Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: Half-Evil Devil Child Enters the Eerie Town

Key Plot Points and Events

• A mysterious heavenly thunderclap strikes Eerie Town despite the clear sky. The lightning weakens Devil Cultivators and Heretical Cultivators, causing panic and internal complaints among the residents.
• Half-Evil Devil Child, one of the Otherworldly Devil Sect’s strongest Demon Children, is injured by the heavenly lightning while casting a spell. He carries the Whispering Devil God Portrait, intending to release it once he confirms that Li Qingxian is in the Eerie Ground. Unlike other Devil God Portraits, it can immediately locate and torment its target.
• The chapter shifts to Li Qingxian’s group inside the Aerial Pavilion, where heavenly lightning strikes Zhou Hen as part of his investment as a heavenly general.
• Zhou Hen survives the transformation. His injuries heal, his body becomes stronger, and he gains the Thunder Division’s divine ability, Thunderforce Armament. Lightning begins naturally enhancing his weapons and martial techniques.
• Zhou Hen reveals that he can now defeat three versions of his former self while fighting bare-handed. His new strength and aura make him comparable to an exceptionally powerful Grand Cultivator.
• The group congratulates Zhou Hen, recognizing that he has gained not only greater physical power but also the imposing spiritual presence of an Upper Realm heavenly general.
• Inspired by Zhou Hen’s transformation, Liu Yitian and Yu Ping ask whether they can receive heavenly soldier status. Li Qingxian explains that heavenly generals require greater strength, but the two elders and Han Anbo may be able to endure the transformation into heavenly soldiers.

Character Developments

• Half-Evil Devil Child: Introduced as a dangerous and highly capable antagonist. He cultivates both evil and demonic arts and belongs to the feared Otherworldly Devil Sect. His confidence remains intact despite being injured, as he believes the lightning was merely an accident and still plans to use the Whispering Devil God against Li Qingxian.
• Zhou Hen: Undergoes a major advancement by becoming a heavenly general. His body is reforged by lightning, his scar fades, and his strength increases dramatically. He gains the Thunderforce Armament divine ability, which empowers his weapons and gives him a commanding, grandmaster-like presence. Though he remains stern, his suppressed pride and joy are evident.
• Li Qingxian: Acts as the leader and evaluator of the group. He calmly observes Zhou Hen’s transformation, assesses its significance, and determines who else is qualified to receive heavenly status.
• Liu Yitian and Yu Ping: Display envy and ambition after witnessing Zhou Hen’s advancement. They recognize their limits and sensibly request the less demanding status of heavenly soldiers.
• Han Anbo: Supports Zhou Hen and participates in the group’s discussions about heavenly advancement.

Significant Themes

• Power gained through divine transformation: Zhou Hen’s advancement demonstrates that heavenly recognition can compensate for limited aptitude and resources, elevating an ordinary but persistent cultivator to an extraordinary level.
• The importance of aptitude, resources, and intelligence: The group reflects that effort is only the foundation of cultivation. Greater advancement requires talent, resources, strategic thinking, or a combination of all three.
• Heavenly authority versus demonic power: The heavenly lightning severely harms Devil Cultivators while strengthening Zhou Hen, emphasizing the opposing natures of celestial and demonic forces.
• Ambition tempered by self-awareness: Liu Yitian and Yu Ping desire advancement but understand that becoming heavenly generals may exceed their limits, so they seek the more realistic status of heavenly soldiers.
• The looming threat of the Otherworldly Devil Sect: Half-Evil Devil Child’s arrival establishes a dangerous enemy and foreshadows a confrontation with Li Qingxian.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian questions Zhou Hen about his transformation, allowing Zhou Hen to describe his vision of the Celestial Court and his new divine ability.
• The group congratulates Zhou Hen and reacts with shock and admiration to his overwhelming improvement.
• Liu Yitian and Yu Ping appeal to Li Qingxian for heavenly soldier status, while Li Qingxian explains the requirements and limits of the heavenly transformations.
• Half-Evil Devil Child does not yet interact directly with Li Qingxian, but his plans and possession of the Whispering Devil God Portrait establish him as a direct future opponent.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian uses the Celestial Soldier Technique on Liu Yitian, the one-armed master of the Divine Bow Sect. Although Liu is old and weakened, the ritual succeeds spectacularly: his missing arm regenerates before everyone’s eyes.
• The restoration shocks the assembled cultivators, who realize that the celestial techniques possess extraordinary healing and empowering abilities.
• Li Qingxian grants the others identities within the Thunder Division by performing the Celestial Soldier or Celestial General Technique on them:
  • Xu Fang, Wang Shoude, He Lei, and other Seventh Rank cultivators advance directly to the Sixth Rank.
  • Yu Ping’s damaged dantian is repaired, and he advances directly to the Ninth Rank.
• Han Anbo refuses the celestial investiture. He believes that pursuing cultivation and higher ranks would invite disaster and insists that he would rather live according to his principles than chase power. Li Qingxian respects his decision despite the others’ attempts to persuade him.
• After leaving the Aerial Pavilion, Li Qingxian senses an ominous change in Eerie Town. His Fate Disk reveals that:
  • The Momentum Configuration has expanded into the Upper Mountain District.
  • The Rat Strongmen have multiplied.
  • Many Devil Cultivators have died or lost one to two ranks.
  • Surviving Devil Cultivators have become unusually irritable, suggesting that the town is undergoing a dangerous mutation.
• In another residence, a severely wounded black-clad cultivator is expelled by the inhabitants. They believe he is a Devil or Heretical Cultivator because thunder causes him to vomit blood and suffer catastrophic injuries.
• The residents vote to remove him, fearing that keeping him inside will attract misfortune. They use their clothes as ropes to avoid touching him and throw him outside.
• A huge, fat child wearing a Fortune-themed robe arrives to perform the “Four Neighbors Paying Respects.” After offering blessings, he notices the black-clad man and tears open his abdomen, revealing that he is an Evil Devil Child.
• The fat child eats the dying man and discovers a mysterious blank scroll in his pack. When the scroll burns, numerous eerie voices surround him, accusing and threatening him. For the first time, the seemingly confident child becomes genuinely frightened and is trapped in darkness.

Character Developments

• Liu Yitian: Receives a miraculous restoration of his lost arm, renewing his hope and emotional vitality. His tears show how deeply the injury had affected him.
• Li Qingxian: Demonstrates greater mastery and influence by elevating multiple allies through celestial techniques. He also remains perceptive and cautious, recognizing that Eerie Town is changing before others do.
• Xu Fang, Wang Shoude, He Lei, and the other cultivators: Gain major increases in strength, advancing from the Seventh Rank to the Sixth Rank.
• Yu Ping: Has his damaged dantian completely repaired and advances directly to the Ninth Rank, making his transformation especially significant.
• Han Anbo: Reveals his firm, practical philosophy. He values a peaceful, meaningful life over power and refuses to let others define his goals.
• The fat child: Appears powerful, greedy, and confident, feeding on the Evil Devil Child and assuming the scroll is a heavenly gift. However, the mysterious voices expose his vulnerability and provoke fear.
• The black-clad cultivator: Is portrayed as mysterious and apparently dangerous, but he is ultimately helpless, suffering terribly under the thunder before being abandoned and killed.

Significant Themes

• Power and its consequences: The celestial techniques offer tremendous benefits, but the chapter repeatedly suggests that great power may also bring calamity.
• Individual choice versus conventional ambition: Han Anbo rejects the widespread desire for cultivation and advancement, emphasizing that personal values matter more than rank.
• Miracles and transformation: Liu Yitian’s restored arm, Yu Ping’s repaired dantian, and the others’ breakthroughs show the almost divine power of the Thunder Division.
• Fear of the unknown: The inhabitants of Eerie Town react to danger through suspicion and superstition, while even the powerful fat child is unnerved by forces he cannot understand.
• Cruelty and moral judgment: The residents quickly condemn and expel the injured cultivator based on his apparent identity, illustrating how fear can override compassion.
• Mutation and impending danger: The changes among the Devil Cultivators, the growth of the Rat Strongmen, and the ominous voices indicate that Eerie Town is entering a more dangerous phase.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian works cooperatively with the cultivators, empowering them while allowing Han Anbo to make his own decision.
• The group tries to convince Han Anbo to accept the celestial technique, but he firmly defends his philosophy, and Li Qingxian ultimately respects him.
• The residents of the mysterious house collectively decide to sacrifice the black-clad cultivator for their own safety, though two individuals refuse to support the vote.
• The fat child treats the expelled cultivator as prey, but his encounter with the scroll reverses the power dynamic: unseen voices begin to threaten and psychologically torment him.

Chapter Summary: “Three of a Family Meet Misfortune”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The fat child is trapped in an eerie illusion involving Fortune Character bibs and confronts Li Qingxian, who now wields a twelve-section Green Bamboo Strip—an object signifying immense status in the Eerie Realm.
• Li Qingxian brutally lashes the child, leaving a blackened wound on his shoulder, then disappears. The child’s parents’ voices immediately announce that they are leaving him alone.
• Thousands of intestines attack the child, forcing their way into his mouth and stomach. The child’s excessive appetite is turned against him as his belly swells grotesquely.
• A group of Intestine-less People appears, including a kindly middle-aged woman whose intestines the child had previously eaten. She comforts him before suddenly exploding, covering him in pus and blood. More people follow, burying him in filth until he can barely breathe.
• The child awakens on a residential street and assumes the ordeal was merely an illusion, but threatening voices drag him back into the nightmare. His fears repeatedly manifest, including Li Qingxian, the Intestine-less People, the loss of his parents, and a Shirtless Blue-Clad Man who whips him.
• The fat child repeatedly wakes and falls unconscious in the real world. The onlookers realize that the Devil Cultivator may have dragged the eerie being into a shared nightmare or ordeal.
• As the cycle continues, the child’s body visibly withers and dries out. The observers shut themselves inside and refuse to intervene.
• The child’s parents arrive outside, enraged and demanding that their son not be harmed. Soon, the screams of the parents join those of the child, implying that the three members of the family have all become trapped in the same torment.
• A massive eruption of curses and divine power occurs in the Eerie Mist. A formless force explodes across Eerie Town, knocking out most residents and injuring some.
• A giant golden hand captures part of the mysterious power. Li Qingxian also faints, later awakening in his Spirit Platform amid disturbing visions before using the Divine Firmament Method to suppress them.
• Li Qingxian identifies the invading force as likely belonging to an Otherworldly Devil God. He realizes that several Devil Sects have already appeared and more are likely to follow.
• He becomes frustrated upon seeing the Five Qi above his Divine Pool Golden Liquid, since his demonic god aura is already dangerously concentrated. Absorbing only two more such auras could qualify him to become a demon son of a Devil Sect.

Character Developments

• The fat child changes from a threatening, confident eater into a terrified and helpless victim. His reliance on his parents collapses when they seemingly abandon him, and he is forced to confront the consequences of his past violence and consumption of others.
• The child’s parents initially function as a source of intimidation and protection, but their absence leaves the child exposed. Their later attempt to defend him fails, and they appear to suffer alongside him.
• Li Qingxian demonstrates overwhelming power and psychological control. Rather than simply killing the child, he subjects him to repeated nightmares and weaponizes the child’s own fears, guilt, and habits against him. Afterward, Li remains concerned about the dangerous demonic aura accumulating within him.
• The residents of Eerie Town shift from astonishment and uncertainty to pity and fear. They recognize the torment as severe but choose not to interfere, suggesting their own limits and dread of the forces involved.
• The Intestine-less People represent the victims of the fat child’s past actions. Their gentle, almost parental behavior makes their revenge more disturbing, turning kindness itself into a weapon.

Significant Themes

• Retribution and karmic punishment: The child is forced to endure the same grotesque imagery associated with his victims, particularly the intestines he once consumed.
• Fear as a weapon: Li Qingxian attacks the child psychologically, repeatedly confronting him with the people, objects, and consequences he fears most.
• The reversal of power: A being who once devoured others becomes helpless, consumed and smothered by the very imagery of his own crimes.
• Illusion and reality: The child repeatedly wakes from apparent nightmares only to discover that the terror continues, blurring the boundary between mental suffering and physical existence.
• Family dependence and helplessness: The child’s confidence rests almost entirely on his parents’ protection. Once they are absent—or trapped themselves—his identity and authority collapse.
• Escalating supernatural conflict: The arrival of multiple Devil Sects and the mysterious Otherworldly Devil God power suggest that the local conflict is part of a much larger struggle.
• Power as a burden: Li Qingxian’s growing demonic god aura is useful but dangerous, potentially forcing him into affiliation with a Devil Sect against his wishes.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and the fat child: Li confronts and physically punishes the child with the twelve-section Green Bamboo Strip, then torments him through recurring supernatural nightmares.
• The fat child and his parents: The child repeatedly calls for his parents, treating them as his only protection. Their voices first announce their departure, then later plead for his safety before they too become victims.
• The fat child and the Intestine-less People: His former victims confront him indirectly. Their smiles, forgiveness, and apparent affection make their eventual explosions especially horrifying.
• The residents and the fat child: The residents observe his repeated collapse with mixed reactions—some think he deserves punishment, while others pity him—but they ultimately remain passive.
• Li Qingxian and the invading supernatural forces: After the eruption, Li resists the strange visions and curses in his Spirit Platform with the Divine Firmament Method, maintaining control despite the growing interference of demonic powers.

Chapter Summary: “The Town Mayor Extends Goodwill”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian reflects on the mysterious death of the Azure Goat Demon Child from the Otherworldly Devil Sect before the demon even entered Blessing Town. He suspects the powerful and long-established town mayor was responsible.
• After inspecting his Fate Mansion, Li discovers that its aura has doubled. He deduces that this is due to Devil God’s Might, an Upper Realm power left behind by the Devil God. His Fate Mold is now effectively protected by a Devil God, potentially allowing him to nurture a powerful Devil God-related Fate Star.
• Li’s cultivation has advanced significantly. His mana has become denser and more overwhelming, astonishing Yu Ping, who compares its sound to the collapse of heaven and earth.
• During Li’s extended cultivation, the town mayor issues a major political order:
  • The Night Guard Patrol Bureau may establish an office in the Lower Mountain District.
  • It may exercise its authority there.
  • However, it cannot interfere with the Town Yamen or enter the Upper Mountain District’s affairs.
• Li and his companions interpret this as a strategic concession by the town mayor. His forces were badly damaged during the Devil God’s descent, and he may have weakened in rank. By empowering the Night Guard, he can recover while also using them to counterbalance the Prince of Chu.
• Gai Fengyou’s messages reveal that he rescued the Prince of Chu during the recent crisis, helped rebuild the prince’s Grand Momentum Configuration, and secretly retained some valuable Fate Materials.
• The Prince of Chu’s relationships with Good Fortune Born and the town mayor have become strained. Good Fortune Born nearly died beneath the Devil God’s attack, while the Prince of Chu’s residence suffered heavy losses.
• The Devil Cultivators in the Upper Mountain District have declined in strength. The town mayor may have fallen from Subordinate Second Rank to Third Rank, reducing his ability to control the town.
• Li decides to establish a new Fate Sect in the Lower Mountain District, the Divine Fate Sect, to recruit disciples and prepare for the future dispelling of the eerie.
• He plans to use the current period of political calm to refine the Weird Momentum Configuration, which is essential to surviving in the Eerie Town.
• At the end of the chapter, Mr. Fu arrives on the town mayor’s orders and presents Li with a residence permit for the Upper Mountain District.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: His cultivation and Fate Mansion power rise dramatically through Devil God’s Might. He becomes more politically cautious, recognizing the town mayor’s strength and preferring strategic cooperation over confrontation. He also takes steps toward expanding his influence by founding the Divine Fate Sect.
• Yu Ping: Continues acting as Li’s reliable aide and provides information about the town mayor’s new policy and the Night Guard’s changing position.
• Gai Fengyou: Demonstrates loyalty and political competence by saving the Prince of Chu, assisting with the reconstruction of his momentum formation, and preserving valuable resources for Li. He agrees to advise Li on founding the new sect.
• The Town Mayor: Presents himself as willing to cooperate with the Night Guard, but his concession is clearly calculated. He appears weakened by the Devil God’s descent yet remains highly capable and politically perceptive.
• The Prince of Chu: Suffers major losses and becomes increasingly isolated. His relationships with both the town mayor and Good Fortune Born grow more complicated.
• Good Fortune Born: Loses standing with the Prince of Chu after mishandling the situation surrounding the Azure Goat Demon Child and nearly dying in the Devil God’s attack.

Significant Themes

• Power concealed beneath weakness: The town mayor’s apparent concession may be a calculated move rather than genuine goodwill. Likewise, Li’s rapidly increasing power is difficult for others to measure.
• Political balance and strategic alliances: The town mayor empowers the Night Guard to offset the Prince of Chu, while Li recognizes that shared opposition to the Devil Sect makes him and the mayor temporary allies.
• Survival through preparation: Li focuses on refining the Weird Momentum Configuration and creating the Divine Fate Sect, preparing for future crises rather than relying solely on immediate strength.
• The influence of Upper Realm powers: Devil God’s Might dramatically transforms Li’s Fate Mansion, showing how divine forces can reshape mortal cultivation and destiny.
• Decline and redistribution of authority: The Devil God’s arrival weakens several factions, creating an opening for the Night Guard to gain legitimacy and influence.

Character Interactions

• Li and Yu Ping discuss Li’s cultivation, the town mayor’s new order, and the likely motives behind it.
• Li communicates with Gai Fengyou, who reports on the Prince of Chu, Good Fortune Born, the town mayor, and the shifting political situation. Their exchange also establishes Gai Fengyou as an adviser for the Divine Fate Sect.
• The town mayor has privately questioned Gai Fengyou about the Azure Goat Demon Child’s connection to the Prince of Chu, increasing his suspicion of the prince.
• Mr. Fu arrives as the town mayor’s representative, formally greeting Li and delivering the Upper Mountain District residence permit, signaling an official gesture of cooperation or strategic goodwill.

Chapter Summary: “An Arrow on the String Must Be Loosed”

Key Plot Points and Events

• In the region beyond Eerie Town, mysterious beams of light communicate that the Eerie Grounds are becoming unstable because of Li Qingxian’s actions. They believe the Upper Realm’s influence is too powerful and decide to help suppress the situation so he will leave quickly.
• In Eerie Town, Good Fortune Born awakens from recurring nightmares involving the Devil God, monsters, and grotesque eyes. His appearance has deteriorated, suggesting that his Fortune is being consumed or that he has been afflicted by a powerful Eerie.
• He reflects on his recent decisions, especially agreeing to Prince of Chu’s request to use the Grim-Faced Spider King. He realizes that entering an Eerie Ground weakened his accumulated Fortune and that helping Prince of Chu was a serious mistake.
• Good Fortune Born concludes that Ye Han likely possesses immense Fortune and should not be treated as an enemy. He also decides to distance himself from Prince of Chu without openly antagonizing him.
• He studies the town mayor’s political strategy and resolves to avoid unnecessary enemies, maintain alliances, and solve conflicts indirectly rather than confronting people head-on.
• After writing down his mistakes and plans for improvement, he experiences another terrifying Eerie illusion: his reflection attacks him and splits apart into grotesque eyeballs. He destroys the mirror and wall with Solar True Fire.
• Though visibly shaken, he tells his guards that the Eerie affliction is manageable and focuses on finding a way to escape the town.
• Good Fortune Born examines several important artifacts, including the Heaven’s Mandate Token bearing the character “Ye,” and decides to use a dangerous Ground-Opening Jade to increase his strength.
• The jade enters his brow, causing him to scream, cough blood, and collapse. At the same moment, the Heaven’s Mandate Token emits a faint glow.

Character Developments

• Good Fortune Born undergoes a major shift in judgment. He recognizes that his previous reliance on Prince of Chu was misguided and accepts responsibility for his poor decision.
• His confidence is badly shaken by the Eerie affliction, nightmares, and physical deterioration, but he attempts to regain control through careful analysis and self-reflection.
• He becomes more politically cautious, resolving to avoid direct confrontation, preserve relationships, and recognize the deeper power structures controlling Great Qi.
• Despite his fear and declining condition, he remains ambitious and chooses to risk a dangerous advancement technique rather than remain vulnerable to Ye Han and Prince of Chu.
• His decision to use the Ground-Opening Jade reveals both determination and desperation: he understands the risks but believes he has no safer alternative.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of bad judgment: Good Fortune Born realizes that one decision—supporting Prince of Chu—has triggered a chain of misfortunes.
• Fortune and vulnerability: Power and luck in the human world do not necessarily carry over into Eerie Grounds, emphasizing the limits of human strength in supernatural domains.
• Political survival through adaptability: The chapter favors compromise, observation, and strategic neutrality over open conflict.
• Self-reflection and transformation: Good Fortune Born tries to become a “new self” by learning from failure, though the Eerie immediately challenges his confidence.
• Ambition versus danger: His use of the Ground-Opening Jade shows the lengths he is willing to go to gain strength, even when the outcome may be catastrophic.
• Hidden manipulation: The mysterious voices beyond Eerie Town suggest that larger forces are monitoring and influencing events, particularly Li Qingxian’s activities.

Character Interactions

• Good Fortune Born reflects on his broken and strained relationship with Prince of Chu, deciding to maintain distance while avoiding outright hostility.
• He reassesses Ye Han, moving from potential opposition toward a strategy of reconciliation because he believes Ye Han’s Fortune is too powerful to challenge safely.
• He studies the town mayor’s ability to balance Prince of Chu, Master Gai, Good Fortune Born, and the Night Guard, adopting the mayor’s diplomatic approach as a model.
• His interaction with his guards shows him concealing his fear and maintaining an appearance of control after the mirror illusion.
• The faintly glowing Heaven’s Mandate Token, associated with Ye, hints at an unseen connection or protective influence as Good Fortune Born undergoes the dangerous Ground-Opening process.

Chapter Summary: Divine Mandate Orthodox Canon Begins Its Transmission

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mayor Zhang Wentian grants Ye Han/Li Qingxian 30,000 merit points and permission to move into the Upper Mountain District, where he may choose any vacant residence.
• The Night Guard is authorized to operate in the Lower Mountain District, while cooperating with the mayor’s yamen, especially against incoming demon children.
• The mayor plans to hold a formal Mountain Banquet when Li Qingxian moves up the mountain, following an unbreakable local tradition.
• Mr. Fu warns that future demon children will likely come from:
  • Devil-Transforming Mountain, carrying portraits of the Barbaric or Wisdom Devil God.
  • The Sand Devil Sect, carrying a portrait of the Blood Devil God.
• Mr. Fu explains that the so-called Wisdom Devil God is actually an incarnation of the Barbaric Devil God. The incarnation studied under the true, orthodox Lord of Wisdom, then returned to the Devil Realm and adopted the title of Wisdom Devil God.
• Li Qingxian and Mr. Fu discuss the different dangers posed by the three demon gods:
  • The Barbaric Devil God uses overwhelming, direct attacks.
  • The Wisdom Devil God may spread an invisible “Other-Transformation Freedom Grand Art,” gradually driving people insane.
  • The Blood Devil God incites people’s hidden evil, though it is generally weak unless it concentrates its power in one individual.
• After Mr. Fu leaves, Li Qingxian organizes the Night Guard to prepare defenses against demon god portraits.
• Following advice from the Heaven Marrow Academy, Li Qingxian opens his Middle-Aged Fate Ground. Although the process succeeds, he discovers a Fate Star beginning to form unnaturally on his year Fate Pillar.
• Li concludes that the Fate Star’s rapid gestation is caused by demon god power, confirming his earlier suspicions. Since interfering could damage his Fate Mold, he chooses to wait and cautiously strengthens his fortune through Fate Arts.
• Meanwhile, the Night Guard is reorganized and expanded:
  • Previously imprisoned Night Guards are released and compensated.
  • The Patrol Bureau is formally established.
  • The Divine Fate Sect begins recruiting.
  • Three abandoned children harmed by eerie forces are adopted and taught Fate Arts.
  • Xu Changren, who possesses unexpected Fate Arts talent, joins the sect.
• The remade Divine Mandate Orthodox Canon begins producing results: all seven disciples of the Divine Fate Sect, including the three children, reach Entry Rank within days.
• The Filthy Beggar continues wandering through town and cursing the yamen and local shops.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates increasing authority and responsibility as he prepares the Night Guard for powerful supernatural threats. He also becomes more cautious after discovering the demon-influenced Fate Star.
• He gains a clearer understanding of the connection between the Barbaric and Wisdom Devil Gods and recognizes the danger of psychological and invisible corruption.
• Mr. Fu provides valuable intelligence about the demon gods and their abilities, though he remains cautious about revealing forbidden information.
• Han Anbo silently acknowledges the seriousness of the coming threat and supports Li’s assessment.
• Xu Changren develops from a former Blessing-Welcoming Team member into a promising Fate Arts practitioner and Divine Fate Sect disciple.
• The three abandoned children are given protection and a future through the Night Guard and Hu Jizu’s instruction.
• The Divine Fate Sect rapidly grows under Li Qingxian’s direction, showing the power of the Divine Mandate Orthodox Canon.

Significant Themes

• Orthodoxy versus corruption: The chapter contrasts the true Lord of Wisdom with the false “Wisdom Devil God,” emphasizing that genuine wisdom cannot be reduced to cleverness or rationalized brutality.
• The hidden nature of evil: The Blood Devil God and Wisdom Devil God attack through inner weaknesses, madness, and gradual corruption rather than simple physical force.
• Preparation against uncertainty: Li Qingxian responds to future danger through organization, divination, cultivation, and institution-building rather than reckless action.
• Fate and outside influence: The spontaneously forming Fate Star suggests that powerful external forces can interfere with a person’s destiny and Fate Mold.
• Growth through responsibility: The Night Guard evolves from a protective organization into a broader institution that maintains public order, adopts vulnerable children, and establishes a religious and educational tradition.
• The transmission of knowledge: The Divine Mandate Orthodox Canon begins transforming ordinary or disadvantaged people into capable Fate Arts practitioners, marking the start of a new sectarian legacy.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and Mr. Fu discuss the Mountain Banquet, the Night Guard’s jurisdiction, and strategies for dealing with demon god portraits.
• Their conversation reveals the history of the Wisdom Devil God and deepens Li’s understanding of the enemy.
• Li Qingxian and Han Anbo share a brief but meaningful exchange in which Han recognizes the danger of the demon gods’ abilities.
• Li Qingxian and the Night Guard work together to establish defenses and formalize the Patrol Bureau.
• Hu Jizu becomes responsible for teaching the three adopted children, helping integrate them into the Night Guard’s growing community.
• Li Qingxian and Xu Changren are connected through Xu’s recruitment into the Divine Fate Sect, symbolizing the expansion of Li’s influence.

Chapter Summary: “Ten Suns, Hundred Moons Suppress Heavenly Stars”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Within Heaven Marrow Academy, Li Qingxian observes Fate Arts Masters constructing complex Eerie Momentum Configuration Cities. These combine the Eerie Village, Eerie Town, Eerie City, and Eerie Imperial Palace, each containing numerous specialized structures and mechanisms.
• The masters debate how best to arrange the configurations. Some emphasize agricultural areas and the White Building, while others focus on traps, killing formations, confinement mechanisms, or powerful structures modeled after famous dragon-based configurations.
• After a month of discussion and revision, thousands of Eerie Momentum Configuration Cities are tested against successive Grand Momentum Configurations.
• The instructor first activates Mountains and Rivers Under Heaven, followed by the renowned Ten Suns, Hundred Moons Suppress Heavenly Stars, which fills the sky with ten suns, a hundred moons, and countless stars.
• Additional Grand Momentum Configurations are deployed one after another. Their combined pressure exposes flaws in many students’ configurations. Failed masters withdraw their creations and analyze the reasons for their collapse.
• By the ninth Grand Momentum Configuration, only twenty-seven Momentum Configuration Cities remain. These are recognized as extraordinary achievements, since surviving nine layers places them among the greatest configurations in the Fate Arts Realm.
• The tenth Grand Momentum Configuration transforms the academy into a peaceful, paradisiacal world. Rather than destroying the remaining configurations, it nourishes and strengthens them, allowing their Qi mechanisms to evolve.
• Li realizes that the true purpose of Grand Momentum Configurations is not destruction but restoration: using destiny to mend heaven and earth and improve the mortal world.
• After the test ends, the twenty-seven surviving configurations descend, and the Fate Arts Masters gather to critique, debate, and refine them further.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian remains primarily an observer and diligent student. He records every detail with his brush and Fate Disk, recognizing that there is much he does not yet understand.
• Initially, he privately feels that the famous Ten Suns, Hundred Moons Suppress Heavenly Stars lacks something, but he restrains his arrogance and reminds himself to learn before judging.
• His understanding deepens dramatically when he sees the tenth Grand Momentum Configuration nourish rather than destroy the surviving cities. He gains an important insight into the higher purpose and philosophy of Fate Arts.
• The other Fate Arts Masters demonstrate humility and intellectual discipline by openly recording their failures and sharing their discoveries. The strongest masters gain recognition when their configurations survive the first nine tests.

Significant Themes

• Learning through failure: Collapsed configurations are treated as valuable lessons, with their creators carefully analyzing their flaws for everyone’s benefit.
• Cooperation over pride: The masters argue fiercely, but their disagreements are focused on improving the art rather than protecting personal status.
• Balance and moderation: The failures reveal that excess, density, or overemphasis can destabilize a configuration; prosperity taken too far can become weakness.
• Creation rather than destruction: The final configuration demonstrates that the highest form of power restores and nourishes instead of merely attacking.
• Fate and responsibility: Li understands that Fate Arts Masters use human destiny to establish and repair heavenly destiny, giving their art a constructive role in the world.

Character Interactions

• The Fate Arts Masters constantly debate the placement and function of individual configuration blocks, offering competing theories about how the Eerie Momentum Cities should be designed.
• When configurations fail, their creators explain their mistakes publicly, allowing others to learn from them.
• The surviving masters receive admiration from the rest, while Li quietly records their achievements and insights.
• After the trial, the masters engage in intense collective criticism and refinement. They argue like “Contrarian Kings,” but personal emotions and reputations are largely ignored in favor of discovering the perfect configuration.

Summary of "When Drinking Water, Do Not Forget Those Who Dug the River"

1. Key Plot Points & Events

• Li Qingxian’s Awakening: After a prolonged unconscious state, Li Qingxian regains consciousness and begins reviewing the records of Heaven Marrow Academy to reconstruct events.
• Han Anbo’s Report: Han Anbo briefs Li Qingxian on the deteriorating situation in Eerie Town, particularly the Upper Mountain District’s exploitation of the Lower Mountain District.

The Town’s Crisis

• The Eerie Mist has devastated the Lower Mountain District, killing many and afflicting the rest, while the Upper Mountain District thrives.
• The Upper Mountain District’s lords blame the Lower District’s townsfolk for laziness, refusing to provide aid while demanding they buy goods and homes at inflated prices.
• The Lower District’s people are forced into poverty, with many sleeping in the streets, and newborns are nonexistent—all fertile women have fled to the Upper District.

The Parable of the River & Lakes

• Han Anbo explains the town’s decline through a metaphor of water distribution:
  • Originally, the main river (shared resource) supplied both districts.
  • Over generations, the Upper District’s descendants (now lake diggers) prioritized private lakes over the main river, diverting water for themselves.
  • The Lower District’s people (originally river diggers) were forced to rely on a shallow reservoir, while the Upper District’s lakes grew deeper.
  • Eventually, the Upper District blocked the river, forcing the Lower District to dig inefficiently while the Upper District hoarded water.
  • The townsfolk, realizing their efforts benefit others, stopped digging rivers, leading to a water shortage.
  • The Upper District then blames the Lower District for laziness, ignoring their own exploitation.

2. Character Developments

Li Qingxian

• Analytical & Strategic: Quickly processes Han Anbo’s report, recognizing the systemic corruption in Eerie Town.
• Growing Awareness: Begins to see the power imbalance between the Upper and Lower Districts, understanding that those who control resources (the lake diggers) dictate the rules.
• Moral Clarity: Challenges the idea that the Lower District’s suffering is their own fault, insisting that those who benefit most from the system must bear responsibility.

Han Anbo

• Observant & Knowledgeable: Uses the river/lake metaphor to illustrate the town’s decay, showing deep understanding of historical and social dynamics.
• Passive but Insightful: Though hesitant to speak at first, he delivers a scathing critique of the Upper District’s greed and hypocrisy.
• Subtle Critique of Power: Implies that those in power (the lake diggers) have forgotten their origins—they once relied on the river but now hoard water while others suffer.

3. Significant Themes

Exploitation & Power Imbalance

• The Upper Mountain District’s elite (lake diggers) have monopolized resources, leaving the Lower District (river diggers) to suffer.
• The system is designed to benefit the few at the expense of the many, with the powerful shifting blame onto the oppressed.

Historical Amnesia & Generational Decay

• The Upper District’s descendants forgot the original purpose of the river, prioritizing private gain over collective survival.
• Short-term thinking (digging lakes instead of maintaining the river) leads to long-term collapse.

Collective Action & Resistance

• The Lower District’s people stopped digging rivers when they saw no benefit, leading to further decline.
• The potential for rebellion is hinted at—those who flee with their buckets may seek alternative solutions.

Moral Responsibility

• The question posed ("Who should bear responsibility?") underscores that those who profit most from injustice must address it, not the victims.

4. Character Interactions

Li Qingxian & Han Anbo

• Intellectual Exchange: Li listens intently, asking clarifying questions, while Han Anbo delivers a detailed, allegorical explanation.
• Shared Concern: Both recognize the systemic rot in Eerie Town, with Li seeking solutions and Han Anbo providing historical context.

Li Qingxian’s Internal Conflict

• He **

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Han Anbo reports that the Divine Fate Sect is being tolerated by the Town Yamen, while the Night Guard has grown rapidly to over a thousand members—more than the population of the Lower Mountain District. The Upper Mountain District’s residents are increasingly displeased and want Li Qingxian to move there.
• The demonic disciples from Devil-Transforming Mountain and the Sand Devil Sect have not yet appeared.
• The Ascension Sect has recently intensified its recruitment, persuading townspeople to deliberately suffer Blessed Affliction so they can “ascend.” Dozens have died as a result.
• A Night Guard’s friend was deceived into joining the Ascension Sect. When the Night Guard attempted to rescue him, the sect resisted, leading to a confrontation.
• Mr. Fu intervenes as mediator, claiming that the Ascension Sect Master has admitted fault, returned the captive, paid compensation, and promised not to recruit Night Guards or their associates.
• Li Qingxian accepts the reconciliation but presses Mr. Fu about the sect’s backing. Mr. Fu implies that the town mayor supports the Ascension Sect.
• Mr. Fu again urges Li Qingxian to set a date for the Mountain Banquet and warns him to follow the Upper Mountain District’s customs, especially by eating the Ginseng Fruit.
• He reveals that Tomb General refused to eat the Ginseng Fruit at his Mountain Banquet, claiming it did not suit his taste. As a result, he alienated the Upper District’s powerful figures and eventually came into conflict with the town mayor and the Xue Family.
• Han Anbo identifies Tomb General as Huang Tiantao, an upright Upper Rank general from the Old Royal Army who became a Tomb Commandant after the army lost its funding. Huang is known as the “Four-No General” because he neither drank, accepted bribes, sought power, nor feared death.
• Li Qingxian suspects that Huang’s refusal to eat the fruit was based on hidden knowledge rather than stubbornness. He orders Gai Fengyou to investigate.
• Gai Fengyou reports that the Ginseng Fruit is indeed suspicious: the upper-district families confirm that whenever someone dies in Eerie Town, another fruit grows on the Ginseng Tree. The chapter ends with the implication that the fruit’s existence is directly tied to death.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian becomes increasingly cautious and politically perceptive. Rather than openly confronting the Ascension Sect’s backing, he accepts the settlement while continuing to investigate the deeper power structure.
• He also refuses to blindly follow local customs and begins questioning the true nature of the Ginseng Fruit, contrasting himself with those who accept the Upper District’s traditions without hesitation.
• Han Anbo acts as Li Qingxian’s trusted adviser, providing information about the town’s factions, Huang Tiantao’s background, and the possible dangers surrounding the Mountain Banquet.
• Mr. Fu presents himself as a reasonable mediator, but his warnings reveal his loyalty to the established order. He attempts to persuade Li Qingxian to submit to the Upper District’s rules.
• Huang Tiantao/Tomb General is characterized as principled, fearless, and independent. His refusal to eat the fruit now appears deliberate and potentially based on knowledge of its sinister cost.
• Gai Fengyou demonstrates resourcefulness by infiltrating the upper district’s social networks to uncover information about the fruit.

Significant Themes

• Political compromise versus moral resistance: Li Qingxian accepts a temporary reconciliation with the Ascension Sect without abandoning his suspicions about its conduct or its powerful patron.
• The danger of conformity: Mr. Fu’s advice suggests that survival depends on obeying local customs and becoming “one of their own,” while Tomb General’s fate illustrates the cost of refusing to conform.
• Hidden costs of power and immortality: The Ginseng Fruit promises longer life and greater cultivation, but its connection to deaths in Eerie Town strongly suggests that its benefits are built on sacrifice.
• Institutional corruption: The town mayor may be encouraging the Ascension Sect’s deadly behavior, implying that official authority is complicit in sacrificing townspeople.
• The value of principled defiance: Huang Tiantao’s reputation and refusal to accept the fruit establish him as a possible moral predecessor or warning for Li Qingxian.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and Han Anbo discuss the Night Guard’s growth, the Ascension Sect conflict, and the mystery surrounding Tomb General.
• Li Qingxian confronts Mr. Fu indirectly, demanding to know who supports the Ascension Sect. Their exchange is outwardly polite but filled with political tension.
• Mr. Fu pressures Li Qingxian to schedule the Mountain Banquet and urges him to eat the Ginseng Fruit, warning him not to repeat Tomb General’s defiance.
• Li Qingxian and Han Anbo interpret Mr. Fu’s statements differently from their surface meaning, recognizing that the town mayor’s influence and the fruit’s nature require further investigation.
• Gai Fengyou’s report confirms Li Qingxian’s suspicions and deepens the central mystery: every death in Eerie Town appears to produce another Ginseng Fruit.

Chapter Summary: Gai Fengyou’s Eyes Brimmed with Tears

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian and Gai Fengyou discuss the dangerous nature of Ginseng Fruits. Although they increase cultivation and lifespan, consuming too many causes disturbing physical and mental mutations.
• Examples include the heads of the North and South Xue Families developing bizarre habits, while the town mayor reportedly mutilates himself as he curses Zhang Wentong.
• Li suspects that the town mayor’s strange behavior may reveal the existence of a powerful mastermind who manipulated him into eating the Ginseng Fruits. He asks Gai Fengyou to investigate and subtly provoke the mayor into revealing this figure.
• Gai explains that ordinary Fate Arts would not work against someone as powerful and fortunate as the town mayor. Li therefore teaches him the superior hidden-guidance technique Three-Lives Guidance, one of three rare Upper Rank Fate Arts he possesses.
• After studying the technique, Gai realizes that hidden guidance can influence powerful individuals indirectly by creating a Momentum Configuration—a constructed “heaven and earth” formed from Fate Arts and qi mechanisms.
• Li begins refining the Four-Eerie-Ground Momentum Configuration City, drawing on his extensive knowledge from Heaven Marrow Academy. He recognizes that he may be uniquely capable of developing and spreading Eerie Qi Mechanisms and Eerie Momentum Configurations.
• Rather than keeping this knowledge secret for personal gain, Li decides to establish a new school or “Way” and pass the teachings on.
• He offers Gai Fengyou the position of first inheritor. Overwhelmed by Li’s generosity and significance, Gai falls to his knees with tears in his eyes and accepts.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates caution and strategic insight regarding the Ginseng Fruits and the hidden force behind the town mayor’s manipulation. He also reveals immense generosity and long-term vision by sharing powerful Fate Arts and choosing to found a new discipline rather than monopolize his discoveries.
• Gai Fengyou proves loyal, humble, and deeply moved by Li’s trust. He recognizes the power of Three-Lives Guidance and gains renewed confidence that it may allow him to advance further. His belief in Li’s identity and ambitions becomes absolute.
• The town mayor is portrayed as deeply corrupted or altered by excessive Ginseng Fruit consumption, while still retaining enough power and fortune to resist direct Fate Arts.
• Zhang Wentong is identified as likely being only a pawn in a larger scheme, with an unknown “great patron” manipulating events from behind the scenes.

Significant Themes

• Power and corruption: Ginseng Fruits grant strength and longevity but exact a hidden price, suggesting that unnatural power inevitably produces distortion.
• Indirect influence versus brute force: The chapter emphasizes that powerful figures cannot easily be controlled directly; influence must be exerted through environment, fate, and Momentum Configurations.
• Knowledge as legacy: Li chooses to spread his discoveries and become a Founder of the Way, valuing lasting influence and collective advancement over exclusive control.
• Loyalty and gratitude: Gai’s emotional response highlights the bond formed through Li’s generosity and trust.
• Unification of worlds and systems: Gai concludes that Li aims to unite the Fate Arts world with the Eerie Realm, suggesting an ambition to reshape the entire order of the world.

Important Character Interactions

• Li and Gai analyze the effects of Ginseng Fruits and the mayor’s suspicious behavior.
• Li entrusts Gai with the secret Three-Lives Guidance, requiring him to swear not to transmit it.
• Gai explains the limitations of Fate Arts and the importance of Momentum Configurations, helping clarify why indirect techniques may work against the mayor.
• Li then offers Gai an even greater honor: becoming the first inheritor of the newly created Eerie Qi Mechanisms and Eerie Momentum Configurations. Gai responds with profound emotion and renewed devotion, interpreting Li’s actions as part of a vast plan to unite the world.

Chapter Summary: “Gai Fengyou Meets a Visitor”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian gives Gai Fengyou the Eerie Qi Mechanism Scripture and Weird Momentum Configuration Complete Understanding. Gai Fengyou gratefully bows toward the Lower Mountain District before leaving.
• Gai warns Li that many people in the Upper Mountain District will soon fall prey to the eerie. Li informs Han Anbo and orders the Night Guard to strengthen their protective measures.
• Li continues his secluded cultivation, constructing Weird Momentum Configurations, while Mr. Fu repeatedly visits to discuss the date of the Mountain Banquet.
• At the new Prince of Chu’s Residence, the Prince shows Good Fortune Born three Grand Momentum Configurations created by Gai Fengyou. The Prince boasts that the imperial family possesses resources comparable to the great Destiny Sects.
• The Prince asks Good Fortune Born to temporarily serve as captain of the Blessing-Welcoming Team. Though Good Fortune Born suspects a hidden agenda, he agrees outwardly.
• After returning to his room, Good Fortune Born concludes that the Prince is attempting to use him against Ye Han and the Night Guard, likely hoping the two sides will weaken each other.
• Good Fortune Born decides to protect himself rather than act as the Prince’s pawn. He also realizes that his condition is worsening: eerie influences have been clinging to him, and he senses that the Prince is deliberately pushing him toward danger.
• He visits Gai Fengyou and asks him to establish as many Grand Momentum Configurations as possible to protect him in Eerie Town.
• Good Fortune Born offers fourteen authentic volumes of Yuanhai Notes and then an inheritance from the ancient Insight into Fate Sect. Gai Fengyou acknowledges their value but refuses, explaining that they are not what he currently needs.
• The chapter ends with Gai stating that, although Good Fortune Born possesses remarkable Fortune and likely carries powerful treasures, he still cannot offer anything Gai truly requires.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian becomes more proactive and responsible, immediately organizing protection for the Night Guard after Gai’s warning. His continued seclusion shows his determination to improve his mastery of Weird Momentum Configurations.
• Gai Fengyou grows visibly stronger after studying Li’s newly provided texts. His vitality, cultivation, and foundation have improved so greatly that even Good Fortune Born notices the change. He also becomes far less tempted by ordinary treasures and inheritances.
• Good Fortune Born shifts from being a possible pawn of the Prince of Chu to acting cautiously for his own survival. He recognizes the Prince’s manipulation, questions his own hostility toward Ye Han, and begins seeking independent protection.
• The Prince of Chu reveals himself as calculating and manipulative. He treats Good Fortune Born as a tool to be positioned against the Night Guard rather than as a respected Fifth Rank cultivator.
• Ye Han does not appear directly, but his growing influence is emphasized through the Night Guard’s strength and Good Fortune Born’s unwillingness to oppose him recklessly.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and political intrigue: The Prince attempts to maneuver Good Fortune Born into conflict with Ye Han and the Night Guard, likely to benefit from their mutual damage.
• Self-preservation amid hidden danger: Good Fortune Born realizes that survival requires resisting political schemes as well as the eerie influence affecting him.
• The value of knowledge over material wealth: Gai Fengyou now values Li Qingxian’s rare scriptures more than famous books, ancient inheritances, or other treasures.
• Growing supernatural corruption: The eerie is spreading through Eerie Town, and even powerful figures such as Good Fortune Born are vulnerable to its influence.
• Changing alliances: Good Fortune Born’s hatred of Ye Han is complicated by an instinctive sense of gratitude, suggesting that past aid and shared danger may overcome political hostility.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and Gai Fengyou: Their exchange establishes mutual respect and a teacher-student-like relationship, with Li supplying crucial knowledge and Gai showing gratitude and concern.
• Gai Fengyou and Good Fortune Born: Good Fortune Born approaches Gai as a potential protector, but Gai’s improved status and changed priorities make him difficult to persuade through conventional rewards.
• Prince of Chu and Good Fortune Born: Their polite conversation masks a power struggle. The Prince presents the Blessing-Welcoming Team assignment as a favor, while Good Fortune Born privately recognizes it as an attempt to manipulate him.
• Good Fortune Born and his old guard: The old guard voices outrage on his behalf, while Good Fortune Born calmly explains the Prince’s intentions and reveals his plan to pretend to oppose Ye Han without truly becoming the Prince’s weapon.
• Good Fortune Born and Ye Han: Though they are politically positioned as enemies, Good Fortune Born admits that he feels some unexplained fondness toward Ye Han and suspects Ye Han may have saved him during a previous Eerie Ground.

Chapter Summary: Good Fortune Born Pays a Visit to Ye Han

Key Plot Points and Events

• Good Fortune Born asks the diviner Gai Fengyou to examine his fate, offering the valuable Yuanhai Notes as payment. Gai refuses the reward, choosing instead to establish a favorable connection.
• Gai’s divination reveals that Good Fortune Born possesses extraordinary fortune, enough to become a great ruler, but that his destiny has recently been suppressed and damaged.
• Gai identifies the true source of Good Fortune Born’s crisis: an Upper Realm Devil God is clinging to him. This is beyond Gai’s ability to resolve and can only be handled by a Grand Thunder Cultivator.
• Good Fortune Born realizes that Ye Han—also known as Li Qingxian, the Chief Commissioner of the Patrol Bureau and a powerful Thunder Arts cultivator—may be his only hope.
• Gai warns him against seeking Ye Han’s help, suggesting that the calamity contains serious karmic consequences and may represent retribution for Good Fortune Born’s role in luring Ye Han into the Eerie Town with the Grim-Faced Spider King.
• Although Gai has a method to prevent Ye Han from using treacherous tactics against him, he hesitates to help because of his loyalty to the Prince of Chu. Good Fortune Born leaves without reclaiming his gift, intending to build enough goodwill to make a future request.
• Afterward, Gai secretly informs Li Qingxian that Good Fortune Born visited him and appears highly suspicious.
• Good Fortune Born receives the Prince of Chu’s seal, assumes his new position as captain of the Welcoming Fortune Third Squad in Blessing Town, and immediately goes to the Night Guard to find Ye Han.
• He publicly criticizes Ye Han for failing to receive him, then privately creates a soundproof barrier and changes to a conciliatory attitude.
• Good Fortune Born admits that he threw the Grim-Faced Spider King at Ye Han under the Prince of Chu’s orders. He apologizes and offers valuable Edicts and Ginseng Fruits, claiming he intends to abandon the Prince of Chu and become independent after leaving the Eerie Ground.

Character Developments

• Good Fortune Born: His immense fortune is shown to be compromised by the Devil God’s influence. He reveals himself as calculating and politically skillful, alternating between arrogance, apology, gifts, and manipulation. Though he claims remorse and loyalty, his actions suggest he is carefully trying to secure Ye Han’s aid while preserving his own interests.
• Gai Fengyou: He demonstrates both great divination ability and moral caution. He recognizes Good Fortune Born’s potential but believes the Emperor’s destiny surpasses it. Gai is conflicted between helping Good Fortune Born, protecting his relationship with the Prince of Chu, and acknowledging the karmic danger surrounding the situation.
• Li Qingxian/Ye Han: He remains calm, detached, and suspicious. Rather than reacting to Good Fortune Born’s provocations or gifts, he quietly observes him, indicating that he may already understand the hidden purpose behind the visit.
• The Prince of Chu: Though absent, he exerts major influence over the chapter. His command caused Good Fortune Born’s original betrayal, and his relationships with Gai Fengyou and Ye Han complicate Good Fortune Born’s attempt to seek help.

Significant Themes

• Fate and suppressed destiny: Good Fortune Born’s extraordinary fortune does not make him invulnerable; external powers and karmic forces can obstruct even the most promising destiny.
• Karma and retribution: Gai implies that Good Fortune Born’s suffering is connected to his past actions, particularly his betrayal of Ye Han.
• Political loyalty versus personal survival: Gai struggles between loyalty to the Prince of Chu and the desire to act fairly, while Good Fortune Born attempts to escape his old allegiance when it becomes dangerous.
• Manipulation and sincerity: Good Fortune Born’s apology, gifts, and promises may be genuine, but they are also clearly strategic efforts to obtain Ye Han’s protection.
• Power beyond the mortal realm: The Upper Realm Devil God and the Emperor represent forces that render even extraordinary mortal figures comparatively insignificant.

Character Interactions

• Good Fortune Born and Gai Fengyou: Their conversation is outwardly respectful but filled with hidden calculations. Good Fortune Born seeks a solution, while Gai warns him without fully exposing what he knows.
• Good Fortune Born and Ye Han: Their meeting begins with public hostility but shifts into private negotiation. Good Fortune Born admits his role in the Eerie Town incident and attempts to placate Ye Han with gifts and promises.
• Gai Fengyou and Li Qingxian: Gai’s secret message establishes that Ye Han is being warned in advance about Good Fortune Born’s suspicious behavior, giving him a strategic advantage.
• Good Fortune Born and the Prince of Chu: Their relationship is shown to be coercive and unstable. Good Fortune Born blames the Prince for his betrayal and now considers leaving his service.

Chapter Summary: “A New Look”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian confronts Good Fortune Born, who has come to apologize and explain his past actions. Li distrusts him and challenges him to help oppose the Prince of Chu.
• Good Fortune Born refuses to cooperate in plotting against or harming the Prince of Chu. He claims to have learned from his past mistakes and now wants only to protect himself without creating new enemies.
• Li uses his Fate Arts and discovers that Good Fortune Born is suffering under a tremendous karmic burden, apparently connected to the Grim-Faced Spider King and the Devil God Curse.
• Good Fortune Born admits that his past dealings with Li in Eerie Village and Eerie City were aggressive, but acknowledges that Li treated him fairly and never tried to kill him despite their hostility.
• Li recognizes that Good Fortune Born’s Fate Mold has changed, indicating genuine personal growth. Good Fortune Born has abandoned his former, reckless approach after suffering repeated setbacks and realizing that harming others is ultimately costly.
• Li explains that the Prince of Chu is far more dangerous than either of them because he views them as tools or obstacles rather than as people.
• Good Fortune Born asks Li to resolve the enmity caused by the Grim-Faced Spider King. In return, he offers to pay a price that does not involve harming others or joining Li against the Prince of Chu.
• Li demands one of Good Fortune Born’s Fate Stars as compensation. Good Fortune Born accepts, and the two formalize their agreement through a Fate Oath.
• The chapter ends with Good Fortune Born relieved, since failing to settle the curse could cause additional Devil Gods to become involved and potentially kill him within days.

Character Developments

• Good Fortune Born shows significant maturation. Once an impulsive and hostile enemy, he now seeks negotiation, self-preservation, and nonviolent solutions. He recognizes that his previous path has failed and that continually harming others creates greater long-term danger.
• He also demonstrates humility by admitting his past wrongdoing and accepting responsibility for the consequences of the Grim-Faced Spider King incident.
• Li Qingxian remains cautious and morally firm. He refuses to forgive Good Fortune Born casually, insisting that the remaining grievance must be properly compensated so that his own Dao heart remains clear.
• Li nevertheless acknowledges Good Fortune Born’s transformation and is willing to help once a fair exchange is made.
• Good Fortune Born’s altered Fate Mold and powerful karmic burden suggest that his connection to Devil God power is unusually strong, possibly because of his status as the “son of Heaven’s Mandate.”

Significant Themes

• Redemption through action: Good Fortune Born’s change is not accepted merely because he apologizes; he must acknowledge his sins and pay a meaningful price.
• The cost of violence and treachery: The chapter emphasizes that harming others may produce short-term gains but creates greater long-term consequences.
• Trust and fair exchange: Li and Good Fortune Born cannot rely on friendship, but they can establish limited trust through honest negotiation, compensation, and a binding oath.
• Moral distinctions between enemies: Li sees Good Fortune Born as a flawed but still human opponent, while the Prince of Chu is portrayed as ruthlessly treating people as disposable objects.
• Fate, karma, and personal change: Good Fortune Born’s transformation is reflected not only in his behavior but also in his Fate Mold, while his karmic burden shows that past actions cannot simply be ignored.

Character Interactions

• Li and Good Fortune Born engage in a tense but increasingly honest conversation about their shared history, their mutual enemies, and the consequences of their past actions.
• Li repeatedly tests Good Fortune Born’s sincerity, while Good Fortune Born tries to prove that he has abandoned his former antagonistic mindset.
• Their relationship shifts from open hostility toward a conditional, contractual reconciliation. They do not become allies against the Prince of Chu, but they reach a limited understanding based on fairness and mutual benefit.

Chapter Summary: “Revisiting an Old Place”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian enters his Fate Mansion to fish for destinies. His mansion has developed its own lineage and now radiates powerful aura, though it has not yet formed a hanging star or become a regional lord.
• His Fate Mansion continues absorbing the Prince of Chu’s Fortune, increasing its number of Fortune Fish and strengthening its foundations. The power taken from Duan Tianji’s Plucking Jade Pendants in Succession also generates Fortune and protects the mansion.
• Li uses a Fortune Koi to create a bridge connecting his Fate Mansion to Good Fortune Born’s Imperial Palace Fate Mansion, allowing him to inspect and steal one of its Fate Stars.
• He observes that Good Fortune Born’s Fate Mansion contains several powerful Fate Stars, including:

Sun and Moon Ascendant

Hidden Dragon in the Poison Pool

Emperor Sword Taking Shape

Treasure-Gathering Basin

Divine Radiance Wutong Grove

Manifest Golden Body

• Fish Eyes Among Pearls, containing the Heavenly Calamity Beast Dragon
• Lotusborn, a Fate Servant
• Li discovers that Emperor Sword Taking Shape is a unique Fate Mold belonging to a child of Fortune and would be nearly impossible for him to seize directly.
• He deduces that Great Sir’s attempt to plant Lotusborn in Good Fortune Born’s Fate Mansion backfired. Great Sir intended to use it to possess the mansion, but Good Fortune Born’s destiny suppressed and destroyed his soul. Lotusborn instead remains in the mansion and may eventually strengthen it.
• Li identifies a conflict between Hidden Dragon in the Poison Pool and the Heavenly Calamity Beast Dragon. Their ominous powers counteract each other, preventing either from developing fully and delaying Good Fortune Born’s transformation into a dragon.
• After considering the available options, Li chooses and successfully fishes away Divine Radiance Wutong Grove, a rare and powerful Beyond-Rank Fate Star.
• He then examines Good Fortune Born’s newly opened Middle-Aged Fate Ground. Although the ground is unstable, it contains the embryonic form of an extraordinarily ferocious Devil God Fate Star, whose future emergence could have disastrous consequences.
• The chapter ends with Li turning his attention back to his own Fate Grounds and Fate Stars.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates increasing mastery and patience in manipulating Fate Mansions. He is able to evaluate complex interactions among Fate Stars and successfully acquire a rare Beyond-Rank Fate Star.
• His understanding of Good Fortune Born deepens. He recognizes that Good Fortune Born is not merely lucky but possesses the overwhelming protection and self-correcting power of a true child of Heaven’s mandate.
• Good Fortune Born is shown to possess tremendous potential but also dangerous flaws. His excessive absorption of Devil God power appears to be distorting his Fate Mold.
• Great Sir’s past scheme is reinterpreted. His death was not simple carelessness but the result of attempting to interfere with the Fate Mansion of someone whose destiny was powerful enough to turn his plot against him.

Significant Themes

• Destiny and heavenly mandate: Good Fortune Born’s fate naturally transforms threats into advantages, illustrating the overwhelming power of Heaven’s favored individuals.
• The danger of excessive power: Good Fortune Born’s greed and overconsumption of Devil God power may produce a Fate Star so vicious that it threatens his own future.
• Scheming and unintended consequences: Great Sir’s attempt at possession ultimately strengthens the very person he sought to control.
• Balance and conflict within fate: The Heavenly Calamity Beast Dragon and Hidden Dragon in the Poison Pool weaken each other, showing how opposing forces can prevent mutual growth.
• Strategic choice and restraint: Li does not simply seize the strongest Fate Star. He chooses the one most useful to his present development, emphasizing calculation over greed.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian interacts indirectly with Good Fortune Born by entering his Fate Mansion through a Fortune bridge and manipulating its Fate Stars.
• The conflict between Hidden Dragon in the Poison Pool and the Heavenly Calamity Beast Dragon functions as an internal struggle within Good Fortune Born’s destiny.
• Great Sir’s lingering influence, through Lotusborn, continues to affect Good Fortune Born’s Fate Mansion even after his death, though the outcome favors Good Fortune Born rather than Great Sir.
• Li’s relationship with Good Fortune Born remains adversarial but highly analytical: he studies, exploits, and gains from Good Fortune Born’s weaknesses while recognizing the danger of provoking his extraordinary destiny.

Chapter Summary: “Peaks Unfurling Banners”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian reviews the arrangement of his Fate Mansion. His Youth Fate Ground contains four Fate Stars and the Fate Spirit Wenkui, while his Young Adult Fate Ground contains Sunlit Golden Mountain, Crane Standing Above the Sea Turtle’s Head, Three-Bend River Loop, and Ten Elegant Peaks.
• Because the Youth Fate Ground is already stable and the Middle-Aged Fate Ground cannot yet receive a Fate Star, Li decides to modify the Young Adult Fate Ground.
• He removes Ten Elegant Peaks and replaces it with the Beyond-Rank Fate Star Divine Radiance Wutong Grove. His increased Fortune allows the ordinary Fate Pillar to support the powerful Fate Star.
• The Young Adult Fate Pattern changes from Splendid Mountains and Rivers to Peaks Unfurling Banners. A new Fate Spirit begins forming above it.
• Li interprets the combination of his Fate Patterns—Climbing Mountains, Crossing Seas and Peaks Unfurling Banners—as a sign of advancing Fate and growing potential.
• Li tells Good Fortune Born that Great Sir intended to use the Fate Servant Lotusborn to possess and replace him through a process of possession and rebirth.
• With Good Fortune Born’s permission, Li removes Lotusborn from his Fate Mansion and extracts the enormous Fortune stored within it.
• This Fortune greatly strengthens Li’s Fate Mansion, causing the Ruler’s Fortune Bright Moon to expand and the Little Broken House to shine with jade light.
• Li uses Lotusborn to cleanse the embryonic Devil God Fate Star in his own Middle-Aged Fate Ground, stripping away its evil, madness, darkness, despair, and terror.
• He then transfers the blackened Lotusborn into Good Fortune Born’s Fate Mansion. It dissolves into Good Fortune Born’s Devil God Fate Star, causing that star to expand by an entire circle.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Demonstrates greater mastery over his Fate Mansion and increased confidence in managing powerful Fate Stars. His Fortune has grown enough to support a Beyond-Rank Fate Star, and he shows both strategic thinking and controlled generosity by helping Good Fortune Born while also benefiting himself.
• Good Fortune Born: Learns that Great Sir planned to exploit Lotusborn to possess him. His shock and despair reveal how deeply the betrayal affects him. He begins genuinely relying on Li and agrees to let him remove Lotusborn, marking a shift toward cooperation and reconciliation.
• Great Sir: Though absent, his past schemes continue driving the plot. His theft of Good Fortune Born’s Fortune and use of Lotusborn ultimately benefit Li, turning Great Sir’s treachery into a source of power for Li and a means of settling his karmic debt.
• Lotusborn: Changes from a Fate Servant tied to Great Sir’s scheme into a tool that purifies destructive power and transfers it between Fate Mansions.

Significant Themes

• Transformation and advancement: The replacement of Ten Elegant Peaks and the emergence of Peaks Unfurling Banners symbolize Li’s rising status and the opening of a greater path.
• Fortune and karmic consequence: Great Sir’s theft of Fortune eventually rebounds upon him and passes into Li’s hands, suggesting that stolen power carries consequences and may change owners through fate.
• Trust and redemption: Good Fortune Born’s willingness to accept Li’s help reflects the possibility of repairing past hostility, though their relationship remains based on caution and mutual advantage.
• Power through balance: Li does not simply destroy the Devil God Fate Star’s negative forces; he absorbs and purifies them, then transfers the resulting power to Good Fortune Born.
• Possession and identity: Great Sir’s plan to replace Good Fortune Born through Lotusborn introduces the threat of losing one’s self and reinforces the importance of control over one’s Fate Mansion.

Character Interactions

• Li and Good Fortune Born openly discuss Great Sir’s contract and hidden intentions.
• Good Fortune Born, initially suspicious and distressed, ultimately gives Li permission to remove Lotusborn.
• Li extracts and absorbs Lotusborn’s Fortune, then uses the Fate Servant to purify his own Devil God Fate Star.
• Li returns Lotusborn’s transformed remains to Good Fortune Born, strengthening the latter’s Devil God Fate Star and demonstrating both cooperation and Li’s growing command over Fate.

Chapter Summary:

Good Fortune Born Swears Brotherhood

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Inside Good Fortune Born’s Fate Mansion, a terrifying Devil God Fate Star forms in his Middle-Aged Fate Ground. Its black aura strengthens the entire Fate Ground and frightens both the Hidden Dragon and Heavenly Calamity Beast Dragon.
• The Devil God Fate Star repeatedly repels Fate Stars descending into Good Fortune Born’s Young Adult Fate Ground:
  • The first two Fate Stars are knocked away before Li Qingxian can capture them.
  • Li successfully captures the third, Golden Earth White Orchid, an Upper Rank Fate Star associated with unity and brotherhood.
  • A fourth Fate Star, White Dragon in Commoner’s Garb, bypasses the Devil God Fate Star and enters Good Fortune Born’s Fate Ground. Li realizes the earlier Fate Stars were likely bait meant to exhaust the Devil God Fate Star’s power.
• White Dragon in Commoner’s Garb gives Good Fortune Born a powerful means of concealment, protecting him from further danger. However, the blackening of his Middle-Aged Fate Ground has permanently altered his Fate Mold and may hinder his future transformation into a dragon.
• Li replaces Three-Bend River Loop in his own Fate Mansion with Golden Earth White Orchid. It resonates with Divine Radiance Wutong Grove, strengthening his Fate Mold, stabilizing his Fate Pattern peaks, and greatly accelerating the formation of his embryonic Fate Spirit.
• Li secretly creates a Good Fortune Born Fate Puppet, infusing it with traces of Good Fortune Born’s Fate Mansion aura, and places it inside one of the Phoenix Nests in his Divine Radiance Wutong Grove. A corresponding image of Good Fortune Born appears within Golden Earth White Orchid.
• Li tells Good Fortune Born that he has removed Lotusborn, the Fate Servant who had been harming him.
• Good Fortune Born, overcome with guilt, apologizes and swears brotherhood, promising never to harm Li again.
• When Good Fortune Born asks Li to remove the Devil God Curse, Li claims that the curse requires divine lightning and an Upper Rank Fate Arts Master. He asks Good Fortune Born to help locate such a master.
• Good Fortune Born suggests Master Gai Fengyou, but Li becomes cautious because of the master’s connection to the Prince of Chu.

2. Character Developments

• Li Qingxian grows more powerful and strategically secure through the addition of Golden Earth White Orchid. He also demonstrates increasing cunning by secretly binding Good Fortune Born to his Fate Mansion through the Fate Puppet.
• Li presents himself as a helper and forgives Good Fortune Born, while privately gaining leverage over him. His outward calm contrasts with his concealed satisfaction at the success of his plan.
• Good Fortune Born suffers severe damage to his Fate prospects but gains White Dragon in Commoner’s Garb, which may preserve his life and future. His repeated failures and dependence on Li cause him to feel genuine shame.
• Good Fortune Born abandons his previous schemes, at least outwardly, and vows to act honorably. His desire to have the Devil God Curse removed also makes him increasingly reliant on Li.
• The Hidden Dragon remains sorrowful and anxious about the emergence of both the Heavenly Calamity Beast Dragon and the Devil God Fate Star, continuing to fear that it may never transform into a true dragon.
• The Heavenly Calamity Beast Dragon reacts aggressively to the new Devil God Fate Star, displaying both hostility and hidden terror.

3. Significant Themes

• Brotherhood and manipulation: Golden Earth White Orchid symbolizes united hearts and brotherly bonds, but Li’s secret Fate Puppet reveals that their new “brotherhood” is also a form of control.
• Hidden intentions and strategic deception: The first Fate Stars serve as distractions, while Li likewise conceals his true actions from Good Fortune Born.
• Consequences of corruption: The Devil God Fate Star provides immense power but permanently blackens and alters Good Fortune Born’s Fate Mold.
• Guilt and redemption: Good Fortune Born recognizes the harm he has caused and sincerely—or at least convincingly—attempts to reform.
• Power through Fate alignment: The interaction between Li’s Fate Stars demonstrates how properly arranged Fate forces can strengthen cultivation, stabilize Fate Patterns, and accelerate the birth of a Fate Spirit.
• Dependence and leverage: Good Fortune Born’s need for Li’s help with the Devil God Curse gives Li increasing influence over him.

4. Character Interactions

• The Devil God Fate Star clashes with the Heavenly Calamity Beast Dragon and intimidates the Hidden Dragon.
• Li attempts to fish away several Fate Stars from Good Fortune Born’s Fate Mansion, eventually capturing Golden Earth White Orchid.
• Golden Earth White Orchid resonates with Li’s Divine Radiance Wutong Grove, strengthening his Fate Mansion.
• Li secretly incorporates Good Fortune Born’s aura and Fate Puppet into his own Fate structure.
• After Li claims to have removed Lotusborn, Good Fortune Born thanks him as “Brother Ye,” confesses his guilt, and swears never to betray him again.
• Li responds cautiously, urging him to live uprightly while concealing his deeper manipulation.
• Their conversation ends with Good Fortune Born asking for help against the Devil God Curse and Li directing him toward finding an Upper Rank Fate Arts Master, while questioning whether Master Gai Fengyou can be trusted.

• Plot and events: Good Fortune Born and Li Qingxian agree to cooperate in expelling the Devil God curse. Good Fortune Born will persuade Gai Fengyou to participate and secure a Fate Oath preventing betrayal, while Li Qingxian will control the divine lightning. As a gesture of trust, Good Fortune Born gives Li Qingxian an ancient lightning cultivation manual: the Supreme Nine Heavens Jade Clarity Great Brahma Purple Tenuity Mysterious Capital Thunder Jade Canon. Li Qingxian recognizes it as an extraordinary scripture written by a Thunder God on Upper Realm immortal silk, possibly a divine inheritance meant only for the Chosen One.
• Li Qingxian’s cultivation: After isolating himself, Li Qingxian cleanses the book’s cover with lightning and begins reading. The scripture transports his consciousness into visions of primordial creation, divine realms, immortals, gods, and the Jade Clarity True King teaching the supreme Thunder Arts. The remaining Divine Firmament Thunder Seed within his Thunder Dragon Fire Seal dissolves completely as he absorbs the inheritance. Divine Firmament Thunder then reshapes and purifies his mana, demonic energy, Divine Pool, and Fate Mansion.
• Transformation: Lightning repeatedly strikes Li Qingxian’s forehead, forming a permanent violet lightning-shaped mark. His Thunder Dragon Fire Seal expands, and two golden lines appear on the blue plaque above his Fate Mansion. When he awakens, his eyes reflect the High Jade Clarity Heaven, suggesting that he has gained a profound connection to the Upper Realm and its divine Thunder Dao.
• Character development: Li Qingxian becomes even more closely aligned with divine lightning and appears to have advanced significantly in cultivation. He remains cautious and pragmatic, insisting that Good Fortune Born take responsibility for ensuring Gai Fengyou’s loyalty. Good Fortune Born reveals personal regret over abandoning the Thunder Arts in favor of fire cultivation, but willingly gives up the treasured scripture to remove his Devil God curse. His trust in Li Qingxian and his willingness to sacrifice valuable resources deepen their alliance.
• Character interactions: Li Qingxian questions Good Fortune Born’s plan and demands safeguards against Gai Fengyou’s possible treachery. Good Fortune Born agrees to use a Fate Oath and entrusts Li Qingxian with the Thunder Jade Canon. Their conversation combines strategic cooperation with Good Fortune Born’s confession about his past and his lingering attachment to the manual.
• Themes: The chapter emphasizes trust and the need to control betrayal, the tension between sacrifice and personal regret, and the extraordinary destiny of a chosen inheritor. It also highlights the supremacy of divine inheritance: the Thunder Jade Canon is presented as the origin of countless Thunder Arts, and Li Qingxian’s cultivation becomes a direct link between the mortal realm, the Eerie Realm, and the Upper Realm.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian studies the Thunder Jade Canon, discovering that it is not merely a collection of legends but a genuine immortal scripture containing hidden cultivation methods.
• He realizes that mortals cannot cultivate the canon normally; the essential prerequisite is mastery of the Divine Firmament Thunder Seed.
• The scripture is too powerful to store in his Heaven-and-Earth Bracelet, so he places it within his Spirit Platform, where it suppresses his other powerful treasures and abilities.
• When Li Qingxian returns to Heaven Marrow Academy, everyone notices the thunder mark on his forehead. He dismisses it as a tattoo from a barbaric land, but the academy teacher immediately identifies it as the Thunder Great Brahma Mysterious Capital Jade Clarity Mark.
• The teacher and the surrounding black shadows conclude that Li Qingxian is connected to the Thunder Jade Canon and may hold the key to constructing the Nine Heavens Divine Firmament Thunder City Grand Momentum Configuration.
• Li Qingxian agrees to assist with the configuration, claiming that completing it would benefit the entire Fate Arts world. He draws highly detailed plans of the Ninefold Thunder Palace, the Divine Firmament Jade Clarity Residence, and Thunder City.
• The Fate Arts Masters realize that their previous plans were fundamentally inadequate and begin redesigning the entire configuration around Li Qingxian’s drawings.
• Since the project may take centuries or millennia, Li Qingxian returns to his own priorities: studying the Thunder Jade Canon and forging Weird Momentum Configurations.
• Although he focuses on the Thunder Jade Canon, his understanding of Weird Momentum Configurations unexpectedly improves. He repeatedly studies until exhaustion, faints, recovers, and resumes cultivation.
• Han Anbo later reports developments in the outside world:
  • Mr. Fu repeatedly visits, desperately trying to persuade Li Qingxian to attend the Mountain Banquet.
  • Good Fortune Born has become less openly ruthless, though he continues provoking the Night Guard and maintaining a hostile public image.
  • The Prince of Chu has grown more discreet and is quietly building relationships with powerful Upper District forces.
• Li Qingxian agrees to attend the Mountain Banquet, provided it is brief and does not interfere with his cultivation.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian gains a deeper understanding of the Thunder Jade Canon and discovers that it has a direct relationship with his mysterious forehead mark. He becomes increasingly focused on cultivation, treating it as his highest priority.
• He also demonstrates remarkable knowledge of Thunder City, apparently derived from visions or experiences connected to the Jade Clarity True King, allowing him to produce designs far beyond the academy’s previous understanding.
• The academy teacher recognizes Li Qingxian’s mark immediately and shifts from observing him to treating him as a crucial figure in the Thunder City project.
• Good Fortune Born appears to have changed somewhat. Though still arrogant and provocative, he now restrains his cruelty, suggesting either personal growth or a deeper hidden strategy.
• The Prince of Chu becomes more politically cautious, expanding his influence indirectly rather than openly confronting Li Qingxian or the town magistrate.
• Mr. Fu grows increasingly desperate and persistent in trying to bring Li Qingxian to the Mountain Banquet.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identity and destiny: Li Qingxian’s seemingly casual “tattoo” is actually a powerful mark recognized by ancient and supernatural beings, implying a profound connection to the Thunder Jade Canon and immortal forces.
• Cultivation through understanding and practice: The Thunder Jade Canon’s stories encode cultivation methods, and its true power can only be unlocked through the correct spiritual foundation and practical application.
• The limits of mortal knowledge: The Fate Arts Masters have studied Thunder City for years but realize that their understanding was severely incomplete once Li Qingxian provides authentic designs.
• Long-term ambition versus immediate concerns: The construction of Thunder City may take generations, while Li Qingxian remains focused on gradual personal cultivation and the immediate threat of Weird Momentum Configurations.
• Political maneuvering and concealed motives: Good Fortune Born’s restrained behavior and the Prince of Chu’s quiet networking suggest that surrounding factions are changing their strategies rather than abandoning their ambitions.
• Personal cultivation as the highest priority: Li Qingxian is willing to assist the larger Fate Arts community, but he refuses to let external affairs permanently distract him from his own advancement.

Character Interactions

• The academy teacher confronts Li Qingxian about his thunder mark, exposing that it is far more significant than he claims.
• The surrounding black shadows debate Li Qingxian’s origins, speculating that he may be a descended True Immortal or an immortal god.
• Li Qingxian cooperates with the academy by providing the Thunder City designs, but immediately establishes boundaries, asking them not to disturb him unless necessary.
• Han Anbo updates Li Qingxian on Mr. Fu, Good Fortune Born, and the Prince of Chu, allowing Li Qingxian to assess the political situation while remaining focused on cultivation.
• Li Qingxian instructs Han Anbo to inform Mr. Fu that he will attend the Mountain Banquet, but only on the condition that it remains short and simple.

Chapter Summary: “Mountain Banquet”

Key Plot Points and Events

• In Eerie Town’s Lower Mountain District, residents discuss Ye Sizheng’s promotion to Upper Mountain District. Many fear that his departure will weaken the Night Guard’s protection and worsen living conditions for ordinary people.
• The townspeople compare Ye Sizheng favorably with the Town Yamen and Town Mayor, though they remain uncertain whether he is genuinely just or merely cautious and self-serving. Filthy Beggar suggests that Ye is difficult to understand but still preferable to the Town Mayor.
• The residents speculate about the upcoming Mountain Banquet and whether Ye will eat the Ginseng Fruit, implying that doing so may have major consequences.
• Li Qingxian, publicly operating under the identity of Ye Sizheng, arrives at Town Mayor Zhang Wentian’s residence with Zhou Hen and his subordinates. The residence is lavishly decorated despite the recent destruction caused by the Devil God.
• Li enters the banquet’s innermost courtyard, where powerful Upper Rank cultivators and supernatural figures have gathered. Among them is a highly unusual and imposing Tomb General, whose body has partially transformed into eerie objects.
• Zhang Wentian receives Li but does not personally greet him at the outer gate, a breach of expected etiquette that Li’s subordinates notice. Most powerful guests are already seated inside, while the Tomb General and his soldiers remain outside, emphasizing their marginal or antagonistic position.
• At the banquet, Zhang Wentian sits in the seat of honor, with Li Qingxian and Zhou Hen positioned beside him. Prince of Chu and other important figures also attend.
• Zhang asks Li to give a speech. Li responds with conventional declarations of loyalty to the emperor, the Cabinet, Qi Kingdom, and the Town Mayor, presenting himself as an obedient official committed to cooperation.
• His speech satisfies the gathered elites, who seem reassured that the supposedly eccentric Ye Sizheng is politically conventional.
• Zhang then asks Prince of Chu to comment on Li’s arrival. The Prince likewise emphasizes loyalty to the emperor, the royal family, and the Town Mayor, creating a polite but politically charged exchange.
• The Mountain Banquet officially begins when two Ginseng Fruits are brought in for Li and Zhou Hen.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian/Ye Sizheng: Demonstrates strong political awareness by concealing his intentions beneath formal bureaucratic language. His speech reassures the banquet’s power brokers while carefully affirming loyalty without revealing his true position or plans.
• Zhou Hen: Accompanies Li as an important representative of the Night Guard and receives a Ginseng Fruit alongside him, suggesting that the banquet concerns both men.
• Zhang Wentian, the Town Mayor: Presents himself as gracious and cooperative, but his failure to greet Li at the gate and his control over the banquet’s seating and proceedings reveal his authority and possible condescension.
• Prince of Chu: Responds cautiously to Li’s speech, stressing obedience to the emperor and cooperation with the Town Mayor. His words appear polite but also function as a warning about the political hierarchy.
• Filthy Beggar: Serves as an observer and commentator on Ye Sizheng’s character, recognizing both his integrity and his caution while expressing distrust toward the ruling authorities.
• The Tomb General: Is introduced as a physically imposing, partially transformed figure who stands apart from the other guests. His presence hints at tensions among the forces gathered at the banquet.

Significant Themes

• Political loyalty versus personal motives: Li’s speech illustrates how officials must publicly proclaim obedience while concealing their true intentions.
• Power and hierarchy: The seating arrangements, greetings, and formal exchanges reveal the complex ranking among imperial officials, royalty, local authorities, and supernatural beings.
• Public welfare and corruption: The townspeople contrast the Night Guard’s practical aid with the Town Yamen’s exploitative and self-serving relief efforts.
• Appearance versus reality: The banquet’s elegant decorations and polite language conceal distrust, political maneuvering, and possible conflict.
• Social alienation: The Tomb General and his soldiers’ separation from the main hall highlights the exclusion of certain groups despite their power.
• Dangerous transformation and immortality: The Ginseng Fruit and the eerie physical mutations of the Tomb General suggest that cultivation, supernatural power, and “immortality” carry significant risks.

Character Interactions

• The townspeople collectively debate Ye Sizheng’s character and future, with Filthy Beggar offering the most nuanced assessment.
• Li and the Tomb General exchange only a brief nod, but their mutual recognition establishes them as important figures.
• Zhang Wentian formally welcomes Li while subtly asserting his own superiority through the manner of the reception.
• Li and Prince of Chu exchange declarations of loyalty, with both carefully navigating the relationship between the imperial court and the Town Mayor.
• The banquet’s seating places Li at the center of the political gathering, positioning him as both a guest of honor and a potential rival or ally to the existing powers.
• The chapter ends with Li and Zhou Hen facing the Ginseng Fruit, setting up the next major development.

Chapter Summary: “New Rules”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qinxian is presented with a Ginseng Fruit during the Mountain Banquet in Blessing Town. Zhang Wentian claims it is a heavenly treasure that protects against evil, extends life, increases cultivation, and marks one as a member of the Upper Mountain District.
• Li questions the fruit’s alleged benefits and exposes the contradiction between “Blessing,” which is supposedly beneficial, and the fruit’s power to dispel it. He also points out that Lower Mountain District residents consider the fruit ominous.
• The mayor admits that Blessing Town is actually an Eerie Town. The town’s founders deliberately misrepresented the supernatural dangers as “blessings” to prevent ordinary people from becoming terrified or insane. The Upper Mountain residents justify their deception as being for the commoners’ own good.
• Li refuses to eat the Ginseng Fruit publicly, despite a local rule requiring it. When the mayor claims the rule identifies reckless or dangerous people, Li uses his Fate Disk to prove that the fruit is ordinary and has no such ability.
• Li challenges the legitimacy of the town’s rules, arguing that he only needs to obey imperial law, official duties, morality, and rules he personally accepts. He refuses to submit to arbitrary customs merely because the Upper Mountain District created them.
• Zhou Hen supports Li by taking the Ginseng Fruit and storing it in his Luck Silver-Fish Pouch. The Night Guard also publicly declares that it does not believe Li must obey the town’s rule.
• The mayor temporarily backs down, claiming that Li can eat the fruit later and will eventually become accustomed to consuming it. Li formally declares the banquet over and announces that he will cooperate with the Upper Mountain District in developing Blessing Town.
• After Li departs, the atmosphere becomes threatening. General Huang Tiantao compares the Night Guard to a wolf raised in a kennel and announces his intention to meet Li personally, foreshadowing a future confrontation.

Character Developments

• Li Qinxian: Demonstrates sharp reasoning, fearlessness, and independence. Rather than openly provoking the town through violence, he dismantles its logic through questions, divination, and appeals to law and personal autonomy. He establishes that he will not accept coercive customs, even while diplomatically claiming he will cooperate with Blessing Town.
• Zhang Wentian, the mayor: Initially maintains the official narrative that the Ginseng Fruit is wholly beneficial, but is forced to reveal the truth when Li exposes its contradictions. His later attempts to soften the conflict show that he recognizes Li cannot easily be forced.
• Zhou Hen: Clearly aligns himself with Li, both verbally and practically, by refusing to accept the town’s authority and taking possession of the fruit.
• The Night Guard: Publicly backs Li, showing collective loyalty and willingness to resist the Upper Mountain District’s intimidation.
• The Upper Mountain residents: Their smiles and polite hospitality gradually become cold and hostile as Li challenges their authority. Their silence reveals that the banquet was less a welcome ceremony than a test of submission.
• Huang Tiantao: Emerges as a likely antagonist. His description of Li as a “wolf” suggests respect for Li’s danger but also signals his intention to confront or suppress him.
• Meng Huaichuan, Good Fortune Born, and others: Remain silent observers, suggesting they are carefully assessing the dispute rather than taking an immediate side.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus protective deception: The town’s leaders claim that hiding the truth protects ordinary people, but their deception also preserves the Upper Mountain District’s control.
• Legitimacy of rules: Li distinguishes between genuine law, morality, imperial authority, and arbitrary local customs. The chapter questions whether rules deserve obedience simply because powerful people created them.
• Coercion disguised as benevolence: The Ginseng Fruit is presented as a blessing, but the insistence that everyone must consume it reveals a system of forced conformity.
• Class division and exploitation: The Upper and Lower Mountain Districts are separated not only socially but also through manipulated beliefs about blessings, cultivation, and belonging.
• Individual autonomy: Li insists that a person should not be forced to accept something merely because authorities claim it is beneficial.
• Confrontation beneath civility: The banquet’s courteous language masks a power struggle. Li’s politeness and the mayor’s smiles conceal growing hostility and the threat of violence.

Character Interactions

• Li repeatedly questions the mayor, forcing him to abandon the public story about Blessing Town and admit its true nature.
• The mayor and the Upper Mountain residents attempt to pressure Li into obeying their custom, while Li counters by demanding a legitimate reason for the rule.
• Li invokes Zhou Hen and the Night Guard to demonstrate that the town’s authority does not automatically command obedience.
• Prince of Chu gives a cautious answer, affirming the Emperor’s authority while allowing local customs in an Eerie Ground, indirectly leaving Li room to resist.
• Zhou Hen’s action of taking the Ginseng Fruit strengthens his alliance with Li.
• Huang Tiantao’s final exchange with Wu Jun confirms that Li has attracted the attention of powerful figures and that the conflict with Blessing Town is far from over.