Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “A Poor Student Doesn’t Cultivate Literature”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian discusses the difficulty of Confucian literary cultivation with Zhou Chunfeng. He explains that restarting would require years of studying the Four Books and Five Classics before he could even attempt to open his Middle Dantian.
• Li compares himself unfavorably to Grand Chancellor Zhao Yishan, who resumed literary cultivation late in life yet eventually reached First Rank. He also teases Zhou Chunfeng for remaining Fourth Rank despite having once placed ahead of him in the imperial examinations.
• Li concludes that literary cultivation is impractical for him. His education on Blue Star was poor, he remembers little poetry, and literary advancement depends on understanding Confucian principles rather than merely knowing poems. He decides to focus instead on Fate Arts and the Heaven’s Mandate Instrument.
• Zhou Hen questions Li about how he discovered the Divine Firmament Thunder Seed. Li admits that his ritual materials were fake and that he does not understand the artifact’s true nature. Zhou Chunfeng believes it is an ancient divine treasure favored by Heaven and orders its existence kept secret.
• The group discusses the people killed by the thunder. Investigations confirmed that the victims included Devil Cultivators, a Heretical Cultivator, and a Devil Sect impostor infiltrating the Night Guard and Sky Firmament Sect.
• Li asks for credit for helping eliminate five Devil Sect Third Ranks, numerous lower-level enemies, and four infiltrators. Zhou Chunfeng explains that the merit will likely be attributed to Ye Han to strengthen the Devil Sect’s belief that Ye Han was responsible.
• Zhou Chunfeng reveals that Li will be promoted after reaching Tenth Rank and is expected to become captain of Jia-Nine Office. However, Wei Yong maneuvered to place one of his own men from the Night Guard Finance Office as vice-captain, creating political tension within the office.
• Zhou Chunfeng explains the Night Guard promotion system, including the requirements for advancing to Principal Tenth Rank and the later need to pass the nationwide Azure Cloud Examination.
• Li leaves Chunfeng Residence with pastries and visits Jia-Nine Office. There he learns that Captain Zheng Hui, badly injured and unable to cultivate, has resigned rather than remain an ordinary Night Guard. His injuries and wounded pride have caused his hair to turn white.
• The chapter ends with Yu Ping asking Li whether rumors are true that he has entered rank and will become Jia-Nine Office’s new captain.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Shows self-awareness about his limited literary education and chooses not to pursue a long, uncertain path in Confucian cultivation. He demonstrates increasing confidence in political maneuvering, immediately recognizing that Ye Han should receive the credit for the recent victories. His impending promotion also marks his growing influence within the Night Guard.
• Zhou Chunfeng: Acts as Li’s mentor and protector, arranging his promotion and explaining the bureaucracy surrounding rank advancement. Though he opposes Wei Yong’s attempt to interfere in Jia-Nine Office, he remains outwardly calm and politically cautious.
• Zhou Hen: Serves as a curious observer, pressing Li for information about the Divine Firmament Thunder Seed and the ritual that revealed it.
• Ye Han: Though absent, he becomes a political tool. The Night Guard intends to credit him with Li’s achievements in order to mislead the Devil Sect.
• Wei Yong: Revealed as a subtle political opponent. Rather than openly contesting Zhou Chunfeng’s choice of captain, he places his own subordinate in the vice-captain position.
• Captain Zheng Hui: His injuries have ended his cultivation career. His refusal to return as an ordinary Night Guard reflects his pride and despair.
• Han Anbo and Yu Ping: Their subdued reactions show their concern over Zheng Hui’s condition and uncertainty about Li’s impending promotion.

Significant Themes

• The difficulty of advancement: Literary cultivation is portrayed as a lifelong discipline requiring persistence, knowledge, and philosophical understanding, not merely talent.
• Practicality versus ambition: Li rejects literary cultivation because it offers little immediate benefit compared with Fate Arts and his Heaven’s Mandate Instrument.
• Political manipulation and hidden agendas: Credit for military achievements, appointments, and promotions are all shaped by strategic deception and bureaucratic compromise.
• Heavenly favor and legitimacy: The Divine Firmament Thunder Seed suggests that Li has been chosen or protected by Heaven, though its mysterious nature also makes it dangerous to reveal.
• Pride and loss: Zheng Hui’s refusal to continue as an ordinary Night Guard illustrates how wounded pride and the loss of cultivation can destroy a person’s sense of identity.
• Bureaucracy and hierarchy: The detailed promotion rules emphasize the rigid structure of the Night Guard and the importance of official rank.

Important Character Interactions

• Li and Zhou Chunfeng exchange humorous insults while discussing Zhao Yishan’s success and the challenges of literary cultivation.
• Zhou Hen interrogates Li about the Divine Firmament Thunder Seed and his supposedly authentic ritual materials, while Zhou Chunfeng provides a cautious interpretation of the artifact.
• Li negotiates with Zhou Chunfeng for recognition of his achievements, but accepts that Ye Han must receive the public credit.
• Zhou Chunfeng warns Li about Wei Yong’s political maneuvering and prepares him for his first Directors’ Assembly Hall meeting.
• At Jia-Nine Office, Li speaks with Han Anbo and Yu Ping about Zheng Hui’s resignation and the rumors surrounding Li’s promotion, setting up the office’s changing leadership.

Chapter Summary: “Clad in Brocade”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian returns from speaking with Lord Zhou and confirms that Zheng Hui has lost his True Essence. Since Li has been promoted to Subordinate Tenth Rank and taken over as squad leader, the group decides to wait before visiting Zheng so as not to worsen his humiliation.
• Han Anbo and Yu Ping express relief that Li, rather than an outsider, has become their squad leader. They plan to celebrate his promotion later, together with Zheng Hui, using Flower Sea Strong Brew.
• Li explains that Wei Yong, Director of the Finance Bureau, is trying to replace the squad’s deputy squad leader. Han Anbo interprets Lord Zhou’s lack of direct intervention as a deliberate test: Zhou is allowing Li to face political pressure and prove himself.
• Han warns Li that Wei Yong’s faction will likely provoke him, search for mistakes, and damage his reputation. Because Pang Mingjing was sent to the Imperial Prison under Wei Yong’s authority, Wei Yong is retaliating indirectly.
• Han advises Li to remain calm, obey Night Guard rules, and learn how officialdom functions. He offers to teach Li the duties and political relationships required of a squad leader.
• Li spends the day learning about the Night Guard’s hierarchy, including the importance of Lord He Lei, the head of the Street Patrol Office, and the leaders of other offices.
• That evening, Li receives his new official uniform and rank document. While his companions admire his appearance, he remains restless and unable to sleep.
• Li begins seriously considering the cultivation of Fate Arts. He realizes that Fate Arts are not merely fortune-telling but the ability to analyze and potentially alter the structures governing destiny.
• He learns that beginning formal cultivation requires two expensive tools—the Fortune Measuring Ruler and Fate-Setting Scale—costing one thousand taels of gold. This raises questions about how his family could ever have afforded them.
• The chapter ends with Li contemplating why Fate Arts tools and methods are fundamentally imperfect, leading him to recognize a deeper principle known as the Fundamental Grand Law of Fate Arts.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian transitions from a lower-ranking Night Guard into a squad leader. He recognizes that promotion brings political danger and responsibility, not merely prestige.
• He remains inexperienced in bureaucracy and openly relies on Han Anbo’s guidance, but he shows a willingness to learn rather than act recklessly.
• Li’s interest in Fate Arts deepens. He begins moving from passive use of mystical abilities toward deliberate cultivation and theoretical understanding.
• Han Anbo emerges as Li’s practical mentor. He understands official politics, factional conflict, and the importance of compromise, while also showing loyalty by offering to train Li.
• Han’s lack of ambition regarding the deputy squad leader position suggests humility or resignation, though Li becomes concerned about what the appointment may mean for him.
• Yu Ping remains comic and carefree, interrupting serious political discussion with jokes and food-related comments. Despite this, he is loyal to the group.
• Zheng Hui, though absent, is significantly affected by Li’s promotion and his own loss of True Essence. His wounded pride and emotional state shape the group’s decision to delay visiting him.
• Lord Zhou is presented as a protective but demanding patron. Rather than shielding Li completely, he tests whether Li can handle political pressure independently.

Significant Themes

• Power and responsibility: Li’s new rank grants authority but also exposes him to scrutiny, factional attacks, and the demands of leadership.
• Political maneuvering versus justice: Han explains that officialdom operates through rules, compromise, alliances, and struggles for power rather than simple fairness. Li’s instinctive concern for justice clashes with this reality.
• Mentorship and loyalty: Han takes on the role of teacher, helping Li navigate both administrative duties and hidden political dangers.
• Restraint and composure: Li is warned that reacting impulsively will allow his enemies to exploit him. Success depends on patience and self-control.
• Rank, Fortune, and survival: The chapter links official rank to the protection of court Fortune. Advancement is not merely social ambition but a means of becoming stronger and surviving dangerous times.
• The nature of fate: Fate Arts are portrayed as a discipline capable of interpreting and reshaping destiny, not just predicting it. Yet fate remains complex, protected by official authority and resistant to perfect understanding.
• Hidden family history: The enormous cost of Fate Arts equipment raises suspicions about Li’s family finances and suggests unresolved secrets involving his mother and the Li family’s assets.

Character Interactions

• Li, Han, and Yu discuss Zheng Hui’s condition, showing their concern for their former captain and their acceptance of Li’s promotion.
• Han counsels Li about Wei Yong’s schemes and explains how political retaliation works within the Night Guard.
• Li challenges Han’s pragmatic view by asking whether officialdom contains any concern for fairness or justice, revealing his continuing idealism.
• Yu lightens the tense discussion with humor, reinforcing the camaraderie among the three men.
• Li asks Han to train him, establishing a mentor-student relationship based on trust and practical necessity.
• Han explains the Night Guard’s hierarchy while Li listens attentively and asks questions, showing his effort to adapt to his new position.
• Li’s later solitary reflection contrasts with the social discussions earlier in the chapter: outwardly, he accepts instruction and authority; inwardly, he remains focused on becoming a Fate Arts Master and uncovering the deeper laws of destiny.

Chapter Summary: “A Little Broken House to Start With”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian realizes that he may have mastered—or at least accessed—the Fundamental Grand Law stating that Fate Arts cannot produce completely precise results. Unlike ordinary Fate Arts Masters, he can directly perceive Fate Mansions and Fate Molds.
• He visualizes his own Fate Mansion for the first time. Instead of a grand palace, it appears as a modest, isolated thatched cottage in a dark void.
• He explores the Fate Mansion and discovers:
  • A stone courtyard with a pool, rockery, and tiny white fish formed from Fortune.
  • A floating Fate Cloud.
  • A Fate Ground inside the cottage, consisting of a nine-palace grid and Earlier Heaven Bagua Diagram.
  • Four black Fate Pillars, but no visible Fate Stars, Hidden Fate Stars, or Submerged Fate Stars.
• Li Qingxian concludes that he must cultivate Fate Arts and acquire Fate Stars to strengthen his Fate Mold.
• He considers using the Fate Measuring Sect’s abandoned Fate Hunting Formula, which uses a Fortune-powered “Fate Fishing Rod” to steal Fate Stars from others. The technique was abandoned because Fate Stars cannot normally be located accurately, making it extremely wasteful and unreliable.
• To acquire his first Fate Star, Li Qingxian decides he must practice “Life Buying,” following the Fate law that one life must repay one life.
• He reflects on Ye Han’s death and wonders whether the Divine Firmament Thunder Seed incident already fulfilled the principle of one life repaying another.
• Li Qingxian then decides to test whether his improved Fate-Observing Technique can truly perceive another person’s Fate Mansion. He chooses Yu Ping, who is secretly eating beneath the blankets.

Character Development

• Li Qingxian becomes increasingly aware that his abilities violate or surpass the normal limits of Fate Arts. His ability to see Fate Mansions gives him a unique advantage over every conventional Fate Arts Master.
• He shows a mixture of excitement, disappointment, and self-deprecating humor when he discovers that his Fate Mansion is merely a shabby cottage and contains no Fate Stars.
• Despite lacking an impressive Fate Mold, he remains practical and determined. Rather than despairing, he begins planning how to cultivate, obtain Fate Stars, and exploit techniques that others considered unusable.
• His understanding of his past actions also develops as he tries to interpret whether Ye Han’s death and the completion of Ye Han’s mission satisfy the law of “one life repaying one life.”
• His interaction with Yu Ping reveals a gentler, playful side, as he treats Yu Ping’s secret nighttime eating with amusement rather than anger.

Significant Themes

• The limits and unreliability of fate: Fate cannot be measured with absolute precision, yet Li Qingxian may possess the rare ability to perceive what others cannot.
• Appearance versus potential: His humble thatched Fate Mansion seems unimpressive compared with others’ magnificent ones, but its unusual nature may be more important than its appearance.
• Knowledge as power: Li Qingxian’s understanding of Fate Arts allows him to recognize possibilities that previous practitioners overlooked.
• Risk and sacrifice: The Fate Hunting Formula demonstrates how powerful techniques can demand enormous resources and lead to ruin when their underlying assumptions are flawed.
• Moral balance and karmic exchange: The concept of “one life repaying one life” shapes Li Qingxian’s plans and forces him to reconsider the consequences of Ye Han’s death.
• Isolation and new beginnings: The broken cottage symbolizes Li Qingxian’s uncertain post-death existence, but also serves as the foundation for rebuilding his power.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and Ye Han: Though Ye Han is absent, Li Qingxian continues to assess their conflict and question whether killing Ye Han was justified under the laws of fate.
• Li Qingxian and Yu Ping: Li Qingxian observes Yu Ping secretly eating under the blanket and decides to use him as the first subject for testing the Fate-Observing Technique. Their dynamic is informal and lightly humorous.
• Li Qingxian and the Fate Arts tradition: Li Qingxian mentally compares his discoveries with the teachings and failures of past Fate Arts sects, especially the Fate Measuring Sect and Heaven’s Mandate Sect. His unusual abilities may allow him to succeed where they failed.

Chapter Summary: “Human Fate Star: Trapped Pig Breaking the Pen”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian examines Yu Ping’s fate while Yu Ping sleeps, using Qi-Gazing and Fate Arts through the Thunder Dragon Fire Seal.
• Yu Ping’s Annual Fate Fortune contains the Four Fiends: Bathing Fragile, Death, Tomb, and Extinction.
  • “Bathing Fragile” reflects the recent destruction of Yu Ping’s dantian.
  • Although “Death” follows, Yu Ping skips it and enters “Tomb,” suggesting a possible reversal of misfortune rather than certain death.
  • His Tomb fortune lacks the usual signs of sealing, burial, or a gravestone, indicating that the danger is approaching favorable change.
  • A crack in the tomb mound represents “Breaking Ground,” a sign that the harmful fortune may transform into ordinary or auspicious fortune.
• Li Qingxian enters Yu Ping’s Fate Mansion and examines his Fate Grounds and Fate Stars.
• Yu Ping’s Youth Fate Ground contains two Fate Stars:
  • Lodging Green Rice, a fiendish Heaven’s Mandate Fate Mold showing a childhood marked by hardship and insecurity.
  • Seed Falling into a Rock Crevice, an auspicious Human Fate Star, which appears helpful but ultimately drains rather than strengthens the first star.
• Li Qingxian realizes that Yu Ping’s lifelong overeating stems from childhood hunger and fear of starvation, not simple greed or gluttony.
• In Yu Ping’s Young Adult Fate Ground, Li Qingxian discovers his powerful Human Fate Star: Trapped Pig Breaking the Pen, a greatly auspicious variation of “Trapped Beast Breaking the Pen.”
• The vision ends as Li Qingxian’s power is exhausted. He returns to his body, sees Yu Ping sleeping peacefully, and falls asleep himself.

Character Development

• Li Qingxian demonstrates increasing mastery of Fate Arts and a more nuanced understanding of fate. He carefully analyzes the relationship between Yu Ping’s misfortunes and hidden opportunities rather than judging them superficially.
• Li Qingxian’s attitude toward Yu Ping becomes more compassionate. He recognizes that Yu Ping’s constant eating is a survival response formed by childhood deprivation.
• Yu Ping is revealed as extraordinarily resilient. Despite severe hardship, including the destruction of his dantian, he remains optimistic and continues to seek small pleasures, such as eating pastries.
• Yu Ping’s “Trapped Pig Breaking the Pen” Fate Star shows that he has endured suffering without surrendering to it. His future is likely to be stable and moderately successful, even if he never becomes extraordinarily powerful or wealthy.

Significant Themes

• Misfortune can transform into fortune: The cracked tomb represents the possibility that seemingly deadly fate may reverse.
• Fate versus personal resilience: Heaven’s Mandate shapes Yu Ping’s difficult circumstances, but his Human Fate Star reflects the strength he developed through his own endurance.
• Hidden causes behind behavior: Yu Ping’s appetite is presented as a psychological response to starvation and insecurity, encouraging empathy rather than judgment.
• Hope amid suffering: The “Trapped Pig Breaking the Pen” symbolizes refusing to submit to hardship and maintaining faith in a better future.
• Limits of prediction: Fate Arts reveal possibilities and patterns, but the meanings of signs such as “Tomb” remain complex and open to interpretation.

Character Interactions

• Although Yu Ping remains asleep and does not directly converse with Li Qingxian, Li Qingxian’s examination creates a deeper understanding between them.
• Li Qingxian mentally shifts from observing Yu Ping as an unlucky, gluttonous companion to recognizing him as a survivor shaped by hunger and hardship.
• Yu Ping’s sleeping peacefully after enduring his past suffering contrasts with Li Qingxian’s serious investigation, ending the chapter on a quiet note of mutual, if unspoken, human connection.

Chapter Summary: “Unwilling to Accept Defeat”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian receives his new Tenth Rank official uniform and equipment, including a green-based brocade robe, a rank badge depicting a white horse crossing a river, a cowhide belt and pouch, and a heavier Goose Feather Saber.
• His promotion immediately changes how others treat him. Ordinary Night Guards enthusiastically greet him as “Captain Li” or “Brother Li,” while some ranked officials react with disdain.
• Li Qingxian, Han Anbo, and Yu Ping discuss how higher ranks bring increasingly impressive uniforms and status symbols. Yu Ping jokes about Li eventually obtaining a Copper Fish Pouch and official seal.
• Li Qingxian accompanies Zhou Chunfeng and Zhou Hen to the Directors’ Hall for an important gathering.
• On the way, they encounter Ye Han, who respectfully greets Zhou Chunfeng but only gives Li Qingxian a perfunctory acknowledgment.
• Zhou Chunfeng recognizes Ye Han’s jealousy and warns that Ye Han is unwilling to accept Li Qingxian’s advancement. Ye Han privately struggles with resentment, having believed his own prospects were improving until Li surpassed him.
• Outside the Directors’ Hall, Sixth Rank Deputy Director Cao Ming unexpectedly greets Li Qingxian as “Little Lord Li,” signaling that Li has gained influential support and recognition despite his low official rank.
• Inside the hall, Li observes the strict hierarchy of Night Guard officials. Senior officials occupy red sandalwood chairs, lower-ranking officials sit on folding chairs, and Tenth Rank officials must stand behind the pillars. Li realizes that, despite his promotion, he has not yet earned a seat.
• The chapter ends with the Directors’ Hall completely silent and tense as the officials await the meeting’s proceedings.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: His promotion gives him greater authority, confidence, and visibility, though he remains humble and unfamiliar with the political subtleties of official life. He carefully observes the hall and recognizes his low position within the larger hierarchy.
• Ye Han: His jealousy becomes evident. He is deeply frustrated that Li Qingxian, whom he considers less capable in certain areas, has advanced ahead of him. His restraint suggests he may become a future rival.
• Zhou Chunfeng: He acts as Li Qingxian’s perceptive mentor, teaching him to read hidden motives and social signals. He remains outwardly calm and approachable while possessing considerable authority.
• Han Anbo and Yu Ping: They celebrate Li’s promotion and help him understand the significance of his new uniform, rank, and official privileges.
• Cao Ming: His deliberate friendliness toward Li suggests that Li has allies or backing among powerful officials. His behavior also shows that Li’s reputation is already spreading.
• Zhou Hen: He accompanies Zhou Chunfeng and Li quietly, reinforcing the group’s unity and Zhou Chunfeng’s authority.

Significant Themes

• Status and hierarchy: Clothing, badges, seating arrangements, and forms of address all reveal the rigid structure of the Night Guard bureaucracy.
• Recognition and social power: Li’s official robes alter how people treat him, demonstrating how rank affects respect and influence.
• Jealousy and rivalry: Ye Han’s inability to accept Li’s advancement introduces a conflict driven by wounded pride and competition.
• Political awareness: Zhou Chunfeng emphasizes that expressions, greetings, and small breaches of etiquette can reveal hidden intentions.
• Appearances versus true power: Li is only Tenth Rank, yet Cao Ming’s respectful greeting suggests that influence and connections may matter as much as formal rank.
• Humility amid advancement: Although Li is now treated more respectfully, he remains conscious of his limited standing and lack of experience.

Character Interactions

• Han Anbo and Yu Ping warmly congratulate Li and joke about his future promotions.
• Ordinary Night Guards greet Li enthusiastically, while higher-ranking officials display mixed reactions.
• Ye Han gives Zhou Chunfeng full respect but deliberately withholds it from Li, exposing his resentment.
• Zhou Chunfeng explains Ye Han’s behavior and advises Li to become more observant of people’s motives.
• Cao Ming takes the unusual initiative of greeting Li, surprising surrounding officials and hinting at Li’s growing importance.
• Li follows Zhou Chunfeng’s example by paying respects to Emperor Taining’s portrait before entering the Directors’ Hall.

Chapter Summary: “Enemies Meet”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During a Directors’ Assembly in the Night Guard’s Directors’ Hall, Li Qingxian tries to remain inconspicuous but is corrected for leaning against the wall, highlighting his unfamiliarity with official etiquette.
• While waiting for the assembly to begin, Li practices Fate Arts internally. He reviews the uses of Fate observation and deduction, but avoids using Qi-Gazing openly because the Night Guard’s powerful collective “Grand Momentum Configuration” could damage his Fate Mansion.
• Li begins memorizing the Obscuring Eye spell, following Jiang Youfei’s instruction to first learn spells through patient memorization before seeking deeper understanding.
• The assembly focuses on personnel matters and the Night Guard’s response to demon activity along the borders. Officials debate whether more personnel should be sent out of the capital to fight demons.
• He Lei, head of the Street Patrol Office, argues that his office is already understaffed and suggests that the Finance Office send people instead. He specifically proposes that Tao Zhi, the newly promoted head of the Finance Office Accounting Office, take part in the campaign.
• Tao Zhi counters by suggesting that Li Qingxian, a newly promoted Tenth Rank official, should personally answer whether he is willing to go to the battlefield.
• Rather than accept the implied challenge, Li asks permission to speak before the senior official Yu Xianhe. Once granted, he declares that the Night Guard’s first priority should be uncovering the traitor who harmed their colleagues before leaving the capital to exterminate demons.
• Li then openly identifies himself as the victim whom Pang Mingjing nearly killed, directly linking Tao Zhi and the Finance Office to the earlier attack. The chapter ends with Tao Zhi visibly angered.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates growing political awareness. Although inexperienced with court protocol, he quickly recognizes that Tao Zhi’s battlefield proposal is likely aimed at him.
• He shows courage and strategic boldness by refusing to answer on Tao Zhi’s terms. Instead, he redirects the discussion toward the unresolved conspiracy against him and his colleagues.
• Li’s cultivation continues to advance as he studies the Obscuring Eye, Fate-Observing Technique, and Deduction Technique.
• Tao Zhi is introduced as Pang Mingjing’s replacement and appears outwardly refined and scholarly. However, he reveals himself as hostile toward Li and willing to pressure him publicly.
• Wei Yong, the Finance Office Director who previously arranged the attack on Li, recognizes Li but conceals his hostility behind a calm smile. His composure suggests political experience and confidence.
• He Lei quietly supports Li, signaling that Li should be cautious and reminding him indirectly of the political danger of the situation.
• Yu Xianhe, the Right Assistant Commanding Envoy, appears relaxed and conciliatory but holds enough authority to determine whether Li may speak publicly.

Significant Themes

• Political intrigue and hidden enmity: The formal, orderly assembly conceals factional conflict and the unresolved attempt on Li’s life.
• Courage versus political convention: Li must learn how to operate within rigid official rules while still confronting corruption and danger.
• Public duty and private vendettas: The debate over fighting demons is presented as national service, but it is also being manipulated to target Li personally.
• Appearances versus reality: Wei Yong’s gentle demeanor masks his involvement in the plot against Li, while Tao Zhi’s scholarly appearance conceals his aggression.
• Growth through discipline: Li’s study of Fate Arts reflects his broader development—he must combine patience, technical learning, and strategic insight to survive.

Character Interactions

• Cao Ming and Li: Cao Ming corrects Li’s improper posture, showing both Li’s inexperience and Cao Ming’s willingness to guide him.
• He Lei and Li: He Lei gives Li subtle support through eye signals, warning him not to speak recklessly while still encouraging him to resist the Finance Office’s maneuver.
• He Lei and Tao Zhi: Their argument over staffing exposes the rivalry between the Street Patrol Office and Finance Office.
• Tao Zhi and Li: Tao attempts to force Li into publicly accepting or rejecting battlefield service. Li reverses the confrontation by accusing the Night Guard of failing to investigate the traitor responsible for the attack.
• Li and Wei Yong: Their brief exchange of glances is outwardly polite but charged with mutual recognition, establishing them as concealed enemies.
• Li and Yu Xianhe: Li respectfully seeks permission to speak, using proper procedure to deliver a politically explosive accusation.

Chapter Summary: “Sand”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During the Directors’ Assembly, Li Qingxian openly challenges the Finance Office, provoking laughter and approval from many military officials.
• Tao Zhi, the Finance Office’s new head bookkeeper, makes a veiled threat about sand getting in Li Qingxian’s eyes, signaling growing hostility between them.
• The meeting ends without a decisive confrontation, but the tension between the Divine Capital Office and Finance Office remains clear.
• Li Qingxian resolves to continue cultivating his Fate Arts. Once he masters them, he intends to use “Dragon Appears” and Fortune to eliminate a hidden danger.
• The Divine Capital Office officials warmly welcome Li Qingxian, praising him for embarrassing the Finance Office. He Lei jokes that Li is being used as a “spear” against them, which Li acknowledges humorously.
• He Lei gives Li detailed guidance about his responsibilities as a captain and invites him to socialize with the office’s people, strengthening their professional relationship.
• Upon returning to Jia-Nine Office, Li learns that the newly promoted Hong Cheng has fought Han Anbo and injured him, leaving him with a black eye, a torn sleeve, and minor wounds.
• Hong Cheng presents the encounter as an innocent sparring match, but Yu Ping reveals that Hong Cheng pressured Han into fighting by targeting Yu Ping first.
• The chapter ends with Li confronting Hong Cheng and demanding the truth about what happened.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian becomes more politically assertive, openly resisting the Finance Office while remaining controlled and observant. He recognizes that he is being used strategically by the Divine Capital Office but accepts the role with humor and awareness.
• He also demonstrates emotional discipline: despite hearing that Han Anbo was injured, he suppresses his anger and approaches the situation calmly.
• Tao Zhi is established as a subtle and antagonistic political rival. His polite warning carries an implicit threat.
• He Lei emerges as a supportive senior figure who both praises Li and offers practical instruction. He is politically shrewd despite his rough, martial personality.
• Han Anbo remains loyal and diplomatic, minimizing his injuries and attempting to prevent further conflict, even though he was pressured into the fight.
• Hong Cheng is introduced as arrogant, manipulative, and possibly hostile. He hides behind the language of friendly sparring while exploiting his superior rank and strength.
• Yu Ping shows anger and concern for Han, but is initially hesitant to speak openly against Hong Cheng.

Significant Themes

• Political factionalism: The conflict between the Finance Office and Divine Capital Office reflects a larger struggle for influence, with Li being positioned as a weapon in that rivalry.
• Rank versus authority: Although Hong Cheng has a higher official rank, Li emphasizes that office responsibilities may carry greater practical authority than rank alone.
• Hidden threats beneath civility: Tao Zhi’s warning and Hong Cheng’s fake apology demonstrate how politeness can conceal intimidation and hostility.
• Self-control and strategic action: Li resists reacting emotionally, choosing instead to gather information and confront Hong Cheng carefully.
• Fate, power, and preparation: Li’s cultivation and plans to use Fate Arts show that he is preparing for dangers beyond the immediate political disputes.

Character Interactions

• Li and Tao exchange a tense, indirect warning after the assembly.
• The Divine Capital Office officials embrace Li as an ally against the Finance Office, while He Lei openly frames him as their instrument.
• He Lei mentors Li and treats him as part of Zhou Chunfeng’s faction.
• Hong Cheng attempts to dominate the Jia-Nine Office through mock friendliness and his superior rank.
• Han tries to protect Hong Cheng from consequences by calling the fight an ordinary sparring match, but Yu Ping exposes the coercive circumstances.
• Li’s final questioning of Hong Cheng shifts the chapter from political maneuvering to an imminent internal confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “Ministry of Revenue Worships the Gods”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hong Cheng openly challenges Li Qingxian, insisting that the Night Guards are independent and refusing to submit meekly to authority. He boasts about his Hard-Bone Technique and implies that he is willing to fight Li.
• Rather than responding to the provocation, Li assigns Hong Cheng to accompany him, Han Anbo, and Yu Ping on a mission ordered by Zhou Chunfeng.
• Li leads the group toward the Ministry of Revenue, passing Wanping Street—the place where Pang Mingjing previously forced Li onto a carriage. The route and destination make Han Anbo and Yu Ping uneasy.
• Li stops to purchase nine incense sticks on the Night Guard’s public account, emphasizing that they must follow the proper ritual before entering the Ministry of Revenue.
• When they reach Ministry of Revenue Street, Hong Cheng becomes frightened by the oppressive atmosphere created by the Evil God Statues. He attempts to remain behind, but Li pressures him into continuing by reminding him that refusing an order from Zhou Chunfeng could have serious consequences.
• At the Southern Court’s side gate, Li presents his Night Guard token and summons Luo Jing. Luo is surprised to see Li already promoted and notices that Hong Cheng, despite being a vice-captain, is trailing at the rear.
• Li rejects Luo’s formal politeness and bluntly tells him to take the group to worship the gods first, since the rules must not be broken.
• Luo leads them into the Ministry of Revenue’s North Court, where Li encounters an immense plaza dominated by five enormous Evil God Statues, numerous smaller guardian statues, thirty sacrificial offering tables, and ritual offerings of livestock, fowl, fruit, incense, and other items.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates growing authority and confidence as captain. He remains calm and deliberately ignores Hong Cheng’s provocations, asserting control through orders rather than violence. His coldness also suggests that he is still deeply affected by Pang Mingjing’s past actions.
• Hong Cheng begins as an aggressive, defiant new vice-captain, but his bravado weakens when confronted by the Ministry of Revenue and the Evil God Statues. He ultimately obeys Li, revealing both fear and concern about losing his position in the Night Guard.
• Han Anbo remains loyal and emotionally grateful to Li. He worries that Li may be acting recklessly for his sake, especially because Zhou Chunfeng previously used his influence to protect Li and Han.
• Yu Ping quietly observes the situation and remembers Pang Mingjing’s earlier attack, reinforcing the group’s shared awareness of the danger surrounding the Ministry of Revenue.
• Luo Jing treats Li with unusual respect, signaling Li’s rising status and the influence of Zhou Chunfeng’s arrangements. His surprise at Hong Cheng’s position also exposes the awkward transition within Team Jia-Nine.

Significant Themes

• Authority and obedience: Li establishes his leadership by calmly enforcing orders, while Hong Cheng must choose between pride and obedience.
• Institutional power and hierarchy: The Night Guard, Ministry of Revenue, Divine Capital Office, and other governmental bodies operate within a rigid hierarchy, but Li’s treatment by Luo suggests his influence is rapidly increasing.
• Fear beneath bravado: Hong Cheng’s aggressive confidence collapses in the face of supernatural and political danger, showing that physical toughness does not eliminate fear.
• Ritual and supernatural power: The incense, offerings, sacrificial animals, statues, and strict worship procedures indicate that governmental authority is intertwined with religious or divine forces.
• Loyalty and protection: Han Anbo’s concern for Li and Zhou Chunfeng’s previous intervention highlight the bonds of loyalty within the Night Guard.
• Revenge and unresolved trauma: Returning to the place associated with Pang Mingjing’s actions suggests that Li’s current mission may also carry a personal dimension.

Character Interactions

• Li and Hong Cheng engage in a tense power struggle: Hong Cheng provokes him verbally, while Li responds by ignoring the insults and forcing him to follow orders.
• Li and Han Anbo share an understated bond of mutual concern. Han asks Li not to act impulsively, while Li reassures him indirectly by maintaining control.
• Li’s curt exchange with Luo Jing reveals his changed status; Luo is polite and deferential, but Li treats him as an ally rather than a superior.
• Hong Cheng’s nervous reaction to Luo’s respect for Li causes him to reassess Li’s authority and connections.
• The chapter ends with the group entering the Ministry of Revenue’s sacred court, where their political mission becomes entangled with an ominous divine ritual.

Summary of “No Sand in My Eyes”

Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian follows Luo Jing’s strict temple ritual: lighting incense, bowing three times, placing it on the altar, and retreating beyond the blood-gold line without speaking.
• Luo Jing leads Li Qingxian, Han Anbo, Yu Ping, and Hong Cheng from the Ministry of Revenue back to the Southern Court’s Internal Affairs Office, specifically the low-status Ding Section.
• In Luo Jing’s office, Li Qingxian observes that Luo holds an official position but little real authority. The group discusses current court affairs, including the possible reinstatement of former officials, an approaching political reshuffle, and proposals to reorganize the Night Guard and limit its duties to dealing with cultivators.
• Li Qingxian raises the issue of someone entering the Ministry of Revenue, violating its rules, and profaning the gods. Luo Jing explains that serious offenses can result in imprisonment and interrogation in the Divine Prison.
• Li Qingxian deliberately identifies Hong Cheng as the offender, arguing that Hong failed to offer incense at the temple. Luo Jing uses an ominous supernatural technique to pin Hong Cheng’s shadow and confirms that Hong is guilty.
• Hong Cheng protests that Li Qingxian’s incense offering should count for him, but Li Qingxian denies this and accuses him of causing further trouble.
• Luo Jing orders Hong Cheng’s immediate imprisonment and interrogation. Hong invokes Wei Yong’s protection, but Luo ignores the threat.
• Before Hong can be taken away, Li Qingxian briefly stops the guards—not to rescue Hong, but to ensure that Hong’s remaining money is taken to cover the incense and tea fees.
• Li Qingxian tells Hong that he might have forgiven an open challenge, but he will not tolerate Hong bullying Han Anbo. Hong is gagged, bound, and dragged to the Divine Prison.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates calculated ruthlessness and confidence. He manipulates official rules to punish Hong Cheng while maintaining the appearance of procedural correctness. His concern for Han Anbo reveals strong loyalty toward his subordinates and a fierce intolerance of injustice against them.
• Luo Jing proves willing to cooperate with Li Qingxian and use his authority decisively. Though his office lacks major political power, he possesses frightening supernatural abilities and is prepared to enforce the Ministry’s rules without hesitation.
• Hong Cheng shifts from an aggressive subordinate who believed himself protected by powerful connections into a helpless prisoner. His fear of the Divine Prison exposes how severe its interrogations are.
• Han Anbo is indirectly shown to have Li Qingxian’s protection. Hong’s bullying of him becomes the personal justification for Li’s otherwise carefully engineered punishment.
• Duan Heng appears disciplined, efficient, and completely loyal to Luo Jing, carrying out both mundane duties and the arrest without emotion.

Significant Themes

• Rules as weapons: Li Qingxian turns bureaucratic and religious regulations into tools for eliminating an enemy, showing that authority can be more dangerous when exercised through formal procedure.
• Justice versus revenge: Although Li frames the punishment as lawful, his personal motive is clear: Hong Cheng harmed Han Anbo. The chapter explores how righteous protection and calculated retaliation can overlap.
• Power beneath appearances: Luo Jing’s Ding Section appears politically insignificant, yet Luo possesses terrifying power. Conversely, Hong’s connection to Wei Yong cannot protect him once he is caught within the rules.
• Loyalty and protection: Li Qingxian’s actions establish that he values loyalty and will aggressively defend those under his command.
• Political and institutional change: Discussions of restoring former officials, restructuring the Night Guard, and shifting its responsibilities suggest broader changes in the court and foreshadow future conflict.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and Luo Jing: Their tea-room conversation develops into a strategic alliance. Li tests Luo’s willingness to enforce rules, while Luo recognizes and supports Li’s maneuver.
• Li Qingxian and Hong Cheng: Their hostile relationship culminates in Li publicly outmaneuvering Hong. Li emphasizes that honest opposition would have been tolerable, but bullying Han Anbo crossed an unforgivable line.
• Luo Jing and Hong Cheng: Luo intimidates Hong through supernatural force and official authority, reducing him from a defiant accuser to a terrified captive.
• Li Qingxian and Han Anbo: Though Han speaks little, Li’s punishment of Hong makes clear that he considers Han one of his own and will retaliate on his behalf.
• Luo Jing and Duan Heng: Their brief exchanges show a smooth command structure: Luo gives orders, and Duan Heng executes them efficiently and without question.

Chapter Summary: “A Political Genius”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian confronts Wei Yong’s attempt to sabotage the construction works by mixing sand into the materials. He uses Han Anbo’s political advice—beginning with courtesy, enduring compromise, and finally invoking Ministry of Revenue regulations and Luo Jing’s authority—but applies the entire strategy immediately and aggressively.
• Han Anbo and Luo Jing jokingly call Li Qingxian a “political genius,” though Han is also horrified that Li used all of his advice in a single confrontation.
• Luo Jing agrees to report Wei Yong’s actions to Lord Zhou, believing Wei Yong will not risk protecting a low-ranking clerk who carried out the sabotage.
• Li asks Luo Jing for substantial financial assistance: five hundred taels of gold and two hundred taels of silver. The money is intended to forge a Fate Artifact and acquire other Fate materials.
• Luo Jing is delighted to learn that Li can now use Fate Arts and offers to fund the purchase without expecting repayment. He also gives Li an additional hundred taels for daily expenses after learning that Li receives only two taels per month.
• Luo Jing explains that conflict among the Ten Yama Kings has created unrest among Puppet Cultivators connected to the Ministry of Works. Officials from the Ministry of Works, possibly accompanied by a Junior Supervisor from the Imperial Treasury, will soon question Li about his distillation and alcohol-related plans.
• Li welcomes the investigation, confident that a thorough explanation will prove the value of his methods. He also becomes interested in why the Netherworld has cultivated human craftsmen and learned that skilled craftsmen can become Puppet Cultivators, eventually converting into puppet bodies while retaining their memories.
• After leaving the Ministry of Revenue, Li clarifies that his retaliation against Wei Yong was not merely for Han Anbo’s sake. He wants to prevent repeated attacks and intends to strike back before his enemies grow bolder.
• Li reveals that he plans to investigate Wei Yong and Tao Zhi, deduce their Fate Molds and Fortune, and use Fate Arts against them. Yu Ping eagerly agrees to gather intelligence through the Night Guards.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian becomes increasingly assertive and strategic. He shifts from defensive responses to proactive retaliation, combining political maneuvering with Fate Arts. Although others view him as reckless, he insists that his actions are calculated.
• Han Anbo feels grateful that Li defended him but worries that Li acted too hastily. He recognizes that Li understands his advice but is alarmed by how aggressively Li applies it.
• Luo Jing demonstrates strong loyalty and enthusiasm toward Li. He is willing to risk inconvenience and spend considerable money to support Li’s Fate Arts development, while also helping him financially because of Li’s restricted access to family wealth.
• Yu Ping remains humorous and practical, focusing comically on the Ministry of Revenue’s food, but becomes excited by the prospect of investigating Wei Yong and Tao Zhi.
• Wei Yong and Tao Zhi are established as continuing threats who have not abandoned their efforts against Li and his allies.

Significant Themes

• Political strategy and its misuse: Han Anbo’s advice about smiling, compromising, and eventually drawing authority becomes humorous when Li executes the entire process at once.
• Preemptive retaliation: Li argues that constantly defending against attacks is unsustainable; enemies must be punished decisively before they grow more dangerous.
• Power and bureaucracy: Authority, rank, regulations, and connections are essential tools in political conflicts, sometimes as important as personal strength.
• Loyalty and mutual support: Luo Jing’s financial assistance and Han Anbo’s guidance show Li building a network of allies who support both his ambitions and his survival.
• Human ingenuity versus supernatural power: The discussion of Puppet Cultivators highlights how skilled human craftsmen remain valuable even in a world dominated by Netherworld forces and mystical techniques.
• Risk versus calculation: Li’s boldness appears reckless to his companions, but he views it as a deliberate contest of intelligence, Fate Arts, and timing.

Character Interactions

• Li and Han Anbo discuss the consequences of Li’s confrontation with Wei Yong, with Han expressing gratitude and concern while Li explains his reasoning.
• Li and Luo Jing share a warm, humorous exchange involving Li’s request for gold and silver. Luo initially thinks Li is asking to purchase a life through Fate Arts, then realizes the money is for a Fate Artifact.
• Luo Jing provides Li with political information about the Ministry of Works and explains the Netherworld’s influence over Puppet Cultivators.
• Li, Han Anbo, and Yu Ping joke about the Ministry of Revenue’s yellow chives after lunch, briefly lightening the otherwise tense discussion.
• Li recruits Yu Ping to investigate Wei Yong and Tao Zhi, transforming their friendship into an active partnership against Li’s enemies.

Chapter Summary: “Holding Back Something Nasty?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Han Anbo explains that the Night Guard keeps detailed dossiers on its members and suggests using them to investigate Wei Yong and Tao Zhi. He also offers to employ trusted runners to observe their movements without revealing the investigation’s true purpose.
• Li Qingxian agrees, trusting Han Anbo and Yu Ping, but decides that he must first examine Wei Yong and Tao Zhi’s Fate Molds before choosing how to deal with them.
• Returning to Chunfeng Residence, Li reads about Fate Arts before discovering and enjoying a serialized novel, Travels of a Fate Arts Master.
• Zhou Chunfeng arrives and questions Li about Hong Cheng’s imprisonment. Their exchange reveals that Zhou suspects Li caused or influenced Hong Cheng’s downfall, while Li jokingly denies responsibility.
• Zhou warns that Wei Yong may either confront Li openly or remain silent while plotting something more dangerous. Li privately recognizes that both he and Wei Yong may be “holding back something nasty.”
• Li asks Zhou to help him become a Principal Tenth Rank official and prepare for advancement to Ninth Rank. Zhou explains that Li must first fight a Ninth Rank opponent for one hundred exchanges.
• Li also requests a Thunder Arts manual, hoping to use Daoist techniques for self-defense while continuing Fate Arts as his primary cultivation path.
• Zhou gives Li the extremely valuable Annotated Compilation of the Five Thunder Orthodox Method, a rare and authentic cultivation text containing notes from many renowned masters. Li realizes the book is worth vastly more than Zhou initially claims.
• Li asks about spatial treasures such as Ye Han’s Heaven-and-Earth Ring and Zhou’s Fortune Fish Pouch. Zhou explains that the former is an ancient, nearly unobtainable artifact, while the latter belongs to the imperial court and must eventually be returned.
• Zhou advises Li to seek Jiang Youfei’s guidance on Thunder Arts and promises access to more Books of Fate once Li reaches Principal Ninth Rank.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates growing confidence, strategic caution, and ambition. He is willing to investigate potential enemies, pursue official promotion, and cultivate multiple disciplines.
• He continues presenting himself as harmless and cheerful, joking with Zhou while secretly planning how to handle Wei Yong and Tao Zhi.
• Li’s understanding of valuable artifacts and cultivation manuals is expanding, as shown by his shock at the true worth of Zhou’s annotated classic.
• Han Anbo is established as a reliable ally with experience in covert investigations and a broad knowledge of Fate Arts.
• Zhou Chunfeng acts as Li’s protector, mentor, and political sponsor. Though exasperated by Li’s troublemaking, he supports Li by providing both advancement opportunities and an exceptionally valuable cultivation manual.
• Jiang Youfei remains an important offscreen influence, particularly in Thunder Arts and spiritual cultivation, though she is cautious about teaching Li without her master’s approval.
• Wei Yong is portrayed as a looming threat whose silence may conceal retaliation.

Significant Themes

• Political maneuvering and hidden intentions: Characters rarely state their full motives openly. Li, Wei Yong, and Zhou all recognize that silence and indirect action may be more dangerous than open confrontation.
• Trust and alliances: Li relies on Han Anbo, Yu Ping, Zhou Chunfeng, and Jiang Youfei, showing that even a powerful Fate Arts practitioner needs dependable allies.
• Ambition and advancement: Li seeks both official rank and greater combat ability, refusing to remain limited by his current position.
• Balancing different paths: Li intends to make Fate Arts his primary discipline while using Thunder Arts for protection, emphasizing the value—and risks—of pursuing multiple forms of cultivation.
• The hidden value of knowledge: The annotated Five Thunder classic illustrates how easily priceless treasures can be overlooked, concealed, or misidentified.
• Power, ownership, and institutions: Zhou’s explanations about spatial treasures highlight the imperial court’s control over powerful resources and the dangers of possessing items tied to another person’s Fate Mold.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and Han Anbo: They cooperate in secretly investigating Wei Yong and Tao Zhi, with Li affirming his trust in Han.
• Li Qingxian and Zhou Chunfeng: Their conversation mixes teasing humor with serious political and cultivation matters. Zhou challenges Li’s readiness for promotion but ultimately supports his ambitions.
• Li Qingxian and Wei Yong: Although they do not meet directly, their conflict drives the chapter. Both appear to be concealing plans for future action.
• Li Qingxian and Jiang Youfei: Jiang’s earlier teachings enable Li to open and reseal the Thunder Arts manual, while Zhou directs Li to her for future instruction.

Chapter Summary: Wife-Sender

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Chunfeng warns Li Qingxian that officials from the Ministry of Works and the Inner Transport Treasury will soon inspect his strong-liquor brewing method, though the timing is uncertain.
• Li asks to investigate the Night Guard files on Wei Yong and Tao Zhi. Zhou refuses direct access but provides intelligence about both men.
• Zhou reveals that Wei Yong rose through the bureaucracy largely through his marriage to Madam Wei, whose father and brothers possess military influence and extensive connections. Madam Wei is especially powerful within the Wei household, and Wei Yong resents his brothers-in-law’s lack of respect.
• Tao Zhi is exposed as a notorious womanizer who manipulated women and contributed to several suicides. His advancement depends heavily on his wives and concubines’ influential family connections, earning him the Night Guard nickname “Wife-Sender.”
• Li confirms that he intends to use Fate Arts against Wei Yong and Tao Zhi, despite the danger posed by their higher ranks. He promises to proceed cautiously.
• Zhou warns Li against pursuing the hidden chief culprit too aggressively, explaining that the man is desperate and dangerous. Zhou promises to inform Li if another attack is made.
• At Wei Yong’s office, Tao Zhi urges him to rescue Hong Cheng from Divine Prison. Wei Yong refuses to act immediately, believing Li Qingxian would use the opportunity to reject or accuse him.
• Wei Yong devises a broader political strategy: he plans to use Hong Cheng as leverage during negotiations among the Divine Capital Office, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Works, and the Imperial Treasury. Rather than openly sabotaging their cooperation, he intends to pressure Zhou Chunfeng into compromise and secure a share of the business.
• Wei Yong rejects Tao Zhi’s suggestion of bringing a mistress to a banquet, fearing that his sharp-eyed wife would discover the affair. Tao Zhi instead agrees to bring only his principal wife.
• Back at the Street Patrol Office, Li studies Fate Arts and the Five Thunder Orthodox Method. He finds the latter difficult to learn without a teacher but spends significant time reading about Fate Arts.
• Han Anbo and Wei Ping bring Li a useful opportunity: the next day is Madam Wei’s birthday, and Wei Yong and his wife are hosting colleagues at Embroidered River Tower. From a boat across the Grand Canal, Li will be able to observe their fates.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian becomes more proactive and strategic. He gathers personal information on his enemies and begins planning a cautious use of Fate Arts against them, while continuing to strengthen his abilities.
• Zhou Chunfeng acts as Li’s protector and adviser. Although he withholds the identity of the main enemy, he seeks to restrain Li’s impulsiveness and prevent him from repeating his father’s politically dangerous behavior.
• Wei Yong is established as patient, calculating, and politically ambitious. Rather than seeking immediate revenge for Hong Cheng, he plans to exploit the situation to gain influence and financial benefits across several government institutions.
• Tao Zhi appears dependent on Wei Yong’s guidance. Though outwardly flattering and submissive, he remains manipulative and morally corrupt, using women and family connections to advance himself.
• Madam Wei gains importance despite not appearing directly. Her family connections, political influence, and sharp nature make her a central factor in Wei Yong’s career and private life.
• Han Anbo and Wei Ping continue to support Li by gathering intelligence and identifying opportunities for him.

Significant Themes

• Political maneuvering and leverage: Wei Yong’s strategy shows that bureaucratic power depends on timing, alliances, and threats rather than simple confrontation.
• Marriage as political capital: Both Wei Yong and Tao Zhi benefit from influential wives and in-laws, highlighting how personal relationships shape official careers.
• Caution versus impulsiveness: Zhou repeatedly urges Li to act carefully, while Li struggles with the desire to uncover the truth and defend himself.
• Appearance versus reality: Wei Yong appears calm and respectable but is calculating underneath; Tao Zhi appears talented and charming while hiding a predatory nature.
• Fate Arts and limited power: Li’s willingness to challenge opponents far above his rank reflects both his growing confidence and the danger of relying on abilities he has not yet mastered.
• Corruption and moral compromise: Tao Zhi’s advancement and Wei Yong’s political schemes reveal a system where influence, exploitation, and strategic coercion are more valuable than integrity.

Important Character Interactions

• Li and Zhou Chunfeng: Their conversation establishes mutual trust but also tension. Zhou protects Li by limiting dangerous information, while Li seeks greater independence.
• Wei Yong and Tao Zhi: Wei Yong plays the role of strategist and superior, correcting Tao Zhi’s shallow thinking. Tao flatters him and subtly offers access to women as part of their corrupt relationship.
• Li’s subordinates and Li: Han Anbo and Wei Ping provide intelligence that may allow Li to observe and potentially influence the Wei household during Madam Wei’s birthday gathering.
• Zhou Chunfeng and Wei Yong: Though they do not meet directly, Zhou’s warning about the chief culprit and Wei Yong’s plan to pressure him establish an escalating political conflict.

Chapter Summary: Sin Peach Demon

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian, Han Anbo, and Yu Ping secretly leave the Night Guard by boat to investigate Tao Zhi. Han Anbo arranges disguises, a black-canopied fishing boat, and a deaf boatman to avoid detection.
• From the canal, Li uses his Spirit Eye to observe a gathering in a riverside restaurant. Tao Zhi is dining with Wei Yong and several other officials, while their female relatives sit at a separate table.
• Li first attempts to inspect Tao Zhi’s fate but finds it obscured by his Fate Mold and the protection of the court.
• Using the Fate Art Obscuring Eye, Dragon Appears Spirit Eye, and Fate-Observing Technique—along with power from the Thunder Dragon Fire Seal and the Heaven’s Mandate Instrument—Li penetrates Tao Zhi’s Fate Mansion.
• Tao Zhi possesses the Three-Land Suspended-Star Pattern, with Fate Grounds corresponding to youth, young adulthood, and middle age. His official fortune is currently favorable: he has recently been promoted to head clerk of the Household Office’s Accounting Office.
• His first Fate Mold is the relatively respectable Sparse-Grass Yellow Sheep, suggesting an ordinary but stable early life.
• However, his later Fate Mold is revealed as the horrifying Sin Peach Demon. Its peach blossoms represent women connected to Tao Zhi, and several black or corrupted blossoms signify women he deliberately exploited and killed.
• Li concludes that Tao Zhi used women to obtain wealth, resources, influence, and connections, then murdered some of them. The discovery confirms Tao Zhi’s deep corruption and criminal nature.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Demonstrates increasing mastery of fate-related techniques. He combines multiple Fate Arts and uses the Heaven’s Mandate Instrument to overcome Tao Zhi’s superior rank and protected Fate Mansion. Although he remains emotionally controlled, the revelation of Tao Zhi’s crimes deeply disturbs him.
• Han Anbo: Shows his careful, experienced nature by arranging the covert escape, disguises, boat, and communication with the boatman. His former intelligence-gathering skills are emphasized.
• Yu Ping: Accompanies Li in the investigation and remains part of the covert operation, though she has little direct action in this chapter.
• Tao Zhi: Appears outwardly successful and respectable, having recently gained a promotion and favorable official fortune. His hidden fate reveals him as a ruthless exploiter and murderer.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus reality: Tao Zhi seems like a successful official enjoying a pleasant banquet, but his Fate Mansion exposes a history of exploitation and murder.
• The moral meaning of fate: Fate Mold is not merely predictive; it reflects the consequences of a person’s choices and deeds. Tao Zhi’s beautiful peach imagery is corrupted into a symbol of bloodshed and sin.
• Power and concealment: Official rank and court protection can hide a person’s true nature, forcing Li to use increasingly advanced techniques to uncover the truth.
• Justice and moral revulsion: Li’s restrained reaction contrasts with the horror of what he discovers, suggesting that the investigation is becoming both a political and moral confrontation.
• Gender and social customs: The chapter briefly establishes that women in this world may freely participate in public life and cultivation, providing context for the women connected to Tao Zhi.

Character Interactions

• Han Anbo reassures Li and Yu Ping that his preparations and disguises will keep them safe; Li praises his competence.
• The three work together silently during the river journey, with Han managing the boat while Li conducts the investigation.
• Li observes Tao Zhi alongside Wei Yong and other officials but does not confront them directly.
• Li’s interaction with Tao Zhi is entirely through fate observation: he penetrates Tao Zhi’s defenses and uncovers the hidden crimes behind his public success.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian examines Tao Zhi’s Fate Mansion and discovers that Tao Zhi possesses two deeply ominous Fate Stars:
  • Sin Peach Demon, represented by peach blossoms whose colors reveal Tao Zhi’s crimes—financial fraud, violence, and forcing women into prostitution. The Fate Mold unleashes the suffering of his victims into Li Qingxian’s consciousness.
  • Filthy River Tainted Fish, symbolizing how Tao Zhi’s corruption produces harmful consequences. Li Qingxian realizes the interaction between these Fate Stars forms a powerful evil pattern that could eventually produce a Fierce Deity.
• In Tao Zhi’s Middle-Aged Fate Ground, Li Qingxian finds Kingfisher Gives Nests, a tree containing over thirty nests and six chicks. He concludes that these are not Tao Zhi’s biological children but the children of other men, confirming Tao Zhi’s reputation as the “Wife-Sender.”
• Li Qingxian deduces that Tao Zhi’s evil and corrupt Fate Mold prevents him from having a legitimate lineage, while his Fortune of gaining office and advancing in rank has allowed him to prosper politically despite his crimes.
• Using the Deduction Technique and Qi-Gazing Technique, Li Qingxian uncovers two projections involving Tao Zhi:
  • A past encounter in which Tao Zhi appears connected with Wei Yong, Chief Director of the Finance Office.
  • A future encounter with a wealthy noblewoman, suggesting Tao Zhi’s continued political and sexual opportunism.
• Li Qingxian restores his depleted mana by reciting the Divine Firmament General Canon, discovering that the Thunder Dragon Fire Seal can replenish his mana with extraordinary speed.
• Han Anbo reports that Ye Han has boarded a painted pleasure boat. He suspects Ye Han has been concealing his true intentions, possibly working with Lord Zhou while posing as a Dao Sect Holy Son. Ye Han has also apparently reached Entry Rank in martial arts.
• Li Qingxian orders Han Anbo to investigate the pleasure boat and Ye Han’s sudden advancement.
• Li Qingxian then attempts to inspect Wei Yong’s Fate Mansion. Because Wei Yong is eleven ranks higher, Li initially cannot penetrate the mansion’s defenses. After using two Fortune Fish, he finally enters and sees the beginning of Wei Yong’s Fate configuration.
• Wei Yong’s first Fate Star, Fish Swimming in Water, appears auspicious: a strong azure carp swims through clear water and flourishing aquatic grass, suggesting favorable circumstances, success, and prosperity.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian gains a deeper understanding of how great evil Fate Molds affect the mind. Experiencing Tao Zhi’s victims’ suffering helps him understand why certain Fate Arts Masters develop strange and unstable personalities.
• His ability to interpret Fate becomes more sophisticated. He recognizes complex relationships such as “birth matched with sin” and understands how Tao Zhi’s Fate Stars reinforce one another.
• Li Qingxian also discovers that the Thunder Dragon Fire Seal dramatically accelerates mana recovery, giving him a potentially important advantage.
• Tao Zhi is revealed as profoundly corrupt: a swindler, abuser, sexual exploiter, and political climber. His apparent success in officialdom contrasts sharply with the terrible moral structure of his Fate.
• Han Anbo demonstrates careful observation and political intelligence. His suspicions about Ye Han show that he is both loyal to Li Qingxian and capable of independently analyzing hidden threats.
• Ye Han becomes increasingly suspicious. His unexplained physical change and connection with Lord Zhou suggest concealed martial or supernatural abilities.
• Wei Yong is established as a powerful and influential official whose high rank makes his Fate Mansion difficult to inspect. His first Fate Star suggests that he currently enjoys strong fortune and official success.

Significant Themes

• Moral corruption versus worldly success: Tao Zhi’s evil does not prevent him from rising in officialdom; instead, his fortune appears to transform corruption into political advancement.
• Retribution and karmic consequences: Li Qingxian reflects on the law that good and evil bring retribution, suggesting that Tao Zhi’s crimes may eventually create backlash despite his current prosperity.
• The psychological cost of witnessing evil: The victims’ cries penetrate Li Qingxian’s consciousness, emphasizing that evil leaves spiritual and emotional consequences even for those who merely observe it.
• Fate as symbolism: Each Fate Star reflects a person’s character, actions, relationships, and future prospects. Tao Zhi’s grotesque Fate contrasts with Wei Yong’s auspicious imagery.
• Hidden identities and political intrigue: Ye Han’s secret activities, Tao Zhi’s connections, and Wei Yong’s power suggest that Li Qingxian is entering a broader network of deception and official corruption.
• Limits of power: The difference between Li Qingxian’s abilities and Wei Yong’s rank demonstrates that Fate observation is constrained by cultivation, status, and available resources.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and Yu Ping: Yu Ping anxiously asks what Li has discovered, but Li postpones the explanation while he processes the disturbing revelations. Yu Ping’s simple act of eating dried fish provides a brief contrast to Li’s intense investigation.
• Li Qingxian and Han Anbo: Han warns Li about Ye Han’s suspicious behavior and reports his possible connection to Lord Zhou. Li trusts Han’s judgment and assigns him to investigate.
• Li Qingxian and Tao Zhi: Though they do not directly confront each other in this passage, Li studies Tao’s Fate Mansion and uncovers the full extent of his crimes and relationships.
• Tao Zhi and Wei Yong: A Fate projection suggests an intimate or compromising association between Tao Zhi and Wei Yong, potentially revealing corruption within the Finance Office.
• Tao Zhi and the noblewoman: A future projection indicates Tao’s continued advancement through intimate relationships with powerful women.
• Li Qingxian and Wei Yong: Li attempts to penetrate Wei Yong’s Fate Mansion but is initially blocked by the vast difference in rank, forcing him to spend Fortune Fish to gain entry.

Chapter Summary: “His Home Had Been Stolen?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian examines Wei Yong’s Fate Stars and discovers that, although Wei Yong’s career appears stable, his household is vulnerable.
• Wei Yong possesses the Fate Star “Sparrow Hiding in Its Nest,” symbolizing a secure official position but a weakness involving his home and family.
• Li Qingxian notices that the bird’s nest is damaged: its lower half is coming apart, suggesting that Wei Yong’s household has been compromised while his career remains intact.
• Wei Yong’s fortune appears as an old tree with entirely yellow leaves, representing Heart Decline and indicating that his luck will gradually weaken.
• Li Qingxian initially plans to deal with Tao Zhi first, since Tao’s crimes can potentially be exposed through investigation. Wei Yong is more difficult to handle because his Fate Mold may cause problems to remain hidden or distract Li Qingxian from pursuing him.
• A sudden vision reveals a noblewoman intimately connected with Tao Zhi. Li Qingxian recognizes her as Madam Wei, Wei Yong’s principal wife.
• He realizes that Tao Zhi—the “good subordinate” and “wife-sender” suggested by Wei Yong’s Fate—has effectively stolen Wei Yong’s household by having an affair with his wife.
• Li Qingxian decides to use the Fate-Urging Art to accelerate the relationship between Tao Zhi and Madam Wei, hoping to expose them and potentially cause Wei Yong to discover the betrayal.
• After repositioning the boat, Li Qingxian examines Madam Wei’s fortune and Fate Mansion.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates increasing skill in Fate Observation and strategic deduction. He identifies both men’s weaknesses and begins planning how to exploit their Fate Patterns rather than confronting them directly.
• His caution is evident: he recognizes the danger of using powerful Fate Arts beyond his current rank and chooses a more manageable technique, the Fate-Urging Art.
• Wei Yong is revealed to have a contrast between public stability and private vulnerability. His official career is secure, but his household has already begun to deteriorate, and his overall fortune is declining.
• Madam Wei appears to be entering a period of renewed prosperity despite being of similar age to Wei Yong. Her fortune suggests a late-life resurgence or “second spring.”
• Tao Zhi is confirmed to be connected to Madam Wei, making him a direct threat to Wei Yong’s family and reputation.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus reality: Wei Yong’s official position appears strong, but the damage to his nest reveals that his private life is falling apart.
• Fortune and decline: The contrast between Wei Yong’s yellowing old tree and Madam Wei’s growing green sprout emphasizes how people’s fortunes can diverge even within the same household.
• Hidden weaknesses: Powerful people may be protected by their status, yet Fate reveals concealed vulnerabilities that ordinary observation would miss.
• Strategic manipulation: Li Qingxian increasingly relies on timing, deduction, and controlled use of Fate Arts instead of direct action.
• Betrayal and domestic disorder: The chapter centers on the idea that Wei Yong’s “home has been stolen,” with his trusted subordinate seducing his wife.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian observes Tao Zhi and Madam Wei indirectly through their Fate Projections and recognizes their illicit intimacy.
• He mentally connects Tao Zhi’s role as Wei Yong’s subordinate with the betrayal of Wei Yong’s marriage.
• Li Qingxian instructs Yu Ping to have the boat repositioned so he can observe Madam Wei more clearly.
• The chapter ends with Li Qingxian examining Madam Wei’s Fate Mansion, where he finds the Fate Star “Lone Apricot Blossom,” suggesting that she is a powerful wife who prospers her husband—though her current connection with Tao Zhi threatens to overturn that role.

Chapter Summary: “Red Apricot”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian examines Madam Wei’s Fate Star, “Red Apricot Over the Wall.” Its image—a courtyard apricot tree with one ripe fruit inside the wall and another outside—suggests divided desires, infidelity, and opportunities beyond marriage.
• Through Qi Gazing, Li observes seven projections revealing Madam Wei’s life:
  • She waits anxiously for Wei Yong, who neglects and abuses her.
  • Wei Yong’s drunken affairs and violence leave her humiliated and despairing.
  • She has a pregnant maid thrown into a well, showing her cruelty and willingness to punish rivals.
  • She later has an affair with a young servant.
  • She accepts a valuable phoenix hairpin from a low-ranking official, implying corruption or transactional relationships.
  • She secretly embraces Tao Zhi while Wei Yong discovers them.
• Disgusted by what he sees, Li ends his observation and leaves the restaurant, where the six families continue enjoying themselves.
• On the journey back, Han Anbo explains the limits of Fate Arts: once a cause is planted, its resulting fate generally cannot be erased, only weakened or strengthened. Changing one’s own fate is thought easier than changing another person’s.
• Li struggles with Zheng Hui’s absence and realizes he may now have to manage responsibilities Zheng once handled. Han Anbo and Yu Ping support him by bringing breakfast.
• Back at the Jia-Nine Office, Li prepares to act. He orders materials for the Death-Urging Art, including sheep’s blood, cinnabar, talisman paper, cloth, brushes, plant ash, a green snake, and personal traces from Madam Wei and Tao Zhi.
• Han Anbo devises practical ways to obtain the difficult materials: Madam Wei’s hair during her birthday shopping trip and dirt from Tao Zhi’s shoes after they are cleaned.
• Li studies the relevant ritual instructions and begins the ceremony. After purifying himself with several mantras, he mixes sheep’s blood, cinnabar, well water, and plant ash to create ritual ink.
• The chapter ends as Li infuses the ink with mana; the bubbling blood leaves his fingers completely clean, demonstrating his careful technique and growing command of Fate Arts.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian becomes increasingly decisive and methodical. Although unsettled by Madam Wei’s fate and by Zheng Hui’s absence, he moves from observation to direct action.
• He shows caution and responsibility by studying the Death-Urging Art and performing every purification step rather than using it recklessly.
• Madam Wei is revealed as both a victim and a perpetrator: neglected and abused by Wei Yong, yet herself cruel, adulterous, and willing to kill or exploit others.
• Wei Yong appears as an abusive, unfaithful husband whose behavior helps create the conditions for Madam Wei’s resentment and betrayal.
• Han Anbo demonstrates loyalty, experience, discretion, and practical intelligence. He also subtly advises Li about the limits of fate manipulation.
• Yu Ping remains humorous and eager, but proves useful by following instructions and assisting with the ritual preparations.
• Zheng Hui’s absence affects Li emotionally and practically, emphasizing the loss of a trusted companion.

Significant Themes

• Fate versus human agency: Fate Arts may influence the strength of an outcome, but changing its underlying cause is extremely difficult.
• Moral complexity: Madam Wei is simultaneously harmed by others and capable of inflicting terrible harm herself.
• Betrayal and corruption: The imagery of the red apricots and the observed affairs reflects marital infidelity, hidden desires, and compromised social relationships.
• The cost of abuse: Wei Yong’s cruelty contributes to Madam Wei’s bitterness, though the chapter does not excuse her later actions.
• Preparation and discipline: Li’s careful study and elaborate purification ritual show that supernatural power depends on precision, knowledge, and restraint.
• Loss and responsibility: With Zheng Hui gone, Li must confront both grief and the burden of taking over duties that once belonged to someone else.

Character Interactions

• Li and Han Anbo discuss the principles and limitations of Fate Arts, with Han offering indirect guidance.
• Han and Yu Ping care for Li by bringing him food, reinforcing their growing brotherly bond.
• Li assigns both men tasks to gather ritual materials, beginning to rely on them as partners.
• Han quietly accepts morally questionable assignments without judgment, while Yu Ping reacts with curiosity and enthusiasm.
• Madam Wei’s interactions with Wei Yong, Tao Zhi, the young servant, the maid, and the official collectively reveal the tangled web of abuse, desire, revenge, and exploitation surrounding her.

Chapter Summary: “White Horse Leads the Way, Snake and Ants Urge Death”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian demonstrates genuine fate arts by cleansing talisman paper and a calligraphy brush, then using magical power to make the brush autonomously write twelve Spirit-Awakening Talismans.
• Han Anbo returns with the requested materials: cloth pouches, Madam Wei’s hair, Tao Zhi’s shoe-sole soil, soil from beneath a white horse’s hooves, and dead ants.
• Li Qingxian verifies that the materials retain the correct destiny auras.
• Using the hair, shoe-soil, horse-hoof soil, dead ants, cyan cloth, and a Spirit-Awakening Talisman, Li Qingxian performs the Fate-Urging Art:
  • The horse-hoof soil forms a path between Madam Wei’s hair and Tao Zhi’s soil.
  • The ants animate and repeatedly carry the soil between the two targets.
  • The materials are wrapped into a talismanic cylinder, creating a connection between the two people.
• Li Qingxian kills a small cyan snake and places the talismanic cylinder inside it. The snake’s body fuses into a closed ring, with the cylinder moving within it like a living creature.
• This completes the “white horse leads the way, snake and ants urge death” fate technique, apparently intended to harm or shorten Wei Yong’s life.
• Li Qingxian asks Han Anbo to bury the completed object within a hundred paces of Wei Yong’s residence, preferably somewhere abandoned and undisturbed.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian displays impressive skill and precision in fate cultivation. Although he is considered poor at other forms of cultivation, his natural talent for fate arts is revealed to be exceptional.
• He shows both confidence and caution: he carefully checks the destiny auras of the materials and chooses not to use a living snake, citing the traditional principle of leaving others a way out.
• Yu Ping shifts from skepticism and curiosity to open awe. Seeing real fate arts leaves him frightened but exhilarated, confirming his admiration for Li Qingxian.
• Han Anbo demonstrates experience and knowledge of fate arts. He recognizes that Li’s technique surpasses that of ordinary rogue cultivators, though it remains below the level of major sect disciples.
• Han also acknowledges Li’s unusual specialization, noting that his weakness in other areas contrasts with his remarkable fate-cultivation talent.

Significant Themes

• Specialized talent and hidden potential: Li Qingxian’s unusual aptitude proves that apparent weakness in one discipline may conceal extraordinary ability in another.
• The power and danger of fate manipulation: The chapter presents destiny as something that can be influenced through symbolic connections, ritual, and carefully prepared materials.
• Tradition and moral restraint: Li follows the custom of leaving a means of escape for others, even while carrying out a hostile fate technique.
• Knowledge lost through social disorder: Han recalls an earlier era when Fate Arts Masters were more common, emphasizing how war and political chaos drove such practitioners into hiding.
• Supernatural craftsmanship: The careful preparation of paper, ink, brush, cloth, animal remains, and soil reflects a theme of magic as both ritual and technical skill.

Character Interactions

• Yu Ping watches Li’s demonstrations with intense excitement and later enthusiastically recounts them to Han Anbo.
• Han provides historical context and evaluates Li’s abilities, creating a respectful exchange between the two.
• Li relies on Han as a trusted assistant, first accepting the materials he gathered and later assigning him the dangerous task of burying the completed fate object.
• Yu Ping’s fear and fascination contrast with Han’s calm expertise and Li’s controlled professionalism.

Chapter Summary: Filth-Cleansing Talisman

Key Plot Points and Events

• Han Anbo worries about handling the Green Ring Snake and asks whether he should carry a talisman. Li Qingxian creates three Fate Arts talismans: a Spirit-Awakening Talisman, Calamity-Warding Talismans, and a Filth-Cleansing Talisman.
• Li Qingxian explains that the Calamity-Warding Talismans can protect against Fate Arts-related harm, accidents, and consequences connected to the snake. The Filth-Cleansing Talisman can ward off or remove ordinary evil contamination.
• Han Anbo recognizes that Li Qingxian’s talismans are unusually powerful, containing blue-white threads beneath their bright-red runes. He compares them to rare high-grade talismans and warns Li Qingxian not to publicize or casually sell them.
• Han Anbo buries the Green Ring Snake beneath an abandoned residence and waits to ensure that no supernatural disaster occurs. He later confirms that the operation was successful.
• Li Qingxian studies the Fate Projection created by the snake. He sees the headless snake entering a grand residence, multiplying into countless small snakes, and disappearing throughout it. He concludes that the first stage of his plan has been completed.
• The next stage is to make Wei Yong discover the affair between Tao Zhi and another person. Since Wei Yong is likely to prioritize his official career and political interests over personal outrage, Li Qingxian decides that the affair must be exposed in a way that forces the two involved parties into open conflict.
• Li Qingxian realizes that his current Fate Arts are insufficient to carry out the entire plan and considers seeking Zhou Chunfeng’s assistance, but Zhou is absent from Chunfeng Residence.
• Near the end of the workday, Li Qingxian and Han Anbo hide near the Finance Office to observe Tao Zhi and Wei Yong’s departure.
• At the Finance Office, Wei Yong learns that Grand Inspector Yan and Director Liu are heading to Chunfeng Residence. He must choose between attending his wife’s birthday banquet and pursuing a valuable political opportunity.
• Wei Yong decides to abandon the banquet and go to Chunfeng Residence, hoping to repair his relationship with the Heir of Prince Yuan, gain access to Zhou Chunfeng’s resources, and improve his political standing. He gives the birthday gift to Tao Zhi, leaving his final decision—and the chapter—unresolved.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates growing mastery of Fate Arts and increasingly sophisticated strategic thinking. He understands both the supernatural mechanics of his plan and the political psychology needed to make it succeed.
• Han Anbo is shown as cautious, experienced, and knowledgeable about the Night Guard and talisman traditions. Although he never reached Entry Rank in Fate Arts, his years of service give him practical insight and make him a reliable partner.
• Yu Ping remains curious and somewhat inexperienced, but he gains a greater appreciation for the rarity and danger of Li Qingxian’s talismans.
• Wei Yong reveals himself to be calculating and ambitious. He is willing to neglect his wife’s birthday and family obligations to pursue political advancement and recover favor with powerful allies.
• Tao Zhi appears loyal and competent, assisting Wei Yong in managing both official matters and the emerging political opportunity. His relationship with Wei Yong is also central to Li Qingxian’s larger scheme.

Significant Themes

• Fate versus human choice: Li Qingxian can alter circumstances through Fate Arts, but the ultimate results still depend on how people respond to those circumstances.
• Political ambition and betrayal: Wei Yong prioritizes advancement over family loyalty and seeks to manipulate multiple factions for personal gain.
• Hidden power and secrecy: The talismans are extremely valuable and dangerous, but Li Qingxian must conceal their true quality to avoid attracting unwanted attention.
• Strategy over brute force: Li Qingxian recognizes that Fate Arts alone cannot guarantee success; he must exploit people’s motives, relationships, and political interests.
• Consequences and contamination: The talismans symbolize protection from unseen dangers, while the snake’s infiltration represents how hidden schemes can spread through an entire household or institution.

Character Interactions

• Han Anbo and Yu Ping react differently to the talismans: Yu Ping is amused by Han’s fear, while Han emphasizes the genuine dangers involved.
• Li Qingxian earns Han Anbo’s respect through his knowledge and powerful talisman-making abilities.
• Li Qingxian and Han Anbo collaborate closely, first in burying the snake and later in spying on the Finance Office.
• Li Qingxian discusses his plans with Yu Ping and Han Anbo, revealing his intention to manipulate Wei Yong into exposing the affair.
• Wei Yong and Tao Zhi discuss the conflict between family obligations and political opportunity, exposing Wei Yong’s ambition and Tao Zhi’s subordinate loyalty.
• The chapter ends with Wei Yong entrusting Tao Zhi with his wife’s birthday gift while choosing politics over family, foreshadowing further conflict.

Chapter Summary: “Inner Factory, Coffin Sedan”

Plot Points and Events

• Wei Yong entrusts Tao Zhi with delivering bracelets to his wife and managing her family in his absence. He warns Tao Zhi to tolerate Madam Wei’s temper, unaware that Tao Zhi is about to become involved in an affair with her.
• Using his Fate Arts, Li Qingxian observes Tao Zhi’s changing Fortune. Tao Zhi’s official seal has descended, and his Fate Projection now shows him becoming intimate with Madam Wei. Li realizes that the Fate-Urging Art has rapidly altered Tao Zhi’s fate.
• Li discovers that Wei Yong is away from home, creating an opportunity for Tao Zhi and Madam Wei. He considers manipulating events so Wei Yong will catch them together, but time is running out.
• Before Li can investigate Wei Yong’s whereabouts, he is summoned back to Chunfeng Residence because Grand Inspector Yan of the Inner Treasury Office and Director Liu of the Ministry of Works are expected.
• At Chunfeng Residence, Li meets Zhou Chunfeng and Luo Jing. They discuss Li’s recent borrowing of five hundred taels of gold, his growing skill in Fate Arts, and the political importance of the Inner Factory.
• Li learns that the Inner Factory was created to monitor the Western Depot, just as the Eastern and Western Depots had previously been established to control one another and the Night Guard. The emperor may soon abolish or restructure one of the existing guard or depot institutions, making the Inner Factory likely to rise in influence.
• After waiting through dinner and extended conversation, the group receives word that Grand Inspector Yan and Director Liu have arrived in a terrifying Coffin Sedan.
• The chapter ends as the Coffin Sedan approaches: sixteen skeletons carry a massive coffin through gray mist, accompanied by eerie lights and puppet-like cries.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian continues to develop his Fate Arts, successfully reading Tao Zhi’s altered destiny and predicting the timing of Tao Zhi’s affair. He also becomes increasingly aware of how Fate Arts can be used to manipulate events.
• Li shows growing political understanding. Through his conversation with Zhou Chunfeng and Luo Jing, he begins to grasp the emperor’s strategy of balancing the Night Guard, Eastern Depot, Western Depot, and Inner Factory.
• Tao Zhi is placed in an awkward and dangerous position. Though initially reluctant to handle Madam Wei’s family, the Fate-Urging Art appears to draw him into an intimate relationship with her almost immediately.
• Wei Yong unknowingly creates the circumstances for the affair by remaining away from home. His absence frustrates Li’s plan to expose the couple.
• Zhou Chunfeng appears politically composed and knowledgeable, guiding Li’s understanding while carefully maintaining respect for the emperor.
• Luo Jing acts as an intermediary and companion, explaining the Inner Factory’s political significance and tempering Li’s blunt remarks.
• Grand Inspector Yan and Director Liu remain mysterious, their arrival delayed until the final scene. Yan’s association with the Inner Factory suggests that his visit may have major political importance.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation of fate: Li’s observations demonstrate how Fate Arts can redirect personal relationships and political outcomes, though the results may occur faster and less predictably than expected.
• Political surveillance and institutional balance: The emperor maintains power by creating rival organizations—the Night Guard, Eastern Depot, Western Depot, and Inner Factory—to monitor and restrain one another.
• Hidden motives beneath official loyalty: Li, Zhou Chunfeng, and Luo Jing speak reverently of the emperor while clearly recognizing the calculated, suspicious, and highly strategic nature of his rule.
• The danger of unintended consequences: Li attempts to engineer Wei Yong’s discovery of the affair but loses the opportunity because of unrelated official business, showing how fragile his plans are.
• The supernatural within government: The horrifying Coffin Sedan illustrates that demonic, ghostly, and uncanny forces are not separate from official society; they can appear openly within the imperial bureaucracy.

Character Interactions

• Wei Yong and Tao Zhi: Wei Yong casually assigns Tao Zhi the task of handling his wife and family, unknowingly putting him in an intimate situation with Madam Wei.
• Tao Zhi and Madam Wei: Their relationship shifts from consolation and drunken closeness to an apparent affair, revealed through Li’s Fate Projection rather than direct observation.
• Li Qingxian and Han Anbo: Li asks Han to investigate Wei Yong’s whereabouts, but their plan is interrupted by Li’s summons.
• Li Qingxian, Zhou Chunfeng, and Luo Jing: Their conversation combines teasing, financial matters, Fate Arts, court politics, and the structure of the imperial surveillance institutions.
• Li and the emperor’s political system: Although the emperor is not present, the discussion frames him as a master strategist who prevents any single inner-court institution from becoming too powerful.
• The officials and the Coffin Sedan: Zhou Chunfeng, Luo Jing, Li Qingxian, and Zhou Hen calmly prepare to receive the grotesque procession, emphasizing their familiarity with the supernatural and the seriousness of the approaching visitors.

Chapter Summary: Puppet Cultivator Distillation

Key Plot Points and Events

• The eerie Coffin Sedan arrives at Chunfeng Residence, carried by sixteen snow-white skeletons. It transforms into a grand doorway leading to an extravagant, otherworldly residence.
• The visitors are:
  • Yan Shixiao, a Principal Fifth Rank eunuch official and powerful cultivator dressed in a vivid military-style robe.
  • Liu Muwa, Director of the Artifacts Office, whose corpse-like appearance and rigid movements reveal him to be a Puppet Cultivator.
• Zhou Chunfeng warmly receives both officials, while Li Qingxian, Luo Jing, and Zhou Hen offer their respects.
• Yan Shixiao displays an obvious admiration for Zhou Chunfeng, ignoring formal etiquette to sit beside him and repeatedly praising his appearance. Zhou Chunfeng responds politely but redirects the conversation toward business.
• Liu Muwa questions Li Qingxian about his proposed method of distilling alcohol. Li explains that alcohol evaporates at a lower temperature than water and can be separated by cooling the vapor back into liquid.
• Impressed by Li’s reasoning, Liu Muwa praises him extravagantly and offers him a future directorial position in the Ministry of Works, even if Li refuses to become a Puppet Cultivator. Li declines because he prefers Fate Arts, Daoist arts, and remaining in the Night Guard.
• Liu Muwa immediately demonstrates his capabilities by producing a miniature magical furnace and rapidly creating the equipment necessary for distillation, including a bronze boiling vessel, condenser, and ceramic containers.
• He freezes water around the condenser with his mana, successfully completing Great Qi’s first full condensing apparatus.
• Liu Muwa begins testing the process using yellow wine. Li instructs him to carefully regulate the heat so that more alcohol than water evaporates, and Liu confirms that his cultivation allows him to sense and control the vapor’s differences.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates scientific insight, practical reasoning, and growing confidence. His knowledge earns him recognition from an expert of the Ministry of Works, though he remains cautious about abandoning the Night Guard and its potential Fortune rewards.
• Liu Muwa is revealed to be both grotesque and extraordinarily capable. Despite initially seeming like a stiff corpse or puppet, he possesses exceptional technical talent and immediately understands and implements Li’s ideas.
• Yan Shixiao appears powerful but eccentric, flamboyant, and openly infatuated with Zhou Chunfeng. His playful behavior contrasts sharply with Liu Muwa’s seriousness.
• Zhou Chunfeng maintains his composed, refined demeanor, treating Yan without prejudice while skillfully keeping the meeting focused on the distillery.
• Luo Jing supports Li and even notes that the Ministry of Revenue would welcome him, emphasizing Li’s increasing value to the government.

Significant Themes

• Science and innovation: Li introduces principles of evaporation, condensation, and temperature control into a cultivation-based society.
• Collaboration between knowledge and power: Li provides the theoretical framework, while Liu Muwa’s Puppet Arts turn those ideas into functioning technology almost instantly.
• Tradition versus innovation: Great Qi’s experts possess immense abilities but often focus only on cultivation and official advancement, leaving practical discoveries unexplored.
• Path dependence: Li observes that established habits and priorities can prevent even highly capable people from pursuing new developments.
• Talent and political value: Li’s invention makes him attractive to multiple government ministries, showing how useful knowledge can create influence and opportunity.
• Eccentricity within authority: The chapter juxtaposes the bizarre appearances and personalities of high-ranking cultivators with their competence and institutional power.

Character Interactions

• Yan Shixiao repeatedly flatters Zhou Chunfeng and treats him with unusual familiarity, while Zhou remains courteous but redirects him toward official matters.
• Liu Muwa initially focuses on Li’s explanation, then enthusiastically praises his intellect and attempts to recruit him.
• Li respectfully declines the offer but maintains a positive relationship with Liu.
• Luo Jing reinforces Li’s importance by extending a similar invitation from the Ministry of Revenue.
• Zhou Hen remains vigilant at the entrance, nearly intervening when Liu Muwa suddenly strikes the chair in excitement.
• The chapter ends with Li guiding Liu through the practical distillation experiment, establishing a productive partnership between Li’s modern knowledge and Liu’s Puppet Arts.