
• His distinctive philosophy becomes clear: he controls Fate Arts rather than allowing Fate Arts to restrict him. This makes him radically different from conventional Fate Arts Masters.
• Shen Xiaoyi shifts from teacher-like adviser to impressed and uneasy observer. He recognizes Li’s talent but criticizes his rough technique and lack of traditional refinement.
• Xiaohua remains amused and outspoken, especially when Li casually borrows the expensive Fate Disk.
• Eunuch Fei supports Li’s unconventional and increasingly ruthless plans, including recruiting Evil Sect and Devil Cultivator assistance.

Significant Themes

• Innovation versus tradition: Li rejects orthodox Fate Arts methods and combines different disciplines into a single strategy.
• Preparation and adaptability: By studying past battles and stories, Li turns indirect knowledge into practical combat preparation.
• Control over one’s path: Li’s declaration that he controls Fate Arts reflects his determination not to be bound by established rules or expectations.
• Resourcefulness and audacity: His willingness to borrow Shen’s Fate Disk, improvise materials, and use every available cultivation method highlights his bold personality.
• Uncertainty surrounding unconventional power: Shen Xiaoyi admires Li’s strategy but cannot determine whether his methods are ultimately good or dangerous.

Character Interactions

• Li repeatedly teases and pressures Shen Xiaoyi into sharing knowledge and lending him the Fate Disk.
• Shen provides valuable stories and technical advice but remains increasingly alarmed by Li’s methods.
• Xiaohua questions Shen about Li’s unusual behavior and loudly protests his shameless borrowing.
• Li and Eunuch Fei share an understanding of using broader institutional resources to strengthen their operations.
• The chapter ends with Li completing his preparation and integrating the Fate Disk, signaling that he is ready for the coming Fate Arts confrontation.

Chapter Summary: Little Contest: Yangguang Drives Away Filth and Evil

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian unveils and activates his Fate Disk, using several Middle Rank Dao Cultivators to supply additional mana.
• He begins a contest of Fate Arts against an opponent from Nether Mountain, whose Chaos Fate Banner appears as a sinister black-and-gold banner decorated with skull-like Big Dipper stars.
• Li Qingxian sends out six false signs through Six Signs Seeking Fate. When the opponent’s banner captures them, Li Qingxian immediately overlays six more signs, causing all twelve to be drawn into the banner and apparently damaging both the banner and the opposing Fate Arts Master’s Spirit Platform.
• He then performs Invite Heaven’s Mandate, summoning an immense radiance that spreads across the mountains and reveals traces of “filth” as black smoke. This allows him to locate hidden traces of the opposing forces.
• Li Qingxian releases hundreds of Seeking Immortal Bees, linking twelve of them to false fate signs to continue the search while concealing the bees’ true origin.
• The opponent attacks with a Fate Principle Vase, but Li Qingxian uses the Fate-Setting Scale’s weight to smash it. The collision destroys the vase’s fate principles and weakens all related Fate Arts for three years.
• While Li Qingxian continues searching, the opponent suddenly launches three more Fate Artifacts: an ancient silver mirror, a dragon-headed golden shield, and a serpent-headed purple rope.
• Li Qingxian counters with the Fortune Measuring Ruler, Fate-Setting Scale, and Fate Fishing Rod. Each of his artifacts destroys one opposing artifact, while his own remain unharmed.
• The chapter ends with the surrounding wind surging violently, as everyone’s view of Li Qingxian changes after witnessing his overwhelming mastery.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates exceptional preparation, tactical intelligence, and control over Fate Arts despite this being his first public use of a Fate Disk. He deliberately uses false signs and concealed tactics to exploit the opponent’s weaknesses.
• His understanding of the Chaos Fate Banner allows him to turn the opponent’s own technique against him, showing that Li Qingxian has studied his enemy carefully.
• Li Qingxian’s Fate Artifacts prove vastly stronger than those of his opponent. His calm response to repeated attacks highlights his confidence and growing dominance.
• Shen Xiaoyi recognizes the seriousness of the opposing artifacts and appears emotionally affected by the enemy’s sudden aggression. His reaction suggests hidden knowledge or personal history involving the White Nether Disciple.
• Shen Xiaohua remains outspoken and observant, initially mocking the opponent but becoming visibly shocked by Li Qingxian’s strength.
• Fei Yan acts as a practical observer, asking Li Qingxian about the progress of the search.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and strategic deception: Li Qingxian’s victory comes not merely from greater power but from carefully disguising his intentions and using false signs to manipulate the opponent.
• Righteousness versus corruption: The sunlight and “supremely yang” power expose and drive away hidden filth, reinforcing the chapter’s imagery of purification and justice.
• Preparation overcoming brute force: Li Qingxian’s prior study of the opponent’s techniques enables him to counter them precisely.
• The hierarchy of fate principles: The apparent destruction of artifacts represents the collapse of the principles within them, emphasizing that true power lies in the underlying laws rather than outward appearances.
• Growing recognition: The other cultivators begin to see Li Qingxian not as an ordinary participant but as a formidable Fate Arts Master capable of overpowering a major force such as Nether Mountain.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian coordinates with the Middle Rank Dao Cultivators, relying on their mana while directing the Fate Arts himself.
• Shen Xiaoyi and Shen Xiaohua observe and analyze the battle, often discussing the meaning of the signs and artifacts.
• Xiaohua’s teasing comments about the opponent contrast with Shen Xiaoyi’s more cautious and troubled responses.
• Fei Yan respectfully addresses Li Qingxian as “Master Li,” reflecting his authority within the group.
• The opposing Fate Arts Master never appears directly, but communicates through increasingly aggressive Fate Arts attacks, creating an escalating contest with Li Qingxian.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After a powerful Fate Arts Master destroys all five of an enemy’s Fate Artifacts, Li Qingxian begins using Six Signs Seeking Fate to locate the hidden Nether Mountain Branch.
• His six Fate Artifacts—stone ox, twin fish, eagle, seven-colored flower, grasshopper, and yellow phoenix butterfly—spread through the mountains, generating a vast web of fate traces and images.
• The search reveals the Nether Mountain Branch’s recent movements, including:
  • Assassin Liu Shida’s route through the area.
  • A black-clad scout observing the Devil Sect.
  • The Devil Sect troop nearly passing a hidden cave.
  • A Fourth Rank Dao Cultivator disguised as a sparrow spying on Li Qingxian’s forces.
• Li Qingxian realizes he has narrowly avoided assassination by remaining with the main force. However, his mana is exhausted before he can fully identify the branch’s location.
• He publicly claims that he found nothing, disappointing the others and prompting Fei Yan and the rest to comfort him.
• Privately, Li Qingxian reveals that he deliberately pretended to fail. He has actually discovered that the Nether Mountain Branch occupies interconnected underground caverns with multiple exits.
• The main escape route is a natural underground Dark River leading to the Liuhua River west of Chang Mountain. Other passages are narrow and unsuitable for large-scale movement.
• Fei Yan proposes a tactical assault:
  • Expose one entrance to the Ministry of Justice to provoke an attack.
  • Enter through a smaller route and force the Nether Mountain forces toward the Dark River.
  • Destroy or block the other passages with talismans, creating a confined battle.
• Li Qingxian argues for bringing in Upper Rank experts to collapse the mountain and eliminate the rebels safely, but Fei Yan rejects the idea.
• Fei Yan explains that the court values visible battle merit—heroic charges, enemy casualties, prisoners, and captured supplies—over a swift victory achieved through overwhelming force.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates advanced Fate Arts ability, tactical intelligence, and caution. He successfully gathers crucial intelligence but conceals it until he can speak privately with Fei Yan.
• His near-discovery of multiple enemy spies reinforces his awareness of the danger surrounding the mission.
• Li Qingxian also reveals a strong moral stance: he believes human lives should not be sacrificed merely to gain political or military credit.
• Fei Yan appears experienced, politically astute, and pragmatic. He understands that military success must satisfy the court’s expectations and that commanders are judged by the amount of battle merit they produce.
• Fei Yan’s concern for Li Qingxian is evident when he warns him about court politics and says he speaks only because of his respect for Li’s protectors and patrons.
• Shen Xiaoyi, Xiaohua, Jing Guan, He Lei, Han Anbo, and the other soldiers primarily serve as witnesses to Li Qingxian’s apparent failure and later provide him protection.

Significant Themes

• Human life versus political achievement: The central conflict is whether soldiers’ lives should be risked to obtain official recognition and battle merit.
• The corruption of military rewards: Fei Yan suggests that battle merit is often built from the lives of ordinary soldiers, while Li Qingxian questions the morality of such a system.
• Deception as a legitimate military tool: Li Qingxian hides his success from the group, invoking the principle that warfare depends on deception.
• Prudence and intelligence over brute force: Li Qingxian’s Fate Arts provide valuable information, but the proposed battle strategy shows how intelligence must be shaped by political considerations.
• Court politics and institutional pressure: A safe victory may be viewed as less desirable than a bloody operation that produces an impressive report for the emperor.
• The burden of leadership: Fei Yan must balance tactical safety, political expectations, and the lives of his troops, while Li Qingxian begins confronting the compromises required by official power.

Character Interactions

• Xiaohua and Shen Xiaoyi react with awe to the strength of the mysterious Fate Arts Master, while Fei Yan urgently seeks information about the result.
• The group initially believes Li Qingxian has failed and attempts to console him.
• In private, Li Qingxian and Fei Yan form a strategic partnership, discussing the underground layout and possible attack plans.
• Their conversation gradually becomes an ethical argument: Fei Yan defends battle merit as necessary for gaining influence and protecting more people, while Li Qingxian warns that this reasoning can justify sacrificing lives for prestige.
• The chapter ends with the two men divided between pragmatic court strategy and Li Qingxian’s belief that human lives must remain more valuable than military glory.

Chapter Summary: “Allied Forces Enter the Mountain”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fei Yan overrules Li Qingxian’s recommendation to summon an Upper Rank expert to destroy the mountain, insisting that the operation proceed under his military authority. Li reluctantly obeys but demands that the official report record his original proposal and Fei’s decision.
• Fei asks Li to lend more magical artifacts for the assault, promising that all recovered items will be accounted for. Li agrees, though cautiously.
• The allied Factory Guard forces create a diversion by allowing the Ministry of Justice to clash with rebels elsewhere. During the confusion, Fourth Rank experts infiltrate the mountain and signal that the route is clear.
• More than a thousand elite soldiers enter the Dark River passage. Li warns Han Anbo, Zheng Gaojue, and Zhou Hen to stay close and avoid recklessly pursuing rewards.
• Li uses Fate Arts and several powerful fate-related artifacts to detect and neutralize hidden spells, traps, mechanisms, and sentries. His abilities make the Nether Mountain Branch’s defenses nearly useless.
• The forces reach an underground lake surrounded by numerous passages. Several hundred rebels confront them.
• Fei Yan offers the rebels a chance to surrender, but they respond with fanaticism and attack.
• The allied army overwhelms the rebels through coordinated crossbow fire, magical artifacts, Dao arts, Battle Poetry, puppets, and martial combat. The rebels are rapidly slaughtered.
• Rather than immediately advancing deeper, the allied forces secure the entrance and begin assessing the complex network of passages. Li uses Young Seeking Immortal Bees to scout but cannot yet locate the enemy’s main force.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian remains cautious and politically aware. Although he obeys Fei Yan’s military order, he protects himself by insisting that his opposition be documented officially.
• Li demonstrates the full value of his Fate Arts, becoming essential to the army’s survival and advancement. He prevents numerous casualties by detecting traps and enemy preparations.
• Despite the opportunity for battle merit, Li avoids exposing himself and stays away from the frontline, reflecting his prudence and distrust of the situation.
• Fei Yan displays confidence, ambition, and a strong desire for military glory. He motivates the troops with promises of merit and honor, but his eagerness also contrasts with Li’s caution.
• Han Anbo, Zheng Gaojue, and Zhou Hen show trust in Li by following his instructions and remaining near him.
• The rebels’ fear transforms into fanaticism, revealing their ideological commitment to Nether Mountain and hostility toward the Qi court.

Significant Themes

• Caution versus ambition: Li emphasizes preparation and the dangers of traps, while Fei Yan prioritizes decisive action and military achievement.
• Political responsibility and accountability: Li insists that the chain of command and his warnings be recorded, protecting himself from blame if the operation fails.
• The power of specialized knowledge: Li’s Fate Arts are more decisive than brute force, allowing the allied forces to pass through deadly defenses with minimal losses.
• Military organization versus desperate resistance: The allied army’s disciplined coordination contrasts sharply with the rebels’ hastily assembled and poorly commanded assault.
• Ideological fanaticism: The rebels reject surrender even when clearly outmatched, driven by loyalty to Nether Mountain and hatred of the court.
• Uncertainty beneath apparent victory: Although the first battle is easily won, the hidden main force and maze-like mountain remain unresolved threats.

Character Interactions

• Fei Yan pressures Li into accepting his command, while Li negotiates protection by requiring his dissent to be included in the report.
• Li advises Han Anbo, Zheng Gaojue, and Zhou Hen to stay close and avoid chasing treasure, showing concern for their safety.
• Jing Guan attempts to reassure Li that the operation will bring great merit, but Li remains guarded.
• Fei Yan relies on Li’s calculations once the allied forces reach the underground lake, asking him to locate the rebels’ main force.
• The confrontation between Fei Yan and the rebels highlights the political and ideological divide between the imperial court and Nether Mountain.

Chapter Summary: “Seeking Survival Amid Peril”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fei Yan and the allied forces surround a mountain cave where more than a thousand Nether Mountain rebels are hiding. Li Qingxian uses the Golden Seeking Immortal Bees to map the cave and monitor the enemy’s movements.
• The rebels appear ready to break out through the Ministry of Justice passage, prompting Fei Yan to arrange an explosion and rally the troops. Although some suggest charging into the unfamiliar tunnels, Fei Yan wisely refuses to divide the force and risk an ambush.
• Li Qingxian detects that the rebels are gathering for a desperate attack. Fei Yan exploits this information to encourage the soldiers with promises of military glory.
• A warning from Xiaoyi arrives through a peach-blossom Fate Artifact: a Devil Sect expert may destroy the mountain. Li Qingxian uses the Life-Seeking Technique and initially sees only an overwhelming sea of blood, signifying a great calamity. After using several Fortune Fish, he finally identifies a narrow Survival Path.
• Before he can fully warn everyone, the Devil Sect triggers a catastrophic collapse. The mountain shakes, rocks fall, and the rear passage is sealed.
• The allied forces panic and scatter. Eunuch Yu Qingchen abandons most of the group while saving only Fei Yan, and Fei Yan’s earlier confidence is replaced by fear.
• Li Qingxian follows the Survival Path and leads Han Anbo, Zheng Gaojue, and Zhou Hen through the collapsing tunnels. Using protective and movement talismans, they evade falling debris.
• Li Qingxian equips Zhou Hen with a shield and iron staff, allowing him to clear their route. After a prolonged escape, they reach a reinforced cave guarded by three black-clad cultivators.
• Zhou Hen swiftly kills all three guards, despite Li Qingxian’s attempt to leave one alive for questioning. The group discovers that the chamber is heavily fortified with steel supports, runes, and enormous steel doors, suggesting an important hidden location.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates increasing strategic judgment and responsibility. Rather than relying solely on force, he uses observation, Fate Arts, and the Life-Seeking Technique to locate the only viable route to survival. He also takes charge when the group collapses into panic.
• Fei Yan is revealed as more of a commander and motivator than a true crisis leader. He stirs the troops with promises of glory, but when disaster strikes, he panics and depends on Yu Qingchen for protection.
• Yu Qingchen shows his self-serving nature by rescuing Fei Yan but abandoning the rest of the allied force, telling them to fend for themselves.
• Zhou Hen displays overwhelming combat ability and loyalty. He protects the group, clears falling rubble, and kills the guards almost instantly.
• Han Anbo and Zheng Gaojue remain dependable companions, following Li Qingxian’s lead through the disaster.
• The allied soldiers shift rapidly from confidence and excitement over military merit to fear, confusion, and desperate self-preservation.

Significant Themes

• Survival versus glory: Fei Yan emphasizes military achievement, but the collapse exposes the danger of pursuing fame without caution. Li Qingxian prioritizes survival over reckless heroics.
• The limits of preparation: Even a large, organized force is helpless when confronted with unknown terrain and a planned disaster.
• Leadership in crisis: True leadership is shown through Li Qingxian’s calm decisions and protection of others, contrasting with Fei Yan’s empty encouragement and Yu Qingchen’s abandonment.
• Fate and uncertainty: The Life-Seeking Technique reveals that disaster is nearly unavoidable, while survival depends on discovering a narrow and difficult path.
• Hidden conspiracies and escalating danger: The Devil Sect’s intervention suggests that the conflict is more complicated than a simple battle against rebels, while the fortified steel chamber hints at deeper secrets beneath the mountain.

Character Interactions

• Fei Yan repeatedly consults Li Qingxian for information but uses his reports mainly to encourage the troops.
• Li Qingxian warns the group about the Devil Sect, but the catastrophe begins before the warning can change their actions.
• Yu Qingchen responds to Fei Yan’s plea for help but saves only him, creating a sharp contrast between their dependence and the broader group’s abandonment.
• Li Qingxian leads Han Anbo, Zheng Gaojue, and Zhou Hen along the Survival Path, supplying them with talismans and coordinating their escape.
• Zhou Hen acts as the group’s frontline protector, using Li Qingxian’s weapons to clear rubble and later eliminating the three guards.
• The chapter ends with the survivors confronting a massive rune-covered steel door, leaving the nature of the chamber—and the danger inside—unresolved.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Han Anbo identifies the sealed chamber as likely being one of the rebels’ most important treasure vaults.
• The group discovers that the mountain wall and enormous steel door are protected by complex Daoist talismans. Zhou Hen cannot break them by ordinary force, while Li Qingxian determines that Fate-Seeking Arts can dismantle the protections.
• Li Qingxian uses the Universal Jade Pendant as a substitute for rare Fate Materials and prepares to remove the talismans himself.
• Before he can act, Yu Qingchen announces that the imperial court will soon send Dao and Puppet Cultivators to excavate the buried survivors.
• Realizing the court’s rescuers may soon reach them, Li Qingxian decides to summon a powerful construct: the Lightning-Wrapped Drum-Bearing Strongman.
• The giant appears through a lightning-rimmed portal, though his drum becomes stuck outside the cramped cavern, leaving him hunched over and visibly displeased.
• The Strongman presses against the vault door. His lightning destroys the protective talismans, and his thunderous shout cracks the steel door open.
• Zhou Hen finishes the job with a single light strike, knocking the massive door down. Li Qingxian immediately stores the valuable spell-forged metal in his Heaven-and-Earth Bracelet.
• Inside, the group discovers ten treasure chambers containing salt and iron, precious metals, jewels, medicines, weapons, books, ledgers, and other accumulated wealth from Nether Mountain’s Divine Capital branch.
• Because the imperial court will eventually investigate the vault, Li Qingxian chooses not to steal everything. Instead, he prioritizes the books and ledgers, collecting them all into his bracelet so the court cannot determine the vault’s original contents or financial records.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates his growing mastery of Fate-Seeking Arts, his calm strategic thinking, and his ability to exploit unusual resources. He remains composed even when others praise him and quickly shifts from opening the vault to concealing evidence.
• Zhou Hen is shown to possess formidable strength, but even he recognizes the superior level of the summoned Strongman. His earlier confidence that he could open the door in “one or two kicks” is humorously undermined when Li Qingxian has the Strongman break it first. He nevertheless effortlessly knocks the damaged door down afterward.
• Han Anbo acts as the practical observer, recognizing both the vault’s enormous importance and the political danger of emptying it completely.
• Zheng Gaojue continues to be openly impressed by Li Qingxian’s abilities, reacting with astonishment to both the hidden vault and the treasure within.
• The Lightning-Wrapped Drum-Bearing Strongman appears immensely powerful but also comically inconvenienced and proud. His drum is stuck because of the low ceiling, and after completing his task, he leaves curtly without acknowledging Li Qingxian’s farewell.

Significant Themes

• Resourcefulness and preparation: Li Qingxian’s Fate Arts, Universal Jade Pendant, and summoned Strongman allow him to overcome protections that ordinary strength cannot breach.
• Wealth and political danger: The treasure represents the rebels’ vast hidden resources, but possessing it carries the risk of attracting imperial scrutiny.
• Secrecy and evidence control: Li Qingxian understands that ledgers are more dangerous than physical treasure because they reveal the scale and organization of the rebels’ finances.
• Power contrasted with practicality: The Strongman’s overwhelming physical ability is balanced by the cramped environment and the missing drum, creating a humorous contrast between immense power and awkward circumstances.
• Accumulated rewards: Li Qingxian’s discovery suggests that earlier efforts and risks are finally producing tangible gains.

Character Interactions

• Han Anbo and Zheng Gaojue praise Li Qingxian, while he responds with deliberate modesty.
• Zhou Hen and Li Qingxian discuss the limits of Fate-Seeking Arts and whether brute force can open the door.
• Li Qingxian directs the Strongman to destroy the vault entrance, treating the giant construct almost like a subordinate despite its intimidating presence.
• The Strongman’s dismissive departure prompts Li Qingxian to jokingly criticize its pride.
• Zhou Hen’s envy at the treasure reveals a playful rivalry with Li Qingxian, especially after Li Qingxian claims the valuable metal door.
• After seeing the vault, Han Anbo warns that taking everything would expose them. Li Qingxian agrees and adopts a more calculated plan: remove the records first and leave the bulk of the treasure for later.

Chapter Summary: “The Boy Who Stripped the Storehouses Bare”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After defeating or raiding the rebel stronghold, Li Qingxian returns from examining the caves with a barely concealed smile. It becomes clear that he has emptied the ten storehouses of nearly everything valuable, leaving only items that were unusable or difficult to sell.
• Zhou Hen realizes that Li Qingxian’s actions could place all four men in serious danger. If the Ministry of Justice or the imperial court discovers that they profited from the raid, they could be accused of corruption, theft, or collusion.
• Han Anbo and Zheng Gaojue immediately agree to claim they saw nothing and take no share of the gains. Han suggests that the group follow strict Night Guard procedures to protect themselves.
• The group decides to destroy the storehouses, erase their tracks with Fate Arts, use talismans to conceal their departure, and invoke the Life-Oath Book and Forget-Worry Talisman if necessary.
• Li Qingxian first hides all traces of their arrival, then detonates the ten storehouses with spirit talismans. He also arranges additional talismans that will erase evidence after they depart.
• While waiting for transportation, the four discuss the Ministry of Justice and the changing imperial court. They criticize the court’s increasing corruption and political domination by powerful factions.
• Zhou Hen contacts Lord Zhou Chunfeng, who arranges for the Dao Records Office to transport them away. The four are teleported to a temporary camp at the foot of the mountain.
• After their departure, the cave is consumed by fire and swept by Fate Arts, completely erasing evidence that Li Qingxian and the others had been there.
• At the camp, Daoists from the Dao Records Office and Yellow Turban Strongmen begin excavating the mountain and investigating the site. Li Qingxian briefly exchanges a restrained greeting with Shen Xiaoyi, while Qiu Ye welcomes Zhou Hen and praises Li’s good fortune.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian displays his boldness, resourcefulness, and opportunistic nature by stripping the storehouses of nearly everything valuable. He is willing to exploit the situation but also cooperates when Zhou Hen insists on following official procedures.
• Zhou Hen acts as the group’s stern protector and moral enforcer. He is deeply concerned about safeguarding Li Qingxian and refuses to allow personal loyalty to override the Night Guard’s rules.
• Han Anbo proves cautious and politically savvy. He quickly understands the danger of being associated with Li’s gains and recommends decisive action to eliminate suspicion.
• Zheng Gaojue remains inexperienced and easily frightened, but he shows honesty and loyalty. He repeats his father’s warnings about the imperial court, even though Han reprimands him for speaking too openly.
• Shen Xiaoyi remains composed and immaculate despite the hardships of the mission. His quiet nod to Li suggests mutual recognition or concern, though neither openly expresses gratitude.
• Qiu Ye is relieved by Li’s survival and continues to regard him as unusually fortunate. His respectful attitude toward Zhou Hen reveals Zhou’s high standing.

Significant Themes

• Greed versus survival: Li’s looting is humorous and excessive, but the group’s concern shows that acquiring wealth can become a deadly liability.
• Loyalty constrained by rules: Zhou Hen protects Li, yet insists that genuine allies must obey regulations precisely when danger is greatest.
• Corruption and institutional decay: The Ministry of Justice is portrayed as ruthless and politically protected, while the imperial court is described as having changed fundamentally under the influence of powerful factions.
• Concealment and truth: The extensive use of Fate Arts, destruction, and sworn secrecy emphasizes how dangerous truth has become in a corrupt political environment.
• Uncertainty about the future: The characters recognize that the court’s transformation is profound, but no one can predict what it will ultimately become.

Character Interactions

• Zhou Hen confronts Li indirectly through his concern over the stolen supplies, while Han and Zheng quickly distance themselves from the loot.
• Han advises Li to accept strict protective measures, and Li reluctantly agrees, showing respect for Zhou Hen’s authority.
• Zheng voices criticism of the imperial court, but Han warns him to control his speech; Li reinforces Han’s instruction.
• Zhou Hen and Li cooperate in arranging the escape, with Zhou contacting Lord Zhou Chunfeng and Li handling the destruction and concealment of the site.
• Upon returning to camp, Li and Shen Xiaoyi exchange only restrained nods, suggesting an understated bond. Qiu Ye then expresses relief at Li’s survival and respectfully greets Zhou Hen.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the mountain collapse, Qiu Ye, Zhou Hen, Li Qingxian, Shen Xiaoyi, and others discuss the aftermath. Supervisor Fei has already departed with a powerful eunuch to dig tunnels and rescue the buried army, regretting that he did not simply destroy the mountain from the beginning.
• Zhou Hen receives orders from Lord Zhou and takes Li Qingxian and Han Anbo into the forest. To conceal the truth of what happened inside the mountain, Li prepares two Forget-Worry Talismans and three Life-Oath Books.
• Li, Zhou Hen, and Han Anbo swear oaths. Li uses the Forget-Worry Talismans on Han Anbo and Zheng Gaojue, erasing their memories of the actual events. Zhou Hen also signs an oath but does not use a Forget-Worry Talisman.
• After the two men awaken, Zhou Hen gives them a false explanation: they supposedly escaped the collapse, were injured by the shockwave, and later fainted during a Transposition Technique.
• The group learns that the Mud Society, aided by an inside traitor, raided the Ministry of Justice’s Heavenly Prison while its strongest personnel were away. They rescued the Mud Hermit and freed many dangerous prisoners.
• The Divine Capital has been sealed and placed under martial law, but the escapees are difficult to recapture because the Mud Society controls numerous trades and has extensive hiding places throughout the city.
• The characters speculate that Nether Mountain and the Mud Society may have cooperated: Nether Mountain disrupted the Emperor’s birthday celebration, drawing the Ministry of Justice away, while the Mud Society used the resulting weakness to raid the prison. However, the exact relationship remains uncertain.
• Returning to camp, Li encounters Zhang Yulin, a Ministry of Justice Devil Cultivator who mocks the Factory Guards for refusing to cooperate and boasts about the Ministry’s strength. Li hints that Zhang does not yet know about the Heavenly Prison escape.
• Zhang reveals that he ordered the mountain’s destruction. A mysterious fat man called Panda Head, apparently a Fate Arts Master from Jiannan Prefecture, insists he was only hired for the job.
• Li formally introduces himself to Shen Xiaoyi, Xiaohua, and Qiu Ye as Li Qingxian, division chief of the Night Guard Patrol Bureau, though he jokingly claims that close friends call him “Li Yangguang” or “Sunshine Boy.”

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates increasing secrecy, strategic thinking, and willingness to manipulate memories and use binding oaths to protect information. He remains calm when Zhang Yulin provokes him and subtly enjoys knowing that the Ministry of Justice is unaware of its own disaster.
• Zhou Hen acts as a practical leader and confidant. He organizes the oaths, helps construct the cover story, and provides crucial intelligence about the Heavenly Prison raid.
• Han Anbo and Zheng Gaojue become unwitting participants in the cover-up after their memories are altered. Zheng remains confused, while Han appears more observant and possibly suspects that something is being concealed.
• Zhang Yulin is characterized as arrogant and provocative. He takes pride in the Ministry of Justice’s power and claims responsibility for destroying the mountain, unaware that the decision contributed to his faction’s crisis.
• Shen Xiaoyi shows tact and goodwill toward Li, framing their cooperation as mutual assistance. He also supplies historical information about the destruction of Jiannan Prefecture’s Fate Arts sects.
• Xiaohua maintains her playful, teasing personality, immediately calling Li a liar when he jokingly invents an explanation for his name.

Significant Themes

• Unpredictability of political schemes: Plans by Nether Mountain and the Ministry of Justice produce unintended consequences, allowing the Mud Society to benefit from the conflict.
• Secrecy and controlled information: Oaths, memory alteration, false accounts, and strategic silence dominate the characters’ actions.
• Factional rivalry and mutual exploitation: The Factory Guards, Ministry of Justice, Devil Sect, Mud Society, and Nether Mountain all pursue separate agendas while opportunistically using one another’s weaknesses.
• Consequences of arrogance and miscalculation: The Ministry of Justice’s decision to concentrate its forces elsewhere leaves the Heavenly Prison vulnerable, turning its attempt to suppress Nether Mountain into a major security failure.
• Hidden histories and unresolved conspiracies: The discussion of Jiannan Prefecture suggests a long-standing, unexplained campaign against its Fate Arts sects.

Character Interactions

• Qiu Ye and Zhou Hen exchange amused remarks about Qiu Ye’s father’s inability to control his temper.
• Zhou Hen, Li, and Han cooperate in creating the oaths and false memories, showing their growing trust and coordination.
• Li and Zhang Yulin engage in a restrained confrontation: Zhang boasts about the Ministry of Justice, while Li responds indirectly by hinting at the prison break.
• Shen Xiaoyi comforts Li after the mountain disaster, and Li acknowledges that both sides helped one another.
• Li and Shen discuss Panda Head and the suspicious decline of Jiannan Prefecture’s Fate Arts sects.
• Xiaohua ends the chapter by playfully challenging Li’s exaggerated claim about his nickname.

Chapter Summary: Withered Flowers Fill the Streets, All Gazing North

Key Plot Points and Events

• After being rescued, Shen Xiaoyi and Xiaohua leave to continue prospecting for mines. Qiu Ye thanks Li Qingxian and promises to host him for a meal in the Divine Capital.
• Li Qingxian reunites with Fei Yan, who is filthy from participating in the rescue effort. He then uses his Fate Arts to guide Dao Cultivators, Puppet Cultivators, and laborers through the wreckage at Chang Mountain.
• Over three days, the rescuers recover many trapped Factory Guards. No Middle Rank experts die, but several Lower Rank experts and more than half of the non-Entry Rank personnel perish. The slow rescue is worsened by the court’s failure to send Upper Rank cultivators.
• Li Qingxian remains behind despite repeated orders from the Inner Factory to return to the capital for the Emperor’s birthday celebrations. He maps the locations of the dead and determines safe excavation routes, ensuring that the remaining rescue work proceeds without further cave-ins.
• News from the Divine Capital reveals that Emperor Taining has used the Heavenly Prison breakout to punish the Ministry of Justice. Both Vice Ministers are replaced, many prison officials are dismissed, and the Inner Factory gains authority over the Heavenly Prison. Meanwhile, the Night Guard’s heavy casualties are largely ignored.
• Li Qingxian returns with A Division. Though the unit suffered no battle deaths, half its members were killed by the Ministry of Justice. The empty saddles behind the survivors emphasize the scale of the loss.
• At Night Guard Street, grieving families rush to meet the returning soldiers. Many search desperately for missing relatives, while others stare north toward Chang Mountain, where their loved ones remain buried.
• A blind mother feels the faces of Li Qingxian, Han Anbo, Zhou Hen, and Yu Ping, hoping to identify her son. Her innocent praise of Yu Ping’s “blessed face” brings him to tears.
• In Chunfeng Residence, Zhou Chunfeng reveals that memorials concerning the disaster have been suppressed because the Emperor’s birthday is approaching and the court refuses to allow bad news to tarnish the celebration.
• Li Qingxian gives Zhou Chunfeng a ledger detailing the Devil Sect’s involvement. Zhou realizes that Nether Mountain, especially Devil-Transforming Mountain, has deeply infiltrated the Ministry of Justice.
• Zhou Chunfeng plans to consult Lord Yan and personally lead arrests at the Ministry of Justice. Li Qingxian is allowed to accompany them but must remain inconspicuous.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates responsibility, strategic ability, and moral resolve. Rather than immediately obeying the Inner Factory’s orders, he stays to protect the trapped survivors and organize their recovery. He also commits himself to punishing those responsible for the Night Guard’s deaths.
• Fei Yan reveals a more complicated character. Though he admits that his rescue labor was partly for appearances, he still recognizes the value of saving his fellow Factory Guards and depends on Li Qingxian’s Fate Arts.
• Yu Ping shows growing emotional sensitivity. The blind woman’s search for her son and her praise of Yu Ping’s face overwhelm him, exposing the grief beneath his outward composure.
• Zhou Chunfeng is physically and emotionally exhausted from the disaster and the court’s suppression of the truth. Nevertheless, he remains committed to justice and prepares to confront the Ministry of Justice directly.
• Zhou Hen acts as a quiet intermediary, providing Li Qingxian with information from the capital and helping him understand the political consequences of the disaster.

Significant Themes

• The human cost of political power: The court prioritizes the Emperor’s birthday and political infighting over the lives of the Night Guard’s fallen members.
• Official corruption and suppression: The Ministry of Justice is punished publicly, but the true disaster is concealed, and memorials bearing bad news are suppressed.
• Duty versus obedience: Li Qingxian delays his return in order to rescue survivors, placing moral responsibility above bureaucratic orders.
• Grief and remembrance: The families lining Night Guard Street embody collective mourning, while the empty saddles symbolize soldiers who will never return.
• Justice and revenge: The discovery of Devil Sect infiltration transforms the rescue tragedy into a larger political and criminal confrontation.
• Public appearance versus reality: Fei Yan’s performative labor and the court’s obsession with avoiding “bad luck” contrast with the genuine suffering of the Night Guard and their families.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and Fei Yan cooperate in rescuing the buried Factory Guards, with Li providing Fate Arts and Fei overseeing the effort.
• The blind woman’s interaction with Li Qingxian, Han Anbo, Zhou Hen, and Yu Ping becomes the chapter’s most emotional moment, forcing the survivors to confront the families’ grief.
• Li Qingxian and Zhou Chunfeng discuss the suppressed disaster and the Ministry of Justice’s responsibility. Their conversation shifts from mourning to decisive action.
• Zhou Chunfeng accepts Li Qingxian’s evidence of Devil Sect infiltration but warns him not to expose himself during the planned arrests.