Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Golden Toad Bearing Treasure”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After obtaining two Fate Stars, Li Qingxian releases Shen Goudan from prison and arranges for him to find work.
• Shen Goudan tearfully thanks Li, Han Anbo, the jailers, and his fellow prisoners before leaving with only a small straw dog he made himself.
• His release shocks the other prisoners, confirming Li’s authority and reputation as an influential Fate Arts Master. Pang Mingjing, in particular, realizes that Li’s power has grown rapidly.
• Li continues investigating Cell C-7 and buys the lives of additional prisoners. Along with Shen Goudan, he acquires seven people and eighteen ordinary Fate Stars, which can only serve as bait.
• Information from Cell C-7 reaches the Night Guard leadership. A portrait artist reconstructs the appearance of Ge Chao’s contact, including a distinctive mole, and Li later identifies the jailer who met with him.
• The Night Guard expands its investigation while Li returns to Cell C-7 to deal with Pang Mingjing.
• Pang Mingjing asks Li to show mercy, claiming that he has accepted defeat and that their conflict should end. Li rejects this argument, comparing it to someone attacking first and then demanding forgiveness after losing.
• When Pang threatens to resist any unofficial punishment, Li ignores his protests and uses Fate Observation and Qi Gazing to examine him.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: His influence and confidence continue to grow. He is compassionate toward Shen Goudan but ruthless and uncompromising toward Pang Mingjing, refusing to let Pang manipulate the situation through false humility.
• Shen Goudan: He changes from a despairing prisoner into a grateful, hopeful man. His emotional farewell shows how deeply Li’s intervention has affected him.
• Pang Mingjing: Though outwardly calm and dignified, he is increasingly cornered. His attempt to frame himself as a defeated but honorable official fails, and his true dependence on wealth and powerful connections is exposed through Fate Observation.
• Han Anbo, Yu Ping, and Fan Xing: They continue acting as Li’s trusted associates and enforcers. Fan Xing is willing to confront Pang directly and draws his blade when ordered.
• Night Guard: The organization begins treating Li’s discoveries as strategically important and intensifies its investigation into Ge Chao’s network.

Pang Mingjing’s Fate

• Pang’s official Fate sign is Sideways Shift of Taking Office, indicating that his fortune and career have declined after losing the court’s protection.
• His Fate Mansion contains the rare Golden Toad Bearing Treasure, symbolizing immense wealth and strong family support. His family background explains his position in the Accounting Office and his favor with Wei Yong.
• The Fate Mold emphasizes wealth over rank, suggesting that Pang might have become extraordinarily rich in commerce, though such wealth could have made him vulnerable in turbulent times. He therefore chose officialdom as a safer path.
• His lack of a Youth Fate Ground Human Fate Star reflects his spoiled upbringing and dependence on his family.
• His Young Adult Fate Star, Peach Blossoms Filling the Branches, indicates numerous romantic entanglements, with several relationships abandoned or ruined.
• His Middle-Aged Fate Star, Fox Borrowing the Tiger’s Might, shows that he remains dependent on powerful patrons even in middle age and has failed to develop genuine strength or independence.
• Li concludes that Pang wasted an excellent Fate Mold through indulgence and reliance on others, likely using money and resources to force his Seventh Rank cultivation.

Significant Themes

• Mercy versus justice: Shen Goudan’s release demonstrates Li’s willingness to help the innocent and oppressed, while Pang’s case shows that Li distinguishes genuine suffering from manipulative appeals for mercy.
• Power and reputation: Li’s authority spreads quickly through the prison, and a single command from him can determine whether someone remains imprisoned or regains freedom.
• Dependence versus self-reliance: Pang’s Fate reveals a man sustained by family wealth, social connections, and powerful patrons rather than personal ability.
• The relationship between fate and character: The Fate Stars reflect Pang’s personality and life choices—his wealth, promiscuity, and habitual reliance on others—while also showing how he squandered his natural advantages.
• Investigation and hidden networks: Li’s discoveries help the Night Guard trace Ge Chao’s contacts, linking supernatural Fate-reading to practical political intelligence.

Character Interactions

• Shen Goudan expresses heartfelt gratitude to Li and the prison community, while his fellow prisoners react with disbelief and awe.
• Li and Han Anbo coordinate Goudan’s release and later continue working together.
• Li speaks with Han Anbo, Yu Ping, and Fan Xing before summoning Pang Mingjing.
• Pang attempts a formal, restrained negotiation with Li, but Li dismantles his rhetoric through sarcasm and an analogy about an attacker demanding mercy after losing.
• Fan Xing and the others physically restrain Pang’s ability to resist while Li examines his Fate.
• The chapter ends as Li withdraws from Pang’s Fate Mansion and begins examining the Fate Projections appearing above him, setting up the next stage of Pang’s punishment or judgment.

Chapter Summary: “The Little Broken House’s First Fate Star”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Pang Mingjing’s life history is revealed: he grew up wealthy and carefree, abandoned his studies for gambling, married young, and eventually consumed pills to reach Eighth Rank. Through reading people and adapting to circumstances, he fully developed the Fox Borrowing the Tiger’s Might Fate Mold.
• Li Qingxian completes Fate Observation and Qi Gazing, examining Pang Mingjing’s Fate Mansion. He identifies two useful Fate Stars:
  • Golden Toad Bearing Treasure, associated with wealth.
  • Fox Borrowing the Tiger’s Might, associated with influence and borrowed authority.
• Li uses the Life-Hunting Art and a Fortune-Movement Bridge to fish for Pang Mingjing’s Fate Stars. His first attempts fail because six benefactor Fate Stars protect Pang Mingjing’s Fate Mansion.
• Rather than giving up, Li repeatedly practices, carefully recording the forces created by Pang Mingjing’s Fate Ground, Fate Pillars, Fate Mold, and benefactors. His hook gradually moves closer to the target.
• Outside the prison, Ge Chao attempts to have Li removed from the Imperial Prison Bureau, accusing him of abusing his authority and disturbing order. However, several officials refuse to intervene, while Zhou Chunfeng’s influence and Zhang Fugui’s favors provide Li with protection.
• Li also assists the Night Guard and Inner Factory in identifying a disguised Third Rank expert. The man had disguised himself as a low-ranking Devil Sect official and was ultimately recognized by a mole on his ring finger.
• To weaken Pang Mingjing’s protection, Li spreads rumors that Pang Mingjing has sabotaged cooperation between the Night Guard and Inner Factory. Jing Guan publicly curses Pang Mingjing, while Li asks Zhou Chunfeng to investigate the matter through the Finance Office.
• These actions cause most of Pang Mingjing’s benefactor Fate Stars to disappear. Only one dim star remains, belonging to a relative.
• With the defenses weakened, Li successfully captures Golden Toad Bearing Treasure using Duckweed in a Chaotic Age as an anchor. He transfers the Fate Star into his own Fate Mansion, where it settles on the Year Fate Pillar.
• The addition causes the Little Broken House to emit a faint glow, marking the first major success of Li’s Fate Arts cultivation.
• Li then begins fishing for Fox Borrowing the Tiger’s Might. Despite the change in position from Pang Mingjing’s youth Fate Ground to his middle-aged Fate Ground, Li’s accumulated experience allows him to succeed on his second attempt.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian grows more skilled and methodical as a Fate Arts practitioner. Instead of relying solely on power, he studies the mechanics of Fate Fishing, observes every obstacle, and uses strategy to remove Pang Mingjing’s protections.
• Li also demonstrates increasing political sophistication. He counters Ge Chao indirectly, manipulates rumors, uses institutional relationships, and coordinates with Zhou Chunfeng, Jing Guan, and others.
• Pang Mingjing is shown to be protected by a network of benefactors and family ties, reflecting his ability to survive through social influence. However, his defenses are gradually stripped away, leaving him vulnerable.
• Fan Xing provides Li with intelligence about Ge Chao’s political maneuvering.
• Han Anbo remains cautious and loyal, guarding Pang Mingjing and warning Li about the possibility of a direct confrontation in the Directors’ Hall.
• Zhou Chunfeng continues to support Li through his authority and connections, while Wei Yong quickly distances himself from Pang Mingjing to avoid conflict with the Inner Factory.
• The disguised Third Rank expert demonstrates the importance of careful observation: even a powerful figure can be exposed by a small overlooked detail.

Significant Themes

• Strategy over brute force: Li cannot overpower Pang Mingjing’s Fate protections directly, so he studies them and dismantles them through patience, preparation, and manipulation.
• The power of connections: Pang Mingjing’s benefactor Fate Stars symbolize the protection provided by political allies and family. Li’s own network becomes equally important in countering him.
• Fate as both power and structure: Fate is portrayed as something that can be observed, analyzed, influenced, and transferred, though only through extensive knowledge and skill.
• Patience and accumulation: Li’s repeated failed attempts are not wasted; each failure gives him information that eventually leads to success.
• Political danger and hidden conflict: Ge Chao’s efforts to remove Li and the concealed identity of the Third Rank expert show that institutional struggles and secret enemies are becoming increasingly important.
• The beginning of transformation: The faint glow of the Little Broken House represents Li’s first tangible breakthrough and the gradual strengthening of his Fate Mansion.

Character Interactions

• Li and Pang Mingjing remain locked in a largely silent contest. Pang Mingjing refuses to cooperate, while Li attacks his fate indirectly.
• Fan Xing warns Li about Ge Chao’s accusations, and Han Anbo reinforces the danger of the conflict escalating within the Directors’ Hall.
• Li relies on Zhou Chunfeng to send an inquiry to the Finance Office, prompting Wei Yong to abandon Pang Mingjing publicly.
• Jing Guan assists Li by loudly denouncing Pang Mingjing, helping spread the rumors designed to sever Pang Mingjing’s political protection.
• The chapter ends with Li successfully capturing both the Golden Toad Bearing Treasure and, shortly afterward, the Fox Borrowing the Tiger’s Might Fate Star, marking a major advance in his cultivation and his struggle against Pang Mingjing.

Chapter Summary: An Elder in the Household Is a Treasure

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian uses the Fate Star Fox Borrowing the Tiger’s Might on his Moon Fate Pillar and examines Pang Mingjing’s fortune.
• Pang’s previous “Taking Office” fortune has disappeared, replaced by crossed, completely rust-covered weapons—an omen called Eternal Injury, signifying severe and potentially lifelong misfortune.
• Li visits Pang’s cell and tells him that they are now even, then orders Fan Xing to look after him because Pang was once a Night Guard.
• Outside the Imperial Prison Bureau, Li clashes verbally with Ge Chao, who reminds him to attend the next day’s Directors’ Assembly Hall. Ge Chao has apparently reported Li’s actions to higher authorities.
• Han Anbo warns Li that political enemies connected to Li’s father and Zhou Chunfeng may use the incident against him. Li remains confident, claiming he has prepared thoroughly and that Ge Chao cannot harm him.
• Fan Xing reports that Ge Chao entered Pang Mingjing’s cell and expelled him, likely searching for evidence or leverage against Li. Li promises to protect Fan Xing if Ge Chao retaliates.
• Li spends the next two days studying Thunder Arts, hoping to develop combat abilities suitable for demon hunting. He repeatedly fails to visualize the required Thunder Bureau Orthodox Gods despite possessing the Divine Firmament Thunder Seed.
• He reflects on the difficulty of cultivation, recognizing that improvement requires patience and sustained effort rather than sudden transformation.
• The next day, Li attends the Directors’ Assembly Hall with Zhou Chunfeng. During the meeting, a series of enormous explosions erupts across Divine Capital. Five blasts occur within half an hour, including two disturbances showing Upper Three Ranks phenomena.
• The officials realize that several powerful offices have fewer Middle Rank members present than usual, suggesting that the explosions may be connected to a major conflict or coordinated emergency.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Demonstrates growing confidence in his Fate Arts and political position. He remains calm under pressure, protects his subordinates, and shows greater awareness of political maneuvering. At the same time, he recognizes his limitations in Dao cultivation and adopts a more patient, self-aware attitude toward improvement.
• Pang Mingjing: Suffers a dramatic decline in fortune. His bewilderment and sense of emptiness suggest that he feels something important has been lost, though he does not understand the cause.
• Han Anbo: Acts as Li’s cautious adviser and protector. He openly warns Li about hidden enemies but is reassured by Li’s composure and preparation.
• Fan Xing: Becomes increasingly frightened of Ge Chao’s authority and seeks Li’s protection. Li’s promise strengthens Fan Xing’s loyalty and trust.
• Ge Chao: Emerges as an active political opponent. He uses his official position to pressure Fan Xing and appears to be gathering information that could be used against Li.
• Zhou Chunfeng: Although mostly offstage, his continued association with Li and his decision to have Li attend the assembly indicate that Li remains under his protection or sponsorship.

Significant Themes

• The power and danger of fate: Pang’s transformed fortune illustrates how Fate Arts can reveal or perhaps influence catastrophic changes in a person’s destiny.
• Political conflict and hidden enemies: Li’s rising prominence attracts opposition, while disputes within the Night Guard turn personal actions into political weapons.
• Protection and loyalty: Li protects Fan Xing and treats him as part of his circle, while Han Anbo provides older, practical guidance. The chapter emphasizes the value of dependable allies.
• Patience and disciplined growth: Li rejects the fantasy of instant success and acknowledges that cultivation, like any meaningful transformation, requires time and effort.
• The value of experience: The title is reflected in Han Anbo’s role as a seasoned adviser whose judgment helps Li navigate danger.

Character Interactions

• Li confronts Pang Mingjing indirectly through his fortune reading but chooses to treat him with measured fairness rather than cruelty.
• Li and Ge Chao exchange sharp insults, establishing their antagonistic relationship.
• Han Anbo cautions Li about political threats, while Li reassures him that he is prepared.
• Fan Xing reports Ge Chao’s misconduct and receives Li’s explicit promise of protection.
• Li and Han Anbo joke affectionately about Han being an “elder in the household,” reinforcing their trusting relationship.
• At the Directors’ Assembly Hall, Li remains detached from the political proceedings until the increasingly powerful explosions suggest that a much larger crisis is unfolding.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian realizes that the Night Guard and Inner Factory are conducting a large-scale operation, likely targeting an entire network rather than isolated individuals.
• During a meeting in the Directors’ Hall, Ge Chao formally accuses Li Qingxian of violating Imperial Prison Bureau rules by:
  • Releasing prisoners without proper authority
  • Buying prisoners’ lives through Fate Contracts
  • Interfering in the Bureau’s internal affairs
• Li Qingxian counters that he acted under Zhou Chunfeng’s authority, using Zhou’s token, and that the release documents carried the seals of three legitimate Administrators. He also challenges Ge Chao for ignoring the Bureau’s mistreatment of innocent prisoners.
• Li Qingxian turns the accusation against Ge Chao by demanding an investigation into Zhang Fugui, a senior official who allegedly broke Bureau rules. Ge Chao evades responsibility by claiming he does not interfere with superiors.
• Zhou Chunfeng openly confirms that Li Qingxian acted under his instructions, making it clear that Ge Chao’s challenge implicates Zhou himself.
• Ge Chao produces Pang Mingjing as a witness. Pang accuses Li Qingxian of coercing prisoners, using evil Fate Arts, buying seven lives at once, abusing his authority, and forcing Pang to sell his life.
• Zhou Chunfeng casually admits that he ordered Li Qingxian to use Life Buying as a pretext to investigate Pang Mingjing, completely undermining Pang’s testimony and leaving Ge Chao speechless.
• Ge Chao shifts tactics, making a public appeal to the “law of the king” and portraying himself as a righteous official willing to sacrifice his position. Ye Han supports him, while Wei Yong remains cautious and silent.
• Yan Shixiao suddenly enters with forces from both the Inner Factory and the Night Guard, creating an atmosphere of terror. He immediately arrests Ge Chao by sealing his acupoints and ordering Factory Guards to carry him away.
• Li Qingxian then accuses Pang Mingjing of colluding with Ge Chao. Yan Shixiao orders Pang’s arrest as well. Pang curses Li Qingxian, but a eunuch silences him before he can continue.

2. Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Demonstrates sharp political instincts, verbal confidence, and an ability to turn accusations back on his opponents. He recognizes Ge Chao’s attempt to smear him publicly and exploits Yan Shixiao’s arrival to eliminate Pang Mingjing as well.
• Zhou Chunfeng: Shows strong loyalty and willingness to shield Li Qingxian. Rather than cautiously distancing himself, he openly accepts responsibility for Li’s actions and calmly challenges Ge Chao’s authority.
• Ge Chao: Begins as an aggressive accuser but loses control of the situation as Li and Zhou repeatedly outmaneuver him. His final appeal to justice is revealed as political theater, and he is abruptly arrested.
• Pang Mingjing: Tries to portray himself as a persecuted victim, but his accusation collapses when Zhou confirms the investigation was authorized. His panic and helplessness culminate in his arrest.
• Yan Shixiao: Reveals a far more intimidating and authoritative side than his previously familiar, friendly persona. His arrival confirms the seriousness of the larger investigation and demonstrates the overwhelming power of the Inner Factory.
• Ye Han and Wei Yong: Ye Han is drawn into Ge Chao’s rhetoric and openly supports him, while Wei Yong recognizes the danger and avoids committing himself.

3. Significant Themes

• Political power versus formal law: The chapter explores how official rules can be invoked selectively, with Ge Chao using procedure as a weapon while ignoring injustices within the Imperial Prison.
• Loyalty and protection: Zhou Chunfeng’s complete willingness to accept responsibility for Li emphasizes the importance of patronage and personal loyalty within the bureaucracy.
• Rhetoric and public perception: Ge Chao cannot defeat Li through direct argument, so he attempts to shape public opinion by presenting himself as a martyr for justice.
• Hidden investigations and political purges: The Inner Factory’s coordinated arrests suggest a much larger conspiracy or crackdown underway.
• Justice as power: The chapter questions whether “the law of the king” is truly impartial when powerful institutions such as the Inner Factory can arrest officials without interference.
• Reversal of status: Pang Mingjing and Ge Chao appear powerful while making their accusations, but both are quickly reduced to helpless prisoners.

4. Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and Ge Chao: Engage in a sharp verbal confrontation. Li repeatedly exposes contradictions in Ge Chao’s accusations and forces him into defensive positions.
• Li Qingxian and Zhou Chunfeng: Li relies on Zhou’s authority, while Zhou publicly validates and protects him. Their exchange turns Ge Chao’s attack into a challenge against Zhou’s own standing.
• Ge Chao and Pang Mingjing: Ge Chao uses Pang as a victim-witness to strengthen his case, but Pang’s testimony ultimately fails.
• Ge Chao and Zhou Chunfeng: Ge Chao tries to warn Zhou that protecting Li will implicate him, but Zhou calmly accepts the threat and refuses to retreat.
• Li Qingxian and Pang Mingjing: Pang accuses Li of tyranny, but Li responds by identifying him as Ge Chao’s collaborator, leading directly to Pang’s arrest.
• Yan Shixiao and the officials: Yan’s silent inspection and sudden seizure of Ge Chao establish the Inner Factory’s dominance and terrify the entire hall.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• In the Directors’ Hall, Li Qingxian insists that the arrest of Ge Chao and the other officials had “nothing to do with him.” His statement leaves the officials confused, especially because the Inner Factory led the operation.
• After the meeting, Li returns to Chunfeng Residence with Zhou Chunfeng. Zhou reveals that Emperor Taining’s birthday is approaching, implying that Ge Chao’s group may have been planning a major disturbance during the celebrations.
• Li asks Zhou to let him interrogate Ge Chao so he can use Fate Observation and Qi Gazing to uncover additional information—and secretly study Ge Chao’s unusual Fate Mold. Zhou agrees to seek permission from the Night Guard Commander and Grand Inspector Yan.
• At the Street Patrol Office, Night Guards spread exaggerated rumors that Li used powerful connections to have Ge Chao arrested. Because three Seventh-Rank officials have recently fallen due to circumstances surrounding Li, they nickname him the “Seventh-Rank Nemesis.”
• Li repeatedly denies involvement, claiming he is merely an ordinary Night Guard, though he privately admits that the rumors may discourage others from provoking him.
• Later, Li is summoned to Chunfeng Residence, where Jiang Youfei prepares to teach him Thunder Arts. She returns his Heavenly Venerable Token and examines his copy of Annotated Compilation of the Five Thunder Orthodox Method.
• You Fei explains that true study requires memorizing, organizing, comparing, applying, and reviewing the material. Li is overwhelmed by her rigorous approach.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Continues cultivating a reputation for hidden influence despite insisting that events are coincidental. He shows ambition by seeking access to Ge Chao for both official intelligence-gathering and personal advancement in Fate Arts. His humorous, shameless behavior contrasts with his increasingly dangerous reputation.
• Zhou Chunfeng: Protects and supports Li while remaining cautious about his motives. He understands Li’s desire to obtain Ge Chao’s Fate Mold but still agrees to help him pursue the opportunity.
• Jiang Youfei: Is introduced as highly disciplined, intelligent, and methodical. Though youthful and petite in appearance, she possesses exceptional knowledge and an intense approach to learning and cultivation.
• Ge Chao and his associates: Their arrest appears connected to a larger conspiracy involving the emperor’s birthday, suggesting they may have planned an attack or political disturbance.

Significant Themes

• Reputation versus reality: Li claims innocence, but repeated coincidences make others view him as a ruthless political operator.
• Political secrecy and indirect communication: Zhou and the officials speak cautiously, forcing Li to infer the true meaning behind their words.
• Power and hidden influence: The Inner Factory’s intervention demonstrates the existence of forces operating beyond ordinary official channels, while Li benefits from the appearance of having powerful backing.
• Cultivation through disciplined study: You Fei emphasizes that mastery requires systematic review and application, not merely reading or memorizing techniques.
• Ambition disguised as duty: Li presents his interest in interrogating Ge Chao as service to the court, while also openly hoping to gain knowledge useful for his Fate Arts.

Character Interactions

• Li and Zhou share a familiar, teasing relationship, with Li praising Zhou for defending him and Zhou responding skeptically to Li’s excuses.
• The Night Guards alternately admire, fear, and gossip about Li, treating him as both a dangerous official and a source of entertainment.
• Han Anbo and Yu Ping tease Li about supposedly arranging Ge Chao’s downfall, while Li denies knowing anything in a way that only increases their suspicion.
• Li and Jiang Youfei begin a mentor-student relationship. Li expects straightforward instruction, but You Fei immediately challenges him with a demanding standard of study and preparation.

Summary of Qingxian Learns the Arts, a Peach Throws His Heart into Chaos

1. Key Plot Points & Events

• Li Qingxian’s Struggle with Thunder Arts: Li Qingxian, a Night Guard officer, attempts to learn Thunder Arts from a book but struggles because he lacks foundational Daoist knowledge.
• Jiang Youfei’s Critique: Jiang Youfei, a second-generation disciple of the Sky Firmament Sect, points out that Li lacks essential rituals (altar establishment, deity selection, sacrifices) and proper lineage credentials.

Discussion on Discipleship

• Li could join the sect as a formal disciple (requiring resignation from the Night Guard and lengthy exams).
• Alternatively, he could become an official disciple (simpler, requiring only imperial approval and sect consent).
• Li chooses the latter, accepting Jiang’s offer to act as his temporary master.

Ritual Transmission

• Jiang establishes a ritual altar with sacred tablets, flags, censers, and talismans.
• She recites purification mantras and incantations to prepare the space for Thunder Arts transmission.
• Li recites the Southern Pole Precious Proclamation, reinforcing his Thunder Dragon Fire Seal’s power.

2. Character Developments

Li Qingxian

• Realizes Thunder Arts are far more complex than he imagined.
• Demonstrates determination in learning despite obstacles.
• Struggles with distractions (notably his wandering gaze toward Jiang’s appearance).

Jiang Youfei

• Acts as a mentor figure, though reluctant to formally accept disciples.
• Shows expertise in sect rituals but admits she has never performed them before.
• Reveals mysterious intentions—Li senses she may have ulterior motives.
• Her graceful yet disciplined demeanor contrasts with Li’s impulsiveness.

3. Significant Themes

The Complexity of Cultivation

• Thunder Arts require rituals, lineage, and proper training—not just manuals.
• Li’s naivety contrasts with the structured, ancient traditions of the sect.

Power & Status

• Li’s Divine Firmament Thunder Seed grants him a high status, but he lacks proper lineage.
• The Sky Firmament Sect’s hierarchy (first, second, third-generation disciples) affects his learning path.

Discipline vs. Desire

• Li struggles to suppress his attraction to Jiang, reflecting internal conflict.
• Jiang’s physical allure (described as a "peach wrapped in white cloth") contrasts with her spiritual authority.

Authority & Transmission

• Who has the right to teach? Jiang acts as a proxy master, but her legitimacy is questioned.
• The court’s role in official discipleship complicates sect loyalty.

4. Character Interactions

Li Qingxian & Jiang Youfei

• Teacher-student dynamic with tension—Jiang is coldly professional, while Li is eager but clumsy.
• Unspoken attraction: Li’s stray glances and Jiang’s observant gaze hint at deeper feelings.
• Power imbalance: Jiang holds cultivation knowledge, while Li brings official status and resources.

Jiang’s Internal Conflict

• She refuses to formally accept disciples but agrees to act as Li’s temporary master.
• Her hesitation suggests she may have hidden reasons for helping him.

Li’s Self-Awareness

• He recognizes his flaws (lack of discipline, improper thoughts) but pushes forward with resolve.

Brief Takeaway

This chapter establishes Li Qingxian’s formal entry into Thunder Arts, revealing the rigid traditions of the Sky Firmament Sect while highlighting Li’s growth and Jiang’s enigmatic role. The ritual transmission sets the stage for deeper cultivation, but personal tensions (desire, status, authority) linger beneath the surface.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian undergoes the Investiture of Inner Gods ritual, led by Jiang Youfei.
• He receives four Inner Gods, each commanding a Thunder Art.
• Li Qingxian successfully performs his first Thunder Art, the 'Supreme Divine Firmament Jade Pivot Five-Thunder Beheading and Examination Method,' causing significant destruction.
• Jiang Youfei agrees to teach Li Qingxian Thunder Arts knowledge and a lightning-controlling method.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Successfully completes his first Thunder Art, demonstrating his potential and power. He also shows curiosity and eagerness to learn.
• Jiang Youfei: Shows concern and willingness to help Li Qingxian, despite initially being surprised and bewildered by his Thunder Art. She takes responsibility for the damage caused by Li Qingxian's Thunder Art.

Significant Themes

• Power and Potential: Li Qingxian's Thunder Art showcases his immense power and potential, hinting at his future growth.
• Mentorship: Jiang Youfei's decision to teach Li Qingxian further emphasizes the importance of mentorship in his cultivation journey.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and Jiang Youfei: Their interaction reveals a growing bond and mutual respect. Jiang Youfei's willingness to help Li Qingxian indicates a shift in her attitude towards him, from initial indifference to concern and support.

Chapter Summary: Stirring Up Trouble, Yan Xue Detests Ye Han

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Youfei begins teaching Li Qingxian Thunder Arts from the Annotated Compilation of the Five Thunder Orthodox Method to prepare him for demon hunting. She covers thunder deities, seals, incantations, hand signs, astral steps, rituals, and combat applications.
• Li Qingxian and Jiang Youfei spend the entire day studying together. Their easy, increasingly familiar interaction is witnessed by Ye Han, who becomes jealous and consoles himself with the thought that Song Yanxue still appreciates him.
• At Snow Studio, Ye Han joins a meeting of Demon-Hunting Office officials. The group discusses the strange sounds heard in the Divine Capital and Ge Chao’s arrest during the Directors’ Hall incident.
• Ye Han presents a heavily biased version of events, portraying Li Qingxian as tyrannical and vengeful, Ge Chao as righteous, and Pang Mingjing as an innocent victim. The officials praise Ye Han for his supposed courage and integrity.
• Song Yanxue returns from a dangerous operation against members of the Underworld Lord’s faction. Her forces suffered serious losses, including one severely wounded Sixth Rank officer and seven deaths.
• After hearing Ye Han’s account, Song Yanxue asks for his opinion of Li Qingxian. Ye Han condemns Li as talented but morally corrupt and “unworthy of being called a Son of Man.”
• Song Yanxue, however, has learned that Li Qingxian was instrumental in exposing the Underworld Lord’s network and had deliberately pretended to misread Ge Chao’s Fate Mold to protect the investigation. She realizes that Li had endured slander and danger for the sake of the court and innocent people.
• Concluding that Li’s presence might have prevented the deaths among her subordinates, Song Yanxue dismisses Ye Han from Snow Studio and tells him to focus on cultivating rather than attending its meetings.
• Humiliated and devastated, Ye Han leaves. His former admiration for Snow Studio turns into resentment, and he even decides its calligraphy is inferior to Zhou Chunfeng’s.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Demonstrates dedication to learning and shows promise in Daoist thunder techniques. His apparent harshness is recontextualized as strategic self-sacrifice in service of a larger investigation.
• Jiang Youfei: Acts as a patient and generous mentor. Her relaxed relationship with Li Qingxian grows more familiar, provoking Ye Han’s jealousy.
• Ye Han: Becomes increasingly jealous, self-righteous, and manipulative. He exaggerates events to damage Li Qingxian’s reputation, but his scheme backfires when Song Yanxue learns the truth. His loss of status leaves him bitter and emotionally shaken.
• Song Yanxue: Initially values Ye Han, but her firsthand experience of the Underworld Lord investigation and knowledge of Li’s true contribution change her judgment. She proves capable of distinguishing genuine loyalty from shallow moral posturing.
• Zhou Chunfeng: Remains in the background, allowing Jiang Youfei to teach Li without interruption and highlighting his calm, practical character.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus reality: Li appears ruthless because of his actions in court, but his hidden motives reveal courage and loyalty. Ye Han appears righteous but is driven by envy and resentment.
• True merit versus empty moralizing: Ye Han speaks grandly about justice, while Li quietly accepts blame and danger to protect a larger mission.
• Jealousy and wounded pride: Ye Han’s envy of Li’s relationship with Jiang Youfei and his desire for Song Yanxue’s approval distort his judgment.
• Recognition and misjudgment: Song Yanxue’s changing opinion emphasizes that true character is revealed through sacrifice and results rather than public reputation.
• The cost of duty: The losses suffered during the operation underscore the dangers faced by the Night Guard and make Li’s investigative contribution especially significant.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and Jiang Youfei: A warm teacher-student exchange develops as she patiently trains him and he asks questions while escorting her out.
• Ye Han and the Snow Studio officials: Ye Han gains temporary approval by condemning Li, with others praising his supposed righteousness.
• Ye Han and Song Yanxue: Ye Han expects Song Yanxue to join him in disliking Li, but she instead questions him, sees through his account, and removes him from Snow Studio.
• Song Yanxue and Li Qingxian: Although Li is not present, her understanding of his actions deepens significantly. She comes to view him as a courageous ally whose efforts may have saved lives.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Han leaves the Night Guard Yamen furious and humiliated after being rejected twice by Director Song Yanxue and looked down upon by other women. He secretly accepts an invitation from the Heir of Prince Yuan, suggesting he may seek another powerful patron.
• Li Qingxian encounters Ye Han and subtly tries to win him back, warning him that Ge Chao and Pang Mingjing are hypocritical and reminding him that Li has always treated him as a good brother. Li’s kindness is partly motivated by his interest in Ye Han’s Fate Mold.
• The next day, Li learns that Ye Han offended Song Yanxue and has been banned from Snow Studio. Song will no longer personally guide his martial training, causing Ye Han’s position in the Demon-Hunting Office to decline.
• Li continues studying Thunder Arts with Jiang Youfei at Chunfeng Residence. He finds the written manuals difficult but benefits greatly from Jiang’s explanations.
• Rumors circulate that the Cabinet may abolish the Street Patrol Office and transfer many Night Guards into the Demon-Hunting Office, greatly increasing Song Yanxue’s authority. Li suspects Zhou Chunfeng may eventually send him there because Song values capable subordinates.
• Jiang Youfei receives an urgent message and leaves. Li then asks Zhou Chunfeng for permission to visit Ge Chao. Zhou agrees to take him to the West Courtyard of the Imperial Prison, warning him not to wander because it contains two Eerie Grounds.
• On the way, Li learns that many major government offices—and possibly even the Imperial Palace—contain Eerie Grounds. He also discovers that the Night Guard’s Black Lantern Bureau is responsible for managing sealed, dangerous locations in the capital.
• Alarmed, Li jokingly flatters Zhou Chunfeng and begs not to be sent to the Black Lantern Bureau for training.

Character Developments

• Ye Han: Becomes increasingly resentful and desperate after losing Song Yanxue’s support. His acceptance of the Heir of Prince Yuan’s invitation indicates that he may be turning toward a new faction.
• Li Qingxian: Demonstrates political cunning by comforting Ye Han while pursuing his own interest in Ye Han’s Fate Mold. He remains wary of official factions and authority, but continues improving his cultivation through Thunder Arts.
• Zhou Chunfeng: Reveals a protective yet severe attitude toward Li. He appears to be deliberately broadening Li’s training and may be preparing him for a transfer to a more powerful but dangerous office.
• Jiang Youfei: Acts as Li’s patient instructor in Thunder Arts, though her sudden departure hints at her ongoing obligations to the Sky Firmament Sect.
• Song Yanxue: Though absent, she gains importance as a strict and respected director whose disapproval can seriously damage an official’s career.

Significant Themes

• Political maneuvering and factional loyalty: Officials’ careers depend heavily on patronage, reputation, and choosing the correct allies.
• Manipulation beneath apparent kindness: Li’s comforting words to Ye Han are sincere in tone but also motivated by his desire to obtain Ye Han’s Fate Mold.
• The dangers hidden beneath civilization: Even the capital’s most important institutions contain Eerie Grounds, showing that danger and supernatural corruption are embedded in the state itself.
• Fear of authority and uncertain advancement: Li wants power and training but fears being drawn into dangerous bureaucratic factions or assigned to lethal duties.
• Changing alliances: Ye Han’s possible allegiance to Prince Yuan contrasts with Li’s attempts to maintain influence over him.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and Ye Han: Li encounters Ye Han after his humiliation, criticizes Ge Chao and Pang Mingjing, and reassures him of their brotherly bond. Ye Han is visibly shaken but ultimately continues toward Prince Yuan’s Residence.
• Li Qingxian and Han Anbo: Han informs Li of Ye Han’s banishment from Snow Studio and the political rumors surrounding the Demon-Hunting Office. Their conversation reveals Li’s distrust of officialdom and Zhou Chunfeng’s possible plans for him.
• Li Qingxian and Jiang Youfei: Jiang teaches Li Thunder Arts and leaves after receiving a mysterious message, leaving him to struggle with the confusing written material.
• Li Qingxian and Zhou Chunfeng: Li asks to visit Ge Chao, receives permission, and learns about Eerie Grounds and the Black Lantern Bureau. He ends by humorously pleading with Zhou not to send him into such dangerous work.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Chunfeng informs Li Qingxian that Team Jia-Nine will join the Demon-Hunting Office the following afternoon to hunt demons. He warns that demon bands frequently raid towns during the resource-short months, sometimes converging to destroy entire cities.
• Zhou Chunfeng, Zhou Hen, and Li Qingxian enter the West Courtyard of Imperial Prison rather than the familiar East Courtyard. The West Courtyard houses prisoners from several powerful institutions and is overseen by a Principal Fourth Rank Imperial Prison Commissioner.
• Before entering, Zhou Chunfeng lends Li Qingxian a powerful blue-jade artifact infused with Righteous Qi. It can ward off evil influences from the Demon-Locking Maze beneath the prison, though it cannot protect against Eerie Demons.
• The guards verify their identities with a jade crane, and Zhou Chunfeng warns Li Qingxian about the West Courtyard’s dangerous formations and strange taboos: they must remain on black roads, avoid yellow paths and grass, flee from anyone dressed in yellow, and never call for help while fleeing.
• They visit Ge Chao, who has been brutally tortured. His skin, fingernails, and fingers have been destroyed, and iron rods pierce his body. His condition is so severe that he no longer appears to recognize Li Qingxian.
• Using Fate Observation and Qi Gazing, Li Qingxian determines that Ge Chao’s fortune has been completely extinguished. Ge Chao will die within three days.
• Inside Ge Chao’s Fate Mansion, Li Qingxian discovers an imposing Emperor Star Suppressing Fate, which has crushed Ge Chao’s various sources of support and made his fate unusually easy to manipulate.
• Li Qingxian uses the Life-Hunting Art to inspect Ge Chao’s six Fate Stars. He decides that several of them—especially Sparrow Hiding in Its Nest, Tiny Scales Hiding in the Grass, and Chameleon Concealment—would greatly improve his own chances during the upcoming demon hunt.
• He begins fishing for Sparrow Hiding in Its Nest. Despite the normally high difficulty of Ge Chao’s Fate configuration, the Emperor Star makes the process remarkably easy, and the hook reaches the Fate Star within two quarters of an hour. The chapter ends as Li Qingxian continues the extraction.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian becomes more pragmatic and resourceful. He readily accepts Zhou Chunfeng’s protective artifact, even jokingly treating it as something to be borrowed and returned, reflecting his practical and somewhat mercantile attitude.
• His confidence in Fate Observation and the Life-Hunting Art grows. He quickly recognizes Ge Chao’s doomed condition and sees how Ge Chao’s remaining Fate Stars could strengthen him before the demon hunt.
• Zhou Chunfeng demonstrates concern for Li Qingxian’s safety by lending him a valuable artifact and carefully explaining the West Courtyard’s survival rules. He also shows how familiar he is with Li Qingxian’s increasingly opportunistic habits.
• Ge Chao is reduced from a dangerous adversary to a helpless, condemned prisoner. His torture and imminent death reveal the overwhelming power of Imperial Prison and the severity of his punishment.
• Zhou Hen mainly serves as an observer, reacting with surprise to Li Qingxian’s shameless practicality.

Significant Themes

• Institutional cruelty and power: Ge Chao’s mutilation illustrates the terrifying authority of the Imperial Prison and the brutal consequences of opposing powerful institutions.
• Fate and inevitability: Ge Chao’s extinguished fortune, doomed Fate Projection, and Emperor Star Suppressing Fate emphasize that his death is no longer avoidable.
• Pragmatism and opportunism: Li Qingxian treats even an enemy’s downfall as an opportunity to acquire useful Fate Stars and prepare for future danger.
• Danger hidden beneath order: The West Courtyard appears orderly and familiar, yet its rules, formations, and unseen prisoners make it far more dangerous than the East Courtyard.
• Preparation against chaos: The upcoming demon hunt and discussion of raids reinforce the need for foresight, defensive tools, and accumulated power.

Character Interactions

• Zhou Chunfeng advises Li Qingxian about demon raids and lends him the jade protective artifact.
• Li Qingxian and Zhou Chunfeng humorously clash over the artifact: Li Qingxian insists on returning it, while Zhou Chunfeng criticizes his Ministry of Revenue–style habit of maximizing every resource.
• Zhou Chunfeng gives Li Qingxian strict instructions for surviving the West Courtyard, prompting unease and close cooperation between them.
• Jing Guan and the jailers bring Ge Chao before the group, while the jailers physically restrain and punish him.
• Li Qingxian observes Ge Chao with a mixture of pity and calculation, then uses his Fate Arts to exploit Ge Chao’s impending death and extract a valuable Fate Star.

Chapter Summary: Li Qingxian’s First Encounter with Yellow Springs

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian successfully fishes up four Fate Stars: Sparrow Hiding in Its Nest, Tiny Scales Hiding in the Grass, Chameleon Concealment, and Outcast Harmful Horse.
• He replaces Fox Borrowing the Tiger’s Might and reorganizes his Fate Stars across the Moon, Sun, and Current Fate Pillars. After adjusting their positions according to yin, yang, and the five elements, his Fate Pattern becomes significantly stronger.
• Realizing that Golden Toad Bearing Treasure conflicts with the other Fate Stars, Li Qingxian removes it and reinstates Fox Borrowing the Tiger’s Might. This completes a four-star Fate Pattern.
• The completed pattern produces Fate Mist and gives birth to a tiny Fate Spirit, which Li identifies as being connected to the deceptive nature of Fox Borrowing the Tiger’s Might and the Fate Stars associated with Pang Mingjing and Ge Chao.
• Using Fate Observation and Qi Gazing, enhanced by the Emperor Star Suppressing Fate, Li examines Ge Chao’s past and reveals that Ge Chao’s son was corrupted long ago. He also exposes a nearby drugstore as a stronghold and proves that a previously accused Night Guard prison warden was innocent.
• Li attributes the accuracy of his revelations to the Emperor’s power, earning praise from the assembled officials.
• Zhou Chunfeng introduces Li to Wu Zhao, the Imperial Prison Envoy, a Principal Fourth Rank official and Daoist practitioner. Wu Zhao recognizes Li’s connection to the Sky Firmament Sect and encourages his Daoist development.
• While leaving the prison, the group encounters a terrifying supernatural phenomenon: a white road covered in drifting black hair, leading toward a massive stone gate and enormous bronze doors.
• Zhou Chunfeng becomes trapped marching in place by the No-Return Road, while Wu Zhao identifies the destination beyond the gate as Yellow Springs.
• Wu Zhao explains that the Yellow Springs Eerie Ground lasts twelve hours before dissipating, but a boat enters Yellow Springs every hour carrying trapped people away. Since their group discovered the gate first, they are likely to be among the first taken.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates rapidly increasing mastery of Fate arts. He not only creates a powerful Fate Pattern but also nurtures a Fate Spirit, marking a major advancement.
• His ability to observe hidden truths earns him greater credibility among the officials and establishes him as a valuable investigative asset.
• Li shows practical judgment by discarding the incompatible Golden Toad Bearing Treasure instead of choosing wealth over overall Fate harmony.
• Zhou Chunfeng continues to protect and guide Li, while also showing concern for the group’s survival. His helpless remark about Li’s lack of literary and martial talent highlights Li’s unusual dependence on Fate and Daoist abilities.
• Wu Zhao is introduced as an experienced, knowledgeable Daoist official. He remains calm in the supernatural crisis and takes responsibility for explaining the danger to the others.
• Zhou Hen acts protectively toward Li, warning him not to move unnecessarily once the group becomes trapped.

Significant Themes

• Fate, pattern, and balance: Power comes not merely from collecting Fate Stars but from arranging them harmoniously. Li’s willingness to remove a lucrative but incompatible Fate Star emphasizes balance over immediate advantage.
• Growth through specialization: Li is not strong in conventional literary or martial paths, yet his Fate and Daoist abilities are becoming exceptional, suggesting that his unconventional strengths will define his future.
• Truth and hidden corruption: Li’s Fate Observation exposes concealed crimes, false accusations, and the corruption of Ge Chao’s son, reinforcing the theme that supernatural insight can reveal the moral realities hidden beneath appearances.
• The inevitability of danger: The No-Return Road and Yellow Springs embody forces that cannot be resisted through ordinary willpower. Even powerful officials are reduced to cautious survival.
• Life, death, and entrapment: The imagery of black hair rising from the white road, upward-flowing yellow water, and figures swept away when they stop or turn back creates an ominous vision of death as a one-way journey.

Character Interactions

• Li works closely with his Fate Pattern while reflecting on the compatibility of his Fate Stars, showing an internal relationship between strategy and supernatural power.
• He publicly reports his visions to the clerks and officials, forcing the group to reassess Ge Chao’s guilt and family connections.
• Zhou Chunfeng introduces Li to Wu Zhao, establishing a potential mentor-like relationship between Li and the senior Daoist official.
• Wu Zhao modestly deflects Li’s praise of his Daoist skill and acknowledges You Fei’s influence over Li’s training.
• Zhou Chunfeng and Wu Zhao cooperate during the crisis: Zhou investigates the strange road while Wu Zhao guards the group and interprets the supernatural signs.
• The group’s shared fear contrasts with the authority of Zhou Chunfeng and Wu Zhao, emphasizing how Yellow Springs places everyone—officials, guards, and prisoners—under the same threat.

Chapter Summary: “Ox-Cutting Technique Opens the Way”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Hen asks whether the strange land can be unraveled. Wu Zhao explains that he can deal with Three Paths Mountain but has no solution for the No-Return Road or Yellow Springs Gate.
• Wu Zhao reveals that the group is trapped inside the Yellow Springs Strange Land, an Eerie Ground formed from the lingering power of a powerful Eerie Demon known as the Yellow Springs Emperor.
• Everyone discovers a yellow-cloud mark on the left wrist, where no pulse can be felt, confirming that they have fallen under the strange land’s influence.
• The Yellow Springs Strange Land contains three Eeries. If they are uncovered, the land can be resolved; if not, twelve people will inevitably die. Breaking through by force would cost each person ten years of life.
• Li Qingxian studies the No-Return Road’s position and asks Wu Zhao to determine its shifting trigram location. Wu Zhao identifies it as primarily the Kun position, occasionally shifting to Li.
• Li Qingxian concludes that the No-Return Road resembles the “trapped” aspect of a Fate Mold and can potentially be unraveled through the Ox-Cutting Technique.
• Because his mana is insufficient, Li Qingxian asks to borrow Wu Zhao’s power. Wu Zhao agrees enthusiastically.
• The required living ox is unavailable, but Wu Zhao produces a living ox demon and magically reduces it to the size of an ordinary ox.
• Li Qingxian gathers the necessary materials: red string and cloth, seven bowls, seven white candles, a knife, clear water, a bundle, a shovel, and an empty spirit tablet.
• Following the ritual, Zhou Hen carves “Ox Tomb” onto the tablet, the guards dig a pit, and Li Qingxian beheads the ox demon. The guards collect seven portions of its blood and soak the red materials in it.
• Li Qingxian then severs the ox’s tail and asks Wu Zhao to use a remote retrieval spell to extract the ox’s heart without disturbing the rest of the body, preparing the next stage of the technique.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates increasing confidence and initiative. Although he is the weakest member of the group and particularly vulnerable to Eerie Demons because he is a Fate Arts Master, he refuses to wait passively for death.
• He applies his developing knowledge of Fate Arts creatively, recognizing the connection between the No-Return Road and a Fate Mold and proposing a possible solution.
• Wu Zhao shifts from being the group’s principal source of knowledge to actively supporting Li Qingxian’s plan. He trusts Li’s judgment, offers his mana, and secures the ox demon needed for the ritual.
• Zhou Hen remains cautious and protective, warning Li about the danger of backlash, but ultimately assists him by carving the ritual tablet.
• Zhou Chunfeng is established as willing to use overwhelming force if necessary, even at the cost of ten years of life.
• Jing Guan supports Li’s attempt immediately, ordering the ritual materials to be obtained.

Significant Themes

• Courage versus passive despair: Li Qingxian chooses to attempt a dangerous technique rather than wait for the Strange Land to claim victims.
• Knowledge and adaptability: Success depends on interpreting incomplete records, shifting trigram positions, and applying Fate Arts in an unconventional way.
• The cost of power: Brute force can open a path, but it exacts a major price in lifespan; even the ritual solution risks backlash.
• Cooperation and trust: The group’s survival depends on combining Wu Zhao’s experience and mana, Li Qingxian’s insight, Zhou Hen’s strength, and the guards’ labor.
• Death and ritual transformation: The ox’s killing, blood, burial pit, and “Ox Tomb” tablet reflect the chapter’s emphasis on using death-related symbolism to counter an Eerie confinement.

Character Interactions

• Wu Zhao explains the nature and dangers of the Yellow Springs Strange Land to Li Qingxian and the others.
• Li Qingxian questions Wu Zhao closely, then persuades him to lend his mana for the Ox-Cutting Technique.
• Zhou Hen challenges Li’s plan out of concern for the backlash, but Li insists that action is preferable to certain death.
• Wu Zhao and Li cooperate closely in preparing the ritual, while Zhou Hen and the prison guards carry out the physical preparations.
• The chapter ends with Li and Wu Zhao working together to extract the ox’s heart, leaving the ritual—and whether it can truly unravel the No-Return Road—unfinished.

Chapter Summary: “The Old Daoist Burns Three Paths Mountain”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian and Wu Zhao perform the Ox-Cutting Technique to break the No-Return Road. Li prepares an ox sacrifice by burying its heart and tail, arranging bowls of ox blood in the shape of the Big Dipper, and lighting seven blue flames with Wu Zhao’s help.
• Using the ox’s severed head and body, connected by a blood-red rope, Li summons the dead ox to guide them toward Three Paths Mountain and the Yellow Springs Gate. As it advances, the blood rope withers the black hair covering the road.
• The ox reaches the threshold and collapses, causing the white road between the black road and the threshold to disappear. The No-Return Road is successfully broken, allowing the group to travel back and forth.
• Wu Zhao then attempts to destroy Three Paths Mountain. After conducting an elaborate ritual involving talismans, flags, ritual bells, peachwood tokens, and Astral Dipper Steps, he transforms into a figure wreathed in flames.
• Wu Zhao crosses the mountain’s threshold, turning the remaining white road black and forcing Three Paths Mountain to sink into the earth. However, the ritual consumes his lifespan: one-third of his formerly black beard turns white.
• The Yellow Springs Gate remains intact. Wu Zhao explains that breaking it directly would be possible only at a heavy cost, though the destruction of the other two Eerie Grounds has reduced the eventual price.
• Wu Zhao gathers more than one hundred Imperial Prison Bureau personnel and orders prisoners to share any knowledge about Eerie Demons, Eerie Grounds, and methods of breaking the curse.
• Li records the information in Fate script and learns about the Fate Star Curse-Breaking Method, realizing that it may provide a way to overcome the Yellow Springs curse.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates increasing mastery of Fate Arts. Although he remains modest and credits Wu Zhao’s support, his successful use of the Ox-Cutting Technique earns him praise as a gifted “qilin child” of the Li Family.
• Li also proves his analytical ability by identifying the true nature of the Fate Star Curse-Breaking Method: it is a sacrificial ritual that exchanges Fate Stars for the lives demanded by the Yellow Springs Emperor.
• Wu Zhao displays overwhelming ritual power and courage by destroying Three Paths Mountain, but the whitening of his beard reveals the personal cost and the limits of his strength.
• Zhou Chunfeng, previously trapped and marching in place, is freed from the No-Return Road and becomes a witness to Li’s success and Wu Zhao’s sacrifice.
• The wider Imperial Prison Bureau group shifts from secrecy and isolation toward cooperation, sharing information in the hope of escaping the Eerie Ground.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and cost: Both rituals require life force or spiritual resources. Li sacrifices an ox and expends immense mana, while Wu Zhao sacrifices his lifespan to destroy Three Paths Mountain.
• Knowledge as survival: The group’s only hope against the Yellow Springs Gate is collective knowledge. Even prisoners are offered incentives to contribute information.
• Inherited talent and personal effort: Li’s family heritage gives him potential, but his success depends on courage, preparation, and precise understanding of Fate Arts.
• Limits of power: Even a powerful Daoist like Wu Zhao cannot easily destroy the Yellow Springs Gate; supernatural victories always carry consequences.
• Secrecy versus cooperation: Li must consider how to conceal his possible use of the curse-breaking method, showing that survival still requires caution even after the group begins cooperating.

Character Interactions

• Wu Zhao supports Li directly by replenishing his mana during the Ox-Cutting Technique, making Li’s success possible.
• Zhou Chunfeng warns Li of the danger based on his own experience, but Li accepts the risk without hesitation.
• Wu Zhao praises Li enthusiastically after the No-Return Road is broken, while Zhou Chunfeng also acknowledges his talent.
• Zhou reacts with concern when he realizes Wu Zhao has sacrificed part of his lifespan.
• Wu Zhao organizes the survivors and prisoners into a collaborative effort, while Li quietly studies their testimony and begins formulating a possible solution to the Yellow Springs curse.

Chapter Summary: “A Good Nephew Sacrifices Twelve Lives”

Key Plot Points and Events

• With the Yellow Springs Gate continuing to threaten everyone, Li Qingxian reveals that he may be able to dispel the eerie phenomenon.
• He claims the method will consume an ancestral Fate Artifact, concealing the fact that he actually intends to sacrifice twelve Fate Stars.
• The trapped officials offer rewards for his help:
  • Spirit Metal and Fate Materials
  • Silver
  • Access to the Imperial Prison Bureau’s storehouse
  • The possibility of obtaining an extremely valuable Eerie Seal
• Li Qingxian performs an elaborate ritual involving Yu Steps, strange chants, Thunder Arts, and the Life Offering Arts.
• He offers twelve Fate Stars to the Yellow Springs Gate. The gate absorbs them and gradually sinks underground, causing the Eerie Ground and yellow mist to disappear.
• However, a stream of yellow river water strikes Li Qingxian’s wrist and leaves behind a small yellow-cloud mark, suggesting that a powerful Great Eerie has noticed or targeted him.
• Although Li Qingxian successfully saves everyone, his companions realize that he has paid a serious personal price.
• The rescued officials give him Spirit Metal, artifacts, silver, and promises of future assistance. They emphasize that he saved not only them but also the families of at least twelve Night Guards.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates courage, responsibility, and self-sacrifice by risking himself to save the trapped group. He also proves highly resourceful, disguising his genuine Fate Arts ritual as an unfamiliar but convincing ceremony.
• Despite appearing selfless, Li Qingxian remains practical and calculating. He willingly sacrifices the Fate Stars because he expects substantial rewards, though he is genuinely alarmed when marked by the Yellow Springs Gate.
• Wu Zhao becomes deeply impressed by Li Qingxian’s mysterious Fate Arts and Thunder Arts, recognizing that his abilities may come from an extraordinary lineage.
• Zhou Chunfeng feels both pride and concern for Li Qingxian, whom he regards as a worthy nephew.
• Sun He, Xu Jinxian, Hu Yuanhu, and the other officials move from dependence and fear to gratitude and respect, offering personal resources and future protection.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and responsibility: Li Qingxian risks his future and spends valuable Fate Stars to protect others.
• The contrast between reputation and reality: Although Li Qingxian is rumored to be ruthless, the witnesses discover that he possesses integrity, courage, and compassion.
• Youthful heroism: The older officials compare Li Qingxian’s actions to young soldiers who sacrifice themselves for humanity.
• Reciprocity and gratitude: Those he saves insist on compensating him, showing that genuine life-saving deeds create lasting bonds and obligations.
• The cost of power: Even successful use of Fate Arts brings danger; Li Qingxian’s victory attracts the attention of an unknown and terrifying entity.

Important Character Interactions

• The officials initially bargain with Li Qingxian, offering increasingly valuable rewards in exchange for his aid.
• Wu Zhao and the others watch his ritual with confusion and awe, mistakenly believing they are witnessing a rare branch of the legendary Crossing the Heavenly Gate.
• After the ritual succeeds, the officials notice the yellow mark on Li Qingxian’s wrist and realize that his victory has placed him in danger.
• They respond by giving him treasured possessions and pledging future help, while Li Qingxian modestly claims that he was saving himself as well.
• Sun He speaks for the group, insisting that Li Qingxian has saved the families of twelve Night Guards and deserves their gratitude.

Chapter Summary: Li Qingxian Builds Up His Marriage Fund

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Chunfeng explains the consequences of Li Qingxian’s Great Eerie mark. Although the mark makes Li a target for powerful Eerie Demons—particularly the Yellow Springs Emperor—it may cause lesser Eeries to hesitate before attacking him.
• Zhou reassures Li by recounting the example of Li Xuzhong, a renowned Fate Arts Master who bore fourteen Great Eerie marks and survived by manipulating conflicts between Eeries. This gives Li hope that sufficiently powerful fate and Fate Arts can eventually overcome his predicament.
• Li orders the Imperial Prison workers to bury the demon cow where it fell, leaving its Ox Tomb undisturbed for seven days before moving it to a proper graveyard.
• Back at Chunfeng Residence, Li inventories his rewards from dispelling the Eerie: Spirit Metal, two valuable Lower Rank magical artifacts, jewelry, and more than three thousand taels in silver. The total value exceeds forty thousand taels.
• Zhou gives Li supplies for future demon hunting, including Daoist ritual materials, enchanted food, survival equipment, and a compendium of basic Daoist spells.
• Li equips himself with the Heart-Clearing Jade Pendant and Nine-Flower Umbrella, stores much of his wealth with Zhou, and jokingly calls it the beginning of his future wife’s betrothal gift. He also asks Zhou to contribute as his “uncle.”
• Li prepares a list of Fate Materials required to create the Fortune Measuring Ruler and Fate-Setting Scale, two Fate Artifacts essential for his future cultivation and Fate Arts.
• Upon returning to Jia-Nine Office, Li tells Han Anbo about being marked by an Eerie. Han encourages him, suggesting the experience may eventually raise Li’s status if another Yellow Springs Strange Land appears.
• Li postpones demon hunting for a day so he can make talismans and practice with Fate Artifacts. He also decides to begin buying people’s lives to gain practical experience in Fate Arts.
• Han proposes helping poor but honest people rather than exploiting beggars, providing them with modest financial aid and employment. Li agrees and offers to compensate them fairly.
• Li asks Han to arrange a separate courtyard near Night Guard Street where he can regularly conduct Fate Material transactions and Life Buying without drawing attention at Jia-Nine Office.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian becomes more determined and pragmatic after learning about the Eerie mark. Though initially alarmed, he quickly shifts toward preparing himself through Fate Arts, magical artifacts, and experience.
• His growing wealth makes him think seriously about marriage and future responsibilities, though he treats the subject with humor by calling his savings a “marriage fund.”
• Li also shows increasing independence and ambition: he plans to acquire Fate Materials, build his own workspace, and gain experience through Life Buying.
• At the same time, he remains inexperienced in worldly affairs and openly relies on Han Anbo’s guidance regarding money, charity, and social consequences.
• Zhou Chunfeng acts as a mentor and protector, offering reassurance, equipment, logistical support, and practical advice. His relationship with Li is warm and familial.
• Han Anbo demonstrates his resourcefulness and moral judgment. He helps Li pursue Fate Arts while steering him away from harming desperate people or creating dangerous social problems.

Significant Themes

• Fate versus danger: The Eerie mark is both a curse and a possible source of future prestige. The chapter emphasizes that powerful fate can transform calamity into opportunity.
• Preparation and growth: Li responds to danger by gathering resources, studying spells, acquiring artifacts, and seeking practical experience.
• Wealth and responsibility: Li’s sudden rewards provide financial power, but the chapter also stresses the importance of using money carefully and responsibly.
• Mentorship and friendship: Zhou and Han support Li in different ways—Zhou through protection and knowledge, Han through practical and ethical advice.
• Charity versus exploitation: Life Buying could easily become predatory, but Han encourages Li to assist people genuinely rather than simply purchasing the lives of helpless beggars.
• Humor amid danger: Li’s marriage-fund jokes and Zhou’s exasperated reactions lighten an otherwise ominous chapter.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and Zhou Chunfeng: Zhou explains the Eerie mark, tells Li about Li Xuzhong, gives him hunting supplies, evaluates his rewards, and agrees to store his wealth. Their exchange reflects trust, affection, and playful familial teasing.
• Li Qingxian and Han Anbo: Li confides in Han about the mark and asks for help arranging Life Buying and a private residence. Han reassures him, offers practical solutions, and helps him approach the process ethically.
• Li Qingxian and Yu Ping: Their interaction is minimal; Yu is already asleep when Li returns, emphasizing the late hour and the contrast between Li’s constant preparations and Yu’s exhaustion.

Chapter Summary: Jia-Nine Office Begins Its Demon Hunt

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian gives Han Anbo one hundred taels, asking him to exchange part of it into loose silver for “Life Buying”—purchasing Fate Stars from people willing to sell their remaining lifespans.
• He spends all his mana refining five Thunder Talismans. Although the talismans appear to be Ninth Rank, their destructive and evil-cleansing properties give them power comparable to higher-rank techniques.
• After recovering, Li receives Fate Materials from Lord Zhou and refines two Fate Artifacts:
  • Fortune Measuring Ruler, which measures fortune and Fate Arts.
  • Fate-Setting Scale, capable of weighing and manipulating aspects of a Fate Mansion, Fate Stars, Fate Pillars, and Fate Spirits.
• Han Anbo rents a house and begins finding people willing to sell their lives. Li later buys thirteen ordinary Fate Stars in total, adding them to his Fate Star Mountain.
• Meanwhile, the Demon-Hunting Office conducts a demon-hunting operation. Li’s delayed participation is criticized by a Seventh Rank official, but Song Yanxue firmly defends him, knowing that he recently resolved the Yellow Springs Strange Land and achieved extraordinary merit.
• Song Yanxue also criticizes the official for admiring Ye Han, revealing her growing disapproval of Ye Han despite the latter’s respectable cultivation.
• Li, Han Anbo, and Yu Ping report to the Demon-Hunting Office and are assigned to Wu Jingtian’s team for their first demon hunt.
• Wu Jingtian, a powerful and imposing Eighth Rank commander, accepts the three into his group. Yu Ping’s enormous appetite and heavy equipment amuse him.
• Li reunites with Ye Han, who enthusiastically introduces him to the other Night Guards. Most of the team members eagerly question Li about Wei Yong and the Seventh-Rank Nemesis, leaving Ye Han comparatively ignored.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates exceptional talent in Thunder Arts and Fate Arts. He is willing to exhaust himself to prepare for the demon hunt and begins expanding his Fate Mansion with new artifacts and Fate Stars.
• Han Anbo acts as Li’s reliable assistant, handling finances, renting accommodations, purchasing lives, and helping organize the team’s preparations.
• Yu Ping remains food-focused but proves dependable and physically capable, carrying heavy equipment and readily joining the expedition.
• Song Yanxue shows that her stern adherence to rules is tempered by fairness and a willingness to protect genuinely meritorious subordinates. Her knowledge of Li’s secret achievement greatly increases her respect for him.
• Wu Jingtian is introduced as a formidable but practical commander. He quickly accepts Li’s abilities and appreciates Han Anbo’s experience and Yu Ping’s strength.
• Ye Han appears friendly toward Li, but his social standing in the team weakens as the others focus their attention on Li. Song Yanxue’s negative opinion of him also becomes more apparent.

Significant Themes

• Hidden merit and political complications: Li’s success in resolving the Yellow Springs Strange Land cannot yet be publicly rewarded because he is Li Gangfeng’s son, showing how politics obstructs recognition.
• Preparation and resource accumulation: Li methodically strengthens himself through talisman-making, Fate Artifacts, and the acquisition of Fate Stars before entering the demon hunt.
• Power beyond rank: The Thunder Talismans demonstrate that formal rank does not always reflect true combat effectiveness; specialized abilities and properties can greatly increase power.
• Reputation and recognition: Li’s growing fame attracts the attention of other Night Guards, while Ye Han’s former prominence fades in comparison.
• Duty versus personal cultivation: The Night Guards balance court service, demon hunting, and advancement in cultivation, with delays and priorities revealing their different attitudes toward responsibility.

Character Interactions

• Han Anbo supports Li’s preparations and admires the unusual strength of his Thunder Talismans.
• Song Yanxue rebukes an official for criticizing Li and contrasts Li’s quiet service with Ye Han’s conduct.
• Wu Jingtian evaluates Li, Han Anbo, and Yu Ping before accepting them into his team, establishing a respectful working relationship.
• Ye Han warmly welcomes Li and introduces him to the team, but the group’s intense curiosity about Li leaves Ye Han sidelined.

Chapter Summary: Peace Nowhere in the Vast Qi Kingdom

Key Plot Points and Events

• More than a hundred Night Guards assemble at the drill ground for a formal demon-hunting deployment ceremony. The Demon-Hunting Office’s administrator gives a routine speech about demon infestations, court needs, and hunting precautions, though Chief Administrator Song Yanxue is notably absent.
• The squad collects provisions and an ox cart before leaving the capital on foot. The Night Guard’s loss of official support is revealed: the Imperial Horse Bureau no longer supplies them with horses, reflecting the organization’s declining status.
• Wu Jingtian explains that the squad’s destination is Dadong County in Yan Prefecture, where lesser demons travel through the Dong Water and attack civilians. The group expects to walk for five days, remain there for a month, and return after suppressing the infestation.
• During the journey, Han Anbo teaches Li Qingxian and the others about wilderness travel and demon hunting. His knowledge and experience earn him the squad’s respect.
• After the group passes beyond the capital’s protective boundary, Wu Jingtian warns them that they are entering dangerous territory where the Demon Race, Evil Sects, Devil Sect, and bandits may attack. He reveals that only about sixty people usually survive from each hundred-man demon-hunting squad, and many survivors are badly injured.
• The warning destroys the squad’s initial excitement. By the third day, everyone becomes tense and vigilant, frequently watching the darkness and gripping their weapons.
• During a night watch, Han Anbo privately warns Li Qingxian and Yu Ping that Ye Han may be plotting against Li. Ye Han has coincidentally taken leave and joined the same mission, accompanied by four recently transferred men who appear to be skilled experts and former associates.
• Han suspects Ye Han has reached Ninth Rank and plans to harm Li indirectly during a battle with demons, rather than attack openly. Li accepts the danger and prepares by making Thunder Talismans, distributing half of them to Han Anbo and Yu Ping.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian remains observant and cautious. He recognizes the Night Guard’s weakened position, evaluates his comrades, and quietly prepares for Ye Han’s possible treachery.
• Han Anbo establishes himself as an experienced and trustworthy mentor. His practical knowledge earns the squad’s respect, and he becomes Li’s primary source of information about the dangers ahead.
• Wu Jingtian demonstrates strong leadership and deliberately frightens the squad into discipline. His blunt warnings make the soldiers understand the seriousness of leaving the capital’s protection.
• Ye Han becomes increasingly suspicious. His repeated coincidences, stronger-than-expected cultivation, and association with four capable men suggest that he is targeting Li Qingxian.
• Yu Ping provides brief comic relief with his suggestion of knocking Ye Han unconscious, but he also shows loyalty by offering to help protect Li.

Significant Themes

• The decline of institutional power: The Night Guard’s inability to obtain horses and magical transportation shows how far its influence and resources have fallen.
• False security versus real danger: The capital’s protection and official uniforms provide only superficial safety. Beyond the boundary marker, the Night Guards are exposed and vulnerable.
• Experience and preparation: Han Anbo’s advice and Li’s creation of Thunder Talismans emphasize that survival depends on caution, knowledge, and preparation rather than confidence.
• Hidden enemies and indirect conflict: Ye Han cannot openly attack Li because of political consequences, so the coming demon hunt may become a battlefield for concealed manipulation.
• Comradeship under pressure: The journey gradually brings the squad closer, while shared fear and the dangers of the wilderness test their trust and discipline.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and Han Anbo discuss the Night Guard’s lack of resources and the declining support from the court and sects.
• Han Anbo’s continuous instruction earns him respect from the entire squad, with fellow guards bringing him water and food during breaks.
• Wu Jingtian reinforces Han’s warnings, using fear to ensure that the squad understands the dangers outside the capital.
• Han Anbo privately confides in Li Qingxian and Yu Ping about Ye Han, creating a small protective alliance.
• Li, Han, and Yu agree to remain alert, while Li strengthens the group’s defenses by sharing his Thunder Talismans.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• During the night shift, Li Qingxian studies the Daoist technique “Call Paper People” and creates four small paper figures.
• While traveling, he deliberately falls behind to investigate Nie Shan, whom he suspects of being Ye Han’s accomplice. His Fate Observation and Qi Gazing are blocked by two powerful protections:
  • One resembles the power of Ye Han’s Fate Mold.
  • The other resembles the “Emperor Star Suppressing Fate” sensation associated with a Grand Momentum Configuration.
• Li realizes that Nie Shan and the other four men are protected not only by Ye Han but also by the imperial clan or royal relatives. Ye Han himself has become so powerful that Li cannot observe his Fate Mansion at all.
• Li concludes that he currently lacks the strength to deal with these men directly and must first find a way to weaken the imperial protection shielding them.
• The squad travels through a desolate region toward Dadong County, passing abandoned-looking villages and fleeing inhabitants.
• At midday, they reach a river and stop to rest. Most of the Night Guards bathe, swim, fish, and play in the water, while Ye Han and his four associates remain apart.
• A funeral procession appears on the opposite bank, carrying a black coffin marked with claw-like cuts. Han Anbo deduces that the victim was likely killed by a relatively weak demon.
• Wu Jingtian orders a Night Guard to investigate. An old villager from Fangyuan Village approaches, kneels, and urgently begs the Night Guards to save the village, revealing that two people have died in ten days.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian becomes more cautious and politically aware. He recognizes that Ye Han’s conspiracy is connected to the imperial clan, making the threat far more dangerous than he had expected.
• He also acknowledges his current limitations: although his Fate Arts are developing, he cannot yet overcome powerful imperial protections or directly observe Ye Han.
• Wu Jingtian demonstrates leadership and responsibility by ordering an investigation rather than ignoring the funeral procession.
• Han Anbo displays sharp observational and analytical skills, inferring the demon’s strength and behavior from the villagers’ appearance, funeral customs, and the coffin’s markings.
• Yu Ping adds a boisterous, physically powerful presence, amusing the group during their river stop.
• The villagers’ fear and desperation suggest that the local demon threat may be more serious than the Night Guards initially assume.

Significant Themes

• Power and concealment: Fate Arts are limited by rank and by the protection of larger forces, especially imperial authority.
• Political danger: The involvement of royal relatives transforms Ye Han’s case from a personal investigation into a matter with potentially dangerous political consequences.
• Duty versus caution: Despite their mission and the risks of becoming involved, the Night Guards recognize their obligation to investigate supernatural deaths.
• Appearance and deduction: Han Anbo’s reasoning shows how social details, physical evidence, and local customs can reveal the nature of a hidden threat.
• The human cost of demonic activity: The funeral procession and the old man’s plea bring the consequences of the demon threat into immediate, personal focus.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian silently observes Ye Han, Nie Shan, and the other suspects while discussing their hidden protections through his own internal deductions.
• The Night Guards joke and argue casually while bathing, revealing their camaraderie and relaxed relationships away from danger.
• Han Anbo explains the meaning of the coffin’s claw marks and evaluates the likely strength of the demon, while Wu Jingtian asks practical questions and organizes the investigation.
• The old villager’s desperate appeal shifts the group’s mood from casual rest to active concern as the Night Guards prepare to learn what happened in Fangyuan Village.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Night Guards arrive at Fangyuan Village to investigate a series of mysterious deaths caused by a wolf demon.
• They open the coffin of the latest victim and confirm it was indeed killed by a wolf demon.
• The Night Guards decide to rest in the village before starting their investigation, despite feeling uneasy.

Character Developments

• Wu Jingtian: Shows determination and professionalism in his duty as a Night Guard commander.
• Ye Han: Demonstrates intuition and caution, sensing something amiss in the village.
• Li Qingxian: Shows concern for his team's safety and is aware of the potential danger in the village.
• Han Anbo: Displays wisdom and experience, advising Wu Jingtian about the village's Fifth Lady Temple and its implications.

Significant Themes

• The power dynamics between the Night Guards (seated in court) and the village's Fifth Lady (seated in a temple).
• The potential danger and unease in the seemingly peaceful Fangyuan Village.

Character Interactions

• Wu Jingtian and Ye Han: Wu Jingtian reassures Ye Han about his unease, while Ye Han expresses his concerns to Wu Jingtian.
• Li Qingxian and Han Anbo: They discuss the potential danger in the village and decide to be cautious.
• Han Anbo and Wu Jingtian: Han Anbo advises Wu Jingtian not to enter the village's White Building, and Wu Jingtian agrees.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The Night Guards arrive at Fangyuan Village and are told to follow two strict taboos during the village’s grand sacrifice to the Goddess of Birth:
  • No inauspicious words may be spoken.
  • No one may use a real name or surname before the village’s young master receives a name.
• To comply, the Night Guards invent substitute names for themselves, including Book-Listener, Sunshine Boy, Water-Bearer, Good Fortune Born, Climber, Commandant, and Foodie.
• At the public hall, an old woman distributes sprigs of mugwort for protection. One Night Guard accidentally reveals his real name, then tries to correct it. The old woman declares that a name cannot be changed once spoken and assigns him the substitute name Cowherd.
• The group enters the hall and is served an elaborate feast prepared as an offering for the village’s religious ceremony.
• Commandant insists that the village headman, Wang Laoshi, eat with them. However, after noticing the unusual circumstances, Book-Listener, Sunshine Boy, Good Fortune Born, and several others refuse the village food and eat their own provisions instead.
• After resting, the Night Guards investigate the deaths attributed to a wolf demon. They question the victims’ relatives and inspect the locations where the bodies were discovered, returning to the village after sunset.

2. Character Developments

• Sunshine Boy remains observant but passive. He senses that something is wrong with the village’s rules and atmosphere, yet repeatedly dismisses his unease as merely part of the important sacrifice.
• Book-Listener acts cautiously and takes the taboos seriously. He warns the others to obey village customs, carefully safeguards his mugwort, and refuses the suspicious food.
• Commandant establishes authority over the group, orders them to remain together, and leads the investigation. He also shows caution by eating only after Wang Laoshi joins the meal.
• Water-Bearer is irreverent, greedy, and dismissive of the rules. He nearly causes trouble by using forbidden forms of address and behaves carelessly during the feast.
• Cowherd accidentally speaks his true name, revealing how dangerous the naming taboo may be. His regret suggests he understands the seriousness of the mistake only afterward.
• Foodie is eager to eat but follows Book-Listener’s judgment and refrains from touching the village food.
• Good Fortune Born and several others show suspicion by avoiding the feast entirely.

3. Significant Themes

• The danger of names and language: Names are treated as binding and potentially dangerous, suggesting that speech may have supernatural consequences in the village.
• Tradition versus caution: The Night Guards struggle between respecting local ritual customs and recognizing that those customs may conceal a threat.
• Suspicion beneath hospitality: The villagers appear welcoming, offering protection, food, and polite smiles, but their behavior and strict rules create an increasingly ominous atmosphere.
• Group discipline and individual recklessness: The chapter contrasts cautious members who follow commands with careless figures who mock rules, revealing potential conflict within the Night Guard group.
• Food as a possible ritual or trap: The feast is presented as sacrificial food, and the decision of some guards not to eat it hints that accepting village hospitality may carry hidden risks.

4. Character Interactions

• Wang Laoshi politely explains the village taboos while Wu Jingtian/Commandant formally orders the Night Guards to obey them.
• Han Anbo and Li Qingxian encourage the group to adopt substitute names, turning the taboo into a moment of uneasy humor.
• The old woman’s interaction with Cowherd establishes that names, once spoken, cannot easily be withdrawn.
• Water-Bearer challenges Commandant’s authority by using forbidden titles, prompting a sharp reprimand.
• Book-Listener repeatedly acts as a counterweight to Water-Bearer’s carelessness, warning the group and resisting the feast.
• Commandant and Wang Laoshi exchange formal hospitality: Commandant insists the host eat, and Wang complies before the guards resume eating.
• The Night Guards work together under Commandant’s leadership to investigate the wolf demon, though their differing levels of trust and caution remain evident.