Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian discusses the dangerous Devil Sect expert Fu Jianqi with Zhou Chunfeng. Fu is an elder of Devil-Transforming Mountain, a newly appointed Third Rank Assistant Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and connected to the Lu City Disaster and the Dead Devil Lands.
• Zhou Chunfeng praises Li’s written reflections and asks what he learned from the recent crisis. Li concludes that one must not pursue victory greedily and argues that human lives are more valuable than military achievements.
• Li compares the growing threat to a malignant tumor: initially distant and limited, but gradually spreading closer until it affects those around him. He believes future generations can eventually solve such problems, but only if people survive the present.
• Zhou advises Li to rest, avoid displaying his wealth, and attend to his business. Afterward, Li questions Zhou Hen about the concerns Zhou Chunfeng withheld.
• Zhou Hen explains that the Patrol Bureau is facing severe financial difficulties after expanding several times beyond the original Divine Capital Office. Funding for troops, supplies, weapons, and compensation has been delayed or obstructed by other departments.
• The Ministry of Revenue lacks funds, while the Night Guard’s Finance Office provided only five hundred taels. The Inner Factory cannot legally use Inner Court funds to support outside officials, despite its growing influence.
• Li and Zhou Hen realize that officials may deliberately be withholding money to resist the Emperor’s expansion of the Inner Factory and the newly established Patrol Bureau.
• The deaths from the recent battle have created a major compensation crisis. Delayed payments could allow the Devil Sect’s Ministry of Justice to provoke unrest before the Emperor’s birthday, creating serious political consequences.
• Li considers using his personal wealth but recognizes that doing so could appear improper and give political enemies leverage. He understands that the Patrol Bureau is trapped by both financial shortages and intense political scrutiny.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates growing political awareness and moral maturity. He recognizes the limits of military glory and prioritizes preserving lives over short-term achievements.
• He also shows increasing caution, realizing that even a well-intentioned donation could be interpreted as bribery, favoritism, or an attempt to buy loyalty.
• Zhou Chunfeng appears burdened by both the Patrol Bureau’s casualties and the wider political struggle between the Emperor, the Inner Factory, and court officials. His questions test Li’s judgment while also revealing his own uncertainty about difficult moral choices.
• Zhou Hen acts as an intermediary, explaining the hidden administrative and political pressures surrounding the Patrol Bureau. He is observant and blunt, but also concerned about protecting Li from reckless decisions.
• Fu Jianqi is established as a formidable and politically significant antagonist, linking the Devil Sect to the Ministry of Justice and previous disasters.

Significant Themes

• Human life versus political or military achievement: The chapter stresses that lost lives and unrealized future generations cannot be recovered, whereas military merit can be pursued again.
• The gradual spread of corruption and danger: Li’s “malignant tumor” metaphor illustrates how distant institutional problems eventually affect ordinary people and those closest to him.
• Political bureaucracy and institutional conflict: The Patrol Bureau’s funding crisis reflects resistance from existing departments to the Emperor’s growing reliance on the Inner Factory.
• The danger of power becoming concentrated: Zhou Chunfeng fears that Inner Factory supervisors placed throughout the ministries will interfere with governance, even if they claim merely to supervise.
• Survival as a prerequisite for reform: Meaningful solutions may require generations, but those generations must first remain alive.
• The risks of wealth and public action: Li’s money could help materially, yet using it openly would create suspicion and political vulnerabilities.

Character Interactions

• Zhou Chunfeng questions Li in the manner of a stern elder, prompting him to articulate his moral conclusions about the crisis.
• Li responds respectfully but independently, challenging the assumption that military success should outweigh civilian casualties.
• After leaving, Li uses a meaningful glance to prompt Zhou Hen to follow him, showing their growing familiarity and implicit trust.
• Zhou Hen reveals confidential information about Zhou Chunfeng’s concerns, including criticism of the Inner Factory and the financial obstruction facing the Patrol Bureau.
• Their conversation moves from personal concern to institutional strategy, with both recognizing that the Patrol Bureau’s lack of money is not merely an administrative problem but part of a broader political struggle.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian explains that the distillery will eventually provide money, but not soon enough to solve the Patrol Bureau’s immediate financial crisis.
• Returning to the Northern Route Office, he hears the injured Night Guards angrily condemning the Devil Sect for the destruction at Chang Mountain and the Ministry of Justice for mishandling the situation and obstructing compensation.
• The Night Guards honor Li Qingxian for saving lives with his Fate Arts, bringing him food and expressing their gratitude. Their resentment grows as they realize the Night Guard and Patrol Bureau have little political power under the Inner Factory’s authority.
• Jing Guan, an Inner Factory supervising officer, visits Li Qingxian. He admits that he panicked during the battle after senior eunuchs fled and survived only by hiding. He also confirms that the Inner Factory is furious at the Devil Sect but is unwilling or unable to act before the emperor’s birthday.
• Li criticizes the Inner Factory for refusing to help fund compensation payments. He persuades Jing Guan to report that morale in the Patrol Bureau is collapsing and that the men are openly cursing the Ministry of Justice.
• Li then discusses the crisis with Zhou Chunfeng. He proposes using the Factory Guards’ traditional method—confiscating property—to both vent the Night Guards’ anger and replenish the Patrol Bureau’s treasury.
• Since direct action against the Ministry of Justice is politically dangerous before the imperial birthday, Li proposes a more indirect scheme: fabricate or exploit a connection between Ministry officials and Nether Mountain rebels planning to disrupt the imperial celebration.
• Li asks to borrow the Patrol Bureau’s official symbols and the combined fortune of the Patrol Bureau and Inner Factory. With these, he claims he can use Fate Arts to manipulate the movements of lower-ranking Ministry of Justice officials. Zhou Chunfeng remains skeptical, but Li insists that repeated attempts will eventually succeed.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian emerges as a politically shrewd leader. Rather than simply sharing the Night Guards’ anger, he looks for a way to convert their resentment into morale, political leverage, and financial resources.
• The Night Guards shift from grief and frustration toward renewed hope in Li. Their gifts and deference show that they see him as a protector and potential champion.
• Jing Guan is portrayed as fearful and politically constrained. Though he recognizes the injustice against the Patrol Bureau, he lacks the courage or authority to confront the Devil Sect or the Ministry of Justice directly. He nevertheless agrees to support Li by reporting the troops’ deteriorating morale.
• Zhou Chunfeng remains cautious and pragmatic. He understands the need to act but is unwilling to move openly before the emperor’s birthday. His hesitation contrasts with Li’s willingness to pursue risky, unconventional plans.
• Zhou Hen recognizes Li’s habit of creating trouble through elaborate schemes and anticipates that he is about to provoke another dangerous confrontation.

Significant Themes

• Institutional decline and political paralysis: The Night Guard and Inner Factory appear powerful in theory but are constrained by court politics, factional interests, and fear of the Devil Sect.
• Morale and loyalty: Li understands that an aggrieved force cannot be effectively led unless its anger is acknowledged and given an outlet.
• Corruption and power: Confiscation of property is presented as both a traditional tool of the Factory Guards and a possible means of financing justice when official institutions refuse to provide funds.
• Indirect resistance: Because open retaliation is politically impossible, Li turns to manipulation, legal pretexts, Fate Arts, and engineered “accidents.”
• Courage versus cowardice: The chapter contrasts the Night Guards’ willingness to suffer and fight with the eunuchs’ retreat and the officials’ reluctance to challenge powerful enemies.
• Ingenuity and scheming: Li’s central strength is his ability to transform a desperate situation into an opportunity through unconventional planning.

Character Interactions

• The injured Night Guards warmly surround Li, thanking him and offering food while venting their anger about Chang Mountain.
• Li listens rather than openly encouraging their rebellion, allowing them to release their resentment while maintaining authority.
• Li and Jing Guan discuss the Inner Factory’s cowardice, its refusal to fund compensation, and the deteriorating relationship between the Factory Guards and the Ministry of Justice. Li subtly pressures Jing Guan into becoming an internal messenger for the Patrol Bureau’s grievances.
• In his meeting with Zhou Chunfeng, Li presents his confiscation scheme as both a morale-building measure and a financial solution. Their exchange highlights Li’s audacity against Zhou’s caution.
• Li’s final proposal—to use official authority, institutional fortune, and Fate Arts to direct Ministry officials into a politically compromising situation—sets up the chapter’s impending conspiracy.

Chapter Summary: “Twelve Linked Mountains Fate Arts”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Chunfeng warns Li Qingxian that although his Fate Arts evaded detection in North Chang City, the Divine Capital contains many powerful and perceptive figures. A single mistake could expose him or give his enemies leverage.
• Li explains his planned operation to Zhou Chunfeng, who identifies weaknesses in it. Together, they revise the plan, after which Zhou consults Yan Shixiao. Zhou Chunfeng also promises to request a Seventh Rank Fortune Mandate for Li once enough compensation money is collected.
• Zhou Hen helps Li cleanse a suspicious Communication Talisman Disc. After breaking through its hidden obstruction, Li successfully activates his own disc and exchanges contact information with Zhou Hen and several acquaintances:
  • Jiang Youfei
  • Shen Xiaoyi
  • Song Yunjing, newly promoted to prefect of Divine Capital Prefecture
  • Guo Xiang of the Black Lantern Bureau
• Li experiments with the discs and repeatedly asks Zhou Hen to cleanse additional ones, revealing that he obtained several from a treasure haul.
• That night, Zhou Chunfeng’s agents provide Li with intelligence and Fate Materials. Li spends two days preparing and sacrifices twelve Fortune Fish to establish the Twelve Linked Mountains Grand Fate Arts, activating one mountain during each designated time period.
• In a hidden residence on Green Leaf Street, Li begins the ritual under the protection of Han Anbo, Yu Ping, Zheng Gaojue, and Zhou Hen.
• During the hour of the rat, the first mountain allows Li to observe a three-courtyard estate in the western district. He marks six key locations, forming a canopy of azure qi over the master bedroom. Various external influences gather upon it as black flowers.
• During the hour of the ox, Li sends the Great Principle-Slaying Sword into the estate. It attacks in every direction, cutting through the estate’s defenses and effectively sealing or damaging the formation.
• During the hour of the tiger, Li’s vision enters the bedroom and identifies the target as Zhang Yulin, a Seventh Rank Cavalry Commandant and direct disciple of Devil-Transforming Mountain. Li places three Black Moons onto Zhang’s spine, apparently beginning a supernatural attack or curse.
• During the hour of the rabbit, Zhang wakes and initiates intercourse with the woman beside him, while the consequences of Li’s ritual remain hidden beneath the bed curtains.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian becomes increasingly confident and methodical. He relies on Zhou Chunfeng’s advice but retains control over a dangerous, highly elaborate operation.
• His mastery of Fate Arts has advanced considerably: he can construct a large-scale ritual, remotely observe a distant target, manipulate the target’s surroundings, and launch a powerful sword attack.
• Li also shows a playful and curious side through his experimentation with Communication Talisman Discs, contrasting with the seriousness of his covert mission.
• Zhou Chunfeng acts as Li’s strategist, political protector, and sponsor, helping refine the plan and preparing to secure Li’s future advancement.
• Zhou Hen serves as Li’s technical assistant and guardian, cleansing the talisman discs and remaining on watch during the ritual.
• Zhang Yulin is established as Li’s target. His status as a Ministry of Justice official and disciple of Devil-Transforming Mountain makes the operation politically dangerous.

Significant Themes

• Power and political danger: The Divine Capital is presented as a place where hidden experts and rival factions make every action risky.
• Preparation versus improvisation: Li’s success depends on intelligence gathering, careful ritual preparation, and Zhou Chunfeng’s identification of loopholes.
• Surveillance and remote influence: The Fate Arts allow Li to observe and affect events from a distance, blurring the line between strategy, espionage, and supernatural intervention.
• Networks and communication: The talisman discs symbolize Li’s growing connections and expanding influence among officials, allies, and former associates.
• Hidden conflict: The ritual unfolds secretly while Zhang remains unaware, emphasizing the contrast between ordinary appearances and unseen magical warfare.
• Escalating retaliation: By targeting a powerful official tied to Devil-Transforming Mountain, Li appears to be entering a more dangerous level of factional conflict.

Character Interactions

• Zhou Chunfeng and Li collaboratively refine the operation, showing trust but also the need for caution.
• Li and Zhou Hen interact familiarly, with Li repeatedly relying on him for practical assistance while teasing him about the communication devices.
• Li reconnects with Jiang Youfei in a lighthearted message, boasting about his completed Eighth Rank Inner Gods Investiture and powerful strongman.
• He politely congratulates Song Yunjing and thanks him for supporting the Night Guard, reinforcing their official relationship.
• Han Anbo, Yu Ping, Zheng Gaojue, and Zhou Hen form Li’s protective team during the ritual.
• Li’s supernatural attack directly intersects with Zhang Yulin’s private life, creating an ominous and intimate confrontation that remains unresolved at the chapter’s end.

Chapter Summary: Twelve-Hour Chaotic Fate Heaven

Key Plot Points and Events

Li Qingxian executes a carefully timed series of Fate Arts against Zhang Yulin, targeting him continuously throughout the day while ensuring that no ordinary person notices.

• Dragon Hour: Two peach-blossomed white snakes emerge from black boots, enter Zhang Yulin’s body through his nostrils, and settle in his lungs.
• Morning investigation: As Zhang travels with Ministry of Justice officials, everyday objects and animals secretly attack him. A pig’s tongue, dog teeth, and a dead fish inflict invisible wounds.
• Snake Hour: Four chopsticks pierce Zhang’s limbs, while a porcelain bowl sinks into his skull.
• Horse Hour: Animated clothing and quilts attack him, forming twelve layers of protective membrane over his body.
• Goat Hour: During demonic cultivation, swarms of insects carrying tiny talisman figures invade his body and gather as a swollen mass on his forehead.
• Monkey Hour: A magical flower carriage is created at Soft Jade Pavilion and later flies to Zhang’s residence. The white snakes release pollen into Zhang’s bloodstream, intensifying his lust.
• Evening: Zhang repeatedly attempts to cultivate but is distracted by overwhelming desire. He eventually goes to Soft Jade Pavilion.
• Rooster Hour: After Zhang’s encounter with women in Hundred Flowers Room, candle flames become spiders and cover the room in webs.
• Dog Hour: A Recording Stone secretly records Zhang and four others. Invisible blades repeatedly cut their lips without causing bleeding. Under the influence of alcohol and the surrounding Fate Arts, Zhang reveals major secrets about Devil-Transforming Mountain, the Devil Sect, the Ministry of Justice, and his own role in plotting against the court.
• Pig Hour: While Zhang continues indulging himself, Li Qingxian completes the operation. He uses yellow talismans, sand, and green vapor to erase the Fate Arts’ traces from all twelve mountains, then employs Trace-Erasing Arts to remove the remaining evidence.
• The chapter ends with Li Qingxian leaving the courtyard and ordering Han Anbo and Zheng Gaojue to move.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates meticulous planning, patience, and mastery of Fate Arts. He orchestrates an entire day of attacks and psychological manipulation without exposing himself, then methodically destroys all traces of his involvement.
• Zhang Yulin is portrayed as corrupt, indulgent, and deeply compromised. The attacks gradually weaken and influence him, while the pollen drives him toward lust and the alcohol loosens his tongue. His drunken confession exposes both his personal brutality and his political loyalties.
• Han Anbo and Zheng Gaojue remain supporting figures, waiting for Li Qingxian’s signal and apparently participating in the larger operation.
• Zhang’s confession also reveals important background figures: Sect Master Zhang, his senior brother Weng, and the unnamed emperor whom the Devil Sect fears.

Significant Themes

• Control and manipulation: Li Qingxian controls Zhang’s body, emotions, movements, and speech through a combination of Fate Arts and environmental triggers.
• Hidden warfare: Ordinary objects, animals, plants, and household items become weapons, showing that danger can exist invisibly within everyday life.
• Corruption and hypocrisy: Zhang serves in the Ministry of Justice while boasting about the Devil Sect’s violence, including abduction, torture, exploitation, and the killing of civilians.
• Confession and exposure: The magical assault turns Zhang’s own words into evidence against him, transforming his indulgence into a political and legal vulnerability.
• Erasure and secrecy: The final removal of every trace emphasizes the importance of concealment and the precision of Li Qingxian’s strategy.
• Power and fear: The Devil Sect’s ambitions are checked by fear of the emperor, while figures within the Ministry of Justice are paralyzed by past imperial reprisals.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian does not confront Zhang directly; instead, he interacts with him through invisible Fate Arts and engineered circumstances.
• Zhang speaks with four companions in Hundred Flowers Room, boasting about Devil-Transforming Mountain’s atrocities and revealing confidential information.
• The companions’ questions encourage Zhang to disclose his relationship with the Devil Sect and his involvement in Ministry of Justice actions.
• At the end, Li Qingxian reunites with Han Anbo and Zheng Gaojue and commands them to move, signaling the next stage of their plan.

Chapter Summary: “New Grudges and Old Hatreds Settled Today”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Han Anbo signals the beginning of a coordinated raid on Soft Jade Pavilion. Inner Factory eunuchs, Patrol Bureau Night Guards, and over a hundred Dao cultivators surround and infiltrate the establishment.
• The raid is carried out swiftly and secretly. Rebels and anyone who resists are killed or incapacitated, leaving dozens of corpses in the pavilion’s hall.
• The authorities discover evidence linking Soft Jade Pavilion to Nether Mountain, a rebel organization. Guests, employees, and valuables are seized, while all suspects are transported to the Imperial Prison.
• Fei Yan publicly declares the establishment a rebel stronghold and orders everyone to be imprisoned and interrogated.
• Evidence from Recording Stones reveals that Zhang Yulin, a Seventh Rank Ministry of Justice cavalry officer, made treasonous remarks while in the pavilion. Fei Yan uses this evidence to prepare a report for the Inner Factory.
• In the Imperial Prison, Li Qingxian interrogates the captured guests. He determines that most are merely customers with no connection to the rebellion and releases them after imposing modest financial penalties.
• Zhang Yulin is brought before Li Qingxian. He attempts to deny any connection with the rebels and offers shops, property, women, and valuables as bribes.
• Li Qingxian exposes Zhang’s hypocrisy, comparing his attempted bribery and threats to the tactics of the Nether Mountain rebels.
• Li reveals that Recording Stones captured Zhang’s treasonous conversation. Zhang panics and claims that his words were drunken nonsense.
• Li then brings up Zhang’s earlier assault on Yu Ping and two Night Guards, whose dantians Zhang had crippled. Zhang initially pretends not to remember but eventually admits responsibility.
• Li orders Yu Ping to cripple Zhang’s dantian, both as punishment and to prevent him from escaping.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates fairness and restraint. Rather than exploiting every prisoner, he distinguishes between ordinary people who were merely present and genuine criminals, imposing light punishments on the former.
• Li also reveals a harsher, more vengeful side toward Zhang Yulin. He calmly dismantles Zhang’s excuses, exposes his corruption, and uses the law to settle an old grievance.
• Zhang Yulin changes from a confident official into a terrified and servile prisoner. He attempts flattery, bribery, denial, and implied threats, but becomes increasingly desperate as evidence against him is revealed.
• Zhang’s willingness to abandon his dignity and offer his property shows his corruption and fear of losing power.
• Yu Ping retains deep resentment toward Zhang for crippling his dantian and the dantians of other Night Guards. His opportunity to punish Zhang represents a partial restoration of justice.
• Fei Yan appears politically shrewd and ruthless. He uses the raid and Zhang’s recorded statements to strengthen the case against both the rebels and influential officials.

Significant Themes

• Justice versus indiscriminate punishment: Li Qingxian argues that not every guilty or implicated person deserves the same treatment. Minor wrongdoing receives a limited penalty, while truly destructive crimes demand severe punishment.
• Corruption and hypocrisy: Zhang Yulin’s bribery, threats, and attempts to manipulate the authorities reveal the moral decay of powerful officials.
• Power and political maneuvering: The raid is not only an attack on rebels but also an opportunity to uncover and exploit treasonous statements from officials connected to rival factions.
• Revenge through lawful authority: Li uses his official position to settle past injuries, but he frames the punishment as legitimate justice rather than personal vengeance.
• Evidence and surveillance: Recording Stones play a decisive role, showing how hidden words can become legally damaging evidence in a politically dangerous environment.
• The vulnerability of status: Despite being a Ministry of Justice officer and a disciple of Devil-Transforming Mountain, Zhang’s rank offers little protection once evidence and political power turn against him.

Character Interactions

• Fei Yan and Zhang Yulin: Fei Yan ignores Zhang’s desperate attempts to signal him during the raid, then uses Zhang’s recorded treasonous words against him.
• Li Qingxian and the ordinary prisoners: Li treats them pragmatically and relatively mercifully, releasing them after fines and demonstrating his belief in proportionate punishment.
• Li Qingxian and Zhang Yulin: Their interrogation becomes a battle of composure. Zhang uses flattery and bribery, while Li responds with sarcasm, evidence, and carefully controlled pressure.
• Li Qingxian and Yu Ping: Li gives Yu Ping the authority to punish Zhang, acknowledging Yu Ping’s past suffering and allowing him to participate in the restoration of justice.
• Zhang Yulin and Yu Ping: Their interaction exposes Zhang’s contempt for those beneath him. Zhang tries to deny remembering Yu Ping, but his earlier cruelty is brought back to him and punished.

Chapter Summary: “Six Ministries War Descends by Night”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian interrogates Zhang Yulin, a corrupt Ministry of Justice official and Devil Sect disciple, over his crimes and his connection to Zheng Gaojue’s father.
• To punish him, Yu Ping repeatedly stabs Zhang Yulin’s dantian with an awl artifact. Li Qingxian then destroys Zhang’s Spirit Platform with lightning, crippling his cultivation.
• Zhang denies knowing Zheng Gaojue, but Li Qingxian reminds him that Zheng’s father was one of the people whose dantians Zhang destroyed. He also recalls Zhang’s cruelty toward murdered civilians and a slain Night Guard.
• Li orders Zheng Gaojue to cut out Zhang’s tongue and break his limbs, framing Zhang’s crimes and treason as deserving the harshest punishment.
• Han Anbo explains the Life-Severing Sword, a rare Fate Artifact used by people willing to die in order to erase evidence and protect conspirators.
• Zhang is officially declared to have committed unforgivable treason and to have killed himself. His estate is confiscated, supposedly to compensate the Patrol Bureau and honor fallen soldiers.
• Zhang’s testimony implicates several other lower-ranking Ministry of Justice officials. Li Qingxian, Fei Yan, He Lei, and Patrol Bureau forces raid Zhang’s estate and then arrest seven additional officials.
• The searches uncover enormous hidden wealth: gold, silver, land, residences, and other assets acquired through corruption and Devil Sect methods. A single official is found to own over fifty thousand mu of farmland and more than fifty residences.
• Fei Yan quietly allows some unrecorded treasure to be distributed among the soldiers, giving the Patrol Bureau a larger share than the Inner Factory.
• Zhou Chunfeng reveals that Zhang’s ledger implicates a much broader faction. The Inner Factory is investigating secretly and preparing to eliminate the faction in one coordinated purge.
• Zhou warns Li that the Ministry of Justice will retaliate. He tells Li to obtain an official Seventh Rank Fortune position, remain within the Night Guard after the emperor’s birthday, and focus on cultivation.
• The chapter ends with Zhou explaining that the violent clashes Li remembers from childhood were not battles against the Demon Race, but the clandestine “Six Ministries War,” in which the major ministries and imperial offices attacked one another at night.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian becomes increasingly ruthless and politically calculating. He personally destroys Zhang Yulin’s Spirit Platform, forces a confession through intimidation, and uses the confiscations to strengthen the Patrol Bureau.
• Yu Ping participates directly in Zhang’s torture, showing his loyalty to Li and his willingness to carry out brutal orders.
• Zheng Gaojue confronts the man responsible for ruining his father. His confusion about the Life-Severing Sword gives way to understanding, and he personally helps punish Zhang.
• Zhang Yulin is reduced from a powerful, wealthy official to a broken and helpless criminal. His denials fail, and his final fate is manipulated into an official suicide.
• Han Anbo demonstrates the Inner Factory’s practical and secretive methods, preferring an ordinary execution and Fate Arts over the valuable Life-Severing Sword.
• Fei Yan shows political flexibility and concern for the soldiers, arranging for confiscated wealth to benefit the Patrol Bureau while maintaining cooperation with Li and Zhou.
• Zhou Chunfeng emerges as a strategic leader. He uses Zhang’s testimony to pressure the Ministry of Justice and prepares Li for the coming political counterattack.

Significant Themes

• Retributive justice versus cruelty: Li punishes Zhang through the same kind of merciless treatment Zhang inflicted on others, raising questions about whether justice has become indistinguishable from vengeance.
• Corruption and exploitation: The officials’ vast hidden fortunes represent wealth extracted from ordinary people through oppression, manipulation, and abuse of authority.
• Political purges and institutional warfare: The criminal investigation is also a struggle between the Patrol Bureau, Inner Factory, and Ministry of Justice. Legal punishment serves as a weapon in a larger power conflict.
• Secrecy and manipulated truth: Zhang’s death is officially recorded as suicide, while evidence is concealed and Fate Arts are used to erase traces. The state controls not only punishment but also the historical narrative.
• Inherited violence and revenge: Zheng Gaojue’s interaction with Zhang shows how officials’ crimes continue to damage families and inspire later retaliation.
• The hidden instability of the court: The revelation of the Six Ministries War shows that the empire’s apparent peace masks recurring internal battles among its highest institutions.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian dominates the interrogation, using Yu Ping, Zheng Gaojue, and Han Anbo to enforce his judgment on Zhang.
• Li and Han Anbo discuss the risks of killing a direct disciple of Devil-Transforming Mountain and the use of the Life-Severing Sword.
• Li, Zhou Chunfeng, and Fei Yan coordinate the political and financial consequences of Zhang’s confession.
• Fei Yan and Li cooperate in distributing confiscated wealth, with Fei quietly favoring the soldiers.
• Zhou warns Li that the Ministry of Justice will retaliate, while revealing the deeper history of the Six Ministries War and the extent of the coming purge.

Chapter Summary: “Seventh-Rank Fortune Added to This Body”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian asks Zhou Chunfeng about the former Six Ministries War, learning that the Upper-Rank conflicts ended years ago after the factions exhausted themselves. Zhou reveals that he, Li Qingxian’s father, Uncle Song, and even Chief Minister Zhao once fought directly in the violent struggle between court factions.
• The discussion turns to the Sealed Prefectures, semi-independent territories granted to powerful factions by Emperor Taining’s ancestor in exchange for their support. Their existence remains a source of resentment among both civil and military officials because they weaken imperial authority.
• Zhou instructs Li Qingxian to visit Uncle Song after the emperor’s birthday celebration and jokingly tells him to bother Jiang Youfei less with cultivation questions.
• After Li leaves, Gray Falcon delivers Zhou a recording revealing that the mysterious man who once delivered charcoal to Prince Ding’s residence was indeed the person under investigation. Gang Feng had sought this man out three times. Zhou is shocked and deeply troubled, suggesting a hidden connection involving Li’s father and Prince Ding.
• During Emperor Taining’s elaborate sixtieth-birthday celebrations, Li remains in the Jia-Nine Office, studying diligently and observing the River of Fate Under Heaven with his Spirit Eye to accumulate momentum.
• On the third day, imperial envoys arrive with an edict honoring Li. He is granted the Principal Seventh-Rank Fortune Mandate, the title Enqiwei, a Seventh-Rank Fortune Battle Garment, writing implements, a jade paperweight, and a sword tassel.
• Li and Han Anbo discreetly give the eunuchs and guards silver gifts. The leading eunuch coaches Li into displaying overwhelming loyalty, and Li uses his magical power to produce genuine-looking tears while praising the emperor.
• When the imperial seal activates the decree, a vast stream of imperial fortune enters Li’s body. His magical power rises dramatically, and new channels of fortune form throughout his body.
• Li successfully reaches the Eighth-Rank Peak. His fortune channels have formed but have not yet fully merged with his blood vessels, meaning he is close to advancing to the Seventh Rank.
• The Thunder Dragon Fire Seal gains a third dragon head, while the Inner Gods Boy and Inner Gods Strongman also rise to the Eighth Rank alongside him.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian becomes more serious and disciplined in his cultivation. He can now calm his mind while studying and is making faster progress than before.
• He also demonstrates political awareness and social adaptability by bribing the imperial entourage, following the eunuch’s performance advice, and turning the ceremony to his advantage.
• The imperial Fortune Mandate greatly strengthens Li, advancing him to the peak of the Eighth Rank and bringing him within reach of the Seventh Rank.
• Zhou Chunfeng is revealed to have a rebellious and militant past, having fought alongside Li’s father during the Six Ministries War. His sudden alarm over the charcoal-delivery investigation suggests he knows something dangerous about Li’s family history.
• Li Qingxian’s father, Gang Feng, is indirectly implicated in a mysterious past investigation through the revelation that Gang Feng repeatedly met the charcoal-delivery man.
• Jiang Youfei remains an important cultivation adviser, though Zhou teases Li for relying on her too often.
• Han Anbo supports Li by helping distribute gratuities to the imperial messengers.

Significant Themes

• Imperial power versus factional autonomy: The Sealed Prefectures represent the long-term political cost of the imperial court’s compromises with powerful factions.
• The hidden consequences of history: The Six Ministries War and the old actions of Li’s father’s generation continue to shape present-day politics and may threaten Li directly.
• Fortune as political and supernatural power: The emperor’s recognition is not merely honorary; the imperial decree physically grants Li immense strength and advances his cultivation.
• Public loyalty and political performance: Court life requires carefully staged displays of devotion. Li’s tears, praise, and gifts show how genuine ability must be combined with etiquette and manipulation.
• Preparation for danger: Zhou’s warning that Li must be prepared for the Divine Capital reflects the continuing tension beneath the city’s apparent peace.
• Progress through discipline: Li’s improved study habits and sustained cultivation demonstrate his growing maturity and commitment.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and Zhou Chunfeng: They discuss the Six Ministries War, factional politics, Li’s family history, and the dangers of the Sealed Prefectures. Zhou acts as both mentor and protective elder.
• Zhou Chunfeng and Gray Falcon: Gray Falcon delivers the investigation’s findings, prompting Zhou’s severe reaction and hinting at a concealed conspiracy.
• Li Qingxian and Jiang Youfei: Li consults her through the Communication Talisman Disc about cultivation before returning to his studies.
• Li Qingxian and the imperial eunuchs: The eunuchs formally deliver the emperor’s rewards, while Li uses gifts, etiquette, and an exaggerated display of emotion to satisfy their expectations.
• Li Qingxian and Han Anbo: Han assists with rewarding the envoys and shares in the excitement surrounding Li’s promotion.
• Li Qingxian and the emperor: Though they do not meet directly, the emperor’s decree elevates Li’s status and infuses him with powerful imperial fortune.

Chapter Summary: Advancing to Eighth Rank, Qi-Meridian Construction

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian awakens after advancing to Eighth Rank and discovers an unexpected benefit from the Divine Firmament Thunder Seed: his Inner Gods appear capable of advancing alongside him, despite this normally being impossible.
• His Fate Mansion now contains thirty Fortune Fish, though he still possesses only one Fate Ground and resolves to find a way to open more.
• Han Anbo advises him to rest for three days so his newly constructed qi meridians can stabilize. Li takes a qi-meridian-nurturing pill and practices the Divine Firmament Method.
• His qi meridians prove extraordinarily powerful and unusual, having been formed through observation of the Fortune Under-Heaven River. Their movement sounds like rushing water, and even his footsteps produce heavy impacts.
• Li’s new Seventh Rank Fortune Battle Garment is examined. It is equivalent to a Seventh Rank magic artifact, can withstand three full-force attacks from a Principal Fifth Rank expert, and can gradually recover its Fortune-powered defenses.
• Han Anbo warns Li not to rely on Fortune to advance from Seventh Rank to Sixth Rank, because doing so would make future advancement to Upper Rank much harder.
• Li plans to participate in the upcoming Seventh Rank Azure Cloud Examination, primarily to test himself against other geniuses rather than to seek immediate success.
• He asks Han Anbo to search for rare Fate Stars associated with diligence, concentration, and hard work. Han warns that acquiring such Fate Molds may require satisfying difficult conditions.
• Li contacts several acquaintances for advice about cultivating at Eighth Rank. Song Baige returns to the Divine Capital and jokingly boasts about his popularity, prompting an exchange of insults with Li.
• Li spends several days inside the A Division compound stabilizing his qi meridians and studying Fate Arts.
• After the city returns to normal following Emperor Taining’s birthday celebration, Li is summoned by his childhood friend Yang Lingyou, who is waiting outside with an invitation to a drinking gathering.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates greater confidence and maturity after reaching Eighth Rank. He understands that external Fortune is only an aid and that personal cultivation must remain the foundation of his progress.
• His unusual qi meridians mark him as fundamentally different from ordinary practitioners and hint at the immense potential—and possible danger—of his cultivation path.
• Li also shows ambition and strategic foresight by preparing for the Azure Cloud Examination and seeking Fate Stars that will strengthen his diligence and focus.
• Han Anbo continues acting as Li’s mentor, emphasizing caution, long-term cultivation, and the risks of advancing too quickly.
• Yu Ping and Zheng Gaojue openly admire and envy Li’s advancement and powerful battle garment.
• Song Baige maintains his boastful, irritating personality, while Li responds with sarcastic confidence.
• Yang Lingyou’s appearance reconnects Li with his past and introduces the next social encounter.

Significant Themes

• Foundation versus external power: Fortune can greatly assist Li, but relying on it for major breakthroughs could weaken his future potential.
• The importance of stabilization and patience: Advancement is not complete merely because a new rank has been reached; the body must adapt before further action.
• Individual cultivation paths: Li’s river-like qi meridians emphasize that his strength comes from a unique and unconventional method rather than ordinary practice.
• Ambition and self-improvement: Li seeks not only power but also Fate Stars connected to discipline, concentration, and sustained effort.
• Friendship, rivalry, and social bonds: Conversations with Han, his companions, Song Baige, and Yang Lingyou reveal a mixture of mentorship, envy, banter, and old friendship.

Character Interactions

• Han Anbo gives Li practical cultivation advice and cautions him against abusing Fortune.
• Yu Ping touches and admires Li’s Fortune Battle Garment, while Zheng Gaojue watches with envy.
• Li exchanges teasing insults with Song Baige through communication talismans.
• Li receives guidance from several acquaintances after announcing his breakthrough.
• The chapter ends with Li meeting the childhood friend Yang Lingyou, who invites him to a drinking gathering.

Chapter Summary: Ministry of Justice Spy Keeps His Mouth Shut

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian’s friend, Yang Lingyou, secretly signals that something is wrong. He reports that Chen Zhu—Li’s uncle by marriage—believes he was followed while fetching medicine and fears for his family’s safety.
• Yang also conveys that Lou, a former classmate, wants to invite Li to a meal. Li suspects Lou is trying to repair their relationship after failing to visit on Li’s birthday. Rather than offend him, Li sends pastries and politely declines.
• Li informs Jing Guan, the supervising military eunuch, that someone may be targeting his family. Jing Guan reacts aggressively, insisting that the suspected pursuer be arrested and imprisoned immediately.
• Li, Jing Guan, and He Lei arrange a covert operation. They capture the man following Chen Zhu and place him in the Imperial Prison, while Night Guards protect the Chen family home.
• During interrogation, the prisoner claims to be a Ninth Rank official and secret agent of the Ministry of Justice investigating a case involving Chen Zhu. He refuses to reveal his orders or superior, warning that harming him could provoke conflict between the Ministry of Justice and the Factory Guards.
• Li permits Han Anbo to use torture, but the prisoner withstands it without revealing meaningful information. His silence confirms that he is a highly trained Devil Sect operative.
• Li discovers that the prisoner’s Fate Mold is shielded by an extraordinary power, possibly belonging to a Principal Second Rank or even First Rank grandmaster. This makes the situation far more serious than an ordinary investigation.
• Li and Han Anbo reason that the Heavenly Devil Sect itself should not possess such strength, suggesting that another powerful figure or organization may be protecting the spy.
• Li suspects the investigation may relate to his deceased father’s past. The chapter ends with Li asking Han Anbo how they should proceed, recognizing that neither killing the spy nor releasing him will resolve the growing threat.

Character Development

• Li Qingxian: Demonstrates greater maturity and political tact by handling Lou’s invitation diplomatically instead of reacting impulsively. He also becomes more protective of his family and increasingly aware that his father’s legacy may be placing him in danger. His strategic thinking develops as he weighs the consequences of torture, execution, and political retaliation.
• Yang Lingyou: Acts as a trusted friend and messenger, discreetly warning Li while following his instructions without causing panic.
• Jing Guan: Reveals his strong loyalty to Li, partly because Li has enabled him to profit from confiscated wealth. He responds decisively and violently to any threat against Li’s household.
• Han Anbo: Shows experience and reliability as an interrogator. He remains cautious and rational, helping Li interpret the political and historical implications of the spy’s presence.
• The Ministry of Justice spy: Maintains remarkable discipline under interrogation. His silence and protected Fate Mold establish him as a formidable and mysterious opponent rather than a disposable agent.

Significant Themes

• Family as a vulnerability: The chapter emphasizes the danger of targeting relatives in political and sectarian struggles, even though major factions had previously agreed not to involve family members.
• Loyalty and protection: Li’s allies quickly mobilize to defend his family, showing the strength of his relationships and institutional position.
• Political restraint versus retaliation: Jing Guan favors immediate imprisonment and punishment, while Li considers the wider consequences of provoking the Ministry of Justice.
• Hidden power and conspiracy: The spy’s extraordinary protection suggests that the Heavenly Devil Sect may be connected to a stronger, concealed force.
• The burden of inheritance: Li begins to suspect that his father’s past actions continue to endanger him, implying that old conflicts remain unresolved.
• Limits of force: Torture fails to break the spy, demonstrating that brute strength cannot easily overcome disciplined agents or protected secrets.

Character Interactions

• Li and Yang Lingyou: Their private conversation establishes mutual trust. Yang warns Li about the danger, while Li gives him a discreet way to reassure Lou without personally attending the gathering.
• Li and Jing Guan: Jing Guan’s immediate willingness to arrest the pursuer shows his dependence on and loyalty to Li. Li tempers Jing Guan’s aggression with cautious investigation.
• Li and Han Anbo: Their cooperation reflects mutual confidence. Han handles the interrogation while Li analyzes the prisoner’s Fate Mold and the larger implications.
• Li and the spy: Their exchange becomes a contest of pressure and defiance. Li attempts to uncover the truth, but the spy hides behind official authority and refuses to speak.
• Li and his absent father: Though Li’s father never appears, his past dominates the chapter’s final revelation and may explain why powerful enemies are still pursuing the family.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian and Han Anbo interrogate the captured Ministry of Justice secret agent, demanding a guarantee that Li’s family will no longer be targeted. The prisoner refuses to respond, instead giving Li a disturbing, enigmatic smile that suggests a powerful figure is behind the operation.
• Han Anbo concludes that the agent is connected to an influential faction or possibly the Minister of Justice himself. Since peaceful negotiation seems unlikely, Li proposes exploiting the Devil Sect’s recent conflicts with several major imperial institutions.
• Li secretly confines the agent elsewhere and uses Fate Arts to arrange his plan. He then reports everything to Zhou Chunfeng, who warns him that the matter may trigger a much larger political storm.
• Zhou orders that the prisoner be killed rather than returned, and agrees not to stop Li from proceeding, provided Li considers the consequences. He also sends Gray Falcon to investigate whether the Ministry of Justice was targeting Li, Gang Feng’s family, Zhou himself, or all of them.
• Li’s strategy quickly succeeds in turning public and political opinion against the Ministry of Justice:
  • The Night Guard learns that Li’s family was targeted and becomes outraged.
  • Scholars spread the story through teahouses and taverns.
  • The Censorate verifies the evidence through the Patrol Bureau.
  • Impeachment memorials against the Minister of Justice flood the court, throwing the imperial government into turmoil.
• Li realizes that the Ministry of Justice’s response will reveal the true severity of the situation. If it apologizes or negotiates, the affair may be minor; if it remains silent, a far more powerful hidden force may be involved.
• To protect himself and create further pressure, Li pretends to acquaintances that he is being persecuted and plans to leave the capital. The Night Guard takes his complaints seriously and enthusiastically recommends various places where he could seek an external posting.
• Overwhelmed by their earnest advice, Li escapes under the pretense of meeting someone.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian becomes more politically aggressive and calculating. Although he prefers straightforward action, he recognizes that the imperial court requires indirect strategies and uses the Devil Sect’s existing enemies to pressure the Ministry of Justice.
• He also shows resourcefulness and theatrical cunning by pretending to be a persecuted victim who wants to leave the capital, thereby gaining sympathy and spreading the impression that he is under serious threat.
• Han Anbo remains cautious and pragmatic, recognizing both the danger posed by the Ministry of Justice and Li’s lack of power to confront it directly.
• Zhou Chunfeng displays protective concern toward Li, reprimanding him for acting without first informing him. He supports Li’s plan but emphasizes that it could provoke a much larger conflict and promises to intervene if the situation spirals out of control.
• The captured secret agent is presented as unusually composed and mysterious, implying that he serves a deeper and more dangerous conspiracy rather than acting independently.
• The Night Guard’s members reveal their loyalty to Li by reacting with genuine indignation and offering practical advice about how he might escape the capital.

Significant Themes

• Hidden political conspiracies: The secret agent’s silence and unsettling expression suggest that the visible conflict may conceal a much larger plot.
• Power and indirect warfare: Since Li cannot confront the Ministry of Justice openly, he manipulates existing tensions between the Devil Sect and the empire’s major institutions.
• The danger of imperial politics: Li reflects that the capital’s political world is murky and treacherous, where seemingly minor incidents may conceal catastrophic forces.
• Public opinion as a weapon: Rumors, righteous anger, scholarly discussion, and official impeachment transform a private attack into a court-wide crisis.
• Protection of family and allies: Li’s willingness to escalate the conflict comes from his determination to protect his family, friends, and supporters rather than remain passive.
• The limits of appearances: The chapter repeatedly contrasts a “minor demon” with a hidden “great demon,” emphasizing that the true importance of an event may only become clear through the way it disappears—or fails to.

Character Interactions

• Li and Han debate whether the Ministry of Justice can be trusted and agree that pressure must be applied if negotiation fails.
• Li and the secret agent clash during interrogation, but the agent’s silence leaves Li more alarmed than a direct threat would have.
• Li and Zhou Chunfeng discuss the risks of provoking the Ministry of Justice and the Devil Sect. Zhou criticizes Li’s impulsiveness but ultimately supports him.
• Zhou and Gray Falcon coordinate an investigation into the true target of the Ministry’s surveillance.
• Li interacts with colleagues and Night Guard members while pretending to be persecuted. Their sincere concern leads to a lively discussion of possible destinations, including Jiangnan, the River Guard Army, the northwest, Devil Sect-controlled islands, and neighboring countries.

Chapter Summary: “Little Song, Serious and Earnest”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian encounters Song Baige outside the Night Guard Yamen. Although Song usually appears frivolous and pleasure-loving, he now presents himself as a refined, serious scholar.
• Song takes Li into a luxurious carriage, seals it with a Soundproofing Talisman, and explains that he has joined a Literary Cultivator Assault Squad.
• The Assault Squad is preparing to attack the Ministry of Justice because of the Devil Sect’s continued attacks on Mr. Gangfeng’s family, including Li’s relatives.
• The Literary Cultivators are divided over whether Li should be considered part of their faction since he is not a Literary Cultivator. Song argues that Li’s connection to Mr. Gangfeng makes him family and that his participation would clarify his position.
• Song warns that if the Ministry of Justice does not resolve the matter within three days, the Assault Squad will launch an assault. Li agrees to assist if Uncle Zhou approves, though he declines to formally join the squad for now.
• Song explains the unwritten rules of Six Ministries War: Lower Rank “Little Conquests” involve breaking a gate, toppling walls, destroying buildings, and removing a plaque, while attacking a bureau or ministry requires stronger cultivators and carries greater consequences.
• After discussing the planned conflict, the two return to lighter conversation. Song explains that he came to the Divine Capital to take the Seventh Rank Azure Cloud Examination and eventually become a county magistrate in Jiangnan.
• Li plans to visit Song’s parents and learns that Song Yanxue is Song Baige’s distant cousin.

Character Developments

• Song Baige reveals a much more serious and idealistic side. His experiences in Beichen City—fighting demons, dealing with officials, and witnessing the suffering of ordinary families—have convinced him that he must work to improve the Human Race and the world.
• Song has become politically and morally committed, joining the Assault Squad and accepting the risks of confronting the Ministry of Justice and the Devil Sect.
• Li Qingxian remains cautious and pragmatic. He is willing to fight for his family and observe Six Ministries War, but he hesitates to formally join the Literary Cultivator Assault Squad because he is young, only Eighth Rank, and worried about retaliation.
• Li’s growing importance is emphasized: multiple factions want him to declare his stance, and both Song Baige and Uncle Zhou appear to believe he should cultivate his talents rather than remain uninvolved.
• Song’s future ambitions are also clarified: unlike those seeking power in the Divine Capital, he intends to pass the Azure Cloud Examination, serve in the Hanlin Academy, and eventually govern a local district.

Significant Themes

• Moral responsibility versus personal safety: Li wants a peaceful life, but Song argues that people born into turbulent times must either advance or perish.
• Political allegiance and identity: Li’s lack of formal affiliation creates uncertainty, while his family ties and relationship with Mr. Gangfeng make neutrality increasingly difficult.
• Idealism and duty: Song’s transformation shows how witnessing suffering can turn a carefree person into someone dedicated to public responsibility.
• The institutionalized nature of violence: Six Ministries War follows established customs and limitations, making destructive conflict resemble a regulated political system rather than uncontrolled warfare.
• Family and collective obligation: The Assault Squad considers Li’s family connection sufficient reason to defend him, showing that personal relationships can carry political and military significance.

Character Interactions

• Song presses Li to take a clear stance and eventually participate in the assault, while Li questions whether the Literary Cultivators are using him politically.
• Their conversation shows their contrasting personalities: Song has become earnest and driven, while Li remains observant, skeptical, and unwilling to commit prematurely.
• Despite the serious subject, their familiar teasing returns afterward, highlighting their friendship and Song’s ability to shift between solemn conviction and playful frivolity.
• Li’s intention to visit Song’s parents strengthens their personal connection, while the revelation about Song Yanxue adds a new link between Li and Song’s family.

Chapter 11: Uncle Zhang Has a Keen Eye

Key Plot Points

• Li Qingxian and Song Baige discuss Song's sister, who is already at Fourth Rank and will soon reach Third Rank, which would make the Song family a major clan with three Upper Rank cultivators.
• Li Qingxian returns to Jia-Nine Office, consolidates his Eighth Rank cultivation and studies Daoist arts (consulting Jiang Youfei) and Fate Arts (consulting Guo Xiang via correspondence).
• Jiang Youfei agrees to visit the Divine Capital the next day to teach Li Qingxian Daoist arts.
• Li Qingxian takes Jiang Youfei to Zhang's Mutton Soup on Happiness Street, introducing her to street food for the first time.
• They eat mixed mutton soup, chopped flatbreads, and salted duck eggs together; Jiang Youfei initially finds the strong flavors strange but eventually finishes everything.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Shows his caring, playful side with Jiang Youfei; eager to expand her worldly experience. Also demonstrates his diligent cultivation habits.
• Jiang Youfei: Reveals she has lived in the mountains her entire life and has never eaten at a restaurant before. She is sheltered yet curious, eating everything to avoid waste. Her gentle, reserved nature is contrasted with moments of childlike curiosity.
• Song Baige: Slightly boastful about his family's rising status but self-deprecating about his own Seventh Rank versus his sister's talents.

Significant Themes

• Mortal life vs. cultivation isolation: Li Qingxian encourages Jiang Youfei to experience worldly life, arguing that seeing the mortal world helps temper the heart—a philosophy that contrasts with her cloistered upbringing.
• Budding romance: Subtle romantic tension between Li Qingxian and Jiang Youfei; the shopkeeper mistakes her for his wife, and Li Qingxian teasingly nearly plays along before her killing intent stops him.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and Song Baige joke back and forth about bringing pig trotters (Song wants them for himself, not his uncle).
• The mutton shop owner, Uncle Zhang, mistakenly calls Jiang Youfei Li Qingxian's wife, prompting a moment of awkwardness.
• Li Qingxian lovingly guides Jiang Youfei through the experience of eating salted duck eggs and mutton soup, gently coaxing her to try new flavors despite her hesitation.

Chapter Summary: The Young Night Guard Drew Cheers

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian takes Jiang Youfei on a food tour of Happiness Street, introducing her to ten different local dishes, including lamb soup and rice noodle rolls.
• In the crowded street, Li instinctively grabs Jiang Youfei’s wrist to keep her from being jostled. She notices the intimacy of the gesture but quietly frees herself.
• Jiang Youfei enjoys the outing, especially the rice noodle rolls, while refusing to try unfamiliar foods such as hairy eggs and “living pearls.”
• Back at the Jia-Nine Office, Li and Jiang arrange a trade: his valuable Thunder Talismans in exchange for Thunderfire Talismans and Fire Talismans from the Sky Firmament Sect. Jiang then teaches him Daoist techniques.
• News of Jiang’s presence attracts a crowd of Night Guards. They gather beneath the locust tree and loudly cheer when Li and Jiang leave, embarrassing Li and confusing Jiang.
• Li invites Jiang to visit Song Yunjing, though she agrees only because they can discuss Thunder Arts during the journey and she may leave afterward. Jiang selects two pots of flowers along the way.
• At Song Yunjing’s residence, they discover him confronting Eunuch Mao, who invokes the authority of Jing, the former Director Eunuch of the Western Depot, to pressure Song into releasing or mishandling a prisoner.
• Song firmly insists that the matter must be handled according to national law.
• Li examines Eunuch Mao’s Fortune and sees signs of imminent collapse: a divided official seal, a shattered official chair, broken blades, and withered bones. He also discovers the ominous presence of the Imperial Grand Momentum Bureau in Mao’s Fate Mansion.
• Li realizes Eunuch Mao is preparing to create a public scandal by accusing Song of humiliating him.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian displays increasing attentiveness toward Jiang, protecting her in the crowd, sharing food with her, and accommodating her preferences. He also acts strategically by arranging a talisman exchange in preparation for the Six Ministries War.
• Jiang Youfei becomes more comfortable around Li and shows a subtle, growing enjoyment of ordinary mortal experiences. Her immediate preference for rice noodle rolls and faint delight at the prospect of returning suggest an emerging emotional openness.
• Jiang remains detached from the Night Guards’ admiration, while Li is embarrassed and protective of her reputation.
• Song Yunjing is portrayed as calm, principled, and politically composed despite pressure from the Inner Court. His refusal to bend the law reveals his integrity, though his new position may be vulnerable.
• Eunuch Mao is revealed as arrogant and accustomed to using rank and intimidation. His Fortune suggests that his authority and political standing are collapsing.

Significant Themes

• Growing intimacy through ordinary experiences: Sharing food and traveling together allows Li and Jiang’s relationship to develop naturally, contrasting Jiang’s supernatural identity with everyday mortal life.
• Law versus political influence: Song’s confrontation with Eunuch Mao highlights the struggle between lawful governance and the coercive power of palace officials.
• Rise and fall of authority: The former power of the Eastern and Western Depots has diminished, while figures such as Eunuch Mao attempt to preserve influence through intimidation.
• Fate and political destiny: Li’s ability to read Fortune reveals that personal decline is linked to broader forces, particularly the mysterious Imperial Grand Momentum Bureau.
• Public admiration and reputation: The Night Guards’ excitement over Jiang’s presence shows her extraordinary popularity, while Li’s reaction emphasizes his concern for propriety and control.

Character Interactions

• Li and Jiang’s food tour is playful and increasingly companionable, with Li acting as an enthusiastic guide and Jiang responding with restrained curiosity.
• Their talisman negotiation is practical but also reflects mutual trust between senior sister and junior brother.
• The Night Guards’ cheers create a humorous contrast: they idolize Jiang, while she cannot understand their behavior and Li tries to dismiss it.
• During the carriage ride, Li and Jiang strengthen their intellectual bond through discussion of Thunder Arts.
• At Song’s residence, Song and Eunuch Mao engage in a polite but tense confrontation. Song remains measured, while Mao escalates by invoking his superior’s authority.
• Li observes the confrontation from the sidelines but recognizes that Mao’s next move may endanger Song’s reputation and political position.

Chapter Summary: “The Fairy Brandished Her Sword and Swept Away the Thunder”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian arrives at the scene in his official uniform and mocks Mao, a Fourth Rank court official, by repeatedly asking whether Mao holds any prestigious imperial position. When Mao answers no each time, Li tells him to go home rather than embarrass himself in public.
• Mao attempts to provoke Song Yunjing into attacking him, then suddenly lunges at Li Qingxian under the pretense of punishing him.
• Jiang Youfei, the Enchanting City Fairy, emerges from the carriage and uses her Qinglei Ancient Sword to sever Mao’s wrist before he can strike. Recognizing her formidable reputation, Mao retreats with his severed hand.
• Song Yunjing invites Li Qingxian and Jiang Youfei to his home for a meal as thanks. Madam Song warmly welcomes them, especially Jiang Youfei, and insists that she stay for dinner.
• At the Song residence, the group discusses Mao’s motives. Mao had pressured Song Yunjing to strengthen the case against Wang Buwu, the illegitimate son of Rongguo Residence. Song refused to act unjustly, leading Mao to become furious.
• Li explains that he examined Mao’s Fortune and believes it is nearing collapse, though he acknowledges that human choices can alter one’s fate.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates confidence, sharp wit, and political awareness. He deliberately humiliates Mao through verbal mockery and reveals his authority by displaying both his Night Guard and Inner Factory tokens. He also shows growing mastery of Fate Arts and a willingness to defend justice.
• Jiang Youfei reinforces her fearsome reputation. Though outwardly cold and detached, she immediately protects Li and acts decisively against Mao. Her unfamiliarity with ordinary hospitality becomes apparent when Madam Song warmly draws her into the household.
• Song Yunjing remains calm, principled, and tactful. Rather than retaliating against Mao himself, he allows the situation to unfold and later uses the dinner invitation to build goodwill with Li and Jiang. He also offers Li thoughtful advice about tracing problems to their roots.
• Madam Song is warm, energetic, and socially perceptive. She quickly treats Jiang as family and creates a welcoming domestic atmosphere.
• Mao is portrayed as arrogant, bullying, and politically manipulative. His attempt to exploit Song Yunjing’s rank fails, and his reckless aggression leaves him physically injured and humiliated.

Significant Themes

• Justice versus political coercion: Song refuses to manipulate the law for the benefit of Rongguo Residence, while Mao represents the abuse of official power.
• Power and reputation: Mao relies on rank and intimidation, but Li’s official tokens and Jiang Youfei’s reputation overturn the power dynamic instantly.
• Fate and free will: Li believes Fortune reveals heavenly principles but insists that human actions can change destiny. This idea is reinforced by Mao’s apparent impending downfall.
• Reciprocity and social bonds: Li repays Mao’s bullying in kind, while Song and Madam Song respond to assistance with sincere hospitality, strengthening bonds among the characters.
• Contrasting forms of strength: Li uses wit and political awareness, Song uses patience and integrity, and Jiang uses overwhelming martial force.

Character Interactions

• Li and Mao engage in a battle of insults, with Li turning Mao’s own condescending behavior against him.
• Jiang protects Li and indirectly aids Song, creating mutual respect among the three.
• Song introduces Jiang and Li within his household, while Madam Song quickly accepts Jiang because of her connection to Li.
• Song and Li discuss Mao’s background, the attack on Li, and the larger legal dispute involving Wang Buwu.
• Song’s advice encourages Li to investigate the deeper causes behind current events rather than focusing only on their immediate appearance.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian discusses the old downfall of Rongguo Residence with Song Yunjing. He explains that the residence was likely not truly involved in rebellion, but was destroyed during a paranoid political climate after rivals exaggerated minor faults. The Duke of Rong chose suicide by poison to preserve the family line.
• They consider the present danger surrounding Rongguo Residence’s illegitimate son. Since both the Western Depot and Devil Sect are involved, Li advises Song Yunjing to follow official procedure and act impartially so enemies cannot exploit the case.
• Song asks Li about Wang Buwu, who has been accused by Eunuch Mao of stealing a treasure. Li recounts meeting Wang after Eerie Village and receiving a birthday gift from him, leading Song to conclude that Wang is thoughtful and trustworthy.
• Jiang Youfei questions whether Li really revised the famous poem. Song defends the possibility, arguing that Li may be mediocre in formal prose but capable of occasional brilliance in poetry. Li proudly claims his “side talents” are exceptional.
• The group shares a warm family meal centered around Madam Song’s special fish soup. The domestic atmosphere contrasts with the political dangers discussed earlier.
• Song Baige arrives late and immediately teases Li and Jiang Youfei by calling her his “younger sister-in-law.” He and the rest of the Song family repeatedly imply that Li and Jiang are romantically involved, embarrassing and irritating Jiang.
• After the meal, Song Baige privately praises Li for finding such a formidable woman and asks about their relationship. Li insists Jiang is only teaching him Daoist arts. He also recounts Jiang’s confrontation with the eunuchs, including her killing one of them.
• Song Baige reassures Li that Song Yunjing can handle the eunuch faction’s retaliation. Meanwhile, Madam Song urges Li to escort Jiang out, ending the chapter on a quietly awkward exchange between the two.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Demonstrates political insight and caution when discussing Rongguo Residence and Wang Buwu. He is confident about his poetic ability, yet remains composed while the Song family embarrasses Jiang. His familiarity and playful rapport with the family show that he has become close to them.
• Jiang Youfei: Remains calm, reserved, and skeptical, especially when asked whether Li could have written the poem. However, she becomes visibly annoyed by the Song family’s matchmaking jokes. Her approval of the fish soup shows a rare moment of open, childlike enjoyment.
• Song Yunjing: Appears perceptive, politically experienced, and fair-minded. He supports Li’s assessment of Wang Buwu and offers a nuanced view of literary talent.
• Madam Song: Acts as a warm, affectionate hostess. She welcomes Jiang enthusiastically and subtly treats her as a prospective member of the family, especially through her comments about Li bringing Jiang back.
• Song Baige: Serves as an energetic comic presence. He quickly identifies the romantic tension between Li and Jiang, openly calls her his future sister-in-law, and shows loyalty by offering his father’s protection against the eunuchs.

Significant Themes

• Political paranoia and injustice: The discussion of Rongguo Residence shows how fear and factional struggles can turn minor faults into accusations of rebellion and destroy entire families.
• Impartiality amid factional conflict: Li emphasizes that fair procedure is the best defense against political enemies and manipulation.
• Reputation versus reality: Wang Buwu’s reputation, Li’s questionable literary reputation, and Jiang’s status as a feared fighter all demonstrate that public judgments may not reflect the truth.
• Family warmth amid danger: The fish-soup dinner provides a safe, affectionate contrast to the surrounding political intrigue, highlighting the importance of friendship and chosen family.
• Teasing and romantic tension: The Song family’s matchmaking creates comic pressure and exposes the unspoken closeness between Li and Jiang, even as both avoid acknowledging it directly.

Character Interactions

• Li and Song Yunjing have a respectful, intellectually serious conversation about political history, Wang Buwu, and literary talent.
• Li and Jiang trade skeptical remarks about his poetry, with Jiang’s calm disbelief provoking his exaggerated pride.
• Madam Song openly dotes on Jiang and uses food and hospitality to draw her into the family.
• Song Baige deliberately provokes Jiang by labeling her Li’s future wife; Li plays along just enough to entertain himself while trying to prevent the situation from escalating.
• Jiang responds with silent irritation rather than confrontation, though her clenched fists and cold glare reveal how deeply the teasing affects her.
• Afterward, Song Baige and Li speak as close friends, discussing Jiang’s strength and the danger posed by the eunuch faction. The chapter closes with Jiang and Li sharing an awkward glance as she prepares to leave.

Chapter Summary: “Night Deep, Assault the Ministry of Justice”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian escorts Jiang Youfei out of the city after visiting the Song family. Their farewell is calm and affectionate, with Li reminding her to send word when she arrives safely.
• The Ministry of Justice does not respond to the Night Guard’s surveillance of Chen Zhu, so Li continues cultivating and receiving one Fortune Fish each day.
• One evening, Song Baige summons Li to join the Six Ministries War. They disguise themselves with white masks, which help conceal the smell of blood and identify allies.
• Li and Song join the Assault Squad’s Fourth Brigade, Fifth Company, Second Platoon. Their platoon consists of eleven members led by Fu Mingcheng, a Seventh Rank Literary Cultivator.
• Company commander Lu Yunyan explains the rules of the battle: strict military discipline applies, surrendered enemies cannot be killed, and anyone who surrenders may leave but cannot rejoin the war.
• Li is assigned to use Fate Arts to scout the Ministry of Justice and mark enemy positions on a Projection Paper map.
• At the Ministry’s sealed western gate, over six hundred Entry-Rank Literary Cultivators gather for the assault. The Ministry is heavily defended by Devil Sect puppets, Martial Cultivators, and Spell Cultivators.
• Li releases Seeking Immortal Bees to probe the Ministry’s defenses. Most are destroyed by the powerful Grand Momentum Configuration, but seven survive and provide enough information for him to map the enemy’s positions.
• Li estimates that the Ministry contains at least two thousand Lower Rank Devil Cultivators—far more than the forces expected.
• Lu Yunyan confirms that Li’s intelligence exceeds their original estimate by roughly one thousand enemies, potentially saving hundreds of lives.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates increasing competence and responsibility. He remains calm under pressure, accurately assesses the Ministry’s defenses, and uses his Fate Arts creatively despite the danger.
• His abilities are shown to be valuable not merely for combat but for battlefield intelligence and strategic planning.
• Song Baige shifts from his usual playful attitude into a serious military role, acting as Li’s guide and teammate.
• Jiang Youfei remains emotionally restrained and composed, but her quiet farewell with Li suggests mutual concern and familiarity.
• Fu Mingcheng is introduced as a disciplined platoon leader who provides practical guidance.
• Lu Yunyan appears as an experienced commander who balances military authority with concern for minimizing casualties.

Significant Themes

• Duty versus personal life: Li moves from a warm family gathering and farewell with Jiang Youfei directly into the grim preparations for war.
• Military discipline and sacrifice: The Six Ministries War is presented as a formal, dangerous conflict rather than an adventurous or romantic undertaking.
• Intelligence as power: Li’s Fate Arts allow him to contribute strategically, showing that knowledge and reconnaissance can be as important as direct strength.
• The scale of hidden danger: The Ministry of Justice appears ordinary from outside but contains a terrifying supernatural defense and a massive Devil Sect force.
• Moral restraint in warfare: The prohibition against killing surrendered enemies establishes rules of conduct even amid a battle involving hostile Devil Cultivators.

Character Interactions

• Li shares a cordial relationship with the Song family, especially Madam Song, who worries about Jiang Youfei’s health.
• Song Baige and Li exchange practical banter about their masks before entering battle, reflecting their familiarity and teamwork.
• Li respectfully introduces himself to Fu Mingcheng and the platoon, emphasizing his dual abilities in Fate Arts and Thunder Arts.
• Lu Yunyan directly entrusts Li with the crucial scouting mission, recognizing his specialized abilities.
• Li’s discovery of the enemy’s overwhelming numbers earns him official praise from Lu Yunyan and establishes him as a major contributor to the coming assault.

Chapter Summary: Song Baige Recognizes His Father on the Battlefield

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian uses the Young Seeking Immortal Bees to scout the area around the Ministry of Justice. He discovers that more than five hundred Lower Rank Devil Sect members are hiding in ambush.
• He reports their positions through the Projection Paper. Lu Yunyan and the Literary Cultivators respond quickly, surrounding and attacking the exposed ambushes.
• In the first clash, the Literary Cultivators achieve a major victory, killing more than two hundred Devil Sect disciples and forcing over three hundred to surrender.
• Reinforcements arrive from several government institutions and academies, swelling the Literary Cultivator Assault Squads to more than eight hundred people. The growing mobilization suggests that a much larger conflict may erupt in the Divine Capital.
• Song Baige boldly declares that he will break through the Ministry of Justice’s gates and tear down its plaque. The Literary Cultivators launch a direct assault on the western gate.
• The battle intensifies as Literary Cultivators use defensive Battle Poetry, Battle Poem Soldiers, Martial Cultivators, and coordinated attacks against the Devil Sect’s defenders and demons.
• Song Baige recites an adapted version of “Touching the Dragon Gate,” summoning three powerful water dragons. Though he is only Seventh Rank, the poem’s compatibility with him allows it to reach Sixth Rank power, devastating many Devil Cultivators on the wall.
• Li Qingxian notices the Devil Sect preparing Poison Rain Arrow Tubes. He warns the assault force and distributes more than one hundred of his own artifacts and Literary Treasures so the soldiers can resist and capture the weapons.
• The chapter ends as thirty Seventh Rank Devil Cultivators fire the Poison Rain Arrow Tubes, unleashing hundreds of poisonous arrows toward the Literary Cultivators and preparing a second barrage.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates exceptional scouting ability, tactical awareness, generosity, and resourcefulness. His Spirit Eye and Young Seeking Immortal Bees make him crucial to exposing the ambushes, while his large supply of treasures allows the assault force to counter the Devil Sect’s poison weapons.
• Song Baige becomes more confident and aggressive in battle. His successful use of his father’s Battle Poetry proves his strength and reveals his pride in his familial connection, despite his playful embarrassment when Li Qingxian praises him.
• Fu Mingcheng acts as a cautious but capable commander, coordinating the defense and recognizing the importance of Li Qingxian’s intelligence.
• Lu Yunyan efficiently organizes the broader Literary Cultivator response and recognizes the strategic value of Li Qingxian’s discoveries.
• The Literary Cultivator forces shift from defensive preparation to a coordinated offensive, gaining morale after their initial victory.

Significant Themes

• Intelligence and preparation: Li Qingxian’s reconnaissance allows the Literary Cultivators to turn a potential ambush into a decisive victory.
• Coordination and collective strength: Government forces, academies, Literary Cultivators, and Martial Cultivators unite against the Devil Sect.
• Resource inequality: Literary Cultivators are generally poor and lack artifacts, while the wealthy Devil Sect can equip its forces with poisonous weapons and powerful treasures.
• Inheritance and filial pride: Song Baige’s use of his father’s Battle Poetry reflects both his inheritance and his desire to prove himself.
• Escalation and instability: The involvement of numerous government institutions and academies threatens to turn the confrontation into a much larger crisis in the Divine Capital.
• Righteousness versus corruption: The visual contrast between the white-masked Literary Cultivators and black-masked Devil Cultivators reinforces the chapter’s moral and ideological conflict.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian communicates his findings to Lu Yunyan and Fu Mingcheng, enabling the Literary Cultivators to attack the hidden Devil Sect forces.
• Li Qingxian and Song Baige exchange a meaningful glance after hearing that academies may join the conflict, showing their shared concern despite their excitement.
• Song Baige proudly uses his father’s Battle Poetry. Li Qingxian responds warmly, but Song Baige jokingly accuses him of taking advantage of the situation.
• Li Qingxian questions Fu Mingcheng about the Devil Sect’s tactics and learns about the restrictions on Devilish Poison, the limitations of demons near Righteous Qi, and the poverty of most Literary Cultivators.
• Li Qingxian equips the entire assault force with his own treasures, astonishing the commanders and further establishing himself as one of the battle’s most valuable figures.

Chapter Summary: “Li Qingxian’s Money Power Breaks Down the Gate”

Key Plot Points and Events

• More than three thousand Poison Rain Arrows are prepared to strike the Literary Cultivators, but Li Qingxian’s side launches a devastating counterattack using over a hundred artifacts and Literary Treasures.
• The attack destroys half the Ministry of Justice’s city wall and kills or wounds many Devil Cultivators. The Literary Cultivator Assault Squad seizes the wall and establishes defensive formations inside the Ministry of Justice Yamen.
• Li Qingxian’s Young Seeking Immortal Bees gain a wider sensing range as the protective fog over the Ministry of Justice weakens. Through them, he confirms that the Prison Passage Hall is lightly defended.
• The assault’s true objective shifts from the Confiscation Treasury to the Prison Administration and, ultimately, the Heavenly Prison. Breaking into this area would be a far greater symbolic and strategic victory than destroying the treasury.
• The Literary Cultivators break through the West Courtyard’s outer gate, raising morale and further weakening the Ministry of Justice’s defenses.
• The battle then becomes a prolonged tug-of-war. Both sides repeatedly attack, retreat, recover, and conserve resources. Li realizes that such limited advances are normal in a Six Ministries War, where neither side wants the conflict to escalate into total warfare.
• While the battle continues, Han Anbo warns Li Qingxian that a large Devil Sect force has gathered near the Patrol Bureau. Li informs Zhou Chunfeng and Lu Yunyan, then sends all his Seeking Immortal Bees to investigate.
• Li discovers that more than fifteen hundred Lower Rank Devil Cultivators are concealed near the Night Guard Yamen. Since most Patrol Bureau forces are away and fewer than three hundred defenders inside have reached Entry Rank, the Patrol Bureau could be overwhelmed if the Night Guard delays assistance.
• The chapter ends with Li Qingxian realizing the seriousness of the trap and urgently contacting Zhou Chunfeng again.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates the strategic value of his wealth, artifacts, and Literary Treasures, using them to reverse an otherwise dangerous attack and break through the Ministry of Justice’s defenses.
• He also shows growing battlefield awareness, quickly understanding the strategic importance of the Prison Administration and recognizing that the Ministry of Justice’s attack may be a diversion.
• His concern is not merely political prestige: he remains focused on protecting his family and preventing the Devil Sect from killing him or his relatives.
• Li becomes increasingly decisive when the Patrol Bureau is threatened, immediately gathering intelligence and notifying key allies rather than remaining focused only on the ongoing assault.
• Lu Yunyan continues coordinating the assault and recognizes Li’s contributions, praising him for providing crucial intelligence.
• Fu Mingcheng explains the conventions and limitations of Little Conquests, helping Li understand that these battles are usually designed to cause pressure without triggering uncontrolled escalation.
• Song Baige provides comic relief by asking Li for a Literary Treasure, while also voicing concern that the battle may not achieve a decisive result.
• Han Anbo proves himself a reliable informant by personally bringing Li the warning about the Devil Sect’s movements.
• Zhou Chunfeng becomes Li’s main channel for reporting the emerging threat.

Significant Themes

• Power through resources: Li’s wealth and stockpile of artifacts dramatically alter the battlefield, showing how material power can compensate for numerical or positional disadvantages.
• Limited warfare and political restraint: The Little Conquest is not a full war but a controlled confrontation in which both sides seek advantage while avoiding a disastrous escalation.
• Intelligence as a weapon: Li’s Seeking Immortal Bees provide information that is more valuable than brute force, revealing hidden troop movements and exposing the enemy’s larger plan.
• Diversion and hidden strategy: The attack on the Ministry of Justice may conceal a simultaneous attempt to destroy the Patrol Bureau, emphasizing the danger of focusing on only one battlefield.
• Institutional rivalry and contempt: The Ministry of Justice appears to underestimate Li and the Patrol Bureau, while the Night Guard’s possible reluctance to intervene exposes tensions among the official institutions.
• Personal survival beneath political conflict: Although the battle is framed as an institutional confrontation, Li’s actions are driven by the immediate threat posed to his family and his own life.

Character Interactions

• Li and Fu Mingcheng discuss the strategic difference between attacking the Confiscation Treasury and breaking into the Prison Administration.
• Li rejects Song Baige’s request for a Literary Treasure, maintaining their teasing and argumentative relationship.
• Fu Mingcheng warns that most Little Conquests end without major breakthroughs, encouraging Li to view the assault within its political context.
• Han Anbo privately reports the Devil Sect’s suspicious movements to Li, trusting him to respond appropriately.
• Li communicates with Zhou Chunfeng and Lu Yunyan through the Communication Talisman Disc and Projection Paper, coordinating the response to the emerging threat.
• The chapter contrasts the open battle at the Ministry of Justice with the concealed Devil Sect deployment near the Patrol Bureau, placing Li at the center of both conflicts.

Chapter Summary: “Patrol Bureau Turns the Tables on the Devil Sect”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian warns Zhou Chunfeng that the Devil Sect’s Ministry of Justice may be using its assault on the Patrol Bureau to force Zhou’s resignation and eliminate Li.
• He proposes a counterattack: mobilizing forces from multiple government ministries and yamen to surround the Devil Sect’s hidden operatives near the Night Guard.
• Using Fate Arts, Li identifies many Devil Cultivator hideouts and marks them on a map through Literary Cultivators’ Projection Paper. Lu Yunyan forwards the intelligence to Zhou Chunfeng.
• Zhou mobilizes more than four thousand cultivators from numerous official organizations, including the Patrol Bureau, Night Guard, Ministry of War, Ministry of Rites, Imperial Academy, and Dao Records Office.
• The operation succeeds decisively: over four hundred Devil Cultivators are killed and more than a thousand are captured.
• Li suggests staging a prisoner parade through Night Guard Street. This publicly demonstrates the Patrol Bureau’s victory while humiliating the Devil Sect’s Ministry of Justice.
• Upon returning, Li is praised by the assembled cultivators. Zhou Chunfeng credits him with uncovering the Devil Sect’s positions.
• Li then turns the victory into a public indictment of the Ministry of Justice, arguing that its abuse is not merely a personal attack but a threat to the law and every official’s family.
• He asks whether ordinary cultivators, even high-ranking ones, could obtain similar support if their families were targeted. The crowd is left silent and deeply troubled.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates strategic intelligence, political awareness, and a willingness to take bold risks. He shifts from defending himself to organizing a broad counteroffensive and shaping public opinion.
• He also reveals a strong instinct for survival. Although he frames his actions as self-defense, he deliberately seeks to damage the Devil Sect’s authority and reputation as severely as possible.
• Zhou Chunfeng proves capable of decisive leadership. Once given Li’s intelligence, he mobilizes a massive coalition and transforms the Patrol Bureau from a threatened institution into the victor.
• Lu Yunyan acts efficiently and authoritatively, handling the intelligence and relaying it to Zhou.
• Han Anbo recognizes Li’s cunning and growing boldness, serving as an observer who emphasizes how extraordinary Li’s methods are.
• The assembled cultivators move from admiration to unease as Li makes them confront their own vulnerability before the Devil Sect.

Significant Themes

• Law versus unchecked power: The central issue is whether the Devil Sect’s Ministry of Justice can operate above Great Qi’s laws without consequence.
• Collective resistance: Li emphasizes that no individual, regardless of rank or cultivation, can safely oppose the Devil Sect alone. Only united institutions and officials can challenge it.
• Political legitimacy and public reputation: The prisoner parade is both a military victory and a public-relations weapon meant to restore the Patrol Bureau’s prestige and expose the Ministry of Justice’s weakness.
• Fear and helplessness under tyranny: Even powerful cultivators admit that they would likely endure persecution or seek quiet mediation rather than confront the Devil Sect directly.
• Personal survival becoming public justice: Li’s private grievance over his family’s persecution expands into a broader critique of institutional oppression.

Important Character Interactions

• Li and Zhou negotiate the risks of escalating the conflict, with Li persuading Zhou to gamble on a larger, coordinated operation.
• Li and Lu Yunyan collaborate through the Projection Paper, combining Li’s Fate Arts with Lu’s command and communication.
• Han Anbo comments on Li’s schemes during their return journey, recognizing that the prisoner parade will inflict a serious reputational blow.
• Zhou publicly praises Li before the assembled forces, strengthening Li’s standing.
• Li directly engages several cultivators of different ranks, asking how they would respond if the Devil Sect targeted their families. Their reluctant answers support his argument that the threat is universal.
• His final speech transforms the crowd from spectators celebrating a victory into witnesses confronting the larger danger posed by the Devil Sect’s lawlessness.

Chapter Summary: “Li Qingxian Demands an Explanation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian publicly condemns the Ministry of Justice and the Devil Sect for suppressing atrocities, silencing victims, and destroying families connected to those who oppose them. He invokes the existence of the numerous Dead Devil Lands, including one near the Divine Capital, as evidence of their crimes.
• Rather than presenting himself as merely angry or righteous, Li admits that he is genuinely afraid of being killed like countless other citizens. He argues that the current gathering gives people a rare opportunity to challenge the Ministry openly.
• Li calls on everyone to act immediately against the Devil Sect and declares that he will attack the Ministry of Justice and destroy three of its halls to demand an explanation.
• His speech inspires the Night Guards, the Demon-Hunting Office, the Patrol Bureau, disciples from the Sky Firmament Sect and Nine Talismans Sect, and individuals from the Ministry of Works to join the assault.
• A massive procession carrying torches and magical artifacts marches from Night Guard Street to the Ministry of Justice. Reinforcements continue arriving, eventually swelling the force to more than four thousand people.
• The renewed assault overwhelms the Devil Cultivators defending the Ministry’s West Courtyard. Thousands of Entry Rank cultivators unleash spells and Battle Poetry, forcing the defenders to retreat.
• The attackers breach the inner gate, demolish the surrounding walls and buildings, and reach the Silver Treasury. They tear down and smash its plaque, symbolically declaring that the first hall has been conquered.
• The assault continues into the Prison Passage Hall. Its gates, walls, and buildings are destroyed with little resistance, leaving only the main halls standing.
• As more scholars and civilians join, the crowd advances toward the Prison Administration. The chapter ends with the attackers breaking through its side gate and walls, continuing their campaign to breach three halls and force the Ministry to answer them.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian evolves from a threatened individual into the emotional and strategic leader of a mass movement. His admission of fear makes his call to action more powerful and relatable.
• He demonstrates both courage and political awareness, framing the assault not merely as revenge but as a stand against institutional oppression for the sake of present and future generations.
• He Lei, Yu Ping, and Zheng Gaojue immediately rally the Night Guards, showing their loyalty to Li and their willingness to confront the Ministry directly.
• Song Yanxue takes command of the Demon-Hunting Office, while Zhou Chunfeng mobilizes the Patrol Bureau. Their rapid support reveals that Li’s cause has gained legitimacy among influential factions.
• Liu Muwa carefully distinguishes between official Ministry of Works policy and his personal participation, showing political caution while still openly supporting Li.
• The gathered scholars and cultivators shift from exhausted and uncertain observers into an organized, increasingly confident force as their early victories build momentum.
• The Devil Cultivators become demoralized and passive, fleeing or refusing to resist as the attackers’ numbers and morale overwhelm them.

Significant Themes

• Resistance against institutional tyranny: The chapter contrasts ordinary people’s vulnerability with the unchecked power of the Ministry of Justice and Devil Sect.
• Fear as a source of courage: Li’s declaration that he does not want to die makes his leadership human; acknowledging fear allows others to recognize their own fears and act together.
• Collective action and solidarity: The assault grows because people from different offices, sects, and social groups unite around a shared demand for accountability.
• Justice versus official silence: The repeated demand for an “explanation” represents the right of citizens to question authorities and preserve the truth even when institutions attempt to erase it.
• Symbolic destruction: Pulling down the Silver Treasury plaque and demolishing the Ministry’s buildings symbolize the temporary collapse of its authority and the public’s refusal to remain intimidated.
• Legacy and future generations: Li emphasizes that even if the present generation fails, future people may draw strength from the fact that someone once stood up and demanded justice.

Character Interactions

• Li addresses the assembled crowd directly, transforming their anger and helplessness into a unified political movement.
• His call is echoed by He Lei, Yu Ping, and Zheng Gaojue, who convert his speech into a formal Night Guard mobilization.
• Song Yanxue and Zhou Chunfeng independently commit their organizations, while Liu Muwa offers personal support despite withholding official Ministry endorsement.
• Li reunites with the initial assault force at the Ministry, where his arrival with reinforcements restores their morale and turns a faltering attack into a decisive offensive.
• The attackers act as a coordinated collective rather than as isolated individuals, while the Devil Cultivators are reduced to a retreating and largely powerless opposition.